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Latest by Luke Larsen

Stock photo of Intel 9th gen core processor.

Intel’s newest 10th-gen chips bring blazing 5.3GHz speed, trail AMD in cores

Intel has announced the details on its latest 10th-gen mobile processors, known as Comet Lake-H. Do 5.3GHz boost clocks bring momentum back in favor of Intel?
ryzen 4000 mobile how amd put eight cores in laptops lenovo yoga  1

Eight cores in a 2-pound laptop? AMD’s Ryzen 4000 does the impossible

The new Ryzen 4000 series mobile processors aim to upend the current dichotomy in laptops, which is split between portable ultra-thins and larger machines.
panos panay

Microsoft’s Panos Panay teases Windows 10 overhaul with bold new Start Menu

Panos Panay recently posted a video celebrating the 1 billion devices milestone for Windows 10. The video previewed some interesting changes to Windows 10.
eu wants iphones replaceable batteries at what cost ifixit iphone battery 1

The EU wants iPhones with replaceable batteries, but do you?

The days of removable batteries in devices are long gone, despite what a new EU regulation claims. But was there ever a good reason for them to be locked down?
Macbook Air (2018) Review

Apple may ditch Intel for an Arm-based MacBook within the next 18 months

A prediction from Ming-Chi Kuo states that Apple has pushed forward its interest in a MacBook that runs on an Arm-based processor, rather than an Intel one.
Desk Envy

Desk Envy (YouTube)

Showcasing unique desk setups and the products that bring them together.
how to watch apple september 12 event 2017 tim cook

Despite Apple’s record-breaking revenues, the Mac continues to struggle

Apple has announced impressive quarterly earnings for the first quarter of 2020. Everything looks promising -- except for the Mac. The laptop and desktop category has remained stagnant, despite the critical praise for new products such as the 16-inch MacBook Pro and the new Mac Pro.
Microsoft Edge logo.

Microsoft’s new Chromium Edge launched today. Here’s how to download it

Microsoft officially launched its new web browser, Edge. The browser is now based on Google's open-source Chromium platform and can be downloaded and installed for free. It is available for Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 10, and for Mac. Here are the simple instructions on how to download it.
biggest laptop trends ces 2020 zephyrus g14

The best gaming laptops of CES 2020: Asus, Razer, and MSI

Gaming laptops often make a big splash at CES. This year, there were less than normal, but the few that were announced were important ones. From new machines that use AMD's new Ryzen 4000 processors to ultrafast 300Hz displays, these were the best gaming laptops we saw at CES 2020.
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The AMD Radeon 5600 XT seems poised to be the GTX 1060 of this generation

The GTX 1060 is still one of the most popular graphics cards in use, but it's beginning to show its age. This week at CES 2020, AMD launched the new RX 5600 XT to take its place. Can AMD's new midrange card take on the GTX 1660 Ti and become the go-to option for most PC gamers?
biggest laptop trends ces 2020 dell duet 01

The biggest laptop trends of CES 2020: Dual screens, 5G, and more

At CES 2020, laptops weren't bashful. They were ambitious, genre-redefining, and highly refined. Whether it's the proliferation of dual-screen PCs or the arrival of the new Ryzen 4000 processors, these are the biggest laptop trends we spotted at CES this year.
Alienware UFO

Alienware UFO vs. Nintendo Switch: Can a handheld PC challenge Nintendo?

Alienware has announced a portable gaming PC that competes directly with the Nintendo Switch. With both a removable controller and a kickstand, it wants to help you bring your Steam library with you wherever you go. But can it compare with Nintendo's beloved Switch system?
google glass

We spent a decade waiting for tech’s next big thing. Here’s why it never came

In 2009, we all used smartphones and laptops. A decade later, that hasn't changed. All the failed attempts to replace those common devices should teach us something about the pace of technological progress, and what that means for the next ten years in tech evolution.
apple planning pop up shops for its watch on wrist

This is the most important tech from each year between 2010 and 2020

From 2010 to 2019, we found the most influential and substantial tech from each year in the past decade. Many of the most foundational pieces of technology that we take for granted today started just in the past ten year years, and here's why each of them was just so revolutionary.
star wars rise of skywalker straightforward answers make it great the ren

The critics’ biggest issue with The Rise of Skywalker is what makes it great

One of the biggest criticisms of the Rise of Skywalker is that it leans too heavily on plot and backstory. But as I settled into the film, I found its straightforward nature allowed me to focus on the real heart of the story. The characters we've grown to love over these past three films.
8k videographer office

An 8K videographer told us how the Mac Pro has revolutionized his workflow

The Mac Pro isn't for everyone. The extreme price tag should tell you that much. Who is it for, then? Well, we spoke to a creative professional who's been using it for weeks. Videographer and photographer Vincent Laforet explained to us how the Mac Pro has revolutionized his workflow.
Dell 2019 XPS 13 2 in 1 (2019) review

Intel awards five more laptops with Project Athena badges

Ahead of IFA 2019, Intel has announced the expansion of its Project Athena program,which now includes more laptops from Dell, HP, and Lenovo. These new laptops will be sold with the Engineered for Mobile Performance badge, allowing Intel to play a more direct role in selling to potential buyers.
The Macbook Pro 16 sitting on a table

The new 16-inch MacBook Pro is already $150 off on Amazon

Ahead of Black Friday, the new 16-inch MacBook Pro has received its first price cut. A number of configurations are on sale at Amazon, but the best deal takes $150 off a high-end model. It might not sound like a huge discount, but for a new Apple product, it's almost unheard of.
Macbook Air (2018) Review

The 16-inch MacBook Pro may bring back the physical Esc key

According to a new photo discovered in the latest version of MacOS Catalina, Apple has a new layout for the Touch Bar on future MacBook Pros. The rumored 16-inch MacBook Pro may pull the Touch ID apart from the Touch Bar, as well as turning the Esc into a physical key to address common complaints.
Desk Envy

Showcasing unique desk setups and the products that bring them together

Vinpok Taptek Keyboard Impressions

The MacBook’s keyboard sucks, so use this mechanical keyboard instead

Not all Mac fans appreciate the low-travel keyboards on their devices. The Taptek keyboard offers an alternative with mechanical switches, fancy lighting, and compact design that looks great sitting next to a MacBook. Is this the ultimate MacBook typing experience?
Google Pixelbook Go keyboard

The Pixelbook Go is another spinoff, but I’m still waiting for a true sequel

Google has launched the new Pixelbook Go, a cheaper alternative to the Pixelbook. It looks like a solid addition to the lineup, but it's not the true sequel to the Pixelbook I've been waiting for. There are a number of features I would have liked to see come to the Pixelbook 2, but for now, I'll still have to wait.
why surface duo should run windows10x in hand

The petitions are right. The Surface Duo should run Windows 10X

Microsoft has finally returned to the smartphone game with the Surface Duo. But to our surprise, this new device runs Android rather than Windows. It seems like the more practical choice given the company's previous blunders, but is it really the right way to go when you have an operating system already designed for dual-screen devices?
Surface Neo

Windows 10 X is the future of dual-screen devices, and doesn’t ditch keyboards

At Microsoft's annual Surface hardware event, the company announced Windows 10 X, a software platform designed specifically for dual-screen PCs. It's not a new version of Windows, or a brand new operating system in itself. Instead, it takes the core of Windows 10 and reimagines the interfaces to take advantage of dual-screen devices.
hp 27f 4k monitor review 3

HP 27f 4K monitor review: Crisp images without the niceties

These days, 4K monitors keep getting more affordable, but some make that possible via significant compromises. The 2019 refresh of the HP 27f 4K offers some decent image quality to back up its resolution, but it's missing a few key features that hold it back from greatness.
facebook horizon is second life all over again horizon2

Facebook’s Horizon VR world looks like Second Life all over again

At Oculus Connect 6, Facebook announced a new social VR platform called Facebook Horizon. It won't launch in beta until 2020, but will let users build their own avatar, explore worlds, play games, and even create their own environments using the built-in creator tools. Sound familiar? It's Second Life all over again.
oculus quest finger tracking coming in 2020

Finger-tracking on Oculus Quest is coming in 2020, no gloves required

At the Oculus Connect 6 event on September 25, Facebook announced a new virtual reality technology coming to its Oculus Quest headsets. We don't know all the details about the new tech, but Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg says it is is coming to the Oculus Quest in early 2020.
facebook confims ar glasses

Facebook reconfirms it’s working on AR glasses, just weeks after leak said it was

At its annual Oculus Connect 6 keynote, Facebook took to the stage and confirmed that it is indeed working on a set of AR glasses. The confirmation comes just weeks after a leaked report was published that indicated the company was working Ray-Ban on a project that's set to launch in a few years.
AMD Ryzen Threadripper

AMD’s Threadripper 3000 will launch in November. Here’s the first official image

AMD has officially announced that its third-generation Threadripper processor will launch in November. The release of Threadripper 3000 has always been scheduled for 2019, though recent 7nm supply issues had cast some doubt on AMD's ability to deliver its promise for a 3rd-gen Threadripper this year.
Dell XPS 13 9370 review | Ports on the left side of the laptops

USB4 is coming, and it’ll have data transfer speeds as fast as Thunderbolt 3

USB 3.2 is still in the process of being rolled out, but its successor has already been announced. USB4 is the next generation of USB technology, now with data transfer speeds double its predecessor. The new standard comes with support from Intel's Thunderbolt protocol.
AMD Ryzen 9 3900x

AMD Ryzen 9 3900X review: The new king

AMD's latest Ryzen processor is a 12-core monster of a CPU. The Ryzen 9 3900X goes head-to-head with the Intel Core i9-9900K, formerly declared as the best gaming processor you can buy. Has AMD finally closed the gap on Intel in terms of raw performance and efficiency?
Surface Pro 6 Review

Windows 10 tablet mode isn’t disappearing, but it’s now harder to find

Microsoft has announced the latest Windows 10 Insider build, which includes some changes to how a 2-in-1 hybrid laptop will deal with "tablet posture." When a keyboard is removed from the screen, such as on a Surface Pro, Windows will no longer prompt you to enter tablet mode as it currently does.

MacBook airline ban: Everything you need to know

Following Apple's battery recall on a wide range of MacBooks, U.S. regulators have moved to ban these certain models from flying. But that doesn't necessarily mean you have to leave your MacBook Pro at home on your next flight. Here's everything you need to know.
HP Z38c review front full

HP Z38c ultrawide curved monitor review

HP brings its version of the world’s widest, curved display with the Z38c. With fantastic image quality and a sleek build, the results are stunning.