João Silva 1 day ago Featured Tech News, SSD Drives
Crucial has released a new portable SSD for accessing your data on-the-go. With varying storage capacities, the compact Crucial X6 is easy to carry around due to its reduced dimensions, allowing users to conveniently transport their games, multimedia files, and personal data.
The Crucial X6 is available with 500GB, 1TB, 2TB, and 4TB storage capacities. Featuring transfer speeds of up to 800 MB/s on the 4TB model and up to 540 MB/s on the remaining models, the Crucial X6 uses a USB-C 3.2 Gen2 interface to transfer data up to 5.6x faster than traditional HDDs.
Light and very compact, the Crucial X6 measures about 11x69x64mm (LxWxH) and weighs 40 grams. Protection features include a dustproof design, shock, vibration, and extreme temperature resistance.
Compatible with PC, Mac, PS5, Android devices, this SSD is compatible with most modern devices featuring a USB-C interface. To connect to a device without a USB-C port such as a PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and other devices, a USB-A adapter cable can be used instead, but these are sold separately.
The Crucial X6 portable SSDs are available now, starting at £61.19 for the 512GB variant, £115.19 for the 1TB variant, £220.79 (currently at £164.39) for the 2TB variant, and £428.39 for the 4TB variant. All models are backed by a 3-year warranty.
Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.
KitGuru says: Are you looking for a new portable storage solution? What do you think of the Crucial X6?
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Ghost of Tsushima’s developers will become ambassadors for the island
Ghost of Tsushima took many by surprise when it launched last Summer, offering a beautiful …
Matthew Wilson 1 day ago Featured Tech News, Graphics, Software & Gaming
Last night during AMD’s RX 6700 XT reveal, we also got a small update on Resident Evil Village. AMD confirmed that the developers will be utilising both raytracing and AMD’s FidelityFX features in the PC version.
In a tweet from the Radeon Twitter account, we also get a video demo showing off raytracing on AMD hardware in Resident Evil Village, although do be warned, Twitter’s video compression distorts quality quite a bit.
We’ve partnered with Capcom to utilize raytracing and AMD FidelityFX to enhance the atmosphere and next-generation visuals in Resident Evil Village. We can’t wait to play #REVillage on May 7th. pic.twitter.com/VgSZiPlJvz
— Radeon RX (@Radeon) March 3, 2021
While this was revealed as part of the Radeon RX 6700 XT announcement, AMD’s recommended system requirements for this game do call for an RX 6800 XT if you want to switch raytracing on.
Resident Evil Village is currently set to release on the 7th of May. We’ll be looking forward to seeing how it performs across a range of GPUs then. Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.
KitGuru Says: No word on Nvidia GPU support for raytracing in Resident Evil Village, so there are some questions still to be answered. Are many of you looking forward to Resident Evil Village?
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Ghost of Tsushima’s developers will become ambassadors for the island
Ghost of Tsushima took many by surprise when it launched last Summer, offering a beautiful …
Mustafa Mahmoud 3 hours ago Featured Tech News, PC, Software & Gaming
Recently, we reported that the open world viking-themed survival game Valheim had sold 2 million copies in just two weeks. This trajectory for success has not slowed down at all, with the studio now announcing that the game has reached 5 million players in just over 1 month.
Making the announcement, the Iron Gate team said “You’ve done it again! As you are reading this, the Valkyries have ferried more than FIVE MILLION souls to Valheim to uncover ancient treasures, sail savage seas and secure the tenth norse world.”
Alongside this, the team provided some other statistics for the game, including the fact that players have:
Spent more than 15,000 years playing Valheim
Watched more than 35 million hours of gameplay Twitch
Pushed us to number 39 in the best user reviewed games on Steam of all time
Once again, they concluded by thanking their fans, saying “We watch with pride and excitement, and struggle to find the right words to express our gratitude to you, the community. Exciting new milestones lie ahead, and we for one cannot wait to show you more of the game as we journey through our 2021 Roadmap. May Frey bless you with a plentiful harvest, and may Heimdall watch over your settlement. Oh, and if you see an oversized mosquito, run.”
Valheim’s continued success over such a short period is testament to the fact Iron Gate Studios managed to carve out their own slice of the market, innovating in various ways, be it thematically or gameplay-wise. It will be interesting to see just how long Valheim can keep up its current trajectory.
KitGuru says: Are you surprised by Valheim’s success? What do you think of the game? Are you playing it? Let us know down below.
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Aliens: Fireteam gameplay revealed
Earlier this week, Cold Iron Studios finally revealed the Alien game it has been working …
T-Mobile has been busy hawking its 5G network, recently spending many additional billions to expand it, which makes it kinda awkward that it’s also been caught telling users to turn off 5G to save battery life (via Sascha Segan). Didn’t Verizon just make this same gaff mere days ago? It sure did. But instead of learning from the example, T-Mobile appears to have pulled a hold-my-beer: where Verizon told users to switch to LTE, many of T-Mobile’s support documents tell users to go all the way back to 2G.
In case you’re not aware, switching to 2G (which T-Mobile handily tells you how to do) will make your phone next to useless as a data device: the maximum theoretical speed you could get from a 2G connection would be around 1Mbps (though many top out at closer to 256Kbps). Even 1Mbps is 25 times slower than what the FTC considers to be acceptable broadband speeds, and 300 times slower than the average 5G mid-band speeds T-Mobile has bragged about.
(Never mind that T-Mobile is also in the midst of phasing out 2G signals for good, though the 2G shutdown has reportedly been postponed to 2022.)
From the support page for the Samsung Galaxy S21 5G. Screenshot: The Verge
T-Mobile probably realized that this kind of advice was not a great look, but the company’s cover-up has also been amusingly slow. Earlier today, it removed the “Toggle from 5G/LTE to 2G” advice from the first example PC Magazine found (the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G), and the second one (the Samsung Galaxy S21 5G) had its support page updated shortly before we wrote these words. It also didn’t take long to find the advice to turn off 5G and/or 4G on the pages for the LG Wing, OnePlus Nord N10 5G, Galaxy S20+ 5G, and the Pixel 4a 5G (which weirdly only mentions turning off 4G, not 5G). That’s likely an incomplete list, but you get the picture: the nudge to pick T-Mobile’s slow 2G network showed up a bunch.
(Here’s a Google Cache version of the first T-Mobile support page from March 1st.)
I will say that T-Mobile is right in one way: turning my phone down to 2G would likely make it so slow that I’d just give up trying to use it, and my phone probably would last a lot longer. If you’re struggling with battery life on your phone, there are plenty of things you can try that don’t involve slamming the brakes quite that hard.
Blizzard wasn’t kidding when it told Polygon that the new remastered Diablo II would be faithful to the original. You’ll even be able to pick up where you left off with your 20-year-old savegames, IGN Middle East reports.
“Yes! Yes, keep those!” producer Matthew Cederquist told journalists, saying that the team called it “the best feature ever.”
As a lapsed player myself, the very idea is giving me chills — dangerous ones, ones that I imagine are akin to what Gollum felt in The Lord of the Rings when he decided to pull The One Ring off his brother’s throttled corpse. I thought I could safely leave this game behind, but no. It seems I may need to track down an old friend soon.
Staying the hell away from this.
True story: I had to give my fairly valuable account and discs to a friend sworn to never, ever return them, because I kept seeing unique items in my dreamshttps://t.co/t7V7Oa26SH
— Sean Hollister (@StarFire2258) February 19, 2021
For the rest of the original game’s fanbase, though, this might be incredible news: players like me spent large amounts of time grinding Diablo II’s bosses and levels to dust searching for unique items, not to mention selling them online and trading them inside a game that wasn’t really designed for that sort of thing. (One particular rare item, the Stone of Jordan, was actually used as a makeshift form of currency.)
Now, all of that progress is theoretically yours instead of having to start from scratch, and it might even be portable, too: theoretically, the game’s cross-save abilities across PC and console mean you could even load up your OG save on a Nintendo Switch.
Blizzard told our sister site Polygon that the remaster basically is the original game, so it’s not too surprising that original saves still function:
This isn’t a remake,” said Fergusson. “We’re not reverse-engineering it; we’re not rebuilding it and trying to make it look and sound like [Diablo 2]. This is [Diablo 2]. […] It’s right there, underneath the surface. The entire simulation, the engine for this game, that lifeblood of this game, is [Diablo 2] right underneath. So there’s a toggle switch, a legacy toggle, that when you press the button, you’ll see behind the curtains, and there is Diablo 2 in 2D sprites running right there, and you can play the way that you played 20 years ago.”
“[W]e kind of shoved it in and it worked!” the team told IGN Middle East.
While we still don’t have an Intel Rocket Lake-S Core i9-11900K CPU to use for testing, Intel Z590 boards have been rolling in. So while we await benchmark results, we’ll be walking in detail through the features of these brand-new boards. First up on our bench was the ASRock Z590 Steel Legend 6E Wi-Fi, followed by the Gigabyte Z590 Aorus Master and Gigabyte’s Z590 Vision G. Today, we take a close look at the MSI MEG Z590 Ace. We’ll have to wait for benchmark results, though, to see if it deserves a spot on our best motherboards list.
The latest version of the Ace board features robust power delivery, four M.2 sockets, a premium audio codec and more. The new Ace also has updated styling on the heatsink and shrouds while still keeping the black with gold highlights theme from the previous generation. Emblazoned on the rear IO is the MSI Dragon (with RGB LEDs) and the Ace name (no lighting). We don’t have an exact price for the MEG Z590 Ace. However, the Z490’s MSRP was $399, so we expect the Z590 version to cost the same or slightly more.
MSI’s current Z590 product stack consists of 11 models, with most falling into the MEG (high-end) MPG (mid-range) and MAG (budget) lineups. We’re greeted by several familiar SKUs and a couple of new ones. Starting at the top is the flagship MEG Z590 Godlike, the Ace we’re looking at now, and a Mini ITX MEG Z590I Unify. The mid-range MPG line consists of four boards (Carbon EK X, Gaming Edge WiFi, Gaming Carbon WiFi and Gaming Force), while the less expensive MAG lineup consists of two boards (Z590 Tomahawk WiFi, and Torpedo). Wrapping up the current product stack are two ‘Pro’ boards in the Z590 Pro WiFi and Z590-A Pro. The only thing missing out of the gate is a Micro ATX board, but it’s likely we see one or two down the line.
We can’t talk about Rocket Lake-S performance yet — not that we have a CPU at this time to test boards with anyway. All we’ve seen at this point are rumors and a claim from Intel of a significant increase to IPC. But the core count was lowered from 10 cores/20 threads in Comet Lake (i9-10900K) to 8 cores/16 threads in the yet-to-be-released i9-11900K. To that end, we’ll stick with specifications and features, adding a full review that includes benchmarking, overclocking and power consumption shortly.
MSI’s MEG Z590 Ace includes all the bits you expect from a premium motherboard. The board has a stylish appearance, very capable power delivery (16-phase 90A Vcore) and the flagship Realtek ALC4082 audio codec with included DAC. We’ll cover these features and much more in detail below. First, here are the full specs from MSI.
(1) Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX210 (MU-MIMO, 2.4/5/6GHz, BT 5.2)
USB Controllers
??
HD Audio Codec
Realtek ALC4082
DDL/DTS Connect
✗ / DTS:X Ultra
Warranty
3 Years
The accessories included with the board are reasonably comprehensive, including most of what you need to get started. Below is a full list.
Manual
Quick Installation Guide
USB drive (Drivers)
Cleaning brush
Screwdrivers
Stickers (MEG/Cable)
(4) SATA cables
(4) Screws/standoff sets for M.2 sockets
Thermistor cable
1 to 2 RGB LED Y cable, Corsair RGB LED cable, Rainbow RGB LED cable
DP to mini DP cable
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Looking at the Z590 Ace for the first time, we see the black PCB along with black heatsinks and shrouds covering most of the board. MSI stenciled on identifying language such as the MEG Ace name and the MSI Gaming Dragon in gold, setting this SKU apart from the rest. The VRM heatsinks are both made from a solid block of aluminum with lines cut out. Additionally, the shroud is made of metal and connected to the heat pipes, increasing surface area significantly. Also worth noting is the VRM heatsinks share the load connected via heatpipe. RGB LED lighting is minimal here, with a symbol on the chipset shining through a mesh cover on the chipset heatsink and the MSI dragon above the rear IO. While tastefully done, some may want more. With its mostly black appearance, the board won’t have trouble fitting in most build themes.
(Image credit: MSI)
Focusing on the top half of the board, we’ll get a better look at what’s going with the VRM heatsinks and other board features in this area. In the upper-left corner, we spot two 8-pin EPS connectors, one of which is required for operation. Just below this is the shroud covering the rear IO bits and part of the VRM heatsink. On it is a carbon-fiber pattern along with the MSI Gaming Dragon illuminated by RGB LEDs. The socket area is relatively clean, with only a few caps visible.
Just above the VRM heatsink is the first of eight fan headers. All fan headers on the board are the 4-pin type and support PWM- and DC-controlled fans and pumps. The CPU_FAN1 header supports up to 2A/24W and auto-detects the attached device type. The PUMP_FAN1 supports up to 3A/36W. The rest of the system fan headers support up to 1A/12W. This configuration offers plenty of support for most cooling systems. That said, I would like to have seen all pump headers auto-detect PWM/DC modes instead of only CPU_FAN1.
To the right of the socket are four reinforced DRAM slots. The Z590 Ace supports up to 128GB of RAM with speeds listed up to DDR4 5600 (for one stick with one rank). The highest supported speed with two DIMMs is DDR4 4400+, which is plenty fast enough for an overwhelming majority of users.
MOving down the right edge of the board, we see the 2-character debug LED up top, a system fan header, five voltage read points (Vcore/DRAM/SA/IO/IO2), 4-LED debug, 24-pin ATX connector, and finally, a USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C front panel header. Between both debug tools and the voltage read points, you’ll have an accurate idea of what’s going on with your PC.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
With the MEG Z590 Ace towards the top of the product stack, you’d expect well-built power delivery and you wouldn’t be wrong. MSI lists the board as 16+2+1 (Vcore/GT/SA) and it uses a Renesas ISL69269 (X+Y+Z = 8+2+1) PWM controller that feeds power to eight-phase doublers (Renesas ISL617A), then onto 16 90A Renesas ISL99390B MOSFETs for the Vcore. This configuration yields 1440A of power for the CPU, which is plenty for ambient and sub-ambient/extreme overclocking. It won’t be this board holding you back in any overclocking adventures, that’s for sure.
(Image credit: MSI)
As we focus on the bottom half, we’ll take a closer look at the integrated audio, PCIe slot configuration and storage. Starting with the audio bits on the left side, under the shroud, is the Realtek latest premium codec, the ALC4082. Additionally, the Z590 Ace includes an ESS Sabre 9018Q2C combo DAC, a dedicated headphone amplifier (up to 600 Ohm) and high-quality Chemicon audio capacitors. This audio solution should be more than adequate for most users.
In the middle of the board are four M.2 sockets and five PCIe slots. With the PCIe connectivity, all three full-length slots are reinforced to prevent shearing and EMI, while the two PCIe x1 slots don’t have any reinforcement. The top slot supports PCIe 4.0 x16 speeds, with the second and third slots PCIe 3.0. The slots break down as follows, x16/x0/x4 x8/x8/x4 or x8/x4+x4/x4. This configuration supports 2-Way Nvidia SLI and 2-Way AMD Crossfire technologies. All x1 slots and the full-length bottom slot are fed from the chipset, while the top two full-length slots source their lanes from the CPU.
M.2 storage on the Z590 Ace consists of four onboard sockets supporting various speeds and module lengths. The top slot, M2_1, supports PCIe 4.0 x4 modules up to 110mm. Worth noting on this socket is that it only works with an 11th Gen Intel CPU installed. M2_2, M2_3, M2_4 are fed from the chipset, with M2_2 and M2_3 supporting SATA- and PCIe-based modules up to 80mm, while M2_4 supports PCIe only. M2_2/3/4 are all PCIe 3.0 x4.
The way this is wired, you will lose some SATA ports and PCIe bandwidth depending on the configuration. For example, SATA2 is unavailable when using a SATA-based SSD in the M2_2 socket. SATA 5/6 are unavailable when using the M2_3 socket with any type of device. Finally, the bandwidth on M2_4 switches from x4 to x2 when PCI_E5 (bottom x1 slot) is used. The M.2 sockets support RAID 0/1 for those who would like additional speed or redundancy.
Finally, along the right edge of the board are six horizontally oriented SATA ports. The Z590 Ace supports RAID 0, 1 and 10 on the SATA ports. Just be aware you lose a couple of ports on this board if you’re using some of the M.2 sockets. Above these ports is a USB 3.2 Gen1 front panel header along with another 4-pin system fan header.
Across the board’s bottom edge are several headers, including more USB ports, fan headers, and more. Below is the full list, from left to right:
Front Panel Audio
aRGB and RGB headers
(3) System Fan headers
Supplemental PCIe power
Tuning controller connector
Temperature sensor
(2) USB 2.0 headers
LED switch
BIOS selector switch
OC Retry jumper
TPM header
Power and Reset buttons
Slow mode jumpers
Front panel connectors
(Image credit: MSI)
Moving to the rear IO area, we see the integrated IO plate sporting a black background with gold writing matching the board theme. There are eight USB Type-A ports (two USB 3.2 Gen2, four USB 3.2 Gen1 and two USB 2.0 ports). On the Type-C front, the Z590 Ace includes two Thunderbolt 4 ports capable of speeds up to 40 Gbps. Just to the right of those are Mini-DisplayPort inputs for running video through the Thunderbolt connection(s). Handling the video output for the CPU’s integrated graphics is a single HDMI (2.0b) port. We also spy here the Wi-Fi antenna connections, 5-plug plus SPDIF audio stack, Intel 2.5 GbE and finally, a Clear CMOS button and BIOS Flashback button that can be used without a CPU.
Software
For Z590, MSI has changed up its software offerings. We used to have several individual programs to adjust the system, but MSI moved to an all-in-one application called MSI Center with thisboard. The new Software is a central repository for many of the utilities (12) MSI offers. These include Mystic Light (RGB control), AI Cooling (adjust fan speeds), LAN Manager (control the NIC), Speed Up (for storage), Gaming Mode (auto-tune games), among several others (see the screenshots below for details). The User Scenario application has a couple of presets for system performance and is where you manually adjust settings, including CPU clock speeds and voltage, RAM timings, and more. Overall, I like the move to a single application. The user interface is easy to read and get around in. However, sometimes loading these applications takes longer than I would like to see. But MSI Center does an excellent job of pulling everything in.
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Firmware
To give you a taste of the Firmware, we’ve gathered screenshots showing most BIOS screens. MSI’s BIOS is unique from the other board partners in that the headings aren’t at the top but split out to the sides. In each section, all the frequently used options are easy to find and not buried deep within menus. Overall, MSI didn’t change much here when moving from Z490 to Z590 and their BIOS continues to be easy to use.
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Future Tests and Final Thoughts
With Z590 boards arriving but now Rocket Lake-S CPUs yet, we’re in an odd place. We know most of these boards should perform similarly to our previous Z490 motherboard reviews. And while there are exceptions, they are likely mostly at the bottom of the product stack. To that end, we’re posting these as detailed previews until we get data using a Rocket Lake processor.
Once we receive a Rocket Lake CPU and as soon as any embargos have expired, we’ll fill in the data points, including the benchmarking/performance results, as well as overclocking/power and VRM temperatures.
We’ll also be updating our test system hardware to include a PCIe 4.0 video card and storage. This way, we can utilize the platform to its fullest using the fastest protocols supported. We will also update to the latest Windows 10 64-bit OS (20H2) with all threat mitigations applied and update the video card driver and use the newest release when we start this testing. We use the latest non-beta motherboard BIOS available to the public unless otherwise noted. While we do not have performance results from the yet-to-be-released Rocket Lake CPU, we’re confident the 70A VRMs will handle the i9-11900K processor without issue. A quick test of the i9-10900K found the board quite capable with that CPU, easily allowing the 5.2 GHz overclock we set. For now, we’ll focus on features, price, and appearance until we gather performance data from the new CPU.
(Image credit: MSI)
The MSI MEG Z590 Ace is a premium motherboard adorned with several high-end features, including a very robust VRM capable of handling 10th and 11th generation flagship Intel processors at both stock speeds and overclocked. Additionally, the board includes four M.2 sockets, 2.5 GbE and integrated Wi-Fi 6E, and two Thunderbolt 4 ports for increased bandwidth and peripheral flexibility.
The MEG Z590 Ace’s 16-phase 90A VRM handled our i9-10900K without issue, even overclocked to 5.2 GHz. We’ll retest once we receive our Rocket Lake-based i9-11900K, but so long as the BIOS is right, it shouldn’t pose any problems for this board. Although it has four M.2 sockets, unlike the Gigabyte Z590 Vision G, using these sockets causes SATA ports to drop, because more lanes are tied to the chipset on this board). That said, if you’re in a worst-case scenario, you can run four M.2 modules and still have three SATA ports left over. Most users should find this acceptable.
As far as potential drawbacks go, the price point of $400-plus will be out of reach for some users. Another concern for some may be the lack of RGB elements on the board. The MSI dragon and chipset heatsink light up with RGB LEDs, but that’s it. If you like a lot of RGB LED bling, you can add it via the four aRBG/RGB headers located around the board. The other drawback is the lack of a USB 3.2 Gen2x2 Type-C port, but the faster Thunderbolt 4 ports certainly make up for that.
Direct competitors at this price point are the Asus ROG Strix Z590-E Gaming, Gigabyte Z590 Aorus Master, and the ASRock Z590 Taichi. All of these boards are plenty capable with the differences residing in VRMs (Gigabyte gets the nod here), M.2 storage (MSI and Giga both have four) and audio (the Ace has the most premium codec). Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but if you forced me to pick among these, the Taichi would be the board I’d want to show off the most. That said, no board here is a turnoff and has its own benefit over another.
The Ace’s appearance, including the brushed aluminum and carbon fiber-like finish, really gives it a premium look and feel, while easily blending in with your build theme. If your budget allows for a ~$400 motherboard and you’re looking for a lot of M.2 storage and enjoy a premium audio experience, the MEG Z590 Ace is an excellent option near that price point. Stay tuned for benchmarking, overclocking, and power results using the new Rocket Lake CPU.
Nintendo has a new Switch console in the pipeline. According to Bloomberg, the device will boast a 7-inch screen that uses OLED display tech for the first time. The display will be made by Samsung, which also supplies screens for smartphones like the iPhone 12 and Galaxy S21.
It’s hoped the new console will launch in time for Christmas in order to compete with the PS5 and Xbox Series X. Both Sony and Microsoft’s consoles have been in short supply since launching at the end of 2020, though hopefully the supply issues should be sorted by this winter (here’s where to buy a PS5, and where to buy an Xbox Series X, just in case you’re still looking).
An OLED display would give the Switch higher contrast and better colour reproduction, as well as consuming less battery life. According to Bloomberg‘s sources, Nintendo will use rigid OLED panels which are cheaper but less flexible than those commonly found in high-end smartphones.
The 7-inch size would be bigger than the current Switch’s 6.2-inch screen, and the Switch Lite’s 5.5-inch display. According to the report, it will also be able to output 4K resolution when connected to a 4K TV.
Given the Switch launched over four years ago, it’s arguably due a refresh. And, although the PS5 and Xbox Series X are much more powerful, Nintendo’s console has continued to sell well even after all this time. We’ve even seen Switch stock shortages along the way.
Within a year of its launch, the Switch sold 14 million units, eclipsing the total lifetime sales of its predecessor, the Wii U. To date, the Switch and slimmed-down Switch Lite have sold more than 79 million units worldwide. And it looks like there’s plenty of life in the old dog yet.
MORE:
Next-gen face-off! PS5 vs Xbox Series X: which is better?
Sony consoles duke it out: PS5 vs PS5 Digital Edition: which should you buy?
Our pick of the best gaming headsets for PC, PS4 and Xbox One
WhatsApp’s desktop app for Mac and PC is getting voice and video calling today, the company announced, offering end-to-end encrypted calls to other WhatsApp users on both computers and mobile devices.
Voice and video calling isn’t a new idea for WhatsApp: the mobile apps for Android and iOS already offer the feature, and WhatsApp started to roll out the desktop calling feature to a small group of users at the end of last year. But today’s launch means that the feature is now available to all WhatsApp users on desktop, making calling a more ubiquitous feature across all WhatsApp devices.
And like the existing video calling feature, the new desktop calling promises the same end-to-end encryption — meaning that WhatsApp and Facebook can’t see or hear your calls.
The biggest missing feature is that, at least to start, the desktop app will only support one-to-one calling, not group calls. WhatsApp does promise that it’ll be expanding to include support for group voice and video calls down the line, although it hasn’t said when that will be.
To use the new video calling feature, you’ll have to set up the WhatsApp desktop app on either Mac or PC, which requires that you already be a WhatsApp user on mobile. Once you’ve installed the app on your computer, users will then scan a QR code to log in on the desktop app, after which they’ll be able to use the desktop version of WhatsApp with their usual account.
CircuitPython, Adafruit’s enhanced fork of the MicroPython language, runs on nearly 200 different microcontroller boards, including the Raspberry Pi Pico, and it could soon become an operating system for regular (non-Pico) Raspberry Pis. While appearing as a guest on the Tom’s Hardware Pi Cast this week, CircuitPython Programming Lead Scott Shawcroft told us that he wants to create a version of the language that single-board computers like the Raspberry Pi Zero, Pi 4 and Pi 400 can boot straight into, without the overhead of a full operating system.
“I’d like to get CircuitPython running on the Raspberry Pi alone, without Linux underneath it,” Shawcroft said in response to our questions about whether he plans to add Pico VGA output support to the languages. “So, when I think of ‘I want to interface with a TV’ sorts of tasks, I want to actually go the route of getting CircuitPython running the A series chips on the regular Raspberry Pis instead of putting my time into the VGA sorts of things on the Pico, because that’s super limited.”
Recently, a number of Raspberry Pi Pico projects have used the chip’s ability to output to VGA. Ben Stragnell created a Pico-powered NES emulator and, on another recent episode of the Pi Cast, Raspberry Pi Pico SDK author Graham Sanderson showed off a BBC Micro emulator he had created for the microcontroller. However, to Shawcroft’s point, the Pico and its 133 MHz RP2040 processor will never provide the kind of high-res, high refresh rate video out that a regular Pi can.
“If we can get CircuitPython running on a CM4, a Pi 4 or a Pi 400, that means that you can have that nostalgia programming experience on a 4K display or two 4K displays and, if we’re running native on the devices, we can still have that experience of like plug it in and it shows up as a drive, depending on how its connected,” Shawcroft said.
Aside from just allowing better video out than a Pico can handle, bringing CircuitPython to Raspberry Pi as an OS would have other advantages. It would likely allow a regular Raspberry Pi to act more like a microcontroller, booting and running its default program almost instantly and turning off without the need for a safe-shutdown process.
We got more details about this idea from Shawcroft after the show was over and he noted that, while he thinks that bootable CircuitPython for Raspberry Pi will happen, it’s just an idea at this point with no scheduled rollout.
A more immediate priority, which Shawcroft is starting to work on now, is creating the framework for users to edit CircuitPython over Bluetooth LE from mobile devices. So anyone who only has access to a phone or tablet will be able to edit code on a Bluetooth-enabled microcontroller using a mobile app or perhaps a browser. This will allow children, who may not have PCs, to get in on the programming experience.
Whenever bootable CircuitPython comes to Raspberry Pi, its workflow could take one of several forms. First, if the Pi supports USB host mode as Pi 4 and Zero do, you would be able to connect it to a PC and have it appear as a storage device you can write files to, much in the way you write files to CircuitPython-powered microcontrollers.
However, it’s also possible that the Pi could boot to a command interpreter that looks and acts similar to the way people programmed in BASIC on a Commodore 64. Shawcroft has actually played around with this mode of Python input and placed a demo of it, along with an animation of the demo in action, on his github. You also might be able to program the Pi via Bluetooth LE.
Even though there’s no bootable version yet, Raspberry Pi users do have a way to use CircuitPython right now. The Adafruit Blinka library for Python, which you can install via pip, allows you to add CircuitPython code to regular Python programs.
While Shawcroft may not have time to work on bootable CircuitPython for a while, he noted that other developers are free and encouraged to take up the project.
“If folks like this idea, then I’d encourage them to reach out to help make it happen,” he said. “We’re always looking for more CircuitPython contributors. My highest priority is always to support others working on CircuitPython so I’m happy to give guidance and get things merged into CircuitPython proper. I’d love to see CircuitPython supported directly on Pis and other single board computers.”
Light and snappy, a little too flashy and packing potential, the Marsback M1 is an interesting 75% Bluetooth mechanical keyboard that hit Kickstarter this week (early bird price of $159). It’s an attempt at the best gaming keyboard that experiments freely with a chunky, frosted base, over-the-top RGB and extra peppy switches while pulling in helpful features, like hot-swappable switches, that aren’t as common as we might like.
Marsback sent us a functioning prototype to test out. Ultimately, it’s a bold design that, at first glance, one Tom’s Hardware editor couldn’t decide if he loved or hated.
Marsback M1 Specs
Switches
Marsback MBS-I (tested), MBS-II or MBS-III&
Lighting
Per-key RGB
Onboard Storage
2 profiles
Connectivity
USB Type-C to USB Type-A, rubber
Additional Ports
None
Keycaps
PBT plastic
Construction
Polycarbonate plastic
Software
Marsback Pro
Dimensions (LxWxH)
12.6 x 5.2 x 1.7 inches (321 x 131 x 42.8mm)
Compatibility
Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Dos, Linux, Unix
Who Is Marsback?
Let’s get this out of the way. Many are skeptical about buying something off crowdfunders like Kickstarter as there’s a chance it’ll never come to market. The good news is that this isn’t Marsback’s first product. The company, which started in 2018 with 3G consumer gadgets, also made the Zephyr gaming mouse with a built-in fan, which appears to be available outside of Kickstarter on Marsback’s website.
For better or worse, Marsback also acknowledged consumer skepticism about crowdfunding projects on the M1’s Kickstarter page, admitting that due to the keyboard’s large (6,000mAh) battery, some countries won’t allow it to be air shipped, which would result in slower delivery.
The company also pointed to budget concerns, stating that the keyboard’s hand-assembled, homemade mechanical switches are affected by increasing labor costs. It said that “keeping it affordable, yet high quality is never easy. But instead of aiming for making money, we aim for giving you an experience like no other”
A Marsback rep further addressed potential concern, telling us, “We will continue to sell the keyboard after the campaign [ends] on Kickstarter, both on our official website and Amazon store. And the Marsback M1 keyboard is not our first Kickstarter campaign. Before that, we’ve fulfilled the Zephyr gaming mouse.”
More good news comes from Marsback saying the M1 is “already in production,” with the first step being making and testing the switches. It’s expecting to ship the M1 in early July. The company first came up with the M1 in March 2019.
In a statement announcing the M1, Jack Walker, co-inventor of Marsback M1, said, “The Kickstarter campaign will help us manufacture our units and finalize our packaging components so M1 can arrive in homes across the world as soon as possible.”
Design
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With its thick, heavy, white-frosted base, the M1’s keys look like they’re sitting in a block of dull ice. The body was CNC milled out of polycarbonate, because of the material’s translucent look and ”lack of tooling costs,” according to Marsback’s Kickstarter. This is actually the hardest and most time-consuming part of making the M1.
This makes for a block of a keyboard that looks much different than the black plastic bases and dark tops comprising the vast majority of mechanical clackers today, whether RGB is on or not. It also makes for a much heavier keyboard than you’d expect of a wireless keyboard with a 75% layout.
Lurking within the M1’s base are 21 surface-mounted LEDs. When brought to life, they produce a memorable blast of RGB. The frosty, diffused exterior often paints a cotton candy effect on the RBGs. But don’t mistake that for being dim. In fact, I’d advise you not to look directly into these lights for more than a couple seconds unless you’re after a quick headache. You can adjust brightness, but now matter how you slice it — be that with a rainbow effect, solid color breathing or a small patch of lights circling the perimeter — this is powerful, look-at-me RGB.
The downside is the visibility of the individual LEDs, which is so prominent that you can basically count each one. This isn’t an issue from a top-down view, but from the sides it makes the RGB glow look unnatural.
On top of that, in true gaming keyboard fashion, the keys themselves have per-key RGB for the ultimate dizzying array of RGB overload. These 84 LEDs for the keys are also very bright, casting a glow on the RGB base. Thankfully, RGB is controllable with hot keys (as are numerous other functions, such as volume control and a calculator launcher). But I wouldn’t remember them without the handy manual Marsback includes in the box. And there were times when some functions wouldn’t work on my prototype (hopefully this will be addressed with the final keyboards).
I tested the Sakura Pink version of this keyboard, which already looks busy sans RGB, with pink flowers and accents. It was hard to find an RGB effect that enhanced this design rather than overpowered it. And it was hard to tell what was the base’s RGB effect and what came from the keys. The black version and, especially, the white version with its white pudding keycaps seem to blend with the RBG effects better, based on the pictures Marsback has provided.
(Image credit: Marsback)
Sadly, I didn’t quite get the Cherry blossom feel I had hoped for with the M1’s Sakura Pink theme. The spacebar comes close, as do the pink petals sprinkled throughout, (although, I could use more of those). But many of the keyboard’s flowers come off more ‘60s and/or Barbie-themed.
Snappy Homebrewed Switches
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
What first stood out to me about the M1 are the linear switches Marsback brewed for them. Despite the linear travel, Marsback promised a pleasantly tactile sensation and delivered.
As the M1’s Kickstarter page states, Marsback designed the switches to provide “better control [over] the keystrokes and bounce sound.” The vendor describes the switches as “light and short on touch” with lubrication applied to each switch’s mandrel and the spring connection for a smooth rebound. You should relube after 10 months though, a Marsback rep told us.
The M1 is available with three different types of Marsback M1 switches:
MBS-I (tested)
MBS-II
MBS-III
Total Travel
4mm ±, 0.6mm
4mm ±, 0.6mm
4mm ±, 0.6mm
Actuation Point
2mm ± 0.6mm
2mm ± 0.6mm
2mm ± 0.6mm
Actuation Force
45g ± 15g
50g ± 15g
55g ± 15g
I’ve only had a couple days with the M1, but typing with the MBS-I switches has felt perky and, as promised, satisfyingly bouncy. At first I did have to snap some switches more firmly into place, but since my test unit is a prototype this can be forgiven. Once the switches were properly installed, I was surprised at how responsive the keys felt. They certainly felt linear, but the quick bounce back did add a pleasant distinct feel to the typing experience while making it seem slightly more enjoyable for long-term typing than using Cherry MX Red linear switches.
The switches also felt very smooth. The lubrication seems effective, but I do wonder if the switches will lose a lot of their magic once this wears off. Combined with the keyboard’s PBT keycaps though, typing felt quick and slightly more stiff with a thinner, less hollow noise than what you get on other keyboards, including the Varmilo MA108M Moonlight keyboard, which has very smooth electrostatic capacitive mechanical switches.
Typing on the M1 felt very stable, with the keycaps showing very little wobble and only if I forced them. The MBS-I switches use 5-pins (compared to the 3 pins many switches, including Cherry MX Reds use), and M1 has a plate on top of its PCB, so this sturdiness isn’t surprising.
It took me some time to adjust to the M1 and avoid typos because the keys felt light and depressed easily. The M1’s Kickstarter goes as far as to say that average typing speed could increase by as much as 5% on the Marsback M1. I didn’t immediately see such results. My average speed was the same and my accuracy was slightly down, but I could see both, especially accuracy, improving over time.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
And, of course, should you dislike Marsback’s switches, they are hot swappable, making it fast and easy to change your keyboard’s mechanical switches without soldering.
Wireless Connectivity
The M1 has a leg up on productivity in its ability to connect to up to three Bluetooth devices and toggle between them using FN and F2, F3 or F4. I didn’t do a lot of back and forth between PCs in my short time with the M1, but when I did switch between PC to PC, I was able to do so quickly and without issues. The M1 uses Bluetooth 5.1 via a Nordic N52810 chip.
You could also use the M1 with its cable. Marsback even took the extra stepin making the M1 connect via USB-C, which is more common and faster than Micro-USB. However, my prototype annoyingly requires you use hot keys to switch to wired mode.
Marsback opts to pack the M1 with a 6000mAh battery that it says should last up to 2 months with the LEDs off and 12 hours with full RGB. Charging time is pegged at 6 hours. Although, my prototype lacks a power button, which complicates things and is another detail I hope is addressed with retail units.
Software
Mrsback’s M1 uses a 32-bit microcontroller and 128KB of SRAM and will be programmable via Marsback’s software, called Marsback Pro.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Marsback Pro will let users make custom macros, set per-key RGB and store up to 2 onboard memory profiles, which you can activate without software by hitting FN and F9 or F10.
Final Thoughts
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
If you’re a believer in crowdfunding and like the way the Marsback M1 looks, it may actually be a good contender in the increasingly flooded mechanical keyboard market.
For one, its feature set is hard to match. Reliable Bluetooth connectivity across three devices isn’t that common in a mechanical keyboard, let alone one with RGB. Add hot-swappable switches into the mix, and it becomes even rarer.
Compared to other Bluetooth gaming keyboards, the M1’s $159 early bird price isn’t horrible either. The Logitech G915 Lightspeed is currently $250, and the tenkeyless version, the Logitech G915 TKL, is on sale for about $200. The Hexgears Venture also started via Kickstarter and is now available for $160, and the Razer BlackWidow V3 Pro is $230.
At much above that, though, the M1 will probably have a hard time keeping up — especially if it doesn’t improve on build quality flaws with the final product. Some will also yearn for the option to connect via wireless dongle, especially for competitive gaming. Additionally, we can’t predict how long the M1 will be available at the early bird pricing or its final retail price.
But typing on this keyboard was impressive and distinct, largely thanks to Marsback’s bouncy linear switches. There are possibilities here. Particularly if you appreciate the phrase “moar RGB.”
Valve has removed The Sinking City from its digital storefront Steam after the company received a Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) request from the game’s developer Frogwares, Vice reports. Frogwares claims that the game’s original publisher, Nacon, hacked and pirated the game and republished it on Steam without the studio’s knowledge.
A Valve spokesperson told Vice on Tuesday evening that the company was able to collect “extremely strong evidence to indicate this version of the game was pirated,” and that the version of The Sinking City published on its digital storefront “contains content that Nacon has absolutely no rights to — namely The Merciful Madness DLC.”
The Sinking City initially launched in 2019, but Frogwares announced last year it would pull the game from stores, citing back payment that Nacon owed the studio. Nacon told Eurogamer that it accused the developer of “playing the victim” and said it had paid the studio more than €10 million to date. In late February, Nacon put the game back on Steam, which Frogwares says was actually a pirated version of the game that was unassociated with the studio (and which has since been removed following the DMCA request).
Currently, The Sinking City’s Steam page does appear in a web browser search, but clicking on it redirects you to the homepage for the web version of Steam. The Sinking City‘s PC version is still purchasable as a self-published title from Frogwares through other storefronts, such as Origin.
Sony has announced a new slate of PlayStation VR games for later this year. It includes a virtual reality adaptation of Doom 3, as well as titles from a few successful VR studios and a couple of relative newcomers to VR.
Sony announced a new generation of PSVR for its PlayStation 5 console last month. The headset will come with a redesigned controller, a single cord instead of the original cable box, and a higher-resolution screen, among other upgrades. But Sony hasn’t unveiled the headset or offered many details, and it’s said the device won’t arrive in 2021. So today’s games will be launching for PSVR — with the promise of a better experience down the line.
Doom 3 VR, the only title with a precise release date, will launch on March 29th for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5. It’s a “retooled” port of the original 2004 shooter and its two expansions, designed for PSVR’s gun-like Aim accessory. A short trailer offers a preview of the gameplay and updated graphics.
This is the second Doom game for PSVR, following the 2017 VR original Doom VFR. It’s also not the first time Doom 3 has appeared in VR. The game was originally promised as part of the Oculus Rift headset launch, but it was canceled amid a lawsuit from Doom rights holder ZeniMax. (ZeniMax was acquired by Sony’s rival Microsoft last year.) More recently, a modding team unofficially ported Doom 3 to the Oculus Quest.
Vertigo Games, creator of zombie VR shooter Arizona Sunshine, will be bringing its cooperative followup After the Fall to PSVR as well. After the Fall was announced a couple of years ago, and it was expected to launch in 2020 on both PSVR and PC-based VR. It was delayed in part because of the coronavirus pandemic, rescheduled for early 2021 — a window Sony is reiterating here.
PlayStation VR will also be supporting I Expect You To Die 2 — a sequel to the wildly successful escape room title, originally announced for Steam in January. The game promises the same richly interactive spy-themed puzzles as I Expect You To Die, which has proven one of the most enduringly popular VR games since its launch in 2016.
The other games don’t have the same immediate name recognition, but they’re intriguing additions to the PSVR catalog. Fracked is developed by nDreams, the studio behind kayak-based stealth shooter Phantom: Covert Ops. Continuing the sports-plus-guns formula, its new game is an action shooter built around skiing — alongside climbing, zip lines, and old-fashioned duck-and-cover combat. It’s also apparently about a fracking facility that’s been “taken over by an army of gun-wielding, interdimensional maniacs.” (It’s unclear whether the maniacs are pro- or anti-fracking.) The game will be released this summer for PlayStation Move controllers on both generations of Sony consoles, but with improved frame rates and resolution on the PlayStation 5.
In a slightly calmer vein, there’s Song in the Smoke by Galak-Z developer 17-Bit. It’s a VR survival game that focuses on crafting, hunting, scavenging, and exploration in a mysterious world. A trailer shows off some gorgeous landscapes and creature design, as well as mechanics like archery. It’s launching at an unspecified point in 2021.
Sony also announced the 2021 release of Zenith, an anime-influenced massively multiplayer roleplaying game funded on Kickstarter last year. It’s set in a high-tech fantasy world that’s designed for players to climb and glide around, in addition to fighting with a VR-adapted version of conventional RPG combat.
Microsoft is adding four sports games to Xbox Game Pass in March and April. Madden NFL 21 arrives today as part of EA Play for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers, and Football Manager 2021 will arrive tomorrow for both Xbox consoles and PC. NBA 2K1 will also launch on Xbox Game Pass tomorrow and will be available on xCloud game streaming, too.
The fourth and final sports addition will be NHL 21 in April, arriving for Xbox console owners with an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription. Sports games aren’t the only new additions this month, though. Star Wars: Squadrons is coming in March for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers.
Microsoft offers three different versions of Xbox Game Pass, and each will provide different levels of access to games. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is the highest tier at $14.99 per month, offering access to EA Play games and xCloud game streaming. Xbox Game Pass itself is $9.99 per month, and the PC version is also $9.99 per month. We’ve got a full and detailed breakdown of all the differences right here.
As always, there are some games leaving Xbox Game Pass this month. The following will disappear on March 15th:
Alvastia Chronicles (console and PC)
Astrologaster (PC)
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night (console and PC)
(Pocket-lint) – Samsung’s Neo QLED TVs employ a revolutionary new LED backlight that’s significantly smaller and more efficient than previous generations. This enables the manufacturer to squeeze extra LEDs behind the panel, allowing for increased dimmable zones and greater precision.
This approach is generally referred to as Mini LED, and should not be confused with Micro LED, which is a completely different self-emissive display technology. However, Mini LED does promise to significantly improve local dimming and reduce unwanted blooming – all at an affordable price.
The QN95A is the flagship 4K TV from Samsung for 2021, and not only incorporates this Mini LED backlight but, in a change from last year, also includes the majority of features found on the high-end 8K models. So you’re not forced to buy the higher resolution TVs to get all the latest gizmos.
So just how jaw-dropping is Mini LED in the Samsung QN95A (which is the QN90A in other territories)? Spoiler alert: it’s very impressive indeed.
Design, connections and control: Slimmed down minimalism
Slimmer One Connect Box
Single fibre optic cable that includes power
4x HDMI inputs with eARC, 3x USB; Ethernet
Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, AirPlay 2
Along with those increased number of dimming zones, the QN95A includes a slimmed down One Connect box (where the connections go – it’s not on the TV’s frame as a result), comprehensive smart platform, AI processing, extensive gaming features, and Object Tracking Sound.
Plus, the QN95A is a gorgeous piece of industrial design, with a minimalist appearance, nearly bezel-less screen, and speakers cleverly hidden in the edges of the panel. The stand is well-made, providing solid support, and can be installed on a narrow surface.
It’s a testament to the smaller LEDs used that Samsung is able to cram a full-array backlight into a chassis only 15mm deep. It also means the QN95A looks great wall-mounted (using the optional ‘No Gap’ bracket), and the single cable from the One Connect box makes installation tidier.
The new slimmed-down One Connect box is sleeker and more elegant. Its reduced size is also discreeter, making it easier to hide away. The textured matte finish is also preferable, because the earlier glossy black boxes tended to attract fingerprints and smudges.
The box houses four HDMI inputs, one of which (HDMI 3) supports eARC. All of the HDMI inputs are capable of handling 4K/120Hz, VRR and ALLM, making this TV a great choice for next-gen gamers who want to take full advantage of their new consoles.
What is HDMI eARC? Why is it different to HDMI ARC?
There are also two USB 2.0 inputs, twin tuners for terrestrial and satellite broadcasts, a CI slot, an optical digital output, and an Ethernet port. In terms of wireless connections, there’s Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and support for Apple AirPlay 2.
The sleek metal Solar Cell remote is ergonomically-shaped, making it comfortable to hold and easy to use with one hand. While essentially the same as last year, the new zapper sports a solar panel on the back that recharges the batteries – making it eco-friendly and economic.
Features: Mini LED and multi-intelligent processing
Processing engine: Neo Quantum 4K Processor with AI
100% of DCI-P3 colour, 2000nits of peak brightness
Anti-reflection screen and Ultra Viewing Angle
HDR Support: HDR10, HLG, HDR10+ Adaptive
The Samsung QN95A’s main selling point is its use of a Mini LED backlight, made possible by a newly-designed micro layer that contains LEDs significantly smaller than previous generations. This is possible due to the elimination of the protective packaging and lens around the diode, allowing for thinner panels, more LEDs, and an increased number of dimmable zones.
There are 792 zones in the QN95A – a big increase on the 480 zones used previously – but upping the number of zones also requires more processing power, so a new local dimming algorithm redirects power from darker areas to improve efficiency and peak brightness. All while the Quantum Matrix system coordinates all the zones, and the Black Detail Boost feature increases shadow detail.
The new Neo Quantum Processor increases the processing power by employing multi-intelligence deep learning. Instead of a single neural network, this processor combines up 16 to create a neural analyser specialised for upscaling and processing video. All this added power is designed to deliver the best possible experience, regardless of what you’re watching.
The QN95A supports high dynamic range (HDR) in the form of HDR10, HLG (hybrid log-gamma), and HDR10+ Adaptive. The last of which uses dynamic metadata designed to adapt the tone-mapping on a scene-by-scene basis, and now employs a sensor to customise the performance based on the ambient lighting conditions in your room.
The combination of Mini LED and Quantum Dot tech ensures brightness levels and a colour gamut that’s tailor-made for HDR. Samsung claims a peak luminance of 2,000 nits. In our measurements the QN95A topped 2,800 nits in Dynamic Mode, although the more accurate Filmmaker Mode maxed out at 1,700 nits.
What is QLED and Quantum Dot?
In terms of the colour gamut, this reached 94 per cent of DCI-P3 – not quite the claimed 100 per cent but still impressive given the overall brightness. It’s the combination of very bright peak highlights combined with saturated colours at increased luminance levels that gives QLED an inherent advantage over OLED when it comes to delivering impactful HDR.
The Filmmaker Mode was introduced in 2020, and is designed to deliver an image that represents the content creator’s original intentions. It uses brightness and colour settings to match the industry standards, and turns off any unnecessary processing or frame interpolation.
What is Filmmaker Mode and why does it matter?
Other features introduced previously and continued into 2021 include the anti-reflection screen and Ultra Viewing Angle technology. The former is designed to reduce reflections from ambient light in the room, and works well, making this an effective TV for daytime viewing. The latter reduces the colour and contrast drop-off experienced when viewing LCD TVs at extreme angles.
The processor doesn’t just improve the picture quality, it also analyses the audio signal and optimises the sonic performance based on the TV’s location in your room. Other acoustic features include Adaptive Sound+, with Active Voice Amplifier for clearer dialogue, and Adaptive Volume that adjusts the volume based on content.
Samsung
The QN95A supports Object Tracking Sound Plus (OTS+), which uses eight speakers and 70W of amplification to produce a more immersive audio experience. There are four speakers along the bottom for the left, right and centre channels, along with a pair of woofers and two speakers at the top for greater immersion.
This particular model also supports Q Symphony, so when combined with a compatible Samsung soundbar, the system employs the TV’s top speakers to give the overall soundstage a greater sense of height and immersion.
Finally there’s the new Tap View feature, which allows owners of compatible Samsung smartphones to instantaneously connect by simply tapping the phone against the TV’s chassis.
Picture quality: Impressive local dimming
The Samsung QN95A certainly delivers when it comes to picture performance, with all those extra zones put to good use. It’s relatively easy to add lots of zones behind an LCD panel, what’s considerably more difficult is orchestrating them in a way that delivers the deepest blacks and the brightest highlights without causing blooming or losing details in the shadows.
Samsung has always employed a highly effective local dimming algorithm in its TVs, and the latest iteration continues that tradition. The results are genuinely impressive, with the blacks appearing deep and inky, while the highlights are free of blooming. This is best demonstrated by the scene in First Man where the Apollo command module orbits into the shadow of the moon.
Samsung
In this sequence the screen goes completely black and then the surface of the brightly-lit Moon gradually appears through the spaceship’s window. This scene is incredibly difficult for any display that uses local dimming, but the QN95A does an excellent job of highlighting the details in the moon’s surface through the window without introducing haloing or other artefacts.
The QN95A also handles bright colourful HDR images with skill, allowing Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.2 to take full advantage of the wider gamut offered by the format. The scenes on Ego’s planet are a riot of Day-Glo colours that pop with comic book vibrancy.
The same is true of Pan, where the Samsung delivers the film’s exaggerated colour scheme correctly, and reproduces the arriving-in-Neverland sequence with no clipping and a clearly defined sun setting over the mountain. This proves the QN95A is correctly tone-mapping HDR10 content, and retaining the original creative intent.
The film Overlord mainly takes place at night, and is often a very dark, but the Samsung handles this difficult material very well, delivering deep blacks, excellent shadow detail, and highlights where necessary. The TV also renders all the subtle differences in the film’s primarily green and brown colour design very effectively.
The QN95A is equally impressive when it comes to motion handling, with 24p content looking smooth, and free of judder or unwanted artefacts. The Picture Clarity motion settings apply frame interpolation, resulting in smoothing, which can be useful with sport, while the LED Clear Motion setting uses black frame insertion, darkening the image, but improving the motion.
Samsung
The built-in apps deliver excellent 4K and HDR images, and in the case of Amazon Prime there’s the added enhancement of HDR10+. The levels of detail and contrast are equally as impressive when watching Netflix, Apple TV+ and Disney+, despite the lack of Dolby Vision support.
What is Dolby Vision? Dolby’s own HDR tech explained
Since the QN95A uses an LCD panel, there’s no danger of screen burn. It also offers a host of features aimed at next-gen gamers, including VRR (variable refresh rate) for syncing the TV’s refresh rate with the console’s frame rate, thus reducing tearing. There’s also support for 4K at 120Hz, along with AMD Freesync Premium Pro and Nvidia G-Sync.
There’s ALLM for automatically detecting a console and selecting the Game mode, which results in a class-leading input lag of 9.2ms. The Game Motion Plus is designed to smooth out motion, but in doing so it does increase the lag to 14ms – although that’s still very respectable. If all that isn’t enough, the QN95A even supports the 21:9 and 32:9 ultra-wide aspect ratio options offered by a number of PC games.
What is ALLM and VRR? TV gaming tech explained
Samsung has realised that with so many different gaming options and features now available, it’s easy to lose track of what exactly you’ve selected. The solution is the new Game Bar, which pops up when a game source is detected to provide at-a-glance key information. This includes HDR, frame rate, VRR, and key gaming picture adjustments.
Pocket-lint
Finally there’s a multi-view mode that allows users to watch two different sources simultaneously. You can adjust the size of the two picture-in-picture screens, change their relative position and choose which has audio priority. While this feature isn’t necessarily game-specific, it is useful for gaming while watching YouTube tutorials.
Smart features: Comprehensive platform
Tizen OS
SmartThings app
Alexa/Bixby built-in
The Samsung QN95A uses the same Tizen-powered smart platform as previous generations, which remains a responsive, intuitive and easy-to-navigate interface. There’s a launcher bar along the bottom and a second layer that provides faster access to the video streaming services.
In terms of those streaming services, the choice is fairly comprehensive and includes Netflix, Amazon, Now TV, Disney+, Apple TV+, Rakuten, YouTube, and all the UK TV catch-up services. The only problem with all this choice is it’s hard to keep track, but Samsung has a solution.
The Universal Guide helps you find the content you want by presenting it all via a user-friendly interface. It then uses AI machine learning to analyse your viewing habits and create a single ‘For You’ page with personalised content to suit your tastes.
The Digital Butler was introduced in 2020, allowing for quick and easy connection by automatically scanning for nearby devices, detecting them and then representing all of them in an easy-to-understand graphical fashion.
Finally there’s a brace of built-in smart assistants – Samsung’s own Bixby, and Amazon Alexa. You can also access Siri via Apple’s AirPlay 2, while the Samsung SmartThings app allows for quick and easy setup, plus a degree of control if you don’t fancy using the provided remote or your voice.
Sound quality: Object tracking sound
Object Tracking Sound Plus (OTS+)
4.2.2 speakers and 70W of amplification
Adaptive Sound+
Q Symphony
The QN95A sports Samsung’s Object Tracking Sound Plus (OTS+), which integrates eight speakers in a seamless fashion, hiding them in the outer edge of the TV cabinet. The audio performance is genuinely impressive, with an open soundstage, additional height, plenty of bass, clear dialogue and powerful amplification.
Samsung
Object Tracking Sound doesn’t just involve more speakers, it also analyses the audio signal and uses sophisticated processing to align sounds with the location of specific images on the screen. It really works, creating an engaging experience with improved directionality and immersion. There’s also an optimisation feature to fine-tune the audio based on the acoustic environment.
While there’s no on-board Dolby Atmos decoding, the QN95A can send the object-based audio format back via ARC from its internal apps to a supporting soundbar or AV receiver. Since it also supports eARC, the Samsung can even pass lossless audio back via HDMI to a supporting soundbar or AV receiver.
Anything missing?
At the risk of sounding like a broken record, it really is time Samsung added support for Dolby Vision. The company is the only TV manufacturer not to embrace the dynamic metadata format, and while HDR10+ is similar, there’s significantly more content available in Dolby Vision.
While we’re on the subject of Dolby, the QN95A also doesn’t include on-board Atmos decoding. This is a shame because with all those extra built-in speakers, the Samsung could really take advantage of the additional height channels the format offers.
Samsung’s smart platform is undeniably comprehensive, but it doesn’t include Freeview Play. This isn’t really an issue because all the UK TV catch-up services are present and correct, but it does mean these aren’t integrated within the EPG (electronic programme guide).
Verdict
The Samsung QN95A makes an excellent case for embracing Mini LED as an alternative to OLED. While it remains an evolution of existing LCD backlight technology, rather than something completely new like Micro LED, it does offer an impressive picture performance.
The added precision of nearly 800 dimming zones results in deeper blacks, brighter highlights, improved shadow detail and almost no blooming. Add in the superior colour performance of Quantum Dot and upgraded processing, and you have a highly capable 4K HDR TV. Its pictures truly sing.
The QN95A is also a seriously specified model with a comprehensive smart platform, every necessary streaming app, the One Connect box, excellent audio quality thanks to OTS+, and a shed-load of features for next-gen gamers.
Also consider
Philips
Philips OLED+935
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Not fussed about Mini LED and OLED more up your street? Philips’ top-end 2020 telly integrates Ambilight – edge lighting that goes beyond the screen, for extra immersion and dynamism – plus a B&W soundbar for top notch sound quality. It’s a very different offering to the Samsung, but a very elegant alternative indeed.
Valve is significantly expanding your ability to share games at home and with your friends for free using Steam.
One change is the introduction of a Linux version of its Steam Link app, which lets you stream games from a computer to a device with the Steam Link app installed on the same local network. This new Linux version means that you can now stream games from a computer to a Linux-based set top box hooked up to a TV, for example. The app is also available on Android, iOS, and Raspberry Pi.
Valve has also rolled out a big update to its Remote Play Together feature, which lets you stream games on your computer over the internet so you can play them with friends. Just last week, Valve introduced a way to let you play games with friends who don’t have a Steam account, but the feature only let you play with one friend without a Steam account at a time. Now, though, you can play with as many friends without Steam accounts as you want, depending on how many other players a game supports and your network’s bandwidth.
If you want to try the feature, which is in beta, follow the instructions here.
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