Latest Tech News

Sony has offered an invite to all PS5 gamers to join its first ever beta program. The offer is open to gamers 18 years or older living in the United States, Canada, Japan, United Kingdom, France and Germany.

The M1X Mac mini will apparently be joining the M1X MacBook Pro 14 and MacBook Pro 16 for release later this year according to a recent post by an “Apple analyst”. While the 2021 MacBook Pro laptops and M1X Mac mini will offer more CPU cores and more GPU cores for users, it will be a longer wait for those who want Apple Silicon in an iMac Pro.

AMD's mobile Radeon mRDNA 2 graphics is reportedly a bit faster than the upcoming ARM Mali GPU in peak performance, and the performance is higher than the latest Mali GPU even if subjected to a 30% performance drop under throttling. Samsung and AMD will likely unveil the new SoC in July. We are also hearing that Google has also signed the contract with AMD for mRDNA 2.

Thin and less features - many modern laptops have to make compromises in the hunt for every millimeter. The Schenker Vision 14 now shows that there is another way. In addition to plenty of ports, you also get replaceable RAM modules and two M.2 slots in a 1 kg magnesium chassis.

Google already provides a Find My Device service for Android. Now, a new leak suggests that it is working on making it more like Apple's version. The Mountain View giant is reportedly working on a new OS option that allows devices to join a network that locates missing possessions such as phones.

The Android OEM Vivo has applied to trademark what is most likely the name for its first ever tablet with the European Union's intellectual property office (EUIPO). This may indicate that the device will be launched soon, probably in the same market. It is rumored to have a battery of about 8,000mAh in capacity.

OnePlus, Meizu and Asus are just some of the members of the Mutual Transfer Alliance, a new group that allows its members access to a new, Bluetooth-independent method of localized file-swapping between devices. The option is getting increasingly popular, and may get even more so should Samsung take it up as a new leak suggests.

A PS5 devkit in action has appeared in a TikTok video clip, and it has even been joined by what looks like an Xbox One X/Project Scorpio devkit. There have been many real-life images of the PS5 devkit leaked at various points, but this is arguably a first video look at a working machine. Commenters have been praising and lamenting the design in equal measure.

Microsoft has all but officially confirmed that the leaked build of Windows 11 circulating the internet over the past few days is legitimate. The company has issued a copyright take-down notice via Google to Beebom, the site that has been dubiously hosting the leaked build.

Samsung's next notable smartphone will be the Galaxy S21 FE, a sequel to last year's very well-received Galaxy S20 FE. While there's not been much in the way of official information, here's all we know about it at the moment, including pricing and specifications.

Sony has finally revealed the asking price for the Xperia 1 III in the US. The 5G-capable smartphone with triple lens camera, water-resistance certification, 4K 120 Hz OLED, and even a 3.5 mm audio jack, will set buyers back by US$1,299.99. Plenty considering a purchase have been speculating on what freebies could come with the Sony Xperia 1 III.

Samsung has expanded its mobile-device presence in India with the launch of 2 of its latest tablets in the country. The S7 FE and A7 Lite models of the OEM's Galaxy Tab line are promoted as battery champs, particularly the former with its 10,090mAh power-pack. They have been launched alongside their prices for their new markets, although their release comes later in June 2021.

In earlier years, the energy efficient "Ultra Low Voltage" CPUs of the U series hardly offered any performance, but manufacturers still packed them into workstation laptops. Even though the modern U processors are still considerably slower than H CPUs, at this point their absolute performance is high enough for new models such as the ThinkPad P15s Gen 2 to be able to deliver sufficient power for CAD applications.

(Update: Nvidia responds). Nvidia's in-house claims about the performance of its GeForce MX450 GPU are a whopping 60 to 70 percent higher than any retail unit we've tested thus far. Here is how the GeForce MX450 will actually perform when you buy one online or in-store.

Apple has been claiming that its iPad Pro tablets are capable of replacing laptops since their debut. The iPad Pro 11 (2021) underlines this with the same Apple M1 SoC found in the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro and even the iMac. Is a chipset change enough for the 11-inch iPad Pro to replace a laptop, though?

The Mi Mix 4 will reportedly launch next quarter, as Xiaomi looks to release its second Mi Mix handset this year. The Mi Mix 4 will allegedly not come cheap though, and could be even more expensive than the pricey Mi 11 Ultra.

The eminent leaker Digital Chat Station claims to have spotted a prototype for ZTE's second-gen under-display camera (UDC) Android smartphone. The device was allegedly snapped alongside a demo of Visionox' InV See Pro, this company's latest UDC panel apparently destined for ZTE's cutting-edge device.

The POCO X3 GT is on its way to market, having passed through the FCC. The upcoming POCO handset is another Xiaomi re-brand, this time of the China-only Redmi Note 10 Pro. The POCO X3 GT will feature a Dimensity 1100 SoC, a 120 Hz and a 5,000 mAh battery, among other compelling components.

OnePlus has released its latest official beta OS versions for its 2020 flagship 8 series against a backdrop of news concerning its integration with its sister OEM OPPO. The announcement may have led to anxiety around losing the popular version of Android in question, OxygenOS. However, a company representative has reportedly confirmed it will keep going in the future - albeit outside China only.

The cut-down version of the high-end DG2-512 is clocked at 1.8 GHz max and is only 5% slower than the RTX 3070 or 8% slower than the RX 6700 XT. This means that the 512 EU variant could indeed compete with the RTX 3080 and RX 6800, as posited in previous leaks. Additionally, the leak reveals that the 128 EU variant is 12% faster than the Nvidia GTX 1650, although it is unclear what testing suite was used.

TeamGroup has launched the latest generation of its Elite series of desktop U-DIMM RAM sticks. The new 2x16GB modules are the OEM's inaugural DDR5 versions of these components. As such, they are rated for potential advantages such as a 4,800MHz top speed and increased stability.

Samsung has been linked to a 15-inch version of its Notebook 7 that runs on Tiger Lake silicon and RTX 3050-series graphics for a few months now. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has just registered a device with specs that line up with this description. It also has up to 32GB of RAM and up to 1TB of storage.

Fitbit has acknowledged that its iOS app is causing battery drain problems with its flagship smartwatch. Currently, the company has advised a workaround, although it breaks syncing between the Fitbit Sense and iOS devices.

The Radxa Zero is the size of the Raspberry Pi Zero W, but with 70% of the performance that the Raspberry Pi 4 offers. The Radxa Zero features a quad-core SoC and will start at US$15.

Google is yet to flesh out Wear OS 3.0, having teased it at Google I/O 2021. The company has finally provided some details on its progress, albeit after partners like Qualcomm and Mobvoi sowed confusion about the new 'unified platform'.

The Galaxy Z Fold2 remains available in the US, contrary to reports. Samsung has not stopped selling it on its US website. However, no US carriers have stock of Samsung's foldable smartphone in either colour, possibly in anticipation of the Galaxy Z Fold 3. Currently, the only way to get your hands on a Galaxy Z Fold2 in the US is to purchase an unlocked handset.

The Sony Xperia 1 III has started appearing in numerous review and test videos on YouTube. Two recent videos have tested both the Xperia 1 III’s speed and camera equipment against the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra. While the Sony smartphone’s photos seemed like a mixed bag, its performance and speed were exemplary.

Gigabyte improves system performance in particular with the hardware configuration of the Aorus 15P YD. Compared with last year's model, there are new advantages as well as disadvantages.

More hints about the upcoming MacBook Pro 14 and MacBook Pro 16 have emerged online. According to supply chain reports, Apple's suppliers have already started the mini-LED based laptops ahead of an expected Q3 2021 release.

Garmin is currently rolling out significant updates to its Forerunner smartwatch series. So far, the company has issued updates to the Forerunner 45, 45S, 245, 245 Music, 745 and 945. All have received new features with their latest updates.

The Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra proved to be a very capable smartphone in our review. It is the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra’s true competitor. However, there is still some room for improvement, especially in terms of software.

Epic Games have made two more games free for the next week. The company will be giving away two more games next week too, of which Sonic Mania is one.

Motorola has now debuted its newest device, the Moto Defy. The Defy is a rugged phone born from Motorola's partnership with Bullitt Group. It offers mostly mid-range specs but excels at being a rugged phone, with an IP68 rating, MIL-SPEC 810H certification, and a chassis designed to withstand harsh environments.

OnePlus launched its new Nord CE 5G smartphone about a week ago now (on June 10, 2021). Nevertheless, reports of not 1 but 2 system updates in quick succession for the device have emerged. The first upgraded its security patch level, whereas the second had camera and general system tweaks.

Schenker has announced the release of the XMG Core 15 and 17 (M21) laptops. They may be refreshed versions of their early-2021 (or E21) counterparts; however, this involves an upgrade to 11th-gen Intel silicon, and, thus, Thunderbolt 4/USB4. The rest of their specs remain unchanged, their RTX 3060 graphics included.

No official release notes for now, but some reddit folks already managed to port the updated files to games that already support DLSS and noticed no fps performance increase. However, the new version does fix some visual artifacts and further improves image quality. Rainbow Six Siege is supposed to get an fps boost of up to 50% in 4K, but the implementation is not that good as HUD elements are displayed at rendering resolution instead of native resolution.

Only two AAA games among the 7 launch titles, but there are more coming soon. Also, the list of companies and publishers includes big names such as Capcom, EA & Frostbite, Gearbox Publishing, Valve, My.Games, Ubisoft and Warner Bros. Games.

LG continues its crawl towards adopting Android 11 across its remaining product stack. Now, the company has started updating the Velvet LTE, also known as the Velvet 4G. LG hopes to have finished rolling out Android 11 globally by the end of 2021, but it has pushed several devices back a quarter.

Qualcomm has asserted that some of its Snapdragon Wear SoCs are compatible with Wear OS 3.0, despite Google's continued silence on the matter. Apparently, the Snapdragon Wear 3100, Wear 4100 and Wear 4100+ 'are capable' of running Wear OS 3.0, whatever capable means in this context.

Leica has launched its first ever smartphone, the Leica Leitz Phone 1. The new device appears to have been designed in close partnership with Sharp and looks to be based on the recently launched Sharp Aquos R6.

LG's last flagship smartphone has reached the Google Play Console. The Velvet 2 Pro, codenamed the LG Rainbow, has some bleeding-edge hardware and would have been an excellent upgrade on last year's LG Velvet.

Xiaomi's next tablet series has arrived on the EEC, following several leaks last month. The so-called Mi Pad 5 series is expected to arrive this summer, and will receive a global launch.

In February, Xiaomi stated that the Redmi Note 9 Pro would receive MIUI 12.5 in late Q2 2021, a period that we are now in. However, the device has just received a new upgrade, and it only contains Android 11. For some reason, Xiaomi has decided against bringing MIUI 12.5 to the Redmi Note 9 Pro yet, for some reason.

The new Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Ti desktop graphics card has been put through its paces in Unreal Engine 4.26. Puget Systems tested the RTX 3080 Ti in numerous benchmarks and found it to be almost on par with the more-expensive RTX 3090 in instances where VRAM didn’t count. However, emission levels suffered from such performance.

The laptops come equipped with the newest Intel 11th Core-H CPUs with optional integrated Cherry mechanical keys for the larger 17.3-inch model. Dell says these are some of the thinnest GeForce RTX laptops in the market, if not *the* thinnest.

New renders have offered another look at the proposed Galaxy Z Fold 3, one of Samsung's foldable smartphones for 2021. The renders are based on past leaks, including now-deleted promotional material.

The Lemfo T92 is a strange smartwatch, not least because of its built-in TWS earbuds. However, the smartwatch also packs a host of sensors, a large battery and is IP68 certified.

Dell may have enabled all possible CUDA cores on the Alienware m15 R5, but that has not necessarily improved GPU performance across the board. Instead, activating 10% more CUDA cores can reduce FPS in some games, albeit with reduced GPU temperatures.

Sony has already confirmed that it plans to release another VR headset, but a new report has gone much further. Reportedly, Sony has settled on a launch window and multiple specifications, including a display supplier.

Google has been testing the ability to send texts, files and photos through its Messages service with end-to-end encryption for some time. Now, it has announced that it is to become available for the stable version of this app. The Mountain View giant claims that it results in messaged content that stays between 2 people in the same chat.