OnePlus rolled out the first OxygenOS 12 Open Beta build for the affordable OnePlus Nord CE 2 last month, giving users a chance to experience Android 12 ahead of the stable rollout. After a few weeks of testing on the beta channel, OnePlus has now started rolling out the first stable build of OxygenOS 12 based on Android 12 for the device.
According to a recent post on the OnePlus Community forums, the stable OxygenOS 12 release for the OnePlus Nord CE 2 has started rolling out in an incremental fashion. The update (software version C.05) brings all the features Google introduced in Android 12, a few optimizations from OnePlus, and the Android security patches for July 2022. Here are all the key changes included in the stable OxygenOS 12 release for the OnePlus Nord CE 2.
OxygenOS 12 for the OnePlus Nord CE 2
Key changes
System
Optimized desktop icons with improved textures, by using a design inspired by brand-new materials and uniting lights and layers
Optimized AI System Booster to 2.1 to support the system to run smoothly even when the load is high
Optimized software algorithm and improved face recognition to better identify the features and skin color of different figures
Dark mode
Newly added three adjustable levels, bringing a more personalized and comfortable user experience
Shelf
Newly added style options for Cards, making data contents more visual and easier to read
Newly added access to OnePlus Scout in Shelf, allowing you to search multiple contents on your phone, including Apps, Settings, Media Data, etc
Newly added OnePlus Watch Card in Shelf, to easily glance at your health status
Work Life Balance
Newly added Work Life Balance feature, allowing you to effortlessly switch between Work and Life mode via quick settings
Newly supported automatic Work/Life mode switching, based on specific locations, Wi-Fi network, and time, also bringing customized App notification profiles according to the personalization
Gallery
Newly supported switching between different layouts with a two-finger pinch gesture, intelligently recognizing the best-quality pictures, and cropping the thumbnail based on the content, making the gallery layout more pleasing
Canvas AOD
Newly added diverse styles of lines and colors, for a more personalized lock screen experience with inspiring visuals
Newly added multiple brushes and strokes and support for color adjustment
As mentioned earlier, OxygenOS 12 for the OnePlus Nord CE 2 is rolling out incrementally. This means it will initially reach a small percentage of users, with a broader rollout to follow in the coming days. If you’ve not received the update, you can manually check for it by heading over to the software updates section in the device settings. In case you’ve installed the update and are facing issues, you can roll back to the Android 11 release by flashing the rollback package provided in the original announcement post.
Google has been working on a system-wide dark theme for ChromeOS for quite a while now. The dark theme initially rolled out to users on the stable channel earlier this year. However, at the time, it was hidden behind a feature flag. Google is now finally bringing it to the forefront with the latest ChromeOS update (version 104) on the stable channel, along with a couple of other handy features.
Google recently started rolling out ChromeOS 104.0.5112.83 on the stable channel and the latest release adds a new Dark theme toggle to the Quick Settings. While you could access this Dark theme toggle by enabling a feature flag in previous builds, you no longer have to do so on the latest ChromeOS release.
Screenshot: 9to5Google
According to 9to5Google, the new Dark theme toggle appears on the second page of the Quick Settings. You can tap on it to enable the system-wide dark theme, which alters the appearance of every aspect of the user interface. To complement the new dark theme, Google has also created new wallpapers that “subtly shift from light to dark,” based on the theme.
Screenshots: 9to5Google
Along with the dark theme, ChromeOS 104 also brings a new monthly calendar view on the shelf that lets you view all your events for any day of the month and open the Google Calendar PWA. Furthermore, the update introduces a compact, redesigned app launcher that doesn’t take up the entire screen, a feature-rich Gallery app that can open PDF files, and a new Wallpaper & style app that lets you use photos from your Google Photos library as your Chromebook wallpaper.
Lastly, the update slightly alters the way ChromeOS handles incoming notifications. It now groups notifications from the same sender and offers bigger touch targets for alert actions.
What do you think of all the changes introduced in ChromeOS 104? Let us know in the comments section below.
Qualcomm recently unveiled the Snapdragon W5 Gen 1 and Snapdragon W5 Plus Gen 1 chips for next-gen wearables. Following the announcement, the company confirmed that the new chips would hit the market with upcoming smartwatches from Oppo and Mobvoi. While Mobvoi did not reveal the name of its Snapdragon W5 Plus Gen 1-powered smartwatch, Oppo said that the non-Plus variant would debut with the Oppo Watch 3 series in August.
Although Oppo is yet to reveal more details about the upcoming lineup, renowned leaker Evan Blass has shared renders and live images of the smartwatches ahead of the launch. The renders give us our first look at the Oppo Watch 3 series, showcasing the updated design in two new colorways.
As you can see in the attached images, the Oppo Watch 3 series features a rectangular display like its predecessor. However, the chassis and display appear to have a slight curve. In addition, the smartwatch now has a crown on the right edge alongside a button, unlike the older models that only featured buttons.
The watch face showcased in these images also reveals some details about the Oppo Watch 3 series, suggesting that it might offer temperature monitoring along with the usual array of fitness tracking features. The leaked renders showcase the Oppo Watch 3 series in two colorways — black and silver. But previous leaks suggest that Oppo will offer the smartwatch in a few more color options.
Update:
OWW211 Auster
FF514F4E Platinum Black (铂黑)
FF7D3A0A Desert Brown (漠棕)
OWW212 Altron
FF424242 Platinum Black (铂黑)
FFA69B8E Feather Gold (羽金)
OWW213 Altron SE (Altron 2)
FF404040 Space Gray (太空灰)
FFF7F7F7 Misty Purple (薄雾紫)#Leakhttps://t.co/5mtR9BB8QW
According to XDA Recognized Developer mlgmxyysd, the Oppo Watch 3 series will include three models codenamed Auster, Altron, and Altron SE. Oppo will offer two color variants for each model: Platinum Black and Desert Brown for Auster, Platinum Black and Feather Gold for Altron, and Space Gray and Misty Purple for Altron SE.
Further evidence spotted in the firmware for the upcoming smartwatches reveals that the entire Oppo Watch 3 lineup will feature an Ambiq Apollo 4 Plus SoC and ECG monitoring support. A separate leak from tipster Digital Chat Station suggests that Oppo could unveil its next-gen smartwatch lineup in China on August 10.
What do you think of the Oppo Watch 3 series? Would you pick it over the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 series? Let us know in the comments section below.
Featured image: Oppo Watch 3 series render via Evan Blass
Today, Microsoft dropped details about its Game Development Kit (GDK) for June. There are many improvements, many of which are the result of direct feedback from current developers. The most crucial piece in the new update is that Microsoft will unlock more memory for developers to further push the graphics on the Xbox Series S.
If unfamiliar, the GDK is a toolset that gives anyone the power to code games for current and future Microsoft gaming platforms. The first and probably the most critical improvement in the GDK is that developers will gain access to additional memory that can be used to push the graphics on the Xbox Series S consoles. Microsoft states that there will now be “hundreds” of additional megabytes available for developers coding for the Series S and that the extra memory could improve “graphics performance in constrained conditions.”
Along with those changes, the GDK will offer auto-sync cloud saves, a simplified user model, game update checks, debugging, and more. There will also be changes with DLCs and age ratings. DLCs will now have their own independent age rating and will not have a rating attached to the original game. Furthermore, there will be improvements in how storage is handled, as developers can now enable storage control from within the game. That means players can uninstall game DLC from in-game menus, minimizing time spent outside the game. This kind of control will only apply to DLC for that specific title. While there are many more updates, these are just a few, but for the full list, please check out the video above.
When the Xbox Series S was originally announced, it was touted as the all-digital little brother to the Xbox Series X, offering a next-gen CPU, powerful GPU, 10GB of GDDR6 memory, and 512GB of solid-state memory. Additionally, it promised 1440p gaming at 120fps, and well, it hasn’t delivered. The 10GB of GDDR6 memory might seem like a lot, but it is quite a bit less when compared to the Xbox Series X, which has 16GB. Furthermore, experts found that the Series S struggled mainly due to its memory, limiting its potential to hit its peak. While the new memory allocation doesn’t seem like a lot, let’s hope it is enough for developers to bring improvements to the console.
It was bound to happen sooner or later once AT&T sold Warner Media to Discovery, the two merging to become Warner Bros. Discovery. Now it has been set in stone, with the announcement that HBO Max and Discovery Plus streaming services will cease to exist starting in the summer of 2023. The news was announced today during a Warner Bros. Discovery earnings call, where the company gave some details about its future.
While the streaming services will cease to exist, they won’t be going away entirely. Instead, Warner Bros. Discovery will be merging the two services together and launching a new streaming service in the United States during the summer of 2023. It should be interesting, as both services cater to different audiences and have different content. This could be a complete package, with two halves equalling one whole. In a move that none will find surprising, the motive is purely financial, as the company doesn’t want to maintain two different streaming services. It also wants to minimize subscribers leaving its services.
For now, the upcoming streaming service does not have a name, but the company will focus on a premium and ad-supported version. The firm did stress that the content found on the premium and ad-supported versions will be different. It also talked about the back-end of each service, stating that while HBO Max currently offers a robust catalog, it suffers from technical issues. Discover Plus is the complete opposite, offering a streamlined experience but with limited content. The good thing is that it knows its services strengths and weaknesses.
The reliability of the new service could become a big issue, especially when merging subscribers. Hopefully, it will be able to create an experience that is celebrated. Once the United States launch has stabilized, the firm will look to roll out to other regions. For now, that means expansion to Latin America in the later part of 2023, Europe in early 2024, and Asia in mid-2024. If all goes well, more regions will gain access to the service in the later part of 2024. With a current subscriber count of 92.1 million across HBO Max and Discovery Plus, the company is looking to take things further, estimating it will reach 130 million global subscribers by 2025.
What’s your take on this? How much would you pay monthly for the new service arriving next year? Let us know in the comments below.
The Apple Studio Display has not had a good run so far. The $1,599 monitor experienced webcam issues during its launch, and more recently, users began complaining of sound issues. Apple has now issued a new firmware update that should fix the the monitor’s audio problems.
Apple has been aware of the audio issues regarding the Studio Display. The problem has persisted for several months, with users recently reporting the issues getting worse. But, that should all change now, as Apple has issued a new firmware update addressing the specific issue. According to the firmware notes, the new update will “resolves an audio issue with Studio Display.” This should be a welcome change for anyone experiencing problems.
As mentioned previously, Apple had an issue with its monitor’s webcam, with users complaining of poor image quality. In the same vein, Apple later issued firmware to fix it, improving noise reduction, contrast, and the camera. Mind you, this is happening on a $1,599 monitor. But despite its shortcomings, the Studio Display is quite impressive, making use of an A13 Bionic SoC, 64GB of onboard storage, and runs a version of iOS 15.
So if you’ve been experiencing audio issues be sure to update your firmware immediately. You can do this by heading to the Apple menu in the top left hand corner. From there, click on the Apple logo and head to the settings menu. Inside the settings menu, find and click on the software update icon. It should automatically check for updates, bringing up the firmware. If it doesn’t automatically check, manual ask it to fetch the updates. Now, just install the available updates and you should be good to go.
If you’re just sick and tired of these problems, it might be a good time to switch to a new monitor. Be sure to check out our monitor guide some recommendations.
Good news for Steam Deck enthusiasts in Asia as Valve has finally announced that it will begin taking reservations in Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan. Reservations for the console are now open, with shipments expected to arrive sometime towards the end of the year.
For reservation and sales of the Steam Deck in Asia, Valve will partner with Komodo, which will act as an authorized reseller for the region. If this is the first time you’re hearing about Komodo, put your mind at ease, as Valve has stated that it has worked with the company for years. As you might expect, each region has its own pricing, which you can see below.
Steam Deck
64GB model
256GB model
512GB model
Hong Kong
3,288 Hong Kong dollar (roughly $418)
4,388 Hong Kong dollar (roughly $559)
5,488 Hong Kong dollar (roughly $699)
Japan
59,800 Japanese yen (roughly $447)
79,800 Japanese yen (roughly $596)
99,800 Japanese yen (roughly $746)
South Korea
589,000 S. Korean won (roughly $449)
789,000 S. Korean won (roughly $602)
989,000 S. Korean won (roughly $755)
Taiwan
13,380 New Taiwan dollar (roughly $446)
17,680 New Taiwan dollar (roughly $589)
21,980 New Taiwan dollar (roughly $732)
The past couple of months has been crucial for Valve, as it announced it had completed fulfillment of its U.S. Q2 reservations and that it would begin doubling its Steam Deck shipments for Q3. It would accomplish this due to improvements in its supply chain and ramping production. In light of this, the company recently announced that it pushed delivery times forward and that all of its current pre-orders would be fulfilled by year’s end. The firm has not only done a great job of getting consoles into eager hands, but it has also succeeded in supporting the unit with constant updates. Most recently, it delivered a public release of SteamOS 3.3.
While all of this is certainly good news, Valve has made it clear that the Komodo reservations are separate from the rest of the world. So it will be business as usual in other regions. Ahead of its release later this year, Valve will continue its work with Komodo to set up a booth at Tokyo Game Show 2022. Tokyo Game Show typically takes place in mid-September and has over 200,000 attendees. If you happen to be in Japan at the time, you might want to swing by, as it will have a hands-on section for the Steam Deck.
While traditional gaming via consoles or PC will continue to dominate, game streaming services are having a moment, offering an alternative way to play video games on the go or at home. Samsung Gaming Hub was released towards the end of June and allows 2022 Samsung Smart TV and Smart Monitor series owners instant access to an extensive library of streaming games from leading game streaming services. Today, Samsung announced it is adding Amazon Luna to its Gaming Hub platform, ushering in even more games into the service.
Amazon Luna was only recently made available to those in the US. Several different tiers are available, with the lowest costing $2.99 a month and the highest costing $17.99 a month. Some examples of tiers include a retro tier, a family tier, and even a tier with Ubisoft. There is also a free tier included with an Amazon Prime membership. Each offers a different assortment of games that change each month.
Previously, Samsung Gaming Hub partners included heavy hitters like Xbox, Nvidia, Google Stadia, Utomik, and others. With Amazon Luna becoming a partner, consumers will have more options, gaining access to over 250 or so additional games. While the number is impressive, Samsung Gaming Hub now has a total offering of over 1000 games. This is quite impressive.
Thanks to optimizations from Samsung’s Tizen software, Samsung Gaming Hub provides crisp graphics and solid performance. While you can play without a proper controller using your smartphone, Gaming Hub offers support for external hardware, which means you can also pair up your existing Amazon Luna controller to the service for the best experience. Gaming Hub users can seamlessly connect their Amazon Luna controller or other supported controllers without issues. Like magic, controllers automatically connect to each supported service without needing individual pairing. Gaming Hub will also support media streaming with services like Spotify and YouTube.
In March, OnePlus released the first stable OxygenOS 12 update for the OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8T. The update was an important one, bringing Android 12 to both handsets. While some rejoiced with the new update, others, like those in the United States, wondered when their handsets would be updated. After several months, T-Mobile has finally released the update, making it available as an over-the-air (OTA) download.
The notes for the update are relatively sparse, relaying that the update will upgrade the OS from its current state to Android 12. In addition, it also contains the July 2022 Android security update. The build number for the OnePlus 8 version is IN2017_11_C.41, while the build number for the OnePlus 8T update is KB2007_11_C.41.
The Android 12 is an important one, bringing many changes not only cosmetically but also under the hood. Perhaps what users will notice first is the improved user interface. Android 12 utilizes Google’s Material You, bringing dynamic color theming. Dynamic theming will make customizing a breeze, automatically sampling colors from your wallpaper and injecting them into icons and system menus.
A new privacy dashboard gives users more control over their personal information. You can even deny camera and microphone access for specific apps. There are also improved accessibility tools, with one allowing you to dim the screen lower than what was previously allowed. While this all sounds impressive, this is just the tip of the iceberg, with so many more additional improvements in every corner of the OS.
The update should be rolling out OTA, but there is a chance that it could take longer to reach your phone. If you want to update now, you can sideload the updates using our download links below.
The Google Pixel 7 Pro and Google Pixel 7 were announced towards the tail end of Google I/O 2022. The company showed off both handsets and even teased some of its details. While this was pretty exciting, the hype has since died down considerably. Thankfully, new information about the handsets has been revealed, and it looks like the two devices finally have a release date.
Jon Prosser, better known for his Apple intel, revealed that the Google 7 handsets would launch mid-October. According to his trusted and reputable sources, both phones will be available for pre-order starting on October 6 and will later go on sale starting on October 13. Furthermore, Prosser doubled down on the dates, stating that he previously leaked accurate information about the release dates for the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro.
As far as official information goes, Google has shared images and renders of the phones, the latter of which can be seen in the attached videos. The design of the phones is quite polarizing, but Google is leaning into its unique design, which started with the Pixel 6 devices. The rear has a unique visor that houses the phone’s cameras. When it comes to its internal components, as of now, what is known is that Google will debut its next-generation Tensor processor. When released, these smartphones should become formidable handsets in the Android space, especially since they should be running Android 13 at launch.
Google is also expected to release its Google Pixel Watch. The smartwatch was teased during Google I/O 2022. While not much is known about the wearable, we have a few details. The device will have a circular AMOLED display and physical crown. It is rumored to be powered by an older generation Samsung chipset, packing 1.5GB RAM and 32GB of internal storage.
One advantage it might have compared to its competitors is that it will likely run Wear OS 3. Despite the OS being announced quite some time ago, it has yet to arrive on many wearables. For now, we will have to be patient, as Google hasn’t even announced a date for its event that will reportedly occur sometime in the fall. Luckily, there are other events ahead, most notably Samsung’s Galaxy Unpacked, taking place next week on August 10.
Despite its recent popularity, the online game platform Roblox has been around for quite some time. With over 50 million active users daily, one can easily understand why a company would choose the platform to create immersive content. Gucci, Nike, Chipotle, and Vans, are just a few of the companies that have built experiences in Roblox, and now it looks like OnePlus is joining the fun.
Today, the company announced OnePlus World, a virtual theme park created in partnership with Transparent House. The company took elements from its smartphone devices and integrated them into the park. For example, channeling its SuperVOOC charging technology for its smartphones, the world features charging stations, allowing characters to get charged and move quicker than they normally could.
OnePlus World wouldn’t be much fun if it were just walking and running, so users will be able to use vehicles to travel, like motorcycles and hoverboards. There will be plenty of activities like skydiving, treasure hunts, and more. You can also collect OnePlus clothing for your avatar. While the OnePlus World sounds like a hoot, most will be interested in the real-world rewards that can be unlocked in-game. Throughout OnePlus World, users will be able to uncover coupon codes. The first 200 discovered will be good for a free set of OnePlus earbuds.
As OnePlus rolls out a digital playground for its fans, it has more important matters ahead with the launch of the OnePlus 10T. The company has been teasing the smartphone, showing off some of its specifications ahead of its announcement. According to OnePlus’s website, the device will be powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1, 16GB RAM, 256GB of internal storage, and a 4,800mAh battery with SuperVOOC charging. It looks like OnePlus is putting all its cards on the table, but there is one element that is still missing – price. OnePlus started as a company offering affordable flagships, maybe it will return to its roots with the OnePlus 10T.
Hot off the back of the latest PS5 Beta which introduces a whole heap of new features, Sony is canceling something else. Its hyped launch feature, Accolades is being put out to pasture because it doesn’t get used enough.
Here’s the official blurb, first spotted by Push Square:
In fall of 2022, the Accolades feature on PlayStation 5 will no longer be supported. The feature hasn’t seen the level of usage we anticipated, so we are refocusing our efforts. We encourage the community to continue to send positive messages to one another.
So what the heck even is Accolades? Chances are you didn’t use it, after all. Accolades were launched as a kind of achievement/reward system for multiplayer games and members of the PlayStation community. The idea was to help spread a little positivity when you played with a complete stranger, giving them an Accolade. You can’t send them to friends, and they’re anonymous. Accolades you receive are displayed on your profile as a virtual badge of honor showing you’re a good egg.
The idea is sound, lord knows it’s nice to see any tool help to spread positivity. But it seems we don’t appreciate each other enough for it to live on. And that’s a real shame.
Instead of feel-good rewards, Sony is in the process of introducing the PlayStation Stars program. This looks initially like a PlayStation take on Microsoft Rewards, the program that gives you points for completing quests, and achievements, or even just spending money on the Xbox. Sony’s initial plans suggest a similar kind of reward scheme for PS4 and PS5 players, along with “digital collectibles” which sound suspiciously like NFTs.
These are just some of the changes taking place in the PlayStation world right now. Recently, of course, the PS Plus program went through its own overhaul, introducing new tiers and folding in cloud gaming.
VMware is looking for your help in the form of a new Tech Preview of its latest version of Fusion. The new edition brings Windows 11 support for Macs running Intel and Apple Silicon. Fusion 2H22 will allow users to run Windows 11, Linux, and more on their Mac through virtualization.
For the virtualization to work with Windows 11, WMware had to create a Virtual Trusted Platform Module (TPM). Since this module is a requirement for Windows 11, VMware created a virtual TPM with fast encryption, an auto-generating key with storage handled through Keychain. Speed is important for virtualization, so the new Fusion offers a “fast-encryption” mode that only encrypts the most critical parts of a virtual machine. This encryption method isn’t unique to just Windows 11 but can be used on all virtualizations that Fusion offers support for.
Fusion 2H22 also supports 2D graphics with a WDDM driver that allows resolutions up to 4K. Although there are graphics and network drivers in the current release, VMware states that its vmxnet3 networking driver is unavailable in the current build. The vmxnet3 networking driver is a custom driver, offering highly efficient data transfer rates and increased speeds with low latency. As mentioned prior, this software not only offers support for Windows but also other operating systems as well. For the time being, Linux will support 3D graphics with OpenGL 4.3 + GLES 3.1 using Mesa version 22.11 or later.
To keep things simple, VMware will offer up just one .dmg file that will be compatible with both Intel and Apple Silicon Macs. As mentioned prior, this is still a tech preview, which means that there can be issues with the software. There are also known limitations, like only being able to support M1 virtual machines on M1 units like the MacBook Pro 14 and 16. The same goes for Intel virtual machines only running on Intel Mac systems. If this intrigues you, you can download the file from here.
Despite only being out for less than a week, the Google Pixel 6a is getting a welcome update. Google has released the Android 13 Beta, which is now available for download on the Pixel 6a. The update isn’t a major one when it comes to looks, but it does bring a wealth of new features and minor cosmetic changes.
If you are curious about updating your handset, you can do so in a few ways. First, you’ll want to head to the Android Beta Program website. If you log into your Google account, it will show which devices are eligible. Remember, if you have previously enrolled in an older beta program like Android 12, you must enroll again to update to Android 13. If your device is supported, opt-in, and you will receive beta updates. It is recommended to back up any information before starting this process as beta software can have issues.
The second method is manually updating your device to the beta build. You can download the latest system image from Google and flash it to your device. Using Android Flash Tool, you can download and install Android 13 Beta 4.1 to your Pixel 6a. You can head to Google’s downloads page for further details. If you need a full tutorial on how to install Android 13, please be sure to check out our complete guide. Remember, any time you feel like you want to leave the beta, you can do so by opting out. Be warned that leaving the beta will erase your data from your phone, so again, be sure to have a backup of your information before opting out.
So what’s new in Android 13? There are plenty of changes, so you’ll want to check out the Android 13 guide. But to name a few, the OS gets visual enhancements with themed icons, support for large screens and tablets, privacy and security updates, and more. If you’re not adventurous and won’t be installing Android 13, you should at least update your phone with the first OTA that arrived on the first day of the Pixel 6a’s retail release. The OTA brought minor improvements like bug fixes and upped the Android security patch level to June 2022.
If you are interested in purchasing a Google Pixel 6a, hit the links below. If you’re on the fence, check out our in-depth review.
If you’re looking for a powerful laptop in time for back-to-school season, the MacBook Pro 14- and 16-inch models are currently discounted by as much as $300 over at Best Buy, which is one of the biggest deals we’ve seen on the laptops recently. It wasn’t that long ago that all these models were $200 off, but this is a noticeably bigger discount, and if you didn’t take advantage of it before, now is the perfect time to do it.
These are the latest models of the MacBook Pro, powered by the M1 Pro chip, which has a 10-core CPU and up to a 16-core GPU. The 16-core GPU models, specifically, are the ones with a $300 discount, while the 14-inch variant with a 14-core GPU is only $200 off. In addition to that, the laptops include 16GB of unified memory and a 1TB SSD, so you’re going to have a very premium experience across the board, and plenty of space for apps and files in the coming school years.
The MacBook Pro with the M1 Pro processor is a very powerful, but surprisingly efficient laptop that can deliver a ton of performance while still having great battery life, all paired with a phenomenal display.
Beyond the internal specs, the MacBook Pro 14- and 16-inch models have fantastic displays, too. The resolution is 3024 x 1964 on the 14-inch model, or 3456 x 2234 on the 16-inch version, which means they ahve the same exact pixel density. These are also Liquid Retina XDR displays, as Apple calls them. This means they’re using mini-LED technology to deliver very high contrast ratios and maximum brightness up to a whopping 1600 nits, plus they have a smooth refresh rate up to 120Hz, which can adjust on the fly.
There is a notch on the display, but it also makes way for a great 1080p webcam that’s very well suited for video calls. Aside from that, the ports include three Thunderbolt 4 connections, HDMI, an SD card reader, a headphone jack with support for high-impedance headphones, and MagSafe charging, which is faster than ever and adds a degree of safety since you can pull on the cable without dragging your laptop to the ground.
It’s true that Apple might be introducing a new version of the MacBook Pro later this year, but those won’t be discounted anytime soon after launch, and the current models will serve you very well for years to come. This is a great opportunity to buy them.
Samsung will release an update for the Galaxy S21 series that will allow users to safeguard their data when sent in for repair. The new ‘Repair Mode’ will retain sensitive information on the phone but will lock it out, making it inaccessible to technicians.
Samsung’s Repair Mode will allow users to selectively block off data when sending a phone in for repair. This will allow the technicians access to phones but at the same time gives users peace of mind. This mode can not only be handy for repairs sent to Samsung but it can be used even when having your device serviced by a third-party repair shop.
Repair Mode can be enabled by heading into the Settings menu and then going into the Battery and Device Care section. Once the mode is enabled, the phone will reboot, blocking access to important and personal information. In Repair Mode, the phone will still retain access to all stock applications. So, in essence, it will look like it was reset back to its factory state.
Once the repair is complete, the owner of the device can regain access to the data by either using their PIN number or fingerprint. As mentioned previously, Samsung intends to offer the new mode for the Galaxy S21 first, and then it will expand it to other devices in the future. This feature comes as no surprise, as Samsung has previously released apps like Knox and Knox Vault that aim to protect a user’s security and privacy.
Repair Mode seems like a great idea, and it could change the way repairs are performed going forward. But currently, many companies request that data be backed up, and the phone wiped to factory settings before getting it serviced. Samsung’s own instructions also currently state this. So while this process might not change overnight, it is certainly a move in the right direction.
Short format media has been dominating lately, with bite-sized and easily digestible clips gaining a resurgence thanks to apps like TikTok. Because of this, YouTube introduced its take on short-form videos called Shorts, encouraging users to experiment with shorter media on its platform. From now on, YouTube will make it easier for creators to make Shorts, allowing them to take existing content in their library, edit it, and upload their new creations to YouTube.
Creators can head to the YouTube Studio app and choose from any long-form video in their library, select up to 60 seconds, and create Shorts. Users will have access to all of the same tools found in the web-based version of YouTube Studio, like the timeline editor, filters, music, and more. Furthermore, creators can add additional footage as needed from their gallery if it does not meet the 60-second requirement. Creators will also be able to fill in content by using the Shorts camera. Best of all, Shorts created using existing videos on YouTube will have links to the original videos. The feature is currently rolling out to iOS and Android devices.
YouTube Creators!
We’re beginning to roll out the ability to make Shorts from a VOD on iOS & Android
While short-form videos are having a moment, flourishing on platforms like TikTok and YouTube, other platforms like Instagram are struggling to capitalize. Recently, Instagram released a new change to its feed, displaying full-screen images and videos. Unfortunately, this change didn’t go down well, as users began to complain en masse, requiring Instagram’s CEO to address the changes. As a result, the company eventually back-peddled, reverting the feed to its previous incarnation. Despite this, Instagram has committed itself to evolving and pursuing a future that is leaning more toward videos and away from its roots of still images. It’s hard to tell how this will all pan out, but one thing is sure, today’s trend could quickly and abruptly end as soon as tomorrow.
Samsung has historically used both Qualcomm’s Snapdragon and the in-house Exynos chips in its flagship phones over the years. That’s also true for the company’s Galaxy S22 series which is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip in markets like the US, while many of the units destined for other markets like Europe got Exynos 2200. India got a Snapdragon chip in the Samsung Galaxy S22 series for the first time, and it looks like future Galaxy S series flagships will carry a Snapdragon chip in more regions as the company is strengthening its partnership with Qualcomm. The collaboration between companies involves widening the usage of “Snapdragon platforms for future premium Samsung Galaxy products, including smartphones, PCs, tablets, extended reality, and more.”
Qualcomm’s press release for the media doesn’t explicitly mention the Galaxy S23 flagship or the regions in which it’ll carry the Snapdragon chip, but the company’s CEO Cristiano Amon made it quite clear during the earnings call that more regions will see Snapdragon-powered Galaxy flagship products — specifically S23 and beyond — as a result of this multiyear agreement.
A multi-year agreement to power more Galaxy flagships globally
Qualcomm head Amon shared additional info to add more clarity to the matter. Here’s a transcript of the statement shared by the Qualcomm head while addressing some questions during the earnings call:
Michael, thank you for the question. Yes. Look, it’s — besides the record in auto and IoT revenues, the Samsung agreement is probably my favorite thing in the quarter. And here’s the way I would describe the growth opportunity for the chipset business.
We would average over the many years of this relationship, if you remember, about 40% share versus their in-house solution with the Galaxy S22, which was prior to signing this agreement. Our share climb up to about 75%. And now we’re announcing a multiyear agreement to power the Samsung Galaxy smartphones globally.
So very excited about that. It provides incredible stability for our mobile business. I cannot think of anything better to validate our strategy to be focused on share of wallet in premium and high tier than this agreement.
So very, very exciting. I remember — I would like to remember you all that, that’s a very good trade. When I think about the silicon content of a Snapdragon 8 Series, at least equal or better than revenue and earnings of 5 modem for another OEM.
Now the second part of this multiyear agreement is the opportunity for growth tied up with our diversification. So it expands beyond Galaxy smartphones to include Galaxy books, Windows PCs, Galaxy tablets, future extended reality devices and other devices. So a very significant agreement, very excited and really the companies are much closer together.
Samsung isn’t giving up Exynos though
The fact that Samsung splits the shipments of its flagship devices across two different chipset doesn’t sit well the consumers. That’s because there’s often a clear difference in performance between Snapdragon and the Exynos-powered variants of the same phone. We ended up testing the Galaxy S22 Ultra powered by both chipsets, only to find out that the Snapdragon Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra is way better than the Exynos. The new partnership between the two companies may result in the arrival of Snapdragon-powered Galaxy flagships in more regions, but it doesn’t gurantee it for all buyers in every market.
This could mean the company will continue to plant its in-house chips inside its flagship phones in select markets. A better — perhaps a long term plan — would be lay low for sometime and come back stronger with better chipsets. If anything, this “multiyear” partnership gives more time to invest and make meaningful improvements to its SoC. The company can also leverage its recent partnership with AMD to produce morre powerful mobile GPUs. The idea of seeing more Qualcomm-powered Galaxy flagships is sure to put a smile on many faces, but it’ll be interesting to see the in-house chip making a comeback with in the future with more raw power and features.
When you buy a Dell XPS laptop, you’re buying some of the best that money can buy. You’re getting a premium aluminum laptop and an immersive InfinityEdge display. Ultimately, you’re buying the best that Dell has to offer. With the Dell XPS 13 Plus, you’re still getting that, but the company is getting a bit more experimental.
It comes with a border-less haptic touchpad, which makes it feel like it’s a laptop from the future. On top of that, the function keys are capacitive, with light-up buttons across the top of the keyboard. Even the keyboard itself is different. It stretches from one side to the other, with larger keys and no more space between them.
It’s not perfect, as no laptop is. Dell stuck with a 720p webcam, making it one of very few Intel Evo laptops that hasn’t upgraded to FHD. Also, while there’s more power under the hood from the 28W CPU, it’s a mixed bag of results that range from issues with sustained performance, to sucking down battery life.
As always, it has a best-in-class display, and this model is 3.5K OLED, just another thing that puts it over the top. As always, Dell has produced a win with the XPS 13 Plus.
The Dell XPS 13 Plus is available now from a variety of channels, starting at $1,299.99
It comes in Platinum and Graphite
The Dell XPS 13 Plus is available now from Dell.com, and you can also find select configurations, such as the OLED models, as other retailers such as Best Buy and Amazon. The base model starts at $1,299, and that gets you a Core i5, 8GB RAM, a 512GB SSD, and an FHD+ display. It comes in Graphite and Platinum.
The model that Dell sent me includes a Core i7-1280P, 16GB RAM, a 512GB SSD, and a 3.5K OLED display, so it’s a bit nicer than the base model. As configured, this unit costs $1,949.
Dell XPS 13 Plus specs
Processor
12th Generation Intel Core i7-1280P (24MB Cache, up to 4.8 GHz, 14 cores)
Thunderbolt 4 (USB Type-C with DisplayPort and Power Delivery) x2
USB-C to USB-A 3.0 adapter (included in the box)
USB-C to 3.5mm headset adapter (included in the box)
Keyboard
Platinum Backlit English Keyboard with Fingerprint Reader
Webcam
720p at 30 fps HD RGB camera, 400p at 30 fps IR camera, dual-array microphones
Audio
Dual stereo speakers (tweeter + woofer), Realtek ALC1319D, 2 W x 2 = 4 W total
Design: From the outside, it just looks like a Dell XPS 13
It weighs in at 2.77 pounds
Made out of all aluminum, it comes in Platinum and Graphite colors
There are just two Thunderbolt 4 ports
Like all Dell XPS laptops, the XPS 13 Plus 9320 is made out of CNC-machined aluminum. It comes in at 2.77 pounds for the OLED model, which, for the most part, is about as light as it gets on an aluminum laptop. Once you go beyond that, you start looking at other materials like magnesium alloys, which tend to feel less premium.
The Dell XPS 13 Plus, on the other hand, feels very premium. It comes in either Platinum or Graphite with a matte finish on the lid. The model that Dell sent me for review is Platinum, and it has a white interior. Interestingly, all of the accessories in the box are black. Historically, Dell has included white accessories with white XPS laptops, although it’s possible that it just stopped doing that because there is no more white XPS 13 or XPS 13 2-in-1.
Made out of CNC-machined aluminum, every bit of it feels premium, just like every Dell XPS laptop.
Ultimately, the exterior design of the Dell XPS 13 Plus really isn’t that different from XPS 13 laptops of previous generations. That’s particularly true of the Platinum model. The Graphite one is that color on the lid, which we haven’t seen from XPS laptops in the past. The same can be said for the new XPS 13 colors, Umber and Sky.
As far as ports go, there are just two. You’ll find Thunderbolt 4 ports on each side, which is actually quite nice. Most Windows laptops that I review still put both USB Type-C ports on one side, which means that at some point, the charging cable will get in your way. Having one on each way is a nice way to solve that. It’s actually more expensive for the OEM to do this, so it’s nice that Dell actually did.
Thunderbolt 4 isn’t just for charging though. You can get data transfer speeds of up to 40Gbps, you can connect dual 4K displays on a single port, or you can connect an 8K display. You can even use it to connect an external GPU, just in case you want to pair up the 28W CPU with more powerful graphics.
Of course, the more likely use case is just to connect a Thunderbolt dock, which you can use to add an array of USB Type-A ports, HDMI, DisplayPort, or something else.
The key thing to note about the design is that like all Dell XPS laptops, it definitely feels premium.
Display: One of the best displays on a laptop
The 3.5K OLED display is gorgeous
Non-OLED options are pretty great too
The Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 has the four display options that are common for XPS these days. There’s a 1,920×1,200 non-touch option, a 1,920×1,200 touch option, 3.5K OLED, and 4K IPS. Dell sent me the 3.5K OLED model, and as always, it’s lovely.
I want to be clear, however, that they’re all lovely. I’ve reviewed so many XPS laptops and I’ve experienced all of these configurations. On any color gamut test, they score in the 90% range. You’ll get better battery life with FHD+, but you’re sacrificing pixels for it. The 3.5K and 4K options look great, but of course, they tax the battery.
The display is best-in-class.
Speaking of color gamut tests, this laptop supports 100% sRGB, 94% NTSC, 96% Adobe RGB, and 100% P3, which is some of the best results that you’ll find on a laptop. Dell also puts up these kinds of numbers on its IPS displays, which is pretty much unheard of anywhere else.
Brightness maxed out at 386.2 nits, falling a bit short of the 400-nit promise. Contrast maxed out at 12,920:1, and of course, it’s that high thanks to the OLED display.
Unfortunately, the webcam is still 720p, making Dell’s XPS 13 and XPS 13 Plus some of the only Intel Evo-certified laptops that don’t have FHD webcams. Dell is pretty upfront about the fact that it prioritizes narrow bezels and an immersive experience above all else. Unfortunately, in the age of working from home, that webcam is important.
On a side note, there is an IR camera up there for Windows Hello facial recognition, so that’s always nice.
Keyboard and touchpad: A border-less touchpad, capacitive keys, and more
It has capacitive function keys
There’s a haptic touchpad without a border
The keys are big but they’re not islanded
You’ve probably heard people (like me) call this laptop futuristic, and an example of what a modern laptop should be. This is the section where we’re going to talk about that.
First of all, Dell got a little experimental with the keyboard. The keys are not islanded, meaning there’s no space between them. That means that the keys are bigger, but if you’re not a precise typist, you might find yourself making mistakes. There’s a reason that all other products that had keys that weren’t islanded, eventually made the transition to islanded. For example, see Microsoft’s Surface Pro 3 Type Cover, which became islanded the year after. The same goes for Huawei’s MateBook E series.
It’s something to be aware of, but I have to say, I kind of like it. I’ve found the keyboard to be weirdly accurate, maybe because it goes edge-to-edge and the keys are just that big. But also, this keyboard is really comfortable to type on. The keys have just the right amount of depth and required force. They feel delightful to type on, and I have to say, I don’t sing these praises about Dell laptops much. Normally, they’re just good but never the best.
And then there are the capacitive function keys. When this was announced, it was immediately compared to Apple’s Touch Bar, which was not well received. I think it’s fine. It feels a bit weird that there’s no haptic feedback when you press the buttons, and sometimes, I definitely had to tap them more than once to get the desired effect.
What I do like about it is that if you hold the Fn key, it switches to standard F-number keys. I don’t know about you, but I can’t tell you how many times I’ve pressed a function key, not sure if I have to hold Fn or not. This way, it’s easy to tell which one you’re hitting. So, not only is it a modern change, but it does feel like a practical one.
I saved the best for last. The haptic touchpad does not have a border, which might just be your biggest question mark if you’re thinking of throwing down a couple thousand dollars for this laptop.
Using the Dell XPS 13 Plus feels like living in the future.
When it was announced, Dell said that you should naturally be able to tell where the touchpad ends, just from muscle memory. For the most part, that’s true. If you go to click or right-click, you’ll probably know where to click. The bigger problem is dragging and dropping things. If you drag your finger off of the touchpad, you’ll immediately have to start over with whatever operation you were doing.
The touchpad is made by Aito, a company that could have actually made a haptic touchpad that could span across the whole palm rest if Dell wanted it to. Of course, if it did that, then there would be a whole lot of palm rejection technology that would have to go into it. Now, that kind of smart tech is what I want to see from the laptop of the future.
But in the meantime, this is a step toward it. Like I said, most of the time, you should do just fine without the border. Unfortunately, it’s pretty frustrating when it doesn’t work.
Performance: It uses 28W CPUs
The Dell XPS 13 Plus is the only member of this year’s XPS family to use Intel’s new 28W processors
The interesting thing about this year’s flagship laptops is that they all use different processors. Typically, Intel has one line of processors that’s aimed at ultrabooks and convertibles, and those products all include those chips. With Intel’s 12th-generation processors, that’s not the case.
With 12th-gen, there’s a new hybrid architecture, using big cores and little cores. This is something we’ve seen from Arm processors for years, using big cores for tasks that require a lot of power, and little cores for tasks that don’t, so something like syncing notifications doesn’t have to suck down battery life. The goal is better power management.
With this, Intel has introduced a range of SKUs. It has the typical 9W and 15W U-series processors, and now there’s the new 28W P-series. Not only does the P-series have a higher TDP, but it has more performance cores, or P-cores. That’s what you’ll find in the Dell XPS 13 Plus.
But for comparison, Lenovo’s Yoga 9i also uses the P-series, HP’s Spectre x360 13.5 uses 15W U-series, and the regular Dell XPS 13 uses a 9W U-series processor that’s boosted to 12W. Some new laptops, like HP’s Pavilion Plus, offers a choice between U-, P-, and H-series (H-series is 45W) CPU. It’s kind of a confusing mess, but it means more choice for consumers, which is always good.
The problem is that the boost in performance isn’t linear. There are some cases where I’ve seen the 15W U-series outperform the 45W H-series; however, these more powerful chips will do better in multitasking, as they do have more performance cores.
These benchmarks were actually achieved by going into the My Dell app and shifting it from optimized to “ultra performance”. That does things like putting the fan on max to keep the processor cool. Still, I’d love to have seen it score better.
I’ve tested several P-series laptops now, along with several H-series laptops that don’t have dedicated graphics, and I’m still not convinced that there’s any meaningful benefit to these higher wattage CPUs, especially when they’re not paired with any kind of dedicated graphics. The performance on the Dell XPS 13 Plus is fine, but you wouldn’t notice anything over if it uses a U-series chip.
And then there’s battery life, because yes, more wattage in the CPU means that it uses more battery life. A lot of other P-series laptops I’ve used come with bigger batteries, but Dell is still using one that’s 55WHr. On average, I got around four and a half hours of use out of it, but I couldn’t get beyond five hours. This was with the power slider on balanced and the screen brightness set to 50%. If you really want great battery life, you might want to stick with the regular XPS 13, which has a processor that won’t burn through the battery so much.
Should you buy the Dell XPS 13 Plus?
The Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 is one of the best laptops on the market, so if you’re thinking about buying one, consider the following.
You should buy the Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 if:
You want a laptop that feels futuristic
You want the best performance from a 13-inch Dell XPS laptop
You want the best display in a 13-inch laptop
You should not buy the Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 if:
You make a lot of video calls, requiring a good webcam
You feel more comfortable with islanded keys
You need dedicated graphics
If you’re not comfortable with islanded keys, you can also look toward the standard Dell XPS 13, which is totally redesigned this year. For dedicated graphics, take a look at the XPS 15 and XPS 17, which are phenomenal products.
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