Author: batteryforpc

Asus has shrunk its Dual GeForce GTX 1660 Super graphics card to fit inside Intel’s NUC 9 Extreme (codenamed Ghost Canyon) debuted at CES 2020 and other small form factor (SFF) enclosures. The new graphics card carries the Mini branding to denote its miniature footprint.

The Dual GeForce GTX 1660 Super Mini checks in at 19.7cm long with a 2-slot design. The graphics card flaunts a elegant, black shroud with very subtle RGB lighting. A pair of Axial-tech cooling fans are in charge of active cooling duties.

According to Asus, the Axial-tech design utilizes a smaller hub, long blades and a barrier ring that allows the fans to deliver improved downward air pressure. As typical, the fans come with Asus’ 0dB feature, meaning they won’t start spinning until the graphics card’s operating temperature crosses the 55 degrees Celsius (131 degrees Fahrenheit) mark. The fans are also IP5X dust-resistant, which should help with its lifespan.

The Dual GeForce GTX 1660 Super Mini is based on Nvidia’s Turing TU116 silicon. It’s equipped with 1,408 CUDA cores and 6GB of 14 Gbps GDDR6 memory across a 192-bit memory interface. Asus currently offers the graphics card in two flavors. The vanilla edition features a 1,815 MHz boost clock, while the OC edition rocks a 1,860 MHz boost clock.

The Dual GeForce GTX 1660 Super Mini has a single 8-pin PCIe power connector, so you should be able to get by with a 450W power supply. The graphics card supports up to three displays simultaneously. dDisplay connectors are one DVI-D port, one HDMI 2.0b and one DisplayPort 1.4 output.

Asus didn’t reveal the pricing or availability for the Dual GeForce GTX 1660 Super Mini, but we’ll keep our eyes peeled. 

Like most company’s, LG does not tend to comment on rumours. However, its Head of Global Corporate Communications, Ken Hong, does apparently comment on renders. Specifically, @OnLeaks renders. The prolific leaker released a set of renders for the G9 ThinQ at the turn of the year, which we referred to as being a “potentially polarizing huge phone”.

@OnLeaks’ renders have been proven mostly correct over the years, with some minor details differing from the final products. Ken Hong disagrees about the G9 ThinQ, though. According to PhoneArena, Hong had this to say about the renders:

It’s sad that some still feel the need to create fake renders of products and then call them leaks.

So, we can write-off these renders, then? Well, no. Last year, Hong claimed that @OnLeaks’ renders of the G8 ThinQ were fake too, and on several occasions. However, as the screenshots below demonstrate, @OnLeaks’ leak was pretty much bang on. These are some damning words from Hong about @OnLeaks, so only time will tell whether these new renders are correct or not. We are still unsure why Hong sees the need to wade in on the world of internet leaks, though.

CHUWI has launched a new product Hi10 X recently, which is the new model of Hi10 series tablets. Equipped with Intel Gemini-Lake N4100, the ninth-generation GPU, 6GB RAM, and 128GB eMMC combination, Hi10X has upgraded a lot in the configuration. Besides, a 10.1-inch full-laminated IPS screen, high-quality full metal unibody, and dual USB-C ports also make it a competitive 10.1-inch tablet.

CHUWI also released the unboxing video of Hi10X, which showed its configuration and user experience specifically.

Hi10 X unboxing

Hi10X has a 9mm full-metal body, 10.1-inch screen, weights at only 606g, convenient to carry in a backpack, the full-metal body also has a comfortable sense of touch.

Benchmark Test

Equipped with the Intel N4100 processor, 14nm process, quad-core, four threads the ninth-generation UHD Graphics 600 GPU, 6GB RAM and 128GB eMMC combination, Hi10 X has upgraded a lot in the configuration.

In the actual performance test, the Intel N4100 processor performed well, which has a single-thread score of 189.0 and a multi-thread score of 753.7. In the GeekBench 4 test, it also achieved a good result with a single-core score of 1777 and a multi-core score of 5275.

Office and entertainment experience

With Windows 10 operating system, Hi10X can run office software and deal with multitasking efficiently. It can be transformed into a laptop mode after connecting the external keyboard.

Featuring the ninth-generation UHD Graphics 600 GPU, Hi10X has powerful graphics processing ability，decode 4K video smoothly.

The most worthy 10.1-inch tablet to buy

From the above information, it can be seen that Hi10X performs well in configuration and user experience. The upgrade of configuration also expands the wider usage scene. Besides, light full-metal body, double Type-C interface, and 10.1-inch IPS screen also make it become the most worthy 10.1-inch tablet for users to buy.

The original Samsung Galaxy Fold cost $1,980 / £1,900 / AU$2,999, which made it a startlingly pricey handset even if it was the first widely available foldable phone. If you wanted a phone with a bendable display but were put off by the price, you might be in luck, because a new rumor suggests the Samsung Galaxy Fold 2 could cost less than half what its predecessor did.

This comes from South Korean news site iNews24, which suggests the Galaxy Fold 2 will be available from between 1 million South Korean won (roughly $860, £660, AU$1,250) and 1.5 million won (around $1,290, £990, AU$1,875). If the price is closer to the lower, regardless of what currency you’re buying it in, it’ll be available for less than half the cost of the original device.

If true, this would be great news for people who were hoping for a more affordable phone, though that could be thanks to reduced specs (the original Galaxy Fold had a slightly-unnecessary six cameras) or perhaps thanks to a smaller form factor.

We’re expecting the Samsung Galaxy Fold 2 (or Galaxy Bloom, or Galaxy Z Flip, as we’ve heard it alternately named) to be a ‘clamshell’ device like an old flip phone, and if the Motorola Razr is any precedent, this form factor denotes a more affordable price point.

It’s not actually clear where iNews24 got its figures from, as the article states the device’s ‘shipping price is reportedly being discussed with mobile operators’ [roughly translated], implying but not explicitly stating one of those mobile operators leaked the information to the press.

The article does suggest the Samsung Galaxy Fold 2 will be shown off at Samsung Unpacked alongside the Galaxy S20 series of phones – we’d expected that, but it’s reassuring to hear the idea backed up with this rumor.

Whether the Samsung Galaxy Fold 2 turns out to be the most affordable foldable phone yet with those low prices, a more ‘mid-range’ foldable (but still with a price below anything else like it), or just as pricey as its predecessor, we’ll apparently find out come February 11 at Samsung unpacked. Stay tuned to TechRadar in the mean time for all the leaks, rumors and news on the phonemaker’s second big foldable handset.

The Microsoft Launcher has been around for some time. Before it was rebranded as such in 2017, it was known as the Arrow Launcher. But a lot has changed since then, and with the impending Microsoft Surface Duo, the company has big plans for its launcher. So, now that the new and improved Microsoft Launcher 6.0 is available in the Play Store via an alpha preview, we thought we would take it out for a spin to see if it will be ready for the Duo.

Microsoft Launcher’s new look and feel

Some of the main changes Microsoft has made with the 6.0 launcher update include tweaks to the overall look and feel. The most dramatic come by way of the home page, introducing a more cohesive design language that’s more in line with Windows 10.

Firstly, Microsoft has implemented a new landscape mode that will rotate automatically, given the user has auto-rotate enabled. This is a feature a few other launchers may provide, but it hasn’t been available in Microsoft Launcher until now.

This new landscape mode could make for a better tablet experience. And with the Microsoft Surface Duo offering both tablet and standard smartphone form factors, this tweak should help users better take advantage of the device’s screen real estate.

There are a few other changes Microsoft has made that users will also find incredibly useful. One of which is new and enhanced dark and light modes. Both modes look great throughout the entire UI, and this revamp includes custom transparency blur effects and more overall spit and polish.

Some of the other UI tweaks include slightly more rectangular elements with rounded corners like the search bar, improved animation fluidity, and memory usage optimizations. We also get shortcuts to easily download any Microsoft apps, a Bing wallpaper which is updated daily, and several other settings that allow the user to tweak the launcher ’til their heart’s content.

There are a few hiccups here and there in the launcher’s overall performance, but it is currently in alpha, so that’s to be expected.

The new dock

Another tweak Microsoft has made in the 6.0 update changes how people will use the dock. Before 6.0, a swipe up from the dock gave users quick access to device settings toggles like Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and airplane mode, as well as twice as many of their favorite apps than is typically available with a standard dock.

Now, users only have access to the second row of apps, and Microsoft has omitted the toggle panel. This feels like a regression on Microsoft’s part, but for all we know, it could be planning to reimplement the toggles before the launcher is finished.

There are also a few general UI tweaks to the dock and app drawer in this latest update. These include the updated transparency blur effects, the removal of the app drawer button, a slightly bigger and more prominent design, and more fluid animations.

Not everything with the dock has changed in Microsoft Launcher 6.0, though. In recent versions of Android, users typically access their device’s app drawer with a swipe up from the bottom of the home screen. Though that’s true with Microsoft Launcher, users will still need to do so further above the dock than they are accustomed to as not to expand its second row, meaning your muscle memory may need some retraining.

Microsoft Launcher’s Google Now alternative

The left-hand Google Now screen has always been one of the shining features of stock Android setups. In recent years, launchers and OEMs have included Google Now into their launchers, while others have developed substitutes.

OnePlus is a prime example here, offering its own alternative called Shelf. Microsoft Launcher is also a Google Now replacement offender, but like OnePlus, its implementation isn’t bad.

As far as functionality is concerned, not much has changed in Microsoft Launcher 6.0. With a swipe right, users still get access to Microsoft’s Glance, News, and Timeline pages, which offer quick access to current events, tasks, appointments, and even sticky notes that are all easily integrated with Windows PCs. Where this section has really changed is in its design.

Like the rest of Microsoft Launcher’s updated design elements, the search bars and info cards see an updated boxy redesign with rounded corners, the new transparency effects, and an overall cleaner presentation. This Microsoft Launcher Glance redesign embraces the Windows 10 aesthetic significantly more than before, making its desktop integration both more visually and functionally seamless.

Right now, Microsoft Launcher 6.0 is in alpha via the launcher’s preview app, meaning it isn’t quite finished yet. Plus, Microsoft has quite a while to iron out any wrinkles before the Surface Duo lands later this year. Regardless, Microsoft’s take on the Android home screen offers quite a few usability and UI enhancements over the competition. From what we can tell, the app’s future is genuinely promising, but we will have to see its implementation on the Surface Duo before we give it a final verdict.