Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations

Skype users can now blur their backgrounds during video calls. (Source: Skype)

Skype now offers the option to blur out a video caller's background

Many Skype users may be reluctant to take a call due to how messy or inappropriate their surroundings may be. Now, however, the app's latest update adds a toggle that blurs everything but the caller out of a camera's shot. This new 'background blur' option is generated by AI, and should function on most PCs.

Deirdre O Donnell, 08 Feb 2019 18:38

The very good Surface Pro 6 will be available in new markets such as the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, and Norway. (Source: Microsoft)

Microsoft brings the Surface Pro 6, Laptop 2, Studio 2, and Surface Headphones to many new markets

Microsoft has announced in a blog post that the Surface Pro 6, Surface Laptop 2, and Surface Studio 2 devices are now launching in 20 more markets worldwide. The tech giant also revealed that its Surface Headphones will be coming to eight new markets starting in March, including Canada, New Zealand, and Germany.

Daniel R Deakin, 07 Feb 2019 23:01

In review: The affordable & compact Lenovo ThinkPad L390

We are reviewing the affordable & compact Lenovo ThinkPad L390

The year 2019 brings us a new generation of business laptops. One of the first specimens of this new wave has made it to our testing-labs: The Lenovo ThinkPad L390, an affordable ThinkPad laptop for companies and students.

Benjamin Herzig, 07 Feb 2019 21:07

The original Oculus Rift. (Source: Oculus)

Next-generation Oculus Rift is rumored to have adjustable room lighting and inbuilt tracking sensors

The next Oculus VR headset to be released is rumored to be called the Rift S. The latest leaks on this device suggests that it will come with its own onboard tracking cameras, rather than rely on USB-connected sensors. It may also fix the original Rift's problems with the appearance of 'god rays' on the lenses, and adjust for room lighting with 50-to-60Hz modes.

Deirdre O Donnell, 07 Feb 2019 19:29

Expensive Windows 7 support: In 2022, Microsoft will charge US$200

Windows 7 is far from dead; with around a third of the market share, the operating system is primarily used by businesses. Official support will end next year, but can be extended for another three years – at a price.

Daniel Puschina, 07 Feb 2019 11:58

The Zotac Zbox Magnus EC52070D: A powerful Mini-PC that has a Core i5-8400T processor and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 GPU. (Image source: Zotac)

The Zotac Zbox Magnus: A new Mini-PC equipped with a Core i5 processor and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 GPU

Zotac has introduced the Zbox Magnus EC52070D, which is a new, and compact desktop PC. The company has made a few compromises to pack such a powerful GPU within a small form-factor case, but it remains a powerful pre-built system that has plenty going for it.

Alex Alderson, 07 Feb 2019 00:21

VLC will get a new update soon. (Source: VLC)

VLC 4.0 will support uninterrupible music playback and Apple AirPlay, but also drop support for multiple older platforms

The latest update to the VLC media player (4.0) will bring more features, especially for iOS. However, it will also no longer support older versions of the same platform, along with some others (e.g. Windows XP). It also now offers the ability to play a full list of music without pauses of any kind.

Deirdre O Donnell, 06 Feb 2019 16:55

World of Tanks 1.4 now live with wheeled vehicles added to the French tree, AMD 178B tier 6

World of Tanks 1.4 brings wheeled vehicles to the game, starts a new World War

Unleashed upon Windows and macOS gamers earlier today, World of Tanks 1.4 brings a few wheeled vehicles to the French tech tree, a reworked map (Ghost Town), new tweaks to the Personal Missions, a few buffs to the Object 279 Early and Chimera special tanks, concurrent rendering support, and other changes.

Codrut Nistor, 06 Feb 2019 16:25

Dell XPS 15 9575 convertible: "Impossibly thin. Improbably powerful" - and not upgradeable to 32 GB RAM. (Source: Dell)

Dell's Frank Azor confirms there will be no 32 GB version of the XPS 15 9575 convertible

Frank Azor, the man in charge of the XPS series at Dell, has confirmed that there will not be a 32 GB variant of the XPS 15 9575 convertible. The executive recently tweeted the news that now seems to be the final nail in the coffin for this once expected device. The Dell XPS 15 9575 has been praised for its impressive build quality, bright display, and powerful performance.

Daniel R Deakin, 06 Feb 2019 09:07

Firefox 66 content blocking options (Source: Mozilla Hacks)

Firefox will block media autoplay starting next month

Mozilla's Firefox 66 will come with audible autoplay blocking enabled by default, and the Android version will get a new implementation of this feature. The update is scheduled for general release on March 19. However, Firefox 66 will continue to allow muted autoplay.

Codrut Nistor, 05 Feb 2019 22:21

Bug in latest Firefox 65 update blocks HTTPS websites

If you just updated your software to the latest Mozilla Firefox 65 Version and can’t access HTTPS websites, you are not alone. As has recently come to light; the new update is not compatible with all Anti-Virus software and blocks HTTPS Connections.

Daniel Puschina, 05 Feb 2019 16:36

Microsoft will bury Internet Explorer 10 in January 2020

Released back in September 2012, Internet Explorer 10 still receives support from Microsoft, although it has been succeeded by Internet Explorer 11 and Microsoft Edge. However, Microsoft has finally made the official announcement: Internet Explorer 10 will be laid to rest in a year from now.

Codrut Nistor, 30 Jan 2019 11:25

Dell unexpectedly released BIOS 1.7 for the XPS 15 9570 last week. (Image Source: Dell)

Updated | Dell resolves the XPS 15 9570 NVIDIA GPU issue with BIOS 1.7

XPS 15 9570 owners rejoice. We can confirm that Dell has finally fixed the NVIDIA GPU issue that has been plaguing some 9570 laptops for months with BIOS 1.7. Unfortunately, the update has introduced some fan peculiarities though.
Update: Dell has commented on the fan behaviour in BIOS 1.7.

Alex Alderson, 27 Jan 2019 16:10

Facebook plans to bring content from its three messaging-related services into closer conjunction. (Source: The Financial Express)

Facebook has a plan to 'merge' user content from Messenger, WhatsApp and Instagram

Facebook has just announced an initiative in which messages from its own Messenger, as well as from its acquisitions Instagram and WhatsApp, will be integrated using a singular infrastructure. This contravenes an earlier commitment on the part of the parent company that these 3 services would remain independent. This plan has also raised alarm among privacy experts and WhatsApp staff.

Deirdre O Donnell, 25 Jan 2019 19:12

The new G-Series from Dynabook features 13.3-inch ultrabooks powered by Intel's Whiskey Lake-U CPUs. (Source: Dynabook)

Dynabook releases new 13.3-inch G-series ultrabooks

Former Toshiba ultrabook division Dynabook has just launched its new G-Series models powered by Intel's Whiskey Lake-U CPUs. These are some of the lightest ultrabooks out there thanks to special magnesium alloy chassis that come in Pearl White and Onyx Blue colors. All models feature Sharp's IGZO 13.3-inch FHD display and the top models offer additional features like fingerprint scanners and preinstalled Windows 10 OSs.

Bogdan Solca, 25 Jan 2019 01:27

Opera 58.0.3135.7 update notification, new warning for closing windows with multiple tabs (Source: Own)

Opera 58 now available, but without any major changes

Opera 58 is the first new build of the year, but there are no big changes inside it. The new version comes with a warning when trying to close a window with multiple tabs open, as well as Yandex Zen news recommendation service integration into the start page for those using the browser in Russian.

Codrut Nistor, 24 Jan 2019 11:15

GPD MicroPC: More information on the UMPC coming soon on Indiegogo

GPD has started one successfully financed Indiegogo campaign after another. They are already preparing another project, and it’s already waiting in the wings. The GPD MicroPC has numerous ports, and it’s tough.

Daniel Puschina, 23 Jan 2019 20:01

According to new rumors, the Navi line may have as many as 5 variants. (Source: PC Builder's Club)

New leak points to the existence of more Navi GPU variants

Navi is the currently-accepted name for the generation of AMD processors to succeed the Radeon VII GPU. Cards based on this upcoming 7nm platform may be released later this year. A new leak points to new chipset variants for the series that may differ from those mentioned in previous rumors.

Deirdre O Donnell, 23 Jan 2019 17:18

The Acer TravelMate B114-21 weighs just 3.7 lbs with the 3-cell battery pack. (Source: Acer)

Acer unveils the TravelMate B114-21 laptop with 7th Gen AMD chips and Radeon graphics

Acer has announced the AMD-powered TravelMate B114-21 laptop at the 2019 British Educational Training and Technology Show (BETT). The 14-inch device, which is aimed at students and educators alike, can be fitted with either an A4-9120C APU with AMD’s Radeon R4 graphics or the slightly faster A6-9220C APU with Radeon R5 graphics.

Daniel R Deakin, 23 Jan 2019 06:22

Core i5 HP EliteBook x360 1030 G3 convertible is 10 percent faster than Core i7 SKU

When cheaper is faster — Core i5 HP EliteBook x360 1030 G3 convertible outperforms the Core i7 SKU by 10 percent

The Core i5 configuration is hundreds of dollars cheaper than the Core i7 option and yet it performs faster in multi-threaded workloads. We highly recommend skipping over the i7 upgrade in favor of other options such as Sure View, WAN, or the brighter Outdoor Mode backlight.

Allen Ngo, 22 Jan 2019 23:37

The RIOTORO CR400 is a budget Mid-Tower case that supports ATX, microATX and mini-ITX motherboards. (Image source: RIOTORO)

RIOTORO CR400: An affordable Mid-Tower case with a side window

The CR400 is a cheap Mid-Tower case with a large side window and a ventilated mesh front panel. The case has mounts for two 240 mm radiators to keep components cool and is big enough to handle full-size GPUs and PSUs.

Alex Alderson, 22 Jan 2019 00:25

FHD, Touchscreen, WQHD or HDR? | The best display for the ThinkPad X1 Carbon – All panels in comparison

The ThinkPad X1 Carbon is one of the best business Ultrabooks you can buy. Lenovo offers a total of four different displays for its flagship device, and we tested them all.

Andreas Osthoff, 21 Jan 2019 18:23

Huawei may face greater challenges in the future, according to its CEO. (Source: Huawei)

Huawei corporate email about possible future downsizing circulated online

Ren Zhengfei, the CEO of Huawei, has written an email warning his colleagues of the possibility of "hard times" in the future. They may include reductions in the size of the company's various regional subsidiaries. These comments may be related to Huawei's recent loss of business in the 5G infrastructure area.

Deirdre O Donnell, 21 Jan 2019 14:32

Windows on Snapdragon doesn't solve the underlying issue of Windows ARM

Based on our experience with the $1000 Lenovo Yoga C630 powered by a Snapdragon 850, software reliability is still a huge hit or miss on Windows 10 Pro. Qualcomm's grand plans for Windows on Snapdragon is off to a slow and rough start.

Allen Ngo, 21 Jan 2019 04:30

A piece of promotional material allegedly associated with the Turing GTX card. (Source: Videocardz)

New rumor implies the RTX 2060 will be faster than the corresponding Turing GTX card

An ever-increasing body of leaks point to '1660 Ti' as the name for one of the first GTX cards to feature the Turing architecture. It suggests that it may be an RTX 2060 counterpart, just without ray-tracing. A new rumor has indicated, however, that it will not have as many CUDA cores as the low-tier RTX.

Deirdre O Donnell, 17 Jan 2019 20:18

Dell XPS 15 9575, still facing problems as of January 2019 DPC latency

Dell is also working on fixing XPS 15 9575 DPC latency issues

Although most DPC latency-related complaints we heard so far from Dell XPS users involved the XPS 15 9570, it looks like the XPS 15 9575 convertible is also plagued by such problems. Frank Azor has recently confirmed that Dell is working on a fix for this problem and that he will keep everyone updated on the progress.

Codrut Nistor, 16 Jan 2019 22:49

Unpleasant surprise: Core i5 Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Tablet 25% faster than i7-SKU!

Even we at Notebookcheck are sometimes surprised by test samples. The entry-level CPU of the ThinkPad X1 Tablet is about 25% faster than the more expensive Core i7 under sustained workloads. How is that possible?

Andreas Osthoff, 16 Jan 2019 17:18

Many Netflix customers will see price hikes over the next quarter. (Source: Netflix)

Netflix will increase its prices to customers paying in USD over the next few months

Netflix has announced plans to inflate its prices by up to 18%. However, this will only affect new and existing customers who use US dollars to pay for their subscriptions. This move resulted in a 6.5% increase in its stock price yesterday (January 15, 2019).

Deirdre O Donnell, 16 Jan 2019 16:20

A new toggle to impose a traditional, temporal timeline view is being rolled out to Twitter users. (Source: YouTube)

Twitter is finally switching back to a fully chronological timeline

Recently, Twitter revamped its platform with the 'Interesting Tweets' feature. However, some users have asserted that the tweets chosen by its algorithm persisted in timelines regardless of whether they turned it off in Settings or not. Now, a new option to return to a completely chronological order of tweets is being rolled out.

Deirdre O Donnell, 16 Jan 2019 15:49

Did Microsoft indirectly pull the plug on popular Leak site Buildfeed?

Things have suddenly come to a head the last few days on Buildfeed. Promptly after leaking information that Microsoft was working on software aimed at foldable devices, website owner Thomas Hounsell shut down the site. It is rumored that Microsoft exerted pressure on him to do so. Hounsell sites “internal” pressures as the reason behind the decision.

Daniel Puschina, 16 Jan 2019 13:48

Mortal Kombat 11 will be revealed tomorrow, launch scheduled for April 23, 2019 (Source: Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment)

Mortal Kombat 11 will be revealed tomorrow, launch scheduled for late April

Not long after its early December 2018 unveil, Mortal Kombat 11 is now ready to be fully revealed. However, this new installment in the 25-year old fighting game series will only be launched on April 23, 2019. Mortal Kombat 11 will be available on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows PC, and Xbox One.

Codrut Nistor, 16 Jan 2019 10:06

The new rumored chipset would be part of the Core i9 Extreme familiy. (Source: Intel)

The 4 GHz, 14-core Intel Core i9-9990XE may be available soon, but not for direct sale

Anandtech claims to have obtained access to some materials that indicate Intel is planning to release a new, extremely high-end desktop CPU. This processor, the i9-9990XE, is described as having a base clock of 4.0 GHz, 14 cores, 28 threads and a TDP of 225 watts. However, it will be open to OEM bids only.

Deirdre O Donnell, 15 Jan 2019 17:34

Windows 7 has just one year of free support left, extended support ending January 14, 2020

Windows 7 users, ready up: You got just one year of free support left

Although mainstream support for Windows 7 SP1 ended on January 13, 2015, those still using this operating system have one year of free support and updates ahead. Unfortunately, once the extended support period will end, they have to upgrade, use a system that is no longer secure, or purchase extended security updates.

Codrut Nistor, 14 Jan 2019 16:32

06.04	Test notebooku Asus ExpertBook Ultra. Své ultimátní označení si právem zaslouží
06.04	Recenze telefonu Honor Magic8 Lite. Odolný maratonec v obleku
06.04	Recenze MacBooku Neo. Apple už za 14 tisíc? Shut up and take my money
06.04	Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, análisis: músculo en cada apartado con una pantalla llena de buenas ideas
06.04	MacBook Pro (M5 Pro) de 16 pulgadas, análisis: hay portátiles que no necesitan justificarse, pero este lo hace igualmente
06.04	Apple MacBook Neo, análisis: puede que tenga un chip de iPhone, pero rinde como un Mac de verdad. Porque es un Mac de verdad
06.04	Nothing Phone (4a) Pro, análisis: te atrae por su juego de luces y acaba enamorándote por todo lo demás
06.04	Samsung Galaxy S26, análisis: la gama alta compacta sigue viva (afortunadamente)
06.04	Realme 16 Pro+, análisis: no arriesga ni un poco, pero no hace falta para ser candidato a mejor gama media de 2026
06.04	Vivo V70 5G, análisis: el atractivo de contar con la firma Zeiss en la triple cámara para tratar de ser diferencial

Windows

Windows

85% Fujitsu Celsius H980 (Core i7-8750H, NVIDIA Quadro P3200) Workstation Review

Skype now offers the option to blur out a video caller's background

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Microsoft brings the Surface Pro 6, Laptop 2, Studio 2, and Surface Headphones to many new markets

We are reviewing the affordable & compact Lenovo ThinkPad L390

Next-generation Oculus Rift is rumored to have adjustable room lighting and inbuilt tracking sensors

Expensive Windows 7 support: In 2022, Microsoft will charge US$200

The Zotac Zbox Magnus: A new Mini-PC equipped with a Core i5 processor and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 GPU

VLC 4.0 will support uninterrupible music playback and Apple AirPlay, but also drop support for multiple older platforms

World of Tanks 1.4 brings wheeled vehicles to the game, starts a new World War

Dell's Frank Azor confirms there will be no 32 GB version of the XPS 15 9575 convertible

85% MSI PS63 Modern 8RC (Core i7-8565U, GTX 1050 Max-Q) Laptop Review

Firefox will block media autoplay starting next month

Bug in latest Firefox 65 update blocks HTTPS websites

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Microsoft will bury Internet Explorer 10 in January 2020

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Intel Core i5-9600K Desktop CPU Review

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Dynabook releases new 13.3-inch G-series ultrabooks

84% Dell Inspiron 13 7386 2-in-1 Black Edition (i7-8565U, 16 GB RAM, 512 GB SSD) Convertible Review

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82% Lenovo V320-17IKB (i5-8250U, SSD, FHD) Laptop Review

New leak points to the existence of more Navi GPU variants

Acer unveils the TravelMate B114-21 laptop with 7th Gen AMD chips and Radeon graphics

When cheaper is faster — Core i5 HP EliteBook x360 1030 G3 convertible outperforms the Core i7 SKU by 10 percent

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77% NuVision Encite Book 12 Plus (N3350, QHD) Laptop Review

RIOTORO CR400: An affordable Mid-Tower case with a side window

FHD, Touchscreen, WQHD or HDR? | The best display for the ThinkPad X1 Carbon – All panels in comparison

Huawei corporate email about possible future downsizing circulated online

Windows on Snapdragon doesn't solve the underlying issue of Windows ARM

88% Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Tablet 2018 (i5, 3K-IPS) Convertible Review

New rumor implies the RTX 2060 will be faster than the corresponding Turing GTX card

MSI raises its gaming laptops to a new level with NVIDIA GeForce RTX GPUs

Three Way Shootout: iPad Pro 11, Galaxy Tab S4 and Surface Go

Dell is also working on fixing XPS 15 9575 DPC latency issues

Unpleasant surprise: Core i5 Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Tablet 25% faster than i7-SKU!

Netflix will increase its prices to customers paying in USD over the next few months

Twitter is finally switching back to a fully chronological timeline

Did Microsoft indirectly pull the plug on popular Leak site Buildfeed?

Mortal Kombat 11 will be revealed tomorrow, launch scheduled for late April

The 4 GHz, 14-core Intel Core i9-9990XE may be available soon, but not for direct sale

Windows 7 users, ready up: You got just one year of free support left

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