Windows

Dell has unveiled the next step in its unique solution to a key problem of all-in-one PCs: upgradeability. The new Dell OptiPlex 7090 Ultra is an iteration on 2019's OptiPlex7070 ultra, a tiny flat desktop designed to fit into a monitor stand. The new OptiPlex 7090 Ultra brings 11th Gen Intel CPUs, Intel's Iris Xe Graphics, and more to the form factor.

Dell's new business mid-rangers have a brand new design as well as Intel Tiger Lake. There are many changes happening for the new Dell Latitude 5320, Latitude 5420 and Latitude 5520. One is especially interesting: Dell is getting rid of its equivalent to the ThinkPad TrackPoint.

With a release date that still has to be disclosed, the Dell Optimizer software solution promises to deliver a wide range of improvements and optimizations. Dell describes this piece of code as a built-in AI solution that "learns and adapts to the way you work" and is the first of its kind.

The Precision 3560 is new for 2021, and with Intel's Tiger Lake-U platform. The 15-inch mobile workstation features a new design from last year's model with a larger trackpad and a new keyboard. However, the dedicated mouse buttons have gone, and the pointing stick appears to have been omitted too.

A Microsoft job listing for the Windows Core User Experiences team seems to indicate the upcoming Windows 10 21H1 Sun Valley update will see a totally overhauled user interface including new icons, a revamped File Explorer, and more. Current Insider Builds are also showing some visual changes in the Settings app, which includes new battery usage graphs, camera settings, app archival, and more.

The Steam hardware and software survey for December 2020 has thrown up a surprising result in regard to processor usage. According to the currently published data table, Intel has snatched over 2% of the Windows share back from AMD. However, that’s nothing compared to the huge change in the color chart that shows AMD losing over 7% share in one month.

Microsoft equips the second generation of its compact convertible with a slightly bigger screen and an optional LTE modem. The performance of the passively cooled device is sufficient for everyday tasks, but modern ARM tablets are more powerful and offer longer battery runtimes.

An interesting 16-core Alder Lake processor from Intel has been spotted on Geekbench revealing some of its secrets, including the fact that it can utilize 24 threads and has a surprisingly low base clock. However, the Alder Lake-S part is clearly an engineering sample, as its maximum clock was recorded at a desktop-melting 17.6 GHz.

Microsoft could be planning on offering a much-needed minor but vital spec bump with the base variant of the upcoming Surface Pro 8. The entry level device in the Microsoft Surface Pro 7 series comes with i3 processor and 4 GB RAM. However, it’s believed the Microsoft Surface Pro 8 will come with an 8 GB RAM option for the basic model.

The hardware of the Schenker XMG Core 17 brings all modern computer games smoothly onto the matte 17.3-inch screen (Full HD, IPS, 144 Hz). The laptop also scores points with moderate temperatures, low noise development in everyday use, and space for two SSDs.

The low RAM capacity will instantly turn away most buyers. If that doesn't bother you, however, then the sale isn't so bad considering the display and support that come with the Surface family.

The latest free update for this year's Microsoft Flight Simulator brings a whole new level of realism and authenticity to the game by adding full support for virtual reality headsets. The list of supported devices includes those made by Oculus, Valve, and HTC, as well as the HP Reverb G2 and most other Windows Mixed Reality headsets.

Once again, Honor squeezes everything out from an AMD processor. However, the MagicBook 14 is also an excellent laptop apart from the processor performance.

Microsoft is working on its own in-house design for a server chip as it jumps on the Arm CPU bandwagon. The in-house design effort could also lead to custom Arm-based silicon for its own Surface line of computers, some of which already feature Arm designs co-developed with Qualcomm.

A Twitter-based leaker claims to have found new Geekbench listings that show Mac devices based on the new M1 silicon running Windows on ARM (WoA) via the Parallels desktop. Not only that, but this new combination apparently results in scores about double those achieved by the SQ2-powered Surface Pro X, which runs this kind of OS by default.

War Thunder 2.3 "Hot Tracks" comes with multiple graphics enhancements, 3 Italian helicopters, 9 ground vehicles, 7 new ships, over a dozen new aircraft, as well as the usual minor tweaks, optimizations, and bug fixes. The new vehicle tracks and effects are not available yet and should become available after "some time," according to Gaijin.

Dell's 15.6-inch business notebook offers decent battery life, low noise emissions, and a backlit keyboard. Unfortunately, its dim low-contrast FHD IPS display is disappointing.

The Epic Games Store Holiday Sale has started and there will be 15 days of free games incorporated into the offers available. Cities: Skylines is the first free game that is now available for download until Dec 18. Big titles such as Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla, Immortals: Fenyx Rising, and the Premium Edition of GTA V are available to buy with attractive discounts.

One-Netbook has teased its next device, which it is calling the One Mix 4. The 10.1-inch machine will feature a Tiger Lake processor, an M.2 NVMe SSD and Wi-Fi 6 connectivity. The device appears to have minimal bezels, too.

Released back in mid-August on Windows and expected to hit Xbox consoles next year, this year's Microsoft Flight Simulator was highly praised by both the press and the public for its graphical accuracy. Although it also has some issues, this title is the fastest-growing in the series so far, with more than 2 million players already.

Many details about the Surface Pro 8 have already been revealed, and now memory configurations can be added to the list. Microsoft's next 2-in-1 will support LTE connectivity too, rather than the newer 5G standard.

The ZimaBoard is an unusual-looking machine, and one that serves as a mini-PC, a server and a single-board computer. The ZimaBoard features an Intel processor and is passively cooled.

LG has unveiled three new Gram laptops featuring Intel Tiger Lake processors. The South Korean company has brought Thunderbolt 4 support to the Gram series and three colour options, among other changes. A 16-inch model will replace the existing LG Gram 15 too, bringing with it a much larger trackpad.

The Hackboard 2 is an Intel-based single-board computer that is also compatible with the Raspberry Pi. The machine runs Windows 10 or Ubuntu natively and retails for US$99. The Hackboard 2 features 4 GB up DDR4 RAM and 64 GB of eMMC flash storage too, along with plenty of I/O.

Described as "the largest and most ambitious Grand Theft Auto Online adventure to date," The Cayo Perico Heist is also the first of its kind that can be played without any companions from start to finish, although the player can also choose to team up with one or two companions.

LG is slated to launch its next-gen Gram laptop series in South Korea on December 16, 2020. A leak allegedly originating from the same country purports to spill details on the 16-inch SKU from this series. It points to an 11th-gen core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM, 65W charging and a price that might come as a surprise considering these specs.

The 15-inch Acer Predator Triton 300 is now also available with Comet Lake processor. The price remains low, which is reflected in some of its connectivity.

The ThinkPad X1 Nano is a recently-released Lenovo laptop with a 16:10 aspect-ratio display and a weight of under 1 kilogram (kg). It has just been spotted on a German e-tail website in various configurations. They start at prices approximately translating to US$2300 on their new platform.

Flipkart has officially revealed that the new Nokia ultrabook to debut soon is called the Purebook X14. It has an FHD IPS screen with Dolby Vision and a 10th-gen Core i5 processor. It has a single 8 GB RAM/512 GB SSD SKU, set to sell at a premium price on its eventual launch.

The hotfix labeled 1.04 that has been around for two days already on all platforms fixes multiple quest bugs, improves stability, takes out a few crashes, but also includes changes to the flashing effect in Braindance sequences that eliminate the chance for these episodes to induce epileptic seizures.

The Schenker Compact 17 offers powerful hardware, 32 GB of memory (dual-channel mode), a 4K display, and a 1 TB NVMe SSD. In addition, there's an extensive range of connections and the possibility to install up to three storage devices.

Elven apostate hedge mage Solas returns in the new Dragon Age 4 trailer, which has been unveiled two years since the last teaser. Unfortunately, the video does not contain any details regarding the release date of this title that was supposed to launch last year, but reveals that the hero will not be a "chosen one" as before.

Microsoft has finally rolled out the first Windows Insider tech preview of x64 emulation for Windows 10 on Arm devices. The update brings long-awaited support for regular 64-bit x86 applications helping to make Windows on Arm devices a more viable alternative.

A short teaser is enough to bring back a lot of pleasant memories to fans of the Mass Effect franchise and, despite BioWare's recent troubles, the company is now on the path to a new chapter of the game's universe. Sadly, the game is still "in the early stages," and there is no launch date to talk about yet.

The Huawei MateBook 14 still relies on Intel Comet Lake. The outdated 14-nanometer chips can't convince in our test in terms of CPU performance; the MateBook 14 AMD is vastly better with its Ryzen 4000 processor. The Intel CPU only shows its strengths when it comes to battery life.

Eight years of hard work developing Cyberpunk 2077 seems to have paid off for the Polish video-game company CD Projekt. Apparently the action RPG clocked up more than eight million preorders, amounting to over US$500 million in revenue. The incredible Cyberpunk 2077: Collector’s Edition features a statue of V in action and a map of Night City.

Although we are talking about a DRM-free title, Cyberpunk 2077 is already available for download from various shady sources in repacked versions. Even more, a GOG version of the game (which has roughly 110 GB, about twice the size of the compressed versions) has leaked online as well.

Unsurprisingly, the release of what is most likely the most anticipated game ever — we are talking about Cyberpunk 2077, of course — comes with a new GeForce Game Ready Driver from NVIDIA. In addition to DLSS support for Cyberpunk 2077 and Minecraft RTX, there is also support for multiple new G-SYNC displays, and more.

HP has updated their compact subnotebook Envy 13. While the device doesn't show any major weaknesses, it can't really convince us with great strengths either - except for its good looks.