The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is the new ultimate flagship smartphone with an iconic new design!
Find out if the new Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is the smartphone you have been waiting for!
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra : Our Hands-On Preview!
With a 6.8-inch display and support for the S Pen, the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is designed to maximise your productivity and creativity.
Its edge-to-edge Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with curved edges, has a Quad HD+ resolution, with an adaptive 120 Hz refresh rate.
New Flagship Performance
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 in the US, South Korea and China, and the new Samsung Exynos 2100 in other countries.
They are both flagship mobile SoCs, and here is a quick comparison of their key specifications :
Specifications
Samsung
Exynos 2100
Qualcomm
Snapdragon 888
Fab Process
5 nm EUV
Processor
1 x Cortex-X1 (2.9 GHz)
3 x Cortex-A78 (2.8 GHz)
4 x Cortex-A55 (2.2 GHz)
1 x Cortex-X1 (2.84 GHz)
3 x Cortex-A78 (2.4 GHz)
4 x Cortex-A55 (1.8 GHz)
The Galaxy S21 Ultra comes with a 40 MP front camera, with an f/2.2 aperture.
In the back, it has a new quad camera system, that consists of :
a 108 MP main camera, with an f/1.8 aperture
a 12 MP ultra-wide camera, with an f/2.2 aperture
a 10 MP telephoto camera, with an f/2.4 aperture, and 3X optical zoom, and
a 10 MP periscope telephoto camera, with an f/4.9 aperture, and 10X optical zoom
For the first time on a Galaxy smartphone, you can now shoot in 4K at 60 fps on all front and rear cameras. In addition, you can choose to take photos in a 12-bit RAW format!
And its dual telephoto cameras powers its phenomenal 100X Space Zoom capability, with Zoom Lock capability.
It also comes with other improvements like :
Improved 8K Snap, that lets you capture clear images from your 8K video footage
Super Steady video now supports 60 fps video recording
Single Take lets you capture a variety of still and video formats with a single tap.
It is now enhanced with new pro-style settings like Highlight Video and Dynamic Slow-Mo
New Director’s View that lets you see, switch and select the best shot… LIVE!
S Pen Support
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is the first S Series smartphone to support the S Pen, with Wacom’s technology.
You can use an existing S Pen from the Galaxy Note, or Galaxy Tab, or purchase a separate S Pen, or with a compatible case.
Samsung is offering two cases that are bundled with the S Pen – Smart Clear View Cover with S Pen, and Silicone Cover with S Pen.
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is also one of the first smartphones to support the Wi-Fi 6E standard.
This opens up the 6 GHz spectrum, introducing 14 additional 80 MHz channels and 7 additional 160 MHz channels.
When used with a compatible Wi-Fi 6E router, it will allow for higher bandwidths and reduced congestion.
Samsung SmartThings Find
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra supports the new SmartThings Find capability, which lets you quickly and easily locate compatible Galaxy devices, even when they are offline.
You can also locate non-connected devices using Samsung’s new Galaxy SmartTag Bluetooth locater. Simply attach it to your keys, bag or pet, and use SmartThings Find to locate them!
Protection
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is IP68-rated against dust and water, allowing you to immerse it in up to 1.5 metres of fresh water, for up to 30 minutes.
Its display is protected by Gorilla Glass Victus against scratches in the front.
Battery + Charging
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra comes with a large 5,000 mAh lithium-ion polymer battery, and it supports 18 watt wireless charging, as well as 25 watt wired charging.
But here’s the bad news – the Galaxy S21 Ultra does NOT come with a charger in the box. It only ships with a USB-C to USB-C cable.
If you like our work, you can help support us by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
If you like our work, you can help support us by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
The OPPO Reno5 Pro comes with 12 GB of RAM, and 256 GB of storage. The larger storage capacity is important, because it does not support external storage through a microSD card.
Cameras Galore
The OPPO Reno5 Pro has a high-resolution 32 MP front camera, with an f/2.4 aperture. Despite its high resolution, it only supports 1080p video recording, at up to 30 fps.
In the back, it has a quad camera system that consists of :
a 64 MP main camera, with f/1.7 aperture
an 8 MP ultra-wide camera, with f/2.2 aperture
a 2 MP macro camera, with f/2.4 aperture, and
a 2 MP depth sensor, with f/2.4 aperture
The 64 MP main camera can record videos at up to 4K @ 30 fps, or 1080p @ 60 fps.
Beyond that, OPPO is trying to promote their new Dual-View capability, which combines videos from both the front and rear cameras.
5G Connectivity
5G connectivity is a key selling point for the OPPO Reno5 Pro, which supports both 5G SA (Standalone) and 5G NSA (Non-Standalone) modes.
However, you are unlikely to be able to actually utilise this capability for quite some time, as the 5G rollout will take years.
Small Fast-Charging Battery
The OPPO Reno5 Pro has a small 2,175 mAh battery, but it supports 65 watt SuperVOOC 2.0 fast charging capability.
And yes, it comes with the charger in-box.
OPPO Reno5 Pro : Specifications Compared
Here is our comparison of the key specifications of the Reno5 Pro with its cheaper brother, the Reno5 :
Specifications
Reno5
Reno5 Pro
Model
CPH2145
CPH2201
Display
6.4-inch AMOLED
6.5-inch AMOLED
Resolution
1080 x 2400 pixels
Pixel Density
410 ppi
402 ppi
Colour Gamut
93% DCI-P3
135% sRGB
97% NTSC
100% sRGB
Display
Brightness
430 nits to 600 nits
500 nits to 800 nits
Display
Features
90 Hz refresh rate
180 Hz sampling rate
Protection
None
Operating System
ColorOS 11.1 (Android 11)
Platform
Qualcomm
Snapdragon 765G
MediaTek
Dimensity 1000+
Memory
8 GB
12 GB
Storage Options
128 GB
256 GB
External Storage
None
Front Camera
32 MP (f/2.4)
Rear Cameras
64 MP (f/1.7) main camera
8 MP (f/2.2) ultra-wide camera
2 MP (f/2.4) macro camera
2 MP (f/2.4) depth sensor
Connectivity
5G / 4G / 3G / 2G
Wi-Fi : WiFi-5
Bluetooth : BT 5.1
USB : Type C
5G / 4G / 3G / 2G
Wi-Fi : WiFi-6
Bluetooth : BT 5.1
USB : Type C
If you like our work, you can help support us by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
To celebrate 2021, Kingston just launched the Limited Edition Mini Cow USB flash drive! Take a look at this cutesy USB drive!
2021 Kingston Limited Edition Mini Cow USB Drive!
The 2021 Kingston Limited Edition Mini Cow USB drive is one of the 12 collectible designs from their New Year USB Flash Drive – Mini Collection.
For over a decade now, Kingston has introduce a specially-designed USB drive, inspired by the animals of the Chinese zodiac.
This year’s flash drive features an adorable cow figurine that’s encased in a unique milk bottle package. Definitely something unique!
The Mini Cow USB drive itself features a cute, ovular-shaped design that “embodies joy, fullness and prosperity”. It even comes with a keychain ring that turns it into a personal lucky charm!
This particular bovine lucky charm has a storage capacity of 64 GB, and USB 3.2 Gen 1 performance. That’s basically good old USB 3.0 – with a maximum speed of 5 Gbps.
2021 Kingston Limited Edition Mini Cow : Key Specifications
Here are its key specifications :
Storage Capacity : 64 GB
Speed : USB 3.0 (USB 3.2 Gen 1)
Dimensions : 43.16 x 28.96 x 27.31 mm
Warranty : 5-year warranty with free technical support
Compatibility : Windows 7 (SP1) onwards, macOS 10.10.x onwards, Linux 2.6.x onwards, Chrome OS
2021 Kingston Limited Edition Mini Cow : Price + Availability
The 2021 Kingston Limited Edition Mini Cow USB drive is available starting 21 January 2021, with a recommended retail price of RM 89, which is about US$22 / £16 / A$28 / S$29.
If you like our work, you can help support us by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
OPPO just launched their Reno5 smartphone, offering consumers a mid-range 5G and 64 MP camera combo!
Take a look at what the OPPO Reno5 offers, and find out if it’s worth the price!
OPPO Reno5 Smartphone : 5G + 64 MP Camera Combo!
OPPO is introducing the Reno5 as their most affordable 5G smartphone, paired with a 64 MP camera system.
Let’s start with this presentation on the OPPO Reno5.
AMOLED Display
The OPPO Reno5 comes with a 6.4-inch AMOLED display, with a Full HD+ resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels.
This display has a rather high colour gamut of 135% sRGB, when set to the Vivid mode, with a maximum brightness of 600 nits.
You can toggle between a 60 Hz and 90 Hz refresh rate, and the display has a 180 Hz sampling rate.
Mid-Range Performance
The OPPO Reno5 is powered by the mid-range Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G, which has eight CPU cores :
1 x Kryo 475 Prime (Cortex-A76) core @ 2.4 GHz
1 x Kryo 475 Gold (Cortex-A76) core @ 2.2 GHz
6 x Kryo 475 Silver (Cortex-A55) cores @ 1.8 GHz
They are paired with the Qualcomm Adreno 620 GPU, which is clocked 10% higher than the older Snapdragon 765.
Memory + Storage
The OPPO Reno5 comes with 8 GB of RAM, and 128 GB of storage. The limited storage may be an issue, because it does not support external storage through a microSD card.
Cameras Galore
The OPPO Reno5 has a high-resolution 32 MP front camera, with an f/2.4 aperture. Despite its high resolution, it only supports 1080p video recording, at up to 30 fps.
In the back, it has a quad camera system that consists of :
a 64 MP main camera, with f/1.7 aperture
an 8 MP ultra-wide camera, with f/2.2 aperture
a 2 MP macro camera, with f/2.4 aperture, and
a 2 MP depth sensor, with f/2.4 aperture
The 64 MP main camera can record videos at up to 4K @ 30 fps, or 1080p @ 60 fps.
Beyond that, OPPO is trying to promote their new Dual-View capability, which combines videos from both the front and rear cameras.
5G Connectivity
5G connectivity is a key selling point for the OPPO Reno5, which supports both 5G SA (Standalone) and 5G NSA (Non-Standalone) modes.
However, you are unlikely to be able to actually utilise this capability for quite some time, as the 5G rollout will take years.
Small Fast-Charging Battery
The OPPO Reno5 has a small 2,150 mAh battery, but it supports 65 watt SuperVOOC 2.0 fast charging capability.
And yes, it comes with the charger in-box.
OPPO Reno5 : Specifications Compared
Here is our comparison of the key specifications of the Reno5 with its more expensive brother, the Reno5 Pro :
Specifications
Reno5
Reno5 Pro
Model
CPH2145
CPH2201
Display
6.4-inch AMOLED
6.5-inch AMOLED
Resolution
1080 x 2400 pixels
Pixel Density
410 ppi
402 ppi
Colour Gamut
93% DCI-P3
135% sRGB
97% NTSC
100% sRGB
Display
Brightness
430 nits to 600 nits
500 nits to 800 nits
Display
Features
90 Hz refresh rate
180 Hz sampling rate
Protection
None
Operating System
ColorOS 11.1 (Android 11)
Platform
Qualcomm
Snapdragon 765G
MediaTek
Dimensity 1000+
Memory
8 GB
12 GB
Storage Options
128 GB
256 GB
External Storage
None
Front Camera
32 MP (f/2.4)
Rear Cameras
64 MP (f/1.7) main camera
8 MP (f/2.2) ultra-wide camera
2 MP (f/2.4) macro camera
2 MP (f/2.4) depth sensor
Connectivity
5G / 4G / 3G / 2G
Wi-Fi : WiFi-5
Bluetooth : BT 5.1
USB : Type C
5G / 4G / 3G / 2G
Wi-Fi : WiFi-6
Bluetooth : BT 5.1
USB : Type C
If you like our work, you can help support us by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is the new ultimate flagship smartphone with an iconic new design!
Find out if the new Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is the smartphone you have been waiting for!
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra : Ultimate Flagship!
With a 6.8-inch display and support for the S Pen, the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is designed to maximise your productivity and creativity.
Its edge-to-edge Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with curved edges, has a Quad HD+ resolution, with an adaptive 120 Hz refresh rate.
New Flagship Performance
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 in the US, South Korea and China, and the new Samsung Exynos 2100 in other countries.
They are both flagship mobile SoCs, and here is a quick comparison of their key specifications :
Specifications
Samsung
Exynos 2100
Qualcomm
Snapdragon 888
Fab Process
5 nm EUV
Processor
1 x Cortex-X1 (2.9 GHz)
3 x Cortex-A78 (2.8 GHz)
4 x Cortex-A55 (2.2 GHz)
1 x Cortex-X1 (2.84 GHz)
3 x Cortex-A78 (2.4 GHz)
4 x Cortex-A55 (1.8 GHz)
The Galaxy S21 Ultra comes with a 40 MP front camera, with an f/2.2 aperture. In the back, it has a new quad camera system, that consists of :
a 108 MP main camera, with an f/1.8 aperture
a 12 MP ultra-wide camera, with an f/2.2 aperture
a 10 MP telephoto camera, with an f/2.4 aperture, and 3X optical zoom, and
a 10 MP periscope telephoto camera, with an f/4.9 aperture, and 10X optical zoom
For the first time on a Galaxy smartphone, you can now shoot in 4K at 60 fps on all front and rear cameras. In addition, you can choose to take photos in a 12-bit RAW format!
And its dual telephoto cameras powers its phenomenal 100X Space Zoom capability, with Zoom Lock capability.
It also comes with other improvements like :
Improved 8K Snap, that lets you capture clear images from your 8K video footage
Super Steady video now supports 60 fps video recording
Single Take lets you capture a variety of still and video formats with a single tap.
It is now enhanced with new pro-style settings like Highlight Video and Dynamic Slow-Mo
New Director’s View that lets you see, switch and select the best shot… LIVE!
S Pen Support
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is the first S Series smartphone to support the S Pen, with Wacom’s technology.
You can use an existing S Pen from the Galaxy Note, or Galaxy Tab, or purchase a separate S Pen, or with a compatible case.
Faster WiFi
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is also one of the first smartphones to support the Wi-Fi 6E standard.
This opens up the 6 GHz spectrum, introducing 14 additional 80 MHz channels and 7 additional 160 MHz channels.
When used with a compatible Wi-Fi 6E router, it will allow for higher bandwidths and reduced congestion.
Samsung SmartThings Find
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra supports the new SmartThings Find capability, which lets you quickly and easily locate compatible Galaxy devices, even when they are offline.
You can also locate non-connected devices using Samsung’s new Galaxy SmartTag Bluetooth locater. Simply attach it to your keys, bag or pet, and use SmartThings Find to locate them!
Protection
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is IP68-rated against dust and water, allowing you to immerse it in up to 1.5 metres of fresh water, for up to 30 minutes.
Its display is protected by Gorilla Glass Victus against scratches in the front.
Battery + Charging
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra comes with a large 5,000 mAh lithium-ion polymer battery, and it supports 18 watt wireless charging, as well as 25 watt wired charging.
But here’s the bad news – the Galaxy S21 Ultra does NOT come with a charger in the box. It only ships with a USB-C to USB-C cable.
If you like our work, you can help support us by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
Samsung just introduced the Galaxy S21 Plus, a new flagship smartphone with an iconic new design!
Find out if the new Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus is the smartphone you have been waiting for!
Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus : Large Battery Flagship!
With a 6.7-inch display and a large battery, the Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus is designed for marathon gamers and binge-watchers.
Its edge-to-edge Dynamic AMOLED 2X display has a Full HD+ resolution, with an adaptive 120 Hz refresh rate.
New Flagship Performance
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 in the US, South Korea and China, and the new Samsung Exynos 2100 in other countries.
They are both flagship mobile SoCs, and here is a quick comparison of their key specifications :
Specifications
Samsung
Exynos 2100
Qualcomm
Snapdragon 888
Fab Process
5 nm EUV
Processor
1 x Cortex-X1 (2.9 GHz)
3 x Cortex-A78 (2.8 GHz)
4 x Cortex-A55 (2.2 GHz)
1 x Cortex-X1 (2.84 GHz)
3 x Cortex-A78 (2.4 GHz)
4 x Cortex-A55 (1.8 GHz)
The Galaxy S21 Plus comes with a 10 MP Dual Pixel front camera, with an f/2.2 aperture. The Dual Pixel capability allows for faster auto-focus.
In the back, it has a triple camera system, that consists of :
a 12 MP Dual Pixel main camera, with an f/1.8 aperture
a 12 MP ultra-wide camera, with an f/2.2 aperture
a 64 MP telephoto camera, with an f/2.0 aperture, 1.1X optical zoom and 3X hybrid optic zoom.
Most of the improvements are in its camera software :
Improved 8K Snap, that lets you capture clear images from your 8K video footage
Super Steady video now supports 60 fps video recording
Single Take lets you capture a variety of still and video formats with a single tap.
It is now enhanced with new pro-style settings like Highlight Video and Dynamic Slow-Mo
New Director’s View that lets you see, switch and select the best shot… LIVE!
Improved Space Zoom with new Zoom Lock capability
Samsung SmartThings Find
Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus supports the new SmartThings Find capability, which lets you quickly and easily locate compatible Galaxy devices, even when they are offline.
You can also locate non-connected devices using Samsung’s new Galaxy SmartTag Bluetooth locater. Simply attach it to your keys, bag or pet, and use SmartThings Find to locate them!
Protection
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus is IP68-rated against dust and water, allowing you to immerse it in up to 1.5 metres of fresh water, for up to 30 minutes.
Its display is protected by Gorilla Glass Victus against scratches in the front.
Battery + Charging
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus comes with a large 4,800 mAh lithium-ion polymer battery, and it supports 18 watt wireless charging, as well as 25 watt wired charging.
But here’s the bad news – the Galaxy S21 Plus does NOT come with a charger in the box. It only ships with a USB-C to USB-C cable.
Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus : Specifications
Specifications
Samsung Galaxy S21+
Model
SM-G996
Display Size
6.7-inch Flat
Display Panel
Dynamic AMOLED 2X
Display Resolution
1080 x 2400 pixels
Pixel Density
394 ppi
Display Features
48~120 Hz refresh rate
1300 nits
Protection
IP68, Corning Gorilla Glass Victus
Operating System
One UI 3.1 (Android 11)
Platform
Samsung Exynos 2100, or
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888
Memory
8 GB LPDDR5
Storage Options
256 GB
External Storage
None
Front Camera
10 MP Dual Pixel (f/2.2)
Rear
Cameras
12 MP Dual Pixel (f/1.8) main camera
12 MP (f/2.2) ultra-wide camera
64 MP (f/2.0) telephoto camera
– 1.1X optical zoom, 3X hybrid zoom
Connectivity
5G / 4G / 3G / 2G
Wi-Fi : WiFi-AC
Bluetooth : BT 5.0
USB : USB 3.2 Type C
GPS Support
GPS, AGPS, GLONASS, BeiDou
Ultra Wideband
Yes
NFC / MST
Yes
S Pen Support
No
Fingerprint Sensor
In Display
Other Sensors
Accelerometer, Barometer, Gyro,
Geomagnetic, Hall sensor,
Proximity, Ambient Light
Audio
Dual stereo speakers tuned by AKG
Battery
4,800 mAh
Charging
25 watt wired,
18 watt wireless
Width
Height
Thickness
75.6 mm
161.5 mm
7.8 mm
Weight
200 g
Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus : Colour Options
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus comes in three colour options – Phantom Silver, Phantom Black and a new signature colour, Phantom Violet.
Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus : Launch Price List
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus comes in two variants globally, with these prices :
If you like our work, you can help support us by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
The Galaxy S21 comes with a 10 MP Dual Pixel front camera, with an f/2.2 aperture. The Dual Pixel capability allows for faster auto-focus.
In the back, it has a triple camera system, that consists of :
a 12 MP Dual Pixel main camera, with an f/1.8 aperture
a 12 MP ultra-wide camera, with an f/2.2 aperture
a 64 MP telephoto camera, with an f/2.0 aperture, 1.1X optical zoom and 3X hybrid optic zoom.
Most of the improvements are in its camera software :
Improved 8K Snap, that lets you capture clear images from your 8K video footage
Super Steady video now supports 60 fps video recording
Single Take lets you capture a variety of still and video formats with a single tap.
It is now enhanced with new pro-style settings like Highlight Video and Dynamic Slow-Mo
New Director’s View that lets you see, switch and select the best shot… LIVE!
Improved Space Zoom with new Zoom Lock capability
Samsung SmartThings Find
Samsung Galaxy S21 supports the new SmartThings Find capability, which lets you quickly and easily locate compatible Galaxy devices, even when they are offline.
You can also locate non-connected devices using Samsung’s new Galaxy SmartTag Bluetooth locater. Simply attach it to your keys, bag or pet, and use SmartThings Find to locate them!
Protection
The Samsung Galaxy S21 is IP68-rated against dust and water, allowing you to immerse it in up to 1.5 metres of fresh water, for up to 30 minutes.
Its display is protected by Gorilla Glass Victus against scratches in the front.
Battery + Charging
The Samsung Galaxy S21 comes with a 4,000 mAh lithium-ion polymer battery, and it supports 18 watt wireless charging, as well as 25 watt wired charging.
But here’s the bad news – the Galaxy S21 does NOT come with a charger in the box. It only ships with a USB-C to USB-C cable.
Samsung Galaxy S21 : Specifications
Specifications
Samsung Galaxy S21
Model
SM-G991
Display Size
6.2-inch Flat
Display Panel
Dynamic AMOLED 2X
Display Resolution
1080 x 2400 pixels
Pixel Density
421 ppi
Display Features
48~120 Hz refresh rate
1300 nits
Protection
IP68, Corning Gorilla Glass Victus
Operating System
One UI 3.1 (Android 11)
Platform
Samsung Exynos 2100, or
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888
Memory
8 GB LPDDR5
Storage Options
256 GB
External Storage
None
Front Camera
10 MP Dual Pixel (f/2.2)
Rear Cameras
12 MP Dual Pixel (f/1.8) main camera
12 MP (f/2.2) ultra-wide camera
64 MP (f/2.0) telephoto camera
– 1.1X optical zoom, 3X hybrid zoom
Connectivity
5G / 4G / 3G / 2G
Wi-Fi : WiFi-AC
Bluetooth : BT 5.0
USB : USB 3.2 Type C
GPS Support
GPS, AGPS, GLONASS, BeiDou
Ultra Wideband
No
NFC / MST
Yes
S Pen Support
No
Fingerprint Sensor
In Display
Other Sensors
Accelerometer, Barometer, Gyro,
Geomagnetic, Hall sensor,
Proximity, Ambient Light
Audio
Dual stereo speakers tuned by AKG
Battery
4,000 mAh
Charging
25 watt wired,
18 watt wireless
Width
Height
Thickness
71.2 mm
161.7 mm
7.9 mm
Weight
169 g
Samsung Galaxy S21 : Colour Options
The Samsung Galaxy S21 comes in four colour options – Phantom Grey, Phantom White, Phantom Pink and a new signature colour, Phantom Violet.
Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus : Launch Price List
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus comes in two variants globally, with these prices :
If you like our work, you can help support us by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
Samsung just unveiled their Exynos 2100 – the 5G mobile platform which will debut in their new Galaxy S21 smartphones!
Here is what you need to know about the new Samsung Exynos 2100 mobile SoC!
Samsung Exynos 2100 : Official Presentation
Let’s start with the official Samsung Exynos 2100 presentation.
This presentation broadcast globally as part of the Exynos On 2021 event, just one day before Samsung unveils the Galaxy S21 smartphones.
Samsung Exynos 2100 : What You Need To Know!
The Exynos 2100 is Samsung’s first 5G-integrated flagship mobile platform, fabricated on the latest 5 nm EUV (Extreme Ultra-Violet) process node.
The finer 5 nm process lets it deliver up to 20% lower power consumption, or 10% better performance, than its older 7 nm predecessor.
New Tri-Cluster CPU Architecture
The Samsung Exynos 2100 uses a new tri-cluster CPU architecture, featuring :
a new powerful Arm Cortex-X1 core running at up to 2.9 GHz,
three sustained performance Arm Cortex-A78 cores running at up to 2.8 GHz, and
four power-efficient Arm Cortex-A55 cores running at up to 2.2 GHz
Faster Graphics
The Samsung Exynos 2100 comes with the Arm Mali-G78 GPU, which delivers 40% better performance for gaming, and AR/VR or MR (mixed reality).
Faster AI
It also comes with a new triple-core NPU, which can process up to 26 trillion operations per second (TOPS), with twice the power efficiency of the previous generation.
Faster Memory
The Exynos 2100 supports LPDDR5 memory, with a peak memory speed of 51.2 GB/s.
In addition, Samsung says it has an improved cache and a stronger scheduler for better memory performance and utilisation.
Advanced Image Signal Processor
Its advanced image signal processor (ISP) supports camera resolutions of up to 200 megapixels (MP), and can connect up to six individual sensors.
With a multi-camera and frame processor (MCFP), this ISP can combine feeds from up to four cameras to :
improve zoom performance
enhance image quality for ultra-wide shots
reduce hand shake
With AI acceleration, the ISP can also recognise scenes, faces and objects, automatically adjusting the camera settings for optimal image quality and detail.
Integrated 5G Multi-Mode Modem
The Exynos 2100 has an integrated 5G multi-mode modem that supports :
5G : Sub-6 GHz and millimetre wave spectrums
4G LTE with 1024 QAM (Quadrature Amplitude Modulation) support
3G WCDMA
2G GSM / CDMA
This modem can download data at up to 5.1 Gbps (sub-6GHz), and 7.35 Gbps (mmWave) with 5G networks; and up to 3 Gbps in 4G networks with 1024 QAM.
Samsung Exynos 2100 : Specifications
Specifications
Samsung
Exynos 2100
Fab Process
5 nm EUV
Processor
1 x Arm Cortex-X1 core (2.9 GHz)
3 x Arm Cortex-A78 cores (2.8 GHz)
4 x Arm Cortex-A55 cores (2.2 GHz)
If you like our work, you can help support us by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
Dell just unveiled the UltraSharp 27 (U2722D) – a new UltraSharp USB-C hub monitor for CES 2021!
Find out if this is the productivity monitor you have been waiting for!
Dell UltraSharp 27 (U2722D) USB-C Hub Monitor
The Dell UltraSharp 27 (U2722D) is a 27-inch Full HD monitor, with a built-in USB-C hub for greater productivity.
It has a QHD resolution of 2560 x 1440 pixels, with ComfortView Plus for low blue light emission, a wide viewing angle of 178°, and ultra-thin bezels.
On top of that, it has a wide colour gamut of 100% sRGB, and 95% DCI-P3, as well as support for 1.07 billion colours.
Thanks to its USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type C input, the Dell UltraSharp 27 also doubles as a productivity hub, offering Ethernet connectivity and up to 15 watts of power delivery.
The Dell UltraSharp 27 (U2722D) comes with a 3-year Advanced Exchange Service, which means if a replacement is necessary, it will be shipped to you the next business day.
In addition, it comes with Dell Premium Panel Exchange, which allows a free monitor replacement during the 3-year Limited Hardware warranty, even if only one bright pixel is found.
Dell UltraSharp 27 (U2722D) : Specifications
Specifications
Dell UltraSharp 27
Model
U2722D
Display Size
(Diagonal)
27 inches
Native Resolution
2560 x 1440 pixels
Native Refresh Rate
60 Hz
Aspect Ratio
21:9
Pixel Pitch
NA
Pixel Density
NA
Brightness
NA
Colour Gamut
100% sRGB
100% Rec. 709 95% DCI-P3
Colour Accuracy
Delta-E < 2
Colour Depth
1.07 billion colours
Contrast Ratio
NA
Viewing Angle
178° vertical
178° horizontal
Response Time
NA
Panel Type
IPS (In-Plane Switching)
Backlight
LED
Display Coating
Anti-Glare Treatment
3H Hard Coating
Other Features
ComfortView Plus
Dell Display Manager
Speakers
Optional Slim Soundbar (SB521A)
Warranty
3 Years Advanced Exchange Service
Premium Panel Exchange
The Dell UltraSharp 27 (U2722D) will be available in Malaysia in March 2021, but there’s no indication of how much it will cost. We will update this article when we know more.
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Dell just unveiled the UltraSharp 24 (U2422HE) – a new UltraSharp USB-C hub monitor for CES 2021!
Find out if this could be the productivity monitor you have been waiting for!
Dell UltraSharp 24 (U2422HE) USB-C Hub Monitor
The Dell UltraSharp 24 (U2422HE) is a 23.8-inch Full HD monitor, with a built-in USB-C hub for greater productivity.
It has a Full HD resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels, with ComfortView for low blue light emission, a wide viewing angle of 178°, and a maximum brightness of 250 nits.
On top of that, it has a wide colour gamut of 99% sRGB, 99% Rec. 709, and 85% DCI-P3, as well as colour accuracy of Delta-E < 2.
Thanks to its USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type C input, the Dell UltraSharp 24 also doubles as a productivity hub, offering Ethernet connectivity and up to 65 watts of power delivery.
The Dell UltraSharp 24 (U2422HE) comes with a wide range of connectivity options :
1 x USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type C / DisplayPort 1.4 port with Power Delivery
1 x DisplayPort 1.4 with HDCP
1 x DisplayPort 1.4 output (MST)
1 x HDMI 2.0 with HDCP
2 x USB 3.0 (Type A) ports with Battery Charging 1.2
2 x USB 3.0 (Type A) ports
1 x RJ45 LAN port
Its four USB 3.0 ports allow you to easily connect your storage devices, smartphones and laptop, even charging them at up to 65 watts.
It is also adjustable for your comfort – 130 mm in height adjustment, with the ability to tilt by -5° to 21°, and swivel by 40° both ways.
The Dell UltraSharp 24 (U2422HE) comes with a 3-year Advanced Exchange Service, which means if a replacement is necessary, it will be shipped to you the next business day.
In addition, it comes with Dell Premium Panel Exchange, which allows a free monitor replacement during the 3-year Limited Hardware warranty, even if only one bright pixel is found.
Dell UltraSharp 24 (U2422HE) : Specifications
Specifications
Dell UltraSharp 24
Model
U2422HE
Display Size
(Diagonal)
23.8 inches
Native Resolution
1920 x 1080 pixels
Native Refresh Rate
60 Hz
Aspect Ratio
21:9
Pixel Pitch
0.2745 mm
Pixel Density
92.5 ppi
Brightness
250 cd/m²
Colour Gamut
99% sRGB
99% Rec. 709 85% DCI-P3
Colour Accuracy
Delta-E < 2
Colour Depth
16.7 million colours
Contrast Ratio
1000:1
Viewing Angle
178° vertical
178° horizontal
Response Time
5 ms (fast mode)
8 ms (normal)
Panel Type
IPS (In-Plane Switching)
Backlight
LED
Display Coating
Anti-Glare Treatment
3H Hard Coating
Other Features
ComfortView
Dell Display Manager
Speakers
None
Display Inputs
1 x DisplayPort 1.4 / USB-C
1 x DisplayPort 1.4
1 x HDMI 2.0
USB Ports
1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 input (Type B)
2 x USB 3.0 (Type C)
2 x USB 3.0 (Battery Charging 1.2)
1 x 3.5 mm audio jack
1 x RJ45 port
Adjustability
Height : 130 mm
Tilt : -5° to 21°
Swivel : -40° to 40°
Security
Security lock slot
VESA Mount
Yes, 100 x 100 mm
Power Input
120 VAC to 230 VAC (50 / 60 Hz)
Power Usage
Off : 0.19 W
Standby : 0.21 W
On : 14 W
Dimensions
Height : 348.4 mm
Width : 538.5 mm
Depth : 165.0 mm
Weight
Panel Only : 9.5 kg
With Stand + Cables : 13.8 kg
Warranty
3 Years Advanced Exchange Service
Premium Panel Exchange
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Xiaomi just introduced a new entry-level 5G smartphone – the Redmi Note 9T!
Take a look at the new Xiaomi Redmi Note 9T, and see if this is what you have been waiting for!
Xiaomi Redmi Note 9T : New Entry-Level 5G Smartphone!
Xiaomi just introduced a new entry-level 5G smartphone – the Redmi Note 9T! This is the 5G big brother of their Redmi 9T. Confusing naming, indeed!
6.53-inch FHD+ Dot Drop Display
The Redmi Note 9T sports a large 6.53-inch Dot Drop display, with a FHD+ resolution of 1080 x 2340 pixels.
It is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 5, and is TUV Rheinland-certified for low blue light.
MediaTek Dimensity 800U
The Redmi Note 9T is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 800U mobile platform, with 5G and WiFi-AC connectivity.
It has an 8-core processor, with two high-speed ARM Cortex-A76 cores running at 2.4 GHz, and six low-power ARM Cortex-A55 cores running at 2 GHz.
It comes with the ARM Mali-G57 MC3 GPU, and a built-in AI accelerator.
Memory + Storage Options
Xiaomi is offering two memory and storage options – 4 GB RAM + 64 GB storage, and 6 GB RAM + 128 GB storage.
Five Cameras
In the front, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 9T has an 13 MP selfie camera, with a f/2.3 aperture. At the back, it has a triple-camera system that consists of :
a 48 MP main camera, with f/1.79 aperture and 4-in-1 Super Pixel capability
a 2 MP macro camera, with f/2.4 aperture, and
a 2 MP depth sensor, with f/2.4 aperture
Power + Charging
Powering all that is a large 5,000 mAh battery, which supports 18 watt fast charging. Oddly enough, it comes with a 22.5 watt charger in the box.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 9T : Specification Comparison
To help you differentiate between the Redmi 9T (4G) and the Redmi Note 9T (5G), here is their specification comparison.
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Xiaomi just introduced a new entry-level 48 MP smartphone – the Redmi 9T!
Take a look at the new Xiaomi Redmi 9T, and see if this is what you have been waiting for!
Xiaomi Redmi 9T : New Entry-Level 48MP Smartphone!
Xiaomi just introduced a new entry-level 48 MP smartphone – the Redmi 9T! This is the 4G little brother of their Redmi Note 9T. Confusing naming, indeed!
6.53-inch FHD+ Dot Drop Display
The Redmi 9T sports a large 6.53-inch Dot Drop display, with a FHD+ resolution of 1080 x 2340 pixels.
It is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 3, and is TUV Rheinland-certified for low blue light.
Qualcomm Snapdragon 662
The Redmi 9T is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 662 mobile platform, with 4G LTE and WiFi-AC connectivity.
It has an 8-core processor, with four high-speed Qualcomm Kryo 260 Gold cores running at 2.0 GHz, and four low-power Qualcomm Kryo 260 Silver cores running at 1.8 GHz.
It comes with the Qualcomm Adreno 610 GPU, and the 3rd Generation Qualcomm AI Engine.
Memory + Storage Options
Xiaomi is offering two memory and storage options – 4 GB RAM + 64 GB storage, and 6 GB RAM + 128 GB storage.
Five Cameras
In the front, the Xiaomi Redmi 9T has an 8 MP selfie camera, with a f/2.05 aperture. At the back, it has a quad-camera system that consists of :
a 48 MP main camera, with f/1.79 aperture and 4-in-1 Super Pixel capability
an 8 MP ultra-wide camera, with f/2.2 aperture
a 2 MP macro camera, with f/2.4 aperture, and
a 2 MP depth sensor, with f/2.4 aperture
Power + Charging
Powering all that is a massive 6,000 mAh battery, which supports 18 watt fast charging. Oddly enough, it comes with a 22.5 watt charger in the box.
Xiaomi Redmi 9T : Specification Comparison
To help you differentiate between the Redmi 9T (4G) and the Redmi Note 9T (5G), here is their specification comparison.
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Dell just unveiled the UltraSharp 40 (U4021QW) – a new UltraSharp curved monitor for CES 2021!
Take a look at it, and see why this could be the curved monitor you have been waiting for!
Dell UltraSharp 40 (U4021QW) Curved Monitor
The Dell UltraSharp 40 (U4021QW) is their first 40-inch curved ultra wide WUHD monitor, offering 32% more screen space than a 32-inch 4K display.
It boasts a 2500R curved screen, with a resolution of 5120 x 2160 pixels, and a 140 ppi pixel density. It also has a maximum brightness of 300 nits, with a wide viewing angle of 178°.
On top of that, it has a wide colour gamut of 100% sRGB, 100% Rec. 709, and 98% DCI-P3. And it comes factory calibrated with a colour accuracy of Delta-E < 2.
Thanks to its Thunderbolt 3 input, the Dell UltraSharp 40 (U4021QW) also doubles as a productivity hub, offering Ethernet connectivity and up to 90 watts of power delivery.
It also comes with a built-in KVM, allowing you to connect up to two computers to the monitor. Its Auto KVM feature automatically detects the new computer, and switches to it.
The Dell UltraSharp 40 (U4021QW) comes with a wide range of connectivity options :
1 x Thunderbolt 3 / DisplayPort 1.4 port with HDCP 2.2 (10-bit colour @ 60 Hz)
2 x HDMI 2.0 with HDCP 2.2 (10-bit colour @ 30 Hz)
1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 (Type C) port
5 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 (Type A) ports
1 x RJ45 LAN port
Its six USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports – one Type C and five Type A – allow you to easily connect your storage devices and smartphones, even charging them at up to 15 watts.
It is also adjustable for your comfort – 120 mm in height adjustment, with the ability to tilt by -5° to 21°, and swivel by 30° both ways.
The Dell UltraSharp 40 (U4021QW) comes with a 3-year Advanced Exchange Service, which means if a replacement is necessary, it will be shipped to you the next business day.
In addition, it comes with Dell Premium Panel Exchange, which allows a free monitor replacement during the 3-year Limited Hardware warranty, even if only one bright pixel is found.
If you like this review, please support us by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
If you like our work, you can help support us by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
Exclusive on Tech ARP for the New Year – the 2021 MBP will come with a brand new MagSafe 3 port and the SD card slot!
Take the first ever look at the MagSafe 3 connector, the SD card slot, and other ports that will ship with the 2021 MacBook Pro!
Exclusive : 2021 MBP Will Have MagSafe 3 + SD Card Slot!
Happy New Year 2021!
Apple fans who miss the MagSafe port and the SD card reader in their MacBook laptops will have something to cheer for this year!
Apple will not only introduce a new MagSafe 3 connector in the upcoming 2021 MacBook Pro, they will also bring back the SD card slot!
New Apple MagSafe 3 Connector!
The new MagSafe 3 connector is bidirectional and has 5 pins, and will lock and detach magnetically like the previous two generations.
The MagSafe 3 connector is not compatible with older MacBook computers, and has a pill-shaped design with a thinner profile.
The MagSafe 3 port is located on the left side of the 2021 MBP, next to two Thunderbolt 3 (USB4) ports, and a 3.5 mm audio jack.
Ports on the left side of the 2021 Apple MBP | Copyright : Tech ARP (www.techarp.com)
Return Of The SD Card Reader!
We are also glad to report that Apple will (finally) bring back the SD card reader that many photographers LOVED, and bemoaned when Phil Schiller killed it in 2016.
Now that Schiller is out of Apple, it looks like it’s been resurrected for the 2021 MacBook Pro. Utility finally trumped cumbersome!
The SD card reader is located on the right side, together with a third Thunderbolt 3 (USB4) port and a HDMI 2.0 port.
Ports on the right side of the 2021 Apple MBP | Copyright : Tech ARP (www.techarp.com)
2021 MBP : What Else Is New, Other Than MagSafe 3 + SD Card Slot?
So what else is new in the 2021 MacBook Pro, other than MagSafe 3 and the resurrected SD card reader?
Apple M1X SoC
Nothing much is known about the Apple M1X, other than it is a more powerful version of the M1 that has stunned many with its performance.
But rumours have it that it will have 12 processor cores, split into two performance clusters :
P Cluster (Performance) : 8 x Firestorm (?) cores
E Cluster (Efficient) : 4 x Icestorm (?) cores
It will have a more powerful GPU than Apple M1‘s 8-core GPU.
Memory
The Apple M1X will use the same unified memory design as the M1, built directly onto the package for near-instantaneous access.
However, it will offer larger memory options – 24 GB and 32 GB are possible – in addition to 16 GB currently available with the M1.
External Display Support
A big limitation of the Apple M1 is its support for just one external display of up to 6K resolution at 60 Hz.
The 2021 MacBook Pro will support at least two external displays, if not more, via its Thunderbolt 3 and HDMI ports.
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Samsung just unveiled the Galaxy A42 – an affordable 5G smartphone for the new normal.
Take a look at what the Samsung Galaxy A42 offers, and find out if this is the 5G smartphone for you!
Samsung Galaxy A42 : Affordable 5G Smartphone!
The Samsung Galaxy A42 is a new mid-range 5G smartphone, with a large 6.6-inch Super AMOLED display, and a quad camera system.
Built around the Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G platform, it promises to offer smooth gaming and speedy 5G connectivity (when it becomes available in your area).
Large Display
The Samsung Galaxy A42 has a large 6.6-inch Super AMOLED display, with a HD+ resolution of 720 x 1600 pixels.
Performance
Its Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G platform offers two high-speed Kryo 570 Gold cores running at 2.2 GHz, and six sustained-performance Kryo 570 Silver cores running at 1.8 GHz.
It also has an Adreno 619 GPU, 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB of internal flash storage. But if you need additional storage, you can add a microSD card for up to 1 TB of external storage.
Cameras
Concealed in the front display notch is a 20 MP selfie camera, with f/2.2 aperture.
At the back, it has a quad camera system that consists of :
a 48 MP main camera, with f/1.8 aperture
an 8 MP ultra-wide camera, with f/2.2 aperture
a 5 MP macro camera, with f/2.4 aperture
a 5 MP depth sensor, with f/2.4 aperture
Security
In addition to an in-display fingerprint sensor, the Galaxy A42 also comes with Samsung Knox built-in.
Large Battery
To keep the Samsung Galaxy A42 running all day, it has a large 5,000 mAh lithium ion battery, that supports 15 watt fast charging.
Samsung Galaxy A42 : Specifications
Specifications
Samsung Galaxy A42 5G
Display Size
6.6-inch Super AMOLED
Display Resolution
720 x 1600 pixels, 266 ppi
Protection
None
Operating System
One UI 2.5 (based on Android 10)
Platform
Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G (SM7225)
Processor
2 x Qualcomm Kryo 570 Gold (2.2 GHz)
6 x Qualcomm Kryo 570 Silver (1.8 GHz)
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The 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLA is their eight model, and the entry level, to their premium SUV line-up.
It offer the best features of two very successful segments – the compact car, and the SUV; at more affordable price points.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Mercedes-Benz launched the 2020 GLA in a digital premiere. Let’s take a look at what’s new…
Exterior Design
The front section of the 2020 GLA flows over the A-pillar into the visually compact greenhouse. With a length of 4.41 metres, it is the shortest vehicle from the current Mercedes-Benz portfolio which is just perfect for life in the city.
Typical of the GLA are the bodywork shoulders and the coupé-like lines of the side windows. This contoured side profile gives the car its dynamically elegant flair.
Like other Mercedes-Benz SUV models, the radiator grille features distinctive openings along with a single louvre and a central star, with LED High Performance headlamps.
The GLA 200 is equipped in Progressive Line with 18-inch 5-twin-spoke light-alloy wheels, while the GLA 250 is equipped with AMG Line bodystyling with lowered and dynamically tuned suspension.
Interior Design
The instrument panel features optical “cut-outs” in the driver and front passenger area.
The cut-out on the driver’s side is dominated by the free-standing display unit, which is with two 10.25-inch displays. The Mercedes me connect also comes as standard in the GLA.
2020 Mercedes-Benz GLA 200 Cockpit
The round ventilation outlets, five of them in all, feature a high-quality turbine look with meticulously designed air guidance vanes. The door centre panel flows seamlessly over into the armrest. The grab and assist handle has a tubular profile and runs horizontally like a railing.
Also featured in both models is the intuitively operated MBUX infotainment system (Mercedes-Benz User Experience). MBUX can be individually configured with the aid of a range of options.
2020 Mercedes-Benz GLA 250 Cockpit
Interior Dimensions
Although shorter than its predecessor on the outside, the 2020 GLA offers a more spacious interior, with more legroom in the rear and a larger luggage compartment.
The seating position for both the driver and the front passenger is higher and more upright than in the predecessor model, and thus more typical of an SUV.
2020 Mercedes-Benz GLA 200 Front Seats
2020 Mercedes-Benz GLA 200 Rear Seats
Utility value was, in general, one of the focuses of development. There is plenty of room for one or two people in the rear since these backrest variants come with a 40:60 split. The rear seat back rest can be can be split 40:20:40, with each section folding down individually.
The height-adjustable load floor offers considerable variability. When the rear seat backrests are folded down and the load floor is in the upper position, an almost flat loading area extending to the front seats can be created.
2020 Mercedes-Benz GLA 250 Front Seats
2020 Mercedes-Benz GLA 250 Rear Seats
Performance
Mercedes-Benz offers two engine variants – GLA 200 Progressive Line, and GLA 250 AMG Line.
The 2020 GLA 200 Progressive Line is powered by the 1.3-litre turbocharged 4-cylinder engine combined with the 7G-DCT automatic transmission.
It develops 120 kw (163 hp) and a maximum torque of 250 Nm, allowing the vehicle to accelerate from 0-100 km/h in 8.7 seconds.
Powering the 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLA 250 4MATIC AMG Line is the 2.0-litre turbocharged 4-cylinder engine with the 8G-DCT automatic transmission.
It rates at 165 kW (224 hp) and produces a maximum torque of 350 Nm, accelerating the car from 0-100 km/h in only 6.9 seconds.
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Packing 16 billion transistors, it is the first chip to be manufactured on the new 5 nm TSMC process technology.
As an SoC, it combines 8 CPU cores, an 8-core GPU, a 16-core Neural Engine, an image signal processor (ISP), an NVMe storage controller, a Thunderbolt 4 controller and a Secure Enclave – all in a single chip.
The Apple M1 is paired with either 8 GB or 16 GB of LPDDR4X memory using a system-in-a-package design.
8-Core CPU : ARM big.LITTLE Design
The Apple M1 uses the ARM big.LITTLE design for the CPU. Its 8-core CPU is divided into two performance clusters :
P Cluster (Performance) : 4 x Firestorm cores (up to 3.2 GHz)
E Cluster (Efficient) : 4 x Icestorm cores (up to 2.06 GHz)
The P Cluster is designed for high-performance, with a power consumption of 13.8 watts. It has a large 12 MB shared L2 cache, with a 128 KB dedicated L1 cache for each Firestorm core.
The E Cluster, on the other hand, is designed for a low power consumption of just 1.3 watts. It has a smaller 4 MB shared L2 cache, with a 64 KB dedicated L1 cache for each Icestorm core.
8-Core GPU : Mysterious Indeed!
The M1 uses an Apple-designed 8-core GPU, of which very little is known. Apple only says that it can handle up to 25,000 concurrent threads.
But from what we can tell, it has 128 execution units with an FP32 performance of 2.6 teraflops per second, a 82 GT/s texture fill rate, and a 41 GP/s pixel fill rate.
16-Core Neural Engine
The Apple M1 features a 16-core Neural Engine, which is capable of executing 11 trillion operations per second.
LPDDR4X Unified Memory
The Apple M1 uses a unified memory design, which means the CPU and GPU share the same memory.
Apple offers 8 GB and 16 GB LPDDR4X SDRAM options, built directly onto the package for near-instantaneous access.
Rosetta 2 Translation
As most Mac apps are compiled for x86 processors, they need to be translated to work with the Apple M1, which uses the totally different ARM architecture.
That’s where Apple Rosetta 2 comes in – introduced in macOS Big Sur, it translates or emulates x86 apps so that they can run properly on the M1 processor.
Certain apps, especially games, may require third-party software like Wine or CrossOver to work properly, like this example of The Witcher 3 running on the Apple M1.
Apple M1 : Specifications
Apple is hardly the most transparent company in the world, but here is what we know so far about the M1 chip’s specifications :
Specifications
Apple M1 (APL1102)
Fab Process
5 nm TSMC
Transistor Count
16 Billion
Die Size
120 mm²
CPU Cores
P Cluster : 4 x Firestorm cores
E Cluster : 4 x Icestorm cores
L1 Caches
Firestorm : 128 KB per core
Icestorm : 64 KB per core
L2 Caches
P Cluster : 12 MB shared
E Cluster : 4 MB shared
Clock Speed
P Cluster : 0.6~3.204 GHz
E Cluster : 0.6~2.064 GHz
CPU Power
Consumption
P Cluster : 13.8 W
E Cluster : 1.3 W
GPU Cores
8 Cores, 128 Execution Units
GPU FP32 Performance
2.6 TFLOPS
GPU Texture Fillrate
82 GT/s
GPU Pixel Fillrate
41 GP/s
Memory Size
8 GB / 16 GB
Memory Type
LPDDR4x-4266
Memory Interface
128-bit
Memory Bandwidth
68.27 GB/s
Neural Engine
16 Cores
Neural Engine
Performance
11 Trillion Ops / Second
TDP
10 watts (MacBook Air)
Apple M1 : How Fast Are Its CPU + GPU?
Unfortunately, we do not have access to the Apple M1, but Ars Technica tested it in the 2020 Mac mini. Take a look at some of the results they posted :
Note : While Ars Technica listed the M1 as a 10 watt part, this is only what Apple claims for the MacBook Air. It is likely to be clocked higher, with a higher TDP in the Mac mini and MacBook Pro.
Geekbench 5 : Single-Threaded CPU Test
Will you look at that? The Apple M1’s Firestorm cluster has really good single-core performance!
It was 7% faster than the Core i7-1185G7, in both 28W and 15W TDP modes; and 53% faster than the Ryzen 7 4700U!
Geekbench 5 : Multi-Threaded CPU Test
This is even more astounding! The Apple M1 is even faster in the multi-threaded test!
In the multi-threaded test, the Apple M1 was 22% faster and 54% faster than the Core i7-1185G7 in 28W and 15W modes, respectively. It was also 52% faster than the Ryzen 7 4700U!
Geekbench 5 : GPU Test
Even its 8-core GPU did very well, beating the Core i7-1185G7‘s integrated Iris Xe by 26%, and Ryzen 7 4700U‘s integrated Vega 7 by 65%.
Cinebench R23 : Single-Threaded Test
The Apple M1 was as fast as the 28-watt Core i7-1185G7 in the single-threaded test, and was 28% faster than the Ryzen 7 4700U. And it was only 6.5% slower than the Ryzen 9 5950X.
Cinebench R23 : Multi-Threaded Test
In the multi-threaded test, the Ars Technica team set a limit of 8 threads for a level-playing field.
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Acer just released a new pair of Predator gaming desktop and gaming monitor, just in time for Christmas 2020!
Take a look at the new Predator Orion 3000 gaming desktop and Predator XB273U GX gaming monitor!
2020 Acer Predator XB273U GX Gaming Monitor
The new Acer Predator XB273U GX is a 27-inch gaming monitor that supports NVIDIA G-SYNC, and is DisplayHDR 400 certified.
Its IPS panel has a WQHD resolution of 2560 x 1440 pixels, a 0.5 ms response time, and can be overclocked to a 270 Hz refresh rate.
Gamers who also create content will love its wide 99% AdobeRGB colour gamut, with Delta E<2. And it comes with the ability to deliver 65W power directly from its USB Type C port!
The Acer Predator XB273U GX has a launch price of RM 3,299 (approximately US$813 / £611 / A$1,082 / S$1,086)
It comes with 8 GB of DDR4-2666 RAM as standard, but can be upgraded to 64 GB. It can also be configured with up to 1 TB of SSD storage.
It also comes with Killer E2600 for fast Gigabit LAN connectivity, as well as Intel Wi-Fi 6 wireless connectivity. To keep things cool inside its compact case, the Predator Orion 3000 has dual FrostBlade fans.
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Acer just announced Enduro – their new range of rugged MIL-810G computing devices! Check them out!
Acer Enduro N3 Rugged Laptop
With MIL-STD-810G and IP53 certifications, the Acer Enduro N3 is a 14-inch rugged laptop that is just under 25 mm thick, and weighs less than 2 kg.
It features Corning Gorilla Glass protection for the display, and reinforced corners for the chassis, and water-resistant Aquafan that repels water.
It also has drainage holes for the keyboard and seals for the I/O ports to protect the Acer Enduro N3 against exposure to water.
Built around the 10th Gen Intel Core i7 processor, it comes with 8 GB of onboard memory, 256 GB PCIe NVMe SSD storage, and Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 2.0 protection.
The Acer Enduro N3 has a rated battery life of 13 hours, which allows it to be a true off-site device.
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Acer just released new and updated Swift, Aspire and TravelMate laptops, just in time for Christmas 2020!
Take a look at the new slew of Acer Swift, Aspire and TravelMate laptops that you can buy now!
Acer Swift 3 : New December 2020 Model!
The Acer Swift 3 is a 14-inch laptop designed for the young, and comes in three colour options – Blue, Pink and Silver.
It has a 14-inch slim bezel IPS LED display with a Full HD resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels, in a chassis that is just under 16 mm thick, and weighs just 1.2 kg.
Built around the new 11th Gen Intel Core processor, and Intel Iris Xe Graphics, it comes with up to 16 GB of onboard LPDDR4X memory, and 512 GB PCIe NVMe SSD storage.
The new December 2020 Acer Swift 3 model has a rated battery life of 11 hours, and supports fast charging to give you 4 hours of video playback with a 30-minute charge.
In addition, the December 2020 model of Acer Swift 3 comes pre-installed with Microsoft Office Home & Student 2019.
Acer Swift 3X : New December 2020 Model!
The Acer Swift 3X is a 14-inch laptop designed for both games and creative apps, with its new Iris Xe Max discrete graphics.
It has a 14-inch slim bezel IPS LED display with a Full HD resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels, in a chassis that is just under 18 mm thick, and weighs just 1.37 kg.
Built around the new 11th Gen Intel Core processor, and Intel Iris Xe MAX Graphics, it comes with up to 16 GB of onboard LPDDR4X memory, and 512 GB PCIe NVMe SSD storage.
The new December 2020 Acer Swift 3 model has a rated battery life of 17 hours, and supports fast charging to give you 4 hours of video playback with a 30-minute charge.
In addition, the Acer Swift 3X comes pre-installed with Microsoft Office Home & Student 2019.
Acer Swift 5 : New December 2020 Model!
The Acer Swift 5 is a 14-inch ultra-light Intel Evo-certified laptop, that is just under 15 mm thick, and weighs only 1.05 kg!
It has a 14-inch IPS LED touch display with a Full HD resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels, and 100% sRGB colour gamut. This touch display is protected by Antimicrobial Gorilla Glass.
Built around the new 11th Gen Intel Core processor, and Intel Iris Xe Graphics, it comes with up to 16 GB of onboard LPDDR4X memory, and 512 GB PCIe NVMe SSD storage.
The new December 2020 Acer Swift 5 model has a rated battery life of 15 hours, and supports fast charging to give you 4 hours of video playback with a 30-minute charge.
In addition, the December 2020 model of Acer Swift 5 comes pre-installed with Microsoft Office Home & Student 2019.
Acer Aspire 5 : New December 2020 Model!
The December 2020 Acer Aspire 5 comes in 14-inch or 15.6-inch display options, with an all-metal chassis.
The 14-inch Aspire 5 is 15.6 mm thick, and weighs 1.45 kg; while the 15.6-inch Aspire 5 is 17.9 mm thick and weighs just 1.65 kg.
Built around the new 11th Gen Intel Core processor, and Intel Iris Xe Graphics, they both with up to 16 GB of onboard LPDDR4X memory (upgradable to 20 GB), and 512 GB PCIe NVMe SSD storage.
Acer also offers an NVIDIA GeForce MX350 discrete graphics option for both models.
Both 14-inch and 15-inch models have a rated battery life of 13 hours, and supports fast charging to give you 4 hours of video playback with a 30-minute charge.
In addition, they both come pre-installed with Microsoft Office Home & Student 2019.
Acer TravelMate P2 : New December 2020 Model!
The Acer TravelMate P2 is a rugged laptop designed for business executives, with handy business features and advanced connectivity options.
Built to comply with MIL-STD-810G standards, the Travelmate P2 has a spill-resistant keyboard, and shock-absorbent corners to survive bumps and drops.
It also comes with Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 2.0 protection, a fingerprint reader and Windows Hello for secure authentication, to safeguard sensitive data while working away from the office.
Built around the new 11th Gen Intel Core processor, and Intel Iris Xe Graphics, it comes with up to 32 GB of onboard LPDDR4X memory, and 512 GB PCIe NVMe SSD storage or a 1 TB hard disk drive.
The new December 2020 Acer TravelMate P2 model has a rated battery life of 13 hours, and supports fast charging to give you 4 hours of video playback with a 30-minute charge.
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2 x SDRAM slots (dual channel)
Up to 32 GB DDR4-2933
Storage Options
Up to 512 GB Intel SSD + 32 GB Intel Optane
Up to 1 TB PCIe NVMe TLC M.2 SSD
Up to 2 x 512 GB PCIe NVMe TLC M.2 SSDs (RAID 0)
1 x SD card reader
Networking
10/100/1000 Gigabit LAN
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX-201 (2×2) + Bluetooth 5
I/O Ports
1 x USB Type C (GTX 1650 and 1650 Ti only)
1 x Thunderbolt 3 (all other models)
1 x USB Type A with HP Sleep and Charge
2 x USB Type A
1 x RJ-45
1 x headphone / microphone combo
1 x power port
1 x Mini DisplayPort
1 x HDMI 2.0a
Keyboard Options
Red backlit with / without numeric keypad
4-zone RGB backlit with / without numeric keypad
Touchpad
HP Imagepad with multi-touch support
Camera + Mic
HD webcam + dual-array digital microphones
Audio
Dual speakers by Bang & Olufsen
HP Audio Boost with DTS:X Ultra support
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AMD claims that the Radeon RX 6900 XT is the ultimate 4K graphics card, thanks to its new RDNA 2 architecture with 80 enhanced Compute Units and 16 GB GDDR6 memory.
Let’s start with the official tech briefing and Q&A session with Nish Neelalojanan, Senior Manager of Gaming Product Management at the AMD Radeon Technologies Group.
AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT : Key Features
The AMD Radeon RX 6000 series graphics cards are built on the new RDNA 2 architecture, which features an enhanced Compute Unit, a new visual pipeline with Ray Accelerators, and the new AMD Infinity Cache.
The Ryzen 5000 processor is given greater access to its GDDR6 graphics memory, providing up to 13% better performance when combined with the new Rage Mode one-click overclocking setting.
They will support the next-generation games with greater realism through DirectX Raytracing (DXR) and Variable Rate Shading.
New Ray Accelerator
Every RDNA 2 computer unit has a new fixed-function Ray Accelerator engine to deliver real-time lighting, shadow and refection realism through DirectX Raytracing (DXR).
It can be paired with AMD FidelityFX to enable hybrid rendering, offering a combination of rasterised and ray-traced effects for a blend of better image quality and higher performance.
Variable Rate Shading (VRS)
Variable Rate Shading dynamically reduces the shading rate for areas of the frame that do not require a high level of visual quality, improving performance at little to no perceptible loss in image quality.
Microsoft DirectStorage Support
They will support the future DirectStorage API for faster load times, and high-quality textures.
AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT : Specifications
The AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT headlines the Radeon RX 6000 series :
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NVIDIA just launched the GeForce RTX 3060 Ti, which is faster than the RTX 2080 SUPER and yet, costs only $399!
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti : Powered By Ampere!
The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is a compact, 2-slot graphics card, with a 200 watt TDP and a single 8-pin PCIe power connector.
Its NVIDIA GA104 GPU has 4,864 CUDA cores, 152 TMUs, 80 ROPs, 152 tensor cores and 38 RT cores, with a base clock of 1.41 GHz and a boost clock of 1.67 GHz.
Built on the Samsung 8nm process, the GA1044 has 17.4 billion transistors with a die size of 392 mm².
It is paired with 8 GB of GDDR6 memory running at 1750 MHz (14 Gbps), delivering 448 GB/s of memory bandwidth on its 256-bit memory bus.
It has a PCI Express 4.0 x16 interface, and offers four display outputs – a single HDMI port, and three DisplayPorts.
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti : Specifications
Here is how the GeForce RTX 3060 Ti compares against the bigger brothers of the GeForce RTX 30 family.
Specifications
RTX 3090
RTX 3080
RTX 3070
RTX 3060
CUDA Cores
10,496
8,704
5,888
4,864
Base Clock
1.40 GHz
1.44 GHz
1.50 GHz
1.41 GHz
Boost Clock
1.70 GHz
1.71 GHz
1.73 GHz
1.67 GHz
Memory Size
24 GB
10 GB
8 GB
Memory Type
GDDR6X
GDDR6
Memory Speed
19.5 MT/s
14 MT/s
Memory
Interface
384-bit
320-bit
256-bit
Memory
Bandwidth
936 GB/s
780 GB/s
624 GB/s
448 GB/s
NVLink (SLI)
Yes
No
Card Size
3-Slot
2-Slot
Card Power
350 W
320 W
220 W
200 W
Card Connectors
2 x 8-pin
1 x 8-pin
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti : Performance
Built around the NVIDIA Ampere architecture, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is designed for 1080p and 1440 gameplay.
In fact, NVIDIA claims it is faster than the previous-generation GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER, at a fraction of the cost!
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti : Price + Availability
The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is priced at just $399, and it is available for sale starting tomorrow, 2 December 2020!
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 30 Series : Where To Buy?
Here is a list of GeForce RTX 30 Series graphics cards available online, as of 1 December 2020 :
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DirectX 12 Ultimate – offering support for the next-generation games with DirectX Raytracing and Variable Rate Shading.
New Ray Accelerator – delivers real-time lighting, shadow and reflection realism through DirectX Raytracing.
Variable Rate Sharing (VRS) – dynamically reduces shading rate for better performance at little to no loss in image quality.
DirectStorage Support – delivers faster load times and high-quality textures in the future.
AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT : Price + Availability
The AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT has a RRP of US$649, and will be available for sale starting 18 November 2020.
Custom boards will be available from brands like ASRock, ASUS, Gigabyte starting in November 2020.
AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT : Specifications
This table summarises how the RX 6800 XT compares against the RX 6900 XT and the RX 6800.
Specifications
Radeon RX
6900 XT
Radeon RX 6800 XT
Radeon RX
6800
Transistors
26.8 billion
Fab Process
7 nm
Die Size
519 mm²
Total Graphics Power
300 W
250 W
Compute Units
80
72
60
Ray Accelerators
80
72
60
Stream Processors
5120
4608
3840
Game Clock
2015 MHz
2015 MHz
1815 MHz
Boost Clock
2250 MHz
2250 MHz
2105 MHz
TFLOPS
23.04
20.74
16.17
TMUs
320
288
240
Max. Texture Rate
720 GT/s
648 GT/s
505 GT/s
ROPs
128
96
Max. Pixel Rate
288 GP/s
202 GP/s
Infinity Cache
128 MB
Graphics Memory
16 GB GDDR6 (16 Gbps)
Bus Width
256-bit
Bandwidth
512 GB/s
PCIe Interface
PCIe 4.0 x16
Unboxing The AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT!
The AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT comes in a large and heavy cardboard box. Very heavy duty, with thick foam packaging.
AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT : Hands-On Experience!
Let’s take a closer look at the AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT in our hands-on video, and pictures.
Be careful when you handle it, because it is a rather bulky and heavy card.
That’s partly because it comes with a large (and heavy) 2.5-slot cooler with triple axial fans.
The AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT is kept cool by a really thick heatsink, covered by a shroud with triple axial fans.
Part of the reason why it’s so heavy – it has a full-length die-cast aluminium backplate at the back.
Here you can see its thick heatsink, and how its cooler is designed to suck in air from the front of the card, and exhaust the hot air from the top and the bottom of the card.
It has four display connectors. From left to right : one USB Type C port, two DisplayPort 1.4 ports, and one HDMI 2.1 port.
The card uses up to 300 watts of power, and comes with two 8-pin PCI Express power connectors.
It should work with two 6-pin power cables though – both 8-pin and 6-pin cables deliver 150 watts.
AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT supports PCI Express 4.0, which offers double the bandwidth of PCI Express 3.0.
However, that requires you to use a PCI Express 4.0 motherboard, like the recommended AMD X570 motherboards.
But do not fret if you are on the Intel platform. It is backward-compatible with PCI Express 3.0, and will work just fine with PCIe 3.0 motherboards.
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AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT : Benchmarking Notes
In this review, we will take a look at its gaming performance (with and without Smart Access Memory), and compare it to seven other graphics cards :
Our testbed pairs the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X processor with the ASUS CROSSHAIR VIII Hero (AMD X570) motherboard, with 32 GB of DDR4 memory.
Take a look at the Radeon RX 6800 XT in action, and listen to how quiet it sounds… even when it revs up during the strenuous part of the test!
AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT : Peak Exhaust Temperature
We recorded the peak exhaust temperatures of those cards, to see how much heat they throw out. Take a look…
Note that these are not the recorded temperatures, but how much hotter the exhaust air is above ambient temperature.
Rated for 300 watts, AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT is definitely a hot card, blowing out really hot air like a hairdryer. The good news is – its triple axial fans are quiet even during the most strenuous tests.
But please make sure your case is well-ventilated, as the hot air is expelled from the top and bottom of the card, and will recirculate within the case.
It will get really, REALLY hot inside the chassis if you don’t ventilate well!
AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT Performance : 3DMark
We used 3DMark’s Time Spy and Time Spy Extreme synthetic benchmarks, which offers a great approximation of gaming performance in general.
The Time Spy and Time Spy Extreme benchmarks support DirectX 12, and the latest features like asynchronous compute, and multi-threading support.
Time Spy – 2560 x 1440
Look at that! The AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT was about 52% faster than the RTX 2080 SUPER, and 73% faster than the RTX 2070 SUPER!
In the overall gaming score, the AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT ends up about 42% faster than the RTX 2080 SUPER, and 58% faster than the RTX 2070 SUPER. Very impressive!
Time Spy Extreme – 3840 x 2160
At the higher 4K resolution, the AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT did even better – it was about 56% faster than the RTX 2080 SUPER, and 77% faster than the RTX 2070 SUPER!
In the overall score, the AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT was about 48% faster than the RTX 2080 SUPER, and 65% faster than the RTX 2070 SUPER!
Port Royal (Ray Tracing)
Nice! The AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT was about 29% faster than the RTX 2080 SUPER, and 49% faster than the RTX 2070 SUPER in ray tracing!
DirectX Raytracing Test
We ran the standalone DirectX Raytracing test too, and it confirmed that the AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT was about 22% faster than the RTX 2080 SUPER, and 47% faster than the RTX 2070 SUPER in ray tracing!
PCI Express Bandwidth
The AMD cards all support PCI Express 4.0, which gives them an edge over the NVIDIA cards.
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AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT Performance : F1 2019
F1 2019 is a racing game by Codemasters, released on 28 June 2019.
We tested it on three resolutions at the Ultra High settings :
1080p : 1920 x 1080
1440p : 2560 x 1440
2160p : 3840 x 2160
1080p Gaming Resolution
Very impressive! The AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT was about 48% faster than the RTX 2080 SUPER, and 53% faster than the RX 5700 XT!
At the higher 1440p resolution, the AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT was 49% faster than the RTX 2080 SUPER, 75% faster than the RTX 2070 SUPER, and 85% faster than the RX 5700 XT.
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AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT Performance : Dirt 5
Dirt 5 is a brand new off-road racing game by Codemasters, released on 6 November 2020.
We tested it on three resolutions using the Ultra High settings :
1080p : 1920 x 1080
1440p : 2560 x 1440
2160p : 3840 x 2160
Note : This game appears to be highly-optimised for AMD graphics cards.
At this higher resolution, the AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT was 64% faster than the RTX 2080 SUPER, 73% faster than the RX 5700 XT, and 87% faster than the RTX 2070 SUPER.
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AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT Performance : Star Control : Origins
Star Control : Origins is a procedurally-generated action adventure game, released on 20 September 2018.
We tested it on three resolutions using the Great Graphics settings :
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AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT : Our Verdict + Award!
The new RDNA 2 architecture delivered what AMD promised – a serious threat to NVIDIA’s dominance in gaming performance.
The AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT is an impressive piece of work, offering seriously good gaming performance, with really competitive ray tracing performance.
Pundits may have been worried about its relatively narrow 256-bit memory bus, but the new Infinity Cache appears to have solved that problem.
The proof is in the pudding, as they say… and our benchmarks have shown that the AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT is a leap forward in gaming performance!
Here is a quick summary of its gaming performance over the last-generation Radeon RX 5700 XT.
As you can see, we are talking about a completely new level of gaming performance. Significant enough that it’s worth upgrading from the last-generation cards, never mind older cards!
But we do have to caution you about one thing – its considerable heat output. With a board power of 300 watts, the AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT produces A LOT of heat.
Fortunately, the triple axial fans are more than capable of keeping it cool… while remaining very quiet.
However, the heat it produces may interfere with CPU performance, if you are pairing it with powerful but hot 16-core AMD Ryzen 9 5950X processor.
If you do not ensure that there is adequate ventilation inside the case, the heat build-up could result in thermal throttling of the CPU and/or graphics card.
That issue aside, we would like to applaud AMD for a job well done! The AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT is an awesome graphics card, and it deserves no less than our Editor’s Choice Award!
AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT : Price + Availability
The AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT has a RRP of US$649, and will be available for sale starting 18 November 2020.
Custom boards will be available from brands like ASRock, ASUS, Gigabyte starting in November 2020.
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We have been playing around with the AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT and here is our preview of the first RDNA 2 graphics card!
Take a look at our unboxing and hands-on videos, as well as the Radeon RX 6800 XT in action!
AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT : A Quick Primer!
The AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT is one of three Radeon RX 6000 series graphics cards. Based on the new AMD RDNA 2 architecture, they offer these key features :
AMD Infinity Cache – a large 128 MB data cache that dramatically reduces memory latency and power consumption.
AMD Smart Access Memory – offers the Ryzen 5000 series processor greater access to its GDDR6 graphics memory for better gaming performance.
DirectX 12 Ultimate – offering support for the next-generation games with DirectX Raytracing and Variable Rate Shading.
New Ray Accelerator – delivers real-time lighting, shadow and reflection realism through DirectX Raytracing.
Variable Rate Sharing (VRS) – dynamically reduces shading rate for better performance at little to no loss in image quality.
DirectStorage Support – delivers faster load times and high-quality textures in the future.
AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT : Price + Availability
The AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT has a RRP of US$649, and will be available for sale starting 18 November 2020.
Custom boards will be available from brands like ASRock, ASUS, Gigabyte starting in November 2020.
AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT : Specifications
This table summarises how the RX 6800 XT compares against the RX 6900 XT and the RX 6800.
Specifications
Radeon RX
6900 XT
Radeon RX 6800 XT
Radeon RX
6800
Transistors
26.8 billion
Fab Process
7 nm
Die Size
519 mm²
Total Graphics Power
300 W
250 W
Compute Units
80
72
60
Ray Accelerators
80
72
60
Stream Processors
5120
4608
3840
Game Clock
2015 MHz
2015 MHz
1815 MHz
Boost Clock
2250 MHz
2250 MHz
2105 MHz
TFLOPS
23.04
20.74
16.17
TMUs
320
288
240
Max. Texture Rate
720 GT/s
648 GT/s
505 GT/s
ROPs
128
96
Max. Pixel Rate
288 GP/s
202 GP/s
Infinity Cache
128 MB
Graphics Memory
16 GB GDDR6 (16 Gbps)
Bus Width
256-bit
Bandwidth
512 GB/s
PCIe Interface
PCIe 4.0 x16
Unboxing The AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT!
The AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT comes in a large and heavy cardboard box. Very heavy duty, with thick foam packaging.
If you like our work, you can help support us by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT : Hands-On Experience!
The AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT is a rather bulky and heavy card, because it comes with a large 2.5-slot cooler with triple axial fans.
Take a closer look at it in our hands-on video, followed by pictures of the card.
It features a die-cast aluminium backplate at the back.
Here you can see its thick heatsink, and how its cooler is designed to suck in air from the front of the card, and exhaust the hot air from the top and the bottom of the card.
It has four display connectors. From left to right : one USB Type C port, two DisplayPort 1.4 ports, and one HDMI 2.1 port.
The card uses up to 300 watts of power, and comes with two 8-pin PCI Express power connectors.
It should work with two 6-pin power cables though – both 8-pin and 6-pin cables deliver 150 watts.
AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT supports PCI Express 4.0, which offers double the bandwidth of PCI Express 3.0.
However, that requires you to use a PCI Express 4.0 motherboard, like the recommended AMD X570 motherboards.
But do not fret if you are on the Intel platform. It is backward-compatible with PCI Express 3.0, and will work just fine with PCIe 3.0 motherboards.
AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT : In Action!
Our testbed pairs the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X processor with the ASUS CROSSHAIR VIII Hero (AMD X570) motherboard, with 32 GB of DDR4 memory.
Our benchmark results will be released tomorrow, but in the meantime, you can take a look at the Radeon RX 6800 XT in action, running 3DMark Time Spy Extreme.
Be sure to come back and check our comprehensive review tomorrow, with benchmark results!
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AMD just announced the Instinct MI100 – the world’s fastest HPC GPU accelerator, delivering 11.5 TFLOPS in a single card!
AMD Instinct MI100 : 11.5 TFLOPS In A Single Card!
Powered by the new CDNA architecture, the AMD Instinct MI100 is the world’s fastest HPC GPU, and the first to break the 10 TFLOPS FP64 barrier!
Compared to the last-generation AMD accelerators, the AMD Instinct MI100 offers HPC applications almost 3.5X faster performance (FP32 matrix), and AI applications nearly 7X boost in throughput (FP16).
up to 11.5 TFLOPS of FP64 performance for HPC
up to 46.1 TFLOPS of FP32 Matrix performance for AI and machine learning
up to 184.6 TFLOPS of FP16 performance for AI training
2nd Gen AMD Infinity Fabric
It also leverages on the 2nd Gen AMD Infinity Fabric technology to deliver twice the peer-to-peer IO bandwidth of PCI Express 4.0. Thanks to its triple Infinity Fabric Links, it offers up to 340 GB/s of aggregate bandwidth per card.
In a server, MI100 GPUs can be configured as two fully-connected quad GPU hives, each providing up to 552 GB/s of P2P IO bandwidth.
Ultra-Fast HBM2 Memory
The AMD Instinct MI100 comes with 32 GB of HBM2 memory that deliver up to 1.23 TB/s of memory bandwidth to support large datasets.
PCI Express 4.0 Interface
The AMD Instinct MI100 is supports PCI Express 4.0, allowing for up to 64 GB/s of peak bandwidth from CPU to GPU, when paired with 2nd Gen AMD EPYC processors.
The AMD Instinct MI100 will be available in systems by the end of 2020 from OEM/ODM partners like Dell, Gigabyte, Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE), and Supermicro.
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The Samsung Galaxy S20 FE – the Fan Edition – offers the leading features of the Galaxy S20 at a more affordable price point.
Take a look at our hands-on preview, and find out if this is the Galaxy smartphone for you!
Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G : What’s Different?
The Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G comes with the best features from the Galaxy S20 smartphone, in a streamlined premium design.
The Galaxy S20 FE 5G comes with a slightly larger 6.5-inch Super AMOLED display, and a much faster 120 Hz refresh rate.
It is now powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 mobile platform with 8 GB of LPDDR5 memory, and up to 256 GB of storage capacity.
It now comes with a higher-resolution 32 MP front camera, but trades the 64 MP telephoto camera for an 8 MP telephoto camera. This telephoto camera has a 3X optical zoom, with 30X Space Zoom capability.
The Galaxy S20 FE 5G is slightly thicker and heavier than the Galaxy S20, but comes with a larger 4,500 mAh battery with 12.5% longer battery life.
Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G : Specifications
Here is a specification comparison of Galaxy S20 FE 5G against the original Galaxy S20 :
Specifications
Galaxy S20 FE 5G
Galaxy S20
Model
SM-G781
SM-G981
Display
6.5-inch Super AMOLED – 1080 x 2400 pixels – 120 Hz refresh
– HDR10 support
6.2-inch Super AMOLED – 1440 x 3200 pixels – 60 Hz refresh
– HDR10 support
IP Rating
IP68 dust- and water-resistance
Operating System
Android Q with One UI
System Platform
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865
Samsung Exynos 990
RAM
8 GB LPDDR5
Storage
128 GB / 256 GB
External Storage
microSD (hybrid, up to 1 TB)
Front Camera
32 MP, f/2.2 aperture
10 MP, f/2.2 aperture
Rear Cameras
12 MP main camera
12 MP ultra-wide camera 8 MP telephone camera (3X)
12 MP main camera
12 MP ultra-wide camera 64 MP telephone camera (3X)
Connectivity
Wi-Fi : 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax (dual-band)
Bluetooth : BT 5.0
USB : USB 2.0 Type C
Fingerprint Sensor
In Display Ultrasonic
Audio
Dolby Atmos stereo speakers tuned by AKG
Battery
4,500 mAh battery
4,000 mAh battery
Charger
15 W fast charger
Dimensions
74.5 mm wide
159.8 mm tall 8.4 mm thick
69.1 mm wide
151.7 mm tall 7.9 mm thick
Weight
190 g
163 g
Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G : Price + Availability
The Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G is available in these six colour options, from left to right : Cloud Mint, Cloud Navy, Cloud Lavender, Cloud Red, Cloud Orange and Cloud White.
Here are the Galaxy S20 FE’s official price list in various countries :
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Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G : A Hands-On Experience!
The Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G comes with a slightly larger 6.5-inch Super AMOLED display.
This display has a lower resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels, but a much faster 120 Hz refresh rate.
It is built around the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 mobile platform with 8 GB of LPDDR5 memory, and up to 256 GB of storage capacity.
The Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G is slightly thicker and heavier than the Galaxy S20, but comes with a larger 4,500 mAh battery with 12.5% longer battery life.
In the front, it has a higher-resolution 32 MP front camera, with an f/2.2 aperture.
At the back, it has a single LED flash and a triple camera system, which consists of :
12 MP main camera
12 MP ultra-wide camera
8 MP telephone camera, with 3X optical zoom and 30X Space Zoom capability.
The only physical buttons you will find are the Power and Volume control buttons on the right side. The left side is completely clean.
Its hybrid SIM tray is located at the top, together with a second microphone (for noise cancellation).
Its hybrid SIM tray allows you to either use two nano SIM cards, or one nano SIM card and a microSD card (for up to 1 TB of additional storage).
The Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G does not have a 3.5 mm audio port. All you will find at the bottom is the USB Type C port, flanked by a speaker port and a microphone port.
