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Review Amazfit Balance: The Perfect Balance Between Style and Functionality


More and more Dutch people wear a smartwatch every day. Whether you choose a cheap Xiaomi band or an expensive Apple Watch, a smartwatch can have many advantages. In this review we look at the Amazfit Balance. A smartwatch with a luxurious appearance, many features and an attractive recommended retail price. Is the Amazfit Balance the ideal smartwatch for you?

Contents

The latest smartwatch from the manufacturer Amazfit, known for its good price/quality ratio, is available in many different colors. In this review we look at the Deep Sea (Special Edition), where the manufacturer combines a silver metal frame with blue tones and a blue silicone wristband. In addition to the Amazfit Balance, we find a black charger and a manual in the package. The Amazfit Balance is also available in the colors Woodland, Lagoon, Meadow, Sunset Gray and Midnight.

Design

When we pick up the Amazfit Balance, we immediately notice that the smartwatch is made of high-quality materials. The aluminum frame in combination with the fiber-reinforced polymer bottom shell immediately makes it clear that we are introduced to a robust product that can withstand a blow. The housing is waterproof (5 ATM), measures 46x46x10.6mm and weighs 35 grams.

It is also noticeable that the Amazfit Balance has the appearance of a traditional and luxurious watch, so you can wear the smartwatch in many circumstances. Whether you go to a meeting with a suit or simply wear a sweater during a birthday party, the Amazfit Balance is the ideal accessory.

The silver casing of the Amazfit Balance has a very light copper tint and the round screen has a blue edge. On the right side we find two buttons. You use the crown with blue detail to navigate through the interface, while you can start a workout with the push button. Our sample came with a blue silicone wristband, but if this isn’t your taste you can easily replace the wristband with another 22mm strap. This is ideal if you prefer a metal or leather wristband.

The round screen is 1.5 inches and has a resolution of 480 by 480 pixels. It is an AMOLED display with beautiful colors and deep contrast. Thanks to the maximum brightness of 1500 nits, this screen is also easy to read outdoors in sunlight. Amazfit has provided this screen with a layer of tempered glass, an anti-reflective glass edge and an anti-fingerprint coating.

Functions

It is important to know that Amazfit smartwatches do not run on Google’s Wear OS operating system, but on its own Zepp OS 3.0. As a result, the Amazfit Balance does not have the Play Store, making it not possible to install Android apps. However, Amazfit does have its own app store, with which you can download a limited number of applications and a large number of watch faces. All standard applications that you can expect on a smartwatch are of course already present on the Amazfit Balance.

Zepp App StoreZepp Watchfaces

Zepp OS 3.0 runs very smoothly and the interface is easy to operate. The screen is also very sensitive, making the user experience feel premium. You can fully control the interface with the AMOLED screen, but you can also choose to navigate the interface using the rotating crown on the side of the smartwatch. Small vibrations provide pleasant feedback when you use this crown.

A swipe to the right opens the widget interface that allows you to scroll through a list of frequently used features. This includes a music widget, a weather widget, a steps widget, a heart rate widget, an alarm widget and much more. You can adjust the layout of the widget overview yourself by pressing and holding a widget and then moving the widget down or up.

With a swipe to the left you can scroll through the most used smartwatch functions. This includes your daily activities, an overview of your heart rate rhythm, weather forecasts, your music and more. You can view incoming notifications with a swipe up and open the settings menu with a swipe down. By pressing the crown you open a list containing all installed applications and with the push button under this crown you can start a workout. You have a large number of workouts to choose from, such as walking, running, cycling, swimming, etc. It’s all self-explanatory, so you can quickly master the controls.

Of course you can also adjust the watch face. You can select a different watch face by pressing and holding the current watch face, after which you can scroll through all pre-installed watch faces.

Amazfit has equipped the Balance with various measuring instruments, including a BioTracker™ 5.0 sensor, a temperature sensor, a gyroscope and a dual-band GPS antenna. The sensors are able to constantly measure your heart rate, sleep, blood oxygen level, temperature and movements. This information is necessary to monitor your health and sports activities.

The built-in GPS antenna allows route tracking without having to take your smartphone with you. This is of course very useful when you want to run around the neighborhood. Because the antenna connects to 6 satellites simultaneously, the result is very accurate, even when you walk through streets with many tall buildings. You can look back at the routes traveled with the associated times and distances on a map and compare them with each other.

One of the biggest advantages of an Amazfit smartwatch is the long battery life. While the Apple Watch and smartwatches with Wear OS usually do not last longer than 1 to 3 days on a single battery charge, you can easily wear an Amazfit smartwatch for several weeks before the smartwatch needs to be placed on the magnetic charger again. This is no different with the Amazfit Balance. On average, the Amazfit Balance lasts more than two weeks on a battery charge. The battery life may differ per individual, depending on how active he or she is. The use of GPS tracking in particular consumes a relatively large amount of energy.

The Amazfit Balance uses Bluetooth to connect to your smartwatch. This connection is stable and we did not encounter any connection problems during our test period. It is also possible to connect the Amazfit Balance with other Bluetooth devices, such as sports accessories or a Bluetooth headset. This allows you to choose to store music offline on the internal storage space of the smartwatch and then pair the Amazfit Balance with a set of wireless earbuds. This way you can listen to music at the gym during your workout without needing your smartphone.

More and more manufacturers are incorporating AI technology into their products, including Amazfit. For example, Amazfit has introduced the Zepp Aura tool. Zepp Aura is a sleep coach/chatbot that can analyze your sleep based on smart learning models and then send you weekly/monthly overviews and give you tips that should help you get a better night’s sleep. Zepp Aura also reads your biometric data via the smartwatch and the tool uses this data to create music that should help you relax and fall asleep faster.

Zepp Aura is not a free tool, by the way. You can test Zepp Aura for two weeks, but after that a subscription is required for which you have to pay monthly. That’s why we only recommend using Zepp Aura if you have trouble sleeping.

Conclusion (Advantages/Disadvantages)

The Amazfit Balance is a beautiful watch with many possibilities. Thanks to its luxurious appearance, the smartwatch is suitable for wearing in any situation, but thanks to the many sensors and accurate GPS tracking, it is also ideal for active athletes. The bright AMOLED screen in combination with Zepp OS 3.0 works flawlessly and responds quickly. This is something that Amazfit has been doing well for years. The long battery life is one of the biggest advantages and with a recommended retail price of 249 euros, the Amazfit Balance is fairly priced.

The only downside is the lack of a major app store, such as the Google Play Store or Apple App Store, which limits the use of third-party apps.

  • beautiful modern and slim design
  • long battery life (more than 14 days with normal use)
  • clear screen

  • practical bracelet, suitable for any wrist.

  • many setting options for sports activities, plus route tracking
  • monitoring of heart rate, temperature and O2
  • charge quickly

  • No Google Play Store

The Amazfit Balance is available from various online stores for just under 250 euros. You can go to Amazon and Bol.com, among others.

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ERAZER Hunter X20 (MD 34560) Review – Tower of Power


ERAZER is making good progress. Since the Medion tag was released, new models have been appearing all the time. The Hunter X20 is not new, but it has recently received a major upgrade. Time to try this tower PC, equipped with Intel Core i7, 14700K and RTX 4070 Ti.

Anyone who sees the ERAZER Hunter X20 for the first time can hardly help but be impressed. The oversized tower PC is rock solid and offers a direct view of the beautiful interior with a glass side panel.

It houses a large RTX 4070 Ti video card, an oversized 850W power supply and an Intel Core 7i CPU. The latter is completely hidden from view by a beautifully finished water cooling system, linked to various fans.

Such an impressive piece of technology naturally raises expectations. Can this tower PC live up to those expectations? We put the Hunter X20 on the rack.

The specifications

specification value
Type ERAZER Hunter X20 MD 34560
PC type Tower PC
Housing material Black metal
Dimensions (HxWxD) 45 x 23 x 48 cm
Weight 12.1kg
Motherboard Gigabyte Z790 AORUS ELITE AX
Processor Intel Core i7 Raptor Lake, 14700K, 20 cores, 3.4 GHz 33 MB cache
Processor cooling Alphacool Eisbär 240 water cooling system
Memory 32 GB (2x 16 DDR5), 6GHz expandable with 2 slots
Storage memory 1x 1TB SSD, 1x 2TB HDD
Video card Nvidia Geforce RTX 4070 Ti, 12 GB RAM
Bluetooth v5.3
WiFi Intel AX211
Gates 1x ethernet (2500 Mbps), 12 USB (4x USB A 2.0, 7x USB A 3.2, 1x USB-C 3.2), 1x HDMI 2.1, 3x DisplayPort 1.4, 2x headphones, 2x microphone
AC power Seasonic VERTEX GX-850W
Recommended retail price 3299 euros

Sturdy construction, useful features

The Hunter X20 is designed with a sturdy, metal case on small feet. This means that the casing is just off the ground, which is very useful for airflow. The bottom of the X20 is open, allowing airflow to flow freely inwards, directly against the RTX 4070 video card.

The front is almost completely smooth, except for a logo with LEDs. The top, on the other hand, has an on-off button and – very useful – two USB connections and two audio plugs.

All other connection options are traditionally positioned at the back, with the large number of USB connections being particularly noticeable, as well as three DisplayPort connections.

Both sides are equipped with easy-to-use screws, making both the back and front of the motherboard easily accessible. The interior is also functionally finished.

Most striking are the CPU and video card. The CPU is shielded by a large block with a thick inlet and outlet for the water cooling. Below this, the video card is supported on a separate rack, which prevents it from sagging.

Working memory is also notable. Both strips of 16 GB DDR5 memory are equipped with LED lighting, as are the various strategically placed fans.

It is striking that the tower is equipped with only three fans, which in practice prove to be more than excellently equipped to keep everything cool. The space for the traditional hard drives is also neatly finished with a sturdy lid to keep the drives in place.

The hard drives are located next to the power supply, which is quite impressive with 850W. This offers ample opportunities to expand the system at a later time. The cables and mounting materials required for this are not present in the cabinet as standard, but are supplied separately. This modular system ensures that the cupboard remains neatly tidy.

The performance

Game + settings Performance Hunter X20
Atomic Heart, 2560 x 1440 px Atomic settings avg 192 fps, min 182, max 214 fps
Forza Horizon 5, 3840 x 2160 px, Extreme settings avg 135 fps, min 130, max 154 fps
Dying Light, 3840 x 2160 px, High settings avg 128, fps min 105 max 180 fpx
Death Stranding, 3840 x 2160 px avg 150 fps
The Outer Worlds, 3840 x 2160 px, Ultra settings avg 90 fps, min70 max 98 fps
Lies of P, 3940 x 2160 px avg 170 fps
A Plague tale: Requiem, 3940x 2160 px avg 100 fps, min 95 max 110 fps

It is clear that the Hunter X20 still delivers excellent performance even at the highest resolutions and at 4K. The performance is stable and remains in the regions above 100 fps, with the exception of The Outer Worlds, which is just below that at 90 fps. During all the tests we carried out, the Hunter X20 did not budge when it came to cooling.

In addition to the gaming tests, we also subjected the X20 to a long-term stress test, with both the CPU and GPU running at full load for more than 24 hours. Despite this heavy load, the cooling continued to do its job well and the system only delivered a soft hum.

The water cooling will partly contribute to this, but on the other hand the tower case also has so much free space that effective airflow via the grille at the bottom and the fans at the back is more than sufficient.

ERAZER Hunter X20 Review – A big monster that is ready for the future

The Hunter X20 is a large tower PC with solid specs, especially after the upgrade to the RTX 4070 Ti. The build quality of this PC can only be described as good: careful consideration has been given to the use of space, expandability and airflow, making the system attractive, silent and future-proof.

At over 3,000 euros, the Hunter X20 has a hefty price tag, but you certainly get value for your money. With this system you can play almost any game at 4K at more than 100 FPS without having to compromise on graphic details.

The downside is that the development of video cards is going so fast that the RTX 4070 Ti now seems outdated. Nvidia has announced the 4070 Ti Super to further balance the price/performance ratio of its offering. Unfortunately, that map appears too late for this system, but that may be something for a future update.

8.5

The plus and minus points

  • Build quality

  • Performance
  • Connection options
  • Extensibility

  • Volume cooling
  • Price
  • RTX 4070 Ti already overtaken by Super model?

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Samsung Galaxy S23 FE review: complete smartphone with premium extras


Samsung is back with a Fan Edition of the Galaxy S23, but how do you like this affordable device and is it a good buy? We tested it and in this review you can read our experiences with the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE.

This is the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE review

Samsung released the first FE device in 2020. With the S20 Fan Edition, the manufacturer stripped down the regular S20 model to the most important hardware and saved on the housing. Samsung also did this with the S21 FE, not with the S22 series and again in December 2023 with the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE.

With a suggested retail price of 699 Euros, the Galaxy S23 FE is indeed cheaper than the regular S23 at launch, but this smartphone is now available for €679. Is the S23 FE the best buy? In this review of the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE we weigh the pros and cons for you.

Samsung Galaxy S23 FE review

Design Hardware Screen Software

Cameras Battery and charging Conclusion Buy

Recognizable design

At first glance it is immediately clear that we have a Samsung device in our hands. With the Galaxy S23 FE, the manufacturer continues the same design style as on the regular S23 series and cheaper A models. In fact, the FE’s casing looks almost identical to that of the Galaxy A54. It has a size of 6.4 inches, the side is made of aluminum and the back is made of glass.

We were able to test the device in the purple color. That should be your thing, but the silver rings around the cameras look especially nice. The smartphone is also available in black, off-white and mint green, if purple doesn’t quite suit you. The phone fits well in the hand, but is not as easy to operate with one hand as the smaller 6.1-inch S23.

The smartphone has a USB-C port and loud stereo speakers. There is no headphone jack, but that is normal on high-end devices these days.

The lock and volume buttons are located on the right side and the fast optical fingerprint scanner is incorporated below the screen. The housing is also IP68 dust and waterproof, which comes in handy on a rainy day.

Not the fastest hardware, but smooth

The chip on which the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE runs is causing some commotion here and there. Many (and secretly we too) would have liked to see the same Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip as in the Galaxy S23. Instead, Samsung has opted for a faster version of the Exynos 2200 chip. This processor was also in the Galaxy S22 and S22 Plus from almost two years ago.

Samsung’s Exynos chip is less fast and energy efficient than the Snapdragon, but to be honest you don’t notice much of that in daily use. This way you can switch smoothly between apps and stutters are rare. The loading time of apps is also not noticeably slow. Do you play really heavy mobile games? Then the S23 FE is not the best choice.

Our test model has 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage space. Do you think that is too little? Then you can also go for a 256GB model. This allows you to store even more photos, videos and apps locally. Of course, you can also use Google Drive to back up your documents to the cloud.

Gorgeous screen

The fact that the phone feels so fast is thanks to the 120Hz screen with a variable refresh rate. This means that it alternates between a maximum of 120 images per second (while scrolling, for example) and a minimum of 60 images (when you view a static page). This way you save battery, but navigation remains smooth.

It is an AMOLED panel, which means that the S23 FE displays bright colors and that black is really black. You especially notice this when watching dark films or video games. The screen has a maximum brightness of 1450 nits, which makes it easy to read in bright daylight. The resolution of 2340 by 1080 pixels ensures a sharp picture, without the screen consuming a lot of energy.

All in all, it is a high-quality display as we have come to expect from Samsung. The only disadvantage is that the edges are a bit thicker than on the regular S23. The chin is certainly noticeable at first. Fortunately, you get used to this after a while, but do you want a screen that extends to the edges? Then look further.

Latest software

Samsung has a recognizable Android shell that differs considerably from stock Android. The S23 FE comes out of the box with Android 14 – the latest version of the mobile operating system – and the accompanying One UI 6 shell from Samsung. Are you used to a bare-bones version of Android, like you see on the Pixels? It may take some getting used to, but One UI 6 offers a lot of useful extras.

The ‘Quick settings’ menu is more extensive and you can open it faster. You can also change the location and style of the clock on the lock screen. Dragging apps, widgets and other files is now easier with two hands and the camera app is a bit clearer. All in all, the Android 14 shell is clear and modern in design.

Samsung is giving the Galaxy S23 FE in the Netherlands three major Android updates, which means that you will still receive Android 15, 16 and 17. You will also receive security updates until 2028. The manufacturer thus digitally protects you against malicious parties. A nice prospect.

Cameras for almost every situation

Where the S23 FE stands out is with its cameras. The three lenses on the back are all very usable and photograph in high quality. This way you can shoot beautifully exposed, sharp and naturally colored photos with the 50 megapixel main camera. Even at night the lens performs well. Although the dark and blurry areas in photos show some noise, the images are clear and usable.

Main camera

Then there are two additional lenses. First, the wide-angle lens with a resolution of 12 megapixels. While photographing, you will clearly notice when the camera switches to this lens. The raw image looks less sharp and grayish.

Wide angle lens

However, the automatic post-processing manages to make up for this to a large extent and the final image looks very nice. Only in the dark does the wide-angle lens not hold up and you will have to switch to the main camera.

Telephoto lens

And then the lens that distinguishes the S23 FE from cheaper smartphones: the telephoto lens. This allows you to zoom in up to 3 times without losing quality. Although the lens ‘only’ has a resolution of 8 megapixels, it takes sharp photos from a distance (even in the dark), which can provide unique perspectives.

Battery life is fine

There is little to complain about the battery of the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE. With a size of 4500 mAh, it is considerably larger than the regular S23. However, the less efficient chip seems to ensure that the battery does not necessarily last longer. In practice, this means that with average use you will simply make it to the end of your day. As soon as you go to bed, you have to put the smartphone on the charger.

By charging the S23 FE overnight, you won’t notice much of the 25 Watt charging speed. This charges the phone in about an hour and a half. That is slow compared to many other manufacturers, but Samsung has a good reason for it. According to the manufacturer, the slower charging speed means that the battery has a longer lifespan and maintains a higher maximum battery capacity.

This is less convenient if you want to charge quickly before leaving the house, but otherwise there is little to criticize about the battery. Wireless charging is also supported with a maximum speed of 15 Watts and you can charge other devices wirelessly by placing them on the back of the device. This is not quick, but is useful in emergency situations.

Conclusion of the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE review

The Samsung Galaxy S23 FE is a solid smartphone in many areas. The cameras are usable in many circumstances, the chip is fast enough and the battery lasts all day. In addition, you will receive updates up to and including Android 17, which means that you can use it for years to come.

It has a suggested retail price of 699 euros not the best deal. The regular S23 is now available from €679 and offers a much better chip, premium materials and longer battery life in a compact housing.

Fortunately, the S23 FE is also quickly dropping in price, because you can get it for €604. Do you want a smartphone with a large screen, long software support and does the fastest hardware matter less to you? Then the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE is definitely worth it.

Positives


  • Clear AMOLED screen


  • Battery lasts all day


  • Three high quality cameras


  • Five years of security updates and major updates up to Android 17

Negatives


  • Battery charges slowly


  • Not the best value for money


  • Chip not the fastest and most economical

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Trust GXT 714 Ruya Gaming Chair Review – Gaming on a Cloud

If you want to play games, you need a good place to sit. Of course, lying on the couch is fine, but a good gaming chair is certainly not a bad idea. Can Trust make a contribution with the Trust GXT 714 Ruya Gaming Chair? Find out in our Trust GXT 714 Ruya Gaming Chair Review!

Chairs for gaming are always special. When you think of such a chair, you can almost already shape it in your mind. Flaps on the sides of the seat that curl up, a pillow at the height of your head and again flaps that pull in at the lower back. Add two armrests that are often adjustable and a lever to fold the backrest backwards and the picture is complete.

Sitting on clouds

Trust does not change this design, but that is not necessary for the chair that costs 199.99 euros. The design is there for a reason, namely that it provides a lot of comfort when you sit in the chair. That is certainly the case with the GXT 714 Ruya. It largely has to do with the material used.

The chair has thick foam under the leather upholstery, which ensures high-quality seating comfort. Even during long gaming sessions, there is no sore butt at all and the undersigned must admit that it can even happen that you fall asleep in the chair if you throw the backrest back.

Of course, the chair is also height adjustable, just like the armrests. What is striking is that the armrests cannot be adjusted forwards or backwards. That’s a shame, because when you move the backrest backwards, you suddenly miss the armrests.

Ease of construction

A nice addition comes in the form of the two cushions that you can easily attach to the chair. These are intended as additional back and head support. The larger pillow for the back is best. You can easily adjust the height via the elastic straps, allowing you to sit in the chair more ergonomically.

Attaching the cushions is indicative of the rest of the installation process. If you pick up the manual and follow the clear steps, you will have the chair ready within twenty minutes and you can start using it right away. Everything for installation is basically in the box, so no additional tools are required.

Important

Perhaps the least fun part of assembling the chair is the weight. When the chair is complete, it weighs 19 kilograms. You don’t want to lift it too often, so it is advisable to assemble the chair on the floor where you want to use it. It doesn’t really matter that it’s in another room.

The GXT 714 Ruya is equipped with wheels and rolls surprisingly smoothly over the floor. It makes it seem as if the chair is not as heavy as it actually is. The fact that the GXT 714 Ruya weighs 19 kilograms does have its advantages, because the gaming chair can carry up to 150 kilograms.

Trust GXT 714 Ruya Gaming Chair Review – Let’s get gaming!

All in all, the Trust GXT 714 Ruya Gaming Chair is a wonderful chair that does many things very well. That all starts with building it, which is extremely easy and after which you can easily roll the chair anywhere.

The seating comfort is good, the design is convenient and adaptable in many ways. Only the fact that the armrests do not fully participate in this is quite a shame. Yet, for this price, that is a downside that we are happy to take for granted.

8

The plus and minus points

  • Sits wonderfully
  • Convenient design
  • Easy to build

  • Rolls heavenly

  • Armrest adjustment

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ERAZER Defender P40 Review – Powerhouse of size

Nowadays, anyone who wants to replace their desktop PC with a laptop has a lot of choice. With the Defender P40, ERAZER offers a strong competitor with Intel Core i7-13700HX and RTX 4060 GPU. Can this laptop stand up to the cutthroat competition? Read it in our review.

Since ERAZER shed the Medion name, this brand has been making a lot of progress. We previously tested the ERAZER Major X10 and the Major X20.

This time it is the turn of the ERAZER Defender P40, a laptop with an Intel Core i7-13700HX, 16 GB of RAM and an 8GB RTX 4060 GPU on board.

With a price of around 1600 euros, this laptop falls slightly above the ‘busy’ segment around 1300 euros. Can this laptop meet this additional price? We put the ERAZER P40 on the rack and saw how this cool-looking laptop holds up.

The specifications

specification value
Type Erazer Defender P40 MD62522
Housing material Aluminum, Plastic
Operating System 64 bit Windows 11 Home
Processor Intel Core i7-13700HX, 16 cores 2.1 – 5 GHz
Random access memory 16 GB (expandable to 32 GB)
Storage memory 1 TB SSD (free slot available)
Video card GeForce RTX 4060, 8GB
Display 17.3″, 2560 x 1440 (Quad HD), IPS
Connectors USB 2.0, 3x USB 3.2, HDMI (2.1), 3.5mm
Audio Nahimic Audio
Weight 2.9kg
Dimensions 262 x 370 x 28x 28.2 mm (lxwxh)
AC power 280W

First impression: Solid performance in a sturdy housing

Anyone who has the Erazer Defender P40 in front of them sees a beautifully finished laptop. When closed, the housing has a beautiful black finish with straight corners and slightly tapering. The clamshell form factor means that it hinges open at the back, just above the power and HDMI connections. The screen can be opened to a slight backward slope and feels solid.

The RGB colored keyboard shines blue light at you by default. The letters are easy to read and the keyboard is accompanied by a numeric island. Also special: the WASD keys are extra emphasized with a white border. The approach is clear: this is a gaming laptop.

The Intel Core i7 processor and Geforce RTX 4060 are slightly lighter than those of the X20.

At the bottom of the P40 we see space for cooling and various openings on both the side and the back. When we unscrew the bottom we see two fans and we see that about a third of the entire laptop is designed to dissipate heat. The sides even have a raised edge to conduct the heat outside. That is necessary, the CPU/GPU combination of the P40 can generate a lot of heat. Even with all fans at full power, the cooling barely manages to keep the laptop within the margins.

The cooling then takes effect quickly. The P40 is perfectly quiet at idle, but as soon as you load the processors, the fans quickly start spinning. Unfortunately, we can’t exactly call the fans quiet and the P40 has no option to throttle the GPU via the keyboard. The laptop does that itself, under full load of both the CPU and GPU, the performance of the GPU collapses to less than 25% of full power.

As soon as the CPU load drops, the GPU quickly takes over the extra space, so that performance is back up to standard. However, we would have liked to have more control over this ourselves. The Erazer P40 does have a callable software package in which various settings can be adjusted, including the RGB color scheme of the keyboard, the lighting and the like. The GPU/CPU load can also be monitored directly here.

The various connections are distributed around the laptop. For example, the power supply is on the back of the monitor, just like the HDMI connection. The USB ports, Ethernet connection and microphone are on the side.

The image may be there

The 17.3-inch IPS screen delivers beautiful colors and is easy to read, even on the go. The image is finished with a small bezel that protects the image well without making the laptop much larger. the image feels solid when opening and closing. The screen is powered by a sturdy RTX 4060, which provides a good compromise between the somewhat weaker RTX 3___ line and the top models.

The same warning applies as for all (gaming) laptops: a laptop GPU is not 100% the same as the desktop version. Due to the limited cooling options that a laptop has and keeping the power consumption somewhat limited, the laptop version of the RTX has a lower clock.

Despite this, the performance of the P40 may be good. With this laptop you can play all modern games at high quality and the laptop even has some capacity left. The P40 is therefore quite future-proof and will also be able to run future releases well. Moreover, Nvidia has an excellent track record when it comes to updating drivers.

With a price of around 1600 euros, the ERASER P40 is slightly above what will be the ‘middle segment’ for many gamers. Many brands aim for a price of around 1300 euros. For those extra 300 euros you get a big performance boost.

Game performance

The target group of the ERAZER P40 consists largely of gamers and they naturally want to know how the P40 performs.

We tested the P40 with various games and settings and it appears that you can play almost any (modern) game at the maximum native resolution (2650 x 1440 pixels) with (very) high image quality and in almost all cases around or above 100. can achieve FPS. This means that the P40, for example, leaves the Major X10 of the same brand far behind.

Lenovo has made an interesting choice for the X10. A ‘traditional’ GPU from AMD or Nvidia was not chosen, but Intel, newcomer to the GPU market.

Below we have compared the performance of the ERASER P40 and that of the Major X10.

Game+Settings Performance X10 Performance P40
Atomic Heart, 2560 x 1600 px High quality Avg 50, min 27 FPS, response 19 ms. avg 150 max 160 min 130
Atomic Heart, 2560 x 1600 px, Atomic quality avg 95 max 101 min 88
Forza Horizon 5, 1920 x 1200 preset HIGH 85FPS 164FPS
Forza Horizon 5, 3560×1440 preset extreme 93FPS
Woo Long, 920 x 1080 Best Quality Max 102, avg 70, min 40 FPS
Woo Long, 1920 x 1080 Best Performance Max 134, avg 86, min 54 FPS 120 capped (minus 100)
Woo Long, 2560 x 1440 Best Quality avg 100, min 83 FPS
Dying Light, 2560 x 1600 Textures High, Shadow Map size high Max 231, avg 62, min 33 FPS
Dying Light, 2560 x 1440 Textures High, Shadow Map size high avg 84, max 110
Death Stranding, 2560 x 1600 Graphics quality Very High, Max 115, avg 75, min 49 FPS avg 95 max 110

Erazer Defender P40 Review – Future-proof powerhouse

The ERAZER P40 is equipped with an Intel Core i7-13700HX and RTX 4060 GPU and this is reflected in the performance. With the P40 you can go years ahead without dreading new releases.

The beautifully designed gaming laptop is not equipped with all kinds of RGB bells and whistles and its design can also be used in the workplace. the large 17.3-inch screen offers Quad-HD resolution and a very stable image.

It’s a pity that the ventilation switches on very quickly and quickly makes a lot of noise. When the cooling is fully on, normal conversations cannot be had. Nevertheless, the bottom of the laptop tends to get quite warm.

With a price tag of just under 1600 euros, the ERAZER P40 is not cheap, but you do get value for your money.

Anyone looking for a future-proof laptop with excellent performance can confidently put this P40 on their wish list.

8.5

The plus and minus points

  • Beautiful, solid version
  • Nice 17.3″ screen
  • Excellent performance

  • Generates a lot of heat
  • cooling makes a lot of noise

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Lenovo Legion R45w-30 Review – Curved eye candy

Gamers naturally go for the highest immersion. Thousands of euros are quickly spent on a new PC to be able to play in 4K or higher resolution without sacrificing the number of images per second. This naturally requires an equally impressive display and Lenovo now offers the Legion R45w, a curved super-ultrawide display.

Lenovo is making good progress with both laptops and peripherals. Now Lenovo has launched two new monitors, the Legion Y34wz-30 and the Legion R45w-30. We tested the Legion R45w-30, an impressive curved monitor with an image diameter of no less than 44.5 inches.

The Lenovo Legion monitor comes with a sturdy base that easily clicks into place on the monitor. The base is solid and that’s a good thing, but the monitor weighs almost 9 kilos and is certainly not light. In addition to the monitor and base, the R45w comes with a brief manual and three cables. The extensive manual must be collected digitally.

The three cables consist of an HDMI, DisplayPort and USB cable. The monitor is quite flexibly adjustable, it can tilt, swivel and be adjusted in height. The display itself is a matte backlight WLED. Unfortunately, this is not an OLED screen, but we should not expect that for the recommended retail price of just under 1000 euros. Before we go into the possibilities of the monitor, let’s first take a look at its technical features.

Characteristics
Dimensions Height 528.4 mm (20.80 in)
Width 108.99 mm (42.91 in)
Depth 341.1 mm (13.43 in)
Image size 44.5 inches
Aspect ratio 32:9 (super ultra wide)
Maximum resolution 5120 x1440 pixels (DQHD)
HDR DisplayHDR 400
Maximum frequency 165Hz
Response time 1ms
To adjust Tilt: -5 – 22 degrees
Rotate: -30 – 30 degrees
Height adjustment: 135 mm
Power consumption <165 watts (max)
<34W (typical)
Connections 1 x Power supply
2xHDMI 2.1
1 x DisplayPort 1.4 in
1 x USB-C 3.2 Gen 1 (upstream)
1 x USB-B 3.2 Gen 1 (upstream)
1 x RJ-45 (10M/100M/1G/2.5G)
3 x USB-A 3.2 Gen1 (downstream)
1 x Audio Output

Lots of frames, huge resolution

The more frames a monitor is able to produce, the more stable the image looks. The R45w-30 delivers frequencies up to 165 Hz (and even 170 Hz in ) which produces a beautiful, stable image. Whether you play games or want to use the monitor for work, a stable image provides peace of mind for your eyes. With a resolution of up to 5120 x1440 pixels and HDR 400 support, the image is also razor sharp.

Anyone who wants to use the R45w-30 in a work situation can use the super ultrawide screen to display multiple applications side by side. The disadvantage of such a wide screen is that the standard commands for window sizes are sometimes not useful. Lenovo has come up with a solution for this, called True Split. The screen can be divided into two ‘virtual’ screens, giving the connected PC the impression of having two separate screens. Particularly useful, a maximized window is ‘only’ half of the super ultrawide screen.

In addition, the monitor has a wide range of access ports and options, including picture-in-picture (where one image is shown in the corner), picture-by-picture (side by side) and the aforementioned True Split and KVM, where the monitor can switch between two connected systems. In the various modes you can also set the ratio between the two screens.

For example, if you want to watch a movie on one part, it is useful to be able to watch that part on 2/3 of the total screen, leaving the rest for something else. All options are accessible via four buttons: a four-way button for access to the menu and buttons for direct access to frequently used functions.

Sound and Vision

The R45w is equipped with a backlit WLED display that achieves a contrast ratio of 3000:1 with a maximum brightness of 500 cd/m2. That is just slightly more than the requirements of the DisplayHDR 400 certification that the monitor has. Even though the screen is not OLED, we are certainly not disappointed with the image that is delivered. The colors are lifelike, feel natural and comes with a low response time.

The R45w is somewhat sensitive to the viewing angle. Due to the curve, the viewing angle quickly becomes quite high if you are not sitting directly in front of the screen. If we view the image from a different position, we see that the matte screen remains visible for a long time in incident (sun)light. However, the screen does become a bit dull at higher viewing angles.

Like many monitors, the R45w has a number of special game modes for FPS, racing, RTS and two custom game modes that you can set yourself. The response time can also be increased in steps and the refresh rate can be displayed. We prefer to keep the display at the Standard settings, but those who want to experiment with this have extensive options.

The monitor has built-in 3-watt speakers. That’s not too much, but sufficient for basic gaming, without immediately resulting in squeaks and crackles. Even at higher volumes, the monitor itself does not vibrate. The sound quality is sufficient, but if you are serious about your (game) sound, we recommend an external sound source.

Game on!

The ultra-wide image of the Legion obviously offers opportunities for those who want a lot of immersion gaming. All racing games benefit greatly from the extra wide and curved image. The ultra-wide view gives you a much greater sense of speed and a much better overview of what’s happening around your car, especially if you set the camera from behind the wheel. The curved screen gives you the immediate feeling that you can actually see to the left and right of you, which provides serious added value.

The wider screen is also an asset for non-racing games. Modern games such as Lies or P make optimal use of the wide screen and thus enrich the gaming experience. You simply see more of your surroundings, which only benefits you.

That extra width does come with a number of significant caveats. For example, consoles cannot handle (super) ultra-wide images, so you play with large black bars. PCs do not have this limitation, but the extra number of pixels (two 4K screens next to each other!) must be able to be controlled.

With the currently available hardware, this almost always means a trade-off: either play at the highest resolution but compromise on image quality, or reduce the resolution somewhat. By the way, we managed to conjure up a considerable number of FPS at high resolution on the screen with a laptop PC with RTX 4070. Also, not all games are able to support the extra image resolution, so sometimes even the most modern games (Starfield!) cannot always make use of it.

However, a warning is in order: anyone who really wants to use such a monitor properly will also need a modern(er) PC.

Lenovo Legion R45w-30: Ideal for the dedicated PC gamer

The Legion R45w-30 is an excellent monitor with excellent specifications. With a refresh rate of 165 Hz and a response time of 1 ms, it is not the fastest monitor we have tested, but the price reflects that: this monitor has a recommended retail price of just under 1000 euros.

For this you get a monitor with many connection options and a beautiful image and of course a particularly beautiful gaming monitor. You must have at least an equivalent gaming PC, use with a console is actually a no-go.

8

The plus and minus points

  • Beautiful WLED screen with an extremely wide image
  • Many connection options
  • High image quality, excellent for gaming
  • Console experience

  • No OLED

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Baseus Bowie MA10 Wireless Earbuds Review: A Deep Dive into Sonic Precision


In the saturated market of True Wireless Stereo (TWS) earbuds, finding a balance between affordability and quality often proves challenging. However, the Baseus Bowie MA10 TWS earbuds present a promising solution, standing out amidst the crowd for several compelling reasons.

Endorsement by Acclaimed Composers

Baseus leverages its reputation for innovation by collaborating with esteemed figures in the music industry, including Oscar-winning composers Chad Cannon, Joel Goodman, and Pedro Osuna. The endorsement by such renowned composers underscores the MA10’s commitment to delivering exceptional sound quality that exceeds conventional expectations.

Advanced Noise Cancelling Technology

The MA10 boasts active noise cancellation capabilities reaching a depth of -48dB. This is achieved through an aerospace-grade titanium-plated double compound diaphragm and larger drivers, enhancing both bass depth and overall audio quality. Notably, the ENC (Environmental Noise Cancellation) microphones intelligently filter ambient noise during calls, ensuring crystal-clear voice transmission devoid of distractions.

Extended Music Playback and Rapid Charging

Setting itself apart from competitors, the MA10 offers an impressive battery life of up to 140 hours on a single charge, minimizing the need for frequent recharging. Remarkably, a mere 10-minute charge provides 2 hours of playback, while a full charge takes a mere 3 hours, ensuring uninterrupted music enjoyment.

Ergonomic Design and Durability

Designed for extended wear, the MA10’s ergonomic build ensures a secure and comfortable fit. Accompanied by three sizes of ear tips and wingtips for added stability during physical activities, these earbuds cater to diverse preferences. Furthermore, the IPX6 waterproof rating enhances durability, effectively safeguarding against sweat and water damage.

Seamless Gaming and Connectivity

Utilizing Bluetooth 5.3 and Baseus’ proprietary DCLL (Dual Channel Low-Latency) technology, the MA10 guarantees seamless audio-visual synchronization within an impressive 0.038s. This exceptional synchronization enables flawless gaming experiences where audio and visual elements align seamlessly. Moreover, Bluetooth 5.3 ensures stable connectivity without common pairing issues.

Exceptional Value at Competitive Pricing

Remarkably priced at €20.99 during the Black Friday promotion on Amazon, the Baseus Bowie MA10 outperforms higher-priced competitors within its segment. Offering an array of features typically found in more expensive models, it stands as a compelling choice for those seeking premium audio quality without a hefty price tag.

Conclusion

In summary, the Baseus Bowie MA10 wireless earbuds redefine the benchmarks of wireless audio technology. From the endorsement by distinguished composers to its cutting-edge noise cancellation, extensive battery life, ergonomic design, seamless connectivity, and incredible value, these earbuds excel in delivering an exceptional auditory experience.

For individuals seeking a symphony of sound at an accessible price point, the Baseus Bowie MA10 earbuds prove to be the ultimate choice, surpassing expectations and setting new standards in wireless audio technology.

Where to Buy

For those in search of earbuds offering solid sound, active noise cancellation, and prolonged battery life at an affordable price point, the Baseus Bowie MA10 is available for purchase on Amazon.

Amazon DE:  Buy it Now

Amazon FR: Achetez-le maintenant

Amazon ES: Compre ya


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Review Philips External SSD: Super Compact SSD For All Your Files

Nowadays, almost everyone needs digital storage space. We do banking online, photos are usually all digital and almost all companies have now switched from physical letters to digital documents. Most people also do work with the help of computers. In addition, everyone walks with a smartphone in their pocket. Today’s technology makes our lives a lot easier, but it is important to protect your digital data and store it in a safe place. This is where the Philips External SSD comes into the picture.

Most people know Philips for their high-quality household appliances and smart Hue lighting. However, the manufacturer also makes storage devices. One of the latest products is the Philips Portable SSD. This is a compact SSD with 250GB, 500GB or 1TB of storage space.

Losing your digital data can have very unpleasant consequences. For example, it is annoying when you lose your holiday photos and it is even more serious when you lose your administration or work-related documents. To avoid such problems, it is important to make backups. This can be done online in the cloud, which we definitely recommend, but also offline on an SSD so that you can access your data even without an internet connection. An offline backup also has other advantages compared to online backups. For example, online services are extra sensitive to hacker attacks or there is a chance that your password will be leaked. You do not have this problem with a physical SSD that you have in your safe at home.

The Philips Portable SSD is one of the smallest and lightest SSDs you can buy. The SSD is 10cm long, 2.95cm wide and only 0.9cm thick. The device also weighs only 25 grams. In the photo above you see a comparison with two other popular SSDs from SanDisk and Samsung. The Philips External SSD is clearly the smallest of the three and is more reminiscent of a large USB stick than an external hard drive. Thanks to the elongated thin design, the SSD fits very easily in your laptop bag or pocket. The aluminum frame also gives the SSD a nice luxurious look.

The Philips Portable SSD comes with a USB-A to USB-C cable. This cable is ideal for connecting the SSD to your computer. However, if you also have a USB-C to USB-C cable, you can also connect the SSD to your smartphone or tablet. Your Android device simply sees the SSD as external storage space and you can copy data from your smartphone directly to the SSD. So you don’t have to install any software for this. In short, the Philips Portable SSD is very easy to use and it doesn’t matter whether you use Windows, Mac or Android.

Copying files has a maximum read speed of 540MB/s. This is very fast and good enough to watch 4K UHD videos directly from the SSD. However, it is less fast than the SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD, which has a maximum read speed of 1050MB/s. However, for the regular user, 540MB/s is more than sufficient. The read and write speed also depends on the USB connection on your device. Devices with an older USB port will not reach these speeds. Therefore, in practice, speeds will differ per device.

Conclusion
The Philips Portable SSD is a very compact SSD that you can easily take with you to work or on holiday. The aluminum casing is sturdy and light and thanks to the read speed of 540MB/s you can watch 4K content directly from the SSD. The SSD is available with up to 1TB of storage space, which is enough for more than 40 HD movies and more than 100 thousand photos. The Philips Portable SSD with 1TB storage space is currently available at Bol.com for 124.99 euros. External SSDs with 1TB of storage space usually cost just over 100 euros, so this is a reasonable price. However, the Philips Portable SSD is also available with 500GB and 250GB of storage space.

– super compact and lightweight
– maximum read speed of 540MB/s
– the thin design allows you to store the SSD anywhere

– housing less robust than the competing SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD


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Nokosu Dice: my opinion and review of the ultimate trick game

A real gem spotted by Americans at Asian game festivals, and shared on BGG, Nokosu Dice has built up a nice little reputation in the West. An innovative trick-taking game, with dice and cards that mix together, never-before-seen gameplay, an obscure game that comes from far away: all the ingredients combined to create a buzz in Essen.


How did I get Nokosu Dice?

Let me tell you this. I find myself early on Thursday morning in front of the doors of the Mass, with my friend Sylvain, taking advantage of a skip-the-line with the pro pass. The hunt for Asian gems printed in few copies can begin. We find ourselves in good company since Ben from Recettes Ludiques and the Vind’jeu team run around the aisles with us for a bit. In front of the stand the Japanese publisher Engames, a line of…50 people already. It’s Thursday morning, the show has just opened 10 minutes ago, exhibitors are still setting up here and there, and the 6 huge halls of the Messe are empty.

Except in front of this stand.

We then stand in line, and the editor’s face when he arrives at his stand is incredibly funny. A mixture of surprise, satisfaction and regret: they only took a few boxes, if they had taken 5000 they would all have gone, that’s for sure. There are around 100 boxes available, and with Sylvain we buy a copy of each game (Robotrick, Izu, Toppen) after an hour and a half of waiting.

Back home and a month later after dozens of games, here I am armed to criticize and give my opinion on Nokosu Dice!

(my game is sleeved in the photos)

A trick game like no other

Nokosu dice is part of the trend of trick games (or trick taking in English) which is agitating board game publishers. Moreover, Matagot recently made a special collection. Cat in the box, The Crew, Scout, Gang of Four, St Patrick, Mino Dice, Pass…this category is already stocked with excellent games. But Nokosu Dice manages to stand out from the crowd, with extraordinary features.


The Nokosu Dice box

Nokosu Dice’s edition is nothing special. No theme, completely random illustrations, cheap dice: it’s not for its visual or evocative side that you will play this game. Besides, the sleevé game barely fits in the box. On the other hand, the rules in English are contained in the box, and the material does not contain any text: you will be able to play it without problem. Period reminder cards are included.

The main principles of Nokosu Dice

In Nokosu Dice, we play with cards, numbered from 0 to 7, in 5 different colors. Each player receives between 6 and 8 depending on the number of players at the table.


In Nokosu Dice, we also play with classic 6-sided dice, in 5 different colors. Depending on the number of players, you will have between 4 and 5 dice on a small board in front of you. These dice are drawn at random from a bag, rolled, then drafted between players. A die will not be chosen by the players, and will be placed in a small receptacle : THE super-asset. I’ll come back to it.

We therefore find ourselves with dice in front of us, a super-trump die in the middle of the table, and cards in hand. Cool, now I can explain what it’s all about.

Detailed mechanics

The mechanics of Nokosu Dice are interwoven to direct you towards a goal: to make a given number of tricks, a number which will be determined by the last die in your possession. If at the end of a round your last die contains the number 3, then you must have made three tricks to score the maximum. To make a trick, as in any trick game, you must win the current round, and therefore place the highest number in the requested color at the start of the trick.

But of course we can cut.

How to cut? You remember the super-asset? (English speakers say trump) Imagine that the die placed in the small receptacle of the super-asset is a yellow 1.

  • So for this round, all yellows are trumps (cards and dice)
  • And all the numbers 1 are the super trump (cards and dice)

So we can cut with any yellow, and with any 1. And it’s truly incredible.

I also told you that the dice were placed in front of you. Which means that you partially know what color is left in each player!

Because if you play the purple 3, for example, and you spot purple dice among your opponents, you know that they will be forced to play this die, or a purple card from their hand. And since you are intelligent, you have already understood that forcing your opponents to play dice means taking away their scoring possibilities because the number of tricks to make is the number indicated by the last die you have. (and which will therefore never be played).

But in Nokosu Dice, we can also discard.

You don’t have to cut, you can discard! Throw anything away if you can’t play the requested color!

Finally, I hadn’t told you about it before, but there are two black dice, selectable during the draft: by taking a black die instead of a normal die, you agree to make zero creases. It’s difficult enough as it is but depending on the super trump and the value of your cards, it’s playable.

In a round of Nokosu Dice, each player will play all their cards, and all their dice except 1. We count the score at the end of each round, and we start again. The game ends after 5 rounds.

Good ideas from Nokosu Dice

Already, unlike a blind betting system, like in Mino Dice or Cat in The Box, the Nokosu Dice system is flexible, adaptive. Each round you will change your mind 3 times to find out how many tricks are feasible. Also Nokosu Dice plays on several layers of gameplay at the same time:

  • the dice draft and the anticipation of the super-asset
  • you try to predict your number of tricks based on the dice you drafted
  • you try to stop others from realizing your trick count
  • you plan the cuts and discards, you count the cards

Scoring

In Nokosu Dice, you will mark the number of tricks made, and if you succeed in your objective (a number of tricks equivalent to the value of your last die), you will score 10 points per player who does not succeed in their objective. So between 10 and 50! Achieving your goal is therefore highly rewarded! And stop others from doing it too!

Zero creases?

The zero tricks strategy is playable but it seems more risky, since unlike other strategies you will not be able to change along the way. The black die can never be played. But it earns 10 points more than the others (so between 20 and 60), it’s up to you!

Lifetime

Nokosu Dice has the potential for an infinite lifespan. Like a game of belote, like a Gang of Four. The game is smooth, the game is good, the game is crazy. It deserves its buzz, you’ve never played this! A feeling with lots of possibilities, with very deep gameplay. Nokosu Dice is a great little game.

My final opinion on Nokosu Dice

I can’t wait to find out which publisher will do something with it in Europe. With a little theme, some card pimping and some quality dice, Nokosu Dice can become a banger. It’s a little bomb of a trick game, which is accessible (I’ve had families play games in evening), clever, obvious. You have to see the surprise and wonder of the players when after two turns they say “ah but can I play a die here?” “wait does red 2 cut?”.

When we play dozens of new board games every month, we are always attracted by those that manage to exist, to offer a new mechanic, or a new assembly of mechanics. Nokosu Dice is one of them. It’s fresh.

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Lenovo Legion Tower 5i – Review

The cabinet chosen for this line is the Color Panthom Black which has sober but decisive lines: a 28 liter midtower with dimensions of 457x184x455 cm for approximately 12 kg of weight. It is made of a mixture of rigid plastic and black brushed aluminum, two different surfaces but the combination of which is aesthetically very pleasant. On the rigid plastic front, an inward sloping air intake stands out at the bottom, while in the upper part, the LED-lit Legion symbol is placed in a texture with oblique lines. On the left side, the aluminum panel is fitted with a plexiglass window with the word Legion on one side which allows you to see the components mounted inside. On the right side, the panel is completely made of aluminum while at the rear are the inputs for the power supply, the video card, the USB and Ethernet ports as well as the audio jacks. On the upper part, in rough plastic, detaches the carrying handle, incorporated in a spoiler inclined at 45 °.

The machine supplied by Lenovo for this test equips a Maxun B460M motherboard with an Intel i7-10700 processor at a speed of 2.90 GHz, two banks of 8 GB of DDR4 RAM at 2933 Mhz for a total of 16 GB, an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 GPU with 6GB of video memory and a 1TB SSD, all powered by a 400W ES Gold power supply. As for the connectivity on the top next to the on / off button, it There is a single combo audio jack for headphone and microphone and two USB 3.2 ports while on the rear a USB 3.2 Type-C port, two USB 3.2 ports, two USB 2.0 ports, 1 Ethernet port and three audio jacks.

It is certainly a mid-range configuration but it should be noted that the choice of components offered by Lenovo is very varied and guarantees solutions adapted to all desires. For example, the fleet of GPUs you can choose from ranges from the GeForce RTX 2060 6GB to the RTX2080 Super 8GB, or from the AMD Radeon RX 5500 4GB to the 5700XT 8GB. Processor models go up to the tenth generation Intel® Core i9-10900, RAM starts from a minimum of 8 GB up to a maximum of 64 GB as well as the SSD storage cuts start from a base of 256 GB to get up to to 2 TB of allocation space. The possibility to choose the power model is also varied and includes three models of 350W, 400W and 650W respectively.

Cooling is guaranteed by the Legion Coldfront 2.0 system which includes two large fans installed respectively at the front for suction and at the rear for expelling air, with improved thermal fins and a CPU cooler. The different components work in synergy to ensure efficient air circulation inside the case and optimal cooling of the components. Via the software, you can choose between three different ventilation modes: silent, balanced or rated for performance with a gradual increase in noise depending on this choice. It is logically assumed that the selection of the latter occurs following the use of games which require a great deal of computing power and therefore the need for a greater cooling capacity of the components which will inevitably tend to heat up.

All components are manageable and configurable via the Lenovo Vantage, a pre-installed software belonging to the Hong Kong multinational that incorporates various features, some very interesting. On the home screen there is a monitoring section that allows you to view the main hardware components and know in real time the clock speed at which the processor is moving, the amount of RAM and video memory used and the percentage of space allocated to storage. A System Tools section allows you to update the operating system, dynamically adjust the thermal performance of the power supply, improve the visual experience and configure the properties of the screen and finally an extremely detailed analysis hardware with the ability to choose from dozens of performance and efficiency tests.

In other dedicated sections you can select ventilation mode, network optimization, automatic shutdown, use of Dolby Surround and WiFi connection security. Finally, there is a section in which to select and customize RGB lighting profiles and a section dedicated to the Legion Game Store.

Tests carried out with the help of various reference programs give the idea of ​​the excellent usability in the workplace of this PC. In those made for the CPU using Cinebench R20, the 2.90 GHz Intel Core i7-10700 scored 2994 points while with PCMark 10, software that simulates the use of various applications dedicated to productivity, it scored 6637 In graphics tests, the GeForce RTX 2060 6GB GPU with Unigine Heaven Benchmark 4.0 scored 2893 with the preset set to Extreme while with the 3DmarkTime Spy it scored 7161. Regarding the test of storage speed, performance of 1TB SSD recorded on CristalDiskMark it made about 3528MB / s read and about 2967MB / s write. The values ​​obtained are excellent and perfectly in line with those expected from a computer of this range.

To test the game performance of this Legion Tower 5i we have chosen to try a few games selected according to the complexity and the beauty of the graphics such as in the case of Control, a third person action game in which you can enjoy the wonders offered by Ray Tracing technology which calculates in real time the path and interaction of light rays with surfaces, making the environments and shadows of games incredibly realistic.

The game Remedy has a game engine that allows for extraordinary interaction with the game world, excellent physics handling, and has one of the most compelling ray tracing available today. It was tested in Full HD mode with video resolution set to 2560 × 1080 and despite RTX set to ON, the graphics card and processor managed to ensure a constant frame rate which allowed you to enjoy the effects of incredible lighting in peace. shadows.

Then tested without the help of this amazing technology, the game gains a bit more FPS but loses much of the charm and beauty of gaming environments which are less realistic, showing once again how much this feature has. an impact on the future of the industry. video game. Updating or renewing your PC regardless of this is a mistake to be avoided.


So we decided to give Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed Origins a try, which offers a huge open world to explore and a complex graphics engine capable of overloading any material. With the details set to maximum and the video resolution set to 2560 × 1080 during an internal in-game benchamark, the FPS average settled on the value of 61, decreasing only on rare occasions, and during very short moments, below 60. Despite the great distances offered by the view of the game and the massive presence of characters and objects simultaneously on the screen, the game experience was extremely pleasant and the stunts performed by protagonist Bayek unfolded without slowing down or uncertainties.

Finally, we passed the test of The Division 2, Massive Entertainment’s third-person shooter co-ops, which allowed us to explore the streets of a Washington devastated by an epidemic that has collapsed all forms of government and of justice. The benchmark performed with the graphics quality set to Ultra at the resolution of 2560 × 1080 returned an average result of 55 FPS with GPU usage at 94% and CPU usage at 38%. During the gaming session the graphics engine was handled carefree during the most excited phases in the presence of explosions and particle effects, while the response to commands was brilliant and responsive.

The Legion Tower 5i with the hardware configuration that Lenovo gave us is in all respects considered a mid-range PC. By setting the resolution to Full HD with all details at maximum and RTX ON if possible, it performed very well and it was possible to play all the chosen titles without uncertainties and with sporadic slowdowns and without impact on usability overall. The low weight and the handle incorporated into the case make it easy to carry while the Lenovo Vantage software turned out to be a pleasant surprise and a welcome bonus for geeks who like to control and customize every aspect of their computer. The cooling of the 28 liter volume of the case is very efficient thanks to the Legion Coldfront system and the internal layout of the improved fans and fins.

It is a very quiet case and this feature also makes it suitable for production use. Additionally, the noise intensity can be configured via software with the ability to automatically set the maximum mode if a game is started. In this case, the configuration will revert to the original configuration as soon as the game is closed. The variety of light effects is a bit sparse, if on one side the rear fan is multi-colored and with various programmable effects, the internal cabinet lighting is monochrome. The CPU cooling consists of a fan installed obliquely on the radiator and being visible, thanks to the transparent panel, it is not aesthetically the best while the connectivity is sufficient and will guarantee the strict minimum.

In short, everything is perfect then? Unfortunately no: the price at which this version is offered is quite high compared to the hardware it offers and 1800 euros including tax for our build are far too demanding, especially given the GeForce 2060 GPU of 6 GB and a power supply of 400 watts. Ok the convenience of pre-assembly and warranty, but in this price range we expect at least an 8 GB 2070 and a power supply of at least 600 watts. We advise you to keep an eye on the Lenovo site for offers which may make you opt for the higher class versions or for a price reduction which makes this version more attractive.

Site that will put this solution on sale in Italy from August: if you are looking for a pre-assembled PC that alleviates the burden of scrupulous search for compatible hardware and tedious assembly, also by virtue of the extreme configurability that lets you choose from multiple configurations, this Lenovo solution may be right for you, but be prepared for a hefty expense.

Tech Specs :

Processor Up to 10th Gen Intel® Core™ i9-10900K
Operating System Windows 10 Pro
Graphics
  • Up to NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 2080 Super 8GB
  • Up to NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 2070 8GB
  • Up to NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 1660 Super 6GB
  • Up to AMD Radeon™ RX 5700XT 8GB
Memory Up to 64GB DDR4
Storage
  • Up to 2TB PCIe SSD
  • Up to 2TB or 2 x 2TB HDD
Power Supply Unit (PSU)
  • 650W: ES gold
  • 400W: ES gold
  • 350W: ES bronze
Audio Dolby Atmos® Gaming Effect
Motherboard CML B460 MATX MB
Volume 28L
Dimension (W X L X H) 457mm x 184.5mm x 455.8mm / 17.99″ x 7.26″ x 17.94″
Weight Starting at 12.5kg / 27.6lb
Color Phantom Black
WLAN
  • Intel® WiFi 6 (802.11 ax)
  • Intel® WiFi 5 (802.11 ax)
Bluetooth Bluetooth® 5.0
Front Ports
  • 2 x USB-C 3.2 (Gen 1)
  • Headphone / mic combo
Rear Ports
  • USB-C 3.2 (Gen 1)
  • 2 x USB-A 3.2 (Gen 1)
  • 2 x USB 2.0
  • RJ45 Ethernet

Actual I/O configuration is determined by graphic card selection.

Preloaded Software
  • Legion Vantage for Gaming
  • McAfee LiveSafe™
  • Microsoft 365 30-day trial
  • Microsoft LinkedIn
  • PowerDVD / Power2Go

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MSI MAG Infinite S3 13th Gen Review – Powerful and compact PC


MSI not only makes gaming laptops, but also pre-built PCs for a long time. The latest PC is equipped with new hardware. Is it an ideal PC for gamers? You can now read that in our MSI MAG Infinite S3 13th Gen review.

Although there are many different guides available online, building a PC yourself is a nerve-wracking task for many people. Even though it has become a lot safer and simpler over the years, you can seriously damage some parts. For example, if you bend one of the processors, you are far from home.

Fortunately, pre-built PCs have also improved greatly in recent years. Parts fit together much better. There are hardly any PCs anymore with a powerful video card and an extremely slow processor or vice versa. The premium you pay for having the PC assembled is also a lot lower compared to a few years ago.

This way you don’t have to struggle with all the parts and guides yourself. Plug in a power cable, connect the PC to a monitor and you can play games. It doesn’t get much more than this.

Hardware in balance

The fact that pre-builts nowadays have found a good balance when it comes to hardware is immediately clear with the MSI MAG Infinite S3. The version we received has an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 inside, combined with an Intel Core i7-13700F and 16GB of DDR5 RAM. No part causes any problems and the hardware can easily last for several years.

For example, the RTX 4070 can use DLSS 3. This means that you can not only benefit from the benefits of DLSS, the technology that allows you to adjust the resolution using AI, but also Frame Generation. This ensures that not only pixels are generated by AI, but complete frames. AI is sometimes questioned, but Nvidia knows how to use the technology very well.

Frame Generation has a huge impact on games that support it. In Cyberpunk 2077, for example, the frame rate went from 131 frames per second to 185 at 1440p and High Settings. Exploring a world like Night City in this way is very impressive, especially because of all the splendor on the high settings. After such an experience you will never want to go back to ‘only’ 60 frames per second on a console. More and more games are also being added that use DLSS 3, allowing Nvidia’s 4000 series to last even longer than usual.

Without Frame Generation support, you can already enjoy a strong performance on the MSI MAG Infinite S3. Below you can find the performance of the PC, where we have set the games to 1440p, High Settings and (where possible) DLSS Quality.

Game Min. FPS Avg. FPS
Cyberpunk 2077 91 185
Baldur’s Gate 3 79 108
DOOM Eternal 183 230
Horizon Zero Dawn 91 175
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart 199 229
Remnant II 98 132
Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands (no DLSS) 114 125

Can you upgrade the PC?

If there are parts that need to be replaced in the future, you do not have to immediately buy a completely new PC. Just like in a self-built PC, you can replace all parts.

The layout this time is also a lot more common than with other pre-built PCs from MSI. The cabinet looks sleek and modern from the side, including a piece of . Through the window you can admire the hardware in the cabinet with your own eyes. Only the front has a clear futuristic look that may not appeal to everyone.

The ‘conventional’ layout gives you enough space to replace the various parts, even though the complete cabinet is quite compact. You can easily place the PC on a desk or decide to place it underneath if you want to save space.

Adjust to your own taste

A gaming PC is of course not complete without RGB lighting and the MSI MAG Infinite S3 is therefore equipped with various LED lamps. However, MSI has held back this time. There is an RGB strip only on the front; the CPU cooler lights up when the PC is on. You can then use the MSI Center software to set which color or color combinations the LED lamps display. Of course, you can also turn it off completely.

The software also gives you other options. For example, you can set when they turn on and how hard they have to do their work, without having to delve into the BIOS yourself. There are also options to record gameplay footage, automatically adjust game settings and change color profiles.

Fair price

As mentioned earlier, the prices of pre-built PCs have become a lot better compared to self-built PCs. This is partly due to the rising price of individual parts, but also because manufacturers no longer attach a huge price tag to building PCs. You will of course save some time and hassle if you don’t have to assemble a PC yourself, but there is a limit to what that service is worth.

The MSI MAG Infinite S3 clearly follows the trend. For the option with the hardware we received, you have to pay 1,999 euros. That is of course not cheap, but if you find and assemble all the parts yourself, you will quickly spend somewhere between 1800 and 1900 euros.

The price of the PC is also very attractive compared to the competition. For pre-built PCs with similar specifications from other brands, you will spend 150 to 200 euros more in web shops.

MSI MAG Infinite S3 Review – Attractive total package

Gamers who want to enter the world of PC gaming for the first time or people who are looking for an upgrade for their current PC have come to the right place with the MSI MAG Infinite S3 13th Gen. You can get started right away when you start the PC and games run like a charm thanks to the powerful and well-balanced hardware.

The computer is also well future-proof, with support for DLSS 3 and a cabinet in which you can easily replace all hardware. The futuristic front may not be to everyone’s taste, but with these specifications and price – especially compared to the competition – the MSI MAG Infinite S3 is a very good deal.

  • Order the MSI MAG Infinite S3 here now!

9

The plus and minus points

  • Hardware well balanced
  • Enjoy gaming with DLSS 3
  • Future-proof
  • Good value for money

  • Front will not be to everyone’s taste

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Ξ TREND

Genshin Impact players can’t take it anymore and start an attack on developers with a ‘review bombing’ that also affects Honkai: Star Rail


It has had undeniable success in terms of downloads, income or ratings. However, Genshin Impact has always lived in tension. Since the game’s release, player criticism has been constant. A situation that has only worsened with the passage of time. The community accuses the developers of not responding to their requests or suggestions, refusing to accept errors or introduce improvements that have been requested for years. It is a controversy that has broken out on numerous occasions, leading to a ‘review bombing’ in the context of its first anniversary. Now we are approaching the third birthday and history seems about to repeat itselfalthough this time it includes an unexpected script twist.

Genshin Impact players attack HoYoverse

The controversy began because of the leaks. Early information on the third anniversary of Genshin Impact aim for disappointing rewards and points out that part of the content introduced by HoYoverse for this special date consists of a paid pack with uninteresting items. However, we cannot take full responsibility for this ‘leak’. All the community needed was the spark to ignite a full can of gasoline. The anger of the players has intensified over the last few months. They accuse the developers of not treating the game with the care it deserves, ensuring that the company treats its titles in the Honkai saga favorably.

The most obvious symptom of this situation is that It’s not just Genshin Impact that’s receiving negative reviews.. A good part of the users who want to participate in this ‘review bombing’ are attacking Honkai: Star Rail. If we see the most recent reviews in the Android store we can realize: “The company forgets about its other games”, “improve Genshin Impact” or “they want to remove last year’s free rewards for a paid package, what a scoundrel Give Genshin some more love, stingers.” These are just some of the criticism that the latest new HoYoverse game has received since September 5when the protests intensified.

The criticism comes on the heels of Genshin Impact receiving one of the biggest updates in its history, including a new zone and underwater exploration mechanics.

The reason players have brought their complaints to Honkai: Star Rail is that they consider that they receive a favorable treatment. It includes many quality of life improvements compared to Genshin Impact that players have been asking for years for the Teyvat-set title, offers more rewards to users, and responds more quickly and effectively to community feedback. A hateful comparison that does not take into account that the developers, although they are part of the same company, are independent teams. However, this situation together with controversial statements by the CEO of HoYoverse have given rise to the narrative of “there is a game that matters and another that does not”.

It is advisable to be prudent. Genshin Impact’s anniversary event has yet to be officially revealed and expectations are pretty high for Update 4.1 which will be presented in just a week. Despite everything, it is true that the title is going through one of the biggest crises in its history. The interest of the players is low and the income of the last ‘banners’ has been the lowest in the last year and a half. All this, just after the arrival of what has been the most important expansion in the last year. It seems clear that the game does need a change of course.

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Ξ TREND

Big Ben Shoot Active Gun Review


The Wii has a huge amount of accessories at its disposal. All kinds of third-party manufacturers develop these for the console. For example, an arsenal of attachments in the form of guns is also available for the shooters. Big Ben has now marketed a gun for such games, but is this a useful thing?

The third-party accessory manufacturers are busy with it. The Nintendo Wii offers all kinds of different games, which can be played with a different accessory. For example, there is the Nyko Wing for classic games and an attachment in the form of a steering wheel for racing games such as Mario Kart Wii.

Titles like House of The Dead: Overkill and Ghost Squad require the player to point the Wiimote at the screen and press the B button to shoot, but this doesn’t always prove to be very useful. That is why all kinds of manufacturers have set to work to develop an accessory that is as beautiful as possible, and above all as easy as possible, for these types of games. For example, Nintendo soon released the Wii Zapper, which accommodates both the nunchuk and the Wiimote.

Compact and handy
A disadvantage of the Wii Zapper could be that the attachment has to be held with two hands. Third-party accessory manufacturer Big Ben has now released a one-handed version of the Wii zapper. The Shoot Active Gun, as this accessory is called, is made in the form of a hand gun.

The beauty of the model can already be seen while it is still in the packaging. It is not overly large and the Wiimote actually disappears completely into the top of the gun. Big Ben has also taken into account the shape of the handle, because on both sides of the gun a section is provided with ribs, so that this attachment will not easily slip out of the player’s hands.

When the player has finally taken this gun out of its fully sealed packaging and holds it in his hands, the pleasant feeling of the handle immediately becomes clear. The fingers of the player have been taken into account. Big Ben has made three waves at the front of the handle, where the ring finger, middle finger and little finger should be placed. The thumb must be placed on the side above the handle, as with a real gun, and Big Ben has also set up a special place for this on the attachment. Furthermore, the gun can still be called very light, but then of course the Wiimote is not in it yet.

Safe and complete
In addition to the comfort for the player, Big Ben has also taken into account the damage that a flying Wiimote can make. The player snaps the Wiimote into the top of the gun, where there is a connector normally intended for the nunchuk. There is a notch in the front of the barrel where the B button will be located. At the end of the barrel is a rotatable part that the player can turn over the Wiimote when the Wiimote is placed in the attachment. As a result, the Wiimote can no longer shoot out of the attachment. All this is very easy to do, with no prying or wringing involved.

If the socket for the Wiimote’s nunchuk is occupied by the Wii Gun, you naturally wonder where the nunchuk should go. Big Ben has come up with a very easy solution for this. A connection has been made on the underside of the handle, to which the nunchuk can be connected. This allows the player to easily plug it in when needed, and remove it when the nunchuck is not in use.

This can be very useful, but also annoying in some games. There is still a cable between the gun and the nunchuk, because there is no room for a transmitter for the wireless nunchuk. Unfortunately, Big Ben has not taken this into account.

Handy and yet not
The Shoot Active Gun has, in addition to the external connection for the nunchuk, another handy solution, which should give the player a more realistic experience while playing. Because the B button, as mentioned earlier, falls into a kind of hole in the barrel, it connects to a sliding system. This is then connected to a real trigger, which you also encounter on a real gun. So when the player pulls it over, he’s actually pressing the B button on the Wiimote. In most shooters such as House of The Dead 2 & 3 Return and Ghost Squad, this button serves as a shoot button.

Because the trigger connects seamlessly to the B button, it works as smoothly as the button itself and only makes the playing experience more real. The only pity is that there is no extra button on the rifle, with which you can change weapons or reload in the meantime. These keys are located on the Wiimote, which is actually located at the top of the gun. The player will therefore have to use his other hand for the time being to operate these keys. This can be very inconvenient in some games, but hey, the gun remains an attachment and not a controller. And with most shooters, reloading is done by shaking the Wiimote, which means that you now simply move the gun back and forth.

Bang!
Big Ben has released a very handy attachment with the Shoot Active Gun, which makes playing games like House of the Dead: Overkill a whole new experience. This is mainly due to the built-in trigger, which connects seamlessly to the B button. The connection for the nunchuk at the bottom of the model is very easy, but the winding cable of the nunchuk can sometimes be annoying. Those who like shooters on the Wii and are still looking for a good accessory, do not have to think twice for the seven euros that this accessory costs.

8

The pluses and minuses