Reviews

High performer. Dell has recently completely revised its big mobile 17-inch workstation, which brings many innovations in the new model year. Apart from a new chassis, especially new interfaces, processors, graphics chips, and displays offer a significantly added value. We have tested in detail how the Dell Precision 7710 actually performs.

Hello, Lumia! The new Windows flagship is finally here. Besides powerful components, you also get great features like Windows Hello and Continuum. The biggest drawback of the device is the software, because Windows 10 Mobile does not seem to be quite ready yet.

The superior Surface Pro? With its IdeaPad Miix 700, Lenovo aims to win potential Surface Pro 4 buyers. A keyboard dock and ActivePen are included and do not have to be purchased separately. The other equipment is also appropriate: A bright, high-contrast screen and fast SSD are on board. The installed Core M processor ensures noiseless operation. The entire bundle is even cheaper than a comparable Surface Pro 4 package.

Vapor cooler. After recently checking out the "entry-level" configuration with the G752VT, it's now time to move up to the G752VY with Asus' vaunted vapor cooling solution. Is this really a revolution for notebooks or just another empty marketing term?

Mirror, mirror in my hand. Sony's new Xperia Z5 Premium flagship not only shines with high-performance technology and an exceptionally high-resolution ultra HD panel, its back can double as a mirror. Our report elucidates how well the Premium smartphone fares against the smaller Xperia Z5 and established competition.

Performance boost. TThe GeForce GTX 965M, which thus far has rarely been the graphics processor of choice for laptop manufacturers, has received a new breath of life. Nvidia's update has significantly increased the GPU's maximum clock rate. But how significant is the difference in performance compared to the 2015 version? Our question exactly. We used the MIFcom EG7 to uncover the answer.

Budget price, mainstream performance. The latest affordable Redmi model from the Chinese manufacturer carries a surprisingly bright backlight and long battery runtimes with the new Snapdragon 616 SoC for just under $160 USD.

Behemoth for Professionals. MSI’s WT72 now sports updated hardware in the form of a Skylake Xeon processor and a more powerful Nvidia Quadro GPU. The other specs remain largely the same and the workstation thus remains a solid choice for CAD work and 3D modelling.

The return of the 17-inch workstation. Lenovo now offers a 17-inch workstation for the first time in almost five years. Contrary to the current trend, however, you do not just get a consumer device with professional components. Was it worth the wait?

Forget cheap. A high-end laptop based on AMD hardware - we have not seen that for quite some time. HP dares this experiment, and installs the fastest Carrizo APU alongside an SSD and a WQHD IPS panel in its EliteBook 745 G3. But just how well can the 1300 Euro (~$1404) machine stand up to the Intel competition?

Powerhouse. Schenker's mobile workstation models traditionally signify high performance for a fair price. In particular the big 17-inch W706 leaves little to be desired in terms of performance. We have extensively tested how the recently refreshed powerhouse performs in practice.

Success owed to a rotatable camera? A very good front-facing camera is still a rare thing. Huawei treats its ShotX to a rotatable camera that shoots both selfies and normal photos.

Shopping with style.The 10.1-inch Amazon Fire HD 10 tablet is available for a starting price of just 200 Euros (~$218). Its Android-based Fire OS operating system primarily serves as the shopping platform for Amazon products. It is easy to use - and with a few tricks, Google Play as well as other Android apps can also run on it.

Small rocket. Serious gaming devices with a 14-inch screen are rare; the majority of gamers prefers a larger screen instead of a higher mobility. At least the compact dimensions do not prevent extreme performance, which is proven by Schenker's new device. Chassis and input devices are great. So the only thing we have to find out is whether the display, sound and emissions can meet the high expectations as well.

Hot performance dwarf. Skylake quad-core, GTX 970M and a decent 14-inch display: MSI’s device in the pretty narrow segment of ultra-mobile gaming notebooks can meet all the performance expectations. So much performance does, however, require some compromises in other areas.

Welcome. Samsung's Galaxy Tab E invites users to explore the world of tablets. The brand-new and inexpensive entry-level tablet leaves us with a favorable impression overall, but the lack of power prevents an even better score.

Nvidia listened to what customers want and published a faster GTX 965M based on the smaller GM206 chip. Although the number of shaders remained the same, the clock rates and the performance increased.

Rugged and inexpensive. Rugged smartphones and laptops tend to cost a fortune. Chinese manufacturer Vchok is looking to change this with the IP68-certified rugged M9 smartphone for less than $300 with LTE and even walkie talkie functionality. Is this smartphone truly reliable?

Old dog, new tricks. The latest Z30t from Toshiba is yet again nearly identical to its brethren from two years ago, though this time, it’s sporting a Broadwell chipset and a 1080p touchscreen with antiglare filter. Are these changes enough to keep pace with its fierce competition in the business space?

Curvy, not skinny. A Snapdragon 410 SoC processor and 2 GB of working memory are under the hood of the ZenFone 2 Laser (ZE500KL), hidden beneath a 5-inch HD panel. It runs with Android 5.0. Overall, we can expect a solid total package.

High resolution at a cost. The UX303 series has been around since the days of Sandy Bridge, but this is the first Skylake QHD model to make it into our labs. Unfortunately, the upgrade comes with a couple of consequences.

Premium back. LG builds an affordable, and at the same time high-quality, mid-range smartphone with its Class. However, the premium materials cannot conceal weaknesses in build and telephony.

Two cameras. Selfies are more popular than ever, which is why Asus now sells a matching smartphone. The ZenFone Selfie is equipped with two 13 MP cameras, so is it the perfect smartphone for self-portraits?

Powered by Intel. The Asus ZenFone 2 Deluxe is pretty well-equipped: Intel quad-core processor, 4 GB of RAM, 128 GB of storage, dual-SIM and PixelMaster camera. Has the manufacturer created a convincing overall package?

Retro-Radius. Toshiba sees a market for affordable 14-inch convertibles and positions its new Radius 14 lineup in the gap. We quite liked the flexible device for its casing and input devices, despite restrictions such as the TN screen or conventional hard drive in the test.

Chromebook opponent. Acer woos customers with decent battery runtimes and noiseless operation. That could be entirely successful at a price of 260 Euros (~$283). In addition, a one-year license for Office 365 Personal is included.

Family Fire. A thick protective cover, two-year worry-free warranty and a one-year subscription to "Amazon FreeTime Unlimited" is to make Amazon's cheapest Fire tablet suitable for children 3+ years with the Kids Edition. Parents will likely find the device interesting primarily for its reasonable price of 120 Euros (~$131).

Fighter jet. The new top model of MSI's GT80 series is one of the most expensive and powerful high-end notebooks in the world. However, not only the performance can set new records, but the noise development as well. Read on to find out whether the SLI configuration with two GTX 980 chips can justify the exorbitant price.

35-watt Skylake. The office notebook Nexoc B519 uses an i5 desktop processor from Intel's current Skylake generation. How does it perform compared to the modern mobile chips?

Silent update. HP follows the current trend and equips the Pavilion 17 with a new Skylake processor. Unfortunately, we have not found any other changes. Nevertheless, the laptop has remained a solid all-round device.

Business tablet. The Stylistic Q665 is primarily aimed at companies. Its configuration and the available accessories are tailored for this group of customers. It will not really be interesting for most private users in view of its high price level (1200 to 1300 Euros, ~$1298 to ~$1406).

GPU downgrade.Dell's 17.3-inch all-rounder comes with a Skylake processor and matte Full HD screen. A Radeon graphics card is also on board. However, Dell has opted for a rather weak model that does not quite fit with the concept of an 800-Euro (~$872) all-rounder.

Convertible with a bad display. Toshiba's Satellite Radius 11 is a compact convertible, which is cooled passively. We did find some drawbacks during the review, so we are not really impressed by the device.

Marathon man. Acer's Liquid Z630 is shipped with a 5.5-inch IPS HD screen, 2 GB mid-range SoC by MediaTek, and 16 GB of flash memory for just 200 Euros (~$217 RRP). It also includes dual-SIM, micro-SD and a large, removable battery. The perfect deal?

Barebone gamer. Lenovo is doubling down on the gaming front with the Y700 series. The successor to last year's Y70 is better than before, yet it is still lacking in features common on competing gaming models.

Heavy Metal. Google's latest Nexus flagship 6P follows in the footsteps of the old Nexus 6 with its 5.7-inch display and the fastest SoC you can currently get from Qualcomm. However, there is now another rival from Google itself, the Nexus 5X, and it is even 120 Euros (~$131) cheaper. Is the more expensive smartphone worth the money and how does the top model hold up against other competitors?

Not without flaws. With the Aspire R14, Acer has a slim 14-inch convertible with a 360-degree rotatable display in its lineup. However, it is not a bargain at a demanded price of a good 1100 Euros (~$1195). The laptop has some shortcomings despite its high price.

Bring in the water! While water-cooled desktop systems are not uncommon, most notebook models are exclusively cooled by air. Asus still takes this step and presents the GX700, a combination of high-end laptop and external water-cooling. As one of the first editorial offices, we had the chance to take a closer look at the overall package.

Small, black and quiet. It has to be known that Acer's new subnotebook has a fan since it is hardly audible. Anyone who believes that subnotebooks cannot produce a useful sound will have to rethink that idea, just like those who were surely set on a good keyboard in an 800-Euro (~$868) laptop. Our test reveals just how deep the water runs.

Two steps forward, one step back. The updated MSI GE62 not only involves a new CPU and USB 3.1 but also a superb FHD screen. However, the review sample's power consumption and battery life are not at all typical Skylake.

XPS 15 for pros. Dell's mobile Precision 5510 workstation, an offshoot of the XPS 15, is to primarily satisfy the needs of the professional users. The main difference is therefore Nvidia's Quadro M1000M that shows its strengths, particularly in engineering software and certified applications. We have examined just how well the Precision 5510 really suits professional users.

Bug fixes, workarounds and BIOS updates: Dell's XPS 15 does not have a good start. How is the bigger i7/UHD version handling the drawbacks that we experienced with the i5/FHD model? One reader speaks about a “completely different notebook.” Do we share this opinion? Are we even inspired in the end? Update 12/23/2015: Recall BIOS 1.1.14!

Big – Bigger – iPad Pro! The iPad Air is huge and for the first time has the stylus functionality. The Apple Pencil is mainly designed for creative users. The Californians have also equipped the tablet with the fastest SoC you can currently get in a tablet. Our review will show which customer group the iPad Pro is designed for.

Entry into the business world. With its new ProBook 440 G3, HP shows what an entry-level device of the business class really needs. Intel's new Skylake generation may not be missing here. Unfortunately, the 14-inch model also inherited problems of the ProBook 430 G3.

Premium all-rounder. Quad-core processor, GeForce GTX 950M graphics core and 8 GB DDR4 RAM turn the Aspire into a gaming capable multimedia all-rounder. In general, the computer left a good impression, but its display is a bit weak.

A flash in the pan. Amazon's Fire HD 8 tablet features an HD screen and the brand new Fire OS 5 Bellini operating system with the familiar software restrictions. The starting price is 160 Euros (~$175) – if the user can live with adware. In this review read why the spark does not kindle a blazing fire.

Mini gaming machine. Skylake, USB Type-C, DDR4, NVMe SSD, touchpad redesign, and HDMI 2.0 round up the list of changes for the refreshed X3 Plus. Aorus shows it means business in the already narrow sub 14-inch gaming category.

High-end without high-end performance. We review the new XPS 15 from Dell and have a look at the performance of the 45-Watt Core i5. Can the latter use its full potential in the flat chassis? Throttling is, fortunately, not the answer – at least not on mains.

Compact workplace. HP has had an all-in-one workstation in its portfolio for quite some time. Despite the compact build, the Z1 is intended to be a match for conventional desktop stations in performance, maintainability and flexibility. We tested just what can be expected of HP's Z1 G2.

A balanced bundle. With the Pavilion 15-ak003ng, HP offers a well-equipped multimedia notebook in 15.6-inch format. Among other things, there is a quad-core processor, an IPS display and an SSD on board. However, it slightly tarnishes the good overall impression that the warranty is only one year.

Multimedia expert. According to LG, the G Pad II 10.1 is the ideal tablet for multimedia users. This seems true since in the tests the 10-inch tablet convinces with a long battery life, solid performance and good communication capabilities. However, it also has some minor shortcomings.

Value for money. The Envy 13 from HP is a fresh candidate for the subnotebook crown. We can say this upfront: It cannot quite keep up with the current leaders like the Dell XPS 13 and Apple MacBook in respect to the performance. But it does not have to – because our review unit convinces in another section: It is rare that you get a 13-inch system with so many pixels for the money.

Appearances are deceptive. Asus can impress in terms of performance with its business notebook, but the price is relatively high. Our review will reveal the weaknesses of the ASUSPRO Essential P2520LA.

Minus L. Not quite a year lies between LG's L Bello and LG's Bello II. The "L" in the name has disappeared; in return, it now features an updated Android OS and new design. However, the rear-facing camera also has a lower resolution, and the Bello II is heavier.

Adrenaline junkie. Just Cause returns to the PC after five years. The third part follows the tradition of the series and offers an extremely crazy and casual gameplay. However, it looks like the developers forgot the technical optimization with all this fun. Here are our first impressions of the retail version.

Rough diamond. Ubisoft does not follow the casual trend of its own franchise over the last couple of years with Rainbow Six Siege. Instead of stupid non-stop action, the title turns out to be a clever tactical sandbox. We have a closer look at the technology.

A familiar refresh. The jump from the Y50 to the 15.6-inch Y700 brings about a few important upgrades, but there are still some major holes in terms of features and accessibility that have yet to be implemented.

Typewriter. Acer charges just under 330 Euros (~$357) for the Extensa. You will get a quiet 15.6-inch Braswell notebook with a surprisingly good keyboard.

Flipside. A retro-smartphone? A smart flip-phone? The LG Wine Smart is both at the same time and even comes with the still-current Android 5.1. A small display is unfortunately only one of the drawbacks inherent in the design.

Professional chips for beginners. AMD's professional portfolio of the FirePro series covers a wide performance and price range. Already the entry-level solution FirePro W2100 promises solid performance for tight budgets. We have thoroughly tested how it and the next best FirePro W4100 actually perform and in which scenarios they can be considered an alternative to mobile workstations.

Same face, faster hardware. Is the highest-end Surface Pro 4 really worth the investment? We give you the raw benchmarks for you to decide on your own.

Hot and enduring. Long battery life is obviously appreciated, but does it benefit the task profile of the less than mobile 17-inch form factor in the case of the new notebook from HP? On the other hand, the multimedia aspects are pretty successful; the sound system in particular left a very good impression. The biggest issue is the very hot chassis temperatures.

Compact all-rounder. The latest model from Asus' Zenbook UX 303 series is once again a thin and nice 13.3-inch notebook. It has a lot of performance, but is still quiet in operation. The battery runtimes are unfortunately shorter compared to previous Zenbook models.

Successful evolution. For the first time, Lenovo equips a ThinkPad from the E500 series with a high-quality IPS display as well as a graphics card with fast GDDR5 memory. The price including SSD and i7 CPU is still below 1,000 Euros (~$1096) – is it a bargain?

45-watt processor. Nexoc is one of the first suppliers to offer a 45-watt Skylake i5. Of course, we will take a closer look at it. The i5 can even surpass the 6700HQ at times. More details can be found here.

More than meets the eye. The newest Android operating system and strong Qualcomm SoC provide the Nexus 5X with what it needs for good performance. The dimensions will also likely appeal to fans of smaller-sized handsets. They have been reduced considerably compared with last year's Google Nexus 6.

New revision. The Galaxy S5 Neo from Samsung is the new version of the former flagship smartphone Galaxy S5. Is it an inexpensive alternative to the current Galaxy S6?

Beast of prey. Following the extremely successful V 15 Nitro, Acer presents its next gaming platform. Instead of an upper mid-range GPU, a genuine premium model is in the Predator 15. Can the GTX 980M stand up against the 15-inch competition?

The sky's the limit. Eurocom notebooks just keep getting better and better as Clevo shells continue to evolve. It's pricey, of course, but has key advantages over its closest competitors in the form of 100 percent AdobeRGB coverage and upgradeable LGA 1151 socket.

At the limits. Schenker Technologies obviously has an eye on the performance crown with its XMG U716. The key feature of the 17-inch gaming machine is Nvidia's brand new GeForce GTX 980. How well will the 185-watt model fare against the previously tested 200-watt version?

Office all-rounder. The ProBook 450 G3's assets are found in low temperature development, quiet operating noise, decent input devices, and a good battery life. However, the matte, Full HD screen is a shortcoming. The total bundle is throughout affordable at a price of approximately 640 Euros (~$701). A Windows operating system is not preloaded.

Revamped. The X model by OnePlus is a smartphone that is positioned below the present flagship but is better in some aspects. It only sports an SoC from last year, and thus the configuration is very similar to that of the flagship device. However, the X is more than just a renamed One.

5K in the second generation. Apple uses new Skylake processors in the current iMac Retina 5K version, but also a new graphics card from AMD as well as new input devices. The sophisticated build quality and powerful hardware create an impressive package, but it is not perfect.

Compelling. The ProBook 470 recommends itself as a desktop replacement for the PC at home. Low operating noise, low temperature development, decent upgrade options and good input devices make that possible. The ProBook's Full HD screen also stands out positively. HP installs an IPS model that can boast with good rates here.

An eyeful? The convertible alongside its IPS TFT presents itself as a bargain. Unfortunately, the HD panel is not absolutely recommendable after all.

Pixel monster. Following the FHD version, we are now testing Dell's new XPS 13 with a QHD Infinity screen alongside Skylake Core i7. Will higher image pleasure and more power be at the expense of battery life? Update 12/3/2015: The runtimes of the XPS 13 were lengthened considerably following a BIOS update. Update 2/26/2016: brighter display with Content Adaptive Backlight Control (CABC) OFF

Attractive and inexpensive. It's no secret that budget smartphones tend to looks dated and cheap. The Blueboo Xtouch, however, is one of the best-looking smartphones we've seen for under $180. Is there a catch to this 5-inch 1080p offering?

Full speed ahead. We have built a completely new desktop PC to be up to date for our gaming articles. It competes with high-end notebooks and we are going to use it for comparisons. Who wins the duel?

Mainstream convertible. The Yoga 3 14 gets a new name with updates to core components. What else is new for this Skylake refresh?

The Next Generation. For the first time, Lenovo also installs a high-quality IPS panel in the entry-level model of the ThinkPad lineup. The superb input devices, a fast SSD and Intel's newest processors make the E460 an insider tip for price-conscious pupils and students.

Maintenance miracle. Unfortunately, this is pretty rare nowadays: The maintenance hatch, which is very easy to remove, allows access to all major components of the new multimedia notebook from Dell. Another highlight is the high-resolution 4K touchscreen and thanks to its GTX 960M GPU, it should also attract gamers. Unfortunately, some issues affect the initial good impression.

Improved. After the very buggy Assassin’s Creed Unity, the gaming world is now looking very closely at the successor. Does Syndicate inherit the same performance issues or did Ubisoft put more effort into it this time? We tested it with dozens of laptops.

A big step forward.Hewlett Packard has eliminated some weaknesses that we had found in a previously tested Envy model. Thanks to a Skylake processor, IPS screen and solid-state drive, the new version of the Envy 15 x360 gives a considerably more finished impression. However, with a price tag of almost 1000 Euros (~$1061), the laptop is not exactly a budget device.

Price-performance Nitro. Acer offers many configurations of the Aspire V 15. Equipped with an i5-ULV CPU and a GeForce 945M GPU, this model for 900 Euros (~$955) is the least expensive version of the high-end Nitro series yet. How does it hold up against the models with a four-digit price tag?

Classy typewriter. A good build and configuration are omnipresent, and the improvements compared with the predecessor are appealing. ULV Core i7 processor meets gaming suitable 2 GB Nvidia GPU fused with 256 GB M.2 SATA SSD. The very good keyboard, thermals and system noise convince - but is everything that glitters here really gold?

Eye candy. Casualization or not: “Star Wars Battlefront” is a real highlight in terms of graphics, which makes most competitors look rather outdated. Find out if you can also enjoy the game on notebooks.

Full speed with Nitro. Acer's successful Nitro lineup is being upgraded to Skylake. The manufacturer again manages to leave the rivals behind thanks to a well-conceived total package.

Tick-tock again. The second generation of the Moto 360 has undergone a minor facelift. It is state-of-the-art technically and even has a brightness sensor, however the sensor has its quirks. A model designed for women is also available.

Good choice, take 2. Asus' update of the Zenbook UX305 is not extensive by any means with a Skylake m3 CPU instead of a Broadwell SoC standing out as the notable difference. In the other areas, the UX305CA inherits both the strengths and weaknesses of the predecessor, which still makes it a solid choice in our book. This time around, we are taking a look at the version of the subnotebook with Full-HD display panel.

Classy convertible. This is the flagship Yoga and Lenovo's consumer crown jewel for the next year. Can this super-thin Skylake convertible replace your one-trick Ultrabook?

One step forward, two steps back? Who can benefit from the more powerful i5 version? How big is the difference compared to the Core m3 and how does the 12-inch device hold up against regular notebooks? Our performance update will provide the answers.

My name is Z5. Sony Xperia Z5. The new top model from the Xperia series is the official Bond smartphone and is supposed to have the best smartphone camera in the world. Our review will check whether owners of the predecessor should upgrade as well and if there are once again temperature issues.

Now with Skylake. Skylake ensures a decent CPU and GPU performance gain, but not at the expense of battery life. Unfortunately, HP has still not incorporated a good display in the third generation of ProBooks.

Bullseye. HP has equipped its Spectre x360 series with the latest Skylake processors and continues the success of the recently reviewed model. Unfortunately, known problems remained.

Successful debut. The Chinese manufacturer introduces its first real smartwatch with the Huawei Smartwatch. The watch convinces in the test and also makes a top impression. The device can especially score in wear comfort and build.

Netbook alternative. Despite a high display resolution (1920x1200 pixels), you do not have to waive long battery life with Toshiba's 10-inch detachable. Two batteries make this possible. In addition, it does not put a big dent in the wallet with a price of just under 400 Euros (~$425).

Silent beast. The latest revision in the signature G series takes a small step forward, though not the leap we were all hoping. We detail how the G752 is an improvement over the G751 and how competing models are starting to fly past the popular Asus G series.

Old-school technology, but fascinating. About four years after Skyrim, Bethesda Softworks releases their next role-play highlight called Fallout 4. Visually, the title might not impress much, but it offers a huge gaming world full of possibilities. Our benchmark article takes a look at how the game performs on various notebooks.

Design instead of performance? The design and the price of the new HTC One A9 are top-class, but the performance is only mainstream. Can this work?

Way too expensive. Lenovo's 15.6-inch all-rounder cannot attract attention with its performance and features. However, this does not keep Lenovo from charging a ludicrous price for this device.