Apple’s currently in your pocket with its phones, on your wrist with its watches, and thanks to a new report from
The Information
, we now know that it’s probably going to be on your heads soon too with its first VR headset- assuming you can afford it. Recent speculation about an ultra high-end Apple VR headset started just a few weeks ago thanks to
Bloomberg
, but The Information’s new report hints at a bevy of cutting-edge features, including “more than a dozen cameras” and “ultra-high-resolution 8K displays.”
These details supposedly come from “a person with direct knowledge of the device,” who provided the outlet with internal Apple images of a late-stage prototype of the headset. According to both reports, the Apple VR headset will be a luxury device that uses mesh and swappable headbands to lighten the load on the wearer’s head and will cost well over the $300 to $900 price tags of the competition. Current Apple discussions see pricing hitting around $3,000, according to the new report.
For that small fortune, you’ll get both VR and Mixed Reality capabilities, since the device’s cameras will supposedly go beyond tracking hand movements and will also “be able to pass video of the real world through the visor and display it on screens to the person wearing the headset.” Lidar will also reportedly play a role here, helping to map nearby real world objects in virtual spaces rendered by the headset.
But for pure VR enthusiasts, the Apple headset will also supposedly tout two 8K screens, plus eye tracking.
The idea here, according to The Information’s report, is to use eye tracking to dynamically adjust resolution to only fully render where the user is looking, thus saving computing power and allowing for those high 8K resolutions. For instance, your peripheral vision will likely show you lower quality graphics than your center of vision.
You also supposedly won’t have to worry about your immersion being broken, as the headset’s current design “also blocks peripheral vision to keep outside light from leaking into the wearer’s field of vision.”
While The Information hasn’t published any of its source photos, its article does feature a rendering that the outlet created to give readers an idea of what the headset looks like. Here, you can see what the swappable headbands and periphery blocking, weight-reducing mesh might look like. Not shown here are the physical dial that one of The Information’s sources said might be on the visor’s side and would help control software. Also not seen is a potential outward facing display that two of the outlet’s sources mention, which would allow the wearer to show graphics to others nearby.
The headset, which is code-named N301, isn’t the only VR device Apple is supposedly working on, either. The Information also says the company is toying with a “thimble-like device to be worn on a person’s finger” for controlling the headset. There’s also talks of an optional headband that will help with battery life, as well as headbands with the same spatial audio solution featured in the company’s Airpods.
It’s also possible that this expensive VR headset is serving as a niche first outing for features that will eventually appeal to a wider market in a different, more strictly AR-focused product.
“Apple is also working on a pair of lightweight smart glasses designed to overlay virtual objects onto a person’s view of the real world” writes The Information. “That device is still years away from release and faces steep technological hurdles.”
All of this technology is set to be powered by “chips designed in-house,” which might also have been a factor in Apple’s recent decision to move away from Intel and towards Arm processors.
The luxury nature of Apple’s VR headset also means it might face a more restrictive release. The Information mentions it might only see a limited release of 250,000 units in its first year, with Bloomberg speculating that the company “may sell only one headset per day per retail store.”
As it stands, this marks somewhat of a new approach for Apple. While the company charges a noticeable premium and markets its tech products with a sleek and sophisticated lifestyle brand touch, rarely is it the most expensive, most technologically advanced option on the market. If these reports turn out to be true, we’re curious how competitors like Oculus and HTC will respond.
It’s no secret Apple is hard at work on augmented and virtual reality devices, with a report from Bloomberg in January claiming Apple is working on an ultra-high-end, pricey headset that could hit stores in 2022. Now, a new report from The Information sheds new light on what to expect from the potential headset, including a rendering — said to be based on “internal Apple images of a late-stage prototype from last year” — of what the device might actually look like.
The Information’s report corroborates several details from Bloomberg’s, including the fabric mesh material that the company is said to be using in order to lighten the weight of the device — and the high price tag. The new report claims the price could reach approximately $3,000, considerably higher than most other standalone VR headsets, like the $299 Oculus Quest 2.
The alleged design also appears to borrow cues from a variety of other Apple devices, including swappable Apple Watch-style headbands and a HomePod-esque mesh fabric.
Image: The Information
There are also new details on the actual hardware for the rumored device, which is said to offer both VR and mixed reality applications, thanks to over a dozen cameras (for tracking hand movement) and LIDAR sensors (for mapping rooms, similar to AR effects on the iPad Pro and iPhone 12 Pro). It is also said to feature dual 8K displays with eye-tracking technology that could offer resolution far beyond any current commercial VR headsets on the market today.
Notably, the report claims Apple won’t be running the power-hungry 8K displays at full resolution the entire time. Instead, the device will use the eye-tracking technology to determine where users are looking and then rendering peripheral areas in lower resolution to improve performance (a technique in the VR world known as foveated rendering). The chips, as previously reported by Bloomberg, are expected to be internally developed Apple Silicon hardware that could potentially be more powerful than Apple’s current M1 chip.
Apple is reportedly experimenting with a variety of control methods, including hand-tracking and eye-tracking, a dial mounted on the side of the headset, and a “thimble-like” accessory, although nothing is said to be finalized just yet.
The headset, described mostly as a VR device with more limited AR functions, is still intended to be a key step toward Apple’s ultimate goal: a lightweight AR device indistinguishable from standard eyeglasses. That device is still said to be years away from release.
Microsoft is updating its OneDrive app for Android this week with a new home screen, Samsung Motion Photos support, and the ability to play 8K videos. The new home screen includes quick access to recent files, offline files, and the “On This Day” feature of OneDrive that reminds you of your old photos.
Samsung Motion Photos support is also included in this update, allowing owners of Samsung phones to play back photos captured with motion in the OneDrive app or online. These photos work like Apple’s Live Photos and capture a still image alongside several seconds of video and sound before the capture. Microsoft says Samsung Motion Photos playback is rolling out worldwide and will require Android version 6 or above.
OneDrive’s new home screen on Android.Image: Microsoft
The final addition is 8K video playback for compatible Samsung phones like the new Galaxy S21 or last year’s S20. While you’ve always been able to store 8K videos on OneDrive, the service now supports playback on compatible screens and devices. This could tempt more to store 8K video on Microsoft’s cloud storage service, particularly when OneDrive now supports up to 250GB files.
This latest Android update for OneDrive focuses a lot on Samsung’s phones and is an example of the ongoing partnership between Microsoft Samsung. Both companies are working on a variety of ways to integrate Microsoft’s software and services into Samsung Android phones, and there’s even a partnership for cloud gaming through xCloud.
The days of open-source GPUs may soon be upon us. The RISC-V architecture enables small companies to develop purpose-built processors and microcontrollers without paying a royalty. There are numerous free and commercial IP building blocks for RISC-V-based system-on-chips (SoCs), but the portfolio lacks a graphics option. This will change in a few years as a group of enthusiasts has started developing an open-source GPU based on the RISC-V architecture.
At this point, there are no plans to compete against AMD, Arm, Imagination, and Nvidia in the foreseeable future. Instead, the group plans to develop a scalable fused CPU-GPU ISA that could scale from simplistic microcontrollers all the way to advanced GPUs supporting ray tracing, machine learning, and computer vision applications with custom hardware extensions.
On a high level, RV64X-designed GPUs use a basic RV32I or RV64I core that supports new instructions built on the base vector instruction set. Initially, it will use an RV32I core, but eventually, an RV64I core will replace it as the goal is to create an area-efficient design with custom programmability and extensibility that could be used for CPUs, GPUs, and VPUs, writes Jon Peddie for EE Times.
(Image credit: RV64X)
To properly process graphics, the basic RISC-V core will support new graphics and machine learning specific — RV32X — data types, including scalars (8, 16, 24, and 32 bit fixed and floats, vectors (RV32-V), and matrices (2×2, 3×3, and 4×4); vector/math instructions; pixel/texture instructions; frame buffer instructions; a special register set (featuring configurable 136-bit vector registers); and some graphics-specific instructions. Initially, the graphics core will support the Vulkan API, but the group strives to make it DirectX (shader model 5) and OpenGL/ES-compliant.
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The RV64X group says that its graphics processor will implement a standard graphics pipeline in microcode, but it will also be able to add custom rasterizers (splines, SubDiv surfaces, patches) and custom pipeline stages to support features not supported by commercially-available GPU designs.
The group proposes an RV32X reference implementation that features a hardware texture unit (i.e., the Larrabee lesson has been learned), a special function unit, a 32KB L1 cache, an 8K uCode SRAM cache, and four 32-bit DSPs/ALUs that can process FP32 and INT32 data, reports HardwareLuxx. The reference design will most likely be implemented using an FPGA.
(Image credit: RV64X)
The RV64X project is at its early stages of development and it will take at least a couple of years before the specification will be finalized and any hardware implementation emerges, believes Jon Peddie, the president of Jon Peddie Research. In fact, even the specification is subject to change based on stakeholder and community input, so it is way too early to discuss performance or any other matters.
The group, which calls itself RV64X as its plan is to develop a 64-bit universal ISA, is led by Atif Zafar from Pixilica, Grant Jennings from GOWIN Semiconductor, and Ted Marena from CHIPS Alliance and Western Digital.
Initially, an RV64X-designed graphics controller will be used for very simple microcontrollers that require extremely small units due to cost concerns. But as the design evolves, its descendants could address more demanding applications years and generations from the initial implementation.
Razer’s Viper 8K is a refresh of the 2019 true ambidextrous Viper. For the most part, it’s identical and is now available at the same $79 asking price, but it has some key upgrades for competitive gamers who are hoping that tech might help them get the edge over their opponents.
First off, Razer now includes the Focus Plus 20,000DPI sensor used in many of its other 2020 mice, along with the latest generation of optical switches that have a more tactile click feel, according to the company (although it didn’t stand out as noticeable to me when I tested the mouse). The biggest news is that, according to Razer, the newly revised Viper can achieve the fastest polling rate of any mouse currently available: up to 8,000Hz — far higher than the industry standard of 1,000Hz.
The polling rate measures how often per second the mouse tells your computer where it’s located on-screen. The more frequent the polling is, the smoother your mouse tracking can be. In the case of Razer’s new Viper 8K, an 8,000Hz polling rate can deliver a whopping 8,000 pings to your PC per second, while reducing the response time of those pings from one millisecond to just an eighth of one millisecond. On paper, it seems really impressive.
The Viper 8K’s Speedflex is slightly thicker, a change made to better accommodate the increased polling rate.Image: Razer
But why, exactly, would anyone need a polling rate this high? Razer says this is an upgrade that you won’t necessarily feel or notice right away since this improvement slices off mere fractions of a millisecond from the response time — something I’d wager most people couldn’t delineate. However, according to Razer, it could help your movement and aim feel more responsive, and gamers who play fast-paced games, like first-person shooters, are most likely to benefit from using this mouse — even if they don’t notice it happening.
Frankly, I didn’t notice a stark difference in gameplay while testing out Ghostrunner, a first-person title that relies on fast reflexes. (I failed a lot, but honestly, that’s nothing new.) I then tried to put Razer’s 8,000Hz polling rate claim to the test with some sites that track that metric. Tools made by Mouse Insider and Zowie recorded a 4,700Hz average polling rate for this mouse. There were a few times it peaked into 5,000Hz, so it seems like it could go higher if it were physically possible for me to move my hand any faster.
This is a picture of the original Viper. The new Viper 8K looks exactly the same.Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge
Your PC hardware may also play a factor. Razer requested that press who were going to test the mouse have access to PCs with at least an Intel Core i5-8600K or AMD Ryzen 5 3600 processor, an Nvidia GTX 1080 or AMD Radeon RX 5700 or better graphics processor, and a high refresh-rate monitor at 144Hz or over. Thankfully, you don’t actually need a PC that high-end to use this mouse. Razer’s Synapse software lets you revert the polling rate to 125, 500, 1,000, 2,000, or 4,000Hz. However, since the main objective of the Viper 8K is to make your experience smoother with its high polling rate, you’ll take better advantage of this mouse’s specs if you have at least a midrange system with a high refresh rate monitor and powerful hardware.
I expect other peripheral companies will launch similar mice with high polling rates, though if you feel your needs are being met with current tech, you probably don’t need to get too excited about this feature just yet. But if you need a new mouse, this isn’t a bad choice. I like using this mouse as much as I did the original Viper. And the fast polling rate tech won’t cost you anything extra to attain since the Viper 8K is the same price as its predecessor.
Sony has today announced its most advanced mirrorless camera yet: the $6,500 Alpha 1 features a new 50.1-megapixel full-frame sensor, is capable of continuous photo shooting at 30 images per second, and can record 8K video at 30fps. It’ll ship beginning in March.
The powerhouse camera is priced significantly above the highest-end mirrorless cameras from Canon and Nikon, but Sony promises that customers who buy in will be rewarded with “the most technologically advanced, innovative camera” it’s ever made.
It sounds like a dream for sports and action photographers: even with its large sensor, Sony says the buffer lets you shoot “up to 155 full-frame compressed RAW images or 165 full-frame JPEG images at up to 30 frames per second with the electronic shutter while maintaining full AF and AE tracking performance.”
That autofocus and autoexposure system can make up to 120 calculations per second. And you’ll be peering through a high-resolution OLED electronic viewfinder with a refresh rate of 240Hz — something Sony claims is a world first. The Alpha 1 offers five-axis, in-body image stabilization and a standard ISO range of 100–32,000 (expandable to 50–102,400 for stills).
Sony’s autofocus system is still perhaps the best in the game, and the company says the Alpha 1 speeds up Eye AF even further when focusing on humans and pets. And with this camera, Eye AF will also work on birds. If you can justify a $6,500 camera for your nature forays, Sony says that “optimized algorithms ensure that tracking is maintained even if a sitting bird suddenly takes flight, or the framing suddenly changes.”
Flash sync speeds have been pushed up to 1/400 sec. (with mechanical shutter), and the silent electronic shutter supports sync speeds of up to 1/200 sec. Rolling shutter has been reduced due to high-speed sensor readout, and Sony says you can unleash that full 30fps continuous shooting without any blackout. Flicker under LED lighting conditions is also mitigated, as the Alpha 1 can match the shutter speed to flicker frequency.
As for video, the Alpha 1 can shoot 8K30 and 4K120 — both in 10-bit — and recording 4K at up to 60fps allows for full-sensor readout without any pixel binning. Adding an external recorder to the mix lets you capture 16-bit RAW video.
The Alpha 1 represents Sony’s very best, and the price clearly reflects that. You’re looking at a price several thousand dollars above the Canon R5. But considering the reputation that Sony has earned with its full-frame mirrorless cameras past and present, there will be a lot of pro photographers itching to get this $6,500 beast in their hands come March.
(Pocket-lint) – The PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S have been out for a little while now, not that getting hold of one is getting any easier than it was at launch. Still, if you’re the proud owner of a new console, or know your TV is a little old, you might want to upgrade your display to go with it.
Xbox Series X vs PS5: Battle of the powerhouses
But which TV should you go for? The new consoles bring a bunch of interesting new (and less new) features to the table that depend on your TV, from HDR to Ultra HD 4K resolutions and high refresh-rates. Some of these depend on your hardware, so picking the right TV can be a minefield.
We’ve selected some of the very best options, though, to help guide you to a stellar gaming experience for years to come.
Our pick of the best Ultra HD TVs for PS5 and Xbox
LG
LG CX series
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LG’s CX line of TVs comes in a few sizes, and is quite simply the standout choice of basically everyone in the industry when it comes to next-gen gaming, with good reason.
It’s one of the few TVs that brings all the bells and whistles that Sony and Microsoft have been mentioning, including high-refresh rates, HDMI 2.1, HDR and stunning OLED picture quality. That said, you’ll pay for it all – these are mighty pricey sets, and their prices really haven’t come down much at all since release.
This is one of very few widely available TVs out there that ticks every box, so jump on it if it fits your budget!
Sony
Sony Bravia KD-XH9005
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You’d hope that Sony would be able to make a TV that can maximise the power of the PS5, and it’s popped up with the KD55XH9005 to show what it can do.
It’s a gorgeous TV, that’s for sure, an LED panel that’s still got great blacks and crystal-sharp 4K to boot, with HDMI 2.1 on board. However, the TV will only be able to handle faster refresh rates once an incoming software update lands, which is something to bear in mind if that’s a high priority for you.
Samsung
Samsung QEQ90T
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Samsung’s right up there with the best when it comes to picture quality, its QLED tech making for gorgeous detail and great colour, with impressive blacks that perhaps don’t quite match an OLED.
Still, the Q90T is a beauty that caters to high refresh rates and embraces HDMI 2.1, making for a brilliant package, albeit one that’s still pretty expensive. Samsung’s Tizen OS is also nice and simple to use, and its game mode is a reliable automated little wonder. It all adds up to a superb option.
Samsung
Samsung TU8500
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You don’t normally associate Samsung with lower-cost options, and it’s fair to say this is still on the pricier end of the whole market, but if you want a TV that’s got some next-gen features without breaking the bank completely, it’s a good choice.
You’re getting Samsung’s Crystal UHD display rather than QLED, which is the big cost-saver, but the picture is still superb and 4K games look excellent. You also miss out on 120Hz compatibility, but we genuinely think that many people won’t mind that at all when they can have 60FPS gaming that looks this good.
Samsung
Samsung Q950TS
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Returning to the other end of the affordability spectrum, if you really want to feel like you’re living in the future you could opt for an 8K TV – the next-gen consoles can output at that level technically, although we don’t think you’ll see many games that actually do so.
This mammoth Samsung set is still great for 4K content, though, and upscales really nicely to make for crisp and gorgeous images. It’ll cost you an arm and a leg, but 8K will probably roll out to be normal eventually, so you could choose to jump aboard now, if you like.
Writing by Max Freeman-Mills. Editing by Dan Grabham.
Hitman 3 just launched, and IO Interactive’s latest stealth assassination sandbox game has garnered high ratings from many publications — PC Gamer gives it a 90, for example. But what sort of hardware do you need to run the game properly? We’ve grabbed a copy from the Epic Games Store, downloaded all 55GB, and set about running some benchmarks.
Anyone familiar with the past two Hitman releases will be right at home with the launcher, which includes a couple of built-in benchmarks if you go into the Options screen. The graphics options also look pretty much the same as before. There are ten main settings, plus super sampling — aka, supersampling anti-aliasing (SSAA). You should probably leave this off on most GPUs, or at most, use it very sparingly. Setting SSAA to 2.0 effectively quadruples the number of pixels the game renders before downsampling to your selected resolution, so running at 4K with SSAA at 2.0 is the same as running at 8K. If you have a 1080p display, though, it might be worth enabling. The remaining settings cover the usual gamut of texture quality, shadows, reflections, and a few other miscellaneous items. We’ll discuss those in more detail below.
We did some initial testing with both the Dartmoor and Dubai benchmark sequences, ultimately opting for Dubai as it feels a bit more representative of what you’ll actually experience in the game. The Dartmoor test is more demanding and features a lot of physics and particle simulations, but for a stealth game, we don’t think most people are concerned with pulling out a pair of machine guns and laying waste to an empty mansion. The Dubai sequence consists of various camera angles from the game’s first mission, which has NPC crowds but no explosions. Dartmoor might be useful as a worst-case view of performance, but it also stutters quite a lot during the first ten seconds while the level is still loading.
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We’ve defined our own ‘medium’ and ‘ultra’ settings for our testing, and we test at 1080p, 1440p, and 4K on both. Medium has everything at medium where applicable, plus anisotropic filtering at 4x, variable rate shading at performance, and simulation quality at base. Ultra just maxes out all of the settings, except for super sampling, as noted above. Interestingly, there’s no DirectX 11 option this time — it’s all DX12, all the time. On the previous two games, DX12 did help performance on most GPUs, and it definitely helped fps at lower resolutions and settings. IOI seems ready to ditch the old DX11 option and focus solely on DX12, and as we’ll see in a moment, performance hits relatively high frame rates.
Our test PC, for now, consists of a Core i9-9900K running on an MSI MEG Z390 ACE motherboard with 2x16GB Corsair DDR4-3600 CL16 memory. We’ve grabbed the latest AMD and Nvidia GPUs for starters, but we’ll look at adding more GPUs and some additional CPU tests soon. (Updated with RTX 20-series GPUs now. More to come!)
Hitman 3 has some sort of partnership with Intel this time, but it sounds like it’s focused on CPU optimizations rather than GPU enhancements. Unfortunately, the extra ‘Intel sauce’ doesn’t show up in the settings menu, and the details of what Intel has helped with are rather vague. Eight-core and higher CPUs may show some extra details, and Xe Graphics might have a few extras as well. Based on what we’ve seen so far with AMD and Nvidia GPUs, the Intel collaboration might be more for future updates (Intel discrete graphics is mentioned at the end of the video, for example).
Projected reflections are more complex than screen space reflections (Image credit: IO Interactive)
Hitman 3 Graphics Benchmarks
(Image credit: IO Interactive)
(Image credit: IO Interactive)
Starting at 1080p, whether you’re running medium quality or ultra quality, performance isn’t going to be a problem with any of the RTX 30-series or RX 6000-series graphics cards. Even the RTX 20-series cards, from the 2060 up, skate past 1080p with nary a hiccup.
Interestingly, AMD’s GPUs all have a clear performance lead, despite being CPU limited. Nvidia’s GPUs all max out at around 220-230 fps at medium and 190-200 fps at ultra, while AMD’s GPUs hit 270 fps and 230-235 fps. AMD did release new 21.1.1 drivers that are game ready for Hitman 3, but we did a few initial tests with 20.12.1 drivers, and performance wasn’t all that different (a few percent slower at most).
Regardless, we need to step up the resolution if we’re going to tax these modern GPUs. We’ll add additional commentary once we’ve tested with some mainstream and budget GPUs as well.
(Image credit: IO Interactive)
(Image credit: IO Interactive)
Running at 1440p, the RTX 3060 Ti still reaches 132 fps at ultra quality, so discussions about what GPUs run Hitman 3 best are still largely academic. The RTX 2060 also breaks 60 fps, sitting at 81 fps. Basically, if you have a high-end graphics card from the past two generations, you should be fine, and most of the GPUs (RTX 3070 and above) average 144 fps or more — perfect if you have one of the best gaming monitors. If if you can’t quite break 144 fps, using a G-Sync or FreeSync display should smooth out the occasional stutters.
Looking at the individual cards, the RTX 3090 barely drops at all going from 1080p to 1440p, while the other GPUs lose anywhere from 5 percent (6900 XT) to 30 percent (3060 Ti) of their 1080p performance. That’s pretty typical, and the drop corresponds to whether a particular setup is more CPU or more GPU limited.
(Image credit: IO Interactive)
(Image credit: IO Interactive)
Wrapping up with 4K testing, the RTX 3060 Ti still breaks 60 fps at 4K ultra, along with the 2080 Super. Anything below that mark struggles a bit, though even the RTX 2060 is still playable at 42 fps. Based on what we’ve seen so far, Hitman 3 isn’t nearly as demanding as some other games — at least, not in this initial release.
Meanwhile, the AMD vs. Nvidia comparisons continue to favor AMD by quite a lot, at least on the latest generation GPUs. Well, they’re favored based on the theory that the suggested prices on the various GPUs are anything remotely close to reality (which they’re not right now). Nvidia narrows the gap at 4K, but the RX 6800 XT is still faster than the RTX 3090, and the RX 6800 is nipping at the heels of the RTX 3080 and easily stays ahead of the RTX 3070.
We’ll be running some GTX 16-series and RX 5000-series benchmarks next to see how last-gen GPUs stack up in the near future. Based on what we’ve seen so far, Hitman 3 isn’t nearly as demanding as some other games — at least, not in this initial release.
Hitman 3: Future Updates Planned
That last bit is important. Hitman 3 is already a very nice looking game, but IOI plans to update the game with additional features, including ray tracing support, in the coming months. However, it’s not clear when the DirectX Raytracing (DXR) update will arrive — or if it will even make the game look all that different.
One of the big benefits of ray tracing is the ability to do “proper” reflections and lighting. Most games fake shadows, reflections, and other elements using various graphics techniques, but Hitman 3 goes beyond straight SSR (screen space reflections) in some areas. For example, it was a nice surprise to see Agent 47 and his surroundings properly reflected in building windows right at the start of the first level. Bathroom mirrors also work properly. But other reflective surfaces only do SSR, meaning they can only reflect what’s visible on the screen.
There are some compromises with the mirrored reflections, though. They appear to run at half the target resolution, which means there’s a lot of aliasing present. That’s a bit odd, as it shouldn’t be hard to run an AA post-processing filter to improve the look. Still, after seeing so many reflective surfaces in other games that don’t accurately model things (I’m looking at you, Cyberpunk 2077, with your lack of V reflections), at least Hitman 3 attempts to bridge the gap between SSR and full ray traced reflections.
The thing is, Hitman 3 already looks good right now, and if the choice comes down to improved reflections and shadows but performance plummets, most people will be happier with higher fps. Or maybe IOI is waiting for Intel’s high-end Xe HPG solution that will also support ray tracing, in which case it might be late 2021 before we get the patch. For now, the game runs well and looks very pretty. If your PC could handle the previous two Hitman games, it should still be fine for this third chapter that concludes the current story arc.
Unpacking 2021 with a bang, we have the Samsung Galaxy S21 for you today. Samsung has rearranged its yearly release schedule to pull its high-end S-series reveal for January, and could there be a better way to kick off the year?
We did say ‘bang’, but it’s hardly the most thunderous of those – out of the trio of Galaxy S21 phones announced, we’ll now be presenting you the smallest, vanilla one. We also have the Ultra at the office, but you’ll need to wait a bit more for that – no event starts off with the headliner anyway.
For the second year in a row, Samsung unveils three phones as part of the spring flagship roster (even though it’s very much winter this time around, at least where we are). And, much like last time, there’s a very clear divide between the ultimate uncompromising Ultra and the two more restrained and down-to-earth ‘regular’ S phones. If anything, the gap has even widened.
The examples are plenty, some of them more significant than others. Take the displays for example. Unlike last year when all three phones had 1440p resolution panels, now only the Ultra gets the higher resolution, the ‘mainstream’ S21s stand at 1080p. All three screens were curved in 2020, now it’s just the Ultra. All three S20s had the same high-refresh rate implementation, now the Ultra gets a more advanced Adaptive mode than the other two.
How about the cameras? The S20 Ultra had a vastly superior setup than the other two, regardless of issues it might have had with realizing the full potential of all of its impressive hardware. Well, the S21 Ultra builds on top of that and comes with further improved internals in the imaging department. The S21 and S21+, meanwhile, reuse last year’s bits. Hmm.
But there’s more. In the case of the small Galaxy S21 we have here, a final blow hurts the most – it’s got a plastic back. It’s hardly the end of the world, and we’ll go on to rationalize how that’s actually a good thing on the next page. But it goes to emphasize the further differentiation between the one true flagship and the others that stand below it. And then further down below it.
Some genes are shared among all in the family, after all. The chipset is the same on all three (still different from region to region, but that’s a whole other topic), all have the second-gen ultrasonic fingerprint reader from Qualcomm, as well as stereo speakers and IP68 rating for dust and water resistance. And no, none of them has a microSD slot, that one was most surprising.
Here it is, the high-end Galaxies’ new and improved (read ‘smaller’) retail box. Following in the footsteps of Apple, Samsung has chosen to remove the charger and headphones from the retail bundle, resulting in a more compact box.
Yes, yes, you’re supposed to already have chargers at home, so not including one with every phone should help reduce waste, plus the decreased shipping volume will lower the carbon footprint along the logistics chain. It’s a noble concept though somehow saving the environment still doesn’t feel like the key driving factor.
Having said that, at the S21 keynote, Samsung mentioned that adapters will now be sold at a reduced price, and this seems like a step in the right direction.
Anyway, what you are getting in the box is the phone itself and a USB-C-to-C cable. That sort of means you need to have a moderately contemporary USB PowerDelivery charger lying around, or a USB-A-to-C cable if you intend to use an adapter that doesn’t have a Type C out.
As it came to light around the iPhone 12 launch days, local regulations in France specifically mandate that all phones sold in the country come with a headset. So S21s in France will indeed ship with the usual set of AKG-branded earbuds we’ve gotten used to from Galaxies in recent years. Still no charger, though.
The S21 gives here and takes there, but ultimately strengthens the Galaxy reputation
For
Rich, smooth display
Solid battery life
Superb all-round camera
Against
No microSD slot, earbuds or charger
Sony rival sounds better
With flagship smartphones from the likes of Samsung and Apple reliably refreshed every year, it’s perhaps unrealistic to expect every handset to make giant strides in terms of performance or specifications. So, it’s little surprise that the new Samsung Galaxy S21 is more of a refinement of its predecessor than a revamp.
Last year’s Galaxy S20 line-up marked a thorough overhaul, bringing in 5G support and 120Hz refresh rate displays for the first time, plus significant camera upgrades. But for the S21 range, the gains are more marginal – the camera software has been enhanced, the design is arguably better and it packs the company’s most advanced processor yet (the 5nm Exynos 2100).
Of the three-strong, 5G-supporting Galaxy S21 range, you’ll want to consider the two more premium models, the S21+ S21 Ultra, if you’re after a large screen, a top-spec camera (offered by the S21 Ultra), or are particularly excited by the prospect of using your phone to unlock your car (both support the UWB tech that makes this possible).
But for those who are happy with a 6.2in screen and relatively affordable price tag, the ‘standard’ S21 offers the bulk of the S21 features in the smallest, most affordable package of the three.
Pricing
For in-range comparison, the S21+ costs £949 and £999 for the same RAM and storage sizes (for the US or Australia, add $200 or AU$200 onto the cost of each S21 model). The S21 Ultra starts at £1149 ($1200, AU$1849) for the 128GB and goes up to £1329 ($1380, AU$2149) for the 512GB variant.
The Galaxy S21 (alongside the S21+ and S21 Ultra) is available from 29th January – its Galaxy S20 predecessor began shipping at the beginning of March 2020. Those who pre-order the handset before this date will get a free pair of Galaxy Buds Live true wireless earbuds, plus a free Galaxy SmartTag.
The Galaxy S21 has 8GB RAM and is available in 128GB and 256GB storage options, priced £769 ($799, AU$1249) and £819 ($850, AU$1349) respectively. That’s considerably less than the price of the 5G, 12GB RAM version of the S20 at launch last year, and slightly less than the 4G, 8GB version of the S20.
That considered, Samsung has priced the S21 pretty nicely, however, the microSD card slot for expanding the devices’ built-in storage is no more for the S21 and S21+.
Screen
(Image credit: Samsung)
In terms of its screen, the series’ biggest evolution is that the S21 Ultra now offers the 120Hz refresh rate at its maximum resolution (3200×1440). That rate alongside the Galaxy S21’s lower resolution (2400×1080) still works wonders for responsiveness and smooth motion performance.
Samsung Galaxy S21 tech specs
(Image credit: Samsung)
Screen 6.2in
Resolution 2400 x 1080
Cameras x3 (12MP, 12MP, 64MP)
Finishes x4
Dimensions (hwd) 7.1 x 15.2 x .8cm
Weight 171g
The S21 Ultra is the only handset in the series to get the S-Pen, as it debuts in the Galaxy S series. However, don’t rule out the accessory coming to smaller phones in the future, as Samsung president TM Roh hinted that the company plans to expand the S Pen “across additional device categories”.
Samsung has stuck with the screen sizes of its S20 line-up, meaning the S21, like its predecessor, has a 6.2in display. The Dynamic AMOLED 2X Infinity-O screen supports HDR10+ and has a Full HD resolution of 2400×1080, rather than 3040×1440. This results in a slightly lower pixel density, but that shouldn’t put you off.
In our review of the S20, we called its screen ‘richly colourful and impressively detailed’, and thankfully it’s more of the same this time around. In fact, the S21’s display is very similar, in character if not in resolution.
We watch the Kilauea volcano erupt in the BBC’s Perfect Planet documentary and find it a great advert for the S21’s punchy colour palette, the yellow and orange hues of the lava eye-dazzlingly bright and saturated. The picture is crisply sharp, and that’s backed up with decent levels of detail in rubble, sea and smoke.
However, in comparison, both Sony’s similarly priced Xperia 5 II and more expensive flagship Xperia 1 II boast better all-round screens. We prefer the Samsung’s enthusiastic colour palette – we play the second episode of WandaVision on Disney+ and as colour floods the house and washes over the screen, reds, greens, yellows and oranges look more solid – but the Sonys are sharper and deliver better overall contrast, their OLED displays doing a particularly great job of producing deep blacks that don’t sacrifice dark detail.
Sound
(Image credit: Samsung)
Similarly, the two Sonys better the Samsung for sound quality. We plug in our wired Sennheiser Momentum earbuds via the Sony’s 3.5mm headphone jack (the Samsung’s USB-C output also requires a dongle adapter) and play coney island by Taylor Swift and The National. The Sonys serve up more space around the acoustic plucks and drum and greater vocal expression. Their dynamic and rhythmic superiority mean they also keep a better musical handle on the composition underneath the vocals.
While the S21 isn’t quite as sophisticated a sound, it’s perfectly listenable. There’s clarity and detail throughout the presentation, but particularly in its open midrange, and the delivery isn’t bereft of punch and solidity. The Samsung performs well for a smartphone, the Sonys simply perform more like a dedicated music player. Note that Samsung has removed the bundled earbuds (as well as the charger plug) from the box, so you’ll need a pair of your own.
Features
(Image credit: Samsung)
The Samsung manages to outperform the Sonys in terms of its camera performance, as the Galaxy S21 proves one of the best camera phones around. Like the S21+, the S21 pairs a triple-lens rear camera comprising ultra-wide 12MP (capable of a 120-degree field of view), wide-angle 12MP and 64MP telephoto lenses with a 10MP front snapper – but Samsung has taken further strides in the AI processing department to get even more out of it.
The S21‘s luscious colour capture makes the Sonys’ seem washed out in comparison, while the Samsung takes the spoils when it comes to sharpness and clarity too. Compared with the S20, shots are a little brighter – sometimes at the expense of some shadow detail and depth – and slightly sharper. It’s a close call though, which shows how well Samsung did with the S20’s shooter.
Thanks to an improved Night Sight mode, our attempts at night-time photography with the S21 surface more brightness and highlights. The S20 might grasp some of the night hues more accurately, but its successor digs up more detail overall.
Samsung has also tweaked its Portrait Mode, which now lets owners adjust the lighting and add background effects to their selfies, while Single Take, which works to create a portfolio of all the ‘best moments’ you capture in one shot, now includes a slow-mo capture and Highlight Video reel. The 30x Space Zoom now has a ‘lock’ to help steady photo capture at its maximum reach, too.
For video recording, not only is there 8K video recording at 24fps (or 4K shooting at 60fps), an all-new Director’s View lets you see and switch between all four lenses during recording – handy for making short movie clips. Samsung’s new Galaxy Buds Pro wireless earbuds can also enhance the movie-making experience by allowing you to capture both ambient sounds (through the S21’s mic) and your voice (through the Buds Pro’s mic) at the same time.
The rear camera is the most noteworthy design development of the S21, with its all-new contoured bump in the top left-hand corner blending into the metal frame. Our Phantom Violet sample (a new colourway for Samsung) looks sleek, with the rose gold bump and frame an attractive match for the purple matte-finished rear panel. It looks just as good with the alternative Phantom Grey, Phantom Pink and Phantom White colour options.
The plastic casing – one of the sacrifices for the lower pricing – doesn’t make the device feel as premium as the glass-backed S20, but it is lightweight (171g) and easy to hold in the hand. And its IP68 rating, which is standard for Galaxy S devices in recent years, means it should be well protected from water, dirt and dust. Officially, they should be resistant to submersion up to a depth of 1.5m underwater for up to 30 minutes.
Verdict
While not offering any notable AV upgrades over the S20, the Samsung Galaxy S21 shuffles the S series along nicely with camera enhancements, aesthetic improvements and some modest functionality boosts. It sacrifices some screen spec, premium build and accessories in order to hit a lower price tag, but there is still an excellent balance between performance and value.
The S21 is far from an overhaul of its predecessor, and certainly not a reason for S20 owners to upgrade, but Android fans with older handsets looking for an all-new shiny device can’t go far wrong here – especially if camera performance and value are high on their priority list. Either of the Sony Xperias are better bets for those who place greater importance on music listening, so that’s one area we would hope Samsung advances for the next generation of Galaxy S phone. For now, though, the line’s reputation as one of the market’s best all-rounders remains intact.
The vivo X60 Pro+ brings an upgraded version of the gimbal stabilization system, better sensors for the cameras and a fast Snapdragon 888 chipset to deliver the new image processing algorithms. There’s a lot to cover, but let’s start with that monstrous camera setup.
Meet the vivo X60 Pro+
The main module is built around a large 1/1.3” ISOCELL GN1. This one has a classic OIS rather than a gimbal. This camera’s large 1.2µm pixels (2.4µm with binning) and the bright f/1.57 aperture are a great foundation for excellent low-light imaging.
Super Night Mode 2.0 builds on that – it can work at just 0.01 lux (that’s the illumination of a quarter moon). It improves light sensitivity by 38.8% and focus accuracy by 22% compared to the previous generation.
50 MP main camera (GN1 sensor) and 48 MP ultra wide (IMX598) with gimbal stabilization
The ultrawide module (114°, 14mm) is the one with the gimbal stabilization system. It can correct ±3° of movement, around three times what a typical OIS system can manage. This camera is based on the IMX598 sensor with 48MP resolution and 0.8µm pixels (this used to be the main sensor in the X50).
Next up is the 8MP periscope camera with 5x optical magnification, which can go up to 60x with digital zoom. There’s a second telephoto camera on board with a 32MP sensor and a 50mm lens (2x magnification) for mid-range zoom and portrait shots.
Check out that ZEISS logo on the back of the phone. The T* anti-reflective coating is applied to both sides of each lens. There’s also a nano-crystaline structure that is the first of its kind on a smartphone.
Now we can move on to the chipset. Snapdragon 888’s GPU is 35% faster and 20% more power efficient than the previous generation. vivo paired the chipset with fast LPDDR5 RAM, which can transfer data at up to 6,400 Mbsp (16% higher than the X50 Pro+ RAM). Storage uses an enhanced version UFS 3.1 that is 14% faster than the storage of the old Pro+.
The curved 6.56” OLED display has a 120Hz refresh rate and 240Hz touch sampling rate. It also boasts HDR10+ and very accurate color calibration. It’s properly bright too, topping out at 1,300 nits. Its one weakness is that the resolution is 1080p+ (sounds like perfect for many). The camera can record 4K HDR10+ videos for your enjoyment as well as 8K videos.
What’s left? The battery – 4,200 mAh power pack can be charged at 55W through the USB-C port. There’s no wireless charging though, even though the back is covered with high-grade leather (available in Phantom Blue and Classic Orange).
The vivo X60 Pro+ has a high-quality leather back, available in: Classic Orange • Phantom Blue
And by the way, the phone comes with a charger, cable, USB-C headset and a USB-C to 3.5 mm adapter in the box (to use with the Cirrus CS4313 DAC), plus a clear protective case. You know, unlike some phones.
The vivo X60 Pro+ is available in two versions, the base model has 8GB of RAM and 128GB storage and costs CNY 5,000 ($775/€635). If you need more memory, the 12/256 GB version is CNY 6,000.
You can pre-order it, but only in China at this point. You can find it on Tmall, JD, Suning and others. Pre-orders end on January 30.
Here’s a table comparing the Pro+ with the vivo X60 and X60 Pro+. It’s in Chinese, but the relevant numbers should be easy enough to read. All three phones have 5G connectivity and 5 nm chipsets that run OriginOS 1.0 (based on Android 11).
Sonnets M.2 4×4 PCIe Card silent comes in an x 16 slot and offers four places for common SSDs (M.2 modules) with NVMe protocol. If a PCIe slot is occupied, this allows internal and very fast memory space expansion by up to 32 TByte. An internal switch shares the 16 PCIe 3.0 lanes of the card in 4 × 4. With a software RAID you can speed up access (RAID 0) or increase data security by mirroring (RAID 1).
The PCIe The card is suitable for use with macOS, Windows and Linux, but seems to be primarily designed for Apple’s Mac Pro: Apple can only increase additional SSD capacity by removing the old modules and replacing them with new, also very expensive cards – for 8 For example, TByte gives Apple a good 3. 200 Euro. Many users find it more practical to expand the storage space with PCIe cards.
Fast in RAID With only one Samsung SSD 970 We were able to use Evo Plus 1 TByte in the Mac Pro (year of manufacture 2019) Data already with 2544 Write MByte / s and read with 3011. With two of the small memory bars in RAID 0, the transfer rates increased to 5217 and 5105 MByte / s, with three Evos on 6338 and 6750 MByte / s and with four on fantastic 6884 and 7928 MByte / s. For comparison: A SATA SSD creates around the 450 MByte / s.
M.2 4×4 PCIe Card silent (PCIe card for 4 PCIe SSDs) Manufacturer Sonnet Capacity 4 × PCIe SSD with NVMe protocol and M.2 form factor System requirement PCIe x 16 – Slot Price (manufacturer) 450 € Buyers of the Sonnet card must procure the SSDs themselves. Which SSDs are suitable can be found in the manufacturer’s list, which you should follow. Unfortunately, macOS can only be booted from the Sonnet card if no RAID has been set up on it. In addition, it is recommended to only use SSDs of the same type for a RAID, as different cache strategies and controllers can significantly reduce performance in practice.
Faster in Windows – 10 – PC As the suffix silent suggests , the card works without a fan. Instead, a large heat sink with thermal pads dissipates heat to the general airflow inside the Mac Pro. According to the manufacturer, the card also works in Thunderbolt 3 boxes or the Mac Pro from 2012, but then slower. However, it was faster in a PC under Windows 10, where we write about 8.4 GB / s with four SSDs in RAID 0 and 13, 4 could read.
Sonnet’s fanless card is designed for the Mac Pro, but does not achieve its maximum performance in it due to the slowing software RAID of macOS. 8 GByte / s helps a bit and is sure to be gladly accepted by every video creator. In our test of Apple’s Afterburner with several 8K streams, the card with four SSDs was not the limiting factor.
The popular VLC Media Player is now available in the third version. The approximately 20 year old free software supports various audio and video codecs as well as file formats. Now, with the release of update 3.0. 12, there are important security updates in addition to some optimizations.
As can be seen from the release notes, Apple’s silicon is now officially supported. Crashes in combination with the Direct3D video filter should also be a thing of the past. Audio distortions have also been fixed when playing on macOS. The RIST protocol is also supported from version 3.0. 12. Both the You-Tube and Vocaroo scripts have been updated. All users of macOS Big Sur can look forward to visual improvements.
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If you currently have an older version of the VLC Media Player should definitely update it. The highlights of the VLC 3.0 include the hardware decoding activated by default in order to play 4K and 8K content. In addition, HDR with 10 bits is supported. The player also allows audio passthrough from HD audio codecs. Blu-ray Java menus (BS-J) can also be played.
The famous media player has been updated on macOS introducing native support for Apple Silicon processors, and therefore also for Apple M1
of Nino Grasso published on 19 January 2021 , at 19: 41 in the Apple channel VLC Apple macOS
The answer from part of the developers on the arrival of the first systems with Apple M1 was amazing. One of the first doubts about the processors made in Cupertino for notebooks and desktops was related to compatibility, but the situation is improving day by day with the arrival of new “universal” apps , so think both for architectures x 86, and for the new Apple M1 with ARM architecture. The latest arrival with Apple Silicon support is VLC , the popular cross-platform media player.
Apple M1 is the first chip of the Apple Silicon series, already available on MacBook Air, MacBook Pro from 13 “and Mac mini, and requires the Big Sur version of macOS to work Native support for ARM instructions is not essential for an app to work with Apple’s new SoCs, since apps x 86 can be translated through a conversion layer called Rosetta 2 and can also be performed with the new Apple chips. But there are big advantages with native apps.
proved effective in the first tests, Rosetta 2 imposes a loss in performance and – above all – in energy efficiency compared to running an app natively compiled for ARM architectures. Especially on an app like VLC, especially if used for r the reproduction of content in high resolution (4K or even 8K), the landing of the native version can bring with it decisive advantages in the viewing experience and in battery life .
Native VLC on Apple Silicon, here’s how to install it
The version of VLC to be considered, therefore, for those who own an Apple device with Apple M1 (and possibly all future Apple Silicon) is 3.0. 12 . In reality, VLC is not yet offered in a universal version, but there are two packages: one for models with Intel CPUs, the other for Macs with Apple Silicon. Those who belong to the latter category must therefore install VLC 3.0. 12 , and then search again for new updates to get the VLC 3.0 package. 12. 1 , which is compiled for ARM architecture and works without any translation layer on M1 Macs.
We remind you that VLC is free software and can be downloaded on the official VideoLAN website. Furthermore, among the novelties of the new version, we have better compatibility with macOS Big Sur, fixes on audio management and with adaptive resolution streaming, and security fixes.
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Samsung S lineup has evolved quite a bit for the last couple of years, moving from two flagship models to three, but arguably the most significant change is the ultimate Galaxy S flagship – the Ultra. And we can say that this year’s Ultra makes no compromises, unlike its predecessor, which, although a great phone, was missing some key features and was playing catch-up with the competition. The Galaxy Ultra S21 5G, however, doesn’t have that issue. It checks absolutely all the boxes and has a couple of unique features that may persuade you to buy one despite the relatively high price. Which, by the way, is €100 lower than last year so there goes your first reason.
A quick look at the specs sheet suggest a significant upgrade in the camera department as the device features not one but two telephoto lenses. One offers a game-changing 10x optical zoom, while the other delivers a more flexible 3x optical zoom.
The primary sensor isn’t overlooked either, which is a second-generation 108MP sensor with 9-in-1 pixel nona-binning. Additionally, the Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel can now go up to 120Hz with a 1440p+ resolution. It’s also brighter and supports an adaptive refresh rate ranging from 10Hz to 120Hz, just like the Note20 Ultra.
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G specs at a glance:
Body: 165.1×75.6×8.9mm, 227g; Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass), aluminum frame; IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 mins), Stylus support.
Display: 6.80″ Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1500 nits (peak), 1440x3200px resolution, 20:9 aspect ratio, 515ppi; Always-on display.
Chipset: Exynos 2100 (5 nm) – International, Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 (5 nm) – USA/China: Octa-core (1×2.9 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3×2.80 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4×2.2 GHz Cortex-A55) – International, Octa-core (1×2.84 GHz Kryo 680 & 3×2.42 GHz Kryo 680 & 4×1.80 GHz Kryo 680 – USA/China; Mali-G78 MP14 – International, Adreno 660 – USA/China.
Memory: 128GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 16GB RAM; UFS 3.1, .
OS/Software: Android 11, One UI 3.1.
Rear camera: Wide (main): 108 MP, f/1.8, 26mm, 1/1.33″, 0.8µm, PDAF, Laser AF, OIS; Telephoto: 10 MP, f/4.9, 240mm, 1/3.24″, 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS, 10x optical zoom; Telephoto: 10 MP, f/2.4, 70mm, 1/3.24″, 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom; Ultra wide angle: 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 1/2.55″, 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, Super Steady video.
Front camera: 40 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/2.8″, 0.7µm, PDAF.
Video capture: Rear camera: 8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, 720p@960fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS; Front camera: 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps.
Battery: 5000mAh; Fast charging 25W, USB Power Delivery 3.0, Fast Qi/PMA wireless charging 15W, Reverse wireless charging 4.5W.
Misc: Fingerprint reader (under display, ultrasonic); NFC; FM radio (Snapdragon model only; market/operator dependent); Samsung DeX, Samsung Wireless DeX (desktop experience support), Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified), Ultra Wideband (UWB) support.Unfortunately, we can’t say the same for the vanilla Galaxy S21 5G. There are a couple of noticeable downgrades in terms of build quality, display and the exclusion of the microSD card. The display is no longer 1440p+ and caps at 1080p while the back of the device is plastic. We saw a similar move from Samsung when it released the vanilla Galaxy Note20. And while those downgrades were introduced, no upgrades were made, too, except for the chipset, of course. We just hope the lower resolution screen would affect the battery life positively as it wasn’t stellar before.
Samsung Galaxy S21 5G specs at a glance:
Body: 151.7×71.2×7.9mm, 169g; Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), plastic back, aluminum frame; IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 mins).
Display: 6.20″ Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1300 nits (peak), 1080x2400px resolution, 20:9 aspect ratio, 421ppi; Always-on display.
Chipset: Exynos 2100 (5 nm) – International, Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 (5 nm) – USA/China: Octa-core (1×2.9 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3×2.80 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4×2.2 GHz Cortex-A55) – International, Octa-core (1×2.84 GHz Kryo 680 & 3×2.42 GHz Kryo 680 & 4×1.80 GHz Kryo 680 – USA/China; Mali-G78 MP14 – International, Adreno 660 – USA/China.
Memory: 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM; UFS 3.X.
OS/Software: Android 11, One UI 3.1.
Rear camera: Wide (main): 12 MP, f/1.8, 26mm, 1/1.76″, 1.8µm, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS; Telephoto: 64 MP, f/2.0, 29mm, 1/1.72″, 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS, 1.1x optical zoom, 3x hybrid zoom; Ultra wide angle: 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120˚, 1/2.55″ 1.4µm, Super Steady video.
Front camera: 10 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3.24″, 1.22µm, Dual Pixel PDAF.
Video capture: Rear camera: 8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, 720p@960fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS; Front camera: 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps.
Battery: 4000mAh; Fast charging 25W, USB Power Delivery 3.0, Fast Qi/PMA wireless charging 15W, Reverse wireless charging 4.5W.
Misc: Fingerprint reader (under display, ultrasonic); NFC; FM radio (Snapdragon model only; market/operator dependent); Samsung DeX, Samsung Wireless DeX (desktop experience support), Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified).To make up for those changes, Samsung lowered the Galaxy S21 price. This one goes for €50 less than its predecessor, and after a few months, it could easily fit in the “affordable flagship” category. But until then, let’s take a closer look at what the two Galaxy S21s look and feel like at first glance.
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