The impending arrival of another Raspberry Pi RP2040 powered partner is almost upon us. In a conversation on Twitter between Raspberry Pi co-founder Eben Upton and Arduino co-founder Massimo Banzi we see reels of RP2040 chips destined for Arduino’s first ‘Pi Silicon’ board.
Hey @mbanzi, here’s a reel of 3,400 @Raspberry_Pi RP2040 chips for you. There are another 3,000 on 500-unit reels in the box as well. pic.twitter.com/Xkeuw7MC2SApril 8, 2021
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In a tweet exchange we see Upton confirm that Raspberry Pi are sending 6400 RP2040 SoCs to Arduino destined for the release of the Arduino Nano RP2040 Connect, the first RP2040 partner board to feature onboard WiFi, Bluetooth and a 9-axis IMU sensor and microphone.
The RP2040 SoC are provided on reels, which are used to feed pick and place machines, CNC machines which automatically place surface mount components onto the Arduino Nano RP2040 Connect circuit board.
Arduino are the last of the official partners to release their board, the Arduino Nano RP2040 Connect. Other partners, Pimoroni, Adafruit and SparkFun have released their own RP2040 based boards, all of which have features or form factors not found with the official Raspberry Pi Pico board. Arduino’s board is set to bring WiFi and Bluetooth as an all-in-one package for the RP2040 and also introduce an official Arduino core for the respected Arduino IDE.
We still don’t know when the Arduino Nano RP2040 Connect will arrive, but if there are chips on their way to Arduino, it can’t be too long now.
In about three months, Samsung will announce the Galaxy A22. Read all about the expected budget phone here and take a look at the possible design.
Every year, Samsung releases a large number of smartphone models, a significant part of which is housed within the Galaxy A series. A considerable number of 2021 models have already been announced, varying from cheap budget models to mid-range phones with 5G support. It started with the introduction of the mid-range Galaxy A42. Not long after, the cheap Samsung A12 and A02s were announced, followed by the A32. Recently, the Galaxy A52 and A72 have been added to the sales range. We now have to wait for the Galaxy A82 and the A22.
In this publication we limit ourselves to the Galaxy A22, the cheap brother of the already introduced A32. It will likely be the cheapest 5G phone that Samsung will announce in 2021 – with an expected retail price of around €250. It is the successor to the Galaxy A21 / A21s released in June.
Samsung A-Series smartphone 2021
Meanwhile, the expected Samsung A22 has been in the news several times. It is known that both a 4G and 5G version will be released – just as is the case with the Galaxy A32 and A52. There is also information available about the colors. The budget phone is expected to arrive in 4 color variants: gray, white, light purple (violet) and light green.
Based on all available information, graphic designer Technizo Concept, in collaboration with LetsGoDigital, has created a series of product renders in which the possible design of the Samsung Galaxy A22 is central. In addition to the four expected colors, Technizo Concept has also added a fifth variant, which in our opinion would fit well into the delivery program; pale yellow.
Much is still unclear about the specifications. Presumably, the new A-series model will be equipped with a flat 6.5-inch LCD display. Although the A21 was still equipped with a punch-hole selfie camera, we expect the new model to feature a notch as all budget models within the A-series are equipped with a notch this year.
Budget phone with quad camera
There is still some uncertainty about the camera system at the rear. It is in line with expectations that Samsung will build in a quad camera – this was also the case with its predecessor. The main sensor will likely be able to capture 48 megapixel resolution photos. In addition, an ultra-wide-angle camera, a depth camera and a macro camera will most likely be implemented.
Samsung could choose to implement a square module, such as with the A12 and A42. For the product renders, however, we assumed that the camera of the A22 will have a rectangular design, as we also see with the A21 and the more recent A32.
With the latter model, Samsung chose not to place a camera frame around the lenses, the cameras are placed directly on the rear panel. We have also reflected this renewed and refreshing design in the A22, as can be seen in the following YouTube video of Technizo Concept.
Hardware & Software
The Samsung A22 is probably powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 700 chipset. This is a mid-range 5G SoC. A MediaTek Helio chip may be used for the 4G model. It is still unclear whether both models will be introduced simultaneously. Recently, a Samsung roadmap appeared online (thanks to Evan Blass) listing the Galaxy A22 5G model for a July release.
With the A32, Samsung chose to introduce the 4G model at a later date. This device was equipped with less powerful hardware, but also with a nicer display and a higher resolution camera than its 5G counterpart. It is quite possible that Samsung wants to apply the same differentiation with the A22.
Samsung is expected to release at least two memory variants: 4GB RAM / 64GB ROM and 6GB RAM / 128GB ROM storage memory. A model with 3GB RAM / 32GB ROM may also be released in some markets. The memory will in any case be expandable with a microSD memory card. This is of course a great advantage. With the high-end models, such as the Samsung Galaxy S21, this option is no longer supported.
Android 11 smartphone
The smartphone will run on the Android 11 operating system, combined with the One UI 3.1 user interface from Samsung. This is a user-friendly and clear interface with many personalization options.
Since it is a budget phone of less than € 300, software- and security updates will also be performed less frequently. Based on other cheap A-series models, Samsung will likely make a security update available 4x per year (once per quarter).
Although Samsung has expanded its software update policy last year, by providing most models with Android OS updates for 3 years, this will probably not apply to the A22. The more expensive models from the A series can count on 3 years of software updates, such as the Galaxy A52, the A72 and the A82 expected later this year.
Battery & charging options
Samsung will probably provide this budget phone with a plastic back panel and a plastic frame. The fingerprint sensor is most likely processed on the side of the device, in the on / off button.
Like all Samsung Galaxy A-series models this year, the A22 will also have an old-fashioned, but still much-loved 3.5mm headphone connection. This way you can use a wired headset to fully enjoy your music.
A USB-C connection is provided for charging. As yet no information is known about the battery capacity, nevertheless it is likely that it concerns a 5,000 mAh battery. This is also the case with its cheaper and more expensive brother; the A12 and A32. Charging is probably possible with a maximum charging power of 15 Watts.
Although Samsung no longer includes a charger in the sales package for the S-series models, all A-series models are still being supplied with a charger this year. You can therefore assume that you will also find a charger in the sales box of the A22.
Samsung A22 price and model variations
It seems that Samsung is planning to launch the Galaxy A22 worldwide. The device is also expected in Europe, both as a 4G and 5G variant. The latter model is expected in July, it remains to be seen whether the 4G model will be introduced simultaneously.
No concrete information is yet known about the price. Nevertheless, a price indication can already be given on the basis of its predecessor and the other A-series models. The price will probably be somewhere between € 210 and € 275, where the 5G model will of course be slightly more expensive than the 4G model.
The 5G version will be equipped with a more powerful chipset. Perhaps Samsung will make some concessions in other areas, in order to keep the price difference between the two models small – think of a lower screen resolution and / or refresh rate and less high-resolution cameras.
Alternatives for Samsung Galaxy A22
If you don’t want to wait until July and are you looking for a new Samsung smartphone, then the 2021 range already offers sufficient diversity. For those who do not place too many demands on their mobile phone, the A12 may be a suitable candidate. If you are looking for just a little more, Samsung offers a good alternative with the A32. The one-year-old Galaxy A51 is also worth considering, this was the best-selling smartphone in Europe last year.
Obviously, there are also plenty of other brands, with interesting models within this price range. Consider, for example, the Nokia 5.4, the Motorola Moto G9 Plus, the OnePlus Nord N10, the Oppo A74 and the Xiaomi Mi 10T. The range of budget phones is wide. Although these smartphones usually offer a good price / quality ratio, the differences between them can be significant. It is therefore always advisable to compare a few models first, so you can make a good decision based on your personal preferences.
Note to editors :The product images shown in this publication are created by Technizo Concept in collaboration with LetsGoDigital. The presented 3D renders are for illustrative purposes only. This product is not for sale. The images are copyright protected. Feel free to use these renders on your own website, please be so respectful to include a source link into your publication.
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The Realme 8 Pro is a good, inexpensive Android phone that you probably shouldn’t buy right now — at least if you’re in the US. But it’s also a preview of positive things to come to the midrange class, especially in terms of camera hardware. I have seen the future of smartphone imaging around the $400 price point, and it is good.
If you’re not familiar, Realme is a Chinese company that started off as a sub-brand of Oppo; like OnePlus, it was founded by a former Oppo vice president. Its phones are sold in China, India, and Europe. Although, you can technically buy a global version of the phone and use it in the US, but we wouldn’t recommend it. It’s not compatible with many of the 4G bands we use in the states, so coverage won’t be great.
The 8 Pro uses a relatively new 108-megapixel Samsung sensor. It’s the same pixel count as the main camera in the Galaxy S21 Ultra, but a different, smaller chip designed for budget-friendlier phones. As in the S21 Ultra, the point of this technology isn’t to take 108-megapixel images (though you can do that if you want). It’s to combine information from groups of pixels to create a better optimized 12-megapixel final image.
There are other reasons to like the Realme 8 Pro. Considering its £279 (about $380) price, performance is very good, owing to a strong combination in its Snapdragon 720G processor and 6GB of RAM. Battery life is healthy and the phone supports 50W fast wired charging. Depending on how you feel about inspirational corporate branding, I guess the “DARE TO LEAP” printed on the back of the phone could be a plus (not my thing, personally).
But the camera impressed me the most, and it’s a component that will likely make its way into many more midrange phones sold around the globe. Let’s take a closer look.
The 8 Pro offers standard wide and ultrawide cameras, plus macro and depth-sensing modules.
Realme 8 Pro camera
In case you need a reminder at any point of how many pixels the main camera offers, you can simply look at the back of the phone where you’ll find “108 MP QUAD CAMERA” etched on the camera bump. Specifically, it’s Samsung’s 1/1.52-inch Isocell HM2 sensor coupled with an f/1.9 lens.
Unfortunately, there’s no optical image stabilization here, but maybe owing to the image processing tricks this high-res sensor can pull off, I didn’t notice a significant number of blurry shots that OIS might have corrected. Other rear cameras include an 8-megapixel ultrawide, 2-megapixel macro, and a 2-megapixel depth-sensing camera. There’s a 16-megapixel selfie camera on the front.
The main camera is able to do a couple of interesting things. In bright daylight, it can use all 108 million pixels individually, using different pixels to capture your scene at multiple exposure levels at once, and combining the information into a 12-megapixel final image. In low light, the camera switches things up and uses binning to combine pixels into groups of nine, effectively turning relatively small individual pixels — 0.7μm to be precise — into much larger 2.1μm sized pixels, which helps produce less noisy images.
Photos in bright light look good as expected. There’s an impressive amount of detail captured, though some overzealous sharpening is evident if you zoom in to 100 percent. Colors are a bit too saturated for my liking; there’s no amount of lawn fertilizer in the world that would make my yard look as green as the 8 Pro thinks it is. It seems more prone to this oversaturation with landscapes and is thankfully less aggressive with portrait mode photos. Portrait mode photos look good, and I appreciate that the camera doesn’t crop in when switching to this mode.
Taken with ultrawide
Taken with ultrawide
Taken with night mode
Taken with ultrawide
Dim indoor lighting and low light are where phone cameras typically struggle, but the 8 Pro turns in an impressive performance in these conditions. In moderate lighting, images are surprisingly detailed and show little noise. The camera’s night mode will bring out even more detail, though it does apply a distracting amount of sharpening and contrast.
I had, frankly, low expectations for the 8 Pro’s digital 3x zoom, but I’m pleased to report that it’s much better than I feared. In good light and even moderate indoor lighting, images show a lot of detail and I’m hard-pressed to find the unpleasant artifacts that usually appear in digitally zoomed images.
The camera isn’t just cropping in on a 108-megapixel image, either. Comparing them side by side at 100 percent, a photo taken with 3x digital zoom shows more detail and looks less noisy than a crop of a 108-megapixel image. The Samsung HM2’s pixel binning powers are being put to work here, too, and the result is digital zoom that is actually worth your time.
There’s not as much exciting news to report about the 8 Pro’s other cameras; they do just fine. The ultrawide is prone to some subtle but unpleasant color shifts: white balance can skew too warm and blue skies sometimes look a little gray. The macro camera is a low-resolution sensor that is little more than a gimmick, and the selfie camera thankfully avoids over-smoothing faces at its default setting. All fair for a phone at this price.
The 8 Pro’s processor and RAM combination are more than sufficient for everyday tasks and scrolling.Photo by Allison Johnson / The Verge
Realme 8 Pro performance and screen
Outside of cameras, the Realme 8 Pro is a thoroughly capable midrange phone. Battery life is sufficient to get through a day of moderate to heavy use and the aforementioned processor / RAM combo handles day-to-day app scrolling and tasks with ease. The 6.4-inch 1080p OLED with standard 60Hz refresh rate is fine but nothing special, and I had to fight with auto brightness insisting on making the screen too dim on a couple of occasions.
There’s the flashy branding on the rear of the device, which is either your kind of thing or not. The Realme 8 Pro doesn’t support 5G at all, which is something to consider if you’re in the UK and thinking of buying the phone.
My biggest gripe, though, is with the optical in-display fingerprint sensor. I’d say at least a third of the time when I unlocked the phone it required more than one try to read my finger. A couple of times — both outside in bright daylight — it gave up and had me enter my PIN instead. If this was going to be my forever phone, I’d probably skip the fingerprint sensor and just stick with a PIN, personally.
The Realme 8 Pro is the kind of midrange phone that we don’t see very often in the US: great performance and decent all-around specs combined with an excellent camera, all for what would equate to a sub-$400 price.
Phones that meet this description are surprisingly scarce stateside; in fact, its closest equivalent is probably the Pixel 4A, which we’ve recommended as the best low-cost Android phone essentially since it became available last summer. The 8 Pro goes a step beyond the 4A in some respects by offering an ultrawide rear camera and fast charging. If it came down to it, though, we’d probably still favor the Pixel for its very good device support and excellent lone rear camera.
If you live in the UK and you don’t care much about class-leading display specs and the lack of 5G doesn’t bother you, the 8 Pro has a camera and a processor that will keep up for many years to come. For the rest of us, the 8 Pro is (hopefully) a sign of good camera hardware coming our way soon.
HMD is announcing six new midrange devices today led by the Nokia X20, a midrange handset priced starting at €349 / £299.99 (around $415). It will release in “select markets globally” such as the UK starting next month, but we’re still waiting on HMD to confirm exact US pricing and availability. I’ve been using the phone running near-final software over the past week, which has been enough to get some rough first impressions about the device.
To be frank, the Nokia X20 isn’t the most exciting device. But HMD’s promises about ongoing software and hardware support for the phone make it compelling.
The Nokia X20 is specced like a device at this price point is expected to be. It’s powered by a modest Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 processor paired with either 6 or 8GB of RAM (my device has 6GB), 128GB of expandable storage, and a 4,470mAh battery. It’s got a 6.67-inch, 1080p 60Hz display with a small hole-punch notch and four rear cameras including an ultrawide, macro, and depth sensor.
There’s a side-mounted fingerprint sensor on the right of the device.
The company says it’ll provide three years of monthly security updates for the X20 after launch, three years of OS updates, and to ensure the hardware doesn’t give up the ghost before software support ends, it’s also extending its normal manufacturer’s warranty by an extra year. “In the majority of places,” a company spokesperson says, “that extends it to three years.” If all goes to plan, the Nokia X20 should still be under warranty when it receives its Android 14 update.
In the past, HMD has generally been good at updating its phones over time, though ComputerWorld’sAndroid 11 upgrade tracker reports that it’s been more sluggish lately. Recently, HMD updated its Nokia 8.1 and Nokia 3.2, which released in 2018 and 2019, to Android 11 as part of an upgrade roadmap that includes over a dozen of its devices.
Three years of security updates is a little less than the four years Samsung recently said it would offer for its Galaxy devices, but Samsung’s warranty varies between one and two years depending on whether you’re in the US or UK. Apple recently updated its 2015 iPhone 6S to iOS 14 (five years after its release), but its standard limited warranty also typically only covers new phones for between one and two years.
Along with aiming for three years of use, HMD has also made a couple of other decisions with the Nokia X20 in the name of being eco-friendly. First, in the EU it’s joining Apple and others by not including a power brick in the box, just a USB-C cable. What you do get in the box is a 100 percent compostable phone case. It’s a neat idea producing a case that won’t end up in a landfill, but the accessory itself is frustrating to use. The portion of the case that covers the phone’s volume rocker just isn’t flexible enough, making it hard to press the side of the button that I wanted.
The speed and performance of the phone was generally fine, but I saw the occasional hitch while switching quickly between apps, which made me question how this phone will perform after three years of OS updates. Otherwise, I didn’t have any problems with performance in everyday usage. The X20 supports Sub-6GHz 5G, which won’t matter much to you now but could in three years’ time.
You can find a selection of photo samples below, but in my time with the phone I was underwhelmed by the Nokia X20’s camera performance. The phone has a total of four rear cameras: a 64-megapixel main camera, a 5-megapixel ultrawide, a 2-megapixel depth sensor, and a 2-megapixel macro.
HMD Nokia X20, macro camera.
Ultrawide camera.
Performance in daylight is broadly fine, but when things are more dimly lit you quickly start to lose detail and definition. Neither the ultrawide camera nor the macro camera have the resolution to take decent photographs, and the 2-megapixel macro camera in particular is a pointless and puzzling inclusion.
HMD’s Nokia X20 can’t make any big claims about being a flagship hit, but its modest price tag and HMD’s promises about continued support could make it a safe, dependable smartphone if that’s what you’re after.
HMD is announcing six new midrange Nokia phones today, ranging in price from €75 (around $90) up to €349 (around $415). At the top, there’s the X-series, consisting of the X10 and X20, followed by the G-series G10 and G20, and then finally, there’s the entry-level C10 and C20 from the C-series.
HMD’s pitch for these phones is the length of time it’s offering support, with even the cheapest C-series phones due to receive two years of quarterly security updates. Meanwhile, G-series phones will receive two years of Android OS updates and three years of monthly security updates. Finally, the X-series gets three years of OS updates, three years of monthly security updates, and an extended warranty that HMD says should mean it’s covered for three years in many of its release markets.
The HMD Nokia X20.Image: HMD
At the top of the six-phone lineup is the X20, which HMD says will be priced at the equivalent of €349 (£299.99, around $415) around the world. It’s got a 6.67-inch 1080p display, with a hole-punch cutout in the top-center for its 32-megapixel selfie camera, while on the back, you’ll find a circular camera bump containing four cameras: a 64-megapixel main camera, a 5-megapixel ultrawide, a 2-megapixel depth camera, and a 2-megapixel macro.
Internally, the X20 is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 and 4,470mAh battery, with either 6 or 8GB of RAM and 128GB of expandable storage. It runs Android 11 out of the box and includes three years of OS updates that HMD says will take it through to Android 14. Security is handled by a side-mounted fingerprint sensor, and there’s also a dedicated Google Assistant button on the left. I’ve been using the Nokia X20 for the past week, and you can read my first-hand impressions here.
The HMD Nokia X10.Image: HMD
A step down from the X20 is the Nokia X10 at €309 (£249.99, around $367). It shares a lot of the DNA of its older sibling. It’s also running on a Snapdragon 480, with a 4,470mAh battery and has a 6.67-inch 1080p display. But it’s available with slightly lower specs: a minimum of 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage, and its main camera and selfie camera at lower resolutions of 48-megapixels and 8-megapixels, respectively.
Next is the G-series, which is led by the Nokia G20 at €159 (£129.99, around $189). Its screen is a little smaller at 6.5 inches and has a lower resolution of 720p. Internally, it’s using a MediaTek G35 processor with a 5,050mAh battery, upwards of 4GB of RAM, and up to 128GB of expandable storage. You still get four rear cameras, though: a 48-megapixel main camera, a 5-megapixel ultrawide, a 2-megapixel macro, and a 2-megapixel depth sensor. Around front, there’s a notch containing an 8-megapixel camera.
The G20 is joined by the Nokia G10 at €139 (£109.99, around $165). Its display and battery have the same specs as the G20, but it’s got a less powerful MediaTek G25 processor, with 3 or 4GB of RAM and 32 or 64GB of expandable storage. Around back, you only get three cameras: a 13-megapixel main camera, a 2-megapixel macro, and a 2-megapixel depth sensor. The Nokia G10 has an 8-megapixel selfie camera.
Right at the bottom of the newly revamped lineup is the C-series, which HMD says is designed for people who would previously have bought non-smart feature phones. Both the Nokia C20 at €89 (£79, around $105) and the Nokia C10 at €75 (around $90) have 6.5-inch 720p displays, a single rear 5-megapixel camera, a 5-megapixel selfie camera, and are running Google’s lightweight Go edition of Android 11. The C20 has a Unisoc SC9863a processor, while the C10 has a Unisoc SC7331e processor. Both are available with 1 or 2GB of RAM, 16 or 32GB of expandable storage, and removable 3,000mAh batteries that charge over Micro USB.
The naming schemes may be different than previous Nokia lines, but with its six new devices, HMD is focusing on its traditional strengths: affordable phones with lengthy support periods. We’re still waiting for HMD to confirm exact US pricing and availability for the handsets, but the G10 and C20 will be available in “select markets” starting later this month, the X20 and G20 will launch in May, and the X10 and C10 will launch in June.
Corsair is a US-based peripherals and hardware company founded in 1994. After Razer and EVGA, Corsair joins the 8000 Hz polling-rate club with the Sabre RGB Pro. Corsair advertises a particularly capable implementation of 8000 Hz polling on the Sabre RGB Pro owing to their so-called AXON technology, which encompasses a purpose-engineered OS running on an SoC. This applies to click latency as well, which is said to be particularly low. Additionally, spring-loaded main buttons outfitted with Omron switches rated for 50 M clicks are supposed to provide a snappy button response. The 72 g weight is achieved without any visible holes, ensuring great handling along with a soft, flexible, braided cable. Corsair’s custom 18,000 CPI PMW3392 sensor provides top-tier tracking and can be fully customized through iCUE, which also includes a wide array of settings for the RGB lighting. In addition to the $59.99 Sabre RGB Pro, the Sabre Pro—a variant without RGB and with a listed weight of 68 g—will retail for $54.99.
Ring has announced a new floodlight with an integrated camera called the Floodlight Cam Wired Pro. As its name suggests, the Floodlight Cam Wired Pro borrows several features from the recently released Video Doorbell Pro 2, including 3D Motion Detection with radar and a top-down view of someone’s movements in front of the camera, which the company calls Bird’s Eye View. The Floodlight Cam Wired Pro, which I will refer to as the Floodlight Pro from here on out, is available for preorder in either white or black starting today, April 7th, for $249.99, with shipments starting on May 6th, 2021. Ring is also keeping the original Floodlight Cam in the lineup at a new $199.99 price.
Like the first Floodlight Cam, the Floodlight Pro is a motion-activated, 2,000-lumen LED floodlight with a camera mounted between its two articulating lights. It has a 110dB siren, supports both 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi, records 1080p HDR video with color night vision, and has improved microphones and a speaker for better two-way audio communication. The new 3D Motion Detection uses a radar sensor to track movement across a certain threshold that you define in Ring’s app, which is then presented as an aerial map in the recorded video clip. The Floodlight Pro is hardwired and can be mounted on a standard round outdoor junction box. Given its name, I wouldn’t be surprised if Ring has a wireless version in the works, but the company isn’t announcing anything on that front right now.
The Floodlight Cam Wired Pro is available in either white or black color optionsImage: Ring
In addition, Ring is announcing the new $199.99 Video Doorbell 4, which is the latest in its mainstream line of video doorbells that can be used in a standard wired installation or run off a battery. The new model upgrades the black and white pre-roll video that debuted on last year’s Video Doorbell 3 to full color, allowing you to see four seconds of motion in color before the doorbell is pressed. It also has a new Quick Replies feature that lets you have the doorbell automatically respond to visitors when you aren’t home or otherwise don’t want to be disturbed. You can use the Doorbell 4 with either 2.4GHz or 5GHz networks.
The Ring Video Doorbell 4.Image: Ring
The Video Doorbell 4 records up to 1080p video, but it lacks the square aspect ratio that I found so useful in my review of the Video Doorbell Pro 2, instead sticking with the traditional wide 16:9 field of view. The 4 also doesn’t have the Pro 2’s more advanced Alexa integration to answer the door — though, based on my testing, I don’t think you’ll miss much there.
Ring says the Video Doorbell 3 and Video Doorbell 3 Plus will remain available, though I’m not sure why you’d buy those when the 4 is out and costs either the same or less. The Video Doorbell 4 is available for preorder starting today and will be shipping starting on April 28th.
DJI’s unannounced Air 2S drone has leaked in a series of images posted by TechnikNewsand WinFuture’s Roland Quandt. The images come after the drone was listed in an FCC filing last month, suggesting that a launch can’t be far away. The DJI Air 2S is expected to be an upgraded version of last year’s Mavic Air 2, with an improved camera and compatibility with new DJI accessories like its V2 Goggles and Motion Controller.
Let’s start with the camera sensor. The new renders, as well as a teaser trailer shared earlier in the week by reliable leaker OsitaLV, show a drone with a 1-inch, 20-megapixel sensor. Although that’s lower resolution than the 48-megapixel 1/2-inch sensor found in the Mavic Air 2, its larger physical size should have big performance benefits, especially in low light. The sensor has similar specs to what we saw in the Mavic 2 Pro, which offered excellent image quality.
If reports from DroneDJ are accurate, the Air 2S should also work with DJI’s new V2 Goggles and motion controller, which released alongside its FPV drone last month. Compatibility with the goggles would allow the drone to be piloted from a first-person perspective, in addition to regular flight using the app. The Air 2S isn’t expected to be capable of the kind of acrobatic flight you can get out of the DJI FPV, but the goggles should provide a more immersive flying experience for those who want it.
Other more minor changes include the loss of the “Mavic” branding in its name, and an upgrade to version 4 of DJI’s ActiveTrack standard, TechnikNews notes, which should make it better at tracking subjects during filming. There’s also support for DJI’s newer, lower-latency OcuSync 3.0 standard. Although it’s battery is the same capacity at 3,500mAh, the Air 2S appears to be slightly heavier than the Mavic Air 2 by 30 grams.
If you had to choose: would you choose a sharper screen on your smartphone, or a smoother-scrolling one? This year, budget phone buyers may be asking themselves that question: the OnePlus Nord N100, Moto G50, and the new Samsung Galaxy F12 and M12 all refresh their screens 90 times per second (which is good!) but with a lower-than-optimal screen resolution of 720p. That’s the same resolution as a Galaxy Nexus from 2011.
Compared to your average iPhone, that’s a paltry number of pixels. Since the iPhone 4 debuted in 2010, every Apple handset has offered at least 326 pixels per inch (PPI), enough so you can’t make out those individual pixels with the naked eye at typical viewing distances. (The marketing term is “retina display.”) Here, the PPI would be more like 270.
And yet Apple has never offered an iPhone with a high-refresh-rate screen, which we’ve often found to be one of the most desirable features on high-end and mid-range smartphones since it makes everything you do (not just games) feel much smoother. (Apple might make it happen later this year.)
But the Galaxy F12 and M12, the OnePlus and Moto all show that high-refresh doesn’t need to be a high-end feature at all, or even a $300 one like we recently saw with the OnePlus Nord N10 5G. The Samsung phones in particular cost under $150 each, as long as you’re willing to sacrifice pixels to get there.
In other ways, the 9,999-rupee handsets seem like they might be decent picks too: they’re based on the same basic platform as the Galaxy A12 and its four-camera array, but with a larger 6,000mAh battery that dwarfs many others on the market. You get a sidemounted fingerprint sensor. Just note while its 8nm Exynos 850 processor might sound shiny and new, it’s not comparable with Qualcomm’s recent 800-series Snapdragon chips. It’s closer to 2019’s Snapdragon 665 in performance.
It’s not clear whether either of these phones will come to the US quite yet. The OnePlus Nord N100 already has, and the G50 launched in Europe late last month.
Casio has announced the first Wear OS smartwatch in its long-running G-Shock lineup: the GSW-H1000. The watch will retail for $699 in the US or £599 in the UK, and it will be available in red, blue, or black. With shock resistance and water resistance up to a depth of 200 meters, Casio says the GSW-H1000 is a fitness-focused wearable designed for everything from surfing to snowboarding.
The watchmaker has been releasing devices using Google’s smartwatch OS since 2016, when it released the Android Wear-powered Casio Smart Outdoor Watch. But this is the first time Google’s software has appeared on a G-Shock watch. The G-Shock lineup dates back to the 1980s, and the watches have a reputation for being some of the hardest-wearing around.
Its dual-layer display includes one monochrome and one color panel.Image: Casio
The GSW-H1000 comes with many of the features expected on a fitness-focused smartwatch. There’s an optical heart rate sensor, and Casio’s built-in software supports 15 activities and 24 indoor workout options. The watch supports GPS and has a built-in compass, altitude sensor, accelerometer, and gyrometer. Wear OS means there’s Google Assistant and Google Fit support, and you can download apps from Google Play.
In terms of hardware, the watch has a 1.2-inch 360 x 360 dual-layer display that combines a monochrome always-on LCD display with a color LCD panel. Battery life is rated at around one and a half days if you’re using the color display, extending to up to a month if you only use the watch for timekeeping and sensors. A full charge takes around three hours, according to Casio.
With rumors of an extreme sport-focused Apple Watch on the horizon, Casio and other rugged smartwatch manufacturers could soon be facing a lot more competition. But on paper at least, the GSW-H1000 looks like it could be up to the challenge.
Arm this week announced Armv9, its latest instruction set architecture that will power a broad range of processors and system-on-chips that will be launched in the coming years. The new ISA promises to enable designers to build SoCs with multiple special-purpose accelerators for artificial intelligence (AI), machine leading, digital signal processing (DSP), and security. Arm believes that SoCs and CPUs with specialized accelerators will better address existing and upcoming challenges of computing.
Arm’s Armv8 ISA unveiled a decade ago introduced 64-bit instructions, advanced SIMD instructions, cryptography extensions, virtualization, AMBA5 CHI (coherent hub interface), and a number of others. To a large degree, the Armv8 was a development of the general-purpose processor paradigm, which implicates that a CPU should perform all the tasks that a system needs. While this concept has been around for some time and will continue to exist for many reasons, special-purpose accelerators such as those used for AI/ML, graphics processing, IoT, and DSP are not only faster, but are also more energy efficient. To that end, Arm decided to build an ISA that is not only generally fast, but is more suitable for heterogeneous SoCs with accelerators aimed at all types of applications, from IoT to servers.
It is noteworthy that Arm expects CPUs based on its Armv9 instruction set architecture to offer a more than 30% performance increase over the next two generations of mobile and infrastructure processors (codenamed Matterhorn and Makalu), so performance of PCs, servers, smartphones, and other Arm-powered devices will continue to increase at a rather rapid pace.
(Image credit: Arm)
But the addition of heterogeneous processing capabilities will offer even more substantial gains, according to Arm. To make heterogeneous SoCs more robust, Arm promises new methods to increase frequency, bandwidth, and cache size, and reduce memory latency to amplify the performance of Armv9-based CPUs.
“The increasing complexity of use cases from edge to cloud cannot be addressed with a one-size-fits-all solution,” said Henry Sanders, corporate vice president and chief technology officer, Azure Edge and Platforms at Microsoft. “As a result, heterogeneous compute is becoming more ubiquitous, requiring greater synergy among hardware and software developers.”
One of the key features of Arm’s v9 ISA is the Confidential Compute Architecture (CCA) that protects potions of code and data from access or modification while in-use by making computations in a hardware-based secure environment. Arm’s CCA relies on the so-called Realms that are separated from both the secure and non-secure worlds. To some degree, Realms can be compared to sandboxes used by software. Meanwhile, Realms will use both software and hardware resources. Realms will be useful not only for client devices such as PCs or smartphones, but for servers as well as edge computing devices.
“A good example of this synergy between hardware and software are the ArmV9 confidential compute features which were developed in close collaboration with Microsoft,” added Sanders. “Arm is in a unique position to accelerate heterogeneous computing at the heart of an ecosystem, fostering open innovation on an architecture powering billions of devices.”
In addition, to address demanding AI/ML and DSP workloads, Arm teamed up with Fujitsu to design Scalable Vector Extension 2 (SVE2) technology for Armv9. Fujitsu’s custom Arm processors that are used for the Fugaku supercomputer already support SVE instructions. Going forward Arm intends to add ‘substantial enhancements in matrix multiplication within the CPU,’ which is a similar approach that Intel will support with its AMX technology featured by its upcoming Sapphire Rapids CPUs.
“The launch of the Armv9 architecture signals a new era for our company; a globally-pervasive platform driving secure AI-driven computing that will enable our ecosystem of more than 1,000 partners well into the 2030s,” said Simon Segars, CEO of Arm. “The Armv9 roadmap contains multiple new elements addressing the need for specialized compute from the smallest sensor to the largest supercomputer, but none are as important as the need to secure the world’s data.”
To date, numerous companies already announced support for Armv9, including Google, Foxconn, Microsoft, Nvidia, NXP, Marvell, Renesas, Unity, Samsung, Siemens, Volkswagen, Zoom, and others.
(Pocket-lint) – Huawei’s second generation of its foldable smartphone comes in the form of the Mate X2, while Xiaomi’s foldable phone is called the Mi Mix Fold.
Both follow a similar design to the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold series after Huawei changed the format of the folding device from its predecessor – the Mate X and Xs- moving from a foldable display on the outside, to an inward folding display.
If you’re in the market for a vertically folding smartphone, here is how the Xiaomi Mi Mix Fold, Huawei Mate X2 and the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 compare.
Design
Mi Mix Fold: 173.3 x 133.4 x 7.6mm unfolded / 173.3 x 69.8mm x 17.2mm folded / 317g (Black) 332g (ceramic)
Mate X2: 161.8 x 145.8 x 4.4-8.2mm unfolded / 161.8 x 74.6 x 13.6-14.7mm folded / 295g
Z Fold 2: 159.2 x 128.2 x 6.9mm unfolded / 159.2 x 68 x 16.8mm folded / 282g
The Xiaomi Mi Mix Fold has a vertical folding display in a book-style design, like the Huawei Mate X2 and Galaxy Z Fold 2. It comes with a glass or special edition ceramic back and there is a prominent camera housing in the top left corner. There’s a metal frame, large display and a single punch hole camera in the top right corner when folded.
When unfolded, the Mi Mix Fold has an 8.01-inch display and a precision based hinge. There is a small gap when folded though, like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2. It comes in Black or Special Edition Ceramic finishes.
The Huawei Mate X2 meanwhile, also features a vertical folding display. There’s a glass rear with a prominent rectangular camera housing in the top left corner, a metal frame and a full display with dual cut-out cameras on the front when folded.
When unfolded, the Mate X2 has a large 8-inch screen. The hinge is multi-dimensional, creating a water dropped-shaped cavity for the display when the phone is folded, allowing for no gap at all when shut, resulting in a different design to the Mi Mix Fold and Galaxy Z Fold 2. There’s also a wedge-like design that is just 4.4mm at the slimmest point. It comes in White, Black, Crystal Blue and Crystal Pink colours.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 has a similar form to the Huawei Mate X2 and Xiaomi Mi Mix Fold in that it offers a vertical fold in a book-style design. It too has a glass rear, with a rectangular camera housing in the top left corner, as well as a metal frame. Like the Mi Mix Fold, it has a single, punch hole camera on the front when folded but it is centralised rather than positioned to the right.
When unfolded, the Galaxy Z Fold 2 has a slightly smaller 7.6-inch display than the Huawei Mate X2 and Xiaomi Mi Mix Fold. It’s hinge allows for multiple viewing angles but there is a slight gap at the fold of the device when folded. It comes in Mystic Bronze and Mystic Black colours.
The Xiaomi Mi Mix Fold has a 6.5-inch AMOLED display with a resolution of 2520 x 840 resolution and a pixel density of 409ppi on the front when folded. It has a 27:9 screen ratio and a 90Hz refresh rate. There’s a punch hole camera in the top right, and the bezels are slightly larger than the Huawei and Samsung alternatives.
When unfolded, the Mi Mix Fold has a 8.01-inch display WQHD+ resolution, 1 billion colours and a 4:3 aspect ratio. It has a 60Hz refresh rate.
The Huawei Mate X2 has a 6.45-inch OLED display with resolution of 2700 x 1160 and a pixel density of 456ppi on the front when folded, making it fractionally smaller than the Mi Mix Fold, though with slimmer bezels. It features a 21:9 aspect ratio and a 90Hz refresh rate. As mentioned above, the X2 has dual punch-hole front cameras in the top left of the display.
When unfolded, the Mate X2 has an 8-inch OLED display with a 2480 x 2200 resolution, which results in a pixel density of 413ppi. The unfolded display has a ratio of 8:7.1. It too has a 90Hz refresh rate.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 has a 6.23-inch external display, making it slightly smaller than the Mate X2 and Mi Mix Fold. It too is an AMOLED panel and it offers a resolution of 2260 x 816 pixels and an aspect ratio of 25:9.
When unfolded, the Galaxy Z Fold 2 has an internal display of 7.6-inches – which is the smallest of the three devices being compared here. It’s Dynamic AMOLED and it has a 2208 x 1768 pixel resolution, resulting in a pixel density of 372ppi. It also has a 120Hz refresh rate and supports HDR10+.
Cameras
Mi Mix Fold: Triple rear camera (108MP + Liquid Lens 8MP + 13MP), 20MP front
Mate X2: Quad rear camera (50MP+16MP+12MP+8MP), 16MP front
Z Fold 2: Triple rear (12MP+12MP+12MP), 10MP front
The Xiaomi Mi Mix Fold has three lenses on its rear, with a 108-megapixel main sensor with 2.1µm pixels and a 7P lens, along with a 13-megapixel ultra wide angle lens with a 123-degree field of view.
There is also an 8-megapixel liquid lens on the rear that uses the principle of human eye bionics and a special chip created by Xiaomi to change the radius of curvature of the spherical surface. It allows the one lens to cover two functions, enabling 3x optical zoom, up to 30x digital and a minimum focus distance of 3cm. The front camera on the Mix Mix Fold is a 20-megapixel snapper.
The Huawei Mate X2 has a quad camera on the rear, which features Leica technology, like Huawei’s other flagship smartphones. The camera setup includes a 50-megapixel main sensor, 16-megapixel ultra-wide angle sensor, 12-megapixel telephoto sensor, and an 8-megapixel SuperZoom sensor.
The main sensor has a f/1.9 aperture and OIS, the Ultra-wide sensor has a f/2.2 aperture, the telephoto sensor has a f/2.4 aperture and OIS with 3x optical zoom, while the SuperZoom sensor has a f/4.4 aperture, OIS and 10x optical zoom. The front camera is 16-megapixels wide angle with a f/2.2 aperture.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 has a triple rear camera, comprised of a 12-megapixel main camera, 12-megapixel telephoto sensor and 12-megapixel Ultra-wide sensor.
The main camera has an f/1.6 aperture, dual pixel phase-detection autofocus and OIS, the telephoto lens has an aperture of f/2.4 and OIS and the ultra-wide sensor has an aperture of f/2.2. There is also a 10-megapixel front camera.
The Xiaomi Mi Mix Fold runs on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 888 chipset. It’s a 5G handset and it comes with 12GB of RAM and either 256GB or 512GB of storage. The Special Edition Ceramic model has 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage though.
There’s a 5020mAh battery under its hood that supports Xiaomi’s 67W fast charging. The software is MIUI 12, based on Android 10 and there features like a one click option to close down things like GPS for security, as well as a Desktop Mode with a three-finger swipe.
The Huawei Mate X2 runs on Huawei’s own 5nm Kirin 9000 platform. It too is a 5G device. It is supported by 8GB of RAM and it comes in 256GB and 512GB storage variants.
It has a 4500mAh battery under the hood that supports Huawei’s 25W SuperCharge. Huawei’s own Harmony OS can be installed over the company’s usual EMUI interface running on top of Android.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 runs on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 865 Plus chipset, supported by 12GB of RAM and it comes in 256GB and 512GB storage options.
There’s a 4500mAh battery running the Fold 2, which supports 25W wired charging, 11W wireless charging and 4.5W reverse wireless charging. It runs Android with Samsung’s One UI over the top and there are some great multi-tasking features that make great use of the screen when unfolded.
Price
Mi Mix Fold: Equivalent of £1105/$1550, China
Mate X2: Equivalent of £1985/$2785, China
Z Fold 2: £1799, $1999
The Xiaomi Mi Mix Fold costs RMB 9999, 10,999 or 12,999, starting at the equivalent of $1550 or £1105. It will be available in China from 15 April.
The Huawei Mate X2 costs RMB 17,999 or 18,999, starting at the equivalent of $2785 or £1985. It is available in China only for now.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 costs £1799 in the UK and $1999 in the US.
SQUIRREL_339457
Conclusion
The Xiaomi Mi Mix Fold and Huawei Mate X2 is only available in the Chinese market at the moment but while the Mate X2 is a little more expensive than the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2, the M Mix Fold is cheaper.
On a spec-by-spec comparison, these three devices are similar and while the Xiaomi Mi Mix Fold tips the scales in several areas, the other two devices have their fair share of wins too.
The Xiaomi Mi Mix Fold has larger displays both interior and exterior than both the Huawei and Samsung. It also offers the most advanced Qualcomm chipset, the largest battery of the three devices, the fastest wired charging capabilities and it has an interesting camera setup with its liquid lens.
The Mate X2 arguably has a more streamlined design, an extra camera on the rear and a wide-angle front camera. It also has only fractionally smaller displays than the Mi Mix Fold.
The Galaxy Z Fold 2 has more RAM than the Mate X2 but the same as the Mi Mix Fold. It also has a higher refresh rate on the internal display though and it offers a more user-friendly software experience, as well as supporting Google services – the latter of which the Mate X2 does not offer. The Z Fold 2 has less cameras than Huawei but the triple rear camera does offer great results.
The Samsung is more widely available than both the Mate X2 and the Mi Mix Fold so while the Mi Mix 2 and Mate X2 might win on some specification areas, you’ll need to live in China to get your hands on them for now. It’s also worth remembering the Galaxy Z Fold 3 is tipped for a July 2021 launch.
Priced at $499, the MEG Z590 Ace is a premium option for Intel’s new platform. But with four M.2 sockets, Wi-Fi 6E, robust power delivery, plus premium audio and styling, it delivers on the feature front. Just be aware when running AVX-512 loads with the power limits unlocked temperatures skyrocket.
For
+ Robust 16-phase 90A VRM
+ Four M.2 sockets
+ Premium Audio Solution
+ 2.5 GbE / Wi-Fi 6E
Against
– Premium price
– Can’t run AVX-512 at stock
Features and Specifications
Editor’s Note: A version of this article appeared as a preview, before we had a Rocket Lake CPU to test with Z590 motherboards. Now that we do (and Intel’s performance embargo has passed), we have completed testing (presented on page 3) with a Core i9-11900K and have added a score and other elements, as well as removing some now-redundant sentences and paragraphs, to make this a full review.
The latest version of the Ace board features robust power delivery, four M.2 sockets, a premium audio codec and more. The new Ace also has updated styling on the heatsink and shrouds while still keeping the black with gold highlights theme from the previous generation. Emblazoned on the rear IO is the MSI Dragon (with RGB LEDs) and the Ace name (no lighting). Pricing on the board comes in at a hefty $499, a significant markup over the previous generation. MSI states that includes the 25% tariffs and the reason for the increase.
MSI’s current Z590 product stack consists of 11 models, with most falling into the MEG (high-end) MPG (mid-range) and MAG (budget) lineups. We’re greeted by several familiar SKUs and a couple of new ones. Starting at the top is the flagship MEG Z590 Godlike, the Ace we’re looking at now, and a Mini ITX MEG Z590I Unify. The mid-range MPG line consists of four boards (Carbon EK X, Gaming Edge WiFi, Gaming Carbon WiFi and Gaming Force), while the less expensive MAG lineup consists of two boards (Z590 Tomahawk WiFi, and Torpedo). Wrapping up the current product stack are two ‘Pro’ boards in the Z590 Pro WiFi and Z590-A Pro. The only thing missing out of the gate is a Micro ATX board, but it’s likely we see one or two down the line.
On the performance front, we’re finally allowed to share information on these Z590 based motherboards using the Rocket Lake-based i9-11900K. In our tests, we saw the 8c/16t CPU hold its own against the previous generation 10c/20t CPU, especially in single-threaded tests. On the multi-core front, the IPC increase just isn’t enough to overcome the core/thread difference due to the IPC performance uptick. During our testing, the MSI MEG Z590 Ace performed well, showing solid results in our timed tests, PCMark 10 suite, and more. With the latest BIOS, the slight memory latency increase we observed (on this and other boards) was all but eliminated.
The problem with this board, and any board with power limits removed/raised significantly, is using AVX-512 instructions and stress testing. When using the ‘water cooling’ option in the BIOS (that removes all power limits) and running AIDA64, the temperature peaks at 100C in a matter of seconds, rendering it unusable. Other boards follow more closely to the Intel specification and throttle the AVX-512 clock speeds back to something more reasonable, while the Ace tries to run it at 4.8 GHz. In order to run AVX-512 on this board and complete some stress tests to verify stability, we had to run it with limits in place, setting Boxed cooler or Tower Air Cooler, or a significant offset.
To that end, we were able to push the new Rocket Lake CPU up to 5.1 GHz with all cores and threads enabled while keeping temperatures around 90 degrees Celsius. The overclocking process on the MEG Ace was painless as we simply set the voltage, multiplier and enabled LLC.
MSI’s MEG Z590 Ace includes all the bits you expect from a premium motherboard. The board has a stylish appearance, very capable power delivery (16-phase 90A Vcore) and the flagship Realtek ALC4082 audio codec with included DAC. We’ll cover these features and much more in detail below. First, here are the full specs from MSI.
(1) Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX210 (MU-MIMO, 2.4/5/6GHz, BT 5.2)
USB Controllers
??
HD Audio Codec
Realtek ALC4082
DDL/DTS Connect
✗ / DTS:X Ultra
Warranty
3 Years
The accessories included with the board are reasonably comprehensive, including most of what you need to get started. Below is a full list.
Manual
Quick Installation Guide
USB drive (Drivers)
Cleaning brush
Screwdrivers
Stickers (MEG/Cable)
(4) SATA cables
(4) Screws/standoff sets for M.2 sockets
Thermistor cable
1 to 2 RGB LED Y cable, Corsair RGB LED cable, Rainbow RGB LED cable
DP to mini DP cable
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Looking at the Z590 Ace for the first time, we see the black PCB along with black heatsinks and shrouds covering most of the board. MSI stenciled on identifying language such as the MEG Ace name and the MSI Gaming Dragon in gold, setting this SKU apart from the rest. The VRM heatsinks are both made from a solid block of aluminum with lines cut out. Additionally, the shroud is made of metal and connected to the heat pipes, increasing surface area significantly. Also worth noting is the VRM heatsinks share the load connected via heatpipe. RGB LED lighting is minimal here, with a symbol on the chipset shining through a mesh cover on the chipset heatsink and the MSI dragon above the rear IO. While tastefully done, some may want more. With its mostly black appearance, the board won’t have trouble fitting in most build themes.
(Image credit: MSI)
Focusing on the top half of the board, we’ll get a better look at what’s going with the VRM heatsinks and other board features in this area. In the upper-left corner, we spot two 8-pin EPS connectors, one of which is required for operation. Just below this is the shroud covering the rear IO bits and part of the VRM heatsink. On it is a carbon-fiber pattern along with the MSI Gaming Dragon illuminated by RGB LEDs. The socket area is relatively clean, with only a few caps visible.
Just above the VRM heatsink is the first of eight fan headers. All fan headers on the board are the 4-pin type and support PWM- and DC-controlled fans and pumps. The CPU_FAN1 header supports up to 2A/24W and auto-detects the attached device type. The PUMP_FAN1 supports up to 3A/36W. The rest of the system fan headers support up to 1A/12W. This configuration offers plenty of support for most cooling systems. That said, I would like to have seen all pump headers auto-detect PWM/DC modes instead of only CPU_FAN1.
To the right of the socket are four reinforced DRAM slots. The Z590 Ace supports up to 128GB of RAM with speeds listed up to DDR4 5600 (for one stick with one rank). The highest supported speed with two DIMMs is DDR4 4400+, which is plenty fast enough for an overwhelming majority of users.
Moving down the right edge of the board, we see the 2-character debug LED up top, a system fan header, five voltage read points (Vcore/DRAM/SA/IO/IO2), 4-LED debug, 24-pin ATX connector, and finally, a USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C front panel header. Between both debug tools and the voltage read points, you’ll have an accurate idea of what’s going on with your PC.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
With the MEG Z590 Ace towards the top of the product stack, you’d expect well-built power delivery and you wouldn’t be wrong. MSI lists the board as 16+2+1 (Vcore/GT/SA) and it uses a Renesas ISL69269 (X+Y+Z = 8+2+1) PWM controller that feeds power to eight-phase doublers (Renesas ISL617A), then onto 16 90A Renesas ISL99390B MOSFETs for the Vcore. This configuration yields 1440A of power for the CPU, which is plenty for ambient and sub-ambient/extreme overclocking. It won’t be this board holding you back in any overclocking adventures, that’s for sure.
(Image credit: MSI)
As we focus on the bottom half, we’ll take a closer look at the integrated audio, PCIe slot configuration and storage. Starting with the audio bits on the left side, under the shroud, is the Realtek latest premium codec, the ALC4082. Additionally, the Z590 Ace includes an ESS Sabre 9018Q2C combo DAC, a dedicated headphone amplifier (up to 600 Ohm) and high-quality Chemicon audio capacitors. This audio solution should be more than adequate for most users.
In the middle of the board are four M.2 sockets and five PCIe slots. With the PCIe connectivity, all three full-length slots are reinforced to prevent shearing and EMI, while the two PCIe x1 slots don’t have any reinforcement. The top slot supports PCIe 4.0 x16 speeds, with the second and third slots PCIe 3.0. The slots break down as follows, x16/x0/x4 x8/x8/x4 or x8/x4+x4/x4. This configuration supports 2-Way Nvidia SLI and 2-Way AMD Crossfire technologies. All x1 slots and the full-length bottom slot are fed from the chipset, while the top two full-length slots source their lanes from the CPU.
M.2 storage on the Z590 Ace consists of four onboard sockets supporting various speeds and module lengths. The top slot, M2_1, supports PCIe 4.0 x4 modules up to 110mm. Worth noting on this socket is that it only works with an 11th Gen Intel CPU installed. M2_2, M2_3, M2_4 are fed from the chipset, with M2_2 and M2_3 supporting SATA- and PCIe-based modules up to 80mm, while M2_4 supports PCIe only. M2_2/3/4 are all PCIe 3.0 x4.
The way this is wired, you will lose some SATA ports and PCIe bandwidth depending on the configuration. For example, SATA2 is unavailable when using a SATA-based SSD in the M2_2 socket. SATA 5/6 are unavailable when using the M2_3 socket with any type of device. Finally, the bandwidth on M2_4 switches from x4 to x2 when PCI_E5 (bottom x1 slot) is used. The M.2 sockets support RAID 0/1 for those who would like additional speed or redundancy.
Finally, along the right edge of the board are six horizontally oriented SATA ports. The Z590 Ace supports RAID 0, 1 and 10 on the SATA ports. Just be aware you lose a couple of ports on this board if you’re using some of the M.2 sockets. Above these ports is a USB 3.2 Gen1 front panel header along with another 4-pin system fan header.
Across the board’s bottom edge are several headers, including more USB ports, fan headers, and more. Below is the full list, from left to right:
Front Panel Audio
aRGB and RGB headers
(3) System Fan headers
Supplemental PCIe power
Tuning controller connector
Temperature sensor
(2) USB 2.0 headers
LED switch
BIOS selector switch
OC Retry jumper
TPM header
Power and Reset buttons
Slow mode jumpers
Front panel connectors
(Image credit: MSI)
Moving to the rear IO area, we see the integrated IO plate sporting a black background with gold writing matching the board theme. There are eight USB Type-A ports (two USB 3.2 Gen2, four USB 3.2 Gen1 and two USB 2.0 ports). On the Type-C front, the Z590 Ace includes two Thunderbolt 4 ports capable of speeds up to 40 Gbps. Just to the right of those are Mini-DisplayPort inputs for running video through the Thunderbolt connection(s). Handling the video output for the CPU’s integrated graphics is a single HDMI (2.0b) port. We also spy here the Wi-Fi antenna connections, 5-plug plus SPDIF audio stack, Intel 2.5 GbE and finally, a Clear CMOS button and BIOS Flashback button that can be used without a CPU.
The MSI Aegis RS 11th is a powerful gaming desktop with the latest parts from Intel and Nvidia and off-the-shelf components that allow for easy upgrades.
For
+ Off the shelf parts
+ Powerful gaming performance
+ Decent pack-in peripherals
Against
– MSI Center software is clunky
– Middling file transfer speeds
It’s hard to build a computer right now, because many of the key parts are sold out everywhere you look . If you can get a quality desktop prebuilt, it may be worth springing for it just to get the components you want. The MSI Aegis RS11th ($1,999 to start, $2,499) as tested, delivers the latest with Intel’s 11th Gen Rocket Lake and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080. If those are the parts you’re looking for, this PC should be in your consideration.
MSI isn’t using a weird, proprietary
chassis
that’s hard to open; This is made of standardized parts, just mostly MSI-branded ones. That does mean that when parts are easier to buy, this is a PC you’ll be able to upgrade and grow with.
The MSI Aegis RS 11th’s gaming performance is strong, which makes one of the
best gaming PCs
, but Rocket Lake’s modest core count holds it back in productivity workloads.
Design of the MSI Aegis RS 11th
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How much you like the design of the Aegis RS will rely heavily on how much you like one of MSI’s existing PC cases, the MPG Gungnir 110R, s a mid-tower chassis with both tempered glass and black aluminum.The front is split between the two, making it look like the
Two-Face
of computer cases. Considering our review unit had three RGB fans up front, I didn’t love that they were half covered up. It’s a weird design choice.
The rest of it, however, is far more conservatve. The left side panel is tempered glass, which lets you see your components, while the right side is opaque and covers up the cable management. There are two dust filters: a magnetic one on top of the case, and a second one in front of the intake fans.
There are three 120mm intake fans on the front. There’s another on the rear, as exhaust, but it also cools the radiator on the MSI Coreliquid 120 liquid cooler for the CPU. I would like to see the radiator mounted up top, where there is room for one up to the 240mm in size, and have a regular exhaust fan in the back, since there is no obstacle to that with this case. (In fact, I wouldn’t mind a beefier cooler for this processor, too.) Still, unlike many custom chassis we’ve seen lately, this one doesn’t seem to have particular issues with where to put fans.
The front three fans and CPU cooler have RGB lighting, which can be controlled with a button labeled “LED” on the top of the case, or with a module in the MSI Center software.
At 17.72 x 16.93 x 8.46 inches, the Aegis RS is smaller than the Alienware Aurora R11 (18.9 x 17 x 8.8) and iBuypower Gaming RDY IWBG207 (18.9 x 19.2 x 8.5 inches). The HP Omen 30L, however, is slightly smaller at 17.7 x 16.8 x 6.6 inches.
2x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C, 3.5 mm headphone and microphone jacks
Rear Ports (Motherboard)
4x USB 2.0, 2x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 Type-C, PS/2, DisplayPort, HDMI, audio connectors
Video Output (GPU)
3x Displayport 1.4a, HDMI 2.1
Power Supply
MSI MPG A750GF – 750W
Cooling
MSI Coreliquid 120R liquid cooler, 3x 120mm case fans
Operating System
Windows 10 Home
Dimensions
17.72 x 16.93 x 8.46 inches
Price as Configured
$2,499
Ports and Upgradeability on the MSI Aegis RS 11th
There are five ports on the top of the Aegis RS chassis: a USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C port, a pair of USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A ports, and separate 3.5 mm headphone and microphone jacks.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
The rear ports are from the MSI Z590 Pro Wi-Fi motherboard, and include four USB 2.0 Type-A ports, two USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A ports, two USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports, USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 Type-C, as well as audio connectors and PS/2 for legacy peripherals. There’s also DisplayPort and HDMI, though you’ll likely use the options on the graphics card.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Internally, the Aegis is easy to update or repair, because it’s built just like a PC you might put together yourself. There aren’t any weird custom chassis tricks or hidden parts. MSI makes the case, power supply, graphics card, motherboard and liquid cooler as separate components. There’s nothing proprietary about this that you couldn’t change or update later.
You can get to most of the parts by removing the tempered glass side panel. It’s held into the back of the chassis with two thumb screws, so no tools are needed. There’s a handle to pull it straight back from the case. One highlight here is a sled for a 2.5-inch drive for easy extra storage. The RAM and M.2 SSD are easy enough to access without moving anything.
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The right side panel comes off the same way as the glass door, and it’s the easiest (only, really) way to access the HDD and the PSU, which are hidden beneath a shroud. The case’s RGB controller is also back here, and there’s another 2.5-inch drive sled.
I’m not going to say the cable management is beautiful compared to some other prebuilts, but it’s functional enough (I honestly probably don’t have the patience to do any better) and, unlike some cases, you can easily access it.
Gaming and Graphics on the MSI Aegis RS 11th
The Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 and Intel Core i7-11700K proved potent for gaming.
I played a bit of Control on the Aegis RS, which I like to try because of how well it integrates ray tracing and stresses even the most powerful components. I ran it at 4K with the high preset and medium ray tracing.
In the beginning of the game, which features exploration sequences, combat with hiss guards in the Oldest House and fights on the Astral Plane, the game typically ran at around 57 frames per second. During fights inside the house, the rate dropped as low as 37 fps when I used lots of Jesse’s melee attacks, which bring about large telekinetic explosions with lots of objects moving. In the Astral Plane, which is rendered on a largely white background, it often stayed in the low 70’s, even during combat. With a slightly lower resolution or a few tweaks, you could be at a steady 60 fps fairly easily.
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On the Shadow of the Tomb Raider benchmark (highest settings), the game ran at 147 fps in 1080p and 57 fps at 4K. It was beat in both only by the Alienware Aurora R11 (149 fps at 1080p, 64 fps at 4K) with an RTX 3090.
In Grand Theft Auto V (very high settings), the Aegis RS had superior 1080p performance at 163 fps and ran in 4K at 54 fps. The Aurora won out in 4K, while the Omen and iBuypower both had identical 4K performance to the Aegis.
On the Far Cry New Dawn benchmark, The Aegis dominated again at FHD, running at 134 fps. In 4K, it ran at 94 fps, behind the iBuypower and the Aurora by a few frames but tied with the Omen.
The Aegis came just behind the Alienware in Red Dead Redemption 2 (medium settings) at 113 fps, but had the highest 4K score at 40 fps. It beat the Omen by 10 frames, though the iBuypower was closer.
On Borderlands 3 (badass settings), the Aegis RS hit 136 fps at FHD and 58 fps in 4K. That’s the worst of the 4K showings, but on par with the HP Omen 30L for 1080p. The Aurora, with its RTX 3090, did the heavy lifting, winning at both resolutions.
Productivity Performance of the MSI Aegis RS 11th
This is the first pre-built desktop we’ve reviewed with the Intel Core i7-11700K. MSI has paired it with 16GB of RAM, a 1TB PCIe Gen 4 SSD and a 2TB HDD. The CPU has 8 cores and 16 threads. Its competitors, though, pose a threat, as many high-end PCs come with Core i9 processors that have more cores. It should be noted that even the Core i9 Rocket Lake has just 8 cores, so this isn’t a limitation of testing the Core i7.
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On Geekbench 5, an overall performance benchmark, the Aegis RS 11th notched a single-core score of 1,676 and a multi-core score of 10,102. While that was the highest single-core score, the other three desktops had higher multi-core scores. All of those used Intel Core i9-10900K chips, which have 10 cores rather than the 8 cores in the 11700K.
The PCIe Gen 4 SSD in the Aegis didn’t show off. It transferred 25GB of files at a rate of 635.3 MBps, just edging past the iBuypower and falling far short of the Omen (978 MBps) and Aurora (1,201.87 MBps).
On our Handbrake video editing test, the MSI Aegis RS 11th transcoded a 4K video to 1080p in 5 minutes and 19 seconds. That’s faster than the iBuypower, but the Aurora and Omen both beat the Aegis’ time by five seconds.
MSI Vigor GK30 Keyboard and Clutch GM08 Mouse
MSI includes a keyboard and mouse in the box, which are good enough to use if you don’t have a lot else lying around, but that you may want to replace if you already have favorite peripherals.
The mouse, the Clutch GM08, has rubberized grips on the side, though it felt a bit narrow for my wide claw grip. Still, there are some higher-end features here, including adjustable weights (two 3-gram weights and one 5-gram weight) to make the mouse lighter or heavier. It has a PixArt PAW351 sensor that goes up to 4,200 DPI. The mouse has a DPI switch button that lets you adjust sensitivity, and has two buttons on the left side of the mouse, but they aren’t programmable in MSI Center. It typically
sells separately for around $20
, so don’t get your hopes up too much, but it gets the job done in a pinch. The red LED light can’t be changed in MSI’s software, either.
The keyboard, the Vigor GK30, is the same one that came with the MSI Aegis Ti5 I recently reviewed. It’s just OK. The keyboard, which MSI suggests is “mechanical-like” has keys that are stiff and not quite clicky. There’s perhaps too much RGB lighting in a sea around the keys. They can’t be controlled in MSI’s software, either, but can be customized with buttons on the keyboard.
MSI Center, Software and Warranty on the MSI Aegis RS 11th
This is the first MSI PC that’s crossed my desk with MSI Center, the company’s replacement for its two previous swiss army-knife applications, Dragon Center (for gaming) and Creator Center (for, well, creating).
MSI Center, though, seems barebones. Sure, it has an optional light/dark mode switcher, which is nice, and you can still see CPU and GPU temperatures and usage, and there are still different usage scenarios to choose from, though they’re buried behind menus. But some features from Dragon Center are nowhere to be found, including one-click optimization for games, Mystic Light and the LAN manager are optional modules to add on. This feels like it’s in beta; there’s an area to “downlaod, update or uninstall” (MSI’s typo, not mine).
But MSI still includes its share of bloat, including MSI App Player, its version of BlueStacks, which runs Android apps, as well as LinkedIn. It notably doesn’t have the Cyberlink suite that I’ve complained about on previous systems, though no one can escape the bloat that comes with
Windows 10
, like Facebook Messenger, Hulu and Roblox.
MSI sells the Aegis RS 11th with a one-year warranty.
MSI Aegis RS 11th Configurations
We reviewed the Aegis RS with a new Intel Core i7-11700K “Rocket Lake” processor, 16GB of RAM, and MSI RTX 3080 Ventus 3X OC GPU, a 1TB PCIe Gen 4 SSD and a 2TB, 7,200-rpm HDD. When the system becomes widely available in mid-April, it will run for $2,499.
When we were reviewing this model, MSI told us that the RS 11th series would start at $1,999. It didn’t have completely finalized specs, but suggested the base model would have an RTX 3070 and 650W GPU and ditch the HDD. Several configurations may continue to utilize a Z490 motherboard and then transition to Z590 as supply levels out. The Aegis RS series is expected to top out at a Core i9-11900K, RTX 3090, 32GB of RAM, an 850W power supply and a 240mm CPU cooler, going possibly as high as $3,899.
Bottom Line
If you’re looking for the latest and greatest, the MSI Aegis RS 11th delivers you the most recent parts from Intel and Nvidia (at least, as long as it’s in stock).
Unlike some other prebuilts, there’s nothing proprietary here. It’s all standardized parts, mostly from MSI, that you can easily upgrade down the line.
Intel’s Core i7 Rocket Lake and the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 in our review configuration worked potently together. In productivity, though, Rocket Lake’s limited core count didn’t stand up to some competition, which affects some workloads.
MSI needs to add polish to its MSI Center utility.. If you use the app to monitor CPU usage, check temperatures or change RGB colors, it will feel a bit like beta. If you prefer other applications, you may not notice.
As a whole package, the Aegis RS 11th is a powerful gaming rig with few frills. If you need a PC to play games, this will stand up, even in 4K with the right settings.
Lyft and Motional have selected the Hyundai Ioniq 5 for their forthcoming autonomous ride-hailing service. Motional, which is a joint venture between Aptiv and Hyundai, said the Ioniq 5 was chosen because it represents a “convergence of mobility’s two most transformative technologies — electrification and autonomy.”
Motional hasn’t said how many vehicles it would acquire, nor where it will eventually deploy them for its robotaxi service. The company is currently testing its fleet of Chrysler Pacifica minivans in Las Vegas, where it is also running an autonomous ride-hailing service with Lyft.
The Ioniq 5 was first unveiled by Hyundai last month, and won’t go on sale until later this year. Also, the vehicle won’t hit public roads as part of Motional’s fleet until after they’ve been retrofitted with the company’s hardware and sensor suite, and then put through a months-long testing regime on both public roads and a private, closed testing course.
The Ioniq 5 is said to have nearly 300 miles of range on a single charge and a two-way charging feature that Hyundai calls “vehicle-to-load,” which can supply up to 3.6kW of power. It will also be built on Hyundai’s new Electric-Global Modular Platform (E-GMP) that the automaker says will serve as the basis for an entire family of planned EVs.
Motional is the latest AV company to commit to an electric vehicle as its primary platform. Cruise, a majority owned subsidiary of General Motors, uses Chevy Bolts exclusively. Alphabet’s Waymo uses gas-powered Chrysler Pacificas while also phasing in a next-gen fleet of electric Jaguar I-Paces. Other companies, like Zoox, Nuro, and Aurora, have said they would use electric vehicles as part of their respective commercial services.
Motional as a joint venture was first announced in March 2020, when Hyundai said it would spend $1.6 billion to catch up to its rivals in the autonomous vehicle space. Aptiv, a technology company formerly known as Delphi, owns 50 percent of the venture. The company currently has facilities in Las Vegas, Singapore, and Seoul, and has also tested its vehicles in Boston and Pittsburgh.
Motional’s engineers were responsible for the world’s first robotaxi pilot in Singapore, as well as the first cross-country New York to San Francisco autonomous trip. Over the last two years, Aptiv’s fleet of safety driver-monitored autonomous taxis in Las Vegas (in partnership with Lyft) have completed over 100,000 trips. And the company recently tested its vehicles with a monitor in the passenger seat but without one behind the steering wheel.
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