Notebook / Laptop Reviews and News

The new Nitro 5 features an Alder Lake H series chip and the mobile edition of the GeForce RTX 3070 Ti (Image source: Acer)

€1836 Acer Nitro 5 laptop with the unannounced Alder Lake i7-12700H and GeForce RTX 3070 Ti listed on French eCommerce site

A French eCommerce platform recently listed a new Acer Nitro 5 model, sporting what appears to be the Intel i7-12700H, alongside a GeForce RTX 3070 Ti. While neither part has been officially launched, the laptop's listing indicate...

Arjun Krishna Lal, Sun, 05 Dec 2021 10:32:00 +0100

Anno 1404 will be free to download between December 6 and December 14. (Image source: Ubisoft)

Ubisoft to make Anno 1404 History Edition free to download and keep forever

Ubisoft will be making Anno 1404 History Edition free to download and keep forever, but only for a short time. The giveaway falls within Ubisoft's 35th anniversary and includes the Anno 1404: Venice expansion pack.

Alex Alderson, Sun, 05 Dec 2021 01:39:00 +0100

The Magico Titan 15 has a solid aluminium chassis. (Image source: Magico)

Magico Titan 15: 177 kg subwoofer presented that delivers up to 6,500 W of power

Magico's latest subwoofer is like almost no other, with it weighing in at 177 kg and capable of outputting 6,500 W of power. The subwoofer has a frequency response of between 10 Hz and 150 Hz too, with a 136 dB peak volume.

Alex Alderson, Sun, 05 Dec 2021 01:09:00 +0100

Is this the iQOO Neo6? (Source: Google via MyFixGuide)

A new, potentially premium iQOO Neo-series smartphone shows up in new leaks

iQOO may be on the verge of adding a Snapdragon 888-powered device to its often flagship-killing Neo series of smartphones. Now, it may have shown up on the Google Play Console and on the 3C regulatory database. It is shaping up t...

Deirdre O'Donnell, Sun, 05 Dec 2021 00:03:00 +0100

The Galaxy Note20 Ultra. (Source: Samsung)

The Galaxy Note 20 Ultra's new One UI 4 beta is rated for multiple bug-fixes

Samsung's Galaxy Note20 and 20 Ultra are part of the One UI beta program, which means the flagship phablets are on a short list of devices to get access to the OEM's build of Android 12. The Notes20 are now on their third beta in ...

Deirdre O'Donnell, Sat, 04 Dec 2021 23:23:00 +0100

Future OPPO flagships could support ultra-fast 150W charging (Image source: OPPO)

Tipster shares details about OPPO's 150W charging tech: 10A chargers currently in trial production, but 2022 phones will max out at 80W

@DCS recently shared a Weibo update about the state of OPPO's 150W charging technology. The company has already begun trial production of 10-Amp chargers that'll support 150W charging. Upcoming flagships like the Find X4 might onl...

Arjun Krishna Lal, Sat, 04 Dec 2021 22:52:00 +0100

Sony's reportedly working on "Spartacus," an Xbox Game Pass rival that combines PS Plus and PS Now, slated for a Spring 2022 launch

Sony is working on "Spartacus," a competitor to Xbox Game Pass, that will reportedly combine its PlayStation Now and PlayStation Plus services. "Spartacus" will feature a three-tier subscription plan, bundling in PS Plus benefits,...

Arjun Krishna Lal, Sat, 04 Dec 2021 21:45:00 +0100

Tamriel Rebuilt's latest roadmap update could give Elder Scrolls gamers a reason to head back to Bethesda's 2002 classic (Image source: Bethesda)

Tamriel Rebuilt, an Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind mod almost 20 years in development, gets a new progress update

Tamriel Rebuilt, a mod effort to add in the entirety of mainland Morrowind to The Elder Scrolls III, just received a new roadmap for 2022. With the Elder Scrolls 6 still years out, RPG fans might have reason now to dust off Morrow...

Arjun Krishna Lal, Sat, 04 Dec 2021 21:11:00 +0100

One certain crypto skeptic predicts that a crypto crash could cause Bitcoin to drop below US$10,000 (Image: Executium)

Crypto crash fears intensify as most major cryptocurrencies are in free fall and Bitcoin drops by US$9,000 in just one hour

The recently slumping crypto markets are causing a lot of concern for crypto investors, who fear that the frantic growth of digital currencies like Bitcoin may have peaked and that further corrections or even a full-grown crypto c...

Enrico Frahn, Sat, 04 Dec 2021 19:42:00 +0100

The new Fairphone goes on YouTube. (Source: JerryRigEverything via YouTube)

The Fairphone 4 flies through online durability and repairability tests

Fairphone has just launched the latest of its signature modular smartphones, with a design that allows for various different individual components of the 4 to be removed and replaced with an unusual level of ease. Now, it has star...

Deirdre O'Donnell, Sat, 04 Dec 2021 18:53:00 +0100

OPPO announces its Inno Day 2021. (Source: OPPO)

OPPO sets a date for its new flagship launch during its 2021 Inno Day event

OPPO has confirmed that it will debut a "new flagship product" during its annual Inno Day showcase. The device in question could be a new smartphone powered by the latest Qualcomm silicon. The event is also now scheduled to includ...

Deirdre O'Donnell, Sat, 04 Dec 2021 18:21:00 +0100

The K'Watch Athlete wearable gives users access to their real-time lactate levels. (Image source: PKVitality - edited)

K'Watch Athlete wearable delivers continuous lactate monitoring without the need for blood samples

PKVitality has been showing off its upcoming K’Watch Athlete wearable. The device has been constructed to help athletes involved in either endurance or explosive sports to monitor their lactic acid levels without the need for anal...

Daniel R Deakin, Sat, 04 Dec 2021 17:58:00 +0100

Electric cars performance and battery range in cold weather must be improved, say Chinese regulators

The Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology responsible for EV certification wants electric cars to do better in cold weather conditions. Citing reduced battery range on a charge when temperatures are low, the Mini...

Daniel Zlatev, Sat, 04 Dec 2021 17:33:00 +0100

The B660 boards will succeed parts like the B560 Tomahawk pictured here (Image source: MSI)

MSI B660 DDR5 boards leak with prices starting at US$119: could help bring Alder Lake and DDR5 to the mainstream

Tipster @chi11edog released what appears to be a leaked price list for an entire lineup of MSI B660 DDR5 motherboards, starting at US$119. With extant Z690 boards starting at US$220, this could give budget builders a path forward ...

Arjun Krishna Lal, Sat, 04 Dec 2021 17:24:00 +0100

The Intel Core i3-12100 looks to convincingly beat the AMD Ryzen 3 3300X. (Image Source: Intel)

Intel Alder Lake-S Core i3-12100 4C/8T beats reigning US$120 champion AMD Ryzen 3 3300X with significantly higher performance and lower emissions

Intel may have a winner in the popular US$120 processor segment with the Core i3-12100. The Core i3-12100 is yet to be released, but early benchmarks prove that the entry-level Alder Lake-S processor has enough muscle to beat the ...

Vaidyanathan Subramaniam, Sat, 04 Dec 2021 17:10:00 +0100

Motorola's latest ad teases the X30's display. (Source: Motorola via Weibo)

The Moto Edge X30's display specs allegedly leak in full: 144Hz for the 2022 flagship smartphone

Motorola is aiming to be one of the first, if not the first, mobile device brand to launch a smartphone based on Qualcomm's new cutting-edge SoC, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1. Now, the company has teased the Moto Edge X30 in terms of it...

Deirdre O'Donnell, Sat, 04 Dec 2021 17:00:00 +0100

The RTX 3050 could round out NVIDIA's Ampere offering by the end of January 2022. (Image source: NVIDIA)

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050: January release date mooted for upcoming GA106-based graphics card

NVIDIA may have just announced the RTX 2060 (12 GB), but we may only be 6 weeks away from the launch of the RTX 3050. The entry-level card is believed to feature 8 GB of GDDR6 VRAM and a GA106 GPU, the same graphics chip found in ...

Alex Alderson, Sat, 04 Dec 2021 15:59:00 +0100

Huawei could be less than three weeks away from unveiling the Watch D. (Image source: Huawei)

Huawei Watch D: Company's first smartwatch with a blood pressure monitor to debut on December 23

According to reports, Huawei could be less than three weeks away from revealing its first smartwatch that can monitor your blood pressure. The so-called Watch D will be one of many devices unveiled during a comprehensive launch ev...

Alex Alderson, Sat, 04 Dec 2021 15:41:00 +0100

The refreshed GeForce RTX 2060 will be launching sans a Founders' Edition (Image source: NVIDIA)

The GeForce RTX 2060 12GB won't have a Founders Edition: AIB custom units set to arrive at launch

A TechPowerUp report indicates that the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 12GB will not have a pricey Founders Edition variant from NVIDIA. Instead, the refreshed Turing card will be an AIB-exclusive, which could potentially help keep prici...

Arjun Krishna Lal, Sat, 04 Dec 2021 13:54:00 +0100

Bitcoin mining community on edge as Kazakhstan rations energy, Elizabeth Warren studies its climate impact

Cryptocurrency miners face a perfect regulatory storm from the looming financial regulation of digital assets on one side and the upcoming climate change bills on the other. Bitcoin mining in Kazakhstan became the second-largest g...

Daniel Zlatev, Sat, 04 Dec 2021 13:13:00 +0100

The Raptor Lake engineering sample scored worse than the 12900K and the 5950X (Image source: Gadget Tendency)

Tipster leaks disappointing Raptor Lake results in BAPCO Crossmark: 24-core, 32 core chip is 30 percent slower than the Alder Lake i9-12900K, with an unusual P and E-core balance

Tipster @KOMACHI_ENSAKA got their hands on benchmark results for an unnamed Intel Raptor Lake part with 24 cores and 32 threads. Despite having a 50 percent higher core count, the engineering sample falls well behind the 12900K, h...

Arjun Krishna Lal, Sat, 04 Dec 2021 12:54:00 +0100

The Stop Grinch Bots Act could potentially make it easier to buy consoles like the PlayStation 5 (Image source: Sony)

Members of the US Congress introduce "Stopping Grinch Bots Act" to penalize predatory scalping and potentially ease supply issues for the PlayStation 5 and graphics cards

Members of Congress recently introduced the Stopping Grinch Bots Act. If it passes through, this piece of legislation could make it illegal for scalpers to use bots and scripts to hoard electronics for resale.

Arjun Krishna Lal, Sat, 04 Dec 2021 12:30:00 +0100

Cards like the GeForce RTX 3080 have been notoriously hard to get hold of for consumer buyers (Image source: NVIDIA)

Despite the silicon shortage, graphics card shipments recorded a 25 percent increase this year, raising questions about the impact of scalping and crypto mining

According to a report by Jon Peddie Research (JPR), AIB graphics card shipments increased by 25 percent over 2021, despite the apparent global silicon shortage. This raises questions about the impact of crypto mining and scalping ...

Arjun Krishna Lal, Sat, 04 Dec 2021 11:30:00 +0100

Affordable with a good performance: the Lenovo ThinkPad L15 G2

Lenovo ThinkPad L15 G2: The affordable Tiger Lake model is completely sufficient

Those who don't want to spend a lot of money for their work laptop can perhaps find the ideal laptop in the ThinkPad L15 G2 with Intel's Core i3 Tiger Lake CPU.

Mike Wobker, Sat, 04 Dec 2021 02:58:00 +0100

Google Pixel 6: Top-notch even without the highest score

The Google Pixel 6 impressed us in the test with its bright OLED display, strong cameras, and decent battery life, but it still didn't manage to get a top score. Read on to find out why this is and why it's still a very good smart...

Daniel Schmidt, Sat, 04 Dec 2021 01:31:00 +0100

The Steam Deck has reached its final stage of prototyping. (Image source: Valve)

Valve unveils final Steam Deck packaging before it ships consoles to customers

Valve is not quite ready to begin shipping the Steam Deck, but it has finalised the console's packaging. The box contains quite a few jokes too, but not many accessories inside.

Alex Alderson, Sat, 04 Dec 2021 00:27:00 +0100

For 20% off its regular price, the Acer Nitro 5 15-inch gaming laptop is definitely worth a look (Image: Acer)

Deal | Get the Acer Nitro 5 15-inch gaming laptop with Core i7, RTX 3050 Ti and 16GB RAM on sale for 20% off

Acer's mid-range Nitro 5 gaming laptop is currently on sale and heavily discounted at Best Buy, making it a noteworthy deal for everyone who has passed on similar Black Friday or Cyber Monday offers.

Enrico Frahn, Fri, 03 Dec 2021 23:51:00 +0100

The popular gaming plattform Steam has updated its hardware statistics, which now hint at a relatively quick adoption of the Windows 11 upgrade (Image: Valve)

Steam hardware survey shows 8% of users have already upgraded to Windows 11

Steam's hardware survey sometimes offers intriguing insights into the popularity of certain CPUs and GPUs among gamers, but after the October release of Windows 11 it has now given a noteworthy clue about gamers' willingness to up...

Enrico Frahn, Fri, 03 Dec 2021 23:16:00 +0100

Microsoft updates its Office. (Source: Microsoft)

Microsoft's Windows 11-compatible visual refresh of Office is live

The new "visual update" of Office is now becoming official. This cosmetic adjustment makes the productivity suite match the new Windows 11 look, although some users still on 10 might also see the update. It mostly functions to add...

Deirdre O'Donnell, Fri, 03 Dec 2021 23:14:00 +0100

Canadian police officers have found hidden AirTags on stolen cars, indicating they were used to track the location of the expensive vehicles (Image: Daniel Romero)

Car thieves are using Apple AirTags to track and then steal expensive vehicles, iPhone users should be aware of a certain warning notification

Car thieves in Canada are abusing the functionality of Apple's AirTags, which have reportedly been used for tracking the location of expensive vehicles in an attempt to later steal them. Apple iPhone users should be aware of a cer...

Enrico Frahn, Fri, 03 Dec 2021 22:37:00 +0100

RISC-V is catching up to ARM. (Image Source: min.news)

SiFive announces RISC-V P650 16-core processor launching in mid-2022

SiFive is aiming to catch up to ARM by committing to deliver significant performance improvements in record time. The Performance P650 processors releasing next year will scale to 16 cores and deliver up to 81% performance increas...

Bogdan Solca, Fri, 03 Dec 2021 19:01:00 +0100

OPPO's next-gen flagship could be here soon. (Source: OPPO)

OPPO announces its Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 flagship as its first-gen foldable phone is allegedly approved for sale in China

OPPO has confirmed that it is "one of the first" OEMs to have laid hands on the all-new top-end Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset, and that the phone based thereon will be out by the end of the first quarter of 2022. Meanwhile, it has al...

Deirdre O'Donnell, Fri, 03 Dec 2021 18:51:00 +0100

RISC-V is aiming for increased adoption (Image Source: RISC-V International)

RISC-V specifications update brings improved machine learning, virtualization and encryption instructions

RISC-V International is pushing for increased adoption with the introduction of 15 new specifications for the RISC-V ISA. Most prominent are the Vector specs that expand support for AI / machine learning, the Scalar Cryptography s...

Bogdan Solca, Fri, 03 Dec 2021 18:29:00 +0100

MSI will soon upgrade at least four laptops to Alder Lake-P and RTX 30 Ti GPUs, including the GE66 Raider. (Image source: MSI)

Four new MSI gaming laptops leak with Intel Alder Lake-P processors and RTX 3070 Ti or RTX 3080 Ti graphics cards

A European retailer has leaked several SKUs of upcoming MSI gaming laptops, all with Intel Alder Lake-P processors and NVIDIA RTX 30 Ti GPUs. The GE66 Raider, GE76 Raider, GS66 Stealth and GS76 Stealth will also be upgraded, but p...

Alex Alderson, Fri, 03 Dec 2021 18:29:00 +0100

The Xiaomi 12 will be one of the first devices to showcase the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1. (Image source: Xiaomi)

Xiaomi 12: Xiaomi executive lays out what to expect from December-bound flagships while Android 12 and MIUI 13 builds move closer to MIUI's Stable channel

Xiaomi is building momentum for the release of the Xiaomi 12 and Xiaomi 12X, both expected to arrive this month. As executives continue to tease its upcoming flagships, it is also preparing behind closed doors to bring Android 12 ...

Alex Alderson, Fri, 03 Dec 2021 18:25:00 +0100

The Huawei "Mate V" could have a thermal management system as foldable as its clamshell form-factor

Huawei is now said to launch its inaugural clamshell-style foldable as early as December 2021. A new patent lends more weight to this theory by depicting an innovative new kind of "heat pipe" that looks designed to fit into such a...

Deirdre O'Donnell, Fri, 03 Dec 2021 17:43:00 +0100

The ONEXPLAYER mini should match the AYA NEO 2021 for performance. (Image source: RepsUp100 - edited)

ONEXPLAYER mini gameplay video shows One-netbook's more compact handheld in action

Not content with the various versions of the ONEXPLAYER that it already sells, One-netbook is also looking to bring an ONEXPLAYER mini to market. A new gameplay video shows what to expect from the 7-inch handheld, which should lau...

Alex Alderson, Fri, 03 Dec 2021 16:11:00 +0100

The Redmi Note 11 4G is an even cheaper alternative to the already affordable Redmi Note 11 5G. (Image source: Xiaomi)

Xiaomi to release the Redmi Note 11 4G globally

Xiaomi is preparing to release the Redmi Note 11 4G globally. The device has already been certified in Germany and the US, but there could also be an Indian variant. The device has a 90 Hz display, a 5,000 mAh battery and a 50 MP ...

Alex Alderson, Fri, 03 Dec 2021 16:08:00 +0100

Google's first smartwatch may cost north of US$300. (Image source: Jon Prosser)

Pixel Watch: Google's first smartwatch will not be priced as aggressively as the Pixel 6 or the Pixel 6 Pro

According to reports, a 2022 release is on the table for Google's first smartwatch. However, expect to charge the Pixel Watch daily and to shell out over US$300 for a smartwatch that has proprietary straps.

Alex Alderson, Fri, 03 Dec 2021 15:57:00 +0100

Samsung has now brought the Galaxy Note 10 and Galaxy Note 10 Plus onto One UI 4 Beta builds. (Image source: Samsung)

Samsung begins One UI 4 rollout to the Galaxy Note 10 and Galaxy Note 10 Plus with first beta build

Samsung has issued One UI 4 beta to more former flagship smartphones. This time, the company has upgraded the Galaxy Note 10 and Galaxy Note 10 Plus, which are both expected to receive stable builds in January 2022.

Alex Alderson, Fri, 03 Dec 2021 15:51:00 +0100

Eligible Zoom users in the US can now claim up to US$25 as part of a class-action lawsuit settlement. (Image Source: Gadgets 360)

Paid Zoom users between March 2016 and July 2021 eligible for US$25 class-action settlement, free users US$15

Users of the popular Zoom video conferencing app between March 2016 and July 2021 can now file for compensation as part of a class-action lawsuit which the company has decided to settle outside of court for US$85 million. Accordin...

Vaidyanathan Subramaniam, Fri, 03 Dec 2021 15:34:00 +0100

Intel could soon finalize its deal with TSMC for its 3nm parts

A new report from Digitimes tells us that Intel and TSMC are close to negotiating a deal for the latter's 3nm capacity. Pilot production for the node has already kicked off, and it is expected to churn out 40,000 wafers per month ...

Anil Ganti, Fri, 03 Dec 2021 14:11:00 +0100

Google Search can now find a doctor that accepts your insurance, saving on out-of-network deductibles

To help patients navigate the perplexing in or out-of-network specifics of the U.S. healthcare industry, Google Search is now offering providers the options to list which insurance they take. Given the exponentially higher charges...

Daniel Zlatev, Fri, 03 Dec 2021 11:58:00 +0100

Over US$120 million has been stolen from cryptocurrency wallets linked to BadgerDAO. (Image source: Art Rachen on Unsplash)

Over US$120 million has been stolen from multiple cryptocurrency wallets connected to BadgerDAO

BadgerDAO has warned customers that it recently suffered a hack, affecting multiple cryptocurrency wallets linked to the company. In total, it is estimated that US$120 million (~€106 million) worth of cryptocurrency, including bit...

Polly Allcock, Fri, 03 Dec 2021 11:50:00 +0100

The Polestar 3 will be the company's first SUV. (Image: Polestar)

The Polestar 3 all-electric SUV has been teased ahead of its 2022 launch, will be built in the US

The rush of new all-electric cars continues apace with Polestar teasing its first SUV. The electric-only car brand offshoot of Volvo has relieved a heavily camouflaged version of its forthcoming Polestar 3, but there enough to see...

Sanjiv Sathiah, Fri, 03 Dec 2021 09:06:00 +0100

The AMD Radeon RX 6500 XT and RX 6400 will be available for purchase soon

New information about the entry-level AMD Radeon RX 6500 XT and RX 6400 graphics cards emerges online

AMD will reportedly launch the Radeon RX 6500 XT sometime in mid-January 2022. Its younger sibling, the Radeon RX 6400, will follow suit sometime in March.

Anil Ganti, Fri, 03 Dec 2021 04:30:00 +0100

Nvidia's plan to acquire Arm looks to be in serious trouble. (Image: Arm)

The FTC has filed a lawsuit seeking to block Nvidia's planned acquisition of Arm

Nvidia’s plans to acquire fabless chip designer Arm look to be on increasingly shaky ground. The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is suing to block the deal on concerns that it will undermine competition and innovation following ...

Sanjiv Sathiah, Fri, 03 Dec 2021 01:56:00 +0100

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