Deal | The ASUS ROG Strix GL702VS gets a $300 price slash
The 17.3" Asus ROG Strix GL702VS with the 8 GB GTX 1070, Intel i7-7700HQ, and 75 GHz G-Sync display is currently available on Amazon for US$1399.99, US$300 off its regular price.
Laptop
All reviews, news and articles on laptops can be found on this topics page.
Huawei makes a year-end splash with the refreshed MateBook D
Huawei has launched the refreshed MateBook D for 2018. Currently available for the Chinese market, the new version of the MateBook D comes in three variants with 8th gen Intel Core processors and the NVIDIA GeForce MX150 GPU.
Acer's holiday sales especially strong for gaming laptops and Chromebooks
Acer has reported some independent sales figures showing North American sales during the November holiday period increased by 300% for gaming laptops and 250% for Chromebooks, while the overall sales increase over the same period was also strong.
PC Specialist Defiance IV (i7-7700HQ, GTX 1060, Full HD) Laptop Review
Off beat. The Defiance IV is a stylish 17-inch gaming notebook that is equipped with a Core i7-7700HQ, a GeForce 1060 and a 120-Hz display. Find out whether the CPU's clock rate problems under higher loads impact the gaming experience in our detailed review.
Intel Core i7-7700HQ, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, 17.3", 3 kg
Lenovo ThinkPad P71 (i7, P3000, 4K) Workstation Review
Quiet and powerful. The ThinkPad P71 is Lenovo's biggest and most powerful mobile workstation. It is a powerful machine, but still pleasantly quiet in many situations. You also get a very good 4K UHD panel.
Intel Core i7-7820HQ, NVIDIA Quadro P3000, 17.3", 3.5 kg
Zotac Amp Box eGPU dock promises compatibility with any Thunderbolt 3 PC
The Amp Box will be the smallest Thunderbolt 3 eGPU dock with an upgradeable graphics card.
PC Specialist Proteus V (i7-7700HQ, GTX 1060, Full HD) Laptop Review
New entry. PC Specialist, a hardware reseller based in the UK, has recently started selling its gaming notebooks in Germany via pczentrum.de. We have got our hands on the Proteus V, a 15-inch gaming notebook for roughly 1400 Euros (~$1660), and are putting it through its paces.
Intel Core i7-7700HQ, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, 15.6", 2.6 kg
Ryzen mobile CPUs coming soon to Acer Swift laptops (benchmarks vs. Intel CPUs included)
A few new listings on Acer's website detail two new models of the Swift 3, both equipped with Ryzen mobile CPUs. One laptop sports the Ryzen 5 2500U and the other, the Ryzen 7 2700U. These are among the first notebooks to use AMD's new CPUs.
Details of the 8th generation hexa-core Intel Core i7-8700HQ emerge
Details of the much awaited 8th generation Intel HQ-series CPUs have surfaced online and from the looks of it, seems to corroborate our expectations of a 'Coffee Lake' 6-core 45W chip. The rest of the specifications are more or less similar to that of the extant 'Kaby Lake' quad-core 45W HQ offerings.
Why Pulse-Width Modulation (PWM) is such a headache
We often make a big deal about low-frequency Pulse-Width Modulation (PWM) in our detailed reviews of displays, but why is it such a negative? This articles takes a detailed look into Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) as a technology and why certain PWM frequencies can be harmful to people.
Windows 10 on ARM with Snapdragon 845 not due till 2H 2018
Windows 10 on ARM devices with the Snapdragon 845 won't ship until the second half of 2018, according to Qualcomm. This is despite a version of the same chipset being available for high-end smartphones early in the new year.
Samsung and Xiaomi to release ARM-powered Windows 10 devices next year
Asus recently announced the release of the new ARM-powered NovaGo. Lenovo is said to be working on a competitor already, and it looks like Xiaomi and Samsung may be joining the game soon, with both companies reported to be working on their Windows-on-ARM offerings.
Acer Extensa 2540 (i5-7200U, FHD) Laptop Review
Durable. Acer’s 15.6-incher scores some major points with its hardware combination of a Kaby Lake CPU, an SSD and 8 GB of RAM (running in dual-channel mode). The great battery life adds more value to the package. The screen proves to be disappointing, though.
Intel Core i5-7200U, HD Graphics 620, 15.6", 2.4 kg
Dell Vostro 15 3568 (7200U, 256GB) Laptop Review
Blue, blue, blue are all my colors. It is not just because of its extreme blue tint that the display is not one of the highlights of the affordable 15-inch office notebook from Dell. Otherwise, the laptop is quite suited for its envisioned use in a small business with its workable input devices, TPM chip, Windows 10 Pro, and an optional SSD.
Intel Core i5-7200U, HD Graphics 620, 15.6", 2.2 kg
Lenovo IdeaPad 320S-13IKBR (i5-8250U, MX150) Laptop Review
Deceptive Packaging. A notebook with the dimensions of an XPS 13, the latest quad-core CPUs from Intel and the MX150 - you might think this is a recipe for sure success. The IdeaPad 320s-13IKBR, which we present in this extensive test report, shows this is not necessarily true.
Intel Core i5-8250U, NVIDIA GeForce MX150, 13.3", 1.2 kg
Schenker Media 15 (i7-7700HQ, MX150) Laptop Review
Good with edges. The Schenker Media 15 is exactly what it claims to be: A multimedia notebook with enough performance for many entertainment applications. The buyers will have to make certain concessions, and, because the competition is on the same level at the very least, the question here is: Why should we pick the Media 15 over other devices?
Intel Core i7-7700HQ, NVIDIA GeForce MX150, 15.6", 2.1 kg
CES 2018 | The Asus VivoBook 14 makes a quiet appearance ahead of CES 2018
Asus has revealed the VivoBook 14 laptop on its website ahead of CES 2018. The VivoBook 14 comes with options of up to an Intel Core i7-8550U CPU and an optional NVIDIA MX150 GPU along with several storage options and will be have an official presentation during CES 2018.
35-Watt and 65-Watt mobile Ryzen processors might be coming soon according to a product slide
An apparent product slide leak shows 35 W and 65 W mobile Ryzen processors coming in spring 2018 to compete against Intel's HQ and HK series. This leak is a rumor and details haven't been confirmed by AMD.
Get ready for higher PC prices should Intel recede on its "Intel Inside" marketing program
OEMs are at risk of losing valuable Intel sponsorship benefits such as marketing exposure, price subsidies, and channel compensations should the Intel Inside program be defunded.
Specifications for the Pentium Silver and Celeron 'Gemini lake' are now listed on Intel ARK
Intel ARK now shows the full specifications for the newly launched Gemini Lake processors, showing us how they compare to each other on paper.
Lenovo: The ThinkPad T470p likely won't get a successor in form of a T480p
The ThinkPad T-Series is apparently getting an update soon as the CES 2018 draws near – but one model of the 2017-lineup seems to be getting the axe. The T480p as the successor of the T470p could be made obsolete by the new 15 W Quad-Core CPUs.
Asus NovaGo Windows Laptop with Snapdragon 835 Review: Repetition of the Netbook Dilemma?
Top or flop? What has been in the making for a while seems to have become a reality now. Smartphone and laptop technology merge and become one. By now, the first benchmarks for the Snapdragon 835 installed in an Asus NovaGo Windows laptop are available. Here is a first detailed benchmark analysis.
Time for some heart-pounding action with AMD's new Radeon Software Adrenaline Edition
The 2017 annual major release of AMD's Radeon Software has arrived, called the Adrenaline Edition. In addition to a refined UI, the main features it brings are an in-game overlay that allows performance monitoring and on-the-fly setting changes, as well as a mobile app that can be used to monitor performance or handle recording and streaming settings.
Razer Blade (2017) UHD Laptop Review
Christmas tree in UHD. A fully configurable RGB keyboard backlight is one of Razer's most distinctive features. In time for the holiday season, Razer has released a UHD variant of the Kaby Lake and GTX 1060-powered Razer Blade notebook, best to be showcased with opened lid underneath the Christmas tree.
Intel Core i7-7700HQ, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, 14", 1.9 kg
The ultimate FAQ: Answers on Always Connected PCs with Snapdragon chip and Windows 10 on ARM
Since last week it has become clear: The rigid Microsoft-Intel partnership is crumbling, and with its ARM processors, Qualcomm will become part of the laptop market in the future. The first notebooks with Snapdragon 835 will come out at the beginning of 2018, promising a long battery life and Always Connected LTE connections to the net. However, many detailed questions still remained unanswered. Here we are providing the ultimate FAQ on frequent questions around Always Connected PCs and the modern ARM variant of Windows 10.
VESA introduces three-tier DisplayHDR open standard for LCD screens
The new DisplayHDR certificate aims at a more clear classification for HDR-grade LCD displays. It includes three tiers that have distinct logos and are differentiated according to luminance, color gamut, bit depth and rise time. Commercial DisplayHDR-certified screens will be available as soon as Q1 2018.
Lenovo Ideapad 120s (11-inch) Notebook Review
Smaller size, bigger value. The 11-inch Lenovo Ideapad 120s carries over many of the same facets of its 14-inch brother in a more compact case. However, with half the RAM and a smaller body, can it keep up with the larger model?
Intel Celeron N3350, HD Graphics 500, 11.6", 1.3 kg
Intel 'Gemini Lake' Pentium Silver and Celeron CPUs now official, come with support for Gigabit WiFi
Intel has officially announced the launch of 'Gemini Lake' CPUs in Pentium Silver and Celeron variants. 'Gemini Lake' succeeds 'Apollo Lake' and comes with support for Gigabit WiFi, Adaptive Contrast Enhancement, and improved graphics capabilities.
More than 460 HP laptop models come with a pre-installed keylogger
Although this is not the first time it happens this year, HP has been caught red-handed once again. This time, the keylogger has been found in the Synaptics touchpad driver that ships with more than 460 HP notebook models.
First benchmarks of the Asus NovaGo TP370QL — the Snapdragon-powered Windows notebook
The Asus NovaGo is one of the first notebooks to be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 SoC. Initial impressions of the notebook seem to be positive but performance numbers seem to be behind even low-end x86 CPUs.
The Most Popular Laptops of Late 2017
Wisdom of the crowd? The Amazon Bestseller list is usually a good indication of which laptops capture buyers' attention and what users generally look forward to when buying a notebook. In this article, we take a look at some of the notebooks that have made it to the Amazon bestsellers list in the Laptop Computers category.
First benchmarks of the NVIDIA GeForce MX130 are reminiscent of the GeForce 940MX
The NVIDIA GeForce MX130 is another entry-level offering from NVIDIA based on the older but still capable Maxwell architecture. How does it fare when compared to the MX150 and more importantly, the 940MX, to which it is a direct successor? Let's take a look.
ADATA announces i-Memory AI720 USB drive storage expansion for iOS devices
The i-Memory AI720 includes a Lightning connector at one end and a USB 3.1 connector at the other end. It comes in 32/64/128 GB capacities and can easily handle UHD 4K video playback thanks to the 90 MB/s transfer speeds. The OTG functionality allows users to save videos and pictures directly on the stick, in order to save up space on their devices.
Acer Spin 5 SP515-51GN (i7-8550U, GTX 1050, 8 GB) Convertible Review
More than just a convertible! Above all else, the Acer Spin 5 is a 15-inch convertible. However excitement is aplenty, because Intel’s latest Core i7-8550U and an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 are what we have under the hood here. Whether this convertible laptop can function as a gaming notebook you shall learn in this extensive review.
Intel Core i7-8550U, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, 15.6", 2.3 kg
Dell Vostro 15 5568 (i7-7500U, 940MX) Laptop Review
New assets, old shortcomings. We already announced in January that Dell was planning to offer the Vostro 15 5568 with other processors and a dedicated graphics solution. This configuration is now available and we are going to test what this entry-level business laptop with an Intel Core i7-7500U CPU and an Nvidia GeForce 940MX can offer.
Intel Core i7-7500U, NVIDIA GeForce 940MX, 15.6", 1.9 kg
Qualcomm may not have been Microsoft's only choice for Windows ARM
Microsoft is apparently trying its best to convince the makers of Tegra and Exynos SoCs to invest in Windows ARM. So far, only Qualcomm has heeded the call.
UPDATE: Sale over | Grab an Alienware 15 R3 with a GTX 1070 for USD $1450
The Nvidia GTX 1070-equipped Alienware 15 R3 is currently on sale at Best Buy for USD $1450, or $350 less than its retail price.
PSA | Xiaomi issues BIOS fix for slow SSD performance in the Mi Notebook Pro
The Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro suffered from less than ideal disk read and write speeds despite having a Samsung PM961 SSD onboard. A BIOS update is now available that enables full x4 bandwidth on the NVMe SSD PCIe lanes, leading to increased read/write speeds.
Updated | Asus announces the NovaGo convertible — the first Windows-on-Snapdragon device with all day long battery life
Asus has announced the NovaGo convertible — the world's first Gigabit LTE laptop powered by the Snapdragon 835 running full Windows 10. The notebook promises always-on connectivity and purportedly offers more than 20 hours of battery life.
Always-on LTE connectivity coming soon to a Ryzen-powered laptop near you
AMD announced its partnership with Qualcomm to integrate the latter's X16 LTE modem on Ryzen APUs, thereby, bringing always-on LTE connectivity to high-performance notebooks.
The Envy x2 is HP's idea of a detachable notebook with always-on connectivity
HP has taken wraps of the Envy x2, a detachable notebook powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 SoC. The Envy x2 sports a premium finish and comes with the promise of Gigabit LTE and 20 hours of battery life.
Qualcomm purportedly has a wide range of Snapdragon SoCs ready for Windows laptops
Windows and ARM have never really taken off together, but that isn't going to stop Qualcomm from trying. Windows notebooks based on unannounced Snapdragon SoCs could make an appearance at CES next month.
Lenovo V730 business notebook leaks online
The Lenovo V730 is a 13-inch notebook that has an 8th generation Intel Core processor inside (up to i7, of course) and features a business design that places it between the ThinkPad lineup and the IdeaPad family.
Eve V flash sale going on now
Eve, the maker of the less expensive Surface Pro alternative Eve V, is offering the device in a flash sale open to the public today. Stock is limited, so head over to Eve's site if you want to secure a V of your own.
Upcoming AMD Raven Ridge APUs to feature Vega 11 graphics core
The Vega 11 GPU core will only be featured in upcoming Raven Ridge APUs and will not be released as budget versions of the Vega 56/64 GPUs. These should bring a notable performance boost over the Ryzen 5 2500U chips that integrate Vega 8 cores.
Cherry outs the MC 4900 optical mouse with fingerprint reader
The MC 4900 mouse is designed to bring extra security to office and business environments through the integrated fingerprint reader. While the mouse has a modest 1375 DPI optical sensor, the fingerprint sensor is among the best capacitive sensing solutions on the market, with 508 DPI resolution, 12 FPS capture speed and AES128 USB encryption.
NCIX files for bankruptcy, all retail stores now closed
After almost 22 years of operation, which saw great expansion through the 2000s and 2010s, NCIX has completed the closure of all their retail stores and filed for bankruptcy.
MSI GS63VR 7RG Stealth Pro (i7-7700HQ, GTX 1070 Max-Q, Full HD) Laptop Review
Lighter, slimmer fireball. The slim MSI GS63VR 7RG can run all the modern games smoothly on its matte Full HD screen. Here, MSI goes for a 120 Hz TN panel with fast response times. The rest of the hardware is also in good order: NVMe SSD, HDD, Thunderbolt 3.
Intel Core i7-7700HQ, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q, 15.6", 1.9 kg
Toshiba introduces large capacity XG5-P NVMe SSD
The new XG5-P SSD is aimed at heavy workload environments and provides storage capacities up to 2 TB. Supporting the PCIe Gen3 x4 interface, its sequential read speeds go up to 3,000 MB/s, while the sequential write speeds reach 2,200 MB/s. The M.2 2280S form-factor makes it ideal for notebooks, as well as desktops, plus it only consumes 60 mW.
System76 to disable Intel Management Engine on its notebooks
While Intel is working with the big brands to patch the major security holes recently discovered in its Management Engine firmware, System76 plans to take it all to the next level by disabling IME entirely via a firmware update.
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