Apple : Hellblade 2: everything we know about the Xbox Series X game |
- Hellblade 2: everything we know about the Xbox Series X game
- Best soundbars for TV shows, movies and music in 2020
- Safari introduces more stringent HTTPS rules
- Best soundbar for under $200/£200: the best cheap soundbar for your money
- How to watch The Bachelor online: stream season 24 from anywhere
- Yet another AMD Ryzen 4000 benchmark has leaked – and it's looking good
- Amazon deal alert: save on the all-new Blink XT2 security camera
- Lenovo unveils updated ThinkPad portfolio
- Huawei P40 release date, news and leaks
- Huawei P40 line will officially launch on March 26
- Black Shark 3 is officially the new Xiaomi phone and it's coming very soon
- The best gaming monitor 2020: the 10 best gaming screens of the year
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- Xbox Series X games: all the games confirmed and expected on the next Xbox
| Hellblade 2: everything we know about the Xbox Series X game Posted: 24 Feb 2020 02:58 PM PST Ninja Theory has officially confirmed Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2, the sequel to 2017's Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice. It will be one of the first games to use Microsoft's Smart Delivery technology that gives you access to the best version of the game on whichever system you're playing on, and confirms that the game will be available on on both Xbox Series X and PC. Hellblade 2 was announced at The Game Awards 2019, with a dark, hard-hitting reveal trailer that didn't give much away in terms of story or gameplay, but did tell us the sequel is coming to the next-generation Xbox and PC - we just don't know when. For those who didn't play the first game, Hellblade is a dark action-adventure that follows Senua, a badass Pict warrior struggling with mental health issues that she believes is a curse. In Senua's Sacrifice, Senua travels through Helheim (the Underworld of Norse mythology) in a quest to rescue the soul of her dead lover, Dillion, from the goddess Hela. All the while, battling her own hallucinations and undead warriors who reside there. It's been three years since we've traversed the depths of Hel and we're ready to undergo another twisted quest. So we've gathered everything we know so far about Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2 below for your perusal. Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2 release dateSenua's Saga: Hellblade 2 was surprisingly announced at the Game Awards 2019 with a heart-pumping reveal trailer. The announcement told us that Hellblade 2 is coming to the next-generation Xbox Series X, as well as PC, but it didn't actually reveal a release date. However, knowing that Xbox Series X isn't releasing until late 2020 (sometime between October and December) tells us that Hellblade 2 won't be about until after that date. It's one of the first confirmed Xbox Series X games, but Microsoft didn't refer to it as a launch title, suggesting it will launch a few months after the new Xbox. That would put Hellblade 2's release date in either December 2020 (we're predicting Series X will release in November 2020) or, quite possibly, in early 2021. Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2 trailersSenua's Saga: Hellblade 2 was officially announced for Xbox Series X at the Game Awards 2019, with a peculiar and hard-hitting reveal trailer. While the trailer didn't give much away in terms of story and gameplay, it did confirm that this sequel looks much darker than its predecessor - which was already pretty dark. What makes this trailer even more impressive is that it was made apparently entirely in-engine on the Xbox Series X. Check it out below: Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2 news and rumorsReveal at The Game Awards 2019 What about the story? Our first taste of next-gen?
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| Best soundbars for TV shows, movies and music in 2020 Posted: 24 Feb 2020 02:38 PM PST Looking for the best soundbar you can buy in 2020? It's an important investment for any home cinema enthusiast, whether you want to use it on its own or as part of an immersive 5.1 speaker system. As TV displays get slimmer and slimmer, their built-in speakers tend to be lacking. Let's face it, even the best Samsung TV could use an external speaker system – and that's why we've rounded up the very best soundbars on the market in one handy guide. What you'll find below is our round-up of the best soundbars available to buy in 2020, from the uber-expensive, feature-rich and ultra-affordable. Our list has a bit of everything and while the more expensive 'bars might give you a few more features or a wider soundstage, it's well-worth considering the cheaper options on here too, as they sound great for the price and won't break the bank. The best soundbars 2020The Samsung HW-Q90R is the brand's all-singing, all-dancing flagship soundbar. It not only supports object-based audio in the shape of both Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, it’s also the only model from 2019 to achieve this with actual rear speakers and four upward-firing drivers. Even in 2020, no other soundbar comes close to producing the full Dolby Atmos and DTS:X experience, and thanks to tuning from Harman Kardon the HW-Q90 even sounds good with music. A decent set of features and fully-specified HDMI connections complete a nearly flawless package... as long as you can afford it. Read the full review: Samsung HW-Q90R Soundbar review Given that rival Dolby Atmos-compatible soundbars typically sell for twice the price, Sony’s HT-X8500 warrants an easy recommendation. Cost-cutting can be attributed to connectivity and features but what’s genuinely confounding is just how great the HT-X8500 sounds. The key to the HT-X8500’s gutsy performance is Sony’s proprietary Vertical Sound Engine - working with Dolby Atmos and DTS:X content, it creates a convincing illusion of wraparound sound that allow Dolby Atmos movies to play with a clear sense of expanded height and width. The build quality and design of the soundbar is exceptional, and its general audio performance impresses with its clarity and spatial presentation. Overall, if you want a home theatre sound system that won’t dent your budget, it’s probably the best option right now. Read the full review: Sony HT-X8500 Soundbar review The Q Acoustics M4 soundbar doesn’t immediately set pulses racing with its slightly prosaic looks, ‘mere’ 2.1-channel sound and lack of any HDMI support. However, you only have to hear what the M4 can do with both music and movies for your doubts about it to evaporate almost instantly. In fact, though, it sounds so much better than pretty much any rival soundbar in the same price bracket, that it’s actually ridiculously good value - especially if you care about music as much as you care about movies. Read the full review: Q Acoustics M4 Soundbar review Samsung's California-based audio lab has been on a roll. In the last few years, the lab has helped the company put together the award-winning Samsung HW-M650, last year's powerful, Dolby Amtos-ready Samsung HW-N850, and now, the Samsung HW-Q70R, a soundbar designed to keep up with the Korean giant's 2019 QLED TVs. If you've followed Samsung's naming structure in the past, the Samsung HW-Q70R represents a revised version of last year’s HW-N650 and although the new model costs more at $800 (£800, AU$1,099), the good news is that the Q70R adds support for Dolby Atmos and DTS:X and still uses Acoustic Beaming technology that widens the soundstage. The resulting soundstage is big and open, lending itself to larger screen sizes. The overall effect is somewhat front heavy, but that’s to be expected given the lack of rear speakers. However once you take into consideration the looks, build quality, and features, this is a solid midrange combo. Read the full review: Samsung HW-Q70R Soundbar review Sennheiser is best known for its range of headphones and professional microphones, but it recently extended its ambitions to home audio as well, with the introduction of its new Ambeo Soundbar. The bulky soundbar is packed with the latest audio technologies, including Dolby Atmos and DTS:X for surround sound audio, as well as Sennheiser’s own Ambeo ‘virtual 3D’ sound system. Sennheiser clearly has its sights set on the home cinema market with the Ambeo, although the bar's Wi-Fi connectivity means that it can double up as a pretty impressive music system as well. It’s not perfect – Sennheiser’s reliance on Google Home to provide wifi streaming seems like an odd choice – but the sheer sound quality of the Ambeo Soundbar ensures that it justifies its wallet-breaking price tag. Read the full review: Sennheiser Ambeo 3D Soundbar review The Sonos Playbar is a non-HDMI device that uses optical to hook up to a TV. Used simply on its own it delivers a massive sonic boost to your TV listening, but operating it does require using a smartphone or tablet app. The benefit is that it can seamlessly segue in to a Sonos wireless system, and can even act as the front three speakers in a 5.1 setup with two Play:1s acting as rears. Unfortunately although it's optical-only setup will be great for most, it does exclude owners of TVs that lack this connector, which has pushed it a little further down this list. Read the full review: Sonos Playbar review The Sonos Beam is a fantastic soundbar for its price, one that takes full advantage of the Sonos ecosystem and is a joy to use (and set up, if your television has HDMI ARC). Its smaller form factor means it’s a device that will sit comfortably next to a 32-inch TV but it’s got enough of a footprint to not be dwarfed by a much bigger set. The Sonos Beam doesn’t offer earth-shattering bass and the lack of Dolby Atmos support will irk some, but at this price point it'd be more of a surprise if it had been included. The voice control may be Alexa-only for now, but it works well and if you have adopted some of Amazon’s TV toys, it really is worth experimenting with. Read the full review: Sonos Beam review With its nine drivers are arranged in trios for left, center and right channels and a virtual surround mode to create the illusion of having more speakers around the room, the HEOS Bar is pretty much whatever you want it to be. Blessed with such a balanced soundscape, the HEOS Bar proved immediately adept with music, and has a consistently warm yet refined sound quality that's all its own. The fact that it lacks the opportunity to tweak the audio settings is not as important as we had feared. Music sounds superb, especially lossless tunes, from which HEOS Bar drags out a lot of detail. However, we did notice on a couple of occasions that the first half-a-second was cut-off songs. Read the full review: Denon HEOS Bar review The key feature of the SB362An-F6 – also referred to more helpfully as the “36-inch 2.1 Sound Bar” on most retailer's websites – is really its sheer value for money, costing just £149 in the UK and an even more competitive $139 in the US, where it was launched at the end of last year. Despite the bargain-basement price, the SB362An-F6 is neatly designed, measuring 36 inches wide, and a streamlined 2 inches high, and 5.2 inches deep (914xx52x133mm). It will sit comfortably underneath the screen of most TVs, and Vizio also includes a pair of wall-mount brackets as well. The SB362An-F6 isn’t perfect, but its dramatic and imposing sound provides a real audio upgrade for your television’s built-in speakers. The Virtual:X technology works well too, helping to create a more immersive atmosphere while you’re watching. And while it might be missing a few bells and whistles, there’s no doubt that the SB362An-F6 provides excellent value for money. Read the full review: Vizio SB362An-F6 review If $300 is your budget cap for a smart sound bar, then we highly recommend the Polk Audio Command Bar for any small or medium-sized living room. As you might be able to tell based on the soundbar’s design, the Command Bar comes with Alexa built right into it making it unquestionably smart. It’s also relatively inexpensive too, coming in at $250 (£249, AU$649), and it comes with a subwoofer. It has defined and powerful low end, some cool smart features, and looks pretty good, too. Read the full review: Polk Audio Command Bar review What's the best soundbar for around $200/£200?We can't stress this enough: when it comes to soundbars, there’s a lot of choice. Despite being called soundbars, they tend to come in different shapes and sizes. They also range in price from under £100/$100 to over £1,000/$1,500 (see: Creative X-Fi Sonic Carrier). The cheaper the model you go for, the more basic the connections are likely to be. Whereas more expensive ones add superior HDMI inputs (including 4K / HDR passthrough), wireless audio streaming (e.g. Bluetooth and AirPlay), better power, more refined speaker drivers, and decoding of Blu-ray sound formats. Of course a full surround setup is the premium solution to bad-sounding TVs, but if you're short on space (as well as budget) then a soundbar offers a good compromise. So what is the best soundbar for around £200/$200? If you admire the slim aesthetic of your new 4K TV over everything else, then a good soundbar is your best option to get the most out of your favorite TV shows and films. They are built to be just as pleasing to the eye as they are to the ear. They're also a good solution for smaller homes and rooms with little space that wouldn't be able to squeeze a 7.1 channel speaker system in. The majority of soundbars on this list are made to sit in front of your screen, but they can also be wall-mounted above or to the side of it as well, providing you with ultimate choice as to how your home entertainment set-up looks. Despite most only featuring front-facing speakers, many soundbars are able to confidently project sound in a way that makes it seem as though there's booming audio coming from every direction.
Best soundbars at a glance
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| Safari introduces more stringent HTTPS rules Posted: 24 Feb 2020 02:35 PM PST Apple has unveiled a new policy, which will go into effect later this year, that will prevent its Safari browser from accepting new HTTPS certificates that expire more than 13 months after their creation date. As a result of the new policy, any website using long-life SSL/TLS certificates issued after the cut-off point will lead to privacy errors being displayed in the iPhone maker's browser. Apple debuted the new policy at a recent Certification Authority Browser Forum (CA/Browser) meeting in Slovakia. According to people who attended the meeting, from September 1st any new website certificate valid for more than 398 days will not be trusted by Safari and will be rejected. However, older certificates issued before this deadline, will not be affected by this new rule.
Since Apple has made the decision to implement this new policy in Safari, the company will effectively have to enforce it on all devices running either iOS or macOS. This means that developers and website administrators will be forced to ensure that their certificates meet Apple's requirements or they'll risk losing many visitors to their sites. One-year TLS certificatesApple, Google and other members of CA/Browser have considered cutting certificate lifetimes for months but the policy comes with benefits as well as drawbacks. The main goal of the policy is to help improve website security by ensuring that developers use certificates with the latest cryptographic standards while also reducing the number of old certificates that could potentially be stolen and re-used by cybercriminals launching phishing campaigns or malware attacks. By increasing the frequency of certificate replacements, Apple will be making life more difficult for site owners as well as businesses that have to manage these certificates and compliance. While Apple has yet to make a public announcement regarding its new policy, Digicert's Dean Coclin provided more details on how the policy will affect certificate users in a memo, saying: “What does this mean for certificate users? For your website to be trusted by Safari, you will no longer be able to issue publicly trusted TLS certificates with validities longer than 398 days after Aug. 30, 2020. Any certificates issued before Sept. 1, 2020 will still be valid, regardless of the validity period (up to 825 days). Certificates that are not publicly trusted can still be recognized, up to a maximum validity of 825 days.”
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| Best soundbar for under $200/£200: the best cheap soundbar for your money Posted: 24 Feb 2020 02:09 PM PST No matter how good of a TV you buy, sound quality is always going to be a big concern. Whether you shell out for an OLED TV or buy something cheaper like a TCL or Vizio, few TVs will be able to output enough high-quality sound to fill the room. That’s where soundbars come in. While some soundbars can cost thousands of dollars - like the Creative X-Fi Sonic Carrier and Sennheiser Ambeo 3D Soundbar - there are a ton of options that sound great and cost a tenth of the price. That’s what this guide is all about. Over the years we’ve tested hundreds of ‘bars, giving us a pretty good idea of which ones cut through the noise and offer a great sound at a good price. What you’ll find below are the best soundbars under $200/£200 that upgrade your entertainment center’s sound without breaking the bank. Best soundbar for under $200/£200 at a glanceMost people just want a soundbar that works and sounds great and Sony’s entry level HT-MT300 soundbar does just that. For $200 / £200, you get a compact soundbar that will fit just about any home theater and a wireless sub that you can place under your sofa to really feel the bass. The Sony HT-MT300 soundbar comes in two parts: There’s a compact soundbar that measures 50 x 5.4 x 10.3cm (W x H x D) and a slim subwoofer that you can slip under your couch to feel every punch and explosion. The Sony HT-MT300 soundbar punches well above its weight with both movies and music – especially when watching movies with action scenes and even at moderately low levels. With the subwoofer turned up to 75%, the HT-MT300 managed to rattle our living room during the rocket launch in Interstellar. Music also sounds good coming from the Sony HT-MT300, though we wished for a wider and more immersive sound stage. The two woofers in the soundbar are quite close to each other so physics is working against the soundbar when it comes to stereo separation. For most, the Sony HT-MT300 is a winner, keeping it simple and concentrating on the things that matter: sound and ease of use. Read the full review: Sony HT-MT300 The Roku Smart Soundbar is an attempt to to fix two of the biggest problems that have long plagued TV owners – awful audio and outdated smart TV interfaces – with one elegant solution. These are problems other manufacturers like JBL and Anker are trying to solve with products like the JBL Link Bar and Nebula Soundbar, but Roku’s model is the only one to offer Roku TV, which is a definite plus considering how the strengths of the platform. Pulling it out of the box, the Roku Smart Soundbar is a pretty basic 2.0 soundbar. There’s a front mesh that hides the drivers and wraps around the front face of the soundbar, and a plastic matte-black top with a Roku insignia. For its price and its design, we think the soundbar performs decently well. It has no issues with getting loud and filling small and medium-sized rooms, and the volume doesn’t really crackle or distort at any point. It has a workman-like performance that's a clear step-up from 10W TV speakers, but it lacks the clarity and dimensionality of soundbars that are just a few hundred dollars more. You can add some of that in by combining the Smart Soundbar with the Roku Smart Subwoofer ($179.99) and Roku TV Wireless Speakers ($199.99), but that's a pretty big investment for a system that doesn't have Dolby Atmos. Read the full review: Roku Smart Soundbar The key feature of the SB362An-F6 – also referred to more helpfully as the “36-inch 2.1 Sound Bar” on most retailer's websites – is really its sheer value for money, costing just £149 in the UK and an even more competitive $99 in the US, where it was launched at the end of last year. Despite the bargain-basement price, the SB362An-F6 is neatly designed, measuring 36 inches wide, and a streamlined 2 inches high, and 5.2 inches deep (914xx52x133mm). It will sit comfortably underneath the screen of most TVs, and Vizio also includes a pair of wall-mount brackets as well. Inside the main unit, the soundbar houses four main drivers, with a pair of 2.6-inch (67.8mm) full-range woofers and two 3.0-inch (76.2mm) sub-woofers, although the sub-woofers get extra backup from two passive radiators that help to add even more bass rumble. Some people might prefer separate tweeters to handle voices and higher frequencies – especially if you want to use the soundbar for listening to music as well – but the low cost of the SB362An-F6 means there has to be a trade-off here. Those passive radiators sometimes get a little carried away, exaggerating the bass rumble rather than keeping it taut and precise. And, switching to Bluetooth to stream some music from a Tidal account, the lack of tweeters reveals a weakness on some of those high-pitched Queen harmonies on Somebody To Love. It’s handy to have that Bluetooth option, though, and the SB362An-F6 will be fine for just listening to a few tunes when you’re collapsed on the sofa during the summer heatwave. Read the full review: Vizio SB362An-F6 Just when you think you really know a company, it goes and releases something completely out of left-field. Take Razer: historically, it’s been a peddler of pointers and the king of keyboards. Just look at the venerable Razer BlackWidow Ultimate or Razer DeathAdder Chroma. The $199 (£159, AU$279) Leviathan is many things for Razer. It’s Razer’s first sound bar, mainly, but also its first step into your living room and the consoles that live there. It’s the first product from Razer that can directly interface with your Xbox One and PS4 via its optical audio-in port, as well as your PC or TV through auxiliary in. Best described as an all-black, half-size sound bar, the Leviathan measures in at 19.7 x 3 x 2.8 inches (W x H x D) and comes in around 4.5 pounds. Don’t let its dimensions throw you, it’s similarly sized to other entry-level sound bars, and it produces more than enough sound to compensate for its diminutive stature. Besides a few balancing issues, the overall quality of the Leviathan’s sound is good no matter which input you decide to use. The Dolby Pro Logic II codec will transform any signal (analog, optical or Bluetooth) into simulated 5.1 surround sound. It has to be simulated though, as the unit is one driver shy of true 5.1 sound. The effect is very subdued however, and anyone used to using a true 5.1 surround sound setup will notice a lack of distinct left and right channels. Read the full review: Razer Leviathan While it's a bit basic, the Yamaha YAS-108 is a solid option for folks looking for a basic two-channel soundbar with good sound quality - especially in the mids. Why people love it is that it's surprisingly compact and yet still offers great clarity. Add in Bluetooth support and Alexa integration, and the result is a solid entry-level bar for most folks. Of course, if it had an external subwoofer for a meatier bass response and multicast like the rest of the Yamaha lineup that'd be better, but for under $200/£200 we'll take what we can get.
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| How to watch The Bachelor online: stream season 24 from anywhere Posted: 24 Feb 2020 02:07 PM PST It’s been 18 years since ABC’s The Bachelor first aired in the US, leaving a trail of spin-offs, broken hearts and hopeless romantics in its wake. It returned for its 24th season with amorous singleton Peter looking to find "the one" among a group of 30 female contestants. You won’t have to miss a second, though, as we detail below how to watch The Bachelor online from anywhere in the world. As true-blue Bachelor fans will be aware, Season 15 of The Bachelorette saw Peter Weber in the running to be Hannah Brown's future hubby. Despite their steamy night of passion in a Greek windmill on episode nine, Hannah bequeathed her final two roses to Jed and Tyler, leaving Peter devastated. It's safe to say that audiences are wishing Peter much soul-mate shaped happiness this time round, but we'll have to see what drama the contentious fantasy suites episode produces first. As Shakespeare said once, "the course of true love never did run smooth." Or, translated for reality TV: "Expect turbulence!" Read on to discover how to watch The Bachelor online from anywhere in the world.
Watch The Bachelor online from outside your countryIf you happen to be away from home – visiting relatives or abroad looking for your own paramour in distant climes – don't despair. You can easily keep up with who’s being handed those red roses. Say you're in a country where this content isn't available to stream. Downloading a VPN will allow you to watch The Bachelor online no matter where you are. This simple bit of kit changes your IP address so that you can access episodes live or on demand as they become available, just as if you were at home. How to watch The Bachelor online in the US
How to watch The Bachelor online in CanadaHow to watch The Bachelor online in the UKHow to watch The Bachelor online in AustraliaThis posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Yet another AMD Ryzen 4000 benchmark has leaked – and it's looking good Posted: 24 Feb 2020 01:14 PM PST We've been keeping our eyes peels since AMD announced its Ryzen 4000 mobile processors at CES 2020. Leaks have continued to show off compelling performance levels, and the latest leak shows AMD's high-end options beating Intels in benchmarks shared by Twitter leaker @_rogame.
The benchmarks are from 3DMark 11 and focus on both physics and graphics. We've previously seen the Ryzen 4000 processors perform near desktop levels in this benchmark, and this latest batch shows them holding up. While we'd previously seen the Ryzen 7 4800U hit a physics score just short of 12,000 in 3DMark 11, the latest benchmark sees it go even further with a score 12,490. That's a tidy lead over the Intel Core i7-10710U's benchmark of 11,194 and well beyond the Intel Core i7-1065G7's 9,640. All the more impressive given that the AMD chip runs at a 15W TDP while both Intel chips were benchmarked at a 25W TDP. Then there's the consideration for integrated graphics. The benchmarks show that even the integrated graphics of AMD's Ryzen 3 4300U stomp on the Intel UHD Graphics seen in the Core i7-10710U, and the iGPUs in both Ryzen 7 models have a considerable lead over the Intel Iris Plus Graphics of the Intel Core i7-1065G7. Not coming from behind anymoreIf these leaked benchmarks are truly indicative of the type of real-world performance AMD's next batch of mobile processors can offer, it could complete AMD's shakeup of the CPU marketplace. AMD has already turn the tides on Intel in the desktop market, with its Ryzen processors surging in sales. We saw AMD leave Intel behind with high sales late last year, and that doesn't seem likely to stop with the strength of its processors. The move to Zen 2 mobile processors could help AMD gain a stronger foothold in the laptop market, where Intel has maintained a stronger foothold. Given that AMD's Ryzen 4000-series mobile processors appear ready to compete with even some of the best processors for desktop, it doesn't seem like a stretch to expect them to garner many consumers interest, especially when it comes to powering the thinnest and lightest laptops. We still have to wait and see how well the chips perform in the wild, and consider how many laptop manufacturers actually go with AMD on their popular laptop models. And, of course, we're still waiting to see how AMD shakes up the GPU market with Big Navi.
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| Amazon deal alert: save on the all-new Blink XT2 security camera Posted: 24 Feb 2020 12:48 PM PST Beef up your home security and save money with this fantastic deal from Amazon. Right now, you can get the all-new Blink XT2 Smart Security Camera on sale for just $79.99. That's a $20 discount and the best price we've found for the Alexa-enabled camera. Amazon also has the Blink XT2 Two-Camera Kit on sale for $139.99. Blink home security camera deals:If you're interested in a multi-camera or add-on camera kit, Amazon also has the three, and five and add-on Blink XT2 camera kits on sale.
You can find more home security sales with the best cheap home security camera deals that are currently available. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Lenovo unveils updated ThinkPad portfolio Posted: 24 Feb 2020 11:50 AM PST Lenovo has announced the latest additions to its updated ThinkPad portfolio which now includes the new T series, X series and L series. The PC maker's updated ThinkPad portfolio delivers modern IT solutions with a slew of new features including Modern Standby, Wake on Voice, WiFi 6, Dolby Audio Speaker System, Dolby Vision and more. Additionally, customers will be able to outfit select models with either a 10th Gen Intel Core vPro processor or the next generation of AMD Ryzen 4000 PRO Mobile processor and Lenovo will be the first PC vendor to offer AMD's latest mobile chips. In terms of productivity, Modern Standby will likely be the most useful feature as it provides a smartphone-like always-on, always-connected experience where the system remains connected on low power and continues to sync. Fast resume times let users get back to what they were working on quickly and the Wake on Voice feature can help simplify this process further.
The latest ThinkPads will also offer improved connectivity thanks to the inclusion of WiFi 6 and up to Cat 16 WWAN to reduce download times and ensure efficient cloud collaboration from virtually anywhere. Updated ThinkPad portfolioThe T Series is the most successful ThinkPad series ever and the new 14 and 15-inch models are available with Windows 10 Pro and are powered by either 10th Gen Intel Core vPro processors or AMD Ryzen PRO 4000 Mobile processors. The latest X series models are designed to be similar to the T Series but in a smaller more portable package. The ThinkPad X13 and X13 Yoga can be configured with an FHD 500 nit PrivacyGuard ePrivacy display with PrivacyAlert to help protect users from others glancing over their shoulders and both devices also include the latest Intel and AMD processors. The ThinkPad L series has been redesigned to be thinner and lighter across the board and Lenovo's new laptops also include the familiarity of Windows 10 Pro with the convenience of fingerprint reader support by Windows Hello. Like the company's other updated ThinkPads, the ThinkPad L14 and L15 are also available with 10th Gen Intel Core vPro processors or AMD Ryzen PRO 4000 mobile processors. All of the laptops in Lenovo's updated ThinkPad portfolio will be available from Q2 2020 with prices ranging from $649 to $1029.
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| Huawei P40 release date, news and leaks Posted: 24 Feb 2020 11:23 AM PST The upcoming Huawei P40 (and its expected big brother, the P40 Pro) is one of the tech industry's biggest enigmas – will it actually ever be released or not? Despite Huawei's claims the phone will land in March, we're unsure. Because of the ongoing Huawei ban, new smartphones from the company can't use any Google apps (including the Play Store), greatly restricting their capabilities and value versus other smartphones. That will likely include the Huawei P40 Pro in a similar way to how the Huawei Mate 30 Pro was impacted. Despite the dubious future laid out for Huawei's handsets, we're eagerly anticipating the upcoming Huawei P40 smartphone. The Huawei P30 and P30 Pro from 2019 are some of our favorite phones, with the latter topping our best camera phones list for a long time thanks to its 5x optical zoom Periscope lens and great software. New phones like the Samsung Galaxy S20 family as well as the rumored iPhone 12 are sure to be tough competition for Huawei and its P40 phones, so it'll be exciting to see what the company includes in 2020. We’ve listed what we want to see in the Huawei P40 below, as well as what we already know or have heard rumored. We'll be constantly updating this article with all the latest Huawei P40 leaks and rumors as they happen, to bring you the best idea of what to expect ahead of the handset's official launch. Latest news: Huawei CEO Richard Yu has confirmed the Huawei P40 series will land on March 26 at a launch event in Paris, France. Cut to the chase
Huawei P40 release date and priceHuawei has confirmed that the Huawei P40 will be announced in Paris at the end of March. It subsequently gave us a specific launch date: March 26. This comes as no surprise, since the P30 and P30 Pro were unveiled in Paris in March 2019, and the P20 and P20 Pro launch event look place in March 2018. We had anticipated it being launched at MWC 2020, but that event has now been cancelled March makes sense as Huawei likes to separate its phone launches from other big tech events like the Samsung Galaxy S20 launch. It had previously launched new P series handsets at MWC in Barcelona at the end of February, but that's a show which features a huge number of launches and it gets more exposure by delaying by a couple of weeks and holding its own event in March. MWC 2020 was also cancelled. The Huawei P40 price is a more interesting conversation. At launch the Huawei P30 cost £699 / AU$1,099 (roughly $910), and the P30 Pro started at £899 (AU$1,599, around $1,140), which were both pricier than the previous year’s entries. We've heard the Huawei P40 price could roughly match the P30, but the Pro model might actually be a little bit more affordable than its 2019 equivalent. The rumored Huawei P40 Pro Premium Edition is apparently going to set you back a whopping €1,200 (around $1,320, £1,015, AU$1,955), which is enough to rival the most pricey phones on the market. One thing we’re not expecting though? For the Huawei P40 to be available in the US, as previous Huawei phones haven’t been. Huawei P40 news and rumorsSince Christmas 2019, the flow of Huawei P40 leaks and rumors have picked up somewhat, and we're starting to get a clearer picture of what the phone could look like. Well, we would if some of the leaks weren't slightly contradictory. The first piece of news is the biggest: despite the Huawei ban throwing the future of the company into disarray, it seems like Huawei still plans to launch the Huawei P40 globally. Even if the ban is still in place when the phone is set to release, the launch will go ahead – the handset will just come without Google apps. This might make it a little useless, since most people only use a smartphone for its apps. The Huawei P40 and P40 Pro could both be 5G phones, as a listing for a Chinese regulatory body suggests. This makes sense as they're expected to run on the Kirin 990 chipset which supports that next-gen connectivity. A Huawei exec has also said that the P40 will have a "never seen" design, suggesting big changes to the look, and that it will run Android 10 (without Google services), and have performance and photo quality improvements. Leaked renders of the phone, and subsequent hands-on pictures, suggest it'll actually look pretty familiar, with a design that's incredibly similar to what we're expecting the Samsung Galaxy S20 and OnePlus 8 to also look like too. It seems 2020 is the year all phones look the same. Those renders do show the different colors the phone could come in, from expected options like black and white to some more interesting tones like almond and blue-ish. The design of the Huawei P40, at least the Pro model, might actually come without the curved screen of the P30 Pro, according to leaked screen renders. The leak seems tentative, so it might be wrong, but we could see the newer device be a little less top-end compared to its predecessor. We've seen screen protectors that suggest there will be a curved screen though, so the flat screen leak seems dubious. We've also seen a leaked image of the Huawei P40 camera bump. The rear lump seems to be in the top-left of the phone's back, same as in the Huawei P30, and it doesn't seem too intrusive either, at least compared to devices from other companies. A leaked render gives us a different angle, and it looks like the bump could be just as long, but much wider, than the P30's. But we know what you really want to know, the exact specs, and we've heard many rumors of the Huawei P40 Pro camera specs. The device is said to have a five-camera array consisting of a 64MP main snapper, 12MP zoom camera (which is supposed to facilitate up to 10x optical zoom, which would be the best in a smartphone), and ultra-wide, depth sensing and macro cameras of unspecified resolution. Saying that, a separate leak suggests the main camera will be a 52MP snapper, and the fact that leaks are contradicting each other suggests we shouldn't take any of them as gospel just yet. That 52MP claim has now been made again, with a source adding that it would use 'Quad Quad Bayer' tech to combine 16 pixels into 1, resulting in snaps of just 3.25MP, but with a massive pixel size which would likely allow for superb low light shots. Of course, you wouldn't have to shoot at 3.25MP, as it's also rumored to support 4-in-1 pixels for 13MP shots, and would likely allow you to shoot in full 52MP quality as well. This source also reiterated the claims of a 10x zoom lens, saying that this would be possible by using two prisms in the mechanism, rather than the single prism that current periscope lenses on smartphones use. One of the above sources also stated that the base Huawei P40 would have four rear cameras, dropping either of the latter two cameras, but another rumor suggests the Huawei P40 will have the same three cameras as the Huawei P30. We've got our reservations about that, because it wouldn't make sense for a device that'll put such an emphasis on photography to not innovate in the camera department, but perhaps Huawei has something else up its sleeves. Another render (shown above) showed three rear cameras on the Huawei P40, but two front-facing cameras, so it seems there could be improvements for selfies but not for typical pictures. We'll leave you with some bizarre information that we're not sure what to make of. A rumor has suggested that as well as the Huawei P40, P40 Pro and P40 Lite, there could be a Huawei P40 Pro Premium Edition, with the most top-end specs of the lot. That's a strange name, and it seems weird that Huawei would add yet another phone to a line that might not be available in many places (if the Mate 30 series is anything to go by) which is why we're not totally sold just yet. What we want to see1. A new camera lensWhen the Huawei P30 Pro came out with four lenses, it was one of the first smartphones to do so, and even the P30’s three were impressive. But now more affordable smartphones have four cameras, like the Honor 20, so one way for Huawei to continue its photography dominance, and distinguish itself from the competition, would be to add yet another lens. Our top choice for this extra lens would be a Motorola One Action-style 'Action Cam' for recording video, as video-specific cameras are things we haven’t seen too much in cameras. An anamorphic lens would also be great for recording video, as that type of lens is used by professional film-makers as it letterboxes the footage and captures lens flare, with other perks too. 2. Wireless chargingThis is something we ask for in every new phone, as it’s a feature that’s becoming bigger over time, but wireless charging on the Huawei P40 would be a really useful feature that would fit its premium status. We’re hopeful this feature will be added – the Huawei P30 Pro had wireless charging, as did the Mate 20 Pro, so it’s probably on a matter of time before Huawei brings the feature to its non-pro phones. The P30 Pro 3. Improved display technologyIf we were to sum up the Huawei P30 and P30 Pro displays, it’d be ‘good not great’ – the OLED are HDR10, which is fine for viewing content, but nothing on competitors with QuadHD or even 4K displays. Huawei is always trying to be competitive in the camera department, and to view increasingly amazing pictures you’re going to need better and better displays, so it would make sense for Huawei to update its range. Perhaps by fitting the Huawei P40 with AMOLED tech in the screen, with QuadHD or even 4K, Huawei could stay ahead of the competition. 4. Keep the notchWe’d like the Huawei P40 to keep the notch of the P30. This is something of a controversial stance, so stay with us here – but we don’t want Huawei to follow the trend of increasingly bizarre and gimmicky notch alternatives. The reason for this is that, currently, there are no better solutions to the front-facing camera problem. Punch-hole cut-outs take up as much, if not more space, and pop-up cameras are a gimmick that can be an inconvenience when done well, and very annoying when not. It’d be good if Huawei could shrink the P30 Pro’s notch, which is rather thick, but the P30’s is slim and inoffensive compared to that of many other phones. Better to imitate this than try something different, that ends up backfiring. 5. A redesigned user interfaceThis is going to be less of a controversial opinion – we’d like Huawei to redesign EMUI, its own-brand user interface, in time for the Huawei P40. EMUI Currently, EMUI is arguably rather bright (some would call it garish), and it comes with quite a bit of bloatware that you’ll find yourself uninstalling straight away. Chinese phone manufacturers frequently have UIs that are popular in China, but not as much elsewhere, and EMUI is a prime example. If Huawei could dust up this UI for the Huawei P40 (which may be a simple task if the phone runs on Harmony OS), it’d certainly be much more pleasant to use. 6. Even further camera zoom distanceOne of the most impressive Huawei P30 features was the digital and optical zoom available on the camera, but we’d like to be wowed again if the Huawei P40 zoom saw an upgrade. The Huawei P30 allowed for 3x optical zoom and 30x digital, and the P30 Pro saw up to 5x optical and 50x digital – that’s pretty impressive sight. But now that smartphones like the Oppo Reno 10x Zoom support a crazy 60x zoom (despite the name), Huawei is going to have to pull out the big guns to keep competitive. Perhaps we could see an improved telephoto lens in the P40 and P40 Pro, as well as a better megapixel count so that digital zoom creates less grainy results. 7. Dual-lens front cameraHuawei’s smartphones are noted for their rear camera arrays, but we’d like to see the Huawei P40 cameras on the front to also allow for competition-crushing pictures, and the best way for Huawei to achieve this would be by having multiple front-facing cameras. We’ve already seen this done in phones like the Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus, which has two cameras on the front which ‘see’ depth in order to add appropriate ‘bokeh’ background blur. If there was something similar in Huawei’s upcoming phones, even just the Huawei P40 Pro, it’d give the device a competitive edge. 8. Increased IP protection ratingWhile the Huawei P30 Pro had IP68 protection, making it pretty much accident-proof (it means it’s dust resistant, and can be submerged up to 2 metres for half an hour), the P30 was had only an IP53 rating, so it was dust and splash protected, but if you dunk it in the bath along with your P30 Pro, it’s not turning on afterwards. We’d like the Huawei P40 to have resistance to match its P40 Pro counterpart – we don’t like having to worry about the safety of our smartphone at all times, and if the P40 could match the P30 Pro’s protection, it’d help us sleep safe and sound at night (and by bodies of water). This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Huawei P40 line will officially launch on March 26 Posted: 24 Feb 2020 11:20 AM PST The Huawei P40 lineup will officially launch on March 26 in Paris, France, the company’s CEO Richard Yu reportedly confirmed. Yu made the announcement while unveiling the Huawei Mate XS, per GSMArena. Clearly, the introduction of a refined version of their first foldable - the Huawei Mate X, which hasn’t been released outside China - hasn’t slowed down the company’s typical smartphone release cadence. The P-series has traditionally launched early in the year (in ‘Spring’ or Q2), and indeed, the Huawei P30 and P30 Pro launched on March 26, 2019. This year, we’re expecting the typical Huawei P40 and higher-end Huawei P40 Pro, as well as the potential for additional P40 Lite and Huawei P40 Pro Premium editions, though we aren’t sure if they’ll all launch on the same day.
Huawei P40: continuing the march to better camerasLike the P30 before it, we’re expecting improved cameras on the Huawei P40 and P40 Pro. We’ve heard plenty of rumors by now, many of which contradict or aren’t specific about which models get which setups. For instance, a rumor suggests the P40 Pro will get a five-camera array consisting of a 64MP main lens, a 12MP telephoto allegedly capable of up to 10x optical zoom, an ultrawide lens, a depth sensor, and finally a macro camera for up-close shots. Like other phones, there’s also claims the main camera (which might be 64MP and might be 52MP) may use an extreme form of ‘pixel binning’ to combine 16 pixels into 1 in a process that’s allegedly called ‘Quad Quad Bayer.’ This shrinks the shot quality down to 3.25MP, but should dramatically improve low-light performance. Whether these lenses and capabilities make it to the standard P40 or other as-yet unconfirmed phones in the P40 lineup is unclear, but at least we have a release date to look forward to.
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| Black Shark 3 is officially the new Xiaomi phone and it's coming very soon Posted: 24 Feb 2020 11:19 AM PST We'd heard rumblings of a new Black Shark 3 gaming phone but the device wasn't confirmed – that is, until an official poster announced the device launch was just eight days away (as of its posting). This poster, uploaded by Black Shark on Chinese social media platform Weibo, pegs the Black Shark 3 launch event as being on March 3. Judging by the language used in the poster, it seems this event will be held in China (as the poster is in Chinese), which makes sense given Xiaomi (Black Shark's parent company) is Chinese, and often launches its products in the country first.
While we don't know that much about the Black Shark 3, we do know it's being made in partnership with the largest gaming company in the world, Tencent Games, and the poster backs this up with that company's logo present. How this partnership will manifest for the device - whether it's hardware or software - we don't know just yet. We also know the device will be a 5G phone thanks to another nugget included in the poster, and this might make the handset great for games streaming or simply downloading your next game on the go. TechRadar will make sure to tune into the Black Shark 3 launch event on March 3 to bring you the latest on the new 5G gaming phone. And then something moreJust before the Black Shark 3 news broke, a little leak did giving us some extra information on the phone. This comes from GSMArena, which analyzed a poll posted by Black Shark brand manager to glean some information as to the battery and charging. Apparently, the Black Shark 3 will have a 5,000mAh power pack, and support 65W fast charging (a tech already shown off by Black Shark's parent company Xiaomi). It'll also withstand 800 charging cycles without losing too much battery capacity, which is quite high compared to most other devices. GSMArena worked this out by looking at all the poll options, and determining which combination of stats posted didn't correspond to a pre-existing phone. It's sound reasoning, but does mean we can only take this information with a pinch of salt rather than accepting it outright. We'll find out for sure come March 3 when Black Shark shows off its newest smartphone. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| The best gaming monitor 2020: the 10 best gaming screens of the year Posted: 24 Feb 2020 10:54 AM PST Having the best gaming monitor is crucial to getting a fully immersive experience when diving into the best PC games. Beyond delivering gorgeous image quality, an excellent gaming screen will also have the power to keep up with the fastest and most demanding games out there, from Assassin's Creed: Odyssey to Overwatch. When it comes to picking the best gaming monitor, however, there’s not one metric to rule them all. Different gamers have different needs. Some might require a massive screen real estate and some might care more about having the speediest refresh rate, while others will want to see the smallest detail. So, much like getting the best graphics card and the best processor for your gaming PC, picking the right gaming monitor for your needs is key. That’s where we come in. To make your search for the best gaming monitor easier, we gathered the best gaming monitors we’ve tested and reviewed ourselves. Regardless of what your needs are, you’ll find the perfect fit on this list. Best gaming monitors at a glance
The Samsung CRG9 is the best gaming monitor if you've got the extra cash laying around. It may be very expensive and requires a killer gaming PC setup to run, but the Samsung CRG9 is completely worth it and the best gaming monitor if you’ve got the extra cash laying around. This bigger-than-average 49-incher boasts bezels thinner than most gaming monitors and a picture by picture mode feature that lets you use two different inputs, simulating a dual monitor setup in a single monitor. And, that’s without mentioning that the Samsung CRG9 produces an out-of-this-world image right out of the box. Read the full review: Samsung CRG9 The Alienware AW3418DW delivers a level of immersion that only a 21:9 aspect ratio can. The Alienware AW3418DW is one of the few gaming monitors that deliver a level of immersion that only a 21:9 aspect ratio can, while also offering up a high refresh rate. With a dense 3,440 x 1,440 resolution, ridiculously fast 4ms response times and a speedy 120Hz refresh rate, this ultrawide monitor gives you the best of both worlds. All these features don’t come cheap though, so budget-minded gamers might want to look elsewhere or start saving up. Still, it’s not hard to see why it’s one of the best gaming monitors 2019 has to offer. Read the full review: Alienware AW3418DW The AOC Agon AC352UCG6 carries over the original's best features. The AOC Agon AG352UCG was one of the best gaming monitors we ever got our hands on, so when we heard that a follow-up was coming – one that comes with a higher refresh rate and better contrast – it was hard not to get excited. The AOC Agon AC352UCG6 Black Edition carries over the original’s best features but ramps them up to 11, making it a stunning display on which to experience ultra-wide gaming. It’s expensive, yeah, but if you have the hardware to back it up, you’ll be doing yourself a disservice by not investing. Read the full review: AOC Agon AG352UCG6 Black Edition The Asus ROG Swift PG27UQ might just be the most advanced gaming monitor to add to your arsenal. The Asus ROG Swift PG27UQ might just be the most advanced – not to mention, best – gaming monitor to add to your arsenal... as long as you’re ready to pay for it. This display features a gorgeous 4K Ultra-HD resolution and HDR, as well as G-Sync and a lightning-quick 144Hz refresh rate. These specs add up to one of the most impressive gaming monitors that’s ever existed – and when you see it in action, it will blow you away. The only thing that holds this gaming monitor back from true greatness is its ridiculous price tag. But, then again, if you have this kind of cash lying around, you should be able to afford a PC powerful enough to drive it. Read the full review: Asus ROG Swift PG27UQ Originally made for CAD professionals, the BenQ PD3200U is also great for gaming. While originally made for CAD professionals, the BenQ PD3200U is also great for gaming, making it one of the best gaming monitors you can buy today. This is mostly thanks to its rock-solid focus on graphic design so it’s able to offer incredibly wide viewing angles, which means that your friends can watch your game in comfort. And, unlike most 4K monitors on the market, you won’t have to mess around with the settings to get the best picture, since every unit is individually calibrated by BenQ before shipping. This is definitely one of the best gaming monitors out there, even though it wasn’t actually designed for gaming. Read the full review: BenQ PD3200U The MSI Optix MPG341CQR's super-wide 1440p resolution and 144Hz refresh certainly give gamers an edge. While all of its extra frills make the MSI Optix MPG341CQR an even more appealing selection for potential buyers, it does an outstanding job of standing out on its own. The use of VA rather than IPS panel technology, for one, is a welcome advantage, offering punchier colors and better contrast. Plus, its super-wide 1440p resolution and 144Hz refresh certainly give gamers an edge. The best part might be that this display is also reasonably priced, making it one of the best gaming monitors to consider in 2019. Read the full review: MSI Optix MPG341CQR An epic gaming experience awaits you with Acer Predator CG7’s 43-inch screen, 4000:1 contrast ratio, 1ms response time and 120Hz refresh rate. To be fair, there are bigger and badder gaming monitors out there, but for some people – particularly, those looking for a TV with gaming-level specs, this one’s a winner. It’s got some extra features as well – namely, a remote control, icons on that stand to encourage game controller storage, and RGB lighting that can sync to your music and games – so you’re getting your money’s worth, even if you are paying for a lot. Read the full review: Acer Predator CG7 The BenQ Zowie XL2540 forgoes flashy lighting effects for a blazing 240Hz refresh rate. Don’t be turned off by its limitations. The BenQ Zowie XL2540 still absolutely deserves its place right up there on the best gaming monitors list. It forgoes flashy lighting effects for a blazing 240Hz refresh rate and rapid 1ms response time. This monitor is both FreeSync and G-Sync compatible, and if you have a setup that’s able of keeping up with this refresh rate, then this gaming display will blow you away. The BenQ Zowie XL2540 keeps things simple by supplying you with a ton of visual presets, an “S Switch” control pod for managing those presets and even a pair of adjustable light screens. This is one of the best gaming monitors to consider if you’re a pro or hardcore gamer. Read the full review: BenQ Zowie XL2540 The AOC Agon AG322QC4 has a lot of aces up its sleeves. A bit of HDR is always a welcome addition, even if it’s not true HDR. And yet, the AOC Agon AG322QC4 has more aces up its sleeves. That includes a 144Hz refresh rate, FreeSync 2 and a 3,000:1 contrast ratio, ranking this among the best gaming monitors of 2019. And it offers users beautiful, super smooth visuals, all while looking good doing so. It’s not exactly a steal, but the Agon AG322QC4 is still reasonably priced for gamers who aren’t shopping in the bargain basement. Read the full review: AOC Agon AG322QC4 The MSI Optix MAG271CR proves that the best gaming monitors in 2019 are all about the high refresh rates. When you’re playing competitive first-person shooters like Overwatch or Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, you’ll need speed above all else in order to stay on top of the leader boards. That’s where displays like the MSI Optix MAG271CR come in handy. With a 1080p resolution, 144Hz refresh rate and 1ms of latency, you’re equipped with incredibly fast, super smooth gameplay, as long as you have the hardware to drive it. After all, 60Hz panels are so 2014 – the best gaming monitors in 2020 are all about the high refresh rates. Read the full review: MSI Optix MAG271CR How to buy the best gaming monitor in 2020If in the market for the best gaming monitor 2020 has to offer, know that there are a few things to keep in mind before choosing which display should grace your desk. You’ll want to familiarize yourself with the following terms and specifications to help guarantee that you’re getting the best gaming monitor that’s most ideal for you. It also means you won’t have to pay extra for additional features that you might not actually care about. Screen size: When looking for the best gaming monitor, one of the most important things to consider is the screen size. Larger display sizes can lead to more immersive gaming experiences as the game fills more of your field of vision, but you'll also have to make sure that you have the space to keep a large monitor. And, it goes without saying that the larger the monitor, the higher the price as well. Aspect ratio: The aspect ratio of a gaming monitor helps determine the width and height of the display. Most widescreen monitors have an aspect ratio of 16:9, while older monitors have closer to a square format of 4:3 that might feel pretty out of date in 2020. Ultra-wide monitors with aspect ratios of 21:9 are rapidly growing in popularity, as they offer a wider view of your games, which is why many ultra-wides have made our list of the best gaming monitors 2020. Resolution: One other critical factor to consider when searching for the best gaming monitor for your needs is the resolution. The higher the number, the sharper the picture. You will, however, require a more powerful graphics card for anything over Full HD (1,920 x 1,080), even if many gaming monitors feature resolutions as high as 2,560 x 1,400 (WQHD) and 3,840 x 2,160 (4K). Refresh rate: When you’re mostly looking to play Counter-Strike and other first-person shooters like it, refresh rate is even more vital. The higher the refresh rate, the more frames per second (fps) the monitor can support, leading to a considerably smoother gaming experience. A 60Hz refresh rate is still the most common in 2020, but refresh rates of 144Hz and even 200Hz are becoming more prominent – not to mention, more and more necessary. Response time: The best gaming monitors offers low response times, which means you’re getting fast and fluid actions, with little to no input lag. The lowest response time for TN monitors (we’ll get to this in the next section) is 1 millisecond, whereas the newer IPS monitors typically have slower 4ms response times. When you’re playing games competitively, it’s vital to keep this number as low as you can in order to avoid latency. Panel type: This is where things get a little technical. The type of panel a gaming monitor uses will largely contribute to its response time and image clarity. TN (twisted nematic) panels, which are often more affordable, have the lowest response times but usually don’t come with great viewing angles. IPS (in-plane switching) panels, on the other hand, have fantastic viewing angles and color reproduction, but usually have higher response times. Meanwhile, VA (vertical alignment) panels are between the two, although its slow response times makes these panels rare in the gaming world. Viewing Angle: While most people play games right in front of their gaming monitor, this isn’t always be the case, particularly when there is an audience. A monitor’s viewing angles tell you what angle you can look at the monitor from and still make out a clear image. The closer these numbers are to 180, the better your viewing experience will be when standing further to either side of the monitor or looking at it from above or below. G-Sync and FreeSync: You've probably noticed that many of the best gaming monitors in 2020 come with either G-Sync or FreeSync technology – sometimes even both. These help keep frames per second (fps) smooth, combat screen tearing and minimize input lag. G-Sync is developed by Nvidia, so it requires an Nvidia GPU. And, the tech is built into the monitor, which can bump up their price tag. FreeSync, on the other hand, was made by AMD. Since it is free to use by manufacturers, the monitors that have them are usually more economical. Check out our HDR Explained video below. Gabe Carey, Bill Thomas and Michelle Rae Uy have also contributed to this article Image Credit: TechRadar
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| Honor View 30 release date, news and features Posted: 24 Feb 2020 10:53 AM PST The Honor View 30 and View 30 Pro were launched at the end of 2019 in China, but only in late February did they see a global launch. And when we say 'global' we mean 'in select countries', as the rollout seems quite limited at this time. The two Honor View 30 phones have a lot going for them, including 5G support, high-end power, and triple-lens rear cameras. Being Honor phones they’re also likely to undercut most similar spec handsets from other brands, though exact prices and availability are still to be confirmed. The base Honor View 30 isn't leaving China, however, and only the Pro version is coming to the rest of the world. In addition the Huawei ban means the phones will have no Google apps (including the Play Store), so it'll be intriguing to see how popular they become. Below you’ll find everything there is to know about these two phones, including their specs in full. Plus, while we don’t know exactly what they’ll cost or where they’ll launch, we’ve taken some educated guesses. Cut to the chase
Honor View 30 release date and priceThe Honor View 30 and Honor View 30 Pro were announced in China in November 2019. There they’re called the Honor V30 and V30 Pro, but internationally they're named the View 30 and View 30 Pro, and only the latter is leaving China. The Honor View 30 Pro has been confirmed for Russia but no other countries, and it seems Honor plans to slowly bring it to new markets over time. The phones don’t have access to Google Play Services (more on which below), making them less appealing to international audiences, and in turn meaning they might not be widely released. As such, at the time of writing we’re not sure if or when they’ll land in the likes of the UK and Australia. We don't know prices for the Honor View 30 Pro, but if you want it in most regions you'll have to import it (as we said, Honor's not bringing it everywhere) so costs could vary. The Honor View 20 was sold for £499 in the UK at launch, and we could see a similar price (but converted) when it hits Europe. The Honor View 30 Pro Honor View 30 design and displayThe Honor View 30 and Honor View 30 Pro both sport an all-screen design, with a dual-lens punch-hole camera in the top left corner. They also both have a rectangular camera block on the back in the top left corner. There’s a slim strip of bezel below the screen, and as with just about all mid-range and above smartphones they have a metal frame and a glass back. So visually there’s little difference between them and that doesn’t change when you come to the screen, as both the Honor View 30 and Honor View 30 Pro have a 6.57-inch 1080 x 2400 IPS LCD display, with a pixel density of 400 pixels per inch. The Honor View 30 Honor View 30 cameraThere are slightly more differences between the standard and Pro models when it comes to cameras. The Honor View 30 has a 40MP f/1.8 main sensor, an 8MP f/2.4 telephoto one with 3x optical zoom, and an 8MP f/2.4 ultra-wide one. The Honor View 30 Pro on the other hand has a 40MP f/1.6 main sensor, an 8MP f/2.4 telephoto one with 3x optical zoom, and a 12MP f/2.2 ultra-wide one. The Honor View 30 Pro also has optical image stabilization for its main camera, which the standard Honor View 30 doesn’t. However, their front cameras are the same, with both sporting a 32MP f/2.0 sensor paired with an 8MP f/2.2 one. The Honor View 30 Honor View 30 battery and specsThe Honor View 30 actually has the larger battery at 4,200mAh, compared to 4,100mAh in the Honor View 30 Pro, not that this should make much difference. They also both support 40W fast charging, but the Honor View 30 Pro additionally supports 27W fast wireless charging. Both phones use the Kirin 990 chipset, which is the same high-end chipset as you’ll find in the likes of the Huawei Mate 30 Pro. RAM comes in at 6GB in the View 30 and 8GB in the Honor View 30 Pro, and while the former has 128GB of storage, the latter has a choice of 128GB or 256GB. Both phones support 5G, have a side-mounted fingerprint scanner, and both run Android 10, but this isn’t full-fat Android 10, as they don’t have access to the Google Play Store, limiting what apps you can get. There’s also no access to other Google services.
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| Posted: 24 Feb 2020 10:40 AM PST Not only have the best Chromebooks in 2020 evolved to be much more capable than their predecessors, but they’ve also proven themselves to be more than just laptop alternatives. These portables were once largely considered to be budget and less powerful substitutes for laptops. Nowadays, however, they can hold their own against some of the best laptops out there. The best Chromebooks may not be for everyone. If your everyday computing demands involve extensive video editing or AutoCAD designing, look elsewhere. However, if your typical workday mostly includes emails, word processing and handling spreadsheets, and you can do all your important tasks on the Chrome browser, then a Chromebook is ideal for you. The best Chromebooks will see you through productivity and multitasking – as well as last you long enough for some post-work entertainment due to their excellent battery life – without breaking a sweat or your bank. Ready to jump on the Chromebook bandwagon? We carefully picked the best Chromebooks we’ve reviewed so far, and included our price comparison tool. This just might be the best investment you’ll make this year. Best Chromebooks at a glance
Google continues its tradition of making the best Chromebooks in the world. While it's older Pixelbook used to occupy the top spot in our best Chromebooks list, it's been replaced by Google's latest Chromebook: the Pixelbook Go. This is a Chromebook that proves that these devices can be just as stylish and powerful as traditional laptops, and the Pixelbook Go brings a lot of the original Pixelbook's premium features to a more affordable device. It also features a fantastic battery life and a brilliant keyboard that makes typing on a pleasure. Read the full review: Google Pixelbook Go Before Google rolled out the Pixelbook, and showed us exactly what the best Chromebooks should be, the Asus Chromebook Flip was the Google laptop a lot of Google laptops aspired to be. With a full Intel Core processor and a full-HD display, the Asus Chromebook Flip was certainly a game-changer. These days, in the shadow of Google Pixelbook, the Asus Chromebook Flip is the best Chromebook for you if you want the Pixelbook’s key features, but cannot afford its steep price. If you're on a budget, this is one of the best Asus laptops to consider. Read the full review: Asus Chromebook Flip If you’re looking for a Chromebook that really gives you excellent value for money, then the Acer Chromebook 314 is the best Chromebook for you. It’s easy to use, reliable, and has a wonderful screen and battery life (up to 12 hours) combo – not to mention, a 14-inch crisp and bright display that gives you more screen real estate for your productivity needs. It also has a keyboard that is satisfying and a joy to use, as well as a touchpad that interacts well with all your fingers' movements and commands. More importantly, it strikes a great balance between design, usability, features, battery life and performance, while being comfortable with its own limitations. Read the full review: Acer Chromebook 314
If versatility is a top priority, then look no further than the Acer Chromebook Spin 311. This all-rounder has all the makings of a great Chromebook, from its good battery life to its robust build and solid usability. However, the Acer Chromebook Spin 311 takes it further with its impressive levels of versatility, thanks to its abundance of ports considering its size, 2-in-1 design, portable size and excellent touchscreen display. It also boasts a keyboard and a touchpad that are not only reliable, but also satisfying to use. That’s a rare thing in a machine at this price point. Read the full review: Acer Chromebook Spin 311 The best Chromebooks are generally affordable devices so that they are accessible to anyone, no matter their budget. The Dell Inspiron Chromebook 11 2-in-1 perfectly fits this bill, even if isn’t the most powerful Chromebook on the market. This device is everything every Chromebook needs to be: affordable, easy to use and durable. Aned, it’s rugged too. The Dell Inspiron Chromebook 11 2-in-1 is great for doing all your web browsing, paper writing and show binging needs. Plus, it may just be one of the best laptops for kids, as it won’t break from a single drop. Read the full review: Dell Inspiron Chromebook 11 2-in-1 The best Chromebooks make the most compelling student laptops, and that’s exactly where the Acer Chromebook Spin 11 excels. Whether you’re a student or a parent of one, this is a cheap, capable and durable laptop that will let you get some schoolwork done while commuting or traveling. You might not get any hardcore gaming or proper video editing done on it. However, if you only need to write up some papers and stream videos or shows in your downtime, then the Acer Chromebook Spin 11 should be at the top of your list. Read the full review: Acer Chromebook Spin 11 With a solid build quality that rivals a MacBook, it’s easy to excuse the Acer Chromebook 15’s aversion to 2-in-1 form factors. Still, given that the best Chromebooks rolling out this year are fully convertible, thanks to the wide adoption of Android app support, the Acer Chromebook 15 had to prove itself with more than great style. Beyond its aptitude for laying flat using a 180-degree hinge, this beautiful 15-inch Chromebook also makes a great impression with its battery life, lasting nearly 17 hours in our battery test. Read the full review: Acer Chromebook 15 We wouldn’t be surprised to see Acer replacing the Chromebook R11 someday soon – at least, judging by the recent release of the Chromebook Spin 11, and owing to the fact that it isn’t the most powerful choice out there. Yet it still holds up to this day as among the best Chromebooks on the market, giving you full access to Android Apps on the Google Play store. What’s more, it does so on a touchscreen display that can be rotated around into tablet mode, fitted in an all-metal finish that you would be proud to show off. Read the full review: Acer Chromebook R11 The best Chromebooks balance a bargain price and efficient use of Chrome OS – and the HP Chromebook 14 is the perfect example of that. While it’s similar to the Acer Chromebook 15 in a lot of ways, this 14-inch Chromebook is a tad more compact and looks slightly better. Complemented by a bright blue finish and a screen made to astound, the HP Chromebook 14 offers the best value of any Chromebook out there. Even if the battery life and performance are average – the HP Chromebook 14 is easily one of the best Chromebooks to date. Read the full review: HP Chromebook 14 We can easily forgive the Acer Chromebook Spin 15’s shortcomings – namely, its subpar trackpad and the fact that doesn’t take full advantage of the space it has – as it more than makes up for them with enough power for formidable multitasking, a battery life that will outlast yours and a beautiful touch display that’s surprisingly premium for the price. All those certainly warrant this Chromebook a spot in our best Chromebooks list, and that’s without even factoring in its affordability. If you’re not convinced that you should jump on the Chromebook bandwagon, this one will make a convert out of you. Read the full review: Acer Chromebook Spin 15 Juan Martinez, Michelle Rae Uy and Gabe Carey have also contributed to this article. Watch the video below for the top 7 things to consider when buying a laptop:
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| Honor Magic Earbuds are the company's new Apple AirPods competitors Posted: 24 Feb 2020 10:31 AM PST We'd heard rumors that Honor was working on some true wireless earbuds, and it turns out that was correct, because the company has shown off its Apple AirPods lookalikes, the Honor Magic Earbuds. The buds were shown off at Honor's MWC-replacement event in Barcelona on February 24. You can watch the announcement on the YouTube livestream. The main feature of these Earbuds is noise cancellation, which Honor says it designed around a few use cases including coffee shops and airplanes.
Bluetooth calling seems a priority here, with three dedicated mics for clear calling, and the ability to touch the buds to answer calls. There's also a 10mm driver unit here, so you should get decent sound. We have a vague release date for the Honor Magic Earbuds, which is 'April', although we're not sure which regions will see it. There's a clue in the fact the only price we know for the earphones is in Euros, at €129 (roughly £110, $140, AU$210), so they seem pretty affordable. When the Honor Magic Earbuds become available we'll make sure to test them out and let you know if they're any good for you, and if they throw the AirPods any competition. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Honor View 30 Pro is finally going global, but without its cheaper sibling Posted: 24 Feb 2020 10:30 AM PST The Honor View 30 was announced at the end of 2019 in China, and it finally looks like the phone is coming to other countries – but just the Pro version, and not to very many countries at all. Honor announced the View 30 Pro’s global rollout at its MWC 2020 replacement event in Barcelona on February 24, where it also showed off the Honor 9X Pro, the MagicBook laptops and the Magic Earbuds. The Honor View 30 Pro has three rear cameras consisting of a 40MP f/1.6 main, 8MP f/2.4 telephoto (for 3x optical zoom) and 12MP f/2.2MP ultrawide camera, and there’s a 32MP snapper on the front joined by an 8MP ultrawide selfie cam for group shots. These aren’t incredible camera specs, but the phone should take some pretty decent pictures, and the addition of an ultrawide lens on the front is pretty rare in phones.
The chipset here is the Kirin 990, which is the most premium processor from Huawei (Honor’s parent company) so far, and the device is also a 5G phone with 8GB RAM. The battery pack is 4,100mAh, and the phone charges wirelessly as well as with 40W fast charging. On the front of the Honor View 30 Pro you’re getting a 6.57-inch LCD screen with a 1080 x 2400 resolution – while the 20:9 aspect ratio might make it feel quite long and thin to some users. If these specs sound pretty good to you, we’re afraid to say we don’t know the price just yet, although the Honor View 20 was available at £499 (about $650, AU$900). Saying that, since it's the 'Pro' model coming elsewhere (which would have a higher price tag than non-Pro), the cost could be a little higher. However, we do have some release date news. Honor told TechRadar the phone won’t be coming to the UK, and while it will come to certain European countries, we’re not sure which just yet, other than Russia where it will be available "soon". As soon as the phone starts to roll out, TechRadar will try to track one down and test it out, to see if it’s worth buying if you live in one of the countries it’s available. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Google Cloud wants to help you detect security threats Posted: 24 Feb 2020 10:18 AM PST As part of its efforts to better cater to enterprise customers, Google Cloud has announced a number of new security capabilities including a new way to utilize Chronicle's security analytics platform to detect threats. The cybersecurity company Chronicle may have started out as part of Alphabet's moonshot X unit but last year it was folded into Google Cloud. Now customers will be able to use the company's security analytics platform to detect threats using a new rules language called YARA-L which has been built specifically for modern threats and behaviors. YARA is a popular, open source language used for writing rules to detect malware and the Chronicle team created a new version of it to apply to security logs and other telemetry such as EDR data and network traffic.
YARA-L provides security analysts with the ability to write rules which are better suited for detecting modern threats and according to Google, it allows for scalable, real-time and retroactive rule execution. New data structureGoogle Cloud also revealed that Chronicle is introducing a new data structure which combines a new data model with the ability to automatically link multiple events into a single timeline. This will certainly make things easier for security analysts who will no longer have to manically collect logs following a security incident. Palo Alto Networks Cortex XSOAR will be the first Google Cloud partner to integrate with this new structure and the firm's VP of Product Strategy, Rishi Bhargava explained how Chronicle's new detection capabilities have enhanced its response in a blog post, saying: “Cortex XSOAR offers automated enrichment, response and case management to enterprise-wide threats. The integration with Chronicle’s new detection capabilities and event timelines, across months or years of data, enhances that response and enables comprehensive threat management for our mutual customers.” Additionally, Google is making its Web Risk API and reCAPTCHA Enterprise services generally available in an effort to help organizations protect user accounts from fraudulent activities online. The reCAPTCHA Enterprise service helps protect against scraping, credential misuse and automated account creation while the Web Risk API helps organizations identify known bad sites, warns users when they click on a bad link and prevents users from posting links to known malicious pages.
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| Liverpool vs West Ham live stream: how to watch Premier League 2019-20 football online from anywhere Posted: 24 Feb 2020 10:03 AM PST It may well prove to be a tough night at Anfield this evening for struggling West Ham, with Liverpool looking to make amends after losing their midweek Champions League clash with Atletico Madrid. So if you fancy watching a goal rush, we'll help you discover where to get a Liverpool vs West Ham live stream - no matter where in the world you are. The Hammers currently sit third from bottom of the Premier League with new boss David Moyes not endearing himself to their despairing faithful after adopting damage limitation tactics in their last match away at Man City. Somewhat inevitably, that unambitious plan failed, with flair players like Felipe Anderson, Sebastian Haller and Manuel Lanzini cast aside to the bench and City coasting to a 2-0 victory. The scoreline flattered the east London side, so it will be fascinating to see what approach Moyes takes against a rampant Liverpool side likely to pit the quicksilver skills of Sadio Mane against the soon-to-be retired Pablo Zabaleta with the veteran Argentine set to make the starting line up following an injury to Ryan Fredericks. A hamstring injury means Jordan Henderson will be missing tonight for Liverpool, with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain likely to deputise. The Reds have kept 10 clean sheets in their last 11 games and with the Hammers expected to offer a defence-first approach once again, its a run that looks likely to be extended. With a routine Liverpool win on the cards, the night's big talking point could be a major planned demonstration by the away fans over the running of the club by co-owners David Sullivan and David Gold. You can watch all of the action as it happens by checking out our Liverpool vs West Ham live stream guide below.
Use a VPN to watch Premier League football from outside your countryIf you're abroad tonight but still want to watch your home coverage, you'll need a VPN to do so. That's because your normal coverage will be geo-blocked. It's really easy to do and stops you having to tune in to some dodgy stream you've heard about on Reddit. How to stream Liverpool vs West Ham live in the UKHow to watch Liverpool vs West Ham US live streamHow to watch a Premier League live stream in CanadaHow to live stream Liverpool vs West Ham in AustraliaHow to watch Liverpool vs West Ham: New Zealand live streamHow to live stream Liverpool vs West Ham in IndiaThis posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| PS5 vs Xbox Series X: what we know so far Posted: 24 Feb 2020 09:36 AM PST There's a lot of information to digest when it comes to the PS5 vs Xbox Series X competition. And, with both next-gen consoles releasing at the tail-end of this year, there's going to be plenty more on the way in the coming months. Microsoft has been a bit more forthright with Xbox Series X information, revealing the next Xbox's design, name and some upcoming Series X games. We've also got the lowdown on a number of features such as Smart Delivery, which will let you play the "best possible version" of a game you've bought on the Xbox One, without having to purchase it again. Sony, however, hasn't given away many details on the PS5 quite yet - but we're expecting that to change in February, with the rumored PS5 reveal event. We may not know a huge amount about what these next-generation consoles are packing under the hood, but what we do know is that their release dates are at the same time, so they'll be going directly head-to-head, most likely splitting gamers once again into camp 'Xbox' or 'PlayStation'. The upcoming console launches represent big stakes for both manufacturers, with Sony's lead in the current console war up for grabs as new high-powered hardware hits the market. But can the Xbox Series X take the crown, and what will the new consoles actually do differently from the older Xbox One and PS4? We've put together this Xbox Series X vs PS5 guide to put both next-gen consoles under the microscope, and gauge whether what we know about their pricing (definitely expensive), release date (late 2020), and hardware capabilities (lots) can tell us about the future of console gaming. Xbox Series X vs PS5: key factsImage credit: Sony
Xbox Series X vs PS5: specs so farThough it was Sony to make the first move, giving the first concrete details about its PS5 back in April 2019, Microsoft’s E3 2019 showcase showed that both companies appear to be singing from the same hymn sheet with their new machines’ internal specs. The PlayStation 5 will run off a custom-built version of the third generation AMD Ryzen chipset, packing in 8 cores with the company's new Zen 2 architecture and Navi graphics. It’s a system that will be able to support ray tracing – a performance-intensive lighting technique that has previously been the reserve of expensive high-end PC GPUs, and which we now know will be "built into the GPU hardware" for the PS5. Sony has also talked of the console setting a new “gold standard” in immersive, 3D audio, particularly for those using a headset whilst playing. (Some leaked patents, too, show off some intense ventilation design for handling all that processing power.) The PS5 will also support screen resolutions of up to 8K – far higher than the standard 1080p HD of most people’s televisions, let alone that of the increasingly popular 4K. It’ll also work at 120Hz refresh rates, allowing for super-smooth movement in games. These are incredibly performance intensive specs, so we wouldn’t expect a game to hit these standards regularly (not to mention requiring an expensive TV that will support them), but it’s good to see what Sony is aiming at. Perhaps the most interesting element of the Sony build is its commitment to using SSD storage. The solid state drive in the PlayStation 5 will again be a custom-built piece of hardware, and Sony has already been showing off its technical prowess with a demo of its existing Spider-Man PS4 game. On PS5 hardware, the game is able to race around an incredibly-detailed New York City at incredibly high speeds without any delay in geometry loading or texture streaming, something that would never be possible on PS4. We've got some new tidbits on the next DualShock controller too – though there's currently no official 'DualShock 5' branding. A blog post by PlayStation said that haptic feedback technology would replace last-gen "rumble" features, while "adaptive triggers" will be able to recreate different levels of resistance for different weapon loadouts or types of terrain you might be navigating in-game. The Xbox Series X, at this stage, is looking startlingly similar. It too will use custom AMD internals using the same Zen 2 and RDNA 2 architecture of the PS5, making it 4x more powerful than the Xbox One X – this generation’s most technically-impressive gaming hardware. It too will be able to run content (if not games) at an 8K resolution, and it too will support 120Hz refresh rates. The Xbox Project Scarlett will match the PS5 by offering DirectX ray tracing capabilities, and it’ll have an SSD too, here also used as virtual RAM to lift load times by up to 40x. Standard RAM will be of the GDDR6 variety, in an amount yet to be determined. The next Xbox will also be backwards compatible with the Xbox One’s supporting hardware accessories, meaning that you won’t have to rush out and buy new pads and headsets to accompany the console at launch. And, if you’re a sucker for buying boxed games over making digital purchases, it’s already confirmed to have a physical disc drive included. Microsoft did pull back the curtain on a few features in February 2020 too – which could take the wind out of the sails of the PS5 launch event, which is rumored to land end of February or start of March. Those features included Smart Delivery, which allows current-gen gamers to play the "best possible version" of purchased games on future consoles. So you can buy a game like the Cyberpunk 2077 for Xbox One, safe in the knowledge you'll get to play the souped-up version on the Xbox Series X at no additional cost. Microsoft also announced a Quick Resume feature that will let you have multiple games paused on the console at once, and pick up where you left off "from a suspended state almost instantly, returning you to where you were and what you were doing, without waiting through long loading screens." We'll be getting Variable Rate Shading (VRS) to "prioritize individual effects on specific game characters or important environmental objects" too. It’s worth mentioning that rumors surrounding Xbox Series X have also involved the possibilities of there being another disc-less console on the horizon codenamed Project lockhart. The theory here is that the Xbox Series X will be a high-end machine, while Lockhart would be a budget option focusing on streaming (possibly in the vein of the Xbox One S All Digital Edition). At this stage however, they remain merely rumors, as Microsoft is yet to confirm or deny the existence of a duo. If you're concerned about being eco-friendly then the Xbox Series X may not be the best choice. While Sony has claimed the PS5 will be much more energy efficient than its predecessor, the PS4, analysis by Digital Foundry suggests Series X will be pulling twice the power of the Xbox One X – and putting out more heat as a result. Xbox Series X vs PS5: games we expect to seeIt’s early doors for the new next-gen consoles, but already we’re getting a picture of the sort of experiences you can expect to see on the Xbox Series X and the PS5. Let’s kick off with the Xbox, as Microsoft has been a little more open with its line up upfront. First off, Microsoft has confirmed that Halo Infinite, aka Halo 6, will be a launch title for Xbox Series X. The Halo franchise is a unit shifter for Microsoft, a big-budget FPS series that will have been left on a bit of a cliff hanger for five years come the ‘Holiday 2020’ release of Halo Infinite. This is a very big deal. In addition, we also know Senua's Saga: Hellblade II will be releasing for Xbox Series X. Perhaps just as much of a big deal as Halo is the fact that Xbox Series X will be backwards compatible with all existing Xbox platforms from launch. If you have games for the original Xbox, the Xbox 360 and the Xbox One, there’s a good chance they’ll work on Xbox Series X – especially your Xbox One library. How deep Microsoft goes on the libraries of the other generations remains to be seen, but it’s been relatively generous in their support during the Xbox One’s lifetime. We currently don't know any of the PS5's launch titles but we do know the likes of Watch Dogs: Legion and Godfall will be making their way to Sony's next-gen platform. Sony has also confirmed that its PS5 will be backwards compatible, at least with your PS4 game library. How far back it will support the PlayStation family’s game history remains to be seen, but it’s been a little less supportive in this regard during the current generation, aside from within its paid-for PlayStation Now streaming service. Which brings us onto the conversation surrounding game streaming. With Google entering the gaming fray with its Google Stadia game streaming platform, Microsoft and Sony have actually entered a partnership to share and collaborate on game streaming technologies for the next generation. Exactly how this will play out remains to be seen. But with Sony already hosting PlayStation Now, and Microsoft pumping cash into its Project xCloud, don’t be surprised if a good chunk of your game playing time is streamed in over the web during the next generation. As for other titles? We can make some educated guesses that some of the more ambitious games that are currently slated as swansongs for this present generation of consoles will make their way over to the newer machines in "remastered" or "definitive" editions. We're expecting a lot of games that are currently in development, and due for release next year, will be cross-generation titles. That means we're expecting to see the likes of Cyberpunk 2077, Ghost of Tsushima and The Last of Us: Part 2 on both current and next-gen consoles.
Xbox Series X vs PS5: price expectationsAt this point, talking about the price of Xbox Series X or the PS5 cost is an exercise in speculation. It’s simply too early to tell, and there are too many missing factors in their make up for us to make an informed decision on the specifics of their final price. But what we can say for certain is that the specs teased above don’t come cheaply. These are going to be high-end machines at launch, and will have significant price tags attached as a result. What we can do, however, is look back at the comparative pricing of the Xbox One and PS4 at launch. One of the reasons the PS4 proved the more popular console during this generation was the fact that it launched at the more attractive price point of $399.99 / £349.99. That was a relative steal compared to the $499 / £429 Xbox One, which at launch had to factor in the cost of its ill-fated (and relatively short lived) Kinect motion tracker. The Kinect was initially hailed as one of the key differentiators between the consoles, but proved unpopular with both developers and gamers, leading to Microsoft slowly phasing it out in an effort to drive the price of the overall package down with later console revisions. Microsoft will not want to make similar mistakes again – its launch pricing (along with its strange initial focus on entertainment capabilities over gaming software), were key factors to its initial struggles, which it’s spent this entire generation fighting against. One company will inevitably undercut the other, but with specs at this stage looking so similar, don’t expect it to be so dramatic a difference this time around. Gut feelingImage credit: Sony There’s so much yet to learn about the PS5 and Xbox Series X. But at this early stage, the similarities between the two consoles are striking. The commitment to SSD tech, suggests a parity across both consoles for third party developers to work with. Both consoles will be making great efforts to offer deep backwards compatibility across their archives. And the astonishing fact that they’ll be sharing streaming technologies is the sort of collaboration that would once have been unheard of. Microsoft and Sony have clearly been listening to their fanbases – people don’t care about inter-company politics, they just want the best gaming experience possible. But there’s still a tribalism among the fans, and so, as ever, first party gaming content is going to be perhaps more important than it’s ever been. With so many ways to play, from remote access to streaming, the hardware becomes far less important than the experiences they offer – especially when the two platforms are looking increasingly similar. Microsoft is the first out of the gate to announce a platform exclusive title with Halo, but Sony absolutely destroyed the competition in the PS4 generation with its exclusives. Hope for, and expect, nothing less in the console wars to come.
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| Xbox Series X games: all the games confirmed and expected on the next Xbox Posted: 24 Feb 2020 09:35 AM PST We're starting to hear more about Xbox Series X games as the next-gen console's launch date creeps ever closer. Microsoft officially revealed Xbox Series X during the Game Awards 2019, giving us a better look at Microsoft's next-gen console and what we can expect to see on it. Faster and capable of more advanced graphics than its predecessors, Microsoft's next-generation hardware promises to be the most powerful games console (or perhaps consoles) in the world when it launches late in 2020 – even more so than the PS5, which is expected to hit shelves around the same time. Microsoft has been slow to announce exclusive launch titles for the console given its release is still a while off, but it has been more forthcoming with its plans for backwards compatibility and cross-generational potential. In February, Microsoft revealed a bit more about the Series X's high-powered specs, its plans for four generations of backwards compatibility and something called "Smart Delivery" - which will apparently make sure your Xbox games always perform at their very best, whether you're playing on next or current-gen. Release confirmations and suggestions from third party developers are also starting to trickle out. But we still don't know a huge amount about what games are coming to Xbox Series X and, if you're thinking about signing up for the next Xbox, then you'll want to keep track of what titles you might be playing. So without further ado, we've gathered together this handy guide to all the Xbox Series X games Microsoft has confirmed – and some that we expect to see.
Confirmed Xbox Series X titlesHalo InfiniteImage credit: Microsoft Halo Infinite is was the first title that Microsoft confirmed for Xbox Series X - so we definitely know Master Chief is making the jump to the next-generation console. Not only that, but Halo Infinite will be a launch title for Series X, releasing in Holiday 2020 alongside the console (or consoles). It's not particularly a surprise, considering Master Chief has served as the face of Xbox for nearly 18 years... According to Microsoft, Halo Infinite (like all exclusive Xbox game Studios titles) will use the new Smart Delivery feature. That means you only have to purchase the game once, and you'll have the access to the best available version for whichever Xbox console you choose to play on. Cyberpunk 2077Image credit: CD Projekt Red CD Projekt Red was reticent to say whether or not its upcoming title will be releasing on the next generation of consoles. Thanks to a tweet by the developer, we now have confirmation that Cyberpunk 2077 will be coming to Xbox Series X - and the game will even make use of Microsoft's new Smart Delivery feature. GothicAfter gauging interest with a playable teaser, developer THQ Nordic has confirmed that it's going to remake its 2001 cult classic and bring it to Xbox Series X. Nordic is planning to "stay as faithfully as possible to the original experience" and modernise gameplay mechanics but it's also promised fans that it'll be playing close attention to player feedback from the playable teaser; already the developer has said that it's hearing calls for a "grittier and less colourful world". Development is still in the very early stages, though, and we shouldn't expect to see it launch on Microsoft's console in 2020. Rainbow Six SiegeRainbow Six Siege director, Leroy Athanassof, has confirmed in an interview with Windows Central that Ubisoft's plan is to have the online tactical shooter be available on Xbox Series X from the console's launch day. Ubisoft doesn't want players to face being split up from their friends just because some have jumped into the new generation when others haven't so it's also been confirmed that the game will support cross-gen play. That means Xbox Series X players will still be able to play with the Xbox One friends. Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2Xbox Series X's name and design was officially revealed during the Game Awards 2019. Alongside a look at the next-gen console we also recieved an official announcement that there's another Hellblade on the way - and it's coming to the next Xbox. We don't know much about what Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2 will be about but the announcement trailer, harnessing the Series X's next-gen technology, was extremely impressive - and it's likely the game will make use of Smart Delivery. OutridersPeople Can Fly has confirmed that its upcoming co-op shooter Outriders will land on both PS5 and Xbox Series X in "Holiday 2020" (AKA between October and December this year) - the same release window that we have for both next-gen consoles. We don't know a huge amount about Outriders just yet, but the developer has described it as "a co-op RPG shooter for a new generation set in an original, dark and desperate sci-fi universe". The Lord of the Rings: GollumAnnounced in March 2019, Daedalic's Gollum game has now been confirmed for PS5 and Xbox Series X. The developer confirmed to Edge, that The Lord of the Rings: Gollum will be a "stunning next-gen adventure". Previously Daedlic confirmed Gollum will release in 2021 for PC and "all relevant console platforms at that time". Whether the game will be cross-generation (releasing on PS4 and Xbox One also) is still unconfirmed however. But what will the game actually be about? Gollum is an action-adventure which focuses on the ring-obsessed creature. According to Daedalic, the narrative-driven game"tells Gollum's story from a perspective never seen before ... while staying true to the legendary books." Gods and MonstersJust like Watch Dogs Legion, Gods and Monsters is another title from Ubisoft announced for Xbox at E3 2019 that's been delayed from its original early 2020 release into the next financial year. Knowing now that we could see Gods and Monsters released any time between April 2020 and March 2021, we've long thought it's likely that the title will make an appearance on the Xbox Series X platform. This has now been officially confirmed. Along with Rainbow Six Quarantine and Wathdogs: Legion, Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot has said it will be coming to the next-gen platform. Rainbow Six QuarantineRainbow Six Quarantine was first confirmed during Ubisoft's E3 2019 press conference. It was never given a solid release date but it has since been delayed into the 2020-2021 financial year. So, while we still don't know a release date, this delay has pushed the game closer to the Xbox Series X launch and increases the likelihood we'll see it playable on the next generation of consoles. Of course this has now been officially confirmed by Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot in an earnings call to investors in November, 2019. Watchdogs: LegionFirst announced at E3 2019, Watch Dogs Legion was initially confirmed for a March 2020 release. However, since then Ubisoft has confirmed that the game will now be delayed into the next financial year which runs from April 2020 to March April 2021, meaning Watch Dogs Legion could see a delay of as little as a month or up to a year. This delay does, however, make it more likely than ever that Watch Dogs Legion will launch for Xbox Series X as a cross-generation title. Which has now been officially confirmed by Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot in an earnings call to investors in November, 2019. Watchdogs: Legion will be joining Rainbow Six Quarantine and Gods and Monsters on the next-gen platform. Suspected Xbox Series X titlesEverwildA surprise announcement during XO19 was Rare's next original title: Everwild. This game is still in the very early stages of its development and there's no release date just yet. This certainly suggests that the game could be a cross-generational title, launching on Series X and Xbox One as an exclusive. We don't know much about Everwild just yet but Rare has said that it will "give you memorable, engaging and meaningful experiences for players everywhere to share." StarfieldImage credit: Bethesda Bethesda has quite a lot of projects in the works, but the one we seem to know the least about is Starfield. All we know so far is that Starfield is the gaming behemoth's first new IP in 25 years and will be a single player RPG set in outer space. Having only seen an announcement trailer, we don't expect Starfield to release until at least 2020 which means it will land in the prime window to become an Xbox Series X game. Bethesda hasn't let slip if this will be the case, but it seems likely we will be venturing into Bethesda's galaxy on next-generation consoles. The Elder Scrolls 6Image credit: Bethesda As we said, Bethesda has been pretty busy behind the scenes since E3 2018. Not only is Starfield on the cards, but the long-awaited Elder Scrolls 6 has also been confirmed to be in the works. Bethesda's Todd Howard has already stated that The Elder Scrolls 6 won't be coming out until after Starfield. So it'll be a while before we venture into Tamriel again, likely on next-generation consoles. Grand Theft Auto 6Image credit: Rockstar Games Ok, yes, we are being a bit hopeful here - mainly because Grand Theft Auto 6 has not been announced by Rockstar Games. But it's almost guaranteed that we will see a new instalation in the Grand Theft Auto series, and it's not going to be for a while. Therefore, it is likely that a release date will fall into the next generation, making GTA 6 an Xbox Series X game. Final Fantasy 7 RemakeImage credit: Square Enix Again, the Final Fantasy 7 Remake has not been confirmed to be an Xbox Series X game but Square Enix has confirmed the title will come to PS4 first - with an Xbox One and PC release likely in the future . Given the age of the Xbox One, and the ambitious nature of the game - it's coming in multiple episodes across a multi-year release schedule - a cross-generation title with next-gen platforms isn't out of the question. So we're definitely hoping to see the Final Fantasy 7 Remake on Xbox Series X. Battlefield 6Electronic Arts has confirmed that Battlefield 6 is on the way, and that it's coming to next-generation consoles. EA didn't confirm which consoles (so we will keep Battlefield 6 in the rumored section for not) but, regardless, it'll be a few years before we see the shooter on any next-gen consoles as the publisher wants to give the platforms time to build a strong player base. But Xbox Series X looks very likely.
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