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Aug 23, 2019
Choosing a gaming keyboard is a matter of personal taste. To that point, there are a plethora of options, with a dizzying mix of features. One person could be into Cherry Browns and white backlighting. Another might favor Razer Greens and a rippling RGB glow. Gigantic wrist pads, compact shapes, numeric keypads, macro keys, volume controls.... You get the picture
To help you sort through the many options, we've rounded up a large number of planks, putting them through their paces, to come up with our top recommendations. All of these are mechanical keyboards, and for good reason—they're simply more comfortable to use over the long haul. But we're open-minded, so if we encounter an alternative that works well, you may see it appear on this list. We'll keep updating it periodically as we test new keyboards.
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Aug 23, 2019
Maybe you heard, Mad Catz is back from the dead. And so far it's been a rousing return! We looked at the return of the famed R.A.T. earlier this year and came away impressed. Sure, it's not to everyone's taste, but you won't find a mouse that modular anywhere else. It's a unique design, befitting a comeback.
But the S.T.R.I.K.E.? I admit, I don't have the same nostalgia for Mad Catz's keyboard efforts. Nevertheless, we went hands-on with the Strike 4 (because there's no way in hell I'm typing that as a faux-acronym every time) to see whether Mad Catz could become a multi-market threat, or whether it should stick to mice to avoid a second bankruptcy.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Aug 23, 2019
The SoundCore Life Q20 headphone surprised us with its rich, lifelike sound and a comfortable fit that allowed for lengthy listening sessions.
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Aug 23, 2019
Intel's quad-core, eight-thread Core i7-2600K came this close to cracking our Full Nerd podcast's inaugural PC Hall of Fame and for damned good reason. The Sandy Bridge-era flagship delivered a near-perfect enthusiast experience for the time, piling on threads while simultaneously loading up spectacular single-thread performance—the opposite of Bulldozer, AMD's disastrous rival CPU architecture. Sandy Bridge was significantly faster than what came before it.
And it overclocked like a beast too! Hang around forums long enough and you'll undoubtedly run into old-timers waxing poetic about pushing the processor to 4.7GHz without breaking a sweat. The Core i7-2600K kicked so much ass that it still powers some gaming PCs eight long years about its debut.
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Aug 22, 2019
Anyone who uses a smartphone knows the importance of carrying a backup power bank. But given the large number of options on Amazon, you might feel overwhelmed, understandably. Besides the various charging specs, ports, and even cables you have to consider, there are a ton of competing brands. It's common to see products from Anker, Mophie, and MyCharge, but how do you know which ones deliver on their promises? Is it worth saving a few bucks if a battery pack's performance is lacking?
As for the latter, be advised: Amazon voluntarily recalled six different models of its AmazonBasics-branded external power banks after they were found to potentially overheat.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Aug 22, 2019
Join The Full Nerd gang as they talk about the latest PC hardware topics. On today's episode we talk about the Intel Comet Lake news, Jensens' rant about how it's crazy not to buy RTX, other Gamescom news, and we present our best $500 budget builds. As always we will be answering your live questions so speak up in the chat.
If YouTube is not your thing you can also watch us on Twitch, Facebook, and Twitter.
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Aug 22, 2019
Get ready to take Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant on the road in Bose's just-announced portable smart speaker, due to arrive next month.
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Aug 22, 2019
With models based on Alexa, Google Assistant, Siri, Cortana, and others to come, we'll help you find just the right model for you.
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Aug 22, 2019
After six betas, there isn't much we don't know about the next version of Android, but there was still one burning question: What dessert starts with the letter Q?
As it turns out, there aren't any good ones. Android Quik? Android Quesito? These would have been ridiculous. But now it's all moot, as Google has dumped its sweet treat naming scheme altogether, falling back on numbers as identifiers. This year's release will be Android 10. That's it.
Google isn't saying that it was just too damned hard to come up with a pronounceable dessert that begins with Q. Rather, it's saying that this development was a long time coming, as the rest of the world was sometimes confused with U.S.-centric branding. As Google explains: "Pies are not a dessert in some places, and that marshmallows, while delicious, are not a popular treat in many parts of the world."
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Aug 22, 2019
The last time I tested a portable battery from Mophie was in 2017 when I reviewed the Powerstation Plus XL. It was impressive enough to earn PCWorld's Editors' Choice award as the best overall power bank. Now it's time for it to be replaced by its burly brethren: Mophie's Powerstation XXL, a $70 battery pack that has more capacity and is just as efficient.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Aug 22, 2019
With the Hallmark Channel and more for $6 per month, Frndly TV is the cheapest live TV streaming bundle yet.
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Aug 22, 2019
It won't win any speed records, but the Acer Aspire 5 A515-54-30BQ makes for a compelling bargain-priced laptop all the same. This $400 model of the Aspire 5 packs a roomy full-HD display and a solid dual-core Intel CPU into a slim chassis that weighs less than four pounds. Its smooth day-to-day performance and long battery life should keep productivity-minded users happy. You'll have to settle for some compromises, however, including a cramped 128GB solid-state drive and just 4MB of RAM.
Price and specifications
Acer offers at least 22 configurations in its budget Aspire 5 line, ranging from $350 for a dual-core AMD Ryzen 3 3200U-powered model with a bare-bones 4GB of RAM and a 128GB solid-state drive, all the way to $850 for a far beefier quad-core Core i7-8565 model with a healthy 12GB of RAM, a 512GB SSD, and dedicated Nvidia GeForce MX250 graphics. Most Aspire 5 versions boast a 15.6-inch display (although I spotted at least one 14-inch model), with a mix of 1080p and 720p resolutions.
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Aug 22, 2019
The Amazon Echo Auto brings Alexa into your car, but it relies too much on your existing technology to be of much use.
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Aug 21, 2019
Fires can be devastating, but water damage is a far more common risk. These smart devices will alert you if your home springs a leak, so you can take action quickly.
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Aug 21, 2019
The Radeon RX 5700 series graphics cards kicked off a new era for AMD, and not just because they're great cards. The "Navi" graphics processors beating in their heart are the first GPUs built using the cutting-edge 7nm manufacturing process, and more importantly for AMD, they mark the debut of the company's new underlying "RDNA" architecture, which replaces the "Graphics Core Next" architecture that has powered Radeon GPUs since 2012. On Wednesday, AMD brought a treat for graphics geeks, in the form of a PDF whitepaper revealing RDNA's technical details.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Aug 21, 2019
Intel executives said Tuesday that its hybrid Lakefield architecture will ship late in the fourth quarter, followed by future revisions that will shrink the design further.
Previously, Intel has said only that Lakefield will ship in 2019.
Intel
Lakefield is one of the more technically interesting chips that Intel has on its roadmap, made up of a split between an undisclosed Sunny Cove CPU (the same CPU architecture that forms the heart of its Ice Lake chip) and several Tremont Atom cores. At the Hot Chips conference Tuesday at Stanford University, Sanjeev Khushu, a vice president in the Infrastructure and Platform Solutions Group at Intel, said that Lakefield would be the first of successive generations of similar designs.
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Aug 21, 2019
If you backed Wasteland 3's crowdfunding attempt, today's the day it bears fruit. InXile has created a short, combat-heavy demo-slash-alpha for people to dig into and give feedback on. If you didn't back? Then you'll have to live vicariously.
We met up with InXile earlier this week to play the very same slice of Wasteland 3. It's been a long time coming, and I was excited—after all, this is the sequel to our 2014 Game of the Year.
A life well wasted
Though to be fair, Wasteland 2 didn't win those accolades based on its combat. It was enjoyable, sure, resurrecting the turn-based tactics of the isometric Fallout entries. But Wasteland 2's writing did the heavier part of the lifting, carrying a somewhat-rickety collection of mechanics to the top of our podium.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Aug 21, 2019
If your brain broke this morning when Intel announced its 10th-gen Comet Lake laptop CPUs, which will sell alongside its 10th-gen Ice Lake chips, we understand.
Among the two different manufacturing processes (one advanced and one very refined) as well as very different graphics cores, core counts and power levels, it's confusing enough to make you want to switch to a Windows on ARM laptop (just kidding, we're not that frustrated). Even Intel itself admits there "might be some confusion" between its different 10th-gen CPUs.
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Aug 21, 2019
Intel's Comet Lake 10th-gen Core chips reveal what Intel was alluding to a few weeks ago: It's shipping a replacement for the 8th-gen Whiskey Lake mobile processors currently powering most notebook PCs, with a new memory controller and substantially faster clock speeds.
Comet Lake is actually more like than unlike Whiskey Lake. Both chips use Whiskey Lake's 14nm CPU architecture. Comet Lake is clocked faster, yet it still remains within roughly the same thermal constraints. Both families primarily use four cores and eight threads, though Comet Lake adds a single six-core option. Nevertheless, Intel is positioning Comet Lake as a 10th-gen chip, in the same family as its recently-introduced Ice Lake.
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Aug 21, 2019
There's buzz around the Apple Card, but you can do better. Try one of these options instead.
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Aug 21, 2019
Apple announced a brand new credit card at its 'Show time' event with low interest rates, no fees, and daily rewards. But is it worth adding to your wallet?
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Aug 20, 2019
Microsoft's Chromium-based Edge browser has reached beta status, meaning that Microsoft feels like the new version of Edge is available for everyday use for Windows and MacOS.
The new Edge beta channel allows users to download major new builds every six weeks, joining the weekly developers-only channel as well as the nightly "canary" builds. Microsoft's Chromium-based Edge browser shares the same core rendering engine as Google Chrome, though Microsoft has implemented some features differently.
Microsoft is preparing to phase out the EdgeHTML-based version of Edge in favor of the new Chromium version, which is designed to allow users access to Chrome extensions and plug-ins, and attract more users to the browser. The beta channel will be the last official channel before launch, which will happen at some future, undisclosed time. It's also the most stable channel, while more features (and more bugs!) are available in the Canary and Developer channels.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Aug 20, 2019
Nvidia wants everyone to know that those nifty graphics features AMD and Intel have been touting are cute, but watch this. On Tuesday at Gamescom, Nvidia dropped the Gamescom Game Ready driver, a massive update that:
Increases frame rates by as much as 23 percent in some games
Decreases the mouse click-to-reaction latency in games
Adds integer scaling
Lets you personalize image sharpening
The bread and butter of the driver are performance improvements for Apex Legends, Battlefield V, Forza Horizon, Strange Brigade and World War Z. Performance improvements vary by game, resolution and GPU, but the the buffs seem fairly decent, with most of the improvements in the double-digit range.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Aug 20, 2019
Here's everything you need to now about Apple's new credit card.
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Aug 20, 2019
The Dell OptiPlex 7070 Ultra answers a prayer. This long, slender mini-PC slides into the back of a monitor stand, creating the first all-in-one that's modular and upgradable.
Officially, it's designed for corporate desk jockeys needing to de-clutter their open-office workspaces. Anyone who's had to junk an entire all-in-one PC because one component has died, however, understands why we're so excited about this design.
Dell
The OptiPlex 7070 Ultra measures a slender 10.09 x 3.78 x 0.78 inches, and weighs 1.43 pounds.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Aug 20, 2019
The SN30 Pro is the first full-size gaming controller from 8BitDo, building upon an already solid track record of smaller-sized offerings. With the SN30 Pro , 8BitDo maintains the classic Nintendo design cues and modern features present in other models, but offers robust software on the PC that enables deep customization options.
At first glance it looks like a SN30 Pro with handles, but its larger size makes it more comfortable for longer gaming sessions. And while the SN30 Pro is the best pro controller option for the Nintendo Switch, it has some stiffer competition on the PC—which is where I'll be focusing this review.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Aug 20, 2019
Netvue makes a big AI promise for its Belle video doorbell, but that feature falls flat.
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Aug 19, 2019
If you're a fan of AMD's Threadripper, don't worry: More details are coming "soon" on the next-generation Threadripper chip, AMD chief executive Lisa Su said Monday.
Su, speaking at the Hot Chips conference at Stanford University, was pressed to provide more context on when a next-gen Threadripper would ship. In a series of questions by Anandtech's Ian Cutress on when new information would be provided, Su's responses ranged from "soon" to "less than a year," finally settling on a commitment to provide more information in 2019.
Su's comments followed Threadripper's conspicuous absence from Su's Computex keynote in Taiwan, then statements that Threadripper wasn't being ignored. However, it remains unclear what AMD will announce, or when.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Aug 19, 2019
With E3 in what appears to be a slow death spiral, there's a push to make Gamescom the new tentpole summer event. Whether that will happen? I'm pretty skeptical—but it does mean a new showcase for trailers, closing out the slow summer months with a bang.
For 2019, Geoff Keighley hosted the first Gamescom Opening Night, a sort of companion show to his annual Game Awards in December. They even managed to sandwich the trailers between awkward award presentations, if you can believe it.
Gears 5
At E3 2019, Microsoft chose to focus on Gears 5's multiplayer modes—and just multiplayer. It was a bit of a weird choice, but Gamescom finally gave us a Nine Inch Nails-backed look at the campaign, our first in a while.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Aug 19, 2019
If you've become accustomed to thinking of CPUs and GPUs that can fit in the palm of your hand, think again—Cerebras Systems says that it's designed the largest chip ever, one that's as large as your computer's keyboard.
Cerebras is scheduled to unveil this whopper of a chip tonight at the Hot Chips conference at Stanford University. While the largest GPU includes 21.1 billion transistors, and requires 815 square millimeters of die space, the Cerebras Systems chip includes 1.2 trillion transistors, and requires 46,225 square millimeters of silicon. That's 71.64 square inches, or a rectangular chip that would measure about 8 inches by 9 inches. It's so large that Cerebras published photos comparing it to a PC keyboard!
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Aug 19, 2019
Give Google some credit, I guess: Whether or not you believe in Stadia, its upcoming video game streaming platform, we sure will know a lot about it when it finally arrives. Today Google hosted its third major Stadia event in six months, detailing more games coming to the service in the ambiguous "release window," exclusive and otherwise.
We now know that window stretches to at least April 2020, as Google led off with CD Projekt's Cyberpunk 2077. It's a pretty good get, as not only is Cyberpunk one of 2020's most anticipated games, it's also bound to be one of the most technologically demanding. The promise of being able to play on Stadia, getting maxed-out 4K visuals without investing in a high-end graphics card of your own? That's pretty damn neat—if it works.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Aug 19, 2019
If you rip and library your own media, there's no better tool for storing and streaming it than a NAS box. These versatile storage devices also serve as the perfect personal, secure cloud for backing up your PCs and other devices.
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Aug 19, 2019
Long before Microsoft teased Project xCloud or Google revealed Stadia, Nvidia launched GeForce Now, its surprisingly playable solution for on-demand gaming from the cloud. The service has been in beta since early 2017, and Nvidia's finally preparing for its full release with a pair of new announcements at Gamescom 2019 in Cologne, Germany: real-time ray tracing is coming to GeForce Now, and GeForce Now is coming to Android phones.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Aug 19, 2019
Ahead of a press event on Monday, August 28, images of the Sonos Move have leaked, showing off the company's new portable speaker.
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Aug 19, 2019
These days, flagship PC hardware tends to sell out mere hours after launching. We saw it with Nvidia's GeForce RTX 2080 Ti. We saw it with Intel's Core i9-9900K. We saw it with AMD's Ryzen 7 3900X. Why do the biggest companies in computing struggle to keep their most powerful parts in stock?
Empty-handed enthusiasts often complain that it's a manufactured PR ploy, but the truth is more nuanced, as PCWorld CPU guru Gordon Mah Ung explains in the video below. Making badass, bleeding-edge hardware is complicated!
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Aug 19, 2019
A mere week after Mojang killed Minecraft's long-promised Super Duper Graphics Pack, the company announced another massive visual upgrade for the world's best-selling PC game: Real-time ray tracing is coming to the Windows 10 Edition of Minecraft.
Mojang is partnering with Nvidia to add full-blown path tracing to Minecraft. While most of the RTX-compatible modern games released thus far only enable one or two real-time ray tracing effects—such as global illumination or real-time reflections—fully path-traced games use ray tracing for all lighting effects. It's very computationally intensive, which is probably why it's only been enabled in a pair of old-school games so far: Quake II RTX and soon Minecraft.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Aug 19, 2019
Users of Spotify's family plan will finally be getting some parental controls later this year, including a long-awaited filter for songs with explicit lyrics.
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Aug 19, 2019
It's finally here. AMD gets to hoist the trophy in the race to the next-generation PCIe 4.0 interface for desktop PCs. By combining its superb Ryzen 3000 CPUs, the powerful Radeon RX 5700 graphics cards, the X570 motherboard chipset, and a new spate of PCIe 4.0 SSDs, consumers can now build or buy the first PCIe 4.0-based PCs.
PCIe 4.0 sounds exciting—it's the first big change to the interface since 2010. But as always, the questions of who can get it (and who can't), and who really needs it, are more nuanced than you'd think. Keep reading to get the all the details.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Aug 19, 2019
iMessage for Android might be on the wishlist of tech journalists and pundits, but it wouldn't make much sense for Apple.
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Aug 19, 2019
The QNAP HS-453DX is the most capable multimedia NAS box on the planet. But it's very pricey and just how useful its direct audio/video output will be depends on your setup. But it's not dead easy to use.
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Aug 19, 2019
In no uncertain terms, there's nothing about the $350 Galaxy A50 that's only half as good as the $750 S10e. Quite frankly, there's nothing about it that's only 40 percent as good as the $900 S10, either. I know that's not technically how pricing works, but when you have two phones from the same company that are priced so far apart, it's only natural to compare them.
Unlike the Google Pixel 3a, which basically copied the Pixel 3 note for note with subtle downgrades to bring down the price, there are some major differences between the mid-range A50 and the premium Galaxy S10 . But the main similarities—a giant OLED display, triple-camera array, in-screen fingerprint sensor, and a selfie cutout—give the phones a remarkable kinship. They even have the same pretty, prism-inspired color options and IP68 water resistance.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Aug 16, 2019
Users have been waiting for the first significant builds of the upcoming Windows 10 20H1 feature release to drop, and build 18963 is just that. It offers improvements to the Task Manager, Settings, Windows Search, and even your account picture.
None of the new features should be considered barn-burners, but we haven't seen this breadth of variety very often with the upcoming 20H1 release. (While the 20H1 release, due in the spring of 2020, is the "feature release," Microsoft has said before that the 19H2 release due this fall will be built around optimizations and bug fixes.)
Here's a list of what's new, starting off with a feature designed for PC enthusiasts:
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Aug 16, 2019
The mouse is a simple tool: point and click. That's it. But if you're a PC gamer, you know that pushing virtual paper around on your desktop isn't the same as fragging bots and shooting zombies. (Not even remotely.)
What's more, picking the right gaming mouse is an intensely personal decision. Every little detail—its overall shape and size, the shape and placement its buttons, its cable (or lack thereof), its weight, its materials—can change how you feel about it. More than any other peripheral, a mouse is the hardest to recommend, because there is no objectively perfect mouse. Everyone's hands are different.
That said, we can guide you on your search. Below are our recommendations for gaming mice, built on years of experience first and foremost as gamers, and second as writers here at PCWorld.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Aug 16, 2019
A boom in wireless security cameras is inspiring a movement in DIY home surveillance. Follow our buying guide and read our reviews to find the best option for you.
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Aug 16, 2019
Would you spend $200 on a mouse? Should you spend $200 on a mouse? Always a fan of gloriously pricey peripherals, I recently took the Swiftpoint Z for a spin to find out. At $230 list, I'm pretty sure it's the most expensive mouse I've ever used—and it certainly tries to justify that price with a laundry list of experimental features. (Note: As of this writing, Amazon is selling the Swiftpoint Z for $150.)
Or gimmicks, if you're feeling less generous.
Let's get into it though. If nothing else, the Swiftpoint Z is at least the most interesting mouse I've ever laid hands on. Get ready to rethink every assumption you've ever had about how a mouse should function.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Aug 16, 2019
Despite what's been said for years about CPUs, megahertz still matters. So just how much should you be freaked out at the lower clock frequencies of Intel's new 10th-gen Ice Lake CPUs? The answer goes beyond simple numbers.
The issue, of course, is the lackadaisical top clock speed of Intel's fastest 10th-gen Ice Lake Core i7-1065G7 CPU: 3.9GHz. Compared to the 8th-gen Core i7-8565U's 4.6GHz, the Ice Lake part is nearly 15 percent slower. It gives up a full 900MHz over the less common 8th gen Core i7-8665U, too.
Although many things contribute to a CPU's performance, including its micro-architecture as well as thermal and power constraints, overall press previews (including our own early benchmarks) were generally favorable considering—wait for it—Ice Lake's lower clock speed. Still, the response from many has been along the lines of, "is that all you got?"
To read this article in full, please click here
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Aug 16, 2019
Despite what's been said for years about CPUs, megahertz still matters. So just how much should you be freaked out at the lower clock frequencies of Intel's new 10th-gen Ice Lake CPUs? The answer goes beyond simple numbers.
The issue, of course, is the lackadaisical top clock speed of Intel's fastest 10th-gen Ice Lake Core i7-1065G7 CPU: 3.9GHz. Compared to the 8th-gen Core i7-8565U's 4.6GHz, the Ice Lake part is nearly 15 percent slower. It gives up a full 900MHz over the less common 8th gen Core i7-8665U, too.
Although many things contribute to a CPU's performance, including its micro-architecture as well as thermal and power constraints, overall press previews (including our own early benchmarks) were generally favorable considering—wait for it—Ice Lake's lower clock speed. Still, the response from many has been along the lines of, "is that all you got?"
To read this article in full, please click here
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Aug 16, 2019
Real people monitor these security cameras on your behalf, and they'll let any potential intruder know they're being watched.
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Aug 15, 2019
We name the top free and paid Mac antivirus products to root out malicious software and prevent infections.
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Aug 15, 2019
When you're looking for a good, cheap laptop, knowledge is power. Every budget machine (which we're defining as Windows laptops costing $500 or less) is the product of compromise—corners carefully cut here and there to hit a price point.
Your job is to find the one that checks off the most boxes for your needs. We'll show you what to look for by highlighting which budget laptops among the best-sellers currently listed at Amazon and Best Buy are worth buying. We haven't necessarily tested these specific machines (we'll let you know if we have), but we've seen enough similar ones to have a good idea of the pros and cons. We're also focusing on 14-inch and larger laptops, because part of the great deal should be getting a decent-sized display.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Aug 15, 2019
Microsoft's updated privacy policy acknowledges that the company is allowing humans to listen to recordings made by Cortana and other speech services, and the company has not yet allowed customers to opt out.
Microsoft's privacy issues follow similar problems with Google's Assistant as well as Apple, where contractors revealed that humans are allowed access to snippets of recorded conversations to improve the performance of the respective devices. Vice's Motherboard also revealed similar practices going on at Microsoft, specifically with regards to Skype and Cortana.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Aug 15, 2019
AMD designed its Ryzen 3000 processors to milk out every possible ounce of performance, leaving very little room for enthusiasts to push the pedal even closer to the metal. That's the key takeaway from Case King and Silicon Lottery listings for pre-binned chips with guaranteed all-core overclocking headroom.
Both sites validate their chips in-house and then sell them at a premium for their guaranteed minimum overclocking potential, so the faster the chip, the more you pay. The Case King offerings are tested by renowned overclocker Roman "der8auer" Hartung, as Anandtech points out. Most of the available chips have already been gobbled up, but the listings themselves provide deeper insight into AMD's strategy.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Aug 15, 2019
Setting a reminder is one of the most useful things you can do with Google Assistant on your phone or smart speaker, especially if you're the forgetful type. But a new feature rolling out to Assistant will make reminders even more useful, so much so that you won't have to do the remembering.
Instead of asking Google Assistant to set a reminder for you, you'll now be able to set one for someone else in your family or household. So, instead of saying, "Hey Google, remind me to take out the trash on Sunday," you'll be able to say, "Hey Google, remind Susan to take out the track on Sunday." Then, the notification will appear on their phone or smart speaker at the specified time.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Aug 15, 2019
Nest Cam, Dropcam, and Hello owners will no longer be allowed to completely turn off the status lights on their cameras, although they will be able to dim them.
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Aug 15, 2019
Microsoft's monthly Patch Tuesday updates rolled out earlier this week, and you should update Windows pronto. The updates include patches for four severe "wormable" security exploits that can let attackers spread malware without any user action, similar to WannaCry and the BlueKeep vulnerability that coerced Microsoft into releasing a rare post-death patch for Windows XP.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Aug 15, 2019
If you want more from your TV bias lights than a subtle glow that boosts contrast and eases eye strain, this responsive LED light strip from Govee is worth a try.
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Aug 15, 2019
If you're looking for a moderately priced, multi-colored bias lighting strip for the back of your TV, the Luminoodle Color Bias Lighting strip makes for a solid choice.
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Aug 15, 2019
Nvidia Shield TV: What I'd like to see next in the new version
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Aug 15, 2019
Keeping your PC's high-end processor cool used to require heavy metal: A CPU cooler with a massive heatsink smooshed between big fans. But closed-loop all-in-one cooling has come up fast in recent years, swapping out those huge metal towers for tubes full of liquid (and big metal reservoirs at the edge of your case). Which is the better CPU cooling method: air or liquid?
There's no right or wrong answer, and viewpoints vary even among our tiny Full Nerd gang. PCWorld CPU guru voices his opinion in the video below, breaking down the advantages (and disadvantages) of each cooling method. We also dig into whether you should fear a liquid cooler potentially spraying your pricey PC parts, and if the generalization that you can achieve higher overclocks on liquid coolers is true or not. Knowing is half the battle, after all.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Aug 15, 2019
If you've already got a Philips Hue Bridge in your home, the Hue Play makes for a great way to add bias lighting to your home theater setup, or as a responsive bias light for your computer monitor.
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Aug 15, 2019
Read on for reviews of some of the best bias lighting kits we've tested, along with what to look for in bias lighting for a TV.
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Aug 15, 2019
The MediaLight bias lighting strips are designed for discriminating viewers who want to enhance their TV's visuals while preserving the integrity of the original image.
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Aug 15, 2019
This popular LED light strip is easy to install and boasts a variety of colors and light modes, but its color temperature leaves something to be desired.
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Aug 15, 2019
Dash cams are already essential in many countries because of scam artists who try to create accidents so they can sue you. They've also proven useful for catching cars flying into buildings, or the occasional meteor, as happened in Thailand and in Russia, all thanks to dash cams in the right place at the right time.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Aug 15, 2019
The $130 Roav Dash Can Duo is a very capable front/interior dash cam that takes some of the best video I've seen. Exceptionally easy to use, it also has a GPS receiver to record your location, and it enhances interior night captures with infrared. The only downside is that the unit won't capture after 12-volt power is removed, as occasionally happens in an accident.
This review is part of our ongoing roundup of the best dash cams. Go there for information on competing products and how we tested them.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Aug 14, 2019
Stay on top of the latest tech with PCWorld's Digital Magazine. Available as single copies or as a monthly subscription, it highlights the best content from PCWorld.com—the most important news, the key product reviews, and the most useful features and how-to stories—in a curated Digital Magazine for Android and iOS, as well for the desktop and other tablet readers.
In the August issue
The August cover of PCWorld is all about the Ryzen 3000 review. With its ground-breaking 7nm process, AMD's Ryzen 9 3900X leaves little room for Intel's best CPUs. Plus, about a month past 2019's midway point, we take a look at all of the best new games so far this year; don't miss our roundup.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Aug 14, 2019
Sluggish, convoluted, and unreliable, this low-cost smart thermostat just can't justify its $99 price tag.
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Aug 14, 2019
The next two Windows 10 updates, code-named "19H2" and "20H1," reflect Microsoft's recent decision to split the major Windows 10 feature releases into two: a full-fledged update, with new features, and a secondary patch update. We've already had the major "19H1" update, known officially as the May 2019 Update, so we're now looking forward to the minor 19H2 patch and then the major 20H1 feature release. Here's what we know so far about both of them.
As of July 2019, the upcoming 19H2 feature will focus on "quality enhancements," while the "20H1" feature will return to more substantive improvements. If the latter hews to Microsoft's usual schedule, it'll drop in March or April of 2020. Interim beta builds will provide further hints about what's coming, and we'll continue to cover them. Meanwhile, here's where we stand on each release as of early August:
To read this article in full, please click here
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Aug 14, 2019
Yes, it's pricey, but the Samsung HW-Q70R lets you add rich, detailed, and immersive sound, complete with Dolby Atmos and DTS;X support, to your TV in a matter of minutes.
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Aug 14, 2019
As out headline trumpets, the big news here is a new low in NVMe SSD prices, at 10 cents per gigabyte. The drop comes courtesy of Kingston's new A2000, which also offers surprisingly good performance the vast majority of the time.
Design and features
The A2000 is a 2280 (22 mm wide, 80 mm long) M.2, PCIe 3.0 x4, NVMe SSD, that's available in 250GB (currently , 500GB (currently $60 on AmazonRemove non-product link) and 1TB (currently $100 on Amazon) capacities. I must admit I did a double-take when I saw those prices, as they're considerably lower than those of the Addlink S70, which itself set a price record only a month or so ago. Commodity items at last! Mostly: 1TB seems to be the sweet spot in price per gigabyte these days. At the time of this writing, larger capacity 2TB/4TB SSDs, SATA or NVMe, were still in the 20-cent-per-gigaby
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Aug 13, 2019
LIFX bulbs use Wi-Fi, so they don't necessarily need a controller, but this should be a benefit to Brilliant users nonetheless.
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Aug 13, 2019
One of the few smart home devices to offer full-on Cortana integration is dropping it in favor of Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.
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Aug 13, 2019
Google's Pixels may be among the best Android phones you can buy, but they're not without their problems. Among the notable flaws with the original Pixel was an issue with the microphone not recording when it was supposed to, and now Google is paying out a cool $7 million to make it right.
That means anyone who ever bought a Google Pixel or a Google Pixel XL is eligible for a $20 payout, even if your phone never experienced any issues. You read that right: Anyone who bought an original Pixel in an size or capacity is eligible to claim $20.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Aug 13, 2019
"What graphics card within my budget gives me the best bang for my buck?"
That simple question cuts to the core of what people hunting for a new graphics card look for: the most oomph they can afford. Sure, the technological leaps behind each new GPU can be interesting on their own, but most everyone just wants to crank up the detail settings on Battlefield and get right to playing.
Gaming GPU cheat sheet
Our quick-hit recommendations:
Best budget GPU: Radeon RX 570 [amazon.com]
Best 1080p GPU: GeForce GTX 1660 [amazon.com]
Best 1440p GPU: Radeon RX 5700 [amazon.com]
Best 4K/60Hz GPU: GeForce RTX 2080 Super [GeForce.com]
Best 4K/144Hz GPU: GeForce RTX 2080 Ti Founders Edition
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Aug 13, 2019
Microsoft's long-delayed upgrade to drag Minecraft's iconic blocky look into the modern age has been scrapped all together.
On Monday, Minecraft developer Mojang announced that the Super Duper Graphics Pack teased at E3 2017 "proved too technically demanding to implement as planned." The Super Duper Graphics Pack was supposed to introduce "excessive visual razzmatazz" to the cross-platform version of the game, including 4K resolution support, HDR visuals, dynamic shadows, directional lighting, edge highlighting, improved water effects, and more.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Aug 13, 2019
Microsoft may be positioning its easy-peasy Windows Sandbox within the Windows 10 May 2019 Update as a safe zone for testing untrusted applications, but it's much more than that. Windows Sandbox, and sandboxing PC apps in general, give you a solution for trying a "utility" that may be malware, or a website that you're not sure about. You could leave those potentially dangerous elements alone, but with Sandbox, you can be a little more adventurous.
Windows Sandbox creates a secure "Windows within Windows" virtual machine environment entirely from scratch, and walls it off from your "real" PC. You can open a browser and surf securely, download apps, even visit websites that you probably shouldn't. Sandbox also includes a unique convenience: you can copy files in and out of the virtual PC, bringing them out of quarantine if you're absolutely sure they're safe.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Aug 13, 2019
With models from Lutron, Wemo, Leviton, iDevices, and others, it can be difficult to know which easy and inexpensive device is best for controlling the lamps and small appliances in your smart home. We'll help you find the right one.
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Aug 13, 2019
Today's smart bulbs are brighter and easier to control than ever, but choosing the right one for your environment remains a challenge.
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Aug 13, 2019
It's affordable enough, but ultimately not worth your time in its present state.
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Aug 13, 2019
What's the best CPU for your gaming laptop right now? We understand if you're confused. We're currently in an unprecedented state where new laptops based on Intel's 9th-gen CPUs are on sale next to new laptops based on Intel's 8th-gen and even 7th-gen CPUs.
The reason is likely Intel's infamous CPU shortages, which jammed up the pipeline for laptop makers. After all, selling a laptop with a slightly older CPU is better than not having any laptop to sell at all. Unfortunately, for consumers, you're now looking at similarly priced laptops with different "generations" of Intel CPU.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Aug 12, 2019
Choosing the right virtual private network (VPN) service is no simple task. A VPN should keep your internet usage private and secure, but not every service handles your data in the same way. Just look at the critiques of notable computer security experts and online pundits to understand the challenge.
Even supposed experts in the field can turn out to be frauds, as was recently reported about site TheBestVPN.com. The site's creator appears to not actually be a cypber-security expert, as he once claimed, but might not actually be a real person, casting serious doubt on any of the site's VPN reviews and research.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Aug 12, 2019
If you're using a smart speaker to turn on your TV via voice commands, you might unwittingly be doubling the overall power usage of your TV set.
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Aug 12, 2019
If you're using a smart speaker to turn on your TV via voice commands, you might unwittingly be doubling the overall power usage of your TV set.
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Aug 12, 2019
AMD promised that custom Radeon RX 5700 graphics cards would arrive in mid-August, and as of Monday, they're here. The wait was worth it.
Sapphire's kicking things off with its budget-friendly Pulse lineup. Like its predecessors, it offers some nice features and solid cooler designs at prices that won't break the bank. But one of Sapphire's most intriguing additions has nothing to do with hardware. We're highly impressed by the new performance-enhancing, resolution-tweaking "Trixx Boost" feature in the company's Trixx software suite, which leverages AMD's Radeon Image Sharpening technology to great effect for everyday gamers.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Aug 12, 2019
Keys are yesterday's tech, your smart home needs a smart door lock.
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Aug 12, 2019
Thanks to an external hub, Lockly can now be accessed remotely.
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Aug 12, 2019
Thanks to an external hub, Lockly can now be accessed remotely.
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Aug 12, 2019
IVPN in brief:
P2P allowed: Yes (but not on U.S. servers)
Business location: Gibraltar
Number of servers: 73
To read this article in full, please click here
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Aug 12, 2019
Hulu's live TV service still has a few notable drawbacks, but the value is hard to beat.
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Aug 12, 2019
FuboTV is the best sports streaming bundle for soccer fans and ESPN haters.
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Aug 12, 2019
Is Sling TV better than Hulu, or should cord-cutters subscribe to PlayStation Vue? Or YouTube TV? We compare all the TV streaming services, and several rise to the top.
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Aug 12, 2019
DirecTV Now was a good option for cord-cutters for a time, but AT&T's hunt for profit has stripped away much of its appeal.
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Aug 12, 2019
By cutting out broadcast and sports networks, the Philo streaming TV service provides cord-cutters lots of channels for not a lot of money.
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Aug 09, 2019
Nothing would say failure more than killing a new graphics card a month after introducing it. So no, Internet, AMD did not kill its reference Radeon 5700 and Radeon 5700 XT after releasing the cards on July 7. Well, not really anyway.
This all appears to have been kicked off by a report on French site cowcotland.com posted on Thursday that said "Nous avons appris ce matin, par nos sources, que les cartes graphiques de référence AMD RADEON RX 5700 et RX 5700 XT étaient donc déjà en fin de vie."
Translated by machine it apparently says: "We learned this morning, from our sources, that the AMD RADEON RX 5700 and RX 5700 XT reference graphics cards were already at the end of their life."
To read this article in full, please click here
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Aug 09, 2019
The next great peripherals war is being waged over your ears. After every company on the planet put out a gaming mouse and then a mechanical keyboard, they turned their attention to headsets. So many headsets.
We know you don't want to scroll through every single headset review when all you want is a simple answer: "What's the best gaming headset I can buy with my hard-earned dollars?" This page holds the answers you seek, no matter what your budget is.
We'll keep updating our recommendations as we look at new products and find stronger contenders.
Updated 8/9/19 to include our review of the Logitech G Pro X, Logitech's best gaming headset yet—we just wish it was wireless! See the bottom of this article for all of our headset reviews.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Aug 09, 2019
After the long-awaited, Bixby-powered speaker failed to show at Unpacked 2019, Samsung promises that the Galaxy Home is still in the works.
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Aug 09, 2019
Digging deep into Windows 10Image by Dan Masaoka/IDG
Windows 10's constantly evolving nature means fresh features arrive twice per year, and with all the new goodies come a legion of new tweaks and tricks—some of which unlock powerful functionality hidden to everyday users. Others simply let you mold the Windows 10 experience into the shape you see fit. Here are some of the most useful tweaks, tricks, and tips we've found, starting with some of the highlights from the Windows 10 May 2019 Update (which includes more nifty hidden conveniences than we can include here).
To read this article in full, please click here
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Aug 09, 2019
Great looking. Great sounding. Cheap. Usually you can only pick two of the three—and yet Logitech's here to prove that old adage wrong with its new G Pro X gaming headset. Ostensibly geared toward esports enthusiasts (hence the "Pro" moniker), the G Pro X is a perfect solution for the masses as well, or at least the masses who can still stomach a wired headset.
Let's get right to it.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Aug 09, 2019
You can make your old window air conditioner smarter, but you can't make it quieter or more efficient.
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Aug 09, 2019
It's a brilliant idea, and the app that makes it possible works fairly well, at least with ANC turned on.
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