Wednesday, January 22, 2020

Apple : Pokémon Go updates: all the news and rumors for what's coming next

Apple : Pokémon Go updates: all the news and rumors for what's coming next

Pokémon Go updates: all the news and rumors for what's coming next

Posted: 22 Jan 2020 01:04 PM PST

Pokémon Go: the world's first augmented reality app to become a household name. Niantic's mobile AR game is still going strong two years after it first released, with a constant drip of events and updates keeping budding trainers glued to their phones and pounding the streets.

And while it hasn't managed to top the peak of its popularity in 2016, it's still going strong and finding plenty of new ways to improve its player experience.

So what's the latest news for Pokémon Go? As you'd expect, brand new features are being added all the time and community events are still going strong. Plus we have some more themed events and brand new Gen 5 Pokémon to catch!

But without further ado, here's our guide to all the latest Pokémon Go news and updates.

Pokémon Go news and Pokémon Go updates

  • What's new? Votes are open for the next Pokémon Go Community Day and Live Events are coming to Taiwan, the US and the UK!

Trade Evolution

Niantic is bringing a feature from the mainline Pokémon titles into Pokémon Go: Trade Evolution. Now, trading some Pokémon will see the Candy required to evolve them reduced. Pokémon that benefit from this include Kadabra, Machoke, Graveler, and Haunter as well as new Unova Pokémon Boldore, Gurdurr, Karrablast, and Shelmet. 

New Pokémon

Speaking of the Unova region, there are some new Pokémon coming into Pokémon Go. Aside from Boldore, Gurdurr, Karrablast, and Shelmet, players will also encounter other Unova creatures in the wild, in Raids and from eggs. 

Roggenrola, Tympole, Dwebble, Trubbish, Karrablast, Joltik and Shelmet are among those appearing in the wild. Venipede and Dwebble will hatch from 2 km eggs; Roggenrola, Tympole, Trubbish, Karrablast, Joltik, and Shelmet from 5 km eggs; and 10 km eggs will contain Timburr, Tirtouga, Archen, and Axew. Timburr will also be appearing in one star Raids. 

There will also be some region-exclusive additions. 

North America, South America, and Africa will see Throh in the wild and in 10km eggs while Europe, Asia, and Australia will see the same for Sawk. The Southern United States, Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and South America will be able to encounter Maractus, while Egypt and Greece get the chance to catch Sigilyph. Finally, the Eastern hemisphere get the red-striped form of Basculin while the Western hemisphere gets blue-striped form instead. 

January 2020

Now that Pokémon Go's Holiday events have come and gone, Niantic is turning its attention to its 2020 plans. In a brand new blog post, the developer has gone into some more detail on what's coming up. 

Players can expect some more new Special Research around Team Rocket in January with more opportunities to defeat Giovanni and the chance to save the Legendary Shadow Moltres. 

There will also be some special Lapras encounters through the month. From now until February 1, Lapras that know the moves Ice Shard and Ice Beam will be available as Research Breakthrough encounters for the first time since 2018. 

From January 7 until February 4, Heatran will be available in five star Raids and there will be the possibility of encountering a Shiny Heatran. 

The blog post also suggests that brand new Unova Pokémon will appear in the world soon with more details to come.

What's the next Pokémon Go Event?

The Lunar New Year

Pokémon Go is celebrating the Lunar New Year with a special event which will run from January 24 until February 3. The event will put the spotlight on red Pokémon, so players will see Charmeleon, Vulpix, Parasect, Voltorb, Jynx, Magmar, Magikarp, Flareon, Slugma, Wurmple, Corphish, Kricketot, and Foongus appearing more in the wild. Some like Foongus and Shuckle will hatch from 7km eggs instead and the Zen Charm Pokémon, Darumaka, will make its debut in the game in 7km eggs.

Gyarados will also appear in the wild and exceptionally lucky players might encounter and have the chance to catch the rare Shiny red Gyarados. 

Bonuses for the event will include the chance of finding Rare Candies in gifts from friends and an increased chance that when you trade a Pokémon it will become a Lucky Pokémon. 

As it's the Year of the Rat, there's also going to be a special research event starring Minccino, the chinchilla Pokémon on February 2 between 2pm and 5pm. 

Limited Research Tasks will give players the chance to encounter Minccino and it'll be hatching more often from 5km eggs. There's even the chance of encountering a Shiny Minccino. As part of this Rat celebration, Rattata, Raticate, Pikachu, Sandshrew, Nidoran♀, Nidoran♂, Sentret, Marill, Zigzagoon, Plusle, Minun, Bidoof, and Patrat will all also appear in the wild more often. 

Latias and Latios Raid Event

A special Raid weekend is coming to Pokémon Go and it stars the Dragon and Psychic-type Legendaries Latios and Latias. Running from January 24 to January 27, the game will give players the chance to encounter the Pokémon in five-star Raids. 

To get the best chance of winning, Niantic suggests using other Dragon-type Pokémon as well as Ice, Bug, Ghost, Dark and Fairy-types.

Live Events

Niantic has announced that Pokémon Go Live Events will be coming to Taiwan, the US and the UK this year. The event in Taiwan will celebrate the Lantern Festival and will be free-to-enter while the others will be ticketed at a cost of $12/£12 for General Admission and $18/£18 for Early Admission. 

  • February 6 - 9: Taiwan Lantern Festival in Taichung City  
  • March 27 - 29: Safari Zone St. Louis, Missouri, US
  • April 17 - 19: Safari Zone Liverpool, UK
  • May 8 - 10: Safari Zone Philadelphia, US

When's the next Pokémon Go Community Day?

  • What date is the next Community Day? February 22
  • Who's the starring Pokémon? That's up to you!

Niantic has announced that it will be allowing players to have a say in the starring Pokémon of its February Community Day with a special election. The candidates are Vulpix, Machop, Dratini and Rhyhorn and players will have the chance to select the Pokémon they'd like on February 1, with the winner to be announced on February 3. 

In order to cast a vote, players will have to complete the Field Research Task of catching 20 Pokémon and collecting 200 Stardust on voting day. There will be a Field Research Task for each candidate and one research task completed will equate to one vote for the Pokémon listed on the completed task. 

Then, the Community Day will take place on February 22, running from 11am to 2pm on the Northern Hemisphere and 3pm to 6pm on the Southern Hemisphere. 

Pokémon Go update: what's next?

GO Battle League

Niantic has announced that a new feature called GO Battle League will be coming to the game in early 2020. It will build on the current trainer battles system and will encourage players to get out and explore. According to Niantic, players will walk to earn entry into the Battle League. Once they're in they'll be able to battle players from around the world through an online matching system. Win and lose, they'll rise and fall in the ranks of the worldwide league. We'll keep updating with more information on Battle League as it's announced. 

Pokémon Go Plus deals

Want to buy yourself a Pokémon Go Plus wearable? Check some of today's best deals down below.

(Image credits: Niantic/Pokémon Company)

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Ryzen 7 4800H benchmark leak shows AMD's laptop CPU beating a 9th-Gen Intel champ

Posted: 22 Jan 2020 12:51 PM PST

The AMD Ryzen 7 4800H is going to be the top-of-the-line laptop chip from AMD when it launches with the rest of the Ryzen 4000 series of mobile processors this year. And, now we're starting to see some leaks that suggest just how fast it will be.

AMD had suggested at its CES 2020 keynote that its next-gen processors would offer desktop-level performance, but that's become a lot more apparent after a leaked benchmark shared by leaker @TUM_APISAK showed the Ryzen 7 4800H holding its own against Ryzen and Intel desktop CPUs alike.


The benchmark in question shows the Ryzen 7 4700H earning 8,350 points in the 3DMark Time Spy physics score, which measures exclusively CPU performance. That score doesn't quite keep up with AMD's other higher-tier desktop processors like the Ryzen 7 3700X, which scored a dazzling 10,180. 

However, this leaked benchmark suggests that it will topple high-end Intel desktop chips like the Intel Core i7-9700K. Team Blue's chip only manages to grab 8,200 points in the benchmark. It's not far behind the 4800H, but it is still behind. 

The fact that the Ryzen 7 4800H is beating the Intel chip isn't as big (especially given the narrow margin) as the fact that it's competing at all. Remember that this is a mobile processor with greater thermal power constraints than a desktop chip like the Core i7-9700K.

Plenty left unknown

This isn't the first time we've seen benchmark leaks showing new Ryzen mobile processors bringing impressive levels of performance. Previously we'd also seen the "U" variant of AMD's upcoming chip, which is a lower-power model. 

Of course, we have to take this leak with some grains of salt, given the chip hasn't quite made its way to market. We'll just have to wait and see what the Ryzen 7 4800H is capable of when it makes its way into laptops in the next few months.

While it would be great news for the laptop market to see true desktop-grade performance coming in what will presumably be an affordable package, Intel has some of its own tricks up its sleeve. 

We're already anticipating Intel Tiger Lake to push performance forward for Team Blue when  it comes to thin and light laptops, and its also got 10th-Generation Comet Lake H-Series chips for gaming laptops on the way. With this type of competition, 2020 will be a heck of year for laptops.

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Resident Evil 8: release date, news and trailers

Posted: 22 Jan 2020 12:26 PM PST

When it was first released in 2017, Resident Evil 7 was a much-needed rejuvenation for the classic horror franchise. Capcom departed from its usual formula in a big way and even took the opportunity to embrace new experiences with PlayStation VR. This risk paid off and a large proportion of fans and critics embraced the changes, with a keen eye on what the next game might bring.

Following on from Resident Evil 7's release, a very successful Resident Evil 2 Remake and a now confirmed Resident Evil 3 Remake, Capcom still isn't ready to confirm that Resident Evil 8 is in the works. But we're hopeful and think that the next chapter of the core Resident Evil series is inevitable.

There's not much in the way of solid information but here's everything we know so far about Resident Evil 8 including news, rumors and what we want to see.

[Update: A prominent leaker in the Resident Evil community has suggested that it could be a while before we see Resident Evil 8. Read on to find out more.] 

Resident Evil 8 release date

Capcom hasn't confirmed Resident 8 is in the works so we don't have a release date yet. But we expect we won't see the next chapter in the Resident Evil franchise until at least 2020—perhaps for Xbox Series X or the PS5?

Resident Evil 8 news and rumors

A while away?

Resident Evil 3 is definitely on the way but a recent rumor (via GamesRadar) has suggested that Resident Evil 8 could still be a while off. According to prominent leaker AestheticGamer (aka DuskGolem), there was a version of Resident Evil 8 in development all the way back in 2016 which was eventually scrapped before being picked up again in around 6 or 7 months ago meaning full on development hasn't been underway for a full year yet. According to the leaker, as a result of this rejigging fans shouldn't expect to see Resident Evil 8 "anytime soon". 

Of course, this information is only coming from one person and should therefore be taken with a massive pinch of salt, especially given there's not even been any official confirmation that there is indeed a Resident Evil 8 on the way. AestheticGamer does have a good history of providing accurate information, having revealed details on Resident Evil 7's Not A Hero DLC as well as reporting that Resident Evil: Resistance had connections to Resident Evil 3 before it was officially confirmed, but that's no replacement for an official comment from Capcom on its plans for the Resident Evil franchise. 

Testing for an unrevealed game

According to a recent Reddit post, Capcom has invited members of its Resident Evil Ambassadors programme to test an unrevealed game. While there are hopes that it's the still-to-be-confirmed Resident Evil 8 there's also a rumor that it could be a new entry in the fossilised Dino Crisis franchise as Capcom has recently filed for a trademark related to the series. 

This isn't the first time Capcom has invited Resident Evil Ambassadors to test an unannounced title recently; last time the testing turned out to be for the multiplayer Resident Evil experience, Project Resistance. Does the fact that the previous round of testing was related to a Resident Evil game make it more likely to be a similar scenario this time? It's impossible to say, but the most likely candidates for this unannounced title at the moment new entries to the Resident Evil or Dino Crisis series. We won't know for sure until Capcom makes an official announcement. 

Resident Evil 3 Remake confirmed

As suspected, Capcom has confirmed it's working on a remake of the classic Resident Evil 3, following on from the success of the second game's remake. This is an exciting reveal, but it's not the Resident Evil 8 confirmation we're holding out for. 

Project Resistance confirmed
Capcom has announced Project Resistance, new 1v4 asymmetric online survival horror experience set in the world of Resident Evil. Unfortunately it isn't the core game we've been hoping for.

Resident Evil 8

Testing on an unconfirmed title
Capcom’s Division 1, has reportedly sent emails to Resident Evil Ambassadors in Japan, inviting them to test an in-development game. 

The email, translated from Japanese to English and published by fansite Biohaze, reads:

“To all Resident Evil Ambassadors, thank you for your patronage regarding the Resident Evil series. Today, we are letting you know that we are recruiting testers for a game that’s in development!

“We are interested in incorporating the feedback of all Ambassadors into our development, so please read the details below and, if you are interested in participating, click the entry button.”

It's possible these emails referred to Project Resistance, however it may be that they reference Resident Evil 8. 

Capcom has numerous unannounced titles in development
Resident Evil fans hoping for a new entry in the series were feeling their hopes rising after a 2019 financial briefing from Capcom which confirmed the publisher has "numerous" unannounced titles in development. The games are being developed on the RE Engine used for Resident Evil 7, Resident Evil 2 and Devil May Cry 5.

Resident Evil 8

Work has already started
We’ve known this since early in 2017 when Resident Evil 7’s executive producer Jun Takeuchi confirmed it. In an interview for an official “making of” Resident Evil 7 documentary, Takeuchi said that work on the next game is “already in motion.”

It’ll build on the work of Resident Evil 7
In the same interview Takeuchi also ruminated on what the game might look like. 

The first thing that he confirmed was that Resident Evil 7 was the start of a new direction for the series and that it was “the start of a new kind of survival horror, and of a new series.”

“We’re already thinking about various plans for the next game,” he revealed, “but we also want to see how we can continue to evolve survival horror itself. In the next few years technology will continue to advance and what players want may also change.”

It is, admittedly, hard to draw any solid information from this. When Takeuchi spoke in this interview it’s clear that planning was still in the very early stages and it’s quite possible that things such as plot and setting were still yet to be nailed down. 

While we’d surmise that Resident Evil 8 will build on the fresh new feel of Resident Evil 7, Takeuchi’s comments on wanting to evolve the genre as well as capitalize on changing technologies and player desires suggests that the team aren’t locking themselves into a formula just yet.

Just as Resident Evil 7 integrated virtual reality in an interesting experiment that played on the new first-person perspective of the game, Resident Evil 8 could do the same all over again. We could see another perspective change, the team could find new ways to integrate virtual reality technology, or it could even delve into new augmented reality technology. 

Part one of the "making of" documentary gives a good insight into the kinds of gameplay experiments the team were looking into. 

Resident Evil 8


It seems that Takeuchi is telling fans not to assume there’s a new formula from which the developers won’t waver. Resident Evil will be taking a survival horror approach to the creation of survival horror – adapt, change and stay on your toes because you don’t know what new technology or fan request is around the corner. 

One thing we do know, however, is that the Resident Evil team will “always want to create horror experiences where the characters overcome a difficult situation.” 

Takeuchi said he believes this is what survival horror is “all about” before adding that “the next Resident Evil game, and the one after that, every future Resident Evil, will feature characters getting through crises like this.” It’s this essence of “core survival horror concept of people overcoming the odds” that Tekeuchi says the series will “always retain.”

From this, at the very least, we can assume that the future of the series will place a heavier focus on the survival horror elements showcased in Resident Evil 7, rather than delving back into the more action-heavy gameplay of releases such as Resident Evil 4. 

Shinji Mikami could come on board
As the director of the original Resident Evil and the fourth instalment, Shinji Mikami is hugely beloved by Resident Evil fans and inexorably tied to the series. He hasn’t, however, been directly involved with it since Resident Evil 4.

That could change though. In an interview with PCGamesN Mikami was asked if coming back to direct Resident Evil 8 was something he’d consider. He would, of course, have complete creative freedom to with the game as he’d like. His answer was short and far from finite: “I might.”

Resident Evil 8

Resident Evil 8: what we want to see

More enemies
We loved the Molded in Resident Evil 7 but we’d love to see a little more variety in Resident Evil 8. Dangerous and scary enemies are a given but there’s something about having a wide range of terrifying character designs that makes turning every corner even more frightening. Who knows what you’ll have to face next?

A different location
This actually plays into our request for more varied enemies. Naturally, we’d love to see a new location in Resident Evil 8. To keep fans of the series on their toes it’d be interesting to see something that’s a little more open or a little more varied. New locations tends to mean new opportunities for new enemies so we think these demands feed into one another quite nicely. 

Resident Evil 8

More answers
The ending of Resident Evil 7 left us with some questions and though many of them have been answered in the DLC that followed, not all of them have. As Resident Evil games go, Biohazard was quite isolated in terms of its place in the wider series universe. Though we understand the desire for a fresh start, we’d love to see a little more exploration and integration there. At the very least it would be nice to see a few more knowing nods to fans. 

VR support
Resident Evil 7’s foray into VR was terrifying and an excellent example of how to develop for the platform. We wouldn’t be against Resident Evil 8 delving back into this once again, lessons learned and technologies advanced. 

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Microsoft customer support database exposed online

Posted: 22 Jan 2020 12:17 PM PST

Microsoft has disclosed a security breach where an internal customer support database was exposed online last month.

The software giant provided further details on the security breach in a blog post in which it said that the database was storing anonymized user analytics and was accidentally exposed online between December 5 and December 31.

Security researcher at Security Discovery, Bob Diachenko first discovered the database and reported it to Microsoft. The company quickly secured the exposed database on the same day he reported the issue, despite the fact that he did so on New Year's Eve.

According to Diachenko, the customer support database contained a cluster of five Elasticsearch servers that are used to help simplify search operations. All five servers stored the same data as they appear to be mirrors of each other.

Exposed database

The servers storing Microsoft's customer support database contained almost 250m entries including information such as email addresses, IP addresses and support case details. Thankfully though, most of the records did not contain any personal user information according to the company's blog post, which reads:

“As part of Microsoft’s standard operating procedures, data stored in the support case analytics database is redacted using automated tools to remove personal information. Our investigation confirmed that the vast majority of records were cleared of personal information in accordance with our standard practices. In some scenarios, the data may have remained unredacted if it met specific conditions. “

If users filed out customer support requests using non-standard formatted data, then that data was not detected and redacted but remained in the exposed database. Microsoft has already begun notifying impacted customers though the company has “found no malicious use” of the data.

According to the company, the accidental server exposure was the result of misconfigured Azure security rules it deployed on December 5 which have now been fixed.

Via ZDNet

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The Elder Scrolls 6: release date, news and rumors

Posted: 22 Jan 2020 12:10 PM PST

Elder Scrolls fans all over the world were delighted when Bethesda's Todd Howard used the spotlight of E3 2018 to confirm that the studio is working on a new instalment in the series, currently known only as The Elder Scrolls 6. 

Since this initial announcement, we haven't heard much about the game. There was no appearance at E3 2019 and Bethesda has been quite clear that it won't be talking about it before it's ready to do so. But we're not going to let that stop us thinking about what the future holds for Elder Scrolls.  

Now that the question over whether or not the game will actually be happening has been answered, we're turning our minds to other questions like where it might be set and, more importantly, when we might finally get to play it. 

In our excitement, we've scoured the web to find and assess all the latest news and rumors about The Elder Scrolls 6 and collected it all here in this handy guide so that you can stay up to date. We'll be updating regularly as news comes in so make sure you keep checking back. 

[Update: Some recent job listings have led fans to believe that The Elder Scrolls 6 could soon be going into full production. Read on to find out more.]

Cut to the chase

  • What is it? The highly anticipated sequel to the Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
  • When can I play it? Not anytime soon
  • What can I play it on? PC is a safe bet. We're assuming PS5 and Xbox Series X

Elder Scrolls 6 release date – when can I play it?

We might as well get the bad news out of the way first – you’re not likely to be playing The Elder Scrolls 6 any time soon. The good news, however, is that it’s been confirmed you will be able to...eventually. 

The game was confirmed during Bethesda's E3 2018 conference but nothing more than a logo was given. We don't even have a subtitle or a release year. Todd Howard said that the game will be coming after Starfield, the company's next big IP. But given Starfield is coming in 2020 at the very earliest, Elder Scrolls 6 could still be years away. At the very least, we know this likely means the game will be released on the next generation PS5 and Xbox Series X consoles. 

The Elder Scrolls 6

Elder Scrolls 6 trailer – when can I watch it?

The only footage we have of Elder Scrolls 6 is a very short clip of the game's logo. Other than that, you might be waiting a while to see more. 

Here's the announcement trailer:

Elder Scrolls 6 news and rumors

Job Listings

Some recent job listings for Bethesda Game Studios have led to rumors that work on Starfield could be wrapping up and that The Elder Scrolls 6 could be heading into full production soon. 

First spotted by a Reddit user, a job listing for Gameplay Programmers at the studio calls for "talented programmers to join our team that is pushing the bleeding-edge of RPG development for the PC and consoles". As part of the team they'll "Collaborate on the implementation of new gameplay features: player and characters’ behaviors, combat and powers mechanics, user interface, etc."

While there's no mention of The Elder Scrolls in this listing, it does seem to be a recruitment call for something in its early stages, rather than a project that's been underway for a while like Starfield. 

Adding fuel to the fire, there's also a listing for a Video Editor on the Bethesda site which some have taken as a sign that work on Starfield is in its final stages and that the developer will soon be looking to create video marketing material such as trailers. 

Of course, at the moment all of this is just rumor given Bethesda has said nothing about the development state of either game but with the next generation fast approaching we hope to hear more information soon. 

Skyrim Grandma

We already know that Skyrim Grandma, also known as Shirley Curry, will be coming to The Elder Scrolls 6 as an NPC. But it looks like she'll be brought into The Elder Scrolls V, her namesake game, first thanks to a new mod. The mod, due early this year, will make Shirley a follower in Skyrim with unique commentary and interactions and the plan is that down the line she'll have her very own quest. It'll even have Shirley's voice as she worked with the creators of the mod. You can get a look at the mod itself in its teaser trailer. The creators are aiming for an Xbox release for both the classic and special editions of Skyrim. 

Don't hold your breath for The Elder Scrolls 6 – Starfield is Bethesda's focus
If you were disappointed to hear that neither game made an appearance at E3 2019 then we've got some more bad news for you: it could be years before we see a Skyrim successor.

The news comes from an interview with Bethesda Game studios executive producer Tom Howard, speaking to IGN, who warned "I think everyone should be very patient" when asked about an Elder Scrolls release date.

"The gap in between [Elder Scrolls games] is going to be long, It already is," continued Howard.

"On one hand, I think it's good to miss things. I think that makes people come to it with really, really fresh eyes, and I think when they eventually—eventually—see the game and what we have in mind, they'll understand the gap more in terms of technology and what we want it to do."

The Redfall trademark dispute has been resolved
ZeniMax Media's dispute with Bookbreeze over the trademark of Redfall has now been resolved. Bethesda's parent company had attempted to trademark the name back in 2018 leading fans to believe that The Elder Scrolls 6 could finally have a name. Redfall is also, however, the name of a science fiction series published by Bookbreeze so the claim was naturally contested in February 2019.

The resolution is reported (via Gamasutra) as being amicable and "mutually beneficial" for both parties but it remains confidential. If Redfall is to be a focus for The Elder Scrolls 6, which isn't confirmed, progress can now continue to the relief of anxious fans.

Elder Scrolls 6 didn't appear at E3 2019
Although Elder Scrolls 6 was a big highlight of E3 2018, it didn't make any kind of appearance at Bethesda’s E3 2019 conference. During a PAX East Panel celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Elder Scrolls franchise, when asked about Elder Scrolls 6 and some of the new tech being used in its development, Todd Howard said that Bethesda's highly anticipated titles Elder Scrolls 6 and Starfield (which is slated for release first) are "going to be a long time! It’s not something we’re going to be talking about, either of those games, at E3 this year, and so patience, please”. 

Photogrammetry technology will be used
In that 25th anniversary panel which dashed the E3 dreams of so many, Bethesda did at the very least give fans a glimpse of some of the technology that will be used in the development of The Elder Scrolls 6. We got a peek at the use of photogrammetry which involves scanning real-life objects and environments to bring them into the game in detailed 3D. The technology will make its first outing in Starfield before the latest iteration is used for Elder Scrolls. 

Skyrim Grandma will be making an appearance
Speaking of photogrammetry, beloved YouTube star and Skyrim player Shirley Curry, known as Skyrim Grandma by her fans, announced on Twitter that she’ll be making an appearance in the Elder Scrolls 6. In the above 25th Anniversary video we even got a glimpse of what could well be her character being created using the latest photogrammetry technology.

Elder Scrolls VI goes official
Bethesda is a busy studio: not only is it working on a brand new IP, Starfield, it's also continuing to develop for Elder Scrolls Online and it's taking on the long commitment of Fallout 76. And that's only in its main RPG franchises. It's still got plenty going on elsewhere with mobile games, Dishonored, Prey and others.

Thanks to Todd Howard, we know Bethesda is working on two huge new titles simultaneously, though their developments are staggered. 

We now know that one of them is the Elder Scrolls 6.

Having returned to Skyrim after some time away, Howard compared it to seeing an old friend from high school, adding that the time away had given him the chance to see Skyrim as a gamer for the first time. 

This, to us, would be the perfect time to start applying this new perspective to the next title in the series. 

At the very least we can say we know it won’t just be called Elder Scrolls 6. There’s going to be a colon and another word to round the title off if previous releases are anything to go by. 

The Elder Scrolls 6

Where will Elder Scrolls 6 be set?

We’re willing to bet that like all the other games in the series The Elder Scrolls 6 is going to be set in the continent of Tamriel, the map of which is below.

The Elder Scrolls 6

Previous games have taken us to Highrock, Hammerfell, Morrowind, Cyrodil, and Skyrim. Valenwood, Elsweyr and Black Marsh are the biggest places left to explore. Though there’s still much of Morrowind left to explore, we imagine much of that will be covered in the upcoming Elder Scrolls Online title. 

So, Valenwood, Elsweyr or Black Marsh. Which looks most likely? Rumors online are heavily pointing towards Black Marsh, the home of the world’s reptilian Argonian race. 

There isn’t actually any solid reason for this rumor, but its swampy marshlands and network of islands would make for an interesting geographic change for the series, though it’s a geography that would leave itself open to comparison with the Witcher 3.  It’s probably the region of Tamriel that we know the least about so Bethesda would have plenty of room to be creative.

That said, Elsweyr would also be an interesting geography change with its dry plains and harsh badlands that the Khajit call home. 

It would certainly be nice to find out more about the culture of either the Khajit or the Argonians so both of these extremely different settings have an understandable appeal to fans.

There is, however, weight to a rumor that Elder Scrolls 6 could be set in Valenwood. Valenwood is the home of the Bosmer and it’s an area of Tamriel that Bethesda hasn’t explored much. 

The Elder Scrolls 6

The rumor that the game will be set here is based on a reported internal Bethesda memo from all the way back in 2014. In this memo, Bethesda employees were reportedly wanted against using the terms Fallout: Nuka World, Elder Scrolls VI or Project Greenheart.

Though it was initially believed to be a fake, Fallout: Nuka World ended up being a big DLC release for Fallout 4 which gives slightly more weight to rumor that Project Greenheart is in fact the codename for the next Elder Scrolls title. The fact that Greenheart is a city in the verdant region of Valenwood makes this even more interesting. 

Forest and jungle settings are hard to get right in games and it’d be really interesting to see Bethesda get creative with the part of Tamriel that’s said to have rejected civilization and embraced the wilderness. 

It's hard to tell from the short E3 clip we have of the game but our first impression is that the game world looks a lot more like Valenwood or Elsweyr than Black Marsh.

In an interview with Eurogamer, Todd Howard confirmed the team has settled on the location - but he won't tell us where yet. 

What features can we expect?

Homebuilding
A feature that we’re fairly certain will be included in the game to some degree is house building or town creation. Skyrim introduced the idea of designing and maintaining a homestead with its Hearthfire DLC, which Fallout 4 expanded upon with the introduction of its settlement mechanic and the Elder Scrolls online built upon again with its Homestead DLC. This leads neatly into a further expansion of such features in the next Elder Scrolls title as it felt not-quite-finished in Fallout. 

It would be a feature that would actually fit in particularly well with the rumored Valenwood setting, if it involved the player adapting to the wilderness in the way the resident Bosmer have with their treetop cities. In a similar way the player used debris and junk to craft their settlement in Fallout, they could use their natural environment to do so in Elder Scrolls in a nice contrast.

The Elder Scrolls 6

A whole new story
In an interview with Gamespot, Todd Howard said that Bethesda is looking into how exactly it tells stories in its games.

Howard noted that Skyrim and Fallout 4 take slightly different approaches to stories, with Skyrim leaving things more open to the player’s vision and Fallout guiding them more firmly through a story

Now he says the studio are looking how to “tell a better story in an open world.”  He said “each of our games we've had successes and failures and if you ask us internally, we have new ideas that we want to explore in the future because we feel like we haven't really cracked it yet the way we think it could be.”

Being aware of the differences between Skyrim and Fallout’s approaches to storytelling and the fact that both have positives and negatives suggests that the next Elder Scrolls title could strike some kind of balance between giving the player completely free reign and telling a story around their character. 

It’s hard to deny that The Witcher 3 has had a massive impact on what players expect in terms of including an engaging story in an open world game. 

Though we don’t in any way want Bethesda to just churn out a Witcher copy (we’re not sure it’d be possible anyway) it does put a certain amount of pressure on Bethesda when it comes to achieving high-quality environmental and quest-based story telling. 

Something we don’t expect to see, though, is multiplayer. Skyrim certainly doesn’t suffer from a lack of multiplayer and it wouldn’t really make all that much sense to incorporate any online multiplayer gameplay with the Elder Scrolls Online still rolling along. 

The Elder Scrolls 6

Virtual reality
It's not a certainty by any means but the fact that Bethesda released a full VR experience for Skyrim means it's not out of the question down the line if not immediately.

What would we like to see?

The Elder Scrolls 6

Well, something we’d like to see and fully expect to see is improved graphics and reduced bugginess. The remastered version of Skyrim showed just how far things have come visually since the game’s first release so we fully expect any title following on from it to be of that standard if not much higher, depending on how far away the game is.

There’s actually a fairly good chance that the game could be created using an entirely new game engine – after it created an entirely new engine for Skyrim we don’t think it’s unlikely Bethesda will do the same for Elder Scrolls 6 and any Fallout sequels. 

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

Best PlayStation VR games: the best PSVR games around

Posted: 22 Jan 2020 11:18 AM PST

The PlayStation VR is Sony's virtual reality (VR) headset. Unlike the Oculus Quest, Rift or HTC Vive, it can't run on its own or with a PC - you need a PS4 console to get it to work. And to get the most out of this popular headset, you need the best PSVR games.

As the PlayStation VR has proved to be such a mainstream hit, it should come as no surprise that developers have been busy building great games for users to try out. 

Over the past three years, we've seen a lot of the best VR games, including those not originally intended for the Sony console, get reconfigured for the PSVR. On top of that, the PSVR has been getting its own range of exclusive gaming titles and the hot new VR games don't show any signs of slowing down. 

In our quest to find the best games you can play with the PlayStation VR, we've searched high and low through the PSVR's three-year-old catalogue. We've scoured it for hidden gems like Moss and Statik, as well as big-budget titles, like Skyrim VR and Astro Bot: Rescue Mission.

We’re here to help with our recommendations of some of the best PSVR games around at the moment across a wide range of genres. 

So whether you want to know what it feels like to be Batman or want to travel to a war-torn alien planet, or even face mortal dread with the most engrossing Resident Evil experience around, there’s something for you in PSVR.

UPDATE: At CES 2020, Sony announced at its press conference that the company has now sold more than 5 million PS VR units. Although it's hard to say how impressive that really is, it does show there is a strong market for VR - which should put those "is VR dead?" opinion pieces to rest. It's alive and well.

In other PS VR news, we've daydreamed about what it would be like to have a PSVR 2: the five things we want to see from Sony's next VR headset.

Developer: Cortopia

Price? £16.99 / $21.88 / AU$31.92

Does it require Move controllers? No (but it obviously works better with them)

The latest addition to our PSVR games list is Wands. This first-person VR game is all about fantastical and magical duels with, you guessed it, awesome wands that are capable of casting spells. The aim of the game is to have a number of magic-wielding showdowns with opponents that are one-on-one duels. There are a range of wands to choose from, as well as a selection of battle arenas. So it's like a magical beat-em-up that, thanks to the VR element, allows you to really feel what it's like to wield otherworldly power.

Developer: Gearbox

Price: $49.99/£39.99

Does it require Move controllers? No

First person shooting meets Diablo-style loot hunting in the Borderlands games, and the superb Borderlands 2 VR now brings virtual reality action into the mix, too.

Sci-fi treasure hunters in a Mad Max world, Borderlands 2 in VR takes the frantic action of the original games to a whole other level by putting you right into the center of its colorfully violent world. You'll collect countless unique weapons, battle waves of bizarre foes and explore a land as mad as its shooting action is varied.

What could have been a nauseating puke-fest in virtual reality has actually been adapted with aplomb here. Whether you're playing with a DualShock controller or Move wands, the game offers ample options to make the game suit your comfort level, from full locomotion through to teleportation and peripheral vision hazing. A lengthy adventure that's well worth a look, even if you've mastered it on a flatscreen previously.

Developer: Japan Studio

Price: $39.99/£24.99

Does it require Move controllers? No

If you own a PlayStation VR headset (which, if you're reading this, we're guessing you probably do) stop what you're doing, head over to your PS4, and buy Astro Bot: Rescue Mission. If the PlayStation VR was awaiting a killer title, it now unarguably has one. Astro Bot: Rescue Mission isn't just a great VR platformer, it's a great platforming game full stop.

Full of the kind of inventiveness we've come to only expect from Nintendo's Mario series, Astro Bot: Rescue Mission plays with the VR format with such wild imagination, it makes other efforts look lazy. Weaving levels all around the player, and using scale to both disarm and delight your expectations, it's quite unlike anything you'll have ever played before.

Developer: Hello Games

Price: $19.99/£19.99

Does it require Move controllers? No.

No Man's Sky has been available for a few years now, but its most recent Beyond update added No Man's Sky VR - which from the name is likely pretty self-explanatory. This isn't some virtual reality focused addendum to the existing game though - this is the entirety of No Man's Sky playable in VR, and is compatible with existing saves made before the update too. 

That means you can go from a planet's surface, into your ship, to the Nexus and back again all within VR. You'll also be able to interact with non-VR players on your chosen platform.

Excitingly, controls have been tweaked too. You can play with a controller, or use a PlayStation Move controller as your ship's throttle. It changes the game entirely.

Developer: Monstars Inc. and Resonair

Price: $39.99/£34.99

Does it require Move controllers? No.

It's hard to put the Tetris Effect experience into words. Essentially you play regular games of Tetris, except that the environments you're playing in change. Each level has its own distinct flavor - with music and visuals tailored to its theme. For example, you can play an underwater level and you will hear soothing underwater noises, while sparkling, whales float around your head. 

It's a psychedelic and hypnotic experience, and one that everyone should have the privilege to play.

Developer: Vertigo Games

Price: $39.99/£32.99

Does it require Move controllers? No, but recommended

Resident Evil 7 isn’t the only great VR zombie game, as Arizona Sunshine has proved by mixing a bit of humor with a whole lot of zombies. The game throws players into the arid Southwest of the United States, an area overrun with zombies. It’s lonely out there, but there’s hope on the horizon of other humans that haven’t been infected.

Arizona sunshine offers a variety of zombies, some tougher than others, and a host of weapons to help put them down. The campaign can be played in co-op, and there’s also a multiplayer Horde mode. An essential PSVR game for fans of the undead.

Developer: Schell Games LLC

Price: £19.99/$24.99

Does it require Move controllers?: No, but with so many things you can interact with, the Move controllers will offer a lot of extra freedom.

The fantastic I Expect You to Die will have you feeling like a classy Cold War-era spy, like James Bond as played by Sean Connery or Roger Moore, not Daniel Craig. The game puts you into the role of a special agent tasked with getting yourself out of exceedingly sticky situations, all without moving from your seat.

It makes excellent use of VR, as you can pick up and play with objects all over your environment, whether or not doing so actually helps you complete your objective. 

There are several levels (with the potential of the developer adding more later, as has already been done), and each sets you in a unique environment that plays out much like an escape room. You’re faced with a series of puzzles, and your actions will determine whether you live or die. 

The puzzles are great, and many can be solved multiple ways, lending the game some replayability. This is also a fun one to watch your friends try, as you’ll enjoy the shock on their faces when they encounter traps, such as a cabinet full of hand grenades.

Developer: Ployarc

Price: $30/£25

Will it require Move controllers? No

A family-friendly VR adventure, Moss offers the immersion of a virtual reality experience with the fun of a platformer and sense of wonder of a Zelda game. 

Developed by a team made up in part of former Bungie employees, you'll direct an intrepid, sword-wielding rodent through forests and ruins, guiding her through enemy filled rooms while taking direct control of environmental elements to solve puzzles.

It's the perfect use of VR from a third-person perspective, giving you dual control over a hero avatar and as an omnipotent influence on her surroundings. It makes great use of perspective too, with a 'Honey I Shrunk the Kids' look at a world from a mouse's scale. Definitely one to play on your PlayStation VR.

Developer: Survios

Price: £19.99/$29.99

Does it require Move controllers?: Yes

Some people might have an impression of VR players slowly sinking into their couch as their virtual body flourishes and their real world body withers away. That couldn’t be further from the truth for players of Sprint Vector. 

This game is like Mario Kart meets Jet Set Radio, as players are thrust into a cartoonish world where they have to race against other players on sci-fi roller blades.

The key to the movement is players swinging their real-world arms back and forth in a running motion. No motion in the real world means no motion in the game. And, to get going fast, you really need to hustle. This game is as much a workout as any game from the Wii generation, so don’t be surprised if you break a sweat and get a bit of cardio in playing Sprint Vector on your PSVR.

But it’s not just a work. It’s also fun, as a goofy announcer keeps everything lighthearted even while racers try sabotaging one another with a handy arsenal of weapons.

Developer: SUPERHOT Team

Price: £19.99/$24.99

Does it require Move controllers?: Yes, though a non-VR version of the game is also available and truly excellent.

It’s always a delight when a game developer takes a tried-and-true genre and introduces a new gameplay mechanic that flips it on its head. That was the case when SUPERHOT was released, as the first-person shooter was slowed way, way down. 

In the game, time only moves when the player moves, and that can make for some fantastic Matrix-esque moments. All of that gameplay has translated excellently into virtual reality with SUPERHOT VR. 

You’re plopped right into the middle of truly precarious situations, such as standing empty-handed before three enemies with shotguns who have you dead-to-rights, with only your wits and time on your side. 

While the story only takes a couple hours to play through, there’s plenty of replayability in SUPERHOT VR, as you can try to play through different ways, or take on challenge modes. It’s also a great VR party game, as players can swap in and out to show off their moves. Pick it up for your PlayStation VR today.

Developer: Red Storm Entertainment

Price: £39.99/$49.99

Does it require Move controllers?: No – Star Trek: Bridge Crew can actually be played fully outside of VR by those who do not have PSVR or occasionally want to stay in the real world, but the most immersive experience is naturally had in VR.

Star Trek: Bridge Crew puts Star Trek fans right where they’ve always wanted to be: on the bridge of a Federation starship, or even in the captain’s seat. But it doesn’t put you there alone. 

This is actually a multiplayer, cross-platform game. Players on PSVR, Oculus Rift and HTC Vive can all play together, and as we've said, even non-VR players can join in.

Each player has a role to play, specifically Captain, Helm, Tactical or Engineer. A crew of four can take on the story mission of finding a new home world for the Vulcan population, or procedurally generated missions can offer endless playability.  

If you want to explore space with a few friends but can’t wait for Elon Musk to make it happen, Star Trek: Bridge Crew is a great alternative. As a bonus, the game is often on sale, so you may not have to pay full price.

Developer: Bethesda Game Studios

Price: £49.99/$49.99

Does it require Move controllers? No. DualShock controllers give a more comfortable, familiar control system for what's quite a complex game, but Move motion controllers let you swing a sword, and there's no arguing that that's not cool.

You've played Skyrim, right? The benchmark for open world gaming for so long, it's been hard to ignore, a cultural phenomenon of sorts. The RPG has now been reworked for Sony's PSVR headset, and, while not perfect, it's well worth experiencing.

There's nothing quite like the scale of Skyrim in VR, with 100s of hours of RPG gaming letting you explore a huge map filled with secrets, quests and dragons to fell. Whether standing at the foot of a mountain or going toe-to-toe with a troll, the presence VR adds to the world is superb. Even if you've played through the game multiple times, it's still something quite special to actually be standing in Solitude, or climbing the steps of Bleak Falls Barrow with your own two feet.

However, while the world remains superb, the transition to VR hasn't been perfect. Move-controller sword swinging feels clumsy, menu navigation is a chore, locomotion can be tricky to master and many visual compromises have been made to meet the demands of VR visuals. For anyone that's played a more recent remaster of Skyrim, it'll feel a bit more rough and ready than you're used to.

Leave your expectations at the door though, and it's a unique return to Bethesda's still-excellent core game, with some new bells and whistles thrown in.

Developer: Polyphony Digital

Price: £44.99/$69.99

Does it require Move controllers? No, but getting a racing wheel elevates the experience.

It's the daddy of racing sims, so it's fitting that Gran Turismo Sport, the franchise's first foray on the PS4, should embrace that most immersive of console peripherals – the PlayStation VR headset.

You'll get in the cockpit of a huge selection of beautifully realised vehicles, each modelled exactly as they appear in real life, before taking them out onto the circuit for head-to-head races.

A side-helping to the brilliant main Gran Turismo Sport game, the VR mode has still been obviously meticulously crafted, with a discreet in-game HUD, useful mirrors and some fine-stitched racing gloves sitting over your digital hands. It makes an already drool-worthy racer extra tempting, and is a must-have for PSVR owners. 

Developer: SIEA/Impulse Gear

Price: £49.99/$49.99 OR £74.99/$79.99 with PS VR Aim

Does it require Move controllers? No, but it's better with the PS VR Aim add-on.

Like sci-fi? Love shooters? Laugh in the face of super-gross giant space spiders? Then PlayStation VR's Farpoint is for you. 

The PSVR exclusive sees you shooting your way through alien environments in glorious VR, and makes use of Sony's gun controller to let you realistically aim at your extra-terrestrial foes. You can dodge and duck behind cover to avoid incoming fire, and while the game follows a fairly linear path, you're free to explore the levels at your leisure. Despite giving you free control over the movement of your character, Farpoint somehow manages to avoid the motion sickness issues that have plagued similar titles.

We had a blast with Farpoint. Though short at six-or-so hours of single player story mode to complete, its multiplayer mode gives it some extra replayability, as does the pinpoint-accuracy of its visceral gunplay. For more on the game, read our Farpoint verdict here.

Developer: Capcom

Price: $60/£50

Does it require Move controllers? No.

Resident Evil 7 is a bit of an anomaly on this list: this entry in the long-running horror series takes the experience into first person for the first time, but, more impressively, can be played in its 18 hour entirety in VR. 

This means that the game is one of the longest PlayStation VR experiences available right now, but you'll need a lot of courage to make it through the game this way, since by all accounts Resident Evil 7 is one scary game – especially in virtual reality. 

However, if you're able to stomach the scares you'll be rewarded with one of the finest horror games of this generation, and a true return to form for the Resident Evil series.  

Developer: Criterion / DICE

Price: Free (if you own Battlefront)

Does it require Move controllers? No.

It may only last 20 minutes, but what a fantastic third of an hour it is. Star Wars Battlefront's X-Wing VR mission, even as an extended tech demo, is a perfect example of what VR is capable of. Putting you right in the cockpit of a lovingly modelled X-Wing fighter, it transports you directly into a key element of the Star Wars universe.

Handling like a dream as you dart between asteroids and take on a fleet of Tie Fighters, and you'll get all the feels when John Williams' iconic score begins to swell. Put this near the top of your shortlist for the best PlayStation VR games.

Developer: Tarsier Studios

Price: $19.99/£15.99

Does it require Move controllers? No.

Statik, by Little Nightmare developers Tarsier Studios, is one of the cleverest VR games out there. 

It sounds simple enough. Each level sees you play as a research participant who wakes up with their hands trapped inside various different contraptions. 

Each button on the controller seems to do something on the device, but it's never really clear what. You'll have to experiment with trial and error to escape from each of these contraptions, and the puzzles get fiendishly difficult. 

But what's really impressive is how the game plays into the constraints of the PlayStation VR when used with a DualShock controller. It's camera isn't good at tracking over large distances, so the game has you sitting in a chair. The fact that you're using a controller makes you feel as though your hands really are trapped inside a box, even if you can move your hands freely in the real world. 

Statik is a game that's great at showing off the simpler pleasures of VR, and it's easy to get completely absorbed in its puzzles. 

Developer: Monstars + Enhance Games

Price: $30/£25

Does it require Move controllers? No.

Who’d have guessed that a 15 year old Dreamcast game would turn out to be one of the killer apps for Sony’s PlayStation VR headset? The second time that the classic shooter has been updated, Rez Infinite adds VR head tracking into the mix, putting you at the center of its Tron-like wireframe soundscapes.

It’s always been a game that lets you “get in the zone”, but with VR head tracking, Rez Infinite becomes almost hypnotic. With an ace, pulsing trance soundtrack that builds to a thumping crescendo as you shoot down polygonal enemies, you find yourself fully immersed in the futuristic landscape as it zips past your floating avatar.

With an insane sense of speed and spot on head-tracking enemy targeting, it’s easy to completely lose track of reality whilst playing Rez Infinite, and it’ll be hard to stop yourself dancing along to the grooves your shots produce. Packing in all the additional content of the earlier HD re-release of Rez, it’s still a relatively short VR experience at just around an hour long. 

But, like a good album, it’s something you’ll want to dive into again and again. Just be careful that you don’t do a “Jeff Bridges in Tron” and find yourself so hooked that you’ll never want to leave.

Developer: Rocksteady Studios

Price: $20/£16

Does it require Move controllers? Yes.

Batman: Arkham VR is probably the best introduction to PlayStation VR as a platform. While there isn’t a ton of gameplay in the traditional sense, it’s an amazing visual showcase that demonstrates the power of the platform. 

The opening sequence of the game draws you into in by leading you from the top floor of Wayne Manor down to the basement wherein you suit up as the Batman for the first time. 

What you’re paying for here are the vistas and the incredible level of immersion as you solve crimes throughout Gotham and come face-to-horrifying-face with Batman’s greatest adversaries. 

There’s few things scarier than looking the Joker in his beady bright green eyes or standing mere inches away from Killer Croc, and Batman: Arkham VR is one of the only experiences in the world that offer just that.

Developer: London Studio

Price: $40/£30

Does it require Move controllers? Yes.

There’s a vast majority of gamers out there who are going to get PlayStation VR Worlds without ever heading to the store to pick it up. Sony’s decision to include it in the PlayStation VR Launch Day Bundle was, in many ways, one of the most brilliant decisions the company made with its VR headset. On the disc you’ll find a number of short, self-contained experiences that demo polished game ideas that could one day be expanded into full titles. The standout titles include Danger Ball, The London Heist and Scavengers Odyssey, but the remaining games – Ocean Descent and VR Luge – aren’t all that bad, either. 

There’s a reason Sony picked PlayStation VR Worlds to be packaged with every Launch Day bundle – it’s probably the best title to use to ease friends and family into virtual reality, rather than tossing them into the deep-end with a game like Thumper. The demos here can be a bit overwhelming at times – I’m looking in your direction, VR Luge – but if they’re feeling the motion sickness you can always bring them back to something like Danger Ball or Ocean Descent to get them back on their feet.

Developer: Rebellion

Price: $50/£50

Does it require Move controllers? No.

Chances are, the original Battlezone might have passed you by if you're under 40 – Atari's 1980 arcade game doesn't quite hold the same iconic status as Pong. However, it's generally considered to be the very first VR game, which is why British developer Rebellion bought the rights from Atari so that it could remake it for modern VR headsets. 

The result is one of the best VR experiences we've had to date. The gameplay is fun (think a futuristic take on World of Tanks), but it's the striking-but-simple graphics that are the key to the overall enjoyment. There’s two main modes here – offline campaign and online multiplayer. While we didn’t have time to try it with a bunch of buddies online, the offline campaign mode feels pretty well fleshed out. There’s quite a number of tanks to pick from and unlock and while gameplay can err on the repetitive side, it’s enough to lock you in for a few hours at a time.

While a lot of VR games try to go as realistic as possible, Battlezone's Tron-like game world is incredibly absorbing, and better yet it’s one of the few titles on the platform you'll be able to enjoy alongside your friends thanks to the game's inclusion of co-operative play.

Developer: Sony

Price: Free

Does it require Move controllers? No.

Even the coldest of hearts will be melted by The Playroom. The game’s cast is comprised of little robots who are tossed into peculiar, fun and even Mario-esque situations for your amusement. If I’m being totally honest, the whole game looks and plays like a Mario Party game and is perfect for larger crowds. 

In one mini-game, the player with the VR headset is a monster, while four players using a TV and DualShock 4 controllers try to avoid the debris he throws at them. In another, one player wearing the headset is tasked with sucking up ghosts from a haunted house while players outside of virtual reality locate the spectres and shout directions on where to shoot. There are also toybox demos where you just look into a miniature house and observe the droids as they go to the gym, go swimming, watch TV and so forth. 

But honestly the best part of Sony’s The Playroom VR is its price – it’s free to download, which makes it one of the best bargains anywhere on the PlayStation Store.

Developer: kokoromi

Price: $30

Does it require Move controllers? No.

 SUPERHYPERCUBE is a legitimately fun game, like not “by VR’s standards” fun, but real honest fun. The goal here is to rotate blocks to get them to fit through an opening of a certain size and shape. Sneak the piece through and you’re rewarded with another block that will then create the next puzzle a bit harder. If you can’t, the blocks that can’t fit through the opening jettison off your cube and you start from square one. 

Where SUPERHYPERCUBE went right is that it didn’t try to do anything complex – like Tetris, Candy Crush and Breakout! the idea here is simple: don’t mess up. But the simple idea is enhanced by the perspective provided by VR – by allowing you to look at your floating cube from every angle you appreciate the times you solve the puzzle and simply laugh when it doesn’t work out. 

The only things SUPERHYPERCUBE is missing are a killer soundtrack and a few more modes to pad out the solve-it-or-start-over gameplay. A mode where you start with a cube comprised of 40 blocks or shaped like various mundane objects would’ve gone a long way to making it feel like a more complete, robust experience. Still, all that aside, it’s worth picking up.

Developer: Uber Entertainment

Price: $20/£15

Does it require Move controllers? Yes.

If you’ve been looking for PlayStation VR’s sleeper hit, Wayward Sky is it. An isometric puzzle game that’s aimed at younger gamers, Wayward Sky has you solving puzzles to reunite a young female pilot with her father. At times heartfelt and funny, other times heart-achingly sad, Wayward Sky is a rather emotional journey. 

Setting emotions aside for a minute, the game may not do the best of jobs leveraging virtual reality’s new perspective, but the few times it does – usually when operating a piece of machinery – are effective at making you feel more immersed.

That said, it can be tough to tell who the game is targeting. While kids would make the most sense given the game’s lighter atmosphere and sometimes overly simple puzzle mechanics, Sony doesn’t recommend children under the age of 12 use its virtual reality headset. So unless you’re willing to fly in the face of Sony’s warning – or embark on the journey yourself while a little one watches along on the TV – you might need to skip past this patch of sky. 

Developer: Steel Crate Games

Price: $15/£12

Does it require Move controllers? No.

Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes doesn’t sound like much fun on paper. While one person puts on a headset to look at an overly detailed bomb in a nondescript room, the other player uses the TV screen to read a dense direction manual on how which wires to cut and buttons to push to make sure you get to the next level. But underneath its seemingly boring exterior lies a tremendously fun exercise in teamwork, communication and sometimes sheer dumb luck as you make last-minute decisions to stop a bomb from going off.  

Levels that start off easy – usually with two or three puzzles to solve and a few minutes to solve them – have a tendency to escalate quickly. Part of the game’s charm is that whenever you start feeling good about your skills as either a decoder or disarmer, something else comes up that ruins your day. In that way it’s fun trying to stay calm under pressure and getting a laugh when it all, inevitably, blows up in your face.

Developer: Drool

Price: $20/£16

Does it require Move controllers? No.

Never have the words “Rhythm Hell” been a more apt description for a game. Thumper pushes you by sending wave after wave of obstacles your way that require button combinations set to a certain beat. If the flashing lightshow isn’t enough, the game’s aesthetics and boss battles are like something set out of Dante’s Inferno: hellish visages of what life in the afterlife might look like for all the naughtiest gamers. 

While the music in Thumper is never totally recognizable, it’s instantly catchy causing you to bob your head to the beat and curse loudly when the game sets aside all care for your emotions and just throws everything and the kitchen sink at you all at once.

Thumper is, admittedly, a bit on the intense side visually – so it’s probably not the best thing to show off to mom and dad or little ones. But if you’ve gone through Rez Infinite and you’re looking for a musically inspired hellscape, Thumper should be the next game on your list.

Developer: Supermassive Games

Price: $20/£15

Does it require Move controllers? Yes.

One of our favorite aspects of PlayStation VR is just how many different genres of games it has. DriveClub in VR will satiate racing game fans' need for speed, while GNOG will put fans of puzzle games face-to-face with a dozens of colorful enigmas to solve. 

Unlike either of those, Until Dawn: Rush of Blood joins Resident Evil 7 in being one of PlayStation VR's first forays into the horror genre, one that straps you into a carnival-esque rollercoaster and sends you hurtling through of funhouse of horrors. 

While the controls are fairly limited – basically shoot anything and everything that moves – the real "fun" to be had in Rush of Blood comes from tumbling from one jump scare to the next with a deathgrip on both the controller and your bladder. 

Trust me kids, nothing is scarier than almost peeing your pants in a room full of your friends.

Developer: Double Fine Productions

Price: $20/£15

Does it require Move controllers? No.

If you're looking for a laugh while play testing your new PSVR, check out Psychonauts in the Rhombus of Ruin, a game written by the weird, twisted mind of Tim Schafer. While we've always loved the stuff Schafer has done, Rhombus of Ruin takes his writing to a new dimension. (Get it? Fine. We're not funny.) 

What you'll find here behind the clever jokes and Schafer's lovably strange humor is a straightforward puzzle game that can be played in just over an hour. The puzzles aren't exactly mind melting, and the experience might be a bit too short for the price of entry, but if you can't wait another minute for Psychonauts 2 or want a more laid-back experience while you're still learning the ropes of virtual reality, this is a trip to the inner psyche worth taking.

Developer: Sony London Studio

Price? £34.99 / $39.99 / AU$54.95

Does it require Move controllers? Yes.

After rocking the PlayStation VR launch with VR Worlds and its standout cockney-shooting gallery mode The Heist, Sony London Studio is following it up with a full-length dive into London's underworld.

In Blood and Truth you play as a former special forces operative exploring the murky world of London's criminal elite on a mission to save his family. Taking its cues from big-budget action movies, it wants to make you feel like the hero of your own film.

Sony London Studio again nails its VR gunplay, but it's the little details that make the game shine. As good looking as any game that's yet hit the PlayStation VR headset, Sony London Studio offers an intuitive world where partaking action movie tropes (like shooting at the feet of a tight-lipped informant unwilling to spill the beans), are rewarded just as you'd expect them to be. If you've got a PSVR headset, we think it should be top of your wishlist.

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

Saudi Arabia reportedly hacked Jeff Bezos' phone

Posted: 22 Jan 2020 10:46 AM PST

Amazon's CEO and founder Jeff Bezos reportedly had his mobile phone hacked back in 2018 after receiving a WhatsApp message sent from the personal account of the crown prince of Saudi Arabia.

Following digital forensic analysis, it is believed that the encrypted message sent from Mohammed bin Salman's phone number included a malicious file that was able to infiltrate Bezos' smartphone. The analysis found it “highly probable” that the hack was triggered by an infected video file sent from the crown prince to Bezos.

According to anonymous sources who spoke with The Guardian, the two were chatting over WhatsApp when the unsolicited file was sent in May of 2018.

Within hours, large amounts of data were exfiltrated from Bezos' smartphone according to a person familiar with the matter but it is still unclear as to what data was taken from the device or how it was used.

Potential backlash

The revelation that the future king of Saudi Arabia may have been personally involved in targeting the founder of Amazon could result in backlash from both Wall Street and Silicon Valley. If true, it could also undermine Mohammed bin Salman's efforts to bring more western investors to Saudi Arabia as part of his plan to economically transform the kingdom.

The examination of Bezos' phone by digital forensic experts began after the National Enquirer published intimate details about his private life last January. The CEO's security team then tried to uncover how his private texts were obtained by the publication.

American Media Inc (AMI), which owns the National Enquirer, says that it received the information regarding Bezos' affair with Lauren Sanchez from her estranged brother. However, the investigation by Bezos' own team found with “high confidence” that the Saudis had managed to “access” his phone and gain private information about him.

The evidence regarding the hack is also so compelling that investigators could be considering formally approaching Saudi Arabia to ask for an explanation.

Via The Guardian

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The 2020 Jeep Compass has a 4x4 snow mode that kept me from sliding into a ditch

Posted: 22 Jan 2020 10:00 AM PST

When technology works, it’s amazing and even life-altering. You wonder how you communicated without a smartphone, or how you connected with people before social media existed. With cars, there are safety features that can seem almost magical. The car takes over for you and performs and operation you might not be able to do yourself.

Case in point is the 2020 Jeep Compass Trailhawk 4x4 and the Selec-Terrain feature I tested recently. It’s designed to intelligently manage the drivetrain for you in certain conditions, such as muddy roads or snow and ice. I tested the Snow setting for an entire week because, in my area, the snow moved in for several days in blizzard-like conditions.

2020 Jeep Compass

This 4x4 crossover kept me centered on the road during an ice storm, even preventing the car from fish-tailing when I overcompensated. I was amazed at how the Compass Trailhawk intelligently managed power evenly to the tires even though I was fighting against the algorithms at times. According to the Jeep reps who told me about how Selec-Terrain works, the car automatically detects slippage on tires when you use Snow mode. The vehicle then provides more torque to the wheels that do have better grip on the road.

In real-time, it’s an interesting sensation. A passenger with me also felt the change – the car seems to take over slightly. What would normally happen – you’d fishtail and slide into the ditch – feels more like guardrails on the car that keep you straight. And, you don’t need to do anything differently other than keep driving and avoid overreacting.

2020 Jeep Compass

Another feature related to Snow mode is that the Jeep will use second gear when you first start out on the road, avoiding the temptation to punch it too fast and then spin out. This is similar to what happens in other vehicles by Infiniti and in other 4x4 vehicles.

The Electronic Stability Control (or ESC) also kicks in when you use Snow mode. This well-known and common feature will constantly watch for strange behavior, such as the potential to fishtail, and attempt to correct you quickly.

The road ahead

In the future, I’m expecting cars to go to the next step. We won’t need to select the drive mode anymore, but instead, the car will know it is snowing or know that the road is muddy or wet. This might be based on current weather conditions but more likely the car will use sensors to interpret the road conditions in real-time.

It’s not rocket science, actually. Today, windshield wipers can detect when it’s raining by monitoring for wetness. They use a beam that knows when there is water obstructing the view and can even measure the amount of water. If it’s a light rain that is barely noticeable, the wipers won’t activate.

In a similar way, road sensors could look for environment conditions on the road or take readings from the city or sensors on the road. Icy pavement on a country road? A future car would know it should activate Snow mode for the drivetrain. We’d be able to focus even more on driving and know that the car is adjusting itself on the fly.

Hopefully this sensor technology debuts soon.

2020 Jeep Compass

On The Road is TechRadar's regular look at the futuristic tech in today's hottest cars. John Brandon, a journalist who's been writing about cars for 12 years, puts a new car and its cutting-edge tech through the paces every week. One goal: To find out which new technologies will lead us to fully self-driving cars.

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VIZIO's 2020 TV lineup gets big audio upgrades

Posted: 22 Jan 2020 09:46 AM PST

We got up close and personal with VIZIO at CES 2020 where it announced the next generation of its SmartCast smart TV platform and a new range of soundbars (alongside a new lineup of TVs you can see here). 

SmartCast 4.0 improvements were pretty obvious, and VIZIO needs kudos for speeding up its top-level home screen experience. It's worth noting that VIZIO says to expect the SmartCast update on TVs dating all the way back to 2016.

The audio lineup has been overhauled for 2020, from improvements in industrial design to audio quality to branding. The highlight is the new high-end VIZIO Elevate Sound Bar. It's got Dolby Atmos and DTS:X. And it has speakers that rotate depending on the sound profile. It's a really cool thing to hear, and sort of space-age to see in practice. And the sound? Spectacular.

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Horizon Zero Dawn 2: everything we know about the rumored Horizon sequel

Posted: 22 Jan 2020 09:35 AM PST

With a next-generation PlayStation just around the corner, we can't help but think about the games we may see on the upcoming PS5. Will see some new IPs? Maybe the return of some beloved PlayStation classics? 

Sony has had huge success with its PS4 exclusives, particularly post-apocalyptic RPG Horizon Zero Dawn. Horizon Zero Dawn is one of the best-selling games on the PS4, selling over 10 million copies and cementing itself as a must-have title. So it would make perfect sense for Guerrilla Games to develop a sequel, right?

It seems that is exactly what's happening. While neither Sony nor Guerrilla Games have announced a Horizon Zero Dawn 2 is in the works, one of the game's voice actors spilled the beans last year and essentially confirmed a sequel is on the way. 

Guerrilla Games has since posted a job listing that seems to explicitly acknowledge the existence of Horizon Zero Dawn 2 and there's been a (possibly too good to be true) leak that suggests we'll be hearing about the sequel soon- so all signs seem to point to a second game being in development.

We've gathered together all the rumors and news surrounding Horizon Zero Dawn 2 for your perusal right here.

Horizon Zero Dawn 2 release date

Horizon Zero Dawn 2

Image credit: Guerrilla Games

Considering neither Sony nor Guerrilla Games has officially confirmed Horizon Zero Dawn 2 is in the works, it's hard to pin down when we'll actually see the sequel. What we do know for sure is it's probably not anytime soon.

We're expecting Horizon Zero Dawn 2 to either be a next-generation PlayStation title, which means we are likely to see it release alongside the PS5 (maybe even as a launch title) in late 2020. 

However, it's entirely possible that the sequel will release on PS4 sooner than that and be a cross-generation title, with a PS5 version releasing at a later date. But, we think this is unlikely.

Horizon Zero Dawn 2 news and rumors 

Horizon Zero Dawn 2

Image credit: Guerrilla Games

4Chan leak
A PS5 'leak' posted on 4Chan has has supposedly spilled a bunch of information on the PS5 reveal event which is expected to take place in February. The leak, which was reposted on Reddit, claims that the PS5 will be unveiled on February 5 at a PlayStation Meeting event for the media. Alongside the actual console's reveal, the leak also claims Sony will tease the new Horizon game at the event. 

However, it's worth taking this leak with a big ol' pinch of salt as 4Chan isn't the most reliable of sources but hopefully Sony will divulge more about Horizon Zero Dawn 2 in the coming months.

Job listing confirmation
Guerrilla Games seems to have confirmed previous rumors about Horizon Zero Dawn 2 via a new job listing. 

"Within Guerrilla, we have four teams dedicated to creating the stunning environments of Horizon. One team focuses on the creation of lush and stunning vegetation," reads the listing, which specifically aims to hire a Technical Vegetation Artist. 

The job, which is based in Amsterdam, Netherlands, seeks an applicant who will be able to "Help with the creation of vegetation assets that are used to dress the game world" and "Collaborate with other Guerrilla developers to meet the narrative, quest, and design requirements".

It seems the developer is explicitly acknowledging the existence of Horizon Zero Dawn 2.

Loose lips sink ships
Voice actor Janina Gavankar, who was behind the voice of Tatai in The Frozen Wilds DLC for Horizon Zero Dawn, let it slip that Guerrilla Games is working on the next game in the series.

In a video clip, taken during a Star Wars convention earlier this year, Gavankar says to a fan "wait 'til you see the sequel" and tells her "you're gonna die" when the Horizon Zero Dawn 2 finally gets its big reveal. This is the closest thing we've got to confirmation that a sequel is in the works.

A sequel makes sense
The original Horizon Zero Dawn has sold 10 million copies and is the most popular new franchise ever to launch on the PS4 - so it's almost certain that Guerrilla Games will release a sequel. 

PlayStation exclusive
Between the success of Horizon Zero Dawn and Aloy becoming a mascot of the PlayStation brand, we don't think Sony will be letting go of its exclusivity deal with Guerrilla Games. So we can expect a sequel to arrive on Sony consoles only - whether that's the PS4, PS4 Pro or PS5 currently remains to be seen.

Horizon Zero Dawn 2: what we want to see

Horizon Zero Dawn 2

Image credit: Guerrilla Games

Bring Aloy back
Though the end of Horizon Zero Dawn kind of wrapped Aloy's story up in a neat little bow, we would still like her to remain the protagonist. Luckily, it looks like she might. 

Speaking to GamesRadar in 2018, managing director of Guerrilla Games, Hermen Hulst, suggested that Aloy's story isn't quite finished yet. 

“She’s really uncovered some of the main mysteries in the world, but how do you feel when you finish the story?" Hulst said. "Are there questions that come up that you want to relive and answer for Aloy? It was not difficult for us to build the Frozen Wilds and tell that story through Aloy. The environments and the world that we’ve put together easily raise more questions.” 

New environments and tribes to uncover
We've seen grasslands, mountains and tundra, but we're hoping the sequel will take us somewhere new entirely – perhaps somewhere with desert dunes or long-lost cities. It would be great to see more of Horizon's post apocalyptic world and uncover some more history. In addition, we want to see more tribes with varying cultures and beliefs.

More DLC
Horizon Zero Dawn's: Frozen Wilds DLC added a hefty amount of content to the game post-launch, bringing players back by further fleshing out Horizon's world and characters. It's early days but we're hoping Guerrilla Games has DLC planned for the sequel that will shake things up.

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German government paying thousands to keep using Windows 7

Posted: 22 Jan 2020 09:32 AM PST

The German federal government will pay at least €800,000 ($886,000) to Microsoft this year in order to keep its remaining systems running Windows 7 updated and patched.

Now that Windows 7 has reached end of support (EoS), Microsoft will no longer provide free security updates and bug fixes for the operating system which is why Germany will pay such a large sum to keep over 33,000 government workstations still running Windows 7 secure.

Last year, the software giant announced a paid program for governments and enterprise partners named Windows 7 Extended Security Updates (ESU) that will provide paid access to Windows 7 security updates until January 10, 2023.

ESU updates cost between $25 and $200 per workstation depending on whether a company is running the Enterprise or Pro version of Windows 7 and the amount of time they'll need the updates for.

Extended security updates

Organizations that continue using Windows 7 without signing up for ESU are putting themselves at significant risk. Microsoft even went as far as to use fullscreen pop-ups to convince home users and small businesses to upgrade to the latest version of Windows.

The German government began the process of migrating to Windows 10 in 2018, according to a report from the German newspaper Handelsblatt. The publication also revealed that in Berlin alone, the local government runs 20,000 Windows 7 systems.

Unfortunately though, not all users are eligible for Microsoft's ESU program as the company has limited it to large clients and because of this, all other users should upgrade to Windows 10 as soon as possible.

The German government isn't the only one paying a large sum to have its remaining Windows 7 machines covered by the ESU program as a report has revealed that Ireland's Health Service Executive will pay €1.1m ($1.2m) in 2020 and 2021 for security updates for 46,000 computers.

Via ZDNet

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Dell laptop sale: the XPS 13 laptop gets a massive $969 price cut

Posted: 22 Jan 2020 09:29 AM PST

Dell is starting off the new year with incredible laptop deals that you can shop right now. For a limited time, you can get the Dell XPS 13 laptop on sale for $1,399.99 when you apply the coupon code LTXPS132AFF at checkout. That's a whopping $969 discount and a fantastic price for the top-rated 4K touch screen laptop.

The Dell XPS 13 laptop features a 13.3-inch 4K touch screen display and packs 16GB of RAM, 2TB SSD, and an 8th Generation Intel Core i7-8565U processor. The powerful laptop received an upgraded battery life of up to 21 hours, and the new 2.25mm webcam is now placed above the display. Perfect for students and travel, the lightweight XPS 13 is Dell's smallest 13-inch laptop and weighs just 2.7 pounds.

As we mentioned above, to receive this massive discount you must apply the coupon code LTXPS132AFF at checkout. We don't know how long Dell's offer is valid, so you should take advantage of this amazing deal before it's too late.

See more laptop sales with the best cheap laptop deals: prices start at just $129 today.

You can also see more of the best cheap Dell laptop deals and prices.

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Best laptops for engineering students in 2020

Posted: 22 Jan 2020 09:27 AM PST

Not just any powerful laptop can be the best laptop for engineering students, as surprising as that sounds. That’s because it’s not just power you want. For engineering students, you want an excellent combination of processing power, graphics prowess and affordable price.

In other words, the best laptops for engineering students must be powerful enough to handle all the complex applications and computational tasks, as well as rock the best graphics to tackle all the graphical needs of CAD, simulation and CAM software. And, much like the best student laptops, they must also be affordable – because engineering students have enough expenses to deal with without spending thousands of dollars on a laptop as well. Lastly, these laptops must be versatile enough for movie-watching, internet browsing and gaming post-schoolwork.

We gathered all the best laptops for engineering students, each of which we tested and reviewed ourselves. So you can spend less time doing research and more time working on your school projects.

Best laptops for engineering students at a glance:

  1. HP Spectre x360 15T (2019)
  2. ThinkPad X1 Extreme Mobile Workstation
  3. Razer Blade Pro
  4. Samsung Notebook 9 Pro
  5. Dell G3 15

HP Spectre x360 15T (2019)

HP Spectre x360 15T (2019) has the brains and brawn as well.

The HP Spectre x360 15-inch’s beauty isn’t only skin deep. HP fitted it with powerful Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050Ti graphics and an equally powerful processor, so that one of HP’s latest and greatest 2-in-1s has the brains and brawn as well. This makes it a capable machine and one of the best laptops for engineering students. It also has a beautiful and responsive 4K touchscreen display, and the optional HP Tilt Pen so you can create those 3D models like a pro.

Read the full review: HP Spectre x360 15T (2019)

ThinkPad X1 Extreme Mobile Workstation

Lenovo's ThinkPad X1 Extreme mobile workstation is the ultimate machine.

If you’re looking for a workhorse and you have the funds for it, then Lenovo’s ThinkPad X1 Extreme mobile workstation is the ultimate machine to shell out a lot of cash on. It has several configurations on hand, fitting different needs and budgets. But, at its most basic, it’s already pretty powerful, rocking a solid graphics card in a robust carbon-fiber and aluminum package that will survive any field work. There’s no doubt that this mobile workstation earned its spot in our best laptops for engineering students list.

Read the full review: ThinkPad X1 Extreme Mobile Workstation

Razer Blade Pro

Razer Blade Pro makes for an excellent mobile workstation for engineering.

Make no mistake: the Razer Blade Pro is a gaming laptop first and foremost. However, it also makes for an excellent mobile workstation for engineering. Yes, it is a tad expensive for students, but it’s less than an inch thick so you can haul it around campus, and packs a Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 – what’s not to love? That’s not all; the Razer Blade Pro also brings Razer’s Ultra-Low Profile Mechanical switches to a laptop for the first time ever. It kind of resembles an everyday chiclet keyboard, but press down on it, and you’ll fall in love… though you probably shouldn’t be hitting those keys hard when you’re in a classroom.

Read the full review: Razer Blade Pro

Samsung Notebook 9 Pro

Samsung Notebook 9 Pro has been the epitome of mobile computing since the emergence of 2-in-1 devices.

The Samsung Notebook 9 has been the epitome of mobile computing since the emergence of 2-in-1 devices. It enhances the S-Pen, Samsung’s own proprietary stylus with 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity (the same as Microsoft’s new Surface Pen), a nifty little accessory that doesn’t require charging for convenience. While the touchscreen display is only 1080p, with that 350 to 450 nits of brightness, you won’t be paying any mind to the pixels, or lack thereof. Plus, the long battery life more than makes up for this hybrid’s very few shortcomings.

Read the full review: Samsung Notebook 9 Pro

  • This product is only available in the US at the time of writing. UK and Australian readers: check out a fine alternative in the HP Spectre x360 15.

Dell G3 15

Dell G3 15 is a great combination of affordability and power.

The Dell G3 15 might not be a lot of things, but for this price, you can get some pretty powerful components to back you up – whether you’re just gaming or actually completing engineering projects for school. We’re talking 9th-generation Intel chips and GTX graphics. It’s a great combination of affordability and power, and that’s exactly why it’s one of the best laptops for engineering students. As long as you don’t mind lugging a heavier gaming laptop around campus.

Read the full review: Dell G3 15

How to choose the best laptop for engineering students?

So, what exactly makes for the best laptops for engineering students? Since you're likely to be running complex programs like AutoCAD, you're definitely going to need a laptop with enough power to run them.

We recommend a laptop with the latest Intel Core i5 or Core i7 chips, and at the very least, 8GB of RAM – though 16GB is even better.

Many of the programs engineering students rely on are also graphically intensive programs – especially CAD, MATLAB and Solid Works, which are used for 3D modelling and video rendering. This means that it's crucial to have a laptop with a dedicated graphics card - rather than an integrated one powered by the processor.

This is why the best gaming laptops are also ideal choices for engineering students, since they offer that kind of graphic power, and the fact that they can handle games for unwinding after classes is just the cherry on top.

A large screen with a high resolution is also advisable, and if you're going to be working on site a lot, Finally, it would be a fine idea to take a look at some of the rugged or well-built laptops that are built to withstand accidents on work sites.

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God of War 2 PS4: everything we know about the rumored God Of War sequel

Posted: 22 Jan 2020 09:20 AM PST

It's been two years since the critically acclaimed (and our Game of the Year 2018 winner) God of War reboot launched exclusively on PlayStation 4, but we're already looking to the future.

Despite Sony remaining tight-lipped on the subject, the success of God of War means a sequel is probably on the way (perhaps another God of War 2?). In addition, Sony Santa Monica has posted job listings for a number of roles across its teams - with one listing clearly citing the God of War reboot. 

At this point, it's most likely that God of War 2 will come to PS5 than the PS4 but, in the interest of not getting confused with the other God of War 2, we've opted to refer to it as God of War PS4. 

So, with that out of the way, we've gathered together all the rumors and news surrounding the God of War sequel for your perusal right here.

God of War 2 release date

God of War 2

Image credit: SIE Santa Monica Studio

Sony Santa Monica hasn't officially confirmed God of War 2 (or whatever the name will be) is in the works but we expect that a sequel won't release until after the "Holiday 2020" release of the PS5 - unless it releases as a launch title for the next-generation console.

That means the game will probably release at the end of 2020 or at the start of 2021. Either way, we're expecting God of War 2 will be coming to Sony's PlayStation 5.

God of War 2 news and rumors

God of War 2

Image credit: SIE Santa Monica Studio

Job Listings
As spotted by GamesRadar, SIE Santa Monica Studio posted job listings last year for a number of roles across its programming, art, design, and tech art teams – with one listing clearly citing the God of War reboot. 

Applicants for Senior Combat Designer "Must have knowledge of God of War (2018) and be able to speak in depth about the combat systems, mechanics and enemies".

A listing for Facial Blend Shape Character Artist also specifically mentions "next-gen videogame platform experience" for the role: something that should whittle down prospective applicants to relatively few animators, given that the next generation of consoles have yet to launch.

The waters are muddied slightly with a Senior Gameplay Animator posting, which asks for someone "to help us push the boundaries of action and combat movement and set the bar for gameplay feel on the PS4".

God of War PS4 theme
Back in April 2019, a new dynamic theme appeared on PS4 to celebrate the anniversary of the God of War reboot. The theme showed Kratos and Atreus rowing, however the theme contained a secret message (discovered by eagle-eyed God of War fans on Reddit). 

The boat the pair are rowing in has runes etched on its side which translate (in English) to "Ragnarok is coming". Could this be hinting that the God of War sequel will be focus on Ragnarok (essentially the Nordic mythology version of the apocalypse)?

No God of War DLC
God of War director Corey Barlog had said there were originally plans for DLC for the 2018 reboot, but said they were halted for being "too ambitious". That means the studio can invest resources into an entirely new game as opposed to post-launch content.

God of War 2: what we want to see

God of War 2

Image credit: SIE Santa Monica Studio

[Warning: spoilers for the ending of God of War ahead.]

Exploring that ending further
At the end of God of War, we found out that Kratos' wife (and Atreus' mother) Faye was actually a Giant called Laufey. That means Atreus is half God and half Giant and, what's more, he has a different name altogether: Loki. You know Loki, the trickster of Norse mythology. 

Hopefully God of War 2 will explore this further and we'll find out more about Faye's secret past, as well as why she kept it all a secret in the first place. We're also hoping Atreus will embrace the shape shifting abilities that Loki is notorious for instead of simply standing on the sidelines firing arrows at enemies. 

Atreus isn't a boy anymore
The God of War sequel may continue on directly from the events of the previous game, however we think it would be more interesting to see how a teenage Atreus and grumpy dad Kratos fair on an adventure. 

Next-generation
It seems very likely at this stage that any potential God of War sequel will come to PS5 rather than PS4. That means we should be seeing faster loading times, better graphics and a generally more powerful engine for SIE Santa Monica Studios to play around with. 

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FIFA 21: everything we know about the inevitable next FIFA game

Posted: 22 Jan 2020 09:11 AM PST

As is inevitable, we’ll be receiving another FIFA game this year in the form of FIFA 2021, or FIFA 21 depending on EA’s approach to the naming convention. FIFA 20 has been received quite well, on the whole, delivering a suite of new features and tuning up some lacking areas of the beautiful game, but there are still a few sticking points that fans will want to see improved in the next iteration.

In our FIFA 20 review we talked about how the addition of Volta, the tweaks to defending and the electric soundtrack helped it stand out after years of negligible updates, but that visually the game still doesn’t stick out year on year, and the career mode is in dire need of an update. With PES snapping at its heels gameplay-wise (and taking away from FIFA’s once-pristine licensing agreements) the two titans of soccer gaming couldn’t be closer.

So we’re going to run through everything we know so far about FIFA 21 - focusing on the potential release date, the possible cross-platform release and what we’d like to see from EA’s next entry in this legendary sports franchise. Will this year’s version put distance between PES and FIFA or bring them ever closer?

FIFA 21 release date

Whilst there is no set release date for FIFA 21 just yet, we imagine it’ll follow the same release schedule as previous years, which usually places the yearly FIFA game in the last two weeks of September. 

FIFA 20 was revealed in June and launched on September 27, 2019, with FIFA 18 launching on September 28 the year before. We can therefore reasonably estimate it’ll hit store shelves around these two dates, so prepare your wallets, FIFA fans.

Will FIFA 21 be cross-platform?

Given that we can guesstimate FIFA 21’s release date as some time in September 2020, it’s worth considering whether the game will be cross-platform or not. The PS5 and Xbox Series X will be dropping during the holiday season (between October and December 2020), which puts FIFA 21 in an interesting milieu. 

Given that both Sony and Microsoft have spoken about the importance of backwards compatibility, we can expect to see the game make the jump to the new consoles at some point, even if it's simply an upgraded digital and physical release of FIFA 21.

All we know is that it’ll most likely run better. It’s not likely EA would want to wait another calendar year to put their game on the next-gen consoles given its incredible annual popularity, so it’s fairly safe to assume FIFA 21 will make an appearance on the new consoles in some shape or form - hopefully sooner rather than later. 

If you cast your minds back to the start of this console generation and the launch of the Xbox 360, you may remember that it boasted an exclusive FIFA game in FIFA 06: Road to the World Cup, so who knows, there could be something similar in the works for Euro 2020.

FIFA 21: what we want to see

FIFA 20 is certainly one of the better games in the FIFA series, at least in recent memory. It added a noticeable set of systems, new modes like Volta and some clever tweaks to the in-game AI to keep things interesting, addressing the issues raised by players. Yet there’s always something else to improve in a game with such labyrinthine systems. 

More street games
Whilst Volta was a great start, it’s achingly close to the incredible fun of FIFA Street, so if EA was prepared to iterate and update Volta and make it even more absurd and haptic then we're sure that would go down a storm. Integrating both the street game and the realistic football FIFA is known for would create even more value for the player in the yearly release cycle.

Improve career mode
In regards to what has been heavily requested following the previous game’s launch, players have honed in on updating the now-lacking career mode, a FIFA institution that still needs some polish. Despite the new features added in FIFA 20, it’s clear the system needs some kind of overhaul to keep it from feeling so painfully similar and lacklustre year on year. 

Visual upgrades
Beyond that, it’s starting to become clear that the visual upgrades between each FIFA near the end of this console generation have become negligible, meaning that it would be great to see a meaningful change in graphical fidelity in FIFA 2021. This will most likely come as a consequence of the arrival of new consoles, which boast features like ray-tracing, better audio quality and SSDs for faster loading speeds, which will most likely be the most noticeable change.

Licensing agreements
Of course, it would be nice to see FIFA regain its licensing agreements so we don’t have to lose Juventus to PES in the next iteration, as well as the exclusive stadiums like Camp Nou that were missing from last year’s release. Ultimate Team is also becoming a growing concern with fans, more so than ever due to the transparency on pack opening odds and heat from national legal commissions around the globe that have caused quite a stir within the community. 

Making the system fairer and packs less expensive would certainly afford EA some brownie points and be appreciated by its global army of players. There’s also VAR but uh… let’s not get into that. The inclusion of modern football’s most abrasive system will no doubt cause arguments and be particularly difficult to implement, but if EA is pushing for true Premier League realism, then it would make a lot of sense.

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Get the Google Pixel 3a for just £329 with this Black Friday-matching SIM-free deal

Posted: 22 Jan 2020 09:05 AM PST

The Google Pixel 3a is an affordable phone, that is what it was made for after all! So when it comes even further down in price, that is something to celebrate for anyone looking to snag a budget handset.

And now (up until February 18), you can go ahead and slash the price of the Google Pixel 3a by an additional 17%. That means a £75 saving bringing the cost down to just £329 - a price we last saw during the Black Friday sales bonanza.

Compared to the price of the Google Pixel 4, that is an absolute steal, scoring you some high-end camera quality at a price way below average. However, this deal is limited to select retailers - Currys, Carphone Warehouse and the Google Store.

We've included all of the details you'll need to know about this deal below for you to look through. Or, consult our SIM-free mobile phones guide to see what the closest competition is.

It really is a great phone - especially for the money you'll pay for it. We gave it a 4 out of 5 rating, which is frankly staggering for a mobile you can get comfortably for £20 per month.

OK, so this isn't the handset for you if you're head is turned by premium features like wireless charging and glass casing. But the 5.6-inch Full HD+ OLED display looks splendid, the battery life is impressive, the 12.2MP main camera is extremely good and it even has a headphone jack!

Read our full Google Pixel 3a review

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Get cheap bills and a £40 Amazon gift card with TalkTalk's ace fibre broadband deals

Posted: 22 Jan 2020 09:04 AM PST

If you're deep into your search for a new broadband deal, monthly prices and average speeds spinning around your head, we've got a promotion to ease your pain and land you the perfect internet set-up...you just have to act fast.

Coming from TalkTalk you can currently get its 38Mb average speed fibre broadband deal for just £21.95 a month, making it one of the cheapest fibre broadband deals around. However, that's not the part you have to be quick about. 

Up until January 24, TalkTalk will also throw in a £40 gift card to Amazon.co.uk, Argos or Tesco. You just have to click through the links below, enter your email address and you'll be immediately eligible for the £40 perk.

And if none of those vouchers work for you, then you can opt for a pre-paid Mastercard worth £40 that can be spent anywhere you like in-store or online.

Obviously, a quick glance at your watch will show that this gift card promotion isn't long for this world so head down below to see this offer in full. And if you do miss it, don't worry. There are plenty of excellent broadband deals around right now.

TalkTalk's great value cheap broadband deal:

What other broadband deals are there?

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The best 13-inch laptop 2020: the top 13-inch laptops we've reviewed

Posted: 22 Jan 2020 08:57 AM PST

If you’re after computing portability, you must go for the best 13-inch laptop around. These 13-inch laptops combine extreme portability with great power, so they’ll see you through demanding every day tasks without being a burden on your back when you’re on the go.

While 15-inch laptops tend to be more powerful for creative endeavors, and 17-inch ones are best for gaming, the best 13-inch laptops hit that sweet, space-saving spot for consumers who want to squeeze in productivity on the go. They even boast enough power to get some light gaming, music editing and photo editing done. In fact, many of the best 13-inch laptops are powerful enough to make our best laptops or best Ultrabooks lists.

Whether you’re in the market for 2-in-1 laptop, something specific like one of the best Acer laptops, or still deciding between best Windows tablets or the best Macs, you’ll find something for you on this list.

Best 13-inch laptop at a glance:

  1. Huawei MateBook 13
  2. Dell XPS 13
  3. Google Pixelbook Go
  4. HP Spectre x360
  5. Microsoft Surface Book 2 (13.5-inch)
  6. Razer Blade Stealth
  7. HP Envy x360 13 (2019)
  8. Surface Laptop 2
  9. Lenovo Yoga C930
  10. MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2019)

Huawei MateBook 13

Huawei MateBook 13 ticks all the right boxes.

It’s not often that we find a 13-inch laptop that ticks all the right boxes with very little compromise. The Huawei MateBook 13 is one of those very few devices. Rocking the latest Intel Whiskey Lake processors and Nvidia MX150 graphics in a chassis that really should be too small to fit them all in, the Huawei MateBook 13 is a powerful machine that can easily slip into most backpacks or medium-sized tote bags. Even better for users who cannot afford to splurge, it’s budget-friendly. What more could you ask for?

Read the full review: Huawei MateBook 13  

Dell XPS 13

The Dell XPS 13 is, without a doubt, one of the best 13-inch laptops right now.

While its changes over last year’s model are subtle, there’s no doubt that the Dell XPS 13 is still one of the best 13-inch laptops money can buy. On the high end, the 4K display delivers a sharper picture across the board. But, even if you can’t afford the highest end model, the dashing design, long battery life and SD card slot aren’t going anywhere. More importantly, you’ve got a quad-core processor regardless of configuration you end up with. The Dell XPS 13 is, without a doubt, one of the best 13-inch laptops right now.

Read the full review: Dell XPS 13

Google Pixelbook Go

Google Pixelbook Go boasts many of its high-quality features, but without that steep price tag.

If you’ve long been admiring Google’s premium Chromebook but the price is holding you back, then you might want to consider the new Google Pixelbook Go instead. Freshly-baked by Google, this alternative to the manufacturer’s pricey Pixelbook boasts many of its high-quality features, but without that steep price tag – namely, an incredible battery life and that coveted keyboard. If your computing use is limited to sending and responding to emails, creating documents and excel sheets on Google Docs and Sheets, and streaming movies and videos after work, then this one’s a winner.

Read the full review: Google Pixelbook Go

HP Spectre x360

HP Spectre x360's gem-cut build means it'll get your work done in style.

One look at the HP Spectre x360, and you’ll find it to deny that it’s one of the most beautiful laptops on the market today. That gem-cut build means it’ll get your work done in style. It’s not all skin-deep, however. This stunning 13-inch laptop is packed with the latest Intel hardware as well, so you know it can get your work done. And, if that’s not enough, it can also be flipped around into tablet mode. The HP Spectre x360 really is one of the best 13-inch laptops out there.

Read the full review: HP Spectre x360

Microsoft Surface Book 2 (13-inch)

Surface Book 2 will handle your daily workload effortlessly and in style.

While the 13-inch version isn’t the most powerful Surface Book 2, it still makes for one of the best 13-inch laptops on the market. Whether you’re a professional or a creative or even a student, the Surface Book 2 will handle your daily workload effortlessly and in style. What’s more, the dynamic fulcrum hinge is much improved this time around, complementing the robust quad-core processor. And, unlike many other 2-in-1 laptops, the keyboard is removable to make it much more manageable, as well as thinner, when in tablet mode.

Read the full review: Microsoft Surface Book 2

Razer Blade Stealth

Razer Blade Stealth is thin, light, and packed with the latest Ultrabook-class internals.

You may be expecting a gaming laptop, especially given Razer’s reputation. But in reality, the Razer Blade Stealth just happens to be one of the best 13-inch laptops to buy today. It’s thin, light, and packed with the latest Ultrabook-class internals – including dedicated MX150 graphics so you can play your favorite titles on the go. The 8th-generation Intel Whiskey Lake Processor makes this laptop a force to be reckoned with. Of course, that comes at a cost. However, the sheer style and build quality might be worth it.

Read the full review: Razer Blade Stealth 

HP Envy x360 13 (2019)

HP Envy x360 13 (2019) boasts a premium build, 9 hours of video playback and a stellar performance.

Thanks to its sleek 13-inch design, this 2-in-1 is slimmer that you would have expected, which works in your favor when using it in tablet mode. There are other excellent reasons why you must consider the HP Envy x360 (2019) when sorting through the best 13-inch laptops on the market. This one boasts a premium build, 9 hours of video playback and a performance that will get you through most of your schoolwork and project, all without burning a hole in your pocket.

Read the full review: HP Envy x360 (2019)

Microsoft Surface Laptop 2

Surface Laptop 2 is one of the best 13-inch laptops right now.

The early Surface Laptop had our vote for one of the best 13-inch laptops, due to its stunning screen, competent internals and solid build quality. We are, therefore, happy to see its sequel, the Surface Laptop 2, doing everything better and taking some features to a new level. You won’t find any major changes, but the faster 8th-generation CPUs, 8GB of RAM and, most importantly, the removal of Windows 10 S all add up to making the Surface Laptop 2 one of the best 13-inch laptops right now.

Read the full review: Surface Laptop 2

Lenovo Yoga C930

Lenovo Yoga C930 has a few aces up its sleeve.

While slightly bigger than your usual 13-inch laptop, this nearly 14-inch 2-in-1 challenger has a few aces up its sleeve – including longevity, power and durability. This means that the latest Lenovo Yoga C930 will last users long enough to get through their day-to-day workload and squeeze in some entertainment at the end of each day. To round it all out, this device also has a nice display with deep colors, a great keyboard and a decent trackpad. It may not have the best graphics performance, but it definitely more than makes up for that, making it one of the best 13-inch laptops 2020 has to offer.

Read the full review: Lenovo Yoga C930

MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2019)

MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2019) has slightly more powerful components than last year's model.

The MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2019) is a minor update to last year’s model, with slightly tweaked internals. However, seeing as the 2018 model took a spot on our best 13-inch laptops list, the 2019 refresh with its small improvements is just as deserving of that spot. The design remains the same, which is good news if you’re a fan of previous MacBook Pros, but with slightly more powerful components so if you’ve been looking to upgrade your aging MacBook Pro, this one affords you that chance.

Read the full review: MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2019)

Bill Thomas, Gabe Carey and Michelle Rae Uy have also contributed to this article

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Best Mac 2020: the best Macs to buy this year

Posted: 22 Jan 2020 08:53 AM PST

Ready to purchase one of the best Macs 2020 has to offer? You’ve come to the right place. We’ve tested and reviewed all the Mac computers on the market, and we’ve handpicked the best ones for you. So whether you’re looking to make the switch from Windows, or you’re looking to upgrade your old one, you’ll find something you’ll love on this list.

The best Macs and MacBooks certainly occupy a space of their own in the computing world - holding their own against the best of them, not just with their svelte yet surprisingly tough designs, but also with their powerful components. This is why many creative professionals rely on them for all their computing needs.

Let us show you our picks for the best Macs and MacBooks money can buy. From the latest MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2019) to Apple’s impressive all-in-ones, these are the best Macs 2020 has to offer.

Best Mac at a glance

  1. MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2019)
  2. Mac Mini 2018
  3. MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2019)
  4. Apple iMac (27-inch, 2019)
  5. MacBook Pro with Touch Bar (13-inch, mid-2019)
  6. iMac Pro
  7. Apple MacBook Air (2019)
  8. MacBook (2017)

MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2019)

The MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2019) is truly the best MacBook for content creators, designers and other creative professionals.

While we are sad that Apple has retired the 15-inch MacBook Pro, we’re more than happy to see the MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2019) hit the shelves. As thin, light and sleek as ever, this doesn’t feel like a 16-inch behemoth. If you’re worried that this was going to be bulky and awkward to use, don’t be. Yet, despite its svelte frame, you’re still getting that extra real estate on that stunning display, as well as the latest and greatest components behind it. Apple then rounds those out with amazing (and loud) speakers and a much, much better keyboard. This is truly the best MacBook for content creators, designers and other creative professionals.

Read the full review: MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2019)

Apple Mac mini (2018)

Apple Mac mini (2018) is packed with 8th-generation desktop processors. 

Mac Mini fans, rejoice! The Mac Mini has finally been upgraded with modern hardware, ushering Apple’s smallest Mac to the modern age and naturally warranting it the top spot in our best Macs list. This tiny thing is packed with 8th-generation desktop processors, a ton of RAM and some of the fastest SSDs we’ve seen – all while keeping the same adored form factor. It’s a tad pricier this time around, but with the raw speed on offer, you’ll find that it’s worth the price increase.

Read the full review: Mac Mini 2018

MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2019)

MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2019) is refreshed with hexa-core 9th-generation processors.

If you want the most performance you can get in a MacBook without needing to pull off a heist, you’ll want to look into the MacBook Pro 15-inch. Now refreshed with hexa-core 9th-generation processors and up to 32GB of RAM, you won’t be held back by anything you throw at it – especially now that you can get Radeon Pro Vega 20 graphics. With that kind of performance, the MacBook Pro takes a lofty spot on our best Macs list without breaking a sweat.

Read the full review: MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2019)

iMac (27-inch, 2019)

If you're looking for an all-in-one Mac, the new 27-inch iMac might just be the best Mac for you.

The iMac has long been one of the cheaper ways to get into the macOS ecosystem, and we’re glad that hasn’t changed. Though what has changed, we also appreciate. The new iMac is packing with 8th- and 9th-generation desktop-class processors, letting this stylish all-in-one reach that fabled 8-core performance. If you’re looking for an all-in-one Mac, the new 27-inch iMac might just be the best Mac for you, at least if you’re on a budget.

Read the full review: iMac (27-inch, 2019)

MacBook Pro with Touch Bar (13-inch, mid-2019)

The MacBook Pro with Touch Bar (13-inch, mid-2019) is quieter and more reliable.

The biggest issue with the older MacBook Pro was that it was still packing Kaby Lake processors while its rivals had moved ahead. Luckily, the MacBook Pro 2018 changes everything, making it more powerful than ever. It still has the controversial Butterfly keyboard, but that’s also been improved so that its quieter and more reliable. It’s not hard to recommend the 13-inch MacBook Pro 2019 to anyone looking for the best Macs.

Read the full review: MacBook Pro with Touch Bar (13-inch, mid-2019) 

iMac Pro

iMac Pro can handle any workload you can possibly throw at it.

Professionals and creatives need something that can handle any workload they can possibly throw at it. If you’re one such user, the iMac Pro isn’t just one of the best Macs for you; it’s the only Mac to consider. Not only does it have a vibrant 27-inch 5K display with a P3 wide color gamut, but it also boasts the most powerful hardware Apple could get its hands on. It’s extremely expensive though, so it’s really only meant for folks who have deep pockets and need that unbridled power to get through their daily workloads. 

Read the full review: iMac Pro 

Apple MacBook Air (2019)

Apple MacBook Air (2019) now has True Tone technology to its display and an even more reliable keyboard.

Apple takes the MacBook Air (2018) and gives it a bit of refresh, adding True Tone technology to its display and an even more reliable keyboard. Unfortunately, it hasn’t upgraded the specs – which actually leads us to think that there might be a bigger update by early 2020. However, to be fair to this refresh, the 2018 version has already made our list, so this improved version is just as deserving or more so. But the best part is yet to come: this refresh is even cheaper, so you’re definitely getting more value for less.

Read the full review: MacBook Air (2019)

MacBook (2017)

If you're looking for a MacBook that's easy to take with you wherever you go, you will love the MacBook (2017).

While Apple has officially taken the MacBook out of its MacBook lineup, many third parties are still carry it. And because the 12-inch MacBook has found its niche as an ultraportable and lightweight laptop, it’s still deserving of a spot on our best Macs list… that is, until stock runs out. It’s low on ports, but that’s hardly a surprise in a laptop this thin. It can support basically everything under the sun with its Thunderbolt 3 port, anyway. It’s not as powerful as the MacBook Pro, but if you’re looking for a MacBook that’s easy to take with you wherever you go, look no further.

Read the full review: Apple MacBook (2017)

Michelle Rae Uy, Bill Thomas and Gabe Carey have also contributed to this article 

What to look for in the best Macs and MacBooks

Whether it’s the new 16-inch MacBook Pro that just came out or the Mac Pro 2019 that’s also just released, it’s not hard to see why the best Macs are the weapons of choice of creative professionals.

And, even if you don’t go for the newest releases, there’s already a few excellent options to choose from, especially with Apple recently giving its MacBook Air, 13-inch MacBook Pro and 15-inch MacBook Pro that much-needed update.

The best part is that the best Macs come in different shapes, sizes and price so that whether you want the cheapest MacBook you could find, a professional workhorse that breezes through all your extensive workloads like a pro, or an all-in-one that saves you space, there’s a Mac on the market for you.

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Best Ultrabooks 2020: the top thin and light laptops reviewed

Posted: 22 Jan 2020 08:46 AM PST

Owning one of the best Ultrabooks on the market is more than just about looking cool. Thin, light and elegant, Ultrabooks not only ooze sophistication in the design department; they also boast power as well – and a lot of it. That excellent combination of portability and power is what makes them a favorite among professionals, especially those who are always on the go.

The best Ultrabooks 2020 has to offer can handle a hefty workload despite their svelte form, thanks to the best processors and SSDs they hide within. In fact, they’re so powerful more creative professionals rely on them for demanding tasks like video editing and 3D design. What’s more is that these Ultrabooks tend to generally have a great battery life, so they’ll go a long way on a single charge.

If you’re ready to invest in one of the best Ultrabooks of 2020, this list is for you. We have gathered all the best ones on the market, each of which we’ve tested and reviewed ourselves so you know you can count on whichever one you choose.

Huawei Matebook 13


For some years now, Huawei has been sitting in the shadows, biding its time to take on the best Ultrabooks. But now, their time in the limelight is here. Like the Huawei MateBook X Pro before it, the Huawei Matebook 13 packs a ton of powerful hardware into a gorgeous shell, all while offering it at a price that’s more than reasonable. Those discrete graphics are also worth a mention – the Huawei Matebook 13 may be one of the tiniest laptops out there to come with an MX150 GPU. It’s not hard to see why the Huawei Matebook 13 is the best Ultrabook right now.

Read the full review: Huawei MateBook 13

Dell XPS 13


The Dell XPS 13 has been king of the Ultrabooks for years, and while it’s been unseated by the Huawei MateBook 13, it remains one of the Ultrabooks to beat in 2020. This time around, Dell has moved the webcam from the bottom of the display back to the top, fixing one of the biggest flaws that held back the XPS 13 for years. Add the updated internal components to the mix, and the Dell XPS 13 still makes the best Ultrabooks list – even in the face of tough competition.

Read the full review: Dell XPS 13

Huawei MateBook X Pro


Sometimes an Ultrabook arrives that totally changes everything. When the 2018 model of the Huawei MateBook X Pro hit the scene, it did just that. This beautiful Ultrabook brings high-end components into an elegantly designed package that puts even the MacBook Pro to shame. It really is one of the best Ultrabooks on the market, despite its successor’s attempts to best it with an Intel Whiskey Lake processor. It’s still the 2018 model that’s captured our computing cores.

Read the full review: Huawei MateBook X Pro

HP Spectre x360


If an arresting Ultrabook housing 2-in-1 functionality and a ton of power satisfies what you’re looking for, it’s hard to find a better laptop than the HP Spectre x360. This slim and light Ultrabook isn’t just filled with the latest Intel Whiskey Lake processors and plenty of RAM. It also might just be the most exquisite laptop you can buy today. The HP Spectre x360 won’t just get you through your workload, but will also make you smart and stylish in the process – leaving no doubt that it’s well-deserving of its lofty spot on our best Ultrabooks 2020 list.

Read the full review: HP Spectre x360

Surface Laptop 2


The original Surface Laptop hit the market just about two years ago, and while it was a great Ultrabook, it was affected by relatively weak internals and Windows 10 S. Fortunately, Microsoft rolled out the Surface Laptop 2 in late 2018, offering quad-core processors and the full-fat version of Windows 10. It’s through these fundamental improvements that the Surface Laptop 2 is able to bring the purest Windows 10 experience to a laptop – not to mention, join the ranks of the best Ultrabooks available right now – at a price that won’t make you run in the opposite direction.

Read the full review: Surface Laptop 2

Lenovo Yoga C930


The Lenovo Yoga C930 has quite a few of the makings of the best Ultrabook – from an absurd 14.5 hours of battery life and dual Thunderbolt-enabled USB-C ports to internal components that will easily handle those daily productivity tasks. That’s without even considering it’s a 2-in-1 that offers form versatility so you can squeeze in some light gaming and movie-watching once you’re done working. It has a few cherries on top as well, specifically the integrated self-charging stylus and the fab speaker system.

Read the full review: Lenovo Yoga C930

Razer Blade Stealth


Razer has made quite a name for itself in the gaming world. Yet, with the Razer Blade Stealth, the green-themed manufacturer wants consumers to know that they’re more than just a company “for gamers, by gamers.” This Ultrabook will absolutely change your mind with its 13.3-inch, QHD+ beauty. You can no longer choose to get a 4K screen, but the performance this Ultrabook provides is more than worth the compromise – especially given how gorgeous the chassis is.

Read the full review: Razer Blade Stealth

Lenovo yoga 730


Durability meets portability and performance in this slim laptop with a reasonable price tag. The Lenovo Yoga 730 isn’t the close-to-perfect machine many premium buyers may be in the market for, with a few less-than-favorable issues like heavier weight, average battery life and weak speakers. However, this laptop will easily take you through your weekly workload. Lenovo then rounds out that performance with a reliable keyboard and trackpad, sturdy hinges to go between tablet and laptop mode, and a display with thin bezels.

Read the full review: Lenovo Yoga 730

HP Envy x360 13 (2019)


There are so many exciting reasons why the HP Envy x360 (2019) should be on our best Ultrabooks list, and its sleek, stylish design is the least of them. This 13-inch 2-in-1 has a premium build quality, touts 9 hours of video playback and a performance that will tackle most of your schoolwork and projects with ease, all without burning a hole in your pocket.

Read the full review: HP Envy x360 (2019)

Asus ZenBook UX310


In many cases, a Windows Ultrabook can be just as able as a MacBook Air. Take the Asus ZenBook UX310UA, for example. With decent 7th-generation Intel Kaby Lake processors, an astonishing 178-degree viewing-angle QHD+ display, a USB-C port and an aluminum build, it’s still one of the best Ultrabooks on the market, even after all this time.

Read the full review: Asus ZenBook UX310


Michelle Rae Uy, Bill Thomas and Gabe Carey have also contributed to this article

Image credit: TechRadar

  • Looking for back to school gear? We’ve picked out the best deals for you

Best Ultrabooks 2020 at a glance:

  1. Huawei Matebook 13
  2. Dell XPS 13
  3. Huawei MateBook X Pro (2018)
  4. HP Spectre x360
  5. Surface Laptop 2
  6. Lenovo Yoga C930
  7. Razer Blade Stealth
  8. Lenovo Yoga 730
  9. HP Envy x360 13 (2019)
  10. Asus ZenBook UX310

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