Notebook / Laptop Reviews and News

Leaked Android 12 promo video teases changes for Google's next OS

Android 12 may still be months away from a stable release, but a promotional video has already leaked. Google's next OS features many changes, although most will probably be confined to devices running stock Android, excluding tho...

Alex Alderson, Sun, 16 May 2021 13:24:00 +0200

Sony might produce an Xperia Watch or SmartWatch 4 in the not too distant future likely running Wear OS. (Image source: Pocket-lint/Sony - edited)

Sony SmartWatch 4 and Xperia Watch speculation arises from tech tipster's ambiguous comments about Wena

A noted tech leaker has made a social media post about Sony and Wena that has led to some speculation about a potential Sony Xperia smartwatch being in the works. Others believe there might be a Smartwatch 4 coming, over six years...

Daniel R Deakin, Sun, 16 May 2021 11:17:00 +0200

The new alleged evidence of the Note21s' existence. (Source: Twitter)

A "Samsung Store" leak re-ignites hopes for the Galaxy Note 21 series

A slew of leaks and rumors have purported to pronounce the Galaxy Note 21 series dead as of 2021. However, photos of what is claimed to be a piece of corporate art at a new physical Samsung store now dispute those claims. It incor...

Deirdre O'Donnell, Sat, 15 May 2021 21:24:00 +0200

Lenovo's new power bank. (Source: Lenovo)

The Lenovo Go series of remote work-friendly accessories is here

Lenovo has announced its new Go series of peripherals and accessories designed for the modern professional who needs the right kit for their remote-working set-up. The first two products from this new line are a multi-device mouse...

Deirdre O'Donnell, Sat, 15 May 2021 17:55:00 +0200

Face ID tech might get an upgrade in 2021. (Source: Apple)

Rumor | Apple decides to shrink next-gen Face ID chips by up to 50%

The latest leaks increasingly insist that the iPhone 13 series will be the one to finally launch with a smaller notch. A new report might help explain how the Cupertino giant plans to bring this about: by cutting a necessary Face ...

Deirdre O'Donnell, Sat, 15 May 2021 16:56:00 +0200

A first glimpse of a super-battery device. (Source: Ulefone)

Ulefone hints at the launch of a new phone with an immense 13,200mAh battery

The affordable smartphone OEM Ulefone has released a new teaser for an upcoming device with an extra-large charge capacity. The company asserts that it will alleviate low-battery anxiety, and will thus be ideal for working or powe...

Deirdre O'Donnell, Sat, 15 May 2021 15:57:00 +0200

The HTC M7 was designed under Scott Croyle's leadership and featured Beats audio tuning. (Image: Anandtech)

Former HTC design chief who oversaw the classic M7 and M8 smartphones now working on Beats, other Apple products

HTC may be just clinging on to the smartphone market, but there is little question that at its peak it produced some of the most beautiful smartphones ever made. The former design chief behind its classic M7 and M8 smartphones is ...

Sanjiv Sathiah, Sat, 15 May 2021 12:10:00 +0200

The rumored Apple Music HiFi tier could offer users a new lossless music streaming alternative (Image source: Apple)

Rumored “Apple Music HiFi” could roll out on May 18th as a lossless streaming competitor to Tidal

According to tipster Luke Miani, Apple is planning to launch a new Apple Music HiFi audio streaming tier for US$9.99 a month, going head to head with the likes of Tidal and Qobuz.

Arjun Krishna Lal, Sat, 15 May 2021 10:57:00 +0200

The new patent shows Xiaomi hasn't forgotten about slider phones like the Mi Mix 3. (Image source: Xiaomi/LetsGoDigital/Wccftech - edited)

Xiaomi revisits Mi Mix 3 slider technology in new patent and comes up with a smart dual side-slider smartphone with slide-out camera and slide-out secondary display

Another Xiaomi patent has turned up, this time revealing that the Chinese OEM is still looking into slider technology and its utilization in future smartphones. The innovative Mi Mix 3 came with a slide-out top-side camera but Xia...

Daniel R Deakin, Sat, 15 May 2021 10:08:00 +0200

The POCO M3 Pro 5G is the Redmi Note 10 5G's sibling. (Image source: Ishan Agarwal)

Xiaomi sets a release date for the POCO M3 Pro 5G, a budget handset with a MediaTek Dimensity 700 SoC and an eye-catching design

Xiaomi has announced when it intends to announce the POCO M3 Pro 5G, its next budget smartphone for the brand. The re-branded Redmi Note 10 5G will arrive with a more arresting design though, and will be available globally.

Alex Alderson, Sat, 15 May 2021 00:00:00 +0200

This is how the Meizu Watch will look, according to Digital Chat Station. (Image source: Digital Chat Station)

Leaks seemingly confirm the design and features of the Meizu Watch with LTE

The Meizu Watch's design has been revealed, and it looks an awful lot like an Apple Watch. According to a reliable leaker, the Meizu Watch will also support LTE connectivity via an eSIM.

Alex Alderson, Fri, 14 May 2021 23:33:00 +0200

First open case mini PC build from Minisforum (Image Source: Minisforum)

Minisforum announces GameMini ultra-compact form-factor PC with open case, Ryzen 5 5600X CPU and Radeon RX 6700 XT GPU

The Chinese mini PC maker is breaking away from its usual square-shaped builds with modest specs and is presenting its first all-AMD gaming-oriented system featuring an open air case packing a Ryzen 5 5600X processor coupled with ...

Bogdan Solca, Fri, 14 May 2021 21:44:00 +0200

Smach has admitted that the Smach Z is unlikely to ever reach its backers. (Image source: Smach)

Smach Z on the road to becoming vaporware as Smach claims to be on the verge of bankruptcy

Smach is on the verge of calling time on the Smach Z, nearly five years after taking it to Kickstarter. According to its founder, Smach is on the verge of bankruptcy, despite receiving over US$1 million from two crowdfunding campa...

Alex Alderson, Fri, 14 May 2021 20:46:00 +0200

The Galaxy S21 FE will follow on from the popular Galaxy S20 FE. (Image source: Samsung)

Galaxy S21 FE: Samsung's new trademarks hint at the release of another smartphone for fans

Two new EUIPO filings suggest that Samsung is gearing to release a new Fan Edition smartphone later this year. Samsung is expected to launch the Galaxy S21 FE in August at another Galaxy Unpacked event.

Alex Alderson, Fri, 14 May 2021 20:38:00 +0200

A new OLED Samsung laptop. (Source: Samsung)

Samsung announces that its laptop OLED panels are SGS-certified for gaming performance

Samsung has only just launched laptop-sized AMOLED displays in the Galaxy Book Pro line-up; now, the OEM has revealed another new party trick for these panels. They have attained an SGS certification that states they match up to t...

Deirdre O'Donnell, Fri, 14 May 2021 18:15:00 +0200

It seems that Pali has some new GeForce RTX 30 series cards on the way. (Image source: Palit)

New references to the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti and GeForce RTX 3070 Ti emerge

More GeForce RTX 30 series cards have been certified, this time the RTX 3050 Ti and RTX 3070 Ti. The RTX 3080 Ti has been certified once again too, as have numerous CMP HX mining cards.

Alex Alderson, Fri, 14 May 2021 17:55:00 +0200

System76's Launch is an expensive open-source keyboard. (Image via System76)

System76 unveils Launch, an open-source keyboard starting at US$285

System76's newest product is an open-source keyboard called Launch. While Launch boasts some high-end features, they are not uncommon to mechanical keyboards. Considering the high price of $285, Launch seems to be a niche product.

Sam Medley, Fri, 14 May 2021 17:50:00 +0200

LG releases its 2021 soundbars. (Source: LG US)

LG releases its latest soundbars to the US market

LG's new line of soundbars for 2021 includes units that support Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, as well as the latest developments resulting from the OEM's partnership with Meridian Audio. They start at US$179, although the most expensive ...

Deirdre O'Donnell, Fri, 14 May 2021 17:46:00 +0200

Casio launches its most affordable connected fitness-tracking G-SHOCK watch yet

Casio's newest watch belongs to its iconic G-SHOCK line-up, combining analog and digital components into one fitness-focused accessory. However, it also has Bluetooth so as to transfer workout progress to a paired smartwatch via t...

Deirdre O'Donnell, Fri, 14 May 2021 17:10:00 +0200

An alleged Honor 50 render. (Source: Weibo)

Rumor | The Honor 50 Pro will launch with a 100W power brick

Honor has reportedly certified 2 new phones with the Chinese 3C authority. One has been approved in conjunction with a power adapter that can charge the device at up to 66W, whereas the other apparently has a brick that can do so ...

Deirdre O'Donnell, Fri, 14 May 2021 16:09:00 +0200

The Galaxy A22 5G might look like this. (Source: 91Mobiles)

Galaxy A22: new renders might reveal color options in what might be Samsung's cheapest 5G phone of 2021

Samsung is currently projected to launch the Galaxy A22 smartphone in both 5G and 4G/LTE variants, which might make it a bargain in either market. The leaker Ishan Agarwal has posted new renders via 91Mobiles indicating both putat...

Deirdre O'Donnell, Fri, 14 May 2021 15:23:00 +0200

The Redmi Note 8 (2021) should have Android 11-based MIUI 12.5 running on it. (Image source: Xiaomi/Redmi Note 8 (2019) - edited)

Redmi Note 8 (2021) smartphone likely coming soon in Global, EU, and Russia variants with MediaTek Helio G85 CPU and MIUI 12.5 onboard

Specifications and details have leaked in regard to a Redmi Note 8 (2021) smartphone that is allegedly heading for the Global, EU, and Russia markets. The 2021 Redmi Note 8 has appeared on the FCC, revealing its MIUI 12.5 software...

Daniel R Deakin, Fri, 14 May 2021 12:33:00 +0200

The 2021 24-inch Apple iMac has been producing high benchmark results thanks to the M1 Silicon. (Image source: Apple/Geekbench - edited)

New 24-inch M1 Apple iMac destroys every iMac that ever came before it in Geekbench single-core tests with +37% gains over the nearest Intel Core i7 and i9 models

The new and colorful 24-inch Apple iMacs with M1 chips have started popping up on Geekbench and have revealed strong performances, especially in single-core testing. The M1 iMac was able to surpass any average single-core score by...

Daniel R Deakin, Fri, 14 May 2021 09:48:00 +0200

Latest Dell G15 gaming laptop on sale with GeForce RTX 3060 graphics, 120 Hz IPS display, and 10th gen Core i7 for $1173.99 USD (Source: Dell)

Deal | Latest Dell G15 gaming laptop on sale with GeForce RTX 3060 graphics, 120 Hz IPS display, and 10th gen Core i7 for $1173 USD

The new Dell laptop is a full-on chassis update from last year's G3 15 series with features derived from the Alienware m15. Its thicker gen-to-gen design should hopefully provide superior cooling potential than last year's model.

Allen Ngo, Fri, 14 May 2021 06:32:00 +0200

HP 255 G7 in review: Multiple weaknesses, no strengths

HP 255 G7: Office laptop with poor display quality

The HP 255 G7 offers a Ryzen 3 APU, 8 GB of RAM, a DVD drive, and a 512 GB NVMe SSD. Windows 10 Pro serves as the operating system. The built-in display disappoints in every respect.

Sascha Mölck, Fri, 14 May 2021 05:36:00 +0200

A render of the Pixel 6, to be joined later this year by the Pixel 6 Pro. (Image source: Jon Prosser & Ian Zelbo)

Google Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro renders leak with a radically different design

The first rumoured designs for the Pixel 6 series are in, and they suggest that Google has made sweeping changes from last year's conservative Pixel 5. With a pronounced camera housing, minimal bezels and a square design, the Pixe...

Alex Alderson, Fri, 14 May 2021 01:54:00 +0200

The Galaxy Z Fold2's latest update brings it in line with the Galaxy S20 and Note 20 series. (Image source: NotebookCheck)

Samsung rolls out a camera update to the Galaxy Z Fold2

The Galaxy Z Fold2 has bagged a camera update, over six months after the foldable's release. Now, the device supports some of the advanced functionality that Samsung introduced with the Galaxy S21 series.

Alex Alderson, Fri, 14 May 2021 01:38:00 +0200

The Mi A3 has received what may be one of its latest updates. (Image source: Xiaomi)

The Xiaomi Mi A3 receives May 2021 security patch update; 13 critical or high CVEs addressed

The Xiaomi Mi A3 is near the end of its software support, but it has still picked up the May 2021 security patch update. V12.0.9.0.RFQMIXM is rolling out now as an OTA and addresses over a dozen critical or high CVEs for the devic...

Alex Alderson, Fri, 14 May 2021 01:31:00 +0200

Xiaomi launches the FlipBuds Pro as its latest TWS earbuds with ANC

Xiaomi's FlipBuds Pro are the OEM's first TWS earbuds with triple-mic active noise cancellation. They also feature a dedicated audio chip from Qualcomm, Bluetooth 5.2 and up to 28 hours of battery life. These high-end specs do mak...

Deirdre O'Donnell, Thu, 13 May 2021 23:52:00 +0200

The DualSense controller now has a total of three colour variants

Sony refreshes the DualSense controller with two new colour variants, Midnight Black and Cosmic Red

The DualSense controller for the PlayStation 5 is now available in two new colourways, Midnight Black and Cosmic Red. Both variants will be available for purchase starting next month.

Anil Ganti, Thu, 13 May 2021 22:32:00 +0200

Alienware might not want you to buy the Aurora Ryzen 5000 systems. (Image Source: Alienware)

Alienware appears to be mismarketing the Aurora AMD Ryzen 5000 systems in favor of the R12 Intel Rocket Lake ones

Intel seems to be a little more subversive than usual with the latest anti-AMD marketing ploys, as demonstrated by Alienware with the Aurora R10 AMD Ryzen 5000 systems that appear to be mismarketed in favor of the R12 Intel Rocket...

Bogdan Solca, Thu, 13 May 2021 22:17:00 +0200

A flood of CPUs, motherboards and SSDs could hit eBay in a few months. (Image Source: eBay)

Crypto miners could soon flood Ebay with cheap CPUs, motherboards and SSDs acquired via GPU bundle purchases

Online retailers have been trying to enforce special policies to prevent crypto miners and scalpers from wiping out GPU stocks in no time. GPUs are now usually bundled along CPUs, motherboards or SSDs, but crypto miners are obviou...

Bogdan Solca, Thu, 13 May 2021 20:22:00 +0200

Sony will bundle the WH-CH710N with Xperia 10 III pre-orders. (Image source: Sony)

The Sony Xperia 10 III is now pre-orderable with a complimentary pair of ANC over-ear headphones

Sony's latest mid-range smartphone is now pre-orderable in multiple countries. The Xperia 10 III is available in up to four colours, and comes with a pre-order gift that would usually cost about US$100.

Alex Alderson, Thu, 13 May 2021 19:30:00 +0200

The Watch GT 2 series is on the verge of being replaced, but not by another GT smartwatch. (Image source: Huawei)

Possible Huawei Watch 3 certified with HarmonyOS

Huawei is expected to launch the Watch 3 series in a few weeks, which should comprise the Watch 3 and Watch 3 Pro. A recent certification document all but confirms that Huawei's next smartwatches will run on HarmonyOS, rather than...

Alex Alderson, Thu, 13 May 2021 19:22:00 +0200

Xiaomi finally releases some sales statistics for the Redmi Note 10 lineup

Xiaomi has now revealed some initial sales numbers for the Redmi Note 10 series. Early today, company executive Manu Kumar Jain confirmed that the company has sold 500 Crore worth of the Redmi Note 10 series phones, presumably in ...

Ricci Rox, Thu, 13 May 2021 19:11:00 +0200

Is this a Huawei P50 ad? (Source: Twitter)

The first "official" Huawei P50 renders come with hints of new Leica-tuned camera technology

The prolific Huawei-focused leaker @RODENT950 has posted new images that look convincingly like genuine marketing material for the upcoming P50 flagship smartphones. They seem to confirm earlier rumors, albeit with arguably increa...

Deirdre O'Donnell, Thu, 13 May 2021 17:43:00 +0200

The FG series features new 'LHR' GPUs. (Image source: NVIDIA)

GALAX refreshes the GeForce RTX 30 series with NVIDIA's new ETH mining limits

GALAX has confirmed NVIDIA's plans to re-release the GeForce RTX 30 series with revised ETH mining limits. All cards bar the GeForce RTX 3090 have received new GPUs with a '2' suffix, replacing the '0' suffix from the original Amp...

Alex Alderson, Thu, 13 May 2021 17:35:00 +0200

Framework laptops are now available for pre-order. (Image Source: Framework)

Framework laptops with fully customizable configurations now available for pre-order for just US$100

Framework has announced that it is now taking pre-orders in batches for its modular 13.5-inch laptops based on Intel Tiger Lake-U. The Framework laptop is available in both barebones DIY Edition and pre-configured options. The pre...

Vaidyanathan Subramaniam, Thu, 13 May 2021 17:34:00 +0200

A new Da Vinci Resolve 17 update is out now. (Source: Blackmagicdesign)

Blackmagicdesign updates Da Vinci Resolve 17 with support for AV1 decoding in Windows

AV1 is a fast-emerging codec that is touted as lightweight enough in terms of resource demand to, for example, enable YouTube playback on mobile devices at 4K/60fps with ease. The latest version of the popular editing app Da Vinci...

Deirdre O'Donnell, Thu, 13 May 2021 17:11:00 +0200

The MediaTek Dimensity 900 is now official (image via MediaTek)

MediaTek Dimensity 900: 6nm chipset with integrated 5G modem launched for mid-range smartphones

MediaTek's newest Dimensity 900 SoC is now official with an integrated 5G modem that supports sub-6GHz networks, two ARM Cortex-A78 cores, six Cortex-A55 cores, a Mali-G68 MC4 GPU, support for LPDDR5 RAM and UFS 3.1 storage.

Anil Ganti, Thu, 13 May 2021 17:03:00 +0200

Xiaomi has US sanctions against it revoked thanks to a new ruling

The electronics giant Xiaomi had been banned from the US investment market following a blacklisting by the Trump administration, based on claims of the OEM's association with the Chinese military. However, Xiaomi has strongly deni...

Deirdre O'Donnell, Thu, 13 May 2021 16:44:00 +0200

The Galaxy S21 Ultra with an Exynos SoC struggled in our battery life tests, too. (Image source: NotebookCheck)

Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra with an Exynos 2100 SoC sinks in DxOMark's new battery

DxOMark has started evaluating smartphone battery life, and the Galaxy S21 Ultra has fared poorly. The Exynos 2100 version languishes near the bottom of DxOMark's battery leaderboard, but the overall score is more than just a meas...

Alex Alderson, Thu, 13 May 2021 16:20:00 +0200

The Bleujour Kubb looks the part, but it is also costly. (Image source: Bleujour)

Bleujour Kubb: Updated mini-PC released with Intel Tiger Lake processors, Iris Xe graphics and Thunderbolt 4 support

Bleujour has updated the Kubb, its compact and stylish mini-PC. The square device is now available with Intel's latest Tiger Lake processors that feature Iris Xe Graphics and Thunderbolt 4 ports.

Alex Alderson, Thu, 13 May 2021 16:12:00 +0200

The Bakeey G51 is a cheap smartwatch with IP67 certification and up to 7 days of battery life. (Image source: Bakeey)

Bakeey G51: Cheap smartwatch launches with IP67 certification, 4 GB of storage and up to 7 days of battery life for US$29.99

The Bakeey G51 is a budget smartwatch with plenty of storage on which to store music. The device is also IP67 certified and features a large touchscreen display.

Alex Alderson, Thu, 13 May 2021 16:07:00 +0200

The ASUS PN41 builds on the old PN40 with newer Intel Jasper Lake processors. (Image source: ASUS)

ASUS PN41 mini-PC launches with a range of Intel Jasper Lake processors

ASUS has finally revealed the PN41, its latest mini-PC. The Intel Jasper Lake-based machine will be available with multiple processors, including the Celeron N5105 and the Pentium Silver N6005.

Alex Alderson, Thu, 13 May 2021 15:57:00 +0200

13.05	Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 goes big on battery life: We go hands-on
13.05	Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 review (hands on)
13.05	Razer Blade 15 review: RTX, right here, right now
13.05	Gigabyte Aero 15 OLED review: All work, all play
13.05	MSI GP76 Leopard review
13.05	MSI GE76 Raider review
13.05	Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Titanium Yoga
13.05	MSI Stealth 15M
13.05	MSI Prestige 14 Evo: The good, the bad and the lovely
13.05	MSI GE76 Raider review (2021 GE76 Raider 10UH model, RTX 3080 Laptop 150+W)