Apple : Apple Stores to reopen in four US states next week |
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| Apple Stores to reopen in four US states next week Posted: 08 May 2020 03:39 PM PDT In a shift toward normalcy, some Apple Stores in the US will reopen for business next week, following a nearly two-month-long hiatus brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic. Apple Stores will resume operations in four states: Idaho, South Carolina, Alabama and Alaska, according to CNBC. These US stores will join recently reopened retail locations in other countries: Germany, Australia and China. There's no timetable set for Apple Stores in the UK reopening. How many stores are reopening in the US? The exact number is unclear, but at first it'll be no more than six – that's how many of Apple's 271 US stores are in those four states. Globally, Apple has 510 stores. A new reality for Apple Store shoppersWhen we said 'a shift toward normalcy', that comes with change. Apple Stores will put in place new social distancing rules, like limiting the number of visitors in the store at one time and suggesting customers use its in-store pick up options. Apple Stores in the US, like we've seen in other countries, will require temperature checks for employees and customers on the way in, and employees will need to wear face covering, according to CNBC. There's no telling if 'face coverings' means a face mask or the Apple-design face shields that went out to medical workers (or both). Initially, Apple's store will focus on fixing products. In addition to repairing devices broken during the pandemic, Apple likely has a backlog of recently fixed iPhones, iPads and MacBooks waiting to return to people at its Genius Bar. After all, plenty of people weren't able to pick up their devices in person before the March shutdown.
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| The Mandalorian season 2: release date, Baby Yoda, Boba Fett, Ahsoka Tano and what we know Posted: 08 May 2020 03:18 PM PDT The Mandalorian season 2 will release in October 2020, so you don't have to wait long for the return of Din Djarin and his charge, The Child, in the Disney Plus Star Wars TV series. In fact, The Mandalorian has been so successful that a third season is reportedly already in the works. But what do we know about the future adventures of Baby Yoda and company? Quite a lot, actually. Production on the show is all done, which will hopefully insulate the show from coronavirus-related disruption: post-production effects work is being completed remotely. Most recently, it's been reported that Boba Fett will feature in The Mandalorian season 2. On Star Wars Day, too, it was revealed that directors Robert Rodriguez (Battle Angel Alita) and Peyton Reed (Ant-Man) will be directing episodes of the next season. We've also seen a credible report suggest that The Clone Wars icon Ahsoka Tano will appear in The Mandalorian season 2, played by Rosario Dawson. Here's what we know The Mandalorian season 2 release date, the Darksaber tease at the end of season 1, returning cast and the latest information on season 3. The Mandalorian season 2 release date: October 2020The official Mandalorian season 2 release date is October 2020, which Disney confirmed in its earnings report in February. Season 2 was already in the works when season 1 started releasing on Disney Plus – confirmation of a second season came from creator Jon Favreau after just one episode was released. Favreau revealed a little more on Friday December 27, with a tweet confirming that the new season would be coming in Fall 2020. Only later was the specific month of October revealed by Disney. Filming on season 2 wrapped as of March 2020. Post-production is now in the works on the show, hopefully meaning its release date won't be affected by the current health crisis. The Mandalorian season 2 cast should feature Boba Fett and Ahsoka TanoIt's been reported by THR that Boba Fett will appear in season 2 of The Mandalorian, played by Temuera Morrison, who previously played Jango Fett in Attack of the Clones. It will be a guest-starring role, apparently, but this presumably means Boba Fett has escaped his fate in the Sarlacc Pit. He's not the only Star Wars character from the past making an appearance this year. A report from Slashfilm suggests that Rosario Dawson will play The Clone Wars favorite Ahsoka Tano in The Mandalorian season 2. This would mark the character's first appearance in live-action. The outlet reports that two sources verified the info, but that Lucasfilm or Dawson's representatives wouldn't comment on it. Variety, too, confirmed the report, saying it's a guest-starring role. Speaking to Variety, Dawson explains how excited she would be for such a role. "That's not confirmed yet," she said, "but when that happens I will be very happy." She went on to say "The two universes, Star Trek and Star Wars. I get in those two, I'm telling you, man, that's it. I will just retire." It seems like it's fair to say that if Dawson doesn't play Ahsoka Tano, it wasn't her decision. The Clone Wars mastermind Dave Filoni was asked about Ahsoka's rumored appearance in The Mandalorian season 2, too, but wouldn't be drawn on details. "The great thing about the character is she's proved herself and earned her place among the Star Wars leads out there. So whatever the future holds, who knows? But for now, we'll get to see this ending of Clone Wars and see how that goes." But in terms of confirmed cast news, Micheal Biehn is a huge addition for season 2 (via The Hollywood Reporter). Known famously as Kyle Reese in The Terminator and Corporal Hicks in Aliens, this is Biehn's first major role in more than a decade. We'll have to wait for any concrete details on his character, however, but the rumor is he'll be another bounty hunter.
The Mandalorian season 2 story: the search for Baby Yoda's homeworld and Darksaber actionGeorge Lucas had a rule that Jedi Master Yoda's species and home planet weren't to be disclosed, back when he was in charge of Star Wars. Now that Disney is in charge of Lucasfilm and Star Wars, though, it's likely that this has changed, as everything suggest The Mandalorian season 2 will focus on the search for “the Child” – aka Baby Yoda’s – home. During the season 1 finale, the Mandalorian Armorer on Nevarro tells the Mandalorian (real name Din Djarin) that because Baby Yoda is a foundling (and therefore probably not, as previously speculated, a clone), “By creed it it is in your care.” She then adds that, “You have no choice, you must reunite it with its own kind.” Unfortunately for Mando, however, the Armorer didn’t have any information on where he might find them: “This you must determine,” she teases. But as ever in Star Wars, there’s a degree of ambiguity here – and the identity of who the Mandalorian is actually looking for may come down to your own point of view. Perhaps Mando is, as it seems at first glance, looking for the homeworld of Yoda’s species. Or maybe he’s simply looking for Jedi who survived the Emperor’s Order 66 purge in Revenge of the Sith, some three decades earlier. Why the confusion? In the Outer Rim worlds that provide the setting for The Mandalorian, the Force exploits of the Jedi are just myth – indeed, the Mandalorian simply says of Baby Yoda’s Force abilities that “it can move objects with its mind”. “I know of such things,” the Armorer reveals. “The songs of aeons past tell of battles between Mandalore the Great and an order of sorcerers called Jedi that fought with such powers.” Crucially, when Mando asks if Baby Yoda is an enemy, the Armorer states: “Its kind were enemies but this individual is not.” So seeing as Mandalore’s battles were with the Jedi, rather than specifically with Yoda’s species, this implies that Mando’s new bounty may actually be the Jedi... Or maybe the Mandalorian will settle for simply finding out Baby Yoda's name. Apparently he has one, and Disney CEO Bob Iger told The Star Wars Show that he knows what it is – not that he's giving anything away. Speculation over Yoda's name continues. Of course, we'll see more of Moff Gideon in season 2 of The Mandalorian, probably looking for revenge after the battle at the end of season 1. "Major, major, epic, epic lightsaber action happening on this show," the actor said at Fan Expo Canada (via Comic Book). Whoever Gideon is fighting with the Darksaber, though, won't be Mando or (heaven forbid) Baby Yoda. Either way, this means we'll see another character wielding a lightsaber in season 2. The Mandalorian season 2: spin-offs may be in the works, and season 3 is reportedly confirmedIn an earnings call, Disney's Bob Iger hinted at more characters being introduced in The Mandalorian, with possible spin-offs being set up. He teased it as, "more coming from The Mandalorian thereafter, including the possibility of infusing it with more characters and the possibility of taking those characters in their own direction in terms of series". The exact phrasing suggests spin-offs will focus on newer characters, rather than existing ones. We're sure a lot of fans would argue Gina Carano's Cara Dune would be a good fit... One actor rumored for a role in season 2 is WWE star Sasha Banks. Who she'd be playing, though, is yet to be confirmed. The Mandalorian season 3, too, appears to be in the works already. Variety confirmed that Jon Favreau is deep into writing season 3, with Lucasfilm's art department beginning work on the next set of episodes already. The Mandalorian season 2: the Darksaber explainedAbove: clips from The Clone Wars featuring the Darksaber. When Moff Gideon cuts himself out of his stricken TIE Fighter at the end of The Mandalorian season 1 finale, he uses a blade that sounds much like a lightsaber, but looks rather different to the weapons we’re used to seeing in the hands of Jedi and Sith. More sword-like in shape, with a black blade surrounded by a bright glow, it should, however, be familiar to viewers of Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels. Because unless we’re very much mistaken, this looks like the legendary Darksaber. This unique weapon is a key part of Star Wars – and particularly Mandalorian – lore. Originally created by Tarre Vizsla, the first Mandalorian warrior to join the Jedi order, it became a symbol of power on the planet of Mandalore. At the conclusion of Star Wars Rebels (set two years before the events of Star Wars: A New Hope) it ended up in the hands of Bo-Katan Kryze, who was deemed the rightful heir to the Mandalorian leadership. But how did such an important weapon end up in Moff Gideon’s hands? We do know that at some point between the end of Rebels and Return of the Jedi, the Empire carried out the so-called “Great Purge”, all but wiping out the Mandalorians. We also know that Gideon was an officer in the Imperial Security Bureau (ISB) during the Purge, so could have obtained the Darksaber from Bo-Katan at that time. (If that does turn out to be the case, it’ll be intriguing to find out if Bo-Katan survived – she was played by Battlestar Galactica’s Katee Sackhoff in both The Clone Wars and Rebels, so this could be a chance to get a fan-favorite actor into the show.) Alternatively, the Darksaber could have been in the possession of the Mandalorian “Tribe” living underground on Nevarro throughout The Mandalorian season 1 –Gideon may simply have obtained it when his Imperial remnant wiped out most of the Mandalorians in hiding. This seems less likely, however – surely the surviving Armorer would have protected such an important weapon with her life. The Mandalorian season 2: Jon Favreau will direct an episodeDespite being the creator and main writer of The Mandalorian season one, Iron Man director Jon Favreau didn't direct a single episode – it didn't hurt the show at all, but season 2 will benefit from his input. "I didn’t get a chance the last time around because I was doing Lion King," Favreau mentioned to EW. "So I'll step in for one of them." George Lucas has been on the show's set, too, resulting in this amazing photo: What's more, it's rumored that Peyton Reed (Ant-Man, Yes Man) will direct two episodes. This comes from Charles Murphy, but he admits that he has no secondary source to corroborate his information. Another rumor doing the rounds in February 2020 contended that James Mangold (Walk the Line, The Wolverine), but Mangold later debunked them. Taika Waititi has confirmed he will not return as director for season 2. During an Instagram Live session, the Jojo Rabbit and Thor: Ragnarok director said "I'm not directing any of the episodes of The Mandalorian because I was doing another film, a soccer film with Michael Fassbender. After Jojo Rabbit I decided to make a sports film, something I’ve never done, about a sport I knew nothing about and I still don’t." The Mandalorian season 2: Original Trilogy characters rumored to appearAccording to Deadline, “Insiders have hinted that several established characters from the Skywalker saga’s feature films mythology will make appearances during the show’s sophomore season.” Jon Favreau’s release date tweet above showed a picture of a Gamorrean, one of the so-called Pig Guards from Jabba’s Palace in Return of the Jedi, but we suspect that – if this insider's rumors are accurate – they’re referring to someone who’s a significantly bigger deal in the saga than that. While Jabba the Hutt, Darth Vader and the Emperor are dead (or so the galaxy believes…) and Luke Skywalker is unlikely to crop up away from the saga that bears his name, there are plenty of big names in the Star Wars universe who’ll be operating around the time of The Mandalorian. It's set five years after the destruction of the second Death Star in Return of the Jedi, after all. Original trilogy survivors Han Solo, Princess Leia, Chewbacca, Lando Calrissian, C-3PO, R2-D2, and even Rebel legends Wedge Antilles, Admiral Ackbar and Nien Nunb could all cross paths with the Mandalorian and Baby Yoda. But we’d be much more interested to see General Hux’s dad, Brendol – a former Imperial officer who was instrumental in the formation of the First Order – or even (SPOILER ALERT) Rey’s parents. Now that we know they lived in hiding – pretending to be “nobody” before giving Rey away – any new glimpses at their backstory could enhance what we learned in The Rise of Skywalker. Perhaps most likely, however, is the reappearance of various bounty hunters hired by Darth Vader to capture the Millennium Falcon in The Empire Strikes Back. IG-88, Zuckuss, Dengar, Bossk and 4-LOM are still theoretically looking for work in the time of The Mandalorian season 2, and definitely operate in the same hives of scum and villainy as our friendly neighborhood Mando. Maybe we’ll even see a return for the legendary Boba Fett… Yes, he was last seen being swallowed by the Sarlacc in Return of the Jedi, but the bounty hunter did manage to escape 1000 years of digestion in the old Expanded Universe “Legends” stories, a plot that could be ported over into official canon. And there’s also been plenty of speculation online that the mysterious figure on Tatooine who finds the body of the deceased Fennec Shand in Chapter 5, “The Gunslinger”, may be Fett himself – the jangling spurs might just be a clue... And even if the owner of the spurs isn't Fett, one particularly interesting theory suggested on Inverse suggests it could be a member of the family – Ailyn Vel, his daughter in the Legends stories. Could this be the identity of this mysterious Funko Pop! Vinyl figure? Disney Gallery: The Mandalorian will kill the time until season 2As we wait patiently for the tiniest scraps of Mandalorian cast and story details, perhaps we'll get some in an upcoming documentary all about the flagship Disney Plus show. Set to land for Star Wars Day 2020 (May 4, in case you didn't already know), Disney Gallery: The Mandalorian is an eight-part documentary series set to give us a behind-the-scenes look at how the show was made, from idea to screen. Eight episodes is quite a lot, so we're expecting this series to dive pretty deep. Favreau said "Disney Gallery: The Mandalorian is an opportunity for fans of the show to take a look inside and get to see a different perspective, and perhaps a greater understanding, of how The Mandalorian came together and some of the incredibly talented contributors throughout season 1." Who knows, maybe we'll get a taste of season 2 too. The Mandalorian is the best slice of Star Wars in yearsWe can't wait for a second season of The Mandalorian. A couple of less thrilling episodes in the middle of season one aside, the simple storytelling and stylish imagery of this show made it a satisfying glimpse at a different side of the Star Wars universe. Creator Jon Favreau has plenty on the table to pay off in season 2.
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| Xbox Series X games: every exclusive and cross-gen game announced so far Posted: 08 May 2020 02:58 PM PDT We're starting to hear more about Xbox Series X games as the next-gen console's launch date creeps ever closer. Faster and capable of more advanced graphics than its predecessors, Microsoft's next-generation hardware promises to be the most powerful games console 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. We've now had a somewhat-substantial first look at the Xbox Series X game lineup, with a number of third-party titles having been announced – and shown off with in-engine gameplay – on the latest Inside Xbox's Xbox Series X gameplay reveal. We've detailed each new game below, alongside Assassin's Creed Valhalla which was announced a few days previously – and which we now know will benefit from Xbox's innovative Smart Delivery feature. We also learned that, because of Smart Delivery, Madden 21 will be the first official Xbox Series X game you can buy beginning in August and that there are two Xbox Series X-exclusives so far: The Medium and Scorn. To know what you're going to be playing on the next-gen console, here's every Xbox Series X game Microsoft has confirmed so far – and some others that we hope, expect, or demand to see.
Every Xbox Series X game and Xbox Series X exclusive confirmedWe had our first Xbox Series X gameplay reveal on May 7, and got a number of new Xbox Series game announcements along with it. They're all third-party games, but you can check out the announced titles below, with previously confirmed titles (like Halo Infinite, for one) below that. We'll be sure to update these entries as more information on each of these games becomes available. It's also worth pointing out that, while most of the games listed below are likely to be cross-gen compatible, there are two that are Xbox Series X exclusive - The Medium and Scorn. According to Scorn's Kickstarter page, the developers chose Xbox Series X primarily because of its powerful hardware, and also plan to bring the game to PC via Steam, Windows Store, and GOG. Bright Memory InfiniteChinese FYQD Studio is behind the first game to be shown off in the May 7 Inside Xbox stream, Bright Memory Infinite. It has a very sci-fi feel, but with swords and shields mixing with assault rifles and... magical beams of light acting as a grappling hook? There are even futuristic car chase sequences right out of Blade Runner – and while we don't know much about the game, our first in-engine look of the game running on Xbox Series X definitely got out attention. (The game is reportedly made by a single person, too.) We know it's coming to PC, too, and that owners of the previous Bright Memory title will get the new title for free. Xbox Series X Optimised? Yes. Dirt 5A new Dirt game! Dirt is a classic racing game series from developer Codemasters, and we're not surprised to see it make the way to next-gen consoles. Expect... fast cars? Racing? With only a brief look so far, we can't say much more, but it's sure to be rendered beautifully, and have the smooth drifting we'd expect from a next-gen console and Xbox Series X controller. Dirt 5 will be supported by Smart Delivery, too. Xbox Series X Optimised? Yes. Scorn (Xbox Series X exclusive)Oh boy, this trailer was disconcerting. Scorn appears to take place in a grim, gray, and bloody world, with mysterious stone statues and intestine-lookalike worms combining for... something. We got some serious Alien / Prometheus vibes – fitting, given the clear influence from Alien designer H.R. Giger – and know it's a first-person horror game, set in "a nightmarish universe of odd forms and somber tapestry". It's said to be an Xbox Series X exclusive, though it also appears to have a Steam page, so we imagine it will be a timed exclusivity window. Xbox Series X Optimised? Yes. ChorvsChorus is a space-flight combat simulator, with Mass Effect stylings and a neat Knight Ryder gimmick – your spaceship being sentient – powering the galactic action. There's some confusion around the name, given the font seems to write it as 'CHORVS', but we're sticking with 'CHORUS' for our collective sanity. Either way, with "mind-bending abilities" and plenty of space combat promised, this could be a great test of the Xbox Series X's graphical upgrade. Xbox Series X Optimised? Yes. MADDEN 21That's right! The next Madden game is coming to Xbox Series X. The NFL game will bring American football to your console with high-quality graphics and (hopefully) super smooth gameplay on the high-spec console. Also confirmed for Xbox Smart Delivery. Xbox Series X Optimised? Yes. Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2The sequel to Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines is here! With telekinesis, monstrous puppets, and (of course) plenty of vampirism, this looks like a must-buy game for Xbox Series X. It sounds like it will have a banging soundtrack too. With the previous game releasing in 2004, there's a lot of hype for this title, and the next-gen specs look set to make it a first-person vampire game to remember. Xbox Series X Optimised? Yes. Call of the SeaCall of the Sea looks to be a narrative-led mystery game, tasking you with finding your lost husband among the jungles, oceans, and islands of the South Pacific. It's already confirmed for both Xbox Game Pass and Smart Delivery – and we'll update you as we find out more. Xbox Series X Optimised? Yes. The AscentIf Cyberpunk 2077 isn't enough dystopian sci-fi for you, The Ascent may have you covered. With dirty, high-tech cities, alien populations living side by side, and talk of supernovas causing havoc, will The Ascent be an imitator or an innovator? We'll find out soon enough. We do know the game will be a top-down shooter, and is the first game from developer Neon Giant. Xbox Series X Optimised? Yes. The Medium (Xbox Series X exclusive)The Medium is a next-gen psychological horror game from the developer behind Blair Witch – and with the composer behind the Silent Hill series helping to score the action. Players will inhabit the body of a spiritual medium called Marianne, bordering this world and the next. We can pretty much guarantee it will sound terrifying, and with it being so many years since a Silent Hill game, we can't wait to see if The Medium is a worthy successor. Xbox Series X Optimised? Yes. Scarlet NexusFrom Bandai Namco, this unsettling action game sees you fighting off flowery enemies to protect humanity. It has an art style clearly informed by modern 3D anime, with a teenage protagonist with the gift of 'psychokinesis', laying waste to some sort of sentient plant life – with human legs? We don't get it, but from the outset this looks like a hack-and-slash adventure worth a lazy afternoon. It's been confirmed for Smart Delivery too. Xbox Series X Optimised? Yes. Second ExtinctionEarth has fallen. Rally your squad. Shoot dinosaurs. This FPS game sees you gunning down dinos to help retake earth from these scaly beasties. The name isn't inspiring, but the trailer suggests there may be some cooperative or competitive element to keep things interesting. Xbox Series X Optimised? Yes. Yakuza: Like a DragonWant to play a Yakuza game on Xbox Series X. You'll be able to from the console's launch. If that seems soon, it is! Like A Dragon technically came out in Japan this January (on PS5), though, so it's only the Western release that's being timed for next-gen consoles. It's been confirmed for Smart Delivery too. Given how beloved the Yakuza series is, though, it'll be sure to get a lot of attention – with this title seeing you play as young man Ichi as he navigates the organized crime world of urban Japan – but the trailer above shows it off better than we could summarise it. Xbox Series X Optimised? Yes. Want to know what else you can play on Xbox Series X? Here are all the games that had previously been confirmed for the next-gen console – with some rumored or speculated titles below that. 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. WarframeLeyou Technology, parent company of Warframe developer Digital Extremes, has revealed that its free-to-play online sci-fi shooter Warframe will be coming to PS5 and Xbox Series X. In an earnings report by Leyou Technology, the company stated that it's "preparing to expand Warframe to more platforms, such as the next-generation consoles and other devices". However, there's no indication of when Warframe will land on PS5 or Xbox Series X. 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, allowing players to upgrade their Xbox One version of the game to the Xbox Series X version for free. In addition, a "proper, full-blown next-gen version" of Cyberpunk 2077 will come to Xbox Series X – but it won't be available on the console at launch. That's according to CD Projekt, the parent company of Cyberpunk 2077 developer CD Projekt Red, who revealed during an earnings call (via VGC) that, while the game will still release in September and will be available on Xbox Series X "from the get-go", an enhanced, next-gen version will be released at a later date. “In terms of Microsoft’s console, like I said, we have officially confirmed both the update and the cross-gen availability, meaning that you’ll be able to play the game from the get-go on the next-gen,” CD Projekt SVP of business development Michal Nowakowski said during the call. “However, when it comes to a proper, full-blown next-gen version, that’s going to come later, we haven’t announced when and I don’t have a new comment here on that." A CD Projekt Red spokesperson confirmed to VGC that the “full-blown next-gen version” Nowakowski referred to is the previously announced Xbox Series X upgrade. 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. Assassin's Creed ValhallaUbisoft has confirmed that the next chapter in the Assassin's Creed series is coming to PS5 and Xbox Series X. Assassin's Creed Valhalla sees players take on the role of Viking raider Eivor, who leads their clan from their native home of Norway to the shores of Dark Ages England – with a hope of settling for good. But resistance from the Saxons won't exactly make it easy. This new Assassin's Creed game leans more into RPG elements, allowing players to build and manage settlements, raid towns for resources, form alliances and even customize their character. We got our first look at gameplay on May 7 on an Inside Xbox stream, but it was something of a disappointment in how little it showed. We're hoping the eventual game will have more to it than the little blips of action we've seen. 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. Battlefield 6Electronic Arts has confirmed that Battlefield 6 is coming to Xbox Series X and PS5 in 2021. Speaking to GameSpot, EA said that Battlefield 6 will be "targeting new innovation that will be enabled by next-gen platforms". We're still largely in the dark about what Battlefield 6 is about, and whether it'll also be available on current-gen consoles, but we can't wait to find out more. 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. WRC 9It's been officially confirmed that the latest version of the FIA World Rally Championship will officially hit Xbox Series X and PS5. The racing title will release in September 2020 for PC, Switch, Xbox One and PS4, but will also release on next-gen consoles. “The introduction of new-generation gaming consoles is a wonderfully exciting step and we’re delighted WRC 9 will be the first rally game to become available to gamers on such platforms,” WRC Promoter managing director Oliver Ciesla said. According to the game's website, WRC 9 will feature rallies in Kenya, New Zealand and Japan from the 2020 WRC calendar, alongside over 400km of roads from all 13 scheduled rounds of the 2020 season. WRC 10 and WRC 11 have also been confirmed. Dying Light 2During an interview with Wccftech at E3 2019, developer Techland confirmed Dying Light 2 is set for next-gen consoles. "Techland always has an eye on the latest new toys!" Techland's chief technology officer, Pawel Rohleder, said. "To be more specific - yes, the plan since the beginning of production has been to make Dying Light 2 a cross-generation title." 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. Check out everything we know so far about Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 2.
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| Xbox Series X release date, specs, design and launch titles for the next Xbox Posted: 08 May 2020 02:47 PM PDT Xbox Series X is the next-generation Xbox that was revealed in late 2019, and on May 7 we finally got our first glimpse at a wide array of the games set to launch with the new Xbox console. So far we know when the next Xbox will release, its official name, and a couple of the console's launch titles, as well as information on backwards compatibility, and how cross-gen game ownership will work under the new Smart Delivery feature. We also know that it will have a slightly redesigned controller that should be more accessible, and offer 1TB SSD upgrades from Seagate. From what we've seen so far, it looks like the Xbox Series X will sport a blockier style that's similar to that of a small gaming PC. More importantly, we now know what's inside the console, thanks to Microsoft giving us the Series X's full specs, and we can say for sure that the new Xbox is going to be an absolute powerhouse. But the Xbox Series X won't be the only next-generation hardware on offer from Microsoft. The company has confirmed that the next-generation family of consoles will be called 'Xbox' and that 'Series X' is just one of the consoles within that family, which is likely to include a cheaper disc-drive free version as well. So what exactly has Microsoft got to offer? And how will it compare to the PS5? Let's break down everything we know about the Xbox Series X. [UPDATE: Microsoft gave us our first look at Xbox Series X gameplay this week - here's what you missed at the Xbox Series X gameplay reveal. The short version is that there wasn't enough gameplay and Microsoft's game selections left a lot to be desired - in our opinion it was Microsoft's first big mistake. Microsoft might agree, too: Xbox's Head of Marketing Aaron Greenberg has apologized on Twitter.]
We knew what the Xbox Series X will look like, a few of the features on offer, and a good deal about specs the next Xbox is boasting. But May 7 was when we first saw Xbox Series X gameplay revealed. According to Microsoft, this event would see us fans getting a first look at next-gen gameplay, trailers and sneak peeks from Xbox's third-party partners, an update on how devs are utilizing the Xbox Series X and, finally, confirmation of the Xbox Series X games that will use Smart Delivery. With no look at the console itself, or its interface features, this was all about third-party titles – and ultimately we felt it was a little underwhelming, with no standout titles to shout about. There's still a lot more to comeHowever, this May 7 event is only the start of Microsoft's next-gen reveal plans. According to the company, this event will kick off Xbox 20/20, a stream which will take place each month throughout the rest of the year in the lead-up to the launch of the next-gen console. "Starting with the May 7 episode of Inside Xbox, we will be showcasing what happens next in the world of Xbox, every month, which is why we’re calling it 'Xbox 20/20'," Jerret West, CVP of gaming marketing at Xbox wrote on Xbox Wire. "These monthly moments will take place throughout the rest of the year and will be a way for us to engage, connect and celebrate with you about what’s in store for the next generation of gaming, including what’s next for Xbox Series X, Xbox Game Studios, Xbox Game Pass and Project xCloud. Every month will bring something different." We expect that these streams will entirely replace the Xbox's presence at E3 2020, which Microsoft was confirmed to be attending until it was cancelled – given the circumstances right now, a remote event makes a lot of sense. Microsoft has given the release window of "Holiday 2020" - which means we'll likely see the Xbox Series X release between October and December this year. However, it's possible that the release date will be November 26, 2020 (AKA Thanksgiving in the US). An image stating the Xbox Series X is "coming Thanksgiving 2020" (shown above) appeared on a number of product pages around the world briefly before being reverted back to to the previously announced Holiday 2020 release window. A Microsoft spokesperson responded to TechRadar to clarify, saying "An Xbox product page in some regions inaccurately listed the launch date for Xbox Series X as Thanksgiving 2020. We are committed to launching Holiday 2020.” Despite concerns that the Xbox Series X will be delayed due to Covid-19, Microsoft is still citing the same release window and Xbox boss Phil Spencer told IGN: "We have nothing right now that says that we're not going to make the dates that we've been planning." However, we are expecting the Xbox Series X launch to be digital event as a Microsoft spokesperson told Eurogamer that the company is adjusting its event calendar due to the pandemic, stating that: "For the remainder of 2020 we are embracing the opportunity to experiment with new platforms to provide our partners, customers and developers the highest quality, digital-first experiences." That includes the May 7 games showcase.
Microsoft won't be pinned down on an Xbox Series X price point quite yet – unsurprisingly, given what a sore spot the price of the Xbox One was for fans. At launch, the original Xbox One cost a whopping $499 / £429 / AU$599, which was quickly reduced when Microsoft realized people weren't forking out. Microsoft has at the very least promised that it's learned from this pricing mistake, with Phil Spencer stating that this time "we will not be out of position on power or price.” That doesn't mean that the console will be cheap, mind you, it just means the price point will be better aligned with the console's power and the price points of the competition. After all, Jason Ronald, director of the Xbox platform, gave only a vague reassurance when speaking to Windows Central, saying that Microsoft knew "what reasonable price points are for a console and kind of what customers expect about that". When it comes to the PS5 and Xbox Series X, players see 'affordable price' as the most important factor, according to a Twitter poll by Mortal Kombat co-creator Ed Boon. Boon asked Twitter users what the most important thing was for them when it comes to next-gen consoles. The poll received a total of 50,295 responses, with a 37.5% majority of users saying 'affordable price' was the most important factor. 'Plays last-gen games' (AKA backwards compatibility) came second with 30%, 'better graphics' received 19.2% of votes, while 'exclusive games' was the least important with just 13.2% of votes. It's worth noting that a Twitter poll isn't exactly reflective of the overall player base, especially as it's unlikely younger players will be on the platform. So, while this poll can be useful as a steer, the reality is likely to be a lot more complex. Regardless, we expect price to be a key factor in whether players pick up a PS5 or Xbox Series X - even if it's not the most important. Price will at least in part be determined by the cost of the components going into the console: Xbox Series X is going to be a lot more powerful than either the Xbox One S or Xbox One X, and that will likely mean we're looking at an even higher price tag on any bundles and Xbox Series X pre-orders.
We now know what Xbox Series X looks like and what it's packing under the hood, and it's going to be an absolute beast of a console.The next Xbox's gaming PC design is pretty apt, considering the next-gen console's internal hardware is comparable to one - so make sure you check out our Xbox Series X spec analysis. Microsoft has finally revealed the Xbox Series X specifications in full, leaving no one in doubt about how powerful its next-generation games console will be. The folks over at Eurogamer’s Digital Foundry got a close look at the hardware, and alongside Microsoft have announced the hardware that will be powering the Xbox Series X. According to Digital Foundry, the specs confirm that the Xbox Series X will indeed be twice as powerful as the Xbox Once X… in practise. Digital Foundry saw an unoptimized version of Gears 5 running on the Xbox Series X running at the equivalent of ‘Ultra’ graphics settings on PC, and it comes with enhanced shadows and ray tracing. Where the cut scenes ran at 30FPS on the Xbox One X, Digital Foundry reported that on the Xbox Series X, it runs at a ‘flawless’ 60FPS. Also, this is an early port – on release we should see even better results. As expected, the Xbox Series X processor is built into a custom Project Scarlett SoC (System on Chip), which uses an enhanced version of TSMC’s 7nm process. That seven nanometers is important. The smaller the process, the more efficient the chip can be. That means it can provide more performance for less power. Making sure the chip inside a games console can perform well without using lots of power (and getting hot) is incredibly important. Based on the prototype hardware Digital Foundry seen, the Xbox Series X reportedly ships with a 315W power supply - delivered internally but the console is also equipped with parallel cooling architecture, allowing cool air in and letting that cool air stream through separate areas of the console. The processor is a customized AMD Zen 2 CPU with eight cores and 16 threads, with a peak speed of 3.8GHz, and a base speed of 3.6GHz. As Digital Foundry reveals, these frequencies aren’t completely locked, which suggests the Xbox Series X could adjust the power of the CPU based on workload and thermals. So, if you’re playing a game that needs a lot of processing power, the Xbox Series X can give its CPU a boost, and then slow it down when you don’t need it. Meanwhile, the GPU of the Xbox Series X is revealed at a custom design with 12 teraflops of compute performance, with 3328 shaders allocated to 52 compute units, and runs at a locked 1,825 MHz. Interestingly, there’s no boost clocks for the GPU. It will always run at that speed. It also uses AMD’s RDNA 2 architecture, and offers ray tracing for photo-realistic lighting. What does this mean in the real world? It seems the Xbox Series X will have the graphical power acquirement to a gaming PC with an Nvidia RTX 2080 graphics card. So, a very capable device indeed, but maybe not able to compete with the most powerful gaming PCs. The Xbox Series X also gets 16GB of GDDR6 memory – an upgrade from the Xbox One X’s 12GB GDDR5. That won’t all be used in games, however. Games will get a total of 13.5GB – 10GB of GPU optimal memory and 3.5GB of standard memory, while the remaining 2.5GB is reserved for the operating system. The faster GDDR6 memory should also offer a big leap in performance. Match that with a super-fast NVMe SSD, and the Xbox Series X should feel very spritely when used. There’s still a lot of questions over what kind of performance we can expect from the Xbox Series X, but this is by far the best look at the hardware we’ve seen. Microsoft is aiming to get Xbox Series X games to run at 60 FPS in 4K, calling the challenge a "design goal". The console will support up to 120 FPS too. Despite 4K being the aim, Microsoft has said the Xbox Series X has 8K capability. Phil Spencer even changed his Twitter profile photo to (what appeared to be) a picture of the next-gen Xbox Series X's processor. It said 'Project Scarlett' on it, and was marked with '8K' (pictured above), suggesting Microsoft plans on doing more than simply talking the talk when it comes to 8K. The Xbox Series X will also feature Variable Rate Shading, which prioritizes effects on different in-game characters and objects for a "more stable frame rate and higher resolution", according to Microsoft. Not only will games look better, they could be bigger. In an interview with PCGamesN, Samsung revealed that it's talking with Microsoft and pushing the gaming behemoth to adopt ultrawide support for the Xbox Series X. The Xbox Series X will make good use of having an SSD – a 'Quick Resume' feature for the console will let you "almost instantly" continue with multiple games, without the need to sit through load screens. Microsoft also aims to improve latency through features such as Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM) and Variable Refresh Rate (VRR). According to Microsoft, "ALLM allows Xbox One and Xbox Series X to automatically set the connected display to its lowest latency mode". While "VRR synchronizes the display’s refresh rate to the game’s frame rate, maintaining smooth visuals without tearing". These features aim to minimize lag and make gaming more responsive. If you're less bothered about the specs and more concerned about whether you can still play physical games on the next Xbox, then you'll be pleased to know that Xbox Series X has a physical disc drive. Microsoft has also confirmed that all your current Xbox One accessories will work with Xbox Series X, including existing controllers and headsets. But we'd doubt that also includes the ill-fated Kinect motion tracker. That means that the Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 will be forward compatible with Series X, but Microsoft is also launching a next-generation wireless controller to accompany the new console. But don't expect the Xbox Series X to launch with VR support as, according to Xbox boss Phil Spencer, Microsoft is waiting until VR on Xbox becomes a "no brainer". However, right now, the company doesn't see the feature as "so important" on its next-gen hardware.
Xbox Series X has a completely different design to its predecessors. For a start, the next-gen console has an upright tower design - similar to that of a gaming PC. However, Microsoft has confirmed Series X can sit horizontally or vertically. From what we've seen in the Series X reveal trailer, the console is black with slightly indented cooling vents on the top (with what seems to be a green light inside). The Xbox logo sits small on the top left hand corner of the console and there's still a disc drive - which is placed vertically on the left hand side also. The Xbox Series X has the following ports: HDMI 2.1 output port, three USB 3.2 ports, one networking port, an expanded storage slot and a power input port. The console reportedly measures 15.1cm x 15.1cm x 30.1cm and weighs 4.45kg/9.8lbs. While these images have been circling for a while now, we still weren't entirely sure what that mystery port was - until now. Thurrott claims that sources "familiar with the company's plans" have identified the port as being for storage expansion. Microsoft hasn't confirmed it this is the case, but we wouldn't be surprised if it was seeing as external storage was supported with the Xbox One - but whether we see it included in the final Series X product is still uncertain. In addition to the console design, we also know what the Xbox Series X logo will look like. Spotted on Reddit by Windows Central, an official trademark listing for the Xbox Series X logo was filed on April 16, 2020, showing a very different look to what we've seen for Microsoft's consoles to date. The logo shows the word 'Series' in a vertical formation, next to a stylized 'X'. It's a more mature and minimalist design for Xbox, but it's somewhat simplistic and – in our opinion – looks more suited to a sports brand. According to the patent, this is the Xbox Series X logo we'll see on everything from the console itself to clothing, keychains, toys and even kitchen utensils. Although, we think Microsoft is just trying to cover all bases and it's unlikely we'll see an Xbox Series X spatula anytime soon. Microsoft is releasing an Xbox Series X controller to accompany its next generation console. The new Xbox Wireless Controller will apparently be more accessible to everyone, as Microsoft has made an effort to refine the size and shape. This shouldn't be too surprising to anyone that's been following the tech giant, as it's been making waves for accessibility in gaming for a while now with products like the Xbox Adaptive Controller. Along with enhanced accessibility, we'll also be getting a dedicated share button (finally) that will let you share screenshots and videos with your friends. Microsoft has also revealed that it is optimizing latency in the "player-to-console pipeline" starting with our Xbox Wireless Controller, through a new feature called Dynamic Latency input. According to the company, this feature "synchronizes input immediately with what is displayed", making controls "more precise and responsive".
We're expecting to find out more about Xbox Series X games during the Xbox Series X gameplay reveal on May 7, with Microsoft promising gameplay, trailers and sneak peeks of upcoming Xbox Series X games. But it looks like the focus will be on third-party titles rather than first-party, so don't expect to hear much about Halo Infinite or Hellblade 2. While we don't know exactly which games will be making an appearance, we do know that we'll see gameplay for Assassin's Creed Valhalla for the first time. But what do we know about Xbox Series X games so far? During the Xbox Series X's official reveal, Phil Spencer said Series X games will be "more lifelike, immersive and surprising" and that the Xbox Series X will "lead us into the future of gaming". He also stated that 15 Xbox Game Studios are building a huge next-generation library that includes Hellblade 2: Senua's Saga and Halo Infinite. Not a Halo fan? Don't worry, Xbox Series X will be capable of four generations of backwards compatibility - with the feature available from launch. That means the Series X will be able to play existing Xbox One games, including backward-compatible Xbox 360 and original Xbox games. These games will apparently get more consistent frame rates, quicker load times and "improved resolution and visual fidelity", without requiring additional work from developers. Xbox One accessories will also be backwards compatible. Not only is Microsoft doubling down on backwards compatibility, but the company is also introducing a new system called Smart Delivery to the Series X that, in some respects, could be seen as forwards compatibility. With the Xbox Series X, Smart Delivery will seemingly ensure that you have the right version of a game, no matter which Xbox console you’ve bought it on. CD Projekt Red has confirmed that Cyberpunk 2077 will make use of Smart Delivery and will offer those who own Cyberpunk on Xbox One the ability to upgrade to the Xbox Series X version for free. In addition, the company has revealed that, while Cyberpunk will be available on Xbox Series X "from the get-go", a "proper, full-blown next-gen" version of the game will come at a later date. This is apparently the upgrade the developer was referring to. In addition, Microsoft will avoid siloing by taking a cross-generation approach to its first-party games. Talking to Stevivor, Phil Spencer said Microsoft wants to create a console that utilizes Xbox Play Anywhere so you can move seamlessly between devices: "Our goal for our first-party games is that your entitlements will be cross-generation and your Achievements will move effectively with your save game because that’s where they stand.” As far as third-parties are concerned, we already have confirmation that a remake of THQ Nordic's cult classic Gothic, Battlefield 6, Gollum, WRC 9, Dying Light 2, Cyberpunk 2077 and Outriders will land on Xbox Series X. In addition, Ubisoft has confirmed that Watch Dogs: Legion, Rainbow Six Quarantine, Gods and Monsters and Assassin's Creed Valhalla are coming to PS5 and Xbox Series X - with a new Far Cry also rumored to be coming to the platforms. Ubisoft has even said it could delay these games if the next-gen consoles miss their launch window. We also know Rainbow Six Siege will be available on Xbox Series X and PS5 from launch. We're also expecting Microsoft's game-streaming service Project xCloud to be out of public testing by the time Xbox Series X releases (with a launch date slated for this year) so we should hopefully be able to enjoy Series X games on-the-go. For those who aren't quite sold on upgrading to Series X quite yet, but still want to check out the best upcoming games, Microsoft has stated that there won't be Xbox Series X exclusive games for at least a year and, for the foreseeable future, new games are planned to work across the Xbox family of devices. That means you'll still be able to play them on Xbox One.
The Xbox Series X will not be the only console in Microsoft's next generation lineup. While we were all pretty excited when Microsoft unveiled the next Xbox at the Game Awards 2019, it appears that the upcoming console's name isn't quite what we thought - and it will belong to a family. While we assumed that the next generation console is called 'Xbox Series X', Microsoft has clarified that, in fact, the family of consoles will be called 'Xbox' and that 'Series X' is just one of the consoles within the family. This clarification from Microsoft serves to further fuel rumors that another next generation Xbox console is on the way. Rumors have circulated for some time about a lower-cost next-gen Xbox console that would sit just below the high-end Xbox Series X - codenamed 'Project Lockhart'. Project Lockhart will allegedly be disc-less console - a trait that it will carry forward from the Xbox One S All-Digital Edition - but Kotaku's sources believe it will be substantially more powerful than Microsoft’s current disc-less box, and will come with both a solid-state hard drive and a faster CPU than any current game console. The report goes on to say that Microsoft told developers to shoot for a 1440p resolution and 60 frames-per-second frame rate with Project Lockhart and 4K/60 with Xbox Series X, and those same developers have likened the performance of the lower-end console to the PS4 Pro.
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| UFC 249: all you need to know about Ferguson vs Gaethje and the rest of the card Posted: 08 May 2020 02:26 PM PDT The talk of secret island locations is over and UFC 249 will finally take place this Saturday, with a long-awaited lightweight MMA clash between Tony Ferguson vs Justin Gaethje in Florida - read on to find out how to live stream UFC 249 no matter where in the world you are. What's so exciting about the return of UFC this weekend? Where do you start? As well as being the first international sporting event to take place following the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, the stacked bill boasts a crucial lightweight interim title fight as its main event - a division that features some of the sport's biggest draws. That headline act sees Tony Ferguson finally take on Justin Gaethje, just weeks after after the pair were left disappointed after the plug was pulled on UFC head honcho Dana White's first attempt at staging the fight by ESPN bosses. But there's plenty more to enjoy besides. Read on to discover all you need to know about UFC 249 or, if you just want to know where to watch the event from your corner of the globe, head straight on over to our UFC 249 live stream info page. Who are Tony Ferguson vs Justin Gaethje?In a sport of big characters, Mexican-American fighter Tony Ferguson is one of UFC's most eccentric. A noted fan of magic and breakdancing, the number 1 ranked lightweight contender first made his name on UFC reality show The Contender, winning every fight via KO or TKO during his appearance on season 13 of the show. He has since gone on to chalk up one of the best records across all divisions and is unbeaten in seven years. Known for possessing a hugely effective brawler-style approach on his feet, Justin Gaethje comes into the bout off the back of a formidable wining streak of his own, with three consecutive 1st round KO/TKOs to his name. Who is the favorite to win the Ferguson vs Gaethje fight?Bookies currently mark out Tony “El Cucuy” Ferguson as the 4/7 favorite to win the fight outright with Betfair in the UK (correct at the time of writing). Ferguson will enter the Octagon riding a 12-fight winning streak, and has not experienced defeat since 2012, with oddsmakers favoring his unpredictable approach over the more orthodox stand up style of his opponent. When did Ferguson and Gaethje last step into the ring?Ferguson last entered the Octagon almost a year ago with a one-sided victory via a doctor's stoppage against Donald Ceronne at UFC 238. Gaethje has been the far more active fighter of the two over the past few years with his last fight also against Cerrone at Fight Night 158 in Vancouver back in September the third successive fight that the American fighter has notched up a first round stoppage. What are the other highlights from UFC 249?The bumper card has two prelim fights that would in normal circumstance grace the main card. While there won't be any audience in attendance to create a regular electric UFC atmosphere, a tasty looking welterweight clash between former lightweight champion Anthony Pettis (22-10) and Donald Cerrone (36-14) should get pulses racing early doors for those viewing at home, while a heavyweight bout between "Boa Constrictor" submission king Aleksei Oleinik (58-13-1) and Brazilian former champ Fabricio Werdum (23-8-1) who will be making his return after two years out is also highly anticipated. Meanwhile the night's main supporting fight sees bantamweight champ Henry Cejudo put his belt on the line against all-round MMA legend Dominick Cruz. The fight marks Cruz's first bout in more than three years after Cejudo's intended UFC 250 showdown with Jose Aldo in Brazil was nixed by the pandemic. How to watch UFC 249 online in the US exclusively on ESPNWhat does a UFC fan receive with their ESPN+ subscription?Much like the rest of the sporting world, the UFC has been quiet in recent weeks - but with the show now back on the road a subscription to ESPN+ opens up access to exclusive live UFC Fight Nights, alongside original content including Dana White’s Contender Series, UFC Destined, and Ariel & The Bad Guy, plus classic fights, replays, and there’s also the perk of fewer adverts. The UFC 249 card in full:Main Card · Henry Cejudo vs Dominick Cruz (UFC Bantamweight Championship) · Francis Ngannou vs Jairzinho Rozentruik (heavyweight) · Jeremy Stephens vs Calvin Kattar (featherweight) · Greg Hardy vs Yorgan de Castro (heavyweight) Prelims · Alexey Oleynik vs Fabricio Werdum (heavyweight) · Carla Esparza vs Michelle Waterson (women's strawweight) · Uriah Hall vs Ronaldo Souza (middleweight) Early prelims · Bryce Mitchell vs Charles Rosa (featherweight) · Ryan Spann vs Sam Alvey (light heavyweight) This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| The Xbox Series X showcase was disappointing and Microsoft knows it Posted: 08 May 2020 02:20 PM PDT The first Xbox Series X gameplay reveal event was a bit of a miss for Microsoft – especially since some trailers showed more cutscenes than actual gameplay. A day later, the Head of Marketing at Xbox admitted in a tweet that they had set ‘some wrong expectations’ for the day’s content. Fans had been expecting to see footage showing off the power of the upcoming console, but the gameplay shown was simulated based on what they should look like on the Xbox Series X. But videos for big-ticket games like Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla didn’t even show that much, resorting to what looked like cutscenes. Fans weren’t happy, taking to Twitter and downvoting the stream’s official YouTube video 23,000 times (against 19,000 upvotes). Xbox games marketing general manager Aaron Greenberg responded to one such tweet by noting that reactions might have been different if they’d just shown off an ‘Inside Xbox’ video without preamble, and admitted they’d set ‘some wrong expectations & that’s on us.’ As Greenberg pointed out, gameplay was just one of the things promised in the Inside Xbox video alongside trailers and sneak peeks – which, collectively, the stream delivered. But given the absence of footage showing how games will look on the Xbox Series X, fans were clearly anticipating more.
The first of many streams to comeFortunately, this is just the first event in an announced season of reveals, with new trailer roundups coming on a monthly basis. It would be surprising if Microsoft didn’t bow to fan frustration and release more gameplay in the next one: ‘We appreciate all the feedback & can assure you we will take it all in & learn as a team,’ Greenberg noted in his tweet. Nor is he the only game lead promising more to come: Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla creative director Ashraf Ismail admitted in a tweet that ‘You rightfully expected to see more today’ before assuring more in-depth gameplay and info would be shared during the long marketing campaign ahead. It’s unclear when we’ll see more from the games shown off in this third party-focused Inside Xbox video; the next one will focus on first-party titles headed to the Xbox Series X, like Halo Infinite. Whether that stream will show off the upcoming console’s capabilities is still uncertain – the high-performance features like 4K resolution and up to 120 frames per second are a bit harder to show off on a compressed YouTube or Twitch video, as Polygon pointed out.
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| Cheap iPhone deal at Verizon: buy the iPhone 11, get another for free Posted: 08 May 2020 02:00 PM PDT Score a cheap iPhone deal with this limited-time offer from Verizon. The phone carrier is offering the iPhone 11 for free when you buy another iPhone and add a new line with Unlimited. You can also save up to $700 on a second iPhone when you purchase the iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max.
iPhone 11 deals at Verizon:See more offers with our round-up of the best iPhone 11 and 11 Pro deals and prices. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Your PS5 might be able to tell you how long it will take to beat a game Posted: 08 May 2020 12:51 PM PDT Despite its release being less than a year away, the PS5 is a completely black box with few, if any, features officially disclosed by Sony to the public. But that’s led some very resourceful people to plunder the US Patent Office for any shred of information about the next-gen console and has already returned a potentially huge discovery about an Alexa-like virtual assistant on the PlayStation 5. US patent 20200139245 describes an “In-Game Information Platform” that can not only provide tips and tricks for particularly tough sections of games, but might also be able to tell you how long chapters of a videogame might take to beat, too. The image above, filed alongside the patent, shows a TV hooked up to a PS4 console, asking the player if they’d like to continue the level for 45 more minutes, or if they’d like to switch to another game with a potentially shorter completion time. While it can give you a straight estimate of how long a level can take to complete, other images show the assistant factoring in in-game data and play-style get to that number. Another image shows the assistant saying that the completion time can be reduced if the player switches to a different item or changes up their strategy. Is this part of an all-encompassing virtual assistant?While the patent really only talks about the in-game applications of offering advice and time management, it does seem like this idea could be part of a larger, all-encompassing virtual assistant like Alexa or Siri, and to a lesser extent Cortana. We've heard PS5 rumors suggest that Sony is developing up a Cortana rival for its new console, and this new patent definitely lends more credibility to those reports. Unfortunately, Sony has been pretty quiet about the console and its capabilities outside of the few very technical PS5 specs given to us back in March. That may finally change at an upcoming virtual unveiling event that's rumored to happen in early June. Regardless, we'll keep you updated on Sony's PS5 plans as they're announced.
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| HPE embraces AMD EPYC in VDI tectonic shift Posted: 08 May 2020 12:11 PM PDT In an effort to help businesses working remotely, HPE has boosted the performance of its hyperconverged infrastructure (HCI) offerings while also improving the price-performance of its virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) environments. The company has launched its HPE SimpliVity 325 Gen 10 HCI solution with the new 2nd Gen AMD EPYC processor. This doubles the number of virtual desktops supported per server from 300 to 600 which provides organizations with a 50 percent lower cost per remote worker. HPE SimpliVity aims to provide businesses with an intelligent and software-defined HCI solution that makes it easier to deploy, manage and scale VDI. The new hyperconverged server is now available to order directly from the company and through its channel partners with devices expected to ship at the end of this month.
In a press release, VP and general manager of HPE SimpliVity, Patrick Osborne provided further insight on the company's new offerings, saying: “The COVID-19 global pandemic is an unprecedented situation that is affecting all businesses, our communities, and our way of life. As an edge-to-cloud platform-as-a-service company, HPE is here to help our clients bring together the right expertise and technology solutions to meet their most immediate challenges and unexpected demands. With these challenges, customers are looking to rapidly unleash mobile productivity and desktop virtualization, and HPE SimpliVity and Nimble Storage dHCI solutions provide performance and flexible payment options for our customers.” HPE Nimble Storage dHCIHPE also announced that its disaggregated HCI platform released earlier this year, HPE Nimble Storage dHCI is now available through HPE GreenLake. This means that businesses can now deploy VDI and virtual machines as-a-service using a pay as you go model. HPE Nimble Storage dHCI now includes increased scale and support for the company's expanded HPE ProLiant server models that also include AMD's 2nd Gen Epyc processor. HPE ProLiant customers can even use HPE Nimble Sotrage DHCI to convert their existing servers into a disaggregated HCI. Lifecycle management has also been simplified with one-click, unified software upgrades for server software as well as for hypervisor and storage software. HPE's expanded server support, scale and one-click software upgrade enhancements will be available globally directly through the company and through its channel partners during the second half of 2020.
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| Nvidia GeForce Now gets 19 shiny new games, after losing a few big ones Posted: 08 May 2020 11:21 AM PDT For now at least, Nvidia’s promising new GeForce Now cloud gaming service seems to be in a grin-and-bear-it situation. Mere weeks after its February 2020 launch, it already lost a few major publishers, which was a big blow to what was an impressive library that included top titles like the Borderlands franchise, Call of Duty games, Bioshock, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice and World of Warcraft. Luckily, Nvidia seems undeterred. The company just added 19 shiny new games to its GeForce Now lineup, led by Enplex Games's Population Zero, which is still in early access.
Well, mostly new to the service, that is. Apart from Population Zero (2020) and Genesis Alpha One Deluxe Edition (2020), the rest of the games on the list are from 2017 and earlier. Among the most popular of these titles include Darksiders II, Hitman: Blood Money, X3: Terran Conflict, Worms Armageddon, The Guild 2, and Styx: Shards of Darkness. Here’s the full list of GeForce Now’s recently added games:
On top of these games, the demo for the upcoming FPP slasher Ghostrunner, whose trailer just dropped, will be up and playable on GeForce NOW shortly. Fate of the GeForceThe question now is: are these new games enough to keep the GeForce Now members and help save the service from a certain demise? They'll probably help it keep on chugging along for the time being. The service is only $4.99 per month, after all. It also just added Control, alongside a few other games, to its lineup in March, and it'll likely add a few more popular titles in the coming months. Still, many of the Founders members signed up for access to the most popular AAA games. And, without some pretty big names from major studios, many of them might start questioning if it's worth their money. There's light at the end of the tunnel, however. After losing Activision Blizzard due to an oversight, the company has expressed hope “to work together with Activision Blizzard to re-enable these games and more in the future.” Re-negotiations with the publisher, as well as Bethesda and 2K Games, aren’t completely off the table, and we could still see these games back in the service in the near future. And, with Epic Games founder already giving Nvidia GeForce Now his wholehearted support, that probability is high.
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| The best Memorial Day sales 2020: a guide to the best deals going on Posted: 08 May 2020 11:16 AM PDT It's officially May, and that means Memorial Day 2020 is almost here. The holiday weekend not only marks the unofficial start to summer, but you can also find incredible Memorial Day sales from top retailers like Home Depot, Best Buy, Lowe's, Amazon, and more. We'll also tell you everything else you need to know about the Memorial Day sales event, such as the date, retailers that are participating, and what deals you can expect and from what categories. Make sure to bookmark this page as we'll be updating with all the best discounts leading up to the weekend sale event. This will be the last big sale event until Amazon Prime Day 2020, so you should take advantage of these incredible deals while you can. The best Memorial Day sales:
Our best Memorial Day sale picks:When is Memorial Day 2020?Memorial Day is an American federal holiday that always falls on the last Monday in May to honor the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military. This year Memorial Day is on Monday, May 25, with the long holiday weekend kicking off on Friday the 22. When do Memorial Day sales start?Most Memorial Day sales start the week before the actual holiday on Monday the 18, and some retailers don't start their promotions till the weekend before. All sales will last through the holiday weekend, and most will end on Memorial Day. What are the best Memorial Day sales?The biggest categories discounted during Memorial Day include appliances, patio furniture, mattresses, and laptops. Because Memorial Day is the unofficial start to summer, you can find discounts on several outdoor items such as grills, patio furniture, planters, and camping equipment.
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| Best gaming mouse 2020: the best gaming mice we've tested Posted: 08 May 2020 11:01 AM PDT Having the best gaming mouse in your arsenal is vital, even if you’re not doing competitive gaming. Especially to the more casual gamers, getting a quality gaming mouse might be an afterthought. However, a pointing device specifically designed for gaming does more than just take you to the top of the leaderboards. It just may just save your wrist from unnecessary chronic pain. Having one of the best gaming PCs isn’t enough. Regardless of whether you’re a casual gamer or trying to go toe-to-toe in the latest esports, the right peripherals make a huge difference in your gaming immersion and experience. That includes your gaming mouse, which must be designed especially for gaming to help your performance instead of hindering it. The good news is you won’t have to splurge to take home the best gaming mouse. There are many top-notch mice at every price point, so you can find something that delivers durability, performance and speed without breaking the bank. To help you look for the best gaming mouse, we’ve rounded up the top ones we’ve tested here at TechRadar, complete with our price comparison tool to help you find money-saving deals. And, while you’re at it, pick up one of the best gaming mouse pads as well for a truly incredible gaming experience. The features, balance and performance are all present in equal measure in the SteelSeries Rival 710. When it comes to the best gaming mouse, features, balance and performance are all present in equal measure in the SteelSeries Rival 710, securing it a top spot on our list. This behemoth of a gaming mouse – at least, in terms of power – is a bit expensive, but when you weigh that price against the customizable OLED display, haptic feedback (great for you MOBA players) and excellent build quality, the SteelSeries Rival 710 is still a very solid purchase. The kicker? Everything is modular, even down to the sensor, so you never have to feel like you’re missing out on the latest tech. Read the full review: SteelSeries Rival 710 The Razer Viper is our new favorite esports gaming mouse. There are a couple reasons why Razer Viper is our new favorite esports gaming mouse. Along with its lightweight ambidextrous design, true 16,000 DPI and Razer Chroma lighting, this powerful little mouse also features 1000 Hz Ultrapolling, Optical Mouse Switches rated for 70 million clicks and 8 independently programmable Hyperesponse buttons. If you want a gaming mouse to give you that extra competitive edge, you’ve found it here. Read the full review: Razer Viper The Corsair Harpoon RGB Wireless is the poster child for this ideal price-and-performance match. The best gaming mouse is always going to be the one that brings excellent performance at a reasonable price. And, the Corsair Harpoon RGB Wireless is the poster child for this ideal price-and-performance match. You’ll have a wireless mouse that has RGB lighting, touts a long battery life and doesn’t at all suck, for less than $50. The ergonomics unfortunately favor right-handed users, but at this price and with this impressive performance, there’s not much else to complain about. Read the full review: Corsair Harpoon RGB Wireless Impressive wireless gaming mice are a dime a dozen. Due to their latency, wireless mice are generally not ideal for gaming where every fraction of a second counts. This is why the Corsair Dark Core RGB has impressed us even more. With its sub-1ms speed, incredibly low latency, and reliability, this is truly a mouse we can game with, wireless or otherwise. And, that’s without mentioning its highly customizable RGB lighting and very robust software. There’s one catch: it’s not ideal for claw grip gamers as its palm rest is a bit flat. However, if you’re a palm gripper, you’ll love how it fits in your hand. Read the full review: Corsair Dark Core RGB The SteelSeries Sensei Ten delivers such impressive acceleration and deceleration customization options. Its onboard profile customization and nice matte finish are just two of the things you’ll love about the SteelSeries Sensei Ten. Most importantly, this ambidextrous mouse boasts a top-of-the-line sensor, making it one of the best gaming mice we’ve tested in 2019. It delivers such impressive acceleration and deceleration customization options, as well as butter-smooth performance. SteelSeries tops it all off with Tilt Tracking, which essentially keeps tracking consistent and precise even when you’re lifting your mouse and putting it back down at tilted angles. Read the full review: SteelSeries Sensei Ten Razer Basilisk X Hyperspeed boasts excellent performance with 450 IPS tracking speed and up to 40G acceleration. With up to 450 hours in Bluetooth mode, the Razer Basilisk X Hyperspeed is one of the longest lasting wireless mouse on the market. But, it’s got more going for it than just longevity. It also boasts excellent performance with 450 IPS tracking speed and up to 40G acceleration. It’s key feature, however, is the HyperSpeed Wireless, which reduces the time it takes to send data between your mouse and PC so it’s 25% faster than any other wireless gaming technology. Read the full review: Razer Basilisk X Hyperspeed The Corsair IronClaw RGB is an eye-catching mouse for big-hand users. Most of the best gaming mice on the market are either too small or too light, or even a bit of both, leaving gamers with big hands with few options. To make matters worse, some of the big mice out there come loaded with gratuitous buttons and weird shapes that make them more like asylum-seekers from an alien robot planet. The Corsair Ironclaw is just the opposite. It’s an eye-catching mouse for big-hand users, with a design that won’t make you want to squirrel it away in your desk drawer every time company comes around. It’s quite tough as well, so it can handle quite a bit of heavy use, making it the best gaming mouse for you. Read the full review: Corsair Ironclaw RGB The Razer Basilisk V2 is the only choice if you're looking for a mid-range gaming mouse. A solid gaming mouse at a decent price point, the Razer Basilisk V2 is the only choice if you’re looking for a mid-range gaming mouse. It allows you to effortlessly hop from game to game with minimal fuss, and has 11 programmable buttons, a tactile scroll wheel with a tension dial and up to five different sensitivity levels. On top of that, it has the Razer Speedflex Cable, which boasts incredible flexibility and produces minimal drag. And, for comfort, it’s well-suited for a palm grip, as well as claw and fingertip styles. Read the full review: Razer Basilisk V2 Keep things simple with the Roccat Kain 202 AIMO. The Kain 202 AIMO from Roccat is the perfect mouse for the gamer who likes to keep it simple. No wires, no weight adjustment, no-nonsense. The 202 is easy to set up, works like a charm and comes with a solid battery life, ensuring that you won’t need to be plugging it in too often. Overall sensitivity and physical feedback is good, with particular mention going to the rugged scroll wheel, which feels great to roll and click. It’s not the most portable of mice, but its anti-wear coating ensures that this mouse should remain looking fine for the duration of its life. Read the full review: Roccat Kain 202 AIMO Don't knock the Razer Deathadder V2's simple design. The Razer Deathadder V2 may be a simple mouse with a simple design, but don’t let that fool you. This is one of the best gaming mice out there, touting a response time of 0.2ms, 650IPS tracking speed, 8 programmable buttons and Razer Speedflex Cable. It’s pretty lightweight as well, making it possible to reduce hand and wrist fatigue. And don’t knock that simple design, either, as it only makes this mouse look right at home in the office as much as it does in your gaming setup. Best yet, it boasts a 70M click durability, which means it’ll last you for a long, long time. Read the full review: Razer Deathadder V2 How to choose the best gaming mouseWhile you’ll definitely find the best gaming mouse of your gaming dreams, doing so might take some time and effort. That’s expected; there’s a ton of complicated technical jargon that goes into the best gaming mice – terms like polling rates and DPI ratings that a regular buyer may not be familiar with. For the record, you’ll want a higher number of both, even though these two terms mean very different things. For newcomers to the world of PC gaming, when you come across the term DPI, that is shorthand for ‘dots per inch.’ The higher the number, the wider the range wherein you can specify how sensitive your mouse is. If you don’t have a lot of desk space available, but you still want accuracy and precision, then opt for the best gaming mouse with a higher DPI rating that can toggle to a lower DPI, in case you get a bigger desk. Meanwhile, a high polling rate means you’re getting faster response times. The polling rate is measured in hertz, and it usually ranges from around 125 to 1,000Hz. The latter means that your mouse’s position is reported to your computer 1,000 times per second. Other key gaming mouse factors you’ll want to keep in mind are ergonomics – particularly if you’re left-handed – and RGB lighting. Gabe Carey and Michelle Rae Uy have also contributed to this article This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| These critical Cisco bugs need patching immediately Posted: 08 May 2020 10:31 AM PDT Cisco has released updates to address a dozen high-severity flaws in its Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) software and its Firepower Threat Defense (FTD) software. If left unpatched, these vulnerabilities could allow an attacker to cause a memory leak, disclose information, view and delete sensitive information, bypass authentication or create a denial of service (DoS) condition on an affected device. The most severe of these flaws is a path-traversal vulnerability in Cisco's ASA and FTD software tracked as CVE-2020-3187. This vulnerability in WebVPN, which can be exploited even by a low-skilled hacker, could allow an unauthorized external attacker to perform DoS attacks on Cisco ASA devices by simply deleting files from the system and this could possibly lead to VPN connections in Cisco ASA being disabled.
In a blog post, web application penetration tester at Positive Technologies, Mikhail Klyuchnikov explained how VPN blocking could disrupt an organization's business processes, saying: "VPN blocking may disrupt numerous business processes. For example, this can affect connection between branch offices in a distributed network, disrupt email, ERP, and other critical systems. Another problem is that internal resources may become unavailable to remote workers. This is especially dangerous now that many employees are working remotely due to the coronavirus outbreak." Cisco ASA and FTD software flawsCisco also fixed seven additional high-severity flaws in its ASA and FTD software including one dealing with the Kerberos authentication feature of ASA. Kerberos is a common authentication protocol for on-premise authentication which is used in many ASA interfaces. If exploited, the flaw tracked as CVE-2020-3125 could enabled an unauthenticated, remote attacker to impersonate the Kerberos key distribution center (KDC) as a result of insufficient identity verification of the KDC. Cisco also released patches for four flaws in its FTD software including a flaw tracked as CVE-2020-3189 in the VPN System Logging functionality of the software. According to the company's advisory, this flaw is due to “the system memory not being properly freed for a VPN System Logging event generated when a VPN session is created or deleted”. An attacker could exploit this flaw by repeatedly creating or deleting a VPN tunnel connection which leaks a small amount of system memory for each logging event. In total, Cisco issued 34 patches to address 12 high severity and 22 medium severity flaws. It is highly recommended that users patch their software immediately to avoid falling victim to any potential attacks.
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| Best dedicated server hosting providers of 2020 Posted: 08 May 2020 10:24 AM PDT Opting for a dedicated server means that you get an entire server to yourself. There's no sharing of CPU time, RAM or bandwidth, which means your website stays responsive at all times. Shared web hosting can appear to be amazing value, with feature-packed products available for just a few pounds every month. But the reality is often very different, and they're not always the bargains they seem. Very low prices probably mean the host is cramming more customers onto each server, for instance. Performance will be poor as there aren't enough resources to go around, and the extra load could mean more server problems and downtime. Dedicated hosting implies that you also get far more control over how the server is configured. You can add and remove software, install updates or tweak all settings, allowing you to optimize the server for your specific needs. Best of all, dedicated hosting contracts often come with fast and knowledgeable support. The best providers will even monitor your server for issues, like failed services, and can often fix them before you've realized there was a problem. This kind of power doesn't come cheap, and although there are some good signup deals around, you can easily spend $50-$140 a month and more on just a basic package. With that kind of investment, it's important to make the right choice. In this article, we're going to highlight five top dedicated hosting providers who you might want to check out first.
Bluehost is a popular web hosting service with powerful and flexible plans, and their dedicated hosting plans follow the same principle. The pricing starts with the Standard plan which is priced at $73.99 (£61.85 for UK) per month for the first term, $119.99 (£98.64 for UK) per month afterward. The plans might be a bit more expensive compared to rivals but they sure don’t lack the features. For the Standard plan you get 4 cores at 2.3 GHz, 500GB of storage, 4GB RAM, 5TB bandwidth and 3 IP addresses. Free domain and SSL certificate are also included. In addition, there are plenty of advanced features too, like multi-server management, secure shell (SSH) access, custom-designed database manager and more. For users that want more, they have the option to upgrade to a faster CPU, more storage, more bandwidth and pretty much more of everything. Some optional features are also available, so if you want domain privacy and protection, SiteLock or spam protection you can get those as well. Bluehost is a capable hosting provider with 24/7 support so you can call for help any time you need it. If by any chance you’re not satisfied with the service, Bluehost offers a 30-day money-back guarantee. Hostwinds is a capable hosting provider which crams a huge range of features into all its products, from the most basic shared hosting plans to its enterprise-level cloud-based range. Its dedicated server range may start at just $79.50 (£60.6) a month, for instance – $106 (£76) on renewal – but even these baseline products include features that are premium extras elsewhere. All systems have 1Gbps ports, for instance (some providers start at 100Mbps). Every server is fully managed, ensuring you're not wasting time running operating system updates or other basic maintenance tasks. Hostwinds monitors your server to detect problems as soon as they crop up, and automatic nightly backups ensure you can quickly recover from even the worst of disasters. Storage is extremely configurable, too. Some servers have four drive bays available, and they can be equipped with any mix of 1TB to 3TB SATA drives, or 120GB to 1TB SSDs. That's considerably more flexible than providers like 1&1, where you can only use SSD drives on some products, and even then they're often available in fixed configurations only (1TB SATA or 800GB SSD, for instance). There's more good news with the choice of operating system. Not only do Linux fans get a choice of CentOS, Debian, Fedora or Ubuntu, but Windows users can choose Windows 2008, 2012 or 2016 Server for a low $25 (£18.8) – we've seen charges of up to $50 (£35.70) elsewhere. Put it all together and the Hostwinds dedicated range is refreshingly honest. Servers aren't crippled by low specifications to hit a price point, and yet final costs remain low, with most updates very fairly priced. Well worth a look for anyone who needs a reliable, highly-specified server for a low price. German-based 1&1 (as October 2018 called 1&1 IONOS) is well known as a budget hosting provider, but the company doesn't just offer value for website newbies: its dedicated server range starts at a very low $45 a month for the first six months, then $65. As you might imagine, 1&1 has had to cut a few corners to hit that price point. The cheapest plans are relatively basic, with limited hardware, although network bandwidth got an upgrade with 1Gbit/s. Features like SSD drives and server management (1&1 updates, monitors and manages the server for you) cost extra. Oh, and there's also a setup fee of at least $50 (entry level plan doesn't have setup fee). But there are plus points, too, including unlimited bandwidth, bundled Symantec SSL certificates, and the Plesk Onyx server control panel thrown in for free. Overall, even the most limited 1&1 dedicated server plan has enough power to handle many tasks. Additionally, you get a personal consultant free of charge. Demanding users have plenty of paid upgrades to explore, including a faster CPU, more RAM and storage, a bundled backup service and more. Some of these add-ons include more than you might expect, too. Paying $14 a month for management doesn't just mean 1&1 will look after server admin: you also get a website builder, simple analytics, a photo slideshow service, automatic backup and restore for WordPress sites, and more. Sounds like a good deal to us. Opting for dedicated rather than shared hosting will speed up your website in itself, but there's still plenty of room for improvement. A2 Hosting's managed server plans blend multiple tricks and technologies to try and ensure you see the best possible performance. This starts with a powerful set of server components: OPcache and APC may speed up PHP processing by 50%. Memcached holds key MySQL data in RAM for faster retrieval, while mod_pagespeed uses multiple tricks to optimize site content. SPDY and HTTP/2 accelerate page loads even further, and support for technologies like edge side includes and websockets allow more fine-tuned optimizations of your site. A2 Hosting plans also include Cloudflare's free CDN and its Railgun Optimizer, which "compresses previously uncacheable web objects up to 99.6%" and may result in an average 200% performance increase. In reality you might not see anything like that – the boost will vary greatly, depending on your site – but it's still a technology worth having. Elsewhere, performance-boosting add-ons include RAID 1 SSD storage of up to 2 x 1TB. An optional Turbo Boost feature costing from $35 a month replaces Apache with the LiteSpeed server, apparently bringing up to 20x faster page loads, and another add-on can cache the HTML contents of a page, then speedily reload it later without needing to run PHP. We were happy to see cPanel is thrown in, too (it's often a chargeable extra with other hosts). These kind of professional features come at a cost, with even the most basic Sprint plan priced from around $99 a month. But if speed is your top priority then this company could be worth a try, especially as A2's ‘Anytime Money Back Guarantee’ will refund your fees if you cancel within 30 days of your order. Liquid Web is a popular provider of high-end business hosting products ranging from managed WordPress and WooComerce plans, to cloud VPS, dedicated servers and private clouds. The company's dedicated offerings may look expensive, with a starting price of $199 a month (can be reduced to $140 a month if annual billing is chosen), but they're also far better specified than most of the budget competition. Even the cheapest dedicated server includes two speedy 240GB SSD drives, for instance. There's also a 1TB SATA backup drive provided, making it easy and convenient to run regular backups. The plan includes a dedicated IP. Support for Cloudflare CDN should boost your website speeds, and your server can be hosted in one of three data centers (Arizona, Michigan, or the Netherlands). Although, the special entry plans are only hosted in Michigan. Most importantly, all dedicated servers are managed by Liquid Web's professional support team. They monitor system health, proactively respond to notifications (for example, they’ll restart a failed service), alongside taking care of installing and updating the operating system. If you have any difficulties, support is available 24/7/365, and the company guarantees a 59 second response time via phone or chat, 30 minutes via ticket and email. Factor in the wide range of optional add-ons – load balancers, firewalls, VPN – and the range has more than enough power for almost any purpose. If you're managing a heavy-duty website, Liquid Web needs to be on your shortlist. You might also want to check out our other website hosting buying guides:
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| NBC Peacock streaming service: release date, price, shows and news Posted: 08 May 2020 10:17 AM PDT NBC Peacock is going to be one of the biggest new streaming services of 2020. Far beyond the NBC app found on smartphones and tablets now, Peacock will offer video on demand in the same vein as Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime Video, but with a focus on content from NBC. What, exactly, does NBC have to offer that Netflix doesn’t? When it launches on Wednesday, July 15, Peacock will include talk shows like The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and Late Night with Seth Meyers that will debut up to three hours earlier on Peacock than on cable TV, plus beloved shows like The Office, Parks and Recreation and Battlestar Galactica - and even reboots of BSG, Saved by the Bell and Punky Brewster. How much of this content you can actually stream, however, will be determined by how much you’re willing to pay and if you’re willing to watch content with ads or opt for an ad-free experience. To that end, expect three tiers of pricing (free, $5 and $10 per month) that we’ll explain in more detail below. But can NBC’s catalogue of shows stand up to streaming behemoths like Netflix, Hulu and streaming newcomer Disney Plus? Here’s our best guess given the information we have. UPDATE: NBCUniversal has announced that Peacock will be available on Xbox One and Xbox One S starting in July. We've updated the device availability section below. NBC Peacock release datePeacock will be available nationally starting on Wednesday, July 15. However, if you’re a Comcast Xfinity X1 or a Comcast Flex subscriber, you’ll be able to get a preview of the service starting on Wednesday, April 15. The service’s launch date was officially announced at an event held in New York City on January 16, 2020 but CNBC had reported on rumors of an April launch as early as December 2019. NBC Peacock price: the three tiers explainedNBC is planning to release Peacock with three pricing tiers - free, $5 per month and $10 per month. So why would anyone pay for a free service? Peacock Free, the ‘free’ service, will have a limited content library (read: only an episode or two of each new series) and a fraction of the content catalog that’s available on the higher tiers. It will also have ads that play while watching content. In total, NBC says there will be around 7,500 hours of content on Free at launch. Peacock Premium is the $5-per-month plan that unlocks pretty much everything in the catalog but still comes with ads. If you want to upgrade to ad-free, that’s what will cost you $10 per month, unless you're an Xfinity subscriber, at which point you’ll only be charged $5 per month for the premium, ad-free service. In total, NBC says there will be around 15,000 hours of content to watch on Premium at launch, but we won't know which shows and episodes will be available on which service until we get closer to launch. Which devices support NBC Peacock?While it's in beta, only Xfinity Flex subscribers will be able to view the service using an Xfinity Flex 4K streaming device. (To see if you're eligible for Xfinity Flex, head over to Xfinity's website.) It's not the full service and apparently just has a handful of shows and movies at the moment, but it should serve as a teaser of what's to come in just a few months' time. Once the service launches in full in July, expect broad support from Roku and Amazon streaming devices, iOS and Android mobile apps and support for game consoles like Xbox One and Xbox One S. NBC Peacock shows and moviesSo far, NBC has announced a number of returning shows for the service - things like The Office, Parks and Rec and others that at one point were on Netflix but have since been taken off in preparation for Peacock - plus reboots and entirely new shows. Expect a staggered release for older shows which are currently on other streaming services. The Office, for example, is still on Netflix US until January 2021. Parks and Rec joins Peacock in October 2020. To make things easy, here's a complete list of shows divided into those categories. Complete series returning to Peacock: Plus Law & Order, Law & Order: SVU, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Chicago Fire, Chicago P.D., Chicago Med, Yellowstone, Murder She Wrote, Xena: Warrior Princess, Two and a Half Men and The George Lopez Show. New shows on Peacock: Live TV events: Movies on Peacock: Why NBC Peacock's late night content is significantLongstanding talk shows The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon and Late Night with Seth Meyers will appear on Peacock hours before their scheduled times on NBC. The Tonight Show will be available at 8pm ET on each day it airs, while Late Night will follow at 9PM ET. This is a big deal in the sense that it further erodes the barriers between broadcast TV and streaming services. Late night shows are commonly consumed via YouTube clips these days – it's unclear what effect Peacock's launch will have on each show in the long term, but more choice for viewers doesn't seem like it can be a bad thing. Peacock: sports content explainedSports are a clear focus of the Peacock offering. The Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics are both coming to Peacock just after launch, with a dedicated 24/7 Olympic Channel covering everything in the run up to the 2022 Winter Olympics. 2000 hours of Premier League coverage will also be shown on Peacock starting in August, including over 140 matches that won't otherwise be on US TV. In September, the Ryder Cup will kick off, too, if you're a big golf fan. Expect sports-based unscripted originals, too, like NBA collaboration Dream Team 2020, which focuses on the USA's basketball team in the run-up to The Olympics, as well as swimming show The Greatest Race, and an as-yet-unnamed show about car racing. How it'll stack up against other servicesAt this point we know how much the service will cost and what kind of shows we'll be able to watch on it, but we don't know how the app will perform out in the wild or how quickly new content will come to the service. So, unfortunately, it's kind of hard to compare apples-to-apples with services like Netflix that have been around for years. What we're expecting, based off what we know, is a service that's somewhere between Hulu and Disney Plus - there will be a decent sized catalog of shows like Disney, but with an update schedule similar to Hulu that adds new episodes, show series, and movies every week. That's also the way Peacock is priced, so we're crossing our fingers that's how the service turns out. Because, if it doesn't, HBO Max is coming out later this year and could totally shake up the streaming service hierarchy.
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| Best cloud hosting services in 2020 Posted: 08 May 2020 10:05 AM PDT Cloud hosting has changed the hosting industry for the better, allowing for increasing reliability and resilience for clients. Signing up for a simple web hosting package would usually buy you a defined block of resources on a single server: register your domain name, then choose this much web space, that much bandwidth, maybe a set amount of RAM or CPU cores. While this works well for many websites, having fixed resources can be a problem for larger projects. There's generally no way to temporarily allocate extra RAM or bandwidth if you experience an increase in traffic, and even a simple plan upgrade might require your website to go offline for a while. Cloud hosting plans look much like virtual private server (VPS) web hosting products, where you'll initially pay for a set amount of web space, RAM, CPU time and bandwidth. But these resources are spread across multiple devices instead of just one, and changing your plan later – adding another gig of RAM, for instance – is generally as easy as dragging a slider, with the extra power coming online within moments. There are also additional options for small business web hosting, such as environmentally-friendly green web hosting. Additionally, cloud hosting is scalable and can provide for a good alternative to needing a dedicated server with colocation provider, and there are options for managed web hosting services. You can use cloud hosting for everything, from just hosting your emails, to replacing your business server. However, if you want a hands-on experience expect the virtual servers to be running Linux, not Windows. Cloud hosting still won't be for everyone, and small, simple websites are likely to be better off with regular packages. But the technology has a lot to offer anyone with larger or more ambitious projects, and many hosts run free trials which make it easy to explore their abilities for yourself.
Best cloud hosting - at a glance
If you're looking to move your business hosting into the cloud, one of the first places to consider is one of the big cloud computing platforms, such as Microsoft Azure. This isn't a solution for small businesses looking to simply host a website, but it's a great place to go if you have additional computing needs as well and you want to bundle everything together into a single place. The advantage then is that you can move all your business data and apps into the cloud and run them from a single unified platform. Additionally, by keeping to a single provider you can avoid all the complications of having to deal with cloud management for hybrid clouds and on-premises data. On top of this, Azure boasts more compliance and security certifications than any other cloud provider. However, moving to a major cloud platform isn't for the faint-hearted, but if you have the IT skills in house, or if you can utilize third-party cloud support services, the move could make a lot of sense even for smaller businesses with a lot of data. And for the larger small business up through medium to enterprise businesses, the move the a cloud platform like Azure may be a case of 'when' rather than 'if'. If you only need to host a website rather than additional business data, then HostGator's cloud platform could be a more ideal choice. Unlike normal web hosting, Hostgator's cloud hosting platform spreads your website load across multiple virtual server instances for more reliable and scalable hosting, but it's as easy to use as standard shared hosting, and only costs a little more. For example, the baseline Hatchling Cloud plan gets you support for one domain, unmetered bandwidth and storage, a share of up to two cores and 2GB RAM, and distributed Varnish caching to speed up the loading of static content. You can get started for as little as $3.13 (£2.50) a month if you buy three years upfront, although the price leaps to $8.95 (£6.40) on renewal. If you need something more powerful, the top-of-the-range Business Cloud plan supports unlimited domains, gives you up to six cores and 6GB RAM, and includes private SSL and a dedicated IP. Another chunky introductory discount means you can pay as little as $6.28 (£5.10) a month over three years, but after that you'll pay $17.95 (£12.80) per month. Benefits of the cloud plans include (up to) twice as fast load times, along with more site statistics, and because your site is mirrored across multiple devices, the ability to switch your site to another server in the event of a hardware failure. But the key advantage of all cloud hosting schemes is scalability. If your site can't cope with demand, you can scale up to eight cores and 8GB RAM with a click. There's no waiting around for someone to process your order and no downtime while your web space is reallocated – you get the extra resources right away. Also, while prices go up after the initial discount promotion, they still remain extremely competitive. At first glance, cloud hosting products seem to be divided into two clear groups: enterprise-level technology from Amazon, Microsoft, IBM and more, or simpler and more user-friendly products from hosts like Hostgator. Cloudways represents an interesting middle path. The company offers managed cloud hosting which is powered by your choice of the top providers – Amazon, Google, DigitalOcean, Kyup, Linode or Vultr are supported – and comes packed with features, yet is configured from a simple web console which is just as easy to use as the more basic competition. It's an impressive platform. Cloudways' ThunderStack covers all your core performance needs: Nginx, Apache, Memcached, MySQL/MariaDB, Varnish Cache, PHP 7, PHP-FM and Redis. There's one-click cloning, backup and restore, integrated Git and team collaboration tools for developers, and no less than 60 data centers strategically placed around the world (over 25 locations). Despite all this high-end functionality, Cloudways products are generally simple to operate, and prices start at a beginner-friendly $10 (£7.15) a month for one core, 1GB RAM, 25GB storage and 1TB of bandwidth. It's all supremely configurable, and a free trial allows you to check out the product, with no credit card details required. Furthermore, a referral system is available, where both you and your friends can receive free hosting credits. Clook is one of the UK's leading independent webhosting providers, who offer Managed Cloud Servers among their various hosting services. Again, it's targeted at more basic web hosting needs, but if you're looking for this in the UK market then Clook is up there with the best. Unlike many other web hosting providers who chase the lowest prices while cutting corners on service, Clook instead invest in some of the best support in the business. This does mean you pay more, but it also means you can enjoy piece of mind because if something goes wrong then you can be assured that Clook are already working hard to address it. Additionally if you have additional support queries Clook are fast to respond, and rather than script-reading frontline support you're actually talking directly with people who have direct system administration experience of their server network. This avoids the frustration of running round in circles and instead means the job simply gets done. Because this is a company run by sys admins, it also means that the hardware and network is very solid, and their managed cloud servers are no different. This is a managed service as well, which means you don't have to worry about a thing. While other providers might aim for high uptime, Clook ensures their customer actually enjoy it, resulting in a headache-free service. Overall, there are cheap hosting providers and complicated cloud platforms out there, but if you simply want rock-solid webhosting and are looking at the UK market then Clook is one of the best options you can go for. DigitalOcean puts the cloud hosting focus on data as much as websites, providing a background of cloud computing services that make it the ideal place to host and run your own applications in the cloud. While cloud hosting schemes always involve pooling resources from multiple devices, most do their best to keep you away from the low-level details. You may be able to scale your plan by adding CPU cores, RAM or storage, for instance, but the console will present this to you as a single system. DigitalOcean's Droplets are based around similar resizable and customizable virtual machines, but that's just the start – the technology has much more to offer. For starters, the system supports Droplets of different types. If the standard plans aren't enough – priced from $5 (£3.55) a month for one core, 1GB RAM and 25GB storage – Optimized Droplets aim to ramp up your performance by using the best Broadwell and Skylake CPUs, and providing more RAM and storage space. Individual Droplets have more features than you might expect, including performance monitoring and alerts, snapshots and automatic system-level backups. There are various interesting ways to work with your Droplets as a group, including setting up a cloud firewall, and using a load balancer to distribute incoming traffic across your infrastructure. DigitalOcean's transparent pricing is a highlight. You're billed hourly, with monthly caps, ensuring you only pay for the resources you use. Many of the features come for free – monitoring, cloud firewall – while others follow very simple pricing rules. Snapshots cost $0.05 per gigabyte per month, for instance, while backups are priced at 20% of the cost of the virtual machine – easy. If all you want to do is host a scalable WordPress site, this will probably be overkill, but developers, sysadmins and other more demanding users will appreciate the power and flexibility DigitalOcean offers. Browse the lengthy list of tutorials (which numbers 3,,00+ at the time of writing) on the DigitalOcean site to find out more. You might also want to check out our other website hosting buying guides:
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| AMD Zen 3 release date, specs and price: everything we know about AMD Ryzen 4000 Posted: 08 May 2020 09:13 AM PDT Expected in mid- to late-2020, news, rumors and leaks surrounding the AMD Zen 3 architecture have been stacking up. For example, AMD has already confirmed that AMD Zen 3-based processors in the Ryzen 4000 lineup will officially support X570 and B550 motherboards. So, even though Zen 2 is still going strong, it’s time to start looking at what AMD has in store with its successor. AMD simply crushed it in 2019. By moving to its 7nm Zen 2 architecture for its processors, Team Read has gotten a big boost in performance, earning it major market share. Naturally, people have high expectations from its improved 7nm+ CPU architecture – specifically, a potential 20% increase in transistor density and higher clock speeds while a 10% dip in power consumption. Of course, there isn’t a lot of information out there just yet, but we should get more details as we inch closer to the release date. Though when that will be is still up in the air. AMD announced its Zen 2 architecture at CES 2019 last January, and then unveiled the Ryzen 3000 processors, which are built on the Zen 2 design, at Computex 2019 the following May. If AMD is going to follow a similar timeline for Zen 3 this year, then we’ve got to get ready right away. Here’s everything we know about the AMD Zen 3 architecture so far. Keep this page bookmarked as we’ll update it as soon as new information reaches our desks. Cut to the chase
AMD Zen 3 release dateWe’ve seen a recent leak suggesting Dr. Lisa Su, AMD’s CEO, could talk about Ryzen 4000 processors at CES 2020 in a move that would keep the pressure on Intel. It seems a bit early for AMD to go deep into details on next-generation Ryzen processors, but any details Su may provide on Zen 3 will tell us plenty about the Ryzen 4000 processors to come. Given we’re expecting a 2020 release for Zen 3, it would only be fitting that AMD more or less repeat the same debut as it did for Zen 2 in 2019. So, at the very least, we’re expecting more details on Zen 3 and what it brings to the table at CES in the coming days. We’ve heard rumors suggesting Zen 4 would arrive in 2021, which would all but demand that Zen 3 come out in 2020, helping dispel any doubts about that timeline. But that rumor conflicts with other details suggesting Zen 4 would arrive in 2022. A 2020 launch for Zen 3 still seems likely, but AMD could aim to bridge the gap between Zen 2 and Zen 4 by releasing Zen 3 toward the end of 2020. If we mapped out a launch trajectory based on previous Ryzen launches, it would make sense for Zen 3-based processors to come later into 2020. The first batch of Ryzen processors came out in March 2017, with Ryzen 2000 following in April 2018 and Ryzen 3000 in July 2019. That gives each generation a little over a year on the market before, and points to a Zen 3 launch with Ryzen 4000 processors toward August 2020. AMD Zen 3 priceWe don’t have any reason to expect that processors built on the Zen 3 architecture will be priced any differently than their Zen 2 counterparts. Given that expectation, it is useful to consider the prices of AMD’s Zen 2 processors. These were the prices of AMD’s first run of Zen 2-based Ryzen processors:
If the process used to manufacture Zen 3 processors proves to have higher yield or better efficiency, it’s possible AMD could even lower its prices. That would keep the competition with Intel fierce, but AMD already has a strong price advantage against Intel and may not need to go lower. AMD Zen 3 specsWe learned in mid-2019 that AMD had already finished the Zen 3 design, which is expected to be based on a 7nm+ process, offering some slight improvements on the existing 7nm process found in Zen 2 hardware. This new design is expected to be the product of a shift to 7nm EUV (extreme ultraviolet) lithography. That should allow for a potential 20% increase in transistor density while lowering power consumption by 10%. The improved 7nm+ process would also offer new chips higher clock speeds while maintaining lower power consumption. The new process may also come with an 8% to 10% increase in IPC (instructions-per-clock). Topping that off, rumors have suggested that AMD will introduce a new level of simultaneous multithreading in Zen 3 chips that would allow a single core to handle four threads (e.g., a 4-core/16-thread CPU or a 16-core/64-thread CPU). Even more cache is another potential upgrade we could see in Zen 3-based processors. AMD packed Ryzen 3000 processors with cache, and that abundance of extra fast memory may have played a part in the excellent gaming performance across the board for Ryzen 3000 processors. While we may be looking at upgrades to DDR5 RAM and PCIe 5.0 support further down the line with Zen 4, we have no indications that Zen 3 will move away from DDR4 and the only recently introduced PCIe 4.0 standard. Altogether, we should be looking at Zen 3-based processors with boosted clock speeds paired with increased IPC for a decent performance boost (especially in multithreaded workloads) over their Zen 2 counterparts all while staying within or below the power budgets of their predecessors. The potential to keep high performance while lowering the power budget could be especially promising for mobile applications. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| AMD Ryzen 4000 release date, laptops and specs: everything we know about AMD's next CPUs Posted: 08 May 2020 09:10 AM PDT After their unveiling at CES 2020, the AMD Ryzen 4000 processors for laptops are out in the world. And, they’re already nearly as fast as their desktop counterparts, delivering hugely improved performance across the board. They’re certainly changing the gaming laptop scene forever, with compelling laptop releases like the Asus Zephyrus G14 championing the chips with their desktop-class performance. That’s only the tip of the iceberg. Even though Team Red is already sitting on top of the CPU world, selling 40% more processors than its rival, it’s going for the knockout. It’s not only preparing to add a new flagship APU, Ryzen 9 4900U to the lineup. We've aslo heard plenty of whispers about the AMD Zen 3-equipped Ryzen 4000 processors for desktops, which could be coming in October. Based on a 7nm+ manufacturing process, these could potentially push clock speeds high enough to really make Intel hurt, especially if Team Blue stays stuck at 14nm on desktop. AMD also confirmed that these processors will officially support X570 and B550 motherboards. Although it’s also entirely possible that rather than pushing its Ryzen 4000 lineup to compete with the top-end Comet Lake chips, AMD could roll out a couple of budget-friendly Ryzen 3000 processors. There’s no stopping AMD Ryzen 4000 from demolishing Intel. And, with so much information and gossip regarding the next generation of Ryzen for laptops and desktops, we gathered all the most important bits right here to help you stay ahead of the Ryzen 4000 curve. Be sure to bookmark this article and keep checking in, as we’ll update it with all the latest news that comes our way. Cut to the chase
AMD Ryzen 4000 release dateRight out of the gate, the next-generation of Ryzen processors for desktop haven’t seen an official release date. We know that Lisa Su said AMD Ryzen 4000 for desktop will be coming in 2020. And, a new rumor suggests that they are set to go on sale in October 2020, alongside the RDNA 2 graphics cards. Last year, AMD took its Ryzen 3rd Generation processors to Computex 2019 for a preview, and announced more details later at E3 2019. Back at CES 2019, AMD announced Zen 2, the microarchitecture that would later be behind Ryzen 3rd Generation, Threadripper 3rd Generation and Epyc 2nd generation. We expected Team Red to follow suit by announcing Zen 3 with some vague details at CES 2020, but that didn't happen. While E3 2020 has been cancelled, Computex 2020 has simply gotten a later date: September 28-30, 2020. If all goes well, we could see AMD giving us a sneak peek at the desktop chips at the conference, like last year, before rolling them out in October. We did get something at CES 2020, at least, when AMD CEO Lisa Su unveiled the AMD Ryzen 4000 processors for laptops. Prior to their release, the much-anticipated 7nm mobile processors have since shown up in product listings on Amazon for multiple Asus gaming laptops in China and Canada. Now, these chips are out in the wild and ready to power a new generation of thin and light laptops that boast incredible performance and impressively long battery life. The newly-released Asus Zephyrus G14 is leading that charge. We should start seeing more laptops rocking AMD Ryzen 4000 processors by the end of Q2 2020 across both ultraportables and gaming laptops. AMD Ryzen 4000 PriceAs far as the laptop chips, the prices of the processors themselves are not relevant to most people, as laptop manufacturers will absorb the price and repackage them. Still, we will probably see prices increase over last-generation AMD laptops, due to the fact that AMD's processors will be behind flagship-class laptops like the upcoming Lenovo Yoga Slim 7. We'll probably see Ryzen 3 laptops starting around the $600 mark, with laptops rocking the Ryzen 7 4800H or 4800U hitting the premium market above $1,000. However, we can be a bit more specific with our speculation on the desktop lineup. AMD Ryzen 3rd Generation saw higher prices than Ryzen 2000, largely due to the introduction of Ryzen 9 processors with up to 16 cores. However, the Ryzen 7 3700X did launch at the same $329 (£319, AU$519) price point as the Ryzen 7 2700X that came before it. Due to the success of chips like the Ryzen 9 3900X and 3950X, however, we fully expect AMD to follow suit with the Ryzen 4000 lineup. For reference, we included the pricing of AMD Ryzen 3000 processors below. We expect the pricing to stay roughly the same for the next generation.
AMD Ryzen 4000 SpecsRight now we know the most about the AMD Ryzen 4000 mobile lineup, so that's where we're going to start. These will be the first 7nm processors to make their way to laptops, and with that they bring some huge benefits. The biggest of these is, just like Ryzen 3000 desktop before it, core counts. Even with ultraportable laptops, which have previously been limited to 4 core/8 thread configurations, you're getting 8 cores and 16 threads. This is a huge improvement, and even though clock speeds are limited to 4.2GHz - or a bit higher with 25W configurations – users should see massive gains in productivity workloads. If recent leaks are any indication, AMD Ryzen 4000 mobile chips really won't be much slower than the desktop processors. However, what's odd is that only every other SKU has hyperthreading. For example, the AMD Ryzen 7 4700U has 8 cores and 8 threads, whereas the 4800U has 8 cores and 16 threads. Both of the announced H-Series chips for mobile have hyper-threading however, along with higher base clock speeds. One of the key features of this AMD Ryzen 4000 series for laptops is going to be the integrated graphics performance. Now, we haven't had a chance to test this yet, of course, but AMD is promising a boost of up to 28% over Intel's Ice Lake when it comes to graphics performance. These chips will not be in gaming laptops, however, but when you just want to get in a quick Overwatch match on your lunch break, it will make a major difference. We went ahead and listed the core specs of each of the laptop processors.
We know far less about desktop, however. Beyond the fact we know it'll be revealed in 2020, Zen 3 is largely an enigma wrapped in mystery. It will be based on a refinement of the 7nm process found in Zen 2, but any more specific information is purely in the realm of rumor. Benchmarks for a desktop-based variant have shown up online recently, but that chip is a Zen 2-based Renoir APU. That means that it won’t deliver the same level of performance as the high-end SKUs. There are rumors that it will be based on TSMC's new 7nm EUV (extreme ultraviolet) process, similar to what's rumored to be seen with Nvidia Ampere. If this is true, the processors could be much more power efficient, which could see clock speeds see a sizable bump - which could seriously threaten Intel's chips in the gaming scene. Another thing that could make Intel start sweating is the rumor that with Ryzen 4000, AMD may introduce more powerful hyperthreading, with each physical core having four simultaneous processing threads, as opposed to the two found on today's silicon. This is a rumor we'd definitely take with a grain of salt, but if it's true it could even further widen the gap between AMD and Intel when it comes to multi-threaded workloads. It's unlikely that we'll see huge core count bumps with this generation, like we did last year. Instead, AMD will probably use the EUV process to boost performance while cutting power consumption. This does mean that there likely won't be much of a reason to upgrade if you already have a Ryzen 3000 chip. Still, we won't know what AMD Ryzen 4th Generation processors will look like until we see them announced by Team Red. We'll be sure to update this article as soon as we hear more about AMD's next desktop chips and once we've been able to actually test the laptop models.
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