USB-C - Page 51 of 53

The arrival of the iPhone 12 represents for Apple the return to the market with an accessory created and designed by Steve Jobs. We are talking about the MagSafe which is proposed here as a magnetic system to connect wireless chargers and more. Here are his first live images.

by Bruno Mucciarelli published 19 October 2020 , at 10: 07 in the Apple channel

Apple iPhone

MagSafe is the magic word that was not mentioned since the time of the late Steve Jobs more in Apple’s products. The magnetic connector so loved by users who have had a Mac in the past, it had gone into disuse and was eliminated by Apple due to the introduction of a classic USB-C connector. A shame because we know how many times it has saved users from stumbling with their feet on the cable once attached to the wall. Apple has therefore decided to “ exhume it ” and to do so it has decided to introduce it completely different on the new iPhones 12.

Click to enlarge

MagSafe: how it’s made and how it works

In this case the new Apple accessory for iPhones 12 is called MagSafe but actually you do not go to connect to the smartphone port as in the past but it serves to facilitate wireless charging of the new iPhone series 12 but also to combine more external accessories, such as card holders or classic cases, which are more adherent and secure.

Click to enlarge

Its operation is really simple and immediate even if effective, at least from the images and videos made by Apple. Wireless charging can sometimes fail due to the non-immediate positioning of the smartphone on the charging accessory. In fact, the coil must be centered with that of the device and it therefore happens that some movements have to be made until it is centered. Apple has decided to simplify all this by introducing MagSafe which is an important magnetic connector that positions the smartphone in the right place immediately.

The magnet is clearly inside the smartphone and has layers of materials that allow any type of accessory made to adhere hoc. And here we start from the MagSafe charger, which in these days has already arrived at the home of some users who had ordered it in anticipation of the arrival of the iPhone 12. The MagSafe power adapter, in this case, has a power of up to 15 W for fast charging of the smartphone. Its size is very minimal, it is circular and clearly has a design in perfect Apple style. A choice this to implement wireless charging also given the move, also by Apple, to remove the battery charger and the EarPods headphones from the case of the new iPhones.

Click to enlarge

MagSafe charger is not the only accessory that Apple has thought of making for the new iPhones 12. Always with the idea of using MagSafe, the Cupertino company has renewed its catalog of cases by introducing the covers with a special ready magnet to join the smartphone as well as the card cases that can be easily joined externally to the cutodia, always with magnetic attraction.

A welcome return from MagSafe that will allow users to perhaps better exploit the wireless charging that many still do not use. A step that perhaps sets aside the universal wireless charger that Apple had presented and then completely abandoned due to design problems. Here MagSafe seems to have a completely different step.

Apple’s HomePod mini is the Group’s second smart speaker. The device, which is expensive under 100, comes with a stripped-down interior compared to the HomePod – fewer drivers are built in due to the reduced size. In one other respect, however, both models are similar: The power cable is permanently installed and can officially only be removed by a service specialist.

USB-C plug instead of power Like MacRumors , the cable hangs directly out of the small sphere, as is known from the large HomePod. In contrast to this, however, it does not simply end in a plug for the power connection. Instead, a watt power supply unit 20 – which is included – must be interposed. This works with USB-C, accordingly the cable of the HomePod mini is also equipped with a USB-C connector.

Power bank for the HomePod mini? This can have advantages: It is conceivable that the HomePod mini could also be fed with sufficiently dimensioned USB-C power banks in order to use it make mobile speakers. Apple itself, however, has not installed a battery, the device is marketed as stationary (or to take away in the house). With the HomePod, the power cable can be removed with a lot of force, but this may invalidate the warranty, because Apple has not officially planned this. It remains to be seen whether this can also be done with the HomePod mini.

The sound of the HomePod mini should be automatically and continuously Music can be adapted accordingly and thus deliver good sound even with changing locations. Apple called this computer-aided audio playback – “Computational Audio”. Three microphones should respond to voice commands

(Pocket-lint) – We’ve got a lot of love for the Microsoft Surface Laptop. Indeed, both the original and second-generation models won the Best Laptop category in their respective Pocket-lint Awards. No pressure for the Surface Laptop 3 then, eh?

Which is the best Microsoft Surface laptop or tablet for you?

The third-gen laptop is more a nip and tuck take on the previous generation, bringing more power, a larger trackpad, and finally adding a USB-C port (but not at Thunderbolt 3 speeds, which seems odd). There’s also a larger 15-inch model available, but we’re reviewing the standard 13.5-inch model here.

Design & Connectivity

Dimensions: 308 x 223 x 14.51mm / Weight: 1.25kg
Finishes: Sandstone, Black, Cobalt Blue, Platinum
- Alcantara on Cobalt Blue & Platinum
- Metal (aluminium) on other finishes
Ports: 1x USB-A, 1x USB-C, 1x 3.5mm jack
Power: proprietary Surface Connector
Full-size keyboard (1.3mm key travel)
Trackpad 20% larger than previous
Windows 10 Home

The design of the Surface Laptop 3 is sleek and standout – especially in this black finish (which first appeared for the second-gen model). There are lots of finish options – you’ll see Sandstone as gold and Platinum as silver, really – with the Cobalt Blue and Platinum options retaining the Alcantara microfabric-finished interior keyboard wrist rest, which is both comfortable and eye-catching.

The Laptop 3 has boosted the trackpad size by 20 per cent compared to the second-gen model, which is a welcome adjustment. Large trackpads are king and it’s very on trend for 2020. The keyboard above makes for comfortable typing over long periods, with the 1.3mm key travel ample to get decent feedback.

Most important to the design, however, is the addition of a USB-C port to the side. This joints the full-size USB-A port. But other than a 3.5mm headphone jack that’s your lot – and for a laptop such as this we think more ports would make a lot of sense. Oh, and an additional downside: the USB-C isn’t capable of Thunderbolt 3 speeds, for whatever reason, which is a disappointment.

On the opposite side to those ports is a small opening, but it’s not an SD card slot, it’s Microsoft’s Surface Connector – which is used for power. We like that it doesn’t use up a port, like so many other laptops do, but at the same time we’d much rather it was a second USB-C port – so you had the choice of how to use it. Really this proprietary connection isn’t a great idea any more – although as it magnetically connects, you won’t drag the laptop off the side of a desk should you walk into the cable by accident.

On the software front the Laptop 3 has Windows 10 Home as standard out of the box. Gone is the more limited Windows 10 S install of the very first Surface Laptop. So there’s no limit to application file installs here, which is great news for productivity – if you want full-fat Photoshop then you can have it (well, if you can afford to pay for it).

Display & Stylus

13.5-inch ‘PixelSense’ touchscreen display
- 2256 x 1504 resolution
- 3:2 aspect ratio LCD
- Gorilla Glass
Works with Surface Pen (sold separately)

The Surface Laptop 3’s ‘PixelSense’ display is unchanged from the original and second-gen model’s displays. But as the saying goes: if it ain’t broke don’t fix it.

That means the Surface family trait of having a 3:2 aspect ratio screen – rather than the 16:9 ratio you see in many other places – still takes pride of place. We think this is great, as it works well for document-based work, but is less designed for widescreen multimedia use. That ratio is also why this is a 13.5-inch screen on the diagonal, not a 13.3-inch one – as is typical in the competition.

The panel is high resolution and has excellent colour and contrast. No, it’s not quite as pixel-dense as the new MacBook Air’s panel, but it’d be splitting hairs to suggest it would actually makes a genuine difference in use between either device.

Like in the Surface Pro, the Laptop 3 uses a slightly reflective coating which is its only notable display drawback. It’s not mirror-like in its reflective qualities, but you’ll catch a glimpse of your own face more often than not when there’s surrounding daylight sources. Fortunately there’s ample brightness to cut through any potential issue this could cause when using the Laptop 3 outside. This has always been a criticism we’ve had throughout the Surface Laptop’s three generations, though, so it’s a shame it’s not been addressed yet.

Being a Surface device there’s also excellent touch capability – something the aforementioned Apple lacks entirely – while you can use the Surface Pen stylus with it and, therefore, Windows Ink. The Laptop 3’s screen bends back to around 45 degrees, which is just ok for stylus input – but it’s not great for precision work because it will move. So we think the other Surface devices in the range might make more sense for stylus use. Anyway, the stylus doesn’t come in the box, so you’ll have to buy that as an extra if you decide it is the accessory for you.

Performance & Battery Life

Intel Core i5 processor (1035G7), 8GB RAM (base model)
- Intel Core i7 (1065G7) with 16GB RAM available
128GB storage (base model)
- 256GB / 512GB / 1TB options

Microsoft has opted for Intel’s 10th Gen Core i processors for the third-gen Surface Laptop. The key choice, we think, is the Core i5 – there is also an i7 model available, but we would expect the impact on battery life to be negative and without too huge a processor boost, especially as it’s all just running Intel integrated graphics anyway.

The chip is the i5-1035G7, which is a quad-core with eight threads, as opposed to the dual-core lower-voltage chip in something like the MacBook Air. That makes for respectable performance, which in a like-for-like spec setup to the excellent Dell XPS 13 puts Microsoft in a very strong position.

With the base configuration of the Surface Laptop 3 you get 8GB RAM and a 128GB SSD. For our money you need 256GB in a laptop like this, but if you store a lot in the cloud then that might not be necessary – especially as upping the SSD adds 27 per cent to the asking price.

In terms of battery life we put the Laptop 3 to its streaming test, with a YouTube clip running non-stop at full resolution, full screen, and three-quarter brightness, and the laptop managed to reach the seven hour mark. That’s slightly down on its predecessor. However, you won’t spend every second of your life streaming content – so when we’ve been using the Laptop 3 for our day-to-day tasks we’ve found it to last out longer.

HP’s summer sale has oodles of bargains – check out these stunners! (promo)

Verdict

Overall the Surface Laptop 3 is a sensible upgrade to the already stellar series. The introduction of a USB-C port, larger trackpad, and more power from the latest Intel chipset options, all add plus-points onto its impressive score sheet.

However, there’s no Thunderbolt 3 speeds from that USB-C port, which is an oddity. And there aren’t that many ports either – which is why we think Microsoft should do away with the proprietary Surface Connector and replace that with an extra port or two. Oh, and that slightly reflective screen coating has been a thing since day one in this series and could be bettered.

Having won awards and accolades in its past guises, the Surface Laptop 3 is showing no signs of this series slowing down. This is one sleek and sophisticated laptop – both in looks and performance – that will give even the Dell XPS 13 a good run for its money.

Writing by Mike Lowe.

VivoBook Flip 14 (TP470EZ) (Image credit: Asus)

Asus has revealed the new VivoBook Flip 14 (TP470EZ) laptop, bearing Intel’s 11th Generation Tiger Lake processor and unreleased DG1 discrete graphics card (via @momomo_us).

According to the VivoBook Flip 14’s product page, Asus has outfitted the device with “First Intel Discrete Graphics,” which likely refers to Intel’s DG1 discrete graphics card that is rumored to have up to 96 EUs. A quick dive into the HTML code shows metadata that reads, “VivoBook Flip 14 is powered by the latest Intel Core i7 processor with Intel Iris Xe Max graphics.”

The Iris Xe Max had already surfaced before, with 96 EUs ticking up to 1.55 GHz. On another note, we’ve also seen two Xe GPUs running in a dual-GPU setup. Although unconfirmed, we have a theory that Tiger Lake iGPUs could conceptually function in tandem with DG1 to provide even greater performance than what a sole DG1 unit could offer.

The VivoBook Flip 14 comes with two Tiger Lake options: You can pick between the Core i7-1165G7 or Core i5-1135G7 processors. Both chips come with a quad-core, eight-thread configuration. The Core i7-1165G7 and Core i5-1135G7 have their own Iris Xe graphics engine. The 10nm processors possess 96 EUs and 80 EUs, respectively, with a maximum of 1.3 GHz.

The Core i7-1165G7 sports a 2.8 GHz base clock, 4.7 GHz boost clock, and 12MB of cache, while the Core i5-1135G features a 2.4 GHz base clock, 4.2 GHz boost clock, and 8MB of L3 cache. Out of the two, the Core i7-1165G7 is the only part that comes equipped with an Image Processing Unit (IPU).

Image 1 of 4

VivoBook Flip 14 (TP470EZ) (Image credit: Asus)

Image 2 of 4

VivoBook Flip 14 (TP470EZ) (Image credit: Asus)

Image 3 of 4

VivoBook Flip 14 (TP470EZ) (Image credit: Asus)

Image 4 of 4

VivoBook Flip 14 (TP470EZ) (Image credit: Asus)

The Tiger Lake processor of your choice can be accompanied by 8GB or 16GB of LPDDR4X-4266 memory. It’s important to choose wisely since there won’t be options for expansion further down the line. The VivoBook Flip 14 can come with a 128Gb, 256Gb, 512GB, or 1TB PCIe SSD. Asus offers an optional configuration with an Intel Optane Memory H10 drive with 32GB plus a 512GB SSD.

The VivoBook Flip 14 is a thin and light 2-in-1 device that measures 32.4 x 22 x 1.87cm (12.75 x 8.66 x 0.73 inches) and weighs 1.5kg (3.31 pounds). The laptop features an indie black exterior and a 14-inch LED-backlit panel with a Full HD (1920 x 1080) resolution. The frameless NanoEdge display flaunts an impressive 82% screen-to-body ratio with wide viewing angles of 178 degrees. There was enough room for Asus to slap an HD webcam on the laptop too.

The svelte body doesn’t mean the VivoBook Flip 14 is short on connectivity either. The laptop offers one Thunderbolt 4 USB-C port, one USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A port, one USB 2.0 port, an HDMI port, an audio jack, and a microSD card reader. There’s no Ethernet port, though, so you’ll be relying on a wireless connection. At any rate, you shouldn’t have any complaints since the VivoBook Flip 14 can be configured with Wi-Fi 6 or Wi-Fi 5 with Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity.

Asus integrated a three-cell, lithium-polymer battery with a capacity of 42 Wh into the VivoBook Flip 14. It supports fast charging, and with the included 65W power adapter, the VivoBook Flip 14 can go from zero to 60% in a mere 49 minutes.

Asus hasn’t revealed the pricing or availability of the VivoBook Flip 14.

(Pocket-lint) – The long-standing Fujifilm X-T series has in the past set the benchmark for being the mirrorless camera to beat all others. Indeed, the X-T3 won Best Camera in the 2019 Pocket-lint Awards.

Now there’s a new kid in town: the Fujifilm X-T4. But does this latest camera add enough extra to warrant its purchase? We got to play with a pre-production camera ahead of its official announcement, followed by using the final camera on some car shoots. Here’s what we make of it.

X-T4 vs X-T3: What’s new?

X-T4 adds:
- New in-body stabilisation unit (IBIS)
- New shutter unit (15fps mechanical)
- Dedicated movie mode
- New battery system

At a glance the X-T4 looks a lot like its X-T3 younger brother. But there are some clear differences. The newer camera is a little larger and heavier, on account of a new battery system that’s designed to last longer.

Pocket-lint

Some weight has been shed elsewhere, to avoid it getting altogether too heavy, by introducing a newer, smaller in-body stabilisation system, which is said to be capable up to 6.5 stops (up from the 5 stops of the X-H1, where in-body was first introduced by Fujifilm).

In tandem with the stabilisation system is a new shutter mechanism, capable of up to 15 frames per second (15fps) burst shooting. It’s also tested to 300,000 shutter cycles, doubling the durability over the X-T3.

Other little tweaks should make a big difference for movie users: a dedicated movie mode, with its own Q Menu on-screen settings (useful for silent adjustment), and even a removable SD card door, should you be shooting from a rig. The rear LCD screen is also a little higher in resolution than before (1.62m-dot compared to 1.04m-dot).

Elsewhere the specification is built around the same core as the X-T3. This means the X-T4 has the same sensor and processor combination, same on-sensor autofocus capabilities (albeit with some algorithm tweaks to improve tracking and face/eye-detection). So if you’re looking for higher resolution or advances in quality in that area, then the two cameras don’t differ.

How does the X-T4 perform?

New magnesium alloy body footprint: 134.6mm x 92.8mm x 63.8mm / 607g
3-inch tri-adjustable LCD touchscreen, 1.62m-dot resolution
0.5-inch, 3.69m-dot OLED electronic viewfinder
Improved autofocus algorithm
425 selectable AF areas

The X-T4 is made primarily from magnesium alloy, which gives it a robust feeling in the hand. It’s also weather-resistant, so paired with a suitable lens you needn’t worry about splashes and rain. We’ve been using the lovely 16-55mm f/2.8 for the majority of this test.

Pocket-lint

The X-T4 is larger than the X-T3 given its new battery system, but that extra little bit of bulk and 10 per cent weight increase is worth it on account of longevity. The new battery is 2,200mAh in capacity, which is a big increase over the 1,260mAh of the X-T3’s cell. Despite having two batteries on hand and shooting across multiple days, we didn’t even drain the first one to zero – meaning the 500 shots per charge quote seems on point.

There’s also a new vertical grip, which can house two additional batteries, and comes with a dedicated switch to flick between normal, boost and economy performance modes. The X-T3 grip won’t fit onto the X-T4 due to the new battery system and different camera footprint.

Recharging takes place via USB-C, much like an Android phone, but you’ll need to use a 15W charger at the wall for the fastest possible recharge times. It’ll take about three hours to recharge the one cell, which isn’t especially quick, but use a low power USB port and it’ll take three or four times longer than that!

The X-T4 has the now staple rear LCD and OLED viewfinder setup. The vari-angle touchscreen is easy to use, benefits from that added resolution, while the OLED finder is the exact same as found in the X-T3. That means it’s got all the resolution you’ll need, complete with a high refresh-rate, deep contrast, and a massive 0.75x equivalent magnification size – which makes for a formidable finder scale to this eye.

If you’re familiar with the X-T3’s autofocus – which we found did a great job at the Goodwood Revival motor show – then it’s much the same with the X-T4. The camera uses a massive 2.16-million phase-detection pixels embedded across its sensor’s surface, designed to cover the full width from edge to edge. That means you can focus anywhere in the field of view, as far vertically or horizontally as you wish, and still acquire the same focus ability as you would in the centre.

The autofocus system is pared down to 425 areas maximum, which can be further reduced to simplify operation as you wish. The AF point can be adjusted between a variety of point sizes, too, by using the rear thumbwheel. There’s still no Panasonic-style Pinpoint mode, however, which we always miss when using other brands’ mirrorless cameras.

Pocket-lint

With a decent lens on the front and the X-T4 is a formidable shooting machine. From its 15fps burst, to the various custom settings (much like you’ll find in a pro DSLR, in a scenario-appropriate format), mirrorless system cameras don’t really get any better than this.

What’s the X-T4’s image quality like?

26-megapixel X-Trans CMOS 4 sensor
ISO 160-12,800 (80-51,200 ext)
New: Eterna Beach Bypass filter

Just like the X-T3, the X-T4 features Fujifilm’s fourth-generation X-Trans CMOS sensor. This sensor is backside illuminated, with the copper wiring placement beneath the photo diodes in the sensor, in order to create a cleaner signal path.

1/20Pocket-lint

That all worked a treat in the X-T3 and it’s much the same here: image quality is exemplary. Although, as we always say, a lot of that comes down to the lens on the front of the camera. And Fujifilm’s range of optics means there’s something for more or less every situation.

The 18-55mm we’ve used for this review is fine, but not the hottest ticket, we’ve found the 40-150mm f/2.8 and 50mm f/2.0 to impress us much more – especially those wider aperture lenses.

We’ve shot with the X-T4 in and around Fujifilm’s House of Photography in central London, where there’s a variety of light sources and situations. That’s given a broad scope to test out the baseline ISO 160 sensitivity, right through to the higher ISO 12,800 setting when shooting a vase of flowers in the dim-lit (off public limits) basement at the property.

Low-light will show some grain, of course, but it’s not overwhelming by any measure and even the four-figure ISO settings are really clean looking. But daylight is where things really shine, those lower settings giving real clarity.

We’ve always praised Fujifilm for its image quality prowess, a trend that the X-T4 continues. It’s done our various car shoots a treat in terms of exposure, colour balance, scale and detail.

No, it’s not more resolute or more advanced than the X-T3, which some will see as a downer, but as that camera was already accomplished you’re really looking to buy this newer model for its better battery, faster burst rate and improved image stabilisation (although it’s a marginal improvement in that regard).

The X-T4’s new video capabilities

Dedicated movie mode, via physical switch dial
Dedicated Q Menu with silent mode selection
4K 60fps maximum, 1080p 240fps slow-mo
Can fix crop to 1.29x for all modes

The X-T4 has also clearly been engineered with the videographer in mind. Not only on account of the better battery and removable SD card door, but also the dedicated movie mode, which is activated via a physical switch beneath the shutter speed dial atop the camera.

Moving this switch over to ‘Movie’ means you get a dedicated Q Menu, which is accessible during shooting and means silent adjustment of modes is possible using the touchscreen. The physical dials will also work, but if you want to avoid the physical motion and clicking sounds then this is one way around it.

Pocket-lint

The frame-rate possibility has also increased, with Full HD (1080p) now available at up to 240fps. Some would call that slow-motion to one eighth the speed of a normal 30fps capture. The X-T4 is also 4K capable, offering 60fps in this Ultra-HD mode (just like the X-T3).

Best mirrorless cameras 2020: The best interchangeable lens cameras available to buy today

All this adds up to a much more accomplished and movie-focused device, in an attempt to outsmart the Panasonic and Sony options on the market. That said, with the likes of the Panasonic Lumix S5 now available, we think the competition has a slight edge.

Verdict

The Fujifilm X-T4 might rely on the same sensor as the X-T3 before it, with an autofocus system that’s much the same, but its variety of feature boosts make it an altogether more considered camera.

The addition of a faster burst mode, better battery life and improved image stabilisation make for a more rounded camera. Plus its dedicated movie mode sees a boost that could lure in a wider audience – although Sony does have that market largely wrapped up.

Stand the X-T4 up against any camera of its type in the same price bracket and it’ll more than hold its own. Whether for stills or video, this is Fujifilm showing it can still set the benchmark in this category.

Also consider

Fujifilm X-T3

squirrel_widget_145646

What is the Pocket-lint daily and how do you get it for free?

If you’re looking for a stills camera and can pick up the predecessor model then you’re not sacrificing any image quality potential, which might make this a veritable bargain.

Read our review

Panasonic Lumix S5

squirrel_widget_349477

If you want a small-scale but full-frame image sensor to step things up a notch, Panasonic’s fairly priced entry in this space is rather special.

Read our review

Writing by Mike Lowe.

(Pocket-lint) – If you think you need a big product for big sound then the Bose Portable Home Speaker is here to prove otherwise. This little speaker, complete with its carry handle, might look kind-of innocuous – but the bold sound it can pump out is quite the opposite.

Thing is, Bose being Bose, it’s an expensive purchase. However, with lots of features – from Airplay 2 to Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity – it’s smarter than some of the simpler competition out there. And with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant baked in, this could be the only smart speaker you ever need buy.

Design

Dimensions: 192 x 119 x 104mm / Weight: 1kg
Finishes: Triple Black, Luxe Silver
Illuminating top ring for feedback
Built-in control panel buttons
Built-in voice assistants
IPX4 water-resistant
12hr battery life

When we first pulled the Portable Home Speaker out of its box we shrugged, assuming it wouldn’t be especially powerful. How wrong we were: it sounds super, without foregoing its principal purpose. It says it in the product name, right? It’s portable first and foremost, easy to pick up by that carry handle and move wherever you fancy.

Pocket-lint

The finish is great too: an aluminium grille littered with small circular openings surrounds the bottom third or so, enabling sound to eminate 360-degrees all around. The top two-thirds is matte finished, almost soft to touch, while the carry handle that pokes out from the sides is a woven material finish.

The whole package is also IPX4 water-resistant – meaning it can protect from splashes in any direction, but not submersion – which is handy should you wish to take the Portable Home Speaker outside of the home (some product names are there to be broken after all, eh?). The battery will last up to 12 hours so long as you’re not hammering it out at top volume, with charging possible via the single USB-C port to the rear.

Pocket-lint

Up top is an array of controls – on/off, Bluetooth pairing, Bose setup, mic mute, and a triple panel to control volume down, play/pause and volume up – that means everything is at your fingertips. Or download the Bose Music app to control from afar, which is where you can setup Wi-Fi controls too.

A circular light-up ring uses various colours to let you know when things are happening in terms of connectivity, volume, source and so forth. Having multiple sources, not just Bluetooth, is part of the way this Bose justifies its price over some of the competition. But it does put itself into Sonos territory in terms of pricing.

Pocket-lint

Overall the Bose Portable Home Speaker design is neat and tidy, and better looking than an Amazon Echo or Google Nest Audio device, which means it ticks the box as a one-stop shop smart assistant speaker.

Sound

Wi-Fi & Bluetooth 4.2 connectivity
Multi-room functionality
Apple Airplay 2

Although Bose doesn’t release specific technical details about the make-up of the Home Portable Speaker, as we’ve said throughout you wouldn’t think that such a little container could deliver sound quite so large.

Pocket-lint

The bass rumbles along with sincerely – strong enough to make a desk vibrate – without masking the presence of higher-end timbre from hi-hats, while allowing vocals to cut through the mid section. It’s a bold delivery wherever you’re standing in relation to the speaker, and whatever genre of music you like listening to.

There are some exceptions to the sound though. First, while the sound is dynamic, it’s less so at lower volumes – so you need to find that sweet spot for it to have the right impact.

Pocket-lint

Second, when the Portable Home Speaker is pushed too loud, the bass struggles and it becomes incohesive – so there’s a limit to how loud you can push this thing. If you want huge sound for a big space then you’ll need to buy a larger product.

Verdict

There’s no getting around that the Bose Portable Home Speaker has a rather large asking price. Glance at the product and you’ll probably be left scratching your head as to why. Switch it on, however, and the sensational audio – which is far larger sounding than the product size would suggest – and you’ll suddenly fully understand why.

Not only does the Bose sound great, it’s also genuinely portable, better built than a lot of the competition, and littered with features – Airplay 2 and Wi-Fi in addition to Bluetooth – that some Bluetooth-only competitors lack.

The Bose Portable Home Speaker does exactly what it says on the tin, but it’s so much more than the sum of its title too. It’s a super impressive little speaker with genuinely big sound.

Also consider

Pocket-lint

Sonos Move

squirrel_widget_167282

It’s far bigger and even more expensive, but if you want something more embedded in the home – while still remaining portable for those occasional extras – then Sonos does a grand job.

Read our review

Pocket-lint

Amazon Echo Plus

squirrel_widget_145812

At the other end of the price scale, if you want something cheaper, still portable, and with an integrated smart assistant then Amazon’s homegrown product makes a lot of sense for more modest budgets.

Best Bluetooth speakers 2020: Top portable speakers to buy today

Read our review

Writing by Mike Lowe.

Beginning Scope of delivery Preparation Racing practice Multiplayer Battery life Limitations Price Conclusion Comments by Philipp // 17. 10. 2020 15: 36 Clock

Nintendo is daring an exciting experiment with the AR-based Mario Kart for the Switch. TechStage tests the remote-controlled karts with live image transmission in practice.

The Nintendo Switch (test report) was able to convince in the tests both in the standard version and in the Switch Lite (test report). When looking at the sometimes strange accessories for the Switch (advice) it becomes clear that Nintendo is trying new and unusual things with the Switch. The mixture of software and real racetrack is not entirely new, Anki Overdrive (test report) takes a similar approach, but the implementation with live images and AR is new.

Scope of delivery & design The packaging for Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit is about as big as that the console. The game is currently available in two versions: once with a red kart and Mario as the driver, once with a green speedster and Luigi as the handlebars. Inside each package there are two packages. One is well padded and contains the controllable kart and the corresponding USB-C charging cable. In the other there are four cardboard gates and two signposts that can be set up. Otherwise a quick guide is included.

The software is not included on a storage medium and must first be removed from the Nintendo E- Shop can be downloaded – at a price of around 100 Euro that is at least questionable.

The two karts available are from Mario or controlled by Luigi. The small racing car in the classic Mario Kart design is scarce 20 cm long, 11 cm wide and 10 cm high. At first glance, it could also be a very pretty decorative item. The technology is only discovered at second glance. There is a small camera in the roll bar above Mario or Luigi’s head and a button and a small sliding door can be seen on the right side of the kart. Behind it is the USB-C port for charging the permanently integrated battery.

The karts are extremely chic, very well processed and leave behind after the first two days a sufficiently robust impression. The vehicles put away one or the other frontal crash against table or chair legs without any problems and without leaving any permanent marks. However, they are only suitable for indoor use. This works surprisingly well even with moderate lighting.

Preparation After unpacking the download and installation of Mario Kart Live follow : Home Circuit. The next step is to charge the kart and set up the first racetrack. To do this, the four cardboard gates are first opened and set up in the desired, completely freely configurable, route design. You only have to pay attention to the correct sequence of numbers. The gates can be weighed down with books, for example, to prevent them from being moved in the event of a crash. The design of the route is surprisingly a lot of fun! The youngsters in particular show creative commitment in setting up track barriers, obstacles and the grandstand.

Mario on the Race track in the nursery. After the batteries have been charged, the first practical test begins. Pairing the Nintendo Switch and the home circuit speedster works without any problems thanks to the QR code. To do this, the code shown in the game is simply scanned with the kart’s camera. The live image from the Mario Kart can then be seen on the display. Instead of the real vehicle, however, we see an animated kart with Mario (or Luigi) waving. Now a short driving tutorial and a photo for the virtual race card follow To race, the software first has to get to know the racetrack it has built itself. To do this, we place the kart in front of gate number one and press the X button. Now the desired route is driven through the gates. When you get back to the first gate, the game saves the course you have just completed.

Racing practice Our first impression of the karts: They are slow. That’s also true – at least when you compare them to classic RC cars. Thanks to the AR overlays in the display, the whole thing is gaining momentum. Not only that opponents are displayed – virtual lane boundaries, turbo stripes, bananas lying around, whirling turtle shells or sandstorms also ensure a lot of action during the race. It can quickly become too much on short, confusing and delivered routes. With all the action on the switch monitor, there is hardly anything to be seen of the actual course.

The virtual objects, such as the cloud, can of course only be seen on the switch. The hectic rush of the driver is very amusing for the spectators with regard to the kart driving comfortably around the corners. Even at the wheel you quickly forget reality and concentrate fully on the fast-paced racing. A real Mario Kart feeling sets in very quickly when you are stopped by a banana or blown to the side by a sand vortex. When colliding with real objects, such as the table leg, the racing driver loses virtual coins and slows down a bit.

Anyone who clears the enemy out of the way with the cannonball extra quickly notices that the software intervenes and steers properly. The so-called smart control can at least partially be deactivated under the options. Switching off completely does not seem to work – the kart still brakes slightly before sharp bends.

The display of the virtual racing elements works pleasantly well. Only the displayed route boundaries seem to have a certain life of their own. Otherwise, the combination of the virtual Mario world and reality works very well. The two directional signs are recognized by the camera from a distance of several meters and replaced by brightly lit arrows on the display. The four gates are also pretty, for example with castle battlements, decorated and animated. The typical Mario Kart sound reinforces the racing feeling even more.

Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit (18 Pictures) So come the game.

After the first successful race laps, there are rewards in the form of different character designs or new horn sounds. The routes can also be gradually made more challenging with more different modifications (sandstorms, icicles, etc.).

After the first few laps, your fingers itchy and the track is being rebuilt several times. The design is largely individual, but we found out a few things during the first attempts. The racing courses shouldn’t be too small and winding, because without long straights and enough space to run out, the race can quickly become confusing. A simple oval and a simple circular course become boring after a short time. As is often the case: the mix has to be right.

Multiplayer Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit can be used alone or locally with up to four other players. The prerequisite for this are four consoles plus four karts – quite expensive. There is no online mode.

So far we have not been able to test the multiplayer modes due to a missing second console. We will promptly submit a field report via an update.

Battery life and range Nintendo gives a battery life of 90 minutes when using the fast 150 – ccm class. In practice, with a few breaks in the race and modifications to the track design, we were able to gamble for over two and a half hours without any problems. Full charging via USB-C takes a good three and a half hours. The range is 4.5 to 5 meters. That sounds very little, but it is sufficient for indoor use.

The camera does a decent job even in poor lighting. Restrictions and technical requirements Playing on the TV is easily possible with the docking station and the switch – but only with the standard version. TV mode does not work with the Switch Lite. The switch’s share function has been blocked for the game by the manufacturer.

Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit supports a maximum of four goals at the same time – we hope that as further expansion stages are possible in the future. All four gates are always required for a functioning race track. Only the enclosed goals can be used for playing. Each gate has special markings that tell the camera where the kart is currently on the race track and then trigger certain actions in the game.

Price The game is currently available in two versions. But we can well imagine that other characters besides Mario and Luigi will also be offered in the future.

Conclusion The experiment of a Mario Kart game for living rooms or children’s rooms has definitely been successful. Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit is a successful mix of remote-controlled car and video game and is really fun in single-player mode. In the next few weeks we will test whether the multiplayer modes can keep up. If you have enough space and enough budget available, Home Circuit is an extraordinary and completely new racing game in

João Silva
4 hours ago
Featured Tech News, Monitors

Asus has added two new 4K monitors to its ProArt line of professional-grade displays. Both the 27-inch PA279CV and 32-inch PA329CV ProArt monitors are aimed at professionals who work with images and video, animators, developers, and designers, offering exceptional colours and sharp images in moderately sized screens.

These two monitors are equipped with IPS panels with a 4K resolution, 60Hz refresh rate, 5ms GTG response times, and wide viewing angles. Featuring a contrast ratio of 1000:1 and 350nits of typical brightness, these 10-bit panels cover 100% of the sRGB and 100% Rec. 709 colour gamut. This monitor is colour calibrated for △E < 2 with “Calman Verified”.

These monitors are advertised as having HDR10 support. Some of its highlighted features are the 6-axis colour adjustment for you to adjust your monitor’s colour, 12x ProArt colour presets for you to choose from, ProArt Palette to further adjust your monitor’s settings, flicker-free technology to reduce the user’s eye fatigue, and PbP and PiP to organise the layout of the content displayed.

These monitors have 2x built-in stereo speakers. For image displaying, there are 2x HDMI ports, a USB-C port, and a USB hub in each one. The included stand of both monitors allows you to tilt, swivel, pivot and adjust the monitors’ height.

Pricing and availability of the PA279CV and P329CV have not been shared yet but we’ll come back and update once those details arrive.

KitGuru says: Are you in need of a new professional-grade monitor? Would you choose the 27-inch PA279CV or the 32-inch PA329CV for yourself?

Become a Patron!

(Pocket-lint) – When we first plugged in the Sony XB43 it winked and flashed its lights at us. Hold up, isn’t this a speaker? Yes, but Sony’s Extra Bass range goes a step further in providing a disco-tastic array to go along with your tunes. Herein, we suspect, is the moment when many people stop reading and click that little ‘x’ to the top corner of the page.

If you’re still here, however, then we’ve got to say that – once you’ve figured out it’s possible to turn off the flashing multi-coloured lights (we’re boring, we know) – there’s a lot of good about the XB43. It’s got big and bold sound, is relatively portable, dust- and weather-sealed, and if you can get it for the right price it’ll give the competition more than a run for its money.

Design

Integrated lighting: Edge strips, woofer & tweeter illumination
Dimensions: 325 x 123 x 117mm / Weight: 2.95kgs
Wired ports: 3.5mm in, USB out, USB-C charging
Built-in battery (up to 24 hours per charge)
Party Connect other speakers*
Colour options: Blue, Black
IP67 water-resistant

If you’re keen on the whole lighting setup then there’s a series of them in the XB43: two edge strips wrap around towards the passive radiator openings at either end of the speaker, illuminating in multi colours; while four main white lights behind the fabric mesh are positioned over the two woofers and two tweeters. There are various light modes, which you’ll either see as a bit of fun or, well, entirely baffling.

1/5Pocket-lint

The lights obviously eat into battery life, though, so with them switched on Sony quotes a maximum of 14 hours battery life. We’re firmly in the camp of keeping them off, which will provide up to an additional 10 hours of battery life – giving a full 24 hours of listening. That’s a lot of life per charge.

USB-C recharging – the port is hidden behind the panel to the rear – makes it easy to plug in for top-ups. There’s also a full-size USB port if you want to plug your phone in to draw from the speaker’s battery, and a 3.5mm socket if you’d rather use a wired connection instead of Bluetooth.

The ports aren’t exposed to assure the speaker’s IP67 rating, meaning it’s fully dust sealed and water resistant – as in properly submersible down to a metre’s depth for up to half an hour, should it slip into your party pool by accident.

Pocket-lint

Party really is the theme here, with Sony’s Party Connect meaning you can connect up to 100 speakers in tandem. Well, you can *if they’re all up to date – so if you have an older XB product then don’t bank on it being able to pair, which is a bit of a potential sting.

Our review unit is finished in black, but there’s a blue model available too if you want some extra eye-catching goodness to go along with the light show.

Sound

2x passive radiators, 2x woofers, 2x tweeters
Frequency response: 20Hz – 20,000Hz
‘Live Sound’ 3D surround processing
Codec support: SBC, AAC, LDAC
Wireless: Bluetooth, NFC

A lot of speaker makers tout having a 360-degree or similar sound output as being the be-all of portable speaker design. Sony doesn’t actually go down this route, so the XB43 is relatively more directional in its sound delivery. It’s not as though you can hear nothing from obtuse angles, but for best quality you’ll need to be face-on.

Pocket-lint

When you are face-on to the XB43, however, it knocks out a big, bold sound. Never one to go shy on the party speaker sell, that’s for sure, it’ll pound out pop hits with gusto, those twin passive radiators vibrating all the while to ensure its Extra Bass name is affirmed.

Best Bluetooth speakers 2020: Top portable speakers to buy today

Sony claims bass down to 20Hz, which is so sub-bass that you wouldn’t really be able to hear it anyway. We’ve tested it and, while it does output at 20Hz, you’ll get more thwap from the 45-60Hz range – which is no surprise as a bass guitar won’t output sub 40Hz at its lowest note anyway. Short point being: there is bass in abundance.

The arrangement of two speakers adding ammunition to the passive radiators, paired with two tweeters, isn’t a hyper complex setup and, therefore, there can be the slightest of disconnect to the listening experience – it’s just not quite as fully cohesive as you can find elsewhere. It’s big, it’s loud, it’s wall of sound stuff – and that’s perfectly satisfying – it’s just not especially deft in its delivery.

Pocket-lint

There is also a ‘Live’ button on the speaker which adds sound processing to give a pseudo 3D surround. This can add more dynamism, as if it’s lifting the track and helping to segregate the elements, but sometimes the speaker’s ability to discerningly handle high-end audio can actually highlight lower-end content – some of our Spotify streams have made it highlight distorted artefacts to some degree, as the tweeters can be a little sharp.

If you have a higher quality source then Sony’s LDAC codec is on board, meaning it can handle 24-bit/96kHz streams over Bluetooth – which is really high quality (if you can get it).

Verdict

The Sony Extra Bass XB43 is a fun and unashamedly party speaker. If its built-in lights put you off initially then know that you can switch them off – and in doing so you’ll extend the battery life, which lasts for up to a very respectable 24 hours.

With lights either on or off, however, the XB43 busts out the audio with real intent, ensuring it delivers on that party promise through and through – helped along even more by being fully portable and fully weather-resistant too.

Writing by Mike Lowe.

Fear for Mac security: After a security researcher recently demonstrated how the T2 security chip in current Apple computers can be hacked and misused for various malicious purposes, a team of hackers is now following up with a real live exploit. In a YouTube video, the team shows t 8012 – “t 8012” is Apple’s internal Name for the T2 – how a Mac can be taken over via a manipulated USB-C cable.

Two exploits via a manipulated USB-C cable The jailbreak checkra1n is used, which is already known from the iPhone. The exploit runs entirely on a mini-computer in a USB-C cable in coordination with the T2. Entries on the computer are not necessary, the cable only has to be plugged in – in this case at the login screen. Finally, the hackers demonstrate how they are logged into the Mac as root. They named the exploit T2 Plug’NPwn.

In a second video, team t 8012 gets in even earlier: They show how they can remodel the Apple boot logo by manipulating the MacEFI via the T2 chip, which is quite impressive. Both exploits use a combination of security vulnerabilities that Apple cannot do anything about because they are hard-coded in the T2 chip – this is explicitly structured to prevent manipulation.

Criminals and “nation states”? Rick Mark from Team t 8012 told 9to5Mac with, he suspects that “nation states” (ie security authorities and secret services) are already using the technology to crack Macs. The consolation remains that, based on current knowledge, such hacks cannot be performed remotely – there must always be physical access to the machine. This means that only very specific attacks can be realized

Tesla has unveiled the restyling 2021 of its Model 3 with a number of new features. Now it can also be ordered in Italy via the online configurator

of Rosario Grasso published 08 October 2020 , at 08: 01 in the Technology channel

Tesla

Tesla will update the Model 3 with a restyling 2021 which includes a number of new features. Among these, the new central console, new wheels for both the Long Range and Performance , and the new heat pump. These are not just aesthetic changes, but a general improvement in the efficiency of the vehicle with greater autonomy for the various versions and slightly higher performance.

The double engine of the Long Range version obtains an increase in autonomy of approximately 20 kilometers, now touching the 580 kilometres. The other versions of the vehicle also achieved an increase in range: the Model 3 Standard Range Plus offers 430 Km of autonomy (before 409 Km), while for the Performance Tesla announces an improvement of 37 kilometers, arriving at 567 Km .

The new electro-actuated trunk arrives on Model 3 , opening with a touch on the relative physical button, but also via the internal touch-screen or the app. As expected, and as already happened for the Model Y , a satin black will take the place of the chrome and will be applied to the handles. The circles completely change: from 18 / 19 inch Sport for the first two versions and type Uberturbine from 20 inches for Model 3 Performance.

The most important aesthetic innovations concern the interiors , with the new steering wheel with metallic finish , which is now also heated, and the new central console, already mentioned. There are also two additional USB-C ports for high-speed charging of devices, and an additional USB-A port in the glove compartment.

All versions have slight performance improvements, in ‘order of tenths of a second as regards the acceleration from 0 to 100 Km / h: in particular, the Model 3 Performance will take 3.3 seconds to reach 100 Km / h .

There are also some minor changes, such as a graphite finish upholstery at the seat controls, and other interior changes, which will surely be revealed in detail when the vehicle is in circulation. Of these, the new heat pump is certain, which should improve the efficiency of the cooling system of the battery.

Regarding the prices , yes starts from 49.500 EUR for the Standard Range Plus, from 57.920 EUR for the Long Range and from 64.590 EUR for the Performance. Deliveries for the latter two, in restyling 2021, will start in November , while for the Standard Range Plus it will be necessary to wait until February 2021 .

The new Tesla Model 3 can be book via the online configurator.

(Pocket-lint) – There are plenty of trendy brands in the world of headphones – these days it’s Bose, Sony and Beats. But there are other widely respected brands too, such as Shure, which sure knows how to do sound.

The Shure Aonic 50 was launched alongside the Aonic true wireless earbuds, promising stunning audio quality, durable build and performance. Shure might not be a classically mass-market brand name, but among musicians and performers it’s often the first name on the lips of many.

Indeed, the Aonic 50 offers among the best sound you’ll find in headphones at this price point. Here’s why it’s a name to not overlook.

Design and build

Physical button controls
Well padded headband and earcups
3.5mm input and USB-C for wired connection

There’s nothing entirely special about the way the Shure Aonic 50 looks, or the materials it uses, but at the same time that’s what we love about the design and build. It’s all about practicality and everyday usability.

Pocket-lint

The earcups, as an example, are generously padded with a thick ring of foam inside a super soft outer layer of synthetic leather. That’s true of the headband arch too, which can be worn for hours on end without creating any soft/sensitive spots on the top of the scalp.

Despite its practicality, there’s something quite individual about the shape and design of the forks/arms that attach the cans to the headband. While not especially standout, it’s enough of a unique shape to make these distinguishable from the likes of Sony, Bose, Sennheiser and Beats.

Externally, there’s liberal use of plastic on each can. It feels sturdy and like it could take a knock or two, and the 90-degree rotation keeps them flat for storage. This rotation motion feels smooth and strong, it’s not loose at all – which helps with the Aonic 50’s overall feeling of sturdiness.

Best Bluetooth headphones 2020: Top on-ear or over-ear wireless headphones

Usually, when headphones are equipped with a clicky ratchet-like mechanism for adjusting the length of the headband, we complain. But in the case of Shure, some thought has gone into the way it looks and feels. The arms are metal, but while you get that click when you slide it up and down, it doesn’t feel rattly or cheap.

Pocket-lint

What’s really useful is that there are marker lines printed all the way up each arm so if you require there to be five lines to be showing for it to be adjusted to your head size, you know to adjust it to the exact same length each time you unfold them. What’s more, you can guarantee the left extension matches the right to make them symmetrical.

All the buttons and controls that you need live on the right can, around its bottom edge. There’s the usual cluster of three controls containing play/pause, volume up and volume down buttons. It’s easy to distinguish them thanks to a protruding little knob on the play button. To skip tracks you can either quickly double-press to skip forwards or triple press to skip back. There’s a Type-C port for charging too, plus on the left can you’ll find the 3.5mm input for audio.

Overall performance and battery

Bluetooth 5 (10 metre range)
Qualcomm aptX & aptX HD
20 hours playback

As far as wireless performance goes, the Shure Aonic 50 is as solid a pair of headphones as we’ve ever used. Regardless of whether you use an iPhone or an Android phone with Qualcomm’s aptX HD technology equipped for lag-free Hi-Res Audio, you’ll be well served by the Aonic.

Pocket-lint

Bluetooth 5 wireless with up to 10 metres of range also ensures you don’t even need to be in the same room as your music source. So if you’re listening to music in your home office, you can pop to the kitchen to make a coffee without having to take your phone with you. Just leave it on your desk, it’ll be fine.

To call the 20 hours battery life disappointing would be unfair. Quite frankly, for most people, being able to listen to four hours of music a day for a five-day workweek is more than enough, especially if you’re only using the headphones during a commute. Even if you’re on a long-haul flight across multiple timezones, these cans should more than get you through.

That said, there are longer-lasting headphones out there, for those who need a lot of battery between charges. You’ll likely get a few more hours with the Beats Studio 3 Wireless or the Master & Dynamic MW65. Bose’s excellent Noise Cancelling 700 Headphones are about on par.

Sound and noise-cancelling

Adjustable active noise-cancelling (ANC)
Environment mode for hearing ambient noise

While there’s so much to enjoy about the Aonic 50, it’s the sound quality that’ll keep you using them time after time. Paired with a phone, straight out of the box, the audio is well balanced. Bass isn’t on the heavy side, but you get enough of it to feel it, while there’s a lot of clarity and detail in the top-end.

Pocket-lint

As with any good pair of headphones, a test of how good they are is how well you can discern background subtleties in various tracks. With Shure, you get that in abundance. Some tracks might have a barely perceptible guitar plucking as part of the backing track that would often be hidden by the lead vocals, drums, bass and lead instruments. But with Shure’s Aonic 50, you can hear them as clear as a bell, without losing the feeling of the song.

For those who want to adjust the sound, there’s an app downloadable from the Play Store or iPhone’s App Store that lets you choose from a number of preset EQs, while also allowing you to create your own custom one.

This app also lets you see ANC and ambient sound levels. Although you can’t control these using the app, you have to use the physical switcher on the cans themselves. That switch lets you move between three modes: you can have max noise cancelling, normal noise-cancelling, or let in the environmental ambient noise from around you more clearly.

Pocket-lint

In max mode the noise-cancelling is strong. It does a good job of cutting out those consistent low drones of chatter and will reduce the rumbling of train/plane engines and motorway noise, without completely blocking everything out. Despite that, in max mode you will find it changes the sound of the music, making it a little too flat and harsh, so it’s worth keeping it in ‘normal mode’ for best audio enjoyment and with a decent level of external noise suppression.

Verdict

Sometimes a pair of headphones comes around that doesn’t necessarily scream at you about its latest market-leading technological advancements or snazzy minimalist design – and yet somehow still works its way into your heart.

That’s how we feel about the Shure Aonic 50. These over-ears are comfortable to wear for long periods, feel like they can take a knock or two, and sound superb. What more do you need?

Shure’s noise-cancelling cans might be expensive, but thanks to reliable day-in-day-out performance we think it’s one of the best-sounding pairs of headphones in this price bracket. Shure sure knows sound.

Also consider

Pocket-lint

Sennheiser PXC 550ii

squirrel_widget_172143

Sennheiser, like Shure, has bucket loads of experience in the world of music and audio equipment, and like Shure it focuses on practicality and sound quality. These over-ears sound great, but where they appeal a bit more is that the design if far more portable and foldable, plus they’re cheaper too.

Read our review

Pocket-lint

Sony WH-1000XM4

squirrel_widget_328997

Sony’s been knocking out stellar noise-cancelling headphones for a few years now, offering a stunning combination of high-end features and capabilities. The build quality isn’t quite as strong, but the noise-cancelling is superb.

Best USB-C headphones for Android phones 2020

Read our review

Writing by Cam Bunton. Editing by Mike Lowe.

Corsair K introduction and technical specifications 71 RGB PRO

It has been 9 years since the launch of the Corsair Vengeance K 71 and today is the day that the company presents its successor, the new Corsair K 71 RGB Pro, a keyboard that integrates the latest switches Cherry mechanicals, the Cherry Viola, on a brushed aluminum housing and comes equipped with an attractive independent key-to-key RGB lighting system.

In this review of the Corsair K 71 RGB PRO we will discover what this model offers us and how its Cherry switches behave Viola in tasks of all kinds, from office automation to games.

Technical characteristics of the Corsair K 71 RGB PRO

Brushed anodized aluminum top cover.

RGB lighting independent of 18, 8 million colors

Cherry VIOLA switches.

Actuation distance: 2 mm.
Total travel: 4 mm.
Strength:
- First 2 mm: 50 cN.
From 2 to 4mm: 78 cN.

Low profile ABS keys.

Two levels of incline.

N-Key Rollover and Anti-Ghosting.

Win key lock.

iCUE configuration and customization software.

FN key for brightness, color, multimedia, etc. functions

USB-A 3.0 cable of 1, 88 meters.

Sampling rate of 1124 Hz.

Weight of 0, 92 kg

Measures of 466 x 466 x 45 mm

Design and RGB lighting

Corsair has opted for a simplistic layout on this keyboard, the K 71 RGB PRO is based on a plastic structure on which an anodized aluminum sheet is placed and brushed in black. The edges of said plate are conveniently polished and there is no sharp edge that could be a problem.

The inclination can be adjusted in two levels thanks to two lower tabs.

The keyboard has a Spanish ISO QWERTY layout with the Ñ and full numeric keyboard, even so, its dimensions are quite contained, since they occupy little more than the structure of the keyboard itself, making it quite compact.

This is also helped by the lack of dedicated multimedia keys , since there is no additional key to the standard layout itself, something we can miss on more than one occasion. However, the K 60 RGB PRO does have multimedia functions integrated into the keys themselves, to access them it is necessary to press the FN key, which, unlike many keyboards, is on the right side instead of on the left.

By pressing this key it is possible to control the brightness of the lighting, configurable in nothing more and nothing less than 12 different levels, in addition to off, we can also increase or decrease the volume, multimedia functions stop / play, backward or forward, and by pressing the keys FN + 1-2-3-4 … etc, it is possible to directly apply different lighting effects without the need for the software.

RGB lighting at key ecla is one of the most striking features of the K 71 RGB PRO, not because it is a novel feature, which it is not, but because the Cherry Viola switches, which are semi-transparent and diffuse the light , Together with low-profile keycaps, they make the lighting much more striking by not being limited to a projection on the black aluminum.

Not that means that the keyboard is low profile, in fact, although there is a version with switches of that low profile, the K 71 Standard RGB PRO we reviewed has full-size switches, which gives it a rather curious look, beyond the lighting. It should be noted that does not include any hand rests or wrist rests as standard, a detail that should not be passed on a keyboard that costs 137 euros.

It also does not have a USB hub and the only existing connector is the one that comes out of the USB-A 3.0 cable to the PC

The lighting is independent for each key and can be configured between different modes and predetermined colors from the keyboard itself, or directly and in a much more customizable way, from the popular iCUE software.

Cherry Viola mechanisms

The Corsair K 71 RGB Pro integrates the new Cherry Viola switches, some models that do not belong to the high MX range, but are part of a new line that, as Cherry herself commented when announcing these switches, is aimed at mechanical keyboards with more affordable prices that could is tar below the 60 euros to give the finishing touch to membrane keyboards.

It seems that this is not true in the K 71 RGB Pro , now that its price, despite having these cheap and simplified switches, goes towards the 130, 100 euros. Anyway, let’s review what these Cherry Viola offer.

The most striking to external level is that, unlike conventional Cherry MX and most compatible switches, we have a structure that extends the interior cross with square edges that move in with all the mechanism to give it more stability. This structure is completely translucent and is integrated into the body of the switch, which is semi-transparent and blurs the interior RGB lighting.

At the level of mechanism, Cherry has simplified its internal workings by requiring fewer parts. For example, the Cherry MX mechanisms can have up to 7 pieces, while the Cherry Viola only uses 4, by dispensing with the upper housing and integrating it with the pulsation mechanism itself and simplifying the contact method, without the need to solder. .

The MX vertical contact system has been modified by a small V-shaped piece of metal that closes the circuit when descending from a certain depth. In this way it is a much simpler and cheaper mechanism to produce, but keeping some of the typical properties of MX switches.

Regarding its behavior, the Cherry MX Viola offers the following specifications

Cherry VIOLA switches.
- Actuation distance: 2 mm.
- Total travel: 4 mm.
- Strength:
  - First 2 mm: 50 cN.
- From 2 to 4mm: 78 cN.

It would be an alternative to Cherry MX Red, but with a fairly significant change in its behavior as we can see in this table:

CHERRY

4 mm

Force from 2 to 4 mm

78 cN

45 cN

		VIOLA
Total Travel
4 mm
Actuation distance	2 mm	2 mm
Force 0 to 2 mm	45 cN
50 cN

Both switches are linear, without intermediate clicks, they share a total travel 4 mm pulse, and send the pulse signal when traveling 2 mm.

The operating force is 50 cN, however, in the CHERRY Viola, once the 2 mm is exceeded, the force necessary to continue pressing up to 4 mm increases considerably until the 75 cN.

All these changes mean that, although its operation is far above a membrane keyboard, although it is not exactly as homogeneous as a Chery MX Red. At first it takes some getting used to to the increase in force necessary for its pulsation once we pass the actuation point, once we get used to it we can regulate the force in the fingers to avoid reaching the bottom and have a smoother experience.

As for noise, they are not as loud as a Cherry MX Red or Blue, although the mechanism, possibly the spring, when the key is released leaves a rather strange metallic vibration in the air:

MagSafe: how it’s made and how it works

Design & Connectivity

Display & Stylus

Performance & Battery Life

X-T4 vs X-T3: What’s new?

How does the X-T4 perform?

What’s the X-T4’s image quality like?

The X-T4’s new video capabilities

Also consider

Fujifilm X-T3

Panasonic Lumix S5

Design

Sound

Also consider

Sonos Move

Amazon Echo Plus

Check Also

AMD Ryzen 9 5950X running on iMac Pro overclocked to 6.0GHz spotted on Geekbench

Design

Sound

Design and build

Overall performance and battery

Sound and noise-cancelling

Also consider

Sennheiser PXC 550ii

Sony WH-1000XM4

Corsair K introduction and technical specifications 71 RGB PRO

Technical characteristics of the Corsair K 71 RGB PRO

Design and RGB lighting

Cherry Viola mechanisms