Laptop

7 nm AMD Ryzen 7 4800U is as fast as the 14 nm Core i9-9880H and at half the TDP, but there's a huge catch

Can an 8-core 25 W cTDP Ryzen 7 4800U outperform the popular 8-core 45 W Core i9-9880H? They're much closer than what you might think at least until you start stressing the Ryzen processor over very long periods.

Allen Ngo, 28 Aug 2020 08:29

GeForce NOW adds support for Control Ultimate Edition. (Source: Remedy)

GeForce NOW adds Control, Hitman and the Shadowrun Collection to its list of games

GeForce NOW is NVIDIA's solution for online cloud gaming. It famously adds titles every Thursday, for the benefit of players who own them already but do not have a high-powered PC to hand. Today, this list includes Control, as wel...

Deirdre O'Donnell, 27 Aug 2020 15:00

Chromebooks like the 5190 Education simply aren't available for school districts and students. (Image via Dell w/ edits)

American public school systems face a shortage of 5 million laptops for students

As public school systems in the United States shift to online learning in response to the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic, many districts face a massive shortage of laptops for students. The shortage compounds existing problems facin...

Sam Medley, 26 Aug 2020 20:46

Tuxedo's Pulse 14 is among the lightest notebooks powered by AMD's Renoir-H APUs. (Image Source: Tuxedo)

Ryzen 4000H-powered Pulse 14 Linux ultrabooks launched by Tuxedo

The new Tuxedo Pulse 14 among the few Renoir-H ultrabooks available now for pre-order. It is very similar to the Pulse 15 version, except it weighs only 1 Kg and obviously gets a 14-inch screen, plus it comes with a smaller batter...

Bogdan Solca, 26 Aug 2020 15:58

TSMC hints at securing Apple SoC production deal including 2 nm chips for the next 5 years

The Taiwanese foundries are already building a new R&D center for 2 nm technologies and beyond in Hsinchu, which should be ready some time in 2021. The exact timeline for the 2 nm volume production is not yet known, but TSMC repor...

Bogdan Solca, 26 Aug 2020 15:27

Intel's dismissal of synthetic benchmarks is not entirely justifiable. (Image Source: Intel)

Intel still leans on gaming comparisons to prove its worth, but it may have shot itself in the foot this time around

Intel has been emphasizing the need to move away from traditional benchmarks for quite some time now. A recent press briefing to APAC journalists saw Intel extolling its advantages in gaming and postulating it as a more realistic ...

Column by Vaidyanathan Subramaniam, 26 Aug 2020 10:04

Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7 with Ryzen 7 4700U down to $855 USD, Ryzen 7 4800U option still missing (Source: Lenovo)

Deal | Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7 with Ryzen 7 4700U down to $855 USD, Ryzen 7 4800U option still missing

Last week's deal is now live again for the exact same Ryzen 7 4700U configuration. It's a decent buy so long as you are okay with being stuck on 8 GB of RAM for the life of the system.

Allen Ngo, 26 Aug 2020 08:55

Qualcomm selects the 33 firms that will benefit from its Small Business Accelerator Program

In response to the often harsh realities of the peri-Covid-19 world from the enterprise perspective, Qualcomm implemented the Small Business Accelerator Program to help firms of that description during this time. It exists to dona...

Deirdre O'Donnell, 25 Aug 2020 18:07

The N3 node is scheduled to enter volume production by 2H 2022. (Image Source: PCGamesN)

TSMC releases more details regarding the upcoming 3 nm node

N5 is already showing better yields compared to N7 and N10 going by production times, and TSMC also plans to squeeze two more nodes in between N5 and N3. N5P is supposed to start volume production some time in 2021, while N4 shoul...

Bogdan Solca, 25 Aug 2020 16:44

The XMG NEO 17 is now available only with the i7-10875H CPUs. (Image Source: XMG)

XMG refreshes liquid-metal-cooled NEO gaming laptop lineup, adds i7-10875H CPU option

XMG is now offering an i7-10875H CPU option for the NEO lineup of liquid-metal-cooled laptops. The 17-inch model is also getting a 62 Wh larger battery, although it still seems quite small compared to the 93 Wh battery on the 15-i...

Bogdan Solca, 25 Aug 2020 16:16

2020 Acer TravelMate P215 is smaller and lighter than last year's model, but it doesn't run any faster (Image source: Acer)

Humiliatingly for Intel, an underperforming Core i7-10510U runs slower than the two-year old Core i5-8250U

The 2020 Acer TravelMate P215 may be smaller and lighter than last year's model, but it doesn't run any faster despite its fancy new 10th gen Core i7 Comet Lake-U CPU. Intel's 10th gen Core family isn't looking so hot all things c...

Allen Ngo, 25 Aug 2020 08:01

Nexoc GH5 515IG (Clevo NH50DB): Entry-level gaming laptop offers room for three storage drives

The Nexoc GH5 515IG gaming laptop can be individually customized to your own needs

Nexoc's 15.6-incher brings all modern computer games smoothly onto the matte screen (Full HD, IPS). The device can be individually configured and offers space for up to three storage drives.

Sascha Mölck, 25 Aug 2020 02:38

Vermeer is next up for AMD, followed by Cezanne and Van Gogh in early 2021. (Image source: PCGamer)

AMD Ryzen 2020-2022 roadmap leaks; Cezanne, Dragon Crest, Raphael, Rembrandt and Van Gogh all detailed

Another part of AMD's 2020-2022 roadmap has leaked, detailing several codenames and specifications. Navi2-based APUs will arrive in 2021, but it won't be until 2022 when we see laptop APUs with Navi graphics. Zen 3 will debut with...

Alex Alderson, 24 Aug 2020 13:05

Amazon has the 2020 Razer Blade 15 on sale right now for $1500 USD to be even cheaper than Razer's own online store (Image source: Razer)

Deal | Amazon has the 2020 Razer Blade 15 on sale right now for $1500 USD to be even cheaper than Razer's own online store

The latest Razer Blade 15 is now the cheapest it's been even though it will still cost you just a little bit more more than a typical gaming laptop with the same Core i7-10750H CPU and GeForce RTX 2060 GPU.

Allen Ngo, 24 Aug 2020 02:17

Asus ZenBook 13 UX325JA in review: 1100-gram subnotebook with excellent battery life

The lightweight, compact Asus Zenbook UX325JA also comes with a bright display

The slim Zenbook 13's wide range of features is convincing: There is an Ice Lake CPU, 16 GB of RAM (in dual-channel mode), an NVMe SSD, and Thunderbolt 3. Furthermore, the battery life is excellent thanks to the integrated 67-Wh b...

Sascha Mölck, 22 Aug 2020 21:38

Some Surface Book users complain of screen defects in response to normal use, and that Microsoft is all but ignoring them

The Surface Book series comprise innovative 2-in-1s that can run the buyer a pretty penny. Its support and user forums have exhibited a pattern of complaints that these devices develop cracks in their screens (often "overnight"). ...

Deirdre O'Donnell, 21 Aug 2020 22:22

The Lenovo ThinkPad T15g Gen 1 will have the same chassis as the ThinkPad P15, but it will use either an RTX 2070 Super Max-Q or an RTX 2080 Super Max-Q. (Image via Lenovo)

Official Lenovo spec sheet confirms ThinkPad T15g Gen 1 will have RTX 2080 Super, Intel Core i9-10980HK

A spec sheet from Lenovo confirms that the upcoming ThinkPad T15g Gen 1 can be equipped with either an Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070 Super Max-Q or an Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q. The T15g Gen 1 can also be configured with a bevy of I...

Sam Medley, 21 Aug 2020 18:21

NEC's new ultrabooks weigh less than 900 g, but come with batteries that can last up to 24 h. (Image Source: NEC)

NEC launches 13.3-inch VersaPro J UltraLite type VG ultrabooks with Comet Lake-U CPUs under 900 grams

NEC's latest 13.3-inch ultrabooks weigh only 814 g with an L battery or 868 g with an LL battery. Even so, the bigger batteries are still able to last up to 24 h (15 h for the smaller ones), and both can be charged up to 80% in on...

Bogdan Solca, 21 Aug 2020 15:01

Battery life better with Intel: ThinkPad X13 AMD shows a Renoir weakness

The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 Gen 1 with AMD Ryzen 4000 convinces us in the review nearly completely. There are barely any real problems. One of the very few categories where AMD was not better however: The battery life.

Benjamin Herzig, 21 Aug 2020 11:11

MacBook Pro with a broken flex cable showing "stage light" effect in its display. (Image source: class-action lawsuit filing)

Apple may face another class-action lawsuit for display cable flaw in 2016 and 2017 MacBook Pros

Another class-action lawsuit has been filed against Apple for the "flexgate" flaw that plagued some 2016 and 2017 MacBook Pros. The lawsuit alleges that Apple knew about the flaw when they sold the MacBook Pros and that Apple viol...

Sam Medley, 20 Aug 2020 21:48

Q4 should see the gaming GPU division back on top, as the Ampere gaming GPUs will be hitting the market in late September. (Image Source: pond5.com)

Gaming GPUs are no longer the most profitable business for Nvidia

Thanks to the Mellanox acquisition and the launch of the Ampere A100 compute accelerators in mind Q2, the data center business overshadowed the gaming GPU division, which still did quite well. A reversal is expected to happen in Q...

Bogdan Solca, 20 Aug 2020 16:24

The Eve Spectrum in prototype form. (Source: Eve Devices)

Eve Devices displays its Spectrum monitor prototypes

Eve Devices started taking reservations for its Spectrum monitor in January 2020. Now, it has a new post to share with its community in which the first prototypes for its inaugural display product are shown off. It includes video ...

Deirdre O'Donnell, 20 Aug 2020 16:00

The Yoga 7i and Yoga Slim 7i will be available from November. (Image source: Lenovo)

Lenovo announces the Yoga 7i and Yoga Slim 7i as part of its Intel Tiger Lake refresh

The Yoga 7i and Yoga Slim 7i join the Yoga Slim 7i Pro as part of Lenovo's Intel Tiger Lake refresh. The machines will be available from November at various price points and configurations.

Alex Alderson, 20 Aug 2020 15:29

The Yoga Slim 7i Pro is the Yoga Slim 7 Pro but with a Tiger Lake processor and an optional NVIDIA GPU. (Image source: Lenovo)

Lenovo unveils the Yoga Slim 7i Pro, a Tiger Lake alternative to the Yoga Slim 7 Pro with better battery life and an optional NVIDIA GPU

The Yoga 6 and Yoga Slim 7 Pro may be attractive to fans of AMD's Ryzen 4000 Renoir series, but Lenovo has also announced a powerful Tiger Lake-based alternative. Called the Yoga Slim 7i Pro, the machine can be equipped with an op...

Alex Alderson, 20 Aug 2020 15:18

GeForce NOW supports this new game. (Source: Curve Digital)

GeForce NOW adds Peaky Blinders: Mastermind on the same day as Steam

NVIDIA's cloud-gaming platform GeForce NOW announces seven additional titles today (August 20, 2020), one of which is also Steam's latest release. It is based on the popular TV show Peaky Blinders, and has been up for pre-order un...

Deirdre O'Donnell, 20 Aug 2020 15:00

The Huawei MateBook B series starts at CNY 5,499 (~US$796).

Huawei unveils three MateBook B business laptops

Huawei has unleashed the MateBook B series, which it is positioning for business consumers. The MateBook B5-420, MateBook B3-510 and MateBook B3-410 come with Intel Comet Lake-U processors and up to 512 GB of storage.

Alex Alderson, 19 Aug 2020 18:43

A good cooling system meets good performance: The Asus ROG Zephyrus S17

Asus ROG Zephyrus S17: A Large Gamer with the RTX 2080 Super Max-Q

It has been a long time that notebook gamers had to use fat gaming giants. Thanks to refined cooling concepts and hardware that has shrunk significantly, slim laptops can also offer outstanding performance.

Mike Wobker, 19 Aug 2020 18:34

The MateBook 13 2020 and MateBook 14 2020 come with 45 W Renoir APUs. (Image source: Huawei)

The Huawei MateBook 13 2020 and MateBook 14 2020 combine a Ryzen 5 4600H or Ryzen 7 4800H with 2K and 3:2 aspect ratio displays

The MateBook X and MateBook X Pro may be the two most eye-catching laptops that Huawei has released this year, but the MateBook 13 2020 and MateBook 14 2020 are the only ones to feature 45 W Renoir APUs. The two laptops also inclu...

Alex Alderson, 19 Aug 2020 18:31

The new MateBook X weighs less than 1 kg. (Image source: Huawei)

Huawei MateBook X launched: A lightweight and premium laptop hampered by Comet Lake-U processors and DDR3 RAM

Huawei has unveiled its new premium and lightweight laptop, the MateBook X. The 13-inch device weighs less than 1 kg and houses a 3:2 3K display, along with a large keyboard and a new pressure-sensitive trackpad. The fanless machi...

Alex Alderson, 19 Aug 2020 18:27

The Yoga Pro 13s Carbon will feature a 16:10 aspect ratio display and Tiger Lake processors. (Image source: Weibo)

Lenovo teases the Yoga Pro 13s Carbon, a sub-1 kg ultrabook with a 16:10 aspect ratio and Tiger Lake processors

Lenovo has teased the Yoga Pro 13s Carbon, a circa 990g ultrabook that is expected to feature Intel's latest Tiger Lake processors. The device also has a 13.3-inch display with a native resolution of 2,560 x 1,600 pixels and a 16:...

Alex Alderson, 19 Aug 2020 16:36

The new Yoga 6 convertibles powered by AMD's Renoir-U are expected to ship this October. (Image Source: Lenovo)

Lenovo launches 13.3-inch Yoga 6 convertible with Renoir-U APUs and metal+cloth hybrid design

The hybrid design that combines metal with soft textured materials help the chassis weigh in at only 2.9 lbs. Spec-wise, this model is not as impressive as the Yoga Slim 7 Pro, and the prices clearly reflect this. Still, users can...

Bogdan Solca, 19 Aug 2020 12:44

Razer is running a new promo. (Source: Razer)

Deal | Razer is offering US$200 off various Blade notebooks for its Back to School event

Razer is weighing in on the traditional Back to School sales period with offers on many of its Blade 15 Base Edition, 15 Advanced and Pro 17 notebooks. These PCs are available at US$200 off their normal prices during this event. T...

Deirdre O'Donnell, 19 Aug 2020 00:34

A Huawei smart TV with a floating full-screen would make the X65's slender bezels look chunky. (Image source: Huawei)

Rumor | Huawei MateBook X Pro laptop's floating screen technology will soon feature in a Huawei TV

A noted tipster has reported that Huawei will be using the “floating screen technology” that is expected to feature with the upcoming Huawei MateBook X Pro 2020 laptop in a cutting-edge smart TV that will be unveiled by the end of...

Daniel R Deakin, 18 Aug 2020 23:41

Is work-life balance worth a pay cut? (Source: Max Pixel)

36% of professionals polled would happily trade 35% of their current salaries for an improved work life balance

A recent poll conducted on the professional's forum site Blind found that 36% of workers at companies such as Microsoft, Google and Oracle would accept 65% of their current pay-checks in exchange for more parity between their work...

Deirdre O'Donnell, 18 Aug 2020 18:41

Lenovo Yoga Slim 7 Pro combines AMD Ryzen 9 4900H with 14 inch 16:10 screen

Like Dell with the XPS line, Lenovo embraces the 16:10 aspect ratio. The upcoming Lenovo Yoga 7 Pro features the taller screen ratio with a new 14 inch display, combining it with the most powerful AMD laptop processor: The AMD Ryz...

Benjamin Herzig, 18 Aug 2020 16:18

Softbank may have overinvested in ARM and is clearly well aware of the Chinese "rogue" CEO. (Image Source: Nyob.news)

Why is Softbank rushing to sell ARM? Softbank overinvesting in the wrong business areas and the Chinese ARM branch "going rogue" among the possible reasons

If Nvidia manages to buy ARM, team green will certainly have its hands full with all sorts of inherent problems in addition to all the other competing ARM clients that demand equal access to current IPs and future technologies. On...

Bogdan Solca, 18 Aug 2020 16:04

The refreshed MateBook series will arrive in four sizes. (Image source: Huawei)

Huawei MateBook X, MateBook X Pro, MateBook 13 2020 and MateBook 14 2020 specifications detailed in new leak

A new leak suggests that the new MateBook X will be joined by three other laptops, namely the MateBook X Pro, MateBook 13 2020 and MateBook 14 2020. All models will come with 3:2 aspect ratio displays, but the MateBook 13 2020 and...

Alex Alderson, 18 Aug 2020 15:07