Laptop

Jensen Huang made a big claim about the RTX Series' capabilities (Image source: Nvidia)

Nvidia claims RTX 2080 Max-Q is faster than PS5, Xbox Series X

Nvidia head Jensen Huang claimed that the GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q is faster than ninth-gen console GPUs at GTC China 2019. The claim raises questions about exactly how fast the PS5 and Xbox Series X really are.

Arjun Krishna Lal, 26 Dec 2019 17:36

Update | Official HP Spectre x360 13 specifications were off by 300 grams, now fixed

No, the latest Ice Lake-powered Spectre x360 13 does not weigh just 930 grams despite what the HP Customer Support Knowledge Base is affirming. Our own measurements show that the convertible is actually 33 percent heavier to be closer to the Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1.

Allen Ngo, 26 Dec 2019 07:50

Long-term performance: The Lenovo IdeaPad S540-13API

Lenovo IdeaPad S540: AMD is now the obvious choice

With AMD's Ryzen 5 3550H, ultra-thin and mobile laptops can now maintain their performance level over a longer period of time. As our review of the Lenovo IdeaPad S540-13API shows, users do not need to worry about any drawbacks caused by the CPU.

Mike Wobker, 26 Dec 2019 05:18

MSI GE65 performs about the same as the GS65 and it's over $700 cheaper

There's a huge price premium if you want the thinner and sexier looks of the GS65. But if you're only after performance, then the GE65 can save you nearly a grand while being almost as portable.

Allen Ngo, 25 Dec 2019 10:01

Get Lenovo's premier Ice Lake Yoga C940 convertible with 512 GB SSD for only $999 (Image source: Best Buy)

Deal | Get Lenovo's premier Ice Lake Yoga C940 convertible with 512 GB SSD for only $999

This flagship convertible houses an active stylus, 12 GB of RAM, and a 14-inch 1080p touchscreen all wrapped in a rigid aluminum chassis.

Allen Ngo, 22 Dec 2019 07:00

Physicality Games will launch next year. (Source: Physicality Games)

Physicality Games is an upcoming sales platform for hard-copy games

Physicality Games is a new retailer setting itself up as a platform for games in physical form. Its creators assert that its listings will not be "limited", as with some sellers in this market. It also intends to sell merchandise, gaming accessories and collectibles.

Deirdre O Donnell, 21 Dec 2019 21:21

Gaming convertible: Asus ROG Mothership GZ700

Asus ROG Mothership GZ700: Exciting 2-in-1 concept

Asus is a manufacturer that has often shown risk affinity and a willingness to experiment in the past. The latest trial, the ROG Mothership, is a 17-inch gaming laptop with a detachable keyboard.

Florian Glaser, 20 Dec 2019 03:05

Lenovo Yoga C940-15 display is brighter than every HP Spectre laptop thus far

The HP Spectre series consists of ultra-thin flagship laptops and convertibles to represent the best that the manufacturer has to offer for consumers. Nonetheless, all models thus far have been lacking in one particular area.

Allen Ngo, 19 Dec 2019 03:45

The JBL Reflect Eternal headphones. (Source: Indiegogo)

JBL claims that its new Reflect Eternal headphones can deliver "infinite" battery life

JBL has launched the Reflect Eternal headphones via Indiegogo. The OEM claims that they are capable of self-charging, so that it may never run out of battery life or be dependent on a cable for play-time. This is conferred by Powerfoyle technology, which is found in the device's headband.

Deirdre O Donnell, 18 Dec 2019 22:51

The Nikon Z 7 can now film in RAW and use some CFexpress cards. (Source: Nikon)

Nikon updates the Z 7 and Z 6 with CFexpress card and RAW video output support

The latest firmware update for Nikon Z-series cameras allows them to use CFexpress, a new memory-card format associated with faster transfers compared to XQD. This new software also allows the Z 6 or Z 7 to record 4K UHD or full-HD video in RAW. However, this can only be done with Atomos recorders and may not be available for free.

Deirdre O Donnell, 18 Dec 2019 21:19

Check: Are AMD Ryzen laptops suitable for casual gamers?

Low cost gaming with Ryzen APUs. AMD's Ryzen APUs set the bar high for the performance of integrated GPUs. Therefore, such Ryzen-based laptops can prove to be very interesting for users who not only use office and Internet applications but also occasionally want to play a game. We clarify the question of whether the integrated Vega GPUs offer enough performance for casual gamers.

Sascha Mölck, 18 Dec 2019 13:50

The new Tiger Lake chip has much-improved IPC (Image source: Segmentnext)

New quad-core 1.2 Ghz Tiger Lake CPU appears on Geekbench, races past Comet Lake

Tipster @TUM_APISAK uncovered Geekbench scores for two quad-core Tiger Lake U chips. These 15-25W parts appear to have a significant IPC uplift, outscoring the hexa-core i7-10710U on single and multithreaded tests.

Arjun Krishna Lal, 18 Dec 2019 10:13

Asus ProArt StudioBook Pro 15 now shipping and already out of stock (Source: Asus)

Asus ProArt StudioBook Pro 15 W500 now shipping with 48 GB of RAM and it's already out of stock

The redundantly named ProArt StudioBook Pro will have some of the highest specifications in the ultra-thin mobile workstation space. Expect to pay at least $4000 USD for this professionally-tuned system.

Allen Ngo, 17 Dec 2019 21:29

Google's Pixelbook Go high-end 4K Ultra HD variant with Intel Core i7 is now available for purchase. (Source: Google)

Google Pixelbook Go 4K variant now shipping

The 4K high-end variant of Google’s Pixelbook Go has finally gone up for sale on the Google Store. Your US$1,399 will also buy you an 8th gen Core i7-8500Y and 16 GB of RAM, but it is only available in Just Black for the time being.

Sanjiv Sathiah, 15 Dec 2019 04:29

Opera GX for macOS is now available. (Source: Opera)

Opera GX now has a macOS version

Opera released a variant of its browser optimized for gaming earlier this year. Now, it has announced that the same app, known as GX, is compatible with macOS as well as Windows. Therefore, those using such systems can now use features such as Twitch support and network limiters in their browser.

Deirdre O Donnell, 14 Dec 2019 21:53

Visible light communication can enable local networks using everyday fittings. (Source: Medium)

The visible light communication market may exceed US$100 billion in value by 2024

Visible light communication is a form of wireless technology that uses radiation in the visible to infra-red light spectrum to transmit data. It is seen as an increasingly robust and reliable way of doing so, and needs not much more than conventional, low-power LEDs to work. Its market is now thought to be capable of being worth US$101.3 billion by the end of 2024.

Deirdre O Donnell, 13 Dec 2019 20:10

The Element T6 Max Bluetooth speaker. (Source: Tronsmart)

The Tronsmart Element T6 Max is a 60 watt Bluetooth speaker

Tronsmart has announced the Element T6 Max, a new speaker that, despite being wireless and intended as a portable accessory, has a striking 60 watts (W) of total sound output power. The OEM claims this is due at least in part to its new SoundPulse technology.

Deirdre O Donnell, 12 Dec 2019 22:31

The latest update for macOS Catalina is now available. (Image via Apple)

macOS Catalina 10.15.2 released, may unofficially fix speaker pops and crackles in MacBook Pro

The latest version of macOS Catalina (10.15.2) brings a slew of minor updates and bug fixes. Interestingly, the update may have fixed the speaker snap, crackle, and pop issues reported by some Macbook and Macbook Pro users, though nothing official has been stated by Apple.

Sam Medley, 12 Dec 2019 20:12

The ThinkPad X1 Extreme. (Image source: Lenovo)

Lenovo resolves ThinkPad P1 and X1 Extreme's second screen low framerate bug, then pulls the update that fixes it

If you own a ThinkPad P1 or X1 Extreme and connect it to an external monitor on Windows 10, then the chances are that you have experienced sluggish performance with your device set to "Second screen only". Lenovo finally released an update to address the issue, but then pulled it without reason. Fortunately, we still have the download link to the package if you need it.

Alex Alderson, 12 Dec 2019 15:09

Apple's latest Core i9 implementation has improved, but it could be better

Apple MacBook Pro 16 Core i9 gets consistently outperformed by the MSI P65 Core i9

After the horrid Core i9-8950HK performance of the 2018 MacBook Pro, Apple's implementation of the Core i9-9880H on its latest 16-inch MacBook Pro is a significant improvement. Nonetheless, the competing MSI P65 and the larger GE75 are able to run the same Core i9 CPU consistently faster.

Allen Ngo, 12 Dec 2019 06:19

DRG's PC forecast by category. (Source: DRG)

New research finds PC and tablet shipments in the US will gradually fall until 2023

The tech market analyst firm Daniel Research Group has reported that its latest study shows US PC shipments will exhibit an indifferent trend. On the other hand, newer form factors are thought to do better in this new forecast. This trend is thought to be related to the strength of the nation's economy over the next 4 years.

Deirdre O Donnell, 11 Dec 2019 22:43

Arnold 6 and Maya 2020 now have an NVIDIA Studio Driver. (Source: Autodesk/Lee Griggs)

Autodesk releases an NVIDIA Studio Driver for Maya, making it RTX-compatible

Autodesk's Maya is one of the best-known applications in 3D animation. Its latest driver includes features that can be used by NVIDIA RTX graphics cards. This also extends to the latest version of Arnold, Maya's renderer.

Deirdre O Donnell, 11 Dec 2019 21:57

The latest 17-inch Gram laptop comes with a thin bezel display that fits in a smaller form-factor. (Source: LG)

LG announces refreshed Gram laptop lineup powered by Intel's Ice Lake CPUs

The refreshed Gram lineup includes a 17-inch model with a 16:10 2560 x 1600 IPS display, Thunderbolt 3, Wi-Fi 6, Iris Plus iGPUs and dual NVMe SSD options. LG also offers a 15-inch model together with a regular 14-incher and a convertible 14-incher that come with 16:9 1080p screens.

Bogdan Solca, 11 Dec 2019 19:29

Intel plans to release it's 1.4 nm nodes by 2029, but TSMC might break the sub-1 nm barrier by 2025.

Latest Intel roadmap shows 1.4 nm CPUs scheduled for 2029

Intel believes that the next 10 years will not be plagued with shortages and delayed node releases as its latest road-map shows that die shrinks should occur every 2 years up until 2029. This means that the 7 nm node should be available by 2021, the 5 nm one by 2023, 3 nm for 2025, 2 nm for 2027 and 1.4 nm for 2029.

Bogdan Solca, 11 Dec 2019 18:48

More manufacturers have been omitting the 'Max-Q' name from official listings and it's getting annoying

More manufacturers have been omitting the 'Max-Q' GeForce name from official listings and it's getting annoying

When you're spending $1000 or more on a gaming laptop, you're going to want to know exactly what's inside. Official specs from manufacturers will often be so truncated that certain performance details regarding the GPU may be omitted.

Allen Ngo, 11 Dec 2019 08:57

Google wants to set the upcoming Hatch Chromebooks apart from previous lineups by equipping them with 3:2 displays and more powerful Intel Comet Lake CPUs.(Source: MSPowerUser)

Unannounced Intel Comet Lake i7-10610U spotted in Geekbench tests powering a Chromebook Hatch

Google's Hatch Chromebooks will come with 3:2 displays, a few convertible form-factors, plus powerful Comet Lake-U CPUs like the unannounced i7-10610U that was recently spotted on Geekbench that performs pretty similarly to the existing 10510U and 10710U models.

Bogdan Solca, 10 Dec 2019 21:49

Xiaomi RedmiBook 13: An Intel Comet Lake-powered ultrabook with an 89% screen-to-body ratio display. (Image source: Xiaomi)

Xiaomi RedmiBook 13: Intel Comet Lake and 89% screen-to-body ratio MacBook Pro rip-off launches, prices start at ~US$597

The Redmi K30 may be one the most talked-about devices to have launched today, but Xiaomi also showcased something else that may whet your appetite. Teased before the Redmi K30 event, the new RedmiBook 13 features Intel Comet Lake processors, an NVIDIA GeForce MX250 GPU and slim display bezels. The device starts at 4,199 yuan (~US$597) and goes on sale this Thursday.

Alex Alderson, 10 Dec 2019 20:03

The new AZIO FOKAL mechanical keyboard. (Source: AZIO)

AZIO is back on Indiegogo with its new FOKAL mechanical keyboard

AZIO has a new RGB mechanical keyboard up for crowdfunding on Indiegogo. This one has a less retro appearance, yet is still touted to be high-end in terms of its materials and build quality. It also has the OEM's new FOKAL spinning control, which can be used for a variety of sliding-value options and also acts as a 360-degree joystick.

Deirdre O Donnell, 10 Dec 2019 17:38

New Western Digital Blue SN550 NVMe SSD targets content creators and enthusiasts

NVMe drives are expected to account for more than 75 percent of all new PCs by 2021 according to SSD Insights. More affordable NVMe drives like those in the WD Blue series will allow the technology to become more commonplace on cheaper laptops and tablets.

Allen Ngo, 10 Dec 2019 14:00

Red Dead Redemption 2 Notebook and PC Benchmarks

Pretty but resource-intensive. When compared to the console version, the PC port of Red Dead Redemption 2 is not liked very much by the community. Many gamers are complaining about crashes and other problems. Read our review to find out what we experienced when playing this title.

Florian Glaser, 09 Dec 2019 18:28

Project xCloud is coming to Windows on ARM. (Source: Microsoft)

Windows on ARM will pick up Project xCloud support soon

Windows on ARM is the popular Microsoft OS running on Snapdragon processors. As a relatively new platform, it does not have every feature of its "full" normal PC equivalent yet. However, this may be addressed when it gains the ability to run Project xCloud, as well as Microsoft Zoom Video, soon.

Deirdre O Donnell, 07 Dec 2019 19:07

Extremely fast, but also extremely loud: The Aorus 17 YA

The Aorus 17 YA is able to use Intel's Core i9-9980HK to the full extent

Due to the enormous size of the Aorus 17 YA, there is sufficient space for a cooling system that is able to skillfully master the built-in hardware. However, this also leads to other disadvantages that you should know before buying.

Mike Wobker, 07 Dec 2019 14:22

The Lenovo ThinkPad P73 runs quiet, but gets too warm in return

IIn our review, the Lenovo ThinkPad P73 ran surprisingly quiet, as the fans were mostly turned off. While the low noise emission is great, this resulted in higher temperatures – which negatively impacted the GPU performance.

Benjamin Herzig, 07 Dec 2019 09:54

Want to add RAM on the MSI GE63? Be prepared to break a 'Factory Seal' sticker

Opinion | MSI should really remove the 'Factory Seal' sticker from some of its laptops

MSI G series laptops are generally easy to service and yet most of them have Factory Seal stickers on the bottom to discourage end-user upgrades. We think putting the sticker directly on parts of the motherboard instead would be a more user-friendly approach for gamers who like to tinker and upgrade.

Allen Ngo, 06 Dec 2019 00:32

The Maxtang VHFP30 is considerably slimmer than the average mini PC, despite being powered by the laptop-grade Ryzen 5 2500U CPU. (Source: AliExpress)

Maxtang releases fanless mini PC powered by laptop-grade Ryzen 5 2500U CPU

AMD wants to build a mini PC ecosystem around its embedded R1000 and V1000 CPUs, but some OEMs like Maxtang want to offer more performance through laptop-grade CPU implementation. In spite of the more powerful Ryzen 5 2500U CPU, the Maxtang VHFP30 comes in a slim fanless case that can accommodate up to 8 GB of DDR4 RAM, up to a 512 GB SSD plus a 2.5-inch HDD.

Bogdan Solca, 05 Dec 2019 16:16

Xiaomi RedmiBook 13: New model to launch alongside the Redmi K30

Redmi boss Lu Weibing has announced that the Xiaomi RedmiBook 13 will launch on December 10 at the Redmi K30 series showcase. Chinese retailer JD.com is even offering pre-orders for the device before Xiaomi has officially unveiled it.

Alex Alderson, 05 Dec 2019 15:07

MSI should really remove the 'Factory Seal' sticker from some of its laptops

MSI G series laptops are generally easy to service and yet most of them have Factory Seal stickers on the bottom to discourage end-user upgrades. We think putting the sticker directly on parts of the motherboard instead would be a more user-friendly approach for gamers who like to tinker and upgrade.

Allen Ngo, 05 Dec 2019 07:18