Come on and grab your friends—this Raspberry Pi project was made for adventure! Lazuardi Rinaldi, an electrical and computer engineering student from the Georgia Institute of Technology, has created a playable handheld shaped like BMO from the cartoon Adventure Time.
This BMO lookalike is a fully functional retro gaming console. Some of the best Raspberry Pi projects are made with portability in mind and this one is battery powered—ready for all of your on-the-go Adventure Time-themed gaming needs.
Check out the animated version of this illustration on the official project page. (Image credit: Lazuardi Rinaldi)
The components used in the design are fairly easy to come by. Rinaldi made it clear the project is intended to be as accessible as possible, using little to no proprietary parts. The major components it features are a 5-inch touchscreen, a Raspberry Pi 3 B, an Anker battery and pushbuttons for controller input.
What stands out to us the most is the laser-cut acrylic shell but Rinaldi advises anyone remaking this project to consider other materials like wood or 3D-printed construction. Rinaldi placed sticker sheets behind the acrylic to make the shell blue and add color to the buttons.
Image 1 of 3
(Image credit: Lazuardi Rinaldi)
Image 2 of 3
(Image credit: Lazuardi Rinaldi)
Image 3 of 3
(Image credit: Lazuardi Rinaldi)
Software-wise, the BMO handheld relies on RetroPie—one of our favorite retrogaming platforms for the Raspberry Pi. Gameplay may be limited by the available buttons but a Bluetooth controller could always be used for games with higher button demand.
If you want to create your own BMO, check out the full project breakdown at Instructables.
The 2021 edition of E3 was perhaps the weirdest yet. After taking a year off due to the pandemic, the world’s biggest gaming event returned in a digital-only format. A lot of big names were still present — like Microsoft, Nintendo, and Square Enix — and there were plenty of surprising reveals and other announcements. But the spectacle felt somewhat diminished without the in-person experience. Meanwhile, the show seemed to come together at the very last moment — seriously, we didn’t even know the schedule of events until just a few days before E3 kicked off.
So you’d be forgiven for having missed some of the show. Lucky for you, we’ve gathered together the best trailers from E3 in one place, so you can catch up on the most exciting announcements, gameplay reveals, and more. Check them out below.
Guardians of the Galaxy
After the muted reception to Square Enix’s Avengers game, it’s surprising just how exciting Guardians of the Galaxy looks. Based on the initial footage, the game appears to really nail the Guardians vibe, complete with lots of banter and ’80s music. It’s being developed by Deus Ex studio Eidos Montreal and, perhaps best of all, is a completely single-player game with no microtransactions.
Starfield
Bethesda’s next epic, Starfield, was announced in 2018 with the teasiest of teasers. We knew its name and that it was about space, but that’s about it. The latest trailer doesn’t show a whole lot more of the game, but at least it feels a lot more real now. It even has a release date: November 11th, 2022.
Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora
Who knows if James Cameron’s Avatar sequels will ever actually materialize, but at least you’ll be able to head back to Pandora in a video game. Ubisoft studio Massive Entertainment, best known for its work on the Division games, is helming this new title, which puts players in the role of a Na’vi exploring a new part of the alien planet. It’s due to launch next year.
Redfall
Take the co-op premise of Left 4 Dead, add in some terrifying vampires, and put it in the hands of the immersive sim wizards at Arkane, and you end up with Redfall, a Microsoft exclusive for PC and Xbox launching next year.
Forza Horizon 5
There are few better ways to show off new hardware than with shiny cars. Forza Horizon 5 is yet further proof of this, with a gorgeous trailer that shows off how good a next-gen racer can look.
The Outer Worlds 2
If all you’re going to announce is the name of a new game, you may as well have some fun with it.
They Always Run
Sometimes you just need to get straight to the action. The E3 trailer for They Always Run doesn’t waste much time with setup, instead jumping right into gameplay that shows off the fast and furious combat. The game is listed as “coming soon.”
Somerville
Given that Somerville’s developers have previously worked on games like Inside and Limbo, it’s no surprise that the game looks dark and evocative. Only this time, it looks like the game — which takes place in the midst of some kind of large-scale catastrophe — has more three-dimensional elements.
Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope
The original Mario + Rabbids was a combination that came out of nowhere: Nintendo’s iconic characters, joining forces with Ubisoft’s Minion-like rabbids, in a game that channels the turn-based action of XCOM. Now, a sequel is on the way, and it somehow looks even more charming.
Far Cry 6
Four minutes of Giancarlo Esposito chewing scenery is exactly what we all need right now.
Life is Strange: True Colors
We’ve already seen a bit of the next Life is Strange story, but the E3 trailer gives a great look at how the powers, which are based on the concept of empathy, actually work. True Colors is launching this September.
We Are OFK
We Are OFK is described as an “interactive series” that follows the early career of a fictional pop group. We already knew the game was stylish, but the latest trailer also gives some hints as to how it will play, including what looks like an interesting decision-based story.
Last Stop
Last Stop is the next release from Variable State, the studio behind the mind-bending and cinematic Virginia. The new game follows a trio of characters as they experience a strange, supernatural event from different perspectives. It’s coming out on July 22nd.
OlliOlli World
The OlliOlli games have done a remarkable job of replicating the feel of street skateboarding, but with a 2D side-scrolling game. OlliOlli World looks to maintain that core but expand on it with a strange fantasy world that players will explore as they shred.
Sable
Sable continues to be one of the most gorgeous games in development, blending Moebius-inspired visuals with a vast world to explore. We’ve been following it for some time, and now it finally has a release date: September 23rd.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2
One of the most anticipated games of E3 made a late appearance, with a gorgeous new trailer showcasing a new Zelda world in the skies. The sequel to Breath of the Wild still doesn’t have a release date, but it’s expected to hit the Nintendo Switch in 2022.
Metroid Dread
The long-rumored Metroid Dread is not only real — it’s coming very soon. Nintendo officially unveiled the game at E3, which is a direct sequel to Metroid Fusion and the first brand-new 2D Metroid game in nearly two decades. It’s launching on the Switch on October 8th.
In a new report, Jon Peddie Research sheds some insight on the impact that cryptocurrency mining has had on AIB (add-in board) sales for the start of this year. Needless to say, AMD, Nvidia and their AIB partners have profited hugely from the high demand on the best graphics cards.
The consulting firm estimated that 25% of the graphics cards shipped in the first quarter of 2021 went into the waiting grubby hands of cryptocurrency miners and speculators. That’s roughly 700,000 high-end and midrange gaming graphics cards. In monetary terms, we’re looking at a hefty sum in the range of $500 million.
Jon Peddie Research, who has tracked AIB shipments since 1985, noticed a substantial drop in the attach rate of AIBs to PCs. The firm observed the attach rate stoop as low as 25% before eventually bouncing back up to 50%. Jon Peddie Research then utilized a simple formula where the mining use of AIBs is equivalent to the difference between the trending normal attach rate and the existing attach rate.
The company used the assumption that serious cryptocurrency miners have their dedicated setups and purchase graphics cards. On the flipside, there are also casual miners who might invest in a complete system just for mining cryptocurrency. The firm admitted that its forecast model isn’t as precise as before due to the shortage of components. We’ve already witnessed scalpers and miners that employ buying bots to purchase graphics cards before flipping them on eBay.
Impact of Crypto Mining on AIB Sales (Image credit: Jon Peddie Research)
Cryptocurrency miners aren’t the only reason for the drastic inflation in graphics card pricing. The pandemic also played a big role in this situation since it forced many factories to temporarily shut down and interrupting supply chains in the process. It’s been known that graphics card components, such as GDDR6 memory chips, voltage regulators, capacitors, and other parts, have also gone up in price since the start of the pandemic. Jon Peddie Research measured an increase of up to 70% early in the year.
AMD and Nvidia are basically untouched in our GPU benchmarks hierarchy, but the two companies are taking different stances toward cryptocurrency mining. For starters, AMD doesn’t have any problems with consumers mining on its RDNA 2 (Big Navi) graphics cards. Nvidia, on the other hand, has launched its Cryptocurrency Mining Processor (CMP) line that’s dedicated to Ethereum and cryptocurrency mining, and at the same time implemented an anti-mining limiter on most of its GeForce RTX 30-series (Ampere) graphics cards. The RTX 3060, RTX 3070 Ti, and RTX 3080 Ti all launched with a hashrate limiter in place, while the RTX 3060 Ti, RTX 3070, and RTX 3080 are being phased out and replaced by LHR (Lite Hash Rate) variants.
Despite both chipmaker’s efforts — or non-efforts in AMD’s case — graphics cards remain sold out everywhere. The little stock left retails for absurd prices, with Newegg often selling cards via its Shuffle program at 50% or more above the nominal MSRP. The second-hand market is even worse, as Ampere and Big Navi GPUs sell for 2X to 3.5X more than MSRP according to our GPU pricing index. Simply put, it’s a bad time to buy a graphics card (for gaming).
(Pocket-lint) – It’s probably no surprise that the Realme GT’s international reveal happened just one day after the OnePlus Nord CE hit the headlines. Because, while the GT isn’t a direct competitor – it’s actually more powerful than OnePlus’ more budget offering – it’s certainly a handset that wants to lead the young brand’s charge on OnePlus’ ongoing dominance in the alt-flagship space.
It’s even pulled the same old-hat promotional tagline – “flagship killer” – which is rather cheeky. But that gives Realme a platform upon which to stand. It is a bit cheeky. It has previously released phones with eye-slapping phrases plastered on them – we lambasted the Realme 8 Pro for its ‘Dare To Leap’ slogan. It’s that bit different, that bit of fun.
With the Realme GT the company is looking to enter the fast lane – the ‘Grand Tourer’ name reference name says it all really – for this alt-flagship has top-tier Qualcomm processing power, a more grown-up looking vegan leather finish than earlier Realme devices, and arrives at a price point that could make you pay attention to this brand over better-established products such as, say, a Moto G100 or Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite.
Design & Display
6.43-inch AMOLED panel, 1080 x 2400 resolution, 120Hz refresh rate
Colours: Racing Yellow, Dashing Silver, Dashing Blue
Dimensions: 156 x 73 x 9.1mm / Weight: 186g
Finishes: Vegan leather or glass back
In-display fingerprint scanner
With phones often gigantic slabs these days, it’s rather refreshing to hold onto the Realme GT – because it’s sensibly proportioned, not too thick even in its vegan leather finish, and is on the right side the 200g weight barrier (a limit that we’ve pretty much decided to impose having handled the all too heavy Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra).
Motorola’s new Moto G9 Plus is a stunner of a phone – find out why, right here
By Pocket-lint Promotion
·
Pocket-lint
That the volume control buttons are on the opposite side to the Realme GT’s power button – a rarity in most Android phones – is something you might not immediately love, but we stuck with it and it’s actually a sensible layout. Taking one-handed screengrabs is easier, as one beneficial example.
But it’s not the layout that’ll first catch your attention. It is, but of course, that bright yellow rear – which Realme calls ‘Racing Yellow’, keeping in theme with that GT name. It’s a bold, bright finish, almost like an exemplary Pantone shade card for what a true yellow should represent.
That it’s vegan leather is another standout point, but less for its apparent environmental kudos – although there’s an argument that processes for this material aren’t actually Thunberg pleasing – and more for its tactile quality. It’s nice and grippy. It doesn’t become smeared in heaps of fingerprints. It looks consistent – and the black stripe down from the integrated cameras panel helps to soften the look.
Pocket-lint
Why, then, Realme has decided to (literally) stick its logo onto the rear is a big question. This silvered stick-on will inevitably fall off over time – not that we’ve actively been picking at it. Maybe that’d be for the better though – we’re not fans of any brand sticking big logos onto its phones. Motorola used to, before realising it looks much better to be subtle. Still, Realme ought to deboss or emboss for added chic.
Flip the phone over to its front and the Realme GT houses a 6.43-inch AMOLED panel, delivering a screen that’s capable of deep blacks and strong colours. Sadly, however, its auto-brightness adjustment is so shy that you’ll often end up squinting at the dulled screen trying to find the manual brightness slider. At maximum brightness it can remain visible in outdoor sunlight though. At lowest brightness there’s some ‘black crush’ to visuals, which is fairly common – an issue other Oppo phones present (Realme is effectively under the same umbrella as that brand).
Pocket-lint
Interestingly this panel has some top-end features, such as a 120Hz refresh rate, to keep visuals extra smooth and easy on the eyes. You needn’t have the 120 refreshes per second active for the sake of battery life, though, as a 60Hz option is found within the menus – which is on by default anyway. In terms of resolution the Full HD+ span of pixels over the 20:9 aspect ratio panel delivers ample detail – these days you don’t really want or need much more, as it rarely enhances apps and mostly just squeezes the battery life.
Performance & Battery
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 platform, 8GB/12GB RAM
Realme UI (v2.0) software over Google Android 11 OS
4,500mAh battery capacity, 65W fast-charging
Stainless steel cooling system
5G connectivity
That the Realme GT can cope with a 120Hz refresh rate is no surprise given its top-end hardware under the hood. There’s a Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 processor, paired with 8GB or 12GB RAM (there are two variants, we have the lower spec 8GB model in for review).
Pocket-lint
It’s this “my processing power’s bigger than yours” angle that will garner the GT a lot of attention – especially for its asking price. And so it should, for this Realme performs really well whether you’re casually navigating between pages and apps, or digging deep into a gaming session.
Other than when recharging it doesn’t overheat either, which is impressive in the context of a faux leather-backed device with such a strong performance engine running things. The stainless steel cooling system designed within must be part of the reason for the apparent well-managed heat dissipation.
With mixed use we’ve found the GT’s battery life to be perfectly acceptable. Long days will see you finish close to the 20 per cent mark, after around 18 hours, but that includes some gaming so we think that’s pretty good innings. Besides, with a 65W fast-charging capability – no wireless to be found here – topping it up is speedy. It can even learn your typical charging pattern as to not refill the battery too quickly, which will help with long-term battery health.
We suspect the GT could last longer if various settings were activated to throttle the experience. But we’re glad that’s not the case. So often we hit a wall with, say, a Xiaomi phone because its software default controls the way in which apps respond – often causing notification issues or delays. Realme doesn’t have that issue; its Realme UI (version 2.0 here) is effectively a rework of Oppo’s ColorOS, which we’ve found in recent iterations to be generally pleasing.
Cameras
Triple rear camera system:
Main (26mm): 64-megapixel, f/1.8 aperture, Sony IMX682 sensor, 0.8µm pixel size
Given the phone’s price point its camera setup is the one area to expect some compromise. Realme has gone down the “triple camera” route – but, really, it’s a main camera paired with ultra-wide that show their worth, while the low-resolution close-up macro camera isn’t even worth including in our view. It’s a trap so many makers have fallen into – to oversell their cameras.
Anyway, that’s not to say expect bad things all across the board. As a straightforward point-and-shoot camera the main 64-megapixel sensor – which uses six-in-one processing to deliver 12-megapixel results by default – is capable enough. For sharing snaps on socials and so forth it’ll deliver the goods.
That said, however, it’s not the most refined in terms of processing. Where detail lacks – subject edges such as buildings, or busier areas such as trees and shrubs – there’s oversharpening, often to the detriment of realism. Colour also can look as though it’s been washed over with a blue filter, while contrast is a bit punchier than needed.
Pocket-lint
: Main cameraMain camera
Then there’s the wide-angle camera. Results from this aren’t consistent with the main lens – the colour looks different, for example – while detail lacks, and optically speaking it’s not particularly great. The benefit of having the wide camera is, of course, that it’s wide; that you can fit more into a shot, even if the edges are blurred and the contrast pushes image noise into greater visibility. You can compare the main camera and the wide camera – including 100 per cent zoom-in for each shot – in the gallery above.
The Realme GT might have wide-angle covered, but it doesn’t really cater for zoom. Well, it depends how you look at it. The camera app does offer 2x and 5x as part of the controls, but we’d strongly suggest avoiding using these as it’s nothing more than digital zoom. Given that the main sensor is 64-megapixels, however, the 2x ought to be better than it is. The 5x really pushes beyond what’s acceptable, with soft and unimpressive results. You can see the zoom stages from wide to main to 2x to 5x in the gallery below:
Pocket-lint
: Ultra-wide (16mm)Ultra-wide (16mm)
So while the zoom is one to avoid and the wide-angle isn’t great, the GT’s main camera is passable. It recognises backlighting to boost high dynamic range (HDR). It’s managed pretty well in low-light conditions, too, so if you’re shooting indoors at night then it can still focus and present enough detail – as we found out in a basement distillery at Edinburgh Gin.
That’s the long and the short of it: there’s not really much that’s “GT” about this Realme’s cameras. A “Pro” version might be able to rectify that – but it’d also come at cost, given the list price of camera components. And, really, that’s not the point of this phone. The GT is all about flagship performance for the day to day, not top-tier cameras – if you want that then you’ll have to pay out a lot more cash elsewhere.
Verdict
From its striking yellow-colour vegan leather finish, to its impressive performance thanks to Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 888 platform, the Realme GT is an impressive alt-flagship – but one that will depend on its eye-catching asking price to lure in a fan base.
As we said up top, this Realme has arrived at a time when OnePlus is no longer, well, “being OnePlus” – i.e. delivering flagship devices for considerably less cash. In that sense, then, the GT slots into the space that OnePlus once occupied in its earlier days, a tactic that’s as measured as it is a bit cheeky.
No, the GT doesn’t offer the greatest of cameras, its auto-brightness is shy to activate, and as a brand name it might not yet resonate with the masses.
But it’s hard to not see the GT’s specification for what it is: more powerful than a Motorola equivalent, such as the G100; and more software consistent than a Xiaomi device, such as the Mi 11 Lite.
In that sense, then, the Realme GT sure does enter the alt-flagship fast lane, overtaking some of the big competition that are also jostling for pole position.
Also consider
Pocket-lint
Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G
We love the Xiaomi’s colour finish and slender build – it’s a great alternative to the current glut of massive flagship phones. That said, it’s less powerful and the software brings its share of irks.
Read our review
squirrel_widget_4576490
Pocket-lint
Moto G100
It’s about the same price, but with a slightly lower-spec processor, equally so-so cameras, but a more established brand name and near flawless software.
We’ve had surround sound, 3D sound via Sony 360 Reality Audio and Dolby Atmos, and now comes multisensory audio. It’s a technology that adds a sense of touch to the mix, supposedly letting the viewer feel what they’re hearing. It might sound crazy, but it has its roots in therapy for autistic children.
Flexound Augmented Audio claims to create a “unique, holistic, immersive listening experience that you can feel as well as hear”. As well as standard audio, you get “gentle physical sound wave vibration” to add the sensation of touch. And it works with all kinds of content, including music, games, television, streaming, movies, and VR.
But perhaps the most obvious application is in cinemas. The Flexound Pulse is a chair with the technology built-in – vibrations radiate through the soft foam padding, which Flexound claims make the viewing and listening experience more immersive. But Flexound believes the tech works equally well as an office chair for video calls, a gaming station, for sound massage, automotive audio, or for home viewing. It also makes content more accessible for the hearing impaired.
It’s also less disruptive to neighbours, co-workers, and anyone else not interested in what you’re watching. Because you can feel frequencies up to 500Hz with your body and up to 1000Hz with your hands and skin, you don’t have to fill the room with sound to get the full audio experience. That means far less sound leakage.
Away from pure entertainment, it also has a therapeutic role to play. The vibro-acoustic technology was developed to provide pain relief and ease anxiety. It has been used by therapists treating children and adults with autism and development disability, people with chronic pain, rehabilitation of memory disorders, neurological and sleeping disorders, depression, and speech therapy.
The technology is ready to be licensed for use in cinemas and by furniture manufacturers, so look out for it at your local multiplex…
MORE:
These are the best surround sound systems
And here are the best AV receivers
Want to improve your TV’s audio? Here are the best soundbars
Razer announced its first AMD-based gaming laptop, the Razer Blade 14, during its E3 keynote. Until now, Razer had been the last major laptop manufacturer that had stuck exclusively with Intel.
Razer is calling the new Blade “the most powerful 14-inch gaming laptop.” And with an AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX processor and GPU options ranging from an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 up to an RTX 3080 with 8GB of VRAM and a 100W TGP, it could be a strong contender for our
best gaming laptops
list. But admittedly, 14-inches isn’t a very popular size for gaming laptops, which are often 15-inches or larger.
Razer Blade 14
Price
$1,799
$2,199
$2,799
CPU
AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX
AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX
AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX
GPU
Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060
Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070
Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 (8GB)
Display
1920 x 1080, 144 Hz, AMD FreeSync Premium
2560 x 1440p, 165 Hz, AMD FreeSync Premium
2560 x 1440p, 165 Hz, AMD FreeSync Premium
Memory
16GB DDR4-3200 (soldered)
16GB DDR4-3200 (soldered)
16GB DDR4-3200 (soldered)
Storage
1TB PCIe SSD
1TB PCIe SSD
1TB PCIe SSD
Battery
61.6 WHr
61.6 WHr
61.6 WHr
Dimensions
12.59 x 8.66 x 0.66 inches / 319.7 x 220 x 16.8 mm
12.59 x 8.66 x 0.66 inches / 319.7 x 220 x 16.8 mm
12.59 x 8.66 x 0.66 inches / 319.7 x 220 x 16.8 mm
The company is claiming that, at 16.8 mm (0.66 inches) thin, it is the “thinnest 14-inch gaming laptop.” Like Razer’s other notebooks, the Blade 14 is milled from CNC aluminum with an anodized finish.
To cool those components, Razer is using vapor chamber cooling and what it calls “touchpoint thermal engineering” to keep commonly-touched surfaces, like the WASD keys, from getting too hot.
There are two display options: a
1920 x 1080
screen with a 144 Hz refresh rate, or a 2560 x 1550p panel with a 165 Hz refresh rate. Both use
AMD FreeSync
Premium to eliminate tearing.
For $1,799, you get an RTX 3060 and the FHD display. $2,199 nets you an RTX 3070 with the
QHD
screen, and for $2,799, Razer offers the RTX 3080 with the QHD panel. In every version, you get the same Ryzen 9 5900HX, 16GB of soldered RAM and a 1TB PCie SSD.
(Image credit: Razer)
Ports include two USB Type-C 3.2 Gen 2 ports, HDMI 2.1, a single USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A port and a 3.5 mm headphone jack. Other features include Wi-Fi 6E support, Bluetooth 5.2, an IR camera to log in with Windows Hello, of course, per-key RGB lighting. The design also includes top-firing speakers tuned by THX, which Razer owns.
As of right now, the Blade 14 will be the only laptop in Razer’s lineup with an AMD processor. The Blade 15, which still exclusively uses Intel chips, remains the flagship notebook. It’s unclear if Razer intends to add the choice of either chip at any point in the future.
Razer is also using E3 to get into the laptop charger market. It announced the Razer USB-C 130W GaN Charger (GaN is short for Gallium Nitride) with two USB-C ports at 100W and two USB-A ports at 12W. It weighs just 349 grams (0.77 pounds) and measures 3,2 x 7.7 x 6.2 mm. It will compete with the best USB-C laptop chargers.
(Image credit: Razer)
The device can charge four devices at a time, including a laptop, though it wouldn’t be enough to power the Blade 14 while gaming. The charger also comes with adapters for global travel. It’s $179.99 and available for pre-order from Razer.com, Razer stores and other retailers. It’s scheduled to ship within 30 days.
Razer only entered the gaming monitor game in 2019, but that first foray into the market quickly earned a spot on our Best Gaming Monitors page. The Razer Raptor 27 stood out with high-level gaming specs and unique details, like cable management channels. The updated, primarily faster Raptor 27 announced today shows the gaming brand isn’t done trying to make its mark in the ultra competitive space.
Razer Raptor 27 Specs
Razer Raptor 27 (2021)
Razer Raptor 27 (2019)
MSRP at Launch
$800
$700
Max Resolution & Refresh Rate
2560 x 1440 @ 165 Hz
2560 x 1440 @ 144 Hz
Adaptive-Sync
Nvidia G-Sync Compatible, AMD FreeSync Premium
Nvidia G-Sync Compatible, AMD FreeSync
Response Time
1ms with ultra low motion blur
1ms with ultra low motion blur
Panel Type
IPS
IPS
Screen Size / Aspect Ratio
27 inches / 16:9
27 inches / 16:9
Native Color Depth / Gamut
8-bit + FRC / 95% DCI-P3
8-bit + FRC / 95% DCI-P3
I/O
HDMI 2.0b, DisplayPort 1.4, USB-C, 2x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A
HDMI 2.0b, DisplayPort 1.4, USB-C, 2x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A
The biggest difference between the original Raptor 27, which Razer confirmed to Tom’s Hardware will still be available, and 2021 Raptor 27 is the refresh rate. Razer is upping the speed from 144 Hz to 165 Hz. While that’s not a big enough boost to warrant an urgent upgrade from current Raptor 27 owners, iit does make the screen a little more competitive as more 360 Hz screens roll out.
Another, more minor, change comes in Adaptive-Sync tech. While the original Raptor 27 fights screen tear with G-Sync Compatibility and standard FreeSync, the new Raptor 27 throws an extra bone at AMD GPU users with a bump to FreeSync Premium. Compared to standard FreeSync, FreeSync Premium adds low framerate compensation.
Razer is also bragging about the 2021 Raptor 27 being the first THX-certified monitor. But Razer has owned THX since 2016, so this isn’t a particularly remarkable “first.” Still, Razer claims the Raptor 27’s certification required “over 400 individual tests to ensure color, tone and images are displayed as their creators intended.”
Just like the 2019 Raptor 27, the 2021 model relies on a 27-inch, 1440p resolution IPS panel that’s specced to cover 95% of the DCI-P3 color space, along with VESA’s lowest-grade certification for HDR performance, VESA DisplayHDR 400.
While there’s no exciting change here, we could see why Razer would want to stick with what works. In our 2019 Raptor 27 review, we recorded 93.39% DCI-P3 coverage with an error of only 0.83 Delta E (dE) after calibration and setting the monitor to 200 nits brightness.
(Image credit: Razor)
The new Raptor 27 also inherits the same design choices that made the original Raptor 27 so attractive. That includes its textured fabric backing and aluminum stand complete with look-at-me green cable management channels around back and a 90-degree tilt. And, of course, it wouldn’t be a Razer gaming monitor without a touch of RGB.
Razer’s also updating Synapse to include optimal viewing modes and to let you play with the on-screen display (OSD) the same way you do everything else…via the PC (rather than the monitor’s joystick).
(Image credit: Razor)
The new Raptor 27 is available for pre-order now for $800. Razer also today announced the availability of a VESA adapter for mounting both the 2019 and 2021 Raptor 27 for $100.
The Roccat Kone Pro is a very comfortable ergonomic mouse with a unique look and shape that’s more considerate of the ring and pinky fingers than most rivals. Its mundane plastic can easily attract moisture, dust and fingerprints. But once you download the mouse’s software, there’s a lot of programmability.
When it comes to the shape of your best gaming mouse, you may prefer an ambidextrous design that’s symmetrical in shape or opt for an ergonomic mouse, which typically curves in a way that caters to the right-handed gamer’s thumb. The Roccat Kone Pro (and wireless Kone Pro Air) are a more unique approach to ergonomic gaming mice with bolder curves that also provide support to the ring and even pinky finger.
For $80, the Kone Pro can keep up with the competition when it comes to specs, software and functionality. But an unimpressive plastic chassis with some questionable gapping in places like under the primary click buttons stop it from being flawless.
Roccat Kone Pro Specs
Sensor Model
Roccat Owl-Eye
Sensitivity
19,000
Polling Rates
125, 250, 500 or 1,000 Hz
Programmable Buttons
8, (including 3 scroll wheel functions)
LED Zones and Colors
2x RGB
Cable
5.9 foot (1.8m) USB Type-A, braided
Connectivity
USB Type-A
Measurements (LxWxH)
4.94 x 2.83 x 1.57 inches (125.6 x 72 x 40mm)
Weight
2.34 ounces (66g)
Extra
1x extra set PTFE feet
Design and Comfort of Roccat Kone Pro
Image 1 of 5
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Image 2 of 5
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Image 3 of 5
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Image 4 of 5
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Image 5 of 5
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
The Kone Pro’s best asset is, perhaps, its shape. It caters to parts of the hand that many gaming mice today neglect: the ring and pinky fingers. Ergonomic mice often focus on curving in for a righty’s thumb, and the Kone Pro does too. But it also provides a subtler, longer curve in its right side, where the ring finger can easily rest and the pinky may find respite too. I have longer hands for a woman, and sometimes I noticed my pinky dragging on my mouse pad in my typical claw and palm grips still, but this happened less often than with most gaming mice I’ve tested.
The mouse’s shape makes palm gripping very comfortable. My palm’s outer edge makes comfortable contact with the Kone Pro’s hump, while the deepest part of my palm hovers above. In both palm and claw grips, my ring finger often grazes the gap underneath the right click button. This is a small annoyance but one worth noting for perfectionists. This wouldn’t be an issue if I used a fingertip grip, but I find the mouse a bit bulky for that, and a more symmetrical shape would be helpful too.
Roccat’s Kone Pro measures 4.94 x 2.83 x 1.57 inches and weighs 2.34 ounces. For comparison to other ergonomically shaped wire mice for righties, the Razer DeathAdder V2 is longer, less wide, taller and heavier (5 x 2.43 x 1.68 inches / 2.89 ounces), and the honeycomb-filled Glorious Model D is about the same length and weight but less wide, taller and lighter (5.04 x 2.4 x 1.65 inches / 2.4 ounces). Especially with its lightweight plastic, the Kone Pro does a good job of feeling light for its size, but I wouldn’t call it lightweight, especially with the likes of honeycomb mice like the 2.08-ounce Glorious Model O- around.
Roccat Kone Pro and wireless Roccat Kone Pro Air (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Available in black or white (the above picture shows both color schemes available for the wired and wireless versions of the mouse, and the white version is wireless), the Kone Pro’s plastic shell is nothing remarkable. It’s carved with a gathering of parallel lines on the sides where it curves in, and it’s easy for fingerprints together there and elsewhere, making the mouse look extra unremarkable, especially with the black unit we’re reviewing. The chassis lacks gripping and is a little slick without being gross or too slippery, but some more grip would be appreciated.
A Roccat Kone logo stamped on the plastic chassis is inoffensive, yet snooze-worthy. The chunky, plastic side buttons don’t look the most premium to me; although I like the contrast they create on the white version of the mouse. Of greater concern is the amount of spacing under the primary click buttons, between them and throughout the scroll wheel, where dust accumulated during my weeks of testing. The gaps under the primary click buttons allow RGB to shine through in a unique, appealing way. But if you look through the spacing at the right angle, you’ll be alarmed to see some of the mouse’s internal components. (Note that the mouse has a 2-year warranty.)
Although the scroll wheel can get dusty and some might think it looks flimsy, it adds a special touch to the Kone Pro. Instead of opting for some pattern-textured rubber, the Kone Pro’s scroll wheel is a thin, but hard, piece of aluminum. It makes for a cool side profile, as I can see through the wheel into some RGB lighting. Tactile scrolls are subtly reassuring, and it’s a little heavier to press in than other wheels. It’s also not as grippy as some rubber wheels, but slippage shouldn’t be a problem unless you’re literally sweating. And if you are (no judgement here), this wheel may be a bother.
Gaming Experience on Roccat Kone Pro
The Kone Pro starts off with the right tech to compete with other gaming mice in its price range. Its Roccat Owl-Eye sensor is based off PixArt’s PAW3370 and can reach 50g max acceleration and a sensitivity of up to 19,000 CPI. But while many mice offer a way to change CPI settings without ever opening an app, the only way to change the Kone Pro’s CPI out of the box is by downloading software. There’s even a profile switch button on the mouse’s underside, but this doesn’t change CPI by default. Even worse, CPI was set uncomfortably low. Swarm eventually confirmed it was set to 800 CPI, when I’d prefer around 2,500-3,000.
I used the Kone Pro across CPI settings, from a comfortable 2,500, to the lowest (50) and highest (19,000). Regardless, tracking seemed as smooth and accurate as expected of a premium gaming mouse. I had no trouble with large sweeping swipes or careful, small movements, meaning the mouse was part of the action rather than a hindrance.
The primary click buttons use what Roccat calls Titan Switch Optical mechanical switches. If you haven’t heard the hype around optical mechanical switches, (which are finding homes in some of the best gaming keyboards too), yet, basically they actuate when their stem goes through a light beam, rather than via metallic contact. This should prevent them from suffering from accidental double-clicking, which has been reported among some premium gaming mice after a years of extended use. Roccat claims these Titan switches are particularly “great for FPS and action games.”
I tried the Kone Pro across some shooters and found it easy to press the primarily click buttons with my fingers at various positions. It didn’t take much force or effort to press those buttons or the cheaper feeling plastic side buttons.
Compared to left-click, right-click felt clunkier though. In a side-by-side comparison with mice using standard mechanical switches I had on hand, including the Logitech G203 Lightsync, Cooler Master MM711 and Razer Orochi V2, the Kone Pro’s clicks sounded noticeably softer and seemed easier and lighter to actuate, but the other mice’s clicks felt sharper.
In the Human Benchmark reaction time test, where you must click when the screen turns from red to green, I averaged 178.6ms with a low of 168ms with the Kone Pro, compared to 205ms and 163ms, respectively, with the Orochi V2.
Meanwhile, the side buttons are large and high enough to be easily accessible without repositioning. Both myself and a man with larger hands had no issue accessing both buttons that way with palm and claw grips and without accidentally pressing another button on the mouse.
The Kone Pro keeps up with the design trends of other gaming mice in its price range, with its 5.9-feet-long braided cable and “heat-treated pure PTFE glides.” The PTFE feet are spread across the top of the mouse’s underside, plus around the sensor and on the bottom. Roccat also includes an extra set of feet in the box. The mouse moves slightly easier and more lightly than I expected from looking at the chunkier rat, but it’s not as slippery a glide as I’ve experienced on other mice, such as the small Razer DeathAdder V2 Mini.
Roccat’s Kone Pro proved comfortable enough for hours of gaming but after a few minutes of heavy gaming it felt a little clammy and moist. There’s not much in the way of grip here either. There are slimier mice out there, but after a bit you may want to take a moisture break from the Kone Pro.
Features and Software of Roccat Kone Pro
Image 1 of 5
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Image 2 of 5
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Image 3 of 5
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Image 4 of 5
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Image 5 of 5
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
The Kone Pro uses Roccat’s Swarm software, which is a required download if you want to change the mouse’s default CPI setting. There’s no button that’ll change CPI out of the box unless you program it to in Swarm. Swarm’s UI is pretty extensive but harmless to use; however, every saved change in Swarm results in a 1-2 second delay, making detailed changes to the mouse a little tedious.
The Settings page has tweaks that many gaming peripheral makers don’t include in their software, including vertical scroll speed and double-click speed. Here’s also where you can change the DPI settings from 50-19,000 in 100-unit increments. There’s a CPI calibration tool too, but I’ve found it ineffective here and with other Roccat mice because it always suggests I go just a little higher or lower than what I’ve already set it to.
Swarm’s Button Assignment section lets you assign functions for the programmable buttons: left and right click, scroll up, down or in, the two side buttons and the profile cycle button on the underside. Swarm even includes 3 extra presets to give you some ideas for using all that functionality. Additionally, if you program one button as the Easy-Shift[+] button, all aforementioned inputs can have a secondary function when pressing the Easy-Shift[+] simultaneously. The mouse’s RGB will automatically switch to blue to inform you that Easy-Shift[+] has been activated.
That ultimately means you can program 16 different inputs with the Kone Pro, from launching programs, to keyboard functions and macros and opening a new browser window. A macro manager also lets you set up macros that’ll automatically launch with games and other apps.
Illumination controls the Kone Pro’s 2 RGB zones, including a brightness slider. You get 5 RGB presets, (plus off), with most offering a slider for speed too. You can pick a solid color for each individual zone if you want via a color selector or by entering red, green and blue values.
I used the Kone Pro as my primary mouse for about a month on and off using its Aimo reactive RGB setting. According to Roccat, Aimo RGB is meant for “adapting to your play the more you use them, and becoming more dynamic and nuanced as AIMO products combine.” Swarm adds that “Roccat is continually developing exciting new features and effects for Aimo, which will see your level increase.” But I’ve never been able to get my AIMO level past 15% when reviewing Roccat’s Kone Pro, Burst Pro or Kain 200 Aimo; however, I haven’t combined Aimo peripherals. I did hit 35% with the Vulcan 122 Aimo keyboard but didn’t feel like RGB was reacting to what I was doing on the PC. The case was the same with the Kone Pro.
In Swarm’s Advanced Settings tab you can choose among a 125, 250, 500 or 1,000 Hz polling rate (sorry, extremists, no 8,000 Hz here yet). There are also tools for playing with things like distance control and angle snapping.
Swarm lets you program a generous 5 onboard memory profiles. If you have Swarm open, you can also have the profiles launch automatically with specific programs.
Bottom Line
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
The Roccat Kone Pro is a solid gaming mouse, especially where ergonomic shapes are concerned. A well-endowed hump, accessible buttons and space for the ring and smaller pinky fingers make it a win for palm and claw grips especially. And while it’s not the most exciting look in all black (the white version does pop more), an aluminum scroll wheel and RGB-lit left and right-click buttons help differentiate the mouse.
The Kone Pro’s plastic shell is not a standout though. There’s nothing to help boost your grip, and it easily starts feeling moist when gaming. Plus, there are gaps throughout the design where dust easily builds up. For a better grip in an ergonomic design, consider the Razer DeathAdder V2 Pro, which is going for $30 less ($50) than the Kone Pro as of writing. And if you hate cables, note that there’s a wireless version of the Kone Pro.
But if your fingers have earned some extra attention, the Kone Pro knows what to do.
Razer had a few announcements timed for E3 2021, including its new Razer Blade 14 with AMD’s Ryzen 9 processors, and an updated Raptor 27 gaming monitor along with a 130W GaN charger. We weren’t expecting to hear about anything else, but Razer CEO Min-Liang Tan announced that its Project Hazel mask will actually go on sale, starting early in the fourth quarter of this year.
Tan said that Hazel will be released in “drops” exclusively on its website, with the first coming in that fourth quarter timeframe.
A slide from Razer’s E3 2021 presentation announcing the launch plan. Image: Razer
Alongside that availability announcement, Tan also shared some changes coming to the mask since it was first shown in January. Razer is planning to keep the mask’s transparent design to make it easier to see the wearer’s mouth, but the company will also be adding interior lighting and anti-fog coating on the inside of the mask.
If you want to see what Project Hazel looks like on your face, Razer has an Instagram filter that lets you try it on via augmented reality. (I should note that for some reason, it doesn’t work for me on my iPhone 12 mini.)
We know you’ve been waiting for the Project Hazel smart mask to become a reality – we’re working on it and there’ll be news soon! Meantime, we’ve made our Project Hazel smart mask available as an Instagram AR Filter. Check out how it looks like on you: https://t.co/jGFjDnZHDU pic.twitter.com/j8bo5twjYU
— R Λ Z Ξ R (@Razer) April 24, 2021
If you want to be notified of the upcoming drops, sign up on the Project Hazel website.
Correction: The Project Hazel filter on Instagram is not new; it was released in April. We regret the error.
Razer has refreshed its minimalist Raptor 27 gaming monitor with FreeSync Premium support with low frame rate compensation for smoother gameplay; a slightly faster 165Hz refresh rate (the previous model topped out at 144Hz); and THX certification claiming to deliver great color, tone, and image accuracy. Like the 2019 version, this one has Nvidia G-Sync compatibility, and its matte 27-inch QHD IPS panel covers 95 percent of the DCI-P3 color space.
This monitor will cost $799.99 when it releases in Q3 2021, which is $100 more than the previous version. The improvements make it at least worth considering if you want to game on PC with enhanced variable refresh rate tech. That, and Razer’s Raptor 27 is tough to beat when it comes to design, with its sturdy aluminum base that lets the monitor flip 90 degrees for easy cable management. It’s undoubtedly a high price to pay, though, when some 4K gaming monitors cost just a little more. For $899, Acer’s Nitro XV28 has a 28-inch 4K IPS screen with HDMI 2.1 ports that support up to fast 120Hz refresh rate gaming on PC or the PS5 and Xbox Series X.
Razer now offers a VESA adapter for this Raptor 27 and the previous model. If you want to abandon the base that comes with the monitor, this adapter (also releasing in Q3 2021) costs $100 and will let you mount the Raptor 27 to a monitor arm or some other VESA base that you might prefer. This would have been a pretty appealing accessory to include with the refreshed monitor, particularly given that the new monitor also costs $100 more, but alas. There’s a good chance you might want to use the standard Chroma LED-lined base anyway.
The optional VESA adapter will let you mount the Raptor 27 to a monitor arm or a different stand.
Outside of the tweaks I mentioned earlier, not much else is different here. The ports haven’t changed with this update. It still comes with an HDMI 2.0b port, a DisplayPort v1.4 port, a USB-C port with DisplayPort support, two USB Type-A 3.2 Gen 1 passthrough ports, and a headphone jack.
Charge up to four devices at once, with 130W of power to split.
Razer has another E3 announcement, but it has little to do with gaming: it’s a $179.99 GaN charger that can supply up to 130W of total power. It’s worth noting that its two USB-C ports support up to 100W (not 130W as the name might seem to suggest), and the two USB Type-A ports can pull 18W each. If you have multiple devices plugged in at once, it’ll share the wattage between them, totaling up to 130W. The charger comes with some global adapters included, so it might be a good option for traveling, depending on where you’re going.
Razer’s GaN charger isn’t the only 100W option on the market. There’s HyperJuice’s similar-looking $100 charger, for one, and that company also made these inventive 65W and 100W GaN chargers that can be stacked for more power and more ports. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a faster USB-C charger than 100W, but that could change in the future, as the new USB-C Release 2.1 spec supports up to 240W charging. Though, in the meantime, it won’t take much effort to find a more affordable GaN charger than Razer’s.
Razer has refreshed its minimalist Raptor 27 gaming monitor with FreeSync Premium support with low frame rate compensation for smoother gameplay; a slightly faster 165Hz refresh rate (the previous model topped out at 144Hz); and THX certification claiming to deliver great color, tone, and image accuracy. Like the 2019 version, this one has Nvidia G-Sync compatibility, and its matte 27-inch QHD IPS panel covers 95 percent of the DCI-P3 color space.
This monitor will cost $799.99 when it releases in Q3 2021, which is $100 more than the previous version. The improvements make it at least worth considering if you want to game on PC with enhanced variable refresh rate tech. That, and Razer’s Raptor 27 is tough to beat when it comes to design, with its sturdy aluminum base that lets the monitor flip 90 degrees for easy cable management. It’s undoubtedly a high price to pay, though, when some 4K gaming monitors cost just a little more. For $899, Acer’s Nitro XV28 has a 28-inch 4K IPS screen with HDMI 2.1 ports that support up to fast 120Hz refresh rate gaming on PC or the PS5 and Xbox Series X.
Razer now offers a VESA adapter for this Raptor 27 and the previous model. If you want to abandon the base that comes with the monitor, this adapter (also releasing in Q3 2021) costs $100 and will let you mount the Raptor 27 to a monitor arm or some other VESA base that you might prefer. This would have been a pretty appealing accessory to include with the refreshed monitor, particularly given that the new monitor also costs $100 more, but alas. There’s a good chance you might want to use the standard Chroma LED-lined base anyway.
The optional VESA adapter will let you mount the Raptor 27 to a monitor arm or a different stand.
Outside of the tweaks I mentioned earlier, not much else is different here. The ports haven’t changed with this update. It still comes with an HDMI 2.0b port, a DisplayPort v1.4 port, a USB-C port with DisplayPort support, two USB Type-A 3.2 Gen 1 passthrough ports, and a headphone jack.
Charge up to four devices at once, with 130W of power to split.
Razer has another E3 announcement, but it has little to do with gaming: it’s a $179.99 GaN charger that can supply up to 130W of total power. It’s worth noting that its two USB-C ports support up to 100W (not 130W as the name might seem to suggest), and the two USB Type-A ports can pull 18W each. If you have multiple devices plugged in at once, it’ll share the wattage between them, totaling up to 130W. The charger comes with some global adapters included, so it might be a good option for traveling, depending on where you’re going.
Razer’s GaN charger isn’t the only 100W option on the market. There’s HyperJuice’s similar-looking $100 charger, for one, and that company also made these inventive 65W and 100W GaN chargers that can be stacked for more power and more ports. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a faster USB-C charger than 100W, but that could change in the future, as the new USB-C Release 2.1 spec supports up to 240W charging. Though, in the meantime, it won’t take much effort to find a more affordable GaN charger than Razer’s.
Gaming peripheral company Turtle Beach announced at E3 2021 that it’s getting into a new product category: flight sim hardware. The company is launching the VelocityOne Flight system for $350, and it’s compatible with PC and Xbox consoles via USB. And, for a first effort in this competitive space, it seems like a very comprehensive offering and a decent value if you’re into playing Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020.
The VelocityOne Flight was made in collaboration with aeronautical engineers and pilots to provide a realistic flight experience. It has a 180-degree yoke handle with rear rudder controls for easy access. To its right, there’s a modular throttle quadrant with an integrated trim wheel, as well as both vernier-style and lever controls (with swappable tops for prop and jet planes). All in all, Turtle Beach says the VelocityOne Flight features 12 analog axes, two POV switches, two four-way HAT switches, and 18 extra buttons that can be mapped to your liking.
In addition to controls, this hardware includes a 3.5mm jack on its left side for private listening. To deepen immersion (and to avoid having to push multiple buttons when you just want to fly and chill) the yoke has a display that can show stats like flight time, time at destination, and more. There’s a panel that can show other indicators, like real-time alerts, landing lights, landing gear, and more (though Turtle Beach says some of these features will be added later by software and firmware updates). This hardware doesn’t feature force feedback or rumble.
A zoomed-in look at the POV and HAT switches.
CEO Juergen Stark said in a press release that this hardware “provides everything a new flier needs, along with the capability and features that hardcore flight simmers want.” In case you were curious, Turtle Beach says this hardware will work with other flight simulators — not just Microsoft’s latest one that’s available now on PC and coming later to console on July 27th. This hardware has a release window targeted for the summer.
The company is also releasing its first traditional controller for the Xbox Series X / S called the Recon Controller. It’s an intimidating-looking $60 wired model, and what makes it special is its audio chops. If you plug any set of headphones into its 3.5mm jack, you can turn on mic monitoring and swap through audio presets to modify how your game sounds. You’ll also have the option to use Turtle Beach’s Superhuman Hearing feature usually found in its own headsets, which amplifies easy-to-miss sounds that might give you the edge in a game. There are also buttons to adjust the game and chat audio mixes.
In addition, the sensitivity of the analog sticks can be tweaked and different profiles can be saved to one of the controller’s mappable quick-action buttons located on the rear. Its directional pad supports eight-way input, and its 10-foot braided cable is attached via USB-C to the controller. It’s also coming out sometime this summer.
Asus has released its latest Ryzen-powered Chromebook, the Chromebook Flip CM5. The CM5 has a 15.6-inch screen, and Asus is pushing it as a device for cloud-based gaming. It’s available now at Abt and Newegg starting at $499.99.
The most exciting thing is that the CM5 supports both Google Stadia and Nvidia GeForce Now. Of course, it only has a 60Hz screen and Radeon integrated graphics, so it’s far from a “gaming laptop” of any sort. Still, Asus has made a few design tweaks to better evoke the aesthetic. Namely, the WASD keys are outlined in orange, which Asus says “lets users stand out while enjoying quick, intuitive gameplay in cloud-based games.” Some Windows laptops have done bold things with their WASD keys, but this is the first Chromebook we’ve seen with that feature.
Asus also emphasized the Harmon Kardon-certified audio system and Wi-Fi stabilizer technology, which should likely help create a more immersive gaming experience.
Image: Newegg
The CM5 has a 57Wh battery, which Asus claims offers up to 10 hours of battery life. You can configure the device with up to 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage as well. You can choose a Ryzen 5 3500C or a Ryzen 3 3250C, both of which come with AMD Radeon integrated graphics. The chassis itself is made of an aluminum alloy, which Asus describes as “mineral gray” with an “obsidian velvet” texture.
I’ll keep you posted on how this device performs once I’ve gotten my hands on a unit. In the meantime, I recently reviewed its sibling, the Chromebook Detachable CM3, which you can read about here.
(Pocket-lint) – OnePlus has be on something of an exploratory journey over the past 12 months or so. Rather than delivering one or two phones at a time and launching them both globally, it took a more regional approach.
That meant while some markets got the original Nord, others – like the US – didn’t, then OnePlus followed up with various models to suit different territories. It even continued this approach with the OnePlus 9 series, offering a 9R in India, but nowhere else.
This is pretty standard practice for most manufacturers, but wasn’t for OnePlus. At least, not until now. But obviously this transition to being a ‘proper’ smartphone manufacturer is working, because it’s back again with another Nord: the Nord CE 5G.
Plastic fantastic
Dimensions: 159.2 x 73.5 x 7.9mm / Weight: 170g
No official waterproofing
3.5mm headphone port
Blue Void, Charcoal Ink and Silver Ray colours
For a while there’s been this sense that when building a good smartphone, you have to start with the right materials. It had to be aluminium or steel and glass. Using plastic was as good as writing ‘cheap trash’ over the back of the phone in capital letters. But things have changed, thanks in part to the efforts of Samsung.
Pocket-lint
With its Galaxy Note 20, S20 FE and this years S21, it showed you can use plastic materials in a way that doesn’t detract from the look and feel of the phone. OnePlus has taken the same approach with the Nord CE. Our unit in Blue Void has a lovely frosted/matte finish to it that’s very reminiscent of the Samsung approach, and we like it a lot.
It has an eye-catching blue finish with just the slightest splash of purple up the edges. There are two other safer colours in Charcoal Ink (Black-ish grey) and Silver Ray.
Being a frosted/matte finished plastic does have its advantages too. Firstly, it’s not at all slippery. So it’s not hard to keep a hold of one-handed, and it’s not likely to just randomly slide off the arm of your sofa. Secondly, it not as likely to crack or turn into tiny shards when it’s dropped or banged against something. It’s a very practical choice.
Also, it just feels, well, nice.
Pocket-lint
That’s not the only practical choice made by OnePlus with the Nord CE. It’s both slimmer and lighter than the first Nord, so it doesn’t feel like a huge phone in your hand. It’s not exactly compact, but it’s easy to hold and comfortable enough to use. And it has a 3.5mm socket for wired headphones and headsets.
One choice that might not go down so well with long-time OnePlus fans is the removal of the alert switch. For years this simple slider button on the side has set the company’s phones apart from rivals, offering an easy tactile way to switch your phone to silent or vibrate. Apparently, that’s not considered ‘Core’ enough to make it on to a ‘Core Edition’ OnePlus phone.
In case you were wondering: yes, that’s what CE stands for.
Other core design choices include: not having a physical fingerprint sensor. Instead, there’s an in-display one so there’s nothing on the back, breaking up that glorious matte blue surface. The camera housing is a pretty basic pull-shaped protrusion and the display has just the one hole punched through it for a single camera.
Pocket-lint
Sadly, one last feature not deemed essential to a Core Edition phone is a subtle haptic motor for feedback. That means, with it enabled, keyboard taps are accompanied by a nasty feeling buzz, rather than a subtle tap. We quickly switched it off.
Display and software
6.43-inch AMOLED 90Hz display
1080 x 2400 resolution
OxygenOS 11
Screen resolutions haven’t changed much in recent years with most smartphones opting for some version of full HD. This particular flavour is 1080 x 2400, which is the same as on most other OnePlus phones. That means it’s plenty sharp enough for day-to-day tasks with individual pixels imperceptible.
It’s AMOLED too, which means it’s a pretty punchy panel with vibrant colours and deep blacks. In its default ‘vivid’ mode the screen often over eggs the colours a bit, but with this being a OnePlus phone running OxygenOS, you get to customise its balance quite lot. Switching to ‘sRGB’ mode balances things out a lot more, but does make it a bit less exciting.
Pocket-lint
The 90Hz refresh rate ensure that when you touch the screen, or swipe at something in the interface, the response is immediate and smooth. It doesn’t reach the heights of the OnePlus 9 Pro’s 120Hz, and doesn’t feature the advanced adaptive refresh rate tech that adapts it to the content, but it’s impressively fluid and smooth for a mid-ranger.
That’s not the only element where you just about get the hint this isn’t a top tier panel.
For instance, despite being AMOLED, when the screen’s off (or black) it’s not quite as dark as the black frame around the panel, so you don’t get that blending effect, you can see where the bezel stops and the screen starts. There’s also a slight colour shift when you look at a white screen from different angles.
Just for a little perspective though, the fact we’re picking up on such non-issues as a slight negative shows two things: how competitive the mid-range market has become recently and how good this phone is for the money OnePlus is asking for it.
Part of the joy of OnePlus phones over the years is the customisation on offer from the OxygenOS software. We’ve already mentioned the ability to calibrate the screen to your exact liking, but there are also modes like Reading Mode which turns the screen monochrome for when you load up your favourite e-book app.
There’s not much new to report from a software side with the Nord CE. It’s the same as the software found in the OnePlus 9 series and OnePlus 8T that came before it. It’s OxygenOS 11 based on Android 11, which represented a major redesign when it first launched.
While OnePlus was often seen as a manufacturer offering a stock-like Android experience with lots of customisation choices, it no longer feels that way. Oppo’s ColourOS offers far more customisation of elements like the fingerprint scanner animation, always-on display, icon styles and shapes. OxygenOS by comparison feels quite stripped back and bare.
This does help it retain that feeling of ‘essentialism’ though. It has everything you need, presented in a clean and clutter free way. There aren’t any unecessary apps pre-loaded, and even core parts of the experience like phone, messages and software updates are now powered by Google’s own apps, rather than OnePlus’ own design.
Power and performance
Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G processor (8nm)
6GB, 8GB or 12GB RAM – 128GB or 256GB storage
4500mAh battery
30W fast charging
Where the Core Edition OnePlus Nord gets it right is the feeling of speed and fluidity under your fingertips. A big part of that, as mentioned, is down to the high refresh rate of the screen and the software. OnePlus has always done a great job of optimising its software animations to feel speedy.
That performance transitions well into games and apps too. Using it daily as a main phone, it never left us in any real need of more, despite ‘only’ having Snapdragon 750G. It’s not a top-tier platform, but just like the Snapdragon 765G that appeared in the first Nord, this one gets the job done without any trouble.
Playing Mario Kart Tour was a hassle-free and smooth experience, as was browsing the web, scrolling through Twitter and any other app we came across in our day-to-day phone usage.
Pocket-lint
Similarly, the 4500mAh battery inside is more than strong enough to cope with the most demanding of days. For the most part, with light usage, we’d finish the day with something like 40 per cent of the battery left over. That’s with the usual hour or so of web browsing and social media, plus a chunk of gaming.
Once empty it fills up quickly, as is typical OnePlus style. It uses a 30W wired charger, which OnePlus has clunkily named ‘Warp Charge 30T Plus’. In actual fact, it’s almost the same as Warp Charge 30T, in that it can fill 70 per cent of the battery in abut half an hour. It’s been a mainstay feature for OnePlus phones for many years and something of a lifesaver when you’ve forgotten to charge your phone or when it drains unexpectedly.
Cameras
Triple rear camera system:
64MP primary camera
8MP ultra-wide (119-degree)
2MP monochrome sensor
4K recording at 30fps
16MP selfie
Ah, OnePlus and cameras. It seems to be an age-old complaint of OnePlus phones having a not-quite-good-enough camera system. They’ve definitely improved the quality over the past couple of years, there’s no denying that, and for the most part the primary snapper on the Nord CE is decent.
Pocket-lint
You’ll get sharp photos with good colours and depth of field from the 64-megapixel sensor. It pixel bins down to 16-megapixel images automatically, so isn’t using all 64 million of those pixels individually. Not unless you enable it.
It has all the camera features you’d expect too. It’ll take portrait shots with excessive background blur, night mode shots, panoramas, timelapses, slow motion video and even has a ‘pro’ mode for adjusting ISO, white balance and shutter speed manually yourself.
There is one major weakness we’ve encoutered on the Nord CE’s primary lens however, and that’s focus distance. It really, really doesn’t like focusing on anything closer than about 13 or 14cm, which means close up shots of flowers, bugs, berries and the like are near-on impossible. You can see examples that would normally be simple shots, impossible because it refused to focus.
The only solution is either taking the photo from further away and cropping the photo in edit, or using the 2x zoom function to zoom in digitally when taking the photo.
We don’t expect super macro skills from an affordable mid-range necessarily, but we do expect it to at least handle close up focusing a bit better than this.
Without being too cricital though, having the 2x zoom and the seperate ultra-wide lens means you get enough versatility in shooting to make it useful in most situations. There’s a variety in focal lengths, but we do question the decision to put such a visually distinct different between them.
What we mean by that is there’s a noticeable drop in quality when switching from the main to the ultra-wide. Images lose some crispness, and appear visually more contrast heavy and darker, losing a lot of vibrancy in the colours while adding more noise, even in daylight. At times it also adds a hyper-real element to the colours where they just seem unnaturally saturated. It’s not the most consistent of cameras.
As for the third camera, that’s just a low resolution black and white sensor to act as a backup to the other two, bringing in some more light data.
Motorola’s new Moto G9 Plus is a stunner of a phone – find out why, right here
By Pocket-lint Promotion
·
On the front, the selfie camera is decent enough with OnePlus’ HDR capability shining when it comes to balancing out heavy backlighting behind you when snapping pictures of yourself. So even if the sky and clouds look too bright to get a decent shot of your face, the system does well to make sure that it’s not over-exposed and washed out.
Verdict
OnePlus Nord ‘Core Edition’ is something of an unusual phone in its position. The first OnePlus Nord in itself was supposed to represent the core essentials of OnePlus phones. Stripped down, but without real compromise. So in essence, the OnePlus Nord CE is a Core Edition of a Core Edition phone. But that’s perhaps overthinking it a bit.
What really matters is that for the money you’re getting a phone without any significant flaws. It’s fast and responsive, is well-designed, has a good camera and a good screen. It’s comfortably one of the best phones in its price bracket.
We question the removal of the alert slider though. It was one of the few remaining fixtures that helped OnePlus phones stand out from its competition. Without it, it feels like OnePlus is doing more blending in with the environment. It’s transitioned away from standout phone maker, to just another phone maker and the CE is the culmination of that effort.
Alternatives to consider
Pocket-lint
OnePlus Nord
squirrel_widget_305633
The original Nord is still here, and still packs a punch. It’s fast, fluid, smooth and has a more premium glass back, slightly more powerful processor and is now discounted because it’s a bit older.
Read the review
Pocket-lint
Redmi Note 10 Pro
squirrel_widget_4261498
The Redmi Note 10 Pro is one of 2021’s best value smartphones. It boasts similar specs and capabilities to the Nord CE, but is cheaper. Crucially, it has a bigger battery, bigger display and is water resistant.
Razer has launched the Opus X, over-ear Bluetooth headphones with noise-cancelling for just £100 ($100, AU$169.95).
Best known for its gaming laptops and peripherals, Razer branched out into gaming audio last year with the THX-certified Opus headphones. The new Opus X are half the launch price of their older sibling, with a similar spec and design, while including Razer’s low-latency ‘Gaming Mode’, which reduces latency over Bluetooth 5 to 60 milliseconds. It’s a technology featured in other Razer headphones but not in the original Opus.
The Opus X has four microphones, two for voice calls and two for active noise cancellation technology. There is a multifunction button on the rim of the right ear cup that lets you quickly toggle between ANC and ‘Quick Attention’ mode to let in more ambient sound.
Each 40mm driver is housed in a rotatable circumaural ear cup with plush leatherette ear cushions for added comfort. Unlike the original Opus, there’s no auto-pause/play feature for when you remove and replace the headphones. There’s also no mini-jack connection, just a USB-C port for charging. Stated battery life is a healthy 30 hours with ANC and up to 40 hours with ANC off.
This Razer Opus X headphones are available now, come in three colours — green, quartz and mercury – and cost £100 ($100, AU$169.95).
MORE
Best wireless noise-cancelling headphones
Best gaming headsets: great sound for PS5, Xbox Series X, PS4 and Xbox One
PS5 vs Xbox Series X: specs, power, features, pricing and controllers compared
Best gaming TVs for 2021
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
