Apple : Looking for an open-source VPN? We've got the answer |
- Looking for an open-source VPN? We've got the answer
- The Powerbeats Pro get a $50 price cut at Best Buy
- Lenovo Legion might be the first 5G gaming phone
- Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 could be getting faster GDDR6 RAM according to this spicy leak
- Half-Life: Alyx release date set for March 23
- Valentine's Day sale at Amazon: last-minute deals on best-selling devices
- Ericsson sets record 5G speed
- Don't buy an external graphics card – just build a PC or get a gaming laptop, seriously
- The best motherboard 2020: the top Intel and AMD motherboards we've seen
- Best hard drives 2020: the top HDD for desktops and laptops
- Best SSDs 2020: the top solid-state drives for your PC
- Best RAM 2020: the top memory for your PC
- The best graphics cards 2020: all the top GPUs for gaming
- Google removes even more malicious Chrome extensions
- Best processors 2020: the best CPUs for your PC
- The best Chromebooks of 2020
- Cybercrime cost victims billions last year
- AC Milan vs Juventus live stream: watch the Coppa Italia semi-final from anywhere
- Last chance to get Sky Entertainment and Cinema for only £4.99 with this Now TV deal
| Looking for an open-source VPN? We've got the answer Posted: 13 Feb 2020 01:51 PM PST After undergoing a successful independent security audit earlier this year, IVPN has announced that it will open source all of its VPN clients. The VPN provider's Android, macOS, iOS and Windows apps are now open source under the GPLv3 license. However, this is just the first step in IVPN's multi-year plan to open source many other parts of its service. The company's next step is to release key parts of its infrastructure to the public with end goal of enabling anyone to set up and verify its VPN server configuration.
Increased transparencyOpen sourcing all of its VPN apps is part of IVPN's goal to improve transparency while also building trust with current and future customers. In addition to undergoing a security audit, the company also released its own set of ethical guidelines and became a tracking free VPN provider last year. IVPN also believes that open sourcing its software will help developers improve on their information security and privacy enhancing projects. If you're interested in taking a closer look at the company's software, you can visit IVPN's GitHub page to review its active repositories.
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| The Powerbeats Pro get a $50 price cut at Best Buy Posted: 13 Feb 2020 01:40 PM PST If you're looking to snag a deal on pair of wireless earbuds, then you're in luck. For a limited time, Best Buy has the top-rated Powerbeats Pro on sale for $199.99. That's a $50 discount and the lowest price we've found for the wireless earphones. Best Buy also has the Beats Solo Pro headphones on sale for $249.99. The Powerbeats Pro deliver a powerful, balanced sound with dynamic range and noise isolation. Built for athletes, the totally wireless earbuds are sweat and water-resistant and feature adjustable, secure-fit earhooks for lightweight, all-day comfort. The headphones provide an impressive 9 hours of battery life, and each earbud has full volume and track controls, so you don't need your device to adjust your music. Beats headphone deals:Shop more offers with our roundup of the best Presidents' Day sales 2020. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Lenovo Legion might be the first 5G gaming phone Posted: 13 Feb 2020 01:24 PM PST The Lenovo Legion is posed to be the first 5G gaming phone, and we now have every reason to believe that it'll have Qualcomm's Snapdragon 865 chipset onboard. An alleged press image of a Lenovo Legion phone (below), first posted on Weibo, was shared by GizmoChina. While there isn't much to see, it's clearly Lenovo's Legion branding, which is specific to gaming products. We've already seen plenty of companies offer fancy gaming phones that dial up the clockspeeds or display 120Hz refresh rates, but we haven't seen one yet that can connect to the next-gen 5G networks. Presumably, the Lenovo Legion gaming phone will come with some other gaming-centric specs. Lenovo may add some special cooling to offer high clockspeeds on the Snapdragon 865, and it will likely tout the 5G connection as a way to stream more games. Given that even the Samsung Galaxy S20 display is going to offer a 120Hz refresh, it would make sense for a gaming-oriented Legion phone to offer a similar spec. What else can Lenovo do to be differentThe crowd of gaming phones it getting more packed. The Razer Phone 2, Asus ROG Phone 2 and Black Shark 3 have cornered the market, and Lenovo may not break in so easily. It's also unlikely Lenovo will break into the US market, as it has kept its own branded phones outside and left Motorola to cover the US. Lenovo could try to undercut prices, but there's limited room to trim specs when including the high-end Snapdragon 865. One area Lenovo could explore is VR. It's competitors in the gaming phone space don't have as much going on in VR as Lenovo does. Lenovo has made headsets for Windows Mixed Reality, and the phone-slotted-into- a-headset could still work. Even the delightful Oculus Quest runs on just a Snapdragon 835 chipset. The Legion phone's chipset would offer considerably more power, and that paired with some Lenovo know-how in VR could turn out an interesting product. Of course, Lenovo might just release a cookie-cutter gaming smartphone that has high-end specs, some gamery design elements, and a big, glowing "Y" on it. After all, this is the same company that has started making gaming laptops that can't game. Via Lilitputing
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| Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 could be getting faster GDDR6 RAM according to this spicy leak Posted: 13 Feb 2020 01:02 PM PST Guess what all of Nvidia's Turing graphics cards have in common? That's right, they've moved away from the dated GDDR5 VRAM. Well, except for the runts of the litter: Nvidia's GeForce GTX 1660 and GTX 1650. But, that may be about to change.
Spotted by Videocardz, a recent EEC filing lists a number of new MSI graphics cards, all variants of the GTX 1650 graphics card. And no, they aren't GTX 1650 Super cards, which we already saw get the upgrade to GDDR6 alongside the GTX 1660 Super. Instead, they're just the same old GTX 1650 graphics processors on boards that have the faster GDDR6 memory, too. This does line up somewhat with a previously leaked benchmark for a GDDR6-packed GTX 1650 model, though those leaks were believed at the time to be for laptop graphics processors. The lines are getting Super blurryIn one way, this move makes a lot of sense. The rest of Nvidia's Turing-based graphics processors are powered by GDDR6, so why not give the GTX 1650 and the GTX 1660 the better VRAM? But it's not so simple. The upgrade to GDDR6 is already something that Nvidia did for the GTX 1650 and 1660 with the Super iterations. In the case of the GTX 1660, the only significant difference between it and the non-Super model was the new VRAM. The upgrade to GDDR6 gave the Super card a minor boost over its non-Super counterparts. The GTX 1650 Super got a bigger boost with the GDDR6 upgrade, alongside a huge increase in CUDA cores and a bump in clockspeeds. This means an upgrade to GDDR6 for the non-Super model would start to blur the line between the two models, though not completely erase. For the GTX 1660, though, any potential upgrade to GDDR6 would completely erase the difference between Super and non-Super. This could make Nvidia's graphics card lineup just a little bit more confusing, though will only improve the performance available to customers who want a new GTX 1650. It's also a better move than that time when the GeForce GT 1030 started shipping with DDR4 after launching with GDDR5. Via: Wccftech
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| Half-Life: Alyx release date set for March 23 Posted: 13 Feb 2020 12:59 PM PST Valve has finally set a release date for its upcoming VR title Half-Life: Alyx in a tweet that went out on Thursday – expect to see City 17 through the lens of your favorite VR headset on March 23, 2020. In a follow-up to the tweet, Valve released three screenshots for the game with the tagline “Return to City 17 in just six weeks” and links to the Steam page for the game and the game’s official website. Reactions to the game so far have been mostly positive-mixed-with-skepticism, and the game represents one of the first major franchises from Valve to get VR treatment, so expectations are high. Return to City 17For those who missed the game’s announcement earlier this year, Half-Life Alyx is set between the events of the original Half-Life and Half-Life 2 (both of which are free to play until Half-Life Alyx comes out) and follow Alyx and her father, Dr. Eli Vance, as they form a resistance to the Combine. The game was built with Valve’s VR headset, the Valve Index, in mind and will be free for owners of Valve’s VR hardware, but the game’s website says that most VR headsets – including the Oculus Rift, HTC Vive and Windows Mixed Reality Headsets - will work, too. Between Half-Life: Alyx and Animal Crossing: New Horizons, March might just be the best month yet for gamers in 2020.
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| Valentine's Day sale at Amazon: last-minute deals on best-selling devices Posted: 13 Feb 2020 12:56 PM PST If you're looking for last-minute Valentine's Day deals, then you've come to the right place. Amazon's Valentine's Day sale includes massive discounts on best-selling devices, which include e-readers, smart speakers, streaming devices, headphones, and bundled smart home deals. Amazon's top v-day deals include price cuts on Echo Devices like the best-selling Echo Dot on sale for just $29.99 and the Echo Show 5 on sale for $64.99. You can also find the all-new Echo Buds down to a record-low price of $89.99. Amazon's smart home bundle deals include a free 3rd generation Echo Dot with a $30 discount on the Ring Video Doorbell 2 and a $50 price cut on the Ring Doorbell Pro. If you're looking for e-reader bargains, you can get the all-new Kindle on sale for $64.99 and $35 discount on the waterproof Kindle Paperwhite. Amazon device deals:More Valentine's Day sales
See more Valentine's Day offers with our list of the Valentine's Day flowers: the best online flower delivery services. If you're interested in other Amazon E-reader offers, check out our roundup of the best Kindle sale prices and deals and you can see more of the best cheap Amazon Echo prices and deals that are currently available. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Posted: 13 Feb 2020 12:47 PM PST Engineers at Ericsson have beaten Huawei's previous 5G speed record of 2.92Gbps during interoperability testing using commercial solutions. The telecoms giant utilized a technical specification made up of 8 component carriers (8CC) aggregating 800 MHz of millimeter wave spectrum to achieve delivery rates of 4.3Gbps to reach a new record for the fastest 5G speed to date. The Ericsson Radio System Street Macro 6701 delivered data with downlink speeds of 4.3Gbps over-the-air using a 5G smartphone form factor test device powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon X55 5G Modem-RF System.
However, the firm's test has real world implications as the commercial solution, which includes network and terminal support, will be available to 5G consumers later this year. Extending 5G's capabilitiesThe capabilities of 5G were extended by a new combination of Ericsson Radio System solutions and 8CC software aggregating 800MHz of millimeter wave spectrum band. The Swedish company's latest breakthrough is good news for enhanced mobile broadband use cases such as multiplayer gaming, AR gaming and rich video streaming. The higher downlink speeds reached in Ericsson's test will also expand opportunities for telecoms to bring fixed wireless access to consumers with cellular mmWave connectivity which is up to four times faster than fiber. Head of product area networks at Ericsson, Per Narvinger put the 4.3Gbps 5G speeds reached in its latest test into context in a press release, saying: “This is a fantastic achievement. To put 4.3Gbps in context, that is the equivalent of downloading one hour of ultra-high-definition, or 4K, content from a streaming service in just 14 seconds. Ericsson is taking the next steps in ensuring service providers can deliver the best capacity and data rates over millimeter wave 5G. The 8CC aggregation solution we have successfully tested will enable not only higher speeds but also large-scale 5G deployments and new business opportunities.” While this year's Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona has been canceled, the record downlink speed on mmWave is Ericsson's latest in a series of industry firsts announced at the show including the 2Gbps data call at MWC 2018 and the 3Gbps LTE-5G dual connectivity speed showcased at MWC 2019.
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| Don't buy an external graphics card – just build a PC or get a gaming laptop, seriously Posted: 13 Feb 2020 12:00 PM PST More and more we're seeing thin and light laptops and Ultrabooks that are being marketed as both gaming and productivity machines, on the promise that you can attach external graphics to boost power when you need it at home. The sales pitch is this: you can have a thin and light Ultrabook like the Lenovo Yoga C940 – which we used for testing – and connect an EGPU via Thunderbolt 3 to turn it into a gaming or productivity device at home. The idea is that you'll be able to leverage the power of a full desktop graphics card like an Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 in apps like Adobe Premiere or in games, without having to settle for a bulkier gaming laptop. However, it doesn't quite work that way. While an external GPU will certainly boost performance over the integrated graphics that a lot of gaming laptops offer, it's generally not enough to justify the hugely inflated cost that one of these bulky boxes necessarily brings. So we decided to test just how much extra performance you can expect from one of these graphics boxes, and whether or not you should just opt for a full gaming laptop instead. Plus, this thing is kind of a pain to put together First, a bit of backgroundThe original Razer Blade Stealth launched way back in 2016, along with the Razer Core V1. The laptop was marketed as a thin and light "gaming laptop", even though it used an Intel U-series processor with integrated graphics – not something especially great for gaming. Instead, Razer urged users to pick up the Razer Core V1 alongside the Razer Blade Stealth in order to boost gaming performance when at home. This external graphics box would connect to the laptop through Thunderbolt 3 – still the only connection with enough throughput to power external graphics – and rely on the user to slot in the graphics card of their choosing. Pretty much no matter which graphics card they slotted in, they'd get much better gaming performance. But here's the issue. Especially when you take high-performance graphics into consideration, there's only so much an external graphics card can do. You see, typically when you connect one of the best graphics cards to a motherboard you're able to use the full 16 PCIe lanes for the GPU - Thunderbolt 3, as magical as it is, is limited to just two. So right off the bat, there's a lot less bandwidth the GPU can harness, but then you also have to take into consideration that the processor is orders of magnitude slower than a desktop chip. For instance, in our review for the laptop we used for testing, we found that the processor was able to score 605 points in Cinebench R15, compared to the 1,463 scored by the Intel Core i7-9700K. That means the processor isn't fast enough to keep up with the graphics card, especially in situations that tax both components. Let's talk performanceIn order to test the performance of an Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 on an EGPU, we paired it with a Lenovo Yoga C940 with an Intel Core i7-1065G7, 12GB of RAM and a 512GB NVMe SSD. We tested that against the laptop without an EGPU, an Alienware m15 R2 with an Intel Core i7-9750H, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 and 16GB of RAM, and finally, our test bench with an AMD Ryzen 9 3900X, 32GB of RAM and the same Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 tested in the external GPU box. And, when we just look at synthetic benchmarks through 3DMark, it's looking pretty good for the external GPU. For instance, in Time Spy, the Lenovo Yoga C940 goes from 885 points all the way up to 7,629 when connected to the graphics box. Similarly in the hardcore Firestrike Ultra, the EGPU enables the Yoga to score a whopping 5,990 points to the 650 it gets on its own. Even compared to the Alienware m15, the Yoga with an EGPU is looking quite nice. In Time Spy, the Alienware scores 7,446 to the EGPU's 7,629. It's a small difference, but it does mean that the stronger graphics card is indeed stronger. However, when you look at what the graphics card can do when connected to a PC that can fully take advantage of it, there's no comparison. When connected to our test bench the RTX 2080 scores 10,970 in Time Spy, which 31% faster. So, if you're investing in a high-end graphics card for one of these external graphics boxes, just know you're probably not going to see the full potential of that GPU. Everything kind of falls apart when we take a look at actual gaming performance, however. We tested this setup in Metro Exodus, which we admit is a big ask for even the best gaming laptops. However, while the Lenovo Yoga C940 does jump up from 6 fps to 23 fps when attached to the EGPU, the Alienware m15 is nearly twice as fast at 44 fps. Then, there's our test bench which jumps all the way up to 63 fps. This is entirely because the processor in this laptop just isn't up to snuff for high-end gaming. If you're dead-set on picking up a laptop with an external graphics solution, just keep in mind that the reality is not quite as rosy as it might seem. See, you could just have a desktop there at this point. Should I buy an EGPU?One thing is abundantly clear through our testing, especially when it comes to synthetic benchmarks: you certainly are getting much higher performance. If you're a traveling creator that wants a super thin and light laptop to take to meetings, and then attach it to a EGPU to get hardcore work done when back at a desk, it's honestly an awesome solution. However, if you're looking to play the best PC games, it simply isn't a great solution. Now, the Lenovo Yoga C940, the Razer Core X and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 will run you about $2,299 (about £1,760, AU$3,400), where the Alienware m15 will run a bit more at $2,499 (£2,499, AU$4,419). But for that small bump in price, you're getting nearly double the performance in actual games. And, if you want to game at home and have a thin and light laptop to carry around, there's an easy solution: pick up one of the best Chromebooks and call it a day. You can build a PC that can outperform this setup for nearly half the price, and then spend the rest on a nice little portable laptop that won't break the bank. This is the solution that we use at home, and it's one we wholeheartedly recommend for aspiring PC gamers out there. Don't buy into the hype of gaming laptops that can't actually play games – the performance numbers just aren't there. 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| The best motherboard 2020: the top Intel and AMD motherboards we've seen Posted: 13 Feb 2020 11:51 AM PST Invest in one of the best motherboards when you're setting out to build the best PC you can muster with your budget. Motherboards are extremely integral to your setup, ensuring that your hardware reaches its full potential by utilizing and optimizing every inch of performance. They’ll help you overclock better when you’re gaming. Sure, they may not be as sexy as the best graphics cards or processors, but they serve as your PC’s foundation. The best motherboards are some of the most crucial PC components in building computers. So, you cheap out on yours and settle for anything less, as you might end up having to rebuild your entire PC from scratch. However, with so many different motherboards these days, choosing the best motherboard for you can be a challenge. To help you secure the best option at the best price possible, we put together this list of the best motherboards 2020 has to offer, each of which has been tested and reviewed by us. Coming to termsIf you’re unfamiliar with the best motherboards out there, use this list as a primer for your next build. Motherboards are available in a broad range of different form factors, the most common of which are ATX and Micro ATX. However, there are plenty of less common form factors including mini ITX and E-ATX. Don’t worry though, most of the best PC cases will support more than one form factor. Moreover, in our rundown of the best motherboards, we detailed the socket type that each mobo adheres to. The socket, for those not in the know, is the part on the motherboard that the CPU locks into. Typically, newer Intel processors use either LGA 1151 or 2066 while the latest AMD Ryzen architecture is designed for the AM4 chipset. Best motherboards of 2020 at a glance
When Coffee Lake Refresh CPUs hit the streets, Intel promised that they would be the best processors for gaming, and we knew that meant kitted out motherboards were on their way. Lo and behold comes the Z390 Aorus Gaming Pro Wifi – maybe one of the best motherboards from Intel right now. It’s packed with gaming-centric features like reinforced PCIe slots and enough RGB lighting to blind you. It’s hard to find a better motherboard, especially at this price point. When you’re shopping for PC hardware, overwhelmed by all the different features, components and requirements, you might be tempted to throw your hands up and just get the best you can possibly afford. In times like these, you can bet on the Asus ROG Maximus XI Code Z390 Gaming. It’s packed with every feature that Intel’s new Coffee Lake Refresh processors support and then some, with an RGB-lit shroud covering every corner of circuitry on this motherboard, making it one of the best motherboards you don’t have to think twice about choosing. Now that Coffee Lake Refresh has been available for a while, you’ll want to maximize all the power it has to offer. However, high-end motherboards can get really expensive real fast. If you’re looking for a budget option without many compromises, the Gigabyte Z390 should be at the top of your list of best motherboards to consider. It skips many of the bells and whistles like RGB lighting and built-in Wi-Fi but it does make up for these compromises by providing excellent value. You get all the essential features that Z390 has to offer for a great price. If you want to build a budget gaming system, the Gigabyte Z390 UD is probably the best motherboard for you. If you’re looking to get an edge on the competition, but you don’t have a lot of extra space on your desk, you’re going to need a Micro-ATX motherboard – more specifically, the MSI MPG Z390M Gaming Edge AC. What you’re getting here is a Micro-ATX motherboard with all the features a full-sized ATX one offers, but at a fraction of the price. Despite its smaller size, you still get dual M.2 slots, SLI and Crossfire support, and all the fiery performance that Intel Coffee Lake Refresh has to offer. If you’re looking for a smaller motherboard, you can’t afford to pass on the MSI MPG Z390M Gaming Edge MC. If you need the smallest possible motherboard available without compromising on key features of your CPU, you should look into the Asus ROG Strix Z390-I Gaming. With this motherboard, you don’t need to compromise on features or power. You don’t even need to settle for a measly 32GB of RAM. Thanks to Asus’ double capacity memory compatibility – you can have up to 64GB of memory in the most miniscule motherboard you’ve ever seen. Unfortunately, like most Z390 boards, its price tag is not for the faint of heart, so prepare yourself to shell out some serious dough if you want the smallest of the best motherboards. With the X470 Aorus Gaming 7 Wi-Fi, Gigabyte further illustrates its command of motherboard design. Rocking the new AMD X470 chipset, allowing full support of the new AMD Ryzen 2nd Generation processors, this may be the best motherboard if you’re looking to side with Team Red. What’s more, it supports Quad-GPU SLi and lightning fast RAM (up to 3,600 MHz) for peerless expandability, and thanks to its multi-zone RGB lighting, it looks good while kicking butt and taking names. For the longest time, AMD has been the reigning champion of budget builds, and that isn’t likely to change anytime soon. Marketed exclusively to gamers, the MSI X470 Gaming Plus is loaded front to back with features like two PCIe M.2 slots and quick performance tweaking buttons to make sure you’re on the top of the leaderboard at all times. And, since it’s a gamer-focused motherboard, it comes with flashy RGB lighting that you can even easily customize from your smartphone. Best of all, it’s the best value of all the best motherboards. These days, small form-factor PCs are all the rage and with one of the best motherboards like the ASRock B450M-HDV on offer, we think that it’s going to stay that way. Now, while this one doesn't do SLI and only supports up to 32GB of RAM– it is a B450 unit, after all – it is still compelling due to its affordable price. Outside of these omissions, you still get a slot for a NVMe SSD and four USB 3.1 Gen 1 ports around back. If you’re looking to build a solid budget gaming PC, the ASRock B450M-HDV is your best bet. Asus is out to prove that big things can and do come in small packages with the ROG Strix X470-I. Featuring the latest and greatest AMD chipset, everything in this tiny board is designed with excellent performance in mind. That extends down to the BIOS where you can find a stress test for overclocks before you even boot into Windows. This board also elevates beyond the constraints of the Mini-ITX form factor by including an M.2 Audio Combo riser, so that you can install your M.2 NVMe SSD without crowding out other components. The X-series processors are here, and they are spectacular. But if you want to take advantage of all they have to offer, you need an X-series motherboard. This ASRock X299 is an incredible choice with support for overclocked memory speeds up to 4400MHz(!!!) and 8 different slots for memory modules. It also supports up to 128GB of RAM. Add in an X-series processor and a good graphics card or 3, and this thing will absolutely tear apart anything you could possibly throw at it. If you’re seeking one of the best motherboards money can buy, this is it. If you want absolutely every feature you can get and budget is not an issue, the AsRock X399 Professional Gaming sTR4 may be the most ideal motherboard for you. Not only does this monster of a board support 4-way SLI configurations, but you can also pack this thing with up to 128GB of DDR4 memory. It even features a ton of flashy RGB lighting, so that people will be mesmerized by your rig. And, keep in mind that this mobo is compatible with Ryzen Threadripper 2nd Generation chips, so you might need to update the BIOS first. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Best hard drives 2020: the top HDD for desktops and laptops Posted: 13 Feb 2020 11:50 AM PST You can’t beat the best hard drives when it comes to price and space. Not only are they more affordable, but the best hard drives also give you that extra space needed to back everything up, especially for data-heavy users. That’s the reason why, though they won’t beat the best SSDs in any speed tests, many people still rely on them for their storage needs. When choosing the next hard drive for your laptop, computer or even gaming console, there are a few things to consider. How much storage space do you need, for example? If you have one of the best gaming PCs, you will need a lot of room for your bulging library of half played games. Take a look at a 7,200 RPM 3.5-inch drive. Are you trying to get some more storage for your PS4 or Xbox One specifically? If that’s the case, an ideal option might be a 2.5-inch drive or possibly an external hard drive. This might be a lot to wrap your head around, particularly if you’re new to shopping for internal components, such as hard drives. We’ve cut out some of the guesswork for you and collected the best hard drives we’ve come across below.
Best hard drives at a glance
Seagate BarraCuda drives offer a great gigabyte-per-dollar ratio and speed benefits to top it off. (Image Credit: Seagate) It’s almost impossible to talk about hard drives without mentioning Seagate’s BarraCuda lineup – it’s a force to be reckoned with. And, it’s not hard to see why, Seagate BarraCuda drives offer a great gigabyte-per-dollar ratio and speed benefits to top it off. The 2TB model hits a sweet spot by balancing high performance and affordability. Since this drive combines 7,200rpm platters and high density data, computers outfitted with this drive will be able to read data extraordinarily fast. The Toshiba X300 is a high-capacity, high-performance champ worth taking a look at. (Image Credit: Toshiba) Even if its laptops aren’t as popular as they used to be, Toshiba is still a huge name in computing, and has a lot to offer. When it comes to the best hard drives, the Toshiba X300 is a high-capacity, high-performance champ worth taking a look at. The X300 drives boast great gigabyte-to-dollar value without sacrificing on performance. These drives all spin at 7,200 rpm and include 128MB of cache for higher speeds. The only downside is the warranty only lasts two years, which feels short for a drive meant to store so much important data. Kick it old school with one of the best hard drives with the WD VelociRaptor. (Image Credit: Western Digital) When it comes to PC gaming, it’s better to be fast than capacious. So, if you’ve been resisting the allure of an SSD, and looking to kick it old school with one of the best hard drives, the WD VelociRaptor should be up your alley. Not only does this drive have a whopping 10,000 rpm spin speed, but you’re going to want to pay attention to it. With capacities up to 1TB, the VelociRaptor drives are ready to store large game libraries, and the super fast platters will help your games launch and load quickly.
The WD Blue is a viable pick for almost any type of PC build that's sticking to a budget. (Image Credit: Western Digital) Western Digital offers a solid bargain with its line of WD Blue hard drives. With a wide variety of storage options from a small 500GB to a capacious 6TB, the WD Blue is a viable pick for almost any type of PC build that’s sticking to a budget. The best value comes from the larger drives – they’ll give you much more storage per dollar spent. And, if you’re looking for a bit more speed, there are also 7,200rpm models available that don’t come with too much of a price hike. The SeaGate FireCuda is the best hybrid hard drive on the market. (Image Credit: Seagate) SSDs are incredibly popular, and it’s not hard to see why. But, if you need a lot of fast storage, and you don’t have a vault of cash, hybrid hard drives are a great option. The SeaGate FireCuda is the best hybrid hard drive on the market. It can fit up to 2TB of data, and then its 8GB of solid state cache storage learns which data you use most, so that you can access it quickly. That speed boost is even sweeter when you consider that this drive spins at 7,200rpm. With a 5-year warranty and an approachable price tag, it’s easy to see why this is one of the best hard drives you can buy today. Seagate IronWolf NAS drives come at a premium (Image Credit: Seagate) It’s a little unfortunate that the Seagate IronWolf NAS drives come at a premium, but they aren’t priced much more expensively than a standard hard drive at their capacity. However, their native NAS optimization makes that premium totally worth it. These drives are capable of running at a fast 7,200rpm spin rate 24/7 without having to worry about drive failure. Really, if you have one of the best NAS devices for your business or home, the Seagate IronWolf NAS really is your best bet. Seagate's 2.5-inch FireCuda hybrid drive strikes a nice balance. (Image Credit: Seagate) Upgrading the storage in a laptop can be tough, since the hard drives are much smaller. There aren’t a lot of impressive 2.5-inch hard drives, as anything fast comes with a serious markup, but Seagate’s 2.5-inch FireCuda hybrid drive strikes a nice balance. It offers an easy way to add loads of storage to a laptop while also giving it a speed boost thanks to 8GB of flash storage. A five-year warranty on the drive will also help ensure it lasts a long time. he WD My Book strikes an amazing balance of storage and price. (Image Credit: Western Digital) Game consoles hard drives fill up fast with massive libraries. And, like laptops, the upgrade path for 2.5-inch hard drives isn’t all that great, but that’s where an external drive comes in. The WD My Book strikes an amazing balance of storage and price, offering enough room for massive game libraries. Running on USB 3.0, it may not be quite as fast as an internal drive upgrade, but it will run games and offer more storage at a cheaper rate. The G-Technology G-Drive offers huge amounts of storage but thanks to Thunderbolt 3 compatibility. (Image Credit: G-Technology) A lot of people seem to think that the best hard drives are ancient and dead technology in 2020. However, with devices like the G-Technology G-Drive, you can show the naysayers in your life that spinning disks have their own place in the future. Not only does this external hard drive offer huge amounts of storage – up to 10 TB – but thanks to Thunderbolt 3 compatibility, it can even charge your laptop while you work. If you have a MacBook Pro, it’s hard to think of a better work companion. Read the full review: G-Technology G-Drive This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Best SSDs 2020: the top solid-state drives for your PC Posted: 13 Feb 2020 11:49 AM PST The best SSDs are faster, more durable, more efficient and produce no noise. And, they’re here to free you from the mechanical shackles of hard drives, putting a stop to those slow, loud and unreliable hard drives. Now that SSDs are more affordable than ever, you can buy one of the best SSDs on the market without breaking the bank. You won’t even need to purchase one of the best PCs to take advantage of the huge speed boost the best SSDs offer. The best Ultrabooks and the best laptops out there also boast the best SSDs. You can also pick up one of the best SSDs and slot it yourself, if you’re not ready to replace your current computer yet. Whether you need to upgrade your computer’s storage or slot one into your PS4 Pro to seriously slash loading times, we’ll make your search for one of the best SSDs easier. We gathered the best of the best out there and put them on this list. No matter your budget and requirements, you’ll find the most ideal SSD for you here.
Best SSDs at a glance
Samsung 970 Evo Plus is one of the fastest drives on the market. (Image Credit: Samsung) Samsung is no stranger to creating some of the best SSDs, so when it launched the Samsung 970 Evo Plus with higher speeds and new silicon, even we were surprised. The Samsung 970 Evo Plus is simply one of the fastest drives on the market, but the fact that Samsung is selling it at such a bargain price is just the icing on the cake. Because of how affordable this drive is, it’s not hard to recommend it as the best SSD for anyone. Read the full review: Samsung 970 Evo Plus WD Black SN750 has extremely high random read speeds of 412.5MB/s. (Image Credit: Western Digital) Western Digital has been busy making a name for itself producing many of the best SSDs and hard drives for a few years now, and the WD Black SN750 continues that tradition, claiming the best gaming SSD throne. This NVMe SSD has extremely high random read speeds of 412.5MB/s, which should make games load before you get a chance to chug some of that Mountain Dew. And, when you consider that this is one of the most affordable NVMe SSDs, it’s easy to recommend it to any gamer looking for a new SSD, whatever their budget. Read the full review: WD Black SN750 NVMe SSD Intel Optane 905P is certainly a fast solid-state drive. (Image credit: Intel) The Optane SSD 905P is hardly a newcomer, but with a random read rated at 575,000 IOPS and random write rated at 555,000 IOPs, it’s definitely one of Intel’s fastest drives. Granted, its 2,600MB/s sequential read and 2,200MB/s sequential write speeds might seem a bit pedestrian, especially next to the Samsung 970 Evo and WD Black NVMe SSDs, that doesn’t stop it from being a fast solid-state drive, not to mention one of the best SSDs on the market. The Samsung 970 Evo is still the best SSD you can buy if you're after raw speed. (Image Credit: Samsung) Again, Samsung has been behind some of the best SSDs that have been hitting the streets for years, and even though other manufacturers like Western Digital and Adata are trying their best to give it a run for its money, the Samsung 970 Evo is still the best SSD you can buy if you’re after raw speed. The read speeds haven’t improved over the previous generation’s 960 Pro, but the write speeds see a significant bump – up to 2,700MB/s – which is how it retains its ‘fastest SSD’ crown. If you’re looking for the best SSDs to choose from, with no compromises, you can’t go wrong adding the Samsung 970 Pro to your list. Read the full review: Samsung 970 Pro Toshiba OCZ RD400 drives are some of the best SSDs to consider. (Image Credit: Toshiba) If you're looking for several options, looks- and size-wise, then Toshiba OCZ RD400 series of drives are some of the best SSDs to consider. They come in 4 sizes and three different form factors: M.2, M.2 2280, and add-in card (AIC). Not all sizes are in all form factors, so if you're looking for a fast 1TB drive, make sure you have room in your computer case. Read the full review: Toshiba OCZ RD400 There isn't a single drive out there that can match the Adata XPG SX8200 SSD's raw price to performance ratio. (Image Credit: Adata) If you’ve been waiting to jump on the M.2 train for an SSD that’s both fast and affordable, you’ve come to the right place. The Adata XPG SX8200 isn’t one of the best SSDs because it’s the fastest drive on the market, but because there isn’t a single drive out there that can match the raw price to performance ratio that it offers. Sure you can get any of the much faster, much more pricey SSDs on the market, but this is the drive we can recommend to anyone. Read the full review: Adata XPG SX8200 The Samsung 860 Pro is among the best SSDs for anyone still clinging to SATA 3. (Image Credit: Samsung) People might not be going crazy about SATA 3 anymore, but the Samsung 860 Pro proves that there’s still plenty of life in the aging interface after all. With storage up to 4TB and transfer speeds that approach the theoretical maximum of the SATA 3 interface – not to mention top-of the-line reliability and security – the Samsung 860 Pro is among the best SSDs for anyone still clinging to SATA 3. Read the full review: Samsung 860 Pro Intel 750 Series can be plugged it into the PCIe slot on your motherboard. (Image Credit: Intel) The U.2 standard allows for bigger SSD capacities and uses your computer's PCIe x4 slot to send all that data back and forth. The Intel 750 series includes a cable so you can mount the drive in the bay on your case and still plug it into the PCIe slot on your motherboard, making it among our favorite, as well as among the best, SSDs on offer today. Read the full review: Intel 750 Series Samsung 860 Evo delivers improved read/write speeds and an array of form factors. (Image Credit: Samsung) Samsung had a hard act to follow – the Samsung 850 Evo was beloved for its stunning performance and affordability. Luckily, the Samsung 860 Evo absolutely succeeded in, well… succeeding it. Though limited by the SATA3 interface, the Samsung 860 Evo delivers performance that iterates on its predecessor with improved read/write speeds and an array of form factors, while still maintaining its budget price. The 860 Evo is, without a doubt, best SSD for anyone looking for an entry-level SSD without having to break open their piggy banks. Read the full review: Samsung 860 Evo HP S700 Pro will far exceed its warranty. (Image Credit: HP) If you need an SSD that will last through multiple computers, the HP S700 Pro is exactly what you want. Its life will far exceed its warranty, offering up to 2 million hours of use and up to 650 terabytes written. This is one of the best SSDs you can buy if you need something that’s built to last, even if the SATA interface may slow things down a bit in the read/write department, as this technically helps it last even longer. Read the full review: HP S700 Pro
Intel 760p Series SSD has a fantastic price to performance ratio. (Image Credit: Intel) The best NVMe SSDs used to be way too expensive for most users. But, those days are coming to an end – the Intel 760p Series SSD changes everything. This SSD features impressive performance that’s only slightly behind the beloved Samsung 960 Evo, boasting speeds of 3,056 MB/s read and 1,606 MB/s write. But, what really makes the 760p stand out is the fantastic price to performance ratio. Yeah, there are faster NVMe drives on the market, but you’ll be paying a premium them, and frankly, it’s not worth it. This is one of the best SSDs out there, not just because it’s fast, but because the Intel 760p makes us excited about the future. Read the full review: Intel 760p Series SSD Samsung X5 Portable SSD is fast, secure and durable. (Image Credit: Samsung) If you’re a creative or a professional, and you need an external NVMe SSD that’s going to save you time rather than waste it, you might want to give the Samsung X5 Portable SSD a look. Thanks to its use of Thunderbolt 3, rugged magnesium build and AES 256-bit encryption, it’s fast, secure and durable – everything you want in an external SSD in which to store all your hard creativework. This isn’t a cheap accessory, but this is one of the best SSDs and is priced as such. Everyday users may want to look elsewhere, this is all about sheer speed. Read the full review: Samsung X5 Portable SSD Gabe Carey has also contributed to this article This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Best RAM 2020: the top memory for your PC Posted: 13 Feb 2020 11:47 AM PST Getting the best RAM for that computer you’re building or upgrading is highly recommended. With increasing demands from memory hungry operating systems like Windows 10 or macOS Mojave and applications like Adobe Premiere and AAA games, it’s more crucial than ever before to have the best RAM, and enough of it. It doesn’t matter if you have one of the best computers out there if your RAM just can’t cut it. You’ll feel the sluggishness of your rig when it’s trying to keep up with your most demanding tasks. If your computer is slowing down, it might be time for that RAM upgrade, and not just any old stick of RAM will do. If you’re not quite sure what to look for, you might not know what the best RAM is for your computer. There are some things to keep in mind before buying yourself the best RAM. Those include size, speed and capacity. To make things easier for you, we’re here to help you find the right PC components. Whether you want to have 40 tabs open at a time or run the best PC games, take a look at our collection of the best RAM kits available right now to upgrade. Best RAM at a glance
Corsair Vengeance LED is just as fast and responsive as it is aesthetic. (Image Credit: Corsair) Best RAM: Corsair Vengeance LEDCorsair is one of the most trusted names when it comes to the best RAM on the market. Its Vengeance series, especially, has something for everyone with its LED DDR4 offerings. On top of giving PC builders that extra touch of vibrant lighting, this RAM has robust heat spreaders that maximise cooling for higher overclocking and maximum performance. Corsair’s Vengeance LED DDR4 series also features CL16 latency and whopping 3,466 MHz speeds, so it’s just as fast and responsive as it is aesthetic. It's hard to argue with the G. Skill TridentZ RGB as the best RGB RAM. (Image Credit: G.Skill) Best DDR4 RAM: G.Skill Trident Z RGBAt this point, everyone kind of knows about G. Skill and its Trident Z RGB series of RAM. This is some of the best RAM not just because it’s fast, but the top of every DIMM features a full-spectrum rainbow wave light bar that you can use to match your RGB lighting across your entire system. Trident Z RGB DDR4 RAM features CAS latencies between 14 and 19 which is awesome enough, but with speeds up to 4,266, it’s almost perfect. No matter your aesthetic, it’s hard to argue with the G. Skill TridentZ RGB as the best RGB RAM. Kingston HyperX Predator is particularly tuned for speed and extreme-performance. (Image Credit: Kingston) Best DDR3 RAM: Kingston HyperX PredatorKingston’s high-performance HyperX has some of the best DDR3 RAM on the market and the Predator models is particularly tuned for speed and extreme-performance that’s further expandable with XMP profiles. The Predator DDR3 series achieves CL9 to CL11 latencies and speeds between 1866MHz to 2666MHz. Kingston HyperX Fury can have a huge impact on the performance of your rig. (Image Credit: Kingston) Best Budget RAM: Kingston HyperX FuryThis Kingston HyperX Fury is auto overclocked memory that won’t empty your wallet. This smart DDR3 or DDR4 RAM auto-detects system components to overclock to the highest speeds possible, optimizing performance for all of Intel’s latest chipsets. It comes with latencies between CL14 and CL16, and has speeds between 2,133 and 2,666MHz. While it’s inexpensive, it really can have a huge impact on the performance of your rig. Corsair Dominator Platinum RGB is the best RAM around in 2019. (Image Credit: Corsair) Best High-end RAM: Corsair Dominator Platinum RGBIf you want the best of the best, and you don’t care about pricing, Corsair’s Dominator Platinum memory has always been at the top of the list. However, in 2019, it’s been refreshed to include Corsair’s new Capellix RGB LEDs, leading to a much richer and more colorful design. It’s the same high-end RAM we know and love, with speeds up to 3,600 MHz, but the better RGB make the Corsair Dominator Platinum RGB the best RAM around in 2020. With speeds of up to 3,733MHz and CL15–19 latencies, HyperX Fury RGB 3733MHz is simply fast. Best high frequency RAM: HyperX Fury RGB 3733MHzThe HyperX Fury RGB 3733MHz is not just pretty with its RGB design. With speeds of up to 3,733MHz and CL15–19 latencies, it’s just as fast as it is stunning, making it well-deserving of the best high frequency RAM accolade. What’s more is that it’s fitted with predefined Intel Extreme Memory Profiles for maximum performance as well as yperX’s patent-pending infrared sync technology. For an even more immersive gaming experience, you can daisy chain this RAM to sync with multiple other RGB devices. This is some of the best RAM to invest in right now. If you need a lot of RAM without taking up too many DIMM slots, G.Skill Trident Z RGB DC is for you. (Image Credit: G.Skill) Best double capacity memory: G.Skill Trident Z RGB DCSometimes, especially when you’re looking for the best gaming components, ‘go big or go home’ is the best advice. And, when you want more RAM than you’ll know what to do with, you’re going to want to go with the G.Skill Trident Z RGB DC memory. The DC stands for double capacity, as in, 32GB per stick. Now, this is definitely not the fastest memory in the world, right now it’s only available in up to 3,200 MHz, but if you need a lot of RAM without taking up too many DIMM slots (like if you have a big CPU cooler or a Mini-ITX board), you can’t go wrong with the G.Skill TridentZ RGB DC. Adata Spectrix D80 is great for your all-out gaming rig. (Image Credit: Adata) Best gaming RAM: Adata Spectrix D80If you’re building an all-out gaming rig, you’ll want the flashiest hardware on offer – who doesn’t want a gaming rig that lights up the entire room? If this sounds appealing, the Adata Spectrix D80 is the RAM to go for. Not only is it available in frequencies up to 5,000MHz, but it’s also liquid cooled, meaning you don’t have to worry about it overheating. The Adata Spectrix D80 is going to be the best RAM for gaming in an RGB-lit cavern. The TridentZ Royal memory gets our vote as the best RGB RAM on the market. Best RGB RAM: G.Skill TridentZ RoyalFinding RAM that fits in perfectly with your light up gaming rig is easy with G.Skill. In fact, its TridentZ Royal memory gets our vote as the best RGB RAM on the market right now, thanks to its unique crown jewel design. That means that it’s fitted with a crystalline light bar that basically scatters the eight customizable RGB colors for lighting that dazzles and sparkles. The RAM itself is polished with aluminum heatspreaders of gold or silver colors to keep the whole thing cool. Of course, it’s not all looks – the G.Skill TridentZ Royal also delivers great reliability and performance. Corsair Vengeance LPX is essential for PC builds with massive CPU coolers. (Image Credit: Corsair) Best Low-Profile RAM: Corsair Vengeance LPXCorsair’s Vengeance LPX RAM is made for users who want the maximum performance with minimum footprint. This low-profile RAM is essential for PC builds with massive CPU coolers. Despite being so low-profile, they still feature an eight-layer heat spreader to cool while overclocking. While its thin design doesn’t allow for LEDs, but you can get it in three colors: black, red or blue. G.Skill Mac RAM has memory upgrades for Macs. (Image Credit: G.Skill) Best Mac RAM: G.Skill Mac RAMG.Skill isn’t just dedicated to laptop and desktop RAM, but it also has memory upgrades for Macs. You see, Apple charges inordinate amounts for RAM upgrades, so going with a third party kit can save a ton of money. Well, as long as your Mac is old enough to still have upgradeable RAM. These SO-DIMM kits have a CAS latency between 9 and 11 and feature speeds between 1,333MHz and 1,600MHz. The best bang for your buck seems to be the G.Skill DDR3-1,333 for Mac. Crucial Ballistix Sport boasts efficient battery life and delivers fast speeds for multi-tasking. (Image Credit: Crucial) Best Laptop RAM: Crucial Ballistix SportCrucial is by far the best RAM for laptop systems. This manufacturer has designed its Crucial Ballistix Sport SODIMMs for efficient battery life while still delivering fast speeds for multi-tasking. It’s ideal for anyone wanting to speed up the best laptops, and this memory likely offers higher memory speed than anything coming stock in your laptop. Just make sure your laptop actually lets you upgrade the RAM – repairability is falling out of fashion these days. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| The best graphics cards 2020: all the top GPUs for gaming Posted: 13 Feb 2020 11:45 AM PST Since the graphics cards market is saturated with options, we handpicked the best of the best for you and rounded them up on this list. We’ve thoroughly tested every single one of our picks and can attest to the performance of each of them. So, dig into our list and let us guide you to the best graphics cards for your needs. This absolute behemoth of a graphics card is still basically brand new, and it’s already topping our list of the best graphics cards, booting former reigning champion and its direct rival, the Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060, off the top spot. At $349, this powerful mid-range card brings 1440p gaming at Ultra or Max settings to the masses, making it affordable and accessible to everyone. At that price point, it doesn’t need to be perfect – those looking for ray tracing will have to wait. But, for what it offers and how much it costs, it’s well-deserving of its title as the best graphics card of 2020 for most people. Read the full review: AMD Radeon RX 5700
If you need the best graphics card, and you don’t want to settle, the Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Ti may be one of the best graphics cards for you. This is the most formidable graphics card you can buy without jumping for a professional graphics solution. And, now that games like Battlefield V, Metro Exodus and Shadow of the Tomb Raider actually implement the RTX features, there’s never been a better time to jump on the ray tracing bandwagon. Just prepare yourself for that sky-high price. Read the full review: Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Ti If you’re looking for the best graphics card out there for 1080p gaming, you might want to look into what the AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT has to offer. This AMD card beats the Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 with its more affordable price tag, delivering high frame rates and plenty of software features while requiring less power. Sure, it doesn’t have the competition’s ray tracing and deep learning supersampling (DLSS), but for raw performance and value, AMD’s contender comes out the winner. Read the full review: AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT The souped up Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070 Super isn’t just remarkable because it’s a supercharged version of the very popular RTX 2070, offering exceptional 1440p gaming. It’s also striking because it offers all that power at a very reasonable price, making it a compelling buy for most users, even for those on a budget. Plus, if you’re wondering about ray tracing, here’s the best card to jump in – you don’t have to break open that piggy bank for the RTX 2080 or RTX 2080 Ti anymore. Read the full review: Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070 Super
When Nvidia put out the GTX 1660 and the GTX 1660 Ti, they excelled at Full HD gaming at a price that wouldn't make you wince. And, now that the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Super is here, both of those cards are practically irrelevant. This new graphics card is just a bit faster than the GTX 1660, but is only ten bucks or quid more, while it reaches the same level as the GTX 1660 Ti while being significantly cheaper. If you're looking for a graphics card for Full HD gameplay, you really should take a look at the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Super – it really is one of the best graphics cards out there. Read the full review: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Super We’ve been longing for a new top-of-the-line graphics card from AMD since 2017’s Radeon Vega 64, but things have drastically changed in the graphics market since then – most notably Nvidia Turing. With the AMD Radeon VII from the Vega II lineup, Team Red has attempted to reclaim a piece of the high-end graphics market, and it largely triumphed. The AMD Radeon VII holds its own in 4K gaming, but it particularly excels in content creation. Packed with 16GB of HBM2 memory, the AMD Radeon VII can keep up with much more expensive creative-focused competitors, making it one of the best graphics cards 2020 has on offer. Read the full review: AMD Radeon VII If you’re all about the best VR games, you’re going to need the best graphics cards to do that job. And, nowadays, that honor goes to the Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Super. VR-ready and filled with the latest Turing architecture, you won’t have to worry about a rough VR experience that will make you sick. Outside of VR, it should also be able to handle all your favorite PC games at 1440p and 4K without any issue. The best part might just be that it’s a lot cheaper than the RTX 2080, offering a much better value. Read the full review: Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Super Looking to put together a microATX or a mini-ITX gaming PC? You shouldn’t need to settle for a low-end GPU. Take a look at mini graphics cards like the Zotac GeForce GTX 1080 Ti Mini instead. It’s not the latest and greatest GPU out there now, but the 1080 Ti still has a lot of juice, and it’s among the best graphics cards to power your microATX. And, when you can get that power in a card that’s only 211 x 125 x 41mm, the tiny loss in performance is absolutely worth the beautiful mini PC you’ll get. With all those fancy (read: expensive) graphics cards cornering the market, the budget-friendlier ones sometimes fly under the radar. That’s unfortunate, particularly since cards like the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 deserve a spot in the limelight for delivering excellent 1080p performance at a very affordable price. With the Gigabyte GeForce GTX 1660 OC 6G, you’re also getting a healthy factory overclock and all the outputs you’ll ever need, so you can play all your favorite games with several monitors attached. We’d call that a bargain, maybe even the best we’ve ever had, and it certainly warrants a spot in our best graphics cards list. Read the full review: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 1660 OC 6G When Nvidia first revealed its Turing lineup, it was hard to find a model that didn’t cost an arm and a leg. Nonetheless, with the launch of the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Ti – especially the PNY XLR8 Gaming OC model – next-generation performance became accessible to everyone. You won’t have access to 4K 60 fps gaming with this card, but it’s one of the best graphics cards for anyone still using a 1080p display, and it can handle most esports games well above 60fps. At that resolution, you’ll have trouble running into any title that it can’t handle. Read the full review: PNY GeForce GTX 1660 Ti XLR8 Gaming OC What should I look for in the best graphics card?The search for the best graphics cards has never been more exciting, with AMD recently unleashing its next generation AMD Navi GPUs and Nvidia releasing its Nvidia Turing cards like the all-powerful RTX 2080 Ti and the new Super RTX cards. The race is on, and it’s closer than ever before, which only benefits us as prices start to drop. And, that’s without mentioning Intel throwing its hat in the ring with its Intel Xe graphics. Of course, different users have different needs. Hardcore gamers might be willing to drop a significant chunk of change on a flagship GPU, while others might want the best budget option, like the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660. Content creators, on the other hand, might want a GPU with serious VRAM and excellent multi-threaded performance. Regardless of what your needs might be, the best graphics cards are capable of running the best PC games like Rage 2 and the newly released Control, as well as the most demanding applications for video editing and design. Best graphics cards at a glance
Michelle Rae Uy has also contributed to this article. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Google removes even more malicious Chrome extensions Posted: 13 Feb 2020 11:42 AM PST Google has removed over 500 malicious Chrome extensions from its official Web Store following a two-month long investigation by independent security researcher Jamila Kaya and Cisco's Duo Security team. The extensions, which have now been removed from the Web Store and deactivated in users' browsers, injected malicious ads into users' web browsing sessions. The malicious code injected by the extensions was set to activate under certain conditions and redirect users to specific sites. While at times the extensions would lead users to legitimate sites such as Macy's, Dell or BestBuy through affiliate links, they also led users to known malware download sites or phishing pages.
According to a new report from Cisco's Duo Security team, the extensions were part of a larger malware operation that has been active for at least two years. However, the research team behind the report also believes the group behind this operation may have been active since the early 2010s. Malicious Chrome extensionsThe operation was discovered by Jamila Kaya who first found the malicious extensions while threat hunting when she noticed a common URL pattern in visits to malicious sites. Kaya then used a service for analyzing Chrome extensions called CRXcavator that helped her locate the initial group of extensions which share a nearly identical codebase but used generic names to mask their true activity. She provided further insight on her discovery in an interview with ZDNet in which she said: "Individually, I identified more than a dozen extensions that shared a pattern. Upon contacting Duo, we were able to quickly fingerprint them using CRXcavator's database and discover the entire network. We subsequently reached out to Google with our findings, who were receptive and collaborative in eliminating the extensions." According to Cisco Duo, the first set of extensions was installed by over 1.7m Chrome users. However, Google launched its own investigation and found even more extensions that fit the same pattern which led to the search giant banning over 500 extensions. Google has removed the malicious Chrome extensions from its official Web Store as well as deactivated them inside users' browsers to prevent even more users from falling victim to this malvertising scam.
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| Best processors 2020: the best CPUs for your PC Posted: 13 Feb 2020 11:31 AM PST Now’s an excellent time to invest in one of the best processors on the market. The CPU market is teeming with powerful silicon and growing, thanks to the fiery competition between Intel and AMD. AMD has its Ryzen 3rd generation processors while Intel has its Coffee Lake Refresh and Ice Lake chips out. In fact, the market is so packed with a number of impressive chips that you can hardly throw a stone without hitting an impressive processor that does the job and more. There are budget big entries like the AMD Ryzen 3 2200G and HEDT heroes like Intel’s Basin Falls Refresh lineup. Then there are mid-range megastars that round out this best processors list. With so many great choices out there, finding the most ideal one for your rig is key. Lucky for you, we gathered the best of the best processors for you. Whatever your needs and budget are, you’ll find something for you on this list. Best processors of 2020 at a glance:
AMD Ryzen 9 3900X is currently the king of all mainstream processors. The AMD Ryzen 9 3900X isn’t just AMD’s best mainstream processor right now; it’s also currently the king of all mainstream processors. With multi-threaded performance that destroys everything in its path to start, you won’t find a processor more impressive without stepping up to the HEDT market. Sure, there are some workloads where the Intel Core i9-9900K will still come out better, like with old games that are completely single threaded. However, thanks to this chip, the gap is definitely starting to narrow. Read the full review: AMD Ryzen 9 3900X All of Intel Core i9-9900KS' eight cores can accelerate to 5.0GHz without the need for overclocking. Inheriting the best high-end CPU spot from your predecessor isn’t always a good thing, especially when you’ve got big shoes to fill. Luckily for the Intel Core i9-9900KS, it manages to deliver impressive performance that earns it this spot in its own right. Not only does it offer a faster base clock than the Intel Core i9-9900K, but all its eight cores can accelerate to 5.0GHz without the need for overclocking. Though all that comes with a higher TDP and requires a very efficient cooling system, it’s still a pretty impressive upgrade. We only wish that Intel didn’t give it a price jump, as the Intel Core i9-9900K was already pricey enough. Read the full review: Intel Core i9-9900KS With the AMD Ryzen 5 2600X, you're getting a much better performance than the pricier Intel Core i5-8600K. Looking to purchase one of the best processors for content creation on a tight budget? The AMD Ryzen 5 2600X might just be an ideal choice for you. With 6 cores, 12 threads and a base clock of 3.6GHz, you’re getting a much better performance than the pricier Intel Core i5-8600K. As a bonus, you get a gorgeous RGB CPU cooler included. Yes, the gaming performance over the blue team is marginal at best, but when you start multi-tasking – and who doesn’t always end up with 100 chrome tabs open by lunchtime – that value starts to manifest. Read the full review: AMD Ryzen 5 2600X AMD Ryzen 3 2200G might just be your best investment yet. If you’re putting together a gaming PC while on the tightest budget, the AMD Ryzen 3 2200G might just be your best investment yet. It doesn’t inherit the hyperthreading capability of its predecessor, the Ryzen 3 1200. However, the introduction of integrated graphics makes this APU one of the most affordable ways to experience casual PC gaming, a good enough reason to give this a spot in our best processors list. Impressively, we were even able to play Overwatch at 4K Ultra-HD resolution at ‘Epic’ settings. Read the full review: AMD Ryzen 3 2200G AMD Ryzen 5 3600X takes that budget-minded stage of performance to a new level. With more threads than the Intel Core i5-9600K, this mid-range graphics card delivers impressive multi-threading performance. However, the AMD Ryzen 5 3600X doesn’t just stop there: it takes that budget-minded stage of performance to a new level, with its increased IPC (instructions per clock) performance and a higher clock speed while staying at the same price point. It also stays competitive in even the most intense single-threaded applications. Read the full review: AMD Ryzen 5 3600X AMD Ryzen 7 1800X is better suited for VR workloads. Initially the Intel Core i7-7700K’s biggest competition, the AMD Ryzen 7 1800X still holds its own today, despite having been succeeded by the Ryzen 7 2800X. Its high core count, when compared to its Intel rival, means that it's better suited for VR workloads. Now that it’s dropped considerably in price, it’s more affordable than ever. If you’re building a VR rig, do yourself a favor: save some cash without sacrificing too much on performance with the Ryzen 7 1800X. It’s undoubtedly one of the best processors for VR gaming. Read the full review: AMD Ryzen 7 1800X AMD Ryzen 7 3700X is a beast when it comes to multi-threaded workloads. The single-threaded performance of the AMD Ryzen 7 3700X admittedly still falls behind Intel, but what matters most in video editing and rendering is how a chip does with multi-threaded workloads. If you’re building a computer that can handle your video editing demands, this chip is an absolute beast and our top pick for video editing. That’s not all: this AMD chip offers impressive performance and a Wraith Spire cooler at a very affordable price. Read the full review: AMD Ryzen 7 3700X Intel Core i9-9980XE absolutely destroys all its competitors. Are you the kind of user that demands world-class performance, and money is no object? The Intel Core i9-9980XE is among the best processors for you. With 18-cores and 36-threads, it absolutely destroys all its competitors on the market right now, if just barely. Multi-threaded applications and workstation-class projects are going to breeze by with this chip. However, if that steep price tag makes you do a double take, then you might want to look somewhere else. Read the full review: Intel Core i9-9980XE Intel Pentium G4560 shows us what low-end CPUs have been missing for a long time. If you choose the Intel Pentium G4560 over a Core i3 chip, you might not even notice the slight loss of performance, as you’ll be too busy counting all the money you saved. As the first Pentium chip in a long time to boast hyper-threading, the G4560 shows us what low-end CPUs have been missing for a long time. In benchmarks, it proves that it’s easily adjacent to the pricier Intel Core i3-7100. AMD Ryzen 5 2400G changed everything for mainstream PC users. One of the only things that was missing in AMD’s Ryzen processors when they blew up was the integrated graphics support. But then, the Ryzen 5 2400G hit the streets and changed everything for mainstream PC users. With excellent AMD Vega graphics, it’s a fantastic APU most ideal for anyone looking to build a home theater PC. In addition, now that AMD has slashed the price, you can get your 4K action for cheaper than ever. Read the full review: AMD Ryzen 5 2400G Michelle Rae Uy also contributed to this article. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Posted: 13 Feb 2020 11:29 AM PST The best Chromebooks in 2020 have proven themselves to be much more capable than their predecessors. In fact, while they were once largely considered to be budget, less powerful alternatives to laptops, they are now proving that they can hold their own against some of the best laptops out there. As long as your everyday computing demands don’t include extensive video editing or AutoCAD designing, and you can do all your important daily tasks on the Chrome browser, then one of the best Chromebooks might be the ideal laptop for you. They will see you through your productivity, multi-tasking, security and streaming needs without breaking a sweat or your bank. As a bonus, they will also deliver a battery life that will last long before you’ve already gone to bed. You’re in the right spot, if you’re ready to jump on the Chromebook bandwagon. We handpicked all the best Chromebooks 2020 has to offer, alongside our price comparison tool so you’re scoring the deals around. 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
Education is one of the first things that comes to mind when you think of Chromebooks. But with its Chromebook Spin 13, Acer wants its Chromebooks to also be synonymous with business. Beautifully built from aluminum with a gorgeous QHD screen, it fits perfectly in any office setting, and will draw admiring looks at a cafe. It’s more than just its attractive chassis, however: the Acer Chromebook Spin 13 is packed with full-fat Ultrabook processors, so you can get work done – whether it’s at school or in the office – in style. Read the full review: Acer Chromebook Spin 13 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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| Cybercrime cost victims billions last year Posted: 13 Feb 2020 10:13 AM PST Last year alone businesses and individuals who fell victim to cybercrime suffered losses of $3.5bn according to the latest report from the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). The 2019 Internet Crime Report was compiled using data from the 467,361 complaints the IC3 received last year. However, since its inception in May 2000, the center has received over 4.8m complaints with an average of 340,000 complaints per year and 1,200 complaints daily over the last five years. Between 2015 and 2019, cybercrime victims recorded losses of $10.2bn and in a blog post, the FBI provided further insight into which attack types were the most common and which were the most costly to individuals and businesses, saying:
“The most frequently reported complaints were phishing and similar ploys, non-payment/non-delivery scams, and extortion. The most financially costly complaints involved business email compromise, romance or confidence fraud, and spoofing, or mimicking the account of a person or vendor known to the victim to gather personal or financial information.” Cybercrime evolvesAccording to IC3's chief Donna Gregory, cybercriminals adopted new techniques and tactics in an effort to further evade detection while carrying out their scams in 2019. "Criminals are getting so sophisticated. It is getting harder and harder for victims to spot the red flags and tell real from fake. In the same way your bank and online accounts have started to require two-factor authentication — apply that to your life. Verify requests in person or by phone, double-check web and email addresses, and don’t follow the links provided in any messages," Gregory said. Business Email Compromise (BEC) was the 2019 cybercrime with the highest reported total victim loses at $1.8bn according to 23,775 recorded complaints. The IC3 also observed an increased number of diversion of payroll funds BEC complaints where cybercriminals email a company's HR or payroll department requesting to update direct deposit information while posing as an employee. If successful, these requests result in an employee's paycheck being sent to cybercriminals as opposed to the intended recipient. Expect the tactics used by cybercriminals to continue to evolve in 2020 and reports like this one from the FBI have helped shed light on how financially devastating cybercrime can really be.
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| AC Milan vs Juventus live stream: watch the Coppa Italia semi-final from anywhere Posted: 13 Feb 2020 09:45 AM PST Italian football bragging rights and a shot at domestic cup glory are on the line tonight as Serie A leaders Juventus go head-to-head with AC Milan in the Coppa Italia semi-finals. Our guide explains all the easiest ways to watch Juventus vs AC Milan via live stream, helping you to follow all the action from anywhere in the world. Both of the storied Italians sides will be keen to put one foot in the Coppa Italia final this Thursday, but for AC Milan, the Italian cup competition represents one last chance to salvage an otherwise lost season. Under-fire manager Stefano Pioli and his AC team currently find themselves a disappointing 10th place in the Serie A table, and just last weekend suffered a crushing 4-2 to bitter local rivals Inter - despite having a 2-0 lead at one point in the match. Juventus, on the other hand, are the current league leaders as the season approaches squeaky bum time. While coach Maurizio Sarri is also facing considerable scrutiny from the Old Lady faithful, the fact is Juve could still comfortably secure a domestic double and are in the Champions League last 16. With star player Cristiano Ronaldo in a rich vein of goal-scoring form, they certainly enter this match as favorites and give us every reason to watch Serie A right down to the final whistle this year.
How to live stream AC Milan vs Juventus wherever you areRead on if you're an Italian football fan based in the UK, US, Australia or Canada, as we'll tell you the best ways to watch AC Milan vs Juventus tonight (spoiler alert, it's ESPN+ in the US). However, if you're away from home for whatever reason, you'll likely discover that you can't access your usual football or soccer broadcasting service. Online football streams tend to be geo-blocked, meaning they can only be accessed in the country of origin, but there is a workaround. The only legal way we know of getting around this is to use a VPN, which certainly beats trying to find a dodgy feed online.
How to watch AC Milan vs Juventus: live stream tonight's soccer in the USIf you have ESPN+ but are trying to watch the match from overseas, then using a US VPN will allow you to watch all your domestic sports coverage from abroad.
How to stream AC Milan vs Juventus live in the UKHow to live stream AC Milan vs Juventus soccer in CanadaAC Milan vs Juventus live stream: can I watch tonight's match in Australia?
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| Last chance to get Sky Entertainment and Cinema for only £4.99 with this Now TV deal Posted: 13 Feb 2020 09:27 AM PST What better way is there to cure the cold February weather blues then by curling up on the sofa and binge watching a few hit TV shows? Especially with this ace Now TV deal where you get access to a wide range of movies and series for a mere £4.99...but only if you sign up by the end of Thursday! That's right, for just under a fiver you can get a Sky Cinema and Sky Entertainment month pass. So that means access to hundreds of TV shows (every single episode of Game of Thrones anyone?) as well as tonnes of recent films and enduring classics, with one premiere added every single day of the month. And now you can finally go full HD with the streaming service by adding its Now TV Boost for an extra £3. Considering a month's worth of these two passes would normally amount to over £20, you're looking at a saving of over 75%! This double-whammy Now TV bundle deal in fullNote that once the month is up, you'll remain on these Entertainment and Cinema subscriptions, which are charged at £8.99 and £11.99 per month respectively. So don't forget to cancel before the 30 days are up if you don't want to continue.
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