Notebook / Laptop Reviews and News

A new BioShock game is in development, but it will be "several years" before release

In a press release, developer 2K announced today that a new BioShock game is currently in development. However, the title (which has been in the works for 4 years at this point) won't be released for "several years."

Sam Medley, Tue, 10 Dec 2019 00:28:00 +0100

Apple may heavily throttle production of the iPhone 11 Pro in the coming months. (Image via Apple)

Apple may cut iPhone 11 Pro production due to market shift to 5G

According to analyst Jun Zhang of Rosenblatt Securities, Apple may cut its production of the iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max by as much as 25% in both December and March due to a market shift toward 5G smartphone. However, Zha...

Sam Medley, Mon, 09 Dec 2019 23:59:00 +0100

Could Apple's next US$399 "budget" handset be launched as the iPhone 9? (Image source: Apple)

Apple iPhone SE 2: Could Apple's next US$399 "budget" handset be launched as the iPhone 9?

Apple is said to be planning a successor to the iPhone SE for next March, which has hitherto been referred to as the iPhone SE 2. The comparatively compact smartphone will apparently sport an iPhone 8 design, with an informed sour...

Alex Alderson, Mon, 09 Dec 2019 23:37:00 +0100

Huawei has its Taiwanese Mate 30 launch cancelled

Huawei had planned to release its Mate 30 Pro and Watch GT 2 to the Taiwanese market soon. However, this jurisdiction's NCC regulator has withdrawn its approval to sell these devices. The abrupt decision is related to an old dispu...

Deirdre O Donnell, Mon, 09 Dec 2019 22:53:00 +0100

The new OnePlus TV remote control. (Source: OnePlus)

OnePlus announces a new, Netflix-buttoned remote for its smart TV

OnePlus released its first smart TV series (the Q1 and Q1 Pro) this year. Now, it has unveiled a new accessory for it: an alternate remote control with a Netflix-branded button. However, existing customers can get it for free.

Deirdre O Donnell, Mon, 09 Dec 2019 19:45:00 +0100

There is unlikely to be a reference version of the RX 5500 XT. (Image source: Heise.de)

Existence of the AMD Radeon RX 5500 XT confirmed by GPU-Z days ahead of its release

This month's update to GPU-Z has an AMD flavour it. The popular GPU utility not only addresses some VRAM reporting and detection issues of AMD GPUs, but it also adds support for the Radeon Pro W5700. The Radeon RX 5500 XT has been...

Alex Alderson, Mon, 09 Dec 2019 18:59:00 +0100

OPPO seems to be making a new phone with the A9's specs. (Source: GSMArena)

OPPO's upcoming mid-ranger may be MediaTek Helio P70-powered (again)

Two new devices, apparently made by OPPO, have shown up on the Geekbench 4 website. Given the similarities in their specs and model numbers, they may be 2 variants of the same phone. Oddly, however, they are listed with the MediaT...

Deirdre O Donnell, Mon, 09 Dec 2019 18:56:00 +0100

What else would you do with the Redmi K30 besides photographing a plastic basketball facing an open drinks can in a parking lot? (Image source: Xiaomi (Weibo) via ITHome)

Xiaomi Redmi K30: Sony IMX686 and 2 cm macro sensors impress, first samples show

Xiaomi cannot wait to unveil the Redmi K30 series, which is due tomorrow. The Chinese company has already taken to Weibo with sample photos taken using its latest mid-range handset. The first smartphone sporting the Sony IMX686 im...

Alex Alderson, Mon, 09 Dec 2019 18:50:00 +0100

The Xbox Lockhart is to the Xbox Anaconda as the Xbox One S All Digital Edition is to the Xbox One X. (Image source: Concept Creator)

Opinion | The Xbox Lockhart is to the Xbox Anaconda as the Xbox One S All Digital Edition is to the Xbox One X

The Xbox "Lockhart", the console with increasingly fewer features. Would you buy a console without a disc drive, along with a weaker GPU and less RAM than the main Project Scarlett console? What if you knew that it was capable of ...

Alex Alderson, Mon, 09 Dec 2019 14:51:00 +0100

All PlayStation 5 launch titles to be Sony exclusives? Yeah right!

We unpack the rumour that the PlayStation 5's launch titles will be exclusive to Sony's next-generation console. We were sceptical, and you should be too.

Alex Alderson, Mon, 09 Dec 2019 14:43:00 +0100

Purported live image of the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S11. (Source: Ice Universe)

Are these the first live images of the Samsung Galaxy S11?

About two months away from the launch of the Galaxy S11 phones, we're yet to get concrete, live images of the flagships. Things may have changed, though, as a new leak shows what appears to be live images of the Galaxy S11, albeit...

Ricci Rox, Mon, 09 Dec 2019 12:53:00 +0100

The 108 MP sensor is massive in size. (Source: Xiaomi)

The 108 MP sensor on the Samsung Galaxy S11+ won't be the same one on the Mi Note 10

The Mi Note 10 was released last month and has the honor of being the first mainstream with a 108 MP camera. The Samsung Galaxy S11+ will also sport a 108 MP sensor but it will not be the same one on the Mi Note 10. It will be a n...

Ricci Rox, Mon, 09 Dec 2019 12:16:00 +0100

eSIMs may have a bright future. (Source: Medium)

The eSIM market is now thought to be worth US$700 million by the end of 2019

The eSIM market is thought to be capable of growing rapidly in terms of shipment volumes until 2025. New research on the same subject now shows that its value will exceed US$700 million by the end of the year. This may be driven b...

Deirdre O Donnell, Sun, 08 Dec 2019 22:37:00 +0100

The Vivo X30 in the wild, apparently. (Source: Weibo)

The Vivo X30 leaks in its Coral Red color option

The Vivo X30 has reportedly been spotted in real-life images, showing a novel colorway that is apparently called Coral Red. Additional leaked information asserts that both it and its Pro variant will have the dual-band 5G capabili...

Deirdre O Donnell, Sun, 08 Dec 2019 19:33:00 +0100

Vizio sold 80% more 4K smart TVs over the 2019 Black Friday event compared to 2018

The panel-maker Vizio has reported that it "exceeded expectations" over the Black Friday/Cyber Monday period just gone, having sold 500,000 or more units of its smart TVs between these days in 2019. For example, it sold 87% more p...

Deirdre O Donnell, Sun, 08 Dec 2019 19:09:00 +0100

Some promo material for the Nokia 2.3. (Source: Nokia)

Nokia 2.3 launched: Android One into 2021 for US$121

Nokia has launched a 2nd generation of its ultra-cheap 2.2 smartphone. This iteration has a novel "Nano-Textured" polymer rear panel, AI for battery conservation and the certainty of Android updates for 2 years. The new 2.3 has be...

Deirdre O Donnell, Sun, 08 Dec 2019 18:11:00 +0100

AMD Ryzen 4000 CPUs based on Zen 3 could launch in late 2020 along with the X670 chipset. (Source: Wccftech)

Rumor | Ryzen 4000 and X670 to launch in late 2020, Socket AM5 to debut with Ryzen 5000

AMD could be readying the Ryzen 4000 lineup and the X670 chipset for a late 2020 launch, according to a report from MyDrivers. Ryzen 4000 is expected to feature good IPC improvements and slightly higher clocks than the current Zen...

Vaidyanathan Subramaniam, Sun, 08 Dec 2019 16:03:00 +0100

Intel claims that i3-9350K is faster than the entire Ryzen 5 lineup in fresh PR slipup

Intel's Asia Pacific marketing team claimed in China that the Intel Core i3-9350K is faster than the entire Ryzen lineup. Is this a simple PR mixup or a sign of worse to come as Intel faces eroding market share, securities issues,...

Arjun Krishna Lal, Sun, 08 Dec 2019 13:10:00 +0100

Developers aren't too enthused by supposed Xbox Lockhart variant with weaker GPU, less RAM

Kotaku's Jason Schreier, who spoke earlier about the Xbox Scarlett's alleged Lockhart variant, offers further details about the budget Scarlett SKU. If it's real, Lockhart may hit the market with less RAM and a weaker GPU. Will th...

Arjun Krishna Lal, Sun, 08 Dec 2019 12:30:00 +0100

Heavy weight: Asus ROG Phone II is skirting the limit – of weight amongst other things

A smartphone with 12 GB of RAM warms the cockles of a gamer’s heart on its own. Add to that, 512 GB of internal memory, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 855+ and a 120-Hz screen, and who would not want to get such a device? Anyone who thinks...

Inge Schwabe, Sun, 08 Dec 2019 11:22:00 +0100

The Nova 6 5G is now DxOMark's new selfie king. (Source: DxOMark)

Opinion | Huawei has finally learned how to make a good selfie camera

For a long while, Huawei found it hard to deliver a flagship that offered selfie camera performance on par with the competition. Well, starting with the P30 Pro, it would appear that tables have slowly, but steadily, turned, and t...

Ricci Rox, Sun, 08 Dec 2019 09:38:00 +0100

The Android 10 rollout has been swifter than usual. (Source: CNET)

Opinion | It looks like Android OEMs are getting better with OS updates

Many may have casually wondered how the speed of the Android 10 rollout compares to those of older versions of the OS. It almost feels like OEMs are sending out the OS update faster this time around. Does hard data agree with that...

Ricci Rox, Sun, 08 Dec 2019 09:36:00 +0100

The Redmi K30 will be officially unveiled on December 10. (Source: Xiaomi)

Here's all we know about the upcoming Redmi K30 ahead of its launch

The Redmi K30 will be launched on December 10 and, over the past week, more and more of the device's details have been revealed. Here's all we know—and don't know—about the Redmi K30, Xiaomi's upcoming flagship killer.

Ricci Rox, Sun, 08 Dec 2019 09:33:00 +0100

With MIUI but without an important detail...

How the Xiaomi Redmi 8A would have almost become a sensation...

Xiaomi brings MIUI 11 to a smartphone just over 100 Euros (~$111) shortly after its release. Why this initially thrilled us and then rather disappointed us in o...
Qualcomm Snapdragon 439 | Qualcomm Adreno 505 | 6.22" | 188 g

Florian Schmitt, Sun, 08 Dec 2019 01:11:00 +0100

Comparison of Laptop Graphics Cards

Inclusive list of all graphics cards currently available for notebooks. Approximate 3DMark benchmarks results are provided in italic.

Notebookcheck, Sat, 07 Dec 2019 22:35:56 +0100

Mobile Graphics Cards - Benchmark List

Sort and filter through all currently available mobile graphics cards by performance or specification.

Klaus Hinum, Sat, 07 Dec 2019 22:35:56 +0100

Computer Games on Laptop Graphics Cards

Benchmark list of all laptop graphics cards and their performance in real games. The list is divided in different settings and can be searched and restricted.

Klaus Hinum, Sat, 07 Dec 2019 22:35:56 +0100

The new option in Facebook Messenger. (Source: Twitter)

Facebook's Messenger adds screen-sharing to its beta on Android

Facebook appears to be preparing a screen-sharing feature for its Messenger app. The latest beta version of this app on Android is reportedly flashing up a new option to "Share your Screen Together" in its video-calling section. T...

Deirdre O Donnell, Sat, 07 Dec 2019 21:03:00 +0100

The 500 amp MAGFAST power bank has 3 separate wireless charging coils

MAGFAST is a company set up to offer power accessories with an innovative magnetic interface. Its largest product is the Extreme, a charging station with 3 Qi-wireless charging coils on its top. It can also support USB type C, typ...

Deirdre O Donnell, Sat, 07 Dec 2019 20:33:00 +0100

The Reno3 series may be 5G as standard. (Source: GizmoChina)

OPPO's Reno 3 Pro may come with cheaper, yet still 5G-powered, variants

The third-generation Reno flagship is currently projected to come in 5G flavor. This is due to leaks hinting at a next-generation Snapdragon processor that has this connectivity on-chip. Furthermore, it may be joined in its series...

Deirdre O Donnell, Sat, 07 Dec 2019 19:47:00 +0100

Project xCloud is coming to Windows on ARM. (Source: Microsoft)

Windows on ARM will pick up Project xCloud support soon

Windows on ARM is the popular Microsoft OS running on Snapdragon processors. As a relatively new platform, it does not have every feature of its "full" normal PC equivalent yet. However, this may be addressed when it gains the abi...

Deirdre O Donnell, Sat, 07 Dec 2019 19:07:00 +0100

Razer Blade 15 Studio Edition in Review: Good Workstation with a lot of performance

Blade 15 Studio Edition: Razer's workstation comes with a great OLED display

With the Blade 15 Studio Edition, Razer delivers a traditional 15.6-inch workstation. The laptop offers a lot of performance, a 4K OLED touchscreen display and a Thunderbolt 3 port.

Sascha Mölck, Sat, 07 Dec 2019 17:12:00 +0100

Extremely fast, but also extremely loud: The Aorus 17 YA

The Aorus 17 YA is able to use Intel's Core i9-9980HK to the full extent

Due to the enormous size of the Aorus 17 YA, there is sufficient space for a cooling system that is able to skillfully master the built-in hardware. However, this also leads to other disadvantages that you should know before buyin...

Mike Wobker, Sat, 07 Dec 2019 14:22:00 +0100

Lenovo ThinkCentre M90n Nano: A small but capable mini desktop PC

The Lenovo ThinkCentre M90n Nano is an adequate mini Desktop PC that is powerful enough for general use, office work, and media streaming. However, it's not much better than similarly-specced Ultrabooks. Given the high price point...

Sam Medley, Sat, 07 Dec 2019 12:00:00 +0100

Renders of the OnePlus 8 Lite. (Source: 91Mobiles)

New leak throws more light on the OnePlus 8 Lite, the purported OnePlus X successor

OnePlus started off making "flagship killers" at mid-range prices. The brand has slowly moved upmarket but is apparently set to offer a proper mid-range phone again, in the form of a OnePlus 8 Lite that'll be a successor of sorts ...

Ricci Rox, Sat, 07 Dec 2019 11:10:00 +0100

Intel Re-launches the ancient Pentium G3420 (Image Source: Newegg)

Intel revives Haswell-era Pentium G3420

Facing a severe supply shortage at 14nm, Intel recently revived the Haswell Pentium G3420. This part, discontinued in 2015, could prove popular with OEMs for budget builds. However, will it be enough to alleviate Intel’s supply c...

Arjun Krishna Lal, Sat, 07 Dec 2019 10:31:00 +0100

The Lenovo ThinkPad P73 runs quiet, but gets too warm in return

IIn our review, the Lenovo ThinkPad P73 ran surprisingly quiet, as the fans were mostly turned off. While the low noise emission is great, this resulted in higher temperatures – which negatively impacted the GPU performance.

Benjamin Herzig, Sat, 07 Dec 2019 09:54:00 +0100

The ASRock Challenger RX 5500 XT takes up two slots. (Image source: VideoCardz)

Images of ASRock and Gigabyte RX 5500 XT cards leaked ahead of launch

Images of the ASRock Challenger RX 5500 XT card and the Gigabyte RX 5500 XT Gaming OC and OC cards have been leaked online. The two AIB partners are offering the AMD Navi 14-based graphics card in an overclocked state, with 4 GB a...

Daniel R Deakin, Sat, 07 Dec 2019 00:11:00 +0100

Nokia partners with Flipkart to launch Smart TV in India

Nokia's first-ever smart TV will be released in India on December 10th. The TV features a 55-inch 4K panel and runs Android 9.0. It will be available on Flipkart for ₹41,999($590).

Anil Satyanarayana, Fri, 06 Dec 2019 22:20:00 +0100

The Cybertruck, with intact windows. (Image source: CCN.com)

Striking concept renders show what a Cybertruck inspired smartphone could look like

The Cybertruck took the internet by storm upon its unveiling last month, but how about a Cybertruck inspired smartphone? Dubbed the Cyberphone by its creator Jonas Daehnert, its concept renders are some of the most arresting ones ...

Alex Alderson, Fri, 06 Dec 2019 20:03:00 +0100

Amazon Fire HD 10 (2019): A budget tablet with record battery life. (Image source: Amazon)

Amazon Fire HD 10 (2019): A bargain tablet with record battery life

Amazon claims that the Fire HD 10 (2019) should last up to 12 hours between charges, but our tests demonstrated otherwise. Positively, our review unit outperformed Amazon's claims, while it impressed in other areas too. However, t...

Alex Alderson, Fri, 06 Dec 2019 18:59:00 +0100

An up-to-date Galaxy S11 series phone render. (Source: OnLeaks)

The Samsung Galaxy S11e may have gained 3C approval in China

Samsung has registered a phone called the SM-G9810 with the 3C telecomms authority in China. This device may turn out to be the rumored Galaxy S11e. If so, it will ship with a 25-watt fast charger and have a 5G variant.

Deirdre O Donnell, Fri, 06 Dec 2019 18:42:00 +0100

Xiaomi released the Redmi 8 in October. (Image source: Xiaomi)

MIUI 11 lands on the Xiaomi Redmi 8, but remains on Android 9.0 Pie

MIUI 11 has landed on the Xiaomi Redmi 8, but perhaps not the version for which some people had hoped. The 681 MB update is rolling out globally now, but its file size should hint at what version of Android on which this version o...

Alex Alderson, Fri, 06 Dec 2019 18:18:00 +0100

The Garmin Venu smartwatch launches in India

Garmin has launched its Venu wearable in the Indian market. It has a smartwatch form factor, with a round 1.2-inch AMOLED display, but also has modes to track over 20 fitness-related activities and an inbuilt coaching interface fo...

Deirdre O Donnell, Fri, 06 Dec 2019 18:14:00 +0100

A LetsGoDigital concept render of SIE's 'information output system and method' (Image source: LetsGoDigital)

Decidedly retro: Sony patents a strange-looking multifunctional game controller ahead of PlayStation 5 release

Fancy an NES-style controller with your PlayStation 5 next year? Well, a recent patent publication suggests that such an accessory could be on the cards. What does Sony want with a heart-rate monitor and a fingerprint scanner thou...

Alex Alderson, Fri, 06 Dec 2019 18:00:00 +0100

Even with location services turned off, your iPhone 11 still tracks where you are. (Image: own)

Apple openly admits to iPhone 11 location tracking, offers reason

Apple has finally admitted to secretly tracking the location data of iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max users. The company stated that the tracking was necessary for the Ultra Wideband (UWB) hardware in the 2019 iPhon...

Sam Medley, Fri, 06 Dec 2019 17:56:00 +0100

The Nokia 9 PureView. (Source: GearBest)

The Nokia 9 PureView officially updates to Android 10

Android 10 for Nokia's most premium phone has been on the cards since the leak of an internal test build for this OS was detected back in November 2019. Now, the OEM is pushing a major upgrade of the same out to users worldwide. I...

Deirdre O Donnell, Fri, 06 Dec 2019 17:26:00 +0100

The Samsung Galaxy S11 will reportedly have a 108 MP camera. (Image via OnLeaks)

Samsung Galaxy S11 to have four rear cameras, including 108 MP sensor

Samsung may implement its 108 MP camera sensor in the Galaxy S11, according to inside sources. The 108 MP main camera will be flanked by three other sensors: an ultrawide lens, a 5x optical zoom lens, and a time-of-flight sensor. ...

Sam Medley, Fri, 06 Dec 2019 17:22:00 +0100

09.12	HP EliteBook 850 G6-6XE19EA (Laptop Media)
09.12	Dell XPS 13 7390 Core i7-10510U (Laptop Media)
09.12	Acer Predator Triton 300 PT315-51-7815 (Laptop Media)
09.12	Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme G2-20QV000UGE (Laptop Media)
09.12	Lenovo ThinkBook 14-IML-20RV005WGE (Think Digit)
09.12	Lenovo ThinkBook 14s-IWL-20RM0009US (Neowin)
09.12	HP Gaming Pavilion 15-dk0046nr (Laptop Mag)
09.12	Acer Aspire 5 A515-51-50Y5 (Techradar)
09.12	MSI GL65 9SC-004 (PC Mag)
09.12	Asus ZenBook Flip 14 UM462DA-AI012T (India Today)