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Dec 11
The Galaxy A8s, jack very much missing. (Source: Sammobile)

For the first time, Samsung has ditched the headphone jack

Samsung announced the new Galaxy A8s in China yesterday and while the device's Infinity-O camera hole may be the biggest talking point, an even bigger point of contention is the fact that the phone lacks a 3.5mm jack. This will be...
The Honor V20. (Source: Huawei Central)

The Honor V20 is coming with a single rear camera, a 48 MP absolute unit

Huawei is set to unveil its new premium phone, the Honor V20, on December 26. The device will feature a single rear camera, albeit a 48 MP one.
Renders of the Pixel 3 Lite XL. (Source: OnLeaks)

Renders of the Pixel 3 Lite XL surface

The Pixel 3 Lite has leaked extensively over the last month, and it's almost surprising to learn that there's a bigger Pixel 3 Lite XL. The less is said about that name, the better.
Toshiba Tecra A50-E-110
Toshiba Tecra A50-E-110 (Core i5-8250U, 256 GB SSD, 8 GB RAM) Laptop Review
Notebookcheck Gaming PC
Notebookcheck Gaming PC
Dell Inspiron 14 5000 5482 2-in-1 (i7-8565U) Convertible Review
Dell Inspiron 14 5000 5482 2-in-1 (i7-8565U) Convertible Review
Darksiders III
Darksiders III Laptop and Desktop Benchmarks
Expected to be the Sony IMX586. (Source: Android Central)

The upcoming Xiaomi phone with a 48 MP camera will likely be a mid-range offering

Xiaomi spokesperson Lin Bin recently teased a new Xiaomi phone featuring a 48 MP camera. Initial reports claimed it could be a flagship of sorts but new information shows that is rather unlikely, as the device is said to be powere...
Top 10 convertible laptops

Notebookcheck's Top 10 Convertible Laptops

December 2018 Update. Here you will find the best convertibles reviewed by Notebookcheck in the last few months. Our list of top models is regularly updated, maintained and commented on and should assist in purchase decisions.
Toshiba Tecra A50-E-110

83% Toshiba Tecra A50-E-110 (Core i5-8250U, 256 GB SSD, 8 GB RAM) Laptop Review

Simple but modern. The Toshiba Tecra A50 is a sleekly designed and modern looking 15.6-inch laptop that Toshiba has equipped with modern hardware. Read on to find out for whom the A50 is suited and what performance buyers can expect from this quad-core laptop.
Intel Core i5-8250U | Intel UHD Graphics 620 | 15.6" | 2 kg
Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2 with Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 and Corning Gorilla Glass 6 (Source: Android Authority)

Asus launches the Zenfone Max Pro M2 and Asus Zenfone Max M2 in India

The new Zenfone Max Pro M2 and Zenfone Max M2 handsets by Asus both feature a 6.3-inch display, but they are quite different. The first comes with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 processor and up to 6 GB of memory, while its more afford...
Although the download is free, a physical version will is also availble for US$166. (Source: Limited Run Games)

The original DOOM is getting a free fifth chapter to celebrate its 25-year anniversary

Fans of DOOM will be excited to learn that the ground-breaking first-person shooter is getting an all-new fifth chapter. The new content has been announced to mark the 25-year anniversary of its launch in 1993.
The LG HomeBrew capsule-based connected home brew solution is coming to CES 2019. (Source: LG)

LG is launching a connected pod-based home beer machine

LG has launched a connected home brewing solution called the HomeBrew. It will adopt a Nespresso-style capsule solution that should make home brewing easier than ever, particularly for millennials keen on craft beers.
The new Sound BlasterX AE-9 aimed at audiophiles is almost twice as expensive as the gaming version due to the included external DAC. (Source: PCWorld)

Creative Labs showcases new Sound BlasterX AE-9 audiophile soundcard

With the new Sound BlasterX AE-9, Creative Labs shows that it still values the audiophile community, even though it took the company 6 years to release a new version. The new card comes with replaceable operational amplifiers for ...
Top 10 2-in-1 Windows Tablets

Notebookcheck's Top 10 Convertibles (2-in-1 Tablets)

December 2018 Update. Here is the current list of Notebookcheck's top-ranked 2-in-1 Windows tablets with attachable or detachable keyboards. This list is reviewed on a regular basis, checked by our editors and updated if needed. It is designed to help our readers with their purchase decisions.
In a big win for Qualcomm, a provincial Chinese court has granted preliminary injunction against sale of older iPhone devices in the country. (Source: 9to5Mac)

Big relief for Qualcomm as provincial court bans sale of several iPhone models in China

The Fuzhou Intermediate People's Court in China has granted preliminary injunctions against the import, sale, and offers for sale of various older Apple iPhone models in the country. The Court granted the injunction against Apple ...
This contest sparked rumors that Ryzen 3000 might be arriving sooner rather than later, perhaps as early as AMD's opening event as CES in January. (Source: VideoCardz)

South Korean Ryzen 3600X and 3700X contest is pulled after AMD is notified of its existence

Tech enthusiasts were intrigued by a contest hosted by a South Korean sales agency, the object of which was to guess the Cinebench scores for the as of yet unreleased Ryzen 3600X and 3700X. However, the contest has now been cancel...
AMD could be planning on refreshing its Vega architecture. (Source: Twitter/BoMbY)

New AMD Radeon Vega logo sparks speculation about potential APU refresh

An AMD-related image trademark has been discovered that has led to some discussion about its possible meaning, if any. The application in question shows a logo that is very similar to the well-known Vega logo, but the right-hand w...
Dec 10
It looks like the 2060 mobility GPU will also include ray tracing features and the first tests put it just above the GTX 1070 Max-Q version. (Source: Nvidia)

More details on Nvidia's RTX 2000-series mobility GPUs emerge, leaked Lenovo / HP / Asus laptop benchmarks included

Tum Apisak is back with a bunch of exciting leaks regarding the performance of Nvidia's mid-range and high-end mobility GPUs based on the Turing architecture. First off, the RTX 2060 will get a regular and a Max-Q version, and it ...
Samsung Rize30 trademark details (Source: European Union Intellectual Property Office)

Rize could be a new handset family by Samsung, three individual devices already registered

Previously reported as a possible name for Samsung's upcoming foldable handset, Rize returns as the name of no less than three devices. The Rize10, Rize20, and Rize30 smartphone models have just surfaced in three trademark documen...
Coolicool Winter sale in effect until end the of Christmas Day (Source: Coolicool)

Coolicool Winter sale in effect until end the of Christmas Day

Get the Asus Zenfone 3 Zoom for just $150 USD or the Xiaomi Mi 8 Lite for $260 USD by the end of the month. The Christmas sale includes some of the cheapest imported smartphones and tablets online. As usual, be sure to check compa...
Google Sounds app coming soon with Android December 2018 Update (Source: 9to5Google)

Google Sounds is a new app that brings more flexible ringtone and alarm settings, but only to some phones

Although Pixel owners will probably get some exclusive treats, as usual, the Google Sounds app should work with most modern Android handsets. This app — which should be included in the December Android Update — comes with more opt...
Facebook Group Stories now available worldwide (Source: Facebook Community)

Group Stories rolls out to Facebook users worldwide

Those who love Facebook's Stories feature can finally enjoy it in their Groups as well. Group Stories has been tested starting earlier this year, and now this feature is finally available for Facebook users all around the world on...
best budget office laptops

Notebookcheck's Top 10 Budget Office/Business Laptops

December 2018 Update. Here you will find the current 10 best office/business notebooks for under 800 USD/Euros reviewed by Notebookcheck in the last few months. Our list of top models is regularly updated, maintained and commented on and should assist in purchase decisions.
The next-gen Radeon RX cards will be Navi 10-based. (Source: PC Builder's Club)

AMD Navi 10: now rumored to rival RTX 2080 at the highest end

The Navi 10 is AMD's upcoming 7nm-based architecture for its next-gen GPUs. A post on the Chiphell forum now alleges that it could compete with NVIDIA's RTX 2080 in certain configurations. This contravenes earlier leaks pitting th...
CS:GO is now free and includes a battle royale mode (Source: own)

CS:GO finally becomes a free to play title and gets a battle royale mode

Less than eight years since its release, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive has been turned into a free to play title. However, the best part is that the favorite first-person shooter of millions has also received a battle royale mo...
Google claims that its new collaboration with Levi will help you control your phone's audio while cycling. (Source: Levi)

Google's smart fabric project, Jacquard, results in a jacket that can control your phone

Smart fabric is a form of textile containing nano-tech threads that can form circuits and battery connections when woven together. Google has been developing its own take on this new type of electronics, in the form of 'Project Ja...
Notebookcheck Gaming PC

Notebookcheck Gaming PC

Fit for the future. We regularly update our fleet of desktops and laptops to keep up with the latest gaming benchmarks and now is time for us to update the former. This article is dedicated to our latest main testing platform that will serve as the foundation on which we will conduct future benchmark articles of the most recent games.
Intel Core i9-9900K | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 (Desktop) |
Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus 'Beyond 2' prototype with dual in-display cameras. (Source: Slashleaks)

Leaked picture of the Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus 'Beyond 2' prototype confirms dual in-display front cameras

A picture of a prototype Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus codenamed 'Beyond 2' has leaked online and it seems to confirm the presence of the dual in-display selfie cameras as was speculated in earlier leaks and renders. The leaked image sh...
best budget multimedia laptops

Notebookcheck's Top 10 Budget Multimedia Notebooks

December 2018 Update. Here you will find the best multimedia notebooks under 1000 USD/Euros reviewed by Notebookcheck in the last few months. Our list of top models is regularly updated, maintained and commented on and should assist in purchasing decisions.
The Samsung Galaxy A8s in its three colors. (Source: GizChina)

Samsung Galaxy A8s announced in China

The Samsung Galaxy A8s, which is set to be the world's first Infinity-O display phone, has had all of its details officially released today. There are also real-world photos of the phone now available. This announcement confirms t...
The putative Sony Xperia XZ4 Compact. (Source: CompareRaja)

Sony Xperia XZ4 Compact also in the works: new leak

A new leak suggests that a Compact variant may launch alongside the Sony Xperia XZ4. However, if this pans out, it could be a slightly disappointing release, especially next to the full-size version. The phone portrayed in the rum...
Mobvoi TicWatch C2 (Source: Mobvoi)

The Mobvoi TicWatch C2 smartwatch finally hits the US market

The IP68-rated Mobvoi TicWatch C2 is now available for purchase in the US for US$199.99. Powered by Google's Wear OS and the Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 2100 processor, this smart wearable features NFC connectivity and has a built-in...
Microsoft 365 freelance toolkit now available (Source: Microsoft Office 365 via YouTube)

Microsoft and Upwork team up to launch the Microsoft 365 freelance toolkit

Enterprises that choose to assign various tasks to a large number of freelancers often find it difficult to manage all the processes involved, especially when working under strict deadlines. The Microsoft 365 freelance toolkit has...
best laptops under 300 usd/euros

Notebookcheck's Top 10 Laptops under 300 Euros

December 2018 Update. Here you will find the best notebooks under 300 USD/Euros as reviewed by Notebookcheck. Our Top 10 list is regularly updated, maintained and commented on by our editors. This page is intended to help our readers decide which product to purchase.
The Best Notebook Displays As Reviewed By Notebookcheck

The Best Notebook Displays As Reviewed By Notebookcheck

December 2018 Update. Is the display the most important part of a notebook, tablet, or convertible for you and does it play a leading role in your purchasing decision? Our overview of the best displays in current notebooks as reviewed by Notebookcheck might be helpful for you.
Turing HubblePhone K3-XR crypto pre-order campaign starting December 13 (Source: The Dawn of HubblePhone newsletter)

The Crypto Pre-Order Campaign of the Turing HubblePhone K3-XR next-gen handset will start on December 13

Advertised as a multi-screen 5G smartphone with a professional camera and a mobile gaming console, the HubblePhone K3-XR Copernicus is supposed to arrive in about a year, but there are two more models — Cassini and Herschel — that...
Rare Ryzen gaming laptop shows how far behind AMD is against Nvidia (Image source: Acer)

Rare Ryzen and Polaris gaming laptop shows how far behind AMD is against Nvidia

Based on the very few Polaris-based gaming laptops we've tested, they're just not worth the errors, crashes, and glitches when gaming especially when an equivalent Intel/Nvidia gaming laptop is available for the same price.
Dec 9
Microsoft's move to Chromium is the first time the company has abandoned attempts to design a totally first party web browser. (Source: The Hacker News)

Mozilla CEO warns against Google's increasing control over internet browsers after Microsoft adopts Chromium engine

Ever since Google's Chrome browser launched, a large part of internet users have used the browser over competitors such as Mozilla Firefox, Opera, Explorer, and Edge. With the death of Edge and Microsoft's move to a Chromium based...
PC market anticipated to fall 3.8 percent by end of 2018 (Source: IDC)

Laptops to grow 3.7 percent in PC market share by 2022 according to IDC

Sales of laptops, traditional PCs, and mobile workstations are expected to remain relatively flat for the next few years. Even so, the fast decline of traditional slate tablets will allow laptops and PCs to regain lost market shar...
This is possibly the iPhone design template for yet another year. (Source: Ars Technica)

2019's iPhones will look pretty much exactly like 2018's: new analysis

Apple will make minimal changes to its smartphones for the new year, according to an analyst with the bank Nomura. Therefore, they are likely to end up looking much like the iPhone X of 2017...again. The Nomura research report ind...
The Hyundai Kona, an electric SUV. (Source: ETNews)

Hyundai-Kia reported a ~200% increase in electric vehicle exports this year

Hyundai-Kia Motors has already doubled the number of electric vehicles it has exported from South Korea in 2018 compared to 2017, according to a Korean news report. This article also claimed that sales of cars (conventionally-fuel...
Xiaomi has made Mi smart speakers in the past, but none with a screen. (Source: AliExpress)

Xiaomi may release an AI-powered smart speaker with a touchscreen soon

Xiaomi is now said to be developing a new smart speaker soon. The main difference between this one and the OEM's existing line-up of such products is that this one will have both AI and a touchscreen. This rumor is derived from a ...
The iPhone XR. (Source: Digital Trends)

Opinion | DxOMark: The iPhone XR proves that more cameras aren't a precursor for excellent performance

The iPhone XR made the trip over to DxOMark and shone, earning the highest score ever for a device with a single rear camera, and showing up other flagships with more complicated camera setups.
Renders of the Xperia XZ4 Compact. (Source: Onleaks)

Sony could be the first OEM to bring back the headphone jack after removing it

The headphone jack began its mass exodus away from flagships last year, with Sony ditching it on the Xperia XZ2 phones. For the first time, though, we could see a company bring back the much-wanted port.
Renders of the S10+. (Source: Onleaks)

This is the Samsung Galaxy S10 Lite with a flat display and side-mounted fingerprint sensor

With how much attention the Galaxy S10 and S10 have received, you could be forgiven for forgetting that Samsung also plans on releasing an S10 Lite. Details of the S10 Lite have been scarce but renders have finally surfaced.
The company is one of the biggest in the feature phone market too. (Source: Yle)

HMD Global has sold 70 million phones in two years

Since the company's conception two years ago, HMD Global has sold 70 million phones. Of course, that figure also includes feature phones, and we expect the number of Android smartphones sold to be in the ballpark of 25 million, wh...
Dell Inspiron 14 5000 5482 2-in-1 (i7-8565U) Convertible Review

78% Dell Inspiron 14 5000 5482 2-in-1 (i7-8565U) Convertible Review

Affordable convertible. The 14-inch Inspiron convertible starts pretty cheap at under $600 USD for both a 1080p touchscreen and a modern Whiskey Lake-U CPU. We go more in-depth on the system to find out what else it may be hiding when compared to the competition.
Intel Core i7-8565U | Intel UHD Graphics 620 | 14" | 1.8 kg
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Chip.de: Toll ausgestatteter Laptop mit schwachem Display, Chinahandys.net: Vernee T3 Pro, PCtipp.ch: Acer Swift 7 (2018), Netzwelt: Lenovo Yoga Book C930 Flexi-Notebook mit Touch- und E-Ink-Display, Chip.de: Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme Business meets Gaming, Chinahandys.net: Lenovo S5 (K520), Inside Handy: Samsung Galaxy A8 2018, MobiFlip: Apple iPad Pro 2018 Mein Fazit nach 3 Wochen, Inside Handy: Asus ROG Phone So muss ein Gaming-Smartphone aussehen, Tablet Blog: Teclast F5 Ein großartiges Convertible mit einem Schwachpunkt, WinFuture: Gutes Convertible mit schwachem Akku, A1 Blog: Apple iPhone XR, Area DVD: Mit Anlauf zur Klassenspitze?, PCtipp.ch: LG Q7+, Netzwelt: Eine Alternative zu Galaxy S9 und Co.?, ChinaMobileMag: Xiaomi Mi 8 Lite, Netzwelt: Huawei Mate 20 Pro Traum-Handy für Android-Nutzer?, Tech Stage: Xiaomi Mi A2 Android One unter 200 Euro, Chinahandys.net: OnePlus 6T, Chinahandys.net: iPhone XR, Android Mag: Porsche Design des Huawei Mate 20 RS, Android Mag: Sharp Aquos D10, Android Mag: ZTE Axon 9 Pro, Android Pit: Huawei Mate 20 Pro Das fast perfekte Smartphone, The Times of India: Honor 8C first impressions: Just a chipset upgrade doesn’t cut it, CNet: Acer Spin 3 review, CNet: Acer Spin 3 (2018) review:, Engadget: ThinkPad X1 Extreme review: Big on power and price, PC Mag: Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme, PC Mag: MSI GE63 Raider RGB, PC Advisor: Lenovo IdeaPad 720S review, PC Advisor: Lenovo IdeaPad 320S review, The Verge: Apple Ipad Pro Review 2018: The Fastest Ipad Is Still An Ipad, The Verge: Apple Macbook Air (2018) Review: The Present Of Computing, The Mobile Indian: Lenovo A5 Review: Is it worth buying?, The Mobile Indian: Nokia 5.1 Plus Review, The Mobile Indian: Panasonic Eluga X1 Review, Tech PP: Living with the Microsoft Surface Book 2, Engadget: Microsoft Surface Laptop 2 review: The sequel is better than the original, Mobile Syrup: BlackBerry KEY2 LE Review: Anything you can do, I can do too, Engadget: HP Envy x2 review: Always-on LTE and an atrocious keyboard, Techradar: Acer Chromebook R11 review, Tech Nave: Night photography outing with the vivo V11, The Verge: Razer Blade 15 Dual Storage Review: Too Much Compromise, Engadget: ASUS ZenBook S review: Just a decent laptop, Engadget: Razer Phone 2 review: Strictly for gamers, Engadget: iPad Pro 12.9 review (2018): The future of computing?, Engadget: Apple MacBook Air review (2018): A good buy and a tough call, CNet: Razer Phone 2 review:, Gadget Show: Asus Zenfone Max M1 review: Gets the basics right
A purported render of the OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition looks fairly mild. (Source:@IshanAgarwal24)

OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition renders leak out

If you were hoping for a stunning dual-tone blue and papaya orange color scheme for the OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition, prepare to be disappointed. Instead, what you will get is a rather bland looking carbon fiber rear case with perha...
Dec 8
Apple acquires artist oriented promo platform Platoon. (Source: Business Insider)

Apple acquires Platoon for Apple Music, updates Beddit sleep monitor to v3.5

Apple has acquired A & R startup Platoon to supplement its Apple Music services for artists. In other Apple news, it has also updated its Beddit Sleep Monitor system to version 3.5.
Darksiders III

Darksiders III Laptop and Desktop Benchmarks

Out of nowhere. At the end of November without any hype in the press, the third installment in the Darksiders series came out. We examine whether it is a good or a bad sign with our performance analysis.
Just Cause 4

Just Cause 4 Laptop and Desktop Benchmarks

Rampage. Just Cause 4 is a real adventure playground like its predecessors. Read on in our benchmark article to find out which graphics cards are best for creating chaos.
The Elephone PX. (Source: Indiegogo)

Elephone PX: the crowdfunded phone with a dual pop-up selfie camera

The pop-up camera module was one of 2018's most innovative alternatives to the smartphone notch. Elephone is developing a phone that elaborates on Vivo's original concept somewhat by adding a dual camera to the mechanism. This dev...
 

Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 SoC - Benchmarks and Specs

Benchmarks, information, and specifications for the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 drive

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