MSI’s GS Stealth range was one of the pioneers in offering gaming laptops with thick content. Technology has advanced and more and more power can be put into laptops with more compact sizes and the new MSI GS 66 Stealth is a clear example.
It is a device with a thickness ranging from 18, 3mm up to 19, 8 mm and that hides inside a powerful Intel Core i9 – 10980 HK next to the newly released NVIDIA graphics, being able to choose between an RTX 3060 and an RTX 3070, even a model with the powerful RTX 3080.
WiFi 6E, 2,5GbE, Thunderbolt or USB 3.2 Gen 2 are some of the connectivity options of this GS 66 Stealth
This main hardware is accompanied by up to 64 3 GB of DDR4 memory. 200 MHz and up to two m.2 NVMe SSDs, along with a Killer E 3100 2.5GbE and connected d WiFi 6E with an Intel AX chip 210. It supports Thunderbolt 3.0 in one of its USB-C, in addition to having USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 connectivity, which was previously known as USB 3.1.
The keyboard, as usual in MSI gaming, is signed by SteelSeries with RGB lighting key by key.
The MSI GS 66 New generation Stealth is powered by a battery of 99, 9 Wh, the legal maximum allowed to be transported by plane (it must be less than 100 Wh), and together with dimensions of 383 x 300 x 30, 8 mm.
MSI GS 66 Stealth
Processor
Up to the new Intel processors ® Core ™ i9 – 10980 HK
Graphic card
New NVIDIA ® GeForce RTX ™ 3080 Laptop GPU 16 GB
GDDR6 (10 UH)
New NVIDIA ® GeForce RTX ™ 3070 Laptop GPU 8GB
GDDR6 (10 UG)
New NVIDIA ® GeForce RTX ™ 3060 Laptop GPU 6GB
GDDR6 (10EU)
Screen
15, 6 “UHD (3840 x 2160), 100% Adobe RGB (Typical),
IPS-level fine bevel (Optional)
16, 6 “Full HD (1920 x 800), 248 Hz Refresh Rate,
IPS-Level thin bevel (Optional)
Memory
DDR4 – 3200, 2 slots, Up to 64 GB
Storage
2 x NVMe M.2 SSD by PCIe Gen3
Webcam
HD Type (30 fps @ 720 p)
Communication
Killer E 3100 2.5 Gbps Ethernet with Killer Shied /
Yesterday evening Polish time, the MSI brand presented not only MSI GE laptops 76 Raider, MSI GP 66 Leopard, MSI GP 67 Leopard, MSI Stealth 15 M, MSI GF 65 Thin, MSI GF 75 Thin and MSI Creator 15. The MSI GeForce RTX ” SUPRIM and MEG Z motherboard 590 GODLIKE. There were also peripherals and smaller components, which are discussed in this news. The Taiwanese brand also surprised the viewers of the event by announcing its first SSD drives. These structures are to offer up to 4 TB of data space, read speeds up to 7000 MB / s and write speeds up to 6900 MB / s.
During this year’s CES, MSI presented not only ultrabooks. The event featured constructions such as a mouse, monitors, AiO cooling, AiO computer and desktop.
MSI Prestige P Test 100 X – Creator PC with Intel Core i9 – 10900 K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER
Let’s start with the newly introduced rodent – MSI Clutch GM 41 Lightweight . In this case, the manufacturer followed the fashion and prepared an ultra-light rodent (the weight of which, however, has not been specified), which is also to provide extraordinary comfort of use. Everything is equipped with developed by MSI, MSI light cable FriXion Free, which has been designed not to restrict the movement of the mouse on the pad or desk. The PixArt PMW sensor – 3389 with a maximum resolution of 16 000 DPI. The proven switches from Omron are responsible for the “clicks”.
MSI MPG Z Test 490 Carbon EK X – Water-cooled motherboard
Another novelty is AiO liquid cooling. MSI MPG Coreliquid K 360 Equipped with ARGB MSI Torx Fan 4.0 fans to offer excellent airflow to the heat sink. Additionally we have a diameter fan 60 mm Torx 3.0, located in the head of the water block, providing concentrated cooling of the power elements. The block pump was also a new solution for the company – a 2.4-inch LCD screen that can display the most important information (equipment performance, clock) and configurable graphics. So far, this is all the information that has been provided about this design. Prices, availability and size versions (apart from 360 mm) we expect later .
MSI GS Test 66 with Intel Core i7 – 10875 H and GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER
We are further reminded of the Gaming Monitor Series – MSI Artymis which this time will receive a curve of 1000 R which (as MSI notes) is the most appropriate screen curve for the human eye. It perfectly adapts to the curvature of our eye, thanks to which it can see the entire screen without excessive effort. In addition to the 1000 R, the series will include new exclusive AI features. Among the novelties, there is also a series of monitors intended rather for office use. Models MSI Modern MD 271 and MD 241 features MSI Anti-Flicker and Less Blue-Light TUV certified. So they are designed to protect the eyes. The ergonomic design of the series also allows for customization for comfortable use. Built-in Type-C connectors and tool-free design allow users to easily plug in and charge, and mount VESA.
MSI Optix MAG Test 271 CQR – Curved Monitor with HDR and 165 Hz
MSI also unveiled an All-in-One PC designed for professionals – MSI Summit 241 S . Not only is it the first All-in-One PC with a switchable monitor, it also has a built-in intelligent sensor that detects everything in its surroundings – from distance and human movement to ambient lighting. Intelligent sensor automatically adjusts brightness and other screen settings to ensure the most comfortable and optimal user experience. The ports will include Bluetooth 5.1 as well as two Thunderbolt 4 ports (with USB-C).
MSI Prestige Test 10 with Intel Core i7 – 10710 U and GeForce GTX 1650
The last noteworthy design presented during the event was the desktop MSI Creator P 41 , so a computer for creating content. Although its housing is only 5 liters in volume, the Creative Center has a lot to offer. Supports Intel Core i9 processors and the latest GeForce RTX graphics cards 3000. Built-in Thunderbolt 4 ensures high speeds and enables LAN use 01 GbE. The Creator series also includes a laptop MSI Creator 15 , which will be powered by Intel Core i7 – 10870 H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX Graphics 3070 Max-Q and RAM to 32 GB. You can read about the company’s new ultrabooks in the news, however, MSI presents new laptops with GeForce RTX cards 3000 and WiFi 6E . These include Stealth 15 M, GE 76 Raider and GF 60 Thin.
This afternoon, as part of the virtual CES trade fair 2021, the Taiwanese brand MSI has prepared its own online event called MSIology: The Ultimate Shockwave. In line with previous leaks, we expected the presentation of the company’s largest laptop so far, the successor of the GE model 66 Raider, hence the design of MSI GE 76 Raider, featuring a limited special edition. Like the other announced MSI GP models 17 Leopard, MSI GP 67 Leopard, MSI Stealth 15 M, MSI GF 65 Thin, MSI GF 75 Thin and MSI Creator 15 – MSI GE laptop 76 Raider offers work on Intel Comet Lake-H processors and GeForce RTX series graphics cards 3000. The exception is however MSI Stealth 13 M, which will be supplemented with a chip from the Tiger Lake family.
During today’s MSIology: The Ultimate Shockwave event, MSI presented new laptops equipped with NVIDIA GeForce RTX graphics 3000. Most of them also run on the latest Intel Comet Lake-H processors.
MSI GE 76 Raider
The event started with the presentation of the model MSI GE 76 Raider , equipped with 17 – inch IPS display with refresh rate 300 Hz. The model will be available in the maximum variant with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX chip 3080 and Intel Core i9 processors – 10980 HK. The design will also support the Resizable BAR technique, which allows you to improve performance in selected games, thanks to free access to graphics memory, which improves the transfer from the CPU to the GPU. The laptop also received LED edge illumination, working in the MSI Ambient Link environment, which can be integrated with LED solutions by Nanoleaf. What is nice is the support for the super-fast WiFi 6E network, so work in the 6 GHz range (exactly in the band from 5925 ) MHz to 7125 MHz).
MSI GE 76 Raider
As MSI GE 76 The Raider is basically an enlarged and improved version of the GE model 66, there is also a 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet network card, an SD card reader and high-speed ports USB. The design also received speakers targeted at the user and a webcam with a still very rare resolution 1080 p. The company also boasts that compared to the previous generation, the air flow has been increased by 15%, due to the use of wider heat pipes. Device prices are to start from 1800 dollars. Don’t forget the special edition of the laptop – MSI GE 76 Raider Dragon Edition TIAMAT, which received an exterior cover reminiscent of Babylonian culture.
MSI GE 76 Raider Dragon Edition TIAMAT
Another device presented was a laptop MSI GP 66 Leopard , which was announced as targeting not only players but also engineers. The design will appear in the version with the RTX graphics card 3060 and RTX 3070. This model comes with 15, 6 inch screen and Intel Core i7 processor – 10750 H. Larger model, MSI GP 67 Leopard is already a unit characterized by 17, 3-inch screen and Intel Core i7 processor- 10750 H. MSI made the Leopards thinner (GP 66 is 2.3 cm thick and the GP 76 measures 2.6 cm) and claims to be easily opened with one hand. Also the ports have been rearranged a bit: we will eventually get seven, including HDMI 2.0 and USB-C with DP1.4.
MSI GP 66 Leopard
If you are looking for something even thinner, MSI suggests paying attention to 15 – inch model MSI Stealth 15 M . The design uses an Intel Core i7 processor – 11375 H and GeForce RTX mobile graphics 3060 Max-Q. The equipment is only 1.6 cm thick and weighs 1.7 kilograms. The specification also includes elements such as the screen refreshed with a frequency 144 Hz, RAM amount 16 GB and SSD with a capacity of 512 GB. Prices start from 1399 dollars. Models for players looking for cheaper solutions were also shown during the event. MSI GF 65 Thin will be available from 999 dollars and model MSI GF 75 Thin from 1299 . Both products will be equipped with Intel Core i7 – 10750 H and RTX 3060 as well as the screen 144 Hz. For professionals there is also a model MSI Creator 15 , which offers a 4K True Pixel screen whose colors cover 100% of Adobe RGB color space . Prices for this model start from 1899 dollars (at least RTX 3060, max RTX 3080 paired with i7 – 10870 H).
Yesterday, we featured all the ASUS Republic of Gamers laptops that will be available for sale in the coming months. Unlike in previous years, all ASUS ROG Zephyrus and ASUS ROG Strix models will be based on the AMD platform this time around. In addition, AMD Ryzen processors 5000 also went to a completely new design – ASUS ROG Flow X 13, which is an interesting idea for an additional eGPU station, without using the Thunderbolt 3/4 interface. Today, in turn, we present another new products from the manufacturer, focusing on Intel Tiger Lake processors. The first laptop is a gaming design – TUF Gaming Dush F 15, which presents a redesigned TUF Gaming line. The second laptop is the ASUS ZenBook Duo ultrabook 14 UX 482 – a model that we have been testing for several weeks.
At CES 2021, ASUS revealed new laptops from the TUF Gaming brand. Among them, among others redesigned TUF Gaming Dash F 15 with Intel Tiger Lake-H processors 35 and GeForce RTX 3000.
ASUS TUF Gaming Dash F 15 is a completely new design from the TUF Gaming line. It features a redesigned design that draws heavily on last year’s ROG Zephyrus G 5000 . The equipment will be available in gray and white. On the outer cover we find not only the new TUF logo, but also a large TUF inscription placed vertically, right on the left edge. The keyboard was also modified, thus removing the numeric block. The size of the touchpad has also been slightly increased. However, I have one objection to the keyboard – even though the laptop is 15, 6 “design, the arrow keys have been further reduced, now more reminiscent of ultrabooks. plus the separation of the hardware activation key and additional function keys. The whole has an interesting, green backlight, which fits nicely with the white housing. The cooling system has also been modified – the built-in fans now have 83 shoulders. Last year’s models only had 53. The blades are built on the basis of liquid crystal polymer. The manufacturer declares that the new laptop will not only be cooler, but also quieter. In Performance mode, the volume of the new ASUS TUF Gaming laptops (both A 15/AND17 and Dash F 15) must not exceed 40 dBA.
ASUS TUF Gaming Dash F 14 uses Intel Tiger Lake-H processors 35 as Intel Core i5 – 11300 H and Intel Core i7 – 11370 H. Perhaps there will also be a Core i7 – 11375 H with clock up to 5.0 GHz in Turbo Boost 2.0 mode, but we do not have such confirmation yet. In the case of graphics cards, we can count on NVIDIA GeForce RTX systems 3060 with 6 GB VRAM and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 with 8 GB of GDDR6 memory. However, until I test the hardware, I remain skeptical of such a connection, even if in the case of Tiger Lake-H systems 11300 we have a new Willow Cove architecture instead of Skylake. In the case of matrices, we will receive two panels – IPS Full HD 100 Hz (the same screen as last year’s TUF Gaming models, so by approx. % sRGB coverage) and IPS Full HD 240 Hz Close 100% sRGB coverage.
Specification
ASUS TUF Gaming Dash F 15
ASUS ZenBook Duo 14 UX 482
Processor
Intel Core i5 – 11300 H (4C / 8T) Intel Core i7 – 11370 H (4C / 8T) Intel Core i7 – 11375 H (?) (4C / 8T)
Intel Core i7 – 1165 G7
Graphics Card
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070
Intel Iris Xe Graphics NVIDIA GeForce MX 450
RAM
To 24 / 32 GB maximum 1 x SO-DIMM 16 GB 8 or 16 GB soldered DDR4 3200 MHz, Dual Channel
1x Thunderbolt 4 (DP 1.4, Power Delivery 3.0 ) 3x USB 3.1 Type A Gen.1 1x HDMI 2.0 1x Ethernet RJ – 45 1x 3.5mm audio jack
2x Thunderbolt 4 1x USB 3.1 Type A Gen.2 1x HDMI 2.0 1x 3.5mm audio-jack
Battery
76 Wh
72 Wh
Power Supply
180 In or 200 In Adapter 100 In USB-C (chargeable and usable)
65 In
Weight
2.1 kg
1.6 kg
The second laptop presented is the ASUS ZenBook Duo 14 UX 482, so the latest version 14 – an inch ultrabook with two screens, which he debuted for the first time two years ago. This time, the new version of ZenBook Duo 13 uses the solution offered on the occasion of the gaming ROG Zephryus Duo 15. The additional ScreenPad + screen is set at a slight angle when opening the notebook flap, thus improving not only the comfort of using the additional screen, but also air circulation. The hardware is based only on the Intel Core i7 processor – 1080 G7. In the case of graphics systems, we have both the integrated Intel Iris Xe Graphics and an optional dedicated NVIDIA GeForce MX chip 450. I was tested only with the iGPU version. Again, I assume that the ASUS ZenBook Duo 14 is an interesting offer for people who are able to take advantage of the opportunities offered by the additional ScreenPad + screen. Others, fond of more classic designs, can confidently turn to other models. ASUS ZenBook Duo Full Test 12 UX 482 later this month on PurePC.pl.
Dominic Moass 5 hours ago CES, Featured Tech News, Monitors, Tech News
ASUS has certainly been busy at CES 2021. We’ve seen new notebooks, gaming laptops, Z590 motherboards and new peripherals, but now ASUS ROG has unveiled five new gaming monitors. These include 4K HDMI 2.1 screens, 240Hz 1440p displays and even a portable 144Hz screen.
Unveiling five new gaming monitors, we got our first look at the ROG Swift PQ32UQ earlier in this week. This is a 32in 4K screen with HDMI 2.1. It uses an IPS panel with 144Hz refresh rate and 1ms MRPT, with a claimed 98% DCI-P3 gamut coverage. There’s also VESA DisplayHDR 600 certification, ELMB (Extreme Low Motion Blur) Sync as well as ASUS’ Variable Overdrive tech built-in.
Next is the ROG Strix XG43UQ. As the model name implies, it sports a 43in panel, 4K resolution and 144Hz refresh rate. This could be a great option for the latest consoles from Sony and Microsoft given its size and the fact it also supports HDMI 2.1. There’s also DisplayHDR 1000 certification, for a proper HDR experience, as well as a claimed 90& DCI-P3 gamut coverage. ELMB Sync, plus display stream compression, are also supported.
Stepping away from ROG for now, ASUS debuted the TUF Gaming VG28UQL1A. This is a smaller 28in screen, but still retains a 4K resolution, 144Hz refresh rate, and yep – you guessed it! – HDMI 2.1 support. Just like the other 4K panels shown above, ELMB Sync and Variable Overdrive are supported, but there’s only DisplayHDR 400 certification – potentially one of the reasons this is a ‘TUF’ rather than ‘ROG’ product. The IPS panel offers 125% sRGB coverage and 90% DCI-P3 coverage according to ASUS.
For those not looking to drive 4K screens at high refresh-rates, the ROG Swift PG279QM could appeal. This is a 27in 1440p display – considered the ‘sweet spot’ by many – and boasts a 240Hz IPS panel with a claimed 1ms G2G response time. Native G-Sync support is also present, along with Nvidia’s Reflex Latency Analyzer (RLA) baked in. There’s integrated AURA RGB lighting, DisplayHDR 400 certification and a claimed 95% DCI-P3 gamut coverage. ASUS’ GamePlus and GameVisual software is also present.
Lastly, we come to something a bit different. The ROG Strix XG16AHP-W is a portable screen, with a 15.6in IPS panel and 1080p FHD resolution. Impressively, it is still rocking a 144Hz refresh rate as well as adaptive sync. ASUS claims you can get up to three hours of 144Hz gaming from the 7800mAh battery, while an hour of charge is expected to provide up to two hours of use. Being portable, the use of USB-C makes perfect sense, while it even comes with a tripod to act as a basic stand.
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KitGuru says: I am quite intrigued by the idea of 144Hz gaming on the go, but what monitor has caught your eye?
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We already got a look at new gaming laptops from ASUS and its ROG sub-brand earlier in the week, but the company has also announced new additions to the TUF Gaming, Zenbook, Expertbook, Chromebook, and VivoBook laptop series, as well as a new laptop aimed at those learning from home.
According to Samson Hu, co-CEO of ASUS, this new laptop lineup continues the company’s legacy of “elevating productivity and entertainment to new heights”. Featuring Intel 11th Gen Core processors with and without vPro support, the new ASUS laptops are certified as Intel Evo platforms, which according to Chris Walker, corporate vice president of mobile computing platforms at Intel, offers “uncompromising performance, connectivity, and foundations for innovation powering the latest PC experiences”.
The Zenbook series will receive a new dual-screen laptop, featuring up to the latest generation Intel Core-i9 processor and Nvidia RTX 3070 laptop GPU to power the 15-inch 4K OLED HDR screen, complemented by a secondary full-width 4K ScreenPad Plus touchscreen. Certified as an Nvidia Studio Laptop and equipped with up to 32GB of RAM, and up to a 1TB PCIe 3.0 SSD, the Zenbook Pro Duo 15 OLED will feature a wide variety of I/O ports, including 2x Thunderbolt 3 USB-C ports, and WiFi 6 connectivity.
There will also be a new, smaller dual-screen Zenbook laptop added to the series. Despite its 16.9mm profile, the ZenBook Duo 14 uses a FullHD NanoEdge display as the main screen and features Intel’s 11th generation of mobile processors with Xe graphics, with the option to add an Nvidia MX450 GPU. The 17-hour battery life combined with its comprehensive I/O connectivity makes ASUS claim that the Zenbook Duo 14 a perfect travel companion for demanding users.
Besides these two models, ASUS is also working on a ZenBook 13 OLED powered by Intel or AMD latest processors, a new ZenBook Flip 15 featuring 11th Gen core H series CPUs and Nvidia GTX 1650, and the new ZenBook 14 which combine up to an AMD Ryzen 7 5800H with an Nvidia MX450.
The ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo 15 OLED is scheduled to release in Q2 2021, starting at £2999.99. The ZenBook Duo 14 is expected in early February, starting at £1499.99. The ZenBook 13 OLED, the new ZenBook Flip 15, and the new ZenBook 14 will be available from Q2 2021.
The other ASUS gaming series of laptops will be expanded with the new 15-inch TUF Dash F15 laptop, featuring up to an 11th Gen Intel Core-i7 processor and a GeForce RTX 3070 laptop GPU. The 240Hz refresh rate panel has a 3ms response time, offering “gamers the same edge as esports athletes”. To feed all of this, ASUS equipped the Dash F15 laptop with USB-C charging, with the battery rated for up to 16.6 hours of continuous video playback. Despite its slim design, the Dash F15 uses a powerful cooling system capable of effectively dissipate the heat from its powerful components. Composed of a heat spreader, 5x heat pipes, and 2x 83-blade fans.
The ASUS TUF Dash F15 will be available starting early February 2021, starting at £1,099.99.
The ExpertBook B9 is the “world’s lightest 14-inch business laptop”, weighing about 880/1005g, depending on the battery used. Equipped with the 11th generation of Intel Core-i7 processors with built-in Intel Iris Xe graphics, and up to 2x 2TB SSDs in with RAID 0 and RAID 1 support. For enhanced physical and virtual security, these laptops meet the industry-leading MIL-STD 810H U.S. military test standard and feature a Kensington NanoSaver lock and Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 2.0 chip to store password and encryption keys.
The new VivoBook S14 comes with an ultralight and stylish casing, the latest Intel 11th Gen Core processors (up to an i7), up to 16GB of RAM, and up to 1TB of PCIe SSD storage. Optionally, users can also choose Intel Optane Memory H10 to further enhance performance. With a sleek 15.9mm profile and 1.3Kg, the ultraportable S14 features a NanoEdge display, WiFi 6 support, and a vast set of connectivity ports, including Thunderbolt 4 USB-C interfaces, USB-A 3.2 Gen1 interfaces, and a microSD card reader.
The Chromebook CX9 will be powered by Intel 11th Gen Core-i7 with Xe graphics. Designed to offer a “take-anywhere mobility”, this laptop features a lightweight chassis (weighing 1Kg) with a 16mm profile, WiFi 6 support, and a 14-inch NanoEdge FullHD display. Just like the ExpertBook B9, the CX9 also meets the MIL-STD 810H U.S. military test standards. Additional security features include Titan C security, for storing sensitive information, a fingerprint sensor, for password-free login, and a webcam shield.
ASUS also debuted the 15.6-inch Chromebook Flip CX5, equipped with an 11th Gen Intel Core processor with Intel Iris Xe graphics supports WiFi 6 connectivity, up to 512GB of storage, and up to 16GB of RAM. Designed to “appeal to a young generation of users”, the CX5 flip uses a white metallic casing with a ceramic feel and an Obsidian Velvet texture in the palm rest area for improved comfort. Its 57Wh battery is enough for 12 hours of continuous use, which should be enough for most workdays.
Aimed at distant learners, the 11-inch BR1100 has an “ultra-tough chassis”, easily manageable and modular design, and plenty of intelligent features to improve productivity. Available as a convertible or in the standard clamshell design, the new BR1100 laptops feature the new Intel Pentium silver processors, WiFi 6 support, optional 4G LTE, and a 42Wh battery for all-day use. With up to 16GB of RAM, and up to a 128 GB eMMC and 1TB M.2 SSD, ASUS says the BR1100 offers enhanced connectivity and portability for those who need a learning companion.
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KitGuru says: It’s hard to look past a dual screen laptop, but which of these most caught your eye?
We’ve already covered the latest laptops to be announced by ASUS, but the company’s component arm has been hard at work too. The PG32UQ is, according to ASUS, ‘the world’s first 32 -inch HDMI 2.1 gaming monitor’, with a 4K IPS display running at 144Hz.
HDMI 2.1 is becoming more and more prevalent, and now ASUS has joined the party with the ROG Swift PG32UQ. This 32in screen offers 4K resolution and 144Hz refresh rate, and it is marketed towards both PC and console gamers. Both its HDMI ports are of the 2.1 variety, so you could connect the latest GPUs from AMD and Nvidia, as well as a PS5 or Xbox Series S/X console at the same time. HDMI 2.1 also provides native variable refresh rate, and ASUS says the screen is AMD FreeSync Premium Pro compatible while G-Sync Compatibility certification is ‘in progress’.
In terms of the IPS panel, ASUS claims 160% sRGB coverage and 98% DCI-P3 gamut coverage, so you shouldn’t have any issues using this for work as well as play. ASUS’ Variable Overdrive technology also sounds very nifty, automatically applying the ‘right’ amount of overdrive ‘even as frame rates change over time’.
Being ASUS ROG, there’s RGB lighting on the rear of the screen, while ASUS’ GamePlus and GameVisual OSD feature are also present.
ASUS also announced the ROG Claymore II keyboard, the long-awaited successor to the original Claymore we reviewed back in 2017. ASUS says this is ‘the first mechanical RGB gaming keyboard to feature ROG RX Blue Optical Mechanical Switches’, which use a hollow-square stem design and integrated RGB LEDs. There’s supposed to be ‘near-zero’ debounce delay as a result of the optical switches, while ASUS also emphasises the ‘wobble-free keystrokes’ as a result of the hollow-square stem, X-stabilisers and keycap corner latches.
As with the original Claymore, the num-pad is detachable and can be positioned on either side of the keyboard. This num-pad is home to four media control keys and a volume wheel, while a magnetic wrist-rest also comes included. A key change compared to the original, however, is the fact the Claymore II is now wireless. It can be used in wired form, via USB-C, but it also makes uses of a 2.4GHz connection and 4000mAh battery which is rated for up to 40 hours.
Lastly, the latest iteration of ROG’s Gladius mouse was unveiled, the Gladius III Wireless. With a whopping 19,000 DPI sensor, the Gladius III offers wired, 2.4GHz and Bluetooth connectivity. It retains hot swappable switch sockets, as found on the original Gladius and Gladius II, but these now support ‘both traditional 3-pin mechanical and 5-pin Omron optical micro switches’. ASUS is claiming a ‘zero-click’ latency, while the new ROG Paracord cable should be an improvement over the previous design. The Gladius III also sports ‘100% TPFE ROG Omni mouse feet’. Both wired and wireless versions will be available.
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KitGuru says: I do quite like the look of the Gladius III Wireless, but there’s no doubt the PG32UQ was the star of the show.
With the launch of the RTX 30 series laptop GPUs and Ryzen 5000H mobile processors, ASUS is updating its laptop lineup with a few new additions, including the compact ROG Flow X13, 15-inch and 17-inch Strix Scar and G laptops, and the new Zephyrus Duo 15 SE.
Based on the specifications of these new ASUS laptops, it seems that there won’t be any Intel CPU options for now. These new ROG laptops expected to be available in Q1 2021, will be cooled using liquid metal TIM and powered by up to the AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX and RTX 3080 mobile GPUs, offering a powerful hardware combination capable of rivalling high-end desktops.
Starting with the dual-screen ASUS Zephyrus Duo 15 SE, this powerful laptop will feature 16GB of DDR4-3200 (32GB max.) soldered memory, up to a Ryzen 9 5900HX, and an RTX 3080 laptop GPU, which will then be paired with an FHD main display with 300Hz refresh rate or a 4K main display with 120Hz refresh rate. Depending on the main display, the respective 14.1-inch ScreenPad Plus is either a 1920x550p IPS screen or a 3840×1100 IPS screen, both with a 60Hz refresh rate.
The new ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 SE will be available in February, starting at £2499.99.
The ROG Flow X13 is an ultraportable gaming laptop equipped with a GeForce GTX 1650 and up to a Ryzen 9 5980HS mobile processor. The 13.4-inch screen options include a 1920×1200 IPS panel with a 120Hz refresh rate and touchscreen capabilities, or a 3840×2400 IPS panel with a 60Hz refresh rate and touchscreen.
For those who want a bit more out of the Flow X13, ASUS has created the ROG XG Mobile external GPU dock. Measuring 208x155x29.6mm, this GPU dock is equipped with a mobile RTX 3080 GPU, which is cooled by a vapor chamber solution and a single fan. The ROG XG Mobile external GPU dock also features additional I/O ports to expand the connectivity of the laptop, including a USB-Hub, video outputs, and more.
The ROG Flow X13 will be priced at £1499.99, and it will be available in February. Pricing of the ROG XG Mobile external GPU dock was not disclosed yet, but it should release before Q1 2021 ends. The dock will be available separately, or as a bundle with the laptop.
Jumping onto the ROG Strix 15-inch (G15) and 17-inch (G17) laptops, both models are similarly specced, featuring up to an AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX CPU, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060/3070 GPU, up to 32GB of RAM, and up to 2TB of SSD storage. The 15-inch model comes with two display options, both with a 3ms response time: a FullHD IPS panel with a 300Hz refresh rate, and a QHD IPS panel with a 165Hz refresh rate. The 17-inch model features the same display options but with a bigger screen.
Connectivity ports include 3x USB-A 3.2 Gen1 interfaces, a USB-C 3.2 Gen2 interface, a LAN RJ-45 jack, an HDMI 2.0b interface, and an audio combo jack. Available colours include original black, eclipse gray, and electro punk. Both models will be available in Q1 2021, with the 15-inch model starting at £899.99, and the 17-inch model at £1299.99.
The 15-inch and 17-inch Scar laptops are basically a beefed-up version of the Strix G laptops, equipped with up to an AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX CPU, up to an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 GPU, up to 32GB of RAM, and up to 2TB of SSD storage. The display options of both models are also the same, coming with either a FullHD IPS display with a 300Hz refresh rate or a QHD IPS panel with a 165Hz refresh rate.
The ROG Scar laptops also feature a similar set of connectivity ports, but it distinguishes itself from the Strix G laptops thanks to the mechanical keyboard with per-key RGB lighting and superior sound system. The Scar laptops will be only available in ‘original black’. With a starting price of £1899.99, both models should be available in February.
KitGuru says: Which ASUS laptop seems more exciting? Do you think dual-screen laptops will become mainstream? What your opinion on the ROG Flow X13 and ROG XG Mobile external GPU dock?
Samsung also has the first unpacked event of the year 2021 reserved for the S-Class and the smartphone portfolio expanded three times: Galaxy S 21, S 21 + and S 21 Ultra will be on the market this month – and they’ll be a little cheaper than the Galaxy S 20 last year.
The Samsung Galaxy S 21 costs with 128 GByte memory at the start 849 Euro, with 256 GByte will be 899 Euro due. The bigger Galaxy S 21 + costs in both memory variants 200 euros more. For the top model Galaxy S 25 Ultra calls Samsung between 1249 and 1429 euros. It is with 128, 256 or 512 GByte memory available. For comparison: the predecessor Galaxy S 16 with 5G had an RRP of 999 Euro, the S 20 + tasted 1099 Euro. The Galaxy S 20 Ultra had a starting price of 1249 euros and went up to 1549 Euro. Samsung is turning the price screw down at least a bit.
Samsung is once again pursuing a two-pronged approach with the processor. In the USA the Snapdragon 888 is in the S 21 , in this country it is the self-developed Exynos 2100. It is manufactured in a 5-nanometer process and is based on the ARM Cortex-X1 core, which is up to 2.9 GHz. Whether the octa-core chip with 64 – Bit architecture can close the gap to the Snapdragon in terms of performance and energy efficiency, which the predecessors had, corresponding tests have yet to show.
The Galaxy S 21 has a 6.2 inch Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 2400 x 1080 pixels and a maximum refresh rate of 120 Hertz. The S 21 + accommodates the same resolution at 6.7 inches. Both screens are completely flat and have no curved edges. The display of the Galaxy S 21 Ultra is slightly curved on the long sides, measures 6.8 inches and represents 3200 x 1440 pixels. Here, too, are up to 120 Hertz possible.
Samsung Galaxy S 21 in different colors
(Image: Samsung)
Many cameras in the big hump The camera hump of the Galaxy-S 21 – Samsung has redesigned smartphones, it now flows smoothly into the housing frame. Most of the cameras are in the Galaxy S 20 Ultra: A main camera with a new 108 – Megapixel sensor is accompanied by two telephoto lenses with 3x and 10 x-zoom and each 10 Megapixels and an ultra wide angle with 12 Megapixels. The selfie cam snaps with a maximum resolution of 40 megapixels. The Galaxy S 21 and that21 + must start with a 12 – Megapixel main camera get by. The ultra wide angle lens is identical to the Ultra, the 3x telephoto optics has a 64 – Megapixel sensor, in order to be able to offer further enlargement via crop without too great loss of quality. The front camera takes photos with Megapixels. 8K video recordings support all three models, but they are a real memory hog.
Another special feature is the new S-Pen for the Galaxy S 21 Ultra. For the first time, Samsung is equipping a smartphone outside of the Note series with a pen. However, it is not stowed in the smartphone, but in a special case. The S-Pen for the S 21 Ultra does not have a Bluetooth interface and therefore does not serve as a remote control for the smartphone like the Galaxy Note.
Samsung Galaxy S 21 Ultra with S-Pen
(Image: Samsung)
When it comes to the rest of the equipment, Samsung makes no compromises and puts pretty much everything in the new smartphones that the technology shelf has to offer. 8 GByte RAM for S 20 and S 21 +, 12 or full 16 GByte in Ultra, internal memory between 128 and 512 GByte, fast Wifi 6, dual SIM plus eSIM, Bluetooth 5.2, UWB, ultrasonic fingerprint sensor – there is hardly anything left to be desired. The smartphones also all support 5G mobile communications. The battery in the Galaxy S 21 has a capacity of 4000 mAh, in the S 21 + are 4800 mAh, in the S 21 Ultra smooth 4800 mAh. Charging is wireless via Qi with a maximum of 12 Watt or via USB-C cable with up to 25 Watt.
Cutbacks in three places Because prices are falling, Samsung has put the red pencil on some points. First of all, the memory is not expandable in any of the three models, a MicroSD card does not take a Galaxy S 21 on. Second, as expected, Samsung no longer packs a charger in the box. Although this saves resources, it may cause additional costs. The 25 – Watt power supply unit with USB-C connection costs at least 35 Euro. And thirdly, Samsung added the base model of the Galaxy S 21 there is no glass on the back, just matt polycarbonate. If you like it more noble at this point, you have to go to the S 21 + or Ultra grab. All three models start with Android 11.
Samsung Galaxy S 21 +
(Image: Samsung)
Together with the Galaxy S 21 Samsung is launching the new Galaxy Buds Pro in-ear headphones and the small Bluetooth tracker SmartTag. The Galaxy Buds Pro offer active noise cancellation (ANC) and have three microphones, 11 Millimeter woofers and 6.5 millimeter tweeters. The battery should allow up to eight hours of playback with one charge (five hours with active ANC). The price for the headphones is 229 Euro .
Promotions for pre-orderers of the Galaxy S 21 The new smartphones can be pre-ordered from now on, the delivery of the first copies should start at the end of January. Pre-order the Galaxy S 20 and S 21 + get the Galaxy Buds Live and the Galaxy SmartTag as an encore, with the S 21 Ultra are the new Galaxy Buds Pro and also a SmartTag in the bundle. Who is with his new Galaxy S 21 to 15. Registered with the payment service Samsung Pay in February, you will also receive a voucher for selected accessories worth 50 Euro.
Intel has launched the mini-PC generation parallel to the consumer electronics fair CES NUC 11 announced. For the first time, the models are based on 10 – nanometers -Processors in-house after the NUC – 10 -PCs exclusively with the 11 nm CPUs Comet Lake-U (Core i – 3200 U) published.
Dozens of different NUC are shared within three sub-categories – 11 – PCs on:
NUC 11 Performance (Panther Canyon): Mini PCs with Tiger Lake CPUs including an integrated Xe GPU for end customers NUC 11 Pro (Tiger Canyon): Mini PCs with Tiger Lake CPUs including integrated Xe GPU and vPro remote maintenance options for business customers NUC 11 Enthusiast ( Phantom Canyon): Slightly larger PCs with Tiger Lake CPUs and additional GeForce GPU for gamers Core i7 – 1165 G7 in top models Panther Canyon is the cheapest series in the typical palm-sized housing. Two and four cores are used in the form of the Core i3 – 1115 G4, Core i5 – 1115 G7 and Core i7 – 1165 G7. Also included are two SO-DIMMs for up to 56 GByte DDR4- 3200 – SDRAM, two Thunderbolt 3 USB-C ports – Intel does without Thunderbolt 4 and USB 4 -, three times USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10 GBit / s) Type A, Wi-Fi 6, Gigabit Ethernet, HDMI 2.0 and DisplayPort 1.4 instead of DP 1.2 as before.
Intel continues to offer options with 38 and 51 mm high housings – in the latter, in addition to an M.2 SSD, a 2.5-inch data carrier also fits. The third variant is new with 56 mm high housing, which comes with a wireless -Charger comes under the lid. For example, users can charge a smartphone by placing it on it.
The flat 38 – mm-NUCs can be identified by a K in the model number, for example NUC 11 PAKi7, the 51 – mm versions on an H (NUC 11 PAHi7) and the 56 – mm newbies in one Q (NUC 11 PAQi7). The Pro-NUCs Tiger Canyon can be configured with additional connections, and Thunderbolt 4 is included.
NUC 11 Performance with three housing heights .
(Image: Intel)
Gaming-NUC with Nvidia-GPU Phantom Canyon (NUC 11 Enthusiast) represents a spiritual successor to Hades Canyon: Both mini-PCs come in a wider case with an illuminated skull and are suitable for Full -HD gaming. At that time, Intel installed the Kaby Lake-G processor with a semi-custom Radeon graphics chip from AMD. Today Nvidia’s mid-range GPU GeForce RTX 2060 with 6 GB of GDDR6 memory is used – probably in good shape a firmly soldered chip like in notebooks. The GPU is getting on in years, but is still well suited for Full HD gaming. Intel always installs the four-core Core i7 in the NUC 11 Enthusiast – 1165 G7.
The NUC 10 enthusiast is something wider (or higher positioned) than the other models, but houses Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 2060.
(Image: Intel)
According to the website specializing in mini PCs Liliputing should deliver the NUC – 11 – PCs in March 2021 start.
Corsair’s 5000X RGB is a beast of an enclosure, offering a solid foundation for big, majestic RGB builds – but you have to throw in a lot of extra fans for it to make sense over the less-costly Obsidian 4000X.
For
So much tempered glass
Added side intake for better thermal performance
Big, majestic, powerful looks
Easy to work with
Against
Needs extra intake fans to make sense over 4000X
Expensive
Specifications and Features
When Corsair announced its Obsidian 4000 Series cases, we particularly liked the glass 4000X for its superb RGB implementation and clean appearance, but it had one big drawback over the 4000D Airflow: thermals. With the Obsidian 5000X we have on the test bench today, Corsair addresses these concerns with an added intake on the right side of the case to aid the restricted front glass intake.
But priced at $204.99, there’s a steep premium you pay for this performance potential – and I say potential, because the chassis doesn’t come with the added fans you need to get the increase in thermal performance. The real question is, does this new model deserve a spot on our Best PC Cases list?
Specifications
Type
Mid-Tower ATX
Motherboard Support
Mini-ITX, Micro-ATX, ATX
Dimensions (HxWxD)
20.5 x 9.6 x 20.5 inches (520 x 245 x 520 mm)
Max GPU Length
16.5 inches (420 mm)
CPU Cooler Height
6.7 inches (170 mm)
Max PSU Length
8.9 inches (225 mm)
External Bays
✗
Internal Bays
4x 3.5-inch; 2x 2.5-inch
Expansion Slots
7x + 2x
Front I/O
2x USB 3.0, USB-C, 3.5 mm Audio/Mic Combo
Other
4x Tempered Glass Panel, Fan PWM Splitter, RGB Controller
Front Fans
3x 120 mm RGB (Up to 2x 140mm, 3x 120mm)
Rear Fans
1x 120mm (Up to 1x 120mm)
Top Fans
None (Up to 2x 140mm, 3x 120mm)
Bottom Fans
✗
Side Fans
None (Up to 3x 120mm)
RGB
Yes, fans & controller
Damping
No
Warranty
2 Years
Features
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(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
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(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
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(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Touring around the outside of the chassis, it’s clear that this is a bigger case than the 4000X, and it sits on the larger side of ATX cases. This, of course, is the result of making the case slightly deeper to make room for the side intake, and the case is also slightly taller to make space for thicker radiators at the top.
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(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
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(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Weirdly, despite being a case built for RGB, this dark tint and lavish quantity of glass make the chassis quite elegant. Just beware, the white version of the case doesn’t have nearly as dark a tint, so you’ll have to get a lot craftier to get the internals in that case to look good.
Tempered glass is featured not only on the left side, but also the front, top, and right side of the chassis. The glass comes with quite a dark tint, which although it will hide much of your internal components, does have a few benefits: It hides ugly cables in plain sight. You won’t need to get choosy with a pretty motherboard or GPU, and it masks unused space as well. All you’ll see through these panels is the RGB lighting of your components inside. Of course, you’ll need a lot of RGB if you wish to show off the inside of your PC, but it won’t blind you if you overdo it.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
The front IO resides at the top of the case, and consists of power and reset switches, two USB 3.0 ports, a USB Type-C port, and a headphone/mic combo jack. We typically prefer to see separated jacks for audio instead of combo jacks, but the truth is in general you should avoid using top IO for audio anyway for the best audio, due to interference.
The 5000X’s side panels come off by undoing two thumbscrews at the rear and pulling the back of panels out of their clips. The top and front panels come off simply by gently pulling them out of their clips, off the chassis.
Internal Layout
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Inside the main compartment of the Corsair 5000X, there is room for up to ATX-size motherboards, GPUs up to 420 mm long and CPU coolers up to 170mm tall. The space at the front of the case goes largely unused, though is of course necessary to create the clearance required to add the side intake.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Peek behind the case under the PSU cover, and you’ll find room for a PSU up to 225 mm in length, along with two 3.5-inch hard drives. The back of the motherboard tray offers three trays for additional 2.5-inch drives, though all-in-all, this setup will leave storage enthusiasts wanting, and I expected more 3.5-inch storage space from a case this big.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
The rear of the system is covered up by a metal door, which will work well to hide the cable clutter to keep things looking clean and tidy through the glass side panel.
Cooling
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
When it comes to cooling, I feel like the Corsair 5000X RGB exists mostly because the 4000X RGB was so restricted for intake that thermals suffered. Of course, acoustic performance was great, but it’s the look of the glass that people are after. In that way, the 5000X RGB takes the 4000X RGB with its beautiful glass front panel, keeps it, and adds a side intake pointed away from the user to aid with intake, which should thereby result in great looks, great thermal performance, and decent noise levels – the best of all three worlds. We’ll see how this works out in practice.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
If you want to populate all the fan slots, you’ll be busy for a while as you can fit another three fans on the side, three 120mm spinners at the top (or 2x 140), and another 120mm or 140mm spinner at the rear exhaust. Of course, your AIO will probably take care of the top exhaust, but that still leaves another four fan slots open.
At the back of the motherboard tray there is a fan controller that splits a PWM signal into six headers, and an RGB header. The three included fans are connected to each of these controllers, leaving you room for three more.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
And that’s where the problem comes in with this case. To use the added cooling potential it has over the 4000X, you need to purchase another three fans for the side intake, or else you might as well skip this case and go for the cheaper and smaller 4000X.
Filters are provided on all the fan locations.
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(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
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(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
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(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
That being said, if you’re buying this for a liquid-cooling build, there is ample radiator space with up to 360mm radiators at the top and front, with a 120mm rad at the rear exhaust. The spec sheet also lists a third 360mm radiator spot at the side intake, but that will only work if you remove the shroud, and you’ll have to keep the radiator thin to avoid running into the GPU.
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(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
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(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
For thick radiators, Corsair includes a replacement shroud part to give more space at the front, but you’ll have to either sacrifice the hard drive cage or use a smaller PSU if you go that route.
System builder iBuypower has been crafting eye-catching and often surprisingly affordable systems for gamers and enthusiasts for over two decades now. But the company’s latest Revolt 3 MK3 small-form-factor desktop, announced at CES 2021, is a handle-equipped perforated monolith designed to house powerful components without taking up much desk or floor space.
The previous
Revolt 2
was an oddly shaped and super-stylized showcase PC that put your SATA SSD in a window up front and your GPU at the top. It also looked a bit like a rejected design for a bulky Daft Punk helmet. And 2013’s Revolt 1 looked like…
whatever this looks like
. In retrospect, the clean lines of the vertically oriented Revolt 3 MK3 look stealthy, understated and, well, like a bigger, better-cooled
Xbox Series X
.
(Image credit: iBuyPower)
If you don’t like basic black, the 18.4-liter Revolt 3 MK3 will also be available in white when it arrives sometime in the second quarter of 2021. The chassis features a nice swing-out door designed to house a chunky 280mm radiator. That, plus the plethora of perforations and an optional 80mm exhaust fan at the top means there won’t likely be an issue pairing one of the best graphics cards with one of the best CPUs in this system.
We’ll have to wait until we get the system in for testing before we make any judgments about how quiet it will be. But with vents on basically every side, the noise output is going to essentially be down to what components you put in it.
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(Image credit: iBuyPower)
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(Image credit: iBuyPower)
Of course, this is an ITX case, and you’ll need an SFX or SFX-L PSU to power everything. But iBuypower says that whether you buy a complete system or just the case from the company, it will ship with a 700W SFX-L power supply installed, with pre-routed cables. There looks to be dust filters on all four sides and the top. It will be interesting to see how easy they’ll be to remove and clean. But at least they’re behind metal panels rather than glass, so a little dust buildup won’t be super obvious.
Aside from the flush-mount handle, both sides also have a pop-out arm for hanging a headset or other accessories. The front panel houses a trio of USB 3.2 ports (one USB-C) at the bottom, which is perfect placement if you have the system sitting at your desk.
And for those worried that the white or black design won’t be eye-catching or customizable enough, the company will also offer a swappable colored mesh inlay behind the front panel. There’s no word yet on color options though, and without seeing the system in person yet, it’s unclear how much the color will stand out behind the panel.
(Image credit: iBuyPower)
As is often the case with CES announcements, there’s no word yet on price. But we’ll learn that, as well as more details about what hardware the iBuypower Revolt 3 MK3 supports as we get closer to launch, which should be sometime after March. We look forward to getting the iBuypower Revolt 3 MK3 onto our test bench for a full review later this year.
The TUF line has long been Asus’s go-to budget gaming solution, putting portability and value first. That doesn’t mean TUF laptops aren’t without power, but they tend to come thinner and lighter than the rest of Asus’ gaming line-up. Today, at CES 2021, Asus announced that it’s pushing that even further with a brand new TUF model, the TUF Dash F15, which will be the smallest TUF to date.
Asus TUF Dash F15
(Image credit: Asus)
The Dash F15 introduced today aims to further the TUF line’s portability while still maintaining above average performance.
It weighs 4.4 pounds and is 14.2 x 9.9 x 0.8 inches, making it the thinnest and lightest TUF laptop. As such, it’ll only support a mobile RTX 3070 graphics card with 8GB of VRAM. But combine that with its Tiger Lake CPU options and IPS display configs ranging from 1080p resolution at 60 Hz to 240 Hz, and its identity as a gaming machine is secured.
The TUF Dash F15 also has DDR4-3200 RAM, with options ranging from 8GB to 32GB, plus M.2 SSD choices up to 1TB. Tiger Lake means Thunderbolt 4 ports as well. And while USB-C charging won’t hold up to the pressures of gaming, the Dash F15 also supports it for emergencies and casual use, emphasizing its portable nature. A 76Whr battery also means you might see up to 16.6 hours of battery life, at least going by Asus’ internal claims.
Despite its size, the Dash F15 also has four 12V fans with 83 blades a piece, plus 5 copper pipes for cooling.
(Image credit: Asus)
A new laptop also means a new chassis, which the Dash F15 has in both gray and white options. The aesthetic here makes the laptop look like it just came off the assembly line, with the TUF name printed along the side in a utilitarian font and the TUF logo decorating an upper corner. It’s enough to make the Dash F15 stand out without being overwhelming.
Asus TUF A15 and A17
(Image credit: Asus)
At the same time, Asus announced at CES 2021 refreshes of the TUF A15 and TUF A17, which are slightly larger and heavier than the Dash 15 but also more powerful. They should also appeal to AMD fans, as they’ll both pack next-gen AMD Ryzen and Renoir CPUs alongside next-gen Nvidia RTX GPUs. Memory options range from 8-32GB of DDR4-3200 MHz RAM, while storage capacities can reach up to 1TB. Display options are all FHD, with refresh rate configs ranging from 60 – 240 Hz.
The A15 seems to have a new chassis that’s similar to the Dash F15’s, though it has more detailing around its upper fan vents, plus decals on the lid’s corners that look like rivet holes.
The A17, meanwhile, goes with a more traditional TUF look. To emphasize their slightly more premium nature, both the A15 and A17 will have plastic and metal case options.
Asus has yet to announce pricing info on any of its newest laptops, but has confirmed that the TUF Dash F15 will be available in North America starting in Q1 of 2021.
The RISC-V CPU architecture is making progress across a plethora of devices. From soldering irons and watches to desktop computers, the open source RISC-V CPU looks set to make an impact in 2021. Seeed Studio and Beagleboard have today announced an official collaboration with StarFive, a leading RISC-V solutions provider. The focus of this announcement is the Beagle V, an affordable single board computer (SBC) which runs Linux and is powered by a dual core RISC-V.
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(Image credit: Seeed, BeagleBoard, StarFive)
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(Image credit: Seeed, BeagleBoard, StarFive)
Powering Beagle V is a dual core 64-bit U74 RISC-V CPU clocked at 1.5 GHz and up to 8GB of LPDDR4 RAM. From a CPU perspective Beagle V looks to be slightly faster than a Raspberry Pi 4, but looking at the StarFive JH7100 System on Chip (SoC) we can see a Tensilica-VP6 used in computer vision projects, an Nvidia Deep Learning Accelerator (NVDLA) used for artificial intelligence and finally a Neural Network Engine. All of these point towards a board that looks on paper to be quite the AI / machine learning powerhouse. Best of all Beagle V is a purely open source product, with both the hardware and the software offered under an open source licence.
MicroSD card slot for operating system and data storage
1 x Wi-Fi 2.4GHz b/g/n and Bluetooth 4.2
Power with USB Type-C (5V@3A)
1 x Reset button and 1 x Power Button
At its heart, Beagle V is still an SBC and as such it has what we come to think as the “standard complement” of ports. With four USB 3.0 ports, Gigabit Ethernet, Micro SD card and a single HDMI port, capable of 1080P 30fps. A 40 pin GPIO suggests compatibility with Raspberry Pi HATs, and a casual glance at the pinout shows that the standard digital I/O, I2C and SPI seem to be mapped correctly. Dual camera (CSI) and a single display connector (DSI) suggest that Beagle V may be compatible with the official Raspberry Pi camera and display. Wireless connectivity is provided via 2.4 GHz WiFi and Bluetooth 4.2. A shame that 5 GHz WiFi and Bluetooth 5.0 are not present, but we can live without it. Power is provided via a USB-C port, and from the datasheet we can see that Beagle V requires 5V at 2A but a 3A supply would be a real benefit.
Starting from $119 for the 4GB model, or $149 for the 8GB, Beagle V is slightly more expensive than a Raspberry Pi 4 but for RISC-V and AI enthusiasts this is a small price to pay for a RISC-V machine of such power. With an anticipated early access release date of March, with larger availability from September 2021, Beagle V looks to be a worthy contender to the Nvidia Jetson for AI and machine learning projects. It may not be a direct competitor to the Raspberry Pi, but it will be interesting to put the two against one another to see both of their pros and cons.
Samsung just finished its first Unpacked event of 2021. The headline announcements were the three new phones in its S21 lineup, but the company also announced new true wireless headphones, an item tracker, and a few other things.
We’ve rounded up all of the biggest announcements from the event right here.
Photo by Chaim Gartenberg / The Verge
The Galaxy S21 and S21 Plus will launch on January 29th
Samsung announced the $799 Galaxy S21 and $999 S21 Plus, which are available for preorder today ahead of availability on January 29th. They’re largely the same phones, except for their physical size. And their camera module takes up an entire corner of the phones, giving them a whole new look.
Photo by Chaim Gartenberg / The Verge
Samsung’s Galaxy S21 Ultra is compatible with the S Pen
Samsung announced the $1,199 Galaxy S21 Ultra, its newest top-of-the-line flagship smartphone. It has a bigger screen and more cameras than the S21 and S21 Plus, and, in a first for Samsung’s S line of smartphones, support for the S Pen stylus. It’s also available for preorder today and will launch on January 29th. Samsung is also working on an S Pen Pro with Bluetooth, which is coming later this year.
The Galaxy S21 Plus box.Image: Samsung
Samsung’s S21 lineup won’t include a charger in the box
Samsung is following Apple in not including a charging brick in the box with its newest phones. The phones will come with a USB-C to USB-C cable, but you’ll need to own a compatible charging brick or buy a new one if you want to plug your brand-new phone into a wall. The S21 lineup also won’t include headphones in the box.
Image: Samsung
The Galaxy Buds Pro are Samsung’s most premium wireless earbuds yet
Samsung’s new Galaxy Buds Pro true wireless earbuds have improved active noise cancellation, a refined ambient sound mode, an IPX7 rating for water resistance, and more. They cost $199, are available for preorder today, and you’ll be able to buy them in stores on Friday.
Photo by Chaim Gartenberg / The Verge
Samsung announced the SmartTag and SmartTag Plus Tile-like item trackers
Samsung announced a Tile tracker competitor called the SmartTag. It’s a small Bluetooth Low Energy dongle that you can attach to things, and you can pair it with Samsung’s SmartThings app. The SmartTag only works with Galaxy devices, though. The SmartTag will be available on January 29th and it will cost $29.99. Samsung also announced the Galaxy SmartTag Plus, which uses ultra wideband for more precise tracking. The SmartTag Plus is launching later this year, and you’ll be able to buy one for $39.99.
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