Why Intel and Nvidia controversies prove you should always wait for benchmarks
Recent launches of hardware from Intel and Nvidia have been mired by concerns over misleading benchmark results which heavily favored their new products over the competition. This is a great time remind ourselves that pre-ordering hardware without third-party test results is a bad idea for a number of reasons.
Surface Studio 2 vs. iMac Pro: Which all-in-one rules them all?
Apple and Microsoft have faced off in many hardware and software arenas over the years, but the all-in-one space is as hotly competitive as any other. Pitting the Surface Studio 2 vs. iMac Pro sees two of the most powerful singular computing systems in the world competing head to head, to see which is the best.
Windows Insiders get fix for October 2018 Update’s data delete bug
Microsoft has released an updated version of its Windows 10 October 2018 update to Windows Insiders which includes a fix for the data deletion bug that plagued a few users upon the initial release of the OS overhaul. Insiders will get a chance to test this patched version before the rollout resumes.
3DMark’s new Night Raid benchmark gives integrated graphics their own test
UL Benchmarks has launched a new benchmark as part of its 3DMark test suite called Night Raid. Aimed at integrated graphics chips and Microsoft's Always Connected line of ARM-powered laptops, the test will give those with lower-powered systems the chance to see how capable their PCs are at basic gaming.
Superpowered MSI Trident X packs RGB lighting, Intel 9900K, and a GTX 2080 Ti
MSI's new Trident X gaming PC is a compact powerhouse with RGB lighting and some of the best components in the world isolated into their own cooling chambers. Options include RTX 2070, 2080, and 2080 Ti GPUs, and up to a Core i9900K CPU with 32GB of memory for near-unparalleled gaming power for the foreseeable future.
More Spectre protection comes with some of Intel’s new 9th-gen CPUs, but not all
Intel's upcoming ninth-generation Core CPUs have a number of enhancements over their predecessors, but its K-chips have the potential to be the most impactful. They are the first desktop CPUs to come with hardware fixes for the dangerous Spectre and Meltdown bugs which have plagued millions of chips.
AMD Ryzen will add two budget CPUs, gaming-oriented update October 29
AMD will expand its range of Threadripper CPUs on October 29 with the launch of the 2970WX and 2920X chips. They will be joined by a new Dynamic Local Mode software update, which AMD claims will improve the gaming performance of its WX CPUs, potentially making them the new kings of benchmarking.
Intel Optane memory: Everything you need to know
Intel's new Optane technology powers the fastest drives we've ever seen and can even enhance older drives to give them the performance of much faster modern storage devices. But what's happening under the hood to make that happen? And does Optane memory turn traditional storage dynamics on their head?
Confused by Wi-Fi standards? Simplified branding will start with Wi-Fi 6
The future 802.11ax specification for wireless internet connectivity is set to be renamed as Wi-Fi 6, with retroactive renaming of the last two generations of Wi-Fi as Wi-Fi 5 and Wi-Fi 4. This rebranding is hoped to make it easier for consumers to understand what speeds and features they can expect from new purchases.
Windows’ October 2018 update wants to be best buds with your phone
Windows 10's October 2018 update is finally upon us and it brings with it a number of great productivity and quality of life improvements to a number of facets of the OS. From Microsoft Edge, to Office 365, it should be easier to use, with new AI enhancements, and better integrated with our smartphones than ever before.
Oculus Quest vs. Oculus Go
Since the original Oculus Rift debuted, Oculus VR has spent much of its efforts in making the technology more accessible. The Oculus Go and Oculus Quest improve ergonomics, reduce the price, and cut out the need for additional hardware. But which offers the better entry-level VR experience for new users?
HP tries out a new premium laptop look with the leather-clad Spectre Folio
A leather laptop? You didn't misread that. HP's Spectre Folio is a laptop that's wrapped and bonded with premium, real leather that might not please animal rights' activists, but could be the first entry in a new breed of premium, fashion statement laptops that provide a warmer, softer touch to modern computing.
Google Pixel Slate — the first detachable Pixelbook 2-in-1
One Google Pixelbook sequels expected to be unveiled at its upcoming #madebygoogle event on October 9 is Nocturne, which we now know is likely to be officially called the Google Pixel Slate. A convertible, 2-in-1 tablet device, it should sport a higher resolution display and better touchscreen support.
Surface Studio 2 benchmarks show a system with unimpressive hardware
A rumored Microsoft Surface Studio 2 is expected to be unveiled at an upcoming show in early October, but benchmarks that claim to be from that particular piece of hardware aren't exactly impressive. In Geekbench tests, the Surface Studio 2 is barely 10 percent faster than its 2-year-old predecessor.
The next big Windows update could launch as soon as October 2
A new rumor suggests that Microsoft's Windows 10 October update could release to consumers and businesses around the world on October 2. That's far sooner than was initially expected, but would line up nicely with the planned Surface event Microsoft is holding that same day to debut new products in that line.
How many GPU video ports is too many? The Aorus RTX 2080 packs seven
A new RTX 2080 graphics card form Aorus is in the works, which could be the most impressive of the new-generation graphics cards. It comes with three high-performance cooling fans, RGB lighting, a four-year warranty, and as many as seven video ports providing greater user choice than its contemporaries.
Chrome OS update could make switching to tablet mode far easier
Chromebooks could become a little easier to use in tablet mode soon thanks to an impending update for Chrome and the operating system its based on. It looks set to dynamically change the size of icons in the UI depending on the configuration of the Chromebook, making touch icons easier to select.
U.N. security blunder left secret Trello boards, Google Docs exposed
The United Nations left as many as 50 Trello boards and Google Documents available to anyone who managed to dig up their unique URL, and some of the unprotected data contained passwords and other sensitive information. Some of the cards and boards were even accessible through Google searches.
How to sign up for Amazon Prime
There are all sorts of benefits to being an Amazon Prime member, from free audiobooks, to free access to exclusive TV shows, music, and deals on the retail website itself. But in order to take advantage of all of that, you need to know how to sign up for Amazon Prime. We're here to help. Just follow these short steps.
Ripple cryptocurrency jumps 70 percent in 24 hours after news of bank deal
A tease that the Ripple (XRP) cryptocurrency might soon be adopted by a number of banks to speed up and ease international money transfers has sent its value skyrocketing. In 24 hours, it reached its highest value in 2018, jumping more than 70 percent in some cases and XRP trades even top Bitcoin in the past 24 hours.
Chromebook keyboard showcase may have leaked Pixelbook 2 images
Some new images from an aftermarket keyboard manufacturer may have revealed what the next-generation Pixelbook device looks like. However, not everyone is convinced. There are some stark differences between these new images and what we expect the rumored Google Pixelbook 2 to look like when released.
Heavily overclocked RTX 2080 Ti steals every 3DMark record
A heavily overclocked Nvidia RTX 2080 Ti has broken every top graphics record on the 3DMark benchmarking application. He needed liquid nitrogen cooling, but overclocker Kingpin has beaten 1080 Ti and Titan V graphics card setups with the brand-new hardware to steal the top spots in a number of rankings.
Windows improves handwriting-recognition skills at the peril of users’ security
Windows handwriting recognition gradually improves the system's ability to figure out what your squiggly cursive really says, but it may also be a security concern. A forensics researcher has found that one file stores almost all the text on your system to help improve the handwriting service.
A vigilante botnet is taking out crypto-jacking malware
A new botnet with links to the Satori botnet has been spotted in the wild by security researchers. Known as Fbot, it doesn't look to spread malware though. It destroys it. It searches websites for a particular piece of crypto-jacking malware, takes it over, and then destroys it, deleting itself in the process.
Microsoft could debut transparent Surface Dial sequel at October event
Microsoft may debut not just Surface laptops and 2-in-1s and its upcoming October event, but a second-generation Surface Dial as well. A new FCC filing suggests as much, and drawing on patents filed by Microsoft earlier this year, it could well be a transparent Surface Dial that lets you see right through to the screen below.
Overclocking made simple: Nvidia RTX cards turn up the heat with a single click
Nvidia's new Scanner API is able to automatically overclock its 2000-series graphics cards with just a single click. The smart tool will look at the low-level math processed by the GPU to detect any stability issues during testing, letting it push cards to their maximum without intermittent stability testing.
Those $1 Bitcoins at Walmart have one big catch — they’re made of chocolate
Walmart's new Bitcoin chocolate coins are priced at just $1 a pack, giving cryptocurrency investors the chance to hold something real in their hands for the first time. Better yet, if they ever get tired of 'holding' their investment, they can always just tear off the faux-gold wrapper and eat them.
ProtonVPN and NordVPN patched up vulnerabilities before they became known
Don't fret -- your VPN is safer than recent news may suggest. Hot off of the back of an announcement of flaws and bugs in both NordVPN and ProtonVPN which could leave users vulnerable, the two companies have responded to make it clear that the exploits were discovered and patched out several weeks ago.
Nvidia RTX 2080 reviews may not drop until September 19
Reviews for Nvidia's RTX 2080 graphics card may not release until September 19 if new rumors of changes to the NDA are to be believed. Supposedly due to difficulties with shipping cards and drivers to reviewers, Nvidia is said to have extended the date to give them extra time to test the RTX hardware.
AMD Ryzen 2500X and 2300X expand quad-core options for new CPUs
AMD launched some new Ryzen CPUs: The 2500X and 2300X. They occupy the lower-part of the mid-range and should be solid gaming CPUs. They won't be targeted at end-users however, and will instead give system builders and OEMs the option of slightly cheaper components for their builds than the existing Ryzen options.
Predator Helios 500 vs. Alienware 17 R5
Picking a gaming laptop is a big decision because they're never as upgradeable as their desktop cousins, so you're stuck with what you choose for some time to come. But they can be amazing machines if you buy the right on. In this latest head to head, we pit the Predator Helios 500 vs. Alienware 17 R5 to see which is best.
Lenovo beats Google to the punch with the first 4K Chromebook
Lenovo has debuted the first 4K Chromebook at IFA 2018, beating Google to the punch. While a new-generation Pixelbook is expected to come with at least a 4K screen option, Lenovo's new Chromebook has already strutted its stuff. It packs powerful hardware, too, including an Intel Core i5 CPU and 8GB of RAM.