A number of European retailers have started to list Samsung’s yet-to-be-announced Samsung 980 (non-Pro) SSDs. Despite expectations, the new units are not inexpensive SSDs with a PCIe 4.0 x4 interface, but are rather unpretentious midrange PCIe 3.0 x4 drives that share some technologies with the flagship.
The Samsung 980 SSDs come in 250GB, 500GB, and 1TB versions. The drives are based on the company’s latest Pablo controller as well as 136-layer TLC V-NAND memory, just like the company’s top-of-the-range 980 Pro drives. The controller supports AES 256-bit encryption as well as TCG/Opal IEEE 1667 coding, so the new SSDs can be used for aimed at enterprises, government agencies and other entities that require advanced security. The new M.2-2280 SSDs do not use any DRAM cache and are therefore cheaper to produce than Samsung’s typical PCIe SSDs that usually come with a DRAM cache.
From sequential performance point of view, Samsung rates the new 980 drives for an up to 3,500 MB/s sequential read speed as well as an up to 3,000 MB/s sequential write speed. As for random performance, advanced versions of the Samsung 980 are claimed to be capable of up to 500,000 random reads (4KB, QD32) as well as up to 480,000 IOPS random writes (4KB, QD1).
(Image credit: Samsung)
Since the Samsung 980 SSDs feature a PCIe 3.0 x4 interface, unlike their 980 Pro counterparts, it is not surprising that the new drives are considerably slower when compared to the flagship products from Samsung (and other SSDs using a PCIe 4.0 x4 bus). What is surprising is that the new Samsung 980 SSDs are slower when compared to their predecessors, the Samsung 970 Evo Plus drives in such metrics as sequential write speed (3,000 MB/s vs. 3,300 MB/s), random read speed (500,000IOPS vs. 620,000 IOPS), and random write speed (480,000 IOPS vs. 560,000 IOPS).
Based on data from Geizhals.eu (via ComputerBase.de), Samsung’s 980 250GB drive costs €70, the 500GB version is priced at €90, and the 1TB model carries a €150 price tag. Meanwhile, Samsung’s 970 Evo Plus 250GB can be obtained for €54, the 500GB flavor is available for €74, whereas the 1TB version can be bought for €144.
Right now, Samsung’s 980 SSDs do not really look competitive with its direct predecessors at the given prices, but we’ll have to test them. But since the new drives are based on 136-layer TLC V-NAND and lack DRAM cache, it is possible that their manufacturing costs are lower than those of the 970 Evo, which will allow Samsung to lower prices of the 980 SSDs in the future.
European retailers intend to start sales of the Samsung 980 SSDs on March 30, 2021.
Both the Sony PS5 and Microsoft Xbox Series X / S gaming consoles will be back in stock at Walmart later today. A Walmart spokesperson told The Verge that the retailer will have the consoles available for purchase again at 11:30AM PT / 2:30PM ET for the Xbox Series X / S and 12PM PT / 3PM ET for the PS5. As usual, stock will likely not last very long.
Walmart plans to have inventory for the PS5, the PS5 Digital Edition, Xbox Series X, and Xbox Series S gaming consoles, with prices ranging from $300 to $500 depending on the model you purchase.
PlayStation 5
$400
Prices taken at time of publishing.
Sony’s flagship next-gen console, starting at $399.99. The biggest difference between both models is the Digital Edition can only play digital games, while the $500 PS5 includes a disc drive, allowing you to play both digital and physical games.
$400
at Walmart (Digital Edition)
$500
at Walmart (PS5)
If you plan to buy a PS5 console, there are a few additional items you should pick up to get the most out of your new console. I recommend picking up a second DualSense controller, which is necessary for any in-person multiplayer action. I suggest that early adopters also subscribe to PlayStation Plus, which gives you a few perks, such as access to the PlayStation Plus Collection.
No option to expand PS5’s SSD, but it is likely coming later this year.
If you are buying either an Xbox Series X or Series S, an additional controller is likely a good purchase. And unlike the PS5, you can purchase a 1TB SSD expansion to add to the Xbox’s base storage (512GB on the Series S, 1TB on the X), though it is not cheap. If you are having trouble deciding on what games to buy, you can always buy a subscription to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, which gives you access to a slew of digital games and access to Xbox Live Gold.
Sometimes you’re looking at a cat and sometimes you’re not. We know what it’s like. But how you can know for sure? With Niklas Fauth’s Raspberry Pi-powered cat detecting gun, of course!
Don’t worry, this cat-detecting gun is safe—shooting only images that are evaluated using machine learning to determine whether or not the user is, in fact, looking at a cat. The unit is housed inside of an old IR thermometer.
(Image credit: Niklas Fauth)
The device relies on a Raspberry Pi Zero that powers a small screen where the thermometer readout panel used to be. The buttons on the gun appear to interface directly with the Pi, initiating an image capture and an object detection request.
The images are evaluated using Tensorflow along with the COCO-SSD model. The accuracy of the cat scan is largely determined by the contents and size of the model used.
To see this project in action, visit the original post on Twitter. Check out our list of best Raspberry Pi projects for more creations from the maker community.
Apple said it expects to switch the entire Mac product line over to its own silicon by the end of 2022. YouTuber Luke Miani didn’t want to wait that long for the company to update the iMac, however, so he decided to build one with an M1 chip himself.
Miani started with an iMac that he “completely fried” in 2018 and a new Mac mini. From there all he needed was a bevy of tools from iFixIt—which sponsored the video—and a converter that allowed the iMac to be used as an external monitor.
The resulting DIY Mac had some limitations. It suffered from poor wireless connectivity, lacked any ports, and could only be turned on by removing the display. Some of those issues could be worked around with more extensive mods, however.
Should most people attempt mods like this? Probably not. It would be easier to simply use the iMac as an external monitor, and for anyone who doesn’t have an iMac just lying around, buying an actual monitor would be even better still.
But it’s not hard to see the appeal of an iMac featuring Apple silicon. The M1-equipped MacBook Pro offers better performance than the latest iMac in a variety of benchmarks despite being much smaller and using significantly less power.
Bloomberg reported in January that Apple plans to release a redesigned iMac later this year. These new models would reportedly feature “a design similar to Apple’s Pro Display XDR monitor” with ”a flat back” instead of the curved one used today.
The report said the new iMac would feature Apple silicon, too, but didn’t specifically name the M1 chip. Perhaps the company will use the extra space in the iMac’s case for a chip that supports additional ports and offers even greater performance.
Or maybe it will just cram more of the so-called Fusion Drives—hybrid drives that offer a small amount of SSD-based storage to complement larger HDDs—even though it’s 2021. Miani’s video showed there will be plenty of space for them.
While we still don’t have an Intel Rocket Lake-S Core i9-11900K CPU to use for testing, Intel Z590 boards have been rolling in. So while we await benchmark results, we’ll be walking in detail through the features of these brand-new boards. First up on our bench was the ASRock Z590 Steel Legend 6E Wi-Fi, followed by the Gigabyte Z590 Aorus Master and Gigabyte’s Z590 Vision G. Today, we take a close look at the MSI MEG Z590 Ace. We’ll have to wait for benchmark results, though, to see if it deserves a spot on our best motherboards list.
The latest version of the Ace board features robust power delivery, four M.2 sockets, a premium audio codec and more. The new Ace also has updated styling on the heatsink and shrouds while still keeping the black with gold highlights theme from the previous generation. Emblazoned on the rear IO is the MSI Dragon (with RGB LEDs) and the Ace name (no lighting). We don’t have an exact price for the MEG Z590 Ace. However, the Z490’s MSRP was $399, so we expect the Z590 version to cost the same or slightly more.
MSI’s current Z590 product stack consists of 11 models, with most falling into the MEG (high-end) MPG (mid-range) and MAG (budget) lineups. We’re greeted by several familiar SKUs and a couple of new ones. Starting at the top is the flagship MEG Z590 Godlike, the Ace we’re looking at now, and a Mini ITX MEG Z590I Unify. The mid-range MPG line consists of four boards (Carbon EK X, Gaming Edge WiFi, Gaming Carbon WiFi and Gaming Force), while the less expensive MAG lineup consists of two boards (Z590 Tomahawk WiFi, and Torpedo). Wrapping up the current product stack are two ‘Pro’ boards in the Z590 Pro WiFi and Z590-A Pro. The only thing missing out of the gate is a Micro ATX board, but it’s likely we see one or two down the line.
We can’t talk about Rocket Lake-S performance yet — not that we have a CPU at this time to test boards with anyway. All we’ve seen at this point are rumors and a claim from Intel of a significant increase to IPC. But the core count was lowered from 10 cores/20 threads in Comet Lake (i9-10900K) to 8 cores/16 threads in the yet-to-be-released i9-11900K. To that end, we’ll stick with specifications and features, adding a full review that includes benchmarking, overclocking and power consumption shortly.
MSI’s MEG Z590 Ace includes all the bits you expect from a premium motherboard. The board has a stylish appearance, very capable power delivery (16-phase 90A Vcore) and the flagship Realtek ALC4082 audio codec with included DAC. We’ll cover these features and much more in detail below. First, here are the full specs from MSI.
(1) Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX210 (MU-MIMO, 2.4/5/6GHz, BT 5.2)
USB Controllers
??
HD Audio Codec
Realtek ALC4082
DDL/DTS Connect
✗ / DTS:X Ultra
Warranty
3 Years
The accessories included with the board are reasonably comprehensive, including most of what you need to get started. Below is a full list.
Manual
Quick Installation Guide
USB drive (Drivers)
Cleaning brush
Screwdrivers
Stickers (MEG/Cable)
(4) SATA cables
(4) Screws/standoff sets for M.2 sockets
Thermistor cable
1 to 2 RGB LED Y cable, Corsair RGB LED cable, Rainbow RGB LED cable
DP to mini DP cable
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Looking at the Z590 Ace for the first time, we see the black PCB along with black heatsinks and shrouds covering most of the board. MSI stenciled on identifying language such as the MEG Ace name and the MSI Gaming Dragon in gold, setting this SKU apart from the rest. The VRM heatsinks are both made from a solid block of aluminum with lines cut out. Additionally, the shroud is made of metal and connected to the heat pipes, increasing surface area significantly. Also worth noting is the VRM heatsinks share the load connected via heatpipe. RGB LED lighting is minimal here, with a symbol on the chipset shining through a mesh cover on the chipset heatsink and the MSI dragon above the rear IO. While tastefully done, some may want more. With its mostly black appearance, the board won’t have trouble fitting in most build themes.
(Image credit: MSI)
Focusing on the top half of the board, we’ll get a better look at what’s going with the VRM heatsinks and other board features in this area. In the upper-left corner, we spot two 8-pin EPS connectors, one of which is required for operation. Just below this is the shroud covering the rear IO bits and part of the VRM heatsink. On it is a carbon-fiber pattern along with the MSI Gaming Dragon illuminated by RGB LEDs. The socket area is relatively clean, with only a few caps visible.
Just above the VRM heatsink is the first of eight fan headers. All fan headers on the board are the 4-pin type and support PWM- and DC-controlled fans and pumps. The CPU_FAN1 header supports up to 2A/24W and auto-detects the attached device type. The PUMP_FAN1 supports up to 3A/36W. The rest of the system fan headers support up to 1A/12W. This configuration offers plenty of support for most cooling systems. That said, I would like to have seen all pump headers auto-detect PWM/DC modes instead of only CPU_FAN1.
To the right of the socket are four reinforced DRAM slots. The Z590 Ace supports up to 128GB of RAM with speeds listed up to DDR4 5600 (for one stick with one rank). The highest supported speed with two DIMMs is DDR4 4400+, which is plenty fast enough for an overwhelming majority of users.
MOving down the right edge of the board, we see the 2-character debug LED up top, a system fan header, five voltage read points (Vcore/DRAM/SA/IO/IO2), 4-LED debug, 24-pin ATX connector, and finally, a USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C front panel header. Between both debug tools and the voltage read points, you’ll have an accurate idea of what’s going on with your PC.
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With the MEG Z590 Ace towards the top of the product stack, you’d expect well-built power delivery and you wouldn’t be wrong. MSI lists the board as 16+2+1 (Vcore/GT/SA) and it uses a Renesas ISL69269 (X+Y+Z = 8+2+1) PWM controller that feeds power to eight-phase doublers (Renesas ISL617A), then onto 16 90A Renesas ISL99390B MOSFETs for the Vcore. This configuration yields 1440A of power for the CPU, which is plenty for ambient and sub-ambient/extreme overclocking. It won’t be this board holding you back in any overclocking adventures, that’s for sure.
(Image credit: MSI)
As we focus on the bottom half, we’ll take a closer look at the integrated audio, PCIe slot configuration and storage. Starting with the audio bits on the left side, under the shroud, is the Realtek latest premium codec, the ALC4082. Additionally, the Z590 Ace includes an ESS Sabre 9018Q2C combo DAC, a dedicated headphone amplifier (up to 600 Ohm) and high-quality Chemicon audio capacitors. This audio solution should be more than adequate for most users.
In the middle of the board are four M.2 sockets and five PCIe slots. With the PCIe connectivity, all three full-length slots are reinforced to prevent shearing and EMI, while the two PCIe x1 slots don’t have any reinforcement. The top slot supports PCIe 4.0 x16 speeds, with the second and third slots PCIe 3.0. The slots break down as follows, x16/x0/x4 x8/x8/x4 or x8/x4+x4/x4. This configuration supports 2-Way Nvidia SLI and 2-Way AMD Crossfire technologies. All x1 slots and the full-length bottom slot are fed from the chipset, while the top two full-length slots source their lanes from the CPU.
M.2 storage on the Z590 Ace consists of four onboard sockets supporting various speeds and module lengths. The top slot, M2_1, supports PCIe 4.0 x4 modules up to 110mm. Worth noting on this socket is that it only works with an 11th Gen Intel CPU installed. M2_2, M2_3, M2_4 are fed from the chipset, with M2_2 and M2_3 supporting SATA- and PCIe-based modules up to 80mm, while M2_4 supports PCIe only. M2_2/3/4 are all PCIe 3.0 x4.
The way this is wired, you will lose some SATA ports and PCIe bandwidth depending on the configuration. For example, SATA2 is unavailable when using a SATA-based SSD in the M2_2 socket. SATA 5/6 are unavailable when using the M2_3 socket with any type of device. Finally, the bandwidth on M2_4 switches from x4 to x2 when PCI_E5 (bottom x1 slot) is used. The M.2 sockets support RAID 0/1 for those who would like additional speed or redundancy.
Finally, along the right edge of the board are six horizontally oriented SATA ports. The Z590 Ace supports RAID 0, 1 and 10 on the SATA ports. Just be aware you lose a couple of ports on this board if you’re using some of the M.2 sockets. Above these ports is a USB 3.2 Gen1 front panel header along with another 4-pin system fan header.
Across the board’s bottom edge are several headers, including more USB ports, fan headers, and more. Below is the full list, from left to right:
Front Panel Audio
aRGB and RGB headers
(3) System Fan headers
Supplemental PCIe power
Tuning controller connector
Temperature sensor
(2) USB 2.0 headers
LED switch
BIOS selector switch
OC Retry jumper
TPM header
Power and Reset buttons
Slow mode jumpers
Front panel connectors
(Image credit: MSI)
Moving to the rear IO area, we see the integrated IO plate sporting a black background with gold writing matching the board theme. There are eight USB Type-A ports (two USB 3.2 Gen2, four USB 3.2 Gen1 and two USB 2.0 ports). On the Type-C front, the Z590 Ace includes two Thunderbolt 4 ports capable of speeds up to 40 Gbps. Just to the right of those are Mini-DisplayPort inputs for running video through the Thunderbolt connection(s). Handling the video output for the CPU’s integrated graphics is a single HDMI (2.0b) port. We also spy here the Wi-Fi antenna connections, 5-plug plus SPDIF audio stack, Intel 2.5 GbE and finally, a Clear CMOS button and BIOS Flashback button that can be used without a CPU.
Software
For Z590, MSI has changed up its software offerings. We used to have several individual programs to adjust the system, but MSI moved to an all-in-one application called MSI Center with thisboard. The new Software is a central repository for many of the utilities (12) MSI offers. These include Mystic Light (RGB control), AI Cooling (adjust fan speeds), LAN Manager (control the NIC), Speed Up (for storage), Gaming Mode (auto-tune games), among several others (see the screenshots below for details). The User Scenario application has a couple of presets for system performance and is where you manually adjust settings, including CPU clock speeds and voltage, RAM timings, and more. Overall, I like the move to a single application. The user interface is easy to read and get around in. However, sometimes loading these applications takes longer than I would like to see. But MSI Center does an excellent job of pulling everything in.
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Firmware
To give you a taste of the Firmware, we’ve gathered screenshots showing most BIOS screens. MSI’s BIOS is unique from the other board partners in that the headings aren’t at the top but split out to the sides. In each section, all the frequently used options are easy to find and not buried deep within menus. Overall, MSI didn’t change much here when moving from Z490 to Z590 and their BIOS continues to be easy to use.
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Future Tests and Final Thoughts
With Z590 boards arriving but now Rocket Lake-S CPUs yet, we’re in an odd place. We know most of these boards should perform similarly to our previous Z490 motherboard reviews. And while there are exceptions, they are likely mostly at the bottom of the product stack. To that end, we’re posting these as detailed previews until we get data using a Rocket Lake processor.
Once we receive a Rocket Lake CPU and as soon as any embargos have expired, we’ll fill in the data points, including the benchmarking/performance results, as well as overclocking/power and VRM temperatures.
We’ll also be updating our test system hardware to include a PCIe 4.0 video card and storage. This way, we can utilize the platform to its fullest using the fastest protocols supported. We will also update to the latest Windows 10 64-bit OS (20H2) with all threat mitigations applied and update the video card driver and use the newest release when we start this testing. We use the latest non-beta motherboard BIOS available to the public unless otherwise noted. While we do not have performance results from the yet-to-be-released Rocket Lake CPU, we’re confident the 70A VRMs will handle the i9-11900K processor without issue. A quick test of the i9-10900K found the board quite capable with that CPU, easily allowing the 5.2 GHz overclock we set. For now, we’ll focus on features, price, and appearance until we gather performance data from the new CPU.
(Image credit: MSI)
The MSI MEG Z590 Ace is a premium motherboard adorned with several high-end features, including a very robust VRM capable of handling 10th and 11th generation flagship Intel processors at both stock speeds and overclocked. Additionally, the board includes four M.2 sockets, 2.5 GbE and integrated Wi-Fi 6E, and two Thunderbolt 4 ports for increased bandwidth and peripheral flexibility.
The MEG Z590 Ace’s 16-phase 90A VRM handled our i9-10900K without issue, even overclocked to 5.2 GHz. We’ll retest once we receive our Rocket Lake-based i9-11900K, but so long as the BIOS is right, it shouldn’t pose any problems for this board. Although it has four M.2 sockets, unlike the Gigabyte Z590 Vision G, using these sockets causes SATA ports to drop, because more lanes are tied to the chipset on this board). That said, if you’re in a worst-case scenario, you can run four M.2 modules and still have three SATA ports left over. Most users should find this acceptable.
As far as potential drawbacks go, the price point of $400-plus will be out of reach for some users. Another concern for some may be the lack of RGB elements on the board. The MSI dragon and chipset heatsink light up with RGB LEDs, but that’s it. If you like a lot of RGB LED bling, you can add it via the four aRBG/RGB headers located around the board. The other drawback is the lack of a USB 3.2 Gen2x2 Type-C port, but the faster Thunderbolt 4 ports certainly make up for that.
Direct competitors at this price point are the Asus ROG Strix Z590-E Gaming, Gigabyte Z590 Aorus Master, and the ASRock Z590 Taichi. All of these boards are plenty capable with the differences residing in VRMs (Gigabyte gets the nod here), M.2 storage (MSI and Giga both have four) and audio (the Ace has the most premium codec). Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but if you forced me to pick among these, the Taichi would be the board I’d want to show off the most. That said, no board here is a turnoff and has its own benefit over another.
The Ace’s appearance, including the brushed aluminum and carbon fiber-like finish, really gives it a premium look and feel, while easily blending in with your build theme. If your budget allows for a ~$400 motherboard and you’re looking for a lot of M.2 storage and enjoy a premium audio experience, the MEG Z590 Ace is an excellent option near that price point. Stay tuned for benchmarking, overclocking, and power results using the new Rocket Lake CPU.
Samsung Foundry, Infineon Technologies, and NXP Semiconductors have not yet restarted operating their fabs in Austin, Texas, area as they need time to clean them up and configure them again. The idling fabs will further contribute to the ongoing global shortage of chips, which could affect the pricing of final products, such as SSDs.
Due to power outages caused by unprecedentedly cold weather and a winter storm, the Austin Energy power grid asked its biggest consumers, such as Samsung Foundry and other makers of semiconductors, to temporarily shut down their fabs in a bid to ensure that enough power was supplied to homes last month. While it is possible to briefly turn off a chip production facility, it is extremely hard to restart it.
“Chipmakers now have the power, water, and gas they need to operate, but they need time to restart tools and clean the factories,” said Edward Latson, CEO of the Austin Regional Manufacturers Association, reports Reuters.
Samsung Foundry confirmed to Tom’s Hardware that its S2 fab has not yet resumed normal operations.
“While we are currently making efforts to resume operations as soon as possible, the process may require more time to reach normal levels as we inspect and reconfigure the facility,” a statement by the company reads. “Our primary focus is to ensure safety on-site for our workforce as well as for our community.”
Samsung Austin Semiconductor’s fab S2 makes advanced chips using the company’s 14LPP and 11LPP technologies on one production line and chips using mature (28nm – 65nm) nodes on other production lines. The facility makes various products for Samsung’s own LSI division, including its branded SSD controllers (using 14 nm – 40 nm nodes), automotive chips for Tesla and Renesas, and telecommunication chips for Qualcomm.
“I’ve never seen a fab turned on after an outage without hiccups,” Patrick Moorhead, head of the analyst firm Moor Insights and Strategy, told Austin American Statesman. “For example, if one molecule of water would find its way into the tools, it could completely halt production. A fab uses very particular gasses, liquids, and matter that is hard to store and put back after it has been brought out of storage,” Moorhead said.
Samsung LSI, Qualcomm, Tesla, and Renesas can order the production of their chips at other foundries, but there are several problems transferring manufacturing.
Firstly, it is hard to allocate capacity as most fabs are already at loads close to 100%, and far not all contract makers of chips are interested in short-term business. Secondly, prices of chip production are already high, and ‘tier-2 foundry prices for some processes are already on par with TSMC’s after their price hikes since late 2020,’ according to China Renaissance Securities.
Thirdly, packaging houses based in countries like Taiwan are currently experiencing ABF substrate shortages and cannot pack enough chips. DigiTimes reports that there are particular problems with SSD controller packaging, which could impact SSD supplies.
Since the fabs have been offline for well over a week now, the situation might get even grimmer for automakers that cannot replace semiconductors they use with any analogues. Meanwhile, without supplies of specialized chips, they cannot build cars.
Update March 3rd, 2021 11:04AM ET: Amazon has sold out of both PS5 console models.
Sony’s latest gaming console, the PS5, is one of many gaming gadgets that are hard to find in stock right now due to mostly online-only sales. If you are trying to get your hands on one, Amazon has restocked both the PS5 Digital Edition and the PS5 consoles right now, while supplies last.
PlayStation 5
$400
Prices taken at time of publishing.
Sony’s flagship next-gen console, starting at $399.99. The biggest difference between both models is the Digital Edition can only play digital games, while the $500 PS5 includes a disc drive, allowing you to play both digital and physical games.
$400
at PS5 (Digital Edition)
$500
at Amazon (PS5)
Once you obtain your PS5, there are a few items you’re going to want to pick up for your console. Some of the most popular PS5 exclusives right now include Demon’s Souls Remake by Bluepoint Games. Additionally, Final Fantasy VII Remake was a popular game in 2020; it is backwards compatible and a PS5 port is coming on June 10th. If you buy the game now, you’ll get a free next-gen upgrade when that version is available.
Final Fantasy VII Remake
$30
$60
50% off
Prices taken at time of publishing.
A modern retelling of the 1997 PlayStation classic. This game is the first of a yet-unknown number of episodic installments retelling the story of Final Fantasy VII.
$30
at Amazon
I strongly suggest buying a one-year membership to PlayStation Plus, as the perks of having a subscription are great for PS5 users. Most notably, it nets you access to the PlayStation Plus Collection, which is a digital library of some of the most popular first- and third-party titles released on the PS4 such as Bloodborne and The Last of Us Remastered. I also advise picking up an extra DualSense controller.
If you want to expand your SSD storage, sadly, there is no way to do that just yet. But Sony is reportedly expanding the options for more SSD storage sometime this summer.
Asus just announced the ProART B550-Creator, the first AM4 motherboard to come with Thunderbolt 4 support. The motherboard will be available next month with a price tag of $299.
Like its other ProART motherboards, the ProART B550-Creator arrives with a minimalistic design that features a black exterior accented by gold accents. The motherboard employs a powerful 12+2-phase power delivery subsystem that’s cooled by a pair of thick heatsinks. The motherboard feeds the processor with a combination of a 8-pin EPS and 4-pin ATX power connectors. On the memory side, the ProART B550-Creator is equipped with four DDR4 memory slots and accommodates up to 128GB of memory. However, Asus didn’t specify up to what memory frequencies are supported.
Storage-wise, the ProART B550-Creator offers four normal SATA III connectors for conventional hard drives and SSDs. There are also a pair of M.2 ports for high-speed storage. Logically, the primary M.2 port adheres to the PCIe 4.0 x4 interface, however, the nature of the secondary M.2 port is uncertain. The ProART B550-Creator’s M.2 ports utilize Asus’ new M.2 latch mounting system that facilitates SSD installation.
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The ProART B550-Creator provides three PCIe x16 and two PCIe x1 expansion slots. Since the motherboard’s product page isn’t available, the speed of the expansion slots are unknown.
Being a motherboard tailored to professionals and creative artists, the ProART B550-Creator naturally has the latest in connectivity. The motherboard flaunts two Thunderbolt 4 ports as well as dual 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet ports. The rear panel also shows a pair of USB 2.0 ports, four USB 3.0 ports, a combo PS/2 connector, a DisplayPort In connector and a standard HDMI port.
The ProART B550-Creator’s audio system is based on Realtek’s ALC1220A audio codec. The codec itself is isolated from the other components of the motherboard. The system also includes audio-grade capacitors and an integrated amplifier. The motherboard supplies five 3.5mm audio jacks and one SPDIF-Out connector for connecting your audio devices.
At $329, Apple’s eighth-generation iPad is the most affordable tablet offered by the tech giant. But if you want to save some additional cash, you can buy the base model, which includes 32GB of storage, for only $299 at Amazon in space gray only (in stock March 28th). Walmart is price-matching the e-commerce giant, but you have the option to buy it for $299 in space gray or rose gold.
This iPad includes a 10.2-inch display and features an A12 Bionic processor. The tablet also includes a Touch ID fingerprint sensor and a Smart Connector, allowing you to connect it to a Smart Keyboard.
March is a great month for PS4 and PS5 owners. If you have an active PlayStation Plus subscription, you can snag a free digital copy of Final Fantasy VII Remake. If you need to buy a subscription or renew your membership this month, you can grab a one-year membership to the service for only $28 at Eneba.
Amazon and Best Buy have discounted Crucial’s P5 internal SSD. You can grab a 1TB configuration for only $110, the lowest price yet. It’s a good option for PC owners looking to upgrade their systems or improve their games’ loading times. Crucial says the P5 SSD promises up to 3400 MB/s read speeds and 3000 MB/s write speeds.
Crucial P5 1TB SSD
$110
$150
27% off
Prices taken at time of publishing.
A good SSD option for people looking to improve loading speeds on their PC games with up to 3400 MB/s read speeds and 3000 MB/s write speeds.
You could now line up five years’ worth of Surface Pro devices next to each other and it would be all but impossible to tell them apart. Microsoft’s new Surface Pro 7 Plus keeps the same familiar design, which is likely just to satisfy corporate customers who want to standardize their hardware for years at a time. That might be good news for business customers, but for the rest of us who want slimmer display bezels and a more modern design like the Surface Pro X, then the wait continues.
It’s no surprise then that Microsoft is limiting sales of the Surface Pro 7 Plus exclusively to businesses and schools. Consumers won’t be able to purchase this from a store, and it’s really for businesses and schools looking to upgrade older machines.
While I’ve bemoaned the current design of the Surface Pro for a couple of years now, there are some changes inside the Surface Pro 7 Plus that will appeal to many. Microsoft now offers built-in LTE on select models, and the SSD is now removable, much like the Surface Laptop 3 and Surface Pro X. Intel’s latest processors also promise better performance and battery life. It’s nearly everything you’d want from a Surface tablet in 2021, but I still wish it looked like a Surface Pro X with an Intel chip inside.
The Surface Pro 7 Plus starts at $899.99, which is a $150 premium on the price of the Surface Pro 7. Thankfully, the base model is now the Intel Core i3 version, with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. Microsoft has dropped the 4GB of RAM option for the Plus model. I’ve been testing a Core i5 model with 16GB of RAM, 256GB of storage, and built-in LTE connectivity, which is a steep $1,649.99 before you add a keyboard or stylus. The cheapest option for LTE is the $1,149.99 model with a Core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM, and 128GB of storage. Microsoft offers all 11 models in the classic silver option, but oddly the black version isn’t available with built-in LTE. You’ll also need a separate Surface Type Cover, and the business versions are priced at $159.99.
Overall, the hardware on the Surface Pro 7 Plus is almost identical to the Surface Pro 7. There’s the same 12.3-inch (2736 x 1824) touchscreen with its 3:2 aspect ratio, a single USB-C port, and the regular USB-A port. Microsoft still hasn’t made the switch to Thunderbolt 3 or 4 here, so you can’t hook this tablet up to an external GPU or use many of the Thunderbolt drives and docks available.
The real changes to the Surface Pro 7 Plus can be found inside. Microsoft has moved to Intel’s latest 11th Gen processors, and you can pick between Core i3, Core i5, or Core i7 variants. I’ve been testing the Core i5 model, and it has remained cool even when using heavy apps like video or video-editing software. Like other Core i5 Pro 7 models, this has no internal fan, so it’s also silent while working.
Microsoft’s Surface Pro 7 has a familiar design.
These latest processors also include Intel’s Iris Xe graphics. While it’s not enough to turn this into a portable gaming laptop, it does help make the Surface Pro 7 Plus feel a lot snappier in a variety of tasks. Combined with improved SSD read and write speeds, lightweight photo and video editing is certainly faster than what I’m used to with the regular Surface Pro 7.
The biggest new hardware addition is built-in LTE, though. It’s the first time the Surface Pro lineup has included this for a few years, but unfortunately there’s no 5G support. Microsoft is using Qualcomm’s older Snapdragon X20 LTE modem inside the Surface Pro 7 Plus. There’s a dedicated SIM slot at the side of the device, which replaces where you’d normally find the microSD slot.
As England has been in a pandemic lockdown for months, I haven’t ventured outside enough to really push the LTE connectivity to its limits, but I didn’t find it impacted battery life too much in my limited tests. LTE connectivity is a great option to have on a device like the Surface Pro, especially for those who normally work remotely, visit clients, or just want something to replace really bad Wi-Fi connectivity.
The other significant hardware change on the Surface Pro 7 Plus is removable SSDs. This is really designed for commercial users to swap out faulty SSDs or to retain corporate data. The SSD is easily accessible from an access door at the rear of the Surface Pro 7 Plus, and a simple SIM tool will open it up. Microsoft’s reseller network has started selling SSD kits, with 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB options, so there’s even the option to upgrade storage space here. It’s encouraging to see Microsoft make this so easy to do, which makes it far quicker for IT admins to get a machine up and running again.
All of these internal hardware changes also mean that Microsoft has managed to squeeze a bigger battery (46.5Wh to 50.4Wh) inside the Surface Pro 7 Plus. The company now promises 15 hours of battery life, compared to the 10.5 hours on the original Surface Pro 7. I haven’t noticed any drastic improvements in battery life during normal usage, though.
I typically got around seven to eight hours of battery life during my testing, which includes a mix of apps ranging from Chrome, Discord, and Netflix to Adobe Photoshop. If all you’re doing is watching videos, then you’ll probably see closer to Microsoft’s 15-hour promise, but realistically this is still just enough to get you through a regular day of work. I’m still hoping that one day a Surface Pro will reliably hit 10 hours, so I never have to worry about traveling without a charger.
Microsoft’s Surface Pro 7 Plus is only available to businesses and schools.
I’m still a big fan of the Surface Pro, despite the lack of design changes. Microsoft is clearly catering to a specific audience here, and the Surface Pro 7 Plus has been built for businesses. I hope that means we’ll soon see a consumer-focused Surface Pro that mixes everything that’s great about the Surface Pro X with the power and performance of Intel’s chips.
Built-in LTE and removable SSDs are great additions to the Surface Pro lineup, but we’ve still been waiting years for basics like Thunderbolt 3 support. And while LTE is a great option to have once again, it’s odd that Microsoft isn’t including more futureproof 5G connectivity. If you’re using an older Surface Pro and looking to upgrade, it might not look like a lot has changed over the years, but these subtle hardware changes do make a small difference.
Microsoft completely redesigned the inside of the Surface Pro this year to include this LTE support and removable SSDs. I’m just hoping a complete redesign on the outside is on the way. It’s still the 2-in-1 to beat, but the Surface Pro could offer so much more.
Team Group’s EX2 is a budget-oriented 2.5” SATA 6 Gbps SSD that’s responsive under light workloads, but it’s not worth the purchase when better SSDs are only a few dollars more.
For
Low-cost
Responsive performance within the cache and fast to recover
Against
Plastic casing
3-year warranty
Lacks hardware-based AES 256-bit encryption
Incredibly slow write speeds after cache fills
Team Group EX2 Features and Specifications
Team Group‘s EX2 is a low-cost SATA SSD composed of a mix of both new and old hardware that is fairly similar to the Crucial BX500. Combining both TLC flash and Silicon Motion’s somewhat dated DRAMless SM2258XT SSD controller, Team Group has created a low-cost SSD that delivers mixed signals. On the one hand, the BiCS4 96-layer TLC flash is typically more reliable than QLC, but on the other, the dated controller makes for inconsistent performance under mixed and write-heavy workloads.
Team Group’s EX2 wouldn’t be our first choice in upgrading our own systems, especially because its sustained write performance can tank to slower speeds than the Crucial BX500, and even HDDs. It’s not much cheaper than competitors, but if you’re pinching pennies and you are fine with the performance trade-offs, the EX2 may be worth your consideration if you don’t write a lot of data to your drive and you can snag it for a very low price.
Specifications
Product
EX2 512GB
EX2 1TB
EX2 2TB
Pricing
$53.99
$89.99
$ 189.99
Capacity (User / Raw)
500GB / 512GB
1000GB / 1024GB
2000GB / 2048GB
Form Factor
2.5″ SATA
2.5″ SATA
2.5″ SATA
Interface / Protocol
SATA 6 Gbps / AHCI
SATA 6 Gbps / AHCI
SATA 6 Gbps / AHCI
Controller
Silicon Motion SM2258XT
Silicon Motion SM2258XT
Silicon Motion SM2258XT
DRAM
DRAMless
DRAMless
DRAMless
Memory
SanDisk 96L TLC
SanDisk 96L TLC
SanDisk 96L TLC
Sequential Read
550 MBps
550 MBps
550 MBps
Sequential Write
520 MBps
520 MBps
520 MBps
Security
AES 256-bit encryption
AES 256-bit encryption
AES 256-bit encryption
Endurance (TBW)
400 TB
800 TB
1,600 TB
Part Number
T253E2512G0C101
T253E2001T0C101
T253E2002T0C101
Warranty
3-Years
3-Years
3-Years
The EX2 comes in three capacities of 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB, priced at roughly $0.0-$0.11 per gigabyte. Team Group rates the EX2 to hit sequential read and write speeds of up to 550/520 MBps, but unlike most SSDs, it lacks performance ratings for random workloads. Team Group’s EX2 is backed by a three-year warranty and comes with some solid endurance ratings, though.
The drive uses Silicon Motion’s proprietary NANDXtend ECC, which utilizes 1KB codeword LDPC and RAID, along with SRAM ECC and end-to-end data path protection to ensure data integrity. The EX2 is rated to endure up to 400TB of writes per 512GB of capacity within its warranty period, which is much higher than most of its QLC-based competitors.
A Closer Look
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A large sticker with a brushed metal-like finish covers the top of the Team Group EX2, and depending on your preference, the look may be a pro or a con. We prefer the more sophisticated look of Samsung’s SATA SSDs and the like more than the EX2. The EX2 comes in a 2.5” 7mm form factor and is mostly made of plastic to reduce cost. Internally, the PCB snaps into the casing and the casing snaps together without any need for screws.
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Team Group’s EX2 uses a Silicon Motion SM2258XT SATA 6 Gbps SSD controller to manage the flash. It’s an older SATA controller that’s based on a single 32-bit ARC CPU and it is produced on a low-power 40nm process node for cost-effectiveness.
The drive has a DRAMless architecture, too, meaning that instead of using a fast DRAM buffer space to update the FTL mapping table, the drive updates and retrieves LBA metadata on the much slower NAND. Unlike NVMe SSDs, SATA SSDs cannot harness Host Memory Buffer (HMB) to use the host system’s DRAM as a cache. The EX2 does support Trim and S.M.A.R.T. data reporting, though.
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This four-channel controller interfaces with four SanDisk BiCS4 96L TLC NAND packages, two on each side of the PCB. This flash operates at Toggle DDR3.0 speeds of up to 800 MTps in a dual-plane configuration (doubling performance over one plane) and sips power at 1.8V. Each package contains four 512Gb NAND dies, for a total of sixteen dies.
Crucial’s range of midrange, portable USB-C SSDs in the X6 lineup has a couple of new configurations starting today: one for big spenders who need a lot of storage, and another for people on a budget. On top of its 1TB and 2TB models, there’s now a 4TB SSD you can buy for $489.95. It’s priced higher than the current cost for two of its 2TB models ($190 each through Crucial directly), but like most SSDs, it probably won’t take long for it to fall lower than its original asking price. As for the budget-friendly option, you can snag a 500GB model for $69.95.
Back to the 4TB model, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better price on this much storage in a more compact SSD, which could make it a great option for people with large photo or video libraries who don’t want to juggle multiple drives. It could also be a convenient solution for storing all of your PS4 or Xbox One games on for easy access when it’s connected to a PS5 or Xbox Series X / S. It’s listed as being compatible with Windows 10, macOS, Android, and with consoles.
While Crucial has the competition beat on fitting in more storage (and for its claim of surviving drops on carpet of up to 6.5 feet), it isn’t the fastest portable SSD on the market. It claims up to 800MB/s read speeds for the 4TB model, but lesser capacities offer just 540MB/s sequential read speeds. If you want something faster, Crucial’s high-end X8 portable SSDs that are also drop-proof offer sequential read speeds of up to 1,050MB/s and sequential write speeds of up to 1,000MB/s, but for a hearty boost in price. Western Digital’s latest My Passport portable SSD and Samsung’s T7 also provide these speeds, though Samsung has the advantage with the T7’s thinner size.
Update March 1st, 2021 1:49PM ET: The Xbox Series X is sold out at the Microsoft Store for now. But the Xbox Series S and Series S bundle is still available at Microsoft and Antonline respectively.
If you are having a hard time finding an Xbox Series X or Series S, you have another chance to buy one. Microsoft’s direct website has restocked both of its next-gen consoles, the Xbox Series X and Series S. Like some other gaming gadgets released late last year, these consoles are extremely difficult to buy, but if you move quickly, you can grab one right now.
If you are new to the Xbox console family, Antonline has a compelling bundle for the Series S. For $405, you get the Series S console, an extra controller, plus three months of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.
If you secure either console and wonder what to buy next, you might want to think about what games to add to your library. One of the hottest titles right now available on Xbox is Yakuza: Like a Dragon. Of course, if you want to get a ton of bang for your buck, I strongly suggest you buy a subscription to Xbox Game Pass for console or Game Pass Ultimate. But I strongly suggest Xbox Game Pass Ultimate as it includes additional perks, most notably a membership for Xbox Live Gold.
I also advise you to buy an extra controller if you are playing a game with a local co-op with a friend or family member. When it comes to additional storage, both consoles have rather limited storage: 512GB on the Series S, 1TB on the X. You can buy an SSD expansion card that only comes in 1TB, and it is very expensive, costing $220.
If you plan to download some older games that do not take full advantage of the next-gen hardware and don’t want to deplete your limited SSD storage, you can grab an external hard drive.
Intel’s SSD 670p delivers on both speed and security with faster throughput and hardware encryption support. While Intel’s SSD 670p leverages QLC flash, it is tweaked and tuned where it matters, making it a stellar consumer-oriented PCIe 3.0 NVMe SSD.
For
Solid performance
Large dynamic SLC cache with fast recovery
AES 256-bit hardware encryption
Software package
5-year warranty
Against
High launch MSRP
Slow write speeds after the SLC cache fills
Low endurance compared to TLC SSDs
Features and Specifications
Intel’s SSD 670p rocks an updated PCIe 3.0 x4 controller and the company’s new 144-Layer QLC flash, offering up efficient and performant storage in a slim-yet-spacious M.2 package. It also comes with AES 256-bit hardware encryption support, making it a secure pick for those with sensitive data.
Intel’s SSD 6-series M.2 NVMe SSDs brought Intel’s QLC flash to the mainstream market. With bargain price points and plenty of capacity, both the SSD 660p and SSD 665p have been excellent options for value seekers willing to accept less-than-mainstream levels of performance. However, while responsive, these SSDs couldn’t quite keep pace with the best SSDs on the market and lacked the endurance ratings we have grown accustomed to with TLC flash-based SSDs.
While those SSDs have historically been good budget picks, Intel’s SSD 670p aims to take the SSD 6 series to another level. Intel’s SSD 670p is more than a simple revision — the low-cost M.2 SSD comes with the latest leading-edge NAND technology, improved endurance, and plenty of optimizations for office productivity and gaming.
Specifications
SSD 670p 512GB
SSD 670p 1TB
SSD 670p 2TB
Pricing
$89.00
$154.00
$329.00
Capacity (User / Raw)
512GB / 512GB
1024GB / 1024GB
2048GB / 2048GB
Form Factor
M.2 2280
M.2 2280
M.2 2280
Interface / Protocol
PCIe 3.0 x4 / NVMe 1.3
PCIe 3.0 x4 / NVMe 1.3
PCIe 3.0 x4 / NVMe 1.3
Controller
Silicon Motion SM2265
Silicon Motion SM2265
Silicon Motion SM2265
DRAM
DDR3L
DDR3L
DDR3L
Memory
Intel 144L QLC
Intel 144L QLC
Intel 144L QLC
Sequential Read
3,000 MBps
3,500 MBps
3,500 MBps
Sequential Write
1,600 MBps
2,500 MBps
2,700 MBps
Random Read (QD1)
20,000 IOPS
20,000 IOPS
20,000 IOPS
Random Write (QD1)
54,000 IOPS
54,000 IOPS
54,000 IOPS
Random Read
110,000 IOPS
220,000 IOPS
310,000 IOPS
Random Write
315,000 IOPS
330,000 IOPS
340,000 IOPS
Security
AES 256-bit FDE
AES 256-bit FDE
AES 256-bit FDE
Endurance (TBW)
185 TB
370 TB
740 TB
Part Number
SSDPEKNU512GZX1
SSDPEKNU010TZX1
SSDPEKNU020TZX1
Warranty
5-Years
5-Years
5-Years
The SSD 670p is available in capacities of up to 2TB with pricing that ranges from $0.15-$0.17 per gigabyte. Intel tweaked and tuned the drives for low queue depth requests, making them snappy in everyday desktop PC tasks, and also focused on tuning for mixed read/write workloads to assure strong performance in more demanding workloads.
The SSD 670p can deliver up to 3.5/2.7 GBps of sequential read/write throughput and sustain up to 20,000/54,000 random read/write IOPS at a queue depth (QD) of 1, an important metric to quantify snappiness during non-demanding tasks. Peak performance reaches up to 310,000/340,000 random read/write IOPS at a queue depth of 256. Notably, these specifications are based on the SSD’s dynamic SLC cache. Because cache performance is so important, Intel optimized the design to improve performance when the drive is nearly full.
(Image credit: Intel)
Like the SSD 665p, the 2TB SSD 670p’s cache measures up to 280GB when the device is empty, but the dynamic cache remains available until the drive is 85% full, an improvement over the 75% threshold with the older drive. At that point and beyond, the drive will operate with only a static SLC cache that measures 6GB per 512GB of capacity.
Intel’s SSD 670p features global wear-leveling and supports robust LDPC error correction capabilities, end-to-end data path protection, and DRAM ECC and SRAM ECC for data reliability. These, in conjunction with the new flash’s enhancements, enable Intel to back the Intel SSD 670p with a five-year warranty and improve its write endurance over its predecessor. The 670p’s write endurance rating is 185 TBW for every 512GB of capacity, but the drive is only overprovisioned by 7% from the factory (2% less than Samsung drives, on average).
While Intel has improved the SSD 670p’s endurance rating over its predecessors (endurance jumps from 100-150TBW per 512GB to 185TBW), the drive still can’t entirely overcome the endurance penalties associated with QLC flash. For instance, the Adata XPG Gammix S50 Lite comes with TLC flash and features 370TBW per 512GB of capacity, while the TLC-powered Samsung 970 Evo Plus comes with 300TBW per 512GB of capacity. The SSD 670p trails these drives in endurance but most consumers will write roughly 60-160TB of data in five years, meaning the 670p should provide plenty of endurance for a typical user.
Software and Accessories
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Intel supports the SSD 670p with the Intel Memory and Storage Tool (Intel MAS). This software allows you to monitor drive health, run diagnostic tests, update the firmware, and manually clear the SLC cache. Additionally, Intel provides an NVMe driver for its consumer SSDs, but at the time of publication, the latest downloadable version (version 5.1.0.1003) will not install on the SSD 670p.
A Closer Look
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Intel’s SSD 670p comes in an M.2 2280 single-sided form factor for compatibility with the latest thin and light devices. Aesthetically, the SSD 670p’s green PCB and the white sticker aren’t the most attractive, but that only matters if you’re going to place the drive inside a new desktop build with a see-through panel and leave it exposed without a heatsink.
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The SSD 670p uses a custom Silicon Motion’s SM2265 controller, one of the company’s latest NVMe SSDs controllers specifically optimized for use with Intel’s latest 144-Layer 3D QLC flash. The SM2265’s architecture is similar to the SM2267 that powers the Adata XPG Gammix S50 Lite, but it lacks the higher-bandwidth PCIe Gen4 interface, employing a Gen3 PHY instead.
The SM2265 leverages two Arm Cortex R5 CPU cores for I/O processing and interfaces with a single 2Gb Nanya DDR3L-1866 DRAM chip to buffer FTL metadata. It’s produced on a 28nm process node for cost-effective production and cool thermals. The drive also supports power-saving features, including ASPM, APST, and L1.2 sleep (rated at just 3mW of consumption), along with hardware-accelerated AES 256-bit encryption with support for Pyrite 2.0 for the security-conscious.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Our 2TB sample comes armed with sixteen dies of Intel’s latest 144-Layer QLC flash, with eight dies per package. These dies interface with the controller at frequencies up to 1,200 MTps over four flash channels, up from 667 MTps with Intel’s previous-gen flash. Part of that improvement stems from scaling to the highest bit densities (13.8 Gb/mm^2) and layer heights the company has ever achieved. To reach 144 layers, Intel has moved to a 3-deck stack (48+48+48 layers) design, an industry first for mass-produced flash.
(Image credit: Intel)
In this block-by-deck architecture, Intel separates each deck with a dummy layer, and each deck can operate as either SLC or QLC. For more efficient block erases, each deck can be erased without touching the data stored on the other decks. Intel says this approach helps tremendously with garbage collection and boosts quality of service (QoS) significantly.
The flash architecture also incorporates CMOS under the array (CuA) tech to boost density and features quad-plane access to enhance parallelism. Intel uses a floating gate cell design to optimize die space and boost data retention. Intel also claims the design can handle more parallel data operations.
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Intel also implemented a new independent multi-plane read operation (IMPRO) technique to double the number of read operations by splitting the four planes into dual two-plane groups that can be read asynchronously, allowing the SSD to simultaneously read from the TLC and QLC portions of the flash. The asynchronous nature of IMPRO can create noise coupling. To mitigate that effect, Intel configures the charge-pumps, wordline/bitline regulators, and drop-out (LDO) regulators to drive separate loads in each plane group.
Additionally, to address the sensitivity of QLC technology and reduce first-pass program penalties, the flash features a 4-16 multi-pass programming algorithm and a 1-2-6-6 Gray code. The cells are optimized via a quad-level dynamic start technique that first programs the cell to a 4-level state, and then after the data is read from the cells, the cells are programmed into the final 16-state level.
The Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2 is beautiful, bold, and totally functional.
Samsung’s flagship Chromebook is less expensive and better than before
I’ll spare you the suspense: the battery life is good.
It’s not incredible. The Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2 is far from the longest-lasting Chromebook I’ve ever tested. But after last year’s Samsung Galaxy Chromebook couldn’t even make it five hours on a charge, my expectations were on the floor. I performed my first battery test on this year’s sequel in an optimistic but nervous state. Finally, several months after the Chromebook 2 was announced, I’m breathing a sigh of relief. To repeat: the battery life is not a disaster, folks. The battery life is fine.
That’s sort of the theme of this machine. There are a couple of standout features, and the rest of it is fine. And I’m very happy with that.
Samsung’s Galaxy Chromebook, released almost a year ago, was a high-risk, high-reward play. There were a number of fantastic features, some of which (the OLED screen, the built-in S Pen, the 0.38-inch-thick chassis) were so fancy it was shocking to see them on a Chromebook. But two of its features were significant problems: the $999 price tag (putting the device in competition with the likes of the MacBook Air), and the battery life.
The Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2 (which isn’t so much a sequel to the Galaxy Chromebook as it is a more affordable alternative) lacks some of the Galaxy Chromebook’s most ambitious features. The stylus, the fingerprint sensor, and the OLED panel have all disappeared. But in their place are all-day battery life and a sub-$700 price tag. In doing so, it makes its case not as a groundbreaking Chromebook of the future, but as a device you might actually want to buy today.
With colors like these, who needs OLED?
From afar, the Galaxy Chromebook 2 looks fairly similar to the Galaxy Chromebook. That’s a compliment — the Galaxy Chromebook’s striking design was one of its biggest selling points. The Chromebook 2 comes in a bold “fiesta red” color, which is a cross between bright red and bright orange. You certainly don’t see Chromebooks of this hue every day, and it’ll turn heads if you’re sitting in public. (You can also buy this in “mercury gray” if you’re boring.)
Pick the thing up, and you’ll start to see where Samsung has cut some corners. It’s thicker and heavier than its predecessor, at 0.55 inches thick and 2.71 pounds, respectively. It’s still plenty light, though it’s a bit hefty to hold as a tablet for long periods. With square edges, it also has a blockier vibe, and the finish feels a bit plasticky and is quite a fingerprint magnet (though the prints are easy to wipe off if you have a cloth on hand).
None of these changes are massive knocks against the Galaxy Chromebook 2, though, especially at this price point. It still looks quite nice, and the aluminum chassis is sturdy. There’s little to no flex in the display or keyboard, and while I saw a bit of screen wobble while typing and using the touchscreen, it wasn’t too distracting. This is where the Chromebook 2 has an advantage over our current top pick, the Acer Chromebook Spin 713. That device is bulkier than Samsung’s, quite bland in its design, and has a bit more flex in its keyboard and screen.
The really big chassis downgrade Samsung has made is in the display. The Galaxy Chromebook has a 4K OLED panel that’s absolutely beautiful but, to be honest, not necessary for the majority of people. Instead, the Chromebook 2 is the first Chromebook ever to feature a QLED panel. QLED panels aren’t OLED, despite the name similarity; they’re LED-backlit LCD screens that use Samsung’s quantum-dot technology.
But OLED or not OLED, this is still one of the best displays I’ve ever seen on a Chromebook. It’s gorgeous. Colors were vibrant and accurate, with solid contrast and fine details. This machine is great to watch videos on. It is glossy and kicks back some glare but nothing that was too distracting. The other disappointment is that it’s 16:9 (1920 x 1080 resolution). The Chromebook Spin 713 also has a very nice panel at the roomier 3:2 aspect ratio. But on the whole, the Chromebook 2 looks great. Its speakers sound quite good as well, making for a solid entertainment device all around.
I’ll admit that the keyboard took some getting used to. It’s flatter than some of the best Chromebook keyboards I’ve used, including that of Google’s Pixelbook Go. But it does have a nice key texture with a click that’s satisfying but not too loud. I was enjoying it after a few days into my testing. In terms of ports, you get two USB-C ports (one on each side — bonus points for convenient charging!), a microSD slot, and a headphone jack. The one thing I’d wish for is a USB-A, but I know I’m fighting a losing battle there.
As I noted before, the Chromebook 2 is missing some of the snazzier features you’ll see on more expensive devices (including the Galaxy Chromebook). The most significant is that there’s no biometric authentication on this; it’s password-only, and I do miss the convenience of the fingerprint reader on its predecessor. (If you’re super anti-password, you could, technically, pair the Chromebook to an Android phone and unlock it with that phone’s biometrics.)
Another thing you don’t get is a bundled stylus. The Galaxy Chromebook shipped with a nice pen, which lived in a tiny garage in the chassis. The Chromebook 2 is compatible with USI pens, but you’ll have to store them separately. And there’s no camera on the keyboard deck, something a number of recent Chromebooks have included to allow for easy front-facing photos while in tablet mode.
But while those features are all nice bonuses, they likely won’t impact the average user’s experience too much. And at the $549 to $699 price points, I’m not enraged by their absence.
Pretty chassis with no stylus garage in sight.
You can buy the Galaxy Chromebook 2 with one of two processors: the starting $549.99 configuration includes an Intel Celeron 5205U with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage, and the $699.99 model (which I received) includes a Core i3-10110U, 8GB of RAM, and 128GB of storage.
In my first hands-on with this device, I was hesitant about the base configuration. Despite the appealing price, a Celeron with 4GB of RAM is quite an entry-level system, and I generally wouldn’t recommend it for anyone who needs their device to do school or office work. However, I now think there’s one compelling use case for the Celeron model: a Netflix machine. If you don’t plan on using the Galaxy Chromebook 2 as a primary driver but want to take advantage of the QLED screen for entertainment, you can probably get away with the $549 price. (Everyone else should probably spring for the Core i3.)
The Core i3 is a step down from the Core i5, the processor that powered the Galaxy Chromebook. But like an OLED screen, that processor is overkill for many Chrome OS tasks. As I used the Chromebook 2 to send emails, fiddle with spreadsheets, write in Google Docs, stream Spotify, and do other standard work, I didn’t notice any performance issues. I also never felt any heat in the keyboard, the touchpad, or the bottom of the deck. (The Galaxy Chromebook 2 has a fan, which some thin Chromebooks don’t.)
Battery life, as mentioned, is quite acceptable. I averaged 7 hours and 21 minutes of continuous work at 50 percent brightness, sometimes using a mix of Chrome and Android apps and sometimes sticking mostly to Chrome. The Chromebook 2 does take a bit of time to charge, though. It only juiced up to 54 percent in an hour.
Where the system lagged was in tasks that leverage the internal storage. The Galaxy Chromebook 2 has eMMC storage, which is considerably slower than the SSD you’ll find in most laptops. The process of getting a batch of around 100 photos from a camera into Adobe Lightroom just dragged. It took so long that, several times, I considered aborting the mission and hopping over to my MacBook. I ran AndroBench to confirm that the storage was the issue, and the results were… not great. To be clear, eMMC isn’t a huge knock against a Chromebook at this price, but it is a spec I’d stay away from if you’ll need to do anything with photos or other tasks that involve writing files to the drive.
Great for lighter loads, meh for more.
Finally, I think this is my first Chromebook testing period where I haven’t run into any big hiccups with Chrome OS. The operating system itself has been smooth for a while, but I’ve run into all kinds of issues with Android apps (one of the OS’s big selling points) in the past. No major problems here, though: nothing crashed, nothing bricked the device, nothing randomly changed size, nothing disappeared during tablet-mode transitions. That’s a welcome relief.
Your experience with Android apps on the Galaxy Chromebook 2 will vary widely based on the app. I generally used them to keep distractions like Twitter separate from my browser where I was working. Some popular services, such as Podcast Addict and 1Weather, don’t have great browser equivalents, so it’s handy to be able to load those apps through Chrome OS. But on net, I found that the apps I used for stuff every day — Slack, Messenger, Google Docs, Reddit, Twitter, Gmail — were either equivalent to or worse than their browser counterparts. The Android interfaces were generally slower to update and still had some kinks to work out. (You can’t click and drag to highlight in Docs, for example.) Slack also wouldn’t let me clear my status icon and occasionally sent me multiple pings for the same message. And Facebook Messenger occasionally refused to minimize, and also sent me huge dumps of notifications each morning from conversations I’d had on my phone the previous night. If you run into issues with Android apps, you can use the web app versions, which mostly work great.
In comparing the Chromebook 2 to the market, the most prominent competitor that comes to mind is Google’s Pixelbook Go. It offers similar benefits (an attractive design, decent battery life, a portable build) with similar caveats (no biometric authentication, no built-in stylus). But as of this writing, the $649 Pixelbook Go configuration comes with only 64GB of storage and an older Core m3 chip. So while there are reasons certain folks might prefer Google’s device (it has a better keyboard, it’s thinner and lighter), I think the $699 Galaxy Chromebook 2 is the better value among the two. For just $50 more, you get a better processor, more storage and RAM, a brilliant color, a convertible build, and a spectacular screen.
A $549 Chromebook that looks like a thousand bucks.
A more difficult comparison is the convertible Chromebook Spin 713. For $70 less, you can get that system with a Core i5, an NVMe SSD, a better port selection that includes USB-A and HDMI, and a 3:2 screen that’s also excellent. On the whole, Acer’s device still offers better value for the average person. That said, there’s a valid reason some people may want to splurge on the Galaxy: looks. The Spin 713, like a number of Chromebooks that are great on the inside, looks like something that you’d see on a middle school laptop cart. Pared-down as it is, the Galaxy Chromebook 2 is still a Samsung device: it asks a premium for hardware that’s beautiful to look at and built to last.
Put the Galaxy Chromebook 2 next to the Galaxy Chromebook, and the former has clearly cut some corners. But it’s cut the right corners. In some ways, it’s the device I’d hoped the Galaxy Chromebook would be: beautiful, bold, and totally functional as well. It’s exchanged a bit of panache for a lot of simplicity. It’s, as I said in my hands-on, “a regular-ass Chromebook.” And I couldn’t be happier with it.
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