, AMD has finally introduced FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR), the company’s upscaling technology to rival Nvidia’s machine learning-powered DLSS. It was introduced during AMD chief executive Dr. Lisa Su’s virtual keynote address at Computex, which is being held online this year. The new feature will launch on June 22.
AMD promises that FSR will deliver up to 2.5 times higher performance while using the dedicated performance mode in “select titles.” At least ten game studios will integrate FSR into their games and engines this year. The first titles should show up this month, and the company also detailed FSR’s roots in open source. The feature is based on
AMD’s OpenGPU suite
.
(Image credit: AMD)
FSR has four presets: ultra quality, quality, balanced and performance. The first two focus on higher quality by rendering at closer to native resolution, while the latter two push you to get as many frames as possible. FSR works on both desktops and laptops, as well as both integrated and discrete graphics.
In its own tests using Gearbox Software’s Godfall (AMD used the
Radeon RX 6900 XT
,
RX 6800 XT
and
RX 6700 XT
on the game’s epic preset at 4K with ray tracing on), the company claimed 49 frames per second at native rendering, but 78 fps using ultra quality FSR, 99 fps using quality, 124 fps on balanced and 150 fps on performance.
(Image credit: AMD)
But FSR works on other hardware, including Nvidia’s graphics cards. AMD tested one of Nvidia’s older (but still very popular) mainstream GPUs, the GTX 1060, with Godfall at 1440p on the epic preset. It ran natively at 27 fps, but at 38 fps with quality mode on — a 41% boost. In fact, AMD says that FSR, which needs to be implemented by game developers to suit their titles, will work with over 100 CPUs and GPUs, including its own and competitors.
(Image credit: AMD)
We’ll be able to test FidelityFX Super Resolution when it launches, starting with Godfall on June 22, so keep an eye out for our thoughts. While the performance gains sound impressive, we’re also keen to check out image quality. We’ve been fairly impressed by
Nvidia’s DLSS 2.0
, but the original DLSS implementation was far less compelling. It seems as though AMD aims to provide similar upscaling but without all the fancy machine learning.
Su’s keynote included other graphics announcements, such as the launch of the
Radeon RX 6800M, RX 6700M and RX 6600M mobile GPUs
based on RDNA 2, as well as a handful of new APUs.
Intel kicked off Computex 2021 by adding two new flagship 11th-Gen Tiger Lake U-series chips to its stable, including a new Core i7 model that’s the first laptop chip for the thin-and-light segment that boasts a 5.0 GHz boost speed. As you would expect, Intel also provided plenty of benchmarks to show off its latest silicon.
Intel also teased its upcoming Beast Canyon NUCs that are the first to accept full-size graphics cards, making them more akin to a small form factor PC than a NUC. These new machines will come with Tiger Lake processors. Additionally, the company shared a few details around its 5G Solution 5000, its new 5G silicon for Always Connected PCs that it developed in partnership with MediaTek and Fibocom. Let’s jump right in.
Intel 11th-Gen Tiger Lake U-Series Core i7-1195G7 and i5-1155G7
Intel’s two new U-series Tiger Lake chips, the Core i7-1195G7 and Core i5-1155G7, slot in as the new flagships for the Core i7 and Core i5 families. These two processors are UP3 models, meaning they operate in the 12-28W TDP range. These two new chips come with all the standard features of the Tiger Lake family, like the 10nm SuperFin process, Willow Cove cores, the Iris Xe graphics engine, and support for LPDDR4x-4266, PCIe 4.0, Thunderbolt 4 and Wi-Fi 6/6E.
Intel expects the full breadth of its Tiger Lake portfolio to span 250 designs by the holidays from the usual suspects, like Lenovo MSI, Acer and ASUS, with 60 of those designs with the new 1195G7 and 1155G7 chips.
Intel Tiger Lake UP3 Processors
PROCESSOR
CORES/THREADS
GRAPHICS (EUs)
OPERATING RANGE (W)
BASE CLOCK (GHZ)
SINGLE CORE TURBO FREQ (GHZ)
MAXIMUM ALL CORE FREQ (GHZ)
Cache (MB)
GRAPHICS MAX FREQ (GHZ)
MEMORY
Core i7-1195G7
4C / 8T
96
12 -28W
2.9
5.0
4.6
12
1.40
DDR4-3200, LPDDR4x-4266
Core i7-1185G7
4C / 8T
96
12 – 28W
3.0
4.8
4.3
12
1.35
DDR4-3200, LPDDR4x-4266
Core i7-1165G7
4C / 8T
96
12 – 28W
2.8
4.7
4.1
12
1.30
DDR4-3200, LPDDR4x-4266
Core i5-1155G7
4C / 8T
80
12 – 28W
2.5
4.5
4.3
8
1.35
DDR4-3200, LPDDR4x-4266
Core i5-1145G7
4C / 8T
80
12 – 28W
2.6
4.4
4.0
8
1.30
DDR4-3200, LPDDR4x-4266
Core i5-1135G7
4C / 8T
80
12 – 28W
2.4
4.2
3.8
8
1.30
DDR4-3200, LPDDR4x-4266
Core i3-1125G4*
4C / 8T
48
12 – 28W
2.0
3.7
3.3
8
1.25
DDR4-3200, LPDDR4x-3733
The four-core eight-thread Core i7-1195G7 brings the Tiger Lake UP3 chips up to a 5.0 GHz single-core boost, which Intel says is a first for the thin-and-light segment. Intel has also increased the maximum all-core boost rate up to 4.6 GHz, a 300 MHz improvement.
Intel points to additional tuning for the 10nm SuperFin process and tweaked platform design as driving the higher boost clock rates. Notably, the 1195G7’s base frequency declines by 100 MHz to 2.9 GHz, likely to keep the chip within the 12 to 28W threshold. As with the other G7 models, the chip comes with the Iris Xe graphics engine with 96 EUs, but those units operate at 1.4 GHz, a slight boost over the 1165G7’s 1.35 GHz.
The 1195G7’s 5.0 GHz boost clock rate also comes courtesy of Intel’s Turbo Boost Max Technology 3.0. This boosting tech works in tandem with the operating system scheduler to target the fastest core on the chip (‘favored core’) with single-threaded workloads, thus allowing most single-threaded work to operate 200 MHz faster than we see with the 1185G7. Notably, the new 1195G7 is the only Tiger Lake UP3 model to support this technology.
Surprisingly, Intel says the 1195G7 will ship in higher volumes than the lower-spec’d Core i7-1185G7. That runs counter to our normal expectations that faster processors fall higher on the binning distribution curve — faster chips are typically harder to produce and thus ship in lower volumes. The 1195G7’s obviously more forgiving binning could be the result of a combination of the lower base frequency, which loosens binning requirements, and the addition of Turbo Boost Max 3.0, which only requires a single physical core to hit the rated boost speed. Typically all cores are required to hit the boost clock speed, which makes binning more challenging.
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(Image credit: Intel)
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(Image credit: Intel)
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(Image credit: Intel)
The four-core eight-thread Core i5-1155G7 sees more modest improvements over its predecessor, with boost clocks jumping an additional 100 MHz to 4.5 GHz, and all-core clock rates improving by 300 MHz to 4.3 GHz. We also see the same 100 MHz decline in base clocks that we see with the 1195G7. This chip comes with the Iris Xe graphics engine with 80 EUs that operate at 1.35 GHz.
Intel’s Tiger Lake Core i7-1195G7 Gaming Benchmarks
Intel shared its own gaming benchmarks for the Core i7-1195G7, but as with all vendor-provided benchmarks, you should view them with skepticism. Intel didn’t share benchmarks for the new Core i5 model.
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(Image credit: Intel)
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(Image credit: Intel)
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(Image credit: Intel)
Intel put its Core i7-1195G7 up against the AMD Ryzen 7 5800U, but the chart lists an important caveat here — Intel’s system operates between 28 and 35W during these benchmarks, while AMD’s system runs at 15 to 25W. Intel conducted these tests on the integrated graphics for both chips, so we’re looking at Iris Xe with 96 EUs versus AMD’s Vega architecture with eight CUs.
Naturally, Intel’s higher power consumption leads to higher performance, thus giving the company the lead across a broad spate of triple-A 1080p games. However, this extra performance comes at the cost of higher power consumption and thus more heat generation. Intel also tested using its Reference Validation Platform with unknown cooling capabilities (we assume they are virtually unlimited) while testing the Ryzen 7 5800U in the HP Probook 455.
Intel also provided benchmarks with DirectX 12 Ultimate’s new Sampler Feedback feature. This new DX12 feature reduces memory usage while boosting performance, but it requires GPU hardware-based support in tandem with specific game engine optimizations. That means this new feature will not be widely available in leading triple-A titles for quite some time.
Intel was keen to point out that its Xe graphics architecture supports the feature, whereas AMD’s Vega graphics engine does not. ULMark has a new 3DMark Sampler Feedback benchmark under development, and Intel used the test release candidate to show that Iris Xe graphics offers up to 2.34X the performance of AMD’s Vega graphics with the feature enabled.
Intel’s Tiger Lake Core i7-1195G7 Application Benchmarks
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(Image credit: Intel)
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(Image credit: Intel)
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(Image credit: Intel)
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(Image credit: Intel)
Here we can see Intel’s benchmarks for applications, too, but the same rules apply — we’ll need to see these benchmarks in our own test suite before we’re ready to claim any victors. Again, you’ll notice that Intel’s system operates at a much higher 28 to 35W power range on a validation platform while AMD’s system sips 15 to 25W in the HP Probook 455 G8.
As we’ve noticed lately, Intel now restricts its application benchmarks to features that it alone supports at the hardware level. That includes AVX-512 based benchmarks that leverage the company’s DL Boost suite that has extremely limited software support.
Intel’s benchmarks paint convincing wins across the board. However, be aware that the AI-accelerated workloads on the right side of the chart aren’t indicative of what you’ll see with the majority of productivity software. At least not yet. For now, unless you use these specific pieces of software very frequently in these specific tasks, these benchmarks aren’t very representative of the overall performance deltas you can expect in most software.
In contrast, the Intel QSV benchmarks do have some value. Intel’s Quick Sync Video is broadly supported, and the Iris Xe graphics engine supports hardware-accelerated 10-bit video encoding. That’s a feature that Intel rightly points out also isn’t supported with MX-series GPUs, either.
Intel’s support for hardware-accelerated 10-bit encoding does yield impressive results, at least in its benchmarks, showing a drastic ~8X reduction in a Handbrake 4K 10-bit HEVC to 1080P HEVC transcode. Again, bear in mind that this is with the Intel chip running at a much higher power level. Intel also shared a chart highlighting its broad support for various encoding/decoding options that AMD doesn’t support.
Intel Beast Canyon NUC
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(Image credit: Intel)
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(Image credit: Intel)
Intel briefly showed off its upcoming Beast Canyon NUC that will sport 65W H-Series Tiger Lake processors and be the first NUC to support full-length graphics cards (up to 12 inches long).
The eight-litre Beast Canyon certainly looks more like a small form factor system than what we would expect from the traditional definition of a NUC, and as you would expect, it comes bearing the Intel skull logo. Intel’s Chief Performance Strategist Ryan Shrout divulged that the system will come with an internal power supply. Given the size of the unit, that means there will likely be power restrictions for the GPU. We also know the system uses standard air cooling.
Intel is certainly finding plenty of new uses for its Tiger Lake silicon. The company recently listed new 10nm Tiger Lake chips for desktop PCs, including a 65W Core i9-11900KB and Core i7-11700KB, and told us that these chips would debut in small form factor enthusiast systems. Given that Intel specifically lists the H-series processors for Beast Canyon, it doesn’t appear these chips will come in the latest NUC. We’ll learn more about Beast Canyon as it works its way to release later this year.
Intel sold its modem business to Apple back in 2019, leaving a gap in its Always Connected PC (ACPC) initiative. In the interim, Intel has worked with MediaTek to design and certify new 5G modems with carriers around the world. The M.2 modules are ultimately produced by Fibocom. The resulting Intel 5G Solution 5000 is a 5G M.2 device that delivers up to five times the speed of the company’s Gigabit LTE solutions. The solution is compatible with both Tiger and Alder Lake platforms.
Intel claims that it leads the ACPC space with three out of four ACPCs shipping with LTE (more than five million units thus far). Intel’s 5G Solution 5000 is designed to extend that to the 5G arena with six designs from three OEMs (Acer, ASUS and HP) coming to market in 2021. The company says it will ramp to more than 30 designs next year.
Intel says that while it will not be the first to come to market with a 5G PC solution, it will be the first to deliver them in volume, but we’ll have to see how that plays out in the face of continued supply disruptions due to the pandemic.
It seems the new Apple TV 4K box could have few gremlins in its system. Some users have reported that the 2021 device is incorrectly labelling their favourite 4K movies and TV shows as ‘HD’, according to 9to5Mac.
The glitch seems to affect third-party apps such as Netflix, Disney Plus, and HBO Max, but it’s also been spotted in the standalone iTunes Movies and TV Shows apps. Apple TV+ seems to be unaffected.
The initial thought was that the glitch could be the result of faulty HDMI cables but several users have switched out Apple’s supplied HDMI cable and the issue has remained.
If you’re experiencing the bug, you might be wondering whether the content on your screen is appearing in HD or 4K. There’s some confusion around this point, but it seems that this is simply a labelling bug within Apple’s user interface.
According to Reddit users, the glitch is present in both in the public tvOS 14.6 release and in the tvOS 14.7 beta which was released on 19th May. Apple has yet to comment but 9to5Mac claims the tech giant is “aware of the issue”.
In the interests of fairness, we fired up our Apple TV 4K (2020) unit (keep your eyes peeled for our upcoming review) and found that the 4K content was correctly labelled.
The latest Apple TV 4K (2nd Gen) supports 4K at up to 60fps, meaning it should offer the highest video quality of any Apple TV box. It has plenty of other tricks up its sleeve, mind, including the ability to stream audio from your TV to your HomePod.
MORE:
Should you upgrade: New Apple TV 4K vs old Apple TV 4K
Check out our list of the best TVs you can buy right now
Acer’s bringing Intel’s new high-powered 11th Gen Tiger Lake chips to its gaming laptops, alongside new mobile RTX 3000 GPU options and a new design for one laptop in particular. New, more budget-friendly RTX 3000 gaming desktops are also joining those mobile options, giving gamers who haven’t been able to try Ampere yet another avenue to buy an RTX 3000 series GPU.
Specs
Predator Triton 500 SE
Predator Helios 500
Predator Orion 3000
Acer Nitro 50
CPU
Up to 11th Gen Intel Core i9 H-series
Up to 11th Gen Intel Core i9 HK-series
11th Gen Intel Core i7
Up to AMD Ryzen 9 5900 or 11th Gen Intel Core i7
GPU
Up to RTX 3080
Up to RTX 3080
RTX 3070
RTX 3060 Ti
Memory
Up to 64GB DDR4-3200
Up to 64GB DDR4-3200
Up to 64GB DDR4-3200
Up to 64GB DDR4-3200
Storage
Up to 4TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD
2x Up to 1TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSDs with 1x Up to 2TB SATA HDD
Up to 1TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe and 3TB HDD
Up to 1TB PCIe NVMe and 3TB HDD
Display
16 inches, 16:10: FHD @ 165 Hz, Mini LED or 165 Hz LCD or 240 Hz IPS
17.3 inches: 4K @ 120 Hz, Mini LED with HDR or FHD @ 360 Hz
N/A
N/A
Starting Price
$1,749
$2,499
$1,199
$949
NA Release Date
June
August
July
July
Acer Predator Triton 500 SE
Aesthetically, the star of the show here is the new Acer Predator Triton 500 SE. This model brings the general look and feel of the silvery Predator Triton 300 SE to a larger laptop. Based on photos Acer shared, the chassis seems to be somewhat darker without being fully black. We praised the Triton 300 SE for its power-to-size ratio, but the new Predator Triton 500 SE is likely to focus more on power.
(Image credit: Acer)
Speaking of power, the Predator Triton 500 SE packs up to an 11th Gen Intel Core i9 H-series processor (so no overclocking), plus up to an RTX 3080 mobile GPU and up to 64GB of 3,200 MHz DDR4 RAM. Storage is all PCIe NVMe and can go up to 4TB, while the 16 inch display embraces the new 16:10 trend with an FHD screen that can reach up to 240 Hz. That high refresh rate is only available on the IPS model, not the 165 Hz LCD and Mini LED models. Acer also hasn’t commented on what type of LCD its LCD screen uses.
Acer Predator Helios 500 Refresh
(Image credit: Acer)
If you want something a little larger and with a very premium display (especially for a laptop), you may want to opt for the refreshed Predator Helios 500. We got to spend some time with a configuration of the Acer Predator Helios 500, and what stood out most for us was its Mini LED display option. You can read about our experience in our Acer Predator Helios 500 hands-on article.
But long story short, this model maintains the same look as the current Predator Helios 500, but upgrades the internals to bring them up to line with Intel and Nvidia’s latest offerings: up to an 11th Gen Intel Core i9 HK series (overclocking is a go!) CPU with up to an RTX 3080 mobile GPU.
Besides Mini LED, you can also get the laptop with a FHD panel with your typical LED backlight and a 360 Hz refresh rate, the fastest refresh rate displays carry these days.
New Acer Predator Gaming Desktops
(Image credit: Acer)
Acer’s new attempts at the best gaming PCs in desktop form are a bit more constrained. The Predator Orion 3000 is limited to an 11th Gen Intel Core i7 with an RTX 3070 but does let you customize your storage and memory capacities. The former maxes out at up to 1TB of PCIe NVMe storage with up to 3TB of HDD storage supplementing it, while the latter can go up to 64GB of DDR4-3200 RAM.
(Image credit: Acer)
The Acer Nitro 50 series carries the sole AMD gaming machine (the N50-120) Acer announced today, as well as an Intel model (the N50-620).
The AMD model has up to AMD Ryzen 9 5900, while the Intel model has up to an 11th Gen Intel Core i7 CPU. Either way, you’ll get an RTX 3060 Ti for your GPU. Storage and memory options are the same as what’s available on the Predator Orion 3000.
Prices and Release Dates
The Predator Triton 500 SE will be the first of these laptops to hit U.S. store shelves. It launches today at Best Buy (and in June everywhere else) for a starting price of $1,749. The desktops will both follow in July, with the Predator Orion 3000 starting at $1,199 and the Intel Nitro 50 model starting at $949.
Finally, the Predator Helios 500 will launch in August for a starting price of $2,499.
We don’t yet have a release date or starting price for the Nitro 50 AMD model.
It’s been a couple of years now since Acer overhauled its big-screen Helios 500 desktop replacement rig. But the laptop is back in a 17-inch shell that’s a bit of a departure from
the 2018 model
. As expected, it brings current top-end 11th Gen Intel/Nvidia components, plus perhaps more RGB than I’ve ever seen on a portable PC. Aside from the per-key RGB keyboard, there are light bars that run along all four edges of the laptop (yes, even the back). And the light show can be set to dynamically react to sound playing from the system’s speakers, or even what’s on the screen.
Acer sent us a pre-production sample in the days before its announcement to get some hands-on time with the new gaming flagship. Sadly, one of the most intriguing options of the new laptop wasn’t included in the sample they shipped. There will be an optional Mini LED 4K panel with a 120 Hz refresh rate and full-array local dimming, which Acer says is “comparable to VESA Display HDR 1000.” If you’re a top-end competitive gamer, the crazy-fast 360 Hz 1080p screen that came with our unit is undoubtedly the better option. But my slow reflexes and HDR-happy eyeballs would love to see what a bright, pixel-dense display with 512 backlight zones looks like on a laptop.
Design of the Acer Predator Helios 500 (2021)
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
First off, Acer would probably like me to reiterate that what it sent us was a pre-production unit, and some things will change. For instance, the Predator logo on the lid will be RGB-lit, rather than the basic blue seen here. And while the light bar at the back will remain, there are lights in the rear exhaust that will go away (which is good because they’re very bright). Also, as this was a pre-production unit, we were not allowed to test performance or battery life. The laptop is expected to arrive in August, with a starting price of $2,499.
Also note that, as this is a configuration with both a Core i9-11980HK and an Nvidia RTX 3080, the laptop does ship with two large power bricks. You’ll want to keep both plugged in for long gaming sessions, but with the system asleep or while doing basic productivity, one brick was more than enough to keep the laptop charged.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
If you’re expecting something approaching a thin-and-light gaming experience, you should look elsewhere (and expect less performance). At 8.59 pounds and approximately 12.6 x 15.75 x 1.75 inches, the Helios 500 is unapologetically a high-end desktop replacement.
And the black metal shell with silver and blue accents back up the ‘gaming’ looks–accented nicely by the blue-metal heatsinks that can be seen from the rear sides and back of the laptop.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
As noted earlier, the stand-out visual element here is the sheer abundance of RGB, in the form of diffused light bars that run along most of the front, about two-thirds of both sides, and nearly the entire back edge. The Helios 500 is a light show in a box, if ever there was one.
And if you’re into light shows, the laptop makes good use of all the RGB here. Aside from being able to choose from the usual number of presets or individually select the color of each key, the company’s PredatorSense software’s Pulsar Lighting tab has an Interactive section, which lets you set the keyboard and bars to react to audio being piped through the laptop. You can choose between four presets for this, and there’s also a Screen Sync feature that tends to mimic what’s on the lower portion of the screen.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
The Screen Sync option is a bit crude. For instance, when I went to YouTube and an ad for YouTube Premium popped up in the bottom-left corner, the keys below it turned red and a purplish-white, mirroring the ad. But when watching trailers (and ads) for action movies, the flashing keys echoing gunshots did add something to the effect–I’m just not sure it’s something I like.
Having the lights and keyboard echoing what’s on the screen is distracting when you’re trying to watch a TV show or movie, but it could add to the level of immersion when gaming in the dark. And for music, the light show that the Helios 500 kicks out is almost like a party in and of itself. That said, I was not impressed with the sound output of the laptop, at least for music.
Acer bills the Helios 500 as having “True 5.1 channel surround sound” with a subwoofer, and licensed DTS X software is included for audio tweaking. But out of the box, highs and mids sounded harsh, while lows were minimized and there was little in the way of bass, especially for a laptop that literally says Subwoofer on the bottom. To be fair, this audio may be pre-tweaked for gaming, bringing key strategic elements up in the mix, but it certainly doesn’t make music sound good.
It’s possible that audio will improve with final units, but a few minutes playing with the various DTS presets, first choosing the music preset and then fiddling with the manual EQ, didn’t yield the kind of pleasing sound output I’d like from a laptop this big and expensive.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Unlike the version of the Helios 500 we looked at back in 2018, there are no ports on the back, save for the power connections. The left edge has a pair of tightly packed Thunderbolt/USB-C ports, as well as a USB 3 Type-A, a full-size HDMI port, and an anachronistic Mini Displayport.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
The right edge houses separate headphone and mic jacks, two more USB 3 Type-A ports, and a Killer Ethernet E3100G jack. Wi-Fi 6 is also included. Note that Acer has yet to provide us with full specs, so we are unsure of the exact port speeds/specs.
Display on the Acer Predator Helios 500 (2021)
We weren’t able to test the 1080p 360 Hz display (or any other aspect) of our pre-production sample. But elite gamers will no-doubt appreciate the speed. And in casual use and gaming, we didn’t find it to be particularly dull or dim. Acer says it will also offer a 2560 x 1440 display option with a 165 Hz refresh rate.
But the most interesting screen option will be the 3840 x 2160 (4K) IPS screen that supports 120 Hz refresh and has a Mini LED matrix, giving it 512 backlight zones, plus what should be high-brightness HDR support. In short, that should be one dynamic display, with bright lights and dark blacks, which should be great for both AAA gaming and movies. But we’ll have to await a final review unit to say for sure. And we’re very curious to hear how much that panel adds to the laptop’s cost.
Keyboard and Touchpad of the Acer Predator Helios 500 (2021)
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
The input devices on the Acer Predator Helios 500 are nothing if not colorful and roomy. With nearly 16 inches of width to play with, the keys are reasonably large, with lots of separation between them. And aside from the per-key backlighting, there’s also an RGB ring that runs around the touchpad, which is about 4.8 inches on the diagonal.
There’s also plenty of travel, in both the keys and touchpad buttons, likely thanks in part to the fact that Acer clearly wasn’t aiming for slimness here. And the WASD keys, apart from being visually offset in translucent blue, also have a stiffer feel than the surrounding keys, helping your fingers find them in the event that you were grabbing a snack and suddenly find yourself in the heat of battle.
All that said, personally I’ve never been a huge fan of these kind of flat keycaps on a gaming keyboard, and the white edges of the keys, while they help the RGB lighting shine through, look a bit garish in the daylight, against the darkness of the rest of the laptop’s design. I really hope more laptop makers shift back to offering mechanical switch options,
like Alienware has recently
.
Gaming on the Acer Predator Helios 500 (2021)
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
With the limited time I had with the new Acer Predator Helios 500, I didn’t have the luxury of long nights lost in raids and quests. But I did take the laptop through a few rounds of Doom Eternal and the decidedly less-demanding strategy title, Becastled. At the high frame rates that come with an RTX 3080 and an Intel Core i9 on a 1080p display, the 360 Hz screen was buttery smooth, and I found the roomy keyboard a bit more enjoyable for executing the games sometimes complicated jumps that I did for typing.
And while the cartoonish graphics of Becastled weren’t quite as colorful on the Helios’ display as they are on the Sony HDR TV that I use as my primary monitor, things didn’t exactly look dull eiter. Again, I’d love to see what these games (and frankly everything else) would look like on the 4K, 120 Hz HDR display option with localized dimming. And I’m curious to hear how much that screen will add to the price of the laptop.
As far as cooling goes, the Acer Predator Helios 500 was far from silent under load, but we wouldn’t expect that given its pairing of top-end components. But it also didn’t get overtly loud either. And the fans didn’t often fluctuate up and down, which can be more noticeable than a higher-decibel, but more constant whir. We’d need more time with the laptop (and the ability to test temps) to pass final judgement on the cooling system here, but nothing stood out as problematic or bad on that front, not that the laptop was quieter than we’d expect, either.
Final Thoughts
Given that every gaming laptop maker is using the same current core high-end components (though there is more more variety these days, with AMD’s CPUs more in the mix), and those parts have the same thermal requirements, there are only so many ways for a high-end gaming laptop to stand out.
Acer makes an attempt here by tossing in extra RGBs so that the Predator Helios 500 is as much a light show as it is a gaming powerhouse. It also doesn’t look or feel cheap or flimsy, as we’ve seem from some gaming portables in the past, when the aim was to keep costs as low as possible, or keep the chassis as slim as can be.
But really this Predator’s most striking trick might just be its Mini LED 4K display with full-array local dimming and 120 Hz refresh. Sadly, we’ll have to wait for a final version to get our eyes on that impressive-sounding display. The 360 Hz 1080p panel in our sample is certainly impressive in its own right, but its wow factor isn’t apparent unless you spend your time with highly competitive esports titles.
Acer is growing its Predator lineup of its best gaming monitors with some extreme specs that should appeal to both console and PC gamers who enjoy the finer things in life. The company announced three upcoming 4K gaming displays today, including a 42.5 inch model with HDMI 2.1 and a 37.5 incher with the Nvidia’s G-Sync ESports Mode, which was originally released for 360 Hz monitors.
Acer Predator CG437K S
Starting with the largest of the screens, the Acer Predator CG437K S is 42.5 inches and will compete with the best 4K gaming monitors for console gamers, thanks to its HDMI 2.1 port. The glory of HDMI 2.1 over the old HDMI 2.0 is that with the newer port, you can enjoy uncompressed 4K video at up to 120 Hz, instead of 60 Hz. You can also use a variable refresh rate to fight screen tearing when the console and monitor’s speeds don’t match up.
Acer Predator CG437K S’ RGB strips (Image credit: Acer)
This is particularly appealing to owners of the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, which don’t have any DisplayPorts and, thus, need HDMI 2.1 for you to enjoy 4K gaming at the fastest refresh rates. In January, Acer introduced its first HDMI 2.1 monitor, the 28-inch Nitro XV282K KV, but clearly Acer is going bigger now.
PC gamers aren’t left behind though. The Predator CG437K S has G-Sync Compatibility too. It also boasts a handy USB hub with two USB 2.0 and 3.0 ports each and even USB-C delivering power at up to 30W. But 30W is low compared to the 240W maximum introduced yesterday (before then, the max was 100W). A KVM switch is handy for those who want to use the monitor with multiple PCs, and you also get HDR with the same level of certification as some of the best HDR monitors: VESA DisplayHDR 1000.
According to Acer, the Predator CG437K S will debut sometime in November for $1,800.Starting with the largest of the screens, the Acer Predator CG437K S is 42.5 inches and will compete with the best 4K gaming monitors for console gamers, thanks to its HDMI 2.1 port. The glory of HDMI 2.1 over the old HDMI 2.0 is that with the newer port, you can enjoy uncompressed 4K video at up to 120 Hz, instead of 60 Hz. You can also use a variable refresh rate to fight screen tearing when the console and monitor’s speeds don’t match up.
This is particularly appealing to owners of the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, which don’t have any DisplayPorts and, thus, need HDMI 2.1 for you to enjoy 4K gaming at the fastest refresh rates. In January, Acer introduced its first HDMI 2.1 monitor, the 28-inch Nitro XV282K KV, but clearly Acer is going bigger now.
PC gamers aren’t left behind though. The Predator CG437K S has G-Sync Compatibility too. It also boasts a handy USB hub with two USB 2.0 and 3.0 ports each and even USB-C delivering power at up to 30W. BUt 30W is low compared to the 240W maximum introduced yesterday (before then, the max was 100W). A KVM switch is handy for those who want to use the monitor with multiple PCs, and you also get HDR with the same level of certification as some of the best HDR monitors: VESA DisplayHDR 1000.
According to Acer, the Predator CG437K S will debut sometime in November for $1,800.
Acer Predator X38 S
Acer Predator X38 S (Image credit: Acer)
The Predator X38 S more targets PC gamers with competition-level skills. The 37.5-incher includes Nvidia’s G-Sync ESports Mode. The image preset debuted with 360 Hz monitors in September and, according to Nvidia, “ensures the lowest latency by turning off variable backlight,” makes blacks look darker and tweaks gamma “to offset darker contrast areas, allowing players to better distinguish objects in dark areas.” Nvidia also says the mode is specifically made for competitive titles, like CS:GO. We haven’t seen it in action, but you can check out a demo form Nvidia (so take it with a grain of salt) here.
Further appealing to gamers looking to squeeze out as much performance as possible, the Predator X38 S has a 0.3ms GTG response time coupled with a refresh rate that can hit as high as 175 Hz if you overclock it. There’s also Nvidia’s Reflex Latency Analyzer for checking if your system is competition-ready and G-Sync Ultimate.
This is an ultra-wide, 2300R curved monitor, which Acer claims will really help “immersive gameplay.” HDR also drops a certification level compared to the Predator CG437K S to DisplayHDR 600, (which requires a minimum peak brightness of 600 nits), but that should be fine for gaming.
All that makes the Predator X38 S cost even more then the Predator CG437K S: $2,000.
Acer Predator X28
Acer Predator X28 (Image credit: Acer)
The 28-inch Acer Predator X28’s refresh rate can climb as high as 155 Hz with overclock, and it has a 1ms GTG response time. It’s also supposed to be color-accurate. Acer is claiming a color error of under 1 Delta E (dE) with its IPS panel, which would make its color accuracy on par with expensive monitors geared toward creative professionals.
HDR performance will probably not be a big advantage of though, as Acer opted for DisplayHDR 400 certification here.
This smaller, 28-inch screen is a little cheaper than the aforementioned screens. Acer says the Predator X28 will arrive in August for $1,300.
There’s a new Acer Predator in town: the 16-inch Predator Triton 500 SE. It has a new subtle design with a touch of RGB as well as the latest chips from Intel and Nvidia. It also has a feature that I am much too excited about: a 16:10 display.
Put this next to the previous Triton 500, and this device looks much more like something you might bring to a meeting or a lecture. It’s not quite as flashy. The last model’s glowing Triton logo has been removed from the center of the lid and squeezed into the top-right corner. The previous Triton also had “Predator” printed along the large bottom bezel, which has been replaced by a smaller and subtler Triton logo as well. The corners are sharper, the keyboard is a bit blacker — it’s a more modern, professional look.
No more logo in the center.
The biggest thing you’ll probably notice, though, is that the laptop is taller. The new 16-inch 16:10 display affords extra vertical space compared to the 15.6-inch 16:9 display on the previous Triton. I got to spend a bit of time with a pre-production unit of the Triton 500 SE, and I’m going to have trouble going back to a 13-inch 16:9. This is one of the roomiest displays I’ve ever used. I had no trouble stacking 2-3 tabs and apps alongside each other and jumping in between them. I never had to zoom out of anything.
There are three panel options: a 165Hz LCD panel, a 165Hz Mini LED panel, or a 240Hz IPS PolarBlack panel (which Acer says will cover 100 percent of the DCI-P3 color gamut). All the screens have 2560 x 1600 resolution. Mini LED, which also powers the screen of Apple’s latest 12.9-inch iPad Pro, is unusual to see on laptops. It’s designed to emulate the look of an OLED screen on an LCD panel, and it can produce excellent contrast.
The Triton has new chips as well; it’s configurable with up to an 11th-Gen Intel Core i9 processor and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 GPU. (Acer hasn’t shared the clock speeds and graphics power you can expect from these chips yet, so I look forward to digging those up during the review process.) It also provides more ambitious specs for power users than previous Tritons, supporting up to a whopping 64GB of memory and 4TB of storage. (Last year’s Triton 500 maxed out at 32GB and 2TB, respectively.)
It’s a roomy screen.
The Triton 500 SE has pretty much every port you might need, including two Thunderbolt 4 ports, one on each side, in addition to two USB 3.2 Gen 2, one HDMI 2.1, one 3.5mm audio jack, one SD card reader, an ethernet port, and a DC-in for power. One of the USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports supports power-off USB charging as well.
There’s a fingerprint in the top-left corner of the touchpad. The webcam in the top bezel actually didn’t look too terrible in my testing and produced a viewable picture in low-light conditions. It doesn’t support Windows Hello, though.
Finally, Acer is also very excited about the new cooling system, which features what it refers to as its “5th-Gen Aeroblade 3D fan” in a triple-fan system with five heat pipes. Acer says this will provide up to 10 percent better airflow than the previous Triton 500. We’ll have more specific metrics once we’ve been able to write a full review of this device; my first impression is that the fans were often audible on this pre-production unit, but I never felt an uncomfortable amount of heat and never saw the CPU get anywhere close to a worrying temperature.
Power port, Ethernet, USB-A, USB-C, audio jack on the left.
I really like the keyboard, it’s nice and clicky.
You can make various fun effects with the per-key RGB keys.
HDMI, USB-C, USB-A, SD slot, and a lock slot on the right.
Altogether, a fun machine to use — but we’ll have to wait for the full review before making a recommendation.
The Predator Triton 500 SE will be available in North America in June, starting at $1,749.99. The base configuration that Best Buy will be selling for that price includes a Core i7-11800H, a GeForce RTX 3060, 16GB of RAM, 512GB of SSD storage, and the 165Hz LCD display.
Acer also announced an updated version of its bulkier, pricier, and high-performance Predator Helios 500, which also has new 11th-Gen processors and Nvidia 3000-series GPUs. This laptop can come with a 4K Mini LED 120Hz display or an FHD 360Hz display. The Helios can be configured with up to 64GB of RAM as well. That model is coming to North America in August starting at $2,499.99.
The 105th Indy 500 date is set and the race underway this Sunday, live from the world famous Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The biggest oval race of the 2021 NTT IndyCar Series will see 135,000 fans (in face masks, of course) cheer on defending Indy 500 winner Takuma Sato and pole-sitter Scott Dixon as they compete for the Borg-Warner Trophy and a bottle of ice-cold milk.
Ready to lay down some rubber at the Brickyard? Carb day (final practice) starts at 4pm BST on Friday, followed by the epic, 200-lap Indy 500 race on Sunday for an Indy 500 start time of 5.45pm BST (12.45pm ET). Make sure you know how to watch an Indy 500 live stream wherever you are in the world.
Indy 500 live stream
Start time: 5.45pm BST / 12.45am ET / 2.45am AEST
Track: Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Indiana
US streams: NBC Sports | FuboTV (free trial)
Watch anywhere: Try ExpressVPN risk-free today
UK stream: Sky Sports F1 | Now
AUS stream: KayoSports
Buy tickets: Indianapolis Motor Speedway
This year’s 500-mile extravaganza will take about 3 hours to complete, depending on pitstops, crashes and safety cars. The 33-car field will be led away by six-time IndyCar champ – the greatest driver of his generation – Scott Dixon. The Iceman secured pole last weekend by just 0.03 seconds in a thrilling Fast Nine.
“It was pretty hairy, glad it’s over. It was definitely pretty tense,” Dixon told Fox News. “I could see the mechanics working on the car as we rolled through, adjusting the wings. I asked them not to tell me. It’s definitely a roller coaster of emotions for everybody and I’m actually really relieved that that’s all over.”
Colton Herta captured second place. The 21-year-old Andretti Autosport driver put in a monster lap to bump 20-year-old Dutchman Rinus VeeKay into third place. The aptly-named Will Power smacked the wall on the final lap but will still make the race. Simona de Silvestro will get her first start since 2015 (last year’s race lacked a female driver for the first time in 20 years).
Anything can happen in IndyCar, but with Dixon set for his sixth front row start in his 19th Indy 500, the No. 9 Dallara-Honda is now odds-on favourite to the take the honours once more.
The 2021 Indy 500 presented by Gainbridge starts at 5.45pm UK time on Sunday. You can even stream the action on your TV and a host of devices including Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, Xbox, PlayStation, iOS and Android devices.
Make sure you know how to watch an Indy 500 live stream from anywhere in the world.
Feast your eyes on the best TVs you can buy
Indy 500 live stream for only €9.99
(Image credit: Wikipedia / TPSDave – indianapolis-motor-speedway-1848561 archive copy)
Those in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Cyprus and Israel can watch an Indy 500 live stream using DAZN, the subscription-based sports streaming service. The price varies from region to region and there’s also a free trial which means you could watch the Indy 500 for free!
Those in the Czech Republic will be able to sign up for €9.99 per month to watch the Indy 500 live stream. There’s no lock-in contract, so you can cancel anytime.
Going to be outside the CR this weekend? Simply use a VPN to access your chosen Indy 500 live stream without being blocked. Try ExpressVPN risk-free with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Free trial available
Indy 500 live stream on DAZN for €9.99
DAZN has the rights to the Indy 500, UFC, Bundesliga, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, US Sports, Fightsports, and much more live and on demand in selected countries. Try for 1 month. Cancel at anytime.
The DAZN app is available on Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV and Fire TV Sticks, as well as selected smart TVs including Android TV, LG, Panasonic, Samsung, Sony and Philips.
If you have a games console, look for the DAZN app on Xbox One, PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4. You can also download the DAZN app for Android and iOS mobile devices.
Watch an Indy 500 live stream using a VPN
Even if you have subscribed to the relevant Indy 500 rights holders, you won’t be able to access them when outside your own country. The service will know your location based on your IP address, and will automatically block your access.
A Virtual Private Network (VPN) helps you get around this obstacle. A VPN creates a private connection between your device and the internet, such that the servers and services you’re accessing aren’t aware of what you’re doing. All the information passing back and forth is entirely encrypted.
There are many VPN providers out there, with some more reliable and safe than others. As a rule, we’d suggest a paid-for service such as ExpressVPN which offers a 100 per cent risk-free money back guarantee. If you’re not happy with the service any time within the first 30-days, then you can cancel with no penalties at all.
Try ExpressVPN risk-free for 30 days ExpressVPN offers a 30-day money back guarantee with its VPN service. You can use it to watch on your mobile, tablet, laptop, TV, games console and more. There’s 24/7 customer support and three months free when you sign-up. Try it – you’ll be surprised how simple it is.
How to watch the Indy 500 in the USA
(Image credit: Wikipedia / Greg Hildebrand from Plymouth, IN – 2011 Indy 500874)
The Indy 500 race will air on NBC. Pre-race coverage starts at 9am ET on NBCSN, moving to NBC at 11am and finishing at 4pm. It also will be available to stream via the NBC Sports App and NBCSports.com.
Not got cable? US fans also have to option to watch the Indy 500 via FuboTV, a streaming service that carries NBC and offers a free 7-day trial.
FuboTV supports Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, iPhone, iPad and Android phones/tablets. You can also use FuboTV to watch the Indy 500 on your TV using Google Chromecast or Apple Airplay.
After the FuboTV trial ends, you’ll be bumped onto the $65 a month plan, which includes access to a host of premium TV channels. There’s no lock-in contract, so you can cancel at any time – and before the free trial ends, if you so wish.
Can I watch the Indy 500 in 4K?
FuboTV is a great way to watch the the occasional sporting event in 4K Ultra HD, but, sadly, not the 2021 Indy 500.
How to watch the Indy 500 in the UK
(Image credit: Sky)
Sky has the rights to show the Indy 500 in the UK. You can watch live on Sky Sports F1, or via the SkyGo app. The build-up starts at 3.45pm with the race set to get underway at 5.45pm.
Not a Sky subscriber? Anyone can enjoy the Indy 500 using Sky’s pay-per-view platform, Now. Now is available on all good smart TVs and set-top-boxes. A one-day pass costs from £9.99 gets you live coverage of F1, football, golf and more.
Now Sports Pass Watch the Indy 500 from just £9.99 A day pass for sports on Now can cost as little as £9.99, with a monthly pass coming in at £33.99 for those wanting to see the Indy 500 plus a few F1 grand prix, as well as football, golf and tennis.
How to watch the Indy 500 in Australia
(Image credit: Kayo)
Fox Sports has the rights to screen the 2021 IndyCar Series down under. Aussies seeking an Indy 500 live stream should click onto Kayo Sports.
The streaming platform’s premium package costs AU$35 per month but you can grab a free 14-day trial here.
Indy 500 schedule
5am ET – Garage opens
6am ET – Gates open
6.30am ET – Tech inspection
8.15am ET – Cars pushed to pit lane
10.30am ET – Cars on the starting grid
11:47am ET – Driver introductions
12.38pmET– Command to start engines
12.45pm ET – Green flag for the 105th Indy 500
Why does the Indy 500 winner drink milk?
The tradition dates to 1936, when Louis Meyer won his third Indy 500. It’s said that Meyer used to drink buttermilk to refresh himself on hot days, and when a photographer snapper a picture of him guzzling from a glass bottle in victory lane, the picture appeared in several newspapers.
It wasn’t long before a canny marketing executive representing the Milk Federation realised that ‘winners drink milk’ was a great way to sell the American public yet more milk. Ever since then, aside from a short hiatus between 1946-55, the winner of the Indy 500 has been presented with a bottle of ice-cold milk (actually it was a whole churn last year).
There was uproar in 1993 when contrary Brazilian driver Emerson Fittipaldi mugged off the milk in favour of a bottle of orange juice. Some sections of the audience booed but Fittipaldi had the last laugh when he was revealed as the owner of a 500,000-acre orange grove in Brazil. Fittipaldi was later forced to issue an apology.
Nintendo could announce its OLED Switch console in the next couple of weeks. Sources have told Bloomberg that the portable games console could be unveiled ahead of the E3 gaming conference which kicks off on 12th June.
Assembly is planned to start in July, with the console going on sale in September or October, they added.
An announcement ahead of E3 would let publishers showcase their full range of Switch games at the conference.
The new machine is likely to be more expensive than the current model, which it will eventually replace, leaving the OLED model and Switch Lite as the two models in Nintendo’s line.
The new console is thought to be called the Nintendo Switch Pro, though its official name is only known to a handful of people within Nintendo.
Its main selling point is the screen. According to leaks, it will be bigger than the current model’s (7in vs 6.2in) and use OLED technology to offer better contrast and colour (the current model has an LCD display). OLED is also more energy-efficient, which could mean better battery life – crucial for a console you can play on your travels.
It’s also thought to boast a new Nvidia chip with 4K upscaling, which would make game graphics look far better on a big-screen TV without the need for huge file sizes.
Next-gen games consoles are in the midst of a chip shortage caused by the pandemic, meaning the PS5 and Xbox Series X have been in short supply since launching in November 2020. Hopefully, the situation will be a distant memory by September, or will the Nintendo Switch Pro be another console that struggles to meet demand?
MORE:
Next-gen console showdown: PS5 vs Xbox Series X: which is better?
Find your Xbox: Xbox Series X stock update
And the same for the PS5: Sony PS5 stock and where to buy
Nintendo could release its heavily rumored new version of the Switch in September or October, according to a report by Bloomberg. Manufacturing is reportedly planned to start as soon as July, and Bloomberg says the system may be announced before the E3 trade show, which kicks off in virtual form on June 12th.
As Bloomberg notes, an announcement ahead of E3 would allow third-party publishers, as well as Nintendo itself, to show their games running on the new hardware. This version of the Switch is said to use more powerful silicon from Nvidia that works with DLSS technology, allowing for 4K output to a TV. It also reportedly has a 7-inch OLED display sourced from Samsung.
Bloomberg says Nintendo’s suppliers are “confident” in their ability to fulfill the orders even though there’s a global shortage of chips and other components. “Production lines are better prepared for the potential component shake-up and the parts Nintendo is using are subject to less competition than those in its rivals’ more powerful consoles,” according to the report, though it still warns that “the company’s ability to meet consumer demand won’t be guaranteed.”
The current model of the Switch has been difficult to find in many regions throughout the past year, with increased demand during the pandemic exacerbated by challenges with the supply chain.
In February, Sony revealed it was selling the PlayStation 5 at a loss — but that’s imminently about to change. The PS5 should hit break-even in June, and become profitable the very same month, according to a presentation the company shared with investors (PDF) during its investor day today.
Needless to say, that’s fast — happening before the company has even managed to catch up with demand, in the midst of a global chip shortage. (We bemoaned the needless drama of buying a PS5 just days ago!)
Mind you, this is for the standard PS5, the one where Sony has to supply a 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray drive and pay as much as $8 per console in licensing fees, and charges you an extra $100 at retail. It’s not clear if Sony’s driveless PS5 Digital Edition is more or less profitable.
Profitability isn’t the only intriguing disclosure in Sony’s presentation, though. Buried in the filing is the excellent news that an incredible game is coming to PC — the previously PS4/PS5 exclusive Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End, a blockbuster action game that we loved enough to write both spoiler-free and multiple spoiler-iffic reviews.
Sony had previously promised more PlayStation exclusives would come to PC, and Sony’s presentation makes it clear why the company is interested. See that little “ROI 250%+” note? If I’m reading it correctly, that means the iffy PC port of Horizon: Zero Dawn nonetheless managed to make more than double the money that Sony invested in bringing it to gaming computers.
It makes me wonder, very strongly, about the mysterious circumstances that surrounded Sony’s announcements of Demon’s Souls and Final Fantasy XVI.
Oh, by the way: sure looks like Sony just confirmed that God of War: Ragnarok is the official name of that upcoming game! Could be a mistake or a juxtaposition of two vaguely related logos, though.
Also genuinely surprising to see them maybe just confirm God of War: Ragnarok as the next game’s official title?
After we’ve all spent so long calling it that, makes sense to lean in, I suppose! pic.twitter.com/7YYm6cngZ9
— Jonathon Dornbush (@jmdornbush) May 26, 2021
Correction: Sony’s presentation today came from its Investor Day, not its Corporate Strategy Meeting. The Corporate Strategy Meeting was yesterday.
Apple, a company notorious for making its products difficult to repair, has given us a real head-scratcher of a repair situation with its next-generation streaming remote.
At issue here are a pair of screws that would appear to make repair semi-straightforward but absolutely do not. iFixit tore down the second-generation Siri Remote, which will ship with the latest Apple TV 4K streaming box, and found that these two screws on the outside of the remote do basically nothing. Do not, in other words, expect to be able to fix your new remote or its battery easily.
First off, Apple’s new wand features a one-piece aluminum outer casing design — meaning that while minimal and pretty, this thing was probably already going to prove difficult to tinker with. You might think, therefore, that a pair of tiny screws at the bottom of the remote near its charging port would offer easy access to the thing most likely to need to be repaired on this remote: the battery. You would be wrong.
The previous generation of Siri Remote (left) shown next to the newer remote (right). The newer remote has two tiny screws at the bottom. They do nothing.Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge
Instead, iFixit’s video teardown indicated that the tiny plate that covers its Lightning port — another Siri Remote sin, if I’m being honest — effectively goes nowhere. To get inside the remote, iFixit needed to use a handful of specialized tools to pop off the buttons on the remote, remove more tiny screws and tiny component parts, wriggle the remote’s inner frame out of its aluminum shell, unscrew the logic board from the remote’s skeleton, and finally, pop out the 1.52Wh battery. Oh, and its cables are soldered together with those of the Lightning port, making DIY repairs all the more difficult.
Is the lack of simple repairability on the next-generation Siri Remote entirely surprising? Well, no. Of course not. Repairing the first-generation Siri wand was similarly a whole entire thing. Apple is also notorious for lobbying against right-to-repair legislation, has been shown to be internally conflicted about its own position on the matter, and has used bad-faith arguments to shield itself from criticism about how difficult its products are to fix, particularly where it relates to proprietary component parts and repair instructions.
But for a remote with a rechargeable battery, Apple sure makes it difficult to actually get in there and access one of the things most likely to need replacement down the road. And tricking us with a pair of screws that do little for repairability doesn’t exactly curry favor on the repair front, either.
Dell’s Summer Sale Event is officially underway, and if you’re looking for a 1440p panel to support your newfound gaming habits, the Dell 27 S2721DGF Gaming Monitor is an excellent bet. The 27-inch peripheral is currently on sale at Dell for $380 — more than $200 off the initial list price — and it touts a 165Hz refresh rate, HDR, and support for both FreeSync and G-Sync, helping to smooth gameplay and reduce unwanted tearing. A 1ms response time and decent port selection round out the monitor’s feature set alongside the sleek accent lighting on the back, which, like it or not, will douse your wall in a subtle shade of blue.
Dell 27 S2721DGF Gaming Monitor
$380
$610
38% off
Prices taken at time of publishing.
A 27-inch 1440p gaming monitor with a design that looks like a blend of Dell’s Alienware and XPS styles on the rear. This monitor is also compatible with Nvidia’s G-Sync software.
$380
at Dell
Mass Effect’s legendary starship may be available to No Man’s Sky for a limited time, but if you truly want to experience the heydey of Mass Effect on your PC, there’s no better way than with Mass Effect Legendary Edition. On sale at Eneba for $40 with offer code MASSEFFECTLEG, the remastered collection contains all three titles in Shepard’s original trilogy, as well Mass Effect 3’s extended cut and the 40-odd DLC packs released throughout the series’s run. With BioWare’s beloved sci-fi series set to return in the (hopefully) not-so-distant future, now might be the perfect time to revisit the classic saga.
Mass Effect Legendary Edition
$40
$60
34% off
Prices taken at time of publishing.
A compilation of the first three Mass Effect games repackaged and optimized for 4K with reduced load times, improved performance, and various gameplay tweaks.
$40
at Eneba
Microsoft’s Surface Headphones are a generation old at this point, but they still provide a comfortable fit, pleasant sound, and active noise cancellation. They also have a very intuitive dial control system on each cup for adjusting volume or the strength of the noise cancellation. Originally $350, Woot is selling brand-new Surface Headphones for just $80 today, making them one of the best values in noise-canceling headphones right now.
The 2020 Roku Ultra may not be considered our favorite streaming device, however, it’s also not one to scoff at. It’s the most capable device in the Roku lineup, equipped with both a USB port for external media and an ethernet port for those times when your Wi-Fi is acting up or overloaded. It also supports a range of content, from 4K to HDR to Dolby Vision, and features quick performance, thanks to its quad-core processor. Better yet, it’s currently available at Amazon and Walmart for $69 or $70 at Best Buy, the lowest price we’ve seen on Roku’s premium device. If you’re looking for bells and whistles, the Roku Ultra has them in spades.
Roku Ultra (2020)
$69
$100
31% off
Prices taken at time of publishing.
The Roku Ultra is the most capable of Roku’s streaming devices. It features support for 4K, HDR, and Dolby Vision, while offering up a host of other unique incentives, including a programmable remote and both a USB and ethernet port.
(Pocket-lint) – Google is rumoured to be working on a few smartphones, including the Pixel 6 and the Pixel 6 Pro.
Though not due to be official until later in the year – possibly October time – both devices have leaked extensively over the last couple of months giving us a good idea of what to expect.
Here is how the Google Pixel 6 is rumoured to compare to the Google Pixel 6 Pro, based on what we have heard so far.
Design
Pixel 6: 158.6 x 74.8 x 8.9mm, 11.8mm with bump
Pixel 6 Pro: 163.9 x 75.8 x 8.9mm, 11.5mm with bump
The Google Pixel 6 and 6 Pro are expected to share a similar design, though there are some variations between the two models based on the leaked renders.
Both will seemingly have a prominent horizontal camera housing that spans the entire width of the rear, but the Pixel 6 will have dual camera while the 6 Pro will have a triple camera. The flash module is expected to sit on the right of the lenses within the housing.
It seems both will sport an under-display fingerprint sensor, along with a centralised punch hole camera at the top of the display, but the Pixel 6 will apparently have a flat screen, while the 6 Pro will have a slight curve to its display.
No details on IP ratings have been revealed in leaks as yet, but the Pixel 5 is IP68 rated, so we would expect both the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro to offer the same. In terms of size, the Pixel 6 Pro is expected to be the larger device.
Display
Pixel 6: 6.4-inch, Full HD+, 90Hz?
Pixel 6 Pro: 6.67-inch, Quad HD+, 120Hz?
The Google Pixel 6 is said to be coming with a 6.4-inch display, which as we mentioned, is said to be flat. There haven’t been any leaked details surrounding display and refresh rate as yet, but we’d expect Full HD+ on the Pixel 6, and at least 90Hz.
The Pixel 6 Pro meanwhile, is expected to come with a 6.67-inch curved display, making it a little bigger and more distinctive than the standard model, if true.
Again, no reports have indicated what we can expect in terms of resolution and refresh rate, though it wouldn’t be too surprising to see a Quad HD+ resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate for the Pro model.
We’re expecting HDR support on both models as the Pixel 5 offers this.
Hardware and specs
Pixel 6: Google own chip? Pixel 6 Pro: Google own chip?
Rumour has it Google is working on its own system-on-chip, codenamed Whitechapel. Reports suggest it will offer a raw performance somewhere between the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 and the Snapdragon 888.
It’s expected this chip will be on board the Pixel 6 models, though not confirmed.
RAM, storage and battery capacities haven’t been detailed in leaks yet either, though we’d expect the Pixel 6 Pro to be superior in terms of RAM and battery compared to the Pixel 6. We’re expecting at least 4000mAh and 8GB of RAM on the standard model.
Cameras
Pixel 6: Dual camera
Pixel 6 Pro: Triple camera
Based on reports, the Google Pixel 6 will come with a dual camera. Reports have claimed there will be a 50-megapixel main camera, coupled with an ultra wide-angle sensor, though nothing is confirmed.
The Pixel 6 Pro meanwhile, is said to be coming with a triple rear camera, which will apparently offer the same 50-megapixel main sensor and ultra wide-angle sensor as the Pixel 6, but add an 8-megapixel telephoto sensor to the mix.
It’s also been claimed the front camera – resolution not yet detailed in leaks – will support 4K video recording. It’s not clear if this will be on both the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro, or just the Pro model however.
Conclusion
For now, everything is based on speculation regarding the Google Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro. The rumours so far suggest the two devices will sport very similar designs, with the Pro model offering a slightly more premium finish with a curved display, as well as triple rear camera.
The 6 Pro is also expected to have a slightly larger display and we wouldn’t be surprised to see it offer a higher resolution and refresh rate, as well as more RAM and a larger battery capacity. The Pixel 6 is likely to be cheaper than the 6 Pro however, and it’s possible the two devices will run the same hardware.
We’ll update this feature as more rumours come in. For now, you can read all about the Pixel 6 in our separate feature and the Pixel 6 Pro in another feature.
Panasonic today announced an updated version of its venerable LUMIX GH5 camera. The new GH5 Mark II is a relatively modest upgrade over its predecessor but if you look at the other thing Panasonic announced today, you’d realize it’s just a stop-gap.
The GH5M2 features a revised set of specifications, largely due to the upgrade to the newer and latest generation Venus Engine processor. The camera is now capable of internally recording 4K 60p in 10-bit at 4:2:0, which is an improvement over the GH5 that could only do 8-bit internally. The GH5M2 will also be able to simultaneously record in 4K 60p in 10-bit 4:2:2 to an external recorder.
The GH5M2 comes with the Panasonic V-Log L log profile pre-installed, which was an optional paid extra on the GH5. This allows you to color match the camera to other Panasonic cameras using V-Log (S1/S1H) or V-Log L (GH5/GH5S). The GH5M2 also adds two Cinelike presets (D2 and V2) along with MonochromeS and L.ClassicNeo.
The 20.3-megapixel Micro Four Thirds sensor is nearly identical to the one on the GH5. The GH5M2 sensor features anti-reflective coating, which should reduce the amount of flare around bright objects.
The use of a faster processor has enabled some improvements to autofocusing. While the GH5M2 still uses the same contrast-based DFD system, it is not faster to lock focus and 2x faster at detecting eyes and faces than the GH5.
The GH5M2 also features improved in-body image stabilizer and is capable of 6.5-stop slower shutter speed.
The GH5M2 features a smaller 3.0-inch display compared to the 3.5-inch display on the GH5. However, this new display has higher 1840k dot resolution and is also brighter outdoors.
The connectivity hasn’t changed much but the microUSB port has been ditched in favor of USB-C with USB-PD charging.
Finally, the GH5M2 is capable of live streaming to YouTube or Facebook directly through the camera. All you need is the camera and an internet connection, either through home Wi-Fi or through your phone’s data connection and the Panasonic app and you’re good to go. Aside from the two services mentioned above, you can also stream to any other RTMP/RTMPS protocol compatible streaming service and stream at 1080p 60fps at 16Mbps. A future update will also add wired IP streaming (RTP/RTSP).
Aside from that, this is basically the same camera as the GH5. All you get to differentiate externally are some red accents and a reassigned F1 button. However, this isn’t a bad thing, as the GH5M2 is being launched at $400 lower than the launch price of the GH5 and starts at $1699.
However, the thing to look out for is Panasonic’s upcoming GH6, which the company also teased today. The camera is said to be in development and will be launched by the end of 2021. The GH6 will be able to do 4:2:2 10-bit DCI 4K 60p internal recording without any time limits and also 10-bit 4K 120p HFR recording. The Gh6 will also be able to do 10-bit 5.7k 60p video with the new Micro Four Thirds sensor.
The Panasonic LUMIX GH6 will be priced around $2500.
Source 1 • Source 2
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