(Pocket-lint) – Apple has revealed its new iMac – available in a single 24-inch size, it brings Apple’s own M1 processors to the iMac lineup as well as a new, thin-bezel design and seven colour finishes.
Here we’re pitching it alongside the 2020 27-inch model featuring Intel processors. We’re expecting this version to be replaced by a new-style, Apple M1-powered model in due course, perhaps with a 32-inch size – certainly, it’s set to be bigger than the 27-inch size we believe. That model will probably have an upgraded Apple Silicon processor, maybe the M2.
The old 2019 21.5-inch iMac model seems to still be available, but we suspect Apple will just be selling off old stock.
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Design
2020 iMac: Familiar aluminium design with a black display surround
2021 iMac: New thinner design, seven different colour finishes
The iMac 2021 takes the iMac design up a level. It’s still very recognisable as an iMac and has the same ‘strip’ under the display, but is significantly thinner, without the bulge around the stand. There are also much thinner bezels with a white surround instead of black.
Crucially the 2021 iMac is now available in seven different colour finishes, however, not all are available to all buyers. There are two different models with very small differences. Primarily this is in the graphics, which we’ll come onto shortly, and two additional USB-C ports on the higher-end model. But whereas the ‘two ports’ model is available in four finishes, the more expensive ‘four ports’ model is available in all seven.
The 2019/2020 iMac retains the familiar aluminium design with a black display surround.
Apple
Displays
2020 iMac: 5K 27-inch display
2021 iMac: 24-inch 4.5K display
The older 2020 iMac features a 5K 27-inch display which has been in use for several years – as we’ve said above we expect it to be replaced by a larger model at some point soon, perhaps 32-inches. The new 2021 iMac introduces a 24-inch 4.5K display with smaller bezels than the 27-inch.
The 2019 21.5-inch iMac still appears to be available, though expect it to go end-of-life soon.
Apple
Processor and graphics
2020 iMac: Various Core i5/i7 options topped out by 3.6Ghz 10-core Core i9-10900K, AMD Radeon Pro graphics
2021 iMac: 8-core Apple M1 processor with 7 or 8 core graphics
The 2020 iMac is available with Intel’s 10th Generation Core i processors (Comet Lake) in 6- and 8-core variants of the Core i5 and i7. You can also upgrade to the range-topping 3.6Ghz 10-core Core i9-10900K that’ll Turbo Boost to 5GHz. We had this in our review model and as you’d expect, it absolutely flies.
For the 2021 iMac, both two-port and four-port models have an 8-core Apple M1 processor under the hood. The graphics are where things differ slightly, with 7 or 8 core graphics respectively. The graphics options on the 2020 Intel iMac are varied, with several AMD Radeon Pro options, maxxing out at the AMD Radeon Pro 5700 XT with 16GB of GDDR6 memory.
Storage and peripherals
2020 iMac: dual USB-C/Thunderbolt 3, four USB-A ports and an SD card slot
2021 iMac: Dual Thunderbolt/USB 4 ports, extra pair of USB-C ports on four-port model
All iMacs come with a Magic Keyboard and Magic Mouse, 2021 iMac available with Touch ID version of Magic Keyboard
The two-port 2021 iMac gives you dual Thunderbolt/USB 4 ports, while the four-port version gives you two additional USB-C ports.
There are stacks of storage options on the 2020 Intel iMacs and you can specify up to a huge 8TB of storage, On the 2021 M1 iMacs though, things are a little more limited – we know the M1 chip is currently limited to 2TB of storage, and you can specify this on the four-port version. On the two-port version you can only get up to 1TB of storage.
The 2020 Intel iMac has two dual USB-C/Thunderbolt 3, four USB-A ports and an SD card slot. So the USB-A and SD slots are gone on the 2021 version. The headphone jack moves from the rear on the 2020 model to the side on the 2021 iMac and the Ethernet port moves to the power brick (yes really), as part of the magnetically attached power cable.
All iMacs come with a Magic Keyboard and Magic Mouse, but the high-end four-port 2021 iMac has a special Magic Keyboard with Touch ID. You can also upgrade the standard Magic Keyboard on the two-port version to the Touch ID model.
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Verdict
The 2021 24-inch iMac is a clear step forward, but while it clearly supercedes the 2019 21.5-inch iMac, it’s not a complete replacement for the 2020 27-inch model. That’s because of the storage, processor and graphics options available on that model – and the power of the high end Core i7 and Core i9 options.
We expect there to be a new larger iMac this year to replace the 27-inch model as well, probably with a new M2 processor.
Apple is continuing its move from Intel to Arm on the desktop, putting its M1 processor new line of iMacs and in the iPad Pro. Both were announced at Apple’s “Spring Loaded” virtual event, and are the first time each of those product lines is using the new chip. Previously, the iPad Pro used Apple’s custom A-series chips, while the iMac used Intel processors.
iMac
The new iMacs come in seven colors: blue, green, pink, silver, yellow, orange and purple, and are somewhat reminiscent of the iMac G3. They are built from the ground up for the new chips, unlike the 13-inch MacBook Pro, MacBook Air and Mac Mini, which used existing chassis. The new iMac has a redesign with a much-smaller logic board with two tiny fans. Apple says these small fans will keep the computer under 10 decibels, which the human ear shouldn’t be able to hear. It’s just 11.5 millimeters thin. Apple says the iMac is 85% faster than the previous 21-inch model, which used Intel chips. It also says graphics are up to 2x faster than previous models. In Final Cut, Apple is claiming up to four streams of footage in 1080p, or one in 4K. The company took time to focus on iOS apps working on macOS, as well as the broad range of compatible apps that have come to M1 since it launched last year. The new display is 24-inches diagonally and has narrow bezels, with a 4480 x 2520 resolution and 500 nits of brightness. It also uses TrueTone, like the laptops, to change color temperature based on your surroundings.
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The camera, microphones and speakers are also getting upgraded. The camera is a 1080p FaceTime sensor, higher than the 720p we see in the MacBook laptops. The microphones use beam forming to focus on your voice and avoid background noise. This should all help out in work-from-home situations.
The speakers have increased amounts of power, with increased bass response. The full system is six speakers, including tweeters and woofers. With Dolby Atmos, it supports surround sound.
(Image credit: Apple)
The M1 iMac has 4 USB-C ports, including 2 Thunderbolt ports, with support for a 6K display. There’s a new magnetic power connector, with a woven cable, that connects to the power adapter. If you want wired connectivity, Ethernet connects to the power adapter and is routed to the system.
The keyboard has new emoji, spotlight, and do not disturb keys. A separate model will have Touch ID on the desktop for the first time. The Magic Mouse and Magic Trackpad will also have new color-matched aluminum.
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The new iMac starts at $1,299 and will be available to order on April 30, shipping in May. At that price you get an 8-core CPU, 7-core GPU, 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD, as well as two Thunderbolt ports. At $1,499, that bumps up to an 8-core GPU and also adds two USB 3 Type-C ports.
iPad Pro
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iPadOS will take advantage of M1 as well, being the first non-macOS device to use the new design. Apple said it will offer a 50% jump over the previous iPad Pro. The GPU will be a 40% increase over the last model.
This replaces the A-series chips that Apple previously used in the iPad Pro (and currently uses in the iPhone and other iPads).
Additionally, Apple is touting storage access that is twice as fast as its predecessor, as well as a new 2TB configuration. Notably, the new iPads will have the same 8GB and 16GB RAM options as other M1 devices.
The USB-C port has been upgraded to Thunderbolt with USB 4 support, with four times more bandwidth over the the USB-C port on the previous iPad Pro. It supports more displays and storage as well.
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Apple has also added 5G to iPad Pro, making this the first M1 device to feature the technology, and it will support millimeter wave in the United States.
There’s a TrueDepth camera in the front, and the iPad Pro has a LiDAR camera on the back for AR applications. The TrueDepth shooter has a 12MP ultra wide camera, which can keep people in view from a distance on video calls, using machine learning to move the frame.
Apple is changing up the display technology, too. It’s moving the 12.9-inch iPad to the same tech as the Pro Display XDR. It’s called Liquid Retina XDR, with 1,000 nits of brightness and 1,600 nits at its peak. It also has the same 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio.
The 12.9 inch iPad Pro will use a mini-LED display, and the screen is comprised of 10,000 of them. This is Apple’s first time using the technology, which is also rumored to move into MacBooks later in the year. It will also support HDR formats like Dolby Vision and HDR 10. The 11-inch iPad Pro is sticking with an LED “liquid retina” screen.
The 11-inch iPad Pro will start at $799. The 12.9-inch model with the XDR display starts at $1,099. Orders open April 30, with shipments starting in the second half of May.
Apple has unveiled its latest iPad Pro. As predicted, the 12.9-inch version of the top-end tablet boasts a cutting-edge Liquid Retina XDR (Mini LED) display. That’s good news for filmmakers who want to create and edit Dolby Vision HDR video. There’s also Apple’s new M1 processor, which Cupertino claims will deliver a “50%” jump in performance compared to the previous iPad Pro. The new 11in iPad Pro, by contrast, has to make do with a normal Liquid Retina display.
The speed bump should help power the 12.9-inch slate’s Liquid Retina XDR screen, which features 10,000 Mini LEDs for a peak brightness of 1600nits and a contrast ratio of 1,000,000:1. Apple says it’s the very same XDR tech featured in the firm’s pricey Pro Display XDR monitors. Nice.
There’s also a new 12MP ultra-wide TrueDepth camera with a 120-degree field of view. The camera uses machine learning for something called ‘Centre Stage’, which follows your position around the room, keeping you centered, and automatically zooming out when others enter the scene.
Talking of which, Apple’s LiDAR camera now supports Smart HDR thanks to that beefy M1 processor. That should make it easier to create Hollywood-style green screen special effects complete with realistic shadowing.
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Design-wise the iPad Pro 2021 looks an awful lot like its predecessor, complete with a “100 percent recycled” flat-sided aluminium enclosure. Four speakers and Apple’s “best-ever” studio quality mic array should ensure you can make yourself heard in noisy environments.
As expected, the iPad Pro 2021 is the first iPad to support 5G. The high-speed connectivity could come in handy for those who work remotely. Apple has also blessed its high-end tablet with support for Thunderbolt and USB-C with USB4. Last but not least, the 12.9-inch model is available with a whopping 2TBs of storage – enough space to stash around 220 hours of 4K HDR video content.
So, when you can buy this “giant leap forward”? Both iPad Pros will be available to preorder from 30th April, and begin shipping from the second half of May.
The 11-inch iPad Pro 2021 costs from £749 ($799, AU$1199) for the Wi-Fi model and £899 for the Wi-Fi + Cellular model. The12.9-inch iPad Pro starts at £999 ($1099, AU$1649) for the Wi-Fi model and £1499 for the Wi-Fi + Cellular model.
Tuesday’s grand unveiling also saw Apple take the wraps off the Apple TV 4K 2021, Apple Podcast Subscriptions, a new iPhone 12 in purple and AirTags, a location tracker that clips to your rucksack.
MORE:
New Apple TV 4K uses iPhone sensors to boost picture quality
Apple has unveiled its latest iPad Pro. As predicted, the 12.9-inch version of the top-end tablet boasts a cutting-edge Liquid Retina XDR (Mini LED) display. That’s good news for filmmakers who want to create and edit Dolby Vision HDR video. There’s also Apple’s new M1 processor, which Cupertino claims will deliver a “50%” jump in performance compared to the previous iPad Pro. The new 11in iPad Pro, by contrast, has to make do with a normal Liquid Retina display.
The speed bump should help power the 12.9-inch slate’s Liquid Retina XDR screen, which features 10,000 Mini LEDs for a peak brightness of 1600nits and a contrast ratio of 1,000,000:1. Apple says it’s the very same XDR tech featured in the firm’s pricey Pro Display XDR monitors. Nice.
There’s also a new 12MP ultra-wide TrueDepth camera with a 120-degree field of view. The camera uses machine learning for something called ‘Centre Stage’, which follows your position around the room, keeping you centered, and automatically zooming out when others enter the scene.
Talking of which, Apple’s LiDAR camera now supports Smart HDR thanks to that beefy M1 processor. That should make it easier to create Hollywood-style green screen special effects complete with realistic shadowing.
(Image credit: Apple)
Design-wise the iPad Pro 2021 looks an awful lot like its predecessor, complete with a “100 percent recycled” flat-sided aluminium enclosure. Four speakers and Apple’s “best-ever” studio quality mic array should ensure you can make yourself heard in noisy environments.
As expected, the iPad Pro 2021 is the first iPad to support 5G. The high-speed connectivity could come in handy for those who work remotely. Apple has also blessed its high-end tablet with support for Thunderbolt and USB-C with USB4. Last but not least, the 12.9-inch model is available with a whopping 2TBs of storage – enough space to stash around 220 hours of 4K HDR video content.
So, when you can buy this “giant leap forward”? Both iPad Pros will be available to preorder from 30th April, and begin shipping from the second half of May.
The 11-inch iPad Pro 2021 costs from £749 ($799, AU$1199) for the Wi-Fi model and £899 for the Wi-Fi + Cellular model. The12.9-inch iPad Pro starts at £999 ($1099, AU$1649) for the Wi-Fi model and £1499 for the Wi-Fi + Cellular model.
Tuesday’s grand unveiling also saw Apple take the wraps off the Apple TV 4K 2021, Apple Podcast Subscriptions, a new iPhone 12 in purple and AirTags, a location tracker that clips to your rucksack.
MORE:
New Apple TV 4K uses iPhone sensors to boost picture quality
Apple introduced a redesigned iMac today with a slimmer display, an Apple Silicon chip, and a case with bright, bold colors that throws back to the classic colorful all-in-one iMacs. Apple said the new iMac was designed from the ground up for the M1 chip.
The new iMac has a 24-inch, 4.5K display with narrower borders around the top and sides. It still has a large chin on the bottom, but the rear of the display is now flat instead of curved — Apple says the volume has been reduced by over 50 percent. The screen also has Apple’s True Tone tech for automatically adjusting the color temperature.
Apple is also promising a much-needed update to the iMac’s camera and mics so that you’ll look better on video calls. It now has a 1080p resolution and a larger sensor.
The new iMac is 11.5mm thin, but Apple says it should stay quieter and cooler than the previous model thanks to the M1 chip. The new model has “two small fans” replacing the “bulky thermal system” of the previous-generation iMac, the company says.
There’s also a new magnetic power cable — it sounds a lot like the old MagSafe cable — that attaches to the back. Ethernet can be connected to the power brick and delivered through the same cable. The entry-level model will come with two USB-C / Thunderbolt ports on the back, and a higher-end model will add an additional two USB-C ports (without Thunderbolt support). Incredibly, there is still a headphone jack.
Alongside the new iMac, Apple is also introducing a keyboard, mouse, and trackpad in colors to match. The keyboard has a Touch ID button for logging in.
The new iMac starts at $1,299, though some of the colors are reserved for the higher-end $1,499 model. It’ll be available in the second half of May, with orders starting April 30th. There are seven color options total. The base model comes with 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD; it can be upgraded to include up to 16GB of RAM and 2TB of storage.
This is the first iMac to switch to Apple Silicon, the chips that Apple has been designing in-house. The company first added an Apple Silicon chip to the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and Mac Mini in November. Apple plans to eventually roll out these Arm-based chips to its entire Mac line. While the transition means that macOS software needs to be updated to support the new chips, so far the trade-offs have been worth it. The first generation of M1 Macs have been extremely well received, with the new chips offering improved power and battery life.
If you aren’t sure whether a TV or computer monitor will suit your needs better, why not get a display that’s a little of both? Samsung’s 32-inch 1080p Smart Monitor M5 looks like a monitor with its small bezels and stand, but it has access to TV streaming apps, including Netflix, YouTube, Apple TV, and more without the need for extra hardware. The reason I’m sharing this info today is because it’s $50 off at Amazon, down to $230 (via 9to5Toys).
You can find a larger 4K TV for this price, but the M5 has a few other features up its sleeve that might appeal to you. It can be mounted to your wall or a monitor arm, its remote supports Google Assistant and Alexa, and it’s even AirPlay 2-compatible. This model has two HDMI ports, two USB-A 2.0 ports, and built-in speakers. You can read more about it in our previous coverage.
Samsung Monitor M5 (32-inch)
$230
$280
18% off
Prices taken at time of publishing.
Samsung’s Smart Monitor M5 has a 1080p screen and the ability to natively access TV and movie streaming services like YouTube, Netflix, and Apple TV. It also supports AirPlay 2.
$230
at Amazon
Razer’s Viper Ultimate wireless gaming mouse that includes an RGB-filled charging dock is back down to its lowest price on Amazon and Best Buy. Normally $150, it’s $100. This model is worthy of consideration if you’re looking for a comfortable gaming mouse that’s not too big, and one that has a true ambidextrous design. Both sides of the Viper Ultimate have thumb buttons, making it suitable for left- or right-handed gamers. Amazon currently offers the black, white, and pink models for this price.
Razer Viper Ultimate
$100
$150
34% off
Prices taken at time of publishing.
Razer’s true ambidextrous wireless gaming mouse, the Viper Ultimate, includes a charging dock. This model has a 20,000 DPI optical sensor, and Razer claims it features 70-hour battery life.
$100
at Amazon
$100
at Best Buy
Amazon’s Eero 6 mesh Wi-Fi bundle that includes one Eero 6 router and an extender is $40 off. Normally $199, it costs $159 to add a significant boost in signal coverage to your home. The router has two Ethernet ports so you can wire it to your modem, as well as one other device or a switch, but the extender has no ports other than the USB-C port that powers it.
Gamers who have a PS4 or PS5 and are connected to the internet can snag a free copy of Horizon Zero Dawn: Complete Edition. Sony has been giving away some games during the last few months because of the pandemic, and it is likely to compete with Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass, which has been adding many new games for its subscribers recently. Either way, you don’t need a PS Plus membership to download it, so be sure to do that before May 14th.
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On paper, the Surface Laptop 4 is a Surface Laptop 3 with better chips.
In look and feel, very little has changed from the last generation. Sure, there are differences here and there: the Laptop 4 is ever-so-slightly thinner, and there’s a new “Ice Blue” color option. But you get the same 3:2 touchscreen, the same port selection, and the same design.
The big changes are on the inside. You can configure both the 13.5-inch and 15-inch Surface Laptop models with either Intel’s 11th-Gen processors or AMD’s Ryzen 4000 processors. Microsoft promised that these improvements would deliver significantly better performance and battery life than the previous Surface generation.
So this review will largely focus on the new system’s performance. But my priority wasn’t to compare the 15-inch Surface Laptop 4 that we received to its predecessor. For one, the Laptop 3 set a low performance bar — it had mediocre battery life, and couldn’t even play a 4K 60FPS video without stuttering, so even a competent budget laptop would blow that out of the water. But more importantly, there’s another company out there that recently made a huge chip upgrade to its flagship models, which has left most other 2020 chip upgrades in the dust: Apple, with its Arm-based M1. So my big question when looking at AMD’s new Ryzen 7 Surface Edition (also known as the AMD Ryzen 7 4980U Microsoft Surface Edition because of course it is) is: Does it beat Apple’s M1?
The answer is no. For the most part, it’s still not quite as good. But that may not matter to Surface Laptop 4 buyers — at least, not yet.
First, a quick tour of the Ryzen 7 Surface Edition. This chip isn’t AMD’s top gun; it’s part of the Ryzen 4000 generation, and the Ryzen 5000 mobile series has been out for a few months now. It’s a bit disappointing to see that the Surface is still using the older Ryzen chips, since much of the new generation is based on a new architecture (Zen 3, to the 4000 series’s Zen 2) that has delivered performance gains.
Of course, that doesn’t make the Ryzen 7 4980U a bad chip. Ryzen 4000 chips outperform Intel’s 10th Gen Comet Lake processors across the board. The 4980U in particular has eight cores, and AMD’s excellent Radeon integrated graphics. Note that the M1 also has eight cores, but those cores aren’t created equal. An easy way to think of it is that AMD’s chip has eight all-around-pretty-good cores, while Apple’s chip has four high-performance cores and four weaker cores. You’ll see that difference reflected in our benchmark results later on.
In addition to that processor, the 15-inch Surface Laptop 4 I reviewed comes with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. It costs $1,699. The most comparable M1 MacBook Pro is also $1,699. If you’re not looking to spend that much, you can get the 15-inch Laptop 4 for as low as $1,299 for 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, which puts it neck-in-neck with the entry-level MacBook Pro, but with a bigger screen. The 13.5-inch Laptop 4 is priced more closely to the fanless MacBook Air, starting at $999 for a Ryzen 5 4680U, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage. Then, there are the Intel models. You can get a 13.5-inch system with a Core i5 starting at $1,299 (also with 8GB of RAM and 512GB of storage), and a 15-inch system with a Core i7 starting at $1,799 (16GB of RAM, 512GB of storage). It’s all quite confusing, so I recommend visiting Microsoft’s site for yourself to mix and match.
The 13.5-inch model comes in Platinum, Ice Blue Alcantara, Matte Black, and Sandstone. The 15-incher comes in Platinum and Matte Black.
To see how our test system stacks up, I ran various synthetic benchmarks as well as a 5-minute, 33-second 4K video export in Premiere Pro. See the results below:
Surface Laptop 4 15-inch benchmarks
Benchmark
Score
Benchmark
Score
Cinebench R23 Multi
8144
Cinebench R23 Single
1242
Cinebench R23 Multi looped for 30 minutes
8077
Geekbench 5 CPU Multi
7028
Geekbench 5 CPU Single
1163
Geekbench 5 OpenCL / Compute
14393
PugetBench for Premiere Pro
176
Right off the bat, this system is a huge improvement over the Surface Laptop 3. It took 16 minutes and 33 seconds on the video export, where its predecessor took over three hours. (16:33 is a slower time than we’ve seen from many Intel models, but that’s expected since AMD chips don’t support Intel’s Quick Sync.) The Laptop 4 also beats multi-core synthetic results we’ve seen from Intel’s top Tiger Lake chips in the MSI Prestige 14 Evo and the Vaio Z, as well as the 16-inch Intel-based MacBook Pro,
Intel models max out at a quad-core Core i7-1185G7.
But the more interesting comparison is to the M1 machines. The Surface Laptop 4 solidly beats both the MacBook Pro and the MacBook Air on Cinebench R23 Multi, and that task alone — it lost to both machines on every other test we ran, including all three Geekbench tests, the Puget for Premiere Pro benchmark, and the Premiere Pro export. That may seem confusing but (again) it makes sense when you think about the architecture of both chips — the Ryzen chip does better on the task where it can show off all eight of its powerful cores. That indicates that you’ll do well with the Surface Book if you’re running heavy multicore workloads, where you’re more suited to the M1 if you’re primarily doing pretty much anything else.
Of course, that’s far from the whole story. The reality is that most people who want a 15-inch screen probably don’t care if there’s a better-performing 13-inch machine floating around. And the MacBook that’s comparable in size — the MacBook Pro 16 — is significantly more expensive than the Surface Laptop 4, and comes with older Intel chips. So why am I comparing this device to M1 systems, you may ask? Really, I’m benching this laptop against an imaginary 16-inch M1 MacBook Pro, which (rumor has it) will launch sometime in the third quarter of this year. Given the results I’m seeing here, the release of a machine like that would make the Surface Laptop 4 a tougher purchase to justify.
That said, there are two big advantages the Ryzen-powered Surface Laptop 4 could very well have over a 16-inch M1 MacBook. The first is battery life. I got an average of 10 hours and 52 minutes using this device as my primary driver, which is some of the best battery life I’ve ever seen from a 15-inch laptop, and one of the best results I’ve seen from a laptop this year. That beats both of the M1 MacBooks, and destroys the 16-inch Intel MacBook as well. If there’s an area where Microsoft really makes its case, it’s here.
The Laptop 4 also knocks cooling out of the park. The Laptop 4’s fans did a really excellent job cooling the system. Throughout my fairly standard load of office multitasking (including around a dozen Chrome tabs, Spotify streaming, and the like), the chassis remained downright cold. During the more intense tests I ran, the CPU remained steadily in the mid-70s (Celsius) with occasional spikes up to the mid-80s — jumps up to 90 were rare. I was able to run our 4K video export several times in a row without any negative impact on results, and I didn’t see a huge dip in Cinebench results over a 30-minute loop either.
The screen maxed out at 370 nits — a bit dim for outdoor use, as you can see here.
If you’re a fan of the 15-inch Surface Laptop’s design, you’ll be happy to know it hasn’t changed much. One of the big advantages of this device is how thin and light it is, at just 0.58 inches thick and 3.4 pounds. For context, it’s almost a pound lighter than the 16-inch MacBook Pro, and over half a pound lighter than the lightest Dell XPS 15. It’s actually only a bit heavier than the 13-inch MacBook Pro.
With that said, those who aren’t diehard Surface fans may find the Laptop 4’s design a tad dated. In particular, the bezels around the 3:2 screen are quite chunky. That makes sense on a convertible device like the Surface Book 3 or the Surface Pro 7, which you need to be able to hold as a tablet, but doesn’t fit as well on a clamshell. If you put the Laptop 4 next to any member of the XPS line, you’ll see how much sleeker and more modern the latter looks. That doesn’t mean the Laptop 4 is ugly; it’s just falling further behind other Windows laptops each year.
The port selection is also the same, which is good news and bad news. The Laptop 4 retains a USB-A port, which I stubbornly believe is still a necessity for modern laptops (looking at you, Apple and Dell). But there is just one, and neither the Intel or AMD model supports Thunderbolt on their lone USB-C ports, which is disappointing on a laptop at this price. The Surface Laptop could certainly do with more port options, even if it’s competitive with what Apple and Dell are offering in terms of numbers. (In addition to the USB-A and USB-C, you get a headphone jack and Microsoft’s proprietary charging port.)
The Windows Hello webcam is fine, delivering a serviceable picture, and the dual far-field microphones had no trouble picking up my voice. The speakers, which now support Dolby Atmos 9, sound quite clear, with good volume and bass and percussion that are audible (though not booming). Despite having Atmos speakers, our Laptop 4 unit didn’t come preloaded with Dolby Atmos software or anything similar to tune the audio.
All 15-inch models have an aluminum body.
My least favorite part of this laptop is the keyboard. It’s just a bit flat and mushy for my taste. I respect that some people prefer wider, flatter keycaps, of course. But I would take an XPS 15, MacBook, or Surface Book keyboard over this one — it’s just not quite as snappy or satisfying.
Overall, it’s tough to identify a true competitor to the 15-inch Surface Laptop 4. Put it next to a Windows workstation like the $1,200 entry-level Dell XPS 15 and the Surface wins on power, battery life, and weight. It’s a good purchase for someone who wants an excellent combination of efficiency and multicore performance in a 15-inch chassis, but doesn’t need the grunt of a discrete GPU.
The keyboard is backlit and has 1.3 mm of travel.
But that window of opportunity may be closing, because there’s very likely a larger M1 MacBook Pro on the way. I think there’s a good argument that people in the group described above (who don’t need a device right this second) should sit back and wait to see what Apple does in the next few months before committing to Microsoft’s machine, provided they don’t have a hard preference for operating systems.
On the other hand, even if the larger MacBook Pro is spectacular, there are some advantages the Laptop 4 will certainly retain (it runs Windows, and it’s built like a Surface Laptop) and some it will probably retain (it’ll likely be lighter than the MacBook Pro 16). And, of course, plenty of people need a laptop right now. In today’s market, among today’s 15-inch laptops, the Surface Laptop 4 is a pretty damn good buy. Microsoft didn’t change much about the outside — but on the inside, it really pulled through.
The gaming audio company EPOS has debuted a new wired gaming headset called the H3. It’s not as exciting as its GTW 270 truly wireless earbuds for gaming, and depending on your needs, its short list of features might not be worth its $119 price. But a few things stick out in the H3’s favor after spending a few days with it.
EPOS has a knack for using a rotating dial for volume controls on its headsets, and if you read my review of Microsoft’s excellent Xbox Wireless Headset, you know I’m all about dials. On the outside of the H3’s right earcup, there’s a dial controlling the volume that’s easy to adjust with two fingers. Opposite that, on the left earcup, there’s an articulating boom microphone that can be muted when it’s in the up position. Any time it’s lowered, the mic will be on, unless you mute it on your device.
I also like that these have broad compatibility with consoles, mobile devices, and PC — not that they’re the first to do this. The H3 includes two swappable braided cables, one made for PC that extends from the headset and splits into a dedicated audio 3.5mm plug and a microphone plug (most desktops and some gaming laptops feature both of these ports). There’s also a cable that outputs to a single 3.5mm plug that can go into a phone, a controller, a PC, an Oculus Quest 2, or any other device you own with this kind of audio jack. I do wish that EPOS included a 3.5mm-to-USB-C adapter to broaden compatibility further for devices that lack a headphone jack.
On the right side of the H3, you’ll find this volume knob.EPOS
You don’t have to spend $119 on a wired gaming headset to get features like the ones I explained above, but the H3’s comfort and sound performance help to justify their price. The earcups fit snug around my head, but not too snug, and they have a wide range of motion (though they don’t swivel to lay flat on the chest.) The headband’s size adjustments snap into place and don’t move, even when I yank the headset off. The passive noise isolation of the ear cups is decent, partially because of the closed-back design, but its plush pads do a better-than-average job at keeping outside sounds out because the cups can be tilted to fit your head shape. I’m short on qualms about the build quality, though the earcups might not be as good a fit for people who have larger ears.
The H3 is a solid performer when it comes to gaming and listening to music. Its closed-back earcups provide a clear, balanced sound without an overwhelming amount of bass. Yet, the palpable bass line in “Book of Slim” by Gene Harris & The Three Sounds came through just fine. Switching over to games, I was happy with how games like Ratchet & Clank (2016) and Ghost of Tsushima sounded on the H3 while connected to a PS5 controller. The sound quality rivals many of the sub-$150 headsets I’ve tried in my gaming headset buying guide.
The mic is muted when it’s flipped up, as it is in the picture.EPOS
The microphone quality is also solid for the price, picking up all of the little details in my voice. It’s easy to tell my “p’s” from the “t’s” in voice recordings. It sounded crisp when connected to my PC, and within Google’s Recorder app while plugged into my Pixel 3 via a USB-C dongle. I got similarly good results plugged into my PS5 controller. Though, I wouldn’t suggest this headset over a dedicated microphone, if you’re planning on making any podcast appearances soon.
Other than the USB-C adapter that I wish was included, the other big omission from the H3 compared to other headsets in its price range is the lack of microphone monitoring. I love being able to hear my own voice, but I swear I’m not a narcissist. Monitoring is useful to hear someone yelling for you across the room when you’re distracted in a game.
If you aren’t totally sold on going wireless for your gaming headset because you don’t want another device to recharge, or some other reason, the H3 is a solid alternative. Its sound quality and comfort mostly make up for not having many features. That said, its price borders on what you’ll pay for one of several good wireless gaming headsets that have many more features.
Back in 2018, I reviewed the EIZO FlexScan EV2785, a 27-inch office monitor equipped with a high-quality 4K IPS panel and a nice set of productivity-oriented features. Judging by the model number, you’d expect the FlexScan EV2795 to be its direct successor, but this is a completely different beast in more ways than one.
While it shares some features with the EV2785, it’s still a productivity-oriented monitor with a 27-inch screen diagonal. The FlexScan EV2795 comes with a 2,560×1,440 (so-called “2K”) IPS panel, USB-C port, which transforms it into a capable docking station for modern USB-C laptops, an additional USB-C output for daisy-chaining, which is a great way to reduce cable clutter in dual-monitor setups, a three-port USB 3.1 hub, and various technologies aimed at reducing eye strain and lowering power consumption. It even has a built-in KVM switch together with an integrated Ethernet port, so it will happily connect to your work and home computers simultaneously with a single set of connected peripherals and switch between them seamlessly.
If you’re an avid gamer, the EIZO FlexScan EV2795 won’t interest you since it has no such aspirations. Even though it offers a reasonable 5 ms response time, it’s equipped with a 60 Hz panel and doesn’t use any kind of adaptive synchronization.
The FlexScan EV2795 is available in black (EV2795-BK) or white (EV2795-WT), with matching black or white cables.
Specifications
Eizo FlexScan EV2795
Screen Size
27″
Native Resolution
2,560×1,440 (16:9)
Panel Technology
IPS, 8-bit (10-bit LUT)
Refresh Rate
60 Hz
Brightness
350 nits
Contrast
1,000:1 (static)
Viewing Angles
178° (horizontal) / 178° (vertical)
Response Time
5 ms (GtG)
Adjustability
Tilt (-5° to 35°), height (176,6 mm), pivot (90°, both directions), swivel (344°)
Video Inputs
1x DisplayPort 1.3, 1x HDMI 1.4, 1x USB-C 3.1 Gen 1 (DisplayPort Alt Mode, 70 W Power Delivery)
Video Outputs
1x USB-C (daisy chain)
USB Upstream Ports
1x USB-C 3.1 Gen 1 (DisplayPort Alt Mode, 70 W Power Delivery), 1x USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-B
USB Downstream Ports
1x USB-C 3.1 Gen 1 (DisplayPort Alt Mode, 15 W Power Delivery), 3x USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-A
With a Ryzen 9 5900X and an RTX 3080, both liquid-cooled for quiet operation in a compact case, Corsair’s One a200 is easy to recommend–if you can afford it and find it in stock. Just know that your upgrade options are more limited than larger gaming rigs.
For
+ Top-end performance
+ Space-saving, quiet shell
+ Liquid-cooled GPU and CPU
Against
– Expensive
– Limited upgrade options
For a whole host of reasons, AMD’s
Ryzen 9 5900X
and Nvidia’s
RTX 3080
have been two of the hardest-to-find PC components since late last year. But Corsair has combined them both in a handy, compact, liquid-cooled bundle it calls the Corsair One a200.
The company’s vertically-oriented One desktop
debuted in 2018
and has since been regularly updated to accommodate current high-end components. This time around, the options include either AMD or Intel’s latest processors (the latter called the One i200), and Nvidia’s penultimate consumer GPU, the RTX 3080.
Not much has changed in terms of the system’s design, other than the addition of a USB Type-C port up front (where an HDMI port was on previous models). But with liquid cooling handling thermals for both the CPU and graphics in a still-impressively compact package, there’s really little reason to change what was already one of the
best gaming PCs
for those who want something small.
The only real concern is pricing. At $3,799 as tested (including 32GB of RAM, a 1TB SSD and a 2TB HDD), you’re definitely paying a premium for the compact design and slick, quiet cooling. But with the scarcity of these core components and the RTX 3080 regularly
selling for well over $2,000 on its own on eBay
, it’s tough to discern what constitutes ‘value’ in the gaming desktop world at the moment. You may be able to find a system with similar components for less, but it won’t likely be this small or slick.
Design of the Corsair One a200
Just like the
One i160
model we looked at in 2019, the Corsair One a200 is a quite compact (14.96 x 7.87 x 6.93 inches) tower of matte-black metal with RGB LED lines running down its front. To get some sense of how small this system is compared to more traditional gaming rigs, we called
Alienware’s Aurora R11
“fairly compact” when we reviewed it, and it’s 18.9 x 17 x 8.8 inches, taking up more than twice the desk space of Corsair’s One a200.
The 750-watt SFX power supply in the a200 is mounted at the bottom, pulling in air that’s expelled at the top with the help of a fan. And the heat from the CPU and GPU will mostly be expelled out either side, as both are liquid cooled, with radiators mounted against the side panels.
The primary external difference with the updated a200 over previous models is the replacement of an HDMI port that used to live up front next to the headphone/mic combo jack and pair of USB-A ports. It’s been replaced with a USB-C port. That makes for three front-facing USB ports, a surprising amount of front-panel connectivity for a system so compact. But there are only six more USB ports around back (more on that shortly).
Overall, while the design of the One a200 is pretty familiar at this point, it still looks and feels great, with all the external panels made out of metal. Just note that the matte finish does easily pick up finger smudges.
Front: 2x USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5 Gbps) Type-A, 1 USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps) Type-C ; Combination Mic/Headphone Jack; Rear: 4x USB USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5 Gbps) Type-A, 2x USB 3.2 Gen 2 (Type-A, Type-C), Ethernet, HD Audio, 3x DisplayPort, 1x HDMI
Video Output
(3) DisplayPort 1.4a (1) HDMI 2.1
Power Supply
750W Corsair SFX 80 Plus Platinum
Case
Corsair One Aluminum/Steel
Operating System
Windows 10 Home 64-Bit
Dimensions
14.96 x 7.87 x 6.937 inches (380 x 200 x 176 mm)
Price As Configured
$3,799
Ports and Upgradability of the Corsair One a200
Since the Corsair One a200 is built around a compact Mini-ITX motherboard (specifically the ASRock B550 Phantom Gaming-ITX/ax), you won’t quite get the same amount of ports that you would expect with a larger desktop. Since we already covered the three USB ports and audio jack up front, let’s take a look at the back.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Here you’ll find four USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5 Gbps) Type-A ports, plus two USB 3.2 Gen 2 (one Type-A and one Type-C). Also here is a 2.5 Gb Ethernet jack, three analog audio connections and connectors for the small antennae. The ASrock board also includes a pair of video connectors, but since you’ll want to use the ports on RTX 3080 instead, Corsair has blocked them off behind the I/O plate so most people wouldn’t even know they’re there.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
The video connections from the RTX 3080 graphics card live next to the Corsair SF750 power supply, and come in the form of three DisplayPort 1.4a ports and a single HDMI 2.1 connector.
As for internal upgradability, you can get at most of the parts if you’re comfortable dismantling expensive PC hardware. But you can’t add any RAM or storage without swapping out what’s already there (or at least without removing the whole motherboard, more on that soon). That said, the 32GB of Corsair Vengeance LPX DDR4-3200 RAM, 1TB PCIe 4.0 Force MP600 SSD and 2TB Seagate 2.5-inch hard drive that’s already here are a potent cadre of components. If you need more RAM and storage (as well as more CPU cores), there’s a $4,199 configuration we’ll detail later.
To get inside the Corsair One a200, you don’t need any tools, but you’ll want to be a bit careful. Press a button at the rear top of the case (you have to press it quite hard) and the top, which also houses a fan, will pop up. But before you go yanking it away in haste, note that it’s attached via a fan cable that you can disconnect after first fishing the plug out from a hole inside the case.
To access the rest of the system you’ll have to remove two screws from each side. But again, don’t be careless, as radiators are attached to both side panels via short tubes, so the sides are a bit like upside-down gull-wing doors. You can’t really remove them without disconnecting the cooling plates from the CPU and GPU.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
It’s fairly easy to remove the RAM, although the 32GB of Corsair Vengeance LPX DDR4-3200 occupies both of the slots. The 2TB Seagate 2.5-inch hard drive is also accessible from the left side, wedged under the PCIe riser cable that’s routed to the GPU on the other side.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
At least the 1TB Force MP600 SSD on this model is mounted on the front of the motherboard under a heatsink, rather than behind the board on the i160 version we looked at a couple years ago.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
You can open the right panel as well, though there’s not much to do here as the space is taken up by the GPU, a large radiator and a pair of fans mounted on the heatsink to move the RTX 3080’s heat through the radiator and out the vents on the side.
As with previous models, you should be able to replace the RTX 3080 with an air-cooled graphics card at some point, provided it has axial rather than blower-style cooling, and that it fits within the physical constraints of the chassis. But given that the RTX 3080 is the
best graphics card
you can buy, you may be ready for a whole new system by the time you start thinking about swapping out the graphics card here.
Aside from wishing there were more USB ports on the motherboard, I have no real complaints about the hardware here. If I were spending this much, I’d prefer a 2TB SSD, but at least the 1TB model Corsair has included is a PCIe 4.0 drive for the best speed possible. Technically the ASRock motherboard here has a second PCIe 3.0 M.2 slot, where you could install a second SSD. But it’s housed on the back of the motherboard, which would mean fairly major disassembly in cramped quarters, and remember that you’d have to disconnect the pump/cooling plate from the CPU before even attempting to do that.
Gaming Performance on the Corsair One a200
With AMD’s 12-core Ryzen 9 5900X and Nvidia’s RTX 3080 running the gaming show inside Corsair’s One a200 — and both of them liquid-cooled — we expected Corsair’s compact power tower to spit out impressive frame rates.
We pitted the a200 against
MSI’s Aegis RS 11th
, which also has an RX 3080 but an 8-core Intel Rocket Lake Core i7-11700K, and a couple other recent gaming rigs we’ve tested.
Alienware’s Aurora Ryzen Edition R10
sports a stepped down Ryzen 7 5800X and a
Radeon RX 6800XT
. And
HP’s Omen 30L
, which we looked at near the end of 2020, was outfitted with a last-generation Intel Core i9-10900K and an RTX 3080 to call its own.
While the Corsair One a200 didn’t walk away from the impressive competition, it was almost always in the lead in our gaming tests. And that’s all the more impressive given most of the systems it competes with are much larger.
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On the Shadow of the Tomb Raider benchmark (highest settings), the game ran at 147 fps at 1080p on the One a200, and 57 fps at 4K. The former ties it with the Aegis for first place here, and the latter beats both the Aegis and the Omen 30L, just slightly, giving Corsair’s system an uncontested win.
In Grand Theft Auto V (very high settings), the Corsair system basically repeated its previous performance, tying the MSI machine at 1080p and pulling one frame ahead of both the Omen and the MSI at 4K.
On the Far Cry New Dawn benchmark, the MSI Aegis pulled ahead at 1080p by 11 fps, but the One a200 still managed to tie the MSI and HP systems at 4K.
After trailing a bit in Far Cry at 1080p, the One a200 pulled ahead in Red Dead Redemption 2 (medium settings) at the same resolution, with its score of 117 fps beating everything else. And at 4K, the Corsair system’s 51 fps was again one frame ahead of both the MSI and Alienware systems.
Last up in Borderlands 3 (badass settings), the Corsair system stayed true to its impressive form. Its score of 137 fps at 1080 was a frame ahead of the MSI (and ahead of everything else). And at 4K, its score of 59 fps was only tied by the HP Omen.
Aside from the One a200’s gaming performance being impressive for its size, this is also one of the quietest high-end gaming rigs I’ve tested in a long time. Lots of heat shot out of the top of the tower while I played the Ancient Gods expansion of Doom Eternal, but fan noise was a constant low-end whirr. The large fan at the top does its job without doing much to make itself known, and the radiators on either side help move heat out of the case without adding to the impressively quiet noise floor.
We also subjected the Corsair One a200 to our Metro Exodus stress test gauntlet, in which we run the benchmark at the Extreme preset 15 times to simulate roughly half an hour of gaming. The Corsair tower ran the game at an average of 71.13 fps, with very little variation. The system started out the test at 71.37 fps on the first run, and dipped just to 71.05 fps on the final run. That’s a change of just a third of a frame per second throughout our stress test. It’s clear both in terms of consistent performance and low noise levels that the One a200’s cooling system is excelling at its job.
During the Metro Exodus runs, the CPU ran at an average clock speed of 4.2 GHz and an average temperature of 74.9 degrees Celsius (166.8 degrees Fahrenheit). The GPU’s average clock speed was 1.81 GHz, with an average temperature of 68.7 degrees Celsius (155.6 degrees Fahrenheit).
Productivity Performance
While the Ryzen 9 5900X isn’t quite as potentially speedy on paper as the top-end 5950X (thanks to a slightly lower top boost clock and four fewer cores), it’s still a very powerful 12-core CPU. And paired with Nvidia’s RTX 3080, along with 32GB of RAM and a fast PCIe 4.0 SSD, the Corsair One a200 is just as potent in productivity and workstation tasks as it is playing games.
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On Geekbench 5, an overall performance benchmark, the Corsair system was just behind the leading systems in the single-core tests, with its score of 1,652. But on the multi-core test, it’s 11,968 was well ahead of everything else.
The Corsair PCIe Gen 4 SSD in the a200 blew past competing systems, transferring our 25GB of files at a rate of 1.27 GBps, with only the HP Omen’s WD SSD also managing to get close to the 1GBps mark.
And on our Handbrake video editing test, the Corsair One a200 transcoded a 4K video to 1080p in an impressive 4 minutes and 44 seconds, while all the other systems took well more than 5 minutes to complete the same task. Video editors in particular will be able to make good use of this system’s 12 cores and 24 threads of CPU might.
Software and Warranty for the Corsair One a200
The Corsair One a200 ships with a two-year warranty (plus lifetime customer support) and very little pre-installed software. Aside from Windows 10 Home, you get the company’s iCue software, which can be used to control both the lights as well as the system fans. The company even seems to have avoided the usual bloat of streaming apps and casual games like Candy Crush, which ship with almost all Windows machines these days.
Configuration Options for the Corsair One a200
If you’re after the AMD-powered Corsair a200 specifically, you have two configuration options. There’s the model we tested (Corsair One a200 CS-90200212), with a 12-core Ryzen 9 5900X, 32GB of RAM, a 1TB PCIe Gen 4 SSD, 2TB hard drive, and an RTX 3080 for $3,799. Or you can pay $400 more ($4,199) to step up to the 16-core Ryzen 5950X and double the RAM and SSD to 64GB and 2TB respectively (Corsair One Pro a200 CS-9040010). The latter configuration is overkill for gaming, but the extra storage, RAM and four more CPU cores are well worth the extra money if you can actually make use of them.
For those who aren’t wedded to AMD, there’s also the Intel-based Corsair One i200, which now includes 11th Gen “Rocket Lake” CPU options, with up to a Core i9-11900K and an RTX 3080, albeit running on a last-gen Z490 platform. It starts a little lower at $3,599. But that model is currently out of stock with any current-generation Intel and Nvidia components, leaving exact pricing up in the air as of publicatioon.
We tried to do some comparison pricing, and were able to find a similarly equipped HP Omen 30L, as HP often sells gaming rigs on the more-affordable side of the spectrum. But when we wrote this, all Omen 30L systems with current-generation graphics cards were sold out on HP’s site. We were able to
find an Omen 30L on Amazon
with an RTX 3080 and an Intel Core i9-10850K, along with similar RAM and storage as our Corsair a200, for $3,459. That’s about $340 less than the a200, but the Omen 30L is also much larger than the a200 and has a now last-generation CPU with fewer cores, plus a slower SSD.
Bottom Line
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
With one of
the best CPUs
and graphics cards, both liquid cooled and quiet, in an attractive, compact package, Corsair’s One a200 offers a whole lot to like. The $3,799 asking price is certainly daunting, but in these times when that graphics card alone is selling on eBay regularly for more than $2,000, the Ryzen 9 5900X often sells for close to $800, and even most desktops with current-gen graphics cards are mostly sold out, it’s tough to which high-end gaming rig is more or less of a bargain than something else.
If you spend some time looking you can probably find a system with similar specs as the Corsair One a200 for a bit less. But unless and until the ongoing mining craze subsides, that system probably won’t cost substantially less than Corsair’s pricing. And with its impressively compact shell, quiet operation, and top-end performance in both gaming and productivity, the a200 is easy to recommend for those who can afford it. Just know that upgrading will be a bit more difficult and limiting than with a larger desktop, and if you need lots of USB ports, you may want to invest in a hub.
(Pocket-lint) – There aren’t a great many high-resolution gaming headsets out there, but the devices that do exist can make a real difference to your gaming experience. That extra audio range provides more immersion and also helps with things like hearing footsteps in competitive shooters.
The Asus ROG Delta S sports a high-resolution Quad DAC (digital-to-analogue converter) and MQA technology that promises “true to life” audio. So on paper it should be fantastic, but is it? We’ve been gaming and listening to find out.
Best PC gaming headsets: The best wired, wireless and surround sound headsets around
Lightweight comfortable design with RGB
Detachable microphone
Lightweight 300g frame
Braided 1.5m USB-C cable, 1m USB 2.0 adapter
ROG Hybrid ear cushions / protein leather cushions with fast-cool memory foam padding
The first thing that struck us about the Asus ROG Delta S upon wearing it for the first time was the comfort. This headset comes with a flexible headband and earcup design that extends nicely over the head and sits in a satisfying way over the ears. But more importantly, it sports D-shaped ergonomic ear cushions, with a choice of either a protein leather or ROG Hybrid finish backed by fast-cool memory foam padding.
Pocket-lint
Both these ear cushions are included in the box, giving you a choice of what to use – but they’re equally comfortable in our mind. The protein leather cushions do a better job of blocking out external noise though, which means you can focus on the sound.
The D-shaped cushions fit nicely over the ears and they’re both deep and wide enough to not put unnecessary pressure on your ears either. This, combined with the nicely padded headband and the lightweight over ear design, result in a headset that’s comfortable to wear all day for work and then into the evening for gaming.
Comfort and convenience go hand-in-hand with this headset. As standard it has a USB-C connection, which means you can use it with your Android phone or Nintendo Switch and still get great sound. Alternatively, there’s an adapter that converts it to USB-A with ease, meaning you can connect it to even more devices. The detachable mic also gives you the choice of whether you use the provided one or opt for something external.
Best microphones for video calling, podcasting and streaming
On the outside of the headset there’s a couple of RGB lighting zones on each earcup: a ring around the outer plate and the ROG logo. This lighting can be adjusted within the Armoury Crate software – there’s a few different effects including static, breathing, strobe, colour cycle and, of course, rainbow. The headset itself also has a hardware button to set it to three different modes – on, off or soundwave. Soundwave makes the lights respond to your voice when you’re talking, which might appeal to streamers.
Pocket-lint
One thing we were impressed with is the RGB lighting works even when plugged into a smartphone, which is a fairly unusual feature. So yes, you can have RGB on the go with this headset. If you really want to show off your passion for gaming when outside the house. But there’s the option to turn it off too if you don’t want to look like a mobile disco.
Satisfying high-resolution audio
50mm Neodymium magnet drivers
20Hz-40KHz frequency response
Hi-Res ESS 9281 Quad DAC
MQA rendering technology
24-bit, 96KHz sample rate
Virtual 7.1 surround sound
Custom audio profiles
The main selling point of the Asus ROG Delta S is the inclusion of the Hi-Res ESS 9281 Quad DAC and MQA rendering technology (which stands for ‘Master Quality Authenticated’). This tech means that with Tidal Masters recordings you can enjoy some seriously satisfying sound quality.
Pocket-lint
We thoroughly enjoyed listening to music this way on a Google Pixel 5. The audio is rich, warm, and has a superb range to it. If you’ve never heard hi-resolution audio before, you’ll soon notice new elements to your favourite tracks that you’ve never heard before.
Best USB-C headphones for Android phones 2021
By Dan Grabham
·
That same logic applies to gaming too. Plug the headset into a PC, set the 24-bit/96KHz sample rate in Windows sound settings, tweak the equaliser (EQ) in ROG Armoury Crate and get your game on.
Suddenly you’ll find a wider audio range than you’ve heard before. This is great as it often means you can pick up on important sounds more easily. The footsteps of enemies in games like Rainbow Six Siege or Warzone, for example, are much easier to hear and discern their direction from within the game world.
That said, we did feel like this headset oddly isn’t as bassy or as rich as other high-res headsets we’ve tried. Strangely, music is richer than when gaming. And though you can adjust the EQ settings and sound profiles within Armoury Crate, we just feel like it lacks some of the richness we’d expect at this price point.
That said, the virtual surround sound is good and combined with high-res audio it delivers great positional awareness. This headset is also insanely loud. So if you feel like you struggle to hear with other headsets then the ROG Delta S won’t disappoint.
AI-powered mic?
AI-noise cancellation
Unidirectional pick up pattern
100Hz to 10KHz frequency response
Noise gate, perfect voice, other settings in Armoury Crate
The Asus ROG Delta S has a flexbile, detachable unidirectional microphone included in the box. This mic offers AI-powered noise cancellation that’s designed to block out external noise and help keep your voice in focus.
We weren’t overly impressed with the mic on this headset, though, but it’s far from the worst we’ve tried.
You can adjust settings for noise gate, perfect voice and the AI noise-cancellation in the Armoury Crate software. But we found our voice was captured more clearly when we didn’t use those settings. This is going to depend on your environment of course, but the quality of the audio can certainly be tweaked in various ways with ease.
Verdict
The Asus ROG Delta S is a comfortable and easy-to-wear gaming headset that sounds fantastic when listening to high-res music on Tidal.
However, for our ears the audio lacks depth when gaming. It’s not as rich or as bassy as we’d like, but there are plenty of settings to play around with and tweak to your preference.
The included microphone is also not as good as, say, that included on the Corsair Virtuoso – so we’d highly recommend a proper mic as an alternative.
All told, the Asus ROG Delta S is a mixed bag. We love that it works with multiple different devices – a benefit of that USB-C/USB-A connection option – and for music it’s absolutely fantastic. But it’s just not quite as on point for gaming audio.
Also consider
Pocket-lint
Corsair Virtuoso RGB
squirrel_widget_167882
A fantastic alternative thanks to a superior microphone and more connection options with 3.5mm, wireless and USB-A. It’s not as comfortable as the ROG Delta S, but is more impressive in a number of ways and also delivers high-res audio that’s fantastic on PC.
Pocket-lint
Audeze Penrose
squirrel_widget_3762273
This is a wireless version of the company’s Mobius headset. It features massive 100mm Planar Magnetic drivers and a broadcast-quality microphone. It also works well on PC and PS5 and offers 2.4Ghz wireless, Bluetooth connectivity and 3.5mm options too.
There is so much to love about this board. Small in size, yet great in flexibility the QT Py RP2040 is a board that you need in your projects.
For
+ Small size
+ Stemma QT Port
+ USB-C
Against
– Lack of GPIO pins
Adafruit have so far released three RP2040 boards. We have already reviewed the Feather RP2040 and that board has become our go-to RP2040 board for many reasons. Adafruit’s second board, the ItstBitsy RP2040 is next on the bench for our review, but we couldn’t wait to get our hands on Adafruit’s smallest RP2040 board, the QT Py 2040.
We already own the previous version, based around a SAMD21 chip. Comparing the two side by side, we can’t see much difference as both have the same GPIO pinout and identical size and Stemma QT connector. The only physical differences are an extra button, and the change of chip.
The QT Py RP2040 adds an additional analog pin, bringing the total to four, and it features a built in NeoPixel RGB LED which is used as a status indicator and to alert us to issues in our code. But with a board this small some sacrifices had to be made, most notably the reduced number of GPIO pins. Is the reduction in size and GPIO pins worth paying over double ($9.95 vs $4) the price of a Raspberry Pi Pico?
Adafruit QT Py RP2040 Hardware Specifications
RP2040 SoC
ARM Cortex M0+ running at up to 133Mhz
SRAM
264kB
Flash Storage
8MB of QSPI
GPIO
13 GPIO pins. 7 x Digital I/O, 4 x Analog 12-bit ADC, 2 x I2C (including Stemma QT), SPI, UART, Programmable IO, 1 x NeoPixel
Left, Adafruit QT Py with SAMD21. Right Adafruit’s QT Py RP2040 (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
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Left, Adafruit QT Py with SAMD21. Right Adafruit’s QT Py RP2040 (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Adafruit’s QT Py RP2040 is much smaller than the Pico, roughly a third of the size. It has castellations that can be used to surface mount the board to a PCB, but just like Pimoroni’s Tiny 2040, the RP2040 SoC is located on the underside of the board, meaning that a cutout will need to be made to the PCB for flush mounting.
You may be thinking that the Adafruit QT Py RP2040 looks familiar, and you are correct. The QT Py RP2040 bears a passing resemblance to Tiny 2040. Both are very close in size, but their GPIO layout is much different. The QT Py RP2040 has the same GPIO pinout as the previous SAMD21 power QT Py, meaning that this can be a drop in upgrade for a project.
Two buttons are present on the topside of the QT Py RP2040, boot and reset. The addition of a reset button is a nice feature as it saves wear and tear on the USB C port. The strongest addition to the QT Py RP2040 is the Stemma QT connector located opposite the USB C port.
Stemma QT is Adafruit’s connector, introduced in 2018. In reality it is a 3 or 4-pin JST PH connector which has a keyed interface so that it can only be inserted one way. Typical Stemma QT devices are sensors / inputs that use the I2C protocol for communication. Inserting a Stemma QT component requires just the cable and nothing more. We do not have to use pull up resistors for the I2C SDA / SCL connections; everything just works. Stemma QT devices can be chained together to create elaborate, yet simple electronic projects. SparkFun’s Qwiic ecosystem of boards uses the same connector so many of those may also be compatible with the Adafruit QT Py RP2040.
Using the Adafruit QT Py RP2040
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
At the heart of the QT Py RP2040 is Raspberry Pi’s “Pi Silicon” RP2040 SoC and that means we can write code for the QT Py RP2040 in MicroPython, CircuitPython, C/C++ and soon via the new Arduino Core. But most of us will be writing code in CircuitPython, Adafruit’s own version of MicroPython which has support for an extensive library of add ons via a downloadable library of drivers.
Writing code in CircuitPython is much the same as Python, the only difference is that we save the project as code.py on the QT Py RP2040 and it will autostart when the board is powered up. We installed the latest version of CircuitPython and ran through a few common tasks. Blinking LEDs and using buttons as inputs were no challenge. We then connected a NeoPixel ring to the board and installed the neopixel.mpy library. In a few minutes of coding, we had a multi-color NeoPixel ring lighting up our bench.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
To test the Stemma QT connection, we used an MPR121 12 point-gator clip breakout which creates 12 capacitive touch inputs. We installed the required libraries and then wrote our code, but we then saw errors that prevented us from moving forwards. Not to be beaten, we connected the MPR121 to the I2C pins of the board, and everything worked.
After a brief conversation with Adafruit, we discovered that the Stemma QT connection is on a secondary port, requiring our code to be modified to use board.SDA1 and board.SCL1. With that change made, our code worked.
CircuitPython is quite simply the most effective way to work with the RP2040. We have the simplicity of Python along with a massive amount of support in the form of documentation and libraries of code for add ons.
Use Cases for the Adafruit QT Py RP2040
The size and capabilities of the QT Py RP2040 lean towards embedding the board in a project. If space is at a premium, but you need the power of the RP2040 then this is the board for you. We can also see the QT Py RP2040 powering many USB HID devices, such as stream decks, keyboard shortcuts and MIDI control.
Bottom Line
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
The power of the RP2040 in a smaller package and the added flexibility of the Stemma QT interface. There is nothing not to like here. If you don’t need the Stemma QT interface, then perhaps Pimoroni’s Tiny 2040 is for you. But Adafruit’s QT Py 2040 is a fantastic board for Pico projects. The only RP2040 board to beat it is Adafruit’s Feather RP2040 which is a larger board with more features and a price that’s $2 higher.
Oppo will launch two smartphones in India next week – the A54 on April 19 and the A74 5G a day later. Oppo confirmed that the A74 5G will be priced under INR20,000 ($270/€225) in the country but didn’t hint at the pricing of the A54. However, a new report claims the smartphone will start at INR13,490 ($180/€150) and have three memory options.
The base variant will have 4GB RAM and 64GB storage onboard, and for INR1,000 ($13/€11) more, you’ll get double storage. The third model, with 6GB RAM and 128GB storage, will cost INR15,990 ($215/€180).
The Oppo A54, announced last month, is powered by the Helio P35 SoC and runs the dated Android 10 with ColorOS 7.2 on top. It packs a 6.51″ HD+ LCD and has a 5,000 mAh battery under the hood that draws power through a USB-C port up to 18W.
The A54 also features a side-mounted fingerprint reader and comes with a total of four cameras on board – a 16MP selfie shooter inside the punch hole with the 13MP primary camera on the rear joined by 2MP depth and 2MP macro units.
In a now unavailable post, long-time leakster Evan Blass has published leaked renders of Oppo’s unreleased TWS earbuds. The Oppo Enco Buds succeed the Oppo Enco W11 and although they look identical in appearance and design, the new version will support the Bluetooth 5.2 standard.
First look at the OPPO Enco Buds: https://t.co/wC9FQ2dPfB pic.twitter.com/F7UFdeW1S2
— Evan Blass (@evleaks) April 16, 2021
The Enco Buds style is very similar to the Samsung Galaxy Buds+, even down to the charging case. The renders show the TWS earbuds in white with an LED charging notification at the front side of the case. The new Enco Buds are anticipated to hit retail markets by the end of this month.
For reference, the Enco W11 earbuds feature 20-hour battery life total with a 5-hour battery life per charge, IP55 dust and water resistance, touch controls, and silicone tips. It also uses a USB-C port to recharge and a complete charge takes about 2 hours. Though these specs don’t represent the new Enco Buds
Asus is no stranger to the gaming phone sector and the ROG line, in particular, has solidified itself as the forerunner in the segment. After the success of last year’s ROG Phone 3, Asus decided to take the series up to 5 with the ROG Phone 5. With our ROG Phone 5 written review in the books, we now bring your attention to our video breakdown with Will guiding you through his impressions of the latest gaming flagship from Asus.
The focus here is on the vanilla ROG Phone 5 instead of the more feature-packed ROG Phone 5 Pro or Ultimate. Despite being the most affordable of the bunch, the vanilla ROG Phone 5 does not disappoint in any area. You get a dual glass design with Gorilla Glass Victus covering the display and Gorilla Glass 3 on the back.
Asus has always tried to differentiate the backs of its ROG Phones and this year brings a DOT matrix LEDs which form the ROG logo. The sides are made from aluminum and the 238-grams heft makes the ROG Phone 5 a two-hand device.
Being a gaming phone, Asus has once again brought its custom pressure-sensitive shoulder triggers giving you an upper hand in supported gaming titles. You also get a second USB-C and accessories port on the side to charge and connect up additional gaming peripherals.
The 6.78-inch AMOLED display with adaptive 144Hz refresh rate and 1080p resolution is major selling point. Colors are vibrant and the panel is uninterrupted by cutouts as Asus tends to do. Touch latency has been improved thanks to the new 300Hz sampling rate. You also get an excellent pair of stereo speakers which achieved great loudness scores in our tests though not on the level of the outgoing ROG Phone 3.
Performance from the Snapdragon 888 is among the best we’ve seen to date thanks to Asus’ optimizations and advanced cooling system. Throttling has been kept to a minimum which is a major factor for prolonged gaming sessions.
The massive 6,000 mAh battery in the ROG Phone 5 delivered a respectable 110-hour endurance rating in our test, though we were expecting more. The bundled 65W charger was among the fastest we’ve tested managing a 0-70% top-up in just 30 minutes.
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