Microsoft is refreshing its Surface lineup with the Surface Laptop 4 today, which now offers the choice between AMD or Intel processors across both the 13.5- and 15-inch models. Both sizes will ship with Intel’s latest 11th Gen processors or AMD’s Ryzen 4000 series processors. Microsoft is shipping its Surface Laptop 4 on April 15th in the US, Canada, and Japan, starting at $999 for the AMD model and $1,299 for the Intel version — a $300 price gap between the pair.
The difference in pricing likely comes down to the fact that Microsoft isn’t using AMD’s latest 5000 series CPUs here. Instead, Microsoft is using AMD’s Zen 2-based chips for its AMD Ryzen Surface Edition processors. Despite this, performance between the Intel and AMD versions could be rather similar, but we’ll have to wait for full reviews to judge how Microsoft’s choices have landed.
The Surface Laptop 4 color options.Image: Microsoft
These processor improvements allow Microsoft to promise up to 70 percent more performance over the Surface Laptop 3, and some (on paper) battery life gains. Microsoft is promising up to 19 hours of battery life on the 13.5-inch AMD model and up to 17.5 hours on the 15-inch version. The Intel-powered 13.5-inch Surface Laptop 4 is rated up to 17 hours of battery life, while the larger 15-inch model hits 16.5 hours. Both of the Intel versions will also ship with Intel’s latest Iris Xe graphics, which means games like Overwatch will be playable at 1080p ultra.
The Surface Laptop 4 also maintains the same design of the Surface Laptop 3 that shipped in 2019. You’ll be able to pick between the classic platinum Surface style and a new ice blue color on the 13.5-inch models, both of which are Alcantara fabric. Matte black and sandstone are also available in metal options for the 13.5-inch models, while the 15-inch versions are strictly platinum and matte black in metal and no Alcantara fabric.
The Surface Laptop 4 in ice blue.Image: Microsoft
Microsoft hasn’t really updated the rest of the Surface Laptop 4, though. There’s a single USB-C port, one USB-A port, a headphone jack, and Microsoft’s Surface Connect port for charging. There’s still no Thunderbolt support, and the M.2 NVMe SSD is still removable from a slot at the rear of the device.
As a result of the choice between AMD or Intel, the Surface Laptop 4 lineup is pretty complicated this time around. The 13.5-inch base model at $999 is the AMD Ryzen 5 4680U, with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. The Intel base model is the 11th Gen Core i5 1135G7, with 8GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. There will also be a variety of Intel models all the way up to the $2,299 version with a Core i7 processor, 32GB of RAM, and 1TB of storage. A second AMD model with 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage will ship around eight weeks after launch for $1,199.
Over on the 15-inch side, there are more AMD options starting with the $1,299 AMD Ryzen 7 4980U model with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. You can configure this up to 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage for $1,699. The Intel 15-inch models start at $1,799 for the Core i7 1185G7 with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage, or there’s the option for 32GB of RAM and 1TB of storage for $2,399.
Microsoft’s long-awaited new webcam is finally here, alongside a number of accessories designed for the work from home era. Rumors of a new Microsoft webcam have been circulating for years, and the result is what Microsoft calls the Modern Webcam. It’s a fairly basic and affordable 1080p webcam that will start shipping for $69.99 in June.
The Microsoft Modern Webcam will support up to 1080p HDR output at 30fps and connects via USB-A, not USB-C. It’s not the 4K webcam found on Microsoft’s Surface Hub 2, and it doesn’t include Windows Hello support either. It’s really a simple webcam designed for students or workers to quickly add a better video calling option to an existing laptop or PC. Microsoft is also including a privacy shutter and LED indicator to let people easily see when the webcam is active.
Microsoft’s Modern USB-C Speaker.Image: Microsoft
Microsoft is also launching a new USB-C speaker. The Modern USB-C Speaker is designed primarily for Microsoft Teams, and it even includes a button to launch a control panel for Teams with quick actions for meetings. Microsoft’s USB-C speaker includes omni-directional microphones and background noise cancellation to improve audio quality. There are also the usual mute, volume, and call-button controls on the top deck of the dark fabric design.
It’s a compact speaker that’s just five inches wide, with cable storage for the USB-C connection and even a carrying case for protection when moving it around. While it’s designed primarily for meetings, you’ll be able to output any audio out of the speaker so it should be fine for music, too. Microsoft’s USB-C speaker will be available in June priced at $99.99.
Microsoft is also launching new USB and wireless headsets, as well as Surface Headphones 2 Plus today. All three devices include a Microsoft Teams button, and you can read more about them right here.
We’ve barely heard a peep out of Nvidia on the CPU front for years, after the lackluster arrival of its Project Denver CPU and its associated Tegra K1 mobile processors in 2014. But now, the company’s getting back into CPUs in a big way with the new Nvidia Grace, an Arm-based processing chip specifically designed for AI data centers.
It’s a good time for Nvidia to be flexing its Arm: it’s currently trying to buy Arm itself for $40 billion, pitching it specifically as an attempt “to create the world’s premier computing company for the age of AI,” and this chip might be the first proof point. Arm is having a moment in the consumer computing space as well, where Apple’s M1 chips recently upended our concept of laptop performance. It’s also more competition for Intel, of course, whose shares dipped after the Nvidia announcement.
The new Grace is named after computing pioneer Grace Hopper, and it’s coming in 2023 to bring “10x the performance of today’s fastest servers on the most complex AI and high performance computing workloads,” according to Nvidia. That will make it attractive to research firms building supercomputers, of course, which the Swiss National Supercomputing Centre (CSCS) and Los Alamos National Laboratory are already signed up to build in 2023 as well.
A Grace Next is already on the roadmap for 2025, too. Here’s a slide from Nvidia’s GTC 2021 presentation where it announced the news:
I’d recommend reading what our friends at AnandTech have to say about where Grace might fit into the data center market and Nvidia’s ambitions. It’s worth noting that Nvidia isn’t releasing much in the way of specs just yet — but Nvidia does say it features a fourth-gen NVLink with a record 900 GB/s interconnect between the CPU and GPU. “Critically, this is greater than the memory bandwidth of the CPU, which means that NVIDIA’s GPUs will have a cache coherent link to the CPU that can access the system memory at full bandwidth, and also allowing the entire system to have a single shared memory address space,” writes AnandTech.
El Clásico returns on Saturday as Real Madrid host Barcelona in a pivotal La Liga clash that could help decide this season’s Spanish title. All eyes will be on the Estadio Di Stefano for the biggest Clásico in decades. Both teams need to win if they’re to have a chance of challenging table-toppers Atletico Madrid. It’s a late kick-off (8pm BST); here’s how get a Real Madrid vs Barcelona live stream from anywhere.
Real Madrid have confirmed their squad for Saturday and the big team news is that Eden Hazard will watch from the sidelines – the Belgian superstar is yet to fully recover from a muscle injury. By the looks of things, Zinedine Zidane has stuck with the same line-up that beat Liverpool in the Champions League on Wednesday, with the likes of Benzema, Modric and Vinicius all getting the nod.
The tide is starting to turn for Real Madrid, and at the perfect time. They’re currently just a couple of points behind rivals Barcelona, having fallen seven points behind top-of-the-league Atletico Madrid in January. With Atletico suffering a recent shock 1-0 loss to Sevilla, Zidane’s Real will sense an opportunity to make up ground.
Barça are unbeaten in 19 league games but it hasn’t been the best of seasons for Ronald Koeman’s men. They now have a golden opportunity to finish top of the table for the first time in two years – provided they beat Real and win the next eight La Liga fixtures.
Ready to find out which side will conquer El Clásico and move a step closer to La Liga glory? Follow our guide below to watch a Real Madrid vs Barcelona live stream from anywhere – and for free!
La Liga live stream: how to watch Spanish football
How to watch Real Madrid vs Barcelona for free
(Image credit: beIN Sports)
Rights to show La Liga matches in the USA – including the epic Real Madrid vs Barcelona clash – belong to beIN Sports. It’s easily bolted on to your existing cable package and you can watch via the beIN Sports Connect app.
Not got cable? Good news – popular streaming platform FuboTV carries beIN Sports. Better yet, FuboTV offers new subscribers a free 7-day trial. That’s right, you can watch El Clasico for nothing!
Going to be outside the US this weekend? Simply use a VPN to access FuboTV as if you were back in your home state. We recommend ExpressVPN as it comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee and 24/7 customer support.
When the free 7-day trial ends, the entry-level FuboTV package costs $65 per month but it does get you 110 premium TV channels and much more. Not for you? You can cancel any time – there’s no lock-in contract.
Real Madrid vs Barcelona kicks off at 3pm ET / 12pm PT on Sunday morning in the States.
Watch Real Madrid vs Barcelona from abroad using a VPN
Even if you have subscribed to the relevant El Clasico rights holders, you won’t be able to access them when outside your own country. The service will know your location based on your IP address, and will automatically block your access.
A Virtual Private Network (VPN) helps you get around this obstacle. VPNs are a doddle to use and create a private connection between your device and the internet. All the information passing back and forth is entirely encrypted.
We recommend paid-for VPN services, such as ExpressVPN because they are entirely safe, come with 24/7 customer support and can be used to watch sport and other entertainment from any part of the world on almost any device. Try it out with the link below and get three months free.
Try ExpressVPN risk-free for 30 days ExpressVPN offers a 30-day money back guarantee with its VPN service. You can use it to watch on your mobile, tablet, laptop, TV, games console and more. There’s 24/7 customer support and three months free when you sign-up. Try it – it’s easier than you think.
UK: Real Madrid vs Barcelona live stream
(Image credit: Premier Sports)
This Saturday’s clash between Real Madrid and FC Barcelona will be shown live on La Liga TV, which is available as a standalone service via Premier Sports.
The company offers a handy streaming option. The cheapest plan costs £6.99 a month and gets you access to La Liga TV. Splash out £10.99 a month and you get all four channels: La Liga TV, Premier Sports 1 & 2 and Box Nation. Either way, it sounds like a bargain.
La Liga games can also be found on Virgin Media on the recently announced LaLigaTV channel in HD on channel 554. It’s available to all Premier Sports customers but any Virgin Media subscriber can sign up for £9.99 per month through their on-screen service. Use Home > Apps & Games > All Apps > TV Channel Upgrades on the remote. Home also to Italy’s Serie A, Premier Sports is available to Sky TV customers for £11.99 per month, or a £99 annual charge.
Australia: Real Madrid vs Barcelona live stream
(Image credit: Kayo)
Streaming service Kayo Sports offers the best coverage of Real Madrid vs Barca down under.
Subscription costs $25 per month for Kayo Basic or $35 per month for Kayo Premium. The latter is a good option if you want to stream the coverage to various TVs and devices throughout your home.
Better still, Kayo Sports is giving new users a free 14-day trial.
Of course, the free trial is only available in Australia, so any Aussie stuck outside their own country will need to use a VPN to get access.
Crowbits’ progressive STEM kits teach future engineers (ages 6-10 and up) the basics of electronics and programming, but nondurable paper elements and poorly translated documentation could lead to frustration and incomplete projects.
For
+ 80+ Lego-compatible electronic modules and sensors
+ Helpful programming software
+ Progressive learning kits
+ Examples are very helpful
+ Engaging projects for pre-teen and teen engineers
Against
– Inadequate and inaccurate project tutorial
– Cable modules are stiff and pop off easily
– Cardboard projects are flimsy and cumbersome
– Labels are hard to read
They say that the best method of teaching is to start with the basics. This is true for most subjects, but even more so for getting kids involved and interested in learning about electronics and programming. This is exactly Elecrow Crowbits’ approach to launching young inventors and creators into the world of technology.
Available via Kickstarter, the STEM kit series starts with building simple projects that make use of basic electronic concepts, then steps up kids’ skills by introducing projects that require some coding and graduates to more advanced application development. The Crowbits lineup consists of five interactive STEM-based packages, each appropriately themed with projects that cater to kids from ages 6 -10 and up. These are the Hello Kit, Explorer Kit, Inventor Kit, Creator Kit and Master Kit.
With the variety of engineering kits out in the market today, Crowbits’ pricing falls in the mid-range category. Ranging from $26 to $90, depending on which kit you prefer, it is money well spent. One of the key values that Crowbits brings is its focus on teaching kids the basics of electronics through the use of these programmable blocks and sensors and ties that learning to current practical uses, like turning the lights on or off. This simple circuit logic is used to program small home appliances like coffee machines, automatic dispensers or even smart home security systems.
Much like the company’s previous Kickstarter project the CrowPi2, a Raspberry Pi-powered laptop which we reviewed last year, Crowbits also presented issues with documentation. Makers and creators know that clear and concise directions are very important for any project building. Unclear and inadequate instructions causes users, especially beginners, to feel that they may have done something wrong. They may be able to troubleshoot some issues themselves, but if left unresolved an air of defeat and frustration ensues.
Crowbits Setup
Setup for Crowbits starts with choosing which components to use depending on the project the child wants to try. The modules are designed to be plug-and-play so young makers can use them to build structures and experiment right away. Modules are also compatible with the entire series of learning kits, so if you purchased more than one, you can use them interchangeably.
If you want to try building from the suggested projects, of which there are plenty to choose from, note that they become more challenging as you move up in the series and may include some coding and firmware downloads.
How Crowbits Work
(Image credit: Elecrow)
Every kit consists of a number of modules. Each module has magnetic pogo-pins on all sides that help connect them easily. Another way of connecting modules are by the magnetic cables. At the back of each module are Lego holes for seamless integration of Lego bricks to any structure.
(Image credit: Elecrow)
There are four different types of modules and are easily identified by color: Blue for power/logic, yellow for input, green for output and orange for special modules. It’s important to keep in mind a few rules for creating a circuit sequence. There should be at least a power, an input and an output module in order to build a circuit, with the proper sequence having the input block before the output.
There could be multiple input and output blocks in a sequence where the output is controlled by the nearest input block. Lastly, names of modules must be facing up to ensure the correct pins are being used.
Crowbits Module and Sensor Breakdown
(Image credit: Elecrow)
There are four different types of modules and sensors for Crowbits and each function is distinguished by color:
Power Modules (Blue) – the power source and a core module that’s required for every project build. You’ll see a green light that indicates when the power is on. Use the included micro-USB cable to re-charge the power supply when needed.
Logic Modules (Blue) – for basic operations. Includes: 315 MHz Controller, Expansion, etc.
Input Modules (Yellow) – accepts input data like touch, vibration or object detection and passes it to the output modules. Includes: Touch module, IR reflective sensor, light sensor, etc.
Output Modules (Green) – receives command from input module and executes ending action. Examples are: Buzzer module (makes a sound), LED (Y) light up, or vibrate
Special Modules (Orange) – used for advanced programming tasks. Examples are: I2C or UART
Crowbits Software and Hardware
(Image credit: Elecrow)
Programming Languages Supported: Letscode (Elecrow’s visual programming software based on Scratch 3.0), which supports Python and Arduino IDE.
Open Source Hardware Compatibility: ESP32 TFT, Micro:bit board, Arduino UNO and Raspberry Pi (TBA).
OS Supported: Windows and Mac
Crowbits Learning Kits Use Cases
Hello Kit and Explorer Kit
(Image credit: Elecrow)
The Hello Kit and Explorer Kit are learning tools for beginners and targets children ages 6-8 and up. It introduces the concept of modules and their functionality. No coding is required for any of the suggested experiments and projects here. Building the projects with cardboard elements proved to be difficult for my seven-year-old and she got easily frustrated trying to use the thin double-sided tape that came with the kit.
Once the structures were built (with my help) she did enjoy putting the modules together and making things happen like sounding the buzzer on the anti-touching device or making the lights turn on her window display project. Another annoyance to note was when using the cable module that serves to connect modules together. The cable is quite thick and not flexible so it had the tendency to pop off and break the connection for multiple projects.
I would have to say that my daughter was most engaged with the Explorer Kit, perhaps because the projects had more integration with Lego blocks, and some projects were also very interactive like the Quadruped Robot and the Lift, which were her favorites. She enjoyed building the structures and seeing the creations come to life, especially when there was movement, sounds and lights.
Inventor Kit and Creator Kit
(Image credit: Elecrow)
The Inventor Kit and Creator Kit are the intermediate learning tools of the Crowbits series and targets children ages 10 and up. The Inventor Kit includes more advanced projects that incorporate the Micro:bit board in the builds. This requires some coding and the use of Letcsode, Elecrow’s Scratch-based drag-and-drop visual programming software.
The software seemed a bit buggy (mainly in steps like downloading custom code) and there were inaccuracies in the project documentation that led to a lot of troubleshooting on our part. Hopefully, by the time Crowbits is ready for release in June, these kinks will have been resolved.
It is worth noting, though, that the list of projects suggested for the Inventor kit seem to be age-appropriate. My tween worked on the Horizontal Bar and the Ultrasonic Guitar projects. She thoroughly enjoyed the experience and had no issues following the diagrams in building the Lego structures. There was a little hiccup in using the software, as I mentioned earlier, where we were wanting for troubleshooting tips and more clear documentation.
Unfortunately, we were not able to try out the Creator Kit as it was not available when we received our evaluation samples. We may update this review when we receive the Kit after its June release.
Master Kit
(Image credit: Elecrow)
The Master Kit definitely is the most challenging of the engineering kits in the Crowbits lineup, with the task of programming hardware and software to build real-life products like a mobile phone, a game console and a radar. I’ll set aside my comments for this kit as I was unsuccessful in trying to make the phone and console work due to a corrupted SD card.
Additionally, we had intermittent issues while uploading firmware. It is unfortunate because I was looking forward to this kit the most, but perhaps I can re-visit the Master Kit and post an update at a later time.
The one successful project build out of this kit, the radar, honestly left us scratching our heads. The expected results were not seen as we tried a placing variety of objects in the vicinity of the rotating radar dish and none of them seemed to be detected.
Crowbits Learning Kits Specs and Pricing
Modules
Projects
Age
Price
Hello Kit
7 Modules
5 Cardboard Projects
6+
$26
Explorer Kit
13 Modules
12 Projects
8+
$70
Inventor Kit
10 Modules
12 Lego, graphic programming projects and Letscode introduction
10+
$80
Creator Kit
TBD
TBD
10+
$90
Master Kit
TBD
TBD
10+
$90
Crowbits Available Bundles and Special Pricing
Bundles
Kits Included
Pricing
Bundle #1
Explorer Kit, Creator Kit, Master Kit
$239
Bundle #2
Explorer Kit, Inventor Kit, Master Kit
$249
Bundle #3
Hello Kit, Explorer Kit, Inventor Creator Kit, Master Kit
$354
Bottom Line
Despite all its kinks, overall the Crowbits STEM Kit appears to be another great educational tool from Elecrow with the emphasis on educating kids on electrical engineering. Whether it be building simple circuit projects or coding more complex applications for use in everyday living, the Crowbits series provides a complete learning platform for kids ages 6-10 and up.
With its average pricing and the flexibility to pick and choose which kit to purchase, it is an attractive choice for someone looking to buy an educational STEM kit for their child or loved one. Of course you can also buy the entire set as a bundle and enjoy helping your child build models and program as you go through the different stages of electronic learning from basic to advanced concepts. It’s also worth noting that the Letscode software program that comes with the packages is free and supports Python and Arduino programming which is a welcome added bonus.
Intel’s marketing snafus are the gifts that keep on giving. iThinkDifferent reported Wednesday that the company has started advertising “the world’s best processor,” by which it means the Core i7-1185G7, in “a thin and light laptop.” The only problem is that the ad features a MacBook Pro, which doesn’t come with an 11th Gen Core processor.
(Image credit: ChromiumMoon / Intel / Reddit)
Reddit user “ChromiumMoon” shared a picture of the ad in question to the /r/Mac subreddit on Wednesday. Other commentators were quick to point out that the photo also shows an iPhone next to the MacBook Pro, and that the person using the laptop is wearing Beats headphones, so the entire image is filled with Apple products. It is in fact a Getty Images stock photo that also features a Magic Mouse in the uncropped version.
It is unlikely that Apple will be releasing a MacBook Pro with the Core i7-1185G7 in it, because the 13-inch MacBook Pro was one of the first Macs to switch over to Apple’s custom silicon when the M1 chip debuted in November 2020.
It’s not impossible — Apple still offers the MacBook Pro 16″ with Intel processors, and if the company doesn’t have a chip with support for more than just two Thunderbolt 4 ports ready, it could use an 11th Gen Core processor while it works on the M1’s successor.
Two people who regularly predict Apple’s plans, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo and Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman, have both said the company is looking to release a redesigned MacBook Pro lineup this year. Gurman specifically described them as “Apple’s first high-end laptops to move away from Intel Corp. components.”
So someone at Intel simply grabbed a stock image, slapped the promotional text over it, and sent it off to appear in the company’s marketing without realizing the laptop in the image had nothing to do with their product.
Normally that kind of mistake would hardly be worth mentioning. But it takes on a new light given that Intel has recently used some less-than-honest benchmarks to criticize the M1, extolled the virtues of PCs on social media, and hired Justin Long to go from saying “I’m a Mac” to saying “I’m a Justin” in a series of promotional videos.
Alienware is releasing its first laptop with an AMD CPU since 2007. Its parent company, Dell, today announced the Alienware m15 Ryzen Edition R5, alongside a lower-end Dell G15 Ryzen Edition and a Dell G15 refresh with Intel chips.
The Alienware m15 Ryzen Edition R5 will use AMD’s Ryzen 5000 H-series chips paired with Nvidia GeForce RTX 30-series GPUs. Like the Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 SE, it will go up to a Ryzen 9 5900HX, which might give it enough power for consideration on our list of the best gaming laptops (we’ll have to review it first, of course).
The last Alienware laptop to pair with an AMD CPU and an Nvidia GPU was the Aurora mALX, last seen in 2007. That line went up to 19 inches and featured an AMD Turion 64 ML-44 and two Nvidia GeForce Go 7900 GTX cards in SLI.
The new m15 Ryzen Edition R5 will also be the first 15-inch Alienware laptop going to DDR4 memory at 3,200 MHz, and that memory will be user-replaceable.
Specs
Alienware m15 Ryzen Edition R5
Dell G15 Ryzen Edition
Dell G15
CPU
Up to AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX
Up to AMD Ryzen 7 5800H
Up to Intel Core i7-10870H
GPU
Up to Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070
Up to Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060
Up to Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060
RAM
Up to 32GB DDR4-3200MHz, user-replaceable
Up to 32GB DDR4-3200
Up to 16GB DDR4-2933
Storage
Up to 4TB (2x 2TB PCIe M.2 SSD)
Up to 2TB (PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD)
Up to 2TB (PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD)
Display
15.6-inches: FHD at 165 Hz, QHD at 260 Hz or FHD at 360 Hz
15.6 inches: FHD at 120 Hz or 165 Hz
15.6 inches: FHD at 120 Hz or 165 Hz
Release Date
April 20 (United States), April 7 (China), May 4 (Global)
May 4 (Global), April 30 (China)
April 13 (Global), March 5 (China)
Starting Price
$2,229.99
$899.99
$899.99
The m15 Ryzen Edition will come only in the black “dark side of the moon paint job,” as Dell put it, and feature a new two-toned finish, marking the first real change to Alienware’s “Legend” design language. Inside, the laptop uses what Alienware refers to as “Silky-Smooth High-Endurance” paint, which it claims reduces stains and feels like a more premium product.
Alienware’s AMD machine will also benefit from the option of the Cherry MX keyboard it introduced recently on the m15 R4. Additionally, the m15 Ryzen Editionfeatures Alienware’s proprietary cooling, dubbed “Cryo-Tech.”
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(Image credit: Dell)
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(Image credit: Dell)
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(Image credit: Dell)
There are three display options on the new Alienware: A 1080p (1920 x 1080), 360 Hz display for eSports aficionados, a 1440p (2560 x 1440) 240 Hz panel and a 1080p screen at 165 Hz.
The Alienware m15 Ryzen Edition R5 will start at $2,299.99 and go on sale first in China on April 7, in the U.S. on April 20 and with a global release on May 4.
New Dell G15 Gaming Laptops
The two new Dell G15 models use the redesigned chassis that the company
introduced in China in March
, with more aggressive angles and some new colors. The Dell G15 Ryzen Edition model will go up to an AMD Ryzen 7 5800H CPU and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060, while the Intel version will go up to a 10th Gen Intel Core i7-10870H (the Ryzen version uses the faster RAM, while the Intel version does not).
Both G15s will offer 15.6-inch displays with 1920 x 1080 resolution at either 120 Hz or 165 Hz.
(Image credit: Dell)
The two Dell G15 laptops will start at $899.99, with the Intel version launching globally on April 13 and the AMD option hitting on May 4.
If portable audio has been shaped by anything other than advancing headphones technology in recent years, it’s the arrival of portable DACs – pocketable ‘middleman’ devices that connect between a phone or laptop and a pair of headphones to improve sound quality. We’ve had laptop-friendly AudioQuest DragonFlys and the more versatile Audiolab M-DAC nano, for example, and now THX (yes, that same firm famously behind cinema audio standards) is entering the consumer electronics market with a similar device.
The all-new THX Onyx ($200, €210) is a dongle designed to enhance the performance between your USB source and your headphones or desktop speakers. You can plug it into any PC, Mac or Android device toting a USB or USB-C port, with iOS devices requiring the slim Apple Lightning to USB Camera Adapter to be compatible. At the other end, the Onyx has been designed to drive all manner of headphones – those with impedances from 22ohms to 600 – via its 3.5mm jack, through which desktop speakers can also be connected.
It’s the first DAC of its kind to utilise THX’s AAA-78 amplifier technology, which is the highest-powered configuration within the company’s Achromatic Audio Amplifier design and promises the same power output as a desktop THX AAA DAC amp – just in a much smaller package. THX says this technology can “reduce harmonic, intermodulation, and crossover distortion by up to 40dB”, promising a performance with “infinitesimally low levels” of noise and distortion. It also claims this makes the Onyx up to five times more powerful than other similar USB DACs.
Our pick of the best DACs 2021: USB, portable and desktop DACs
(Image credit: THX)
That AAA technology is bolstered by an ESS ES9281PRO DAC chip, as well as a Master Quality Authenticated (MQA) renderer for playing back MQA hard files and (MQA-encoded) Tidal Masters in their native quality.
The Onyx has an all-metal body, with LED lights to signify the quality of file being played through it – blue denotes 44.1kHz or 48kHz PCM files, yellow signifies sample rates above that, while red and pink display DSD and MQA signals respectively. THX has incorporated cable management into the design so that wires from connected headphones are kept neat and tidy, too.
THX Onyx is now available in the United States and Europe for $200 and €210. Needless to say we look forward to taking it for a spin very soon.
MORE:
See all our DAC reviews
Astell & Kern AK USB-C Dual DAC cable promises to boost your portable listening
Alongside the Alienware M15 R5 Ryzen Edition, Dell is also launching a more affordable 15-inch Dell G15 Ryzen Edition gaming laptop. It’s for people who still want to experience AMD’s fast Ryzen 5000 H-series processors, along with an Nvidia RTX 3060 graphics chip, but for less. If the M15 R5’s $2,229.99 starting price is too high, the G15’s $899.99 entry-level configuration might be a more reasonable price point for you to jump in.
The G15’s speckled design might look familiar to you. That’s because Dell actually launched the Intel-based version of this model already, but in China first. This new Ryzen-based laptop is landing first in China as well, on April 30th, followed by a May 4th release elsewhere around the globe.
The starting configuration of the G15 Ryzen Edition will be fairly barebones in terms of RAM and storage, shipping with 8GB of 3,200MHz DDR4 RAM, and 256GB of NVMe M.2 capacity. It packs plenty of power otherwise for a $900 laptop, with a Ryzen 5 5600H hexa-core processor and an Nvidia RTX 3060 with 6GB of VRAM. In case you want something more powerful, the CPU be tweaked up to the Ryzen 7 5800H octa-core CPU, RAM can be added (either through Dell or by opening the laptop yourself), and you can configure it with up to 2TB of solid-state storage. The more powerful processor can also come with a bigger six-cell 86Wh battery, though you’ll get a three-cell 56Wh pack at the $900 mark.
At launch, the G15 can also be configured with a 120Hz refresh rate FHD panel at a fairly standard 250 nits of brightness, or a brighter 300-nit screen with a faster 165Hz refresh rate. Dell says a 360Hz refresh rate screen will be available later in the spring. Dell says the new G15 has adopted an “Alienware-inspired” thermal design to keep it running efficiently, and it certainly looks the part. It’ll come in at least two speckled colors at launch, a green and a grey. Later this year, an all-black model will be available.
The G15 takes some cues from Alienware’s M15 series of much pricier gaming laptops.
This laptop ships by default with non-backlit, spill-resistant keyboard, but there are some upgrades you can make here. The first step up adds orange backlighting beneath the entire keyboard and emphasizes WASD. If orange doesn’t do it for you, there’s a four-zone RGB backlit keyboard that you can customize for a more colorful presentation.
If the Ryzen Edition G15 is anything like last year’s G5 15 SE in terms of performance, I’m excited to test it out. Assuming that it does, even the lower-end model should be reasonably powerful for people trying to stretch their dollar as far as possible.
If you really want the Intel version, Dell says a variant of it will launch in the US on April 13th for $799.99, but it’ll feature a last-gen 10th Gen Intel processor. Dell included this bit of information practically as a footnote, to give you an idea of how much emphasis it’s putting behind Ryzen this time around. The starting model features a Core i5-10200H quad-core CPU with Nvidia’s GeForce GTX 1650 graphics chip. Upgrading can net you the vastly more powerful Core i7-10870H octa-core CPU with the RTX 3060, and you can get Thunderbolt ports. Dell didn’t share the price for the high-end Intel model.
Alienware has announced the latest revision to its flagship gaming laptop lineup, the 15-inch Alienware M15 R5. It’ll start shipping on April 20th in the US, costing $2,229.99 to start. The company is going big with its messaging that it’ll host AMD’s fast Ryzen 5000 H-series processors (up to the octa-core Ryzen 9 5900HX) and up to Nvidia’s RTX 3070 graphics chip. Dell says this is the first Alienware laptop since 2007 to feature an AMD processor.
In case you haven’t noticed, AMD’s processors have been on a tear in the past year, delivering great performance without compromising on efficiency when you aren’t gaming. This is just the latest company to join along the likes of Asus, Lenovo, and even Dell with its G5 15 SE, to name a few. AMD-touting laptops are already among some of the best gaming laptops you can buy. Yet Alienware is possibly the most well-known gaming brand to go AMD yet.
The base configuration of the M15 R5 has the octa-core Ryzen 7 5800H processor and Nvidia’s RTX 3060. You can upgrade to the Ryzen 9 5900HX octa-core processor and the RTX 3070. Both the RTX 3060 and 3070 have a total graphics power level of 115W with 10W of extra boost available for up to 125W of maximum graphics power. Interestingly, the 3060 has a higher base and boost clock (base: 1,387MHz, boost: 1,702MHz) than the 3070 option does (base: 1,110MHz, boost: 1,560MHz).
Either way, these are some of the highest clock speeds we’ve seen yet in a reasonably thin 2021 gaming laptop. Alienware is pushing the boost clocks nearly all the way to the ceiling, and it’s great that it’s transparent about these power specs, since Nvidia now requires that manufacturers share it.
The Ryzen Edition will ship in this silver configuration.
Speaking of dimensions, the R5 is thicker and heavier than the previous R4 generation. The base configuration weighs 5.34 pounds (up to 5.93 pounds, depending on the components inside). The R4’s base configuration weighed 4.65 pounds, for comparison. The R5 is 19.25mm thick at its front (up to 22.85mm thick near the hinge), 272.5mm deep, and 356mm wide. Each configuration will ship with an 86Wh battery, like what shipped in the M15 R4 and R3.
Screen-wise, the R5 can be configured with a range of high-refresh-rate displays. The base FHD screen has a 3ms response time screen with a 165Hz refresh rate, and your options for upgrading are either a dimmer 300-nit 1080p panel with a faster 360Hz refresh rate, 1ms response time, and only 100 percent sRGB color coverage, or a brighter 400-nit QHD screen that has a 240Hz refresh rate, 1ms response time, 100 percent DCI-P3 color gamut, plus G-Sync, which should deliver the smoothest experience even if your framerate dips.
The M15 R5 looks similar to the previous two generations.
If you want to output to a separate display, the laptop’s HDMI 2.1 port means it can display up to 120 frames per second at 4K resolution if your monitor (or TV) supports it. This laptop also features an 2.5Gbps Ethernet port, two USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 ports, one USB-A 3.2 Gen 2, one USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 port, and a headphone jack. There’s no Thunderbolt port, but that Intel technology might find its way into an Intel-based version later on.
Dell says this is the first Alienware laptop to feature fast 3,200MHz DDR4 RAM, and it’s also user-configurable with two SO-DIMM slots. This is a move in the right direction, as the M15 R3 and R4 both had their RAM soldered onto the board, making it impossible to upgrade after you bought it. There are two M.2 slots inside so you can upgrade storage post-purchase, too.
The company says the laptop’s paint has been engineered for “increased stain-resistance and premium surface feel.” This model can be configured to feature Cherry’s Ultra-Low Profile mechanical switches. Dell announced this keyboard collaboration for the M15 R4, and it’ll be available as a $150 add-on for this new model, too.
If you’re looking for a more budget-friendly gaming laptop with a new Ryzen 5000 H-series processor, check out Dell’s $899 G15 that was also just announced.
A pair of Microsoft support pages have appeared for the unannounced Surface Laptop 4, suggesting a launch may be imminent. One is a placeholder for an AMD version of the laptop, while the other is for an Intel model. Both were spotted by WalkingCat, an often reliable source of gadget leaks, who speculates that we might see them launched at a Surface event as soon as next week.
The Microsoft support page doesn’t give many more details on the laptop, but a report from WinFuture last month fills in the details. The AMD processors used will reportedly be from its 4000 mobile series, and will include the Ryzen 5 4680U and the Ryzen 7 4980U. That’s a step up from the 3000-series chips used in 2019’s Surface Laptop 3, but anyone hoping to see AMD’s brand new Ryzen 5000 mobile processors here might be disappointed.
On the Intel side, WinFuture notes we should see 11th-gen chips like the Core 15-1145G7 and the Core i7-1185G7.
The support page lists drivers for the unannounced laptop.Screenshot: Microsoft.com
Otherwise, the specs and form-factor of the Surface Laptop 4 are reportedly broadly in line with previous models. There’ll apparently be 13.5- and 15-inch models available, with a maximum of 32GB of RAM and 1TB of storage. Their screens should maintain that excellent 3:2 aspect ratio.
Microsoft is yet to make any official announcements about when its new laptops could be launched, but considering the support pages are already live a release can’t be far away.
Asus is apparently preparing what could be the ultimate AMD gaming laptop. According to a CPU-Z posting, the new iteration of the ROG Strix G15 will arrive with a lethal combination of AMD’s Ryzen 9 5900HX (Cezanne) processor and Radeon RX 6800M graphics cards.
The unreleased laptop (via Tum_Apisak) sports the G513QY model number. Unless Asus is working on a new gaming laptop, the G513 corresponds to the brand’s ROG Strix G15 G513, which was previously only available with discrete graphics options from Nvidia.
For starters, the G513QY will be based on the flagship Ryzen 9 5900HX processor. Asus already offers the ROG Strix G15 with the aforementioned processor, though. The octa-core Zen 3 chip features a 3.3 GHz base clock and a 4.6 GHz boost clock. However, the Ryzen 9 5900HX supports overclocking and a cTDP up to 54W, so there is enough wiggle room for overclocking.
In terms of discrete graphics, the G513QY will rely on the forthcoming Radeon RX 6800M, which is the mobile version of the Radeon RX 6800. AMD hasn’t officially announced the mobile RDNA 2 (Big Navi) graphics cards yet, so the specifications are unknown. However, the CPU-Z submission points to the Radeon RX 6800M having up to 12GB of GDDR6 memory, only 4GB less than the desktop counterpart.
Having an AMD processor and graphics card in the same device obviously brings benefits. The fusion will enable the G513QY to leverage AMD’s SmartShift technology that balances the power between the processor and graphics card according to the workload. AMD touts a performance boost of up to 14% with SmartShift enabled. The technology debuted with Dell’s G5 15 SE, so it’s good to see other vendors going all-in with AMD.
The Radeon RX 6800M will logically be the bell cow of the mobile RDNA 2 army. Assuming that AMD will replace every mobile RDNA 1 part with an equivalent, we could be seeing up to three more SKUs, such as the Radeon RX 6700M, RX 6600M and maybe even a RX 6500M. AMD hasn’t given any clues when it will unleash its mobile RDNA 2 offerings though.
(Pocket-lint) – The Asus TUF Dash F15 is another of the company’s ultra-thin gaming laptops, which sports some serious specs in a compact, lightweight and portable frame.
Available in two colours with a small mix of specs options and some nifty design accents, the TUF Dash F15 is interesting enough on paper, but is it worth a buy? We’ve been gaming and working with it for a couple of weeks to find out.
A compact frame that packs power
Up to Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 GPU, 8GB GDDR6 RAM
Up to Intel Core i7-11370H processor
Up to 32GB DDR4 3200Mhz RAM
Up to 1TB M.2 NVMe
In classic Asus fashion, the TUF Dash F15 features some nifty tech packed into a compact frame. That chassis has been put through the usual military standard durability tests, which in reality results in a solid frame that feels robust and well built. It doesn’t bend or flex easily during use and yet is light enough to carry around with you, or position on your lap when gaming.
Outwardly the TUF Dash F15 is also easy on the eyes. It’s available in two different colours – Moonlight White or Eclipse Gray – with understated accents on the shell and an equally subtle backlit keyboard.
Super-narrow bezels also ensure maximum screen real-estate and “minimal distraction” – though this does come at the expense of a webcam (ugh!).
Hidden within that frame is some powerful tech with options that include some of the best from Nvidia and Intel. This means the TUF Dash F15 is a capable gaming machine that can take advantage of ray tracing and DLSS, while also maximising performance with Dynamic Boost and keeping things running quietly with Whisper Mode.
Pocket-lint
Naturally, the specs of this gaming laptop mean you can push the visuals up to maximum, but still get frame rates high enough to make the most of the 240hz screen. The Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 is more than capable of driving this 15.6-inch display at Full HD resolution and delivering smooth gameplay experiences with satisfying visuals.
With this spec, you can also manage streaming to Twitch and the like if you want, while the addition of a RJ45 connection means you’ll have a solid connection when doing so.
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The keyboard on this laptop is fairly basic compared to other Asus laptops we’ve tested though. At least in terms of RGB lighting anyway. There are very basic settings here, with just a few effects and no per-key illumination. It does, however, have some nicely accented WASD keys which help those stand out.
Pro grade gaming screen options
15.6-inch Full HD (1920 x 1080) anti-glare IPS display
Adaptive-sync panel – up to 240Hz refresh rate
Colour gamut: 100% sRGB, 75.35% Adobe
Benchmarks: Timespy, Timespy Extreme, Port Royal, Firestrike Ultra, Firestrike Extreme, PC Mark
Despite only being 15.6-inches, the panel on this gaming laptop gives the impression of something larger. The thin bezels mean the screen stands out nicely and didn’t lead us to feel like we were straining to see our targets in Rainbow Six Siege or struggling fighting skeletons in Valheim.
The viewing angles on this screen are also satisfying, as are the colours. The Adaptive-Sync tech means the panel is also synchronised nicely with the GPU which results in ultra-smooth gaming visuals.
As with other Asus gaming laptops, the TUF Dash F15 lets you use Armoury Crate to tweak the visuals. There are various settings that adjust the colours of the screen to suit your mood or need. This includes settings for Vivid, Cinema, RTS, FPS, and Eye Care. You can tweak what you’re seeing to maximise the look and feel of a game or eliminate eye-taxing blue light if you’re simply using the laptop for work.
Armoury Crate also lets you do things like monitor system performance, frequencies and temperatures, and switch between the various performance modes to increase power or reduce fan noise.
Performance-wise, the TUF Dash F15 does a good job. It wasn’t quite as impressive as the ROG Strix G15 we tested recently but still manages some decent frame-rates.
Where that laptop managed 64fps on Assassin’s Creed Odyessy, this TUF Dash F15 averaged 50fps. Similarly, the G15 pushed 200fps in Rainbow Six Siege while the TUF Dash F15 got around the 150fps mark. Still, those aren’t performance levels to be sniffed at on the maximum settings – but shows that the slender frame has an impact overall.
Convenient connectivity?
1x Thunderbolt 4 (USB 4, supports DisplayPort)
3x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, 1x HDMI 2.0b
1x 3.5mm jack, noise-cancelling mic
1x RJ45 LAN port
Wi-Fi 6(802.11ax)
Bluetooth 5.1
Continuing a trend of usefulness, the TUF Dash F15 sports a decent number of ports and connectivity options. For those serious gamers looking to stream or game with a solid connection, there’s an Ethernet port, but the machine is also Wi-Fi 6 capable – which means a solid and satisfying connection whatever you’re doing.
There’s also no shortage of USB ports. Though we will note Asus has chosen to place two of them on the right-hand side, which is a pain when you’re trying to use a dedicated gaming mouse rather than the lacklustre trackpad for your gaming sessions.
Yes, we didn’t get on with the trackpad on this laptop. It’s finicky and frustrating and the fact that two out of the three USB Type-A ports are on the right means you need a decent amount of desk space to comfortably game and not have wires get in the way – unless you have a wireless mouse.
That’s not the only connection niggle either. Once again, if you want to use DisplayPort to output to an external monitor you’ll need to buy an adapter as it’s only available via USB-C. There’s no standard DisplayPort or Mini DisplayPort connection – which is a pain if you’re planning on gaming in VR.
As with other recent thin and light gaming laptops from Asus, there’s also the distinct lack of a webcam. This is an odd choice in our mind considering how many Teams, Skype and Zoom video calls we’ve all been having in the last year. If you’re purely using it for gaming though, then it’s not a bother – as you’ll want a better accessory separate anyway.
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The TUF Dash F15 has speakers that are capable enough to overpower its cooling fans and a two-way noise cancellation mic setup which means you can be heard if you’re using the built-in mic to chat to friends. It’s still worth investing in a decent gaming headset if you really want to get lost in the games – as on max settings the fans are far from quiet and you will eventually get fed up with the white noise whirr from them.
Battery life
76WHr li-ion battery
200W AC charger
One area the TUF Dash F15 impresses is battery life. We could get through most of the day working and browsing and we also managed hours and hours of Netflix watching before the machine ran out of juice. In a gaming specific laptop away from the plug that’s an unusual accomplishment.
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We did note a performance hit when playing on battery alone – and that was a more significant one than we encountered with the Strix G15. But then if you want to make the most of the display you’ll be using it plugged in for gaming anyway.
But for general day-to-day use, this laptop won’t disappoint and you certainly won’t find yourself running for the plug every five minutes.
Verdict
All told, the Asus TUF Dash F15 manages to live up to expectations. It’s a decent performer with some nice specification options – at a price tag that isn’t going to make you cry.
With the right games you’ll get some seriously impressive frame rates to make the most of the fast-refresh screen. When maxing out those games this laptop doesn’t get too hot or loud either, all while lasting for a decent innings on battery alone.
What more could you want? Well, there are other options that can squeeze out yet more performance – but it’ll depend on just how much more you’re willing or able to spend for that performance bump.
Also consider
Pocket-lint
Asus ROG Strix G15
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A more premium device with a heftier price tag to match, but it’s really a magnificent gaming laptop. There’s more RGB for a start, better performance overall, and a lot more style.
Read our review
Pocket-lint
Razer Blade 15 Advanced
squirrel_widget_2693967
If understated externals are your thing, then this Razer might be another alternative. Again, it’s another powerhouse, but this laptop is a pleaser in multiple areas – apart from the massive price, but of course.
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I’ve read plenty about what it’s like to use, hold, and type on an LG Gram before, but that didn’t take away from the impressive first impression it made when I used the new Gram 17 for the first time — especially this larger model. The Gram 17 has a grandiose 17-inch display, yet it’s only three pounds, which is light enough for me to carry around one-handed. Its keyboard is a joy to type on with a surprising amount of tactility and travel in the keys, and the battery life outlasts a whole day of work, even much of a second one, too. It’s a quiet laptop, and even under pressure, its fans weren’t loud enough for me to hear once.
The Gram communicates its biggest selling points — lightness and longevity — so effectively that it outshines some persisting minor problems. Those include a keyboard layout that can be difficult to adjust to. For instance, the num lock is too easy to press accidentally, being right next to backspace, and the only function key is located too far away from the most essential function row buttons, making it a stretch to adjust the volume one-handed. Lastly, the large trackpad isn’t always good at palm rejection. These are important things for any laptop to get right, let alone one that has a bunch of extra real estate that should be used to avoid flaws like these.
This new model for 2021 is mostly a spec update, not a design overhaul compared to the 2020 version. But it’s a good update, at that. Inside of LG’s sole $1,799 Gram 17 configuration (it’s been available for $1,699 since late March), there’s now an 11th Gen Intel Core i7 quad-core processor that promises — and actually delivers — better performance and longer battery life than the 2020 model my colleague Monica Chin reviewed. Additionally, this model’s faster 4,266MHz LPDDR4X RAM, of which it has 16GB, likely plays a role in that speed boost. It’s not a drastically different computer to use than before, but it can hold its own more reliably this time around.
While running my usual collection of around 10 tabs in Microsoft Edge for work, with Slack and Spotify running in tandem, performance didn’t stutter at all. This is the bare minimum of competency tests for laptops, so for something more demanding, I exported a five-minute, 33-second test file from our Verge video team through Adobe Premiere Pro. Last year’s model took 30 minutes to do this, but this one gets it done in around 11 minutes. That doesn’t hold a candle to laptops that put more of an emphasis on power usually at the expense of heft, but it’s enough of an improvement to make the Gram 17’s price a little easier to justify. Razer’s Book 13 with the same processor fared just about a minute faster with this test, but the Gram is on par with the latest Dell XPS 13 and Asus ZenBook 14.
The battery is also mystifyingly good — and better than before. With that same batch of apps I mentioned earlier, the Gram 17 lasted an entire workday and well into the next, around 12 or so hours later. If you’re looking for a laptop that can go a full day of work without its charger, whether you have video calls or not, this is one for your shortlist. It features the same 80Wh battery as last year’s model, which is still impressive considering the Gram 17’s lightweight profile.
Also similar to the 2020 version is its USB-C charging. LG now includes a 65W USB-C power adapter instead of the 48W charger that shipped with the previous model. It can more quickly recharge with the included brick (which is no bigger than a compact power bank), but it still takes a few hours to refill it completely.
That sums up the biggest changes to this year’s Gram 17. There are a few smaller tweaks I liked, too. The arrangement of ports has been shifted around in a more logical layout. On the left side, there’s a Thunderbolt 4 port (it can be used for charging, data, or connecting to a display), one USB-C 4.0 Gen 3 port, a headphone combo jack, and an HDMI port. Over on the right is where you’ll find two USB Type-A 3.2 Gen 2 ports next to a microSD card slot and a Kensington lock.
If you’re shopping around for 17-inch laptops, you’ll be hard-pressed to find anything lighter than the Gram. It’s 2.98 pounds, which is just a little heavier than the 13-inch MacBook Air. The Dell XPS 17 is one of LG’s main competitors in this space, yet its baseline model weighs over a pound and a half more. If you get an XPS 17 model like the one we reviewed in July 2020, it’ll weigh almost as much as two Gram 17s at 5.53 pounds. That added weight does bring more power and a dedicated GPU in the Dell, but if you just want a big, portable screen for productivity, the Gram is more than capable.
As my colleague Monica Chin mentioned in her review of the 2020 LG Gram 17, this laptop isn’t a looker. It still doesn’t stack up next to the high-end design of the XPS 17, which features an aluminum chassis. The Gram has a tough magnesium alloy-clad body, but it looks and feels plasticky. That said, there’s technically nothing flawed about its design, and it seems better than most black aluminum laptops I’ve tried at resisting fingerprints. Some people might actually prefer that its design doesn’t stick out much, even when its backlit keyboard is on.
Something minor that I wish LG offered with this model is the option for a matte display. It’s rare for ultrabooks to have them, but I find it hard to stay focused on what’s happening on the screen when I can see a reflection of all my apartment’s happenings staring back at me. Wherever you use this laptop, glare could be a big problem, like it can be with a TV. This doesn’t take away from the Gram 17’s display being sharp and vivid. It’s a WQXGA (2560 x 1600) IPS non-touch panel from the company’s own display division, and it makes everything look excellent with 99 percent DCI-P3 color gamut coverage. If a touchscreen is important to you, LG’s Gram 2-in-1 laptops feature them. LG was one of the first Windows laptop makers to move to a 16:10 aspect ratio, and the Gram 17 has one, too. It gives you a little more vertical real estate to work with on the screen compared to 16:9 displays. It’s most beneficial for productivity (you see more info at once, so less scrolling is necessary), but you’ll have black letterboxing for most full-screen videos you watch.
The Gram is short on bloatware, which I love to see. It ships with Amazon’s Alexa built-in, though it requires activation before you can use the service. A few other preinstalled apps include McAfee LiveScan and a suite of creator tools from CyberLink. Compared to some other laptops I’ve used recently, like Acer’s Predator Triton 300 SE, the Gram doesn’t shove pop-up notifications in your face seemingly every time you use it.
There are few 17-inch laptops to choose from and even fewer models that are as lightweight as this one. This year’s LG Gram 17 is unique in the sense that it’s more powerful than ever, but it doesn’t give up its portability. Oddly enough, the only competition it faces at the moment comes from within LG. The 16-inch Gram is lighter and less expensive, yet it features the same design, screen size, port selection, battery capacity, and specs (aside from having significantly less storage) for $1,399. You can find one that has the same 1TB storage as the Gram 17 for $1,599. If the Gram 17’s $1,799 price is too expensive, at least you have an alternative that’ll likely deliver the same great results.
But if the price isn’t an issue and you want a surprisingly portable and powerful laptop with an oversized screen, the Gram 17 is in a class of its own.
Razer has been a loyal supporter of Team Blue. However, the tech giant may have finally bitten the bullet and joined up with Team Red. If the recently discovered 3DMark submissions (via _rogame) are accurate, Razer will release the company’s first-ever AMD-powered gaming laptop soon.
The mysterious laptop emerged as the Razer PI411. There is speculation that the codename may allude to the Razer Blade 14, which debuted back in 2013. The last time Razer updated the Razer Blade 14 was in 2016, so a well-deserved update is due. Nevertheless, we can’t discard the possibility that PI411 could just be a codename for any other Razer device.
The Razer PI411 features AMD’s top-tier Ryzen 9 5900HX (Cezanne) processor. The Ryzen 9 5900HX is AMD’s first overclockable mobile processor, and the chipmaker designed it to take the fight to Intel’s HK-series of mobile chips, such as the Core i9-10900HK or the looming Core i9-11980HK.
Armed with eight Zen 3 cores and 16MB of L3 cache, the Ryzen 9 5900HX comes with a 3.3 GHz base clock and a 4.6 GHz boost clock. It has a generous cTDP (configurable thermal design power) between 35W and 54W. The last Razer Blade 14 (2016) employed the Core i7-6700HQ, a 45W processor from the Skylake days. The gaming laptop is no stranger to housing hot chips. If Razer wants to work the Ryzen 9 5900HX into the Razer Blade 14, the new iteration will likely have to rely on a more robust cooling solution than its predecessors to leave enough thermal headroom for manual overclocking.
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Razer PI411 (Image credit: _rogame/Twitter)
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Razer PI411 (Image credit: _rogame/Twitter)
The Razer PI411 is also equipped with 16GB of DDR4-3200 memory and a 512GB NVMe SSD. However, it’s probably just an engineering sample, so the final product could arrive with more memory and a bigger SSD. So far, we’ve seen the Razer PI411 with two discrete graphics card options from Nvidia. As a quick reminder, the chipmaker’s latest mobile GeForce RTX 3000 (Ampere) offerings are available at different TDP limits, which adds a lot of confusion if the vendor doesn’t specifically list the value.
The first Razer PI411 unit employs a GeForce RTX 3060. The 14 Gbps memory confirms that the Razer PI411 uses the GeForce RTX 3060 Mobile or Max-P variant as opposed to the Max-Q variant. The 900 MHz base clock points to the 80W version.
The second and most recent Razer PI411 unit, on the other hand, leverages the more powerful GeForce RTX 3070. The memory is clocked at 12 Gbps, meaning it’s the Max-Q variant. This particular GeForce RTX 3070 Max-Q sports a 780 MHz base clock, so it coincides with the 80W version as well.
The 3DMark submissions aren’t conclusive evidence that Razer is sold on the idea. We hope Razer does go through with it, though, since the laptop market could use another high-end AMD-based laptop.
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