Apple : Sprint 5G: coverage map, phones and speed tests |
- Sprint 5G: coverage map, phones and speed tests
- Fitbit price cut: save on the Fitbit Alta HR, Charge 3, & Blaze smartwatch at Amazon
- Best single player PC games 2019: the top PC games for playing solo
- Best PC games 2019: the must-play titles you don’t want to miss
- Surface Studio 3: what we want to see
- Surface Book 3: what we want to see
- Microsoft Surface Laptop 3: what we want to see
- Microsoft Surface Pro 7: what we want to see
- AMD Navi release date, news and rumors
- Best RAM 2019: the top memory for your PC
- Intel Comet Lake release date, news and features
- Mozilla now charges for "premium" Firefox support
- LG’s new 140-inch 4K laser projector is actually cheaper than its OLED TVs
- Some exclusive Apple Arcade games can actually be played on consoles
- The best PS4 Pro prices, deals and bundles in September 2019
- The best cheap PS4 bundles, deals and prices in the September sales
- Canon EOS M200 on the horizon? New mirrorless model rumored
- Apple AirPods 2: everything we know so far
| Sprint 5G: coverage map, phones and speed tests Posted: 13 Sep 2019 02:22 PM PDT The Sprint 5G coverage map is live in select US cities and they’re the second American carrier with a 5G phone. That’s a pretty good start for the nation’s fourth-largest network. We've tried out the network and, at best, reached around 330Mbps in our NYC Sprint 5G testing. That’s faster than 4G LTE, though not quite as fast as the nearly 1.4Gbps we got from Verizon 5G in Chicago. The key is Sprint is offering 5G coverage that blankets larger portions of the first US cities where it’s available. It’s not as far, no, but its coverage is wider. So far, it’s in nine US cities - and while the company hasn't announced any more, they're building out that coverage for the rest of 2019. Here’s an overview of all the things Sprint is doing to get people blanketed with the fastest internet. From its 5G coverage areas and service plans to all the compatible phones and devices. Image credit: TechRadar Sprint 5G service plansDuring the initial rollout of Sprint’s 5G service, customers with the high speed technology in their cities can utilize it with the Unlimited Premium plan. The plan provides unlimited data, talk and text in US, as well 100GB of data for use as an LTE mobile hotspot. For one line, the Unlimited Premium plan costs $80 per month. The 5G supporting service plan also includes Hulu, Amazon Prime, Twitch Prime and Tidal HiFi. Sprint 5G coverage map and rollout citiesStarting in May, Sprint’s 5G service went live in Chicago, Atlanta, Dallas and Kansas City, followed by Dallas-Fort Worth. In August, 5G networks went live in New York City, Washington, D.C., Phoenix and Los Angeles. This 5G network won’t be available across these entire cities at first, mind – only particular parts of their downtown metropolitan areas. New York City’s coverage will start at 30 square miles between Midtown and lower Manhattan, for example. Meanwhile it will start in 230 square miles of the Dallas-Fort Worth region and 110 square miles in Kansas City, according to the Kansas City Star. In total, the initial 5G coverage area was planned to span more than 1,000 square miles across all nine cities. Sprint will surely continue to expand its 5G network as the year rolls on, and is using Massive MIMO radios to augment coverage and simultaneously meet consumers’ 5G and LTE needs. To take advantage of the service when it comes to your city, you’ll need to have a device. Sprint currently sells four devices - three phones and a hotspot hub. Sprint 5G phonesSprint is the second carrier to be selling 5G phones, but it’s arguably the first when it comes to offering handsets with wider reception and stable coverage for customers. Sprint became the first carrier to offer the OnePlus 7 Pro 5G in the US...and the second to offer a OnePlus phone in the country at all. While the LG V50 isn’t breaking new ground compared to past offerings from the manufacturer, it will still be able to take advantage of the boost in connectivity. Samsung’s S10 5G on the other hand, is a sight to behold. The OnePlus 7 Pro 5G is virtually unchanged from the base 7 Pro, yet an impressive phone nonetheless - and one of the most affordable 5G-capable phones. It compromises little to get early adopters connected to the next-gen networks for less coin than the fuller-featured Samsung Galaxy S10 5G. You still get everything in the base 7 Pro, which includes three rear lenses, an in-screen fingerprint sensor and a pop-up selfie camera - meaning the front screen is unblemished with any notches or punch-holes. The 7 Pro 5G has a giant 6.67-inch screen and packs the leading Snapdragon 855 chip, 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage - all for $840. While Sprint's network speeds aren't too high, you can still get decent speeds (up to 330Mbps, we found) on this top-notch handset. LG V50 ThinQ 5GThe first Sprint 5G phone you can buy is the LG V50 ThinQ 5G, which became available on May 31, 2019. LG introduced the phone at MWC 2019 as one of the first 5G phones that will hit the market, and it will be the initial device consumers can use on Sprint’s fastest network yet. The V50 looks very similar to the V40, though it packs more of a punch thanks to the brand-new Snapdragon 855 processor (essential for hooking up to 5G networks). It has the same 6.4-inch OLED screen as its predecessor, yet features a larger 4,000mAh battery, ostensibly to watch more media and for longer with those hyper-fast connection speeds. The V50 5G will cost $24 per month with $0 down with Sprint Flex lease payment plan, which is half the price of buying the phone outright, according to Sprint. Unfortunately, Sprint won’t even sell you an LG V50 if you live outside a 5G city, but then again, you probably don’t want one if you don’t live in a supported city anyway. Samsung Galaxy S10 5GOne of the biggest, baddest flagship phones will be coming to Sprint’s 5G network sometime this summer. No, literally: the Samsung Galaxy S10 5G has a 6.7-inch AMOLED display, one of the largest we’ve seen in a flagship phone, at least until the foldables start rolling out. Everything else about the handset is equally big, from its Snapdragon 855 chipset to its 256GB storage and 8GB of RAM. Like the Galaxy S10 and S10 Plus, the 5G variant has three rear lenses (12MP wide, 16MP ultra-wide and 12MP telephoto) along with a time of flight (TOF) sensor to measure depth. It’s even got one of these TOF sensors on the front to augment your selfie game. Verizon started selling the 256GB Galaxy S10 5G for $1299.99 when bought without a monthly payment plan, so we suspect Sprint’s S10 5G will be the same. HTC 5G HubOkay, this definitely isn’t a phone – but until Sprint announces more compatible handsets, the standalone HTC 5G hub might not be a bad substitute, especially if you already have a powerful device. The mobile smart hub (the first of its kind, Sprint claims in its press release) lets up to 20 users hook up to it for smooth 5G speed. It even has a 5-inch HD touchscreen for easy setup. Sprint also advertised that the device has built-in Gigabit Ethernet port, 7,660mAh battery and can be configured for a corporate VPN. The HTC 5G Hub will cost $12.50 per month for the device and can use 100GB of high-speed data for $60. The Sprint 5G futureThese are the 5G cities, phones, and service plans available for Sprint currently, but what about later in 2019? If T-Mobile and Sprint are able to merge, the question arises about how both carriers’ different bands would be supported. Hopefully the next generation of Qualcomm modems, the Snapdragon X55, will be able to bridge the differences by virtually supporting all bands globally.
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| Fitbit price cut: save on the Fitbit Alta HR, Charge 3, & Blaze smartwatch at Amazon Posted: 13 Sep 2019 02:16 PM PDT If you're in the market for a cheap activity tracker, then you've come to the right place. Amazon has some fantastic deals on popular models that include the Fitbit Charge 3 and Blaze smartwatch. Amazon also has the best-selling Fitbit Alta HR on sale for $79.96. That's a $50 discount and the best price we've found for the ultra-slim activity tracker. Fitbit deals:You can find more Fitbit Versa offers with the best Fitbit Versa prices and sales that are currently available. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Best single player PC games 2019: the top PC games for playing solo Posted: 13 Sep 2019 01:19 PM PDT Welcome to our best single player PC games list for 2019. In our humble opinion, single player PC games showcase gaming at its finest. Throw around all the numbers you want regarding the popularity of Fortnite, or how League of Legends fills out arenas all over the world, but a well thought-out and executed solo experience has the unequaled gift for sweeping you away to painstakingly shaped worlds and immerse you in unique forms of storytelling. Even in the last few years, the best single player PC games have dominated with fresh narrative and technical frontiers, which is why we’ve rounded up 10 of the best single player PC games that you can play in 2019. Be sure you check out our picks of the best PC games as well, for the very best single and multiplayer PC games from many different genres. 1. The Witcher 3: Wild HuntFour years after its release, millions of gamers are still carrying on their solemn journeys across the war-ravaged low-fantasy world of The Witcher 3. It remains to be the apex of video game storytelling. Everything – from side-quests with lowly peasants to political tinkering of lords and barons – seems to be treated to the same degree of love and attention from the writers. This is the game that made surly, concrete-voiced hero Geralt of Rivia an icon (and soon to be star of a Witcher Netflix show). The world is not just astounding in terms of topographical scale and variety, but also impressive in its sense of history and life, as it seems that every village, castle ruins and cave has a story to tell. The fact that The Witcher 3 remains as remarkable an experience today as it was when it first came out is proof of its groundbreaking role in the medium. 2. DoomThere’s something audaciously old-school about a game that forgoes meaningful and compelling plot in favor of vicious, driving violence. In 2016’s Doom, you’re somewhere between a human battering ram and artillery cannon, tearing apart and annihilating a familiar but vividly redesigned army of demons in the most satisfying ways you can imagine. A key thing here is that in order to gain health and ammo, you need to charge headfirst into the enemy and pull off brutal Glory Kills, putting you always right up in the faces of shrieking Revenants and obese Cacodemon heads. Everything in the game – from that forward momentum to the clanging tech-metal soundtrack – propels you, leaving you winded after each scuffle like no other game… … except maybe for the impending sequel. 3. Resident Evil 2: REMakeA remake of one of the great survival horror games can be a poisoned chalice, but Capcom succeeded in creating a magnum opus both within the series and among all videogame remakes. Like the original, RE2 REMake has two coinciding campaigns as Leon Kennedy and Claire Redfield. While it follows the narrative beats of the original game, it’s also an archetype of modern level design, as you solve puzzles and open up shortcuts around the maze-y Raccoon City Police Department. Each zombie is a bullet sponge and mortal threat, resources are hardly adequate, and an unkillable blue man dressed like a hard-boiled detective marches after you through much of the game. Remake or not, this is one of the best horror games to date. 4. CelesteThe makers of Towerfall, one of the greatest couch multiplayer games around, took some of the game’s best mechanics and transformed them into a winning 2D platformer about climbing a mountain. The core mechanic is the ability to rush in eight directions, but as you progress, you’ll find yourself confronting a constant and growing trickle of different obstacles and challenges. Ultimately, Celeste amounts to a tough old time. Many levels can be played through in different iterations, and all that finger-cramping platforming is wrapped in a touching story about friendship and tribulation. Celeste feels as significant and seismic for the modern 2D platformer as Super Meat Boy was when it came out a decade ago. 5. Assassin’s Creed: OdysseyTaking a year off in 2016 to rethink the Assassin’s Creed series was a clever move by Ubisoft, because with Odyssey that decision really paid off. Looking to RPGs for inspiration, it’s an inconceivably large open-world adventure set in the scorched azure idyll of the Hellenic peninsula. It’s not just the backdrop and gloriously recreated Greek architecture that make Odyssey such a joy. It’s also in the way Alexios and Kassandra’s story weaves through history and myth, and in how it enhanced certain systems - like ship-sailing and level-based enemies - from earlier titles. Some will balk that it’s no longer the cloak-and-dagger assassin game the series is known for, but the reality is, it’s now become so much more. 6. Total War: Warhammer 2While the Total War series stagnated with Rome 2, Creative Assembly made up for it by taking on for its next project one of the most inspired possible fusions of videogame genre and IP: epic-scale strategy and Warhammer. Total War: Warhammer 2 embraces the asymmetry of its source material, with each faction offering a distinctive tactical and narrative experience. If you also own Total War: Warhammer 1, all the major factions of the vibrant grimdark world are represented in the sequel. Skaven lurk in city ruins and skurry through an underworld, Vampire Coast pirates embark on treasure hunts, and Dwarves hunker down behind heavy armour, ready to fight any infantry charge. Each campaign lasts dozens of hours, delivering endless clashes between the most well-crafted, inventive armies seen in a strategy game. 7. Sekiro: Shadows Die TwiceSekiro is a tense, tough, and visually striking samurai game set in a more mythical feudal Japan, and it's one of the best single player PC games you can buy. If you’ve played Dark Souls or Bloodborne, you’ll know what awaits, and already have an idea of whether its unforgiving style is for you or not. Some see the severe combat as sadistic, others see it as a highly challenging, high rewarding experience that has no equal. Whichever way you lean, you can’t question the meticulousness of Sekiro’s mechanics. Where Sekiro differs from its spiritual predecessors is that it’s less obtuse, with a linear, articulate narrative and the addition of more mainstream action-game elements. You leap around vertically oriented levels in quest of shortcuts and secrets, while combat is about finding the right angle and timing for that legendary killing katana blow. It’s never easy to land, but once you start doing so consistently, you begin to understand what all that suffering is for. 8. What Remains of Edith FinchA breath of fresh air from the big-money behemoths that dominate this best single player PC games list, Edith Finch is so poignant and exquisitely crafted that it will soften the hearts of even the most resolute walking-simulator naysayers. As the titular character, you meander about in her sizeable but recently abandoned family home set on a haunting, crepuscular island in Washington State. You explore the richly detailed house, visiting the still-furnished rooms of each family member where you get swept up in the dreamy haze of surreal vignettes that show you how they died. It’s a meditative game about piecing together the story of a family that seems to be afflicted by a merciless curse. Edith Finch is the kind of thematically heavy, highly curated experience that doesn’t seem to be quite done justice by the word ‘videogame’. 9. Hollow KnightOf all the genres to have re-emerged since the indie revolution nine-odd years ago, Metroidvania has been the biggest benefactor. The kinds of games that have come out haven’t just been throwbacks to the good old days of the 90s, but profound evolutions in their own right. Hollow Knight feels like the pinnacle of the last several years of Metroidvania design, and it's certainly earned its place in this list of the best single player PC games. You traverse an enchantingly forlorn subterranean kingdom as the titular knight, incrementally gaining abilities, which then let you go down deeper into the world. It’s both cute and brooding, magical and daunting, filled with thoughtful touches like the fact that Hollow Knight physically pulls out a map whenever you look at the map screen. 10. Dishonored 2One of the tragedies of single-player gaming is that the immersive sim – sprung from cerebral first-person games like System Shock, Thief and Deus Ex – has seldom been a big seller. The future of masterpieces like Arkane’s Dishonored, therefore, has always seemed tenuous. Dishonored 2 casts you as a preternaturally skilled assassin on a revenge mission in the sun-kissed steampunk city of Karnaca. Each large area lets you explore apartments, shops and cluttered rooms from all angles before you swoop in on your objectives. It’s both visceral in its black-magic-and-blades combat, and ingenious in its level design, with the ever-shifting Clockwork Mansion and the time-travelling Crack in the Slab giving you some of the most memorable gameplay sequences you’ve ever played.
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| Best PC games 2019: the must-play titles you don’t want to miss Posted: 13 Sep 2019 01:14 PM PDT Welcome to our pick of the best PC games of 2019. Now that the Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Ti is here, along with Intel’s Coffee Lake Refresh processors, now’s the best time to get into PC games. The PC is perhaps the best gaming platform in the world – forget about your PlayStations and Xboxes – thanks to a remarkably huge catalogue of brilliant games. The best PC games cover a wide range of genres, from platformers and point-and-click adventures, to retro favorites and action-packed first-person shooters that take advantage of the best modern graphics tech for eye-popping visuals. The sheer number of brilliant PC games can leave you wondering where to get started, which is where our best PC games of 2019 list comes in. We've put together the definitive list of the best PC games, from oldies like the Orange Box to newer fan-favorites like Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. Believe us when we say you’ll want to get all of these PC games installed so you can experience them firsthand. If you’re a PC gaming newbie, you chose the perfect time to jump in on the platform, and as a warm welcome, we’ll dive into the best PC games you can play in 2019. The best new PC game: ControlIt’s easy to see why Control is already taking the gaming world by storm. The creative team at Remedy Entertainment made sure that there’s plenty to love in this game, paying very close attention to the intricate details. A deeply cinematic game, this action-adventure offers its players spectacular visuals, inspired environment design and standout performances, as well as a deeply satisfying combat experience. Control places you in the capable shoes of fiery-haired Jesse Faden. You’re tasked to seek out The Oldest House, a building in New York City that’s in a constant state of architectural flux and only appears to those who desire to find it, and locate your missing brother, all while heading the Federal Bureau of Control as its director and overseeing the containment of paranatural entities. There’s nothing quite like Control on the market, and it makes it one of the best PC games to play right now. 1. The Witcher 3: Wild HuntThe Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is aging like fine wine. Even four years after its release, it’s still one of the most impressive open world games that’s ever existed – mixing Skyrim’s unapologetic scale with Grand Theft Auto V’s ridiculous depth. It’s such a jam-packed game, which is why it tops our list of the best PC games in 2019. Staggering, beautiful and an absolute time sink – in a good way – The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt isn’t just the best PC game of 2019. It might just be one of the best video games of all time.
2. Dark Souls 3While it's debatably not as hard as earlier entries in the series, From Software's Dark Souls 3 takes everything you like about the Souls series and blends it with elements found in Bloodborne, the developer's more recent title for PS4. We won’t sugar coat it: you’re going to die in Dark Souls 3, possibly more than once. It takes patience to master its complicated combat system, but it also plays fair, which allows it to be more approachable for casual players to take part in its bleak, fantastical world. And, on the bright side, it’s much more optimized for PC than the first two games. Now that you can pick up Dark Souls: Remastered, and see where the apocalyptic series began, there’s never been a better time to link the first flame. 3. Monster Hunter WorldMonster Hunter has been one of the biggest gaming franchises you’ve never heard of for years now. With Monster Hunter: World, the series broke into the mainstream and came to the PC (finally), which makes it one of the best PC games you can play today. Monster Hunter: World puts you in the shoes of a monster hunter, and you’ll hunt progressively bigger and nastier monsters, strip them for parts, and craft bigger, badder armor. It’s a deceptively simple gameplay loop that ends up being one of the most compelling and rewarding PC games you can play right now. There’s a ceaseless onslaught of content in this game, and Capcom, the developers of this monster hunting hit, are committed to bringing a wealth of free DLC to the game – not to mention a new frosty expansion in Monster Hunter World: Iceborne. If you’re looking for an addictive, immersive and most importantly, fun game to play on your own or with all your best friends cooperatively, check out Monster Hunter: World. There’s no doubt it’s one of the best PC games you can buy today.
4. Grand Theft Auto VGrand Theft Auto V is one of the most anticipated console ports to ever hit PC gaming, and you won’t any arm-twisting to wander back into Los Santos's hugely detailed and highly interactive world. This time, however, it’s 10 times more fun with the PC's richer graphics and smooth 60 fps gameplay. And, don’t think you’ll be done after you’ve finished its 30-hour campaign. There’s an overflow of post-game content to enjoy, after all. Most recently, that includes The Doomsday Heist in GTA Online and even a radio station hosted by Frank Ocean. 5. Sid Meier's Civilization VISid Meier's Civilization VI is the most recent title in the iconic turn-based strategy game, and it's one of our picks for the best PC game you can play to date. One of the things that make the PC the best platform for gaming on is the sheer breadth of different game genres on offer. Civilization VI might seem slow paced next to the likes of Fortnite; however, its scope is huge. Spread your empire across the map and crush your enemies. You build up your empire from a simple settlement to a world power, and you can decide to do this through military might, technological supremacy or cultural influence. Since its launch in 2016, it has had two expansion packs that really cement this game as an epic entry in our best PC games list. Civilization VI: Rise and Fall released in February 2018, with Civilization VI: Gathering Storm following in February 2019. 6. Alien: IsolationSet 15 years following the events of the first Alien film from 1979, Alien: Isolation is the suspense-filled game that fans of the franchise have long anticipated. Playing the role of Amanda Ripley, daughter of Alien protagonist Ellen Ripley, you’re tasked to track down and retrieve the flight recorder of the Nostromo spacecraft from the first Alien film, which has been traced aboard the Sevastopol space station. First and foremost a stealth game, Isolation heightens the tension by giving you minimal weaponry. Its brilliant graphics shine on high-end PCs and clever AI helps ramp up the dread, leaving you trembling at every corner. This and more make Alien: Isolation well-deserving of a spot on our list of the best PC games. 7. OverwatchOverwatch, if nothing else, has significantly altered the landscape, moving it away from the norm of gray-ish cover shooters to the dominion of competitive gaming. Its bright, vibrant colors are only made better with highly likeable characters, each coming with their own interesting backstories, which, while non-existent in game, make for a collection of amazing webcomics and cinematics. Overwatch is also one of the best PC games, due to how well it runs on all kinds of different hardware. Sure, it’s a bit aged now, but even in 2019, it’s the best PC game for anyone with a competitive streak. If you missed out on this game before, do yourself a favor – sign in to your Battle.net account and take Overwatch – not to mention, its colorful cast of characters – for a spin today. 8. Forza Horizon 4Microsoft's racing series is only getting better with each release, and in many ways this spin-off has exceeded the main Forza Motorsport line as the best racing games on PC at present. They're definitely more fun, adding a dash of arcade fun to the strikingly recreated cars and race tracks we've come to expect from Forza. Forza Horizon 4 is easily one of the best PC games you can buy today, and this entry brings the racing to the UK after having explored America, France, Italy and Australia in the previous three instalments of the franchise. Now, you can rip through charming villages, seaside towns and the city of Edinburgh by way of many miles of country roads and dirt tracks in between. It's fast, frantic and a lot of fun. You can purchase Forza Horizon 4 through the Microsoft Store. It's also available as part of the Xbox Game Pass for PC, or you can buy the Xbox One version and get a download code for PC using the Xbox Anywhere feature. 9. Thimbleweed ParkFans of classic point and click games such as Monkey Island and Day of the Tentacle, which are some of the best PC games ever made, should add Thimbleweed Park to their must play list. Made by Ron Gilbert and Gary Winnick, two of the people behind PC classics Monkey Island and Maniac Mansion, Thimbleweed Park plays like a love letter to classic point-and-click adventure games. From the splendid retro artwork, entertaining dialogue and perplexing puzzles, Thimbleweed Park deserves its place on our list of the best PC games, merging the best of old school PC game design with modern technology. 10. The Elder Scrolls V: SkyrimSeven years following its first release, Skyrim is as solid as ever thanks to its enormous collection of mods and high-resolution texture packs. But even if you're only interested in playing the stripped-down version of the RPG, it offers more than 100 hours of gameplay. Add three action packed DLC expansion packs (Dawnguard, Hearthfire and Dragonborn) to the mix, and it lasts even longer. That Skyrim has been likened to graphically superior but comparable RPG blockbuster The Witcher 3 is evidence of its enduring popularity. Step into Skyrim, one of the best PC games in 2019, and you too can be an adventurer - just try not to take an arrow in the knee. If you’re looking for a more special version of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Bethesda even has you covered – it can’t seem to stop releasing and re-releasing Skyrim for every platform. You can even play it in VR. 11. Sekiro: Shadows Die TwiceFrom Software is a household name when it comes to designing the best PC games. The minds behind the critically praised Dark Souls series have transported PC gamers to some of the most forsaken landscapes and through some of the most challenging yet rewarding gameplay. From Software is back at it once more, with Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. Sekiro places you in the shoes of the Young Wolf, a shinobi tasked with rescuing his young master. The game will take you through 16th-century Japan, but things will get eerie and supernatural: this is From Software we’re talking about. Don’t expect an easy time of it, however. Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is an awfully difficult game to master, and you’ll need quick reflexes to deflect enemy attacks, as well as to master stealth. You won’t be able to hide behind a shield all day, like you were able to in Dark Souls III. 12. MinecraftThe phrase "build it, and they will come" rings truer than ever with Minecraft, the survival-based sandbox RPG that has now been bought more than 100 million times since its release in 2009. In it, you can construct your own worlds using resources you find in the wild, or discover existing ones created by other players online. In Minecraft, you can either limit yourself to the numerous tools and blocks offered by the developer, Mojang, or you can install mods to truly capitalize on your investment. Moreover, sometime in 2019, you’ll be able to take part in the Super Duper Graphics Pack, an optional piece of DLC that offers more realistic lighting effects and textures to an already amazing game. 13. DoomId Software's Doom was a phenomenon for PC gamers in the ‘90s. The crudely rendered first-person shooter series was as controversial as it was adored, thanks in large part to its cutting-edge depictions of gore and violence that only a computer could deliver. Parents be damned, the franchise underwent a revival in 2016 with a fresh reset, aptly titled Doom. Although the multiplayer might not appeal to shooter fans regardless of age, the single player campaign will pit you against demons in Hell for a lengthy mission that is bloody satisfying, pun intended. 14. Fortnite Battle RoyaleHow could we not add what’s possibly the biggest game in the world right now to this list? Fortnite Battle Royale is a global phenomenon – not to mention, among the best PC games right now, if you like super-competitive online games. This is a game people keep coming back to, and that's mostly thanks to the addictive gameplay and regular updates from Epic. Fortnite Battle Royale is actually a game mode for the Fortnite game, but this mode has become so popular, many people consider it a separate game in its own right. As with other Battle Royale games, the aim of Fortnite Battle Royale is to fight your way through an ever-shrinking map until you're the last player standing. While that might sound simple enough, there's a whole lot of depth to this game once you start playing. 15. CupheadCuphead's 1930's animation aesthetics undoubtedly makes this one of the most stunning – and sounding – PC games on the list. Combining run-and-gun platforming and boss rush battles, it's an extremely challenging game – but that also makes it very rewarding. With hand-drawn cell animation, watercolor backgrounds and original jazz soundtrack, Cuphead is unlike anything you'll play on PC, and while the steep difficulty curve may put people off, if you're willing to hone your gaming skills, you'll be rewarded with one of the best PC games money can buy.
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| Surface Studio 3: what we want to see Posted: 13 Sep 2019 01:05 PM PDT It’s high time for Microsoft to roll out the Surface Studio 3. After all, the Surface Studio 2, released at the very end of 2018, may boast high-end Nvidia Pascal graphics, but it runs on 7th-generation Intel Kaby Lake laptop chips. And, those 7th-generation laptop chips are pretty outdated these days, so the Surface Studio 2 is arguably already looking a little long in the tooth. It obviously isn’t the Surface device running on an Ice Lake processor that has recently… well, surfaced… on Geekbench. We also haven’t come across any believable rumors concerning it. So we’re left speculating: what will the Surface Studio 3 look like? Now, we’re not sure when we’ll hear any hard information regarding the new Surface Studio 3, particularly since the Surface Studio 2 is still fairly new. Microsoft cryptically announced a mysterious October 2nd event, but we doubt that the Surface Studio 3 will make an appearance. So, in the meantime, we’ll have to settle for a sort of wish list. Though make sure to keep this page bookmarked, as we’ll keep it up to date with all the latest news and rumors as they come. Cut to the chase
Surface Studio 3 release dateWe’re not sure what to expect at the October 2nd event. We don’t anticipate seeing the Surface Studio 3 any time soon, but only time will tell. The original Surface Studio has been out for more than two years now, being released in December 2016, with the Surface Studio 2 following in November 2018. Just considering these two releases, we would expect to not see the Surface Studio 3 until the end of 2020. However, there have been considerable advances in mobile processor and graphics technology in that short time since the late 2018 release. That alone could push Microsoft to update its desktop sooner rather than later. Surface Studio 3 priceBoth the Surface Studio and its sequel are pricey devices. Both represent a massive expense for artists. And, it would be safe to think that the Surface Studio 3 will be at least as expensive. The Surface Studio 2 already hiked the price up by $500 (AU$800, about £390) over the $2,999 (AU$4,699, about £2,390) original, setting users back $3,499 (AU$5,499, about £2,720). If Microsoft does choose to raise the price even further, we just hope it means that the Surface Studio 3 is filled with some more cutting-edge hardware upon release. What we want to seeThe Surface Studio 3 is already an extremely niche device, so it’s kind of hard to make comparisons to existing products to try and build a wish list. But, because we here at TechRadar don’t think a perfect product exists, here’s what we hope to see in the Surface Studio 3 if and when it hits the streets. Come on, Thunderbolt 3 There are so many storage drives, monitors and other peripherals that rely on Thunderbolt 3 to do the job, and this is particularly true for professional products. By 2020, when we’re probably going to see Thunderbolt 3 on flash drives, it will be all but essential. Even for the Surface Studio 3. The Surface Studio 2 already has the USB-C port – it just needs to go that extra step. For a machine that wants to take center stage in the professional artist’s setup, the lack of Thunderbolt 3 – particularly for this price – is unjustifiable. Hardware that’s actually up to date But, Intel launched Coffee Lake H-series mobile processors all the way back in April 2018 – more than six months before the Surface Studio 2 came to market. We’re not saying that the Kaby Lake chips aren’t going to get the job done, they will – but, Coffee Lake processors would get the job done faster. Is it too much to expect an up-to-date processor, though? We don’t know which “Lake” Intel will be on in late 2020, but Microsoft: please include the newest processor in the Surface Studio 3? Because, if you’re dropping over thousands on a computer, you deserve up-to-date hardware. Up the screen resolution So, we’d like to see the Surface Studio 3 take screen resolution to the next level. We’re not saying skip right to 8K, but perhaps we could see something in between – outclass that iMac Pro display to make it a superior option to would-be Apple converts. At the end of the day, no one really knows what the Surface Studio 3 is going to look like. But, stay glued to this page, and if we see anything, we’ll update this article.
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| Surface Book 3: what we want to see Posted: 13 Sep 2019 01:04 PM PDT The Surface Book 3 has big shoes to fill. When the original Surface Book hit the market, it was remarkably successful. Yet, as amazing as it was, its sequel, the Surface Book 2, improved on everything the original did, resulting in a machine that makes the MacBook Pro look like a cheap toy. It’s not surprising, therefore, that we’re excited to see what the Surface Book 3 has in store, though we're not sure when we'll see it. Microsoft has hinted at an upcoming event on October 2 that might see a big hardware push from them. We'll see if there's any news regarding the Surface Book 3. Regardless, we can envision it now: a Surface Book 2 with a crisper, richer display, Thunderbolt 3, and – if it ends up being the recently benchmarked Microsoft Surface powered by Intel Ice Lake – more powerful internals. In other words, the Surface Book 3 could end up being the best 2-in-1 laptop we’ve seen. With these features, it might be the perfect foil to Apple’s pro laptops. If Microsoft is able to extract what made the first two Surface Book devices so good, and distill it into the third model, then the Surface Book 3 might even end up as the best laptop to date. Regrettably, there is little to no tangible information about the Surface Book 3 right now. Still, that doesn’t mean we can’t at least speculate based on past releases and our tech expertise. With that in mind, let’s dig into what we think and hope the Surface Book 3 might look like. Cut to the chase
Image Credit: Microsoft Surface Book 3 release dateThe Surface Book 2 was released in late 2017 so it has a few years under its belt. However, if we look at the release pattern of Surface devices that aren’t the Surface Pro, we wouldn’t expect the Surface Book 3 until late 2019 or early 2020 at the earliest. Two new Surface devices were released in October 2018 – the Surface Pro 6 and Surface Laptop 2 – and there wasn’t any sign of a new Surface Book. Pair that with the fact that Microsoft has recently given the 13.5-inch Surface Book 2 a quad-core processor, we don't expect to see a Surface Book 3 coming out any time soon. Until we have more concrete information, or even rumors, we’re sticking with our late 2019 or 2020 Surface Book 3 release date prediction though we hopefully will know more on October 2nd. Image Credit: Microsoft Surface Book 3 priceSadly, since there’s no concrete information about the Surface Book 3 right now, we don’t really know what to expect regarding cost. Still, if we look at the pricing of the Surface Book and the Surface Book 2, we can certainly speculate. Currently, due to a new lower-storage model, the 13.5 inch Surface Book 2 begins at $1,199 or £1,149, while the 15-inch iteration stays at its $2,499 or £2,349 (AU$3,649) price tag. If you ask us, that’s already plenty pricey. Fingers crossed that the would-be Surface Book 3 sticks well within that price range, as anything more would already be too expensive for our bank account. Image Credit: Microsoft What we want to see in a Surface Book 3Since a Surface Book 3 release is seemingly so far away at this point, and we don’t have any solid information on what to expect, all we can do right now is put together a wish list, if you must, of what we would like to see improved in this follow-up. Here are the features we’d like to see in the Surface Book 3, based on speculation, leaks and rumors. More powerful internals Use the extra space accordingly Thunderbolt 3, please It looks like this might actually happen. Microsoft has patented a magnetic USB-C connector that would kind of function like the existing magnetic Surface charger. Whether or not it will actually support Thunderbolt 3 remains to be seen, but we don’t see why it wouldn’t. Better power management Also, regardless of who the next iteration is made for, it should come with improved power management so as to not dip into its battery reserves for extra juice. A 4K display would be nice All accessories included Black color option Just imagine, a Surface Book 3 that might not only give the MacBook Pro 2018 a run for its money, but one that has a more striking color option than the Space Gray on the latest Apple flagship.
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| Microsoft Surface Laptop 3: what we want to see Posted: 13 Sep 2019 01:01 PM PDT Curious about what Surface Laptop 3 will bring to the table? Well, you’ve come to the right place. When the original Surface Laptop first came out more than two years old now, stuck with Windows 10 S Mode, it didn’t make that much sense compared to the rest of the Surface lineup. But, when the Surface Laptop 2 finally rolled out last year, Microsoft refined the formula enough and redefined the Surface Laptop image, and it became one of the best laptops on the market. So, that leaves us thinking: what will the Surface Laptop 3 look like?
Beyond obvious upgrades to the internals, like Intel Whiskey Lake or Ice Lake processors, a higher resolution and Thunderbolt 3 connection are the highest on our wishlist. However, Microsoft would likely have to be willing to abandon its proprietary Surface connector. Currently, we don’t have any solid information about the Surface Laptop 3 – although some are speculating that it might make an appearance at Microsoft’s October 2 event. In fact, a recently-spotted benchmark seem to show a Surface Pro or Surface Laptop running on a 10th generation Intel Core i5-1035G1 processor. Could it be the Surface Laptop 3 we’ve been anticipating? There’s a big chance. Still, until Microsoft releases any concrete information about the next generation Surface Laptop, all we can do is craft a wish list of what we want to see in the Surface Laptop 3. Based on the past Surface Laptop releases, here are our Surface Laptop 3 speculations, predictions and rumors we heard through the grapevine. Be sure to keep this page bookmarked, and we’ll update it with any Surface Laptop 3 news or rumors comes our way. Cut to the chase
Surface Laptop 3 release dateUnlike something like the Surface Pro 7, there have only been two Surface Laptop releases, and it’s a product line that has only been around for less than two years. So, we have less info to work with when guessing at a release window. The original Surface Laptop came out in June 2017, along with the Surface Pro, but the Surface Laptop 2 saw an October 2018 release. So, while we might end up seeing the Surface Laptop 3 sometime in 2019, it’s hard to predict exactly what month it will get released. Since Intel has already started shipping out the Ice Lake chips on August 1 – and with Microsoft gearing up for its October 2 event, we could see the company announcing the Surface Laptop 3 at the event and releasing it a few days or weeks later. Especially if that recently benchmarked device touting an Ice Lake chip is the next Surface Laptop. This is all speculation, of course, so you should take it with salt. We’ll update this section as soon as we hear anything about the Surface Laptop 3 release date. Surface Laptop 3 priceThe original Surface Laptop came out with a $799 (around £560, AU$1,000) price tag, and an Intel Core m3 processor and Windows 10 S out of the box. The Surface Laptop 2, on the other hand, considerably raised the price of entry, charging users $200 more at $999 (£979, AU$1,499). But, to be fair, this higher price point did come with full-fat Ultrabook processors in every configuration – not to mention, the full Windows 10 Home. It’s highly likely that Microsoft will charge the same $999 (£979, AU$1,499) for the Surface Book 3, to keep it competitive with similar Ultrabooks, such as the Dell XPS 13. What we want to seeThe Surface Laptop 2 already improved so much on the Surface Laptop that it’s hard to know what else Microsoft could do to make it even better. Still, we’ve come up with a few things we’d like to see in the Surface Laptop 3, using our tech expertise as our guiding hand. Faster processors There are technically faster Ultrabook-class processors out already, touting Intel’s Whiskey Lake chips. However, those deliver such a small upgrade in performance, that it really isn’t worth upgrading. At CES 2019, Intel announced its 10nm Ice Lake processors, promising to increase performance two fold in certain workloads. While Intel’s performance claims should be taken with a grain of salt, the gains to performance and battery life that a 10nm process would afford are still exciting. And, we’d love to see that in the next Surface Laptop. Thunderbolt 3, please Lucky for us, Microsoft has patented a new magnetic USB-C charger, that would have the best of both worlds. We just hope the technology is ready and on the Surface Laptop 3 before it hits the streets. Freshen up the design And, it’s not like Microsoft isn’t pursuing thinner designs. Microsoft has patented a thinner Type Cover, with a touchpad built right into the printed circuit board. This could possibly lead to the Surface Pro 7 having a smaller footprint overall, but we’d also be interested to see if this design philosophy would carry over to other Surface devices. Thinner laptops are always in demand, so a thinner and lighter Surface Laptop 3 is definitely possible. However, we have seen a recent patent from Microsoft that could make the fur-coated design of the Surface Laptop 3 make a little more sense. The patent describes a touch-sensitive fabric, that could give the Surface Laptop 3 more touch controls on the chassis of the device, maybe for volume or brightness. A fuzzy Touch Bar, perhaps? This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Microsoft Surface Pro 7: what we want to see Posted: 13 Sep 2019 12:59 PM PDT Surface Pro 7 is, perhaps, one of the highly anticipated releases from Microsoft. However, whether or not it measures up to the growing demands of its target audience is something we’ll have to wait and see. After all, even though Microsoft has consistently been producing some of the best Windows tablets and 2-in-1 laptops for a while now with its Surface lineup, the Surface Pro 6 unveiled back in October 2018 only offered small improvements over the 2017 model. So, we were starting to think we weren’t going to see more substantial improvements to the Surface Pro formula. So far, the Surface Pro 7 is looking promising – that is, if we were to go by the rumors we’ve come across. We’re starting to see all sorts of patents for the new Surface Pro coming out of the woodwork that might change the game for how we use Microsoft’s tablets. For example, there’s a brand new USB-C magnetic Surface charger, which we really hope comes to fruition. Pair that with Intel’s new Ice Lake processors, which is highly plausible if the new benchmarks spotted online were that of the Surface Pro 7, and it might end up being the most powerful model yet. As long as Microsoft doesn’t pack it with new ARM processors instead. However, because nothing is certain, these are all just educated guesses, though we might actually hear more once Microsoft's October 2nd event comes around. Still, we will continue to update this article with any new information that we hear. Cut to the chase
Surface Pro 7 release dateBecause the Surface Pro 6 only recently came out, it’s unlikely that we’ll see the next one be released before the end of 2019. The Surface Pro 4 and Surface Pro 6 both came on the market in October 2015 and 2018, respectively. However, the Surface Pro 2017 did get a June release date. It’s likely that the Surface Pro 7 could come out in October 2019, but the release schedule for Surface Pro devices seems to be about every 16 to 18 months. In other words, there may not be a Surface Pro 7 until Spring or Summer 2020. We may see it hit the streets in October, however, if Microsoft wants to stick to that annualized release. The Redmond corporation has already sent out the invites and is gearing up for its October 2 event. And since it’ll be a whole year since Microsoft revealed new Surface hardware, and two years since it released the Surface Book 2, we’re hoping that the Surface Pro 7 will rear its pretty head then. Don’t worry, we’ll update this article just as soon as new information comes our way – official or otherwise – regarding the Microsoft Surface Pro 7 release date. Surface Pro 7 priceThe Surface Pro 6 initially cost $899 (£879, AU$1,349) for the base configuration, a marked price increase over the Surface Pro 2017, the base model of which was $799 (£799, AU$1,199). So, the pricing of the Surface Pro 7 could go in one of two directions: either it will get another price bump of $100, or stay the same price as before. We doubt the price will drop, however. If the price does increase by another $100, and launches at $999 (about £770, AU$1,380), it’ll put the Surface Pro 7 at the same price point as computers like the Dell XPS 13 and the HP Spectre x360 – not to mention the new iPad Pro. Like anything else we’ve listed, we won’t actually know the real pricing of the Surface Pro 7 until Microsoft is willing to share it. But again, we’ll update this article if and when that happens. What we want to seeSince the release of the Surface Pro 7 is so far away at the moment, it’s hard to foresee what exactly is in store for the next Surface device. Still, based on all the patents that Microsoft has filed lately, like an update to the Surface Pen that would make it more accurate, we put together a wish list of improvements that we’d like to see. Blazing speed Still, we’ve heard some rumors that Qualcomm Snapdragon-equipped Surface devices are “floating around”. It’s doubtful that the top-end Surface Pro 7 would utilize an ARM processor like this, as there would be possible problems with software emulation of x86 apps. Nevertheless, we might see an entry-level Surface device implementing these ARM chips. If the Surface Pro 7 does use these new processors, you should expect quite the improved performance and battery life across the board. Thunderbolt 3, please Happily, we have reason to think that Microsoft will reveal the Surface Pro 7 with Thunderbolt 3 support, or at the very least basic USB-C charging. Microsoft has patented a new magnetic charger with a USB-C input that would work like the current Surface charger. We’re not actually sure of whether Surface Pro 7 will support Thunderbolt 3, as it depends on Microsoft’s openness to exchanging its proprietary technology for Thunderbolt 3 that it will have to pay Intel to license. That is, unless USB4 becomes available in time for a release. An improved Type Cover Just like the charging capabilities, we may have an idea of what the next generation Type Cover could look like. Microsoft has patented a thinner Type Cover that could minimize the footprint of the device all around. It looks like Microsoft is planning on doing this by using a trackpad that’s integrated right into the printed circuit board. It might also utilize haptic feedback in the keys, to improve the tactile response of typing, which would be vital on a slimmer keyboard cover. It’s a strange move, but it’s caught our attention regardless – if Microsoft can make the Type Cover thinner without making the same mistakes as Apple’s Butterfly keyboards, it might be a game-changer. We’ve also seen a patent that would make the fabric covering the Type Cover smarter. It should feature touch sensitivity, so you can swipe through news stories and photos without needing to find the touchpad or the touchscreen. We’re not sure who was asking for this tech, but it’s still a cool concept. Image Credit: TechRadar This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| AMD Navi release date, news and rumors Posted: 13 Sep 2019 12:52 PM PDT After releasing the AMD Radeon VII earlier this year, Team Red finally dropped its AMD Navi graphics cards shortly after their reveal. And so far, things are promising. After its AMD Radeon VII hit the streets in early 2019, Team Red finally dropped its AMD Navi graphics cards not too long after their reveal. And so far, things are looking good. Based on our very positive reviews of the AMD Radeon RX 5700 and AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT, it’s definitely looking like the company crafted these cards to take the PC components world – not to mention, the best gaming PCs – by storm. And give Nvidia a run for it money while they’re at it. AMD first showcased these two cards at E3 2019 as mid-range GPUs designed to compete with Nvidia's highly popular Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070 and RTX 2060, unveiling their specs and how they stack up against their rivals. Along with these AMD Navi updates, AMD also announced their new game-developer toolkit, Fidelity FX, which has been available for free since June 10. Fidelity FX enables game developers get more detail and crispness in low contrast textures, permitting them to take full advantage of what these AMD Navi cards are capable of. On top of that, AMD has also released its new 19.8.2 driver for its graphics cards, , which is expected to bring support for HDCP 2.3 to Radeon RX 5700 cards as well as deliver up to 10% better performance of the much talked about third-person shooter, Control. Be sure to keep this page bookmarked, and we’ll keep it updated with all the latest AMD Navi information that surfaces. Cut to the Chase
AMD Navi release dateBoth the AMD Radeon RX 5700 and Radeon RX 5700 XT were released on July 7, alongside the Ryzen 3rd generation processors. These cards are now available for purchase at the AMD store, and each comes with a 3-month subscription Xbox Game Pass for PC free. As for Navi 20, the rumored lineup for 2020, it's still anyone's guess. However, we do know that the Xbox Project Scarlett, powered by Navi, will be out Holiday 2020, so we could see the more powerful Navi chips out around that time. In fact, we've just recently seen leaked roadmaps that suggest their successors could be hitting the streets sometime in 2020. AMD Navi priceAt Computex 2019, AMD took the stage and showed an unidentified Radeon RX 5000 graphics card going toe to toe against an Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070 in Strange Brigade, where it performed about 10% faster. It turns out, that was the AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT. But, with E3 2019, AMD proved it’s still king when it comes to components for the masses. AMD revealed its two new graphics cards to be significantly cheaper than their competitors. The Radeon 5700 is currently priced at $349 (about £275, AU$500), with a price tag that’s $50 cheaper than the RTX 2060 when it was released in January 2019. The Radeon 5700 XT, on the other hand, is $399 (about £315, AU$580). And, that’s with offering comparable performance at 1440p to the new Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 Super at Ultra settings. AMD Navi specsRight off the bat, we know that AMD Navi is based on the new 7nm RDNA graphics architecture, which makes it the first mainstream AMD graphics card to break away from the aging GCN architecture. At Computex 2019, AMD said that we’re going to see 1.25X faster performance per clock and 1.5X performance per watt over GCN. This not only means improved performance in the best PC games, but also increased power efficiency. In addition, AMD Navi is using faster GDDR6 memory, compared to the GDDR5 in the Radeon RX 500 series. The lower-end AMD Radeon RX 5700 features 36 compute units, 2,304 stream processors and a boost clock of 1,725 MHz, not to mention 8GB of 14Gbps GDDR6 VRAM on a 256-bit bus, with 65 render output units (ROPs) and 256 texture units. The mid-range AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT, on the other hand, boasts 40 compute units, with 2,560 stream processors and a boost clock of 1,905MHz. This GPU also has 8GB of GDDR6 video memory (VRAM), 14Gbps GDDR6 VRAM, 64 ROPs and 256 texture units. That’s all well and good on paper, but what about their actual real-world performance? Well, AMD showed the Radeon RX 5700 XT in a demo against the RTX 2070, where it bested Nvidia's mid-range card in World War Z by about 10% at 1440p on Ultra. Indeed, during our tests of the card, we found the AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT to be a 1440p monster, with no massive drops in performance, no matter how demanding the game is. The Radeon RX 5700, on the other hand, fared better against the RTX 2060 by 21% in Battlefield V and by 9% in The Division 2, also at 1440p on Ultra. In our review, we hailed the Radeon RX 5700 as an absolute powerhouse at its price point, bringing 1440p gaming at Ultra settings to the mainstream. Rather than taking on the RTX 2080 Ti at the high end however, it looks like AMD is comfortable inhabiting the mid-range where it has traditionally excelled. That is, until the PS5 launches. Back in April, Sony Lead System Architect Mark Cerny revealed that the PS5 would be using a custom AMD Navi GPU, and that it would be capable of some pretty impressive things. For instance, the PS5 will likely support ray tracing, along with 8K resolutions. We think that’s a little pie-in-the-sky, and we’d take it with a grain of salt. But, AMD Navi could theoretically mark a true generational shift when the next generation of consoles hits the streets. AMD Navi GPUs will also be behind Project Scarlett – the next Xbox. We don't know the exact specs, but Microsoft made a point to talk up its capabilities, mentioning things like "real time ray tracing", 8K capabilities and up to 120 fps gameplay. Beyond that, we have heard rumors about another generation of Navi graphics cards on the high-end hitting the streets in 2020. These high-end graphics cards are rumored to be code-named Navi 20, and should feature improved performance that takes on Nvidia’s flagship. We could see AMD graphics cards capable of 2020 in the future if these rumors are to be believed. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Best RAM 2019: the top memory for your PC Posted: 13 Sep 2019 12:44 PM PDT Do yourself a favor, and invest in the best RAM your budget can afford. If you don’t, even if you have an absolute beast of a computer, you’re still likely to run into some kind of slow down at some point. Thanks to memory hungry operating systems like Windows 10 or macOS Mojave – not to mention, demanding applications – having the best RAM is more important to your PC than ever before. If you desktop computer or laptop isn’t running quite as fast as it used to, it just may be time to go out and pick up the best RAM. Before you head out and buy the first stick of RAM you run across however, consider that there are many things to consider. There are many different capacities, speeds and even sizes of memory. And, if you’re not very familiar with the PC components scene, you may have a tough time finding the best RAM for your rig. Lucky for you, we spend entirely too much time obsessing over PC components. To help you find the best RAM that fits your needs, we went ahead and gathered the best RAM kits on the market right now. Whether you’re looking for a quick and easy upgrade that’ll let you open more Chrome tabs, or you’re trying to run the best PC games, this best RAM list is for you. Image Credit: Corsair Best RAM: Corsair Vengeance LEDCorsair is one of the most trusted names when it comes to the best RAM on the market. Its Vengeance series, especially, has something for everyone with its LED DDR4 offerings. On top of giving PC builders that extra touch of vibrant lighting, this RAM has robust heat spreaders that maximise cooling for higher overclocking and maximum performance. Corsair’s Vengeance LED DDR4 series also features CL16 latency and whopping 3,466 MHz speeds, so it’s just as fast and responsive as it is aesthetic. Image Credit: G.Skill Best DDR4 RAM: G.Skill Trident Z RGBAt this point, everyone kind of knows about G. Skill and its Trident Z RGB series of RAM. This is some of the best RAM not just because it’s fast, but the top of every DIMM features a full-spectrum rainbow wave light bar that you can use to match your RGB lighting across your entire system. Trident Z RGB DDR4 RAM features CAS latencies between 14 and 19 which is awesome enough, but with speeds up to 4,266, it’s almost perfect. No matter your aesthetic, it’s hard to argue with the G. Skill TridentZ RGB as the best RGB RAM. Image Credit: Kingston Best DDR3 RAM: Kingston HyperX PredatorKingston’s high-performance HyperX has some of the best DDR3 RAM on the market and the Predator models is particularly tuned for and extreme-performance that’s further expandable with XMP profiles. The Predator DDR3 series achieves CL9 to CL11 latencies and speeds between 1866MHz to 2666MHz. Image Credit: Kingston Best Budget RAM: Kingston HyperX FuryThis Kingston HyperX Fury is auto overclocked memory that won’t empty your wallet. This smart DDR3 or DDR4 RAM auto-detects system components to overclock to the highest speeds possible, optimizing performance for all of Intel’s latest chipsets. It comes with latencies between CL14 and CL16, and has speeds between 2,133 and 2,666MHz. While it’s inexpensive, it really can have a huge impact on the performance of your rig. Image Credit: Corsair Best High-end RAM: Corsair Dominator Platinum RGBIf you want the best of the best, and you don’t care about pricing, Corsair’s Dominator Platinum memory has always been at the top of the list. However, in 2019, it’s been refreshed to include Corsair’s new Capellix RGB LEDs, leading to a much richer and more colorful design. It’s the same high-end RAM we know and love, with speeds up to 3,600 MHz, but the better RGB make the Corsair Dominator Platinum RGB the best RAM around in 2019. Image Credit: G.Skill Best double capacity memory: G.Skill Trident Z RGB DCSometimes, especially when you’re looking for the best gaming components, ‘go big or go home’ is the best advice. And, when you want more RAM than you’ll know what to do with, you’re going to want to go with the G.Skill Trident Z RGB DC memory. The DC stands for double capacity, as in, 32GB per stick. Now, this is definitely not the fastest memory in the world, right now it’s only available in up to 3,200 MHz, but if you need a lot of RAM without taking up too many DIMM slots (like if you have a big CPU cooler or a Mini-ITX board), you can’t go wrong with the G.Skill TridentZ RGB DC. Image Credit: Adata Best gaming RAM: Adata Spectrix D80If you’re building an all-out gaming rig, you’ll want the flashiest hardware on offer – who doesn’t want a gaming rig that lights up the entire room? If this sounds appealing, the Adata Spectrix D80 is the RAM to go for. Not only is it available in frequencies up to 5,000MHz, but it’s also liquid cooled, meaning you don’t have to worry about it overheating. The Adata Spectrix D80 is going to be the best RAM for gaming in an RGB-lit cavern. Image Credit: Kingston Best RGB RAM: HyperX Fury RGBFinding RAM that fits in perfectly with your lit up gaming rig is easy with HyperX. In fact, their HyperX Fury RGB memory gets our vote as the best RGB RAM on the market right now, and that goes beyond its dynamic RGB lighting that’s an absolute stunner. And, with speeds of up to 3,466MHz with CL15 and CL16 timings, it’s just as fast as it is beautiful. For an even more immersive gaming experience, you can daisy chain this RAM to sync with multiple other RGB devices. This is some of the best RAM to invest in right now, especially if you’re an RGB fiend. Image Credit: Corsair Best Low-Profile RAM: Corsair Vengeance LPXCorsair’s Vengeance LPX RAM is made for users who want the maximum performance with minimum footprint. This low-profile RAM is essential for PC builds with massive CPU coolers. Despite being so low-profile, they still feature an eight-layer heat spreader to cool while overclocking. While its thin design doesn’t allow for LEDs, but you can get it in three colors: black, red or blue. Image Credit: G.Skill Best Mac RAM: G.Skill Mac RAMG.Skill isn’t just dedicated to laptop and desktop RAM, but it also has memory upgrades for Macs. You see, Apple charges inordinate amounts for RAM upgrades, so going with a third party kit can save a ton of money. Well, as long as your Mac is old enough to still have upgradeable RAM. These SO-DIMM kits have a CAS latency between 9 and 11 and feature speeds between 1,333MHz and 1,600MHz. The best bang for your buck seems to be the G.Skill DDR3-1,333 for Mac. Image Credit: Crucial Best Laptop RAM: Crucial Ballistix SportCrucial is by far the best RAM for laptop systems. This manufacturer has designed its Crucial Ballistix Sport SODIMMs for efficient battery life while still delivering fast speeds for multi-tasking. It’s ideal for anyone wanting to speed up the best laptops, and this memory likely offers higher memory speed than anything coming stock in your laptop. Just make sure your laptop actually lets you upgrade the RAM – repairability is falling out of fashion these days. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Intel Comet Lake release date, news and features Posted: 13 Sep 2019 12:37 PM PDT Following Intel can be a pain, looking at you, Cannon Lake, but Comet Lake has kind of taken things to another level. Intel announced its 10th-generation Comet Lake processors for laptops in August 2019, serving as companions to its Ice Lake processors that will appear in laptops around the same time. The major difference between these two platforms is the manufacturing process. While Ice Lake is the first part of Intel's future-gazing Project Athena, which aims to take laptops in the future, Comet Lake instead is another iteration of the 14nm Skylake architecture - yet another optimization. However, we have seen rumors that Intel is planning to launch Comet Lake-S, which would take the place of 10th-generation Desktop chips, but we have no idea when Intel plans to do that. So, we're going to dive into everything Comet Lake, as well as discuss any rumors about future desktop parts. Make sure you keep this page bookmarked, and we'll update it with any new information that comes our way. Cut to the chase
Intel Comet Lake release dateIntel pushed out its 10th-generation Comet Lake processors for laptops back in August, with the actual laptops filtering out over the following months. However, we still don't know when we'll actually see Comet Lake-S desktop chips. We have seen some leaked product roadmaps that suggest that Intel Comet Lake-S processors will come out in 2020, so right now that's `where our money is. With the Intel Core i9-9900KS hitting the streets in October, we really don't see Intel launching a new generation of mainstream desktop processors before then. Intel Comet Lake priceWhen it comes to laptop processors, Intel U- and Y-series chips don't have a public-facing price. Instead, you can expect laptops with the Core i7-10710U to start around $1,000 / £1,000 / AU$1,500, where the Intel Core i3-10110U will be in all kinds of entry-level laptops. Moral of the story: Intel Comet Lake price will depend on the laptop. And, obviously we don’t have official pricing information for Intel Comet Lake-S processors, but we can do a bit of speculation based on previous generations of desktop processors. Coffee Lake Refresh saw the prices go up a little bit from Coffee Lake, but the differences were pretty negligible – just $20 (£30, AU$135) from the Intel Core i7-8700K to the i7-9700K. Below, we went ahead and listed the pricing of Coffee Lake Refresh’s desktop offerings, but we could see prices go up or down (probably up) when Comet Lake is actually announced.
Intel Comet Lake specsComet Lake is yet another iteration of Intel’s 14nm FinFet manufacturing process. If this is true, so you shouldn’t expect much improvement in the way of power efficiency, and thermals will probably start to ramp up. We haven't got a chance to test these processors in a laptop yet, but we expect the difference over 8th-generation Whiskey Lake chips to be pretty minor. We've got all the specs of the Intel Comet Lake Mobile chips here:
Y-Series chips:
This may look very similar to Whiskey Lake, but with some higher clock speeds, and well, that's accurate. The biggest differences here are the inclusion of Wi-Fi 6 compatibility and Thunderbolt 3 on the die. As far as desktop goes, we're far out from Intel Comet Lake-S seeing the light of day, we don’t know what it’ll actually be capable of. But, don’t worry, we have plenty of rumors to fuel some speculation. One of the most common threads among Comet Lake rumors is the fact that we’re going to see up to 10-core 20-thread desktop chips. We’re going to go ahead and assume that if this is true, this 10-core 20-thread processor will be the follow up to the Intel Core i9-9900K, with a 10-core single threaded chip taking over the Core i7-9700K’s slot. Beyond that, we'll just have to wait and see what 10th-generation desktop chips are going to look like, but with AMD pushing high-core count and high-performance chips like the Ryzen 9 3900X, we expect Intel to bring out the big guns. Images Credit: TechRadar
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| Mozilla now charges for "premium" Firefox support Posted: 13 Sep 2019 10:43 AM PDT As part of its efforts to further diversify its revenue streams, Mozilla is launching a new premium service aimed at enterprise customers that use its open-source Firefox browser. The company's new service is called Firefox Premium Support and it will provide organizations with several benefits including the ability to privately submit bugs, get critical security bug fixes with a service-level agreement and contribute to the browser and its roadmap for future releases starting at $10 per user. Users will also receive proactive notifications on critical Firefox events such as the recent introduction of DNS-over-HTTPS.
In addition to the paid version, Mozilla is also offering enterprise customers a basic version of Premium Support for free which allows them to submit bugs publicly, access a self-service knowledge base and get community support. New revenue streamsMozilla currently earns a great deal of its revenue from search deals it has made with Google and other search engines. However, the company is beginning to explore other paid services such as Firefox Premium Support and its recently announced Firefox Private Network VPN product. Firefox Private Network may not have the word VPN in its name, but the service provides Firefox users with many of the same features including the ability to access a private network while connected to public Wi-Fi and allowing them to hid their location from websites and ad trackers while online. The service is currently free but Mozilla could end up offering a premium version which users would have to pay for. Another way Mozilla is exploring non-search related revenue options is through Pocket which it acquired in 2017. The service allows users to save web articles to a reading list and the company is using it to recommend content to Firefox users wen they open a new tab. In recent months, Mozilla has been trying to position itself as a more privacy-focused alternative to Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge and other web browsers. Firefox Premium Support and Firefox Private Network could just be the beginning of new paid services from Mozilla as the company looks to expand its revenue beyond search deals.
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| LG’s new 140-inch 4K laser projector is actually cheaper than its OLED TVs Posted: 13 Sep 2019 10:07 AM PDT For folks who want the biggest screen for the least amount of money, HD projectors have always offered a cost-effective solution - they offer a lot of screen real estate for not a lot of money. Unfortunately the same hasn’t been true for 4K projectors that, until very recently, have cost significantly more than their television counterparts. But LG could change that with its new 4K HDR projector that will retail for less than the cost of its 65-inch OLED TV. The new projector - the LG HU70LA - promises a picture up to 140 inches plus HDR support, WebOS 4.5, and TruMotion, LG’s motion control technology, all for $1,799 (around £1,440, AU$2,600). To put that number in perspective, LG’s new 65-inch C9 OLED costs $2,499 (£2,799, AU$5,589), which means the HU70LA will offer 75-inches more screen for around $700 less. The drawback here is that the projector only puts out around 1,500 lumens - around 400ish nits of brightness if you compared it to a TV - and will require a bit of space to achieve that maximum screen size. If you want an ultra short throw projector and higher brightness you’ll have to step up to the new LG HU85LA that sells for $6,000 (around £4,860, AU$8,750). How does a 4K projector compare to a 4K TV?There are some pros and cons about both display technologies, but the most obvious advantage is that TVs are usually brighter and offer better contrast, while projectors offer a larger screen size. Without seeing the LG HU70LA next to the LG C9 OLED it's tough to compare the two, but based on the specs, it seems very likely that the above would hold true here, too. What makes this news exciting, however, is that we're finally comparing apples-to-apples in terms of price and performance. Before we could only compare 4K TVs to projectors that would cost two to three times as much, or compare 4K TVs to HD projectors. We're now at a point where we can compare a 4K projector to a 4K TV. So, when will we know how close the two home entertainment products stack up? Well, according to LG's website the projector is 'coming soon' so we won't have long to wait.
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| Some exclusive Apple Arcade games can actually be played on consoles Posted: 13 Sep 2019 09:17 AM PDT When Apple got to the stage at WWDC 2019 and then its September iPhone 11 product event to show off Apple Arcade, one of the main draws to the subscription gaming platform was that the games would be exclusive to it. However, it turns out that's not actually true. One of the main games shown off was Sayonara: Wild Hearts, but as detailed in the description on its launch trailer, the game is set to launch on PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch as well as Apple Arcade.
Sayonara: Wild Hearts will release on all three platforms simultaneously (on the same day Apple Arcade launches), so not only is it not an exclusive, it's not even a timed exclusive. You'll be able to play it day one on a variety of platforms. On Apple's press release announcing Apple Arcade's launch date, it makes mention of the 'over 100 new, exclusive games', so the initial pitch to customers clearly suggests you wouldn't be able to play games on other platforms, which is clearly not the case. What Apple could have meant is that Apple Arcade games won't be available on other mobile platforms, and currently it seems that they won't be available to play on Android smartphones. But this could have been made a lot clearer, to avoid misleading customers who may have been tempted to purchase an Apple Arcade subscription. It's also likely that some of the games are exclusives, and many of the releases haven't been detailed in enough information for us to know if they'll be out on other platforms or not. The exclusivity of all the games on Apple Arcade was a major part of the sales pitch, as exclusivity is an important part of a game platform or service – that's why Epic Games Store is doing well, yet we're dubious about Google Stadia since it has too few exclusives announced. TechRadar has reached out to Apple for comment on this story, and will update with any extra comment when we hear back. Now that people are starting to notice Apple Arcade's exclusive games aren't actually exclusive, it may put people off paying money for the service. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| The best PS4 Pro prices, deals and bundles in September 2019 Posted: 13 Sep 2019 08:59 AM PDT So you're thinking about PS4 Pro deals or maybe a bundle? Well we can certainly help you out there as we're always checking out the latest sales. Maybe you're upgrading from your older PS4 so you can dive into 4K gaming? Or maybe you've never had a PS4 and are thinking you may as well start with the best. All solid choices, especially if you're already set with a 4K TV, even better if it has HDR too. There are some fantastic-looking games out now to really make a PS4 Pro shine; Red Dead Redemption 2, Spider-Man, God of War, and Detroit: Become Human are all serious lookers and jaws are bound to drop further when The Last of Us Part 2 eventually sneaks onto our 4K TVs. You'll find all of the latest and best PS4 Pro prices from the big name stores in our comparison chart below. There's not too much difference in price between retailers at this time of year, but we're constantly on the lookout for the latest deals and bundles. Looking to buy in Australia? You'll want to take a look at our AU page. If you'd prefer a standard PS4, then check out our PS4 bundles (USA) or PS4 deals (UK) pages. Don't forget to top up your subscription with one of our discounted PlayStation Plus deals too. So keep this page bookmarked to stay informed of the latest PS4 Pro bundles. If you're looking for more information on the PS4 Pro, take a look at our handy Q&A below the bundles. PS4 Pro bundle deals (USA)Worthwhile PS4 Pro bundles have been scarce in the US for the last few months. The PS4 Pro on its own often goes out of stock and firmly sticks to the regular $399 price most of the time. Some stores have even jacked up the price beyond the MSRP. This long after release, we're not cool with that and you shouldn't be either. As a bare minimum, you want at least one game with the console for $399. We've dug out the best options for the 4K console on its own too. PS4 Pro bundle deals (UK)Need an extra controller on the cheap? Take a look at the best DualShock 4 deals. We also have a guide to the best PlayStation VR deals too. Cheap PlayStation Plus dealsIf you're buying a PS4 Pro, you'll probably need a cheap PlayStation Plus deal too. PlayStation Plus (aka PS Plus or PS+) allows you to play PS4 games online, along with access to the Instant Game Collection, a bunch of free games for your PS4 each month. The default price for a year is now £49.99. We've shopped around for you though and found a range of prices. So check out our guide of you want the best PlayStation Plus deals. What is the PS4 Pro?Essentially, the PS4 Pro is an upgrade of the PS4, rather than a 'next-gen' console. The keywords to take in from the PS4 Pro are 4K and HDR. The new machine will allow game developers to include 4K options in their games, so expect the likes of Red Dead Redemption 2, God of War, Uncharted 4, Spider-Man, Days Gone, Horizon: Zero Dawn and more to look even better on a 4K TV. HDR, or High Dynamic Range, is the other buzzword to be excited about as the PS4 Pro will allow for extra detail to be seen on a range of games and also a wider range of colors not usually displayed by traditional HD TVs. Will my old PS4 games work on PS4 Pro?Absolutely. If you're planning on upgrading to a PS4 Pro from an older PS4, all of your games will still work. Not every title will be patched to take advantage of the new 4K/HDR capabilities, but the default upscaling (if you have a 4K TV) will more than likely see some improvement to the visuals and the improved console power may give the frame-rate a boost on some titles. What else can I watch in 4K/HDR on PS4 Pro?The PS4 Pro is compatible with 4K and HDR, and the content options for both are increasing all the time on services like YouTube and Netflix. Amazon Prime Video is yet to be updated for 4K content on a PS4 Pro though, so you'll need to check out the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K deals if you want to enjoy 4K Prime. Does the PS4 Pro support 4K Blu-rays?No. This was a surprise if we're honest, especially as both the Xbox One S and Xbox One X consoles do. It's a bit of a gamble for Sony, but at the same time, 4K Blu-rays are very expensive for now and many consumers look to digital services to provide their 4K movies and TV content instead. Do I need a 4K TV to run a PS4 Pro?No, the PS4 Pro will still work on a regular 1080p TV, you won't get the benefits of upscaling or HDR though. You may see a slim amount of extra detail, or frame-rate boost, but we wouldn't expect a massive leap. If you are thinking of buying a 4K TV soon, then it's probably a good idea to splash out on the PS4 Pro instead of the regular or new PS4 Slim as it'll future proof you for a while. Be sure to look out for a TV that supports HDR too, in order to take full advantage of the PS4 Pro's capabilities.
Will PlayStation VR be better on the PS4 Pro?Yes, but only a little. The PlayStation VR frame-rate is better on PS4 Pro and the resolution gets a bit of a bump too. PlayStation VR will certainly work on the older PS4s too, you don't need a PS4 Pro to get involved there. Does the PS4 Pro have optical audio support?Yes! The optical audio output has been removed from the PS4 Slim though, which is a massive shame. PS4 Pro owners though will still be able to use optical connections for their soundbars and sound systems. What are the best games on PS4 Pro?We've dived through our back catalogue of PS4 games that have received a PS4 Pro update patch to see which ones look the best and have a noticeable difference. Take a look at our extensive feature - The best PS4 Pro games. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| The best cheap PS4 bundles, deals and prices in the September sales Posted: 13 Sep 2019 08:55 AM PDT Ok, let's do this. E3 2019 has shown us some great upcoming games and you're finally after a cheap PS4 bundle deal. This is a fantastic time to buy in as so many of the best PS4 games are super cheap nowadays. So you've got plenty of great games to enjoy for less once you take advantage of these super low prices. Naturally, lots of the below PS4 bundles come with the hottest new games. And yes, we've tracked down the new Limited Edition Days of Play PS4 for you too. We're on the hunt for the lowest PS4 prices all year round, so we aren't easily fooled by the fake deals that don't actually save you any money over buying the games individually. We're here to help save you as much money as possible. We also want you to play the games everyone's shouting about which is why we're going the extra mile to track down PS4 and PS4 Pro bundles with the likes of Days Gone, Red Dead Redemption 2, FIFA 19, Spider-Man and more. Sometimes though, you can get a load of older games with a cheap PS4 for even less money, so we'll keep our eyes out for those offers too. This page lists the best cheap PS4 prices in the UK, but we also have dedicated guides for US readers and our Australian ones too. Below you'll find a comparison chart that automatically pulls in the freshest and cheapest PS4 deals from UK retailers, followed by our hand-picked selection of the best PS4 bundles that offer the best value discounts on the additional software or accessories. After those deals you'll find we've also covered the same options for the PS4 Pro prices. The PS4 Slim is... slimmer, quieter and smaller The PS4 Slim launched (with no games included) in September 2016 for around £259 (500GB) or £310 (1TB) and has now replaced the original fatter PS4. The new console is smaller, lighter, more power efficient and cheaper than the remaining stock of the older PlayStation 4 deals nowadays, so you're not paying more for the refined tech. We'd advise you check out the cheap PS4 bundles further down this page as many of them are cheaper than buying the console on its own or you can get a lot more for a spending a bit extra on top. You'll often find that the most attractive way to get a cheap PS4 is with a bundle with extra hardware or extra games. These are the best PS4 bundle prices currently available in the UK – we update these deals on a regular basis. Extra PS4 retailer links:Want to look through some more cheap PS4 deals? It's ok, you're only hurting our feelings a little. The links below will take you straight to the PS4 console deals section of the following websites, just in-case you fancy digging out a bargain of your own.
The PS4 that offers 4K HDR gaming and Netflix Essentially, the PS4 Pro is a 4K upgrade of the current PS4, rather than a 'next-gen' console. The keywords to take in from the PS4 Pro are 4K and HDR. The new machine allows game developers to include 4K resolution and High Dynamic Range options in their games, so expect the like of Red Dead Redemption 2, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, God of War, Uncharted 4, Horizon: Zero Dawn and more to look even better on a HDR-enabled 4K TV. You'll also be able to stream 4K content from Netflix and YouTube. Want to get the right TV? Then check out our cheap 4K TV sales and deals page. We've seen big discounts as Sony fights off the latest Xbox One X deals too. If you're buying a PS4, you'll probably need a cheap PlayStation Plus deal too. PlayStation Plus (aka PS Plus or PS+) allows you to play PS4 games online, along with access to the Instant Game Collection, a bunch of free games for PS4, PS3 and Vita each month. The default price for a year is £50. We can do better than that though, so check out our selection of the best PlayStation Plus deals. Need an extra cheap PS4 controller? Don't forget to check our Best DualShock 4 deals. Or maybe a cheap PlayStation VR deal? If you're still torn, maybe you'd prefer one of our Xbox One deals? This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Canon EOS M200 on the horizon? New mirrorless model rumored Posted: 13 Sep 2019 08:55 AM PDT The Canon EOS M100 (pictured above) is one of those models that's easy to dismiss on account of its simplicity, but it's perfectly capable when you consider the market at which it's aimed, and its meagre price tag. And now, two years after its launch, it appears that we may soon see an updated EOS M200 model.
Trusty camera rumors site Nokishita has claimed on Twitter that the "EOS M200 15-45 Lens Kit (Black) and EOS M200 15-45 Lens Kit (White) have been added to Canon's latest product list". The tweet goes on to say that the model will probably get its official status within the month. Is it likely?While the site hasn't released any leaked images or specs of the supposed new model, its good track record for breaking news of upcoming cameras, together with the EOS M100's age, lend this rumor a fair amount of credibility. Canon has released a number of new models since the EOS M100, which has dated that camera's spec sheet somewhat. We may expect an EOS M200 to still rock up with a 24MP APS-C sensor, but it would be surprising if it didn't arrive with the latest DIGIC 8 processing engine, faster burst shooting and USB charging. It would also be a shame if it weren't to arrive with 4K video recording, a feature Canon omitted from the EOS M100 and appeared reluctant to include on many other cameras at a time when others were more liberal with it, although Canon has fallen in line more recently, as customers have increasingly come to expect 4K as standard. Given that this new model should be aimed at a more junior audience, it seems likely that it will also be available in a handful of further color options in addition to the black and white versions mentioned, as the EOS M100 was. And assuming the model does get confirmation within the month, it seems likely that it'll be available this side of Christmas too. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Apple AirPods 2: everything we know so far Posted: 13 Sep 2019 08:49 AM PDT The Apple AirPods 2 that everyone really wants remain elusive in 2019, and our ears, in desperate need of noise-canceling true wireless earbuds, hang in wait. Admittedly, the new AirPods (2019) do have some cool new features, like the ability to charge wirelessly. Still, they aren't quite the all-out AirPods 2 reimagining we were hoping for, and they don't beat rivals like the Sony WF-1000XM3 Wireless Earbuds and the Cambridge Audio Melomania 1s in terms of noise-cancelation and audio quality. The good news is that the next-generation of Apple AirPods could be right around the corner. We've heard rumors about noise-canceling and even waterproof Apple earbuds for nearly a year at this point, and now some analysts are saying that they'll arrive by the end of the year or, at the very latest, early on in 2020. The iPhone 11 launch has come and gone with no mention of the AirPods 2 – so, everything is pointing to a 2020 release date for the new true wireless earbuds. UPDATE: There wasn't much AirPods news at the iPhone 11 launch. Some suggested that maybe they'd be bundled in with the new handsets, but that wasn't the case. Although that is a little disappointing, considering the AirPods can cost up to £199/$199 it's not a surprise Apple isn’t throwing in a pair with its iPhone 11 series – even if they are pricey phones. However, the new Apple AirPods 2 have apparently been revealed in a leaked image – we're not sure it's legit though. If it is, the next AirPods could have a much smaller charging case.] One of the best sources of Apple AirPods 2 rumors comes from a 2018 report from TF International Securities’ analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. He said that we could be getting two more headphones before 2020 – an updated version of the original Apple AirPods (check) and the brand new AirPods 2. Apple's WWDC 2019 keynote took place on June 3, but it was too soon for Cook and co. to announce the new AirPods 2 then – after all, the updated AirPods (2019) only came out two short months before and Apple used WWDC to announce a pair of significant new features coming to the true wireless buds. Now that Apple has released a brand new iPod touch (7th Generation) in anticipation of Apple Arcade this autumn (September - November 2019), it's possible that the company will launch the AirPods 2 around the same time. There was no mention of the AirPods 2 at Apple's iPhone launch event today, which saw in the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max. We're not totally surprised, as it wouldn't make sense for Apple to release the AirPods 2 so soon after it brought out the upgraded model. So, with everything pointing to a 2020 release, what do we actually hope to see in the AirPods 2, and how will they improve on Apple's bestselling true wireless earbuds? Apple AirPods 2: Cut to the chase
Apple AirPods 2: release dateNow that Apple has released an updated 2019 version of the original AirPods, we're not expecting the AirPods 2 to be coming out any time soon. Kuo's predictions have been pretty accurate, right down to the AirPods 2019 connectivity upgrade, so we're betting on an early 2020 release for the AirPods 2, especially as we didn't see them at the iPhone 11 launch. We originally expected the upgraded 2019 AirPods to be significantly different from their predecessors thanks to trademark and Bluetooth SIG filings, but we now know that's not the case. That doesn't mean we won't ever see these features in the next version, however. We wouldn't be surprised if Apple was saving features like biometric sensors, new color schemes, and waterproofing for the AirPods 2. The original Apple AirPods and the AirPods (2019) (Image credit: Apple) AirPods 2 price and availabilityOur best guess is that the AirPods 2 will be priced similarly to the current AirPods, which cost $159 / £159 / AU$249 / AED679 with the standard charging case, and $199 / £199 / AU$319 / AED829 with the new Wireless Charging Case bundled in. According to Bloomberg, the new AirPods are "likely to be more expensive than the current $159 model," but we'd be very surprised if they exceed $200. The final price will likely come down to the features that the new AirPods 2 sport. Before we go into the features we're expecting from the AirPods 2 in 2020, let's take a look at what's new with the current AirPods...
What's new with the AirPods (2019)?Apple hasn't changed much in terms of design in its latest update to the AirPods – instead, the next-gen improvements seem to be largely under-the-hood. Inside the buds there's a newly-designed H1 chip which Apple has built specifically for the headphones. It improves connectivity pairing times, the efficiency of the battery life, and allows for hands-free 'Hey Siri' functionality. New for the AirPods 2019 is the wireless charging case for the earbuds, which means you can use Qi-compatible charging mats to power the case without having to stick a cable in. As for sound quality, the 2019 upgraded AirPods are no different from the ones you could get in 2016. AirPods (2019) (Image credit: Apple)
Apple AirPods 2: rumorsApple's recent iPhone 11 launch event left us bereft of the long-rumored Apple AirPods 2, but a new leaked image could give us a glimpse of the new Apple earbuds. SlashLeaks has shared a hazy image from contributor Leakspinner that it says shows the AirPods 2 "in the wild". If this leaked image is genuine, we could be in for an even more compact Apple AirPods charging case – and potentially smaller earbuds. It would make sense, as true wireless earbuds are getting smaller as the technology improves, and the AirPods' long stems was subject to ridicule when they were first revealed in 2016. We're not totally convinced though – the image is so blurry, there's no way of confirming whether its a legitimate Apple prototype. You can check out the image below and decide for yourself. Previous trademark filings suggest that the second generation AirPods would be a health and fitness device, in addition to being a pair of true wireless earbuds. Now we know that the updated AirPods don't have these features, we think we will see them in the AirPods 2 in 2020. Back in July 2018 Apple filed a patent for biometric sensors, which would allow the AirPods 2 to take on fitness tracking capabilities like those seen in the Jabra Elite Wireless. This followed another patent filed in March, which further fueled the rumors. We also heard separately that the AirPods 2 would come in black and white, be both waterproof and offer active noise-cancellation, features that have similarly been predicted by Bloomberg. Another patent from July suggested that Apple was working on some pretty nifty tech for how the earbuds handle outside noise as well as dissipating pressure from inside the ear canal. The patent outlined a valve system that would allow sound to escape your ear canal to avoid that weird reverberating effect that occurs when you speak with earbuds in your ears. It then goes on to describe how the earbuds would handle ambient noise, using a microphone to filter in noise from the outside world so that you can remain aware of your surroundings while still hearing your music. One rumor that did prove to be accurate however was wireless charging and Bluetooth 5.0 - but instead of being an improved thanks to an updated W2 chip, Apple has designed a brand new H1 chip, which is made for headphones specifically. Image credit: Apple Apple AirPods 2: what we want to seeNoise-cancelation Only a couple of years ago, companies were struggling just to get true wireless earbuds working, but now the goalposts have already shifted to packing more and more functionality into their shells. The stunning Sony WF-1000XM3 manage to include noise-cancelation technology inside their diminutive shells, and we were hoping see similar functionality make it to the second generation of AirPods. Apple’s fancy ambient noise technology outlined above suggested the company is thinking along these lines, and as it didn't make the cut for the 2019 upgrade, we're expecting to see noise-cancelation in the AirPods 2. Better audio quality Companies like Sony and more recently, Cambridge Audio, have proven that true wireless earbuds can sound just as good as their wired, and even their over-ear counterparts. If Apple can harness the audio quality offered by the Cambridge Audio Melomania 1 true wireless earbuds, as well as keeping the cost down, the company could be on to a real winner. The Sony WF-1000X feature noise-cancellation technology (Image credit: Sony) More physical controls Apple isn’t much of a fan of buttons, but there are some cases where they save you a lot of time and effort, and headphones are one of these instances. On-board controls have become an almost essential feature in headphones in recent years, allowing us to control music playback and volume without having to struggle to get our phones out of our pockets. Now the 2016 AirPods did allow you to control music in a sense, but they relied entirely on Siri, Apple’s voice assistant. New to the 2019 upgraded AirPods is the ability to double tap the right earbud to start your music up if it’s paused or skip to the next track if you’re currently playing a track...and that's it. We'd like to see the AirPods 2 take this further, allowing you to skip backwards and forwards more easily. What would be really great, would be to put those long stems to use and add in some swipe volume controls. The B&O Beoplay E8 feature touch-sensitive controls to allow you to control your music (Image credit: TechRadar) Changeable ear tips Apple likes to rely wholly on sleek white plastic, but we aren’t a fan of the lack of rubber tips on the AirPods, especially when there’s no cable to catch them if they fall. We want any true wireless earbuds to feel nice and secure in the ears, and including a number of changeable ear tips so we can select those that perfectly fit our ears would be the ideal way of achieving this. One individual in the TechRadar office even went to the length of fixing some rubber tips from an alternative pair of headphones onto their AirPods to make them feel more secure. We weren't expecting Apple to change it's rather rigid design aesthetic with the 2019 update, but here's hoping it will for the AirPods 2. Better Android pairing Given that Apple likes to ensure all its products are designed to work as a family this has little chance of happening, but we’d love to see the AirPods play slightly nicer with Android phones. On iPhones, pairing is a dream. You simply hold the AirPods near your phone and they connect more or less automatically. However with Android the process is a lot more complicated and involving jumping into settings menus to select the AirPods manually. We’d love to see Apple simplify this process for the AirPods 2, though we're not holding our breath. Beats'Solo 3 Wireless come in a number of flashy colors other than white (Image Credit: Beats) Different designs and colors We get it, Apple likes white things. But in an era where iPhones and iPads are available in a range of different colors we’d love to see this same courtesy extended to the AirPods. We just want our headphones to match our phone and our Apple Watch; is that so much to ask? Although Apple has experimented with different colors for its various devices, its earbuds have always stayed the same iconic white. Still, the AirPods 2 are rumored to be coming in a second black option as well. Longer battery life When the original AirPods were released way back in 2016, their five-hour battery life was rather impressive; now, it's lagging behind the competition. With the Cambridge Audio Melomania 1 true wireless earbuds, you get nine hours from the buds themselves, and a further 36 hours of juice contained within their charging case. It's clear that true wireless technology has moved on since the AirPods were first released – and so far, Apple hasn't moved on with it.
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