Apple : Best hard drives 2019: the top HDD for desktops and laptops

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• Best hard drives 2019: the top HDD for desktops and laptops
• The best motherboard 2019: the top Intel and AMD motherboards we've seen
• Best Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Ti: which version is best for your PC?
• The best graphics cards 2019: all the top GPUs for gaming
• The best mouse of 2019: 10 top computer mice compared
• Best racing wheel: Logitech vs Thrustmaster vs Fanatec vs Hori
• Best gaming keyboard 2019: the best gaming keyboards we've tested
• The best keyboards of 2019: top 10 keyboards compared
• Best wireless routers 2019: the best routers for your home network
• Best gaming mouse 2019: the best gaming mice we've tested
• Best processors 2019: top CPUs for your PC
• Best 4K monitors 2019: the top Ultra HD monitors and displays
• The best gaming monitor 2019: the 10 best gaming screens of the year
• The best monitor 2019: the top 10 monitors and displays we’ve reviewed
• Best all-in-one PCs 2019: top compact AIO desktops
• Best computer 2019: the best PCs we've tested
• The best gaming PC 2019: 10 of the top gaming desktops you can buy
• The best PC gaming headsets 2019
• The world's first 5G phone: our hands-on with the future of smartphones
• Apple's iPhone 2020 may have 5G trouble, but Huawei is eager to help

Best hard drives 2019: the top HDD for desktops and laptops Posted: 08 Apr 2019 01:48 PM PDT While the best hard drives will come nowhere close to being faster than the best SSDs, they’re so much cheaper and more capacious. Sure, you won’t find them in the best Ultrabook, but a hard drive can be useful as an extra drive or even an external measure – especially if you have a lot of data to back up. If you’re looking for the best hard drive for your needs, you’ll have to consider what you plan to do with it. If you’re looking for the best hard drive for your Xbox One or PS4, you’ll want a 2.5-inch drive or even an external hard drive. However, if you’re rocking one of the best gaming PCs, and you just want all the space you can get, a 3.5-inch drive is what you want. It’s a lot to think about, but we went ahead and gathered up the best hard drives to help you out.  Image Credit: Seagate It’s almost impossible to talk about hard drives without mentioning Seagate’s BarraCuda lineup – it’s a force to be reckoned with. And, it’s not hard to see why, Seagate BarraCuda drives offer a great gigabyte-per-dollar ratio and speed benefits to top it off. The 2TB model hits a sweet spot by balancing high performance and affordability. Since this drive combines 7,200rpm platters and high density data, computers outfitted with this drive will be able to read data extraordinarily fast. Image Credit: Toshiba Even if its laptops aren’t as popular as they used to be, Toshiba is still a huge name in computing, and has a lot to offer. When it comes to the best hard drives, the Toshiba X300 is a high-capacity, high-performance champ worth taking a look at. The X300 drives boast great gigabyte-to-dollar value without sacrificing on performance. These drives all spin at 7,200 rpm and include 128MB of cache for higher speeds. The only downside is the warranty only lasts two years, which feels short for a drive meant to store so much important data. Image Credit: Western Digital When it comes to PC gaming, it’s better to be fast than capacious. So, if you’ve been resisting the allure of an SSD, and looking to kick it old school with one of the best hard drives, the WD VelociRaptor should be up your alley. Not only does this drive have a whopping 10,000 rpm spin speed, but you’re going to want to pay attention to it. With capacities up to 1TB, the VelociRaptor drives are ready to store large game libraries, and the super fast platters will help your games launch and load quickly. 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 Seagate FireCuda  Image Credit: Western Digital Western Digital offers a solid bargain with its line of WD Blue hard drives. With a wide variety of storage options from a small 500GB to a capacious 6TB, the WD Blue is a viable pick for almost any type of PC build that’s sticking to a budget. The best value comes from the larger drives – they’ll give you much more storage per dollar spent. And, if you’re looking for a bit more speed, there are also 7,200rpm models available that don’t come with too much of a price hike.  Image Credit: Seagate SSDs are all the rage these days, and it’s not hard to see why. But if you need a lot of fast storage, hybrid hard drives – which contain a small amount of solid state storage to bump of their speed – are a great option. The SeaGate FireCuda is the best hybrid drive out there, it can fit up to 2TB of data, and then its 8GB of solid state cache storage learns and stores the data you use most to access it faster. That speed boost is even sweeter when you consider this drive spins at a fresh 7,200rpm. With its 5-year warranty and approachable price tag, it’s easy to see why it’s one of the best hard drives out there.  Image Credit: Seagate It’s a little unfortunate that the Seagate IronWolf NAS drives come at a premium, but they aren’t priced much more expensively than a standard hard drive at their capacity. However, their native NAS optimization makes that premium totally worth it. These drives are capable of running at a fast 7,200rpm spin rate 24/7 without having to worry about drive failure. Really, if you have one of the best NAS devices for your business or home, the Seagate IronWolf NAS really is your best bet.  Image Credit: Seagate Upgrading the storage in a laptop can be tough, since the hard drives are much smaller. There aren’t a lot of impressive 2.5-inch hard drives, as anything fast comes with a serious markup, but Seagate’s 2.5-inch FireCuda hybrid drive strikes a nice balance. It offers an easy way to add loads of storage to a laptop while also giving it a speed boost thanks to 8GB of flash storage. A five-year warranty on the drive will also help ensure it lasts a long time. Image Credit: Western Digital Game consoles hard drives fill up fast with massive libraries. And, like laptops, the upgrade path for 2.5-inch hard drives isn’t all that great, but that’s where an external drive comes in. The WD My Book strikes an amazing balance of storage and price, offering enough room for massive game libraries. Running on USB 3.0, it may not be quite as fast as an internal drive upgrade, but it will run games and offer more storage at a cheaper rate. Image Credit: G-Technology A lot of people seem to think that the best hard drives are ancient and dead technology in 2019. However, with devices like the G-Technology G-Drive, you can show the naysayers in your life that spinning disks have their own place in the future. Not only does this external hard drive offer huge amounts of storage – up to 10 TB – but thanks to Thunderbolt 3 compatibility, it can even charge your laptop while you work. If you have a MacBook Pro, it’s hard to think of a better work companion. Read the full review: G-Technology G-Drive  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

The best motherboard 2019: the top Intel and AMD motherboards we've seen Posted: 08 Apr 2019 01:47 PM PDT If you’re setting out to build the best PC you can muster, you’ll want to make sure you get the best motherboard possible. Motherboards aren’t as exciting as the best graphics cards or processors, but that shouldn’t matter. Your motherboard serves as the backbone of your PC, helping your hardware reach its full potential by pushing it to its limits – utilizing and optimizing every inch of performance. Basically, you can overclock better with a high-quality motherboard.  The best motherboards are extremely important to your PC build, so it only makes sense to get the best motherboard you can find. If you cheap out and get a sub-par motherboard, it could die and force you to rebuild your entire computer from scratch – and that's not a good time, trust us. So, do yourself a favor and pick up the best motherboard right now, so you don’t have to replace it later. There are dozens of motherboards out there, and the marketplace can get confusing. That’s why we went ahead and created this list of the best motherboards on the market. So, let us help you find the best motherboards that we’ve tested ourselves. Not only will they do everything you need them to and more, the best motherboards are built to last. When Coffee Lake Refresh CPUs hit the market, Intel promised that they would be the best processors for gaming, and we knew that meant kitted out motherboards were on the way. And, lo and behold, the Z390 Aorus Gaming Pro Wifi – the best Intel motherboard on the market right now. It’s packed with gaming-centric features like reinforced PCIe slots and enough RGB lighting to blind you. It’s hard to find a better motherboard, especially at this price point. Sometimes, when you’re shopping for PC hardware, inundated with all the different features, components and requirements, you just want to throw your hands up in the air and say “just give me everything.” In times like these, a motherboard like the Asus ROG Maximus XI Code Z390 Gaming is your best bet. Packed with every feature that Intel’s new Coffee Lake Refresh processors support and then some, with a RGB-lit shroud covering every inch of circuitry on this motherboard.  Now that Coffee Lake Refresh has been on the market for a while, you’ll want to take advantage of all the power it has to offer. However, high-end motherboards can get pricey fast. So, if you’re looking for a budget option without many compromises, the Gigabyte Z390 should be at the top of your list. It doesn’t have bells and whistles like RGB lighting and built-in Wi-Fi, but it makes up for these compromises with excellent value. You get all the essential features that Z390 has to offer for a great price. If you’re looking to build a budget gaming system, the Gigabyte Z390 UD is the best motherboard for you.  If you’re looking for an edge on the competition, and you don’t have a lot of extra room on your desk, you’re going to want a Micro-ATX motherboard – you’re going to want the MSI MPG Z390M Gaming Edge AC. What you’re getting here is a Micro-ATX motherboard with all the features a full-sized ATX part, but a fraction of the price. Despite it’s reduced size, you still get getting dual M.2 slots, SLI and Crossfire support and all the scalding performance that Intel Coffee Lake Refresh has to offer. If you’re looking for a smaller motherboard, you can’t afford not to get the MSI MPG Z390M Gaming Edge MC.  If you need the smallest motherboard that you can get, without compromising on key features of your CPU, you should consider the Asus ROG Strix Z390-I Gaming. With this motherboard you don’t have to compromise on features or power. You don’t even need to settle for a measly 32GB of RAM, thanks to Asus’ double capacity memory compatibility – you can have up to 64GB of memory in the tiniest motherboard you’ve ever seen. Unfortunately, like most Z390 boards, it’s a bit pricey, so prepare yourself for that. With the X470 Aorus Gaming 7 Wi-Fi, Gigabyte further illustrates is mastery of motherboard design. Rocking the new AMD X470 chipset, allowing full support of the new AMD Ryzen 2nd Generation processors, this is the best motherboard if you’re looking to side with Team Red. What’s more, it supports Quad-GPU SLi and extremely fast RAM (up to 3,600 MHz) for peerless expandability, and thanks to its multi-zone RGB lighting, it looks good while kicking butt.  For the longest time, AMD has been the reigning champion of budget builds, and in 2018 that doesn’t seem to be changing. Marketed exclusively to gamers, the MSI X470 Gaming Plus is loaded front to back with features like two PCIe M.2 slots and quick performance tweaking buttons to make sure you’re on the top of the leaderboards at all times. And, since it’s a gamer-focused motherboard, it comes with all kinds of flashy RGB lighting that you can even customize it from your smartphone. These days, small form-factor PCs are all the rage and with motherboards like the ASRock B450M-HDV, we think they’re going to stay that way. Now, while this motherboard doesn't do SLI and supports only up to 32GB of RAM– it is a B450 unit, after all – it is still compelling due to its low price. Outside of these omissions, you still get a slot for a NVMe SSD and four USB 3.1 Gen 1 ports around back. If you’re looking to build a solid budget gaming PC, this is going to be the best motherboard for you.   Asus aims to prove that big things can come in small packages with the ROG Strix X470-I. Featuring the latest and greatest AMD chipset, everything in this tiny board is designed with performance in mind. Even down to the BIOS, where you can find a stress test for overclocks before you even boot into Windows. This board even elevates beyond the constraints of the Mnii-ITX form factor by including an M.2 Audio Combo riser, so that you can install your M.2 NVMe SSD without getting in the way of other components.  The X-series processors are here and they're spectacular, so if you want to take advantage of all they have to offer, you need an X-series motherboard. This ASRock X299 is an excellent choice, with support for overclocked memory speeds up to 4400MHz(!!!) and 8 different slots for memory modules. It also supports up to 128GB of RAM, so with an X-series processor and a good graphics card (or 3…) this thing will absolutely tear apart anything you throw at it. If you’re the type of builder with lots of cash to burn and an ‘everything and the kitchen sink’ build method, the Ryzen Thredripper X399 Professional Gaming board is for you. Not only does it support 4-way SLI or Crossfire configurations, but you can also pack this thing with up to 128GB DDR4 memory. It even features a ton of flashy RGB lighting, so that people can’t help but stare at your rig when they walk in the room. And, if you upgrade to Ryzen Threadripper 2nd Generation, you can use this board, but keep in mind you may have to update your BIOS.  Coming to terms If you’re unfamiliar about what makes the best motherboards, well, better than the rest, we’d like to include a primer for anyone who might not know that much about them. Motherboards are available in a broad range of different form factors, the most common of which being ATX and Micro ATX. However, there are plenty of more less common form factors including mini ITX and E-ATX. Don’t worry though, most of the best PC cases will support multiple form factors.  Moreover, in our rundown of the best motherboards, we detailed the socket type that each mobo adheres to. For those not in the know, the socket is the part on the motherboard that the CPU locks into. Typically, newer Intel processors use either LGA 1151 or 2066 while the latest AMD Ryzen architecture is designed for the AM4 chipset. Next up, these are the best gaming monitors you can buy this year This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Best Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Ti: which version is best for your PC? Posted: 08 Apr 2019 01:47 PM PDT The Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Ti is a graphics card we never expected to be real, but we’re so glad it is. If you’ve been waiting for Team Green to release a Turing-based GPU that was actually affordable, this is it. And, while the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Ti doesn’t have the RT and Tensor cores that power Nvidia’s new RTX and Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS) features, it’s such a great performing card, and affordable to boot. It’s easy to see why it’s our pick for the best budget graphics card available today – though the GTX 1660 gives it some tough competition. With this new focus on value, it’s easy to see why Nvidia Turing sales are doing so well. However, unlike Nvidia launches in the past, Team Green didn’t release its own Founders Edition of the GTX 1660 Ti. Without this base model to set the stage for what we could expect from third-party cards, you’ll find a wide variety of cards going for varying prices. The good news is that we went ahead and gathered up the best Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Ti models you can buy today. Image Credit: PNY The PNY GeForce GTX 1660 Ti XLR8 Gaming OC may look like a small graphics card, but it packs a punch. Equipped with a 70MHz factory overclock and otherwise solid specs, this card delivers on the dream of 1440p Ultra quality gameplay at 60 fps. Better yet, all of this performance costs less than 300 smackers. This is the best bang-for-your-buck graphics cards you can get. Read the full review: PNY GeForce GTX 1660 Ti XLR8 Gaming OC  Image Credit:  Asus Looking to max out the performance of the GeForce GTX 1660 Ti? Well, then the Asus ROG Strix GTX 1660 Ti OC is the right card for you. It features the highest factory overclock we’ve seen on this mid-range graphics card yet. Additionally, its oversized heatsink and triple axial fans keep this card running a full 10C cooler than most. Overclocking this card is a breeze, thanks to its extreme cooling system. Read the full review: Asus ROG Strix GTX 1660 Ti OC review  Image Credit: Gigabyte Looking for something in the middle of the road between basic and extreme? The Gigabyte GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Windforce OC is the closest thing to your average GeForce GTX 1660 Ti. Although it’s only equipped with a pedestrian dual-fan cooler, Gigabyte has made use of 3D molded curves on the fan blades for increased airflow. The graphics card’s fans also spin in alternate directions to further increase airflow. Top that off with a 1,845MHz boost clock, and this card delivers more performance for not much more money. Image Credit: Palit The Palit GeForce GTX 1660 Ti StormX OC is one of the most compact graphics cards designed to fit in the smallest of PC cases. Despite its small size, this GPU still packs all the might of a full-sized GTX 1660 Ti and then some with a factory set 1,815MHz boost clock. Best of all, it costs the same amount as the most inexpensive versions of the GeForce GTX 1660 Ti, so it’ll be light on your wallet too. Image Credit: MSI Just because you’re gaming with a mid-range card doesn’t mean you can’t be stylish. The MSI GeForce GTX 1660 TI Gaming X 6G is easily the most handsome of the bunch with a sharp aesthetic and fully addressable RGB lighting – in other words, you can customize how it glows in sync with an MSI motherboard. Looks aside, this card delivers tuned up performance and a Twin Frozr cooler designed to keep it chilled. Find the best processors to go with this budget graphics card This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

The best graphics cards 2019: all the top GPUs for gaming Posted: 08 Apr 2019 01:46 PM PDT Now that Nvidia Turing heavy hitters like the RTX 2080 Ti and RTX 2060 have arrived, the best graphics cards are more powerful (and expensive) than ever before. So, do you splurge on an expensive flagship? Or, do you go for a more budget friendly graphics card, like the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 – perfect for 1080p gaming? No matter what you choose, you’ll be able to use the best graphics cards to play the best PC games from Anthem to Devil May Cry 5. Keep in mind that the best graphics card for your build is going to depend on the type of PC you’re aiming for – finding the right GPU is an involved process. Fortunately, we’re here to help: we’ve gathered up the best graphics cards on the market, each tested and reviewed here at TechRadar. So, before you go out to pick up that shiny new graphics card, we’ll help you find the perfect one for your rig.  When Nvidia’s Turing cards started rolling out, we couldn’t help but balk at the high prices. However, the Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 turns things around, bringing value to the Turing lineup – or, at least, more value than what was there already. The RTX 2060 is already popular, due to the fact that it can handle pretty much anything at 1080p (or even 1440p) at max settings. And, there’s also the fact that it’s the most affordable way to experience RTX features, well, as long as you stick to 1080p.  Read the full review: Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 If you’re looking for the best graphics card, and you’re not ok with compromising, you may want to consider the Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Ti. Without a doubt, this is the most powerful graphics card you can buy without going for a professional solution. And, especially now that games like Battlefield V and Metro Exodus actually use the RTX features, there’s never been a better time to jump on the raytraced bandwagon. Just brace yourself for that price tag. Read the full review: Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Ti  If you want to stick to QHD, with some brief forays into 4K, you might want to check out the RTX 2070. The Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070 brings the new Turing architecture to the mid range with performance that dwarfs the GTX 1070 that came before. Not only will you be able to play everything at 1440p, but you’re going to get insane performance – up to 120fps in Shadow of the Tomb Raider. However, you should consider that the RTX 2070 is significantly more expensive than its predecessor, so that trade off in price-to-performance may not be worth it – especially if you’re coming from a Pascal card. Read the full review: Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070 When Nvidia first launched its Turing lineup, it was hard to find a model that didn’t cost an arm and a leg. However, with the launch of the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Ti, and specifically the PNY XLR8 Gaming OC model, next-generation performance is attainable for everyone. You won’t be able to do 4K 60 fps gaming with this card, but it’s absolutely perfect for anyone still using a 1080p panel. At that resolution, you’ll have trouble running into any title that slows you down. There aren’t any RTX features here, but since there are only a few games that use them, that’s not really a dealbreaker. Read the full review: PNY GeForce GTX 1660 Ti XLR8 Gaming OC AMD hasn’t put out a high end consumer graphics card since 2017’s Radeon Vega 64, and a lot has happened in the GPU world since – namely Nvidia Turing. And, with the Radeon VII, AMD wanted to reclaim a piece of the high-end graphics card market, and it certainly did, but maybe not in the way AMD intended. The AMD Radeon VII holds its own in gaming, but where it really shines is content creation. Packed with 16GB of HBM2 memory, the AMD Radeon VII is going to excel in creative applications, and will easily compete with much more expensive cards. Read the full review: AMD Radeon VII  If you’re trying to play the best VR games, you’re going to need the best graphics card for the job. And, these days, that’s going to be the Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080. Packed with the latest Turing architecture and the VirtualLink VR connector, you won’t have to worry about choppy VR performance making you sick. And, outside of VR, you should be able to play all your favorite PC games at 1440p and 4K without breaking a sweat.  Read the full review: Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 If you’re setting out to build a microATX or a mini-ITX gaming PC, you shouldn’t have to settle for a low-end GPU. You can find mini graphics cards like the Zotac GeForce GTX 1080 Ti Mini. And, sure it’s not the latest and greatest GPU out there anymore, but the 1080 Ti has a lot of life left in it. Plus, when you can get that power in a card that’s just 211 x 125 x 41mm, the loss in performance is totally worth the beautiful mini PC you’ll get. These days, with all the expensive graphics cards, more budget-friendly products sometimes slip through the cracks. We think that’s a shame. The Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 deserves all the spotlights, delivering fantastic 1080p performance at a budget price. With the Gigabyte GeForce GTX 1660 OC 6G, you’re also getting a healthy factory overclock and all the outputs you’ll ever need, so you can play all your favorite games and have plenty of monitors attached. We’d call that a bargain, maybe the best we’ve ever had. Read the full review: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 1660 OC 6G Any eSports player will tell you that high frame rates are far more important than beautifully rendered graphical details – and that’s where the Nvidia GTX 1050 Ti shines. In a time where graphics cards cost as much as rent, it’s an affordable, but potent GPU that can play most eSports games well above 60fps. It’s a bit pricier than the lower-end Nvidia GTX 1050, but you’ll appreciate the extra power behind this card to play future eSports titles, as well as the odd AAA title.  Read the full review: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 Ti These are the best gaming monitors to go with your shiny new GPU Images Credit: TechRadar This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

The best mouse of 2019: 10 top computer mice compared Posted: 08 Apr 2019 01:46 PM PDT The best mice are absolutely essential – even if some tablet and laptop manufacturers want you to think that a tap of your finger or a stylus is the best way to interact with your PC. There’s nothing quite like using an awesome mouse to get around your desktop. No matter whether you’re using a PC or a Mac, a trackpad or a touchscreen just isn’t as efficient. The best mice aren’t limited to a tiny space on your laptop chassis – not to mention the sheer precision.  Maybe you even have an old mouse lying around. However, picking up one of the best mice will make an older mouse seem like a relic of some bygone age. So, before you head out to pick up the best mouse, there are a couple things you need to think about. Is your current mouse starting to die? Are you thinking about going for a wireless mouse? Or, are you just looking for one of the best gaming mice? Regardless of what you’re looking for, the best mice can make your entire computing experience better. All the best mice on this list are packed with unique features that can only be found in high-end peripherals. So, let’s dive into the best mice 2019 has to offer. Yeah, we know, you saw how much the Logitech MX Master 2S costs and just scoffed – just bear with us a second. The Logitech MX Master 2S is the best mouse 2019 has to offer, especially if you have work to do. While most mice in this price range appeal to gamers with ridiculous button setups and edgy designs, this mouse is created for productivity alone. Trust us, you might not think you need a high-end wireless mouse for your day to day office work, but once you get your hands on this one – you’ll never go back. Read the full review: Logitech MX Master 2S   Smaller than Logitech’s flagship, the MX Master, the Logitech MX Anywhere 2 is the ideal travel mouse. It can connect with up to three distinct devices with 2.4GHZ wireless technology or with Bluetooth, making it obvious why this mouse is renowned for having quick setup and surprisingly long battery life. Capable of extremely quick charging, in just 4 minutes the MX Anywhere 2 charges enough for an entire day.  After finding a great mouse, get the best keyboard These days, all of our peripherals are either being shoved full of unnecessary lighting or morphed into odd shapes. So, the Microsoft Classic Intellimouse, with its classic design and appealing white lighting, is a breath of fresh air. It also beefs up the sensor, allowing users to ramp up the DPI to 3,200. It’s not wireless, and it’s hardly made for gaming, but if you’re in the market for a mouse that’ll help you get all your work done, the Microsoft Classic Intellimouse may be the best mouse for you.   Read the full review: Microsoft Classic IntelliMouse  Yeah, this mouse looks weird and its name kind of looks like some annoying tongue twister, but the Anker Vertical Ergonomic Optical mouse is only off putting until you get your hands on it. From the moment you start using this mouse, you’ll know it’s the one of the best mice around. While it’s built a little more cheaply than other ergonomic mice, it’s an affordable way to prevent RSI.  When Apple isn’t occupying itself by building luxury smartphones that you can unlock with your face, it was hard at work crafting one of the strangest mice we’ve ever used. If you found yourself doing a double take when reading the specs, you saw right – the Magic Mouse 2 lacks buttons completely. However, it makes up for this apparent oversight with sheer aesthetic appeal. This mouse is completely controlled by gestures, giving it all the benefits of a trackpad as well as a mouse.  If you’re looking for an extremely comfortable mouse that will make your work day a little less rigorous, you’ll need an ergonomic-focused mouse. Luckily, the Logitech MX Vertical is a great example of what these mice are capable of. As the name suggests, it’s a vertical mouse, but it feels a lot more natural in your hand and helps reduce the amount of stress you have to exert on your wrist and hand muscles. And, as an added bonus, there’s a handy little button at the top that lets you seamlessly swap between different computers – even further reducing the amount of movement you have to perform. Read the full review: Logitech MX Vertical  The third trackball mouse Logitech has put out since 2008, the MX Ergo Wireless is an anomaly in an industry that is otherwise crowded with optical laser mice. As such, it’s certain to charm those who haven’t quite moved on to the gesture-based desktop trackpads of the present. With the option to lay it flat or use it at a 20-degree angle, this mouse is uniquely satisfying. Read the full review: Logitech MX Ergo Wireless This is one of the best mice if you’re looking for something that’s seen and not heard. Because the Logitech M330 Silent Plus is so compact and silent, it’s the perfect mouse for using on an airplane tray next to a sleeping neighbor. Just slip it into your laptop bag when the flight touches down, and weighing less than a quarter of a pound, you won’t even notice the added bulk.  Sure, the Microsoft Surface Precision Mouse that came out late last year is tempting, but sometimes you just need a cheap, reliable mouse that you can throw in your laptop bag without a care in the world. That’s where the Bluetooth Mobile Mouse 3600 comes in. This may be the best mouse for anyone looking for an inexpensive pointing device that won’t let them down – it’s one of the most reliable wireless mice you can buy today, and it’s from a brand you can trust.  Razer products aren’t for everyone. Specifically, they appeal to an audience that enjoys the svelte industrial design of an Apple gadget, but with a gamer-centric slant. That’s especially the case with the DeathAdder Chroma, a mouse that comes with 16.8 million LED-backlit color options out of the box, along with a hyper-accurate 10,000 DPI sensor. Read the full review: Razer DeathAdder Chroma Image Credits: TechRadar Gabe Carey and Bill Thomas has also contributed to this article This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Best racing wheel: Logitech vs Thrustmaster vs Fanatec vs Hori Posted: 08 Apr 2019 01:45 PM PDT Unlike the best gaming keyboards or gaming mice, a racing wheel is decidedly niche. That doesn’t mean that the best racing wheels aren’t worth your time – especially if you play a lot of racing PC games. And, while low-end racing wheels might bring back memories of playing cheap racing games in the arcade, the best racing wheels out there can simulate what it feels like to drive a real race car. It all comes down to a feature called force feedback, with a series of motors making you fight with the wheel, simulating what you’d feel when tearing up the track in a Mini Cooper, or whatever your favorite set of wheels is.  But, how do you find the top racing wheels? Well, we here at TechRadar have gathered up all the best racing wheels on the market right now. So, from Logitech to Thrustmaster, we’ll make sure you get a racing wheel that’s up to snuff.  Image Credit: Logitech Logitech G29 / Logitech G920 Rotation: 900 degrees | Feedback type: Force Feedback | Drive type: Helical gears | Compatibility: PS4/PS3/PC (G29) Xbox One (G920) For: Good included pedals, leather-coated wheel Against: Non-smooth force feedback, dated tech For years Logitech made virtually the default console race wheels. The Logitech G25 and G27 were crackers.  The Logitech G29 (PS4) and G920 (Xbox One) are great too, but are quite similar to those older wheels. That comes with good and bad parts.  First, they’re a lot more affordable than the direct Thrustmaster alternatives, the T300 series wheels. The quality of the wheel itself is great too.  There’s a metal core and leather stitched over the parts your hands grip. Fanatec and Thrustmaster charge a lot more for leather wheels. The Logitech G29 gets you higher-end extras at no extra cost. Its pedal board is much better than anything else at the price too, with a board that has a clutch and very solid metal plates. It’s not plastic rubbish. There is one reason to prefer a Thrustmaster wheel, though. The Logitech wheels still use a completely gear-based system for their force feedback rather than belts. While it’s very powerful, you can feel this geared effect as you turn the wheel, as its motion is a bit notchy rather than completely smooth.  After a while you get used to it, but it makes the whole experience that bit less realistic; unless you drive a Flintstone’s era car it shouldn’t feel notchy, right? The Logitech G29 and G920 are also a bit noisier than the more expensive belt-driven models. Image Credit: Thrustmaster Thrustmaster T300 RS / TX Ferrari 458 Italia Edition Rotation: 1080 degrees | Feedback type: Force Feedback | Drive type: Helical gears | Compatibility: PS4/PS3/PC (T300 RS) / Xbox One (TX) For: Powerful and smooth force feedback, solid wheel Against: Good pedals cost more, rubber wheel as standard The Thrustmaster T300 RS and TX are the ‘default’ enthusiast racing wheels from Thrustmaster, and they’re some of the best around. There’s now an even more expensive T-GT, but as that costs £699/$799 it’s out of reach for most budgets.  What makes the Thrustmaster T300 RS and its brothers so easy to recommend is the new force feedback system. It’s not geared, using a series of belts instead, powered by brushless motors. This gives it the perfect combo of power and smoothness, for a sense of realism and immersion you can’t really beat at the price.  Any force feedback wheel will add a whole new dimension of fun to reasonably realistic racing games like Forza Motorsport and Driveclub, but at the price these Thrustmasters are the obvious choice. There’s a little gnawing rumble as you fight against the wheel, which is the feel of the motor working, but it’s otherwise great.  The belt system does cause a fair bit of heat after a while, necessitating a fan system that kicks in after you’ve been playing for 10 minutes or so. However, it’s not too distracting, and quieter than the Logitech G29 in action.  Xbox One owners need to check out the TX set, while it’s the T300 RS for PS4 owners. The dream, of course, is a wheel that works with all systems, but it doesn’t look like we’ll get that with this generation.  There are a few downsides to these generally great wheel sets, and it’s all about the parts outside of the wheel base. The steering wheel is solid and very grippy, but uses a rubber grip rather than a leather one. We’ve been using the pictured Ferrari 458 wheel, and the Xbox and PS4-enhanced models are largely similar. Many people will be fine with the material, but after using the G29 we did miss the feel a little.  The pedals that ship with many variants of the T300 RS and TX aren’t great either, like the set we’ve been using in the pic. The pedal caps are metal, but this is really just a basic plastic construction, without the stiffness of a great board or more advanced features like a high-end progressive brake.  There’s a solution, but it’s not cheap. These wheels are actually part of a system – you can get other steering wheels and more advanced pedal boards, the T3PA and the fab T3PA Pro. There’s even a manual gearbox if you want a proper old-school driving feel.  Fresh out of the box the Thrustmaster T300 RS lacks a few of the Logitech G29’s touches, but its force feedback is a lot better. Image credit: Thrustmaster Thrustmaster T-GT Rotation: 1080 degrees | Feedback type: Force Feedback | Drive type: Belt system | Compatibility: PS4/PC For: Excellent force feedback, Quiet, High-quality wheel covering, The perfect wheel for Gran Turismo Sport Against: Wheel diameter a little small, Slightly notchy turn feel, Pedals are not a major upgrade The Thrustmaster T300 RS and TX are the ‘default’ enthusiast racing wheels from Thrustmaster, and they’re some of the best around. There’s now an even more expensive T-GT, but as that costs £699/$799 it’s out of reach for most budgets.  What makes the Thrustmaster T300 RS and its brothers so easy to recommend is the new force feedback system. It’s not geared, using a series of belts instead, powered by brushless motors. This gives it the perfect combo of power and smoothness, for a sense of realism and immersion you can’t really beat at the price.  Any force feedback wheel will add a whole new dimension of fun to reasonably realistic racing games like Forza Motorsport and Driveclub, but at the price these Thrustmasters are the obvious choice. There’s a little gnawing rumble as you fight against the wheel, which is the feel of the motor working, but it’s otherwise great.  Read the full review: Thrustmaster T-GT Image Credit: Thrustmaster Thrustmaster T150 / TMX Rotation: 1080 degrees | Feedback type: Force Feedback | Drive type: Belt and gear | Compatibility: PS4/PS3/PC (T150) / Xbox One (TMX) For: Great Value, good force feedback Against: Slightly notchy feel, cheap pedals While those with plenty of cash to spend should definitely consider the T300 RS and its brothers, there’s also a lower-cost version that still has many of the same benefits at half the price. For PS4 fans there’s the Thrustmaster T150; for Xbox lovers, the Thrustmaster TMX. They use the same wheel base tech, but have the controls and compatibility chips needed to get on-board with these seemingly picky consoles.  So, what are the differences between T150 and T300 RS? The main one is that while the T300 RS has force feedback driven entirely by belts, the T150 uses a combo of a helical gear system and a belt. Predictably enough, then, the effect is half-way between the Logitech G29 and T300 RS. It’s smooth-ish, but not entirely, and you feel the effect of the geared motor as it pulls against you when you take a corner at high speed.  Given the price, the results are great, though. The parts that seem a little cheap in the more expensive Thrustmasters are even more budget-y here, though. All-plastic, flimsy pedals are miles off what you get with the Logitech wheel. Their low-resistance action makes them feel like arcade racer fodder, while the force feedback is definitely deserving of the most navel-gazing of realistic driving sims.  The exterior of the steering wheel part itself is also all-plastic, without the metal parts that make these wheels seem a bit less toy-like. There are still sports car-like metal spoke shifters behind the wheel, though. A wheel that packs in a lot of substance if not the luxury touch, the Thrustmaster T150 is probably the best budget wheel around. You can get an even cheaper model, the T80, but as that’s not a force feedback model it’s in a completely different, lower league. Image Credit: Fanatec Fanatec CSL Elite  Rotation: 1080 degrees | Feedback type: Force Feedback | Drive type: Belt | Compatibility: PS4/PS3/PC, Xbox One For: Very smooth and powerful FF, highly customisable Against: Basic wheel doesn’t have rumble, can get very expensive with upgrades Fanatec makes some of the best, and most expensive, racing wheels going. The Fanatec CSL Elite is actually one of its more affordable models, made with a mainstream audience in mind, not least because it supports consoles rather than just the PC. As usual there are different versions for Xbox One and PS4, and the Microsoft version is actually slightly cheaper. The force feedback is a level above what you get in the Thrustermaster T300 RS too, even smoother and with a more precise feel, a little faster and cleaner. It’s an excellent wheel base, and also has a rev counter, supported by some games. Fanatec’s pedals are excellent, with seriously tough metal frames and proper progressive brakes, and you can even choose how stiff the brake is. It goes so stiff, in fact, that to really get the most out of the CSL Elite you want a frame into which you screw the pedals. But the price alone tells you this is an enthusiast wheel. Just looking at the Fanatec CSL Elite, you can tell it’s made by nerdy obsessives. After all, who else would choose that funky grey disco ball effect on the base? Not all will love the look, but at least it’s not super-shiny.  The included wheel is big, well-made and looks like it could survive the apocalypse. Heck, it wouldn’t look out of place on a Mad Max car. However, Fanatec also makes some much nicer wheels. Like the Thrustmaster wheels, this is part of a system you can upgrade. The included P1 steering wheel has rubbery grips and no vibration motors in the thing itself – all the effects come from the force feedback motors. Some of the pricier steering wheels (which you can plug into the same base) do have vibration too, though. You need serious money to get the most out of the CSL Elite, and the basic setup isn’t cheap. But as long as you don’t look too much into what you’re missing with a replacement wheel to avoid upgrade-itis, you’ll be very happy. Image Credit: Hori Hori Apex / Overdrive Rotation: 270 degrees | Feedback type: N/A | Drive type: Belt | Compatibility: PS4/PS3/PC (Apex) / Xbox One (Overdrive) For: Relatively low cost, good for arcade racers Against: No force feedback, a lot lighter than the rest The Hori Apex/Overdive looks a lot like the other wheels here, but it’s actually rather different. This isn’t a force feedback wheel, relying on rumble instead. Fire up a game like Project Cars and the Thrustmaster T150 will decimate the Hori for quality of experience. However, the Hori is perfect for arcade racers, some of which only have rumble effects rather than force feedback programmed in anyway. The more expensive wheels are lost on a game like Need for Speed.  The Hori isn’t. It rumbles when you drift, hit a barrier or car, or go over road markings, but you don’t have to fight with the wheel. There’s a little bit of resistance to turns, and the wheel rights itself when you take your hands off, but there aren’t motors in the base at war with your arms. As a result, the Hori is also much lighter than any other wheel here. You’ll still need something to clamp it to, but this is the one wheel here that won’t seem hard done by if it’s not treated to a proper frame or wheel stand.  Clearly made for racers where you’ll use nitrous every 4.5 seconds, it tries harder than the rest to put all the main PS4 buttons at your fingertips; there’s a pair of them right on the wheel rim itself. You can also alter the D-pad to emulate the DualShock’s own D-Pad, or either of the analogue sticks.  There are good bits, sure, particularly the lower price. However, the Hori Apex/Overdrive is easily the most toy-like wheel in this group. It has plastic gear shifters, fairly cheap plastic pedals and no parts to upgrade. It also has very limited rotation compared with all the other wheels here, turning just 270 degrees rather than 900 or 1080.  This is what Hori was aiming for, though – it's a maker of arcade gear, and this is clearly an arcade wheel. And while the Logitech G29 makes it look like a toy, it’s miles better than the no-brand £30/$50 racing wheels you may have tried over the years.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Best gaming keyboard 2019: the best gaming keyboards we've tested Posted: 08 Apr 2019 01:40 PM PDT We understand that if you already have one of the best gaming PCs, there’s a real temptation to just drop 10 bucks on a cheap keyboard and call it a day. Whatever works, right? Well, don’t you think it’d be better to pick up one of the best gaming keyboards, especially after spending so much on your PC? Trust us, you’re doing yourself, and all the PC games you’re about to play, a disservice by not going for one of the top gaming keyboards. Unlike many other PC components and peripherals, the best gaming keyboards can markedly improve your skills in the best PC games, especially with a mechanical keyboard. So, when you’re out shopping for one of the best gaming keyboards, keep an eye open for the kind of switches it uses. Membrane switches are generally considered the worst for gaming, so finding a mechanical keyboard is critical. And, you can’t forget about lighting – it wouldn’t be 2019 without having your desk lit up like a Christmas tree.  So, what makes the best keyboard for gaming? Even if you just have a bit of cash to spends, you can still get one of the best gaming keyboards. And, if money isn’t an issue, there are a ton of feature-rich keyboards with all the bells and whistles. So, let’s dive into all the best gaming keyboards you can buy today, all of which have been tested and reviewed by us.  Razer Huntsman Elite Razer is taking speed to a whole new level with the Huntsman Elite, thanks to its new optomechanical switches. That sounds like mouthful, but Razer has managed to do the unthinkable – combine mechanical switches with optical sensors. This combination allows the Huntsman elite to take actuation to the next level, and you won’t find a faster keyboard on the market. But, switches aside, it’s remarkably comfortable to type on, and it’s covered with more RGB lighting than you can shake a stick at. Sure, it requires two USB cables for power and costs a small fortune, but with tech like this, it’s absolutely worth it. Read the full review: Razer Huntsman Elite  Roccat Vulcan 120 Aimo It’s becoming more and more common for the best gaming keyboards to abandon Cherry MX switches in favor of custom ones. And, if we keep getting keyboards as good as the Roccat Vulcan 120 Aimo and its Titan switches, we hope the trend never stops. Not only does this keyboard have amazing tactile feedback, but it’s comfortable to type on and won’t keep your roommates awake at night. When you add in just how gorgeous this keyboard is, there’s no denying that this is  one of the best gaming keyboards you can buy right now. Read the full review: Roccat Vulcan 120 Aimo  Logitech G513 One of the biggest problems with Cherry MX Red keys is that while they’re good for gaming, they’re not ideal for typing anything but your Steam credentials. And, that’s where the Logitech G513 and its Romer-G Linear switches steal the show. With its brushed metal finish that, miraculously, is nearly immune to fingerprints, it all adds up to one of the best gaming keyboards on the market in 2019. Read the full review: Logitech G513  When you think Alienware, “value” is probably the last word to come to mind. But, if we’re being honest, the Alienware Pro Gaming Keyboard AW768 is a genuinely good deal. At under 100 bucks or quid, you’re getting a robust gaming keyboard with mechanical keys, dedicated macro keys and slick aesthetics. It’s not the most feature rich gaming keyboard in the game, but at this price it really doesn’t need to be. This gaming keyboard gets the job done, and looks good while doing it – that’s enough to make the Alienware Pro Gaming Keyboard AW768 one of our favorite gaming keyboards. Read the full review: Alienware Pro Gaming Keyboard AW768  Cooler Master MasterSet MS120 Not everything has to be super high-end, and the Cooler Master MasterSet MS120 is proof. It’s a keyboard and mouse set, and while the mouse isn’t all that great, the keyboard is the star of the show. Sitting at just under a hundred bucks, the MasterSet’s keyboard is up there with other, more premium ‘mem-chanical’ keyboards. The switches on offer bring a ton of tactile feedback and deep travel, and won’t keep your whole house awake at night while you’re furiously pounding away on it during an intense late-night Overwatch match. The Cooler Master MasterSet MS120 really is one of the best gaming keyboards under $100. Read the full review: Cooler Master MasterSet MS120  Corsair K63 Wireless We have seen plenty of wireless gaming mice over the last few years, but not many wireless gaming keyboards. Until now. The Corsair K63 Wireless keyboard takes what made the wired version of the K63, and transfers it into the wireless version – without sacrificing much at all. Packing tight Cherry MX Red switches, full RGB lighting and convenient media controls, the K63 wireless shows us what wireless keyboards can be capable of in 2019. Read the full review: Corsair K63 Wireless  HyperX Alloy Elite Following in the footsteps of Kingston’s first HyperX-branded gaming keyboard, namely the HyperX Alloy FPS, the HyperX Alloy Elite tweaks the company’s first winning keyboard to provide only a few subtle changes. For only $10 USD more than its predecessor, you’re getting media keys, a light bar and even a palm rest, all of which were previously absent. They’re also a series of delightful treats, making for a value proposition that shouldn’t be ignored. Read the full review: HyperX Alloy Elite Corsair K95 RGB Platinum You might be thinking that if you’ve seen one of the best gaming keyboards, you’ve seen them all: big, garish hunks of metal with bright RGB lighting. And, while the Havit Low Profile Mechanical Keyboard definitely has the RGB lighting, it leaves the rest of the cliches in the past where they belong. This attractive and responsive keyboard is only as big as it needs to be, and is thus extremely comfortable to type or game on. There are no multimedia buttons, but we’d happily make that trade any day for a keyboard this good at such a low price. Read the full review: Havit Low Profile Mechanical Keyboard   Razer Cynosa Chroma If you’re new to PC gaming, and you want a keyboard that’ll perform admirably without the high price tag that a lot of mechanical keyboards carry, the Razer Cynosa Chroma might be for you. It might not have the tactile clickiness of a higher-end board, but the hybrid mesh switches perform well enough, boasting a 1ms polling rate and 10-key rollover. That’s not to mention the sick RGB lighting. Read the full review: Razer Cynosa Chroma  Corsair K68 RGB Accidents happen – it’s just a fact of life, especially when you’re gaming. Luckily, it’s becoming more common for the best gaming keyboards to be able to handle anything you could throw at them, even Mountain Dew. The Corsair K68 RGB takes a fantastic keyboard design with Cherry MX Switches and makes it water resistant, so you don’t have to worry about a sudden soda shower during a frantic play session. And, with its subdued, stylish design and reasonable price tag, it’s easy to recommend the Corsair K68 RGB. Read the full review: Corsair K68 RGB   Bill Thomas and Gabe Carey have also contributed to this article This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

The best keyboards of 2019: top 10 keyboards compared Posted: 08 Apr 2019 01:36 PM PDT If your keyboard is starting to show its age, collecting dust and looking like something from a horror film, you might want to think about picking up one of the best keyboards. Even if you don't have a keyboard that’s on its last leg, the benefits to comfort, speed and reliability you gain with one of the top keyboards easily pays for the cost of admission. Trust us: once you’ve laid your fingers on the best keyboard, you will never go back. No matter if you’re writing up a term paper, chatting with friends or even playing games, the best keyboards can make life so much more comfortable. Plus, if you’re looking for a new gaming keyboard, we’ve got you covered there, too.  So, if you’re looking for the best keyboard for work, play or something in between, keep it locked to this page. Luckily, you won’t need to worry about breaking open the piggy bank, as many of the best keyboards prioritize value. So, here are the best keyboards we’ve tested and reviewed over the last year or so.  It has become the norm for keyboard manufacturers to implement their own custom keyboard switches, and Roccat – with the Vulcan 120 Aimo – is no different. While this keyboard is primarily marketed as a gaming keyboard, its Titan Switches are tactile enough to be satisfying, while still bouncing back quickly enough to be comfortable to type on for extended periods. And, we’d be remiss to not mention the looks – the Vulcan 120 Aimo looks like a science fiction keyboard, we love it. Read the full review: Roccat Vulcan 120 Aimo  If you have a home theater PC, you might be frustrated by the lack of keyboards that explicitly appeal to your use case. Luckily, there’s a keyboard for you – the Corsair K83 Wireless is a fantastic entertainment-focused keyboard. Not only is it light and portable, it also has a bevy of entertainment functions that’ll make life easier in your living room. And, with its wealth of connectivity options, including Bluetooth and 2.4GHz wireless through a dongle, you can use it with many different platforms. However, it’s not great at gaming, so keep that in mind.  Read the full review: Corsair K83 Wireless As long as you don’t mind missing out on some of that signature ‘thock’ sound that’s associated with regular Realforce keyboards, opting for a silenced model like the 104 UBS offers some solid benefits. Hitting the 104 UBS’s keys produces sound on par with a membrane keyboard, so it’s going to be great if you work in a busy office or a shared bedroom. The ‘dampened’ feel of Topre’s silenced switches can feel kind of like typing on sandpaper compared to a non-silenced board, but we found that it’s worth the trade-off if you need a quieter keyboard.  This product is only available in the US and UK. Australian readers: check out a fine alternative in the Razer Blackwidow Chroma V2. Filco's keyboards tend to be built like tanks, and the Majestouch TKL is no different. This space-saving mechanical keyboard features a compact tenkeyless design that has less than 1cm of space between the edge of the keys and the keyboard. Its durability doesn't simply allow it to stand up well to knocks and scrapes – it has a positive impact on its typing feel too. You can hammer away on it at speed, even bottoming out to your heart's content, and the Majestouch 2 will take every bit of punishment. We’ve seen all kinds of keyboards over the years here at TechRadar, from stylish tenkeyless keyboards to RGB-laden gaming behemoths, but something has always been missing – a focus on creatives. Thankfully, with the Logitech Craft, this is no longer the case. Not only is this a sturdy, tactile and attractive keyboard but it also features a unique dial on its top left corner, which will help creatives expedite their workflow. This dial’s utility will vary depending on the application, from simply controlling the volume on the desktop, to changing levels in various tools in Photoshop. If you spend a lot of time creating content on your PC, the Logitech Craft is one of the best keyboards you can buy today. Read the full review: Logitech Craft  Somewhat legendary in keyboard circles, the PFU Happy Hacking Professional 2 (or HHKB2 as it's usually referred to) is that rare beast - a 60% Topre keyboard. Aimed at coders but fantastic for document warriors too, it foregoes traditional arrow keys, instead making use of function keys and key combinations to provide such functionality. It only takes a short while to get used to, once you've got there the huge benefit is that the HHKB2 is small and light enough to take anywhere, giving you access to that sweet Topre "thock" sound and feel anywhere, anytime. 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 Das Keyboard Prime 13   You just need to look at Microsoft’s Surface devices to know that they’re kind of killing it when it comes to design, and the Microsoft Modern Keyboard with Fingerprint ID takes things to a whole new level. If you’re running Windows 10, and you’re into the Surface aesthetic, this is easily one of the best keyboards out there. Not only does it feel great, but it also features biometric security, by including a discrete fingerprint scanner right next to the “Alt” key. It is an expensive device, but as with everything Microsoft, you can be sure you’re getting what you’re paying for. Read the full review: Microsoft Modern Keyboard with Fingerprint ID  Leopold's Fc660c is more portable than the Realforce 87u, but less so than the lighter and more compact HHKB2. However, the Fc660c benefits from its extra heft and feels like the more solid board. Despite having the same 45 gram actuation force as the HHKB2, the Leopold's keys feel slightly weightier - somewhere nearer to 50 grams. It results one of the most satisfying "thock" sounds on a Topre board. This product is only available in the US at the time of this writing. UK and Australian readers: check out a fine alternative in the HyperX Alloy Elite  Remember those old IBM Model M keyboards? Well, that’s what the Unicomp Classic 104 seeks to emulate. Available in both USB and PS/2 versions, it uses a buckling spring switch that takes more effort to press than just about every other modern switch. You’re rewarded for this hard pressing with a tactile response that feels like the classic mechanical keyboards of old, along with a noise that will drive everyone around you mad.  Some keyboards just ooze class, and the Das Keyboard Prime 13 is one of them. Its features a solid aluminum top panel for added rigidity and a very minimalistic look. With Cherry's MX Red or Brown switches under the keycaps, you're given a choice between linear and non-linear offerings with a range of actuation points. It's a great option for media enthusiasts thanks to side lit media control and the inclusion of white backlighting is another bonus. It's not the most affordable keyboard on our list, but if you're looking for something a little bit more premium, Das is the way to go. With its latest keyboard, Logitech is targeting smartphone and tablet owners who prefer to use their device while sat at a desk. And, if you were a fan of the predecessor, the K380, the Logitech K780 should be right up your alley, especially with its added number pad. This keyboard still has the ability to pair with three devices using Bluetooth or wireless, so you can swap between all your gadgets on the fly. And, thanks to its comfortable rounded keycaps, it’s still a pleasure to type on. The keyboard’s base is the star of the show, however, as it can hold mobile devices up to 11.3mm thick in an upright position. This places them within arms’ reach to make anything from replying to WhatsApp messages or reading a digital magazine easier than ever.   How to determine the best keyboard for you    It goes without saying that if you demand the look and feel only mechanical switches can provide, rather than those that are slim and stealthy, we suggest perusing our best gaming keyboards round-up instead. Gamers prioritize the actuation that clicky feeling mechanical keyboards bring, whereas traditional home and office users are more about practicality. That said, the sheer magnitude of sound produced by a lot of mechanical keyboards is offputting to some. For those folks, we have some membrane keyboards to recommend as well. Image Credit: TechRadar Bill Thomas and Gabe Carey have also contributed to this article This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Best wireless routers 2019: the best routers for your home network Posted: 08 Apr 2019 01:36 PM PDT The best routers have never been more important, especially when you consider that everything we do is online. We work online, play online, even socialize online. So picking up one of the best wireless routers can make a world of difference. Whether you’re just trying to watch your favorite programs on Netflix, or top the leaderboards in the best PC games, no one wants a poor connection. That’s why picking up the best wireless router is so important.  However, before you go and angrily call up your ISP, demanding the fastest internet on offer, you should pick up the best router. This is because even the fastest internet connection in the world won’t do much good if you don’t have a wireless router that’s up to the task. So, whether you need a gaming router or a wireless mesh router, the best routers are critically important.  However, you may be asking: what makes for an awesome wireless router? Well, there are a couple features you need to keep an eye out for. Both MU-MIMO and QoS (Quality of Service) will ensure that your online experience isn't throttled by your roommates. You should also look for a fast router – one with a rated speed of AC1900 should be just fine for most users.  When you head to the store to pick up your next wireless router, you’ll notice that there are hundreds of them out there – it’s hard to find the right one. That’s where we come in: we’ve picked out all of our favorite wireless routers, from the Google Wifi to the TP-Link Archer C5400, so you can be sure you’re getting your money’s worth.   The days of traditional wireless routers is coming to its end – the age of the wireless mesh router has arrived. Google Wifi is the best proof we can think of for this mesh revolution. You can finally say goodbye to the days when the only way to achieve wireless freedom was to install a bunch of wireless extenders. The premise of Google Wifi is simple – buy a set of points and place them in key locations around your home. Then, just scan a QR code and you’re good to go – it’s not just the best wireless router you can buy, it’s also the easiest to get going. Read the full review: Google Wifi If you know Asus, and more specifically its gaming products, you should know what you’re getting with the Asus RT-AC86U. This wireless router looks like what would happen if you poured Mountain Dew and Doritos into a wireless router manufacturing machine – it’ll definitely stand out wherever you put it. Beneath its garish design is hardware that, for its price, easily tops the competition. You’re not paying a premium here for a gaming device, and if you’re looking for a fast connection at a great price, the Asus RT-AC86U is a great wireless router, as long as you can stomach the aesthetic.  Read the full review: Asus RT-AC86U  When the Netgear Orbi first hit the streets, it completely changed the wireless router game. And, in 2019, Netgear is offering the Netgear Orbi AC2200 RBK23, a more affordable router for casual users that don’t need to cover a stately mansion. It features less antennae and ethernet ports than the original, but it’s still enough to offer very solid network coverage. Plus, the smaller size means that it can more easily blend in – you won’t feel the need to obscure it. Read the full review: Netgear Orbi AC2200 RBK23  Now that smart homes are becoming more and more common, we need wireless routers that can also serve as a smart home hub. This doesn’t just do wonders for convenience, but it would clear out some of the clutter made by multiple routers, modems and hubs. And, the Samsung Connect Home does exactly that. It’s not the most feature-rich wireless router out there, but it’s competitive enough with the Google Wifi, while still packing in the SmartThings hub that it’s still one of the best routers – especially if you have a ton of smart devices. Read the full review: Samsung Connect Home 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 Google Wifi.  If you’re in the market for a high-end wireless router that looks like it was a prop in some 90s Sci-Fi flick, you may want to look at the TP-Link Archer C5400 v2. Sure, it’s not a trendy mesh wireless router, but it’s unique in its ability to bridge consumer and enterprise users by featuring high-end functionality at an affordable price point – with easy setup to boot. It might look weird, but if you’re looking for a wireless router that’ll cover a large home, you can’t go wrong here. Read the full review: TP-Link Archer C5400 v2 If you’re ready to bring your office’s networking into the modern age with one of the best wireless routers, you need to take a look at the Netgear Orbi Pro. It’s a modular Wi-Fi mesh router, but it takes some design and performance cues from business-grade products. It’s not cheap, but if you run a business where you can’t afford anyone slowing down due to poor Wi-Fi, it’s worth every penny. Read the full review: Netgear Orbi Pro These days, wireless mesh routers are everywhere, and we love it – the level of coverage these routers offer is beyond anything we’ve seen in the past. And, with devices like the TP-Link Deco M9, we can see how wireless routers keep getting better. By integrating IoT smart home support, on top of industry standard speeds and coverage, the TP-Link Deco M9 is easily one of the best routers for smart home fanatics. It’s a bit pricey, but with all the features and performance you’re getting, it’s worth it.   Read the full review: TP-Link Deco M9 If you’re looking to jump on the mesh wireless router trend, but you’re trying to save a few bucks, and don’t really care about some advanced tech mumbo-jumbo – the D-Link Covr-C1203 might just be the best wireless router for you. It offers the same type of coverage as something like the Google Wifi at a lower cost, but with slightly slower speeds – it’ll still be fast enough for most users, though. It also features an attractive triangular design, which should fit in nicely with your decor – you won’t need to hide it in shame.  Read the full review: D-Link Covr-C1203  If you’ve been on the market for a wireless mesh router, but wanted to maintain control over your network, you’ll love the Eero Home Wi-Fi system. It’s more expensive than your standard router, but it allows users complete control over their network, while still providing a secure connection through AI. To make things better, the Eero Home Wi-Fi System includes subscriptions to 1Password, MalwareBytes and Encrypt.me VPN – which should keep everyone on your network secure.  Read the full review: Eero Home Wi-Fi System  The Amplifi HD is one of the more expensive wireless routers on this list, but with its modern, clean look, it should find a dedicated audience. Aesthetic isn’t high on everyone’s priorities, but it does help encourage users to install it in central locations, boosting the router’s signal. This wireless router features excellent performance and stylistic flair to match, but you’ll be paying for it.   Read the full review: Amplifi HD  Joe Osborne, Bill Thomas and Gabe Carey have also contributed to this article Images Credit: TechRadar We’ve also picked out the best best wifi extenders of 2019 This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Best gaming mouse 2019: the best gaming mice we've tested Posted: 08 Apr 2019 01:34 PM PDT If you’ve already own one of the best gaming PCs, it can be easy to just pick up the cheapest mouse you find at your local big box store. But, we really don’t think this is wise. Instead, you should pick up the best gaming mouse you can find – everything attached to your rig should be of comparable quality, right? While you’re at it, you may want to pick up one of the best gaming mouse pads, too.  You should keep your eyes open for a mouse that manages to balance price and performance, while packing some unique features. Don’t fall for that age old trap that the best mouse is the most expensive one on the shelf. Just look at the SteelSeries Rival 600, our number one pick: at the price of a new AAA game, it has all the high-end features and supreme performance you could ask for.   So, we gathered together the best gaming mice reviewed and tested by us. No matter what kind of games you're into, you'll find the best gaming mouse for your needs right here on this list. SteelSeries Rival 600  When it comes to the best gaming mice, features, balance and performance all have to be there in equal measure. That’s why the SteelSeries Rival 710 easily tops our list. This heavyweight gaming mouse is a bit expensive, but when you weigh that against the customizable OLED display, haptic feedback – great for you MOBA players – and excellent build quality, the SteelSeries Rival 710 is easily worth the price. And, the kicker? Everything is modular, even down to the sensor, so you never have to feel like you’re missing out on the latest tech.  Read the full review: SteelSeries Rival 710  SteelSeries Sensei 310 The SteelSeries Sensei 310 is a gaming mouse like no other, both in terms of price and performance. The low cost of admission keeps it on the same level that you’d expect to pay for a new game, while its out-of-this-world TrueMove 3 optical sensor makes it almost impossible to compete with. This mouse, with no preference when it comes to dexterity, is unparalleled when it comes to real-world sensitivity. You can even pick up the SteelSeries Rival 310 if you want similar performance, but a more right-handed approach to dexterity.  Read the full review: SteelSeries Sensei 310  Corsair Dark Core RGB SE In our minds, the best gaming mice are always going to be the ones that deliver excellent performance at a price that doesn’t break the bank. And, the Corsair Harpoon RGB Wireless is the poster child for price-to-performance ratios. At less than 50 bucks, you’re getting a wireless mouse that doesn’t suck, has RGB lighting and long battery life. The ergonomics are specifically for right-handed users, but at this price, with this level of performance, there’s little to complain about.  Read the full review: Corsair Harpoon RGB Wireless In the world of the best gaming mice, you generally have two main options: you can get a mouse that performs well, but looks like something that would fit in the office, or you can pick a mouse that performs well and looks like something out of a Sci-Fi film. The Logitech G502 fits firmly into that latter category – it looks like a gaming mouse. But, don’t let that dissuade you. With adjustable weights and a jaw-dropping 16,000 DPI sensor, this gaming mouse backs up its otherworldly looks. It’s not perfect for users with big hands, but beyond that, it’s easily one of the best gaming mice out there today.  Read the full review: Logitech G502 Hero  Logitech G903 Undeterred by years of ridicule for their comparatively higher latency, the Logitech G900 of yesteryear proved once and for all that wireless gaming mice don’t have to suck. Though it’s merely a slight upgrade to that model, the Logitech G903 only reassures us of that conviction. Gracing a slightly altered G900 design with Logitech’s on PowerPlay mouse pad that doubles as a wireless charger, the Logitech G903 is a pricey, yet rewarding investment.  Read the full review: Logitech G903 Cooler Master MasterMouse MM520 If you need one of the best gaming mice, but are looking to save some cash at the same time – the Cooler Master MasterMouse MM520 might be what you’re looking for. It won’t win any beauty contests, but packing quality Omron switches and a reasonably sensitive sensor capable of up to 12,000 DPI, it’s easy to look past the unappealing design – especially if you use a claw grip. Read the full review: Cooler Master MasterMouse MM520  Razer Naga Trinity If you’re gearing up to represent either the Alliance or the Horde in World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth, you’re going to want to take a look at the Razer Naga Trinity. Razer’s Naga mice have always been aimed at MMO gamers, but the company wasn’t content to just appeal to that one niche. With the Naga Trinity, you’ll get 3 easily swappable side plates so that you can change your mouse to fit the game you’re playing. Aadd in the insane 16,000 DPI 5G Sensor and Razer Chroma RGB lighting, and you’ll top the DPS meters, and your gaming setup will look nice while you do it.  Read the full review: Razer Naga Trinity  HyperX Pulsefire Surge If you find yourself snickering at some of the ridiculous gaming mice available in 2018, you should take a look at the HyperX Pulsefire Surge RGB. Featuring extremely reliable Omron switches and gorgeous RGB lighting – not to mention its unbelievable 16,000 DPI sensor – you’re getting one of the best gaming mice for a great price. Plus, it’ll fit into any office, at least once you turn down the lighting effects.  Read the full review: HyperX Pulsefire Surge RGB  Corsair Glaive RGB If you’ve got big hands, it can be hard to find the best gaming mouse for you. They’re either too small, too light or a bit of both. And, then some of the big mice out there are packed with gratuitous buttons and weird shapes that make them look like some kind of Transformers extra. The Corsair Ironclaw fixes all of that, it’s an attractive mouse for big-hand users that you won’t have to hide whenever you have company. It’s robust, too, so you don’t need to worry about breaking it if you’re a bit too rough with it.  Read the full review: Corsair Ironclaw RGB Creative Sound BlasterX Siege M04 You don’t see sound card manufacturers trying their hands at making the best gaming mouse every day – but that’s exactly what Creative did. The Creative Sound BlasterX M04 is actually one of the best gaming mice you can buy in 2018 – the 12,000 DPI rating means it’s quick and responsive. The RGB lighting scheme is great, too, controlled by Creative’s own Sound Blaster Connect software. The Creative Sound BlasterX Siege M04 is a winner in form and function. Read the full review: Creative Sound BlasterX Siege M04 How to choose the best gaming mouse Even though you’ll definitely find the best gaming mouse here, doing so will take some effort. There’s a ton of complicated technical jargon that goes into the best gaming mice – terms like polling rates and DPI ratings. You’ll want a higher number of both, but these two terms mean drastically different things. For newcomers to the world of PC gaming, that DPI is shorthand for ‘dots per inch.’ The higher the number, the wider the range wherein you can specify your how sensitive your mouse is. If you don’t have a lot of desk space available and you want accuracy and precision, then opt for a gaming mouse featuring a higher DPI rating. Of course, you can always toggle a lower DPI too. Meanwhile, a high polling rate gives you faster response times. The polling rate is measured in hertz, so it usually ranges from around 125 to 1,000Hz. The latter means that your mouse’s position is reported to your computer 1,000 times per second. Other key gaming mouse factors you’ll want to consider are ergonomics – particularly if you’re left-handed – and RGB lighting. Be sure to also check out our list of the best PC cases! Image Credits: TechRadar Bill Thomas and Gabe Carey have also contributed to this article This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Best processors 2019: top CPUs for your PC Posted: 08 Apr 2019 01:32 PM PDT If you’ve been on the market for one of the best processors, you’ll be pleased to know that the processor world is more vibrant than ever with competition between Intel and AMD. This is thanks to AMD dominating the market with its Ryzen 2nd Generation processors, something we hope continues with Ryzen 3rd Generation. Intel has responded with its 9th-generation Coffee Lake Refresh processors, led by the Intel Core i9-9900K. There’s never been a better time to grab one of the best processors. There are so many different processors out there right now. From HEDT champions like Intel’s Basin Falls Refresh lineup, to budget heavyweights like the AMD Ryzen 3 2200G – there’s something for everyone. And, word on the street is that AMD will be showing off its Ryzen 3000 CPUs at Computex 2019. Of course, there are still dozens of chips in the middle, like our current favorite, the AMD Ryzen 7 2700X. You can’t throw a stone without hitting one of the best processors right now, so finding the right one isn’t as easy as you may think. Fortunately, even if the latest and greatest silicon is out of your reach, there are still plenty of great Kaby Lake and Ryzen Gen 1 chips out there. So, get ready to experience amazing PC performance, as we’ll cover all the best processors we’ve reviewed over the last year or so.    Image Credit: AMD For the longest time, AMD has fell behind Intel. Luckily, those days are over with the Ryzen 2700X. This time around AMD brings the first 12nm processors and the performance to back it up, demolishing Intel when it comes to price-to-performance. If you’re looking for one of the best processors that’ll give you great performance without costing an arm and a leg, you can’t do much better than the Ryzen 7 2700X. Read the full review: AMD Ryzen 7 2700X  Image Credit: Intel Thanks to increased pressure from AMD, Intel’s offerings have been heating up like crazy (sometimes literally.) This increased competition has resulted in the Intel Core i9-9900K: an absolute beast of a processor that packs eight cores and 16 threads, more cores than any mainstream processor released by Intel. And, the performance shows that it’s worth it – it can go head to head with some of AMD’s Ryzen Threadripper chips. If you’re looking for raw performance, the Intel Core i9-9900K is easily one of the best processors you can go for.   Read the full review: Intel Core i9-9900K Image Credit: AMD If you’re looking for one of the best processors for content creation, but are on a budget, look no further than the AMD Ryzen 5 2600X. With 6 cores and 12 threads and a base clock of 3.6GHz, you’re getting way better performance than the pricier Intel Core i5-8600K – with a gorgeous RGB CPU cooler included. Sure, the gaming performance over the blue team is marginal at best, but when you start multi-tasking – and who doesn’t always have 100 chrome tabs open – the value starts to show itself. Read the full review: AMD Ryzen 5 2600X  Image Credit: AMD If you’re looking to put together a gaming PC on the tightest budget, the AMD Ryzen 3 2200G can take you a long way. While it doesn’t feature the hyperthreading capability of its predecessor, the Ryzen 3 1200, the introduction of integrated graphics makes this APU one of the cheapest ways to experience casual PC gaming. We were even able to play Overwatch at 4K Ultra-HD resolution at ‘Epic’ settings. Read the full review: AMD Ryzen 3 2200G  Image Credit: Intel If you’re building one of the best gaming PCs, and you don’t really care about creating content or streaming, the processor you’re going to want to pay attention to is the Intel Core i5-8600K. It might not have as many cores as its AMD Ryzen counterparts, but that doesn’t matter, gaming is mostly about that single-threaded performance. With this processor, you’ll be able to run all the latest games without having to worry about bottlenecking your GPU – just don’t be surprised when rendering and encoding video takes longer. Image Credit: AMD Initially the primary competition for the Intel Core i7-7700K, the AMD Ryzen 7 1800X still stands up today, even though it’s been succeeded by the Ryzen 7 2800X. Its high core count, when compared to the intel Core i7 7700K means that it's much better suited to VR workloads, and now that it’s dropped significantly in price, it’s more affordable than ever before. If you’re building a VR rig, do yourself a favor: save some cash without giving up on too much performance with the Ryzen 7 1800X.   Read the full review: AMD Ryzen 7 1800X Image Credit: Intel The naming convention is confusing, given that the Intel Core i7-7820X is part of Intel’s “Skylake-X” series rather than the X-class chips built on the 14nm Kaby Lake node, but semantics matter very little when you get to go hands-on with an Intel CPU boasting this many cores. Although the fact that you’ll need a new motherboard to use this octa-core monster might be enough to scare some users off to Ryzen, Intel loyalists shan’t mind the upgrade.  Image Credit: Intel If you’re the kind of user that demands world-class performance, and you couldn’t care less about cost, the Intel Core i9-9980XE is the best processor for you. With 18-cores and 36-threads, it absolutely destroys everything else on the market right now, if only just barely. Multi-threaded applications and workstation-class projects are going to breeze by with this chip. However, if you need to ask how much it costs more than once, it might not be for you. Read the full review: Intel Core i9-9980XE Image Credit: Intel If you opt for the Intel Pentium G4560 over a Core i3 chip, you won’t even notice the slight loss of performance – you’ll be too busy counting all the money you saved. As the first Pentium processor in a long time to feature hyper-threading, the G4560 shows us what low-end CPUs have been missing for so long. And, in benchmarks it proves that it’s easily adjacent to the more expensive Intel Core i3-7100. Image Credit: AMD One of the only things that we were left wanting when AMD’s Ryzen processors blew up is that they didn’t support integrated graphics. However, the Ryzen 5 2400G changes everything for mainstream PC users. With impressive AMD Vega graphics, it’s a fantastic APU that will be perfect for anyone looking to build a home theater PC. And, now that AMD has slashed the price you can get your 4K action on cheaper than ever.  Read the full review: AMD Ryzen 5 2400G  Ready to up the ante on your display? The best monitor is here Check out our Linux vs Windows vs Mac - OS comparison video below. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Best 4K monitors 2019: the top Ultra HD monitors and displays Posted: 08 Apr 2019 01:31 PM PDT The best 4K monitors were the golden ideal of computing for a while, but these days, pretty much everyone can get on the UHD computing train. This is great news, because there is so much content designed for ultra high definition displays, from the best PC games to operating systems. And, just like any other monitor, the best 4K monitors are designed to provide users with a beautifully immersive – or productive – experience. With the new wave of affordable 4K monitors recently hitting the market, considerably cheaper than 4K TVs, they’re naturally all the rage right now. If you’re one of the many currently in the market for a 4K monitor to meet your PC gaming needs while still keeping within budget, we’re here to help you find the right one.  Image Credit: LG When you’re looking for the best 4K monitor, you want to find something that’s affordable, but also has fantastic picture quality. It’s a balance that’s pretty rare, but the LG 27UD88-W hits it out of the park. Not only does this panel cover 99% of the sRGB color space, but it does so with an insane contrast ratio and a response time to display the best PC games as they should be seen. The best part? It does all this while maintaining a reasonable price tag. If you have the horsepower to drive the LG 27UD88-W, you should pick it up. Read the full review: LG 27UD88-W  As both 4K panels and HDR technology become more ubiquitous, we’re starting to see more affordable monitors take on the market, and the Philips Brilliance 328P does just that. This 4K monitor combines a 4K VA panel with decent HDR performance at a price point that won’t force you to break open the piggy bank. Its brightness doesn’t quite reach its lofty HDR 600 rating, but at this price, it’s hard to complain. The Philips Brilliance 328P really is one of the best 4K monitors out there.  Read the full review: Philips Brilliance 328P  Image Credit: Dell Dell’s P2715Q has often been name-dropped as one of the best 4K monitors in the market. With its sharpness, vivid colors, and ultra high resolution, it delivers excellent image quality for an affordable price no less. It also affords a range of features that rival its more expensive competitors. One such feature is its ergonomic stand for adjustable height and a screen you can pivot to your heart’s content. There’s also its 60Hz refresh rate as well as its gamut of ports. P2715Q is a strong contender for professionals and gamers alike. Image Credit: BenQ If you’re looking for one of the best 4K monitors for everyday computing and productivity, you don’t want to buy into all the fancy frills that most modern monitors boast – you’re going to want to consider the BenQ PD2700U. This monitor doesn’t feature fancy Quantum Dot tech, or Adaptive Sync, it doesn’t even have USB-C input! But, what the PD2700U does have is pixels and lots of them. It’s not cheap, but it’s color accurate, has plenty of desktop real estate and will fit in any office.  Read the full review: BenQ PD2700U  Image Credit: Monoprice You may not have heard of Monoprice, but this brand is behind some of the most affordable monitors out there right now. Its Ultra-Slim Aluminum monitor, for example, is hailed for its sleek, ultra-thin bezel design and ultra-wide viewing angles at 178°. This monitor isn’t particularly feature-rich – there are no built-in speakers, for example – but its IPS panel allows for extremely sharp image, FreeSync tech reduces screen tearing and Monoprice’s Pixel Perfect Guarantee gives it vibrant color performance. Plus, with two DisplayPorts and two HDMI ports, there’s plenty of connectivity on offer.  Image Credit: Asus While 4K monitors are becoming more and more common, even without particularly powerful hardware, we still run into the kind of monitor that changes everything. The Asus ROG Swift PG27UQ is one of these. Asus has managed to craft a 4K gaming monitor with HDR and the kind of color support you see in professional displays – and render that all at 144Hz with G-Sync no less. There are only a few monitors out there that packs as many features as this Asus screen, and that’s why it’s one of the best 4K monitors. But, keep in mind, you’re going to have to pay for something this advanced – and we mean pay. Read the full review: Asus ROG Swift PG27UQ Image Credit: ViewSonic If you’re looking for a 4K monitor for gaming, ViewSonic’s XG2700-4K is the perfect fit. It is not without quirks: the screen brightness could be higher, the red on black trim is an acquired taste, and it has no built-in speakers. On the other hand, you get amazing picture quality, quick response time, accurate color performance, multiple ports, and a versatile stand for multiple viewing angle options. Its most notable feature is AMD FreeSync to prevent tearing and ensure that your games are running smoothly. Of course, the picture-in-picture and picture-by-picture modes are also helpful because who doesn’t multitask nowadays. Image Credit: AOC Though IPS monitors offer better viewing angles and color reproduction, a TN monitor is  better for competitive gaming with much faster response time, higher refresh rates, and affordability. This is how AOC’s U2879VF has a 1ms response time and a refresh rate of 144Hz all for a low, low price. It’s not all sunshine and rainbows however. If you can forgive the restricted viewing angles, the occasional flickering at 144Hz, the absence of a USB port, and the ho-hum color performance, this AMD FreeSync-enabled monitor is for you. Read the full review: AOC U2879 VF  Image Credit: Acer If you have an absolute beast of a gaming computer – think two Nvidia RTX 2080 Tis in SLI – and you need a monitor that can keep up, you might want to take a look at the Acer Predator X27. Not only is it a 27-inch 4K monitor with HDR, but it also has a refresh rate of a whopping 144 Hz. If you have the horsepower, you can play games in 4K competitively without losing an edge to the person playing in 1080p. But, as you may expect from a spec sheet like this, it’s very expensive – but if you need the tech, it’s definitely there. Read the full review: Acer Predator X27 Image Credit: LG You’ll need a bigger desk with 43UD79-B’s hefty, 42-inch screen. Unfortunately this bigger than life screen might also be darker around the edges and a sluggish refresh rage. However, this 4K monitor’s other features will more than make up for its flaws. The screen split software, for one, allows for a range of screen configurations. This, coupled with its four HDMI inputs, a DisplayPort 1.2a port, and a USC-C port, will let you effortlessly run multiple devices at once. Along with its true IPS screen, color-rich display, and FreeSync compatibility, you might just be getting a bargain. Looking for a more great gaming monitor? Check out our top picks Or set up your living room with one of the best 4K TVs on the market This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

The best gaming monitor 2019: the 10 best gaming screens of the year Posted: 08 Apr 2019 01:24 PM PDT These days, the best PC games can take you to places and let you do things that you never thought possible, which is why you should think about picking up one of the best gaming monitors to bring your experience to the next level. What makes a monitor one of the best gaming monitors, though? Well, it all comes down to what you need to get out of it. The market is filled with all different sorts of gaming monitors these days, and the best gaming monitor for your needs will change depending on the kind of games you play. For example, some people just want to get absorbed into single player games like Devil May Cry V or Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. If you’re one of these people, you may want a 4K Ultra HD gaming monitor with HDR. However, if you’re all about esports like Overwatch, or even live service multiplayer like The Division 2, you’ll want one of the best gaming monitors with a high refresh rate and low response time.  Finding the best gaming monitor can be hard work, and that’s why we’re here. We found all the best gaming monitors we’ve tested and reviewed over the last year or so. So, no matter what kind of PC games you typically play, we’ll help you find the best monitor for gaming.  HDR has been a major selling point for the best TVs for a little while now, but it has been suspiciously absent from the best gaming monitors. Until now. The BenQ EX3501R takes HDR and runs with it, crafting a curved ultra-wide that is not only what we would deem ‘attainable’, but beautiful as well. BenQ bills this monitor as a ‘video enjoyment monitor’, but from the moment you launch your favorite HDR-enabled games, you’ll see straight away why it tops our list of the best gaming monitors. Read the full review: BenQ EX3501R  The Alienware AW3418DW is one of the few ultra-wide monitors that can offer the level of immersion that only 21:9 monitors offer, while also featuring a high refresh rate. With a gorgeous 3,440 x 1,440 display, lightning fast 4ms response times and a stunning 120Hz refresh rate, the AW3418DW is the best of both worlds. However, all these features come with a high price, so it may not be the best choice if you’re looking for a bargain. Still, it’s not hard to see why it’s one of the best gaming monitors 2019 has to offer. Read the full review: Alienware AW3418DW The AOC Agon AG352UCG was already one of the best gaming monitors we’d used, so when we heard that a new revision was coming out, with a higher refresh rate and better contrast, we couldn’t wait. The AOC Agon AC352UCG6 Black Edition takes everything the original did well and turns it up to 11, making it one of the best ways to experience ultra-wide gaming. It’s pricey, yeah, but if you have the hardware to back it up, you’re doing yourself a disservice by not buying it.  Read the full review: AOC Agon AG352UCG6 Black Edition  The Asus ROG Swift PG27UQ may just be the most advanced and best gaming monitor out there – as long as you have the cash. Not only does it feature a gorgeous 4K Ultra-HD resolution and HDR, but it also features G-Sync and a 144Hz refresh rate. These specs make for one of the most impressive gaming monitors that’s ever existed – and when you see it in action, your mind will be blown. The only thing that holds this thing back from true greatness is the insane price tag. But, then again, if you have this kind of cash lying around, you should be able to afford a PC powerful enough to drive it.   Read the full review: Asus ROG Swift PG27UQ  The BenQ PD3200U is primarily targeted at CAD professionals, but it’s still one of the best gaming monitors out there. This is because it has a rock-solid focus on graphic design, so it’s able to offer fantastic viewing angles – meaning your friends can watch you play in comfort. Plus, unlike a lot of 4K monitors on the market, you don’t need to mess around with the settings in order to get the best picture – every unit is individually calibrated by BenQ before it’s shipped. This is one of the best gaming monitors out there, even if it’s not actually a gaming monitor.  Read the full review: BenQ PD3200U There’s a certain subset of PC gamers out there that need the absolute best hardware money can buy, and the Acer Predator X27 may be the best gaming monitor for them. The list of high-end features packed into the panel is almost as long as our arm – 4K resolution, HDR-10, G-Sync, 144Hz refresh rate – you’d be hard pressed to find a more advanced monitor. And, once you get a look at this monitor in person, you’ll be sold. That is, until you see the price tag – at two grand, only recent lottery winners need apply. Still, there’s nothing wrong with dreaming.  Read the full review: Acer Predator X27 With its blinders, the BenQ Zowie XL2540 might rub you the wrong way at first, but trust us when we say it’s right up there with the best gaming monitors on this list. It sacrifices flashy lighting effects for a quick 240Hz refresh rate, and lightning-fast 1ms response time. There aren’t any adaptive sync options here, but if you have a rig that’s capable of keeping up with this refresh rate, you’ll go a long way. The BenQ Zowie XL2540 keeps things simple by supplying you with lots of visual presets, an “S Switch” control pod for managing those presets and even a pair of adjustable light screens. If you’re a professional gamer, then this is the best gaming monitor you can get.   Read the full review: BenQ Zowie XL2540 With this display, Samsung not only brings QLED to gaming monitors in a big way, but they also offer the widest ultra-wide monitor on the market today. Coming in at 49.5 inches, this behemoth will take up a lot of space, likely peeping over the sides of your desk, but with its impressive 3,840 x 1080 resolution and HDR, you’ll at least be blown away by the image. Even if you decide not to play in this resolution (it will require a beefy rig), you can still use all of the extra screen real estate to have a browser or a movie playing on the same screen. The only real drawback is the monstrous price tag. But for a display this premium, it may very well be worth it. Read the full review: Samsung CHG90 QLED If you have a powerful graphics card that you want to take full advantage of, and you don’t mind missing out on 4K Ultra HD, Samsung’s got something just for you. The Samsung CHG70 is a curved 1440p monitor with a blazing fast 1ms response time and 144hz refresh rate, which makes this one of the best gaming monitors you can buy in 2018. And, considering it’s regularly going on sale, this screen is a bargain as well. Check it out. Read the full review: Samsung CHG70 QLED  When you’re playing competitive shooters like Overwatch or Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, you’re going to need speed more than anything to stay on top of the leaderboards. That’s where monitors like the MSI Optix MAG271CR come in. With a 1080p resolution, 144 Hz refresh rate and 1ms of latency, you’re going to have fast, smooth gameplay as long as you have the hardware to drive it. After all, 60 Hz panels are so 2014 – the best gaming monitors embrace high refresh rates. Read the full review: MSI Optix MAG271CR  How to buy the best gaming monitor in 2018 When you are shopping for the best gaming monitor 2018 has to offer, there are a few things that you should consider before you decide on what display should grace your desk. By studying the following terms and specifications, you can make sure you pick the best gaming monitor for your needs – which also means you're not paying extra for additional features that you don’t need. Screen size: When shopping for the best gaming monitor, one of the most crucial things to think about is screen size. Larger display sizes can contribute to more immersive gaming experiences, as the game fills more of your field of vision, but you'll need to make sure you have the room to feature a large monitor. It also goes without saying that larger monitors will usually mean a higher price. Aspect ratio: The aspect ratio of a gaming monitor determines the width and height of the screen. Most widescreen monitors have an aspect ratio of 16:9, while older monitors had a more square 4:3, which will likely look pretty outdated in 2018. Ultra-wide monitors with aspect ratios of 21:9 are quickly gaining prevalence – they offer a wide view of your games, and many ultra wides have made our list of the best gaming monitor 2018. Resolution: Another important factor when looking for the best gaming monitor for your needs is resolution. Here, the higher the numbers, the sharper the picture.. You will, however, need a more powerful graphics card for anything over full HD (1,920 x 1,080), even if many gaming monitors feature resolutions as high as 2,560 x 1,400 (WQHD) and 3,840 x 2,160 (4K). Refresh rate: When you’re looking to primarily play Counter-Strike, or shooters like it, refresh rate is especially important. The higher the refresh rate, the more frames per second (fps) it can support, which lends to a smoother experience on high-refresh-rate displays. A 60Hz refresh rate is most common, with refresh rates rising to 144Hz and even 200Hz. Response time: The best gaming monitors have low response times, which means the action remains fast and fluid, with little to no input lag. The lowest response time for TN monitors (we explain this in the next section) is 1 millisecond, whereas the newer IPS monitors usually have more delayed, 4ms response times. When you’re playing games competitively, it’s crucial to keep this number as low as possible in order to combat lag. Panel type: This is where things get a little technical. The type of panel the gaming monitor uses will largely contribute to its response time and image clarity. TN panels (twisted nematic) have the lowest response times, and they are usually cheaper as well, but they generally don’t have great viewing angles. IPS panels (in-plane switching) have fantastic viewing angles and color reproduction, but usually  higher response times. Meanwhile VA panels (vertical alignment) sit between the two, though the slow response times makes these panels rare amid the best gaming monitors. Viewing Angle: Most people play games while positioned in front of their gaming monitor, but this may not always be the case, particularly when you’re among spectators. A monitor’s viewing angles tell you what angle you can look at the monitor from and still clearly make out the image. The closer these numbers are are to 180, the better your viewing experience will be when standing further to either side of the monitor or looking at it from above or below. G-Sync and FreeSync: You'll likely notice that many of the best gaming monitors in 2018 come with either G-Sync or FreeSync technology – sometimes both. This helps keep frames per second (fps) smooth, combats screen tearing and diminishes input lag. G-Sync is developed by Nvidia, so you'll need an Nvidia GPU, and the tech is built into the monitor, which can bump up their price tag. Meanwhile FreeSync was developed by AMD but, as it is free to use by manufacturers, the monitors usually cost less. Check out our HDR Explained video below. Image Credit: TechRadar Gabe Carey and Bill Thomas have also contributed to this article Looking for a more general monitor? Check out our list of the best monitors This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

The best monitor 2019: the top 10 monitors and displays we’ve reviewed Posted: 08 Apr 2019 01:23 PM PDT The best monitors aren’t going to speed up your computer, but they can make your computing so much better by making it easier on the eyes, improving productivity. And, if you ask us, the best monitors will be affordable, too, so anyone can find a cost-effective monitor that gets the job done. With high pixel counts, fast refresh rates, and so many different panel sizes, you can make your work easier on the eyes. Whether you're looking for a gaming monitor to keep up with the gaming PCs, or if you just bought a MacBook Air and you need one of the best USB-C monitors, you’ve come to the right place. And, you can trust our picks – we’ve tested and reviewed them all ourselves.     Now that the best PCs can handle 4K easier than ever before, the best 4K monitors are everywhere. That’s why BenQ launched the PD3200U, a massive 32-inch Ultra HD display, as part of its Designer Monitor range. Marketed to creatives and professionals, BenQ has crafted, seemingly by mistake, a panel that gamers can get behind, too – as long as they can find room on their desks. However, 3D designers especially will love this display, thanks to the factory-calibrated color accuracy and CAD/CAM mode.  Read the full review: BenQ PD3200U The AOC Agon AG352UCG6 Black Edition is marketed as a gaming monitor, but if you need an ultra-wide monitor, you really can’t do much better. With its sublime color support, strong contrast ratio and lightning-fast 120Hz refresh rate – everything you do on your PC is going to feel quick, snappy and it’ll look good while doing it. It’s kind of expensive, but this ultra-wide monitor can significantly boost productivity, so it’s totally worth it – it’s one of the best monitors you can buy today, as long as you have the hardware to drive it.  Read the full review: AOC Agon AG352UCG6 Black Edition  If you’ve been on the market for a high-end monitor for a while, and you’re ready to just throw your hands up in frustration, buying an expensive monitor with ever feature under the sun, you’re in luck. The Asus ROG Swift PG27UQ combines so many high-end features that it seems like something out of a science fiction novel. It doesn’t just include an Ultra-HD 4K display at 144 Hz, but it also packs HDR and Nvidia G-Sync tech. This is simply the best monitor on the market, as long as you have the cash. If you’re playing games, doing photo or video editing work, or even just general desktop work, you really can’t go wrong here.  Read the full review: Asus ROG Swift PG27UQ  When you start to grow weary of the same old 16:9 aspect ratio, nothing hits the spot like a cinematic 21:9 display. It’s probably not the best for watching Netflix or YouTube, but the Acer Predator X34 is a great example of what an ultra-wide monitor can do. Boasting an attractive aluminum bezel and polygonal stand that resembles a bird’s foot, this massive 34-inch monitor is a wonder to look at. More importantly, armed with Nvidia’s G-Sync tech, you won’t need V-Sync stressing out your graphics card. The Acer Predator X34 does all the heavy lifting for you. This is about as immersive as a gaming monitor gets.  Read the full review: Acer Predator X34 Ultrawide monitors are nothing new: they’ve been among the best monitors for a few years now, in fact. These wide monitors are lifesavers when it comes to productivity and are getting more popular than ever – and the Asus Designo Curve MX38VC takes it to another level. Not only does this monitor have a huge 3,840 x 1,600 resolution, but with USB-C compatibility and a Qi wireless charger built into the base, it’s going to be a workplace companion you can’t live without. It’s a bit expensive, and doesn’t feature HDR, but that’s a worthy sacrifice, especially for professionals.  Read the full review: Asus Designo Curve MX38VC  We don’t often run into technology that’s so far ahead of the curve that we’re left dumbfounded. The Dell UltraSharp UP3218K is the most recent example. Finding a monitor that can reach the raw beauty this one does should be impossible. It’s not just the resolution, either – Dell went a long way to make sure that the build quality and color reproduction are the best in the business, and well, it is. The Dell UltraSharp UP3218K is aimed at professionals, obviously, so if that sounds like it’s up your alley, it’s probably the best monitor for you.  Read the full review: Dell UltraSharp UP3218K  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 BenQ PD3200U  If you’re looking for a great 1440p monitor with HDR for multimedia and gaming, the BenQ EX3203R might be the best monitor for you. This monitor is notable because it manages to bring in a ton of high-end features into a monitor that is extremely affordable. And, while 32 inches might sound like a bit much for a monitor, the 1800R curvature on this BenQ panel means that it’s easy to use, both for productivity and for immersion in your games and media.  Read the full review: BenQ EX203R  This product is only available in the US at the time of writing. UK and Australian readers: check out a fine alternative in the Acer S277HK   Depending on your budget, it might break the bank – like any Alienware product – but Dell’s 25-inch gaming monitor will all but eliminate screen tearing. Whether you have an AMD Radeon VII or an Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080, there’s a configuration for you. With G-Sync or FreeSync taking away some of the heavy lifting from the GPU that would otherwise be spent on VSync, the Alienware 25’s 120Hz refresh rate may actually be viable. And, the 1ms response time is just the gravy on top.   Read the full review: Alienware 25  You might not believe it at first glance, but the BenQ Zowie XL2540 is every bit the gaming monitor that the Asus Predator X34 is. And though it may not seem it from the outside looking in, it does its job remarkably well too, sacrificing dazzling lighting effects for a zippy 240Hz refresh rate and nigh-instantaneous 1ms response time. There’s no G-Sync or FreeSync, as this monitor assumes you already have a rig that’s plenty capable of eliminating screen tears on its own. Instead, this monitor keeps it simple by supplying you with lots of visual presets, an “S Switch” control pod for managing those presets and even a pair of adjustable light screens. Read the full review: BenQ Zowie XL2540 If you’re running games using a weaker GPU and you’re looking to get into ultra-wide displays without spending a fortune, you might want to check the LG 34UC79G-B out. This monitor, measuring in at 34-inches diagonally, is equipped with AMD FreeSync for screen tear elimination and a 21:9 aspect ratio best suited for games and cinema. Despite its resolution being lower than other ultrawide displays out there, this LG monitor pulls off a crisp image nonetheless – and with stunning color accuracy at that. Plus, you can change the height, which is more than can be said for even some of the more expensive 4K monitors out there.  Read the full review: LG 34UC79G-B Gabe Carey and Bill Thomas have also contributed to this article Get one of the best monitors on sale this Black Friday Image Credits: TechRadar This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Best all-in-one PCs 2019: top compact AIO desktops Posted: 08 Apr 2019 01:20 PM PDT Unlike your traditional desktop towers, the best all-in-one PCs have the displays built into the chassis of the computer. You’ll often find a mix of desktop and laptop components in an all-in-one PC, and while that does make it harder to upgrade, there are certainly advantages to this approach. One of the biggest advantages you’ll experience with one of the best all-in-one PCs is they don’t take up much space – you don’t need extra space for the tower, monitor and all the peripherals and cables. Plus, due to the lower amount of cables (only one power cable), you won’t find yourself tripping over errant cables. This makes the best all-in-one PCs perfect options for offices that want to maintain a sleek and professional image. It’s no coincidence that all-in-one PCs are favored by professionals in the creative industry, especially the Surface Studio 2 or iMac Pro. On the flipside, the best all-in-one PCs are often the most affordable desktops, and they’ll give users plenty of power and a decent screen paired together in one package. Below are the best all-in-ones PCs handpicked and regularly updated in traditional TechRadar fashion. Back when the original Surface Studio hit the streets, it was a game changer for artists and content creators alike. And, even in 2019, the sequel still stands in a league of its own. The Surface Studio 2 doesn’t just feature the same gorgeous display and unique functionality, but it also ups the power significantly, making it a much more future-proof device. It’s still extraordinarily expensive, but if your use case is right for the Surface Studio 2, then, it’s hard to think of a better all-in-one PC. Read the full review: Surface Studio 2 The iMac Pro, more than any other computer on this list, is aimed squarely at professionals – and it has the hardware to back it up. Packed with up to an 18-core Intel Xeon processor and up to 128GB of RAM, there isn’t a single thing you could throw at the iMac Pro to slow it down. And, while it is, without a doubt, outrageously expensive – it doesn’t really matter. If you’re the type of person that needs this level of power (you know who you are) then the price is absolutely justified.  Read the full review: iMac Pro The Dell XPS 27 AIO sits on top of an awesome articulating stand, and it comprises a mix of a massive 4K Ultra-HD touchscreen display with six ear numbing speakers. Not only is it an attractive device, but it’s also top-notch when it comes to delivering powerful specs. Whether you’re making your own beats or vibing out to someone else’s; watching movies or editing your own, the Dell XPS 27 AIO is easily one of the best all-in-one PCs, and should be at the top of your list when shopping for a new PC.  Read the full review: Dell XPS 27 AIO Not to be shown up by the 5K iMac or new Dell XPS AIO, HP has its own unique take on the all-in-one desktop. Though it also has all its components stored in its base like the Surface Studio, the HP Envy Curved All-in-One also adds in a booming speaker bar. Add in the ultra-wide curved screen and this is one of the best and most immersive PC for enjoying movies. Apple’s iMac with Retina 5K display is one of the most beautiful computers around, but the high price makes it inaccessible to many people. However, if the price tag doesn’t scare you away, there’s no greater macOS machine than this – especially now that it’s been updated for 2019. It packs Apple’s sharpest 27-inch 5K Retina display, excellent quality and beefy specks. It’s also durable, and a fine option for productivity work, watching movies and can even handle light gaming.   Read the full review: Apple iMac with 5K Retina display Image Credits: TechRadar The Microsoft Surface Pro 4 is like an all-in-one you can take on the go This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Best computer 2019: the best PCs we've tested Posted: 08 Apr 2019 01:19 PM PDT Computers, in general, are getting more advanced by the minute. They’ve evolved to the point of using eight-core processors and high-end graphics that can render real-time ray traced lighting. So, if you want to stay on the cutting edge in 2019, you’re going to want one of the best PCs – even if all you do is browse Facebook and TechRadar. Luckily, it’s cheaper than ever before to pick up one of the best PCs. You can easily find a capable PC or even an all-in-one desktop for 500 bucks. PCs are also easy to upgrade, so you can keep your machine up to date by slotting in new PC components, like graphics cards, fast SSDs or more RAM. Still, going out and buying the best PC can get confusing. So, we decided to gather up all the best PCs on the market, paying special attention to any that strike a golden balance between price and performance. So, keep reading, and you’ll find all the best PCs on the market right  now.  The Dell XPS tower, for lack of a better word, is a stealthy PC. It looks quite similar to the type of PC that your parents had hidden beneath the desk, its boring exterior hides an exciting array of components. You’ll find up to a GTX 1080 graphics card, 8th-generation Intel Core processors, and a spacious hard drive and/or SSD. Now, the Dell XPS Special Edition is only available in the US, but our readers in the UK and Australia will still be able to pick up the regular Dell XPS tower and beef it up to the same level through Dell’s configuration page – just with a different chassis. Read the full review: Dell XPS Tower Special Edition The Microsoft Surface Studio was the best PC for artists when it first launched, so we were excited when Microsoft announced the sequel. Packed with Kaby Lake mobile graphics and Nvidia Pascal graphics, the Surface Studio 2 is way more powerful than the original, and should be able to handle everything you can throw at it for the next few years at least. And, it’s still got that gorgeous PixelSense display with Surface Pen support, making it retain the title of the best PC for artists. Read the full review: Surface Studio 2 See more like this: The best all-in-one PCs If you’re looking for a great desktop experience, but don’t have a lot of space, look no further than the Intel Hades Canyon NUC. In this tiny bare-bones PC, you have an insanely powerful 8th-generation Intel Core i7 processor, and discrete-class Radeon graphics – once you throw in some RAM and storage, you’ll be able to conquer the best PC games without a care in the world. Sure, it can’t really stand up against a full-sized desktop, but when space is short, or you’d rather just have a PC that looks like a set-top box – it’s totally worth it.  Read the full review: Intel Hades Canyon NUC  The Alienware Aurora R7 isn’t just a great gaming PC, but it’s one of the best PCs you can buy today. Not only does it feature fantastic performance with its 8th-generation Intel Core processor and GTX 10 series graphics, but this power is conveniently stored away in its compact chassis. It’s even surprisingly affordable, considering the power on offer, and it’s even easily upgradeable, despite its unique build. With the Aurora R7, Alienware continues its journey back to the top of the best PCs. Read the full review: Alienware Aurora R7  See more like this: The best gaming PCs If you’re on the market for a computer with an absolutely unbelievable amount of power, but will also look good in your living room, look no further than the Corsair One i160. Packed with Coffee Lake Refresh processors and Nvidia Turing graphics – not to mention a whopping 32GB of RAM, this computer is an absolute beast, and will chew through any game you throw at it – even on that nice 4K TV you just bought. Just prepare yourself before you jump on it – it’s not cheap. Read the full review: Corsair One i160  It’s easy to associate Apple with inflated pricing, but the Mac Mini avoids that altogether. The Mac Mini 2018 isn’t just an attractive small form-factor PC, it’s also crammed full of high-end desktop parts, making it a great purchase for anyone that already has a slew of Mac-ready peripherals. Plus, as opposed to Apple’s recent products, you can upgrade the Mac Mini. Well, just the memory, but you can kit the Mac Mini with up to 64GB of RAM. Read the full review: Apple Mac Mini See more like this: The best Macs Though at first you might confuse it for a fabric-woven Mac Pro refresh, the HP Pavilion Wave is anything but. This compact Windows machine packs in 6th-generation Intel Core processors and optional discrete AMD graphics with a uniquely integrated Bang & Olufsen speaker. Wrapped in a handsome fabric exterior, this is the perfect PC to have on the desk, as it radiates crisp sound while you browse the web or watch movies. Read the first look: HP Pavilion Wave Some people have problems with desktop PCs, as they tend to take up a lot of space, but the Intel Core Compute Stick solves that issue. Looking more like a thumb drive than a full PC, this tiny computer can slot into any screen with an HDMI input. It starts out with a lowly 1.33GHz Intel Atom processor running Linux, but you can configure it with up to an Intel Core m5 processor – making this one of the best PCs if you need to get some work done on the go, with a computer that’ll fit in your pocket.  Image Credits: TechRadar Bill Thomas and Gabe Carey have also contributed to this article While you’re at it, we’ve also found the best gaming desktop PC you can buy This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

The best gaming PC 2019: 10 of the top gaming desktops you can buy Posted: 08 Apr 2019 01:18 PM PDT There are so many great PC games coming out this year, from frantic shooters like Doom Eternal to story-rich RPGs like the Outer Worlds. Plus, there are already a ton of great 2019 PC games like Devil May Cry V and The Division 2. So, if you want to prepare yourself for the onslaught of awesome games, you should arm yourself with one of the best gaming PCs. No matter which games are on your personal list, having the best gaming PC will make your experience so much better.  It doesn’t matter whether you prefer Intel, AMD or Nvidia – most PC makers will let you choose the best processors and best graphics card for your needs anyway. And, now there are Nvidia Turing graphics cards, the best gaming PCs are about to get even better looking.  So, we took this opportunity to find the best gaming PCs you can buy today, all of which we’ve tested and reviewed ourselves. From popular manufacturers like Alienware to more exotic brands like Origin, the best gaming PCs cover a wide gamut of use cases. These are the 10 best gaming PCs you can buy right now, and they’ll all be able to handle every PC game you throw at them.   The Corsair One has been among the best gaming PCs ever since its debut a few years ago, and the Corsair One i160 takes things to a whole new level with Nvidia Turing graphics and Intel Coffee Lake Refresh processors. With this gaming PC, you’ll be able to tackle 4K gaming on a machine that’s not much larger than your average gaming console. It is expensive though – that much power kind of has to be – but it may be worth it if you’re looking for a small form factor machine without compromises. Read the full review: Corsair One i160  The Alienware Aurora R7 isn’t your average gaming PC. This decadent PC is a feat of engineering – packing full sized PC components into a chassis much more compact than your typical mid-tower PC case. Simultaneously, it’s easy to upgrade and attractive to boot. When you’re spending this much cash on a gaming PC, you’d expect one of these features, but the Alienware Aurora R7 covers both ends of the spectrum. It’s not hard to see why this is one of the best gaming PCs around today.  Read the full review: Alienware Aurora R7 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 MSI Aegis 3  It’s not uncommon anymore for PC makers to brandish their pre-built desktop rigs as VR-ready. What is unusual is to do so with a computer that’s also ready to conquer any game you throw at it at well over 60 frames per second and for under two grand. That’s exactly what MSI has accomplished with the Infinite A, a tower whose graphical efforts aren’t thwarted by its preparedness for VR, nor is it so expensive that it would see your head turn the other way. Read the full review: MSI Infinite A This product is only available in the US at the time of this writing. Australian and UK readers: check out a fine alternative in the Overclockers 8Pack Asteroid  If you’re on the market for the best gaming PC under $1,000, the Intel Hades Canyon NUC is for you. This tiny gaming PC isn’t just cost-effective, but it takes up little to no space, looking more like a set-top box than a gaming PC. Don’t let its size fool you, though – it packs all the power of the best gaming laptops, with an 8th-generation Intel Core i7 processor and discrete AMD Radeon graphics. You’ll have to supply your own RAM, storage and OS, but if you have extra PC hardware lying around, you can save even more money. Read the full review: Intel Hades Canyon NUC  Positioned as a ’console killer,’ the MSI Trident 3 looks a lot like an Xbox One S and is more powerful than a PS4 Pro, but at the end of the day, it’s a PC that feels just right in your living room. Complete with all the ports you could ever dream of, the MSI Trident 3’s advantages are clear. Still, in trying to be as thin and light as possible, the MSI Trident 3 comes equipped with a 330W external power supply brick, resembling some of the most less attractive console designs. Read the full review: MSI Trident 3 If you’re buying a pre-built PC, upgrades should be simple, right? That’s the philosophy behind the Lenovo IdeaCentre Y900. Embellished with red lights all over, the front of its chassis is bespeckled with textured patterns that’ll no doubt make your friends jealous. On top of offering support for a VR-ready GTX 1080, the Lenovo IdeaCentre boasts SLI support and room for up to 64GB of RAM, which are thankfully complemented by a convenient tool-less design. Read the full review: Lenovo IdeaCentre Y900 This product is only available in the US and UK as of this writing. Australian readers: check out a fine alternative in the Corsair One. Much like the sublime Dell XPS 13, the Dell XPS Tower is a lesson in packing beefy specs into a svelte chassis. This inconspicuous gaming machine looks a lot like the computer that’s been collecting dust in your dad’s office, rather than something powering the latest PC games. But, beneath that quiet exterior, the Dell XPS Tower is one of the best gaming PCs on the market, with 8th-generation Intel Coffee Lake processors and Nvidia GTX 10-series graphics cards. With the Dell XPS Tower Special Edition,you’re getting one of the best gaming PCs money can buy, without any of the off-putting ‘gamer aesthetic’. Read the full review: Dell XPS Tower Special Edition  This product is only available in the US and UK as of this writing. Australian readers: check out a fine alternative in the Corsair One. When you buy a computer from Origin, it’s almost like you’re building it on your own. You have to be familiar enough with PC components to decide for yourself what goes into the rig and how much money you’re going to spend on it. So, of course, our only real criticism of the Origin Millennium is that you can build a similar model for cheaper. However, because of its subtle design and flexible specs, we’re willing to bet you won’t want to. Read the full review: Origin Millennium  This product is only available in the US as of this writing. UK and Australian readers: check out a fine alternative in the Overclockers 8Pack Asteroid. In classic Alienware fashion, the Area 51 Threadripper Edition pushes the limits of both technology and your wallet. It’s wildly powerful, markedly featuring the latest AMD Ryzen Threadripper 1950X across all of its configurations. The Area 51’s triad-design hasn’t changed much since its introduction back in 2014, but on the inside this machine is essentially tool-less to upgrade, not that you would even need to. Read the full review: Alienware Area 51 Threadripper Edition  This product is only available in the US at the time of this writing. UK and Australian readers: check out a fine alternative in the Corsair One   We knew that it was only a matter of time before the best gaming PCs started rolling out with the latest Coffee Lake Refresh and Nvidia Turing parts, and the MSI Trident X is here to lead the charge. This small-form factor PC pulls no punches, and will absolutely demolish any game you throw at it, at any resolution. Just keep in mind that the thin metal build might be a bit flimsy for travel, and its price tag is kind of steep. But, if you’re looking for no-holds-barred power that won’t look out of place in your living room, you can’t do much better. Read the full review: MSI Trident X Image Credits: TechRadar Bill Thomas, Joe Osborne and Gabe Carey have also contributed to this article Check out our Linux vs Windows vs Mac - OS comparison video below. 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The best PC gaming headsets 2019 Posted: 08 Apr 2019 01:17 PM PDT Thanks to Intel Coffee Lake Refresh processors combined with Nvidia Turing graphics, the best gaming PCs on the market right now have never been more powerful.  This means there’s right now is the perfect time to take the plunge and pick up one of the best gaming headsets. Because, there’s just no way around it: having high quality sound when you’re gaming is just as important as the visual experience. Many gaming monitors have speakers built in these days, but the can’t provide the same kind of audio quality as a dedicated PC gaming headset. Plus, there are plenty of monitors out there that have no speakers built in at all.  So, if you’re looking for an immersive audio experience while you’re dying over and over again in Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, or you just want to get some end-game grinding done in the Division 2, you’ll want either the best computer speakers, or one of the best PC gaming headsets. The best PC games provide rich audio, so you don’t want to miss out.  The best PC gaming headsets we've chosen have all the bells and whistles that the best computer speakers will offer, but with one key difference – privacy. For anyone that wants to avoid keeping their roommates (or neighbours) awake all night, here are the best PC gaming headsets on the market in 2019. HyperX Cloud Revolver S When we first sat down to review the HyperX Cloud Revolver S, we were a bit divided. On one hand, it features fantastic 7.1-channel surround sound, delivered through Dolby's trademark digital signal processor. On the other, it's extremely pricey when compared to other similar headsets. Luckily, as one of Kingston's most subdued pair of cans we've ever seen (or heard), the pristine comfort and top-notch sound more than make up for its high price and oddly placed detachable mic. Read the full review: HyperX Cloud Revolver S SteelSeries Arctis Pro SteelSeries is known for providing pristine audio, but the SteelSeries Arctis Pro takes things to another level. This headset doesn’t just provide immersive surround sound for all the explosive action of your favorite games, but thanks to its included DAC (digital to audio converter), the Arctis Pro will also serve you well when listening to music. This PC gaming headset is a little on the expensive side, but when you consider just how comfortable and bombastic this headset is, well, it’s easy to see why it’s one of the best gaming headsets you can buy today.   Read the full review: SteelSeries Arctis Pro  Logitech G Pro Gaming Headset Valuing raw performance over the traditional ‘gamer aesthetic,’ the Logitech G Pro headset offers fantastic sound quality over long periods of time, and that’s about it – but we’re not complaining. The Logitech G Pro Gaming Headset focuses squarely on great sound quality and comfort, so you don’t have to  fork over a fortune for unnecessary flourishes. If you’re looking for something without all the bells and whistles, but can perform where it counts, the Logitech G Pro might be the best gaming headset for you.  Read the full review: Logitech G Pro Gaming Headset  Anyone can simply listen to their games, but what if we told you that you could feel them? With the Razer Nari Ultimate, that can finally be a reality, this gaming headset has haptic motors in the ear cups that makes your ears vibrate. This would be enough to make this at least an interesting headset, but when paired with the long battery life, amazing sound quality and comfortable build, it’s easily one of the best gaming headsets out there. Just, do yourself a favor and turn off the haptic feedback when you’re listening to music. Read the full review: Razer Nari Ultimate Astro A20 If you're looking for one of the best gaming headsets, but those high-end $300 headsets make your stomach turn and you don't want something cheap, you should take a look at the Astro A20s. Featuring solid stereo sound performance in a wireless headset, not to mention the stunning 15-hour battery life, this headset has all the necessary features that you might want in its price range. Sure, it doesn't have surround sound, but it more than makes up for it with its economy and battery life. Read the full review: Astro A20 Creative Sound BlasterX H7 Tournament Edition Creative has created a name for itself over the ears for crafting sublime audio products – and the Creative Sound BlasterX H7 Tournament Edition further cements that legacy. Instead of just sitting and iterating on the winning formula of its previous products, Creative completely revamped  the Sound BlasterX H7, resulting in a PC gaming headset that looks just as good as it sounds. If you’re looking for a comfortable, sturdy and meaty-sounding headset, the Creative Sound BlasterX H7 Tournament Edition is one of the best PC gaming headsets today.  Read the full review: Creative Sound BlasterX H7 Tournament Edition  Asus, and its Republic of Gamers brand, has built a name for itself for crafting gaming peripherals that constantly meet consumer standards, and the Asus ROG Strix Fusion 700 is another one. Packed with 50mm Neodymium drivers and Bluetooth compatibility, this gaming headset provides fantastic sound quality wirelessly. And, it’s even compatible with other gaming platforms, so you don’t have to juggle around different headsets. It’s a bit on the expensive side, but given how good this headset sounds, we’d say it’s worth it. Read the full review: Asus ROG Strix Fusion 700  SteelSeries Arctis Pro Wireless Compromises are a part of everyday life, but nobody actually likes making them. Luckily, with the SteelSeries Arctis Pro Wireless you don't have to make any compromises, because you can get high quality lossless audio playback with a wireless headset. And, when you add in the unique and ultra-convenient dual-battery charging system that lets you wear this headset in perpetuity, you have a recipe for one of the best gaming headsets we've ever gotten our hands on. If you have the cash, and you absolutely need the best wireless headphones money can buy, you can't go wrong here. Read the full review: SteelSeries Arctis Pro Wireless  HyperX Cloud Flight The HyperX Cloud Flight is a long-lasting wireless gaming headset featuring up to 30 hours of battery life. This means you can likely get two full days of gaming in between charges. However, there’s a catch – unlike the Cloud Flight’s competition, namely the Astro A20, this gaming headset only offers stereo sound, abandoning any surround sound implementation. You can thankfully get around it by playing around with the Dolby Access app, though, and the sound profile is balanced enough to make this a non-issue. Read the full review: HyperX Cloud Flight   Corsair released one of the best gaming headsets late last year with the Corsair HS50, and now, it has made it even better by making it wireless and giving it virtual surround sound capabilities. These features on their own would make a great gaming headset, but when you add in the fantastic Corsair CUE software on top of it, it makes a complete package that would make a great addition to your gaming setup. Read the full review: Corsair HS70 Wireless Gaming Headset  Corsair Void Pro RGB Wireless It wasn't that long ago that Corsair was solely known for PC components but, over the last five years or so, its arguably become better known for its gaming peripherals. With products like the Corsair Void RGB Wireless, it's not hard to see why. Now, while at first glance, some may scoff at the asking price, the Void Pro RGB Wireless delivers on that price point with great build quality, fantastic sound fidelity and – perhaps most importantly – RGB lighting. Plus, if you've already got a full arsenal of Corsair peripherals, the Void Pro RGB Wireless fits in nicely, and can even synchronize lighting effects with other peripherals through the Corsair Utility Engine. Read the full review: Corsair Void RGB Wireless  Corsair HS50 Stereo Gaming Headset As a general rule when you're buying anything, including gaming peripherals, you get what you pay for. You don't go into Walmart, pick up a $50/£50 gaming headset and expect to be blown away, but Corsair takes this rule and turns it on its head. The Corsair HS50 is, for the budget gamer, the best gaming headset you can buy today. Retailing at $50 in the US, the HS50 has sound quality and mic quality that rivals headsets that are twice as expensive. Everything, even down to the build materials radiates quality. If you're looking for a cheap gaming headset, and you don't mind giving up some extra bells and whistles, like 7.1 surround and Bluetooth connectivity, you need to take a look at the Corsair HS50. Read the full review: Corsair HS50 Stereo Gaming Headset  Beyerdynamic Custom Game While it’s more expensive than we’d like, the Beyerdynamic CUSTOM Game is one of the best gaming headsets we’ve used in a while. It doesn’t feature flashy surround sound or wireless functionality, but this headset excels in two of the most important categories: sound and comfort. Seriously, once you put it on and experience your games in headphones this good, there’s no going back. Read the full review: Beyerdynamic Custom Game Turtle Beach Elite Pro Tournament If you're the type of gamer that isn't afraid to let the world know you're playing games, the Turtle Beach Elite Pro Tournament might just be the best gaming headset for you. Not only is it supremely comfortable to wear, but its 50mm drivers mean that sound quality is always top notch – even if it could use a bit more bass in the mix. You really do have to be into the 'gamer aesthetic' though, as its plastic build and orange highlights personify the style. But, if you can get past the looks and the price tag, there's a lot to love about the Turtle Beach Elite Pro Tournament. Read the full review: Turtle Beach Elite Pro Tournament   Astro A50 Wireless Back when the original Astro A50 launched, we called it a ‘game-changing, experience-enhancing headset,’ and, thankfully, its wireless successor follows in its footsteps – while adding in wireless functionality. Not only is it ready to rock with your PC, but with PS4, Xbox One and legacy consoles as well – a headset that’s robust and versatile. Bill Thomas and Gabe Carey have also contributed to this article Put your audio quality to the test in the best PC games Image Credits: TechRadar This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

The world's first 5G phone: our hands-on with the future of smartphones Posted: 08 Apr 2019 01:05 PM PDT TechRadar became the first publication to buy the world's first 5G phone, and we've been testing it out ever since – nearly a week of speed tests in the US. Verizon unexpectedly got a jump on many other countries - including South Korea, where the Samsung Galaxy S10 5G just launched - and deployed its 5G network in Chicago.  We spent hours trawling the streets looking for the only handset that could support it (the Moto Z3 with a 5G Mod slapped on the back) and then hung around in the limited spaces where 5G signal was being broadcast. We're still mid-test (5 days into the 5G tests), so follow our live blog below to see our findings as they happen, and then read on to see how the speeds and reliability compare to the already-fast, already-stable 4G signals we have at the moment. This is what happens when you get into a 5G zone, although, it's hard to keep that Ultra Wide Band status and it needs a direct line of sight to the 5G nodes. Our live 5G testing 4/8, 2:40 pm CT: The 5G network appears to be progressing, as our latest test downloading a 595MB movie from Netflix managed to complete in under 3 minutes. We didn't have consistent 5G through the whole download, so there was some variation of speeds, but we saw speeds between 3 and 6MB/s much of the time 5G was active.  4/6, 6:01 pm CT: Managed to pick up 5G signal in an apartment building in the West Loop while near the window. But, it was inconsistent, and a speed test only hit 28.3Mbps. 4/6, 3:03 pm CT:  Curious about the quick toggling between 5G and 4G LTE in some areas, I wandered over to a spot in the West Loop where I'd consistently noticed this behavior. If the switching were simply a matter of the network being unused, then starting a download or network speed test should have stopped the behavior. We began a speed test, but the quick switching continued, and the result of the speed test was a low 19Mbps. We then started a Netflix movie download that mustered 2 to 3MB/s, but the switching persisted, with connectivity never locking into 5G.  4/5, 1:30 pm CT: Checking to make sure Netflix and the Play Store weren't a speed bottleneck, we connected to Wi-Fi and retried the downloads. The movie downloaded at close to 20MB/s and the game downloaded at about 13MB/s, vastly exceeding what we could get on our 5G connection. 4/5, 12:59 pm CT: Took another 5G field trip, and found a consistent signal at the base of a building that seemed like it would have actually blocked signal. A few speed tests that exceeded 400Mbps confirmed we had a real 5G connection, though a test using a single data stream showed only 17.3Mbps downstream. In between multiple tests that showed high speeds, we attempted to download another movie on Netflix and a game on the Play Store, but neither managed to download much faster than 1MB/s, whereas a 400Mbps connection should offer up to 50MB/s download speeds. 4/5, 9:10 am CT: Further into West Loop, found a semi-stable 5G signal and ran a series of speed tests, getting 292Mbps,  113Mbps, 65.5Mbps, and 240Mbps. The speed tests didn't show a correlation between 5G signal strength and speeds. 4/5, 8:58 am CT: Walked into the West Loop on a street that has frequent wide views of The Loop. Once again, experienced 4G and 5G quickly switching back and forth. Ran a speed test while the network was toggling and got 47.4Mbps downstream. 4/4, 5:25 pm CT: Left the West Loop after a day generally spent without 5G. The millimeter wave technology used is fairly dependent on line of sight, and that can be hard to find, but we'll keep trying. 4/4, 12:30 pm CT: Popping back outside into the rain to see how long it'd take to download The Raid Redemption at 446MB on the 5G network, we gave up after 2 minutes and 30 seconds that had only netted 44MB. A quick speed test showed the lowest speeds we'd seen all day at 59.9Mbps. Never mind downloading a whole TV show season before a flight takes off, we couldn't even download Iko Uwais kicking his first ass. 4/4, 12:08 pm CT: Went into the grocery store on that same corner and couldn't get 5G even sitting next to a window near that corner.  4/4, 11:56 am CT: Took the Moto Z3 out for a walk in the West Loop, because the 5G signal couldn't bother to join me indoors on this cold and rainy day. Found a corner closer to The Loop that had 5G signal, though it was still spotty. Ran a speed test that hit 448Mbps downstream with a 19ms ping time. We literally cobbled together the world's first 5G phone when we slapped the newly-launched 5G Moto Mod onto the back of an existing 4G phone. And it is indeed faster, according to our on-the-ground 5G tests using the Moto Z3, last year's 4G LTE phone that can be upgraded to 5G care of the new 5G add-on. Yes, 5G service is here, and it's coming together in bits and pieces. We could buy the 5G Mod at exactly one Chicago store on launch day, and it came out faster than anyone expected. Verizon and Motorola jumped ahead of their original April 11 launch to become the first to 5G phone manufacturer and carrier, beating Samsung's scheduled April 5 launch in Korea. Crafty. While discussing the early launch with Verizon Consumer Group President Ronan Dunne, he said that Verizon was always going to be first, making it clear why the company had switched its launch to just days before Samsung's launch in Korea. Although this makes Verizon and Motorola the first to 5G in the world, there's still the question of what that really means for all of us, the people using the the first 5G phone on the first 5G network – which is only available in parts of two US cities. We'll be providing live updates over the course of our testing as we spend more time seeing just what the first 5G phone and 5G cellular network can and can't handle. What it took to get 5G service Verizon's activation of its 5G network is far from a wide launch. Officially, the network is only live in Chicago, Illinois, and in Minneapolis, Minnesota. While Chicago is a sizable city, and Minneapolis isn't small, the actual availability of 5G in each city is still limited. For now, only a handful of Chicago wards are covered in the 5G network, and Verizon hasn't released any coverage map for customers to see.  These are dense areas of Chicago, including Magnificent Mile (specifically the Verizon store), Gold Coast, Old Town, River North, and portions of South Loop and West Loop. Minneapolis' 5G coverage areas are in Downtown West, Downtown East, Elliot Park, and the Mall of America's Verizon Store. Aside from the hands-on in the Magnificent Mile Verizon Store where the launch event took place, we knew getting to experience 5G in the wild might take a bit of work. We needed both the Moto Z3, the 5G Moto Mod, an unlimited data plan from Verizon, and we had to pay a special $10 5G service fee (at present, the $10 fee is waived) on top of the data plan to access the 5G network. In the end, the hardware cost us $749 at the store (without opting for a contract where there are some discounts), and service will cost about $100 a month. Without further ado, let's get to business: is it really faster? 5G vs 4G LTE speeds Image Credit: TechRadar In the Verizon Store where the launch event took place, there was a 5G node set up at the front. And, with a short distance between the Moto Z3 and the node, with line of sight, the device managed to hit 651Mbps downstream. Compare that to a later test on the 4G network that hit 213Mbps downstream. Meanwhile, upstream data actually only uses 4G, so there's no speed boost for that. How does that speed translate into real-world performance? All the 1080p videos on YouTube started playing promptly as we flicked through one after another. Scrubbing through each video's runtime caused a momentary pause before playback resumed. However, after switching over to 4G, we didn't see much of a difference while doing the same thing. Since most of us don't use our mobile network just to run speed tests, we jumped right onto the Play Store to download the hefty 1.81GB PUBG Mobile game. On the 5G network, the download took just shy of 4 minutes and 30 seconds. Repeating the download on the 4G network, the download took 6 minutes and 8 seconds.  So, while the 5G network is clearly the faster of the two, it's not by an order of magnitude. 5G reliability Over the course of our initial hands-on, we seriously questioned Verizon's 5G network's reliability.  Take the Verizon Store where the event took place: it was scarcely bigger than 30 feet across and 100 feet back, with a 5G node in the front of the building. Reception was spotty toward the back, and could even peter out near the front. We noticed the Moto Z3 switch from 5G to 4G LTE on multiple occasions as we moved around, and had to keep checking that our speed tests were 5G all the way through. While we'll be testing the 5G connectivity over the next week throughout the Chicago area, we'll be checking whether the millimeter wave technology Verizon uses for its 5G network will be able to penetrate obstacles and walls. The lack of a defined 5G map is also an issue, as any time we don't get 5G, we'll be left wondering whether it's because there's no signal in the area or if the phone is just fails to pick it up. We're going to continue to test the advent of 5G in Chicago this week, so stay tuned for updates on how the service functions for us and the top speeds we hit. When it works, and where it works, it's certainly faster than 4G LTE; the future of smartphones is here, but not quite everywhere. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Apple's iPhone 2020 may have 5G trouble, but Huawei is eager to help Posted: 08 Apr 2019 01:02 PM PDT Apple is running out of options to get 5G into the iPhone 2020, as reports stack up that sole iPhone modem supplier, Intel, might not be able to deliver in time. Cue: China's Huawei, the No. 2 smartphone maker in the world. Its Balong 5000 5G modem is already working in the Mate 20X and forthcoming foldable Mate X. The company is 'open' to selling its 5G modem to Apple, according to Engadget, giving the iPhone 2020 access to faster 5G speeds – if Apple can't patch things up with Qualcomm. Don't forget about the new iPhone in September Current iPhone to think about: iPhone XS Max Next-gen flagship killer OnePlus 7 What's significant about this is that Huawei doesn't sell its chips to others, like Qualcomm does. You'll only find its HiSilicon Kirin chipset in the Huawei Mate 20 and Huawei P30 Pro, for example. It seems as if Huawei is willing to make an exception for Apple. Why Huawei inside? Huawei isn't just being nice. The company stands to make a lot of money if its 5G modem finds a way inside the iPhone 2020. Just ask Samsung, which supplies Apple's displays. If Intel is behind the curve, and Apple and Qualcomm can't stop suing each other, that leaves two other equally unlikely modem suppliers: Samsung and MediaTek. Apple did talk to the firms, according to a UBS analyst note seen by Fast Company. But, Samsung seems even less practical than Huawei, and MediaTek less technically ready than Intel. Oh, that little indictment thing Apple, for its part, hasn't commented on Huawei's reported offer. Not only would it be paying a rival, it could also create problems with the US government. You can't find flagship Huawei handsets on sale through normal carrier and retail channels in the US, and the American government has considered an all-out ban on Huawei for theft, fraud and spying fears. Apple hasn't shied away from tangling with the US government before, but it could walk into a publicity nightmare with Huawei's modem. Samsung could easily point out in marketing that the only thing standing between your private data and the internet is a 5G iPhone modem from a Chinese manufacturer under indictment. This doesn't make us want the foldable Huawei Mate X any less This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

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