Apple : Halo Infinite might be followed by a second Halo game on Xbox Series X |
- Halo Infinite might be followed by a second Halo game on Xbox Series X
- The powerful XPS 13 laptop is on sale for just $879.99 at Dell
- Father's Day gift ideas 2020: the 10 best gifts for tech-savvy dads
- Energy news round-up: here's what happened in the last seven days
- AMD Ryzen 4000 release date, laptops and specs: everything we know about AMD's next CPUs
- AMD RDNA 2 release date, specs and rumors: everything we know about 'Big Navi'
- Best gaming keyboard 2020: the best gaming keyboards we've tested
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| Halo Infinite might be followed by a second Halo game on Xbox Series X Posted: 05 Jun 2020 01:08 PM PDT Halo Infinite isn’t the only Halo game we’ll see on the Xbox Series X. That’s news you probably expected to hear in a year or two, but a new job posting could point to either a spin-off game or a main series entry coming sooner rather than later. The job posting in question can be found on Microsoft’s careers page and put out a call for a senior producer to “help develop a new project in the Halo Universe.” It’s a pretty senior role, which means the game probably isn’t that far along quite yet, but it does mean that the project has gotten at least some form of approval from Microsoft and 343 Industries, the series’ publisher and developer, respectively. While the post is surprising because Halo Infinite is still such an opaque project, it’s not altogether unexpected – both companies are probably eager to get the ball rolling on more games for the next generation of consoles. With game development timelines that extend out two to three years, it's not uncommon for developers to start working on the next game in the series while finishing up its predecessor. Halo 7? Halo Infinite 2? Halo Wars 3?Unfortunately the job post doesn't give us any indication of which game it's going to be – or even what type of game 343 is looking to make. The job listing, which you should absolutely apply for if you're qualified, requires potential candidates to have 5+ years relevant experience and shipped 1+ AAA title in a production or related role. The job will have a lot of crossover with 343 Industries' engineering team and, we hope, will push the capabilities of Microsoft's next-gen hardware (if you missed it, here's our deep dive into the console's hardware, from its AMD Zen 2 processor and RDNA 2 graphics and beyond). We're not holding our breath for a huge announcement about the other Halo game anytime soon, but Microsoft does plan on holding a first-party games showcase in July that will be dedicated solely to games being produced by the Xbox Studios teams for Xbox Series X – something we'll be watching closely as it approaches. Via GamesRadar
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| The powerful XPS 13 laptop is on sale for just $879.99 at Dell Posted: 05 Jun 2020 12:28 PM PDT Upgrade your laptop and snag a price cut on the all-new XPS 13 at Dell. Right now you can get Dell XPS 13 laptop on sale for $879.99. That's a $20 discount and the best price we've found for this particular model. Today's best XPS 13 laptop deal:See more laptop sales with the best cheap laptop deals: prices start at just $129 today. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Father's Day gift ideas 2020: the 10 best gifts for tech-savvy dads Posted: 05 Jun 2020 12:04 PM PDT Father's Day 2020 is just around the corner (Sunday, June 21 to be exact), and if you're still searching for the perfect gift for dad, then you've come to the right place. We've rounded up some fantastic tech-savvy Father's Day gift ideas that include something for everyone. Where to buy Father's Day gifts
Father's Day gift ideas:The perfect fitness companion for dad, the Fitbit Versa is a fantastic activity tracker with added smartwatch perks. The Fitbit Versa 2 helps dad track activity, workouts, and calories burned while also continuously monitoring his heart rate. The smartwatch includes an updated design with a bright AMOLED touchscreen and an always-on display option. The Fitbit also works with Amazon Alexa, so he can send and receive messages, check the weather, and control other smart home devices completely hands-free. Read our Fitbit Versa 2 review The Sony WH1000XM3 headphones claim to be the best noise-canceling headphones on the market, offering industry-leading digital noise cancellation technology. Whether dad is traveling, walking, or in a busy office, the Sony headphones will adapt to the sounds around him and adjust background noise accordingly. The Bluetooth headphones also deliver powerful audio that can be easily controlled with the touch sensor. The Sony headphones provide up to 30-hours of battery life with quick charging if he needs a fast recharge. Smart displays are truly useful and they don’t even need to be connected to other smart devices to make the best use of them – and the Google Nest Hub is one of the best you can get your dad. The 7-inch smart home display has Google Assistant built-in which allows you to ask questions, set reminders, play music, watch videos, and more completely hands-free. The Nest Hub is also compatible with other smart home devices so you can adjust your lights, set the temperature, and turn on your TV - all with the command of your voice. You can also use the display as a digital photo frame and ask Google to show any picture or album you've ever taken in Google photos. Read our Google Nest Hub review For the father that likes to cook, get him the hottest kitchen gadget, the Anova Sous Vide. Sous Vide is a method of cooking that involves preparing food in pouches, submerged in water that's held at a precisely controlled temperature. To use a sous vide, he just has to fill a pot with water, set the desired temperature and time, and dad can cook everything (meat, souffle, carrots) to perfection. The compatible app allows him to cook remotely, so he doesn't have to stay in the kitchen, waiting for the food to cook. Dad will also have access to over 1,000+ recipes as well as videos and guides for each recommended meal. Doesn’t the best dad in the world deserve the best Bluetooth speaker money can buy? If that’s what you’re after, the Sonos Move stands head and shoulders above the rest. It sounds incredible, serving up living room-worthy sound from a portable device that can be used both indoors and out. That means it’s the perfect speaker if your dad loves to entertain, or if he just appreciates high-fidelity sound. He won’t have to worry about it getting knocked about at a party either – it’s durable with an IP56 rating and can withstand more than a few spills. Read our Sonos Move review The 4K Fire TV Stick allows dad to stream his favorite content in 4K Ultra HD resolution. All he has to do is plug the stick into the TV, connect to the internet, and he can watch his favorite movies and TV shows from apps like Hulu, Amazon Video, Netflix, and more. He'll get access to tens of thousands of channels with storage capacity for thousands of apps, games, and Alexa skills. The Fire device also includes an Alexa voice remote so he can browse shows, launch movies, adjust the volume, and more completely hands-free. Read our Amazon Fire Stick 4K review Dad can stay connected while also keeping track of health and fitness stats with the best-selling Apple Watch 5. The feature-packed smartwatch features an Always-On Retina display, which allows him to easily read the time, messages, and other important notifications. The waterproof smartwatch also tracks activity, workouts, and calories burned and provides up to 18 hours of battery life. Does your dad often find himself searching for his keys before heading out the door? Then you might want to get him a Tile Mate Bluetooth tracker. It’s designed like a keychain and can be attached to a variety of items: keys, remote, or even the family pet (if it has a habit of hiding away). Clip it to his frequently misplaced items, so next time dad says “have you seen my…” he can use the companion app to help find it. It has a 200m range and the Tile Mate will ring out when he’s near the lost item. Give dad the gift of home security with the Ring Video Doorbell Pro. The Ring Pro works with Alexa, and sends alerts to Echo devices, allowing you to hear and speak to visitors entirely hands-free. The Ring Video Doorbell Pro will also send alerts to his smartphone when motion is detected, or when someone rings the doorbell, so he can monitor the home from anywhere. The Pro model features advanced motion detection, with a camera view that generates motion alerts within user-set motion zones. Dad can brew the perfect cup of coffee in the comfort of his own home with the Nespresso VertuoPlus. The VertuoPlus brews five different cup sizes, and can make standard coffee with crema or an authentic espresso. Lear more about the upcoming Amazon Prime Day 2020 event and see our roundup of the best 4th of July sales that are happening now. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Energy news round-up: here's what happened in the last seven days Posted: 05 Jun 2020 11:24 AM PDT This week in energy: COVID-19 continues to impact energy customers in the UK in various ways, including the risk of a surprise bill at the end of the summer, precautionary measures by suppliers to support prepaid meter customers and Bristol City Council’s intended sale of Bristol Energy after it ran up a major loss. Smart meter installations are also beginning to resume in some instances, but cautiously. Here's our round-up of what happened in the last seven days... Customers could face surprise energy bills of around £94Research conducted by Energy Helpline has reported that UK energy customers could be faced with a surprise £94 bill by the end of the summer. That's due to above-average energy consumption, thanks to the lockdown. It seems that Brits have been consuming 30 per cent more energy than normal, while direct debits remain calculated on the basis of pre-lockdown usage. In some cases this could lead to customers being trapped in a debt-spiral. The best way of resolving this, of course, is to run an energy comparison and switch energy supplier to take advantage of a cheaper energy deal. However, Energy Helpline is also advising customers to fit energy efficient lightbulbs, take shorter showers and avoid appliances being left on standby. Assistance for prepaid meter customersMoney Saving Expert (MSE) has advised this week that some people who are self-isolating may experience difficulty in topping up their prepaid meters, but a number of energy companies have said they will assist if necessary. The Government and energy suppliers have agreed to implement a set of emergency measures specifically to assist prepaid meter customers. These measures include the provision of cards loaded with emergency credit, adding discretionary credit to meters and enabling others to top meters on behalf of those using them. Ofgem has also said it expects providers to support prepaid meter customers, including those in vulnerable circumstances. Vulnerable customers can also join the Priority Services Register in order to receive various services for free, including advanced notice of planned power cuts, priority support in emergencies and regular meter reading services.
Coronavirus impacts on smart meter installationMSE has also reported that energy providers have temporarily suspended the installation of smart meters in homes during the lockdown period. This means that engineers will only attend homes if there is an emergency situation, for example involving a loss of energy supply. However, as lockdown restrictions are eased, providers will again allow engineers to attend homes for meter installation. E.on, Npower, Ovo and SSE have all resumed installation, but this is only in England and only on a limited basis. Clearly, they will not install a meter in any household where someone is self-isolating, at higher risk or has experienced symptoms over the last month or so. Providers are also letting customers know that an engineer will only attend their home where residents feel comfortable with them doing so.
Bristol City Council to sell Bristol EnergyBBC News and other media have reported that Bristol City Council will now sell its council-owned company Bristol Energy following losses of more than £30 million. Some councillors have called for an inquiry into the matter, which has also been the subject of considerable discussion on social media. The council finally took the decision to sell Bristol Energy following a recommendation from accountant Ernst and Young. Bristol Mayor Marvin Rees said that he was disappointed that it hadn’t worked.
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| AMD Ryzen 4000 release date, laptops and specs: everything we know about AMD's next CPUs Posted: 05 Jun 2020 11:07 AM PDT The AMD Ryzen 4000 processors for laptops are out in the world after their unveiling at CES 2020. And, these mobile processors are already changing the gaming laptop scene forever, offering performance that’s nearly as fast as their desktop counterparts. Thanks to compelling laptop releases like the Asus Zephyrus G14, these chips are proving that they can deliver desktop-class power and hugely improved performance across the board. That’s only the tip of the AMD Ryzen 4000 iceberg. AMD is preparing to add a new flagship APU, Ryzen 9 4900U to the lineup, and there have been plenty of whispers about the AMD Zen 3-equipped Ryzen 4000 processors for desktops, which could be coming in October. In fact, AMD CFO Devinder Kumar confirmed recently the manufacturer is "on track to launch our next-generation Zen 3 CPUs and RDNA 2 GPUs in late 2020". 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. This means that although Team Red is already sitting on top of the CPU world right now, selling 40% more processors than its rival, it’s going for the knockout. 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. Still, there’s really 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 already out there, 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. AMD CFO Devinder Kumar even reinforced this rumored release window, saying that AMD is "on track to launch our next-generation Zen 3 CPUs and RDNA 2 GPUs in late 2020". 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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| AMD RDNA 2 release date, specs and rumors: everything we know about 'Big Navi' Posted: 05 Jun 2020 11:05 AM PDT Speculations and leaks surrounding the AMD RDNA 2 are piling up as we move closer to its rumored release date. Thanks to the triumphant success of AMD Navi, which launched way back in July 2019 with the Radeon RX 5700 XT and RX 5700 leading the charge, people have had a taste of AMD’s mid-range champions. Now they’re hungry for ‘Big Navi' – the AMD graphics card that’s said to dethrone the reigning champ, RTX 2080 Ti. As we’re nearing a year since the first AMD RDNA graphics cards hit the streets, we’re now anxious to know when we’ll see RDNA 2, and what it will look like. There have been a ton of rumors that have been surfacing, painting a picture of some incredibly powerful AMD graphics cards that might give Nvidia some much-needed competition on the high-end. Though, sadly, they may not all feature ray tracing support. The good news is that it will be the graphics architecture behind the next-generation consoles, the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5, so it's safe to assume that new graphics cards are well on their way. AMD hasn't come out and officially announced many details about RDNA 2 or the supposed 'Big Navi' card that is rumored to be coming out. Although what could be the AMD Big Navi graphics card has been spotted in Linux driver recently, and AMD CFO Devinder Kumar himself said that AMD is "on track to launch our next-generation Zen 3 CPUs and RDNA 2 GPUs in late 2020". They’re now expected to arrive before the PS5 and Xbox Series X. We’ve got enough gossip, speculations and updates to tide us over until the AMD RDNA 2 cards hit the streets. So, we gathered all of them in one place. Be sure to keep this page bookmarked, as we’ll keep it updated with all the latest AMD Big Navi rumors and information. Cut to the chase
AMD Big Navi release dateIt seems like AMD Big Navi release date rumors have been everywhere since the very beginning of time – or at least since Navi rumors first started appearing in late 2018. However, here we are in 2020 still without a solid release date for AMD's high-end graphics card. Initially we had heard that Big Navi would be launching at Computex – but that show has been pushed all the way back to September due to Covid-19, so that's a no go. But even if it did appear at the giant Taipei tech show, we probably won't see it until the end of 2020 – think October or November. At the AMD Financial Analyst Day back in March, Team Red said itself that it was targeting the end of 2020 for the launch of Big Navi. Kumar even reinforced this target release window, saying that AMD is "on track to launch our next-generation Zen 3 CPUs and RDNA 2 GPUs in late 2020". While that feels like it’s still a long way away, these AMD graphics cards seem like they will arrive before the PS5 and Xbox Series X. Either way, we'll get an AMD RDNA 2 graphics card release date when AMD is ready. However, because Computex did get pushed back, we wouldn't be surprised if AMD came out of nowhere with a giant online-only event to show off the RDNA architecture any day now. Stay tuned. AMD Big Navi priceAMD has traditionally enjoyed a reputation for providing more affordable products than their competition, but we're not so sure that's going to extend to Big Navi. And to back this up, we'd like to point to the AMD Radeon VII. With this graphics card, AMD genuinely provided performance that was pretty close to what the Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 provided at the time, while sitting with a price tag of $679 (about £540, AU$970), which was very close to the RTX 2080's $699 (£649, AU$1,119) price tag at the time. Now, since launching its Navi lineup, AMD has put some price pressure on Nvidia's mid-range lineup, most notably baiting Nvidia into lowering its prices on its Super cards at the last minute. So, we might see something that challenges the RTX 2080 Ti for maybe $200 (£200, AU$300) less than that card's MSRP, but don't expect graphics card prices to drop to where they were before Nvidia Turing made everything more expensive. AMD Big Navi specs and featuresWe have heard so many different rumors about what the 'Big Navi' card will eventually look like, but we're only really diving into what's actually feasible here. What we know is that AMD is planning on dropping a 4K-ready graphics card that can handle ray tracing in 2020. That much comes directly from AMD CEO Lisa Su, who came out in an interview and said "I can say you’re going to see Big Navi in 2020."That's definitely a blunt way to tell us to expect the high-end GPU this year. Then, during AMD's financial day, AMD doubled down on RDNA 2 coming, with a slide saying that the top-of-stack graphics cards would not only provide "Uncompromising 4K gaming," but that it will also feature hardware-based ray tracing and variable rate shading – two features already present in Nvidia Turing GPUs. Unfortunately, we have to take this rumor with a grain of salt. Newer rumors suggest that only flagship variants of AMD’s RDNA 2 GPUs will feature ray tracing. It seems that the feature will now be reserved only for AMD’s high-end and enthusiast-grade Navi 2X GPUs. And, that’s apparently due to the lower-end and more mainstream options not having the capacity to support hardware-level ray tracing at an optimal frame rate. Beyond that, we have seen rumors that suggest the RDNA 2 flagship will feature 80 compute units, which if each compute unit has the same amount of Streaming Processors (SPs) as the original RDNA graphics cards – we could see 5,120 SPs on a single GPU – but it could be even more. Of course, that's a lot of silicon to cool, and AMD's current blower-style coolers probably wouldn't be sufficient. Even in the transition from Pascal to Turing, Nvidia abandoned blower-style coolers in favor of more efficient dual-fan designs, and word on the street is that AMD could be doing the same thing. What is perhaps more important is that the rumors are saying that Big Navi could be up to 30% faster than the Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Ti, which would frankly be amazing if true – that card can already destroy pretty much every game at 4K, so a further 30% boost could probably mean that we'll see more accessible 4K gaming lower in the product stack. At the end of the day, while we do have all of this juicy speculation, we don't know what will ultimately end up being true and what won't be. And, even if AMD Big Navi ends up blowing Nvidia Turing out of the water, it's entirely possible that the RTX 3080 may be close behind. Either way, 2020 is going to be an exciting year for the best graphics cards.
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| Best gaming keyboard 2020: the best gaming keyboards we've tested Posted: 05 Jun 2020 11:02 AM PDT The best gaming keyboards are more than just peripherals with some flashy lighting. Cheap keyboards might do an adequate job, but there's a lot of performance, features, and, yes, aesthetics, that only come with a great keyboard. And, while getting one is not going to make you an immediate master of the best PC games, it will certainly make the experience better in every way. Similar to getting the best gaming mouse and the best gaming monitors, once you’ve upgraded to one of the best gaming keyboards, you’ll realize what you’ve been missing this whole time. These keyboards deliver accurate and quick responses, features you didn’t realize you needed or wanted such as Macros, and a level of comfort that will enhance any gaming session. Of course, they’re also pretty to look at, thanks to great RGB lighting, some of which can sync with other devices or with your gaming experience. Improve your gaming experience, whether it’s comfort, features, or just solid performance that you’re looking for. These are the best gaming keyboards available right now, alongside our price comparison tool so you’re also getting the best price available.
The best gaming keyboard 2020 at a glance
The SteelSeries Apex Pro gets our coveted 5-star rating. The SteelSeries Apex Pro’s svelte aesthetic and clever OLED display are just the appetizers. The SteelSeries Apex Pro gets our coveted 5-star rating for many reasons, the biggest of which are its stunning and solid build, custom actuation and comfortable – not to mention, quiet – magnetic switches. Performance-wise, it’s among the best gaming keyboards we’ve tested yet, which makes its $199 price tag worth the splurge. Read the full review: SteelSeries Apex Pro Razer Huntsman Elite costs a small fortune, but it's absolutely worth it. If you have the need for speed, then the Huntsman Elite is your best bet, thanks to its new optomechanical switches. That sounds like a mouthful, but essentially, it means that Razer has managed to combine mechanical switches with optical sensors. This unthinkable allows the Huntsman Elite to take its actuation to the next level, and you would be hard-pressed to find a faster keyboard on the market. Switches aside, it’s also remarkably comfortable to type on. Plus, it’s covered with more RGB lighting than you can shake a stick at. Sure, it needs two USB cables for power and costs a small fortune, but with tech like this, it’s absolutely worth it. Read the full review: Razer Huntsman Elite Roccat Vulcan 120 Aimo uses Roccat's own Titan switches. The Roccat Vulcan 120 should be at the top of your gaming keyboard wish list, if you want one that looks and feels good. This svelte keyboard uses Roccat’s own Titan switches, rather than the Cherry MX switches found on most other keyboards on this list, and we can vouch for how superb they are. This gaming keyboard combines amazing tactile feedback with quiet and comfort. It really isn’t hard to see why this is one of the best gaming keyboards on the market today. Read the full review: Roccat Vulcan 120 Aimo Alienware Pro Gaming Keyboard AW768 is fitted with mechanical keys, dedicated macro keys and slick aesthetics. When you think Alienware, “value” isn’t the word that comes to mind. But, this time around, the Alienware Pro Gaming Keyboard AW768 is a genuinely great deal. At under 100 bucks or quid, you’re getting the toughest gaming keyboard fitted with mechanical keys, dedicated macro keys and slick aesthetics. It’s not the most feature rich keyboard in the game, but at this price, it really doesn’t need to be. One of the best gaming keyboards in 2020, the Alienware Pro Gaming Keyboard AW768 gets the job done, and looks good while doing it. Read the full review: Alienware Pro Gaming Keyboard AW768 Cooler Master MasterSet MS120 is affordable while being up there with its more premium 'mem-chanical' competitors. Not everything has to be super high-end to be good, and the Cooler Master MasterSet MS120 is the perfect example. Though this one’s a keyboard and mouse set, the keyboard is the star of the show. Sitting at just under a hundred bucks, the MasterSet’s keyboard is affordable while being up there with its more premium ‘mem-chanical’ competitors in terms of quality. The switches on offer bring a ton of tactile feedback and deep travel. It’s quiet as well, so you can furiously pounding away during an intense late-night Overwatch match without worry. The Cooler Master MasterSet MS120 is, without a doubt, one of the best gaming keyboards under $100. Read the full review: Cooler Master MasterSet MS120 Corsair K95 RGB Platinum is one of the best gaming keyboards we've tested. A $159 price tag on a gaming keyboard might a tad too steep, but the Corsair K95 RGB Platinum, one of the best gaming keyboards we’ve tested in the last year, really does give you a lot of ounce for your bounce. We’re not talking the more trivial bells and whistles like fancy RGB lighting either – although since we are on the subject, this one’s got a whole lot of them, not to mention its integrated 19-zone light bar and the 16.8 million color options, to boot. By bang, we actually mean its 6 dedicated macro keys, 8MB on-board storage and aircraft-grade anodized brushed aluminum frame. Read the full review: Corsair K95 RGB Platinum Havit Low Profile Mechanical Keyboard is extremely comfortable to type as well as game on. You might be thinking that if you’ve seen one of the best gaming keyboards, you’ve seen them all: big, garish hunks of metal with bright RGB lighting. Well, the Havit Low Profile Mechanical Keyboard will surprise you. While it definitely has the RGB lighting (honestly, how could it not?), it leaves the rest of the cliches in the past where they belong. Appealing and responsive, this keyboard is only as big as it needs to be, and is thus extremely comfortable to type as well as game on. There are no multimedia buttons, but we’d happily make that trade any day for a keyboard this good at such a low price. Read the full review: Havit Low Profile Mechanical Keyboard Razer Huntsman Tournament Edition manages to deliver fast performance without being expensive. Shelling out more than $100 for a great gaming keyboard is to be expected if you’re even slightly serious your gaming performance. But the beauty of Razer Huntsman Tournament Edition is that it manages to deliver fast performance without being the most expensive keyboard in town. True, there aren’t a lot of features here, which puts it behind many of its feature-rich rivals, but it makes up for that by being small and boasting a removable to make it perfectly portable for on-the-go gaming. Read our full review: Razer Huntsman Tournament Edition The budget-minded SteelSeries Apex 3 may come with a few concessions, but it also boasts some impressive features. Not all great gaming keyboards have mechanical switches, as this affordable Apex keyboard is proving. The budget-minded SteelSeries Apex 3 may come with a few concessions, but it also boasts some impressive features that more than make up for those compromises. One of those features is its IP32 water resistance for protection against any spills – because who hasn’t accidentally knocked over a can of soda while gaming? Another is its reactive and customizable 10-zone RGB illumination to make your gaming experience all the more impressive. And, if you absolutely hate those clickety clacking noises that mechanical keyboards love to make, you’ll really appreciate this keyboard’s whisper quiet gaming switches. Read the full review: SteelSeries Apex 3 Although the Razer Ornata V2’s mecha-membrane keys aren’t as comfortable to type on as other mechanical switch keyboards, this gaming keyboard does have a few selling points that really set it apart from its rivals. Some of the notable design elements here, which are typically seen in more expensive products, are the dedicated media keys, a volume wheel that has a really nice texture to it, and an incredibly comfortable wrist rest. Plus, those mecha-membrane switches are incredibly quiet, making them perfect for late night gaming when you’ve got a roommate. This is definitely one of the best gaming keyboards we’ve tested in 2020. Read the full review: Razer Ornata V2 Bill Thomas, Gabe Carey and Michelle Rae Uy have also contributed to this article This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| The best free-to-play Steam games 2020 Posted: 05 Jun 2020 10:46 AM PDT Nothing else offers endless fun better than the best free-to-play Steam games. Not only are these games just as entertaining as the most popular PC titles, but they’ll also save you a ton of cash. While the best PC games are perhaps more popular titles in the gaming community, amassing a library of them will burn a hole in your pocket if you’re not careful. The best free-to-play Steam games, therefore, are just the ticket to fill the gaps in your collection or get that much needed distraction in your downtime without spending any more money. Although, in some cases, you do have to keep an eye out for those microtransactions and loot boxes, as those tend to pile up and end up costing you more. These free games on Steam offer lots of fun while keeping your wallet safe and fat, so we gathered the best of them for you. Boot up your gaming PC, take a look at our picks for the best free-to-play Steam games of 2020 and download as many as you want. Best free-to-play Steam games at a glance
Fractured Space is one of the most exciting MOBAs on PC. 1. Fractured SpaceWhen it comes to MOBAs (multiplayer online battle arenas), not every game has to be a fantasy-based romp with daggers, spells and cutesy champions. Take the science fiction ship battles of Fractured Space. Sure, it’s a MOBA-style 5v5 affair, but now you’re in control of a powerful frigate as your hurtle across the stars and attempt to destroy your opponent’s base before your own suffers the same fate. Skewing the classic MOBA concept as a space-based naval affair gives the setup you know and love a much-needed breath of fresh air, while blowing away all the cobwebs. You can customize your ship and crew, as well as hotkeying weapons and abilities so you can combine the best ships for the task ahead. It’s one of the most exciting MOBAs on PC, and it's free to play on Steam. Download here: Fractured Space Gigantic tasks you with killing an enemy giant while attempting to protect your own. 2. GiganticMuch like Paladins, Gigantic offers a team-based shooter that’s part-Overwatch, part MOBA and part something brand new. Instead of having you defend a slow-moving carriage through a map (because that never gets old) or destroy an enemy base (in classic MOBA style), Gigantic tasks you with killing an enemy giant while attempting to protect your own. Sounds mad, right? It is, but a brilliant kind of mad all the same. With an art style that mashes up Studio Ghibli flourishes and classic Disney cuteness, Gigantic’s 20-strong character roster offers enough skills, weapons and attributes to appease even the pickiest of players. Each match is a 5v5 event, with players working together to power up their own Guardian (that’s your giant weapon/walking base) while risking it all to lay siege to the enemy. The roving nature of your Guardian makes every match an intense affair, and best of all, it’s 100% free on Steam. Download here: Gigantic 3. Idle Big DevilIdle Big Devil from Hong Kong Spark Software may still be in Early Access, but the idle RPG game has already gotten a lot of raving reviews from Steam gamers. While it is an idle game, which lets you progress through the game without much interaction, there’s a lot of stuff to do while you wait so it never gets boring. You also get a ton of free currency in the initial play, giving new players a chance to progress quickly. In this game, you’re appointed by the king as the lord of killing the Undead and creatures possessed by evil spirits. You do so with the aid of a total of five heroes whom you recruit yourself throughout the course of the game. As you travel the continent, you can participate in different events that allow you to collect loot, as well as complete daily tasks that reward you with prizes. You can also gather resources to power up your heroes and upgrade your castle. Idle Big Devil does get a bit complicated and harder as you progress, and you will get to a point where you have to decide whether to spend money or endure a slower progression in the game. However, this game can be completely free to play, if you choose not to spend money. Paladins: Champions of the Realm is one of the best free Steam games in 2019. 4. Paladins: Champions of the RealmPaladins launched just after a certain team-based shooter from Blizzard, and it's hard not see the similarities. Still, that doesn’t mean Hi-Rez Studios’ free-to-play FPS isn’t worth your time – it just means you get play something that’s often just as fun and rewarding without forcing you to break the bank with a full-game price. With a menagerie of characters to choose from (known as Champions), each match offers an objective-based experience that feels more like triple-A fare than other free-to-play shooters. Paladins includes everything from Overwatch-style payload defence/offence to a Survival mode akin to the popular ‘battle royale’ sub-genre made popular by PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds and Fortnite. It offers a consistently enjoyable and rewarding place to spend your time, even if it’s a tad derivative. It's free to play on Steam, and there's no need to sink any money into it as long as you’re willing to grind for the first few hours. Download here: Paladins: Champions of the Realm 5. Crusader Kings IIWe’ve all fantasized about what it would be like to roam Europe in the Middle Ages. Well, with Crusader Kings II, you can do exactly that, playing a Christian lord looking to expand and preserve his dynasty while the whole continent is in turmoil. And, it’s not just invaders you have to worry about. Your vassals and courtiers are also busy plotting against you too. You’ll also introduce laws, make friends with other nobles and defend your religion against the heretics. Whatever decision you make, just remember that this is a game of strategy. So even the smallest ones can affect whether or not your dynasty will survive the Dark Ages. If you fancy playing with friends, this game has a competitive multiplayer mode. So you can play with up to 32 other players. Warface: Blackout has also honed its online economy. 6. Warface: BlackoutFree-to-play shooters in their more traditional, deathmatch-esque form are often a hit and miss affair, but despite all those polished triple-A offerings from the likes of Activision and EA, Crytek Kiev has managed to put together a robust little FPS that can be just as exciting and enjoyable as many other entries in the bullet-ridden genre. Warface: Blackout offers four classes to choose from, with weapons, gear, attachments and specific skills tied to each one. Having the right balance of classes in your squad adds a more Battlefield-style teamwork ethic, especially when engineers can repair armour and snipers can pull off game-changing one-shot kills. After four years of rotation on the field, Warface has also honed its online economy, neatly offering you the ability to spend in-game currency on a rental system that lets you test out guns and gear before investing time and cash into your own version. Download here: Warface: Blackout Art of War: Red Tides takes that classic MOBA structure, but strips out all the busywork in between. 7. Art of War: Red TidesAre you looking for a MOBA spin-off that’s light on the RTS elements but deep enough to keep you engaged through every match? Well, we’ve got just the free-to-play beauty for you. Art of War: Red Tides takes that classic MOBA structure – funnelling you down a channel with loads of units as you attempt to destroy a base at the other end – but strips out all the busywork in between. It might not appeal to the hardcore among us, but for those looking to replicate the relaxed involvement of a mobile title at your PC, this is right up your alley. That’s not to say it’s a spectator title. You’ll still need to survey the battlefield and use your energy reserves to build units to counter those already on the field. There are a trio of modes available, but it’s in the 3v3 mode the setup works best, with matches often coming down to which team pulls off the best combo. Download here: Art of War: Red Tides Warframe is one of the best examples of how to do the best free Steam games right. 8. WarframeOkay, so the word ‘war’ features quite a lot in some of the best and most popular free-to-play titles, but that’s because few things are as fun to wage when you’re spending no money. Another such example is Warframe – an online melee brawler/shooter that’s evolved into one of the most enjoyable games on PC. Putting you in control of a sword-wielding space ninja (yes, it’s as cool as it sounds), the game feels like a cross between For Honor and Destiny 2, with modes offering PvE and PvP matches to keep you engaged. There’s even a story mode, and it’s actually pretty fun, if a little repetitive in places. Developer Digital Extremes has also been dedicated to Warframe, rolling out regular updates and events that offer new upgrades and expansion on its rich lore. It may have floundered on consoles, but Warframe is one of the best examples of how to do the best free Steam games right. Download here: Warframe Star Conflict is one of the most enjoyable games we've played on this list. 9. Star ConflictThere’s been a resurgence for the sci-fi dogfighting subgenre in the last few years – thanks in part to the rise of VR – but there aren’t many titles that let you take to the stars and shoot space ships for nada. In fact, there’s just the one, and it’s one of the most enjoyable games we’ve played on this list. The game is split into four main modes – PvP, Open Space, Sector Conquest and Missions – offering plenty of content for absolutely no pounds/euros/dollars. You can atomize other players in classic deathmatches, explore an impressively vast universe in Open Space, or head into co-op for a bit of PvE action in Missions. You can set up custom battles with friends if you’re in mood for a private dust up. Ship designs offer different attributes depending on your play style, and earning new ones can be pulled off without spending a penny if you’re willing to grind. Download here: Star Conflict Atlas Reactor borrows those now ubiquitous decision queues and adds a neat twist. 10. Atlas ReactorPart MOBA, part RTS, Atlas Reactor borrows those now ubiquitous decision queues and adds a neat twist: instead of each player acting out their turn one after the other, everyone gets to play at the same time. The result? A strategy game in actual real-time as players move units around the map, exchanging actions in a chaotic flurry. It can be a little more luck based than we would like (since you don’t know what you’re opponents are going to do next, it’s often guess work alone), but the pace soon hooks you in. Decision, one of two main modes in the game, forces you to make these decisions in 20 seconds or under for each turn (making every match hella fun and hyper intense), while Resolution slows things down into four phases as you plan out your moves and set traps as you attempt to win each 4v4 showdown. Download here: Atlas Reactor
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| Dropbox is working on a password manager Posted: 05 Jun 2020 10:44 AM PDT Cloud storage provider Dropbox appears to be preparing to launch its own password manager after a new app called Dropbox Passwords was spotted on the Google Play Store. As reported by Android Police, the company released a private beta of its new app on the Play Store which you can download now, though only some Dropbox users that received an invite will be actually be able to login and test it out for themselves. While Dropbox does not refer to its new app as a password manager, based on screenshots of the app, it has similar functionality as it will allow users to store all of their passwords in one secure place and access them from anywhere with automatic syncing to all devices.
Dropbox PasswordsAlthough Dropbox Passwords is currently available to download, the company has yet to make a formal announcement in the form of a blog post or press release about its new password manager. Also on its Play Store page we can see that only a 100 or so Dropbox users have been invited to try out the service based on the number of installs. One of the more exciting features of Dropbox Passwords is that it uses zero-knowledge encryption so that only its users will be able to access their passwords. However, other password managers such as Dashlane, LastPass and 1Password also use this same protocol. Android Police pointed out that the app offers one-click sign in which means that it likely integrates with Android as an Autofill service. Dropbox Passwords also uses icons for third-party services and this will make it easier for users to find their saved passwords when using the app. Now that news outlets are reporting on the new app, expect Dropbox to make a formal announcement about when it will be generally available soon.
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| Command & Conquer Remastered is the PC gaming nostalgia trip you deserve Posted: 05 Jun 2020 10:39 AM PDT Command and Conquer was everything in the '90s. In this extremely influential real-time strategy series, you'd build a base, gather resources, raise an army and send them to battle, hoping like hell that the enemy had a slightly less powerful force than yours. In its second entry, Red Alert, the series' formula crystallized, and the goofy story went into alternate history: the game starts with Albert Einstein erasing Adolf Hitler from reality, leading to a version of the 20th century where Stalin's Soviet Union is at constant war with the Allies. Unit types became more colorful, weird and sci-fi, giving the series a personality that's otherwise so elusive in games about military units blowing each other up. Command and Conquer: Remastered Collection is an extremely welcome facelift of two '90s RTS classics that's clearly been developed with great reverence for their many fans. If you spent hundreds of hours knocking down power plants and ore refineries with mammoth tanks in your younger days, this is a treat. It collects Command and Conquer: Tiberian Dawn (the first game) and Red Alert, as well as each of their expansions. It arrives at a time when the RTS is barely a force at all on PC, outside of shiny re-releases and Starcraft 2's ever-strong following. Between this and Microsoft's extensive efforts to update the Age of Empires series, the future of this type of game seems to be revisiting the past (until Age of Empires 4 finally gets here, anyway). We've played a few hours of Command and Conquer: Remastered Collection, primarily Red Alert, sampling story missions we remember very well and getting into a few apocalyptic rounds of Skirmish Mode against the AI. It's an incredibly nice-looking version of an old game that's been completely refreshed. You can even hit the space bar in the middle of battle to transition from the new art for units, buildings and map tiles into their original visuals, similar to the feature in Halo's anniversary edition.
An upgrade worthy of two RTS classicsWhile the entire Command and Conquer series has been widely available for some time in an Ultimate Collection pack, compatibility with Windows 10 varies wildly depending on the game. While we'd argue that EA could've patched this collection and solved that a long time ago, this new edition feels like far more than a cash-in. It's worth the extremely reasonable $19.99/£17.99 price just for the serious audiovisual upgrade, here. As well as the new art pass, which produces fantastic results even when you zoom in on units using the mouse wheel, composer Frank Klepacki has completely remastered the iconic soundtrack for both games. The menus are cleaner and easier to navigate, and the UI generally has been overhauled. While the live-action cutscenes are still grainy as hell (because the original footage was apparently lost), they look nice enough, and they're still a lot of fun to watch. Fans will love some of the details added for the remaster, and completing campaign missions unlocks worthwhile bonus content about the making of each game. As well as the expansions for both Command and Conquer and Red Alert, some memorable secret missions have made the cut, too, along with levels released exclusively for the console edition of C&C (note that we haven't tested the multiplayer at the time of writing, though). Our only issues with this remaster have been some graphical stuttering and overly long waits on loading save files, both of which were alleviated when we moved the game to an SSD. The PC we used in this instance is well above the recommended specs, so hopefully this issue won't be widespread. Why these games still matter, two decades laterThe upgrade in presentation aside, these games are exactly the way we remember them, even down to the units' absurd pathfinding. That's okay with us. If EA wants to make a new Command and Conquer game down the road, that suits us, but these entries are best left with their quirks intact. It's still so satisfying to build a gigantic army in Command and Conquer and use it to knock down an enemy base. So many more lazy afternoons are about to be eaten up by chaotic bouts of Skirmish, as entire bases disappear in a storm of tesla coil zaps, flames, air strikes and ludicrous unit barks. Even if it's taken EA a little too long to remember why Command and Conquer was such a monster hit back in its day, we're really glad that it did. Fingers crossed this is successful enough that we get a similar collection for Tiberian Sun and Red Alert 2 on PC.
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| PS4 YouTube error code NP-37602-8 is causing sign-in issues – but a fix is coming Posted: 05 Jun 2020 10:36 AM PDT Update: A week since confirming a fix was in the works, the PS4 YouTube error code NP-37602-8 is still causing log-in issues with the app on Sony's console. It's "taking longer than expected" to fix according to the latest update from Team YouTube's Twitter account, but that was on 30 May. You might still be waiting for a while on a fix yet. Still, you can use YouTube on PS4 while signed in. All you have to do is use another device, like your phone or tablet, and hit the 'cast' button in the YouTube app. This will let you control YouTube on PS4 with your phone while you're signed in, assuming they're on the same Wi-Fi network. YouTube confirmed this below: Original story: If you've tried to use the YouTube app on PS4 recently, you've probably noticed that you're being signed out, and that signing in again prompts an error code: NP-37602-8. Searching PlayStation Support when you get the error prompt yields no results, which is annoying, but now the issue is known to Sony and YouTube and they're looking into fixing it. YouTube tweeted out the following, which was retweeted by the Ask PlayStation help account. This hopefully means it'll be fixed in the near-future – keep an eye on the account for more updates. Can you fix the error code NP-37602-8?As noted by our friends at GamesRadar, there is no fix for this specific issue at present, but there is still a way you can watch YouTube on your PS4 using your account. You can simply cast YouTube to your PS4 from a linked device on the same Wi-Fi network, like a phone or tablet. All you have to do is open the YouTube app, click the cast icon then select your PS4. We've tested this solution and it indeed works as a temporary fix to the NP-37602-8 error code. Until a proper fix comes, that gives you the ability to watch YouTube on your TV through your account. Which YouTube video did we watch to test this fix out, you ask? Well, it was this funky remix of Le Cassette's Radio, because we never truly got over the synthwave movement. Look out for a proper fix in the coming days. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Best laptop games: 20 games for laptops that won't melt your machine Posted: 05 Jun 2020 10:25 AM PDT When it comes to the best laptop games, there are plenty of options to choose from. However, not all of the best laptop games are created equal. Sharing the spotlight with the best PC games like Doom Eternal and Control are beloved classics like Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, the best indie games, and less demanding titles that are perfect for gamers with budget gaming laptops. We’ve also included games that you’re able to play on your standard laptop as well, as they are undemanding enough to run without the need for expensive graphics cards. However, for people who have invested in a high-end gaming laptop, rocking the most powerful processor and the best graphics cards, then we’ve also got some stunning AAA games in this list as well.he best laptop games of 2020 offer that endless portable fun that’s just the ticket for doing your new portable justice. We put our gaming expertise to the test and narrowed the choices for you. These are our top picks for the best laptop games. Whatever your play style, schedule and hardware, we’re willing to bet there’s something on this list you’ll love.
Whether he’s at LucasArts, Double-Fine or working in a new indie studio, veteran developer Ron Gilbert is certain to serve up a slice of veritable gaming gold. The tradition of flawless output keeps going with Thimbleweed Park, a pixel art point ‘n’ click adventure that harkens back to the glory days of Maniac Mansion while weaving it together with a very modern eye for creativity. It’s essentially a murder mystery graphic adventure, where FBI agents Reyes and Ray - who don’t in any way resemble another famous couple of fictional, UFO-chasing members of the Bureau - arrive in a sleepy town to investigate a murder most horrid. The way it intertwines a truly clever story and a cast of unusual yet instantly memorable characters is something most games with far bigger budgets miss completely. Is it any wonder that it tops our best laptop games list?
You might be turned off by the tremendous amount of challenge it poses, but we promise you that Cuphead is worth a shot. If you don’t already find its vibrant, whimsical art style delightful, then you might be convinced by some backstory of how it was made. Cuphead is from indie developer Studio MDHR (short for Studio Moldenhauer), named for the two brothers who started the project, Chad and Jared Moldenhauer. In fact, the whole company is made up of family members and friends who sought out to finish their dream project. Marija Moldenhauer, Chad’s wife, was responsible for the inking and clean up in this hand-drawn ode to 2D platforming classics like Mega Man and 1930s Fleischer cartoons like Betty Boop. And, if the 19 bosses aren’t enough for you, Cuphead is getting a major DLC next year featuring new bosses, areas and a new playable character.
If you’re obsessed with farming sims (and, considering how well the likes of Farming Simulator and Harvest Moon sell, there’s a few of you out there), then few games will get you jumping for agricultural joy more than the enchanting busywork of Stardew Valley. Taking cues from the Harvest Moon games, Stardew Valley's top-down point of view and cutesy characters feel blended together seamlessly, making it one of the best laptop games available. It doesn’t seem all that exhilarating, tending to fields, growing produce and raising livestock – but that’s the beauty of it. There’s a special kind of peace to the mundanity of Stardew Valley’s minutia as you expand your farm, catch some fish down at the river and even head into the village to strike up friendships (and maybe something a little more) with a cast of NPCs. Farming has never been so much fun or addicting.
In more than a few ways, we’re inclined to describe Night in the Woods as Life is Strange meets Bojack Horseman. The interactive dialogue bits are reminiscent of the former while the overarching themes of dealing with mental health issues ring true in the latter. Night in The Woods itself was developed in Unity by Infinite Fall, the virtual studio comprised of coder and composer Alec Holowka and Twitter jokester slash illustrator and animator Scott Benson. Together, these two have designed not just a game, but a stunning world full of relatable characters that should hopefully resonate with you. You take on the role of Mae, a cat who dropped out of college and recently returned to her hometown of Possum Springs. It’s a completely narrative-driven game, as modern point-and-click adventure games tend to be, with very few gameplay hooks that will hold your attention. So, if you’re into Telltale Games or Life is Strange, Night in the Woods might be the best laptop game for you. Best of all, it will run fairly smoothly on integrated graphics, given that it has an attractive, but not highly demanding, art style. Surely, this is a title we’ll be talking about for years and years to come, even if it was snubbed at The Game Awards.
You might wonder whether Hotline Miami’s neon-drenched ultraviolence would exist if the film Drive had never been made, and while it’s hard to miss just how eagerly it doffs its bloody mask at the Gosling classic, the end result is an utterly magnificent little indie title and among the best laptop games to date. With pixel art invoking that top-down look of Grand Theft Auto’s retro years, Hotline Miami indulges in its almost psychedelic violence. The concept is pretty basic: don on a mask (each one is styled on an animal and adds its own buffs, debuffs and unique abilities), enter a stage and coat the walls with the blood of your enemies. Add buckets of neon, a synth soundtrack that will have you sewing a scorpion onto the back of a white jacket in no time and one crazy storyline to the mix, and you have a classic in its own right.
While it’s a 2018 title and has a reasonably massive following, your laptop’s integrated graphics can still run Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire. It has mostly the same forgiving system requirements as its predecessor, so if you are a fan of that game, you should be able to engross yourself in this best laptop game as well. Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire drops players on the Deadfire archipelago and tasks them with hunting down a rogue god. And, just like its predecessor, it features rich storytelling and deep RPG gameplay that harkens to the days of Baldur’s Gate and Neverwinter Nights. While all the backgrounds are in 2D and viewed from a top-down point-of-view, they’re still lovely to behold. Plus, the numerous spell effects will keep you bewitched as you work your way through the intense and tactical combat. And, because it's coming from Obsidian, a studio known for making the best RPGs of all time, you can be confident that you’re getting an adventure, and one of the best laptop games, that’s worth every penny.
If somebody told you a game about working in a border control office would be one of the most addictive games ever, would you scoff and walk off shaking your head? Well, you might give a little indie gem by the name of Papers, Please a chance. Set in a fictional take on the Eastern Bloc, you’re an immigration clerk tasked with processing refugees from a hostile neighbouring nation. The core concept is simple: check each person’s documents against a clear set of rules, process those who meet the requirements and detain those with false papers. The game is created to test your attention to detail, as well as the strength of your moral compass. Sometimes you’ll have to decide if specific sympathetic characters should be granted asylum, even if it goes against the rules. The twist is good performance effectively feeds you family, while mistakes put their lives in danger. It’s dark, but engrossingly so.
We all know how aggressive geese can be. Well, thanks to Untitled Goose Game, you can walk a mile in a goose’s webbed shoes. And, not just any goose – a crappy one at that. You can already tell how this slapstick-stealth-sandbox game is going to be just from the title, which is really more like a non-title. If you enjoy causing mayhem, you’ll enjoy this game. As a goose, you’ll run around ruining people’s days by setting up pranks, stealing their stuff and just being really annoying. In fact, the more miserable the humans are, the better. So, you should be ticking off every objective in your ‘to do’ list, which include things like trapping a kid in a phone box, for example. What better way to let off some steam after that crappy day you’re also having?
This side-scrolling platformer takes the vibrant colors and gorgeous score of the first game, Ori and the Blind Forest, and bumps it up a notch or two. It’s not just the cosmetics that are upgraded, however. Ori and the Will of the Wisps also builds upon the mechanics of the first game for a more in-depth gameplay experience and places you in a much larger world to explore. And the engrossing story matches the gameplay and aesthetics for an approximately 15-hour long playthrough that some might describe as magical. If you’re on a much older laptop, you might want to fire up the original game instead. However, while this game may not run optimally on the most barebones of laptop systems, it doesn’t require ray tracing or a cutting-edge GPU to get it running and most recent laptops should be able to fire up the game without issue.
When it comes to CCGs (collectible card games), Hearthstone does a pretty impressive job of keeping you and your deck of animated cards entertained throughout - but what happens when you want something a little less innocuous? You give a CCG with a unique spin such as Chronicle: RuneScape Legends a gander. Based on the classic lore of Runescape, Chronicle blends card-dealing with the 3D setup of a RPG. Cards represent real characters and enemies that appear across a 3D-rendered pop-up books. Cards are played successively, with player characters facing each one (ranging from foes to curses to stat buffs), before facing off against one another at the end. It’s bizarre, brilliant and categorically worth your time. Hey, it’s even got new single-player content when you don’t want to test your mettle against other users. Not too shabby for a low-spec CCG.
FTL sounds like an ultra-hardcore game when you’re talking about it: a real-time strategic space roguelike. A roguelike is a game that makes you start from scratch when you die. However, FTL is actually perfect for pretty casual laptop gaming. You can even get it for iPad, in fact. You tool up your star ship, recruit your crew and do your best not to get annihilated as you take an important message from one end of the galaxy to the other. Screenshots don't really give FTL justice, as all you see is a blocky graphic of your ship, not really its spacey surroundings. However, it's the best laptop game for public play: nothing on-screen to make you feel too embarrassed or keep fellow passengers glued to your screen, if you play on train journeys.
Few games stay relevant as long as Skyrim. It should feel old and antiquated, but a mod scene has kept it relevant in the past half-decade. Being so old has also meant not as powerful hardware has been able to catch up with its real-life spec requirements. It'll run pretty well on Intel Core-series processors from the last 2-3 years, and even plays pretty well on some recent Atom/Pentium CPUs on its lowest settings. If you have a real dog of a laptop, there's also a mod that'll cut down the settings even more than the game itself allows, called Ultra Low Graphics Mod. Imaginative naming. It’s one of the best laptop games to date, and many agree – in case you've been locked in a cupboard for the past five years, Skyrim is a massive open-world RPG that won countless 'game of the year' awards when it was released back in 2011.
Remember the game that received millions and millions of dollars of funding on Kickstarter back when such things were unheard-of? That's Broken Age, the point 'n' click platform made by one of the people who came up with Monkey Island back in the 90s. It didn't exactly and single-handedly revive the genre. However, it’s still a fun tale that is nowhere near as frustrating as most of the early 90s exploits, most of which are best viewed through a pair of rose-tinted nostalgia specs. From a distance. You play as both male and female characters, skipping between chapters in their respective stories to make sure the narrative doesn't get stale. We're steering clear of spoilers, so we'll let you uncover it on your own.
You might head straight for 2D games when you think of title that'll work with pretty modest hardware. However, some once-fancy 3D games work very well with non-gaming laptops. Valve's Source engine is especially good at working with less powerful GPUs, making classics like Half-life 2 play delightfully on modern integrated graphics hardware. If you're not up for a thinking person's FPS like Half-Life 2, you might want to check out fantastic first-person puzzler Portal 2 instead. It is also based on the Source engine. Portal 2 takes the portal gun from Half-Life 2, which makes teleporting holes in walls, and makes a whole game out of it. It’s possibly one of the best games of all time, actually, and of course, of course among the best laptop games ever.
It's easy to think of Minecraft as retro in some way, but it's actually far more groundbreaking than some of the nay-saying haters would have you believe. It is not just for kids, either. Try it, you might just like it. This world-building classic was never out to wow audiences with its Crysis-style graphics, but its highly scalable visuals let you tweak Minecraft to suit any machine. As well as being able to experiment with the draw distance and the few visual effects the game uses, you can alter the field of view as well. Minecraft is also best-suited for laptop gaming, as you don't need to be very accurate with your cursor. This is handy if you're using a trackpad rather than a mouse.
Take 90s platform aesthetic, add a roguelike twist, a completely modern random level generator and a few RPG sprinkles to the mix, and you have Rogue Legacy. It's one of the most addictive indie games of the last decade – not to mention, one of the best laptop games. You play as a knight type, leaping right into a castle full of nasties. When you die, and you will die, you return as one of that warrior's descendants. The castle will be different, as will the class of your character. While you have to start from scratch every time, you can unlock bonuses by collecting gold from chests in the castle. This is the bit that makes it more accessible than a true roguelike game, where you really have to start from square one when you die.
Don't Starve is an outrageous little game where you wander around in a somewhat twisted nightmarish world, exploring and picking up supplies to try to survive, day by day. When the sun goes down, awful creatures start prowling in the shadows. If you don't build a fire, you're a goner. You also have to eat to keep yourself healthy, and even your mental health deteriorates if you don't find out ways to pep yourself up. There are some nice visual effects in Don’t Starve, but as a predominantly 2D near-top-down game, it's happy to work with all but the lowest powered laptops.
If you don't mind tempting addiction in your laptop gaming, Hearthstone is a title not to miss. It is a little like nerd classic card battle game (and also video game) Magic: The Gathering, but much better-suited to quick, casual play. Like many other modern casual games, however, you'll likely end up playing for a lot longer than five minutes. And it feels even more "right" on a laptop than a bulky desktop. It's a Valve game and, like most Valve titles, fares extremely well on lower-end hardware. It officially supports the Intel HD 1000 integrated GPU, from way back in the Sandy Bridge generation half a decade ago.
The Civilization series has always been an engrossing experience, and Civilization VI is no different. It’s not just upgraded graphics and Sean Bean voice overs that differentiate Civilization VI from the series’ previous entries. Cities sprawl like they never have before, diplomacy is more nuanced, and players need to do more than just amass armies to go conquering. It’s more in depth and more varied in its gameplay than Civilization V. Though it is a different experience than its predecessor, it’s still a Civilization game. And if you liked the previous titles, you’ll like this one. It’s also not too hard on your computer so as long as you’re rocking a somewhat up-to-date laptop, you should have no trouble running the game. And if you really want to go down the rabbit hole, the game has a number of expansions that include additional gameplay expansions as well as a number of civilizations not accessible in the base game.
EA gets a lot of flak. It was rated as the most despised company in America two years in a row, after all. However, it doesn't half know how to court a big audience. And that means making sure games like The Sims 4 work on just about everything. This infamous lifestyle sim even has a "laptop" mode created for systems that can barely make it through the title screen of The Witcher 3. The game itself is very much business as usual: you slog through a virtual life, making bucks and designing living rooms. Or doing your best to torture some poor virtual peon by locking them in an inescapable toilet. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Best 15-inch laptop 2020: top picks with 15-inch displays Posted: 05 Jun 2020 09:27 AM PDT If you want the Goldilocks of notebooks, the best 15-inch laptop is the perfect fit. The not too big, not too small display and form factor allows them to have that size that’s just right for most users. Sitting between the massive 17-inch notebooks to the more compact 11 to 13-inch portables, these 15-inch laptops are, in fact, the most popular – especially among professionals and content creators. That’s because the best 15-inch laptops offer just enough display area for productivity tasks, while still staying slim and lightweight – portable enough for those on the go. Their size also affords another advantage: they have a decent amount of room under the hood to accommodate more powerful components like high-end processors and the best graphics cards. And, that gives them more than enough juice for intensive tasks like video editing and gaming. We gathered the best 15-inch laptops 2020 has to offer, each one of which we’ve tested and reviewed ourselves. Whether you’re looking for a versatile hybrid laptop, a tough business machine or a lightweight Chromebooks, you’ll find the perfect 15-inch notebook for you on this list. The best 15-inch laptops at a glance
The best 15-inch laptops of 2020The Microsoft Surface Book 2 delivers incredibly long battery life and boasts a gorgeous display. Microsoft produced something pretty special with the Surface Book 2. It’s an extremely versatile machine being a 2-in-1, and it has a ton of power packed into its relatively slim convertible form factor. Thanks to its discrete GTX 1060 graphics, its Core i7 configuration can even tackle newer games at Full HD resolution and showing off decent details so you want to kick back and relax. But, there are a few more reasons why this Microsoft laptop gets the top spot on our best 15-inch laptops list. For instance, it delivers incredibly long battery life, as we discovered in our testing, and boasts a gorgeous display that’s impressively light when detached as a tablet. The only thing that may dissuade potential buyers with is that high price tag. Yes, this is one pricey 15-inch laptop. On the upside, there’s decent discounts popping up regularly – and Microsoft has also manufactured a significantly cheaper Core i5 version, though this configuration has no discrete GPU. As usual, if you want the best, it will cost you – but check out our next entry for a great alternative that won’t damage your wallet to anything like this extent. Read the full review: Microsoft Surface Book 2 (15-inch) The Acer Swift 3 is an excellent alternative if affordability is a priority. Give us a laptop that touts one of AMD’s stellar Ryzen 400 mobile processors, and we’d be more than happy to try it on for size. What we found in the Asus TUF A15, however, is not just fantastic gaming performance, but a great value gaming rig with a long battery life and military-grade durability as well. With the help of Nvidia’s most powerful 1080p graphics cards, this Ryzen 4000-powered laptop will see you through all your 1080p gaming demands without burning a hole in your pocket. Further bolstering the TUF A15's gaming credentials is its large, 15.6-inch 1080p display with 144Hz refresh rate. Whether you play a lot of competitive esports, or need one of the best 15-inch laptops, this one’s a winner. Read the full review: Asus TUF A15 The HP Spectre x360 15T (2019) delivers versatility in spades. If you want a 15-inch convertible with versatility in spades must consider HP’s popular Spectre x360. It’s a gorgeous-looking laptop with an elegant design, albeit with a few oddities, including an awkwardly positioned trackpad. However, this laptop isn’t just pretty – it backs these good looks with enough power to cut through any computing task you might wish to tackle. Of course, it helps that the very latest incarnation of this hybrid has updated its hexa-core CPU to a 9th-gen Intel Core i7-9750H. Creative types will also appreciate the bundled Tilt Pen that can be used for drawing and designing on its exquisite 4K IPS touchscreen display. This 2-in-1 also packs a discrete GTX 1650 graphics card, which means it can even tackle 1080p gaming to boot. As we said, this 15.6-inch laptop delivers versatility in spades, but it also doesn’t come cheap. At least, it’s more affordable than Microsoft’s Surface Book 2. Read the full review: HP Spectre x360 15T (2019) This year, Apple has boosted the power of the MacBook Pro 15-inch. If you’re after a powerful notebook in a 15-inch form factor which is ideal for creative usage – such as video editing or Photoshop – then you’ll be well served by taking the macOS route rather than Windows, with the larger MacBook Pro. This year Apple has boosted the power of the MacBook Pro 15-inch with new 9th-generation Intel processors, with options that run up to a mighty 8-core Intel Core i9. So you most certainly won’t be left wanting on the performance front, with our review benchmarks showing that this 2019 incarnation is a considerably more powerful MacBook than its predecessor. This 15-inch laptop is ideal for heavyweight editing with a choice of AMD Radeon Pro graphics solutions and the possibility to spec up the notebook to 32GB of RAM. And don’t forget the high-quality Retina display along with that improved Touch Bar which can certainly prove a very useful tool with creative applications. Read the full review: Apple MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2019) The Asus VivoBook S15 (S532F) boasts a 15-6-inch display without compromising its slimline design. While Asus VivoBook S15 has been designed to become among the best ultra-portables on the market this 2020, it also aims to provide a large enough display for those who need it. That’s a hard undertaking, but one that this top-performing laptop has achieved with high marks. It boasts a 15-6-inch display and a solid performance without compromising its slimline design. You might not be able to do some heavy gaming on this, but you should get some photo editing done. Read the full review: Asus VivoBook S15 (S532F) The Dell G5 15 could easily deal with 1080p gaming. If your budget won’t stretch to something like the MSI laptop above, then this more affordable gaming laptop from Dell makes a great choice for a 15-inch model that won’t make such a hole in your bank balance. We reviewed the Dell G5 15 5590 and found it could easily deal with 1080p gaming, while giving you a pretty incredible level of battery longevity (around 10 hours for movie playback, which is remarkable for a gaming portable). Overall, it’s a really well-balanced machine with a reasonable price tag, and the latest versions of the Dell G5 15 have been refreshed to include 9th-gen Intel Core processors (up to six-core models). Read the full review: Dell G5 15 5590 The Razer Blade 2019 one of the best gaming laptops on the market. Rocking 8th-generation and 9th-generation Intel Core processors – not to mention, powerful graphics and a gorgeous display to boot, the Razer Blade isn’t just one of the best gaming laptops on the market. It’s also one of the best 15-inch laptops to consider, if you’re seeking to update your aging gaming laptop. That’s more than impressive for a laptop this thin that is also upgradeable. Expect to pay a lot for all that, but you’re paying for style and power that will last you a while. Read the full review: Razer Blade 2019 The Gigabyte Aero 15 OLED delivers incredible RTX gaming experience and touting a reasonable price to boot. We didn’t think that gaming ultrabooks were ready for RTX graphics until the Gigabyte Aero 15 OLED proved us otherwise. This isn’t just a solid gaming laptop; this is a solid gaming laptop that delivers incredible RTX gaming experience and touting a reasonable price to boot. It’s not that it’s cheap, especially at higher configurations. However, for what you’re paying, you’re getting a lot of power for your gaming needs. Read the full review: Gigabyte Aero 15 OLED The Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 (15-inch) will last you the whole work day on a single charge. We hoped for great things in the next Surface Laptop model. However, when the 2019 installment of this 15-inch laptop came out, it fell a bit short on both power and versatility. However, if it’s spec above are satisfactory to you and you require a device that will last you the whole work day on a single charge, then the Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 (15-inch) might just be the best 15-inch laptop for you. During our review, this device lasted 10 hours and 18 minutes in our TechRadar battery test. As long as you can forgive the lack of ports. Read the full review: Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 (15-inch) The good news for those after a business laptop in the 15-inch form factor is that there’s an incredible machine available in the form of the ThinkPad X1 Extreme. The bad news, though, is that the price tag is as extreme as the superb performance levels you’ll get with this portable. It’s difficult to know where to start in describing just how good this machine is. Maybe the 15.6-inch multi-touch display, which in the 4K HDR option is simply stunning and benefits from top-notch color accuracy? Or the speedy performance driven by a six-core CPU, GTX 1050 Ti graphics and superfast NVMe SSD? Or just the little things, like the well-featured connectivity, the refined keyboard, or the potential for upgrades with this laptop? As we already mentioned, the price may cause the odd eyebrow to rise or jaw to slacken – possibly both – but some corporate users will doubtless want to own the ultimate business laptop for their mission-critical tasks. And the ThinkPad X1 Extreme definitely fulfils that ‘ultimate’ billing, and arguably not just in the 15-inch world. Read the full review: Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme
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| Days of Play sales bring cheap PS4 games, headsets and PS Plus deals to your weekend Posted: 05 Jun 2020 09:22 AM PDT The Days of Play sales are in full swing, and you can grab yourself some cheap PS4 games, headsets, and even PS Plus deals this weekend. So, whether you want to catch up on some of the classics you missed or take the opportunity to grab some gear to enhance your gaming even further, the latest PS4 deals will offer everything you need to get started for less. Traditionally taking us through E3 with some excellent PS4 deals, the Days of Play sales are an excellent chance to grab some PlayStation gear for less. Even if things are running slightly differently this year, the deals on offer are delivering on their promise of cheap PS4 gear even if the keynote isn't around the corner. You'll find both the Gold and Platinum PS4 headsets on sale with $30 off right now, sitting at just $69.99 or $129.99 respectively. Plus, PS4 games are discounted across the board, with everything from Nioh 2 (now $39.99) to cheaper PlayStation Hits titles (starting at $9.99). You can even save 40% on your PS Plus membership, with deals starting at just $12 for a three month subscription this week. Not in the US? We're tracking all the latest PS4 deals right where you are further down the page. PS4 gaming headset deals
PS Plus deals
PS4 game deals
PlayStation VR game deals
Looking to get set up with your console first? We're tracking all the best PS4 bundles and deals available right now. Or, if you're taking a look at the competition, check out the latest Xbox One deals and sales. If you've just picked up your console, why not get everyone in on the action with the best cheap PS4 controller deals and sales about. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| The best iPhone 7 deals and prices in June 2020 Posted: 05 Jun 2020 08:22 AM PDT iPhone 7 deals have fallen behind very quickly in Apple's collection of devices. Yes, they aren't as powerful, big or fancy looking as some of the other iPhones but they are definitely one of the cheapest. The release of Apple's iPhone 11 and its two more powerful models was a big reminder of the costly nature of Apple and just another reason the iPhone 7 could be the ideal phone for you. Even now that iPhone SE deals are readily available, the iPhone 7 provides low prices you just can't get anywhere else. But of course, that super low price tag does come with a drop in specs. But despite its age the iPhone 7 still rocks many of the specs we have come to expect from Apple. A mid-size battery, strong processor and the much loved iOS features Apple has made famous. When it comes to choosing the tariff for you there is still a surprisingly large range of iPhone 7 deals. Big data remains affordable and brilliant cheap contracts under £20 are readily available. On this page you'll find all of the best iPhone 7 deals you can get right now. Whether you're looking for unlimited data, a free phone or any other type of tariff, you can use our comparison chart below to choose the cheapest option out there. Scroll down to find the best deal for you. And if you find yourself feeling like something just a little bit more powerful would be the best decision for you, consult our guide to the best mobile phone deals to see what else is out there right now.
The best iPhone 7 deal right now:Trading in your old phone for money off the iPhone 7:The iPhone 7 might be an extremely cheap iPhone but you can always save more money. one way to do that is by trading in your old phone. There is a plethora of sites that can do this but one of the best ones is Sellmymobile. It compares different recycling sites, listing their TrustPilot scores, how long it will take for you to get paid, how you send your phone and of course, how much you'll get. In terms of what you can earn, taking the Samsung Galaxy S8 as an example, you can get up to £126 for a working device or £32 for a completely broken device. Or if you have an iPhone 8, you could earn up to £183. Head to Sellmymobile.com to see how much you can get for your old phone The Apple iPhone 7 might now have fallen behind, becoming one of Apple's older devices and yet, the specs till hold up. The battery might not be market leading but for the price you pay for iPhone 7 deals, the water resistance, impressive camera and strong processor are a perfect combination. Read TechRadar's full iPhone 7 review Can iPhone 7 deals keep up with Apple's later releases?Released way back in 2016, the iPhone 7 has a good few years behind it. With that in mind it is clearly no longer Apple's latest and greatest release. If you want the fancy camera specs, massive batteries, big screens and all that comes with new releases, iPhone 11 deals will be the way to go. The exact area where the iPhone 7 really shines is as a very cheap iPhone. It offers some decent specs while holding on to the IOS features that many will be here for. What other cheap iPhones are out there?While iPhone 7 deals seem to be the most popular choice for people trying to land a cheap iPhone, there are a few other popular iPhones, now at lowered prices: - iPhone 8 deals Will the iPhone 7 get discontinued?Despite the handset's age, iPhone 7 deals seem to be holding out well with a lot of retailers continuing to hold stock. While Apple itself no longer sells the iPhone 7, this is no surprise as Apple tends to remove handsets from their website pretty quickly. The iPhone 7 should hold out for a while before its discontinued. Is the iPhone 7 still a good phone?By 2020's standards...not so much. With a range of impressive new smartphones out there, the iPhone 7 has fallen back a few years. However, iPhone 7 deals are all about affordability, considering the extremely low bills available, you are saving money by not getting 2020 specs. You still get a good camera, decent battery, powerful processor and all of the essential features you would need from a phone. Read more:
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| Samsung Galaxy Tab deals offer up free AKG headphones with every S6 Lite order Posted: 05 Jun 2020 08:10 AM PDT The latest Samsung Galaxy Tab deals are focusing on the S6 Lite model, with Samsung themselves throwing in a free pair of AKG Y500 headphones with every purchase. That means you can pick up the cheap tablet and sort yourself with an excellent pair of wireless headphones at the same time. We're running through the best way to take full advantage of this offer this weekend. You don't have to buy your Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite from Samsung to qualify for this deal. In fact, you can choose from any of the participating retailers. At the moment, all of these retailers are offering a £349 price tag on the 64GB Samsung tablet. However, John Lewis is bringing some extra incentives to the table. You can pick up your Samsung Galaxy Tab deal as well as four months of YouTube Premium, and a three-year guarantee for the same £349 price at John Lewis. That's extra peace of mind not included with other retailers' offerings. We're listing all the participating retailers further down the page so you can shop around, but you can find more information about John Lewis's offer below. Not in the UK? We're rounding up the best Samsung Galaxy Tab deals in the US and Australia at the bottom of the page. This weekend's best Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite dealTo claim this offer, simply purchase your Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite from a participating retailer, head to Samsung, and select the Claim Now option with your proof of purchase to hand. Once your claim has been validated, your AKG Y500 headphones will be sent. This deal is currently running until June 30, 2020. Samsung Galaxy Tab deals: all participating retailers
Check out all the latest Samsung tablet deals and sales right here on TechRadar. Or, if you're branching out you can take a look at the best cheap Android tablet deals and iPad prices going right now. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Intel Tiger Lake leaked benchmarks suggest good – and bad – news for AMD Posted: 05 Jun 2020 07:57 AM PDT Intel’s 11th-generation Tiger Lake quad-core CPU has been spotted once again in online benchmarks, and this time it's been pitted against the AMD Ryzen 7 4800U. The processor in question is the Intel Core i7-1165G7, a quad-core, eight-thread APU based on the chipmaker's new 10nm+ Willow Cove architecture. It looks set offer a big boost on the integrated GPU front too, with Intel Xe graphics - based on the same underlying architecture that will power the company's discrete GPUs later this year - coming into play.
Twitter tipster TUM_APISAK has shared the latest benchmarks for the Tiger Lake-U processor, which has an alleged base clock of 2.8GHz and a boost clock of 4.7GHz. In 3DMark 11, the Intel Core i7-1165G7 racked up a score 8,020 in the physics test and 6,217 in the graphics test, given the as-yet-unannounced processor and overall score of 6,211. Tiger Lake vs RenoirWhen compared to the AMD Ryzen 7 4800U, which offers the same 15W TDP but double the number of cores and threads, the Tiger Lake-U chip falls short in the performance stakes. Team Red's 8-core, 16-thread Renoir-U chip scored an impressive 12,494 in the physics test - around 56.% higher than the incoming Intel CPU. However, the Intel Core i7-1165G7 also fails to match its Ice Lake-based Core i7-1065G7 predecessor, suggesting the Tiger Lake CPU is still far from its final form. Saying that, the Intel APU managed to best AMD’s Ryzen 7 4800U in the graphics tests, with Team Red's Vega iGPU delivering a slightly lower score of 6,104 points. This suggests that even though it’s still in its early stages, Intel’s Xe architecture will give AMD a run for its money - at least until Big Navi shows up. Intel Tiger Lake processors, which will be kept exclusive to notebook devices, are expected to show up in mid-2020, with Intel confirming that it'll appear in some 50+ laptop designs at the end of the year. However, it's worth remembering that AMD's Ryzen 4000 mobile chips are expected to debut in something like 150 notebooks through 2020. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Linux and Windows systems targeted by new Tycoon ransomware Posted: 05 Jun 2020 07:37 AM PDT A new ransomware strain is targeting Linux and Windows systems across a number of industries, security experts have warned. The malware, given the name Tycoon by the researchers at BlackBerry Research and Intelligence Team in partnership with KPMG’s UK Cyber Response Services that discovered it, is operating what appear to be highly targeted attacks at SMBs in the software and education industries. The ransomware is even more dangerous as it does not just affect one family of devices, but both Windows and Linux, which are widely used across the targeted industries.
Tycoon ransomwareThe team observed that Tycoon appears to be manually deployed, with the operators targeting individual systems and connecting an RDP server. Once a target had been identified and infiltrated using local administrator credentials, the attacker disabled an antivirus and installed a ProcessHacker hacker-as-a-service utility. The ransomware takes the form of a a trojanized Java Runtime Environment (JRE) which escapes detection by piggy-backing on an obscure Java image format. The settings for image file execution options (IFEO) are stored in the Windows registry, ostensibly to give developers an option to debug their software through the attachment of a debugging application during the execution of a target application. Once the ransomware is executed on a system, the malware would proceed to encrypt file servers and demand a ransom from the victims. BlackBerry noted that the malicious JRE build used contained both Windows and Linux versions, suggesting the criminals wanted to target multiple systems and servers. "Malware writers are constantly seeking new ways of flying under the radar," BlackBerry wrote in a blog post explaining the findings. "They are slowly moving away from conventional obfuscation and shifting towards uncommon programming languages and obscure data formats. We have already seen a substantial increase in ransomware written in languages such as Java and Go. This is the first sample we've encountered that specifically abuses the Java JIMAGE format to create a custom malicious JRE build." "Tycoon has been in the wild for at least six months, but there seems to be a limited number of victims. This suggests the malware may be highly targeted. It may also be a part of a wider campaign using several different ransomware solutions, depending on what is perceived more successful in specific environments."
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| This major change to Google search makes it easier to find what you're looking for Posted: 05 Jun 2020 07:13 AM PDT People use search engines in a variety of ways, and if you're just looking for general information about a subject, it's a simple matter of clicking search results. But if you're looking for references to a particular snippet of text, finding where it has been mentioned on a page can be problematic. Google has always been able to surface pages which contain the text you search for, but now an important change is being made that will make it easier to locate the text. It means you'll no longer have to press Ctrl and F to perform a secondary search for a phrase once you have visited a page.
When you experience the change, you will wonder why on Earth Google didn't do this earlier. So what's the change? It's actually something that the company has been doing with AMP pages (Accelerated Mobile Pages) for around a year and a half. When you click on a snippet of text in search results, you'll be transported to that exact piece of text on a page. More than this, Google will also highlight the text in question helping to dramatically speed things up. It's great if you're looking to find the full text of what was said next in a speech, but don’t want to have to read through a lengthy transcript to track it down – Google does the hard work for you, and take you straight there. While this is great for searchers, it might not be so great for websites as it means that visitors could jump past ads straight to content. Seek and ye shall findThe great news about the feature from the point of view of anyone with a website is that no action needs to be taken by the site owner. There are no changes to code needed, as Google takes care of the whole process entirely automatically. Just as it has done with AMP pages, it is now doing with HTML pages too. It is possible, however, for site administrators to opt out of the "featured snippets" feature, as Google explains in a support document. The company explained on Twitter how the feature makes use of the Scroll to text function to take searchers directly to text snippets: While, in theory, the feature should work in all browsers, there may be issues from time to time. Chrome is likely to yield the best results but, as ever, it's worth ensuring you have all of the latest updates installed for your browser of choice.
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| Audible: the best discounts and promo codes currently available Posted: 05 Jun 2020 06:54 AM PDT We all know Audible can be an expensive service, but thankfully there's always a few Audible promos and discounts you can take advantage of to get you up and running with a respectable library in no time. While there are currently no actual Audible promo codes to use on the Audible site itself, there is a fantastic promotion and a hefty Audible discount available. Right now you can get 4 months of membership for If you're an existing member, there are also some excellent benefits that you may not have been aware of, including the free access to over 300 kids audiobooks and handy links to the Audible daily deal. To see what's available this week, simply scroll down to the Audible promo codes section further down the page. The best Audible discount right nowWith this discount, you'll be saving $28 over the space of four months, which is fantastic when you think you'll already be getting four free audiobooks, 8 Audible Originals, and a 30% storewide discount. Note, however, that this Audible discount is only available for new subscribers only, so if you're an existing subscriber then you're unfortunately not eligible. We've got a really in-depth breakdown of what's included with an Audible membership, as well as frequently asked questions in our Audible price and membership guide. If you're still on the fence, then you can also check out the 30-day free trial of Audible, which we've also broken down with a detailed Audible free trial guide. Audible promo codesWhile there are currently no promotional codes that will get you free membership months on Audible, there are some great free giveaways and bonuses to be had, including free access to over 300 kids audiobooks. We've listed out the best Audible offers down below, including where to get the Audible daily deal. Audible promo codes: how to save moneyAudible promo codes tend to be pretty rare, so often the best savings are to be had around one-off membership promotions (such as the one included at the top of this article) or by getting a discount in the Audible deal of the day. Most of the Audible membership discounts tend to revolve around new subscribers, so if you're an existing member it's extremely unlikely that you'll be able to knock some cost off next month's bill. Existing members, however, do have access to the audiobook deals section on the Audible site, where Audible tends to put up sales on a fairly regular basis. This Audible discounts can run anywhere from 10% to 30% discounts to $5 audiobook deals, so they can be a great way to save a little bit of cash on the side when used in conjunction with your 30% off flat storewide membership discount. Other excellent Amazon servicesIf you've already got Audible but still want to save some cash, Amazon has a load of other excellent subscription services that you can check out for free. Everything's covered here, from movies, music, books to TV, and you're sure to find something of interest. Most of these subscription services run a 30-day free trial, with a few even offering up to 6-months for free. All of these will require your card details to sign up to but remember you can simply cancel your subscription immediately and still get full access for 30-days - giving you a lot of time to check out the service without incurring any cost. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
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