Windows

The Dell XPS 17 9700 is a return to the 17-inch market for the XPS series, and it packs a punch. Featuring up to a Core i9-10885H processor, 64 GB of DDR4 RAM, a 4 TB SSD, and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 GPU, the XPS 17 9700 is a big upgrade over the XPS 15 7590. Starting at US$1,499.99, the XPS 17 9700 features Dell's latest advanced cooling features too and retain the 97 Wh battery of previous XPS 15 models.

The Alienware Area-51m R2 is here, and it is not an all Intel and NVIDIA affair. Sporting up to a Core i9-10900K processor, Dell has equipped the Area-51m R2 with an array of NVIDIA GPUs and even an AMD Radeon RX 5700M. Complemented with up to 64 GB of RAM, 4 TB of SSD storage and a 300 Hz IPS display, the Area-51m R2 will be available from June 9 starting at US$3,049.99.

Dell China has jumped the gun and has listed the XPS 15 9500 early. Starting at CNY 10,999 (~US$1,549), the XPS 15 9500 will come with minuscule bezels, modern internal components and even an Arctic White version.

Rumour has it that Dell will be releasing the XPS 15 9500 and XPS 17 9700 later this week. Leaked in their entirety last month, the new XPS 15 and the first XPS 17 in years will feature Comet Lake-H processors and new NVIDIA GeForce GPUs. Huge volumes of RAM and storage have also been suggested, although there are multiple differences between the two new XPS machines. Alienware, Latitude and Precision refreshes seem imminent, too.

A new Dell Alienware Area-51m is on its way. Likely launching alongside the XPS 15 9500 and XPS 17 9700, 3DMark has confirmed that the Area-51m R2 will feature up to an Intel Core i9-10900K, an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER, 64 GB of DDR4-2933 RAM and 2 TB of SSD storage running in RAID 0.

The passively-cooled 10.1-inch Windows tablet is better fit for indoor use with an external mouse despite its sturdy build and form factor.

With the new Ryzen 4000 ThinkPads edging closer to availability, Lenovo adds two new models to the roster: The affordable ThinkPad E14 and ThinkPad E15 have been available with Intel CPUs for a few months already.

The AMD Ryzen 7 4800U and Lenovo Yoga Slim 7 have been flexing their muscles again, this time outscoring 45 W Intel processors in Geekbench. The Ryzen 7 4800U blows away recent Intel U series processors too, including the Core i7-10710U and Core i7-1065G7.

The latest hardware and software survey from Steam has detailed a good month for AMD in terms of overall processor usage and % change. It seems some gamers have been busy selecting devices with fast CPUs from Team Red, while it also appears likely that many users are relying on older and slower Intel-based computers during the coronavirus lockdown.

Microsoft still refuses to equip its Surface devices with Thunderbolt 3 ports, precluding many compatible third-party docks from being compatible with the likes of the Surface Book 3 or Surface Go 2. The Surface Dock 2, on the other hand, uses the proprietary Surface Connect port, allowing Microsoft to outperform the competition. Microsoft has released a new USB-C Travel Hub too, which is compatible with non-Surface devices.

Launched alongside the Surface Earbuds, the Surface Headphones 2, Surface Go 2 and Surface Book 3 will all start shipping later this month. The Surface Book 3 makes the jump to Ice Lake-U processors and up to a Quadro RTX 3000 GPU too, but there is no AMD Ryzen version as there is with the Surface Laptop 3.

Gole Technology has introduced the Gole11 all-in-one PC, which is also known as the HiGole F11APL. According to the company, the Gole11 is “the world’s cheapest all-in-one”, and it features an Intel Celeron N3450 processor and an 11.6-inch touchscreen with a 1920x1080 resolution. The device has been offered for as little as US$99 to early-bird crowdfunding backers.

Due to be unveiled later today, the Surface Book 3 has been confirmed to be arriving with a choice of at least three GPUs. The Surface Book 3 will be an all Intel and NVIDIA affair though, with no AMD APUs or GPUs making their way into Microsoft's premier Surface hardware.

Leaked images of the Surface Go 2 confirm that Microsoft has given its new baby 2-in-1 a more modern look. The Surface Go 2 uses the same chassis as its predecessor though, providing backwards-compatibility with existing accessories. However, there is no ARM model and a Core m3-8100Y model will retail for a disappointingly high €629.

Featuring a Core i7-1065G7 and 32 GB of RAM, the Surface Book 3 SKUs that have flown through Energy Star are sizeable upgrades over their predecessors. It looks increasingly unlikely that there will be any Ryzen 4000 Renoir options, though. Energy Star has confirmed the existence of a third Surface Go 2 SKU, too.

Ubisoft is giving three games away for free until May 5: Assassin’s Creed II, Rayman Legends, and Child of Light. The company’s store also has a number of titles that are free to try as demos, including Tom Clancy’s The Division. Four versions of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla can be pre-ordered for the PC, with the Collector’s Edition priced at US$199.99.

Successors to the Precision 7540 and Precision 7740 are on their way, and a leaked advert has confirmed that Dell has given them a complete redesign. Predictably called the Precision 7550 and Precision 7750, the two laptops are expected to arrive later this month, but there may be some surprises in store, including no PointStick and possible DGFF incompatibilities with older models.

In another repeat of the Surface Go, Microsoft will be releasing distinct LTE and Wi-Fi versions of the Surface Go 2. Expected to arrive before the end of May, the Surface Go 2 will be a mostly incremental upgrade over the device that Microsoft released 20 months ago.

Eve Devices is a start-up that routinely invites its fans to inform its upcoming products with their opinions and ideas. For example, it had developed 3 different concepts for its 2020 tablet between which this audience was to choose. These votes are now in, and the winning design is:...

Often labeled as the best game in the Total War series, Shogun 2 was published by Sega in 2011 and this week can be obtained for free from Steam. To keep it forever — without the eight DLC and unit packs that can be acquired for 75 percent off during this period — those interested should get it before May 1, 7 PM.

The LarkBox measures just 2.4 x 2.4 x 1.7-inches and will cost US$199 when it goes live on Indiegogo in May. The mini-PC will feature 6 GB of RAM, 128 GB of storage and an Intel Celeron N4100 processor.

The FCC has confirmed that the Surface Book 3 will feature Wi-Fi 6 connectivity. Spotted by Windows Latest, the listing includes references to the device having an Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201 modem, which supports up to 2.4 Gbps transfer speeds and Bluetooth 5.1 connectivity. The Surface Book 3 may cost as much as US$1,699 at launch, according to past leaks.

With an estimated price of only US$185, the NANOTE mini laptop offers modest specs like an Intel Atom x5-Z8350 quad-core CPU, 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of eMMC storage. Unlike the more expensive models from GPD and One-netbook, however, the NANOTE comes in a convertible form-factor with a 1920 x 1200 touchscreen.

Unlike GPD's Win Max mini laptop, the OneGX1 from One-Netbook is a bit more compact since it does not integrate game controller buttons, but it may also prove a bit faster as it is supposed to integrate Intel's Tiger Lake CPUs. The design appears inspired by Dell's Alienware Area-51m, and this is also said to be the first mini laptop to offer 5G support.

Leaked by Dell France alongside the XPS 17 9700 today, the XPS 15 9500 will be a significant upgrade over the XPS 15 7590, for the most part. The reduction in maximum battery capacity to an 86 Wh battery does not feel like an upgrade though, nor does the absence of all the innovations that Dell has seemingly reserved for the XPS 17 9700.

A new operating system for the Raspberry Pi is available. This should trigger nostalgic feelings among numerous users and is visually reminiscent of Windows XP and also supports old software with various emulators.

Microsoft has revealed the specifications required to power its all-new Flight Simulator on PC. In a pleasant surprise, a PC with mid-range specs from 2013 will be able to play it, but a higher end rig from 2019 will be best placed to demonstrate everything the game has to offer visually.

Images of the XPS 15 9500 have appeared on a South Korean certification website. The photos, posted along with eight Latitude laptops, confirm that the new XPS 15 series will feature a 16:10 display, slimmer bezels, a much larger trackpad and front-firing speakers among other changes. Dell's laptop refresh is expected to land at the end of next month.

To start the celebration of the upcoming anniversary properly, Wargaming has updated World of Tanks to 1.9, a version that comes with quite a few noticeable changes: a completely reworked tech tree without some hardware that has been placed into a separate tab as Collectors' Vehicles, increased HP for the low tiers, and more.

Not only is Asus planning on bringing the NVIDIA GeForce MX350 to Renoir processors like the Ryzen 7 4700U, but it is also keen on doing the same with Intel's upcoming Tiger Lake-U series architecture. Coming in the form of a refreshed VivoBook 14, the Core i7-1165G7 and MX350 will be offered alongside Ryzen 5 4500U and Ryzen 7 4700U models.

Razer further upgrades its gaming Ultrabook. The 2020 version of the Razer Blade Stealth is based on the same design as the 2019 model, but it gets a stronger GPU as well as a faster FHD screen panel.

Revealed to be starting at US$1,699.99, the Surface Book 3 will come with up to 32 GB of RAM, a 2 TB SSD and an NVIDIA Quadro GPU. 13.5-inch and 15-inch variants are on the way, as are NVIDIA GTX GPUs, apparently. Possibly the GTX 1650 Max-Q and GTX 1660 Ti Max-Q, the jury is still out on whether the Surface Book 3 will feature Comet Lake-U or Ice Lake-U processors. There is a chance that Microsoft will offer both architectures, though.

Expected to be launched this spring, the Surface Go 2 is thought to be a minor upgrade over the existing model. While the Surface Go 2 will feature the same chassis as its predecessor, it will also have a larger display. Accordingly, the Surface Go 2 will get a resolution bump. eMMC flash storage will be making a return for the entry-level model though, apparently.

The Tor Project has announced that it has had to let go 13 employees, which counts for one-third of its core workforce. Entirely funded by donations, the team has been forced to make the layoffs due to the effects of COVID-19.

Lenovo's innovative ThinkBook Plus is now up for pre-order on JD.com, prior to general sales starting from April 24, 2020. To recap, this 13.3-inch notebook has a 10.8-inch e-ink display on its lid. The user can thus write or doodle on the device without opening it with its included Precision Pen.

Microsoft’s next major update to Windows 10 will land in May. The new update brings some useful features to users including Cloud reset as well as the much anticipated DirectX 12 Ultimate with improved raytracing support.

Compounding previous fears of the Surface Go 2 being more of the same from Microsoft and its Surface sub-division, rumour has it that the upcoming device will retain the design of its predecessor. While Microsoft may sell the 2-in-1 in more colours than just silver this time around, thick bezels, pitiful ports and outdated processors do not make the Surface Go 2 sound like an inspired refresh.

Rumour has it that the Surface Book 3 will be released with Comet Lake-U processors. One prominent leaker refutes this though, and all other signs point towards Ice Lake-U upgrades instead. Is Microsoft really going to give 14 nm another go on its premier mobile hardware?

Although not a visual feast in the past, Minecraft finally gets ray-traced shadows, impressive reflective water, real-time caustics, and multiple atmospheric effects thanks to NVIDIA's RTX technology and the new levels that add a whole new level of depth and detail to the Windows version of this popular game.

The Surface Pro 7 is one of Microsoft's latest 2-in-1s. Some people who have bought it have subsequently gone back to the Redmond giant's product forum reporting a bug in which the tablet shuts off without warning. The issue may be addressed with some work-arounds, but the OEM is apparently yet to issue an official fix.

Simply NUC is trying its hand at 15.6-inch laptop models with the latest SNUC Book lineup developed in collaboration with Intel. Users can choose to add up to 64 GB of RAM, up to 4 TB of M.2 storage and may go with either a GTX 1660 Ti or an RTX 2070 Max-Q GPU. All variants are powered by Intel's i7-9750H CPU and come with a Thunderbolt 3 connector.

New details about the Microsoft Surface Book 3 have been published that indicate the device will soon be released. The latest retailer listings describe the core configurations for the 13.5-inch and 15-inch Surface Book 3 convertibles along with a list of prices in Euros. It seems these new Surface devices will be coming with quad-core Intel Comet Lake-U processors.

The Surface Go 2 is almost here, and it will be arriving with Wi-Fi 6 connectivity. An LTE variant is on its way too, with both rumoured to debut by the end of the month in an online event. Intel Core m3-8100Y and Pentium Gold 4425Y processors will make the Surface Go 2 nothing more than an incremental upgrade, though.

The ASUS TUF Gaming A15 is now shipping and for as little as US$999.99. The Ryzen 7 4800H-powered machine has a 15.6-inch 144 Hz panel, but there is also the 17.3-inch A17 if you would like something larger.

The latest market research from the Gartner group indicates that the market for PCs has experienced its "sharpest decline" since 2013. However, it seems this year-on-year drop in shipments, which applies to the first 3 months of this year (1Q2020), is related more to the Covid-19 pandemic rather than to demand for this category.

A tech blogger has managed to get hold of some price lists that could be for the upcoming Microsoft Surface Book 3 devices. The listings also included prices for various related accessories and possibly the Surface Go 2. It has been opined that the “Surface Project T” could be the 13.5-inch Surface Book 3 while “Surface Project U” could be the 15-inch model.

Not only is Microsoft said to be releasing a Surface Book 3 and Surface Go 2 this Spring, but it also has new accessories planned. While likely backwards compatible, they point towards Microsoft embracing greater connectivity options. It would appear that the Surface Book 3 will offer considerably more performance than its predecessor, too.

Schenker has chosen a similar path to Huawei and has equipped its VIA 15 with two Ryzen models from AMD instead of offering a wide range of CPUs. This means that the device is tuned to the chip so well that the Ryzen 5 3500U in our test unit reaches its full potential.