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.
On the occasion of CES 2021 Lenovo introduced the new ThinkPad X 12 Detachable, X1 Carbon and X1 Yoga redesigned with Dolby Voice and new Smart Dock solutions. Here are all the details from the Lenovo conference
by Nino Grasso published 11 January 2021 , at 22: 31 in the Portable channel Lenovo ThinkPad
During CES 2021 Lenovo introduced the thinnest ThinkPad ever. Name: Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Titanium Yoga . With titanium chassis, the new device of the Chinese giant is often just over 11 mm and has a low consumption display of 13, 5 inches with 3: 2 aspect ratio together compatible with HDR and with support for Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos. Along with the thinnest ever Lenovo also launched ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 9 and X1 Yoga Gen 6 , two laptops redesigned with the format 12: 10, an integrated fingerprint reader on the power button and support for the new ComputerVision Experiences (CVx) feature with human presence sensor for added security and ease of use.
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Titanium Yoga
Both X1 Carbon and X1 Yoga are the first laptops in the world to implement Dolby Voice technology, for a more natural videoconferencing experience able to reduce the fatigue of the listening participants by offering a noticeably clearer sound than previous models. The two notebooks also support Dolby Vision and implement Dolby Atmos speakers, adding to the innovative products previously launched by the company: X1 Fold and X1 Nano, presented to the public last September. This completes the 5G-ready ThinkPad X1 family.
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 6
Lenovo also announced ThinkPad X 12 Detachable , which combines the features of a high performance laptop with the flexibility of a detachable tablet from 12 , 3 inches. Protected by Gorilla Glass, the display supports the Lenovo Precision Pen (to be purchased separately) or the Lenovo Digital Pen, while the keyboard has backlit backlit keys. Smart docks ThinkPad Thunderbolt 4 ) and USB-C Universal . They are based on Microsoft Azure Sphere, and further enhance functionality with the ability to perform remote updates, device management and port status monitoring without interrupting end user productivity and without the need to connect a PC.
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 9
ThinkPad X1 in pills
The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 family consists of several notebook models, all capable of offering a good degree of innovation and with 5G support (optional). Notebooks can connect, if coverage of new generation networks is scarce, even to 4G, and there is also support for fast and versatile Wi-Fi 6. X1 Carbon and X1 Yoga support Dolby Voice, a spatial audio technology that separates voices for more natural rendering, and optimizes speaker and microphone performance with features such as dynamic smoothing and background noise and echo cancellation no matter what software you are using.
Lenovo ThinkPad X 12 Detachable
The new display formats in 16: 10 or 3: 2 offer a greater number of pixels per surface, increasing the ratio of screen and chassis while improving the distribution of content on the display for increased productivity. The latest models of the family notebookk also offer support for Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos. All models in the family (except the X1 Fold) are designed on the Intel Evo 4 platform, and use 11th generation Intel Core processors with Intel Iris Xe graphics. They integrate ThinkShield and Intel Hardware Shield security solutions (available on Intel vPro platforms only, to provide hardware-level protection.
The latest Lenovo Commercial Vantage update is Also available across the ThinkPad lineup. The new version 1.3 brings with it a new and improved layout and user interface, making it easier for users to control and customize the hardware features in their device and for IT administrators to better manage user experience.
New Lenovo ThinkPad X1 devices, pricing and availability
Lenovo unfortunately is not yet able to provide details on the prices and availability of new products for the Italian market, but has promised that all useful information will be available shortly. Here are the details announced by the company for me USA rcato
ThinkPad X1 Titanium Yoga will be available from January 2021, starting at $ 1899.
ThinkPad X1 Carbon will be available from February 2021, starting at $ 1429.
ThinkPad X1 Yoga will be available from February 2021, starting at $ 1569.
ThinkPad X 12 Detachable will be available from January 2021, starting at $ 1149.
Pricing and availability of the new ThinkPad Smart Dock solutions will be announced later.
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.
At the all-virtual CES 2021, Lenovo is bringing a slew of top-end ThinkPad X1-branded notebooks. The highlight of them is the ThinkPad X1 Titanium Yoga, its thinnest ThinkPad at just over 0.4 inches and, of course, a titanium coating. It will be available this month, starting at $1,899. A new X-series device, the ThinkPad X12 Detachable, will start around $1,149. These new devices will use Intel’s 11th Gen processors with vPro and are Intel Evo certified.
(Image credit: Lenovo)
The X1 Titanium has a 13.5-inch 3:2 display (the author of this piece thinks more productivity laptops should use this aspect ratio), but its thinness makes it limited on ports, with two Thunderbolt 4 ports, a lock slot and a headphone jack. It has full Dolby support, including Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos speakers.
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Titanium Yoga
Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Detachable
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 9
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 6
CPU
Up to 11th Gen Intel Core i7 vPro
Up to 11th Gen Intel Core i7 vPro
Up to 11th Gen Intel Core i7 vPro
Up to 11th Gen Intel Core i7 vPro
Graphics
Intel Iris Xe
Intel Iris Xe
Intel Iris Xe
Intel Iris Xe
RAM
Up to 16GB LPDDR4x
Up to 16GB LPDDR4x
Up to 32GB LPDDR4x
Up to 32GB LPDDR4x
Storage
Up to 1TB PCIe SSD
Up to 1TB PCIe SSD
Up to 2TB Gen 4 PCIe SSD
Up to 2TB Gen 4 PCIe SSD
Display
13.5-inch, 2K, 3:2m Touch, Dolby Vision
12.3-inch FHD IPS, 3:2, Touch
14-inch, 16:10, up to UHD HDR400
14-inch, 16:10, up to UHD HDR400
Size
11.71 x 9.14 x 0.45 inches
11.15 x 8.01 x 0.35 inches (0.57 inches thick with keyboard)
12.38 x 8.72 x 0.59 inches
12.38 x 8.72 x 0.59 inches
Weight
2.54 pounds
1.67 pounds, 2.42 pounds with keyboard.
2.49 pounds
3 pounds
Availability
January 2021
January 2021
February 2021
February 2021
Starting Price
$1,899
$1,149
$1,429
$1,569
(Image credit: Lenovo)
Lenovo’s ThinkPad X12 detachable looks a bit like a Microsoft Surface Pro, though the keyboard is all ThinkPad, down to the TrackPoint nub and backlighting. Unlike the X1 Titanium, it uses a magnesium chassis. The touchscreen supports stylus input through the optional Lenovo Precision Pen or Lenovo Digital Pen, though the bezels around the display appear on the thick side from images. At least you get an IR camera for Windows Hello.
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(Image credit: Lenovo)
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(Image credit: Lenovo)
Both the X1 Carbon, which is one of the best Ultrabooks, and X1 Yoga are getting 16:10 displays with low blue light features and a fingerprint reader on the power button, as well as the 11th Gen vPro processors. Additionally, both will have support for Dolby Voice for better audio during both voice and video calls. The X1 Carbon will start at $1,499 and the X1 Yoga will start at $1,569, and both will launch in February.
The entire X1 line will offer “Human Presence Detection” to tell when you’re in front of the computer and then unlock it with Windows Hello, as well as lock when you walk away. For IT managers deploying the devices, a new version of Lenovo Commercial Vantage is included.
Of course, it wouldn’t be a new ThinkPad lineup without more docks, and new ThinkPad branded Thunderbolt 4 and USB Type-C docks have been announced and are coming later in the year.
Lenovo is introducing a new ThinkPad — with a twist. The ThinkPad X12 Detachable is a 12.3-inch business laptop with a screen that you can pop off and use as a tablet. It’s one of several new ThinkPads Lenovo has launched this week, which are powered by Intel’s newest 11th Gen vPro processors.
Take a look at this thing, and you’ll see that it’s a similar idea to Microsoft’s Surface Pro line. The display is essentially a 12.3-inch Windows tablet that you can attach to and detach from a folio keyboard. It has a kickstand on the back, which is how it stands up on its own, and it’s compatible with Lenovo’s Precision Pen and Digital Pen.
The form factor is meant to offer extra versatility to business users. If you’re in a meeting or class, for example, and need to read presentation notes off your computer, you can pop the screen off without having to lug the keyboard up with you.
Even with the keyboard attached, though, portability is still a selling point. The tablet is less than 9 mm thick and weighs just over 2.5 pounds with the keyboard attached. It also supports LTE Cat9 for on-the-go work, and Lenovo says it’s undergone MIL-SPEC 810G testing to certify that it’s durable enough to withstand drops and jostles during travel.
Lenovo
But despite its tablet-esque form factor, the ThinkPad X12 is still very much a laptop because it has laptop chips inside. It’s powered by Intel’s 11th Gen Core vPro processors (up to a Core i7 ) and Iris Xe integrated graphics. Intel’s vPro platform brings a number of security features for business users. In terms of other specs, you can get up to 16GB of LPDDR4x memory and 1TB of NVMe SSD storage.
In terms of ports, don’t get too excited: there’s a whopping one Thunderbolt 4, one USB 3.2 Type-C, one NanoSIM, and one audio jack. Remember that one of those ports will sometimes hold the charger, so if you’re buying the X12 and will need to plug other things in, you’ll probably want a dock of some sort (such as Kensington’s new SD5700T Thunderbolt 4 station).
Lenovo
A feature I’m quite excited about is the aspect ratio. The X12 has a 3:2 display, the same dimensions as the Surface Pro 7 and Surface Book 3. It’s been nice to see manufacturers across the board abandon the cramped 16:9 aspect ratio, and 3:2 is my favorite kind of screen to use. It gives you a bunch of extra space for multitasking.
I recently reviewed Lenovo’s ThinkPad X1 Fold, another device built like a tablet that comes with a keyboard. It’s a very cool device, but at $2,499, it’s too expensive for me to recommend any human actually buy. The X12 Detachable is what I’d call a more pragmatic implementation of the X1 Fold. It’s not as fancy (for one, the screen doesn’t fold in half) but it’s significantly less expensive with a starting price of $1,149, and it looks like it comes with a full-sized keyboard rather than the tiny cramped one that came with the Fold. For many users looking for a convertible ThinkPad, the X12 Detachable may be a more sensible choice (though I’ll have to see how it performs before making an official recommendation).
The ThinkPad X12 Detachable is expected to be available in January 2021, starting at $1,149.
Two of Lenovo’s upcoming laptops will be the first to feature Dolby Voice, an audio technology that’s aimed at making it easier to hear people during conference calls. The feature combines elements like background noise reduction and dynamic leveling to make meetings sound “clearer, more natural, and feel less fatiguing,” Dolby says. Lenovo’s upcoming ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 9 and X1 Yoga Gen 6 laptops will both include the technology, but Dolby declined to say which other laptops it might come to in the future.
Dolby Voice isn’t exactly a brand-new piece of technology. Dolby has previously used similar underlying tech for its Dolby Conference Phone and Dolby Voice Room, which were both business-focused conferencing solutions. The difference is that now it’ll be available directly in a pair of laptops without needing separate Dolby hardware.
The technology includes a couple of different features that work together with your speakers and microphones to make call audio easier to hear. “Full room pick up and dynamic leveling” adjust a call’s audio to make it easier to hear people who are quieter or farther away from the microphone. Voice also includes noise reduction to eliminate echo and background noise. Finally, Dolby says Voice makes speech easier to hear when there are multiple people talking on the same call thanks to a “voice separation” feature.
The technology works on both incoming and outgoing audio, so you should sound clearer to the people you’re talking with, and you’ll also hear a benefit. Dolby Voice’s features can be controlled via the Dolby Access app.
Your combination of hardware and software will determine which of these features can be used. Dolby says full room pick up, dynamic leveling, and noise reduction all work “out of the box” with the two laptops, regardless of which software is being used. External 3.5mm microphones plugged into a laptop can also benefit from noise suppression and dynamic leveling. However, the requirements for the voice separation feature are a little higher, and the feature will only work when using the laptop’s built-in microphones with select services including Zoom.
Since many people have been staying at home over the past year, there’s been a surge of interest in using software to improve the quality of audio during calls. Some chat services like Discord and Google Meet have built background noise reduction tech directly into their services, while Nvidia’s Broadcast software works across different chat apps, so long as you have the right (Nvidia) hardware.
Dolby Voice could combine the best parts of the two approaches. Its features aren’t necessarily confined to any one chat service, nor does it require a ray tracing-capable graphics card. We should know how well it performs when Lenovo’s two compatible laptops launch in February.
In 2020, Minisforum, a company that focuses on Mini-PCs, started a crowdfunded campaign to launch its latest device, the Minisforum EliteMini H31G. The company is starting to send out the Mini PC to those who backed it and has now made it available for sale via its website.
The H31G is an updated version of the Minisforum H31 Mini PC that now supports 9th generation Intel Processors; Intel Core i5 9500F and i7 9700F. It also comes equipped with an Nvidia GTX 1050 Ti 4GB GPU soldered onto the motherboard. It looks to be a direct competitor to Intel’s NUC (Next Unit of Computing) with it being just slightly larger. Due to the housing of the GeForce GTX 1050 Ti GPU.
(Image credit: MiniForums)
Minisforum EliteMini H31G Specs
Operating System
Windows 10 Pro
Processor
Intel 9th/8th Gen Desktop Processor
Motherboard
Mini Form Factor
GPU
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 Ti
Memory
2x DDR4 (2666 MHz)
Storage
1x M.2 2280 PCIe SSD, 1x 2.5 inch SATA HDD, 1x M.2 2242 SATA SSD, 1x TF Card Slot
WiFI Connectivity
M.2 2230 WiFi Support (Intel WiFi 6 AX200, BT 5.1)
Video Output
HDMI, Display Port
Audio Output
3.5mm Audio Jack, Line In / Headphones Out
Ethernet Port
10/100/1000
USB
4x 3.0 USB Ports
While the Nvidia GTX 1050 ti doesn’t turn any heads, it still is better than both Intel’s and AMD’s iGPU offers. According to the Minisforum website, the H31G is being catered towards “game enthusiasts and advanced content creators alike.” Thanks to the GPU, it’s a fairly capable PC that is up to the task of gaming at 1080p at medium/high settings. Minisforum have provided several in-game benchmarks they conducted with the PC. For such a small PC that isn’t a custom build with a ton of power, these numbers are impressive. for what it is.
Miniforums H31G Game Testing Results at 1080p
Game Name
Frames Per Second
PUBG
48-60
Fortnite
35-45
Red Dead Redemption 2
40-55
Grand Theft Auto 5
46-60
CS GO
166-216
Far Cry 5
50-55
The Witcher 3
53-58
Watch Dogs 2
40-58
Just Cause 4
45-55
If you’re interested in seeing the H31G in action, be sure to check out the video below from ETA Prime. He was able to get his hands on the H31G and has tested it with several games.
Pricing for the H31G starts at $399.99 that includes the GTX 1050 Ti without any ram, CPU, or SSD, all the way up to $899.99 for a fully loaded configuration. This pricing, again, puts it right alongside Intel’s NUC, and may make it an attractive alternative.
Zotac has revealed the brand’s new Magnus One (ECM73070C) mini-PC. The compact system is an all-terrain PC aimed at conventional users, gamers, content creators and business users.
Enclosed in a case that measures 265.5 x 249 x 126mm (10.45 x 9.8 x 4.96 inches), the Magnus One comes equipped with an Intel Core i7-10700, Comet Lake processor that flaunts eight cores and 16 threads. The 65W octa-core chip features a 2.9 GHz base clock and a smashing 4.8 GHz boost clock. Zotac pairs the processor with the company’s own Zotac Gaming GeForce RTX 3070 graphics card to offer a sweet gaming experience. The Magnus One has is armed with a 500W 80 Plus Platinum power supply so power won’t be a concern.
The mini-PC provides two DDR4 SO-DIMM slots that support both DDR4-2933 and DDR4-2666 memory modules. By default, the Magnus One is outfitted with 16GB of memory, but it can be expanded to 64GB. On the storage side, the mini-PC has space for one 2.5-inch hard drive or SSD, one M.2 2280 SSD and one M.2 slot for Optane drives. Zotac’s base configuration includes a 512GB M.2 SSD and a 1TB 2.5-inch hard drive.
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Magnus One ECM73070C (Image credit: Zotac)
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Magnus One ECM73070C (Image credit: Zotac)
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Magnus One ECM73070C (Image credit: Zotac)
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Magnus One ECM73070C (Image credit: Zotac)
The Magnus One offers several video outputs with support for up to four displays at once. The mini-PC supplies one integrated HDMI 1.4 port, one HDMI 2.1 port and up to three DisplayPort 1.4a outputs. Bear in mind that you’ll need an ultra high speed HDMI cable to get that 8K/60FPS or 4K/120FPS experience.
There are two Ethernet ports onboard the Magnus One. One standard Gigabit Ethernet port, while the other is a 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet port based on an unspecified Killer Ethernet controller. Don’t fret if cables aren’t your thing. The mini-PC also has Wi-Fi 6 connectivity along with Bluetooth 5 functionality.
On the connectivity end, the Magnus One features four USB 3.1 ports and four USB 3.0 ports with one of them being a Type-C port. A 3-in-1 card reader is also present for you to connect your SD, SDHC or SDXC microSD cards to the Magnus One. For audio, there’s only one 3.5mm audio jack. However, you can get access to eight-channel audio through the HDMI port.
Zotac didn’t reveal the Magnus One’s availability or pricing. Nevertheless, B&H Photo Video has already put the mini-PC up for pre-order at $1,899.99.
The Series 20 expands with TCL 16 SE, officially announced on the occasion of CES 2021. The company also anticipated the arrival of three other smartphones, including a new model with 5G connectivity
of Nino Grasso published on 11 January 2021 , at 17: 26 in the Telephony channel TCL
To CES 2021 TCL ha removed the veils from a new device of the Series 16, anticipating that two additional models will arrive. The one unveiled at the American fair (in reality this year it is digital due to the ongoing pandemic) is TCL 20 SE, low-end smartphone proposed in Italy at the recommended price of 159, 90 ?? with availability “starting from January”. Among the two additional smartphones to come, one will be with a 5G modem.
The new devices are added to TCL 20 5G , already available in Italy in the colors Streamer Gray and Ocean Blue and is already available in preview in Italy at the recommended retail price of? ? 299.
The Series 20 is equipped with the latest displays made by TCL and the latest technology NXTVISION , which provides real-time improvements in the video and image viewing experience. Features include SDR to HDR conversion, optimized color calibration and advanced eye safety features. The devices of the Series 20 also include a dedicated display engine of new generation, combined with AI software to enable adaptive display and visual enhancement functions.
TCL 20 SELF
The new TCL 20 SELF intends to bring the features of premium smartphones at a more affordable price. Uses a large 6 display, 82 inches with V notch and screen-to-body ratio of 90% with aspect ratio of 20, 5: 9 , all in a slim and elegant device. TCL 20 IF is also equipped with the Smart Floating Window , which allows users to manage multiple activities in one once, surfing the web or replying to messages while – for example – watching videos or images. The function allows you to make the most of the visual space guaranteed by the large display, and is activated by swiping in the right or left corner. Windows can be resized or moved anywhere on the display.
As TCL 20 5G , also TCL 20 SELF adopts the NXTVISION SDR technology -to-HDR, and color, contrast and clarity are all automatically improved in real time. The dual speaker design also enhances the audio experience – no speaker is covered when the device is held in the hand and is compatible with Hi-Res Audio certification. On the technical side we find a Qualcomm platform and battery power from 5000 mAh. TCL 20 IF it is also equipped with reverse charging capability, which allows you to recharge the battery of any device that has run out of charge.
There are four rear cameras on the smartphone, with AI support that allows – among other functions – to delete people and objects from photos with a single tap.
TCL 20 IF will be available from January in Nuit Black and Aurora Green colors at the recommended retail price of ?? 159, 90.
TCL News Series 20 and multiscreen collaboration
In the coming weeks, the TCL Series 20 will expand further with at least three additional models, including another 5G smartphone. The manufacturer will officially launch these models and share further details in the first quarter of 2020.
TCL has also anticipated the multiscreen collaboration feature between smartphones, tablets, televisions and PCs of the brand. Through wireless connections such as Bluetooth, WiFi or NFC, TCL will make it possible to transfer files and multimedia content from one device to another; it will merge the phone screen to the PC and project the smartphone display onto larger screens such as tablets and televisions. Further details will be provided later in the year.
Alcatel brand news
During the presentation event TCL also talked about the Alcatel brand, expanding its product portfolio with Alcatel 3L , Alcatel 1S and Alcatel 1T 7 WIFI .
Alcatel 3L is positioned in an affordable price range and is equipped with a triple rear camera with AI and main module from 48 MP. This is offered along with two additional 2MP modules, macro and depth respectively. The front camera is instead 8MP and supports HDR shooting with Face Tracking function. Your phone can intelligently identify up to 17 different scenes with the rear modules, while the display is a HD + Vast of 6, 52 inches with format of 20: 9. Design side we have a 2.5D curved glass and four different viewing modes: Eye Comfort Mode, Reading Mode, Dark Mode, and Sunlight Mode. Eye Comfort mode minimizes the amount of harmful blue light to protect the eyes during prolonged use; the reading mode guarantees a monochrome display similar to that of the paper; Dark Mode transforms the operating system UI by making it darker; and Sunlight Mode improves the readability of content under strong natural light.
The smartphone uses an octa-core processor with 4GB of RAM and there is a dedicated Google Assistant button. The recommended price in Italy is 149 euro , with availability in the colors Jewelry Black and Jewelry Blue starting from March 2021. Alcatel 1S is positioned instead at a price of 129, 90 ?? in Elegant Black and Twilight Blue colors with availability expected from February 2021. It is equipped with three rear cameras, including the main one from 13 MP with AI, and the remaining 2MP macros and depths. Alcatel 1S is equipped with a HD + Vast display 6, 52 inches 16: 9 with a screen / body of 88, 5%, supports Split mode Screen to display two apps simultaneously and implements an octa-core processor powered by a 4000 mAh battery. The native Smart Manager also helps to optimize the performance and energy efficiency of the device.
Alcatel 1T 7 is a small tablet, designed for families and users of all ages. Supported by Android 11 (Go edition) , it can only connect to Wi-Fi networks and supports applications such as Assistant Go and Google Go. It naturally comes with Kids Mode, which includes an easy-to-use user interface for children and new features dedicated to eye protection and learning. Alcatel 1T 7 will be available in Europe in the colors Mint Green and Obsidian Black in January 2021, with 16 GB of memory starting from ?? 74, 99.
At the top of the range we will find two families of 8K TVs, with OD Zero Mini-LED technology, which eliminated the gap between the LED backlight layer, the Quantum Dot layer and the LCD panel. In this way the TVs can be very thin compared to the Full Array Local Dimming models and on the wide diagonals it is possible to drive more than two thousand backlight zones
by Roberto Colombo published on 11 January 2021 , at 17: 23 in the Audio Video channel TCL 4K 8K HDR Dolby Atmos Dolby Vision
For TCL on 2020 is It was a very positive year for TV sales: if at the beginning of p Covid andemia – 19 the forecasts had been adjusted to a – 10%, the rest of the year has gone in a totally different direction. The new normal, made for much longer at home, has seen TV return to being the center of home entertainment: subscriptions to streaming video services have experienced a very high growth and with it people’s need for a Latest generation TV to enjoy the contents to the fullest.
TCL has practically emptied its warehouses and in hindsight, probably, if it had had more models and more copies, it would have sold those too. The challenge facing the 2021 is quite difficult; on the one hand, keeping up with the last part of the 2020 will be hard, also considering the cycle of life of about 6 years of televisions: who has changed the TV in 2020, certainly will not be new customers in 2021.
TCL in 2021 will expand its product ranges, both on premium and budget products, but always trying to bring to as many customers as possible. The new range will debut in March, but at CES 2021 the Chinese brand took a quick look at those which will be the cornerstones of the offer.
At the top of the range we will find two families of 8K televisions , of course with Mini LED technology, which this year can count on the new generation Mini-LED OD Zero , which eliminated the gap between the backlight LED layer, the Quantum Dot layer and the LCD panel. In this way the TVs can be very thin compared to the Full Array Local Dimming models and on the wide diagonals it is possible to drive more than two thousand backlight zones.
The Mini-LED technology will land in 2021 also on the C series , where hundreds of backlight zones will be piloted, depending on the diagonal of the display. This family will also see more products on the market than last year. In addition, video profiles will also land on the C series IMAX Certified .
The ‘budget’ series, the P family, will instead receive the Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos , while premium products will also use the brightness sensor environment to offer Dolby Vision IQ .
On TVs we will find the port HDMI 2.1 , with eARC and ALLM (Auto Low-Latency Mode) and on premium models support 4K UHD 120 p VRR, with attention therefore also to the interesting market represented by gamers. The new TVs will bring the new version of the Google TV operating system, which takes the place of Android TV.
TCL technicians are also working hard to get ready for launch with the automatic calibration functionality via app CALman’s Autocal : in any case, by the end of the year the premium TVs will be equipped with it via firmware update.
As regards the further technological step, in particular for the printed OLED panels , the build factory has been kicked off 8.5, which will be able to churn out panels up to 2.5 meters. For commercial products, however, it will be necessary to wait a few more years, with the first ones scheduled for 2023 / 2024.
From an AV point of view, the majority of Panasonic’s CES 2021 press conference this afternoon focused on its flagship JZ2000 OLED TV and, to a lesser extent, an exclusive Final Fantasy version of a rather interesting gaming speaker. Mentioned to an even lesser extent was its Technics brand, who looks to be having a quiet CES this year – understandable considering it went big in 2019 and 2020 with the launch of the SL-1200/SL-1210 MK7 turntable and its first pair of true wireless earbuds respectively.
But it wasn’t completely hush-hush from the Technics camp. The press conference confirmed that the premium audio brand will be launching new true wireless earbuds this year, either to succeed or sit alongside the 2020-released Technics EAH-AZ70W. We don’t know which yet, but there was a hint they could be a cheaper model: “Now, for first time, that legendary audio experience is available to everyone,” the speaker announced.
As the AZ270W launched at £240 ($250), could Technics go after the more affordable end of the market currently dominated by the likes of the Sony WF-1000XM3 and Apple AirPods Pro? We single those popular models out as likely rivals as it seems Technics is sticking with noise-cancelling.
While details on the forthcoming wireless earbuds are scarce – today’s announcement really did just serve as a teaser – the spokesperson said: “Our engineers have worked on every precision detail, from the unmatched bi-directional noise-cancelling to high-performance sound-isolating microphone.”
The promise: “excellent sound, call quality and fit.” Obviously!
Whatever their price and market positioning, here’s to hoping Technics can stamp its authority on the true wireless earbuds space with its next efforts, because while the AZ270W were expensive and ultimately up against some tough competition, their impressively solid, punchy and spacious performance shows just what Technics is capable of.
With the likelihood of the Sony WF-1000XM4, AirPods Pro 2 and potentially next-generation Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless models arriving soon, 2021 is bound to be an invigorating year in the headphones world.
MORE:
CES 2021: all the news so far from the first all-digital CES
AirPods Pro 2 and iPhone SE 3 reportedly due in April
Best neckband headphones Buying Guide: Welcome to What Hi-Fi?’s round-up of the best wireless neckband headphones you can buy in 2021.
If you’re aiming to get fit in the new year with runs around the park, workouts in the garden or just a HIIT in the front room, a pair of neckband headphones to upgrade your playlist could be just the boost you need.
When it comes to sports headphones, there are three types of wireless earbuds available: true wireless earbuds, wireless with a cable, and earbuds with a neckband.
These wireless neckband earphones feature a horseshoe-shaped collar that sits around your shoulders and houses a battery and Bluetooth transmitter. The designs may look a little unconventional, but you’ll quickly reap the rewards.
Neckband headphones combine convenience with impressive battery life (high-end models offer 10 hours playback) plus features such as noise cancellation. You won’t be plagued by connection issues, either, since most offer superb Bluetooth stability. And there’s the issue of keeping them in your ears – many would argue the neckband design is the best way to do it.
Most of the big-name audio brands have leapt on the neckband trend, so there’s now a range of options to suit everyone from commuters to fitness fanatics. Want to to cut the cord without sacrificing sound quality? Here’s our pick of the best neckband headphones.
(Image credit: Sennheiser)
1. Sennheiser Momentum In-Ear Wireless
The best neckband headphones, offering superior sound quality and a luxurious design
SPECIFICATIONS
Bluetooth: Yes | Noise-cancelling: No | Battery life: 10hr | Weight: 53g | Built-in mic and controls: Yes
Reasons to Buy
Open sound
Expressive vocals
Powerful bass
Reasons to Avoid
Bass maybe a little too powerful
This neckband headphone model is based on Sennheiser’s Award-winning Momentum in-ear headphones, so you’re guaranteed sensational sound quality. As well as impressive dynamics and superb vocal clarity, they offer features galore.
To add a touch of luxury to your listening experience, Sennheiser has trimmed the neckband in soft nappa leather. And when you get an incoming call, the neckband gently vibrates – a useful feature even when you’re not using listening to music. In a hurry? They fast-charge in one and half hours.
These Sennheisers are our pick as the best neckband headphones around thanks to the top-of-the-class style, sound and build quality.
Read the full review: Sennheiser Momentum In-Ear Wireless
(Image credit: Sony)
2. Sony WI-1000X
Noise-cancelling neckband with superb sonics
SPECIFICATIONS
Bluetooth: Yes | Noise-cancelling: Yes | Battery life: 10hr | Weight: 71g | Built-in mic and controls: Yes
Reasons to Buy
Punchy bass
Insightful midrange
Well balanced
Range of noise-cancelling modes
Reasons to Avoid
Neckband could be more flexible
The big draw here is the noise-cancelling functionality. Sony has gone to town and added an ‘Adaptive Sound Control’ mode that continuously tunes the sound profile to match your movement (sitting, walking, running and transport).
The result is superb sound that’s punchy and nuanced. It’s also worth noting that these neckbuds feature aptX HD Bluetooth, which provides the option to stream audio at 24bit/48kHz resolution.
Some of the buttons on the neckband have dual functionality (longer presses activate different functions), but unless the lack of dedicated buttons grinds your gears, you’ll be wowed by these hugely impressive earphones.
Read the full review: Sony WI-1000X
(Image credit: Bowers & Wilkins)
3. Bowers & Wilkins PI3
Brilliant wireless buds from B&W
SPECIFICATIONS
Connector: N/A | Cable length: N/A | In-line remote and mic: N/A | OS support: Android/iOS | Bluetooth: Yes | Noise-cancelling: No | Battery life: 8 hours
Reasons to Buy
Clean, detailed presentation
Solid, weighty and tight bass
Flexible design and fine build
Reasons to Avoid
Not IPX rated
Lack of eartip options
Bowers & Wilkins has successfully made a smooth move into the headphone market, building on its almost unrivalled reputation when it comes to making speakers. In-ears of this design, which makes us think of sport and the gym, haven’t necessarily been on the hit list however – fear not, B&W has knocked it out of the park with these neckband wireless in-ears too.
The PI3 earphones are a dual driver design, complete with a flexible neckband. We would prefer a few more ear tips to get the optimum fit, so it might be one to try before you buy. They deliver a decent battery life and though they aren’t technically waterproof, B&W claims they are “resistant to light rain, splash and sweat”.
Happily, they deliver a clear, controlled, punchy and well-balanced sound. From rock to pop to hip-hop, the B&W PI3 earphones deliver a confident, entertaining sound. Another fine option from B&W.
Read the full review: B&W P13
(Image credit: Bose)
4. Bose QuietControl 30
Refined, rhythmic and noise-cancelling
SPECIFICATIONS
Bluetooth: Yes | Noise-cancelling: Yes | Battery life: 10hr | Weight: 64g: | Built-in mic and controls: Yes
Reasons to Buy
Insightful sound
Impressive noise cancellation
Punchy bass
The QuietControl 30s are solidly-built and impress with their sonic ability, elegant design and best-in-class noise-cancelling. They never sound flat, and boast an impeccable sense of rhythm and timing.
Bose is known for its effective active noise-cancelling technology, which does a fine job of shutting out the world – without ruining the musicality of your favourite track.
While some people might find the collar a little weighty, the killer combination of premium noise-cancelling, superb battery life and outstanding audio quality adds up to a five-star review.
Read the full review: Bose QuietControl 30
(Image credit: Skullcandy)
5. Skullcandy Smokin’ Buds 2 Wireless
Lightweight neckband that offers bang for buck
SPECIFICATIONS
Bluetooth: Yes | Noise-cancelling: No | Battery life: 6-7hr | Weight: 30g: | Built-in mic and controls: Yes
Reasons to Buy
Full, fun sound
Great price
On a tight budget? Skullcandy’s cheap neckband headphones are the best pound-for pound performers. While the brand is best known as purveyors of bombastic bass, its Smokin’ Buds 2 offer surprisingly rich and accomplished playback.
The paired-back design features a simple three-button remote and looks more expensive than it feels. If you’re into fitness and don’t want the collar jangling around, you can remove the earphones from the flexible neckband.
As you’d expect, advanced features such as aptX Bluetooth and fast charging are off the menu. But factor in the eye-catching price and it’s hard not to be won over but these solid, reliable performers.
Read the full review: Skullcandy Smokin’ Buds 2 Wireless
(Image credit: Libratone)
6. Libratone TRACK+
Sporty buds with noise-cancellation
SPECIFICATIONS
Bluetooth: Yes | Noise-cancelling: Yes | Battery life: 8hr | Weight: 28g: | Built-in mic and controls: Yes
Reasons to Buy
Comfortable, secure and lightweight
Effective noise-cancellation
Splashproof
Reasons to Avoid
Lack some subtlety and attack
Libratone’s splashproof TRACK+ earbuds are aimed at sporty types and remain securely locked into your ears during intensive workouts. They’re light but powerful: with 8 hours playback you’re sorted for a marathon (or two).
Libratone’s noise-cancelling technology – dubbed CityMix II – offers four levels of noise cancellation, letting you choose how much of the world to let in. It’s pretty effective at blocking out everything from chugging lorries to office chatter, and can be tuned via the remote or Libratone’s app.
While not as crisp or insightful as the Sennheisers, the TRACK+s offer a deft balance of dynamics and clarity – without breaking a sweat. If you love running, these will go the distance.
Read the full review: Libratone TRACK+
(Image credit: V-Moda)
7. V-Moda Forza Metallo Wireless
Sophisticated and stylish – but lacking in oomph
SPECIFICATIONS
Bluetooth: Yes | Noise-cancelling: No | Battery life: 10hr | Weight: 22.5g: | Built-in mic and controls: Yes
Reasons to Buy
Excellent detail and clarity
Balanced bass
Good-looking and comfortable
Reasons to Avoid
Not the best wireless performance
Lack some midrange power and body
If style and craftsmanship float your boat, you’ll be instantly drawn to these sleek earbuds made from “aircraft grade” aluminium. Their compact, minimal design is highly impressive – as is the clarity and upper-frequency refinement.
Sound isolation is good and they come with a nice range of tips (plus ‘sport hooks’ to hold them securely in place). Fast charging means two hours playback from 15 minutes of charging.
We did experience a few Bluetooth drop outs, though, and the soundstage lacks a little raw power. There are better all-rounders, but if you’re looking for outstanding sonic detail and a swanky design, make a v-line for V-Moda.
Read the full review: V-Moda Forza Metallo Wireless
iQOO has evolved from its origin when it was vivo’s gaming-oriented sub-brand, but some of that pedigree still shines through in its latest flagship announced today – the iQOO 7. There’s only one model (for now at least) and it brings the Snapdragon 888 chipset, 120W fast charging and several gaming enhancements. The phone runs on vivo’s all-new Origin OS based on Android 11, which is the successor of vivo’s FunTouch OS.
We have a 6.62-inch AMOLED display up front with FHD+ resolution and a variable 120Hz refresh rate. The touch sampling rate comes out to 300Hz and iQOO is also advertising up to 1000Hz (you read that right) instant touch sampling rate for buttery-smooth gaming. The display is also pressure sensitive with a left and right area in landscape mode allowing for more precise controls in supported titles.
The HDR10+ panel comes with a centered punch hole cutout for the 16MP selfie cam. You also get dual stereo speakers with Hi-Res audio developed in partnership with Monster Audio.
The Snapdragon 888 chipset is tasked with the heavy lifting and iQOO is bringing special performance tuning options for games allowing you to take maximum advantage of the latest Qualcomm chipset. It’s paired with 128/256GB UFS 3.1 storage with Multi-Turbo 5.0 storage architecture alongside 8/12GB LPDDR5 RAM.
Around the back, we find a triple camera setup with a 48MP primary shooter with OIS, alongside a 13 ultrawide module with a 120-degree field of view and a 50mm equivalent 13MP telephoto sensor. The main module comes with Super Video image stabilization with HDR.
There’s a 4,000 mAh battery split into two separate 2,000 mAh cells which allow for blazing fast 120W charging speeds. The included 120W FlashCharge allows iQOO 7 to reach a full charge in 15 minutes flat. The charger is also compatible with the 65W PD protocol.
The iQOO 7 comes in three color options: light blue, black and a white BMW M-sport co-branded version. The base 8/128 GB version will retail for CNY 3,798 ($586) while the 12/256 GB trim will go for CNY 4,198 ($648).
iQOO 7 in blue, black and white
Preorders in China are already underway while official sales are scheduled to commence on Friday, January 15. We are yet to get any details on the international availability and pricing of the iQOO 7.
Together with the next core generation alias Rocket Lake-S, Intel will also introduce new chipsets, although the new processors will be based on the existing LGA 1200 – Mainboards will run. Maybe Intel will use the digital CES in the coming week to present the new platform. According to current information, the mainboards and processors will not go live until the end of March. In addition to the Z 590 – there will also be an H 570 -, B 560 – and H 510 – enter chipset.
Videocardz has now published a photo of the Z 590 Aorus Xtreme from Gigabyte, which is a high-end mainboard with a Z 570 chipset. Apparently, special attention is paid to the power supply, because compared to the Z 490 Aorus Xtreme with already 16 + 1 voltage phases installed Gigabyte on the Z 590 Aorus Xtreme equal 20 + 1 of the power stages. With regard to the TDP, the Rocket Lake S processors should be on par with the current Comet Lake S models. The PL1 for the top models is still at 125 W and the short-term PL2 can reach 250 W. Nevertheless, Gigabyte seems to be concentrating on a drilled out power supply.
Most of the current LGA 590 – Mainboards already support PCI-Express 4.0. The mainboard manufacturers have prepared their boards accordingly, even if they have to hide the official support a bit, as Intel does not yet offer this feature with Comet Lake-S. But this will change with Rocket Lake-S at the end of March. With the 500 – Series chipsets, the support of PCI-Express 4.0 will finally come to the fore posed.
But there will be other additions for the new mainboards. In the case of the Z 590 Aorus Xtreme from Gigabyte, this is, for example, an ALC 4080 from Realtek as an onboard audio solution. With regard to the network connection, the user can choose to 2.5 GbE and 10 Access GbE – plus Wi-Fi 6E. Also on board is Thunderbolt 4.
In terms of price, the Z 590 Find Aorus Xtreme on the top shelf. It is a high-end circuit board with everything that can currently be packed on a mainboard. Large manufacturers like Gigabyte will introduce a handful or more variants of each chipset. So we can expect a veritable flood of new CPU subsets. It remains to be seen whether the manufacturers will present this next week.
Update: 11. 01. 2021 around 16. 28 Clock According to the colleagues from Videocardz.com, Gigabyte now has the Z 590 AORUS Xtreme officially presented, which also applies to the Z 590 AORUS Tachyon applies, which should primarily be suitable for overclocking, whereby the four DDR4 DIMM banks are then actually obsolete. On the board itself there should be voltage converters with even 100 amps have taken and should increase the maximum output even further.
Parents can now influence more of their kids’ music taste through Spotify. The audio streaming platform announced a new feature for Spotify Kids today called Shared Playlists, which allows parents to share playlists they’ve created with their kids. The Spotify Kids app gives kids access to child-approved audio content with the goal of gating them into a safe place to click around and access music and stories. This new feature allows kids to gain access to the content that lives outside those walls, however, with parents acting as the main gatekeeper. Spotify says the idea is to give parents a way to share the music they loved growing up or that they enjoy regularly as a family.
To share a playlist, parents have to access the PIN-protected area of the kids app. They can then select the music playlists they want to share, which have to have been created by the parent. Songs with potentially explicit tracks will be marked with an E, and if a parent wants to remove those tracks, they’ll have to do so from their Spotify app. The first time they share a playlist, a pop-up will appear asking the parent to confirm this decision.
Spotify launched its Kids app in 2019 and has continued to expand its reach, along with the introduction of new features. Parents can now view their kids’ listening history and block tracks. Shared playlists is another incremental feature but one that parents might appreciate.
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