Apple : Errol Spence vs Mikey Garcia live stream: how to watch tonight's boxing online from anywhere |
- Errol Spence vs Mikey Garcia live stream: how to watch tonight's boxing online from anywhere
- F1 live stream: how to watch the Australian Grand Prix 2019 online from anywhere
- Steam Link Anywhere lets you stream games from, well, anywhere
- LogMeIn launches new UCC brand GoTo
- The best graphics cards 2019: all the top GPUs for gaming
- Best gaming mouse pads 2019: the best mouse mats for gamers
- Best PC power supply 2019: top PSUs for your PC
- Best cloud storage of 2019 online: free, paid and business options
- Best gaming laptops 2019: the 10 top gaming laptops we've reviewed
- Best CPU cooler 2019: top CPU coolers for your PC
- The best PC case 2019: top cases for your desktop computer
- Nvidia Turing release date, news and features
- Google adds DuckDuckGo as search option
- Best Asus laptops 2019: the top Asus laptops we've tested
- LG UltraGear makes shopping for G-Sync compatible monitors easy
- How to watch Cheltenham live: stream the 2019 horse racing festival online from anywhere
- AMD Ryzen 3rd Generation release date, news and rumors
- The cheapest Nintendo Switch bundles and deal prices in the March sales 2019
- Facebook blames app outage on a technical error
- Lady Gaga could appear in Cyberpunk 2077
| Errol Spence vs Mikey Garcia live stream: how to watch tonight's boxing online from anywhere Posted: 14 Mar 2019 01:10 PM PDT We're in for one hell of a fight tonight! Mikey Garcia is ascending two whole weight classes to take on Errol Spence Jr in a title bout for the latter's IBF welterweight belt. Spence is arguably the world's best fighter at his weight, so the appeal for legendary fighter Garcia to show him who's boss is easy to see. And talking of easy to see...with this guide, we'll tell you how simple it is to get a Spence vs Garcia live stream no matter where you are in the world. Garcia (39–0, 30 KOs) has an undeniably stunning record and is taking a big risk by moving up in weight category to take on the welterweight champ. While Spence Jr (24–0, 21 KOs) holds the experience in his favour as the resident in the weight class he also has an extra benefit as this is his turf in a more literal way - he grew up in Texas. That should mean he has the crowd behind him too during this super fight. Both fighters are undefeated and are both ranked in The Ring's top 10 pound-for-pound fighters – but someone will almost definitely lose their perfect record today. While Garcia has won titles in four weight classes, Spence holds the world title in the welterweight arena where some of the greatest talent in boxing currently exists. As a measure of this fight's importance, WBA regular welterweight champion and legend Manny Pacquiao will be attending this match to watch it live. And you can watch it live too as if you were right there with him. To catch everything online, you've come to the right place. Read on to find out how to stream Spence vs Garcia live anywhere in the world.
Watch a Spence vs Garcia live stream from anywhere in the worldKeep scrolling to see how to watch the boxing in the US and UK (spoiler alert...it's absolutely FREE in the UK). But if you're a resident of one of those countries - or any other, for that matter - who is worried about being away from your country and missing your domestic coverage of the Garcia vs Spence Jr fight, then fear not, there's a way to watch that doesn't involve trying to find a grainy, illegal feed.
How to stream Errol Spence vs Mikey Garcia live in the US
How to watch Garcia vs Spence Jr for FREE in the UK
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| F1 live stream: how to watch the Australian Grand Prix 2019 online from anywhere Posted: 14 Mar 2019 01:10 PM PDT It's been four long months, but Formula 1 is back! The 2019 F1 season starts this weekend with the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne. And you're in the right place to discover how to live stream F1 action - regardless of where in the world you are when it's on. Lewis Hamilton once again heads into the first Grand Prix of the season as champion - it's the fourth time in the last five seasons. Yet Australia hasn't necessarily been the happiest hunting ground for Hamilton, recording only two wins Down Under. Arch rival Sebastian Vettel has won here for the last two years running and will be desperate to get his season underway in the best way possible for a third consecutive season. His fresh Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc will be looking to make an immediate impact, too. While Finnish duo Valtteri Bottas and Kimi Räikkönen will be hoping to improve on the podium finishes they've both enjoyed in the last couple of years. If you're as excited as we are about the new season, then you'll already know all of this and just want to find out how you can watch the Australian Grand Prix. To do so is super straightforward from anywhere in the world and on pretty much any device. And the best thing about it...it's possible to do so absolutely free of charge. Read on to find out how to stream F1 live.
How live stream the Australian Grand Prix for FREEHow to watch the Australian Grand Prix from outside your countryTo see how to watch the Australian Grand Prix in any of the UK, US or Canada, then scroll a little further down this page to see the broadcast options. But if you try and tune in to your native stream from outside your country, you'll quickly discover that it's geo-blocked.
How to stream F1 live from Australia in the UK:
How to watch the Australian Grand Prix in the US:
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| Steam Link Anywhere lets you stream games from, well, anywhere Posted: 14 Mar 2019 01:04 PM PDT Valve just announced that its Steam Link Anywhere software is now in open beta testing on Android, Raspberry Pi and Steam Link devices. As a software successor to the original Steam Link hardware that Valve killed off at the end of last year, Steam Link Anywhere allows you to stream any game from your Steam library to whichever of those aforementioned devices you choose. Keep in mind you'll need strong enough internet signal for both the home PC and whichever device you’re streaming to for the whole setup to work. Before Valve killed it off at the end of last year, the Steam Link was the best way to stream your game library from your PC to your living room. The drawback, however, was that the Link only worked on your home network.
Steam Link Anywhere promises a more versatile experience, one that you can take with you... well, anywhere, and doesn't require additional hardware. The future of game-streamingWhat Valve is doing with Steam Link Anywhere mirrors a lot of what's happening elsewhere in the industry. Sony's PlayStation Now software streams a library of games from Sony's server to the PS4 and PC, while Microsoft has been hyping its upcoming xCloud software that will stream games to iOS, Android and, according to some rumors, even Nintendo Switch. The difference between these services is that PlayStation Now and, presumably, xCloud, will be streaming games you don't own via a subscription service model whereas Valve is simply making your own games available to you for free - a model that will appeal to more cost-sensitive gamers and those of us with already-massive Steam libraries. In the same press release introducing Steam Link Anywhere, Valve said it will make more announcements at next week's Game Developers Conference in San Francisco, specifically around new Steam Networking Sockets APIs that should make developing lag-free online play even easier for Steam developers.
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| LogMeIn launches new UCC brand GoTo Posted: 14 Mar 2019 01:03 PM PDT Following its acquisition of Jive Communications less than a year ago, LogMeIn has launched a new brand for its Unified Communications & Collaboration (UCC) suite of solutions. The new brand called GoTo includes its flagship meeting and webinar solutions, GoToMeeting and GoToWebinar, alongside its first truly integrated UCC solution GoToConnect as well as its new conference room solution GoToRoom. Demand for all-in-one cloud-based communications and collaboration solutions is rising as businesses see the benefits of consolidating their standalone solutions for better cost control, enhanced management and security.
LogMeIn's decision to unify its portfolio of solutions under its new Go To brand allows the company to bring best-in-class meetings, rooms, voice and webinars together as it tries to better meet the needs of the UCC customers. GoToConnect and GoToRoomLogMeIn's first new product under the GoTo UCC brand is GoToConnect which will be generally available in North America in April with additional availability expected later this year. The solution will provide customers with powerful audio, video and screensharing capabilities combined with cloud-based telephony in one complete package. LogMeIn also recently announced a completely revamped conference room solution called GoToRoom that turns any mid-sized conference room into a video-enabled collaborative meeting space. SVP and General Manager of UCC at LogMeIn, Mark Strassman explained why the company decided to unify its products under the GoTo brand in a statement, saying: "End users in an organization are demanding a single, simple, consumer experience for all their audio, video, and chat communications - whether on mobile, desk phone, desktop, or in-room. At the same time, IT leaders and business owners want a single deployment and management experience from a single partner that they can trust to help them manage their complex UCC needs. Our new UCC solution is simple, elegant, intuitive and backed by a trusted global brand to meet the needs of business leaders and end-users.”
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| The best graphics cards 2019: all the top GPUs for gaming Posted: 14 Mar 2019 12:32 PM PDT Now that Nvidia Turing heavy hitters like the RTX 2080 Ti and RTX 2060 have arrived, the best graphics cards are more powerful (and expensive) than ever before. So, do you splurge on an expensive flagship? Or, do you go for a more budget friendly graphics card like the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 – perfect for 1080p gaming? No matter what you go for, you’ll be able to use the best graphics cards to play the best PC games from Anthem to Devil May Cry 5. Remember that the best graphics cards can vary wildly depending on what kind of PC you’re planning to build, so finding the best one can be hard. Luckily, we went ahead and gathered together all the best graphics cards on the market, at every price point and use case. So, before you go out to pick up one of the best graphics cards, we’ll help you find the perfect one for your rig.
One of the biggest complaints we had about Nvidia Turing when it first launched was the astronomical prices. But, with the Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060, Nvidia brings value to the Turing lineup – or, at least, more value than was there already. With the RTX 2060, you’ll be able to run pretty much everything at 1080p with max settings, comfortably experience 1440p and you’ll even be able to break into 4K. And, then there’s the RTX features – even at this level, ray tracing is possible at 1080p. Read the full review: Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060
If you’re looking for the best graphics card, and you’re not ok with compromising, you may want to consider the Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Ti. Without a doubt, this is the most powerful graphics card you can buy without going for a professional solution. And, especially now that games like Battlefield V and Metro Exodus actually use the RTX features, there’s never been a better time to jump on the raytraced bandwagon. Just brace yourself for that price tag. Read the full review: Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Ti
If you want to stick to QHD, with some brief forays into 4K, you might want to check out the RTX 2070. The Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070 brings the new Turing architecture to the mid range with performance that dwarfs the GTX 1070 that came before. Not only will you be able to play everything at 1440p, but you’re going to get insane performance – up to 120fps in Shadow of the Tomb Raider. However, you should consider that the RTX 2070 is significantly more expensive than its predecessor, so that trade off in price-to-performance may not be worth it – especially if you’re coming from a Pascal card. Read the full review: Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070
When Nvidia first launched its Turing lineup, it was hard to find a model that didn’t cost an arm and a leg. However, with the launch of the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Ti, and specifically the PNY XLR8 Gaming OC model, next-generation performance is attainable for everyone. You won’t be able to do 4K 60 fps gaming with this card, but it’s absolutely perfect for anyone still using a 1080p panel. At that resolution, you’ll have trouble running into any title that slows you down. There aren’t any RTX features here, but since there are only a few games that use them, that’s not really a dealbreaker. Read the full review: PNY GeForce GTX 1660 Ti XLR8 Gaming OC
AMD hasn’t put out a high end consumer graphics card since 2017’s Radeon Vega 64, and a lot has happened in the GPU world since – namely Nvidia Turing. And, with the Radeon VII, AMD wanted to reclaim a piece of the high-end graphics card market, and it certainly did, but maybe not in the way AMD intended. The AMD Radeon VII holds its own in gaming, but where it really shines is content creation. Packed with 16GB of HBM2 memory, the AMD Radeon VII is going to excel in creative applications, and will easily compete with much more expensive cards. Read the full review: AMD Radeon VII
If you’re trying to play the best VR games, you’re going to need the best graphics card for the job. And, these days, that’s going to be the Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080. Packed with the latest Turing architecture and the VirtualLink VR connector, you won’t have to worry about choppy VR performance making you sick. And, outside of VR, you should be able to play all your favorite PC games at 1440p and 4K without breaking a sweat. Read the full review: Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080
If you’re setting out to build a microATX or a mini-ITX gaming PC, you shouldn’t have to settle for a low-end GPU. You can find mini graphics cards like the Zotac GeForce GTX 1080 Ti Mini. And, sure it’s not the latest and greatest GPU out there anymore, but the 1080 Ti has a lot of life left in it. Plus, when you can get that power in a card that’s just 211 x 125 x 41mm, the loss in performance is totally worth the beautiful mini PC you’ll get.
These days, with all the expensive graphics cards, more budget-friendly products sometimes slip through the cracks. We think that’s a shame. The Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 deserves all the spotlights, delivering fantastic 1080p performance at a budget price. With the Gigabyte GeForce GTX 1660 OC 6G, you’re also getting a healthy factory overclock and all the outputs you’ll ever need, so you can play all your favorite games and have plenty of monitors attached. We’d call that a bargain, maybe the best we’ve ever had. Read the full review: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 1660 OC 6G
Any eSports player will tell you that high frame rates are far more important than beautifully rendered graphical details – and that’s where the Nvidia GTX 1050 Ti shines. In a time where graphics cards cost as much as rent, it’s an affordable, but potent GPU that can play most eSports games well above 60fps. It’s a bit pricier than the lower-end Nvidia GTX 1050, but you’ll appreciate the extra power behind this card to play future eSports titles, as well as the odd AAA title. Read the full review: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 Ti
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| Best gaming mouse pads 2019: the best mouse mats for gamers Posted: 14 Mar 2019 12:08 PM PDT If you would have asked us to find the best gaming mouse pads even a few years ago, we would have found a regular old mouse pad, one with as slick a surface as possible. These days, though, the best gaming mouse pads have changed entirely – some featuring wireless charging, RGB lighting and a multitude of different surfaces. The best gaming mouse pads have evolved to include the latest features gamers demand from all their peripherals. It should be obvious that having a good mouse pad is essential, but if you’re already playing the best PC games on the best gaming PC with the best gaming mouse, why would you settle for anything less than the best mouse pad? Spoilers: you wouldn’t. Yeah, there are hundreds of mouse pads on the market, but that means it’s hard to find the best one for your needs. Whether you want to light up your desk like a Christmas Tree, or if you want a slick pad for maximum accuracy and response times in your favorite eSports title, we’ve found the best gaming mouse pads you can use today.
Image Credit: Corsair The Corsair MM600 isn’t interested in distracting you with brightly colored lights like the MM800. Instead, it offers a great deal more versatility than its higher priced sibling. This double sided mouse pad stays secure in place with rubber stoppers on each corner so that your mouse moves – not your mouse pad. The MM600 is also made of aluminum, and features a low-friction surface that will boost your response times in-game.
Image Credit: SteelSeries Existing solely as a budget mousepad, the SteelSeries QcK does exactly what you want out of a mousepad and nothing more. The QcK’s surface material has a high thread count for extremely precise mouse control and a smooth glide. At the same time, its rubber base helps prevent it from sliding around your desk while you’re gaming. It comes in a variety of shapes and sizes and there’s even a higher end version with RGB lighting – the SteelSeries QcK Prism.
Image Credit: Cooler Master There are plenty of times when we’re looking at gaming mouse pads that we love in theory, but just aren’t the right size for our desk. Luckily, the Cooler Master MP510 looks to get ahead of this, by offering 4 different sizes, from a small pad that’ll fit in any area to a giant mouse pad that’ll take up your entire desk. It’s made of a durable Cordura fabric that won’t fray, stain or even absorb liquid. So you won’t have to panic when you inevitably spill your drink – except for all your other peripherals, we guess.
Image Credit: Razer Sure, everyone loves RGB lighting, but what if you’re looking for an unobtrusive, seamless desk surface? Well, the ultra thin – less than half a millimeter in height – Razer Sphex v2 is the mouse pad for you. Despite its thin profile, the polycarbonate surface is durable and optimised for laser or optical gaming mouse control. We picked the regular size, but if you have a smaller desk, there’s a Small size variant as well.
Image Credit: Roccat The top of the Hiro+ is covered in a vulcanized silicone surface with a 3D structure to help increase your gaming accuracy and speed. The base has a non-slip surface for steady mouse control, and the edges have been rounded for a smoother profile. Its surface is also coated to protect from water and grime, and makes for easy cleaning.
Image Credit: Corsair Most people think that the best gaming mouse pads are just glorified tablecloths that you move your mouse on top of. Well, until the Corsair MM1000 Qi hit the market, that was almost right. Not only is this thing one of the best gaming mouse pads, but it also features Qi charging. Launching alongside the Corsair Dark Core RGB SE, which itself features Qi compatibility, the MM1000 Qi isn’t just Corsair’s answer to the Logitech PowerPlay, it takes mouse pads to the next level.
Image Credit: Razer If you’ve had your eye on a RGB mouse-pad to match all of your tricked out peripherals, and you didn’t want to settle for a rigid piece of plastic, you’re in luck. The Razer Goliathus takes Razer’s expert RGB implementation and throws into a soft gaming mouse pad that will let you score those headshots in comfort and style.
Image Credit: Corsair You simply can’t go out looking for the best mouse mat for gaming in 2019 without considering RGB. All the hottest gaming peripherals right now boast about how they can light your desk up like a Christmas tree, and the Corsair MM800 RGB Polaris is no different. On top of Corsair’s always-fantastic RGB implementation, the MM800 uses a low-friction finish that’ll allow for quick and precise tracking across its surface. And if the lighting wasn’t enough, the MM800 uses Corsair’s special CUE2 interface to sync its lighting with your other peripherals and even your PC through RGB share. It’s even available in two materials: cloth and a micro-texture surface.
Image Credit: Asus The Asus ROG Scabbard is less mouse pad and more ‘everything pad’. It can hold your laptop or keyboard and mouse, and whatever other accessories you have lying around – it’s seriously huge. It has a non-slip ROG-red rubber base and low-friction Sheath woven surface for gaming control. Asus has even temperature tested the ROG scabbard down to -30°C – but why you’d game in sub-zero conditions is unimaginable, unless you really take overclocking that seriously.
Image Credit: MSI Are other mouse pads just too soft for your gaming setup? Well, if so, you’re in luck – the MSI Thunderstorm gaming mouse pad is all metal. To be precise, this gaming mouse pad is made of an anodized, hairline-surfaced aluminum material with rubber stoppers. This textured surface is optimized for mouse control and speed, while its L shape allows it to be situated close to the keyboard. And, if that metal surface is just too real for you, you can flip it over for a micro-textured surface and the comfort of cloth. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Best PC power supply 2019: top PSUs for your PC Posted: 14 Mar 2019 12:07 PM PDT Before you set out to build a new PC, you should find the best power supply for your build, as it really is critically important. They might not be as exciting as the best graphics card, but every PC component will rely on the power supply for, well, power. You don’t want to compromise on your power supply, even if it does mean you’ll have less cash for one of the best processors. Still, finding the best PC power supply doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg. Even if you’re trying to save some cash, you can find a great deal on many of the best PSUs. Don’t worry, there are still high-end power supplies, rocking all the RGB lighting you’d expect and enough power capacity to power a small village – or one of the best gaming PCs with two RTX 2080 Tis in SLI. No matter what you’re looking for, you’ll find the best power supply for your build right here. And, you’re going to want to find the best one. Having a PC power supply die on you is a terrible experience, and many of the symptoms of a dying power supply can slip by unnoticed. The worst silent killer could be as subtle as some lost power efficiency, leading to your PC to outright refuse to turn on one day. By the time you notice your PSU is starting to die, it may be too late. So, don’t wait until you have a power crisis, pick up one of the best PC power supplies today, so it doesn’t fail tomorrow.
Image Credit: Corsair The Corsair RM750x scores the top spot on this list for one simple reason: it’s the most well-rounded power supply you can buy today. On top of a 10 year warranty and an 80 Gold Plus efficiency rating, the Corsair has a fully modular cable system. This means you only need to install the cables you need – you can say goodbye to the mess of cables and shoddy airflow that non-modular PSUs endure.
Image Credit: EVGA If you’re looking for an affordable power supply that doesn’t suck, there aren’t a lot of options out there. In situations like this, an economical option like the EVGA 500 B1 might be right up your alley. For less than the cost of a AAA game, you can expect 500 watts of power transmitted through several SATA cables and two PCIe cables. This is one of the best power supplies because it covers the bare essentials and nothing more, which is exactly what a budget part should do. The three year warranty is just the cherry on top.
Image Credit: be quiet! Even the best PSUs seem to have extremely loud fans, and unlike case fans, it’s not exactly easy to replace them. Luckily, the Straight Power 10 line-up runs nice and quiet. Options range from 400w to 700w, and they’re SLI and Crossfire certified. They’re also modular, meaning you only need to use the cables that are necessary for your build.
Image Credit: SilverStone The best PC power supplies unfortunately tend to be giant hunks of metal that don’t fit into smaller PC cases. However, the Silverstone SFX SST SX550 is a compact power supply that fits in plenty of cases. It’s half the size of most of the other PSUs on this list, allowing for more room for better airflow. This makes it an easy pick for anyone building a mini ITX or micro ATX build, and you can even slide it into a mid- or full-tower, if you feel like it. And, with small form-factor PCs being all the rage in 2018 – it’s easy to see why the Silverstone SFX is one of the best PC power supplies.
Image Credit: Corsair If you’re a serious builder that plans on building an absolute behemoth of a rig, with multiple graphics cards, cooling systems on top of some healthy overclocking, the Corsair AX1500i is the best PC power supply for you. It has the highest possible 80 Plus Titanium efficiency rating, and is fully modular, so you only need to add the cables your build actually requires.
Image Credit: NZXT If you’re really trying to maximise the visual appeal of your build, a modular power supply is almost essential – you can avoid all of those messy looking wires cluttering up your case. The NZXT E650 takes things a step further. Not only is it a fully modular power supply, meaning you only need to connect the wires you actually need, but it’s also extremely attractive itself, begging to be shown off in your case. This is all topped off with an 80 Plus Gold efficiency rating and a 10-year warranty – not only will it look good, but it’ll deliver power efficiently and last forever while it does it.
Image Credit: Thermaltake In 2018, if your PC isn’t strapped to the nines with RGB lighting, you’re not trying hard enough. Enter the Thermaltake Smart RGB 700W – not only does it have beautiful, addressable RGB lighting, but it also features a reliable 80 Plus efficiency rating and enough power to support even the best gaming PCs. Yeah, it’s not modular, but at less than a hundred bucks, we’re willing to look the other way – especially with that sick lighting.
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| Best cloud storage of 2019 online: free, paid and business options Posted: 14 Mar 2019 11:42 AM PDT Businesses and consumers are increasingly reliant on cloud based storage solutions instead of in-house, on-premise local storage hardware. Your files are stored in the cloud, which is a simplified view of what is essentially someone else's infrastructure (data center, server, hard drive, connectivity etc). Ever since Amazon popularised storage online with S3 (Simple Storage Service), 13 years ago, Google data shows that interest for "Cloud Storage" alone has increased by 40x over the past decade. So much so that people less frequently refer to it as "online storage". Given the multitude of cloud storage providers out there, one has to wisely choose a provider who will offer the maximum amount of low-cost storage and bandwidth, while still keeping your data safe. This list represents our top picks for cloud storage: most offer a free tier allowing you to see if they're right for you before handing over any hard-earned cash. Business users will need to consider carefully what their needs are as terms and conditions as well as quality of service is likely to differ significantly from their consumer alterego. Go straight to your desired option through the jump links below
IDrive secures servers, desktop system and mobile devices with equal aplomb IDrive offers continuous syncing of your files, even those on network drives. The web interface supports sharing files by email, Facebook and Twitter. Cautious or click-happy users will be pleased to hear that files deleted from your computer are not automatically deleted from the server, so there's less danger of removing something important by accident. Up to 30 previous versions of all files backed to your account are retained. Another thing to note is that IT admins have access to IDrive Thin Client application, which allows them to backup/restore, manage settings, and more for all their connected computers via a centralized dashboard. For photos, you have a neat facial recognition feature that helps you to automatically organize them as well as syncing them across all your lined devices. IDrive also offers IDrive Express which sends you a physical hard disk drive if you lose all your data, allowing for the swift restoration of all your backed up files. That applies to the newly introduced disk image backup feature. A business version exists and offers priority support, single sign-on as well as unlimited users and server backup.
pCloud delivers an affordable Cloud storage facility with a selection of apps While some bandwidth limits apply, there seems to be no limit to the size of files you can upload, so feel free to sync large media files with pCloud. The service is available for all desktop and mobile platforms – users can also log in via the website. The company itself is registered in Switzerland which has strong privacy laws and you can also pay a premium of $4.99 a month for pCloud Crypto to lock (and unlock) individual files with passwords. Note that it is one of the very few cloud services that offer lifetime subscriptions. The latter come with 30 days trash history and unlimited remote upload traffic (you only need the URL of the file); you are - as expected - limited on the download link traffic: 500GB for the Premium package and 2TB for the Premium Plus package.
With an insanely generous free tier and a simple drag-and-drop interface, New Zealand-based Mega is one of the cloud storage heavyweights. There's a handy mobile app to allow you to upload files and photos, as well as sync clients with desktop machines. The company also has business tailored plans. Mega claims that all data stored in its cloud is encrypted on your device before it reaches the firm’s servers. As the company has released the source code to its sync client, experts can check that there are no vulnerabilities. Price: 50GB free. 200GB for $6 a month (£4.50, €4.99, around AU$7.50). 1TB for $12 a month (£9, €9.99, around AU$16). 4TB for $23 a month (£17, €19.99, around AU$30). 8TB for $35 a month (£26, €29.99, around AU$46).
OneDrive (formerly SkyDrive) is integrated into Windows 10's file explorer. You don't have to download an additional app – it's there to use out of the box, which is obviously very convenient for those who have made the jump to Microsoft’s newest operating system. Microsoft's Photos app can also use OneDrive to sync pictures across all your devices. There's an app for Android and iOS devices, and there's even one in the App Store for Mac users (although it has received mixed reviews). Price: 5GB free. 50GB for $3 a month (£1.99, around AU$4). 1TB for $8 a month (£5.99, around AU$11). 5TB for $11 a month (£7.99, around AU$14)
If you want to back up your iPhone to iCloud, you'll need more than the free 5GB allowance Apple gives you, but compared to rivals iCloud prices are very reasonable. The Mac Finder app integrates iCloud Drive, where you can store any files you wish. Documents created in the iWork office suite are also saved to iCloud and can sync across your devices. Windows users can also sync their files with iCloud Drive using the official client, and access the iWork apps on the iCloud website. Price: 5GB free. 50GB for $0.99 a month (£0.79, AU$1.49). 200GB for $2.99 (£2.24, AU$4). 2TB for $9.99 (£8, AU$13)
Google Drive is a natural choice for owners of Android devices as it's already integrated, but users of other platforms may appreciate the generous free storage too. You can also store high definition photos on your mobile phone with companion app Google Photos, and make use of Google's own office suite (now known as G Suite). Also, upgrading to paid Google Drive plans is now called Google One (although it might not yet be available, depending on the region). Downsides include the fact that the web interface isn't very easy-to-use, although Windows and Mac users can download a desktop app to drag-and-drop files easily. Price: 15GB free. 100GB for $1.99 a month (£1.59, around AU$2.50). 200GB for $2.99 a month (£2.35, around AU$4.10). 2TB for $9.99 a month (£8, around AU$13). 10TB for $99.99 a month (£74, around AU$130). 20TB for $199.99 a month (£148, around AU$260). 30TB for $299.99 a month (£236, around AU$426).
Box's website currently seems to be pushing its Business plans as clicking ‘sign up’ takes you to the pricing page where for $15 per user (£11, around AU$19) you can benefit from advanced collaboration options and unlimited storage. But there is a 10GB free option, too. As Box has been around for a while, it is supported by a number of mainstream apps such as Google Docs and Office 365. It's also integrated with G-Suite, which means Docs, Sheets and Slides are automatically saved and managed in Box. The Box Sync client is available from the Downloads page for Mac and Windows, plus there's also an official Android client. Price: 10GB free. 100GB for around $10 a month (£7.50, around AU$13)
NextCloud isn’t an online cloud storage provider itself, but offers free software to download and install a cloud storage service on your own server. Using a server on your home network for cloud storage is much faster. You can also enable encryption and make sure the information never leaves your home network, which is far safer. If you've no server or IT experience, you can even purchase a preconfigured NextCloud Box (if you can find one) which comes with a 1TB hard drive and will work with an inexpensive Raspberry Pi board to keep your data synced. Unfortunately, NextCloud Box is sold out but you can check out the alternatives on their website Price: Free to install and use. Self-hosting so storage costs vary.
SpiderOak is part of a new trend of zero knowledge cloud storage providers. The website claims that after installing the client your data is encrypted before syncing. Unfortunately since SpiderOak hasn’t made the client source code public, there's no way to confirm this. The SpiderOakOne client is available for Windows, Mac and Linux as well as Android and iOS (although, both Android and iOS are read-only apps, meaning you can only view files, and can't upload or sync anything). You can also log in via the web interface but privacy lovers may prefer not to as it exposes your password to SpiderOak employees. Price: 21-day free trial. 150GB for $6 a month (around £4.5, AU$8.25). 400GB for $11 a month (around £8.4, AU$15). 2TB for $14 a month (around £10.7, AU$19.25). 5TB for $29 a month (around £22.1, AU$39.9)
Best free cloud storage in 2019
Google Drive Free storage allowance: 15GB (expandable) If you're a Google user, you already benefit from Google Drive integration, such as the ability to save email attachments from Gmail. However, anyone can sign up for the free cloud storage, even if they don't have a Gmail address, by creating a new Google account. Google is also in a process of releasing Google One as a sort of substitution for Google Drive, although depending on your region it might not be available yet. With 15GB of space for new users, Google Drive is one of the more generous cloud offerings, and there are occasional ways to boost this capacity free of charge. The catch is that this Google storage space is also shared with a user’s other Google services including Gmail and Google Photos. Mobile apps are available to allow easy access for iOS and Android users, and Google’s Backup and Sync desktop app lets you synchronize files from your PC to the cloud. Google Drive also includes online office tools for word processing, spreadsheets and presentations which can makes sharing files with others effortless.
pCloud Free storage allowance: 10GB (expandable) You might not recognize the name, but if you're looking for a decent chunk of cloud storage free of charge, pCloud could be just the ticket. To kick things off, you're given a fairly generous 10GB to play with, and there's a bandwidth allowance of 50GB of downlink traffic per month. While we're primarily interested in the free version of pCloud, note that you can upgrade to 500GB of space for a monthly plan of $4.99 (£3.70), or 2TB for $9.99 (£7.50) a month – both of which are great deals for storage. You also have annual and lifetime plans, which are a cheaper option in the long run. The initial 10GB free offering can also be expanded up to 20GB via an additional 4GB for completion of offers, as well as referrals that add 1GB each. It’s also worth noting that pCloud offers well-designed desktop and mobile apps that supplement the website for seamless integration into a user’s workflow. With no limit on file sizes, and simple sharing options, pCloud is a great way to send large files to friends and colleagues – it's even possible to share with people who aren't using the service themselves. Add in decent streaming options and a neat online interface, and pCloud is well worth a look.
Microsoft OneDrive Free storage allowance: 5GB Coming from Microsoft – a company with plenty of money to throw at the cloud – it's a little disappointing to find that OneDrive doesn’t include more space free of charge. Free users get a mere 5GB of storage, although it's relatively inexpensive to increase this to 50GB. If you have Office 365, you'll automatically get boosted to 1TB of space, but not everyone wants an Office subscription. Like Google Drive's appeal to Google users, OneDrive will be a good fit for anyone who is committed to using Microsoft's services. There's neat integration with Outlook.com, for instance. OneDrive also ties in nicely with Windows 10, and there is a selection of reasonable mobile apps to facilitate access on the move. It's possible to share files with other people even if they aren't OneDrive users (complete with customizable permissions), and the ability to edit files online without downloading them is a welcome touch.
Dropbox Free storage allowance: 2GB (expandable) Dropbox is a stalwart of the free cloud storage world, with a web interface that remains streamlined and easy-to-use. Despite its popularity, Dropbox actually has one of the least generous free packages for new users (just 2GB), but there are various ways to boost this space without paying, including inviting friends to join (you get 500MB per referral up to 16GB), completing the Getting Started guide (250MB) and contributing to the Dropbox forum (which elicits 1GB per 'Mighty Answer' provided). DropBox really comes into its own when you start delving into the service’s extra features. There's a great collaborative working tool called Dropbox Paper that acts as a group workspace, and – if you install the desktop app – you can back up photos automatically. The File Requests feature also allows you to request another user to upload a file to your Dropbox account. There are desktop apps for Windows, Mac and Linux, and mobile apps including Android, iOS and even Kindle. This gives Dropbox broad appeal, as does the support for third-party apps and services. The web version of Dropbox lets you edit files without needing to download them, and really the only thing that counts against the cloud storage service is that most alternatives offer more space to free users.
MediaFire Free storage allowance: 10GB (expandable) MediaFire has been around for over a decade, and those years of experience really show. You're given 10GB of free space initially, but you can boost this by an extra 40GB through activities like referring friends and following MediaFire's social media accounts. Few people would disagree that 50GB of free cloud storage is impressive. Free accounts carry ads, but this is a small sacrifice to make. There's support for large files up to 4GB, and the sharing options are very impressive, even allowing sharing with non-users. The web-based interface is excellent too, and MediaFire offers mobile apps for convenient uploading and downloading on iOS and Android. These make it easy to access files you're storing in the cloud, and include convenient features such as automatic photo syncing.
Best business cloud storage
SpiderOak SpiderOak is a collaboration tool, online backup and file hosting service founded in 2007. The platform allows users to access, synchronize and share data using a cloud-based server. The company places a strong emphasis on data security and privacy. They offer a cloud storage, online backup and sharing service which they claim uses a ‘zero knowledge’ privacy environment. This means the client is the only one who can view all stored data. Not even SpiderOak themselves have access to your data. SpiderOak’s main focus is on privacy and security. As a result, the tool itself has a very basic design. This makes the admin console and all central device management very straightforward to use. They also include a handy drag and drop feature for organising files. From the centralized device management dashboard, users can access settings for all applications such as backup selection and sharing. The dashboard also allows users to manage their accounts, set group permissions and gain insight into usage. Prospective business clients will need to contact SpiderOak’s Sales Team directly to obtain a quote. 500 users minimum is required. Online commentators have observed that SpiderOak lacks many of the collaboration tools available from other cloud storage providers.
Tresorit Tresorit is a cloud storage provider based in Hungary and Switzerland. It was founded in 2011. The provider emphasizes enhanced security and data encryption for businesses and personal users alike. If you are concerned with ensuring that your stored data is kept safe online then Tresorit is the service for you. This provider allows you to keep control of your files through ‘zero-knowledge encryption’ meaning that only you and the chosen few you decide to share with can ever see your data. Your Tresorit account can also be secured by two-factor authentication login. Tresorit’s ‘Small Business’ Packages starts at $25 (£19.60) per month (or $20 monthly for the annual plan) for teams with 2-9 users. This includes 1000GB encrypted storage, secure access on up to 10 devices and synching of existing folder structure. Tresorit’s ‘Business’ plan begins at $30 (£23.30) per month (or $24 monthly for the annual plan) for businesses with over 10 users. This comes with extras such as digital rights management, remote wipe and phone support. At the time of writing there is a 50% discount on "Business plan", so you can pay as low as $12 (£9.4) per month The ‘Enterprise’ tier weighs in at $34 (£26.65) per month (or $27 monthly for the annual plan) for businesses with more than 100 users. Extras included in this are personalized staff training, admin API and on-premises deployment. In order to sign up for this plan, users need to contact Tresorit directly. All tiers come with a 14-day free trial. The extra security offered by Tresorit makes it relatively expensive compared to other cloud backup solutions. However most users will probably appreciate the greater piece of mind and extra features offered by Tresorit.
Egnyte Egnyte was founded in 2007. The company provides software for enterprise file synchronization and sharing. Egnyte allows businesses to store their data locally and online. All types of data can be stored in the cloud, whilst data of a more sensitive nature can be stored on servers on-premise. This makes for better security. Business teams can work how and where they want with an easy to use collaboration system through Egnyte’s content services platform. Egnyte integrates with popular industry applications such as Office 365 or Gmail. This allows both remote and internal employees to access all files with ease. Egnyte’s ‘Office’ plan starts at $8 (£6.21) per employee per month. This covers 5-25 employees, 5TB of storage and 10GB max file size. The ‘Business’ packages starts at $15 (£11.65) per employee per month. This includes 25-100 employees, 10TB online storage and 10GB max file size. In order to take advantage of their ‘Enterprise tier’, which includes over 100 employees, 25GB max file size and unlimited storage, you will need to contact Egnyte directly. Egnyte offer a 15-day free trial for all packages. Users have observed that some files, such as photos, can take a long time to load.
Dropbox Business Dropbox is one of the oldest cloud storage providers. It was founded in 2007. To date it is one of the simplest storage providers to use. Dropbox can be installed on most computers or devices and syncs easily between apps. The app can store almost any kind of file while never having any issues with compatibility. You can drag and drop files into the desktop app with ease. You can also share files with other users easily through links. These can be shared with users who don’t have a Dropbox account. As Dropbox has been around for a long time it integrates with most other apps such as MS Office and Slack. All files and folders can be shared with other users even if they are not part of your account. These users will be limited to their own plan's storage limits. Dropbox Business can be connected to your personal account so you can access all your files in once place. Personal account feature "automatic camera upload" is now also available to Business accounts, as of November 2018. The dashboard is simple and easy to use. From here, admins can see how many team members they have as well as any pending invites. You can restrict sharing, and allow/block commenting as you see fit. The dashboard allows you to access settings and to monitor usage. Dropbox offers a 30-day free trial which asks for your payment details. Your plan will automatically upgrade after the trial at which point your card is charged. The ‘Standard’ plan starts at $12.50 (£9.71) per user per month starting at 3 users and includes 3TB storage. The ‘Advanced’ package begins at $20 (£15.70) per user per month with unlimited storage. In order to subscribe to the ‘Enterprise’ tier, users will need to contact Dropbox directly. Some users have commented on the lack of online editing tools.
Box for Business Box is a cloud content management and file sharing service for businesses. It was founded in 2005. Box offers strong management capabilities and security features. The interface is made for ease of use and is simple to navigate. The dashboard allows access to settings, files and folders. Admins can manage all users, monitors activity and control sharing. As Box has been around for a while, it is supported by a number of mainstream apps such as Google Docs and Office 365. The Box Sync client is available from the Downloads page for Mac and Windows. There's also an official Android client. Box offers a 14-day free trial for all packages. Their ‘Starter’ plan is priced at $5 (£3.88) per user per month. This includes 100GB secure storage, 2GB file upload with a maximum of 10 users. The ‘Business’ plan starts at $15 (£11.80) per user per month which includes unlimited storage, 5GB file upload and no maximum number of users. The ‘Business Plus’ package is $25 (£19.60) per user per month and comes with unlimited storage, 5GB file upload and unlimited external collaborators. In order to subscribe to Box’s ‘Enterprise’ plan, users will have to contact them directly for a quote. If you choose to share files external users are limited to read-only access. Image Credit: Rawpixel / Shutterstock This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Best gaming laptops 2019: the 10 top gaming laptops we've reviewed Posted: 14 Mar 2019 11:34 AM PDT If you would have asked us to find the best gaming laptop a few years ago, we would have pointed you to something with an Intel Core i7 processor, dedicated graphics and 8GB of RAM. A lot has changed in the last few years, though, and the best gaming laptops come in every shape and size. Because it’s harder than ever to find the best gaming laptops, we’ve picked out a few of our favorite devices. And, while plenty of gaming laptops look like ordinary office devices, you shouldn’t ignore them. Thanks to Nvidia Turing Max-Q graphics for laptops, revealed at CES 2019, the best gaming laptops are stealthy – like the aptly named MSI GS65 Stealth. Don’t worry, though, there are still huge desktop replacement laptops like the MSI GT75 Titan if that’s more your style. So, whether you’re looking for a desktop replacement, packed with an RTX graphics card that can handle Metro Exodus and Anthem with all the bells and whistles, or if you want something thin and light so you can play games in the office, you’ll find something that fits your needs here. We’ve even found some budget models like the Dell G3. And, don’t worry, we’ve tested these gaming laptops ourselves, so you can be sure you’re getting your money’s worth.
These days, many gaming laptop manufacturers seem to be locked into a race to see who can craft the thinnest gaming laptop that doesn’t compromise on power. And, right now, the crown might have to go to the Asus ROG Zephyrus GX701. At just 0.7 inches thick, this monster of a laptop houses an Intel Coffee Lake Core i7 chip, Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q graphics and 16GB of RAM. That means you can crank any PC game under the sun to max settings, and take it with you wherever you go. And, of course, it’s packed with RGB lighting that’ll dazzle anyone that looks at it. Read the full review: Asus ROG Zephyrus S GX701
If you want to play some of the best PC games on the move, but you don’t want everyone to know you’re playing games, the MSI GS65 Stealth is the best gaming laptop for you. Coming in at just .69 inches thick and featuring impressive hardware like Intel Coffee Lake processors and Nvidia GeForce GTX 10-series – refreshed with RTX 20-series graphics at CES – the MSI GS65 Stealth packs a ton of power into a very svelte package. There’s nothing you won’t be able to throw at this thing that’ll slow it down. And, thanks to the subdued design, you’ll be able to bring this beefy rig everywhere you go, making it the best gaming laptop on the market right now. Read the full review: MSI GS65 Stealth
For a few years now, the Razer Blade has been among the best gaming laptops on the market, filled with powerful components, beautiful displays and an elegant chassis. That’s all true for the 2019 model, too, which now rocks up to an Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080. That is, frankly, a ton of power for a laptop this thin and light. Plus, even if that’s not enough GPU horsepower for you, you can use the Razer Core for future expansion. It’s an expensive device, but it might be worth it if style and power are equally as important to you. Read the full review: Razer Blade
Some gaming laptops just don’t pull any punches, enabling you to run any game you can imagine without breaking a sweat – and the MSI GT75 Titan is one of these laptops. It’s a titanic desktop replacement packing 6-core Intel Coffee Lake processors, plenty of RAM and powerful Nvidia Pascal graphics. You’re not going to be able to carry it around with you, and it’s not going to be something you’ll be caught with in a coffee shop, but if raw power is what you’re after, look no further. Just be ready to break open your piggy bank. Read the full review: MSI GT75 Titan
Thin and light gaming laptops are everywhere right now, but if you don’t care about that, and want a thick, heavy and monstrous laptop that can demolish any game you throw at it – the Asus ROG G703GI is for you. This is a massive – and expensive – laptop, but it justifies its size and price with gaming performance that rivals the best gaming PCs. Just don’t think you’ll be able to haul it along with you to your local coffee shop without its two power bricks – or awkward stares. Read the full review: Asus ROG G703GI
If you want one of the best gaming laptops, but don’t want to miss out on the ultra-portable craze, you need to consider the Dell XPS 15 2-in-1. Packed with an Intel Kaby Lake G-series processor, this gaming laptop can keep up with its competitors rocking a GTX 1050 without featuring truly discrete graphics. And, when you combine that gaming horsepower with a chassis that looks this good, it’s a total win – even if you have to endure some fan noise to get there. Read the full review: Dell XPS 15 2-in-1
It may not boast the most innovative design, substituting the usual black and red aesthetic for one that makes it feel like Halloween all year round (no complaints here). But, it’s undoubtedly one of the best when it comes to gaming in 1080p. In fact, we were able to crank the setting s all the way up in Overwatch without ever straying below 60fps. It doesn’t feature the longest battery life, but the screen, power and onboard sound system more than make up for it. Read the full review: Asus ROG Strix GL502
When you’re setting out to buy one of the best gaming laptops, one of the first things you’ll likely notice is how expensive they can get. Luckily, the Dell G3 15 is not just extremely affordable, but it punches above its weight class with great 1080p gaming performance. With up to an Nvidia GTX 1060 GPU, you’ll be able to play all the latest games at 1080p without breaking a sweat, even if it’s not at max settings all the time. And, that blue on black color combo is quite a looker, if that’s your aesthetic. Read the full review: Dell G3 15
It used to be that the best gaming laptops were thick, bulky devices that were necessary to experience the best PC games on the move. Those days are over. The Gigabyte Aero 15 packs a 6-core 8th-generation Intel Core i7 processor and a GTX 1060 into a package that allows it to pass as an Ultrabook. And, thanks to that beefy 6-core processor, it’s not just one of the best gaming laptops – it’s one of the best laptops, period. Read the full review: Gigabyte Aero 15
Ever since Intel unveiled its i9-8950HK, we just knew that it would find its way behind the best gaming laptops 2018 had to offer, and we’ve been proven right heading into 2019. The Alienware 17 R5 is a beast of a gaming laptop with the aforementioned CPU and an overclocked GTX 1080. If you’re willing to get an absolute tank of a laptop that weighs nearly 10 pounds, this hulking computer will demolish any and all games you throw at it. Just don’t expect to throw it in a bag without some severe back pain. Read the full review: Alienware 17 R5
Gabe Carey and Bill Thomas have also contributed to this article
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| Best CPU cooler 2019: top CPU coolers for your PC Posted: 14 Mar 2019 11:32 AM PDT What’s cooler than being cool? That’s right, keeping your PC components ice cold. And, before you go out to find more exciting components like the best graphics cards, you should seriously consider picking out the best CPU cooler, in order to build the best gaming PC you can. After all, keeping your CPU at a low temperature will increase your computer’s longevity – and performance. The best CPU coolers will come in every shape and size these days, and the right one for you will depend on what you’re trying to do and what kind of processor you’re using. Luckily, you don’t have to break open the piggy bank – many of the best air coolers are extremely affordable. And, there are still plenty of elaborate liquid cooling systems out there if you’re looking to splurge. Don’t worry, we’ll help you find the best CPU cooler, no matter what type you need. We’ve gathered up some of the best CPU coolers you can buy today. And, because we’ve handpicked every single cooler on this list, you can be confident that you’re getting your money’s worth. Plus, with our exclusive price comparison tool, you’ll know you’re getting a killer deal every time.
Image Credit: Noctua The Noctua NH-D15 is the best CPU cooler you can buy in 2019 simply because it performs just as well as – if not better than some liquid coolers, while costing a fraction of the price. Now, you might not be too familiar with Noctua’s name, as they’re relatively small in the CPU cooler world, but its business is centered around designing coolers, so you know that when you buy one of their products, you’re getting a product by people who really know their craft. Not only will you get fantastic cooling performance from the NH-D15, but it’s nearly silent too.
Image Credit: Cooler Master There are some products out there that never really age out of relevance, and the Cooler Master Hyper 212 Evo is still one of the best CPU coolers on the market. Even though it only features four heat pipes and an aluminum fin structure, this legendary CPU cooler has proven again and again to be just as efficient as any liquid cooling system. This air cooler is designed to make heat dissipation a breeze – literally – whether you’re playing Metro Exodus at max settings or browsing Twitter.
Image Credit: Noctua Noctua is an Austrian manufacturer that does one thing, and one thing only: make CPU coolers and fans. What this means is that while the Noctua NH-L9 is tiny, it is still capable of insane cooling with no compromises. This is a fantastic cooler for anyone with a smaller build, or even if you’re using a ton of large components, and you’re not comfortable with liquid cooling.
Image Credit: Corsair Corsair has enjoyed a position at the top of the liquid cooling game for a while now, and the H100i Pro continues the trend. Not only is this thing obviously strapped in RGB lighting, but it also features impressive cooling performance, thanks to Corsair’s unique and powerful fans, which you can control through the iCue software. This all results in a CPU cooler that not only performs well, but that is also completely customizable.
Image Credit: Deepcool If you’re looking for a powerful liquid cooler that’ll help contribute to your epic RGB setup, the Deepcool Gamerstorm Castle 240 RGB is the best CPU cooler for you. Beyond the ridiculous name, it’s a reliable AIO cooler that can push your overclocks higher and higher with addressable RGB that’s compatible with a wide range of controllers – so you can effortlessly sync your lighting. The CPU Block stands a little high, but when it looks this good, does it really matter?
Image Credit: NZXT If you’re running one of the best processors, and you want to push it to the limit, the NZXT Kraken X72 is the best CPU cooler for overclocking. Not only does it pack a gigantic radiator, but its high fan speeds ensure that cooling performance is top-notch all the time. And, because it’s 2019, it features addressable RGB and an infinite mirror design that looks amazing in any case. Then, to top it all off, the NZXT Kraken X72 is backed by a 6 year warranty.
Image Credit: Cooler Master There isn’t a single component that can’t be improved through RGB, and Cooler Master is well aware – jumping on the RGB bandwagon with the MasterLIquid ML 120R RGB. What’s more, it integrates some of the first addressable LEDs seen on a liquid cooler. This all-in-one liquid cooling solution isn’t just about aesthetics – it features an oxidation free pump and an efficient radiator. This means that not only will it last longer – but it’ll keep your CPU cooler, and all without giving up too much case real estate.
Image Credit: Arctic For less than 70 big ones in both US dollars and British sterling, the Arctic Liquid Freezer 120 is a deal you can’t pass up if you’re on the prowl for a liquid cooler that won’t break the bank. While it lacks the bells and whistles of pricier, more extravagant liquid coolers, like the NZXT Kraken, the Arctic Liquid cooler is enough to get you by, not to mention it’s still a massive step up from the classic fan and heatsink pairing. So, while you can’t expect RGB lighting or software – or even hardware-based fan control, the 120mm variant of the Arctic Liquid Freezer will keep your system refrigerated at a (mostly) quiet volume.
Image Credit: Corsair Even if your budget will allow you to really go all-out on a serious liquid cooling solutions, if you have a smaller PC case, you’ll likely not have enough space. That’s where something like the Corsair Hydro H5 SF comes into play. Even on the smallest PC cases, you should able to use this CPU cooler to keep your CPU chilled, even if you have some beastly overclocks going on. And, because it’s a closed loop, you don’t even need to worry about maintenance. Set it up, and let it do its thing – you won’t be disappointed.
Image Credit: NoFan Unless you’re already neck deep in the rabbit hole that is silent PC assembly, you’ve probably never heard of NoFan, a South Korean component company that specializes in helping enthusiasts reach that 0dBA silent sweet spot. In doing so, of course, you can count on severely limiting yourself in terms of power, with its CR-95C fanless solution being limited in compatibility to processors whose TDP fall below 95W. Still, the NoFan CR-95C is worth a shot for those sporting low-power rigs that prioritize tranquility over raw horsepower.
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| The best PC case 2019: top cases for your desktop computer Posted: 14 Mar 2019 11:28 AM PDT If you’re looking to build the best PC you can, it’s tempting to focus on the best graphics cards, processors, RAM and SSDs. But, which PC case do you go with? Do you save some cash, and get the cheapest metal box you can find? Or, do you pick up the best PC case you can find, so your components are kept cool – both in temperature and style? We might be biased, but we’d go with the latter. You won’t just get a more aesthetic experience, but your PC will last longer, too. The best PC cases may sound minor next to something ‘important’ like a processor or a beefy Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Ti. However, because heat is the mortal enemy of all PC components, having a reliable PC case that can optimize airflow is critically important to the lifespan of your PC. And, the best PC cases will determine how much room you have for future expansion. So, if you want to keep your PC running cool and up-to-date, you’ll want one of the best PC cases. However, the sheer variety of PC cases out there is absolutely bonkers – but you don’t need to worry if you’re trying to keep things affordable. There are a ton of deals out there for the best PC cases. So, if you don’t know what case you’re going to build in yet, read on to find the best PC cases you can buy today.
Image Credit: Corsair There’s a popular phrase out there: if you’re going to do it, do it big. We’re not totally sure if anyone ever actually said that, but the Corsair Obsidian 1000D would certainly qualify as ‘doing it big’. Packed front to back with 18 fan mounts and room for four 480mm radiators, this is the best PC case for keeping your system cool no matter how many high-end components you have. What’s more, this is a dual-system case, so you can build two separate computers here. Just think about it – you can fit both your gaming rig and your streaming PC into this single case.
Image Credit: Fractal Design It is extremely rare to see any PC case that even vaguely resembles the Fractal Design Meshify-C. Given that the front of the case is entirely made of a mesh material sectioned off into an array of polygonal shapes, the Meshify-C has a unique style – without compromising on function. With two fans pre-installed, cooling is (forgive us) a breeze, even if the Meshify-C is held back by a number of obstacles.
Image Credit: Nanoxia Nanoxia Deep Silence 4, as it’s name suggests, was crafted with the sole purpose of being quiet as a mouse. This silence-focused case is a well-balanced Micro ATX case that’s affordably priced and even accommodates some of the biggest, most powerful graphics cards with its spacious interior. The fact that you’ll rarely hear it go above 30 decibels is just icing on the very taciturn cake.
Image Credit: NZXT Every single day mini-ITX gets more popular, and closer to toppling Micro ATX. And, it makes sense – why not spring for a small computer that can get just as much work done as a full tower? NZXT’s new H-series case line manages to integrate a ton of the same features as its Micro ATX and mid-tower equivalents, with mesmerizing, built-in and smart device-controlled RGB lighting and an adaptive noise sensor that sees improvement only by way of the Grid+ V3 fan controller.
Image Credit: Phanteks When you first look at the Phanteks Evolv Shift X, it looks more like a sound bar than one of the best PC cases, but this helps it vanish into any living area or studio setup. It’s flexible to the point that it looks natural placed under a TV as it does on a desk, next to one of the best gaming monitors. It may only be compatible with a Mini-ITX motherboard, but the Phanteks Evolv Shift X offers tons of space for components and liquid cooling loops. If this case is a little large for your preference, you can get the smaller Phanteks Evolv Shift for easier management.
Image Credit: Fractal Design Fractal Design wins again with the Define R5, yet another mid-tower case with a gorgeous aesthetic. The metallic and blue LED-lit face of this case is simple, yet elegant, and is accompanied by noise dampening materials throughout its interior. In spite of the detachable ModuVent panels and drive trays not being toolessly accessible, it’s incredibly easy to build a system inside of the Fractal Design Define R5, plus it’s not as expense as you’d expect from a PC case with such a pretentious name, either.
Image Credit: Cooler Master Cooler Master is kind of known for, well, cooling things – and the Cooler Master H500P Mesh is evidence of how it got there. This beautiful RGB-packed case has plenty of room for airflow, even accommodating up to 360mm radiators on the top and front for when you really want to take your cooling to the next level. Add on top of that the RGB lighting and tempered glass side panel and you have the potential to build something beautiful with this case. Go for it.
Image Credit: Corsair If you’re looking to save a few bucks, while still getting one of the best PC cases, look no further than the Corsair Carbide Series SPEC-04 Tempered Glass. Not only does it have plenty of space for airflow, it also has a deceptively large amount of space for future expansion, meaning that even at this low price point, you won’t have to worry about fitting a full-sized graphics card. And, when you’re done building, the tempered glass side panel will allow you to show off your handiwork.
Image Credit: Antec If you’re a hardcore Razer fan, this is the best PC case for you. While Razer’s PC manufacturing has been limited to its Blade laptops, it doesn’t manufacture its own desktop PCs – not yet, at least. However, Razer has partnered with Antec to add its signature green-infused flare to the Antec Cube, a small form-factor chassis that supports Mini-ITX motherboards and is, well, a cube. Complete with a deceptively high amount of space for future expansion, the Antec Cube is also compact enough to travel with.
Image Credit: Phantex Who says dual-system builds have to be in a hulking full-tower case? The Phanteks Evolv X takes dual-system compatibility and squeezes it into a mid-tower. Even with that second Mini-ITX motherboard installed, there’s plenty of room for E-ATX motherboards and power supplies, and ample cooling. It is pricey for a mid-tower case, but with all this functionality, it kind of has to be. It’s thanks to all of these high-end features that the Phanteks Evolv X is one of the best PC cases around today.
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| Nvidia Turing release date, news and features Posted: 14 Mar 2019 11:26 AM PDT The wait for Nvidia’s next-generation Turing graphics cards was excruciating but, finally, the latest and greatest GPU architecture is here. It was a long wait, but the sheer power of Nvidia Turing was definitely worth it. Now that we finally have Turing-powered Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Ti, RTX 2080, RTX 2070 and RTX 2060 cards in our hands, we know they’re the best graphics cards for the games we’ll be playing for the next few years. Nvidia Turing will be behind some creative work too, thanks to the recently introduced Nvidia Titan RTX. Real time ray tracing is the game changing technology this time around, bringing this long-awaited graphics technology to the mainstream with Nvidia Turing. This could bring about a graphical revolution in the way the best PC games are rendered. And, judging by recent games like Metro Exodus, that revolution has arrived. Of course, if you want to keep RTX off, Nvidia has launched the GeForce GTX 1660 Ti and the GeForce GTX 1660. They’re not quite as powerful as their ray tracingcousins, but they’re significantly more affordable. Plus, it looks like Nvidia is planning on releasing more affordable GPUs. We’ve seen some leaks that shed light on the GTX 1650. We’ve seen some leaks of new laptop GPUs, too. Be sure to keep this page bookmarked, as we’ll update it with any new Nvidia Turing information or rumors we find. Cut to the chase
Image Credit: Nvidia Nvidia Turing release dateAll of the currently-announced Nvidia Turing GPUs are now out in the wild – the RTX 2080 Ti, 2080, 2070, 2060, GTX 1660 Ti and GTX 1660. Thankfully, the RTX-series cards are readily available now after some initial limited availability, and you’ll likely find more than a few models on sale everyday. And, at CES 2019, we didn’t just finally get an RTX 2060 announcement, but also over 40 gaming laptops sporting the mobile version of Nvidia RTX graphics. The best gaming laptops of CES 2019, like the Alienware Area 51m, were all packing the latest Nvidia Turing graphics, and they’ve started hitting the market almost immediately in early- to mid-January 2019. And, if you were looking for a graphics card that you won’t have to take out a personal loan to afford, the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Ti arrived on February 22nd. The Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 quickly followed after with its own March 14th release date, Nvidia isn’t showing any signs of slowing down anytime soon, as rumors also suggest that the GeForce GTX 1650 will release on April 30. We’ve also seen some leaks suggesting that Nvidia Turing GTX graphics will start showing up in less prohibitively expensive laptops. An Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 showed up in a rogue 3DMark entry. And, earlier that same week, another new Nvidia GPU popped up in Notebook Check’s database, and this GPU is suspected to be the mobile version of the GTX 1660 Ti for desktops.
Image Credit: TechRadar Nvidia Turing priceAlthough the Nvidia Turing series started with the Quadro RTX GPUs, we're far more interested in the graphics cards available for consumers. If you wanted to check out these enterprise-leaning parts head on here, otherwise read on for the prices of the announced consumer cards below:
Overall, the prices for Nvidia's newest graphics cards seem to have risen with the Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Ti taking the place of Nvidia’s past Titan cards. This shift up can sadly be seen across the entire lineup. Not to mention that the prices on the store for the RTX 2080 Ti and RTX 2080 were a bit higher than what Nvidia CEO and founder Jensen Huang revealed at the Nvidia Geforce Celebration at Gamescom 2018 – at the time of writing. For instance, the 2080 Ti was initially revealed at $999, but that price is rarely reflected outside of some occasional discounts. Then there’s the GTX Turing cards. Right now, there’s only one on the market, the $279 (£259, AU$469) GTX 1660 Ti. However, there are rumors of two more affordable Turing cards launching later this year. And, while there are some rumored prices for these cards, they haven’t been confirmed, so you should take them with a grain of salt.
Image Credit: TechRadar Nvidia Turing specsThe headline feature of Nvidia Turing is the inclusion of ray-tracing tech that can render more realistic visuals and lighting in real time without having to fall back on programming tricks. These specialized RTX cores essentially calculate how light and sound travel in a 3D environment at a rate of up to 10 GigaRays on the RTX 2080 Ti. These specialized cores will also supposedly allow Nvidia Turing-based graphics cards to process ray tracing up to 25 times faster than Pascal. When these RTX Cores aren’t in use for processing ray tracing, they’ll essentially switch off, ceasing to draw any power. In addition to these RTX cores, the Turing Architecture will also feature Tensor Cores, like the ones found in Volta. These specialized cores enable artificial intelligence and neural networking so that Turing cards get better at rendering over time – something previously exclusive to supercomputers. With the ability to deliver 500 trillion Tensor operations a second, this technology accelerates deep learning training and inferencing. This will allow Nvidia to offer Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS), which could be a version of super sampling that won’t bring your computer to its knees. Even for games that don’t support this new DLSS tech, these AI-fueled cores should deliver traditional anti-aliasing much more efficiently – up to eight times. As with Volta, Nvidia Turing is adopting GDDR6 memory – up to 11GB in the RTX 2080 Ti, which can clock in at up to 14Gbps, quite the leap over the Pascal-powered Nvidia Titan Xp that clocked in at 11.4Gbps. The Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Ti is an absolute behemoth of a GPU. With 4,352 CUDA cores, 11GB of GDDR6 VRAM with a 352-bit memory bus and 18 billion transistors, it’ll be capable of 4K Ultra gaming at high refresh rates for years to come. It’s no wonder it comes with such a high price tag. The more mainstream RTX 2080 and RTX 2070 are both also quite impressive and absolutely destroy the previous generation of GPUs. The former will feature 2,944 CUDA cores, 8GB of GDDR6 memory and clocks in at a 1.5GHz base frequency. The 2070, though is be a bit weaker, coming with 2,304 CUDA cores 8GB of GDDR6 VRAM and clocked at a 1,410Mhz base frequency. And, while the RTX 2060 is basically just a cut-down RTX 2070, with the same TU106 GPU, but with 1,920 CUDA cores, 6GB of GDDR6 VRAM and a boost clock of 1,680 MHz, it’s still a formidable graphics card. Nvidia has also launched a non-RTX card in the GTX 1660 Ti. This entry-level card features 1,536 CUDA cores, 6GB of GDDR6 VRAM at 12Gbps, and a base clock of 1,500 MHz. It’s slower than the RTX 2060, but it’s a substantial upgrade over the GTX 1060 it replaces. Team Green’s second non-RTX GPU, the GTX 1660 features 1,480 CUDA cores, 6GB of GDDR5 video memory and a reference boost clock of 1,785MHz. It might not sound mighty on paper, but between its low price and fantastic 1080p gaming performance, it’s currently the absolutely best entry-level graphics card you can buy. There are rumors that we’ll see more Turing budget cards, namely the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650. We don’t know what kind of power this cards will pack, at least not for sure. But, word on the street is that the GTX 1650 will pack GDDR5 memory on a 128-bit memory bus, but beyond that who knows what it can do.
Now, we have seen some rumors of a GTX 1650, too, but we’re not sure what the specs are going to look like. Nvidia Turing PerformanceAnd, as long as you have the high-end specs to back them up, the new Turing RTX cards are able to perform much faster than their Pascal equivalents, and will be able to push it even further once DLSS or deep learning super sampling is more widespread. And, thanks to the AA improvements in the Tensor cores, we’re seeing about a 20-40% increase in games that don't support DLSS. In our benchmarks, the GeForce RTX 2080 outperforms the GeForce GTX 1080 Ti by about 11% and the Nvidia GTX 1080 by a more impressive 32% in Middle Earth: Shadow of War in 4K. This performance difference is even more massive when you look at the Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Ti which not only is 20% faster than the RTX 2080 in the same title, but beats out the last-generation 1080 Ti by a massive 30%, destroying the GTX 1080 with a 45% performance delta. Unfortunately, the Nvidia RTX 2070 is less impressive. While it does absolutely wipe the floor with the GTX 1070, it is essentially neck in neck with the GTX 1080 – barely hitting a 10% performance increase at 4K in Shadow of the Tomb Raider. At its price point we were hoping for more, especially after seeing the RTX 2080 and RTX 2080 Ti’s impressive performances. The RTX 2060 is obviously the weakest of the bunch, but you shouldn’t dismiss it outright. The mid-range Nvidia Turing card far outclasses the GTX 1060, but what’s more surprising is that it surpasses the GTX 1070 Ti – for a lower asking price. We were able to get 90 fps in Shadow of the Tomb Raider at 1080p, whereas the 1070 Ti lagged behind at 86 fps. That’s not a huge difference, but the 2060 is $100 cheaper at launch. In traditional games, there’s no question that Nvidia Turing marks a total upgrade from Pascal. And, over time as drivers mature and users get ready to start overclocking their Turing cards, the difference is only going to grow. That’s not to mention the inclusion of incoming DLSS and ray tracing in games, which should only increase the Nvidia Turing performance gap. When it comes to ray tracing, there’s only one title that supports it right now: Battlefield V. And, in that title, the Nvidia Turing cards use a hybrid rendering technique – combining both traditional rasterization and ray tracing in order to produce playable frame rates. Nvidia utilizes “Bounding Volume Hierarchy,” or BVH to track large portions of the scene being rendered for whether or not a ray is being bounced. The RTX cores will then dig deeper into these large rendering zones until it finds the polygon that’s getting hit by the light ray. This method impacts performance far less than tracking each ray live, but it’s still very demanding. In our own testing, you’ll be stuck at 1080p if you’re looking for smooth gameplay with ray tracing turned on. However, with Nvidia’s latest RTX drivers, it’s claiming to increase performance by up to 50% for ray tracing. We’ll be sure to test this and report back, but we have to wait for the new Battlefield V patch to do it. As for the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Ti, you can expect much better performance than the GTX 1060 for less money – up to 56% faster in Shadow of the Tomb Raider at 1080p in our testing. That makes the 1660 Ti a beast when it comes to value.
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| Google adds DuckDuckGo as search option Posted: 14 Mar 2019 11:06 AM PDT Google has expanded the list of default search engines in a recent update to the chromium engine, which powers its popular Chrome browser, to give users more choice when deciding how they wish to search. The search giant has expanded its search engine lists to include more privacy-focused search engines such as DuckDuckGo in over 60 global markets. The changes are part of the Chromium 73 stable release and could help Google counter backlash over rising privacy and antitrust scrutiny from government agencies.
A number of governments have begun to question how the company and other tech giants make it difficult for smaller businesses to compete and by adding rival search products to its browser, Google is showing its willingness to foster competition in the space. Privacy-focused search enginesWhile Google has added support for a number of new search engines, DuckDuckGo is likely the most popular new addition as the privacy-focused search engine has gained a great deal of traction in recent months as users have begun to value their privacy more. Additionally, the French search engine Qwant has been added as a new option but only in its home country. According to a note about the changes to chromium's default search engine lists on GitHub, Google software engineer Orin Jaworksi explained that the list was updated as a result of “recently collected data” and “new usage statistics”. By giving users more choices over which search engine they use, Google is protecting itself from increased regulation while simultaneously helping to advocate for improved privacy. Via TechCrunch
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| Best Asus laptops 2019: the top Asus laptops we've tested Posted: 14 Mar 2019 11:03 AM PDT Welcome to our pick of the best Asus laptops in 2019. Asus is one of the most well known and respected laptop makers in the world. The Taiwanese company has been releasing a steady stream of brilliant laptops (as well as PCs, components and smartphones) for many years now. From budget Asus laptops and Chromebooks, to gaming powerhouses and ultra-thin premium notebooks, the best Asus laptops cover a wide range of budgets and use cases. So, in this guide we've gathered together the best Asus laptops money can buy in 2019. If you're looking for an Asus laptop, then we have a recommendation.
Image credit: TechRadar If you're looking for the very best all-round Asus laptop, then the Asus ZenBook 3 is the one to get. This is an exceptionally light Asus laptop, measuring less than half an inch thick, and weighing only two pounds. Asus's ZenBook range of ultra-thin laptops have shown the world how you can make gorgeously-designed thin and light laptops, while still packing them with powerful components. It's a pricey laptop, but if you're after the very best of what Asus has to offer, the ZenBook 3 is a fantastic choice. Read the full review: Asus ZenBook 3
Image credit: TechRadar Asus has struck gold with its new refresh of its ZenBook Flip S 2-in-1 laptop, with the Asus ZenBook Flip S UX370. Asus has shown its competitors how you can make a truly impressive 2-in-1 laptop that doesn't feel like a compromise in any way. Not only is the Asus ZenBook Flip S UX370 one of the best, if not the best, convertible laptops money can buy right now, it's one of the best Asus laptops in general. Asus has packed this laptop with a new Kaby Lake R 8th-generation processor, plenty of RAM and a super-fast PCIe SSD in certain models. Plus, its 2-in-1 design means you can use it as both a laptop and a tablet. Read the full review: Asus ZenBook Flip S UX370
Image credit: TechRadar The Asus ROG Zephyrus S GX701 is not only the best Asus gaming laptop in the world right now, but it's the best gaming laptop of 2019 – period. This is because Asus has packed in a 6-core Intel processor, and the latest RTX 2080 graphics from Nvidia. However, not only does this make it one of the most powerful gaming laptops ever made, Asus has also managed to keep the Asus ROG Zephyrus S GX701 impressively thin and light. Most gaming laptops are big chunky affairs due to their high power components, but Asus has pulled off some brilliant design magic to make the ROG Zephyrus S GX701 not much thicker or heavier than many standard laptops. It's incredibly expensive, though, but for the price you're getting an amazing machine, and one of the best Asus laptops ever made. Read the full review: Asus ROG Zephyrus S GX701
Image credit: TechRadar The best Asus laptops aren't just premium all-singing, all-dancing devices with huge price tags, as the excellent Asus Chromebook Flip C302 demonstrates. The Asus Chromebook Flip C302 brings a lot of what we love about Asus laptops to an affordable Chromebook that's ideal for day-to-day tasks and for students working on their homework. That means it's got excellent build quality, a fantastic design and packs some great hardware that makes it one of the best Chromebooks on sale in 2019, with an Intel Core processor, full 1080p display, touchscreen, backlit keyboard and USB-C port. Read the full review: Asus Chromebook Flip
Image credit: TechRadar As we mentioned earlier in this buying guide to the best Asus laptops of 2019, Asus's ZenBook range are flagship laptops that offer plenty of power and thin and light designs. While many of them are expensive, it doesn't mean you have to spend a fortune on a great Asus ZenBook, which is why we've included the Asus ZenBook UX310 in this list of the best Asus laptops. With still-good 7th-generation Intel Kaby Lake processors, a 178-degree viewing-angle QHD+ display, a USB-C port and an aluminum build, it’s still one of the best Ultrabooks out there, even after all this time. Read the full review: Asus ZenBook UX310
Image credit: TechRadar While the Asus ROG Zephyrus S GX701 earlier on in this list is undoubtedly the best gaming laptop Asus has ever made, its high price means it just won't be for everyone. The good news is that there are a number of great Asus gaming laptops that are more affordable. The Asus ROG Strix GL502 is a great example that offers excellent performance at 1080p. Read the full review: Asus ROG Strix GL502
Image credit: TechRadar One of the best things about Asus laptops is that there are premium laptops and powerful gaming devices, but Asus also does some brilliant budget and affordable laptops as well. The Asus VivoBook S15 is in our view the best budget Asus laptop that runs Windows 10. It comes with decent specs, including an Intel Core i7 processor, considering the price. Meanwhile, its 15-inch screen offers full 1080p for enjoying movies and TV shows on, and its a decent productivity tool as well. Read the hands on review: Asus VivoBook S15
Image Credit: TechRadar If you're after a budget Asus laptop that can double as a tablet, then the Asus Transformer Mini is perfect. This tablet brings plenty of power and ports to the table – not to mention a fingerprint sensor, stylus and keyboard cover – all in the box. This is all topped off with a whopping 11 hours of battery life. Because of its cheap price and robust design, this is a brilliant Asus laptop for children and students, as it can be easily thrown in a bag and carried around without worry. Read the full review: Asus Transformer Mini T102HA
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| LG UltraGear makes shopping for G-Sync compatible monitors easy Posted: 14 Mar 2019 10:53 AM PDT Shopping for a new computer monitor can be tough at times. Not only is it worth considering things like the size and resolution of the monitor, but you should also consider the tech it has under the hood -- like whether or not it supports NVIDIA’s G-Sync. NVIDIA recently announced a driver that ensures that monitors with FreeSync work with NVIDIA graphics cards -- but there’s an issue. Not all FreeSync monitors work all that well with G-Sync, meaning that shopping for a monitor can be even more complicated. Thankfully, however, there’s a way to avoid all the complications when it comes to buying a G-Sync compatible monitor: buy one from LG. LG has been testing its UltraGear FreeSync monitors to ensure compatibility with G-Sync, and with some pretty great results. Safe to say, with an LG UltraGear FreeSync monitor, you should get a high level of performance and smooth gameplay without having to worry too much about compatibility issues. For the uninitiated, G-Sync is essentially aimed at offering a smooth gaming experience while boasting refresh rates of up to a whopping 240Hz. Put more technically, when you run powerful games on your computer, sometimes your monitor and graphics card can get out of sync -- resulting in artifacts known as “tears.” G-Sync, however, ensures that those tears don’t happen in the first place. There are other ways to ensure your graphics card and monitor remain in sync -- but they’re not nearly as reliable. For example, you could use V-Sync, which essentially means your graphics card will send frames to your monitor at the monitor’s refresh rate, but that can introduce another artifact, called “stuttering” to your gameplay. In other words, G-Sync is really the best way to ensure gameplay as smooth as possible.
As mentioned, LG isn’t just telling people that its UltraGear FreeSync monitors support G-Sync -- it also provided us with some concrete evidence. The company put a range of its FreeSync monitors to the test using graphics cards like the GeForce GTX 1060, GeForce GTX 1080 Ti, GeForce RTX 2080 and even the new GeForce RTX 2080 Ti. With those graphics cards, LG tested some of its most popular monitor models in its UltraGear series. LG tested the combinations of graphics cards and monitors with the game Monster Hunter: World, and found that in every scenario the monitors were able to reduce things like screen tearing and other artifacts. What that means is that you’ll still get benefits of G-Sync when using LG’s FreeSync monitors. As mentioned, a range of different monitors were tested, proving that the compatibility isn’t a one time thing. For example, there’s the LG 27GK750F, which has a 27-inch display and FHD resolution, as well as the 24GL600F, which has a 24-inch display and also FHD resolution. The company also tested the 32GK850F and 32GK650F which have 32 inch displays with QHD resolution and the 34GK950F which has 34-inch UltraWide QHD display also has been tested.
G-Sync compatibility doesn’t mean sacrificing things like frame rate either. In testing, monitors reached frame rates of up to 59 frames with the midrange GeForce GTX 1060, and up to a massive 130 frames with the more expensive GeForce RTX 2080. On the RTX 2080 Ti, monitors achieved refresh rates of up to 173Hz. Those rates are more than adequate for high-performance gaming, and should make for a smooth experience all-around. Ultimately, it’s nice to see that LG has taken the initiative to ensure that its UltraGear FreeSync monitors work with G-Sync, while other companies will likely be a little more hit and miss. You can check out LG’s range of UltraGear monitors for yourself straight from the LG website, or from your favorite tech retailer. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| How to watch Cheltenham live: stream the 2019 horse racing festival online from anywhere Posted: 14 Mar 2019 10:38 AM PDT It's that time of year when thousands of horse racing fans and wannabe punters head to Prestbury Park to watch the Cheltenham Festival where the best of Irish and English horses battle it out. All that leads to the grand finale of the Gold Cup which takes place on the last day of the festival event. Want to watch Cheltenham live to see if your nags come in? Then you're in the right place to discover how. As ever, the main event at this year's Cheltenham Festival is the Gold Cup Steeple Chase which is a £625,000 prize chase race which sees the best jump horses in the world performing at their limits. Presenting Percy, Clan Des Obeaux and last year's winner Native River are leading the odds for the big one, with the likes of Kemboy, Thistlecrack and Elegant Escape looking like, if you'll forgive the pun, dark horses. This year's festival event breaks down into Champion Day on Tuesday, with the Champion Hurdle as the main event; Ladies Day on Wednesday with £10,000 up for grabs for best dressed and the Queen Mother Champion Chase race; the World Hurdle and Chases races on Thursday; before the Gold Cup Steeple Chase finale on Friday. This year the first five races of each day will be aired on ITV live and free in the UK. But if you're abroad or away from home you can still catch all the action nd this guide will explain how you can watch Cheltenham live regardless of where you are.
How to watch the Cheltenham Festival 2019 live for free in the UKWatch Cheltenham live from outside your country in three easy jumps
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| AMD Ryzen 3rd Generation release date, news and rumors Posted: 14 Mar 2019 10:33 AM PDT Back when the first AMD Ryzen processors came out, they changed the world. And, we were even more impressed with Ryzen 2nd Generation. However, with Ryzen 3rd Generation, or Ryzen 3000, we’ll finally get the first 7nm mainstream processors and even more profound improvements. Considering the fact that Intel is having considerable issues introducing 10nm Cannon Lake chips, AMD has swooped in and upstaged its rival before it even has a chance to launch Lakefield or Ice Lake, while also introducing some for the most impressive consumer processors yet. We can’t wait for Ryzen 3rd Generation. Cut to the chase
Image Credit: TechRadar AMD Ryzen 3rd Generation release dateAt CES 2019, AMD announced its first Ryzen 3000-series processor will arrive sometime in the middle of 2019. Unfortunately, the chipmaker didn't give us an exact date, but Ryzen 3rd Generation does seem to be releasing a little later than previous launches. The first generation of Ryzen processors hit the market in March 2017 and Ryzen 2nd Generation arrived a month later in 2018. With that in mind, it's a bit surprising Ryzen 3000-series chips will be coming a bit later – our best guess is they'll arrive in May to July at the latest (we hope). In fact, we’ve seen a new rumor that suggests that AMD Ryzen 3000 chips will be launching alongside AMD Navi graphics cards in July. And, recent retail leaks might even back that up. This release date would line up with the mid-2019 window that AMD announced at CES 2019, so we’ll have to wait and see what happens.
Image Credit: TechRadar AMD Ryzen 3rd Generation priceAMD didn't announce any pricing information on its upcoming 8-core, 16-thread Ryzen 3000-series processor so don’t have any empirical proof what it'll cost unfortunately. However, thanks to a curiously detailed report from a YouTuber named AdoredTV, we have model names and prices for nearly every possible Ryzen 3rd Generation processor. Here’s how much Ryzen 3rd Generation processors may cost:
This list of prices might seem compelling and on-track with AMD’s traditional pricing, but we would take it with a grain of salt, especially since recent retail leaks place the prices higher than the AdoredTV leak. Those new prices are:
Still, we would wait until AMD actually unveils pricing, because Team Red has a track record of lowering the prices of its processors going from Ryzen to Ryzen 2nd Generation. The AMD Ryzen 7 1700X originally launched with a $399 (£389, AU$569) price and it was succeeded by the more affordable $329 (£349, AU$515) AMD Ryzen 7 2700X. With that in mind, we couldn’t imagine/would be disappointed if the Ryzen 7 3700X were to cost more. For now, it seems AMD will hold onto the same pricing scheme from its current slew of chips going into the next generation.
Image Credit: TechRadar AMD Ryzen 3rd Generation specsSo far we only know of one Ryzen 3000-series processor and that is a 8-core and 16-thread chip designed to go toe-to-toe with Intel's flagship Core i9-9900K. On its CES 2019 keynote stage, AMD On benchmarked its secretive processor with Cinebench to achieve a score of 2023. Comparatively the Intel Core i9-9900K and AMD Ryzen 7 2700X scored 1,873 and 1,798 points, respectively, in our own testing. What’s more impressive is that the new Ryzen 3000 chip seems to be more power efficient than Intel’s current Coffee Lake Refresh lineup. During the Cinebench demo, AMD also displayed the maximum power draw of the Intel system running at 179.9 watts (W) while the new Ryzen system maxed out at 133.4W. Overall it seems that, Ryzen 3rd Generation's 7nm architecture affords it 12% more performance while making AMD chips about 30% more power efficient than Intel's latest 14nm CPU architecture. This is all thanks to the smaller 7nm Zen 2 platform, which introduces a massive die shrink. Previously, Ryzen 2nd Generation processors were built on a 12nm Zen+ architecture that introduced a slight die shrink from the original 14nm Zen architecture. Despite being built on a new architecture, Ryzen 3000 CPUs will still fit into the AM4 socket used by Ryzen 2nd Generation and the original Ryzen processors. That said, Ryzen 3rd Generation is introducing something new with PCIe 4.0 support. However, it seems like, at least according to some leaked specs, that the 8-core chip AMD revealed at CES is nowhere near the top of the pile. For instance, the AMD Ryzen 9 3850X is rumored to have 16 cores and 32 threads with a max boost of 5.1GHz. That’s far better than any consumer chip on the market right now. The rest of the rumored lineup is listed below.
Before you get too excited about unlocking even more power from your Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 or AMD Radeon VII, PCIe 4.0 will only enhance your storage solutions for now.
Image Credit: TechRadar Aside from the single unnamed processor AMD introduced, we've also seen a multitude of leaks that have pretty much outlined what Ryzen 3rd Generation processors there will be and they are as follows:
We heard the first murmurs of what Zen 2 processors could do as early as October 2018. In the report suggested that AMD Radeon Technologies Group received its first engineering sample for the unreleased architecture in the form of an 8-core chip capable of reaching frequencies up to 4.5GHz. Whether this rumored processor and the one AMD officially announced are one and the same remains to be seen. In December 2018, the rumors began to really head up as we received an almost complete breakdown of this new series of CPUs. This nearly complete set of listings came from a YouTuber named AdoredTV and while they seemed unlikely to be true, a Russian retailer would later back up the influencer’s report with nearly identical specs on all its product pages for the whole series of chips. We’re not sure if the Russian retailer was just cribbing AdoredTV’s video like a cheat sheet, but so far no other rumors or reports have contradicted what we know so far. In fact, notorious leaker Tum Apisak revealed a leaked UserBenchmark entry for a 12-core, 24-thread Ryzen 3000 processor. This leaked processor didn’t have any kind of product name attached to it, but it’s still exciting. This is all we know so far, but we’re certain that AMD will show off the specifics of Ryzen 3rd Generation later in the year.
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| The cheapest Nintendo Switch bundles and deal prices in the March sales 2019 Posted: 14 Mar 2019 10:29 AM PDT So you're into 2019 now and still haven't found any cheap Nintendo Switch bundles to suit you? Well, let's see what we can do about that as we scour the net for the hottest Nintendo Switch deal prices. We're listing all of the best Nintendo Switch sales right here and we're always on the the lookout for the best bundles with extra games, controllers and other accessories so we can share them with you while they're hot. Scroll past the bundles on this page and we'll show you prices on extra Joy-Con and Pro controllers and Nintendo Switch memory cards too. If you want to play online multiplayer and get other benefits like free games you'll want to pick up a Nintendo Switch Online subscription deal too. US Nintendo Switch bundles are small in number this week, but we've rounded up the best ones, including packs with extra games or accessories. In the UK you can find plenty with the best Nintendo Switch games like Super Smash Bros Ultimate, Pokemon: Let's Go Pikachu, Mario Kart 8: Deluxe and more all with a decent discount too. You'll find all the cheapest Nintendo Switch bundles from reliable retailers below. If you're looking for another dose of Nintendo's handheld happiness then maybe you want to consider a cheap 3DS deal too. We have a dedicated page of Nintendo Switch prices for our Australian readers too. The latest cheap Nintendo Switch dealsWant to know where to buy a Nintendo Switch? Check out our comparison charts and the latest bundle highlights with extra games and accessories below for the best deals. Don't forget, on its own, the MSRP/RRP Nintendo Switch price is $299/£279, so you don't want to pay more than that unless you're getting some extras. We've highlighted our picks of the best and cheapest Nintendo Switch bundles below. Just be aware that many game bundles at quieter times of the year don't really offer much of a discount over buying the items separately. We'll steer you clear of console bundles that actively charge you more than the regular combined MSRP (not cool, guys!). The UK scene for discounted Nintendo Switch deals is quite competitive thanks to the large number of retailers trying to get your business. We usually find a strong selection of bundles every week nowadays, even in those quieter times of year not particularly known for sales. So take a look below for discounts on packages with games, hardware and accessories. As with any new console we imagine you're wanting to know a bit more about the console before you put any money down. So in addition to finding the best Nintendo Switch bundle deals, we're going to help bring in answers to the burning questions.
What are the Joy-Con controllers?The Joy-Con controller is actually a pair of controllers that attach to the sides the the Nintendo Switch when not in use or when playing in tablet form away from the TV. When playing the Nintendo Switch on the TV, you can remove them and play with one in each hand. The left hand gets a controller with an analogue stick and d-pad, the right hand handles the one with a second analogue and the usual A, B, X and Y face buttons. Or you and a friend can use one each in multiplayer games with the d-pad doubling up as impromptu face buttons. You get a pair with the console, but you might want to buy more to allow extra players to get involved in games like Mario Kart 8, FIFA 18 and many more. Or maybe you just fancy some different colors for your own use.
What's the Joy-Con Grip controller?The Joy-Con Grip is an additional accessory that joins the two Joy-Con controllers together, forming something something a bit more solid for you to hold thanks to the extended handles and plastic block between the two sides. The square dimension form-factor may remind older gamers of the Dreamcast controller, while everyone else will mainly be thinking how it resembles an odd-looking dog face. Nintendo is providing one in the box with the Nintendo Switch, so you won't have to buy one separately. This won't charge your controller though and doesn't have a battery pack.
Yes and it doesn't come with the console. But you won't actually need one to play any games, so don't feel pressured in to buying one. The Nintendo Switch Pro controller is a more traditional-style pad and launched alongside the Nintendo Switch. Prices aren't cheap though, starting around $69.99/£64.99. There's currently no sign of a Nintendo Switch Premium Edition console with one included. Do I need to buy extra controllers for multiplayer on Nintendo Switch?Possibly not! Remember how the Joy-Con controller splits in two? Turn them sideways and you get two basic controllers, each with their own analogue stick and face buttons - the d-pad acts as face functions on the left controller. So far we've seen 2K's NBA series, Snipper Clips and Mario Kart being used this way for local multiplayer in both docked and tablet modes. So you get multiplayer functionality straight out of the box with no additional purchase required. However, if you want to play four-player games, then you're going to need to invest in an extra pair of Joy-Con controllers or some Pro controllers. We'd buy the Joy-Cons as a pair (see our comparison chart above) as you'll save a bit of cash over buying them separately. Better yet, if your friends own a Switch, ask them to bring their controllers to the party! Super Mario Odyssey dealsThis has been one of the best games on the Nintendo Switch so far and an absolute must for Mario and platforming fans. Like Zelda below though, this being a first-party Nintendo title, it's taking forever to go down in price. It's slowly happening though, so we've rounded up the cheapest Super Mario Odyssey prices for you below. If you're not getting this game in a bundle, we'd strongly advise picking it up separately as soon as possible. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild dealsThe reviews have heaped huge praise upon this eagerly awaited launch title, making it an essential purchase for any Nintendo Switch buyer. As with any new console, the prices of the big games can be more expensive than usual. We've shopped around for you though and have found the best prices for The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild on the Nintendo Switch. Take a look below. With only 32GB of internal storage, you'll be wanting to pick up a cheap memory card or two for your new Nintendo Switch for any digital purchases or the inevitable game-fixing patches. Don't fret though, they're actually surprisingly cheap, with even 64GB ones coming in at under £20/$25. What memory cards does the Nintendo Switch need? Those will be Micro SD cards also known as, depending on their size, as MicroSDHC (up to 32GB) or MicroSDXC (up to a huge 2TB soon). Nintendo will be releasing their own branded cards, but you'll be paying more, just for a label. So for now, we'd take a look at this range of cheap MicroSDXC Nintendo Switch-friendly cards. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Facebook blames app outage on a technical error Posted: 14 Mar 2019 10:25 AM PDT Almost a day after users began struggling to log in and post to Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram, the company has given an explanation: a technical error. "Yesterday, we made a server configuration change that triggered a cascading series of issues," a Facebook spokesperson told TechRadar via email. "As a result, many people had difficulty accessing our apps and services. We have resolved the issues, and our systems have been recovering over the last few hours. We are very sorry for the inconvenience and we appreciate everyone’s patience.” Back in businessThe problems began yesterday (Wednesday 13 March), with nearly all of Facebook's services, including mobile apps and even the Oculus Store, experiencing partial or full outages. The company was quick to confirm that the problem wasn't due to a DDoS attack, but posted no further updates for 22 hours. The company has now shared a post on its official Twitter account confirming that the problem was a technical issue, and is being resolved. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Lady Gaga could appear in Cyberpunk 2077 Posted: 14 Mar 2019 10:24 AM PDT Lady Gaga may be making an appearance in CD Projekt Red's upcoming dystopian RPG Cyberpunk 2077. According to french site ActuGaming, Lady Gaga and CD Projekt Red are collaborating for Cyberpunk 2077 and the artist has already visited the Polish studio to take part in motion-capture - suggesting she will have a character role in the game itself. In addition ActuGaming claim the collaboration will be officially announced at E3 2019, with Gaga rumored to be making an appearance at the gaming convention.
Pokerface?
Although the exact nature of Lady Gaga's involvement with the game isn't known (and the studio hasn't officially announced the collaboration), her appearance in Cyberpunk 2077 has been rumored before. Last year Gaga tweeted a strange mix of letters and numbers, which the official Cyberpunk 2077 Twitter account replied to with "Of course! Of course we will!", suggesting the A Star is Born actress would be involved with the game in some way or another. Check out the tweet below: Although CD Projekt Red hasn't confirmed Gaga's involvement with the game, we would not be surprised to see her make an appearance in the dystopian adventure as a futuristic femme fatal or neon-clad artist. Hopefully we don't have to wait long to find out... (Image credits: CD Projekt Red) This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
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