Laptop

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 battery.

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"). These defects reportedly appear as a result of doing no more than closing their lids in notebook mode.

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 Intel Comet Lake CPUs. There are a few Xeon options as well.

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 one hour. The ultrabooks can be powered by either an i5-10210U or an i7-10510U CP coupled with up to 16 GB of LPDDR3 RAM and up to 512 GB NVMe SSD storage.

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 violated fraud prevention and consumer protection laws.

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 Q4 this year, when the Ampere gaming GPUs will have hit the market.

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 and photos of one unit being put together, potentially verifying its design and port selection in the process.

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 optional NVIDIA GPU and apparently offers better battery life than the Yoga Slim 7 Pro.

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 until now. Therefore, customers can stream their new title as well as load it on their own PC.

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 include 16 GB of RAM, a 512 GB SSD and 2K screens that have 3:2 aspect ratios.

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 machine starts at CNY 7,999 (~US$1,155) and is only available with Comet Lake-U series processors.

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 16:10 aspect ratio. Underpinning the package is a 50 Wh battery.

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 equip the 13.3-inch Yoga 6 with up to a Ryzen 7 4700U coupled with up to 16 GB of DDR4 RAM and up to 1 TB of NVMe SSD storage.

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. There is also $10 off the OEM's Hammerhead TWS earbuds.

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 2020. The so-called floating full-screen design means to eliminate bezels and device frames as much as possible.

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 and personal lives. The respondents in favor of this concept cited advantages such as improved mental and physical health and familial relationships.

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 Ryzen 9 4900H.

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. One such problem may have been created by Softbank itself when it began overinvesting in an IoT ARM division that did not take off, plus the Chinese ARM branch could prove a bit of a wildcard as its CEO is now trying to separate from the British branch.

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 MateBook 14 2020 may be the models to go for if you are a fan of the AMD Ryzen 4000H series. The mythical Ryzen 7 4800H is apparently headed to both devices, too.

Alex Alderson, 18 Aug 2020 15:07

The future of the Kirin SoC series is now in severe doubt. (Source: Huawei)

Huawei's access to suppliers is further curtailed by the US administration

The US government has just increased the number of companies associated with the OEM Huawei on its economic blacklist to 152. This has reportedly been done in order to ensure the electronics giant cannot use American technology or IP to source new chipsets. The Semiconductor Industry Association has reportedly expressed opposition to this uptick in the existing trend of restrictions.

Deirdre O'Donnell, 18 Aug 2020 02:22

The Asus ZenBook 14 UM425IA packs Ryzen 4000 power in a compact case. (Image source: Asus)

15-inch variant of the Ryzen 4000-powered Asus ZenBook UM425IA laptop could be in the works

There has been a hint that Asus could be working on a 15-inch variant of the ZenBook 14 UM425IA laptop that comes with a choice of either an AMD Ryzen 5 4500U processor or an AMD Ryzen 7 4700U APU. The Asus ZenBook 14 UM425IA has been praised for its great display, compact build, and system performance.

Daniel R Deakin, 17 Aug 2020 23:27

The new MateBook X will launch on August 19 in four colours. (Image source: Weibo)

Huawei MateBook X official marketing renders leaked ahead of August 19 release

Marketing renders of the upcoming Huawei MateBook X have been revealed ahead of its release on August 19. The renders confirm that Huawei has developed four colours for its premium laptop, which will have minimal bezels and a large trackpad. Huawei has started releasing promotional videos for the MateBook X, too.

Alex Alderson, 17 Aug 2020 19:07

Has Honor partnered with Intel for its first gaming laptop? (Image source: Honor)

The Honor Hunter may be lumbered with Intel's 14 nm Comet Lake-H processors

Honor has hinted of a renewed partnership with Intel for its first gaming laptop, the Hunter. The company has released several AMD Ryzen 4000 Renoir machines this year, but it has seemingly looked to Intel to supply 14 nm processors for its foray into the gaming laptop market.

Alex Alderson, 17 Aug 2020 13:59

ThinkPad T15g: Is Lenovo preparing a gaming ThinkPad with RTX 2080 Super Max-Q?

ThinkPad T15g: Is Lenovo preparing a gaming ThinkPad with the GeForce RTX 2080 Super Max-Q?

A new ThinkPad laptop has appeared online: The Lenovo ThinkPad T15g Gen 1 appears to be a variation of the workstation ThinkPad P15 Gen 1. Different from the workstation model, the Lenovo T15g appears to feature Nvidia GeForce RTX GPUs, making it a gaming ThinkPad.

Benjamin Herzig, 17 Aug 2020 13:53

Comes with improved battery life: The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 with Intel Core i5-10210U

Lenovo ThinkPad X13: nothing new even with the new Intel CPU

Even with Intel's current Comet Lake CPUs, the new ThinkPad X13 model only has a slight edge over its predecessors. Owners of the Kaby Lake version of the X390 do not need to worry about upgrading.

Mike Wobker, 17 Aug 2020 11:10

The Huawei MateBook X 2020 will allegedly come in these four color options. (Image source: Technology du)

Huawei MateBook X 2020 will feature a novel fanless design, come with an Intel CPU/Nvidia GPU combo, and could be priced under 10,000 yuan (US$1,438)

More details about the upcoming Huawei MateBook X 2020 laptop have started being shared online. It’s believed the device sports a novel cooling solution that doesn’t rely on fans. It is also rumored that the MateBook X 2020 could sport Intel CPUs and an Nvidia GPU, come in four different colors, and cost less than 10,000 yuan (US$1,438).

Daniel R Deakin, 16 Aug 2020 23:50

Microsoft's method for allowing touch input emulation on a non-touch display (Source: Patent Scope).

Microsoft designs method to emulate touch input on non-touch displays

While Windows supports touch displays, many laptops are still released without touch and support on desktops is rare outside of some AiO devices. Microsoft has now patented a process for supporting touch input on devices with traditional display panels.

Craig Ward, 16 Aug 2020 09:18

Aorus 15G XB in review: Successful gaming machine with mechanical keyboard

The Core i7 processor in the Aorus 15G XB puts the pedal to the metal

The Aorus 15G XB brings all modern computer games smoothly onto the matte 15.6-inch screen (240 Hz, Full HD, IGZO). The equipment is also right: NVMe SSD, 16 GB of RAM (dual-channel mode), a mechanical keyboard, and a Thunderbolt 3 port.

Sascha Mölck, 16 Aug 2020 06:27

The Dell G7 15 7590 offers a lot of gaming power for a reasonable price. (Image source: Dell)

Deal | Dell G7 15 7590 gaming laptop with 6-core i7-9750H and powerful GeForce RTX 2080 reduced by over US$1,200 with applied coupons

Dell is currently offering a very tempting deal with its G7 15 7590 gaming laptop with Intel Core i7-9750H CPU and Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q GPU. By applying a couple of coupons, shoppers can snap up the impressive Dell G7 15 gamer for over US$1,200 less than its estimated value price. Free shipping is also included.

Daniel R Deakin, 15 Aug 2020 21:46

Deal | Popular Gigabyte Aero 15 laptop with Core i7, OLED, and GeForce GTX 1660 Ti graphics now on sale for $1400 USD

The XPS 15 alternative is seemingly on sale more often than it's not. This latest one is $500 off to be more in line with other AMOLED laptops.

Allen Ngo, 14 Aug 2020 23:06

The ThinkPad T14s AMD is cheaper and much faster

Lenovo offers the ThinkPad T14s with Intel as well as AMD processors. We now reviewed both models and can confirm the big performance advantage for the AMD model. The only real advantage for Intel is the Thunderbolt 3 support.

Andreas Osthoff, 14 Aug 2020 20:36

A 300 Hz display for the Razer Blade 15 Advanced Model (2020)

Razer's compact 15.6-incher is packed with powerful hardware that brings all the latest games smoothly onto the matte Full HD screen (300 Hz, IPS). There's also an NVMe SSD, 16 GB of RAM, and a Thunderbolt 3 port.

Sascha Mölck, 14 Aug 2020 20:19

The Xiaomi RedmiBook Air 13 is available in three SKUs. (Image source: Xiaomi)

Xiaomi RedmiBook Air 13 launched: A laptop with a 2.5K display, a minimal design and up to 16 GB of RAM for ~US$750

Xiaomi has unveiled its latest ultrabook, the RedmiBook Air 13. The laptop features a 2.5K display with an 89% screen-to-body ratio, 512 GB of storage and up to 16 GB of RAM. The RedmiBook Air 13 also has a 41 Wh battery and starts at CNY 4,899 (~US$705) with 8 GB of RAM. The cheapest 16 GB SKU costs CNY 5,199 (~US$750), though.

Alex Alderson, 14 Aug 2020 18:17

The Xiaomi Redmi G comes with a choice of a 60 Hz or 144 Hz display. (Image source: Xiaomi)

Xiaomi unveils the Redmi G, a gaming laptop with a 16.1-inch and 144 Hz display

The Redmi G is Xiaomi's latest gaming laptop, and one that is available in three configurations. The device starts at CNY 4,999 (~US$720), which nets you an Intel Core i5-10200H processor and an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 GPU. Xiaomi offers up to a Core i7-10750H and a GTX 1650 Ti for its gaming laptop though, along with a 144 Hz and 16.1-inch IPS display. All models come with 16 GB of RAM and a 512 GB SSD.

Alex Alderson, 14 Aug 2020 18:05

Because of AMD supply chain problems, these 13-inch models will not be available on the American continent. (Image Source: Lenovo France)

Lenovo's 13-inch IdeaPad S540-13ARE ultrabook with Renoir-U APUs now available in Europe

The new 13-inchers come with Ryzen 5 4600U or Ryzen 7 4800U APU options and can be equipped with up to 1 TB of NVMe SSD storage. RAM options include 8 or 16 GB DDR4-3200, but the modules are soldered, so there is no upgrade potential. There are two good screen options, yet, on the other hand, port selection is a bit limited, and the ultrabooks will not be available on the American continent.

Bogdan Solca, 14 Aug 2020 17:19

Some XPS 15 9500 machines will not stay closed when picked up. (Image source: Dell)

Some Dell XPS 15 9500 machines may have a display hinge issue

Wobbly trackpads may have affected multiple early XPS 15 9500 units, but it has emerged that others will not stay closed when they are picked up. Picking up some XPS 15 9500 machines causes their display lid to pop open, almost as if no magnets are holding them in place. Dell is yet to acknowledge the issue publicly, but there are multiple examples of it spread across Dell Community and Reddit forums.

Alex Alderson, 14 Aug 2020 14:19