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Walmart's homegrown gaming PCs are surprisingly good
Walmart is getting into the gaming PC business. The retailer has announced an exclusive line of three laptops and three desktop towers under the name Overpowered -- and the specs are actually pretty good. The machines, available only from Walmart, have been designed in partnership with Esports Arena.
Intel's 9th-generation Core processors reach up to 5GHz
The rumors were (mostly) true: Intel has unveiled its first 9th-generation Core processors, aiming them at desktop-based enthusiasts. The updated CPUs ultimately represent a refinement of Intel's existing 14-nanometer chips, but promise both more headroom for overclocking (thanks to new soldering), support for Optane-based memory sticks and hardware-level mitigations for Spectre and Meltdown attacks. Naturally, they also boast lots of cores -- not as many as that 28-core Xeon, but you can now expect at least eight cores and the same 18 cores as last year in the flagship Core i9-9980XE model. The Core i9-9900K, meanwhile, is billed as the first "broad volume" processor to hit 5GHz, albeit 'just' when using one of its eight cores (it normally starts at 3.6GHz).
Intel adds more power to its 8th-generation NUC mini-PCs
So far, Intel's biggest NUC news of the year is its Hades Canyon mini-gaming PC with AMD RX Vega graphics. If you don't need something quite so powerful and costly, however, Intel just rolled out some other 8th-generation NUCs. Rather than using 15 watt chips like before, they pack 28 watt 8th-gen Intel CPUs with Iris Plus 655 graphics. That'll let you hook up to three 4K monitors and a TV for entertainment, while doing some light gaming.
Intel's first 9th-generation Core processors may arrive October 1st
Intel is still struggling to make 10-nanometer chips, but it might still have a few surprises up its 14nm sleeve. WCCFTech claims to have leaked data revealing that Intel will launch its 9th-generation Core desktop processors on October 1st, starting with unlocked models that could make the company's eight-core performance more accessible. The highlight for many would be the Core i9-9900K, the first mainstream desktop Core i9 chip -- you wouldn't have to pay a fortune for an X-series or Extreme Edition CPU. It would tout a 3.6GHz base clock speed, but could boost to 4.7GHz with all eight cores (5GHz with one or two cores) and support up to 16 code threads.
Intel's special edition 8086K CPU can reach 5GHz
Intel is counting down to its 50th anniversary on July 18th, and to celebrate the company has a milestone announcement for Computex: The special edition Core i7 8086K CPU, its first to reach 5GHz in boost mode. Basically, it's a souped-up version of its existing i7 lineup, but it should appeal to gamers who have been eager to own a 5GHz CPU that doesn't require overclocking. And for those who don't mind tinkering, it's unlocked, so it could have some killer overclocking potential too. Intel will also hold a sweepstakes on its site to give away 8,086 chips.
Xiaomi's Mi Gaming Laptop packs NVIDIA GTX 1060 graphics
Xiaomi already offers laptops (the Mi Notebook Pro and Mi Notebook Air), but it's now getting into PC gaming with a new model for the Chinese market. The literally-named Mi Gaming Laptop offers decent performance for the price, with a 15.6-inch wide-gamut color screen, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 GPU, 7th-gen Intel Core i7 CPU and gaming keyboard, all for RMB 8,999 (around $1,440). Xiaomi didn't specify the size, but given the narrow screen bezels and brushed aluminum chassis, it should be compact and light for a 15.6-inch laptop.
Intel's 8th-gen desktop CPUs boost gaming and streaming speeds
Intel has launched its 8th-generation mainstream desktop chips, calling the flagship $359 Core i7-8700K its "best gaming desktop processor ever." The six-core, 12-thread 3.7GHz chip boosts Gears of War 4 frame rates up to 25 percent compared to 7th-gen desktop chips. It can also do 4K video editing up to 32 percent faster. The best gains are with multitasking, and Intel says gaming, streaming and recording with Player Unknown: Battlegrounds will be 45 percent faster than before.
Xiaomi takes on the MacBook Pro by adding back some ports
It's been well over a year since Xiaomi released its first laptops (if you even remember at all), and for some reason, the smartphone maker has decided to make more. Following the Mi Notebook Air series, we now have the 15.6-inch Mi Notebook Pro clamshell which, as you can tell by the name, is geared towards performance users thanks to its 8th-gen Intel quad-core CPU, NVIDIA GeForce MX150 GPU (aka the mobile version of GT 1030) and SSD. While it's debatable as to how similar-looking the Mi Notebook Pro and the MacBook Pro are (naming convention aside), Xiaomi wasn't exactly helping by dedicating a keynote slide to mocking the lack of mainstream ports on Apple's machine.
Dell's XPS 13 gets the very latest Intel quad-core CPUs
If you want the most portable 13-inch laptop that's also as fast as possible, Dell's XPS 13 laptop may be in your future. The new model is available with Intel's 8th-generation Core i7 or i5 CPUs with quad-core, eight-thread horsepower, a 3,200 x 1,800 (QHD+) display, 40Gbps Thunderbolt 3 and two USB 3.1 Gen 2 (10 Gbps) ports. Yet, all of that fits into what Dell calls "the smallest 13.3-inch laptop on the planet," with 5.2 mm top and side bezels and as little as 2.7 pounds of heft.
Lenovo's pro workstation is as light as a MacBook Air
It's not just laptops that are getting downsized thanks to next-gen graphics chips and processors. Lenovo has unveiled a new workstation, the P320 Tiny, with a discreet professional GPU and Intel Core i7 chip, all in a box that weighs the same as a MacBook Air (2.9 pounds). Users won't be suffering for performance, as it features an Intel Core i7-7700T max CPU, NVIDIA Quadro P600 GPU, up to 32GB of DDR4-2400 RAM and 2TB of maximum storage, via a pair of M.2 SSD slots.
Overclocking to 7GHz takes more than just liquid nitrogen
Over the years, I've been fascinated by two kinds of events at Computex: esports and extreme-PC-overclocking competitions. I doubt I'd ever make it as a professional gamer (I'm more of a Counter Fight kind of guy than a Counter-Strike man these days), but I'd jump at any opportunity to pour liquid nitrogen onto a PC motherboard, because even if I screw something up, chances are I'd still look cool doing so. It just so happened that at this year's Computex, gaming-accessory maker G.SKILL invited me to its extreme-overclocking workshop behind its contest stage. As a total newbie with absolutely zero knowledge of overclocking, I quickly took up this offer.
ASUS ZenBook Pro UX550 is a powerhouse with a 4K touchscreen
It's been over two years since ASUS announced its original ZenBook Pro, and while the machine received a spec bump late last year, it's about time for the company to revamp its premium desktop replacement line. Announced at the "Edge of Beyond" event ahead of Computex, the new ZenBook Pro UX550 once again dons a 15.6-inch 4K touchscreen behind the spin-metal lid, except this time it comes with Intel's top Kaby Lake option plus an NVIDIA GTX 1050 Ti graphics chip (with 4GB of DDR5 VRAM). More notably, at 18.9mm thick and 1.8kg (3.97 pounds), the UX550 is one of the most portable laptops in its class, beating the Dell Inspiron 15 7000 (25.44mm/2.62kg) and Acer Nitro 5 (26.75mm/2.7kg), which tout similar specs (except for their lack of 4K display option), while almost matching the smaller 14-inch Razer Blade (17.9mm/ 1.86kg).
Spin Samsung's Notebook 7 screen right round on June 26th
When we reviewed Samsung's Notebook 9, my editor Dana noted that it was an excellent back to basics model from the company. It didn't feature a touchscreen or even a rotating screen -- it had a pretty good normal screen, though. For the folks who need the above accoutrements, though, Samsung is introducing the Notebook 7 Spin. With it comes a new 1080p touchscreen you can use like a tablet when spun 360 degrees. Hence the name. The 7 Spin can also go into tent mode for watching a movie with its HDR video capabilities. Or, if you're a traditionalist, you could use the computer like a normal laptop.
Origin PC, Velocity Micro jump on Intel's 10-core processor
Now that Intel has officially trotted out Core i7 Extreme Edition processors based on its shiny new Broadwell-E platform, gaming PC makers are coming out of the woodwork with systems that tout these extra-fast chips. You'll now find up to a 10-core processor in models from Origin PC (the Chronos, Genesis, Millennium and Neuron) and Velocity Micro (the Raptor Z95, Raptor Signature Edition and ProMagix HD80). If you like to run multiple apps at once or use software that thrives on multi-core CPUs (such as video editors), you're in paradise.
Digital Storm's latest gaming all-in-one packs a 10-core CPU
The trend of gigantic all-in-one gaming PCs isn't ending any time soon. Digital Storm has unveiled a new version of the Aura, a 34-inch curved system that packs some truly high-end hardware. To begin with, it's one of the first PCs to use Intel's enthusiast-oriented, Broadwell-E-based Core i7 Extreme Edition processors -- you can equip it with up to a 10-core chip if you're bent on juggling multiple apps at the same time. You can also stuff in a GeForce GTX 1080 to make sure games play smoothly at the Aura's ultra-wide 3,440 x 1,440 resolution.
Intel's 7th generation of Core CPUs are coming later this year
Besides its $1,723 10-core Core i7 Extreme Edition processor, Intel just teased some other chip news during its keynote presentation at Computex. There aren't many details available, but the company confirmed the the seventh generation of its Core CPU technology will go on sale later this year. They will be joined by its Apollo Lake chips, which are a cheaper version of the current sixth-gen Skylake family. Apollo Lake should bring 4K video capability and USB-C to cheaper, 2-in-1 laptop/tablet style devices with smaller batteries. As far as the seventh generation of Core CPUs, buyers can expect support for Thunderbolt 3, and IR cameras used for features like Windows Hello's facial recognition.
Panasonic makes its 4K Toughpad more film industry-friendly
When Panasonic's 20-inch, 4K Toughpad tablet arrived to CES 2013, there was nothing even remotely like it on the market. The company did have a method to its madness, however, positioning the then-$6,000 tablet as a bulletproof, strictly-business tablet aimed at industrial CAD designers and graphics pros. It has now updated the Windows 10 Pro device with specs better suited to its price, and aimed it at a new, deep-pocketed market: cinema companies. The $4,229 FZ-Y1D Toughpad model now has HDMI 2.0 input, and thanks to Panasonic's proprietary software, can function as a Digital Cinema 4K (4,096 x 2,160, 60fps) monitor for cameras like Red's Raven..
Intel's 'Skylake' CPU family includes an unlocked laptop chip
To say that Intel has been dragging out the launch of its Skylake-based processors would be an understatement when it didn't even reveal full details after it started shipping the first CPUs. Most of that secrecy is coming to an end today, however, as the semiconductor giant is officially launching the wider 6th-generation Core family. You'll soon see mainstream Core i3, i5 and i7 chips in desktops and laptops, as well as updated Core M processors in ultraportables, convertible PCs and tablets. As you'll see in a minute, though, this isn't just a straightforward refresh.
MSI (almost) has the thinnest pro laptop ever
Bragging rights are a tricky thing. It's easy to say that you're the first or best, but backing up that claim is another matter. Take MSI's brand new WS60, for example. The company bills the 15-inch laptop as the "world's thinnest and lightest mobile workstation," and it's definitely on the featherweight side at 0.78 inches thick and 4.36 pounds. There's only one problem: it's actually a runner-up. Dell's Precision M3800 is both slimmer (0.71 inches) and lighter (4.15 pounds), so that's the machine you want in your bag if sheer portability is the major deciding factor.
Apple gives Retina MacBook Pros a speed boost ahead of Yosemite rollout
After rumors surfaced yesterday about an incoming MacBook Pro refresh, Apple's store went down earlier today, and now, hey presto! New MacBook Pros. The updated models haven't changed significantly, but look to be better equipped to handle the next version of OS X due in the fall, Yosemite. All 15-inch MacBook Pro Retinas now have 16GB of RAM standard instead of 8GB, and the priciest model has an optional 1TB PCIe-based SSD. The larger Retina models were also bumped by 200Mhz to the latest 4th Core-i7 CPUs, with the top-liner getting a Core i7-4980HQ which hits the magical 4.0GHz mark. Surprisingly, Apple has stuck with NVIDIA's GeForce GT-750M for its top model with discrete graphics rather than updating to the latest GeForce GT800M series. The upside, however, is that the price for that model has dropped by $100 to $2,499 (or £1,999 in the UK).
