Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations

Nvidia Studio Stack helps creators work with applicable notebooks. (Source: Nvidia)

Computex 2019 | Nvidia debuts the Studio platform to help pair creators with their ideal notebooks

Nvidia Studio is an initiative by which laptops augment creator-level hardware with a new suite of software that boosts performance and reliability in tasks such as video editing or ray tracing-powered design. Studio also amounts to a new classification for notebooks that meet appropriate spec requirements. It has been presented at Computex with the help of some world-class artists.

Deirdre O Donnell, 29 May 2019 19:36

War Thunder 1.89 "Imperial Navy" is finally available

War Thunder 1.89 "Imperial Navy" goes live with Japanese ships, two new locations, and more

War Thunder 1.89 "Imperial Navy" comes with a full naval tech tree for Japan, a first — premium, as usual — helicopter for the same nation, a few new ground vehicles — the long-awaited French Leclerc tank is one of them — and planes for most nations, two new locations, reworked clouds, and more.

Codrut Nistor, 29 May 2019 17:09

Redmi unveils the new RedmiBook 14 with 8th-gen CPUs and an MX250, starting at US$580

Yesterday, Xiaomi's high-value sub-brand, Redmi, unveiled its first notebook. The RedmiBook 14 is a 14-inch notebook that offers a fine package for those looking for a sleek, well-designed laptop with excellent specifications and great bang for the buck.

Ricci Rox, 29 May 2019 11:41

The Chuwi MiniBook will come to Indiegogo on June 19. (Image source: @kangchin_wat)

Chuwi MiniBook: 8.0-inch UMPC pricing undercuts the GPD P2 Max and One-Netbook One Mix 3

Chuwi has announced the pricing of its upcoming MiniBook on Twitter, and it is lower than expected. Two versions of the 8.0-inch convertible mini laptop will arrive at launch, which will be available to order on Indiegogo from June 19.

Alex Alderson, 29 May 2019 00:03

The MSI WP65 is a new entrant to the company's workstation lineup. (Source: MSI)

Computex 2019 | MSI introduces the all-new WP65 to its workstation lineup

MSI has announced a new entrant to its workstation lineup, the WP65. The WP65 mobile workstation is powered by a 9th gen Intel Core i7 processor and the just announced NVIDIA Quadro P620 graphics. The WP65 is certified by independent ISVs for workstation programs and from the looks of it, seems to be one of the more affordable workstation laptops.

Vaidyanathan Subramaniam, 28 May 2019 17:03

The Dell XPS 15 7590 now offers the latest Coffee Lake-H processors and an optional 4K OLED display. (Source: Dell)

Computex 2019 | The Dell XPS 15 7590 is a relatively minor refresh but finally offers a 4K OLED screen and proper webcam placement

Dell has finally taken wraps of the XPS 15 7590 at Computex 2019. The XPS 15 7590 is a relatively minor refresh to last year's XPS 15 9570 but users now have the option of choosing a 4K OLED display that covers 100% DCI-P3 color gamut. Other improvements include the expected upgrades to Intel 9th gen 45W Coffee Lake-H CPUs, NVIDIA GTX 1650 graphics, and a long awaited proper webcam placement.

Vaidyanathan Subramaniam, 28 May 2019 09:00

Gigabyte Aero 15 OLED redesign solves the biggest issue we had with the original Aero 15 Classic

Computex 2019 | Gigabyte Aero 15 OLED redesign with improved cooling system

Update: Prices and availability now online. The new look is not just sharper and sleeker, but also cooler with a special focus on improved ventilation and display quality. Expect both white and black color options at launch.

Allen Ngo, 28 May 2019 08:01

Computex 2019 | Gigabyte Aero 17 is finally here with 240 Hz FHD and 4K UHD HDR options

The upcoming 17.3-inch system will be just 0.2 inches thicker and 0.8 pounds heavier than the new Aero 15 with a different set of display options. Most core configurable options will be the same between them.

Allen Ngo, 28 May 2019 08:01

The new HP Mini-in-One 24 Display. (Source: HP)

Computex 2019 | HP debuts "the world's most secure" modular AIO

HP is set to release a new all-in-one (AIO) for 2019: a modular one. The Mini-in-One 24 Display looks like just another 1080p monitor. However, it has an enclosure at the back into which certain HP Mini desktops can be slotted. The Display can then use this PC's I/O as its own.

Deirdre O Donnell, 28 May 2019 08:00

Computex 2019 | Asus showcases its latest displays - 240Hz included - for gaming notebooks

Asus has a lot of new high-powered hardware to show off at Computex this year. But what is all that without the display tech to match? The 240Hz ROG Strix Scar III and Hero III are on show at the conference, as are some of the OEM's even newer, faster notebook displays.

Deirdre O Donnell, 27 May 2019 18:26

Redmi releases the date and time of its first notebook's launch. (Source: Redmi)

Confirmed: the RedmiBook 14 will launch alongside the K20 line

Redmi has announced that its first notebook, most likely to be a 14-inch thin & light model, will be released tomorrow (May 28, 2019). This event will also see the launch of the K20 series of smartphones. The larger device is thought to offer an IPS FHD display with up to 8GB of RAM.

Deirdre O Donnell, 27 May 2019 16:59

The ScreenPad Plus on the Asus ZenBiook Pro Duo offers a highly productive second screen experience. (Source: Asus)

Computex 2019 | The Asus ZenBook Pro Duo looks to offer a more productive alternative to the MacBook Pro's Touch Bar

At Computex 2019, Asus unveiled its ZenBook Duo lineup of notebooks featuring a secondary display called ScreenPad Plus. The ZenBook Pro Duo offers dual-4K touchscreeens for enhanced productivity and multitasking along with powerful Core i9/Core i7 CPU options and RTX 2060 graphics. Also on offer is the smaller ZenBook Duo featuring dual-FHD touchscreens and a GeForce MX250 GPU.

Vaidyanathan Subramaniam, 27 May 2019 14:00

Project Limitless features notebooks based on the Snapdragon 8cx 5G Compute Platform. (Source: Lenovo)

Computex 2019 | Lenovo and Qualcomm team up for 'Project Limitless', the first 5G laptop powered by the Snapdragon 8cx

Lenovo and Qualcomm have announced 'Project Limitless', a collaborative effort to build 'Always On, Always Connected PCs' based on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx 5G Compute Platform. Lenovo and Qualcomm demonstrated a near-final version of a laptop based on the Snapdragon 8cx that also bundles in the Snapdragon X55 5G modem. The first such notebooks are expected to be available sometime in early 2020.

Vaidyanathan Subramaniam, 27 May 2019 09:00

The Snapdragon 8cx provides a viable alternative to a 15W Core i5-8250U. (Source: Qualcomm)

Computex 2019 | Qualcomm shows off first benchmarks of the Snapdragon 8cx

Qualcomm demonstrated some of the advantages of the new 7W passively cooled Snapdragon 8cx over Intel's 15W Core i5-8250U by running a few benchmarks in PCMark 10 and 3DMark. The Snapdragon 8cx posted overall better scores than the 8250U in CPU and GPU tests along with significant improvements to battery life compared to the 8250U.

Vaidyanathan Subramaniam, 27 May 2019 09:00

Huawei may have 12 month's worth of components for its devices. (Source: Reuters)

Huawei has stockpiled up to a 12-month supply of parts as a buffer against a potential ban

At the time that Huawei was placed on the US government's Entity List last week, Huawei is thought to have built enough supplied of key components to last up to 12 months. The report comes via the Nikkei Asian Review that says Huawei told suppliers that it wanted to build up a year's worth of inventory to help cushion the impact of the US-China trade war.

Sanjiv Sathiah, 26 May 2019 06:43

Huawei has been cut off from using official SD and microSD cards. (Source: SanDisk)

Huawei now cut off from official SD card support as well

The news for Huawei seems to be getting worse by the day, as if that was even possible. In the latest blow to the company, the SD Association has blocked the ability for Huawei to offer phones or devices featuring SD or microSD card slot.

Sanjiv Sathiah, 25 May 2019 09:41

The new Intel NUC 8 Mainstream-G mini PCs are designed for casual gamers and smart home entertainment. (Source: Intel)

Intel's NUC 8 Mainstream-G mini PCs announced with Radeon GPUs and Whiskey Lake CPUs

Due to their small footprint, the new Intel NUC 8 Mainstream-G mini PCs have a limited number of upgradeable components. These models integrate Intel's 15 W i7-8565U and i5-8265U quad-core CPUs, but the 8 GB of LPDDR3-1866 RAM and the Radeon RX 540X GPU are soldered. There are variants with Intel Optane Memory, SSD + HDD storage combos, plus kits that come without any storage or OS.

Bogdan Solca, 24 May 2019 21:10

RiME adventure game free on Epic Game Store (Source: Steam)

Two-year old adventure puzzle title RiME now free via the Epic Games Store

Although the deal does not cover the Steam or console versions of the game, those interested in taking RiME for a spin on their Windows PCs can grab it for free from the Epic Games Store. This offer will expire on May 30, when City of Brass will replace it as a new Epic Games Store freebie.

Codrut Nistor, 24 May 2019 14:45

Windows 10 still has enough security breaches, and Microsoft does not seem to be willing to fix them in a timely manner. (Source: YouTube)

Researcher reveals new zero-day Windows 10 vulnerabilities

Controversial security researcher SandboxEscaper revealed three zero-day exploits that are still not patched in the latest May update for Windows 10. The researcher details how attackers can gain complete access of a Windows 10 system through flaws in the Windows Error Reporting service, the Windows Task Scheduler and Internet Explorer 11, and promised to unveil two more exploits soon.

Bogdan Solca, 23 May 2019 19:34

NODE Mini Server V2: The DIY home server based on a Raspberry Pi

Ever fancied having a small home server? Well now you can with the NODE Mini Server V2. Caution: soldering skills required.

Alex Alderson, 23 May 2019 17:56

The Sims 4 free download available until May 28 (Source: Origin)

The Sims 4 is free on Origin until May 28, so hurry up

Released for Windows in September 2014 and for macOS in February 2015, The Sims 4 received mixed reviews from both the press and the general public. Now, anyone can enjoy it for free thanks to Origin's generosity. Sadly, only the Windows and macOS variants of the game are part of this deal which will last until May 28.

Codrut Nistor, 23 May 2019 10:55

Dell is remaining cautious over its plans for foldable devices. (Image source: The Verge)

Dell reveals its plans for a foldable laptop, and it is not good news

All paths point to foldable. Samsung, Lenovo and now Dell? Frank Azor has had his say on the company's progress towards releasing a foldable laptop and the current pitfalls that trying to fit all that tech in a small form factor presents.

Alex Alderson, 23 May 2019 00:42

GPD will release two versions of the Pocket 2 Max at launch. (Image source: GPD Game Consoles)

Updated | GPD P2 Max: Pricing for the 8.9-inch UMPC announced

GPD has announced the pricing for its upcoming P2 Max via Twitter. The company will launch two versions of the 8.9-inch mini laptop, both of which will run Windows 10 and will feature a trackpad, a fingerprint sensor and a webcam.
GPD confirms specification change

Alex Alderson, 22 May 2019 22:51

AIDA64's latest update prepares it for the immediate hardware and software future. (Source: AIDA64)

New AIDA64 update adds support for AMD Matisse, Windows 10 May 2019 and SHA3-512

The latest version of AIDA64 - v6.00 - has been released. It adds benchmarks for the Zen2-based Matisse processors. In addition, it now also has a SHA3-512 cryptographic hash benchmark.

Deirdre O Donnell, 22 May 2019 18:44

Dell is drip-feeding information about the next XPS 15 before its official unveiling. (Image source: Dell)

Dell XPS 15: New generation looks set to be a minor refresh of the XPS 15 9570

Are you eagerly awaiting the next XPS 15? Well, Dell has confirmed yet more details about the upcoming laptop, including what CPUs it will feature along with its maximum RAM and SSD capacities.

Alex Alderson, 22 May 2019 12:50

Windows 10 May 2019 update version 1903 (Source: Windows Community on YouTube)

Windows 10 May update (version 1903) rolls out

Microsoft has just begun to roll out the feature update for Windows 10 with the version number 1903. The list of changes is quite long and includes the "reserved storage" feature, a new light desktop theme option, Windows Sandbox (it does exactly what the name says), the long-awaited unified Search box, and much more.

Codrut Nistor, 22 May 2019 00:11

Firefox 67 rolls out today (Source: gHacks Technology News)

Firefox 67.0 rolls out with WebRender, performance improvements, and more

Although apparently not available in this moment, Firefox 67 is scheduled to arrive today all over the world. The new release of Mozilla's browser comes with private browsing mode extension controls, WebRender enabled for 5 percent of compatible systems, as well as various performance improvements and fixes.

Codrut Nistor, 21 May 2019 09:32

F1 2019 official game trailer (Source: F1® Games From Codemasters on YouTube)

Codemasters unleashes the first F1 2019 official game trailer

The trailer of F1 2019 — the official videogame of the 2019 FIA Formula One World Championship — is now live. The trailer shows a "stunning visual uplift" and features the official F1 theme music written by Brian Tyler. The list of cars present in the game starts with the 1972 Lotus 72D and goes all the way to the 2010 Red Bull RB6, McLaren MP4-25, and Ferrari F10.

Codrut Nistor, 20 May 2019 20:06

Dell claimed to have fixed the XPS 15 9570's DPC latency issues with BIOS 1.10.1. (Image source: Dell)

Updated | Dell has not eliminated the DPC latency issues that have been affecting the XPS 15 9570

Dell promised the earth, so it should come as no surprise that it has failed to meet expectations. The company had promised that it had fixed the latency issues that have been affecting the XPS 15 9570. Alas, it seems that the company still has some way to go before it eliminates these issues.
Updated: Results from running DPC Latency Checker and LatencyMon on battery added.

Alex Alderson, 20 May 2019 14:37

Minecraft Earth now official free to play augmented reality mobile title (Source: Minecraft)

Minecraft Earth is a brand-new, free-to-play, 10th anniversary title to join the Minecraft family

The recently unveiled Minecraft Earth is a free-to-play, augmented reality Minecraft title to be added to the Minecraft universe. However, those interested can only sign up for a chance to play the limited beta — which is scheduled to arrive this summer — for now. Signing up will also get them a free Earth skin for Minecraft Bedrock.

Codrut Nistor, 20 May 2019 09:01

Both XPS 15 9560 SKUs that we have tested scored at least 87% overall. (Image source: Dell)

Deal | Take over 40% off a refurbished XPS 15 9560 SKU until midnight tomorrow

Dell Outlet is selling one XPS 13 9560 SKU at a huge discount. The machine comes with an Intel Core i5 Kaby Lake processor and a 4K touchscreen display. The device also has a 97 Wh battery and an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 GPU. The SKU is marked down to just US$998.46 from US$1,706.

Alex Alderson, 19 May 2019 20:55

The Microsoft Surface Pro 6 has a sturdy design. (Image source: Microsoft)

Microsoft to offer new i5-powered Surface Pro 6 and Surface Book 2 models with more RAM

A large electronics retailer has apparently accidentally revealed two new SKUs for Microsoft’s popular Surface range. The models involved are variants of the Surface Pro 6 and Surface Book 2. It appears the Redmond-based tech giant has decided to allow consumers the opportunity to combine i5 processors with a larger amount of RAM.

Daniel R Deakin, 18 May 2019 11:42

The ToyBrick RK3399 Pro, a Raspberry Pi-sized SBC that outperforms the NVIDIA Jetson Nano

The ToyBrick RK3399 Pro is a developer board that is powered by an RK399Pro SoC, which integrates an ARM Mali-T860MP4 GPU and an RK1808 NPU that can achieve up to 3.0 TOPS. The board can dual-boot Android and Linux out of the box and comes with up to 6 GB RAM and 32 GB of eMMC flash storage.

Alex Alderson, 17 May 2019 17:00

The Chuwi MiniBook will come in two versions and three colours (Image source: Chuwi)

Save 25% on a Chuwi MiniBook pre-order, the 8.0-inch GPD and One Mix competitor

The Chuwi MiniBook will come in two versions, the most powerful of which will feature an Intel Core m3-8100Y processor, 8 GB LPDRR4 RAM and a 128 GB SSD. Chuwi will reportedly bring the ultra-mobile PC to crowdfunding platform Indiegogo on June 19.

Alex Alderson, 17 May 2019 14:46

Anthem has had a rough ride in the gaming community. (Image source: NDTV Gadgets)

Apparently Anthem's problems are because of the players

It’s been reported that some of the executives at BioWare, the EA-owned game developer, have been blaming Anthem’s issues on the gamers that play it. Great things were expected from the title, but within days of its release in February it was already facing a lukewarm response from critics and complaints about hardware crashes from players.

Daniel R Deakin, 17 May 2019 10:29

Kenichiro Yoshida and and Satya Nadella, the CEOs of Sony and Microsoft respectively. (Source: Microsoft)

Sony and Microsoft announce collaboration on the future of Azure AI and imaging sensors

Today (May 16, 2019), the corporations Microsoft and Sony unveiled plans to collaborate on the development of new technology. This partnership will see the 2 electronics giants team up on new image sensors and cloud computing applications. This may enhance platforms such as PlayStation and Azure AI in the future.

Deirdre O Donnell, 16 May 2019 19:42

The One Mix 3 is One-netbook's largest ultra-mobile PC to date. (Image source: One-netbook)

One Mix 3: The 8.4-inch convertible Chuwi and GPD challenger is available to order worldwide for US$759.99

Right on cue, the One Mix 3 has gone on sale, just as One-netbook said it would. The ultra-compact laptop has an 8.4-inch 2K touchscreen display with 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity, an Intel Core m3-8100Y processor, 8 GB RAM and a 256 GB PCIe SSD.

Alex Alderson, 16 May 2019 18:45

The VIM3 will come in three versions including two entry-level models. (Image source: Khadas)

The Khadas VIM3 is a new hexa-core Raspberry Pi competitor that supports PCIe NVMe drives

Khadas has announced its new single board computer, the VIM3. The company has based the board on the powerful Amlogic S922X SoC and will equip it with up to 4 GB of RAM along with 32 GB of eMMC storage. The VIM3 supports Wi-Fi 5 and PCIe NVMe SSDs too.

Alex Alderson, 16 May 2019 17:43

The Atomic Pi now costs US$35.95 via ameriDroid. (Image source: Digital Loggers)

The Atomic Pi, a US$35 alternative to the Raspberry Pi, is available to order worldwide again

Have you been unable to source an Atomic Pi? Well, it is now available to order worldwide once again. The Raspberry Pi alternative comes with an Intel Atom Cherry Trail processor, 2 GB RAM and 16 GB of eMMC flash storage. Orders for the developer board will ship on May 20.

Alex Alderson, 16 May 2019 13:36

New ZombieLoad attack can exploit all Intel chips dating back to 2011

A flaw in Intel's modern CPU architectures can be used in a new attack. Dubbed "ZombieLoad," the vulnerability is similar to the Spectre and Meltdown bugs that haunted the PC market last year. ZombieLoad uses a similar flaw in Intel CPUs' speculative execution processes to access and leak data, including passwords, keys, and sensitive data.

Sam Medley, 14 May 2019 23:44

HP's Omen X 2S has a second display, à la Razer's OG Blade

The HP Omen X 2S is a thin-and-light gaming laptop that features a secondary 6-inch touchscreen display directly above the keyboard. While the device is a capable gaming laptop in its own right, the secondary display could be a game changer that raises the Omen X 2S above the crowd. However, we've seen secondary displays in laptops before, and they usually come across as a gimmick.

Sam Medley, 14 May 2019 17:57

Lenovo has taken the covers off a stunning foldable PC prototype currently targeted for launch in 2020. (Source: Lenovo)

Lenovo reveals prototype foldable ThinkPad X1 laptop

Lenovo has revealed what it is calling the “world’s first foldable PC” at its Accelerate 19 conference in Orlando, Florida. Currently in prototype, the device may form part of Lenovo’s ThinkPad X1 family should the Chinese PC maker decide to eventually launch it as a shipping product.

Sanjiv Sathiah, 14 May 2019 12:16

Lenovo introduces ThinkBook 13s and 14s series designed for SMBs

Don't want an IdeaPad or ThinkPad? Lenovo's new hybrid ThinkBook 13s and 14s series should fit the bill

The new ThinkBook series will be a business-consumer offering designed for small businesses not yet ready to invest in pricier ThinkPad laptops. Its chassis design is arguably sleeker and more affordable than many ThinkPads while offering the same ThinkShield security protection plans.

Allen Ngo, 13 May 2019 18:00

RPi Relay Board: A Raspberry Pi smart home expansion board that costs just US$18.99

The RPI Relay Board allows the Raspberry Pi to control high current and voltage devices like home appliances. The expansion board supports up to 5A/250V AC or 5A/30V DC and comes with extensive development resources such as sample programs written in BCM2835, python, shell, WebIOPi and WiringPi. The RPI Relay Board is available worldwide for US$18.99.

Alex Alderson, 13 May 2019 17:37

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