Expert reviews and news on laptops, smartphones and tech innovations

The "Reno5 Pro+" on TENAA. (Source: TENAA)

The 50MP, Snapdragon 865, HDR10+ Reno5 Pro+ shows up in several leaks

High-end processor? Check. 50MP main camera? Check. HDR10+ display? Check. Electrochromic back?...Maybe. A new OPPO phone that is almost certainly the impending Reno5 Pro+ has appeared on TENAA, Geekbench and the HDR certification website, seeming to confirm the device's best rumored attributes in the process.

Deirdre O'Donnell, 15 Dec 2020 17:35

Nvidia is hoping to sell more mid-range cards in Q1 2021, production permitting, of course. (Image Source: Nvidia)

Nvidia rumored to postpone the RTX 3080 Ti launch to February, pushing the RTX 3060 12 GB release to January 2021

Despite the production problems and shortages, Nvidia is planning for new RTX 3000 releases in early 2021. Previously believed to launch in January, the RTX 3080 20 GB version that is essentially an RTX 3090 with 4 less GB of VRAM should land in mid to late February, according to new reports. Nvidia is instead pushing the lower-mid-range RTX 3060 cards with 12 GB for an early January release.

Bogdan Solca, 15 Dec 2020 14:54

Samsung could be planning more affordable foldables for 2021. (Image: Samsung)

Samsung tipped to release four foldable smartphones in 2021 including more affordable models

Korean rag ETNews is reporting that Samsung has four foldable models coming in 2021. The rumor solidifies rumors that Samsung is planning to drop the Note model from its line next year in order to shift focus to its flexible screened devices.

Sanjiv Sathiah, 15 Dec 2020 10:57

The Nokia 5.4 is mixed bag but should offer better battery life. (Image: HMD Global)

Nokia 5.4 goes official but is a mixed bag with downgrades in some departments

HMD Global has officially launched its latest mid-range phone, the Nokia 5.4. As rumored, the new smartphone will be powered by a Snapdragon 662 and features a 48 MP main camera with zero shutter lag, according to the company.

Sanjiv Sathiah, 15 Dec 2020 09:54

The Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 has been a favorite target for scalpers. (Image source: Nvidia)

Nvidia GeForce RTX 30 series scalping generates over US$22 million in sales via eBay as AMD's Big Navi GPUs and Zen 3 CPUs also fall victim to profiteering

The Nvidia GeForce RTX 30 series, the AMD Radeon RX 6800 series, and the AMD Ryzen 5000 range have all fallen victim to scalping activities, with an analysis report detailing just how much profit scalpers are making from these new GPUs and CPUs. Sales of just the GeForce RTX 3080 and RTX 3090 have raked in over US$8 million profit for scalpers and eBay.

Daniel R Deakin, 15 Dec 2020 02:41

Razer Blade 15 with 10th gen Core i7, GeForce RTX 2060, 144 Hz display, and 512 GB NVMe SSD is now reasonably priced at $1350 USD (Source: Best Buy)

Deal | The Razer Blade 15 is now actually reasonably priced at $1350 USD with GeForce RTX 2060 graphics, 144 Hz display, and 512 GB NVMe SSD

The ongoing Holiday price drops may be indicating that gaming laptops with next generation GPUs might be just around the corner.

Allen Ngo, 15 Dec 2020 00:01

iOS 14 has a new update. (Source: Apple)

The new iOS update adds AirPods Max support, SMS receipt failure fix and 25fps recording

Apple has now issued iOS and iPadOS updates to version 14.3. It contains some previously-promised features, which include ProRAW support in the Pro iPhone 12 variants, not to mention Apple Fitness+. It also reportedly fixes some issues, including one in which a user's new messages failed to appear in their Notifications.

Deirdre O'Donnell, 14 Dec 2020 23:58

PS5 console buyers using scalpers have paid way over the MSRP for the console. (Image source: Sony/Michael Driscoll - edited)

PlayStation 5 scalpers made more than US$19 million profit on the console via eBay with the PS5 Digital Edition reaching over 350% MSRP

PlayStation 5 scalpers have made over US$34 million in sales via eBay resulting in profits of over US$19 million according to research carried out by a data engineer. The Digital Edition of the PS5 has been particularly exploited in regard to scalping, with the console being sold at over 350% of its MSRP at various points during the research period.

Daniel R Deakin, 14 Dec 2020 23:56

Does not have full control over its temperatures: Acer Predator Triton 300

Acer Predator Triton 300: Affordable 15-inch Gamer

The 15-inch Acer Predator Triton 300 is now also available with Comet Lake processor. The price remains low, which is reflected in some of its connectivity.

Mike Wobker, 14 Dec 2020 23:16

The price tag for the upcoming RX 6900 XT variant from Gigabyte will also likely be an eye-opener. (Image source: Gigabyte/VideoCardz)

Gigabyte Radeon RX 6800 series prices are a big oof for gamers compared to AMD's MSRPs: US$250 more for an RX 6800 XT-based AORUS Master variant

Gigabyte has just held a launch event for its AORUS brand of products where the prices for its AMD Radeon RX 6800 Series-based boards were revealed. Unfortunately for gamers, there seems to be a high premium between Gigabyte’s prices and the MSRPs offered up by AMD, with the AORUS Radeon RX 6800 XT Master board costing a hefty US$899.

Daniel R Deakin, 14 Dec 2020 22:35

Best Buy claims it will re-stock on PS5s and Xbox Series X/S consoles on December 15, 2020

2020's consoles have been linked to chronically low stock since their launch. This might cause some concern among buyers wishing to have one ordered prior to the winter holidays. However, Best Buy has announced that it should have stock of the PlayStation 5 and new Xboxes available to buy online from December 15.

Deirdre O'Donnell, 14 Dec 2020 22:25

The Xiaomi Mi EBook Reader Pro will be launched on Dec 15. (Image source: Xiaomi)

Xiaomi Mi EBook Reader Pro appears in promo image ahead of imminent launch with 1,099 yuan (US$168) initial price tag

Xiaomi has revealed its upcoming Mi EBook Reader Pro, which will be officially launched on Tuesday, December 15. A promo image of the device has been released that shows the electric paper book decked out in black with a touch button on the front. According to the marketing material, the Xiaomi Mi EBook Reader Pro will normally cost 1,299 yuan (US$198).

Daniel R Deakin, 14 Dec 2020 19:33

11.5-inch Lenovo Tab P11 Pro Android tablet with Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G now available for purchase (Source: Lenovo US)

Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G-powered Lenovo Tab P11 Pro tablet hits the market for US$499.99 and up

Announced back in August, the 11.5-inch Lenovo Tab P11 Pro is now finally available for purchase. Priced at US$499.99 and up, this slate features an OLED with 2,560 x 1,600 pixels and Dolby Vision, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G processor, and 4 GB/128 GB and up of memory/storage.

Codrut Nistor, 14 Dec 2020 18:16

Vivo will launch the X60s soon. (Source: Weibo)

Vivo officially sets a date for the X60 series' launch; announces new Zeiss collaboration for its cameras

Vivo has announced that the X60 and X60 Pro smartphones will be unveiled later in December 2020. These devices will be powered by SoCs provided by Samsung, and have cameras augmented by Zeiss technology. The OEM will also hold a conference that outlines the latter prior to its new hardware launch.

Deirdre O'Donnell, 14 Dec 2020 17:57

The live photos of the Redmi K40 reveal a bustling main camera setup. (Image source: XiaomiAdictos/Jackey_Lu)

Redmi K40 live images show a smartphone that has considerably evolved from the Redmi K30

Live images of the Redmi K40 have been leaked online, and if they are genuine they reveal a smartphone that has considerably evolved from the predecessor Redmi K30. The camera equipment for the Redmi K40 has changed a lot, enhancing the flagship-killer that is already expected to come with a Snapdragon 888 and AMOLED screen.

Daniel R Deakin, 14 Dec 2020 17:42

Apple is now slated to get back on track with 2021's iPhone launch

Apple left the debut of the iPhone 12 series unusually late in the year in 2020, for arguably understandable reasons. However, the leading industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo now predicts that this situation is not to become a regular thing going forward. Therefore, the next-gen flagships may appear by September 2020 as usual.

Deirdre O'Donnell, 14 Dec 2020 17:17

LG gave us a sneak peak of its rollable during the unveiling of the LG Wing earlier this year. (Image: LG)

More details emerge about LG's forthcoming rollable smartphone and next flagship

More details have started to surface about LG’s upcoming high-end smartphones for 2021. The rollable will take a leaf out of Oppo’s playbook while the flagship handset is going to go toe-to-toe with Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy S21 in more ways than one.

Sanjiv Sathiah, 14 Dec 2020 12:08

Cyberpunk 2077 has received a lot of negative reviews from last-gen console players. (Image Source: Cyberpunk)

CD Projekt Red apologizes and offers to refund Cyberpunk 2077 players on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One; last-gen consoles will still have limitations despite new incoming patches

CDPR has apologized for Cyberpunk 2077's lackluster performance on last-gen consoles such as the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 and said that new patches are forthcoming to fix a majority of reported issues. The company is also offering to refund these players via PSN and the Xbox Store.

Vaidyanathan Subramaniam, 14 Dec 2020 09:46

The Oppo x Nendo "slide-phone" concept combines three foldable screens. (Image: Oppo)

Oppo unveils futuristic smartphone and audio device concepts at the CIDDE Expo

Oppo has used the 4th China International Industrial Design Expo (CIDDE) to showcase several new concept devices. Designed in collaboration with famed Japanese design studio Nendo, the concepts include what it calls a “slide-phone” that can be folded into different sizes and “music-link”, which is described as a collection of devices centered around a pair of TWS earphones.

Sanjiv Sathiah, 14 Dec 2020 09:02

Intel's Gregory Bryant says only the paranoid survive, welcomes competition from AMD, Apple, and others

Gregory Bryant, Intel EVP and GM of the Client Computing Group, felt that Intel's growth in laptops and desktops will continue. In a talk, he said that Intel is paranoid about the competition from AMD, Qualcomm, Apple, and MediaTek and takes all of them very seriously.

Vaidyanathan Subramaniam, 14 Dec 2020 06:42

Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7 14 is the cheapest laptop with GeForce MX350 graphics and Thunderbolt 3 right now at just $599 USD (Source: Staples)

Deal | Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7 14 is the cheapest laptop with GeForce MX350 graphics and Thunderbolt 3 right now at just $599 USD

This 1080p Ultrabook can run games faster than you might expect given its cheap asking price. Combine this with Thunderbolt 3 and you have a versatile 14-incher for school, office, or games. You'll have to live with just 8 GB of RAM, unfortunately.

Allen Ngo, 14 Dec 2020 00:50

The new Asus laptops all come with Ryzen 5000 U-series processors. (Image source: Expert.de/Asus - edited)

AMD Ryzen 7 5700U and Ryzen 5 5500U turn up as the Zen 2 Lucienne processors in upcoming Asus laptops

The AMD Ryzen 7 5700U and Ryzen 5 5500U APUs have been spotted in three new laptops coming from Asus. These two Ryzen 5000 processors are from the Lucienne family, meaning they are based on Zen 2 architecture rather than Zen 3. One of the upcoming Asus laptops appears to be a refreshed VivoBook Flip 14 convertible.

Daniel R Deakin, 14 Dec 2020 00:09

Asus TUF A17 with Cezanne/Ampere combination is incoming. (Image source: Asus/Expert.de)

Asus TUF Gaming laptop with tasty combo of AMD Ryzen 7 5800H APU and Nvidia RTX 3060 Mobile GPU appears on German retailer site

An Asus TUF Gaming laptop has been spotted on a German retail website sporting the enviable team of an AMD Ryzen 7 5800H APU and Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 Mobile GPU. The 17.3-inch device also comes with 8 GB RAM, 512 GB SSD, and a Full HD resolution for the display. The Ryzen 7 5800H is an 8-core, 16-thread part that can boost to 4.3 GHz.

Daniel R Deakin, 13 Dec 2020 22:45

The 16:10 ThinkPad X1 Nano's European pricing is revealed

The ThinkPad X1 Nano is a recently-released Lenovo laptop with a 16:10 aspect-ratio display and a weight of under 1 kilogram (kg). It has just been spotted on a German e-tail website in various configurations. They start at prices approximately translating to US$2300 on their new platform.

Deirdre O'Donnell, 13 Dec 2020 20:25

The Nokia Purebook X14 will launch via Flipkart soon

Flipkart has officially revealed that the new Nokia ultrabook to debut soon is called the Purebook X14. It has an FHD IPS screen with Dolby Vision and a 10th-gen Core i5 processor. It has a single 8 GB RAM/512 GB SSD SKU, set to sell at a premium price on its eventual launch.

Deirdre O'Donnell, 13 Dec 2020 19:34

The POCO X3 NFC has a 120 Hz refresh rate display. (Image source: Xiaomi)

POCO X3 NFC receives new MIUI 12 update while Android 11 waits in the wings

The POCO X3 NFC smartphone is to receive a new MIUI 12 build before it gets Android 11. Xiaomi has announced a beta stable Global ROM for the POCO X3 NFC that is currently being pushed out to select users. It seems owners can expect to get an upgrade to Android 11 soon as well, thanks to an appearance on Geekbench.

Daniel R Deakin, 13 Dec 2020 19:28

A Samsung Galaxy Book variant. (Source: Samsung)

The Samsung Galaxy Book Go is a new PC that might be launching soon

A new leak points to a new Samsung device called the "Book Go". This strongly suggests that it may be a new notebook or convertible from the OEM, to join other variants such as the S or the Flex. This possible PC might debut at CES 2021.

Deirdre O'Donnell, 13 Dec 2020 18:58

The AndaSeat Kaiser 2. (Source: AndaSeat)

The high-end racing-seat maker AndaSeat announces a new gaming chair

AndaSeat is a company that lays claim of a history of making racing seats for car-marques such as Mercedes and BMW. Now, it has applied this experience to a new gaming chair called the Kaiser 2. It is described as made using robust cold-cured foam and convincingly leather-like material. It is avaiilable in the US, UK and Australia.

Deirdre O'Donnell, 13 Dec 2020 17:52

The Mi 11 will likely look similar to this. (Source: Abhishek Yadav)

Xiaomi Mi 11 series tipped for December 29 launch: What we know so far

The Mi 11 was initially rumored to be launched in January but it appears the next-gen Xiaomi flagship series could arrive even sooner. According to reports surfacing today on Chinese media, the Mi 11 series is scheduled to be unveiled on December 29.

Ricci Rox, 13 Dec 2020 17:44

Cyberpunk 2077 hotfix 1.04 now live with multiple fixes for all platforms (Source: Cyberpunk 2077)

Cyberpunk 2077 1.04 hotfix irons out various quest bugs, fixes Braindance flashing effects, and more

The hotfix labeled 1.04 that has been around for two days already on all platforms fixes multiple quest bugs, improves stability, takes out a few crashes, but also includes changes to the flashing effect in Braindance sequences that eliminate the chance for these episodes to induce epileptic seizures.

Codrut Nistor, 13 Dec 2020 15:58

The leaked EPYC Milan benchmarks could put Intel's Xeon Platinum lineup in a tough spot (Image Source: AMD)

128-core AMD EPYC Milan server CPU scores an eye-watering 87878 on CineBench R23

Following initial reports about the upcoming AMD EPYC Milan 7713, tipster @ExecuFix shared Cinebench R23 scores for what appears to be a dual-socket configuration, which dominates both EPYC Rome and Intel's Xeon Platinum 9282.

Arjun Krishna Lal, 13 Dec 2020 15:50

With the patched exe, we noticed that hyperthreading worked, and all 24 logical cores on our Ryzen 9 3900X saw utilization (Image source: CD Projekt Red)

Redditor offers Cyberpunk 2077 CPU utilization fix for Ryzen processors, potentially doubling minimum framerates

Coming as a relief for AMD Ryzen gamers who've been plagued by frequent frame rate drops and low minimums, an unofficial patch for the Cyberpunk 2077 executable file enables proper multithreading support, delivering a smoother experience on PC.

Arjun Krishna Lal, 13 Dec 2020 14:53

Ark 2's trailer highlighted Vin Diesel's character, but it remains to be seen how important he'll be in the game (Image source: Studio Wildcard)

ARK: Survival Evolved sequel is outed at The Game Awards for next-gen consoles, featuring Vin Diesel

Studio Wildcard recently announced a sequel to ARK: Survival Evolved, Ark 2, set to release on PC and next-generation consoles, at The Game Awards. While the dinosaur-hunting survival game was a surprising candidate for the sequel treatment, Vin Diesel's starring role in the trailer was even more unexpected.

Arjun Krishna Lal, 13 Dec 2020 12:29

The Origin Neuron Restomod is undoubtedly a modern system with a retro vibe. (Image Source: Origin PC)

Origin PC releases a 50-unit limited edition case which looks like a modern take on 1990s hardware design

From a distance it could look like a 25 year old case that includes a 5.25-inch and 3.5-inch floppy drives, along with a turbo button. However, the windowed side panel reveals a modern water-cooled system with RGB lights.

Craig Ward, 13 Dec 2020 08:08

Playing with RTX off is often more practical, because sacrifices in resolution and graphical fidelity are so severe as to make RT effects not worth it.

I believe in ray tracing, but I do not believe in Nvidia's RTX 3000-series GPUs

It is possible to believe in real-time ray tracing while also at the same time acknowledging that the RTX 3000-series GPUs have, basically, no place in that future.

Column by Stanislav Kokhanyuk, 13 Dec 2020 05:18

Acer Predator Triton 300 with GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q graphics, 240 Hz IPS display, and 512 GB NVMe SSD is down to $1200 USD (Source: Newegg)

Deal | Acer Predator Triton 300 with GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q graphics, 240 Hz IPS display, and 512 GB NVMe SSD is down to $1200 USD

The entry-level ultrathin gaming laptop from Acer comes equipped with high-end specifications and a decent asking price.

Allen Ngo, 13 Dec 2020 02:41

It did not take long for NVIDIA to reverse its decision against Hardware Unboxed. (Image source: NVIDIA)

NVIDIA u-turns on its decision to block Hardware Unboxed from receiving GPU review units

Much was made of NVIDIA's apparent decision to block Hardware Unboxed from having access to GPU review samples. The company has already done an about-turn on the matter though, possibly because of the outcry from reviewers and fans.

Alex Alderson, 13 Dec 2020 01:35

"Marvel's Avengers" or "Troy - A Total War Saga" - Buyers of the Schenker Compact 17 will get one of the two games for free

The Schenker Compact 17 offers powerful hardware, 32 GB of memory (dual-channel mode), a 4K display, and a 1 TB NVMe SSD. In addition, there's an extensive range of connections and the possibility to install up to three storage devices.

Sascha Mölck, 13 Dec 2020 01:32

The new "Redmi 9 Power" render. (Source: 91Mobiles)

The Redmi 9 Power is now slated to launch with quad rear cameras on December 17, 2020

The Redmi 9 Power is a device believed to be a re-brand of the new Chinese Note 9 4G for the Indian market. However, according to a new leak from Ishan Agarwal, the story may not be quite that simple. A render for this device shows 1 more rear camera than is present in the recently-launched budget phone.

Deirdre O'Donnell, 13 Dec 2020 00:05

It may be worth giving Cyberpunk 2077 a miss on original last-generation consoles. (Image source: CD Projekt Red)

Cyberpunk 2077 confirmed to fluctuate between 900p and 720p on the PlayStation 4 as thousands of negative reviews roll in

The PlayStation 4 can only manage up to 900p in Cyberpunk 2077, Digital Foundry has discovered. The last-generation console mainly slums it in 720p though, and often at below 20 FPS. Expectedly, people have been leaving negative reviews in their droves.

Alex Alderson, 12 Dec 2020 23:19

The S21 Ultra might have these functions in 2021. (Source: Samsung)

Rumor | Samsung will sell 'Galaxy Note conversion kits' for the S21 Ultra

Several leaks have indicated that the Galaxy S21 Ultra will support the S Pen so as to subsume the Galaxy Note line in 2021. That may have led to some confusion over how the accessory will be deployed. A tipster claims to have solved this mystery ahead of the flagship's launch.

Deirdre O'Donnell, 12 Dec 2020 23:12

The Realme Watch S Pro should be making an official launch appearance soon. (Image source: @MadhavSheth1)

Realme Watch S Pro: Realme's first premium smartwatch with large AMOLED and built-in GPS coming soon

Realme is gearing up to release a new smartwatch into its wearable lineup in the form of the Realme Watch S Pro. The device has already been leaked via the FCC and now Realme India and Europe CEO Madhav Sheth has been continuously teasing the Watch S Pro ahead of its imminent launch. Built-in GPS and a large AMOLED should feature.

Daniel R Deakin, 12 Dec 2020 21:39

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