Computing
The latest news and reviews of PCs, laptops, chips and accessories.
Latest
The latest Chrome OS education devices will get updates for eight years (updated)
To help schools get more out of their limited resources, Google is extending the length of time it plans to support new Chrome OS education devices with security and platform updates. Starting this year, the latest education devices from Lenovo and Acer will get automatic updates until June 2028, and it seems that other new devices could receive similar support as well. Before today, Google guaranteed to support most devices with at least six years of automatic updates. To pay for the additional support, the company is increasing the price of its Chrome Education Upgrade, a one-time license school boards can purchase to get additional support from Google, from $30 per device to $38 per device. However, all new devices will get eight years of support, whether a school buys the Chrome Education Upgrade or not.
Microsoft’s well-designed 2-in-1 Surface Pro X is up to $200 off
Microsoft's Surface Pro X is just a few months old, and it's already on sale. When it arrived in November, we scored it relatively high (73). We were pleased with its elegant, modern design and called it the best Snapdragon-powered PC around. One of the drawbacks was the high price, but now, Microsoft is discounting the Pro X by up to $200, so that's less of a factor.
Radeon RX 5600 XT review: AMD's 1080p king
While AMD's RX Radeon 5700 and 5700 XT GPUs are solid options for gamers looking for great 1,440p performance, there's still a gap between those cards and the entry-level RX 5500. Enter the Radeon RX 5600 XT, AMD's middle of the road option for its new 7-nanometer RDNA architecture. It has one goal: deliver the best 1080p performance possible under $300. That might sound archaic when so many people are chasing the dream of native 4K, but AMD is positioning the 5600 XT more realistically as an ideal upgrade for gamers with older mid-range GPUs. (According to Steam's stats, its top three video cards -- the NVIDIA GTX 1050, 1050 Ti and 1060 -- are used by 35 percent of players.)
SteelSeries' latest gaming peripherals are more affordable than usual
SteelSeries is known for its mid- to high-end gaming peripherals -- now it's hoping to entice more players to its brand with a suite of more affordable items. It's just launched a new mouse and a couple of new keyboards, and for their attractive price points the company has managed to cram in a lot of decent specs.
Google's Pixelbook Go is finally available in 'Not Pink'
It took three months, but Google is finally offering its "Not Pink" version of the Pixelbook Go. The internet giant has started selling its more colorful Chromebook through its official store, Best Buy and other channels. It's functionally the same as the black laptop, of course, but decidedly less drab. Just be ready to pay extra for the more vibrant shade. Not Pink isn't available for the base Core m3 system -- you're looking at a minimum $849 for a Core i5 model.
Save $65 on an 8TB Western Digital Elements external drive
If you're looking for an affordable way to store your files locally, Amazon is currently selling the 8TB Western Digital Elements external drive for $115, down from $180. That's the lowest price Amazon has offered this particular model for, according to price tracker Camelcamelcamel. If you want an even more affordable option, the 4TB model is also on sale. It's currently $85, down from $129.45.
Ask Engadget: What tech can help me survive a trade show?
This week's question asks about technology that can make a massive trade show a lot easier. Weigh in with your advice in the comments -- and feel free to send your own questions along to [email protected]! I just worked my first CES, and it was a rough learning curve. There was a lot that I didn't anticipate, and I was scrambling most of the time to keep up. I'm also scheduled to be at MWC next month, and I'd like to be better prepared. What tech tips do you have that will help me survive another giant trade show?
Valve is definitely not working on 'Left 4 Dead 3'
An HTC executive is learning first-hand about the dangers of making unsupported statements in your presentations. Valve has rejected speculation that it's working on a third Left 4 Dead game after Alvin Wang Graylin, HTC's president for Vive in China, posted a slide claiming that "LFD3" (along with Half-Life: Alyx) would spur demand for VR in 2020. The developer's staff are "absolutely not working on anything L4D related now, and haven't for years," according to a statement to IGN. While Valve did "briefly" look at a next-gen version of the co-op shooter a few years prior, there's nothing in the works now.
Your online activity is now effectively a social ‘credit score’
Kaylen Ward's Twitter fundraiser for the Australian bushfire relief has ended. The Los Angeles-based model said she raised $1 million (by comparison Jeff Bezos donated $690,000). At the start of Ms. Ward's successful donation drive she had three Instagram accounts — none of which were part of the campaign.
'Life is Strange 2' and the reality of gun violence in games
Life is Strange 2 deals with a litany of heavy themes, covering everything from police violence and immigration in the United States, to racism and family bonds. French studio Dontnod handles each subject with care, respect and research, consulting with people who have lived through situations that the game's main characters, Sean and Daniel, encounter. However, there's an extra, unintentional topic humming beneath the five-part series: gun violence. Throughout Life is Strange 2, moments of high drama often culminate in scenes involving guns, asking players to make quick decisions at the threat of being blown away -- or, pulling the trigger themselves.
Steam might be coming to Chromebooks
Google is reportedly working to bring Steam to Chromebooks. Kan Liu, director of product management for Google's Chrome OS, shared the news with Android Police. Unfortunately, Liu didn't reveal a timeline or share which games might be available.
'Horizon: Zero Dawn' is reportedly coming to PC this year
Sony will release its 2017 PlayStation 4 exclusive Horizon: Zero Dawn on PC later this year, according to Kotaku's Jason Schreier. Citing three sources "familiar with Sony's plans," he says the company will likely sell the game on both Steam and the Epic Games Store.
The Moog Subsequent 25 offers classic synth bass with modern amenities
Anytime Moog releases a new synth it's worth getting at least a little excited about. And the Subsequent 25 (or Sub 25) is no exception. It's the successor to the Sub Phatty -- basically the standard bearer for classic Moog bass sounds over the last several years. The Sub 25 takes what made its predecessor such a powerful and aggressive tone monster and just goes bigger.
Nike will sponsor Korea’s best ‘League of Legends’ team
With esports continuing to grow in popularity, Nike has sponsored its first esports team -- Korean League of Legends team SKT T1. SKT is the team of Faker, the biggest name in esports, and Nike will be producing team uniforms for him and his teammates as well as footwear.
'Disintegration' public multiplayer beta starts January 31st
You won't have to wait long to see if Halo veteran Marcus Lehto's Disintegration lives up to the early buzz. V1 Interactive and its publisher Private Division have revealed that a public beta of the tactical shooter will run between January 31st and February 1st on PC, PS4 and Xbox One. There will also be closed beta tests on January 28th and 29th between 11AM and 3AM Eastern each day. In both cases, you'll have access to two of the three multiplayer modes as well as seven playable teams.
Microsoft's Chromium Edge browser is here
As promised, Microsoft is officially releasing its Chromium-based Edge browser today, which is powered by the same engine that's behind Google Chrome. Windows and Mac users can download and install the update manually, and automatic updates will start rolling out for Windows users next week. IT admins can rest easy though, as Microsoft isn't automatically upgrading commercial customers through Windows Update.
The Morning After: Here's why Sony will skip E3 (again)
Hey, good morning! You look fabulous. So Sony isn't showing up at E3 this year. Again. While Nick has explained why that makes perfect sense for PlayStation, with its next-gen console fast approaching. But gaming as a thing is in a very different space from when the PS4 launched back in November 2013. Can console launches in 2020 -- with cloud gaming and relentless sequels, remakes and remasters -- capture the imagination the same way as Halo or Super Mario 64 did in the past? It's going to be a challenge. Fancy controllers and high-latency claims don't ignite the passions quite as much. Sony and Microsoft: It's up to you. -- Mat
Logitech's K860 split ergonomic keyboard is heaven for your wrists
Logitech is squarely targeting Microsoft's wrist-friendly Surface Ergonomic Keyboard with the Ergo K860 ($130). It's the company's first keyboard in years to feature a split design, wherein the entire layout is cut in half and the keys are angled to align with your wrists. While it may look a bit odd, there are significant health benefits to this design. There's less strain on your wrists and forearms, and consequently it makes your hands, neck and shoulders more relaxed. It's the ideal companion to the company's ergonomic MX Vertical mouse. The Ergo K860 is so comfortable to use, it makes me wonder why more companies haven't pushed back against the standard QWERTY keyboard design.
Apple's rackmount Mac Pro is now available
If you (or more likely, your company) are pining for the new Mac Pro but don't want anything so gauche as a tower under the desk, Apple has you covered. It started taking orders for the rackmount version of the Mac Pro, with new purchases shipping in three to four weeks. It's the same computer underneath as its desktop-oriented counterpart with options for many-core Xeon CPUs, Radeon Pro Vega II graphics, an Afterburner video accelerator card and gobs of memory and storage -- it's just arriving in a new form factor that's better-suited to render farms, servers and easy-to-move stations.
What we're buying: Steinberg UR22C audio interface
This week, Contributing Writer Marc DeAngelis tells us about his new Steinberg audio interface.