Qualcomm's new AI/Copilot PCs has overwhelming hype but their actions point to a far murkier picture.
Read more ▶
The post Qualcomm AI/Copilot PCs don’t live up to the hype appeared first on SemiAccurate.
New 11″ dual-screen laptop that allows it to be used in various positions. Its peculiar design also adds a magnetic keyboard. This lightweight 2-in-1 computer offers two 11″ touch ...
The post New 11″ dual-screen laptop with Intel Core processor first appeared on AndroidPCtv.
Modern laptop computers have more processing power than ever, with many also offering features like long battery life, thin and light designs and… AI, I guess. And for the most part, laptops are versatile and powerful enough to serve as desktop replacements for most users. But there are a few areas where desktop hardware continues […]
The post This DIY gaming laptop is made is made from desktop components (CPU, GPU, and more) appeared first on Liliputing.
Tech, and laptops in particular, often revolves around trends. Every couple of years, you get something new that every manufacturer tries to adopt, and if it catches on, it just becomes a standard from then on out. Right now, that's Copilot+ and AI, but it's been many things throughout the years.
It’s not unusual for PC makers to offer the same laptop with several different processor options. But usually we’re talking about chips in the same family, like Intel Core i3, i5, or i7 or AMD Ryzen 3, 5, or 7. But the new StarBook 7 laptop from Linux PC vendor Star Labs is something different. […]
The post StarBook 7 Linux laptop comes with a choice of Intel N200 or Core Ultra 7 165H chips appeared first on Liliputing.
New lightweight notebook called KUU A6, featuring a powerful Intel Core i7-1280P processor with an integrated Intel Xe GPU. The KUU A6 is a new laptop with aluminium ...
The post KUU A6, new 16″ 2.5K lightweight laptop with Intel Core i7 CPU first appeared on AndroidPCtv.
The ACEMAGIC X1 is a dual-screen laptop with an unusual design. From the front you could easily mistake it for a typical notebook: there’s a screen, keyboard, and touchscreen. But there’s a second screen attached to a 360-hinge that flips out to give you a dual-screen setup without the need to carry a portable monitor. First […]
The post ACEMAGIC X1 dual-screen laptop now available for pre-order for $899 appeared first on Liliputing.
Dynabook’s Portégé X40 series laptops are premium, business-class 14 inch notebooks with thin and light, but sturdy designs and some features you don’t always find on compact notebooks these days: like smart card readers and full-sized Ethernet ports. The company’s newest model is the Portégé X40-M, which launches today with a Intel Core Ultra “Meteor […]
The post Dynabook Portégé X40-M is a thin and light Meteor Lake laptop with full-sized Ethernet and HDMI ports appeared first on Liliputing.
Chinese PC maker SZBox is selling a small, cheap laptop with a 10.95 inch, 2000 x 1200 pixel touchscreen display and a 360-degree hinge, allowing you to use the computer in notebook or tablet modes. The notebook is powered by a 15-watt Intel N95 qaud-core Alder Lake-N processor and features 16GB of RAM, a 34.2 […]
The post This little convertible laptop has a 10.95 inch display, Intel Alder Lake-N processor, and sub-$300 starting price appeared first on Liliputing.
The Pocket 386 is a tiny laptop computer with a 7 inch display, a QWERTY keyboard, and a body that’s small enough that you might actually be able to fit it into a (large) pocket. It’s also a device specifically designed for retro computing. The Pocket 386 gets its name from its 386 SX compatible processor, and […]
The post Pocket 386 is a mini laptop for retro computing with support for DOS and Windows 95 appeared first on Liliputing.
Sipeed’s LM4A compute module is a small board with a T-Head TH1520 RISC-V processor, an NPU with up to 4 TOPS of AI performance, and support for up to 16GB of LPDDR4X memory and 128GB of eMMC storage. But what really makes this computer-on-a-module interesting is that Sipeed has designed an ecosystem of products that […]
The post Sipeed Lichee Book 4A is a cheap RISC-V laptop with an upgradeable processor module appeared first on Liliputing.
Two laptops with RISC-V processors developed by Chinese company SpacemiT are now available. The MUSE BOOK was first unveiled in April and is now available from ARACE for $299 and up, while the DC-ROMA II was introduced just last week, and is now available from Deep Computing for $399 and up. Both are 14 inch laptops […]
The post RISC-V laptops: $299 MUSE Book and $399 DC ROMA II with SpacemiT processors are now available appeared first on Liliputing.
Qualcomm's new AI/Copilot PCs has overwhelming hype but their actions point to a far murkier picture.
Read more ▶
The post Qualcomm AI/Copilot PCs don’t live up to the hype appeared first on SemiAccurate.
Samsung has been working with Google and Microsoft to improve integration and productivity between Galaxy devices. Galaxy phones are usually the first to get access to new integration features with Microsoft's Windows OS. Thanks to deeper integration in Windows 11, accessing files from your Galaxy phone could soon get even easier.
To access files stored on your Galaxy phone and tablet, you may not need to open the Phone Link app anymore. As spotted by X user @PhantomOnEarth, the File Manager app in Windows 11 will soon be able to display your Android phone as a shortcut. Once you click your phone on the app's sidebar, you can see all the files stored on your Galaxy device.
You can wirelessly import relevant files from your Galaxy phone or tablet to your Galaxy (or any other branded) laptop or PC. To enable this feature, you must enable the setting from the Settings app on a computer running Windows 11. To make this happen, the Phone Link app and the Cross Device Experience Host app act as a bridge between Android and Windows.
The story continues after our Galaxy Book 4 series hands-on video below.
The Phone Link app on Windows 11 already allows users to access images and videos stored on Android phones and tablets. However, other files, like documents, can't be accessed right now without using screen mirroring and dragging and dropping files.
The new File Manager integration for files stored on your Galaxy phone and tablet is under testing right now, and it could be released to some users soon via the Dev and Beta versions of Windows 11. Once the testing is done thoroughly, the feature could be released to all users with compatible devices and capabilities.
The post Accessing files from your Galaxy phone on your laptop could get easier appeared first on SamMobile.
Apple kicked off its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) today with a keynote where the company laid out some of the new features coming to Macs, iPhones, iPads, Apple Watches, and the Apple Vision Pro headset. Leading up to the event, there was a lot of buzz about Apple’s first big foray into the AI […]
The post Lilbits: the Xbox Handheld is coming (eventually), another Linux phone, and some WWDC odds and ends appeared first on Liliputing.
Samsung unveiled the Galaxy Book 4 Edge earlier this month. It's the company's first laptop that's powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite. As you'd expect, AI is front and center on this product, with the Galaxy Book 4 Edge boasting some Galaxy AI features.
The company has started taking pre-orders for the device in some markets already. The launch information was limited for its home market of South Korea, but Samsung has now provided clarity on the matter.
Samsung confirmed during a media day event for the product yesterday that it's going to launch the Galaxy Book 4 Edge in South Korea next month, June 18th, to be precise. Pricing starts at 2.15 million won or $1,563 for the 14-inch variant, with other models in larger sizes costing a bit more.
It's a pretty capable notebook, powered by the Snapdragon X Elite and a dedicated NPU for 45 TOPS of AI performance. An ARM64-optimized version of Windows 11 is onboard with the promise of exceptional battery life. The chipset is paired with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. Other specs include a Dynamic AMOLED 2X touchscreen display with 3K resolution, a 120Hz refresh rate, and a 120% color gamut average.
A handful of AI features are also present on the device. This includes Circle to Search via Link to Windows, access to Windows Copilot with a dedicated key, a new Recall feature that lets users search for recently created emails, videos, or documents, Live Captions with translation, Windows Studio Effects during video calls, and more.
The post Galaxy Book 4 Edge release in South Korea set for June appeared first on SamMobile.
While still quite uncommon, we've seen the rise of dual-screen laptops over the past couple of years, with Lenovo first introducing the world to its Yoga Book 9i, and then a year or so later we got a copycat from Asus with its Zenbook Duo. Of course, these types of devices aren't for everyone, but there's defintently some compelling reasons why having a second screen on a laptop can be a good idea.
Last week Spotify announced it would end support for its short-lived Car Thing accessory for streaming music in an automobile… and by end support, I mean the gadgets would just stop working altogether. Part of the problem is Spotify never sold many of these things, but folks who did buy them weren’t too happy, and now Spotify […]
The post Lilbits: Spotify is refunding Car Thing customers after all, Librem 16 Linux laptop on the way appeared first on Liliputing.
The Framework Laptop 13 is a modular, repairable, and upgradeable laptop that first debuted in 2021 with 11th-gen Intel Core processor. But Framework has launched several upgrades since then, allowing customers to either buy a new laptop with a faster Intel or AMD processor or purchase a new mainboard to upgrade the processor in their existing […]
The post Framework’s modular laptops (and mainboards) now come with Meteor Lake-H options appeared first on Liliputing.
Samsung is expected to unveil its first laptop featuring Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Elite processor later today. This upcoming laptop is called the Galaxy Book 4 Edge, and its pricing and specifications were leaked over the past week. Now, details regarding the laptop's Bluetooth connectivity have been revealed.
Ahead of the launch, the Galaxy Book 4 Edge appears to have passed through the Bluetooth SIG certification. According to the Bluetooth certification authority's database, the Galaxy Book 4 Edge has model number NP940XMA and features Bluetooth 5.4 connectivity. This upcoming laptop likely uses the Snapdragon X Elite chipset's FastConnect 7800 subsystem for wireless connectivity. It features a built-in 5G modem, GPS, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, and USB 4.0 (Thunderbolt 3).
This listing also reveals that the Galaxy Book 4 Edge runs Windows 11. Previously leaked images of the laptop have revealed that its 14-inch version has a tenkeyless keyboard layout, a large trackpad, two USB 4.0 ports, an HDMI port, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. The 16-inch version has a full-sized keyboard with a numpad, a USB Type-A port, and a microSD card slot in addition to all the ports on the 14-inch version.
Both laptops feature the Snapdragon X Elite processor with 12 CPU cores and the Adreno GPU. However, the 14-inch version might use a variant of the Snapdragon X Elite with a lower clock speed for the CPU and the GPU. Both laptops reportedly feature 16GB RAM and 512GB storage. It is unclear if these laptops will be available with higher RAM and storage capacities.
You can watch our Galaxy Book 4 Ultra hands-on video below. The story continues after this video.
According to some reports, the Galaxy Book 4 Edge Pro (16-inch) can last up to 22 hours on a single charge for video playback. This laptop version uses a 61.8Wh battery and features 65W fast charging. However, these figures are for offline 1080p video playback (150 nits screen brightness and Airplane Mode turned on). Real-life battery life will likely be half of the quoted figures, but even that is impressive.
The 14-inch version of the Galaxy Book 4 Edge will likely have a smaller battery. Both variants feature Super AMOLED screens with 3K resolution and 400 nits peak brightness. They will likely come with a 120Hz refresh rate and DisplayHDR 400 certification with HDR10+ video playback capabilities.
The Galaxy Book 4 Edge might start at around $1,800, while the Galaxy Book 4 Edge Pro might cost around $2,000. These laptops are said to go on pre-order today in some countries and become available for purchase on June 17, 2024.
The post Galaxy Book 4 Edge leaks with latest Bluetooth connectivity appeared first on SamMobile.
We’re still waiting for the perfect hybrid PC that can work as well as a tablet as it does as a laptop. As we enter 2024, it seems like many companies have also given up on that ideal — but Microsoft, Apple and Samsung still have some options to consider. And we’re still seeing OS tweaks to make iOS and Android more usable for larger displays. If you’re on the hunt for your next computer and are dead-set on it being a 2-in-1, we’ve collected our current top picks here plus all of the things you should know before making a purchase.
Editor’s note (5/8/2024): Apple has announced a quartet of new iPads, including overhauled 11- and 13-inch iPad Pros with OLED displays, thinner designs and faster M4 chips, a refreshed 11-inch iPad Air with an updated M2 chip and an all-new iPad Air with a 13-inch display. There’s a new Magic Keyboard and Apple Pencil Pro as well. As part of the updates, the 10th-gen model has permanently dropped in price to $350. All of the new devices are currently available for pre-order now. Updated versions of the base iPad and iPad mini are still reportedly expected later in 2024. Our current iPad pick below may still work for some people, but everyone else should wait to see how the new hardware stacks up. We’ll have full reviews in the near future and will update our advice accordingly.
When you’re shopping for a 2-in-1, there are some basic criteria to keep in mind. First, look at the spec sheet to see how heavy the tablet is (alone, and with the keyboard). Most modern hybrids weigh less than 2 pounds. If the overall weight of the tablet and its keyboard come close to 3 pounds, you may be better off getting an ultraportable laptop.
Also, while some 2-in-1s offer built-in LTE or 5G connectivity, not everyone will want to pay the premium for it. An integrated cellular radio makes checking emails or replying to messages on the go far more convenient. But it also often costs more, and that’s not counting what you’ll pay for data. And, as for 5G — you can hold off on it unless you live within range of a mmWave beacon. Coverage is still spotty and existing nationwide networks use the slower sub-6 technology that’s barely faster than LTE. For now, tethering a PC to your phone is still the best way to get online.
These machines still have their limits, of course. Since they’re smaller than proper laptops, they tend to have less-powerful processors. Keyboards are often less sturdy, with condensed layouts and shallower travel. Plus, they’re almost always tablets first, leaving you to buy a keyboard case separately. (And those ain’t cheap!) So, you can’t always assume the advertised price is what you’ll actually spend on the 2-in-1 you want.
See Also:
Sometimes, getting a third-party keyboard might be just as good, and they’re often cheaper than first-party offerings. If you’re looking to save some money, Logitech’s Slim Folio is an affordable option, and if you don’t need your keyboard to attach to your tablet, Logitech’s K780 Multi-Device wireless keyboard is also a good pick.
While we’ve typically made sure to include a budget 2-in-1 in previous years, this time there isn’t a great choice. We would usually pick a Surface Go, but the latest model is still too expensive. Other alternatives, like cheaper Android tablets, are underpowered and don’t offer a great multitasking interface. If you want something around $500 that’s thin, lightweight and long-lasting, you’re better off this year looking at a conventional laptop (like those on our best budget PCs list).
© Photo by Devindra Hardawar / Engadget
We’re still waiting for the perfect hybrid PC that can work as well as a tablet as it does as a laptop. As we enter 2024, it seems like many companies have also given up on that ideal — but Microsoft, Apple and Samsung still have some options to consider. And we’re still seeing OS tweaks to make iOS and Android more usable for larger displays. If you’re on the hunt for your next computer and are dead-set on it being a 2-in-1, we’ve collected our current top picks here plus all of the things you should know before making a purchase.
Editor’s note (5/8/2024): Apple has announced a quartet of new iPads, including overhauled 11- and 13-inch iPad Pros with OLED displays, thinner designs and faster M4 chips, a refreshed 11-inch iPad Air with an updated M2 chip and an all-new iPad Air with a 13-inch display. There’s a new Magic Keyboard and Apple Pencil Pro as well. As part of the updates, the 10th-gen model has permanently dropped in price to $350. All of the new devices are currently available for pre-order now. Updated versions of the base iPad and iPad mini are still reportedly expected later in 2024. Our current iPad pick below may still work for some people, but everyone else should wait to see how the new hardware stacks up. We’ll have full reviews in the near future and will update our advice accordingly.
When you’re shopping for a 2-in-1, there are some basic criteria to keep in mind. First, look at the spec sheet to see how heavy the tablet is (alone, and with the keyboard). Most modern hybrids weigh less than 2 pounds. If the overall weight of the tablet and its keyboard come close to 3 pounds, you may be better off getting an ultraportable laptop.
Also, while some 2-in-1s offer built-in LTE or 5G connectivity, not everyone will want to pay the premium for it. An integrated cellular radio makes checking emails or replying to messages on the go far more convenient. But it also often costs more, and that’s not counting what you’ll pay for data. And, as for 5G — you can hold off on it unless you live within range of a mmWave beacon. Coverage is still spotty and existing nationwide networks use the slower sub-6 technology that’s barely faster than LTE. For now, tethering a PC to your phone is still the best way to get online.
These machines still have their limits, of course. Since they’re smaller than proper laptops, they tend to have less-powerful processors. Keyboards are often less sturdy, with condensed layouts and shallower travel. Plus, they’re almost always tablets first, leaving you to buy a keyboard case separately. (And those ain’t cheap!) So, you can’t always assume the advertised price is what you’ll actually spend on the 2-in-1 you want.
See Also:
Sometimes, getting a third-party keyboard might be just as good, and they’re often cheaper than first-party offerings. If you’re looking to save some money, Logitech’s Slim Folio is an affordable option, and if you don’t need your keyboard to attach to your tablet, Logitech’s K780 Multi-Device wireless keyboard is also a good pick.
While we’ve typically made sure to include a budget 2-in-1 in previous years, this time there isn’t a great choice. We would usually pick a Surface Go, but the latest model is still too expensive. Other alternatives, like cheaper Android tablets, are underpowered and don’t offer a great multitasking interface. If you want something around $500 that’s thin, lightweight and long-lasting, you’re better off this year looking at a conventional laptop (like those on our best budget PCs list).
© Photo by Devindra Hardawar / Engadget
Qualcomm is cheating on the Snapdragon X Plus/Elite benchmarks given to OEMs and the press.
Read more ▶
The post Qualcomm Is Cheating On Their Snapdragon X Elite/Pro Benchmarks appeared first on SemiAccurate.
We’re still waiting for the perfect hybrid PC that can work as well as a tablet as it does as a laptop. As we enter 2024, it seems like many companies have also given up on that ideal — but Microsoft, Apple and Samsung still have some options to consider. And we’re still seeing OS tweaks to make iOS and Android more usable for larger displays. If you’re on the hunt for your next computer and are dead-set on it being a 2-in-1, we’ve collected our current top picks here plus all of the things you should know before making a purchase.
Editor’s note (5/8/2024): Apple has announced a quartet of new iPads, including overhauled 11- and 13-inch iPad Pros with OLED displays, thinner designs and faster M4 chips, a refreshed 11-inch iPad Air with an updated M2 chip and an all-new iPad Air with a 13-inch display. There’s a new Magic Keyboard and Apple Pencil Pro as well. As part of the updates, the 10th-gen model has permanently dropped in price to $350. All of the new devices are currently available for pre-order now. Updated versions of the base iPad and iPad mini are still reportedly expected later in 2024. Our current iPad pick below may still work for some people, but everyone else should wait to see how the new hardware stacks up. We’ll have full reviews in the near future and will update our advice accordingly.
When you’re shopping for a 2-in-1, there are some basic criteria to keep in mind. First, look at the spec sheet to see how heavy the tablet is (alone, and with the keyboard). Most modern hybrids weigh less than 2 pounds. If the overall weight of the tablet and its keyboard come close to 3 pounds, you may be better off getting an ultraportable laptop.
Also, while some 2-in-1s offer built-in LTE or 5G connectivity, not everyone will want to pay the premium for it. An integrated cellular radio makes checking emails or replying to messages on the go far more convenient. But it also often costs more, and that’s not counting what you’ll pay for data. And, as for 5G — you can hold off on it unless you live within range of a mmWave beacon. Coverage is still spotty and existing nationwide networks use the slower sub-6 technology that’s barely faster than LTE. For now, tethering a PC to your phone is still the best way to get online.
These machines still have their limits, of course. Since they’re smaller than proper laptops, they tend to have less-powerful processors. Keyboards are often less sturdy, with condensed layouts and shallower travel. Plus, they’re almost always tablets first, leaving you to buy a keyboard case separately. (And those ain’t cheap!) So, you can’t always assume the advertised price is what you’ll actually spend on the 2-in-1 you want.
See Also:
Sometimes, getting a third-party keyboard might be just as good, and they’re often cheaper than first-party offerings. If you’re looking to save some money, Logitech’s Slim Folio is an affordable option, and if you don’t need your keyboard to attach to your tablet, Logitech’s K780 Multi-Device wireless keyboard is also a good pick.
While we’ve typically made sure to include a budget 2-in-1 in previous years, this time there isn’t a great choice. We would usually pick a Surface Go, but the latest model is still too expensive. Other alternatives, like cheaper Android tablets, are underpowered and don’t offer a great multitasking interface. If you want something around $500 that’s thin, lightweight and long-lasting, you’re better off this year looking at a conventional laptop (like those on our best budget PCs list).
© Photo by Devindra Hardawar / Engadget
Qualcomm is cheating on the Snapdragon X Plus/Elite benchmarks given to OEMs and the press.
Read more ▶
The post Qualcomm Is Cheating On Their Snapdragon X Elite/Pro Benchmarks appeared first on SemiAccurate.
The System76 Darter Pro is a thin and light laptop from Linux PC maker System76, which has been offering versions of the Darter Pro since 2019. System76 is now taking pre-orders for the 2024 model… or I should say models, because the laptop now comes in two sizes: 14 inches or 16 inches. Prices start at […]
The post System76 launches Darter Pro Linux Laptop with Intel Meteor Lake processor options appeared first on Liliputing.
Google has announced that it has started rolling out version M124 of ChromeOS on the Stable channel. The latest version of the operating system brings five new features to Samsung Galaxy Chromebooks: Faster Split Screen Setup, support for Wi-Fi QoS, increased maximum size of the mouse pointer, Fast Pair support for mice, and a redesigned settings menu. Let us take a deeper look at each of those features.
As you might know, ChromeOS allows you to use two applications simultaneously by arranging them side-by-side on the screen. With the new feature, once you snap or lock a window on one half of the display, the OS will show you an overview of all the open applications on the other half of the screen. You can then choose the app that you want to use on the other side. Alternatively, you can choose applications from the shelf to use on the other half of the display.
ChromeOS M124 brings support for Wi-Fi Quality of Service (QoS), which, according to Google, “ensures better traffic prioritization of video conferencing and gaming applications on congested Wi-Fi networks” and as a result “users can experience smoother video play with less buffering.” The company says that this feature will not be available for managed users initially.
ChromeOS has been offering people the ability to adjust the size of the mouse pointer for quite a while now. Well, the latest version of the OS offers mouse pointers in even bigger sizes. According to Google, “This can be helpful for people who have low vision, for teachers who want students to follow along during a lesson while presenting, for people who are presenting on a video call, or if you just want to have a larger mouse cursor.”
ChromeOS features Fast Pair for Bluetooth. However, it is available only for certain types of devices, and the mouse isn’t one of them. Well, that’s finally changing. Google says that Fast Pair will work with mice with ChromeOS M124. It means that now when you bring a compatible Bluetooth mouse near a Chromebook, ChromeOS will show you the option to connect and pair with it.
According to 9To5Google, version M124 of ChromeOS also brings a redesigned settings menu. The publication says that it now features a Material You theme and offers a split-screen view, which makes it look like a settings menu of Android on a tablet and offers a better user experience.
Google says that “This update and the features associated with it, will be progressively rolling out over the coming days” and that “Your device may not immediately be eligible for this update.” To check for the ChromeOS M124 update manually, go to Time » Settings » About ChromeOS » Check for updates.
The post ChromeOS M124 brings many new features to Galaxy Chromebooks appeared first on SamMobile.
The Rabbit R1 is the second major gadget to launch this year as basically a portable device for interacting with cloud-based AI features. Unlike the Humane Ai Pin, the Rabbit R1 has a display that provides visual information. And with a $200 price tag, it’s a lot easier for forgive its shortcomings than the $699 […]
The post Lilbits: Rabbit R1 handheld AI device runs Android (but its head is in the cloud), LastPass is an independent company again, and other tech news appeared first on Liliputing.
A Chinese chip design company called SpacemiT has unveiled a new laptop that will be powered by the company’s K1 processor, which is an octa-core processor that should offer better-than ARM Cortex-A55 performance, support for 4K video, and a 2 TOPS NPU for hardware-accelerated AI features. While the upcoming MUSE Book isn’t the first laptop with […]
The post Lilbits: Another RISC-V laptop, a PCIe connector for the Raspberry Pi 5, and Arc browser comes to Windows 11 appeared first on Liliputing.
Qualcomm is cheating on the Snapdragon X Plus/Elite benchmarks given to OEMs and the press.
Read more ▶
The post Qualcomm Is Cheating On Their Snapdragon X Elite/Pro Benchmarks appeared first on SemiAccurate.
The Lenovo Legion Pro 7i has looked the same visually for years now, and the just-released Legion Pro 7i Gen 9 is no exception. It's basically identical to last year's Legion Pro 7i Gen 8, which looked a lot like the previous version, and so on. However, that isn't necessarily a bad thing, because we reviewed the Legion Pro 7i Gen 8 last year and found it to be one of the best gaming laptops you can buy in the 16-inch form factor. Lenovo's design for the Legion Pro 7i might play it safe, but it's held up extremely well over time and the sharp edges still feel modern even in 2024. You're not considering the Legion Pro 7i Gen 9 for its design, though. The big changes this year are under-the-hood, and include an upgrade to Intel's 14th-generation chipset, a more color-accurate display, and an optional Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 configuration.
The first Windows PCs with Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite chips are expected to launch this year, and if you trust the official benchmarks released by Qualcomm (and confirmed by a number of independent journalists), Qualcomm has finally achieved its goal of developing chip that offers better performance-per-watt than anything available from Intel or AMD. If […]
The post This Lenovo Yoga Slim 7 14 Snapdragon Edition could be one of the first Snapdragon X Elite laptops (leaks) appeared first on Liliputing.
Yesterday, we brought to light a trademark application pertaining to a new Samsung device called the Book 4 Edge. We thought about it for a bit and guessed that the Book 4 Edge might be Samsung's first Windows 11 on ARM laptop. Now, an online benchmark is lending weight to our prediction.
The Galaxy Book 4 Edge by Samsung popped up in the online benchmark Geekbench earlier today (via Windows Latest). The laptop runs Windows 11 Home (64-bit) and is powered by the Snapdragon X Elite CPU and 16GB of RAM.
Qualcomm previously said it is looking for partners for its new Snapdragon X Elite chip, and this benchmark, if legitimate, confirms that Samsung is on the list.
Conversely, this benchmark also seems to indicate that Samsung is not yet ready to create its own Exynos ARM-based chip for laptops. And that's probably a good thing at the moment, seeing how the company is busy proving that it sorted out Exynos for mobile phones.
Synthetic benchmark scores for the Galaxy Book 4 Edge laptop powered by the Snapdragon X Elite chip look promising. The laptop scored 2,706 points in single-core and 12,646 points in multi-core tests in Geekbench 6.2.2.
Comparing these scores to Apple's M1, M2, and M3 chips, it looks like the Snapdragon X Elite beats the first two but is outperformed by the M3. Apple M Pro chips excluded.
Of course, in practice, the M and Snapdragon X Elite chips run in very different environments, i.e., MacOS and Windows 11 on ARM, which means these benchmark figures might not necessarily say which chip performs better in the real world. Apple has optimized its M chips for MacOS very well, and it remains to be seen if we can say the same about the Snapdragon X Elite and Windows 11 on ARM.
Interestingly, recent rumors say Qualcomm's new chip will also power the upcoming Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 and Surface Pro 10 tablet PC. Samsung's Galaxy Book 4 Edge will inevitably compete with Microsoft's Surface line, but whether this Book 4 Edge is a regular notebook, a 2-in-1 with a 360-degree hinge, or a tablet PC with a detachable keyboard is to be determined.
The post Galaxy Book 4 Edge ARM chip confirmed by online benchmark appeared first on SamMobile.
Samsung's Galaxy Book laptops and Galaxy mobile devices are getting better integrated every year. Features like Second Screen work great across One UI for tablets and Windows OS on Galaxy Books. And recently, the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro earbuds received a firmware update that enabled Auto Switch for the new Galaxy Book 4 series.
Meanwhile, Samsung is now making big moves to become a better health and fitness-oriented mobile device brand, and to this end, the company will release its first smart ring, the Galaxy Ring, later this year.
This new wearable has health and fitness tracking capabilities like a Galaxy Watch and even enables additional sleep-tracking features that are not yet available to Galaxy Watch users, i.e., respiratory rate tracking, heart, night movement, and sleep latency tracking.
With such a powerful push into the health and fitness market and cross-device features becoming more prevalent, I think it might be time for Samsung to expand the Health platform to include Galaxy Books laptops.
It took a long while for Samsung to bring its Health app to tablets, but it happened with the Galaxy Tab S9 series. Now, Samsung is expanding its wearable lineup with new Galaxy Fit and Galaxy Ring devices. And as Galaxy Book laptops are seemingly becoming more interconnected with mobile devices, it makes sense, in my mind, for the Health platform to expand its reach even further.
The Galaxy Ring should be a no-nonsense fitness and health tracker for all. It has the opportunity to become ubiquitous among health and fitness enthusiasts, as it works seamlessly in the background and doesn't have unnecessary gimmicks or distractions. And I think it would only be fitting for Galaxy Ring users to have the option to check their health and fitness data through their Galaxy Book laptops.
In doing so, Samsung would prove that the Galaxy Ring and its Health platform are designed for every type of user. It seems fitting for Samsung, an official sponsor of the Olympic Games, to overcome platform-specific limitations.
This move could even attract customers from Apple's camp. The Cupertino giant's Health app doesn't work on MacBooks, possibly to lure customers into buying iPhones and iPads. Samsung could, and should, in my opinion, show Apple how it's done.
Editor's Note: The mobile Samsung Health app can be accessed on the Galaxy Book series through the Phone Link software. However, it's not a native solution for Windows OS. It's more like mirroring your mobile Health app to your laptop. Nevertheless, you can technically access Samsung Health on a Galaxy Book via Phone Link if you connect your Galaxy laptop and phone. That's better than nothing, but there is plenty of room for improvement.
The post I hope Samsung brings Health app to Galaxy Book laptops next appeared first on SamMobile.
The GPD Win Mini is either a handheld gaming PC with a 7 inch display and a clamshell design with a QWERTY keyboard, touchpad, and built-in game controllers in the bottom section. GPD launched the first model in the fall of 2023, and now the company has launched a new model that’s available for pre-order […]
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So what is the code name for Qualcomm's Oryon/Houma25?
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So what is the code name for Qualcomm's Oryon/Houma25?
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There are still plenty of great laptops on the market that offer some degree of upgradeability, and on the desktop side, DIY tinkering is a main selling feature. You might want to add some RAM or extra solid-state drive (SSD) capacity to your laptop, or you might want to perform a full rebuild of your beloved gaming PC.
The prices for building a gaming desktop PC have improved over the past few months, but they might still be too high for you. In fact, they even be so high that you consider purchasing a gaming laptop instead. As the name suggests, a gaming laptop is a laptop made with gaming in mind; big companies like Razer, Dell, and MSI make lots of these nowadays. These laptops can be attractive options for more on-the-move, lower-budget, and/or younger players as they tend to be a little cheaper and a lot more portable than desktop alternatives.
In this article, I will explore if this is a viable alternative to building your own desktop. I’ll be covering a selection of important topics, starting with those that favor the laptops and transitioning toward those that favor the desktops.
This comparison will be mainly aimed at people wanting to play games on their system. You could also use this comparison for picking a system for similar workloads like video editing or 3D rendering, but the article is written with gaming in mind. Now, let’s get to it!
The first topic is cost, and gaming laptops tend to be cheaper (especially after factoring in the computer itself, the operating system, and the monitor and keyboard).
Let’s compare the current ‘very good’ tier from our main chart against a laptop that is getting sold for the similar figure of 949 USD as a sample:
| Very Good Tier PC ($991) |
Laptop ($949) |
|
| CPU | Intel Core i5-12400F | Intel Core i7-11370H |
| GPU | GTX 1660 Super | RTX 3050 Ti |
| RAM | 2x4GB 3200 mHz | 1×8 GB 3200 mHz |
| Storage | 2 TB HDD + 500 GB SSD | 512 GB SSD |
You can see from this test that laptops can sometimes be cheaper, despite not suffering too much in the performance department. The laptop has worse (but reasonably comparable) specs and a lower price tag. When you factor in that the ‘very good’ tier PC does not include an operating system, a screen, a keyboard, or a mouse/trackpad—the prices diverge considerably wider. Now, the laptop is only going to achieve its peak gaming performance when the system is plugged in, which hampers the portability I’ll be covering below, but for now we’ll set that aside.
This better bang-for-the-buck performance-wise is caused by multiple things. Obviously, there’s that list of bundled features. But within the device, the core components are usually soldered to the motherboard, which means that the motherboard doesn’t need to have unnecessary ports, slots, or devices. Laptop parts can also be built with one certain situation in mind, which gives companies room to strip down unused functions. Less features on each component often means that the production price is lower.
But it’s not all peaches and cream with the lower cost. Aside from the smaller storage, single-channel RAM, core spec differences, etc—there are a number of conventional compromises involved to achieve the lower price:
The operating system of a laptop is almost always cluttered with an array of bloatware programs that were pre-installed due to a marketing arrangement between the software publishers and the laptop manufacturers. Motherboards, RAM, and other unexciting components like the power supply tend to be not just lacking features but also of lesser quality in laptops (although directly comparing laptop and desktop motherboards and PSUs is slightly unfair, because of the different requirements for those parts). And you also have to keep in mind that the screen of a laptop is physically smaller and often has a lower refresh rate than desktop monitors.
Laptops are more portable than gaming desktops. Obviously. Moving your desktop setup from A to B is a bigger task than moving your laptop (and maybe a mouse) from A to B. This might actually be the main selling point of laptops for the vast majority of users.
You won’t have to carry these around! Well, at least not the keyboard…
This is a nice feature for people that are always on the move, for work or school for instance. You can also use this to take your gaming setup with you on holidays or long flights. Lastly, this means that you can utilize your system in casual spots like cafés, if you have the confidence. It gives you quite some freedom when you are able to play your favorite games wherever you want.
Prepare for more obviousness: the reasons laptops are more portable are because they are much thinner and lighter than desktops, have all functional peripheral needs integrated into them, and can run on battery power for a while. Unless you’re planning to drag a generator around in addition to your tower, you’re probably not going to be able to run a desktop with ease away from a wall outlet.
The only real complication for this otherwise oh-so-straightforward section is, as noted above, that gaming performance tends to suffer on battery (as system components are throttled to preserve power), and that gaming drains the battery at a considerably higher rate than other ways of using a computer.
The last primary advantage of buying a laptop instead of building your own PC is that your system is already built for you. Laptops don’t require any assembly, and most ones can be booted up out-of-the-box (when plugged in of course, since they tend to not be fully charged). The fact that they don’t require any assembly means that you will save time, and that you will be protected from making any system-breaking mistakes. And component compatibility is obviously not even the remotest concern for a laptop user.
There are even some minor additional virtues along these lines. For example, you don’t have to keep a lot of boxes around of all your components just in case you have to RMA a product (just a laptop box). And the operating system is pre-installed and pre-configured, making the system plug-and-play.
Now, I’ve already mentioned earlier that the pre-installed OS is a double-edged sword—as it usually comes crammed full of versions of Candy Crush, desktop applications for services that work fine as websites (like Twitter), redundant and bothersome virus protection software, and other junk. But that’s not the only caveat here. It’s also worth pointing out that some of the work being avoided, such as installing an OS, takes 20 minutes at most. And it being a small pre-assembled device also means upgrades and customization are harshly limited, moreso even than prebuilt desktop PCs… but that will be discussed more in a bit.
Still, though: not needing to build, however easy we believe building a PC to be, will be a strong enticement for many.
The chance of this happening is somewhere around zero. But a hot, loud laptop is something that most laptop users are used to.
So, a laptop wins in all of the foregoing sections… but not here. One major downside of a laptop is the fact that a mobile device is far more likely to overheat. Not just sometimes—most of the time when it is under full load. Now, overheating won’t destroy your laptop unless something is seriously wrong with it (or the ambient temperature is extremely high). In fact, nowadays there are a lot of systems that will automatically shut down the laptop if temperatures reach a dangerous level, though that isn’t the best thing.
More commonly, if the temperatures are high, the laptop will simply switch priorities to cool itself off. The performance of the CPU, GPU, and/or other parts will be capped to below max, and the laptop fans will spin very fast (making a loud noise). This is something that most laptop users will just have to accept. Whenever you put it under full load, or boot it up, it will drop in gaming prowess and it will be really loud.
This can really be a downside if you want to play recent hard-to-run titles, or just want to game without headphones. Playing games mixed with loud fan noise isn’t a great experience, and no one likes their system to be regularly running below peak performance.
Of course, there are fixes, like buying a laptop cooler, or just preemptively limiting the hardware so that it never runs hot, but those ‘fixes’ may be worse for most users than the problems they’re intended to address. After all, a laptop cooler reduces portability, and hardware limiting directly lowers framerates (as well as being an arguable a waste of money, since you still paid for the components’ full abilities). In the end, playing on a laptop often means having a hot, loud gaming session.
The second major disadvantage to a gaming laptop is upgradability. A laptop is barely upgradeable. When you want to get more performance, you often have to buy an entire new system. Laptops are not built to be upgraded. The GPU and CPU are soldered to the motherboard, and often there aren’t even any free RAM slots or space/ports for extra storage.
This chip has been soldered to the board.
This can be a big downside for many, since it is usually far more expensive to buy a new laptop than to just upgrade one, two, or three components. The impact of this disadvantage will differ from person to person. If you plan to play the same games for the foreseeable future, you won’t need better hardware next year or the year after that (unless those games become increasingly performance-heavy). If you plan to play the newest games every year, you will have to upgrade more often, and this downside of not being able to upgrade will hit you harder.
There are upgradeable laptops out there, but they tend to be extra-expensive, and your upgrade choices will still be very limited. And you can simply employ external hard drives for extra storage space, though that again counts as a limitation on the portability of a self-contained laptop system.
Seeing detail on a small screen can be tough.
The last disadvantage of note is that the screen size of a laptop is… small. You will most surely get a bigger screen when you use a desktop and buy a stand-alone monitor. Laptop screens are often in the range of 14-17 inches (for 1080p screens, that is). 1080p desktop monitors tend to be within 21-27 inches. If you like to have a bigger screen to see everything better, laptops are not for you.
A smaller screen makes it more difficult to see certain details, so games where you need, for instance, to look for enemies in the distance—might be less fun on a laptop. And if you want to use your laptop for workstation tasks in addition to gaming (like 3D rendering, photo editing, or video editing), it may also be annoying to have to zoom in to see the details that you are working on.
Moreover, as mentioned earlier, refresh rates tend to be lower on laptops than desktops; this has been less true in the last couple years than it was previously, but it’s still fairly conventional to see 60 Hz or 75 Hz monitors on gaming laptops. So, even in situations where the laptop is overcoming its potential specification and heat disadvantages to pump out high frame rates, the effort may be going largely wasted on a low-refresh-rate screen.
In conclusion, laptops can certainly be a viable alternative to a desktop system—even for gamers.
This, however, depends on what you need and what you want. You have to ask yourself a few questions to find out what best suits your needs: Is saving money high on your priority list? Does your system need to be portable? Do you want to build your own system? Are you okay with a loud system? Does your system need to be upgraded in the future? Would a small screen be a problem for you, or is that not particularly important?
I think that you can come a lot closer to knowing what the best option is for you by reflecting on and answering those questions. Gaming laptops can be a great option, but they do have drawbacks that interested gamers should bear in mind. I hope that this article cleared things up and helped you with the choice between a gaming laptop or building your own desktop. And feel free to share you thoughts in the comments below!
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