Every Friday, The Verge publishes our flagship podcast The Vergecast to discuss this week in Verge headlines. Here’s what The Verge’sNilay Patel, Dieter Bohn, and Adi Robertson focus the episode on this week: Google’s mysterious lack of iOS app updates, the rumors around an Apple-made VR / AR headset, and the gadget headlines you may have missed.
This week, users of the iOS versions of Google’s apps were shown a prompt claiming the software was “out of date” and suggesting updates to the current versions due to security risks. However, Google had not updated their apps yet and haven’t for several weeks now. The Vergecast crew discuss whether this is related to Apple’s new mandatory App Store privacy labels and what leverage Google might be trying to gain.
Also, it’s another week of rumored Apple products. Last week, the podcast dived into the much-rumored Apple Car and the potential manufacturers that would be teaming up with the tech company to make the vehicle. This week, they update which companies have downplayed these rumors, as well as what other much-rumored product Apple may be developing — a VR headset.
There’s a whole lot more discussed in this episode — like a glimpse of what Android 12 may look like, a laptop with seven screens, and a North Dakota bill that may force alternative app stores on the iPhone — so listen here or in your preferred podcast player for the full discussion.
As usual, Intel’s poised for a busy year. The company has already launched its new 11th Generation Tiger Lake H35 mobile chips, and 11th Gen Rocket Lake should blast into the market this year to take on the likes of AMD Ryzen 5000. This week during The Tom’s Hardware Show, Intel also discussed the role resizable BAR is playing in its efforts to boost performance for gamers opting for those chips.
Through an advanced feature available through PCIe , resizable BAR lightens the burden on a GPU’s VRAM by only transferring data, like shaders and textures, when needed and, if there are multiple requests, simultaneously. This should boost gaming performance by allowing the CPU to “efficiently access the entire frame buffer,” as Nvidia put it. AMD already tackles this with its Smart Access Memory (SAM) feature available with Radeon RX 6000 graphics cards, but Nvidia added support for RTX 30-series mobile cards in January, with desktop graphics card support beginning in March.
Intel’s GM of premium and gaming notebook segments, Fredrik Hamberger, got into support for resizable BAR on The Tom’s Hardware Show, saying Intel collaborated with graphics card makers, namely Nvidia and AMD, for implementation. The goal, he said was a “standard solution” that could be compatible with multiple vendors.
Intel’s H35-series mobile chips, which target ultraportable gaming laptops, already support resizable BAR, as do all of Intel’s Comet Lake-H series chips and upcoming H45 series, Hamberger said. It’s just up to the laptop and graphics card makers to make the feature usable.
“The final drivers, from our side, it’s already there,” Hamberger told Tom’s Hardware. “Some of the OEMs are working on finalizing exact timing on when they have the driver from the graphics vendors, so I think you’d have to ask them on the exact timing.”
The exec also pointed to some games seeing performance gains of 5-10%.
“It is a pretty nice boost by just turning on this pipeline and, again, standard implementation versus trying to do something custom and proprietary,” Hamberger said.
Of course, the more games that support resizable BAR, the better. But Hamberger has confidence that we’ll see a growing number of game developers make that possible.
“It’s a pretty late feature that … is being turned on, but since it’s following a standard, I think that the nice thing is if you’re a developer you don’t have to worry about it being like, ‘Hey, [only] these three systems have it.’ It’s gonna be available both on notebooks … it’s part of our Rocket Lake platform as well on the desktop side,” Hamberger said.
“Our expectation is that you’ll see more and more developers turn on the ability to use this, and we’ll continue to scale it.”
You can enjoy this week’s episode of The Tom’s Hardware Show via the video above, on YouTube, Facebook, or wherever you get your podcasts.
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While many of us moved to home offices when companies sought to avoid COVID-19 infection, for some people, working at home is the norm. One of those people is Sam Byford, Asia editor for The Verge, who works out of a home office in Tokyo, Japan.
We talked to Sam to find out how he has equipped his own home office and to see whether it matters these days if your remote desk is five miles away or about 6,700 miles away from your organization’s main office.
Tell us a bit about yourself and what you do at The Verge.
I’m from the UK, and I’ve been based in Japan since 2008 — first in Osaka, now in Tokyo, where I live with my wife and our dog and our bunny. I came on board The Verge just as the site launched in 2011.
I am now The Verge’s Asia editor, which means two things really. I handle much of our Asia-specific coverage, of course, but I’m also an editor who happens to be in Asia, which is helpful from a time zone perspective. If critical news breaks after the US signs off and before Europe wakes up, or if someone needs an edit on a piece that we’re timing for the morning in the US, that’s often me.
That’s a great space you have. Was that an existing setup, or did you put it together once you knew you’d be working at home?
I’ve been working from home for as long as I’ve been with The Verge, but this is still quite a new setup. My wife and I moved into a bigger place at the end of last year, and it turned out to be good timing since we now both have our own offices and are both at home all day. I didn’t bring any furniture in the move and essentially started from scratch.
The “gaming” desk is on the left; the “working” desk is on the right.
I didn’t expect to see two desks! It looks like one is for gaming and the other for working.
That is exactly what they’re for! In our last place, I had a giant integrated setup on a single L-shaped glass desk. But I found it impossible to keep things organized, and I never really felt like I was off work. With this room, I decided to abandon the idea of coherent, tasteful interior design and went for an unassuming wooden desk for my Mac with an ostentatious gaming setup on the left.
Tell me about the desks themselves. Where did you get them, and how did you decide which ones to get?
They’re both from Rakuten, which often has a bunch of third-party sellers offering near-identical products of unclear origin. The wooden one is simple, but it has convenient storage and a shelf to raise the monitors. The gaming desk came from a seller called PandaTech, and it has RGB lighting, a cup holder, cable management, a USB hub, a controller rack, a headphone hanger, and a fitted mouse mat. I’m not usually into the RGB-heavy gamer aesthetic, but I thought it’d be fun to lean into it as a way to create distinct spaces in the same room.
Did you choose your chair especially, or is that just something you had available?
It’s a Herman Miller Sayl, which is a common chair — Vox Media’s NYC office has hundreds of them. I bought one without arms, though, because it works a little better for my posture. I’m tall, and it’s hard to find chairs that don’t encourage me to slouch. Also, I like the red.
This is obviously going to take a while, but could you tell me about your tech setup?
*deep breath* Okay, so my main work machine is a 2018 15-inch MacBook Pro. I basically never use it as a laptop unless I’m going to trade shows, which, for obvious reasons, I haven’t done since CES 2020, so I like this Brydge vertical dock that turns it into a skinny desktop computer and saves a ton of space. I go through quite a lot of mechanical keyboards, but right now, I’m using a Keychron K2, which is working out great. It’s comfortable to type on, looks good, and works seamlessly with macOS.
The MacBook is hooked up to two LG UltraFine 4K monitors, the discontinued 21-inch model and the current 24 inch. Below them, there’s an Apple HomePod for music and Mac audio, and next to that is one of three original Google Wifi routers we have around the apartment. The camera is a Nikon Df, which I use for most of my personal photography, and I also keep my Nintendo Switch Lite charging on this desk. There are a bunch of dongles, power cables, and wireless chargers in easy reach, plus my two current personal phones: an iPhone SE and a Pixel 4A.
My gaming PC lives under the other desk, and it’s a custom build from 2016. The monitor is an Asus PG279Q, and the speakers are Harman Kardon Soundsticks, which are also hooked up to my Sony record player across the room over Bluetooth. (I’m not an analog purist.) There’s an Oculus Quest VR headset, a Thrustmaster Airbus flight stick, and a Neo Geo Arcade Pro fight stick. There is a dedicated button on my gaming desk to cycle through the colored lighting.
And the Google Nest Hub?
The Google Nest Hub is a recent addition that I got for two specific reasons: to control my Hue smart lights and to keep an eye on Pascal, our unhinged Shiba puppy who spends most of the day upstairs and occasionally tries to destroy our living room. I have a cheap TP-Link Kasa camera hooked up, which does the job.
That’s a great toy collection. Do you have any favorites?
I would say the cacti, which come from an amazing cactus-themed zoo (yes) near Mt. Fuji that my wife and I went to this summer. You can pick the cacti yourself and choose the pots to plant them in, and I like bears and dinosaurs, so.
Cacti, bears, and dinosaurs.
Okay, I need to know about those polar bear basketball players hanging around your computer.
The bear is, for reasons I’m not sure I understand, the mascot character of a Japanese cosmetics brand called Smelly. There’s a store in Harajuku with a gacha machine featuring it in various poses, and I liked the basketball one, so I gave it a shot. Thankfully, it came out quickly.
Do you do game playing on both desks? (I see controllers on the right-hand desk.)
Not unless it’s work-related. The Switch just lives there on its charging dock, and those little handheld consoles are Game Gear Micros that I was in the process of reviewing. There aren’t really any situations where I’d play a game on a Mac when there’s a PC right next to it.
How do you keep the world out while you’re working — or do you need to?
I get locked in pretty easily. The outside light is super bright in the mornings here, even on cloudy days, so I just close the curtains for a few hours and settle in. We live in a mostly quiet neighborhood, so the biggest distraction is our dog, really.
I see you like basketball. (That may be putting it mildly.) Is there anything special about that poster?
My Torontonian wife got me into the Toronto Raptors soon after we met, and now I’m a big fan. This is a print of Kawhi Leonard scoring his iconic Game 7 buzzer-beater over the Sixers to send the Raptors to last year’s Eastern Conference finals on their way to the NBA championship. It’s a great, inspiring image that has taken on new meaning after Kawhi bounced to LA only to see his Clippers collapse embarrassingly in the playoffs this year. I should maybe get it framed or something, but honestly, I kind of like just having sports posters on my wall.
The Toronto Raptors and an OK Computer CD cover.
How about the small print on your wall?
That’s an OK Computer CD cover signed by Thom Yorke from Radiohead. My dad used to be an obsessive autograph hunter, and back when I lived in the UK, we’d often go to gigs together, and he’d wait around for hours afterward to get things signed. Radiohead was one of my favorite bands as a kid, so it’s a neat thing to have that reminds me of home.
Is there anything you’d like to change about or add to the current setup?
I’m mostly good, but I don’t think my gaming PC is going to last very long once next-generation consoles with much better CPUs are on the market. So I’ll probably be looking to rebuild in a year or so. I would also love for Apple to make a version of its 6K pro monitor that doesn’t cost $6,000.
Also, I recently bought Belkin’s ridiculously named Boost↑Charge Pro 3-in-1 Wireless Charger with MagSafe. Charging Apple devices has gotten more complicated recently, at least for me. Now that the Apple Watch tracks sleep, I’ve been charging it with a messy cable at my desk for an hour or so when I start the day instead of overnight. And the iPhone 12 mini turns out to be too small for most stands — the charging coil isn’t high enough on the back of the phone. Belkin’s new charger solves both of those problems.
Update February 11th, 2021, 5:15PM ET: This article was originally published on October 21st, 2020. Several links and prices have been updated, and the Belkin Wireless Charger has been added.
Several of LG’s 2021 Gram laptops are now available for purchase. LG announced the new lineup earlier this year but had not yet announced pricing or availability.
The models you can buy now are the Gram 14, the Gram 16, and the Gram 17. The company also has two convertible laptops — the Gram 14 2-in-1 and the Gram 16 2-in-1 — coming in mid-March.
The 14-inch convertible is coming in mid-March.Image: LG
The models are targeting the high-end ultraportable space, with Gram 14 configurations starting at $999. Gram 16 models start at $1,299, while the singular Gram 17 model is $1,799. This last model only comes in black, while the 16-inch and 14-inch counterparts come in white and silver as well.
Gram laptops are known for being unusually light: the Gram 17 is just 2.98 pounds, which is virtually unheard of for a 17-inch laptop. Gram models we’ve reviewed in the past have also featured excellent battery life and good, roomy displays. (All Gram models have 16:10 aspect ratios.) The new laptops all include Intel’s new 11th Gen processors and are certified through Intel’s Evo program (which means Intel thinks they’re top performers).
You can purchase available models now on LG’s website.
A Chinese tweaker has almost managed to break records on the notebook 3DMark scoreboard by modifying an RTX 3080 equipped ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 to run at 155W instead of the GPU’s default TDP of 130W.
The mod was made by transferring the VBIOS from another RTX 3080 equipped laptop, the MSI GE76 to the Zephyrus Duo 15. Since the GE76’s RTX 3080 comes with a 155W power limit, this change will get transferred to the Zephyrus Duo 15 when you swap VBIOSes.
The Chinese overclocker managed a 3DMark TimeSpy graphics score of 13,691 points and an overall score of 13,174. Compared to the desktop sector, this modified RTX 3080 managed to beat the best RTX 3060 Ti TimeSpy Graphics score by roughly 100 points. But it loses in the overall score by around 700 points due to the CPU differences. Overall, this means the RTX 3080 mobile is 1% faster than the desktop RTX 3060 Ti.
Compared to other RTX 3080 laptops, the modified Zephyrus Duo 15 is in 2nd place at the time of this writing, and has an average graphics lead of 200-300 points over other 3080 mobile chips. Most RTX 3080 laptops score an average of 13,200 points with some hitting the 13,400 mark. This means the modified RTX 3080 mobile is 1.2% faster than other RTX 3080s.
Unfortunately, we don’t know if the modified RTX 3080 was overclocked or not. The author mentions nothing in terms of a core or memory overclock, so we believe his score was from the increased power limit alone. If true, the modified RTX 3080 has more potential headroom for an even higher score through conventional overclocking.
While the performance results from this mod are quite impressive, keep in mind that doing this yourself is very risky. Increasing the power limit on your GPU will put more strain on your cooling system and, more seriously, your power delivery system (which can destroy your laptop if overloaded). So make sure you know the risks if you want to attempt the same mod on your notebook.
However, it is cool to see what a mobile RTX 3080 can do with some extra power headroom. Who knows, maybe one day we’ll see laptops with these crazy high power limits in the future.
Intel kicked off 2021 with a fresh lineup of mobile processors with a unique twist. The 11th Gen Tiger Lake H35-series processors aren’t just for any ol’ laptop. They target what Intel calls “ultraportable gaming laptops.” And at 3 p.m. ET today on The Tom’s Hardware Show, we’re sitting down with the chipmaker to learn more about what that means.
The Tom’s Hardware Show livestream is every Thursday at 3 p.m. ET. Today, Intel’s general manager of premium and gaming notebook segments, Fredrik Hamberger, will join Tom’s Hardware editors to give us an inside look at Intel’s H35 chips.
You can watch today’s Tom’s Hardware show below at 3 p.m. ET:
You can also catch the show on Facebook and the Tom’s Hardware Twitch channel. Every episode is also available to download as a podcast.
And like with any episode of The Tom’s Hardware Show, we’ll be taking questions from the audience. Join the livestream at 3 p.m. ET to submit your questions via chat YouTube or Facebook, and we may discuss them on air.
Announced during CES 2021 in January, Intel’s H35 CPUs go up to four CPU cores, eight threads and a 35W TDP. The flagship Core i7-11375H Special Edition can hit a 5.0 single-core turbo frequency and has a standard base clock speed of 3.3 GHz at 35W (it drops to 3.0 GHz at 28W).
Intel is positioning the H35 series as an option for the growing number of machines looking to compete with the best gaming laptops by including a discrete graphics cards while remaining portable. Our Asus TUF Dash F15 review showed what the quad-core Core i7-1130H can do alongside a mobile RTX 3070 graphics card in a 0.78-inch thick clamshell.
Join Tom’s Hardware this afternoon to learn more and ask Intel your H35 queries.
Component shortages including display panels and circuits for LCD screens may extend the laptop shortage into the first quarter of 2021, according to a new report from Digitimes.
This runs counter to the publication’s previous research, which estimated that increased interest in remote work and study would cause laptop shipments for 2021’s first quarter to drop by less than 10% as opposed to the typical 15-25% of past years. Digitimes was even speculating that, due to the pandemic, global laptop shipments could “double on year due to lower comparison basis for first-quarter 2020.”
Laptop shipments normally take a hit in the early year thanks in part to Lunar New Year festivities in China, which leave fewer workers to help make components. However, Digitimes‘ sources are now saying to expect an even more drastic decrease in “driver ICs, display panels and passive components” that could make the publication’s predictions moot. Let’s not even get into the possibility that laptops are being used for mining.
The sources didn’t give many details to speak of in terms of numbers or root causes, but the sources did say that Chinese manufacturers are already planning to maintain a more standard workload during the Lunar New Year holidays to help counteract the supposed shortage. The sources also said ODMs are currently stocking up on supplier shipments to help offset shortage expectations that they’re predicting will last throughout the year’s first half.
This would also fall in line with Digitimes‘ data, which says that laptop keyboard, camera module and PSU suppliers saw their revenues hit record highs in 2021 and have clear order visibility through the second quarter.
The Gigabyte M27Q is a very capable and speedy gaming monitor with few flaws. Though it has a huge color gamut, red is a little under-saturated, and it doesn’t offer extra contrast in HDR mode. But you do get superb gaming performance with 170 Hz and super-low input lag. As a value choice, it’s hard to beat.
For
170 Hz
Low input lag
Large color gamut
Accurate sRGB mode
KVM switch
Against
Aim Stabilizer causes ghosting
Lackluster HDR
DCI-P3 red is slightly under-saturated
Features and Specifications
Performance-to-price ratio is something we talk about often. While there are many seeking the lowest priced components and some for whom price is no object, most want the highest possible performance for the money.
Every computer component has a market sweet spot where you get most of the speed and power of top-level components for a lot less than the premium price, and it is no different for PC gaming monitors. We’re talking about the elements that gamers shop for: speed, resolution and screen size.
The Gigabyte M27Q ($330 as of writing) packs 1440p resolution into an IPS panel running at a speedy 170 Hz. The picture quality quotient is upped by a wide color gamut and HDR support. But is the best gaming monitor for value-seekers?
Gigabyte M27Q Specs
Panel Type / Backlight
Super Speed IPS / W-LED, edge array
Screen Size / Aspect Ratio
27 inches / 16:9
Max Resolution & Refresh Rate
2560×1440 @ 170 Hz
AMD FreeSync Premium: 48-170 Hz
Native Color Depth & Gamut
8-bit / DCI-P3
DisplayHDR 400
HDR10
Response Time (GTG)
0.5 ms
Brightness (mfr)
400 nits
Contrast (mfr)
1,000:1
Speakers
2x 2w
Video Inputs
1x DisplayPort 1.2
2x HDMI 2.0
1x USB-C
Audio
3.5mm headphone output
USB 3.0
2x up, 2x down
Power Consumption
21w, brightness @ 200 nits
Panel Dimensions WxHxD w/base
24.2 x 15.8-21 x 8 inches (615 x 401-533 x 203mm)
Panel Thickness
1.7 inches (43mm)
Bezel Width
Top/sides: 0.3 inch (8mm)
Bottom: 0.8 inch (21mm)
Weight
12.1 pounds (5.5kg)
Warranty
3 years
High-contrast VA panels make for amazing image quality on gaming monitors, but speedy IPS implementations are quickly moving to a position of domination in the speediest part of the genre. The M27Q opts for Super Speed (SS) IPS, Gigabyte’s branding for IPS tech that achieves lower response times by using a thinner liquid crystal layer and higher driving voltage than standard IPS screens. Our review focus runs at a 170 Hz refresh rate without overclock and supports AMD FreeSync Premium. It’s not an official G-Sync Compatible monitor, but we got the M27Q to run G-Sync (see our How to Run G-Sync on a FreeSync Monitor tutorial). A claimed 0.5 ms response time puts it in company with most 240 Hz monitors.
The backlight is a flicker-free white LED in an edge array that’s specced to deliver over 400 nits brightness for both SDR and HDR content. It also advertises a “Super Wide Color Gamut” on the box, and we confirmed that claim — although there’s a caveat that we’ll explain on page three.
For the price, the M27Q promises a lot of gaming performance and plenty of features for the enthusiast. Let’s dive in and see if it lives up to the spec sheet.
Assembly and Accessories
Unpacking the substantial carton reveals a panel already bolted to an upright. Just attach the large base with a captive bolt, and you’re ready to make connections. The power supply is a small external brick. Bundled cables include HDMI, DisplayPort and USB 3.0. Despite having a USB-C input, the M27Q does not include a USB-C cable.
Product 360
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(Image credit: Gigabyte)
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(Image credit: Gigabyte)
To keep the price low, (and is is under $350), there are few frills in the M27Q’s design. The monitor doesn’t include an RGB effect, and styling is understated. Build quality, however, is in keeping with higher-priced monitors, and you get Gigabyte’s usual suite of gaming features, like aiming points and timers.
The M27Q is unassuming from the front with just a Gigabyte logo and a tiny white LED adorning the bottom trim strip. The remainder of the bezel is flush mounted with an 8 mm frame around the image. The anti-glare layer is the same 3H-hardness part found on almost all computer monitors. Here, it provides a sharp, bright image with no apparent grain or optical distortion.
There are a few styling cues around back with a shiny polished strip across the top underlined with a thin grill. “M27Q” is molded in below that and in the same gloss finish. The rest of the plastic cover is matte finished in two different textures. Futuristic-looking lines are set around a button for activating KVM mode, which lets you control two PCs connected to the monitor with one keyboard and mouse, and the joystick for controlling the on-screen display (OSD). The upright can be removed if you’d rather use the 100mm VESA mount for a monitor arm.
The stand is very solid with firm movements. The vertical movement has subtle detents, which make it even more positive. You get a 5.2-inch height adjustment plus -5 and 20-degree tilts. There is no swivel or portrait mode. Thankfully, we didn’t encounter any play or wobble when moving the M27Q around. It is very well-built.
The side view shows the M27Q to be a touch thinner than most 27-inch monitors. There are no USB or headphone jacks here. Instead, they’re on the bottom input panel. which includes two HDMI 2.0, one DisplayPort 1.2, one USB-C and three USB 3.0 ports, one upstream and two down. Input labels are easy to see, making connections easier.
OSD Features
Outside of the monitor’s integrated on-screen display (OSD), the M27Q is controllable via the Windows desktop if you download the OSD Sidekick app. You can also create up to three custom reticles in the app. The OSD, however, offers the full-featured menu.
The M27Q’s OSD looks just like the one found on all Gigabyte and Aorus monitors with a large rectangular window and four columns making up the menu tree. There are seven sub-menus, plus a reset all function. The top portion always shows signal information and the status of various settings at a glance.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
The first menu is for gaming and includes Aim Stabilizer, Gigabyte’s term for backlight strobe-based blur reduction. Engaging it means turning off Adaptive-Sync and overdrive. It doesn’t affect peak brightness, like most backlight strobes do, but in our tests, it introduced significant ghosting around moving objects. Aim Magnifier enlarges the center of the screen, just the thing for sniping. Unfortunately, it also requires losing Adaptive-Sync and overdrive.
Further adjustments include Black Equalizer, which brightens shadow areas, and Super Resolution, which adds edge enhancement. Display Mode contains aspect ratio options and has a FreeSync toggle. The overdrive feature here is interesting in that you can’t completely turn it off. It has three levels (Balance is the best choice), plus Auto. In our tests, Auto corresponded to the Balance choice. At this setting, overdrive reduced blur nicely without ghosting.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
The Picture menu offers seven picture modes, plus three custom memories for user settings. You can store more configurations on your PC by using the OSD Sidekick app. The best mode is Standard as it offers good out-of-box accuracy and calibration to a high standard. It locks the user into the full native color gamut, which as we found out is very large, over 100% of DCI-P3. The sRGB mode is completely usable though with accurate grayscale, gamma and color gamut rendering. That’s the choice for SDR content if you’re a color purist.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
You can get to the Game Assist menu by pressing the joystick once, then clicking right. The monitor has one crosshair included, but you can create three more of your own using the aforementioned OSD Sidekick app. Game Info offers timers that count up or down and a frame rate indicator. Dashboard requires a USB connection and displays CPU and GPU temps, fan speeds and usage stats in an on-screen box that can be placed anywhere you like. If you plan to use multiple M27Qs, this menu has alignment marks available too.
Gigabyte M27Q Calibration Settings
In the Standard picture mode, the M27Q is accurate enough to satisfy most. The native color space is DCI-P3, but you can use the sRGB mode for an accurate display of that gamut. Its only available adjustment is brightness.
For calibration though, the Standard mode offers five gamma presets and three color temps plus a user mode. We left gamma alone but tweaked the RGB sliders for excellent grayscale and gamma tracking.
Here are our recommended calibration settings for enjoying SDR content on the Gigabyte M27Q and what we used for our calibrated benchmarks:
Picture Mode
Standard
Brightness 200 nits
41
Brightness 120 nits
19
Brightness 100 nits
14
Brightness 80 nits
9
Brightness 50 nits
1 (min. 48 nits)
Contrast
48
Gamma
3
Color Temp User
Red 95, Green 98, Blue 100
When it comes to HDR signals, the only adjustment available is brightness. We found the best HDR quality by leaving that slider maxed.
Gaming and Hands-on
One unique feature included of thee M27Q is its KVM (keyboard, video, mouse) switch. The ability to control two PCs connected to the monitor with one keyboard and mouse isn’t that common among PC monitors and is almost always found in general use/productivity monitors, rather than gaming ones. In a gaming monitor, a KVM switch makes it easy to toggle from your best gaming laptop, for example, over to your work-sanctioned work PC without unplugging and replugging all your peripherals. The M27Q’s OSD includes a wizard to easily assign video inputs and then switch between them with a dedicated button above the OSD joystick. The USB-C input can be a video connection and a USB upstream port.
With the M27Q calibrated to 200 nits brightness, the Windows desktop looked bright and sharp. Our office has a moderate light level with filtered sunlight coming in one window. We never had trouble with glare or other environmental factors affecting the image. Color looked well-saturated but not overly so. Greens and blues are especially vibrant. Pictures of sky and grass radiated with brilliant hues. Skin tones looked natural and robust without excessive warmth. Detail in tiny fonts and icons was well-resolved, thanks to the screen’s 109 pixel per inch (ppi) pixel density — right at our sweet spot.
Turning on HDR brightened the M27Q’s image considerably, but you can compensate with the brightness slider if it seems too harsh. We only used HDR for gaming and video, not for workday tasks. It offers no benefit when editing spreadsheets. Switchover is automatic and rapid when you select the HDR option in Windows’ Display Settings.
With HDR on we played a bit of Call of Duty: WWII. Comparing HDR to SDR in this game showed a brighter overall environment for HDR but better detail and color saturation in SDR mode. Your selection will come down to user preference. We preferred playing all games in SDR mode. Other titles, like Tomb Raider, looked fantastic with deeply detailed shadows, vivid color and defined textures in this mode.
The M27Q’s video processing was visually perfect in every game we tried when paired with high frame rates. Our GeForce RTX 3090 drove the frames per second (fps) counter to 170 every time. At this speed, there is no hesitation or stutter at all. Frame tears were non-existent, and control inputs were instantly responded to. Blur was also a non-issue.
On a machine running an Radeon RX 5700 XT graphics card, the same games ran at around 120 fps and delivered a similar experience. To casual gamers, that additional 50 Hz makes little difference, but more skilled players will appreciate the M27Q’s extra speed. That performance was reliably delivered and never wavered in quality.
Our final takeaway was that this Gigabyte is a serious gaming monitor for an attractive price. Its performance-to-price ratio yielded favorable results on the battlefield.
Satechi has launched a double-sided charger that can wirelessly charge an Apple Watch or AirPods — but not both at once — while hopefully saving you from the added clutter of extra cables. The Satechi USB-C Watch AirPods Charger features a Qi charging pad shaped like an AirPods Pro charging case on one side, and a charging “puck” for an Apple Watch on the other. The charger is available now, exclusively from Apple for $49.95.
Satechi’s new charger has an aluminum build, white finish, and a small charging indicator light that fits right in with Apple’s minimalist product design. Because of the reversible nature of USB-C, switching between Apple Watch and AirPods charging only requires pulling the charger out, flipping it over, and plugging it back in. It can’t charge both your Watch and AirPods at the same time like some other charging stands or pads, but hopefully the compact size is worth the cost of that added convenience.
Having a charger jutting out of your laptop or tablet of course has its own risks — I’d definitely worry about situations where it might snap off. Then again, Apple’s guilty of designing its own ridiculous charging set-ups, like it did with the original Apple Pencil. Satechi’s not that extreme, and it definitely seems convenient.
Satechi’s wireless charger can also be plugged into a wall outlet with an adapter.Image: Satechi
After years of niche positioning in the music world, “high-resolution audio” (or “hi-res audio”) finally hit the mainstream, thanks to a huge raft of support in streaming services (such as Tidal and Amazon Music HD) and products (from smartphones to most digital hi-fi components).
So why should you care about hi-res audio? If you want the best digital music experience possible or at least better sound quality than you’re currently used to (and why wouldn’t you?), hi-res audio is definitely worth investigating.
It can be a daunting prospect. After all, what exactly constitutes hi-res audio, what do all the different file formats and numbers mean, where can you download or stream these high quality files, and what devices do you need to play it?
Indeed, where do you even begin?
That’s where we come in. Our handy guide will take you through the ins and outs of hi-res audio. By the end, we hope you’ll know everything you need to know (and then some) and will be well on your way to enjoying your new and improved sonic lifestyle.
50 of the best hi-fi albums for audiophiles
What is high-resolution audio?
Unlike high-definition video, there’s no single universal standard for hi-res audio. In 2014, the Digital Entertainment Group, Consumer Electronics Association and The Recording Academy, together with record labels, formally defined high-resolution audio as “lossless audio that is capable of reproducing the full range of sound from recordings that have been mastered from better than CD quality music sources”.
In its simplest terms, hi-res audio tends to refer to music files that have a higher sampling frequency and/or bit depth than CD, which is specified at 16-bit/44.1kHz.
Sampling frequency (or sample rate) refers to the number of times samples of the signal are taken per second during the analogue-to-digital conversion process. The more bits there are, the more accurately the signal can be measured in the first instance, so going 16bit to 24bit can deliver a noticeable leap in quality. Hi-res audio files usually use a sampling frequency of 96kHz or 192kHz at 24bit. You can also have 88.2kHz and 176.4kHz files too.
Hi-res audio does come with a downside though: file size. A hi-res file can typically be tens of megabytes in size, and a few tracks can quickly eat up the storage on your device or be cumbersome to stream over your wi-fi or mobile network. Thankfully, storage is much cheaper than it used to be, so it’s easier to get higher-capacity devices. And technologies such as MQA (see below) have arrived to help tackle that.
That’s not all: there are also several different hi-res audio file formats to choose from, all of which have their own compatibility requirements.
They include the popular FLAC (Free Lossless Audio Codec) and ALAC (Apple Lossless Audio Codec) formats, both of which are compressed but in a way which means that, in theory, no information is lost. Other formats include the uncompressed WAV and AIFF formats, DSD (the format used for Super Audio CDs) and the more recent MQA (Master Quality Authenticated).
The relative merits of each of the formats can be argued, but the most crucial issue will be the file’s compatibility with your chosen products and software.
Here’s a breakdown of all the main file formats:
MP3 (not hi-res): Popular, lossy compressed format ensures small file size, but far from the best sound quality. Convenient for storing music on smartphones and iPods, but doesn’t support hi-res.
AAC (not hi-res): An alternative to MP3s, it’s lossy and compressed but sounds better. Used for iTunes downloads, Apple Music streaming (at 256kbps) and YouTube streaming.
WAV (hi-res): The standard format all CDs are encoded in. Great sound quality but it’s uncompressed, meaning huge file sizes (especially for hi-res files). It has poor metadata support (that is, album artwork, artist and song title information).
AIFF (hi-res): Apple’s alternative to WAV, with better metadata support. It is lossless and uncompressed (so big file sizes), but not massively popular.
FLAC (hi-res): This lossless compression format supports hi-res sample rates, takes up about half the space of WAV, and stores metadata. It’s royalty-free and widely supported (though not by Apple) and is considered the preferred format for downloading and storing hi-res albums.
ALAC (hi-res): Apple’s own lossless compression format also does hi-res, stores metadata and takes up half the space of WAV. An iTunes- and iOS-friendly alternative to FLAC.
DSD(hi-res): The single-bit format used for Super Audio CDs. It comes in 2.8MHz, 5.6mHz and 11.2mHz varieties, but isn’t widely supported.
MQA(hi-res): A lossless compression format that efficiently packages hi-res files with more emphasis on the time domain. Used for Tidal Masters hi-res streaming, and product support is picking up pace.
MP3, AAC, WAV, FLAC: all the audio file formats explained
What’s so good about hi-res audio?
The main claimed benefit of high-resolution audio files is superior sound quality over compressed audio formats such as MP3 and AAC.
Downloads from sites such as Amazon and iTunes, and streaming services such as Spotify, use compressed file formats with relatively low bitrates – such as 256kbps AAC files on Apple Music and 320kbps Ogg Vorbis streams on Spotify.
The use of lossy compression means data is lost in the encoding process, which in turn means resolution is sacrificed for the sake of convenience and smaller file sizes. This has an effect upon the sound quality – those formats aren’t telling the full story of our favourite songs.
This might be fine when you’re listening to Spotify playlists on your smartphone on the bus on the morning commute, but serious audiophiles and music fans should want better. This is where high-resolution audio comes in.
To illustrate why it should sound better than MP3, for example, let’s compare the relative bitrates. The highest quality MP3 has a bitrate of 320kbps, whereas a 24-bit/192kHz file has a data rate of 9216kbps. Music CDs are 1411kbps.
The hi-res 24-bit/96kHz or 24-bit/192kHz files should, therefore, more closely replicate the sound quality the musicians and engineers were working with in the studio. And they could be that very same recorded file, too. These files are labelled as “Studio Masters” in some cases.
With more information on the file to play with, hi-res audio tends to boast greater detail and texture, bringing listeners closer to the original performance – provided your system is transparent enough.
What do I need to play hi-res audio?
There’s a huge variety of products that can playback hi-res audio. It all depends on how big or small you want your system to be, how much your budget is, and what method you’ll mostly be using to listen to your tunes. But it’s never been easier to get involved, now that plenty of the digital and streaming ecosystem supports hi-res, and especially as popular streaming platforms such as Google Chromecast (although not AirPlay 2) do.
These days, even, you don’t have to completely abandon your vinyl collection to go hi-res, either; turntables such as the Sony PS-HX500 let you digitise your vinyl collection by ripping your record tracks into hi-res audio files.
Smartphones If you’re going portable, smartphones are increasingly supporting hi-res playback. This is restricted to higher-end Android models, though – Apple iPhones so far don’t support hi-res audio out of the box (though there are ways around this by using the right app, and then either plugging in a DAC or using Lightning headphones with the iPhones’ Lightning connector).
Phones that have USB-C sockets instead of 3.5mm headphones jacks for music playback – as is becoming the norm – can boost their USB-C output with adapters such as Zorloo’s Ztella USB-C DAC.
Hi-res audio is increasingly easy to stream wirelessly thanks to new advancements in Bluetooth. Phones with aptX HD Bluetooth support (which many these days have, although Apple’s iPhones are an exception) can wirelessly transmit hi-res audio to aptX HD-supporting headphones (such as the Sony WH-1000XM4 and WH-1000XM3 and Bowers & Wilkins PX7 noise-cancelling headphones).
aptX HD Bluetooth: What is it? How can you get it?
Portable music players Alternatively, there are plenty of dedicated portable hi-res music players such as various Sony Walkmans and Award-winning Astell & Kerns and Cowons that offer more storage space and far better sound quality than a multi-tasking smartphone. More digital players than not support hi-res audio, although again an Apple product is the exception, this time the iPod Touch.
Desktop For a desktop solution, your laptop (Windows, Mac, Linux) is a prime source for storing and playing hi-res music (after all, this is where you’ll be downloading the tunes from hi-res download sites anyway), but make sure the software you use to play music also supports hi-res playback. Apple iTunes, for instance, doesn’t support it, even if your MacBook does, so you’ll need to buy and download separate music playing software. The likes of Channel D’s Pure Music and Amarra are worth considering for a Mac. On a PC? Try JRiver Media Center.
DACs We wouldn’t just rely on your computer or phone’s internal DAC to do hi-res audio justice, either. A USB or desktop DAC (such as the Cyrus soundKey, Chord Mojo or Audiolab M-DAC nano) is a good way to get great sound quality out of hi-res files stored on your computer or smartphone (whose audio circuits don’t tend to be optimised for sound quality). Simply plug a decent digital-to-analogue converter (DAC) in between your source and headphones for an instant sonic boost.
Best DACs: USB, portable and desktop DAC
Music streamers
If you’re after a proper hi-fi set-up, you’ll need to look into music streamers that support hi-res, and highly recommendable contenders include the Audiolab 6000N Play, Cambridge CXN V2 and NAD C 658. This is especially if you’ll be storing your growing hi-res library on a NAS (Network Attached Storage, essentially a hard-drive with processing built in), which we would recommend.
Systems
There are plenty of other products that also support hi-res playback, including hybrid DAC-amp-streamer systems (Moon Neo Ace), speaker systems with everything built into them (KEF LS50 Wireless II), just-add-speaker systems (Marantz PM7000N) and current AV receivers (Sony STR-DN1080).
The ever-popular Sonos multi-room system still has no plans to support hi-res audio, and neither does Apple. But that has led rival companies such as Bluesound to offer hi-res playback across their range of connected products (for a higher price, of course).
Wireless speakers At the higher end of the wireless speaker market you’ll find hi-res support the norm. The likes of the Naim Mu-so Qb 2nd Generation, Linn Series 3 and Bowers & Wilkins Formation Wedge are all able to handle hi-res file playback over wi-fi.
Best wireless speakers 2021
Where can I buy and download hi-res music?
Now that you’re armed with all this information on hi-res music, your next question should be: where can I get all these glorious hi-res music tracks?
There are currently a handful of UK download sites that let you buy and download single tracks and full albums in various hi-res formats. There are also plenty of US and European sites, though not all of them let you purchase from the UK.
Major music labels such as Sony, Warner and Universal have made their extensive music catalogues available to these hi-res download services – which is a real shot in the arm for fans of high-resolution audio. With all sites, make sure it’s clear what file format and bitrate you are buying. Ultimately, you may end up with a favourite go-to site, but even then, it’s worth checking across the different sites for the same album or track, too, as some stores can offer better prices than others.
Here are the top UK hi-res download sites:
7Digital With a strong catalogue offering hi-res music from all genres and a website that makes buying music easy, 7digital is an excellent all-rounder. There’s an accurate search function and the website is simple to navigate. You can easily spot hi-res recordings thanks to a ’24bit FLAC’ badge on an album or song’s thumbnail, and there’s also a dedicated hi-res section. The sole drawback is that it only offers downloads in the FLAC format. Prices are affordable, though, and you can buy individual tracks as well as full albums.
Qobuz Sublime
Music discovery and front-end intuitiveness get full marks on French download store Qobuz. Both the website and dedicated app are easy to navigate, and you can search by genre or new releases, which can be sorted by sample rate. There is a strong Francophile focus, although the catalogue is growing more varied every day. Pricing is competitive, but if you opt for the hybrid download-and-streaming Sublime+ service you do get discounts when buying hi-res albums.
HDtracks
HDtracks may be one of the most established hi-res download stores, but it’s in need of a refresh in looks and catalogue. It can feel aimed at an older audience (there’s strong focus on jazz, classical and dad rock), which can be off-putting for wider audiences, especially fans of more current, popular music. On the other hand, whereas other download sites offer FLAC as default, HDtracks lets you choose between FLAC, ALAC, WAV and AIFF (and the sampling rate for each) before downloading. There’s a selection of DSD tunes, too, which is great for audiophiles.
How to build the perfect hi-fi system
Where can I stream hi-res music?
Not ready to download hi-res files, or simply prefer streaming? Tidal and Qobuz streaming services have offered hi-res and CD-quality streams for years, putting them ahead of rivals Spotify and Apple Music. And now that Amazon has joined the party with its HD service, hi-res streaming is now firmly in the mainstream domain.
Tidal Masters Tidal and MQA’s partnership has brought us one step closer to mainstream hi-res music streaming. You’ll need to subscribe to Tidal’s HiFi tier (which offers CD quality streaming) to unlock the Masters section, and then you can stream hi-res MQA files through the desktop app and Android/iOS mobile apps.
Tidal claims a 30,000-strong catalogue of MQA files, with about 400 clearly labelled. The MQA files have a resolution of up to 24-bit/96kHz (any 192kHz files will be unpackaged to 96kHz by MQA’s core decoding). With the right kit, the streamed tunes sound great, too. It’s a solid foundation from which the hi-res streaming experience can only evolve.
Qobuz Sublime+ Qobuz strikes again here and says its hybrid download-and-streaming tier is ‘”the best music subscription in the world.” This top-tier package offers hi-res streaming up to 24bit/192kHz files (as well as CD quality tracks) on its desktop and mobile apps, with its 50-million-track catalogue including more than 240,000 hi-res albums.
The big downside is the price – you have to pay an upfront £250 annual fee to use Sublime+ and all its perks (which does include good discounts when buying hi-res albums). And in comparison, we found Tidal offers more drive and dynamism when it comes to sound quality. Qobuz’s hi-res streaming tier is a great venture, but only if you’re fully committed to hi-res streaming.
Amazon Music HD The most recent entrant into the hi-res streaming service world is Amazon – and its arrival at the end of 2019 largely marked hi-res streaming going mainstream. The cheapest hi-res service of the three, the value-packed streaming service is up there with the best thanks to its Intuitive desktop and mobile apps, good CD-quality and hi-res library and excellent value.
What’s next for hi-res audio?
With more support than ever before, hi-res audio is a viable choice for anyone interested in audio quality, whether part of your home audio system or when on the move.
Whether the biggest players – Apple, Sonos and Spotify – will ever natively support hi-res remains to be seen, but there are plenty of other, increasingly affordable ways that you can start delving into the hi-res audio world. (Interestingly, 360-degree or surround sound formats such as Sony 360 Reality Audio and Dolby Atmos Music respectively are also making headway in offering higher quality, if not necessarily ‘hi-res’, music experiences, so they’re other options for melomaniacs to explore.)
With this wider availability, more people are able to learn and understand exactly what high-resolution audio is, and the benefits it can bring to music. There’s plenty of content out there, and there’s plenty of hardware to go with it.
So if you want the ultimate sonic solution, you know what to do.
MORE:
Where is Spotify Hi-Fi? And do we still want a lossless Spotify tier?
3 of the best high-res audio systems
Here’s a superb-sounding hi-fi system with streaming skills
Live concerts, gigs and festivals are still out as we march further into 2021, so the need to feel transported to somewhere more beautiful via melodies, lyrics and rhythms has rarely been felt more keenly. In short, music has never been in greater demand.
Whether you’re after a selection of sounds to help you get a good night’s sleep, tunes to entertain children at home or a selection of inspiring albums written in self-isolation, heading down to your local record shop and rifling through crates is off-menu right now. But that’s where streaming services like Spotify, Tidal, Qobuz, Deezer and Apple Music come in. These offer a lockdown-approved lifeline at the click of a button – a chance to test-drive new tracks and try sounds before you buy.
Spotify isn’t our reigning champion when it comes to value, variety and audio quality, but its popularity and accessibility is undeniable. And the platform is always trying to offer something new, whether it be artist-led algorithms to better personalise your music recommendations, listing virtual events in lieu of real ones or giving Spotify account-holders a chance to ‘tip’ acts while listening – acts who are clearly losing gig revenue right now.
If you’ve ever used Spotify, you’ll know that typing ‘new music’ into the search bar will yield a selection of curated mainstream newness from the likes of Lady Gaga, Ella Eyre, Jake Bugg and Stormzy, (and New Music Friday UK is always a good playlist shout here) but what if you’re looking for something a bit different? That’s where we come in. Why not lend your and ear to a few of these slightly more niche curated playlists? It’ll make a change from the hi-res files stored on your laptop, whatever’s on the Astell & Kern, the playlist someone shared with you at the start of the first lockdown or the CDs you retrieved from your car glove box, at any rate…
See our Spotify review
Crate Diggers Anonymous
(Image credit: Spotify)
Imagine a record store (remember those?) in Las Vegas. Now imagine one in east London. Now think about popping into one in Bilbao for a crate rummage. What new and old LPs might you unearth? You could soon be spinning John Mayall, Led Zep, Kool and the Gang, Barry White or Weather Report, it depends. There’s no specific genre here. Click play. Let’s see.
33 Spotify tips, tricks and features
Anti Pop
(Image credit: Spotify)
Think beat-driven spitting segued with melodic, softly-sung but often edgy vocals – forget commercial pop music, there’s a message here if we’ll only listen. Expect new tracks from Curtis Waters (pictured) and ballads from Joji interspersed with hard rap from Kenny Mason and everything in between. If OutKast, Wu Tang Clan, Dave, Dungeon Family or Bel Biv DeVoe have ever featured in your heavy rotation, give this a spin. You’ll almost certainly learn something.
10 Apple Music playlists to listen to right now
Defected Records (Deep House)
(Image credit: Defected Records)
There’s a time and a place for house music, and that time is right now, in your actual house. Home entertainment remains the only entertainment for most of us, so go ahead and bring it home. Defected Records is a British independent record label specialising in deep house music and recordings, founded in 1998 and based in London. This playlist does exactly what it says on the tin, with over 25 hours of head-nodding tracks from the likes of FISHER, Gorgon City, Ferreck Dawn and Jack Back.
25 of the best podcasts on Spotify
(Image credit: Matt Berninger/Spotify)
American singer-songwriter Matt Berninger (frontman of indie rock band The National) curates and updates this playlist on a weekly basis. You might get Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Leonard Cohen or Interpol. And you might get Marilyn Monroe, Whitney Houston or even John Prine singing about a happy enchilada.
“Playlist themes subject to change according to moods and events,” is the cover description. We say, if you want someone to serve up the collective mood through the medium of music, subscribe.
Tidal vs Spotify: which is better?
Most Necessary
(Image credit: Spotify)
It’s like the ultimate new rap music label. Spotify describes this playlist as “the official voice of generation next”. If you’re looking for a soundtrack for your next virtual house party, Most Necessary gets it done. With one eye on the next huge hit-single and another on capturing a snapshot of the current vernacular, you’ll rarely hear a track that misses the mark. Expect new offerings from CJ, DaBaby, Lil Tecca, BRS Kash (pictured) and Toosii, for starters.
Spotify Connect: what is it? How can you get it?
Phonica Recommends (Home)
(Image credit: Phonica)
Independent UK record store Phonica only opened in London’s Soho in 2003, but it quickly became one of the capital’s most-loved vinyl specialists. Basically, if Phonica recommends it, that’s more than good enough for us.
Phonica’s Spotify page reads: “So much great music out there that we’ve decided to split up our recommended playlists into two: one for the club and one for home listening”.
So now you’ve got two extra playlists to add to your list, spanning everything from dub, reggae, nu jazz, soul and funk to broken beat and techno. Click the link below to access Phonica’s recommended ‘home’ playlist, or turn your abode into a particularly exclusive club for the night, with the Phonica Recommends (Club) selection.
Gold School
(Image credit: Spotify)
Vintage throwback hip-hop that strays from the well-explored coastal tracks and celebrates lesser-known heroes of the genre. Think Camp Lo, Big L and Mac Miller alongside Drake, Ghostface Killah, Eminem, 50 Cent (pictured) and Nas.
Got a pressing Zoom meeting or big grocery shop ahead? Get the cans on and stream this. You’re going to ace it.
Acoustic Covers
(Image credit: Spotify)
Discover Hozier’s laid-back cover of the Destiny’s Child classic Say My Name, John Mayer’s take on Tom Petty’s Free Fallin’ using just a mic and two guitars, or Teenage Dirtbag as you’ve never heard it before; sung not by Wheatus but by Ruston Kelly.
The moments of surprise, recognition and ultimately approval come thick and fast here. A staple go-to for when you just can’t decide what to listen to.
R&S – Office Favourites
(Image credit: R & S Records)
R&S Records is an independent record label founded in 1984 in Ghent, Belgium. R&S represents the initials of Renaat Vandepapeliere and Sabine Maes, the couple responsible for creating the label.
Expect heavier electronica, house and trance offerings from Richard Fearless or V interspersed with expansive soundscapes from Darkstar, Nautic or Axel Boman, alongside the occasional grime track from Novelist. It’ll easily double as your running playlist too, if you’re pushing your time.
Late Night Lofi
(Image credit: Lofi/Spotify)
Think laid-back chill-hop, juicy lo-fi beats, layered synthy vocals, classical and jazz-infused piano chords with crisp textures; ice clinking in a glass, rain on a window, crunchy leaves and even the brushing of teeth. It’s perfect for playing through the cans and relaxing, zoning out, getting ready to sleep or seeing you through a bout of insomnia ’til sunrise.
At 4am in New York, when (if?) Birdland calls time at the bar, you’ll finish your drink and talk about the price of a subway ticket versus a yellow taxi home to this playlist, one day…
The What Hi-Fi? Lockdown Playlist (and more)
(Image credit: Bobby Womack)
Shameless self-promotion aside, this surely beats another Brian Eno album. What you’ll get is a What Hi-Fi? curated playlist featuring five-and-a-half hours of tunes to celebrate staying healthy and not going out.
It’s all relatively upbeat – no lonesome crooning – and all the titles here are relevant to our shared predicament, tangentially or otherwise. Think Lost In The Supermarket by The Clash, Outkast’s So Fresh, So Clean, Iggy Pop’s I’m Bored and Music For A Nurse by Oceansize, for starters.
Treat yourself to the full experience on Spotify and Tidal.
Like what you hear? There’s plenty more where that came from. We also regularly curate a monthly playlist featuring the music we’ve been listening to (and testing with) over the past 30 days. To enjoy it via the streaming service of your choice, just click on the relevant link below and drink your fill.
Listen: What Hi-Fi?Spotify playlist 2021
Listen: What Hi-Fi? Tidal playlist March 2021
Listen: What Hi-Fi? Deezer playlist March 2021
Listen: What Hi-Fi? Qobuz playlist March 2021
MORE:
Now stream 11 of the best musical soundtracks to test your speakers
See the best music streaming services 2021: free streams to hi-res audio
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Many people who used to commute to an office every day have passed the six-month mark as remote workers, and we are now working from home offices, dining room tables, desks set up in the corners of bedrooms, or living room sofas. The folks here at The Verge are no different, and we thought it might be interesting to talk to some of our co-workers and find out how they’re coping with roommates, kids, spouses, and other distractions — not to mention having to find a place in their homes to double as workspaces.
For this article, we talk to The Verge video director Becca Farsace.
You’re one of The Verge’s video directors — what exactly do you do?
I am! How friggin’ cool is that? I drink a whole lot of coffee while simultaneously filming, hosting, and editing videos about technology for The Verge. It’s truly a dream.
Could we start by talking about the space? That’s a nice little nook you have.
When I was apartment hunting, the first thing I would look for was a space that this desk could fit in. This desk means a lot to me, so there was no way I was leaving it behind, but more on that later. In my current apartment, this is the only wall long enough to fit this six-foot-long slab of a tree, so I really didn’t have much of a choice. But it ended up working out well with a really nice view out to the yard on one side and Abe Lincoln on the other.
That desk is beautiful! I was wondering if you’d made it yourself.
Oh heck, yeah! I am always looking for ways to bring more natural elements into my home. The inspiration came from those really beautiful, long dining room tables you see in fancy log cabins. But I knew I would never have the space for that in a tiny Brooklyn apartment, and I also knew I couldn’t afford one of those.
So I went to the Big Reuse, my favorite secondhand store here in Brooklyn, where they sell unfinished, large pieces of wood, and decided I would make a desk out of one of these pieces instead. My partner at the time and I didn’t have too much money to spend, so we picked out a piece of wood that had a large crack in it, and was therefore discounted. We borrowed one of the Big Reuse’s rolling carts, and we rolled this beautiful six-foot-long piece of trunk home.
A workspace created by found objects.
We then played Legos with metal pipes on the floor of Lowes to create the legs. Everything about building this desk was a challenge, and there is certainly so much more to the story — like having to glue the crack together because I dropped the piece of wood in the backyard literally as soon as we got it home. But every day I get to work on the insides of a tree and at a desk that I made.
Cool! Now tell me about your tech.
Oh man, where do I begin? Since I am reviewing products, I have a lot of tech coming and going, often multiple pieces of one type of tech.
I have the most earbuds though, and I am constantly switching between them so that I can really understand what works best when and for what. For example, as I’m writing this it’s 11:30AM, and already today I have used Pixel Buds on a walk, AirPods on a video call, and the Galaxy Beans (Galaxy Buds Live) when I was making coffee. Those three are my daily drivers and all live on my desk when I’m not using them. (I have learned if they don’t have a home they will get lost.)
When the Vox office shut down for COVID-19, I agreed to do every supercut (that’s a video where we cut down live events to only the most important information for our viewers). But only if I could take home The Verge’s Mac Pro (a 3.2GHz 16-core Intel Xeon W processor, two Radeon Pro Vega II graphics cards, 96GB of RAM, and a 1TB SSD) and Pro Display XDR. And if I’m being honest, I’m going to be really sad when I have to go back to my late-2013 iMac. (I foresee a large update coming to that because I simply don’t know how I can go back.)
Anyhow, the Pro Display doesn’t have a webcam or a mic, so for video calls and working away from my desk, I have a 15-inch 2016 MacBook Pro with an i7 Intel processor, 16GB of RAM, and Radeon Pro 460 graphics card.
I have a 500GB Samsung SDD that I use for the projects I am currently working on and three other hard disk drives I back everything up on.
There is also almost always a camera I am reviewing on my desk, along with its lenses or mods. When this was written in October 2020, the GoPro Hero9 and Sony a7C were sitting up here with me.
That’s a great setup you have in that filing cabinet. How did you do it?
I have so many cords and dongles and just small pieces! So a filing cabinet just made sense to me: a large container that doesn’t need to be treated delicately and provides maximum storage. I also love the industrial look of filing cabinets, and they are easy and cheap to thrift. The blue dividers inside are a funnier story.
I really hate buying anything new and am a huge fan of upcycling. Which has led me to the very abundant dumpsters in NYC. (My parents get so mad when I tell people I dumpster dive — sorry, Mom!) There are large warehouses by my apartment that house many small businesses, and when COVID-19 started, sadly, many of them went out of business, which led to whole offices being dumped into dumpsters and driven away.
The best dumpster was from a clothing company that was really going for that Brooklyn outdoorsman vibe. They had tons of buttons and zippers and pieces of fabric, and along with all of those things, they had many, many dividers. I found those blue dividers deep in that dumpster before I even had the filing cabinet, but absolutely had an organization problem. Ugh, that was a great dumpster. (To be clear, I do not recommend diving into just any dumpster. There can be hella glass and pests that you really don’t want to come in contact with, but all of that is for another post.)
A homemade standing desk.
That laptop looks like it’s about to fall off. Do you ever lose tech to the floor?
You know, I don’t lose as much to the floor as you might think — knock on wood. I have broken enough tech to really make sure it is secure before I leave it. Plus, this is a standing desk, so a fall from this can truly be deadly.
Like me, your desk is littered with little toys and other tchotchkes. I count offhand: Must Go Hard water bottle, Little Panda, the rock pile, the plant, a troll doll, and more. Are there any that have stories that you could tell?
Play is extremely important to me. It is what inspires me, it is a large form of therapy for me, and it really informs my style. So I like to fill my desk with things to play with. These objects are constantly rotating but currently I have two favorites: the Little Panda piggy bank and the rocks.
The “Little Panda” comes out of the box and says “Hello!” when you put a coin on the white button, then he snatches the coin and says “Thank you!” A really close friend gave it to me too, so besides the fun it provides, I think of her when I use it, which always makes me smile. I keep a pile of coins next to him, it’s seriously so cute and fun!
Then, the rocks, I just move around in my hands endlessly. I would classify them as a “tinker toy” but also a subtle way to keep me close to nature and keep me grounded. I just love this Earth so much and am beyond grateful for the beauty it provides, so the rocks keep me close to that.
Is that a portrait of Lincoln on your wall?
Oh yeah, good ole Abe always watching over me. Most of the things I surround myself with have emotional value, but he was just a classic thrift find. I saw him and just knew I needed to see that every day. It’s actually a replica of Lincoln’s portrait that hangs in the White House. The funny part is I brought him home and put him on a hook that a previous tenant had hung and he just fit so perfectly. It truly feels like he was meant to be there. And I named my Wi-Fi after him because he is right above the router.
Toys, notes, photos, and other stuff.
How do you keep the world out while you’re working — or do you need to?
If I’m being honest, I’m not great at keeping the world out. There are simply so many fun things in my home I could be messing with, but I know this about myself and actively set boundaries and rules to stay focused. A timer has become my greatest friend and worst enemy. I usually set the timer in one- or two-hour increments during which I cannot leave my desk or stop working until the time runs out. Quite literally, I need to chain myself to my desk, but I have found that once I get into a flow I don’t have trouble staying in it, I just need to get into that flow first. And tying myself to things gets me flowing with it.
Is there anything you’d like to change or add to the current setup?
I have been wanting a stool with a back for awhile now. I stand 75 percent of my day, but when I do sit I find my stool to not be very comfy, and I think I would be a bit more productive if I was more comfortable in that 15 percent of time.
I also have this piece of wall that has nothing on it above and to the left of my monitor. I try to let walls decorate themselves with things that naturally find their way into my life, like Abe, but this has been white for a few months now, and it’s starting to bother me. Whatever it ends up being, I know it can’t be too big or it will make the wall feel small, and I know that it can’t be in a beefy frame that might compete with Abe. I think about this at least once a day and have been eyeing Oxford Pennant’s website for awhile now… Suggestions are welcome!
Is there anything we haven’t covered that you’d like to tell us about?
I just wanna say thank you to everyone reading this. I feel so grateful for being able to wake up and create every day, and without everyone tuning in I simply wouldn’t be able to do that. It’s weird times man, but the support I have received from y’all has really been such a source of light. Okay! That’s all. Sappy Becca out. Be well, buds!
Update February 9th, 2021, 10:30AM ET: This article was originally published on October 1st, 2020; the prices have been updated.
The HP Spectre x360 has an attractive design and long battery life, though the 16:9 display feels dated. Its only performance downside is in bursty workloads, which we saw some issues with.
For
Sliim, attractive chassis
Solid speakers for a laptop
Long battery life
Still squeezes in a USB Type-A port
Against
16:9 display is dated, especially as a tablet
Not great with bursty performance
Difficult to upgrade
Sure, the
best ultrabooks and premium laptops
are tools, but you also want your computing device to look good. Design is important, after all.
The HP Spectre 360 13t ($949.99 to start, $1,249.99 as tested) continues to be one of the best-looking Windows devices out there, with a refined, thin design and clever port placement with both Thunderbolt 4 and USB Type-A.
But a tool also has to do the job well. With a 16:9 screen, the Spectre x360 can still, well, compute, but it doesn’t show as much as some others. And then there’s the question of whether or not this laptop can tame Intel’s latest Tiger Lake processors.
Design of the HP Spectre x360 13-inch
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(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
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HP’s Spectre lineup has had an aesthetic that would make a jeweler proud for the last few years. The Spectre x360 13t is no different there. The laptop, made from silver aluminum (it comes in black or blue for an extra cost), and has a reflective, modernized HP logo that I think the company should really start using on all of its products. But what makes it stand out are the cut-off corners near the back hinge, one of which has the power button while the other houses a Thunderbolt 4 port.
Those corners are always accessible, and easy enough to reach whether the laptop is being used as a notebook or a tablet.
The 13.3-inch display has very thin bezels, but looks short and squat with a 16:9 aspect ratio. As more notebooks move to taller 16:10 displays, like the
Dell XPS 13
and
MacBook Pro
or a 3:2 display like the
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3
, it makes the whole design here, not just the screen, seem a little cramped and dated. (HP does have a 3:2 Spectre x360 with the 14-inch version of this laptop, which we hope to be able to test soon.)
HP has packed in a full-size keyboard, including a row for home, page up, page down and end keys, and the rest of the construction is aluminum. This thing is built solid.
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While thicker notebooks may have more ports, HP hasn’t given up on USB Type-A here, which I really appreciate. The left side of the notebook has a USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A with a drop-jaw hinge to squeeze it into the chassis, as well as a 3.5 mm headphone jack. The right side has two Thunderbolt 4 ports (one in the top-right corner), a kill switch for the camera, and a microSD card reader.
The Spectre x360 13 measures 12.08 x 7.66 x 0.67 inches and weighs 2.8 pounds. That makes it ever so slightly lighter than the Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 9310, which is 2.9 pounds and 11.6 x 8.15 x 0.56 inches. The Asus ZenBook Flip S UX371 is a slighter 2.7 pounds and 12 x 7.3 x 0.6 inches. Apple’s MacBook Pro, a clamshell, is 3 pounds and 11.97 x 8.36 x 0.61 inches.
HP Spectre x360 13-inch Specifications
CPU
Intel Core i7-1165G7
Graphics
Intel Iris Xe Graphics
Memory
16GB LPDDR4X-4266
Storage
512GB PCIe NVMe SSD with 32GB Intel Optane
Display
13.3-inch, 1920 x 1080 IPS touchscreen
Networking
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX 201 (2×2) and Bluetooth 5
Ports
2x Thunderbolt 4, USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, Headphone/microphone jack, microSD card reader
Camera
720p IR
Battery
60 WHr
Power Adapter
65 W
Operating System
Windows 10 Home
Dimensions(WxDxH)
12.08 x 7.66 x 0.67 inches / 306.83 x 194.56 x 17.01 mm
Weight
2.8 pounds / 1.27 kg
Price (as configured)
$1,249.99
Productivity Performance HP Spectre x360 13-inch
The Spectre is the latest machine we’ve tested with Intel’s Core i7-1165G7 “Tiger Lake” mobile processors. Our configuration of the 2-in-1 has paired that with 16GB of RAM, a 512GB Intel SSD and 32GB of Intel Optane memory.
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On comparable versions of Geekbench 5, an overall performance benchmark, the Spectre had a single core-score of 1,574 and a multi-core score of 4,749. The ZenBook Flip S had a higher multi-core score (4,952) but a lower single-core score (1,512) with the same CPU. The Dell XPS 13 2-in-1, also with the same Core i7, has a far higher multi-core score (5,639) but a lower single-core score (1,532). On the same test, the MacBook Pro had a multi-core score of 5,925 and a single-core score of 1,316, and that was through Rosetta emulation that can decrease performance.
The Spectre transferred 25GB of files at a rate of 452.62 MBps, edging out the XPS 13 2-in-1. But the ZenBook Flip S out-performed here at 979.37
It took the Spectre x360 18 minutes and 39 seconds to complete our Handbrake test, which transcodes a 4K video to 1080p. That’s faster than the ZenBook, though the XPS 13 2-in-1 had it beat, while the MacBook Pro was more than five minutes faster than the Spectre, even through Rosetta 2 emulation.
We also ran the Spectre through our stress test, which runs Cinebench R23 twenty times on a loop. The results were largely in the high 3,000’s, occasionally peaking over 4,000. Towards the end, it was a bit erratic. The CPU ran at an average of 2.52 GHz and an average temperature of 64.88 degrees Celsius (148.78 degrees Fahrenheit). HWInfo’s monitoring software detected several instances of cores’ power limits being exceeded.
Display on the HP Spectre x360 13-inch Specifications
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Our review unit has a 13.3-inch, 1920 x 1080 touchscreen with a 16:9 aspect ratio. That seems a bit squat, even outdated, compared to some competitors, which have moved on to 16:10 or 3:2 displays that are taller and show more of your work at once. It’s also more natural for tablet mode.
Part of my testing included watching the trailer for The Falcon and The Winter Soldier. Some explosions early in the trailer showed some intense burst of orange, though some scenes on a football field had fireworks that didn’t pop against the night sky as much as I would have liked to see. It’s usable, but not the best I’ve seen.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
The Spectre’s IPS display covered 67.7% of the DCI-P3 color gamut, in the range of the XPS 13 2-in-1 (70%). We reviewed the ZenBook Flip S with an OLED display that hit 113.1% (you can get the Spectre with OLED; see configurations below). Apple’s 13-inch MacBook Pro reached 78.3%.
HP’s display measured an average of 391 nits of brightness, beating the ZenBook, but falling short of the MacBook Pro and the XPS 13 2-in-1.
Keyboard and Touchpad on the HP Spectre x360 13-inch
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
The keyboard on the Spectre x360 is comfortable, with a satisfying click (at least, as far as membranes go), that bounces up in a responsive fashion.
My bigger issue was the wristrest. The deck is a bit short, so my hands hung off it while I typed. I hit 88 words per minute on the 10fastfingers.com typing test, which is a bit low for me; I’m generally in the high 90’s. It wasn’t because of the keyboard, but because I was floating my wrists in the air. A taller screen would require a longer deck, which could help solve this.
I would prefer that the 4.4 x 2.2 inch touchpad be a bit taller, but there’s also not any room for that on the device. Still, the vertical height was slightly limiting, and I often hit the edge of it. That said, the precision touchpad is sensitive enough that I was able to perform gestures, even with four fingers, without any issues.
Audio on the HP Spectre x360 13-inch
For such a trim device, HP is offering up decent quality sound. The bottom-firing speakers, tuned by Bang & Olufsen, were clear with detailed sound. In Yellowcard’s “City of Devils,” the mix of violins, guitars, cymbals and drums were well leveled and textured, though, like many laptops, the bass wasn’t particularly perceptible.
The included Bang & Olufsen Audio control app helped that a bit when I switched to the Bass equalizer preset, but I preferred the overall mix of the default settings, which better highlighted the violins and vocals.
Upgradeability of the HP Spectre x360 13-inch
There are only two visible screws (a pair of Torx) on the bottom of the Spectre x360. If only things were that easy.
There are four additional Phillips-head screws beneath one of the laptop’s two adhesive-backed rubber feet. Removing the foot could potentially rip or tear it, making it difficult to replace later, so the average person probably shouldn’t attempt to open the laptop up.
Per HP’s maintenance manual for this laptop, the battery, Wi-Fi card and SSD are all replaceable if you do get in there, though the RAM is soldered down.
For most people, we recommend ensuring you get the configuration with enough storage and RAM to future proof it for you. Enthusiasts who can risk that rubber foot will find some upgradeable and repairable parts inside.
Battery Life on the HP Spectre x360 13-inch
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
This 2-in-1 has some endurance. While it comes with a nice USB Type-C charger with a braided cable, you should be able to go quite a while without it. The Spectre ran for 12 hours and 32 minutes on our battery test, which continuously browses the web, runs OpenGL tests and streams video over Wi-Fi, all at 150 nits of brightness.
It outlased both the Dell XPS 13 2-in-1, which ran for 10:52, and the Asus ZenBook Flip S, which lasted 8:11. But Apple’s MacBook Pro, powered by its incredibly-efficient M1 processor, lasted four hours longer at 16:32.
Heat on the HP Spectre x360 13-inch
Beyond internal temperatures, we took skin temperatures while we ran our Cinebench R23 stress test.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
The center of the keyboard, between the G andH keys, measured 36.2 degrees Celsius (97.16 degrees Fahrenheit), though the keyboard was a cooler 29 degrees Celsius.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
The hottest point on the bottom of the laptop hit 41.7 degrees Celsius (107.06 degrees Fahrenheit).
Webcam on the HP Spectre x360 13-inch
The 720p camera in the Spectre x360’s bezel produces blurry images and doesn’t capture color well. In a shot at my desk, My blue eyes looked dark, my orange shirt muted, and the whole image was covered in visual noise.
Is it usable? Sure. But you may also want to consider buying best webcams for improved image quality. There’s a kill switch on the right side of the laptop for extra privacy when you’re not using the webcam.
Software and Warranty on the HP Spectre x360 13-inch
Most of the software preinstalled on the Spectre is from HP itself. The most important is HP Command Center, a one-stop-shop to choose between performance presets, network prioritization for applications and system information. The others include HP Support Assistant (which I think could be rolled into Command Center), HP Privacy Settings and a link to the user manual for the laptop. There’s also MyHP, which gives you easy access to your serial numbers and a bunch of short tutorials for Windows and Microsoft Office.
Of course, there’s still the bloat that comes with most Windows 10 installs, like Spotify, Hulu, Roblox and Hidden City: Hidden Object Adventure.
HP sells the 13-inch Spectre x360 with a 1-year warranty that can be extended at an additional cost.
HP Spectre x360 13-inch Configurations
We tested the Spectre x360 with an Intel Core i7-1165G7, 16GB of RAM, 512GB of storage with 32GB of Intel Optane memory and a 1920 x 1080 IPS touchscreen. All of that comes for $1,249.99.
The base model is $949.99, with an Intel Core i5-1135G7, 8GB of RAM, a 1080p screen and a 256GB M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD.
Many of the components are configurable. You can go up to a
4K
UHD OLED touch screen (add $180), or opt for FHD
OLED
(add $30) or even WLED with Sure View Privacy (a $60 extra.) Storage goes up to a 2TB PCIe SSD. If you don’t want the silver color, you can pay $10 for black or $20 extra for blue.
The most expensive version, with a “Poseidon blue” chassis, Windows 10 Pro and the maximum specs runs $1,869.99.
Bottom Line
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
In its latest iteration, the 13-inch HP Spectre x360 continues to be an attractive choice, quite literally. The Spectre remains one of the best-looking notebooks on the market, and it’s sleek and trim. Its battery life is impressive, and the Bang & Olufsen audio is pretty good for a 2-in-1 laptop.
While many ultrabook owners may not use their laptops for the most intense workloads, those who do may notice the issues we saw in our Cinebench gauntlet. That’s not a huge issue for day-to-day use, but enthusiasts or power users may seek other options.
If you’re looking for a convertible 2-in-1, the go-to continues to be the
Dell XPS 13 2-in-1
, which offers strong performance and a taller, 16:10 display that works better as a tablet. You will, however, give up the full-sized USB Type-A port. HP also offers a comfier keyboard, in this author’s opinion, though a short wrist rest mars the typing experience.
But if a mix of style and endurace strikes your fancy, the Spectre x360 should be under consideration, though I’m hoping we can check out the 14-inch, 3:2 version soon.
João Silva 3 days ago Accessories, Featured Tech News
Razer is about to launch the Razer Thunderbolt 4 Dock Chroma, a universal dock with 10x ports and RGB lighting to greatly expand and centralise connectivity for your setup.
Featuring Thunderbolt 4 interfaces, the Razer Thunderbolt 4 Dock Chroma allows users to transfer data at blazing fast speeds, connect to multiple displays and devices, and charge a laptop through a single cable. The USB-C port is capable of delivering up to 90W of power to charge a laptop, while also delivering power to all other connected devices. The dock supports up to two video outputs at 4K with a 60Hz refresh rate or a single output at 8K with a 30Hz refresh rate.
With four Thunderbolt 4x ports, a Gigabit Ethernet port, a 3.5mm audio combo jack, a UHS-II SD card slot, and 3x USB-A 3.2 Gen2 ports, this docking solution is ready for every scenario. The Thunderbolt 4 Dock Chroma, as the name suggests, includes Razer Chroma RGB, capable of displaying 16.8 million colours and multiple lighting effects. Users can synchronise the Thunderbolt 4 Dock Chroma with other Chroma RGB-compatible devices through Razer Synapse. This docking solution works with both Windows and Mac devices with Thunderbolt 3/4 interfaces and is USB4 compliant, but it also supports legacy Thunderbolt devices.
The Razer Thunderbolt 4 Dock Chroma is now available for pre-order, priced at $329.99.
KitGuru says: Are any of you in need of a dock like this? What do you make of the Razer Thunderbolt 4 Dock Chroma?
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ESA planning Digital E3 in June, needs publisher backing for keynotes
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A company called Expanscape has created the most Inspector Gadget-like device that I’ve ever seen. It’s a laptop prototype called the Aurora 7 (a working title), and attached to its humongous black box of a chassis are six extra displays that extend out in every direction away from the main screen, each showing its own windows and applications.
If you’re like me, the first thought that comes to mind is “that poor hinge!” Yeah, poor hinge, indeed. Many laptop hinges don’t gracefully handle having one screen attached, let alone seven. Piggybacking on the main 17.3-inch 4K display are three other screens of the same size and resolution. Above the left and right displays is a single seven-inch 1200p monitor. You’ll also find one more seven-inch 1200p touchscreen display mounted into the wrist rest. This prototype weighs about 26 pounds and is 4.3 inches thick. It has an imposing, intimidating presence, and I haven’t even seen it in person.
Bow down to the Aurora 7.Image: Expanscape
What GPU is responsible for powering its four 4K displays? None other than the midrange Nvidia GTX 1060, which isn’t exactly a powerhouse. It also has an Intel Core i9-9900K processor and 64GB of RAM. You can find more specs here. In future revisions, Expanscape wants to use the Nvidia RTX 2070 instead, with options for the AMD Ryzen 9 3950x processor or Intel’s i9-10900K.
Even though it’s built primarily to be a mobile security operations station (and stay plugged pretty much all the time), maybe it’ll be able to run some games, too. Gizmodo noticed in its write-up of this gadget that its current prototype can last for just one hour before the battery cries for more power, which is frankly longer than I expected. It uses a secondary 148Wh battery just to power its additional displays, and that’s over the FAA’s legal limit to fly in a plane. Expanscape says it’s working to remedy this in future prototypes. In other words, the company is committed to letting you bring a seven-screen laptop onto a plane. You’d probably have to buy a whole row of seats for the necessary space to use it, though. (If you’re reading this in the future, please take a picture of one of these if you see it on your plane.)
Sure, the Aurora 7 looks more rough around the edges than Razer’s triple-screened Project Valerie laptop from a few years ago. But nevertheless, Expanscape claims it’s willing to actually sell this thing, which is more than Razer can say about its Valerie concept. If you want to buy one, Expanscape says it can help interested parties in reserving a prototype of its upcoming revision. As for the price, the company will ask you to sign a nondisclosure agreement, prohibiting you from publicly sharing the cost. That doesn’t bode well for the bank account.
I look forward to hearing more about future revisions of the Aurora 7, especially if it gets a button that makes all of the displays pop open in a comical fashion. Currently, it seems like an extremely manual process.
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