Friday, September 20, 2019

Apple : This iPhone 11 drop test proves why you desperately need a case

Apple : This iPhone 11 drop test proves why you desperately need a case


This iPhone 11 drop test proves why you desperately need a case

Posted: 20 Sep 2019 02:38 PM PDT

Apple CEO Tim Cook introduced the iPhone 11 Pro as having the “toughest glass ever in a smartphone,” but on the phone’s release day, Tom’s Guide saw evidence to the contrary: when dropped just once from hip-height, the front screen cracks pretty hard.

That’s about the height it would fall when fumbled out of a pocket, so it’s a good estimate of what might happen if you can’t catch your phone in time. The back glass fared better, but still cracked. 

It’s not the only new iPhone to suffer a fall and sad cracking:

Granted, it’s not quite enough of a sample size to be representative of the phone’s front glass strength - perhaps it’s stronger when dropped at other angles. 

But the experiment totally supports the need for a case to protect these expensive flagship smartphones - we’re starting to see a theme here.

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Unleash Your Inner Savage with the Lenovo Legion Savage Stream Challenge September 27-29 in San Diego

Posted: 20 Sep 2019 02:03 PM PDT

Lenovo Legion will be celebrating the 10 year anniversary of Team SoloMid with a stylishly savage event in San Diego!

From September 27 through September 29, you can participate in the Lenovo Legion Savage Stream Challenge -located between the San Diego Convention Center and Embarcadero Marina Park South- by joining Team Stylish or Team Savage in a head-to-head competition that encourages players to unleash the warrior inside. Online gaming can be ripe with unhealthy rage and negative energy but the Lenovo Legion Savage Stream Challenge provides a fun & safe outlet to release this energy -and actively combat the effects of negativity online. The objective is simple:  be the first to find the Lenovo Legion flag -but avoid any booby traps- for a chance to walk away with fun swag and prizes. Plus an opportunity to broadcast your experience live via a P.O.V. camera and co-stream to your personal Twitch channel!

We’ll be on location throughout the weekend:


  • Friday, September 27th 3p - 8p
  • Saturday, September 28th 3p - 8p
  • Sunday, September 29th 1p - 6p

Keep an eye out for the Lenovo Legion Brand Ambassadors who will help guide you to stylishly savage glory! And don't forget to visit Lenovo Legion Booth #1501 inside TwitchCon for exclusive demos, more giveaways, and information on the Lenovo Legion products.

Not attending the conference? Tune in to www.twitch.tv/lenovolegion throughout TwitchCon for an exclusive POV of the live action & excitement!

Participants must be 18 and over, unless accompanied by a parent or guardian.

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

iPhone XS vs iPhone XS Max vs iPhone XR

Posted: 20 Sep 2019 01:33 PM PDT

At first glance, the iPhone XS vs iPhone XS Max vs iPhone XR comparison doesn't reveal much difference. But after handling and reviewing each, we've developed an in-depth idea of how each is unique in its own way - and suitable for different tastes and needs.

This generation was the first time Apple released three new iPhones at once, giving us a trio of powerful flagship handsets that differ in size, camera quality, specs, and price. Now that the iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro are here, the previous year's Apple flagships aren't quite the best iPhones on the market, though they're close - and still incredible phones, especially with iOS 13.

But which one is for you?

The iPhone XS is technically the flagship phone, and also the smallest of the bunch. Naturally, the iPhone XS Max is its bigger sibling with the largest screen. The iPhone XR is the leaner, lower-cost ‘budget flagship’ that’s sized somewhere between the other two.

But that oversimplifies the three phones - each has its pros and cons. If you’re on the hunt for one of the latest and greatest iPhones, read on for a breakdown of these top smartphones to find the right one for you.

Image credit: Apple

iPhone XS vs iPhone XS Max vs iPhone XR price and availability

The quick-and-dirty: the iPhone XR is sizeably cheaper, a true ‘budget flagship’ that starts at $749 / £749 / AU$1229 for the 64GB model ($799 / £799 / AU$1299 for 128GB and $899 / £899 / AU$1479 for the 256GB). That is, as we’re fond of saying, a 2018 phone at 2016 prices, one that's still suitable for 2019.

Of course, the iPhone XS somewhat exceeds the XR in many ways and you’ll be able to buy it with more storage. For that, you’ll pay a premium: the iPhone XS starts at $999 / £999 / AU$1,629 (or $1,149 / £1,149 / AU$1,879 for 256GB, and $1,349 / £1,349 / AU$2,199 for 512GB).

And if you want the bigger size of the iPhone XS Max, expect bigger prices: it starts at $1,099 / £1,099 / AU$1,799 for the 64GB model, while the 256GB model is $1,249 / £1,249 / AU$2,049 and the most expensive 512GB version will set you back a staggering $1,449 / £1,449 / AU$2,369.

iPhone XS

iPhone XS Max (Image credit: TechRadar)

iPhone XS vs iPhone XS Max vs iPhone XR design

Overall, not much has changed in the house of Apple since the release of the iPhone X toward the end of 2017 - which isn’t a bad thing. All three of these models follow the same broad design: front and rear glass sandwiching an aluminum frame, with rounded corners and a healthy notch cut out of the top front display.

The widest difference between the three phones is size. The iPhone XS (143.6 x 70.9 x 7.7 mm) is the smallest, with a 5.8-inch screen - a phone ideally suited for users with smaller hands or who prefer using their device one-handed. It weighs the least, at 177g, which is respectable but still not as light as some Android phones. 

It’s an objectively attractive handset, with sleek glass and minimal bezel. Its two rear cameras line up vertically on the top left of the phone’s back. You can get it in silver, space gray, or the always-popular gold.

The iPhone XS Max (157.5 x 77.4 x 7.7 mm) is simply a larger version, with a 6.5-inch display that provides noticeably more screen real-estate. It’s otherwise identical, leaving your choice down to aesthetics: do you want a larger phone? Do you mind using two hands to use it? 

Finally, the iPhone XR (150.9 x 75.7 x 8.3 mm) looks similar but has a few nods toward simplicity in its design: it has a single rear lens and, instead of metallic hues, comes in bright primary colors, white, and black. It’s also (.6mm) thicker than the other two. Its 6.1-inch screen puts it squarely between the other two phones in size, giving users a just-right option if the XS is too small and XS Max too large.

One more note: though Apple still hasn’t allowed dual SIM card trays in its phones (except in China, for reasons) nor expandable storage, all three of these phones get compromise - eSIM. You can register an internal SIM for a separate number with a wireless carrier that supports eSIM, as Apple’s support page explains

iPhone XS (Image credit: TechRadar)

iPhone XS vs iPhone XS Max vs iPhone XR display

Both the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max have OLED screens in identical 19.5:9 ratios and, predictably, resolution to match their size. The XS’ 5.8-inch display manages 1125 x 2436 pixels (~458 pixels per inch), while the larger XS Max’s display reaches 1242 x 2688 pixels (again, ~458 ppi). In other words, virtually the same bright, snappy screen.

The iPhone XR’s display is another compromise Apple made to save cost, though it’s by no means a poor screen. Instead of OLED, this phone has a 6.1-inch ‘IPS’ LCD screen, which manages the same 19.5:9 ratio but has a lower 828 x 1792 pixel resolution (~326 ppi). In comparisons, this screen is less sharp than those of the XS and XS Max.

If you’re upgrading from an older iPhone, one thing is immediately clear: none of these phones have the customary home button at the bottom. That’s been excised for a full display reaching the bottom.

In its place, each phone uses Face ID to authenticate by way of the lone front-facing camera, which sits in that top notch. While they’re all about the same size - significantly wider than other smartphones that employ the ‘teardrop’ notch style - the iPhone XR’s is unnecessarily large since it lacks the depth-sensing time-of-flight sensor that comes in the notches of the XS and XS Max.

iPhone XS Max (Image credit: TechRadar)

iPhone XS vs iPhone XS Max vs iPhone XR: specs and iOS 12

Good news: if you buy any of these phones, you’ll be able to make full (or nearly-full) use of the latest version of iOS for years to come. The only features the iPhone XR won’t be able to use are those that require depth-sensing, since it only has a single camera on both the front and rear.

All three run the latest version of iOS 12, and when iOS 13 launches to the public later this year, all three flagships will easily run it: Apple reliably supports phones for 4-5 years after their release. 

Given that each of these phones are of the same generation, they all pack the A12 Bionic chip - the fastest Apple has yet produced. Likewise, their performance is fairly comparable, though the iPhone XR might be slightly slower with its 3GB of RAM compared to the XS and XS Max’s 4GB. 

In other words? You should have no problem running any app or media on these phones. The edge, if any, goes slightly to the iPhone XS and XS Max.

iPhone XR

iPhone XR (Image credit: TechRadar)

iPhone XS vs iPhone XS Max vs iPhone XR camera and battery

Here’s where the differences really shine. 

The iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max both pack dual 12MP cameras: one f/1.8 wide angle lens, and one f/2.4 telephoto with 2x optical zoom. These allow both to take photos with depth effects, including the ever-popular Portrait mode.

Strictly speaking, these lenses aren’t as powerful as those on some competing Android phones, but it doesn’t really matter if you’re taking casual pictures: Apple has refined its photo software to produce great images in most lighting, and most importantly, it’s easy to use.

The iPhone XR gets this software, too - but its single rear f/1.8 wide-angle lens (which looks little changed from the lone shooter on the iPhone 8) means depth effects aren’t as good. Don’t worry, you can still take Portrait photos - the software will just have to do a bit of heavy lifting to make up for it.

Likewise, the iPhone XR lacks a time-of-flight sensor in its screen’s notch, meaning your Portrait selfies won’t be as high of quality.

On the other hand, the iPhone XR packs a 2,942mAh battery, which is nearly as large as the 3,174mAh capacity in the iPhone XS Max. Unless you’re streaming media for hours or using lots of location services, these should last through a full day (and well into the next) on a full charge. 

The iPhone XS is no slouch here, with its 2,658mAh battery, but it’s still notably smaller. All three of these phones work with Apple’s standard 15W quick charging, which claims 50% recharge in 30 minutes. All have wireless charging.

Image credit: TechRadar

iPhone XS vs iPhone XS Max vs iPhone XR: review wrap-up

As more folks feel the sting of skyrocketing phone prices, it would be easy to simply recommend the more affordable iPhone XR and call it a day. After all, it does contain most of the best parts of the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max at a steep discount.

But the other phones do earn their flagship quality, with a polish and extra hardware that pushes them into a slightly higher tier. They take higher-quality photos and, heck, simply look classier with a glossy, chromed look.

Ultimately, the choice is yours: which iPhone suits you best? What features (and aesthetics) can you live without – or not?

  • These three phones clearly top our best iPhones list - but where do the others sit?

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

These surprise iOS 13 features will make your iPhone less annoying

Posted: 20 Sep 2019 01:27 PM PDT

We've told you about the best iOS 13 features coming to your iPhone and have done the same with iPadOS features arriving on the iPad Pro, iPad Air, and other tablets. But to be totally honest, the full list of iOS 13 perks is overwhelming. 

While it’s nice to have the big, headlining features like a redesigned Photos app and the long-awaited Dark Mode, the real stars of the update are little tiny improvements that will make your life a bit easier every time they kick in. Even small things like the addition of a 16:9 photo format helps out. 

So, today, we're taking a look at the lesser-known tips and tricks that people will be excited about when they get iOS 13, even if they don't know it yet.

1. Alarm change suggestions for holidays

When there’s a holiday the next day, the iOS 13 version of Siri can suggest switching from your usual daily alarm routine before you fall asleep — and then change it back again.

This avoids the unfortunate scenario in which you forget to turn off an alarm when you're finally given a chance to sleep in. Or an even worse situation: forgetting to turn your alarm back on the next day when you do have to work.


2. Type to Siri from Spotlight search

Saying “Hey Siri” to summon the assistant when your hands are tied is convenient, but accidentally saying it during an important meeting or trying to activate Siri in a loud restaurant is not. iOS 13 is here to fix this by swapping your input from voice to text - which is a great addition for accessibility, too.

Typing a command to Siri is as simple as pulling down anywhere on the home screen and tapping away at the keys into the Spotlight search box. It'll always be the last option under 'Search the web' and 'Search App Store' options.

3. Delete apps from App Store

Have you ever gone to the App Store Updates section and realized there were a few apps that, instead of updating, you’d rather just delete? In iOS 13 you’re able to swipe left on an app with a pending update and delete it off your phone.

4. Different languages for different apps

In iOS 13 you’re be able to set language preference per app. If you want a calendar app to be in English, but a task app to be in Spanish, you can now arrange it - though keep in mind that though not all apps support this feature.

To do this, head to the Delete apps from App Store& Region. Select 'Add Language' to add another language to your iPhone's on-device array. After that, navigate to the general Settings page and and click into each app's specific settings to turn on.

5. Offline dictation

Continue dictating notes or other items even if you lose connectivity. This is a feature that will likely go unnoticed when continuing dictation during commutes or while working in other areas with spotty carrier service. Siri is not yet offline, but dictation can happen without an internet connection.

6. Share your own contact photo

In iOS 13 you can control what photo or name is used for your contact information that other people see when you call or message them. This feature is a little buried in how it gets set up, but will make a big difference on a daily basis (especially for those friends who prefer to use a less-than-flattering photo of you). To set it up, head to Settings, Messages, and then Share Name and Photo.

7. Save all Safari tabs

In iOS 12 you can hold down on the bookmarks icon at the bottom to “Add Bookmark” or “Add to Reading List.” In iOS 13 that changes to include an option to bookmark all the tabs you have open. Especially handy for the "tab forest" folks (no judgment here) who are more likely to keep plenty of tabs open and might need to save them in a bookmark archive at any given time.

Upcoming features

These iOS 13 features were announced at or since WWDC 2019, when Apple introduced everything coming with the operating system update. Expect to see these perks in the smaller post-iOS 13 versions to come.

8. Time to finish charging

Instead of a percentage or hours remaining when you plug in your phone, you’ll be able to see what time it will finish charging. This has long been a feature in Android phones, but better late than never for iOS devices. In this case, it really is the little iOS 13 perks that will make daily life more convenient.

9. Automatic ETA sharing through Maps

In Maps, you will now be able to add someone to a favorite location and the app will automatically share your ETA once you start navigating toward that spot. This should save a lot of annoying "how far are you now" exchanges when you're just trying to focus on getting there.

  • Curious about EVERYTHING coming in the new iOS? Check out iOS 13 guide

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Android VPN apps found serving disruptive ads

Posted: 20 Sep 2019 12:23 PM PDT

A security researcher has discovered four VPN apps that serve ads while running in the background and also on the home screen of Android smartphones in the latest case of adware found on the Google Play Store.

While researching suspicious Android VPN apps, Andy Michael found that Hotspot VPN, Free VPN Master, Secure VPN and Security Master by Cheetah Mobile were all showing full screen pop-up ads on his smartphone even though none of these apps were currently open.

It is also worth noting that all of these apps originate from either Hong Kong or China where VPN usage tends to be higher than in other countries due to China's Great Firewall and the ongoing protests in Hong Kong. While three of the four apps provide VPN services to users, Security Master is an antivirus app. 

All of the apps found to be showing disruptive ads by Andy Michael are still available on the Play Store at the time of writing.

Adware apps

In addition to APIs from Google and Facebook used to show ads, Michael's investigation also found that Hotspot VPN also contained obfuscated code which is used to show full-screen ads regardless of whether or not the app is currently open which results in significant battery and CPU usage. This app's name also resembles the legitimate VPN, Hotspot Shield and its developer likely chose this name as a way to trick unsuspecting users into downloading their app instead.

Free VPN Master was found to share the same code for serving Google ads and its APK file has the same code structure and files as Hotspot VPN. According to Michael, both apps are identical apart from slight modifications in their code.

Secure VPN though was the worst offender as it served ads when users had other apps open and even overlaid them on top of user's home screens. The app also contained references to code that recorded activities such as when an ad was displayed, clicked on or dismissed by the user. Security Master on the other hand, used more sophisticated behavior to show ads when users tried to go back to the home screen or when certain buttons were clicked.

Android users are constantly warned to avoid installing apps from unknown sources but when they can't even trust Google's own Play Store to find legitimate apps, there is a serious problem.

  • Worried about downloading a fake VPN app? Check out our complete list of the best VPN services of 2019

Via TNW

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Where Kojima meets Keanu: star studded titles mean Hollywood has finally invaded gaming

Posted: 20 Sep 2019 11:24 AM PDT

Hollywood actors appearing in videogames is not something new. From voice-overs to celebrity cameos, plenty of acting elite have dipped their toes in the pool of gaming over the years. 

However, it's only been in recent years that we've seen Hollywood's elite beginning to take front and center stage in games: lending not only their voices or likeness to the medium, but undergoing intensive motion-capture, training and filming for their virtual roles.

In 2019 alone, The Punisher's Jon Bernthal is strapping on his bullet-proof vest to star as the lead antagonist in Ghost Recon Breakpoint and his The Walking Dead co-star Norman Reedus is strapping a baby to his chest for Kojima's Death Stranding. Meanwhile, WWE wrestler-turned-actor Dave Bautista has armored-up for a star cameo in Gears 5's multiplayer.

And that's just 2019. A huge part of the buzz around CD Projekt Red's Cyberpunk 2077 is Keanu Reeves' appearance in the dystopian RPG as the wise-cracking Johnny Silverhands. 

But, why does this matter? Because it means that the games you grew up with are growing up themselves. They're about to become more immersive thanks to better acting and they're taking the audience with them for the ride. 

Walking with a Ghost

Ghost Recon: Breakpoint

Jon Bernthal stars in Ghost Recon: Breakpoint

Hollywood actors trading in the voice-recording booth for a mo-cap suit is certainly no bad thing. If anything, stars becoming more immersed in their roles allows them to bring more of their talent to the medium - not only voicing the role, but living and breathing it.

In Ghost Recon Breakpoint, Jon Bernthal stars as antagonist Colonel Cole D. Walker, a former Ghost turned leader of a rogue group of operators known as the Wolves. 

This isn’t Bernthal’s first rodeo when it comes to being in a videogame, the actor previously lent his voice and likeness to janitor Jim Decker in the Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare Exo Zombies DLC. But we don’t really remember that.

What we will remember is Bernthal’s riveting performance as Cole Walker - the complicated, captivating villain of Breakpoint. Not just because Bernthal has more of a starring role in the game, but because you can see the work that’s gone into him inhabiting the character. 

""It goes so much further than how to walk around and talk or how to carry a weapon. It's a mindset. It's how you feel about everyone in the room."

Jon Bernthal - Ghost Recon Breakpoint

Bernthal physically and mentally trained for the role under the watchful eye of real-life green berets, in a process which was arguably more challenging than some of his previous film and television roles.

“It's just different,” Bernthal told TechRadar at the press event for Ghost Recon Breakpoint. “The thing that I really dug about this process wise, was the sort of the the one take aspect of it - you're in a room with 800 cameras. The take has to be flawless.” 

“That's what you're after, you're after one perfect take where it could be a 10 page dialogue scene. But, the only way it works is if everybody is flawless: the blocking, the action, the dialogue, all the technical aspects, they have to line up and be perfect. If there's one little mistake you’ve got to start over. I love that. It makes it high pressure and high octane. It’s quite like the theatre in that regard, you rehearse it until you get it ready. And then when it's ready, you do the take and sort of everyone in the room, you can feel the electricity.”

The involvement of the green berets added an extra layer of legitimacy to Bernthal’s character that sees us roped in by his performance in the same way we would if Walker was the antagonist of a silver screen film. The same passion and work went into the role, and it shows.

“It goes so much further than how to walk around and talk or how to carry a weapon,” Bernthal explains. “It's a mindset. It's how you feel about everyone in the room.”

A natural fit

Gears 5

Dave Bautista in Gears 5

Legitimacy is key when it comes to Hollywood actors starring in games. It simply wouldn’t make sense to throw Jennifer Aniston into The Last of Us: Part 2, but including former wrestler-turned-actor Dave Bautista in the adrenaline-fuelled Gears 5 makes perfect sense. 

“We're big fans of him,” Gears 5 campaign design director, Matt Searcy, explained at the Gears Ink event in London. “There's lots of crossover between our fanbase and his fanbase. A lot of it had to do with connecting with WWE and with Bautista, and going 'this is a natural fit'. We're looking for things that - people may not have thought of them before - but when it shows up in game it makes sense.”

This sentiment is echoed by CD Projekt Red, the developer behind the upcoming dystopian RPG Cyberpunk 2077. 

"It's important for us that these characters never break the immersion."

Martha Jonkers - CD Projekt Red

Back at E3 2019, Keanu Reeves took to the stage at Microsoft’s conference to announce his role as Johnny Silverhand in the game - and resulting in the public getting considerably more excited about the title. However, the excitement wasn’t just due to the fact that it was a well-known actor stepping into the role, but that Reeves himself made perfect sense.

“We had the character of Johnny Silverhand, and he was also a character in Cyberpunk 2020, so he was an established character with a certain personality,” Cyberpunk 2077’s concept art coordinator, Martha Jonkers, explained to us at Gamescom 2019. “He's a guy who fights for what he believes in. Then we started to think what type of actor could help to add something to this character. We don't just want to attach a celebrity to it, it has to be someone who actually fits the role. 

“Keanu played John Wick and he really has an affinity with these types of roles so that was like a really good match. He even had suggestions for lines for Johnny Silverhand and really had ideas. I think people were really enthusiastic about Keanu - not just because it's Keanu - but because it makes sense that he plays Johnny Silverhand. It's important for us that these characters never break the immersion. We don't want you to feel like they're not apart of the Cyberpunk world.”

Elevating the medium

Death Stranding

Norman Reedus in Death Stranding

While the talent and legitimate fit of these Hollywood stars goes far in creating more immersive games, we can't overlook the fact that their appearance also does wonders for marketing. 

It's a harsh and ugly reality, but having a superstar name in a videogame's cast list is a huge draw for those who maybe didn't consider picking up a certain game - or simply don't play games at all.

Games do not need to be legitimized but, for the mass market, the inclusion of well-known actors helps to do just that. 

Take, for example, Hideo Kojima's upcoming title Death Stranding. Objectively, Death Stranding does not look like it will break barriers with its game mechanics but it has one heck of a star-studded cast that includes the likes of The Walking Dead's Norman Reedus, Hannibal's Mads Mikkelsen and Spectre's Léa Seydoux. 

"I think it's a it's a real mistake to to judge anything or compare make certain things more or less notable."

Jon Bernthal - Ghosy Recon: Breakpoint

Automatically, this list of big names appeals to both non-gamers and gamers alike. Where games would typically only be covered by specialist games media and specific newspaper sections, we've seen Death Stranding appearing in the likes of the Financial Times and Hollywood Reporter. It's not exactly the kind of coverage Kojima's Metal Gear Solid received but all publicity is good publicity. 

Games as a medium is also being elevated by these actors approach to starring in videogames. Where starring in a videogame was previously only undertaken by those with a keen interest, a huge number of Hollywood actors not have at least one game on their resume: Ellen Page, Hayden Panettiere, Seth Green, Mark Hamill, Willem Defoe, Kristen Bell to name just a handful. 

"I mean, I think acting is acting and we're all trying to go after our own thing," self-confessed non-gamer Jon Bernthal told us. "I think it's a it's a real mistake to to judge anything or compare make certain things more or less notable, especially in today's world is there's so many different kind of avenues to express yourself."

The evolution of games?

Ellen Page in Beyond: Two Souls

Over the years, we've seen the lines blur between videogames and films – so it's no surprise to see Hollywood's elite identify the potential in gaming. 

While it sometimes feels like these actors are included to enhance marketing strategies, there's often purpose behind their addition and it's us – the players – who benefit from their involvement. 

"It's just this massive operation," Bernthal tells us. "But it's just like the best films, just like the best TV shows [or] the best pieces of theatre, it's driven by love. It's driven by a real dedication to making it as good as it can possibly be."

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3rd Generation release date, news, and rumors

Posted: 20 Sep 2019 10:48 AM PDT

Now that AMD has released its first 7nm Ryzen 3rd Generation processors, what will the future look like for Threadripper 3rd Generation – its next line of HEDT processors?

The new Zen 2 architecture was revealed at CES 2019, with AMD promising dramatically improved efficiency and performance, thanks to the new 7nm manufacturing process. 

This is the architecture behind the latest Ryzen processors like the AMD Ryzen 9 3900X, and sees performance jump up dramatically, thanks to a 15% boost to IPC (instructions per clock). In fact, a mysterious Threadripper 3rd Generation chip recently appeared, boasting an incredible performance. 

And, now we know that AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3000 processors will be launching in November 2019. We don't know exactly how many Threadripper processors will be coming out in November or their specs, but we do at least know the HEDT platform will be premiering with 24 cores at the start. 

There will surely be plenty of new information coming out about AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3000 chips over the next few months – so, be sure to keep this page bookmarked, and we'll keep it updated with all the latest Threadripper news. 

Cut to the chase

  • What is it? AMD’s next line of HEDT processors 
  • When is it out? November 2019
  • What will it cost? TBD

AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3rd Generation

 Image Credit: TechRadar 

AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3rd Generation release date

AMD has announced that its Ryzen Threadripper 3rd Generation processors will be launching in November 2019, alongside the much-anticipated Ryzen 9 3950X. However, we don't have a more specific date than that, or even how many processors will be coming out. 

We have seen rumors of a 32-core AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3000 CPU, but whether that's real or when it's coming out remains to be seen. However, we would speculate that it wouldn't follow too late after the 24-core Threadripper processor that will be available at launch. 

AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3rd Generation

 Image Credit: TechRadar 

AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3rd Generation price

Even though AMD has finally announced a release window for Threadripper 3rd Generation, we don’t have any official pricing information, but we can look at past generations to get an idea of what AMD’s next HEDT chips will cost. 

The original lineup of Threadripper topped out with the $999 (£999, AU$1,439) AMD Ryzen Threadripper 1950X, but the second generation introduced surprisingly lower priced replacements. There were also two higher specced – and higher priced – additions. We believe Threadripper 3rd Generation will follow the latter model.

The prices of AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2nd Generation chips are as follows: 

  • Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX: $1,799 (£1,639, AU$2,679)
  • Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX: $1,299 (£1,159, AU$2,039)
  • Ryzen Threadripper 2950X: $899 (£809, AU$1,415)
  • Ryzen Threadripper 2920X: $649 (£583, AU$1,019)

AMD could very well surprise us and introduce an even higher-end SKU, like it did with the Ryzen 9 3900X and 3950X, but we're not sure that will actually happen. Stay tuned, and we’ll update this page as soon as we hear any Threadripper 3rd Generation price information.

AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3rd Generation

AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3000 is coming with 24-cores

AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3rd Generation specs

With AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3rd Generation, we expect to see a huge bump in core counts, efficiency and per-core performance with Threadripper 3rd Generation. If you need a refresher on last year’s Threadripper lineup’s specs they’re as follows:

  • Ryzen Threadripper 2920X: 12-cores, 24-threads, clocked at 3.5GHz to 4.3GHz
  • Ryzen Threadripper 2950X: 16-cores, 32-threads, clocked at 3.5GHz to 4.4GHz
  • Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX: 24-cores, 48-threads, clocked at 3.0GHz to 4.2GHz
  • Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX: 32-cores, 64-threads, clocked at 3.0GHz to 4.2GHz

However, at least with the first wave of AMD Ryzen 3rd Generation processors, we're only going to see 24-cores. There have been plenty of rumors of a 32-core Ryzen Threadripper processor that will take on the 2990WX, but nothing has been confirmed by AMD.

Beyond that, we also don't have any specific information about the new Threadripper processors. We don't know the clock speed, how much power they're going to chew up, or how much cache they're going to have. All we know is that a 24-core processor will be included, and they'll be built on AMD's 7nm Zen 2 architecture.

With its Ryzen 3rd Generation processors, the move to 7nm has massively improved specs, not only resulting in higher core counts, but boosted clock speeds, much higher cache and lower power consumption. So, we're sure that performance is going to be massively improved. You can just look at the recently-announced Epyc processors, also based on Zen 2, which feature up to 64-cores.  

The AMD Ryzen 9 3950X, which will hit store shelves in November, will feature 16-cores, for instance: double that of the previous-generation Ryzen 7 2700X. And, when it comes to power consumption, just look at the Ryzen 7 3700X, which beats the Intel Core i9-9900K with a 65W TDP (thermal design power). 

AMD Zen 2 processors feature up to 8-core chiplets that are smaller than the IO die. This means that Threadripper 3rd Generation should have many more cores in the same amount of space. 

So, while all that's been confirmed so far is that a mysterious 24-core Threadripper 3rd Generation processor, we somehow doubt that's where AMD will leave it. 

In addition, more leaks are suggesting that the new range of CPUs will be using new chipsets - TRX40, TRX80 and WRX80, which means you’ll need a new motherboard if these are accurate.

If AMD is able to bring higher core counts to Castle Peak HEDT processors, we could see AMD absolutely dominate Intel’s Basin Falls Refresh – and potentially the Cascade Lake-X family that’s rumored to follow it. And, if Intel can’t answer with anything but 14nm silicon, AMD might claim the HEDT throne just as it toppled Intel’s mainstream sales. This is especially true if Intel can’t get a smaller manufacturing process out before Zen 3 comes out and refines AMD’s 7nm process, likely in 2020.

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

HP bolsters endpoint security capabilities with Bromium acquisition

Posted: 20 Sep 2019 10:36 AM PDT

After a multi-year partnership, HP has announced that it will acquire Bromium in an effort to bolster its endpoint security capabilities.

California-based Bromium was found by former Citrix executives back in 2011 and the company specializes in deploying virtualization to provide endpoint security.

HP currently licenses Bromium's technology to power its Sure Click malware protection which uses virtual containers to isolate untrusted files and websites.

The partnership between the two companies began in early 2017 though it was expanded at the beginning of this year when HP launched its Sure Click Advanced solution as part of its Device-as-a-Service offering.

Bromium acquisition

GM and Global Head of Commercial Systems at HP, Andy Rhodes provided further details on why the company decided to acquire Bromium in a press release, saying:

“Security is a key competitive differentiator for HP, providing the most secure PCs and printers on the market. The acquisition of Bromium extends our investments, leadership and focus in this space and securing end point devices that are on the front lines of defense against cyber security attacks.” 

HP has not disclosed the terms of the acquisition nor has it revealed how many of Bromium's employees will be joining the company.

Via CRN

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

AMD Ryzen 9 3950X drops this November, along with new Threadripper chips

Posted: 20 Sep 2019 10:14 AM PDT

The AMD Ryzen 9 3950X was a surprise reveal at E3 2019, coming right after AMD unveiled the AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT and RX 5700. Initially, it was supposed to come out in September 2019, but it has been delayed to November 2019 instead, along with some new Threadripper processors.

The AMD Ryzen 9 3950X, when it launches in November, will take its place at the top of the AMD Ryzen 3rd Generation pile, packed with 16-cores, 32-threads and a 4.7GHz boost clock. We haven't had a chance to test it in real life yet, but just going off those specs alone, it will be a monster – and with its $749 (about £620, AU$1,100) price tag, it kind of has to be.

However, the AMD Ryzen 9 3950X won't be launching alone. The 16-core mainstream processor will be accompanied by new Threadripper 3rd Generation processors. We don't have any specific information about which Threadripper chips will be hitting the street in November, but we do know that the high-end desktop (HEDT) platform will be "premiering with 24 cores."

When talking about the Ryzen 9 3950X and Threadripper 3rd Generation release date, AMD says that its "focusing on meeting the strong demand for our 3rd generation AMD Ryzen processors in the market and now plan to launch both the AMD Ryzen 9 3950X and initial members of the 3rd Gen AMD Ryzen Threadripper processor family in volume this November. We are confident that when enthusiasts get their hands on the world’s first 16-core mainstream desktop processor and our next-generation of high-end desktop processors, the wait will be well worth it."

Beyond the window "November 2019," we don't know when these chips will be available on store shelves, but that's right around when everyone will be doing their Black Friday shopping. We also don't know how much this 24-core Threadripper 3000 chip will cost, but don't expect it to be cheap.  


What about that 32-core monster?

Now, this falls short of the 32-core Ryzen Threadripper 3000 chip that we've seen in all kinds of leaks in rumors over the last couple of weeks, but we might see AMD launch that 32-core chip – if its real – after the initial launch, much like it has with the 3950X.

A 24-core AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3rd Generation would fall short of the core count of the AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX, which features 32-cores and 64-threads. But, if AMD Ryzen 3rd Generation performance is any indication, that won't stop this 24-core processor from going neck to neck with the previous-generation flagship. For instance, in our testing the Ryzen 5 3600X is faster than the Ryzen 7 2700X in some workloads. 

Now, obviously, we won't know how these processors will perform in the real world until we get our hands on them – or at least until AMD shares some more specific specs. We doubt AMD will leave the Threadripper lineup without a processor that at least matches the 2990WX in core count, but we'll just have to wait and see. 

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

TCL’s new 6-Series 4K TVs drop today for $599

Posted: 20 Sep 2019 09:24 AM PDT

If you’re a budget TV buyer you’ll be happy to know that the all-new TCL 6-Series TVs are available to buy at a number of retailers today.

The big difference between this year’s crop of TVs and last year’s is the addition of new Quantum Dot screens that will enhance color and contrast on the new series. TCL will also expand the number of contrast control zones, which will make HDR content look even better than before. 

Pricing for the new series looks like this: 

If you're looking for something a bit more premium, the brand-new 8-Series takes things a step further by combining mini-LEDs with QLED technology to up the contrast even more and reach the inky black levels of OLED – but that won't be coming until later this year.

Is this the best budget TV of 2019?

Without getting them into our home theaters for testing we can’t make any definitive claims on their performance-to-price ratio, but history is on TCL’s side – last year, the TCL 6-Series was definitely the best budget TV of the year, beating out LG, Samsung, Vizio and Sony. As long as the QLED screen doesn't oversaturate the colors, there's almost no reason to believe these TVs would be any worse than before.

The 8-Series, coming later, is a bit more of a question mark in terms of what it will be able to do. Early previews of the screen suggest that it will be able to stand up to LG’s award-winning OLED TVs at a slightly lower price point – but again, we can’t make any claims without putting them through their paces later this year. 

We'll try to get reviews in quickly but, if you desperately need a TV right this minute, the new 6-Series is a pretty safe bet.

  • Check out your other options with our list of the best 4K TVs

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

The all-new Apple Watch 5 gets a price cut at Amazon

Posted: 20 Sep 2019 09:17 AM PDT

While the Apple Watch Series 5 was announced just last week, you can already find discounts on the smartwatch at Amazon. For a limited time, you can get the Apple Watch 5 with GPS for $384.99. That's a $15 discount and the lowest price we've found for the latest Apple Watch. If you're interested in a bigger display, Amazon also has the 44mm Apple Watch 5 on sale for $414.

The most significant upgrade to the Apple Watch 5 is the Always-On Retina display. This new feature allows you to easily see your watch face so you can always read the time, messages, and other important notifications. The Series 5 smartwatch also received a new Map app and additional safety features that allow you to make international emergency calls. The latest health benefits include cycle tracking and activity trends and an ECG app that monitors your heart rate and lets you know if something is wrong. The waterproof smartwatch provides up to 18 hours of battery life and can send and receive calls, messages, and notifications.

The Apple Watch 5 is officially available to order today, and we don't know how long Amazon will have the smartwatch on sale. Price cuts on the Series 5 are extremely rare, and this might be your last chance to save before Black Friday.

Apple Watch 5 deals:

See more offers on the smartwatch with the best Apple Watch 5 prices and deals that are currently available.

Shop older model deals with our roundup of the best cheap Apple Watch prices and sales.

You can learn more about Apple's latest watch with our hands on Apple Watch 5 review.

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

New AMD Navi GPUs may arrive to take on Nvidia's entry level cards

Posted: 20 Sep 2019 09:11 AM PDT

We've had an inkling that some new AMD Navi graphics cards would be arriving sometime in the near future. But, we've just seen a leak that may just indicate that the replacement for the AMD Radeon RX 570 is imminent. 

Both an AMD Navi 12 and an AMD Navi 14 graphics processor (GPU) have appeared in a commit for Mesa 19.2. If you're unfamiliar with Mesa, its a 3D graphics library that AMD uses in its driver updates. So, if an AMD Navi 12 appeared in a developer commit for this library, it's a pretty good sign that these GPUs are real, and should be coming to market relatively soon. 

Still, all that's included in this commit are references to "CHIPSET (0x7360, NAVI12)" and "CHIPSET (0x7340, NAVI14)". We don't know what kind of specs these GPUs will be featuring, or when these GPUs will be coming to market. However, because Mesa 19.2 is the current version of the graphics library, with the next version scheduled for release on October 15, according to Mesa's website, it could be that AMD is planning on releasing these GPUs in the very near future. 

Plus, we've also seen some fresh rumors suggesting that Nvidia would be pushing out a GTX 1650 Ti card in October, too. A commit isn't the most rock-solid evidence that a new graphics card is coming out, but all the cards seem to be falling in place – either way, we'll have to wait until AMD is ready to lift the veil on its next graphics card. 

AMD will be releasing graphics cards for everyone, including folks looking for a budget entry-level card, according to its RDNA white paper. Previous leaks about the AMD Navi 14 have pointed at it being a budget-level graphics card that will replace the AMD Radeon RX 570, so having two new graphics cards targeting this sector of the market will be exciting – as this is where most people actually spend their money. 

Now, all we have to do is wait to see whether Nvidia or AMD announce the next entry-level graphics card. Whichever gets there first, budget buyers will be the winners.

Via PCGamesN

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

These are the top five iPhone 11 deals to buy now pre-orders are over

Posted: 20 Sep 2019 09:09 AM PDT

We've seen the launch of the phones, had some time to test them out and now pre-orders are over, you can officially buy iPhone 11 deals.

But which contract do you go for? With such a huge amount of offers across all three devices, it can hard to know which one to choose. Luckily, our writers here at TechRadar have dedicated themselves to finding the best offers on these three phones.

With that in mind, we've picked out the absolute top five offers currently available. Whether you want unlimited data, the best offer on EE or the iPhone 11 Pro at its best price, you can find them below.

Divider

1. The best EE has to offer on the iPhone 11

2. Affordable monthly bills on the iPhone 11

3. Go big with unlimited data on the iPhone 11

4. iPhone 11 Pro deals packed full of data

5. Max out your phone contract with the 11 Pro Max

What's the iPhone 11 like?

The iPhone 11 might not have made any drastic improvements on what was on offer with the iPhone XR, but the improvements that were made were crucial. An increased 3110mAh battery, the fastest CPU in a phone around right now, a dual camera set-up and a IP68 rating. Overall, this is the iPhone XR, just cheaper and boosted in all of the most important places.

Find out more with our iPhone 11 review

What is Apple TV+?

If you buy an iPhone 11 deal, either SIM-free or on contract, you will also get a year of Apple TV+ for free. This is a brand new service from Apple, in fact it won't actually launch until November 1.

In essence, Apple TV+ is the company's direct competition to both Netflix and Amazon Prime, offering a host of original shows and films. A number of originals have already been announced with a host of big names involved, including Steve Carell, Jennifer Aniston, M. Night Shyamalan and Steven Spielberg.

Find out more about Apple TV Plus

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Fuji X-Pro3 confirmed, with a 'hidden' LCD and redesigned EVF

Posted: 20 Sep 2019 08:53 AM PDT

The Fujifilm X-Pro3, which has been eagerly anticipated since the X-T3 launched last year, will be officially announced on October 23, according to the company.

The Japanese firm used its X Summit in Tokyo to announce that the model was indeed on the way – and it's already started a countdown timer to the launch on its website.

We don't know all the specs just yet – indeed, we hardly know any – but Fujifilm did go into details about a handful of new and updated features. 

The redesigned LCD screen is one of the most interesting developments. Gone is the fixed LCD screen from the X-Pro2, and in steps a 'hidden' LCD screen, one that faces the camera by default and flips out and down when required.

The back panel has been finished in the same way as the rest of the rear plate, which conceals this screen's presence, all the more so considering the small status LCD screen that's been put in its place. 

This all seems to be consistent with the more purist philosophy of the X-Pro line, benefitting those who prefer to have the option of an LCD for waist-level shooting but whose focus will be mainly on viewfinder shooting.

Better viewfinder – and more rugged body

The hybrid viewfinder has also been upgraded from the X-Pro2. The optical component is set to offer a clearer view of the scene, with less distortion and a wider angle of view, according to the company, while the electronic component will benefit from a higher refresh rate and wider color space than before.

This screenshot from the presentation shows the status LCD on the back of the 'hidden' flip-down LCD

The body is set to be constructed using titanium, and thanks to an extra-strong DURA coating on two of its finishes it should also be 10 times more resistant to scratches than steel, and almost as sturdy as sapphire, according to Fujifilm. 

The Film Simulation options are also to get a new addition in the shape of a Classic Negative option.

The camera is also set to be available in DURA titanium and DURA black options, as well as a classic black finish, and as mentioned will be formally announced on October 23. In the meantime, you can watch the announcement in the video above.

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

The Last of Us 2: release date, news, and rumors

Posted: 20 Sep 2019 08:47 AM PDT

You read that right: The Last of Us 2 is in development, and on its way in the coming year. The release date isn't quite pinned down but there's still plenty of rumors about when it might land, covered in the article below.

As endings go, The Last of Us's was pretty conclusive. But as it turns out, that hasn't stopped The Last of Us developer Naughty Dog from cranking out a sequel in the form of The Last of Us 2 – or, The Last of Us: Part 2 if we're using its proper name. 

Given the first game was hailed by players and critics alike as a masterpiece with excellent, emotional storytelling and engaging, realistic characters, we have to admit that the decision to release a follow-up isn't particularly shocking. We'd probably have been more surprised if there wasn't one. And yet, when The Last of Us 2 was first announced, we'd be lying if we said our hearts didn't skip a beat. 

The Last of Us 2 was first announced by Naughty Dog at PlayStation Experience in 2016 alongside a teaser trailer and the last significant news drop around the game came at E3 2018. As we're now well into 2019, we're now hoping to hear an official release date any day now. 

And it really could be any day - after Sony decided to bow out of E3 2019 it's become increasingly hard to predict when news around the game could drop. Regardless, as this year goes on it's looking increasingly likely that we'll have to wait until late 2019 or maybe even 2020 before we join Ellie in her new adventure. 

[Update: Naughty Dog has confirmed we'll be hearing more about The Last of Us: Part 2 at Sony's State of Play event on September 24. Read on to find out more.]

Cut to the chase

  • What is it? The sequel to the critically acclaimed post-apocalyptic game The Last of Us
  • When can I play it? It’ll be a while from now, late 2019 or early 2020
  • What can I play it on? PlayStation 4

The Last of Us 2 trailers 

The most recent trailer we have for The Last of Us 2 was shown during E3 2018. This trailer finally gives us a look at Ellie in an intimate scene before cutting away to some of the brutal but stealth-based combat we can expect to see in the game when it's launched.

The gameplay sequence gives us a look at Ellie fighting for her life in the wild. Success in a fight appears to require the right balance between stealth and all out attack as damage seems to have a more realistic impact. Ellie can move quietly between areas, taking weapons from bodies and crafting, before bursting out and taking down her enemies. It's a different creature in many ways to the original The Last of Us but it looks like something to look forward to, with more advanced enemies to challenge us and more complex gameplay to thrill us. 

See the gameplay for yourself below.

The Last of Us Part 2 had another trailer drop during PSX 2017. During a panel it was confirmed that the game will be set in the city of Seattle and the darker themes we know are coming were touched upon. You can watch the panel for yourself below:

Another trailer for the game was shown at Sony's press conference during the 2017 Paris Games Week. This trailer is around 5 minutes long, focusing on conflicts between the human factions in the game. It shows part 2 is going to have a dark story, perhaps even darker than the first, and the trailer is fairly harrowing to watch. 

Visually impressive though it is, do note that it's gory before you watch it for yourself below. 

The first look at The Last of Us 2 came with its announcement at PlayStation Experience in 2016. Despite the fact that the game was early in development, the trailer showed a full (non-gameplay) scene that features both Ellie and Joel. You can watch it below:

The Last of Us 2 release date

The Last of Us 2 has been in the works for a while but we're still waiting for a definite release date. Considering Naughty Dog has experienced the bad side of promising a solid release date and missing it before, it’s hard to blame them for not committing before being ready. 

In an interview with Vorterix, the game's composer, Gustavo Santaolalla, said that the game is going to launch in 2019. Naturally, this hasn't been confirmed so we'd take it with a pinch of salt. 

Making that 2019 release date seem less likely are the recent rumors suggesting we won't see The Last of Us 2 on shelves until early 2020, especially after another big PlayStation exclusive, Death Stranding, just had a November 2019 release date confirmed. It would be incredible to have two releases from PlayStation that are this big during the holiday season but it's unlikely.  

Adding fuel to the 2020 fire is a Between the Sheets interview with Ellie actress Ashely Johnson. When asked when the game is going to be released, Johnson appears to begin to say "February", which would tie up with the rumored release date after Death Stranding took the end of 2019 release slot. 

Of course, Johnson didn't actually get to finish what she was saying and a lot can change between now and February 2020. We won't know for certain until Naughty Dog makes it official. You can watch the interview with Johnson below (with that release moment being around the one hour and seven minutes mark).

What we know so far

September PlayStation Events

After what has felt like an age of no news, The Last of Us fans finally have something to look forward to. Naughty Dog and PlayStation have confirmed that they're ready to make some The Last of Us 2 reveals at a dedicated media event on September 24 in Los Angeles. 

What exactly will be revealed during the event isn't currently known but naturally fans are hoping for some more footage and maybe even some kind of release window. Perhaps we'll get a glimpse of that reported GameStop footage from August. Regardless, it's not long now for fans to wait and find out. 

GameStop Conference

Some brand new The Last of Us 2 footage was apparently shown behind closed doors during the recent GameStop managers conference in Nashville. The footage, which will be available to the wider world "soon", was short and showcased some of the game's stealth aspects, including how clickers can be used to your advantage. 

When this "soon" that the footage will be released is isn't yet known but one opportunity for Sony and Naughty Dog to show some new footage would be during Paris Games Week in October if it doesn't drop even sooner.

More from Troy Baker

The teasing for The Last of Us 2 continues at Manchester Comic-Con. Troy Baker, voice of Joel, has once again been talking about the game and this time he’s said:

“There is nothing about this game, nor the reveals, that hasn’t been 100% carefully crafted and methodically curated. All I can tell you is that as much as you’re clamoring for it, you’re not ready.”

If that’s true then the careful curation possibly extends to Baker’s excellent hyping here. What that tells us is that we’re not going to hear anything about this game’s release date until Sony and Naughty Dog want us to and it could be a little while longer before we do. 

Troy Baker shedding some light

Things have been a little quiet around The Last of Us Part II lately so Troy Baker, the voice of Joel, has caused some excitement merely by mentioning the game. During Manchester Comic-Con, Baker was asked what can be expected from the sequel and wasn't able to give away much. What he did say, however, was that "it's hands down the most ambitious game that Naughty Dog has ever done for sure. It's far larger than I thought was going to be possible." That's a pretty big statement to make and one guaranteed to leave fans salivating. 

When it came to the release date, though, Baker wasn't able to make any announcements. Not because he didn't want to (though obviously and understandably he didn't) but because he and his fellow cast members don't know the release date just yet. "Last time we announced, we slipped," he explained, "And they don't want to do that again." 

(Via PlayStationLifestyle)

The Last of Us 2

Rumors of a delay

There was much excitement on May 29 as a result of PlayStation exclusive Death Stranding finally getting its release date confirmed as November 8 2019. This has, however, had a ripple effect which is concerning fans of The Last of Us 2.

With Death Stranding now slotted in as PlayStation's big exclusive release for the holiday season of 2019, it's been rumored (by Kotaku's Jason Schreier among others) that The Last of Us 2, also originally said to be looking at a late 2019 release, will now be pushed into early 2020.

This has not been confirmed by Naughty Dog or PlayStation so it remains nothing more than rumor at the moment. It's also worth pointing out that The Last of Us 2 has never had a set-in-stone release date anyway. 

However, an early 2020 release date for The Last of Us 2 does not seem impossible at this point as PlayStation having two such huge releases close together at the end of 2019 would be a surprise indeed.

A recent interview with Ellie actress, Ashley Johnson, has also added to those early 2020 rumors as, when asked by the interviewer when the game will release, she appears to begin to say February. However, nothing has been confirmed by Naughty Dog just yet so everything stands as rumor only at the the moment.

Into the final stages

News around The Last of Us 2 has been hotting up recently as the game inches closer towards completion. Naughty Dog has now confirmed that the final scene for the game has been shot and the game’s co-director, Anthony Newman, has tweeted out a recruitment call as the studio begins to “close out” the game’s development. 

As promising as these announcements are, they don't reveal anything about whether or not we can expect to see The Last of Us 2 this year or next. Regardless, development has reached a critical stage and though Sony won’t be attending E3 2019, that doesn’t mean it can’t make some announcements around the time of the show. In fact, recent rumors have suggested that we will see some kind of news around this time. Hopefully we’ll see a confirmed release date in the coming months. 

Mocap is underway

Things have been quiet on the official news front for The Last of Us 2 but we've been glad to see some studio insiders and actors from the game posting images on social media which show that the game's motion capture is well underway. Actors Ashley Johnson and Shannon Woodward have both posted images of themselves wearing mocap suits. They didn't give much away but the fact that Naughty Dog is this far into the motion capture process suggests we might at least be closer to hearing about a possible release date. 

Troy Baker is impressed

The Last of Us 2 is still in the works, but we now know that one of its lead voice actors, Troy Baker, has had an in-depth look and he thinks the game is 'awesome'. It's not clear whether Baker just saw some gameplay or had the chance to go hands-on himself but according to GameRant he said during MCM Comic Con at Birmingham “It’s a fantastic story. It’s a fantastic game. We just finished a playtest. It’s looking awesome. I can’t for it to be on shelves.” Though we can't be sure where exactly in the development process it is (during PSX, it was said that Naughty Dog had reached around the 50 to 60% mark) this playtest is an encouraging sign. 

Directors

With Neil Druckmann having been promoted to Vice President of Naughty Dog, The Last of Us 2 now has two confirmed directors. Druckmann will, of course, still be heavily involved in the creation of the game but it's now being headed up by Anthony Newman and Kurt Margenau, both of whom were lead designers on Uncharted 4. 

Story

Although it was no slouch in the gameplay department, it was the story told by The Last of Us that stuck with us for months afterwards. Naturally Naughty Dog had to give us some kind of hint about where the sequel would go. 

At the moment we know The Last of Us 2 will take place in the city of Seattle, five years after the end of the original game, with a 19 year old Ellie taking the starring playable role. Joel will still appear in the game but if the teaser trailer is anything to go by, he could be a much more passive presence. 

This time around, Ellie is extremely angry about...something. From what we saw from the teaser trailer she wants revenge, which to her appears to be a dish best served deadly. 

She does, after all, promise to “kill every last one of them.” It’s not clear who “them” is but it could signal that the Fireflies, the first game's well-meaning but morally grey antagonists, will make a return. Anger, hate and revenge are going to be key themes this time around so expect to be in for an emotionally heavy ride. 

The Last of Us 2

In the trailer for the game shown at Paris Games Week in 2017, we got a look at how dark the game is likely to be. The trailer focuses on the opposing relationships between human characters in the game and features some seriously cringe-inducing violence. 

It doesn't tell us much about any new characters of how they'll relate to one another but it does confirm that we're going into a dark game world in The Last of Us part 2. 

In a recent panel at PSX both Druckmann and Gross said that though the game's story will indeed be dark and there'll be a focus on the theme of hate, "there is hope" and there will be "lighthearted moments." 

We can't pretend we're not relieved to hear this after the game's controversial Paris Games Week trailer which, Druckmann said, was intended to highlight the game's exploration of the pursuit of justice.

Ellie is one of the most real and refreshing characters we’ve seen in gaming so it’s exciting that Naughty Dog are going to take her story further and put her in center stage. 

The creative director of the game, Neil Druckmann has said that the story will be about Ellie and Joel’s relationship and that though the story would be complementary to the story of the first game, it would be much larger. 

The Last of Us 2

When asked at a PSX panel whether or not Joel or Ellie may die, Druckmann responded that "no one is safe" highlighting that the game's story really could go anywhere. 

Hopes are particularly high for this larger story as it’s been revealed that one of the writers of Westworld, Halley Gross, will be co-writing the game’s story. Having someone who’s written scripts for such an incredibly popular and successful show should be a boon for the game's story. 

Gameplay

E3 2018 brought us our first proper look at the gameplay in The Last of Us Part 2. Given Ellie is now the leading playable character, it was expected that things would be a little different from the first game and the presentation at the show made this fairly clear. 

Ellie will have some moves similar to Joel but there are some things she'll be able to do that are completely different. For one thing she can jump - the new jump button should make the world of The Last of Us Part 2 more complex and more enjoyable to traverse. It also has the potential to make combat more interesting. Speaking of combat, Ellie doesn't really throw punches as her first form of attack, she has a stealthy knife. Melee combat generally appears to offer a little more than the original game, with evasions and an environment that can help as well as hinder your fighting.

Not only has Ellie matured as a character, the enemies she faces have developed and they're more realistic than ever. The Infected in The Last of Us Part 2 are smarter and more reactive than their predecessors, making them a tougher foe to face. AI has improved, allowing enemies to communicate with one another and to look for Ellie when she's hiding. Expect some tense moments to arise from this. 

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

The Last of Us 2 teased for Sony's State of Play – but will we get a launch date?

Posted: 20 Sep 2019 08:43 AM PDT

The Last of Us Part 2 is getting some kind of reveal in Sony's State of Play video-stream next week, according to a Twitter post by game developer Naughty Dog.

Showing off a solitary knife against a wispy black background, the image (below) hints at a sequel unafraid to keep exploring the gritty, violent side of a zombie outbreak drama – with a clear reference to Sony's State of Play session scheduled for September 24.

We know that there won't be any news on the upcoming PS5 console, after Sony ruled out the next-generation hardware appearing.

The question remains, though – what is being shown? We already know the game is in development, and being released sometime in the coming year. While we originally hoped for a 2019 release, sometime in 2020 looks a lot more likely – especially after a possible slip by Ellie voice actor Ashley Johnson on a February launch date (more on that in our Last of Us 2 hub).

We'd be surprised at Naughty Dog bigging up the State of Play if there wasn't some meaningful information in it. We may just be getting a snippet of gameplay, or another cinematic trailer, but as 2019 drags on, finally dropping the release date – or a general window like "Spring 2020" – would be just the thing to keep the hype train going.

The Last of Us was one of the best games on PS3 – and is even better on PS4 – and we can't wait to see how they follow up on the gripping video-game drama.

  • PS5: everything we know about the console
  • PlayStation VR 2: all the rumors on the next iteration of VR hardware

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Intel 18-core Cascade Lake-X leak gives us a glimpse of the CPU’s might

Posted: 20 Sep 2019 08:35 AM PDT

Intel’s 18-core Cascade Lake-X flagship has been spotted again, or at least a benchmark of a processor (CPU) which appears to be the incoming Core i9-10980XE has appeared online.

As highlighted by @momomo_us on Twitter, the Geekbench 4 result shows an 18-core (36-thread), high-end desktop CPU which is presumably the i9-10980XE, with the spec and benchmark results roughly matching up with past leaked details we’ve seen ... with one caveat – more on that later.

The CPU is once again ensconced in a Dell Precision 5820 workstation, and the system information in the Geekbench database reports a 2.46GHz base clock speed with Turbo to 3.93GHz.

That looks much more peppy than the speeds we witnessed in an alleged 18-core Cascade Lake-X benchmark in August, just a month ago, which was likely an earlier engineering sample (it had a base clock of 2.19GHz with boost to 3.28GHz, which we noted looked pretty weak at the time).

This fresh leak also shows that the purported Core i9-10980XE keeps the same cache configuration as the prior 9980XE 18-core flagship.

What’s also interesting is that Tom’s Hardware scrutinized the Geekbench report file and reports that the benchmarking utility registers the Core i9-10980XE with a minimum CPU frequency of 4,108MHz (4.1GHz) and max frequency of 4,779MHz (nearly 4.8GHz).

Cores for concern?

As we saw above, in terms of the actual Geekbench 4 results themselves, the 18-core chip recorded a single-core result of 5,381 with multi-core hitting 51,514.

That’s a decent lick faster (4%) than the predecessor 9980XE which in comparison reached 5,174 in single-core, and as Tom’s notes, the system it was in benefited from faster memory, too.

And while the single-core result is bang in line with what we saw with the previous leak for the alleged 18-core Cascade Lake-X chip, multi-core is definitely out of whack – this is the caveat we mentioned earlier – and barely any faster than the outgoing 9980XE. That can’t be the case for obvious reasons, so it seems there’s some kind of error in the benchmark, with no other plausible explanation. 

Save that all this is faked, of course – which can never be ruled out with these sort of leaks.

At any rate, assuming the multi-core result is simply an error of some kind, it’s good to get a confirmation of single-core performance levels, and the higher clock speeds that the Core i9-10980XE looks set to run at (compared to what we saw in that previous 18-core leak).

One question that remains is how high those clock speeds might be set for the production chip, and how, in turn, that might push the thermal design power (TDP) threshold up – because as yet we don’t know anything about the power consumption of this CPU.

Via Tom’s Hardware

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Get a month of Now TV's Sky Sports pass access for half price - includes all 11 channels

Posted: 20 Sep 2019 08:16 AM PDT

Fancy trying out the complete Sky sports package with no long-term commitments? Then this Now TV Sky Sports pass offer is perfect for you.

Instead of the standard price of £33.99 for a month of Sky Sports on Now TV, it will only cost you £16.99 today. After that month it goes up to £33.99 a month from there on in. But if you don't fancy paying that much for the service, you're able to cancel it anytime you want as it's only a one-month rolling contract. If you were going for a full-on Sky deal, you're looking at a minimum 18-month contract.

Unlike many fresh Now TV deals, this offer is open to new and existing customers, as long as you don't currently have an active Sky Sports pass.

So if you want a month of discounted premium footy, F1 and more then this is a fine offer. Don't forget, you actually get all 11 Sky Sports channels. This includes Premier League, Football, F1, Racing, Cricket, Golf, Sky Sports News, Mix, Action, Arena and Main Event.

Now TV deals are a great way to access Sky's other excellent content without signing up to a long contract too. You can pick and choose access to packages like Entertainment, Sky Cinema, Sky Kids and of course Sky Sports channels on a rolling 30-day deal. We've gone into greater detail on all of these options in our regular Now TV passes and offers page.

We know plenty of people that use the Now TV service as a beta test to see what's available on Sky's channels before signing up to a regular Sky TV deal with options for even more channels, recording live TV, HD and 4K viewing and potentially bigger savings with a longer contract. If you'd like to check out these options, be sure to take a look at our guide below:

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Best on-ear headphones 2019: our pick of the best supra-aural cans

Posted: 20 Sep 2019 08:14 AM PDT

Best On-Ear (Supra-aural) Headphones: Welcome to TechRadar's guide to the best on-ear headphones you can buy in 2019. 

In the world of headphones, on-ear headphones (also called supra-aural headphones) are the middle child between bulky over-ear headphones and diminutive in-ear earphones. For most folks, they're just right. 

Their name comes from the fact that their cushions sit on, rather than over, your ears. This means they're more compact and can travel with you without taking up a ton of room in your bag. Conversely, they're bigger and more comfortable to wear for long periods than in-ear headphones. 

The reason you'd pick this form factor over the other two, is that you're a traveler, a commuter or a home listener who needs a bit of noise cancelation without the bulk of over-ears. It's a winning combination, honestly, and a form factor that we've tested extensively over the years.

To that end, and to help you pick out a great pair of on-ear headphones, we've put together a list of our top-rated on-ear headphone reviews, so that you can do all your research and make a purchase in one place.

[Update: Bowers & Wilkins have just expanded their headphones range with the PX5 Wireless On-Ear Headphones. We've only tested them briefly, but we like what we hear so far – stay tuned for our full review, and to see whether they make the list of the best on-ear headphones.]

What are the best on-ear headphones?

Grado SR60e

For your money, you can't do any better than Grado's SR60e. The third-generation of the Brooklyn, NY-based company's Prestige Series is its best and most refined yet. 

The SR60e in particular is a smart choice if you're looking for an entry-level set of headphones that sounds like it should cost you way more than it does. 

Their open-backed ear cup design makes them a more breathable experience than what most on-ear headphones can deliver, although this does mean that they're not ideal for use in loud environments where sound can 'leak' in and disrupt your listening. 

That said, in terms of pure sound quality, they're our gold-standard when it comes to on-ears.

(Our review is for the SR60i, but the newer SR60e headphones are largely similar in design and performance)

Read the full review: Grado SR60e

[Update: We recently tested Grado's first ever wireless headphones. Check out our Grado GW100 wireless headphones review for everything you need to know before you buy.]

There is a lot to love about the Philips Fidelio NC1 headphones: Not only are they a joy to wear and offer up great sound reproduction, but they're also one of the lightest and most compact ANC headphones around. They're best suited for frequent travellers who don't want to lug massive cans around with them all of the time but also don't want to compromise on sound quality. To that end, they offer superb sound that's balanced and warm and while I would love to see a wireless range, the cable offered in the mix is dextrous enough to not worry about it. 

Read the full review: Philips Fidelio NC1

In recent years AKG has dominated the budget and mid-range headphone space. While most other headphones at these price points chase after the bass-addicts, AKG has been content to stick to what it knows best; namely headphones that offer a balanced, refined sound you'd normally find in more expensive cans. With the AKG N60NC Wireless headphones the company appears to be stepping out of its comfort zone a little. The aluminium accented design is more flashy than AKG’s usual fare, and the noise-cancellation combined with wireless operation pushes the N60NCs to the upper end of the company’s normal price points. 

Read the full review: AKG N60NC Wireless

The V-Moda XS are the perfect travel buddy for audiophiles. It’s balanced and detail-rich sound is a pleasure to listen to, plus, it’s built like a tank. While the bass could use a little more impact, we had little complain about the sound. However, that said, the XS has a loose fit on the head and barely blocks out any sound, which isn’t ideal for working out or for commuters. If you're a sedentary listener, however, these are great. In terms of competition, the Klipsch Reference On-Ear II are an excellent alternative that can block out more external sound. However, the trade off is the extended and exciting highs of the V-Moda XS as the Klipsch has more high frequency roll-off.  

Read the full review: V-Moda XS

If you can afford the steep price, the Master & Dynamic MW50 will not disappoint. These headphones are a simply work of art and feel every bit as expensive as their price commands. They sound great with all types of music and are one of the most comfortable on-ear headphones we’ve ever tested. Those looking for value, however, will want to look elsewhere.

Read the full review: Master & Dynamic MW50

Klipsch Reference On-Ear

The Klipsch Reference On-Ear II is the follow up to the previous year’s excellent Reference On-Ear model, a previous resident of this list. Admittedly, this year's model doesn’t change much in terms of design or sound – but why fix something that’s not broken? 

That said, Klipsch kept it simple with the Reference On-Ear II, concentrating on sound, comfort and portability that will please audiophiles. Only diehard audiophiles will even consider this wired-only headphone after looking at the price tag, but those who value sound and comfort above all else will be happy with the Klipsch Reference On Ear II.

Read the full review: Klipsch Reference On-Ear II

The Grado GW100s sound absolutely stunning; they boast an immersive, wide soundstage, clear highs, smooth mids, and extended bass frequencies. They also look great, with a kitsch, retro design that recalls Grado’s humble beginnings in 50’s Brooklyn – but, that said, that vintage-style look won’t appeal to everyone, and they do feel a little flimsy. 

Although the Bluetooth connection works very well, we are struggling to understand the need for a wireless pair of open-back headphones; particularly if the design makes them unsuitable for commuting or listening in communal areas. Still, having the option to listen wirelessly is undeniably convenient when you’re pottering around the house, and audiophiles can use them with an AUX cable if they prefer. 

Overall, we feel the Grado GW100s are designed for a fairly niche market of audiophiles who crave a wide, natural sound, and who do the majority of their music listening at home. If that sounds like you, you will probably love the Grado GW100s. If not, you may want to look at closed-back models instead. 

Read the full review: Grado GW100 Wireless headphones review

Bowers and Wilkins P5

The Bowers and Wilkins P5 Series 2 aren't the most feature-rich option, but in terms of sheer sound and build quality, they easily raise the bar for the competition to follow. 

They look fantastically stylish, and sound just as good. So long as you have the money, there's not much else in the on-ear market that can match this package.

Read the full review: Bowers and Wilkins P5 Series 2

You, like everyone else, probably wants a set of headphones that nails the tricky blend of design, useful features and incredible sound. You might think that you need to flush your savings to enjoy such a pair of cans. Protip: you don't.

The Audio-Technica ATH-S200BT are a well-built, great-sounding, long-lasting pair of headphones. Their features constantly outweigh their modest price and we can’t get enough of that 40-hour battery life. While technological advancements usually mean a premium price, that's just not the case with the Audio-Technica ATH-S200BT. 

Read the full review: Audio-Technica ATH-S200BT

While the Samsung Level On Pro Wireless are best paired with a Samsung Phone, these Beats headphones come into their own when paired with an iOS device thanks to its W1 chip that makes for excellent wireless connectivity. 

At first glance, the Solo 3 Wireless appear almost identical to the Solo 2 headphones that proceeded them. The majority of the changes Apple made to its class-leading cans come internally, baking its mobile phone know-how into these headphones to ramp-up their wireless skills and maximise battery life. 

In terms of wireless performance, these $299 (£249/AU$399.95) headphones are as reliable as any out there. However, you can get significantly better sound quality at the price. (See: entries one through nine.)

Read the full review: Beats Solo 3 Wireless

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Best over-ear headphones 2019: the best-sounding, most comfortable cans

Posted: 20 Sep 2019 08:10 AM PDT

The Best Over-Ear Headphones Buying Guide: Welcome to TechRadar's round-up of the best Hi-Fi over-ear headphones that you can buy in 2019. 

If you value good quality sound and best-in-class performance when it comes to listening to music, then nothing out there beats the full immersion you'll get from a pair of solid over-ear headphones. 

It's a fact: in terms of soundstage, sound quality and comfort during extended listening sessions, no other form factor can compete with them.

Plus, if keeping your ears healthy long into your twilight years is just as important to you, they also tend to be better for your ear health overall because you don't need to amp up the volume to get a good level of audio performance and noise-cancellation.

The pair you go for will be down to personal preference, but before you invest in a pair of the best over-ear headphones, you'll need to consider what your priorities are.  

For example, do you want wireless headphones or do you want noise-cancelling headphones? Do you want something expensive and mainstream like Beats headphones, or you do you want something that's a bit more generic but overall sounds better like these Sony headphones

We've even seen true wireless over-ear headphones that transform into a portable Bluetooth speaker with a single snap (yes, you read that correctly).

There are so many options out there, so deciding your list of must-have features or brands can be a good starting point.

To make things easier for audiophiles, this guide will focus on sound quality above all else. There are a few wireless and noise-cancelling equipped choices in our list, but that's only because they sound great in addition to packing these new features.  

That said, you can expect this guide to be as up-to-date as we can get it on any given day, ensuring that you're getting out top picks all year round. Without further ado, here's our guide to getting the most for your money, whatever your budget. 

What are the best over-ear headphones?

Image Credit: Beyerdynamic

While Beyerdynamic may not be as well known as its German brother, Sennheiser, the audio company has a history of creating some of the best sounding audio gear on the market – the company’s DT770, DT880 and DT990 were renown for their excellent build and sound quality. 

Above them all, however, stands the Beyerdynamic DT 1990 Pro, an open-back version of the Beyerdynamic DT 1770 Pro, a headphone which won our Editor’s Choice for its imaging, design and value for the money. Both headphones are priced the same ($599, £589, AU$1,159), so you won’t find a deal picking up one over the other. The difference here comes down to sound. 

As they’re open-back, the DT 1990 Pro are meant to be used at home or in the studio for serious analytical listening. Sound is able to get in and out but the good news is that the open-back design gives you the DT 1990 Pro a great sense of space. Soundstage is quite wide, too, allowing even the most lackadaisical listener to pinpoint the exact location of where each instrument is playing.  

If you've been searching for a pair of Hi-Fi headphones that are used by some of the world's leading audio engineers, these are them.

Read the full review: Beyerdynamic DT 1990 Pro

Philips Fidelio X2

Image Credit: Philips

The Philips Fidelio X2's are a superb pair of headphones offering premium comfort and build quality with a sound that rivals even the most vaunted audiophile cans. Perhaps on sheer sound quality they're a notch off the likes of the top Oppo or Sennheiser offerings – but the fact that you'd be saving vast amounts of cash by opting for the Philips is just a no brainer.

Read the full review: Philips Fidelio X2

Best over-ear headphones

Image Credit: Beyerdynamic

The Beyerdynamic DT 1770 Pros are a stunning pair of headphones. Are they expensive? To some no, to most yes; but for the sheer listening experience they deliver you'd be hard pressed to take them off after putting them on, even using them with portable HRA players and mobile phones.

That said, they really do push the boundaries of what you can do with a dynamic driver. All praise to Beyerdynamic for putting together such a wonderful product.

Read the full review: Beyerdynamic DT 1770 Pro

Image Credit: Sennheiser

The fourth entry on our list easily could've been the first if it didn't cost well over $1,000/£1,000. The Sennheiser HD 800 are, hands down, one of the best-sounding pairs of over-ear headphones on the planet, affectionately praised by inner circles of audiophiles the world over. When paired with the proper hardware, they sound absolutely excellent – balanced in every way. 

Unfortunately, they're supremely expensive and require more audio equipment than the average consumer is ready to buy. Should you find yourself in need – or, let's be honest, in want – of amazing over-ear headphones, these are them.

Read the full review: Sennheiser HD 800

Image Credit: 1MORE

If you’re looking for a pair of audiophile headphones that won’t break the bank, the 1MORE Triple Driver over-ear is a great place to start. Its build quality and detailed sound really impress and we think bass-lovers will like the slight mid-bass emphasis and control in the lower registers while not sacrificing the mids or highs. The headphone reveals a good level of detail throughout the frequency range and never get harsh in the upper registers. 

To that end, it’s hard to fault the $250 (about £190, AU$338) 1MORE Triple Driver Over-Ear, making them an easy recommendation for the price. 

Read the full review: 1MORE Triple Driver Over-Ear

Image Credit: Bowers & Wilkins

The B&W P9 Signatures are simply some of the best-sounding headphones we’ve ever used. They have a tight, refined sound that offers an almost unmatched level of detail. 

That said, the fact remains that they’re a comparatively feature-light pair of cans. If you want to spend less then you can get a much more portable pair that’ll be better suited to the morning commute or a plane ride thanks to additional features like noise-cancellation and Bluetooth connectivity.

But, if you’re looking to invest in a seriously high-quality pair of headphones to listen to a high-quality music collection, then there are few that can match the P9s at this price point. 

Read the full review: B&W P9 Signature

Image Credit: Sony

It's almost unfair to stick them in the same category as the more critical listening-focused over-ear headphones, but the Sony WH-1000XM3 are one of the best all-around headphones we heard last year. Not only do they sound great and pack excellent noise-cancellation, but they manage to do this all wirelessly. 

Other headphones on our list offer superior sound quality, sure, but the WH-1000XM3 manage to offer the best balance of features and performance. 

And while it's the noise-cancellation that really sell these headphones, they've also got a couple of interesting tricks up their sleeves like built-in Google Assistant and Alexa, plus support for NFC and aptX HD with some Android devices. 

Offering all of this without a serious price-premium over the competition means the Sony WH-1000XM3 are a great all-around choice for on-the-go music listeners. 

Read the full review: Sony WH-1000XM3

Image Credit: Audio-Technica

Audiophiles typically shun wireless headphones because of poor sound quality. However, Bluetooth audio has improved tremendously over the years. There are now plenty of wireless headphones that can please the music enthusiast, with Hi-Res Audio support being more and more prevalent.

That said, the Audio-Technica ATH-SR5BT feature some of the best wired and wireless sound quality for a headphone under $200 (£150). They play well with all music genres and offer a near-flat response curve. They're extremely comfortable for long listening sessions and are well built. Battery life is equally impressive with nearly 40 hours of playback from a charge. And while they lack some features of more expensive wireless headphones like active noise cancelling and multi-device pairing, these are tradeoffs worth making for phenomenal sound.

Read the full review: Audio-Technica ATH-SR5BT

Image Credit: Beyerdynamic

The Beyerdynamic Amiron Wireless are the best-sounding wireless headphones you can buy, period. Sound is spacious, detailed, and makes you want to rediscover your music library. Their bulky design and average noise isolation make them terrible for travel but if you’re looking for the best sound from a wireless headphone, this is it.

Read the full review: Beyerdynamic Amiron Wireless


They may not beat the Sony WH-1000XM3's battery life and price, the Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 are still a fantastic pair of over-ear headphones. 

By applying noise cancelation on both music and phone calls, they offer class-leading technology, and well as a vibrant, lively sound and wide, well-balanced soundstage. 

If you’re trying to decide between buying the Sony WH-1000XM3s and the Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700, we’d recommend going for the former because of that lower price and better battery life. 

That being said, you wouldn’t be making a mistake if you opted for the Bose cans instead (and we wouldn’t blame you if you did) – they sound great, look stunning, and the noise-cancelation is out of this world.

Read the full review: Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700

Image Credit: TechRadar

For the money, the JBL Live 650BTNC punch above its weight in terms of sound quality, build, and features. The cons we have listed above – like mapping the assistant to the touchpad and its use of microUSB – are simply nitpicks with none of them being outright deal-breakers. 

That said, we came away very impressed at the well-rounded package JBL created for the market and would certainly recommend them to anyone in the market for a cheap pair of noise-cancelling headphones.

Read the full review: JBL Live 650BTNC review

A photo of the Creative SXFI Air headphones

Image Credit: TechRadar

The SXFI Air headphones are something of a mixed bag when used in Bluetooth mode, and if you’re mainly planning to use them indoors then it’s tempting to opt for the less expensive wired version instead. 

However, the wired mode really shows off the SXFI holographic audio to best effect, adding a dramatic sense of space to music, games and video alike. There’s still some room for improvement when listening to music – but for gaming and video the SXFI Air is about as good as you’ll get for just over $150.

Read the full review: Creative SXFI Air headphones review

over-ear headphones


In terms of audio quality, these Sennheiser over-ear headphones sound fantastic, with high levels of detail, warm bass, and natural-sounding highs.

Customizable noise cancelation is a great touch, but it doesn't quite reach the class-leading standards set by Sony and Bose. Battery life also doesn't compete with the Sony WH-1000XM3s, and they're more expensive to boot. 

So, why buy the Sennheiser Momentum Wireless (2019)? Well, if built-in Tile tracking appeals to you, and you like the industrial design and premium materials of the Momentum Wireless, that could be reason enough – and if you do opt for them over the Sony model, you won’t be missing out on any audio quality. In that respect, they’re truly matched. 

Read the full review: Sennheiser Momentum Wireless (2019) review

Image credit: TechRadar

The Focal Stellias sound absolutely fantastic. Their wide-open soundstage and detailed, accurate sound treatment means they make any genre of music sound brilliant.

If you listen to songs you think you know inside out, the Stellias' precise separation of the frequencies means that you will probably hear details you’ve never noticed before.

So why didn't they make the list? Well, we included them as a bonus option because they're incredible. But they're very, very expensive. 

They're $3,000. And as good as they are, therein lies the problem: the Focal Stellias are prohibitively expensive for most people, at 10 times the price of our current favorite headphones, the Sony  WH-1000XM3s.

UPDATE: If you like the sound of these luxury headphones but can't justify the price, check out our initial hands-on review of the new Focal Elegia. They may not sound quite as breathtaking as the Focal Stellia - at least that’s what we gathered from a short listening session – but the Focal Elegia headphones are still very impressive.

Read the full review: Focal Stellia review

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

No comments:

Post a Comment