Wednesday, February 20, 2019

Apple : Here's everything that launched at Samsung Unpacked 2019

Apple : Here's everything that launched at Samsung Unpacked 2019

Here's everything that launched at Samsung Unpacked 2019

Posted: 20 Feb 2019 02:25 PM PST

Samsung has kicked off its 2019 in a big way, as the company has just announced a wealth of new devices.

Headlined by the Samsung Galaxy S10 range, the launch also included other phones and wearables too.

If you missed the livestream though, don't worry, because you’ll find all the information below about everything announced.

We’ve been at the event getting hands-on with everything we can, so once you’re done here make sure to check out our hands-on reviews, versus articles and other coverage.

Samsung Galaxy S10

Image Credit: TechRadar

The Samsung Galaxy S10 is undoubtedly the headline announcement, and was the most highly-anticipated.

Samsung’s newest flagship has a lot of impressive specs, from its 6.1-inch QHD+ Dynamic AMOLED curved screen, to its triple-lens rear camera, made up of a 16MP f/2.2 ultra-wide lens, a 12MP f/2.4 telephoto lens and a 12MP lens that can switch between f/1.5 and f/2.4 apertures.

The Galaxy S10 also has a refreshed design, with a punch-hole in the screen for the 10MP front-facing camera. The world's first ultrasonic fingerprint scanner is also built into the display, so bezels are kept to a minimum.

The Samsung Galaxy S10 is powerful too of course, with a top-end chipset, 8GB of RAM and up to 512GB of storage, while a 3,400mAh battery keeps it running. All that power doesn’t come cheap though, with the Galaxy S10 set to start at $899 / £799 (around AU$1,450).

Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus

Image Credit: TechRadar

Alongside the Galaxy S10, Samsung has also announced the larger Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus. This has a curved 6.4-inch QHD+ AMOLED screen, but the screen size isn’t the only difference.

This phone also has a second camera on the front, with an 8MP snapper joining the 10MP one. Its battery is a lot bigger too, coming in at 4,100mAh, and you can get it with up to 12GB of RAM and 1TB of storage.

The need to add in a second front-facing camera has led to a slightly different design, with more of a pill shaped cut-out in the screen, but otherwise the Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus has the same look and specs as the standard model.

This included a triple-lens rear camera and an in-screen fingerprint scanner. It starts at $999 / £899 (roughly AU$1,640), so if you're after one of these phones then you'll need to get saving quickly. Unless you're filthy rich, then maybe buy 10 just to demonstrate your wealth.

Samsung Galaxy S10e

Image Credit: TechRadar

If you gawped at the price of the Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10 Plus, then you might be more interested in the Samsung Galaxy S10e, a phone which aims to capture the essence of its siblings at a lower price.

It has a 5.8-inch Full HD+ AMOLED screen that’s flat rather than curved, but sports an otherwise similar design, complete with a punch-hole selfie camera.

There are two rather than three cameras on the back though, namely a 16MP f/2.2 ultra-wide one and a 12MP variable aperture one – so it lacks the 12MP telephoto lens of its siblings.

The Samsung Galaxy S10e also comes with 6GB or 8GB of RAM, up to 256GB of storage, a 3,100mAh battery and a fingerprint scanner that’s on the side rather than in the screen. So it’s not quite as impressive on paper, but at a starting price of $749 / £669 (around AU$870) it doesn’t need to be.

Samsung Galaxy S10 5G

Image Credit: TechRadar

This is the most premium of the Samsung Galaxy S10 models and, as you’ve probably guessed from the name, it supports 5G.

That aside, other highlights of the Samsung Galaxy S10 5G include an enormous 6.7-inch screen, a 4,500mAh battery and four rear cameras, consisting of the same three as the main S10 range.

On top of that there's also a 3D depth-sensing camera, useful for augmented and virtual reality, as well as facial recognition.

There’s also a 3D depth-sensing camera on the front, alongside a normal 10MP snapper. That combination means it has a bigger camera cut-out than the rest of the range.

The Galaxy S10 5G also has 8GB of RAM, 256GB of storage and a microSD card slot. So it doesn’t have as much RAM as the S10 Plus can potentially come with, but that aside it’s essentially a bigger and seemingly even better version of that phone.

It won't be launched until later in the year though, when the networks start rolling out their 5G signal across the globe.

Samsung Galaxy Fold

Image Credit: TechRadar

The Samsung Galaxy Fold is even more ambitious than the Galaxy S10 range, seeing as how it’s the company’s first foldable phone.

It has a 4.6-inch screen when folded and can open out to a 7.3-inch display, big enough to allow for three-app multitasking, and app continuity allows you to instantly pick up where you left off when switching between screens. 

So it fills the role of both a phone and a tablet, and there’s no shortage of power, with a top-end chipset and 12GB of RAM.

The Galaxy Fold also has six cameras – three on the back, two on the inside and one on the front. There’s 512GB of storage, a 4,380mAh battery to keep it going, and optionally 5G support.

It’s the first big-name device in a new smartphone category, but exciting as the Galaxy Fold is it has a prohibitive price, starting at $1,980 / €2,000 (with UK and Australian pricing and availability yet to be confirmed).

Samsung Galaxy Watch Active

Image Credit: TechRadar

That’s the phones out the way, but handsets aren't all Samsung has unveiled, as we’ve also seen the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active.

It’s essentially a sportier alternative to the Samsung Galaxy Watch, and it has a round face, a heart rate monitor (that can also measure your stress), and water-resistance to depths of 50 meters. It can also track sleep and it’s made from a lightweight form of aluminum, so the watch won’t weigh you down like others from Samsung in the past.

It runs Tizen but with a bit of a makeover, as it includes Samsung’s new One UI, which hasn’t been used on a wearable before. It’s more than just a fitness band too, as it can also access apps and receive smartphone notifications.

That said, we're not really sure how much of an upgrade it is - check out more in our in-depth look below (linked below).

Samsung Galaxy Fit / Galaxy Fit E

Image Credit: TechRadar

If all you actually need is a fitness band then the Samsung Galaxy Fit or Galaxy Fit E will probably be more your speed.

The Galaxy Fit is a basic tracker that’s incredibly light at just 24g and it can track your heart rate and steps. It’s also water-proof to 50 meters.

The Galaxy Fit can automatically track six different exercises and you can track sleep and stress with it too, with a rectangular Super AMOLED screen being your window onto all of that. Supposedly its battery will last around a week as well, so you won’t be charging it all the time.

The Samsung Galaxy Fit E is smaller, lighter (just 15g) and generally lower end, but with many of the same features, including a heart rate monitor and 50-meter water resistance... and rumored to have a much lower price as Samsung finally brings out a budget wearable.

Samsung Galaxy Buds

Image Credit: TechRadar

Last but not least, Samsung has also announced the Samsung Galaxy Buds. These are wireless earbuds that are seemingly set to compete with the likes of the Apple AirPods.

They come with a case which can charge them (and which itself can be charged with or without wires). 

The Buds themselves supposedly last for 6 hours of music or 5 hours of calls between charges, you can access Samsung’s AI Assistant Bixby through them, and they cost $149 / £139 (around AU$210).

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Samsung Galaxy Watch Active vs Samsung Galaxy Watch: what's the difference?

Posted: 20 Feb 2019 02:11 PM PST

Samsung has just announced a sporty new smartwatch dubbed the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active, but this isn't the company's only recent wearable.

In fact, it has a very similar name to the Samsung Galaxy Watch. So what else is similar? And what's different?

We've compared the two wearables to answer your top questions and help you decide which watch is for you.

Design and display

The Samsung Galaxy Watch has either a 1.3-inch or 1.2-inch 360 x 360 circular Super AMOLED screen that comes in at around 278 pixels per inch.

The screen size you get depends on the watch size you pick, with both 46mm and 42mm versions available. The size you pick also affects the strap, with 22mm straps used for the larger model and 20mm for the smaller. While it comes with a silicone strap, you can swap that out for any standard pin-based watch strap.

The body of the watch is metal, and it has a handy rotating bezel to help with navigation. It's a substantially-sized thing at either 41.9 x 45.7 x 12.7mm or 46 x 49 x 13mm (depending on whether you go for the small or large option), but it undeniably looks high-end.

Everything is a little simpler for the newer Galaxy Watch Active. There's one size, which is a 40mm body with a 1.1-inch display. You'll get a 20mm strap with that, but we don't currently know what the precise dimensions of the watch are.

The interesting change here is there's no rotatable bezel. That allows for a smaller overall design than the Galaxy Watch, and that's partly why Samsung is considering this as a more fitness-focused device.

Fitness

 Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 

While the standard Galaxy Watch isn't as focused on fitness as the Galaxy Watch Active, nor is it lacking in that area, as it has a heart rate monitor, GPS, an altimeter, a barometer, and it's waterproof, so you could wear it in the pool if you so desired.

It can track 39 different exercises, with six of them auto-tracked, and it can also track your sleep, measure your stress and vibrate on your wrist to remind you to move more.

The Galaxy Watch Active can do all of that as well, but it also comes with a new (seemingly helpful) stress monitoring feature that uses the heart rate tracker to give you a clear picture of your stress levels throughout the day.

Stress monitoring on the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 

If your stress levels peak, the watch will nudge you to perform a few breathing exercises to try and bring them down. It's more of an overall health feature rather than a fitness innovation.

The company has also said the wearable comes with a blood pressure monitoring feature, but we're yet to understand how that fully works and it wasn't something we were able to test out on our limited time with the Galaxy Watch Active.

Battery and features

The Samsung Galaxy Watch is a wearable that just keeps on going, with battery life of around four days in our tests. At least, for the larger model with its 472mAh battery. The smaller model has just a 270mAh battery, and despite its smaller screen, it's only rated for around three days between charges.

As for features, highlights of the Galaxy Watch include NFC, which lets you make use of Samsung Pay for contactless payments. It also has Samsung's AI assistant Bixby baked in, and optionally comes with LTE, meaning you can get calls and texts on it without it being connected to your phone.

We don't yet have a clear picture of the specs that are available on the Galaxy Watch Active, sadly, though we'd be surprised if any from Samsung's prior smartwatch weren't included in its new fitness version. 

OS and power

Both the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active and Galaxy Watch run Tizen, which is a rarity on smartwatches - pretty much only Samsung devices, really - but it's an operating system that we like a lot. It also has access to over 60,000 watch faces and a variety of apps.

The Watch Active has a slightly different look as it's a more recent version of the software but it may be Samsung decides to bring that look to its existing watch in the near future anyway.

As for power, both watches have a 1.15GHz dual-core Exynos 9110 chipset and 768MB of RAM. If you're going for the larger Galaxy Watch it'll come with 1.5GB of RAM.

That's because that watch has LTE, which isn't available on the Watch Active. All the watches come with 4GB of storage though.

Price

Samsung Galaxy Watch Active

The Galaxy Watch Active is set to cost £229 / $199.99 (about AU$415) and we've yet to learn how much it will officially cost in Australia. That's cheaper than the Galaxy Watch cost at first, and it's an especially good price in the US.

If you opt to pre-order the watch in the US directly from Samsung you'll be able to get a free wireless charging pad.

The Samsung Galaxy Watch launched at $329 / £279 / AU$499 for the 42mm model and $349 / £299 / AU$549 for the 46mm version. If you want LTE it costs $379 / AU$599 (around £290) for the 42mm model or $399 / AU$649 (roughly £305) for the 46mm one. Though you can often now find it for a bit less than those prices.

Takeaway

The Galaxy Watch Active is cheaper than the standard Galaxy Watch, and while it may have lost its rotatable bezel - one of its core selling points - it still looks to have a premium design.

We're not 100% sold on the fitness features of the wearable just yet, and the Galaxy Watch itself is already a solid sports watch for the average fitness fan. If you're looking to save on your smartwatch and you don't mind the slightly limited design, the Galaxy Watch Active may be a strong choice for you though.

We can't yet fully recommend the Galaxy Watch Active until it goes through our full review process, which we hope to get underway in the coming weeks.

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Amazon's Galaxy S10 deal will net Aussies the Samsung flagship fast

Posted: 20 Feb 2019 02:04 PM PST

If you’re a keen early adopter of new tech, then you’ll know that to get a newly released handset you either need to stand in line outside a flagship store or authorised retailer, or you’ll need to spend time online trying to pre-order it through your chosen carrier. There’s no guarantee, though, that you’ll get the phone on day one.

There is, however, an easier way to ensure you get the brand-new Samsung Galaxy S10 range before anyone else does.

Samsung has chosen to partner with Amazon Australia so customers Down Under can pre-order their new Samsung Galaxy S10, Galaxy S10 Plus or the more affordable Galaxy S10e directly via the e-commerce giant with just a few easy clicks.

Pre-orders on Amazon Australia are now open and are available until midnight March 7. Delivery of the device will begin on March 8, the day Samsung releases the handsets. 

You don't need a Prime cut

While Amazon has always given priority to its Prime members when it comes to shipping costs and delivery, the online marketplace won’t be discriminating this time round.

Anyone who pre-orders the 2019 Samsung handsets before midday on March 6 will receive priority shipping, whether or not you are a Prime member. Amazon will deliver the new Galaxy S10 phones to its customers on March 8, with 90% of the country’s population covered under that promise.

And here's what you'll be paying to snag one of the Galaxy S10 smartphones: 

Samsung has added an incentive for Australians to pre-order its brand new flagship handsets. Each pre-order will receive a bonus set of its new Galaxy Buds true wireless headphones valued at $249.

Anyone pre-ordering via Amazon will receive the Buds along with their phones in the same shipment.

All things Samsung

The new phones and the Galaxy Buds aren’t the only Samsung goodies you can buy on Amazon. The shopping giant is also stocking the entire range of original Samsung accessories for the new handsets, which won’t be available anywhere else other than the manufacturer’s own flagship stores.

Amazon now also stocks the South Korean company's wearables and tablets, making it a convenient one-stop shop for all things Samsung.

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Samsung Galaxy S10 vs S10 Plus vs S10e: which Samsung flagship will suit your needs?

Posted: 20 Feb 2019 01:45 PM PST

Samsung has announced the Galaxy S10 range of smartphones: the S10, S10e and S10 Plus. The S10 and S10 Plus are upgrades over the respective Galaxy S9 handsets, while the S10e is the ‘budget’ device of the trio – there was no similar S9 device (we did, however, see a Galaxy S8 Lite).

As these are flagship devices from one of the biggest brands in the smartphone business, they’re all sure to be great phones, but we’re here to help you decide which of the three is best suited to your needs – and your budget.

Here, we’ll run through the S10 trio to help you decide which should be your next smartphone: the Galaxy S10, S10 Plus, or S10e.

Samsung Galaxy S10 vs S10 Plus vs S10e design and display 

The key difference between the devices is their size – both the screen size and the overall dimensions. As the name suggests, the Galaxy S10 Plus is a little bigger than the other devices, whereas the Galaxy S10e is a rather petite handset. 

The S10e measures 142.2 x 69.9 x 7.9mm and weighs 150g – it’s a slender device that’ll easily fit in your pocket. It has a 5.8-inch AMOLED screen, which is a little small compared to other flagship devices, but nothing to turn your nose up at. 

The next device up is the Galaxy S10, which is a little larger at 149.9 x 70.4 x 7.8mm and tips the scales at 157g – so other than its length it’s not much bigger than the S10e, and is actually thinner, and it’s barely any heavier. Despite not being that much bigger overall it has a noticeably larger AMOLED screen at 6.1inches. 

The big boy of the bunch is the Galaxy S10 Plus, which measures 157.6 x 74.1 x 7.8mm and has a bigger 6.4-inch screen. Even more apparent than the difference in size is the weight difference – at 175g it’s quite the bulky device. This added heft is, of course, down to the higher spec, particularly the more advanced camera and bigger batteries, both of which we’ll get to later on, but if you’re a fan of dainty devices you may find the Plus a bit too Plus-y.

Samsung Galaxy S10 vs S10 Plus vs S10e camera 

There’s a clear progression with regards to the camera on the Galaxy S10 devices: with each better phone, you get an extra camera.

The Galaxy S10e comes with a 16MP ultra-wide lens and 12MP optically stabilized lens on the rear of the device and a dual-pixel 10MP camera on the front. Given this is the ‘budget’ handset of the range, a dual-lens rear setup and powerful front camera is a pretty great deal.

On the Galaxy S10, you get all of the above, with an extra 12MP lens on the rear, and when you step up to the Galaxy S10 Plus you get a second, 8MP, front-facing camera. That’s five lenses split between the front and rear for the S10 Plus which, as we’ve been finding in our hands-on time with the phone, deliver some pretty amazing photos.

If it’s the absolute best camera experience you’re after then, we’d have no hesitation in recommending the Galaxy S10 Plus as the phone to go for – although any of these devices will deliver some pretty great pictures. 

Samsung Galaxy S10 vs S10 Plus vs S10e battery 

As with the camera, the higher up the S10 range you go, the better the battery you get.. 

The Galaxy S10e comes with a 3,100mAh battery, the S10 is packing 3,400mAh, while there’s a whopping 4,100mAh power pack in the Galaxy S10 Plus. 

Across the S10 range these capacities are slightly better than competing phones – compared to the S10 Plus’s 4,100mAh, for example the iPhone XS Max’s 3,174mAh and Pixel 3 XL’s 3,430mAh look relatively puny. 

Each of the devices comes with wireless charging and wireless power sharing, enabling you to use your handset to charge another Galaxy device.

Samsung Galaxy S10 vs S10 Plus vs S10e specs 

Each of the Galaxy S10 trio is powered by the same processor in each region in which the phones are released. Samsung hasn’t announced what that chip (or chips) is yet, other than the fact it’s an octa-core chipset – the previous Galaxy devices were powered by different processor in different regions, so it’s possible the S10 handsets will follow suit.

There are different memory sizes for each variant, so you’ve got plenty of choice here – if you can get your head around the various options. 

The Galaxy S10e is available  with either 6GB RAM and 128GB internal memory, or 8GB and 256GB. 

The Galaxy S10 comes in 8GB/128GB and 8GB/512GB variants, while the Galaxy S10 Plus has 8GB/128GB, 8GB/512GB and 8GB/1TB options. Each device also has a microSD slot which supports cards up to 512GB. 

Samsung Galaxy S10 vs S10 Plus vs S10e price 

The Samsung Galaxy S10e is the most affordable of the trio at $749 / £669, which is around AU$1,050, for the 6GB/128GB option. Compared to the iPhone XR, which cost $799 / £799 / AU$1,299 with the same amount of memory, it represents a decent saving, particularly if you’re buying the phone in the UK.

It’s then quite a step up to the Galaxy S10, which costs $899 / £799, or roughly AU$1,250) for the 8GB/128GB model. That’s exactly the same price the 128GB Google Pixel 3 another competing device, launched for. The 8GB/512GB version, meanwhile, costs £999, which is roughly $1,099 or AU$1,500.

Not surprisingly the Galaxy S10 Plus is also plus-sized when it comes to its price tag. The cheapest option is 8GB/128GB, which costs $999 / £899, or around AU$1,400; if you want more storage you’ll have to shell out £1,199 (about $1,560 or AU$2,200) for the 512GB handset, or £1,399 (roughly $1,800 or AU$2,500) for the top-of-the-range 1TB model.

Takeaway

The best Samsung Galaxy S10 device for you depends wholly on your budget. 

If you want all the benefits of the S10 range without breaking the bank, the S10e is your best option. Despite its lower price tag it still has the same sleek design and quick processing as its bigger siblings, and even has a pretty powerful battery and camera too.

The core of the range is the Galaxy S10, with all the features you need in a phone. It's a little more expensive, but for this price you get a flagship device that's better than most and sure to last you a long time.

If money is no issue, however, you might want to upgrade all the way to the Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus. Its bigger screen, massive battery and crazy number of cameras make it a luxury item that'll let you indulge in all your video-watching, game-playing, photo-taking needs. 

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Samsung Galaxy Fit release date, price, news and features

Posted: 20 Feb 2019 01:32 PM PST

Update: The Samsung Galaxy Fit has now been announced alongside the smaller, lower-end Galaxy Fit E.

They both offer 50-meter water resistance, heart rate monitors and rectangular screens and have basic fitness-tracking skills, including exercise, sleep and stress.

The Galaxy Fit is just 24g, and has a 0.95-inch color AMOLED screen at 120 x 240 and 282 pixels per inch, while the Galaxy Fit E is even lighter at 15g, but has just a 0.74-inch POLED screen with a 64 x 128 resolution and 193 pixels per inch.

The Galaxy Fit also has around a week of battery life and it's landing in stores on May 21, so you've got a while to wait.

Previous rumors:

The Samsung Galaxy Fit could soon arrive and it might be one of the best fitness trackers of 2019 when it does. The truth is that we don’t know much about it yet, but based on the strength of the Gear Fit range, we’re somewhat excited by the prospect of it.

The Samsung Gear Fit 2 Pro is currently sitting in our best fitness trackers list, and that’s despite it being a conservative upgrade on the Gear Fit 2. If the Galaxy Fit (which is likely to be the Samsung Gear Fit 3 in all but name) is an upgrade worthy of a whole new name then it could be very impressive indeed.

You'll find all the current rumors below, along with a wish list of what we want from the wearable and some educated guesses as to what it might feature and when it might launch. We'll also add anything new to this article as soon as we hear it, so make sure to check back regularly.

Cut to the chase

  • What is it? Samsung's next fitness tracker
  • When is it out? Possibly February 20, which is later today
  • What will it cost? Likely upwards of $199 / £209 (around AU$370)

Samsung Galaxy Fit release date and price

We're expecting to hear all about the Samsung Galaxy Fit and Galaxy Fit E today alongside the Samsung Galaxy S10. That phone is expected to be the star of the show, but numerous other devices might make an appearance, including the fitness trackers and the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active.

A last minute report ahead of the launch has suggested the Galaxy Fit and Galaxy Fit E will be far cheaper than the Gear Fit 2 Pro that went before it.

Apparently, according to information provided to Gizmodo UK, the Fit will cost £89 (about $115, AU$160) while the Fit E costs £35 (about $45, AU$65). It's expected you'll be able to buy these on April 26 in the UK, while we have no information on a worldwide release.

If you want to know when and how much the trackers will cost, tune into the Galaxy S10 livestream from 11AM PT / 2PM ET / 7PM GMT or 6AM AEDT on Thursday 21. 

Samsung Galaxy Fit news and rumors

The image you see below is said to be the Samsung Galaxy Fit E, according to sources known to Gizmodo UK. The site also has other pictures of the Galaxy Fit and Galaxy Fit E for you to see too.

Image Credit: Gizmodo UK

The main Samsung Galaxy Fit information comes from the image below, which was taken from Samsung's official Galaxy Wearable app. In other words, Samsung seems to have accidentally outed the device before it has been announced.

From the design, this looks similar to previous Samsung fitness trackers, with a rectangular screen and a likely silicone band, shown here in black. It also looks to have a color screen, as we'd expect.

Image credit: Samsung

Beyond the design, it also looks like two models are in the works, as the picture is labeled 'Galaxy Fit / Fit e'.

This isn't the first time we've heard these names. Samsung trademarked the name Galaxy Fit in May 2018.

That report came alongside the Samsung Galaxy Watch trademark, which turned out to be the name of Samsung's latest smartwatch, so even before Samsung more or less confirmed it, Galaxy Fit (rather than Gear Fit 3 or anything else) was our best guess for the name.

We've also previously seen a Bluetooth certification listing for a Samsung Galaxy Fit E, so the mention of that model in Samsung's leak is no surprise either.

So far there aren’t any other Samsung Gear Fit 3 rumors, but while we wait for more to roll in we can speculate on a few things. For example, the Samsung Galaxy Fit will probably have many of the same features as the Gear Fit 2 Pro, including a heart rate monitor, GPS and water resistance, along with a color screen.

What we want to see

While there aren't many rumors about the Galaxy Fit as yet, there are plenty of things we want from it, such as the following.

1. A simple setup

Setting up the Samsung Gear Fit 2 Pro is a clunky experience, thanks primarily to the need to download multiple apps onto your phone just to get the most out of it.

So for the Gear Fit 3 we’d like to see a simpler, more streamlined setup process that allows you to get properly up and running (literally) in a matter of minutes.

2. Better battery life

With limited usage you’ll get two to three days of life out of the Gear Fit 2 Pro and just one day with heavy use, which isn’t awful but certainly isn’t great.

While we’re used to charging our smartwatches daily, fitness trackers often manage to last a little longer, so we’d like to see an extra day or so added to the life of the Galaxy Fit.

3. A reliable barometer

The Samsung Gear Fit 2's barometer wasn't always accurate

One issue we noted with the Gear Fit 2 was that water could mess with the barometer, causing it to think you’ve walked up many more flights of stairs than you actually have.

We’re not expecting this to be an issue with the Samsung Galaxy Fit but we’ll certainly be disappointed if it is.

4. A reasonable price

While the Gear Fit 2 Pro isn’t wallet-weepingly expensive it did launch at a higher price than the Gear Fit 2, and that’s despite only being slightly improved and landing over a year later, so there’s a worry that the Gear Fit 3 could be a pricey wearable, but we hope Samsung keeps the price competitive.

5. Spotify pre-installed

It’s a small point, but despite Spotify (and specifically its offline mode) being one of the best features of the Gear Fit 2 Pro, it didn’t come pre-installed, even though a bunch of apps did, so we’d like to see the music streamer ready to go out of the box for the Samsung Galaxy Fit.

6. A refreshed design

The Samsung Gear Fit 3 could do with a design refresh

The Gear Fit 2 Pro has a fairly nice design, but it’s also pretty much exactly the same as the design of the Gear Fit 2, so we’d like to see Samsung freshen things up a bit for the Gear Fit 3, or even just give buyers a greater selection of colors to choose from.

7. A significant upgrade

The Gear Fit 2 Pro is an accomplished fitness tracker, but it’s only a small upgrade on the Gear Fit 2, so for Samsung to stay relevant and excite us we want some big upgrades from the Galaxy Fit.

That could take the form of new sensors, more metrics, greater accuracy, improved smartwatch features or any number of other things, but we hope Samsung does something to make it stand out.

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Samsung Galaxy S10 vs Galaxy S9: should you upgrade your Galaxy handset?

Posted: 20 Feb 2019 01:24 PM PST

Samsung has announced the newest batch of Galaxy S smartphones, the S10 range, led by the titular flagship device. 

The Samsung Galaxy S10 is - at least on paper - an improvement on the Galaxy S9, and the middle child of the S10 Plus and S10e – and, unless you’ve got money to burn or can only consider the ‘affordable’ device of the trio, it’s probably the handset you’ll be looking at buying.

But with each new generation of smartphones, you have to ask yourself the question “should I make this upgrade?” Older phones aren’t always worse, and sometimes a technical upgrade between devices doesn’t justify the increased cost.

To help you out, we’ll run through all the features of the new Samsung Galaxy S10 and its predecessor, the Samsung Galaxy S9, in order to help you decide whether an upgrade is worthwhile or not.

Samsung Galaxy S10 vs Galaxy S9 design and display

The difference in body size between the S9 and S10 devices is pretty small – the former was 147.7 x 68.7 x 8.5mm in size, and the latter is barely bigger at 149.9 x 70.4 x 7.8mm. While the Samsung Galaxy S10 is slightly bigger, it’s nothing like the difference between the S10 and Galaxy S10 Plus, for example.

Despite the similar dimensions the Galaxy S10’s screen is actually bigger, at 6.1 inches instead of the S9’s 5.8-inch display. Both use AMOLED screens, so there won’t be a huge variation in quality between the two, but a bigger screen will still be useful when it comes to watching videos or taking pictures.

One noteworthy change between the handsets is that the S10 is marginally lighter than the Samsung Galaxy S9, at 157g instead of 163g, despite having a bigger battery, a wider display and more features. This is a great change for anyone who likes their devices as light as a feather.

Samsung Galaxy S10 vs Galaxy S9 camera

The Galaxy S9 prided itself on its single-lens 12MP camera – instead of cluttering up the rear of the device with as many cameras as possible, like other phones do, it used a single lens that could change apertures in order to adapt to the context and type of picture that needed to be taken. In our review we found the quality of pictures taken with the device was surprisingly high.

Samsung decided to ditch this novel approach with the Galaxy S10 however, as it has a tri-lens rear setup which consists of a 16MP ultra-wide lens and two 12MP lenses, one of which has a variable aperture, just like the lens on the S9. This trio of lenses may improve the pictures taken with the device, but it’s a shame to see Samsung abandon its attempts to make single-lens digital cameras work.

In terms of front-facing selfie cams, the Samsung Galaxy S10 is a small step up at 10MP instead of 8MP – it’s not a huge increase, but keen selfie-takers may notice a difference.

Samsung Galaxy S10 vs Galaxy S9 battery

A photo of the current samsung galaxy flagship handset.

Image credit: TechRadar

We were a little disappointed by the Galaxy S9’s battery, as at 3,000mAh it was exactly the same size as the Galaxy S8’s, although system optimization meant the S9 lasted a little longer despite having the same sized battery. 

Thankfully the Galaxy S10 does have a bigger battery, with a 3,400mAh power pack that will likely last a lot longer than the Galaxy S9. It’s also likely Samsung will have further optimized the operating system, so the difference in battery life could be noticeable.

Both devices facilitate wireless charging, but the Samsung Galaxy S10 also allows for wireless power sharing between similar handsets, which may or may not be useful depending on how many friends you have that use an S10.

Samsung Galaxy S10 vs Galaxy S9 specs

Since the Samsung Galaxy S9 had a different chipset in different regions, and the Galaxy S10 hasn’t even had its chipset(s) confirmed, it’s hard to say for sure if the S10 will be a significant step up or just a slight upgrade.

What we do know is that the Galaxy S9 had 4GB of RAM yet the S10 will have 8GB, and instead of coming in 64GB, 128GB and 256GB internal memory sizes like the S9, the Samsung Galaxy S10 is available in the bigger sizes of 128GB and 512GB, so the device is an upgrade in terms of memory.

Samsung Galaxy S10 vs Galaxy S9 price

At launch the Samsung Galaxy S9 cost $719.99 / £739 / AU$1,199 for the 4GB/64GB size, however of course you can get it a lot cheaper now. We’ve got a Galaxy S9 deals page which you can use to find all the cheapest contracts and SIM-free handsets, if the S9 is something you’d consider buying.

Compared to that the 8GB/128GB Galaxy S10 is quite a step up, setting you back $899 / £799 (which roughly translates to AU$1,300). 

The Samsung Galaxy S10 has quite a few improvements over the Galaxy S9 including its bigger battery, extra cameras and wider screen. However, whether you’re willing to pay an extra $180 / £60 / AU$100 for the cheapest version of the phone depends on whether you think these features justify the increased price.

 Samsung Galaxy S10 vs Galaxy S9 verdict

The Samsung Galaxy S10 is a step up in all ways from the Galaxy S9 – it has better camera capability, a bigger battery, and a wider screen. Samsung wouldn't put out a worse device, after all!

However the S10 is also quite a step up from the S9 in terms of price, and it's worth considering whether these extra features are worth the cost. If all the new features appeal to you it's definitely worth it. But if you're only looking for a bigger battery on the same device, or better camera capability on its own, you may want to wait for the S10 to reduce in price when it's on sale.

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Today's best deal: save on the TP-Link Smart Plug at Amazon

Posted: 20 Feb 2019 12:47 PM PST

Today's best deal from Amazon is the top-rated Kasa WiFi Smart Plug by TP-Link. Amazon has discounted the smart home device down to only $13.98/£19.99 - that's the best price we've seen for this popular smart plug.

The TP-Link Smart Plug works with Amazon Alexa and the Google Assistant so you can turn any device into a hands-free experience. You can control your appliances and electronics with your voice or with the Kasa app from your smartphone, tablet or laptop. You can also schedule devices to switch on and off when away, or customize it by a specific time. The compact smart plug can also give you peace of mind by turning off appliances remotely that you think you've left on.

This is an excellent and cheap way to make any device have smart capabilities, so snatch up this rare deal while you can.

TP-Link Smart Plug

Shop more of the best cheap smart home devices and gadget deals and find out the best plugs and switches for your smart home.

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Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus vs Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus

Posted: 20 Feb 2019 12:43 PM PST

After months of leaks and rumors the Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus is finally here, but was it worth the wait and the hype?

After all, the Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus is readily available and has a lot in common with Samsung’s new phone, as well as a lower price.

So just how do these two plus-sized handsets compare? To answer that we’ve put them head to head, looking at their design, display, camera, power and more.

Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus vs Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus design

Image Credit: TechRadar

There are some major similarities in the designs of these two phones – both have a glass back and a metal frame for example, along with a curved screen.

But there are just as many differences. The Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus has a dual-lens camera cut into the screen, which in turn means it can get away with almost no bezels, while the S9 Plus houses the camera in a bezel at the top, as well as having a larger bezel below the screen.

Flip the phones over and – as well as the extra lens on the Galaxy S10 Plus – you’ll also notice that the camera is oriented differently. The lenses are arranged horizontally on the Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus while they’re stacked vertically on the Galaxy S9 Plus.

The Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus. Image Credit: TechRadar

The S9 Plus also has a fingerprint scanner underneath the camera, which is nowhere to be seen on the Galaxy S10 Plus, because it’s built into the screen.

Their dimensions and weight also differ. The Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus is 157.6 x 74.1 x 7.8mm and 175g, while the Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus is 158.1 x 73.8 x 8.5mm and 189g.

So the Galaxy S9 Plus is slightly longer, thicker and heavier. All of which means that – while appearance preferences are somewhat subjective – the Galaxy S10 Plus has a more modern, arguably more refined look.

Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus vs Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus display

Image Credit: TechRadar

Buy the Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus and you’ll get a phone with a 6.4-inch display. That’s the same size as the Samsung Galaxy Note 9’s. It’s curved, with a 19:9 aspect ratio, uses Dynamic AMOLED and has a QHD+ resolution.

The Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus meanwhile has a slightly smaller 6.2-inch Super AMOLED screen with a 1440 x 2960 resolution (which makes it QHD+) and an 18.5:9 aspect ratio.

Another difference is that while the Galaxy S9 Plus supports HDR10, the S10 Plus supports the improved HDR10+.

Still, other than the size and the smaller bezels on the S10 Plus, the two screens sound fairly similar. We’d expect the S10 Plus’s screen will be better, but we’ll let you know for sure in our full review. The Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus already has a great screen, but will the S10 Plus massively improve?

Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus vs Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus camera and battery

Image Credit: TechRadar

The Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus has five camera lenses in all – three on the back and two on the front.

Starting with the rear sensors, there’s a 16MP f/2.2 ultra-wide-angle one, a 12MP f/2.4 telephoto one with optical image stabilization (OIS), and a 12MP one which can switch between an aperture of f/1.5 and f/2.4. That lens also has OIS.

The Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus on the other hand has just a dual-lens rear camera, with a 12MP f/2.4 telephoto zoom, complete with OIS, and a 12MP variable aperture lens that can switch between f/1.5 and f/2.4, and also has OIS. In other words, its lenses have the same core specs as two of the ones on the Galaxy S10 Plus, but it lacks the 16MP lens.

It also lacks a lens on the front, with just a single 8MP f/1.7 selfie camera, while the Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus has both a 10MP f/1.9 and an 8MP f/2.2 lens.

The Galaxy S9 Plus only has two rear cameras. Image credit: TechRadar

As for the battery, that’s 4,100mAh in the Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus and 3,500mAh in the Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus, so the new phone brings a lot more capacity.

Both phones support fast charging and wireless charging, but the S10 Plus has Fast Wireless Charging 2.0, so it should be quicker to juice up when not using wires than the S9 Plus.

It also supports Wireless PowerShare, which means the phone can be used to charge other devices - that's a skill the Galaxy S9 Plus certainly can't match.

Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus vs Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus OS and power

Image Credit: TechRadar

The Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus has either a Snapdragon 855 chipset or an Exynos 9820 depending on what country you're in. These are both brand-new, top-end, octa-core smartphone chipsets and offer around 30% more power.

The Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus meanwhile has the previous generation of those chips – the Snapdragon 845 in the US and the Exynos 9810 elsewhere.

They’re both octa-core, but they’re also both 10nm, whereas the Exynos 9820 is 8nm and the Snapdragon 855 is 7nm, making the new chips smaller and more efficient. They’re also more powerful than either chipset in the S9 Plus, as you’d expect.

Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus

The Galaxy S9 Plus runs Android 9 Pie. Image Credit: TechRadar

The Galaxy S10 Plus also generally comes with 8GB of RAM, but there’s also a version with a massive 12GB. That’s probably overkill though, particularly when you consider that the Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus ‘only’ has 6GB of RAM.

As for storage, the S10 Plus comes with a choice of 128GB, 512GB or 1TB, while the Galaxy S9 Plus comes with 64GB or 128GB, so there’s potentially an enormous amount more in the Galaxy S10 Plus. Both phones also have a microSD card slot.

Both run Android of course. The Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus ships with Android 9 Pie, but while the Galaxy S9 Plus comes with Android 8 Oreo out of the box, it can be updated to Android 9.

Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus vs Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus price

We don’t have all the pricing details of the Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus yet at the time of writing, but we know that it starts at $999 / £899 (around AU$1,400) for 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage.

It rises to £1,099 if you want 8GB of RAM paired with 512GB of storage, and £1,399 for 12GB of RAM and 1TB of storage (with US and AU prices for those configurations yet to be confirmed).

That’s higher than the $840 / £869 / AU$1,349 launch price of the Galaxy S9 Plus, a phone which can often now be found for a lot less than that.

The Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus is also available to buy now of course, while the Galaxy S10 Plus can be pre-ordered from February 21 and hits stores on March 8.

Image Credit: TechRadar

Takeaway

The Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus is an expensive phone, even compared to its predecessor, but it’s also clearly a big upgrade in a lot of ways.

It has two extra camera lenses, more power, more storage, an in-screen fingerprint scanner, a refined design with smaller bezels, a bigger battery and a larger screen.

We’ll let you know how it all holds together in our full review, but on paper a lot has changed here for the better.

Of course, the Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus is still a great phone too, and while it lacks the high-end innovations of the S10 Plus, the impending price reductions could make it far more of an impressive buy - remember, it's still one of our best phones.

  • Lots more phones are about to land at MWC 2019

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First Look: HTC Vive Cosmos

Posted: 20 Feb 2019 12:40 PM PST

After a teaser showing at this year's CES 2019, HTC has just dropped a ton of new information on its website about its next consumer-facing VR headset, the Vive Cosmos. 

As announced earlier, the Cosmos will indeed be the next evolution for the Vive series of headsets, offering next-level gaming in virtual reality. Unlike the original Vive and Vive Pro, the Cosmos will use a new version of HTC's tracking system that will allow you to bring the headset with you from one place to the next. 

In addition to next-gen tracking that presumably uses those two side-facing cameras, the headset will use new light bar-equipped controllers and a screen that, according to HTC, will minimize the screen door effect that plagues low-resolution headsets.

On top of all that, HTC says the headset will be the easiest yet to setup - a huge boon for those of us who know how hard it can be to get a VR headset setup.

The last feature HTC is touting is the new flip-up design that will allow you to raise the headset when you want to jump in the game, and quickly flip it up when you need to see what's happening in the real world. The new design should make it easier to wear for hours... but we'll need to wear it for ourselves to verify that claim.

Here's a closer look at the controllers:

All that said, HTC is still being reclusive about the release date and potential price for the next-gen headset. For HTC right now, it's all about building hype.

Design

It’s surprising how similar the Cosmos looks to the HTC Vive Pro - they both share the darker blue coloring and two front-facing cameras. Those striking visual similarities might mean that we can expect the Pro’s specs inside the Cosmos… but maybe not. HTC just isn’t ready to talk resolution, field of view or any of the other hard details.

What we do know for sure is that the headset has side-facing cameras and second-gen controllers that look nearly identical to the ones Oculus made for the Rift. HTC says that the Vive Cosmos won't need any sensors for it to work, which likely means that the cameras located on the fronts and sides will be responsible for tracking. 

Speaking of tracking, what you might notice is that the controllers have a unique light ring along the outside - a neat visual addition that might have something to do with the way the Cosmos tracks the controllers... not that HTC had that info on hand.

We also know that the Cosmos is going to be a wired headset and that it will at least, at some point, connect to your PC. We say “at least” because HTC, rather cryptically, said that this headset will transcend the computer… somehow. 

“The product will work with more than your PC,” says Dan O’Brien, General Manager at HTC. “But we’re not saying what that is just yet.”

“Over the next few months we’re going to give out all the details on this products … but we wanted to tell consumers that we have a new headset that’s going to be easy to set up. We’ve heard from a lot of our consumers that headsets are tough to setup and that they can’t take it with them. That’s what we’re trying to solve with this product.”

It’s almost certain to work with a smartphone too, as a slide showing a phone nestled next to the Cosmos was shown off. We’re not sure why HTC didn’t make a big deal of that one.

Performance

Unfortunately because the Cosmos wasn’t available to try, it’s hard to give any real impression of the hardware outside of what we could see and what we heard from HTC executives; HTC announced it here to build the hype and says that it will provide more details on what it will be like later this year. 

Trying to squeeze some sort of information out of O’Brien, however, we were able to get some crucial information. The first piece is that the headset will work with the PC and… well, something else, likely your mobile phone or another device. 

That’s obviously and purposely oblique, but it could mean different levels of performance depending on what the Cosmos is plugged into.

When asked about where the Cosmos would fit into the Vive hardware lineup, O’Brien wouldn’t quite say - but says that info will be coming at some point in the near future. 

While HTC also announced an eye-tracking headset at the show - the HTC Vive Pro Eye - the Cosmos won’t have the ability to know where you’re looking and therefore won’t support foveated rendering - one of Oculus’ biggest advantages in the headset war.

If the Cosmos turns out to be a headset that can be plugged into whatever device you have around - your phone, your tablet, your PC, whatever - it could be a neat solution. But without knowing exactly what the Vive Cosmos is and what it can do, it’s all a big question mark.

Early impressions

HTC is being purposely oblique with the Cosmos. It’s a new headset that will work with a PC... “and other devices” with that last part often said with a smirk. 

What we know for sure is that it’s HTC’s peace offering for consumers - a sign that HTC still cares about gamers and VR socialites and should give them something to get excited for in the months to come. 

The only question remains over whether it’s enough of a sign, given how little was announced about it.

  • Check out all of TechRadar's CES 2019 coverage. We're live in Las Vegas to bring you all the breaking tech news and launches, plus hands-on reviews of everything from 8K TVs and foldable displays to new phones, laptops and smart home gadgets. 

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11 best open world games on PC today

Posted: 20 Feb 2019 12:27 PM PST

The best gaming PCs keep getting more powerful, causing the best PC games to get bigger and better – just look at the best open world games. Even game franchises that used to be tight, linear experiences are starting to get bit by that open world bug. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is a perfect example – it used to be a straightforward narrative experience with little in the way of exploration, but ballooned into a huge open world with the third entry.

There are many open world franchises out there that have always been open world, though. Games like Just Cause 4 and Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey are the pedigree of open world game design. There are even a ton of indie games that adapt to this style. 

The best open world games are everywhere right now, but they require so much of your free time, that you should only pick up the very best. Luckily, because we spend an inordinate amount of time playing these games, we were able to pick out the best open world games you can buy on PC.

  • Gabe Carey has also contributed to this article

Check out our Linux vs Windows vs Mac - OS comparison video below.

The first two Witcher games were compelling, complex and difficult, but only enjoyed minor success. However, all the word of mouth about the first two games finally paid off when the Witcher 3 came out and absolutely blew up. It was a massive step up in quality, too, and probably one of the best RPGs of all time. You step in the role of Geralt, a mutated monster hunter, or witcher, and search the world for your adopted daughter in a medieval world ravaged by war.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt will be turning 4 years old in 2019, but it stands the test of time. It’s still one of the best open world games you can play in 2019 because the well-realized world blows the likes of Skyrim out of the water. Geralt can walk, ride or sail across the war-ravaged lands of Novigrad and Velen, or sail across monster-riddled and frosty islands of Skellige in the North. And, in Blood and Wine, the second expansion, you get to take on a clan of Vampires in the colorful land of Toussaint.

You can forage for herbs, explore under the seas or the back alleys of cities and encounter all kinds of folk and creatures.

And the other elements of the game are spectacularly polished as well - limber, agile combat, a deep levelling system, and a storyline with some unusually-smart storylines.

Last year’s Assassin’s Creed: Origins already felt like a revelation of what an Assassin’s Creed game could be – replacing many of the gameplay mechanics with what felt more engaging, organic and even fun. However, Ubisoft wasn’t done – it has refined everything that made Assassin’s Creed: Origins so great and molded it into the best game in the series so far – Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey.

Assassin’s Creed Odyssey places you in the shoes of Alexios or Kassandra in the middle of ancient Greece, as you take on the role of a mercenary trying to find his or her family. Everything else you do is completely up to you – you choose your alliances, you choose your missions and the world is your oyster.

The fantastic RPG mechanics from Origins make a return in Assassin’s Creed odyssey – with some much-needed improvements. In so many ways, this game perfects the legendary series’ formula – making for one of the best open world games of all time.

Upon first glance, you might not quite understand why this game is here. You might say “Forza is a racing series, not an open world game”, but you’re only half right. Yeah, it’s a racing game, but the Forza Horizon series has always been among the best open world games. Forza Horizon 4 takes the winning formula even further – arguably perfecting it.

Not only are all of the systems that were in place in 2016’s Forza Horizon 3 present here, but they’re refined to create one of the smoothest open world racing games we’ve ever had the pleasure to play.

The map is a little bit smaller than the previous offering, but Forza Horizon 4’s world changes seasons every week, changing how each track plays every time you play it (or, at least until you’ve played it on 4 separate weeks). Simply put, Forza Horizon 4 is one of the most fun racing games on the market, and with all the added open world content – like collectable cars and randomly placed ramps – it’s one of the best open world games on the market.

Plus, there are new expansions getting added, like Forza Horizon 4: Fortune Island, that add even more content.

Grand Theft Auto V has been out for quite a while now, but because we still don’t have Red Dead Redemption 2 on PC, it’s still the best open world game on PC from Rockstar. It’s a huge pastiche of L.A. that you can fly, run or drive across. It’s an amazing achievement and the fact that it works in multiplayer is astounding.

What makes it such a success is the freedom it gives you. When you’re not running around and robbing banks during the campaign, GTA V basically lets you do whatever you want – even if it breaks the game. You can go anywhere, do anything and commit however many atrocities as your wicked heart pleases.

There are also a ton of side activities available. So, in your downtime from creating all kinds of mayhem, you can take up some tennis, yoga, or even kick your feet up and watch some TV. There’s a reason this game is so beloved.

The plot may have made less sense than a mumbling monkey with a mouthful of marbles, but Hideo Kojima's swansong was a masterpiece of layered open world mechanics.

In the twin deserts of Afghanistan and Angola, Big Boss, or Venom Snake, has a range of objectives to achieve. He traverses the areas on foot, horseback, or in a variety of ground vehicles. You can take either lethal or non-lethal weapons, and a variety of AI companions. 

The world itself is believably bleak, weather-torn and heavily-guarded. Uniquely, it learns from your behaviour - overuse a particular tactic, and enemies will adapt. For example, rely too much on headshots and they'll start to wear metal helmets.

Away from the frontline, you can develop Mother Base by building new facilities and airlifting enemy soldiers, prisoners, resources, vehicles, animals and anything else you want to from the battlefield to beef up your armory. 

Bethesda has made a name for itself over the last couple of decades for making some of the best open world games, and Fallout 4 is a fantastic example of why. You’ll be able to traverse a post-apocalyptic Boston, where you’ll explore the ruins of the city in all it’s retro-futuristic glory.

While the plot ultimately revolves around rescuing your kid from their kidnappers, you’ll ultimately forget all about the plot, while you do side missions and plunder loot from super mutants and bandits.

And, even once you get everything done (if you ever get everything done), Bethesda’s games have a tendency to be immensely replayable thanks to the way different character builds can interact with the world around you.

Plus, if you want to get closer to the action, you can play through Fallout 4 in VR, with the HTC Vive. 

When Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor released nearly five years ago, it was praised for its portrayal of Tolkien’s Mordor, alongside with its unique nemesis system. The sequel, Middle Earth: Shadow of War takes this concept and turns it up to 11, setting you loose in the last human stronghold in Mordor – and is thus one of the best open world games you can play in 2019.

And, especially after the removal of the microtransactions that plagued the game at launch, the Nemesis system still feels fresh, and the combat is just as good as ever, with a wealth of new skills that you can unlock during its lengthy campaign.

Later on in the game, it will start introducing some RTS elements as you command an army of dominated orcs to retake and hold different strongholds. The Middle Earth series has shown some real innovation, and we can’t wait to see what Monolith Studios will be capable of in the future.

Last year, Ubisoft took one of the most venerated squad-based shooter series in its arsenal, Ghost Recon, and turned it into an open-world delight. You’re set loose in Bolivia, and you’re tasked with taking down a drug cartel that has taken power over the region. You’re then free to pursue this goal however you feel like. 

Ghost Recon Wildlands may be one of the best open world games when you’re playing by yourself, but where it really shines is when you’re playing with friends. This is because Ghost Recon, at its very core, has always been a tactical shooter that’s built around working with a team of AI companions. So, naturally, when you team up with your friends, this gameplay is elevated to another level entirely. 

Just keep in mind that this game is gorgeous, and demands a pretty beefy setup to run properly, so make sure you keep an eye on those system requirements. 

When the first Crackdown came out way back in 2007, it kind of changed the game. You took the role of a superpowered cop out to bust a cast of zany criminals. And, while Crackdown 3 hasn’t changed much in the 12 years since, it still has its own identity.

Crackdown 3 takes the super-powered hijinks of the original and scales it to modern graphics without changing too much of what made the original game so great. This might make it feel a little dated to some, but if you were into the first one, you’ll find a lot to love here. 

What’s especially noteworthy is the new Wrecking Zone multiplayer game mode, which utilizes the power of Microsoft Azure cloud computing to make the entire city destructible. 

Far Cry 5 might just be a benchmark of what the best open world games on PC will look like in 2019. Far Cry 5 is unique in the fact that it allows you to truly go anywhere on the map – and do anything. And, it doesn’t water this freedom down by limiting the amount of space you have open to you either, it’s perhaps one of the biggest game maps we’ve ever experienced. 

Far Cry 5 takes place in the middle of the Montana wilderness, and while it does feature a plot that involves cultists or something, that all falls into the background as you wander around and get lost in the massive world. We haven’t finished Far Cry 5, but we don’t think ‘finished’ exists here. 

And, we’re obviously not the only ones that love Far Cry 5. At the Game Awards 2018, Ubisoft announced Far Cry: New Dawn, a direct follow-up – a first for the classic shooter series.

Now that a ton of Yakuza games are coming to PC, PC gamers can finally experience the insanity that is so unique to the Yakuza series. 

Yakuza 0’s map isn’t as capacious as some of the other games on this list, but it is dense with activities. Everywhere you turn either has a mini game, a side quest, or some other kind of content that you can interact with. If you’ve never played a Yakuza game, do yourself a favor and try Yakuza 0 on for size – it’s unlike anything else you’ve ever played, we promise. 

Love it or hate it, the Just Cause franchise has always been about causing random violence and destruction with barely any plot to justify it. And, well, the same is true with Just Cause 4 – we wouldn’t have it any other way.

Just Cause 4 puts you in the middle of Solis, a gigantic South American island to overthrow an oppressive local government, by destroying everything in your path. You’ll take to the sky, sea and more with a wide variety of vehicles and weapons to create mayhem however you want. 

It’s not a particularly deep game, but if you’re looking for some mindless entertainment, it’s not hard to see why Just Cause 4 is one of the best open world games on PC in 2019.

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Best gaming laptops 2019: the 10 top gaming laptops we've reviewed

Posted: 20 Feb 2019 12:26 PM PST

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 want a graphical powerhouse that can handle Metro Exodus with all the bells and whistles enabled, or 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 couple budget models like the Dell G3. And, because we’ve tested all these laptops ourselves, you can be confident that you’re getting something worth your time.  

Best Gaming Laptop 2019

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 

Best Gaming Laptop 2019

Kicking Nvidia’s Max-Q technology off right, the Asus Zephyrus GX501 combines the heralded thinness of an Ultrabook with the performance of a gaming PC to bring the best of both worlds to your feet. Despite exhibiting subpar times in our battery life benchmarks, this svelte powerhouse of a notebook is one for the books when it comes to both portability and style. Plus, it’s virtually silent if noise is a cause for distraction in your everyday routine.

Read the full review: Asus ROG Zephyrus GX501

Best Gaming Laptop 2019

If you’re looking for a gaming laptop that doesn’t pull any punches, and can run any game you can throw at it without a care in the world, you’ll want to look at the MSI GT75 Titan. It’s a titanic desktop replacement rocking 6-core Intel Coffee Lake CPUs, tons of RAM and GTX 1080 graphics. You’re not going to be able to carry it around with you, and it’s not going to be something you’ll want to 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

Best Gaming Laptop 2019

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 

Best Gaming Laptop 2019

The Razer Blade might still have an unbearably edgy name, but now that the 2018 version is here, it’s fitting – it’s still on the cutting edge. Beyond its insanely high-end specs and beautiful chassis, it can fit up to a 4K Ultra-HD display, with the specs to actually back it up. That’s not to mention the expandability that the Razer Core X opens up. It might be expensive, but if you’re a Razer fan looking for the best gaming laptop, it might just be for you.    

Read the full review: Razer Blade

Best Gaming Laptop 2019

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 

Best Gaming Laptop 2019

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

  • This product is only available in the US and UK at the time of this writing. Australian readers: check out a fine alternative in the Alienware 17 R5

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 

Best Gaming Laptop 2019

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

Best Gaming Laptop 2019

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

  • Image Credit: TechRadar

Gabe Carey and Bill Thomas have also contributed to this article

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Samsung's new Galaxy Fit is just a pretty basic fitness tracker

Posted: 20 Feb 2019 12:25 PM PST

Samsung has decided fitness trackers aren't far from dead - the new Samsung Galaxy Fit bring new features to your wrist, to help you stay healthy.

We're still waiting for the full amount of information on this fitness tracker, as it seems to be a pretty basic fitness tracker that's rather similar to the previously-launched Samsung Gear Fit 2.

The new Gear Fit is only 23g (as light as a strawberry, Samsung tells us) which means it'll be pretty comfortable to wear... but it doesn't pack much in the way of innovation.

Like the newly-announced Galaxy Watch Active, the Galaxy Fit is water resistant (although we're not sure if it's 5ATM, which make it excellent for swimming) and can track your steps and heart rate on the go.

There's a slim Super AMOLED screen that you can swipe through, although we're not sure how large it actually is.

Sleep tracking and stress management are on board - the former simply analyzes your sleep (and we've seen that for years) and the stress management tool is useful, but it will be interesting to see if that brings deep insights or just tells you to breathe deeply once in a while.

Image credit: Samsung

The Galaxy Fit can track six different exercises automatically, although we're not sure which at this time, but that's useful if you're someone who likes to cycle and run around a bit but hate swiping at your wrist to get going.

You'll also be able to manually add in exercises so you can put all your efforts into the Samsung Health app and see how healthy you're getting day by day... or failing with nothing to add.

The good news? The Samsung Galaxy Fit will last 'about' a week on a single charge, according the brand, and the Galaxy Fit release date has been set for May 21... which is a rather long time to wait after launch in February.

Sadly, the one thing that could make the Galaxy Fit attractive is a great price, and we don't have that to hand right now. When that emerges, and we know which countries will be getting it, we'll update you right away.

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Windows 10 S Mode release date, news and features

Posted: 20 Feb 2019 12:23 PM PST

First revealed as a standalone operating system back in May 2017, Windows 10 S faced some mixed reception at first. However, since then, the slim OS never stopped evolving. Most of the criticism it faced came down to the restrictions on anyone trying to install third-party programs. But, now that you can switch out of Windows 10 S Mode, it’s a much more palatable OS. 

Windows 10 S Mode will limit you to apps found on the Microsoft Store, rather than being able to install whatever you want. Fortunately, you can switch out of S Mode whenever you like it for free these days, so you’re not stuck with it. 

But, Windows 10 S Mode makes a lot of sense for the right kind of user and device – either with the Surface Go or if you manage to get Windows 10 running on your Raspberry Pi 3.

Windows 10 S Mode will also be able to take advantage of any Windows 10 updates, like the October 2018 Update, the upcoming Windows 10 April 2019 Update, and even the untitled 2020 update that just started beta testing. That means you get neat features like the April Update’s “Light Mode” and useful storage space tools. 

Windows 10 S Mode is a core part of the Windows 10 experience in 2019, so we thought it was the perfect time to dive in and explore everything the lightweight operating OS has to offer. Be sure to keep this page bookmarked, and we’ll keep it updated with all the latest Windows 10 S info.

Cut to the chase

  • What is it? Windows 10 without x86 and x64 apps
  • When is it out? Available now
  • What will it cost? Free to all schools using Windows 10 Pro

Windows 10 S release date

Windows 10 S first launched on May 2, 2017, with devices using the OS trickling out over the following months. And, now, Windows 10 S is bigger than ever, a fact that we expect Microsoft to celebrate with new Surface devices at Tuesday’s press event – these lower-spec Windows 10 devices are more versatile than ever before.2

There are plans to allow Windows 10 S users to switch out of S Mode through a UI toggle, but that’s not quite ready yet. Fortunately there’s a workaround – just head to the Windows Store on your device and search for ‘switch out of S Mode’. As for when we’ll see the switch get implemented, who knows? However, Microsoft might sneak it in at a later date – we don’t think it’ll be in the April 2019 Update, though. 

Now, as for the reveal of Windows 10 S itself – Microsoft’s event invitation was titled ‘#MicrosoftEDU’, making no misgivings about its aims with the new OS. While Windows 10 S is not for individual sale, it is issued to IT administrators in education as well as laptops found in stores and online.

It’s no coincidence that Windows 10 S is focused on the education sector, where Google’s Chromebooks are experiencing outlandish success.

Windows 10 S price

Windows 10 S essentially doesn’t cost a dime. The cost of the lightweight OS is more than likely subsidized by hardware makers, assuming they’re not getting it for free. Basically, you don’t really pay for Windows 10 S Mode, instead you’re paying for the hardware running it (with, again, whatever Microsoft is charging its partners to license the software).

Save for premium devices like the original Surface Laptop, you can find devices running Windows 10 S Mode starting at just $189 (about £146, AU$251) and cap out around $299 (about £239, AU$396). PC makers across the board, including Dell, HP, Asus, Acer and Lenovo all have Windows 10 S Mode-powered devices in their stables.

But, now that Windows 10 S Mode is a thing, it’s a toggle that doesn’t cost anything extra. Both Windows 10 Home and Pro S Mode users are able to go to the Windows Store and opt out of S Mode, though the conversion only works one way – out of S Mode – right now. Though, there will be a switch in the settings app of a future build, that will let users go back and forth.  

What is Windows 10 S?

Microsoft intends Windows 10 S to serve as a lightweight, more secure version of Windows 10 for lower-end devices. While in “S Mode,” Windows 10 will only support apps that are downloaded from the Windows Store.

This talk of a version of Windows that can only download Microsoft-approved apps is familiar, isn’t it? Microsoft believes it has mastered this approach since the turbulent days of Windows 8 RT and Windows 8 with Bing – both of which tried to position Microsoft as the sole provider of apps through curation.

The good news is that this allows for a startup time of under 5 seconds as opposed to the 30 - 40 second startup time of Windows 10 Pro. Not only that, but configuring settings (such as Wi-Fi, webcam, etc.) across an entire classroom of students is as easy as inserting a USB stick in each of their laptops.

Being in competition with Google’s Chrome OS, Microsoft has, of course, also positioned Windows 10 S as a more secure PC operating system. However, its resilience to viruses is mostly a side-effect of the inability to install apps not approved by Microsoft. Historically, Windows viruses have tended to erupt from untrustworthy internet downloads.

Should you find a must-have app that isn't available in the Microsoft Store in Windows 10 S you can switch from Windows 10 S to Windows 10 Home or Pro by just going to the Windows Store and searching for “switch out of S Mode”. Microsoft used to charge a fee for this service, but now it’s free for everyone.

Microsoft will also allow users that upgrade to Windows 10 Pro to move back down to Windows 10 S. And, now that Microsoft is rumored to be working on a Windows 10 Lean Mode, which will be even more lightweight and locked down. 

Oddly enough, the shiny new Surface Laptop 2 now ships with Windows 10 Home, not in S Mode like the previous.

That said, what can you expect to see included in devices running Windows 10 S? Well, the Edge browser, OneNote and Windows Ink are all givens. The standard Movies and Groove Music apps, as well as Maps and Mail and Calendar are shoo-ins, too. 

Of course, we won’t see x86/x64 program support on a Windows 10 cloud operating system until 2019 when the aforementioned Polaris is expected to touch down and implement a ‘virtualization container’ for each of your favorite legacy applications. That means that, yes, should everything work out perfectly, there will be a Windows 10 cloud OS that can emulate the .exe’s of the past.

Despite its constraints, Windows 10 S still features File Explorer, and although many of the laptops that come with the lightweight OS pre-installed may ship with smaller capacity SSDs, Microsoft’s forthcoming introduction of OneDrive Files On-Demand will make it so files can be stored in the cloud, but still viewed the same way as locally stored content.

All things considered, there are still questions looming around in regard to the viability of Windows 10 S. Fortunately, as new developments emerge to (hopefully) address those criticisms, you can count on us to cover them right here on this page.

  • Images Credit: Microsoft

Bill Thomas and Gabe Carey have also contributed to this article

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Mac Mini 2019: what we want to see

Posted: 20 Feb 2019 12:19 PM PST

Just when we thought that the Mac Mini had fallen off the face of the Earth, Apple swept us off our feet with a stunning update in late 2018. So stunning, in fact, that we’re already excited for a would-be Mac Mini 2019.

Released in October 2018, the Mac Mini 2018 offers excellent performance – even at its base configuration with an Intel Core i3 processor – and is able to keep up with the intense demands of users. The computer also has an abundance of ports for connectivity and a decent thermal architecture to keep the heat down.

Of course, the new Mac Mini is hardly the perfect machine. The computer’s integrated graphics leave something to be desired, its SSD storage is the bare minimum and it isn’t really all that cheap – even if it is technically the “cheapest” Mac available. Just in case Apple does release an update this year, we’ve whipped up a wish list. Check back for more updates as Mac Mini 2019 release date, price and other information begins to leak, if at all.

Cut to the chase 

  • What is it? The next Mac Mini computer 
  • When is it out? October 2019, if at all 
  • What will it cost? Possibly starting around $799 (£799, AU$1,249) 

Mac Mini 2019

Image Credit: Apple

 Mac Mini 2019 release date 

Considering that it took Apple four years to release the 2018 update, it’s hard to know if it will actually release a 2019 update to the Mac Mini. At the moment, there is no word. But, if it were to happen, Apple is probably not going to make an announcement until October, when it typically reveal the details of its Mac releases.

At least that’s how it played out last year, when the company broke the news of the Mac Mini 2018 at the Apple Event in late October, with the mini desktop hitting the shelves a few days later in November.

Again, whether Apple will release a 2019 Mac Mini model is still speculation at this point, but we’ll update this story once we hear anything more concrete. Keep your eyes peeled.

Mac Mini 2019

Image Credit: TechRadar

Mac Mini 2019 price 

At the moment, the Mac Mini 2018 has two configurations: the $799 base configuration, which has a Core i3 processor, 8GB DDR4 RAM, a UHD Graphics 630 integrated graphics and a 128GB SSD; and the $1099 “high-end” configuration, which boasts a Core i5 processor a 256GB SSD, and the same integrated graphics and RAM.

With its two configurations, the Mac Mini 2018 has been dubbed the “cheapest” Mac on the market, and we definitely want to see the same prices on the 2019 update. Unless Apple has some big, expensive feature it plans to add –  e.g. the MacBook Pro and its wonky Touch Bar – we expect the prices to stay in the same ballpark. 

Although if Apple were to upgrade the storage, something that may not be entirely necessary considering most creatives (its target users) have their own heavy-duty external drives anyway, the price might go up a little.

Mac Mini 2019

Image Credit: TechRadar

What we want to see

Again, while the Mac Mini 2018 has been largely well-received due to its superior performance packed in a compact form factor, it does still leave some things to be desired. If Apple’s tiny computer does get its update this year, there are a couple of things we’d like to see improved and added new.

A cheaper base model
When the Mac Mini first released, it was priced at $499 and supposed to compete with PCs as an affordable entry into the Apple ecosystem. Though the Mac Mini is five times faster than its predecessor and is still the cheapest Mac around, at $799 it’s still more expensive than comparable PC desktops. 

Plus, you still have to shell out for a monitor, a keyboard and a mouse, at the very least, which essentially puts you at almost the same price as an iMac ($1,099) with more storage space to start.

The Mac Mini 2018 may boast incredible performance, but its price point is nowhere near competitive. We’d love to see the same level of performance and a much affordable price if the computer does get an update this year.

More storage
While the Mac Mini’s target market is creatives, most of whom may already own one or two external hard drives to keep up with their storage demands, paying $799 for a base configuration with only 128GB of SSD storage feels pretty steep. 

These days, that is the bare minimum for desktops, and is hardly enough for storing a handful of apps and software, let alone big files, like images and videos. At least 256GB of space to start is essential for a would-be 2019 model.

Better integrated graphics
One of the main complaints about the Mac Mini is the fact that its integrated graphics are underwhelming in just about every graphics-intensive application, whether you’re streaming and rendering videos or gaming. Dropped frames, low frame rates and slow video rendering are some of the reported symptoms. Considering that many of its users handle graphics-heavy files and work, that’s not a good sign.

Some folks have resorted to adding an external GPU to their setups, but that only adds to the cost and defeats the computer’s purpose. So we’d love to see Apple step up its game, and improve the Mac Mini Intel Iris integrated graphics or even a discrete GPU inside. Perhaps something similar to what the MacBook Pros have, which are considerably better.

Separate the power supply
While the Mac Mini has an improved thermal architecture, some units experience thermal throttling and overheating, at times peaking at over 90 degrees Fahrenheit, according to end users. It’s become such an issue, in fact, that some have replaced the thermal paste with third-party stuff just to keep the heat down, though not by much.

Separating the built-in power supply could be an effective way to manage this heat problem, resulting in an even better performance and possibly a smaller form factor (or enough space for a dedicated graphics card).

More user upgradability
The earliest Mac Mini models were known for their upgradability, but this latest generation has very limited user upgrade options. Before, you could update the CPU, RAM and storage to your heart’s content; now, however, only the RAM is upgradable; and it’s hardly an easy undertaking.

The CPU, RAM and storage in the Mac Mini 2018 may be upgraded when you’re in the process of ordering them, maxing the price out at $3,999, but Apple’s doing it for you and it can get expensive quickly. We’d like to see Apple bring back the old generation’s user upgradability in the Mac Mini 2019, especially if the computer largely sticks to the same specs.

Better speakers
This is more of an afterthought, but the Mac Mini 2018’s speaker is considered poor by some critics.

Though a headphone jack is on hand so you can attach better speakers, it would be a welcome update to give the 2019 model a better speaker – or remove it entirely for an even smaller form factor.

  • Check out our list of the best Macs you can buy today

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The best student laptops: all the best options for school

Posted: 20 Feb 2019 12:09 PM PST

It’s no secret that school is getting more expensive at every level – tuition, books, food – the prices rack up. Luckily, if you opt for one of the best laptops for students, you can save some money. Not only will these budget minded laptops have great style and performance, but they’ll do it with an eye for value.

Trying to save up for a new laptop when you’re buying textbooks can be hard, so the best student laptops don’t need all the best processors and graphics cards. You won’t be limited to Windows 10, either – the best Chromebooks are among the best laptops for college students – as you’ll be able to get all your work done while saving a ton of cash.

We know that school gets stressful, but that’s why you should make sure you only have the best student laptop. No one wants the added stress of running around campus with a dying laptop – especially when you’re in the middle of a project. So, we gathered up some of the best laptops for students, because no one wants to limit themselves to an old clunker just to get schoolwork done.

Here at TechRadar, we love it when a laptop can perfectly balance price and performance without any compromises, and the Huawei MateBook 13 comes closer to hitting that perfect balance than anything in 2019 so far. Thin, light, quick and affordable, this beautiful 13-inch Ultrabook will let you get all your work done in style, without dragging down on your wallet. The battery life is a little weak, but that’s a worthy sacrifice to make here – just carry the charger around with you.

Read the full review: Huawei MateBook 13 

Best laptops for college students 2019

Once in a while we’ll get our hands on a laptop that completely revolutionizes everything – the Huawei Matebook X Pro is one such laptop. Not only does it feature modern, powerful components like an 8th-generation Kaby Lake R processor and 16GB of RAM, it’s also beautiful – incorporating all the latest trends in Ultrabook design. What’s more impressive, it manages to do all this while being a much more affordable than the competition. This is what makes it one of the best laptops for students – you’re not going to get a more powerful laptop for less cash than the Matebook X Pro. 

Read the full review: Huawei Matebook X Pro 

  • Australian readers, the Matebook X Pro has finally been officially released Down Under, but this Australian stock is only being sold via the Microsoft Store at present... and that limited availability means both models on offer (priced at $1,899 and $2,599) keep quickly selling out. If there's none available at the above link, we'd suggest checking back in one to two weeks.

best laptops for college students 2019

The Dell XPS 13 has always been among the best laptops – for college students, professionals and even everyday users. But, now that Dell has brought back the entry-level option, it’s affordable for college students once more. Dell has also fixed the biggest bugbear – the webcam. Dell found a way to move the webcam up to the top of the display, so that your friends won’t have to stare up your nose when you’re in a video call. 

Read the full review: Dell XPS 13 

best laptops for college students 2019

While the first Surface Laptop was already a great laptop for students, it was held back by sub-par performance, a lack of ports and Windows 10 in S Mode. With the Surface Laptop 2, though, everything is better – except for the ports. You’re getting quad-core Kaby Lake Refresh processors, full-fat Windows 10 Home and a sleek black color option. We wish it had even a  single USB-C port, but that doesn’t change the fact that you’ll be able to get all your work done in style with this laptop. 

Read the full review: Surface Laptop 2

best laptops for college students 2019

The way we look at it, the best laptop for college students will strive to hit a golden balance between price and performance, without looking like you pulled it out of your dad’s study. The Microsoft Surface Go, then, isn’t just one of the best Windows tablets, but it’s one of the best laptops for college students, period. Don't’ be fooled by the low power components, either – Microsoft has engineered this 2-in-1 to be able to keep up with your schoolwork without breaking a sweat. You can’t do much better than the Surface Go, especially if you’re on a budget.

Read the full review: Microsoft Surface Go 

best laptops for college students 2019

Dell’s XPS lineup has been among the best laptops for college students for years now, and the new XPS 15 is no different. Taking the approach of ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’, not much has changed year over year – but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. What you’re getting here is a reliable Ultrabook with enough horsepower to carry you through all of your coursework without costing an arm and a leg. While the entry level is perfectly fine for most people, you can configure this thing with up to a Core i9 CPU and 32GB of RAM, transforming the Dell XPS 15 into a killer media editing workstation. We just wish Dell would move that webcam.

Read the full review: Dell XPS 15 

best laptops for college students 2019

The Microsoft Surface lineup has built a reputation for itself for being among the best Windows devices out there – gorgeous touch screens, incredible performance and long battery life. The Surface Pro 6 continues this tradition, even if it doesn’t bring anything new to the table. What you’re getting here is a speedy Windows tablet that can effortlessly turn into a laptop through the Surface Type Cover. You can get your work done and then effortlessly transition into break time.  

Read the full review: Surface Pro 6

best laptops for college students 2019

College gets expensive – you can’t avoid it. That’s why the best laptops for college students will offer awesome performance at a decent price, much like the Lenovo Flex 14. At under a four-digit price, there’s something to be said about getting an Ultrabook that can handle anything the semester throws at you – and the Lenovo Flex 14 looks good to boot. You won’t find a better laptop at a lower price.

Read the full review: Lenovo Flex 6 14 

best laptops for college students 2019

We were left waiting for Apple to renew the MacBook Air for years, as it languished with a 5th-generation Intel Core processor and an out of date, low-resolution display. Thankfully, those days are over. Apple has ushered the MacBook Air into the modern age, with 8th-generation fanless processors, a thinner and lighter design, and perhaps most importantly – a Retina display. No more do you have to compromise on modern features if you want an “affordable Mac”, and that makes the MacBook Air one of the best laptops for college students.

Read the full review: MacBook Air 

best laptops for college students 2019

If you’re not too concerned with cash, and you’re a macOS addict (we get it), the 2018 MacBook Pro is the most powerful MacBook that’s ever existed. With its impressive hexa-core processors, and up to a whopping 32GB of memory, this cupertino workstation will get you through whatever you throw at it. It also includes the much-improved third generation Butterfly keyboard that will not only be less distracting to the students around you, but will be less prone to failure if some dust comes within 10 feet.

Read the full review: MacBook Pro 15-inch (2018) 

  • Want more choices? Check out our list of the best laptop 2019
  • Images Credit: TechRadar

Bill Thomas and Gabe Carey have also contributed to this article.

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Samsung Galaxy Fold release date, news and features

Posted: 20 Feb 2019 12:06 PM PST

The Samsung Galaxy Fold has been officially unveiled on stage at Samsung' s Unpacked 2019 launch event.

It's the first foldable phone from the firm and today we got our first proper look at the device after a preview was given to us during Samsung's Developer Conference towards the end of 2018.

Brace yourself though, as Samsung has made it clear that the Galaxy Fold is a premium device, and it certainly has the price tag to back up that claim. 

This isn't a device for everyone - you'll really need to be committed to owning the next generation of device if you opt for the Fold.

Cut to the chase

  • What is it? Samsung's first folding smartphone
  • When is it out? April 26 (US), May 3 (Europe)
  • What will it cost? $1,980 (€2,000)

Samsung Galaxy Fold release date and price

The Samsung Galaxy Fold price is a staggering $1,980 (€2,000), making it comfortably more expensive than pretty much every other mainstream smartphone on the market.

The Samsung Galaxy Fold release date is April 26 in the US and May 3 in Europe. 

Samsung Galaxy Fold

The Samsung Galaxy Fold has a 7.3-inch foldable display. Image Credit: TechRadar 

Samsung Galaxy Fold design and displays

On the front of the Samsung Galaxy Fold there is a 4.6-inch HD+ Super AMOLED (21:9) display, but open the phone up and you'll find a 7.3-inch QXGA+ (QHD+) Dynamic AMOLED (4.2:3) Infinity Flex display which transforms the phone into a tablet.

The Galaxy Fold will be available in four colors; Space Silver, Cosmos Black, Martian Green and Astro Blue. Depending on the color you choose, you will also be able to personalize the color of the hinge.

When folded in phone-mode, the Galaxy Fold certainly looks chunky, which could make it a little tricky to slip into a pocket. 

There a stereo speakers, tuned by AKG, which should provide decent sound

On the side of the device you'll find a fingerprint scanner, while inside there's a battery (combining to offer 4,380mAh) in each half of the Samsung Galaxy Fold, which work together to offer one power source.

The Galaxy Fold can be charged wirelessly, and it supports Wireless PowerShare, allowing you to charge another device wirelessly by using the Fold as a charging mat.

Samsung says a luxury device needs luxury packaging, and it'll include a pair of its new wireless buds in the box.

Samsung Galaxy Fold specs and interface

The Samsung Galaxy Fold packs 12GB of RAM and a high-end 7nm processor, making it one of the most powerful phones on the market. 

It also comes with 512GB of internal storage and support for UFS 3.0 (Universal Flash Storage), allowing the handset to read data even faster. There is no expandable storage option, though.

The Galaxy Fold runs Android 9 Pie, the latest software from Google, but Samsung has developed a unique interface over the top to work especially with the screens.

The large folding screen supports three app multi-tasking, allowing you to have three apps open on the display at the same time.

App Continuity allows you to continue your app experience as you fold between the two displays. 

Apps such as WhatsApp and Microsoft Office have been specially adapted to work with the Galaxy Fold's 7.3-inch display.

It has a total of six cameras, with three on the rear (16MP + 12MP + 12MP), a 10MP selfie snapper on the front and two (10MP + 8MP) above the 7.3-inch display inside the fold.

Samsung Galaxy Fold

It's not cheap, but it sure is pretty. Image Credit: TechRadar 

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Samsung Galaxy S10 vs iPhone XS

Posted: 20 Feb 2019 12:02 PM PST

The Samsung Galaxy S10 has finally arrived and it’s sure to be one of the most successful phones of 2019, possibly rivaled only by Apple’s handsets.

Speaking of which, one of its most direct rivals right now is the iPhone XS. This phone is a little older, but it’s still the most recent iPhone you can buy and a truly top-tier device in its own right.

These are very different phones in a lot of ways though, as you’ll see if you read on, because we’ve compared them across all the key areas.

Samsung Galaxy S10 vs iPhone XS design

Image Credit: TechRadar

The Samsung Galaxy S10 is made up of two sheets of glass, with a metal frame sandwiched between them. The screen curves and there’s almost no bezel and not even a notch. Instead, there’s a cut-out at the top right corner for the front-facing camera.

Round the back meanwhile there are three camera lenses lined up horizontally, and the lack of a visible fingerprint scanner is no accident – it’s in the screen.

The iPhone XS on the other hand also has a glass back and a metal frame, but its screen is flat, and while there’s very little bezel there is a large notch at the top.

Both phones have a glass back. Image Credit: TechRadar

The back meanwhile has a dual-lens camera tucked away in the top left corner and there’s no visible fingerprint scanner here either, but that’s because the iPhone XS doesn’t have one, relying instead on Face ID (though note that the Galaxy S10 also has facial recognition).

The Samsung Galaxy S10 comes in at 149.9 x 70.4 x 7.8mm and 157g, while the iPhone XS is 143.6 x 70.9 x 7.7mm and 177g, so while the Galaxy S10 is a fair bit lighter, the two phones have similar dimensions, with the main difference being that the S10 is longer.

Samsung Galaxy S10 vs iPhone XS display

Image Credit: TechRadar

There’s a reason that the Samsung Galaxy S10 is longer than the iPhone XS – it has a larger, 6.1-inch screen. This screen is curved, as noted above, and has a widescreen 19:9 aspect ratio and a QHD+ resolution.

The iPhone XS is a fair bit smaller at 5.8 inches. It has a similar 19.5:9 aspect ratio though and both phones use AMOLED, but the iPhone XS has a lower 1125 x 2436 resolution and it’s flat rather than curved. The iPhone XS also supports HDR10, while the Galaxy S10 is the first phone to support HDR10+.

We know from our time with it that the iPhone XS has a great quality screen, but in our previews, we think the S10 beats it – we’ll let you know for sure in our full review. 

Either way, it stands out through its curves, larger size and lack of notch, though the camera cut-out and curvy edges won’t appeal to everyone.

Samsung Galaxy S10 vs iPhone XS camera and battery

The S10 has three rear cameras. Image Credit: TechRadar

The Samsung Galaxy S10 has a triple-lens rear camera, made up of a 12MP f/2.4 telephoto lens with optical image stabilization (OIS), a 12MP dual-pixel lens which can switch between an aperture of f/1.5 and f/2.4 (and which also has OIS), and a 16MP f/2.2 ultra-wide-angle lens, with no OIS.

The iPhone XS on the other hand has a dual-lens rear camera consisting of a 12MP f/1.8 wide-angle lens with OIS and a 12MP f/2.4 telephoto lens with OIS.

So the telephoto lens is similar in spec to the telephoto lens on the Galaxy S10, but the iPhone XS’s other lens is limited to a single aperture and the phone completely lacks a third lens.

That doesn’t necessarily mean the Samsung Galaxy S10 has the better rear camera, as it’s the quality not quantity of lenses and software that matters, so we’ll let you know how it performs once we’ve put it through a full review. 

We expect good things though, even though we know the iPhone XS performs well at photography.

The iPhone XS has two rather than three rear lenses. Image Credit: TechRadar

On the front meanwhile you get a 10MP f/1.9 camera on the Galaxy S10 and a 7MP f/2.2 one on the iPhone XS.

Moving on to the battery, there’s a 3,400mAh one in the Samsung Galaxy S10 and a 2,658mAh one in the iPhone XS. So Samsung’s is significantly bigger, but remember it also has a larger screen to power.

Both phones support fast charging and wireless charging, but the Galaxy S10 ups the ante with Fast Wireless Charging 2.0 and Wireless PowerShare (which lets the S10 itself wirelessly charge other devices).

Samsung Galaxy S10 vs iPhone XS OS and power

The Samsung Galaxy S10 has a high-end octa-core chipset – likely the Snapdragon 855 in the US and Exynos 9820 elsewhere, but Samsung hasn’t yet confirmed that.

The iPhone XS also has a high-end chipset, specifically the A12 Bionic. This is only a hexa-core chipset, but in benchmarks it typically beats the latest Snapdragon and Exynos ones.

You get 8GB of RAM in the Galaxy S10 and just 4GB in the iPhone XS, but don’t let that put you off – Apple’s phone is extremely powerful and we'll confirm the difference when we run both through benchmarks.

Apple's phone runs iOS. Image Credit: TechRadar

Storage meanwhile comes in at either 128GB or 512GB in the Samsung Galaxy S10, and 64GB, 256GB, or 512GB in the iPhone XS, but the Galaxy S10 also has a microSD card slot, which the iPhone XS doesn’t.

The biggest difference between these phones though is arguably the operating system, as while the Samsung Galaxy S10 runs Android 9 Pie, the iPhone XS of course runs iOS 12.

Samsung Galaxy S10 vs iPhone XS price

The Samsung Galaxy S10 starts at $899 / £799 (around AU$1,260) for a version with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, rising to £999 (roughly $1,290 / AU$1,800) for a version with 8GB of RAM and 512GB of storage.

The iPhone XS on the other hand starts at $999 / £999 / AU$1,629 for 64GB of storage, rising to $1,149 / £1,149 / AU$1,879 for 256GB and $1,349 / £1,349 / AU$2,199 for 512GB.

So Apple’s phone starts at a higher price and with less storage and that trend continues as storage grows, though both phones are at the very high end of smartphone pricing.

The iPhone XS is more immediately available though, as it’s out now, while pre-orders open for the Samsung Galaxy S10 on February 21, with the phone arriving in stores on March 8.

Image Credit: TechRadar

Takeaway

While the iPhone XS and Samsung Galaxy S10 are direct competitors in terms of their place in the market, most people probably won’t really be choosing between them, given the different operating systems.

But if you are, there are a lot of factors to consider. The Galaxy S10 has a bigger, sharper, curvier screen, a punch-hole camera rather than a notch, an extra rear camera lens, a bigger battery and a lower price.

On paper the S10 might therefore have the edge, but it remains to be seen how it will stand up in practice, and the iPhone XS has a lot going for it too, including tons of power, a high-end design and a capable camera.

  • Lots more phones are set to land at MWC 2019

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Samsung Galaxy Buds are true wireless headphones that charge, well... wirelessly

Posted: 20 Feb 2019 11:58 AM PST

Samsung has revealed its Galaxy Buds headphones, timed to launch at the same time as the Galaxy S10 range of phones.

The headphones are a true wireless experience, supporting both wireless audio playback and charging. This means the buds could be easy to lose, but Samsung has you covered.

The Galaxy Buds are contained in a carry case, which charges them when not in use. The case itself can be charged wirelessly, although it also has USB-C connection too. 

This isn't Samsung's first dive into wireless audio – it previously released the Gear IconX headphones, but by changing the name to Galaxy it's clear the company is trying to bring its products together under one brand.

There are three different colors of Galaxy Buds to choose from: black, white, or yellow, which is the same for both the buds and the carry case.

According to Samsung the bud batteries will last for five hours of calls or six hours of music. The buds run Bixby, Samsung's personal assistant, so you can check your battery, control your Galaxy S10 or change the music without using your hands.

They'll cost $149 / £139 (which converts to around AU$210) when they're released, on March 29. We do, however, know that people pre-ordering a Galaxy S10 device in the UK and US will receive a pair of Galaxy Buds for free.

Stay tuned for our hands-on review with the Galaxy Buds, and then a full review once we've had extensive time to play around with them.

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New Samsung Galaxy S10e price is £669 to buy SIM-free

Posted: 20 Feb 2019 11:41 AM PST

 Just when you thought that prices of new Samsung phones were only ever going to get steeper and steeper, the manufacturer pulls a skid and drops in a new budget version of its Galaxy S range to appeal to consumers with more sense than money. And it’s called the Samsung Galaxy S10e.

While its flagship S10 phone has crept to within a pound of the £800-mark and it’s flogging a 1TB memory S10 Plus for a whopping £1,400, pre-ordering a £669 SIM-free Galaxy S10e from Samsung means that you’ll be able to own a brand new Samsung smartphone for 2017 prices (the S8’s RRP was £639 on release two years ago).

Head to Samsung’s website to pre-order a SIM-free Samsung S10e now

So what does your £669 get you? Well we call this a budget phone, but we’re not talking about slumming it with weak processors or old technology. So that’s a 5.8-inch Full HD+ AMOLED display, 12MP and 16MP dual main cameras, 3,100mAh and 6GB RAM processing. That’s a lot of phone for the price.

You could think of it as Samsung’s answer to the massively popular iPhone XR. Apple lead the way with a more affordable flagship last year and the gamble really paid off. We’re expecting the Samsung Galaxy S10e to absolutely fly of the shelves at this price, with pre-orders being delivered on March 8.

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Intel invites you help it develop its future graphics cards

Posted: 20 Feb 2019 11:19 AM PST

Intel graphics cards aren’t here yet and won’t be for awhile, but Intel is already trying to build up a community around them.

Today Intel has launched a new community program it calls “The Odyssey,” which will allow users to discuss and share their ideas of how the company should develop its upcoming graphics cards.

In its mission statement, Intel officially says that The Odyssey is a “community-based program designed to facilitate two-way conversation where Intel will listen, engage and bring along a genuinely passionate community on a journey into a better visual experience.

"Participants will have the opportunity to learn about the latest advancements in hardware and software platform technologies, as well as industry collaborations that’ll enhance the content creation and gaming experience.”

  • Nvidia vs AMD might not be the only fight in the graphics world for long
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GPUs for the people, by the people

AMD and Nvidia both have their respective groups of followers, but Intel appears to be extending an open hand to getting its community onboard even as it’s developing its future products. 

Initially, The Odyssey will function as a mailing list and anyone can sign up for the program here. Intel is also holding a kick-off community event at the Gaming Developers Conference (GDC) in San Francisco on March 20th. 

In the future, the Intel will also inform those on its Odyssey mailing of the latest developments as well as invites to company-sponsored events. At these online and offline events, users will be able to speak with Intel executives and developers.

Hopefully we’ll hear more about Intel’s graphics cards in the near future.

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