E-ink screens are a wonder for eye strain, especially as so many of us have shifted during the past year to looking at screens more than ever. But while we’ve seen the occasional oddball monitor or touch-only convertible attempt to expand the role of e-ink displays beyond their traditional place in e-readers, you won’t usually find them on laptops.
ThinkBook Plus Gen 2 i
ThinkBook 13x i
ThinkBook 14p
ThinkBook 16p
CPU
Up to 11th Gen Intel Core i7
Up to 11th Gen Intel Core i7
Latest Gen AMD Ryzen mobile processors
Latest Gen AMD Ryzen mobile processors
GPU
Integrated UHD Graphics
Integrated UHD Graphics
Integrated AMD graphics
Latest gen Nvidia GeForce RTX Discrete Mobile Graphics
Memory
Up to 16GB LPDDR4x
Up to 16GB LPDDR4x
Up to 32GB DDR4
Up to 32GB DDR4
Storage
Up to 1TB M.2 SSD
Up to 1TB M.2 SSD
Up to 1TB M.2 SSD
Up to 1TB M.2 SSD
Display(s)
13.3 inch, 16:10, 2560 x 1600 IPS touchscreen
13.3 inch, 16:10, 2560 x 1600 IPS touchscreen
Up to 14 inch, 4:3, 2880 x 2160 OLED
16 inch, 2:1, 2560 x 1280 IPS
AND
12 inch, 16:10, 2560 x 1200 e-ink touchscreen
Dimensions
11.7 x 8.2 x 0.5 inches
11.7 x 8.2 x 0.5 inches
12.3 x 8.5 x 0.7 inches
14 x 9.9 x 0.8 inches
Weight
2.9 pounds
2.7 pounds
3.08 pounds
4.4 pounds
Release Date
Q1 2021
Q1 2021
Q1 2021
Q1 2020
Starting Price
$1,549
$1,189
$849
$1,299
Last CES, we saw Lenovo introduce the ThinkBook Plus, which at first glance seems like a standard ThinkBook until you close the lid and see the 10.8-inch secondary e-ink screen on its outside. The idea here was to allow users to have documents open or take notes during meetings without being distracted by a traditional laptop display. A whole laptop seemed a little bulky at the time for how much screen you got, and a low refresh rate made input a struggle. But a year later, Lenovo is now introducing the ThinkBook Plus Gen 2 i, which seeks to resolve those issues.
(Image credit: Lenovo)
At its core, the ThinkBook Plus Gen 2 i has the same general idea as the Gen 1. At first blush, it seems like a standard Thinkbook, sitting at just 11.7 x 8.2 x 0.5 inches large and weighing just 2.9 pounds. Its power is on par with any other Thinkbook, with up to an 11th generation Core i7 processor, 16GB of LPDDR4x RAM, up to a 1TB M.2 SSD and integrated Intel UHD graphics. Plus, its main display is actually larger than the Gen 1’s, with a 13.3 inch, 16:10, 2560 x 1600 IPS touchscreen. But close the lid and you’ll see a new e-ink screen, which is where the ThinkBook Plus Gen 2 i seeks to improve on its predecessor most.
The ThinkBook Plus Gen 2 i’s screen is now 12 inches diagonally across, and has the same 16:10, 2560 x 1600 resolution as the laptop’s main display. That gives it a 68% screen-to-body ratio over the Gen 1’s 48%. But beyond that, it also has new widget options for viewing and opening calendar invites, email, news and reminders. The Gen 1’s e-ink screen, meanwhile, had icons to open notes, documents or even a Kindle app, but wasn’t as full-featured.
(Image credit: Lenovo)
Lenovo’s also promising a faster refresh rate, though we haven’t yet had an opportunity to get our hands on the device to see any differences for ourselves. The ThinkBook Plus Gen 2 i also comes with a pen which you can store directly in the device, another improvement over the Gen 1.
In general, the idea with the Gen 2 i is to make the e-ink screen more usable without needing to open the laptop. And because the Gen 2 i is thinner (by about 0.2 inches) and lighter (by about 0.2 pounds) than the Gen 1, it also puts the Gen 2 i more directly in competition with other, more traditional e-ink devices like e-readers. All these features do come with a hefty price tag, though. The ThinkBook Plus Gen 2 i will launch in quarter one of this year for a starting price of $1,539. We’re not sure if the “i” in the Gen 2’s name means that we’ll eventually get an AMD version as well, though we wouldn’t be surprised.
(Image credit: Lenovo)
Of course, Lenovo’s also announced a suite of more traditional ThinkBooks this year as well. These include the ThinkBook 13x i, the ThinkBook 14p and the ThinkBook 16p. The 13x i, essentially, is a ThinkBook Plus Gen 2 without the e-ink screen, while the ThinkBook 14p and 16p are Ryzen-powered ThinkBooks that use the “latest generation of Ryzen mobile processors,” up to 32GB of DDR4 RAM, up to a 1TB SSD and have screen options up to 4:3, 2.8K OLED. The 14p uses integrated AMD graphics, while the 16p has the “latest Nvidia GeForce RTX discrete mobile graphics.”
(Image credit: Lenovo)
All three of these laptops will also be available in quarter one of this year, with the 13x i starting at $1,189, the 14p starting at $849 and the 16p starting at $1,299.
We’ve had Sony’s Airpeak drone, Samsung’s butler robot for your washing-up needs, tuneable glasses that let you adjust lens strength, and pretty much a health-checking app for everything. Indeed, while CES 2021 has been a markedly different affair due to its online-only format, the consumer electronics show has kept up its tradition of being a stage on which the latest, greatest and craziest technological innovations are introduced.
But while it’s a soapbox for future, far-out concepts, it’s also a reliable launchpad for the next-generation technology coming to our homes. As has become par for the course, TVs have hogged most of the CES 2021 spotlight, with LG, Samsung, Sony, Panasonic and TCL all revealing brand new TV technologies and models.
No CES is complete without a slew of new audio products, though, and doing two-channel proud has been the likes of JBL and Sony – even if high-end hi-fi remains something of a distant memory for the Vegas trade show.
The first-ever virtual CES may have been a frustratingly hands-off affair, but we can’t complain about the quality of new products that have been revealed. From rollable phones and TVs, to wireless earbuds and next-gen OLED panels, here’s our round-up of the most exciting consumer electronics products and technologies; the best of CES 2021.
LG ‘OLED evo’ TV panel
(Image credit: LG)
LG is sticking to its OLED guns for (at least) another year, but the arguably necessary shake-up comes in the form of a brand-new OLED panel it’s calling ‘evo’. The OLED overlord says it brings such advancements that it represents the ‘Second Evolution’ of OLED (with the first having been the move to 4K HDR in 2015), and is no doubt the company’s response to critics who say OLED panel technology has reached its technical limitations.
By featuring a new luminous element to the panel structure, evo supposedly produces brighter, punchier and more detailed images than the OLED panels LG has previously produced for itself and other TV brands. While the majority of LG’s OLED TV line-ups in recent years have shared the same panel, this will, however, introduce more disparity in the 2021 LG OLED range – only the 4K G1 OLEDs (and presumably the higher-ranging 8K models) are set to get it, with the lower-ranging 4K A1, B1 and C1 series missing out.
LG 2021 TV lineup: everything you need to know
LG unveils G1, C1 and B1 4K OLED TV ranges
Sony 360 Reality Audio expansion
(Image credit: Sony)
Sony’s expansion of its 360-degree spatial sound technology is two-fold: it’s introducing two new 360 Reality Audio-supporting wireless speakers, and pairing the format with video streaming for the first time in an attempt to emulate an immersive live gig experience.
The Sony SRS-RA5000 (£500, €599) and SRS-RA3000 (£280, €359) are hi-res, wi-fi and Bluetooth speakers with omni-directional drivers that have not only been designed to make the most of the formatted tracks (which are currently available on Tidal and Amazon Music HD), but also to upscale stereo tracks, courtesy of Sony’s Immersive Audio Enhancement technology.
During its CES 2021 press conference on Monday, Sony showcased its 360 Reality Audio and video pairing with a Zara Larsson concert clip – an experience that could, to some extent at least, fill the gaping hole in gig-going caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. Sony is currently in talks with music labels and service providers to begin launching streaming video content later this year, so watch this space.
Sony launches 360 Reality Audio wireless speakers and video streaming service
LG Rollable phone
Roll up, roll up! Or, in the case of LG’s new rollable phone, roll sideways, roll sideways. LG already makes rollable TVs, of course (and has a new one to show off, at that), but, perhaps unsurprisingly, it’s now working on developing a rollable phone. We’ve known this since September, however CES 2021 has provided our first look at the concept handset in action.
During the firm’s press conference, the LG Rollable was demoed expanding sideways to create a tablet-like device. As you can see in this clip and the one above, its screen smoothly expands into a larger one by rolling out from the opposite edge. Details are slim on the ground, but LG’s message to the phone industry (and perhaps specifically its Korean rival, Samsung) was clear: the future is rollable, not foldable.
Groundbreaking LG Rollable phone turns into a tablet in CES 2021 teaser
Samsung Neo QLED TV
(Image credit: Samsung)
The fact that Samsung is finally launching consumer-friendly versions of its MicroLED TVs this year is fantastic news… for the mega rich. Indeed, while the giant, modular displays the firm has dazzled eyes with for years are going to be offered in more living room-friendly packages and without quite the eye-watering price tags, they’re still going to be prohibitively expensive for most of us. A more accessible Samsung offering? Its equally exciting, all-new Neo QLED TVs (pictured above and top).
These premium TVs essentially pair QLED (quantum dot) technology with Mini LED backlighting. Our Samsung 2021 TV lineup offers a detailed lowdown on the technology, but in short the Neo QLEDs use extremely tiny ‘New LED’ backlights that, instead of having protective packaging and light-guiding lenses like traditional LEDs, use a new ‘micro layer’ that guides the light through the quantum dots (which provide the set’s colours).
The promise: no light leakage or blooming. Because the New LEDs’ diminutive size means significantly more of them can be packed in, we can expect even better contrast control than last year’s already impressive QLED TVs. Fingers crossed.
Samsung 2021 TV lineup: everything you need to know
Samsung announces 2021 ‘Neo QLED’ TVs with Mini LED backlight tech
Sony Bravia CORE video streaming service
(Image credit: Sony)
Sony has introduced its own movie streaming service, and while it’s not going to be a replacement for Netflix, it could well set a new standard for streaming picture quality.
The Bravia CORE catalogue offers “hundreds of the latest releases and classic blockbuster movies” (including the “largest IMAX Enhanced collection”), available to stream in 4K HDR on compatible* Sony Bravia TVs in up to 80Mbps quality – that’s almost four times the quality of Netflix’s 4K HDR streams.
Of course, that means you’ll need huge internet capabilities: a minimum internet speed of 115Mbps for 80Mbps quality (or 43Mbps for 30Mbps quality), according to Sony. If you’ve got the bandwidth you should have picture quality that more or less matches Ultra HD Blu-rays. That’d be a first for movie streaming.
*Sony lists eligible new TVs at the bottom of this page and also specifies how many free ‘credits’ (i.e. films) a TV purchase gets you.
Sony’s Bravia CORE streaming service goes big on IMAX Enhanced movies
JBL 75th anniversary hi-fi
(Image credit: JBL)
Hi-fi launches at CES have been dwindling in recent years. This isn’t hugely surprising considering, a) the increasing headline-stealing dominance of TVs, and b) the quality of the international Munich High End Show further in the calendar year. But there’s often a gem or two to be found – last year they were the JBL L82 Classic and NAD Masters M33 – and this year’s no different. JBL has kicked off its 75th anniversary on the front foot, using the world stage to introduce two new celebratory products.
The limited-edition JBL L100 Classic 75 floorstanders ($5500), of which there are only 750 pairs, are acoustically and aesthetically tweaked versions of the 2018-released (and well reviewed) L100 Classic, complete with special edition badges and commemorative plaques.
The second member in the inarguably classy combo is the JBL SA750 Class G streaming amplifier ($3000, pictured), which marries old with new by packaging streaming-savvy features into a retro casing made of milled aluminium and teak wood veneer.
JBL kicks off 75th anniversary celebrations with L100 Classic speakers
JBL SA750 is a modern-retro Class G amplifier with streaming
Google TV gaining momentum
(Image credit: Google )
Google’s Android TV has been the smart platform for Sony and Philips sets in recent years but now the search giant has a new software platform: Google TV. Already inside the latest Google Chromecast stick, we’re now seeing the first TVs that will run it.
At CES 2021, both Sony and TCL announced new models that embrace Google TV. Sony’s 2021 Bravia XR TVs – the Master Series Z9J, A90J, A80J, X95J, X90J, X85J and X81J – all support it. TCL has been less forthcoming about specific models, simply stating it plans to roll out a series of Google TV-toting sets in the US first, before expanding to other regions later in the year.
Google TV offers over 6500 apps and supports more than 30 streaming services. It’s slick, highly usable and has one of the best recommendation engines we’ve ever tested, so it should make for an excellent addition to forthcoming TVs.
More Technics true wireless earbuds
(Image credit: Technics)
At CES 2020, Technics announced it was joining the true wireless earbuds revolution with the EAH-AZ70W, which proved themselves fine performers. Twelve months later and we have a promise (albeit very little else) of the firm’s next pair, due “later this year”.
We don’t know whether this new model will be a successor to, or a sibling of, the EAH-AZ70W, but there was a hint that they could be cheaper: “Now, for the first time, that legendary audio experience is available to everyone,” announced the speaker during the Panasonic press conference.
Noise-cancelling was also mentioned, so hopefully we’ll have a nicely priced pair around the £150 ($150) mark to rival the Sony WF-1000XM3 and AirPods Pro and help stamp the brand’s authority on the market.
Technics teases cheaper wireless earbuds to rival AirPods Pro
OLED TV is going smaller (again)
(Image credit: LG / The Boys, Amazon Prime)
Just a few years ago, OLED TVs were limited to 55 inch and 65 inch sizes. Fast forward to 2021 and we have a choice of seven screen sizes. That’s in part due to the rising popularity of much bigger screens, especially in the US, but also recently due to the availability of smaller OLED screens too.
Last year, LG introduced the 48 inch size – the Sony KD-48A9 (which used LG’s 48in OLED panel) was our TV of the year, no less, and LG’s own OLED48CX (pictured above) also proved impressive, demonstrating that the panel technology could flourish in smaller screens too.
And 2021 could be the year we see a 42-inch OLED TV on shop shelves. LG Display has shared key specs on the displays it’ll be offering to TV manufacturers this year, and they include a 42-inch option. However, no TV brand has yet announced plans for a 42-inch model – so it’s one for the future.
Whenever it arrives, one thing looks certain: OLED isn’t done yet and will undoubtedly hit more homes, and maybe even more rooms in homes, if sizes and prices continue southwards.
LG Display announces its smallest OLED TV panel to date
Lenovo is continuing to try to make the “laptop with a Kindle glued to the lid” aesthetic work at CES 2021, announcing the ThinkBook Plus Gen 2. It ups the ante from the original ThinkBook Plus with a bigger and better 12-inch E Ink panel on the lid, with a faster refresh rate, higher resolution, and improved software that makes it easier to launch applications without opening the laptop.
The ThinkBook Plus debuted at last year’s CES, standing out as a laptop with an E Ink display built into the lid that allowed users to take notes, read ebooks, and display things like calendar information.
The new model improves on that, though, with a 12-inch, 2560 x 1600 E Ink panel that supports multitouch and works with the pop-out stylus, creating what should be a more enjoyable E Ink experience. The main display on the inside swaps E Ink for a regular IPS display, but it also has a 2560 x 1600 resolution while offering 400 nits of brightness and Dolby Vision support.
The rest of the specs indicate a competent laptop, too, with Intel’s 11th Gen processors, 16GB of LPDDR4x memory, and up to 1TB of PCIe Gen 4 storage. The design has also been improved, with a sleeker look overall. Those improvements also have resulted in a higher price: it’ll be available sometime in Q1 2021 starting at $1,549.
ThinkBook 14p.Image: Lenovo
Alongside the new E Ink-equipped ThinkBook, Lenovo also announced three other new products in the lineup. There’s the ThinkBook 13x, which starts at $1,199 and claims to be one of the “slimmest 13-inch Intel Evo business laptops.” It’s effectively just a ThinkBook Plus Gen 2, minus the E Ink screen on top.
Lastly, there’s a pair of AMD-powered options. First, there’s the ThinkBook 14p Gen 2, which starts at $849, offers AMD’s next-gen Ryzen processors (likely the rumored Ryzen 5000 chips for laptops that it’s expected to announce at CES 2021), and offers configurations with up to 32GB of RAM and up to 1TB of PCIe Gen 4 storage. There are also two intriguing screen choices: a 2.2K 14-inch IPS panel and a 2.8K 14-inch OLED.
ThinkBook 16p.Image: Lenovo
There’s also the ThinkBook 16p, the 16-inch version of the 14p, which will also offer AMD’s next-gen chips and a larger display (although there’s no OLED option here). That said, it will offer the option of adding an upcoming next-gen Nvidia GeForce RTX discrete GPU for those who need extra power. The 16p will start at $1,299, and like the other three laptops, it’ll be available in Q1 2021.
ViewSonic has announced a whole range of new monitors – including the ColorPro VP 3286 -8K also a 32 – customs 8K model for professional use. However, gamers should especially be interested in the XG 320 UG from the ELITE gaming series. Because this 32 – inch model promises UHD resolution at gaming-compatible 144 Hz, G-SYNC Ultimate with NVIDIA Reflex and thanks to mini-LED backlighting DisplayHDR – 1000 – support.
Who as a player value the mix of 3. 840 x 2. 160 pixels and high refresh rate, which up to now typically had to be a 27 – inch model like the ASUS PG 27 UQ grab. The 4K resolution to 27 inches Although it ensures a high pixel density, it would also fit well with larger diagonals or, depending on use, even better. Corresponding gaming models have already been announced specifically by ASUS and Acer, but are still not available. ViewSonics announcement of the XG 321 UG is now at least another sign that with gaming-ready 32 – inch 4K displays at least is to be expected.
Both the Acer and ASUS models as well as the ViewSonics XG 321 UG are likely to have the same AU optronics panel with mini LED backlight in 1. 152 Use zones. It also depends on the availability of the panel when the corresponding monitors can actually be available. The maximum brightness of the 32 inch Panels are given an enormous 1. 400 cd / m². As a supported HDR standard, ViewSonic formally only specifies VESA DisplayHDR 1000, but the brightness specification would also be for DisplayHDR 1400 pass. The XG 320 UG should be G-SYNC Ultimate certified and support NVIDIA Reflex. HDMI 2.0, DisplayPort, USB-A / B and audio are announced for connections.
ViewSonic still owes further information – for example on ergonomics. Images show an example of a model from the Elite gaming series, but it is unclear which one is exactly. The ViewSonic XG 320 UG should be based on the established design of the series.
ViewSonic sets itself at least roughly to summer 2021 at the start of sales . A price, however, is not yet mentioned. By the way, there is also a sign of life from the ViewSonic ELITE XG 320 U. This 32 inch IPS model should also start with 3. 840 x 2. 160 Dissolve pixels and 144 offer Hz refresh rate, but only supports VESA DisplayHDR 600. ViewSonic is currently also assuming sales of this model will start in summer 2021.
At the end of last year, information circulated on the Internet, which was very optimistic, incl. for Polish people. According to unconfirmed information, the Samsung Exynos chip 2100, which will be used in the upcoming flagship of the Samsung Galaxy S series 21, was to be as efficient as Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 . We had to wait for the full specification of this mobile processor until its official announcement. This one took place today. Although the presentation did not mention the performance in individual benchmarks, it was mentioned that Exynos 2100 should be 33% more efficient than the previous generation, which in Geekbench got about 2650 points (multi core). So fast bills give us about 3524 points for the new Exynos, with Snapdragon 888 has “twist” about 250 points more.
Samsung Exynos 2100 officially. What is the specification of the 5nm lithography chip aimed at Samsung Galaxy S 21?
Samsung Exynos – the next generation of mobile layout for smartphones will allow you to record video in unprecedented quality
I hope you did not get lost in the calculations, and even if it is nothing – on tests and graphs with Exynos 2100 the time will come. For now, let’s check what it can guarantee. Octa core consists of a main Cortex-X1 core (2.9 GHz), three Cortex-A cores 78 (2.8 GHz) and four Cortex-A 55 (2.4 GHz). The Mali-G chip 78 is responsible for the graphics, which is to provide 40% better performance and extended battery life. The processor can perform up to 26 trillions of operations per second (TOPS) with more than twice the energy efficiency compared to the previous generation. The transition from 7 nm to 5 nm of the lithographic process is to provide up to 10 percent better performance or 20 percent lower energy consumption. SoC supports LPDDR5 RAM, UFS 3.1 and UFS 2.1 memory.
Exynos 2100 is supposed to be 35% more energy-efficient than its predecessor. We should no longer complain about the European flagship Galaxy
The chip can handle a total of six photographic units, four at the same time. It also allows you to record in 4K resolution at 120 frames per second and playback of materials in 8K with smooth 60 frames. The maximum supported resolution of the camera is 200 MP. The new Exynos does not lack an integrated 5G modem for higher energy efficiency, supporting both sub-6 GHz and mmWave networks. It promises a maximum download speed of up to 5.1 Gb / s (sub-6) and 7, 35 Gb / s (mmWave). We have nothing left but to wait for smartphones with this system to be able to look closely at the processor and test it thoroughly.
The circuit is equipped with an integrated 5G modem.
As expected, Samsung today announced its new Exynos 2100 system circuitry. The novelty circuit is the company’s top model and successor to last year’s Exynos 990 model and competitor Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon 888 model. Exynos 2100 is manufactured using Samsung’s five-nanometer EUV manufacturing process, which allows % lower power consumption and 14% better performance than the predecessor model.
The circuit uses the structure of three processor core groups and has abandoned the use of its own high-performance core. Exynos 2100 includes one high-performance Cortex-X1-based core with a maximum clock speed of 2.9 GHz, three Cortex-A 78 cores with a maximum clock frequency of 2.8 GHz, and four low-current Cortex-A 55 cores operating at a maximum clock frequency of 2.2 GHz. The processor implementation is promised to offer up to 40% better multi-core performance than has been Samsung’s weakness in the past. Single-core performance has improved according to Samsung’s own tests 20%.
The graphics processor is ARM Mali-G 78 MP 14, whose performance is praised for improved 40% over the predecessor model. The circuit also supports 144 Hz HDR 14 + monitors, 4K resolution, and 8K video output to an external display device. Exynos 2100 supports LPDDR5 memory 51, 2 Gbit / s memory bandwidth, and UFS 3.1 storage.
Exynos 2100 is the company’s first flagship circuit equipped with an integrated 5G modem. The modem supports less than 6 GHz as well as mmWave frequency bands, carrier aggregation and 4G connections with as much as 3 Gbit / s download speed and 422 Mbit / s transmission speed (Cat. 24 / 18)
The circuit’s three-core neural processing unit (NPU) is capable of performing million operations per second (TOPS) in excess of 70% more than in the predecessor model. The quad-core image signal processor supports up to six cameras as well as a 200 megapixel camera sensor, which is rumored to be in Samsung’s release tube. Skills also include the ability to combine image data from multiple cameras to improve the image quality of an ultra-wide-angle camera or zoom. The circuit is also capable of 8K 60 FPS H. 265 video decoding and 8K 30 FPS H. 265 package
The circuit is said to be already in mass production and rumors say the Exynos 2100 circuit will be seen in use on Samsung’s Galaxy S on smartphones.
At the ongoing CES 2021, LG announced new OLED, NanoCell and QNAD Mini LED TVs that will be equipped with the latest version of the webOS 6.0 platform. Not only that, the mentioned Smart TV will allow users to enjoy virtual entertainment in the form of streaming games. This will be made possible by services such as Google Stadia and NVIDIA GeForce NOW. However, it should be remembered that software solutions are only additions to what LG devices really offer for a year 2021. The new models include the OLEDs of the C1, G1 and Z1 series and QNED Mini LED QNED TVs 99 and QNED 95, as well as LG NanoCell NANO 99 and NANO 95. Let’s check what new features have been used in them.
At CES 2021, LG presented its latest OLED TVs, NanoCell and QNED Mini LED. They also include game streaming support and the new version of webOS 6.0.
We are testing Xiaomi Mi Box 4K, NVIDIA Shield and Apple TV 4K
The manufacturer, known and appreciated in the Smart TV industry, has just shown three new series of OLED TVs. The G1 line in the option 55, 65 and 77 inches received OLED evo screens with higher luminance and a more vivid, more realistic picture. LG C1 series available in sizes 48, 55, 65, 77 and 83 all use the new 4th generation Alpha 9 processor, which is based on artificial intelligence recognizes the type of material and optimizes it for room conditions. The said processor works great with the AI Sound Pro and Auto Volume Leveling functions that ensure the appropriate volume level even when switching between different materials. LG Z1 TVs will come in sizes 77 and 88 inches and are to convince customers with 8K resolution panels. There will be support for HDR formats 10 and Dolby Vision IQ.
Samsung Q7FN – we are testing the new QLED TV 4K HDR with Ambient Mode
LG also showed new models based on LCD technology, including the flagship QNED TVs 99 and QNED 95 with Mini LED illumination. There were also NanoCell NANO 99 and NANO 95 devices. All of these Smart TVs provide features to optimize games, a response time of 1 millisecond and minimal input signal delay. The TVs are compliant with the NVIDIA G-SYNC (G-SYNC Compatible) and AMD FreeSync standards, which means that they can be called models intended for gamers. It is worth mentioning that the described portfolio for the year 2021 has been certified by TÜV Rheinland, which certifies low emission of harmful blue light, and Underwriters Laboratories, which guarantees no flickering. If you want to see the exact details of the individual units, visit the virtual LG stand at CES 2021.
TCL wants to help you banish messy cables and extra remotes with a new smart soundbar that wirelessly connects to Roku TVs.
Launched at CES 2021, the TCL Alto R1 is the TV maker’s first foray into wireless soundbars and the first to feature Roku’s own WiFi Audio streaming technology. Simply plug the power cable in, turn it on and the device automatically pairs with your TCL Roku TV.
No HDMI or optical cable required – in theory, at least. Once the TV has detected the Alto R1, you’ll be walked through a simple on-screen set-up and given the chance to tweak the sound to suit your space.
Aside from cutting down on copper spaghetti, TCL says the device brings “ease of use with only one remote” and “regular and automatic software updates”.
As with wired, Roku-friendly soundbars you’ll be able use your TV’s existing remote to control the sound. You may also benefit from improved audio synching, although that’s yet to be confirmed.
So far, TCL has remained coy about the R1’s specs, price and release date but we do know that it will feature Bluetooth for music streaming. In the meantime, you may want to consider whether you’re willing to risk your cash on a soundbar that is tied to a single smart TV platform.
On the lookout for a wired soundbar? TCL is also launching two wired options in the second half of this year: the Alto 82i and Alto 8e.
The TCL Alto 82i is Dolby Atmos-capable, boasts built-in subwoofers, and support for Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Apple AirPlay. The Alto 8e will be bundled with a wireless subwoofer and upfiring Atmos speakers.
MORE:
Read all the latest CES 2021 news
TCL to launch 8K, Mini-LED and QLED Google TVs this year
Samsung 2021 TV lineup: everything you need to know
ViewSonic has announced a whole range of new monitors – including the ColorPro VP 3286 -8K also a 32 – customs 8K model for professional use. However, gamers should especially be interested in the XG 320 UG from the ELITE gaming series. Because this 32 – inch model promises UHD resolution at gaming-compatible 144 Hz, G-SYNC Ultimate with NVIDIA Reflex and thanks to mini-LED backlighting DisplayHDR – 1000 – support.
Who as a player value the mix of 3. 840 x 2. 160 pixels and high refresh rate, which up to now typically had to be a 27 – inch model like the ASUS PG 27 UQ grab. The 4K resolution to 27 inches Although it ensures a high pixel density, it would also fit well with larger diagonals or, depending on use, even better. Corresponding gaming models have already been announced specifically by ASUS and Acer, but are still not available. ViewSonics announcement of the XG 321 UG is now at least another sign that with gaming-ready 32 – inch 4K displays at least is to be expected.
Both the Acer and ASUS models as well as the ViewSonics XG 321 UG are likely to have the same AU optronics panel with mini LED backlight in 1. 152 Use zones. It also depends on the availability of the panel when the corresponding monitors can actually be available. The maximum brightness of the 32 inch Panels are given an enormous 1. 400 cd / m². As a supported HDR standard, ViewSonic formally only specifies VESA DisplayHDR 1000, but the brightness specification would also be for DisplayHDR 1400 pass. The XG 320 UG should be G-SYNC Ultimate certified and support NVIDIA Reflex. HDMI 2.0, DisplayPort, USB-A / B and audio are announced for connections.
ViewSonic still owes further information – for example on ergonomics. Images show an example of a model from the Elite gaming series, but it is unclear which one is exactly. The ViewSonic XG 320 UG should be based on the established design of the series.
ViewSonic sets itself at least roughly to summer 2021 at the start of sales . A price, however, is not yet mentioned. By the way, there is also a sign of life from the ViewSonic ELITE XG 320 U. This 32 inch IPS model should also start with 3. 840 x 2. 160 Dissolve pixels and 144 offer Hz refresh rate, but only supports VESA DisplayHDR 600. ViewSonic is currently also assuming sales of this model will start in summer 2021.
The Korean consumer electronics specialist has presented its new TV series G1 OLED evo. The G1-evo models should be in 55, 65 and 65 inches and also with 83 inches diagonal to be available. The diagonal extension went up – the – inch diagonal flew on the new evo TVs apparently out.
For this, the organic screens of the Gallery series from 2021 should be brighter shine, which should refer to both the peak luminance for HDR and the overall brightness of the OLED. Sony also promises higher luminance levels for its new OLED models and stated that the organic panels were additionally coated with a metal film on the back. Since LG is the only manufacturer of large OLED modules for TVs, this should also apply to LG’s OLED TVs.
LG optionally offers an elegant stand for its OLED TVs.
(Image: LG)
LG’s G1 models can be attached very close to the wall with a special bracket, the connection cables were routed downwards in grooves in the TV back. We do not yet know whether the wall bracket is optional or whether it is included with the models in addition to the usual feet. There is also an optional high stand with which the TV can be placed anywhere in the room.
Redesign for WebOS and remote control LG has revised its WebOS interface, the WebOS version 6.0 doesn’t seem so playful anymore. As with the new TVs from Samsung and the Bravia TVs from Sony, there is now a bar with recommended content, which is populated based on the series and films watched so far. The streaming platform Twitch is now directly available as a TV app.
Annoying: The bars for recommendations and app icons seem to occupy the entire screen, when you click on the home Button, the actual picture content is covered.
The new WebOS homescreen looks nice and tidy, but apparently always completely covered the current image content. This creates a lot of space for advertising and should annoy a number of users.
(Image: LG)
The shape of the Magic Remote has also been revised, a trackpoint has been integrated and a microphone button for the AI -supported voice control of the TV and built-in buttons for the Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa There are also buttons for Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney + and LG Channels – the latter is a collection platform for the apps and content used by the user.
The Magic Remote has got a new button design and a recessed grip the bottom.
(Image: LG)
The Magic Remote of the high-end TVs also has a built-in NFC chip: Using the Magic Tab, users should make their smartphone easier and faster can connect to the TV to stream content from and TV content to the smartphone.
Recognize and optimize images LG’s Alpha 9 AI processor in the fourth generation is responsible for scaling and image optimization. It treats the foreground and background of the scenes independently of each other in order to remove interference and also takes faces into account. In addition, the processor recognizes the genre of the content, the lighting conditions in the scenery shown and the ambient light in the room, and uses these parameters to optimize the display quality. The alpha processor should also conjure up virtual 5.1.2 surround sound from the built-in speakers.
8K gaming with 60 Hertz and G-Sync For gaming, the OLED TVs offer switching times of 1 millisecond, LG also promises a low input lag, without giving specific figures. The most important HDMI 2.1 features should be supported on all four HDMI inputs; LG was already a pioneer here.
According to the manufacturer, the new OLEDs are the first TVs to allow gaming in 8K / 60 Hertz with activated G-Sync and RayTracing. In addition, they offer the so-called Game Optimizer in their menu and allow cloud gaming.
In addition, LG’s OLED TVs are G-Sync-compatible, so Nvidia classified them as suitable themselves synchronize with the incoming graphics card signals via G-Sync to the same frame rate. The TVs do not have a built-in G-Sync module, however, which is reserved for a few expensive G-Sync monitors. In addition, the LG models can handle FreeSync, VRR and ALLM.
LG has released a handful of details about its upcoming 2021 series of OLED televisions at CES 2021. Going through the somewhat vague press release, it seems there would be at least five models of OLED TVs available in 2021, including the Z1, G1, C1, B1, and A1.
Among these, the G1 will feature LG’s next generation OLED panel called OLED evo. LG claims this new panel is capable of higher brightness levels, something OLED has always struggled with. The G1 will be available in 55, 65, and 77-inch sizes.
The C1 will likely be the next popular model in LG’s lineup after the success of 2020’s CX. Like the CX, the C1 starts at 48-inches but goes all the way up to 83-inches for the first time. This won’t feature the OLED evo panel, as that seems to be exclusive to the G1 model.
The Z1 seems to be the 8K model and will be available in 77 and 88-inch sizes. Not much is known about the A1 and B1 models, other than they will be available in at least 55 and 65-inch sizes.
The Z1, G1, and C1 models will also feature LG’s new Alpha9 Gen 4 image signal processor, also found on the company’s QNED99, QNED95, NANO99, and NANO 95 LCD models. The new processor claims to use deep learning algorithms to upscale content and has a feature called AI Picture Pro, which can recognize objects such as faces and bodies as well as the foreground and background in the image. The α9 Gen 4 can also detect content genre and adjust the image accordingly.
The Alpha9 Gen 4 TV models will also feature LG’s new AI Sound Pro that can produce a virtual 5.1.2 surround sound experience through the TV’s built-in speakers and native Dolby Atmos support. You also get auto volume leveling for consistent audio.
The 2021 models will feature the updated webOS 6.0 smart TV platform, with a redesigned home screen, as well as performance and feature improvements. The Magic Remote has also been updated with hotkeys for popular streaming services.
Select models such as the Z1, G1, and C1 will also have four HDMI 2.1 ports that support features such as 4K120 or 8K60, VRR, ALLM, and eARC. The TVs will also support NVIDIA GSYNC and AMD FreeSync Premium with 1ms response time for gaming. A Game Optimizer feature can also apply the best picture quality settings based on type of game being played.
Finally, 55 and 65-inch G1, C1, B1, and A1 models will also support the new Gallery Stand (seen in the image above), which is designed for floor-standing applications.
More details and pricing will be announced closer to launch later in the year.
Intel has introduced three new processors of the 11th generation Intel Tiger Lake H range, called H 35 are intended for ultra-thin gaming laptops . The new Intel Core i7 11375 H Special Edition is capable of reach 5 GHz with a single core , optimized for games with a high performance and balanced consumption have a consumption of 35 W. The 3 models presented are the aforementioned Intel Core i7 11375 H, the Intel Core i7 11370 H and finally the Intel Core i7 11300 H.
Processor Name
N / H
Freq. Maximum
Freq. Minimum
Boost 1 Core
Boost 2 Cores
Boost 4 Cores
LPDDR4 / x MHz
DDR4 MHz
Cache L3 MB
Maximum TDP
Minimum TDP
i7 – 11375 H SE
4/8
3.3 GHz
3.0 GHz
5.0 GHz
4.8 GHz
4.3 GHz
4266
3200
12
40 W
35 W
i7 – 11370 H
4/8
3.3 GHz
3.0 GHz
4.8 GHz
4.8 GHz
4.3 GHz
4267
3200
14
35 W
35 W
i5 – 11300 H
4/8
3.1 GHz
2.6 GHz
4.4 GHz
4.4 GHz
4.0 GHz
4267
3200
8
40 W
28 W
The new Intel H 28 are built with technology from 11 SuperFin nanometers, have 4 cores and 8 threads, with base speeds of 3.3 and 3.1 GHz and up to 4.8 and 5GHz , they integrate the Intel Iris Xe graphics with up to 96 execution units, support DDR4 RAM memory up to 3200 and LPDDR4 / x up to 4266, have a maximum TDP of 35 W and can go down to 28 W of minimum TDP . These processors are capable of decoding up to 8K 60 FPS, support output for 4 simultaneous monitors, Wi-Fi 6 AX 201 or the new Intel Killer Wi-Fi 6E AX 1675.
Intel has also announced that the processors of the same range with 8 cores and 20 threads of execution with up to 5 GHz on multiple cores , optimized for gamers and content creators with 20 PCIe 4.0 lanes for faster storage speed and dedicated graphics.
End of Article. Tell us something in the Comments or come to our Forum!
Juan Antonio Soto
I am a Computer Engineer and my specialty is automation and robotics. My passion for hardware started at 14 years when I gutted my first computer: a 386 DX 35 with 4MB RAM and 210 MB hard disk . I continue to unleash my passion in the technical articles I write at Geeknetic. I dedicate most of my free time to video games, contemporary and retro, in the more than 20 consoles that I have, in addition to the PC.
Sony’s new line of Bravia XR television sets will allow customers to watch and stream movies at some of the highest quality available in the consumer market through its new Bravia Core platform, according to the company.
Bravia XR owners will be able to choose from a number of Sony Pictures titles and watch them using Sony’s “Pure Stream” technology, which achieves “near lossless” ultra high-definition, Blu-ray disc quality, according to Sony. Pure Stream also allows for streaming of up to 80 megabits per second. To compare, most streaming services recommend maintaining an internet speed between 15 and 25 megabits per second to achieve proper 4K Ultra HD streaming quality. If Sony’s numbers are accurate, that’s better than a lot of the competition.
The platform comes preloaded on all new Bravia XR models (MASTER Series Z9J 8K LED, MASTER Series A90J and A80J OLED, and X95J and X90J 4K LED) and effectively uses a voucher system. Depending on the model that someone purchases, they’re given a number of credits. Those credits can be cashed in for a number of new titles. It’s unclear if people can keep those titles after they’re purchased with the credits, but The Verge has reached out to Sony for more information.
On the streaming front, Sony’s website states that customers can stream a number of titles “anytime and as many times as you like, in up to 4K HDR quality,” but there are limits to this, too. Time periods for streaming availability are depending on the Bravia XR model purchased, according to the site.
Bravia Core isn’t going to replace Netflix, but it seems like it was specifically designed to show customers the ultimate capabilities of their new TV set. Kind of like when you buy a TV with true 4K HDR capabilities, and you play the best 4K YouTube channels to try to see the difference between your new set and that old clunker you just tossed. Bravia XR TVs also have “the largest IMAX Enhanced movie collection,” according to Sony. It’s unclear exactly how many movies that works out to, though.
Samsung has changed up is launch schedule for this year – the new S-series will arrive in January (this Thursday, in fact) instead of the usual February reveal. With focus shifting towards foldables as the new top tier of device, the company is shaking things up and not just the timing.
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra will support an S Pen. A Samsung exec hinted at this move officially in December and we’ve seen plenty of leaks that painted a more detailed picture. It’s exactly the rumors that we want to talk about – here’s what to expect from Samsung’s upcoming flagships.
Going back to the S Pen, that will be an option. You will have to buy one separately (for €40) as well as a case to hold it as the phone itself has no compartment for the stylus. Cases like the S View Flip Cover do have a compartment for the stylus.
The issue of where to keep it aside, it looks like the Ultra will have full-fledged support for S Pen functionality. This video of One UI 3.1 shows Screen off memo, Air view, Air command and other Note features will be available.
S View Flip Cover for the Galaxy S21 with a place to stash the S Pen • The S Pen in question
The Galaxy S21 Ultra screen will be unique in the S21 series in another way – it will be the only panel to have 1440p+ resolution. Samsung has finally overcome the resolution limitation and the Ultra screen will be able to run at 120Hz at full resolution. The Galaxy S21 and S21+ are not so lucky. They will get the 120Hz refresh rate, but it seems that Samsung has decided to downgrade them to 1080p+ screens.
A screenshot from the Galaxy S21 Ultra’s settings menu
The S21 Ultra display is expected to have a 6.8” diagonal, a tenth smaller than the S20 Ultra. And it will be curved too while the S21 and S21+ will have flat displays with 6.2” and 6.7” diagonals, respectively. All three will be guarded by Gorilla Glass Victus.
It seems that the Ultra is the only one getting upgrades. Even with the camera department it’s like looking at two different classes of phones. The following leaked infographics show that the S21 and S21+ are sticking with the triple camera setup of their S20 predecessors.
This means a 12MP main camera, 64MP zoom/8K video camera and a 12MP ultrawide snapper. Perhaps there are new sensors hiding behind those lenses and the new chipsets (more on them in a second) will have more number crunching power for image processing, but it’s not immediately obvious why you’d get an S21 over an S20.
Leaked infographics with camera details: for the Galaxy S21 Ultra • for the Galaxy S21 and S21+
In contrast, the S21 Ultra is getting a folded periscope for 10x optical magnification along with a new 3x telephoto camera. Rumor has it that the main 108MP sensor will be upgraded to an HM2 or even the yet to be announced HM3. Improvements to the ISOCELL technology will enable better light sensitivity at the same pixel size.
A closer look at the four camera setup (+ Laser AF in the bottom right)
The Ultra will have a Laser AF module instead of a 3D ToF sensor while DepthVision module from the S20+ will not make a comeback for the S21+. If you watched the One UI 3.1 video you will have seen a new feature in the camera app – Focus enhancer. It’s clear that Samsung has been working to resolve the focusing issues that some complained about with the 2020 generation.
Now, the chipsets. The geographic split remains with some regions expecting Snapdragon 888 and others the Exynos 2100. This year the Samsung-designed chip may prove to be faster than the Qualcomm one. We’ll hear more about it tomorrow at the first dedicated Exynos event.
Snapdragon 888: 5 nm chipset with Cortex-X1 prime core and Adreno 660 GPU
The fully kitted out Ultra will have 16GB of RAM paired with 512GB storage, the base version will probably come with 12/128 GB. The Galaxy S21 and S21+ buyers will get 8GB of RAM as standard and will have 128GB and 256GB to choose from. And they’ll have to choose carefully as only the Ultra will have a microSD slot.
The battery capacities will be 4,000 mAh for the S21 and 4,800 mAh for the S21+. Both phones will support 25W wired charging. The Galaxy S21 Ultra is getting a 5,000 mAh battery that could go up to 45W. Samsung will follow in Apple’s footsteps and ship the phones without chargers or headphones, according to rumors.
The vanilla S21 is expected to have a plastic back while the other two will likely stick with glass. There will be a total of 11 colorways eventually, though only some will be available at launch. Phantom Violet seems to be the new hero color, it and some of the other options go for a two-tone look. The camera bump (with its characteristic design) will pop against the differently colored back.
Samsung Galaxy S21 color options
Finally, prices and pre-orders. The Samsung Galaxy S21 trio will be up on pre-order either on Thursday or Friday this week, in-store sales will start on January 29. The Ultra pre-orders will reportedly net you a pair of the new Galaxy Buds Pro (now with ANC), €230 of value. The other two will get the new SmartTag Bluetooth tracker instead. The prices of the three phones are below (based on rumors and a leak by a Belgian carrier).
128 GB
256 GB
512 GB
Samsung Galaxy S21
€850
€900
–
Samsung Galaxy S21+
€1,050
€1,100
–
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
€1,350
€1,400
€1,530
Come back tomorrow to watch Exynos 2100’s unveiling and again on Thursday for the S21 reveal – the Unpacked event will be live streamed, starting at 15:00 UTC.
Intel fired back at AMD’s Ryzen 5000 today at CES 2021 with its Rocket Lake-S flagship, claiming the new chip takes back the gaming performance crown. Intel says that its 14nm Rocket Lake processors will come to market this quarter with a 19% IPC increase born of the new Cypress Cove architecture, matching AMD’s IPC increase with its Ryzen 5000 series processors. Intel pairs this new backported architecture with its 14nm process, touting boost speeds up to a dual-core 5.3 GHz, all of which the company says will wrest the gaming lead back from the fastest gaming chip on the market, AMD’s potent 5900X, and perhaps shake up our Best CPU for Gaming and CPU Benchmark Hierarchy in the process.
Intel also claims the new chips, courtesy of the new Xe Graphics architecture, will deliver a 50% gen-on-gen increase in integrated GPU gaming performance.
(Image credit: Intel)
Intel has slowly teased bits of info about Rocket Lake, but here’s probably the most important new bit of details: Intel says the 8C/16T Core i9-11900K reclaims the gaming performance crown from AMD’s Ryzen 9 5900X at 1080p. The margins are slim, though. Intel ran these tests with an EVGA RTX 3080 XC3 graphics card, and the company’s claimed lead ranges from 2% to 8% (roughly a 4% advantage overall). That paints a picture of a closely-contested battle in gaming performance between Rocket Lake and Zen 3, particularly at higher resolutions.
Intel’s traditionally higher overclocking ceilings could prove to be an advantage against the Ryzen 5000 processors — it’s important to remember that Intel tested the Rocket Lake chip at stock settings. If these slim deltas play out in our testing and the Intel chips overclock well, pricing might be the determining factor if you’re on the hunt for a gaming processor in 2021. Unfortunately, Intel hasn’t shared pricing or availability information yet (the chips are rumored to land in mid-March). Still, the company has detailed a few other new features for the Rocket Lake series.
(Image credit: Intel)
AMD Ryzen 5000 Series Processor Competition
Zen 3 Ryzen 5000 Series Processors
Cores/Threads
Base/Boost Freq.
TDP
Ryzen 9 5900X
12 / 24
3.7 / 4.8
105W
Intel Core i9-11900K
8 / 16
? / 5.3
150W?
Core i9-10900K / F
10 / 20
3.7 / 5.3
125W
Ryzen 7 5800X
8 / 16
3.8 / 4.7
105W
Core i9-10850K
10 / 20
3.6 / 5.2
95W
Core i7-10700K / F
8 / 16
3.8 / 5.1
125W
Much of Intel’s Rocket Lake disclosure covers information we already knew, but there are a few new tidbits. Intel’s Core i9-11900K is the company’s Rocket Lake flagship and comes with 5.3 GHz dual-core and 4.8 GHz all-core boost frequencies, matching the previous-gen 10900K. It’s noteworthy that these are Thermal Velocity Boost frequencies that only activate if the processor is under a certain temperature limit, but most motherboard makers ignore those limits anyway. That means the chips will likely operate at these speeds regardless of temperature limits, at least on higher-end motherboards.
The 11900K comes with only eight cores and sixteen threads, a step back from the 10-core Comet Lake i9 models. Intel says the eight cores ‘maximizes real-world performance,’ but that decision also stems from the backported architecture.
“Backporting” is a method that allows Intel to take a new design built on a smaller process node, in this case 10nm, and etch it on an older, larger node (in this case, 14nm). Intel backported the 10nm Sunny Cove cores found in Ice Lake processors to the less-dense 14nm process to create the Cypress Cove architecture in Rocket Lake, leaving the chip designers with fewer transistors to make the new chips. As a result, Intel had to remove two cores; there simply wasn’t enough room in the chip package for a larger die.
Intel claims that Rocket Lake’s IPC and frequency improvements offset the removal of the two cores, implying the chip will offer the same performance in threaded work as the ten-core 10900K. The company has previously shared that the chips feature a 150W PL1 power rating (at the base frequency), a 25W increase over the 10900K, and an identical 250W PL2 (boost) rating. Intel also says the chips come with new overclocking features that it will explain in the future. We’re pretty sure that includes support for the new sub-ambient coolers from EKWB QuantumX Delta TEC and Cooler Master MasterLiquid ML360 Sub-Zero that Intel helped design to bring exotic cooling to the masses.
The Rocket Lake-S chips are backward compatible with 400-series chipsets, and the PCIe 4.0 connection will work on existing motherboards that support the interface. Most Comet Lake chips are forward-compatible with the new 500-series motherboards that will debut today, the lone exception being Celeron models with 2MB of CPU cache.
Rocket Lake also brings the debut of Intel’s Xe LP graphics for its desktop chips. Intel says it added a ‘third more’ EUs to the chips to boost performance up to 50% over the previous-gen UHD 630 graphics. It isn’t clear if the increased EU count is over the existing UHD 630 graphics, which would mean we’re looking at chips with a maximum of a lackluster 32 EUs, or if it represents an increase over the Tiger Lake chips, which would beef up the Rocket Lake processors with 128 EUs.
We hope it’s the latter, as 32 EUs would hamper gaming performance significantly. On the other hand, doing 128 Xe EUs on 14nm would use up a considerable amount of die space, and most desktop users (at least in the DIY space) will simply use a dedicated GPU anyway. Notably, Intel’s test notes say the margin of error for its performance claim is +/- 15%, so we’ll have to wait for real-world testing. Intel’s Xe graphics also bring in-built AV1 decode acceleration, which is helpful because the codec reduces bandwidth up to 20% for video streaming (such as 4K and 8K content).
Intel also bumped up memory support from DDR4-2933 to DDR4-3200, matching AMD’s Ryzen, and added support for 20 lanes of PCIe 4.0, a needed addition that comes two long years after AMD led the industry with the first PC chips to support the interface. Intel also reworked the internal PCIe subsystem to accommodate the x4 direct connection (the chips now support 20 lanes) for M.2 SSDs to the CPU. Intel also widened the DMI 3.0 connection (the pathway that connects the CPU and chipset) from four lanes to eight, doubling throughput up to a theoretical ~7.86 GB/s.
Rocket Lake’s wider x8 DMI connection is only active on ‘select’ 500-series chipsets, so the chip defaults to a x4 connection on B560 and H510 motherboards. Comet Lake chips also only use a x4 connection on all 500-series motherboards, and the same x4 connection applies for Rocket Lake processors in 400-series motherboards.
Given the socket pinout, it’s doubtful that the widened DMI connection would work when you drop a Rocket Lake chip into a 400-series board, or when you use a Comet Lake processor in a 500-series motherboard, but we’ve followed up with Intel for further information.
The wider DMI connection should help with bottlenecks for devices attached to the chipset, like SSDs in RAID. However, the most recent unofficial information points to PCIe 3.0 support for devices connected to the chipset, and not PCIe 4.0. We do know that the chipset now features an integrated USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 controller, doubling support over the existing interface to 20Gbps.
Intel also demoed the new Hitman 3, an Intel-sponsored title that supports a new feature that tests your CPU and adjusts settings ‘on Intel hardware,’ dialing up features like destruction physics, NPC density and 3D spatial audio through the engine’s ‘brick’ system. As a result, this system turns on automatically for PCs that have a CPU that passes a certain performance threshold.
Intel claims the 11th-Gen Rocket Lake i9-11900K offers up to 7% more performance in Hitman 3 than the 10th-Gen Comet Lake 10900K, but didn’t specify if the performance jump was due to the new features, or if that stems from the natural benefits of Rocket Lake’s higher performance. Hitman 3 comes to market this month.
Oddly, Intel also touted its ‘new’ Always-On QuickSync Video. This feature allows Xe Graphics to run concurrently with a discrete GPU so you can offload some workloads, like video streaming with QuickSync, to alleviate the burden on your discrete GPU. This feature has already been around for several years, but it required BIOS support, and you had to manually enable the integrated graphics unit after you installed a video card. Intel says the technique is now a supported and validated configuration that’s enabled by default in the BIOS.
Rocket Lake also supports Intel’s Deep Learning Boost (DLBoost) and VNNI features, which require support for AVX-512 instructions, to speed up AI workloads. Intel has helped enable the software ecosystem to better take advantage of the explosive performance benefits. Adobe’s recent suite of updates is a prime example of the improvements we can expect as AI becomes more broadly adopted for PC workloads.
Intel hasn’t shared detailed specifications, launch dates, or pricing, though the company did say that it was launching eight new high-performance desktop PC chips. We’ll update as more information becomes available.
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
