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mardi 10 août 2021

Xiaomi takes on iPad Pro with a trio of high-end Android tablets

After nearly a three-year hiatus, Xiaomi is making a comeback to the Android tablet space with the launch of the new Mi Pad 5 series. Xiaomi today unveiled a trio of high-end Android tablets in its home country China. The new tablet lineup consists of the Mi Pad 5, Mi Pad Pro, and Mi Pad Pro 5G. All three tablets offer a premium design, a Snapdragon 8-series chipset, stylus support, and a large high refresh rate display with Dolby Vision support.

Mi Pad 5 series: Specifications

Specifications Mi Pad 5 Mi Pad 5 Pro and Pro 5G
Dimensions and Weight
  • 6.85mm
  • 511g
  • 6.88mm
  • 515g
Display
  • 11-inch LCD
  • 120Hz screen refresh rate
  • 2.5K (2560 x 1600) resolution
  • 275 PPI
  • 500nits max brightness
  • Dolby Vision and HDR10 support
  • TrueTone display
  • 11-inch LCD
  • 120Hz screen refresh rate
  • 2560 x 1600 resolution
  • 275 PPI
  • 500nits max brightness
  • Dolby Vision and HDR10 support
  • TrueTone display
SoC  
  • Qualcomm Snapdragon 860:
    • Octa-core Kryo 485 CPU cores (Up to 2.96GHz
    • 7nm
  • Adreno 640 GPU
 
  • Qualcomm Snapdragon 870
    • 1x ARM Cortex-A77 @ 3.2GHz
    • 3x ARM Cortex-A77 @ 2.4GHz
    • 4x ARM Cortex-A55 @ 1.8GHz
  •  Adreno 650 GPU
RAM and Storage
  • 6GB + 128GB
  • 6GB + 256GB
  • LPDDR5 RAM
  • UFS 3.1 flash storage
  • Mi Pad 5 Pro
    • 6GB + 128GB
    • 6GB + 256GB
  • Mi Pad Pro 5G
    • 8GB + 256GB
  • LPDDR5 RAM
  • UFS 3.1 flash storage
Rear Camera
  • Primary: 13MP
  • Mi Pad 5 Pro:
    • Primary: 13MP
    • Secondary: 5MP
  • Mi Pad 5 Pro 5G:
    • Primary: 50MP
    • Secondary: 5MP
Front Camera
  • 8MP selfie camera
  • 8MP selfie camera
Battery
  • 8,720mAh
  • 33W fast wired charging
  • 91 minutes to 100%
  • 8,600mAh
  • 67W fast wired charging
  • 67 minutes to 100%
Connectivity 
  • 4G LTE
  • NFC
  • Wi-Fi 6
  • Bluetooth 5.1
  • USB Type C
  • 5G (Mi Pad Pro 5G)
  • NFC
  • Wi-Fi 6
  • Bluetooth 5.2
  • USB Type C
Other features
  • Four speakers
  • Dolby Atmos
  • Stylus support
  • Eight speakers
  • Dolby Atmos
  • Hi-Res Audio
Software MIUI for Pad based on Android 11 MIUI for Pad based on Android 11

Starting with the display, all three models in the Mi Pad 5 series come equipped with an 11-inch LCD with 2560 x 1600 resolution, a 120Hz refresh rate, and 500nits max brightness. The tablets also support Dolby Vision and HDR10 formats and have a TrueTone feature similar to the one found on iPhones and iPads. The TrueTone feature uses dual front and rear light sensors to analyzes ambient light and adjusts the display’s white point accordingly so that the display remains comfortable to read and colors are displayed accurately across different lighting conditions.

Mi Pad 5 green color front and back White Mi Pad 5 MI Pad 5 in grey color

On the inside, the vanilla Mi Pad 5 features a Qualcomm Snapdragon 860 chipset, paired with 6GB RAM and 128GB/256GB flash storage. The Pro and 5G models, on the other hand, opt for a more powerful Snapdragon 870 chipset.

Xiaomi has also unveiled a bunch of accessories for the Mi Pad 5 lineup. First is the Xiaomi Inspiration Stylus, which offers 4096 levels of pressure sensitivity, a 240Hz touch sampling rate, and a flexible TPE pen tip. The stylus has two buttons that can be mapped to perform things like taking hands-free screenshots or quickly opening the Mi Note app. The stylus can be fully charged in 18 minutes and lasts 8 hours on a single charge. There’s also a keyboard folio which comes with a double-sided protective shell and has 63 large keys with 1.2mm key travel.

The Mi Pad 5 Pro packs an 8,600mAh battery and offers 67W wired fast charging support. The vanilla model has a slightly bigger 8,720mAh battery but only supports up to 33W fast charging. The Mi Pad 5 Pro comes equipped with eight powerful speakers with Dolby Atmos sound — the regular model only has four speakers.

On the software front, the Mi Pad 5 series comes running Android 11 with MIUI for Pad on top.

Pricing and Availability

The Mi Pad 5 series is available for pre-order in China starting today. Pricing for all models, configurations, and accessories are as following:

  • Mi Pad 5
    • 6GB + 128GB — CNY 1,999
    • 6GB + 256GB — CNY 2,299
  • Mi Pad 5 Pro
    • 6GB + 128GB — CNY 2,499
    • 6GB + 256GB — CNY 2,799
  • Mi Pad 5 Pro 5G
    • 8GB + 256GB — CNY 3,499
  • Keyboard folio — CNY 399
  • Xiaomi Inspiration Stylus — CNY 349

Xiaomi hasn’t detailed any plans to bring the Mi Pad 5 series to other markets.

The post Xiaomi takes on iPad Pro with a trio of high-end Android tablets appeared first on xda-developers.



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NVIDIA announces RTX A2000 GPU and more at SIGGRAPH 2021

Today, NVIDIA announced a handful of new capabilities and tools for 3D content creators at SIGGRAPH 2021. SIGGRAPH, short for Special Interest Group on Computer Graphics and Interactive Techniques, is an event focused on computer graphics technology, so it makes sense why these announcements were here. Included in today’s news is a new RTX GPU for creators, the RTX A2000, as well as new tools in NVIDIA Omniverse.

Starting with the RTX A2000 GPU, NVIDIA calls it the “most-powerful, low-profile, dual-slot GPU” in its lineup for 3D creators. The company didn’t share detailed specs, but the GPU features all the benefits of the NVIDIA Ampere architecture. The desktop version of the RTX A2000 will start showing up on PCs in October. If you’re a mobile creator, though, the RTX A2000 laptop GPU is shipping today in laptops like the Lenovo ThinkPad P17 Gen 2. NVIDIA says this its most power-efficient RTX mobile GPU.

NVIDIA also had a handful of news to share at SIGGRAPH 2021 regarding the Omniverse platform. First off, it revealed that Blender, a popular 3D animation tool, will add support for Pixar’s Universal Scene Description in version 3.0. This allows creators to use Blender with Omniverse production pipelines. NVIDIA also showed off an alpha build of Blender 3.0 with more advanced USD and material support. Adobe Substance, which got a series of RTX optimizations a couple of months ago, is also getting more improvements. NVIDIA and Adobe are enabling support for Substance materials in NVIDIA Omniverse.

NVIDIA also introduced a new Omniverse extension at SIGGRAPH 2021: GANverse3D – Image2Car. GAN indicates that the tool is built on a generative adversarial network, similar to the Canvas tool it released in June. This new tool can take 2D images of a car and use AI to automatically generate a 3D model of that car, including headlights, blinkers, and wheels. This new tool is only the first of what NVIDIA is calling the AI Toy Box. This will be a collection of tools designed to make 3D design easier for inexperienced and experienced artists alike.

Finally, NVIDIA highlighted some creator-related updates, including a new Studio Driver for NVIDIA GPUs. A number of apps have also added new features that leverage the power of RTX GPUs. These include new processing tools in Topaz Sharpen AI, support for exporting characters from Reallusion Character Creator to NVIDIA Omniverse, and a new Magic Brush tool in Capture One 21.

The post NVIDIA announces RTX A2000 GPU and more at SIGGRAPH 2021 appeared first on xda-developers.



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Google has given up on the compact Android flagship

Earlier this month, Google showed off the upcoming Pixel 6 series revealing the finalized design and a few bits of technical information. We still don’t know much about the new camera setup, or the fancy new ‘Tensor’ chipset co-developed with Samsung, but we do have photos of the new design from every angle. The Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro look to be one of the most substantial updates to Google’s Pixel lineup since the first models rolled off (HTC’s) factory lines in 2016, but one detail might not have been apparent: the option to buy a smaller Pixel is gone.

Google was one of the only Android smartphone manufacturers interested in selling small phones.

From the original Pixel phones in 2016 (and arguably before that, with the Nexus 5X and 6P) to last year, Google always sold two flagship phones: a regular Pixel and a Pixel XL. There were always a few differences besides the screen size, like smaller batteries on the non-XL devices, but they largely had identical hardware. If you wanted a Pixel phone, you wouldn’t lose any important features by going with the smaller option.

Google was one of the only Android smartphone manufacturers interested in selling small phones. The definition of what a small phone is has shifted steadily over the past few years, as edge-to-edge screens have made it possible to shove larger displays in smaller frames, but anything with a screen less than 6 inches diagonally is a good place to start. By that definition, the only small flagship phone released this year has been the ZenFone 8, which has a Snapdragon 888 chipset and a 5.9″ AMOLED screen. The upcoming 6.1-inch Xperia 5 III will be close, as is the 6.2-inch Galaxy S21, but those phones are only small when compared to everything else on the market right now.

Holding up the ASUS ZenFone 8 with a plant in the background

The ZenFone 8 is the only sub-6″ flagship smartphone released this year (so far).

Google has consistently offered smaller Pixel phones over the years, sometimes for both flagship and budget buyers. The Pixel 3 had a 5.5-inch screen (though large bezels at the top and bottom made it slightly less compact), and the Pixel 4 had a 5.7-inch display. Google switched up the pattern last year with the Pixel 5, which only came in one size: 6 inches.

This year, Google is returning to producing two flagship Pixel phones, but neither of them are small. The company has confirmed the regular Pixel 6 will have a 6.4-inch screen, while the Pixel 6 Pro will have a 6.7-inch screen. The option to buy a Pixel that isn’t the size of a brick will apparently go away with the new phones, marking an end to the tradition Google has taken part in for years. There’s still a chance that Google could produce future Pixel ‘A’ phones in smaller sizes, but those will be budget devices with worse internal hardware.

It’s certainly no mystery why the number of small flagship phones dwindles every year — small flagships don’t sell well. Apple gambled on the idea last year with the iPhone 12 Mini, the company’s smallest phone in years that wasn’t a budget offering (like the SE 2020), but Apple allegedly ended production of the phone earlier than expected due to poor sales.

I can grip my entire hand around the iPhone 12 Mini

You can still buy the iPhone 12 Mini, but Apple has allegedly stopped producing it.

The lack of demand for smaller smartphones only seems to change if the phones are also cheaper. Apple has reportedly had no problem selling the latest iPhone SE, which retails for $399 in the United States, with fewer features than flagship iPhones. Small phones aren’t likely to go away anytime soon, but small expensive phones are on the verge of extinction.

Even though smaller flagships seemingly don’t sell well, there have always been (and likely always will be) people like me who don’t want to carry around massive smartphones all the time. If I want to watch movies or type out long messages, I have other devices that are more capable at those tasks. Remember how you used to be able to reach the entire screen of most phones with your thumb? Good times.

Here’s hoping Google decides to return to the small flagship arena at some point — perhaps with a Pixel 6 Mini. With the current rate of small flagship extinction, a potential Pixel 6 Mini or smaller Pixel 7 won’t have any competition.

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These are the best ASUS laptops to buy in 2021: ZenBook, ROG, Chromebook, and more

ASUS is one of the leading PC hardware manufacturers in the world. At the same time, it also makes some of the best laptops catering to all sorts of use cases and variety of users. The company has expanded its portfolio over the years, and apart from having a solid portfolio of gaming notebooks under its ROG (Republic of Gamers) brand, ASUS also offers laptops at the low-end budget segment, business notebooks, laptops that are suitable for creators, and even some really good Chromebooks.

If you’re interested, here are some of the best ASUS laptops you can buy in 2021.

Navigate this guide:

Best overall: ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14

ASUS Zephyrus G14 2021

The Zephyrus G14 is our choice for the best ASUS laptop as it offers a really interesting design and powerful hardware in a slim, compact chassis. The laptop is available with the latest AMD Ryzen 5000-mobile processors and up to an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 GPU. Apart from offering excellent performance, the notebook has set a benchmark for being one of the best 14 inch laptops on the market. The most unique feature of the laptop is its lid that comes with optional white LEDs that act like a retro secondary 8-bit display that can be customized.

The display can be configured with either 1080p at 144Hz refresh rate or 1440p resolution display with 120Hz refresh rate — and even 144Hz in certain markets. The notebook is powered by the 8-core Ryzen 5900HS processor and is offered with up to 32GB of DDR4 3200MHz RAM, and 1TB M.2 NVMe PCIe Gen 3 SSD.

    ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14
    The ROG Zephyrus G14 offers an excellent blend of performance and a unique design language. This laptop is great for gaming as well as creative professionals who want a sleek looking machine.

Best laptop for creators: ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo 15 OLED

ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo 15 OLED UX582

The ZenBook Pro Duo 15 is made for creators who need all the extra canvas they can get. It comes with two high resolution displays, and while you might have seen dual-screen laptops in the past, the ‘ScreenPad Plus’ takes things to the next level. It’s a 14 inch wide touchscreen with a 3840 x 1100 resolution that can be used as an extended display, or you can drag down apps, monitor your hardware, and much more. Creators can also set their tools and assign functions on the secondary display for easier access and faster workflows. The primary display is a 15.6 inch OLED, 4K UHD (3840 x 2160) 16:9 touch screen with up to 440nits brightness, 100% DCI-P3 coverage, Pantone Validated, and stylus support.

Powering the laptop is the 10th-gen Intel processor, available with up to a Core i9-10980HK, although the latest 11th-gen Intel models are just around the corner. You also get NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 3070 8GB GPU available with 110W TDP. The laptop also comes with up to 32GB of RAM, 1TB PCIe SSD, and Thunderbolt 3 ports.

    ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo 15 OLED
    The ZenBook Pro Duo 15 is one of the best laptops from ASUS that's targeted at creative professionals and customers looking for a powerful notebook with some extra screen real estate.

Best gaming laptop: ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 15

ASUS ROG Strix Scar G15 feature image

ASUS makes great gaming hardware and the latest ROG Strix Scar 15 is a beast of a gaming laptop. Apart from all the RGB shenanigans, the laptop is powered by the AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX octa-core processor, paired with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 16GB GPU that’s configured with up to 130W power draw. The 15.6 inch display on the laptop is available in either a 1080p resolution with up to 300Hz refresh rate or a 1440p resolution option with a 165Hz refresh rate. It supports up to 64GB of DDR4 memory clocked at 3200MHz, dual M.2 SSD (1TB + 1TB) in RAID configuration, and support for USB-C charging up to 100W apart from the traditional barrel charger.

    ASUS ROG Strix Scar G15
    The ROG Strix Scar G15 is a powerful notebook and one of the best gaming laptops from the company featuring AMD's latest Ryzen 9 5900HX CPU and NVIDIA's RTX 30-series mobile GPU.

Best Chromebook: ASUS Chromebook CX9

ASUS CX9 on pink background

ASUS makes a variety of Chromebooks in the budget as well as premium segments. Its latest Chromebook CX9 is a recommended notebook featuring a high-quality design with a magnesium alloy body and the latest hardware to deliver the best experience. Announced back at CES 2021, the CX9 is finally available for purchase with the base model having an Intel Core i3 Tiger Lake processor, 8GB of RAM, and 128GB of storage. It can be configured with up to a Core i7, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB of SSD storage, and a touchscreen. It also comes with a fingerprint sensor, a backlit number pad built into the touchpad, claimed battery life of up to 14 hours, and an optional 4K display with the Core i7 model.

    ASUS Chromebook CX9
    The new ASUS Chromebook CX9 is one of the most premium Chromebooks on the market today featuring a slim, durable design with options of Intel's 11th-gen processors and up to a 4K display.

Best convertible laptop: ASUS ROG Flow X13

ASUS ROG Flow X13 blue background

One of the most interesting laptops from ASUS launched this year, the ROG Flow X13 is unlike any convertible laptop on the market. It has a stealthy design, with appealing angular lines all around and can be configured with up to a powerful octa-core AMD Ryzen 9 5900HS, along with NVIDIA’s GTX 1650 Max-Q or an RTX 3050Ti. Essentially, this is the more powerful ultrabook with a rotating hinge. Speaking of which, the 16:10 display is available with either a 120Hz refresh rate and 1200p resolution or a standard 60Hz panel with 4K resolution. It also comes with a decent set of ports including two USB-C, a full-size USB Type-A, HDMI, and a headphone jack. It also comes with a proprietary connector that can be used to attach the ROG XG Mobile dock that can house a laptop grade RTX 3070 or even an RTX 3080 for a high-end workstation/gaming rig experience.

    ASUS ROG Flow X13
    The ROG Flow X13 is the most powerful and unique convertible notebooks from ASUS that offers a slim profile but houses mighty powerful hardware, especially when paired with the ROG XG Mobile dock.

Best business laptop: ASUS ExpertBook B9

ASUS has a dedicated line of business notebooks under the ExpertBook series. The ExpertBook B9 is its best offering that comes with a slim and lightweight chassis that weighs just one kilogram, and at the same time, meets the MIL-STD 810H US military standard tests for improved ruggedness. It’s available with the latest 11th-gen Intel Tiger Lake processors along with Intel’s Evo platform verification. The notebook packs a 14 inch full-HD (1920 x 1080-pixels) display that’s claimed to offer 400 nits of peak brightness. The laptop can be configured with either the Intel Core i5-1135G7 or Intel Core i7-1165G7 with Intel’s Xe graphics. As for memory and storage, the laptop is available with either 8GB or 16GB of LPDDR4x 4266MHz RAM, along with dual M.2 NVMe PCI 3.0 SSD with up to 2TB capacity. Security features include Windows Hello face recognition, a webcam privacy shutter, fingerprint scanner and a Trusted Platform Module TPM 2.0 embedded security chip.

    ASUS ExpertBook B9
    The ExpertBook B9 is a slim notebook from ASUS that has all the bells and whistle for a great business notebook.

Best budget laptop: ASUS VivoBook Flip 14

ASUS VivoBook Flip 14 on red background

The VivoBook lineup is fairly affordable if you’re looking for an ASUS laptop on a budget. The VivoBook Flip 14 is one of the most affordable laptops from the company coming under $500 for which you get a convertible 2-in-1 design, a full-HD 14-inch touch display, an 11th-gen Intel Core i3-1115G4 processor, 4GB RAM, and a 128GB SSD. The laptop is also one of the most affordable ones out there that features a Thunderbolt 4 port. Other features include a fingerprint scanner for security, support for stylus input, Harman Kardon speakers, and a solid range of I/O ports.

    ASUS VivoBook Flip 14
    The VivoBook Flip 14 is a fairly affordable laptop from ASUS that features a convertible design, and a good set of features for the asking price.

These are currently the best ASUS laptops on the market and all the Windows options are expected to get a free upgrade to Windows 11 once it rolls out for the general public. Let us know in the comments if you think we should add more options or categories. Also check out some of the best Chromebooks ASUS has to offer. We also have a roundup of the best laptops for 2021, as well as the best laptops for gaming.

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The Mi MIX 4 is Xiaomi’s first phone with an under-screen camera

Xiaomi revived its Mi MIX lineup earlier this year with its first foldable device — the Mi MIX Fold. Today, the company has launched another Mi MIX series phone in China. The all-new Mi MIX 4 follows in the footsteps of older Mi MIX devices and packs some innovative features. As seen in previous leaks, the device offers “Point to Connect” Ultra Wide Band support, a new lightweight ceramic body, and a full-screen display with Xiaomi’s Camera Under Panel (CUP) technology.

Xiaomi Mi MIX 4: Specifications

Specification Xiaomi Mi MIX 4
Build
  • Ceramic unibody
  • Corning Gorilla Glass Victus on the display
Dimensions & Weight
  • 162.65 x 75.35 x 8.02mm
  • 225g
Display
  • 6.67-inch CUP AMOLED display
  • 2400 x 1080p; 400PPI
  • DCI-P3, JNCD~0.34, dE~0.40
  • 120Hz refresh rate
  • 480Hz touch sampling rate
  • 5,000,000:1 contrast ratio
  • 10-bit TrueColor
  • Dolby Vision
  • HDR10+
SoC Qualcomm Snapdragon 888+
RAM & Storage
  • 8GB LPDDR5 RAM + 128GB UFS 3.1 storage
  • 8GB + 256GB
  • 12GB + 256GB
  • 12GB + 512GB
Battery & Charging
  • 4,500mAh battery
  • 120W wired fast charging
  • 50W wireless fast charging
Security In-display fingerprint scanner
Rear Camera(s)
  • Primary: 108MP 1/1.33″ HMX sensor, 1.6μm 4-in-1 Super Pixel, OIS, 7P lens
  • Ultra-wide: 13MP, free-form lens, 120° FoV, 6P lens
  • Telephoto: 8MP periscope, 5x optical zoom, 50x digital zoom, OIS
Front Camera(s)
  • 20MP CUP camera, 1.6μm 4-in-1 Super Pixel
Port(s) USB Type-C
Audio
  • Stereo speakers tuned by Harman Kardon
  • Hi-Res Audio certification
  • Hi-Res Audio wireless certification
Connectivity
  • 5G
  • Wi-Fi
  • Bluetooth
  • NFC
  • IR Blaster
Software MIUI based on Android 11
Other Features
  • X-axis linear motor
  • UWB point-to-connect
  • Graphene cooling solution

The Xiaomi Mi MIX 4 features top-of-the-line hardware, including Qualcomm’s flagship Snapdragon 888 Plus chip, up to 12GB of RAM, and up to 512GB of storage. The device features a 6.67-inch display with a resolution of 2400 x 1080 pixels and a 120Hz refresh rate. It’s a 10-bit panel that supports Dolby Vision and HDR10+, and it’s protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus.

Xiaomi Mi MIX 4 front and back on gray background

While other flagship phones on the market offer similar displays, the one on the Mi MIX 4 is a bit unique. That’s because it doesn’t feature any notch or hole-punch cutout for the selfie camera. Instead, it uses Xiaomi’s Camera Under Panel (CUP) technology that hides a 20MP selfie shooter underneath the display.

White, black and gray Xiaomi Mi MIX 4 on white background

The Mi MIX 4 sports a triple camera setup on the back consisting of a 108MP primary shooter, a 13MP ultra-wide camera with a free-form lens, and an 8MP periscope zoom camera that supports 5x optical zoom and 50x digital zoom. The primary and telephoto cameras also get OIS for better video performance.

Xiaomi Mi MIX 4 camera module closeup on white background

A respectable 4,500mAh battery backs all the flagship hardware on the Mi MIX 4. While the battery isn’t big by today’s standards, it offers insane fast charging capabilities. The device supports 120W wired fast charging, which will top the phone up from 0 to 100% in 21 minutes in the default mode. It also supports a Boost mode that will charge the phone from o to 100% in just 15 minutes. On top of that, the device supports 50W wireless fast charging, which can charge the phone to full in 45 minutes in default mode and 28minutes in Boost mode.

For connectivity, the Mi MIX 4 offers 5G support, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Ultra Wide Band (UWB), multi-functional NFC, and an IR blaster. On the software front, it runs Xiaomi’s MIUI skin on top of Android 11.

Pricing & Availability

The Mi MIX 4 will go on sale in China soon. Xiaomi will offer the device in three colorways — Ceramic Black, Ceramic White, and Ceramic Gray. It will set you back CNY 4,999 (~$770) for the 8GB/128GB variant, CNY 5,299 (~$817) for the 8GB/256GB variant, CNY 5,799 (~$895) for the 12GB/256GB variant, and CNY 6,299 (~$972) for the 12GB/512GB variant. At the moment, Xiaomi hasn’t shared any details about international availability. We’ll update this post as soon as we learn more.

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HP unveils a Chrome OS tablet with 4G LTE and a rotating all-in-one

Today, HP is announcing a couple of new Chrome OS PCs, including the Chromebook x2 11 and the Chromebase 21.5-inch All-in-One. While both devices have their own unique value indicators, they’re very different.

“The last year and a half drastically shifted consumers to a new hybrid world, putting a focus on how they think about and use their devices, with a change from one PC per household to now one PC per person to work, live, and play,” said Josephine Tan, Global Head and General Manager, Consumer PCs at HP Inc. “HP collaborated closely with Google to optimize our newest platforms, along with curating a superb and secure software and app ecosystem for the best possible experience on Chrome OS devices. As a result, we’re expanding our Chrome OS portfolio with the introduction of the HP Chromebook x2 11 and the HP Chromebase 21.5 inch All-in-One as users search for devices that help them seek a more personal, or family friendly experience, in today’s hybrid world.”

First up is the HP Chromebook x2 11. It’s got an 11-inch 2K screen with a 3:2 aspect ratio, so right there, it’s already a pretty good tablet. Obviously, it comes with Android app support too, so that’s all squared away. It’s got pen support with the HP Wireless Rechargeable USI Certified Pen, and as you’d expect, there’s an attachable keyboard.

What’s really cool is that with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c processor that’s inside, it’s offered with 4G LTE connectivity. It’s the first ever Chrome OS tablet to be offered with 4G LTE. It’s coming in August, including the pen, and it starts at $599.99 from Best Buy. In October, it will be available at HP.com.

Next up is the HP Chromebase AiO, an all-in-one with a rotating 21.5-inch screen. By rotating the screen 90 degrees into portrait orientation, HP says that this can be better for reading, scrolling through long webpages, and so on.

It also comes with Intel Core processors, up to 256GB of storage, and up to 16GB RAM, and it’s also got dual 5W B&O speakers for powerful audio. There’s also a 5MP camera with dynamic adjustment for better lighting and such.

The HP Chromebase AiO is coming in August from retailers like Amazon and Best Buy, starting at $599.99.

Finally, HP is introducing the M24fd USB-C Monitor, which is designed to work with HP’s Chrome OS devices. It will be available in October from HP.com, starting at $249.99.

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Here are the best 4G laptops you can buy in August 2021: Lenovo, Dell, Microsoft, & more!

Nowadays, the market is flooded with fantastic laptops that can do everything you want and then some. There are lots of devices out there, and you’re usually spoiled for choice. However, if you want a laptop that can stay connected on the road, your options are a bit more limited. Laptops with 4G or even 5G are starting to become more prominent, but they’re still not that common. That doesn’t mean you don’t have options, and we’ve rounded up some of the best 4G laptops you can buy.

Having a laptop with 4G is a bigger deal than you might think initially. First, of course, you can stay connected pretty much anywhere you go. If you’re on a train or the back of a car, you can still get work done with 4G connectivity. But even if you’re more stationary, like at a train station, 4G can help you browse the internet more securely. Public Wi-Fi networks are prime targets for security risks, so you really don’t want your personal data flowing through them.

4G connectivity in a laptop usually comes at a premium though, so you have to be ready to spend a little extra money. However, there are some affordable options that include 4G support, and you should still be able to find something that fits your budget.

Navigate this article:

Best overall 4G laptop: Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Titanium Yoga

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Titanium Yoga green background

Lenovo’s ThinkPad family has been a mainstay for business users for years, but with ThinkPad X1 Titanium Yoga, the company tried to do something different. This convertible comes with a 13.5-inch display, and it comes in a very sharp 2256 x 1504 resolution. That high resolution makes it a pleasure to look at, and it gives it a 3:2 aspect ratio, which is great for productivity. Tall displays like this are increasingly common because they give you more vertical space for text. It’s great if you’re reading or writing documents or articles. Of course, since it’s a convertible, it has a touchscreen and supports pen input.

And of course, that’s to say nothing of the specs inside. It has Intel’s Tiger Lake processors, including vPro options, 16GB of RAM, and up to 1TB of storage. That gives you everything you need to work for years to come. You also get awesome features like an IR camera and fingerprint reader for Windows Hello, plus the option for human presence detection. That means you can just walk up to your laptop and it will wake up, ready to be used. Plus, it retains classic elements of the Lenovo ThinkPad family, like the little nub for controlling the mouse cursor if you happen to prefer it.

Of course, the highlight of this article is 4G support, so naturally this laptop offers the option. In fact, you can also add 5G if you’re willing to spend the extra money. Plus, starting at 2.54lbs, this is a pretty lightweight laptop you can easily take anywhere.

    Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Titanium Yoga
    The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Titanium Yoga offers a stellar combination of high-end specs, lightweight design, and a convertible form factor. You can outfit it with 4G or even 5G to work wherever you want.

Best 4G laptop workstation: HP ZBook Fury 15 G8

HP ZBook Fury 15 G8

Need absolutely all the power you can get? The HP ZBook Fury G8 is a powerhouse of a laptop, to the point where you can hardly say it’s portable. But it technically is, and if for some reason you need 4G connectivity on a machine like this, it’s the perfect solution. It comes with Intel’s 11th-generation H-series Core processors, up to a Core i9-11950H, or you can go with a Xeon W-11955M if that’s not enough. It also comes with workstation graphics from NVIDIA, up to an RTX A5000 GPU with 16GB of GDDR6 memory. That makes this an unbelievably powerful laptop.

That’s not all. You can configure this beast with up to 128GB of RAM, and it has 4 M.2 slots for SSDs, each available with 2TB configurations. Plus there’s space for an HDD, too. Of course, maxing out all the specs here will make this a very expensive laptop, but it’s nice to have the option. Plus, you get other nice features like an optional fingerprint reader, IR camera, up to a 4K display, and a large 94Whr battery, which you’ll definitely need for a powerful machine like this.

Starting at just under $3,000, the ZBook Fury 15 G8 is not for everyone, but if you have very specific needs, this is a beastly laptop with 4G support. You can configure your own below.

    HP ZBook Fury 15 G8
    The HP ZBook Fury 15 G8 is an absolute beast of a laptop. It's big and heavy, but it can still stay connected wherever you take it with optional 4G.

Best business clamshell: Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 9

ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen9 green background

As far as business laptops go, the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon is an absolute classic. The latest refresh stays true to its roots with the all-black carbon fiber design and elements like the red nub for controlling the mouse. Of course, it’s packing modern hardware on the inside, with up to an Intel Core i7-185G7, 1TB of storage, and a whopping 32GB of RAM. It also comes with a large 57Whr battery that promises up to 17 hours of battery life, which is great if you need to be out and about for a long time.

The display is also great, featuring a 16:10 aspect ratio and Full HD+ resolution. You can add a privacy guard to it, a touchscreen, or go all-out and make it a 4K display. It includes mainstay features of Lenovo’s business laptops like a fingerprint reader, optional IR camera, and human presence detection. There are options for both 4G and 5G connectivity, so you can choose whatever fits your needs and budget the best. Either way, you’re getting a fantastic laptop for work, even if it doesn’t do a lot to stand out visually.

    Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 9
    Lenovo's ThinkPad X1 Carbon is a classic business laptop packed with modern specs. It has high-end Intel processors, up to 32GB of RAM, and options for either 4G or 5G connectivity.

Best business convertible: HP Elite Dragonfly Max

HP Elite Dragonfly Max on a pink background

The HP Elite Dragonfly Max is a fantastic thin-and-light convertible, starting at just 2.49lbs of weight. Despite being light, it leaves little to be desired in terms of power. You can get it with a Tiger Lake Intel Core i7 vPro, 32GB of RAM, and 2TB of storage. With a configuration like that, this convertible can be your work computer for years to come, storing almost any project you could ever need. And of course, it’ll handle all those projects gracefully thanks to the high-performance processor and RAM.

But even that’s not all. The Elite Dragonfly Max has a 13.3-inch display at Full HD resolution. That’s not mind-blowing, but what’s impressive about it is that its brightness goes up to 1,000 nits, which is just incredible compared to just about any other laptop. That brightness ensures you can use this laptop on the road with no issues, even in broad daylight. Plus, it’s protected by Gorilla Glass 5 and has HP’s Sure View Reflect privacy screen, meaning people around you can’t snoop on what you’re doing. There’s also a quad-speaker stereo system for sound, so consuming media or taking calls should also work great.

Like other laptops on this list, you can get the Elite Dragonfly Max with either 4G or 5G connectivity, depending on your needs. You can configure it below if you need a convertible that you can use while you’re out and about.

    HP Elite Dragonfly Max
    Lightweight, but versatile, the HP Elite Dragonfly Max can handle almost anything you throw at it, while also being easy to carry anywhere. You can use it on the road whenever you want with its bright display and 4G or 5G connectivity.

Best 15-inch 4G laptop: Dell Latitude 7520

Dell Latitude 7520

Most laptops that come with cellular connectivity seem to have 13- or 14-inch displays, but for some of us, that’s just too small. Personally, I always want to use laptops with at least a 15-inch display, and if you’re like me, then the Dell Latitude 7520 might be for you. This powerful laptop comes with Intel’s Tiger Lake processors (up to a Core i7-1185G7 vPro), 32GB of RAM, and 1TB of storage. And if we’re talking portability, you can equip this laptop with a 63Whr battery to get longer battery life, too.

You also get a solid array of security features, with an optional IR camera and fingerprint reader for Windows Hello and a proximity sensor that can wake up the laptop when you’re nearby. Potentially the biggest downside of this laptop is that its screen only reaches 250 nits of brightness, so outdoor use will always be less than ideal. On the other hand, the lower brightness lets the battery last you that much longer. For cellular connectivity, you can get the Latitude 7520 with a Snapdragon X20 modem, though there’s no 5G option.

    Dell Latitude 7520
    The Dell Latitude 7520 is one of the few 15-inch laptops that offer 4G connectivity. If you need a big screen in a laptop you cna use anywhere, this is the one for you.

Best 4G tablet: Surface Pro X

Surface Pro x

If we’re talking portability, tablets are hard to match, and the Surface Pro X is a fantastic option if you need LTE. Unlike most devices on this list, it’s based on an ARM processor, and while performance may not be on par with the best Intel or AMD processors, this allows for an incredibly thin and light design. It weighs just 1.7lbs and 7.3mm thick, but still promises 13 hours of battery life. Performance may not be the best, but it’s still good enough for most day-to-day work tasks. Plus, you can get it with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage.

The Surface Pro X has a lot going for it. The 13-inch display comes in at a 2880 x 1920 resolution, making it incredibly sharp, on top of using the typical 3:2 aspect ratio of Surface devices. Brightness goes up to 450 nits, which is pretty solid if you want to use it outdoors, and it supports touch, the Surface Pen, and Surface Dial. There are other niceties with the Pro X, like a Windows Hello-capable camera, and one of the best webcams you can find on Windows laptops. The front-facing camera is a 5MP camera capable of Full HD video, and the rear camera is 10MP and it can record up to 4K. That’s not something you see almost anywhere in the Windows space.

If you want to use the Surface Pro X like a regular PC, you can also add a Type Cover to get a keyboard and trackpad, too. A bonus with this device is that 4G support is there by default, so you don’t have to think about paying extra for it. However, there’s no option for 5G if that’s something you’re interested in.

    Surface Pro X
    The Surface Pro X is one of the few premium Windows ARM tablets out there, and it's great. It has a high-resolution and bright display, great performance, and as a bonus, 4G support is included by default.

Best budget 4G tablet: Surface Go 2

Microsoft Surface Go 2

Need something that stays connected anywhere you go, but you don’t need all the other high-end specs? The Surface Go 2 is one of the cheapest Windows tablets you can buy with LTE support, so if you’re on tight budget, this might be what you’re looking for. To get LTE support, you need to get the model with an Intel Core m3-8100Y processor, 8GB of RAM, and 128GB of storage, but that’s what we would recommend either way. With that combination of specs, you’re getting solid performance for school tasks and browsing the web, which you wouldn’t really get with just 4GB of RAM or a Pentium processor.

Despite being affordable, the Surface Go 2 still has some premium features. It’s made of magnesium, and combined with its small size, it weighs just 1.21 pounds by itself, which is incredibly light. Plus, the 10.5-inch display has a 1920 x 1280 resolution, which is sharp enough for this size and offers the typical 3:2 aspect ratio of the Surface line. That’s not something you really see in laptops this cheap. And speaking of things you don’t see in PCs this cheap — two 5MP cameras, one at the front and one at the back, both capable of Full HD video. If you’re planning on taking video calls, this is one of your best bets in this price range. You even get an IR camera at the front for Windows Hello facial recognition.

You’ll have to spend some extra money if you want to expand your possibilities. The Surface Go Type Cover is sold separately for $99.99, and you can also get a Surface Pen if you enjoy taking handwritten notes. Still, this is a fantastic 4G laptop all on its own.

    Surface Go 2
    The Surface Go 2 is one of the best budget Windows devices out there. It has a wealth of premium features and offers solid performance for day-to-day tasks, plus 4G connectivity to keep you connected wherever you go.

Best 4G Chromebook: Acer Chromebook Spin 513

Acer Chromebook Spin 513

Finally, for the Chromebook fans out there, we have the Acer Chromebook Spin 513. Acer makes some of the best Chromebooks out there, and the Chromebook Spin 513 is an excellent ARM-based option. For a convertible starting at just $399, it offers a bright, sharp display — with touch support, of course — and long-lasting battery in a very lightweight package. Performance on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c processor isn’t amazing, but for school work and occasional use, it should be fine. It also comes with up to 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, though the options Acer offers right now only come with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage.

You also get some nice features you can’t take for granted at this price, like a backlit keyboard and a glass trackpad. 4G support on this model is optional, so you’ll need to make sure you’re getting the right model. Still, this is one of the most affordable 4G-enabled devices out there, and it’s got some other benefits to boot.

    Acer Chromebook Spin 513
    The Acer Chromebook Spin 513 is an affordable ARM-based Chromebook that has a great display and battery life. With optional 4G support, you can more easily stay connected anywhere you go.

If you value 4G connectivity, all of these laptops are fantastic choices, and they accommodate different budgets. If you want something ultra-premium, the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Titanium Yoga is a fantastic option, as is the HP Elite Dragonfly Max. On the other end of the spectrum, the Surface Go 2 is an excellent affordable option that still gets you 4G support and solid performance for day-to-day tasks. We even have the rare 15-inch laptop in the form of the Latitude 7520.

There truly is something for everyone here. However, if you want to go even further and get 5G support, we also have a roundup of the best 5G-enabled laptops you can take a look at.

The post Here are the best 4G laptops you can buy in August 2021: Lenovo, Dell, Microsoft, & more! appeared first on xda-developers.



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