Laptop

The AMD Ryzen 7 4800U has a base clock of 1.8 GHz. (Image source: AMD)

AMD Ryzen 7 4800U APU's Fire Strike Physics Score challenges Intel Core i9-9880H results despite having much lower TDP

An AMD Ryzen 7 4800U has been found on 3DMark’s Fire Strike benchmark racking up a terrific Physics Score. The Ryzen 4000 APU managed 18,588 points, which is higher than the median score that we have achieved with devices sporting an Intel Core i9-9880H. However, the Intel chip can utilize a higher power draw than the new Renoir processor from AMD.

Daniel R Deakin, 06 Apr 2020 10:14

These are the new XPS and Precision redesigns we have been waiting for. (Image Source: Dell via u/WesolyKubeczek on Reddit)

Leaked official image of the Dell XPS 15 9500, XPS 17 9700, and 2020 Precision confirms expected design changes

An official image of the upcoming Dell XPS 15 9500 and the XPS 17 9700 along with 2020 Precision mobile workstations was briefly posted on Dell's website before it was taken down. The image confirms the anticipated redesigns of the XPS lineup including a 16:10 display, an all-Thunderbolt 3 port selection, larger trackpad, and ultra-slim bezels on all sides.

Vaidyanathan Subramaniam, 06 Apr 2020 09:25

The paid music-streaming market breakdown for 2019. (Source: Counterpoint Research)

Subscription-based music-streaming increased by 32% in 2019

According to a new Counterpoint Research report, music-streaming service subscriptions have increased in 2019 compared to 2018. Spotify has retained the top spot in this market year-on-year (YoY), also other popular platforms such as Apple Music have taken decently-sized shares of it as well.

Deirdre O Donnell, 05 Apr 2020 21:33

The Gigabyte Aero 15 XB with i7-10875H is scheduled to start shipping on April 15. (Image source: Scan)

Gigabyte Aero 15 XB with Intel Core i7-10875H trails Acer ConceptD 9 Pro with i9-9980HK in Geekbench and falls behind AMD Ryzen 7 4800H in multi-core test

The new Comet Lake-H high-end processor Intel Core i7-10875H has been tested on Geekbench as part of a Gigabyte Aero 15 XB laptop. The results left the Comet Lake chip behind the scores achieved by the Coffee Lake i9-9980HK found in the powerful Acer ConceptD 9 Pro, and the AMD Ryzen 7 4800H in HP’s Pavilion 24 grabbed a much higher multi-core score.

Daniel R Deakin, 05 Apr 2020 10:47

AMD's current Ryzen 4000 APU series is based on Zen 2 architecture. (Image source: AMD)

AMD Ryzen 9 4900U APU gets past the rumor stage by making a first appearance on UserBenchmark

An AMD Ryzen 9 4900U APU has turned up on UserBenchmark as part of a system labeled “AMD Ted3-RN”. The chip managed an excellent single-core score but the weaker multi-core scores show that this is an early engineering sample with more to come yet. The benchmark record details that the Ryzen 9 4900U has 8 cores and 16 threads.

Daniel R Deakin, 05 Apr 2020 09:01

Seven simple ways we would make the Asus Zephyrus G14 even better

We think these subtle quality-of-life changes could make the 14-inch system easier to use and more appealing at the same time.

Allen Ngo, 04 Apr 2020 17:53

StarTech M2E1BMU31C M.2 NVMe enclosure offers 1 GB/s transfer rates over USB

The plug-and-play enclosure will set you back just over $100, but it gets the job done with the promise of a two-year warranty and a solid high quality metal chassis. We test the claimed 1000 MB/s transfer rate to see just how close the enclosure can get to this maximum.

Allen Ngo, 04 Apr 2020 07:22

Is a Core i5-1035G1 Surface Book 3 in the works? (Image source: Microsoft)

Possible Surface Book 3 powered by an Intel Core i5-1035G1 and 8 GB of RAM appears on 3DMark

Codenamed the OEMQN Product Name EV1, the Core i5-1035G1 is likely an entry-level version of the Surface Book 3. Sporting a 256 GB SSD and 8 GB of RAM this time, the long-awaited Surface Book 2 successor is expected to launch sometime this Spring.

Alex Alderson, 03 Apr 2020 20:21

HP Envy 17m launching today with Core i7 Ice Lake, 12 GB RAM, 512 GB SSD, and GeForce MX330 graphics for $1250 USD (Source: HP)

2020 HP Envy 17m finally drops the DVD drive, includes Core i7 Ice Lake, 12 GB RAM, 512 GB SSD, and GeForce MX330 graphics for $1250 USD

The system integrates more multimedia and auxiliary functions on the keyboard including mic, camera shutter, HP Command Center and both Alexa and Cortana voice services.

Allen Ngo, 03 Apr 2020 19:52

Consumer-grade DDR5 modules should be available by 2021. (Image Source: SK Hynix)

SK Hynix 16 Gb DDR5 RAM modules will enter production this year, 4,800 - 8,400 MHz expected frequency range

The first DDR5 modules will be aimed at the server market, with consumer variants expected to hit the market in late 2021. Initial frequencies will be limited to 4,800 MHz, but, as the technology matures, frequencies will be hitting 6,400 MHz and even 8,400 MHz, while densities could reach 64 GB per single DIMM.

Bogdan Solca, 03 Apr 2020 17:07

Lenovo to soon introduce AMD Ryzen 4000 Legion gaming laptops

Lenovo will allegedly introduce Legion R7000 / R7000P gaming laptops powered by AMD's Renoir APUs up to the Ryzen 7 4800H SKU. Some improvements include DDR4-3200 RAM, double NVMe M.2 slots and 80 Wh+ batteries, but there are some downsides too, like the inclusion of displays with 120 Hz refresh, 45% NTSC color and high response times.

Bogdan Solca, 03 Apr 2020 16:05

The i9 10980HK improves performance, but at a massive power draw cost (Image source: Intel)

The laptop Intel i9-10980HK actually draws more power than an AMD Ryzen 9 3950X CPU with twice the core count

According to a power draw comparison, Intel's laptop i9-10980HK draws almost 30 percent more power than the Ryzen 9 3950X, a 16-core 32-thread CPU meant for high-end desktop use. While the Comet Lake H flagship might power past Renoir offerings, it does at significantly higher power draw.

Arjun Krishna Lal, 03 Apr 2020 15:50

The Core i7-1185G7, Intel's premier Tiger Lake-U series processor? (Image source: Intel)

3.0 GHz base clock at 28 W? Intel Core i7-1185G7 Tiger Lake processor appears on 3DMark

Intel is having a rough ride of it lately, with AMD giving the company another kicking with its Ryzen 4000 series APUs. Now, a 28 W Tiger Lake-U series processor has appeared on 3DMark Time Spy, the Core i7-1185G7. While the quad-core chip has a substantially higher base clock than its Ice Lake equivalent, its appearance raises more questions than it does provide answers.

Alex Alderson, 03 Apr 2020 14:45

MSI GS66 Stealth offers a 99.9 Wh battery and a 300 Hz display. (Image Source: MSI)

MSI revamps its entire gaming and creative portfolio with Comet Lake-H and RTX 20 Super Mobile options

MSI announced new laptops such as the GS66 Stealth, GE66 Raider, and Creator 17 at CES 2020 and has now detailed their full specifications. MSI is also upgrading the its entire gaming and creative product lineup with the latest Intel 10th gen Comet Lake-H and NVIDIA RTX 20 Super Mobile offerings. All laptops will be available for shipping from April 15.

Vaidyanathan Subramaniam, 03 Apr 2020 13:03

Remember this Dell XPS 17 from 2011? Hopefully, the XPS 17 9700 will be just as impressive.

Dell XPS 17 9700 listing on Userbenchmark rekindles hope for a true productivity workhorse

Recently, a Dell XPS 17 9700 listing surfaced on Userbenchmark indicating that Dell would finally bring back the 17-inch form factor to the XPS lineup. The XPS 17 9700 in this listing is indicated as being powered by the Core i7-10750H processor and 32 GB of RAM. While there's no discrete GPU mentioned, it is likely that the XPS 17 9700 will feature at least a GTX 1660 Ti or, if Dell is benevolent enough, an RTX 2060 Mobile option as well.

Vaidyanathan Subramaniam, 03 Apr 2020 05:17

VPN use was found to increase in March 2020. (Source: Flickr)

Global VPN use spiked during March 2020, study finds

Virtual private networks (VPNs) are popular tools among those who want to safeguard their internet usage and the data involved. The sudden and widespread need to work from home has given them a new dimension of necessity, however. Now, their uptake in the US and Canada has reportedly increased 35% in March 2020.

Deirdre O Donnell, 02 Apr 2020 22:14

Xiaomi updates the Mi Band 3 and 4 with a laptop-unlocking function

The Mi Bands 3 and 4 have a new firmware update that fixes several UI-related bugs. It also introduces a first-party notebook-unlocking facility to these fitness trackers. They also now support Apple ID logins for the first time.

Deirdre O Donnell, 02 Apr 2020 19:50

The updated Triton 500 and Nitro 5 lineups will be available this May. (Image Source: Acer)

Acer announces the refreshed Predator Triton 500 and Nitro 5 gaming laptops with Comet Lake-H CPUs

The new Predator Triton 500 models will be powered by i7 and i9 Comet Lake-H CPUs coupled with up to 32 GB of RAM and up to 2 TB of NVMe SSD storage, plus GPU options topping with the RTX 2080 Super Max-Q. The budget-friendly Nitro 5, on the other hand, will be powered by i5/i7 Comet Lake-H CPUs, and will only support GPUs up to the RTX 2060.

Bogdan Solca, 02 Apr 2020 17:49

The new Legion 5i and 7i models will replace the existing Y540 and Y740, respectively. (Image Source: Lenovo)

Lenovo's Legion 5i and 7i gaming laptops include the exclusive Nvidia Advanced Optimus feature for extended battery life

The 7i will most likely be powered by Comet Lake-H Core i7 CPUs and will feature the latest RTX 2000 Super GPUs, while the 5i will pack Comet Lake-H Core i5 CPUs and up to an RTX 2060 GPU. Both variants will get G-Sync displays plus a n exclusive feature developed in collaboration with Nvidia, which allows for a more efficient battery management.

Bogdan Solca, 02 Apr 2020 17:06

The Dell Vostro 15 3590 laptops come with a dedicated numeric keypad. (Image source: Dell)

Deal | Budget business for a bargain: Dell Vostro 15 3590 with i7-10510U and AMD Radeon 610 GPU reduced from US$1,212 to US$699

Dell’s Vostro lineup might be overlooked for better known laptop series such as the Inspiron or XPS, but there are some very attractive deals to be had at the moment, especially if you’re looking for a budget device for a small business. For example, the Vostro 15 3590 with an i5-10210U, 8 GB RAM, and a 256 GB SSD is presently 43% off, cut from US$1,041.43 to US$599.00.

Daniel R Deakin, 02 Apr 2020 14:59

Like Renoir-H, Intel Comet Lake-H will lack an integrated Thunderbolt 3 controller

Intel has detailed its next-gen Core H-series for gaming laptops with SKUs ranging from the quad-core Core i5-10300H to the hexa-core Core i7-10750H and the octa-core Core i9-10980HK. At its heart, however, Comet Lake-H will look familiar to Coffee Lake-H in terms of integrated hardware features.

Allen Ngo, 02 Apr 2020 10:02

Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Super Max-Q and 2070 Super Max-Q set to debut on the next Razer Blade 15

As if Nvidia's GeForce RTX lineup couldn't be more convoluted, be prepared for yet another subcategory of GeForce Super GPUs within the existing subcategory of GeForce Max-Q GPUs.

Allen Ngo, 02 Apr 2020 09:02

The Asus ROG Strix SCAR 17 laptop will be ideal for esports fans due to its high refresh rates. (Image source: Asus)

The new Asus ROG Strix SCAR 17 laptop will grant a gamer's wishes with up to an Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER GPU and Intel Core i9-10980HK CPU

Asus has announced the ROG Strix SCAR 17 laptop that can be configured with either an Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER or RTX 2080 SUPER mobile GPU and features Intel’s new i9-10980HK processor. The gaming laptop also offers users ROG Boost for additional performance, and it will be configurable with up to a 300 Hz display. Prices start at €1,899 (~US$2,121) in Germany.

Daniel R Deakin, 02 Apr 2020 09:01

Asus announces new ROG Keystone 2

Asus announced the new ROG Keystone 2 today. The device, which is a proprietary NFC key, allows users to easily transfer system and game profiles between supported ROG machines. The Keystone 2 also includes a hidden encrypted storage drive, known as a Shadow Drive.

Sam Medley, 02 Apr 2020 09:01

Gigabyte gives AMD the cold shoulder, updates entire Aorus and Aero lineup with Intel 10th gen Core i7/i9 Comet Lake-H (Source: Aorus)

Gigabyte skips AMD, updates entire Aorus and Aero lineup with Intel 10th gen Core i7/i9 Comet Lake-H

Gigabyte will be "Redefining Gaming Notebooks" as one of the first OEMs out of the gate with Core i7-10750H, Core i7-10875H, and unlocked Core i9-10980HK options later this month. Comparisons to the competing AMD Ryzen 4000 series, which will also be shipping out in the coming weeks, should prove to be interesting.

Allen Ngo, 02 Apr 2020 09:00

2020 Dell XPS 15 9500 could be the full 16:10 redesign we've been looking for to tackle the MacBook Pro 16

The XPS 15 looked great back in 2016, but there's no question that it has grown a bit stale since then. A 16:10 redesign would help revitalize the series and new leaks appear to confirm just that.

Allen Ngo, 01 Apr 2020 20:15

Will we see a redesigned XPS 15 this year, or another XPS 15 9550 rehash? (Image source: Dell)

Discussion | The XPS 15 has grown stale, and UserBenchmark listings for the 2020 edition suggest that Dell is happy with it remaining that way

It seems that Dell has forgotten about the XPS 15. While we continue to award the device top marks year on year, Dell has essentially been releasing minor revisions of the same machine since 2015. Now, several UserBenchmark listings have given us an insight into what Dell has planned for this year's XPS 15, the 9500. Hardware-wise at least, it looks like we are in for another year of Dell flogging a dead horse. There is a flicker of a chassis redesign being on the cards, though.

Alex Alderson, 01 Apr 2020 17:33

Huawei has released its earnings report for 2019. (Source: Huawei)

Huawei reports that it made US$123 billion in 2019

Huawei has released its financial performance report for 2019, which outlines its takings worldwide from all its business, consumer electronics included. They show that overall revenues have increased year-on-year (YoY). However, the growth of its profits did not match those of previous years.

Deirdre O Donnell, 01 Apr 2020 16:56

The AMD Ryzen 7 4800H is targeted at users interested in content creation or gaming. (Image source: AMD)

HP Pavilion 24 All-in-One PC with AMD Ryzen 7 4800H shows multicore strength in Geekbench compared to the new Acer ConceptD 9 Pro with Intel Core i9-9980HK

An HP Pavilion 24 All-in-One PC with an AMD Ryzen 7 4800H APU inside it has been spotted being tested on Geekbench 5.1, where it managed a good single-core result and unsurprisingly a very strong multi-core score. The latter result was higher than what the Intel Core i9-9980HK amassed when we tested it as part of a new Acer ConceptD 9 Pro workstation.

Daniel R Deakin, 01 Apr 2020 10:58

PSA: Update your Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon BIOS or recharging can take almost 6 full hours

PSA: Update your Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon BIOS or be prepared to wait 6 hours for a full charge

The latest BIOS and Thunderbolt firmware update as of March 2 fixes the battery recharge rate of the ThinkPad X1 Carbon. If purchasing a unit from a reseller, the system may be outdated and in need of a manual update.

Allen Ngo, 31 Mar 2020 23:29

Rare GeForce RTX 2060 Max-Q launches amidst the storm of AMD Renoir announcements

Quietly unveiled at CES 2020, the GeForce RTX 2060 Max-Q has made its retail debut a full year later than its Turing Max-Q siblings. It remains to be seen how OEMs will adopt the GPU as it performs quite closely to the GTX 1660 Ti but with the added benefit of RT and tensor cores.

Allen Ngo, 31 Mar 2020 18:30

The more affordable Apex 15 variants can be equipped with the Ryzen 5 3600 CPU and an RTX 2060 GPU. (Image Source: Schenker)

Schenker's XMG Apex 15 is the world's first Ryzen 9 3950X laptop

Users can choose to equip the XMG Apex 15 with more down-to-earth specs like a Ryzen 3600 CPU, 8 GB of DDR4-3200 RAM, 256 GB SATA 3 SSD and an RTX 2060, or could go all in with specs including the Ryzen 9 3950X, up to 64 GB of RAM, up to 6 TB of storage and an RTX 2070 GPU. Unlike similar Intel desktop-replacement models, these AMD laptops are a fair bit lighter and require less power.

Bogdan Solca, 31 Mar 2020 17:13

MSI is refreshing the Bravo gaming laptop lineup with Ryzen 4000 APU options. (Image Source: MSI)

Two Ryzen 4000 MSI gaming laptops you can pre-order right now for under US$1,000

The Ryzen 5 4600H model comes with 8 GB of RAM, while the Ryzen 7 4800H gets 16 GB. This difference will only set you back US$70. Both variants include 15.6-inch 1080p IPS displays with 120 Hz refresh rate, Radeon RX 5500M 4 GB VRAM dGPUs, and 512 GB NVMe storage. These are available for pre-order at Newegg and will start shipping in late April.

Bogdan Solca, 31 Mar 2020 15:07

Radeon Adrenalin 2020 drivers now support Intel Kaby Lake-G.

After a year long wait, Kaby Lake-G finally gets a driver update... from AMD

After being left in the lurch for nearly 12 months, owners of the ill-fated Intel Kaby Lake-G platform finally get some respite not from Intel but from AMD. AMD Radeon Software Adrenalin 2020 drivers can now be used to update Kaby Lake-G graphics drivers. At last, Kaby Lake-G owners can now have access to day 0 game support and critical bug fixes, which they have been deprived of all these months.

Vaidyanathan Subramaniam, 31 Mar 2020 10:37

Acer Aspire 5 and Swift 3 are getting 7 nm AMD Ryzen 5 4500U and Ryzen 7 4700U options this Summer

We can't wait to compare the 10 nm Intel Ice Lake Aspire 5 and Swift 3 models to the upcoming 7 nm AMD Ryzen alternatives. The mid-range Ryzen 5 should just as well or better than a Core i7 for a lower starting price.

Allen Ngo, 31 Mar 2020 00:00

The new Jabra Evolve2 series. (Source: Jabra)

Jabra launches the Evolve2 enterprise-grade headsets

Jabra has announced new editions to its collaboration- and co-working-focused Evolve series of headsets. They are compatible with the Unified Communications (UC) platforms typically used in offices, and may block a greater degree of distractions with new Digital Hybrid Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) features.

Deirdre O Donnell, 30 Mar 2020 21:07

AMD Ryzen 9 4900HS is faster than every mobile Intel Core i9 laptop in the market today according to our own benchmarks

We compare the new 7 nm AMD CPU to at least 17 different Intel laptops equipped with a 14 nm mobile Core i9 CPU and AMD almost always comes out on top. Coffee Lake-H will be behind the curve in just a few short months if AMD can maintain this performance lead across multiple OEMs.

Allen Ngo, 30 Mar 2020 17:46

Samsung Galaxy Chromebook coming to the US early April 2020

Samsung Galaxy Chromebook coming to the US next Monday

This Intel Core i5-10210U-driven high-end Chromebook that was unveiled three months ago is finally coming to the US via Best Buy and Samsung's online store. Priced at US$999, the Galaxy Chromebook has a flip-and-fold design and its most attractive feature is the 4K Super AMOLED touchscreen with S Pen support.

Codrut Nistor, 30 Mar 2020 15:58

The Astro Slide smartphone and pocket computer hybrid weighs around 300 g. (Image source: Indiegogo)

Formidable Astro Slide 5G smartphone and pocket computer hybrid with meteoric MediaTek Dimensity 1000 chipset streaks past its Indiegogo goal in hours

Planet Computers has only just announced the Astro Slide 5G smartphone and pocket computer hybrid on Twitter and its Indiegogo campaign has already received more backing than the original goal. The Astro Slide is brimming with attractive features, including its transforming ability, super-fast MediaTek Dimensity 1000 chipset, full backlit keyboard, Wi-Fi 6 capability, and 48 MP main camera.

Daniel R Deakin, 30 Mar 2020 14:14

Hearthstone Laptop Benchmarks

Enjoyable card game. Even though Hearthstone has low system requirements, there are still laptops out there that cannot run the game smoothly. In our performance analysis we try to find out what the absolute minimum system requirements are.

Klaus Hinum, 30 Mar 2020 11:47