Google has begun rolling out an update for the Chromecast with Google TV, adding the April 2021 security patch and a handful of new features and bug fixes. The update appears to be rolling out in stages, so it should be available to most users in the coming days.
Reddit user Firefighter2021 was among the first to notice the update, sharing an image that shows it weighs in at 166MB and will bring the Chromecast with Google TV to version QTS1.210311.005. The full list of changes is as follows:
Advanced Video Controls setting for granular HDR formats, resolution/refresh rate, and color formats
HDMI hotplug improvements helping your Chromecast detect the best TV Settings available
Wi-Fi Improvements for 5GHz and Mesh networks
Bluetooth Audio stuttering improvements in some Apps
HDMI-CEC can now be configured to turn on/off only the TV in settings
Security update: Android security patch level to April 2021
Firefighter2021 said that the Chromecast with Google TV’s remote has also received an update, although it’s unclear what new features (if any) have been added. To update the remote, simply to go remote settings and you’ll see if something is available or not.
Google has been busy bolstering its streaming device over the last few months. Recently, the company’s dongle received HDR10+ certification, so viewers can watch content from Google Play (and elsewhere) in even higher clarity. Meanwhile, the search giant also began rolling out Kids Profile support to the Chromecast with Google TV. The feature is designed to provide kids with a safe space with content that’s suitable for certain ages.
The Apple TV app also recently launched for the Chromecast with Google TV, bringing Apple’s library of original content to more viewers. Apple still has a relatively small offering of original shows and movies, but there are some standouts, including Ted Lasso, a comedy about a college football coach who is inexplicably appointed as manager of a fictional team in the English Premier League. The show is returning for its second season on July 23.
Smartphone prices nowadays are in a constantly upward trend. If that weren’t bad enough, some people also need to factor in their carrier’s monthly bill on top of their phone’s price, which can, more often than not, come at a hefty cost. This is often the reason why some people often go the MVNO way — it’s cheaper, and you can find some sweet deals on phones. The latter reason is why we’re bringing you today some of the best Cricket Wireless smartphones that are available right now.
There’s a lot of options to consider here, mostly cheaper devices, although there are also some phones on the more expensive side of the spectrum as well. We’re going to measure them all for you, right here. Some things we had in mind while putting together this list is a big focus on the best deals available on Cricket Wireless rather than the just the best phone overall, considering both the limited catalog that is currently available and the fact that one of the biggest factors on going for an MVNO instead of a bigger carrier is saving a buck.
The iPhone SE tops our list of the best overall phone on Cricket Wireless purely from a price-to-performance scenario. The iPhone SE made headlines last year because it was pretty much an iPhone 8 body with iPhone 11 internals, something that caught the attention of a lot of people that were either looking for a smaller and more affordable option in Apple’s lineup or a “throwback” style phone with bezels and a 16:9 aspect ratio display. It was powered by the same A13 Bionic SoC that powered the more expensive options in Apple’s lineup, and also came with a slew of new features partly thanks to the newer internals.
If you’re in the market for one, you’ll be glad to know that what was an affordable phone, even when starting at its $400 MSRP, is even more affordable with Cricket Wireless. If you’re bringing your own phone number, you’ll be able to get your iPhone SE for just $99 for the 64GB model and $149 for the 128GB model, making it an offer that is very hard to resist.
The iPhone 12 Pro Max shows the best of Apple’s engineering to date. A 5nm A14 Bionic SoC powers everything behind the scenes, including the award-winning rear camera setup and world-class build quality and display. It’s also Apple’s biggest smartphone to date, coming in with a 6.7-inch display. It’s also one of the very few actual premium devices that you can grab right now from Cricket Wireless.
There are no offers for switching over to the iPhone 12 Pro Max — or most iPhones for that matter — on Cricket Wireless. You’ll have to fork out the full price, which starts at $1,099 for the 128GB model. You can however enjoy Cricket’s cheaper service.
The iPhone 12 Pro Max is currently the most premium phone out of Apple's lineup, bringing an Apple A14 Bionic SoC, a triple rear camera with a LiDAR sensor, and up to 512 GB of storage.
When it launched last year, the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE presented a value proposition unlike anything we previously saw from Samsung in several years, coming with a “cheaper” flagship smartphone that undercut the pricing of the “main” Galaxy S20 smartphones by quite a bit, yet still providing many of the same core features and even internal specifications.
This phone enjoyed a decent degree of success when it came out. Right now, even with the Galaxy S21 devices now in the market, it’s still a pretty darn good deal, especially on Cricket Wireless, where you can grab one for just $449, down from its usual $699 price point.
The Samsung Galaxy S20 FE is Samsung's best value proposition in years with a Snapdragon 865 and a 120Hz display, and now that the price is lower than ever, it's the best time to go and get one.
The Galaxy A51 5G might have been already superseded by the Galaxy A52 5G, but that doesn’t mean that the older device doesn’t still have some charm in it. Featuring an Exynos 980 SoC and up to 128GB of storage, the A51 is a decent, 5G-enabled mid-range device, even when putting it against 2021 midranges. It also comes with a 6.5-inch display, a 4,500 mAh battery, and a 48MP quad rear camera setup.
This is one of the best Cricket Wireless phones because it offers a decent price-to-performance ratio within Samsung’s A-series lineup, and because Samsung’s devices from last year are still quite usable even today.
The Samsung Galaxy A51 5G may be a little bit dated by this point, but with an Exynos 980, up to 128GB of storage, and 5G connectivity, it's no slouch either.
The Galaxy A01, unlike all of the other options in this list, is not really a phone you should be looking up to if you care about specs, camera, or performance. But if you’re looking for the essentials and maybe installing a handful of apps, why not give it a go? It features a Snapdragon 439 SoC that provides decent performance in budget device terms, a 13MP dual rear camera, a 3,000 mAh battery, a 5.7-inch display, and 2GB of RAM with up to 32GB of storage.
The best part of all? When you bring your number to Cricket Wireless and activate a plan, you can grab the 16GB version of the phone for free! What is already one of the best phones on Cricket Wireless is made much better by this deal.
The Samsung Galaxy A01 is Samsung's bottom-of-the-barrel budget phone, and it's powered by a Snapdragon 439, 2GB of RAM, and 16GB of storage, allowing you to take on basic tasks without a high price tag.
Looking into maybe getting an Android Go phone? Android Go is the lighter flavor of Android that includes slimmed-down Google apps for sub-$100 smartphones, and the Cricket Icon 2 is actually a decent Android Go phone. It’s powered by a MediaTek Helio A22 SoC that doesn’t particularly scream “fast”, but it’s also one of the most widely used options when it comes to budget devices.
The Cricket Icon 2, just like the Galaxy A01, is free on Cricket as long as you bring your own number and get a plan, making it one of the best Cricket Wireless phones available.
The Cricket Icon 2 is a Cricket-branded smartphone with a MediaTek Helio A22 SoC and very low-end specs, and it's running Android Go, the slimmed-down flavor of Android 10.
The Galaxy A32 5G brings 5G to the lower tier of Samsung A-series phones, and you can actually expect to have a fairly good experience with this phone as well. We have a MediaTek Dimensity 720 for its guts, the same system-on-chip that powers phones like the Realme V5 5G, and also comes with up to 8GB of RAM, 128GB of storage, and a beefy 5,000 mAh battery. It also comes with Android 11 out-of-the-box based on One UI 3.0, and features a quad rear 48MP camera setup.
While it’s currently available on Cricket Wireless at a slightly higher price point than the Galaxy A51 5G, it still deserves a mention because it’s a purchase you definitely won’t regret, and one of the best Cricket Wireless phones on this list.
The Galaxy A32 5G is part of Samsung's 2021 midrange lineup, featuring a MediaTek Dimensity 720, 5G connectivity, up to 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, and more.
Cricket Wireless’s catalog is fairly limited, and if you’re looking for high-end devices, there’s not much to look at other than some great iPhones. Apple’s entire current lineup is available on their website, but we have highlighted the iPhone SE and the iPhone 12 Pro Max because they’re both the cheapest and most expensive options respectively in their lineup, and there’s a good deal currently going on with the iPhone SE, which is the one I personally recommend.
As for the Android side, the best you can get is the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE, a phone from last year that actually managed to provide a decent bang-for-the-buck, even when it came out. Then, we have all of Samsung’s mid-range and budget phones.
What do you think about these phones? Are you planning on getting any?
Today, Microsoft released Windows 10 Insider Preview build 21370 to the Dev channel. There’s not a whole lot that’s changed in the way of front-facing new features, but there are some changed coming to the Bluetooth audio experience.
From now on, Windows 10 is only going to show you one audio endpoint for your Bluetooth peripherals. Previously, you’d have a choice between something like “stereo” and “hands-free AG audio”, as seen in the image below. You’ll no longer have to fumble through those to figure out which one is the right one. Now, Windows 10 is going to act like any modern OS and just have one choice for your Bluetooth headphones or speakers.
The other Bluetooth improvement is support for Advanced Audio Codec, or AAC. Like plenty of modern formats, it’s all about better quality in a smaller file size.
The Bluetooth improvements are all that Microsoft listed as key new features, but there are some smaller changes as well. The icons in the File Explorer address bar have been changed a bit, and there’s a new animation for the touch keyboard. The touch keyboard also now shows a backslash if you’re using the Run dialog.
Today’s build is from the co_release branch, although that still doesn’t make it tied to a specific release of Windows 10. Microsoft says that the Dev channel is for those that want to be in a perpetual state of prerelease builds. If you’re using it, that means that you want the latest features all the time. Naturally, you might end up sacrificing stability to get there.
At some point, the new features come off of the Dev channel train and land in the Beta channel. At that point, they’re officially tied to a feature release of Windows 10. The features currently in testing will likely show up in the 21H2 update, although that’s certain yet. Indeed, none of this will land in the Beta channel until Windows 10 version 21H1, or the May 2021 Update, is out the door.
If you want to check out today’s build, you can get it via Windows Update. If you’re not, you can enroll via the Windows Insider Program tab in Settings.
OnePlus has announced the OnePlus 6 and OnePlus 6T will soon receive the OxygenOS 11 update with Android 11. When the software is released, that would make it the third major OS update for the OnePlus 6 and second major OS update for the OnePlus 6T.
The company made the announcement in a forum post on Thursday, revealing the updates would arrive at the end of August.
“The Android 11 Open Beta version for the OnePlus 6 & 6T is scheduled to be released at the end of August, please stay tuned for our Community posts for more details.,” OnePlus said.
This is great news for OnePlus 6 and OnePlus 6T owners; the former launched in May of 2018 with Android 8.1 Oreo, while the latter launched in October of 2018 with Android 9 Pie installed. Given that the software updates for both the 6 and 6T are unified, the OxygenOS 11 update based on Android 11 will likely be the final major OS update for both devices. In other words, don’t expect either device to get updated to Android 12.
OnePlus guarantees two years of Android OS updates and three years of security patch updates for most of its products (except for the Nord N10 and N100, which only get one year of OS updates and two years of security updates.)
In the same forum post OnePlus answers a handful of community questions that aren’t specific to the OnePlus 6 or 6T, including why the Gallery app takes so long to load pictures in Android 11. (The company didn’t say why it takes so long to load, but said it has made improvements to the experience.”
Meanwhile, OnePlus said it has fixed other performance related issues in OxygenOS 11, and said it’s working on a fix that has seen some OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro devices fail to connect to Android Auto on certain vehicles. OnePlus is aiming for an August launch for the first OxygenOS beta for the OnePlus 6 and 6T, so let’s hope the company sticks to it.
Microsoft’s new Surface Laptop 4 is, well, mostly a spec bump from the Surface Laptop 3, but it’s a pretty significant one. The laptop’s predecessor was offered with Intel’s Ice Lake processors with Iris Plus Graphics in the 13.5-inch model, and AMD Ryzen 3000 chips in the consumer-focused 15-inch variant.
Unsurprisingly, the Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 has Intel Tiger Lake, also known as 11th-generation, and AMD Ryzen 4000, although consumers have an option of either one in either model. Intel’s Tiger Lake chips now come with Iris Xe integrated graphics, a marked improvement on Iris Plus Graphics, which was already a solid improvement over the previous generation. As far as AMD goes, Ryzen 4000 is built on a 7nm process now and brings its own performance improvements. For this review, I’ve been using the Intel model.
13.5-inch PixelSense display, 2,256×1,504, 201ppi, 3:2, Surface Pen support
Body
12.1×8.8×0.57” (308x223x14.5mm), 2.79lbs (1,265g)
Ports
(1) USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A
(1) USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C
(1) USB 3.2 Gen 2 Surface Connect
(1) 3.5mm audio jack
Storage
512GB SSD
Memory
16GB LPDDR4x RAM
Cameras, video, and audio
Windows Hello face authentication camera (front-facing)
720p HD f/2.0 camera (front-facing)
Dual far-field Studio Mics
Omnisonic Speakers with Dolby Atmos
Battery
45.8WHr (Up to 17 hours)
Security
TPM 2.0 chip for enterprise security and BitLocker support
Enterprise-grade protection with Windows Hello face sign-in
Material
Aluminum, Alcantara keyboard deck
Color
Ice Blue
Price
$1,699.99
About this review: Microsoft loaned me the Ice Blue 13.5-inch Surface Laptop 4 with 16GB RAM, 512GB of storage, and Intel’s Core i7-1185G7, but they did not preview or exercise any control over this review.
The 13.5-inch Surface Laptop 4 actually starts at $999.99, and that will get you an AMD Ryzen 5 4680U Surface Edition CPU, along with 8GB RAM and a 256GB SSD. In fact, aside from a separate $1,199.99 SKU that gets you 16GB RAM, that’s all you can get in the 13.5-inch model with AMD. The rest comes with Intel. It’s also worth noting that the AMD-powered models only come in the Platinum color.
The rest of the models — aside from the top-end model that has a Core i7-1185G7, 32GB RAM, and a 1TB SSD for $2,299.99 and comes in Matte Black — come in all four colors: Platinum, Ice Blue, Sandstone, and Matte Black. If you go the Platinum or Ice Blue route, you’ll get Alcantara fabric on the keyboard, while Sandstone and Matte Black are straight-up aluminum.
For the 15-inch Surface Laptop 4, it’s just aluminum, and your options are only Platinum and Matte Black. For that model, the only AMD processor offered is the Ryzen 7 4980U Surface Edition, and that comes in the $1,299.99 base model with 8GB RAM and 256GB of storage, along with a $1,499.99 model with 8GB RAM and 512GB of storage and a $1,699.99 model with 16GB RAM and 512GB of storage. The rest use an Intel Core i7-1185G7, and once again, the top-end model comes with 32GB RAM and 1TB of storage.
As far as other spec differences between the two Surface Laptop 4 models, there’s not much. The 15-inch version is bigger and heavier, naturally, and it has a 2,496×1,664 display, giving it the exact same 201ppi pixel density. Indeed, the battery isn’t even any bigger in the 15-inch version.
Design, build quality, and Ice Blue color
I was happy to open the package and see that Microsoft had sent me the Ice Blue model, as it’s the new color introduced with the Surface Laptop 4. It replaces Cobalt Blue in the Surface Laptop lineup, and that was the last of the original colors that were still being made, other than the Platinum color that exists across the Surface brand. Ice Blue comes with the Alcantara keyboard, something that was originally a staple of the Surface Laptop lineup.
Microsoft is definitely trending toward more subtle colors, unlike bold colors like Burgundy and Cobalt Blue. When I asked about this, I was told that that’s simply this year’s trend. The Redmond firm could decide to go all-in on bold colors again next year if it wants to. But for now, don’t expect the next Microsoft Surface Laptop in Poppy Red.
The branding is one of the sexiest parts of the laptop.
The shade of blue is so pale that you could probably mistake it for gray, and it’s a nice subtle touch. If gray laptops seem a bit dull, and they usually are, the blue tint adds just a tiny bit of flash to it. On top of that, there’s the mirrored Surface logo stamped in the lid. As usual, the branding is one of the sexiest parts of the laptop.
Other than the color, the look of the chassis of the Surface Laptop hasn’t changed much over time. With the Surface Laptop 3, the USB Type-C port was added, but that’s about it. However, some things have changed, although again, these changes were made in the last generation of the product.
For one thing, the weight distribution changed. If you put a Surface Laptop 2 and a Surface Laptop 4 next to each other, you’ll be able to feel how much easier it is to open the Surface Laptop 4 with one finger. The additional weight in the base makes it easier to use on your lap as well.
Another change is that you can open up the base and replace the storage now. Replaceable storage is something that we’re seeing across the Surface lineup now, and it’s for businesses. It’s not meant for you to get around Microsoft’s exorbitant prices for storage tiers. Instead, this is more about being able to destroy storage when you recycle the product, or to service it.
While you could replace or upgrade the storage yourself, Microsoft warns against this and says you should have an authorized repair center do it. That means that if you do it yourself, you’re probably voiding your warranty.
The port selection hasn’t changed. On the left side, there’s a USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A and a USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C port, both of which are good for data transfer speeds of up to 10Gbps. There’s also a 3.5mm audio jack on the Surface Laptop 4.
Sadly, there’s still no Thunderbolt. While Microsoft has rejected Thunderbolt throughout the life of Surface, its excuse this time is that there’s an AMD-powered variant of the Surface Laptop 4. Since Intel owns Thunderbolt, Microsoft doesn’t want to go the extra mile to add it to AMD-powered PCs. To be clear, it is possible.
Still, most OEMs simply put Thunderbolt in their Intel-powered configurations and not in the AMD-powered ones. It’s interesting because Microsoft has these reasons for not giving us modern technology like Thunderbolt, and they seem fine until you realize that its competitors solved these problems ages ago.
Another example of this is the Surface Connect port, Microsoft’s proprietary charging port that’s found on the right side of the Surface Laptop 4. Surface Connect is a magnetic charging port that’s USB 3.2 Gen 2, so it supports the same 10Gbps data transfer speeds. It also has the same limitations as the USB Type-C port, meaning you can’t connect dual 4K displays.
Again, this is something that other OEMs have solved. Sure, business customers want to keep the port so that they can use the same docks and peripherals they’ve always used. Still, companies like HP, Lenovo, Dell, and Acer all slowly moved their commercial lineups to USB Type-C entirely years ago.
Display and audio: What’s the Surface Laptop 4 like for streaming media?
Microsoft’s Surface Laptop 4 comes with a 13.5-inch 2,256×1,504 display, giving it a 3:2 aspect ratio. Yes, that’s the same aspect ratio as every modern Surface. The pixel density is 201ppi, which is actually significantly lower than the Surface Book 3 (260ppi) and the Surface Pro 7 (267ppi). I don’t think it makes a difference though. There’s no noticeable pixelation, so the lower pixel density only results in longer battery life.
The colors are good too, although it’s not as vibrant as the OLED display that you’ll find on HP’s 13.5-inch 3:2 Spectre x360 14. Microsoft has always focused more on accurate colors than vibrant ones. It’s also fairly bright, enough to comfortably work outdoors. This is an issue that I’ve had with Surface PCs before because Microsoft really does love glossy displays. And if you combine glossy and dim, that makes it hard to use outside.
Interestingly, the clamshell laptop has both touch and pen support. While touch comes in handy from time to time, I’ve never found a practical use for a pen with a clamshell laptop like this in all of my years reviewing Surface Laptops. If you’re thinking a pen might be useful, get a convertible.
As you can see, the bezels on the Surface Laptop 4 aren’t particularly small. Honestly, if you were looking for narrow bezels, you’re probably not looking for a Microsoft Surface. That’s more in the Dell XPS territory.
The top bezel includes a webcam and an IR camera. Sadly, the Surface Laptop 4’s webcam offers just 720p resolution. The webcam resolution is one thing that hasn’t changed here, and it’s a shame. With so many people working remotely, a quality webcam is more important than ever. For reference, the Surface Pro 7, Surface Pro X, Surface Book 3, Surface Studio 2, and even the Surface Go have 1080p webcams. Microsoft has been using a 1080p webcam in the Surface Pro lineup since the Surface Pro 3 in 2014.
The webcam resolution is one thing that hasn't changed here, and it's a shame.
One thing that’s been improved in the Surface Laptop 4 is audio quality. This year, the new Surface Laptop has speakers that have been tuned with Dolby Atmos. These speakers are not only clear, but they’re fairly loud for listening to music or streaming video. They’re loud enough that it’s uncomfortable to listen to them at 100% volume, which is really all that I ask for. If you have to use anything at 100% under normal conditions, it’s not good enough. With the speakers on the Surface Laptop 4, a comfortable volume is around 50%.
Keyboard and touchpad: How does the Surface Laptop 4 handle input?
The keyboard itself is something that hasn’t changed much since the original Surface Laptop debuted. The keys themselves still feel like they’re made of plastic (because they are), but it does seem like Microsoft has tinkered with the resistance a bit. It feels very comfortable, and it feels accurate. In my weeks of using the Surface Laptop 4, I clearly made fewer errors in typing than I normally would.
The keyboard is covered in Alcantara fabric, a stable of the Surface Laptop since it debuted. This is something that a lot of people hated. In fact, that’s why with the Laptop 3, Microsoft started offering models without it. I’ll tell you a bit of a secret though. I like the soft feel of the Alcantara on my palms. It’s a nice touch that makes the Surface Laptop 4 unique.
The only problem is, of course, that it’s harder to keep clean. It’s recommended that you use a damp, lint-free cloth with mild soap to keep it clean. For stains, it’s recommended that you clean it within 30 minutes.
I like the soft feel of the Alcantara on my palms.
If you don’t want to deal with that hassle, you’ve got options. On the 13.5-inch Surface Laptop 4, the Sandstone and Matte Black models have aluminum keyboards. For the 15-inch model, Platinum and Matte Black are aluminum. The only ones that come with Alcantara are the 13.5-inch Platinum and Ice Blue models.
Another thing of note about the keyboard is that this is where the power button is. This is different from almost any other Surface. The Surface Pro, Surface Book, and Surface Go all keep their power buttons on the side. That’s because those are tablets or can be used as such. The Surface Laptop series also doesn’t have a physical volume rocker. You’ll have to know all of this if you have to use the power and volume keys to boot into recovery because it does work the same way. You just have to use the keys on the keyboard.
It’s got a Microsoft Precision touchpad, meaning it’s fast and responsive. This isn’t really a concern anymore, as pretty much any modern laptop has a Precision touchpad. I’m more concerned with how Microsoft tends to make noisy touchpads. Seriously, if you’re trying to work in a super-quiet room, people will hear you click.
The good news is that it’s better than Microsoft’s tablets. Presumably, this is because the Surface Laptop 4 just had a more solid base. Microsoft just loves its clicking sounds.
Performance and battery life: Can the Surface Laptop 4 handle real work?
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 that I was sent includes an Intel Core i7-1185G7, 16GB RAM, and a 512GB SSD. While it’s pretty specced out, you could get it with 32GB RAM and 1TB of storage if you want. I just don’t know who looks for 32GB of RAM if they’re not also looking for a dedicated GPU.
In the 13.5-inch model, you’ve also got the option of an AMD Ryzen 5 4680U Surface Edition or an Intel Core i5-1135G7. The AMD processor is the one that’s used in the base model, but keep in mind that while Ryzen 4000 is good, it’s a last-gen product. Every other OEM is using Ryzen 5000 now. For a Core i5, the entry point is $1,299.99.
The Intel processors are from the Tiger Lake family. That means that they come with Iris Xe graphics. If you don’t know what Iris Xe graphics are, you’re in for a treat. With last year’s Ice Lake and the move to the 10nm process, Intel finally started taking its integrated graphics seriously with Iris Plus Graphics. Iris Plus was nearly twice as fast as its predecessor, and now Iris Xe is nearly twice as fast as that.
That means on a regular old ultrabook with integrated graphics, you can do things like play FHD games or edit photos. You can even do some light video editing. Of course, if you’re recording 4K 60fps video, you probably already know that you need dedicated graphics.
One other thing worth noting is that while both the Core i5 and Core i7 have the ‘G7’ suffix, the Iris Xe graphics in the Core i7 are a bit better. It has 96 execution units instead of 80.
As far as battery life goes, I got about eight hours of my regular usage from the Surface Laptop 4. That’s pretty much what I was expecting out of this machine, so there’s no surprise there. I put the screen at 33% brightness and the power slider at a notch above battery saver. Regular usage included working through the Edge browser, some photo editing in Photoshop, Skype, OneNote, Slack, and a handful of other productivity apps.
For benchmarks, I used PCMark 8, PCMark 10, Geekbench, and Cinebench.
Microsoft Surface Laptop 4
Core i7-1185G7
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15
Ryzen 7 3780U Surface Edition
Microsoft Surface Pro 7+
Core i5-1135G7
Microsoft Surface Book 3
Core i7-1065G7, GTX 1650
PCMark 8: Home
4,331
3,360
3,521
3,344
PCMark 8: Creative
4,777
3,687
4,192
2,857
PCMark 8: Work
3,925
3,095
3,403
3,289
PCMark 10
4,784
3,939
3,963
3,805
Geekbench
1,551 / 5,829
880 / 3,235
1,358 / 5,246
1,318 / 4,775
Cinebench
1,295 / 5,194
883 / 3,999
1,235 / 2,854
1,167 / 3,555
As you can see, the Surface Laptop 4 is one of the most powerful products that the Redmond company is selling right now.
The Surface Laptop 4 is one of the most powerful products that the Redmond company is selling right now
Conclusion: Is the Surface Laptop 4 worth buying?
Here’s the deal with the Surface Laptop 4. It’s an awesome laptop with fantastic build quality and great performance. The big deal-breaker is that it doesn’t have Thunderbolt 4. It’s tough to ignore the fact that this doesn’t come with an Intel Evo sticker, meaning that it doesn’t pass Intel’s tests for being a great ultrabook.
This is where you ask yourself if Thunderbolt matters to you. If it doesn’t, then it doesn’t matter. When you take Thunderbolt out of the equation, you’re left with a pretty great laptop. Also, I just wouldn’t be me if I didn’t complain just a little about the lack of a cellular option.
Like I said earlier, I’m quite smitten with the Alcantara fabric, but a lot of people hate it. That’s why there are aluminum options too. One thing that all options have in common is that they’re pretty, whether you’re buying the stealthy black color, the warm yet subtle Sandstone, or the classic Platinum.
Honestly, the rest of the boxes are checked. The Surface Laptop 4 has a great keyboard, a solid 3:2 display, a pretty design, and even removable storage. Starting at $999, the Surface Laptop 4 is worth buying as long as you don’t need Thunderbolt.
Chinese PC hardware manufacturer Colorful has announced a new range of gaming tower PCs. The new iGame M600 Mirage is powered by Intel’s 11th-gen Rocket Lake-S processors along with NVIDIA’s new RTX 30-series graphics cards. The company is offering them in a variety of configurations at different price points.
The gaming tower comes with RGB lighting all across the entire chassis including the front, top, and bottom with over 70 individually addressable RGB LEDs that can be controlled with the company’s proprietary software. It also comes with a special magnetic Power Key that is used to turn on the gaming PC, giving it a bit of personalization and ownership. The chassis will be available with either tempered glass or a solid side panel, and there is also a graphics card bracket offering support for large GPUs.
The iGame M600 Mirage is configurable with the Intel 11th-gen Core i5-11400, Core i7-11700, Core i7-11700K, and the top-of-the-line Core i9-11900K. Graphics card options include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060, RTX 3070, RTX 3080, and the RTX 3090. According to the information shared by Colorful, it will be using its own B590 and Z590 motherboards, with up to 32GB of DDR4 3200MHz memory, up to 1TB NVMe SSD, and up to 2TB hard disk drive. The desktop also comes with a 750W 80 Plus Gold power supply and a 120mm AIO liquid cooler for the CPU.
Colorful has confirmed that the iGame M600 Mirage gaming tower PCs will be available in the U.S. as well as Indian markets. We have yet to get confirmation regarding its availability, but we will follow up once we have that information.
Samsung hosted another Galaxy Unpacked event yesterday where it announced new laptops, including the Galaxy Book Pro series and the Galaxy Book Odyssey. However, the company did not announce the previously leaked ARM-based Galaxy Book Go device. We now have new information about the product along with unofficial press renders, giving us a more detailed look at the upcoming laptop.
According to Winfuture, Samsung is expected to launch the Galaxy Book Go soon, and it will be the company’s most affordable ARM-based Windows 10 laptop. The Samsung Galaxy Book Go will feature a 14-inch IPS display with a Full HD resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels. It won’t have a high-quality build, considering its low price point of $349 (for the non-LTE model) in the U.S. and €449 in Europe. Having said that, the laptop will have a U.S. military standard 810G certification, which means that it can withstand falls from a height of up to 1.2 meters. It is also equipped with a stable hinge that can open all the way to 180°, has dust protection, and has a fanless design.
The Galaxy Book Go will be offered with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 7c that includes an octa-core processor clocked at 2.5Ghz. It is paired with 4GB of RAM and 128GB of internal flash storage. There will also be the option of expanding storage using a microSD card. A high-end variant of the Galaxy Book Go is also on the cards powered by the unannounced Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx Gen3 and support for 5G connectivity and double the memory at 8GB.
The rest of the features on the Galaxy Book Go supposedly include Bluetooth 5.1, Wi-Fi, Miracast, two USB Type-C ports, a USB-A port, a 3.5mm audio jack, and a Kensington lock port. It will also come with a fingerprint reader embedded in the power button with support for Windows Hello, and the laptop will run on the 64-bit version of the ARM edition of Windows 10. Lastly, the laptop gets a 42.3Whr battery that is claimed to support 25W charging via USB Type-C.
