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lundi 9 août 2021

Best ASUS Chromebook CX9 chargers: Zendure, Anker, and more

The ASUS CX9 is one of the most powerful Chromebooks we’ve seen in quite some time. It’s always nice to have a backup charger in your bag in case something goes wrong. Sometimes you just want an extra power brick to keep at the office for your Chromebook.

Either way, if you own the ASUS Chromebook CX9, you might want to consider picking up an alternate charger. When it comes to chargers, there’s no shortage of options on Amazon. Whether you want something with fast-charging capability, or just the cheapest option possible, brands like Anker, Baseus, and Nekteck have you covered. Let’s take a look at the best available chargers for one of ASUS’ best Chromebooks.

    Anker 60W PD Charger

    Best overall value

    With simultaneous charging for your laptop (45W) and mobile devices (15W), this is the only charger you'll need on your next vacation or business trip. Charge your Chromebook and phone at the same time!
    Anker 45W slim charger

    Slim and portable design

    Measuring less than 0.8 inches thick and with a folding plug design, PowerPort Atom III 45W Slim offers unprecedented portability and convenience for a wall charger this powerful.
    Baseus 100W wall charger

    Maximum power

    GaN II x Qualcomm Quick Charge 5.0, 4x faster than ever, 40% smaller, up to 50°F heat dissipation, up to 70% more efficiency than ever before. This one is probably overkill for a Chromebook, but it will work for all of your other devices too.
    Nekteck charger with cable

    Built-in cable

    This is a fairly standard 45W PD charger, but it comes with the charging cable built-in. If you're prone to losing cables like I am, this is the way to go. Plus. it's often on sale for under $20.
    Anker PowerPort Atom III Hub

    Best desktop charging hub

    Charge 4 devices simultaneously. PowerIQ 3 0 enabled USB-C port pumps out a max 45W output to charge virtually any USB-C device at top speed while 3 USB ports share a total of 20W to provide optimized charging for mobile devices.
    Zendure x5 15000mAh portable charger

    Best portable charger

    For those that need power on the go, Zendure's 15000 mAh portable charger gets the job done. You can connect multiple devices and charge your Chromebook up to 40% in 30 minutes.

Those are our picks for the best chargers to use with your ASUS Chromebook CX9. If you want to get fancy, the Baseus 100W charger has the newest charging technology and should be future-proof for quite a while. Those that need a basic solution with built-in cable should pick up the Nekteck 45W charger. The $1149 model of the CX9 has a touchscreen, meaning you might need to charge on the go with the Zendure power bank. Let us know which charger you use with your Chromebook.

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Does the HP Pavilion Aero have 5G? Do I need it?

The HP Pavilion Aero is an incredibly promising laptop in HP’s mainstream lineup. It’s the company’s lightest consumer laptop, but it still packs a punch. It comes with AMD’s latest Ryzen processors, up to a Ryzen 7 5800U, up to 16GB of RAM, and 1TB of storage. It also has a great display coming in at Full HD+ resolution and a 16:10 aspect ratio. Given it’s so portable, it would be great if the HP Pavilion Aero also came with 5G, or at least LTE. That way, you could stay connected to the internet wherever you go.

Unfortunately, though, the HP Pavilion Aero doesn’t come with 5G or any other cellular support. While many aspects of this laptop can be configured when buying it, there’s currently no option for cellular. Whether you need it or not is a different question, however.

What is 5G and do you need it?

5G is the latest version of cellular communication standards, the kind of network that allows your phone to work. It’s the successor to 4G LTE, and it promises higher speeds and more bandwidth to accommodate an ever-increasing number of connected devices. 5G comes in two major variants — mmWave and sub-6GHz. Sub-6GHz is similar to current LTE technology in that it operates at comparable frequencies, but that also means it’s only slightly faster. mmWave operates at much higher frequencies and it can be much faster, but it can easily be blocked by any physical obstacles like a tree or a window.

While it’s primarily meant for phones, 5G — just like 4G LTE — is also available on some laptops. While you can’t use it to make calls, what it gives you is an internet connection wherever you go. Typically, you’d have to depend on Wi-Fi networks to be able to connect to the internet on your PC. That would limit your options, but you could also risk your security by connecting to a public Wi-Fi hotspot when you’re out and about. Cellular networks like 5G allow laptops to stay connected from anywhere, and without the security risks.

5G Laptop with Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx

A reference design of a 5G laptop

However, cellular connectivity in laptops still isn’t completely widespread, and when the option is there, it usually makes the device much more expensive. That’s especially true for 5G, which is still in its early stages. Adding 5G support to a laptop dramatically increases the price, and the benefits right now are still limited. In many cases, you may be better off with LTE.

Will there be a 5G version of the Pavilion Aero? What about other laptops?

The HP Pavilion Aero is unfortunately one of the laptops that only comes with Wi-Fi for internet connectivity. HP hasn’t said anything about a 5G or LTE version eventually launching, so there’s no telling right now. However, even if it happens, it will probably be an LTE version. 5G is still considered more of a premium option, and only high-end laptops have it.

Front view of HP Pavilion Aero 13

The HP Pavilion Aero

If you have the money to spend and you want to future-proof yourself, you can check out our list of the best 5G laptops you can buy today. Or if you just want something with LTE right now, we have a list of great 4G laptops, too.

To be clear, the HP Pavilion Aero is still a fantastic laptop for its price. It has high-end performance, a great display, and you can take it anywhere easily. It’s a great laptop for a student, for example. The lack of 5G or LTE support might be a bummer, but it’s also not uncommon at all in this price range. The HP Pavilion Aero is still one of the company’s best laptops, and for AMD fans, this is one of the best laptop designs packing an AMD Ryzen processor, too.

Starting at $749.99, it’s fairly affordable, too, but if you want something even cheaper, you can check out our list of budget HP laptops and see what interests you. Otherwise, you can buy the HP Pavilion Aero below.

    HP Pavilion Aero
    The Pavilion Aero is HP's lightest consumer laptop, but it still packs a punch. With poweful AMD Ryzen processors, and a tall and sharp display, it's extremely comptetent for its price.

The post Does the HP Pavilion Aero have 5G? Do I need it? appeared first on xda-developers.



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These are the best accessories for HP Pavilion Aero: Mice, keyboards, monitors, and more

HP’s Pavilion series has been offering some good value-for-money notebooks for the masses. However, with the new Pavilion Aero 13, the company hopes to bring an elevated experience that is closer to the more premium Envy and Spectre series of notebooks. The new Aero 13 is powered by AMD’s Ryzen 5000U processors and comes with a lightweight design weighing under a kilogram.

The 13.3-inch IPS display on the laptop comes with a 16:10 aspect ratio and is available with either 1920×1200 or 2560×1600 resolution with 400-nits peak brightness. The laptop can be configured with either a six-core Ryzen 5 5600U or the octa-core Ryzen 7 5800U CPU with 16GB of memory and storage options going up to a 1TB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD. It doesn’t feature Thunderbolt, but you do get a USB-C port with Power Delivery and DisplayPort 1.4 along with two USB-A, HDMI 2.0, and 3.5mm audio jack. The laptop is available in a total of four color options- silver, gold, white, and rose gold, with prices starting at $750 going up all the way up to $1130 for the top configuration. The notebook ships with Windows 10; however, it is expected to receive the upcoming Windows 11 update as soon as it launches for the general public.

If you are planning to get your hands on HP’s new mid-range 13-inch laptop, here are some of the best accessories to enhance the overall experience.

    HP Spectre 700

    Best first-party mouse

    The HP Spectre 700 wireless mouse comes with a premium design. It comes with a rechargeable battery that is said to offer up to 11 weeks of charge, although we wish it came with a USB Type-C port.
    Razer Pro Click

    Premium productivity mouse

    Razer is quite popular when it comes to gaming peripherals, however, the Pro Click is the company's first productivity mouse that has been made in association with Humanscale. The mouse comes with a premium white finish, a 16,000-dpi sensor, great battery life, and 8 programmable buttons.
    Logitech Pebble M350

    Affordable wireless mouse

    The Logitech Pebble M350 is a recommended budget wireless mouse featuring a lightweight, compact design with a flat profile and silent operation. You also get to choose between five color options including black, silver, pink, green and blue.
    HP 24mh

    Best budget 1080p monitor

    If you are looking for a basic 24-inch 1080p monitor, check out HP's 24mh that features an IPS panel, 75Hz refresh rate as well as inbuilt-speakers.
    HP EliteDisplay S14

    Best portable monitor

    The HP EliteDisplay S14 lets you carry your dual-screen setup with you thanks to its sleek and lightweight design. It features a 14-inch 1080p panel and a USB-C port for seamless connectivity.
    HP U28

    Best 4K monitor

    For the ones looking need an external 4K monitor, check out the HP U28. It features a factory-calibrated 4K HDR IPS panel which should be great for users who are into the creative fields or for just catching up on your favorite TV shows on Netflix
    HP Spectre USB-C Travel Dock

    Best USB-C dock

    Expand your connectivity options with this USB-C dock that comes with two USB Type-A ports, ethernet, HDMI and a VGA connection as well.
    Dell UltraSharp Webcam

    Best 4K webcam

    Ditch the built-in webcam on your laptop for a sharp 4K experience. Dell's new UltraSharp 4K webcam features a Sony STARVIS CMOS sensor, IR sensor, proximity sensor, multi-element lens, and support for HDR.
    DOMISO laptop case

    Hardshell case for protection

    A hard-shell case offering rugged protection thanks to the thick shockproof PU and EVA material. It also has space on the inside so you can throw in some accessories like the power-brick, cables, USB drives, and more.
    Samsung T7 Portable SSD

    Best external SSD

    Having an external SSD is great if you need a fast storage solution to offload data from your laptop. The Samsung T7 portable SSD offers excellent data transfer speeds and comes in a sleek, minimalistic design.
    Sony WH-1000XM4

    Best noise cancellation headphones

    Sony's 1000XM series is known for being ones of the best noise cancelling headphones on the market. The latest model comes with 30-hour battery life, touch controls and support for voice assistants.
    Corsair MM700 RGB gaming mouse pad

    Large sized mousepad

    The Corsair MM700 is an extra-large mouse pad featuring a soft fabric finish as well as RGB lighting around the edges.
    Pengruisi Laptop Sleeve

    Laptop sleeve with built-in stand

    This is a unique laptop sleeve that not only offers protection, but also features a built-in stand that can elevate the laptop for better airflow and offer a better angle for typing on the keyboard.
    UGREEN SD Card Reader

    Best multi-card reader

    The UGREEN multi card reader comes with USB 3.0 interface and supports a variety of cards including microSD, SD, Memoery Stick and CF, making it an important accessory for photographers and videographers.
    Ultimate Ears Boom 3

    Best Bluetooth speaker

    Ultimate Ears Boom 3 is one of the best wireless speakers on the market. Apart from offering impressive, crystal clear sound, it offers water-resistance of up to 1m and a battery life of up to 15 hours.
    Xbox Wireless Controller

    Best game controller

    The HP Pavilion Aero 13 features AMD's Radeon Vega 8 graphics, which isn't all that impressive, but you can game on it if you tone down the graphics settings. If you are a casual gamer, get yourself the Xbox One wireless controller, you are not going to regret it
    Seagate Portable External Hard Drive

    Best external HDD

    It is advised that you invest in an external USB hard drive if you are going to deal with a lot of heavy data. Seagate's Portable Drive is available with storage options ranging from 1TB going all the way up to 5TB with support for USB 3.0.
    Havit HV-F2056 laptop cooling pad

    Best cooling pad

    To ensure that your laptop runs smooth with its temperatures under check, invest in a good cooling pad. Havit offers a great option that features three fans, adjustable feet to raise the height, and two USB ports for power delivery
    Keychron K4

    Best wireless mechanical keyboard

    If you are into mechanical keyboards, check out the Keychron K4 that offers wired as well as wireless connectivity, a solid construction, minimalist layout and the option to choose between Gateron key switches and type of backlighting.
    Logitech K380

    Best compact wireless keyboard

    The Logitech K380 is a simple, compact Bluetooth keyboard that offers multi-device support and an affordable price tag. It also available in a variety of colors with a claimed battery life of 24 months using standard AAA batteries .
    BenQ GV1 Wireless Mini Projector

    Best portable projector

    Add a portable wireless projector to your notebook for a large screen experience especially when you are hosting movie night. Apart from display output, the projector also supports Google Cast, Apple AirPlay and built-in smart apps for video and music streaming.
    WHOOSH! Screen Cleaner Kit

    Cleaning kit for your screen

    A safe and reliable product to keep your laptop screen clean, the Whoosh screen cleaner kit features a liquid agent that is odorless and can be used on all sorts of screens.
    TP-Link USB to Ethernet Adapter

    Best ethernet adapter

    Add an ethernet port to your HP Pavilon Aero with this simple plug and play adapter.

These are some of the best and highly recommended accessories for the newly launched HP Pavilion Aero. If you are planning to purchase a new notebook, make sure you check out our list of some of the best laptops for 2021. We also have a list of the best HP laptops, in case you have a brand preference, as well as the best laptops powered by AMD Ryzen processors.

    HP Pavilion Aero 13
    The new Pavilion Aero 13 is HP's newest mid-range laptop offering featuring AMD's low-powered Ryzen 5000U series processors.

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Best convertible laptops to buy in 2021: Dell, HP, Lenovo, and more

There was a time when you could either choose a clamshell-style laptop or go compact with a tablet. But today, you can essentially have the best of both worlds by investing in a convertible laptop. Almost every brand offers convertible notebooks, which are often called 2-in-1s. The advantage here is the display can be set to almost any angle, allowing you to get the perfect picture. You can even prop it up like a tent while streaming movies or completely flip the display and use the touchscreen for a tablet-like experience.

If you’re looking to buy one, here are some of the best convertible laptops to buy in 2021. As you’d expect, all Windows laptops below will be eligible for a free Windows 11 upgrade this holiday season.

Navigate this guide:

Best overall: Dell XPS 13 9310 2-in-1

Dell XPS 13 9310 2-in-1

The Dell XPS 13 has been an all-time favorite for many. It comes with a premium aluminum finish and a compact ultraportable design. Dell has also been very consistently offering an excellent display on the ultraportable notebook. You can get all of that in a convertible form as Dell offers the XPS 13 in a 2-in-1 form factor. The latest variant now comes with a 16:10 aspect ratio panel along with the latest 11th-gen Intel Tiger Lake processors, 32GB of memory with 1TB SSD, and a 13.4-inch 16:10 UHD+ touch display.

    Dell XPS 13 9310 2-in-1
    The latest XPS 13 9310 2-in-1 comes with the tried and tested premium design, a 16:10 display and Intel's latest 11th-gen Tiger Lake processor.

Best display: HP Spectre x360 15

HP Spectre x360 15

HP’s Spectre x360 series is another popular and recommended option if you’re looking for a convertible laptop. The 15-inch variant is great for someone looking for a full-size laptop that also offers the ability to fold the display. The display can be configured in a 4K UHD (3840 x 2160) AMOLED touch panel that can hit a peak brightness of 400 nits. In fact, HP offers OLED options on the Spectre x360 14 as well as x360 13 models, both offering a convertible design. Powering the laptop is the latest 11th-gen Intel processor with up to 16GB of RAM and 2TB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD.

    HP Spectre x360 15
    The HP Spectre x360 15 is one of the best 15-inch laptops that offers a convertible factor and is available with a bright 4K AMOLED touch display

Best business laptop: Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Titanium Yoga

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Titanium Yoga

The most premium ThinkPad to date, the new ThinkPad X1 Titanium Yoga is a recommended convertible laptop for business users. Notably, it has been designed with the tablet use case in mind featuring a 13.5-inch 3:2 display with 2,256×1,504 resolution, with support for Dolby Vision HDR and 450 nit brightness. The laptop makes use of premium materials and is quite compact, weighing 2.54 pounds with a thickness of just 11.5mm. The notebook is powered by Intel’s 11th-gen Tiger Lake UP4 processors, the successor to the low-powered Y-series.

    Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Titanium Yoga
    The lightweight ThinkPad X1 Titanium Yoga is powered by Intel's 11th-gen UP4 processors and features a sleek design and a 3:2 ratio 13.5-inch display.

Best Chromebook: Acer Chromebook Spin 713

Acer Chromebook Spin 713

The Acer Chromebook Spin 713 has been a highly recommended Chromebook for customers looking for powerful hardware and a premium design. Acer updated the laptop this year and continues to offer a convertible design with a 13.5-inch 2K (2256 x 1504) 3:2 touchscreen display. It’s now available with the latest Intel 11th-gen processors, although Acer has only listed the Core i5 model for purchase which comes with 8GB of memory and 256GB of SSD storage, which is pretty good for a Chromebook.

    Acer Chromebook Spin 713
    The Acer Chromebook Spin 713 is one of the most premium Chromebooks featuring a convertible design, a 2K display and the option of an 11th-gen Intel Core i5 processor.

Best ARM laptop: HP Elite Folio

HP Elite Folio

HP launched the Elite Folio earlier this year as an attempt at making a premium Windows on ARM machine. It features a premium design with a faux leather finish on the outside and a unique pull-forward convertible form factor allowing you to use the laptop in various modes. The laptop is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx Gen2, an octa-core processor that can go up to 3GHz. It’s also one of the only ARM-based laptops offered with up to 16GB of memory and a 512GB SSD for storage. It also comes with a dedicated stylus that neatly tucks inside a dedicated garage right above the keyboard.

    HP Elite Folio
    The HP Elite Folio is a premium convertible laptop and is also one of the best Windows machines powered by an ARM chipset.

Best gaming laptop: ASUS ROG Flow X13

ASUS ROG Flow X13 blue background

Apart from being the best convertible laptop for gaming purposes, the ASUS ROG Flow X13 is also one of the few laptops in its category featuring the new AMD Ryzen 5000-H series of processors. The laptop can be configured with either a 13.4-inch 1080p resolution, 120Hz refresh rate panel, or a 4K 60Hz refresh rate panel. It comes with an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q but can be paired with the ROG XG Mobile dock to deliver high-end gaming performance with the dedicated RTX 3070 or an RTX 3080 GPU embedded in the dock.

    ASUS ROG Flow X13
    The ASUS ROG Flow X13 is one of the most powerful convertible laptops featuring AMD's Ryzen 5000-H series octa-core processors.

Best budget laptop: Lenovo Flex 5

Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 AMD

If you’re looking for a convertible laptop on a budget, check out the Lenovo Flex 5. It comes with a polycarbonate design but feels pretty good for the price. The notebook can be configured with the new AMD Ryzen 5 5500U Processor, 16GB DDR4 RAM, 256GB NVMe SSD storage, and built-in AMD graphics for less than $750. The Flex 5 comes with a 14-inch full-HD display with a 360-degree hinge that lets you use the laptop in various modes. It even comes with a fingerprint scanner for added security and seamless logging into Windows.

    Lenovo Flex 5
    The Flex 5 from Lenovo is a value for money convertible laptop featuring the AMD's Rzen 5 5500U processor, 16GB of RAM, 256GB SSD storage and a 14-inch full-HD display.

These are some of the best convertible laptops on the market today. The XPS 13 would be our best pick from the lot as it offers an excellent design, a great display, and a snappy performance experience. If you’re searching for a new laptop, we have a roundup of the best laptops for 2021. Also check out our recommendations of the best 5G laptops if mobile connectivity is your priority, as well as the best laptops with Thunderbolt 4 connectivity.

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HMD Global’s new Nokia C20 Plus offers 1-year replacement guarantee and Android 11 Go

Today HMD Global unveiled the Nokia C20 Plus, the company’s latest entry-level smartphone for the Indian market. Similar to the Nokia C20 and C10 that launched earlier in April, the new phone targets first-time smartphone buyers, offering entry-level hardware and Android 11 Go edition at an ultra-affordable price tag.

Nokia C20 Plus: Specifications

Specification Nokia C20 Plus
Dimensions and Weight
  • 165.4 x 75.85 X 9.35mm
  • 204.7g
Display
  • 6.5-inch HD+ LCD
  • V-shaped notch
  • 20:9 aspect ratio
  • 400nits max brightness
SoC
  • Unisonic SC983a
    • Octa-core CPU up to 1.6GHz
RAM and Storage
  • 2GB/3GB RAM
  • 16GB/32GB onboard storage
  • MicroSD card support
Battery & Charging
  • 4,950mAh battery
  • Micro-USB port
  • 5V/2A (10W) charging
Rear Camera
  • Primary: 8MP AF
  • Secondary: 2MP FF depth
Front Camera
  • 5MP FF
Ports
  • 3.5mm audio jack
  • Micro-USB port
Connectivity
  • Bands:
    • LTE: 1, 3, 5, 8, 40, 41 (120MHz)
    • WCDMA: 1, 5, 8
    • GSM: 850, 900, 1800
  • WiFi 802.11 b/g/n
  • Bluetooth 4.2
Security AI Face Unlock
Software & Warranty
  • Android 11 (Go edition)
  • 2 years of quarterly security updates
  • 1-year replacement guarantee

As far as specifications are concerned, the Nokia C20 Plus is nothing to write home about. It features a 6.5-inch HD+ LCD panel with a V-shaped notch cutout for the selfie camera. On the inside, the phone is powered by a Unisonic SC9863A quad-core SoC, paired with 2GB/3GB RAM and 16GB/32GB onboard storage. The back houses a dual-camera setup consisting of an 8MP primary shooter and a 2MP fixed focus depth sensor. Over on the front, it has a 5MP fixed focus selfie camera.

Rounding off the spec sheet for the Nokia P50 Plus is a sizeable 4,950mAh battery, dual SIM support, Bluetooth 4.2, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, a 3.5mm audio jack, and a Micro-USB port. The phone lacks a fingerprint scanner but you do get Face Unlock. On the software front, the phone runs Android 11 (Go edition,) a lightweight version of Android for phones with less than 2GB of RAM. HMD Global also offers a 1-year replacement guarantee and 2 years of quarterly security updates.

Pricing & Availability

The Nokia C20 Plus goes on sale in India starting today from Nokia.com and leading online and offline retailers. It comes in two colors — Blue and Grey — and costs ₹8,999 for the base model and ₹9,999 for the (3GB/32GB) top model. Jio subscribers can avail of an upfront discount of 10% or ₹1000 (whichever is lower.)

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