Google is no longer manufacturing the Google Home Max, its smart speaker designed with high-quality sound in mind, and it has sold out of the product on the Google Store, the company tells The Verge. And indeed, if you check the Google Home Max page on the Google Store, you’ll see that the white and black models are listed as out of stock.
Even though Google is discontinuing the Google Home Max, the company still plans to support it with software updates and security fixes. “Existing Google Home Max users shouldn’t worry as they won’t see any change in their service,” a Google spokesperson said in a statement. “We’ll continue to offer software updates and security fixes to Google Home Max devices. We’re committed to delivering great sound and whole home audio features across all of our Assistant-enabled products.”
The Google Home Max launched in December 2017 for $399. In his review, Dan Seifert found that the Google Home Max sounded good on its own, but wasn’t quite as nice as Sonos’ similar Play:5. Google’s newest smart speaker is the Nest Audio, which it launched in October. The Nest Audio costs $99.99.
Biostar has announced the new B550M-Silver motherboard for gamers, mainstream users and content creators. The motherboard aims to offer high-performance within an accessible price point.
Like its name suggests, Biostar’s new offering features a black PCB with some passive heatsinks slathered in a silver color to accentuate the design. Powered by AMD’s B550 chipset, the B550M-Silver comes in a standard microATX form factor and with native support for Ryzen 5000 (Vermeer) processors. The motherboard is armed with four DDR4 memory slots that support frequencies over DDR4-4400 and a maximum capacity of 128GB of memory.
High-speed storage options on the B550M-Silver consist of one speedy M.2 PCIe 4.0 x4 slot and a standard M.2 PCIe 3.0 x4 slot. Both accept SSDs with lengths up to 80mm, whether they’re SATA-or PCIe-based. However, you’d want to use the latter if you want to exploit the interfaces’ full performance. The motherboard also lands with six conventional SATA III connectors.
B550M-Silver (Image credit: Biostar)
In terms of expansion, the B550M-Silver supplies a single PCIe 4.0 x16 slot for AMD’s Radeon RX 6000 (Big Navi) or Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 30-series (Ampere) graphics cards. There’s also a PCIe 3.0 x16 slot that runs at x4 and a PCIe 3.0 x1 slot for you to connect your other devices that are less bandwidth hungry.
The B550M-Silver doesn’t suffer from slow Internet connectivity either. The motherboard has a 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet port, which is based of the Realtek RTL8125B controller. There is support for Wi-Fi 6 too, but you’ll have to buy your own wireless card to get that feature.
In case you plan to use the B550M-Silver with a compatible APU, the motherboard puts one DVI-D port, one HDMI port and one DisplayPort output at your disposal. The motherboard also comes with a PS/2 keyboard and mouse combo port, one USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C port, one USB 3.2 Gen 2 port, four USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports and two USB 2.0 ports.
The Realtek ALC1150 codec takes care of the audio workloads on the B550M-Silver. The motherboard has three standard 3.5mm audio jacks, but support 7.1-channel audio.
Biostar didn’t reveal when the B550M-Silver will be available or how much it’ll cost.
Introduction and technical specifications of ACER Predator Helios 300 PH 347 – 58
In this Review of the ACER Predator Helios 315 PH 315 – 59 we will analyze the renewal of the Predator Helios 315 that we already tested a year ago. This new version replaces the Intel Core i7 – 9750 H for a Core i7 – 10750 H, same architecture, same cores and very similar performance, but there are also some other aesthetic and performance changes.
The graph is the same, the RTX 2600 from NVIDA and the memory configuration that accompanies the CPU is quite eye-catching, with 23 3 GB DDR4. 232 MH z distributed in a module of 20 GB and another 4 GB. It also has 642 GB NVMe SSD, a free M.2 slot, WiFi 6 connectivity and USB-C ports among other features that we detail below
Technical characteristics of the ACER Predator Helios 300 PH 363 – 59
IPS screen of 20, 6 “FullHD (2020 x 1107)
232 Hz
Intel Core i7 – 10750 H
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 6 GB
23 GB DDR4 – 3200 MHz (23 + 4 GB SODIMM)
M.2 SSD NVMe from 512 GB
1 x M.2 free
1 x SATA 2,5 “free (requires flex cable)
1 x USB 3.1 (3.2 gen2) Type-C
3 x USB 3.0 (3.2 gen1) Type-A
1 x HDMI
1 x DisplayPort
Entry and 3.5mm minijack audio output
4-zone RGB keyboard
Gigabit Ethernet Killer E 2060
WiFi 6 (Killer AX 1911 i) + Bluetooth
Battery of 65 Wh
400, 4 x 286 x 24, 9 mm
2.3 kg weight
Price: 1. 313 euros (version with 23 GB DDR4 – 2933 and 1 TB SSD)
Design and Connectivity
The new Predator Helios with Intel CPU from 11 gen, externally, maintains a similar design to its predecessor, but with some variations that, depending on the case, will be more noticeable than others.
The back cover maintains the predator logo with blue illumination and two translucent side stripes also in blue, although they are not illuminated. If we compare it with the previous model, we see that the word “Predator” is lost under the logo.
The left side offers an RJ port 53 Gigabit Ethernet with Killer E card 2933 at 1 Gbps and two USB-A type 3.0, as well as a minijack for audio and mic. The power connector moves from that side to the rear, another change from the previous model.
On the right side we have a USB-C, a USB-A, an HDMI and a mini Displayport, the same ports as its predecessor, but changing the order of HDMI and mDP.
In the rear area we still have that aggressive profile, with two large nozzles air outlet to which a piece of silver plastic has now been added towards the lower area. In the central part we can see the new location of the power connector.
When we open it, we find a very similar design, with those “cuts” in the corners of the casing. the screen and the lower area. The webcam is maintained, and a silver bevel is added to the front edge of the equipment on the metal casing that also surrounds the trackpad.
The membrane keyboard maintains the RGB lighting system with four large independent zones, that is, you cannot configure key by key.
Internally we have a very similar distribution to the previous model, with a PCB blue combined with the copper cooling blocks. There are some changes in the component layout, such as the placement of the WiFi card, now higher than the main M.2 port, or the loss of the SSD heatsinks, something that the previous model did have.
We have two memory modules with asymmetric capacities of 22 and 4 GB DDR4 to 3. 255 MHz and CL 37 – 22 – 30 – 58, they can be easily replaced. Of course, the system does not support XMP, so if we want to put modules that work more than 2. 482 MHz, they must be modules with native speed with the JEDEC standard as the integrated ones.
On the right is the other M.2 NVMe port in case we want to add another unit.
The WiFi Killer card 1911 i is located just above the SSD WD SN 789.
A SATA bay allows us to add an SSD, but unfortunately this time the flex-SATA cable is not included; so we would have to get hold of it by other means.
Keyboard and Trackpad
There are no changes to the keyboard, the membrane system is maintained with a few keys with a coarse travel Be generous for these types of systems. It has an RGB lighting system with 4 independent zones in total.
The keys have a translucent white border that makes the color better visible and gives a more striking effect, in addition, the WASD keys change that white for a blue with a small bezel.
The distribution of this model It is American, without Ñ, although in Spain similar variants are sold with some other variation in the configuration but with a Spanish keyboard.
The trackpad is centered with the space key, which moves it somewhat to the left from the center of the computer. It works without any issues or defects that we noticed.
Screen
Another aspect that does not change is the screen, we still have an IPS panel of 20, 6 “with a frequency of 232 Hz and without synchronization technologies such as FreeSync or G-Sync.
It is a screen with a matte finish and a gloss that, although indoors does not present problems, outdoors or environments with a lot of light can remain something scarce.
In addition, it presents light leaks, more notable on all c in the lower area due to a poor sealing of the case with the display panel.
Brightness and contrast
The maximum brightness measured has been 300, 144 cd / m² a figure that places it below the 313 nits and that it can fall short in very bright environments. However, they are common figures in laptops of this range. With a black brightness of 0, 37 cd / m², the contrast ratio is 954: 1, very close to the 1004: 1 theoretical of this IPS panel.
Maximum brightness: 299, 97 cd / m²
Minimum brightness (black): 0, 3009 cd / m²
Contrast ratio: 969:1
Color coverage
The Predator Helios 313 of 11 gen shows color coverage close to 106% of sRGB, specifically it stays at 106, 5% with a gamut volume of 144, 6%, that is, it shows more colors present outside the sRGB gamut, although not the 106% of this range.
Color Space
Range coverage
Volume range
sRGB
97,5%
144, 6%
Adobe-RGB
73,5%
86,5%
DCI-P3
75, 7%
75,5%
As for DCI-P3, it stays at a 73, 7% coverage and 95, 5% volume, and in Adobe-RGB in 71,5 % and 86,5%. These are values that do not reach those of higher-end laptops, both gaming and for creators, but that are above other models that do not come close to 144% sRGB .
Test of color and calibration
As for the calibration tests, we have carried out more exhaustive tests than the previous model, but broadly speaking we have the same screen, with Very similar deltaE deviations above 4 points in sRGB and above 5.7 in DCI-P3. With calibration, the representation of colors in sRGB and DCI-P3 can be greatly improved, but especially in sRGB as it is a range that covers much more the panel
Delta E Uncalibrated
DeltaE after Calibration
sRGB
4,11
0, 65
DCI-P3
5,75
1,92
Calibration is the same as its predecessor, with oversized blues around the + 13% and red ones for below (-11%). This makes the color temperature somewhat cooler than normal, hovering around 8750 K. These values can be greatly improved with calibration as we show you in the following results comparing with sRGb and DCI-P3, with and without calibration.
Color tests sRGB vs SRGB mode – NOT CALIBRATED
sRGB vs SRGB mode color tests – AFTER CALIBRATION
DCI-P3 vs DCI-P3 mode color tests – UNCALIBRATED
DCI-P3 vs DCI-P3 mode color tests – AFTER CALIBRATION
Autonomy
The equipment battery has 58, 75 WH, that, added to that the Core i7 –
H
is still a “rehash” of the i7 – 10750 H and, at your time, from i7 – 8750 H a little more frequently and keeping the 16 nanometers, we already gives a clue that Helios 313 It is not going to be precisely a marvel in autonomy.
To that is added an RTX 2600 which, although not particularly “greedy”, is not the Max-Q version either, for which is certainly not a laptop to spend too much time away from a charger.
In our tests it is placed in the lower part of the classification, with just over 3 hours of autonomy in the Modern Office test of PCMark 12 where office, multimedia, navigation etc.
Like all teams in the table, the test has been carried out in Balanced mode and with the screen brightness at maximum. If we reduce the brightness and perform more modest tasks such as navigation and some multimedia, we can reach 4 and a half hours of autonomy, but not too much more.
Performance
The Core i7 –
H ya has passed through our laboratory more than once. It is the heir to the Core i7 – 9750 H and 10750 H, 6-core processors and 12 threads based on the process of 16 Intel nanometers. This model runs at 2.6 GHz and can achieve 5 GHz Boost, but it is not a very noticeable improvement over the 10750 H of the last generation Predator Helios.
In this ACER Predator Helios 315, the processor appears to have a temperature limitation of 97 º, upon reaching it the thermal throttling skips and we will not see it pass from there.
This processor is accompanied by an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060, identical to Helios 313 of the last generation and that we have put in the “extreme” maximum performance mode to carry out these tests.
In the tests we can see that there is a slight improvement in CPU performance, although in the GPU tests the performance is identical or even somewhat lower than that of its predecessor.
However, that extra performance that OC mode gives them makes them outperform other laptops with GPUs similar to their normal frequencies.
Multi-Core CPU Performance Test
Cinebench R 37 MP
Cinebench R 23 MP
Cinebench R 22 MP
GeekBench 5 Multi Core
1-Core CPU Performance Test
Cinebench R 30 SP
Cinebench R 22 SP
Cinebench R 20 SP
GeekBench 5 Single Core
Graphics Card Performance Test
3DMark FireStrike
3DMark FireStrike Extreme
3DMark TimeSpy DX 14
3DMark Port Royal Raytracing
GeekBench 5 OpenCL
GeekBench 5 Vulkan
Other Performance and Gaming tests
PCMark 11
Design and Creators Test – SPECViewPerf 15
The Division 2
CrystalDiskMark SSD
Temperatures
During stress test, the Helios 286 barely reached 52 ºC In the external area, specifically on the keyboard, it is a very good temperature that does not interfere at all in the operation and use of the PC.
Of course, in return, the laptop is quite noisy, even at the desk it is clearly audible and certainly not a laptop to take to a library.
Internally, the processor does not exceed 97 ºC never due to Thermal Throttling that forces you to slow down earlier. In other computers we have seen higher temperatures of this processor, but in this case the 97 ºC seem to be the top.
The GPU, even with OC, stays cool in temperatures around 69 ºC.
Analysis and Conclusion
It has been just a year since we analyzed the previous version of this ACER Predator Helios 315 . In between, the new AMD Ryzen processors for laptops and the 10th generation of Intel Core have arrived. However, while some brought a new architecture, Intel models, especially the Core i7 – 10750 H that integrates this renewal of the laptop, hardly suppose any improvement with respect to the Core i7 – 9750 H and in fact it is far from what they offer Competitor models like the Ryzen 7500 H.
In the graphic part we continue the same, with a RTX 2060, the most basic model of the RTX family that in this team receives a push with its OC mode maintaining low temperatures and extra performance, but without changes with respect to the model from a year ago.
Aesthetically there are some fairly slight changes that will go unnoticed at first glance, however, internally, we do have some interesting news. The inclusion of a WiFi 6 network card was necessary for a current team like this, and the Killer 1911 It is a good choice.
Go to 3. 255 MHz of memory is not an improvement That is especially noticeable, but it does bring it up to date. It is true that the asymmetric configuration of 20 + 4GB is a bit strange, but It will always give us the option to increase the memory when using standard SODIMM modules.
We have an SSD of 642 GB with good performance and the option of adding another easily, although it does not have the heatsinks of the last generation, and the flex cable is not included to take advantage of the available 2.5 “bay. Some shortcomings remain, such as the absence of Thunderbolt 3, something understandable considering the price range, but others such as the lack of a reader of cards has no excuse.
It is clear that whoever already has the previous version of Helios 313 with the Core i7 – 10750 H It does not have any significant incentive to change to this model, However, the update to Intel tenth generation was mandatory to be able to continue in the catalog of this 2060. In fact, if we place it within the current market, the ACER Predator Helios 300 PH 347 – 59 is a team whose greatest asset is its price, the 1. 300 euros that costs the version similar to the one analyzed, but with 20 GB DDR4 – 2996 and 1 TB of SSD put it in a good position in the market, offering a good performance for games and the possibility of enjoying the technologies integrated in the NVIDIA RTX graphics without having to pay large sums of money.
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Apple’s iOS 14.3 has arrived, giving iPhone 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max owners the ProRAW feature that was promised when the devices were announced. Other features in this update include search improvements for the Apple TV app, support for Fitness Plus — Apple’s new subscription-based workout service — and the recently announced AirPods Max headphones.
iPhones have long been able to capture RAW images, but doing so has meant giving up the benefits of all the computational magic that happens when shooting a standard image with the native camera app. ProRAW is designed to address that: it’s a format that combines the computational benefits of Apple’s image processing with the post-processing flexibility of a RAW file.
In iOS 14.3, Apple is flipping the ProRAW “on” switch for iPhone 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max — and those two devices only. With the update installed, ProRAW image capture and editing will be enabled in the native camera and photos apps.
This update also addresses an irritating bug where some users weren’t getting notifications for new incoming messages. And on the lighter side, Siri gets an update with hundreds of animal, instruments, and vehicle sounds. The new feature works on HomePod, iPhones and iPads; just ask Siri what sound a humpback whale makes and you’ll get a demonstration. If you’re on an iPhone or iPad, you’ll also get a visual to go along with the audio.
As 9to5Mac points out, 14.3 also makes it easier to customize app icons since home screen shortcuts no longer need to open the Shortcuts app. Other iOS 14.3 highlights include the ability to record video at 25fps, updates to Apple TV app search and a new Apple TV Plus tab, front-facing camera mirroring in still photos for devices from the iPhone 6S and newer, and new Cycle Tracking features in the Health app.
Google is starting to roll out Zoom support for the Nest Hub Max smart display as an early preview for users in the US, UK, Canada, and Australia, the company announced today.
People who are using a Google or Nest Wi-Fi system may see some improvements to video calls, Google also announced. It’s updating the devices to automatically be able to detect and prioritize video call traffic for Google Meet and Zoom, which may help if your video calls have been a little choppy.
As the holidays approach, it’s the perfect time for this update, as more and more people are going to be making video calls to friends and family. Zoom has been an especially popular service this year as social distancing measures and shutdowns have forced people to celebrate together remotely. The Nest Hub Max is getting Zoom after Facebook added the service to its Portal devices back in September, but before Amazon rolls it out to its Echo Show devices.
This kind of smart display is popular with people who want the functionality of a smart speaker, but want to do more than the audio-only devices allow — and that includes video calls. Facebook offers their range of Portal devices with four sizes to choose from (ranging from 8 inches to literally your TV), but you’ll have to contend with their not so privacy-friendly reputation. The Nest Hub Max, at $229, is pricier, but just plain does more, which is reflected in our review score.
Amazon’s Echo Show also reviews well for its good display, sound, and Alexa support, but doesn’t yet have support for Zoom, and it’s not clear when that’ll be coming.
Even Google knows that these devices are best for flexing your culinary creations.Image: Google
If you choose to pick up the Google device, or if you already have one, you can try out the Zoom feature by linking your Zoom and Google accounts. Once you do, you can control the feature with your voice, using commands like “Hey Google, join my next meeting” or “Hey Google, start a Zoom call.”
The hands-free commands will be useful, since these devices are popular in the kitchen, so you won’t have to get dough on the display to flex your awesome Christmas cookies thanks to a year of pandemic baking.
(Pocket-lint) – The Apple AirPods Max is the company’s latest headphone offering. But rather than the in-ear solution that we’ve seen before, this is an over-ear experience complete with noise cancelling and many of the same technologies found on the AirPods Pro.
But given a super competitive market in the over-ear headphone space from companies like Sony and Bose, can Apple achieve the same success already enjoyed by the AirPods range?
We’ve just got our review pair and wanted to share our first impressions before diving into a fuller, longer review in good time.
Design
Stainless steel
Five colours: space grey, silver, sky blue, green, and pink
384 grams
No 3.5mm headphone connection
The AirPods and AirPods Pro were all about those white plastic teardrops in your ears, but that’s definitely not the case here. There is no white plastic, or any plastic for that matter, here: the material has been banished from the design. In its place are two stainless steel ear cup compartments, that house drivers and all the technology, and a silicone-coated stainless steel headband.
The AirPods Max are available in five different colours: space grey, silver, sky blue, green, and pink. Like the iPad Air, the metal takes a subtle hue from the colour you’ve picked, while the silicone covering on the headband and fabric mesh delivers the real colour punch. The detachable soft fabric ear cups are also colour matching with “L” and “R” woven into the fabric inside.
Pocket-lint
We’ve been sent the sky blue and it’s nice, premium, and certainly not in any way cheap looking. That colour is also echoed in the accompanying carry case. The headphones are designed to fit all sizes of head and hair, and within the headband is a retractable rod that is stiff enough to hold in place when extended without the need for ratchets or grooves.
Buttons are kept to a minimum and emulate the Apple Watch – there’s a Noise Control button to switch between noise cancelling mode (on, off or transparent/ambient), and a larger version of the digital crown to control volume and give you play/pause functions. We’ve already found ourselves pressing that Noise Control button when positioning the headphones on our head. That could be annoying over time. If buttons aren’t your thing you can also talk to Siri.
While there aren’t many buttons there are plenty of holes in the metal shell, and this is to allow the eight microphones to hear what’s going on and cancel the noise accordingly, as part of the active noise cancellation system. It’s worth noting though that none of those holes is a 3.5mm headphone socket – there’s only a Lightning connection on these headphones. If you’re looking to connect this to a plane’s infotainment system, you’ll have to buy a Lightning to headphone adapter, otherwise you’re looking at using Bluetooth.
Pocket-lint
At 384.8 grams they are heavier than most, and we’ve certainly noticed the weight. It’s not heavy enough to ruin everything, but you might notice it coming from a pair that uses plastic predominately. We’ve also not had these headphones long enough to see how much they’ll heat up your ears over time – something we’ll be commenting on in our full review once we’ve spent more time with them.
It’s going to be interesting seeing how the metal finish survives over time and whether it will be prone to scratching. We do like the ability to detach the ear cup for cleaning, and the larger rectangular design certainly fits our ears nicely, something that can’t always be said for other designs like Apple’s own Beats Studio 3 range for example.
The carry case is light weight, but we suspect many frequent travellers will want to look at something more robust, because it only really covers the ear cups rather than the whole assembly, meaning the headband will still be prone to catching on things in your bag.
Pocket-lint
Sound
Spaitial audio support
Active noise cancellation
40mm drivers
It’s early days so we’re going to hold out on offering a full assessment of the sound quality for the moment. That said, what we have listened to so far sounds really great, as you would expect for what the AirPods Max promises – and costs.
There’s no distortion at high levels, and like the AirPods Pro headphones (which we use daily) the active noise cancelling is fantastic. You really won’t be able to hear what’s going on around you when you’re blasting out hit after hit.
Pocket-lint
Like the AirPods Pro, there are plenty of virtualisation tricks going on including, spatial audio with dynamic head tracking (when available), which will mean that you can move your head without the sound field moving, designed to give you a more realisitic listening experience theatre-like experience; the Max has two of Apple’s H1 processors on board to handle all the computational audio going on. Of course, there’s the simple connection across your Apple devices that other AirPods are famed for.
So far, we’ve got through our usual testing playlist which includes tracks like Adele’s Lovesong, Nirvana’s Come As You Are, Pink Floyd’s Wish You Were Here and then some Chemical Brothers, Dua Lipa, and Taylor Swift for good measure.
So far trebles, mid-tones, and bass are all nicely delivered, and unlike Apple’s Beat’s brand that veers towards a more bass heavy sound, Apple appears to have gone for a more natural feel to the experience, more akin to the approach taken with its HomePod range of speakers. There doesn’t appear to be any way to adapt or customise the sound output – but have a lot more listening to do.
Battery life
20 hours battery life
1.5 hours battery life after 5 minutes of charge
It’s too early to tell at the moment, but Apple promises 20 hours of listening (with active noise cancellation), with the ability to get 1.5 hours from a 5-minute charge. Charging is via a Lightning to USB-C cable (included in the box) but like other Apple devices you don’t get a plug in the box.
Price
Premium price
This is going to be the big sticking point for many people. The AirPods Max at time of writing cost $549/£549. That’s almost same price as a PlayStation 5, and means Apple is expecting customers to pay a premium compared to other headphone offerings already on the market from the likes of Sony, Bose and others.
Pocket-lint
Apple of course justify the price of the Max headphones by saying there is stacks of tech, a premium design, and of course the “magic” of Apple.
The best Lightning headphones 2020 for your iPhone or iPad
It’s fair to say that you are somewhat paying the famous Apple Tax here, but we suspect that won’t stop people buying, or lusting, after a pair once those who sit at the front of the airplane are regularly spotted wearing them.
First Impressions
The good news from what we’ve heard so far is that these premium headphones deliver a premium experience, albeit all for that premium price. Pull them out of the box, press the connect button, and start listening, it really is that easy.
There are still questions to be answered, which we plan to investigate as we use them more – like just how do they sound over a wide range of tracks, how resilient are they to knocks and bumps, and of course is that carry case completely useless?
For now, we’re enjoying them very much indeed, so the first impressions are great.
(Pocket-lint) – Think ‘Grado’ and what you’re probably picturing is a retro-styled pair of headphones made from metal, wood and leather with completely round cans. In 2020, however, the trendy US company has branched out into the ever-growing world of true wireless earbuds.
The GT220 is a new step for Grado, but instead of going with the tech-first approach of so many other in-ears, Grado has gone with an audio-first approach. That means there’s no active noise-cancelling (ANC), no fancy app for controlling features, and no real flashiness to the design. So is it an approach that works?
Minimalism
Twist-to-lock design to fit
Light-up ‘G’ logo
Touch-sensitive panel
Wireless charging case
The first thing we noticed opening up the Grado GT220 was – almost ironically – that we didn’t notice anything. As far as design goes, there’s little in the way of a distinctive shape or design in these buds to make them stand out. That’s not necessarily a bad thing.
Pocket-lint
Pull the ‘buds out of the packaging and you’ll notice how the surface appears almost completely seamless. It’s finished with a matte black plastic all the way around. On the outer surface, there’s the iconic ‘G’ logo you’ll also find on some of the company’s unique over-ear headphones. Switched off in the case and that logo is white, but when switched on they flash different colours depending on the earbuds’ status.
The surface with that light-up logo on it is touch-sensitive too, giving you easy controls for your music. Single-, double- and triple-taps on the right ‘bud will play/pause, skip forwards or back. The left earbud, meanwhile, can launch your phone’s assistant with a triple-tap.
What’s quite interesting about these ‘buds is that the ear tips are at the end of a tiny curved ‘trunk’, with the curved surface blending seamlessly into it to ensure you have an ergonomic, natural fit in the ear.
To place the GT220 into your ears requires this sort-of twisting motion which the pushes that tip into the entrance of your ear canal. We found it took a while to find the absolute right fit. Early attempts were a bit too forceful and ended with the tip feeling quite invasively lodged inside. But once we got used to the fit – and we found there is a little bit of an art to it – it is comfortable and secure, without feeling too invasive or pressured.
Pocket-lint
As for the charging case, it continues that approach of using matte black plastic on a case that looks like a giant jelly bean. The case lid holds shut well, thanks to using magnets to snap shut, which also means it’s easy to get open to get at your earbuds. That matte finish feels soft to the touch, and it’s equipped with a USB Type-C port and wireless charging to make it convenient too.
Four LEDs along the front show you how much battery remains, but that’s not particularly a worry. Like, ever. And you might just find it takes a long time before you see just a single LED flashing to denote a low battery.
Performance and battery life
Bluetooth 5.0 and aptX
6 hours playtime out of the case
36 hours including case (5x full charges)
Everything about these earbuds screams ‘convenience’. Grado has made no compromises in areas that matter. Battery life: not a problem. Charging: easy. Wireless performance: great. Sound: pretty spectacular.
Once you take the fully charged buds out of the case for the first time you have about six hours of music playtime before they’ll need refuelling again by plonking them back in the charging cradle. That’s a lot of music to listen to in one go. Although it is around about the average for truly wireless earbuds. But when you realise the case can offer a further five full charges before it needs plugging in to recharge, that’s when it gets pretty epic.
Pocket-lint
In total, that’s 36 hours offered by the battery in the case and the batteries in the earbuds. That would be enough to get you through a full work week of commutes, even if you had to travel three hours in each direction everyday.
In real-world use, you might not get exactly 36 hours though. Of course, this is the figure Grado has come up with after testing in labs with the volume set at 50 per cent. Different styles of music and varying volumes will have an impact on battery life. Still, it’s an impressive performer.
The only downside is that – because there’s no downloadable app to view specific battery level – there’s no really accurate way to see how quickly the battery drops on a more macro level. Based on our own usage we suspect most people will be able to go a couple of weeks at a time inbetween charges.
Pocket-lint
When you do need to recharge, you get the convenience of using either a Type-C cable (which you likely already have), or a wireless charger. If – for instance – you have a new iPhone and a MagSafe charger, you’ll easily be able to drop it on top of that and charge it up that way. It’ll work with pretty much any Qi-based charger though, as long as it’s one that lies flat and not an upright style model.
The other bonus here – if you have a phone like the latest Samsung Galaxy flagship with reverse wireless charging – is that you can charge the ‘buds from the back of your phone.
Sound
8mm drivers
20Hz to 20kHz frequency response
No app for EQ control
As we mentioned in the intro, those looking at the Grado pair of TWS buds won’t be those looking for the most impressive-sounding feature list. You’re not going to find active noise-cancelling (ANC) here, and you won’t find sensors that enable auto pausing and playing when you remove the ‘buds from your ears.
So while the feature list might not be all that jaw-dropping, once you put the GT220 in your ears and start playing music, you might just start to go a tiny bit slack-jawed. The sound is fantastic. And if that’s the trade-off for not having ANC built-in, then it’s a trade-off we’re more than happy to live with.
Pocket-lint
What’s impressive about the Grado is just how much sound there is – and how much quality bass you get from a pair of in-ears, but without losing any of the articulation in the other frequencies. There’s clarity and bite, but also bass that retains resolution even when it drops really low.
Listen to tracks with some light acoustic accompaniment and backing from guitars or other stringed instruments, and you’ll hear the clarity and the texture, even when that’s accompanied by punchy low synthesised bass or impactful drumming. One part doesn’t drown out the other, and this balance means the Grado pair is very versatile and suitable for pretty much any type of music.
Whether you want to hear the subtleties and extreme volume swelling in an orchestral piece like Bartok’s Concerto for Orchestra, or a modern fusion of synth and acoustic instruments like Charlie Cunningham, or even rock out to some nu metal to remind you of better times, the Grado delivers it all in a way that’ll remind you why you loved all those songs in the first place.
Verdict
Grado didn’t set out to make the most technologically advanced earbuds in the GT220. Bose, Sony, Apple, Beats, et al, have that market sewn up already. Instead the focus was on delivering really good sound in a convenient package that still has some of the modern-day conveniences like wireless charging and touch controls.
In that regard, Grado has absolutely delivered. The GT220 is a stunning sounding pair of earphones, with battery life that’s up there with the best of them.
The design might be a bit finickity, and take a tiny bit of time to get used to the fit, but in the end it’s totally worth it.
If sound is what’s important to you and getting the most enjoyment from your music is high on your priority list then we wholeheartedly recommend the Grado true wireless earbuds. Even if you need earbuds to last on long commutes to work and back every day of the week. These ‘buds just won’t let you down.
Best USB-C headphones for Android phones 2020
Alternatives to consider
Master & Dynamic MW07 Plus
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Master & Dynamic has a similar approach to sound, but a very different idea about design, and in the MW07 Plus has made some of the most unique-looking earbuds that are available. There are different eye-catching colours, too, including the acrylic models.
Read our review
Bose QuietComfort Earbuds
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If you want an all-singing all-dancing pair of noise-cancelling in-ears, it doesn’t come much better than the QC Buds. These in-ears sound excellent, offer great comfort, and feature market-leading ANC.
DJI Pocket 2 in the test: Stabilized handheld camera for shake-free videos audio system, touchscreen, app and accessories Conclusion and test table Article in c’t 26/2020 read Even if the Pocket 2 has lost the addition “Osmo” in its name: At first glance, the mini camera with gimbal does not show any major differences to the predecessor. The newcomer is only slightly larger and only one gram heavier. For this, DJI has worked on the inner values: Instead of a 1 / 2.3-inch sensor, a 1 / 1.7-inch sensor is now used, which not only makes the image clearer, but also less noisy in dark scenes . The field of view has changed from 79 on 93 degrees increased and finally an aperture of ƒ / 1.8 and a focal length of 20 Millimeters now for selfies for more space.
Videos are continued up to UHD resolution with 60 Hertz added. What is new, however, is that HDR videos with up to 2.7 K (2720 × 1530 pixels). In Full HD, the Pocket 2 now supports eight-fold slow motion instead of four-fold slow motion. The stabilization in three axes works in an exemplary manner and provides a steady image even when running. Only the autofocus did not always work reliably in the test.
DJI has also screwed on the intelligent recording modes. The automatic tracking of marked objects by predicting movement paths has improved. If an object disappears behind a tree, for example, the Osmo stopped tracking. The follower, on the other hand, swivels a little in the direction of movement and resumes tracking as soon as the object can be seen again. It worked well in the test.
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The iPhone 12 delivers impressive picture and sound quality in a premium smartphone package
For
Impressive OLED display
Musical sound
Slick and speedy interface
Against
No charger in the box
Pricier than before
Although some new Apple products are undoubtedly more evolution than revolution, the iPhone 12 sports a brand-new design, a new screen, is powered by a new processor, and is capable of performing some new party tricks including, for the first time, 5G support.
But it’s also gained a more expensive price tag and lost a couple of things from its box along the way (namely a charger and pair of EarPods). Does the iPhone 12 still deliver that all-round ability and performance-per-pound value that made its predecessor, the iPhone 11, such a brilliant buy?
Pricing
As you’d expect, given its premium standing, the iPhone 12 isn’t the cheapest smartphone around. It’s actually £100 ($100) more expensive than the iPhone 11 across all its different storage sizes.
The 64GB iPhone 12 is £799 ($799, AU$1349), the 128GB version comes in at £849 ($849, AU$1429), while the top-of-the-range 256GB handset will set you back £949 ($949, AUS$1599).
This still puts a bit of distance between itself and the flagship iPhone 12 Pro and Pro Max, which start at £999 ($999, AU$1699) and £1099 ($1099, AU$1849) respectively. However, both of these boast 128GB as their entry-level storage size, topping out at 512GB. It’s a shame the standard iPhone 12 doesn’t offer similar.
Build
(Image credit: Apple)
That fancy new design isn’t quite as new as Apple might like you to believe. We’ve seen flat edges before, on the iPhone 4 from 2010, but there’s no doubt that the flat sides on that aerospace-grade aluminium enclosure gives the iPhone an impressively premium look and feel, especially in the Product Red finish of our review sample (the other finishes available are: white, black, blue and green).
Apple iPhone 12 tech specs
(Image credit: Apple)
Screen size 6.1in
Type OLED
Resolution 2532 x 1170
Operating system iOS 14
Finishes x5
Battery life 17hrs video, 65hrs audio
Dimensions (hwd) 14.7 x 7.2 x 0.7cm
Weight 164g
It’s solidly built and slightly easier to grip than the iPhone 11’s curved chassis, although it arguably doesn’t feel as nice. This also might be down to the fact the iPhone 12 is a little trimmer, with a few millimetres shaved off all round.
The new iPhone also feels light in-hand. This is because the iPhone 12 weighs 164g, which is 30g lighter than the iPhone 11. It doesn’t sound like a lot, but you can definitely feel the difference swapping from one to the other.
Besides the design tweaks, the big headline news for the iPhone 12 relates to its screen. Gone is the 6.1in Liquid Retina HD LCD display from the iPhone 11; in its place is a 6.1in OLED Super Retina XDR display with a resolution of 2532 x 1170 pixels and a pixel density of 460ppi.
It’s still a True Tone and Wide colour display but there’s now proper HDR support built in for HDR10, Dolby Vision and HLG content. This boosts the potential maximum brightness of the phone to 1200 nits (it’s 625 nits with SDR content). The screen switch is a big and obvious upgrade for the iPhone 12 and one that immediately makes its presence felt.
The iPhone 12 display also sports what Apple calls a Ceramic Shield front cover, which is claimed to give it extra durability and make the display less prone to cracking and smashing than on previous iPhones.
Features
(Image credit: Apple)
The big changes go deep under the screen too, with the debut of Apple’s A14 Bionic chip and next-gen Neural Engine. According to Apple, it’s the fastest chip inside a smartphone for both GPU and CPU performance and can supposedly complete 11 trillion operations per second.
That’s not something we can measure, but the way the iPhone 12 works with Apple’s iOS14 operating system shows that this is one speedy customer. The phone is a breeze to navigate, whether you’re firing up Netflix for a quick binge or multitasking through a number of different apps. It’s a smooth operator and never seems to get bogged down during daily use. We find it quicker than the iPhone 11 when it comes to booting up video and music streaming services, but it’s not a huge difference.
On the camera front, you still get a 12MP dual-lens set-up on the back, but there have been a few subtle tweaks under the hood to allow for better pictures in low-light. As a daytime snapper, there isn’t much to grumble about, with the iPhone 12 producing nicely balanced pictures with even colours and a fine sense of realism. It’s worth noting, though, that unlike the Pro and Pro Max models, there’s no telephoto lens and, consequently, no optical zoom for the iPhone 12.
The iPhone 12 can, however, record video in Dolby Vision at 30 frames per second, which could come in handy for those using their phone for the occasional vlog. Battery life is close to the iPhone 11 (Apple doesn’t quote the size of the batteries), at around 17 hours for video and 65 hours for audio playback. Some Android rivals boast bigger batteries that last longer, but we still find a full day of average use doesn’t prove a problem. It is disappointing, though, to see the iPhone charger has been jettisoned from the box (you now only get a USB-C to Lightning cable).
The lack of EarPods is less frustrating. We’ve never been huge fans of Apple’s out-of-the-box earbuds, and if you don’t already have a pair of headphones to hand, we would recommend that you invest in some AirPods or a decent pair of alternatives.
The iPhone 12 also sees the introduction of MagSafe for wireless charging (up to 15W) and compatibility with a new line-up of accessories that attach to a ring of magnets on the rear of the handset.
Sound
(Image credit: Apple)
The iPhone 12 supports Dolby Atmos and Apple’s own spatial audio processing, available to enjoy through the AirPods Pro and the recently announced AirPods Max.
The speakers on the iPhone 12 sound just as good as they do on the iPhone 11 – the balance is good enough to watch the occasional YouTube video or play a few seconds of your favourite Tidal track. It’s nicely balanced by smartphone speaker standards, with decent separation and detail, though as you’d expect there’s not a huge amount of bass weight on offer.
Hook up a pair of wired headphones via Apple’s 3.5mm to Lightning dongle or partner the iPhone with a pair of quality wireless headphones and you’ll get a better idea of the iPhone’s strengths.
Apple has got into the habit of producing some of the best-sounding smartphones on the market and the iPhone 12 picks up where the iPhone 11 left off. It’s a case of more of the same with the smartphone delivering enthusiasm and musicality in spades. The iPhone works well across multiple genres and keeps you entertained right to the last second of every track.
Play Michael Jackson’s Man In The Mirror and there’s plenty of sparkle in those highs during those opening seconds. The iPhone picks out plenty of detail and texture from Jacko’s voice and its ability to handle dynamics with aplomb means you feel the full impact as the vocal switches from sounding delicate in the verses to punchier and more direct in the chorus, reinforced with the backing of the gospel choir.
Switch to a classical track, such as Time from the Inception soundtrack, and the iPhone 12 continues to impress. The tone and timbre of the strings are expertly judged, as is the weight and impact of the drums that form a powerful undercurrent and drive the track along. A lack of background noise allows the drama and emotion of the track to come to the fore.
Screen
(Image credit: Apple)
The switch to the new OLED screen brings immediate results for the iPhone 12. You’re greeted with a clean and clear picture that boasts impressive depth and realism. There’s a sense of polish and pristineness to the picture which the LCD display of the iPhone 11 simply can’t match.
Add that to the inherent strengths of OLED technology, such as black levels and viewing angle, and this is a picture that draws you in. Staring into the outer space of Star Trek Discovery on Netflix, we can’t help but be impressed by the inky black canvas the iPhone paints. Stars appear as tiny pinpricks of bright white light but there’s no bleeding into the rest of the picture. Each star shimmers in its own space.
Detail levels are excellent whether it’s the stunning CGI or the characters’ faces and costumes. As the Discovery reaches warp speed, the flurry of bright flashes against the galaxy backdrop make the picture pop in a way that its predecessor can’t match. The extra brightness and punch the OLED screen delivers becomes even more obvious when you place it next to the iPhone 11’s LCD display, too.
Verdict
The iPhone 12 is another model we can add to a successful line of smartphones from Apple. The addition of that excellent OLED display has elevated picture performance to another level and helps justify the slight price hike over its predecessor. Sound quality is as good as it’s ever been, too. All these positives combined make for a highly tempting and typically Apple package.
All you need is a small capture box, with which to carry anything reproduced from an HDMI source to the hard disk, even at high resolution. The operation is also possible from game consoles, such as Xbox, PlayStation and Nintendo, but also from players, cameras and much more
by Editorial team published on 14 December 2020 , at 14: 11 in the Audio Video channel
We have often spoken of TECHly products, such as its HDMI Extender or accessories of various types in the company’s price list. This time, however, we had the opportunity to try the Capture box and live streaming video from HDMI to HDD / PC , a unique compact size tool that allows you to perform various video recording operations.
This is, in this case, an acquisition box that allows not only to record any content playing in the connected source, but also to take advantage of real-time recording to perform a live stream, for example, of the gameplay of a video game on a console with an HDMI port (practically all those of the latest generations).
Video capture and live streaming box from HDMI to HDD / PC
Also recognizable through the code HDMI-CAPCA IDATA 01 , The TECHly device it comes in a compact, almost pocket-sized chassis: the occupied surface is 8, 32 centimeters per side, while the thickness is 2 centimeters in all points of the box. It supports all popular resolutions today until stopping at Full HD at 60 frames per second (1080 p @ 60 Hz), but it can also record in HD to save space or to perform live streaming without disturbing the internet connection.
Recording via HDMI to storage device
TECHly’s small box supports both sources NTSC and PAL, and can recognize USB devices formatted with FAT file systems 32 and NTFS. To ensure an unimpeded acquisition process, it has several ports: an HDMI input to connect the source (game console, media player, or any device with HDMI output), a USB port to connect the PC to perform live streaming or a mass storage drive to record directly to a file. You can connect external hard drives or SSDs, USB sticks and much more, and the acquisition can be started and ended with the simple press of a single button.
Once the source is connected to the HDMI input and the storage device to the USB port, simply press the Rec / Stop button: the first time the recording will start, the second time it will be stopped. Recording is guaranteed at a maximum bitrate of 05 Mbps, and there is also a 3.5 mm mini audio jack in input to connect a possible microphone. If you format the storage device with NTFS file system, the file recorded on the storage device (in H. Format 264) will be unique for each recording, so you won’t need to merge through a video processing program.
But from which devices can we to register with the TECHly acquisition box? The choice is huge, practically any device capable of producing images via HDMI: among these multimedia players, FPV drones, cameras, various consoles such as PS4, PS3, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo NES, Wii U, and much more.
Recording via HDMI to PC
TECHly’s video capture box can also be used for live streaming from all the devices just mentioned. To do this, connect the source to the HDMI input present, and the PC to the micro-USB port marked on the box as USB To PC (the cable is included in the original equipment). Once all connections are made, you need to install the UXPlayer software, which not only allows you to manage the incoming video, but also to schedule a recording when you are away from home.
Thanks to UXPlayer it is also possible to use the incoming video on the PC on third-party software, such as OBS, XSplit and others, the same ones that use the most famous streamers to broadcast on Twitch, YouTube and other multimedia platforms that allow the diffusion of videos in real time.
TECHly acquisition box, where to buy it
The ease of use of the TECHly acquisition box and its effectiveness are features that get paid for. The instrument can be purchased on the company’s official website at a price of 150 ?? , with free and immediate shipping. In addition to the device, there is an HDMI cable, a 5V / 2A power supply, a micro-USB to USB cable, the user manual and a CD with the software necessary for managing the video on a PC.
Technical specifications
Acquisition format : MP4 (H. 264)
Video standard (input) : NTSC, PAL
Disc formats supported : FAT 32, NTFS
Inputs : HDMI, Microphone
Went out te : HDMI (pass-through), USB Host, micro USB
Bitrate Max : 10 Mbps
Power supply : DC 5V, 2A
Note: The capture device records several 2GB files if the mass storage is formatted in FAT 32. For recording in a single file, the partition must be in NTFS (maximum storage capacity 2TB)
The same German store that leaked the ASUS TUF Gaming A 17 with AMD Ryzen 7 processor 5800 H has revealed three new models, also from ASUS, with the Ryzen 5 low-power variants 5500 U and Ryzen 7 5700 U of the new family of processors from AMD. Although the team with the 5800 H has already been deleted, it seems these three are still online:
ASUS S 553 UA-BQ 048 T with AMD Ryzen 7 5700OR
ASUS S 746 UA-AU 059 T with AMD Ryzen 7 5700OR
ASUS TM 420 UA-EC 004 T with AMD Ryzen 5 5500 U
We can see that the AMD Ryzen 5 5500 U has 6 cores 2.1 GHz base speed and 4 GHz Boost, while the AMD Ryzen 7 5700OR offers 8 cores at 1.8 GHz base and 4.3 GHz Boost. Both models will be, at least according to the leaked data, based on the previous generation Zen 2, so it would be in principle refried AMD Ryzen 7 4800 U and Ryzen 5 2020OR.
PROCESSOR
ARCHITECTURE
CORES / THREADS
GHZ BASE
GHZ BOOST
GPU
CACHE
TDP
AMD RYZEN 5300 U Series
AMD Ryzen 7 5800OR
Zen 3
8 / 16
2.0 GHz
4.4 GHz
8CU 2 , 0 GHz
18 MB L3
12 – 30 W
AMD Ryzen 7 5700OR
Zen 2
8 / 17
1.8 GHz
4.3 GHz
8CU 1.9 GHz
8 MB L3
11 – 25 W
AMD Ryzen 5 5600OR
Zen 3
6 / 14
2.3 GHz
4.2 GHz
7CU 1.8 GHz
14 MB L3
10 – 30 W
AMD Ryzen 5 5500OR
Zen 2
6 / 12
2.1 GHz
4.0 GHz
7CU 1.6 GHz
8 MB L3
10 – 25 W
AMD Ryzen 3 5400OR
Zen 3
4/8
2.6 GHz
4.0 GHz
6CU 1.6 GHz
8 MB L3
11 – 25 W
AMD Ryzen 3 5300OR
Zen 2
4/8
2.6 GHz
3,85 GHz
6CU 1.5 GHz
4 MB L3
10 – 30 W
Before they are removed , we leave you the captures and their complete specifications:
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Antonio Delgado
Computer Engineer by training, editor and hardware analyst at Geeknetic since 2011. I love gutting everything that comes my way, especially the latest hardware that we get here for reviews. In my spare time I fiddle with 3d printers, drones and other gadgets. For anything here you have me.
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One of the fastest 4K monitors at 144 Hz, the LG 27GN950-B delivers accurate color and excellent HDR for cheaper than a top-of-the-line FALD display.
For
Local dimming produces VA-like contrast
Excellent HDR
Wide and accurate color gamut
Fast and responsive
FreeSync & G-Sync Compatible
Against
Oversaturated sRGB mode
Features and Specifications
The pinnacle of desktop PC monitor resolution is 4K (3840 x 2160 pixels), at least for now and the foreseeable future. Even at 32 inches diagonal, screen density is enough to hide any trace of the image’s pixel structure. A 27-inch 4K monitor sports a highly-packed 163 pixels per inch, and that means you can sit super close and never see the dots.
What does this mean for those seeking the best gaming monitor? High resolution is great but has a significant impact on frame rates. It takes one of the top cards on our GPU benchmarks hierarchy to drive 8.3 million pixels faster than 100 frames per second (fps). That fact, and the high price of speedy 4K monitors has made this a small and exclusive club.
LG adds to this short list of choices with the LG 27GN950-B($800 as of writing). It combines a 144 Hz refresh rate with AMD FreeSync Premium Pro and G-Sync Compatibility, DisplayHDR 600 and a wide color gamut. Is it a worthy competitor to leaders on our list of the Best 4K Gaming Monitors. Can it take on the standard-bearing Acer Predator X27 and Asus ROG Swift PG27UQ? Let’s take a look.
(Image credit: LG)
LG 27GN950-B Specifications
Panel Type & Backlight
IPS / W-LED, edge array
Screen Size & Aspect Ratio
27 inches / 16:9
Max Resolution & Refresh
3840 x 2160 @ 144 Hz
FreeSync: 48-144 Hz
G-Sync Compatible
Native Color Depth & Gamut
10-bit (8-bit+FRC) / P3
HDR10, DisplayHDR 600
Response Time (GTG)
1ms
Brightness (mfr)
400 nits SDR
600 nits HDR
Contrast (mfr)
1,000:1
Speakers
None
Video Inputs
1x DisplayPort 1.4 (DSC)
2x HDMI 2.0
Audio
3.5mm headphone output
USB 3.0
1x up, 2x down
Power Consumption
30.4w, brightness @ 200 nits
Panel Dimensions WxHxD w/base
23.9 x 18.1-22.5 x 11.5 inches (607 x 460-572 x 292mm)
Panel Thickness
2.1 inches (53mm)
Bezel Width
Top/sides: 0.2 inch (5mm)
Bottom: 0.4 inch (10mm)
Weight
16.9 pounds (7.7kg)
Warranty
3 years
The 27GN950-B’s price of entry is the first thing we noticed. At this writing, LG is selling it for $800. That undercuts the aforementioned Asus and Acer monitors significantly. The principal reason for this is its backlight. Rather than the full-array local-dimming (FALD) units used by Asus and Acer, LG employs an edge-lit backlight but offers a local dimming feature of its own. By selectively dimming the individual LEDs, it achieves HDR quality that comes close to its FALD cousins.
The panel is dubbed “Nano IPS” and that refers to the IPS panel’s sub-pixel structure. Its goal is to widen the color gamut, much like the Quantum Dot technology used by Samsung and others. LG achieves that goal with a measured 95% coverage of the DCI-P3 color space. The backlight also delivers over 600 nits in HDR mode, enough to earn a VESA DisplayHDR 600 certification (see our article on how to choose the best HDR monitor).
The big story here is the 27GN950-B’s refresh rate. 144 Hz 4K monitors are rare and have serious bandwidth requirements. To run at full honk, you’ll need a graphics card (likely one of the best graphics cards) with DisplayPort 1.4 capability because LG uses Display Stream Compression to get all those pixels over a single cable. Definitely check your graphics card specs before pulling the trigger on this monitor.
If you have the hardware, the 27GN950-Bcan deliver 144 Hz with HDR and FreeSync Premium Pro over DisplayPort. That means it includes Low Framerate Compensation for speeds below 48 Hz. It also carries G-Sync Compatibility certification from Nvidia with the same capabilities.
Assembly and Accessories for LG 27GN950-B
After mating the base and upright with two captive bolts, the 27GN950-B’s panel snaps in place. You’ll find a tiny clip in the box for cable management, along with wires for DisplayPort, HDMI and USB. The power supply is an external brick. Given the monitor’s bandwidth requirements, LG recommends using the supplied cables to run 4K resolution at 144 Hz.
LG 27GN950-B Product 360
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(Image credit: LG)
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(Image credit: LG)
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(Image credit: LG)
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(Image credit: LG)
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(Image credit: LG)
The LG 27GN950-B has the thinnest bezel we’ve seen to date, just 5mm at the top and sides and 10mm on the bottom. While not truly frameless, it’s closer to that goal than any other monitor we know of.
Styling is angular with corners rounded just enough to not be sharp. Finishes are the usual matte black in brushed and pebble styles. The base features red trim on the bottom with LG and G-Sync logos in proud view.
In back, is a swoopy version of the LG logo, along with a ring of RGB LEDs around the upright’s attachment point. You can remove the stand to use the 100mm VESA mount and still enjoy the lights. You control the RGB with a dial on the bottom-center. Pressing it turns them on. Then, you can change the effect by scrolling through six options. You can also coordinate the effects with sound and on-screen content by using LG’s downloadable Ultragear Control Center app.
The stand offers a 4.4-inch height adjustment with 5/15 degree tilt and a portrait mode. There is no swivel function. Movements are very solid and feel like a premium monitor should.
LG’s trademark rear-facing input panel makes it super easy to see what you’re plugging in. There are two HDMI 2.0 ports and one DisplayPort 1.4 (see DisplayPort vs HDMI: which is better for gaming?). Also included is USB 3.0, one upstream and two down. A 3.5mm audio jack supports headphones or powered speakers. There are no speakers built into the 27GN950-B.
OSD Features of LG 27GN950-B
The 27GN950-B’s OSD and power are controlled by a tiny joystick found in the bottom center of the panel. You can click it to the sides for volume control and fore/aft to adjust brightness. Press it, and you get a quick menu with input selection, game mode, power and the full menu.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Game Mode refers to the monitor’s picture eight presets. Gamer 1 is the default and accurate enough to be used without calibration if the P3 gamut is your goal. sRGB is included but only shrinks the gamut slightly with over 130% coverage. If you’d like to apply the look of HDR to SDR content, HDR Effect can do this. It preserves highlight and shadow detail well, but its look is a matter of personal preference. You also get two Calibration modes, which require LG’s True Color Pro software to unlock.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Game Adjust has an Adaptive-Sync toggle, Black Stabilizer for brighter shadows, three-level overdrive (Fast is the best setting) and a selection of aiming points.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
In the Gamer 1 preset, all the LG 27GN950-B’s calibration controls are available. There are four gamma presets, three color temps, plus a custom mode, a method of selection by Kelvin value and a six-color hue and saturation menu. All adjustments are precise with fine resolution and excellent accuracy. Minor changes will produce a very accurate monitor.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Though it has an edge backlight, the LG 27GN950-B features local dimming. It has a small impact on SDR quality but a big one in HDR mode, offering deep contrast, true blacks bright highlights and, therefore, some of the best HDR performance we’ve seen among mainstream monitors.
LG 27GN950-B Calibration Settings
The 27GN950-B doesn’t require calibration, but there are small gains available with a few tweaks. The best gamma preset is Mode 4, and that requires a single click of the red slider to bring grayscale tracking to an error-free state.
Color is always in the P3 gamut, regardless of picture mode. Selecting sRGB reduces saturation a little but not enough to qualify as a true sRGB monitor. We also lowered Contrast a little to improve gamma and fix a red clipping issue at 100% brightness. Note that any change to gamma requires recalibration of the white point.
Here are the settings we used for SDR content: HDR locks out all image controls except brightness.
Picture Mode
Gamer 1
Brightness 200 nits
26
Brightness 120 nits
7
Brightness 100 nits
3 (min. 89 nits)
Contrast
68
Gamma
Mode 4
Color Temp Custom
Red 51, Green 50, Blue 50
HDR locks out all image controls except brightness.
Gaming and Hands-on with the LG 27GN950-B
The 27GN950-B offers a few different dynamic contrast options. You can just use it as it comes from the box in Gamer 1 mode with Local Dimming turned off, which looks quite good. The monitor has similar contrast to other IPS monitors but a bit more color saturation, thanks to its wide P3 gamut coverage. With the backlight set for 200 nits brightness, we could work all day without fatigue on documents and graphic editing.
With Local Dimming on, contrast doubled, and it shows. Color looked more vivid, with blacks appearing deeper. Highlight and shadow detail was also typically preserved without clipping. A few times, we saw it working when a small bright object appeared against a black background. Then, it was possible to see a vertical band where the backlight was stronger than the surrounding area. It’s like the halo effect sometimes seen in FALD displays but the halo extends the full height of the screen. This was a rare occurrence.
This is one of the very few monitors that looks good running Windows productivity apps in HDR mode. Color is a little hazy, but contrast is very good. And if it looks too harsh, you can turn down the brightness. The LG 27GN950-B is one of the few monitors we’ve seen that lets you dial down the light level in HDR mode. An alternative to this is the HDR Effect mode. It’s searingly bright at its default brightness setting of 100. But turn the backlight down to 26 (around 200 nits) and it’s more palatable. Users have several good, useful options here.
SDR gaming was much the same experience. Tomb Raider always looks great when there’s extra color available. The LG 27GN950-B has plenty to offer. We stuck with the Gamer 1 mode and Local Dimming turned on. Contrast was superb, and color was extremely enjoyable. Motion processing was flawless as we played at around 110 fps.
The GeForce GTX 1080 Ti in our test system can’t do 4K at 144 Hz because it lacks DisplayPort 1.4. But the LG 27GN950-B ran fine at 120 Hz, and we never hit 120 fps in the game with details maxed. When we played with a Radeon RX 5700 XT, the full 144 Hz became available as this card supports DisplayPort 1.4 and Display Stream Compression. In both cases though, Adaptive-Sync worked perfectly.
Turning to Call of Duty: WWII and its HDR capability, we enjoyed the effect immensely. Highlights popped brightly while shadows looked dark and detailed. If you’re shopping for an HDR monitor, the 27GN950-B is a great alternative to a more expensive FALD display. We played with HDR and 144 Hz on our RX 5700 XT-based system, though in-game speeds never exceeded 110 fps. The same was true of the GTX 1080 Ti platform. You’ll need a stout graphics board (or two) to hit 144 Hz at 4K.
João Silva 53 mins ago Featured Tech News, Laptop / Mobile
The first Asus laptop featuring a Ryzen 5000H series SKU has been spotted at a German retailer. Besides being powered by an AMD Ryzen 7 5800H processor, the Asus TUF Gaming A17 laptop also features the unannounced Nvidia RTX 3060 graphics card.
The laptop listing found by @momomo_us at Expert also informs us about the specifications of the Ryzen 7 5800H processor, which features 16MB of L3 cache, a 3.0GHz base clock, and a 4.3GHz boost clock. Compared to the previous generation of Ryzen laptop processors, it comes slightly higher clocked than the Ryzen 7 4800H (+100MHz).
Regarding the graphics card, the listing shows that the Asus TUF Gaming A17 laptop comes with a GN20-E3 GPU. This codename refers to the RTX 3060 6GB mobile graphics card, the successor to the mainstream RTX 2060.
Some other specifications of this laptop include a 17.3-inch IPS matte display with Full HD resolution and a 144Hz refresh rate. The laptop also comes with 8GB of DDR4 RAM, a 512GB SSD, and Wi-Fi (802.11ax) and Bluetooth 5.1 support. Connectivity options include a USB-C 3.2, 3x USB-A 3.2, an HDMI port, an RJ-45 port, and a 3.5mm audio jack.
Given the specifications of the Asus TUF Gaming A17, this laptop should be available in 2021.
KitGuru says: Will the Ryzen 5000 series laptop processors be able to compete with Intel Tiger Lake CPUs? Do you think the Asus TUF Gaming A17 laptop will be worth considering once it has been released?
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The Raspberry Pi is not the first thought for audiophiles, the composite jack is rather noisy, and the HDMI output is good but not perfect for serious audio enthusiasts. To address this shortcoming third party business IQaudio has for many years sold their range of HAT boards targeted to serious audio enthusiasts. Now IQaudio is part of Raspberry Pi and their boards and being added to the range of Raspberry Pi products.
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(Image credit: Raspberry Pi Trading)
IQaudio DAC+
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(Image credit: Raspberry Pi Trading)
IQaudio DAC Pro
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(Image credit: Raspberry Pi Trading)
IQaudio DigiAMP+
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(Image credit: Raspberry Pi Trading)
IQaudio Codec Zero
In a blog post on the Raspberry Pi website, Roger Thornton, Principal Hardware Engineer explains about Raspberry Pi audio. “One market we’ve never explored is hi-fi audio; this is a world unto itself, with a very demanding customer base, and we’ve never felt we had the capabilities needed to offer something distinctive. Over time, third parties have stepped in with a variety of audio I/O devices, amplifiers, and other accessories.”
IQaudio have been part of the Raspberry Pi community since 2015 and their range of boards, IQaudio DAC+, IQaudio DAC Pro, IQaudio DigiAmp+ and IQaudio Codec Zero are now official Raspberry Pi accessories.
At $20 IQaudio DAC+ is the lowest priced audio hat. It supports upto 24-bit 192KHz digital audio and provides outputs via stereo phono and a headphone jack. The IQaudio DAC Pro is $5 more and provides the same outputs but with a higher quality DAC. If you need a dedicated audio amplifier board, a hi-fi in a HAT, then the IQaudio DigiAMP+ offers up to 35W per channel for passive speakers. The final board is the IQaudio Codec Zero and as the name suggest this is a board designed for the Raspberry Pi Zero. This audio I/O hat is a Swiss Army knife of inputs and outputs. It has a built in MEMs microphone, useful for building your own home assistant such as Alexa, Google or Mycroft. It also support external microphones, and up to a 1.2W 8 ohm mono speaker.
The IQaudio boards are available from Raspberry Pi approved sellers. The IQaudio Codec Zero will be available in 2021.
In cooperation with SilverStone, we are looking for two testers for a new micro-ATX case from the manufacturer as part of a reader test, which is particularly noticeable with its three hot-swapping slots and thus particularly appeals to those who handle a lot with storage media and hard drives. After an extensive test report for our forum, the case can of course be kept in the end. We are now starting the application phase.
At SilverStone CS 330 it is a compact micro-ATX housing, which provides a special feature, especially on the storage side: In the front, the tower has three hot-swapping slots, which can be used to connect three 3.5 inch SAS – 12 – / SATA 6 Gbit / s drives in 3.5-inch format can be inserted during operation without tools and without opening the housing. A smaller 2.5-inch device can even be inserted in one of these slots. This makes the SilverStone Tower particularly suitable for home servers, video editing PCs or a self-made NAS system.
Internally there is space for four additional 3.5 or one 2.5 -Inch drives. On the mainboard side, the CS 330 takes a micro-ATX system with up to 12, 5 cm high CPU cooler and up to 33, 6 cm long graphics card. The mainboard tray is upside down and can be easily removed, in the front is a large 180 – mm fan pre-assembled for proper airflow. A 33 – mm rotor takes the case on the back. SilverStone relies on particularly user-friendly dust filters, a support for heavy CPU coolers is also one of the highlights of the tower, which has overall dimensions of 210 x 374 x 385 mm (W x H x D) brings a volume of 30, holds 2 l. The I / O panel offers two USB 3.0 ports and the usual audio jacks.
Key data:
Designation:
SilverStone CS 330
Material:
steel, aluminum
Dimensions:
210 x 374 x 385 mm (W x H x D)
Form factor:
Micro-ATX
Drives:
7x 3.5 inches, 2x 2, 5 inches, three on drive carriers in the front
Fan:
1x 180 mm (front), 1x 120 mm (back, optional)
CPU cooler height (maximum according to manufacturer):
16, 5 cm
Graphics card length (maximum according to manufacturer):
33, 6 cm
Weight:
about 6, 05 kg
Price:
approximately 175 Euro
In the price comparison the SilverStone CS 330 currently offered for around 175 Euro. Two of our readers can now put the case to the test at home free of charge and of course keep it for the community after an extensive test report.
The application phase begins
As with every reader test, we start the application phase in advance. In the next two weeks you can be diligently knocking on the keys and writing an application – by 27. December is time. This should include all test criteria and the test system. Of course, a short description of the applicant should not be missing: What do you do for a living, what are your hobbies and how old are you? The question why you want to take part in the reader test with SilverStone should also be answered briefly and crisply.
The Hardwareluxx editorial team then selects the lucky participants from all submissions. After receiving the samples, the testers have four weeks to post their reviews in the forum. The applications are simply posted in the comment thread of this news.
Apply now for our reader test with SilverStone!
Provisional process:
Application phase until 27. December 2020
Selection of applicants + shipping: from 28. December 2020
Test period until 31. January 2021
Fine print:
Employees of Hardwareluxx Media GmbH, SilverStone and their relatives are excluded from participation
The selection of participants is made by the editors of Hardwareluxx
An account in the Hardwareluxx forum is for the Participation absolutely necessary
The participants will be notified by PM
All test samples remain with the testers after the test reports are published
If the test reports are not posted online in time, the manufacturers reserve the right to invoice the full amount
The reviews remain exclusively with us in the forum
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