IFA 2017 | Dell XPS 13 getting the quad-core Kaby Lake-R treatmentOne of our favorite subnotebooks is coming with i5-8250U and i7-8550U CPU options and a claimed performance boost of 44 percent over 7th gen Kaby Lake.Allen Ngo, 28 Aug 2017 15:00
15-inch HP Spectre x360 convertible surfaces with an 8th-gen Core i7 and MX150 GPUThe HP Spectre x360 will be one of the first ultrabooks to ship with both an 8th-generation Intel Kaby Lake-R CPU and an Nvidia Pascal-based MX150 GPU. US customers can pre-order the device now for a September 7 shipping date.Sanjiv Sathiah, 22 Aug 2017 12:25
Intel Core i5-8250U, i5-8350U, i7-8550U, and i7-8650U Kaby Lake-R series launches todayThe four 15 W TDP processors will run at slower base clock rates and with the same integrated 620 Graphics as the 7th generation Kaby Lake equivalents. Regardless, the move to four cores and eight threads promises a significant 40...Allen Ngo, 21 Aug 2017 17:34
Razer Blade with 4K UHD display now shipping in North AmericaThe 13.3-inch Blade Stealth and 14-inch Blade are shipping with 7th gen CPUs on the eve of Intel's 8th gen reveal for $1400 and $2400 USD, respectively.Allen Ngo, 19 Aug 2017 22:33
Intel Core i7-8550U specs and early benchmarksThe i7-8550U ultra-low voltage CPU wipes the floor with the previous generation i5-6300HQ and i7-7500U, but is a bit behind the i5-7300HQ. Bogdan Solca, 18 Aug 2017 16:39
Display Check: Razer Blade Stealth (13.3 QHD+, i7-7500U)Now with a bigger screen. Razer has updated its Ultrabook and now offers two different panel sizes in the same chassis. We have tested the new 13.3-inch model. What are the differences and which display should you get?Intel Core i7-7500U | Intel HD Graphics 620 | 13.30" | 1.3 kgAndreas Osthoff, 16 Aug 2017 01:39
Clevo revenue drops in first half of 2017 but expected to rebound with new devicesClevo has reported first half revenues are down by 7.7 percent in their notebook business between 2016 and 2017. Net profit remains in the positive but is tight at slightly below US$11 million, or only 3.95 percent of revenue.Craig Ward, 15 Aug 2017 16:01
Two methods of obtaining Windows 10 for free appear to still be openTwo methods which were detailed back in January 2017 which allowed users to upgrade from Windows 7 or 8.1 to Windows 10 for free still exist now, even though the free upgrade period ended over a year ago. One method involves takin...Craig Ward, 14 Aug 2017 20:09
Silicon chips might not retire too soon, thanks to ultrathin semiconductorsScientists from Stanford University combined silicon with ultrathin semiconductors, making silicon viable for chips under 5 nanometers and thus offering a smoother transition between silicon and germanium-based chip manufacturing.Bogdan Solca, 14 Aug 2017 11:23
Super-slim Asus Zenbook Flip S UX370 convertible now availableMajor online outlets in Europe are now listing the UX370UA for 1400 Euros and confirm earlier rumors of a smaller battery than the UX360 series in favor of a thinner design.Allen Ngo, 13 Aug 2017 21:28
Researchers create flexible salt-based batteriesA team of researchers have been experimenting with various sodium-based solutions to replace lithium-ion batteries with significant success. Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) would be advantageous as they would not require as many safeg...Douglas Black, 12 Aug 2017 04:01
Microsoft defends Surface family after Consumer Reports labels Surface products "unreliable"Microsoft executive Panos Panay has attempted to defend the reliability of Microsoft's Surface family of products following Consumer Reports's failure to recommend the Surface products based on surveyed high rates of failure.Douglas Black, 11 Aug 2017 14:31
Chuwi teases a new Lapbook Air which can be mistaken for a Macbook AirChuwi have teased a new product which imitates the MacBook Air but with a thin bezel design that allows a 14.1-inch screen. Chuwi claim that the LapBook Air gets as thin as 6 mm, while retaining at least two full sized USB ports a...Craig Ward, 10 Aug 2017 23:57
85% HP Envy 13 ad065nr (i5-7200U, FHD) Laptop ReviewThe HP XPS 13. The narrow bezel design from the flagship Spectre series has trickled down to the mainstream Envy series with fantastic results. Though not without some sacrifices, this is the best Envy notebook to date.Intel Core i5-7200U | Intel HD Graphics 620 | 13.30" | 1.3 kgAllen Ngo, 09 Aug 2017 06:34
Motherboard manufacturers list unannounced 1920 Threadripper CPU, other non-X versions could followThe non-X 1920 Threadripper CPU could be considerably cheaper than the X variant, and even though it could end up with reduced boosts clocks, the multipliers are most likely remaining unlocked to further provide excellent overcloc...Bogdan Solca, 07 Aug 2017 11:14
88% Fujitsu LifeBook U937 (Core i5, Full-HD) Laptop ReviewSecurity Business Smaller, slimmer, more secure – this could be the new motto of the top-range ultra-mobile business sector. The U937 is hoping to overtake its competition with a weight of 950 grams (~2.1 lb), a lot of security features and LTE support. Find out if it has succeeded in our detailed review.Intel Core i5-7200U | Intel HD Graphics 620 | 13.30" | 950 gChristian Hintze, 04 Aug 2017 19:42
Confirmed: Lenovo's AMD ThinkPads A275 and A475 are based on the X270 and T470When the model-names A275 and A475 surfaced a few weeks ago, it was mere speculation. Now we have the confirmation: These two models are based on the enterprise ThinkPads of the T-Series and X-Series.Benjamin Herzig, 04 Aug 2017 16:35
Toshiba announces M.2 form factor BG3 Single Package NVMe SSDThe latest BG3 single package SSDs feature the M.2 2230 removable module and will be available in 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB capacities. The NVMe technology provides sequential read speeds of up to 1,520 MB/s.Bogdan Solca, 04 Aug 2017 10:48
The XPS 9560's brother, the Precision 5520, just got a special new colorDell is celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Precision business workstation line with a cool "limited edition" Precision 5520, sporting new packaging, special wallpapers, and (most importantly) a cool dark anodized aluminum fin...Douglas Black, 02 Aug 2017 06:06
Nvidia is bringing Titan Xp and Quadro external GPU solutions to notebook creative professionalsThe Titan Xp solution is intended for gaming as well as demanding appliactions such as Maya and Premier Pro, while the Quadro eGPU mainly focuses on engineering-grade applications and certifications. Bogdan Solca, 01 Aug 2017 10:42
Huawei MateBook X exhibits massive throttlingIs it acceptable to refer to a notebook that loses up to 37 % of its initial performance after a few minutes of high load already as performant? We are faced with this conundrum once again with the latest Huawei MateBook X with it...Alexander Fagot, 28 Jul 2017 17:40
United States airport security could get even slowerOver the next few months, the TSA will introduce a new requirement for passengers to remove all electronic items larger than a smartphone from their bag as they go through airport security. This measure is intended to make it easi...Craig Ward, 27 Jul 2017 21:12
Guide: How to check a new laptop for issuesMake sure your new laptop isn't a lemon with our comprehensive checklist to avoiding defects.Douglas Black & Christian Reverand, 27 Jul 2017 08:59
AMD's Q2 2017 revenue results unveiled - Ryzen steals the showAMD is well on its way back to profitability, thanks to the Ryzen CPUs, the Vega GPUs and the EPYC datacenter products. Q2 2017 revenue increased 19% over Q2 2016.Bogdan Solca, 26 Jul 2017 11:57
HP's new Pavilion Power notebooks get the GTX 1050 treatmentHP has released new Pavilion Power notebooks powered by Intel's Core i5-7300HQ or the i7-7700HQ, and all models come standard with the GTX 1050 GPU. Prices start at US$949.99.Bogdan Solca, 21 Jul 2017 16:25
Intel quietly announces the i9-7920X CPU in response to AMD's ThreadripperIntel's latest CPU price list mentions the i9-7920X as a 12-core / 24-thread processor with a base clock of 2.9 GHz and an MSRP of US$1,189. The core count make it a direct competitor for AMD's Ryzen Threadripper 1920X, even thoug...Bogdan Solca, 20 Jul 2017 19:38
Asus releases the VivoBook Pro 15 ultrabooks with GeForce GTX 1050Three new Asus ultrabook models come equipped with Nvidia's GTX 1050 GPU. Prices range from US$799 for the Intel's i5-7300HQ CPU version up to US$999 for the i7-7700HQ version.Bogdan Solca, 20 Jul 2017 16:18
More notebooks sporting Intel 8th generation CPUs spotted through benchmark listingsIn addition to the Acer Swift 3, we can now expect Lenovo, HP, and Asus to soon announce new Coffee Lake SKUs in their respective Yoga, Spectre, and Zenbook families of Ultrabooks.Allen Ngo, 19 Jul 2017 07:55
Microsoft crushes hopes of current Windows Phone users — no full Windows 10 coming to existing handsetsA Microsoft exec has clarified that Windows 10 on ARM will not be coming to any existing Windows phones, as the OS is designed for a "desktop experience" rather than a phone one.Douglas Black, 19 Jul 2017 05:39
First Coffee Lake notebook leaked: a 15W quad-core?The first laptop to use Intel's upcoming Coffee Lake platform has appeared on a French e-commerce site. The Acer Swift 3 appears to use a 15W i5-8250U CPU billed as "Quad-Core". If the i7's will be hyper-threaded as Intel's HQ-ser...Douglas Black, 18 Jul 2017 07:11
80% Cube Thinker Laptop (Core m3-7Y30, 8 GB, 256 GB) ReviewSurface Laptop on a tight budget. Laptops from the Far East are becoming better and better, at least in regard to their looks and features. One representative of the Chinese premium class is the Cube Thinker, which comes with an elegant-looking aluminum case and a Surface-Book screen. However, can the performance keep up with the shop-window presentation?Intel Core m3-7Y30 | Intel HD Graphics 615 | 13.50" | 1.7 kgFlorian Schaar, 16 Jul 2017 19:47
Opinion: It's time we talked about throttling in reviewsDue to the prevalence of thermal throttling and new passive-cooling technologies, it is no longer enough to run a few short benchmarks and declare a machine's performance is satisfactory.Column by Douglas Black, 16 Jul 2017 16:32
Surface Pro users complain of random shut-offsMicrosoft has confirmed that some Surface Pro units are being affected by sudden and random hibernation — though other users assert the laptop is simply turning off abruptly, causing them to lose work.Douglas Black, 08 Jul 2017 07:19
88% Toshiba Portégé X30 (i7-7600U, 256 GB) Laptop ReviewFeatherweight champion? Toshiba's Portégé X30 packs tons of features in one of the lightest bodies currently available. Can the X30 compete with other thin-and-light heavyweights, or will it get knocked out?Intel Core i7-7600U | Intel HD Graphics 620 | 13.30" | 1 kgSam Medley, 29 Jun 2017 23:19
90% Apple MacBook 12 (2017) Laptop ReviewWhat is new? As well as the quietly updated Air 13, the MacBook 12 has also got a new CPU and a faster SSD. With it, Apple aims to be "years ahead". "Compared to whom or what?" you might ask. Probably in comparison to the Air 13, whose essentials are still from 2012? This could be successful; at least in part.Intel Core m3-7Y32 | Intel HD Graphics 615 | 12.00" | 920 gJ. Simon Leitner, 29 Jun 2017 17:59
Microsoft patents always-on anti-theft technology for laptopsMicrosoft has patented an anti-theft system for upcoming PCs with cellular connectivity, allowing them to be remotely disabled even without a network connection.Douglas Black, 25 Jun 2017 16:32
GPD Pocket 7-inch mini-laptop now on sale for US$500The 7-inch GPD Pocket mini-PC is now available to order for US$500. The device was previously available only to early backers of its crowdfunding campaign.Douglas Black, 25 Jun 2017 06:00
91% Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 2017 (Core i5, Full HD) Laptop ReviewLight business companion! We recently tested the ThinkPad X1 Carbon extensively. We now tested a slightly thinned-down version based on an Intel Core i5 for you, and we can show you whether this represents an advantage compared to the otherwise identical model based on the Intel Core i7.Intel Core i5-7200U | Intel HD Graphics 620 | 14.00" | 1.1 kgSebastian Bade, 23 Jun 2017 20:07
86% Apple MacBook Air 13 2017 Laptop (1.8 GHz) ReviewThere's life in the old dog yet. It might be hard to believe, but Apple's MacBook Air 13 (unibody aluminum design, 1.35 kg/~3 lb, 17 mm/~0.7 in, 13.3-inch, 1440 x 900) has just turned 7 years old. Once at the very forefront of the vanguard of Ultrabooks, it has now turned into a beloved grandpa.Intel Core i5-5350U | Intel HD Graphics 6000 | 13.30" | 1.4 kgJ. Simon Leitner, 23 Jun 2017 20:06
Lenovo ThinkPad: Anniversary Edition planned for October release (Update: Teaser Image)The ThinkPad-brand is celebrating its 25. birthday. Lenovo, the manufacturer who took over the ThinkPad-business in 2005 from IBM, is going to celebrate this anniversary with a limited special edition ThinkPad.Benjamin Herzig, 21 Jun 2017 16:42
ThinkPads have accomplished a lot in 25 yearsLenovo is celebrating the 25th anniversary of the ThinkPad lineup with an event in New York City. Let's take a look at a few of the product line's accomplishments over the years.Douglas Black, 21 Jun 2017 16:24
Recovery image for Windows 10 S now available for the Surface LaptopIt is now possible to recover your Surface Laptop to a Windows 10 S image even after you upgrade to Windows 10 ProVaidyanathan Subramaniam, 21 Jun 2017 05:11
Zenbook 3 Deluxe now available from ASUSAppearing at CES and again at Computex earlier this year, ASUS has begun the sale of the aptly named Zenbook 3 Deluxe. The core i7 version of this ultra-portable device is available for $1,699 direct from ASUS and other online ret...Sebastian Eifrid, 21 Jun 2017 00:34
88% Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga 2017 (Core i7, OLED) Convertible ReviewPremium convertible. Lenovo's ThinkPad X1 Yoga is clearly in a league of its own - at least as far as the price is concerned. The convertible features high-end components and a very good OLED panel. How the top-of-the-line version of the X1 Yoga with Intel Core i7 CPU compares to its competitors is the subject of our comprehensive review.Update: Battery runtime and measurements of the WQHD-IPS panel added.Intel Core i7-7600U | Intel HD Graphics 620 | 14.00" | 1.4 kgSebastian Bade, 20 Jun 2017 00:00
Is Windows 10 S really faster?Microsoft has advertised Windows 10 S as faster than regular Windows 10, but the reality is that it just needs less maintenance.Douglas Black, 17 Jun 2017 17:30
Full Windows 10 on Snapdragon could mean big(.LITTLE) improvementsWindows 10 running on ARM chips won't necessarily mean you'll be trading speed for endurance; ARM's big.LITTLE specialized core technology will mean big improvements in both stamina and performance.Douglas Black, 17 Jun 2017 16:53
iFixit gives unfavorable review for the Surface LaptopWant to crack open a Surface Laptop? You'll have to destroy it with a knife first.Allen Ngo, 17 Jun 2017 06:47
85% Fujitsu Lifebook T937 (i7, 512 GB) Convertible ReviewTurned on its head. A business notebook with an all-around worry-free package - already noticeable from opening the box. But the abundant accessories cannot hide the weaknesses.Intel Core i7-7600U | Intel HD Graphics 620 | 13.30" | 1.4 kgFlorian Schaar, 15 Jun 2017 18:34
Today marks the global launch of the Surface Pro and Surface LaptopThe Surface Laptop and Surface Pro from Microsoft are now both available around the world in 25 different countries. In the US and Canada, Microsoft has launched a program that allows a user to turn in an older computer for up to ...Douglas Black & Sebastian Eifrid, 15 Jun 2017 16:35
86% Samsung Notebook 9 NP900X5N (7500U, FHD, GeForce 940MX) Laptop ReviewLightweight and pricey. The new Notebook 9 carries an impressively bright display that is equally as fragile. The flexible chassis brings down an otherwise very portable and reliable machine.Intel Core i7-7500U | NVIDIA GeForce 940MX | 15.00" | 1.2 kgAllen Ngo, 15 Jun 2017 05:29