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ISSUE 258

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WELCOME
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MARTIN

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ts been quite a month for product launches, and this issue of

PC Advisor is packed with everything you need to know about
them. From Googles new virtual reality headset to its voiceactivated assistant, youll find all the details in our feature on page 76.
But while Googles Home speaker is yet to launch, Amazons Echo (and
Echo Dot) are already on sale. Its one of the most exciting new gadgets in
years and thanks to lessons learned during the time it has been on sale in
the US, the UK version is a much more polished and useful system. What
can it do? Just turn to page 48 to find out.
Youll also find reviews of Apples iPhone 7 (page 29), Googles Pixel XL
(page 77) and Sonys new Xperia XZ and X Compact (pages 32 and 34).
Again, theres something for everyone here: if you cant afford or dont
want a flagship phone, check out the best budget phones to buy on page
130. Things havent quite gone to plan for Samsung with the Note 7 (page
10). It initially recalled the first batch of phones and replaced them because
some batteries were catching fire or exploding, but further problems with
batteries in replacement handsets have led it to pull the Note 7 off the
shelves and completely discontinue the phone.
As well as new phones, weve hand-picked four of the best-value laptops
you can buy for around 550. At this mid-price you can expect many fewer
compromises than a true budget laptop, and the models from Lenovo, Acer,
Asus and MSI are all great buys. To find the best for you, turn to page 64.
The MSI is an entry-level gaming laptop, but theres no denying you get
more for your money with a PC. In fact, upgrading your PCs graphics card
can be an inexpensive way to boost performance and avoid having to buy
a whole new machine. We explain how to do this on page 112 and how the
latest generation of monitors can make games look even better (page 101).
We also dissect a graphics card on page 88, so you can see how they work.
Finally, dont miss our beginners guide to Windows PowerShell on page
106. Invest a little time in this powerful tool and youll discover that the
command line can still be useful in 2016.

What do you think of this issue of PC Advisor? We welcome feedback

email Jim Martin at [email protected] and include the
issue number in the subject heading

PC Advisor is published by IDG UK

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ISSUE 259 ON SALE 7 DECEMBER 2016

January 2017 www.pcadvisor.co.uk 3

003 Welcome 258.indd 3

27/10/2016 16:04

CONTENTS

NEWS & ANALYSIS
6

FEATURES & GROUP TESTS

COVER
FEATURE

Latest technology news

14 New Windows 10 preview

15 BBCs micro:bit computer
16 Intels revenue soars
17 Nadella talks LinkedIn
18 Hackers create IoT botnets
19 Boosting data transfer

REGULARS & OFFERS

3 Welcome
20 Subscribe
119 Software downloads zone
146 Outbox

64
64 GROUP TEST:
Best value laptops
76 G
oogles big launch
88 H
ow graphics cards work

REVIEWS

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22
25
27
29
32
34
36
39
42
44
46
48
50
52
54
55
56
57
58
60
62

96 Why you should try Linux

101 G
-Sync vs FreeSync
104 Meet Pixel

TEST
CENTRE

huwi HiBook Pro

C
Chuwi Hi10
Jumper EZBook Air
Apple iPhone 7
Sony Xperia XZ
Sony Xperia X Compact
Xiaomi Redmi Note 4
Xiaomi Redmi Pro
Huawei Nova
IMO S
Amazon Fire HD 8
Amazon Echo
Apple Watch Series 2
Synology RT1900ac
Yi 4K Action Cam
Devolo WiFi ac Repeater
Griffin Survivor
Omnicharge
DJI Osmo Mobile
Bitdefender Total Security 2017
Battlefield 1

BUDGET LAPTOPS
66
68
70
72

Acer S 13 S5-371
Asus ZenBook UX310UA
Lenovo Yoga 11 710
MSI GL62-6QC 065UK

25

6
50
34
4 www.pcadvisor.co.uk January 2017

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CONTENTS
GOOGLES BIG LAUNCH

76

HOW GRAPHICS CARDS WORK

88
6 REASONS TO TRY LINUX

MEET PIXEL

G-SYNC VS FREESYNC

96

101
119

64

HOW TO

TEST

ON THE COVER

CENTRE

106

TOP 5 CHARTS:
BUYERS GUIDE
121
122
123
124
125
126
128
129
130
131
132
134
135
136
137

76

48

Best laptops
Budget laptops
Ultraportable laptops
Chromebooks
Gaming laptops
Gaming PCs
All-in-one PCs
Smartphones
Budget smartphones
Phablets
Best tablets
Smartwatches
Activity trackers
Budget printers/Printers
Wireless routers/
Powerline adaptors
138 NAS drives/External hard drives
139 SSDs/Smart thermostats
140 Budget graphics cards/
Graphics cards
141 4K flat-panel TVs/
4K flat-panel displays
142 e-book readers/Media streamers
143 Games console/
Budget portable speakers
144 Budget headphones/Headphones
145 Power banks/Desktop chargers

106 Master Windows PowerShell

111 Shut down a PC at a set time
112 Install a graphics card
115 Know when your SSD will die
116 Work smarter in Excel

29, 32, 77

116

004_005 Contents 258.indd 5

104

January 2017 www.pcadvisor.co.uk 5

27/10/2016 16:14

NEWS
Keep up to date with PC Advisor news:
pcadvisor.co.uk/news

twitter.com/pcadvisor

facebook.com/pcadvisor

Microsoft announces slew of

new products at Windows event

youtube.com/pcadvisor

CHRIS
MARTIN

Brad Chacos reveals everything, from Windows 10 Creators Update to the Surface Mouse and keyboards
Microsofts recent big event included plenty
of new Surface hardware, but nevertheless,
its easy to see why the company called this a
Windows event rather than a Surface shindig.
Windows and devices chief Terry Myerson
(pictured) kicked things off with a tantalising
glimpse of the features that will debut
with the new Windows 10 Creators Update,
scheduled to release in the spring. The rest
of the event was dedicated to new Surface
gear designed specifically to marry powerful,
thoughtful hardware with the best of those
new software features.

Windows 10 Creators Update

As we said, the freshly revealed Windows
10 Creators Update, scheduled to arrive in
early 2017, kicked off the show. The update
is built around three key pillars: the creation
and manipulation of 3D content, sharing
your Xbox Live gaming experiences and
easily communicating with others.

Surface Studio
Microsofts first-ever desktop PC is the
paragon for all those Windows ideals. The
Surface Studio all-in-one mixes stunning
physical design and impressive internal
hardware, focused on creating the best

experience possible for professionals

and content creators. From an ultra-slim
4500x3000-pixel screen with True Scale
1:1 image recreation, to the ability to lay at a
20-degree angle for natural positioning while
sketching, to the sixth-generation (Skylake)
Core i7 CPU and Nvidia GPU powering it
all, the Surface Studio is laser-focused on
helping you get things done. (And showing
Surface Studio

off Windows in the best possible.) Prices

start at $3,000 at the time of writing no
UK price had been announced.

Surface Dial
The Surface Studios content-friendly design
and Windows 10s new content creation tools
are amplified by the Surface Dial, a radical
puck that can control Microsofts new PC. Its
primarily designed to work in conjunction
with Microsofts Surface Pen. Priced at $100,
the UK price has not yet been revealed.
The Surface Dial doesnt have any
buttons. Instead, using it reveals an interface
wheel customised for specific applications,
with selections occurring as you twist
the device back and forth. You may cycle
through tool-tip brushes in an image-editing
app, for instance, or rewind and fast-forward
through written notes in Office. A virtual
version of the Dial appears even if you dont
place the puck directly onscreen, letting you
zoom, scroll and adjust various options such
as screen brightness and volume.
Support will be baked right into Windows
10, and the accessory will be compatible with
the Surface Pro 3, Pro 4 and Surface Book.

6 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/news January 2017

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007 BT AD 258.indd 7

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News

Surface Book i7

files onto these contacts to immediately

share items, or click the contact to interact in
a specific app such as Skype or Xbox Live.

Live PC game streaming

Surface Book i7
Handily enough, Microsoft also revealed a
newer, more powerful version of the Surface
Book, the aptly named Surface Book i7.
It comes with a sixth-generation Skylake
Intel Core i7 processor and an Nvidia GTX
965M GPU to deliver twice the power of
the most potent original Surface Book.
The Redmond-based firm has also boosted
the Book i7s battery life to a claimed 15
hours, despite the additional firepower,
thanks to a redesigned cooling system
and, well, more batteries.
Microsoft revealed that prices will start
at $2,400, with UK cost to be announced.

Paint 3D
The Windows 10 Creators Update adds Paint
3D, a Windows Store app designed from
the ground up to create 3D images even
out of 2D pictures. The program includes
numerous tools for editing three-dimensional
images, and also integrates with a new
Windows 10 3D-scanning app dubbed
Windows Capture 3D, which allows you to
digitize real-world objects.
Microsoft also plans to introduce a
community hub on Remix3D.com for
shared 3D images, plus itll let you drag
your creations out of Minecraft. Office
Paint 3D

apps will also support 3D images after the

Windows 10 Creators Update rolls out.
You have to wonder how many nonprofessionals are interested in 3D image
creation, but theres no doubting that
Paint 3D looks mighty nifty and like a
perfect match for the Surface Studio and
Surface Dials capabilities.

Windows Holographic VR headsets

Youll be able to view those 3D creations
through Microsofts own HoloLens, or via
an onslaught of Windows Holographiccompatible VR headsets reportedly coming
from Dell, HP, Lenovo, Asus and Acer.
These headsets will be the first and only
to ship with inside-out, six-degree-offreedom sensors, Microsofts Terry Myerson
revealed. Unlike every other VR headset
on the market today, this means there will
be zero need for a separate room. Zero
need for a complicated setup.

My People
Microsoft wants to make your friends the
centre of your Windows experience with
My People, a feature that borrows from
Android and iOS. In the Creators Update,
five important contacts will appear as profile
images in your taskbar. Youll be able to drop

Microsoft is muscling in on Twitch. The

Windows 10 Creators Update adds the ability
to easily start broadcasting your Xbox Live
games via the OSs Game DVR toolbar,
sending notifications out to your friends
to let them know when youre online. Once
they hop into your stream theyll be able to
chat with you, as with every other streaming
service out there. The service is powered
by Microsofts recent Beam acquisition and
looks simple to use. Its easy to envision
Windows 10 Game DVR livestreaming
becoming popular on consoles, but the firm
faces an uphill battle on PCs, where Twitch
and tools such as Nvidia Shadowplay and
OBS already enjoy massive user bases.

Custom tournaments
and fancy audio
The firm is tying console and PC users
closer together with custom tournaments
powered by Xbox Lives Arena platform.
Next year, youll be able to create your own
custom gaming tournaments, controlling
everything from the games, to the rules, to
the players and the start times. Previously,
Area tournaments were only created by
Microsoft and its official partners.
The Xbox One S, which is itself powered
by Windows 10, is adding support for
bitstreaming Blu-ray audio passthrough and
Dolby Atmos. Soon, those 4K videos and
games will sound glorious.

Surface Mouse and keyboards

The niche Surface Dial isnt the only Studio
peripheral Microsoft announced, though
none of the others made it onto the stage.
The firm quietly launched a Surface Mouse
and a pair of desktop Surface keyboards
to complement its premium all-in-one
PC. All three match the grey aesthetic
of Microsoft first-ever desktop PC. The
Studio includes a Surface Mouse and
basic Surface Keyboard, however.

Live PC game streaming

8 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/news January 2017

006_008 News 258.indd 8

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News

Samsung kills off the Galaxy Note 7

to end the exploding battery debacle
Samsungs problems worsen after reports of replacement Note 7s catching fire. John Ribeiro reports

A sign at Singapores Changi Airport

advising against using a Note 7 on planes
Samsung has announced that it has stopped
production of its Galaxy Note 7. The phone
had been plagued with battery problems,
which caused fires and even explosions. The
company confirmed it is stopping production,
a day after it had advised carriers and retail
partners worldwide not to sell or exchange
replacement Note 7s.
Phone providers, including Vodafone, EE
and Three, had already announced that they
would stop offering exchanges after reports
of fires and explosions involving replacement
handsets. These included a report of a Note
7 catching fire on a Southwest Airlines flight.
Samsung had offered to give customers
the replacement phones as part of a recall
of around one million Note 7 smartphones.
Other countries, including the US and
Canada, had announced similar recalls.
It became evident that matters were
getting more difficult for the tech giant

when it was widely reported that Samsung

was considering temporarily halting
production of the replacement Note 7s. A
recent statement from the firm said it was,
temporarily adjusting the Galaxy Note 7
production schedule in order to take further
steps to ensure quality and safety matters.
Samsung has not disclosed which product
line will replace the Note 7. It appears that
customers will be able to get a refund or a
Galaxy S7 or S7 edge.
Samsung is doing whats needed here by
containing the damage to the Note 7 before
consumer fear spreads to other Samsung

products. Killing such an otherwisepromising product line is painful but perhaps

necessary for the long-term health of
the company, explained Bryan Ma, vice
president for devices research at IDC.
The firm still has its flagship
smartphones, the S7 and S7 edge, that
users can turn to, said Ma, who added that if
people are willing to switch from Android to
iOS, it could well benefit Apple. Users that
want to stick to Android have plenty of other
Android flagships to choose from, be it from
LG, HTC, Sony, Huawei or even Googles
recently launched Pixels.

It became evident that matters were getting more difficult for

the tech giant when it was widely reported it was considering
temporarily halting production of the replacement Note 7s

10 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/news January 2017

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News

Report: Google to sell its own

Android Wear watch in early 2017
The Made by Google push is set to continue with smartwatches, writes Derek Walter
Google is just getting started when it comes
to selling its own hardware. A report from
the usually accurate Evan Blass points to
a pair of Google-built watches that will
come early next year. Weve heard this
before, but we have a lot more context
now after attending the recent Made by
Google hardware event, where the company
showed off the Pixel, Daydream View
headset, Chromecast Ultra, Google Wifi and
Google Home (see page 76).

The tenor of the gathering and the new shift

by Google told us this wasnt a one-off event.
The firm has installed Rick Osterloh, the
former head of Motorolas mobile division, as
the new senior vice president of hardware.
Theres a dedicated Made by Google site
(madeby.google.com) that shows off all
the gear, further solidifying the idea that
hardware will be a major part of its strategy
going forward. Nearly every speaker at the
event talked about the companys services
and its desire to build a personal Google
for every user require a deep integration
between hardware and software.
Given all of this, a watch makes perfect
sense, particularly if its high-end and offers
the deep software integration weve heard
so much about. Android Wear has a lot of
catching up to do with the Apple Watch,
though. For Google to compete, it needs to
build a device that targets the same type of
features that Apple is banking on to drive
customers to the Series 2 watch (see page
50): a much brighter screen, GPS tracking,

Google watches
and waterproofing. Those, combined with a
lot of software innovation related to fitness
tracking, make the Apple Watch an ideal
companion for the health-conscious.
Other smartwatchmakers have hit the
pause button this year, likely given the delay
in Android Wear 2.0. It looks like a reboot of
sorts is wisely on the way.

was nowhere to be found at the Made by

Google event. And the rumour mill has gone
dark. Its all rather odd. The search giant
desperately needs a new, Googley tablet.
There arent many compelling Android
tablets out there. Plus, a new Pixel tablet
would give the firm the chance to get
the new Google Assistant out into more
hands and further drive people into its new
hardware ecosystem. Its certainly one of the
rumours that well want to watch as 2016
wraps up and we turn towards the new year.

A new tablet?
There were rumours earlier this year that
a Huawei-built tablet was coming. But it

For Google to compete, it needs to build a watch that

targets the same type of features that Apple is banking
on to drive customers to its new Series 2 watch

010_011 News 258.indd 11

IMAGE: ANDROID POLICE

Something new to wear

January 2017 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/news 11

27/10/2016 14:54

News

The Nintendo Switch is a radical,

Nvidia-powered console/handheld
Brad Chacos reveals the latest on Nintendos upcoming console

Nintendo has finally pulled back the curtain

on its long-rumoured NX gaming console,
and well, its not named the NX. And its
not really a console but it is, kind of?
Nintendos new device is interesting.
The Nintendo Switch blends together
traditional consoles and portable gaming
handhelds by pairing a Sony PSP-like slate
with the Nintendo Switch Dock. When youre
at home, the handheld slides into the dock
and you play games on your TV, just as
you would with any other console.
The Switch appears to double down on
Nintendos dual strengths of portable design
and damned fun games. And while AMD

Nintendo will offer an optional

traditional Switch Pro Controller

12 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/news January 2017

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News

but its another, more box-like Joy-Con

Grip controller that helps Nintendos
console live up to its name

If you want to take your games on the road, the

Joy-Con controllers on both sides of the Grip slide
off. You can then slip them onto the edges of the
slate and yank it out of the dock. Now the Nintendo
Switch is a gaming handheld, not a console

You can pull those Joy-Con

controllers off the edges and prop
the Switch upright thanks to a
stand on the back, using them as
wireless gamepads instead

won over the Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and

Wii U with its PC-like chips, the Switch turns
to Nvidias mobile Tegra chips which also
drive the superb Nvidia Shield console for
its power, buoyed by custom software and
hardware-accelerated video playback
That helps Nintendo avoid a graphical
arms race with the beefed-up, 4K-ready

You can also use the two Joy-Cons

as separate controllers in simple
multiplayer games, allowing two
people to easily leap into a quick
game of Mario Kart or NBA Live
Microsoft Xbox Scorpio and Sony PlayStation
4 Pro, but is that portable focus enough
to make Nintendos new console relevant?
You could buy only Nintendo games on
the comparatively underpowered Wii U
as well, and its been a major flop.
More questions abound. How much
will the Nintendo Switch cost? Do both

controllers come with the system? Will

the handheld get a graphical boost from
the dock? Will third-party developers
earnestly support the Nintendo Switch after
abandoning the companys last console? Is
the tablets screen touch-sensitive? Well
have all the answers to these and more, the
closer we draw to its March 2017 launch. J

012_013 News 258.indd 13

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NEWSANALYSIS

New Windows 10 preview adds

an iPhone Live Photos rival,
Windows Ink improvements
Oh, and it includes a Ubuntu update, too. (Its still weird writing that). Brad Chacos reports
he relentless march of Windows
10 Insider previews continues
with the release of build 14951
for PCs and Windows Phones. This latest
glimpse at the future of the operating
system reveals several interesting tweaks,
including a Microsoftian rival to the
iPhones Live Photos.
If you install Windows Insider build 14951
on a Surface Book, Surface Pro 4, Surface
Pro 3 or Surface 3, its revamped Camera app
can extend your still captures with a snippet
of video, writes Windows Insider boss Dona
Sarkar. After youve enabled Capture living
images in the Camera apps settings, the
feature kicks in automatically whenever the
subject of your pictures moving when you
click the Capture button.
Speaking of which, those capture buttons
receive a higher-contrast makeover in
this preview build, and you can dive into
Cameras settings directly from inside the
app. (Camera interface tweaks abound in
this build.) Youll also be able to set a timer
from the Camera dashboard and use the
spacebar to capture images on PCs.
Windows Insider build 14951 also adds new
Windows Ink improvements for manipulating
those images after theyre taken. Windows
10s native Photos app picked up Ink support
via a new Draw button, and it records your
scribbling steps so you can share your
marked-up pictures as videos if youd like.
The build also introduces Windows Ink
Stencils, starting with a new protractor
tool (pictured) that, according to Sarkar,
combines functions of both protractor
and compass into one now you can draw
an arc or a complete circle of an arbitrary
size with little effort. Windows Inks
ruler now displays the numerical value
of angles, as well.
The recent Windows 10 preview build
introduced advanced customisation for
precision touchpad gestures, and this
fresh release builds upon them with
volume control options and the ability to
tie touchpad gestures to the keyboard
shortcuts of your choosing.

Ink will allow you to add

comments to your photos

Windows 10 ink protractor

The Windows Subsystem for Linux
has been updated from Ubuntu 14.04 to
Ubuntu 16.04, as well. For a full list of
tweaks, improvements, and known issues

in Windows 10 Insider build 14951 these

releases always pack in a lot make sure
you read Microsofts announcement post
at tinyurl.com/zr8mpk3. J

After youve enabled Capture living images in the Camera

apps settings, the feature kicks in whenever the subject of
your pictures moving when you click the Capture button

14 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/news January 2017

014_015 Analysis 258.indd 14

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NEWSANALYSIS

BBC eyes worldwide expansion

for tiny educational computer
The Micro:bit Educational Foundation and the Raspberry Pi Foundation both support the
teaching of coding worldwide, but using very different computers, writes By Peter Sayer
new educational foundation hopes
to introduce children worldwide to
coding, using a tiny single-board
computer that has changed the way coding
is taught in schools across the country.
Youll have heard of the Raspberry Pi, a
29 computer the size of a credit card that,
with the addition of a monitor, keyboard and
mouse, can stand in for a desktop machine.
But this isnt about that. Its about
the UKs other single-board educational
computer, the micro:bit. This is smaller
and cheaper than the Raspberry Pi, and it
has a built-in keyboard and display, albeit
consisting of just two buttons and 25 red
LEDs arranged in a five-by-five grid. It was
developed for the BBC, which gave a million
of them to schools. Whereas the Raspberry
Pi resembles a low-powered, low-priced
PC, the micro:bit is more like an embedded
computer, encouraging children to develop
their own takes on the Internet of Things.
The tiny computer has already found
favour in Iceland, Norway, Singapore, and
the US, and now the BBC and its partners
in the project have created the Micro:bit
Educational Foundation to promote its
use in other countries.
The broadcaster will continue to
support micro:bit users in the UK, but the
independent foundation will also work to
enthuse and support young people on a
global scale as well, wrote the BBCs head
of learning, Sinead Rocks. It will also have
support from ARM, Microsoft, Nominet,
Samsung Electronics and the Institution
of Engineering and Technology.

The BBC, commissioned the micro:bit

single-board computer for a new
educational program that began in 2015
The Raspberry Pi Foundation, founded
in 2009, has a similar mission.
For ARM, at least, the story has come
full circle. The company was spun out
of Acorn Computers, which created the
microcomputer used in the BBCs first
educational computing initiative, in 1982.
After developing several generations of the
BBC Microcomputer, Acorn began designing
its own processor, then known as the Acorn
RISC Machine. Now a distant relative of that
processor, the 32-bit ARM Cortex M0, powers

IMAGE: BBC

the micro:bit. It runs at 16MHz, stores code

in 16kb of RAM, and communicates via a
Micro-USB port, a Bluetooth Low Energy
module, and three input-output ports that
can carry analogue or digital signals.
The original BBC Micro, in contrast,
had an eight-bit Motorola 6502 processor,
16- or 32KB of RAM, an analogue input,
and network, video, audio, and printer
ports. Its 32KB of ROM contained a BASIC
interpreter, and external storage was on
audio cassette. J

The micro:bit is smaller and cheaper than the Pi, and it has
a built-in keyboard and display, albeit consisting of just two
buttons and 25 red LEDs arranged in a five-by-five grid

January 2017 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/news 15

014_015 Analysis 258.indd 15

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News: Analysis

Intels revenue soars with help from PC group

but the company shifts its holiday forecast downward, reveals Mark Hachman
hough Intels PC group, data
centre and Internet of Things
(IoT) businesses helped drive the
firm to record revenue in its third quarter
of 2016, all eyes seemed focused on one
number: the companys fourth-quarter
forecast, which isnt great.
Intel achieved a 9 percent year-over-year
increase in profits, up to $3.4 billion, and a
9 percent increase in revenue as well, to a
record high of $15.8bn.
Unfortunately, its projections for fourthquarter revenues are slightly down: $15.7bn,
with some $500 million either way in terms
of wiggle room. Traditionally, Intel sees its
highest revenue in the fourth quarter, so the
numbers provide an indication of how the
holiday tech sales season is expected to go.
In all, it was the sort of topsy-turvy
earnings report not usually associated with
Intel:. The Client Computing Group, which
oversees Intels PC processors, reported
5 percent growth, which was higher than
expected. That flies in the face of continued
predictions that the PC market is in decline.
Intel also reported that revenue from its
enterprise businesses usually a strong,
stable sector hadnt quite met expectations.

The PC stands out

Intel executive Stacy Smith, in his final
quarter as Intels chief financial officer,
commented on the Client Computing
Groups surprise growth to $8.9bn:

Everything went right: they had phenomenal

growth, they had unit costs coming down,
they were making prudent disinvestment
decisions. Smith added, When you add all
that up, they become a real cash and profit
driver for the company.
Intel executives didnt talk much about
the companys products, let alone specifics.
The firms next frontier is 3D XPoint though,
which executives hope could one day replace
the flash memory technology used in todays
SSDs, and update computer memory as well.
Intel executives said that samples were
being given to customers, who will begin
qualifying the next-generation memory

The blue represents wires, the yellow

a selector and the green a single
bit of data in Intel and Microns 3D
XPoint pervasive memory
technology at the end of this quarter.
(Qualification is a testing process to ensure
a number of things, including the viability
of the technology and its compatibility
with customers existing products.) Brian
Krzanich, Intels chief executive, said that
sales of the products would begin in 2017
and increase throughout the year. As Intel
ramps up production, 3D XPoints costs
should decrease, he added. J

Seagate unveils the worlds largest tiny hard drive

Seagate pushes the 2.5in drive needle all the way to 5TB. Gordon Mah Ung reports
raditional hard drives might take a
back seat to SSDs when it comes
to sex appeal, but when it comes
to space on the cheap, Seagates BarraCuda
line will turn heads. The firm recently
announced two new drives: one of which is
the largest-capacity 2.5in drive.
The BarraCuda ST5000 pushes the
capacity limit from the previous 4- to 5TB,
and will be priced around $85 (TBC).
Seagate says the drive uses the companys
1TB-per-platter design that it unveiled at
CES in January 2016. The same drive is
also available in 4- and 3TB models. All are
5400rpm drives with 128MB of cache and
a two-year warranty. Power consumption is
rated at 2.1W under load and 1.1W while idle.

Before you consider putting one of these

in your laptop, note that the 5-, 4- and 3TB
BarraCuda drives are 15mm thick. While
they might squeeze into some larger gaming
laptops, their primary target is superthin
all-in-ones that cant accommodate full-size
3.5in desktop drives.
Seagate also announced
a new 5400rpm BarraCuda
ST2000LM015 drive that
conforms to the smaller 7mm
standard used by many laptops.
Unfortunately, that drive doesnt
move the ball any further down
the field, maxing out at 2TB.
Thats one area where hard
drive makers seem to be losing

to SSD makers, which dont have to contend

with as many mechanical limitations.
Samsung, in fact, holds the record for the
largest consumer SATA drive with its 4TB
850 Evo SSD that fits into a 7mm case.
Of course, when it comes
to value, theres no question:
Samsungs EVO 850 4TB SSD
is about 1,400. The 7mm
2TB BarraCuda is around
60, Seagate officials say.
Although some people
argue that hard drives are
dead, for those who want to
get the most capacity for the
least amount of cash theyre
still very much alive. J

16 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/news January 2017

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News: Analysis

Microsofts Nadella takes on privacy

fears about LinkedIn and Cortana
Microsofts growing role as a data aggregator gets attention at Gartner conference. By Patrick Thibodeau
icrosoft CEO Satya Nadella
(pictured) faced sharp questions
from Gartner analysts recently
about the privacy-invading implications of
its $26.2 billion acquisition of LinkedIn, and
its all-knowing virtual assistant, Cortana.
Helen Huntley, one of the Gartner
analysts questioning Nadella, was pointed
about the fears. Cortana, she said, knows
everything about me when Im working.
She knows what files Im looking at, she
knows what Im downloading, she knows
when Im working, when Im not working.
Cortana is big brother intersected... with
productivity, she added.
Nadella countered this with his own
question: How does one build trust in
technology? He called it one of the
most pressing issues of our time.
Cortana will operate on four pillars,
which include keeping data secure, as
well transparency, meaning that users will
know exactly what Cortana knows, Nadella
revealed. There is also an ability to turn
off data access. The fourth pillar is to be
compliant with regulations, he added.
Microsofts CEO was appearing via video
link from the firms Redmond headquarters.
He was scheduled to appear in person, but a
back injury kept him from flying. When you
turn 49 dont act 19 in the gym, he warned,
to the amusement of an audience consisting
mostly of people in their middle years.
With LinkedIn, Huntley, who was asking
questions in tandem with fellow analyst
Chris Howard, was pointed once again:
What are you going to do to our data?
We are just custodians of that data,
Nadella explained. The only data the

company has access to is when users allow

it for the purpose of adding value to it, he
said. He gave the example that someone
can be much more prepared for a meeting
if their calendar includes LinkedIn profile
links of attendees. A users news feed can
also be shaped to include information about
meeting participants. Those are natural
points of integration, he explained.
This ability to integrate with LinkedIn, said
Nadella, will not be exclusive of Microsoft
but available to everyone. Allowing
integration will help make LinkedIn grow.
The CEO also defended Microsoft as an
open company. Windows is the most open
platform there is, he argued.
But asked how the firm will work with
competitors on platforms such as Azure,
Nadella turned philosophical. That knowledge

comes maybe with middle age a point at

which one becomes comfortable with what
I would say are complex relationships. A
gentle laugh rolled through the audience.
In response to questions about how
Artificial Intelligence will interact with users,
he talked about Microsofts pursuit of AI,
but not the specifics.
There is still a dark side, said Howard, of
AI. There is a risk of an over-mediated life.
But, as he did with privacy, Nadella
worked to calm concerns and argued that AI
will augment human capability, not replace it.
It looks like they have a vision for the
future, said one attendee, Steve Edmonson,
a CIO with a Chicago governmental
organisation. But with respect to AI,
Microsofts CEO didnt talk about where
that is really headed. J

January 2017 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/news 17

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GERD ALTMANN/PIXABAY

News: Analysis

Hackers create more IoT

botnets with Mirai source code
The number of IoT devices infected with the Mirai malware has reached 493,000, reveals Michael Kan
alware that can build botnets
out of IoT products has gone on
to infect twice as many devices
after its source code was publicly released.
The total number of IoT devices
infected with the Mirai malware has
reached 493,000, up from 213,000 bots
before the source code was disclosed
around 1 October, according to internet
backbone provider Level 3 Communications.
The true number of actual bots may
be higher, Level 3 said in a recent post.
Hackers have been taking advantage
of the Mirai malwares source code,
following its role in launching a massive
DDOS (distributed denial-of-service)
attack that took down the website of
cybersecurity reporter Brian Krebs.
Unlike other botnets that rely on PCs,
however, Mirai works by infecting internetconnected devices such as cameras
and DVRs that come with weak default
usernames and passwords.

Since Mirais source code was released,

hackers have been developing new variants
of the malware, according to Level 3. It has
identified four additional command-andcontrol servers associated with Mirai activity
coming online soon. About half of the
infected bots Level 3 has observed resided
in either the US or Brazil. More than 80
percent of them were DVR devices.
Many of the DDOS attacks are used
against game servers and residential IP
addresses, Level 3 said. We have observed
several attacks using more than 100Gb/s
of traffic, it said. Large armies of bots
participated in attacks, with several using
over 100,000 bots against the same victim.

A few vendors that produce devices

vulnerable to Mirai are encouraging their
customers to take steps to mitigate the risk.
Sierra Wireless, for instance, has issued a
bulletin, advising users to reboot one of their
products and change the default password.
However, its unclear if other vendors are
taking any steps to do the same. Security
firm Flashpoint has identified Chinese
company Hangzhou Xiongmai Technology as
another maker of DVR products susceptible
to the Mirai malware. Potentially, half a
million devices from the company are
vulnerable partly due to their unchangeable
default passwords, according to Flashpoint.
But Xiongmai has not commented on this. J

Unlike other botnets that rely on PCs, however, Mirai works

by infecting internet-connected devices such as cameras and
DVRs that come with weak default usernames and passwords

18 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/news January 2017

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News: Analysis

Tech supergroups formed to push PC

data transfers to blazing-fast speeds
Two newly formed consortia propose specifications to bring unprecedented boosts
to data transfers inside and outside of computers. Agam Shah reports
omputational workloads are
growing, and processors, memory,
and storage are getting faster at
a blazing pace. Emerging technologies could
leave computers choking for bandwidth.
The potential chokepoint worries
companies including Google, IBM, Samsung
and Dell, which are moving to remedy the
problem. New specifications from two new
consortia will bring data unprecedented
boosts in data transfer speeds to computers
as early as next year.
OpenCAPI Consortiums connector
specification will bring significant bandwidth
improvements inside computers. OpenCAPI,
announced Friday, will link storage, memory,
GPUs and CPUs, much like PCI-Express 3.0,
but will be 10 times faster with data speeds
of 150GB/s (gigabytes per second).
Memory, storage and GPUs will keep
getting faster, and OpenCAPI will keep
computers ready for those technologies,
Brad McCredie, an IBM fellow, said recently.
Graphics processors are now handling
demanding applications such as virtual
reality, artificial intelligence and complex
scientific calculations. Also in the wings
are superfast technologies, including 3D
XPoint, a new type of storage and memory
technology that can be 10 times faster than
SSDs and 10 times denser than DRAM.
Servers and supercomputers will be
the first to get OpenCAPI slots and could
trickle down to PCs in a few years.
The first OpenCAPI ports will be on
IBMs Power9 servers, which are due
next year. Google and Rackspace are also
putting the OpenCAPI port on their Zaius
Power9 server.
AMD, a member of OpenCAPI Consortium,
is making its Radeon GPUs compatible with
OpenCAPI ports on Power9 servers.
But dont expect OpenCAPI immediately
in mainstream PCs or servers, most of
which run on x86 chips from Intel and AMD.
AMD, for now, isnt targeting OpenCAPI at
desktops and wont be putting the ports in
x86 servers, a spokesman said.
Intel isnt a member of OpenCAPI,
which is a big disadvantage for the group.
There are no major issues that should stop
the company from becoming a member,
though it would have to make changes to
its I/O technologies.

OpenCAPI is promising, but computers

will need many changes to take advantage.
Motherboards will need to implement
specific OpenCAPI slots on motherboards,
and components will need fit in the slot.
That could add to the cost of making
components, most of which are made
for PCI-Express.
OpenCAPI is an offshoot of the CAPI
port developed by IBM, which is already
used in its Power servers. In the future,
there may be bridge products to ensure
components made for the PCI-Express
plug into the OpenCAPI slot, McCredie said.
A second consortium, called Gen-Z,
announced a new protocol focused on
increasing data transfer speeds mostly
between computers, but also inside of them
when needed. The protocol, announced
earlier this week, will initially be targeted
at servers but could bring fundamental
changes to the way computers are built.
The consortium boasts big names
including Samsung, Dell, Hewlett Packard
Enterprise, AMD, ARM and Micron.
Right now, computers come with memory,
storage, and processors in one box. But the
specification from Gen-Z, which is focused
heavily on memory and storage, could
potentially decouple all of those units into
separate boxes, establishing a peer-to-peer
connection between all of them.
Gen-Z is also focused on making it easier
to add new types of nonvolatile memory
such as 3D XPoint, which can be used as
memory, storage or both. Many new types
of memory technologies under research are
also seen as DRAM and SSD replacements.
Larger pools of storage, memory and
processing technologies can be crammed
in the dedicated boxes, and Gen-Z could be
particularly useful for server installations.
Gen-Z is designed to link large pools of
memory and storage with processors like
CPUs and GPUs in a data centre, revealed
Robert Hormuth, vice president and server
chief technology officer at Dell EMC.
Having memory, storage and processing
in discrete boxes will be beneficial for
applications like the SAP HANA relational
database, which is dedicated to in-memory
processing. Most servers max out at 48TB
of DRAM, but a decoupled memory unit will
give SAP HANA more RAM to operate.

But there are challenges. The decoupled

units need to handshake in real-time and
work together on protocol support and
load balancing. Those functions have been
perfected in todays servers with integrated
memory and storage.
To achieve that real-time goal, Gen-Z
has developed a high-performance fabric
that provides a peer to peer interconnect
that easily accesses large volumes of data
while lowering costs and avoiding todays
bottlenecks, according to the consortium.
The data transfer rate can scale to 112GT/s
(gigatransfers per second) between servers.
For comparison, the upcoming PCI-Express
4.0 will have a transfer rate of 16GT/s per
lane inside computers, and data transfers
in computers are usually faster.
Gen-Z is generally a point-to-point
connector for storage and memory at the
rack level, but it can be used inside server
racks. Its not intended to replace existing
memory or storage buses in servers,
Hormuth said.
OpenCAPI and Gen-Z claim their protocols
are open for every hardware maker to adopt.
However, there will be challenges in pushing
these interconnects to servers.
For one, the server market is dominated
by x86 chips from Intel, which isnt a
member of either of the new consortia.
Without support from Intel, the new
protocols and interconnects could struggle.
Intel sells its own networking and fabric
technology called OmniPath, and also sells
silicon photonics modules, which use light
and lasers to speed up data transfers and
connect servers at the rack level. J

January 2017 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/news 19

018_019 Analysis 258.indd 19

27/10/2016 15:55

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DVDRW. J Andrew Williams

REVIEWS
TABLET

172 inc VAT

Chuwi HiBook Pro

Contact
n

en.chuwi.com

Specifications

10.1in (2560x1600, 298ppi)

16:10 IPS display; dualboots Windows 10 Home
64-bit and Android 5.1
Lollipop; 1.44- to 1.84GHz
Intel Atom X5 (Cherry Trail)
Z8300 quad-core 64-bit
processor; Intel HD
graphics; 4GB DDR3L RAM;
64GB storage; microSD
support up to 64GB; 2Mp
front camera; 5Mp rear
camera; 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi;
Bluetooth 4.0; USB-C;
Micro-USB; Micro-HDMI;
3.5mm headphone jack;
mic; dual speakers;
8000mAh battery with
3A quick-charging
technology over USB-C;
262x167.5x8.5mm; 550g

Build:
Features:
Value:
Performance:

Chuwi has a range of Windows

tablets under 200 that can be
docked to a magnetic keyboard
to turn them into budget laptops.
The HiBook Pro is very similar to
the Hi10 Pro we review on page 25.
Its around 30 more expensive,
but comes with a higher-capacity
battery, a Quad-HD screen and a
5- rather than 2Mp rear camera.
The two are very similar in size
and weight. A key difference is that
the Hi10 Pro supports an active
electronic stylus (sold separately).
Youd also struggle to tell the
difference between this HiBook
Pro and the standard HiBook, with
the only real difference being the
larger-capacity battery (8000mAh
versus 6000mAh) and higherresolution screen (the standard
HiBook has a 1920x1200 display).
All three feature the Intel
Atom X5 Z8300 quad-core 64-bit
processor, 4GB of DDR3L RAM and
64GB of storage, with microSD
support for expansion. In terms of
performance there is very little to

separate these Chuwi laptops, so

your choice will likely come down
to whether you want the higherresolution screen and whether
you need a stylus.
All three tablets also dual-boot
Android, opening up a world of
software you cant get on Windows,
though the two HiBooks run
standard Android 5.1 Lollipop and
the Hi10 Pro runs a custom version
with the Remix 2.0 UI. We prefer

Price
Chuwi tablets are sold in the UK
via grey-market importers such as
GearBest. You can buy this Chuwi
HiBook Pro for 172, the Chuwi
Hi10 Pro for 146, and the standard
Chuwi HiBook for 154. The optional
keyboard dock, which we thoroughly
recommend, costs an additional 29.
If you are buying from China,
note that you may be asked to pay
import duty (around 30) upon its

With a slim grey metal build and chamfered edges,

the Pro looks more expensive than it is, and it feels
well made with no rough edges or creaking parts
vanilla Android, given the option
and wed also like to see a newer
version of Android given that were
now up to Android 7.0 Nougat. Still,
some Android is better than no
Android, and youre probably more
likely to use the Chuwi as a Windows
10 device in any case.

arrival to the UK, though GearBest

(gearbest.com) offers free shipping
if youre prepared to wait a couple of
weeks for your tablet to arrive.

Design
You might be paying under 200
for this tablet, but you wouldnt

22 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/reviews January 2017

022_024 Chuwi HiBook Pro 258.indd 22

26/10/2016 15:05

REVIEWS
know it to look at it. With a slim grey
metal build and chamfered edges,
the HiBook Pro certainly looks more
expensive than it is, and it feels
well made with no rough edges or
creaking parts. The only giveaways
to its budget price are flaws of all
Chuwi tablets: chunky screen bezels,
a magnetism for fingerprints and
legends on the rear for the various
ports and core specifications.
Well start with the screen, since
this is the key difference between
the HiBook and HiBook Pro. Its a
10.1in, 2560x1600 panel with a 16:10
aspect ratio that is well-suited to
watching video. The standard model
has the same size screen, but a
lower resolution of 1920x1200 pixels.
The HiBook Pros screen is much
sharper than that of the HiBook, but
with more pixels crammed in to the
same area youll find text and icons
are significantly smaller. Youll more
than likely want to increase their
size in Windows settings.
Chuwi uses IPS technology,
which offers bright, realistic
colours and strong viewing angles.
The latter is aided by the use of a
fully laminated OGS screen, which
puts very close together the touch
panel and screen glass.
The display isnt the brightest
weve seen, and you may struggle to
use it in direct sunlight especially
with greasy finger smears all over its
surface. For most usage scenarios,
though, it is bright enough.
The HiBook Pro is a little larger
and heavier than the HiBook thanks
to its higher-capacity 8000mAh
battery, but its actually thinner at
8.5mm rather than 8.8mm. When
used as a tablet the HiBook Pro
weighs 550g, but docked to the
keyboard the weight doubles to just
over a (still easily portable) kilo.
We recommend purchasing the
keyboard if you will be using the
HiBook Pro for productivity tasks.
It docks to the tablet with a sturdy
magnetic hinge that can prop up the
Chuwi at a comfortable angle, and
we like the fact it doesnt need to be
separately charged.
Its a US keyboard, but it has
reasonably large, well-spaced keys
and is comfortable to type on, given
its size. Its fairly quiet in use, and
makes typing on a tablet much
quicker and easier.
Usefully, the keyboard adds two
full-size USB ports to the tablet. The
HiBook Pro has a good complement

of ports, but none of which are

full-size USB, which means you will
otherwise need an adaptor to plug
in a USB mouse or hard drive.
Connections are found on the
Chuwis left edge. Theres a 3.5mm
headphone jack that sits just above
a Micro-HDMI port and a mic, then
Micro-USB, USB-C and a microSD
card slot. The HiBook and HiBook
Pro support up to 64GB via microSD,
while the Hi10 Pro can accommodate
128GB. Both also support 802.11b/g/n
Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0. Theres no
GPS, NFC or a cellular connection.
Youll need to use the USB-C
rather than Micro-USB connection
for charging the Chuwis battery,
which supports a fast 3A charge.
This means you can fill the Chuwi
in three- to four hours when using
a compatible fast charger. Although
it has a larger battery than the
Hi10 Pro and HiBook, the HiBook
Pro also has a more power-hungry
screen. Expect between six- and
eight hours use from all three of
these tablets, give and take a little
depending on your usage.
As with the other models in the
range, stereo speakers are found low
down on the left- and right edges
of the Chuwi, which means they are
poorly placed when used in tablet
mode and can easily be muffled by
your hands. Thats not great, given
that they arent especially loud and
can be rather tinny to begin with.
Still its a minor criticism of a tablet
that has a lot to offer.
In common with the standard
HiBook there is a 5Mp camera at the
rear and 2Mp at the front (the Hi10

Pro has a 2Mp camera front and

rear). It will suffice for video calls,
but we cant imagine you having
much use for the rear camera even
given its higher megapixel rating.
Every tablet in Chuwis range
has the same core hardware
setup, and it matches that of
other cheap Windows laptops
such as the Jumper EZBook Air.
You get an Intel Atom X5
Cherry Trail chip the Z8300
a quad-core processor clocked
at 1.44GHz but able to boost to
1.84GHz when required. This is
paired with 4GB of DDR3L RAM
and 64GB of flash (eMMC) storage.
Youd therefore expect very
similar performance between
models, and that is largely what
you get. This HiBook Pro didnt
perform as well as its brothers in
our graphics tests merely because
we use the onscreen versions of
GFXBench and it has a much higherresolution screen. This may well
have been behind its slightly lower
performance in our other tests, too.

Performance
We run PCMark 8 Home, Geekbench
4 and GFXBench to get an idea on
performance. The Chuwi HiBook Pro
reported 940 points in PCMark8,
which is around 100 points lower
than the HiBook and Hi10 Pro.
A proper budget laptop might
record double this score, such as the
300 Asus X55LA, which recorded
2028 points. Tablets typically dont
score as highly as laptops, of course,
and the more expensive Asus
Transformer T100HA scored only

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Reviews

1338 points in this test. The HiBook

Pro also gave a lower performance
in Geekbench 4, scoring 2076
points against the 2144 of the Hi10
Pro. (We benchmarked the HiBook
using Geekbench 3, which is not
comparable with Geekbench 4.) As a
guide, Geekbench 4 uses a baseline
score of 4000 points set by the
Intel Core i7-6600U, meaning the
Atom chip inside the Chuwi tablets
is roughly half as fast.
That might sound disappointing,
but its in real-world situations
where performance can be more
accurately assessed. The HiBook
Pro is more than capable for
productivity tasks such as working
in Word and Excel, for browsing
the web, for typing up emails, for
browsing social media and for
watching video. You wouldnt expect
to be able to do much in the way of
multitasking on this tablet, but lag
was never an issue in our tests.
One thing you wont want to use
the Chuwi HiBook Pro for is gaming,
or at least not intensive gaming.
Its Quad-HD screen slowed it down
significantly in our graphics tests,
meaning that it scored just 10fps in
T-Rex and 4fps in Manhattan. Weve
seen sub-100 phones do a better
job of those tests. To be fair, when
running GFXBenchs offscreen tests
the Chuwi HiBook Pro fared much
better, and we recorded 22fps in
T-Rex and 9fps in Manhattan.

Geekbench 4

GFXBench Manhattan

GFXBench T-Rex

PCMark 8

Software
It might be called the HiBook Pro,
but this Chuwi runs Windows 10
Home 64-bit, which it dual-boots
with Android. Unfortunately its
old Android Lollipop (version 5.1
were now up to 7.0 Nougat), which
reinforces the feeling that its there
as something of an afterthought.
Youll more than likely use the
Chuwi HiBook Pro running Windows
10, which is much more up to date
and better suited to productivity
tasks. However, we like the fact that
you can also use Android if you wish
to, since there are a great many
more apps available in Google Play
then there are in the Windows Store.
When you boot up the tablet you
are asked whether you want to boot
into Android or Windows, and you
can use either the volume button
on the tablet or arrow keys on the
keyboard to make your choice, then
press the power button or Enter key
to select. If you dont make a choice

the tablet will boot into the last

operating system you used.
If you have already booted the
HiBook Pro you can switch from
Android to Windows by pulling down
the notification bar and tapping
Switch to Windows, or from Windows
to Android by double-clicking the
desktop shortcut. Note that it must
reboot to enter the other operating
system, so it isnt a two-second
affair and you should save any
work in progress before doing so.
The tablets 64GB of storage
is split between the two operating
systems, with the Chuwi reporting
44.1GB available to Windows and
9.72GB to Android. The maths
doesnt quite add up there, but the
Android partition doesnt appear
to account for the OS itself, so we

suspect the split is actually 50GB to

Windows and 16GB to Android.
Of the 44.1GB assigned to
Windows only around 18GB was free
after installing our benchmarks, and
around 9.7GB to Android. At least
when using Windows you will likely
want to make use of the microSD
slot, attach a USB hard drive or
use cloud storage before too long.

Verdict
Chuwis tablets are not the fastest
Windows machines you can buy,
but they make excellent portable
computers if youre on a budget.
With its Quad-HD screen and fast
USB-C charging, the HiBook Pro
is a very good cheap option. We
recommend you also buy the
optional keyboard. J Marie Brewis

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TABLET

128 inc VAT

Chuwi Hi10 Pro

Contact
n

en.chuwi.com

Specifications

10.1in full-HD (1920x1200,

16:10, 350nits brightness)
IPS touchscreen; Windows
10 Home 64-bit, Android 5.1
Lollipop-based Remix OS;
1.44GHz Intel Atom X5
(Cherry Trail) Z8300 quadcore; Intel HD Graphics;
4GB RAM; 64GB flash
storage; microSD card
support up to 128GB; USBC; Micro-USB; Micro-HDMI;
2Mp/2Mp front and rear
cameras; 802.11b/g/n;
Bluetooth 4.0; 3.5mm
headphone jack;
6500mAh battery;
261.8x167.3x8.5mm; 562g
Keyboard:
267x174x18mm; 545g
Stylus: 256 levels of
pressure sensitivity;
110mAh battery;
139x9x9mm; 15g

Build:
Features:
Value:
Performance:

The Chuwi Hi10 Pro is a cheap

tablet that dual-boots Windows 10
and Android Lollipop and to which
you can add a stylus and keyboard
to turn it into a cheap portable
laptop. But is it any good?

Price
You wont find a Windows 10 tablet
much cheaper than this, with the
Chuwi Hi10 Pro currently costing
128 at GearBest (gearbest.com).
The optional keyboard dock (a
recommended purchase) is an extra
29, also from Gearbest, while the
HiPen H2 stylus can be bought from
Geekbuying (geekbuying.com) for
11.16. Thats a total price of 169,
but note that you could be asked
to pay import duty upon its arrival
to the UK that would take the total
price closer to 200.
Buying products from China
typically returns huge savings,
but you should always take into
account the risks. Products can
take several weeks to arrive,
depending on which shipping option
you select, and if they are faulty
youll have the hassle of returning
them at your cost and dealing with
customer services in a non-EU
country with different legislation.

Design
You might be paying less than
200, but you wouldnt think it to
look at Chuwis range of Windows

10 hybrids. In common with its

brothers, the Hi10 Pro has a full
metal build with chamfered edges
that is reasonably stylish and feels
built to last.
There are some giveaways of
its budget roots, for example some
rather thick screen bezels, a display
that attracts fingerprints and some
unsightly legends on the rear, but on
the whole build quality is good.
The display, bar the fingerprint
issue, is among the highlights, an
IPS panel with a full-HD resolution
of 1920x1200 pixels. Its clear and
bright enough in all but the sunniest
conditions, and its 16:10 aspect ratio
is well suited to media. Colours are
realistic and viewing angles are
good; perhaps more importantly,
at 10.1in on the diagonal it makes
for a very portable laptop.
The Hi10 Pro measures
261.8x167.3x8.5mm and weighs
562g, making it easy to slip into
a bag and carry wherever you
want. Adding the keyboard roughly
doubles the weight, but its still an
easily portable package.
This tablet-laptop hybrid is the
Pro version of the older Chuwi

Hi10. We havent reviewed that

device, but from what we can
understand this is a thinner version
that swaps full-size USB 2.0 and
USB 3.0 ports for a faster-charging
and reversible USB-C port. Both
tablets also feature Micro-USB and
Micro-HDMI ports, though only the
USB-C port will charge the Hi10 Pro
(youd be better off using this port
for charging since it supports 3A
even if you had the choice).
As a result of the slimmer
build (8.5- versus 9.5mm) an
insignificant 100mAh has been
knocked off the battery, which is
not enough to make a huge impact
on runtime. Whereas you could get
around eight hours from the Hi10,
according to Chuwi, the Pro can still
offer a good seven hours-plus, which
should get you through the working
day. The Pro version also adds the
HiPen H2 stylus support.
Despite the Pro moniker its
running Windows 10 Home rather
than Pro, though this version of the
Hi10 does also boot into Android.
Its geriatric Android 5.1 Lollipop,
customised with the colourful Remix
2.0 UI, but we like the fact it opens

The Hi10 Pros screen is clear and bright

enough in all but the sunniest conditions, and
its 16:10 aspect ratio is well suited to media
January 2017 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/reviews 25

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the door to a range of third-party

software options that are otherwise
not available in Windows 10.
Chuwi supplied to us the
compatible keyboard and stylus,
which are otherwise paid-for
optional extras. The HiPen H2 is
an active electronic stylus, which
means it wont work with tablets
that dont support it and must
be turned on for the Hi10 Pro to
recognise it, though it is quick to
charge via the Micro-USB port at
one end and easy to click on and off.
We like the thin nib, which makes
handwriting more accurate and
legible, while Chuwi says its also
good for drawing artwork onscreen
if you have the talent. If you use the
Edge browser or OneNote app built
into Windows 10, youll appreciate
the stylus for taking advantage of
Edges ability to annotate web pages
and for making quick handwritten
notes in OneNote if nothing else.
The stylus supports 256 levels
of pressure sensitivity, though
we were possibly pushing a little
too hard since its rubber tracks
were visible on the panel when we
switched off the display.
The keyboard is of greater use
to us, a magnetic docking version
that is powered by a connection on
the tablet, meaning you dont need
to remember to keep it topped up.
The hinge is very sturdy, and does
a good job keeping the Hi10 Pro
propped up at a comfortable angle
in laptop mode, without allowing
it to tip back so far that the Chuwi
becomes unstable.
The keyboard also adds two
full-size USB ports to the tablet,
which will come in handy if you want
to plug in a USB drive or mouse,
though the one-piece trackpad
built into this keyboard is an
improvement over that of the Chuwi
Hi12 and nowhere near as erratic.
This is a US keyboard, which
is annoying for UK users, but
its comfortable to type on with
reasonably large and well spaced
keys. It makes tapping out emails
and documents much easier than
using the onscreen keyboard, and as
such wed highly recommend it as an
additional purchase for the Hi10 Pro.
The only real problem we found
with the build is the stereo speakers,
which are low down on either side of
the tablet and easily muffled by the
hand when used as a tablet rather
than a laptop. Theyre also not as

Geekbench 4

GFXBench Manhattan

GFXBench T-Rex

PCMark 8

loud as wed like, and rather tinny

at full volume. But theres nothing
to stop you plugging in a pair of
headphones via the 3.5mm jack.
You also get 2Mp cameras at
the front and rear of the tablet.
You might use the front camera
for Skype video chats, but youre
unlikely to want to take any photos
with the rear camera.

Performance
In common with all the budget
Chinese Windows 10 tablet/laptops
weve reviewed, the Chuwi Hi10
Pro runs the 1.44GHz Intel Atom
X5 (Cherry Trail) Z8300 chip with
4GB of LPDDR3 RAM and 64GB of
flash storage. Theres also support
for up to 128GB via microSD, which
may come in handy given that some
of that built-in storage is shared
with the Android partition and very
little is going spare. Of the 58.2GB
available to Windows 10, 49.5GB
had been consumed once we had
installed our benchmarks.
Its not the most powerful
hardware combination, and wont

make for a gaming laptop, but for

web browsing, social media and
emails its an ideal selection that
wont place a massive strain on
the battery.
As you would expect
performance is in line with those
other laptops, with 2144 points
scored in Geekbench 4 and 1041
in PCMark 8. We were unable to
install our GFXBench graphics
benchmark on the Hi10 Pro, but
would expect it to achieve similar
performance to the Chuwi HiBook.

Verdict
The Chuwi Hi10 Pro is an excellent
value Windows 10 laptop-tablet
hybrid with the addition of Android
(albeit old Android) and a pleasing
build for the money. We take issue
with its fingerprint-prone screen
and tinny, poorly placed speakers,
but in all other respects this is a
very decent device for the money.
Its not a fast device, and we
wouldnt recommend it to gamers,
but its fast enough for most daily
Windows tasks. J Marie Brewis

26 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/reviews January 2017

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Reviews

LAPTOP

230 inc VAT

Jumper EZBook Air

Contact
n

geekbuying.com

Specifications

11.6in full-HD (1920x1080)

16:9 screen; Windows 10
64-bit; 1.44GHz Intel Atom
X5 (Cherry Trail) Z8300
quad-core processor; Intel
HD graphics; 4GB DDR3L
RAM; 128GB flash storage;
0.3Mp front camera; USB-C;
dual-band 802.11a/b/g/n/ac
Wi-Fi; Bluetooth 4.0; built-in
stereo speakers and mic;
3.5mm headphone
jack; 8,000mAh
lithium-polymer battery;
294x200x14.9mm; 960g
Jumper is a new name to PC
Advisor, but the EZBook Air follows
the EZBook 1 and EZBook 2 as
the companys third super-budget
Windows 10 laptop. Here we find
out what its capable of.

Price

Build:
Features:
Value:

Jumper is a Chinese brand that

is sold in the UK via grey-market
importers such as Geekbuying. It
charges 230 with free shipping to
the UK for the EZBook Air, although
you may also have to pay import
duty when it arrives.

Performance:

Design
As soon as you take the EZBook
Air out the box youll fell like youve
seen this laptop somewhere before.
Its not a complete Apple MacBook
clone, but its pitched somewhere
between the 11in MacBook Air and
12in MacBook. Some of the more
obvious hints toward the latter

include a single USB-C port and the

Champagne Gold colour scheme.
But this laptop is a very different
beast to those in Apples stable, just
a fraction of the price and running
Windows 10 Home 64-bit rather than
macOS Sierra. As a budget imitator
there are some clear differences in
its build, from the thicker screen
bezels to the plastic parts used
for heat dissipation found at the
rear. (And as well come to later, its
nowhere near as fast.)
So build quality isnt quite up to
Apples standards, but the EZBook
Air is a very long way from awful
for a Windows 10 laptop at this
price. This laptop is incredibly thin
and light, weighing in at under a
kilo and measuring just 4mm at
its thinnest place. And while the
aforementioned chunky bezels
and grey rubber bumpers around
the screen and on the laptops
underside spoil the effect somewhat,

its primarily aluminium shell,

fanless design and full-HD screen
take it up a notch from some of the
cheap and nasty-looking Windows
10 laptops weve seen.
Were not massively keen on the
sickly gold colouring, but neither
were we fans of Apples gold
MacBook and recognise that others
may appreciate it. And we have to
say it does look good set against
the black Scrabble-tile keyboard
nestled under the screen.
With only an 11.6in screen fitted
to the EZBook Air the keyboard
was never going to be the roomiest
of designs, but Jumper has done a
good job with the space available
to it. While theres no room for a
separate numberpad the keys are
all adequately sized (roughly 15mm
in diameter) and spaced. These
floating keys are comfortable to
type with and reasonably quiet,
while the one-piece touchpad below
is large and easy to use without
accidentally knocking it with a stray
wrist. Our only real complaints
concern the fact this is a US-layout
keyboard, and that the touchpad
doesnt support gestures.
The display is about as small
as youll find on a Windows 10
laptop, but this is no bad thing for
portability, which is probably the
EZBook Airs strongest suit. Its also
a decent screen, full-HD (1920x1080
pixels) in resolution and with good
colour reproduction and contrast.
A 0.3Mp basic webcam sits above
the display, which will suffice for
video calls. Theres little else of note
around the Airs Spartan chassis,

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Reviews

but that in itself is interesting.

When Apple removed all the ports
save for a USB-C input/output from
its 12in MacBook Air we couldnt
understand the logic: Apples all
about the design, but at the expense
of usability? Why make it difficult
for people to attach a USB hard
drive or mouse, or an HDMI display?
Jumper has done exactly the
same with its EZBook Air, and
all youll find here is a 3.5mm
headphone jack (thankfully not a
Lightning connector) and a single
USB-C port. However, in the box it
supplies a handy USB-C to full-size
USB adaptor, which will allow you to
hook up your hard drive, disc drive
or mouse (one at a time, mind). We
should point out that its possible
to buy reasonably cheap adaptors
that let you add extra USB and
HDMI ports, such as a ChoeTech
USB-C Adaptor (31), although still
frustrating that you need to.
With no ethernet port the
Jumper has to connect to the web
over Wi-Fi, but its well covered
here with support for dual-band
802.11a/b/g/n/ac. Theres also
support for Bluetooth 4.0.
Although they arent visible
from the outside, weve been told
there are stereo speakers inside.
The volume is pretty decent,
although some distortion is
present at the top end.

Performance
In common with some of the cheap
Windows 10 tablet-laptop hybrids
from Chuwi weve reviewed of late,

processing power is handled by

the Intel Atom X5 (Cherry Trail)
Z8300 quad-core processor, which is
paired with 4GB of DDR3L RAM and
integrates Intel HD graphics. Its not
the most powerful combination, but
for a cheap Windows 10 laptop that
is required only for browsing the
web, tapping out emails and writing
the odd Microsoft Word document,
its up to the job. It also means
theres nothing inside pushing this
fanless laptop to break into a sweat.
In our benchmarks the EZBook
Air performed in line with the
Chuwi Hi12 and Chuwi HiBook,
recording 1052 points in PCMark 8
Home against their 1010- and 1058

comparison to the dual-core Intel

Core i3-4030U, which recorded
2060 points in Geekbench 4.
The EZBook Air has 128GB of
flash storage, of which just over
100GB is available. There is no
microSD slot for expansion, and
if you want to plug in a portable
drive you will need to either buy
a USB-C-connected drive or use
the supplied adaptor.
Something the Jumper does
very well at is runtime, and with
some not especially powerful
hardware inside its 8000mAh
lithium-polymer battery can last
a full working day away from the
mains. With the USB-C input able

For a cheap Windows 10 laptop that is required

only for browsing the web, tapping out emails and
writing the odd Word document, its up to the job
points respectively. It fared better
in the GFXBench graphics test,
recording 26fps in T-Rex and 13fps
in Manhattan where the HiBook was
capable of 23- and 11fps respectively.
We ran the two Chuwi hybrids
through Geekbench 3, but this has
since been updated to version 4.0
and the results are not comparable.
In Geekbench 4, the EZBook Air
recorded 729 points single-core
and 2050 points multi-core,
with the latter roughly half the
4000-point baseline set by the
more powerful Intel Core i7-6600U.
This score would be closer in

to accept 3A of power its reasonably

fast to charge, but its a shame you
cant attach any other peripherals
while the laptop is charging.

Verdict
For 230, the Jumper EZBook Air
is a bargain if youre looking for a
cheap Windows 10 laptop. While it
isnt powerful enough for playing
intensive games or much in the
way of multitasking, it is easily
portable and has good battery
life. For casual use its a good buy,
provided you can live with the poor
connectivity. J Marie Brewis

28 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/reviews January 2017

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Reviews

SMARTPHONE

From 599 inc VAT

Contact
n

apple.com/uk

Specifications

4.7in (1334x720, 326ppi) IPS

touchscreen; iOS 10;
2.33GHz Apple A10 Fusion
quad-core processor; 2GB
RAM 32/128GB/256GB
storage; 12Mp main
camera, quad-LED flash,
support for 4K video at
30fps; 7Mp front camera;
802.11ac dual-band Wi-Fi
with MIMO; Bluetooth 4.2;
4G LTE Cat 6; Nano-SIM;
A-GPS with GLONASS; NFC;
1960mAh non-removable
battery; 67.1x138.3x7.1mm;
138g

Build:
Features:
Value:
Performance:

Apple iPhone 7
Launching a phone that looks
exactly like the last two is perhaps
not the best way to get buyers
excited, but Apple has made a few
significant upgrades to the iPhone
7 which should appeal. But is it
enough? Lets find out.

Price
If things got off to a bad start with
design or the lack of change in
design, rather then it doesnt
get any better if you look at the
iPhone 7s price.
It starts at 599, which is the
base 32GB model, then theres a
big jump to 128GB (699) and the
capacious 256MB version which is
another 100, making 799 all
from Apples online shop. These are
higher than the iPhone 6s prices
were, but dont forget that storage
is doubled in each model.
Its great that the 16GB base
model has finally been ditched, and
32GB is a very usable amount for
most people. But dont forget that
its not easy to add to this. Unlike
most Android phones, the iPhone
offers no microSD card slot.
Clearly this is a flagship phone,
so no-one should be shocked by
the prices and few people will buy
it outright anyway. Apple offers its
upgrade program which lets you get
a new phone every year, but even
the 32GB model costs 33.45 per
month and that doesnt include a
SIM plan. Plus, its basically a rental
agreement: you hand back the
phone when you get your upgrade
in a years time. Buy it on contract
and youll pay over 40 per month,
usually with a small upfront fee.
Again, thats the base 32GB model.

Design
With the iPhone 6 and 6s before it,
little is left to say about the iPhone
7s design. Its rounded edges feel
great the glass screen curves to
meet the aluminium body perfectly
and its thin yet solid in the hand.
If you really know your iPhones,
youll also notice the lack of antenna
lines running across the back. They
havent gone completely they now
just run around the top and bottom
edges and on our silver test phone,
theyre hardly noticeable at all.
Dimensions and weight are
the same, or as near as makes no

difference. Most iPhone

6/6s cases will fit the
iPhone 7. The camera
bump is different (its now
part of the chassis itself)
and there are now four
LEDs crammed into the
circle next to the lens.
The news this year is
that theres no headphone
jack. Well, not in the
traditional sense. Now
you plug your EarPods
into the Lightning port
instead, or you can use
the Lightning-to-3.5mm
minijack if you prefer to
use normal headphones.
Is it a problem? Not
really, until you want
to use headphones and
charge the phone at the
same time. You can either
buy another adaptor,
which costs 35 and gives
you two Lightning ports.
There are two new
colours to choose, both
of which replace Space
Grey. Black (shown below)
is the most similar its
just black instead of grey.
Jet Black is the eye-catching
one, the aluminium chassis is
polished until its perfectly glossy
and doesnt even feel like metal any
more. Its the high-maintenance
choice, though. Touch it and the
finish is immediately marred by
your fingerprints; move it across
a table and it will inevitably pick
up tiny scratches.
Its slightly pointless using
a case that will hide or at least
mask the reflective finish, and
bear in mind that theres no 32GB
Jet Black model, so 699 is the
cheapest option here.
Home button
One other subtle design change is
the solid home button. It doesnt
move, but is instead more like a
touchpad, recognising a tap or a
touch. To make it feel like youre
pressing it, theres new haptic
feedback and its amazingly
convincing. In fact, the bigger Taptic
Engine is put to good use with
haptics throughout iOS 10.
When you swipe to delete an
email you feel the slightest click

and when you roll the number dials

to set a time or date, it really feels
like youre manipulating a click
wheel. The new home button makes
one less place for water to ingress,
but it does present a drawback:
it doesnt work if youre wearing
gloves or if you push it with a
fingernail. Minor issues, granted.
Waterproofing
The iPhone 7 is rated to IP67,
which means you can take it 1m
underwater for 30 minutes. Thats a
first for an Apple product, and it isnt
simply for the accident-prone. While
it will undoubtedly survive being
dropped in the bath, it opens up new
uses such as underwater photos and
video. No need to buy a GoPro, then.
Its interesting that, while you
could say that the iPhone 7 is late to
the pool party, Sonys latest Xperia
range isnt water-resistant. That
really is a step backwards.
Screen
Given the flagship pricing, you might
think the 1334x750-pixel screen is

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Reviews

Geekbench 3

earpiece speaker is now a proper

loudspeaker and means the iPhone
7 has left- and right speakers when
held in landscape mode. This is ideal
for watching videos and playing
games in this orientation. Apps
such as Magic Piano also benefit
from the new setup. Its louder than
previous iPhones, too, although its
still not a substitute for a decent
Bluetooth speaker.

Performance

GFXBench Manhattan

GFXBench T-Rex

JetStream

a disappointment. Far from it. Yes,

it is the same resolution Apple has
always used for the 4.7in iPhone
and yes, you can buy phones with
2560x1440 resolutions for less, but
this all misses the point: 326 pixels
per inch is plenty. It was plenty
when the iPhone 4 came out, and
its plenty today.
It would make more sense to
criticise the technology, since IPS
LCD is in many peoples opinion
inferior to AMOLED. But the

iPhone 7s screen has a bigger

colour gamut than the 6s, and
its also brighter. Side by side the
differences are easy to see, and
this is certainly one of the best IPS
screens youll find on a phone.
Speakers
Wed previously thought that the
space freed up by taking away the
headphone jack would be used for
a second speaker, but Apple has
done a better job than that. The

Another improvement is the A10

Fusion processor. The iPhone 7 is the
first Apple phone to get a quad-core
CPU. Like many Android phones,
it uses two low-power cores when
youre doing undemanding tasks
such as creating a new calendar
appointment, but when you load
up a graphically intensive game,
it switches to a pair of much more
powerful cores to give you the
best performance.
In general use, the iPhone 7
feels no faster than the 6s. But
both are exceptionally slick devices,
so its hardly a criticism. Plus, a
faster processor means Apples
new handset will be able to handle
future iOS releases better than its
predecessors and developers can
use the full power to make games
look even better.
We have to resort to benchmarks
to see if Apples 40 percent faster
claims are true. It depends on which
benchmark you use, of course, but
overall, yes, the iPhone 7 is around
40 percent quicker.
When it comes to games, the
7 is also fantastically quick. It
manages to max out the GFXBench
Manhattan test at 60fps, just as it
does with the older T-Rex test. As a
comparison, Huaweis P9 manages
just 19fps in Manhattan.
Battery life is meant to be
better than the 6s, but in our
testing we simply havent seen it.
Having perhaps been spoiled by the
excellent battery life of the 6s Plus,
moving to the iPhone 7 is a bit of a
shock. In line with our colleagues
over at Macworld, weve not yet
been able to make it through 24
hours without needing the charger.
If you use your phone, as we do,
constantly throughout the day, youll
be lucky to make it to 10pm without
the battery percentage dropping
into low single digits. A small power
bank is an essential accessory if
youre out and about all day.

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Cameras
One of the iPhone 7s biggest
upgrades is its cameras. Although
it might sound like marketing
hype, the main camera has been
completely upgraded. The sensor
is new, as is the lens. It may have
the same resolution as the 6s
12Mp but this is valuable and
noticeable improvement.
How so? Well, the sensor
supports a wider colour gamut (as
does the screen) and the lens has
an aperture of f/1.8. That lets in
50 percent more light than the f/2.2
lens on the 6s.
Plus, this is the first time
that Apple has put optical
stabilisation in the smaller
iPhone, which markedly improves
sharpness in low light photos.
Add to this the new image
processor and you can expect very,
very, good-looking photos from
the iPhone 7. In fact, its one of the
best cameras weve ever seen on a
smartphone and its up there with
the Samsung Galaxy S7.
Sharpness is very good across
the lens, and colours are as
weve come to expect from Apple
accurately rendered. Focus
is fast thanks to those focus
pixels (otherwise known as phase
detection pixels) and the camera
app defaults to auto HDR so will take
several photos and combine them if
theres high contrast in the scene.
We found in our testing that the
camera almost always got white
balance spot on, and exposures were
also generally very good. Even in low
light, theres very little noise, while
in bright light, artefacts are much
reduced compared to the 6s. Here
are a few samples (resized down to
2Mp but otherwise untouched):

Even the True Tone flash has

been improved. There are now four
LEDs, and its said to be 50 percent
brighter. It works well and means
skin tones looks natural in low light
photos, but theres still the same
spotlight effect which means your
subject is well lit in the centre, but
the edges are dark.
Video, similarly, is excellent.
The stabilisation gives footage
that cinematic feel that was
previously only available on
Plus models, and can be shot in
1080p60 or 4K (at 30fps).
The biggest annoyance is that,
as in older versions of iOS, you still
cant change the video resolution
in the app itself. Nor can you easily
switch between 1080p at 120fps and
720p at 240fps for the slo-mo mode.
Only the former setting is a
pain, because you might prefer to
shoot at 60fps during the day, and
then switch to 30fps at night when
60fps becomes too fast and the
image is way too dark.
Moving to the selfie camera, this
has also been upgraded from 5- to
7Mp. In combination with the new
image processor, photos now have
more detail and fewer artefacts.

Software
iOS 10 is the latest version of Apples
iPhone (and iPad) operating system,
and is by far the best yet. Messages
has had a massive upgrade, and
there are genuinely useful new
features such as Memories in
Photos which aggregates photos
and videos from an event or a
period of time and automatically
makes a short, shareable video.
Siri will be more useful as app
developers integrate the digital
assistant into their apps, and the

new interactive widgets on the lock

screen are brilliant.
You can read our full iOS 10
review for a lot more detail, but
its worth mentioning a couple
of the unwelcome changes. The
first is that Control Centre now
has multiple screens. In itself this
isnt a problem and means theres
relatively quick access to HomeKit
device controls. However, the music
/ playback controls are no longer
on the first screen, so it now takes
longer to get to them and pause or
skip tracks. Another one, which is
easy to get used to, is the fact that
you no longer swipe to unlock. In
iOS 10 you have to press the home
button. To be fair, you could do this
in iOS 9 on a device with Touch ID,
but now its the only way.
To avoid blasting past all your
notifications when pressing the
home button, you can simply pick
up the iPhone 7 to make the screen
come on. This Raise to wake
feature isnt exclusive to the new
phone, but its certainly welcome.

Verdict
The iPhone 7 is an evolution of
the 6s, so if you were expecting
a revolution youll probably be
slightly disappointed. However, aside
from the underwhelming battery
life, it is an excellent phone. Its
waterproof, has fantastic cameras
and performance, and the new
stereo speakers sound great. Theres
now 32GB of storage as a minimum,
which helps to mitigate the higher
prices. If you have an iPhone 6s,
its hard to justify upgrading (even
for some people with a 6) but if
youre out of contract and want a
small phone, its the best Apple has
made yet. J Jim Martin
January 2017 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/reviews 31

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Reviews

SMARTPHONE

539 inc VAT

Contact
n

sony.co.uk

Specifications

5.2in (1920x1080, 424ppi)

full-HD display; Android
Marshmallow 6.0.1;
Qualcomm MSM8996
Snapdragon 820; Adreno
530; 3GB RAM 32/64GB
storage; 23Mp main
camera, LED flash; 13Mp
front camera; 802.11ac;
USB-C; Bluetooth 4.2; 4G
LTE Cat 6; Nano-SIM; A-GPS
with GLONASS; NFC;
2900mAh non-removable
lithium-ion battery;
146x72x8.1mm; 161g

Build:
Features:
Value:
Performance:

Sony Xperia XZ
The Xperia XZ is Sonys latest
flagship smartphone and comes with
impressive technology, especially
in the camera department.

Design
The phone has a 5.2in display and a
metal body that is noticeably curvier
than previous Xperia smartphones,
making it more comfortable to
hold. Although you can definitely
see lines where materials meet
(the small strip at the bottom on
the rear seems unnecessary),
the phone feels nicer in the hand
compared to last years Xperia Z5.
Its a shame to see that Sony
hasnt cut down on the bezels,
so the XZ is big for a phone with
a 5.2in screen. Its mainly at the
top and bottom where theres
a lot of empty space, although
we appreciate that it does offer
front-facing stereo speakers.
The rear of the Xperia XZ is
made from what Sony calls high
purity alkaleido metal, which gives
the phone a shiny finish, though
it is a little slippery to hold. While
the shine is understated, when the
back catches the light it lights up
with a gorgeous hue. Were fans
of the three colour options: Forest
Blue, Mineral Black and Platinum,
with Forest Blue winning our top
pick. Its nice to see a company
veer away from the standard silver,
grey and gold variants.
Its hard not to compare the new
device with the Z5, which is both
thinner and lighter (7.3mm and
154g). Sadly, the XZ is measures
8.1mm and weighs 161g, so its not
the most slender of flagships.
Unlike most of Sonys other
recent X series phones, the XZ is
waterproof. Were glad the firm has
included this feature, especially
with Apple adding it to the iPhone
7 (page 29). Its IP68 rated, so can
be fully submerged up to a depth of
1.5m for up to 30 minutes. Despite
the rating, Sonys small print says
not to submerge it completely under
water and not to expose it to salt
water, chlorinated water or drinks.

Features
Although the Xperia XZ comes a
year on from the Z5, much of the
specifications are similar to the
older device. For starters, the screen

is still 5.2in and Full HD, which is

the same as 2014s Xperia Z2. Its
strange that Sony has made a 4K
smartphone but not jumped to Quad
HD. While the screen is perfectly
good (extremely bright, crisp and
vibrant), its nothing to get excited
about, though the resolution does
have an advantage when it comes
to battery life. We would have liked
to see a similar edge-to-edge design
as seen on the Xperia XA, which
costs less than half the price.
When it comes to the engine
room, its good to see the high-end
Qualcomm Snapdragon 820
processor running the show.
Whats not so good is the 3GB of
RAM and 32GB of storage, which
is the same as 2015s Xperia Z3+.
You can, however, increase the
storage to a whopping 256GB via
the microSD card slot.
Much of this is adequate,
expected even, from a high-end
smartphone, but not enough to
get consumers blood pumping.
Wed have liked to see a Quad HD
screen and more RAM, though
there are some areas that dont
need changing. The fingerprint
scanner, for example, is hidden
within the power button and is
one of the best weve seen. Other

specifications, such as dual-band

11ac Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.2, GPS and
NFC, are all good to see, too.
Sony phones are always a good
choice for music lovers and not
just because of the firms Walkman
app. iPhone 7 haters will be pleased
to hear there is a headphone jack
and the XZ supports 24-bit/192kHz
audio playback, is compatible with
the firms LDAC technology and has
front-facing stereo speakers.
Following the general trend, Sony
has opted for the new reversible
USB-C port for the XZ. It has a
2900mAh battery with Qnovo
Adaptive Charging technology,
which the firm claims will help
to extend the battery life of the
smartphone, and fast charging.
As mentioned earlier, the Full
HD screen means that the phone
doesnt use as much power than
some rivals. During testing, we
found the XZ to be a top-notch
performer and most users will get
a couple of days from their handset
without using Stamina mode.

Cameras
Sony is well known for fitting
advanced camera technology into
its flagship phones and the Xperia
ZX is no different. On the surface,

The lack of customisation means you get a Nexuslike experience with the notification menu and
recent apps displayed as Google designed them

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Reviews

its the same as the Z5, with a 23Mp

sensor, f/2.0 aperture, 24mm lens,
phase detection autofocus and
an LED flash. We like that Sony
continues to offer a dedicated
camera/shutter button on the side,
but whats new here is triple image
sensing technology. This consists
of three sensors: an imaging sensor
for movement, a laser autofocus
sensor for measuring distance and
an RGBCIR sensor for accurate
colour reproduction. It might not
be a huge upgrade from the Z5,
but ensures you take accurate,
infocus shots extremely quickly.
As weve come to expect from
Sony, the image quality is very
high, though Its worth noting that
the camera will shoot in 8Mp 16:9
by default, so youll need to head
into the setting if you want the
full 23Mp at 4:3. You can see the
difference in our examples below.
The XZ also shoots 4K video at
30fps, though theres no optical
image stabilisation, which is a
shame. A bigger upgrade is found at
the front with a 13Mp camera that
has a 22mm wideangle lens.

Software
The Xperia XZ runs Android 6.0
Marshmallow, which is slightly
surprising considering that Android
N is available. Although the phone
will be updated to Nougat, we dont
know exactly when.
The user interface is closer to
stock Android than before, although
you get Sonys widgets and apps
most of which we think are valuable
additions. The lack of customisation

8Mp at 16:9

means you get a Nexuslike

experience with the notification
menu and recent apps displayed as
Google has designed them. Its nice
that you can rearrange the quick
settings and Google Now is a swipe
away from the main home screen
which is also beneficial.
Sony has made a few tweaks
though, including its own lockscreen,
settings menu and an extra panel
in the app draw for suggested
and recommended apps. As with
previous Xperia phones, PlayStation
users can benefit from PS Remote
Play, which allows you to play games
from the console on the phone.
There are some preinstalled apps,
such as Facebook, Spotify, Lookout
and Amazon Shopping, but you can
uninstall these along with some
of Sonys such as Xperia Lounge,
Lifelog and PlayStation.
New features include Xperia Tips
provides nonintrusive, contextual
tips to enhance your experience
and while this will be useful for
beginners we found them annoying.
The XZ also has a smart cleaner
which, like the Nextbit Robin, will
deactivate apps you dont use.

Geekbench 4

Verdict

JetStream

GFXBench Manhattan

GFXBench T-Rex

Sonys Xperia XZ is an attractive

phone in design if you can get on
with the angular style and while
its cheaper than rivals such as the
iPhone 7 and Google Pixel, you
can get better value with some
older phones such as the Samsung
Galaxy S7. While the hardware
is decent, its very similar to the
cheaper Xperia Z5. J Chris Martin

23Mp at 4:3

January 2017 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/reviews 33

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DVDRW. J Marie Brewis

Reviews

SMARTPHONE

379 inc VAT

Contact
n

sony.co.uk

Specifications

4.6in (1280x720) IPS LCD

touchscreen; Android
Marshmallow 6.0.1;
Qualcomm Snapdragon
650 hexa-core processor;
Adreno 510 graphics; 3GB
RAM; 32GB storage with
microSD up to 256GB;
23Mp main camera, LED
flash; 5Mp front camera;
802.11ac dual-band Wi-Fi;
Bluetooth 4.2; 4G LTE;
Nano-SIM; GPS; NFC;
2700mAh nonremovable battery;
129x65x9.5mm; 135g

Sony Xperia X Compact

The best smartphones of 2016 are
generally huge. The 5.5in screen
size of phones such as the Apple
iPhone 7 Plus or the OnePlus 3 are
becoming the norm, where just
a few years ago, we thought the
3.5in iPhone 4 was huge. Times
change, but Sony has been keeping
happy those of us who prefer a
smartphone to be small and usable
with one hand; compact. The Sony
Xperia X Compact is the latest of
the companys sub-5in handsets,
but its sits in a confusing line up of
devices. Alongside it are the Xperia
XZ (page 32), Xperia X and Xperia
XA. Those phones are, respectively,
high-end, upper mid-range and lower
mid-range. So where does the Xperia
X Compact fit in? We break down
why the world needs an Xperia X
Compact, and, more importantly, if
its you who needs one.

Design

Build:
Features:
Value:
Performance:

While not immediately obvious,

the Xperia X Compact is quite a
departure in design from last years
Sony Xperia Z5 Compact. Sony
has taken the 4.6in screen phone
and updated it or has it? The
Z5 Compact had a stylish frosted
glass rear panel and rounded metal
edges that gave it a premium
look and feel, and its one we
expected with its 429 price tag.
The attention to detail was great,
down to the metal rim around the
side-edge fingerprint sensor.
A year on, the Xperia X Compact
retails for 379, 50 less, while the
Z5 Compact is available for just
349. As well as in the specs, which
we will get onto, the design and build
quality has taken a hit. Thankfully,
the clever fingerprint scanner is
present, and works excellently,
but theres no thoughtful metallic
finishes. Gone are the glass and
metal. Instead, the X Compact has a
completely glossy plastic body, with
only the top and bottom flat edges
retaining a sniff of the glass.
Unfortunately, the body on
our Mist Blue review unit was
smeary with prints in seconds and
also picked up hairline scratches
very easily. They are hard to see,
but more than anything the blue
colour of the phone is an acquired
taste. Some will think it kitsch and
retro, others will definitely not. We

recommend either looking at one

in store, or opting for the black
or white models.
Its a shame, as this all makes
the phone feel distinctly blocky,
and it is; its 9.5mm thick. Another
popular sub-5in phone is the
iPhone SE, which is 7.6mm. It
doesnt sound much, but its
noticeable. Very few smartphones
are nearly 1cm thick these days.
Overall the X Compact measures
129x65x9.5mm and weighs 135g.
The rear has a camera and flash,
with the two speaker grills at the
top and bottom of the front face of
the device, making video viewing
volumes surprisingly decent.
Despite this though, its still a
pleasure to use, particularly onehanded, a rarity after smartphones
got stretched to nearly 6in. Even
with our smaller hands, its easy
to unlock and reply to messages,
swipe down the notification tray or
play games with one hand. Along
the right edge below the fingerprint
scanner is the volume rocker and
also a dedicated camera button (a
long-time welcome Sony addition).
The 3.5mm headphone jack is
on the top edge, while the Compact
welcomes USB-C connectivity to
the bottom edge. On the left edge
is the SIM and microSD tray that
still, infuriatingly, shuts down the
phone if you take it out. This doesnt
happen on any other phone and its
frustrating if you want to swap out
a memory card or change SIM.
Despite these points, it doesnt
really matter that its a tad chunky

when its this conveniently small. Its

just a shame its not as premium as
Sony is capable of.

Features
Along with the design compromises,
the specs are a clue to its lowered
price from last years model.
The Z5 Compact has a high-end
Snapdragon 810 processor with
2GB RAM, whereas the X Compact
has the decidedly mid-range
Snapdragon 650. It does bump
the RAM to a respectable 3GB
though, which well explore in our
benchmarking of the phone.
We benchmarked the X Compact
against phones we feel it is
competing against in the market
currently. Annoyingly for Sony, that
means its up against the Xperia X
and Xperia XZ, while Apples iPhone
SE represents a similar sized phone.
As you can see in the results
(opposite), not only does the X
Compact beat the Xperia X on
one test, it also runs the Xperia
XZ (which has superior processor)
very close, too. This muddies the
waters even more in Sonys range
considering the Compact is, in some
respects, as good a performer as
the flagship XZ. Of course, real-life
use may prove otherwise.
This helps us to decipher Sonys
odd product line. While not overtly
clear, we see the X Compact as the
smaller version of the Xperia X. All
thats changed from the big brother/
little brother aesthetic of the old Z
range is that both versions now have
mid-range processors. This means

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Reviews

the Xperia XZ, released at the same

time as the X Compact, is now the
high-end option.
The XA falls in at the lowest end
of the range. Its a confusing line-up
for consumers, and enough to put
a lot of people off. Its frustrating
also because we very much want
to recommend the Compact as in
previous years, but Sony is making
it harder for us to do so given it
now has an inferior processor to
the flagship Xperia XZ. Its odd
that the Xperia X even exists, now
just six months after its launch.
With the confusing product
line out of the way, the X Compact
performs very well. The display is an
IPS LCD with 319ppi and a resolution
of 1280x720. It looks pin-sharp,
perhaps due to its smaller size, but
we have no complaints on its quality
for a phone of this price and specs.
Video streaming load times are
good, and apps look vibrant.
The screen brightness is excellent
too, and didnt seem to massively
affect the battery life. Sony has a
good track record for battery life,
though it doesnt claim the magical
two days of use like it has before.
Having said that with heavy use
using the phone daily for a week,
we regularly went through a whole
working day and well past lunch the
following day before reaching for
the charger. Sony still impresses in
this regard, which is admirable given
the 2700mAh battery.
As ever, Sony boasts of the 23Mp
camera sensor in the phone, though
it tends to make less of its Carl Zeiss
affiliation these days. As we found
with the Xperia X, the software
and processing isnt as good as the
sensor. This means you get adequate
smartphone pictures, but nothing
out of the ordinary. Landscapes
come out sharp and bright but
close up photos, particularly in
lower light, are a tad grainy.
Its a shame that unlike the XZ,
the X Compact is not waterproof,
This means we cant recommend it
as highly as we might have, despite
it being a good handset.

too far from stock Android, but you

definitely notice the tweaks. While
the app tray and notifications menu
are normal, the icons for basic
apps such as texts and phone are
different, while the Sony software
onboard wont be to everyones
tastes. The speed of the phone in
day-to-day use was never an issue.
Some apps you can uninstall,
like the PlayStation app, but others
like News and Whats New?, a media
suggestion app, feel obtuse and
unneeded, and you can only disable
them, not uninstall. Having said that,
we still prefer using Sony phones
to the highly altered EMUI OS that
Huawei use with Android and even
in some instances it works better
than Samsungs TouchWiz.
The only thing you may find
is that you make typing errors,
particularly if you have big hands.
Even with smaller hands, we found
that using two thumbs to type quick
texts actually saw us making a fair
few errors. Perhaps we are used
to bigger phones, but Sony ships
the X Compact with the SwiftKey
keyboard as default. We found it
better to switch to using Google
Keyboard, which is also preinstalled.
Daily operation of the phone could
be fiddly if youre used to a bigger
screen, so again, wed suggest trying
one out in store if you are unsure.

Geekbench 4

GFXBench Manhattan

GFXBench T-Rex

JetStream

Verdict
The Sony Xperia X Compact is
an odd little smartphone. On the
one hand its build quality, lack
of waterproofing and lack of a
standout feature make it harder to
recommend compared to the older
Xperia Z5 Compact. However, if you
want a sub-5in Android smartphone

with excellent battery life its the

best current option out there. For all
its flaws, we also kept coming back
to the phone largely due to its sheer
portability. Just dont buy the blue
one. J Henry Burrell
Image taken using
the X Compacts
23Mp main camera

Software
Like many other Android devices at
the moment, the X Compact runs
Marshmallow 6.0.1, and it runs it
very well. Although Sony has said it
will receive an upgrade to Nougat
7.0, we dont know when this will
be. Sonys Android overlay is not
January 2017 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/reviews 35

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DVDRW. J Marie Brewis

Reviews

SMARTPHONE

192 inc VAT

Contact
n

gearbest.com

Specifications

5.5in full-HD (1920x1080,

401ppi) 2.5D display; MIUI 8
(based on Android 6.0
Marshmallow); 2.1GHz Helio
X20 deca-core processor;
Mali T880 GPU; 3GB RAM
(2GB model available);
64GB storage (16GB model
available); microSD
support up to 128GB; 4G
FDD-LTE 850/900/
1800/2100/2600MHz; DualSIM dual-standby;
fingerprint scanner; Dualband 802.11a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi;
Bluetooth 4.2; GPS; A-GPS;
GLONASS; USB OTG; 13Mp
camera with dual-tone
flash; 5Mp front camera;
4100mAh battery;
151x76x8.4mm; 175g

Build:
Features:
Value:
Performance:

Xiaomi Redmi Note 4

The Redmi Note 4 is the latest
mid-range phablet from Xiaomi,
and it certainly looks like a fantastic
upgrade over the Note 3. Of course,
looks can sometimes be deceiving.

Price
As ever with Xiaomi phones, the
Redmi Note 4 is not officially
available in the UK. You can buy it
through third-party sites such as
Gearbest (gearbest.com), where
the 3GB RAM, 64GB storage model
we reviewed currently costs 192.
A 2GB RAM, 16GB storage version
is cheaper, currently 133 from
Gearbest. Something UK users
should watch out for is that Xiaomi
phones do not support 800MHz
4G, which is the only 4G band
supported by O2 and piggybacking
networks such as Giffgaff.

Design
At 151x76x8.4mm, the new Note 4 is
roughly the same size as the Redmi
Note 3 and a little tubbier at 175g
(vs 164g), but much has changed.
The design is significantly more
attractive, now with a full metal
build that feels much less cheap.
Whereas the Note 3 features plastic
parts at the top and bottom to
improve signal, the Redmi Note 4
is all metal with those increasingly
familiar white stripes top and
bottom to ensure you can still get
reception. Its also flatter at the
back, with chamfered edges and
less rounded corners, yet feels every
bit as good in the hand.
Something else gone from the
rear is the speaker grille, and youll
now find two rows of six drilled
holes on the phones bottom edge,
one either side of the now centrally
mounted Micro-USB port. This is the
same design as is used by the Redmi
Pro (albeit with USB-C rather than
Micro-USB), but dont be fooled: it
looks nicer, and sound is less likely
to be muffled, but theres still just a
mono speaker lying below.
Things look different at the front
too, and while you still get the three
standard-Android touch buttons
below the screen (as before the
fingerprint scanner is rear-mounted
below the camera) and the bezels
are the same size, the new layout
above the screen and 2.5D curved
glass make it so much easier on

the eye. The earpiece, front camera

and proximity sensor are now
symmetrical: dot, dash, dot rather
than long dash, short dash, dot as
seen on the Redmi Note 3. Its a little
thing, but it makes more difference
than you might expect to the
phones overall aesthetic appeal.
On the top edge, the headphone
jack, IR blaster and mic have also
switched places, but youll pleased
to learn the volume rocker, power
switch and SIM tray remain where
you would expect to find them.
Overall these changes make
a massive improvement to the
look and feel of the Redmi Note
4, resulting in a phone that would
look more at home in the flagship
Mi family. This is something we
also saw in the excellent Redmi
Pro, which many people have
been comparing to this Note 4. We
can certainly see the similarities,
especially given the very good 5.5in
full-HD IPS panel that adorns the
front of each device, offering strong
clarity and colour reproduction.
The 2.5D glass laid on top makes

a huge subconscious difference to

your perception of the phone, too:
running your finger over a smooth
surface rather than a raised lip just
feels so much more natural.
There are some significant
differences between the two,
though and not least the 65
price hike. The Redmi Pro features
a dual-lens camera, and moves the
fingerprint scanner to a physical
home button at the front. It is also
fitted with USB-C and the deca-core
Helio X25 in place of the Note 4s
Micro-USB and Helio X20.

Performance
The core specifications of the Xiaomi
Redmi Note 4 are excellent for a
sub-200 phone. Moving on from
the octa-core Helio X10 chip found
in the Redmi Note 3 here theres a
deca-core 2.1GHz Helio X20. (The
Redmi Pro is also a deca-core phone,
but fitted with the Helio X25.) This
is paired with Mali T880 graphics,
3GB of RAM and just as 32GB is
beginning to become the norm a
colossal 64GB of storage, which is

We like the camera app, which is very simple and

easy to use. Its easy to apply real-time filters
and select modes including HDR and Beautify

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Reviews

Geekbench 3

Manhattan test with both recording

15fps. The Redmi Note 3 trails
behind here with 8fps.
Our final benchmark is
JetStream, which looks at
JavaScript performance when
browsing the web. The Note 4 is on
par with the Redmi Pro, scoring a
slightly lower 23.265 points against
its 24.719 points. Unfortunately
we do not have test results for the
Xiaomi Redmi Note 3.
The battery capacity has been
upgraded to 4100mAh in comparison
to the Note 3s 4000mAh. We found
we could get two days of use from
the Redmi Note 4, but as always the
runtime will depend on exactly what
you do with the phone.

GFXBench Manhattan

GFXBench T-Rex

Connectivity

JetStream

double the Note 3s maximum of

32GB. You can add to this too, with
support for microSD up to 128GB
(though you do so at the expense
of dual-SIM functionality more on
this later). To be fair, there is also
a version of the Redmi Note 4 that
comes with 16GB of storage and
2GB of RAM, but at this price wed
recommend the 64GB model.
Its impossible for us to
accurately compare performance
with the Redmi Note 3, because
when we reviewed the earlier Xiaomi
we were testing the 2GB RAM, 16GB
model rather than the 3GB RAM,
32GB storage option. The amount
of storage shouldnt affect our
benchmarks, but its impossible
for us to say how much the extra
gigabyte of RAM would.
Its interesting, then, to find
that the Redmi Note 3 scored
significantly higher in Geekbench
3 than did the Redmi Note 4, with
4597 points against the newer
phones 3009. The roles were
reversed in AnTuTu 3D though, and
more in line with what we would

expect, with the Redmi Note 4

turning in 85,518 points against the
Redmi Note 3s 46,924 points. This
is higher even than the Redmi Pro,
which managed 79,487 points.
Why did the Note 4 score so
much lower in Geekbench 3?
Who knows, and to some extent
it goes to show just how reliable
are processing performance
benchmarks. Real-world
performance is therefore more
important than that of synthetic
benchmarks, and here we should
say that in our use of the Note
4 at no point did we find it slow.
It may not be as fast as phones
higher up Xiaomis range but it
will do everything most users will
require of it and more.
Getting back to the benchmarks,
and we also ran the GFXBench
graphics test. As we would expect
the Redmi Note 4 outperformed
the Redmi Note 3, with 31fps in
T-Rex against the Note 3s 22fps.
This is also higher than the 25fps of
the Redmi Pro, though it matches
that phone on the more intensive

The Redmi Note 4 doesnt support

NFC, but all other connectivity
bases are covered with dual-band
802.11ac Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.2, GPS
and GLONASS, USB OTG and a
fingerprint scanner at the rear.
We also like the fact this is a 4G
dual-SIM dual-standby phone, but
you must choose between microSD
support and a second SIM since
they share the same slot. And as we
noted earlier, the Redmi Note 4 does
not support the 800MHz 4G band
used by O2 in the UK, so O2 (and
Giffgaff) customers will need to
make do with 3G or look elsewhere.

Cameras
In common with its predecessor
the Redmi Note 4 has a 13Mp, f/2.0
camera with dual-tone flash at the

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Reviews

rear and a 5Mp selfie camera at the

front. (A Snapdragon version of the
Redmi Note 3 has a 16Mp camera,
but we tested the MediaTek version.)
When viewed at full-size our test
images were soft on detail and show
a fair amount of blurring, but the
colours are realistic and HDR mode
improves things no end. You can see
a couple of our test shots in Auto
and HDR mode above.
We like the camera app in MIUI
8.0, which is very simple and easy
to use. Its easy to apply real-time
filters and select modes including
HDR, Panorama and Beautify.

Software
Our Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 ran
MIUI 7.0 out of the box but
with an upgrade to MIUI 8.0.9
available (based on Android 6.0
Marshmallow). We recommend you
install this, since it adds the ability
to password- or fingerprint-protect
notes, a new energy saving mode,
enhanced video-editing tools plus
some photo features that let you
add doodles and stickers and quickly
share your snaps, the new and
supposedly easier-on-the-eyes Mi
Lanting font, improved QR scanner
and calculator apps, an enhanced
multi-tasking menu, brighter colours
and new lock screen wallpapers.
MIUI 8.0 is a great take on the
standard Android operating system,
but it wont be familiar to those who
havent used a Xiaomi phone before.
Settings are found under different
sections to standard Android, theres
no app tray which results in an
iOS-esque experience, the dropdown notification bar has also been
tweaked and, more importantly,
there are no Google apps.
Xiaomi has its own app
alternatives for many of the
standard Google apps youd expect
to find on an Android phone, but
some of these are Chinese (they
can be uninstalled or tucked away
in a folder), and if youve ever used
an Android phone before youll
probably prefer to use Google apps
to seamlessly sync your data.
Its easy to install the Play Store,
and you simply create a Mi account
and search for Google Play in the
Mi App Store. Everything here is
Chinese, but if you tap on the first
option with the Google Play icon it
will download the Play Store and
any ;associated services that are
required to run it.

Auto

HDR
Having done so you may find
it takes half an hour or so for the
Google account to register on the
phone, so you may not be able to
immediately download apps from
Google Play. In our impatience we
found it easier to sideload the apps
we use for benchmarking, but to
do so youll first need to enable the
installation of apps from unknown
sources in the privacy settings.
One thing we highly recommend
for UK users is to download the
Google Keyboard, since the Chinese
characters on the standard keyboard
can be confusing and much of the
time youll be relying on guess work
to find they button you want.
A software feature thats
particularly useful given the size of
the screen is One-handed mode. This
lets you perform a simple gesture
to shrink down the display to 4.5-,
4- or 3.5in. A Quick Ball can also be

put anywhere you like onscreen that

when tapped gives options to return
to the home screen, open the recent
apps menu, lock the screen, take a
screenshot or go back.

Verdict
The Redmi Note 4 isnt a huge
upgrade over the Redmi Note 3 in
terms of core hardware, with simply
a greater amount of storage and
a faster processor, but the design
changes are a huge improvement
over its predecessor. If you dont
care about looks and can make
do with less storage then the
cheaper Redmi Note 3 may well
meet your needs. The Redmi Note
4 remains a great buy, but the
omission of Google Play support
may put off some users. O2 and
Giffgaff customers should also
note the lack of support for
800MHz 4G. J Marie Brewis

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Reviews

SMARTPHONE

256 inc VAT

Contact
n

gearbest.com

Specifications

5.5in full-HD (1920x1080,

401ppi) 2.5D OLED display;
Android 6.0 Marshmallow
with MIUI 8.0; 1.55GHz Helio
X25 deca-core (2x
Cortex-A72, 8x Cortex-A53)
processor; Mali T880 GPU;
3GB RAM; 64GB storage,
128GB microSD support; 4G
FDD-LTE 850/900/1800/
2100/2600MHz, dual-SIM
dual-standby; dual-band
802.11a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi;
Bluetooth 4.2; GPS, A-GPS,
GLONASS; IR blaster;
fingerprint scanner;
accelerometer; USB-C; Dual
Camera: 13Mp Sony IMX
258 plus 5Mp Samsung
camera for capturing
depth, two-tone flash;
3.7Mp front camera;
4050mAh non-removable
battery; 151.5x76.2x8.2mm;
174g
Build:
Features:
Value:
Performance:

Xiaomi Redmi Pro

Xiaomis Redmi Pro is a beast, the
first phone weve seen to feature 10
processor cores, plus 3GB of RAM
and a colossal 64GB of storage.
Add to that a fancy Dual Camera, a
5.5in OLED display, a large-capacity
battery and USB-C and the Redmi
Pro offers staggering value at 256.

Price
Xiaomi doesnt officially sell its
phones in the UK, which means if
you want one you will need to buy
it through a third-party importer.
Several such sites offer this service,
but our go-to for Xiaomi phones
is Gearbest (gearbest.com). It
lists the 64GB Xiaomi Redmi Pro
reviewed here for 256 (though
note that prices can fluctuate daily).
This includes free shipping to the
UK, unless you opt for an express
service, but you will have to pay
import duty if requested by Customs
upon its entry to the UK.

Design
The Xiaomi Redmi Pro is a very
well-designed phone that mixes a
brushed metal rear and high-quality
chamfered edges with a white plastic
screen surround and a 2.5D Arc
screen. Its a high-gloss, premium
design that feels reassuringly solid,
with fantastic attention to detail.
Theres a bit of space above and
below the screen, and the latter
is where youll find the fingerprint
sensor built into a ceramic home
button, but the left and right slim
bezels help make this large-screen
phone feel less cumbersome
when used in one hand. It is a
big handset nevertheless, at
151.5x76.2x8.2mm and 174g.
With a large 5.5in screen this
is what we refer to as a phablet
rather than a standard smartphone,
and as such it may not be suited to
the tiniest of hands. However, one
of the things we like about the MIUI
interface is the ability to downsize
the visible display area (to 4.5-, 4or 3.5in) and put everything within
easy reach. Theres also a Quick Ball
setting that allows you to place
anywhere you like onscreen options
to return to the home screen, open
the multi-tasking window, lock the
screen or take a screenshot.
The screen is by no means
an annoyance, though. A display

of this size is
perfectly suited
to multimedia,
and its full-HD
resolution
ensures
everything
onscreen is
crystal clear.
Xiaomi has
fitted an OLED
panel, which
doesnt require
a power-draining
backlight and
therefore tends
to be uniformly
bright and able
to offer excellent
contrast. OLED
also produces
near-infallible
viewing angles
and vivid colour reproduction
that is more than worthy of the
colourful new MIUI 8.0 interface.

Performance
The Redmi Pro is the first phone
weve reviewed to come with a
deca-core processor. The 1.55GHz
Helio X25 integrates two Cortex-A72
cores and eight Cortex-A53 cores,
as well as the Mali T880 GPU. This
is paired with 3GB of RAM, which is
generous but just half that of some
phones such as the OnePlus 3.
In real-world use running MIUI
8.0, the Redmi Pro is fast, with
no lag when launching apps or
switching between home screens.
It also gave a very good showing
in our benchmarks.
We use AnTuTu and Geekbench
to measure general processing
performance and here the Redmi
Pro fared well. Its 79,487 points
scored in AnTuTu is very good,
and a little ahead of the Xiaomi
Mi Maxs 74,156.
Geekbench has been updated
to version 4, which makes it hard
to compare performance with
the majority of phones weve
benchmarked using Geekbench 3.
Geekbench 4 scores are calculated
using a baseline score of 4000,
which has been set using an
Intel Core i7-6600U. Higher-than4000-point scores are better,
and double the score indicates
double the performance.

With that in mind, the Redmi

Pros multi-core score of 4539 points
is very good and sits somewhere
in between the Huawei P9 (4735
points) and OnePlus 3 (4015 points).
The Galaxy Note 7, S7 and S7 edge
are faster still, recording 5228-,
5213- and 5203- points respectively,
but the Redmi Pro is faster than last
years Samsung Galaxy S6 edge+,
S6 edge and Note 5 (3972-, 3948and 3920 points respectively). We
also recorded 1764 points singlecore, which sits between the Note
7 (1786 points) and Galaxy S7
edge (1744 points).
Our next test is GFXBench 3.0,
which measures onscreen graphics
performance. The Xiaomi Redmi Pro
turned in a respectable and easily
playable 25fps in T-Rex and 15fps in
Manhattan. Thats not up there with
the flagships, but it wipes the floor
with many a mid-range Android.
JetStream is used to measure
JavaScript web browsing
performance, and here the Redmi
Pro recorded 24.719. Thats not
bad, but also not brilliant, and
just a touch above the likes of the
Xiaomi Redmi 3S.
Usually we would also measure
battery life using the Geekbench 3
battery benchmark, but the test has
been removed from Geekbench 4 so
its temporarily back to the drawing
board for that one. However, the
Xiaomi Redmi Pro has a 4050mAh
non-removable battery that in our

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Reviews

experience should be good for a

couple of days, but your mileage
may vary depending on your usage.

Geekbench 4

Connectivity
As with any foreign phone you buy
for UK use you should ensure the
Xiaomi Redmi Pro will be supported
by your network. In common with
all Xiaomi phones the Redmi Pro
supports two of the three 4G bands
used in the UK: 3 (1800MHz) and 7
(2600MHz), but not 20 (800MHz).
In essence what this means for
UK users is that any customers
of networks that rely solely on
800MHz for 4G connectivity
wont be able to receive anything
faster than 3G. O2 is the primary
network to rely on 800MHz 4G, but
others such as Giffgaff that use its
network will also be affected.
The Xiaomi Redmi Pro is a dual
SIM phone that operates in dual
standby fashion. It utilises a hybrid
SIM tray, which allows you to either
add two SIMs (perhaps you want one
for work and one for leisure) or one
SIM and a microSD card up to 128GB
in capacity. Our review sample came
with a generous 64GB of storage,
but if you take a lot of photos and
video, then you may appreciate the
extra storage space. Its frustrating
that the phone cant be both dual
SIM and storageexpandable, but
you can always swap in a second SIM
or microSD card as required.
In other respects the Xiaomi
Redmi Pro covers most connectivity
bases, but a notable omission is NFC,
which is required for Android Pay.
Theres the latest dualband 802.11ac
WiFi and Bluetooth 4.2, as well as
GPS and GLONASS. And theres even
an IR blaster, which these days is
becoming something of a luxury.
A fingerprint scanner is built
into the ceramic Home button, and
theres a reversible USBC port at
the phones base, located in between
what looks like twin speakers but
is actually a mono speaker hidden
behind a dual grille. Sound quality is
reasonable nevertheless, and a vast
improvement over phones that place
the speaker at the rear where it may
be muffled by the palm of your hand
or fire sound directly into a surface.

Cameras
The Redmi Pro features something
were increasingly seeing in
flagships: a Dual Camera. This
combines a 13Mp Sony IMX 258

GFXBench Manhattan

GFXBench T-Rex

JetStream

sensor with a 5Mp Samsung sensor

that is used purely to capture depth
information. This lets you to create
a bokeh effect, altering the focus
in specific parts of the image. A
dualtone flash sits in between the
two cameras, while at the front

theres a separate 5Mp camera

for selfies (actually 3.7Mp but
softwareboosted).
The camera app is very good,
and allows you to apply realtime
filters or select from various modes
including HDR, Panorama, Manual,

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Reviews

Beautify and Scene among others.

In auto mode you simply tap to
focus, then press the shutter to
capture the shot. You then get
options to share, edit or delete, with
various editing options allowing
you to apply a different filter,
crop and rotate, tweak the image
sharpening, brightness, contrast,
saturation and vignette, add a
sticker or doodle on the photo.
The selfie camera features
similar options, and will display
onscreen how old it thinks you look
in each pose. Its interesting to see
how much this age can jump up
and down as you switch between
the various filters. (Interesting, but
not always welcome.)
On the whole we were pleased
with our test images. As usual,
we took shots of the St Pancras
Renaissance Hotel in both Auto and
HDR modes, shown respectively to
the right, and found realistic colours
and good reproduction of detail.
We also experimented with
tweaking the focus of a shot after
taking an image, which was easy
enough to achieve (provided you
remember to put the camera in
stereo mode), but you really need
to compose the shot with this
feature in mind.

Auto mode

Software
Out of the box our Redmi Pro
review sample ran Android 6.0
Marshmallow with MIUI 7.3,
however an update to brand-new
MIUI 8.0.3 was available.
Some new features in MIUI 8.0
include the ability to password- or
fingerprint-protect notes, a new
energy saving mode, enhanced
video-editing tools plus some photo
features that allow you to add
doodles and stickers and quickly
share your snaps, the new and
supposedly easier-on-the-eyes Mi
Lanting font, improved QR scanner
and calculator apps, an enhanced
multi-tasking menu, brighter colours
and new lock screen wallpapers.
MIUI 8.0 is a great take on the
standard Android operating system,
but it wont be familiar to those who
havent used a Xiaomi phone before.
Settings are found under different
sections to standard Android,
theres no app tray, which results
in an iOS-esque experience, the
drop-down notification bar has been
tweaked and, more importantly,
there are no Google apps.

HDR mode
Xiaomi has its own app
alternatives for many of the
standard Google apps youd expect
to find on an Android phone, but
some of these are Chinese (they
can be uninstalled or tucked away
in a folder), and if youve ever used
an Android phone before youll
probably prefer to use Google apps
to seamlessly sync your data.
Its easy enough to install the
Play Store, and you simply create
a Mi account and search for
Google Play in the Mi App Store.
Everything here is Chinese, but if
you tap on the first option with the
Google Play icon it will download
the Play Store and any associated
services that are required to run
it. Having done so you may find
it takes half an hour or so for the
Google account to register on the
phone, so you may not be able to
immediately download apps from
Google Play. In our impatience we

found it easier to sideload the apps

we use for benchmarking, but to
do so youll first need to enable the
installation of apps from unknown
sources in the privacy settings.
One thing we highly recommend
for UK users is to download the
Google Keyboard, since the Chinese
characters on the standard keyboard
can be confusing and much of the
time youll be relying on guess work
to find they button you want.

Verdict
The Xiaomi Redmi Pro offers
unbeatable value for money at
around 250, undercutting every
flagship yet offering much the
same performance and many
comparable features. Due to the
lack of Google Play and a number
of Chinese preinstalled apps
wed recommend Xiaomi phones
only to seasoned Android users,
though. J Marie Brewis
January 2017 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/reviews 41

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Reviews

SMARTPHONE

399 (TBC)
Contact
n

consumer.huawei.com/uk

Specifications

5in (1920x1080) IPS display;

Android Marshmallow 6.0.1;
2GHz Qualcomm
Snapdragon 625 octa-core
processor; Adreno 506;
3GB RAM; 32GB storage;
12Mp main camera, dual
LED flash; 8Mp front-facing
camera; 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi;
Bluetooth 4.1; 4G LTE;
Nano-SIM; GPS; 3020mAh
battery; 141.2x69.1x7.1mm;
146g

Build:
Features:
Value:

Huawei Nova
Huawei has gone from strength
to strength in the UK, with recent
releases, including the flagship
Huawei P9, proving popular but it
isnt done yet. Here we look at its
latest offering: the Nova.

Design
Sporting 2.5D glass and a curvy
body this doesnt look or feel like a
mid-range smartphone. The display
meets the aluminium unibody
perfectly, providing users with a
seamless design that allows for
smooth swipes from the edge.
This isnt a large phone,
measuring 141.2x69.1x7.1mm and
weighing 146g. It has incredibly
thin bezels and since it doesnt
have any physical buttons, the
display takes up a larger portion
of the front.
The Novas brushed metal
finish on the side and sandblasted
rear feels great in the hand. On
the back users will find a circular
fingerprint scanner similar to that
found on the Honor 8, and it is a
step away from the square-shaped
reader used on the Huawei P9.
In terms of colours, the Huawei
is available to buy in Apple-esque
shades of Mystic silver, Titanium
grey and Prestige gold.

Performance:

Features
The crisp and vibrant 5in full-HD
(1920x1080) IPS display performs
well in low-light conditions due to
the inclusion of a blue light filter.
Its similar to Apples Night Shift
functionality and, while it does a
good job, its a little less subtle than
Apples offering with a noticeably
orange tint. We would also like to be
able to automatically turn it on at
sunset and off at sunrise, because
manually toggling it on and off on
a daily basis isnt ideal.
In terms of power, the Nova has
a 2GHz octa-core Snapdragon 625
processor, coupled with 3GB of RAM.
During testing, we didnt experience
any lag when swiping between
menus, scrolling through Facebook
or browsing the web.
Thats not to say we didnt
have any issues with performance.
While its fine for basic tasks, the
limitations of the built-in tech
become clear when playing games,
especially more graphically intense

titles such as Assassins Creed

Pirates. It handles standard 3D
platformer titles such as Crossy
Road without any problems, though.
While the Snapdragon 625
provides a snappy user experience,
its not the only reason Huawei
decided to use it: the firm says
it offers users 30 percent longer
battery life than the Snapdragon
615. This, coupled with a substantial
3020mAh non-removable battery,
easily lasts a full day. Its charged,
like most other Huawei-branded
smartphones, via USB-C.
With regards to storage, you
get 32GB out of the box, which is
expandable thanks to Huaweis
Hybrid slot, which offers either
microSD (up to 256GB) and
Nano- or dual-SIM capabilities,
depending on your requirements.

Performance
As with all the phones we review at
PC Advisor, we put the Nova through
various tests. The first of these was
Geekbench 4, which measures a
smartphones general performance.
This benchmark has recently been
updated though, which makes it
hard to compare performance
with the majority of phones weve
tested using Geekbench 3.

What we can compare it to,

however, is the Xiaomi Redmi Pro
(page 39). The Huawei Nova scored
a slightly disappointing 842 in
single-core and 3048 in multi-core:
the Redmi Pro recorded 1764 and
4539 respectively. Its a similar story
with Sonys latest smartphone, the
Sony Xperia XZ (page 32), which
scored 1582 and 3807 respectively.
Huaweis processor is enough to
get by, but its not the top of the
pile by a long shot.
Our next test is GFXBench, which
tests a smartphones graphics
performance. The Nova scored 23fps
in T-Rex and 10fps in Manhattan.
In this respect, the Huawei is just
behind the mid-range Redmi Pro,
which recorded 35- and 15fps
respectively, but has been blown
out of the water by the similarly
priced OnePlus 3, which scored 59and 46fps respectively.
Finally, we test JetStream in
Chrome to ensure a fair test (it
doesnt have to run in Chrome).
Android smartphones are generally
slower than iOS devices when
browsing, as the iPhone 7 (page 29)
scored a whopping 160.2. With this
giving you some idea of what a highend smartphone can offer, the Nova
scored 30.2, putting it in the same

The crisp and vibrant 5in full-HD (1920x1080)

IPS display performs well in low-light conditions
due to the inclusion of a blue light filter

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Reviews

Geekbench 4

GFXBench Manhattan

GFXBench T-Rex

JetStream

league as the Sony Xperia XA (26.5)

and the Nextbit Robin (29.7).

Cameras
The Novas cameras are decent
for a mid-range smartphone. The
rear-facing offering is a 12Mp
snapper with 1.25m pixels and
an aperture of f/2.2.
As you can see from our
examples (see below) photos are
good, as long as you have got
sufficient light. The picture of St
Pancras Hotel was taken on a dull
and rainy day (see bottom right).
Colour reproduction is decent,
although could be improved in
places, but the amount of detail is
impressive. You can see individual
bricks on the hotel walls, and can
even read the street sign. Theres no
motion blur either, despite people
walking along the street below.
The front-facing camera isnt to
be sniffed at either an 8Mp camera

with f/2.0 and similarly decent

results in low-light conditions. While
theres no dedicated front-facing
flash like on other Huawei
smartphones, those that need more
light can simply use the Novas
display as a flash. Note that doing
so may leave you with an extremely
white, reflective face. The quality is
decent though, and will suffice for
the likes of Skype and Snapchat.
In terms of video recording,
the mid-range Nova surprisingly
offers 4K at 30fps Huawei opted
against including it in its P9 and
P9 Plus handsets. The quality
isnt mind-blowing, though. Wed
recommend sticking to 1080p as this
takes in more colour, making videos
lighter and much smaller in size.

Software
The Nova comes with Android
6.0 Marshmallow complete with
Huaweis own Emotion UI (EMUI

for short) overlay. While some

arent fans of skins that redesign
Googles OS, we like it from the
timeline-style notification centre to
the circular icons used throughout
the operating system, although it
does take some getting used to.

Verdict
The Nova is an underwhelming
phone: the processor isnt as
quick as similarly-priced handsets,
the graphical capabilities arent
great and the quality of lowlight photography is less than
expected. What we do like is the
design: its sleek, gorgeous and
extremely comfortable to use.
It definitely doesnt look like a
sub-350 smartphone. However,
with companies such as OnePlus
dominating the mid-range scene
with high-end internals, its hard
to recommend this distinctly
average Huawei. J Lewis Painter

January 2017 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/reviews 43

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DVDRW. J Marie Brewis

Reviews

SMARTPHONE

99 inc VAT
Contact
n

imomobile.co.uk

Specifications

5in 1280x720 HD IPS

display; Android
Marshmallow 6.0; 1GHz
MediaTek MT6735P
quadcore processor;
1.5GB RAM; 16GB storage
with microSD up to 32GB;
8Mp main camera, dual
LED flash; 5Mp frontfacing
camera, single LED
flash; 802.11 b/g/n WiFi;
Bluetooth 4.0; 4G
LTE; NanoSIM; GPS;
1950mAh battery;
143.6x72x9mm; 150g

Build:
Features:

IMO S
While there are many excellent
highend smartphones on the
market, making buying decisions
tricky, purchasing a budget handset
is also not an easy choice. There
are many midtolow range devices
vying for our attention and there
are some that stand out in the
way that they successfully balance
value and performance.
Virgin Media has teamed up
with a subsidiary of its own parent
company, Verve Connect, a young
brand called IMO, which stands for
in my opinion. The opinion seems
to be that the UK market needs
another affordable smartphone.

Price
The IMO S is available for free on a
contract with Virgin Media, and can
be bought outright for 99 from
Amazon. At the time of writing,
Virgin advertises the IMO S for
8.50 per month, which is slightly
misleading. Its available at this
price, but the contract gives you
250 minutes only, unlimited texts
and 250MB data. If you want a more
realistic plan of 5000 minutes,
unlimited texts and 3GB data costs
16.50, which is still good value.

Value:

Design

Performance:

The IMO S has the look and feel

youd expect for an affordable piece
of tech; its weighty, a few shades of
black and grey, and a tad sturdier
than youd expect. It measures
143.6x72x9mm, and while the
iPhone 6s is 7.1mm thick, the extra
1.9mm, coupled with the stubby
design of the IMO S, makes it feel
infinitely less refined, though it does
cost 400 less. Its much more akin
to phones in the same price range,
such as the Moto E, which is 8.6mm
thick. The 5in screen of the IMO S is
surrounded by a normalsized bezel,
with grey edges and a plastic back
that snaps on and off the phone to
reveal the SIM slot and removable
battery. The menu, home and back
keys are capacitive buttons under
the screen on the lower bezel,
with the back key on the right like
on Samsung phones, and unlike
most Android devices.
So far, so normal. We were
struck with just how simple the
IMO S is; black, 5in screen, plain
back, central camera on the rear,

headphone jack on the top, micro

USB. If you described the typical
modern smartphone to someone
whod never seen one before, this is
probably what they would imagine.
Theres a frontfacing camera
with (surprisingly) a flash, and a rear
camera with one too, as youd hope
for on a smartphone in 2016, and its
good to see on a sub100 handset.
In the same way, the right edge
houses the power/lock button and
the volume rocker, while the bottom
edge has the microphone, speaker
and MicroUSB port. Weirdly, the
bottom edge has two speaker grills,
but only one has a speaker behind
it. If you snap the rear casing off,
youll see one grill is just a dummy.
This is odd, and were not sure if
this means IMO is trying to make it
look like the phone has two speakers
or if it has just settled for the flaw
somewhere in the manufacturing
process. Either way, its messy and
misleading, even if we are nit
picking. Its not that the IMO S is
a badly designed phone, but when
you play it this safe its hard to get
excited about it. Granted, phones
such as the Moto E is similarly
plain, but the brand affiliation

those handsets carry counts for

something, leaving the IMO S a
purely functional addition to the low
end of the smartphone world.
The IMO S has a 5in HD IPS
display and the company boasts
178degree viewing angles. In
fairness to the device, the screen
is sharper than we expected from
the specification sheet, and when
you zoom into text, the pixellation
is pleasingly minimal. This equates
to a resolution of 1280x720
and coupled with the Android
Marshmallow 6.0 operating system,
apps display in much the same way
they do on highend devices.
In terms of daytoday use
though, the display falls down
slightly. On more than one occasion
the touchscreen was unresponsive
to taps, even though scrolling wasnt
a problem. Selecting different icons
reminded us of problems with the
oldstyle resistive displays of early
touchscreen devices that really
did require pressure, and there
shouldnt be problems like this on a
modern capacitive display. Theres
no antismudge coating on the
screen either, so its incredible how
much fingerprints show up on it.

The screen is sharper than we expected from

the specification sheet, and when you zoom
into text, the pixellation is pleasingly minimal

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Reviews

Image taken using

the IMOs main
8Mp camera

Performance
The IMO S shows its weaknesses
further when you look at its specs.
It has just 1.5GB RAM coupled with
a low-end MediaTek MT6735P
processor. In normal use, for
low-end tasks such as texting or
web browsing, or using basic apps,
including Facebook Messenger, BBC
News and Twitter, it is fine. However,
wade into video playback or media
intensive apps such as Snapchat and
the response times slow somewhat.
You also wont be able to fit
too many apps on the phone, as
it has just 16GB of storage, which
equates to 10.59GB available to
the user. It has a microSD slot for
expandable memory, but only up to
an additional 32GB will work.
If, however, youre looking for
a budget phone, chances are that
excellent performance isnt at the
top of your wish list. The IMO S is
fine for everyday tasks, but if youre
after lightning quick speeds you
should be considering a smartphone
closer to the accepted mid-range
such as the lower tier Samsung
Galaxy A3 and J3.

but then again so do many more

expensive smartphones. For the
price youre paying, there can be
no real complaints. Theres also a
front-facing 5Mp camera for what
will be grainy, but acceptable, video
calls and selfies, though quality
wasnt great, making it all the more
strange that theres a front-facing
flash, something rarely seen on even
the most expensive smartphones.

Software
The IMO S runs Android
Marshmallow 6.0 as near to the
stock Android experience. This is a
good thing for budget smartphones,
as often the best way to attempt
to replicate the positive experience
of a high-end device is to mirror its
software on cheaper hardware.
At the moment many Android
phones dont come with Nougat 7.0,
so its no surprising that the IMO S
has version 6.0. It barely changes
the stock Android experience, with
the notification menu and app
tray as they appear on

Googles Nexus phones. Google apps

are well integrated, and theres full
access to the Play Store for apps,
games, music and more.

Verdict
As far as affordable smartphones
go, the IMO S gets it right by running
close to stock Android, letting you
enjoy a wealth of apps and content
for as little as 8.50 per month.
In terms of performance, it is
perfectly acceptable for the price
you pay just be warned that it is
underpowered, and the SIM-free
price of 99 is a little steep. If you
really want to spend 100 or less
on a smartphone, you should
consider the Vodafone Smart Prime
7 or Motorola Moto E, as they are
better performers and cost around
of 80 each. J Henry Burrell

Cameras
The cameras on the IMO S wont
set the photography world on fire
either. The main camera is 8Mp
with dual LED flash. As you can
see above, it handles landscapes
adequately, with decent detail when
not zoomed in, and itll serve you
well for casual snapping and photo
sharing on social media.
Close-ups show that the lens
tends to struggle slightly with focus,
January 2017 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/reviews 45

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DVDRW. J Marie Brewis

Reviews

TABLET

89 inc VAT
Contact
n

amazon.co.uk

Specifications

8in (1280x800, 189ppi) HD

IPS touchscreen; Fire OS
Bellini; 1.3GHz quad-core
processor; 1.5GB RAM;
16/32GB storage (microSD
up to 200GB); 2Mp main
camera, support for 720p
HD recording; VGA frontfacing camera; 802.11n
dual-band Wi-Fi; Bluetooth;
4750mAh non-removable
battery; 214x128x9.2mm;
314g

Amazon Fire HD 8
Amazon has wisely decided that
it should not try and compete
with the best high-end tablets, but
instead make affordable devices that
are windows to all its best online
content. The updated Amazon Fire
HD 8 tries to perfect a combination
of function and value, but whether
or not youll agree it does depends
on whether you are willing to invest
in an Amazon Prime membership.

Price
Predictably, you can buy the new,
updated Fire HD 8 direct from
Amazon. It is well priced for the
specs, starting at 89 with 16GB
of storage, double the previous
generation. Theres also a 32GB
model that costs 109. These two
options display adverts on the lock
screen for games, books, films
and music from Amazon. If you
dont want ads (we didnt) they will
cheekily charge you 10 extra for
the pleasure. Still, we think 99 for
a 16GB tablet is a great deal.

Design
Build:
Features:
Value:
Performance:

The updated Fire HD 8 has

a different design from its
predecessor, which had a black
bezel and glossy black back panel.
The new tablet again has an 8in
screen with black surrounding
bezels but this time a matte plastic
rear casing in four colour options:
black, blue, tangerine and magenta.
Wed say that the black version is
preferable, simply because it doesnt
give away the tablets cheapness.
Our blue review sample, while not
horrendous in appearance, did keep
reminding us it only cost ninety quid.
Then again, if you like bright colours
or youre buying for a child, the
colours are appealing. The unit as
a whole measures 214x128x9.2mm,
a form you will barely notice in a
backpack or handbag.
While the plastic back is not
premium in any way, the device is
surprisingly sturdy. Theres barely
any give or flex in the plastic, giving
the tablet a reassuring heft. The
front has no physical buttons, all of
which are reserved for its top edge.
It needs only three; a lock/power
button on the top right next to the
Micro-USB port and microphone,
and a volume rocker on the top left
next to the headphone jack.

On the rear is a 2Mp camera,

while the front is a very low-res
VGA lens for video calling and
(very grainy) selfies.
There is also a welcome microSD
card slot on the top-right edge
of the Fire HD 8 that supports
up to an additional 200GB of
storage excellent to see on such
an affordable device. The two
speakers, one at the top and one at
the bottom edge of the left edge as
you hold it portrait give away the
preferable landscape orientation
that Amazon has in mind. It starts
to give away the fact Amazon is
expecting you to watch Amazon
Prime videos on the Fire HD 8.

Display
A device called the Fire HD 8
obviously has an HD screen, with a
resolution of 1280x800 and 189ppi.
Also promised is HD video playback,
which thankfully holds true and
looks excellent. We streamed some
episodes of Mr Robot using our
Amazon Prime account, and the
picture was razor sharp but we had
to have the screen brightness pretty
much on maximum. Youll find youll
need to do so for most use cases
on the Fire HD 8, as otherwise the
screen looks quite murky.
Although video playback is in
HD, text and icons display slightly

pixellated. This doesnt detract from

readability, but the Fire reserves
its best display capabilities for HD
content direct from Amazon Prime.
In our use, even streaming videos
from YouTube were normally slightly
grainy compared to our experience
on more high-end tablets.
However, this wasnt too
noticeable and as with much of
the experience of the HD 8, we
were reminded that this costs 90
but this ends up being a positive
reflection rather than a nagging
disappointment. At this price point,
there is always compromise, and
with the Fire HD 8 there is an
acceptable level of it.
At its heart this is a streaming
device. Amazon preloads it with apps
for Kindle, Amazon Video, Amazon
Appstore, Amazon Games, Amazon
Music you get the idea. While a
decent enough web browsing tool,
the Fire HD 8 is intended as a portal
to Amazon content. An Amazon
Prime membership is therefore not
just preferable; its pretty much
essential. Without one, youre locked
into the Amazon ecosystem without
the key to unlock anything.
The specs of the device reflect
that its best used for media
streaming or low-requirement
games. The processor is a 1.3GHz
quad-core with 1.5GB RAM

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Reviews

basically enough for the types of

content you have access to. The
tablet is generally responsive, but
its quickest when dealing with
Amazons own apps. Stray into apps
like Facebook or the Silk browser
and things chug a little slower.
We used the trial month of
Amazon Prime that is promoted
when you set up the tablet, and
found that it was a breeze to
boot up loads of films and TV
programmes, sync all of our existing
Kindle books and hook it up to our
(non-Amazon) email account.
The Fire HD 8 is a pure media
consumption device. The 2Mp
camera will not win you any prizes,
and the awful front-facing VGA
camera is barely good enough for
video calls it does work, though
this is more dependent on a decent
Wi-Fi connection than anything
else. While it is capable of recording
video in 720p HD, the previous
generation of Fire HD 8 had a
5Mp camera, which hints at some
of the corners cut to keep the new
version under 100.
We also enjoyed the ability to
download Prime content direct to
the device. Our review unit had
16GB, which isnt bad, though the
attraction is to stick a microSD
card in it. Then you can download
a plethora of video, music, books
and more to the device for offline
playback. Video in particular looks
great if you choose to download in
720p HD, but you can also choose
from two lower quality picture files
to save storage space.
The two speaker grills give
surprisingly crisp, clear audio,
but their position is slightly
annoying either end of either
the top or bottom edge when held
horizontally. As with most tablets,
wed recommend a decent pair of
headphones (none are included) to
best watch films or TV.
All that capability is packed into a
device that weighs 314g, just a sliver
over the weight of Apples 299g iPad
mini 4. Amazon cites 12 hours of
battery life with regular use, which
we found accurate in extended use.
Be aware that it takes the Fire six
hours to fully charge. Youll have to
plug it in overnight if youre nearly
out of juice.

Software
As the tablet runs Amazons own
Fire OS, you dont have access to

the full wealth of content available

to users of Apples iOS or Googles
Play Store. This isnt to say that the
Amazon Appstore is limited, it just
takes us back to the necessity of an
Amazon Prime membership should
you wish to justify purchasing the
Fire HD 8.
However, if you really didnt
want to buy into Prime but like the
price, apps available to you from
the Amazon Appstore such as
Facebook, BBC iPlayer and even Sky
Go or Netflix mean that you can still
use the HD 8 as a basic internet
device with third-party streaming
services. But given the prominence
of Amazons services in the interface
and the ease at which it allows you
to access them with a subscription,
wed still recommend pairing the
HD 8 with Prime.
Its worth noting that Google
apps are not available from the
Appstore. This means its hard to
recommend the Fire HD 8 as a
work or productivity tool (although
the Evernote app is available)
because you cant sync existing
Google calendars, Google Drive
and, importantly for casual users,
YouTube. You can still access it
through Amazons Silk browser,
but the browser is a bit clunky and
unrefined, and highlights again that
the Fire HD 8 is best when simply
streaming via Amazon apps.
Nor can you download popular
apps such as Microsoft Word.
However, if you want a tablet that
allows easy streaming of your
favourite TV shows with the bonus
of access to social media, Skype
and online banking, the HD 8 is
well worth considering.
One handy feature is Amazons
Fire for Kids app. Should
you wish to entertain your
children with the tablet,
you can set up a
separate profile for
them to use.
This lets you
set parental
controls, limit
what content they
can access and even
set time limits to prevent
square eyes. It cleverly time
limits games and videos but
leaves unlimited time for reading,
helping you to encourage the right
balance of learning through a tablet
they might want to regularly get
their hands on.

This and other features, such as

a kids camera mode and a Bed Time
feature that encourages routine,
make the Fire HD 8 a good choice
for a parent who wants access to
their own Prime subscription with
the ability to mould their childs
use of the tablet around different,
web-safe preferences.
One thing to note is that Amazon
cheekily (or maddeningly, depending
on your point of view) doesnt let
you give your child access to specific
Amazon Prime content without first
signing up to Fire for Kids Unlimited.
It starts from 1.99 per month, but
given you already may spend 79.99
per year on Prime membership, its
pretty annoying. It does highlight
how often Amazons adverts and
extra payment options encroach
unpleasantly on the user experience.

Verdict
The Amazon Fire HD 8 ticks a lot
of the right boxes. Its affordable,
well built and plays back video to
an exceptionally high standard. But
well say it again you need Amazon
Prime to fully enjoy it. Its not that
it is a complete necessity, but the
prominence in the operating system
of Amazons own apps and services
means without a Prime membership
its a frustrating user experience.
This caveat aside, its an incredibly
priced media consumption tablet
that exemplifies Amazons place in
the low-end market, which makes
it an attractive and interestingly
unique option. J Henry Burrell

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Reviews

DIGITAL HOME

149 inc VAT

Contact
n

amazon.co.uk

Specifications

Wireless: 802.11n dual-band

with MIMO, Bluetooth A2DP
and AVRCP; 2.5in woofer
and 2in tweeter;
235x83.5x83.5mm; 1064g;
1-year warranty

Amazon Echo
The Echo was launched in the US in
June 2015, and weve had to wait an
agonising 15 months to get it in the
UK. I say agonising because ever
since learning about what the Echo
can do, Ive wanted to get one and
see if its as good as it sounds.

Price
There are two versions of the Echo
available in the UK. The main one
(pictured) costs 149 from Amazon
and comes in black or white. Theres
also the Echo Dot, which is 49 from
Amazon. This also comes in black
and white and differs from the Echo
only in that it doesnt have the same
high-quality speaker inside it, which
also makes it considerably smaller.

Design

Build:
Features:
Value:
Performance:

The Echo is 235mm tall (around 9in)

and has two buttons on top. One
mutes the microphone to prevent
Alexa hearing you, and the other is
an action button that has various
uses including stopping timers or
alarms and putting the device into
Wi-Fi setup mode.
Around the top is a light ring that
tells you when Alexa is working, the
volume level and if theres an issue
with Wi-Fi or internet connectivity.
Theres also a volume ring for
turning it up or down, but you can
do this by asking Alexa to turn it
up or saying, Alexa, volume 5.
Inside are two speakers, a 2.5in
woofer and a separate tweeter.
Sound quality is decent, particularly
when Alexa is speaking, but its far
from the best-sounding speaker for
music at higher volumes and there
are better speakers at this price.
However, if youre going to use
it in the kitchen or a bedroom, the
volume and quality are fine. You can
also use it as a Bluetooth speaker
and play music from your phone.

Setup
Install the Alexa app on your iPhone,
Android device or Amazon Fire
tablet, pop in your Amazon account
and password, since it uses this for
various things, including keeping a
history of what youve asked Alexa
to do, as well as to make orders
by voice and to get an update on
those orders.
Like most Wi-Fi gadgets, it scans
and asks which network to connect

to and after youve selected your

router and connected, youre good
to go. Theres no voice training:
anyone can speak to Alexa. (The
Voice Training option previously
seen in the US version of the app
is absent from the UK version,
so if you have a particularly
thick accent that Alexa doesnt
understand theres nothing you
can do about it, but everyone
that tested the Echo has been
understood without any issues.)
At this point you can start using
Alexa to do things such as setting
alarms, timers and even telling
jokes, but a little more configuration
(such as setting your location in
the app) will give you things such
as local weather forecasts and
news briefings. In fact, you can
even customise which news outlets
provide your updates.
Sky News updates, for example,
are pre-recorded headlines such as
those youd hear on the radio. Try
and listen to the Guardian apps
headlines though, and Alexa has to
read the RSS feed, which doesnt
work nearly as well. Newspaper
headlines tend to be nuanced
and dont work well with text-tospeech engines. As good as Alexa
is, the lack of human intelligence
means the intonation isnt there,
and headlines can often be hard

to understand. Similarly, if you say

Alexa, good morning youll get
a greeting and a fact of the day.
Sometimes its wordy and difficult
to understand.
Incidentally, if you or someone
in your household is called Alexa,
you can change the wake word
in the app to Amazon or Echo.
Unfortunately, you cant change
it to any word you like.
The basic stuff is great, but
where things get really exciting
is when you add Skills to Alexa.
Skills are in essence apps that you
enable in the Alexa app.
As with app stores you can
browse whats available in different
categories, or search for what youre
after. Theyre all free, at least those
that are available now.
As we have a Nest thermostat
and a couple of LIFX smart lights, we
went for those first and was ecstatic
to see they were there and ready to
add. Within two minutes, wed linked
my LIFX account and was able to
say, Alexa, turn on the lights in the
lounge. Sure enough, the bulbs lit
up immediately.
The Echo is the first device thats
able to bring together different
types of IoT gadgets from different
manufacturers using different
standards, and thats what makes
it so great. Apples HomeKit is a

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good idea, but it forces you to buy

HomeKit-compatible devices.
But manufacturers can easily
make their existing products work
with Alexa, so we hope that Alexas
Skills will expand rapidly now that
the Echo has launched.
If you happen to own kit that
works with the Echo then youll be
far happier than if youve bought a
thermostat, smart lights or other
gadgets which arent yet supported.
For example, we also have some
Chinese smart light bulbs theres
no support for these. Nor are
Sengled bulbs, or the Heat Genius
smart thermostat.
Generally, if you have the most
popular kit, such as Philips Hue
bulbs, youll find support. More
obscure products tend to be missing.
There are a few exceptions, of
course. Tile is one of the most
popular Bluetooth trackers, but
the Echo doesnt work with it. But
it does support TrackR, so you can
link your account and ask Alexa to
find your wallet, keys or whatever
youve attached the tracker to.
There are other Skills, such as
National Rail, which can give you
train times and whether there are
any delays. Once the Skill is enabled,
you can set up your usual commute
by voice with Alexa and then ask,
Alexa, is my train delayed this
morning? or Alexa, when is the
next train to Charing Cross?
The ability to use natural
language means you generally wont
have to learn set phrases to make
things work. However, some skills
do require this, or at least mention
the app when making the request.
We installed Cat Facts one of the
Skills we found while browsing and
this forces you to say Alexa, ask
Cat Facts to give me a cat fact.
You cant just say Alexa, give me
a cat fact.
Music is one of Alexas
specialities. As well as playing tracks
youve uploaded to your Amazon
account, it can also play from Prime
Music or Spotify (assuming you have
a subscription to such services).
If you request a track and it isnt
in your personal library, Alexa will
try Prime Music. (Amazon has just
announced its new Music Unlimited
subscription in the US, which is a
standalone service to rival Spotify
its coming to the UK later this year.)
You can say all the things youd
expect to be able to, such as Alexa,

Skills
shuffle my music, or Alexa, play
some jazz as well as asking for
particular songs, albums or artists. If
youve set up playlists, you can also
ask Alexa to play those, too.
TuneIn is one of the built-in skills,
and lets you listen to most popular
UK radio stations. All you need to
do is ask Alexa to play Radio 2 in
TuneIn. You can do the same with
podcasts, but you always have to
add in TuneIn otherwise it gets
confused and does nothing. There
are other apps which have similar
functions, so you can enable Radio
Player and say Alexa, launch Radio
Player and then play LBC or
whichever is your favourite station.

Limitations
Alexa is a capable assistant, but it
does have limitations. Although you
can link your calendar, you cant
hook up your email or a phone for
text messages. Therefore, Alexa
cannot read out incoming emails or
messages. Notifications are pretty
much non-existent, too. Alexa cant
even tell you that youve got a new
email. Hopefully Amazon is working
on this, but one reason for the
absence could be down to the fact
that the Echo doesnt know whether
youre around or not. Reading out
notifications when youre mowing
the lawn or arent even at home is
pointless, but this could be fixed by
allowing Alexa to use your phones
GPS location and then confirming
youre nearby by saying something
like I have a new notification, do
you want to me to read it? and
then waiting for a response.
Another slight issue is that
Alexa will occasionally respond

when children speak to it. We found

it doesnt generally recognise
kids voices for whatever reason,
but it can be annoying when it
does, especially if your kids are
attempting to make Alexa play
their favourite song.
In fact, there are no profiles
so Alexa treats all commands
equally, no matter who is issuing
them. So you cant restrict her to
only responding to you. If a visitor
arrives, they can say Alexa, play
Roar by Katy Perry and it will
oblige even if you despise the track.
Alexa cant take multiple
commands, so you have to make
each request individually. This
slows things down, and doesnt
feel natural. It would be nice to be
able to say Alexa, turn the lights
on in the lounge, set the heating to
20 degrees and give me my flash
briefing but you have to do each
in turn, waiting for the previous
request to complete.
One other gripe: theres not yet
support in the UK for IFTTT (If this
then that). Its there in the US, but
until it arrives this side of the pond
you wont be able to control devices
that are IFTTT compatible but dont
yet work with Alexa directly. Plus, of
course, you cant use all your other
IFTTT recipes to do things which
arent hardware based.

Verdict
The Echo is one of the most exciting
gadgets in years and has huge
potential. Being able to control
smart home gadgets by asking
while youre doing something else,
is not only brilliant fun but is also
genuinely useful. J Jim Martin
January 2017 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/reviews 49

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Reviews

SMARTWATCH

369 inc VAT

Apple Watch Series 2

Contact
n

apple.com/uk

Specifications

38mm, 340x272 AMOLED

display; iOS 10; 4GB
storage; 273mAh battery;
18-hour battery life;
38.6x33.3mm; 28.2g
42mm, 390x312 AMOLED
display; iOS 10; 4GB
storage; 273mAh battery;
18-hour battery life;
42.5x36.4mm; 34.2g

Build:
Features:
Value:
Performance:

Its been a while coming. The

constantly evolving iPhone and
iPad line-up has taught us to
expect Apple products to be
updated on a yearly basis, but
the original Apple Watch was on
the market for 16 months before
its successor was released. And
here it is: the Apple Watch Series
2, which attempts the classic
second-generation tech product
trick of correcting everything
that went wrong with the original,
retaining everything that went right,
and expanding its appeal from early
adopters to the elusive mainstream.

Design
Depending on the model, colour
finish and watch strap you plump
for, you may not be able to tell
the difference between the Series
2 and the original Apple Watch.
There are new colour options
and straps, but the exterior chassis
design is in essence the same just
slightly thicker (a barely noticeable
11.4mm versus 10.5mm). Most of this
extra thickness seems to have gone
into the screen, on which more soon.
Its a strong and attractive
design, in our opinion, albeit one
that divided opinion at launch and
continues to do so. Many people
prefer the traditional aesthetics of a
round watch face (such as the Guess
Connect semi-smartwatch), although
a rounded-corner rectangle is more
practical for text display purposes.
The minimalist design includes
just two discreet hardware controls:
a small rotatable dial that can also
be pressed (the Digital Crown), and

the Side Button. These are both

on the same side of the device. We
found that the Digital Crown got a
bit sticky over 16 months of sweaty
and often fitness-focused everyday
wear of late we often tap it and
accidentally activate Siri, which is
supposed to respond to a long-press.
Its too early to say whether the
Series 2s improved waterproofing
will make it more resistant to this
kind of thing, but we hope so.
There are new straps from
Herms, and we were impressed
by the looks and design of the
new ceramic Apple Watch Edition
(shown opposite). This will set you
back a cool 1,249 for the 38mm
version, but on the plus side you
do get what can only be described
as a solid block of unicorn horn
on your wrist. The off-white sport
band that comes with it might not
feel premium enough to reflect the
price of the watch, but aesthetically
its a decent fit for the overall look of
the ceramic Apple Watch Edition.
Given the different straps and
material available for the Apple
Watch Series 1 and 2, theres
something for everyone: which
is important when youre talking
about something as personal as
a watch. It still comes in a 38- or
42mm version, this size referring
to the height of the body rather than
a diagonal measure of the screen.

Waterproofing
Whereas the original Watch was
water-resistant to a depth of 1m for
30 minutes, the Apple Watch Series
2 has a water-resistance rating of

50m under ISO standard 22810:2010.

In other words, weve gone from
wearing it in the shower to wearing
it swimming, and to celebrate this
Apple has added two swimming
options to the Workout app.
This improved water resistance
is achieved by the use of stronger
glue and more gaskets, along with
a clever new feature that spits
water out of the speaker cavity after
the watch makes it back to dry land.
A new Water Lock mode stops
the touchscreen being activated
underwater. Its accessed by pressing
the drop icon in Control Centre, but
will be turned on automatically when
you start one of those swimming
routines in Workout. After you
get out of the water, youll need
to rotate the Digital Crown. This
turns off Water Lock and plays a
noise from the speakers in such a
way that the vibration ejects liquid
from the speaker cavity.

GPS
Fitness tracking was a huge aspect
of the first-generation Apple Watchs
appeal, but it was stymied in this
to a certain extent by its lack of
GPS: this meant that runs could be
tracked only by approximation.
Well, that gap has now been filled
and the Series 2 has built-in GPS,
so it can be considered a genuine
standalone fitness tracker. This
means you can go for a run or
cycle ride and extract accurate
data from your workouts.
Weve observed noticeably
improved accuracy when tracking
runs with the Series 2. Doing

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Reviews

circuits round a track that Google

Maps reckons is a kilometre
in circumference, the Series 2
gave successive reports of 940-,
960- and 960m and these were
done at deliberately inconsistent
speeds, a trick which always used
to stump the first-generation watch
and its stride estimation. The
route to and from the track, which
the map puts at about 1.5km, was
reported as 1.54km on the way there
and 1.53km on the way back, again
recorded at different speeds. Its
certainly consistent.
For comparison with the
first-generation, GPS-free Apple
Watch, we went out again the next
night and did three more laps.
This time the Series 2 was even
more consistent 960-, 960- and
960m while the original Watch,
which had received a respectable
amount of stride-learning training,
reported 880-, 900- and 910m
consistent in its own right, but
clearly tending to under-report
the distance. If you didnt train the
first-generation with an iPhone it
would be far less accurate than that;
if you spent more time training it,
you could probably improve things
a little, but not by much.
Having GPS has a secondary
benefit, and this is the ability to
track runs on a map. If you open an
Apple Watch 2-tracked workout from
within the Activity app, youll see a
little map thumbnail at the bottom;
tap this and youll be shown a fullscreen map of the route you took.
Also on the fitness front,
the Apple Watch comes with a
good range of preinstalled apps:
Activity, which tracks calories
burned, exercise minutes and
hours in which youve stood up
for at least a minute; Workout,
which tailors fitness tracking
to a range of specific sporting
activities; the self-explanatory
Heart Rate; and Breathe, which
helps with mindfulness and may
assist with relaxation although
your mileage may vary.

Display
The Apple Watch Series 2 has
an AMOLED display that is twice
as bright as the screen on the
original watch, according to
Apple and sure enough, its a
lot easier to make out whats on
the screen in sunny conditions.
In fact, subjectively the screen

feels sharper, although the screen

resolution is actually unchanged.
Be warned that in direct sunlight,
you may still find yourself struggling
to clearly see whats on the display
this is the nature of the technology.
Every model of the Series 2 is
protected by sapphire glass, which
is stronger than the Ion-X glass
used on 2015s Apple Watch Sport
model (the other models of the
first-generation Apple Watch had
sapphire glass). All Series 2 watches
have a sapphire glass, making it a
more durable option in the long run.

Performance
The processors in the Apple Watch
Series 1 and Series 2 have been
upgraded to the S1P and S2 CPUs
respectively. Both are dual-core and
offer 50 percent faster speeds over
the S1 (the single-core processor
found in the 2015 Apple Watch).
The GPU that handles the visual
display on the Apple Watch has
also received a boost: its twice
as fast as its predecessor.
This healthy boost in speed is
a pleasing addition, but we feel
watchOS 3 greatly contributes to the
user experience being noticeably
quicker: our first-generation Watch,
updated to feature watchOS 3, has
also got speedier. Its available on
all Apple watches as a free upgrade,
but comes out of the box in the
Series 1 and 2 models.

Battery life
While the specifications quoted
opposite peg them at the same up
to 18 hours figure for battery life,
our tests show that the Series 2
has a better battery life than the
original Apple Watch.
We started with a short-term
comparison test. We took a Series
2 and a first-generation Watch
off their chargers at noon; eight
hours later, using both devices for
the same tasks throughout the
afternoon and early evening, the
Series 2 was on 86 percent and
the first-generation on 69 percent.
Thats a big gap to have opened up
so quickly, although bear in mind
this is after the latter going through
16 months of battery wear, so a
comparison between box-fresh
samples would be closer.
The Series 2 can manage two
days of use between charges
comfortably, something that we
struggled to achieve with the

original Watch even when it was

brand new. If you missed a nights
charging with the first-generation
(perhaps you were staying away
overnight and forgot to pack the
charger), you had to grit your teeth,
power down for the night and use
the watch as little as possible and it
would generally give up the ghost
late on the second day, preferably
after youd closed your Activity
rings and kept the streak going.
In a new test, we charged the
Series 2 overnight and took it off
the charger at 7am as usual. At the
end of the second day with no
particular care taken to nurse the
battery the Series 2 was on 22
percent. The third morning, at 7am,
it was on 14 percent, and it finally
ran out of charge just after 1pm on
the third day. Thats unprecedented
in our experience with Apple
wearables, and is a good effort by
the standards of any fully fledged
smartwatch with a colour screen.
Is the S2 a more power-efficient
chip than the S1? Maybe and
remember it has a brighter screen
to power, too. Impressive stuff.

Verdict
If youre into fitness tracking with
a sprinkling of notifications and
superb integration with the iPhone,
this is a near-perfect option. The
Apple Watch Series 2 is a great
wearable, and the only one weve
seen that feels like it has any chance
at all of taking wearables into the
mainstream. J David Price

January 2017 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/reviews 51

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Reviews

WIRELESS ROUTER

129 inc VAT

Contact
n

synology.com

Specifications

802.11a/b/g/n/ac 1900ac
router; dual-band 3x3
MIMO; Dual-core 1GHz;
256MB DDR3 RAM; 3x
external antennas; 4x
Gigabit Ethernet; 1x USB
3.0, 1x SD card;
206x160x66mm; 510g

Synology RT1900ac
For technology enthusiasts, the
name Synology is synonymous with
Network Attached Storage. The
company has offered a string of well
regarded NAS drives for many years.
What its not known for, however, is
routers, but with the RT1900ac its
clearly looking to change that.
One of the strengths of
Synologys NAS drives has always
been its software, so thats one area
we hope is carried over into this new
arena. As its name suggests, the
Synology router offers a maximum
theoretical throughput of 1900Mb/s
1300Mb/s at 802.11ac 5GHz, and
up to 600Mb/s at 802.11n 2GHz. Of
course, real-world speeds are much
lower than this, but for an AC1900
router the Synology is one of the
less expensive in its class. But is it
a performance bargain?

Price

Build:
Features:
Value:
Performance:

You can buy the RT1900ac for

129. Its by no means the cheapest
802.11ac router try the TP-Link
Archer C7 for under 80 but the
RT1900ac isnt your average router,
as well see. Just remember that it
doesnt have a built-in modem, so
it wont connect directly to a phone
line for ADSL broadband.

Design
Taking the Synology out of the
box, the first thing we noticed is
that its small, which is a pleasant
change. So many routers these
days are excessively large and
will be conspicuous in many
homes, but Synologys RT1900ac
is pleasingly compact. At the
rear there are the standard four
Ethernet connections and a single
WAN socket for hooking up to your
modem this doesnt have one
built in, so youll need to supply
your own. The router supplied by
your ISP will normally do.
On the right of the Synology
theres a single USB 3.0 port and
an SD card slot providing on-board
storage for media playback over the
network. On the other side theres
a button for enabling WPS, so you
can connect to devices such as Wi-Fi
enabled printers without having to
mess around with passwords and
theres also a switch for turning
Wi-Fi on or off, without having to
delve into the interface.

There are three small antennas

at the rear a modest number these
days, reflecting its specification
as a 3x3 MIMO dual-band router.
In standard mode, it offers up to
one single SSID to the user and
automatically assigns a device to
a band, but you can separate them
out if you wish, which is what we
did for testing.

Interface
Setting up on the Synology proved
straightforward, and when you log
in youre rewarded with an interface
called the Synology Router Manager
(SRM). In essence this is a mini-OS
for your router contained within a
browser. Its clean, simple looking
but powerful, with many features.
Its also very easy to use.
The status page on the router
displays graphs that let you see
your upload and download activity
and from here you can perform the
regular functions youd expect, such
as port forwarding and setting up
your SSIDs. These can be separated
out into 2.4- and 5GHz, which we
did for testing, or combined into one

SSD with the router automatically

assigning devices to the most
suitable frequency depending on
their capabilities.
There are parental controls built
in that let you set a safe search
level providing filtering of web
content. You can also set network
access times on a per device basis,
so you can apply these filters to
your childrens devices without it
affecting yours. You can also easily
ban devices from the network.
From the same interface you can
enable Beamforming, an 802.11ac
feature that will direct Wi-Fi signals
directly from the router to where a
device is located, enhancing signal
strength and performance, but only
to compatible devices over 5GHz.
We also appreciated small
touches such as being able to turn
off the LEDs should you not wish
to be distracted by the many (too
many) lights on the front.
The real power of the SRM is
that it enables you to download
apps or packages in essence
small programs that run directly
on the router. These include a

You can also set network access times on a per

device basis, so you can apply these filters to
your childrens devices without it affecting yours

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Reviews

Download Station, so you can

download P2P files directly to the
device and a DLNA compatible
Media Server package, so you
can store content on USB or SD
card and play it over the network
without even having to attach an
external hard disk or NAS drive. A
USB drive connected to the router
will appear as a Synologyrouter
network share in Windows and
you can even set privileges for
access to files and folders over
the network. It all works very well.
Other packages available enable
you to turn your router into a
DNS server, a VPN server or use
it to access files remotely using
Cloud station. We were impressed
by the Synologys SRM software
and it all ran smoothly thanks
to the ARM cortex A9 processor
that powers the router. We would
expect functionality to be further
enhanced over time, and during our
testing there were two firmware
updates made available.

Package centre

Performance
Initially, we were disappointed by
the performance results from the
Synology, but fortunately after a
firmware update things seemed
to sort themselves out and we
achieved much better results.
We tested with the network tool
Jperf to drive as much traffic as we
could through the network using 10
streams at once with a 512Kb buffer.
Our first test was from a laptop
acting as the server to a desktop PC
equipped with a 4x4 MIMO radio in
the form of the Asus PCE-AC88.
With this set up at 5GHz we saw
a maximum average of 680Mb/s,
faster than the TP-Link Archer
VR2600 and second only to the
very expensive, and large, Linksys
EA9500, which hit 729Mb/s. At
2.4GHz, the performance was less
impressive at just 124Mb/s.
With the PC switched to the be
server and moving around with
a laptop as the client we tested
both with the integrated 2x2
Wi-Fi and a D-Link DWA-192 3x3
MIMO USB adaptor, in order to
maximise performance. With the
latter at 5GHz achieved 534MB/s,
compared to 317Mb/s from the
integrated chip. This is less, however,
than weve seen from other routers
to the 2x2 integrated chip.
Surprisingly, when we moved
upstairs we saw an improved

Notification centre
performance 259Mb/s at 2.4GHz
and 408MHz at 5GHz. However,
when we tested with the D-Link
the performance dropped to
unexpectedly poor levels.
This was indicative of slightly
inconsistent performance we saw
from the Synology over our testing
time. Most of the time it was very
fast, but on occasion it would slow
up unexpectedly and we did find
that the 5GHz network would drop
out occasionally, so wed have to
manually switch to 2.4GHz to get
back online. These were, however,
untypical and most of the time the
Synology proved a speedy network
tool. Running LAN Speed Test, we
saw a decent 161Mb/s to a USB 3.0
drive connected to the router.

performance and occasional 5GHz

dropouts. That aside, performance
is very good, which is impressive
considering its compact size.
It doesnt feature cutting-edge
technology such as MU-MIMO, but
thats still a work in progress and
there are still very few phones and
other Wi-Fi devices that can take
advantage of it. Its reasonable
price also works in its favour. But if
you want to share files across the
network, and even access them
remotely, without forking out on a
NAS, then the Synology RT1900ac
will do the job. J Benny Har-Even

Verdict
The Synology RT1900ac is a
very good router marred slightly
by occasionally inconsistent
January 2017 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/reviews 53

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Reviews

ACTION CAMERA

229 inc VAT

Yi 4K Action Camera

Contact
n

gearbest.com

Specifications

2.9in (640x260) LCD

touchscreen; compatible
with iOS and Android
devices; records 4K/30fps
(60Mb/s), 1080p/120fps,
720p/240fps video and
12Mp photos using a
155-degree wide-angle lens
with F2.8 aperture; built-in
speaker; 360-degree
omni-directional dual
microphones; microSD
cards up to 128GB; SDXC
card; rechargeable
1400mAh lithium-ion
battery, shoots up to 120
minutes on a single
charge; 65x21x42m; 95g

Build:
Features:
Value:
Performance:

If you are after an action camera but

dont want a GoPro, then the Yi 4K
Action Camera is a good alternative
with a nice design, touchscreen and
plenty of features.

Design
The Yi 4K is a small action cam that
certainly doesnt look or feel cheap.
Our review model came in Night
Black, but its also available in Pearl
White and Rose Gold.
Weve seen numerous Chinese
products over the years that have
been baffling to use. Thats not the
case here though, as the instruction
manual is helpful and intuitive to use
with the software menus. We found
these easy to navigate thanks to
the 2.19in (640x360) touchscreen,
which is covered by Gorilla Glass
for extra protection.
Theres just one button on the
top of the camera, which youll
use to take photos or start/stop
video recording. On the bottom is a
standard tripod mount and is where
youll access the battery. Its slightly
annoying that the battery must be
removed to access the microSD card
slot, but this is a minor quibble.
Its worth noting that you dont
get any accessories in the box,
just the camera, which is a shame.
Its also not waterproof, so youll
need to purchase a case.

comes to the accompanying app

things fall down a bit. For example,
we had issues simply setting it up
with a smartphone, and the app is
unnecessarily complicated to use.
One of the reasons you may want
an action camera is so that you can
get a fisheye view and the Yi 4K
provides exactly this. If, however,
you dont want any distortion,
you can straighten your image
digitally. The wideangle lens has
a 155degree view and the camera
offers a fixed aperture of f/2.8.
The headline shooting mode is
4K (3840x2160), which is limited to
30fps but can record continuously
for longer than any other at a
whopping 120 minutes youll need
a reasonably large memory card to
facilitate this and a fully charged
battery (1400mAh). Of course, you
dont have to shoot in 4K and there
are good reasons not to, including
the amount of storage space it
takes up. The Yi 4K can also shoot
in 2.5K, 1440p, 1080p, all the way
down to 480p at 240fps. The
highest resolution that supports
60fps is 1920x1440.
Aside from all the different
resolutions and framerates,

you can choose shooting modes

including timer, burst, time lapse
and slow motion. You can also take
still images as low as 5Mp, although
most will use 12Mp (4000x3000).
Were pleased with the test
footage from the camera which
exhibits excellent levels of detail,
even without using the higher
resolutions on offer and still images
are nice and sharp. However, there
are few things missing that may be
a dealbreaker for some. It cant,
for example, shoot in 24fps, which
provides a cinematic feel and the
field of view is fixed, so you cant
swap between wide, medium and
narrow as you can with a GoPro.

Verdict
The Yi 4K Action Camera is an
accomplished device with a good
design, handy touchscreen and
provides excellent quality photos
and video. However, it doesnt
come with any accessories in the
box and is missing features such
as 24fps and different field of view
modes. J Chris Martin

Performance
As we mentioned earlier, the
touchscreen means its quick and
easy to switch between the different
shooting modes and adjust settings
such as the resolution this uses a
12Mp Sony IMX377 Image Sensor.
Although the Yi camera is easy
to operate, its not completely
userfriendly. It has Bluetooth
and dualband WiFi, but when it

For video
clips, go to
tinyurl.com/zLjgy97

54 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/reviews January 2017

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Reviews

WIRELESS REPEATER

49 inc VAT
Contact
n

devolo.co.uk

Specifications

Wi-Fi: 802.11ac/n/g/b
dual-band 2.4GHz and
5GHz; Claimed speed: up
to 1200Mb/s; 1x gigabit
Ethernet port;
91x59x38mm

Build:
Features:
Value:
Performance:

Devolo WiFi ac Repeater

Routers are getting better and
better when it comes to Wi-Fi
coverage and speed, but its unlikely
youre going to want to shell out
hundreds of pounds on a super
router like the Linksys EA9500 if
you can buy a Wi-Fi repeater for
50 or less. And thats the aim of
the Devolo WiFi ac Repeater.

How it works
Heres the thing about Wi-Fi
repeaters, or at least those currently
on sale: only one Wi-Fi device can
talk at one time. It might seem
that your router is able to stream
YouTube or Netflix to several devices
in your home at the same time, but
in reality, its sending data to each
device in turn, and until both router
and devices support MU-MIMO,
thats the way it will remain.
Wi-Fi repeaters are also limited in
this respect. Because they have to
receive the signal from your router,
then retransmit it on the same
frequency, they start with at best
a 50 percent loss of speed.
Powerline network adaptors
dont have this limitation because
they use your homes mains
wiring to take the signal from your
routers wired network ports to
another room. Powerline kits that
also include Wi-Fi create a new
Wi-Fi network at that point: theyre
not retransmitting a Wi-Fi signal
from your router.

Setup
Like most of its rivals, the Devolo
is very easy to set up. In theory,
at least. You plug it in somewhere
close to your router and press the
WPS button on both devices. On
the Devolo, this means holding the
button for three- to nine seconds.
They automatically pair and you can
then turn off the repeater and plug
it in further away ideally half way
between the router and the room in
which you need a better Wi-Fi signal.
The problem comes if your router
doesnt support WPS, or you cant
get the WPS setup to work, as we
couldnt. Pressing the WPS button
for one- to two seconds allows it
to connect to a phone or tablet,
although that didnt work for us
either, and we found it impossible
to get to the setup page even
after connecting to the repeaters

own Wi-Fi network on an iPhone

running iOS 10.
In the end, we resorted to
connecting to the repeater using a
laptop and could at last browse to
http://devolo.wifi (dont forget the
http://) to get to the configuration
screen. Here you can choose
between repeater and access
point mode, although the latter
creates its own new network and
its hard to see why you would want
this, having bought a Wi-Fi repeater
to increase Wi-Fi coverage.
If your router is dual band and
has both 2.4- and 5GHz networks,
you can choose to repeat one or
both of them. You can also opt
to repeat with the same network
name, or choose a different one.
Youll need the manual to
understand the flashing lights,
but once set up, the five LEDs
show signal strength. Confusingly,
youre aiming to have only three
lit up as this is the optimal
position ;for the repeater.

Performance
We set the repeater to rebroadcast
the signal from a BT Smart Hub,
positioning it around 10m away from

the router in a different room at the

back of the house. We then carried
out testing a further 20m away to
see how the repeater fared.
The Smart Hub is a particularly
good router, so it wasnt too
surprising that it outperformed the
Devolo repeater, even though it was
10m closer. Without the repeater, we
saw speeds of 16.8Mb/s over 2.4GHz
and 59.4Mb/s in the long-range test
position. When we turned on and
connected to the repeater, we saw a
speed of 14.6Mb/s over 2.4GHz, but
our laptop was unable to even see
the 5GHz network. Understandably,
that was very disappointing.

Verdict
By their nature, Wi-Fi repeaters are
hobbled on performance. However,
they can give you a usable Wi-Fi
signal where you previously had
none. Should you buy the Devolo
WiFi ac Repeater though? Its hard
to justify the 49 price when other
repeaters will do a similar job for
around half this price. So in short,
unless you can find it a lot cheaper,
go with something like the TP-Link
TL-WA860RE, which can be found
for less than 20. J Jim Martin

January 2017 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/reviews 55

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Reviews

POWER BANK

49 inc VAT

Griffin Survivor

Contact
n

griffintechnology.com

Specifications

10,500mAh power bank;

5V/2A (10W) Micro-USB
input; 5V/2.1A (10.5W) USB
output; IP66 water- and
dust protection; four-LED
power indicator; built-in
LED torch; passthrough
charging, auto-on/-off;
93x75x25mm; 238g;
lifetime guarantee

Build:
Features:
Value:
Performance:

Griffins Survivor portable charger

is more expensive than many of
its similarly specified competitors,
but its a tough little power bank
and we like it.
Our review unit has a 10,500mAh
capacity, and should offer at least
7000mAh to your connected
devices. Wed expect the Survivor
to offer most iPhones around four
full charges, and Android phones
between two and three full charges.
However, with a 10.5W (2.1A) USB
output, its fast and has enough
capacity that you could conceivably
connect a tablet instead.
Charging is automatic, and you
simply plug in your device to begin.
Once its complete, the Survivor
will automatically disconnect
from your phone or tablet, which
prevents power being wasted. If
this doesnt happen automatically
for you, then theres also a power
button on the side, a double-press
of which lights the built-in LED
torch. This can also be used to
activate the power gauge, which
uses four LEDs to show you how
much power remains in the bank.
Its all pretty straightforward in any
case: you just plug in and charge.

The Survivor also has a fast

10W (2A) Micro-USB input for
recharging the power bank, and it
will allow you to charge both it and
a connected device at once (known
as passthrough charging). Thats
incredibly handy when you want
to charge both your phone and
power bank on a daily basis, and
have only one USB plug.
But none of that is what makes
the Griffin Survivor special. After
all, weve seen power banks that
support the fastest Quick Charge
3.0 on both their input and output,
power banks with additional USB
outputs, USB-C outputs and
inputs and Lightning outputs.
The Survivor is fast, but its by no
means the fastest available and

its not going to be a good buy if you

have multiple gadgets to charge.
What we like most about the
Griffin Survivor is its design. This
is a compact power bank, rounded
on the edges, which fits snugly in
the hand at just 93x75x25mm and
238g. Encased in a black grippy
rubber coating, it not only feels
comfortable to hold but is rugged
and tough, and feels as though
its going to last. And last it will,
since Griffin covers it with an
extraordinary lifetime warranty.
Tested to Military Standard
810G, the Survivor can withstand
drops up to 2m and, thanks to
a rubber flap that covers its
ports when not in use, it is also
protected from the elements, such
as rain and snow. The Griffin has
an IP66 rating, which means you
cannot submerge it in water (were
not sure why youd want to take
a power bank swimming), but it
should be just fine in a downpour.

Verdict
It might be on the expensive side
for a power bank of this capacity,
but the Griffin Survivor has a
rugged charm. Its reasonably fast
and rainproof, plus there are some
nice extras, such as passthrough
charging, auto-on/-off and a
lifetime guarantee. If its not all
about value for money, then this
may be the power bank for you.
J Marie Brewis

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Reviews

POWER BANK

160 inc VAT

Omnicharge

Contact
n

omnicharge.co

Specifications

13,600mAh/49Wh power
bank; 120V, 60Hz AC/150V
DC or 220V AC/300V DC
US/EU two-pin socket type;
DC 4.5- to 36V, 1- to 34W
universal charging port;
65W max AC output power;
2x 2.4A USB ports, max
4.2A (now updated so a
single port can output
4.8A with max total output
across two ports also
4.8A); charges in two
hours; OLED display;
passthrough charging;
135x85x23.5mm; 365g;
available in black or white;
1-year limited warranty

Build:
Features:
Value:

The Omnicharge power bank is an

Indiegogo project expected to ship in
November. We were lucky enough to
get our hands on an early press
sample, and this is easily one of the
best power banks weve ever tested.

Price
If you pledge support on Indiegogo
(tinyurl.com/joct5a8) youll save on
the products RRP when it properly
goes on sale, but even so its still
rather expensive at $159 (RRP
$249), plus shipping for the larger
Pro model; and $129 (RRP $199),
plus shipping for the Standard
model we have here. Converted to
Sterling, thats 127.84 for the Pro
(RRP 200.20) and 103.72 for the
Standard (RRP 160), plus shipping.

Performance:

Performance
The Standard model is a 13,600mAh
power bank with a maximum 65W
output, while the Pro version offers
20,400mAh of power and a 100W
output. For the money youll pay you
could get five or six similar-capacity
power banks, but there are several
reasons to choose the Omnicharge.
The first thing to note is that the
Omnicharge has a very high energy
efficiency rating of 90 percent,
which means youll get more full
charges out of this power bank than
you would any other 13,600mAh
power bank. Roughly 12,240mAh will
be available to your devices.
The Omnicharge removes a lot of
the hassle of working out how much
power you have left, with an OLED
screen that displays a wealth of
information. There are no basic LED
indicators here. The display reveals
to which output you are connected
(AC/DC or USB, and you can use
the physical buttons to the side to
turn on or off either output), plus

how much power is flowing to and

from the device the Omnicharge
supports passthrough charging,
allowing you to charge both it and
connected devices at once.
Whereas many power banks
profess to use clever technology
that works out exactly how much
power your device requires
and to then deliver the optimal
amount, here you can actually see
that in action, with the number
of Watts output reducing as the
battery becomes increasingly full
to avoid damage.
Theres not only a battery icon
that shows you at a glance how
much power remains but also a
percentage indicator and a Wh
countdown. Another countdown
timer reveals how much longer
the Omnicharge can continue at
the current rate, and theres a
temperature gauge (plus built-in
safeguards), so you neednt worry
about the power bank overheating.
Once the battery has depleted,
rather than using a Micro-USB or
USB-C connector to refill the device,
the Omnicharge has a proper DC
input. When connected to the mains
with the supplied adaptor, the entire
battery can be refilled in just a
couple of hours. We also received a
DC-to-USB adaptor in the box that
lets you fill it up using a standard
USB charger.
Omnicharge says that this power
bank supports universal charging
from any source, whether that be an
AC adaptor, a solar panel, a laptop
charger or even a cars cigarette
lighter socket.
Thats also the case with the
AC/DC output on the device itself.
This is the first power bank weve
tested to include such a feature,
but more examples are increasingly

coming on to the market. Its a

fantastic feature to have, and in
essence means you can power
practically anything using this
power bank.
The need to add on an adaptor
really spoils the design, though. Its
otherwise a well built power bank,
with angular edges and a grippy
surface that prevents it slipping
from your hands. The Omnicharge
is reasonably large for its capacity,
but theres a lot of clever tech
inside. And it wont add too much
weight when thrown in a bag.
At the front end sits the
aforementioned display, with a
power button to one side and
buttons for turning on or off the
USB and AC/DC outlets on the
other. The Omnicharge doesnt
support auto-on, so youll need to
press the power button to begin
charging, and unplug your device
once its battery is full.
On the longer edges youll find
a DC input and AC/DC outlet on
one side, and two USB outputs on
the other. These are fast-charging
USB ports, and on our sample are
rated at 2.4A (12W) each with a
maximum combined output of 4.2A
(21W), which means both cannot
offer the full 2.4A at once. However,
it appears that this has now been
updated so that a single port can
offer up to 4.8A, but when using
two at once they will not offer more
than 4.8A combined. Should you
opt for the Pro model youll get one
Quick Charge 3.0 USB output and
another rated at 3A (15W).

Verdict
Charge it from anything and charge
anything with it, the Omnicharge is
one of the best power banks weve
ever seen. J Marie Brewis

January 2017 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/reviews 57

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DVDRW. J Marie Brewis

Reviews

3-AXIS GIMBAL SYSTEM

289 inc VAT

Contact
n

dji.com

Specifications

Supports phones between

58- and 85mm wide; iOS
and Android app;
Bluetooth 4.0; up to 4.5
hours battery life; 38 for
replacement battery cost;
gimbal 300g, handle 201g

DJI Osmo Mobile

Smartphone cameras get better
each year and the very best are
capable of capturing excellent
photos and videos. Some even have
optical stabilisation, which gives
much less jerky video when panning
or walking. But none compares to
mounting your phone in a three-axis
gimbal such as the DJI Osmo Mobile.
Just like the gimbals on its
drones (such as the Mavic Pro), the
Osmos gimbal is able to rotate in
three axes and keep your phone
pointing in exactly the same
direction even while you walk
around. It also eliminates shaky
hands and once youve got the
hang of using it can produce
cinematic shots that people wont
believe were taken on a phone.

Design

Build:
Features:
Value:
Performance:

The Osmo Mobile works with

iPhones and Android phones that
are between 58- and 85mm wide. To
give that context, the iPhone 6 Plus
(and the iPhone 7 Plus) are 80mm
wide, so most phones with screens
up to 5.7in should fit fine.
The limitation to iOS and Android
devices is simply because it requires
you to use the DJI GO app, which is
only available on those platforms.
And the need to use the app is down
to the fact that this is what youll
use to record video and photos. Plus,
without the app, you cant use the
Osmos buttons to start and stop
video recording, take a photo or use
the trigger to keep the gimbal in
a certain orientation (it has other
functions, too).
Without a phone, the Mobile
weighs 501g. It can feel a little heavy
for long sessions, but there are
various accessories available such
as a base for table use (7) and an
extension pole (43).
Youre not limited to using the
Osmo upright either. You can hold
it horizontally like a torch, or even
upside down for a low point of view.
It talks to your phone via
Bluetooth and can be charged from
a USB port, so can be charged on

the move from a USB power bank.

The battery lasts up to 4.5 hours
and you can buy spares for 38.
Build quality is excellent and
theres some adjustment if your
phone doesnt balance well in the
mount. A large dial on the rear
allows you to quickly clamp and
unclamp your phone, and rubber
inserts keep it tightly in place. We
found we could use an iPhone in
its case, though depending on your
handset and exact case, you might
have to remove it to use the Osmo.
Although the handle is in essence
the same as the more expensive
versions of the Osmo it even has
the same mounting point where a
phone would normally be attached
as a viewfinder the Zenmuse M1
gimbal is not removable.
One of the benefits of the
pricier Osmo models is that you
can remove the gimbal (and camera)
and upgrade it in the future. In
theory you shouldnt need to do

Holding down the trigger to keep the gimbal in

place is great for tracking shots and with practice
really makes it look like your phone was on a dolly

this with the Mobile version as you

can use your new phone in it when
you upgrade. It doesnt have Wi-Fi
either just Bluetooth.

Performance
The DJI GO app will be familiar
to anyone who owns one of DJIs
drones, but the interface is much
simpler when you connect an Osmo,
because its really just a camera app.
You can dive into the settings to
calibrate the gimbal and minutely
adjust gimbal roll to ensure the
horizon is level, and you can choose
how the joystick works, reversing
the direction if the default of up-totilt-upwards isnt intuitive for you.
You can also limit the gimbal to
moving in only certain directions.
Using the app you can also shoot
time-lapse video and panorama.
With the former, the gimbal will
smoothly (and very slowly) move
between two points, so its best
to mount it rather than holding it,
and the latter automatically rotates
the phone and takes nine photos
and stitches them together for a
wide, high-resolution image.
Its possible to use your
smartphone in portrait mode and
take photos (this works well with

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Reviews

the panorama feature), and a

triple-press of the trigger button
puts it into selfie mode, where the
rear of the phone faces you this
is because the rear camera tends
to take higher-quality images. You
can also use the stabilisation to take
long-exposure photos, although we
didnt get a chance to try that in
our short time with the Mobile.
When we used it with an
iPhone 7 at a wedding, it produced
wonderfully smooth footage. We
certainly didnt see any problems
due to Apples handset having
optical stabilisation of its own.
Plus, footage was considerably
more stable and cinematic than
when simply holding the phone
in our hands and trying to be

as smooth as possible. In our

experience, optical stabilisation is
no substitute for a proper gimbal.
Of course, there are other
tricks that make the Osmo worth
the price (and the hassle of using
it compared to just whipping
your phone out of your pocket
and shooting). One of these is
ActiveTrack, a feature Phantom 4
owners will be familiar with. You
draw a rectangle around someone
(or just their face) and the Osmo will
follow them and attempt to keep
them centred in the frame. This
works well, until you move (or they
move) too fast. Its great if youre
filming someone making a speech,
but less so when youre trying to
film children running around.

Another trick is to hold down

the trigger to keep the gimbal in
place. This is great for tracking shots
and with practice really makes it
look like your phone was on a dolly.

Verdict
The Osmo Mobile is perfect if you
use your phone to make home
videos and want them to look more
professional or for vloggers that
want to do the same. It performs
well and isnt ridiculously expensive,
although if you already have a
phone with good optical stabilisation
you may not see a massive
improvement in some shots. Of
course, its important to remember
that video quality is only as good as
your phones camera. J Jim Martin

January 2017 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/reviews 59

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Reviews

SOFTWARE

From 49 inc VAT

Bitdefender Total Security 2017

Contact
n

bitdefender.co.uk

Requirements

Windows 7 SP1 (Windows 10

recommended); 1.6GHz CPU
(Intel CORE 2 Duo
recommended); 1GB of
RAM (2GB recommended);
1.5GB free disk space (2GB
recommended)

Bitdefender Total Security 2017 is

a comprehensive security package
for Windows, macOS and Android,
all managed from a central web
portal. Its core technology regularly
scores top marks in independent
tests, and it now offers features
that will protect users from new
and emerging threats.

Price
Total Security is the flagship product
in the Bitdefender range, and offers
five-device protection for 59 (69
for 10 devices). Unlike comparable
suites from other vendors this
includes Android and Mac OS cover.
If you dont need such
comprehensive coverage, theres
also Bitdefender Advanced
Protection for three devices (49).
This offers most of Total Securitys
features except anti-theft protection,
and is only available on Windows.
Theres also Basic Protection for 39
(three devices), which also lacks the
file shredder and parental controls.
This all compares very favourably
to other products. Avast Internet
Security weighs in at 139 per year
for 10 Windows PCs (Android or
Mac OS protection sold separately).
Kaspersky Total Security 2017 is
currently 63 per year for 10 PCs
(again, Windows only).

Features
So, what do you get for your
money? First, installation is fast and
simple. The whole process, including

a signature update and system

scan, took around 20 minutes on
a five-year-old dual-core laptop
currently coming to terms with
Windows 10. On Android, you simply
install the app from Google Play and
sign into your Bitdefender account
to activate its defences.
For a product with so many
features, the interface on both
Windows and Android is clean and
sleek. The categories youll use
most (Protection, Privacy and Tools)
are all well organised. Clicking a
category displays its individual
modules and tools.
Most users can leave the default
AutoPilot protection mode engaged.
Website, file and application
protection are all enabled, as is the
firewall. This mode also ensures that
youre not bothered by intrusive
security alerts. These defaults
should take care of most things, but
to make best use of all the facilities
offered, perusing the online manual
is highly recommended.
For example, deep down in the
settings you can choose from one
of several pre-scanned security
profiles, designed to beef up
protection or stop Bitdefender
bothering you depending on what
youre doing. Modes include gaming,
movies, and public Wi-Fi. You can
even have Bitdefender decide which
mode to use by detecting your
current activities.
Credential and credit card
management is amply catered for by

creating an encrypted wallet, which

can be automatically shared among
your other devices. Alternatively,
each device can have its own. Each
wallet has a master password, which
is asked for when you log in. Once
entered, form filling and logins are
handled automatically. For extra
safety while performing financial
transactions, theres also the
Safepay browser, which is offered
whenever Bitdefender detects
youre on a banking site. This is for
when you need a secure connection
over which to send sensitive data,
and a secure browser running in
a safe, isolated environment from
which to send it.
The software contains many
other useful features. The
vulnerability scanner, for example,
identifies missing Windows updates,
weak passwords, and problems with
Wi-Fi security. The latter is always
a worry, and the scanner can bring
peace of mind.
Bitdefenders web protection
module places green ticks next to
links in search results to indicate
that theyre safe. Usefully, these also
appear next to links on Facebook to
show theyre safe to click.
Theres also the ability to set up
a secure file vault, containing all the
stuff you dont want anyone to see.
The Bitdefender Android app
offers all the usual features youd
find in similar products, such
as a malware scanner, privacy
advisor, anti-theft features and

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Reviews

web browsing security. The privacy

advisor will warn you if it thinks
an app is putting you at risk with
its permissions, and gives you the
ability to uninstall it.
The Android app contains some
useful extra touches. You can
automatically capture a snapshot
of a thief failing to open your phone
with the wrong PIN, for example. You
can also nominate a second phone
from which to send a wipe command
to your device. Also included is the
ability to assign a PIN to any app
as an extra layer of protection and
privacy. Bitdefender even suggests
which apps should have this
measure applied.

Bitdefender Central
Activity Dashboard

Performance
Overseeing everything is the
Bitdefender Central Activity
Dashboard. This is a web portal
with a clean layout that you can
access from anywhere. It gives a
simple view of all your devices,
alerts, and subscriptions. You can
also locate devices, send alerts to
locate lost or stolen ones, and lock
or wipe them. Alerts can make the
device play a loud Klaxon as well as
displaying a message. If you enable
parental controls on a device, the
Dashboard also lets you track your
childs online activity, visited places,
interests and social behaviour.
Its not all plain sailing, however.
Running the OneClick Optimizer
to speed up a Windows system
deleted browser cookies along the
way, which had the effect of logging
out of all websites. Not really what
we wanted. Ransomware is the
biggest threat facing online life
today. Bitdefender has a dedicated
ransomware module, though this is
inactive by default.
Once enabled, the ransomware
module automatically protects files
in your Documents and Pictures
folders, and any other files and
folders you care to add. Attempting
to edit a protected file results in
a pop-up asking if its okay for
the application to do so. Agreeing
adds the application to a whitelist.
All other software (including
ransomware) believes the protected
files and folders to be read only.
On Windows, Bitdefender installs
a bootable rescue partition so you
can scan your computer without
Windows (and any malware) running.
In testing, however, it couldnt
contact its update server via Wi-Fi

Security profiles
prior to a scan, and needed a wired
connection. Thats one black mark.
The other is that once underway
the scanner estimates the time
remaining, which would be great if
it didnt dance around the twominute mark for hours.
Bitdefender is very proud of
the claim that it doesnt slow the
system, and this is true, especially
on Android. Theres nothing worse
than missing a call because an
overzealous antivirus product
insisted on laboriously testing the
phone app before allowing it to run.
Opening a new app for the first
time might take a couple of seconds
longer than usual, however.
Like all antivirus products,
there are options for on-demand
scanning, and you can also scan
individual files and folders by right
clicking them. The overall scanning
speed is good. We scanned 50GB of
data contained within about 31,000
files. This took just over 33 minutes.
A second scan to test the products

file fingerprinting abilities took

just nine minutes.
An inbuilt shredder overwrites
files with random characters before
deleting them, thereby rendering
recovery utilities useless. You
can drag-and-drop files into the
shredder, or right click a file and
select it. The shredder is very slow
for bulk data, though, taking over
three hours to shred the same 50GB
of data used in the scan speed test.
These criticisms are quibbles
more than anything. They do
little to detract from an otherwise
impressive product. The 10-device,
multi-platform licence is generous
for the price. You will, however, need
to delve into the online manual to
get the most from some features.

Verdict
Bitdefender has a fine technical
reputation. The new release for
2017 delivers the usual top drawer
protection and carries plenty of
useful features. J Jon Thompson
January 2017 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/reviews 61

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Reviews

GAME

40 inc VAT

Battlefield 1

Contact
n

battlefield.com/en-gb

Requirements

Windows 7 or later;
PlayStation 4; Xbox One

Battlefield 1 takes us back to the

war to end all wars and the brutality
that came with it. There are no
drones, high-powered weapons or
even that many vehicles in 1918,
meaning you have to get up-close
and personal with your enemies.
The inclusion of bayonets on the end
of weapons should tell you all you
need to know about just how close
range and brutal the fighting was.

Single-player campaign
The tales of heroism in Battlefield 1
are told via a series of War Stories
rather than one long campaign,
offering a more focused experience,
especially in terms of narrative,
when compared to older Battlefield
games. These are based on a
non-linear format, and can be played
in any order without ruining the
overall storyline. This is partly due to
the fact that each story is a separate
campaign and the protagonists
arent connected in any way apart
from the fact that they are all
fighting in the same war.
Every War Story has a distinct
narrative, and presents you
with different perspectives and
motivations. Take the exploits of
the largely unlikable pilot Clyde
Blackburn, for example. His
character represents the stories
that get confused in the chaos of
war, and leaves you to interpret
his adventure yourself. Was he
a reckless thief and gambler or
was he trying his best to save his

fellow man and survive the brutality

of the first world war?
His is one of six stories and is
a world away from the post-war
account of Luca Vincenzo Cocchiola,
an armoured Italian soldier tasked
with protecting his twin brother
while pushing back approaching
enemy forces. Amidst all the action
is a sprinkling of heartfelt emotion,
and its the emotional connection
that you build with these characters
that makes War Stories such an
impressive and integral part of the
Battlefield 1 experience.
They also introduce you to the
first generation of tanks and fighter
planes, which were considered
advanced warfare at the time. One
story Through the Mud and Blood
takes you through the early days
of tank warfare, painting a picture
of sheer destruction with a hint of
panic whenever the notoriously
unreliable machines would break
down mid-battle. Its also where one
of the games most emotional and
hard-hitting scenes takes place with
a carrier pigeon, though we wont
spoil that experience for you.
Beyond the phenomenal
storylines and characters that the
War Stories offer, its a fantastic
training mode for Battlefield 1s
multiplayer mode. Each one has
an emphasis on a different skill,
whether its flying a plane, driving
tanks, stealth or surviving an all-out
assault, all with helpful hints and
tricks that can be carried over to

the online multiplayer. Trying to

fly on multiplayer before playing
Friends in High Places was terrible,
but the missions tips meant that we
could take to the sky and have half
a chance of inflicting some kind of
damage on the enemy team.

Multiplayer
Many fans of the series felt that
2015s Battlefield Hardline was
too similar to Call of Duty, with a
lack of decent large-scale maps
and relatively tame gameplay, but
Battlefield 1 takes the series back
to what it does best: open-space
combat, this time with First
World War weapons, vehicles and
terrain, which present their own
perks and challenges.
Operations is the centrepiece
of the multiplayer experience,
offering players the ability to join
in a large-scale operation with up
to 64 players. One team defends
while the other tries to take over the
various points of interest, and while
these games can go on for up to an
hour at a time, the ever-changing
environment helps keep the
experience fresh. A match can span
across five different areas in the
same region and is akin to playing
five separate small games, but with
one story and a unified effort from
all players involved. The losing team
will also get access to airships,
attack trains or dreadnoughts as a
last ditch attempt to help turn the
tide of events, too.

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Reviews

Along with Operations youll

find Battlefield classics Conquest,
Domination, Rush and Team
Deathmatch, which are largely the
same as in previous games. Beyond
the thrill of amassing the highest kill
count and the best kill/death ratio,
theres a hidden charm in adapting
your gameplay to the battle as it
progresses. Team players must
constantly analyse the needs of
their squad, and figure out how best
to contribute. Should you be a medic
that backs up your support and
assault teams or should you snipe
from a distance? Should you jump in
a plane and wipe out an advancing
charge from the air? Its the variety
of options you have that makes
Battlefield 1s online experience so
enjoyable and varied.
Theres another new addition
to the multiplayer roster, too
War Pigeon. While this has the
characteristics of a novelty game
mode, its similar to Capture the
Flag. The idea is to capture a
pigeon, write your message and
release it without it being shot,
with a successful release producing
an artillery strike on the opposing
team. The challenge comes in
finding somewhere safe to write the
note, which can take a minute or
two, depending on whether youre
interrupted at any point. Its a
tense time as your location is made
available to all on the map, and you
can feel the chaos ensuing around
you as you huddle, bleeding, in a
corner as your wounded comrades
defend you at all costs.
Of course, the game mode is
only as good as the map its based
in and Battlefield 1s maps are smart
and frankly gorgeous in unique
ways. Take the Argonne Forest, for
example: the light mist, detailed
textures and layout of the map give
it a certain charm, with many calling
it one of the bestlooking Battlefield
multiplayer maps ever. Peronne is
another favourite of ours, depicting
a small French town in ruins, with a
windmill in the centre, surrounded
by unkempt fields its actually
tranquil before the death and
destruction begins.
Its not just the look of the maps
that makes them phenomenal,
as the destructive nature of the
game can reshape the look of
the battlefield in moments. Take
the airship, for example if one
is successfully shot down, itll

destroy anything beneath it. Were

not talking about people here but
entire buildings even the French
palace in Ballroom Blitz can be
rendered completely unrecognisable,
littered with mangled metal beams,
rubble and fire.
Its not exclusive to the airship
either, as tanks, grenades and RPGs
can all bring down buildings and
create craters in the environment
ideal for pushing up on a heavily
fortified position. Its due to this
functionality that we have one
of our favourite memories of
Battlefield 1: we were playing online,
running between buildings when
we spotted an enemy tank. Of
course, we couldnt take it out with
standard ammunition, so we ran
into the closest building for cover
and to select a more appropriate
weapon. They cant hit us in here
we thought oh, how wrong we
were. As we watched the entire
building collapse on itself with us
inside (killing us in the process),
we couldnt help but be impressed
by the level of detail. Destructive
environments offer new and exciting
ways to play, and help to keep both
you and your enemies on your toes.
While in previous Battlefield
games youd be able to personalise
just about every aspect of your gun,
Battlefield 1 has limited weapon
customisation. You can still get skins
via Battlepacks for a different look,
but nothing enhances the weapon
you have. This is also true for sights,
as most weapons will only offer the
bogstandard iron sights that were
available during the First World War
snipers obviously excluded. This
means that shooting from a distance

can be a challenge, especially when

playing with evenlyskilled players
online, and forces you to think
tactically about getting closer to
the enemy without being spotted.
One area where Battlefield 1
blows the competition out of the
water is in the graphics and sound
effects department. While the game
would have been good with average
graphics, the combination of a
strong story, high quality textures
(especially on PC) and intelligent
sound effects make it one of the
most beautiful and enjoyable games
weve ever played. From the light
mist of Argonne Forest to the dark,
decaying wastelands of No Mans
Land, the high production values
emphasise the sights and sounds
that you experience. From the
distinct clatter of empty bullet shells
hitting the floor around you, to the
rumble of an approaching tank,
its the small details that make the
game so immersive to play.

Verdict
With Battlefield 1, EA and DICE have
proven that sometimes its best to
take it back to basics. The game
puts an emphasis on the individuals
and not the war itself, showing that
those who fought on both sides
were just like us. The interjection of
statistics and other facts throughout
the game are educational, and help
players grasp just how devastating
it was. A phenomenal singleplayer
mode, fantastically enjoyable
multiplayer and mechanics thatll
keep you on your toes for some
time makes Battlefield 1 one of
our favourite games, possibly
ever. J Lewis Painter

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Four
Of THE
Best
If youve got around 550 to spend on a laptop, Jim Martin and Andrew
Williams have four of the best Windows machines you can buy right now

here are so many mid-range

laptops that it can be hard to
know where to start looking. Do
you go for a 2-in-1 thats basically a tablet
with a keyboard, or do you get a proper
laptop? If you fall into the latter camp, there
are some great deals at the moment, and
weve cherry-picked four of the very best
this month. We recommend them all: theres
no dud here thats not worth your time.
But we understand that your budget
might be different, so if you see a slightly
different model, heres what to look for
before you buy it, and how to choose the
right laptop for your needs.

Screen
Starting with the screen, you firstly need
to decide on a size. Most laptops will be
12- to 15in, which will be a happy medium
for most, but you can also go smaller or
larger if you want something even more
portable or if it rarely needs to move at
11- or 17in. Remember that the size of the

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064_075 Best Value Laptops GT 258.indd 64

screen will have an impact on elements

such as the weight of the laptop and other
areas, including the keyboard and even how
many ports can be fitted.
Its typical to find a budget laptop with
an unexciting resolution of 1366x768, but if
you can find higher youll be much better off
(all four here have full-HD screens). A matt
finish is preferable to glossy which reflects
lights all too easily, and even yourself when
youre trying to work or watch a film.

Processor
As you know, the processor is the beating
heart of the computer and which chip sits
at the core of a laptop is going to have a
large impact on how smoothly it runs. You
might well find many with an Intel Celeron
or similar and these are to be avoided unless
your workload is going to be very light. Think
email, word processing and web browsing.
Youre better off looking for either an
AMD A-series or Intel Core i3 processor
if you can and some of the laptops at

this price even offer a Core i5. The most

powerful and efficient chips are currently
Intel Skylake which are the sixth-generation
Core processors.
We recommend that you go for the best
you can find within your budget, especially
if youre aiming to do demanding tasks
such as editing video. Dont worry too
much about clock speed, although higher is
better for getting things done quickly. Often
manufacturers and retailers will advertise
the Turbo speed rather than the regular.
We run various benchmarks on every
laptop, so make sure you read the full review
to get the results and what they mean for
daily usage. The processor will also have an
impact on battery life, something else that
we test, and you can find results and analysis
in the individual reviews.

Storage and memory

Dont get confused between storage and
memory. The latter is simply space to
store programs and files, while the latter is

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Photography by Dominik Tomaszewski

temporarily storing information while youre

doing things. In both cases its better to have
as much as possible. A lot of cheaper laptops
will come with a decent 1TB of traditional
storage via a hard drive but come with only
4GB or even 2GB of RAM (memory).
At around 550 you are likely to find an
SSD (solid-state drive) and 8GB of RAM.

Other specifications
When buying a laptop make sure its got
exactly what you need (as well as the
best specs possible as outlined here).
Depending on what you need it for, you
might want an optical drive for playing or
burning CDs/DVDs. Also make sure its got
the right ports such as HDMI, Ethernet
and USB dont just assume it has them
all. Ethernet seems to becoming rarer on
smaller laptops now.
Try and get the best wireless tech, too,
with the latest being 11ac. Better Wi-Fi
(assuming your home router is relatively up
to date) will help for streaming content such

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064_075 Best Value Laptops GT 258.indd 65

as music and video over the internet. If you

want to watch or listen, also make sure the
speakers are decent unless youre happy to
use headphones.

Software
All current laptops now come with Windows
10 Home. If youre tempted by a cheap
Chromebook, remember that they are
designed for online use.

I cant find this laptop

At the time of writing every one of the
laptops listed here is available to buy in the
UK. However, the laptop market is extremely
volatile, and retailers tend to have limited
stock of any particular model, so theres a

chance it can go out of stock or end of life

between the point that we write the review
and you hold the magazine in your hands.
We were, however, told by each manufacturer
that the laptops here will be available to buy
for a good while yet.
Also remember that laptop makers will
make many slight variations/models of the
same laptop, with subtly different product
codes. These are called SKUs and although
the laptop looks the same, the specs
are different so one might have a better
processor or hard drive. We cant choose
what model were sent so when youre
browsing retailers, it might vary. If you want
the exact model we tested, weve quoted the
part number on the table on page 74.

Starting with the screen, you firstly need to decide on a size.

Most laptops will be 12- to 15in, which will be a happy medium
for most, but you can also go smaller or larger if you want
January 2017 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/reviews 65

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Group test: Best value laptops

ACER S 13 S5-371

599 inc VAT acer.co.uk

The Acer S 13 is an ultrabook for normal people. By this we mean
those who still get a shock when they see the price of a MacBook
Air. Like the Asus ZenBook UX310UA this is a more affordable
alternative. Aside from some cheaper components and a quirky
trackpad, there are no elements that make it less of an option
than a more expensive alternative.

Price
In the UK, two main versions of the Acer S 13 are available. Our
review unit will set you back 599, though you can get it for less
if you search online. It has a Core i3 processor and a 128GB SSD. If
you are willing to pay more, its worth considering the 699 Core i5
version, which comes with a 256GB solid-state drive.

Design
The Acer S 13 does its best not to look like a copy of a MacBook or
one of the other popular ultrabook lines. It has an embossed ridged
plastic lid, offset by a silvery hinge that gives it a two-tone style. Its
underside is plastic too, and the use of plastic rather than aluminium
or glass is one way that Acer has kept down the price.
The laptop does have some parts that feel much more like a
pricier machine, though. Its keyboard surround, for example, is
aluminium, with a brushed finish thats cut around its edges to reveal
the shiny aluminium underneath. Its lovely. During testing we found
that it felt like an ultra-premium machine and it was only when we
stopped working that we were reminded that its a mid-range laptop.
The keyboard has the rigidity that other laptops at this price lack.
Its far stiffer than the Asus ZenBook UX310UAs, for example. While
we tapped away, we felt no compromises had been made when it
comes to build quality.

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Build
Features
Value
Performance
Overall
The main reason to want a laptop like this is that its so slim
and light. It weighs 1.3kg (1326g according to our scales) and is
only 15mm thick, the perfect size to use for work trips or if you
want a laptop you can carry around all day, every day.

Connectivity
It has decent connectivity, too. Acer has done its best to please just
about everyone, packing in a wide array of inputs in a slim laptop.
The ones occasionally left out of slimmer systems, but found
here, are the full-size HDMI socket and SD card slot. These are
important if you want this to be your main computer, particularly if
youre a keen photographer. Other connectors include two USB 3.0
ports and a single USB-C 3.1 port. This is the latest laptop socket,
gradually being used in more and more smartphones aside from
iPhones, which use Apples own Lightning connector.

Keyboard and trackpad

As weve already touched upon, part of the reason the S 13 feels
like a high-end laptop is down to the rigid aluminium keyboard
surround. The keyboard itself is very nice, too. Its key depth is a
little shallow, but the action is satisfying, with just the right mix of
crispness and resistance. Its layout is similar to that of a MacBook,
particularly in the shape and size of its Control and Function keys.
Theres also a blue keyboard backlight, one with two intensity
settings to make the light less distracting.
The trackpad takes a bit of getting used to, though. It suffers
from a common Windows laptop problem in that its button layout
feels less intuitive than that of a MacBooks. Like almost all style
laptops, the buttons are built into the pad. The right-mouse button
zone takes up half the width and about a third of the pads height,

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Group test: Best value laptops

and its easy to accidentally press it. You can turn off the right
button though, giving the Acer S 13 a MacBook-like pad where
you press down two fingers to operate the right button. Using this
mode you can leapfrog over the buttons problems, and the pad
otherwise feels great. Its friction is perfect thanks to what feels
like a frosted glass surface, and the click mechanism is solid: not
too deep, not too hard to press.

Display
The Acer S 13s screen is another strong point. Its a 13.3in IPS
LCD panel with a matt finish, the kind thats well-suited to use
outdoors or in offices where strip lighting might cause lots of
screen reflections in a glossy display. Acer calls it ComfyView.
Its resolution is 1920x1080 pixels and looks sharp. Asus offers
an even sharper display with its ZenBook UX310UA, which looks
great even when you look pretty close to the display.
This is a solid all-round performer though, with good colour
coverage at the price. It hits 85.7 percent of sRGB, although it
has a noticeable blue/green emphasis that you might find less
pleasing than a neutral or slightly warm tone. Windows 10 lets
you tweak this with its built-in calibration tools, though.
The rival ZenBook UX310UA is better for colour and resolution,
but the S 13 is the clear winner for contrast and black level, with
1005:1 contrast. You wont notice the benefit too much in a well-lit
room, but in a dim or dark room movies will look punchier here than
on the Asus, whose 409:1 contrast leaves blacks looking a bit grey.
With a maximum brightness of 345cd/m2, the Acer S 13 also
has enough backlight power to handle bright sunlight. A glossy
display looks fancier, but this screen is almost unbeatable for
pure practicality, and solid image quality.

Performance
As we touched upon at the start of this review there are two
different versions of the S 13: one with an Intel Core i3 CPU and
another with a Core i5. Acer sent us the lower-end model, which
uses a Core i3-6100U processor. It has two cores, clocked at 2.3GHz.
The main difference between this and the i5-6200U edition is that
the Core i3 doesnt have a turbo boost. This increases the clock
speed when more power is needed.
Of course, as the Acer S 13 wont need to use this a lot of the
time, and day-to-day performance feels great here even with what
sounds like a low-end CPU. In the Geekbench 4 test, it recorded
5535, which is lower than the score of a Core i5-6200U machine,
but not dramatically so. Similarly, the PCMark 8 score is 2040:
just a bit lower than a rival Core i5.
This doesnt hugely affect gaming performance in most titles as
the Core i3 uses an Intel HD 520-variant graphics chipset like
most of the other Skylake CPUs. With an integrated chipset
like this, it will almost always be the performance bottleneck.
Like any laptop with integrated graphics this is not a great
gaming machine, but it will handle some older titles. Thief at
720p, low graphics settings runs at 20.4fps, for example. Thats
just about playable if your standards arent too high, although the
framerate drops to a dismal 5.1fps when you increase the resolution
to 1080p and turn the visuals up.
While gamers will still want a discrete graphics
card, youll be able to play older console-grade games
well enough. Skyrim, for example, runs fine at Low
settings (at 1080p), as do Dragon Age: Origins and Dead
Space. Stick to older games and you can have a lot of fun.
If you want to use the Acer to edit video, for example, then
youll benefit from the punchier Core i5 Acer S 13. However, its main
benefit for a lot of people will be its chunkier solid-sate drive. The
version were reviewing has a 128GB SSD, which is very easy to fill
as soon as you install a few games or data-hungry apps. A 256GB

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SSD comes with the Core i5 version, which we find a much better
amount of storage for an everyday machine.
Unlike some Core i-series laptops, the S 13 is silent a lot of the
time too, as the fan only kicks in when needed. It isnt loud, but it is a
little high-pitch, making its tone a bit more obvious in quiet rooms.
Heat handling is good and the Acer stays cool with normal use,
and the underside warmth caused by gaming dissipates pretty
quickly given the light touch cooling system, which seems to rely
on passive-cooling heatsinks for the most part.

Audio
Over the past year weve seen most manufacturers have a crack at
making their laptop speakers louder and more powerful. The S 13s
main improvement is volume. Its two drivers, which sit to each side
of the laptops bottom, can be turned right up, and the preinstalled
Dolby Audio app offers a few different modes that tweak the tone
and help dramatically increase the perception of loudness.
At maximum volume some audio can cause distortion and
the tone at times takes on a hard edge, but you can combat this
by making your own Dolby Audio custom setting if it starts to
offend your ears. There are bassier, more refined-sounding laptop
speakers out there, but were largely happy with the Acers units.
Its comparable with that of more expensive machines.

Battery life
We are impressed by how well the S 13 lasted away from mains
power. It has a 4030mAh battery locked into the frame that lasts for
almost exactly 10 hours of 720p video playback at 120cd/m2 screen
brightness. Thats with the display at around 40 percent power.
Weve used the laptop out and about as our usual work machine a
few times and it sailed through a days light work, particularly as the
matt screen let us keep the brightness very low in most conditions.
Acers own claims for the laptop vary between 11- and 13 hours.
While youll only get those sorts of figures with very limited use at
very low screen brightness, we cant imagine too many complaining
when its performance is so solid.

Verdict
Windows is back with a bang this year. Laptops like the S 13 offer a
low-cost alternative to Apples machines, with comparable stamina
and portability at a little over half the price. Typical of Acer, the look
is a little quirky, and we imagine some may prefer the all-aluminium
style of the Asus ZenBook range. However, the S 13 combines good
keyboard quality, excellent battery life, a good screen and Intels
Core i-series processors, and that quartet is hard to beat. This is
one of the best mid-price ultra-portable laptops around.

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ASUS ZENBOOK UX310UA

549 inc VAT asus.com/uk

The Asus ZenBook UX310UA is what happens when a practical
everyday laptop and an expensive all-aluminium Ultrabook fall in love.
It gets you the pricey look and feel of a portable, stylish machine
with the features of a workhorse and a price way below that of a rival
MacBook. The model on review here is the cheaper version, with an
Intel Core i3 CPU, 1920x1080 screen and 4GB RAM. If you want a
Core i5, a 3200x1800 display, 128GB SSD, a 500GB hard drive and
8GB of RAM, then theres another model for 699.

Design
The UX310UA is a return to the roots of the ZenBook range. This
is a regular laptop, without a touchscreen or a 360-degree hinge.
Its also slightly chunkier than some of our favourite mid-price
ZenBooks, because it has space for a hard drive as well as an solidstate drive. There is just an SSD in this particular model: youll need
to use a Torx screwdriver to remove the bottom panel and install a
hard drive. This will void the warranty, but once the 12-month cover
is up, you can crack it open and add some storage.
Its not thick or heavy at 19mm and 1.45kg, but simply a little less
sharp and wedge-like than the ZenBook UX305. Its light enough to
carry around with you all day, every day.
The UX310UA is a looker too, and has an all-aluminium frame
thats a more affordable Windows 10 take on what Apple has made
with its slimmer MacBooks. Plus, like other 13in ZenBooks, the lid has
a brushed concentric circles design on the lid. There are plain silver
and light gold shades to choose between. Both look great.
Theres one problem with the build. Apply some firm pressure to
the keyboard surround and it flexes a little. Its more noticeable than
in early ZenBooks and is disappointing to see in an otherwise lovely
design. But it is much less obvious than in the UX360CA and does
not ruin typing or cause any trackpad problems.

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Build
Features
Value
Performance
Overall

Connectivity
In many respects, the Asus is more up to date than a MacBook Air.
Unlike previous ZenBooks, the UX310UA has a USB-C 3.1 port. This is
the new breed of USB, using a reversible plug rather than one that
has to be plugged-in the right way. Its also a USB 3.1 socket, meaning
its ready to take on the fast peripherals that well start to see more
of in the next 24 months. Right now USB-C is a future-proofing
addition, but itll become more important over time.
There are plenty of the old standards packed in, including a
full-size HDMI port, an SD card slot and three regular USBs. One of
just a few minor down sides is that only one of the full-size USBs is
version 3.0. The other two are the slower USB 2.0. This makes no
difference if youre attaching a keyboard or mouse, but if you use
an external SSD drive, youll have to make sure you use the USB
3.0 socket on the left side. Note that theres no Ethernet port.

Display
Unlike its more expensive sibling, the FC075T model has only a
1920x1080-pixel 13.3in screen. Yet, this matt panel is one of the
highlights, because in most respects it outperforms a lot of the
similarly priced competition. Asus isnt specific on the technology,
but viewing angles are as good as those found on an IPS display.
For a 549 laptop, its sharpness and colour saturation are
fantastic. Youll notice this as soon as Windows 10 boots up: colours

The UX310UAs all-aluminium frame is a more

affordable Windows 10 take on what Apple
has made with its slimmer MacBooks
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look deep and rich without appearing overcooked. The Asus

Splendid application also lets you tweak the colour temperature,
increasing colour pop further or applying a blue light filter to
avoid eyestrain if youre going to read
Its not as bright as the 3200x100 model, hitting only 308cd/m2
on our colorimeter, but its bright enough for most environments
save for outdoors on the sunniest of sunny days. But then again,
few laptops are bright enough for comfortable outdoor use.
There are a few small niggles, though. First, this isnt a pure
flat screen, which you tend to see in very fancy laptops or those
with touchscreens. What we mean by this is that the display
border is raised, but it does knock off a few style points. The lid
doesnt tilt back that far, either. On a desk this doesnt matter,
but if youre going to want to use this in a confined space it on
your knees, the display angle will be slightly severe.

The ZenBooks screen only needs to be

set to around 35 percent brightness to
be comfortable to use in a well-lit room
These are minor issues, though. The one you should consider is
display contrast, which isnt all that hot. Our colorimeter measured it
at 409:1, where some laptops can achieve over 1000:1.

Keyboard and trackpad

The UX310UAs keys have a scissor mechanism, which is designed
to make them feel a little less wobbly. This is a solid keyboard, with
slightly deeper action than most in this category. We like it a lot,
despite the visible keyboard flexing that happens is you are a heavy
typer. Theres also a backlight, one of the main features missing
from the earlier UX-series ZenBooks.
Its trackpad is more familiar. Its large, topped with glass, and
has buttons integrated into the pad that take a rough 50/50 split
of the very bottom part. If keyboard flex and the use of just one
USB 3.0 socket were the first black marks against the UX310UAs
day-to-day experience, the trackpad is perhaps the third. During
testing, it occasionally registered taps when we were just trying to
move the cursor. Despite using
a glass surface, the trackpad
isnt as smooth as wed like.
This is likely because the surface
isnt treated to the same level of
glass-frosting as you get in some
more expensive machines.
We are being tough on the UX310UA
here, though. The pad is still large,
comfortable, and has a button-click
that doesnt require too much pressure
and isnt loud enough to annoy anyone
nearby trying to watch TV. Its just one
of the few parts that doesnt thoroughly
outclass much of the competition.

3D rendering or video encoding. Such a computer is going to be

thicker and heavier, and wont last long away from the mains, though.
In Geekbench 4, it scored 5329 for the multi-core test and
2828 for single-core. (The Core i5 version scored 5886 and 3175
respectively.) In PCMark 8, it managed 2315.
This ZenBook is not well-suited to demanding games. Even
at 720p resolution with low graphics settings applied, our tests
wouldnt run at anything approaching 30fps. Older titles may run
okay, but dont buy this with a view to gaming on it.
Like most Intel Core-equipped laptops, the UX310UA has fans
rather than relying entirely on passive cooling. Its noticeable in
quiet rooms, but the volume doesnt ramp up too high when you
start challenging the CPU.

Battery life
One of the pleasant surprises is that despite the fact it uses a Core
i3 rather than a Core M, its battery life is still very solid. Playing back
a 720p video on loop at 120cd/m2 brightness, it lasted around eight
hours. That provides enough scope to use the UX310UA for a full
days light work away from the adaptor. The screen is a real benefit
here, as it only needs to be set to around 35 percent brightness to
be comfortable to use in a well-lit room.
This laptop is a fantastic all-rounder for someone looking for
a laptop prepared for a whole bunch of different uses. However,
for the sake of balance were going to end on one slight off-key
note: the speakers. It has a pair of Harman Kardon units that fire
out from the underside. They are fine, but lack the volume and
beefiness of Apples MacBook speakers, for example. You cant
have it all, but this latest ZenBook gets pretty close.

Verdict
The Asus ZenBook UX310UA is an excellent portable all-rounder. It
has the design spark of a laptop worth showing off, matched with
an amazing breadth of features and smart pragmatism that sees it
pack in more, higher-quality tech than its rivals.
This is as close to a perfect 549 laptop as weve seen this year.
Sure, there are parts that could be improved. Theres some flexing of
the shell under pressure, the trackpad surface isnt as silky smooth
as some and the speakers are just so-so. However, stack these up
next to the list of strengths and the UX310UA is easy to recommend.

Performance
Our review unit has an Intel Core i3-6100U
CPU, 4GB of RAM and a 128GB solid-state
drive. Running Windows 10 off an SSD
makes the UX310UA feel very fast day-today, but the dual-core processor isnt as
powerful as some laptops at this price.
It can handle most basic tasks, but
bear in mind this isnt a laptop for serious

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LENOVO YOGA 11 710

549 inc VAT lenovo.com/uk

The Lenovo Yoga 11 710 has been designed with a specific purpose.
It wants to offer the best, most convenient ultraportable laptop
experience you can get without spending a scary amount of money.
It has a 360-degree hinge and a touchscreen, making it more
useful while youre out of the office.

Design
This is a laptop thats as small as youd want to use for real work,
rather than the household admin you might do on a Sunday morning.
It is, of course, worth mentioning at this point that Lenovo offers
a 14in version of the 710 that costs 100 more. It has an Intel Core
i5-6200U processor, 8GB of RAM and a full HD screen, but is in every
other respect a bigger version of the 11in model on review here.
There are, however, great benefits to using the 11in Lenovo,
particularly if you spend a lot of time dashing between airports,
cafes or meetings with a laptop in your bag. It weighs just 1.06kg,
and is slim enough to fit in just about anywhere youd have space
for an iPad in a carry case. The allure of the Yoga 11 710 is that it
has this level of portability, and a high-end design, without a price
anywhere near 1,000.
Like other Yoga models, it has a hinge that flips all the way
around, turning it into a thick, heavy tablet. It doesnt compare too
well with an iPad or dedicated Android tablet, but this setup can be
useful when a normal tablet isnt. Itll let you prop the tablet up in
bed, let you read an article easily while you cook, and will keep the
screen upright on a tiny table. Youd need a folio case to get the
same effect with a normal tablet, and it may well feel a lot flimsier.
Each design of hybrid has a distinct appeal and the Lenovos
360-degree hinge style leaves you with a device that still feels like
a laptop. Others struggle with weight balance because their brains,
and at least part of their battery, need to fit in the screen.

Connectivity
The Yoga 710 is part of the new band of laptops with limited physical
connections, but were glad to see it hasnt ditched traditional

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Build
Features
Value
Performance
Overall
USBs altogether in favour of USB-C ports like some new models.
Theres one USB 3.0 socket on the right edge, next to a Micro-HDMI
connector. Aside from the headphone jack on the other edge,
thats your lot. Using a single USB in an ultraportable like this is an
understandable, if unfortunate, decision, but the lack of a memory
card slot is disappointing. It makes the machine harder to get on
with for anyone who works with a camera, for example. You could
carry around a USB card reader, of course, but that dilutes the
convenience of this otherwise extremely nifty little laptop.
To a large extent, the Micro-HDMI makes up for the lack of a
Thunderbolt port, however, with an increasing number of similarly
priced laptops embracing USB-C, the Yoga 11 710 will soon look dated.

Keyboard and trackpad

A more pressing worry with a laptop as small as this is whether
its comfortable to type on, and for the most part, it is. You get a
keyboard that feels like the best Lenovos IdeaPad laptops have
to offer. While keys are predictably shallow, theres a nice bit of
resistance to them, along with well-defined feedback when the
keypress actually clicks in.
This review was written using the keyboard, and after getting
used to the minor quirks in its layout, typing was just as fast and
accurate as with our workaday 13.3in laptop. Lenovo has kept the
main keys full-size, including the arrow buttons, which often suffer
from space-saving cuts. Only the left-most row of keys appears
significantly trimmed, but we found the positioning and shape of
the most important one, the left Shift, just fine.
The lingering issue with a smaller laptop like this is that your
palms dont have all that much space to rest because the surround
is reduced. This is a legitimate concern because it can mean you
position your wrists more awkwardly, leading to that classic cramped
feel. Lenovo would not claim the Yoga 11 710 has been designed
for use eight hours a day as youre tethered to a desk, though. Its
more about those times when its small frame is going to be more
a benefit than an annoyance.

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To match the good keyboard, the trackpad feels like that of

a topend laptop, with a smooth, nontacky surface bordered by
bevelling in the aluminium surround. Its a good look. This is a
serviceable pad with a nice, meaty click feel that doesnt need
too forceful a press, as some Windows laptops do. We do have some
small issues, though. Its click is a little noisy, and while its size is
about as large as you could expect for the price, you may find it
too small if you play games or try to edit photos on the laptop.
For daytoday Windows navigation and browsing its fine, though.
The button arrangement also requires some getting used to.
Like almost every ultraportable pad, the buttons are integrated
into the surface, and we found it a little too easy to fire off an
unintended right button command. Its also a little too sensitive
in part, causing some unintended clicks (without actually clicking
the pad) as you scroll across it. This is partly down to the driver,
as well as the spacing of the RB sensor, which takes up 50 percent
of the pads width, and about a quarter of its height.
While were reasonably happy with the Yoga 11 710s trackpad,
it may not necessarily be a case of love at first tap.

Display
Lenovo has, for the most part, come up trumps with the screen,
though. It has a few shortcomings, but ultimately uses the right
tech for the right results at this price. The Yoga 11 710 uses a 11.6in
1920x1080pixel IPS LCD touchscreen with the character of a tablet
display. Its glossy, covered with toughened glass and lacks air
gaps in the screens construction, so it appears completely black
when switched off. That last part may not sound exciting, but it is
important, as a glossy screen, its prone to reflections, so cant afford
any aspect that might reduce its incontext contrast.
Weve used the Lenovo Yoga 11 710 outside on a sunny day, and
while its not as good as a very bright mattfinish laptop, its clarity
is only slightly worse than that of a MacBook Pro. After all, its
maximum brightness of 346cd/m2 is bright.
The colour performance is, however, mixed. To the eye, it looks
good. In daylight, the screens contrast appears great and the warm
tones are easy on the eye. However, our colorimeter revealed that its
actual abilities arent that hot. It covers just 61.6 percent of the sRGB
colour gamut, and 42.5 percent of Adobe RGB. The Lenovo doesnt
have a technically brilliant screen, but thanks to its use of uptodate
screen construction and good calibration (its average DeltaE is 0.14),
the impression it leaves is a good one.

Performance
The Yoga 11 710 uses the Intel Core M M36Y30 CPU. This is a
highefficiency premium processor, though not one designed to
take on gruelling tasks. Its clocked at 900MHz and has a turbo
boost of 1.5GHz. This is a dualcore CPU with four threads. The
same chip is used in the entrylevel version of the 12in MacBook,
although Apple clocks its base frequency at 1.1GHz. Its not a
weakling and it certainly isnt a cheap option.
In daytoday use, it will feel about as fast as a Core iseries
chip. However, its not designed for prolonged, heavyduty activity.
If youre going to be doing more intensive tasks, youd be better
off with the Intel Core iseries 900, though it can run Photoshop.
It scored 1998 in PCMark 8 and 4712 (2416 single) in Geekbench
3. As youd expect, these are lower than an Intel Core i5 or i7
machine, but are respectable.
Its gaming is very poor even compared with the integrated
graphics chipset of a latestgeneration Intel Core i5, though.
The Lenovo Yoga 11 710 cant
handle games such as 2013s
Thief, at all. Even after dropping
the visuals to minimum level and the
resolution to 720p, it managed a dismal 8.3fps,

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dropping to a slideshowlike 2.6fps with the resolution and visuals

upped. Even the less demanding Alien: Isolation is totally unplayable,
too. At 720p, low settings, it ran at an average 12.8fps, dropping to
6.9fps at 1080p, high settings. If you want to play some games, then
youll need to stick to very old, or very undemanding titles.
As the Yoga 11 710 is passively cooled (no fans) and has no
spinning platter hard drive, its totally silent in use. With light duties,
only the very back of the laptops underside gets a little warm.
The 128GB of storage is provided by an SSD, but its not the
bizarrely fast kind youll find in some ultraexpensive laptops. It
can write at 157MB/s and read at 538MB/s. The fastest models
are almost three times as fast, but it still comfortably beats any
hard drive and is light years faster than the eMMC storage of a
cheaper tablet or solidstate laptop.
As with the display, its not topend, but is good enough to
offer stepup reallife performance.

Audio
The speakers are surprisingly respectable for a slim and light laptop.
Two drivers fire out from the front of the laptops underside, and they
produce a fuller, richer sound than expected, as well as fair maximum
volume that doesnt cause distortion. Theres a granularity to the
mids, but its not unpleasant. These are surprisingly decent speakers.
And like the best laptops drivers, extend beyond the width of the
laptop, as minor a feat as that might seem in a laptop this size.

Battery life
Lenovo claims the 40Wh battery of the Yoga 11 710 will last for
eight hours. But if anything thats conservative. We achieved almost
dead on that using the laptop out and about for a days work, which
included several hours with the display on maximum brightness to
combat the glossy displays reflectivity on a sunny day.
When simply playing an MP4 video direct from the SSD at
120cd/m2 brightness, the Yoga 11 710 lasted nine hours and 45
minutes. This is a very longlasting laptop, and a pretty strong case
for Intels latest Core M processors when Core iseries alternatives
often struggle to last their claimed hours in real use.

Verdict
The Lenovo Yoga 11 710 is a great laptop for those who travel a lot
or who have no need for a big computer. This is one of the best
alternatives to the 12in MacBook, a truly tiny machine that offers
better value than Apple, not to mention a touchscreen and an
ultraflexible hinge. Its not powerful, but thats not the point. The
trackpad, like several of Lenovos recent models, is not perfect. But
given the great value on offer here, its worth persevering with.

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MSI GL62-6QC 065UK

599 inc VAT uk.msi.com

Build
Features
Value
Performance
Overall

The MSI GL62 is a 15.6in low-cost gaming laptop. From looks

alone you would assume it costs over 1,000, but its entry-level
specification is less than 600. Its a bit of a patchwork of hits
and misses though, and wed advise getting a slightly higher-end
specification than the model were reviewing if you can afford it
as it will really pay dividends for discerning gamers. This version
can handle recent demanding titles at bottom-rung settings only,
and its lack of SSD storage means our MSI GL62 lacks the speed
of some otherwise less powerful laptops at the same price.

connections required: HDMI and Mini-DisplayPort video outputs and

a full-size Ethernet socket. Many may be happy with using Wi-Fi
though, particularly as Wi-Fi ac is supported.
On the other (right) side of the GL62 are a DVD Multiwriter
optical drive and a full-size SD card slot. Just as this system strikes a
good balance between a gamer-tinged look and an ordinary one, the
laptop has an ultra-accessible set of connections thatll suit the sort
of buyer to whom a lower-cost gaming rig might appeal.

Design

Theres a similar melding of worlds in the screen, too. Its a 15.6in

1080p resolution display, but unlike most modern 500-plus laptops
does not use an IPS screen. Its not a plain old TN screen either: MSI
has opted for something a little different. The GL62 has a TN-based
panel, but its tweaked architecture makes it look much better than
other TN displays. MSI calls it a world first.
Its colour is fantastically vivid for a laptop of this price. It can
display deeper, richer tones than many 1,000 laptops. Setting
our colorimeter loose on the GL62, it hit 99.7 percent of sRGB, the
usual standard for laptops, as well as 77.8 percent of Adobe RGB by
volume and 85.7 percent of the cinema-grade DCI P3 standard. Well
admit to being genuinely surprised to seeing such an affordable
laptop provide such rich colour. An IPS laptop at this price might hit
70 percent of sRGB and be considered more than fine.
Its the colour that helps give the MSI GL62 screen a bold look,
because its contrast alone cant. Thanks to raised blacks that
become obvious even in good lighting when you crank up the
backlight, the screen has a contrast of only 300:1.
Viewing angles are not close to those of an IPS screen, despite
MSIs claims. When viewed from a severe vertical angle, theres
severe contrast shift, a typical feature of a TN screen. The effect
is nowhere near as bad as a regular TN screen, though. Theres
clever wide angle tech going on here thats particularly effective

Its not hard to spot a gaming laptop, but the MSI GL62 has little
bits of gaming flair here and there rather than opting for an
outrageous colour scheme or flared vents and mad logos. The
keyboard font, the badge insignia on the lid, the odd bits of red
trim and some of the GL62s angles are all obvious signs to an
experienced eye. This means it isnt a system thatll make you feel
self-conscious in public. It successfully treads the line along a few
boundaries with confidence.
This laptop has a metal-covered lid but the rest of it is plastic, as
used in the vast majority of gaming machines. It doesnt try to push
its luck with thickness or weight either. At 2.3kg and 29mm thick, the
GL62 isnt light or small enough to be considered a portable laptop.
Youll want to keep it at home most of the time.

Features
While it has a sensible, slightly conservative design for a gaming
laptop, the MSI has up-to-date connections. It comes with two USB
3.0 sockets, one USB 2.0 port on the right side, plus USB-C. Its
reassuring to see MSI has added what is in effect an extra USB
with the USB-C socket, rather than using it as an excuse to pare
down the total number of plugs. Itll be a while before everything
uses this specification, after all. The MSI also has the main

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Display

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at improving horizontal angled viewing. If youre prone to noticing

poor black levels and are going to be playing with the lighting
dimmed, maybe this isnt the best laptop for you. However, its
colours look a lot more vivid than most alternatives at the price.
The screen has a matt finish, a type that tends not to make
colours pop as much as glossy ones. As weve said, this is a decent
screen for colours, although its 253cd/m2 brightness is nothing
special. This isnt a laptop youre likely to want to use outdoors
much, though. If youre after a portable workhorse, take a look
at the Asuss ZenBook UX range.

Performance
At this price, youre probably expecting some concessions. And you
have to compromise more than with a desktop PC at 599. The
specification were reviewing has a GeForce GTX 940M CPU, one of
the lower-end nVidia cards. Despite being a solid dedicated GPU,
you will need to use low settings in order to get smooth-feeling
framerates in todays more demanding games at full-HD resolution.
Thief is a classic example of a game that the GL62 struggles with.
At 720p with Low settings, it averages 35.6fps, but that rate drops
to an unusable 14.9fps when the resolution is increased to 1080p
and graphics settings increased to High: unplayable.
The much less demanding Alien Isolation test brings better
results, but is still too slow in the GL62 with visuals at 1080p/High.
It averaged 20fps, increasing to 49fps at 720p, Low settings. A GTX
960M or even a GTX 950M would let you get closer to the mid-level
settings that represent the sort of experience offered by todays
game consoles, the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.
CPU power is without doubt the strongest part of the MSI
GL62s performance. The Intel Core i5-6500HQ is a full power
laptop processor rather than one of the efficiency-leaning chips
used in more portable laptops, and its Geekbench result of 9247
(3034 single) is excellent for the price. It scores a similarly good
2681 points in the PCMark 8 Home test. This CPU could be paired
with a much more expensive GPU and still not be the bottleneck
for performance.
Its a shame that you probably wont get to appreciate all that
power on a daily basis. The reality is that, fitted with a traditional
1TB hard drive rather than an SSD, its relatively slow to boot up and
come out of sleep mode. It also increases application load times.
Storage speed is such an important part of creating a
perception of good performance that the
GL62 6QC feels a bit slower than a lot of
much less powerful laptops. It has the power
for photo- and video editing, but again youd
ideally want a machine with an SSD if thats
what youre going to be doing.
The fact that the 6QCs drive spins at a slow
5400rpm (rather than 7200rpm) makes matters even
worse. Its the second reason, behind the graphics chip,
to avoid this particular configuration of the GL62.
Under heavy use, the laptops fans are significantly
more obvious than those of the other laptops reviewed here.
Higher-pitched and noisier, they can be a little distracting in
quieter rooms. There is an interesting little keyboard shortcut
that lets you switch gears, to use MSIs terminology. The eco
mode also helps keep the GL62 quiet when performing basic tasks.

standard, the action is a little unusual. Rather than aiming for crisp
feedback, the GL62s keys are deliberately a lot softer, a bit like
a shrunken version of the mechanical Cherry switch keyboards
SteelSeries produces (granted, some Cherry switches are clicky).
It takes a little while to get used to, when the crispness of most
chiclet designs is designed to make up for lesser key travel. However,
the keys still feel good and the layout is conventional. Theres no
backlight as standard and youll need to pay extra to get this.
The trackpads surface is a disappointing roughened plastic that
doesnt even attempt to copy the feel of more expensive laptops
frosted glass trackpads. Its driver needs work too: multi-touch
gestures stopped working during testing. A lack of pad ambition
pays off better with the keys. The MSI G62s mouse buttons are
separate and sit below the pad, a smart move for a gaming laptop.
Finally, lets not forget speaker quality. Its not a highlight
and despite being a gaming machine, they are unusually weak.
The sound is thin and relatively quiet, outdone even by some
smartphones such as the Samsung Galaxy S7.

Battery life
A laptop like this, which uses dedicated GPU and an HQ-series CPU,
is never going to offer particularly good battery life. During testing,
it lasted three hours and 55 minutes when playing back a 720p MP4
video file at 120cd/m2 brightness. While its unrealistic to expect
eight hours use out of a laptop with an HQ-series CPU, some others
in this category will last around 30 minutes more.

Verdict
The MSI GL62 looks like a pretty plain entry-level gaming laptop at
first, but has a few neat tricks up its sleeve. Not everyone is going to
love the SteelSeries keyboard, but its mechanical key-inspired feel is
something different, and its display colour saturation is impressive at
the price, even if the screen wont blow you away in other respects.
It does highlight the problem with todays affordable gaming
laptops, though. Its GPU will leave you scrabbling around at low
graphics settings to get satisfying framerates in recent games and
the lack of SSD storage means the system doesnt feel as speedy
day-to-day as laptops with much less powerful CPUs. This isnt a
laptop for hardcore gamers or performance snobs, but it is a solid
machine with the right level of future-proofing and a display that
makes a punchy first impression.

Keyboard and trackpad

The MSI GL62s keyboard is
a SteelSeries-branded
keyboard, and has a
different feel to the
average chiclet offering.
While the key travel is

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The Asus is prettier, but the Acer is a fantastic

all-rounder with a great screen, keyboard,
touchpad and long battery life.

Conclusion
Whatever size of laptop youre after, one
of these four should suit. Starting with
the smallest, the 11.6in Lenovo can be
used as a traditional laptop, but as it has
a touchscreen and a hinge that allows the
screen to be folded all the way back under
the keyboard, you can use it a bit like a
tablet. Its available in silver or black, and
its small and light enough to carry around
with you when you need it. Overall, a great

little notebook as long as you dont need

lots of ports and slots.
The two 13.3in laptops here are both
excellent choices. The Asus is prettier,
but the Acer is a fantastic all-rounder
with a great screen (higher contrast than
the UX310UA), keyboard, touchpad and
long battery life. Really, though, its hard
to separate these two, and you wont be
disappointed by either one.

Lastly, we come to the MSI GL62-6QC.

Its cheap compared to most gaming laptops,
but even though its 50 more than the
other three here, its well worth the extra
outlay. For a start, it has the most powerful
CPU and graphics chip and it also has a
bigger 15.6in screen. As long as youre not
primarily after portability, its one of the
better choices for a laptop that will mostly
be used at home.

ACER

ASUS

Model

S 13 S5-371-381P

UX310UA

Part code

NX.GCHEK.006

UX310UA-FC075T

Screen

13.3in (1920x1080, 165dpi) IPS LCD matt anti-glare

13.3in (1920x1080, 165dpi) LCD matt anti-glare

Processor

2.3GHz Intel Core i3-6100U, 2 cores, 4 threads

2.3GHz Intel Core i3-6100U, 2 cores, 4 threads

Operating system

Windows 10 Home (64-bit)

Windows 10 Home (64-bit)

Graphics

Intel HD 520 GPU

Intel HD 520 GPU

Memory

8GB RAM LPDDR3

4GB RAM DDR4-2133

Storage

128GB SSD

128GB SSD

Gigabit Ethernet

Wi-Fi

802.11b/g/n/ac 2x2

802.11b/g/n/ac 2x2

Bluetooth

Bluetooth 4.1

Bluetooth 4.1

USB ports

2x USB 3.0, USB-C Gen 1

1x USB 3.0, 1x USB-C Gen 1, 2x USB 2.0

Video output

HDMI

HDMI

Card reader

SDXC card slot

SDXC card slot

Speakers

Stereo speakers

Stereo Harman Kardon speakers

Webcam

HD webcam

0.9Mp webcam

Audio output

3.5mm headset jack

3.5mm headset jack

Keyboard

UK tiled keyboard

UK tiled keyboard

Battery

4030mAh lithium-ion battery (non-removable)

48Wh lithium-ion, battery (non-removable)

Dimensions

327x287x15mm

323x223x19mm

Weight

1.3kg

1.45kg

599 inc VAT ( ex VAT)

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How we test
Application performance
We test with Futuremarks PCMark 8
benchmarking suite. The, results are divided
into Home and Work tests. The Home
benchmark reflects command tasks for
typical home use with lower computing
requirements such as web browsing and
low-end gaming. The Work test is geared
towards office work tasks such as creating
documents and web browsing, spreadsheets
and video conferencing. This test does
not stress the gaming and multimedia
capabilities of the laptops in this group
test. In order to compare performance
across different platforms, we also run

Geekbench 3, which tests both single- and

multi-core performance.

Minimal gaming
Weve tested the systems in this group
test by running two games Thief and
Alien: Isolation. This is enough to reveal
differences in gaming performance.

Display quality
We use DisplayCAL with a colorimeter
to measure colour gamut and accuracy,
contrast and uniformity across the surface
of the screen. We also take into account
each panels viewing angles.

Subjective assessment
Its not all about speed. We also pay close
attention to the physical characteristics
of each device, its noise output and
build quality, and take note of important
features such as the quality of components.

Warranty and support

Differences in warranty terms can affect
our verdict. Obviously, longer warranties
are better, but we also look at the terms
and conditions whether faulty systems
must be returned to the vendor at your
own cost, and if both parts and labour
are included. J

LENOVO

MSI

Yoga 710 (11)

GL62-6QC

80TX0002UK

GL62-6QC 065UK

11.6in (1920x1080, 190dpi) TN glossy

15.6in (1920x1080, 276dpi) IPS LCD matt anti-glare

900MHz Intel Core M3-6Y30 (1.5GHz boost), 2 cores, 4 threads

2.3GHz Intel Core i5-6300HQ quad-core, four threads

Windows 10 Home (64-bit)

Windows 10 Home (64-bit)

Intel HD 515 GPU

Nvidia GeForce 940MX 2GB

8GB RAM LPDDR3

8GB DDR3L RAM

128GB SSD

1TB 5400rpm HDD

802.11b/g/n/ac single-band 1x1 MIMO

802.11b/g/n/ac dual-band 1x1

Bluetooth 4.1

Bluetooth 4.0

1x USB 3.0

2x USB 3.0; 1x USB-C, 1x USB 2.0

Micro-HDMI

HDMI and Mini-DisplayPort outputs

None

DVD writer and SDXC card slot

Stereo speakers

Stereo Bang & Olufsen speakers

HD webcam (720p)

HD webcam single mic

3.5mm headset jack

3.5mm headset jack

UK tiled keyboard with number pad

UK tiled keyboard

40Wh lithium-ion battery (non-removable)

48Wh lithium-ion battery

281x195x4.9mm

383x260x29mm

1.06kg

2.3kg

549 inc VAT ( ex VAT)

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599 inc VAT (ex VAT)

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FEATURE

Googles

n 4 October, Google held an event at which it announced

new Pixel smartphones, a home assistant, the Chromecast
Ultra, a Wi-Fi router, plus a VR headset. Over the following
pages we review the Pixel XL phone, plus give our initial impressions
of the other gadgets on show.
Unfortunately, we didnt see the Andromeda OS (thought to be a
combination of Chrome OS and Android) or a new tablet. The Pixel
C is still available, of course, but we were expecting a lower-cost
replacement for the Nexus 7. Perhaps these will emerge next year,
but for now theres still a lot for Google fans to get excited about.

big

launch

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FEATURE

Google Pixel XL

REVIEW

Price: 719 (32GB) 819 (128GB)

Google has pulled the covers off its newest
smartphone creations: the Pixel and the
Pixel XL. The new devices mark a departure
from the Nexus line that has served the
company well for so long, bringing high-end
specifications and prices to match.

Design and build

At first glance, the Pixel XL has a lot in
common with the current iPhone design
thanks to its gently curved metal frame and
large lower bezel. The Pixel XLs dimensions
of 76x155x8.6mm and 168g weight also make

the new model more manageable than the

Nexus 6P. It feels a lot nicer in the hand.
Theres a sizable area below the screen
that is home to nothing, on the outside at
least, which is a shame. This is offset by
smooth rounded edges that allow the XL to

Price
With its new Pixel phones, Google has
decided to move up to the premium end of
the market, both in terms of specifications
and pricing, where it will compete with other
flagship models, including the Samsung
Galaxy S7 edge and the iPhone 7 (page 29).
Two versions of the Pixel XL are available:
a 32GB version, priced at 719; and a more
capacious 128GB iteration that will set you
back a whopping 819. Thats a big difference
from last years Nexus 6P, which cost
449 for the 32GB version. It also follows
Apples pricing for its iPhone 7, so Google
must be confident that the new design and
construction will be able to take on the
Cupertino-based company.

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sit snugly in the palm, and while you wont

want to use it one-handed too often, its a
very nice phone to hold.
The power and volume buttons are all
located on the right of the handset, with
a double-tap on the former launching the
camera even if the screen is off. A NanoSIM card tray is on the left flank, so fans
who hoped that the switch to the Pixel
brand would see the introduction of an SD
card slot will be disappointed. USB-C is the
charging port of choice, just as it was on
the Nexus 6P, and on the top of the device
is a headphone jack.
Turning over the device reveals the lower
half to be the same matt aluminium as the
sides, while the upper section, which houses
the fingerprint reader and camera, has a
polished glass finish. Its an interesting look
that makes a welcome change from the
plain metal backs that now come as standard
on most flagship models.
Having the fingerprint sensor on the rear
is handy when youre holding the phone,
since its where your index finger naturally
lands. However, youll need to use the
lockscreen if the Pixel XL is sitting on a flat
surface like a desk, which can be annoying.
Google has opted for a range of colours
that include the amusingly named Quite
Black, Very Silver, and a rather fetching
Really Blue that has already won our hearts,
although this is a limited edition for the
US only. There will also be a number of
colourful Live Cases available from the
Google store, which can show off photos
or even a section of Google Maps.

The Pixel XL comes with an IP53 rating,

which means that its protected from light
dust and water spray. Its not waterproof
or even water resistant though, which is a
shame as many other flagship phones offer
this. For some this will be a deal-breaker,
especially now Apples iPhone 7 and 7 Plus
are waterproof and we expected more from
Google at this price point.

Hardware
The XL is the larger of the two new Pixel
phones and has a 5.5in Quad HD AMOLED
display, with a 2560x1440 resolution. If
thats too big, the regular Pixel is a more
manageable 5in but Full HD. The screen is up
there with the best with excellent contrast
and colours similar to Samsung phones, it
looks like a glossy magazine at times.

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Geekbench 4

GFXBench Manhattan

GFXBench T-Rex

JetStream

To power all those pixels Google has used

a quad-core 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon
821 CPU running at 2.15- and 1.6GHz, aided by
an Adreno 530 GPU and 4GB of RAM. This is
a potent combination and during testing we
found the unit to be snappy and responsive
even with multiple apps open.
As mentioned earlier, you can get the
Pixel phones in either 32- or 128GB storage
capacities with 100 between the two.
Youll want to seriously consider which you
one you get, too, as Google doesnt offer
expandable storage. This is a strangely
Apple-like decision, especially considering
that the vast majority of its partners making
Android phones include a microSD card
slot. Its something that differentiates them
from the iPhone, but Google clearly isnt
bothered about this.
Something to factor into your decision
as to which model to buy is Googles Smart
Storage, which will automatically clear older
photos and videos when your device gets

full those that have been backed up that

is. Google is offering unlimited space for any
photos or videos taken on the phone.
As youd expect from a flagship model,
the XL offers dual-band 11ac Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
4.2, NFC and CAT 9 LTE. Infrared ports seem
to be a thing of the past.
Its nice that the Pixel Imprint fingerprint
scanner supports moves, although youll
need to switch this on in the settings. It
means you can swipe downward on the
fingerprint scanner to access the notification
bar and a second time for quick settings.
Nestling under the smart metal casing is
a large 3450mAh battery that Google says
will give you 32 hours of talk time, 14 hours of
Wi-Fi browsing, or 14 hours of video playback.
We found the Pixel XL will comfortably last a
full day unless you hammer it and light users
may even get a couple of days.
Fast charging is also supported (no
wireless here). When we plugged our review
unit in for 15 minutes via the USB-C port,

the XL lasted for another seven hours.

In our test the Pixel charged a decent
20 percent in that time period. Its worth
noting that the supplied charger requires
a USB-C to USB-C cable, which is provided,
as is a full-size USB to USB-C cable.
Either side of the USB-C port are two
slots that youd be forgiven for assuming
are stereo speakers. In fact, just one is for
the speaker, which is a disappointing step
down from the front-facing speakers of
the Nexus 6P. There is a headphone jack,
though, which is perhaps an important
issue if youre trying to decide between
the Pixel XL and iPhone 7 Plus.
Cameras are a big selling point for
smartphones these days and the Pixel XL
places its trust in a 12.3Mp rear unit with
1.55m pixels that Google says was given
a rating of 89 by DXO Mark, which is the
highest score ever awarded to a smartphone.
You can see one of our tests shots, opposite.
The camera is no different to the smaller
Pixel, or on the most part, the Nexus 6P.
It now has phase detection and laser
autofocus, but its strange that Google
has opted not to include optical image
stabilisation. Perhaps it didnt want a
camera bump, something it pointed out
at the launch event. Instead, the phone
uses digital stabilisation and while this
certainly helps makes things smoother,
its no match for the optical version.
If you like selfies, the 8Mp front-facing
camera is a fine way to capture plenty of
duckfaces and holiday group shots. Youll
also be able to make use of this with
Googles new video calling app, Duo.
Theres no doubt that the cameras are
excellent, but were struggling to think why
Nexus 6P owners would upgrade or why
anyone else wouldnt be satisfied with a rival
at a lower price. There are options that are
exclusive to the Pixel, such as Smartburst
and Pro controls, but for us thats not
enough. Theres also the fact that the iPhone
7 Plus (same price remember) has dual
cameras with one being 2x telephoto.

Software
As youd expect from Googles own
smartphone, the Pixel XL comes with the
very latest iteration of Android Nougat (7.0).
Its a clean, smart update that doesnt
change things too much, but does introduce
the ability to slide up from the main screen
to open the app tray and replaces the Google
bar with a small tab on the left. The round
icons wont be to everyones taste, though.
There are a few nice touches here and
there, including the ability to blur the
background wallpaper image, which we
found useful almost straight away. You can
also choose daily wallpapers or even Live
Earth ones which move as you do things.

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we think is no a bad thing, allowing group

chats and even has a privacy mode. Google
Duo also now comes as standard. This video
messaging service is similar to Apples
FaceTime (and indeed Googles Hangouts), is
free and works on both Android and iOS.
The Pixels are the first Daydream
Googles new VR technology ready
devices. For more on this turn to page 83.

Verdict
While the Pixel XL is an attractive phone
(if you can get used to the glass section)
with a decent combination of hardware and
software, its a disappointing device. Its very
similar, for example, to the much cheaper
Nexus 6P and OnePlus 3. You can get plenty
of other Android phones for less that have
extra features such as waterproofing and
expandable storage. J Chris Martin

Specifications

Google has also added a Night Light,

which turns the screen a red hue to ease the
strain on your eyes and help you get to sleep.
You can also get support from the firm, via
call or chat, straight from the settings menu.
Speaking of the settings menu, we like
the new notification style slots at the top,
which mean you can quickly switch off things
such as the Wi-Fi hotspot quickly and easily
without having to delve into the menu.
The Pixels are the first phones to have
Googles new Assistant built in, so although
youll be able to download it on other phones
in the future, you can long-press the home

button on the Pixel XL anytime to launch

it. This impressive organisational tool is in
essence a powered-up version of Google
Now and can help schedule your diary,
answer queries, give you directions to events
and control various apps on the phone. Its
something that Google is making the central
point of its entire range going forward, so
as you use it on a phone, tablet, or even
Chromebook, it will learn more about your
preferences and improve in its suggestions.
Another included app is Google Allo, the
new messaging that also incorporates Google
Assistant. This has replaced Hangouts, which

5.5in (2560x1440) Quad-HD display

Android 7.0 Nougat
2.15GHz Snapdragon 821 CPU
1.6GHz Adreno 530 GPU
4GB RAM
32- or 128GB storage
12.3Mp rear camera
8Mp front camera
3450mAh battery
Nano-SIM
4G LTE
802.11ac Wi-Fi
Bluetooth 4.2
USB-C charging port
Fingerprint sensor
Headphone jack
154.7x75.7x8.5mm
168g

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Feature: Googles big launch

Google Home

PREVIEW

Price: $129 (TBC)

Google announced Home earlier this year,
showcasing the standalone devices ability
to interact with users via voice control and
complete a number of useful tasks. Now
the search giant has revealed more details
about this exciting new product.

Price
Amazons Echo (page 48), which will be the
main rival for Home, costs 149.99 (with
the smaller Dot version at 49.99) so we
expected Google to price the Home towards
the bigger Echo being as it has a decent
built-in speaker.
So far we know only the US price of $129,
which includes a free six-month subscription
to YouTube Red, the ad-free YouTube variant
that also includes music streaming. Alas
YouTube Red is also a US-exclusive product,
so its hard to know whether UK buyers will
receive a similar perk, but wed speculate on
a free Google Play Music trial to be bundled
with Home over here.
Of course the big question is when well
see the device on this side of the ocean, and
Google has not been forthcoming on this. At
the moment theres no information on when
Home will be released globally, but preorders
opened on 4 November for US customers.

Design
Theres no doubt that Google has been
careful to make Home a subtle device that
blends into the background. At first glance,
it can easily be mistaken for a lamp of some
kind. The mesh-style base and white angledplastic top wouldnt look out of place in a
Habitat store, such is the fresh design.
Aesthetics are something Google seems
to be taking seriously with Home. Alongside
the standard mesh base there will also be a
number of additional models available in the
Play Store that feature alternative patterns
and colours. This makes sense as unlike the
Chromecast Ultra (page 85), the Home is

meant to be seen, and therefore needs to be

easy on the eye.
Home is a child of the minimalist school,
featuring just one hardware button at the
rear, which is used to mute the device.
Google has included four LEDs to illuminate
the top of the plastic casing and show when
the device is in operation. This area also
doubles up as a capacitive surface for simple
commands. Its an understated look, and one
we like very much.

Features and specs

The main brains of the device are housed in
the mesh base, which contains the far-field

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Goog
users
detai

Feature: Googles big launch

microphones through which all interactions

take place. Theres also a speaker, so that
Home can let you know of any appointments
you have coming up, respond to questions
you might pose, and act as a Wi-Fi speaker
for streaming music.
Google Home uses the same technology
as Google Assistant, so you can simply tell
the device what you want to do find out
whats on at the cinema, what the weather
will be tomorrow, who youre meeting
on Saturday and the device will speak
back the answers. You can also schedule
appointments and other daily tasks without
ever picking up your phone.
In terms of specifications, we still dont
know much about the innards of Home. There
have been rumours that the technology is
very similar to the Chromecast Ultra, which
boasts a Linux-based OS, dual-core ARM
CPU, 4GB of RAM, and a dual-band 802.11ac
Wi-Fi chip, but until Google confirms this it
remains a bit of a mystery.

Software
Home has no discernible interface other than
the voice interaction. In essence, its a more
powerful version of Google Now that you
would find on your phone, but with a speaker
built-in. The LEDs on the top of the device will
flash to indicate that Home is in operation,
but this is primarily an aural experience.
That doesnt mean that its limited,
though. Google announced that Home will
work with a number of partners, including
Spotify, YouTube Music, Google Play Music,
Pandora, and TuneIn. You can request songs

Amazon Echo and Dot

from each of these by name, or set one as
the default service.
Home also plays music through external
speakers that support the Chromecast
platform, and can even control multi-room
setups. So saying Play Bob Dylan on the
upstairs speakers will do just that. But like
the large Amazon Echo, its built-in speaker
is capable of filling a room with music,
according to Google.
Google Home can also control Nest
thermostats, Phillips Hue Bulbs, Samsung
SmartThings devices, and works with IFTTT,
plus you can use it with a Chromecast to send
media content from services such as YouTube
and Netflix directly to your TV. Nice.
Its also an organisational tool that hooks
into Google Calendar and Google Keep, so
you can make appointments and take notes
just by talking to the device. One feature that
we like the look of is called My Day. This is
intended to be a kind of morning brief from
your assistant, which reads out your schedule
for the day ahead. This is augmented with
traffic conditions on the commute, weather
conditions, and any reminders you have set.

How does it compares to

the Amazon Echo and Dot?
In this space the only real competitors around
at the moment are Amazons Echo and Dot.
Both feature the same voice-controlled
interface, with the Echo also boasting an
internal speaker that enables it to answer
questions and play music. The Dot has a
speaker for voice feedback but needs an

external speaker for music, and this might be

preferable if you already have a hi-fi you like.
Its hard to compare on price because
we dont know how much the Google Home
will be in the UK. As an indication though,
Amazon currently sells the Echo on its US
site for $179 and the Dot for $49. If Google
Home offers the same conversion rate, then
its $129 would make the unit cheaper in
the UK. This becomes a moot point though
if its unavailable. So the current 149
Echo price and 49 Dot are a better deal
because you can actually buy them.
There are a lot of crossovers in terms of
compatible services. Both Echo and Home
work with Spotify, TuneIn, Spotify, Google
Calendar, and Philips Hue Smart light bulbs,
but as Echo has come out first it has a few
more UK-focused offerings.
Amazon has introduced something
called Skills (basically apps) that allow
the capabilities of the Echo unit to
be expanded over time by companies
releasing them into the Skills Store.
At the moment this gives Echo a big
advantage over Home as there are Skills
for Skyscanner, Uber, National Rail, various
UK news outlets, and a wide range of
smart home products such as Nest, Hive,
Netatmo, WeMo, LIFX and Tado.

Our verdict
Were excited by the potential of Google
Home, but until it makes it to these shores
the Amazon Echo will continue to build
up a lead. J Martyn Casserly

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Google
PREVIEW
Daydream View
Price: 69
For use with its new Pixel smartphones,
Google has released its first VR headset:
the Daydream View.

Price

cosy feel and its certainly done this with

the jersey fabric finish. Its a comfortable
and lightweight headset at 220g (around
30 percent lighter than the average). The

adjustable strap goes round your head rather

than over it, which we found slightly restricts
how quickly you can move your head without
fear of it falling off.

Rather than a fully fledged VR headset such

as the HTC Vive, the Daydream View is a
headset with which you look at a smartphone
through built-in lenses. Its a step up from
Googles popular cardboard VR and a rival to
the likes of Samsungs Gear VR. Plus, because
it doesnt contain a huge amount of tech,
its price is low. You can preorder one from
tinyurl.com/hmLb9qh for just 69. Its due
to be released in the UK in November.

Design
The Daydream View is one of the most
attractive headsets weve seen with its fabric
covering on the outside. Its available in three
colours: Slate (see right), Snow and Crimson.
Google said its worked hard on creating a

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Feature: Googles big launch

The breathable fabric covered foam that

comes into contact with your skin is soft and
comfy, and we were able to use the headset
while wearing glasses without any trouble.
Inserting the phone is easy via the hinged
flap at the front, which is held in place with
an elastic catch (hopefully this wont wear
out over time). Thanks to NFC, the phone
and headset know whats happening, so by
the time you put the Daydream View headset
on, the app has already launched.

Apps
Since the Daydream View is a viewer VR
headset, the specs largely depend on which
phone you put in it. The Pixels are the first

compatible devices and Google said a handful

of major phone makers have committed
to producing phones that can use the
Daydream by the end of the year.
When it comes to the Pixel phones, youre
best off taking advantage of the XLs Quad
HD resolution for a sharper image.
One useful feature is its wireless
controller. Its very small, maybe a little too
small for some, and while you might lose
it, the remote fits inside the headset when
there isnt a phone inserted. It connects over
Bluetooth LE and charges via USB-C offering
a 12-hour battery life, according to Google.
When you first put on the headset youll
see a floating menu in front of you (below).

Using the controller as a pointing device,

you can navigate around this and also use it
to interact with experiences or play games.
For example, we played a mini-game in
Wonderglade, which used the remote as a
motion controller to tilt a virtual labyrinthstyle race circuit. We found the tracking, via
9-axis IMUs, smooth and accurate.
Google has also teamed up with J.K.
Rowling for an exclusive Fantastic Beasts
and Where to Find Them experience. Even
a short play on this was pretty immersive
and the controller becomes your wand.
Youll be able to do other stuff too, such
as watch YouTube and Netflix videos in a
virtual theatre, and Google is planning to
add support for Google Play Movies, too.
Youll also want to check out Street View,
which includes prepared guides of tourist
attractions such as the Taj Mahal.
Other apps include Guardian VR, New
York Times VR, WSJ VR and Lego. More will
arrive over time with Google touting more
than 50 by the end of the year.

Verdict
Youll need a compatible phone but the
Daydream View is an accomplished device.
Its attractive style is complemented by
a comfortable fit, although an over the
top strap might be an oversight for more
energetic tasks. The NFC and wireless
experience is great and the simple yet
effective motion controller is a real bonus.
J Chris Martin

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Google
Chromecast Ultra

PREVIEW

Price: 69
The new Chromecast is here with added
support for 4K streaming. Weve had an
early look at Googles latest dongle.

Price
Whereas the old Chromecast was a pocket
money product thanks to its 30 price tag,
Google is releasing the updated Ultra at 69,
which is quite a leap in price from its more
humble brethren.
No doubt the added technology involved
in rendering 4K content required a general
bump in specs, hence the increased cost, but
bear in mind that this is currently the only
mainstream streaming stick available in the
UK that can handle UHD content.
Theres no set release date as yet, but
Google announced that you should expect to
see the new Chromecast soon, so we expect
it to be hitting stores before Christmas.

Design
Theres little room for design aesthetics in
streaming sticks, mainly due to the fact that
theyre often relegated to the back of a TV

set. That being said the new Chromecast

Ultra retains the circular frame of the
previous model, but the loud colours have
been replaced with a stately black.
You still attach the device through an
HDMI lead that dangles the Chromecast
Ultra behind your TV, and power is drawn
from a USB lead connected to a power block.
Google has told us that the power block also
houses an optional ethernet connection so
that you can run the device directly into
your router via a wired connection.

Features
Just as in design, Chromecasts are never
really much for features. What they do they
do well, but the addition of 4K UHD streaming
is the main headline here. We didnt have
the opportunity to test how seamless the
streaming was, as a packed press area with
hundreds of mobile devices trying to connect
to the same Wi-Fi connection isnt a normal
state of affairs, so were looking forward to
getting the device back to PC Advisor towers
for a real-world Netflix binge. We do know

that the new device is the first to support

HDR and Dolby Vision, plus Google claim that
it will be 1.8x faster than the previous model.

Software
One of the Chromecasts best features has
always been that there is no interface to deal
with. The device just attaches to your TV
and when you want to stream content from
your smartphone, tablet or PC, you hit the
Cast option on the video. Therefore the only
software involved is internal and hidden from
the user. We believe that the Chromecast
runs a lightweight Linux based OS, but weve
yet to confirm this. Google points out that
the device will be compatible with a number
of streaming services including Spotify, BT
Sport, YouTube 4K and Google Play.

Verdict
Chromecasts have always been cheap and
cheerful devices that you can throw into
your bag and take anywhere. The new Ultra
4K model is a bit pricier, but it still looks like
good value to us. J Martyn Casserly

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Google Wifi

PREVIEW

Price: From $129 (TBC)

If youve ever played around with Powerline
and Wi-Fi extenders in an effort to make your
wireless signal reach all the way through your
home, new Google Wifi is the product for you.

Price
The Google Wifi UK release date has not been
confirmed, though we were told at the launch
that Google hoped it would be coming soon.
In the US Google Wifi is available to preorder
from November, and will cost $129 for a single
pack and $299 for a pack of three.

Features
Built on the strengths of OnHub, Google
Wifi is in essence a series of mini wireless
routers that all talk to each other and can
be scattered across the home to ensure a

strong and fast wireless signal in every room.

Google designed Wifi to be able to support
multiple devices at once, and to withstand
high-bandwidth activities such as streaming
video and gaming.
You can buy Google Wifi points in packs of
one or three, enabling you to keep adding to
your setup if you have a large home. Google
recommends using one point in a small
house or flat measuring between 500- and
1500 square feet, two in a medium house
measuring between 1500- and 3000 square
feet, and three in a large home between
3000- and 4500 square feet.
It uses mesh Wi-Fi, with each Google Wifi
point creating a high-powered connection
and able to determine the best path for your
data. Other alternatives include Powerline,
which uses the electrical wiring in your home
to create a simple but fast, wired network
that connects adapters in rooms away
from your internet router. (See our top
Powerline adaptors on page 137).
If you want manual options
they are available through a
companion app for Android and
iOS, but for those who dont,
Network Assist technology
takes the hard work out
of optimising your router
basically by doing it for you. It
will ensure your Wi-Fi is operating
on the clearest channel, and it will
continue to optimise your Wi-Fi no
matter which room of the house you are in.
Network Assist can even tell you where best

to place a Google Wifi point or advise you to

adjust your broadband tariff.
A handy feature of Google Wifi is that at
any point you can pause the Wi-Fi connection
on a given connected device, such as the
kids tablets when you want them to come
down for dinner. You can also see how much
bandwidth these devices are using and
prioritise particular devices over others.
Google Wifi supports wireless
encryption, verified boot and auto updates,
keeping security and user privacy as high
priorities. J Marie Brewis

Specifications
Connectivity
AC1200 2x2 Wave 2 Wi-Fi
Expandable mesh Wi-Fi
Simultaneous dual-band Wi-Fi
(2.4GHz/5GHz) supporting 802.11a/b/g/n/ac
TX Beamforming
Bluetooth Smart Ready
2 Gigabit Ethernet ports per point
Security
WPA2-PSK
Automatic security updates
Infineon SLB 9615 trusted platform module
Core hardware
710MHz Quad-core processor
512MB DDR3L RAM
4GB eMMC flash storage
15W power adaptor
Device
White plastic build
106.12x68.75mm
340g

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FOR EVERYTHING

ANDROID

DIGITAL
EDITION ON
ANDROID
& iOS

tinyurl.com/nk4osoh

Every issue is packed with the latest

reviews, features, tutorials & more.

FEATURE

HOW

GRAPHICS
Thomas Ryan dismembers a video card to reveal how it works

Inner knowledge

Game on
Your computer processor may be the heart of your PC, but your
graphics card is the parallel processing monster that powers your
gaming adventures. Producing digital worlds that run without
stuttering and stopping is no easy feat.
On page 112 we show you how to set up a new graphics card.
Now, were dismembering an old AMD Radeon R9 290 that died

when a power supply gave up the ghost during a firmware update.

Theres a practical reason for ripping apart this beast screw-byscrew: to give you a better understanding of its workings. Youll
often hear complaints that some GPUs run too hot, too loud or
are too expensive. If you want to understand why, then tearing
down a graphics card is a great place to start.

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FEATURE

S CARDS

WORK

Back in black
Lets first take a peek at the exterior package. The Radeon 290
were mutilating measures a hair under 11x4x1.5in wide. Examining
the back of the card reveals the black printed circuit board and
many smaller components that help regulate power delivery

to the larger chips on the printed circuit board (PCB). Youll

also see small lines running all over the board, connecting the
tiny components together. These copper lines, dubbed traces,
carry electrical signals for communication and power.

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Feature: How graphics cards work

Shrouded in mystery
One major way that graphics card manufacturers differentiate
their products is in the design of the fan shroud, which weve
removed here. On a more practical level, the purpose of a fan
shroud is twofold: it hides and protects the internals of the
graphics card, and channels the airflow into and out of the
GPU, over its heatsinks.

This Radeon R9 290 has a reference design that was

produced in limited quantity by AMD itself, rather than a
hardware partner like Sapphire, Asus or VisionTek. To push
the Radeon branding remember, thats a big factor in shroud
composition AMD coloured its hard plastic fan shroud matte
black and glossy red.

Fins and fans

With the fan shroud removed, you can see the large aluminium fins
of the heatsink that covers the silicon GPU die. (The Radeon R9
290s GPU was codenamed Tahiti by AMD.)
Dislodging the shroud also reveals the large red fan that
blows air over the heatsink and out the I/O panel at the opposite

end. This cooling configuration is, fittingly, called a blower-style

design. Alternatively, some graphics cards feature an open aircooling design that utilises multiple fans and smaller fan shrouds
to disperse heat from all around the graphics card and into your
PCs case, rather than forcing hot air out through the I/O panel.

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Feature: How graphics cards work

A panel of choices
With the fan shroud as well as the I/O panel bracket
removed, you can see the display connectors on the end
of the graphics card. From left to right, theres a full-size
DisplayPort, an HDMI port and two single-link DVI ports. The
I/O panel bracket attaches to the graphics card via the three
screw holes on the far left.

Taking the heat

The underside of the heatsink mounting plate is made from
aluminium, which helps dissipate heat from the memory chips and
voltage regulator modules (VRMs) on the graphics card. It also
attaches the cooling fan to the graphics card, and holds the large
main heatsink for the GPU die at the correct height so it can just

touches the top of the die without crushing it. The light coloured
thermal pads transfer heat from the cards GDDR5 memory, while
the grey material in the centre of the copper heatsink is thermal
paste that transfers heat from the GPU die. The holes are for
screws that secure the plate to the graphics card.

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Feature: How graphics cards work

Baring it all
Now were getting to the good stuff: the bare printed circuit
board of our graphics card. Starting from the left, you can see
the display output ports, then the XDMA CrossFire chips (which
enable AMD multi-GPU setups) covered by a small thermal pad
near the upper-left corner of the board. The large Tahiti GPU die
is sitting pretty in the centre of the board and covered in thermal
paste. Its surrounded by 16 black GDDR5 memory chips that

endow the Radeon 290 with 4GB of RAM over a 512-bit memory
bus. Distributed about both sides of the board are voltage
regulator modules (VRMs), capacitors, chokes and other circuits
that regulate and deliver power to the rest of the GPU.
Finally, the upper righthand corner houses the 8- and 6-pin
PCI-E power connectors. These supply most of the electricity
needed to keep your graphics card churning out new frames.

Silicon needs support

Heres a closer look at the silicon die beating at the heart of the
graphics card or at least the layer of thermal paste that covers it.
The die sits on a small green PCB of its own that connects to
the main black PCB via tiny balls of solder. Graphics cards will
occasionally fail when these balls get too hot and melt. Thats why
youll sometimes see people on YouTube baking their dead cards

in the oven in an attempt to melt the damaged solder balls back

into place. The metal bracket that runs around the edge of the dies
green PCB is a shim designed to support the weight of the heatsink
so that it doesnt crush the die. The support shims adorned with
AMDs logo, an identifying code, and info on when and where the
GPU was produced. In this case, TSMC built the chip in Taiwan.

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Feature: How graphics cards work

More power
Much of the PCBs most important power circuitry
resides to the right of the die, including the PCI-E power
connectors, a collection of VRMs, and (most importantly) the digital
power controller the small chip with the magenta dot, right of centre in the
image. This chip controls the delivery of power to the GPU by regulating the VRMs.
Its produced by International Rectifier.

Cleaning up
Cleaning time! Here are the GPU die, memory chips and VRMs free of thermal paste. The
bare die features a highly reflective surface with a mirror finish. If you peer closely enough,
you can read some of the markings on the memory chips and VRM heat spreaders.

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Feature: How graphics cards work

The glory shot

Heres a close-up of the bare GPU. (We placed a red sheet of paper
above the die to hide our reflection, which is why theres a red hue
to its mirrored surface.) Underneath that mirror lies the Tahiti die,

complete with 6.2 billion transistors and 44 compute units. Despite

those lofty numbers, the die itself is merely the size of a potato
chip, but it takes about three months to produce.

The final pieces

Finally, the unsung heroes that
hold it all together. We extracted
26 screws of six different types
from the Radeon 290 and managed
to misplace only one during the
making of this article. That big
chunk of metal is the I/O panel
bracket, while the square in
the upper right is the heatsink
retention bracket that secures
the large heatsink to the GPU
from the back of the main PCB. J

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FEATURE

WHY YOU SHOULD TRY

TRY LINUX TODAY:
COMPELLING
REASONS

Brad Chacos reveals why theres never

been a better time to give Linux a try
heres never been a better time to give Linux a try. Wait,
dont turn the page. Were not one of those rabid Year
of the Linux desktop types. Windows works just fine for
hundreds of millions of people, and sorry, Linux lovers theres
little to suggest Linux usage will ever be more than a rounding error
compared to Microsofts behemoth. That said, there are some pretty
compelling reasons you might want to consider switching to Linux
on your computer, or at least give it a hassle-free trial run.

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FEATURE

WINDOWS 10S TAKING AWAY YOUR CHOICES

Bear with us. This may seem off topic,
but its the crux of the issue for a
lot of people. Linuxs most alluring
feature for many wont be anything
that it does, but what it doesnt do.
And its all due to Microsofts folly.
Windows 10 may be the best
Windows ever (and we use it daily
on our primary PC), but Microsoft
has pulled some tricks that range
from questionable to downright
gross in order to drive its adoption
numbers higher, and to coax you
into using the myriad Microsoft
services and paid upgrades baked
into the operating system.
It began with endless pop-ups
on Windows 7 and 8.1 PCs popups that started innocently enough
before crossing the line into deceptive malware-like
tactics. When that didnt boost adoption numbers
high enough, it morphed into nastier tricks and full-on
forced upgrades that prompted some fearful owners
to disable Windows updates completely rather than be
pushed into Microsofts new operating system.
More recently, the Windows 10 Anniversary Update
bundled some severe negatives in with its plentiful
positives. The Cortana digital assistant, which pings
Bing servers whenever you search your PC, is damned
near impossible to disable completely now. And when
we upgraded our primary PC to the Windows 10 AU, we
discovered that all of the settings related to the many
ways Windows 10 pushes ads at you were re-enabled,
after wed explicitly disabled them prior. None of our

On a Windows 8.1 PC. Mostly full screen

pop-up. No clear No thanks button, just
download Windows 10 now or later
other system settings appear to have been touched.
Whats more, Windows 10 changed the way it handles
updates to more closely resemble mobile operating
systems. You cant pick and choose which patches to
install or even refuse updates on consumer operating
systems. If Microsoft pushes a Windows 10 update, you
will receive it eventually. The company also tweaked
the way Windows 7 and 8 handle patching. Now, you
can no longer choose which individual updates to
install; you have to take the whole kit and caboodle.
By default, Windows 10 beams much more of
your data back to Microsoft than previous Windows
versions as well. Most of it can be
disabled, but most people dont dive
that far into system settings.
Lots of people are still plenty
happy with Windows 10, dont get
us wrong. But these moves are also
ruffling the feathers of a lot of users.

Eventually, Microsoft began pushing

Windows 10 out as a Recommended
upgrade, forcibly installing it on
some systems

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Feature: Why you should try Linux today

LINUX IS MORE POLISHED THAN EVER

Most major Linux distributions never abandoned
the basic principles of the desktop. While Microsoft
enraged the world with the Windows 8 disaster,
popular Linux distributions such as Fedora and Linux
Mint kept their heads down and spit-polished the
traditional PC interface.
For people used to Windows XP and 7, some Linux
distributions may be easier to wrap your head around
than Windows 8 and 10 both of which have a learning
curve, just like switching to Linux. Linux Mints Start
menu bears much more similarity to the traditional
Windows Start menus than Windows 10s Live Tileinfused alternative, thats for sure.

Better yet, Linuxs dark days of rampant

incompatibility with PC hardware have largely been
eradicated. Most Linux operating systems work with
a wide swathe of modern PCs and PC hardware,
though you may need to perform a few extra steps to
install Linux on a PC with Intels Secure Boot enabled.
Better yet, you can test Linux distributions on your PC
before actually installing them, so youll know whether
everything works. Well get into that a bit later, though.
The key point, however, is that Linux is no longer
a broken mess useful only to dyed-in-the-wool geeks
anymore. There are numerous polished, refined
distributions that anybody can pick up and use.

Chrome for L
Netflix on Ub

Linux Mint with the MATE

desktop environment

LINUX IS FREE
Not only does that make it relatively risk-free to try, but it also
means you wont need to spend 100 on a Windows licence if
youre building a PC from scratch or upgrading an old computer.

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Feature: Why you should try Linux today

3
5

OPEN-SOURCE SOFTWARE IS, TOO

The quality or lack thereof of opensource software was another longtime
bugbear for Linux. No more. These days,
Linux houses superb alternatives to all of
the most-used Windows software, from
Office rivals (Libre Office) to Photoshop
alternatives (GIMP) to media players
(VLC). That trio alone covers the typical
software usage of many households. Many
top-notch video games even call Linux
home now thanks to the arrival of Valves
Linux-powered Steam Machines.
Playing copy-protected movies and
music used to be another major Linux
headache. Once again, thats no longer
the case. VLC will run virtually anything
you throw at it, while Chrome (and Firefox
soon) support streaming videos from the
likes of Netflix and Amazon Instant Video.
But standard PC usage for a lot of people revolves
around the internet checking Facebook, slinging
email, browsing YouTube and Amazon, and so on.
Naturally, those all work just fine on Chrome and
Firefox in Linux. The browsers work the exact same
as they do on Windows.

Chrome for Linux playing

Netflix on Ubuntu
The modern Linux ecosystem can handle everything
you throw at it and handle it well (though hardcore
gamers may still want to keep a copy of Windows
handy). And did we mention most of the software
available for Linux is free, too?

LINUX RUNS GREAT ON OLD PCs

Windows XP was tossed to the wolves long ago, and Vistas end is rapidly drawing near. But
hundreds of millions of people rely on PCs that are several years old. Installing Linux not only
plops an up-to-date (and updated) operating system on your computer, it can breathe new life
into your system if you choose a lightweight distribution designed for aging machines, such
as Puppy Linux or Lubuntu (otherwise known as Lightweight Ubuntu).
The transition doesnt have to be painful, either. There are numerous easy Linux
alternatives designed for Windows XP refugees. These distributions offer dedicated Windows
XP Modes that mimic the look and feel of Microsofts most venerable operating system.

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Feature: Why you should try Linux today

LINUX IS EASY TO TRY

Okay, weve sold you. Youre ready
to test-drive Linux. Fortunately,
Linux is dead simple to try. You
dont even have to ditch Windows if
youre feeling hesitant.
Before you install a Linux
distribution on your PCs hard
drive, we suggest giving your
chosen operating system a whirl
with a live drive or live DVD. With
live drives, you install a bootable
system of a Linux distribution to a
DVD or flash drive, then configure
your PC to boot from that rather
than your hard drive. It takes
minimal muss and fuss, lets you try
several Linux operating systems
quickly, and doesnt touch the
Windows installation on your
primary storage drive.
Personally, we think Linux Mint provides the best
experience for experimental Windows users, because
it mixes Ubuntus flexible approach to closed-source
software with a Windows-like interface.
Using Linux shouldnt be too much of a hassle,
especially if you opt for an OS with a Windows-like Start
menu, but there are several core differences. Most
major Linux distributions offer an online forum with
dedicated help sections.

If you decide you like Linux, you can use the same
live drive (or disc) to install your new operating system
on your hard drive. You can keep Windows on your PC if
youd like, too. If youre running an older PC with limited
hardware or a dead OS or if youre irked at some of
Microsofts recent decisions around Windows 10, theres
no reason not to give Linux a try. You might just like
what you find especially if you spend most of your
digital life in a browser and productivity suite. J

Installing Ubuntu Linux

alongside Windows

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Feature: G-Sync vs FreeSync

G-Sync vs FreeSync
Imagine games without stuttering or tearing. Two technologies promise that. Jason Evangelho reports

ariable refresh rate monitor. That

jumble of words isnt rocketing
to the top of any sexiest tech
phrases list anytime soon. Nevertheless,
its game-changing technology thats just
beginning to seep into mainstream awareness
and adoption. You may know this technology
by another, slightly more memorable pair
of names from two companies driving
your PC gaming experience: Nvidias G-Sync
and AMDs FreeSync.
There are now dozens of G-Sync and
FreeSync monitors are available to satisfy
a broad range of cravings. Youll find
models priced from 125 to north of 1,000,
encompassing 1080p, 4K, and even gorgeous
curved 1440p UltraWide displays.
So whats the big deal? Do you need
G-Sync or FreeSync in your life? Does it
cost more? Are there any deal-breaking
drawbacks? Is this tech restricted to desktop
use? Is your current video card compatible?
Sit back, grab a cup of tea and lets tackle
these pressing questions.

equation have been butting heads. Your video

card is impatient to push image frames to
your monitor. But if your monitors refresh
rate is fixed at something like 60Hz, that
beautiful frame of animation comes along
and the monitor isnt ready for it. You only
see part of whats happening: a portion of
the current frame, and a portion of the next
frame. It looks as if the picture were trying
to split itself in two and take off in different
directions, and it only worsens the more
dynamic your games framerate becomes.

Another name for this is screen tearing,

an ugly artifact thats become something PC
gamers grudgingly accept as reality. But its
more than an annoyance its the difference
between in-game life and death. Say youre
playing Battlefield 4 and a sniper camping on
a mountain peak takes aim at you. The glint
of his scope against the sunlight would give
him away, except you didnt see it because it
took place on that fragment of a frame your
monitor rejected. Yes, its an extreme case,
but it punctuates the very real problem.

Whats so special
about G-Sync and FreeSync?
Ever since we began manipulating onscreen
gaming graphics with a keyboard and mouse,
the two crucial pieces of hardware in that

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Feature: G-Sync vs FreeSync

Another example
of screen tearing

The existing workaround is the V-Sync

setting on your graphics card. Sadly, in
solving one problem this introduces another
a scenario where your monitor is calling
the shots. Now when your GPU is ready to
deliver that frame, the monitor says: Wait
a few more milliseconds! This silly gamer
doesnt want screen tearing. With V-Sync
on, this manifests itself as stutter, or seeing
the animation last a touch longer than its
supposed to. It can be a little jarring, and
make the game youre playing feel sluggish.
Ready for yet another symptom of
V-Sync? The dreaded lag. Lets go back to
Battlefield 4 and imagine you just pulled
the trigger during a gunfight. Guess what
happens if you do it right before the monitor
accepts the corresponding onscreen visual?
That precious bullet doesnt fire at the exact
millisecond you need it to.
G-Sync and FreeSync elegantly eradicate
these problems by giving your video card

complete control over the display. If your

game is bouncing between 40- and 75
frames per second (fps), for example, then
your monitor is going to follow suit, its
refresh rate constantly changing to keep
pace with the video card. Screen tearing,
stutter, and input lag all go away.

What are the differences

between G-Sync and FreeSync?
Nvidias G-Sync deserves credit for being
first solution on the scene. Aside from the
bragging rights, however, a couple of key
differences distinguish this variable refresh
rate technology from AMDs.
Nvidia invented G-Sync to address both
sides of the problem the GPU and the
monitor. Every monitor box emblazoned with
a G-Sync logo packs a proprietary module.
Nvidia understandably wont divulge too
many details, but it allows Nvidia to fine-tune
the experience based on its characteristics

like maximum refresh rate, IPS or TN screens,

and voltage. Even when your frame rate gets
super low or super high, G-Sync can keep
your game looking smooth.
Nvidia points to ghosting as a key
advantage G-Sync has over AMDs FreeSync.
Its G-Sync module prevents ghosting by
customising the way it operates on each and
every monitor. With AMD, these adjustments
are made within the Radeon driver itself,
while the displays firmware is in charge
of other parts of the mix. One of Nvidias
loudest arguments is that AMD may or may
not keep pace with those changes on the
driver level. With Nvidias G-Sync module,
because each monitor is physically tweaked
and tuned, keeping up with all the panel
variations is part of the job.
We have seen ghosting in AMD FreeSync
panels like the Acer XG27OHU, but never
in a G-Sync monitor, though the ghosting
issues in some earlier FreeSync displays have
since been corrected via monitor firmware
updates. PC Perspective created this video
to compare the ghosting effects in early
FreeSync monitors against the Asus ROG
Swift, a G-Sync monitor.
AMD based FreeSync on a royalty-free,
industry-standard spec known as DisplayPort
Adaptive-Sync. The indisputable fact here is
that monitor manufacturers dont need to
implement a proprietary hardware module,
meaning the cost to them is cheaper.
Ideally, that savings gets passed on to you,
the consumer. In fact, across the board,
FreeSync monitors are cheaper.
Lets take a quick look at two gorgeous
FreeSync monitors from Acer. Both of them
are sexy, curved UltraWide displays with
an IPS panel at 3440x1440 resolution.
Both have a 4ms response time, and both
include HDMI and DisplayPort inputs. Theyre
nearly identical, except that the XR341CK
supports FreeSync and costs 990. The
G-Sync versionthe Predator X34 costs
10 more. Granted, it rocks a slightly higher
100Hz refresh rate, but the G-Sync markup
is obvious. Thats an expensive example, but
it doesnt hurt AMDs argument that FreeSync
is the more affordable solution.

Is the card in your PC compatible?

As you can imagine given the frequently
bitter rivalry between AMD and Nvidia,
your GeForce GTX video card wont support
FreeSync, and your Radeon video card wont
give you that buttery smooth experience on
a G-Sync monitor. Yes, Nvidia has the option
A G-Sync monitor

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Feature: G-Sync vs FreeSync

Most but not all of the AMD and

Nvidia graphics cards released in the
previous two- or three years should be
compatible with FreeSync or G-Sync

of adopting the FreeSync/Adaptive-Sync

standard as Intel plans to do one day but
if youd invested millions into developing
a technology to exclusively benefit your
users, would you?
Worries about brand lock-in aside, lets
say you want to take the plunge. Is your
beloved graphics card compatible? On the
Nvidia side the answer is simple: every
GeForce GTX card since the 650Ti will do the
trick, including every 700 series and 900
series desktop graphics card. With AMD the
support is a bit scattershot, because some
of the companys offerings are based on
older GPUs. For example, the Radeon 360
is FreeSync compatible but the Radeon 370
isnt. The Radeon 260, 260x, 285, 290, and
290x are ready for FreeSync, but the 270
and 270x arent. And so it goes.
Heres something cool though: a
strong handful of AMDs affordable APUs
(an all-in-one CPU and GPU) also support
FreeSync, which opens the possibility of
building a cheap 1080p gaming box and
still getting a smooth gaming experience
courtesy of FreeSync.

Are there any deal-breakers

to choosing either one?
In our experience, no. Both will greatly
improve your gameplay experience.
There is, however, one minor niggle:
as things stand right now, G-Sync works
only with DisplayPort inputs, meaning the
vast majority of TVs are locked out of the
equation. Thats bad news for people who
have an HTPC or perhaps an upcoming
Steam Machine in their living rooms over
HDMI. AMD, however, now has FreeSync
working over HDMI on certain GPUs. Nvidia
currently has no announced plans to
incorporate HDMI into G-Sync.

Closing thoughts
Both FreeSync and G-Sync work exceptionally
well at combating the decades-old visual
problems plaguing PC gaming. Neither has

an exclusive feature compelling enough

to warrant switching camps, however. Nvidia
has a slight advantage at the very low and
very high end of the frame rate spectrum,
and its G-Sync does a better job with
ghosting, but these are what wed call edge
cases that wont affect the vast majority
of gamers. On the other hand, AMD has a
price advantage with comparable FreeSync
monitors clocking in at an average of 100
to 150 less.
Whichever you choose, we enthusiastically
encourage you to jump on the variable
refresh rate train, as long as youre okay
with the fact that youre locking yourself
into purchasing graphics cards from the
same brand for the life of the display. If
youre rocking Radeon, make FreeSync your
next monitor upgrade. If youre gaming
with GeForce, take a good hard look at
the crop of G-Sync options. It cant be
stressed enough how dramatically they
improve a games immersion, and how
effectively they eliminate nasty screen
tearing, stutter, and input lag, all without
introducing new problems into the mix.
Ill go on record saying that if given the
choice between a non-G-Sync/FreeSync 4K
monitor and a smaller, G-Sync/FreeSyncenabled 1440p monitor, well choose
the latter every single time. Its just that
awesome. Find a way to witness it for
yourself and youll be convinced. J

Wait, can you get this

technology on a notebook?
Yes. A handful of G-Sync and FreeSync
powered notebooks are on the market
right now from Asus and MSI, with more
on the way from popular manufacturers
like Lenovo and Gigabyte. Unlike desktop
monitors, notebook displays wont require
that proprietary G-Sync module, but to
ensure quality, Nvidia is pretty stingy with
its approval process. For example, all of the
current G-Sync-enabled laptop displays top
out at 75Hz, not the standard 60Hz. As for
supported mobile GPUs, right now its just
the 950, 960, 965M, 970M, and 980M, plus
all GeForce GTX 10-series laptops. Nvidia is
dedicated to the G-Sync cause, so expect
to see a proliferation of G-Sync gaming
notebooks in the near future.

Acers curved, ultra-wide 3440x1440

XR341CKA G-Sync monitor

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FEATURE

Meet Pixel, a gorgeous,

much-needed visual overhaul
for Raspberry Pis main distro
A delicious upgrade for Raspberry Pi, writes Brad Chacos

he Raspberry Pi isnt exactly

known for its polish. The glorious,
but bare-bones 29 mini-PC packs
humble hardware and even lacks a case in its
quest to deliver affordable computing to the
masses. That austere design even extended
to the no-frills Raspbian Linux distribution
designed specifically for the Pi until now.
The Raspberry Pi Foundation
recently revealed Pi Improved Xwindows
Environment, Lightweight, or Pixel, a
beautified new desktop environment for
the Raspbian operating system. Pixel
delivers a much-needed coat of fresh
paint to the Raspberry Pi.
Gone are the cryptic scrolling startup messages, replaced by a simple
splash screen, as is the stark Pi-logo
wallpaper, replaced by your choice of 16
gorgeous photos captured by Foundation
co-founder Greg Annandale.

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FEATURE

The old icons have been replaced by a

menu that, according to the Foundation, is
designed to look businesslike enough to be
appropriate for those people who use the
Pi desktop for serious work, but with just
a touch of playfulness. Even the window

frames and login dialog box have been

overhauled with a sleeker, more modern
design. This is a top-to-bottom refresh of
the Raspbian visual design, and it looks to
be a huge quality of life improvement for
Raspberry Pi aficionados. Be sure to check
out the Raspberry Pi Foundations Pixel blog
post (tinyurl.com/jmop8y8) for much more
detail on every single design decision.
The latest Raspbian image extends
beyond Pixels amped-up aesthetics, though.

The distribution now includes RealVNC

server and view applications by default, as
well as a desktop Sense HAT emulator.
The Raspbian image also introduces
Chromium, which may eventually replace
Epiphany as the Raspberry Pis primary web
browser. Raspbian preloads
Chromium with the uBlock
Origin ad blocker, to keep
online advertisements from
bogging down the miniPCs modest hardware.
Likewise, Raspbians
Chromium also utilises
the h264ify extension,

which forces YouTube to serve videos in a

format which can be accelerated by the Pis
hardware, according to the Foundation.
The impact on you at home: Pixels
release wont matter for Raspberry Pi
users who use their machine for fantastical
projects. But if youre using the Pi as a
basic computer, a tool to learn coding, or
many other surprisingly practical projects,
the new look will make navigating the
mini-PC much more pleasant. With each
new release of Raspbian and the Raspberry
Pi itself, the Raspberry Pi Foundation does
a fantastic job of working out the devices
more annoying kinks. J

Right: the new Sense

HAT application

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HOW TO

Master Windows PowerShell feature

Woody Leonhards guide will help you get to grips with this handy addition to the Windows toolbox

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HOW TO
If youve wrestled with Windows 10, youve undoubtedly heard of
PowerShell. If youve tried to do something fancy with Win7/8.1
recently, PowerShell has probably come up, too. After years
of relying on the Windows command line and tossed-together
batch files, its time to set your sights on something more
powerful, more adaptive better.
PowerShell is an enormous addition to the Windows toolbox
and it can provoke a bit of fear given that enormity. Is it a scripting

language, a command shell, a floor wax? Do you have to link a

cmdlet with an instantiated .Net class to run with providers? And
why do all the support documents talk about administrators do
you have to be a professional Windows admin to make use of it?
Relax. PowerShell is powerful, but it neednt be intimidating.
The following guide is aimed at those who have run a Windows
command or two or jimmied a batch file. Consider it a step-by-step
transformation from PowerShell curious to PowerShell capable.

Step 1: Crank it up
The first thing youll need is PowerShell itself.
If youre using Windows 10, you already have
PowerShell 5 the latest version installed.
(Windows 10 Anniversary Update has 5.1, but
you wont know the difference with the Fall
Updates 5.0.) Windows 8 and 8.1 ship with
PowerShell 4, which is good enough for starting
out. Installing PowerShell on Windows 7 isnt
difficult, but it takes extra care and you need to install .Net
Framework separately.
PowerShell offers two interfaces. Advanced users will
go for the full-blown GUI, known as the Integrated Scripting
Environment (ISE). Beginners, though, are best served by the
PowerShell Console, a simple text interface reminiscent of the
Windows command line, or even DOS 3.2.
To start PowerShell as an Administrator from Windows 10,
click Start and scroll down the list of applications to Windows
PowerShell. Click on that line, right-click Windows PowerShell

and choose Run as Administrator. In Windows 8.1, look for Windows

PowerShell in the Windows System folder. In Win7, its in the
Accessories folder. You can run PowerShell as a normal user
by following the same sequence but with a left click.
In any version of Microsofts operating system, you can
use Windows search to look for PowerShell. In Windows 8.1
and Windows 10, you can put it on your Ctrl-X Power menu
(right-click a blank spot on the taskbar and choose Properties;
on the Navigation tab, check the box to Replace Command
Prompt). Once you have it open, its a good idea to pin PowerShell
to your taskbar. Yes, youre going to like it that much.

Step 2: Type old-fashioned

Windows commands
Youd be amazed how much Windows
command-line syntax works as expected
in PowerShell. For example, cd changes
directories (folders), and dir still lists
all the files and folders included in the
current folder. Depending on how you
start the PowerShell console, you may
start at c:\Windows\system32 or at c:\
Users\<username>. In the screenshot
example, we use cd .. (note the space) to move
up one level at a time, then run dir to list all
files and subfolders in the C:\ directory.

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How to: Master Windows PowerShell feature

Step 3: Install the help files

Commands such as cd and dir arent native PowerShell
commands. Theyre aliases substitutes for real
PowerShell commands. Aliases can be handy for those
of us with finger memory thats hard to overcome. But
they dont even begin to touch the most important
parts of PowerShell. To start getting a feel for
PowerShell itself, type help followed by a command
you know. For example, in the screenshot, we type help
dir. PowerShell help tells us that dir is an alias for the
PowerShell command Get-ChildItem. Sure enough, if
you type get-childitem at the PS C:\> prompt, you see
exactly what you saw with the dir command.
As noted at the bottom of the screenshot, help
files for PowerShell arent installed automatically. To retrieve them
(you do want to get them), log on to PowerShell in Administrator
mode, then type update-help. Installing the help files will take
several minutes, and you may be missing a few modules Help for
NetWNV and SecureBoot failed to install on our test machine. But
when youre done, the full help system will be at your beck and
call. From that point on, type get-help followed by the command
(cmdlet in PowerShell speak, pronounced command-let) that
concerns you and see all of the help for that item. For example,
get-help get-childitem produces a summary of the get-childitem
options. It also prompts you to type in variations on the theme.

Thus, the following:

get-help get-childitem -examples
produces seven detailed examples of how to use get-childitem. The
PowerShell command
get-help get-childitem -detailed
includes those seven examples, as well as a detailed explanation of
every parameter available for the get-childitem cmdlet.

Step 4: Get help on the parameters

In the help dir screenshot, you might have noticed
there are two listings under SYNTAX for getchilditem. The fact that there are two separate
syntaxes for the cmdlet means there are two ways
of running the cmdlet. How do you keep the syntaxes
separate, and what do the parameters mean? The
answers easy, if you know the trick.
To get all the details about parameters for the getchilditem cmdlet, or any other cmdlet, use the -full
parameter, like this:
get-help get-childitem -full
That produces a line-by-line listing of what you can
do with the cmdlet and what may (or may not) happen.
See the screenshot.
Sifting through the parameter details, its
reasonably easy to see that get-childitem can be
used to retrieve child items (such as the names of
subfolders or filenames) in a location that you specify, with or
without specific character matches. For example:
get-childItem *.txt -recurse
retrieves a list of all of the *.txt files in the current folder and all
subfolders (due to the -recurse parameter). Whereas the following:
get-childitem HKLM:\Software
returns a list of all of the high-level registry keys in HKEY_LOCAL_
MACHINE\Software. If youve ever tried to get inside the Registry
using a Windows command line or a batch file, Im sure you can see
how powerful this kind of access must be.

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How to: Master Windows PowerShell feature

Step 5: Nail down the names

Theres a reason why the cmdlets weve seen so far look the same:
get-childitem, update-help and get-help all follow the same
verbnoun convention. Mercifully, all of PowerShells cmdlets use
this convention, with a verb preceding a (singular) noun. Those of
you who spent weeks struggling over inconsistently named VB and
VBA commands can breathe a sigh of relief. To see where were
going, look at some of the most common cmdlets. Start with those
that reach into your system and pull out information, like these:
set-location: Sets the current working location to a specified
location
get-content: Gets the contents of a file
get-item: Gets files and folders
copy-item: Copies an item from one location to another
remove-item: Deletes files and folders
get-process: Gets the processes that are running on a local or
remote computer
get-service: Gets the services running on a local or remote
computer
invoke-webrequest: Gets content from a web page on the internet
To see how a particular cmdlet works, use get-help, as in

Try this cmdlet. (It may try to get you to install a program to
read the about box. If so, ignore it.)
invoke-webrequest askwoody.com
You get a succinct list of the web pages content declarations,
headers, images, links, and more. See how that works? Notice
in the get-help listing for invoke-webrequest that the invokewebrequest cmdlet returns collections of forms, links, images,
and other significant HTML elements exactly what you should
see on your screen.
Some cmdlets help you control or understand PowerShell itself:
get-command: Lists all available cmdlets (its a long list!)
get-verb: Lists all available verbs (the left halves of cmdlets)
clear-host: Clears the display in the host program
Various parameters let you whittle down the commands and
narrow in on options that may be of use to you. For example, to see
a list of all the cmdlets that work with Windows services, try this:
get-command *-service
It lists all the verbs that are available with service as the noun.
Heres the result:

get-help copy-item -full

Based on its help description, you can readily figure out what the
cmdlet wants. For example, if you want to copy all your files and
folders from Documents to c:\temp, you would use:
copy-item c:\users\[username] \documents\* c:\temp
As you type in that command, youll see a few nice touches built
into the PowerShell environment. For example, if you type copy-i
and press the Tab key, PowerShell fills in Copy-Item and a space. If
you mistype a cmdlet and PowerShell cant figure it out, you get a
very thorough description of what went wrong.

Get-Service
New-Service
Restart-Service
Resume-Service
Set-Service
Start-Service
Stop-Service
Suspend-Service
You can combine these cmdlets with cmdlets to dig into almost
any part of PowerShell. Thats where pipes come into the picture.

Step 6: Bring in the pipes

If youve ever used the Windows command line
or slogged through a batch file, you know about
redirection and pipes. In simple terms, both
redirection (the > character) and pipes (the |
character) take the output from an action and
stick it someplace else. You can, for example,
redirect the output of a dir command to a text
file, or pipe the result of a ping command into
a find, to filter out interesting results, like so:
dir > temp.txt

ping askwoody.com | find packets > temp2.txt

In the second command above, the find command looks for the
string packets in the piped output of an askwoody.com ping and
sticks all the lines that match in a file called temp2.txt. Perhaps
surprisingly, the first of those commands works fine in PowerShell.
To run the second command, you want something like this:
ping askwoody.com | select-string packets | out-file temp2.txt
Using redirection and pipes greatly expands the Windows
command lines capabilities. Instead of scrolling endlessly down a
screen looking for a text string, for example, you can put together a

piped Windows command that does the vetting for you.

PowerShell has a piping capability, but it isnt restricted to text.
Instead, PowerShell lets you pass an entire object from one cmdlet
to the next, where an object is a combination of data (called
properties) and the actions (methods) that can be used on the data.
The hard part, however, lies in aligning the objects. The kind
of object delivered by one cmdlet has to match up with the kinds
of objects accepted by the receiving cmdlet. Text is a very simple
kind of object, so if youre working with text, lining up items is easy.
Other objects arent so rudimentary.
How to figure it out? Welcome to the get-member cmdlet. If
you want to know what type of object a cmdlet produces, pipe it

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How to: Master Windows PowerShell feature

through get-member. For example, if youre

trying to figure out the processes running on
your computer, and youve narrowed down the
options to the get-process cmdlet, heres how
you find out what it produces:
get-process | get-member
Running that command produces a long list
of properties and methods for get-process, but
at the very beginning of the list you can see the
type of object that get-process creates:

TypeName: System.Diagnostics.Process
The screenshot also tells you that get-process has properties
called Handles, Name, NPM, PM, SI, VM and WS.
If you want to manipulate the output of get-process so that
you can work with it (as opposed to having it display a long list of
active processes on the monitor), you need to find another cmdlet
that will work with System.Diagnostics.Process as input. To find a
willing cmdlet, you simply use PowerShell:

object loops through each item sent down the pipeline, one by
one, and applies whatever selection criteria you request. Theres
a special marker called $_. that lets you step through each item
in the pipe, one at a time.
Lets say you wanted to come up with a list of all of the
processes running on your machine that are called svchost
in PowerShell speak, you want to match on a Name property
of svchost.
Try this PowerShell command:

get-command -Parametertype System.Diagnostics.Process

get-process | where-object {$_.Name -eq svchost}
That produces a list of all of the cmdlets that can handle
System.Diagnostics.Process.
Some cmdlets are notorious for taking nearly any kind of input.
Chief among them: where-object. Perhaps confusingly, where-

The where-object cmdlet looks at each System.Diagnostics.

Process item, compares the .Name of that item to svchost; if the
item matches, it gets spit out the end of the pipe and typed on your
monitor. See the above screenshot.

Step 7: Dissecting a useful

PowerShell command
Before we point you to further reading and
drop you off the deep end, lets go through an
example of a PowerShell command that many
people have asked about.
This particular command works only
in Windows 10 and only if youre running
PowerShell as an administrator. Its designed to
reinstall the default Windows 10 apps, and weve
found it useful for refreshing the little beasts
particularly for those who delete;d the built-in apps but suddenly
have a change of heart. The command looks like this:
Get-AppXPackage | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage
-DisableDevelopmentMode -Register $($_.InstallLocation)\
AppXManifest.xml}
If you run that PowerShell command, ignore the red warnings,
and when its done, reboot your machine; all of your default
Windows 10 apps will suddenly appear in their latest incarnations.
Heres how the command works. Get-AppXPackage goes
through all of the app packages in your user profile. Even if
youve deleted an app, by whatever means (some are easy, some
not so), its still listed in your user profile.
The Get-AppXPackage cmdlet returns an object with
the TypeName Microsoft.Windows.Appx.PackageManager.
Commands.AppxPackage, which includes the full name of the
app package and the location of the accompanying XML manifest
file. If you run the get-appxpackage cmdlet, you see a long
list of app packages. The screenshot shows the entry for the

Xbox app on our main computer. In the PowerShell command,

the Foreach cmdlet loops through each of the entries in the
AppXPackage object, feeding them to the Add-AppxPackage
cmdlet. According to get-help for Add-AppxPackage, there are
two key switches:
The -Register switch is used To register an existing app package
installation, you must specify the DisableDevelopmentMode
parameter and the Register parameter.
The -DisableDevelopmentMode switch tells Windows to reregister an existing app package installation that has been
disabled, did not register, or has become corrupted.
The $($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml string specifies
where the XML manifest file is located. If you peek into one
of the AppXManifest.xml files, youll see a complex list of
application IDs, executable files, and a large number of visual
elements associated with the app.
On reboot, all of the freshly added app packages get
downloaded from the Windows Store and installed. J

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How to: Shut down your computer at a set time

Shut down your computer at a set time

Ian Paul reveals two simple applications that will make it easy to schedule your PCs bedtime
RTG Ninja Shutdown
RTG Ninja Shutdown is a single
window, portable app created
by India-based developer
Priyanshu Kumar. After you
download it as a ZIP file
from Kumars website
(tinyurl.com/zq2nkke),
extract the folder and keep it
somewhere handy, like your
Documents folder. Whenever
you need to use it, just
double-click the EXE file and
the program appears.
Everything is pretty selfexplanatory. You want to be
on the Offline Mode tab. Then
choose the hour, minute, second, and AM/PM option that you
want. A key thing to remember here is that RTG Ninja wont
work if you dont fill out all four fields. So make sure you set
your seconds option even if youre only setting it to zero.
Next, choose the radio button for the option you want,
which can be to Shutdown, Restart or Log off. Now click Set
and youre done. If you dont want to keep the window open
click Hide to keep it out of the way.
RTG Ninja also has an online mode that allows you to set a
shutdown time remotely, but we didnt explore that option as
it requires interfacing with the developers server. Personally,
wed rather just keep it local.

Simple Shutdown Timer

PCWinTechs Simple Shutdown Timer (tinyurl.com/hnfyo3o) is
ridiculously small. It would be nice if it had an option to expand
the window, but it doesnt.
With this app all you have to do is set how long you want your
computer to run, filling out the hours, minutes, and seconds text
entry boxes. Then click the drop-down menu and decide whether
you want the PC to log off your account, reboot, shutdown,
hibernate or sleep. Click Start, the timer begins counting down.
Simple Shutdown Timer is a traditional installed desktop
program that works with Windows 2000 or later, and theres a
portable version available as well.
If youre into the command line, it also works with a few
commands, which you can read about on the companys website.
If these two programs dont catch your fancy there are tons
more such as Windows Reboot (tinyurl.com/zshLq85) and Switch
Off (tinyurl.com/2e2fv5t). If youre really daring, you could also
learn to schedule regular shutdown times via Windows built-in
Task Scheduler. J

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How to: Give your PC a boost with a new graphics card

Read our
graphics card
recommendations
on page 140

Give your PC a boost with a new graphics card

If you want high-end performance youll need to install a new graphics card. Thomas Ryan shows how

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How to: Give your PC a boost with a new graphics card

Few upgrades add as much punch to your

PC as installing a new graphics card. It
can transform your PC from a system that
chokes on lightweight games into a monster
that churns through even the most visually
punishing titles with ease.
But you need to get that new hardware
up and running before youre able to bask
in enhanced graphics glory. Heres how to
upgrade your existing computer with a new
GPU, from basic buying considerations to
step-by-step installation instructions.

Buying considerations
Simply deciding which graphics card you
want is a complex and nuanced discussion,
as both AMD and Nvidia offer choices
for virtually every budget from sub-100
to 1,000-plus. In general, you want the
graphics card that offers the most bang
for your buck, though youll also want
to consider a cards noise, heat, and
power consumption. Next make sure your
computer has the proper hardware to
support your new card.
The most common problem that people
run into is an inadequate power supply:
either it cant supply enough wattage, or
it doesnt have enough available PCI-E
power connectors. As a rule of thumb, your
power supply should be rated from double
the power consumption of your graphics
card. For example, if you purchased a R9
290X a video card that draws 300 watts
you should have a power supply that can
provide at least 600 watts of power and has
both 8- and 6-pin PCI-E power connectors.
To find out how much wattage your
power supply pumps out, open your case
and look for the standard identification
sticker all power supplies have, which lists
their basic information. While youre there
you can also identify how many 6- and 8-pin
PCI-E connectors are available.
Picking the right power supply is even
more important if youre upgrading to a
multi-card configuration, because youll
likely need to buy a power supply rated for
one or more kilowatts.
Finally, is there enough room inside of
your case to fit your new graphics card?
Some high-end graphics card can be over a
foot long, and two or even three expansion
slots wide. You can find the physical
dimensions for a graphics on its product
page or on the manufacturers website.
With all of those questions resolved, its
time to get down to business.

Youre going to need a

decent power supply if you
want to get your game on

Graphics cards can be drastically

different sizes depending on the
model and vendor

Installing a graphics card

Installing a graphics card is a
straightforward process that requires three
things: a new graphics card, your computer,
and a Phillips-head screw driver. Be sure to

You install a graphics card

into a PCI-E x16 slot on your
computers motherboard (the
long, blue slots in this picture)

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How to: Give your PC a boost with a new graphics card

turn off your PC and unplug it from the wall

before you begin.
Start by removing the side of your
computers case, then locate and remove
your current graphics card. Some PCs will
not have a graphics card installed. Instead,
you need to locate the PCI-E x16 slot closest
to the heat sink of your processor. This will
either be the first or second expansion slot
on your motherboard.
Make sure that there are no loose
wires blocking your access to this slot. If
youre replacing an existing graphics card,
unplug any cables connected to it, remove
the screw from its retention bracket, and
then remove the card. Most motherboards
have a small plastic latch on the end of the
PCI-E slot that locks the graphics card in
place. Make sure that you toggle this latch
to unlock your old graphics card so you
can remove it.
You can now install your new graphics
card into the open and unobstructed PCI-E
x16 slot. Firmly insert the card into the
slot, then push down the plastic lock on
the end of the PCI-E slot to hold it in place.
Next, use a screw to secure the graphic
cards metal retention bracket to your PCs
case. You can reuse the same screw(s)
that held the cover bracket or your former
graphics card in place.
Most gaming-level graphics cards require
additional power connectors. If yours does,
make sure you connect those PCI-E power
cables. Your graphics card will not function
correctly without properly supplied power.

Dont forget to lock the

latch at the end of the PCI-E
slot after firmly inserting
your graphics card

Finishing off
With your graphics card secured and
powered up, finish the job by sliding your
cases side panel back into position and
plugging your display cable into your new
graphics card. Turn on your computer.
Now its time to take care of the software
side of things. If your new graphics card is
the same brand as your old one this process
is simple. Just go to the manufacturers
website and download the latest driver
package for you operating system. Keep
in mind that graphics drivers are quite
large, generally about 300MB in size, and it
make take some time for them to download
depending on the speed of your internet
connection. Install the driver, restart your
computer, and now youre ready to enjoy
the buttery-smooth framerates your new
graphics card will no doubt deliver.
If youre switching manufacturers (from
Intel to AMD, from AMD to Nvidia, or vice
versa), uninstall your old graphics driver
and restart your computer before installing
the driver for your new graphics card. If you
dont uninstall the old driver it may conflict
with the new driver. J

Your graphics card

wont run unless youve
connected it to your PSU

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How to: Understand when your SSD could die

Understand when your SSD could die

Josh Norem explains how the type of flash a solid-state drive uses can affect its lifespan
Solid-state drives are fundamentally different from hard drives,
and they can, in fact, die in one of two ways. Here we explain this
difference, how SSDs can die and how you can check yours to
make sure it still has plenty of life.
The main difference between hard drives and SSDs is this: the
area of a hard drive that can hold data can be rewritten as many
times as is needed, and will always be usable as long as the drive
is functioning (bad sectors aside). This is not the case with SSDs:
each cell that holds data can only be written to, or programmed, a
finite number of times before it is effectively dead. Thats because
every time a write operation needs to be performed, any data in
the cell has to be erased before its used. This process of writing/
erasing/rewriting essentially causes wear and tear on the cells
and erosion of the insulator between cells. Eventually individual
cells can no longer hold a charge.
Different types of flash memory have different life cycles
depending on how many bits there are per cell. Fewer bits equal
fewer problems over time, and more bits cause more issues.
The most common form in SSDs is called MLC, which stands
for Multi-Level Cell. This means each cell can hold two bits of data,
and this type of flash, generally speaking, can handle 3000 or so
cycles of erasing the cells and reprogramming them. More recently,
SSD manufacturers are using a type of flash called TLC, which
stands for Triple-Level Cell. This adds one more bit to each cell,
thus improving density, but at the cost of endurance. This type of
flash can generally withstand 1000 cycles, or about one-third the
endurance of MLC. Note, too, that were talking two-dimensional
or planar flash, not 3D NAND, which is a whole different animal
that we wont get into here.
All this means is your SSD has a finite lifespan, usually
measured in terabytes written (TBW). Manufacturers dont often

quote these numbers, and your SSD might die way before it hits
this magic number, or long afterward, depending on a multitude
of factors. For example, Samsung lists 150TBW as the endurance
figure for its 850 EVO SSDS. For most SSDs its somewhere
between 75- and 150TBW.
Most SSDs include software that will tell you how much data
has been written to your drive? For our Samsung SSD its right out
in the open on the main page of its SSD Magician software.
Thats our two-year old SSD, and so far weve written almost
32TB. If that number were higher, like 60TB, wed be concerned,
but apparently my drive has plenty of life left. We still have a
backup of it, though, as should you (not my drive, but yours). J

Most SSD software will tell you

the terabytes written (TBW)

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How to: Work faster and smarter in Microsoft Excel

Work faster and smarter in Microsoft Excel

JD Sartains shortcuts will help boost your productivity in Microsofts spreadsheet application
Select the entire spreadsheet
Everyone knows that Ctrl+A selects the entire spreadsheet,
document, email, and so on. In Excel, however, theres an even
faster way. Click the small green arrow in the square space
between the row numbers and column letters.

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How to: Work faster and smarter in Microsoft Excel

Number formats
Which is faster, the mouse or the keyboard? Those who use
both work faster than either one or the other alone. Try these
shortcuts. After you enter a number or column of numbers,
highlight the target cells and press:
Ctrl+Shift+! to display the Number format with two decimal points
Ctrl+Shift+ to format the selected cells as currency

Ctrl+Shift+% to format as percentages,

Ctrl+Shift+~ for the General format
Ctrl+Shift+# for the Date format
Ctrl+Shift+@ for the Time format
Ctrl+Shift+^ for the Exponential number format

Quick Zoom
If you want to zoom in or out of your spreadsheet, you have to
perform several steps. First, select the View tab, then the Zoom
button in the Zoom group, then select a Zoom Magnification
from the Zoom dialog box (or click Custom and type a Zoom
Magnification size in the field box), then click OK. Use this simple
shortcut instead. Hold down the Ctrl key and roll the mouses
scroll wheel forward to zoom in or backward to zoom out.

4. The PMT function

Ever wonder how much your house or car payment would be for
a specified loan amount? Imagine having the tools to determine
if you can afford a BMW or a Jaguar; a house or a flat? Say, for
example, the house cost 200,000 for a 30-year loan at 3.2
percent interest? Use the PMT formula to find out. In cell A3,
enter this formula: =PMT(3.2%/12,360,200000).
Note the answer is (864.93). Why is it displayed as a
negative number? Because it represents money that you pay
out (as opposed to money you receive).
Now, instead of piling all the information into a single formula,
place the data into separate cells so you can change the numbers
and play around with the payment amounts. For example, enter
the following field names in columns A, B, C, D, and E: Interest
Rate, Divide by Months In the Loan Year, Term (in Months), Loan
Amount, and Payment.
Now enter some data into these fields; for example: in A7 enter
the current market interest rate. Next (in B7), if the rate is per
year, enter 12 (for 12 months in the year. In column C, enter the
term or length of the loan (in months, not years). Last, enter the
loan amount in D7. Then enter this formula in the Payment field
(E7): =PMT(A7/B7,C7,D7). The answer is (1100.65).
Now you can change the values in A7 through D7 (or copy the
information down) and enter different interest rates, loan amounts,
and terms to find out how much the payments are for your next
house, car, boat, or any other loan.

January 2017 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/how-to 117

116_118 HT Boost Your Productivity 258.indd 117

20/10/2016 10:47

How to: Work faster and smarter in Microsoft Excel

5. The RAND function

If youre one of those disciplined few who changes your password
every week or month, or you manage the passwords of users on
a network, the RAND function is your best friend because the
numbers really are random. You can create a list in Excel, use
this function to create the passwords, then pass them out to your
staff. And because Microsofts program recalculates formulas
every time you press the Enter key and every time you save and
exit, the numbers will never be saved anywhere.
Enter 12 names in cells A3 through A14. Move your cursor to cell
B3. Go to Formulas > Function Library > Math & Trig, and select the
RAND function from the drop-down menu. Note the dialog box says:
This function takes no arguments. That means you dont have to
do anything except click OK. Copy the function from B3 down to
B14. Notice that every time you press Enter, the numbers change.
To keep a record of the random numbers, use the VALUE()
command or Copy > Paste > Paste Values to create a static list of
the numbers in column B. However, you must first turn off the Auto
Calculation (set it to Manual), or the random numbers/passwords
will change the second you press Enter.
To change Auto-Calc to Manual, select File > Options > Formulas.
At the top of the screen under Calculate Options, check Manual and
uncheck Recalculate Workbook Before Saving. Now you can copy
the random numbers/passwords in column A to column B. Highlight
A3 through A14. Type Ctrl+C for Copy. Move to B3 and select Paste
Special from the Home tabs Clipboard group. Then check Values in
the Paste Special dialog box and click OK. Now you have a copy of
the random numbers in column A.
Press F9 to recalculate the spreadsheet while in Manual Calc
mode, or you can change the Manual Calc back to Auto Calc.

The RANDBETWEEN function

The RANDBETWEEN function is just like the RAND function,
except you get to choose the range of numbersfor example,
between one and 500, or 10 and 1,000. Once you remove the
decimals in the RAND command, the random numbers created
are good for most all situations. But if you specifically want
four- or six-digit numbers only, use RANDBETWEEN and choose
a range of numbers that fall into that requirement.
Use the same names as in the previous spreadsheet (on
cells A3 through A14). In cell B3, select the RANDBETWEEN
function from Formulas > Function Library > Math & Trig. In
the Function Arguments dialog box, enter the bottom (lowest)
number of your range and a top (highest) number of your
range, then click OK. Copy the formula from B3 down through
B14, then press F9 so the formula calculates. Then move to C3
and Copy > Paste > Paste Values. J

118 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/how-to January 2017

116_118 HT Boost Your Productivity 258.indd 118

20/10/2016 10:51

Reader software downloads zone

DOWNLOADS ZONE
Download the latest software from the PC Advisor Software Downloads Zone
Available in print and digital formats,
and featuring latest news, reviews,
group tests, features and tutorials, PC
Advisor magazine is simply the best
technology magazine you can buy.
In every issue we bring you
software downloads through the PC
Advisor Download Zone.
All software downloads can be
found in a central location. To make
things as easy as possible, we have
removed the need for individual codes
to download or register each program.
The only code youll need is
DOWNLOAD1215, which you can enter
at the following page:
pcadvisor.co.uk/magazine/download
Once logged in, youll be able to
browse the software on offer or
search for something specific
using the search box, or click the
Downloads link at the top of each
page and browse by category.
The Downloads Zone has hundreds
of great programs and apps that are
just a click or two away.

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121

122

123

124

125

126

128

129

130

131

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133

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138

139

140

141

142

143

145

145

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Prices listed are those quoted by the distributor

or manufacturer and include VAT. They are
intended only as a guide.
If youre interested in purchasing one of the
products reviewed here then please contact the
manufacturer or supplier directly, mentioning
both PC Advisor and the issue in which you saw
the product. If it wont supply the product as
reviewed, contact us at [email protected].
Manufacturers are under no obligation to
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Our recommendations are for guidance only.
Star ratings are awarded at the time of
the original review and given in relation to the
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Top 5 charts

Best laptops

Dell XPS 13 9350

Lenovo Yoga 710 (11in)

Asus ZenBook UX305CA

Dell Latitude 13 7370

HP Envy 13

Price

1,720 inc VAT

549 inc VAT

649 inc VAT

1,079 inc VAT

799 inc VAT

Website

Dell.co.uk

Lenovo.com/uk

Asus.com/uk

Dell.co.uk

Hp.com/uk

Processor

2.2GHz Intel Core i5-5200U

Intel Core M3-6Y30

Intel Core i5-6300HQ

Intel Core m5-6Y57

2.5GHz Intel Core i7

RAM

8GB DDR3

8GB LPDDR3

8GB

8GB

8GB DDR3

Storage

128GB SSD

128GB SSD

128GB SSD

256GB SSD

256GB SSD

Screen size

13.3in matt IPS

11.6in TN glossy

13.3in matt

13.3in InfinityEdge

13.3in matt

Screen resolution

1920x1080

1920x1080

3000x2000

1920x1080

1920x1080

Graphics

Intel HD Graphics 5500

Intel HD 515

Intel HD 515

Intel HD 515

Intel HD 520

Video memory

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Wireless

802.11ac

802.11ac

802.11a/b/g/n/ac

802.11ac

802.11a/b/g/n/ac

Ethernet

Gigabit

Gigabit

Gigabit

Gigabit

Gigabit

Bluetooth

USB

2x USB 3.0

1x USB 3.0

3x USB 3.0

1x USB 3.0, 2x USB-C

3x USB 3.0

FireWire

Thunderbolt

DisplayPort

HDMI

DVI

VGA

eSATA

Media card slot

Audio

Headphone jack, mic

Headphone jack, mic

Headphone jack, mic

Headphone jack, mic

Headphone jack, mic

Optical drive

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Extras

720p webcam

HD webcam

HD webcam

HD webcam

HD webcam

Operating system

Windows 10 Home

Windows 10 Home

Windows 10

Windows 10 Professional

Windows 10 Home

Bundled software

None

None

None

None

None

Gaming scores

24.5/17.9fps in Tomb Raider

Not tested

Not tested

Not tested

Not tested

Battery

Not stated

40Wh lithium-ion

44Wh lithium-ion

34Wh

45Wh lithium-ion

Battery life

Not tested

9 hrs 45 mins

8 hrs

8 hrs 23 mins

1 hr 24 mins

PCMark8 score

Not tested

4712

1985

2942

2657

Dimensions

304x200x15mm

281x195x14.9mm

324x226x12.3mm

304.8x210.5x14.mm

326x226x13mm

Weight

1.3kg

1.04kg

1.2kg

1.12kg

1.3kg

Warranty

2-year return-to-base

1 year

1 year

1 year

1-year collect-and-return

FULL REVIEW

TINYURL.COM/ZZF4ZQ2

TINYURL.COM/ZSVR34C

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Build rating
Features rating
Performance rating
Value rating
Overall rating

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Top 5 charts

Best
budget laptops

HP 250 G4

HP 255 G4

Asus X555LA-XX290H

Dell Inspiron 11 3000

HP Stream 11

Price

299 inc VAT

269 inc VAT

300 inc VAT

179 inc VAT

179 inc VAT

Website

Hp.com/uk

Hp.com/uk

Asus.com/uk

Dell.co.uk

Hp.com/uk

Processor

2.1GHz Intel Core i5-5005U

2.2GHz AMD A8-7410

1.9GHz Intel Core i3-4030U

1.6-2.1GHz Intel Celeron N3050

2.16GHz Intel Celeron N2830

RAM

8GB

4GB DDR3

4GB DDR3

2GB

2GB DDR3

Storage

1TB HDD

1TB HDD

1TB HDD

32GB SSD

32GB SnaDisk eMMc drive

Screen size

15.6in matt

15.6in matt

15.6in glossy

11.6in matt

11.6in matt

Screen resolution

1366x768

1366x768

1366x768

1366x768

1366x768

Graphics

Intel HD GPU

AMD Radeon 5

Intel HD Graphics 4400

Intel HD

Intel HD Graphics

Video memory

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Wireless

802.11b/g/n

802.11b/g/n

802.11b/g/n

802.11a/b/g/n

802.11b/g/n

Ethernet

Gigabit

Gigabit

Gigabit

Bluetooth

USB

1x USB 3.0, 2x USB 2.0

1x USB 3.0, 2x USB 2.0

1x USB 3.0, 2x USB 2.0

1x USB 3.0, 1x USB 2.0

1x USB 3.0, 1x USB 2.0

FireWire

Thunderbolt

DisplayPort

HDMI

DVI

VGA

eSATA

Media card slot

Audio

Headphone minijack

Headphone minijack

Headphone minijack

Headphone minijack

Headphone minijack

Optical drive

DVDRW

DVDRW

DVDRW

None

None

Webcam

Kensington lock slot,

webcam

Kensington lock slot,

webcam

Webcam

Kensington lock slot,

webcam

Operating system

Windows 10

Windows 8.1 Pro

Windows 8.1

Windows 8

Windows 8.1

Bundled software

None

None

None

None

None

Battery

31Wh Lithium-ion

31Wh Lithium-ion

37Wh Lithium-ion

32Wh Lithium-polymer

37Wh Lithium-polymer

Battery life

5 hrs 5 mins

4 hrs 6 mins

5 hrs 17 mins

8 hrs 15 mins

8 hrs 45 mins

PCMark 8 Home score

2171

1863

1985

Not tested

Not tested

Batman (Low/High)

Not tested

28fps/Not tested

30fps/Not tested

Not tested

Not tested

Dimensions

384x254x24mm

385x255x24.6mm

381x257x26.3mm

292x196x19.9mm

300x205x20mm

Weight

2.1kg

2.1kg

2.1kg

1.39kg

1.25kg

Warranty

1 year

1 year

1 year

1 year

1 year

FULL REVIEW

TINYURL.COM/Z5XNZOR

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Build rating
Features rating
Performance rating
Value rating
Overall rating

Extras

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Top 5 charts

Best
ultraportable
laptops

Apple MacBook Pro Retina 13in HP EliteBook Folio 1040 G1

Apple MacBook Air 13in

Dell XPS 13 9350

HP Envy 13

Price

999 inc VAT

2,116 inc VAT

849 inc VAT

1,720 inc VAT

799 inc VAT

Website

Apple.com/uk

Hp.com/uk

Apple.com/uk

Dell.co.uk

Hp.com/uk

Processor

2.7GHz Intel Core i5

2.1GHz Intel Core i5-4600U 1.6GHz Intel Core i5

2.2GHz Intel Core i5-5200U

2.5GHz Intel Core i7

RAM

8GB LPDDR3

8GB DDR3L

4GB LPDDR3

8GB DDR3

8GB DDR3

Storage

128GB SSD

256GB SSD

128GB SSD

128GB SSD

256GB SSD

Screen size

13.3in matt

14in matt

13.3in glossy

13.3in matt IPS

13.3in matt

Screen resolution

2560x1600

1920x1080

1440x900

1920x1080

1920x1080

Graphics

Intel Iris Graphics 6100

Intel HD Graphics 4400

Intel HD Graphics 6000

Intel HD Graphics 5500

Intel HD 520

Video memory

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Wireless

802.11a/b/g/n/ac

802.11a/b/g/ac

802.11a/b/g/n/ac

802.11ac

802.11a/b/g/n/ac

Ethernet

Gigabit

Gigabit

None

Gigabit

Gigabit

Bluetooth

USB

2x USB 3.0

2x USB 3.0

2x USB 3.0

2x USB 3.0

3x USB 3.0

FireWire

Thunderbolt

DisplayPort

HDMI

DVI

VGA

eSATA

Media card slot

Audio

Headphone jack, mic

Headphone jack, mic

Headphone jack, mic

Headphone jack, mic

Headphone jack, mic

Optical drive

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Extras

720p FaceTime

0.9Mp webcam

720p FaceTime

720p webcam

HD webcam

Operating system

OS X Yosemite

Windows 7 Professional

OS X Yosemite

Windows 10 Home

Windows 10 Home

Bundled software

None

None

None

None

None

Gaming scores

Not tested

49/33fps in Tomb Raider

Not tested

24.5/17.9fps in Tomb Raider

Not tested

Battery

74.9Wh lithium-ion

42Wh lithium-polymer

38Wh lithium-ion

Not stated

45Wh lithium-ion

Battery life

17 hrs 5 mins

5 hrs 41 mins

12 hrs 49 mins

Not tested

1 hr 24 mins

PCMark 7 score

Not tested

4783

Not tested

Not tested

2657

Dimensions

314x219x18mm

338x232x17.3mm

300x192x17mm

304x200x15mm

326x226x13mm

Weight

1.6kg

1.6kg

1.4kg

1.3kg

1.3kg

Warranty

1-year return-to-base

2-year return-to-base

1-year return-to-base

2-year return-to-base

1-year collect-and-return

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Performance rating
Value rating
Overall rating

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Top 5 charts

Best
Chromebooks

Dell Chromebook 11 (3120)

Toshiba Chromebook 2

Asus Chromebook Flip C100PA

Dell Chromebook 13 (7310)

Chromebook Pixel (2015)

Price

202 inc VAT

269 inc VAT

249 inc VAT

1,078 inc VAT

799 inc VAT

Website

Dell.co.uk

Toshiba.co.uk

UK.asus.com

Dell.co.uk

Google.co.uk

Build rating
Features rating
Performance rating
Value rating
Overall rating
Processor

2.16GHz Intel Celeron N2840 Intel Celeron

1.86GHz Rockchip RK3288C 2.9GHz Intel i5-5300U

Intel Core i7

RAM

4GB DDR3

4GB DDR3

4GB DDR3

8GB

8GB DDR3

Storage

16GB SSD

16GB SSD

16GB SSD

32GB SSD

32GB SSD

Screen size

11.6in HD

13.3in IPS

10.1in

13.3in

12.85in IPS

Screen resolution

1366x768

1920x1080

1280x800

1920x1066

2560x1700

Graphics

Intel HD graphics

Intel HD graphics

Rockchip Mali T764

Intel HD graphics

Intel HD 5500

Video memory

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Wireless

802.11a/b/g/n

802.11a/b/g/n/ac

802.11a/b/g/n/ac

802.11a/b/g/n/ac

802.11a/b/g/n/ac

Ethernet

Gigabit

Gigabit

Gigabit

None

Gigabit

Bluetooth

USB

1x USB 3.0, 1x USB 2.0

1x USB 3.0, 1x USB 2.0

2x USB 2.0

1x USB 3.0, 1x USB 2.0

2x USB 3.0

FireWire

Thunderbolt

DisplayPort

HDMI

DVI

VGA

eSATA

Media card slot

Audio

Headphone minijack

Headphone minijack

Headphone minijack

Headphone minijack

Headphone minijack

Optical drive

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Webcam

Webcam

Webcam

Webcam

Webcam

Operating system

Google Chrome OS

Google Chrome OS

Google Chrome OS

Google Chrome OS

Google Chrome OS

Bundled software

None

None

None

None

None

Battery life

9 hrs 46 mins

7 hrs 36 mins

9 hrs 33 mins

10 hrs 46 mins

9 hrs

SunSpider score

697ms

Not tested

803ms

219ms

Not tested

Dimensions

297x217.7x120.1mm

320x214x19.3mm

262.8x182.4x15.6mm

381.9x252.5x19.9mm

297.7x224.55x5.3mm

Weight

1.25kg

1.4kg

890g

1.72kg

1.5kg

Warranty

1 year

1 year

1 year

1 year

1 year

FULL REVIEW

TINYURL.COM/ZQFP4MF

TINYURL.COM/OP9NQAY

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TINYURL.COM/HQDFR8H

Extras

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Top 5 charts

Best
gaming laptops

Asus RoG G752

Alienware 17

Schenker XMG U506

Asus RoG GL552VW-DM201T

MSI GL62-6QC 065UK

Price

1,299 inc VAT

1,350 inc VAT

1,585 inc VAT

899 inc VAT

599 inc VAT

Website

Asus.com/uk

Alienware.co.uk

Mysn.co.uk

Asus.com/uk

Uk.msi.com

Processor

2.7GHz Intel Core i7-6820HK

4.1GHz Intel Core i7-6820

3.5GHz Intel Core i5-6600K 2.6GHz Intel Core i7-6700HQ

2.3GHz Intel Core i5-6300HQ

RAM

32GB DDR4

8GB DDR5, 16GB DDR4

8GB (2x 4GB) DDR3

8GB DDR3

8GB DDR3L

Storage

1TB HDD

512GB SSD, 1TB HDD

256GB SSD, 1TB HDD

1TB HDD

1TB HDD

Screen size

17.3in IPS

17.3in IPS

15.6in matt

15.6in IPS

15.6in IPS

Screen resolution

1920x1080

1920x1080

1920x1080

1920x1080

1920x1080

Graphics

Nvidia GeForce GTX 980M

Nvidia GeForce GTX 980M

Nvidia GeForce GTX 970M

Nvidia GeForce GTX 960M

Nvidia GeForce GTX 940MX

Video memory

Not specified

Not specified

Not specified

Not specified

Not specified

Wireless

802.11ac

802.11ac

802.11ac

802.11ac

802.11ac

Ethernet

Gigabit

Gigabit

Gigabit

Gigabit

Gigabit

Bluetooth

USB

3x USB 3.0

3x USB 3.0, 1x USB-C

3x USB 3.0, 1x eSATA/USB 3.0

2x USB 3.0, 1x USB 3.0

3x USB 3.0, 1x USB 2.0, 1x USB-C

FireWire

Thunderbolt

DisplayPort

HDMI

DVI

VGA

eSATA

Media card slot

Audio

Headphone jack, mic

Headphone jack, mic

Headphone jack, mic

Headphone jack, mic

Headphone jack, mic

Optical drive

None

None

None

Extras

1.2Mp webcam

2Mp webcam

2Mp webcam

HD webcam

HD webcam

Operating system

Windows 10

Windows 10 Home

Windows 8.1 Pro

Windows 10

Windows 10

Bundled software

None

None

None

None

None

Gaming scores

Not tested

Not tested

113/58fps in Tomb Raider

Not tested

35.6/14.9fps in Thief

Battery

66Wh lithium-ion

31Wh lithium-polymer

82Wh lithium-polymer

48Wh lithium-polymer

48Wh lithium-ion

Battery life

4 hrs 37 mins

3 hrs 59 mins

2 hrs 23 mins

4 hrs 50 mins

3 hrs 55 mins

PCMark 7 score

4184 (PCMark 8)

3400 (PCMark 8)

4000 (PCMark 8)

3102 (PCMark 8)

2681 (PCMark 8)

Dimensions

428x334x43mm

430x292x34.4mm

387x266x37.5mm

384x257x34.5mm

383x260x27mm

Weight

4.4kg

3.8kg

3.4kg

2.6kg

2.3kg

Warranty

1 year

1 year

1 year

1 year

1 year

FULL REVIEW

TINYURL.COM/J8AFNHP

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Build rating
Features rating
Performance rating
Value rating
Overall rating

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Top 5 charts

Best
gaming PCs

Chillblast Fusion Catapult

Wired2Fire Diablo Predator VR

Yoyotech Warbird RS14

Overclockers Kinetic VR Gaming Palicomp i5 Matrix

Price

999 inc VAT

1,150 inc VAT

999 inc VAT

739 inc VAT

1,199 inc VAT

Website

Chillblast.com

Wired2fire.co.uk

Yoyotech.co.uk

Overclockers.co.uk

Palicomp.co.uk

Processor

3.5GHz Intel Core i5 6600K

(4.4GHz OC)

3.5GHz Intel i5-6600K

(OC 4.4GHz)

3.3GHz Intel Core i5-6600

(3.9GHz Intel Boost)

3.2GHz Intel Core i5-6500

(3.6GHz Turbo)

3.5GHz Intel Core i5-6600K

(OC 4.7GHz)

CPU cooler

Corsair Hydro H55

ID Cooling SE-214

Silentium Spartan PRO

Intel CPU

BeQuiet Pure Rock

Memory

16GB DDR4

16GB DDR4

8GB DDR

8GB DDR4

16GB DDR4

Storage

1TB HDD

1TB HDD, 250GB SSD

21TB HDD, 128GB SSD

1TB SSHD

2TB HD, 256GB SSD

Power supply

750W FSP

750W FSP

600W Aerocool Integrator

Kolink 600W

750W FSP

Motherboard

Asus Z170-K

Asus Z170-E

MSI B150M Mortar

Asus H110M-A micro ATC

Asus Z170-Pro Gaming

Operating system

Windows 10 Home

Windows 10 (64-bit)

Windows 10 Home (64-bit)

Windows 10 Home

Windows 10 (64-bit)

Screen

None supplied

None supplied

None supplied

None supplied

None supplied

Graphics

XFX AMD
Radeon R9 390X

Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070

MSI GeForce
GTX 980Ti Armor X2

Asus GeForce GTX 970 Turbo KFA2 nVIDIA GTX 980

Sound

Onboard

Onboard

Onboard

Onboard

Onboard

Connectivity

Gigabit ethernet

Gigabit ethernet

Gigabit ethernet

Gigabit ethernet

Gigabit ethernet

Ports

2x USB 3.1 Type-A, 6x USB

3.0, 4x USB 2.0, 1x USB
5Gb/s (Type C), 2x DVI,
1x DP, 1x HDMI

4x USB 3.0, 2x USB 2.0 On

Motheboard I/O, 1x DVI, 1x
HDMI, 3x DP

2x USB 3.1 Gen2, 6x USB 3.1

Gen1, 6x USB 2.0

2x USB 3.0, 4x USB 2.0, 2x

dual-link DVI, 1x DP, 1x HDM

1x USB 3.1 (Type-A) 1xUSB 3.1

(Type-C) 4xUSB 3, 2x USB
2.0, 1xPS/2, 1x DVI, 1x D-Sub,
1x DP, 1x HDMI

Optical drive

None

None

None

None

None

Case

Zalman Z11 Neo

Aerocool QS240 M-ATX

Phanteks Enthoo Pro Mid

Kolink Satellite Cube

Sharkoon VG5-W

Keyboard & mouse

None supplied

Cooler Master Devastator

Keyboard and Mouse

None supplied

None supplied

Nemesis Kane Gaming

Keyboard and Mouse

PCMark 8
2.0 Home score

4832

5670

4818

4669

5911

Alien Isolation score

(4K)

17.02/49.28fps

12.99/63.23fps

16.48/59.94fps

20.24/40.43fps

116.55/50.37fps

Thief (4K Ultra)

21.5/32.9fps

36.2/42.1fps

35.4/42.5fps

Benchmark failed to run

27.6/32.8fps

3DMark Ice Storm

Unlimited

212,222

227,383

183,814

145,866

230,982

3DMark Fire Strike

10,629

14,235

13,482

7,005

11,917

Power Consumption

Not tested

56/385W

48/369W

36/235W

73/436W

Warranty

5 years labour, 2-year C&R

2 years return to labour,

3 years labour

3 years RTB. first year parts and

labour, 2 years labour only

2-year parts and labour C&R

warranty

3 years C&R

FULL REVIEW

TINYURL.COM/J6X5HFD

TINYURL.COM/JJCP6N3

TINYURL.COM/ZOQXPGU

TINYURL.COM/GV5AZTU

TINYURL.COM/ZZMN9HW

Build rating
Features rating
Performance rating
Value rating
Overall rating

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Top 5 charts

Apple iMac with 5K display

Acer Aspire AZ3-615

Chillblast Volante AIO

Asus Eee Top

HP Envy Beats 23-n001na

Price

1,999 inc VAT

799 inc VAT

1,299 inc VAT

799 inc VAT

900 inc VAT

Website

Apple.com/uk

Acer.co.uk

Chillblast.com

Asus.com/uk

Hp.com/uk

Processor

3.9GHz Intel Core i5-4690

2.7GHz Intel Core i5-4460T

4GHz Intel Core i7-4790S

2.6GHz Intel Core i5-4200U

3.2GHz Intel Core i7-4785T

RAM

8GB DDR3

8GB DDR3

16GB DDR3

6GB DDR3

8GB DDR3

Storage

1TB Fusion Drive

1TB HDD

1TB SSD

1TB HDD

1TB HDD

Screen

27in

23in touchscreen

24in

23in touchscreen

23in touchscreen

Screen resolution

5120x2880

1920x1080

1920x1080

1920x1080

1920x1080

Graphics card

AMD Radeon M9 M290X

Nvidia GeForce GT 840M

Nvidia GeForce GT 750M

Intel HD Graphics 4400

Intel HD Graphics 4600

Video memory

2GB

2GB

2GB

N/A

N/A

Wireless

802.11b/g/n

802.11b/g/n

802.11b/g/n

802.11b/g/n

802.11b/g/n

Ethernet

Gigabit

Gigabit

Gigabit

Gigabit

Gigabit

Bluetooth

USB

4x USB 3.0

2x USB 3.0, 3x USB 2.0

4x USB 3.0, 2x USB 2.0

3x USB 3.0, 3x USB 2.0

2x USB 3.0, 4x USB 2.0

FireWire

Thunderbolt

HDMI

Media card slot

Optical drive

None

DVD Writer

Blu-Ray Combo

DVD Writer

DVD Writer
Wireless keyboard and
mouse, Beats Audio stereo
speaker system (8x 12W)

All-in-one PCs

Build rating
Features rating
Performance rating
Value rating
Overall rating

Other

Final Cut Pro X, Logic

Pro X, Aperture

1Mp webcam, wireless

keyboard and mouse

Logitech MK520 wireless

keyboard and mouse

2Mp webcam, Freeview

TV, wireless keyboard and
mouse

Operating system

OS X Yosemite

Windows 8.1 64-bit

Windows 8.1 64-bit

Windows 8.1 64-bit

Windows 8.1 64-bit

Power consumption
(idle/max)

46/215W

46/91W

35/177W

33/69W

43/81W

Sniper V2 Elite
(Low/High/Ultra)

Not tested

47.7/18.7/5.1fps

91.5/41.2/10.5fps

31.4/7.8/5fps

27.7/7.4/5fps

PCMark 8 Home score

Not tested

2906

3776

2828

2702

Dimensions

650x203x516mm

540x489x579mm

585x200x450mm

571x359x50-214mm

563x143x413mm

Weight

9.54kg

8.8kg

14.6kg

9kg

8.4kg

Warranty

1-year return-to-base

Not specified

5-year labour
(2-year collect-and-return)

1-year return-to-base

1-year limited parts, labour,

and pickup-and-return service

FULL REVIEW

TINYURL.COM/NWJUJSF

TINYURL.COM/QEY8FOE

TINYURL.COM/LO8A5MC

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Top 5 charts

Best
smartphones

Samsung Galaxy S7 edge

Samsung Galaxy S7

LG G5

Google Nexus 6P

Apple iPhone 7

Price

639 inc VAT

569 inc VAT

529 inc VAT

449 inc VAT

599 inc VAT

Website

Samsung.com/uk

Samsung.com/uk

LG.com/uk

Google.co.uk

Apple.com/uk

OS (out of box)

Android 6.0 Marshmallow

Android 6.0 Marshmallow

Android 6.0 Marshmallow

Android 6.0 Marshmallow

iOS 10

Processor

Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 Qualcomm Snapdragon 810

A10 Fusion

RAM

4GB

4GB

4GB

3GB

2GB

Storage

32GB

32GB

32GB

32/64/128GB

32/128/256GB

MicroSD support

Graphics

Adreno 530

Adreno 530

Adreno 530

Adreno 430

Not stated

Screen size

5.5in

5.1in

5.3in

5.7in

4.7in

Screen resolution

2560x1440

2560x1440

2560x1440

2560x1440

1334x720

Pixel density

534ppi

577ppi

554ppi

518ppi

326ppi

Screen technology

IPS

IPS

IPS

AMOLED

IPS

Front camera

5Mp

5Mp

8Mp

8Mp

7Mp

Rear camera

16Mp, LED flash

12Mp, LED flash

8/16Mp, LED flash

12.3Mp, LED flash

12Mp, LED flash

Video recording

4K

4K

4K

4K

4K

Cellular connectivity

4G

4G

4G

4G

4G

SIM type

Nano-SIM

Nano-SIM

Nano-SIM

Nano-SIM

Nano-SIM

Dual-SIM as standard

Wi-Fi

802.11a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band

802.11a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band

802.11a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band

802.11a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band

802.11a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band

Bluetooth

Bluetooth 4.2

Bluetooth 4.2

Bluetooth 4.2

Bluetooth 4.2

Bluetooth 4.2

GPS

GPS, Glonass

A-GPS, Glonass

A-GPS

A-GPS, Glonass

A-GPS, Glonass

NFC

USB OTG

Extra features

Fingerprint scanner

Fingerprint scanner

Fingerprint scanner

Fingerprint scanner

Fingerprint scanner

Geekbench 3.0 (multi)

6469

6466

5404

3939

6088

SunSpider

Not tested

Not tested

Not tested

636ms

Not tested

GFXBench: T-Rex

53fps

53fps

53fps

34fps

60fps

GFXBench: Manhattan

27fps

27fps

29fps

14fps

60fps

Battery

3600mAh, non-removable

3000mAh, non-removable

2800mAh, removable

3450mAh, non-removable

Lithium-ion

Dimensions

151x73x7.8mm

142x70x7.9mm

149x74x7.7mm

159.3x77.8x7.3mm

138.3x67.1x7.1mm

Weight

157g

152g

159g

178g

138g

Warranty

1 year

1 year

1 year

1 year

1 year

FULL REVIEW

TINYURL.COM/ZDKDRE4

TINYURL.COM/J5CQ9OU

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Build rating
Features rating
Performance rating
Value rating
Overall rating

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Top 5 charts

Best
budget
smartphones

Motorola Moto G (3rd gen)

Vodafone Smart Ultra 6

Vodafone Smart Prime 7

Vodafone Smart Prime 6

Xiaomi Redmi 3S

Price

149 inc VAT

125 inc VAT

75 inc VAT

79 inc VAT

121 inc VAT

Website

Motorola.co.uk

Vodafone.co.uk

Vodafone.co.uk

Vodafone.co.uk

Xiaomi-mi.co.uk

OS (out of box)

Android 5.1.1 Lollipop

Android 5.0.2 Lollipop

Android 6.0 Marshmallow

Android 5.0.2 Lollipop

MIUI 7.5

Processor

1.4GHz Snapdragon 410

2.5GHz Snapdragon 615

1.2GHz Snapdragon 210

1.2GHz Snapdragon 410

1.4GHz Snapdragon 4130

RAM

2GB

2GB

1GB

1GB

2GB

Storage

16GB

16GB

8GB

8GB

16GB

MicroSD support

Up to 32GB

Up to 128GB

Up to 128GB

Up to 64GB

Up to 128GB

Graphics

Adreno 406

Adreno 405

Adreno 304

Adreno 306

Adreno 505

Screen size

5in

5.5in

5in

5in

5in

Screen resolution

1280x720

1920x1080

1280x720

1280x720

1280x720

Pixel density

294ppi

401ppi

294ppi

294ppi

294ppi

Screen technology

IPS

IPS

IPS

IPS

IPS

Front camera

5Mp

5Mp

5Mp

2Mp

5Mp

Rear camera

13Mp

13Mp

8Mp

8Mp

13Mp

Video recording

720p

1080p

720p

1080p

1080p

Cellular connectivity

4G

4G*

4G*

4G*

4G

SIM type

Micro-SIM

Nano-SIM

Micro-SIM

Micro-SIM

1x Micro-SIM, 1x Nano-SIM

Dual-SIM as standard

Wi-Fi

802.11b/g/n

802.11b/g/n

802.11b/g/n

802.11b/g/n

802.11b/g/n

Bluetooth

Bluetooth 4.0

Bluetooth 4.0

Bluetooth 4.1

Bluetooth 4.0

Bluetooth 4.1

GPS

GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS

GPS, A-GPS

A-GPS

A-GPS

GPS, A-GPS

NFC

USB OTG

Extra features

FM radio, accelerometer

FM radio

FM radio

FM radio

Rear-mounted
fingerprint scanner

Geekbench 3.0 (single)

Not tested

649

Not tested

464

Not tested

Geekbench 3.0 (multi)

1628

2469

1098

1401

2848

SunSpider

1344ms

1545ms

Not tested

1301ms

Not tested

GFXBench: T-Rex

10fps

14fps

10fps

9.4fps

24fps

GFXBench: Manhattan

4fps

5.7fps

4fps

3.8fps

13fps

Battery

2470mAh, non-removable

3000mAh, non-removable

2540mAh, non-removable

Not specified

4100mAh, non-removable

Dimensions

142.1x72.4x11.6mm

154x77x9mm

144x72x8mm

141.65x71.89x9mm

139.3x69.6x8.5mm

Weight

155g

159g

128g

155g

144g

Warranty

1 year

1 year

1 year

1 year

1 year

FULL REVIEW

TINYURL.COM/HTEFW7H

TINYURL.COM/Q7Q9NXR

TINYURL.COM/ZTLQLUZ

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TINYURL.COM/J8HXZ49

Build rating
Features rating
Performance rating
Value rating
Overall rating

* Locked to Vodafone. All other models here are unlocked

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Top 5 charts

Best
phablets

Samsung Galaxy S7 edge

Google Nexus 6P

OnePlus 3

Samsung Galaxy Note5

Apple iPhone 6s Plus

Price

639 inc VAT

449 inc VAT

309 inc VAT

499 inc VAT

619 inc VAT

Website

Samsung.com/uk

Google.co.uk

Oneplus.net

Samsung.com/uk

Apple.com/uk

OS (out of box)

Android 6.0 Marshmallow

Android 6.0 Marshmallow

Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow

Android 5.1.1 Lollipop

iOS 9

Processor

Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 Qualcomm Snapdragon 810

Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 2.1GHz Exynos 7420

A9

RAM

4GB

3GB

6GB

4GB

2GB

Storage

32GB

32/64/128GB

64GB

32/64GB

16/64/128GB

MicroSD support

Graphics

Adreno 530

Adreno 430

Adreno 530

Mali-T760MP8

M9

Screen size

5.5in

5.7in

5.5in

5.7in

5.5in

Screen resolution

2560x1440

2560x1440

1920x1080

1280x720

1920x1080

Pixel density

534ppi

518ppi

401ppi

518ppi

401ppi

Screen technology

IPS

Quad HD capacitive

AMOLED

Super AMOLED

IPS

Front camera

5Mp

8Mp

8Mp

5Mp

5Mp

Rear camera

16Mp, LED flash

12.3Mp, LED flash

16Mp, LED flash

16Mp, LED flash

12Mp, LED flash

Video recording

4K

4K

Auto HDR

4K

4K

Cellular connectivity

4G

4G

4G

4G

4G

SIM type

Nano-SIM

Nano-SIM

Nano-SIM

Nano-SIM

Nano-SIM

Dual-SIM as standard

Wi-Fi

802.11a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band

802.11a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band

802.11a/b/g/n/ac

802.11a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band

802.11a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band

Bluetooth

Bluetooth 4.2

Bluetooth 4.2

Bluetooth 4.2

Bluetooth 4.2

Bluetooth 4.2

GPS

GPS, Glonass

A-GPS, Glonass

A-GPS, Glonass

A-GPS, Glonass

A-GPS, Glonass

NFC

USB OTG

Extra features

Fingerprint scanner

Fingerprint scanner

Fingerprint scanner

Heart-rate sensor,
fingerprint scanner

Fingerprint scanner

Geekbench 3.0 (single)

6469

Not tested

Not tested

1497

2527

Geekbench 3.0 (multi)

Not tested

3939

5546

Not tested

4407

SunSpider

53fps

636ms

Not tested

718ms

210ms

GFXBench: T-Rex

27fps

34fps

59fps

37fps

59fps

GFXBench: Manhattan

27fps

14fps

46fps

15fps

38fps

Battery

3600mAh, non-removable

3450mAh, non-removable

3000mAh, non-removable

2300mAh, non-removable

Lithium-ion

Dimensions

151x73x7.8mm

159.3x77.8x7.3mm

152.7x74.7x7.4mm

153.2x76.1x7.6mm

158.2x77.9x7.3mm

Weight

157g

178g

158g

171g

192g

Warranty

1 year

1 year

1 year

1 year

1 year

FULL REVIEW

TINYURL.COM/ZDKDRE4

TINYURL.COM/NABSV4E

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TINYURL.COM/OYRA5MX

Build rating
Features rating
Performance rating
Value rating
Overall rating

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Top 5 charts

Best
tablets

Apple iPad Air 2

Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 8

9.7in Apple iPad Pro

Apple iPad mini 4

Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4

Price

399 inc VAT

319 inc VAT

499 inc VAT

319 inc VAT

319 inc VAT

Website

Apple.com/uk

Samsung.com/uk

Apple.com/uk

Apple.com/uk

Samsung.com/uk

OS (out of box)

iOS 10

Android 5.0 Lollipop

iOS 10

iOS 10

Android 4.4 KitKat

Processor

Apple A8X, Apple M8

1.9GHz Exynos 5433

Apple A9X, Apple M9

Apple A8, Apple M8

Exynos 5420, octa-core

RAM

2GB

3GB

3GB

2GB

3GB

Storage

16/64/128GB

32GB/64GB

32GB/128GB/256GB

16GB/64/128GB

16GB/32GB

MicroSD support

Up to 128GB

Up to 128GB

Graphics

Apple A8X

Not specified

Apple A9X

Apple A8

ARM Mali-T628 MP6

Screen size

9.7in

8in

9.7in

7.9in

8.4in

Screen resolution

2048x1536

2048x1536

2048x1536

2048x1536

2560x1440

Pixel density

264ppi

320ppi

264ppi

326ppi

359ppi

Screen technology

IPS

Super AMOLED

IPS

IPS

Super AMOLED

Front camera

1.2Mp

2.1Mp

8Mp

1.2Mp

2.1Mp

Rear camera

8Mp

8Mp

12Mp, LED flash

8Mp

8Mp, LED flash

Video recording

1080p

QHD

1080p

1080p

1080p

Cellular connectivity

4G version available

4G version available

4G version available

4G version available

4G version available

Wi-Fi

802.11a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band

802.11a/b/g/n/ac

802.11a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band

802.11a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band

802.11a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band

Bluetooth

Bluetooth 4.0

Bluetooth 4.1

Bluetooth 4.2

Bluetooth 4.2

Bluetooth 4.0

GPS

A-GPS, Glonass

A-GPS, Glonass

GPS in cellular model only

A-GPS, Glonass

GPS, Glonass

NFC

USB OTG

Fingerprint scanner

Waterproof

Extra features

None

None

Stereo speakers

None

Stereo speakers

Geekbench 3.0 (single)

1816

Not tested

Not tested

1719

Not tested

Geekbench 3.0 (multi)

4523

4305

5257

3101

2765

JetStream

Not tested

Not tested

142

Not tested

1089ms (SunSpider)

GFXBench: T-Rex

48fps

26fps

60fps

52fps

14fps

GFXBench: Manhattan

Not tested

11fps

34fps

25fps

3fps

Battery

7340mAh, non-removable

4000mAh, non-removable, Qi 7306mAh, non-removable

5124mAh, non-removable

4900mAh, non-removable

Dimensions

240x169.5x6.1mm

198.6x134.8x5.6mm

170x240x6.1mm

203.2x134.8x6.1mm

126x213x6.6mm

Weight

437g

265g

437g

304g

294g

Warranty

1 year

1 year

1 year

1 year

1 year

FULL REVIEW

TINYURL.COM/PLQXWSZ

TINYURL.COM/P37QFDW

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Build rating
Features rating
Performance rating
Value rating
Overall rating

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Top 5 charts

Best
tablets

Sony Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact Google Pixel C

10

Amazon Fire

Sony Xperia Z4 Tablet

Xiaomi Mi Pad 2

Price

299 inc VAT

399 inc VAT

49 inc VAT

499 inc VAT

144 inc VAT

Website

Sony.co.uk

Google.co.uk

Amazon.co.uk

Sony.co.uk

Mi.com/en

OS (out of box)

Android 4.4 KitKat

Android 6.0 Marshmallow

FireOS 5

Android 5.0 Lollipop

Android 5.1 Lollipop

Processor

2.5GHz Snapdragon 801

Nvidia Tegra X1

1.3GHz quad-core

Snapdragon 810

Intel Atom X5-Z8500

RAM

3GB

3GB

1GB

3GB

2GB

Storage

16GB/32GB

32GB/64GB

8GB

32GB

16GB/64GB

MicroSD support

Up to 128GB

Up to 128GB

Up to 128GB

Graphics

Adreno 330

Nvidia Tegra X1

Mali 450

Adreno 430

Intel HD Graphics

Screen size

8in

10.2in

7in

10.1in

7.9in

Screen resolution

1920x1200

2560x1800

1024x600

2560x1600

2048x1536

Pixel density

283ppi

308ppi

171ppi

299ppi

326ppi

Screen technology

IPS

IPS

IPS

IPS

IPS

Front camera

2.2Mp

2Mp

VGA

5.1Mp

5Mp

Rear camera

8.1Mp

8Mp

2Mp

8.1Mp

8Mp

Video recording

1080p

1080p

Not specified

1080p

Not specified

Cellular connectivity

4G version available

4G version available

Wi-Fi

802.11a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band

802.11a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band

802.11a/b/g/n

802.11a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band

802.11a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band

Bluetooth

Bluetooth 4.0

Bluetooth 4.1

Bluetooth 4.0

Bluetooth 4.1

Bluetooth 4.1

GPS

A-GPS, Glonass

A-GPS, Glonass

NFC

USB OTG

Fingerprint scanner

Waterproof

Extra features

PS4 Remote Play,

stereo speakers

None

None

None

None

Geekbench 3.0 (single)

Not tested

Not tested

Not tested

Not tested

Not tested

Geekbench 3.0 (multi)

2708

4048

Not tested

4573

3280

JetStream

1017ms

Not tested

Not tested

580ms (SunSpider)

454

GFXBench: T-Rex

28fps

48fps

Not tested

37fps

30fps

GFXBench: Manhattan

11fps

28fps

Not tested

16fps

13fps

Battery

4500mAh, non-removable

9000mAh, non-removable

Not specified

6000mAh, non-removable

6190mAh, non-removable

Dimensions

213x124x6.4mm

242x179x7mm

191x115x10.6mm

254x167x6.1mm

200x133x7mm

Weight

270g

517g

313g

393g

322g

Warranty

1 year

1 year

1-year return-to-base

1 year

1 year

FULL REVIEW

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Build rating
Features rating
Performance rating
Value rating
Overall rating

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Top 5 charts

Best
smartwatches

Huawei Watch

Apple Watch Series 2

Motorola Moto 360 2

Samsung Gear S2

LG G Watch R

Price

289 inc VAT

369 inc VAT

229 inc VAT

199 inc VAT

195 inc VAT

Website

Consumer.huawei.com/en

Apple.com/uk

Motorola.co.uk

Samsung.com/uk

Lg.com/uk

Operating system

Android Wear

iOS 10

Android Wear

Tizen-based OS

Android Wear

Compatibility

Android

iOS

Android, iOS

Android, iOS

Android

Display

1.4in 400x400 AMOLED

38mm, 340x272;
42mm, 390x312, AMOLED

1.37in 360x325 LCD

1.2in 360x360 AMOLED

1.3in 320x320 P-OLED

Processor

Snapdragon 400

S2

Snapdragon 400

1GHz Exynos 3250

1.2GHz Snapdrgon 400

RAM

512MB

Not stated

512MB

512MB

512MB

Storage

4GB

4GB

4GB

4GB

4GB

Waterproof

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Battery

300mAh

273mAh

300mAh

250mAh

410mAh

Dimensions

42x11.3mm

38.6/42.5x33.3/36.4mm

42x11.4mm

42.3x49.8x11.4mm

46.4x53.6x9.7mm

Weight

40g

28.2g/34.2g

53.6g

47g

62g

Warranty

1 year

1 year

1 year

1 year

1 year

FULL REVIEW

TINYURL.COM/PXV9PVX

TINYURL.COM/HAT545L

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TINYURL.COM/P4UKB74

TINYURL.COM/QATY8FT

Best
smartwatches

10

Fossil Q Founder

Asus ZenWatch 2

Motorola Moto 360

LG Watch Urbane

Sony SmartWatch 3

Price

259 inc VAT

149 inc VAT

199 inc VAT

259 inc VAT

189 inc VAT

Website

Fossil.com/uk

Uk.sasus.com

Motorola.co.uk

Lg.com/uk

Sony.co.uk

Operating system

Android Wear

Android Wear

Android Wear

Android Wear

Android Wear

Compatibility

Android, iOS

Android, iOS

Android

Android

Android

Display

1.5in, 360x326 LCD

1.63in 320x320 LCD

1.56in 290x320 LCD

1.3in 320x320 P-OLED

1.6in 320x320 LCD

Processor

Intel Atom Z34XX

1.2GHz Snapdragon 400

TI OMAP 3

1.2GHz Snapdragon 400

1.2GHz ARM V7

RAM

1GB

512MB

512MB

512MB

512MB

Storage

4GB

4GB

4GB

4GB

4GB

Waterproof

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Battery

400mAh

300mAh

320mAh

410mAh

420mAh

Dimensions

47x13mm

40.7x49.6x10.9mm

46x11.5mm

46x52x10.9mm

36x51x10mm

Weight

156g

50g

49g (leather band model)

67g

45g

Warranty

1 year

1 year

1 year

1 year

1 year

FULL REVIEW

TINYURL.COM/Z3X6D6F

TINYURL.COM/ZVRZLNJ

TINYURL.COM/O9C69K6

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TINYURL.COM/OQVZ3PN

Overall rating

Overall rating

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120_145 New Top 5 Charts 258.indd 134

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Top 5 charts

Best
activity
trackers

Fitbit Charge 2

Fitbit Charge HR

Apple Watch Series 2

Fitbit Alta

Xiaomi Mi Band 2

Price

129 inc VAT

119 inc VAT

369 inc VAT

99 inc VAT

33 inc VAT

Website

Fitbit.com/uk

Fitbit.com/uk

Apple.com/uk

Fitbit.com/uk

Mi.com/en

Compatibility

iOS, Android, Windows

iOS, Android, Windows

iOS

iOS, Android, Windows

iOS, Android

Display

OLED

OLED

AMOLED

OLED

OLED

Pedometer

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Heart-rate monitor

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Sleep tracking

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Yes

Alarm

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Third-party app synching Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Call notifications

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Waterproof

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Battery life

5 days

5+ days

18 hours

5 days

20-day

Weight

35g

26g

28.2g/34.2g

32g

7g (tracker only)

FULL REVIEW

TINYURL.COM/Z3NN8RL

TINYURL.COM/PCKV4SU

TINYURL.COM/HAT545L

TINYURL.COM/ZO8TN2L

TINYURL.COM/ZAF6OAW

Overall rating

Best
activity
trackers

10

Fitbit Surge

Misfit Ray

MyZone MZ-3

Microsoft Band 2

Fitbit One

Price

199 inc VAT

79 inc VAT

129 inc VAT

199 inc VAT

79 inc VAT

Website

Fitbit.com/uk

Misfit.com

Myzone.org

Microsoft.com/en-gb

Fitbit.com/uk

Compatibility

iOS, Android, Windows

iOS, Android

iOS, Android, Windows

iOS, Android, Windows

iOS, Android

Display

Touchscreen

No

No

AMOLED

OLED

Pedometer

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Yes

Heart-rate monitor

Yes

No

Yes

Yes

No

Sleep tracking

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Yes

Alarm

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Yes

Third-party app synching Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Yes

Call notifications

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

No

Waterproof

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Battery life

5 days

6 months

7 months

2 days

10-14 days

Weight

51g

8g

Not stated

159g

8g

FULL REVIEW

TINYURL.COM/O83DR47

TINYURL.COM/JG3XVT9

TINYURL.COM/HK5JOXX

TINYURL.COM/HHP4LMR

TINYURL.COM/PT2TC6F

Overall rating

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Top 5 charts

Canon Pixma MG7550

Samsung Xpress M2835DW

Brother HL-L9200CDWT

HP LaserJet Pro M277dw

HP OfficeJet 7510

Price

130 inc VAT

143 inc VAT

548 inc VAT

258 inc VAT

129 inc VAT

Website

Canon.co.uk

Samsung.com/uk

Brother.co.uk

Hp.com/uk

Hp.com/uk

Technology

Colour inkjet

Mono laser

Colour laser

Colour laser

Colour inkjet

Max print resolution

9600x2400dpi

4800x600dpi

2400x600dpi

300dpi

1200x600dpi

Actual print speed

B=14.3ppm

B=22.7ppm

B=30ppm C=30ppm

B=15ppm C=13ppm

B=12.5ppm C=7.5ppm

None

1200x1200dpi scanner,
300x300dpi fax

1200x1200dpi scanner,
300x300dpi fax

Best printers

Overall rating

Scan/fax facilities

2400x4800dpi scanner

None

Supported interfaces

USB 2.0, ethernet, 802.11b/g/n USB 2.0, ethernet, 802.11b/g/n USB 2.0, ethernet, 802.11b/g/n USB 2.0, ethernet, 802.11b/g/n USB 2.0, ethernet, 802.11b/g/n

Cost per page

B=2.4p C=8.1p

B=1.5p

B=1p C=5.9p

B=2.2p C=9p

B=1.7p C=3.3p

Media card/auto duplex

Input capacity

125 sheets

250 sheets

750 sheets + 50 sheet

150 sheets + 50 sheet

250 sheets + 75 sheet

Dimensions

435x370x148mm

368x335x202mm

410x495x445mm

420x417x322mm

613x725x287mm

Weight

7.9kg

7.4kg

28.3kg

16.3kg

13kg

Warranty

1 year

1 year

1 year

1 year

1 year

FULL REVIEW

TINYURL.COM/PZ3SVH7

TINYURL.COM/QECOF7V

TINYURL.COM/PT52MH6

TINYURL.COM/GPXACL7

TINYURL.COM/HDXF85Y

10

Epson EcoTank ET-2500

HP OfficeJet 3830

Lexmark CS410dn

HP Envy 5640 e-All-in-One

Epson Expression XP-530

Price

229 inc VAT

60 inc VAT

268 inc VAT

69 inc VAT

92 inc VAT

Website

Epson.co.uk

Hp.com/uk

Lexmark.co.uk

Hp.com/uk

Epson.co.uk

Technology

Colour inkjet

Colour inkjet

Colour laser

Colour inkjet

Colour inkjet

Max print resolution

5760x1440dpi

1200x1200dpi

2400x600dpi

4800x1200dpi

5760x1440dpi

Actual print speed

B=7.5ppm C=4ppm

B=11ppm C=4ppm

B=30ppm C=30ppm

B=12.5ppm C=8.5ppm

B=9.5ppm C=9ppm

Scan/fax facilities

2400x4800dpi scanner

None

None

1200x1200dpi scanner

2400x1200dpi scanner

Supported interfaces

USB 2.0, ethernet, 802.11b/g/n USB 2.0, 802.11b/g/n, AirPrint

USB 2.0, ethernet, 802.11b/g/n USB 2.0, 802.11b/g/n

USB 2.0, ethernet, 802.11b/g/n

Cost per page

B=0.2p C=0.4p

B=6p C=7p

B=1.8p C=9.5p

B=2.2p C=9p

B=3.8p C=5.2p

Media card/auto duplex

Input capacity

100 sheets

60 sheets

250 sheets

125 sheets + 15 sheet

100 sheets

Dimensions

169x489x300mm

222x454x362mm

291x442x407mm

454x410x161mm

390x341x138mm

Weight

4.6kg

5.8kg

20.5kg

6.8kg

6.2kg

Warranty

1 year

1 year

1 year

1 year

1 year

FULL REVIEW

TINYURL.COM/ZWCECPA

TINYURL.COM/HBTE9BX

TINYURL.COM/PT52MH6

TINYURL.COM/JGZPOZ3

TINYURL.COM/HRFB62D

Best printers

Overall rating

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Best
wireless
routers

Apple AirPort Extreme

TP-Link Archer VR900

BT Smart Hub

Netgear Nighthawk R7000

TP-Link VR2600

Price

169 inc VAT

139 inc VAT

129 inc VAT

150 inc VAT

174 inc VAT

Website

Apple.com/uk

Tp-link.com

Bt.com

Netgear.co.uk

Tp-link.com

Standards supported

802.11a/b/g/n/ac

802.11a/b/g/n/ac

802.11a/b/g/n/ac

802.11a/b/g/n/ac

802.11a/b/g/n/ac

Frequency modes

2.4GHz/5GHz (concurrent)

2.4GHz/5GHz (concurrent)

2.4GHz/5GHz (concurrent)

2.4GHz/5GHz (concurrent)

2.4GHz/5GHz (concurrent)

Antennas

6x internal

3x external

7x internal

3x external

4x external

Built-in modem

Manufacturers rating

1300/450Mb/s

1300/600Mb/s

Not specified

1300/600Mb/s

1733/800Mb/s

WPS

Ports

Gigabit WAN, 3x gigabit LAN, USB

Gigabit WAN, 1x USB 3.0, 1x USB 2.0

Gigabit LAN, 1x USB 3.0

Gigabit WAN, 1x USB 3.0, 1x USB 2.0

2x USB 3.0, 4 x RJ11

Average power use

8W

N/S

N/S

9W

N/S

Max speed (11n/11ac)

171/572Mb/s

146/622Mb/s

85/239.5Mb/s

171/592Mb/s

Not tested

Dimensions, weight

98x168x98mm, 945g

245x181x90mm, 720g

240x155x65mm

285x186x45mm, 750g

263.8x197.8x37.3mm

Warranty

1 year

Not specified

Not specified

Not specified

Not specified

FULL REVIEW

TINYURL.COM/MFDLLSC

TINYURL.COM/OF8KYPC

TINYURL.COM/ZL9TV96

TINYURL.COM/Q2NRQ8Q

TINYURL.COM/Z6E2DMG

Overall rating

Best
powerline
adaptors

TP-Link AV2000

TrendNet Powerline 500 AV2

TP-Link AV1200

Solwise SmartLink 1200AV2

Devolo dLan 1200+

Price

99 inc VAT

41 inc VAT

88 inc VAT

43 inc VAT

119 inc VAT

Website

Uk.tp-link.com

Trendnet.com

Uk.tp-link.com

Solwise.com

Devolo.com/uk

No of adaptors in kit

1 (2 required)

Max throughput

2000Mb/s

600Mb/s

1200Mb/s

1200Mb/s

1200Mb/s

Near test result

432Mb/s

146Mb/s

500Mb/s

410Mb/s

357Mb/s

Far test result

117Mb/s

71Mb/s

200Mb/s

107Mb/s

126Mb/s

Ethernet ports

2x gigabit

1x gigabit

1x gigabit

2x gigabit

1x gigabit

Passthrough socket

Yes

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

Wireless hotspot

No

No

No

No

No

Encryption

128-bit

128-bit

128-bit

128-bit

128-bit

Dimensions

131x72x42 mm

55x87x58mm

230x190x100mm

62x122x41mm

130x66x42mm

Weight

Not specified

90g

898g

Not specified

Not specified

Warranty

1 year

3 years

1 year

2 years

3 years

FULL REVIEW

TINYURL.COM/H9W89QM

TINYURL.COM/QYEPJQ7

TINYURL.COM/NVONCWT

TINYURL.COM/NZ4EJW8

TINYURL.COM/Q4EOO4M

Overall rating

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Top 5 charts

Best
NAS drives

1
Synology DS115j

2
Qnap HS-210

3
WD My Cloud EX2100

4
Synology DS216play

5
Synology DS414j

Price

83 inc VAT (diskless)

190 inc VAT (diskless)

205 inc VAT (diskless)

190 inc VAT (diskless)

270 inc VAT (diskless)

Website

Synology.com

Qnap.com

Wd.com

Synology.com

Synology.com

Drive bays

Processor

800MHz Marvell Armada 370

1.6GHz Marvell single-core

1.3GHz Marvel Armada 385

1.5GHz STM STiH412

1.2GHz Mindspeed Concerto

Memory

256MB DDR3

512MB DDR3

1GB DDR3

1GB DDR3

512MB DDR3

Remote access

eSATA

1x

USB port

2x USB 2.0

2x USB 3.0, 2x USB 2.0

2x USB 3.0

2x USB 3.0

1x USB 3.0, 1x USB 2.0

Raid options

None

0/1/JBOD

00/1/JBOD

00/1/JBOD

0/1/5/6/10/JBOD

Software

DSM 5.1

HD Station

My Cloud

DSM 5.2

DSM 5.0

Dimensions

71x161x224mm

302x220x41mm

216x109x148mm

165x100x226mm

184x168x230mm

Weight

700g

1.5kg

3.5kg

1.8kg

2.2kg

Warranty

1 year

2 years

3 years

2 years

3 years

FULL REVIEW

TINYURL.COM/MNEYVNK

TINYURL.COM/OEXRYNY

TINYURL.COM/M643BSG

TINYURL.COM/JTQF67V

TINYURL.COM/M643BSG

Overall rating

Best
portable
hard drives

Adata SE730

Samsung Portable SSD T3

Transcend ESD400

SanDisk Extreme 500 Portable SSD

Toshiba Canvio Connect II

Price

106 inc VAT

606 inc VAT

420 inc VAT

70 inc VAT

104 inc VAT

Website

Adata.com

Samsung.com/uk

Transcend-info.com

Sandisk.co.uk

Toshiba.co.uk

Price per GB (at

capacity tested)

46p

32p

39p

31p

3p

Capacity tested

250GB

2TB

256GB

240GB

3TB

Capacity range

250GB

250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 2TB

128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB

120GB, 240GB, 480GB

500GB, 1TB, 2TB, 3TB

Storage

MLC NAND Flash

NAND Flash

NAND Flash

NAND Flash SSD

HDD

406.9/211.2MB/s

410.8/163.8MB/s

398.3/203.4MB/s

131.1/135.5MB/s

Overall rating

Sequential performance 380.8/278.5MB/s

4K performance

19.8/38.9MB/s

21.9/2.3MB/s

16.1/2.7MB/s

19.8/3.7MB/s

0.5/1.2MB/s

Other interfaces

USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-C

USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-C

USB 3.0

USB 3.0

USB 3.0

Encryption

None

256-bit AES

None

128-bit AES

None

Software

None

T3 Security Enabler

Transcend Elite
Data Management

SanDisk SecureAccess

NTI Backup Now EZ,

Tuxera NTFS for Mac

Dimensions

44x73x12mm

58x74x10mm

92x62x10.5mm

75.7x75.7x10.7mm

78x109x19.5mm

Weight

33g

51g

56g

79g

230g

Warranty

3 years

3 years

3 years

3 years

2 years

FULL REVIEW

TINYURL.COM/OABWL4B

TINYURL.COM/M72D3EP

TINYURL.COM/J43SQM5

TINYURL.COM/HNKNV3M

TINYURL.COM/GVWUTV2

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Top 5 charts

Best
SSDs

Samsung 850 Evo (500GB)

Toshiba Q300 (480GB)

Samsung 850 Pro (1TB)

SanDisk Extreme Pro (480GB)

Kingston KC400 SSDNow (512GB)

Price

109 inc VAT

79 inc VAT

365 inc VAT

172 inc VAT

132 inc VAT

Website

Samsung.com/uk

Toshiba.co.uk

Samsung.com/uk

Sandisk.co.uk

Kingston.com/en

Price per GB

23p

18p

36.5p

35.8p

28p

4K performance

36.3/106.2MB/s

29.8/65.1MB/s

36/89MB/s

32/88MB/s

29.4/98.2MB/s

529.3/511.5MB/s

508/482MB/s

513/490MB/s

533.7/521.6MB/s

Overall rating

Sequential performance 525.4/512.1MB/s

Memory cache

512MB DDR3 SDRAM

Unknown

1GB LPDDR2

1GB

Unknown

Controller

Samsung MGX Controller

Toshiba TC58NC1000

Samsung MCX

Marvell 88SS9187

Phison 3110

Encryption

AES 256-bit

None

AES 256-bit

AES 256-bit

None

Flash

Samsung 3D V-NAND

TLC NAND

Samsung 40nm V-NAND MLC

SanDisk 19nm MLC

Kingston NAND

Connection

SATA III 6GB/s

SATA III 6GB/s

SATA III 6GB/

SATA III 6GB/s

SATA III 6GB/s

Power consumption

4.7W active/0.5W idle

3.6W active/0.3W idle

5.8W active/0.6W idle

3.5W active/0.15W idle

3.74W active/0.255W idle

Warranty

5 years

3 years

10 years

10 years

5 years

Dimensions

69.85x100x6.8mm

69.85x100x7mm

69.85x100x6.8mm

69.85x100.5x7mm

69.9x100.1x7mm

FULL REVIEW

TINYURL.COM/JB2VWLF

TINYURL.COM/ZZBWFJZ

TINYURL.COM/OVHDALD

TINYURL.COM/NMSJU25

TINYURL.COM/JF4E3NL

Smart
thermostats

Honeywell EvoHome

Heat Genius

Nest Learning Thermostat

Hive Active Heating

Tado

Price (from)

249 inc VAT

249 inc VAT

179 inc VAT

179 inc VAT

199 inc VAT

Website

Honeywelluk.com

Heatgenius.co.uk

Nest.com

Hivehome.com

Tado.com/gb

Zones controlled

12

Hot water control

Underfloor heating

Warranty

18 months

2 years

2 years

1 year

1 year

Verdict

EvoHome is the best smart

heating system weve tested.
It isnt perfect though, and
its also very expensive,
or can be. But if you value
convenience and comfort
above saving money, its
the one to buy.

Heat Genius is very good

at a very useful thing. It is
easy to use and efficient.
How long it takes to pay for
itself will depend on your
circumstances, and it may be
that a full system is too much
of a long-term investment
for you. If you are looking to
install in your a zoned smart
heating system, we are happy
to recommend Heat Genius.

If you need only a single

thermostat and dont need
control over hot water, the
Nest is a good choice. The
Nest Protect smoke and
carbon monoxide alarm also
works with the thermostat,
but its not cheap. Theres
also the Nest Cam, but the
tie-in with the thermostat
is minimal.

The Hive Active Heating

system is a great upgrade
for anyone that wants or
needs the ability to be able
to control their heating
remotely. Its by no means
the most advanced smart
thermostat, but it will do
the job at a good price for
a lot of people.

Tado is the best smart

thermostat if you like the
idea of presence detection
as it simply follows you and
your smartphone via GPS,
and turns the heating up or
down as you get further away
or nearer home. Theres also
hot water control, but the
thermostat itself isnt the
best looking.

FULL REVIEW

TINYURL.COM/Q3CXA4Z

TINYURL.COM/Q2TUKL9

TINYURL.COM/N9MWV4G

TINYURL.COM/PDLCSAS

TINYURL.COM/O4K3A2A

Overall rating

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Top 5 charts

Best budget
graphics cards

Sapphire Radeon R7 250X

MSI R7 260X OC

EVGA GeForce GTX 750

Asus GeForce GT 740 OC

MSI GeForce GT 730

Price

65 inc VAT

91 inc VAT

90 inc VAT

65 inc VAT

48 inc VAT

Website

Sapphiretech.com

Uk.msi.com

Eu.evga.com

Asus.com/uk

Uk.msi.com

Graphics processor

AMD Radeon R7 250X

AMD Radeon R7 260X

Nvidia GeForce GTX 750

Nvidia GeForce GT 740

Nvidia GeForce GT730

Installed RAM

1GB GDDR5

2GB GDDR5

1GB GDDR5

1GB GDDR5

2GB GDDR3

Memory interface

128-bit

128-bit

128-bit

128-bit

128-bit

Core clock

950MHz

1175MHz

1294MHz

1033MHz

780MHz

1625MHz/6.5GHz

1253/5012MHz

1.25/5GHz

900/1800MHzHz

Overall rating

Memory clock/Effective 1125/4500MHz

Stream processors

640

896

512

384

320

Texture units

40

56

32

32

20

Power connectors

1x 6-pin

1x 6-pin

None

1x 6-pin

1x 6-pin

DirectX

12

11.1

Unknown

Unknown

Unknown

Digital interface

1x DVI, HDMI, DisplayPort

2x DVI, HDMI, Mini-DP

1x DVI, HDMI, DisplayPort

1x DVI, HDMI, VGA

1x DVI, HDMI, VGA

Warranty

2 years

3 years

3 years

3 years

2 years

FULL REVIEW

TINYURL.COM/OLJ83SQ

TINYURL.COM/OZ6WUYT

TINYURL.COM/PB3F6EN

TINYURL.COM/PAH5VMJ

TINYURL.COM/P8J4C2R

Best
graphics cards

Asus ROG Strix GTX 1080

Nvidia GTX 1080 Founders Ed

MSI GTX 1070

Nvidia GTX 1060 Founders Ed

XFX Radeon RX 480

Price

659 inc VAT

619 inc VAT

419 inc VAT

275 inc VAT

249 inc VAT

Website

Asus.com/uk

Nvidia.co.uk

Uk.msi.com

Nvidia.co.uk

Novatech.co.uk

Graphics processor

Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080

Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080

Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070

Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060

AMD Radeon RX480

Installed RAM

8GB

8GB

8GB

6GB

8GB

Memory interface

256-bit

256-bit

256-bit

192-bit

256-bit

Core clock/boost

1759/1898MHz

1607/1733MHz

1607/1797MHz

1506/1708MHz

1120/1288MHz

Memory clock

10,010MHz

10,000MHz

4006MHz

4006MHz

7000MHz

Stream processors

2560

2560

1920

1280

2304

Texture units

160

160

120

80

144

Power connectors

1x 8-pin, 1x 6-pin

1x 8-pin

1x 8-pin, 1x 6-pin

2x 6-pin

1x 6-pin

DirectX

12

12

12

12

12

Digital interface

DVI, 2x HDMI, 2x DisplayPort

DVI, HDMI, 3x DisplayPort

DVI, HDMI, 3x DisplayPort

DVI, HDMI 2.0, 3x DisplayPort 1.4

3x DP 1.4, HDMI

Warranty

3 years

3 years

3 years

3 years

2 years

FULL REVIEW

TINYURL.COM/HL4SOJ2

TINYURL.COM/ZEQXYQU

TINYURL.COM/J6HWN55

TINYURL.COM/HH6TYT8

TINYURL.COM/HSVQWBQ

Overall rating

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140 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/reviews January 2017

120_145 New Top 5 Charts 258.indd 140

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Top 5 charts

Best 4K
flat-panel TVs

Panasonic TX-50CX802B

Samsung UE48JU7000

Sony KD-55X8505C

Philips 40PUT6400

Finlux 55UX3EC320S

Price

1,299 inc VAT

1,200 inc VAT

1,200 inc VAT

449 inc VAT

799 inc VAT

Website

Panasonic.co.uk

Samsung.com/uk

Sony.co.uk

Philips.co.uk

Finlux.co.uk

Screen size

50in

48in

55in

40in

55in

Panel type

LCD (LED)

LCD (LED)

LCD (LED)

LCD (LED)

LCD (LED)

Native resolution

3840x2160

3840x2160

3840x2160

3840x2160

3840x2160

3D enabled

Apps

BBC iPlayer, ITV Player,

All 4, Demand 5, Netflix,
YouTube, Amazon

BBC iPlayer, ITV Player, All

4, Netflix, Amazon, YouTube
and apps store

YouView with BBC iPlayer, ITV BBC iPlayer, Netflix, YouTube, BBC iPlayer, Netflix,
Player, All 4 and Demand 5;
Spotify Connect, Daily Motion, YouTube, Twitter,
Netflix, YouTube, Amazon
Philips App Store, Google Play Facebook, Viewster, Flickr

Networking

Ethernet, Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct

Ethernet, Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct

Ethernet, Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct

Ethernet, Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct

Ethernet, Wi-Fi

Inputs

3x HDMI, 3x USB

4x HDMI, 3x USB

4x HDMI, 3x USB

4x HDMI, 3x USB

4x HDMI, 3x USB

Dimensions

112.1x4.6x65.2cm

108.7x6.7x63cm

123.6x6x72.2cm

90.4x8.3x52.6m

123.3x10.6x71.3cm

Weight

18kg

11.1kg

19.9kg

7.8kg

17.2kg

Warranty

1 year

1 year

1 year

1 year

1 year

FULL REVIEW

TINYURL.COM/ZLFQ3JV

TINYURL.COM/Q2W3VZY

TINYURL.COM/ZGSP9FM

TINYURL.COM/JQVWCFU

TINYURL.COM/P934VXT

Overall rating

Best 4K
flat-panel
displays

BenQ BL3201PT

Philips BDM4065UC

Samsung UD970

Acer S277HK

ViewSonic VP2780-4K

Price

699 inc VAT

600 inc VAT

1,400 inc VAT

499 inc VAT

699 inc VAT

Website

Benq.co.uk

Philips.co.uk

Samsung.com/uk

Acer.co.uk

Viewsoniceurope.com/uk

Screen size

32in

40in

31.5in

27in

27in

Panel type

IPS

VA

PLS

IPS

IPS

Native resolution

3840x2160

3840x2160

3840x2160

3840x2160

3840x2160

Pixel density

157ppi

110ppi

140ppi

163ppi

163ppi

Brightness

350cd/m2

120cd/m2

350cd/m2

300cd/m2

350cd/m2

Static contrast ratio

1000:1

5000:1

1000:1

530:1

1000:1

Response time

4ms

8.5ms

8ms

4ms

5ms

Ports

DVI-DL, HDMI, DP, mDP

HDMI, DP, mDP, VGA

HDMI, DVI, 4x USB 3.0

DVI, HDMI, DP, mDP, 4x USB 3.0 HDMI, DP, 4x USB 3.0

Dimensions

490.2x740.3x213.4mm

904x512x88mm

728x427x62mm

614x406x113mm

642.7x469.7x347.8mm

Weight

12.5kg

8.5kg

10.3kg

4.9kg

11.7kg

Warranty

3 years

2 years

Not specified

Not specified

3 years

FULL REVIEW

TINYURL.COM/NPA62QL

TINYURL.COM/Q2W3VZY

TINYURL.COM/OBWBBYN

TINYURL.COM/NTV4EVD

TINYURL.COM/O69CMTB

Overall rating

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120_145 New Top 5 Charts 258.indd 141

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Top 5 charts

Best
e-book readers

Amazon Kindle Voyage

Amazon Kindle Oasis

Amazon Kindle (8th gen)

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite

Nook GlowLight

Price

169 inc VAT

269 inc VAT

59 inc VAT

109 inc VAT

89 inc VAT

Website

Amazon.co.uk

Amazon.co.uk

Amazon.co.uk

Amazon.co.uk

Nook.com/gb

Screen size

6in touchscreen

6in touchscreen

6in touchscreen

6in touchscreen

6in touchscreen

Screen technology

E Ink

E Ink

E Ink

E Ink

E Ink

Screen resolution

1440x1080

1440x1080

600x800

768x1024

758x1024

Built-in light

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Yes

Storage

4GB

4GB

4GB

2GB

4GB

Book store

Amazon Kindle

Amazon Kindle

Amazon Kindle

Amazon Kindle

Nook

Cellular connectivity

Optional extra

Optional extra

No

Optional extra

No

Battery life

Six weeks

Eight weeks

Four weeks

Eight weeks

Eight weeks

Dimensions

162x115x7.6mm

143x122x8.5mm

160x115x9.1mm

117x169x9.1mm

127x166x10.7mm

Weight

180g

131g

161g

206g

175g

Warranty

1 year

1 year

1 year

1 year

1 year

FULL REVIEW

TINYURL.COM/NXAAU3Q

TINYURL.COM/Z924POY

TINYURL.COM/HJONZA4

TINYURL.COM/PREZPRK

TINYURL.COM/OZ5WMPO

Overall rating

Best
media
streamers

Roku Streaming Stick

Roku 3

Google Chromecast 2

Amazon Fire TV Stick

Google Chromecast

Price

49 inc VAT

99 inc VAT

30 inc VAT

35 inc VAT

30 inc VAT

Website

Roku.com

Roku.com

Play.google.com

Apple.com/uk

Play.google.com

Type

Dongle

Set-top box

Dongle

Dongle

Dongle

Ports

HDMI, Micro-USB

HDMI, USB, ethernet

HDMI, Micro-USB

HDMI, Micro-USB

HDMI, Micro-USB

Processor

600MHz single-core

900MHz single-core

13.GHz dual-core

Dual-core

Single-core

RAM

512MB

512MB

512MB

1GB

512MB

Graphics

Not specified

Not specified

Not specified

Not specified

Not specified

Storage

None

512MB, plus microSD slot

None

8GB (not user-accessible)

None

Voice search

No

Yes

No

No

No

Remote control

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

No

Dimensions

78.7x27.9x12.7mm

89x89x25mm

52x52x13.5mm

84.9x25x11.5mm

72x35x12mm

Weight

18g

170g

39g

25g

34g

Warranty

1 year

1 year

1 year

1 year

1 year

FULL REVIEW

TINYURL.COM/OAP9QF9

TINYURL.COM/PT7MGUL

TINYURL.COM/Q4B6B29

TINYURL.COM/NAQRNOC

TINYURL.COM/QBGTCS2

Overall rating

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142 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/reviews January 2017

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Top 5 charts

Best
games
consoles

Sony PlayStation 4

Microsoft Xbox One

Nintendo Wii U Premium

Sony PlayStation 3 Super Slim Microsoft Xbox 360

Price

349 inc VAT

349 inc VAT

249 inc VAT

249 inc VAT

199 inc VAT

Website

Playstation.com

Xbox.com

Nintendo.co.uk

Playstation .com

Xbox.com

Processor

Octa-core AMD x86

1.75GHz octa-core AMD x86

IBM Power multicore CPU

IBM CPU

IBM Xenon CPU

Graphics

1.84TFlops AMD Radeon GPU

1.31TFlops AMD Radeon GPU

AMD Radeon GPU

256MB Nvidia RSX

512MB ATI Xenos

RAM

8GB GDDR5

8GB DDR3

Not specified

Not specified

512MB GDDR3

Storage

500GB

500GB

32GB, plus SD card support

500GB

500GB

Optical drive

Blu-ray, DVD, game discs

Blu-ray, DVD, game discs

Wii U, Wii discs only

Blu-ray, DVD, game discs

DVD, game discs

Ports

2x USB 3.0, AUX, HDMI

USB 3.0, HDMI

4x USB 2.0, HDMI

2x USB 2.0, HDMI

5x USB, HDMI

Connectivity

Ethernet, 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth Ethernet, 802.11b/g/n

802.11b/g/n

Ethernet, 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth Ethernet, 802.11b/g/n

Other

1 controller

1 controller, 4K, Kinect option

1 controller

1 controller

1 controller

Dimensions

275x53x305mm

333x274x79mm

46x269x171mm

290x230x60mm

269x75x264mm

Weight

2.8kg

3.2kg

1.6kg

2.1kg

2.9kg

Warranty

1 year

1 year

1 year

1 year

1 year

FULL REVIEW

TINYURL.COM/NBFLQK2

TINYURL.COM/M6J4KHS

TINYURL.COM/6J49LHL

TINYURL.COM/QDJP56O

TINYURL.COM/PFP9CCK

Overall rating

Best
budget
portable
speakers

Sumvision Psyc Monic

Denon Envaya Mini

UE Roll

Marsboy 5W Orb

Lumsing B9

Price

37 inc VAT

99 inc VAT

99 inc VAT

38 inc VAT

23 inc VAT

Website

Sumvision.com

Denon.com

Ultimateears.com

Amazon.co.uk

Lumsing.com

Speaker(s)

Not specified

Not specified

Not specified

Not specified

Not specified

Bluetooth

Bluetooth 4.0

Bluetooth 4.0

Bluetooth

Bluetooth 4.1 + EDR

Bluetooth 3.0 + EDR

Handsfree calls

No

Yes

No

No

Yes

NFC

No

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Frequency response

90Hz to 20KHz

Not specified

108Hz to 20kHz

80Hz to 18kHz

20Hz to 20kHz

Impedence

Not specified

Not specified

Not specified

4 ohms

4 ohms

Extra features

None

IPX4 splashproof

IPX7 splashproof

MicroSD slot

MicroSD slot, lanyard

Claimed battery life

7 hours

10 hours

9 hours

12 hours

25 hours

Dimensions

200x60x60mm

209x54x51mm

134x39x40mm

150x148x138mm

177x50x70mm

Weight

Not stated

558g

330g

454g

300g

Warranty

1 year

1 year

2 years

1 year

1 year

FULL REVIEW

TINYURL.COM/JC8CZM2

TINYURL.COM/QDRNP3P

TINYURL.COM/O7T7ZUU

TINYURL.COM/JJLOPCD

TINYURL.COM/P623MK8

Overall rating

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TEST CENTRE

120_145 New Top 5 Charts 258.indd 143

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Top 5 charts

Best
budget
headphones

Rock Jaw Alpha Genus V2

Verbatim 44400

RHA S500i

RHA MA450i

Sennheiser HD 429

Price

43 inc VAT

27 inc VAT

39 inc VAT

39 inc VAT

45 inc VAT

Website

Rockjawaudio.com

Verbatim-europe.co.uk

Rha-audio.com/uk

Rha-audio.com/uk

En-uk.sennheiser.com

Type

In-ear

In-ear

In-ear

In-ear

Circumaural over-ear

Frequency response

20Hz to 20kHz

Not stated

16Hz to 22kHz

16Hz to 22kHz

18Hz to 22kHz

Nominal impedance

16 ohms

16 ohms

16 ohms

16 ohms

32 ohms

Sensitivity

108dB

96dB

100dB

103dB

110dB

In-line remote

No

Yes

Yes (3 button)

Yes (3 button)

No

Mic

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Extra tips

Yes, and filters

Yes

Yes

Yes

N/A

Carry case

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Cable length

1.2m

1.25m

1.35m

1.5m (braided)

3m

Weight

11g

Not stated

14g

14g

218g

Warranty

1 year

1 year

3 years

3 years

1 year

FULL REVIEW

TINYURL.COM/NNYUFBF

TINYURL.COM/ZFSD333

TINYURL.COM/ZZ9PZDG

TINYURL.COM/P7W7RVL

TINYURL.COM/ND8TD8O

Overall rating

Best
headphones

Final Audio Design Sonorous III

Bose QuietComfort 35

Denon AH-D600

Denon AH-MM400

Audio-Technica ATH-WS99

Price

299 inc VAT

289 inc VAT

229 inc VAT

196 inc VAT

79 inc VAT

Website

Final-audio-design.com

Bose.co.uk

Denon.co.uk

Denon.co.uk

Eu.audio-technica.com/en

Type

Circumaural over-ear

Circumaural over-ear

Circumaural over-ear

Circumaural over-ear

Over-ear

Frequency response

Not stated

Not stated

5Hz to 45kHz

10Hz to 40kHz

8Hz to 25kHz

Nominal impedance

25 ohms

Not stated

25 ohms

32 ohms

37 ohms

Sensitivity

105dB

Not stated

108dB

96dB

120dB

In-line remote

No

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

Mic

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Extra tips

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Carry case

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Cable length

1.5m

1.2m

3m

Not specified

0.8m

Weight

410g

310g

250g

310g

250g

Warranty

1 year

1 year

1 year

1 year

1 year

FULL REVIEW

TINYURL.COM/JQW529E

TINYURL.COM/JZWSSSQ

TINYURL.COM/NBCFJW6

TINYURL.COM/J7G56N9

TINYURL.COM/QDRCCAT

Overall rating

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120_145 New Top 5 Charts 258.indd 144

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Top 5 charts

Best
power banks

Zendure A2 (2nd gen)

Anker PowerCore 10000

CHJDG UltraCompact

Xiaomi 10,000mAh

Flux Card

Price

25 inc VAT

20 inc VAT

19 inc VAT

11 inc VAT

19 inc VAT

Website

Zendure.com

Anker.com

Chargedpower.com

Mi.com/en

Fluxchargers.com

Capacity

6700mAh

10,000mAh

10,000mAh

10,000mAh

2500mAh

Input

1x 7.5W Micro-USB

1x 10W Micro-USB

1x 5W Micro-USB

1x 10W Micro-USB

1x 5W Micro-USB

Outputs

1x 10.5W USB

1x QC 3.0 USB

1x 10.5W USB

1x 10.5W USB

1x 10W Micro-USB

Auto-on/-off

Yes

Yes/No

Yes/No

Yes

Yes/No

Passthrough charging

Yes

No

Yes

Yes

No

Status indicator

4 LEDs

4 LEDs

4 LEDs

4 LEDs

1 LED

LED flashlight

No

No

No

No

No

Carry case

Yes

No

No

No

No

Dimensions

93x48x23mm

92x60x22mm

93x19x63mm

91x60.4x22mm

96x62x6.6mm

Weight

137g

188g

181g

207g

60g

Warranty

1 year

1 year

1 year

1 year

18 months

FULL REVIEW

TINYURL.COM/NGCNO5F

TINYURL.COM/ZSREH65

TINYURL.COM/JMOUUUO

TINYURL.COM/NFQZOCB

TINYURL.COM/JM593RM

Overall rating

Best
desktop
chargers

Tronsmart Titan

Tronsmart U5PTA

CHOEtech 6-port Charger

Aukey USB Charging Station

iClever USB Travel Charger

Price

25 inc VAT

22 inc VAT

25 inc VAT

17 inc VAT

20 inc VAT

Website

Tronsmart.com

Tronsmart.com

Choetech.com

Hisgadget.com

Hisgadget.com

90W

54W

60W

54W

50W

USB 1 QC 2.0

QC 3.0

QC 2.0

QC 2.0

12W USB

USB 2 QC 2.0

12W

QC 2.0

12W

12W USB

USB 3 QC 2.0

12W

12W

12W

12W USB

USB 4 QC 2.0

12W

12W

12W

12W USB

USB 5 QC 2.0

12W

12W

12W

12W USB

USB 6 N/A

N/A

12W

N/A

12W USB

Overall rating
Max output
Outputs:

Colours available

Black

Black

Black

Black

Black

Dimensions

160x81x28mm

165x156x56mm

71.5x29x88.4mm

94x60x25mm

100x69x27mm

Weight

292g

390g

158g

149g

180g

Warranty

1 year

18 months

1 year

1 year

1 year

FULL REVIEW

TINYURL.COM/GMVDCHM

TINYURL.COM/QG4X5D9

TINYURL.COM/QG4X5D9

TINYURL.COM/P2CZMCU

TINYURL.COM/MPA4DWC

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TEST CENTRE

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20/10/2016 10:11

OUTBOX
LEAH
YAMSHON

Google burns Apple

during Pixel announcement
ot on the heels of Apples big autumn
event, Google held a launch event
of its own on at which the company
announced a plethora of new products. These
included two new Android phones (the Pixel
and Pixel XL, pictured), an updated Chromecast
dongle (the Chromecast Ultra), a VR headset
(the Daydream View), and some connected-home
devices (Google Home and Google Wifi). You can
read more on these on page 76.
Both Google and Apple are known for taking
subtle digs at each others products during events
and marketing campaigns, so we were expecting
some snipes, but Sundar Pichai and pals took
it to a whole new level. They kept the zingers
coming throughout the entire event.

1. Camera bump
Well start with the low-hanging fruit: the camera
bump. The iPhone has one; the new Pixel does not.
Yet, this feature came up again and again during
the live demos. Google even slid it in its new promo
video for the Pixel. Yes, the iPhone 7s camera
bump is a little annoying, but nowhere near a
deal-breaker and sales figures prove that.

2. Blue bubbles to green bubbles

iOS and Android devices both include software to
help users switch from one platform to the other.
iOS, for example, has a dedicated app for new
iPhone owners to port their apps and data over
to their handset from their old Android phone.
With the Pixel, Google is going straight for the
jugular: its switching software can even copy
over iMessages, and the phone ships with a Quick
Switch adaptor so you dont have to perform the
data transfer over the air.

3. Best camera ever?

Onstage, Google executives bragged about the
Pixels camera, stating that it was the bestperforming smartphone camera on the market
based on shoot-out benchmarking carried out by
DxOMark. The Pixel scored 89 out of 100, while
the iPhone 7 recorded 86.
Can you guess which phone was missing from
the testing? Yep, the iPhone 7 Plus, which has a
two-camera system thats far superior to that of
the iPhone 7. True, DxOMark hasnt reviewed the
7 Pluss camera yet, but Google used that to its
advantage during the event.

4. Limited storage
Speaking of the camera, Google had one
more thing to add: We think people are

going to use this camera a lot, so as a special

bonus for Pixel owners, were including free
unlimited storage for photos and videos at full
resolution, revealed Brian Rakowski, Googles
vice president of product management. Could
this be a dig at Apples iCloud Photo Library and
iCloud Drive, which cost extra for iPhone owners
if you want more than 5GB of storage?
If that isnt, then this definitely is: You can say
goodbye to those painful Storage Full pop-ups.

5. Different size, same specs

The Pixel is available in two sizes the 5in Pixel
and 5.5in XL similar to the 4.7in iPhone 7 and
5.5in 7 Plus. However, Apples two handsets have
slightly different specifications, namely when it
comes to battery life and camera capabilities.
But what about the Pixel and Pixel XL?
All the great features you heard about today
work on both, and both of these sizes come
with all of these amazing hardware specs,
enthused Google product manager Sabrina Ellis.

With the Pixel,

Google is going
straight for
the jugular:
its switching
software can
even copy over
iMessages

6. Really Blue
Okay, this may not have
been a total jab at
Apple, but Pixels colour
varieties seem a little
shady. Instead of picking
between jet black or
black, or between rose
gold or gold (all iPhone
finishes), the Pixel
is available in Quite
Black, Really Blue
and Very Silver.

7. Like, new new?

Need a new phone?
Like new new? Like
doesnt have a version
number new? Thats
fine, Google, but
talk to us in a year
when your next Pixel
handset comes out.

8. Enough with the

headphone jack
This zinger from one
of the Pixel promo
videos is probably the
best burn of them all:
3.5mm headphone jack
satisfyingly not new. J

146 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/opinion January 2017

146 Outbox 258.indd 146

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