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HP's gorgeous new Spectre x360 15-inch features 4K OLED screen options
Laptops are getting thinner, lighter and prettier, but lately they've been getting bigger, too. Just look at recent devices like the 16-inch MacBook Pro, the Surface Laptop 3 15-inch and the LG Gram 17! After years of largely neglecting 15-inch (and larger) machines, laptop makers are paying attention to them again and we're about to see more here at CES 2020. HP is kicking things off with an updated version of its Spectre x360 15-inch convertible, which is perhaps the prettiest laptop of its size.
LG Gram 17 review: The oversized thin-and-light no one asked for
Apple's MacBook Pro 16-inch may be big, but there's a bigger laptop in town. Okay, so there are plenty of bigger laptops around, but the LG Gram 17 is not only larger, but it's also much lighter. It offers a gorgeous, gigantic 17-inch screen that you can take with you, just in case you need a roomier canvas on the go. LG has proven it can fit a big screen in a small package, but the Gram 17 doesn't pack the performance punch you might expect from a system this size. So the question is, who needs a screen this large in a thin-and-light frame, but not the horsepower that usually goes along with it?
Apple's Phil Schiller says Chromebooks won't help kids succeed (updated)
Apple's focus might be on its high-end 16-inch MacBook Pro at the moment, but marketing chief Phil Schiller has also chipped in on the lower end of the market -- namely, how he thinks it might affect students. The executive told CNET in an interview that students using Chromebooks are "not going to succeed" in schools due to the systems' limited abilities. The laptops are "cheap testing tools for required testing" that don't properly inspire students, Schiller said. To no one's surprise, he believed the iPad was the "ultimate tool" for K-12 students due to its ability to keep children engaged as well as tools like Swift Playgrounds. "You need to have these cutting-edge tools to help kids really achieve their best results," the exec said.
ZenBook Pro Duo review: ASUS makes a case for dual-screen laptops
ASUS already paved the way for dual-screen laptops with last year's ScreenPad on the ZenBook Pro, but now it's taking the concept to another level with the ZenBook Pro Duo. It's a powerful 15-inch workstation with a huge secondary display that spans the entire width of the machine. ASUS calls this the ScreenPad Plus -- instead of being a tiny display tucked inside the touchpad, like the original, it's more like having a fully functional second monitor right on your laptop. The experience isn't perfect, but it's clear that ASUS has actually put some thought into how consumers could use an alternate display like this. And at the very least, it's miles ahead of Apple's Touch Bar.
Everything Lenovo announced at IFA 2019 in less than 10 minutes
In case you missed Lenovo's IFA 2019 press event, or you want to watch the highlights again, we've condensed the whole thing down to just under 10 minutes. Lenovo's Yoga laptops will now have Intel's 10th-generation CPUs, and the Yoga C940 got a few additional AI-based updates. Lenovo revealed its Smart Display 7, its latest take on the Nest Hub. That seven-inch display comes with a built-in camera, which could be handy if you like to make video calls. And the company announced an Avengers game, called Dimension of Heroes, for its Mirage AR headset. That's good news considering at launch the headset only came with one game: Star Wars: Jedi Challenges.
Lenovo's Yoga laptops get the 10th-gen Intel treatment and AI smarts
Lenovo is joining the likes of Dell and Acer in upgrading its products to feature Intel's 10th-generation laptop CPUs. The new systems include the 14-inch and 15-inch Yoga C940 2-in-1, the Yoga C740 in the same two sizes and the 13-inch Yoga C640. Of the lot, the new 14-inch Yoga C940 is the most interesting, since it's also certified under Intel's Project Athena standard for thin, light, long-lasting laptops.
Watch ASUS' IFA 2019 event in under 10 minutes
ASUS hosted its IFA 2019 press event at 7AM ET this morning. We don't blame you if you were still sleeping, or on your way to work, and missed it. Lucky for you we were on the ground in Berlin and we've condensed the whole thing down to just under 10 minutes so you can catch up quickly. The company announced a new smart watch, expanded availability for its high-end ROG Phone II gaming phone, powerful new laptops for creative pros (including the first to harness NVIDIA's Quadro RTX 6000 graphics), displays and a whole lot more. Now it's time to get caught up while your boss is out for coffee.
The ASUS StudioBook One is the first laptop with NVIDIA's Quadro RTX 6000
Even with all of its might, the StudioBook Pro X that ASUS announced today isn't the most powerful StudioBook in terms of graphics. That accolade is reserved for the StudioBook One, with its Quadro RTX 6000 graphics. In fact, ASUS says this is the first (and currently only) laptop to harness the Quadro RTX 6000, and both it and NVIDIA say it's "the world's most graphically-powerful laptop." Well, at least it is for now.
ASUS’ StudioBook Pro X is a powerful laptop for creatives
ASUS is massively expanding its ProArt line here at IFA 2019, adding laptops, a desktop and a display to the series this week. Not all of it was on display ahead of the show, but the one laptop that caught our eye was the Studio Book Pro X. It's a massive machine, and the first NVIDIA Quadro-powered device to house the ASUS ScreenPad tech. If you're unfamiliar, that's the fancy touchscreen display that sits where the trackpad usually is. Now ASUS is on ScreenPad 2.0, a feature we first saw at Computex.
Acer adds RTX Quadro power to its high-end ConceptD laptops
Acer is chasing the creative professional with the pro-grade line of ConceptD laptops it launched in April. These powerful notebooks with rich, accurate displays come in eye-catching designs that help them stand out even as other laptops up their style games. When the series was first unveiled, there were just three products -- the 17.3-inch ConceptD 9, the 15-inch ConceptD 7 and ConceptD 5 (available in both sizes). Here at IFA 2019, Acer is expanding the lineup by adding a 15-inch ConceptD 3, as well as offering Pro editions of each model. The Pro versions come with NVIDIA's Quadro RTX graphics cards for those who require the extra muscle for extremely taxing tasks.
Google and Dell team up on the first Chromebooks made for business
The next time you get a laptop from your company's IT department, you might be getting a Chromebook. Not that you couldn't already get a Chromebook from your office, but these offer extra security and organizational features that might leave IT professionals more reassured. The Dell Latitude 5400 Chromebook Enterprise and Dell Latitude 5300 2-in-1 Chromebook Enterprise were born from a partnership between Dell and Google, though the latter also has some updates around Chrome OS enterprise to share today. Unwieldy names aside, these new machines are based on existing models of Dell's Latitude laptops, except they run Chrome OS. So don't be surprised if you find them familiar.
NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX GPUs are now even better for creative types
On top of announcing 10 new RTX Studio laptops, NVIDIA has some news that will make GeForce RTX creators happy. The latest Studio driver, due to be released shortly, will support 10-bit color for all GPUs in Adobe Photoshop CC, Premier CC and other OpenGL-powered apps. That's a pretty big deal, because up until now, you needed to buy a costly Quadro RTX card to get the most out of your fancy 10-bit HDR monitor for photo or video editing. Now, you get the same feature with GeForce RTX, too.
How to buy a laptop for school in 2019
If you're bound for college or high school, there's good news and bad news when it comes to choosing a laptop. On the plus side, there are more choices than ever, which means there's a good chance you can find a notebook that's perfect for you. The downside: With so many options, it's often hard to figure out what's actually worth buying. We've recommended some of our favorite laptops as part of our annual back-to-school guide, but here are some tips to keep in mind. First off, consider what your needs are: Your laptop is going to see you through every class report and Netflix binge for the next four years. Get a machine that can do both. For many students, a modern ultraportable will be enough. But if you want to game or edit media, you'll have to make sure you find something with a bit more power.
PC makers are getting better at copying smartphone innovation
For a long time, the PC industry was stagnating. Computer makers had grown comfortable with iterative annual updates to their devices, relying on yearly processor advancements to push consumers to buy new laptops. But recently, things changed. PC makers started borrowing features from smartphones to make their laptops stand out, just as phones keep trying to become more like computers. There were plenty of examples at Computex 2019, but instead of displaying purely imitated features, the PC industry showed it can actually do some of them better.
You can pry my keyboard from my cold, dead hands
If this week's Computex is anything to go by, the laptop industry is sharpening its ax in order to kill the keyboard. It won't happen overnight, but in the pursuit of thinner and lighter bodies, the mechanical, physical input will have to go. If, like me, you think that typing on screens will never be as accurate, or as fast, as hitting real keys, then it's not great news. The pitfalls of an all-screen laptop are the same as using a tablet as your primary machine for work. You'll need to pack a wireless keyboard (more clutter in your bag) and remember to keep it charged (more clutter in your mind). Soon after, Logitech or some other company will crank out a case to fix the issue, but you'll spend an extra $150 for something you used to take for granted.
Dell's new XPS 13 2-in-1 is its most stylish laptop yet
I don't throw the word "perfect" around a lot, but that was honestly the best way to describe the latest XPS 13. But what if you wanted something more than a traditional laptop? That's where the new XPS 13 2-in-1 comes in. Like other convertibles, you can flip the screen all the way around to turn it into a large tablet. But while it brings over many of the hardware improvements from this year's XPS 13 -- a webcam above the screen and HDR displays -- it also takes Dell's XPS design to a whole new level.
ASUS’ redesigned touchscreen trackpad is bigger and more intuitive
It's only been about a year since ASUS introduced the ZenBook Pro with a touchscreen trackpad called a ScreenPad, and the company is already back with an updated version. To celebrate its thirtieth anniversary, ASUS unveiled a slew of intriguing laptops at Computex this year, as well as the ScreenPad 2.0, which will launch on an array of its notebooks as well.
NVIDIA is bringing pro-level Quadro RTX GPUs to laptops
NVIDIA has succeeded in shrinking its beefy Quadro RTX 5000 graphics hardware to bring it to laptops. The silicon offers 3,072 CUDA cores and 48 RT cores, paired with 384 Tensor cores and 16GB GDDR6 RAM, same as the version available for desktops. And, much like the previous version of the RTX 5000, the mobile edition is designed for professionals who do a lot of heavy graphics or video work.
Lenovo is working on a ThinkPad with a foldable display
Sure, foldable phones are intriguing, but have you considered foldable laptops? Lenovo has clearly been thinking about the concept for awhile, and today, it's ready to unveil an early preview of its latest experimental efforts. At its Accelerate conference in Florida, the company showed off the world's first foldable PC prototype, and we got to check it out at a recent briefing in New York.
Dell unveils G-Series and Alienware laptops with NVIDIA's latest GPUs
Dell is taking advantage of the launch of new Intel 9th-generation CPUs and NVIDIA's latest GTX 16-series GPUs to refresh some of its gaming laptops. First up, it's introducing new G5 and G7 laptops today with GeForce GTX 1660 Ti and 1650 Max-Q GPUs, and will introduce RTX models with 9th-generation Intel CPUs starting in June. Those should be speedier than the current GTX 1050 Ti and 1060 models, and cheaper than the RTX-powered laptops. Both models will soon be available with four-zone RGB keyboards and 240 Hz 1080p or 4K OLED displays. Dell has yet to say how much any of these mid-range models will cost, but the current G5 15-inch gaming laptop with GTX 1050 Ti graphics starts at $900.
