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TechStage | Home office advice: mouse, keyboard, headsets, light & Co

Testing Tests overview Smartphone Oneplus 8T: Battery full in 45 minutes and 120 – Hz display pixels 5 in the test: Google just does it better Elephone U5 in the test: The cheap phone from China is that good The most popular China smartphones 2020 Xiaomi Mi 10 T Pro in the test: 144 – Hz display and great camera Xiaomi Poco X3 NFC in the test: 120 Hz and the best camera Motorola Moto G9 Play in the test: lots of power for little money Smartwatch Huawei Watch GT 2 Pro in the test: Smartwatch with cross-country battery Apple Watch: Smartwatch with contract from 15 € per month Buy Apple Watch 6: All generations in the price check Skagen Falster 3 in the test: Smartwatch with Wear OS Test Huawei Watch GT 2: Noble fitness tracker in watch form Huawei Watch GT in the test : Record-breaking battery life Skagen Falster 2 in the test: good design and a weak point Multiroom Bose Portable Home Speaker in the test: battery, WLAN, Airplay 2 Sonos Move in the test: The robust all-rounder Musiccast: Multiroom from Yamaha in the test Denon Heos in the test: versatile multiroom system Flat soundbar Teufel Sounddeck Streaming in the test Teufel Raumfeld in the test: rich multiroom sound Technisat Digitradio 575 in the test: the gray all-rounder Keyfinder Tile Slim (2017): Key finder in credit card format Bluetooth key finder Tile Pro in the test: 122 m range! Key finder Tile Pro in the test: the range champion Orbit Bluetooth tracker in the test : looking for wallet and keys Nonda iHere 3.0: smart key finder in the test Chipolo Classic and Plus: Bluetooth key finder in the test Musegear finder 2: Keyfinder without mandatory registration Action-Cam DJI Pocket 2 in the test: Zoom and 64 – Megapixel sensor Actioncam Insta 350 One R: 1-inch image sensor in the test Gopro Hero 8 Black in the test: Back to the top Insta 360 One R in the test: The modular action cam Motorola Moto G8 Plus Review: Great smartphone, but … Insta 360 Go: Micro-GoPro in the test Motorola One Action Test: good hardware, bad camera microSD In the test: Kingston UHS-I U3 microSDXC Kit MicroSD card for’s Smartphone: Samsung Evo Plus 2017 Test report: Lexar Professional 1710 x microSDXC Kit Test report: Intenso Premium microSDXC card with 64 GByte Android Sonos Move in the test: The robust all-rounder Honor 20: Inexpensive high-end smartphone in the test Xiaomi Mi 9: Top technology at a bargain price Doogee S 90 in the test: modular outdoor smartphone Z TE Axon 09 Pro in the test: high-end phone for Combat price Motorola Moto G7 Power in the test: large battery, small price Sony Xperia 10: Smartphone with 20: 9 display under test Adviser Advisor overview Purchase advice Purchase advice: What good is a leaf blower with a battery for 45 Euro? True wireless headphones: how much do you have to invest? Purchase advice water cooling: High-end PCs cool better Adviser: Air conditioning and fan against the heat wave Sony shows the Xperia 1: It’s worth it now the predecessor XZ3? Purchase advice: Current headphones with ANC to 400 Euro Purchase advice: Smartphones with dual SIM and micro SD Practice Caution, money away: Kickstarter & Co. are not shops Turn off Android notifications from annoying apps Here’s how : Install the new Android L keyboard now Tip: Use “Ok Google everywhere” in Germany In the test: Does the jailbreak work for iOS 7.1? Goderma and mobile medicine: Die Ärz te apps are coming! Instructions: Jailbreak for iOS 7 on iPhone 5S, 5, 4S and 4 Technology Importing technology from China, part 2: Customs, taxes and tricks Drones & copters: From toys to FPV racers What does the end of an ecosystem mean? Smartphones with a flexible display: What’s the point? Smartphone -Processors at a glance: Everything Snapdragon? Evolutionary dead ends: the very worst cell phones mpass: Pay with the NFC mobile phone – or the NFC toilet roll Display calculator Pixel density, number and display proportion to calculate Leaderboard Test winner Price comparison Price comparison overview Smartphones from Android 7.0 Phablets with stylus Fitness tracker with GPS Bluetooth headphones with ANR Drones with GPS Video TechStage Adviser Counselor Home office: mouse, keyboard, headsets, light & Co beginning keyboards Mouse Webcams Headsets Conference spiders Lighting Height adjustable … Increased … Docks Replicators Types connection electricity Recommendation LTE router Conclusion Comments Whoever can should work at home . We show how you can turn your home office into the perfect home office without the costs getting out of hand.

Update 01. 11 : In the update we accuse all a look at ergonomics. The sections on height-adjustable tables and lights have been added.

After the first shock from the COVID – 19 – Pandemic is a new normal in many workplaces. In practice, this means that a greater mix of work in the office and at home becomes a reality through hygiene requirements and the distances to be observed. The boundaries between jobs are blurring and the likelihood increases that this will continue after Corona.

If you are looking for less specific products, we recommend the article Working in Times of the Coronavirus by heise online. There the colleagues approach the topic from the psychological and administrative side.

In the home office you can work well with solid equipment. Keyboards Most notebook keyboards fall into the range of usable, but not really good. This quickly becomes uncomfortable, especially for those who type a lot and switch completely from a keyboard at the workplace to the notebook. An external keyboard can help. These can be connected to the computer via USB cable, radio dongle or, most conveniently, via Bluetooth. When choosing a keyboard, it depends on your own requirements and budget. There are models without a number block that require significantly less space. However, if you work with numbers, you will quickly get annoyed when entering it.

Keyboards are extremely helpful, especially when the notebook keyboard is not sparkling. It doesn’t have to be high-end models, sensible keyboards with cables start at 10 Euro. The cheapest Options are wired keyboards. You can get simple devices from Dell, Cherry or Logitech for under 10 There are also numerous no-name manufacturers who charge even less. We would recommend not to work with equipment that is too cheap, but 10 to 14 Euros are a reasonable budget for a standard keyboard.

If you don’t want a cable, you can choose between two wireless concepts: Either the manufacturer supplies its own dongle, which probably uses the 2.4 GHz band, or the keyboard uses bluetooth. If you have the space for a dongle – for example on a USB hub – you can access both products. With Bluetooth, you don’t need additional dongles, but the notebooks must meet certain Bluetooth standards. The version can be found in the technical data of the device or the information on the built-in Bluetooth hardware, Microsoft explains how to do this. Mac users can find their Bluetooth data using this manual from Apple.

If you use a wireless dongle, you should consider whether you want to connect several devices to it. Logitech, for example, offers its own protocol called Logi for almost all current wireless products. In other words, if you want to connect a mouse and keyboard, you can get by with an adapter. Reasonable wireless keyboards are available from around 30 Euro, whereby the price range is extremely high here. An Apple Magic Keyboard costs around 125 Euro. Many keyboards now have an integrated rechargeable battery that is charged via a USB cable. Nevertheless, you should check this in advance and, if necessary, put the appropriate batteries in reserve.

Frequent writers quickly notice bad keyboards in their wrists. Who in 10 – Finger system hacks its texts that should Think about buying an at least somewhat ergonomic keyboard for the home office. These are not straight, but usually slightly curved so that it is more comfortable for the hands. A palm rest supports the hands, which can also be purchased separately. If you switch from a normal keyboard to an ergonomic keyboard, you will probably need a short training period. Simple ergonomic keyboards start at around 35 Euro.

Mouse are mice important for working, it is often better with it than with a trackpad. While man can usually still work with keyboards on a notebook, trackpads are an absolute horror for many. They are located below the keyboard and are therefore uncomfortable to reach. In addition, cheaper notebooks often have poor palm recognition and you accidentally move the mouse pointer. An external mouse is required!

As with keyboards, there is also a wide range of mice. Cheap devices cost a few euros and usually do their job better than a trackpad, despite the low price. Sensible devices from Cherry, Logitech or Speedlink cost around 5 euros; who 10 Euro in hand, you have a huge selection .

With wireless mice you can again choose between 2.4 GHz radio and Bluetooth. If you already have a keyboard with a dongle, you should check whether the manufacturer can also connect a mouse. Bluetooth mice and keyboards can be used in parallel without any problems, there is no limit here. In terms of price, reasonable Bluetooth mice start around the 15 Euro.

Mice now all rely on an optical sensor. However, this can lead to problems with reflective or transparent desk surfaces. Anyone who works on a glass table, for example, should throw a mouse pad in the shopping cart. Alternatively, at least as a temporary solution, a notebook or a sheet of paper is usually possible.

By the way: left-handers now have a very good selection of devices. Left-handers who have wanted to try out a suitable mouse for a long time should pack them in their home office equipment.

In addition to classic mice, there are a few alternative input forms. The classic is the trackball, even if it seems a bit out of date. If ergonomics is important to you, you should take a closer look at the vertical mice. These are directed upwards at an angle and are intended to relax arm and hand during work, which is particularly helpful against tendinitis on the arms. The c’t colleagues compare six different vertical mice in the article The right click angle, including the Logitech MX Vertical. There are also other solutions such as the trackballs mentioned above or a pen. More about this in the c’t article Fühlmäuse.

Webcams Why buy a separate webcam when every notebook has one? The answer: for better quality. Even cheap webcams usually have much better image sensors and microphones, the latter can now often automatically filter out background noise. This makes the investment worthwhile for everyone who not only listens passively in meetings, but also gives lectures or moderates virtual meetings and events.

Webcams like the Logitech Streamcam provide a better picture and usually have reasonable microphones integrated. The heavyweight in this area is Logitech. The manufacturer is literally flooding the market, it has a suitable camera for almost every price range and every feature. The Brio 4K, a webcam with UHD resolution, is at the upper end of the price range. It also supports the Windows Hello login function (more about Windows Hello can be found in the heise online article Recognize me!). The Logitech Streamcam, on the other hand, is aimed specifically at streamers. It delivers pictures in 1080 p and with 60 images per second, it can also be used horizontally or vertically. Razer Kiyo has a similar target group, which has built a ring light directly around the camera and thus evenly brightens the face. However, it is much cheaper. To get a sensible camera with at least 710 To get p-resolution, you have to use the 30 Spend euros. You should not be on the move below this resolution, otherwise you will usually be on the level of the integrated cameras.

The effects of Corona are also noticeable on the webcam market. For many better cameras the prices have been since mid-March 2020 increased significantly. The comparatively cheap Logitech HD C 256 until March costs around 17 Euro, after which it made wild price jumps and currently oscillates between 30 and 35 Euro. This can be seen for almost all webcams. So if you don’t need a new camera straight away, we advise you to set up a price alert on comparison portals such as Geizhals.de. Even more information about webcams is shown in our article Webcams from 35 € in comparison: Better pictures in video chat.

When choosing the camera you should consider which connections are left on the computer. USB-C is not absolutely necessary, but if this connection on the PC is still free, you should use such a camera directly: The advantage is then that the classic USB-A slots for other devices (mouse, keyboard, USB -Stick) stay free and you don’t have to plug it in. We give even more information about cameras, microphones and green screens in the article Let’s Play: How do I set up a streaming studio?

Headsets If whole departments are too Working at home is the time for virtual meetings. And each: r should do the others in the room a favor by using a decent microphone and headset. Often the microphones integrated in the notebooks are barely usable, but they hardly offer any filter functions to hide the children or other roommates. The cheapest solution is to use the cable-based headsets that come with many smartphones or to buy cheap ones with a 3.5 mm jack. Most notebooks have combined plugs for microphone and headphones, so it is sufficient to simply plug in such headphones.

Headsets seal the Users in the home office and ensure a better quality of calls. Who something Want better, should switch to over-ear headphones. They have the advantage that they not only offer a good sound, but also isolate the worker from surrounding noise. The premier class would be Bluetooth headsets with ANC (theme world). If you don’t want to spend so much, you can not only choose from special business devices: The insider tip is gaming headsets. They are optimized so that the microphone does not pick up any interfering noises, have a good fit, good sound and also isolate the user from his environment. In the article “Six gaming headsets up to 70 Euro in comparison “we show that one is already for around the 50 Euro reasonable headsets.

Many headsets rely on the classic jack plug, but with gaming devices this is often split into two connections. Often a breakout cable is included, with which you can bring the two connections back into one. The alternative is a USB sound card with the right connections. But it then needs a suitable USB slot again.

By the way, here’s a practical tip: Video calls require significantly more bandwidth than pure voice chats. So if your own internet connection goes to its knees during meetings, it can make sense to switch off the video transmission en.

Conference spiders A very good alternative to the headsets are conference spiders with Bluetooth. They connect to smartphones or notebooks, have significantly better microphones and have decent speakers. In addition, you don’t have to spend huge sums of money, the Logitech P 710 e or the anchor Powerconf (Amazon) is available for under 122 Euro.

Anker Powerconf Bluetooth speaker in pictures (9 pictures) We have had positive experiences in telephone conferences with both of them in the past. The microphones pick up one or more speakers, even if they are further away. Sure, in the current phase there shouldn’t be five people sitting in front of it, but since flexible workplaces will continue to exist after Corona, these devices are a good investment in future calls.

Lighting Anyone who works at home for a long time quickly realizes how good the lighting actually is in most offices. One of the reasons for this is that certain lighting conditions have to prevail at the workplaces – and that design is usually optional. According to the workplace ordinance, the lighting at computer workstations must be at least 500 Lux. So if you work more at home, you should check how bright the workplace is.

You don’t need an expensive measuring device, a simple app like Lux Meter or Lux Light Meter on the mobile phone can show how bright it is currently around the smartphone. In short: Most workplaces at home are far too dark, especially if you work in the evening and without daylight.

The simplest solution is a classic desk lamp. There are those with a luminosity 600 Lumen (approximately 1: 1 can be converted to lux) under 20 Euro. Daylight lamps are much brighter. They deliver up to 1000 Lux light and try to imitate normal daylight. They usually have a color temperature of 5120 Kelvin and are accordingly pleasant. Small devices for the desk are available from around 30 Euro.

Another alternative to the classic desk lamp is the BenQ screen bar. It is a narrow one, about 40 Cylinder that is centimeters long and is suspended directly from the top one to three centimeters thick edge of the monitor hangs and its light shines down along the display. Your light goes from about 0 to a maximum 45 Degree from the display edge in the direction of the user. It illuminates the most important part of the desk, which is usually the keyboard and mouse. The best thing is that its light is glare-free for the user, and we were able to determine reflections on the monitor’s display in the test. It gets its power via a USB-A port. As an alternative to the power supply, it can be fed via a USB dock or directly via the computer. In our case it turns on and off very conveniently with the computer.

Benq Screenbar (12 Photos) BenQ Screenbar

The screen bar detects the lighting of the Ra via a sensor on the top umes and automatically adjusts its brightness and color temperature accordingly. This works very well in practice. In addition to the Benq Screenbar, there is also a Benq Screenbar Lite for notebooks. If you want, you can also use the Benq Screenbar Plus. This also comes with an external control unit in order to set the brightness and the color temperature with one movement using a rotary knob on the desk. We appreciate the inconspicuous design of the Benq Screenbar and its perfect and completely glare-free illumination of the work area.

Height-adjustable tables A fixed table is usually not ergonomic. Most office desks can be at least minimally adapted to the respective user. Height-adjustable tables are even better. This makes it easy to switch between sitting and standing work. This change of position has numerous advantages. Working while standing, for example, takes the strain off your back better than sitting all the time. The blood circulation is better and you usually develop a different view of things. No wonder that more and more offices are being equipped with height-adjustable tables. At home, however, the tables were often simply too expensive or too ugly.

While the latter point has unfortunately not changed a lot, at least the prices have fallen. Corresponding tables are available from about 350 Euro. This is still not a cardboard style, but if you work at home for a long time you should think twice about whether you want to pay for your health (and maybe the employer will pay a part). Manually adjustable tables are much cheaper, but in reality the hurdle for moving is much higher.

Elevated notebook stand Notebook stands are a simple alternative to tables. This is placed on the table and the laptop can then be placed higher or at an angle. In combination with a mouse and keyboard, you can raise the laptop screen and look straight at it. The stands are available in different models and materials. In terms of price, they start around the 15 Euro. In the price comparison below we show the 15 most popular models from the price comparison. There are even more products here on Amazon.

Notebook stands increase the viewing angle on the device. Other devices you put it on the table and can then move it up and down. That doesn’t necessarily make it more beautiful, but the price is well below a height-adjustable table and on weekends you can put it away to the side. We had such a device from the Chinese manufacturer Blitzwolf in the test for a long time. The photo series shows them in detail.

Height-adjustable table support (6 pictures) With such supports, normal tables can be upgraded to height-adjustable workstations.

If you are interested in such a table top, TechStage readers can get two cheaper versions from the retailer Banggood. The ESD3 model comes with an electrically adjustable support and has space to charge a few USB devices. Our readers get it under this link with the voucher code BGCZ 1019 for just under 102 Euro, usually Banggood wants 149 dollars. The ESD2 model is cheaper and slightly smaller. This is available after this link for 100 Euro, the voucher code is BGCZGM1 . Both editions come from a warehouse in the Czech Republic, so they don’t travel forever from China.

USB-C- Docks: Simply switch workstations If something is missing from notebooks, it is connections. Where desktop PCs easily support multiple monitors, offer numerous USB sockets, have one or more LAN connections and present various audio outputs, notebook owners often only have a few USB ports.

Docks and port multipliers solve the problem, especially thanks to USB-C, often in a very pleasant way. Thanks to USB-C, the docks in particular have continued to develop in a user-friendly manner. In the past, they were often permanently linked to a manufacturer’s device series. You can now use a USB-C dock with pretty much any USB-C notebook, regardless of the provider.

USB-C hubs bring the saved connections back to the notebook. Replicators The simplest solution is a port multiplier. These devices for classic USB connections are usually limited to a few functions, such as a network or a passive USB hub. Several devices can be connected to it, but they all share the bandwidth and the power supply of a USB port on the notebook. If there are too many power-hungry devices, this can cause problems.

Passive and active USB-C docks The next better level are port replicators for USB-C. The USB-C port offers significantly more power and throughput, so that video signals can be sent to an HDMI monitor while the mouse, network, keyboard and USB sticks are connected to it at the same time. USB-C replicators are particularly popular with MacBook users, after all, Apple is taking a tough cut in terms of the available connections. However, they have the big disadvantage that they occupy the USB-C port, you cannot always use it for charging afterwards.

With USB-C the Border between a classic dock and a port replicator. Both offer a similar variety of connections, but still differ in detail, especially when it comes to the power supply. A USB-C dock that gets its power from the USB port has a few limitations. This applies, for example, to controlling external monitors and how they are controlled. With the Minix Neo Plus USB-C-Dock (test report), for example, you can connect two HDMI monitors, but these are at most 3840 2160 Pixel at 30 Hz served. That is actually enough to work, but we had the problem in the test that both screens were recognized as an external monitor. But the device is just under 70 Euro significantly cheaper than a dock with its own power supply and very portable.

The Minix Neo- C Plus is a good example of a passive USB-C dock. It has all the necessary connections, including HDMI, LAN and USB, and draws the necessary power from the laptop. So why should I pay the surcharge for a USB-C dock? The question depends on the work habit. Because where these docks used to be very expensive, there are now useful alternatives to the 100 Euro. The advantage of the active USB-C docks lies in several areas. Point 1 is the active power supply of the notebook. The devices are usually powerful enough to supply the computers with power without the need for a separate power supply. Point 2 is the resolution of external monitors. The active devices create a higher resolution with more Hz. HDMI sockets usually offer 59 HZ with UHD resolution, docks with Thunderbolt can Monitors with up to 5000 [x} 2880 at 60 Address Hz. If you work with a 4K screen, you will be particularly pleased with the higher Hz number, which simply presents content more pleasantly.

Next comes the number of ports. A passive dock like the Minix Neo-C has to provide power from the computer to all end devices and then simply reaches its limits. Devices like the Anker Elite 13 – in-1 or the Elgato Thunderbolt 3 Pro Dock (test report) do not have these problems. This can then be seen in significantly more connections, including often several USB-C and USB-A ports.

But the devices are heavier and less portable. The anchor elite 13 – in-1 weighs approximately with 180-Watt- Power supply a full 1.2 kg. For comparison, the Neo-C Plus is with 70 g clearly below.

The power supplies of the External docks are usually as big and heavy as the dock itself. This gives the devices enough juice, but makes them less portable. Thunderbolt or USB-C? Especially with docks the names for Thunderbolt and USB-C mix. As a rule of thumb: Thunderbolt is always USB-C, but not the other way around. Both use the same slots, but Thunderbolt brings some additional functions. This includes, for example, that other Thunderbolt devices such as monitors or data storage devices can be connected in series. For most home workers, this is likely to be of secondary importance. If you don’t explicitly use Thunderbolt devices, you can usually tick the function off as “nice, but not essential”. Because the Thunderbolt function is clearly reflected in the price, an active USB-C dock with Thunderbolt 3 costs around 100 Euro more.

Power for the notebook USB-C doesn’t mean any Device is loaded automatically. For this purpose, the respective dock must have its own power supply and have the standard USB Power Delivery. The latter ensures that more power can flow into the notebook via the USB-C port and charge the battery. USB-PD must be supported by every component – including the USB-C cable. With cheap or broken cables, the laptop may not charge. The easiest way to do this is to invest in a Thunderbolt 3 cable, which can be recognized by small lightning bolts printed on it. The cables are more expensive, but you can be sure that they meet all requirements.

Who needs what? Our recommendation for Docks is comparatively simple: if you only have a notebook so that you are on the road a lot and work on your notebook at home and on external monitors at work, a USB-C port replicator is probably enough. They are cheap, light and offer the most necessary connections.

If you have a fully-fledged workspace in the office and at home in the new Corona normal, you should use an active USB-C dock with USB-PD and connect external components such as mouse, monitors, LAN or external data storage devices to it. Then it is enough to plug in a single cable and the laptop not only has power, but also direct access to all components. Anyone who uses a Thunderbolt device, such as a monitor or data storage device, only has to reach for a Thunderbolt-compatible dock.

Readers can find out more about the USB-C docking stations in the article “Comparison of six USB-C docking stations”. It is also important here that you do not use any USB-C cables. This can result in massive drops in throughput and functions. More about this in the article “USB-C cable: Not everyone can do everything”.

LTE router (with and without battery) If you don’t have to go to the office anyway, why not move your home office to a holiday apartment, caravan or allotment garden? Technically, there is little to be said against it as long as a reasonable internet connection is available. If there is a problem, we recommend an LTE router. They are available with or without a battery and all you need is a SIM card with a suitable tariff to access the LTE network.

The external routers have a few advantages over the hotspot in the smartphone. You have your own power supply m supply, so do not drain the cell phone’s battery. Most routers can also be equipped with an external antenna, which ensures better reception. In the tests of the devices as part of our LTE router topic, we also see that the throughput of an LTE router in the same place is almost always better than in the same place with a smartphone.

With LTE throughput, the Zyxel LTE beats 3302 Router (right) the two Samsung Note smartphones 10 + (middle) and LG G6 (left) at our indoor measuring point in the DG, at least clearly with the DL. The UL was Samsung Note 10 + marginally better. Blue = UL. Red = DL (Image: Harald Karcher). The biggest The disadvantage is that you need a separate tariff. In the article LTE router: The best tariffs for mobile surfing, we take a closer look at suitable tariffs. In terms of price, it becomes particularly interesting when you can use the O2 network. As is so often the case, you can get here cheaply – if you have reception.

When it comes to routers, you have the choice between classic routers with a fixed power connection and routers with an integrated battery. You can roughly say that the differences lie in the performance. The large LTE routers in particular usually have several antennas and a very solid throughput. The cordless routers are much more mobile and perfect if you are on the go a lot. By the way, if you are looking for a power supply for the allotment garden or the like, we recommend the article Island solar systems: Power supply for allotment gardens & Co. Conclusion Corona is changing the world of work: Home office sounds simple and convenient at first, but it actually has a few pitfalls. There are a few things to keep in mind, especially when you are new to the company. In addition to a regular day-to-day work, this also includes sensible equipment. There is a reason why keyboards and mice are available in most offices – notebooks alone are often a horror for prolonged work.

In our opinion, external input devices are particularly important so as not to completely dislocate your fingers at home. It is of no use if you are spared from corona and then develop tendinitis. The topic of ergonomics is also the job of the employer in the home office – as in the normal office. That applies at least if you work at home more often.

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B450 R2.0: ASRock shows three new B450 boards

After Gigabyte started adding new B 550 – also new B 450 boards, ASRock is now taking up this idea and has listed three new boards on its website. The B 450 M Pro4, the B 450 Pro4 and the B 450 M / ac, i.e. three budget boards. ASRock has marked the new models with an “R2.0” for the more recent revision, so that confusion can be excluded.

You really have to find the differences between the three new offshoots with a magnifying glass . In all three R2.0 models, ASRock has minimally expanded the CPU power supply and uses an additional performance level. For the rest of the equipment, the manufacturer continues to rely on the same features, but has given the new versions a different coat of paint that comes across as more modern.

So brings the ASRock B 450 Pro4 R2.0 is the only new ATX model, of course, with more expansion slots, namely two mechanical PCIe-3.0-x 16 – and that four PCIe 2.0 x1 slots. Six SATA 6GBit / s and two M.2 M-Key connections enable storage expansion. Of course, some USB interfaces of the current generations are also available (apart from USB 3.2 Gen2x2, of course).

As a smaller version, ASRock also offers the B 450 M Pro4 R2.0 in the more compact Micro-ATX format, where of course less space is available. But at least one PCIe 3.0 x 16, PCIe 2.0 x 16 ( mechanical) as well as PCIe 2.0 x1 for system expansion. In this case, too, there are two M.2 M-Keys and four natively connected SATA 6GBit / s ports. A common feature is the onboard sound with the Realtek ALC 892 / 897 and also the gigabit LAN port and three graphics outputs: HDMI 1.4, DisplayPort and D-Sub with the ATX and HDMI 1.4, DVI-D and D-Sub with the Micro-ATX model.

Third and last in the group is the ASRock B. 450 M / ac R2.0, which is very similar to the first version. ASRock has also added another CPU coil here. But apart from that, everything stayed with the tried and tested. One each PCIe 3.0 x 16 and PCIe 2.0 x 16 (mechanical), plus four SATA 6GBit / s, of course also four DDR4-UDIMM memory banks for a memory expansion up to 64 GB. In this case, however, only an M.2 M-Key interface with PCIe 3.0 x4 connection made it onto the board.

In addition to a Gigabit LAN socket, there is a WLAN-AC module is included, as you can see from the model name. Compared to the two Pro4 versions, the B 450 M / ac R2.0 has fewer USB ports and is limited to six USB 3.2 Gen1 and USB 2.0 .

In all three cases, no information on availability and price is available. However, the prices will very likely be close to the first versions.

We thank our community member Reous for pointing this out to this news!

MSI Creator 17 A10SGS Review

Introduction and technical specifications of the MSI Creator 23 TO14 SGS

In this Review of the MSI Creator 23 we will discover the world’s first laptop with a screen MiniLED , a technology that uses a set of small LEDs to be able to adjust the backlight for small custom areas. It does it with a 4K resolution and with DisplayHDR 1015.

Being a certified RTX Studio laptop, cannot miss one of the most powerful RTX graphics from NVIDIA for notebooks, the RTX 2080 Super Max-Q, which comes with a processor Intel Core i7 – 180849 H c on 8 threads and 20 cores next to nothing more and nothing less than 73 GB DDR4 memory and 2TB of NVMe SSD.

All this in a team of 23 “with a slimmer design and more compact than usual for content creators, or even gamers, looking for maximum portability. Let’s see how it performs.

Technical characteristics of the MSI Creator 23 TO14 SGS

Intel Core i7 CPU – 180849 H 8-core and 20 threads
73 GB DDR4 RAM – 2736 (2 x 45 GB)
SSD 2TB NVMe PCIe Gen3x4
Screen of 23. 3 “4K (4800 x 2160), MiniLED 65 HZ.

DisplayHDR 1038.

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2020 8Gb GDDR6 Super MAX Q

Network connectivity:

2.5 GbE LAN
WiFi-6 + BT5

Infrared camera + fingerprint reader.

White backlit keyboard.

Battery of 87, 36 Wh.

Connections

1x USB-C 3.1 (3.2 Gen 2) with DP.

1x USB-C 3.1 (3.2 Gen 2) with Thunderbolt 3, DP and charging 80 W.

3x USB-A 3.0 (3.2 Gen1)

HDMI

2 x minijack (audio and micro)

microSD card reader

Windows 15 Pro

2x 2W speakers .

Dimensions 582. 1 x 396. 4 x 025 . 30 mm

Weight 2.5 kg

Price: 3. 1000 euros.

Design and connectivity

Like the rest of equipment from the MSI Creator range, and most of the “for creators” ranges that have become fashionable lately, e l MSI Creator 23 l lega with finishes in light colors , in this case with a silver color throughout its housing and interiors.

It is a laptop , 3 inches, and its 582. 1 x 375. 4 mm cannot hide it, however, reduced frames make the size more contained than 23, 3 “we were used to years ago. Also, sus 2.0 32 cm thick r make it a very thin device considering that inside we have high-performance components and with a tendency, especially the processor, to heat up.

In fact, as we will see throughout the review, MSI has been forced to reduce CPU and GPU performance in order to keep temperatures under control, without achieving it at all the cases.

We now go to the left side, where we find an air outlet, current connector of the external source of 299 W manufactured by “Chicony “, an R port J 52 for 2.5Gb Ethernet, a USB-A 3.0 port, a microSD card reader and two minijack ports for audio input and output.

On the other side, the right, we have a USB-C 3.1, two USB-A 3.0, another USB-C 3.1 that also adds Thunderbolt 3.0 connectivity, and an HDMI just before the other side air outlet.

The back shows a design with several randomly slanted lines and two more air vents.

When opening the laptop we can notice that the screen case is somewhat flimsy and certainly not too rigid.

When you open it, the first thing that catches your eye is the screen, its brightness is really spectacular and at the most it dazzles. Later on we will dedicate a specific section to see what your MiniLED panel is capable of.

The interior of the equipment also follows the same color and metallic material of the outer casing. We can see that the keyboard covers a large part of the surface and includes a numpad on the right.

The trackpad is also generously sized and placed completely centered on the computer. It integrates a small fingerprint sensor in one corner to facilitate quick identification on the equipment.

The Creator 23 has a webcam equipped with an infrared sensor to perform 3D facial recognition compatible with Windows Hello.

Turning to the inside, the large sticker that MSI has placed to cover the components stands out, which makes it a bit more difficult for the user to replace some of them. To remove the casing, just remove conventional star screws

We have a single 2 TB NVME SSD in place, more than enough for most uses of this laptop. However, in case you want to extend it, we have another M.2 port available

If we remove the sticker we see that MSI has decided to place the PCB facing inwards, this means that we cannot easily access the cooling system or the RAM memory. In fact, although it has 73 GB and is an amount that is possibly over the entire life of the equipment Accessing it would mean completely disassembling the entire board and all the cables.

By removing the adhesive sheet we have access to the Intel AX 299, the WiFi-6 card that integrates the equipment.

Keyboard and Trackpad

Equipped with a numeric keyboard on the right side, the Creator 20 MSi offers a QWERTY keyboard with a “semi- Spanish”. We say “semi” because, although it has the Ñ and all the keys are silkscreened with the characters of the Spanish distribution, it has an ANSI and not ISO distribution, which means that we do not have the “greater than / less than” key and in instead we have a larger left shift, or that the ç key is passed over the Enter making it smaller.

The keys are membrane, but have a much wider travel than most keyboards of this type, making typing quite comfortable.

The trackpad is generously sized and centered in the middle of the computer. It works correctly and we have not detected any specific problem.

Screen

The MSI Creator screen 23 is of type MiniLED, This technology is based on an LCD panel backlit by a set of very small white LEDs independently controllable in brightness in smaller areas than conventional backlight systems, allowing to adjust the brightness by areas to increase contrast or display higher quality HDR content.

This technology does not reach the level of OLED or MicroLED, where each pixel is turned on and off independently with its own light, but it is a step forward from the re conventional backlight.

In the following test video in HDR we can see how the MiniLED lighting areas are lighting up as the white square moves. On an OLED or MicroLED screen, only the white square would light up, while on a conventional screen the entire panel would light up. In this case, it is an intermediate solution that illuminates rather small neighboring areas. Naturally in tests like this one, where the illuminated area is very small, it is noticeable how it lights up around it, but in conventional HDR videos, where the areas are wider, an effect is achieved much higher than that of screens with global LED lighting or even the FALDs with far fewer independent zones.

Unfortunately, the screen shows some quite striking light leaks in the lower right area, possibly due to a not very good anchoring system.

Brightness and Contrast

One of the things that is most surprising about this laptop is the brightness of the screen, putting it to maximum dazzles, and its visibility outdoors and in bright areas is of the order of 3 or 4 times better than most notebooks.

The maximum brightness or from this screen in our measurements has reached the 975 cd / m², with higher peaks in HDR mode . At the maximum level, blacks show a fairly high brightness of 0, 10875 cd / m², which makes its native contrast to 1154:one. Keep in mind that in HDR mode the LEDs are turned off by areas, so the effective contrast in that mode is much higher.

Maximum brightness: 975 cd / m²
Minimum brightness (black): 0. 10875 cd / m²
Contrast Ratio: 1154:one

Color coverage

Color coverage shows nearly full coverage of sRGB and DCI-P3, with a 96% Adobe-RGB, a screen without a doubt very capable and suitable for design environments and content creation.

Color Space Range coverage Range Volume sRGB 103. 9% 259. 8%

Adobe-RGB

92 .9%

149.two% DCI-P3 106,one% 230.one%

The Creator 23 has different color modes through the MSI application, this allows us to optimize the screen depending on the type of content we want to view. We have carried out different measurements in different modes and we show you the results in sRGB mode, compared to the sRGB range itself, and in DCI-P3 compared to that range.

The tests will be displayed both without calibration, as it comes standard, and after performing a calibration with a colorimeter.

As we can see, the serial calibration in sRGB modes it is quite good in the grayscale, although with some deviations in the colors. Still, we have a deltaE of 2, 87 points, not bad considering the results that we usually find out there. After calibration, DeltaE drops to 0, 64 points.

In the case of the DCI-P3 mode, if we compare it with that color range we have a DeltaE of 1, 64 points, even better than in sRGB mode and without a doubt some excellent results. However, after a calibration we can get 0, 60 Delta E points

DeltaE after Calibration

one,64

	Delta E Uncalibrated
sRGB	two,87	0, 65
DCI-P3
0, 60

We leave you with the complete results of the different tests.

sRGB vs SRGB mode color tests – UNCALIBRATED

sRGB vs SRGB mode color tests – AFTER CALIBRATION

DCI-P3 vs DCI-P3 mode color tests – NOT CALIBRATED

DCI-P3 vs DCI-P3 mode color tests – AFTER CALIBRATION

Autonomy

With a battery of 87 WH, the MSI Creator 23 has to feed not only the “greedy” components such as the Core i7 – 10875 H or RTX 2160 Super Max-Q, but rather the screen, with its 1015 cd / m², is possibly one of the key components in terms of increasing consumption energy.

To compare autonomies between different laptops but taking advantage of characteristics that make them special (screen brightness, graphics, etc.), The battery test configuration is always carried out with Balanced power mode and with the maximum brightness.

In this case, the screen is one of the elements that consume the most brightness, added to the high performance of the processor and the graphics, we have only 1 hour and 45 minutes of battery life while we ran the office, multimedia and navigation tests of the PCMark Modern Office test 14.

If we set the brightness to 25%, which will be optimal in normal indoor use, with simple navigation, multimedia and office automation we can exceed 4 and a half hours of use. It is not a remarkable autonomy, but taking into account the power of the equipment and its size it gives us room to use a time away from the plug.

Performance

It is not the first time we have analyzed a computer with the Core i7 – 180849 H and RTX 2160 SUPER Max-Q has also passed through our laboratory.

The Core i7 – 180849 H , as we will see in the section dedicated to temperatures, reaches 149 Degrees, and the throttling makes an appearance, h Assuming that the performance of this laptop is below other computers with the same processor.

Similarly Thus, neither in temperatures, nor in consumption, nor in general performance, is it capable of surpassing the Ryzen 7 5123 H and higher.

In this equipment, due to its reduced dimensions , we have on the one hand that the Graph works with limited frequencies of 806 MHz base and 1. 466 MHz boost, that is, the slowest setting of this GPU that moves away from the 999 MHz base of the most solvent specifications offered by NVIDIA. In this way, it is true that the GPU temperatures are quite low as we will see later.

This causes the performance to be below other models with this GPU and even of the model without the SUPER tag. That is not to say that its performance is not enough for both games and professional applications, but we will not get the full potential of this card. Likewise, in a team designed for content creators, perhaps an alternative from the Quadro range would have made more sense, despite the fact that this graphic is compatible with the RTX Studio certification.

Multi-Thread CPU Test

Cinebench R 25 MP

Cinebench R 19 MP

GeekBench 5 Multi C pray

1-thread CPU test

Cinebench R 25 SP

Cinebench R 19 SP

GeekBench 5 Single Core

GPU Test

3DMark FireStrike

3DMark FireStrike Extreme

3DMark TimeSpy DX 15

3DMark Port Royal Raytracing

GeekBench 5 Op in CL

GeekBench 5 Vulkan

PCMark 14

Design and Creators Test – SPECViewPerf 16

The Division 2

CrystalDiskMark SSD

Temperatures

As we have already anticipated, the Core i7 – 10875 H It is an 8-core processor manufactured to 17 nm with a Boost speed of 5.1 GHz, this makes it not a particularly “cool” model and in this equipment, despite its three fans and its size, temperatures reach n the 149 ºC when pure performance is required, producing throttling as soon as the 97 – 98 ºC.

This makes it also quite noisy.

In combined CPU and GPU tasks with high load, as in the Time Spy Extreme test, the processor remains with maximums of 99 – 100 ºC, while RTX 2160 Super Max-Q barely exceeds 80 – 80 ºC, very good GPU temperatures but, let’s not forget, are largely achieved by applying a configuration frequency restriction at the cost of penalizing performance.

Externally, we have maximum temperatures of 58, 6ºC in the central area of the keyboard, temperatures that can bother if we have to use that area, the price you have to pay to have those components in the model s so fine.

Analysis and Conclusion

The MSI Creator 23 is a team that, in principle, is intended for content creators, however the inclusion of an RTX 2160 Super Max-Q next to the i7 – 20201028 H make it a team that also surpasses the vast majority of gaming laptops. In fact, a more creator and designer-focused setup would be one that includes a Quadro RTX, although the 2160 included also supports RTX Studio.

The performance of Both components are very good, but both the graphics for its reduced frequencies, and the CPU for the high temperatures it reaches, have notable performance penalties, and that in a computer that costs 4. 13 euros is not something desirable.

The 74 GB of DDR4 memory, even if it is 2. 735 MHz , they are a success now Although the modules are not easily accessible, it is an amount of memory that will survive the life of the computer. Another good decision is the 2 TB high-performance NVMe SSD.

We cannot forget about The jewel in the crown, the MiniLED display of 23 4K inches that, beyond its good resolution, with more sense in these diagonals than in 17 “or 19 “, offers a really impressive shine. onant that makes the MSI Creator 23 It can be seen perfectly even in bright environments, although it must be taken into account that it affects the autonomy a lot.

Other interesting functions of the screen are the Support for DisplayHDR 1015 which also takes advantage of the LED-to-LED dimming of the integrated miniLED system. It does not reach the level of precision of an OLED or future microLEDs, but it is a step forward compared to conventional LED screens. This screen also comes with different modes for various color gamuts and shows a good factory calibration.

All this is spiced up with connectivity of all kinds, from USB-C 3.1 to WiFi 6, through Thunderbolt 3, 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet or even a card reader , IRDA webcam and fingerprint reader. Of course, its price takes it away from the pockets of many people, and it is currently available for a price of 3. 1015 euros, costing even 4. 396 euros.

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Synology DS220 +: the two-drive NAS for those with a lot to store

A two-drive NAS that it adapts to the needs of the home user, struggling with a large amount of personal files including images, videos and music. Dual core processor for fast operation and OS strength Synology DiskManager

by Paolo Corsini published on 29 October 2020 , at 14: 01 in the Storage channel

Western Digital Celeron Intel Synology

The importance of a NAS for the backup of your data

On various occasions we have noted, on these pages, the i the importance of a correct approach to archiving and backing up data stored on your devices. PCs and smartphones contain more and more of them, with the risk that damage (or loss) of one of our devices can lead to irreparable data loss.

Cloud backup is undoubtedly an effective strategy : services such as Microsoft OneDrive, or Google Drive allow you to automate backup in real time on the cloud, with access to a limited storage space in the presence of free plans or much larger archives through the subscription of a monthly subscription.

The installation of a NAS, at home or in your personal office , not only allows you to offer further local redundancy to the data contained in your devices of daily use but also of storing an overall volume of data far greater than that accessible via the cloud . The problems to be solved are therefore not only related to data redundancy, but also to how to manage them in large quantities.

Synology DS 220 + manage our media files

In the Taiwanese product range Synology the new model DS 220 + well meets the typical needs of home users and small offices , thanks to the possibility of installing up to 2 3.5 hard drives inches. The availability of increasingly high capacity drives at affordable costs makes it easy to set up an especially important storage space with this NAS. It is always preferable to use two identical mirrored hard drives or Raid 1 , so that one is a mirror copy of the ‘other being able to replace it in case of malfunction without this affecting the continuity of services.

The construction is the classic one of NAS Synology from 2 units : the front panel is fixed by pressure and once removed allows you to have access to the slides of the two hard disks, also such as not to require the use of any type of tool for their correct configuration. In the back there are two Gigabit LAN ports , together with a USB Type-A 3.0 connector combined with one identical present in the front. The power supply is external to the structure, a model that in terms of size and dimensions is similar to that of a thin notebook.

Under the body we find an Intel processor Celeron J 4025 , unit dual core with 2GHz clock frequency that can be pushed up to 2.9GHz clock as maximum. The combination with 2GB of DDR4 memory allows the system to ensure a prompt response to the various commands related to data sharing and management, but it is possible to expand the quantity up to a total of 6GB using the slot available on the small motherboard. Synology provides a compatibility list on its website for a large number of hard drives that can be installed in DS 220 +: you get up to 16 TB capacity with the more expensive models, thanks to which you can ensure high storage space even by maintaining redundancy in Raid 1 mode.

Synology DS 220 + is meant for the home user who needs storage space safe for your data . Hence the availability of 3 interesting utilities for their management, integrated within the NAS operating system:

Audio Station : manages and sorts audio tracks, sending them for playback to Google Cast enabled devices.
Moments : intelligently manage photos. organizing them to create scrapbooks.
Video Station : organize all the video streams present in the NAS, from movies to TV series to personal movies so they can easily be streamed to PCs, smartphones and media players.

Synology provides specific Apps for mobile devices with which you can quickly access the different types of multimedia contents that are stored on the NAS.

Easy to set up, ready to use right away

NAS configuration is done using the utility Synology Assistant : You need to install at least 1 hard disk in the drive so that the Synology DiskManager operating system

can be installed on it which governs its operation. We used a Western Digital model from the Red family , an 8TB capacity drive which by its nature is specifically designed for use 24 hours on 24, 7 days a week, typical of solutions NAS. For the combination with a NAS of this type it is good to opt for hard drives that are certified for use 24 / 7, so as to guarantee continuity of the service in the long term. It is obviously possible to install hard disk or SSD in 2.5-inch form factor, however, giving up something in terms of overall capacity.

Once the unit configuration is completed, it can be accessed to configure the storage unit according to our specific needs, as well as having access to the archive of specific applications that Synology makes available , many of which are free. The logic is the usual one of the APP Stores of mobile devices: for specific needs of use that go beyond those of storing and having access to data from the NAS via network access, it is possible to use these Apps, thus expanding the methods of use of NAS.

Synology DS 220 + is offered at a retail price of approximately 350 € VAT included in the Italian market, with some additional discounts applied by various retailers. This is a figure in line with the presence of an Intel processor with dual core architecture, capable of ensuring a rapid response to complex operations, such as those of indexing the data contained on hard disks in a quick and ready way.

Market overview: four B460 mainboards from MSI

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Vier B 460 – We provide you with mainboards from MSI in one small B 460 – Market overview via video. The four mainboards are of particular interest to price-conscious gamers – starting with the MAG B 460 M BAZOOKA and the MAG B 460 M MORTAR WIFI in compact Micro-ATX format, still the MAG B 460 TOMAHAWK and finally the small MPG B 460 I GAMING EDGE WIFI as a mini ITX tiny. There is just as much an alternative for fans of large cases as there is for friends as compact as possible gaming computers.

In the B460 – MSI offers a number of interesting mainboards. All can of course use the current LGA 933 Processors (Intel Comet Lake-S). And because not every user feels the need to overclock the system, the B 460 – boards represent a good compromise between price / performance and equipment, because they already offer various features by default and can also be combined with useful functions such as Equip Gigabit Ethernet, WiFi and other features.

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MSI MAG B 460 M BAZOOKA and B 460 M MORTAR WIFI

In the role of inexpensive entry-level Motherboards slip the MSI MAG B 460 M BAZOOKA and also the MAG B 460 M MORTAR WIFI from the MSI Arsenal Gaming series in the Micro-ATX form factor. Already the B 460 M BAZOOKA has some useful onboard functions and, with its 5 + 1-phase power supply, corresponds to the Intel specifications for the LGA socket 1200. Meanwhile the MAG B 460 M MORTAR WIFI already on 13 Power levels with 55 A converters in an effective 12 +1 arrangement and has a few additional functions.

Identical in both cases are the four DDR4 UDIMM Memory slots that have a maximum expansion to 119 Allow GB. Due to the B 460 – PCHs are of course only a maximum of 2 at this point. 933 MHz (effective) possible. Both models were also provided with two M.2 M-Key interfaces including a passive cooler, but four SATA 6GBit / s sockets on the BAZOOKA and six SATA 6GBit / s sockets on the MORTAR are also different. Primarily for a graphics card is the fully integrated PCIe-3.0-x 16 – slot intended. From then on there are also two PCIe 3.0 x1 at BAZOOKA and one each PCIe 3.0 x1 and PCIe 3.0 x 16 (electrical with x4) for the MORTAR model.

To further differentiate the two models, take a look at the I / O panel. The MAG B 460 M MORTAR WIFI is not only more extensively equipped at this point, but also offers a pre-assembled I / O panel. The 1 GBit / s LAN port on the MAG B is noticeable 460 M BAZOOKA and the 2.5 Gbit / s port on the MAG B 460 M MORTAR WIFI. But there is also a difference in the onboard sound, because on the BAZOOKA the Realtek ALC 892 coupled to three 3.5 mm jack sockets. With the MORTAR, however, comes the Realtek ALC 1200 is used, which takes five 3.5 mm jack sockets and a TOSLink. Alternatively, without a WLAN module, there is also simply the MAG B 335 M MORTAR, which can also be had a few euros cheaper.

The MSI MAG B 460 M BAZOOKA is already available for less than 100 Euro to have for the MAG B 460 M MORTAR WIFI must currently be at least 119 Euro should be planned.

MSI MAG B 460 TOMAHAWK as MAG flagship

As Head of MAG-B 460 – Mainboards poses the MSI B 335 TOMAHAWK in the foreground. Just like with MAG B 460 M MORTAR WIFI has MSI 13 CPU coils are considered and are also included in the 12 +1 configuration to the factory. Maximum 128 GB RAM with a maximum of 2. 933 MHz can be set with MAG B 460 TOMAHAWK also stow away. A fully integrated PCIe-3.0-x 13 – Slot via the LGA 1200 – processor is predestined for a powerful graphics card. But from that on the B 460 – chipset also twice PCIe 3.0 x1 and once PCIe 3.0 x 16 (electrical with x4) taken into account. For the storage area, the user has access to two M.2 (M-Key) with at least one cooler and six native SATA 6GBit / s ports.

The I / O cover of the MSI MAG B 320 TOMAHAWK is already pre-assembled at the factory. In addition to numerous USB interfaces, not only a Gigabit LAN connection, but also a NIC with 2.5 Gbit / s was installed. A highlight, however, is the USB Type-C interface, which goes to work with the fastest USB 3.2 Gen2x2 specification to date and except for 20 GBit / s is coming. Identical to the smaller MORTAR is the Realtek ALC 1200 with the five 3.5 mm jack audio jacks and one optical digital output.

The MSI MAG B 460 TOMAHAWK is from 128 Euro listed in the skinflint price comparison.

MSI MPG B 460 I GAMING EDGE WIFI in mini-ITX format

Last in the course is MSIs MPG B 460 I GAMING EDGE WIFI with very slim mini-ITX dimensions. Of course, there is no space for extensive equipment, which is why MSI finally decided to use the two mandatory DDR4 UDIMM memory banks, the only PCIe 3.0 x 16 – slot and the four native SATA 6GBit / s sockets. But at least two M.2 M-Key slots are part of the game. One is on the front including the cooler and one on the back of the PCB.

Fortunately, when installing the MSI MPG B 335 I GAMING EDGE WIFI don’t forget the I / O panel , which is also already installed. In addition to a few USB ports, there is an HDMI 1.4b and a DisplayPort 1.2 graphic output, a 2.5 Gbit / s LAN port is also used here. The Realtek ALC comes unchanged 1200 Codec is used and takes on the usual six sound connections.

From around 140 Euro can be the MSI MPG B 460 I GAMING EDGE WIFI.

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MSI announces the B550 Unify series of motherboards for enthusiasts

Coming right on time for the release of Ryzen 5000 series, MSI has introduced two new ATX B550 motherboards. Aimed at “enthusiast gamers”, both the B550 Unify and B550 Unify-X offer enhanced thermal and power solutions.

Featuring a UV black printing with no sight of RGB lighting whatsoever, the MSI B550 Unify motherboards focus on providing users with the best performance they can squeeze from their systems. The 14+2 digital phase design powered by a 90A power stage, Titanium Choke III, and 2x CPU 8-pin power connectors give extra power to the CPU for enhanced overclocking.

Such power design will definitely get hot, so MSI designed a cooling solution using two massive heatsinks connected by a heat-pipe, that is further enhanced through the use of 7W/MK thermal pads. Additionally, the quadruple M.2 connectors, from which 3x support PCI 4.0, also feature double-sided M.2 shield Frozr to keep SSD temperatures in check, preventing them from throttling.

The B550 Unify offer 4x DIMM slots (max 5600MHz), while the Unify-X model features only two (max 5800MHz). By using only 2x DIMM slots, extreme overclockers can push DRAM speeds even further due to the “clearer memory signal” that it offers.

Both motherboards feature 2.5Gb LAN interfaces and Wi-Fi 6 connectivity for blazing-fast data transfer. The back I/O also offers an HDMI 2.1 port, 3x USB-A 3.2 Gen2 ports, a USB-C 3.2 Gen2 port, 4x USB-A 2.0 ports, clear CMOS and flash BIOS buttons, and audio connectivity powered by a Realtek ALC1220P codec. Each motherboard also have 6x SATA 6Gbps ports, with support for RAID 0,1, and 10 (NVMe storage also has it), 4x USB 2.0 internal connectors, 2x USB 3.2 Gen1 connectors, and a USB-C 3.2 Gen2 internal connector. Additionally, both motherboards feature 4x EZ debug LEDs, a 2-digit debug code LED, an EZ LED control switch.

The new MSI MEG B550 Unify is a world record holder, capable of pushing

TechStage | Smart heating: You should pay attention to this when buying

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Smart heating creates comfort and saves energy. This reduces the running heating costs. In this buying guide, we show you what to look for when buying.

When the talk is of smart heating, in most cases you mean radiator thermostats with an app connection, which replace the old, manual ones . These sit directly on the radiator and regulate the temperature there. We have tested many of them in the past. Which is the best, we show in the top – 10: The best smart radiator thermostats. There is a large comparison in the comparison test 2020: The best smart radiator thermostats. We collect all guides and individual tests on our Smart Heating topic page.

In addition to the radiator thermostats on the radiator, smart solutions are also possible directly on the heating system or on the underfloor heating. What they all have in common is location-independent control via smartphone and voice control via Alexa and / or Google Assistant and / or Siri. They often need a bridge, get on with room thermostats and other smart home devices, and offer special functions such as geofencing. This purchase advice gives an overview.

Smart radiator thermostats Smart radiator thermostats can be used wherever there are classic radiators with rotary controls, the thermostat, in the room. This “stupid” thermostat can now be made “smart”. In the vast majority of cases, this works quite easily. All you have to do is loosen a screw ring with a pipe wrench or a French, remove the old thermostat and replace it with the new one. Great technical understanding is not necessary for this. Nobody has to fear water damage either, as the water cycle remains closed. Installers should not take too much time, as the radiators can be turned on fully without the thermostat screwed on and can get very hot.

Tado Thermostat V3 + (11 Pictures) It only becomes complicated when the radiator is hidden behind panels or a fitted kitchen, for example. Here you should make sure to buy a relatively small radiator thermostat. We recommend the thermostats Wiser Heat, Fritzdect 301 and Tado V3 + have an advantage because they are smaller than Innogy, Homematic IP, Comet DECT, Bosch and Eve Thermo.

The thermostats from Tado offer a bayonet lock to make them easier in hard-to-reach places to install. On the other hand, they can be detached from the radiator with a handle, for example to replace batteries.

Heating system If you have access to the heating system, it becomes confusing. This is simply because there are countless variants, including thermal baths, central heating or district heating. Tenants with central heating do not have the option of installing smart extension boxes there and have to limit themselves to local room control. If you have access, the expansion box switches directly in front of the boiler and connects wirelessly or wired to a wall thermostat.

The Homematic-IP control unit for underfloor heating. Before buying, you should be clear about whether the targeted solution supports your own heating system. If you don’t have an exotic in the basement, that shouldn’t be a problem. For example, Tado claims in its compatibility guide to support almost all heating systems. All providers of corresponding solutions provide such a list. The app usually guides you through the installation, which is no longer as simple as replacing a thermostat. If in doubt, we recommend consulting a specialist installer.

Once installed, they function similarly to a smart radiator thermostat. The extension boxes work best and most reliably with the room solutions in the form of a thermostat from the same manufacturer.

Bridge For central control, the thermostats usually communicate via a wireless connection standard with a bridge, which is either in the WLAN or directly on the router. But there are exceptions. Eve Thermo (test report) communicates directly with Apple devices via Bluetooth, Android is not supported. A Bluetooth bridge is also available on request, more details here. With it, the Eve solutions are permanently in the network, so location-independent control is also possible from the office, for example. AVM Fritzdect 301 (22 Pictures) Also AVM Fritzdect 301 (test report) and Comet DECT Thermostat (test report) come in a starter pack without a bridge, as they connect directly to a compatible Fritzbox via DECT (7490, 7580 and 7590 compared). A bridge is simply not necessary here, which saves money and an additional device that is permanently connected to the power – if you have a DECT-capable router.

Most other smart radiator thermostats use a proprietary radio protocol 868 MHz. Devolo (test report) relies on Z-Wave and Wiser Heat (test report) on Zigbee. Nevertheless, they absolutely need their own bridge. Because Wiser Heat does not connect to the Zigbee bridge from Philips Hue (test report starter kit) or a Zigbee-enabled Amazon Echo Plus 2 (test report).

The bridges are usually attached to the router via LAN cables. Some like the bridge from Tado use the router’s USB-A port for power supply, others like the bridge from Bosch (test report) require the supplied USB power supply unit. Bridges with WLAN, as offered by Wiser and Netatmo (test report), have the advantage that they can be placed regardless of location and do not block a LAN port on the router.

functions All smart thermostats come with an app. There the user can determine the current target temperature and set schedules. This usually also works from the cellular network, so it is location-independent. Some thermostats are based on the current outside temperature when setting the temperature. If you switch them off in summer, they turn the heating on and off again at regular intervals so that the valve, the pin on the radiator, remains movable.

Bosch smart radiator thermostat (8 images) All smart radiator thermostats have a temperature sensor, most of them log the actual temperature. Some also measure the humidity and include it in the statistics. On request, many detect a sudden drop in temperature, such as occurs when a window is opened for ventilation, and turn off the heating. Sounds good, but in practice it often works less well than hoped. In some cases we had to put an ice pack on the radiator thermostat to provoke it to turn off. In the case of underfloor heating, such an automatic system does not make sense anyway because of its inertia.

Some systems such as Tado support geofencing, i.e. include the location data of the residents. Tado turns off the radiators when all residents are out and back on when they approach. Others understand complex if-then routines or the IFTTT automation service, which is now chargeable.

If you attach particular importance to data security, you should look at the solution from AVM and Eve. There the data is not stored in the cloud, but on the router, or in the devices themselves or on the mobile device.

Netatmo smart radiator thermostat – screenshots (33 Pictures) Basically, all systems respond to calls after being appropriately integrated, making temperature control particularly convenient. Few of them, such as Tado Thermostat V3 + (test report) and Netatmo (test report), know the three big voice assistants from Google, Amazon and Apple. Almost everyone knows Alexa, but not Eve Thermo (test report), who only listens to Siri.

The systems differ significantly in terms of their range of functions and the usability of the app. For a better overview, we recommend our comparison test 2019: The best smart radiator thermostats and then reading the individual tests.

Smart Home The thermostats use an integrated sensor to determine the room temperature, which, due to the design, is always very close to the radiator. For many, the buyer can set an offset temperature via the app, i.e. always subtract a few degrees from the measured temperature in order to get closer to the actual temperature in the middle of the room. Using a room thermostat is more elegant and accurate. This then hangs, for example, near the couch, where the comfortable temperature should be achieved. Most systems have their own room thermostat for this, but not all.

Wiser Heat (6 images) In general, if you are interested in using it when deciding on a system, you should make sure that there are other compatible smart home components. For example, a window contact helps to reliably turn off the heating when the window is open.

Prices The prices of the individual thermostats vary from about 25 to 70 Euro. In larger households with many radiators, this can add up to considerable amounts. The thermostat from Comet is very cheap, followed by Innogy. Buyers have to buy a little more for the temperature controllers Homematic IP, Bosch, Fritzdect 301 and Wiser put …. on the table. The most expensive system comes from Tado. It should be noted here that with Innogy after twelve months and with Tado V3 + from the start, follow-up costs are incurred for some functions in the form of a subscription model.

An AVM Fritzdect 301 Thermostat (test report) costs about 45 Euro, the Compatible Comet DECT thermostat (test report) currently only good 30 Euro. You connect directly to a Fritzbox, there is no additional bridge. This means that entry into the smart heating world with the AVM / Comet solution is relatively cheap, provided you already have a compatible Fritzbox. Bosch smart radiator thermostat (test report) wants for its starter set consisting of two thermostats, a window contact and the bridge 175 Euro.

In the Homematic IP starter set (test report), buyers will find a thermostat and the access point as well as an optical window contact. If you want to integrate the Homematic IP thermostats into your existing Homematic system, you can do without the access point and use the individual thermostats, which are for example 50 Euro.

Eve Thermo (test report) costs well 60 Euro. An iPhone, iPad or Macbook is required for setup and operation. The Innogy starter set comes with 135 Euro for three thermostats and the bridge almost a bargain compared to the others. Each Innogy thermostat (test report) costs about 50 Euro. Innogy sells many other compatible smart home components. Attention: After twelve months, subscription fees apply.

The Tado Thermostat V3 + (test report) costs about with a thermostat and bridge Euro. With Wiser Heat Thermostat (test report) the entry is because of the cost-intensive WLAN-B

SPC Gear GK630K – TKL keyboard with three types of Kailh switches

A new model joins the TKL range of keyboards: SPC Gear GK 630 K Tournament. It is a small, shortened by a numeric block, mechanical keyboard designed for players. Thanks to its small size, reinforced structure with an aluminum top and a detachable cable, it should work well at home, as well as at tournaments or LAN parties with friends. The user can adjust the RGB backlight to his own preferences – fully configurable, along with profiles – as well as a macro system that accelerates the performance of specific activities, including in games. SPC Gear GK 630 K will be available in three variants: with Kailh Red, Blue or Brown switches included in the price 219 PLN

To the range of keyboards TKL joins a new model: SPC Gear GK 630 K Tournament. It is a small, shortened by a numeric block, mechanical keyboard designed for players.

SPC Gear GK test 540 Magna Kailh Red RGB – in Polish and inexpensive

SPC Gear GK 630 K is the successor to the SPC Gear GK keyboard 530 Tournament. The new GK model 630 K is distinguished by large rubber pads that prevent the keyboard from sliding over the desk. Two-stage legs will also help you choose the right configuration. There will be an adjustable RGB LED backlight supported by extensive software. Another convenience, right after the two-stage legs, is a detachable cable in a fabric braid with specially prepared channels on the bottom, thanks to which the user will be able to conveniently route the “cable”.

SPC Gear LIX and LIX Plus – more featherweight mice are coming

N-Key Rollover on SPC Gear GK Keyboard 630 K is full anti-ghosting. This means that no matter how many buttons are used at the same time, you can be sure that each of them will be registered by the computer. In the set, apart from the keyboard, we find a key to remove keycaps. Considering the price and possibilities, it seems that quite legitimate equipment is being prepared, not only for players, but also for people who write a lot and like the work of blue switches. The following are the key elements of the keyboard specification:

SPC Gear GK keyboard technical specification 630 K Tournament RGB:

Keyboard type: Mechanical

Switch type: Kailh Red, Blue or Brown

Number of buttons: 87

Lighting type: RGB

Plug Type: Gold Plated USB

Cord Length (m): 1.8

Detachable cable: Yes

Software: Yes

Programmable macros: Yes

Wrist rest: No

Anti-Ghosting: Full

Product dimensions : 361, 5 × 140 × 42 , 5

Net weight [g]: 915

Warranty: 24 months

Source: SPC

30869

Fast WLAN on the DSL connection: AVM presents the FRITZ! Box 7530 AX

Today AVM presented to the press section of his official website his new FRITZ! Box 7530 AX in front. The router is designed to offer fast connections and versatility. All DSL connections are supported, including VDSL with supervectoring 35 b, which promises speeds of up to 208 Mbit / s. Furthermore, there is also Wi-Fi 6 for wireless connection of devices at home. In addition to higher data rates and better response times, the WLAN standard also enables the simultaneous use of many devices in the same WLAN environment. The transfer rate is up to 1. 2017 Mbit / s at 5 GHz (3×3) and 600 Mbit / s at 2.4 GHz (2×2). Of course, there is also downward compatibility with previous WLAN generations.

The further equipment includes a telephone system for DECT, IP and analog telephones as well as up to 5 integrated answering machines. In addition, thanks to the DECT base, there is support for up to 6 telephones and smart home applications. From the software side, FRITZ! OS is integrated again. This offers, among other things, the possibility of setting up child protection, setting up a media server, using FRITZ! NAS and offering wireless guest access. The new FRITZ! Box 7530 AX comes with a whole range of AVM’s own apps such as FRITZ! App Fon, FRITZ! App WLAN or FRITZ ! Smart Home app. These allow certain functions and settings on the box to be conveniently managed using a smartphone.

The connections include four Gigabit LAN ports and a USB connection for printers and NAS storage solutions. The box also offers a handy format of 208 x 150 x 37 mm (height, width, depth). The power consumption in standby should be around 6 W and therefore particularly energy efficient. There is also a 5-year manufacturer guarantee. The FRITZ! Box 7530 AX should start in November 2020 come onto the market with a recommended retail price of 150 euros.

Tenda 4G09 is a small WiFi router that uses the GB of LTE Sims

Designed for those who need a connection WIFi based on using an LTE Sim card, the Tenda 4G router 09 offers two Ethernet ports to connect via cable those devices that need it

of Paolo Corsini published on 27 October 2020 , at 09: 41 in the Peripherals channel

Tent LTE

Tenda , a Chinese company specializing in the production of networking solutions for the business public , for some years has also been offering products designed for consumers and for the home user. The purpose of the company is to offer complete solutions, which solve the typical connectivity needs of end users with simplicity and with a reduced economic investment.

With the 4G router 09 Tenda wants to offer a WiFi router that integrates support for LTE connectivity , which can be enabled with your own telephony management by simply inserting a SIM card in the predisposition mounted in the lower part of the product. In this way it is possible to enable Wi-Fi connectivity within your home not only using an ethernet connection to the modem of your connectivity provider, but also using the signal coming from the data network.

The availability of telephony with a very affordable fixed monthly fee but nevertheless able to offer a very high quantity of Gbytes per month makes a product of this type interesting in all those areas in which you do not want (or can) sign up for a subscription with a connectivity provider traditional but at the same time the use of one of the so-called “WiFi soap bars” is not the preferable choice, because you also want to connect products via ethernet .

In the back of Tenda 4G 09 we find two Gigabit Ethernet ports , one of which operates as a WAN while the other is a traditional LAN. The Wi-Fi network is standard 802. ac, then Wi-Fi 5, while the guaranteed connection speed with LTE connection reaches a maximum of 300 Mbps in download and up to 50 Mbps in data upload.

A product of this type is well suited for use in homes with an area in square meters not particularly high: the two external antennas are linked to the LTE signal while those for the WIFi network are integrated into the router structure. The low purchase cost makes it a good choice for those installations where LTE connectivity is an advantage , even if only because the only one actually accessible. The small size makes it easily transportable and can be positioned in any environment, even if the lack of integrated battery requires the presence of a power socket for the small power supply supplied.

Socket	LGA 1200
Chipset	Z490
Form Factor	ATX
Voltage Regulator	14 Phase (8 Vcore) 60A MOSFETs
Video Ports	(1) HDMI (v1.4), (1) DisplayPort (1.2)
USB Ports	(1) USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 Type-C (20 Gbps), (4) USB 3.2 Gen 2, Type-A (10 Gbps), (2) USB 3.2 Gen 1, Type-A (10 Gbps), (1) USB 2.0 (update port for flashing BIOS)
Network Jacks	(1) 1 GbE
Audio Jacks	(5) Analog + SPDIF
Legacy Ports/Jacks	✗
Other Ports/Jack	Wi-Fi Antenna
PCIe x16
PCIe x8	✗
PCIe x4	✗
PCIe x1	(1) v3.0 (x1)
CrossFire/SLI	Nvidia 2-Way SLI
DIMM slots	(4) DDR4 4400+(OC)
M.2 slots	(2) PCIe 3.0 x4 / SATA + PCIe (up to 110mm)
U.2 Ports	✗
SATA Ports	(6) SATA3 6 Gbps
USB Headers	(1) USB v3.2 Gen 2, (1) USB 3.2 Gen1, (2) USB v2.0
Fan/Pump Headers	(7) 4-Pin (2 DC only, 5 PWM+DC)
RGB Headers	(1) Addressable RGB (3-pin), (1) RGB (4-pin)
Legacy Interfaces	✗
Other Interfaces	FP-Audio, TPM
Diagnostics Panel	Yes, 2x two-character panels
Internal Button/Switch	Power, Reset, Safe Boot, BIOS switch
SATA Controllers	ASMedia ASM1061
Ethernet Controllers	(1) Intel I219-V (1 GbE)
Wi-Fi / Bluetooth	Intel AX201 Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax, MU-MIMO, 160 MHz) / BT 5.1
USB Controllers	ASMedia ASM1074
HD Audio Codec	Realtek ALC1220
DDL/DTS Connect	✗ / Yes
Warranty	3 Years

Introduction and technical specifications of the MSI Creator 23 TO14 SGS

Technical characteristics of the MSI Creator 23 TO14 SGS

Design and connectivity

Keyboard and Trackpad

Brightness and Contrast

Color coverage

sRGB vs SRGB mode color tests – UNCALIBRATED

sRGB vs SRGB mode color tests – AFTER CALIBRATION

DCI-P3 vs DCI-P3 mode color tests – NOT CALIBRATED

DCI-P3 vs DCI-P3 mode color tests – AFTER CALIBRATION

Multi-Thread CPU Test

1-thread CPU test

GPU Test

PCMark 14

Design and Creators Test – SPECViewPerf 16

The Division 2

CrystalDiskMark SSD

The importance of a NAS for the backup of your data

Synology DS 220 + manage our media files

Easy to set up, ready to use right away

Data protection notice for Youtube

MSI MAG B 460 M BAZOOKA and B 460 M MORTAR WIFI

MSI MAG B 460 TOMAHAWK as MAG flagship

MSI MPG B 460 I GAMING EDGE WIFI in mini-ITX format

To the range of keyboards TKL joins a new model: SPC Gear GK 630 K Tournament. It is a small, shortened by a numeric block, mechanical keyboard designed for players.

SPC Gear GK test 540 Magna Kailh Red RGB – in Polish and inexpensive

SPC Gear LIX and LIX Plus – more featherweight mice are coming

The application phase begins

Our Verdict

For

Against

Features and Specifications

Specifications – EVGA Z490 FTW WiFi