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Jun 4
The XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 was just announced at Computex to both fanfare and criticism due to its design choices.

Frank Azor confirms XPS 13 7390 will have soldered SSD, "not very different from smartphones today"

Dell and Alienware VP Frank Azor has confirmed in a tweet that the recently announced XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 will indeed have all its components — particularly its SSD — soldered on, citing the "extremely tight form factor" and compar...
Nvidia RTX Studio could spell trouble for the long-running HP ZBook, Dell Precision, and Lenovo ThinkPad P series (Image source: Nvidia)

Nvidia RTX Studio could spell trouble for the long-running HP ZBook, Dell Precision, and Lenovo ThinkPad P series

Why can't professional workstations look more like ultra-thin gaming laptops? RTX Studio will kick-off a new generation of sleek professional laptops that are expected to appeal to younger CAD users and digital artists who may not...
MacOS 10.15 throws out iTunes in favor of three dedicated apps

WWDC19 | MacOS 10.15 throws out iTunes in favor of three dedicated apps

The new version of macOS, 10.15 Catalina, is getting rid of iTunes in lieu of three dedicated media management apps. Replacing the storied software is Apple Music, Apple TV, and Apple Podcasts. MacOS 10.15 will also use Finder to ...
Jun 3
The "rugged S9 Active" seen at MWC 2019. (Source: YouTube)

Apparently doomed Samsung Galaxy S9 Active may re-emerge as new mid-range toughphone

Once, rumors of a phone with the same internals as a 2018 Samsung flagship phone, but with a much different, ruggedized chassis, did the rounds. However, the OEM also eventually took it off the cards as a product. Now, a device wi...
MSI is investigating a new hack that targeted its website. (Source: MSI)

MSI warns account-holders of new Apple ID email scam

MSI has alerted its customers advising them of a fraudulent email that may be sent due to their possession of an account with the company. The message attempts to direct the reader to change their Apple IDs using its link. However...
Return of the Cheese Grater: Apple announces new Mac Pro desktop

WWDC19 | Return of the Cheese Grater: Apple announces new Mac Pro desktop

Announced today, the new 2019 Mac Pro looks like an updated "cheese grater" Mac Pro. Featuring a massive spec bump over the current Mac Pro, the new desktop features 8 PCIe slots and Apple's new Mac Pro Expansion (MPX) Module syst...
Do you own a Pixel smartphone? Have you been encountering notifications with DND enabled? (Image source: CompareGadgets.net)

Some Google Pixel smartphones may have a Bluetooth-related DND notification bug

It appears that Google has messed up how its Pixel smartphones how they handle notifications when set to Do Not Disturb (DND). Originally reported on Reddit, some Pixel devices are receiving two notification sounds too. Google can...
The putative Lenovo K10 Note looks somewhat familiar. (Source: NBTC)

The Lenovo Z6 Youth may be marketed as the K10 Note in non-Chinese markets

Lenovo released the Z6 Youth on May 22, 2019 to the Chinese market. As a Snapdragon 710 device with triple rear cameras and a 6.3-inch FHD screen, it may make a solid mid-ranger. A phone roughtly matching this description has been...
The apparent OPPO A1s. (Source: MySmartPrice)

New OPPO A-line phone makes it through multiple certifiers

A new device called the OPPO CPH1925 (or A1s) has popped up on the websites of Russian, Thai and Indonesian regulatory bodies. Like the A1k before it, it has a 2.0GHz MediaTek processor, a 4000mAh battery and a 6.1 inch waterdrop-...
Move over ARM, AMD is back in town. (Image source: AMD & Samsung)

Avengers Assemble: AMD and Samsung unite to bring Radeon graphics to Exynos chipsets

AMD has agreed to license its Radeon graphics technology with Samsung in a multi-year partnership. The deal brings the American company back into the mobile GPU market for the first time in over ten years. It also spells the end t...
Starkly superior in terms of value for money, we must agree. (Source: Manu Jain)

New Redmi ad campaign takes bold shots at the OnePlus 7 phones

OnePlus have traditionally been the holders of the "flagship killer" title, although most would claim they lost the rights to it with the continuous hikes in prices. The Redmi K20 Pro is, without a doubt, the new flagship killer o...
The Samsung Galaxy A50. (Source: Samsung)

New information points towards an imminent US release for the Samsung Galaxy A50

The Samsung Galaxy A50 was released a while ago for the global market but is yet to make its way into the US officially. That will likely change in the coming weeks, as there has now been semi-official confirmation of an imminent ...
Samsung's Notebook 7 models look quite similar to Apple's MacBook Pro laptops. (Source: Samsung)

Samsung unveils new Notebook 7 / Force laptops

The latest Notebook 7 slim laptops from Samsung should go head to head with Huawei's MateBook models as value-oriented alternatives for Apple's MacBook Pro and Microsoft's Surface. The Notebook 7 lineup features configurations wit...
Snazzy designs and more attention to build quality are becoming more common as laptop OEMs struggle to give consumers more reasons to upgrade outside of performance.

Opinion | Intel and Nvidia's stagnation might be the best thing to happen to notebooks in years

Some people might look at the death of Moore's Law, Intel's 10nm troubles, and Nvidia's highly resistible 2019 mobile-RTX lineup and think that the notebook business is in trouble. I think it might be the best thing that's happene...
Small yet mighty: The Nionics ATTO atop of a Candian Quarter. (Image source: Nionics)

Nionics ATTO: The world's smallest Arduino board is available to pre-order for under US$12

The ATTO measures just 10.3 x 11.5 mm² and weighs 0.68 g. Nionics has equipped the board with an Atmel ATmega32U4 microcontroller, a micro USB port and a reset button. The company has pre-flashed the board with the Arduino Leonard...
The best alternatives to Apple's MacBook Air

Notebookcheck's Top Windows Alternatives to the MacBook 12 and Air

June 2019 Update. Lighter than Air? Apple shocked the whole industry with the first MacBook Air: We had never seen such a slim and light notebook before. However, in the meantime the other manufacturers have come up with several slim Windows devices that are good alternatives to the current MacBooks.
The 2nd generation iPad Pro 12.9 scored an impressive 92% overall in our review. (Image source: Apple)

Deal | Save nearly US$600 on a 4G Apple iPad Pro 12.9 with 512 GB of storage until tomorrow

B&H is currently running a sale until tomorrow on one 2nd generation Apple iPad Pro 12.9 SKU. The 4G tablet comes with 4 GB LPDDR4 RAM, a 512 GB of storage and comes in a choice of Gold, Silver or Space Gray. The SKU originally co...
Best Outdoor/Rugged Smartphones

Best Outdoor/Rugged Smartphones

June 2019 Update. Current smartphones are not just getting bigger and faster, they are also getting more and more fragile with each generation. Besides the display, the case is often made of glass as well and therefore subject to shattering when dropped. However, special-made and certified rugged smartphones are made to withstand massive abuse even without any protective shells. Here are the best outdoor smartphones reviewed by us.
Ice universe has already claimed that da Vinci is the codename for the Galaxy Note 10. (Image source: @UniverseIce)

Cryptic clues: Samsung looks set to bring 45 W charging to the Galaxy Note 10

Ice universe is back with yet more Galaxy Note 10 information. It appears as though Samsung does not have plans to bring 100 W charging to its upcoming phablet, but it is still looking to outdo Huawei and OnePlus.
The Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 should be available in August. (Image source: Dell)

Dell's XPS 13 2-in-1 7390 already delayed

Dell’s new 2-in-1 convertible, the XPS 13 7390, could already be delayed. An expected launch date of July 10 was previously stated, but it now seems it could be almost another month before the convertible hits Dell’s online store....
The Dell XPS 15 7590 features the webcam back at the top of the display. (Image source: Dell)

Dell XPS 15 7590 coming in June: No soldered-on SSD, finally an OLED option, potential for a future Ryzen Zen 2 APU

There’s good news for those waiting for the latest version of Dell’s renowned XPS 15 lineup. Company executive Frank Azor has revealed that the new XPS 15 7590 is coming this month. Although it appears this year’s refresh is relat...
X370-based mainboards and X470 parts will not get PCIe Gen 4 support

Forget about those BIOS updates: Pre-X570 mainboards will not support PCIe Gen 4

Although recent BIOS updates for X370- and X470-based mainboards were supposed to include PCIe Gen 4 support, AMD's Robert Hallock has just confirmed on Reddit that this option will not be available in the final firmware releases ...
The notchless Xiaomi Mi 9 appears to have a hidden selfie camera. (Image source: Twitter/Ice universe)

Video of modified Mi 9 with under-display camera aims to prove that Xiaomi is keeping up with the competition

A brief video clip of a seemingly modified Xiaomi Mi 9 smartphone with an under-display camera has been shared online. The video shows two Mi 9 devices being compared with one another. It soon becomes apparent that the smartphone ...
AMD-powered Asus TUF FX505DY gaming laptop is only $600 right now

Deal | Asus TUF FX505DY laptop with Ryzen 5 3550H and Radeon RX 560X is only $600 right now

The all-AMD gaming machine is a rare sight to behold and it has already become one of the cheapest in its entry-level category. Expect the Ryzen 5 3550H and Radeon RX 560X to perform about the same as any competing laptop with Cor...
Jun 2
A BBC news report over 5G gets distinctly low-res. (Source: BBC)

BBC broadcast fails highlight potentially serious drawbacks of 5G

The UK's first 5G network launched recently, at the end of May 2019. The country national broadcaster, the BBC, attempted to conduct some news reports over the new data standard. Unfortunately, they faced severe issues due to the ...
The modern-day banana-phone. (Source: KICKmobiles)

The 2018 Nokia banana-phone now has WhatsApp

The 8110 (4G) is a reprise of a classic Nokia phone of the same name, released at MWC last year. However, its KaiOS meant that it had reduced functionality compared to the average Android or iOS device. With the roll-out of a comp...
The OnePlus 7 Pro. (Source: Kimovil)

OnePlus 7 Pro users on T-Mobile can now convert their phones to international units without the usual hurdles

Buying through T-Mobile may be a more intuitive way of getting one's hands on a OnePlus 7 Pro in the US. However, those units of this flagship are often subject to restrictions that keep them on this carrier's software update plan...
Xiaomi also patented an idea for a full-screen smartphone with the display going over the edges. (Image source: LetsGoDigital)

Xiaomi could beat Samsung in producing a full-screen smartphone with an under-display camera

A patent filed by Xiaomi for a full-screen smartphone utilizing an under-display camera has been unearthed. The patent application was made with the State Intellectual Property Office of China in November 2018, and it briefly desc...
The Dell XPS 15 9570 Touch has an anti-reflective screen. (Image source: Dell)

Deal | Want to get your hands on a Dell XPS 15 (9570) Touch laptop? Save up to nearly US$900 with site discount and code

It’s possible to save almost US$900 on a Dell XPS 15 (9570) Touch laptop with i9-8950HK processor and GeForce GTX 1050 Ti graphics card at the moment. The top-end device in the lineup usually costs US$2,978.99, but this can be kno...
The Xiaomi Mi Band 4 will feature Xiaomi's smart assistant, Xiao AI. (Image source: MySmartPrice/Weibo)

Real-life images of the Xiaomi Mi Band 4 fitness tracker leaked online

Actual real-life pictures of Xiaomi’s Mi Band 4 fitness wearable have been leaked. The images show that the display part of the Mi Band 4 is very similar to the renders that were leaked last month. The Mi Band 4 gets a considerabl...
Huawei's problems appear to be terminal. (Source: Getty Images)

Huawei smartphone production lines grind to a halt

Embattled Chinese smartphone maker Huawei’s woes are no longer academic it seems. According to the South China Morning Post, Huawei smartphone assembler Foxconn has shut down several production lines that were making Huawei’s mark...
Jun 1
AMD previewed its new RDNA architecture for Radeon GPUs at Computex 2019.

Navi 10-based AMD Radeon RX 5700 still has elements of GCN, 'pure' RDNA coming only in 2020

The upcoming AMD Navi GPUs such as the Radeon RX 5700 will use a hybrid GCN-RDNA architecture according to information obtained from AMD by Swedish outlet, SweClockers. Apparently, AMD feels that GCN is a mature architecture that ...
The new Samsung tablet may look something like this (Source: DroidShout)

Likely 7-inch variant of the Samsung Galaxy Tab A (2019) visits FCC

A new Samsung tablet has gone through FCC validation, and may thus be released soon. Judging by its model number (SM-T295), it will probably be unveiled as a Galaxy Tab A (2019) at this event. The new certifier's listing also sugg...
The Panasonic LUMIX S1H. (Source: Panasonic)

Panasonic unveils the LUMIX S1H, the world's first 6K/24p digital single-lens mirrorless camera

Panasonic introduces a new LUMIX S-series camera, which, as it claims, "combines the video quality of a professional camera and the high mobility of a mirrorless camera". This is because it is capable of recording 6K video at up t...
Synopsys makes the chipset design tools used by up to 90% of chipmakers. (Source: Synopsys)

Huawei reportedly finishes work on Kirin 985 and 990, but what about their successors?

According to a new Nikkei Asian Review article, Huawei has finalized the blueprints for its next upcoming smartphone SoCs. However, the OEM has now lost the support of the chipset-design supplier Synopsys, as it has that of ARM. T...
Games will almost certainly make a huge market in the near future. (Source: Medical Xpress)

The games industry could be worth up to US$179 billion in 5 years

The video-game industry could accrue as much as US$179.1 billion by 2024. This is in line with a new market-research report on the subject. This valuation may be driven by conventional platforms such as mobile devices, PCs and con...
The Z2 Force was the last true Moto flagship. (Source: CNET)

Motorola may have finally quit the business of making flagship phones

Motorola launched the Moto Z4 a few days ago and has now confirmed that it has no plans of releasing any other Moto Z devices this year. This is bad news, as it could mean that the company has given up on releasing flagship phones...
The Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL. (Source: Daily Express)

Deal | The Google Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL are now US$200 cheaper

With the recent launch of the Pixel 3a phones, Google is now shaving US$200 off the MSRPs of the Pixel 3 flagships, making them a lot more attractive to potential buyers. At US$599 and US$699 for the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL respect...
The two new Super cards will fit in with the top-end RTX 20-series cards. (Image source: PCGamesN)

Nvidia to release two new Turing-based high-end graphics cards? That would be Super

Nvidia recently teased the word “Super” in a very brief promotional video that created speculation that the graphics card specialist had some new products coming. A new leak has suggested that the green team is preparing two new g...
The concept Panda Pixel 4 design has been well-received. (Image source: Twitter/Jonas Daehnert)

This is what a Panda Pixel 4 could look like

One of the popular design options for the Google Pixel 2 XL was a black-and-white “Panda” variant. The Panda Pixel 2 XL had most of its rear case covered in panda white, while a portion at the top was colored black. A skilled conc...
AMD's Ryzen 3000 series could be comparatively cheap as chips. (Image source: The Verge/AMD)

Online retailer listing gives idea of how much AMD's Ryzen 3000 processors will actually cost

An online retailer specializing in consumer electronics has added the five current members of AMD’s Matisse family to its database. The prices listed for the Zen 2 desktop processors aren’t too much higher than what was expected: ...
Lenovo ThinkPad P53 mobile workstation leaks with Quadro RTX 5000 & OLED screen

Lenovo ThinkPad P53 mobile workstation leaks with Quadro RTX 5000 & OLED screen

The newest generation of mobile workstations from Lenovo, the Lenovo ThinkPad P73 and ThinkPad P53, have leaked ahead of their official announcement. The smaller Lenovo ThinkPad P53 receives a lot of upgrades, including an OLED sc...
May 31
Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.1 (2019) Tablet Review

84% Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.1 (2019) Tablet Review

Rejuvenation - It has been over two years since Samsung last upgraded its 10-inch entry-level Galaxy Tab A tablet. An update was necessary, especially regarding software. Read on to find out how the Galaxy Tab A 10.1 performs in our tests and whether it is a worthwhile upgrade over the Galaxy Tab A 10.5.
Samsung Exynos 7904 | ARM Mali-G71 MP2 | 10.1" | 460 g
Apple iPhone "XR 2019" case leaks may give further insight into how cameras and buttons will look on this phone

Apple iPhone "XR 2019" case leaks may give further insight into how cameras and buttons will look on this phone

The possible exitstence of a 2nd-generation iPhone XR is relatively well-supported in the Apple rumor sphere. Most lately, a blog claims to have gotten hold of images showing what could be this phone with and without clear cases. ...
OnePlus has the weirdest Youtube challenge right now involving drinking straws and suction (Source: OnePlus)

OnePlus has the weirdest Twitter challenge right now involving drinking straws and suction

The smartphone maker wants to be the next Ice Bucket Challenge by encouraging users to record themselves sucking water from one cup with a straw and then delivering it to another cup. The purpose, apparently, is to demonstrate the...
Creative will integrate its Super X-Fi audio tech into Clevo notebooks. (Source: Creative)

Next-gen Clevo notebooks will incorporate Creative Super X-Fi audio at a hardware level

Today, (May 31, 2019) Creative unveils a new partnership with the Taiwanese PC-smiths Clevo. It will involve the integration of Super X-Fi technology into this manufacturer's notebooks in the future. Therefore, this platform will ...
Lenovo ThinkPad E490 (i5-8265U, SSD, FHD) Laptop Review

89% Lenovo ThinkPad E490 (i5-8265U, SSD, FHD) Laptop Review

Successful work horse. The ThinkPad E490 scores with a quiet or silent operation, very good input devices, simple maintenance options, and a long battery life. In addition, the device stands out with a good price-performance ratio. The test unit that was made available to us can be purchased for slightly more than 700 Euros (~$780; currently $678 in the US for a similar model).
Intel Core i5-8265U | Intel UHD Graphics 620 | 14" | 1.8 kg
Dell to make changes to their OLED screens over health concerns

Dell to make changes to their OLED screens over health concerns

Dell is taking new study on permanent dangers of blue light seriously and will make changes to their portfolio. VP says company is concerned about the damage done to the eyes of users of OLED screens after new report by French he...
It seems the Moto One Vision is getting another version. (Source: GizmoChina)

The Motorola One line may be getting a ruggedized variant

The Motorola One Vision was released not long ago. However, a new leak suggests that its series is getting yet another new phone sometime soon. Should a Geekbench entry prove accurate, it will be called the One Action.
The Sony a9 flagship mirrorless camera. (Source: Adorama)

The Sony a9 mirrorless camera can be had for US$1,000 cheaper right now

The a9 is Sony's flagship mirrorless camera. It is a 24.2MP full-frame unit with an Exmor RS sensor and a silent shutter. Normally, this extensive piece of kit retails for US$4,498. However, the new "Step up to Sony" offers intere...

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Notebookcheck (Update: 2019-06- 3)