(Pocket-lint) – The mobile gaming community continues to grow, with hot new titles hitting download stores and an ever-expanding fanbase of dedicated players. Manufacturers have noticed this, too, creating handsets specifically tailored for players.
Best smartphones: The top mobile phones available to buy today
It’s not a brand new concept, but with a number of brands now into the production of their second- or third-generation devices, we run down what’s out there in the gaming phone market that’s worth considering, alongside which special features might make it worth buying one device over another.
Pocket-lint
Lenovo Legion Phone Duel
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The best gaming phone out there right now is Lenovo’s absolute beast, which has more than enough power to get you superb performance in even the most taxing of mobile adventures.
You get a massive display and also really impressive sound quality (which many competitors cannot boast), with a 144Hz refresh rate to make sure your gameplay is smooth and frictionless.
It’s a little unwieldy for normal use, but that’s true of most of these phones, and with 5G on board it’s ready for a few years’ use.
Lenovo Legion Phone Duel review: A god among gaming phones?
Pocket-lint
Nubia RedMagic 5S
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Nubia has made a few absolutely tiny changes to the RedMagic 5G and the 5S is the result, a small iteration on an already really impressive phone.
That means you’ve still got a great 144Hz display to game on, with brilliant smoothness, and a superb processor from Qualcomm at its heart to keep things moving, the SD865.
Battery life is solid for the category, while extra built-in buttons are great for added control. It’s a real contender, and is priced sensibly too.
RedMagic 5S review: Gaming great, but an everyday average
Pocket-lint
Black Shark 3
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This phone manages a seriously impressive feat by bringing superb responsiveness and gaming performance to the table alongside really reasonable pricing.
It’s practically mid-range cost-wise, but you’ll find that it creams through any mobile game out there right now. Plus, you get 5G connectivity to make sure that you can stream and play online at the best speeds.
Use Black Shark’s additional physical controller clip-ons to really upgrade your gaming on the go.
Black Shark 3: The big boss of gaming?
Asus
Asus ROG Phone 3
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Perhaps the most outward looking ‘gaming phone’ aesthetic of them all comes from Asus. It’s so powerful that it can feel a bit like a mini console that’s a veritable gaming feast.
On the downside its design makes it about as far from a day-to-day handset as you could want, with overall thickness and limited battery life when you’re actually using it to game notching it down a few pegs. However, with a higher refresh-rate than many there’s clear appeal.
Pocket-lint
Razer Phone 2
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Razer is no stranger to gaming, as one of the most fluent gaming laptop makers on the market. It’s a company especially well-known for producing hardcore spec machines without the all-out exoticness of some rivals. The Razer Phone 2 follows that same mantra: it’s a subtle-looking handset that’s super powerful, but its brick-like looks won’t appeal to all.
The main spec that really sells it beyond its competition is its screen’s 120Hz refresh rate (most devices are half of this, at 60Hz). This is royalty in the gaming sphere, allowing for sync with faster frame-rate games, delivering silky smooth motion in everything it does. No, not all games can output at such a refresh nor high frame-rate, but a handful of titles can, giving the Razer a unique selling point beyond any of its competitors.
Unlike the Black Shark 3 (see above), however, there’s no adept add-on controller system and the physical proportions of this device as a day-to-day product let it down when you’re not in gaming mode.
Razer Phone 2 review: Gaming glory brings its share of compromise
Writing by Mike Lowe. Editing by Max Freeman-Mills.
With Rocket Lake’s release date approaching, testers are getting their hands on more and more SKUs from Intel’s future Rocket Lake lineup; this time, we have benchmark results of Intel’s future Core i5-11600K (thanks to @Leakbench). The 11600K was found running the Geekbench 5 benchmark with mediocre performance at best, though, as usual, pricing will determine if it lands on our list of Best CPUs.
According to the spec sheet found on Geekbench 5’s browser, the Core i5-11600K packs 6 cores and 12 threads with a 3.9GHz base frequency along with a max turbo frequency of 4.9GHz. Nothing is unusual here; this is where we would expect a 11600K to land. Excluding the rare unlocked Core i3 and Pentium, the unlocked Core i5s have traditionally been the lowest clocked chips out of all the “K” SKUs.
That’s not all that will be slowing down Intel’s 11600K, unfortunately. The system configuration for the 11600K shows it being paired with super-slow DDR4-2133 memory. This will noticeably hamper performance, so take the upcoming benchmark results with another dose of salt — they certainly won’t represent what we’ll see in our CPU benchmark hierarchy when these chips come to market.
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(Image credit: Geekbench 5)
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(Image credit: Geekbench 5)
In the Geekbench 5 results, the Core i5-11600K scores 1565 points in the single-threaded test and 6220 points in the multi-threaded benchmark. These results are quite underwhelming, especially in the multi-core department where even AMD’s older Ryzen 5 3600 beat the 10600K by 7.6% (or roughly 400 points).
When it comes to single-core performance, the 11600K fares better, but it’s still the slowest CPU out of all known Rocket Lake SKUs and AMD Zen 3 CPUs to date. Luckily, the 11600K does take a major win against Comet Lake-S parts like the 10900K, beating that chip by 11%.
Again though, take these results with a huge grain of salt. Geekbench 5 already has a poor reputation for translating well to real-world results, and adding in slow memory complicates the findings.
The Rocket Lake release is coming soon next month, so hopefully, by that time we’ll have a review sample of the 11600K to test for ourselves and give you an in-depth look into how this chip really performs against our best gaming CPUs.
(Pocket-lint) – The Wahoo Kickr Climb is a simple yet innovative product – but one that’s likely to split opinion. While some people will see it as an expensive gimmick with appeal that will soon wear off, others will view it as the next step along the road to making indoor riding even more immersive and, well, just a bit more fun.
The Climb is essentially an accessory for owners of a Wahoo trainer – it is compatible with all Wahoo’s turbos from 2017 onward: Snap, Core, Kickr — but, unfortunately for owners of other branded trainers, you don’t get to join in the fun this time. Yes, it’s strictly for those in the Wahoo club.
The Kickr Climb allows you to simulate climbing a gradient of up to 20 per cent or descending down to 10 per cent on your bike by attaching your front forks to it, where your front wheel would normally sit. It then lifts or drops the front end, pitching you forwards or backwards in the saddle as you roll up and down the virtual open road.
So does it the Climb take indoor training up a level?
Out of the box
The Climb is a cinch to get set up. It comes ready with adaptors for quick release or thru-axles, so it is simply a case of choosing the correct ones for your bike, removing your front wheel and attaching your frame to it. You then have to link the Climb to your Wahoo trainer by using the Climb’s remote control, then register via the app.
Pocket-lint
As per all Wahoo products, the Climb looks good, featuring slender lines and two-tone graphite and black colouring. Although it feels solid, it’s also a little top-heavy and it doesn’t take too much to knock it over if it isn’t attached to your bike – so you’ll need to take care if you leave it standing alone, particularly if you have pets or young children around.
In the saddle
There are two ways you can use the Climb. The first is via the remote control, which sits neatly in a recess on the top of the Climb. From this rubberised unit – which is hardwired to the Climb and includes a handy strap to attach it to your handlebars – you can manually increase or decrease the height of the front of your bike, simulating a climb or decent.
We found this to be a nice feature when we were first testing out exactly what the Climb could do, and of course some people might want to set a particular degree of slope for a workout, but that’s not how most people will use it.
Pocket-lint
The Climb truly comes to life when it’s being used with apps such as Zwift or Sufferfest. Within these environments the front of your bike rises and falls with the road as you see it on screen, increasing your feeling of immersion in the virtual landscape; we found it really does add another dimension to your workouts and virtual rides.
We also found it helped to reduce the feeling of fatigue you can get from sitting in the same position while using the trainer, and it encourages you to transition between a seated and standing position as you hit the slopes, adding a further element to your training. For people who are specifically preparing for outdoor events that involve a significant amount of climbing, it means you can train your body in the correct position, fine tuning your posture and muscular adaptation.
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That’s not to say it’s perfect though. The way that Zwift’s landscape is designed, detailed as it is, does not have the same natural undulations as a real world road, so there is a noticeable “lift” as you hit a ramp, then the reverse as you crest the hill, or begin to descend, with little in the way of variation in between.
This is all quite noticeable at first, as you begin to get used to the Climb, as is the nagging worry that the Climb doesn’t quite feel as stable as your front wheel. Rather than have a flat-bottomed base, the Climb is slightly curved, to allow it to rock backwards a small amount as it climbs, then forwards as you descend.
Pocket-lint
Wahoo advises that you should lift and reset the Climb after every ride, to ensure it is positioned correctly, which at first can leave you questioning whether you’ve set it perfectly.
Added altogether this made for a few slightly uneasy rides at first, with maybe just a slight feeling of motion sickness added in too. Once we learned to trust that it wasn’t going to slip or give way, we soon forgot all about it and were perfectly happy getting out of the saddle and sprinting full gas in intervals or for the finish line in races.
Verdict
All in all, we think that the Kickr Climb is an appealing upgrade for Wahoo trainer owners looking to further enhance and add realism to their indoor riding in environments such as Zwift. It offers another level of engagement for riders who enjoy training and racing in the virtual world.
However, its inability to connect to other brand trainers, the high asking price and relatively limited function mean it’s certainly not going to appeal to everyone.
Alternatives to consider
Elite
Elite Sterzo Smart
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The Climb is a unique product at the moment, but if it’s added realism you’re after you could try the Elite Sterzo Smart. The ANT+ connection can directly link to Zwift to allow realistic steering in the app.
Wahoo
Wahoo Kickr Bike
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If you’re in the market for a new trainer plusscor the Climb, why not go the whole hog and buy the KickrBike? You can save yourself the faff of ever having to set your outside bike up on the trainer ever again, though it’s certainly not a budget option.
Braun’s return to home audio is to be celebrated, but the LE03 isn’t quite on par with any of its past successes
For
Decent amount of detail
Nice midrange
Google Assistant
Against
Harsh treble
Boxed-in sound
Muddled sound overall
Braun bowed out of the home audio market in 1991, but the company has decided that now is the right time for a return, with its first audio offering in almost 30 years.
Wireless speakers must have seemed as futuristic as flying cars back in the early 1990s, yet the Braun Audio LE03 and its two other siblings in the company’s range (the LE01 and LE02) are based upon Braun speakers from even longer ago than that – though their forebears in 1959 were presumably much lighter on the technology.
Build and features
(Image credit: Braun Audio)
This current crop, of which the Braun Audio LE03 is the baby, is fully immersed in the Google ecosystem. That means Google Assistant with the use of the speaker’s onboard mics – far-field voice recognition ensures you’re heard from the other side of the room, while you can also turn the microphones off.
Google Chromecast is also built-in for easy wi-fi streaming, multi-room and stereo pairing possibilities via the Home app, too.
Not that you’re restricted to the Google network to achieve up to 24-bit/96kHz streaming, the LE03 also has Apple AirPlay 2 connectivity, Bluetooth 4.2 and a 3.5mm aux-in for physical tethering.
Braun Audio LE03 tech specs
(Image credit: Braun Audio)
Bluetooth version 4.2
Inputs 3.5mm aux
Apple Airplay 2 Yes
Google Chromecast Yes
Finishes x2
Dimensions (hwd) 17 x 17 x 8.4cm
Weight 1.65kg
Inside is a 4cm full-range Balanced Mode Radiator drive unit, which aims to produce non-directional sound and allow for great versatility in terms of positioning and orientation of the speaker. That is combined with a 9cm aluminium cone woofer and a 13cm x 8cm passive radiator to help this mid-size speaker put on a little extra weight.
Braun also provides its own app, where you can adjust controls for bass and treble, as well as opt for whichever environment setting best suits the location of the speaker. These are essentially profile presets, rather than the LE03 creating a bespoke EQ to complement your actual room, but useful nonetheless.
For an extra £169, you can also pair the LE03 with its pole floor stand. That’s quite an outlay, but it has a design nod to its 1950s predecessors, which is a nice touch given that the rounding off and modernisation of these speakers has sadly lost quite a bit of the character of the older ones. In truth, there’s little aesthetically to distinguish the LE03 from many of its competitors in a crowded market.
Sound
(Image credit: Braun Audio)
That lack of distinction carries over into the sonic performance too. The positive thing is that there’s not a huge amount to complain about – this isn’t a speaker that will have you jumping up to turn it off. It’s an easy listen, and that does still count for something when it comes to wireless speakers.
That’s thanks largely to a relatively full and engaging midrange, which is no doubt helped by the effort applied by Braun to beef up the low end. Certainly, if you want to hear this speaker at its best, it is about playing vocal-led recordings without much distraction from the tone or melody of the voice.
The LE03 isn’t bereft entirely of detail either – there is texture to that midrange and a decent amount of insight for a speaker this size. That applies elsewhere in the frequency range, but the problem is things there aren’t quite as sweet. Treble in particular is rather coarse and becomes harsher at higher volumes. There isn’t the richness you find in lower octaves.
The main issue, though, is how boxed-in the LE03 sounds. For a speaker claiming a wide-open, 180-degree soundfield, it’s really quite disappointing. And the more you have going on in the mix, the more cluttered it gets.
A less expansive soundstage can sometimes help in terms of focus or tying instruments together, but here it is just rather muddled. Organisation hasn’t gone completely out the window, but describing the presentation as tidy would be well wide of the mark.
That means rhythmically it is fairly unimpressive, too, and there isn’t much room for dynamic expression when a full orchestra is jostling for position in the mix. The price doesn’t help Braun much here, either, dropping the LE03 right in the mix with the superb Audio Pro Addon wireless multi-room speakers.
Verdict
It’s a shame, because the return of Braun to the audio sphere could have been an exciting prospect. However, judging by the performance of the LE03 alone, those too young to remember Braun’s previous efforts are likely to assume that this is just another electronics manufacturer trying to muscle in on a congested wireless speaker market.
Vaio is known for making laptops that pack a surprising amount of power into unbelievably thin form factors. The Vaio Z may be the company’s most ambitious product yet. It contains up to Intel’s four-core Core i7-11357H — and at a starting weight of 2.11 pounds, it’ll be the lightest laptop ever to house an Intel H-series processor. (Though models you can buy in the US are 2.32 pounds.)
Part of the reason the Vaio Z is so light is that it’s the first laptop ever to be made of “contoured carbon fiber.” You’ll find carbon fiber in some of the nicest lightweight laptops on the market, including the Dell XPS line — it’s a sturdy and lightweight material. But those laptops utilize sheets of carbon fiber that are held together with metal or plastic parts. Vaio has actually contoured the material around the edges of the Z’s chassis, so it’s carbon fiber all around.
Vaio says the device has passed 26 “surface drop” tests, and will deliver up to 13 and a half hours of battery life. In terms of other specs, you can get up to 2TB of storage, 32GB of memory, Iris Xe integrated graphics, and either an FHD or a 4K 14-inch display. There’s a backlit keyboard, a webcam with a physical shutter, a full-size HDMI port, and two USB-C ports as well. The chassis is a clamshell, though you can fold the screen down to 180 degrees.
Of course, this all doesn’t come cheap. The Vaio Z starts at — I’m not joking — $3,579. So it won’t be a practical purchase for most people, but it’s still an impressive achievement and an interesting proof-of-concept. Keep an eye out for our full review in a few days, where we’ll dive into the performance you can expect for that price. You can preorder units now on Vaio’s website.
The supply shortage of silicon chips has reached an all-time high, and fabs like TSMC simply don’t have enough production facilities to keep up with the incessant demand from the server, PC, and automotive markets. Per a report from CNBC, President Joe Biden plans to review several critically important industries severely hampered by high demand — including the semiconductor industry.
More specifically, Biden wants the U.S. to be competitive with China and lessen its dependency on Chinese production facilities. For the semiconductor industry, this would mean that millions to billions of dollars would need to be spent on new fabs to both keep up with demand and lessen the strain on Chinese resources. Intel already has a number of fabs in operation in Arizona, and TSMC is currently planning to build fabs in the U.S., so it wouldn’t be a far-fetched idea to see significantly more fabs being built domestically.
Biden’s plan will consist of two phases: The first will be a 100-day review process of analyzing a few of the high-priority supply chains, including the semiconductor, high capacity car battery, rare earth metal and medical industries.
The second phase will begin after the 100-day review, which will begin more broad investigations into production for the U.S military, public health, energy, and transportation.
Finally, a year after these two phases occur, the task force responsible for these investigations will submit recommendations to the president on potential strategies to “ensure supply chains are not monopolized.”
This plan will clearly take time, so for now, don’t expect any major changes with the current semiconductor supply struggle.
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Amazon’s new Fire TV Stick is a $39.99 streaming dongle that’s aimed at people who haven’t yet made the upgrade to a 4K TV — and don’t intend to anytime soon. It maxes out at 1080p video resolution, but offers support for modern tricks like HDR and Dolby Atmos surround sound. That’s a weird zone to be in when rival products like the Chromecast with Google TV go all-in on 4K for not much more money.
Even Amazon’s Fire TV Stick 4K, which works just fine with older TVs, is only 10 bucks more at $49.99. So the Fire TV Stick (and cheaper Fire TV Stick Lite) are really only recommended if you’re positive your HDTV isn’t going anywhere for a few years to come.
If that’s your situation, you’re definitely getting a more powerful streamer than before. Amazon says the new Fire TV Stick is 50 percent faster than the previous version — but it looks identical on the outside. It’s still a matte black stick that plugs into one of your TV’s HDMI ports. You attach a Micro USB cable to it for power, toss some batteries in the Alexa voice remote, and you’re off and running. This is the same full-fledged remote that comes with Amazon’s pricier streaming devices, so in addition to playback and navigation controls, you get some extra buttons (power and volume) for controlling your TV with it. The Fire TV Stick Lite’s remote doesn’t include those.
The Fire TV Stick’s remote has buttons for controlling your TV power and volume.
The improved performance is noticeable. Amazon’s older Fire TV Stick could sometimes get hung up or slow down when scrolling around or opening apps, but I rarely encountered anything of the sort with this new model. It feels on par with the more premium 4K-capable Fire TV products in terms of speed. Voice searches with the Alexa remote were similarly quick, whether I was searching for a certain show or asking about the weather.
Expect mixed results when it comes to HDR and Dolby Atmos support. In my tests, Prime Video and Disney Plus did a good job getting the most out of the Fire TV Stick’s video and audio specs and regularly delivered both HDR and Atmos, but you’ll find that not all services will serve those with a 1080p stream. Both HDR10 and HDR10+ are supported by the Fire TV Stick and Fire TV Stick Lite, but Dolby Vision is not. Video frame rates of up to 60fps are supported now, compared to the 30fps ceiling on the prior hardware. That’s a nice upgrade for sports and watching video game streams on Twitch.
The Fire TV Stick plugs directly into any available HDMI port.
Amazon’s app selection is excellent, though there is one notable omission: NBCUniversal’s Peacock service still hasn’t been made available on the platform. Everything else, including Apple TV Plus, HBO Max, and other apps, can easily be downloaded. When you set up the Fire TV Stick, Amazon suggests a number of streaming apps to install right off the bat, though the list doesn’t include all the popular favorites. (Everything is easily downloadable after the fact.) Getting the remote configured with your TV’s volume and power controls is also a snap.
The new Fire TV experience
Perhaps more interesting than the new hardware is the overhauled software experience that’s first debuting on the Fire TV stick before arriving on the company’s other devices. Aside from cleaning up and simplifying the main menu navigation — there are now just four tabs to choose between, in addition to your favorite apps — it also introduces multiuser profiles. You can create up to six profiles, and it’s possible to designate them as kid profiles that are limited to age-appropriate streaming content. Each user gets their own personalized viewing history, recommendations, watch list, and live TV preferences. As for apps, you can choose which six apps appear on the main menu and easily get to your others with a click.
The new Fire TV experience still has ads that have nothing to do with streaming.
The Library tab is where you’ll find your purchases, rentals, and watch list. Home is essentially the same as before, giving heavy preference to all things Prime Video (and IMDb TV, which Amazon also owns). The order of rows will dynamically adjust based on your viewing habit, but not to the point where it makes things confusing: your “up next” and recent apps stay up near the top. With the new Find tab, you can dig deeper into dedicated areas for movies, TV, genres, or other categories like “free,” which highlights ad-sponsored streaming channels. (This section is also now where the app store is found.) The last tab is for live TV, which integrates with services like Hulu, Sling TV, and YouTube TV to show a traditional channel guide on-screen where you can quickly access live programming.
But the main frustration of the new Fire TV software remains the same as it was before: there’s an over-abundance of sponsored content. Within a few clicks down on the home tab, I saw a full-width ad banner for Honda trucks and SUVs. And as you progress down the carousels of content, it becomes clear that many of them are sponsored. These are a few I saw as I moved down the Home tab:
Pluto TV — free movies and TV shows — sponsored
Sponsored: Prime Video Cinema
Sponsored: This week on Fire TV
Sponsored: Apps and games
Amazon’s content still gets pushed heavily across the software.
This spon-con is interwoven with genuinely useful rows like “movies we think you’ll like” and “top-rated TV shows,” so it’s not egregious or enough to ruin the overall experience. You could also argue that Amazon is just being more transparent and obvious with its sponsored sections, versus competitors who might mix them in alongside general algorithm recommendations. But it still leaves you with the feeling that there’s a lot of advertising real estate for sale throughout the Fire TV experience.
The new Find tab does a better job than the Home tab at aggregating TV shows and films from your various subscriptions — not unlike what Google tries to accomplish with its Google TV software. Amazon was one of the first to push the idea of prioritizing content over a more app-centric layout (like what’s on a Roku or Apple TV), but in some ways Google has already pulled ahead. On Fire TV, it’s never clear which service you’ll be watching content through until you click into a title. Google does a better job making clear what’s coming from where right on the main menu. But to Amazon’s credit, there are helpful filters for things like “free to me” and “rent or buy” to help you whittle down the selection.
The all-new Find tab makes it quick to find content that’s free to watch.
When you’re browsing around, this new Fire TV experience all feels very familiar. Amazon might have switched up the home screen, but on the whole, this isn’t a drastic makeover. I like how on the title page for any show or movie, it’s very quick and convenient to scroll through other things that the cast has appeared in. And you still get the handy “more ways to watch” to see where else you can stream something, with existing subscriptions and ad-sponsored services given preference above paid options.
But some areas of the interface still need refinement. For example, I got a notification that said “some content is provided by Verizon” with a disclaimer that the company might collect viewing data — with no indication of which app the notification was actually for. I assume it was for one of the live news services, but there was no confirmation that it was.
The new Fire TV experience will come to other products in March. It’s definitely an improvement over what was there before, and the profile options will prove useful for parents and people with shared living spaces. It’s available first on the Fire TV Stick, but I don’t think that’s reason enough to get Amazon’s $40 player.
I’m sure Amazon has all the data in the world to show that this product makes sense, but buying a 1080p streaming device in 2021 seems ill-advised. This feels like something Amazon should just be giving away to Prime subscribers as a freebie. You’d be much better off in terms of future-proofing by spending extra — not much extra, really — for the Fire TV Stick 4K if you constantly stream from Prime Video and will put the remote’s Alexa capabilities to use. If you’re not big on Amazon’s ecosystem, then something like the new Chromecast or a Roku streamer would be a more sensible buy. The latest Fire TV Stick is faster than before and comes with sleeker software, but it’s still not cut out for a 4K streaming world.
The BenQ Zowie XL2546K leaves out HDR and extended color but has DyAc+, which is the best blur reduction feature we’ve ever seen. The monitor delivers smooth and responsive gameplay. With a few tweaks, it delivers excellent color too. It’s definitely worth a look if a 240 Hz monitor is on your radar.
For
Saturated color with calibration
Low input lag
Excellent blur reduction
Against
Below-average contrast
Poor color and gamma out of the box
No HDR
No extended color
Features and Specifications
In the early days of video gaming, competition took place in computer labs, and the prizes were things like magazine subscriptions or special parking privileges at the local university. Today, eSports is a major spectator sport with millions of loyal fans and professional players who earn a living competing in virtual arenas. With that meteoric rise in skill level comes a need for better tools and that’s where the best gaming monitors come in.
Once, 144 Hz was enough to earn a monitor eSports status, but 240 Hz is quickly becoming the new standard for gaming monitors and is no longer an exclusive refresh rate. You’ll still pay a premium to go that fast though, case in point, BenQ’s Zowie XL2546K. It sells for around $500, which is a median price in this category.
For that price, you get a 25-inch (24.5-inch viewable) TN panel with 1080p resolution and AMD FreeSync Premium. Though its out-of-the-box image quality could be better, the BenQ Zowie XL2546K offers a strong gaming experience with minimal input lag and fantastic blur reduction.
(Image credit: BenQ)
BenQ Zowie XL2546K Specs
Brand & Model
BenQ Zowie XL2546K
Panel Type & Backlight
TN / W-LED, edge array
Screen Size & Aspect Ratio
24.5 inches / 16:9
Max Resolution & Refresh
1920×1080 @ 240 Hz
FreeSync: 48-240Hz
G-Sync compatible
Native Color Depth & Gamut
8-bit (6-bit+FRC) / sRGB
Response Time (GTG)
0.5 ms
Brightness (mfr)
320 nits
Contrast (mfr)
1000:1
Speakers
–
Video Inputs
1x DisplayPort 1.2
3x HDMI 2.0
Audio
3.5mm headphone output
USB 3.0
–
Power Consumption
19.4w, brightness @ 200 nits
Panel Dimensions WxHxD w/base
22.5 x 14.5-20.7 x 7.9 inches (572 x 368-526 x 191mm)
Panel Thickness
2.2 inches (55mm)
Bezel Width
Top/sides: 0.5 inch (13mm)
Bottom: 0.7 inch (17mm)
Weight
13.7lbs (6.2kg)
Warranty
Three years
Panel Type / Backlight
TN / W-LED, edge array
Screen Size & Aspect Ratio
24.5 inches / 16:9
Max Resolution & Refresh
1920×1080 @ 240 Hz
AMD FreeSync Premium: 48-240 Hz
Native Color Depth & Gamut
8-bit (6-bit+FRC) / sRGB
Response Time (GTG)
0.5 ms
Brightness
320 nits
Contrast
1,000:1
Speakers
None
Video Inputs
1x DisplayPort 1.2
3x HDMI 2.0
Audio
3.5mm headphone output
USB 3.0
None
Power Consumption
19.4w, brightness @ 200 nits
Panel Dimensions
22.5 x 14.5-20.7 x 7.9 inches
WxHxD w/base
(572 x 368-526 x 191mm)
Panel Thickness
2.2 inches (55mm)
Bezel Width
Top/sides: 0.5 inch (13mm)
Bottom: 0.7 inch (17mm)
Weight
13.7 pounds (6.2kg)
Warranty
3 years
The BenQ Zowie XL2546K is somewhat old school with a TN panel running at FHD resolution. The pixel count isn’t unusual for this class, but the TN screen is. It’s no longer necessary for a fast monitor to be TN. IPS has evolved to 240 Hz and beyond. Witness the two 360 Hz IPS monitors we recently covered, Asus’ ROG Swift PG259QN and Alienware’s AW2521H. While they both sell for over $700, they’re proof that you don’t need TN to go fast.
BenQ offers the XL2546K as a no-frills gaming monitor by leaving out HDR and extended color. While these things are not necessary in a competition gaming tool, they are nice to have for the rest of us. Granted, this category doesn’t see a lot of DCI-P3 color gamuts, but our recent experience with the AW2521H also demonstrated that good HDR is possible with a fast display.
AMD FreeSync Premium is the featured Adaptive-Sync tech. Compared to standard FreeSync, it includes low framerate compensation (LFC). The XL2546K isn’t Nvidia-certified, but we got it to run Nvidia G-Sync too. See our How to Run G-Sync on a FreeSync Monitor article for instructions.
Assembly and Accessories of BenQ Zowie XL2546K
After bolting the upright and base together, the XL2546K’s panel snaps in place. If you’d rather use a monitor arm, a 100mm VESA pattern is included with large-head bolts already installed.
The stand is completely wobble-free once assembled. Rigid shades click in place on the sides, but there is no light blocking piece for the top. The controller for the on-screen display (OSD) comes out of its own little box and connects to a special Mini-USB port. You also get a DisplayPort cable and an IEC power cord. Everything is neatly and carefully packed as a premium product should be.
Product 360
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BenQ bakes in its usual solid build quality and functionality with a wired OSD controller and light blocking shades for the panel’s sides. Along with a beefy stand, the XL2546K is ready for competition or just to satisfy a casual enthusiast’s lust for speed.
The XL2546K is the first monitor in our recent memory to be devoid of any logos or graphics on the front. The base and upright are similarly unadorned, but around back, you’ll find a Zowie logo in red. The same symbol is molded into the hinged light shutters. Red trim lines a large hole in the upright through which you can pass cables.
The OSD puck controller, BenQ calls it the S Switch, has five buttons and a scroll wheel that makes menu navigation quick and intuitive. The bezels are always visible but aren’t too thick at 13mm on the top and sides and 17mm at the bottom.
In case you need to lug the screen about, the XL2546K features a metal handle that’s more than up to the task of moving the XL2546K around. To the side is a flip-out headphone hook, and at the bottom are OSD controls, namely a joystick and two buttons. The third key there is a power toggle.
From the side, you can see that there are no USB ports. The input panel underneath doesn’t have them either. The stand has a small red arrow that you slide into your preferred position to recall the height setting. A similar feature is in evidence on the base via tick marks indicating swivel angle. Adjustments include 6 inches of height, 45-degree swivel to either side, -5/23-degree tilt and a portrait mode. Movements exude the quality of a premium display.
The input panel features three HDMI 2.0 ports and a single DisplayPort 1.2. A 3.5mm jack accommodates headphones or external audio. There are no internal speakers, but you can adjust volume in the OSD. The HDMI ports will accommodate the 120 Hz refresh rate from the new Xbox Series X and PS5 consoles.
OSD Features of BenQ Zowie XL2546K
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
A quick menu appears when you press any key on the BenQ Zowie XL2546K’s panel or on the S Switch puck controller. The S switch is very handy, particularly since you can program four of its functions. This means you can change settings quickly and conveniently without going through the OSD’s full menu.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Once you get into the OSD, you’ll find many options to tailor both image and performance. There are eight picture modes, all of which are fully adjustable. Settings save to each mode individually and by input. The number of possible combinations is, therefore, vast. The default mode is FPS1, which takes some less than attractive liberties with color and gamma. We’ll show you its effects in the image tests. Standard is the better choice, as it comes close to the mark without calibration.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
To tweak the Zowie XL2546K’s image, BenQ provides three color temps, plus a user mode with RGB sliders. They work extremely well and deliver very accurate color in the sRGB gamut. You also get five gamma presets, black equalizer for enhancing shadow detail, color vibrance, which adjusts overall saturation, low blue light for reading and a color weakness feature for color blind users deficient in either red or green.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
The Picture menu has the brightness and contrast sliders along with DyAc+ (more on this in the Hands-on section), BenQ’s name for its blur reducing backlight strobe. DyAc+ has two settings, which vary the LED pulse width. The lesser of the two is called High and is enough to remove any visible blur.
BenQ also offers overdrive, which it calls AMA. This option is best left turned off because it produced visible ringing when we played games using Adaptive-Sync. The artifact isn’t as obvious with DyAc+ but doesn’t improve the image either.
BenQ Zowie XL2546K Calibration Settings
If you do nothing else, we strongly recommend switching your BenQ Zowie XL2546K to Standard mode. The default, FPS1, alters color and gamma in unattractively. Accurate color is always the best choice.
You don’t absolutely need to calibrate the Standard mode, but a few changes resulted in a visible improvement. We improved grayscale with adjustments to the RGB sliders. Perceived contrast also increased with a change from gamma 3 to gamma 4, and we reduced the contrast control by 18 steps to fix a color clipping issue which bumped up the color saturation. We’ll talk about all of that on page three.
Our recommended settings for the BenQ Zowie XL2546K are below.
Picture Mode
Standard
Brightness 200 nits
67
Brightness 120 nits
32
Brightness 100 nits
23
Brightness 80 nits
15
Brightness 50 nits
3 (min. 45 nits)
Contrast
32
Gamma
4
Color Temp User
Red 96, Green 100, Blue 97
Gaming and Hands-on with BenQ Zowie XL2546K
The BenQ Zowie XL2546K gave us a few surprises when we sat down for some gaming. After our calibration (see our recommended settings above), we wondered how our contrast setting, which seemed extreme, would look. The answer is very good. Though the panel doesn’t show great native contrast, changing the gamma from 3 to 4 and lowering the contrast slider makes a huge difference in color saturation and shadow depth. Those tweaks made the BenQ equal to the better IPS screens we’ve reviewed.
The second, and greater, surprise came via the XL2546K’s blur reduction feature that BenQ calls DyAc+. Blur reduction usually means a brightness reduction, but BenQ managed to avoid this pitfall with some clever engineering. We measured the two DyAc+ settings (High and Premium) with the brightness control set to the same value, and light output did not change. This is a first in our experience.
This is the first monitor we’ve played on where the backlight strobe produced better motion resolution and video processing quality than Adaptive-Sync. FreeSync and G-Sync both worked perfectly with two systems: one equipped with a GeForce RTX 3090 and the other a Radeon RX 5700 XT. Frame rates were maxed at 240 frames per second (fps) in all the games we played, so tearing did not occur, even with Adaptive-Sync off. Since there’s no reduction in brightness, we recommend using DyAc+ instead of Adaptive-Sync. And that’s something we thought we’d never say.
In either case, input lag was a complete non-issue. There are gamers who prefer using backlight strobes instead of Adaptive-Sync because they believe input lag is lower. We can’t confirm this with testing, but at 240 Hz, but no one is going to perceive a 1ms or 2ms difference. When you think about a control input, the BenQ Zowie XL2546K responds. It is certainly fast and responsive enough for competitive gaming. And DyAc+ is the best implemented backlight strobe we’ve seen yet.
Color and contrast are excellent for gaming. With a little bonus saturation in the primary colors, on-screen environments are vibrant and three-dimensional. There is plenty of light output to compliment the darker gamma we chose, and the resulting picture is much better than the test numbers suggest. This is also an unusual thing in our experience, but there’s no denying that the BenQ Zowie XL2546K plays games well and looks great doing it.
It also looks great performing workday tasks. Some might prefer higher pixel density but at 25 inches, there are 89 pixels per square inch, which is enough to resolve small fonts and details. Photo editing isn’t this monitor’s strong suit, but its accuracy is sufficient for the demands of color-critical work. The XL2546K is a solid all-around display.
In a tweet from Raspberry Pi co-founder Eben Upton, we see trays of RP2040 ‘Pi Silicon’ chips destined for board partners to build their own models of RP2040 boards. Each of these trays holds 1200 chips, but these latest chips are a little different to those that have come before.
The Raspberry Pi Pico has been with us for nearly a month, and from day one we have been aware of alternative boards from partners such as Arduino, Adafruit, Pimoroni and SparkFun. With Upton’s tweet indicating that these partners will be imminently receiving their stock of RP2040 chips we should shortly see their boards coming to market. The alternative boards are not “clones” of the Raspberry Pi Pico, rather each brings extra features to the table. Notably the Arduino Nano RP2040 Connect comes with WiFi, Bluetooth, and a 9-axis IMU sensor and microphone. Boards from Adafruit come in a range of Feather (large) Itsy Bitsy (small) and QT Py (tiny) and all come with an RGB LED and STEMMA QT connections for use with external components.
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These latest RP2040 chips carry a “B1” marking, different to the original RP2040 used on the Raspberry Pi Pico. But what is the difference? We asked Eben Upton “Some more floating point support functions I think. Moving these to ROM frees up a little more RAM in applications that use them. Checking the datasheet, there are no errata fixes in this stepping.” Upton later said that newer Raspberry Pi Picos will ship with the newer B1 chip, and that all partner boards will use the B1 chip. We have already received a Tiny 2040 for review, an RP2040 B1 based board which has four times the storage, fewer GPIO pins in a smaller form factor.
We’re shipping silicon! Although not general availability for yet, sorry. Expect that in Q2. But the chance to get your hands on some #RP2040 boards real soon now. I know I’m looking forward to seeing RP2040-based boards from @Adafruit, @Arduino, @Pimoroni, and @SparkFun. https://t.co/Djb3QoP4Ad pic.twitter.com/g0AiOiTDccFebruary 18, 2021
The news of RP2040 chips shipping to board partners has also been confirmed in a tweet by Alasdair Allan, Technical Documentation Manager at Raspberry Pi Trading and the person responsible for the Raspberry Pi Pico documentation.
Now that board partners are receiving their chips, it is just a matter of time before the community can start to integrate the RP2040 into their own projects, such as Arturo182 who has designed an RP2040 based board which looks remarkably like a Raspberry Pi Zero W.
Provided they fit, Panasonic’s most premium true wireless earbuds prove classy options
For
Expansive detailed presentation
Excellent noise cancelling
Superb touch controls
Against
Fit could be an issue
Panasonic is a name more readily associated with quality TVs and Blu-ray players, but the firm has finally moved into the highly competitive true wireless earbuds market with two pairs. The more expensive of those, the Panasonic RZ-S500W, feature noise-cancelling technology (unlike the other, more affordable RZ-S300W) and are the model we have on test here.
As you might expect from a product by a major consumer electronics brand like Panasonic, the RZ-S500W’s spec sheet is pretty comprehensive. It includes Dual Hybrid Noise Cancelling Technology achieved through use of feedback coupled to analog and digital processing; an Ambient Mode to amplify surrounding noise when the time is right; twin beamforming microphones to increase the clarity of voices and reduce noise during calls; and a total of 19.5 hours of playtime with noise-cancelling activated (6.5 hours from the buds, 13 from the charging case).
The RZ-S500W initially launched at £169 ($199), but already that asking price has been reduced so it now hovers around the £100 ($150) mark. Should the competition be worried? We’re about to find out.
Comfort
(Image credit: Panasonic)
The smooth, matte plastic earpieces and their case resist smudges from our fingerprints well. The case is pocketable and features a premium-feel set of three white LEDs for battery life. The magnets to keep the lid shut are perhaps a little weaker than we’d like, but provided you keep it in your bag or your pocket the earbuds should be fine.
Inside each earpiece is an 8mm Neodymium driver, and the housings feature metallic accents around the circular top surface of each unit. Part of this visual flourish is a blue LED light, which flashes periodically when the headphones are paired and red when the buds are charging. At 21mm across and 31mm long, the housings are on the larger side, protruding a little from the ears when worn. The neck of each is angled ergonomically, but it is also fairly long – a consideration for those who aren’t used to more intrusive in-ears.
Five sizes of good-quality ear tips are supplied and easy to switch. However, even after downsizing from the standard size, the RZ-S500W aren’t the most secure pair of in-ears we’ve come across – even a brusque walk can be enough to knock one of the earpieces loose. Obviously, not getting a good seal will affect the sound presentation for dynamics, bass and detail, too, so it’s worth spending the time to get the fit right.
Build
(Image credit: Panasonic)
We download the Panasonic Audio Connect app, which offers initial prompts to help pair the headphones for the first time. Although the app doesn’t look particularly slick or new, it functions well and never crashes during testing.
On the app’s homepage, you can view your headphones and the battery life remaining in each earpiece. Below this are two tabs labelled ‘Ambient Sound Control’ and ‘Sound Enhancement’. Click on the former and you get two sliding controls to select the noise cancelling and ambient sound levels, plus a toggle to turn them off entirely. The latter pulls up four options: ‘Bass Enhancer’ and ‘Clear Voice’ sound profile presets, an ‘Equaliser’ tab with five sliders to tweak the sound, and an ‘Off’ toggle to listen at neutral.
Along the bottom of the screen, you can see the current listening volume, which is a useful touch, and in the top right is an Alexa icon. Tap it and, provided you’ve downloaded the Alexa app, you can add the RZ-S500W as accessories. Doing this means that long-touching the left bud now offers a direct line to Alexa, rather than the Siri default on our iPhone.
Other neat features include a USB-C quick-charge so that a 15-minute re-juice can deliver 70 minutes of playback, even with noise cancelling deployed. An IPX4 rating means that the earpieces should be able to handle a rainy day, too.
The twin beamforming mics ensure clear calls throughout our tests. The Bluetooth 5.0 connection is solid, though it’s worth noting that the superior aptX and aptX HD Bluetooth codecs aren’t supported.
(Image credit: Panasonic)
Touch capacitive panels on each bud are possibly the most responsive and intuitive we’ve tested within an in-ear design. They never fail to respond to our touch, but they also seem to realise when we’re simply adjusting them in our ears rather than pressing for a response.
Play, pause and volume control are done with the left earpiece; track skipping with the right. Touching the right earpiece for two seconds scrolls between the three main noise cancelling profiles (ambient sound, noise cancelling and off), but these can be further customised in the app depending on the amount of noise-cancelling or background noise you’d prefer. It’s refreshing to find on-device controls as reliable and user-friendly as these.
The noise cancelling is exceptionally good, too – so good in fact that with the noise cancelling slider set to max, we actually feel a little disorientated when standing outside near a busy road. This isn’t a criticism of the RZ-S500W – some people experience low-level balance issues when using noise-cancelling headphones – but it’s a sure sign that consistent external sounds are being largely eliminated, especially at lower frequencies.
We find the ambient sound profile just as effective, and because the touch capacitive controls are so good it is quick to deploy them without reaching for your phone. There’s no auto-off wearer detection, but at this level and with these notable talents, the RZ-S500W look impressive value for money.
Sound
(Image credit: Panasonic)
Setting all sound enhancements to neutral, we stream Eric Clapton’s Cocaine on Tidal. Slowhand’s bassy guitar riffs have ample space to shine within the spacious and cohesive mix. This particular track always makes us think that Clapton didn’t want his vocal to take centre stage, and the RZ-S500W oblige, paying his lyrics just enough attention to resonate without any hint of muddying the guitar. Before You Accuse Me is a greater test of the Panasonics’ treble frequencies and it’s a clear, agile and sparkling performance.
Switching to DJ Snake’s Taki Taki (a Tidal Master), we find agility through the low end and textured vocals across the frequencies. In direct comparison, even the Award-winning Cambridge Audio Melomania 1 suffer marginally for detail. The reggaeton track starts off quietly, almost as if played in a tunnel, and the Panasonics easily match the Cambridge Audios for the nuanced build through the intro.
Our playlist continues to Daddy Yankee and Snow’s Con Calma and the Panasonics continue to time well, with a sensible dollop of energy through the rise and fall of each beat. The sound is refined, clear, agile and never harsh. If we’re really nitpicking, it might err on the side of subtlety over fun – but it never underplays our music’s meatiness and excitement.
We stream Lascia Ch’io Pianga from Handel’s opera Rinaldo, and the piano feels nicely three dimensional beside a clear bass with plenty of depth. When the emotive build of the keys comes in – the kind of musical passage that heightens our emotions – we hear that marginal cautiousness in terms of dynamic build. Again, at this price, it almost feels churlish to mention it.
As we move on to Fractals (Truth 4) by Jessica Moss, the snaking, skulking build of the strings is as impactful through the RZ-S500W as it can be at this level. We sample the same track through the more affordable, also Award-winning Earfun Air, and there is plenty of difference in terms of nuance and detail. The Earfuns present a zealous sound with plenty of snap, but the Panasonics offer an extra ounce of detail and transparency. At this level, spending just a little more can often pay dividends, and that’s certainly the case here.
Verdict
At their original asking price, these Panasonic true wireless earbuds faced plenty of tough competition in the true wireless market. However, with the price having dropped considerably, their noise-cancelling, performance, touch-capacitive controls, in-app features and general build quality are nothing short of superb for the money.
The Panasonic RZ-S500W feel like a far more expensive product, because it is. The bottom line is that the sound here is as detailed, accurate and transparent as this money can currently buy in a true wireless design. Just make sure they suit your ears.
(Pocket-lint) – The Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 has been around long enough to be considered an evergreen laptop series. It’s an XPS 13 with a full fold-out hinge. You can prop it up in a “tent” position, set it up as an in-bed mini TV, or use it like a laptop.
Big real-world upgrades for 2021 are all about the progress Intel has made. The Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 has one of Intel’s Xe graphics chipsets. It lets you play games that just weren’t in the conversation for integrated graphics a while back, like The Witcher 3.
There are a couple of problems though: the latest XPS 13 2-in-1 costs a small fortune. And it has an extremely shallow keyboard that we don’t find all that comfortable for typing. You’ll have to decide how much these points matter to you, because the XPS 13 2-in-1 is otherwise hard to criticise in other respects.
Design
Dimensions: 297 x 207 x 14.35mm
Weight: 1.32 kg (1.29kg measured)
CNC machined aluminium casing
The Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 is like a regular XPS 13 subjected to several dozen yoga retreats. It has the familiar carbon fibre keyboard rest, an ultra-stiff aluminium lid, and a metal underside. But the hinge folds all the way around until the back of the lid meets the bottom.
These hybrid laptops were more popular years ago. Real hot stuff, y’know. But it’s a good idea to have a think about whether you’ll actually appreciate the flexibility on offer for the added price premium.
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That hinge obviously doesn’t come for free. But it is decent, avoiding much of the wobble often seen in less well-designed hybrid laptops. There’s also no glaring sign this 2-in-1 is actually a hybrid. The hinge isn’t big or built-up, there’s just a little more clearance around its main bits.
Real talk: we think the standard XPS 13’s minimalist keyboard plate is more attractive, but there’s not much in it.
Best laptop 2021: Top general and premium notebooks for working from home and more
By Dan Grabham
·
You buy an XPS 13 series laptop for its distinctive carbon fibre style and excellent build, not for show-off weight and thickness stats. However, Dell has done its best to minimise the 2-in-1’s footprint. Screen borders on all sides are slim, if not class-leading, and the display has a 16:10 aspect ratio rather than the usual 16:9 – making a laptop that’s less wide per inch of display diagonal.
Screen
13.4-inch 1920 x 1200 IPS LCD screen
500-nit brightens (550 nits measured)
Flexi-hinge touchscreen
The Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 has a 13.4-inch IPS LCD touchscreen, which is available in two resolutions: more affordable versions have a Full HD+ (1920 x 1200 pixel) display; pricier ones have a UHD+ (3840 x 2400) one.
Ours has the lower resolution display. Your Windows 10 home screen icons and document fonts won’t look as sharp as they would on the 4K version, but the choice here isn’t simple as price versus quality.
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The high-res XPS 13 2-in-1 will last significantly less long between charges. And, resolution aside, the low-res display is a top performer anyway. It is searingly bright – 10 per cent brighter than Dell’s own claim, we found – and about 50 per cent brighter than the average laptop at this price point.
This is great news if you want to work outdoors. And while the Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 has a glossy screen, it is much less affected by reflection than most as Dell uses a very good anti-reflective layer. This dulls the white block reflections so they are not so distracting.
Colour is excellent, fit for imaging work. Contrast is great – and once again around 10 per cent better than Dell’s own claim of 1500:1.
The XPS 13 2-in-1 may be Dell’s lower-end option with this FHD+ resolution, but this is no low-end screen. It’s a high-end one without the extra pixel density. This is a good excuse for the Dell’s high price.
There are just a couple of caveats to note. This is a 60Hz screen, not the high refresh-rate kind you see in gaming laptops. And despite Dell’s claim of HDR 400 support, Windows 10 recognises it as a standard dynamic range screen. HDR in laptops is only really worthwhile with OLED screens anyway.
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The XPS 13 2-in-1 also supports a Dell active pen stylus – one with a graphics tablet-like 4096 pressure sensitivity levels – but you don’t get one in the box. Companies like HP and Lenovo tend to bundle their stylii.
Keyboard & Touchpad
MagLev keyboard
Textured glass touchpad
Integrated fingerprint scanner
The keyboard is the part of the Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 we like the least. It is very shallow and clicky, lacking the mellow “clonk” key actuation of the best laptop keyboards.
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There’s very little weight to the XPS 13 2-in-1’s keys, and we enjoy typing on almost all of the non-Dell alternatives more.
HP Envy and Spectre, Acer Swift, Lenovo Yoga and ThinkPad: all have meatier key setups. Apple started this trend for shallow, feather-light keyboards, even it has begun to step back by putting a chunkier mechanism in the MacBook Pro 16.
This isn’t a mistake, of course. Dell deliberately uses this keyboard. And just because it’s thin, high pitch and clicky, it doesn’t mean it’s low-quality hardware. We just don’t like its style much.
The XPS 13 2-in-1 does have a solid two-level key backlight, and a clever fingerprint scanner that’s built into the power button above the backspace key.
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Dell’s touchpad has little in common with the keyboard. Which is a good thing. Its clicker has a darker character with a nice amount of resistance, and the surface uses exemplary textured glass. The pad is large too, just not MacBook large. So no major complaints here.
Performance
Intel Core i7-1165G7 CPU, Intel Xe graphics
16GB 4267MHz LPDDR4x RAM
New Dell XPS models tend to arrive at a rhythm set by Intel’s processor releases. Most of these are not that easy to get excited about. A 12 per cent performance increase year-on-year when the predecessor already had enough power isn’t going to change lives.
For 2021 it’s a bit different, because of two little letters: Xe. The Dell XPS 13 2-in-1’s Core i7i1167G7 has an Xe graphics chipset, which is Intel’s response to AMD having soundly beaten its integrated graphics performance for years.
Intel Xe is miles better than the UHD 620 and Iris Plus chipsets seen in older thin and light laptops. It genuinely changes how some might use this 2-in-1.
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For example, you can comfortably play Euro Truck Simulator 2 at High graphics, with frame rates of around 30-40fps. Skyrim runs fine at Ultra settings. You can even play The Witcher 3, at 1200p, using the Low preset (or head down to 720p resolution for acceptable results at High graphics). Yes, The Witcher 3 hasn’t been a benchmark for gaming performance for some time now. But for a laptop with no dedicated graphics hardware, we think that’s pretty good.
There’s less change in the Dell XPS 13 2-in-1’s 11th Gen CPU side in real terms. It’s not because there is no performance boost compared to the last 10th Gen computers – there is, and quite a big one – but it is not the sort of jump that should make you want to upgrade if you already own a 10th, 9th or 8th Gen Intel-powered laptop. More exciting things are happening over at AMD’s and Apple’s processor labs right now.
Much of the pleasant smoothness of the Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 is down to its very fast SSD storage, which helps minimise app load times.
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We’re also pleased by how little noise the laptop makes, even under strain. The XPS 13 2-in-1 has two fans, with a vapour chamber between. And while their tone is pretty high-pitch, which can be distracting, the noise never seems to get remotely loud in decibel terms.
Battery Life & Ports
51Wh battery capacity, 45W charger
2x Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports
The Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 has a 51Wh battery, a mid-size power source used to balance the size of the laptop with stamina. And it seems to have worked pretty well.
Setting the laptop to stream at YouTube video at 1080p resolution the XPS 13 2-in-1 lasts 12 hours 15 minutes. This is the longest you can reasonably expect it to last in any realistic use scenario, but means there’s plenty of headroom to stay above eight hours of all-day use.
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However, we can’t ignore that we’ve seen much better results recently from some AMD CPU-powered laptops like the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7. That lasted almost 17 hours in the same test, while Apple’s MacBook Air and MacBook Pro last substantially longer, particularly under strain.
Still, if we’re at the point we can half-complain about 12-hour battery life, that’s a good place to be.
The Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 uses a USB-C socket to charge, and the adapter is tiny. That’s a bonus for travel use.
A complete lack of traditional USB ports is not, though, so you may need to pack an adapter. A simple USB-C (the ‘small port) to USB-A (the ‘big’ port) comes in the box. Actual on-board connections are minimal: there’s get a headphone jack, a microSD slot, and two USB-C ports – one of which will be used during charging.
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However, both of these USB ports are Thunderbolt 4, meaning they are very, very quick. Top specs aren’t too different from the older Thunderbolt 3, but you’re guaranteed to be able to plug in two 4K monitors. Handy for home use.
The Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 also has reasonably good speakers. Their tone is relatively even and they have a small serving of bass, essential for games and movies. We’re not at MacBook level, as the max volume isn’t that great and higher volumes can cause ugly-sounding vibrations inside the chassis, but they do their job well enough.
Verdict
The Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 is a top-quality laptop that makes you ask the question “do you need this upgrade?” in a couple of ways.
First, do you need the high-res UHD+ version? Probably not. The FHD+ resolution – as tested here – has excellent colour, brightness and contrast, and most likely significantly better battery life.
Do you need the flexible hinge? Consider that carefully, because you do pay a bit for it here. If not, the ‘standard’ Dell XPS 13 will suit your needs wonderfully.
Our favourite upgrade for the 2021 Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 is Intel’s Xe graphic chipset. It makes this laptop more ready for fun than any XPS convertible to date.
However, we do wish the XPS 13 2-in-1 had a deeper keyboard. This flat and clicky one is no friend to those who spend much of the day typing.
All in all, the XPS 2-in-1 is a well-rounded convertible with some serious plus points.
Also consider
Pocket-lint
Dell XPS 13
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How about the downgrade to the non 360-degree hinge XPS 13? The main differences are that it’s a bit cheaper and the footprint is less deep – the latter thanks to its use of a standard hinge. It also has deeper key travel, one of the best reasons to choose the non-convertible if you do a lot of typing.
Read our review
Pocket-lint
HP Spectre x360 13
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HP’s latest convertible is the 13-inch Spectre x360 (ok, so there’s a newer 14-inch model too). Benefits include a larger battery capacity and a lower starting price. It also includes a smart stylus. However, it is a little thicker and doesn’t have the Dell’s supremo display brightness.
Read our review
Pocket-lint
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga (Gen 5)
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Head to Lenovo’s answer to the XPS 13 2-in-1 if you want a convertible with a deeper-dish keyboard. It also comes with a stylus that slots into the laptop body. However, at the time of review you can only get the X1 Yoga Gen 5 with 10th generation processors. And that means worse gaming performance.
Whether you’re a student, a professional or just want to stay connected and productive, a laptop is one of the most important tools of the trade. But some are better than others, with wide differences in keyboards, battery life, displays and design. If you’re looking for a powerful laptop that easily fits in your bag and doesn’t break your back, you want an ultrabook.
The “ultrabook” moniker was originally coined by Intel in 2012 and used to refer to a set of premium, super-thin laptops that met the chipmaker’s predefined standards. However, just as many folks refer to tissues as Kleenexes or web searching as Googling, the term ultrabook commonly refers to any premium ultraportable laptop, whether it carries Intel’s seal of approval or not.
Of course, there’s always new tech coming down the pipe. Intel has announced its 11th Gen Core “Tiger Lake” processors with Iris Xe graphics and Thunderbolt 4, with laptops shipping in time for the holiday season. And its likely that an AMD Ryzen refresh won’t be far behind, bringing USB 4 to laptops. That’s in addition to the possibility of Apple’s first Arm-powered MacBook coming this fall.
Get a good keyboard: Whether you’re using an ultrabook to browse the web, send emails, code, write or do other productivity work, the keyboard is one of your primary ways of interacting. Get something with responsive keys that aren’t mushy. Low-travel is ok if the keys have the right feel to them, but the last thing you want to do is “bottom out” while typing.
Consider what you need in a screen: At a minimum, your laptop should have a 1920 x 1080 screen. Some laptops offer 4K options, though it’s sometimes harder to see the difference at 13-inches or below. While 4K may be more detailed, 1080p screens give you much longer battery life.
Some laptops can be upgraded: While CPUs and GPUs are almost always soldered down, some laptops let you replace the RAM and storage, so you can buy cheaper now and add more memory and a bigger hard drive or SSD down the road. But the thinnest laptops may not have that option.
Battery life is important: Aim for something that lasts for 8 hours or longer on a charge (gaming is an exception). For productivity, many laptops easily surpass this number. But be wary of manufacturer claims, which don’t always use strenuous tests. Some laptops are starting to add fast charging, which is a nice bonus.
The HP Spectre x360 14 is everything a modern ultrabook should be. This laptop has an attractive design, but isn’t about form over function. It has both Thunderbolt 4 over USB Type-C, as well as a microSD card reader, all in a thin chassis.
But what really wows is the display. The
3:2 aspect ratio
is tall and shows more of your work or web pages, and is also more natural for tablet mode. The OLED model we reviewed also offered vivid colors, though you would likely get longer battery life with the non-OLED, lower resolution panel.
The other big plus is the Spectre x360’s keyboard, which is clicky and comfortable. Sure, it’s no desktop mechanical keyboard, but for a laptop, it’s very responsive and feels great to use.
The Dell XPS 13 has long been celebrated for both its form and function. The laptop is tiny, but packs a punch with Intel’s Tiger Lake processors and adds some extra screen real estate with a tall, 16:10 display (many laptops have a 16:9 screen).
We also like the XPS 13’s keyboard, with a snappy press and slightly larger keycaps than previous designs. The screen is bright, and we shouldn’t take its thin bezels for granted, as Dell continues to lead on that front.
Admittedly, the XPS 13 is short on ports, opting for a pair of Thunderbolt 4 ports for booth charging and accessories. Its performance, portability and long battery life are likely to make up for that for those on the go.
Read: Dell XPS 13 (9310) review
Apple MacBook Pro 13-inch (M1) (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
3. MacBook Pro 13-inch (M1)
The Best Mac
CPU: Apple M1 | GPU: 8-core GPU on SOC | Display: 13.3-inch, 2560 x 1600, True Tone | Weight: 3.0 pounds / 1.4 kg
M1 is powerful and fast
Runs cool and quiet
Apps just work, even if emulated
Long-lasting battery life
Strong audio
Limited ports and RAM options
Touch Bar isn’t very useful
Poor webcam
While some people may still want the power, large display and port selection of the
16-inch MacBook Pro
, Apple has proved with the 13-inch version that its own home-grown M1 chip is capable of the needs of plenty of people. This is Apple’s first step in breaking away from Intel, and it is extremely impressive.
The 13-inch MacBook Pro runs cool and quiet, while the chip is faster than its competition in most cases. It’s also efficient and ran for more than 16 and a half hours on our battery test.
Many apps run natively on the Arm processor and those that don’t use Apple’s Rosetta 2 software for emulation. Even then, users will barely know that emulation is being used at all. Everything just works.
The big difference between the Pro and the Air, which also uses M1, is that the Pro has a fan. Those who aren’t doing intensive work may be able to save a bit and get a very similar machine by going with the Air, and they will get function keys instead of the MacBook Pro’s Touch Bar.
Read: Apple MacBook Pro 13-inch (M1) review
MSI GE66 Raider (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
4. MSI GE66 Raider
The Best Overall Gaming Laptop
CPU: Intel Core i9-10980HK | GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Super Max-Q | Display: 15.6 inches, 1920 x 1080, 300 Hz | Weight: 5.3 pounds (2.4 kg)
Great gaming performance
300 Hz display
Well-executed RGB light bar
High-end build
Cramped keyboard
Tinny audio
The MSI GE66 Raider is a gaming laptop, and it’s saying it loud with a massive RGB light bar. It’s new look is aggressive, but it’s not just talk, with options going up to an Intel Core i9-10980HK and Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Super Max-Q.
For those looking for esports-level performance in games like League of Legends or Overwatch, there’s an option for a 300 Hz display.
And while it’s not the slimmest laptop around (or even MSI’s thinnest), it does feel remarkably portable considering the power inside, and we can’t help but appreciate high-end build quality.
Lenovo’s ThinkPads have always been favorites, and the ThinkPad X1 Carbon (Gen 8) continues that trend with a slim design, excellent keyboard and an excellent selection of ports to keep you connected to all of your peripherals.
If you get the 1080p option, you can count on all-day battery life (the 4K model we tested didn’t fare as well, but that’s often the tradeoff for higher resolution among ultrabooks).
Of course, the ThinkPad X1 Carbon also attracts one other audience: fans of the TrackPoint nub in the center of the keyboard.
Read:Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon (Gen 8) review
Asus ZenBook Duo UX481 (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
6. Asus ZenBook Duo 14 UX482
Best Dual Screen Laptop
CPU: Intel Core i7-1165G7 | GPU: Intel iris Xe | Display: 14-inch 1080p (1920 x 1080) touchscreen, 12.6 inch (1920 x 515) ScreenPad Plus | Weight: 3.5 pounds / 1.6 kg
$999 starting price with an i5
Very good battery life
Loud speakers
Improved hinge mechanism and keyboard layout
Keyboard/touchpad are awkward
8GB of RAM in lower configurations
Asus has begun to refine the dual screen laptop. Sure, there’s a more powerful version, but for a laptop with two screens, this one is fairly light, and ran for over 10 and a half hours on a charge.
Windows 10 doesn’t yet natively support dual screen software, Asus’s ScreenPad Plus launcher has improved since launch, with easy flicks and drags to move apps around the display. For Adobe apps, there’s custom dial-based software.
The keyboard and mouse placement are the big compromises, as there isn’t a wrist rest and they can feel cramped. But if you want two-screens, this is as good as it gets for now.
If you’re going for a big screen, the Dell XPS 17 shines. The display on the laptop is bright and colorful, especially on the 4K+ option that we tested, and with minimal bezels around it, your work (or play) is all that’s in focus.
With up to an Intel Core i7 and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 Max-Q, there’s plenty of power here. While it’s not on our list of best gaming laptops, you can definitely play video games on it, including intensive games that use ray tracing.
All of that comes in an attractive design similar to the XPS 13 and XPS 15, though the trackpad takes advantage of the extra space. It’s a luxurious amount of room to navigate and perform gestures.
Read: Dell XPS 17 (9700) review
CPU
GPU
RAM
Storage
Display
HP Spectre x360 14
Up to Intel Core i7-1165G7
Intel Iris Xe (integrated)
Up to 16GB LPDDR4-3733
Up to 2TB M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD
13.5-inch touchscreen, up to 3000 x 2000 resolution, OLED
Dell XPS 13 (9310)
Up to Intel Core i7-1165G7
Intel Iris Xe (integrated)
Up to 16GB LPDDR4x-4276
Up to 512GB M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD
13.4-inch touchscreen, 1920 x 1200 resolution
MacBook Pro (16-inch)
Up to Intel Core i9-9980HK
Up to AMD Radeon Pro 5500M
Up to 64GB DDR4
Up to 8TB SSD
16 inches, 3072 x 1920
Asus ROG Zephyrus G14
Up to AMD Ryzen 4900HS
Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 with ROG Boost
Up to 16GB DDR4-3200 (8GB on-board, 8GB SODIMM)
1TB PCIe 3.0 M.2 NVMe
14 inches, 1920 x 1080, 120 Hz
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon (Gen 8)
Up to Intel Core i7-10610U
Intel UHD Graphics
Up to 16GB LPDDR3
Up to 1TB PCIe NVMe SSD
14 inches, up to 4K with Dolby Vision and HDR400
Asus ZenBook Duo UX481
Up to Intel Core i7-10510U
Nvidia GeForce MX250
Up to 16GB DDR3
1TB PCIe NVMe SSD
14 inch 1080p (1920 x1080) touchscreen, 12.6 inch (1920 x 515) ScreenPad Plus
I would like to thank Phanteks for supplying the review sample.
When Phanteks introduced the original Evolv Shift, it made quite the headlines. Now, over 3 years later, Phanteks has introduced the Evolv Shift 2, which comes with a lot of subtle but functional changes while keeping the design fundamentals of the original.
The Phanteks Evolv Shift 2 comes in two color options: “satin black” and “anthracite gray,” which are, as the names imply, black and a dark gray. On top of that, you may pick between a glass or cloth side panel variant, the latter of which is the Evolv Shift 2 Air. We got the version with glass, but Phanteks was kind enough to also send us some cloth panels so that you can see how that setup performs.
Specifications
Phanteks Evolv Shift 2
Case Type:
Vertical Small Form Factor
Material:
Aluminium, glass, and steel
Weight:
N/A
Slots:
2
Drive Bays:
Up to 4x internal 2.5″ (2 included) 1x internal 3.5″
Motherboard Form Factors:
Mini-ITX
Dimensions:
170 x 490 x 274 mm (W x H x D)
Front Door/Cover:
N/A
Front Fans:
N/A
Rear Fans:
2x 120 / 140 mm (1x SK 140 mm D-RGB fan pre-installed)
(Pocket-lint) – If you’re looking for a new television and want one of the finest pictures on the market, then Samsung’s range is sure to be on your list.
There are QLED TVs from the past few years, and in 2021, Samsung introduced the next-gen Neo QLED, powered by Mini LED tech, as well as MicroLED, albeit limited to 110 inch size only.
The latest range of QLED models all offer connectivity through common voice assistants, the latest streaming services from Apple and Disney – including AirPlay 2 – as well as a lot of technology to boost the picture performance.
Understanding Samsung TV names
If you’re wondering about model codes in Samsung designations: ‘R’ is 2019, ‘T’ is 2020 – but Samsung seems to have moved back to ‘A’ for 2021, with a reshuffling of the technologies on offer.
You’ll also notice that triple digits is 8K – QN900A – and double digits is 4K – QN90A, for example, which helps you see what you’re getting at a glance.
Worth noting is that QN (QLED Neo) seems to be the designation for the new display tech; Q is the incumbent QLED tech; and U is LCD – or Crystal UHD as Samsung calls it.
There are also named TVs: Serif, Sero, Frame and Terrace, all with specific design features. We’re not covering those in this list.
Samsung 2021 TV choices
Here’s the latest Samsung 4K and 8K QLED TV line-up and how each model differs from the next, covering the last couple of years. This isn’t an exhaustive list of all Samsung models in all regions, but is designed to give you an idea of where your choices lie when it comes to buying a new Samsung TV.
Note that not all 2021 models have been announced, but we’ll update when as they appear.
The 2021 Samsung flagship comes in popular sizes from 65-85 inches and features an Infinity Screen, offering edge-to-edge viewing with a practically invisible bezel. It’s a more advanced panel than previous QLED models, using the new Mini LED backlighting system, promising less bleed, more precise blacks and greater brightness for an even better HDR10+ Adaptive experience. The HDR will adapt to the room to give the best performance, while the panel supports 120Hz and is an 8K model.
There’s a slim One Connect box which can be attached to the TV stand to hide it out of the way, while sound is boosted by Object Tracking Sound Pro, designed to more accurately match the sound location to the action on the screen.
Samsung
QN800A
Screen sizes: 65in, 75in, 85in
Neo QLED, 8K resolution, Quantum HDR 32X, Infinity One Design, One Connect
The step-down model from the 2021 flagship is the QN800A. This again comes in popular sizes and retains the 8K screen with 120Hz and all the upscaling technology, but there’s a slight step down in HDR performance, saying that this features Quantum HDR 32X rather than the 48X on the QN900A.
There’s object tracking sound again, but there’s a simpler arrangement of speakers, with a lower overall output – while the design of the TV sticks to Infinity One Design, rather than the full Infinity Screen of the model above – so there’s a little more bezel here. Otherwise, these models are pretty similar.
Samsung
Q950TS
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Screen sizes: 65in, 75in, 85in
QLED, 8K resolution, Quantum HDR 4000, One Connect
The 2020 QLED 8K flagship, this TV offers near-complete edge-to-edge viewing and a smart, premium design. We think it’s a sophisticated package that’s sure to appeal to many after a premium set but who have so far resisted the leap to 8K.
The enhanced image processing borders on magic, too, while the beefed-up audio system benefits from additional processing and object tracking sound.
Samsung’s smart TV platform is superb here and we think it’s one of the best TVs currently on the market for HDR, too. Of course, it’s just about to be replaced with the updated QN900A.
Samsung’s flagship 4K TV for 2021 is the QN90A. It offers many of the same benefits as the top 8K televisions, in that it still supports HDR10+ Adaptive and 120Hz, but here with a 4K resolution instead. It also comes in a smaller size, starting at 55-inches, adding appeal for those with smaller rooms.
There’s a slight step down in audio output compared to the QN800N, but it offers a similar speaker setup with object tracking. The connections for the TV don’t have a separate box, they are all on the rear of the TV itself – but all that comes with a more more approachable price.
The 2021 QN85A steps down from the QN90A, again making a couple of changes to present a TV that hits many of the same spec points on the panel, but makes a few cuts elsewhere to make it more affordable. It keeps the 4K resolution, but here offers Quantum HDR 24X, so this is a couple of steps down in HDR performance from the top models. Importantly it still offers 120Hz, however.
It also continues to reduce the audio performace. While it has a 2.2.2 configuration, the output for this model is 60W with a less sophisticated object tracking arrangement than the models above it in the range. Again, the connections are all on the TV itself, but there’a also a design change, with a less premium stand than the QN90A.
Samsung
Q95T
squirrel_widget_237423
Screen sizes: 55in, 65in, 75in, 85in
QLED, 4K resolution, Quantum HDR 2000, Direct back-light, One Connect
Samsung’s flagship 4K QLED TV for 2020 is a cracker, offering a wide range of premium features, such as the One Connect box for easy cable connectivity. It offers great pictures quality, as well as the latest gaming features, like 120Hz for those next-gen consoles.
This is a different display technology to the Neo QLED, however, here using direct illumination rather than the new Mini LED, so it’s likely that it will be out performed by some of the newer models in the line-up. With that said, this is still an impressive TV, with plenty to offer.
Read our full Samsung Q95T review
Samsung
Q80T
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Screen sizes: 49in, 55in, 65in, 75in, 85in
QLED, 4K resolution, Quantum HDR 1500, Direct back-light
The 2020 Q80T is a mid-range QLED model, sitting under the likes of the Q95T. The design is less sophisticated and all connections go into the back of the TV rather than offering a One Connect box, so it’s a little less fancy overall. But you still get a great panel, with a 4K resolution and introducing a smaller size at 49 inches, making it even more appealing. Remember that this is a generation older than the 2021 QN85A, so although it has full array direct illumination, it’s not the Mini LED system of the latest models.
HDR steps down a little, but you still get 120Hz to support the latest gaming features. There’s object tracking audio from a similar speaker setup to the QN85A, aloing with all the normal Samsung functions.
The Q65T is closer to the entry-level for 2020 Samsung TVs. While still offering 4K resolution, it comes in a range of sizes right down to 43-inches. Again this is the older QLED tech, not the fancy new New QLED system, and here is uses edge illumination rather than the direct illumination found on other models. The HDR punch isn’t as potent as a result.
The panel also leaves out another desirable feature – it doesn’t support 120Hz, so it’s less attractive to gamers wanting the latest support for the newer consoles.
On top of a couple of sacrifices on the image side, the audio is weak overall. That’s not a problem if you’re connecting to a more advanced sound system. There’s still some merits, however. You get a lot of visuals for your money and if you only want to stream movies and have a separate soundbar, it could be the bargain you’ve been looking for.
Samsung’s 2TB 980 Pro delivers some of the fastest performance we have seen from a Gen4 SSD. Although costly, Samsung’s 980 Pro is a solid pick for those looking for one of the best SSDs you can get your hands on.
For
Responsive PCIe Gen4 performance
Sustained write speeds
Hardware-based AES 256-bit encryption
Aesthetically pleasing
Software package
5-year warranty
Against
Average endurance ratings
Costly
TurboWrite SLC cache not as large as competitors
No 4TB option
Features and Specifications
Update 2/17/2021: We have updated this article with new testing for the 2TB Samsung 980 Pro M.2 NVMe SSD on page 4.
Original Review published 9/22/2020:
Samsung’s 980 Pro is set to redefine the company’s product line up, and perhaps the entire high-performance market, with a combination of the speedy PCIe 4.0 interface paired with a new controller and flash, all of which delivers brutal performance in many types of applications. That isn’t too surprising given the drive’s rated speed of up to 7/5 GBps of sequential read/write throughput and 1 million IOPs.
For the first time, the company’s flagship Pro series SSD doesn’t come with 2-bit MLC flash. Instead, the 980 Pro uses Samsung’s latest 3-bit TLC flash to reduce costs, essentially making it the high-end evolution of the more economical 970 Evo Plus series. But, with a very robust PCIe 4.0 x4 NVMe controller under the hood, the 980 Pro still ensures efficient and responsive performance along with AES 256-bit security for both gamers and prosumers alike.
Aside from its slower sustained write speed than the previous-gen 970 Pro, Samsung’s 980 Pro is the fastest flash-based SSD we’ve laid our hands on. The 980 Pro proves that even while Samsung no longer uses 2-bit MLC flash in the design, its newest 1xx-layer layer V6 V-NAND 3-bit TLC scales to new heights and brings impressive performance to the table.
Samsung’s 980 Pro is the SSD to get if you’re building a high-end gaming or work machine with bleeding-edge performance in mind. The 980 Pro also doesn’t cost too much more than Phison E16-based SSDs, like Seagate’s FireCuda 520 or Sabrent’s Rocket NVMe 4.0, making it surprisingly competitive against other prosumer-class drives at checkout, too.
Specifications
Product
980 PRO 250GB
980 PRO 500GB
980 PRO 1TB
980 PRO 2TB
Pricing
$89.99
$149.99
$229.99
TBD
Capacity (User / Raw)
250GB / 256GB
500GB / 512GB
1000GB / 1024GB
2000GB / 2048GB
Form Factor
M.2 2280
M.2 2280
M.2 2280
M.2 2280
Interface / Protocol
PCIe 4.0 x4 / NVMe 1.3c
PCIe 4.0 x4 / NVMe 1.3c
PCIe 4.0 x4 / NVMe 1.3c
PCIe 4.0 x4 / NVMe 1.3c
Controller
Samsung Elpis
Samsung Elpis
Samsung Elpis
Samsung Elpis
DRAM
LPDDR4
LPDDR4
LPDDR4
LPDDR4
Memory
Samsung 1xxL V-NAND TLC
Samsung 1xxL V-NAND TLC
Samsung 1xxL V-NAND TLC
Samsung 1xxL V-NAND TLC
Sequential Read
6,400 MBps
6,900 MBps
7,000 MBps
TBD
Sequential Write
2,700 MBps
5,000 MBps
5,000 MBps
TBD
Random Read – QD1
22,000 IOPS
22,000 IOPS
22,000 IOPS
TBD
Random Write – QD1
60,000 IOPS
60,000 IOPS
60,000 IOPS
TBD
Peak Random Read
500,000 IOPS
800,000 IOPS
1,000,000 IOPS
TBD
Peak Random Write
600,000 IOPS
1,000,000 IOPS
1,000,000 IOPS
TBD
Security
AES 256-bit FDE; TCG Opal V2.0; IEEE1667
AES 256-bit FDE; TCG Opal V2.0; IEEE1667
AES 256-bit FDE; TCG Opal V2.0; IEEE1667
AES 256-bit FDE; TCG Opal V2.0; IEEE1667
Endurance (TBW)
150 TB
300 TB
600 TB
1200 TB
Warranty
5-Years
5-Years
5-Years
5-Years
Part Number
MZ-V8P250BW
MZ-V8P500BW
MZ-V8P1T0BW
MZ-V8P2T0BW
Samsung’s 980 Pro is available in capacities spanning from 250GB up to 1TB, but unlike the last-gen 970 Pro, the 980 Pro will bring back the 2TB capacity point. Unfortunately, Samsung will not release the 2TB model until late 2020. As expected of Samsung’s flagship SSD, each capacity commands a premium over competing drives. Prices range from $90 for the 250GB capacity up to $230 for the 1TB model, with the latter having the best price-per-GB.
The company rates the 980 Pro to hit peak sequential speeds of up to 7/5 GBps read/write and upwards of 1 million random read/write IOPS. These performance figures aren’t consistent across the capacity of the device like they were on the 970 Pro, however, so the larger drives are faster than their slower counterparts.
980 Pro – Intelligent TurboWrite 2.0
Capacity
Default
Intelligent
Total
TurboWrite
After TurboWrite
250GB
4GB
45GB
49GB
2,700 MBps
500 MBps
500GB
4GB
90GB
94GB
5,000 MBps
1,000 MBps
1TB
6GB
108GB
114GB
5,000 MBps
2,000 MBps
970 EVO Plus – Intelligent TurboWrite 1.0
Capacity
Default
Intelligent
Total
TurboWrite
After TurboWrite
250GB
4GB
9GB
13GB
2,300 MBps
400 MBps
500GB
4GB
18GB
22GB
3,200 MBps
900 MBps
1TB
6GB
36GB
42GB
3,300 MBps
1,700 MBps
2TB
6GB
36GB
42GB
3,300 MBps
1,700 MBps
Samsung’s 980 Pro features Intelligent TurboWrite 2.0 to enable fast burst performance, but as we see with all SLC caching mechanisms, Samsung’s direct-to-TLC write speed is much slower after the cache fills. Samsung’s Intelligent TurboWrite 2.0 improves upon the 97O EVO Plus’s implementation so that the end-user can write faster for longer, though.
Turbo Write (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Not only is the sustained after-TurboWrite performance higher across the board, but Samsung significantly increased the capacity of the TurboWrite cache. Samsung left the same static 4GB/6GB default cache values, but tweaked the dynamic cache by expanding its capacity to be up to five times larger.
Total Bytes Written and Warranty Ratings
Product
250GB
500GB
1TB
2TB
980 Pro
150 TB
300 TB
600 TB
1,200 TB
970 Pro
300 TB
600 TB
1,200 TB
N/A
Warranty
5-Years
5-Years
5-Years
5-Years
Even with the new TurboWrite 2.0 implementation, Low-Density Parity-Check (LDPC) ECC, and 9% over-provisioning, Samsung still pulled back on the 980 Pro’s endurance ratings due to the TLC flash, matching the 970 EVO Plus within the same five-year warranty period.
This is a bit of disappointment, not only for us, but also for the potential buyers who have already expressed some grief on forums. This change is a calculated move by Samsung, though. According to Samsung’s statistics on over 661,000 NVMe SSDs, the company says 99% of users write up to 156 TB of data within five years, and 99.7% write less than 600 TB.
Furthermore, unlike most SSDs on the market, Samsung’s 980 Pro supports AES 256-bit hardware-accelerated encryption that is TCG Opal V2.0 and IEEE1667-compliant for protection of data at rest. It supports secure erase via the Format NVM command and crypto erase capability, as well as S.M.A.R.T. data reporting and Trim.
Software and Accessories
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(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Image 2 of 2
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
From drive monitoring to benchmarking and security configurations, Samsung Magician leads the market in both SSD Toolbox design and capability. The company also supports NVMe SSDs with a custom driver tuned by the company. And for those who need to migrate their existing data over to their new Samsung SSD, the company provides its Samsung Data Migration Software to clone it over easily.
A Closer Look
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Overall, Samsung’s 980 Pro looks to be an overhauled and scaled up 970 EVO Plus. The 980 Pro comes in an M.2 2280 form factor and features a quality black PCB and components. The SKU numbers on the top sticker take away from the aesthetic appeal of the 980 Pro, though. The company could have easily placed these markings on the backside along with the compliance information.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
With the 980 Pro’s small footprint yet massive performance, the device is bound to generate some heat. To help keep it cool, the company continues to use a copper heat spreader on the backside of the device to help absorb the thermal load when heavy workloads hit. Additionally, the controller features a nickel coating that Samsung says imProves cooling by roughly 7%.
Image 1 of 2
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Image 2 of 2
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
The drive also supports Active State Power Management (ASPM), Autonomous Power State Transition (APST), and the L1.2 ultra-low power mode to regulate overall power consumption, as well as further refinements to dynamic thermal guard (DTG) technology that allows you to write for longer without the device slowing down.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
The new SSD controller, dubbed Elpis, measures 16.5 x 16.5mm and features a DRAM-based multi-core Arm architecture built on Samsung’s 8nm manufacturing process node. While the previous-gen Phoenix leveraged five Arm Cortex R5 cores, Samsung hasn’t specified what type of cores, or how many, power this new controller. Samsung also doesn’t specify the channel count, although it’s probably an eight-channel design.
Samsung did mention some other interesting points on the controller’s IO processing capability, however. The company states that the new PCIe 4.0 x4 NVMe 1.3c controller can natively process up to 128 concurrent I/O queues, which is up from 32 queues on the previous PCIe 3.0 controller, leading to a more responsive latency profile.
The 980 Pro leverages DRAM for caching its FTL metadata, and for this task, the company outfitted the SSD with LPDDR4. These DRAM ICs interface at up to 1866 MHz and need as little as 1.1V to operate. The 250GB and 500GB models come with 512MB of DRAM while the 1TB and 2TB receive 1GB and 2GB, respectively.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Over the years, Samsung has led the way in NAND design, and the company’s V-NAND was the first vertical-channel 3D charge trap flash brought into volume production. Samsung’s 1xx-layer V6 V-NAND TLC is the company’s most refined flash yet – it scales the layer count up to new heights and consumes 15% less power than the V5 flash.
Although it hasn’t confirmed, Samsung’s V6 V-NAND reportedly features up to 136 layers, up 40% from the 970 EVO Plus’s 92-layer count. Unlike competing types of 3D flash, Samsung didn’t need to use a multi-stack design to achieve such a high layer count. Instead, the company uses its unique channel hole etching technology to enhance scalability within a single stack. By sticking with a single stack design, the company says it can maintain high-quality production and achieve good yields without the risk of stack channel hole misalignments.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
There are just two NAND packages onboard the 980 Pro’s PCB, which applies to all capacities. The 250GB to 1TB 980 Pros come with 256Gb dies while the 2TB model, when available, will feature 512Gb dies. This means that both the 1TB and 2TB models feature 32 dies in total for optimal interleaving and peak performance characteristics. To boost performance, Samsung’s V-NAND features two planes per die (independent regions of die access) for further interleaving.
Competitors like SK hynix and Micron now feature four-plane designs, which doubles parallelism, but this adds to overall periphery circuity, which in turn takes up precious die space. To overcome that die space limitation, most companies use, or are transitioning to, Periphery Under Cell (PUC) or CMOS Under Array (CUA) technology.
NAND Flash
Samsung V6 V-NAND
SK hynix 4D NAND
Micron
Kioxia BiCS4
Layer Count
1xxL
128L
96L
96L
Bit count per cell
3-bit / TLC
3-bit / TLC
3-bit / TLC
3-bit / TLC
Die density (Gb)
512
512
512
512
Die area (mm^2)
101.6
63.2
81.8
86
Bit density (Gb/mm^2)
5
8.1
6.3
6
By placing the additional periphery, page buffer, and other select circuitry under the cell array rather than its border, companies can increase bit density per wafer. Lacking this design component, Samsung’s V6 V-NAND suffers in regards to bit density. Samsung’s next-generation V7 V-NAND will most likely implement both multi-stack and Cell Over Periphery (COP) concepts for improvement.
The current design splits each of the two 16kB plane cell arrays into two 8kB sub-planes with even/odd sensing for even faster performance capability with the limited space budget. This, in conjunction with some other modifications like an enhanced bit line precharge scheme, couple-capacitance-minimizing technique, progressive Vth window scheme, and random pre-pulse sensing scheme, enables Samsung’s V6 V-NAND TLC to respond 10% faster to both read and program requests over the last generation of flash. The new flash operates down to 45/450 microseconds (820/82 MBps) read/write, respectively.
Although the company didn’t specify the exact speed that the flash interfaces with the controller at, Samsung specified the flash operates at Toggle DDR 4.0 speeds, which ranges from 800 MTps up to 1,400 MTps, at a 1.2V supply voltage. This most likely matches the speed of SK hynix’s 128-Layer TLC, which is 1,200 MTps.
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