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XMG NEO 15/17 and XMG PRO 15/17 – gaming laptops with AMD Cezanne-H, Intel Comet Lake-H and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3000

We are after the presentation of AMD Cezanne processors for laptops and the new generation of NVIDIA GeForce RTX graphics cards 3080, RTX 3070 and RTX 3060 for gaming notebooks. More companies are announcing their new products, which will go on sale in the coming weeks. We have already informed about the Lenovo Legion laptops, and in a moment there will also be an extensive material on the ASUS line-up, which will be exceptionally rich this year. The next information, however, concerns XMG notebooks, which very often use ready-made Clevo and TongFang hulls. The German company shared the details of the XMG NEO laptops with us 15 / 17 and XMG PRO 15 / 17. The XMG NEO model is based on AMD Cezanne-H processors, while the XMG PRO uses the Intel Core i7 – 5900 H. All laptops, however, will receive free access to the announced NVIDIA GeForce RTX cards 3000.

XMG (selling laptops based on Clevo and Tongfang hulls) announced new versions of XMG NEO laptops 15 / 17 and XMG PRO 15 / 17, which will be equipped with NVIDIA GeForce RTX graphics cards 3060, GeForce RTX 3070 and GeForce RTX 3080.

XMG NEO laptops 15 and XMG NEO 17 are thicker designs, allowing you to put normal versions of NVIDIA GeForce RTX graphics cards inside 3000, not in Max-Q Design editions. Available in sizes 15, 6 “and 17, 3 “should offer a noticeably higher level of performance in games and programs. Both notebooks are based on AMD Cezanne-H processors: Ryzen 7 5800 H and Ryzen 9 5900 H. Interestingly, the manufacturer increased the default TDP of both units from 45 To 54 W. Thus, the processors will run at a higher clock compared to the factory settings. For cards, all three models will be available: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3000 6 GB (TDP 115, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 8 GB (TDP W) and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 (TDP 135. The laptop also supports the Dynamic Boost 2.0 function, which will increase the TDP of all cards by 15 In, respectively: 130 W, 140 In and 150 W. Interestingly, GeForce RTX 3080 will only be paired with the AMD Ryzen 9 processor 5900 H.

XMG NEO 15 and XMG NEO 17 will be available with Full HD matrices 240 Hz or Quad HD 165 Hz. In both cases, we get IPS panels close to 95% sRGB color space coverage. The situation in the XMG NEO series (it is not the newest line of laptops) is interesting because so far it was based only on Intel processors. The new version ditched the layouts 10 generation in favor of the new AMD Cezanne-H processors that offer much more energy efficiency and higher efficiency compared to 01 generation, both in terms of single-threaded and multi-threaded performance . The table below presents the other elements of the technical specification.

x 1080

240 Hz, 90% sRGB

15, 6 “IPS

2560 x 1440

165 Hz, 95% sRGB

Specification	XMG NEO 15	XMG NEO 17	XMG PRO 15	XMG PRO 16
Processor	AMD Ryzen 7 5800 H AMD Ryzen 9 5900 H	AMD Ryzen 7 5800 H AMD Ryzen 9 5900 H	Intel Core i7 – 10870 H	Intel Core i7 – 10870 H
Graphics Card	NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 (105 In – 130 W) NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 (125 W – 140 W) NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 (135 W – 150 W)	NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 (115 W – 130 W) NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 (125 W – 140 W) NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 (135 W – 150 W)	NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Max-Q (90 W – 105 W) NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Max-Q (90 W – 105	NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Max-Q (90 W – 105 W) NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Max- Q (90 W – 105 W)
RAM	To 64 GB DDR4 3200 MHz, Dual Channel	To 64 GB DDR4 3200 MHz, Dual Channel	To 64 GB DDR4 3200 MHz, Dual Channel	To 64 GB DDR4 3200 MHz, Dual Channel
Disk	2x SSD M.2 PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe	2x M.2 PCIe 3.0 SSD x4 NVMe	2x SSD M.2 PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe	2x M.2 PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe SSD
Matrix	15, 6 “IPS
17, 3 “IPS 1920 x 1080 240 Hz, 90% sR GB 17, 3 “IPS 2560 x 1440 165 Hz, 95% sRGB	15, 6 “IPS 1920 x 1080 144 Hz, 90% sRGB 15, 6 “IPS 1920 x 1080 300 Hz, 100% sRGB 15 6 “OLED 3840 x 2160 60 Hz, 100% DCI-P3	17, 3 “IPS 1920 x 1080 300 Hz, 100% sRGB 17, 3 “IPS 3840 x 2160 60 Hz, 100% Adobe RGB
Connectors	1x USB 3.2 Type-C Gen.2 (DP 1.4, G-SYNC) 1x USB 3.2 Type A Gen.2 2x USB 3.2 Type A Gen.1 1x HDMI 2.1 1x SD card reader 1x Ethernet RJ – 45 2x audio- 3.5mm jack	1x USB 3.2 Type C Gen.2 (DP 1.4, G-SYNC) 1x USB 3.2 Type A Gen.2 2x USB 3.2 type A Gen.1 1x HDMI 2.1 1x SD card reader 1x Ethernet RJ – 45 2x 3.5mm audio-jack	1x Thunderbolt 3 (DP 1.4, G-SYNC) 3x USB 3.2 Type A Gen.1 1x HDMI 2.1 1x mini DisplayPort 1.4 1x microSD card reader 1x Ethernet RJ – 45 2x 3.5mm audio-jack	1x Thunderbolt 3 (DP 1.4, G-SYNC) 3x USB 3.2 Type A Gen.1 1x HDMI 2.1 1x mini DisplayPort 1.4 1x microSD card reader 1x Ethernet R J – 45 2x 3.5mm audio-jack
Communication	Ethernet RJ – 45 2.5 Gbit WiFi 6 Bluetooth 5.0	Ethernet RJ – 45 2.5 Gbit WiFi 6 Bluetooth 5.0	Ethernet RJ – 45 2.5 Gbit WiFi 6 Bluetooth 5.0	Ethernet RJ – 45 2.5 Gbit WiFi 6 Bluetooth 5.0
Battery	93 Wh	72 Wh	73 Wh	73 Wh
Power Supply	230 In	230 In	165 In	165 In
Price, availability	March 2020 From 1440 euro	March 2020 From 1749 euro	February 2020 From 1949 euro	February 2020 From 1979 euro

The second series of laptops is XMG PRO 15 and XMG PRO 16. Also available in two variants – 15, 6 “and 17, 3 “but 8-core based and 16 – Intel Core i7 threaded processor – 10870 H. XMG PRO laptops are much thinner designs that contain NVIDIA GeForce RTX cards 3070 Max-Q Design and GeForce RTX 3080 Max-Q Design. In both cases, the TDP of the cards is 90 In upgradeable to 105 Thanks active Dynamic Boost 2.0 function. Additionally, XMG PRO 15 will be offered with a 4K OLED matrix, while XMG PRO 17 will get 4K IPS matrix with 100% Adobe RGB color space coverage. Full laptop specifications are presented in the table above. XMG PRO Models Availability 15 and 17 is expected at the end of February with the possibility of placing orders from the end of January. XMG NEO 15 / 17 will be available at the end of March.

Source: XMG

CES 2021: Razer updates Blade laptops with Nvidia RTX 30 series GPUs

Razer has launched the “next generation of Blade 15 and Blade Pro 17 gaming laptops” featuring faster display panels with higher resolutions, and the recently announced Nvidia GeForce RTX 30 Series mobile GPUs.

Featuring up to Nvidia RTX 3080 with 16GB of VRAM, an Intel Core i7-10875H, 1TB PCIe NVMe SSD storage, and 32GB of DDR4-2933 memory, the Razer Blade laptops offer a powerful combination of GPU and CPU hardware. The new Nvidia 30-series mobile GPUs feature hardware ray-tracing support and the third-generation of Max-Q technologies, which include Advanced Optimus to maximise the laptop’s battery life, Dynamic Boost 2.0 for optimised performance, and Whisper Mode 2.0 to reduce the operating noise.

The Blade 17 Pro and Blade 15 laptops have multiple display options to take advantage of the new RTX 30 series graphics cards. The Blade 15 Basic model features either a FHD display with a 144Hz refresh rate or a QHD display with 165Hz refresh rate, while the Blade 15 Advanced Model goes a step further, providing users with three display options: FHD at 360Hz refresh rate, QHD at 240Hz refresh rate and Nvidia G-Sync, and 4K OLED at 60Hz refresh rate. The Blade 17 Pro also gets new 17.3-inch display options, including a FHD panel at 360Hz, a QHD panel at 165Hz, and a UHD panel at 120Hz.

With the new Blade laptops, Razer maintains its legacy of sleek and small portable gaming machines, allowing gamers to “break free from their desk and take their game anywhere”. Featuring a wide range of inputs, including USB-C to HDMI 2.1 interface and a UHS-III SD card reader, the new Razer laptops come with Chroma RGB compatible keyboards and front-facing speakers designed to offer a fun and immersive gaming experience. Additionally, these laptops feature THX Spatial Audio, providing users with a 360º soundscape when reproducing their favourite content through a headset or laptop speakers.

Brad Wildes, senior vice president and general manager of Razer’ Systems business unit, claimed that with the introduction of the new RTX 30 series mobile GPUs, faster displays, and “one of Razer’s smallest chassis ever”, the new Blade laptops provide gamers with “ultra-smooth gameplay anywhere and everywhere”.

The Razer Blade 15 and the Blade 17 Pro are available now at Razer.com and Razer Stores, with a starting price of $1699.99/€1799.99 and $2299.99/€2399.99, respectively. Selected retailers will have the Blade 15 available for purchase starting January 26. The Blade 17 Pro will be available at selected retailers in Q1 2021.

For full specs, as well as UK pricing, see these product tables below:

Click to enlarge.

KitGuru says: Between the Blade 15 and Blade 17 Pro, which Razer Blade laptop would you prefer for a portable gaming system?

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MEPs want a one-hour deletion period for terrorist content

Operators of online platforms in the EU must in future delete “terrorist content” within an hour by order of any authorities from a member state without judicial approval. The lead committee for civil liberties, justice and home affairs of the EU Parliament voted on Monday for the draft of a corresponding regulation. 54 MPs were for, 13 against with one abstention.

Negotiators from Parliament, the Council of Ministers and the Commission agreed on the details of the draft in December after a long dispute. The deletion requests can relate to texts, images as well as audio or video recordings including live streaming that incite or contribute to terrorist acts or contain instructions such as for the construction of bombs or firearms. Calls to join a terrorist organization are also affected.

Internet platforms are not generally obliged to monitor content. However, if they are principally exposed to terrorist content, they must take special measures to protect their services from being spread. The companies should decide for themselves which instruments to use. It is not expressly specified to use “automated tools”. The MEPs campaigned for this clause to make the upload filters feared as “censorship machines” at least not compulsory.

Also outside the EU The deletion orders can also be directed against service providers such as Amazon, Facebook, Google with YouTube or Twitter, who have their headquarters outside the EU. Operators of online forums on which users are allowed to leave comments or upload content are also included. The country in which the host provider is located should check foreign deletion requests for their legality and confirm or reject them within 24 hours. In the latter case, the operator would only have to block access to the reported content in the country that made the request.

If a deletion request contains serious errors, legal clarification is possible. Small and medium-sized companies are required to delete terrorist propaganda “as soon as possible” without a strict time limit if they can prove operational reasons for such an exception. If an authorized authority issues a deletion order to a provider for the first time, it should generally inform the provider at least twelve hours in advance about the procedure and applicable deadlines. The requests may not relate to journalistic and artistic content as well as polemical and satirical expressions of opinion.

Criticism of civil rights activists The French civil rights organization La Quadrature du Net criticizes the decision that the one-hour deadline is unrealistic and difficult to meet. Service providers and website operators would be forced to “proactively censor all potentially illegal content” due to the threat of high fines. To do this, they are likely to use “automated mass surveillance tools developed by Google and Facebook”. Such power transferred to the police could lead to the censorship of political opponents and social movements. The French Constitutional Court overturned a comparable national regulation in June.

Despite important partial successes achieved by Parliament, “the ultra-fast cross-border deletion orders without a judge’s reservation threaten the freedom of opinion and freedom of the press on the Internet”, complained the MEP Patrick Breyer from the Pirate Party. The Greens group, which the lawyer has joined, therefore voted against the project. Unfortunately, such censorship threatens to catch on, as it is likely to be introduced in general with the Digital Services Act (DSA). The Council and the parliamentary plenary still have to confirm the draft, for which the committee recommendation is an important preliminary decision.

(anw)

LG Debuts 31.5-Inch OLED Monitor At CES 2021

(Image credit: LG CES Videos)

For a long time, OLED panels have only been home in TV’s and mobile phones, with PCs often left out in the cold. Of course, there’s a good reason for this — burn-in, and PC users often have static images and want their panels to last five or more years, so OLED for PC users just hasn’t happened. But there’s a niche audience that does want these panels, regardless of the consequences — video editors. For them, LG is introducing the UltraFine 32EP950, at last bringing OLED tech to the PC space.

LG UltraFine 32EP950

When it comes to this OLED panel, the UltraFine 32EP950 won’t compete with the best gaming monitors; it’s meant purely for professional editors It will have a 31.5-inch diagonal and a 4K resolution, 3840×2160 and 99% coverage of both the AdobeRGB color space as well as DCI-P3, which is nothing short of impressive.

For connectivity, you’ll find two DisplayPort inputs, a Type-C input with 90 W of USB power delivery, HDMI, a three-port USB hub, along with power and audio jacks.

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(Image credit: LG CES Videos)

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(Image credit: LG CES Videos)

Of course, the most impressive part of OLED is its ability to produce incredibly deep, inky blacks. LG quotes a static contrast ratio of 10,000,000:1, which of course is because each pixel is its own light source — this is why we want OLED tech in monitors so badly, and LG’s new OLED panel will therefore compete with the likes of Asus PA32UCX monitors with their local dimming arrays, albeit in a much slimmer form factor and with better HDR performance.

But the catch remains: PC use sees a lot of static objects, and because each pixel is its own light source, the chance of burn-in is greater — expect to write off OLED monitors in shorter timeframes than traditional LCD panels because of this.

LG’s 4K Gaming Panel is Getting an Update Too!

(Image credit: LG CES Videos)

Meanwhile, LG also announced an update to the recently-released 27GN950, which we tested not long ago. It’s an excellent monitor, and the new version, called the 27GP950, doesn’t change much of the winning recipe, except for one crucial detail: the addition of HDMI 2.1.

This should make the 27GP950 more interesting for those who also intend on using it with the latest consoles, as the old version only had HDMI 2.0, limiting the 4K refresh rate on that connection to 60 Hz. Of course, that doesn’t cut it with the Xbox Series X and PS5 both promising 4K 120 Hz performance.

Other than that, the panel remains unchanged, offering a 4K IPS panel with 98% DCI-P3 coverage and up to a 160 Hz refresh rate on DisplayPort using DSC.

No word on pricing or availability for either monitors yet.

AMD Threadripper Pro Processors and WXR80 Motherboards Coming To Retail

(Image credit: AMD)

You simply can’t find more powerful chips for a desktop or workstation than AMD’s Threadripper Pro series, and now they’re coming to retail. With 64 cores, 128 threads, up to 2TB of memory spread out among eight memory channels, not to mention support for 128 lanes of PCIe 4.0, the beastly chips represent the ultimate in workstation power.

Unfortunately, until today, the Threadripper Pro series chips were locked into the OEM market, meaning you could only find them in uber-expensive pre-validated systems like the Lenovo ThinkStation P620 that we recently tested with the flagship Threadripper Pro 3995WX.

AMD Threadripper Pro Series
	MSRP/RCP	Cores / Threads	Base / Boost (GHz)	L3 Cache (MB)	PCIe	DRAM	TDP
Threadripper Pro 3995WX	$?	64 / 128	2.7 / 4.2	256	128 Gen 4	Eight-Channel DDR4-3200	280W
Threadripper 3990X	$3,990	64 / 128	2.9 / 4.3	256	88 Gen 4 (72 Usable)	Quad DDR4-3200	280W
EPYC 7442	$6,950	64 / 128	2.25 / 3.4	256	128 Gen 4	Eight-Channel DDR4-3200	225W
Threadripper Pro 3975WX	$?	32 / 64	3.5 / 4.2	128	128 Gen 4	Eight-Channel DDR4-3200	280W
Xeon 8280	$10,009	28 / 56	2.7 / 4.0	38.5	48 Gen 3	Six-Channel DDR4-2933	205W
Intel W-3175X	$2999	28 / 56	3.1 / 4.8	38.5	48 Gen 3	Six-Channel DDR4-2666	255W
Threadripper 3970X	$1999	32 / 64	3.7 / 4.5	*128	88 Gen 4 (72 Usable)	Quad DDR4-3200	280W
Xeon W-3275	$4,449	28 / 56	2.5 / 4.6	38.5	64 Gen3	Six-Channel DDR4-2933	205W
Threadripper 3960X	$1,399	24 / 48	3.8 / 4.5	*128	88 Gen 4 (72 Usable)	Quad DDR4-3200	280W
Xeon W-3265	$3,349	24 / 48	2.7 / 4.6	33	64 Gen 3	Six-Channel DDR4-2933	205W
Threadripper Pro 3955WX	$?	16 / 32	3.9 / 4.3	64	128 Gen 4	Eight-Channel DDR4-3200	280W
Ryzen 9 5950X	$799	16 / 32	3.9 / 4.9	64	20	Dual DDR4-3200	105W
Threadripper Pro 3945WX	$?	12 / 24	4.0 / 4.3	62	128 Gen 4	Eight-Channel DDR4-3200	280W

Now AMD is bringing the ultimate in threaded goodness to the retail market through participating global retailers, e-tailers, and system integrators. AMD hasn’t share pricing information yet, but we’ll update once the company shares more information. It should be much friendlier than what we see with OEM systems, though. For instance, it costs $7,000 just to upgrade from the 12-core 3945WX in a Lenovo system to the 64-core 3995WX.

If you want to see how these chips compare in about a jillion benchmarks, including gaming, head to our recent review.

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(Image credit: AMD)

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(Image credit: AMD)

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(Image credit: AMD)

You’ll need a WRX80 motherboard to unlock the best of Threadripper Pro, but never fear, ASUS has listed the Pro WS Sage SE on its website and we should learn pricing and availability in the coming days. This motherboard represents the ultimate in PCIe – it comes with seven PCIe 4.0 x16 slots and eight memory slots. The board also comes with a 16-phase power delivery substem, supports RDIMMs, and has a BMC chip for remote management. ASUS hasn’t shared the detailed specs yet, but we expect it will post the full listing soon.

(Image credit: VideoCardz)

Gigabyte also has its WRX80-SU8 waiting in the wings, but the details are slight. We know the massive board (most likely E-ATX) also has seven PCIe slots and BMC features, two 10 GbE ports, two GbE ports, and a 7.1-channel audio system. With AMD’s official release of the Threadripper Pro series to retail today, we expect more information on this motherboard to be inbound soon.