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 WELCOME

Editor Jim Martin jim_martin@idg.co.uk

Group Managing Editor Marie Brewis marie_brewis@idg.co.uk
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Contributors The PC is still the number one gaming platform

Martyn Casserly, Brad Chacos, Jason Cross, Mark Hachman, Blair Hanley Frank,

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CWO DD
37.99 35.88
24.99 19.99 is the stunning Yoga Book. Its almost a new category of PC, not quite a
100 100 laptop, not quite a tablet. The Halo keyboard looks futuristic and has some
125 125 clever tricks: it turns into a note-taking tablet when youre not typing. It
W
elcome to another packed issue of PC Advisor. Plenty has been said
and written about how PC sales are in decline, but thats certainly
not the case where gaming is concerned. In fact, gaming is booming
around the world and the humble PC is most definitely still king.
According to stats from Intel, there are 1.3 billion PC gamers and PC games
still rake in the most money for publishers. Mobile and console gaming is still
massively popular of course, and Sony is making strides where Microsoft, at
least where the Xbox is concerned, is not.
We tried out the new PS4 Pro and Sonys PlayStation VR headset on pages
44 and 47. Its impressive, but while its certainly good value compared to the
equivalent PC and HTV Vive headset, the PC will always hold the advantage of
being upgradeable when the next generation of graphics cards appear.
Weve tested a selection of the best-value gaming PCs on page 52 and
although you cant pick one up for the price of a PS4, 650 will get you a
respectable machine that will easily handle full-HD games and even dabble
in VR. Rather than ask system builders to supply a monitor, mouse and
keyboard, weve hand-picked our favourite gaming peripherals so you can mix
and match or simply use the screen and input devices you already own.
Just as we went to press on the previous issue, Microsoft held a big launch
event for its new Surface hardware. This included the new Surface Studio, the
firms first desktop PC. Its an all-in-one desktop thats really aimed at creative
pros, but its interesting nonetheless: youll find our initial impressions on
page 78. Theres also an updated Surface Book which is even more powerful
than before (and even more expensive).
But Microsoft didnt call it a Surface event. No, it was keen to put
Windows centre stage and theres another significant update coming to
Windows 10 in Spring 2017. Dubbed the Creators Update, it will add a selection
of features that go hand in hand with the new hardware, but theres also
some new gaming features and potentially a new app to rival Apples
Garageband. Find out more from page 70 onwards.
Lenovo has been busy innovating over the past few years and the result
comes in either Windows or as we review on page 22 Android versions,
so should appeal to plenty of people.
At this chilly time of year it can be frustrating to choose between warm,
gloved hands or the ability to use your phones screen. But these days you
dont have to compromise thanks to touchscreen gloves. Weve rounded up
a selection, which have the special conductive thread on page 98.

PC Advisor is published by IDG UK

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errors in articles, listings or advertisements. All material copyright IDG UK 2016
ISSUE 260 ON SALE 11 JANUARY 2017

February 2017 www.pcadvisor.co.uk 3

003 Welcome 259.indd 3 24/11/2016 14:49

 CONTENTS

NEWS & ANALYSIS FEATURES & GROUP TESTS

6 Latest technology news COVER
FEATURE
14 90% of phones run Android

15 Firefox users increases

16 Android Auto update

17 LastPass works for free

18 Making IoT more secure

19 Fake news sites ads ban

REGULARS & OFFERS

3 Welcome 52
20 Subscribe
52 GROUP TEST: Gaming PCs 70 Microsoft Launch
116 Software downloads zone 64 GROUP TEST: Monitors 88 Microsoft HoloLens
66 GROUP TEST: Mice 90 How motherboards work
146 Outbox
68 GROUP TEST: Keyboards 98 Touchscreen gloves

TEST
REVIEWS CENTRE
GAMING MONITORS
22 Lenovo Yoga Book 64 Acer XF270HU
25 Acer Chromebook 14 64 AOC Agon AG271QX
27 Apple iPhone 7 Plus 65 AOC G2460VQ6
30 Motorola Moto Z Play 65 CrossOver 2795QHD
33 BlackBerry DTEK60 65 ViewSonic XG2700-4K
36 Asus ZenFone 3
40 Ricoh SP 150Uw GAMING MICE
GET FREE 41 HP LaserJet Pro MFP M130nw 66 Asus ROG Spatha
SOFTWARE 42 Nextbase 412GW 66 Coolermaster CM Storm Alcor
PAGE 116 43 Humax Eye 67 Corsair M65 RGB
44 Sony PlayStation 4 Pro 67 Logitech G502 Proteus Spectrum RGB
46 Sony PlayStation 4 VR 67 SteelSeries Rival
48 Nintendo Classic Mini Edition
50 Pokmon Sun and Pokmon Moon GAMING KEYBOARDS
Subscribe to PC Advisor and

SAVE 50%
68 Corsair K70 RGB Mechanical
68 G.Skill Ripjaws KM780 RGB Mechanical
GAMING PCS 69 Logitech G213 Prodigy
55 Chillblast Fusion Tracer RX 480 69 Razer Blackwidow Chroma
56 Mesh Storm PCA 69 SteelSeries Apex M800
SEE PAGE 20 57 Overclockers UK Kinetic H1
58 Wired2Fire Diablo Fury
59 Yoyotech Warbird RS10 V2
14 66

68
64

4 www.pcadvisor.co.uk February 2017

004_005 Contents 259.indd 4 24/11/2016 16:41

 CONTENTS

MICROSOFT PAINT 3D MICROSOFT SURFACE STUDIO MICROSOFT HOLOLENS

77 88
Microsoft
Launch

Microsoft

78
Launch

MICROSOFT SURFACE BOOK i7 MICROSOFT SURFACE DIAL TOUCHSCREEN GLOVES

80 98

Microsoft

72
Launch

ON THE COVER TEST HOW TO

CENTRE

116 TOP 5 CHARTS: 115

52
BUYERS GUIDE
118 Laptops
120 Budget laptops
122 Chromebooks
124 Gaming laptops
125 Gaming PCs
126 Smartphones
128 Budget smartphones
130 Phablets
132 Best tablets 102 Prevent a failed Windows
134 Smartwatches
135 Activity trackers update installing
136 Budget printers/Printers
137 Wireless routers/
104 Get the Quick Launch bar
Powerline adaptors
138 NAS drives/External hard drives
106 Log into a PC that wont
139 SSDs/Smart thermostats recognise a password
140 Budget graphics cards/
Graphics cards 107 Stop autoplaying audio
141 4K flat-panel TVs/
4K flat-panel displays 108 Make Google Chrome
142 e-book readers/Media streamers
143 Games console/
warn you before closing
Budget portable speakers
109 Turn off Facebook
144 Budget headphones/Headphones
145 Power banks/Desktop chargers Live notifications
110 Create Motion Paths
22 46 78 115 Save Vine videos

February 2017 www.pcadvisor.co.uk 5

004_005 Contents 259.indd 5 24/11/2016 16:41

 NEWS

Keep up to date with PC Advisor news:

pcadvisor.co.uk/news twitter.com/pcadvisor
facebook.com/pcadvisor youtube.com/pcadvisor

CHRIS

Future Windows 10 phones MARTIN

could run full-fledged PC programs

x86 apps mixed with ARMs power efficiency could be a computing holy grail. Brad Chacos reports

When the HP Elite x3 launched earlier this

year, we lamented its likely legacy as the last
great Windows 10 phone. It stood alone as
the embodiment of Microsofts PC-as-phone
vision at a time when the firm was ruthlessly
burning its mobile hardware division to
the ground and gutting what few Nokia
remnants lingered. But now it appears that
the HP Elite x3s highlight feature the
ability to run PC software on a phone
may actually find its way into Windows 10
Mobiles core at some point in the future.
Frequent Windows sleuth WalkingCat
dredged up hints of Windows 10s ability to
emulate x86 (read: PC) software on ARM
(read: mobile) processors, via a CHPE
designation in code.
Mary Jo Foley, a Windows reporter
with impeccable sources, followed up on
the report. She says that CHPE refers to
Microsofts plans to introduce x86 emulation
to Windows 10 in a Redstone 3 update in
autumn 2017. The C stands for Cobalt,
Microsofts codename for x86 emulation,
according to her sources HP literally stands limited in number and dont include many apps mixed with ARMs legendary power
for the company HP and E remains unclear, key programs demanded by business users efficiency could be a computing holy grail
but potentially stands for emulation. and hardcore PC enthusiasts. Even the Elite if Microsoft manages to pull it off.
So why does this matter? Because native x3 runs its x86 PC apps in a virtualised cloud Technically, there are really two things
x86 software support would dramatically environment, rather than on-device. that are unique about Windows Mobile,
Window chief Terry Myerson explained in
an interview with ZDNet late October.
One is cellular connectivity and the
The idea of emulating full-fledged PC programs on mobile other one is the ARM processors that are

devices sounds challenging, especially since much of the there. So were going to continue to invest
in ARM and cellular. And while Im not
software that pros rely on tends to be resource-hungry saying what type of device, I think well see
devices there, Windows devices, that use
improve the utility of Continuum, Windows The idea of emulating full-fledged PC ARM chips. I think well see devices that
10 Mobiles flagship feature. Continuum applications on mobile devices sounds have cellular connectivity.
allows you to use your Windows phone like challenging, especially since much of So sure, this x86 emulation if true
a PC when you connect it to an external the software that professionals rely on keeps the dream of the fabled Surface
display and keyboardbut right now, the only tends to be resource-hungry. Avoiding Phone alive. But reading between Myersons
software that works in Continuum mode are performance or battery-life penalties words, Windows 10 Mobiles future may not
Universal Windows Platform apps, which are could prove difficult. But working x86 even necessarily include phones.

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

006_008 News 259.indd 6 24/11/2016 12:44

007 BT AD 259.indd 7 22/11/2016 17:19
 News
How Microsoft plans to shrink down
and speed up Windows 10 updates
Unified Update Platform is set to cut the size of updates, writes Blair Hanley Frank
Microsoft has revealed a Unified Update
Platform (UUP) thats designed to make
it easier for devices to upgrade from one
version of Windows 10 to another.
It encompasses a set of behind-the-
scenes changes in Windows 10 that reduce
the processing power needed to update,
shrink the size of update files, and streamline
updates on Windows smartphones.
These improvements are designed to help
Microsoft address user complaints about
the update process. Because the companys
vision for Windows 10 includes many updates,
streamlining those procedures is important.
One of the biggest changes will involve
Windows Update delivering only the
updates relevant to the device requesting
8 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/news February 2017
006_008 News 259.indd 8
them, Bill Karagounis, director of program
management for the Windows Insider
Program and OS fundamentals at Microsoft,
explained in a blog post. Because more
processing is being done by the service,
this will lead to faster checks for update
operations, he wrote. Its important to
note that with UUP, nothing will look or
behave differently on the surface, UUP is all
underlying platform and service optimisation
that happens behind the scenes.
In the future, the UUP will make it
possible for Microsoft to ship updates as
differential download packages, meaning
users will have to download only the parts
of Windows that have changed between
updates. For large updates, users could see
a roughly 35 percent reduction in the size
of downloads, Karagounis said.
Microsoft first launched the UUP as
part of a Windows 10 Mobile public beta
build released in November. Members of
the Windows Insider Program running beta
builds on their PCs should expect to see
the new update system later this year, while
HoloLenses and devices running Windows
10 IoT Insider builds should, according to
Karagounis see it shortly after.
For most people, the UUPs download size
reduction benefits will only come into play
after the Windows 10 Creators Update, which
is expected out in early 2017. Karagounis said
Insider beta users would see the benefits
sooner, but didnt provide an exact time.
24/11/2016 12:44
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 News
London next in line for
Google-backed gigabit Wi-Fi
After New York, Intersection is bringing its gigabit Wi-Fi street furniture to London, writes Peter Sayer
London is next in line to receive the Link
high-speed Wi-Fi service that briefly brought
high-speed porn to the streets of New York.
Intersection, the company behind
LinkNYC, is partnering with BT and outdoor
advertising company Primesight to deliver
the service in London. Intersection is partly
funded by Sidewalk Labs, a subsidiary of
Googles parent Alphabet.
Next year, BT will replace 100 of its
phone booths with the LinkUK pillars,
delivering gigabit Wi-Fi, free phone calls,
and local information services on built-in
Android tablets. The companies aim to
install up to 750 of the hotspots across
the UK in the coming years.
The pillars will also offer free power,
via USB charging sockets. Theres no risk
of them slurping your phones contents,
10 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/news February 2017
010_011 News 259.indd 10
or infecting them via the BadUSB
vulnerabilities, as the sockets contain no
data lines. Its just power and ground, around ad spots that Primesight will sell on
explained BT spokesman Yusuf King.
Free web browsing will not be allowed on
the London Link pillars. When the service
was introduced in New York in January,
some people began using the embedded
tablets to watch porn in public. LinkNYC put
a stop to that last month when it shut down
the web-browsing option on the pillars.
ISPs, including BT, are required to block
adult content by default, so using the tablet
to watch porn ought not to be possible there.
Limiting the tablet to providing local
information has other benefits, though,
said King. Another reason to remove the
tablet web browser is to prevent people
monopolising kiosks for long periods.
LinkUK, like LinkNYC, will be funded by
advertising. Instead of the posters or wrap-
17,500 other BT phone booths around the
UK, the new pillars will each carry two 55in
HD displays running non-stop commercials
and public service announcements.
Londons traditional red phone boxes
wont disappear from Londons streets with
the introduction of the new pillars. Many of
the 602 remaining in the London area are
legally protected as historic architectural
features. Instead, the pillars brushed
stainless steel and glass panels will replace a
more recent generation of phone booths.
Intersection isnt the only game in town
when it comes to public gigabit Wi-Fi: Berlin
is getting its own gigabit service, thanks to
mobile network operator Vodafone.
24/11/2016 12:51

Orange Pi Zero single-board computer ships
The developer board includes a quad-core ARM processor and Wi-Fi, reveals Agam Shah
A new Raspberry Pi competitor called
Orange Pi Zero has been launched. It can
be used to make electronics or robots,
or it can fill in as a file or media server.
Such developer boards are also used to
create and test industrial devices.
The computer is a competitor to the
minuscule Raspberry Pi Zero, a stripped
down version that sells for 4. However, the
Orange Pi Zero has better hardware with a
faster processor and Wi-Fi capabilities.
Dont expect it to deliver booming
performance or be a full-fledged PC
replacement. If youre looking for a powerful
board computer, consider buying the 40
Raspberry Pi 3.
The Orange Pi Zero has a quad-core
Allwinner ARM Cortex-A7 processor, which in
recent years has been used to power low-end
and mid-range smartphones and tablets.
It also uses ARMs Mali 400 MP2 graphics
Researchers hack Philips Hue smart bulbs from the sky
Ian Paul reveals how drones have been used to remotely install malicious firmware
Security researchers in Canada and Israel
have discovered a way to take over the
Internet of Things (IoT) from the sky.
Okay, thats a little dramatic, but the
researchers were able to take control of
some Philips Hue lights using a drone.
Based on an exploit for the ZigBee Light
Link Touchlink system, white hat hackers
were able to remotely control the Hue
lights via drone and cause them to blink
S-O-S in Morse code. The drone carried out
the attack from more than a thousand feet
away. Using the exploit, the researchers
were able to bypass any prohibitions against
remote access of the networked light bulbs,
and then install malicious firmware. At that
point the researchers were able to block
further wireless updates, which apparently
made the infection irreversible.
There is no other method of
reprogramming these [infected] devices
without full disassemble (which is not
feasible). Any old stock would also need to
be recalled, as any devices with vulnerable
firmware can be infected as soon as power
is applied, according to the researchers.
The researchers notified Philips of the
vulnerability. The company then delivered
010_011 News 259.indd 11
processor, which is capable of processing
high-definition video. Shenzhen Xunlong, the
developer of the board, claims it can handle
H.265 4K video, but the board isnt built for
that. The Orange Pi Zero also doesnt have a
display out port. The tiny computer includes
a patch for it in October,
according to The New
York Times.
The ability to attack
Philips Hue lighting doesnt
sound all that menacing and
more of an inconvenience
than anything else. The
obvious exception to
that would be using the
lights to trigger epileptic
seizures in vulnerable
people, or plunging
properties into darkness.
Shedding light on a deeper issue
The bigger issue is that security researchers
worry exploits like these could be used to
infect devices with a computer worm. That
worm could then move on to attack other
IoT devices on the same network. The
researchers argue this kind of attack could
be used to take over a building or an area
with a high concentration of connected
devices within minutes. All the hacker would
have to do is hover over a building with a
drone or drive past an area with a computer
searching for vulnerable devices.
News
The Orange Pi Zero can
be used to make robots
and electronics
an SD card slot and 256MB of memory. A
model with 512MB of memory ships for $8.99
(TBC). In addition, it includes 802.11 b/g/n
Wi-Fi and ethernet networking capabilities. It
also has expansion slots and pins to attach
other boards and a USB 2.0 host port.
Taking over massive numbers of IoT
devices may sound like alarmist nonsense,
but its really not that hard to believe.
Just a few weeks ago, an IoT botnet was
responsible, at least in part, for the major
DDoS attack that caused disruptions to
US internet traffic.
Over the past few months, its become
increasingly clear that while we may
be ready to put networked light bulbs,
thermostats, and door locks on our homes,
the security for many of these devices is
still sub-optimal.
February 2017 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/news 11
24/11/2016 12:51
 News
Google Maps now tells you how
busy certain places are in real-time
Other data-driven tricks include projections about how long people stay at a place, writes Derek Walter
So you want to head over to that trendy new
restaurant, but youre not sure whether the
line is going to be around the street corner.
Well, Google Maps now has the answer.
A new feature the company highlighted on
its Keyword blog now estimates how busy
or slow things are in real time, thanks to
Googles data powers.
Its unlikely that this will be available
for every single location on the planet just
yet, but if you live in a large city where
Google has access to enough real-time
information your mealtime decisions may
get a whole lot easier. Theres also a spot
for you to update the information if Maps
doesnt have it quite right. This feature
also lets you check in to find out how long
people will typically stay at that specific
12 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/news February 2017
012_013 News 259.indd 12
venue. The search giant is adding extra make sure you have the latest version of
detail for stores that might have separate Google Maps and Google search.
hours for different departments. This way The impact on you: Maps is already the
you wont show up when a store is open perfect companion for hitting the town,
only to find the hardware section closed but these features come at just the right
two hours ago. time for the upcoming holiday season. If
All of these features are rolling out to you like to dive into such products, itll be
Google Maps and search, which likely means interesting to see just how accurate the
theyll be going live soon through a server- data is and whether it can realistically
side switch. You probably wont need to tell you the current state of crowds while
update your apps, though it cant hurt to youre out and about.
Google Maps has a new feature the company highlighted
on its Keyword blog now estimates how busy or slow
things are in real time, thanks to Googles data powers
24/11/2016 15:14

Facebooks latest experiment
will help you find free Wi-Fi hotspots
because uploading videos over cellular connections just doesnt cut it. Ian Paul reports
Facebook says its not a media company,
but it just might be turning into a Wi-Fi
finder service. Users of the social networks
iOS app report seeing a new feature in the
More section that lets them find nearby
public Wi-Fi access points.
The feature does not appear to be
widely available at the moment, which
means this is probably something Facebook
is only testing. The social network tests
numerous features all the time but this one
is particularly notable.
As The Next Web points out, helping
users find public Wi-Fi could enable more
people to use Facebook Live. If your cellular
connection isnt strong, a nearby Wi-Fi
location can be a big help unless, of course,
your Facebook Live broadcast is dependent
on your specific location.
There could be other uses for finding
Wi-Fi beyond live video broadcasts. If youre
desperate to upload a photo or recorded
video, then locating the closest public
Wi-Fi point helps. On top of that its just
one more reason to open the Facebook
012_013 News 259.indd 13
app, which Facebook obviously wants to
encourage as much as possible. Check
where the nearest Wi-Fi hotspot is, see that
unread notifications indicator at the top of
the screen, and before you know it youre
engrossed in the news feed.
For now, this is just a test feature, or
at least a feature that is rolling out very
slowly, and very quietly. Nevertheless, it
would be a handy addition to the Facebook
app. It would also mean youd need one less
app on your phone since Facebooks Wi-Fi
feature would presumably negate the need
for a Wi-Fi finder app.
That assumes that Facebooks Wi-Fi
finding feature proves accurate and taps
into a database large enough to be useful.
The Next Web points out that this new
For now, this is just a test feature, or at least a feature
that is rolling out very slowly, and very quietly. Nevertheless,
it would be a handy addition to the Facebook app
News
Wi-Fi feature comes shortly after Facebook
started asking businesses with pages to
voluntarily contribute Wi-Fi access point
information. The database may also have
come from aggregating access point
information from the phones of Facebook
users all over the globe. Thats just
speculation, but its not uncommon.
Microsofts Wi-Fi Sense feature uses
crowdsourced information for its database
of public Wi-Fi access points. On top of that,
building a Wi-Fi database is something most
major technology companies do in order to
help their devices location services. Google
did it using its Street View cars and, later,
Android phones, and Apple collected location
data from users iPhones, iPads, and Macs
starting in 2010.
February 2017 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/news 13
24/11/2016 15:29
 NEWSANALYSIS
Nearly 90 percent of smartphones
worldwide now run Android
Strategy Analytics paints a picture of dominance for Googles mobile OS. Derek Walter reports
A
ndroid just reached a new milestone
in its worldwide dominance over
iOS. According to new research
from Strategy Analytics, 87.5 percent of
smartphones around the globe are now
running Android. Shipments hit a total of
328.6 million for third quarter of 2016,
which is up 10.3 percent up year-on-year.
While Android had always been hanging
around the 80 percent mark, this latest
number is a new high.
Comparatively, Apple shipped 45.5
million iPhones, which is down 5.2 percent
from the 48 million from 2015. The real drop
is in others such as Blackberry and Windows
phone. In 2015, 8.2 million units of other
smartphones were sold in the third quarter.
This year, the number is just 1.3 million.
The growth worldwide is generally
driven by low-cost devices, particularly in
developing markets. But that may lead to
14 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/news February 2017
014_015 Analysis 259.indd 14
a difficult field for the companies that are
competing in this space, according to Woody
Oh, director of Strategy Analytics: The
Android platform is getting overcrowded
with hundreds of manufacturers, few
Android device vendors make profits, and
Googles new Pixel range is attacking its
own hardware partners that made Android
popular in the first place.
Androids dominance may not slow,
but competing in the league may still be a
challenge for hardware makers who have
to fight for profits at such thin margins.
Android is big, which has both been a
boon for Google services and a challenge
for how to manage fragmentation. The
Pixel line frees Google to focus on building
the optimal mobile OS experience with
its own devices at the high end, while
still serving up the Android Open Source
Google Pixel
Project to hardware partners. J
24/11/2016 15:17

Another 40 million people bolt from Microsofts
web browsers as mass exodus continues
Firefox is back above 11 percent, wiping out a years losses in just two months, reveals Gregg Keizer
M
icrosofts browsers haemorrhaged
another 40 million users in
October, according to analytics
vendor Net Applications, pushing the years
total number of deserters near the one
third of a billion mark.
Net Applications pegged the combined
user share of Internet Explorer (IE) and
Edge at 28.4 percent for October, a fall of
2.3 percentage points. The decline was the
second-largest ever for Microsofts browsers,
behind only Mays plummet of 2.7 points.
Unlike in most previous months,
Microsofts bane was not Googles boon,
but instead Mozillas. Firefoxs user share
jumped nearly two percentage points,
to 11.1 percent. Atop an almost-as-large
increase in September, Mozillas Firefox has
stepped away from a precipice, and in two
months recovered almost all the losses it
incurred during the past year. IE has shed
20.2 percentage points in 2016, and the fall
shows no sign of stopping, or even slowing.
In the past six months, four have recorded
declines of 2 points or more, twice the
number of the six months before that.
014_015 Analysis 259.indd 15
NEWSANALYSIS
If declines continue at the rate of the Applications measurement may represent
past 12 months, IE + Edge will drop below a recalibration of Firefoxs performance,
the 25 percent mark in December, and under and thus a rejection of the steady decline it
20 percent by March, our colleagues at previously portrayed for the last year.
Computerworld calculated. Using Net Applications data for
Although most Microsoft deserters have browser and operating system user share,
ended up on Googles Chrome, the pace as well as Microsofts claim that about
of the latters gains has slowed the past 1.5 billion PCs run Windows worldwide,
two months. Chrome added six-tenths of Computerworld put the collapse of IE (and
a percentage point to its share in October, Edges inability to make up those losses) in
just over a third of the average over the terms of millions of users.
past 12 months. Chrome accounted for 55 At the end of October, IE and Edge were
percent of all browsers for October. being run by approximately 466 million
Firefoxs very large increases in users, down 40 million from Septembers
September and again in October were 506 million. Since January 1, 2016, IE and
puzzling. It was the largest single- Edge have lost about 331 million users.
month boost to Firefoxs user share in To put that in perspective, Net
Computerworlds tracking, which began in Applications data showed that Windows 10
January 2005. One possible explanation: Net powered about 371 million PCs in October. J
Atop an almost-as-large increase in September, Firefox has
stepped away from a precipice, and in two months recovered
almost all the losses it incurred during the past year
February 2017 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/news 15
24/11/2016 15:17
 News: Analysis

Android Auto gets rid of

that pesky car requirement
With the latest update, you can use the driver-optimised interface on your phone, writes Jason Cross

B
ack in May, we gave you an early
look at Googles work to put
Android Auto interface right on
your phone. The company has since made
good on its promise to release the new
onephone experience later this year.
With the latest update, you no longer need
an Android Autocompatible infotainment
system. All you need is your phone.

No car, no problem
You have, of course, always needed an
Android phone with Android Auto running
on it. You would plug it into your car via USB
and then your infotainment system would
show the interface, but use your phones
data connection and information to play
music, send texts, navigate via maps, place
phone calls, and so on.
For a lot of users, thats no good. Yes, a
large and growing number of cars support
the standard, but people dont go buy a
new car every year. And you cant always
just insert in a new infotainment system.
Consider this reviewers case, who drives a
Prius. Toyota is invested in its own Entune
software, and supports neither Android Auto
nor Apple CarPlay. And its leased, so we
cant just go hacking into the dash.
But we use a phone in the car all the
time. Its mounted to a bracket that clips
to the A/C vent, and we use the Bluetooth
connection to make calls, listen to music, and
get Google Maps navigation. Its great, but
its hard to use while driving.
Thats where this new update really number of large touch targets, so you dont
makes all the difference. After giving the kill yourself trying to start up your favourite
new Android Auto app a huge host of car journey playlist.
permissions (it needs to make calls, send
texts, get your location, play music, and so Strong app support
much more), We were given the option to The list of apps that support Android Auto
have the app automatically launch when it is strong. The real downside has been the
connects to our cars Bluetooth. difficulty of getting it in your car. Now that
After that, it all seemed very familiar. The you get the driverfriendly interface right
onphone experience is not exactly like the on your phone, the app really is worth
indash one, but close enough. It assumes picking up for nearly everyone who drives.
youve got a smaller display, and doesnt Theres no split inapp support with this new
want to overwhelm you with as much stuff version all current Android Auto apps are
to tap on. And, of course, you cant control supposed to work just fine, and developers
it with buttons on your dont need to do anything in particular to
steering wheel. support the onphone experience.
But all the main Not everything is quite as perfect
features are there: Maps, as we would like it to be, though. Using
directions, and traffic. OK Google voice commands isnt yet
Making calls. Sending texts enabled, and will come in another update
by voice. Listening to one before the end of the year. Theres an
of the many supported everpresent microphone in the top right;
audio streaming services. youll have to tap that to give Android Auto
You could do this stuff a voice command. Once you do, all the
with your phone before, voice commands that work on the indash
but with Android Auto its experience appear to work here.
all pulled into a cohesive, Now that you dont actually need a
driverfriendly interface car, we can see Android Auto being useful
that sticks to a small for other types of users. Bicyclists who
mount their phones to their handlebars, for
instance. Pair it with a Bluetooth speaker
Calls, maps, music, and and use it on your boat, you wont find
more. Its all there, in a nautical traffic reports but the rest of the
driver-friendly interface
features might prove useful. J

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

016_017 Analysis 2 259.indd 16 24/11/2016 15:21


Google Home shares the
Chromecasts guts, teardown reveals
Google Home doesnt have a Chromecast inside, but the two have a lot in common, reveals Ian Paul
T
he Amazon Echo challenger
Google Home is now available in
the US, and the teardown kings
at iFixit wasted no time in ripping one
apart. What the firm found inside wasnt
all that exciting, but it discovered that
Google Home is a close cousin of the 2015
Chromecast owing to the similarity of
components on both motherboards.
Theyre not identical twins by any stretch,
as each features some device-specific
components that wouldnt make sense
on the other. Google Home has a Texas
Instruments TAS5720 audio amplifier, for
example, which the Chromecast doesnt
need. However, both devices have the same
The Google Home
motherboard
Password manager LastPass now works on all your devices for free
Get LastPass on your computer and phone without paying 8.99 per year. Ian Paul shows how
P
assword manager LastPass is taking
a big leap forward for all its free
users. The company announced
that its service is now free to use across all
devices at the same time.
LastPasss switch to a free model
for multi-device access comes one year
after the password management service
gave up on its PC-first policy. Originally,
LastPass free was only available on the PC,
while mobile devices were only supported
for premium subscribers. That changed
in August 2015 when LastPass decided
free users would be restricted to a single
device type of their choice, including PCs,
smartphones, or tablets. Now, multiple
devices are open to free users.
All the devices, all the time
Anyone whos already using the free version
of LastPass can download the companys
mobile apps or the browser extensions to get
the service everywhere. LastPass will work
the same way across all devices including
016_017 Analysis 2 259.indd 17
News: Analysis
dual-core ARM Cortex-A7 media processor, servers, for which the Home is merely a
and the same kind of Toshiba NAND flash for conduit. The only thing it cant skimp on is
internal storage: the Chromecast has 2GB the sound, which we were impressed by. IFixit
onboard, while Google Home has 256MB. discovered the Google Homes audio is driven
They also both have the same Marvell by a Peerless PLS series speaker.
Avastar wireless connectivity module for One last interesting tidbit to note: iFixit
WLAN, Bluetooth, NFC, and similar SDRAM only found two far-field microphones
from Samsung. Google Home has 512MB stashed in Google Home, which is a big drop
of Samsung K4B4G16 B-Die DDR3 SDRAM, compared to the seven mics in the Amazon
while the Chromecast comes with 4GB of Echo. Nevertheless, we found Google Homes
Samsung KK4B4G1646D-BY DDR3L SDRAM. mic range superior to its rivals. J
Other than the motherboard echo from
2015, theres not much exciting lurking inside
Google Home from a hardware standpoint.
The device does have a hidden mini-USB
port for debugging/programming hidden
under the Home base. Incidentally, Google is
now selling a variety of Home bases to add
a splash of colour to your smart speaker, as
first reported by Android Police.
Google Home may not have all that
much excitement in terms of specs, but it
doesnt need to. The real magic of a device The Google
Homes insides
like Google Home happens on Googles
the ability to save and fill out passwords, If youre a premium user of LastPass
a password generator, secure notes, and right now you might take a hard look at
two-factor authentication. whether its worth it to continue paying.
Premium users may not be too impressed Yes, 8.99 per year isnt a huge amount
with this news. The whole point of paying of money, but whats the point of paying
8.99 a year for LastPass was that you that fee if youre not going to use any of
could use it across all your devices. Now the premium features? If all you wanted
that feature is free. from LastPass was multi-device access
Nevertheless, LastPass is hoping you can now get that for no cost. J
premium users will stick around for the
other paid benefits, including
priority tech support, the
ability to share folders
with up to five users, 1GB
of encrypted file storage,
advanced 2FA functionality
for devices such
as the YubiKey,
the ability to
save desktop
application
passwords and
an ad-free
experience.
February 2017 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/news 17
24/11/2016 15:21
 News: Analysis
How to make home IoT more secure: assume the worst
Device vendors need to make a lot of changes, an advisory group said. Stephen Lawson reports
ometimes the truth hurts but you
S just have to face it. The internet
advisory group BITAG lays it on the
line for the IoT industry in a new report.
Its safe to assume that most end
users will never take action on their own to
update software, the Broadband Internet
Technology Advisory Group said. Its
recommendation: build in mechanisms for
automatic, secure updates.
That bit of human nature is just one of
the harsh realities BITAG acknowledges
in the report. It also points out that some
consumer IoT devices ship with weak built-in
usernames and passwords such as admin
and password, cant do authentication or
encryption, or can easily be taken over by
malware that turns them into bots.
The latter fact became obvious earlier
this year when Mirai botnets wreaked havoc
with the internet due to vulnerable security
cameras and other devices. But BITAG was
on the case months before that, launching
the research for the report in June.
BITAG has several pieces of advice for
vendors of home IoT software and hardware.
Given that the organisation includes
representatives from companies such as
18 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/news February 2017
018_019 Analysis 259.indd 18
Cisco Systems, Google, AT&T and Comcast,
those tips might find their way into future
products and services.
The most basic one is that IoT vendors
should assume that, eventually, whatever
they build will have bugs and vulnerabilities.
Thats why they need automatic over-the-
air update tools that dont force users to do
anything even to opt in, BITAG said.
The report called on device makers to
follow a list of best practices for security,
including authenticating all communications,
encrypting data stored on the device, and
providing a way to revoke certificates when
theyve been compromised.
By default, IoT devices shouldnt be
reachable through inbound network
connections, even from devices in the same
house, because those might have been
compromised, BITAG said.
The report also recommended IoT devices
use IPv6, the latest version of Internet
Protocol. It allows for end-to-end connections
between devices over the internet and has
some security features that the older IPv4
doesnt. Other experts have said IPv6 will be
necessary just to supply unique IP addresses
for all the billions of anticipated IoT devices.
However, implementing the new protocol
in networks can be a difficult process
thats not without hazards.
Other BITAG recommendations dont
address security directly but touch
on headaches some consumers have
had with home IoT. The report calls on
manufacturers to make devices that can
work offline, since errors and certain kinds
of attacks can kick a home off the internet.
They should also be able to work if the
accompanying cloud service fails.
Also, the group called on vendors to tell
consumers how long theyll support the
products theyre selling, including whether
they may disable features in the future.
Nests deactivation of Revolv smart-home
hubs earlier this year caused a stir among
some US consumers who had paid $299 for
the devices before Nest acquired Revolv.
Will there be a way to quickly tell whether
a home IoT device is secure? Maybe. BITAG
suggested the industry create a logo or
notation for products that comply with a set
of best practices, to save consumers from
having to pore over specs to find out what
each device has. But it didnt create the
program itself. J
24/11/2016 15:23

Google and Facebook wont place
ads on sites peddling fake news
The move follows the prominent display of a fake story on Google search results, writes John Ribeiro
oogle plans to update its AdSense
G program policies to prevent
placement of its ads on sites
distributing fake news. Facebook also
recently announced that it had updated
the policy for its Audience Network, which
places ads on websites and mobile apps, to
explicitly clarify that it applies to fake news.
In accordance with the Audience
Network Policy, we do not integrate or
display ads in apps or sites containing
content that is illegal, misleading or
deceptive, which includes fake news,
Facebook said in a statement. The
company said its team will continue to
closely vet all prospective publishers and
monitor existing ones to ensure compliance.
False news stories have become a sore
point after the US presidential elections
with critics blaming internet companies
like Twitter and Facebook for having
had an influence on the outcome of the
elections as a result of the fake content.
018_019 Analysis 259.indd 19
The controversy reflects concerns about
the growing power of social networks to
influence people, as well as help people
to communicate and organise. Facebook
promotes democracy by letting candidates
communicate with people, Facebook CEO
Mark Zuckerberg said in a recent interview.
Weve been working on an update
to our publisher policies and will start
prohibiting Google ads from being placed
on misrepresentative content, just as we
disallow misrepresentation in our ads
policies, Google in a statement. Moving
forward, we will restrict ad serving on
pages that misrepresent, misstate, or
conceal information about the publisher,
the publishers content, or the primary
purpose of the web property.
Google evidently expects that the threat
of a cut in revenue from ads will dissuade
sites from publishing fake content.
Zuckerberg has described as crazy
the criticism that fake news on Facebooks
News: Analysis
news feed had influenced the vote in favour
of Trump. Of all the content on Facebook,
more than 99 percent of what people see
is authentic. Only a very small amount is
fake news and hoaxes, Zuckerberg said in
a post. The hoaxes are not limited to one
partisan view, or even to politics, he added.
Identifying the truth is complicated, as
while some hoaxes can be clearly identified,
a greater amount of content often gets
the basic idea right but some details wrong
or omitted, or expresses a view that some
people will disagree with and flag as incorrect
even when it is factual, Zuckerberg wrote.
There are concerns that the monitoring
of sites for fake news and the penalties could
give internet companies more power. We
have to be wary of Facebook and Google
being allowed to decide whats fake and
whats true news. That only increases
their power, said Pranesh Prakash, policy
director at the Centre for Internet and
Society in Bangalore. J
February 2017 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/news 19
24/11/2016 15:24
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 DVDRW. J Andrew Williams

REVIEWS
AndroId 2-In-1 devIce

499 inc VAT Lenovo Yoga Book

Contact
n lenovo.com/uk

Specifications
10.1in (1920x1200) Full-HD
IPS touchscreen; Android
Marshmallow 6.0; 2.4GHz
Intel Atom x5-Z8550
quad-core processor; 4GB
RAM; 64GB storage with
microSD support up to
128GB; 8Mp autofocus rear
camera; 2Mp fixed focus
front-facing camera; Wi-Fi
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac; Dual
Channel (2.4- and 5GHz);
Bluetooth 4.0; GPS;
8500mAh non-removable
battery; 256x170.8x9.6mm;
690g

Hats off, Lenovo. In a time where
most smartphone are black slabs
that look like iPhones and laptops
Build:
are silver ones aping MacBooks,
the company has created a
Features:
product like no other. The Yoga Book
Value: is a svelte, light, futuristic 2-in-1
Performance: laptop/tablet that can do an awful
lot while looking like its from the
set of Minority report.
It is this desire to break
away from a decade of design
stagnation that drives the unique
look of the Yoga Book. Its like
nothing weve seen before, but
with the functionality of several
devices including Apples iPad
Pro and the Microsoft Surface
Pro 4. Yet the Yoga Book is more
compact and debatably even more
useful than that device, though
it depends on the use cases.
either way, this is an outstanding
product from a company that has
stagnated in recent years.
The Yoga Book is available
with Windows 10, with prices starting
at 549.99; however, it is the
Android version we review here.
Design
While this is to our mind one of
the most interesting tablet designs
ever, its still a device that is an
acquired taste. once youve taken in
its space age looks and the light-on
light-off keyboard, youll probably
think, what is it for? Lenovo has
decided to leave it open. Its not for
work or play; it can do both.
Because the device has a hinge
and open like a laptop to display a
keyboard in landscape mode, we
used it more often this way round
than folding it back completely to
use as a normal tablet. our Android
review unit was Gunmetal Grey,
though a champagne Gold version
will also be available. If you prefer a
Windows 10 setup, youll have to get
one in carbon Black.
The metal Yoga Book folds open
at a hinge that wouldnt look out of
place on the arm of the Terminator
to reveal a generous 10.1in screen.
The bottom panel springs to life
with what Lenovo calls a Halo
keyboard, a touch-sensitive panel
with a QWerTY keyboard lit up
underneath. You have to see it to
fully appreciate that there are few
products on the market to invoke
this level of initial disbelief, such
is its sci-fi vibe. Its a bold design
choice and one that we have to
congratulate Lenovo on before
investigating whether its actually
practical to use. one expects not,
but that isnt always the case with
this beguiling machine.
The dimensions when closed are
256x170.8x9.6mm and it weighs just
690g. The Lenovo logo is subtle, and
suggests the device be held like a
book (as does the name Yoga Book,
of course). Yet when you open it, the
Lenovo naturally becomes a laptop.
For comparison, a 9.7in Apple
iPad Pro with the Smart Keyboard
attached weighs 662g, so in essence,
you wont notice a difference
between the two setups. The design
of the Yoga Book stands out also in
comparison to a device like the iPad
Pro because it is a unibody design,
with no need for the extra expense
of a fiddly keyboard accessory.
Having said that, the keyboard here
does take some getting used to.
The design is surprisingly
featureless when closed, though
this is how Lenovo achieved such
a remarkably thin design. Theres
a Micro-USB port for charging and
data transfer, a mini HdMI port to
hook up to displays, as well as a
3.5mm headphone jack. Aside from
that, our version had a SIM slot for
a 4G data SIM, a speaker grill on
each top and bottom edge (when
held vertically with the hinge on the
left). That same top edge also has
the power/lock button and a volume
rocker. The two cameras are safely
hidden when the device is closed

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

022_024 Lenovo Yoga Book 259.indd 22 22/11/2016 17:27


youopentheunitcompletely
intotabletmodetousethethen
rearfacinglens.
Whatwelikesomuchabout
theYogaBookisthatitnotonly
includesafullkeyboardina2in1
designbutthatthiskeyboardarea
doublesasapressuresensitive
canvasforusewiththeincluded
RealPen.Atthetouchofabutton,
thelitkeysdimtogiveablackslate
thatyoudraworwriteontodigitally
(seeleft),buttheresalsoaphysical
paperpadthathasaclevertrick
upitssleeve.Withthebirorefillfor
thePen,youcandrawdirectlyonto
theincludedBookPadthankstoa
conductivemagneticback,andthe
YogaBookdigitallyrecreatesand
storesyourworkontothedevice.
Thiswillbepreferableforsome
people,becausealthoughtheiPad
Proletsyoudrawdirectlyontothe
screen,somewillmissthetactilityof
usinganactualpen.TheYogaBook
letsyouwriteordrawasnormal
buteffectivelycreatesanautomatic
digitallibraryofallyourworkwith
theNoteSaverapp.Justbeaware
thatyoucanonlyusetheincluded
RealPenwiththeinkrefillstodo
this,soyouwontbegettingoutthe
charcoalsunfortunately.
Wellcomeontohowitworksin
practice,butthefirsttimeyouuse
thepenitshardnottogetexcited.
Itwillbringoutthepurestloveof
techinyou,suchisitsuniqueness
comparedtoanythingelseonthe
market.Itseasiesttoachievewhat
youwantfromthenotetakingapp
whenusingthebiroandpaper,asif
youusethedigitalpenyouarenot
drawingdirectlyontothescreen
(likeyouwouldoniPadPro)andthe
imageisreplicatedonthescreen
opposite.Thestylus,however,has
asensorthatrelaysawhitecircled
dotontothescreenwhenyouhover
overtheCreatePad,asaguideto
wherethenibwillland.
Thedigitiserinsideissuppliedby
Wacom,thecompanyfamousforits
stylusandtablettechnology.
WewontusethetiredMarmite
clichhere;whetherornotyouwant
tobuytheYogaBookisdependent
onyourpotentialuseforit.With
suchafocusonthepen,ifyouwrite
orsketchandwantadevicethatwill
digitallystoreitallautomaticallyfor
you,bingo.Yetevenmorethanthe
iPadPro,itsadevicethatwefellfor
simplybecauseyoujustwanttoget
yourhandsonitandplay.
022_024 Lenovo Yoga Book 259.indd 23
Thedisplayisa10.1infullHDIPS
witharesolutionof1920x1200.Itis
acapacitivetouchscreen,butthisis
onlyforfingerinputwhenintablet
modeortappingiconsintandem
withkeyboarduse.Thescreen
displaysthestandardAndroidtablet
setup,withthetaskbarhousingthe
threeicons(menu,backandopen
apps),aswellasthecurrentlyopen anAtomprocessorwilllikelycreak
appsonthebar.TheWindows10
versionwillobviouslydiffer,but
wehavenotyettestedit.
Thescreenisasresponsiveas
youdexpectfromahighendtablet
in2016,anditsagoodthings,as
youllfindyourselfusingitalot.
Althoughthekeyboardhouses
atrackpadwhenturnedon,its
afrustratingexperienceonthe
Androidplatform.Wewouldimagine
itdbeveryusefulonafulloperating
systemsuchasWindows,buton
Androiditsjusteasier,quickerand
morereliabletotaponscreen.This
doesntdetractfromthedaytoday
useofthemachine,thankfully.
Screenbrightnessneeded
tobehigh,particularlywhen
viewingdarkercolours,butediting
documentsinGoogleDocsis
noproblem.Thedisplayisalso
excellentintabletmode,with
goodviewinganglesandbarely
atraceofpixellation.
Performance
With64GBofonboardstorage
and4GBRAM,theAndroidYoga
Bookcantakeasurprisingbeating
whenitcomestomultitasking.
TheprocessorisanIntelAtom
z5Z8550,whichisquadcoreand
canrunupto2.4GHz.Wethink
Lenovooptedtoincludethislower
poweredprocessorratherthan
REVIEWS
theincreasinglypopularCoreM
seriestokeepthepricedown.
WhilewefeeltheAtomis
sufficientprocessingpowerforan
Androidtablet,wesuspectthatthe
Windows10versionwillstruggle
itusesthesameone.Androidon
tabletisinessencethesmartphone
OSwithsomeminortweaks,but
undertheloadwhenrunningfull
Windows10.Sobewarned.
WeusedtheYogaBookfortwo
weeksasamaindevice,installing
manypersonalandworkfocussed
apps,usingittowritecopy,read
thenews,readKindlebooksand
playaboutwiththeRealPen
(disregardingouramateurdrawing
abilities)towriteextensivenotes.
Whennottryingtodraw,our
attentionswereonthekeyboard.
Whenthekeyslightuponthe
completelyflatsurface(seebelow)
youhaveafullsizeQWERTYwith
functionbuttonsandmorebesides.
Thereis,undoubtedly,alearning
curvehere.Itdoesntfeelliketyping
onglass,suchisthemattfinishof
thesurfaceandthezerofeedback
fromthematerial.
Youcanhavevibratinghaptic
feedbackattwolevelsofintensity
shouldyouwishtoemulate
keystrokes,butwefounditeasier
togettogripswithwhenitwas
switchedoff.Youllmakemistakes,
andtheAndroidautocorrectand
predictivemodearefiddly,butitis
amuchmorepleasantexperience
totypeonthanwehadexpected.
Itisnosubstituteforalaptopand
keyboard,buttheYogaBookisnt
tryingtoreplaceone.
Withapressofavirtualbutton,
thelightsofthekeyboarddisappear
February 2017 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/reviews 23
22/11/2016 17:27
 DVDRW. J Andrew Williams

Reviews

and the black Create Pad remains. Geekbench 4

This is the surface onto which
you can draw directly with the
digital Real Pen. There is no haptic
feedback for this, but Lenovo claims
the pen can detect 2048 levels of
pressure. Thats more than enough
for anyone but the most needy of
digital illustrators. The stylus itself
needs no batteries, and the digital
pen nib can be removed to insert a GFXBench Manhattan
biro for using with the Book Pad.
The way the Yoga Book
transitions physical notes straight
into a digital file is great, and you
can either watch them appear on
the opposite screen as you write,
with the device open like a book, or
fold it the whole way round. If the
latter, then it still records the notes,
you have to press a button when you GFXBench T-Rex
reach the end of a page to let the
device know. It all works seamlessly
once you know the score.
Theres also a big battery on
board. At 8500mAh, Lenovo claims
15 hours of standard usage with
Wi-Fi, which we can confirm as
accurate, though we feel its estimate
of over 70 days standby time is an
huge over estimate. The Yoga Book arent directly comparable. Lenovo for tasks. The Android version
easily lasted us two- to three days has massively undercut the price ships with Google Docs, Sheets
when using it, though bear in mind of both of those products and, by and Slides preinstalled, and its
it wasnt our sole device during that running Android (on this version at easy to hook up to other Google
time. Unfortunately, we found that least), using a lower-spec processor services from the Play Store.
the device took forever to recharge and, above all, not trying to ape Its limitations are shown in the
even when connected to mains those products either. primitive multi window feature. You
power, so its essential to charge Whether you are a casual can minimise some apps, but only to
overnight from our experience - illustrator or hardcore note taker one uniform size, so while you can
otherwise youll be sitting by a plug with the need for an ultraportable have three apps on the screen at
all day and the included cable is device that wont break the bank, once they are very small. Some apps
frustratingly short. For a device that then this hits the sweet spot. dont support the feature either, but
you can use as a laptop, we expected we didnt mind hopping between
the cable to be much longer. Software apps in full-screen mode.
Our usual benchmark testing for The presence of Android Lenovos own software Note
the Lenovo was tricky as it is hard Marshmallow 6.0 is a welcome one. Saver, for use with the Real Pen and
to compare it to other products. We We love that you can ping your Book Pad, is primitive but allows you
went with the iPad Pro 9.7in and the way around in and out of apps to easily view, edit and organise your
Microsoft Surface Pro 4 because of with relatively little confusion, digital note collection via a choice
their hybrid nature and the ability to even on first use. The inclusion of of pen effects and colours. We can
use a stylus, like with the Yoga Book. a keyboard in the design opens see real potential for this to be a
But and it is a big but the specs up the touchscreen to be used great way for writers to archive their
notes. Paper refills are expensive but
you can supply your own. You must
use the bundled pen, though.

Verdict
We love the Yoga Book. It isnt
pretending it can replace your
laptop, so dont expect it to. You
wont get all your work done on
it, but we are surprised by how
much we did managed to do. Its an
excellent addition into the consumer
tech world. J Henry Burrell

24 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/reviews February 2017

022_024 Lenovo Yoga Book 259.indd 24 22/11/2016 17:27


199 inc VAT Acer Chromebook 14
Contact
n acer.co.uk
Specifications
14in (1366x768) LCD; Google
Chrome OS; 1.6GHz Intel
Celeron N3060 SoC; Intel
HD graphics; 2GB RAM;
16GB eMMC storage, 2GB
RAM; 802.11ac, Bluetooth,
HD webcam with wide area
view; metal aluminium
alloy chassis; 2x USB 3.0;
HDMI; 3.5mm headphone;
340x236x17mm; 1.6kg
Build:
Features:
Value:
Performance: on page 122). but those who desire
025_026 Acer Chromebook 14 259.indd 25
ChRomebook
Large displays are an uncommon
sight on Chromebooks. The majority
of models tend to have an 11.6in
screen, which makes them a good
option for everyday use while
keeping them portable. Acer knows
this, as its very popular R11 proves
(see our best Chromebooks chart
a bit more real estate for their eyes
could well be tempted by Acers
new offering: the Chromebook 14.
Price
Acer offers two variants of the
Chromebook 14: the one were
reviewing here costs an affordable
199, while upgrading to a full hD
display, and doubling the RAm and
storage, will take the price to 279.
If youre looking for a 14in screen
in particular, then the only other
real alternative is hPs Chromebook
14, which can be picked up for
around 220, or its business suited
brethren the hP Chromebook 14 G4,
which matches the high-end Acers
appointments and can be ordered
directly from hP for 307.
If you dont mind stepping down
a little in size, then theres a range
of good options at the 13in level.
one of the best devices around,
if you can find one, is the Toshiba
Chromebook 2, which usually goes
for around 270, hPs imminent
Chromebook 13 is a pricier option
that does look very cool, while the
Asus C300m can still be picked
for around the 200 mark.
Design
If truth be told, Chromebook designs
can be a bit on the basic side.
Unless you go for the gorgeous
but hilariously priced Google
Chromebook Pixel (799), then
youre probably looking at a mainly
plastic chassis with a sparse amount
of ports and connections. This is
fine, as Chromebooks are simple
beasts and this is one of the things
that makes them so appealing.
It was a pleasant surprise then to
take the Acer out of its box and find
what looks like a brushed aluminium
lid. Scanning through the specs
reveals that the chassis is listed as
all-metal, with Acer describing it
as an aluminium alloy. The effect
is a premium-looking device with
gently rounded edges, and tapered
sides that give the illusion of a
wedge-shaped construction.
Strangely, it doesnt feel like one.
The metal is smooth and smart, but
does have an air of plastic about it.
The solidity and cool to the touch
aspect of our office macbook Air is
missing from this device, which is no
surprise as it costs about a quarter
of the price of Apples laptop, so
February 2017 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/reviews 25
Reviews
thats not really something to hold
against it, and for the most part the
Acer is a good-looking machine that
seems a cut above many of its rivals.
With dimensions of
340x236x17mm this Chromebook
is reasonably compact and slim,
with the 1.6kg weight making it
something that wouldnt kill your
shoulders after a day of carrying
it around in your backpack.
The extra size of the body over
its 11.6in rivals means theres room
for a large trackpad. Were big
fans of Chromebook trackpads in
general, as their multi-touch support
and smooth operation are always
excellent, and this example doesnt
blot the copybook in any way.
The keyboard is another area of
strength across the Chromebook
range, and while the Acer layout is
the standard, spacious one weve
grown to expect, the key response
feels shallow at times, making it less
precise than wed like. Its not bad,
but its not up to the high standards
weve seen in other systems.
of course, the 14in display is
this devices big selling point, so
its a shame that the panel itself is
little underwhelming. Running at a
resolution of 1366x768 is the norm
on Chromebooks, but the larger
display makes this lack of pixel
density more telling.
22/11/2016 17:38

Reviews
Text is slightly jagged around
the edges, and in this age of HD
smartphones and tablets this is
less acceptable than it would have
been only a year or two ago. Thats
not to say its a deal-breaker by any
means, and the aforementioned
MacBook Air suffers from the same
issue, but its worth mentioning.
A far more annoying problem
is the viewing angles afforded by
the display. Those who have used
budget PCs before will know that
you often have to tilt the screen
several times until you find the
optimum setting that doesnt
wash out the colours or make
the display too dark. This was a
constant fiddle we had with the
Chromebook 14, especially when
watching video content online.
Again, its not something that
cant be lived with, and once you do
find the right angle for the display
its bright, has reasonable colours,
and the bigger size is definitely
a bonus when looking at busy
websites, social media or YouTube.
Plus, the twin speakers under the
chassis offer a decent amount of
volume and tonal range.
Naturally theres a headphone
socket on the side of the machine
if you prefer to keep your audio
personal, and this is accompanied
by two USB 3.0 ports, a HDMI
output, and a security lock. Oddly
theres no SD card reader, which
is disappointing as its a standard
port on many Chromebooks, even
smaller models. Still, the 100GB
of free Google Drive storage
offered with the Acer will soften
the blow, and make up for the
16GB of internal storage.
26 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/reviews February 2017
025_026 Acer Chromebook 14 259.indd 26
DVDRW. J Andrew Williams
A HD webcam with a wide field
of view is a nice touch, allowing
groups of friends to get in the shot
a bit easier, and on the whole it
performs well for video calls using
Googles Hangouts app.
Performance
Chromebooks are designed for
general activities such as web
browsing, social media and email,
so if your demands fall into this
camp, then this Acer will be a
decent servant. The Intel Celeron
1.6GHz N3060 SoC may not be
the fastest chip out there, but it
handles basic computing well.
Including 2GB of RAM, rather than
the 4GB found in a number of
other Chromebooks, feels like a
mistake though, and contributes
to periodic slowness on the device.
Websites, even image heavy
ones, load quickly,and videos
stream without any hiccups, but if
you start to multitask performance
can become choppy. Navigating a
website and clicking on links, for
example, will produce a stutter in
any video or audio running in the
background. Its not tragic, but its
there and can get irksome if you
like to do more than one thing at
a time. Gaming is also a challenge
for the system, and probably best
avoided, although this is often
true with Chromebooks.
Running the Chromebook 14
through the standard benchmark
tests gave us scores of 638.50 in
SunSpider, 50.335 in JetStream,
101.09 in Basemark 3.0, 3679.9
in Kraken, and 8576 in Googles
Octane. This confirms our
suspicions that the Acer is a decent
performer, held back somewhat by
the 2GB of RAM. With this in mind
wed strongly recommend moving
up to the 279 version that comes
with 4GB as standard.
One area where the Acer
excels is that of battery life. In our
standard HD movie loop test, the
device notched up an impressive
11 hours and 13 minutes, which
is worthy of praise. It certainly
means that the Acer would get
you through a full working
day without needing to hunt
out a power socket.
Software
Chromebooks run on Googles
Chrome OS, not Windows or Apples
macOS, so there are a few things
that youll need to adjust to if you
head down this route. First, there
are some applications that simply
will not run on a Chromebook.
iTunes is one, Adobe Photoshop
is another, and of course no PC
games will be making the journey
over to this platform.
For all of these though, there
are working alternatives, such
as Google Play Music, Spotify, a
number of simple photo editors,
and a wealth of other free apps
that make Chromebooks a real,
viable option for people who want
a simple and reliable computer
for general computing duties.
Googles office suite Docs,
Sheets, Slides, and others offers
a usable alternative to Microsofts
Office, although you can still access
the online version of the latter on
a Chromebook. The announcement
that Android apps will now run
on Chrome OS opens up the
possibilities even further, and we
think the platform is in very good
shape right now.
In use, it is in essence a browser,
just like Chrome on Windows, but
with shortcuts and multitouch
gestures that make navigating the
basic OS a fluid experience.
Viruses are not a concern, and if
you were looking to buy a computer
for a relative or child who isnt
particularly tech-minded, then wed
recommend Chromebooks as a great
place to start. The real advantage
is that if they move onto a new
machine after a while all they have
to do is log in with their Google
ID and everything on will appear
magically and be in exactly the same
as it was on their previous device.
Verdict
Theres a lot to like about the Acer,
including its smart design, larger
screen size and long battery life.
These are offset by a few less than
desirable components. The display
is adequate at best, the keyboard
is also average, and performance
feels hampered by the low memory
allocation. Its a solid machine, but
the compromises may be too much
for some. Stretch to
the 279 version if you
can and we think youll be
much happier. J Martyn Casserly
22/11/2016 17:38

719 inc VAT Apple iPhone 7 Plus
Contact
n apple.com/uk
Specifications
5.5in (1920x1080, 401ppi)
IPS LCD with 3D Touch,
1300:1 contrast ratio
(typical); A10 Fusion
processor chip with 64bit
architecture and M10
co-processor; 2x 12Mp
rear-facing cameras, /1.8, model, which was 619. You can buy
optical image stabilisation
and 4K video recording;
7Mp front-facing with,
/2.2, 1080p video 819. We can see few people paying
recording and burst mode;
32GB/128GB/256GB storage;
802.11ac Wi-Fi; Bluetooth
4.2; GPS; 4G LTE (up to
450Mb/s); Lightning
connector; Touch ID
fingerprint scanner;
77.9x158.2x7.3mm; 188g
Build:
Features:
Value:
Performance: pocket. Whereas the iphone 7 fits
027_029 Apple iPhone 7 Plus 259.indd 27
SmaRtphone
It might look almost the same as
its predecessors, but iphone 7 plus
has a range of updates that make
it apples best handset to date.
Price
Storage has doubled this year,
although its the base storage that
most people will benefit from. this is
now 32GB, but the bad news is that
its 100 more than 2015s cheapest
the 7 plus for 719. If 32GB is too
small for your needs, youll have to
go for the 128GB model that costs
a further 100 for 256GB, although
this luxurious capacity means you
can use those new cameras to your
hearts content without worrying
about running out of space.
Design
You may mourn the fact that the
7 plus still looks the same, but
theres no denying that this is
a great-looking phone which is
superbly built and feels great in
the hand. If youre used to smaller
phones, the 7 plus can feel giant,
especially when you put it in a case.
Its not a one-handed phone.
Youll also struggle to
comfortably carry it in a trouser
easily, youll find that the 7 plus is
better off in the inside pocket of a
coat, or in a bag. the iphone
7 (pictured left) is on top
to show the scale.
We prefer the black
models as the others
have a white front
that highlights the
offset camera and
light sensor.
around the
back, the 7 plus
loses some of its
antenna lines for
a cleaner look. on
the black models
the lines that
remain are almost
invisible. again,
our preference is
the black model
because it doesnt
show up fingerprints
and is much more
forgiving when
it picks up minor
Reviews
scratches and scuffs. the Jet
Black finish looks amazing,
but is hard to keep that way.
Camera bump
Breaking up this cleaner-
looking back is the larger
camera bump, which now
packs in two lenses: one
wide-angle and the other
telephoto. this means there
are two 12mp sensors and,
like the LG G5, you can flip
between the two in the
camera app almost instantly.
apple has also changed the
selfie camera at the front
from 5- to 7mp.
Home button
the home button is no longer
a physical push button. It
looks the same as before, but
has no moving parts. Instead,
you get haptic feedback from
the new, larger taptic engine
and its possible to set three
different levels depending on
whether you prefer a weaker
or stronger feeling when the
button clicks. It works exactly the like a sore thumb if you have a black
same way it always has, though bear phone and your headphones have
in mind that in ioS 10 you now have a black wire and connector. overall,
to press the button to unlock the its a minor inconvenience that
phone: theres no more swiping. becomes a real annoyance when you
want to use wired headphones and
Water resistance charge the phone at the same time.
one reason for the change is that You can buy another adaptor which
its one less place for water to get gives you two Lightning ports, but
in: the 7 plus is now water-resistant, this makes things even uglier and
so you can immerse it up to 1m for costs around 40.
up to 30 minutes. Its worth pointing
out that this applies only to fresh Stereo speakers
water and that you shouldnt really as with the iphone 7, the plus also
use it for underwater photos and gets stereo speakers. one is in the
video in the sea or a swimming usual place on the bottom edge and
pool full of chemicals. It means that the other is in the earpiece. It means
accidentally dropping your phone in the iphone finally has decent sound.
the bath or spilling a glass of water Its particularly good when watching
over it shouldnt harm it. videos, but its also a boon in some
games that work in landscape mode
Headphone jack (not all do, of course).
the other major change is that
theres no headphone jack. Instead, Display
the bundled headphones come not a great deal has changed in the
with a Lightning connector, though screen department. Its still 5.5in
if you prefer to use your existing diagonally, and still has a 1920x1080
headphones, theres a Lightning-to- resolution. Its also still an IpS LCD
minijack adaptor in the box as well. panel, although apple has increased
these are cheap to replace if colour gamut. the difference isnt
you lose them, but its a shame that massive, but it does mean that the
theyre white: the adaptor sticks out 7 plus has one of the best full hD
February 2017 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/reviews 27
22/11/2016 17:16

Reviews
Geekbench 4
GFXBench Manhattan
GFXBench T-Rex
screens on any phone. Its bright,
too, at 625cd/m2, and anyone
thinking that Apple should have
upped the pixel count to 2560x1440
should know that few people can
see the difference at normal viewing
distances. 401ppi is plenty.
Performance
The iPhone 6s Plus was a fast phone,
but the 7 Plus is even quicker thanks
to the new A10 Fusion processor.
This is Apples first quad-core chip
in an iPhone and works on a similar
principle to many Android phones
in that it has two power-sipping
cores that are used for basic jobs
and two high-performance cores
(which arent as battery friendly) for
the more demanding stuff such as
certain games and editing 4K video.
In general use, its hard to
notice the extra speed because
the 6s Plus never so much as
stuttered during our year with
it. However, benchmarks clearly
show the significant improvement,
and this will surely help in years
to come as new versions of iOS
become more demanding and apps
really take advantage of the extra
speed. Some games are already
using the extra graphical power
and, although the screen is small,
its clear youre getting almost
console-quality lighting effects
and detail on the 7 Plus.
Apple says the new chip is 40
percent faster, but it depends which
benchmark you use. In Geekbench 4
(multicore), the 7 Plus is just shy of
the 40 percent, but in the JetStream
28 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/reviews February 2017
027_029 Apple iPhone 7 Plus 259.indd 28
DVDRW. J Andrew Williams
browser test, its actually closer to
50 percent quicker. And as you can
see above, its a lot quicker than
Googles Pixel XL.
Battery
Can you have better performance
and better battery life without
making a thicker phone? Well, it
turns out that you can, especially if
theres a bit of extra room where the
headphone jack used to be.
The 7 Plus has a 2900mAh
battery, up from 2750mAh in the
6s Plus (but down from 2915mAh
in the 6 Plus for those with longer
memories). The iPhones own trusty
calculator says this is 5.4 percent
more capacity than the 6s Plus, so
its not a great deal of difference.
And yet, in our testing the 7
Plus lasted for a mighty 10 hours
and eight minutes, showing that its
relatively meaningless to compare
phones and batteries simply on
their stated capacity. We never had
any complaints with our iPhone 6s
Plus, but retesting it now (a year
old) it lasted just over seven hours
in the same Geekbench 4 battery
test. Its an unfair comparison, of
course, but it certainly feels like
the 7 Plus has better battery life.
If youre using it normally, you
should easily get through a complete
Apples custom image processor, the cameras and
screen are all calibrated to work with each other,
so you see the truest possible colours on screen
day and a morning of the next
before thinking about charging it.
Cameras
The dual-cameras consist of one
wide-angle 28mm equivalent lens
(the same as on the iPhone 7) and
one telephoto (56mm equivalent
lens). When you switch to the latter
its the same as a 2x optical zoom
(28x2 = 56). Theres also digital
zoom from 2x up to x10, but this
is no different from cropping the
image youre not getting any extra
detail. Whats interesting is that
you can drag the slider between 1x
and 2x, imitating a real zoom lens
and the result is a combination of
optical and digital zoom.
The new cameras remain at
12Mp, but have new sensors that
now support the same wider colour
gamut as the screen and new lenses
with an f/1.8 aperture. Theres
also optical image stabilisation for
photos and videos. Thats not all: the
True Tone flash now has four LEDs
which produce 50 percent more
light and have a larger reach.
On the front of the 7 Plus is a
7Mp FaceTime HD camera, which
includes wide colour capture and
image stabilisation.
Apples custom image processor,
the cameras and screen are all
calibrated to work with each other,
so you see the truest possible
colours on screen.
Clearly, the telephoto lens
is the big news here: youre not
going to notice much difference
when comparing photos from the
wide-angle one with those from
the 6s Plus. Thats not a criticism,
though. Both phones take excellent
photos, and you definitely notice
the benefit of the new f/1.8 lens
in low light. Sure, you still need
your subject to stay still to avoid
blur, but when it does, you can
capture some remarkably sharp and
detailed images, such as this.
The telephoto lens is also usable
in low light, although it has a slower
f/2.8 aperture. Where it excels is
outdoors in good light, delivering
sharp pictures. Its also very handy
for macro photos, allowing you to
22/11/2016 17:16
 Reviews

get in even closer than you can with

the wide-angle camera. And we
thought that was good for close-up
photography (see bottom image).
Video specs are the same as for
the iPhone 6s Plus, which means
youve got a choice of 1080p at
30- or 60fps, or 4K at 30fps. Its
still a pain to switch modes because
instead of having them in the
camera app where they should be,
theyre in the settings app. The good
news is that you can flip between
the cameras while recording video.
And if you dont like the jarring
change when you tap the zoom
button, you can instead press it and
drag smoothly to 2x (or beyond if
you want to use digital zoom).
Video is great quality, as ever,
and the optical stabilisation lends
footage a more professional look.
If you want better stabilisation, Photo taken with
consider DJIs Osmo Mobile. the wide-angle lens
Theres also improvement at
the front, with the 7Mp camera
offering a little more detail than its
5Mp predecessor. And like before,
you have the option of a flash: the
screen momentarily overdrives to
give a True Tone flash and light
you up. Its best avoided if you can,
though, just like any flash, but if
light is limited, it does a good job
of delivering relatively natural-
looking skin tones.

Software
In this reviewers opinion, iOS is still
the best mobile OS, and the latest
version makes it even better. As well
as the app updates that owners of
older iPhones also get, the 7 Plus
has a couple of extras. One is all
the haptic feedback you get when
using different controls, such as
time and date selectors and even
swiping to delete emails. Photo taken with
Youll also get that with an the telephoto lens
iPhone 7, but exclusive to the 7 Plus
is the new Portrait photo mode
in iOS 10.1. This will be released the effect in real-time, so youll know while now water-resistance for one.
shortly (its currently in beta), before you press the shutter button Taken as a whole, the performance,
and allow you to get DSLR-style if its going to look good or not. battery life, camera quality and
blurred backgrounds when you take stereo speakers are all compelling
photos. It uses the two cameras to Verdict reasons to upgrade. But our advice
understand which objects are closer The iPhone 7 Plus is an excellent remains much the same as for the
and which are farther away. It uses phone. Its Apples best yet, but iPhone 7: if you already own the
this information to create a depth it is also its most expensive yet, previous generation, theres not
map, which it uses to decide what with a huge starting price. In some enough here to justify ditching a
to blur and what to keep in focus. respects, the upgrades seem 6s Plus, especially if youre halfway
Its intended for photos of people, to justify this, but at the same through a two-year contract. Those
and wont take a picture unless time some features are arguably just coming out of contract on the
your subject is far enough from the only catching up with what the iPhone 6 or 6 Plus would do well to
camera. The good thing is you see competition has been offering for a grab a 7 Plus. J Jim Martin

February 2017 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/reviews 29

027_029 Apple iPhone 7 Plus 259.indd 29 22/11/2016 17:17

 DVDRW. J Andrew Williams

Reviews

SmaRTphone

369 inc VAT Motorola Moto Z Play

Contact
n motorola.co.uk
Specifications
5.5in, (1920x1080, 403ppi)
super AMOLED display;
Android 6.0 Marshmallow;
Qualcomm Snapdragon
625 processor; 3GB RAM;
32GB storage; microSD
card slot; fingerprint
sensor; 802.11n dual band
Wi-Fi; Bluetooth 4.1; A-GPS;
NFC; USB-C; 3.5mm
headphone jack; 16Mp
rear camera; 5Mp front
camera; 3510mAh non-
removable battery;
156.4x76.4x6.99mm; 165g
Build:
Features:
Value:
Performance:
The modular phone market is a
small one, but Lenovo (motorolas
parent company) has a new and
consumer-friendly system with moto
mods. These accessories work with
the firms moto Z phones and let
you customise your handset.
Price
The Z play is a mid-range phone
that will set you back 369. Its 130
cheaper than the flagship moto Z
and the same price as the honor 8
and 40 more than the oneplus 3.
Design
Unlike the moto Z, whose 5.2mm
width has forced it to ditch the
headphone jack, the Z play is 7mm
thick, which means it has enough
room for a 3.5mm socket next to
its USB-C connector. This extra
space also allows it to have a larger
3510mah battery its siblings
offering is 2600mah though its
also heavier at 165g, compared to
the moto Zs 138g. The phone still
feels thin and well built, though its
glass rear is a little slippery to hold.
It shares some stylings with
the cheaper moto G4 phones, such
as the small square fingerprint
scanner that sits below the
screen (more on this later). We
are, however, impressed with how
luxurious the Z play looks and
feels for the price.
The circular camera and LeD
flash arrangement protrudes a
significant 2mm from the rear, but
its flush once you pop on a moto
Style Shell. a black nylon one is
included in the box no matter which
colour phone you choose. Shells
also hide the ugly connector thats
used to communicate with other
moto mods accessories.
JBL SoundBoost Speaker
Whether a phone is waterproof is
an increasingly sought-after feature
and Lenovo lists the moto Z play as
water resistant thanks to a nano-
coating technology, but its not
designed to be submerged in water.
Moto mods
The range of moto mods on offer
is the biggest reason to buy the
moto Z play (or moto Z) compared
to other android phones. The
modular nature means you can
easily add different functionality,
depending on your needs.
Lenovos modular system works
differently to the LG G5s and its
removable chin. While that method
has a certain wow factor, its fiddly
and a bit awkward. In stark contrast,
the moto mods simply snap onto the
back of the Z play with zero hassle
using strong magnets to attach.
While weve seen a distinct lack
of new accessories (or Friends)
for the LG G5, Lenovo has said the
moto mods system will be supported
for at least three years. That
should mean new accessories, plus
any mods you have will work with
future phones when you upgrade.
The connector has been opened
up to third parties, and anyone can
buy a moto mods developer kit and
make their own accessories, so there
should be plenty of options from
well-known accessory brands soon.
as it stands there are four
different moto mods to choose
from: the Incipio offGrid power
pack (59), JBL SoundBoost
Speaker (69), hasselblad True
Zoom camera (199) and the
moto Insta-Share projector (249).
our review unit came with
a JBL speaker (pictured left),
which automatically diverts audio
when attached. It adds an extra
118g, so its not something youll
want to keep attached the whole
time, but thats the beauty of the
magnetic system, and its no more
than carrying around a separate
Bluetooth speaker. There are no
controls since you use the phones
volume buttons, but it does add a
handy kickstand. all in all, its a good

30 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/reviews February 2017

030_032 Motorola Moto Z Play 259.indd 30 22/11/2016 17:31


Geekbench 4
GFXBench Manhattan
GFXBench T-Rex
JetStream
value for money Mod if you want
louder speakers.
Hardware
Screen
In many respects, its hard to tell
the two Moto phones apart. They
both have a 5.5in AMOLED screen,
though the Z Play has a Full-HD
(1920x1080) resolution rather
than the Zs Quad HD (2560x1440),
and the same design on the rear to
ensure Moto Mods fit.
While the difference in resolution
is understandable, the Z Plays
screen will be fine for the vast
majority of users. Its bright and
030_032 Motorola Moto Z Play 259.indd 31
colourful, though those with a
keener eye will notice the difference
with those pixels spread across
a larger space than most Full HD
handsets. If you look closely, for
example, youll see that the edge
of icons appear fuzzy. You do need
to look very closely though, so its
not a big issue and we wouldnt
expect anything higher than Full
HD at this price.
One benefit of the technology is
that it can light up certain pixels to
show information without impacting
on battery life. The firm has offered
this for a while, and although the Z
Play doesnt have infrared sensors
Reviews
next to the screen like the Z, it uses
ultrasonics to detect your hand
over the phone and will then show
the time, date and notifications in
monochrome. Theres no option to
have the screen always on as with
Samsungs flagship phones.
Processor and storage
As youd expect, the Moto Z Play
doesnt get the top-of-the-line
Snapdragon 820 processor. Instead,
it has the Snapdragon 625, a 2GHz
octa-core chip. Graphics power is
also a step down, the Adreno 506
instead of the 530 found in the Moto
Z. Theres also 3GB of RAM rather
than 4GB, and 32GB of storage.
This can be expanded via microSD
up to 2TB (although you cant get
a card that large yet).
Benchmark results for the
Play (see left) are respectable and
match up to other phones using
the Snapdragon 625. During our
time with the Z Play, we found it
zippy and responsive.
Fingerprint scanner
Below the screen is a fingerprint
reader, which can be used with
Android Pay, for unlocking the
phone as well as signing into apps
or websites that support it. Its not
a physical home button though,
which is a shame as we constantly
found ourselves trying to use it as
one: the Z Play uses the standard
on-screen Android buttons.
The fingerprint scanner is a little
small and awkward at times, but
the rim around the edge helps your
finger locate it and on the whole
it works first time and quickly. You
can also long-press it to lock the
screen instead of using the power
button on the side.
In terms of other specifications
you get a distinctly mid-range set,
which includes 11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi,
Bluetooth 4.0, GPS and NFC.
Battery
The Z Play has a huge 3510mAh
battery, which Lenovo says will last
you two days so you wont have to
charge it every night. The phone
also uses the increasingly popular
reversible USB Type-C port.
As with other Moto phones, the
TurboPower charger can quickly fill
your battery up to nine hours in
15 minutes (although the battery
must be substantially depleted).
We charged it for this length of
February 2017 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/reviews 31
22/11/2016 17:31

Reviews
Image taken with the
16Mp rear camera
time and the battery charged from
12- up to 25 percent.
Cameras
While the Moto Z has a 13Mp main
camera with OIS, the Play comes
with a 16Mp snapper with slightly
larger pixels (1.3- vs 1.12m).
However, the aperture isnt as
good at f/2.0 compared to f/1.8.
Another downside is that it has
electronic stabilisation only, though
this also works when shooting
video, which can be shot at up
to 4K at 30fps. 1080p records at
30fps too, but you can increase
framerate to 120fps by lowering
the resolution to 720p.
By default, the camera shoots
in 16:9 and 11.9Mp, so youll have to
switch it to 4:3 to get the full 16Mp.
Were impressed with the Z Plays
camera, which offers good quality
images for the price point. Video is
also nice and sharp, but we found
some odd errors where the roof of
St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel was
pixellated, which isnt good.
Around the front is a 5Mp camera
with a wide-angle 85-degree lens
that has an f/2.2 aperture. Selfie
fans will also appreciate the Z Plays
front-facing flash, so you neednt
stop shooting once its dark.
With the Moto Mods system,
photographers may be tempted
32 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/reviews February 2017
030_032 Motorola Moto Z Play 259.indd 32
DVDRW. J Andrew Williams
by the Hasselblad True Zoom.
This costs 199, but brings a 10x
optical zoom to the party. The
difference this makes is enormous:
were all used to a phones fixed
lens and the inherent limitations
of digital zoom. The True Zoom
has a 12Mp sensor and optical
stabilisation. During testing, it
worked seamlessly with the Z Plays
camera app. It has its own power
button, which launches the app,
and a dual-stage shutter button
with a zoom lever in front. Just
remember to switch it off before
pulling it off the phone otherwise
the lens remains sticking out.
You can shoot both photos (in
RAW and JPEG) and video, and the
zoom plus stabilisation works in
both modes, although its electronic
rather than optical when shooting
video. The main disappointment is
that it only records video at 1080p
at 30fps, not 4K or 60fps.
Software
The Moto Z Play has an almost-stock
Android interface with little tweaks
and additions here and there. It
comes preloaded with Android 6.0.1
Marshmallow, though an update to
7.0 Nougat is reportedly due before
the end of the year.
The Moto app is where you can
enable the enhancements such as
the chop, chop motion to switch
the LED flashlight on and off; the
double-twist to launch the camera
app and the approach gesture,
which shows the time when you
wave your hand over the screen.
Others include being able to
place the phone face down to put it
in silent mode, and to stop ringing
when you pick it up (it switches to
vibrate rather than declining or
accepting a phone call). Theres
also a gesture to swipe up from
the bottom of the screen to make
the image smaller so its usable
with one hand. You can find details
of all the different gestures in the
app itself, which is also where you
can switch features on such as voice
commands and a hands-free mode
that reads out text messages.
Verdict
The Moto Mods accessories are the
main reason to buy the Moto Z Play,
but its a decent mid-range phone
regardless. For an affordable price
Lenovo offers premium design, good
specs and a well-rounded software
experience. You only really need to
splash out on the Moto Z for the
Quad HD screen, Snapdragon 820
and OIS camera should you feel the
need for those features, though its
missing a headphone jack and has
a smaller battery. J Chris Martin
23/11/2016 15:06

475 inc VAT BlackBerry DTEK60
Contact
uk.blackberry.com DTEK50, its second Android
Specifications
5.5in (2560x1440, 534ppi)
AMOLED touchscreen;
Android Marshmallow 6.0;
Qualcomm Snapdragon
820 quad-core processor;
Adreno 530 graphics; 4GB
RAM; 32GB storage; 21Mp
main camera, dual-LED
flash, support for 4K
videos at 30fps; 8Mp
front-facing camera;
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac dual band
Wi-Fi; Bluetooth 4.2; 4G
LTE; Nano-SIM; GPS; NFC;
3000mAh non-removable
battery; 153.9x75.4x7mm;
165g
Build:
Features:
Value:
Performance:
033_035 BlackBerry DTEK60 259.indd 33
SMARTPHONE
When BlackBerry released the
smartphone, in August 2016, it called
it the worlds most secure Android
smartphone. What, then, does
that make this, the higher-specified
DTEK60, the firms most premium
smartphone to date? Pretty darn
secure, as it happens. This handset
is that and a surprising amount
more, and proof that the company
now outsourcing its hardware design
isnt all that bad. This is a flagship
smartphone aimed, as ever, at the
enterprise and business, but one
we can recommend to you as a
consumer also.
Design
We should all accept this is a
smartphone from BlackBerry Mk 2.
While it still sells three smartphones
with physical keyboards at the
time of writing, the company is
now moving to become better
positioned in the Android market
and away from its roots. This move
started with the Priv, moved into
full touchscreen with the DTEK50
and now arrives at this, the slick,
business-like DTEK60.
While BlackBerry might struggle
with product names these days, the
DTEK60 is an attractively designed
smartphone. Because the firm has
handed over design to its partner
TCL, the phone bears an incredibly
close resemblance to both the
Alcatel Idol 4s and the Vodafone
Smart Platinum 7. (The Chinese
company also produces these
phones.) Its futile to be annoyed by
this; its a solid, slim and uniform
smartphone design that will appeal
to many in its own understated way,
with the familiar silver BlackBerry
logo sitting beneath the hard
see-through plastic back. Plastic it
may be, but premium it remains.
The phone is an ideal weight
for an oft-unwieldy 5.5in screen
size of smartphone, at 165g (for
comparison, thats 18g heavier than
an iPhone 6s). The screen has thin
bezels on the left and right sides,
It represents BlackBerry aspiring to produce a
product that is as premium as its classic phones
of old, while embracing a full touch, Android OS
but the slightly protruding silver
edges of the device mean it isnt
hard to hold. The left edge has the
power/lock button just above the
SIM and microSD card tray, while
the right side has the volume rocker
and BlackBerrys convenience key,
which we will discuss later.
Although not too large a phone
to hold at 153.9x75.4x7mm, what
makes it slippery is the shiny back.
It feels like glass but is actually a
hardened plastic, and we dropped
the device once thanks to this,
scratching it somewhat. Youll
probably want a case.
The silver edging on the DTEK60
is attractive, broken only on the
top for the headphone jack and the
USB-C port and mic on the bottom.
Also at the top and bottom are
the excellently subtle front-facing
speakers that also allow sound
out from the back, stopping the
chassis rattling at louder volumes.
The camera bump on the rear
protrudes just above a circular
fingerprint sensor.
This means the phone is a
pleasing step up in build quality
February 2017 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/reviews 33
Reviews
compared to the plastic and rubber
of the DTEK50. It represents
BlackBerry aspiring to produce
a product that is as premium as
its classic phones of old, while
embracing a full touch, Android
operating system. Where the
DTEK50 felt like an Android
pretending to be a BlackBerry, the
DTEK60s high-end materials remind
us of the glory days of the Bold and
the Curve, while simultaneously
being unmistakably Android.
Hardware
Processor, memory and storage
The DTEK60 improves on the
DTEK50 in specifications as
well as looks. It has Qualcomms
Snapdragon 820 quad-core
processor, the same one found in
the US version of the Samsung
Galaxy S7 edge and the OnePlus
3. It pairs that with 4GB RAM and
an Adreno 30 GPU. It runs very
smoothly, but is a touch slower
than those two phones.
Frustratingly, despite our best
efforts, we could not run our
usual Geekbench and GFXBench
benchmark tests on the handset,
presented as we were with error
messages after many attempts.
We can, however, confidently say
that while this is a flagship phone
with excellent performance, it isnt
as zippy in every day use when
22/11/2016 17:42

Reviews
Photo taken with the
21Mp rear camera
compared to the S7 edge, OnePlus
3 or iPhone 7. Sometimes with many
apps open, the transitions slow
down slightly between screens and
app load times are longer. Its not a
major problem, but it is noticeable.
On-board storage is set at
32GB, though the microSD card
slot allows up to 256GB. This can
be done relatively cheaply with the
best microSD cards on the market.
With that boost itll be more than
enough to carry around your entire
music collection on the integrated
Google Play Music or another
service such as Spotify.
We welcome an
Android BlackBerry with
high-end specs; it feels
long overdue in this
form factor, although the
Privs Snapdragon 808
processor when it was
released in November 2015
was acceptably high end.
Its enough to satisfy the
BlackBerry users among us
who were resistant to the
transition to an all-touch
handset (we do love a
good physical keyboard).
Display
The screen is a 5.5in
scratch and smudge
resistant quad HD AMOLED
display. The smudge
resistant part is actually
accurate too; although
this is a slippy phone, we
34 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/reviews February 2017
033_035 BlackBerry DTEK60 259.indd 34
DVDRW. J Andrew Williams
werent too put off by inevitable
fingerprints when compared to
other glass phones but youll still
notice them from time to time.
The pixel density of the 2560x1440
resolution display is 534ppi.
In real-world terms, it looks
really good and only the pickiest of
techies will have any complaints.
As it is AMOLED, black colours
display very nicely and actually use
less battery power. Colours dont
stand out as vividly as on handsets
such as the OnePlus 3 (which also
has an AMOLED display), but the
DTEK60 reproduces on-screen
colours more accurately in this way.
When we first started using
the phone we felt like the screen
was almost too sensitive. Often we
would scroll through the app tray
and accidentally select an app.
Oddly, this didnt happen much
after the first two days and we
had no complaints.
Fingerprint scanner
This is the first ever BlackBerry
handset to feature a fingerprint
scanner, which is welcome given
it has been three years since the
iPhone 5s popularised the feature.
Its on the back of the phone below
the camera, where BlackBerry
claims (as do other manufacturers)
that your finger naturally falls when
you pick up the device. This isnt
entirely accurate and its down to
personal preference, but we still
think having the sensor on the
bottom front of the phone is more
convenient. You might want to give
it a go in store before you buy, but
we found it to be accurate, unlocking
first time most of the time. It is also
important for the secure minded
DTEK60 to have added this extra
layer of security to the hardware.
Like the recent DTEK50, theres
a so-called convenience key on the
right edge of the phone that you
can assign one specific task to, for
example, open a new text message
or the camera app. We still think its
a tad odd to have such a feature
given all of the options are a tap
away, but you might find a use for it.
Battery
BlackBerry claims youll get 24 hours
of mixed use from the 3000mAh
non-removable battery. We can
confidently say that this is an
overestimate. What is welcome here
is Quick Charge 3.0 fast charging
with the included wall charger, a
happy side effect of the USB-C
port. It can charge the DTEK60 in
just over an hour from very low
battery and is very convenient.
We used the phone constantly
one day after taking it off charge
at 12pm, using the camera, Google
Maps, Trip Advisor and other GPS
based apps while on holiday in
Poland. The battery was dead
by 1am, so it gave us a good 13
hours under heavy use. This will
be adequate for most during a
full working day, but obviously it is
well below the claimed 24 hours.
Cameras
The rear camera of the DTEK60
boasts a 21Mp autofocus lens with
f.2/0 aperture and a dual-LED flash.
It can also record video at many
different levels including 4K at
up to 30fps. We used the camera
extensively in Poland with some
pleasing results (see above). Images
are sharp and the lens copes well
in low light, though the images
produced from the Samsung Galaxy
S7 are still best in class.
The front-facing camera is a
modest 8Mp, but its good to see an
LED flash for those selfie-inclined,
or if you want to shoot a Blair Witch
Project-style monologue.
Software
Its not always the case that we
have to concentrate so much on the
software section of a review, but
22/11/2016 17:42

this is an exception. The DTEK60
ships with Android Marshmallow
6.0, with no clear indication as to if
and when the update to Nougat 7.0
will be available. The decision here
to provide a basically stock version
of Android is welcome to us; unless
you prefer the skins of the Samsung
Galaxy or Sony Xperia series, we
think youll enjoy it too. Much like
the HTC 10 before it, the DTEK60
eschews its own photo gallery
for Google Photos, and Google
software is front and centre, from
Gmail to the prompt to open Google
Play Music when you plug in your
headphones (you get in-ear phones
included in the box).
There are small differences to
the Android experience but they
are changeable. For example, we
found the text displayed to be small
compared to other devices, but you
can make it bigger (up to Huge in
fact), and the recent apps by default
display in a confusing mosaic, but
you can put it to the regular Rolodex
mode in Settings.
What we also like is the inclusion
of BlackBerry Hub, an app carried
over to this Android version from
BlackBerrys BB10 OS. It groups all
your notifications in one place and is
a portal to all those apps. Its great
to help you blast through email
or different social posts, but we
like the little touches like pinching
the exhaustive list of notifications
to just display the unread ones.
Little tweaks like this help you get
stuff done and are echoes of the
productivity-minded BlackBerry
handsets of the past 15 years.
Indeed, theres even an optional
productivity tab, an (if on) ever-
present thin grey tab on the right
of the screen. Swipe it to the left,
and it gives you your calendar,
messages, tasks and contacts. Its
really useful, but we kept forgetting
it was there. Another issue is that on
certain web pages it covers text that
reaches the edge of the page if this
happens though, you can change
the transparency of the slim bar.
Its little touches like this that show
BlackBerry has thought long and
hard about both the consumer and
the business user, and the balance
it manages to strike is spot on.
The BlackBerry Intelligent
Keyboard is also part of the
software, with various intelligent
gestures to select predictive text,
delete words, and more. However,
033_035 BlackBerry DTEK60 259.indd 35
The DTEK60 copes well
with shots taken in low light
this is a port of the touch-sensitive
physical keyboard of the BlackBerry
Passport, and it simply works better
on that phone. We prefer the also
preinstalled Google Keyboard.
Where the DTEK60 tries to
differentiate itself is in the security
of the device. Pleasingly, there is
little for the user to do to implement
these features. The Android software
here has access to quicker security
patching, with BlackBerry promising
the latest security updates to your
phone before anyone else, and at
increased regularity. We received
an update while using the phone,
so this claim seems legitimate.
Its aimed more at the
enterprise user, but BlackBerry
also impressively offers securer
options for file sharing (WatchDox),
email and collaboration (Good
Work) and VPN access on top of its
encrypted BlackBerry Messenger
(BBM) service. BBM is a consumer
service and the others are available
to download individually, but their
full power and use is intended for IT
managers who wish to supply their
employees with (BlackBerry hopes)
a fleet of DTEK60s.
But, whether a consumer or
a business user, your DTEK60
establishes a hardware root of
trust the first time you boot it up.
This automatically adds security
keys to the processor of your
device that then track and verify
its use to better encrypt your data.
Reviews
BlackBerry doesnt explain exactly
how this happens in its marketing
materials, but as a consumer this
is undoubtedly the most secure
Android phone you can get.
The DTEK name is present in its
own app as well, and is the most
accessible way to take a broad
view of your devices security. You
get to see a gauge of how secure
your phone is, and the app prompts
you on how to improve it, from
adding a fingerprint unlock to
editing the permissions of certain
third party apps. Its a bit fiddly
at times and the learning curve
could be steep, depending on your
existing knowledge, but if security
is important to you its one of the
best apps out there.
Verdict
For the first time in a while, this is
a BlackBerry we can recommend to
the individual consumer. It is also a
business device, but the flexibility
of Android means it is versatile
enough to be moulded to the needs
of both. It marries the Android OS
with robust, easy to use security
features and slick design, all for
under 500. It doesnt have the
brand clout of an iPhone or the
curved edges of a Samsung Galaxy,
but with its admittedly straight-faced
take on the modern smartphone
BlackBerry has just just turned
a corner. This is an excellent
device. J Henry Burrell
February 2017 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/reviews 35
22/11/2016 17:42

Reviews
284 inc VAT Asus ZenFone 3
Contact
n asus.com/uk
Specifications
5.5in full-HD (1920x1080,
401ppi) Super IPS+ display;
Android 6.0 Marshmallow
with Asus Zen UI; 2GHz
Qualcomm Snapdragon
625 octa-core processor;
Adreno 506 graphics; 4GB
LPDDR3 RAM; 64GB storage
with microSD support up
to 2TB; dual-SIM dual-
standby; 4G FDD-LTE
850/900/1800/1900/
2100/2600MHz;
802.11a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi;
Bluetooth 4.2; GPS, A-GPS,
GLONASS; OTG; 16Mp Sony
IMX298 rear camera with
tri-LED flash, f/2.0
aperture, OIS (stills), EIS
(video), TriTech AF, 4K
video; 8Mp front camera;
fingerprint scanner; USB-C;
3000mAh non-removable
lithium-polymer battery;
152.59x77.38x7.69mm; 155g
Build:
Features:
Value:
Performance:
36 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/reviews February 2017
036_038 Asus ZenFone 3 259.indd 36
DVDRW. J Andrew Williams
SmaRTphone
The new ZenFone 3 family from asus
has a number of members, with this
standard version sitting beside the
ZenFone 3 max, Laser, Ultra and
Deluxe. Its available with a 5.2- or
5.5in screen, 3- or 4GB of Ram and
a 2650- or 3000mah battery. We
tested the Ze552KL model with a
5.5in screen, 4GB of Ram, 64GB of
storage and a 3000mah battery.
It costs 284.05 ($361.69) from
GearBest at the time of writing.
While thats quite a bit more
than the ZenFone 2, asus now
has its eye on a different market.
and at this price the ZenFone 3
undercuts its similarly Snapdragon
625-powered rivals, the 429
(384.50) huawei nova plus
and the 369 moto Z play (see
page 30). It does so without
compromising on spec, making it
a great-value alternative to either
of those phones.
Do keep in mind, though, that
if you buy the ZenFone 3 through It could have been sitting there days, The rear camera is one of the key
GearBest you may need to pay and with no obvious nudges to the selling points of the ZenFone 3, up
import duty upon its arrival to the table it surprised us every time. This from 13mp in the ZenFone 2 to 16mp
UK (though it will still be cheaper asus very much has a life of its own, here and accompanied by a tri-LeD
than the nova plus and moto Z play). though fortunately it doesnt appear flash. The front camera has also
You should note that the Chinese to consume much battery life in received an upgrade from 5- to 8mp.
version of the asus ZenFone 3 doing whatever its doing standby We like the 5.5in Super IpS+
we have reviewed here does not runtime is very good. display on the front of the ZenFone
support 80mhz 4G, meaning it wont a sandblasted metal trim front 3. Its bright (up to 600 nits) and
offer the faster connectivity on o2s and back adds to the ZenFones clear (with a full-hD resolution of
network and those that piggyback appeal, but while we like the 1920x1080, 401ppi), with rich colours
it, such as giffgaff. We understand coloured edges of the chassis it does and strong viewing angles. a blue-
the phone will be available in the UK look more plastic than metal. light filter is ideal for use at night,
in Q4 2016, however, which means
a solution may soon be available,
though possibly at a higher price.
The ZenFone 3 is comfortable to hold in a single
Design hand, though its taller than wed prefer with
If youre a ZenFone 2 owner you
wont recognise the ZenFone capacitive buttons sitting below the screen
3. asus has flattened out and
added 2.5D glass panels to the Youll notice some obvious while its reassuring to know as we
phones front and rear, resulting changes in the layout of the approach colder weather that the
in a design not overly dissimilar ZenFone. Where previously there display also supports glove touch.
to Samsungs Galaxy line-up and were rear controls is a fast and Weve seen slimmer bezels, but
one that feels very smooth in the responsive fingerprint scanner, while the 77.3 percent screen-to-body
hand. This mirror finish appears the power- and volume buttons ratio could be worse. as it stands,
to radiate light from around the now reside on the right edge. The the ZenFone 3 is comfortable to hold
camera and fingerprint sensor in rear speaker has also been moved in a single hand, though its taller
an eye-catching way, though it also beside a new USB-C port on the than wed prefer with capacitive
makes the ZenFone 3 very slippery phones bottom edge, and though buttons sitting below the screen.
and a magnet for fingerprints. its still a mono model the ZenFone and though we appreciate how
We found that on several 3 now benefits from 192khz/24-bit their permanent labelling makes
occasions having left it sitting on hi-res audio, a five-magnet speaker the phone easier to operate while
top of its box the phone would construction, metal voice coil youre getting used to it, they do
slide off and thud on to our desk and an expansive sound chamber detract from the overall design
(thank heavens for Gorilla Glass 3). powered by Smart amp. when the display is on standby.
23/11/2016 15:11
 Reviews

Moto Mods standby. Depending on your usage Geekbench 4

On the whole, the ZenFone 3 is a you will get somewhere between
good-looking phone, but many of the a day or two of runtime. We also
changes come under the hood. And like the fact the battery supports
heres where it really impresses at accelerated charging over USB-C,
this price point. which allows the Asus to charge
Asus has upgraded the ZenFone from zero- to 100 percent in an
2s Intel Atom Z3580 processor hour and a half. It also claims a GFXBench Manhattan
and PowerVR 6430 graphics to the five-minute charge will net you an
Snapdragon 625 processor and additional two hours of talk time.
Adreno 506 graphics used by the
more expensive Huawei Nova Plus Connectivity
and Moto Z Play. We havent been The ZenFone 3 will appeal to UK
able to properly benchmark the users for its aforementioned dual-
Moto Z Play, though as you can see SIM functionality, though we must GFXBench T-Rex
in our graphs, the Asus trumped make it clear that this particular
the Huawei in our performance version of the ZenFone 3 (the one
benchmarks. The extra gig of RAM sold via GearBest) will not support
could be a factor here, since the 4G on O2 or giffgaff because it
model we reviewed came with 4GB doesnt support the 800MHz band.
of LPDDR3 RAM. For all other UK users this dual-
This might be a mid-range phone, SIM functionality can be extremely JetStream
but performance is very decent. The useful if you have both personal
ZenFone 3 is sufficiently capable for and business mobile contracts but
most daily tasks, and should satisfy would rather carry just the one
all but the most demanding of users. phone, or if you are going abroad
The only thing that slows down use and would like to use a local SIM to
of the Asus is the sheer amount of reduce costs. The ZenFone 3 is a
bloatware you must wade through dual-standby model, and we explain not a worry for now, though it may
to find your way around. exactly what that means in our be a feature you wish to use in the
In order to measure general dual-SIM phone buying advice. future. Theres support for the latest
processing performance we use Asus covers most connectivity 802.11ac Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.2, GPS,
Geekbench 4 and AnTuTu, and the bases, though notably lacking is NFC GLONASS and OTG.
ZenFone 3 made light work of both
benchmarks recording 4055 and
62,061 points respectively.
For graphics benchmarking
we turn to GFXBench, and the
Asus 22fps in T-Rex and 10fps
in Manhattan denote a phone
thats quite capable of playable
framerates in most mobile games.
JetStream is our final
benchmark, a measure of web
browsing JavaScript performance,
and the ZenFones 30.6-point result
is in line with the Nova Plus and
other mid-range phones.
Storage is a highlight for the
ZenFone 3, and our review sample
came with 64GB built-in and a
microSD slot that can accept
cards up to 2TB in capacity. Few
users will struggle to manage this
amount of storage, though a down
side is that the Asus uses a hybrid
SIM slot that forces you to choose
between microSD support and
dual-SIM functionality. The fact
you get 100GB free Google Drive
storage for two years goes a long
way to compensate.
In our experience battery life
from the 3000mAh cell is good,
particularly when the phone is on

February 2017 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/reviews 37

036_038 Asus ZenFone 3 259.indd 37 22/11/2016 17:51


Reviews
Auto settings
HDR on
Cameras
The ZenFone 3 is marketed as being
built for photography, and Asus
certainly seems to have put in a
lot of effort on this front. Whereas
previously the ZenFone 2 featured a
13Mp five-element Largan lens rear
camera and an LED flash there is
now a 16Mp six-element Largan lens
with sapphire glass lens protection
and a dual-LED real-tone flash.
38 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/reviews February 2017
036_038 Asus ZenFone 3 259.indd 38
DVDRW. J Andrew Williams
This is what Asus terms a
PixelMaster 3.0 camera. It sports
an f/2.0 aperture, 1.12m pixels,
TriTech (laser-, phase detection- and
In our tests, we found the ZenFone 3 was able
to produce decent results in daylight settings
with good detail and bright, natural colours
continuous) autofocus, four-axis,
four-stop optical image stabilisation,
Deep Trench Isolation (which
prevents light leakage between
pixels), real-time HDR and 4K video
recording at 30fps. You can also
ramp up the resolution to 64Mp
with a Super Resolution feature.
In our tests, we found the
ZenFone 3 was able to produce
decent results in daylight settings
with good detail and bright, natural
colours, but it didnt fare as well in
low-light and edges are a little fuzzy
when zoomed in to full size. You can
see a couple of our test shots left,
both with and without HDR on.
The Asus is also fitted with an
8Mp selfie camera, up from 5Mp
in the ZenFone 2.
Software
The ZenFone 3 runs Android 6.0.1
Marshmallow, but overlaid with
its own ZenUI. Its easy to use but
feels very cluttered, with a lot of
preinstalled bloatware (less than on
the ZenFone 2 admittedly) and not
a lot of free space. Even the drop-
down notification bar is stuffed full
of so many toggles it can be difficult
to quickly find the one you need.
As well as the normal mode of
operation there are easy and kids
modes, and youll find an assortment
of extras crowding the Settings
menu. ZenMotion offers a variety
of customisable touch- and motion
gestures, as well as One Hand Mode,
which shrinks the display to a more
manageable size. There are also
Power management, Memory and
Asus Customised settings menus,
plus Themes, a separate menu for
screenshot settings, and even two
update offerings system updates
and ZenUI updates. Theres just a
lot of stuff going on here.
Verdict
The ZenFone 3 is a good all-round
mid-range phone with decent
performance and some nice
extras under 300, but also a fair
amount of bloatware. Its quite
an update on the ZenFone 2, and
definitely worth considering as an
upgrade. J Marie Brewis
23/11/2016 15:15
FOR EVERYTHING
ANDROID

DIGITAL
EDITION ON
ANDROID
& iOS
tinyurl.com/nk4osoh

Every issue is packed with the latest

reviews, features, tutorials & more.
 DVDRW. J Andrew Williams

Reviews

MulTI-funcTIon devIce

129 inc VAT Ricoh SP 150SUw

Contact Ricoh tends to focus on the business
n ricoh-europe.com market these days, producing high
performance laser printers for office
Specifications use. However, its new SP 150 range
A4 mono multi-function is a little more modest, and is aimed
laser printer with 600dpi at home or small business users who
resolution; 600dpi copier simply need a fast, high-quality laser
and 1200dpi colour printer for monochrome documents.
scanner; 50-sheet
A4 paper tray; Price
350x275x137mm; 7.5kg There are several models in the
range, starting at just 74 for a
single-function uSB printer, but
we reviewed the multifunction SP
150Suw (129), which also includes
scanner and copier features as well
as wireless connectivity. Since its
quite a new model, toner cartridges
arent all that common yet, which
means prices are relatively high
see below for more.
Design
The SP 150Suw makes a good
first impression, despite Ricohs
relative lack of experience in the
consumer market. Its very compact,
measuring just 350mm wide,
275mm deep and 137mm high, so
itll fit easily onto a desk or shelf
Build:
without taking up too much space.
The 50-sheet paper input tray is
Features:
fairly small, but should be fine for
Value: home use or a small office. The
Performance: only minor drawback here is that
it doesnt have an output tray it
simply spits your pages out through
a slot in the front of the printer,
which means that youll still need an
extra bit of desk or shelf space to
stop the paper landing on the floor.
Installation is straightforward, as
the single black toner cartridge is
already in place inside the printer,
and there are drivers supplied on a
disc for Windows, macoS and linux.
Ricoh also includes a handy control
Panel app that provides quick and
easy access to the main settings for
printing, copying and scanning, and
there are apps for Android and ioS
devices available as well.
Performance
Print quality is very good as youd
expect from a laser printer with
its 600dpi resolution producing
smooth, finely detailed text. But
its the speed of the SP 150Suw
that gives it an edge over an
ordinary inkjet printer. In our tests
with a number of Word and Pdf
documents, the SP 150Suw quietly
and quickly turned out 20 pages per
minute (ppm) only slightly below
Ricohs quoted speed of 22ppm.
Thats well beyond the speed of
most inkjet printers in this price
range, so the SP 150Suw will earn
its keep if you regularly need to
print text documents. The printing
and copier functions are black-and-
white only, but the 1200dpi scanner
can scan in colour, so you do have
the option of scanning photos and
other colour documents that you
can email to other people, or edit
on your Pc or Mac.
Running costs
The only snag is Ricohs crazy
pricing for toner. The SP 150Suw
comes with a standard-size toner
cartridge that should last for around
700 pages, and the firm points out
that its cartridges dont require
a separate drum mechanism that
needs to be replaced every few
years (as is the case with some laser
printers). Replacements are priced
at 65.16 for the standard-capacity
toner, or 91.39 for a high-yield
cartridge that provides 1500 pages.
Those prices work out at an
exorbitant 9.3p per page for the
standard cartridge and 6p for the
high-yield cartridge. The good news
is that you can find the cartridges
at lower prices online if you hunt
around about 35 and 50
respectively which brings prices
down to a more affordable 5p and
3.3p, but its only that latter option
with the high-yield cartridges
that makes the running costs low
enough to recommend.
Verdict
The SP 150Suw is a neatly
designed compact multi-function
laser printer that provides very
good performance and quality for
homes or small offices that require
straightforward black and white
printing. The initial purchase price is
certainly competitive for such a fast
printer, but toner is expensive if you
pay Ricohs recommended prices.
fortunately, you can find discounts
on the high-yield cartridges if you
look around online. J Cliff Joseph

The 1200dpi scanner can scan in colour, so you

have the option of scanning photos and other
colour documents that you can email to others
40 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/reviews February 2017

040 Ricoh SP 150SUw 259.indd 40 23/11/2016 10:00


150 inc VAT HP LaserJet Pro MFP M130nw
Contact
n hp.com/uk
Specifications
A4 mono multi-function
laser printer with 600dpi
resolution; 600dpi colour
scanner; 150-sheet A4
paper input tray; 100-sheet
output tray; USB;
Ethernet; Wi-Fi;
383x260x230mm; 7.6kg
Build:
Features:
Value:
Performance:
041 HP LaserJet Pro 259.indd 41
MulTI-funcTIon devIce
HPs laserJet Pro range has
traditionally tended to focus on
the corporate market, offering
high-speed workgroup printers
for larger businesses. However, its
new M130 range represents a slight
change in direction, being aimed at
individuals or small offices with up
to five people sharing the printer.
Price
There are several models in the
line-up, all based around the
same 600x600dpi mono laser
printer. Prices start at 130 for the
entry-level M130a, although that
model provides only simple uSB
connectivity. We preferred the mid-
range M130nw instead, which costs
a still competitive 150 and adds
both Wi-fi and ethernet for wired
connections, as well as AirPrint
support for Apples ioS devices, and
Google Print and HPs own ePrint
for non-Apple devices. If you want to
cover as many options as possible
then theres the top-of-the-range
M130fw, which steps up to 230
and also includes a fax machine,
automatic document feeder and
2.7in touch-screen control panel.
The only real omission here is that
the M130 models all offer manual
duplexing for two-sided printing.
Design
Installation is very straightforward,
as the toner cartridge and separate
DVDRW. J Andrew Williams
drum unit are already inserted into
the printer. The installer program
provided on disc automatically
detects your Wi-fi network and gives
you the option of joining an existing
network, creating a direct Wi-fi
link between the printer and your
computer, or simply opting for wired
uSB or ethernet connections. Its
not the most elegant printer weve
come across, but it is relatively
compact for a multi-function laser
printer, measuring just 398mm wide,
482mm high and 388mm deep. The
150-sheet input tray in the base of
the printer projects another 105mm
out in front of the printer, as does
the 100-sheet output tray just below
the flatbed scanner, but the M130nw
will still fit comfortably on a desk.
Performance
Print quality is extremely good,
producing the smooth, detailed
text that youd expect from a laser
printer. Its fast too, turning out
20 pages per minute (ppm) in our
printing tests almost matching
HPs quoted 22ppm although the
paper feed mechanism can be a
bit noisy when the printer is going
at full tilt. Graphics output is, of
course, limited to mono, but the
600dpi colour scanner will allow
you to import photos and other
colour documents if required, and
theres ocR software provided for
scanning text documents, too.
February 2017 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/reviews 41
Reviews
Running costs
our only minor complaint is that
running costs proved a little
higher than we might have liked.
The M130nw includes a starter
cartridge with enough toner for 700
pages, although HPs replacement
cartridges cost 56.40 with a higher
yield of 1600 pages. That works out
at 3.5p per page, which is at the
high end of average, but not too
bad. However, the M130 printers are
old-school lasers that use a separate
drum mechanism to fuse the toner
powder onto the paper. This costs
another 61.20, although HP says
that the drum should last for around
12,000 pages, but that still adds
another 0.5p per page to the overall
running costs. But, to be fair, the
M130nw is so new that the drum
and toner cartridges arent widely
available from third-party retailers
as yet, so those prices will hopefully
come down a little in the future.
Verdict
The M130nw will be a good option
for any small office that needs a
fast, mono multi-function printer
that you can share. Print quality
and speed are both superior to
comparably-priced inkjet printers,
and the only caveat is that you
should shop around to see if you
can save some money on the
replacement toner and drum
cartridges. J Cliff Joseph
23/11/2016 10:02

Reviews
Dash Cam
129 inc VAT Nextbase 412GW
Contact Nextbases 512G is a great dashcam,
n nextbase.co.uk but the new 412GW has a higher
resolution (2560x1400) and a couple
Specifications of features that make it a better buy.
3in display; 140-degree
wide-angle lens; GPS Design
Logging; 32GB SD card; The 412GW looks a lot like the
4.3 hours recording time; 312GW, and has the same magnetic
109x56x37mm click-and-go mount. It means you
Accessories: car charger; can quickly remove the dash cam
suction mount, adhesive from its mount without having to
mount; mini-USB cable unplug any cables. The magnet is
quite strong, so you have to hold
the mount to prevent the ball joint
moving around as you pull the
camera backwards.
One change is that the buttons
are now touch-sensitive. Despite our
reservations about this, they work
pretty well and LEDs light up when
you touch them to help you know
where to press.
In the box you get two mounts,
one suction cup and one adhesive.
The latter proved the best as it
meant the dash cam could sit higher
on the windscreen, and there were
no worries of this falling off.
You can use the bundled power
cable to attach it to your cars
Build:
accessory socket, but as our Ford
Focus doesnt cut power to this
Features:
when you turn off the ignition, we
Value: installed the Nextbase hardwire
Performance: kit. This costs 14.95 and includes
adaptors to attach directly to the
fuse box in most cars.
as with all Nextbase dash cams,
all the options are preset to optimal
settings, and the time and date are
found automatically via GPs.
You can choose whether you
want video clips to be two-, three- or
five minutes long and you can lower
the resolution if for some reason
you dont want to record at the
highest 2560x1440 pixels. Theres a
parking mode (which wont work if
Daytime image
42 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/reviews February 2017
042_043 Nextbase/Humax 259.indd 42
DVDRW. J Andrew Williams
the camera doesnt have power with
the ignition off), and the expected
file-lock feature which write-protects
a video recording on the microsD
card if theres a significant impact.
No sD card is included, so budget
for a decent quality one. Cards up
to 32GB are supported, which is
enough for four hours of recording
at the top quality.
Performance
We were impressed with the quality
of videos in various conditions.
although it doesnt record video
at 60 frames per second (fps) at
the full 2560x1440, you can lower
the resolution to 1920x1080 where
you can select 60fps. Overall the
412GW captures lots of detail and
you should have no trouble reading
number plates in daylight. The
image is very sharp. But one thing
it doesnt benefit from is the 512Gs
circular polariser, which cuts down
on reflections from the windscreen.
The latest firmware update adds
the ability to change exposure
compensation, so if you find that the
image is too dark or bright, you can
Night-time image
For video
clips, go to
tinyurl.com/h6e8kh9
manually adjust it with this setting.
at night, the hDR mode helps to
retain some shadow detail and
overall, this is one of the better dash
cams for night-time recording.
One area yet to be improved is
downloading videos via Wi-Fi. as
with the 312GW, its painfully slow
to copy even a single clip from
the camera to a smartphone. Its
much more convenient to remove
the camera and connect it to your
laptop or PC to transfer the files.
It is possible to review the
footage on the camera itself using
the 3in screen, and with its small
battery, the 412GW can be removed
and used to take photos outside the
car if you need to record any extra
evidence after a collision.
Verdict
The Nextbase 412GW is an excellent
dash cam thats easy to install and
will capture great-quality video
evidence should you ever need it. It
doesnt have all the frills youll find
on some dash cams, such as speed
camera warnings, but it does its job
well. J Jim Martin
23/11/2016 10:14

SecuRity cameRa
129 inc VAT Humax Eye
Contact the eye is Humaxs first foray
n humaxdigital.com/uk into home security, being best
known for its Freeview and
Specifications Freesat set-top boxes. So it seems
IP Camera Colour; a wise decision that it has teamed
100-degree field of view; up with y-cam for the eye. y-cam
1280x720 resolution; H.264 fans will immediately recognise
(MPEG4); up to 8m night the eye in essence, its a black,
vision; Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/ rebranded version of the firms evo,
n;Bluetooth 4.1; which is no bad thing.
52x52x28mm (camera
only); 52x70x57mm; 96g Price
the Humax eye costs the same as
the y-cam evo at 129. you can buy
cheaper Wi-Fi cameras, but none
are as good as this. and, unlike the
(more expensive) Nest cam, there
are no subscription fees to pay. Once
youve bought the eye, you get free
seven-day rolling cloud storage for
clip recordings. clip is the operative
word here as unlike the Nest cam,
the eye doesnt record continuously.
it only records when motion is
detected, so if it misses something,
then you wont see it either.
Design
the eye is quick to set up on your
iOS or android phone thanks to
Build:
Bluetooth, and the small dimensions
52x52x28mm for the camera only
Features:
means it wont be too noticeable
Value: wherever you place it.
Performance: it requires a power supply, so
youll have to mount it reasonably
close to a socket, although the uSB
power lead is nice and long.
the camera will also needs to be
within Wi-Fi range of your router,
042_043 Nextbase/Humax 259.indd 43
Reviews
and note that it doesnt support
5GHz. thats not likely to be a
problem, though.
this is purely a camera for
indoor monitoring, and while you
can point it out of a window, this
will work only during daylight as
at night the infrared LeDs will
reflect off the glass and prevent
you from seeing anything.
Apps
Rather than design its own app,
Humax relies on y-cams app, so
youll need to download that (or
go to the y-cam Homemonitor
website, y-cam.com) to sign up for a
free account before setting up the
camera. the interesting part is that Both work with the Humax eye app,
you can launch the Humax eye app as well as the y-cam mobile app.
on Humaxs PVR-4000t Freeview the only criticism of the camera
box, or its new H3 media streamer. concerns motion detection. First,
Logging into your y-cam account you can choose only two rectangular
with the on-screen keyboard is areas for motion detection and
fiddly, but you can tick the box to wed still like to see this changed to
stay logged in. the screen (see a Nest-style setup where you can
below) shows a snapshot from draw any shape. Secondly, unlike
each of your cameras, and it isnt some other systems, which can
just the Humax eye thats supported: detect whether its a person, animal
all of y-cams Homemonitor range or vehicle, the eye will notify you of
will show up if you have any. any movement, and all you can do is
at the bottom youll see a to change the sensitivity. this means
timeline and you can select any day youll need to exclude any areas
from the last week to view a list of with leafy bushes or trees which
recordings. you can filter by camera could move around in the wind.
and watch recordings full screen.
Really, there are no advantages Verdict
or disadvantages of opting for the the Humax eye is an excellent
Humax eye over the y-cam evo, home security camera for indoor
unless you want a black camera. monitoring. J Jim Martin
February 2017 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/reviews 43
23/11/2016 10:14

Reviews
349 inc VAT
Contact
n sony.co.uk
Specifications
x86-64 AMD Jaguar
octa-core processor;
4.2TFlops, AMD Radeon
based graphics engine;
8GB RAM GDDR5; 1TB
storage; optical drive; 3x
USB 3.1 Gen.1; Ethernet;
Wi-Fi IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac;
Bluetooth 4.0; HDMI; digital
out; 327x295x55mm; 3.3kg
Build:
Features:
Value:
Performance:
44 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/reviews February 2017
044_045 Sony PlayStation 4 Pro 259.indd 44
Games console
Sony PlayStation 4 Pro
after months of rumours and
gameplay clips from developers,
sonys high-end Ps4 Pro is finally
here. With its enhanced graphics,
native 4K gameplay and support
for the Playstation VR (read our
review on page 46), its noticeably
better than the standard Ps4.
Design
With that improved performance
comes a new design. sony has
stepped away from the angular
shape of the launch model and,
as with the new slimline Ps4,
opted for curved edges that give
the Pro a much more elegant look.
Its 20mm wider than the
original version, measuring in at
327x295x55mm, compared to
305x275x53mm, but isnt much
taller, despite featuring the extra
slice on the Ps4 Pro sandwich.
The Pro is heavier too, weighing in
at a rather hefty 3.3kg.
Its not all about the big changes,
though. as well as overhauling
the overall design, sony has made
a few smaller tweaks. one such
improvement is the use of the
Playstation symbols (square,
circle, cross and Triangle) as feet
on the bottom of the console. The
eject button is a physical button
too, rather than a touch-sensitive
one, negating any accidental
disc ejection issues. While these
arent ground-breaking changes,
they are great examples of
sonys attention to detail when
it designed this console.
Ports
The Pros complement of connectors
is almost identical to that of the
standard Ps4, apart from one extra
UsB 3.0 port on the rear. This should
come in handy for those looking to
buy a Playstation VR headset, which
requires a UsB port to be used.
For audiophiles and home cinema
enthusiasts, the Ps4 Pro has an
optical audio output. note, this
option isnt available on the new
slimline Ps4. The HDmI port has also
been upgraded from HDmI 1.4 to
version 2.0 to allow for a 4K output.
DualShock 4 controller
along with the new Ps4 comes
a new Dualshock 4 controller.
Unlike with the console, however,
DVDRW. J Andrew Williams
its redesign isnt at all dramatic:
in fact, the only difference is the
addition of a mini lightbar along the
top of the touch-sensitive panel.
many Ps4 games use this as a way
of indicating what is happening
in-game. The lights flash blue and
red when a player is chased by
police in Grand Theft auto 5, for
example, while other games use the
red light to signify being wounded
or killed. on the original Ps4
controller, the lightbar faces away
from the controller, so many gamers
missed these prompts. The new
mini lightbar is positioned towards
players, allowing them to see any
change in colour at a glance.
Hardware
The Playstation 4 Pro has the same
amD Jaguar x86-64 octa-core cPU
as the original Ps4, with the Pro
seeing a 30 percent boost in clock
speed, going from 1.6- to 2.1GHz.
However, thats a minor upgrade
when compared to the GPU the
power has been doubled, while the
clock speed has also been upped
from 800- to 911mHz. overall, the
GPU has leapt from 1.84- to 4.2TFlop
when compared to the launch
console. Theres also an additional
1GB of DDR3 Ram that can only be
used by non-gaming apps, allowing
the faster GDDR5 Ram to be used
exclusively for gaming performance.
storage has been increased
too, with 1TB now on offer. Its still,
however, a traditional hard disk drive
and not a solid-state drive, though
its simple to swap it out if you
require the extra speed.
along with 4K output, the Ps4
Pro offers HDR capabilities, but only
for TVs that support it. note, sony
has rolled this out to all models via a
software update, and isnt a feature
specific to this console.
Gameplay
Before we go into any more detail
about the graphical power of the
console, we should point out that
not all of the 700+ Ps4 titles will
be able to take advantage of its
graphical power right away. Its down
to game developers on whether to
add high-quality textures, a higher
resolution or a better framerate, so
until they release an update offering
Pro support, the games will look
exactly same as if they were running
on a standard Ps4. at the time of
writing there are 30 supported
games available, with the list set to
grow to 45 by the end of the year.
Purely in the name of testing,
we spent some time playing the
Pro-supported game call of Duty:
Infinite Warfare, and it looked
stunning. The resolution has been
boosted and textures look much
crisper, especially when viewed on a
4K TV. The difference between the
capabilities of the launch Ps4 and
the Pro is immediately obvious.
The framerate is a lot smoother
on the Pro console, and although
this occasionally dropped, it
23/11/2016 14:11
 Reviews

wasntanywherenearasdramatic
asitisonotherconsoles.Infact,its
notjustobviouswithinthegame
the4Kresolutionstretchestothe
PlayStationhomescreen,providing
crisptextandgameiconsandan
overallcleanerlook.
Notallthesupportedgameshave
beenuppedto4K,though.Other
developershavedecidedtousethe
extrapowerinotherways.Take
InFAMOUS:FirstLight,forexample.
Here,thePS4Proupstherendering
resolutionfrom1080-to1800pand
improvestheanti-aliasing(which
helpssmoothoutjaggededges).The
resultisagamethatlooksmuch
morelifelike,withsmootheredges
andimprovedgraphics.
Somegamesevenofferyoua
choice.RiseoftheTombRaiderisa
goodexampleofthis.Yes,youcan
playin4Kat30fps,butyourealso
abletoplayin1080pat30fpswith
highdetail,orat1080pat60fps.

4K media playback
Gamesarenttheonlyfeature
ofthePS4Protogetsome4K
attention.AppssuchasNetflixand
YouTubealsooffer4Kplayback,
althoughtheformerrequiresamore
expensivesubscriptiontoaccess
its4Kcontent.Unfortunatelyifyou
haveacollectionofBlu-rayUHDs
youwanttowatchyoureoutof
luck.UnlikeMicrosoftsXboxOne
S,Sonyshigh-endconsoledoesnt
featureaBlu-rayUHDplayer.
Thefirmclaimsthisisbecause
itsawatrendinstreamingversus
physicaldiscsales,whichwe
largelyagreewith,thoughitalso
meansthatforthosethatdohave
aBlu-rayUHDcollection,thePS4
Proisnttheperfectdevice.
PlayStation VR
InadditiontoimprovingPS4games,
theProalsoenhancesPlayStation
VRtitles.Whiletheresolutioncant
beuppedasitcanwithstandard
PS4games,developerscanprovide
highertextures,betterlightingand
more,tomakePSVRexperiences
moreimmersive.
WevetestedaPlayStationVR
thatsbeenpoweredbyaPS4Pro
andwereimpressedwiththeresults:
edgeslookedlessjagged,textwas
clearerandeverythingappeareda
littlemorereal.Sorealinfact,that
atonepointduringaVRexperience
weleantonavirtualtableand
almostfelloffourchair.
However,muchlikewiththerest
ofthe700+PS4titles,PSVRgames
arentautomaticallyenhanced.
DevelopersmustofferProsupport
beforethegraphicsareimproved.
Atthetimeofwritingthatsonly
ahandfulofgames,butyou
candefinitelytellthedifference
betweentheonesthatfeature
it,andthosethatdont.
Verdict
PCgaminghasalwaysbeen
consideredthetopoptionforthose
lookingforthebestgameplay
experiencepossible(seeour
round-upofthebest
gamingPCsonpage52),
andthatremainstrue.
Butforthecostofa
mid-rangegamingPC,
yougethigh-qualitytextures,
4Koutputandagenerallyhigh-
endgamingexperience.Whilethe
rosterofPro-supportedPS4games
The above
isnthugeatthemoment,thelist
screens are
isgrowingandthepotentialthat from Call of Duty:
thenewconsoleoffersdevelopers Infinite Warfare
ishardtosaynoto.Whilethe4K
outputistheheadlinefeatureofthe
console,thosewithregularHDTVs
alsoseethebenefitsin-game,and
itsasimilarstorywithPlayStation
VRusers.Forus,thePS4Proisa
winner,andishands-downthebest
consoleyoucancurrentlygetyour
handsonevenwithoutaBlu-ray
UHDplayer.JLewis Painter

February 2017 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/reviews 45

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Reviews
349 inc VAT Sony PlayStation 4 VR
Contact
sony.co.uk
Specifications
5.7in 1080p OLED display;
960x1080 per eye;
100-degree field of view;
18ms response time; 120Hz
refresh rate; Tracks
movement via PlayStation
Camera; DualShock 4
controller; PlayStation
Move controller
compatible;
277x187x185mm; 610g
Build:
Features:
Value:
Performance:
46 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/reviews February 2017
046_047 Sony PlayStation VR 259.indd 46
VR HEADSET
Sonys PlayStation VR headset
has been a talking point ever
since it was first revealed in 2014,
offering the ability to provide a
great VR experience without the
need for a high-end PC. Designed
to be compatible with the firms
PlayStation 4 console, its set to add
a whole new dimension to gaming.
Design
The livery is white with black
accents, and there are blue lights
that track the headset in conjunction
with built-in sensors. Its bulky, so
before trying on the device for the
first time, we assumed it would be
heavy. We were, however, mistaken.
Its not as sleek and sexy as
the 549 Oculus Rift, for example,
but its light and comfortable to
wear. After spending a pleasant
afternoon using the device, we didnt
experience any irritation around
the edges of the headset where it
came into contact with our skin.
The PlayStation VR feels solid
to wear and lets you adjust the
distance between the display
and the headband. This means
the headset wont be fastened
too tightly to your face, helping
to alleviate sweatiness and skin
irritation over time two common
issues in VR. It may not seem like
a huge point to make, but it shows
that Sony has considered every
element of use when designing its
headset. It also means that those
who wear glasses can comfortably
use the device.
Its worth pointing out that when
we first tried on the headset, it took
us around five minutes to properly
align the headband and display.
However, after a few sessions we
DVDRW. J Andrew Williams
soon got the knack of it and were
ready to go in next to no time.
Light leakage isnt an issue
either, as the headset has several
soft rubber flaps around the edges
that mould to the shape of your
face when wearing the headset. This
ingenious design feature stops light
shining into the headset without
making it uncomfortable to wear.
Like many other VR headsets
on the market, the PlayStation
VR is wired and must be plugged
into a PlayStation 4. We found
the cable long enough for us to
sit comfortably far away from the
console, and as many games have
been designed to be played sitting
down, its not an issue.
The cable has headset controls,
much like the in-line media controls
found on many smartphone
headphones, offering a headphone
jack for your headphones along with
volume controls and a power button.
Hardware
The PlayStation VR offers some
pretty impressive specs for a 349
headset. It has a 5.7in 1920x1080
full-HD OLED display, equating to
1080x960 per eye. While its not
as high as the 689 HTC Vives
2160x1200 (1080x1200 per eye)
resolution, it still provides an
immersive VR experience.
The display is coupled with a
100-degree field of view and an
18ms response time provides users
with an experience indistinguishable
from real life. Sonys virtual reality
headset also has a 120Hz refresh
rate, which means it has the
potential to render games at 120fps.
A common problem among
VR headsets is whats called the
PlayStation 4 VR headset
with a PS4 camera and
two Move batons
screen-door effect. This refers to
the gap between individual pixels
that appear when looking closely
at a display. The gaps cause an
effect that looks like the mesh
used in screen doors, and can
hinder the ability to read text,
among other things, in VR.
When using the PlayStation VR,
the screen-door effect was hardly
noticeable even when trying to
focus on the individual pixels on
the display, it was hard to pick them
out. This is due to Sony using an
RGB display that offers three RGB
subpixels per pixel, rather than the
Vive and Rift, which make do with
two subpixels. It may not seem like
much, but it enhanced our overall
experience of the VR headset.
Our PlayStation 4 games
console was able to track movement
thanks to the headsets built-in
accelerometers and LED side lights.
These were detected by a PS4
camera (39), which Sony claims
tracks the headset up to 1,000
times per second, though this is
only when it can see you.
The design of the headset allows
users to turn their heads 360
degrees in-game, allowing gamers
to look behind them when inevitably
being chased by a weapon-wielding
enemy. This is thanks to sensors
on the back of the headset, which
let the system know when youre
looking behind you.
Along with the PlayStation VR
headset, gamers can buy Move
batons (60 for a pack of two).
These are repurposed versions
of those available for the PS3.
Their tracking isnt 1:1 though,
which causes the controllers to
occasionally jump around in-game
23/11/2016 14:29

when the camera loses tracking.
Due to the PlayStation Cameras
relatively narrow field of view, its
possible that certain elements
within the VR experience will be
beyond your reach. This happened
to us while playing London
Heist we tried to reach for a
drawer, but the light at the end
of the baton was just outside the
cameras field of view and as such,
couldnt be tracked. This meant
that no matter how hard we tried,
we couldnt open the drawer.
While the Move batons can
sometimes be a little fiddly and
awkward to use, we still feel they are
an integral part of the PlayStation
VR experience. Yes, using a
DualShock 4 controller to interact
with the virtual world is okay, but
its not as immersive as reaching
out and interacting with the virtual
environment, even if the hands do
jitter around every now and again.
Performance
Weve spent more time than we care
to admit playing a variety of games
on PlayStation VR. However, before
examining its performance well take
a look at the differences between
the PS4 and the PS4 Pro.
Sonys standard console provides
users with a decent VR experience.
During testing, the textures
were detailed enough for it to be
believable, the framerate didnt
drop beneath 60fps and we didnt
encounter any visible lag or screen
tearing. Thats impressive when you
consider its powered by a console
that was first released in 2013. Yes,
046_047 Sony PlayStation VR 259.indd 47
the 3D models are occasionally
pixellated and when inspecting the
environment up-close you may find
it isnt as clearly defined as you
thought, but its still a decent option.
However, when we ran a PS4
Pro-supported VR game such
as PlayStation Worlds (of which
London Heist is a mini game) on
Sonys supercharged console, the
headset comes into its own. As
its resolution cant be increased,
developers can put the extra
graphical power into higher quality
textures, better lighting and other
features that make the experience
more immersive. The difference
between the two consoles is
immediately noticeable; models
are rarely pixellated, textures
look real enough to touch and the
experience is much more enjoyable.
Its amazing to see the little
details produced by the PS4 Pros
extra power. Of course, the quality
varies from game to game, but
the potential for amazing VR
experiences is possible. When
you consider that the HTC Vive
costs the same as the PlayStation
VR headset and PlayStation 4
Pro console combined, Sony has
achieved something remarkable.
While we played a variety of
PlayStation VR games, including
Farpoint, Robinson: The Journey
and Battlezone, heres our favourite.
The London Heist
The London Heist is a mini-
game and part of PlayStation
VR Worlds. At one point in the
experience, we found ourselves
Reviews
London Heist
in the passenger seat of a white
transit van next to an East London
gangster, complete with a bald
head and thick cockney accent. We
were being chased by a Russian
gang on bikes and in cars, and it
was up to this reviewer to stop
the pursuit. The gangster slid a
gun across the dashboard, which
we reached out and grabbed, and
opened fire on our pursuers.
One area of The London Heist
that added to the experience was
having to manually reload weapons.
As we had full control of both of
our virtual hands, it was up to us to
reload the gun when it ran out of
bullets by reaching out, grabbing
an ammo clip from the bag next to
us and shoving it into the bottom
of the gun.
As exploding cars flipped around
us and bodies went flying, we
completely forgot that we were
at home in our living room. As far
as we were concerned, we were a
gun-toting East London gangster
shooting up a rival gang on an
empty motorway and it was great.
Verdict
The world that PlayStation VR is
going to open for gamers around
the world is exciting, and is much
more affordable than the high-end
VR headsets without trading in on
the experience. Were confident
that gamers will enjoy what Sony
is offering, and with so many
developers actively developing
for the platform, it looks to be
a solid contender in the VR
popularity race. J Lewis Painter
February 2017 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/reviews 47
23/11/2016 15:23

Reviews
GAMES CONSOLE
49 inc VAT Nintendo Classic Mini Edition
Contact
nintendo.co.uk
Specifications
Nintendo Classic Mini
console (with 30 games
preinstalled); one NES
controller; HDMI lead;
USB power cable; 173g
There are still
a few months until
the Nintendo Switch hits the
shops, but the firm is filling the gap
with this tiny grey box packed full
of nostalgia, the NES Classic.
Price
The low price is one of the best
Build:
things about it. At just 49, its
cheaper than any of Nintendos
Features:
handheld DS consoles. The cost
Value: includes one controller, though
Performance: youll probably want to spend an
additional 7.99 on another.
Design
We knew the NES Classic was small,
but it was still a shock getting it out
of the box. This pint-sized plastic
box is so tiny it fits in the palm of
your hand (see opposite image),
so dont worry if you thought you
didnt have space for another
console in the lounge.
The design is simplistic and
for the most part stays true to
the original console. Theres no
cartridge slot for games though,
48 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/reviews February 2017
048_049 Nintendo NES Classic Mini 259.indd 48
DVDRW. J Andrew Williams
and the lid doesnt lift up. On the
front youll find two small buttons
power and reset plus slots for the
controllers. On the back theres a
Micro-USB socket and an HDMI port.
Although its diminuitive size
means it can be located anywhere,
its weight of just 173g means that it
might not sit properly. During testing
we found that the cable attached to
the controller occasionally knocked
it out of place.
The controllers are true to
the original design, with their
rectangular shape and four buttons.
There is, however, a huge problem
here and its this consoles biggest
flaw. The wire that attaches the
controller to the NES Classic is
just 75cm long, so youll need to
either sit really close to the TV or
position the console on a coffee
table, which may require longer
power and HDMI leads. Whoever
thought cables this length was a
good idea was very wrong.
Performance
Setting up the NES Classic Mini is
easy. This is one console that wont
ever need to download updates
before you can get going. Just plug
the HDMI cable into your television,
connect the power and youre
good to go. As mentioned earlier,
it uses a Micro-USB port and while
a cable is supplied in the box, an
adaptor isnt. Most modern TVs
will, however, have a USB port that
can power the console.
Once youre plugged in, press
the power button and select the
language. Youll then be hit with a
wave of gaming nostalgia.
The menu is laid out in an easy-
to-use manner, although there are
some complications when it comes
to saving games, which well come
to shortly. The menu lets you adjust
settings such as the display format
and its all very retro with attention
to detail. Its a shame, then, that
there isnt a manual. Instead a
QR code is displayed, which youll
need to scan to find online.
In the middle of the screen
youll see a horizontal list of games.
These can be ordered alphabetically
or by release date.
Before you start gaming, youll
need to select your display format.
There are three to choose from:
Pixel Perfect: Gives you square
pixels so you see the games as
designed.
4:3: Original NES look, but with a
horizontal stretch.
23/11/2016 14:40
 Reviews

CRT: Adds a filter which looks like

an old TV, scan lines and all.

Launching a game is almost

instantaneous and we didnt notice
any lag while playing or using the
console in general. The hardest part
is selecting which game to play in
the first place. When there are 30
classic titles to choose from, it can
get pretty hard. For some, most if
not all the games will be familiar,
while there will be plenty that others
wont have played or even heard
of. Obvious options are the Mario
games, of which there are four,
Balloon Fight, Pac-Man, Excitebike,
Donkey Kong, Kirbys Adventure, The
Legend of Zelda and Final Fantasy.
Whether the selection of games
suits your taste, we cant say but
we think its a pretty good list.
There arent many two-
player offerings and those that
are available often require you
to take turns rather than play
simultaneously. That said, its really dont want to lose by pressing StarTropics
Just some of the
worth the small cost of a second down), but its pretty long-winded, Super C games you can play
controller for when you do have a which can be annoying when you Super Mario Bros. on the Classic Mini
friend round, plus it works on the feel the need to save often. It Super Mario Bros. 2
Wii or Wii U for the virtual console involves hitting Restart, then Down, Super Mario Bros. 3
by connecting it to a Wii Remote. then either A (to save) or Down Tecmo Bowl
However, before you rush out and again, then A again like some kind The Legend of Zelda
buy one, youll be pleased to hear of complicated hack. Zelda II: The Adventure of Link
that you can use an old Classic
Controller or Classic Controller Pro. Available games Verdict
The beauty of the NES Classic Balloon Fight Although the NES Classic has some
rests in the reset button on the Bubble Bobble flaws namely the ridiculously
front. Gone are the days when you Castlevania short controller cable we cant
had to leave the console switched on Castlevania II: Simons Quest help but recommend getting one
and pray no one turned it off so you Donkey Kong if you can find it in stock. This
could complete a game. You can hit Donkey Kong Jr. little bundle of joy is insanely
the reset button any time you Double Dragon II: The Revenge good value for those who want to
like and youll get an instant save Dr. Mario relive days gone past or play these
point. Some games need it more Excitebike classic games for the first time
than others and for some youll Final Fantasy with the modern benefit of save
be using it a lot. Galaga points. J Chris Martin
Youll need to spend a bit of time Ghosts n Goblins
learning how to use the system, Gradius
though. Whenever you hit the Ice Climber
button, the menu will appear and Kid Icarus
youll see a tiny window showing Kirbys Adventure
where you are in the game. That Mario Bros.
doesnt save the game, though Mega Man 2
youll need to move it into one of Metroid
the four slots below. Ninja Gaiden
Its fine once you get used to it Pac-Man
(and make sure you lock ones you Punch-Out!! Featuring Mr. Dream

The hardest part is selecting which game to

play in the first place. When there are 30 classic
titles to choose from, it can get pretty hard
February 2017 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/reviews 49

048_049 Nintendo NES Classic Mini 259.indd 49 23/11/2016 14:40


Reviews
Game
32 inc VAT Pokmon Sun and Pokmon Moon
Contact
n nintendo.co.uk
System requirements
2DS; 3DS; 3DS XL
Pokmon is one of very few brands
whose fan base spreads across
generations. Yes, its aimed mainly
at children, but its also for those
who grew up playing the likes of
Pokmon Red, Blue or Yellow. This
means that developers Game Freak
had a huge challenge on their
Build:
hands, making a game that appeals
to fans both young and old. Sun and
Features:
moon are the latest additions to the
Value: franchise: two separate games with
Performance: different Pokmon to catch.
Island Trials
Gone are the days of sluggish, slow
gameplay with extended periods
wandering around in long grass
battling Caterpies. Within the first
hour of playing Sun and moon,
youre introduced to a multitude of
Pokmon and, depending on your
skill, you may have conquered your
first Island Trial. The change in pace
keeps players engaged, and the
constant introduction of activities
and side quests means theres lots
to do in alola, even once the main
story of travelling around capturing
Pokmon has been completed.
Island Trials are new to the
alolan world of Pokmon Sun and
moon, and replace the hugely
popular Gym mechanic of past
Pokmon games. In alola, you must
take on the trial captains dotted
across the islands, each with their
own trials. These usually involve
a myriad of Pokmon battles, but
can also involve observation and
50 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/reviews February 2017
050_051 Pokmon Sun & Moon 259.indd 50
DVDRW. J Andrew Williams
recognition skills. Think of the Island
Trials as being like the puzzle at the
entrance of gyms in older Pokmon
games, but much more intricate
and well-developed. each one tests
a different skill, and may also tie in
with the type of Pokmon that the
trial captain prefers.
However, unlike with traditional
gyms, its not the trial captain that
you battle. Once youve passed the
trial, you must then take on the
Totem Pokmon, which are much
stronger than average Pokmon
and are blanketed in an aura that
gives them an edge in battle
they can have heightened defence,
attack and more, but the specific
characteristics depend on the
creature youre battling.
a new feature is the ability for
wild Pokmon to call for backup,
or an ally to help. While this can
happen in standard wild battles, you
can bet your Rare Candy that itll
happen in every Totem battle, which
poses an extra threat. When an ally
appears, the battle becomes two
versus one, making the challenge
greater, and much more rewarding
when you defeat your enemies.
Your reward will take the form
of Z-Crystals, which help Pokmon
of a specific type unleash powerful
attacks that bond trainer and
Pokmon, although these are
limited to one per match and the
power/move itself depends on
which Pokmon is performing it.
as you progress through the game
youll find a number of different
Z-Crystals, both from Island Trials
and by randomly interacting with
NPCs, providing your Pokmon with
a trick up their sleeves for those
extra-tough opponents. Its not
ridiculously overpowered though, so
youll still have to think strategically
about timing and possible effects it
can have on the enemy.
Battle dynamics
as you may have guessed, the
dynamic of battles can change
quickly in Pokmon Sun and moon.
Yes, the majority of battles will still
be in the standard one-on-one style,
but the wild Pokmons ability to call
for backup can change the tide of
any battle. While logic dictates that
the trainer should then summon a
second Pokmon themselves, youre
forced to take on two foes with a
single Pokmon. Theres also a two
versus two mode, though this is only
the case when facing two enemies.
This change in the battle dynamic
forces the player to think more
tactically than in previous games.
The introduction of different
battle modes is only a part of the
overhaul in Pokmon Sun and
moon though, as Game Freak has
also added a number of smaller,
well-needed features. If youre
up against a Pokmon youve
previously battled, youll find notes
next to each of your attacks that let
you know how effective it will be.
This is handy as it means you dont
23/11/2016 14:52

need to memorise the strengths
and weaknesses of the vast library
of different creatures, and makes
battling easier for casual players.
Pokmon can also physically
change during a match to reflect
whats happening. If youre up
against a Pokmon with a shell, for
example, theres every possibility
that the shell will break off once
youve damaged it enough. Youll
also be able to add a newly caught
Pokmon straight to your party,
instead of them being automatically
sent to a box. These are only small
changes, but will be welcomed by
fans of the series.
Battle Royale
While two versus one battles are
an exciting part of Pokmon Sun
and Moon, they are childs play
compared to Battle Royale matches.
This is a new feature that enables a
dynamic never explored in Pokmon
games before: four trainers against
one another, with no set teams. The
rules of the game are simple: each
trainer gets to battle with three
Pokmon, and the aim is to get the
most points. You can earn these
by knocking out another Pokmon
and keeping your Pokmon alive,
with the game carrying on until one
trainer has no Pokmon left. At this
point, the points are tallied up and
the winner is revealed.
On the face of it this seems
simple, but its not. Theres a lot
to consider. Will, for example, your
attack wipe out your opponent,
or will it weaken them only for an
opponent to come in and steal the
point? All these outcomes need
to be considered.
Pokmon Refresh
Refresh tries to increase the bond
between you and your Pokmon.
This can be accessed via the quick
menu, but youll find that most of
the time, Pokmon will let you know
if they want to be praised.
As you can imagine, throughout
a Pokmon battle your little buddy
will become dirty, scratched and
maybe even poisoned. Now you
can remove all status effects, clean
them up and even give them a little
stroke to say well done following a
battle. Pokmon that are friendly
towards their trainer will go above
and beyond in battle, sticking it out
at 1hp when hit with a move that
shouldve knocked them out them,
050_051 Pokmon Sun & Moon 259.indd 51
as well as dodging more attacks and
landing more critical hits. It does feel
a bit laborious at first, but its one of
our favourite features.
Pokdex
The new Pokmon introduced
provide seasoned players with a
new sense of curiosity and wonder,
as there are many new creatures to
discover across Alola. It also makes
battling them more interesting,
as you need to experiment with
the roster of different move types
available to you to find their
strengths and weaknesses. For us,
the best part is the Alolan variants
of classic Pokmon: Dugtrio has had
a haircut, Muk has had a change in
colour and Alolan Raticate is more
desirable than in previous games.
These are only a handful of the
variants youll come across in the
storyline, encouraging users to stray
from the main game and explore
the incredibly detailed and varied
environments to find the rarest
Pokmon possible. Despite featuring
many side quests and activities,
the focus of the game is still on
catching them all. Splitting the
Pokdex across the various regions
makes it much easier to keep track
of which Pokmon youve caught,
and makes catching them all a little
less daunting to say the least.
Other improvements
Just as in Pokmon X and Y,
theres a huge focus on player
customisation especially with the
enhanced online capabilities of Sun
and Moon. Stores are located across
the Alola region, with each offering
a particular style of clothing and/
Reviews
or hair. Some items of clothing are
rarer than others and can cost more
than $100,000 in-game, allowing
gamers to stand out from the crowd
and be represented in-game more
than with previous games. You can
tailor your players clothes to look
just like you, or you can go wild and
be a fashionista Pokmon trainer
much like the rest of the game, its
up to you what you choose to do.
Theres also the Festival Plaza, a
new place for trainers far to come
together to trade, battle and more.
In essence, its a portal for online
gameplay. The Plaza itself can be
upgraded by being courteous to
your guests and helping them where
possible. In return, your Plaza rank
will increase and youll get a bunch
of Festival Coins to spend on the
various stalls available. Depending
on rank, youll be able to dye items
of clothing, train your Pokmon and
more. Its a bit of a side thought
for us as its only accessible via
the quick menu in-game, but were
interested to see how it develops.
Verdict
We love Sun and Moon. They fix the
various issues weve had with the
Pokmon series until now, along
with improving it in ways wed not
even imagined. The games cross
borders and are as entertaining
and fun to play for children as they
are for adults, especially those
that grew up playing the original
Pokmon games. Its fun to see new
variants of old classics, and with an
environment more interactive and
alive than ever before, we could
lose hours wandering around the
islands of Alola. J Lewis Painter
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BEST PCs
FOR
GAMES
Equipped with the latest Nvidia and AMD graphics cards, Paul Monckton
looked at five of the best-value gaming PCs you can buy right now
W
hen we last tested gaming PCs,
AMD and Nvidia had only just
announced the first (and top-end)
graphics cards from their latest ranges. Now,
the full set is available from both companies,
and we asked PC builders to put together
their best-value gaming rigs using the new
cards. Since not everyone has the same
amount of money to spend, theres a range
from 650 to 899.
Although you do get more (and better
performance) if you pay extra, each of these
PCs is powerful enough to play modern 3D
games in HD. The differences come when
you place more demands on the PC, such as
increasing resolution to 4K or by hooking
up a virtual reality headset. And as youll
see over the following pages, youll have
to increase your budget if you want to do
either of these things.
Virtual Reality (VR)
Virtual reality (VR) is here and you can buy
an HTC Vive (689) or Oculus Rift (549)
and play VR games at home. As you can see
theyre not cheap, and it could well be worth
waiting for a second-generation headset
to launch before spending almost as much
money on a headset as the actual PC.
What most people dont realise is
that VR games require seven times the
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052_063 GT Gaming PCs 259.indd 53
graphics power of normal 3D games. This
is because the graphics card has to deliver
two different high-resolution images to both
eyes at 90 frames per second (fps).
If a PC struggles to play games at
1920x1080 and at 30fps, then its not going
to cope with running an Oculus Rift or
HTC Vive, which both have a 2160x1200
screen, especially if you want 90fps (thats
1200x1080 pixels per eye).
This month weve used a new VR
benchmark and you can see how our
gaming PCs performed on page 60.
Processor
Different games place different demands
on your computer hardware, but choosing
a gaming PC will involve a balancing act
between CPU and graphics performance.
For gaming PCs were happy to
allow overclocked processors, which will
significantly increase your overall processing
power without having to stump up for the
most expensive chips. Many gaming PCs use
the 3.5GHz Intel Core i5-6600K processor,
overclocked to varying degrees, with the
fastest running at over 4.5GHz.
To keep the overclocked processors cool,
its necessary to fit a third-party processor
cooler, some using the traditional heatsink
and fan design, while others opt for a
GROUP TEST
liquid coolant pumped through a radiator.
Overclocked processors place additional
demands on the systems power supply
and also require better cooling, so expect
to pay more for PCs with more extreme
overclocking. You can overclock the
processor yourself if you wish, but it can be
a good idea to buy a pre-overclocked system
such as the ones reviewed here, which are
covered by the manufacturers warranty
when running at the higher speed.
Motherboard
There are several points to consider when
choosing the right motherboard for your PC,
if youre not into technical details you may
be tempted to overlook the motherboard and
concentrate on the processor and graphics,
but the motherboard is extremely important.
We explain in each review what the
motherboard offers in terms of overclocking.
Not all boards support this, and opting for a
lower-cost model without such features can
also allow you to spend a little more on your
graphics card, which can have a big impact
on your final performance figures.
If you want the latest ports and
connectors including USB 3.1 Gen 2 (which
supports transfers at twice the speed of
USB 3.0 also known as USB 3.1 Gen 1), then
make sure you check this before ordering.
February 2017 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/reviews 53
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 Group test: Gaming PCs

Graphics card
Its usually the graphics card that determine
the overall quality of your gaming
experience. Once your processor is fast
enough, its down to the graphics card to
deliver the game to your screen. This is
why we suggest gamers go for a Core i5
processor rather than the more expensive
Core i7 as the difference in price will almost
certainly be better spent on the graphics
card rather than on the CPU.
To ensure smooth gameplay, you
generally want to achieve a minimum of
60fps in your game. This is the limiting
speed of most PC displays, so you wont
really need to go faster than this unless
you have a high-speed gaming monitor
that allows for faster refresh rates.
Any extra performance will then allow
you to increase the quality settings in your
game, making characters sharper, textures
more realistic and graphical effects more
immersive. As weve already said, its a
good idea to go for a card from Nvidia or
AMDs latest ranges. AMDs fastest card
the RX 480 isnt as quick as Nvidias, but
PCs equipped with such high-end cards
will set you back over 1,000.
Its also worth bearing in mind that
it can be down to which graphics card
vendor has done a better job optimising
any particular game for performance on
its own cards. If you have an idea of which
games you want to play, it can be worth
investigating how well any given card
performs with those particular games
before you make your decision.
Its also worth bearing in mind that it can be down to which
graphics card vendor has done a better job optimising any
particular game for performance on its own cards
benefit to mid-range graphics cards such a more immersive experience by adding
as the ones found in these PCs. AMD offers multiple sound effects, with improved
a competing technology called FreeSync, audio fidelity. Also consider a gaming
which will soon be available for displays headset with a built-in mic.
connected to AMD graphics cards. If, however, youre planning on playing
from the sofa, youll want wireless
Peripherals controllers. For keyboard input, we would
As with the monitor, weve rounded up recommend a wireless model that comes
the best gaming mice and keyboards on with an integrated pointing device, such
pages 66 and 68 respectively. as a trackball or trackpad.
If youre using your PC on a desk with a
monitor, youll benefit from the improved Warranty
responsiveness of wired rather than Warranty terms are crucial when it comes to
wireless devices. Look for high-resolution gaming PCs and a key advantage of buying
mice, and keyboards with programmable a pre-built overclocked PC is that all of the
keys and backlighting. overclocking will be tested and covered
High-grade mechanical switches by the vendors warranty. The longer the
in keyboards have a better feel and warranty the better, but also look for a
provide longer life than cheap membrane collect-and-return rather than return-to-base
switches. Some draw attention to the W, option. You should also pay attention to
A, S and D keys with a different colour or whether parts and labour are both covered
texture. A gaming sound card can provide and for how long.

Monitor
None of the PCs here come with monitors
or peripherals. This allows you to choose
your own, and youll find our picks of the
best gaming monitors on page 64. For more
immersive gameplay, we recommend you go
for the largest display you can find and one
with a good contrast ratio. A fast response
time will ensure that fast, frenetic gameplay
remains free of blur, although not all game
players will notice any difference. TN-based
monitors cost less and provide most of these
features, but IPS-based displays will give
you better overall colour reproduction and
wider viewing angles, although response
times tend to be slower. For a more
responsive display, go for a gaming monitor
with a high refresh rate of 120- or 144Hz,
although youll need powerful graphics to
supply frames at this speed.
For the very smoothest gameplay from
an nVidia graphics card, look for a monitor
that supports nVidia G-Sync. With G-Sync,
the monitor stays in step with the graphics
card rather than the other way around. This
means less blurring or image tearing even
at lower framerates, and will be of great

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 Group test: Gaming PCs

Build
Features
Performance
CHILLBLAST FUSION TRACER RX 480 Value
749 inc VAT & delivery chillblast.com Overall

Chillblasts mid-priced Fusion Tracer RX 480 is a strong gaming

performance, but also a great all-rounder. Some PCs skimp on
the more expensive parts, neglecting overall usability in order to
chase a few extra frames per second. The Fusion Tracer, however,
offers a carefully-selected list of components, which result in a
solid performer without weak points.
Key components include a quad-core Intel Core i5-6402P
processor, a PowerColor-branded AMD Radeon RX 480 4GB
graphics card and 8GB of 2133MHz DDR4 RAM. The processor is
an interesting one: running at a maximum speed of 3.5GHz, it has
been designed specifically to provide a 100MHz; speed boost over
the standard Core i5-6400 without an increase in price. This
has been achieved by reducing the performance of the chips
integrated graphics, but thats not something we care about
as the PC uses a high performance graphics card instead.
Also important is the inclusion of both a hard drive and
a 250GB solid-state drive (SSD), which gives a significant
boost to general performance without sacrificing on the
storage capacity.
Finished in black and red, the Fusion Tracer is housed in
a CiT F3 midi-tower system case. Its no small form-factor
system, but its definitely on the compact side of the format.
This makes it well-suited to smaller desk spaces, but also
means theres not a lot of room for expansion inside. The
cases signature red strip adds a smart touch to the case,
although it does seem a little plasticy on closer inspection.
Embedded within the strip are the usual power and reset
buttons, along with three USB ports and a handy card reader.
Inside, the Gigabyte GA-H110M-S2H provides a basic
set of features only and its here that we come to the
only real disadvantage of this system and that is its lack
of upgrade options. You may be able to fit a second hard
drive in the case, but thats about it. There are no free
memory slots and the only accessible expansion port is a
single PCI Express x1 slot. The CPU is topped by a stock Intel
cooler, which seems to do an adequate job in this system
without creating much noise.

Performance
The combination of the quad-core processor and powerful
graphics card in the Fusion Tracer RX 480 means the system is able
to achieve solid performance around up to 1440p with Ultra quality
settings and might even have a stab at 4K with some less-demanding
titles, although would wouldnt recommend buying this PC as a 4K
system. You should be able to run many games at 60fps with this
system without resorting to lower resolutions or quality.
The Chillblast also performs well for virtual reality, achieving
a High rating in the Steam VR performance test and strong
results in the new VRMark benchmark.
Although it makes no difference to gaming benchmarks, the
SSD in this system makes a huge difference to general system
responsiveness as well as game load times. The difference
between using the Fusion Tracer RX 480 and a similarly-priced
PC without an SSD is very noticeable, with the latter causing us
to frequently lose patience.
Service and warranty
Chillblasts five-year warranty is one of the best in the business,
with a collect-and-return service and full parts and labour cover
for the first two years. Lifetime phone support is also included
with labour costs covered for the remaining three years.

Also important is the inclusion of both a
hard drive and a 250GB SSD, which gives a
significant boost to general performance
Verdict
As a great all-round gaming PC, the Chillblast Fusion Tracer RX
480 wont disappoint. It delivers strong gaming performance
without cutting corners, although it does lacks upgrade options.
It also comes with a five year warranty.

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 Group test: Gaming PCs

Build
Features
Value
MESH STORM PCA Performance
699 inc VAT & delivery meshcomputers.com Overall

The Mesh Storm PCA packs a quad-core processor and a powerful

graphics card into a highly-competent gaming system, but not
without cutting some corners.
Clearly named after your favourite tech advice-based magazine,
the Mesh Storm PCA will appeal to those who want the maximum
gaming framerates for the minimum financial outlay, and for
699 you do get plenty of gaming bang for your spending buck.
Based on an Intel Core i5-6500 running at up to 3.6GHz, paired
with an Asus Nvidia Geforce GTX 1060, the PC has plenty of power
in reserve for even demanding gaming titles. The system also
comes with 8GB of 2400MHz DDR4 memory and a roomy 1TB hard
drive. These are all hooked up to an Asus B150M PRO GAMING
motherboard, which comes with up-rated LAN and sound capabilities
aimed at gamers and Asuss AI Suite 3 management software.
The motherboard leaves some upgrade potential too: only
one of the boards four memory slots is populated making it
easier to increase memory if you need it and there are plenty
of free SATA ports available as well as an M.2 socket for
connecting a PCI Express SSD.
Unfortunately, the Storm PCA doesnt come with an SSD as
standard and this is possibly the biggest sacrifice, which has
been made in order to keep prices down. Booting up a modern
PC without an SSD feels like stepping back in time. It wont
affect your gaming performance, but it will affect loading times
and it does make the whole system feel rather sluggish and
unresponsive outside of gaming. Thankfully, as noted above,
theres plenty of scope for adding one later when funds allow.
The Nvidia GTX 1060 is well known for its excellent gaming
performance, but the model used here is the less-powerful 3GB
version, which not only has half the memory of the original
6GB model, but also a less powerful graphics processor. This
doesnt amount to a huge difference in practice, but its
certainly something to be aware of.
The system is housed in a CiT Storm black ATX case, fitted
with a red LED fan. Its a traditional-style tower case, with
plenty of spare drive bays, cable management and a hinged
plastic door at the front, hiding the (unused) optical drive
bays. You also get a pair of USB ports at the top. Design-
wise, its clearly a gamers case, with its Transformers
style front facia and transparent side panel, through which the
unusual white shrouding of the graphics card can be seen, alongside VR performance test, and a super rating from the VRMark Orange
a Be Quiet Pure Rock Slim compact CPU cooler. benchmark which places is comfortably above what youll need to
play current VR titles. The Be Quiet CPU cooler also did a good job,
Performance keeping temperatures down to a maximum of 57C under full load.
The Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 used here delivers solid gaming Outside of gaming, the lack of an SSD does make the system
performance, generally in the same ballpark as the pricier 6GB feel rather slow, but if you can put up with this, you wont be
version, although obviously a little slower. Its also less suited to disappointed by the gameplay from this sub-700 PC.
running the highest quality settings at the very highest resolutions,
such as 4K, due to the lower amount of memory. In general, gaming Service and warranty
at 1440p is going to be excellent at very high or Ultra quality. VR The Mesh Storm PCA is supplied with the companys Gold Warranty,
performance is also strong, achieving a High rating from the Steam which includes lifetime cover for labour and two years cover for
parts. The first year also comes with a free collect-and-return service
and is one of the better warranty deals available.

Design-wise, the Mesh Storm PCA is clearly Verdict

a gamers case, with its Transformers style The Mesh Storm PCA performs very well for the money, but the lack
of an SSD makes it less than speedy at many non-gaming tasks. A
front facia and transparent side panel good choice for demanding gamers on a budget.

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Build
Features
Value
OVERCLOCKERS UK KINETIC H1 Performance
660 inc VAT & delivery overclockers.co.uk Overall

The Kinetic H1 from Overclockers UK is one of the lowest-cost

gaming PCs you can get that doesnt make silly compromises in
order to grab high framerates. Priced at 650, the PC delivers
enjoyable gameplay at mid- to high resolutions and will also serve
as a speedy general-purpose PC. Despite the company name, the
Kinetic H1 doesnt feature an overclocked processor, instead the
system uses a dual-core Intel Core i3-6100 running at 3.7GHz.
Overclockers is exploiting the fact that, more often than not,
a high clock speed will deliver a bigger advantage in many games
than having multiple cores. So here we get a high-speed dual-core
chip rather than the more expensive quad-core alternatives running
a couple of hundred megahertz slower.
Saving costs on the processor enables the inclusion of an AMD
RX 470 graphics card. This particular model is Sapphires 8GB
Nitro+ OC, which has been factory overclocked to boost gaming
performance. Its not going to get you RX 480 speeds, but its a
great choice for the limited budget of this system.
The Kollink Victory Micro ATX gaming case housing this system
isnt fancy, but its compact proportions will appeal to those with limited
space. Unusually for a gaming system, it comes with no transparent
side panel, but does feature a cool blue LED at the front, which
lends a more expensive look to what is otherwise a low-cost case.
Inside, theres no built-in cable management, although
Overclockers has done a sterling job of tying everything back
and keeping the internals tidy. Access to components is limited,
but theres little room for upgrades anyway. Both memory
sockets are already full and there are no accessible PCI Express
slots available on the motherboard. Even the hard drive has
had to be mounted vertically on the side of the case. We feel
these compromises are reasonable in order to deliver a low-cost
PC with decent performance, but you should be aware of the
limitations if youre thinking of upgrading in the near future.
The budget doesnt allow for an SSD, but rather than leave you
with a sluggish hard drive, Overclockers has installed a 1TB Seagate 8 Creative test where multiple cores are stressed in multimedia
Hybrid drive, which incorporates a small amount of built-in flash editing scenarios. When it comes to standard gaming, you can
memory to deliver some of the performance benefits of SSD, while expect good performance at 1440p as long as you keep the quality
maintaining the capacity of a hard drive. We feel this is an excellent settings under control and steer clear of 4K.
choice for a low-cost system like this as it feels much snappier to use. The hybrid drive also turned in respectable performance,
achieving a PCMark 8 storage score of 3339 points, which is around
Performance 1,000 points faster than a hard drive alone, although still some way
The Kinetic H1 is capable of gameplay up to 1440p resolution, thanks behind a decent SSD which will score nearer 5,000 points.
to its AMD RX 470 graphics card. Designed to be capable of entry- Our only performance-based criticism is how well it deals with
level VR gaming, the RX 470 achieves a quality rating of 6.7 in the heavy loads. When running our temperature torture tests the CPU
Steam VR Performance Test which is designated High performance. touched 80C, which is several degrees hotter than we would have
To keep costs lower, Overclockers has selected a dual-core Core liked. Such extreme loads are very unlikely in general use, though.
i3-6100 processor rather than a more expensive quad-core model
often found in pricier systems. Because the chip retains a high Service and warranty
3.7GHz clock speed, its still able to play the majority of games Overclockers offers a three-year warranty of which the first two years
without difficulty. This will vary from game to game, as some games cover both parts and labour with a free collect-and-return service.
make better use of multiple cores than others, but in general we The third year is on a return-to-base basis and covers labour costs only.
didnt notice and dips in performance other than in the PCMark
Verdict
As a budget system with a strong emphasis on gaming, the Kinetic
H1 sacrifices multi-core processor performance, instead sinking
We get a high-speed dual-core chip rather most of the budget into the graphics card. Photo- and video-editing
than pricier quad-core alternatives running performance may suffer a little, but youll be able to enjoy decent
gaming framerates up to 1440p. The inclusion of a hybrid hard drive
a couple of hundred megahertz slower also ensures its responsive in general purpose computing scenarios.

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Build
Features
Performance
WIRED2FIRE DIABLO FURY
Value
914 inc VAT & delivery wired2fire.co.uk Overall

The Wired2Fire Diablo Fury offers performance and features that

are cut above the average mid-priced gaming PC. Costing 899,
it features an Intel Core i5-6600K processor, overclocked from
3.5- up to 4.4GHz and a 6GB Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060, making it
well equipped to turn in a strong performance at a whole range
of computing tasks.
To take full advantage of the K-series CPU, a high-performance
motherboard is required and Wired2Fire has selected the Asus
Z170-P, featuring Intels enthusiast Z170 Express chipset, which
unlocks the overclocked modes of the Core i5 chip. Asus has
also added advanced manual and automatic overclocking modes,
should wish to push performance even further and to make it
easy to overclock and future processor upgrades. It also comes
with a built-in USB Type C connector and enhanced audio.
The system is built inside a very smart-looking NZXT Source
340 mid-tower system case, finished matt black with red accents.
It features a minimalist design with an entirely blank front facia;
there are no external drive bays here, so dont get any ideas about
adding an optical drive to the system as it wont fit. Behind the
facia is a small gap where air can be drawn into the case through a
removable dust filter which keeps the internal components clean.
Theres another dust filter at the bottom of the case, designed to
protect the power supply in a similar manner.
A transparent side panel on the left provides a clear view of
most of the internal components. Alongside the graphics card is a
very large ID Cooling SE-214X processor cooler featuring four heat
pipes and a 120mm fan for quiet but effective cooling. The Diablo
Fury also includes a pair of XPG Dazzle 2400MHz DDR4 memory
modules, each of which is fitted with red LED strip, which slowly
pulses in an alternating pattern. Two 8GB sticks are provided for a
total of 16GB of system RAM.
The case also features two dedicated mounting points for
2.5in drives, one of which is populated with a Samsung 850 Evo
series SSD, which keeps the PC nimble and responsive, although
at only 250GB and with no additional mechanical hard drive to Non-gaming performance is also very good. Its PCMark 8
back it up, its really not enough storage for a system, which is Home score of 5200 points is very good at this price point, and
otherwise so well specified. the SSD ensures that games load up quickly while keeping the
Excellent cable management keeps unsightly wires tucked away system generally responsive. However, at only 250GB theres really
out of sight, as is the 500W FSP Bronze 80Plus certified power not a lot of room to store big games on this system and you may
supply, which lives in a concealed compartment at the bottom of find that youll be needing to supplement or upgrade the storage
the case along with any spare wiring. This is also the space where sooner rather than later.
a 3.5in hard drive could be installed in the likely event that 250GB The Intel quad-core processor also delivers excellent performance
of storage isnt enough for you. when running processor-hungry tasks such as photo and video
editing, where performance can often suffer on dual-core systems.
Performance
The Wired2Fire Diablo Furys overclocked components enable Service and warranty
it to deliver higher performance than you may have seen from Good warranty terms are especially important with overclocked
less expensive PCs with this combination of CPU and graphics PCs and Wired2Fire provides a three-year return-to-base warranty,
processor. This makes it capable of smooth glitch-free gameplay at of which the first two years covers parts as well as labour. This is
high or ultra quality settings at resolutions up to 1440p with 4K a good level of cover, but not as convenient or cost effective as
also playable in less-demanding titles. Running Thief at 1440p, it those that offer a free collect-and-return service for the first part
achieved an average framerate of 59.8fps with Ultra settings and of the warranty period.
59.7fps when running Alien Isolation at 4K, also with Ultra settings.
Its also well-suited to VR gaming, scoring a Very High rating in Verdict
the Steam VR performance test and a super rating of 7063 points The Wired2Fire Diablo Fury is a high-performance gaming
in the new VRMark Orange benchmark. For reference, a VRMark system that uses overclocked components to deliver good value
score of 6706 is considered a High-end PC, with only 5000 points for money. However, the lack of a hard drive means the 250GB
required to be considered VR-ready. solid-state drive is likely to fill up quickly.

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Build
Features
Performance
YOYOTECH WARBIRD RS10 V2
Value
824 inc VAT & delivery yoyotech.co.uk Overall

The Yoyotech Warbird RS10 V2 is a high-performance, competitively

priced gaming system with plenty of upgrade potential, though
there are a couple of drawbacks.
The system pairs an unlocked 3.5GHz Intel Core i5-6600K,
overclocked to 4.6GHz, with an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 6GB
graphics card and 8GB of 2400MHz DDR4 RAM. This fearsome
combination delivers excellent gaming performance combined
with great value for money.
An MSI Z170-A PRO motherboard holds all the components
together, its Intel Z170 Express chipset provides the unlocking
feature that allows the quad-core CPU to be overclocked. It
also provides automatic overclocking support and enhanced
audio as well as support for twin graphics cards and high speed
Turbo M.2, Turbo U.2 and SATA Express storage.
Unfortunately, you wont be able to take advantage of the
latter two features. First of all, because the GTX 1060 doesnt
support SLI mode for linking up a pair of cards and secondly,
because the Warbird RS10 V2 doesnt ship with any solid-state
storage as standard, relying instead on a much slower, although
much more capacious, mechanical hard drive.
With a motherboard so equipped to handle the latest high-speed
storage options, its a great shame to see the Warbird RS10 V2
limited in this way, but at least theres plenty of scope for upgrading
the system later, and this system puts all the performance where
gamers really need it: the graphics card and CPU. To add a decent
SSD would certainly push it well above its 799 budget.
Yoyotech has selected the Aerocool Aero 500 as the system
case for this PC. Its a tall, roomy mid-tower chassis, with basic
fittings but plenty of internal space. It also comes with tool free
bays for easy access and a removable dust filter for the 500W
power supply. A second dust filter sits on the top of the case in
the form of a flexible mesh, held on rather loosely by magnetic
strips. It does the job, but it also feels a little cheap.
The top of the case also includes a trio of USB ports, along with points around half the speed of the fastest systems in this price
the standard audio connectors as well as power and reset buttons category. This is because Yoyotech has chosen not to include an
which, confusingly, arent immediately distinguishable from each SSD, presumably as a cost-saving measure. So while you get plenty
other. This could lead to an accidental reset rather than a graceful of room to store all your games, youll have to be rather more
shutdown if youre not familiar with which is which. The top panel patient waiting for them to load. Once the games are up and running,
additionally includes two three-way switches for manual control theres no performance penalty, though. You may be happy to put
of the internal fan speeds. The low setting keeps the system up with this if you are buying this system pretty much exclusively
pleasantly quiet, while the high setting causes an audible whoosh for gaming, but if you also plan on using it for other tasks, especially
of air and provides the most cooling. photo or video editing, then you should really consider a system with
an SSD or at least a Hybrid drive.
Performance
The Warbird RS10 V2 makes good use of the GTX 1060 6GB graphics Service and warranty
card, achieving decent, playable framerates at high resolutions and For a highly overclocked system such as this, we consider Yoyotechs
ultra-high quality settings. Combined with the systems overclocked warranty terms to be a little behind some of the competition. Three
Core i5-6600K processor, it performs very well in all of our gaming years of cover are provided, but the system must be returned to
tests. Factory overclocked versions of the GTX 1060 will be able to base at the users cost and replacement parts are only covered for
eke out a few more frames per second that what we have here, but the first year. Several competitors cover parts for twice as long and
theres always room for you to experiment with DIY overclocking if some also offer a collect-and-return service.
youre that way inclined.
With the cooling fans on full blast, the Warbird kept processor Verdict
temperatures under control. Even when running our harsh torture The Yoyotech Warbird RS10 V2 delivers high-performance gaming
tests, no processor core exceeded 62C. The large Coolermaster at a reasonable price. The lack of a solid-state drive makes the
Hyper 212 EVO will have played a large part in this result. system feel less responsive in general use, but theres plenty of
The only key area where performance suffers is in hard drive storage available for a large game library. Warranty terms could
performance. PCMark 8 reports a storage score of only 2412 be more competitive at this price.

TEST CENTRE February 2017 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/reviews 59

052_063 GT Gaming PCs 259.indd 59 24/11/2016 11:22

 Group test: Gaming PCs

VRMark Orange PCMark 8 Home

Thief 4K High Thief 1080p Ultra

Alien Isolation 4K Ultra Power Consumption

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Conclusion
This month we specifically asked
manufacturers to build to a budget rather
than making them all the same price. All the
PCs here are good choices, but as is clear,
you get more if you pay more. That may
seem an obvious statement, but also shows
that at the currently poor exchange rate
between dollars and pounds you cant
really spend less than 650 on a gaming PC.
How we test
To test general PC performance, were use
Futuremarks PCMark 8 v2.0 benchmarking
suite. Unlike the previous PCMark 7
benchmark, the new version doesnt produce
a single overall figure. Instead, results are
divided into Home, Creative, Work and
Storage tests. The Home benchmark reflects
common tasks for typical home use with
lower computing requirements, such as web
browsing, photo editing and low-end gaming.
The Creative benchmark is aimed more
at enthusiasts and professionals working
with multimedia and entertainment
content. It is more demanding on the
processor and includes transcoding tests
as well as further gaming workloads.
The Work test is geared towards office
work tasks such as creating documents,
web browsing, spreadsheets and video
conferencing. It does not stress the gaming
and multimedia capabilities of the PCs.
Gaming performance
Weve used three games to evaluate graphics
performance. We run our tests at 1280x720-
and 1920x1080 pixels at various detail
settings. Framerates are recorded using the
following games and quality settings. Thief:
720p Low, 1080p High, 1080p Ultra, 1440p
High, 1440p Ultra, 4K High and Thief 4K
Ultra. Alien Isolation: 720p Ultra, 1080p
Ultra, 2K Ultra and 4K Ultra
We also run Futuremarks 3DMark
suite of benchmarks to help evaluate
gaming performance in eight different
usage scenarios. With these results,
we can get a good idea of the level of
quality and display resolutions a given
TEST CENTRE
052_063 GT Gaming PCs 259.indd 61
And even at that price, compromises
have to be made, such as trading off an
SSD for a traditional hard drive. For some,
such trade-offs are fine because gaming
performance is still perfectly good. Others
will want to spend the extra, but dont forget
that all of the system builders featured
here will be more than happy to tailor
the specification of the PC, so its to your
PC can run acceptably. In this group test,
the scores are all very close, due to the
similar hardware used. Results are given
in points and higher numbers are better.
VRMark
To supplement the Steam VR Performance
test, we now run Futuremarks new VRMark
benchmark which stresses the PCs much
further and provides an insight into how
they might perform with more demanding
titles in the future.
VRMark consists of two benchmark
tests: the Orange Room test, which will
verify that your PC meets the minimum
performance requirements for HTC Vive
and Oculus Rift and a more demanding Blue
Room test, which evaluates performance
at the very highest settings and is much
trickier for current PC hardware to pass.
To meet the bare minimum spec for
Oculus Rift, a PC must score at least 3,716
points in the Orange Room, while a PC
Futuremark considers to be VR-ready
must score over 5,000. In the Blue Room,
corresponding scores are much lower at
719 points and 1082 points respectively.
Power consumption torture testing
We measure the power consumption of
each PC base unit when idle, and again
while running at its performance limit.
During the idle test, the PCs hard drives are
still spinning and the power-management
features are not enabled. For the full-load
torture test, we run Prime 95 to force
all CPU processing threads to maximum
utilisation and stress system memory.
Group test: Gaming PCs
liking. You could, for example, ask Mesh or
Yoyotech to install an SSD instead of a hard
drive and pay the difference in price.
As they stand, every PC here is more
than capable of playing games at top detail
levels if you have a 1920x1080 monitor. But
if youre after a machine that can handle
virtual reality games, its a good idea to go
for a machine equipped with a GTX 1060.
At the same time we run the Geeks3D
Furmark benchmark to stress any installed
graphics cards. We leave these tests
running for 10 minutes, then record the
power consumption and the maximum
CPU core temperature reached. Power
consumption will increase with performance,
and overclocking will require significantly
more power. Greater power usage also
required better cooling, and these test
allow us to verify that the installed cooling
systems are up to the task of keeping
temperatures within safe limits.
Overclocking
Because gamers demand the best
performance from their hardware,
we allow vendors to overclock PCs in
this category. We require that the PC
vendor offers a comprehensive warranty
covering the overclocked system. Be
aware that if you overclock the PC
yourself, you may invalidate your warranty.
Subjective assessment
We pay close attention to the physical
characteristics of each PC, its noise output
and its build quality, delving inside the
case and taking note of the quality of
components used, cabling and airflow.
Support
Differences in warranty terms can impact our
scoring. Long warranties are sought after,
but we also look at the terms and conditions
specifically, whether faulty PCs must be
returned to the vendor at your cost, and if
both parts and labour are included. J
February 2017 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/reviews 61
24/11/2016 11:23
 Group test: Gaming PCs

CHILLBLAST MeSH O
749 (inc VAT & delivery) 699 (inc VAT & delivery)

Fusion Tracer RX
Product name Mesh Storm PCA K
480 Gaming PC
Processor 2.8- to 3.4GHz Intel Core i5-6402P 3.2GHz Intel Core i5-6500 (3.6GHz Turbo) 3

CPU cooler Intel Stock Cooler Be Quiet Pure Rock Slim Compact CPU Air Cooler S

Installed memory 8GB DDR4 (2133MHz) 8GB DDR4 (2400MHz) T

Storage 250GB SK Hynix SSD, 1TB HDD 1TB SATA III (7200rpm) 64MB cache HDD S

Power supply 500W PSU Aerocool Quiet 500W, Bronze Plus K

Motherboard Gigabyte GA-H110M-S2H Asus B150M Pro Gaming A

Operating system Windows 10 Windows 10 Home (64-bit) W

S
Graphics card AMD Radeon RX 480 (4GB) GeForce GTX 1060 3GB Dual Fan
c

Sound card Onboard 7.1 High Definition 8-channel onboard audio O

Networking Gigabit ethernet Gigabit ethernet G

External USB ports 3x USB 3.0, 6x USB 2.0 5x USB 2.0, 5x USB 3.0 3

1 x 10/100/1000 (LAN), 1x HDMI, 1x line in, 1x line out, 1x mic-in, V

Other ports 2x PS/2, DP, DVI, HDMI
1x PS/2 keyboard/mouse combo, 4x USB 2.0, 4x USB 3.0 M
Case CiT F3 Black and Red CiT Storm Black ATX case red LED fan, keyboard & mouse set K
2
Warranty 2-year C&R, 5 years labour only, lifetime phone Gold warranty (lifetime labour, 2 years parts, 1-year free C&R)
p
CASe FeATUreS
Dimensions 412x366x208mm 468x432x215mm M

External 5.25in/3.5in bays 0/0 2/0 0

Internal 5.25in/3.5in/2.5in bays 0/2/4 0/4/2 0

Expansion slots 7 7 4

Front connections (list) 1x USB 3.0, 2 x USB 2.0 1x HD audio, 1x mic in, 1x USB 2.0, 1 x USB 3.0 1

1
Fan mounts (number, size) 4x 120mm 1x 120/140mm, 2x 80/92/120mm
r
1
Included fans (location, size) 2x 120mm (front/rear) 1x 120mm Red LEDs front, 1x 120mm rear
r
1
Special features (list) Tool free bays, cable management Window, cable management, black coated interior
r
MOTHerBOArd FeATUreS
Form factor Micro ATX Micro ATX M

Chipset Intel H110 Intel Z77 In

PCIe x16/x4/x1 slots 1 1/0/2 1

Nvidia quad-GPU SLI

AMD quad-GPU CrossFireX

AMD three-way CrossFireX Micro ATX

SATA 6Gb/s ports 4 6 4

RAID support

Intel SRT

Auto overclocking

Auto fan speed control

Bluetooth

1 * 1x PCIe 3.0/2.0 x16 (x16 mode, grey) + 1x PCIe 3.0/2.0 x16 (max at x4 mode, black

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 Group test: Gaming PCs

OVerCLOCkerS Uk WIred2FIre YOYOTeCH

660 (inc VAT & delivery) 914 (inc VAT & delivery) 824 (inc VAT & delivery)

Kinetic H1 Diablo Fury Warbird RS10 V2

3.7GHz Intel Core i3-6100 3.5GHz Intel Core i5-6600K (4.4GHz OC) 3.5GHz Intel Core i5-6600K (4.6GHz OC)

Stock Cooler ID Cooling SE-214X Coolermaster Hyper 212 EVO

Team Group Elite 8GB (2x 4GB) DDR4 (2400MHz) 16GB DDR4 (2400MHz) Dual Channel 2x 8GB 8GB DDR4 (2400MHz)

Seagate 1TB SSHD Hybrid (7200rpm) 3.5in drive Samsung 250GB 850 Evo Series SATA III 6Gb/s SSD 1TB Toshiba DT01ACA100 (7200rpm)

Kolink KL-500 500w 80Plus Bronze FSP 500W Bronze 80Plus Certified 500W Evga 80Plus power supply: 100-W1-500-KR

Asus H110M-K DDR4 mATX Asus Z170-P MSI Z170-A PRO

Windows 10 (64-bit) Windows 10 Home (64-bit) Windows 10 Home (64-bit)

Sapphire Nitro+ OC RX470 8192Mb

Nvidia GTX 1060 6GB GDDR5 Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 6GB
core 1143MHz, boost 1260MHz, memory 8000MHz

Onboard Onboard Onboard

Gigabit ethernet Gigabit ethernet, 802.11n Realtek RTL8111H Gigabit LAN controller

3x USB 3.0 5x USB 2.0 4x USB 3.0, 2x USB 2.0, 1x USB Type-C 5x USB 3.0, 3x USB 2.0

n, VGA: 2x HDMI, 2x DisplayPort, 1x DVI

2x DVI, HDMI, DisplayPort, eSATA 2x DisplayPort, 2x HDMI, 1x DVI
Motherboard: 1x DVI-D, 1x VGA
t Kolink Victory Micro-ATX Gaming Case NZXT Source 340 Aerocool Aero-500
2 years C&R parts and labour, 3 years RTB (1-year parts and labour,
) 3 years RTB (3 years labour, 2 years parts)
plus 1-year RTB labour only 2 years labour only)

Micro-ATX, 380x370x170mm 445x432x200mm 505x439.5x203mm

0/0 0/0 2/0

0/1/1 0/3/2 0/3/2

4 7
1x USB 3.0, 1x USB 2.0, headphone, 3.5mm mic
1x 120mm fan (blue LED included),
rear 80/90mm fan (optional)
1x 120mm fan (Blue LED included),
rear 80/90mm fan (optional)
1 x 120mm fan (Blue LED included),
rear 80/90mm fan (optional)
7
Tool-free bays, cable management,
2x USB 3.0, headphone, mic
side window, filters front and bottom
4x 120mm 5x 120mm
1x 120mm front, 1x 120mm rear 120mm rear
Tool-free bays, cable management, Tool-free bays, removable PSU dust filter
side window, filters front and bottom

Micro ATX ATX ATX

Intel H110 Intel Z170 Intel Z170

1/0/2 2* / 0 / 2 (+ 2x PCI slots) 02/04/2000

4 + 1x M.2 Socket 3 for M Key,
4 6
type 2242/2260/2280 devices

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 GROUP TEST
BEST GAMING
MONITORS
Finding the gaming monitor can be tricky, so weve chosen our top five. Christopher Minasians reports
A
fter shelling out on a brand-new gaming PC, youll want a
monitor that shows off the latest games in all their glory.
Design and ergonomics are important. We like seeing
displays that have the ability to be adjusted vertically, backwards and
forwards. Almost all the monitors nowadays can be tilted by around
five degrees forwards and 20 degrees backwards. However, finding
one that has height adjustments can be a little trickier.
If you are someone who is going to be gaming competitively, we
would suggest leaning towards the TN-type (Twisted Nematic) panel.
If, however, youre a casual gamer or would like fantastic colour
reproduction you should lean towards an IPS/PLS-panel (In-Plane-
Switching and Plane to Line Switching). A VA (Vertically Aligned)
panel sits somewhat in-between a IPS/PLS and TN-type panel. Its
colours arent as accurate as an IPS/PLS-panel, while its response
time isnt as fast as a TN. This is why there is a shortage of VA
panels on the market, as consumers often prefer one of the other,
rather than a cross-between the two technologies.
A panels performance is extremely important You want low
response times with minimal ghosting, low input lag, the highest
possible refresh rate, whilst having fantastic colour reproduction.
Response time is associated with the panels ability to change a
pixel from black-to-white (B2C) or more often than not grey-to-grey
ACER XF270HU
399 inc VAT acer.com
The Acer XF270HU is highly respected among gamers, as it has a
great 2560x1440 resolution and a fast 144Hz refresh rate. Due to its
IPS panel, the monitor offers fantastic colour accuracy, yet also has
low input lag and a low response time, a rarity for an IPS monitor.
The standout
feature of is its ability
to combine fantastic
colour reproduction
and competitive-gamer
requirements, such as
a fast refresh rate, low
input lag and low response
time. All of which comes
at a relatively low price of
399 for a monitor of its
calibre that runs 144Hz natively at 2560x1440.
Better still, it also comes with AMD
FreeSync makes it even more appealing
for those who run an AMD card and want
64 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/reviews February 2017
064_065 GT Gaming Monitors 259.indd 64
(G2G). G2G is often the quoted figure, as it is closer to what we can
see with our human eyes. The lower the response time, the easier
the monitor will be able to cope with displayed objects, meaning
you will get fewer image artefacts, thus lower motion blur.
Naturally, the resolution is important where the higher the
resolution, the harder it will be for your graphics card or cards
to deal with a higher refresh rate or better known on computer
systems as frames per second (fps).
There are various resolutions, with the most common being
full-HD (1920x1080) and higher-end gaming monitors having QHD
(2560x1440) panels. Currently, 4K (3840x2160) panels arent really
suited to gamers, as their refresh rate stands at around 60Hz and
are often faced with bad response times and higher input lag.
There are different input modes on monitors, including DVI, HDMI
and DisplayPort (DP). The latter two are more commonly used, as
they transmit both sound and vision. DVI on the other hand is used
on more legacy devices, with it being unable to transmit sound.
When moving to higher resolutions, such as 4K (3840x2160) DP
1.2 is the chosen connection, as it can transmit 60Hz at the higher
resolution. This comes from the cable and the port having the
ability to transmit a higher bandwidth, whereas HDMI 1.4 and DVI
cant cope with this higher data rate.
to benefit from a tear-free experience. It has two 2W speakers and
a USB 3.0 Hub around the back. The monitor has full tilt, height and
pivot adjustment capabilities.
If youre looking for a monitor fast refresh rate at an impressive
resolution, then the Acer XF270HU is a combination of the best of
both worlds (competitive gaming and photo editing), and should be
your go-to monitor if youve got the budget.
AOC AGON AG271QX
389 inc VAT aoc-europe.com
The Agon AG271QX is a new monitor from Acer. The 27in display has
a 2560x1440 resolution, and even though it has with a TN panel,
the colour accuracy is fantastic.
Gaming performance is very impressive, with its 1ms response
time, and low input lag, the monitor offers a great experience for
competitive gamers. Even with Overdrive enabled at the highest
setting, there is no overshoot (ghosting) meaning you can get the
lowest input lag, while not suffering from unbearable ghosting.
Viewing angles arent something you should be worried
about either, especially given the fantastic build quality. With a
slim bezel design, fully adjustable stand and even a dedicated
headphone holder on the right-hand side, the AOC is one of the
TEST CENTRE
24/11/2016 11:10

best built panels around. The AG271QX also has a VESA 100x100
wallmount. Like the Acer XF270HU, the Agon offers AMDs FreeSync
technology, meaning a tear-free experience on compatible AMD
GPUs. If, however, you use an Nvidia card, youll need to shell out
a lot more for the AG241QG and AG271QG models, which share the
same specifications, but feature G-Sync.
AOC G2460vq6
109 inc VAT aoc-europe.com
If youre looking for a budget gaming monitor, the AOC G2460VQ6
is a fantastic starting point. It comes at a very low price, has a
maximum refresh rate of 75Hz in full-HD and has a reasonably good
colour reproduction for a TN panel.
The monitor stands out
from the budget-monitor
crowd, as it also supports
AMD FreeSync, a technology
used to reduce tearing in
graphically intense games.
The panels response
time and input lag are
low, whereby in games
your movements are well
represented. The monitor
has speakers, flicker-free support
and anti-blue light technology.
Unfortunately, its stand is limited to tilt-only adjustments.
CrOssOver 2795qHD
230 inc VAT crosslcd.co.kr/eng
The CrossOver 2795QHD has amassed a lot of attention online. Its a
PLS panel with a 2560x1440 resolution. However, what makes this
such a talking point it its low input lag (due to only having a single
DVI input) and huge overclocking potential.
All monitors can realistically be overclocked, though most
only overclock by around 10Hz, which isnt worth the risk. This,
however, can be overclocked to 120Hz. Most users use a refresh
TEST CENTRE
064_065 GT Gaming Monitors 259.indd 65
GROUP TEST
rate of 96Hz as it is four times the
24p cinema standard.
The CrossOver
has no PWM-flicker.
It has a basic stand,
which just tilts,
though on the
plus side you can
attach it to the wall
thanks to the VESA
mount. Unlike other
monitors there
arent any OSD controls and
youll need a compatible
graphics card that has a DVI-D
output. This means you cant use it for your games consoles or have
it running on your on-board graphics. Colour accuracy is fantastic,
though if youre overclocking the monitor, youll want to add a
custom ICC profile to adjust the Gamma shift that occurs when
pushing the panels refresh rate.
For the price to performance ratio, the CrossOver is hard to beat.
viewsOniC XG2700-4k
479 inc VAT viewsoniceurope.com/uk
The XG2700-4K is a 4K (3840x2160) monitor that runs at 60Hz.
Admittedly this doesnt sound like a fantastic gaming display on
paper, however, its comparatively low price, impressive response
time and low input lag, mean this ViewSonic is one of the most
affordable and best 4K screens on the market today.
The monitor has a quoted response time of 5ms, which can
be boosted down to 2ms through Overdrive, though this creates
unwanted ghosting on the extreme setting. The perceived input lag
is low, making it fantastic for fast-paced shooters.
Unfortunately, it has a refresh rate of just 60Hz, so its not
recommended for those who want to game competitively. If,
however, youre a casual gamer, youll find the XG2700-4K more
than adequate for your gaming needs.
With its IPS panel, the monitor has good colour reproduction
and viewing angles. We do feel the colour accuracy could be
slightly improved, with slightly deeper blacks and a more accurate
contrast, however, we are still satisfied with the results.
The monitors build quality isnt fantastic; despite its stand
having the ability to tilt, pivot and provide height adjustments,
the base stand looks and feels cheap. This is also emphasised
through its big bezels, which are very noticeable and dont
provide an immersive gaming experience. J
February 2017 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/reviews 65
24/11/2016 11:11
 GROUP TEST
BEST GAMING
MICE
For games, a standard office mouse just isnt up to the job. Lewis Painter rounds up the five best models
W
hether youre blowing chunks out of opponents or
ploughing through reports for work, its essential that
you have the right mouse under your hand. Gaming
mice in particular have a seemingly endless variety of options
to choose between, all offering different benefits.
A lot of it comes down to personal choice: how it feels in
your hand and whether you find the positioning of the buttons
comfortable. Incidentally, left-handed gamers should take note;
these are all exclusively right-handed mice. Aside from sheer
ergonomics, there are other factors to consider. Many mice, for
example, offer adjustable on-the-fly DPI (dots per inch) settings,
allowing you to change your mouses sensitivity at the touch of a
button. This is for when you need fine control when, for example,
ASUS ROG SPATHA
134 inc VAT asus.com/uk
The ROG (Republic of Gamers) Spatha is the latest gaming mouse
from Asus. It comes with a detailed Mayan-style grip on the left-hand
side next to six programmable thumb buttons, making it ideal for use
in MMOs and MOBAs. Overall, the mouse has 12 buttons, which can
be customised via the ROG Armoury software. Thats only touching
the surface with regards to the application, as it also allows you to
customise button response, polling rate, acceleration, angle snapping
and more, making it perfect for pro gamers.
The magnesium alloy-constructed Spatha offers extremely
high sensitivity, thanks to the use of an 8200 DPI laser sensor
coupled with a DPI switch. As well as this, the mouse offers surface
calibration, providing you with the best performance for the surface
its being used on. This combination lets you switch between high
and low sensitivity with a single click, while giving you finer control
when aiming with a precise weapon such as a sniper rifle.
If thats not impressive enough for you, then maybe
this is: the ROG Spatha is both wired and wireless,
depending on your personal preference. You
can use the supplied Micro-USB cable to
connect the mouse to your PC, or you
can connect the receiver/charging
station and use it wirelessly until it
requires a charge. This gives
gamers the freedom to play how
they like without having to make
any compromises.
66 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/reviews February 2017
066_067 GT Gaming Mice 259.indd 66
taking a headshot. Most gaming mice come with anywhere from
five- to 10 programmable buttons (which you can assign to specific
functions such as sprinting, crouching or reloading), while an
MMO-style mouse might cram 20 or more onto its chassis. These
can give you a leg up on the competition, when used correctly.
Many also offer various backlighting options to make them more
attractive to look at. Occasionally a mouse comes with removable
weights, allowing you to make it heavier or lighter until youve
found your perfect weight.
Whether you want a wired or a wireless mouse is another
consideration, though our view is that wired is best. You dont have
to faff around with replacement batteries, plus some gamers report
that they can notice lag with some wireless mice.
Along with the above features, it comes with standard LED
customisation that lets you change not only the colour of the logo on
the mouse and scroll wheel, but also the light that leaks out between
the thumb buttons along the left-hand side of the mouse.
COOLERMASTER CM STORM ALCOR
35 inc VAT coolermaster.co.uk
The Cooler Master CM Storm Alcor is the cheapest mouse here. It
has on-the-fly DPI switching up to 4000 DPI. The DPI settings come
in four levels, with the CM Storm logo on the palm section changing
colour to indicate the current state. We could argue that it would be
better placed in a more visible location, but this is a quibble at best.
Admittedly, we couldnt find any support software for customising
DPI levels or macros, something every other mouse here is able
to provide. The quality is also a little disappointing its solid
enough, but doesnt feel particularly different to a bog-standard
desktop mouse. The semi-gloss finish also had a tendency to get a
little sweaty during
extended sessions,
which didnt happen
with any of the others.
The lack of flashy
presentation might
turn some more hardcore
gamers off from the Alcor and
the lack of macro and remapping
options could prove too restrictive, but
at just 35 its the perfect choice for those
taking their first steps into PC gaming.
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24/11/2016 11:00

Corsair M65 rGB
69 inc VAT corsair.com/en-gb
The Corsair M65 RGB mouse is, appropriately enough, a sleek,
dangerous-looking thing of beauty, a mix of contours and sharp
angles. The matt surface is non-slip for fast, precise movements,
it has a braided cable and it feels pleasantly solid. Its also part
of Corsairs RGB range, meaning it has three separate lighting
sections that can be customized with 16.8 million colours in a
variety of ripple, wave and chase effects.
While design and aesthetic appeal are clearly a key focus of this
mouse, it by no means skimps on the features. The 8200 DPI sensor
is the best we tested, and it comes with on-the-fly switching via
two buttons below the scrollwheel, although the colour-changing
indicator is less convenient than the Kones voiceover system.
It also features a sniper switch, so you can drop your DPI down
at a moments notice to nail that perfect pin-point headshot. The
two side buttons are well-placed in thumbs-reach and the M65 feels
reasonably comfortable in the hand, aside from a lack of support for
your little finger. For the more particular gamer, the M65 RGB also
offers three tuning zones to tweak the center of gravity to your
individual satisfaction.
Corsairs configuration software covers all their peripherals,
so applying customised lighting patterns between devices is a
snap. The lighting management software itself can be somewhat
confusing, but the options for creating patterns and effects are
almost infinite, so its a good trade. The software also includes
macro functionality, so you can bind specific custom macros to
any button you wish,
as well as additional
commands such as
multimedia control.
The Corsair M65 RGB is
ideal for those gamers who
want their battle stations to
look as awesome as humanly
possible. However, its also one
of the best-equipped mice we
tested, and would be equally at
home in the hands of a tech-
spec purist.
LoGiteCh G502 proteus speCtruM rGB
69 inc VAT logitech.co.uk
The G502 Proteus Spectrum RGB is part of the gaming range from
Logitech, who has a substantial pedigree when it comes to PC
peripherals in general. While in the past the brand wasnt well known
for producing gaming gear, the level of experience and expertise it
now brings to the table, or in this case, desk, is undeniably fearsome,
including one of the best PC mice sensors on the market, the
PMW3366, which offers 12,000 DPI at 1000Hz. This can be found in
the G502, G303, G403 Prodigy (wired and wireless), Logitech G900
and G Pro mice.
The G502 is definitely one of the most user-friendly mice we
tested it fits ergonomically into the hand, and we barely had to
move our thumb to reach the two side buttons. Counting these, the
Proteus has 11 programmable buttons, including a thumb button
and on-the-fly DPI switching. The buttons for shifting scrollwheel
function isnt one of these buttons, meaning you have 12 buttons
on the mouse the scroll switching button allows you to change
from clicky to free scrolling mode at the press of a button.
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The DPI levels are adjustable, and are indicated
by three LEDs, which can be switched off through
the software. Along with the DPI LEDs, the G logo
is the only section that includes RGB backlighting.
Its a shame the G402 doesnt include more than
this somewhat desultory twinkle, but we can
forgive it on the strength of its design.
The visual design of this mouse is weirdly
pretty; matt-black with gloss detailing and
smooth, arresting contours, its minimalist chic
thats cool without being overly flashy. Its also
very well-constructed, as could be expected from
a company such as Logitech. The body feels solid
and well put-together, and its relatively weighty, but
can be customised through its adjustable weights. It also
comes with a braided cable.
Logitech has come a long way over the years to fine-tune its
software, and with the Logitech Gaming Software, you will be able
to customise every single aspect of the mouse, including macros,
basic functions to mouse mat calibration!
Adjustable DPI, high-speed tracking and the inclusion of one of
the best sensors on the market make this a great mouse for FPS
gamers, but its got a solid design and layout that render it a pretty
sensible choice for fans of other genres as well. Even better, its not
overly expensive.
steeLseries rivaL
52 inc VAT steelseries.com
For a price of around 52, the SteelSeries Rival is a contender for the
best gaming mouse on a budget. It features an advanced PMW3310
optical sensor that is said to offer zero hardware acceleration
and true 1:1 tracking, enabling precise movement. Even at higher
sensitivities, its extremely accurate and has enabled us to react
quicker than weve been able to in the past.
Its adjustable CPI is amazing, and offers adjustments from 50
to 6500, enabling gamers to find the perfect cursor sensitivity for
their style of gaming. The best part is that you dont have to settle
on one setting theres a button directly beneath the scrollwheel
that allows you to switch between various CPI profiles for different
situations. SteelSeries Engine 3 enables gamers to access various
Rival customisation settings, including programmable buttons,
polling rate, angle snapping and acceleration and deceleration speed.
With this being said, the Rival does skimp on programmable buttons
with only six buttons and a scrollwheel.
It features a matt finish, but still manages to feel smooth to the
touch and the anti-sweat coating helps to maintain contact when the
pressure is on. The rubber grips arent stuck onto the Rival either
theyre directly injected for better control and grip. If thats not
enough for you, the SteelSeries Stratus offers a customisable LED-lit
logo with 16.8 million (according to SteelSeries) colours to choose
from. Although this last feature wont apply to the masses, its fun
for those that can the Rival logo can be removed from the mouse
and be replaced with a 3D printed personalised nameplate, with the
digital model available to download from the SteelSeries website.
The SteelSeries Rival is a solid gaming
mouse for a decent price, but the
lack of programmable buttons
may be too much to ignore
for some gamers. If
youre in the market for
a comfortable, precise and
understated mouse, the Rival
is a solid option. J
February 2017 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/reviews 67
24/11/2016 11:00
 GROUP TEST
BEST GAMING
KEYBOARDS
A keyboard is an important part of a gamers armoury. Lewis Painter reveals our top five
F
or some PC gamers, having the right keyboard is almost
as important as the hardware inside it. For the uninitiated,
however, it can be hard to see what all the fuss is about.
Is there really any difference between fancy gaming keyboards
and a basic 10 keyboard form Microsoft or Logitech? In a word,
yes. Different keyboards have different features, of course, but
all gaming models come with extra options and features, and can
dramatically improve your gaming experience.
One of the principal differences is the keys themselves, and
whether the keyboard is mechanical or membrane based. The
latter use a layer of conductive plastic underneath the keys,
which forms an electrical contact when pressed. The former
have physical switches underneath each key.
Mechanical keyboards are more crisp and responsive, and
models using the high-quality Cherry MX mechanical switches
are a firm favourite among PC gamers, allowing for faster, more
precise keystrokes. Such keyboards are, however, bulky and
expensive when compared to membrane-based models.
CORSAIR K70 RGB MECHANICAL
149 inc VAT corsair.com/en-gb
Well say this for the Corsair K70 RGB keyboard: its a beautiful piece
of kit. Constructed from aircraft-grade brushed aluminium, its both
reasonably light and impossibly sturdy, on top of looking absolutely
fantastic. The design itself is simple and square and a little dull, but
we can live with that. It also comes prepackaged with a detachable
soft-touch wrist rest, which is a bonus.
It looks even better switched on, too. The chief selling point of
this model is the backlighting, boasting 16.8 million colours per key
and virtually limitless combinations. Corsairs cross-device software
allows you to build an endless variety of pulse, ripple and wave
effects in vibrant rainbow colours, as well as colour-coding specific
keys, such as movement controls in green, skill keys in blue and
combat buttons in red. You can also assign timers to the lighting,
such as having your spell keys change colour when theyre ready to
use. The lighting interface is a initially confusing, but makes up for it
with unbridled flexibility, and looks absolutely breathtaking in action.
However, although macros and timers are supported within
the software and can be bound to any button, the K70 RGB has
no dedicated macro keys, forcing you to reassign any macros you
build to an existing key. The key switches themselves are Cherry MX
models, and the red versions that we used are nice and responsive.
Theres not a huge amount of physical feedback and theyre pretty
clacky, but whether thats a plus or a minus is entirely down to
personal taste. For the record, were fans.
68 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/reviews February 2017
068_069 GT Gaming Keyboards 259.indd 68
How a keyboard feels is only part of its appeal; you want it to look
good as well. Many come equipped with backlighting, and allow you
to program specific colours or patterns for aesthetic appeal.
Layout is also an important aspect. Many games rely on lightning-
fast reflexes, and a split-second can mean the difference between
glorious success and humiliating, abject failure. For this reason,
gaming keyboard layouts are optimised for maximum efficiency, with
ergonomic layouts, programmable keys and numerous shortcuts
meaning that everything you need is always right where you need it.
Part of this is macro keys: programmable buttons to which you
can assign long, complicated strings of keystrokes. This enables
you to execute complex commands and manoeuvres with a single
button press, saving time and effort and letting you focus on your
gaming strategy. You can even create multiple profiles with separate
macros, allowing you to tailor your macro sets to specific games.
If youre only an occasional gamer, you may be happy with
the most basic of peripherals. But those that consider gaming a
serious hobby, upgrading to a dedicated keyboard is a must.
Rather than assigning music and video controls to the function
keys as most other keyboards do, Corsair has opted to give them
special little buttons all their own. Theres also a special volume
roller, for instant and precise audio control. Its a small detail, but
for some reason, were absolutely in love with it.
One thing we dont like though, is the two USB ports required to
run the keyboard. In this case we can understand why its necessary,
given the intensiveness of the backlighting, but its still a little
awkward. The braided cable is also unexpectedly chunky.
While its not as densely packed with hardware features as some
of the other models here, in terms of purely aesthetic value its the
clear winner by an absolute mile. If you desperately need macro
keys its probably not ideal, but its just so damn pretty that we
cant help but recommend it.
G.SKILL RIPJAWS KM780 RGB MECHANICAL
150 inc VAT gskill.com
The G.Skill Ripjaws KM780 RGB is a fully customisable RGB
mechanical keyboard that has RGB Cherry MX switches. The reason
we chose the KM780 in our round up, is due to its versatility. The
keyboard is available in the Cherry MX Brown (tactile), MX Red (soft)
and MX Blue (clicky) variants and, if youre not a fan of the RGB
colours, you can save yourself some money and buy the non-RGB
variant. This give you plenty of options to choose from and better
still, the keyboard is well-priced at 150 given its features.
No matter which Cherry MX key switch you opt for, the German
brand behind the switches guarantees 50 million keystrokes and
TEST CENTRE
24/11/2016 11:06

alongside the RGB
lightning provides
16.8 million colours
to choose from. The
keyboard also features NKRO
and anti-ghosting, meaning you can press and hold as many keys
as you like, as theyll all be registered.
The KM780s package contents is impressive. Inside the box,
youll find a wrist rest, an additional 10 gaming keycaps, which are
red in colour and have a texture on them, and a key puller that
comes in very handy when you want to clean your keyboard.
The software itself works flawlessly and allows you to fully
customise the keyboard with custom macros and keystrokes this
will let you open programs, give you an edge in games and even
be used to play/pause your music. If youre looking to control your
music, the KM780 has dedicated media keys on the right-hand
side, a live volume LED slider, three programmable profiles and
six dedicated macro keys. The keyboard doesnt stop there, it has
an additional USB port and headphone/mic jacks, so you can plug
your flash drive or headset directly into the keyboard, rather than
at the back of your PC - a nifty feature.
From top to bottom the KM780 keyboard is a fantastic all-in-one
ultimate keyboard and we would recommend it, as long as your
pockets are deep enough.
Logitech g213 prodigy
59 inc VAT logitech.co.uk
The Logitech G213 Prodigy is a non-mechanical fully membrane
keyboard. However, unlike most such keyboards, it feels very much
like a mechanical Cherry MX Brown switch keyboard. As a fully
membrane keyboard it does come in a little expensive at 59,
however, it does offer zonal RGB lightning, which means you cant
individually customise the colour of each key, though you will be
able to display a RGB-like wave colour and light up sections of your
keyboard (such as the Number Pad).
The switches have a 50g actuation force and require 4mm of
travel distance in order to be registered - this makes them very
good to game on, versus other rubber-dome membrane keyboards.
The G213 is also a very thin keyboard, which does play against
it when it comes to keyboard flex (if youre a heavy typist or gamer
you might prefer a more sturdy keyboard), but it does look sleek
and stylish on a modern desk.
At the top-right hand side of the keyboard, there are dedicated
media keys allowing you to quickly change or stop media on your
PC. There is also a game-button, which disables the Windows key.
Better still the F1 to F12 keys can be fully reprogrammed through
Logitechs Gaming Software. Youll be able to set macros or even
open up your favourite programs through the software. This means
that you dont have dedicated macro keys, but have the option
to set some in place of the F keys that you might not use often.
If youre not looking to spend too much money, want a
mechanical-keyboard feeling with zonal RGB lightning, then the
Logitech G213 Prodigy is a great choice.
razer BLackwidow chroma
164 inc VAT razerzone.com
Razer is well known in the gaming world for its peripherals, and
a Razer keyboard is the first choice for many. A key feature
of the Chroma is Razers own mechanical switches
which feel great to both type and game on. They use
a 50g actuation force and have a whopping 60 million
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068_069 GT Gaming Keyboards 259.indd 69
GROUP TEST
keystroke lifespan, so youll be good for a while. You can buy the
keyboard in a silent keys option, too.
Lighting has been a staple in the gaming world for a long time, so
you can be just as cool at your desk as when driving your modded
Citron Saxo down the high street with its underlights. It supports
16.8 million customisable colour options. You can set it to match the
colour scheme in the room but also much more advanced things.
Lights aside, the Chroma comes with a number of features that
will help your gaming. A gaming mode stops you quitting to your
desktop by disabling the Windows key and can be expanded to
Alt+Tab and Alt+F4 (you can use the Chroma on Mac, too). There is
a lot you can do with macro keys. There are five dedicated macro
keys on the left side and this keyboard supports on the fly macro
recording. The Chroma also has 10 key roll-over anti-ghosting.
The keyboard features a braided fibre cable, which requires two
USB ports. This is so you can utilise the USB port on the side of
the keyboard itself which saves you diving under your desk to plug
things in. Theres are also headphone and microphones ports which
could come in very handy.
SteeLSerieS apex m800
139 inc VAT steelseries.com
The SteelSeries Apex M800 is a gaming keyboard, announced
back in 2015 and is one of our favourite gaming keyboards. It has a
low profile design, based lightly on the design of the original Apex
gaming keyboard. Its been built at an ergonomic low angle for extra
comfort, and the linear key layout cuts down on finger travel. This
means that youll be able to reach the keys you need, when you need
them, and thus speed up your reaction times.
However, it isnt the ergonomic design that pleases us most about
the M800 its the illumination it offers a choice of 16.8 million
colours. This means that, using SteelSeries software, you can design
your own custom lighting schemes for various different games.
As well as custom designs, the M800 also comes with a handful
of pre-set light effects, including Breathe, Colour Wave, Cooldown
Timers and Reactive Keys. These really give the M800 the wow
factor it deserves, any we can pretty much guarantee that every
person that sees the keyboard lit up will comment on it.
Apart from the aesthetics, the M800 packs some serious
technology. First, it has dual processors, with one CPU dedicated
solely to key presses, which stops any ghosting issues. In fact, it can
handle up to 256 keys to be pressed at once with no issue.
The M800 also boasts switch technology specifically designed
for this keyboard. SteelSeries paired up with experts in switch
technology to create the QS1 switch. The improved QS1 provides
a smooth linear action, as well as 25 percent faster actuation
than standard mechanical switches. The keys only require 45cN
(centinewton) of force to register a key press, which allows for
lighter key presses and faster reactions.
And if that wasnt enough for you, it even features a USB 2.0
hub and a series of macro keys, which can be programmed via
SteelSeries software for both PC and Mac.
This is the ultimate in gaming keyboards, in our opinion, and is
really only for hardcore gamers. Its a chunky keyboard despite its
ergonomic design, but in return
you get a powerhouse of
a keyboard that can
provide lightning fast
responses when you need
them most. The individually
lit keys are also a bonus, as they
allow a higher level of customisation
than standard gaming keyboards. J
February 2017 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/reviews 69
24/11/2016 11:06
 FEATURE

Page 77
Paint 3d
Microsoft
Windows
Event
We round up everything Microsoft revealed: Surface Book i7,
Surface Studio, Windows 10 Creators update, and more
t the end of October, Microsoft held a big event in New York to launch

A plenty of new Surface hardware. However, its easy to see why the
company called this a Windows event rather than a Surface shindig.
Over the next 20 pages, we explain everything you need to know about the
new features that will debut with the new Windows 10 Creators Update (page 82),
which will be released in the spring of 2017. The name comes from the fact that
the updates focus on the creation and manipulation of 3D content, sharing your
Xbox Live gaming experiences, and easily communicating with others.
The rest of event was dedicated to new Surface hardware, which has been
designed to marry this powerful hardware with the best of those new software
features. Theres the Surface Studio, Microsofts first-ever desktop PC, the Surface
Dial an accessory for that PC plus the Surface Book i7 (an update to the original).
The company didnt launch an updated Surface or Surface Pro tablet, but were
expecting an announcement before too much of 2017 passes.

Page 72
Surface
Book i7

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 FEATURE

Page 88
Hololens

Page 78
surface
stuDio

Page 84
11 new
winDows 10
features

Page 80
surface
Dial

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 Feature: Microsoft Windows Event

Surface Book i7
Price: 1,799 inc VAT, 256GB; 2,249 inc VAT, 256GB; 2,649 inc VAT, 1TB

REVIEW

The Surface Book i7 is hard to

define but still pretty damned fast

I
ts always been difficult trying
to find the right category for
Microsofts hybrid tablet/laptop
Surface Book. And now with the new i7 in
hand, its even harder to work out just what
square hole to put this round peg into.
The Surface Book i7 is the second
iteration of Microsofts convertible laptop.
The top half is a beautifully proportioned
13.5in tablet with a PixelSense screen that
has touch and pen support. The keyboard
base (called the Performance Base) is home
to a discrete graphics chip, which takes the
i7s performance beyond that of any other
laptop in its class.
The two sides are held together with a
hinge that will be familiar to owners of the
first generation model. There were rumours
Microsoft would give up on its dynamic
fulcrum hinge and eliminate the gap it
creates, but its still there and remains one
of the i7s most prominent features.
Design
The Surface Books tablet has the same
IPS (3000x2000) screen, behind which
is an Intel dual-core sixth-generation
Skylake Core i7-6600U. This is paired with
8- or 16GB of RAM, and depending on the
depth of your pockets an SSD with 256GB,
512GB or 1TB SSD.
For hardware addicts, that CPU is a
disappointment. With lots of laptops now
using Intels seventh-generation Kaby Lake
CPUs, youre probably wondering why
Microsoft went with an older processor. It
appears the firm was more concerned with
upgrading the graphics in Performance Base.
The original Surface Book featured a discrete
Nvidia GeForce chip, which was custom
but widely believed to be a GeForce GT
940M. The i7 packs an Nvidia GeForce GTX
965M chip with 2GB of GDDR5 RAM. The
newer GPU is far faster, but also far hotter.
Microsoft said that it added a second fan to
keep it cool, but the Performance Base is
also a little thicker than the original model,
with larger air vents.
Under heavy load, the fans get louder,
but the acoustics arent bad. A bit shrill,
maybe, but acceptable. The fans also seem
to work well at keeping the GPU cool. We
ran a GPU torture
test on the device
for more than
an hour and
although it
got warmer,
it didnt get
uncomfortable

The newer GPU is far faster, but also far hotter. Microsoft said The more powerful GPU in the i7
it added a second fan to keep it cool, but the Performance requires a larger 95W power brick
(bottom) versus the 60W brick of
Base is also a little thicker than the original model the original Surface Books (top)

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Love it or hate it, the hinge is unchanged
from last years model (above)
The Performance Base on the newest
Surface Book i7 (below left) is about
two millimetres thicker than the original
Surface Books base (below right)
072_076 Surface Studio i7 259.indd 73
to touch or use. So good job on the
implementation, Microsoft.
Hardware
The Surface Book i7s CPU performance can
be summed up pretty much in one sentence:
Feature: Microsoft Windows Event
its a dual-
core Intel chip.
Being a sixth-
generation Skylake
CPU, its around 10
After running
percent slower than a the torture test
comparable seventh- FurMark for more
generation Kaby Lake. than an hour, the
Of course, a lot of Surface Book i7s
people wont feel that keyboard was
deficit very often. reasonably cool
To illustrate
this, the charts on page 74 reveal how the
i7 compares to some of the best laptops
around. For context, we threw in a larger
quad-core Dell XPS 15 and the Microsoft
Surface 3, which runs on the anaemic
Atom X7 CPU. Our test takes a 30GB MKV
file and converts it with Handbrake 0.9.9.
On most dual-core laptops (including
the Kaby Lake-based Dell XPS 13 and HP
Spectre x360), it takes almost two hours to
run this test, and as you can see overleaf,
as the chips heat up and slow down during
the course of the test, there are minimal
differences in performance. That doesnt
mean there arent any differences, but the
sixth-generation Skylake chip keeps up.
The charts also illustrate just how little
has changed from the first Surface Book. In
Here you can see just how much thicker
the new Performance Base (left) is with
its GeForce GTX 965M inside of it
February 2017 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/features 73
22/11/2016 10:39
 Feature: Microsoft Windows Event

As you can see in our Handbrake

benchmark, systems with dual-
core CPUs produce similar results

another performance test the CPU-heavy

Cinebench R15 the score for the i7 was
identical to one we recorded last year.
The performance you really care about
is the GPU that Microsoft tucked under the
keyboard. Even though we all hoped for
some secret new AMD or Nvidia GPU, the
GeForce GTX 965M doesnt disappoint.

Performance
Futuremarks 3DMark Sky Diver
This is a synthetic test that measures the
graphics performance of a PC. Although it
doesnt use an actual video game engine,
its still well respected. For comparison we
also threw in the Dell XPS 15. Its a much
thicker and larger 15in laptop with a quad-
core CPU and GeForce GTX 960M. Since
the overall score factors in the CPU cores,
the XPS 15 takes the win. Elsewhere in the
pack though, you can see how 2015s Surface
Book is head and shoulders above everyone
else. But then you get to the Surface Book
i7s GeForce GTX 965M, which is basically
three times the performance of most laptops
with integrated graphics.
3DMark also gives you a sub score, which
focuses solely on the graphics performance
and cuts out the CPU performance. Once we
take the quad-core out of the equation, the
Surface Book i7 moves into first place. Not
by as much as we expected, but its not bad.
The Surface Book i7 is certainly fast.

Tomb Raider
Not everyone trusts synthetic tests though,
so we also ran the three-year-old, but still
quite lovely, Tomb Raider game. We dont
have as many comparable laptops, but you
can see how two of the XPS 13s perform
when running the game at 1920x1080 on
the High setting. The slowest of the bunch
is the seventh-generation Kaby Lake laptop
with HD 620 graphics. Moving up to the Dell
XPS 13, with an Intel Core i7-6560U and
Iris 540, nets a decent boost. The original
Surface Book with its GeForce GT 940M
is faster still, but at 35.4fps, we wouldnt
play the game. That changes with the
Surface Book i7, which achieves a totally
No other 13in Ultrabook can
touch the Surface Book i7
satisfying 80.8fps, and even exceeds the Dell
XPS 15s GeForce GTX 960M.
Battery
With the Surface Book i7s upgrade you
already know Microsoft didnt touch the
tablet portion, which has the same DYN-
made 18 watt-hour (Wh) batteries. Where
Microsoft did change things was, again, in
the Performance Base, whose now-thicker
profile accommodates more battery capacity.
The original Surface Book with GeForce
card packs a 53Wh cell while the new one
has nearly a 63Wh battery. All told, thats a
massive 81Wh battery pushing the Surface
Book i7 along. To see how well it does, we
ran the same rundown test on both it and
the 2015 Surface Book.
Our test looped a 4K resolution movie
using Windows 10 Movies & TV app. That
particular app is selected because its a
super-efficient video player. We set the
laptops to flight mode and the brightness

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As you can see, the Surface i7
was ahead of the pack
The Surface Book i7s GeForce GTX 965M smashes
the competing 13in laptops in gaming performance
The i7s battery life is
also pretty impressive
to a relatively bright 250- to 260 nits to
approximate what youd use in a typical
house or office in the daytime. Audio is
enabled, but we use a pair of small earbuds.
072_076 Surface Studio i7 259.indd 75
The result? Stupendous battery life. In
fact, it set a new record in a laptop at just
over 13 hours of playback. The original
Surface Book gave us a respectable 10 hours
Feature: Microsoft Windows Event
and the next closest competitor was Dells
current XPS 13 at about 11 hours.
Modular laptop
Since the tablet of the new Surface Book
i7 appears to be exactly the same as the
original, we naturally wondered if we could
simply attach the original to the upgraded
Performance Base, since thats where most
of the upgrade happened. Sure enough,
the two sides fit, and after a few driver
downloads we were all set.
In some ways, the Surface Book i7 is the
first modular laptop. With the GPU and extra
batteries stored in the base, you could, in
theory, upgrade by just buying a new base.
Its almost like Googles cancelled Project
Ara, except its an actual product.
The problem is, of course, that Microsoft
doesnt sell just the base. Thats a shame as
we think the firm is missing an opportunity
here. Plenty of people who bought a Surface
Book last year are probably still pretty happy
with the Skylake CPU and tablet portion,
but that GeForce GT 940M is getting long
in the tooth. If we cared about graphics
performance and we had the original, wed
jump at the chance to buy the Performance
Base with the GeForce GTX 965M upgrade.
The downsides
The most obvious problems are the prior
sins. The original Surface Book amazed
everyone at launch but went through many
months of teething pains with docking and
undocking issues, and multiple firmware
fixes issued over the past year, which both
corrected and then reintroduced new
docking or sleep issues.
In the interest of full disclosure, we
used an original Surface Book (although
not our original review sample) on and off
for the better part of the past 10 months.
For the most part, problems were few
and far between, but they were there and
occasionally maddening.
But whether those were problems with
the Surface Book, per se, or issues induced
by Windows 10 Insider Preview program, we
dont know. Despite all that, we still have no
problems recommending it.
Still, we have a few complaints. The
most prominent is the lack of Thunderbolt
3, or at least a faster 10Gb/s port. With this
class of performance, pro ports should be
part of the package.
One of the stickiest points with the
Surface Book i7 is its price. The unit you see
here with Core i7, 16GB of RAM, 1TB SSD,
and GeForce GTX 965M is 2,649. You can
knock 400 off the Surface Book i7s price by
cutting the SSD capacity in half. Or you can
step down to 8GB of RAM and a 256GB drive
for 2,249. The problem is those prices arent
competitive with competing laptops from
February 2017 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/features 75
22/11/2016 10:39
 Feature: Microsoft Windows Event

PC makers. Of course, no other PC vendors graphics performance than a larger 15in 256GB, 512GB or 1TB SSD
offers anything quite like the i7 either. laptop with discrete graphics is amazing. 8GB or 16GB RAM
The other issue we have is the size and Combined with its tablet mode, swanky hinge, Sixth-generation Intel Core i7
weight of the i7. Our review unit weighed just pen support, beautiful screen, and stellar Nvidia GeForce graphics
over 1576g. Thats only 60g heavier than the battery life, its easy to remember what 802.11ac Wi-Fi wireless networking
original Surface Book, but its hefty. made us fall in love with the Surface Book 802.11a/b/g/n compatible
in the first place. J Gordon Mah Ung Bluetooth 4.0
Verdict TPM chip for enterprise security
When Microsoft announced details of the Specifications 2x USB 3.0
Surface Book i7, we were pretty disappointed 13.5in (3000x2000, 267ppi) PixelSense SD card reader
in its middle-aged hardware. In use, however, display Surface Connect
it appears theres plenty of life left in these Windows 10 Pro Headset jack
parts. That it can actually give you better Office 365 30-day trial Mini DisplayPort
Cameras, video and audio
5Mp front-facing camera
8Mp rear-facing camera with autofocus
Dual Microphones, front- and rear facing
Front-facing stereo speakers with Dolby
Audio Premium
Ambient light sensor
Accelerometer
Gyroscope
Magnetometer
Up to 12 hours video playback
Laptop: 312.3x232.1x13-22.8mm
Clipboard: 312.3x220.2x7.7mm
1576g

Microsofts Surface Book i7 (bottom) isnt

the tiniest laptop around compared to the
last-generation MacBook Pro 13 (second
from bottom), the latest-generation HP
Spectre x360 13 (third from bottom), and
Dells bantam XPS 13 (top)

76 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/features February 2017

072_076 Surface Studio i7 259.indd 76 22/11/2016 10:39


Paint 3D
Price: TBC
ne of Microsofts operating
O systems most historic applications
and one of Windows 10s few
remaining native desktop programs is
receiving a radical overhaul in the free
Windows 10 Creators Update releasing
next spring. The venerable Paints being
transformed into Paint 3D, a Windows Store
app brimming with new features designed to
bring two-dimensional images to life.
Paint 3Ds loaded with tools focused on
making 3D image manipulation as simple
as possible. The long-known Pencil tool now
seamlessly works on any 3D objects, while
new Sticker and Doodle tools exist to stamp
2D objects onto 3D images and convert 2D
drawings into 3D images, respectively.
Magic Select
077 Paint 3D 259.indd 77
A new Magic Select tool lets you
remove the background from an image,
leaving you free to work the primary
object into 3D images with smart
depth-selection and scaling capabilities.
But bringing physical objects into the
digital world goes even deeper than that;
Paint 3D also integrates with a new Windows
Capture 3D tool being introduced in the
OS. In essence, its a 3D scanner app; you
slowly walk around the physical object with
Windows Capture 3D open on a Windows 10
Mobile phone, and the app captures it as a
3D image that can be imported into Paint 3D.
Microsoft is also launching a Remix 3D
website where people can share 3D images
they have created, to build up a stock
Remix 3D
Feature: Microsoft Windows Event
PREVIEW
image database that anybody can tap into.
Windows 10s newfound infatuation with 3D
images extends into the wider Microsoft
ecosystem, too. With the Windows 10
Creators Update, youll also be able to export
your 3D creations from Minecraft into the
Remix 3D database, and study your Paint
3D-created images using the companys
HoloLens augmented reality headset (see
page 88). Youll also be able to share your
Paint 3D creations directly to Facebook.
Will Paint 3D replace the traditional Paint
app, or will both live on as counterparts
focused on 3D and 2D image manipulation,
respectively? Microsoft didnt say, but well
know when the Windows 10 Creators Update
rolls out next spring. J Brad Chacos
February 2017 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/features 77
22/11/2016 10:42
 Feature: Microsoft Windows Event
Surface Studio
Price: $2,499 (TBC), 1TB; $4,199 (TBC), 2TB
icrosofts Surface Studio charges
M aggressively into territory once
held by Apple, combining an
elegant design, a massive, lovely display, and
an eye-popping price tag. Our colleagues at
PCWorld had a chance to try the companys
first-ever desktop after it was announced.
Although the specs fall slightly short of
state-of-the-art, everything felt extremely
fast and responsive. The base offering
includes a sixth-generation (Skylake) Core
i5, an Nvidia GeForce GTX 965M 2GB GPU,
a 1TB hybrid drive, and 8GB of memory. At
the highest end, the model includes a sixth-
generation Core i7, 32GB of memory, and a
GTX980M GPU, along with 2TB of storage.
What we like most about the Surface
Studio is how it pivots, literally, from a
single-purpose workstation into an easel
for artistic creation or sharing. A pair of
hinges gracefully lifts the massive 28in,
4500x3000 PixelSense display from a
nearly vertical position to about 20 degrees
78 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/features February 2017
078_079 Surface Studio 259.indd 78
PREVIEW
The fantastic display
immediately grabbed
our attention
off the horizontal. The display itself offers curve we prefer. We were also hoping for a
Adobe sRGB and DCI-P3 colour settings,
individually colour-calibrated. If theres any
drawback, its that the monitor itself lacks
keyboard a bit more like the Surface Books,
rather than the chiclet feel of the Surface
tablets detachable keyboard. They both
any other positioning feature. Theres no felt like flimsy cup holders on a car.
way of raising it higher, save for propping
it up with a book or stand.
Though its designed for creativity, we
found one pleasing productivity aspect:
when in monitor mode, the display was large
enough and detailed enough to allow for four
snapped windows in each corner. True, you
can do this with any display attached to a
Windows 10 machine. But the Studio displays
vast real estate actually makes this practical,
with little in the way of visual compromise.
The Surface Studio ships with a standard
Surface Pen, plus an updated Microsoft
Sculpt mouse and keyboard, wrapped
in Surface grey. Were lukewarm on the
peripherals (though you could certainly
replace them with your own hardware).
Surface Studio mouse
The mouse felt flattish, versus the smooth
23/11/2016 10:25

The Dial, though, is intriguing. A $100
(TBC) optional peripheral, the Dial augments
the mouse and keyboard with quick, easily
accessible shortcuts packaged in something
that looks remarkably like a hockey puck.
(For further details, go to page 80.)
While the Studio doesnt include the
modular functionality that was hinted at
in a patent filing, it does include a 5Mp
front-facing camera and a dual-mic array.
Triggering Windows 10s Cortana assistant
Microsoft says that front-facing
ports would have interfered with
the zero-gravity hinge
078_079 Surface Studio 259.indd 79
(Hey, Cortana) worked well in the crowded
demo room. We didnt try the camera.
Were not sure we like Microsofts decision
to package its expansion ports inside the
base. In essence, the firm took its Surface
Hub and tied it to a standard motherboard,
encased it in plastic, and called it a day.
The Studio puts four USB 3.0 ports inside
the base, but points them toward the back,
probably making it a pain to plug in anything.
Theres an SD card reader and a headphone
Feature: Microsoft Windows Event
We found the Surface Studio
comfortable to sketch upon, at least
for the short periods we tried it
jack again, facing the rear. Unlike the
Surface tablets, theres no USB port on
the side of the monitor. Bluetooth 4.0 and
802.11ac Wi-Fi complete the package.
The Studio is a lovely piece of hardware,
and we cant wait to spend more time with
it. But remember, it isnt necessarily for
you. Microsoft is aiming this at the creative
community who normally would buy a Mac.
Well be interested to see how many actually
make the jump. J Mark Hachman
February 2017 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/features 79
22/11/2016 17:04
 Feature: Microsoft Windows Event

Surface Dial
Price: $100 (TBC)

ove over, mouse and keyboard.

M Take a seat, Surface Pen. Microsoft

has a new input device: the
Surface Dial, a silver hockey puck designed
PREVIEW
to make life simple for digital artists.
Mice move, pens draw; the Dial turns.
If you tap it a radial menu appears. Turn
the Dial, and you can quickly access the
corresponding shortcut. Its as simple as that.
The Surface Dial was designed as
a peripheral for the Surface Studio. It
will work with the Surface Pro 3, Pro 4
and Book as well, but with the Studio,
it can control the tablet while resting
on the screen an interaction that isnt
there on the older tablets.
In some sense, though, it is a solution
in search of a problem. Within the Maps
application, the Dial can currently only
be used off-screen, as a sort of mouse
replacement. Spin it one way, and the map
zooms out. Tap it and enable Tilt, and the
Dial controls the maps orientation.
For artists who spend their days using
a drawing application, however, you can
begin to see the potential. Consider the
various gradients and percentages that Dial and the other on the Surface Pen, even Dial users to draw one continuous stroke,
can be applied to the opacity of a line, or leaning on the screen. Adjustments can be adjusting the properties of the line as its
the contrast of a scene. Generally, these made quickly and even, reportedly, on the being drawn.
controls are governed by slider bars in a fly, though it depends on the app. At the
control panel. An artist may have to adjust Microsoft event, executives demonstrated a A niche audience
one, then draw, making adjustments back CAD app that required a stepped adjustment: In 2012, Microsoft flirted with a radial menu
and forth until everything looks right. With draw, adjust the thickness of the line, then for OneNote, and the Dial is that design
Surface Studio you can have one hand on the draw again. Other apps, however, will enable motif in physical form. We wouldnt call the

The Dial can be used to

turn the screen on and off

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peripheral a necessity in fact, for basic
tasks it simply isnt as fast or functional as
a mouses thumbwheel. In PowerPoint, for
example, one of Dials options is to zoom the
window. But the tap on the device is a bit
more than a tap: the Dial requires you to hold
it down for about a second before it triggers
the radial menu. In some applications, where
the mousewheel is already programmed for
the same action, the Dial becomes useless.
In a specialised artistic application,
however, the Dial becomes far more useful.
080_081 Surface Dial 259.indd 81
Feature: Microsoft Windows Event
A closer look at the
Dials new radial menu
As a massive tablet, reclined in a way
that gives the artist full access to a digital The Dial takes
a pair of AA
painting, fumbling with a keyboard shortcut
batteries, which
or control panel is a chore. In that sense, the are held on by a
Dial smooths out the workflow and keeps the magnetic cover
artists attention focused on their creation.
Thats a pretty limited niche, however.
We think its fair to say that most Surface
users rarely touch the Surface Pen, and even
fewer will use the Dial. But we also expect
that Microsofts odd little puck will probably
attract a cult following. J Mark Hachman
February 2017 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/features 81
22/11/2016 10:49
 Feature: Microsoft Windows Event
Windows 10 PREVIEW
Creators Update
Price: Free
M
icrosoft sees the HoloLens
(see page 88) and what it calls
mixed reality as a big part of
the firms future. Well get our first major
taste of that vision this spring when the
Windows 10 Creators Update rolls out.
This seems to be targeted at Windows
users between the ages of 12 and 24,
who, Microsoft says, value creativity more
highly than previous generations. That
said, everyone else can come along for the
ride too, with new 3D creation tools for
smartphones, PCs, HoloLens, and virtual
reality headsets. Gaming also gets a big
nod in the Creators Update, with a built-
in game broadcasting feature, custom
gaming tournaments, and Dolby Atmos
support for the Xbox One S.
Heres a breakdown of whats coming.
Windows Capture 3D
A new feature headed to smartphones and
possibly other devices, such as tablets, is
Windows Capture 3D. This feature uses the
devices camera to scan a physical object
and turn it into a 3D digital one. All you
have to do is point your camera at the
real object and move around it, similar to
how youd slowly scan an area to create a
panoramic photo. Based on what we saw
during Microsofts demonstration, the images
are a little on the cartoonish side. So dont
Paint 3D
82 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/features February 2017
082_083 Windows 10 Creators Update 259.indd 82
count on creating photo-realistic images
of your dog or a sandcastle. Microsoft plans
to roll out the new feature (presumably as an
app) to Windows 10 Mobile, as well as other
platforms such as Android and iOS.
Paint 3D
Once youve captured a 3D image with the
new mobile tool, youll need a way to use
it. Thats where a new version of Microsoft
Paint, called Paint 3D, comes in. If you follow
the Windows rumour mill, then youve already
seen leaked versions of it in action.
With this new built-in app, you can grab
your 3D image captures and insert them into
a regular image in Paint. With Paint 3D you
could, for example, mix and
match 3D and 2D elements
to create an original image.
It will also have 3D emojis,
the ability to add stickers
as textures on 3D objects,
or draw directly on 3D
images with Paints
pen and brush tools.
(For further details,
see page 77.)
Remix 3D
If you get tired of
scanning your
own images,
Microsoft is
building a
new community
a site called
Remix3D.com where you can grab the 3D
equivalent of clip art. The community will
feature items created using 3D modelling
software Sketchup, as well as objects built
in Microsoft-owned Minecraft.
Starting with the Creators Update, users
will be able to export their creations from
Minecraft and share them on Remix3D.com.
There will also be the ability to seamlessly
print your Minecraft creations in 3D to
bring them into the real world (see above).
Microsoft Office in 3D
Windows 10s Creators Update will also let
you get serious with 3D objects in Microsoft
Office. Its not clear how many programs in
the productivity suite will get 3D integration,
but Microsoft showed it off in PowerPoint,
which is a natural fit for 3D imagery.
The presentation software will let you
add 3D images, mix them with 2D elements
(just like Paint 3D), and create fancy
animated transitions from one slide to the
next. In Microsofts example, you could
have a close-up of fruit hanging from a tree
branch. For the transition to a new slide the
3D image of the tree spins and zooms out
until you see the complete object.
VR accessories
It appears Microsoft isnt going to let Google,
Oculus, Samsung, and others run away with
the virtual reality craze. The company says
the Windows 10 Creators Update will bring
powerful and affordable VR to everyone.
Microsoft manufacturing partners, including
22/11/2016 10:52

Acer, Asus, Dell, HP and Lenovo, will
introduce VR headsets with six degrees-of-
freedom sensors similar to other headsets.
The key issue with these new accessories
is that they are supposed to be much cheaper
than Oculus or the HTC Vive, with prices
In the Creators Update, five important contacts will appear
as profile images to the far right of your taskbar. Youll be able
to drop files onto these contacts to immediately share items
starting at around 250. The Rift and Vive
are priced at 549 and 759 respectively,
but theres no telling what the top price will
be on the new Windows 10 accessories.
HoloLens
HoloLens isnt ready for consumers yet.
Nevertheless, the augmented reality device
will get some exciting additions in the
My People
082_083 Windows 10 Creators Update 259.indd 83
Creators Update. The most interesting is
Edge functioning as what Microsoft calls a
portal for interacting with 3D digital content
in HoloLens. Presumably, this will require
some heavy lifting for websites that want
to support it, but it looks promising.
Even Microsofts rather mundane example
was fascinating and ultra-futuristic. Using
Edge in the Creators Update with HoloLens,
you could visit furniture site Houzz, select an
item, and get a life size 3D representation of
the object in your home. That way you could
see how a bed might look in your childrens
room, or how that new sofa will fit in with
the dens football fan motif.
Feature: Microsoft Windows Event
HoloLens
Gaming, gaming and 4K Blu-ray
Gaming and the phenomenon of watching
gaming (such as e-sports matches and
tournaments) is becoming huge. Windows 10
Creators Update will cater to gaming with a
new one-click game streaming feature built-in
to the Xbox Live Gamebar. The streaming
feature will use Beam, a live game streaming
service Microsoft acquired in August. The
Redmond-based firm didnt say if the feature
will also support Twitch or YouTube.
Microsoft will also expand Xbox Lives
Arena mode allowing users to create their
own e-sports tournaments to match up
against people in their Xbox Live network.
Finally, the Xbox One S is getting Dolby
Atmos support for improved audio when
watching 4K Blu-ray. With 4K and HDR
support already built-in to the Xbox One S,
the console is shaping up to be a compelling
entertainment unit for the living room.
My People
Microsoft wants to make people 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 to the far right
of your taskbar. Youll be able to drop files
onto these contacts to immediately share
items, or click on the contact to interact in
a specific app like Mail, Skype, SMS or Xbox
Live. Click Mail, and youll get a customized
inbox featuring only your interactions with
that person. In addition, Microsoft will add a
messaging feature called Shoulder Taps that
lets your people send emoji and stickers
that pop up immediately on the desktop.
Windows Store apps will also get My
People built-in, allowing you to quickly share
files from the Photos app. J Ian Paul
February 2017 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/features 83
22/11/2016 10:52
 Feature: Microsoft Windows Event

new Windows 10 features

11 Microsoft just sneakily revealed
Microsoft was quiet about several planned features in the Creators Update. Blair Hanley Frank reports

icrosoft showed off a handful of

M marquee features, which weve

covered over the past few pages,
but the company hid 11 more new releases in
its sizzle reel preview of the Creators Update.
Theres a lot packed in there, including
a new app, plus changes to Edge, Maps,
Windows Defender, and more.
The company declined to comment when
asked about these features, and they may
change or disappear before the update
launches this Spring. Fair warning.

1. Groove Music Maker app

It looks like Microsoft is aiming to compete
with Apples GarageBand home music
creation software with a new Groove Music
Maker app. Its been designed to let people
mix instrumental and vocal tracks, plus
apply basic effects such as reverb.

2. Revamped Windows Defender

Microsoft has focused heavily on
improving the security of Windows 10,
and it looks like thats getting a further
upgrade with a redesigned Windows
Defender coming in the Creators Update.
In addition to virus protection, the
app also includes firewall and network
protection, computer performance and
health, and family safety features.

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 Feature: Microsoft Windows Event

3. Scrollable rich tab previews for

easy switching in Microsoft Edge
Microsoft Edge will get a feature designed
to make it easier to flip through a bunch of
browser tabs. The video shows a user able
to scroll through a horizontal carousel of
rich tab previews that show the contents of
pages before theyre opened.

4. Set aside tabs in Edge

In a similar tab management vein,
Edge will also get a feature that
looks like a way for users to save
their browser tabs to access later.
Its reminiscent of features such
as Apples Reading List in Safari,
which also lets users keep a list of
articles and sites for later perusal.

5. Collections of places in Maps

Microsofts Maps app is getting a new
section called Collections, which appear to
be exactly what they sound like groupings
of places. It also seems like there will be
some mechanism in the app for sharing
those collections between friends, but its
not immediately clear how that will work.

February 2017 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/features 85

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 Feature: Microsoft Windows Event

6. New live tiles

If you blinked while watching the launch
line, you probably missed this information
flashing on the screen briefly. The Start
menu shows a new Cortana live tile, along
with an icon for a Battery Level Live tile.
The former seems like a good way for
people to get contextual information from
Microsofts virtual assistant, and the latter
seems like a useful tool for people with
laptops and tablets.

7. Custom accent colours

People who want to further customise
the way Windows looks will be able to
pick from a full palette of accent colours,
rather than the handful of swatches that
Microsoft allows today. It also looks like
Windows will tell users when the colour
they picked might be unreadable.

8. In-app purchases from the

Windows Store home screen
It looks like the Windows Store will get
support for selling in-app purchases
directly from its home screen. Microsoft is
showing both Minecraft in-app purchases
and digital items from League of Legends
in this screenshot, which could mean
that theres a partnership afoot between
the two firms. That would make sense,
considering that Windows and Devices
Group chief Terry Myerson name-
checked the League of Legends World
Championship on stage at the event.

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 Feature: Microsoft Windows Event

9. Time limits on gaming

This looks like a feature that will be
a boon to parents who are looking to
keep a handle on the gaming time that
their kids have available. A notification
pops up over this Minecraft footage
telling the player that they have five
minutes left, though its unclear what
happens when their time is up.

10. Redesigned Quick Actions

It looks like Microsoft might be
taking this opportunity to at least
partially redesign Action Centres
quick actions capabilities to make it
easier for people to do things such
as adjust internet settings, volume
and brightness.

11. Pick up where you left off

It looks like the Action Centre, which
houses notifications and quick access to
settings, will also start giving users the
chance to get access to files they have
been working with on other devices. It
seems like an attempt to better compete
with Apples Continuity features in macOS
and iOS, which also let people pick up
where they left off on their iPhones,
iPads, Apple Watches and Macs. J

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 Feature: Microsoft Windows Event
HoloLens
Price: Developer Edition, 2,719 inc VAT; Commercial Suite edition, 4,529 inc VAT
T
his HoloLens is not for you. Its
for the people who will create the
apps that youll use whenever an
upgraded home version is released, a V2
or V3 that will live up to the promise of the
concept and likely cost the same as VR kit
such as the Oculus Rift or the HTC Vive.
If you do get to use this HoloLens, itll be
in a theme park-style setting: just as we got
to try the modern generation of VR properly
for the first time at a Game of Thrones
experience, part of an exhibition dedicated to
the TV show at the SXSW festival in Austin,
Texas. Youll queue to go into room and
play a game thats half-real, half-digital and
limited by the constraints of the HoloLens
hardware and how good your experience is
will be up to the skills of the games designer.
But for most people who are interested
in combining VR with the real-world, were
afraid youre going to have to wait.
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088_089 Microsoft HoloLens 259.indd 88
Developers, developers
Before we get to try the device at Microsofts
Lift Studios in London a product demo and
recording studio done up like a designer
home/office the companys director of
product marketing Leila Martine is very
keen to stress this point. Its the HoloLens
Developer Edition, she says, very much
emphasising the word Developer.
Its clear Microsoft doesnt want this
product judged as a consumer product.
Having the media treating a developer-
focused, in essence open beta, product
as ready for home use is what put paid
to something else that combined the real
and the digital Google Glass.
When the HoloLens was placed over
this writers head, it fitted comfortably.
Theres even space at the front if you wear
glasses, and you fit the device down the
side of your head using a bike helmet-style
PREVIEW
wheel on the back. Its not uncomfortably
heavy either, and we could have worn it
for an hour without issue.
At the top of the front of the HoloLens
are four cameras that map out the space
around you and turn it into a 3D model that
the software can understand. Below this
are the two lenses miniature transparent
screens that the HoloLens can add the
pixels that make up the objects and
characters and floating video screens (or
whatever). Whats added to these screens
is subtly different to allow for your eyes
being next to each other giving the illusion
of 3D. The resulting images are pleasingly
solid, if obviously computer-generated.
HoloLens field of view
Here we also encounter this HoloLens
major restriction. The screens take up
between a half and two-thirds of the
area of your vision. Anything outside this
central horizontal rectangle is cut off.
In an environment where the experiences
creator has built both real and digital
elements a haunted house or a room-
escape experience this restriction could
be accommodated into the game. The
games designer could put a noticeable
ring around the edge of the screen
and make it part of the its universe a
digital Sherlockian double monocle or
a scanning device from CSI to help you
track down clues or retrace events.
But where the digital elements are as
much a part of the game or experiences
world as you are whether the RoboRaid
aliens-come-through-your-front-room-wall
22/11/2016 11:07
 Feature: Microsoft Windows Event

both outside and inside, and learned to tell

different fracture types apart that would be
difficult with a 2D picture.
If that sounds gross, its not. Its far
too clinical for that. But if this concept
was turned into a holographic version of
Surgeon Simulator, that would be horrific
(and a lot of fun too, were guessing).
This experience aside, it seem very much
that were still in the fart app stage of the
HoloLens but then computers, phones,
tablets and VR all went through that before
experimentation and refinement produced
the apps you love. And prototyping apps
for the HoloLens is simpler than you might
think, as developers can use a special
(beta) version of the Unity game design
app/engine that they know already as it
RoboRaid used to develop many mobile games.

game Microsoft demonstrated last year to developers get a handle on designing games. HoloLens battery life
the freakish survival horror that currently To control the experiences, you use a limited The HoloLens has a two-hour battery life
(thankfully) lives only in Charlie Brookers set of gestures (which have to be in the and takes about the same to charge and
imagination (Episode 2, Playtest from the HoloLens cameras field of view). A theatrical you can use it while its plugged into the
new series of Black Mirror) this breaks the pinching motion selects things. Hold the charger (if you were using it at your desk to
immersion, as things just stop mid-air. pinch and move your hand, it you can drag check out 3D models youd designed for a
The small field of view is something that what youve selected. Release the pinch and feature film, for example). This is probably
needs to worked on in the development of youve let that go. Its hardly a Kinect. one of the current specs that wont really
the hardware itself. Its a similar issue to the (However, developers from advertising need upgrading for the home version.
low-resolution screens in the first Oculus agency Razorfish have created a research
Rift Development Kit that could make it feel project that combines HoloLens and Kinect Verdict
slightly underwhelming and can be fixed in and the results sound intriguing). The HoloLens offers a tantalising version
a similar way, by developing more powerful The one experience with depth was of future AR experiences. However, before
hardware. (You also cant use it outside or aimed at medical students. Created with its ready for primetime, its going to take
in the dark as the hardware needs a room a US universitys school of medicine, the concerted effort on the part of Microsoft
to map. So an AR version of the Six Flags app puts a full-sized human body in front to upgrade the hardware and developers
Superman VR rollercoaster isnt going to of you. Pinches remove the skin in layers to explore how best to make games and
happen any time soon.) and then muscle to reveal the skeleton. apps for it. But once were there, its
We watched half a human heart beat from going to be amazing. J Neil Bennett
HoloLens apps and experiences
We tried four HoloLens experiences, ranging
from the educational to the silly. Three
were in essence tech demos quick thrills
not experiences youd invest time in (or
necessarily return to). One showed the
internal workings of a watch as an in-store
experience designed to impress people
who might drop a few thousand pounds
on a luxury watch.
More delightful was a starfield that, when
you turned around, revealed a solid-looking
animated model of the Solar System with
planets gracefully circling the sun.
Actiongrams let you put 3D models of
characters from zombies to celebrities in
your front room. We placed a T-Rex on the
floor, who roared at us more menacingly
than youd expect from a dinosaur that looks
more like Rex from Toy Story than something
out of Jurassic Park showing that HoloLens
has potential for scary experiences once

You can control the experience

with a limited number of gestures

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 FEATURE

HOW
A MOTHERBOARD
WORKS
THOMAS RYAN RIPS APART A MOTHERBOARD TO REVEAL HOW IT WORKS

For science
It could have been just another sad
day when a confused power supply
recently fried our Biostar Z97WE
motherboard (pictured right). But
rather than simply chuck it in the bin
and move on to a new one, we decided
to rip it apart piece by piece to show
you some of the key hardware and
technologies hiding inside that help
motherboards serve as the central
nervous system of your PC.
Disclaimer: One motherboard was
brutally dismembered in the making of
this article. Lets dig in.

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 FEATURE

Ruining RAM
The easiest parts to tear off a
motherboard are the RAM slots.
Theyre held on with small metal
tabs that can be easily released from
the underside of the motherboard.
Upon removing the plastic RAM
slot, youll be able to see the pins
that lead up from the motherboard
and into the plastic slot to make
the electrical connection with the
memory. The plastic slot itself is
a rather sturdy device that you
basically cant break with your hands.
Once you pull one RAM slot off of
your motherboard, getting the other
three off takes no time at all. Some
motherboards have RAM slots of
the same colour. The Z97WE Biostar
motherboard were literally tearing
apart here is not one of those. It
features alternating slot colours:
yellow and black.

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 Feature: How a motherboard works

PCI-E
Next, we pulled off the PCI-E slots, which are used for connecting
graphics cards and storage to your PC. These slots were held
on by the same small metal tabs as the RAM slots, but required
a bit more force to remove we had to use a screwdriver as a
simple lever. Of course, with the PCI-E slots removed, there are
even more unprotected pins protruding from the PCB of the
motherboard, so be careful if you try this at home.

Spoiling the Southbridge

Next, we used a screwdriver and a bit of wiggling to extract
the southbridge heatsink. The southbridge oversees a
computers input/output signals, like USB, the system BIOS,
PCI-E, and audio. Emblazoned with the Biostar logo, this
low-profile heatsink cools the logic of Intel Z97WE chipset.

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 Feature: How a motherboard works

Bringing up the rear

This is the bottom of the southbridge heatsink,
leftover thermal paste and all.

The brains of the BIOs

Near the southbridge sits the memory chip that
stores the BIOS for our Biostar motherboard. This
particular chip sits in a small socket, which means
its technically a replaceable part. This particular
chips made by Winbond and has 64MB of memory.

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 Feature: How a motherboard works

Inveterate VRMs
Heres an important piece of motherboard hardware
that we couldnt yank off: the power delivery hardware,
dubbed voltage regulation modules (VRMs). These grey
capacitors, dark grey ferrite chokes, and small black
MOSFETS all work together to make sure your CPU
gets the consistent power it needs to work correctly.

Taking the heat

The VRMs often get hot, which is s why high-end
motherboards often feature hefty heatsinks like the
ones we have here, which were pulled off the VRMs
highlighted above. You can still see the impression
of the MOSFETS in the squishy thermal pads on top
of these heatsinks.

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 Feature: How a motherboard works

Bricking the CPU Bracket

We return to our trusty screwdriver to unseat the CPU
retention bracket. True to the ideals of any good bracket,
this ones a sturdy hunk of metal with a lever that puts
pressure on the CPU to hold it firmly in the socket.

Bottoms up
Here we have the underside of the CPU retention
bracket. Most aftermarket heatsinks include
a bracket that mounts to the underside of the
CPU socket. That would attach to this bracket.

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 Feature: How a motherboard works

Knocking down pins

We didnt manage to rip the actual CPU socket off our
motherboard, but we did crush a few pins inside the socket. On
a practical level, the pins connect the CPU to the motherboard,
while the retention bracket ensures the CPU maintains a
tight connection to the socket pins, and is key to swappable
processors. If it werent for the pins and the bracket, the
processor would have to be soldered to the motherboard.

The end
Finally, we have our stripped-down
motherboard. With everything removed,
this once-mighty board looks rather
pedestrian. The only real indication of
what it once was are the lonely CMOS
battery, the dozens of pins lined up where
the slots used to sit, and all the bare
chips surrounded by white squares on
the surface of the PCB (which you cant
rip off without doing serious damage). J

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 iPad & iPhone User magazine is the
essential guide for all things iOS-related
download the latest issue today

DIGITAL
EDITION ON
ANDROID
& iOS
tinyurl.com/kg776m8

Every issue is full of the latest app reviews,

gaming, tutorials, buying advice & more
097 IPU114 AD.indd 97 18/11/2016 15:08
 FEATURE

Best
touchscreen
Gloves Need gloves that work with your iOS or Android device? These special touchscreen
gloves will keep your digits warm and digital devices working. Simon Jary reports

Mujjo Double Layered

Touchscreen Gloves

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apacitive touchscreen gloves
C that let you use your phone while
protecting your hands from the
cold are sure to be big sellers this winter. But
which touchscreen gloves are best for you?
None of us like cold hands, but we dont
like not being able to use our touchscreen
devices either. And most touchscreens need
your actual warm finger skin to operate
properly. Wrap those digits in a glove and
the digital device wont register your touch.
That usually means removing your glove,
sticking it in a pocket or hanging it out of
your mouth, while you tap away on your
smartphone or tablet in the freezing cold
with numb fingers. This means wet or lost
gloves, plus a good chance of frostbite.
Most smartphones, whether they be
iOS, Android or Windows, use a capacitive
touchscreen rather than the older resistive
technology, which relied on pressure to
work. Capacitive displays have an electrical
field and so require contact with something
that can conduct electricity typically a
finger or a special stylus.
098_101 Best Touchscreen Gloves 259.indd 99
FEATURE
Left: Mujjo Single-Layered Gloves
Below: Mujjo Leather Touchscreen Gloves
When you wear standard gloves you lose
that electrical conductivity, so the charge
cant pass from your finger through the
glove and register on the screen. Tap as
you might the smartphone says no.
Unless you wear fingerless gloves or cut
out holes for your skin to show through, you
need a special pair of touchscreen gloves
that will work with capacitive touchscreens.
Luckily, there are a few around and we look
at the best touchscreen gloves here.
Mujjo Single- and Double-Layered
Touchscreen Gloves
Dutch design company Mujjo (mujjo.com)
was one of the first makers of touchscreen
gloves, and has a wide range from standard
to double-layered and leather. They also
look like something from the James Bond
movie Spectre. Many touchscreen gloves
are restricted to a couple of fingers for their
operation. The Mujjo gloves work on all parts
of the hand: fingers, knuckles, palm or heel.
The firms latest are the recently updated
Single- and Double-Layered Touchscreen Mujjo Touchscreen
Gloves in coral pink
February 2017 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/features 99
22/11/2016 17:00
 Feature: Touchscreen gloves
The North Face Etip
Touchscreen Gloves
Gloves, whose design includes a leather
wrist strap with magnetic snap closure and
upgraded material for increased durability
and grip a dot pattern on the palms aid
anti-slip capabilities and an integrated
soft fleece lining.
The Double-Layered Gloves have an extra
wool layer that acts as an insulator and
doubles as lining for enhanced insulation.
These stretchable gloves look great and are
different to any others weve seen so far.
The cuff boards are constructed of matching
black leather and the palms also feature
the dot pattern for extra grip. The magnetic
The North Face
Windstopper Etip
Touchscreen Gloves
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098_101 Best Touchscreen Gloves 259.indd 100
closure means youre less likely to lose
one of the pair when you take them off.
To make its gloves conductive, Mujjo has
added silver-coated nylon fibres into the
fabric, which make the gloves conductive
and therefore touchscreen compatible.
In our tests, we found that the Mujjo
Refined Touchscreen Gloves kept our
hands nice and warm, while giving us
unrestricted access on our touchscreens.
The Mujjo Single-and Double-Layered
Touchscreen Gloves are available in small,
medium and large. The Single-Layered
Gloves cost 29.95 plus 6.90 shipping
Muji Mocha Brown
Touchscreen Gloves
to the UK, so around 33 in total. The
warmer Double-Layered Gloves cost
34.95 plus 6.90 shipping to the UK,
so around 38 in total.
Prices for the Leather Mujjo Gloves,
fitted with a stylish fold-over closure, start
at 80 with free shipping. These look even
meaner than the Layered Gloves maybe
these are more for the arch villain than
James Bond himself. No Nordic noir killer
should be seen without them.
On the softer side Mujjo also sells wool
touchscreen gloves (available in natural grey
and sandstone) for 29 including shipping.
North Face Etip Gloves
The more well-known North Face brand
(thenorthface.co.uk) is famous for its
cold-weather outerwear, with its logo
much-seen in wintery episodes of The X-Files.
Think Fox Mulder rather than James Bond.
The North Face Etip Gloves in stretch-knit
fleece are a little more expensive at 30,
but are equally warm and tight fitting. They
also feature a silicone gripper palm pattern
Muji Stripped
Touchscreen Gloves
22/11/2016 17:00
 Feature: Touchscreen gloves

Marks & Spencer Metallic

for non-slip grip. For colder situations Effect Touchscreen Gloves
theres the 65 Windstopper Etip Gloves,
featuring an extra Gore lining.
Previously, the conductivity was limited
to just the thumb and index fingers, but the
latest versions will work with touchscreens
on all fingers. They are available in Black,
Vanadis Grey (like lilac) and Black Ink
Green (more like grey), and in small, medium,
large and extra large sizes.

Muji Touchscreen Gloves

Not to be confused with Mujjo, at
the cheaper end of the market are Mujis
(muji.eu) touchscreen gloves, priced from
7.95. Available in either plain, striped or
patterned versions The firm offers its usual
high quality at a reasonable cost. Only the
middle and index finger on each glove will
work with touchscreens, unlike some of the
other gloves featured here that can control
a phone using just about any part.
Timberland Touchscreen Gloves
Timberland (timberland.co.uk) has a wide
range of mens and womens touchscreen
gloves, starting at 30 in a variety of
materials and styles.
The Womens Black Shelburne
Bay Leather Touchscreen Glove costs
55, and is available in small, medium
and large sizes. The Womens Maiden
Beach Knit Touchscreen Glove (30) is
blended merino wool, and works with
touchscreen on each forefinger and
thumb. Its available in small/medium and
medium/large in Mauve Wine and Yolk
Yellow. The Mens Smugglers Beach Knit
Touchscreen Glove (30) comes in small/
medium and large/extra large in Medium
Grey Heather and dark Red Dahlia. These
too work on each forefinger and thumb. For
60, the firm offers the Mens Shelburne
Bay Leather Touchscreen Glove.
Marks & Spencer
Touchscreen Gloves
Youd expect M&S (marksandspencer.com)
to have a good selection of gloves, and
quite a few work with touchscreen devices.
Prices start at 8 for two pairs of knitted
touchscreen gloves (for children only), rising
through 9.50 for a pair of metallic-effect
gloves, and up to 25 for a pair of Leather
Touchscreen Gloves with Thinsulate.
Blacks Mountain Equipment
Touchscreen Gloves
Outdoor specialists Blacks (blacks.co.uk)
offer a pair of soft, stretchy touchscreen
gloves as what it calls an everyday winter
essential for 24. They feature Polartec
Power Stretch Pro for snug comfort and
exceptional insulation, and are available
in small, medium, large and extra large. Of
course they are available only in black. For
37, the Sealskinz Ultra Grip Touchscreen
Gloves have greater grip, as well as
touchscreen index finger and thumb. J

Timberland Mens Shelburne

Bay Leather Touchscreen Gloves

Blacks Mountain Equipment

Touchscreen Gloves

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 HOW TO

Prevent a failed Windows update installing

Windows updates can cause problems if they fail to install. Chris Martin explains how to stop them

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 HOW TO

If, like most people, your computer runs the Home version of
Windows 10, then you have less control over updates. However,
Microsoft has realised the error of its ways and in the latest version
of the operating system you can prevent restarts during your
Active Hours. To set these, choose Settings from the Start menu,
then Update and Security, then Change Active Hours.
Of course, simply setting Active Hours isnt sufficient to
prevent Windows updates getting installed. One of the issues
with the forced and automatic updates in Windows 10 is that
a broken update will be included and fail to install. When this
happens, Windows will try to download and install it each time
you shut down or start your PC.
The good news is that you can download an optional tool for
Windows 10 called the Show or Hide Updates Troubleshooter
(tinyurl.com/jlr2rut). There are two versions: one for the
Anniversary Update and the other for computers running the
November (2015) update.
You install this like any other program after downloading it, by
clicking on the downloaded file in your browser, or heading to your
downloads folder and double-clicking it. The troubleshooter should each one you want to stop. Its best to use a search engine to try
start and show a welcome screen. Click Next to perform a scan and to find out which is the troublesome update rather than simply
find out which updates can be (temporarily) stopped from installing. checking them all. The updates bring not only bug fixes and
Then, you can click on Hide updates (see screenshot) and youll new features but important security patches. Without the latest
see a list of the updates which you can stop. Tick the box next to updates your PC may be left vulnerable.

Click Next and the troubleshooter will show this screen,

revealing that it has successfully suppressed the update(s).

Its a good idea to keep tabs on when Microsoft has fixed the
broken update. You can use the same tool to unhide the update so
it can install. The process is the same. Just use the Show hidden
updates option, and select those you want to unhide. J

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 How to: Get the Quick Launch bar in Windows 10

Get the Quick Launch bar in Windows 10

The Quick Launch bar was a hit with XP users. Christopher Minasians shows how to bring it back

Windows XPs Quick Launch bar was a much-loved feature that

was removed from Windows 7. You can, however, get it back in
Windows 10. First, right-click on an empty space on your taskbar
and hover over Toolbars (screenshot 1) to reveal another menu
and click on New toolbar. Once youve opened it, click on the
address bar found at the top of Windows Explorer and enter:
%appdata%\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch
(screenshot 2). Next, click Select Folder, which will present you
with a Quick Launch bar at the right-hand side of your taskbar.
Now that you have the Quick Launch bar, you can customise
its position and what it contains. To unlock the taskbar, right-
click on an empty space on your taskbar and untick Lock the
toolbar. Next, right-click the dotted separator lines to enter the 1
settings and customise the look of the bar. You can drag the bar
by long-pressing it using your mouses left-click button on the
dotted separator lines this lets you position it to the left or right
side on your taskbar. To lock the taskbar, right-click on an empty
space on your taskbar and tick Lock the toolbar.
If you no longer want to see the Quick Launch bar on your
taskbar, right-click on an empty space on your taskbar, hover over
Toolbars and untick Quick Launch. The bar will now disappear. J

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 Dont miss a single copy of Macworld by subscribing digitally
Subscribe from as little as 1.99

083 MACWORLD FILLER.indd 83 31/05/2016 15:48

 How to: Log into a PC that wont recognise a password

Log into a PC that wont recognise a password

When your Windows 10 login password fails youll need a recovery drive, writes Josh Norem

Weve heard from a number of readers who have been unable to

log into their PCs. In every instance they had not touched their
computer nor changed anything, yet all of a sudden their password
wouldnt work. Microsoft hasnt acknowledged this problem in
its update log, so it could be a hardware/software malfunction,
perhaps some problem with the installation of an update.
First, try the on-screen keyboard (accessed via the login screen)
to enter your password, as it could be your regular input device
isnt working. Click the Ease of Access icon (it looks like a clock
with a dotted circle) in the lower right-hand corner of the screen.
Alternatively, you could use Windows System Restore to go The Windows 10
back in time to when the previous password worked. Because you installation disk can
cant log into Windows, youll need to access this via a recovery double as a recovery disk
disk. Note, youll need to use a PC with the same version (32- or
64-bit) of Windows 10. The easiest way to find this feature is to disk, press Next at the first screen you see (after you select your
type createarecoverydriveinto the search bar. Youll need to language), then click Repair your computer. On the next screen,
use a USB key with between 8- and 16GB of free space. press Troubleshoot to access System Restore and Go back to
If you dont have a recovery drive, you could download the previous build. Click System Restore and select your OS. Follow
Windows 10 installation files. Once youve created a bootable the prompts to select an earlier time to restore your PC. J

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 How to: Stop autoplaying audio in Google Chrome

Stop autoplaying audio in Google Chrome

Christopher Minasians reveals how to mute audio in Googles browser using an extension

Google Chrome allows you to mute individual tabs, which is handy

if you have just a few of open. If, however, you have multiple tabs
open, muting each one can be tiresome. Thankfully, the free Silent
Site Sound Blocker extension solves this.
First, go to the Chrome web store (tinyurl.com/j23xkzt) and
add it to Googles browser. Youll see a yellow speaker at the top
right-hand side of your window. If you right-click on the icon, youll
be presented with several options (see screenshot 1). Within each of
these youll be presented with different settings (see screenshot 2).
Toggle through these and decide which ones you wish to use. You
can also add websites directly to your white- or blacklist.
The extension works on all open tabs and windows (as long as 1
youre logged into the account where you added the extension). Its
also a great way to manage websites that cause you nuisance.
If, however, it doesnt work, type the following into the address
bar: chrome://flags/#enable-tab-audio-muting. J

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 How to: Ensure Chrome warns you before it closes

Ensure Chrome warns you before it closes

Chrome on Windows doesnt offer a warning dialog before it closes. Ian Pauls workaround will help

Personally, we dont like browsers that display a warning dialog
box whenever you try to close them with multiple tabs open.
However, a lot of people do like this functionality, especially when
they have dozens of browser tabs loaded. Unfortunately for those
users, Chrome doesnt offer a warning box in Windows. If you want
to see a warning before closing Chrome heres a quick solution.
Admittedly, its a bit of a hack, but it works.
Open the website Prevent Close (tinyurl.com/jeewg8k). This site
uses JavaScript to throw up a dialog box that asks you if youre
sure you want to leave that specific website. The idea is to always
leave that website tab open in Chrome, then when you click X to
close the browser, this site throws up a dialog box asking if youre
sure you want to leave that page. If you click Stay the browser
window will not close, if you click Leave Chrome shuts down.
We recommend pinning this website to your browser, then
moving the tab out of the way. To do that open Prevent Close
and then right-click the tab with your mouse. From the context
menu select Pin tab. The tab will now shrink down to a different
size from the rest of the tabs. Next, grab it with your mouse
and drag the tab to the far left of your browsers tab line-up.
In that spot, it should be out of your way, but it will appear
every time you start up your browser and prevent accidentally
closing Chrome when its loaded with dozens of tabs.
Pro Tip: Chromes pinned tabs feature is a little tricky. Pinned tabs
only appear in a single Chrome window, not every new window
you open. To keep pinned tabs permanent, you need to close every
other open Chrome browser window before closing the one with the
pinned tab. In other words, close it last or youll lose it. Something
to keep in mind the next time you have YouTube or Netflix open in
one Chrome window while working in another.
If youre wondering why Chrome doesnt offer a warning
dialog on Windows, the best explanation we found was on a
Google Chrome Help forum post. The lack of this feature is a
philosophical choice. Google is focused on making its browser as
fast and simple as possible, which means stripping away some
features. A close dialog box is apparently one such feature. The
browser does have an option to
enable a warn before quitting
dialog on Mac, owing to the
way keyboard shortcuts for
closing windows and tabs work
on that platform. Windows
users, however, will have to
make do with this hack. J
Use the Pin tab option
to keep Prevent Close
available in Chrome

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 How to: Turn off Facebook Live notifications

Turn off Facebook Live notifications

Simon Jary shows how to stop Facebook Live video messages taking over your notifications

Facebook Live videos are a new wheeze by the social network

giant to take up more of our precious time. However, our
Notification list is getting taken over by brands pushing their
Facebook Live videos at us when we havent asked for them.
Luckily, its easy to turn them off.
Go to your Facebook accounts desktop page on a PC, Mac
or laptop. Click on the Notifications Globe icon. Just under the
icon youll see a Settings link. Click this. Near the bottom of the
next screen youll see a video icon called Live videos. This gives
you the ability to Choose if you want to receive notifications
when interesting live videos happen. To the right youll see the
option is set as a default to on (see right). Click this to turn All
off or Suggestions off.
You can also turn off individual Facebook Live notifications
by clicking on the specific desktop Notification, and then on the
option to Turn off notifications about live videos from xxx.
Note, youll need to do this from the desktop Facebook
page rather than the mobile. J

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 How to: Create Motion Paths in PowerPoint

Create Motion Paths in PowerPoint

Building motion into PowerPoint slideshows helps bring them alive, writes JD Sartain

The best thing about PowerPoint is the animation. Building motion In order to make things move in PowerPoint, your objects need
into slideshows makes them come alive and its going to get even a path (called a motion path) to travel from one location to another.
more interesting when PowerPoint gets 3D capabilities with the Setting up the motion path used to be tedious, but now its a
Windows 10 Creators Update due in early 2017. simple, straightforward procedure.

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 How to: Create Motion Paths in PowerPoint

First, you must either create an object or insert one from

the online clip art collection or your hard drive. To do
so, open PowerPoint, insert a new slide, and make the
background colour dark blue. Select a star from the drop
list, then hold down the left mouse button and drag the cursor
down and over to draw the star on your screen. Click the object
the star you want to animate. From the Animations tab click
Advanced Animations > Add Animation. Scroll down to the
Motion Paths section, then choose a path from the presets, or
select More Motion Paths from the list.

Select motion paths from the list

When the Add Once you choose a motion path, the path appears on the
2 Motion Path
3 screen. If you want the path bigger, longer, smaller, or
dialog opens, scroll shorter, just grab the corner with the red arrow and drag the
through the dozens Motion Path in your chosen direction.
of options and choose Next, click Animation Pane (on the Ribbon menu), and it opens
one. Slide the Add on the right side of your screen. Click the highlighted animation
Motion Path dialog to (5-Point Star 3) inside the panel, then click the Play From button,
the right and watch the which means play the animation from this point on.
star move around the Hover your cursor over the highlighted animation (5-Point
screen as you select Star 3) inside the panel to see the full description of this
and try out different animation in this case, On Click, Stairs Down: 5-Point Star 3.
Motion Paths.

Size the
object motion
path, then
play the
animation
Motion path options

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 How to: Create Motion Paths in PowerPoint

After the animation plays, click the down arrow to the right
4 of the 5-Point Star 3 animation to see the Timing and Effects
Options submenu. The motion path submenu opens on the Timing
tab. You have several timing options to define on this screen.

Start options include On Click, With Previous, or After Previous.

This means you can set the animation to begin on the click of the
mouse, or with a previous animation thats already running, or
after a previously running animation.

Delay options are timed in seconds, which just means you can
set the animation on a time delay clock for X number of seconds
after the option you select above. For instance, if you choose
After Previous (as the Start time for the animation), you could
then set a Delay time of two seconds. This is very important if
you are trying to time or match the audio to each slide.

Duration options are the time, length and speed of the animation
(in seconds). These options are very useful if something in your
animation has to match the audio. For example, we used this once
in a slideshow when we had to set the Duration/speed to Fast so the
For timing set the
sound of the jingling bells would match the movement of the bells.
start delay duration

Repeat is the number of times you want the animation repeated

in your slideshow. For example, in the original animation for the
jingling bells, they only moved back and forth two times. We needed
them to continue moving/jingling until the end of the slide, or else
the bells would be stationary while the audio was still jingling.

Rewind When Done Playing is a checkbox. Select this if you want

the animation to return to the beginning after it plays. This is also
a useful tool if you want your animation to return to its original
location after it plays for example, in case you need the object
returned to its original location for the next slide.

Triggers are options that allow you to choose which action will
trigger or start the animation. Your choices are Animate as Part
of a Sequence (the default), which starts the animation as part
of the ongoing, active sequence; Start the Effect On Click Of (the
named animation), or Start Effect on Play Of. In this example,
it would be started when something else is played, such as an More timing options
audio or video file.

The next tab on the Motion Path (Stairs Down) submenu is you throw a ball across
5 Effect. This submenu also has several options that affect the room and when it hits
your animation. the floor, it bounces until
it stops.
Path Locked or Unlocked mean that if you click the object and
move it, the animation path moves with the object (Unlocked) or Auto Reverse is a great
remains at its current location (Locked). feature. You can set
the animation to go up
Smooth Start/Smooth End: you can have a full Smooth Start or a and then back down the
full Smooth End, but not both. For example, if the slider on Smooth stairs, or inside and then
Start is pushed to the end (five seconds), the slider on Smooth End back outside the door.
moves to 0 seconds. You can push them both halfway or one-third Remember how this
up and two-thirds down, but notice as you push one to the right, camera technique was
the other one adjusts to the left. This means that the beginning (or used in the silent films?
the end) of the animation will slow down and sort of slide into home Same concept.
plate in slow motion. If both are set to 0, then animation will run
evenly at the speed you selected above in the Duration option.

Bounce End is a fun little feature that does just that: The object
Auto Reverse settings
bounces at the end of the animation. For example, imagine that

112 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/how-to February 2017

110_114 HT Create Motion Paths 259.indd 112 17/11/2016 16:02

 How to: Create Motion Paths in PowerPoint

Youll also see options under Enhancements:

Sound makes the slideshow. If you dont have a narrator, then

sound effects or music are a must, or your audience will snooze.
For Sound effects, click the down arrow beside the Sound field
box, and then choose a sound from the list. Only .wav files are
accepted for sounds attached to animations from this level.

Enhancements for sound

To insert a narrators comments or music,

from the Insert tab, click Audio, then choose
Audio on My PC or Record Audio from the
list. Navigate to your music or speech folder,
select the appropriate file, then click Insert.

Insert audio files

February 2017 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/how-to 113

110_114 HT Create Motion Paths 259.indd 113 17/11/2016 16:02

 How to: Create Motion Paths in PowerPoint

After Animation is another cool feature that provides options

including Colours (and More Colours), Dont Dim, Hide After
Animation, and Hide on Next Mouse Click. If you choose a
colour, the object(s) in your animation will change to that
colour at the end. Dont Dim means dont fade it out into the
background. Hide means hide the animation after it completes
or hide the animation when the user clicks the mouse.

Animate Text is only available if your animation includes

characters, words, or sentences. Use the options, when you
want the animation to affect one character or one word at a
time. For example; say the animation is Turn Down and you
choose By Letter. The word GREAT moves across the screen,
then down the screen, one letter at a time. The next field
box is for the percentage of delay between the letters, so the
letters dont all move at the same time.

Animate Text

The best way to learn how to create, manage, and manipulate

animations and motion paths is to just open PowerPoint and play.
Insert some basic shapes, add some fancy shape effects, and then
add some motion paths and see what happens. PowerPoint is not
as powerful as most animation-specific programs such as Flash,
Maya, or Adobe Animate, but for beginners it does the job. J

Animations with motion paths

114 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/how-to February 2017

110_114 HT Create Motion Paths 259.indd 114 01/12/2016 11:18


Download and save your Vine videos
If you want to keep precious Vine memories, youll need to download them now. Ian Paul shows how
Short-form video creators everywhere were shocked at the end of
October when Twitter announced it was killing Vine. Theres still
no word on when the service will end, and there are rumours that
Twitter may sell Vine to a third party, giving the service new life.
Its fate is, however, uncertain and anyone who cant get enough of
their seven-second videos should back up their memories. Its likely
Twitter will provide a way for users to export and save their videos
should the end truly come. For now, here are two ways to save your
Vine videos to a PC, as long as your Vine account isnt private.
Giphy
The most publicized tool for grabbing your Vines is a new site
created by Giphy. It will take your short videos and turn them into
animated GIFs hosted publicly on Giphy. The source files for all
videos will remain intact, including sound. Log in to the Giphy loves
Vine website (tinyurl.com/qzfuaae) and create a Giphy account.
Next, drop in the URL for your Vine username. If you dont know
what your username is, log in to your Vine account on Vine.co.
In the upper right-hand corner hover over your profile picture
and select View
Profile. On the next
page, copy the web
address, drop it
into Giphy and click
Import. Giphy will
notify you via email
when the import is
complete. Once your
Vines are imported
you can download
them one-by-one.
115 HT Save Vine Videos 259.indd 115
How to: Download and save your Vine videos
To download the original source file with sound, click on your
GIF of choice to go to its dedicated page on Giphy. Next, click the
Advanced tab below the image and look for the Source Download
entry and click the Download button next to it.
Giphy only allows one Vine import per Giphy account, though
you can contact them directly if you have multiple accounts.
The downside of Giphy is that it only saves Vine videos that
were created by you. Any Revines (Vine videos of others that
you reposted to your account) will not be saved. If you want to
save those too, youll need this next tool.
RIP Vine
Another option is to use RIPVine.co from 9GAG, a social media
site that hosts animated GIFs and other images. RIP Vine grabs
everything from your Vine account including anything youve
reshared that wasnt created by you. The process is simpler than
Giphy. First, you dont need an account, but you will need your Vine
account address once again. This time, however, you only need
to enter everything after the u in the address. For this writers
account that would be u/960257503373955072. Once youve
copied that part of your Vine
profile address paste it into
RIP Vine after vine.co/.
Now click Backup your
Vines and the process will
begin. Dont close the tab, and
once its done your Vines will
be available on the website.
Again, theyll be public. Finally,
hit the Download button
below each video to grab it. J
February 2017 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/how-to 115
17/11/2016 16:05
 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.

116 shop.pcadvisor.co.uk February 2016

116 Software Download 259.indd 116 17/11/2016 16:54

 TOP5CHARTS

TEST CENTRE

PC Advisors charts rank and rate the best products every month. If youre looking
to buy the latest and greatest kit, look no further than our 100-plus reviews

118 120 122 124 125

126 128 130 132 134

135 136 137 138 139

140 141 142 143 144

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
145 145 both PC Advisor and the issue in which you saw
the product. If it wont supply the product as
reviewed, contact us at jim_martin@idg.co.uk.
Manufacturers are under no obligation to
feature reviewed products on their websites.
Our recommendations are for guidance only.
Star ratings are awarded at the time of
the original review and given in relation to the
market competition at that time.

February 2017 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/reviews 117

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117_145 New Top 5 Charts 259.indd 117 17/11/2016 16:23

 Top 5 charts

Best laptops 1 2 3 4 5
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

Build rating

Features rating

Value rating

Performance rating

Overall rating

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 TINYURL.COM/HWHAJYR TINYURL.COM/HDHYG2P TINYURL.COM/HDAQHQX

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117_145 New Top 5 Charts 259.indd 118 17/11/2016 16:23

 Top 5 charts

Best laptops 6 7 8 9 10
Microsoft Surface Book Toshiba Chromebook 2 Apple MacBook Air 13in Apple MacBook (2016) Lenovo Yoga 900-131SK

Price 1,299 inc VAT 269 inc VAT 849 inc VAT 1,049 inc VAT 1,499 inc VAT

Website Microsoft.com/en-gb Toshiba.co.uk Apple.com/uk Apple.com/uk Lenovo.com/uk

Build rating

Features rating

Value rating

Performance rating

Overall rating

Processor Intel Core i5 Intel Celeron 1.6GHz Intel Core i5 1.1GHz Intel Core m3 2.5GHz Intel Core i7

RAM 8GB 4GB DDR3 4GB LPDDR3 8GB LPDDR3 16GB DDR3

Storage 128GB SSD 16GB SSD 128GB SSD 256GB SSD 512GB SSD

Screen size 13.5in PixelSense 13.3in IPS 13.3in glossy 12in IPS 13.3in IPS

Screen resolution 3000x2000 1920x1080 1440x900 2304x1440 1920x1080

Graphics Intel HD Graphics 520 Intel HD graphics Intel HD Graphics 6000 Intel HD Graphics 515 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/n/ac 802.11a/b/g/n/ac 802.11ac 802.11a/b/g/n/ac

Ethernet Gigabit Gigabit

Bluetooth

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

FireWire

Thunderbolt

DisplayPort

HDMI

DVI

VGA

eSATA

Media card slot

Audio Headphone jack, mic Headphone minijack Headphone jack, mic Headphone jack, mic Headphone jack, mic

Optical drive N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

Extras Surface Pen Webcam 720p FaceTime 480p FaceTime 720p webcam

Operating system Windows 10 Professional Google Chrome OS macOS Sierra macOS Sierra Windows 10 Home

Bundled software None None None None None

Gaming scores Not tested Not tested Not tested Not tested Not tested

Battery Not stated Not stated 38Wh lithium-ion 41.4Wh lithium-polymer 40Wh lithium-ion

Battery life 12 hours 7 hrs 36 mins 12 hrs 49 mins 8 hrs 23 mins 5 hr 21 mins

PCMark8 score Not tested Not tested Not tested Not tested 2295

Dimensions 312.3x232.11x3mm 320x214x19.3mm 300x192x17mm 280.5x196.5x35mm 299x209x16mm

Weight 1.52kg 14kg 1.4kg 920g 1.3kg

Warranty 1 year 1 year 1-year return-to-base 1 year 1-year collect-and-return

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117_145 New Top 5 Charts 259.indd 119 17/11/2016 16:23

 Top 5 charts

Best
budget laptops 1 2 3 4 5
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

Build rating

Features rating

Value rating

Performance rating

Overall rating

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
Extras Kensington lock slot, Kensington lock slot, Kensington lock slot,
Webcam Webcam
webcam webcam 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 TINYURL.COM/GWWV8TH TINYURL.COM/OMYZQJ3 TINYURL.COM/Z3AUEFY TINYURL.COM/GNRP9BC

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117_145 New Top 5 Charts 259.indd 120 17/11/2016 16:24

 Top 5 charts

Best
budget laptops 6 7 8 9 10
Asus X553SA Toshiba Satellite C55-C-175 Dell Vostro 15 3000 Chuwi HiBook Pro Lenovo Yoga 300

Price 279 inc VAT 395 inc VAT 442 inc VAT 172 inc VAT 299 inc VAT

Website Asus.com/uk Toshiba.co.uk Dell.co.uk En.chuwi.com Lenovo.com/uk

Build rating

Features rating

Value rating

Performance rating

Overall rating

Processor 2.1GHz Intel Core Celeron 2.2GHz Intel Core i5 2.2GHz Intel Core i5-5200U 1.84GHz Intel Atom X5 2.16GHz Intel Pentium N3700

RAM 8GB DDR3 4GB DDR3 4GB DDR3 4GB DDR3 4GB DDR

Storage 500GB 500GB 500GB SSD 64GB 500GB

Screen size 15.6in glossy 14in matt 15.3in matt 10.1in matt IPS 11.6in IPS

Screen resolution 1366x768 19366x768 1366x768 2560x1600 1366x768

Graphics Intel HD Intel HD Graphics 5500 Intel HD Graphics 5000 Intel HD Graphics Intel HD

Video memory N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

Wireless 802.11a/b/g/n/ac 802.11ac 802.11b/g/n/ac 802.11b/g/n 802.11ac

Ethernet Gigabit Gigabit Gigabit Gigabit Gigabit

Bluetooth

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

FireWire

Thunderbolt

DisplayPort

HDMI

DVI

VGA

eSATA

Media card slot

Audio Headphone jack, mic Headphone jack, mic Headphone minijack Headphone jack, mic Headphone jack, mic
Optical drive Super-Multi DVD N/A None N/A N/A
Extras Kensington lock slot,
VGA webcam 0.9Mp webcam 720p webcam None
webcam
Operating system Windows 10 Home Windows 8.1 Windows 8.1 Windows 10 Home Windows 10 Home

Bundled software None None None None None

Battery 48Wh lithium-ion 44Wh lithium-ion 40Wh Lithium-polymer 8000mAh 48Wh lithium-ion

Battery life 4 hrs 35 mins 5 hrs 4 mins 5 hrs 17 mins Not tested 6 hrs 34 mins

PCMark 8 Home score Not tested Not tested 2296 940 1457

Batman (Low/High) Not tested 27/30fps 29fps/Not tested Not tested Not tested

Dimensions 380x258x25.3mm 380x257x23.8mm 1378x259x24.5mm 262x167.5x8.5mm 299x209x22mm

Weight 2.2kg 2.2kg 2.4kg 550g 1.39kg

Warranty 1 year 1 year 1 year 1 year 1 year

FULL REVIEW TINYURL.COM/ZLN2DVF TINYURL.COM/ZAZPTNX TINYURL.COM/NDAX6WT TINYURL.COM/JVYEQYV TINYURL.COM/HRXVJXT

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117_145 New Top 5 Charts 259.indd 121 17/11/2016 16:24

 Top 5 charts

Best
Chromebooks 1 2 3 4 5
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

Value rating

Performance 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

Extras
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 TINYURL.COM/J9CU5YH TINYURL.COM/HKLN3U9 TINYURL.COM/HQDFR8H

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122 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/reviews February 2017
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117_145 New Top 5 Charts 259.indd 122 17/11/2016 16:24

 Top 5 charts

Best
Chromebooks 6 7 8 9 10
Acer Chromebook 14 Acer Chromebook R11 Acer Chromebook 13 HP Chromebook 11 Asus C300M

Price 199 inc VAT 229 inc VAT 219 inc VAT 229 inc VAT 250 inc VAT

Website Acer.co.uk Acer.co.uk Acer.co.uk Hp.com/uk UK.asus.com

Build rating

Features rating

Value rating

Performance rating

Overall rating

Processor 1.6GHz Intel Celeron N3060 1.6GHz Intel Celeron N3050 2.1GHz nVidia Tegra K1 1.7GHz Exynos 5250 Intel Celeron N2830

RAM 2GB 2GB DDR3 4GB DDR3 2GB DDR3 2GB DDR3

Storage 16GB eMMC 16GB SSD 32GB SSD 16GB 16GB SSD

Screen size 14in LCD 11in IPS 13.3in 11.6in IPS 13.3in

Screen resolution 1366x768 1366x768 1920x1080 1366x768 1366x768

Graphics Intel HD graphics Intel HD graphics nVidia Kepler Intel HD graphics Intel HD graphics

Video memory N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

Wireless 802.11a/b/g/n/ac 802.11a/b/g/n/ac 802.11a/b/g/n/ac 802.11a/b/g/n 802.11a/b/g/n

Ethernet Gigabit Gigabit Gigabit None Gigabit

Bluetooth

USB 2x USB 3.0 4x USB 3.0, 1x USB 2.0 2x USB 3.0 2x 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 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

Extras
HD webcam Webcam Webcam Webcam 720p 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 11 hrs 13mins 9 hrs 30 mins 9 hrs 20 mins 5 hrs 9 hrs 28 mins

SunSpider score 638ms Not tested 660ms Not tested Not tested

Dimensions 340x236x17mm 19.2x294x204mm 18x327x227.5mm 297x195x17.4mm 339x230x20.3mm

Weight 1.6kg 1.25kg 1.5kg 1.03kg 1.4kg

Warranty 1 year 1 year 1 year 1 year 1 year

FULL REVIEW TINYURL.COM/HH8OOT4 TINYURL.COM/GOVMT3X TINYURL.COM/Q2YT5AD TINYURL.COM/HB3JEBG TINYURL.COM/HW86CWG

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117_145 New Top 5 Charts 259.indd 123 17/11/2016 16:38

 Top 5 charts

Best
gaming laptops 1 2 3 4 5
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

Build rating

Features rating

Value rating

Performance rating

Overall rating

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 TINYURL.COM/JYK953S TINYURL.COM/NT6UUKF TINYURL.COM/HQKNNRJ TINYURL.COM/JAXBRDB

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124 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/reviews February 2017
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117_145 New Top 5 Charts 259.indd 124 17/11/2016 16:25

 Top 5 charts

Best
gaming PCs 1 2 3 4 5
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

Build rating

Features rating

Value rating

Performance rating

Overall rating

3.5GHz Intel Core i5 6600K 3.5GHz Intel i5-6600K 3.3GHz Intel Core i5-6600 3.2GHz Intel Core i5-6500 3.5GHz Intel Core i5-6600K
Processor
(4.4GHz OC) (OC 4.4GHz) (3.9GHz Intel Boost) (3.6GHz Turbo) (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

XFX AMD MSI GeForce

Graphics Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 Asus GeForce GTX 970 Turbo KFA2 nVIDIA GTX 980
Radeon R9 390X GTX 980Ti Armor X2

Sound Onboard Onboard Onboard Onboard Onboard

Connectivity Gigabit ethernet Gigabit ethernet Gigabit ethernet Gigabit ethernet Gigabit ethernet

2x USB 3.1 Type-A, 6x USB 1x USB 3.1 (Type-A) 1xUSB 3.1

4x USB 3.0, 2x USB 2.0 On
3.0, 4x USB 2.0, 1x USB 2x USB 3.1 Gen2, 6x USB 3.1 2x USB 3.0, 4x USB 2.0, 2x (Type-C) 4xUSB 3, 2x USB
Ports Motheboard I/O, 1x DVI, 1x
5Gb/s (Type C), 2x DVI, Gen1, 6x USB 2.0 dual-link DVI, 1x DP, 1x HDM 2.0, 1xPS/2, 1x DVI, 1x D-Sub,
HDMI, 3x DP
1x DP, 1x HDMI 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

Cooler Master Devastator Nemesis Kane Gaming

Keyboard & mouse None supplied None supplied None supplied
Keyboard and Mouse Keyboard and Mouse
PCMark 8 4832 5670 4818 4669 5911
2.0 Home score
Alien Isolation score 17.02/49.28fps 12.99/63.23fps 16.48/59.94fps 20.24/40.43fps 116.55/50.37fps
(4K)

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 212,222 227,383 183,814 145,866 230,982

Unlimited
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

2 years return to labour, 3 years RTB. first year parts and 2-year parts and labour C&R
Warranty 5 years labour, 2-year C&R 3 years C&R
3 years labour labour, 2 years labour only warranty

FULL REVIEW TINYURL.COM/J6X5HFD TINYURL.COM/JJCP6N3 TINYURL.COM/ZOQXPGU TINYURL.COM/GV5AZTU TINYURL.COM/ZZMN9HW

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February 2017 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/reviews 125
TEST CENTRE

117_145 New Top 5 Charts 259.indd 125 17/11/2016 16:25

 Top 5 charts

Best
smartphones 1 2 3 4 5
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

Build rating

Features rating

Value rating

Performance rating

Overall rating

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 TINYURL.COM/JES3ZUD TINYURL.COM/NABSV4E TINYURL.COM/JKDLR6H

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126 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/reviews February 2017
TEST CENTRE

117_145 New Top 5 Charts 259.indd 126 17/11/2016 16:26

 Top 5 charts

Best
smartphones 6 7 8 9 10
OnePlus 3 HTC 10 Huawei P9 Apple iPhone 6s Plus Samsung Galaxy Note5

Price 309 inc VAT 569 inc VAT 449 inc VAT 619 inc VAT 499 inc VAT

Website Oneplus.net Htc.com/uk Consumer.huawei.com/uk Apple.com/uk Samsung.com/uk

Build rating

Features rating

Value rating

Performance rating

Overall rating

OS (out of box) Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow Android 6.0 Marshmallow Android 6.0 Marshmallow iOS 9 Android 5.1.1 Lollipop

Processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 HiSilicon Kirin 955 A9 2.1GHz Exynos 7420

RAM 6GB 4GB 3GB 2GB 4GB

Storage 64GB 32GB 32GB 16/64/128GB 32/64GB

MicroSD support

Graphics Adreno 530 Adreno 530 Mali-T880 MP4 M9 Mali-T760MP8

Screen size 5.5in 5.2in 5.2in 5.5in 5.7in

Screen resolution 1920x1080 2560x1440 1920x1080 1920x1080 1280x720

Pixel density 401ppi 565ppi 423ppi 401ppi 518ppi

Screen technology AMOLED Super LCD IPS IPS Super AMOLED

Front camera 8Mp 5Mp 8Mp 5Mp 5Mp

Rear camera 16Mp, LED flash 12Mp, LED flash 12Mp, LED flash 12Mp, LED flash 16Mp, LED flash

Video recording 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 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 A-GPS, Glonass A-GPS, Glonass A-GPS A-GPS, Glonass A-GPS, Glonass

NFC

USB OTG
Heart-rate sensor,
Extra features Fingerprint scanner Fingerprint scanner Fingerprint scanner Fingerprint scanner
fingerprint scanner
Geekbench 3.0 (multi) 5546 5132 6505 4407 Not tested

SunSpider Not tested Not tested Not tested 210ms 718ms

GFXBench: T-Rex 59fps 52fps 19fps 59fps 37fps

GFXBench: Manhattan 46fps 27fps 36fps 38fps 15fps

Battery 3000mAh, non-removable 3000mAh, non-removable 3000mAh, removable Lithium-ion 2300mAh, non-removable

Dimensions 152.7x74.7x7.4mm 145.9x71.9x9mm 145x70.9x7 mm 158.2x77.9x7.3mm 153.2x76.1x7.6mm

Weight 158g 161g 144g 192g 171g

Warranty 1 year 1 year 1 year 1 year 1 year

FULL REVIEW TINYURL.COM/Z3HQ6BZ TINYURL.COM/HPEW53R TINYURL.COM/HJG8XCJ TINYURL.COM/OYRA5MX TINYURL.COM/OCQAJPL

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February 2017 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/reviews 127
TEST CENTRE

117_145 New Top 5 Charts 259.indd 127 17/11/2016 16:26

 Top 5 charts

Best
budget
smartphones 1 2 3 4 5
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

Build rating

Features rating

Value rating

Performance rating

Overall rating

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
Rear-mounted
Extra features FM radio, accelerometer FM radio FM radio FM radio
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 TINYURL.COM/Q5DSNHE TINYURL.COM/J8HXZ49

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128 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/reviews February 2017
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117_145 New Top 5 Charts 259.indd 128 17/11/2016 16:27

 Top 5 charts

Best
budget
smartphones 6 7 8 9 10
Vodafone Smart Ultra 7 Motorola Moto E 4G 2015 Cubot P12 Wileyfox Swift Xiaomi Redmi Note 3

Price 135 inc VAT 109 inc VAT 74 inc VAT 129 inc VAT 118 inc VAT

Website Vodafone.co.uk Motorola.co.uk Cubot.net Wileyfox.com Xiaomi-mi.com

Build rating

Features rating

Value rating

Performance rating

Overall rating

OS (out of box) Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow Android 5.0 Lollipop Android 5.1 Lollipop Cyanogen OS Android 5.0 Lollipop

Processor 1.8GHz Mediatek MT6755M 1.2GHz Snapdragon 410 1.3GHz MediaTek MT6580 1.2GHz Snapdragon 410 2GHz MediaTek MT6795

RAM 2GB 1GB 1GB 2GB 2GB

Storage 16GB 8GB 16GB 16GB 16GB

MicroSD support Up to 256GB Up to 32GB Up to 32GB Up to 32GB No

Graphics Mali-T860MP2 Adreno 306 Mali 400mp Adreno 306 Not specified

Screen size 5.5in 4.5in 5in 5in 5.5in

Screen resolution 1920x1080 960x540 1280x720 1280x720 1920x1080

Pixel density 401ppi 245ppi 294ppi 294ppi 403ppi

Screen technology IPS IPS IPS IPS Full HD

Front camera 5Mp 0.3Mp 5Mp 5Mp 5Mp

Rear camera 13Mp 5Mp 8Mp, LED flash 13Mp, LED flash 13Mp, LED flash

Video recording 1080p 720p 1080p 1080p Not specified

Cellular connectivity 4G* 4G 3G 4G 4G

SIM type Micro-SIM Micro-SIM Micro-SIM Micro-SIM Micro-SIM

Dual-SIM as standard

Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n 802.11b/g/n 802.11b/g/n 802.11b/g/n 802.11ac

Bluetooth Bluetooth 4.1 Bluetooth 4.0 Bluetooth 4.0 Bluetooth 4.0

GPS GPS, A-GPS GPS, A-GPS, Glonass GPS, A-GPS A-GPS GPS, A-GPS, Glonass

NFC

USB OTG
Double-twist launches
Extra features FM radio, accelerometer Gesture controls 3D G-Sensor Fingerprint scanner
camera, lockscreen alerts
Geekbench 3.0 (single) Not tested 464 Not tested Not tested Not tested

Geekbench 3.0 (multi) 3002 1463 1401 1456 4597

SunSpider Not tested 1301ms 1726ms 1760ms 907ms

GFXBench: T-Rex 13fps 13fps 13fps 10fps 122fps

GFXBench: Manhattan 5.3fps 6fps 6fps 4fps 8fps

Battery 2960mAh, non-removable 2390mAh, non-removable 2200mmAh, removable 2500mAh, removable 4000mAh, non-removable

Dimensions 152.2x78.1x8.7mm 66.8x5.2-12.3x129.9mm 141x71x9.4mm 141x71x9.4mm 150x76x8.65mm

Weight 150g 145g 71.5x8.1x143.9mm 135g 164g

Warranty 1 year 1 year 1 year 1 year 1 year

FULL REVIEW TINYURL.COM/ZL3X7QG TINYURL.COM/Q7Q9NXR TINYURL.COM/JVEOZSF TINYURL.COM/PO9KG38 TINYURL.COM/JQNP2RB

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February 2017 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/reviews 129
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117_145 New Top 5 Charts 259.indd 129 17/11/2016 16:27

 Top 5 charts

Best
phablets 1 2 3 4 5
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

Build rating

Features rating

Value rating

Performance rating

Overall rating

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
Heart-rate sensor,
Extra features Fingerprint scanner Fingerprint scanner Fingerprint scanner 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 TINYURL.COM/Z3HQ6BZ TINYURL.COM/OCQAJPL TINYURL.COM/OYRA5MX

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130 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/reviews February 2017
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117_145 New Top 5 Charts 259.indd 130 17/11/2016 16:28

 Top 5 charts

Best
phablets 6 7 8 9 10
Google Pixel XL Huawei P9 Plus Xiaomi Mi Max LG G4 Xiaomi Redmi Pro

Price 719 inc VAT 629 inc VAT 212 inc VAT 500 inc VAT 256 inc VAT

Website Google.co.uk Consumer.huawei.com/uk Xiaomi-mi.co.uk Lg.com/uk Xiaomi-mi.co.uk

Build rating

Features rating

Valuee rating

Performance rating

Overall rating

OS (out of box) Android 7.1 Nougat Android 6.0 Marshmallow Android 6.0 Marshmallow Android 5.1 Lollipop Android 6.0 Marshmallow

Processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 HiSilicon Kirin 955 Qualcomm Snapdragon 650 1.82GHz Snapdragon 808 1.55GHz Helio X25

RAM 4GB 4GB 6GB 3GB 3GB

Storage 32/128GB 64GB 32/64GB 32GB 64GB

MicroSD support Up to 256GB Up to 256GB Up to 128GB Up to 128GB

Graphics Adreno 530 Mali-T880 MP4 Adreno 510 Adreno 418 Mali T880

Screen size 5.5in 5.5in 6.4in 5.5in 5.5in

Screen resolution 2560x1440 1920x1080 1920x1080 1440x2560 1920x1080

Pixel density 534ppi 401ppi 342ppi 538ppi 401ppi

Screen technology IPS AMOLED IPS IPS IPS

Front camera 8Mp 8Mp 5Mp 8Mp 5Mp

Rear camera 12.3Mp, LED flash 12Mp, LED flash 16Mp, LED flash 16Mp, LED flash 13Mp, LED flash

Video recording 2160p 1080p 2160p 4K 1080p

Cellular connectivity 4G 4G 4G 4G 4G

SIM type Nano-SIM Nano-SIM Nano-SIM Micro-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

Bluetooth Bluetooth 4.2 Bluetooth 4.2 Bluetooth 4.2 Bluetooth 4.0 Bluetooth 4.2

GPS GPS, Glonass A-GPS, Glonass A-GPS, Glonass A-GPS, Glonass A-GPS, Glonass

NFC

USB OTG
24bit/192kHz audio,
Extra features Fingerprint scanner Fingerprint scanner Fingerprint scanner Fingerprint scanner
rear key, IR blaster
Geekbench 3.0 (single) Not tested Not tested Not tested Not tested Not tested

Geekbench 3.0 (multi) Not tested 6682 3825 3513 Not tested

SunSpider Not tested Not tested Not tested 715ms Not tested

GFXBench: T-Rex 55fps 44fps 34fps 25fps 15fps

GFXBench: Manhattan 30fps 20fps 15fps 9fps 25fps

Battery 3450mAh, non-removable 3400mAh, non-removable 4850mAh, non-removable 3000mAh, removable, Qi 4050mAh, non-removable

Dimensions 154.7x75.7x8.5mm 152.3x75.3x7mm 173.1x88.3x7.5mm 76x149x6.3-9.8mm 151.5x76.2x8.2mm

Weight 168g 162g 203g 155g 174g

Warranty 1 year 1 year 1 year 1 year 1 year

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February 2017 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/reviews 131
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117_145 New Top 5 Charts 259.indd 131 17/11/2016 16:28

 Top 5 charts

Best
tablets 1 2 3 4 5
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

Build rating

Features rating

Performance rating

Value rating

Overall rating

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

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132 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/reviews February 2017
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 Top 5 charts

Best
tablets 6 7 8 9 10
Sony Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact Google Pixel C 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

Build rating

Features rating

Performance rating

Value rating

Overall rating

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
PS4 Remote Play,
Extra features None None None None
stereo speakers
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

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 Top 5 charts

Best
smartwatches 1 2 3 4 5
Huawei Watch Apple Watch Series 2 Motorola Moto 360 2 Samsung Gear S2 Fossil Q Founder

Price 289 inc VAT 369 inc VAT 229 inc VAT 199 inc VAT 259 inc VAT

Website Consumer.huawei.com/en Apple.com/uk Motorola.co.uk Samsung.com/uk Fossil.com/uk

Overall rating

Operating system Android Wear iOS 10 Android Wear Tizen-based OS Android Wear

Compatibility Android iOS Android, iOS Android, iOS Android, iOS

38mm, 340x272;
Display 1.4in 400x400 AMOLED 1.37in 360x325 LCD 1.2in 360x360 AMOLED 1.5in, 360x326 LCD
42mm, 390x312, AMOLED
Processor Snapdragon 400 S2 Snapdragon 400 1GHz Exynos 3250 Intel Atom Z34XX

RAM 512MB Not stated 512MB 512MB 1GB

Storage 4GB 4GB 4GB 4GB 4GB

Waterproof Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

Battery 300mAh 273mAh 300mAh 250mAh 400mAh

Dimensions 42x11.3mm 38.6/42.5x33.3/36.4mm 42x11.4mm 42.3x49.8x11.4mm 47x13mm

Weight 40g 28.2g/34.2g 53.6g 47g 156g

Warranty 1 year 1 year 1 year 1 year 1 year

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Best
smartwatches 6 7 8 9 10
LG G Watch R Asus ZenWatch 2 Motorola Moto 360 LG Watch Urbane Sony SmartWatch 3

Price 195 inc VAT 149 inc VAT 199 inc VAT 259 inc VAT 189 inc VAT

Website Lg.com/uk Uk.sasus.com Motorola.co.uk Lg.com/uk Sony.co.uk

Overall rating

Operating system Android Wear Android Wear Android Wear Android Wear Android Wear

Compatibility Android Android, iOS Android Android Android

Display 1.3in 320x320 P-OLED 1.63in 320x320 LCD 1.56in 290x320 LCD 1.3in 320x320 P-OLED 1.6in 320x320 LCD

Processor 1.2GHz Snapdrgon 400 1.2GHz Snapdragon 400 TI OMAP 3 1.2GHz Snapdragon 400 1.2GHz ARM V7

RAM 512MB 512MB 512MB 512MB 512MB

Storage 4GB 4GB 4GB 4GB 4GB

Waterproof Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

Battery 410mAh 300mAh 320mAh 410mAh 420mAh

Dimensions 46.4x53.6x9.7mm 40.7x49.6x10.9mm 46x11.5mm 46x52x10.9mm 36x51x10mm

Weight 62g 50g 49g (leather band model) 67g 45g

Warranty 1 year 1 year 1 year 1 year 1 year

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117_145 New Top 5 Charts 259.indd 134 17/11/2016 16:32

 Top 5 charts

Best
activity
trackers 1 2 3 4 5
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

Overall rating

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)

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Best
activity
trackers 6 7 8 9 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

Overall rating

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

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Best printers 1 2 3 4 5
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

Overall rating

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

1200x1200dpi scanner, 1200x1200dpi scanner,

Scan/fax facilities 2400x4800dpi scanner None None
300x300dpi fax 300x300dpi fax

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

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Best printers 6 7 8 9 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

Overall rating

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

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136 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/reviews February 2017
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117_145 New Top 5 Charts 259.indd 136 17/11/2016 16:32

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Best
wireless
routers 1 2 3 4 5
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

Overall rating

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

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Best
powerline
adaptors 1 2 3 4 5
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

Overall rating

No of adaptors in kit 2 2 2 1 (2 required) 2

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

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Best
NAS drives 1 2 3 4 5
Synology DS115j Qnap HS-210 WD My Cloud EX2100 Synology DS216play 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

Overall rating

Drive bays 1 2 2 2 4

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

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Best
portable
hard drives 1 2 3 4 5
Adata SE730 Samsung Portable SSD T3 Transcend ESD400 SanDisk Extreme 500 Portable SSD Western Digital My Passport

Price 106 inc VAT 606 inc VAT 420 inc VAT 70 inc VAT 159 inc VAT

Website Adata.com Samsung.com/uk Transcend-info.com Sandisk.co.uk Wdc.com

Overall rating

Price per GB (at

46p 32p 39p 31p 4p
capacity tested)

Capacity tested 250GB 2TB 256GB 240GB 4TB

Capacity range 250GB 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 2TB 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB 120GB, 240GB, 480GB 1TB, 2TB, 3TB, 4TB

Storage MLC NAND Flash NAND Flash NAND Flash NAND Flash SSD HDD

Sequential performance 380.8/278.5MB/s 406.9/211.2MB/s 410.8/163.8MB/s 398.3/203.4MB/s 119.3/112.8/s

4K performance 19.8/38.9MB/s 21.9/2.3MB/s 16.1/2.7MB/s 19.8/3.7MB/s 0.5/1.6MB/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 256-bit AES

Transcend Elite
Software None T3 Security Enabler SanDisk SecureAccess WD Backup, WD Utilities
Data Management
Dimensions 44x73x12mm 58x74x10mm 92x62x10.5mm 75.7x75.7x10.7mm 81.5x110x16.3mm

Weight 33g 51g 56g 79g 245g

Warranty 3 years 3 years 3 years 3 years 2 years

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117_145 New Top 5 Charts 259.indd 138 17/11/2016 16:33

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Best
SSDs 1 2 3 4 5
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

Overall rating

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

Sequential performance 525.4/512.1MB/s 529.3/511.5MB/s 508/482MB/s 513/490MB/s 533.7/521.6MB/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

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Smart
thermostats 1 2 3 4 5
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

Overall rating

Zones controlled 12 6 1 1 1

Hot water control

Underfloor heating

Warranty 18 months 2 years 2 years 1 year 1 year

Heat Genius is very good

EvoHome is the best smart
heating system weve tested.
It isnt perfect though, and
its also very expensive,
Verdict
or can be. But if you value
convenience and comfort
above saving money, its
the one to buy.
If you need only a single Tado is the best smart
at a very useful thing. It is The Hive Active Heating
thermostat and dont need thermostat if you like the
easy to use and efficient. system is a great upgrade
control over hot water, the idea of presence detection
How long it takes to pay for for anyone that wants or
Nest is a good choice. The as it simply follows you and
itself will depend on your needs the ability to be able
Nest Protect smoke and your smartphone via GPS,
circumstances, and it may be to control their heating
carbon monoxide alarm also and turns the heating up or
that a full system is too much remotely. Its by no means
works with the thermostat, down as you get further away
of a long-term investment the most advanced smart
but its not cheap. Theres or nearer home. Theres also
for you. If you are looking to thermostat, but it will do
also the Nest Cam, but the hot water control, but the
install in your a zoned smart the job at a good price for
tie-in with the thermostat thermostat itself isnt the
heating system, we are happy a lot of people.
is minimal. best looking.
to recommend Heat Genius.

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Best
graphics cards 1 2 3 4 5
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

Overall rating

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

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Best
graphics cards 6 7 8 9 10
Sapphire Radeon R7 250X Asus GeForce GTX 980 Ti Zotac GeForce GTX 980 Ti MSI GTX 980 Gaming 4G Club3D Radeon R9 390

Price 65 inc VAT 639 inc VAT 532 inc VAT 404 inc VAT 288 inc VAT

Website Sapphiretech.com Asus.com/uk Zotac.com Uk.msi.com Club-3d.com

Overall rating

Graphics processor AMD Radeon R7 250X nVidia GeForce GTX 980 Ti nVidia GeForce GTX 980 Ti nVidia GeForce GTX 980 AMD Radeon R9 390

Installed RAM 1GB GDDR5 12GB 12GB 4GB 8GB

Memory interface 128-bit 384-bit 512-bit 256-bit 512-bit

Core clock/boost 950MHz 1216/1317MHz 1105/1140MHz 1216/1317MHz 1010MHz

Memory clock 1125/4500MHz 7200MHz 7010MHz 7010MHz 6000MHz

Stream processors 640 2816 2816 2048 2560

Texture units 40 172 172 128 160

Power connectors 1x 6-pin 2x 8-pin 1x 8-pin, 1x 6-pin 2x 8-pin 1x 8-pin, 1x 6-pin

DirectX 12 12 12 12 12

Digital interface 1x DVI, HDMI, DisplayPort DVI, HDMI 2.0, 3x DisplayPort 1.2 DVI, HDMI, 3x Mini-DisplayPort DVI, HDMI, 3x DisplayPort 2x DVI, HDMI, DisplayPort 1.2

Warranty 2 years 3 years 5 years 3 years 2 years

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140 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/reviews February 2017
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117_145 New Top 5 Charts 259.indd 140 17/11/2016 16:34

 Top 5 charts

Best 4K
flat-panel TVs 1 2 3 4 5
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

Overall rating

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

BBC iPlayer, ITV Player, BBC iPlayer, ITV Player, All YouView with BBC iPlayer, ITV BBC iPlayer, Netflix, YouTube, BBC iPlayer, Netflix,
Apps All 4, Demand 5, Netflix, 4, Netflix, Amazon, YouTube Player, All 4 and Demand 5; Spotify Connect, Daily Motion, YouTube, Twitter,
YouTube, Amazon and apps store 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

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Best 4K
flat-panel
displays 1 2 3 4 5
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

Overall rating

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

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February 2017 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/reviews 141
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 Top 5 charts

Best
e-book readers 1 2 3 4 5
Amazon Kindle Voyage Amazon Kindle Oasis Amazon Kindle (8th gen) Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Amazon Kindle (7th gen)

Price 169 inc VAT 269 inc VAT 59 inc VAT 109 inc VAT 59 inc VAT

Website Amazon.co.uk Amazon.co.uk Amazon.co.uk Amazon.co.uk Amazon.co.uk

Overall rating

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 600x800

Built-in light Yes Yes No Yes No

Storage 4GB 4GB 4GB 2GB 4GB

Book store Amazon Kindle Amazon Kindle Amazon Kindle Amazon Kindle Amazon Kindle

Cellular connectivity Optional extra Optional extra No Optional extra No

Battery life Six weeks Eight weeks Four weeks Eight weeks Four weeks

Dimensions 162x115x7.6mm 143x122x8.5mm 160x115x9.1mm 117x169x9.1mm 169x119x10.2mm

Weight 180g 131g 161g 206g 191g

Warranty 1 year 1 year 1 year 1 year 1 year

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Best
media
streamers 1 2 3 4 5
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

Overall rating

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

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142 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/reviews February 2017
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117_145 New Top 5 Charts 259.indd 142 17/11/2016 16:34

 Top 5 charts

Best
games
consoles 1 2 3 4 5
Sony PlayStation 4 Pro Microsoft Xbox One S Sony PlayStation 4 Slim Sony PlayStation 4 Microsoft Xbox One

Price 349 inc VAT 349 inc VAT 259 inc VAT 259 inc VAT 349 inc VAT

Website Playstation.com Xbox.com Playstation.com Playstation.com Xbox.com

Overall rating

Processor Octa-core AMD x86-64 1.75GHz octa-core AMD x86 Octa-core AMD x86 Octa-core AMD x86 1.75GHz octa-core AMD x86

Graphics 4.2TFlops AMD Radeon GPU AMD Radeon GPU at 914MHz 1.84TFlops AMD Radeon GPU 1.84TFlops AMD Radeon GPU 1.31TFlops AMD Radeon GPU

RAM 8GB GDDR5 8GB DDR3 8GB GDDR5 8GB GDDR5 8GB DDR3

Storage 1TB 500GB, 1TB or 2TB 500GB 500GB 500GB

Optical drive Blu-ray, DVD, game discs 4K Blu-ray, DVD, game discs Blu-ray, DVD, game discs Blu-ray, DVD, game discs Blu-ray, DVD, game discs

Ports 3x USB 3.1, AUX, HDMI 3x USB 3.0, HDMI 2.0, Kinect port 2x USB 3.0, AUX, HDMI 2x USB 3.0, AUX, HDMI USB 3.0, HDMI

Connectivity Ethernet, 802.11b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth Ethernet, 802.11b/g/n/ac Ethernet, 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth 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, 4K, Kinect option

Dimensions 327x295x55mm 3294x226x64mm 275x53x305mm 275x53x305mm 333x274x79mm

Weight 3.3kg 2.9kg 2.8kg 2.8kg 3.2kg

Warranty 1 year 1 year 1 year 1 year 1 year

FULL REVIEW TINYURL.COM/HCNB3XP TINYURL.COM/HWO8PJU TINYURL.COM/HUL2J8Q TINYURL.COM/NBFLQK2 TINYURL.COM/M6J4KHS

Best
budget
portable
speakers 1 2 3 4 5
Denon Envaya Mini Sumvision Psyc Monic UE Roll Marsboy 5W Orb Lumsing B9

Price 99 inc VAT 37 inc VAT 99 inc VAT 38 inc VAT 23 inc VAT

Website Denon.com Sumvision.com Ultimateears.com Amazon.co.uk Lumsing.com

Overall rating

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 Yes No No No Yes

NFC Yes No Yes No Yes

Frequency response Not specified 90Hz to 20KHz 108Hz to 20kHz 80Hz to 18kHz 20Hz to 20kHz

Impedence Not specified Not specified Not specified 4 ohms 4 ohms

Extra features IPX4 splashproof None IPX7 splashproof MicroSD slot MicroSD slot, lanyard

Claimed battery life 10 hours 7 hours 9 hours 12 hours 25 hours

Dimensions 209x54x51mm 200x60x60mm 134x39x40mm 150x148x138mm 177x50x70mm

Weight 558g Not stated 330g 454g 300g

Warranty 1 year 1 year 2 years 1 year 1 year

FULL REVIEW TINYURL.COM/QDRNP3P TINYURL.COM/JC8CZM2 TINYURL.COM/O7T7ZUU TINYURL.COM/JJLOPCD TINYURL.COM/P623MK8

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February 2017 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/reviews 143
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 Top 5 charts

Best
headphones 1 2 3 4 5
Bose QuietComfort 35 Denon AH-D600 Sharkk Bravo Denon AH-MM400 Final Audio Design Sonorous III

Price 289 inc VAT 229 inc VAT 249 inc VAT 196 inc VAT 299 inc VAT

Website Bose.co.uk Denon.co.uk Sharkk.com Denon.co.uk Final-audio-design.com

Overall rating

Type Circumaural over-ear Circumaural over-ear Circumaural over-ear Circumaural over-ear Circumaural over-ear

Frequency response Not stated 5Hz to 45kHz 6Hz to 45kHz 10Hz to 40kHz Not stated

Nominal impedance Not stated 25 ohms 32 ohms 32 ohms 25 ohms

Sensitivity Not stated 108dB 118dB 96dB 105dB

In-line remote No Yes No Yes No

Mic Yes Yes No Yes No

Extra tips N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

Carry case Yes Yes Yes Yes No

Cable length 1.2m 3m 1.35m Not specified 1.5m

Weight 310g 250g 294g 310g 410g

Warranty 1 year 1 year 1 year 1 year 1 year

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Best
headphones 6 7 8 9 10
Audio-Technica ATH-WS99 Bose QuietComfort 20 Denon AH-W150 Bowers & Wilkins P5 Kef M100

Price 79 inc VAT 259 inc VAT 59 inc VAT 249 inc VAT 119 inc VAT

Website Eu.audio-technica.com/en Bose.co.uk Denon.co.uk Bowers-wilkins.co.uk Kef.com

Overall rating

Type Over-ear In-ear Over-ear wireless buds On-ear, foldable In-ear

Frequency response 8Hz to 25kHz 20-21kHz 5Hz to 25kHz 10Hz to 20kHz 20Hz to 20kHz

Nominal impedance 37 ohms 32 ohms 16 ohms 22 ohms 50 ohms

Sensitivity 120dB 105dB 102dB 108dB -25dB

In-line remote Yes Yes Yes No Yes

Mic Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

Extra tips N/A Yes Yes N/A Yes

Carry case No Yes Yes No Yes

Cable length 0.8m 1.3m N/A 1.2m 1.3m

Weight 250g 44g 23g 195g 18g

Warranty 1 year 1 year 1 year 1 year 1 year

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144 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/reviews February 2017
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117_145 New Top 5 Charts 259.indd 144 17/11/2016 16:47

 Top 5 charts

Best
power banks 1 2 3 4 5
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

Overall rating

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

Best
desktop
chargers 1 2 3 4 5
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

Overall rating

Max output 90W 54W 60W 54W 50W

Outputs: 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

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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February 2017 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/reviews 145
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117_145 New Top 5 Charts 259.indd 145 17/11/2016 16:47

 OUTBOX

Mark
HacHMan
Eight tech gifts you
shouldnt buy this christmas
very year we have to figure

E out what to buy our significant

others, and a great tech gift
often tops the list. However, before you
get started, you need to know what
not to buy. Here are the tech gifts you
should avoid.

1. Kickstarters
kickstarter and other crowdfunding
sites will tempt you with unique gifts
and promises that if you act now, you
can get in on the ground floor for cheap.
Dont risk it. Sure, your gift might ship
by its promised December date. But
youre banking on a company youve
never heard of delivering on a product
thats probably never been made before,
with a turnaround time of just weeks.
and who knows about the quality.
These people may be legitimate, but a
number of crowdfunded projects have
been total scams. Dont risk it.

2. Cheap earbuds includes third-party cables. Were not saying all
Low-cost
You know how everyone grumbles about how gift such cables are bad, but youve got to be careful.
certificates arent personal? Well, earbuds are
Android tablets
a little too personal. Like underwear, theyre an 6. The Samsung Galaxy Note 7 offer the
individual choice. an ill-fitting, tinny set can make If youre not aware that the Samsung Galaxy absolute bottom
a long commute even more excruciating, and half note 7 is the cultural equivalent of the Ford Pinto, of the barrel
the time they dont fit correctly anyway. please stop and read our previous coverage. in terms

3. Cheap Android tech
Low-cost android tablets offer the absolute bottom
of the barrel in terms of quality: last-generation
(or worse) hardware, tiny amounts of memory and
ancient versions of the operating system. Worse
still, theres nothing preventing a manufacturer
from configuring the tablet to allow sideloaded,
unapproved apps that, if preloaded, could be
filled with spyware and adware.
4. Outdated or obsolete tech
a good gift giver knows whats hot and whats
not. consider the TomTom Via 1535TM. Four
years ago, it would have been a fantastic gift,
but virtually any smartphone can do whatever a
cars GPS can, and for free. Instead, look into a
smartphone car mount: its over 100 cheaper
and can power a phone while holding it securely.
5. Third-party Apple cables
Were all looking for a deal and we all know
apple products dont come cheap. In some cases,
however, you get what you pay for, and that
not only have major retailers stopped selling
it but the phone is banned from flights because
of quality
of its persistent fire risk. Dont buy one, and
make sure that any older note you may buy
from eBay or elsewhere is in fact a note 5.
7. Last years fads
It goes without saying that the tech media can
get a little overexcited about certain products.
Hey, theyre the next big thing, and sometimes
even we hardened, jaded, cynical journalists cant
see through the hype. If something was hyped
the year or two before though, chances are good
that its run its course. remember hoverboards,
digital frames and Google cardboard?
8. USB-powered rubbish
Everyones desk is too crowded already. The last
thing anyone needs are USB-powered junk, such
as an air freshener or pet rock (were not joking)
that wastes space, waste USB ports, and serve
no purpose except to embody what a horrible
gift-giver you are. Save your money and buy
something theyll actually want, okay? J

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

146 Outbox 258.indd 146 18/11/2016 14:55

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PCA Digital Filler Feb16.indd 123 17/03/2016 14:08

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