AMD’s Ryzen 7 5800X3D has been tested against the Intel Core i9-12900K once more and we will see if DDR5 is enough to keep Alder Lake in lead.
AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D Retains Gaming Lead In Latest Benchmarks Against Intel Core i9-12900K Despite Alder Lake Running DDR5-6000 Memory
The latest gaming benchmarks for the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D are once again published by tech outlet, XanxoGaming. Today is also the day when other media outlets will be posting their own 5800X3D reviews.
AMD’s Ryzen 5000 Desktop CPUs Are An Absolute Steal Right Now: Ryzen 9 5950X 16 Core Available For $539 US, Ryzen 9 5900X 12 Core As Low As $394 US
The previous benchmarks did feature the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D running against an Intel Core i9-12900K CPU but only with DDR4 memory up to 3600 Mbps. The latest benchmarks show us what the performance looks like when the new 3D V-Cache CPU is tested against Alder Lake with DDR5 memory. For this purpose, a set of DDR5-6000 CL40 memory was utilized, and that gives another $ advantage to the red team considering the high prices attached with going the DDR5 route on the Z690 platform. Meanwhile, users can simply run their existing DDR4 kits on the AM4 platform and the CPU upgrade alone will allow for much higher performance.
As for the benchmarks, besides Assassin’s Creed Origins, the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D outperformed or managed to stay on par with the Intel Core i9-12900K (Plus DDR5-6000 memory). This is again an impressive showcase of 3D V-Cache offering a bigger performance bump over Intel’s fastest Alder lake CPU for gaming. Another section where 3D V-Cache really helps is the 1% lows which are much higher than what Intel’s Core i9-12900K produces in the same games.
The Ryzen 7 5800X3D is turning out to be a great gaming CPU as far as its price is compared to the Intel flagship, the Core i9-12900K. AMD can have a very disruptive offering as it says its last hurrah to the AM4 platform. It will be available for $449 US when it hits retail on the 20th of April.
Morning! This is Alex signing on for another day of RTX 3090 Ti pre-orders goodness. If you’re joining us now, no worries – there are actually a few cards left in stock (as of writing). Here’s a quick recap the story so far:
Rumors of an $1,999 / £1,879 MSRP turned out to be true
Demand high in the US, less so in the UK
Founders Edition cards in the US sold out in minutes
A few cards still available at Zotac and Newegg in the US
Cards widely available at Scan, Ebuyer, Novatech in the UK
So far, it’s looking like the prohibitively expensive MSRP of this card has kept demand at bay, unsurprisingly. In contrast to the low-end RTX 3050’s launch, it’s been a much more civilized affair to say the least. That said, demand has still be pretty high in the US with most retailers selling out stock within the hour – with a few exceptions.
If you’re visiting from the UK – then the picture is looking really rosy right now. Not only do you have a ton of retailers and card variants to choose from, but there are even a few Founders Edition cards left at Scan. It almost feels like we’re back to normal in the graphics card market…
Tales from the TechRadar test bench
In case you didn’t catch them while reading our in-depth review, here are our test bench scores from when we put this card through its paces:
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Were we impressed? Well, kinda. This is a $2,000 card after all – for that price it better be damn good. As expected, the RTX 3090 Ti cruised through our all our tests on 3DMark, in game, and Adobe Premier to comfortably come out in the lead versus the competition.
Of particular note was the consistent 60+ FPS we were able to get at 4K with all our tested titles – in this case, CyberPunk 2077, Far Cry 6, Forza, Metro Exodus, and Total War: Three Kingdoms. Also of particular note was the utterly absurd maximum power draw of 477W – oof.
US RTX 3090 Ti now mostly sold out in the US
Sorry to be the bringer of bad news… RTX 3090 Ti stock is now starting to look a little thin in the US as of writing. We’re still on the hunt but it’s likely the best option for grabbing a card is to head on over to the EVGA queue and get yourself signed up.
EVGA is currently offering cards for ELITE members only – which is essentially a ‘preferred customer’ system. If you’re not ‘elite’ enough for EVGA don’t worry though, everyone else (the plebs) will get invites to buy cards after 24 hours if they’re lucky. Note, however, it’s likely you’ll be waiting for some time if you go via this queuing system.
Meanwhile, there’s plenty of RTX 3090 Ti stock for those in the UK…
GPU sag got you down? EVGA says put a leash on it
(Image credit: EVGA)
You know the size of a graphics card is getting out of hand when third-party vendors are coming up with ways to combat the dreaded GPU sag. EVGA are doing just that with a handy feature its calling the eLeash.
Included free with some models, the eLeash is essentially a suspension cord for your GPU that hangs from the top of the case and hooks into your GPU near the power connector. Is it new? Not exactly – PC builders have been jerry rigging their cards in this manner for a while but it’s a pretty nice feature you have to admit. At the very least, it shows EVGA are willing to include handy quality of life improvements to its cards.
Don’t have an EVGA RTX 3090 Ti? Don’t sweat it too much, you can get yourself a pretty cheap bracket off of Amazon for about $10. You could also, *cough cough*. get a little creative with your stand.
(Image credit: Scan)
UK RTX 3090 TI Founders Edition in stock at Scan.co.uk
Top UK computing retailer Scan has Founders Edition cards in stock for £1,879 right now – the cheapest price we’ve seen so far in the UK. There’s something slightly ironic about calling this listing cheap, but comparatively speaking it’s not bad.
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US RTX 3090 Ti stock roundup
Here’s a quick roundup of the state of play in the US right now. We’ve seen a couple of retailers go live with their listings so far – and even some sell out in the case of Nvidia’s own Founders Edition cards.
Unfortunately, it’s looking like most of the MSRP cards have been snapped up, which was to be expected. The next cheapest we’ve found is this listing at Zotac for $2,099.99 – a card that’s admittedly only $99 more than the MSRP. We’re on the hunt right now for alternate retailers so keep checking in…
Our Nvidia GeForce RTX 3090 Ti review is now live, with our resident components queen Jackie Thomas putting the high-end GPU through its paces.
While the RTX 3090 Ti is undoubtedly an impressive GPU, Jackie wasn’t entirely convinced by it, awarding it just three and a half stars, and pointing out that although it offers excellent gaming performance, its extremely expensive, as well as bulky. With the RTX 3090 performing almost as well, while being cheaper, the RTX 3090 Ti seems hard to justify.
But, it seems the GPU is still selling out fast, so this may not matter for many people.
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RTX 3090 TI Founders Edition coming soon at Best Buy
Best Buy has just listed a much coveted RTX 3090 Ti reference card for $1,999. It’s not live yet so we’d recommend keeping an eye on this one. Make sure you refresh your page as it’s likely it’ll be going live real soon and it’s sure to be popular. Note, this one’s listed as a high-demand item, which means you’ll need a Best Buy account to place and order.
RTX 3090 Ti listings now live at EVGA
A number of cards are now listed over at the EVGA site – the catch, however, is that they’re exclusively available via the EVGA queue system.
If you’re not familiar with how EVGA usually do things – the queue system is essentially a mail-order list that the company uses to avoid the whole scalper issue. If you’re interested, you can sign yourself up here. It’s completely free and a fair way to get yourself a GPU for MSRP – especially if you don’t manage to score one at another retailer today. You’ll of course have to wait for your card but you will get one… eventually, we promise.
UK RTX 3090 Ti stock roundup
Stock can now be found at the following UK retailers, with more to follow soon:
Unsurprisingly, prices are ranging from around £1,879 to £2,199, so we’re right in the ballpark of the expected prices in regards to the rumors. So far, the cheapest listing we’ve found is at Overclockers.co.uk.
US RTX 3090 Ti stock now available at Newegg
The first big third-party retailer to go live with cards is over at Newegg – where you can find a quickly expanding list of cards starting at $2,149.
Yep, looks like we haven’t escape the curse of third-party price inflation here. It’s not wildly more expensive than the $1,999 price for reference Founders Edition cards but it still stings. Also, all these cards have a $9.99 delivery fee – couldn’t you afford to throw that in for free Newegg?
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RTX 3090 Ti FE already sold out at Nvidia US
Expectedly, the RTX 3090 Ti Founders Edition has already sold out over at the official Nvidia store. These MSRP cards are always the first to go, it looks like these ones actually sold out in well under a minute. Don’t sweat it too much if you missed this batch – there will be a ton of non-reference cards launching at third party retailers shortly. Simply check our links at the top of the page and keep refreshing the relevant pages.
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First RTX 3090 Ti pre-orders appear in the UK
We’ve just spotted two RTX 3090 Ti listings at Overclockers.co.uk.
Retailing for £1,999 and £2,189 respectively, you’ve got the choice between two Asus cards in what looks like the very first live listings. Note, one of the cards has a preinstalled all-in-one liquid cooler, which would be a decent choice if you’re not confident in disassembly.
Correction: It looks like Overclockers might have jumped the gun here slightly as they’ve pulled these listings. It’s likely they’ll be back shortly, however.
Will availability actually be good at launch?
One of the most tantalising tidbits of information we’ve found so far has been via the site Videocardz, which has claimed that availability on for RTX 3090 Ti pre-orders might be better than some recent launches. Citing unknown sources, Videocardz has claimed:
“From what we have been told, some big US retailers already have thousands of the cards in stock and more coming, which given how niche such a model SKU is, it shouldn’t sell out quickly.”
That’s pretty big if true, even if it is hard to put any real weight behind that claim right now. For comparison’s sake, we’ve seen all big Nvidia launches sell out fairly quickly over the past year – as you’d expect given the demand. Launches have generally been more or less the only time you can get a card for anywhere near MSRP so there’s a real scramble to buy usually.
For our money, this claim isn’t entirely implausible, however. Firstly, as Videocardz has stated, the eye-watering price of the RTX 3090 Ti obviously means its going to exclude a large demographic of gamers. Secondly, we’ve reported previously on rumours that RTX 3090 Ti production has been less effected by component shortages than some other Nvidia GPUs. Again, rumors – but let’s not rule out the possibility here.
The RTX 3090 TI will be a chonker
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Oh lawd it’s coming. We reported yesterday that RTX 3090 TI Founders Edition cards are likely to be just as big as the prior RTX 3090 versions. That means this one will probably be another three-slot GPU – an absolute giant in GPU terms.
If you’re looking to bag an RTX 3090 Ti pre-order at launch, you’ll want to make sure you’ve got more than enough case real estate to accommodate it. A power draw of 450 watts means you’ll probably want a power supply rated 1000W or higher in your rig, too.
Leaks (see pictures above) have shown off a rather generic Founders Edition card that’s basically in line with what you’d expect from an Nvidia card. It’s a single-blower design with a rather subdued black and pewter aesthetic. No garish RGB on this one, although we’ll be seeing a ton of third-party non-reference cards at launch too from all the usual suspects like EVGA and Zotac. We’ll likely see three-fan designs on these with more than enough RGB to satiate even the most hard-core Razer fanboys.
Curiously, the leaks suggest a new 16-pin connector – which is likely a requirement thanks to the colossal power-draw for this card. We’re expecting an adaptor to be supplied in-box for this one.
Just how fast is the RTX 3090 TI?
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Initial rumors (again, via Videocardz) have suggested that the RTX 3090 Ti should be 7% to 10% faster than a stock RTX 3090 when it comes to performance at 4K.
Powering these gains is an additional 256 CUDA cores (versus the RTX 3090) and a faster clock speed of 21.2 Gbps at 1,325 MHz. If true, that bandwith is beefy and means its the first card to exceed 1TB/s for Nvidia.
Some performance numbers RTX 3090 vs RTX 3090 Ti, first impression!▶️ Ti ~10% faster at 4K▶️ 450W power▶️ 2GHz boost@BauduinSven @3DCenter_org @VideoCardzMarch 25, 2022
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It’s also looking like it’ll be the first Nvidia card to feature a 16-pin PCIe Gen5 power connector – which is good really, since it’s rumored to have a TDP of 450 watts. Here are the expected specs – according to Videocardz.
RTX 3090 Ti vs RTX 3090 specs
RTX 3090 TI
RTX 3090
RTX 3080 Ti
GPU Clusters
84
82
80
CUDA cores
10752
10496
10240
RT cores
84
82
80
Tensors/TMUs
336
328
320
Base Clock
1560 MHz
1395 MHz
1365 MHz
Boost Clock
1860 MHz
1695 MHz
1665 MHz
Memory
24 GB G6X
24 GB G6X
12 GB G6X
Bus
384-bit
384-bit
384-bit
Memory Clock
21 Gbps
19.5 Gbps
19 Gbps
Bandwidth
1008 GB/s
936 GB/s
912 GB/s
TDP
450W
350W
350W
Rumors suggest a $1,999 release price….
According to the GPU enthusiast site Videocardz, Nvidia GeForce RTX 3090 TI pre-orders are set to go live at a $1,999 release price.
If true (note, it’s a big IF), then this launch price would put the RTX 3090 Ti at $500 more expensive than the standard RTX 3090. Interestingly, Videocardz also states that
“Big US retailers already have thousands of the cards in stock and more coming, which given how niche such a model SKU is, it shouldn’t sell out quickly”
We’re unable to back this claim up, but our fingers are crossed we don’t see another repeat of the RTX 3050 launch, where cards sold out in minutes in some cases.
Hello! Welcome to our RTX 3090 Ti pre-orders and stock page
Here we go folks, let’s try and score ourselves some high-end silicon. It’s sure to be competitive out there so first of all – set your expectations fairly low here. If the recent RTX 3050 launch is anything to go by, we could be seeing GPUs selling out in as little as 20 to 30 minutes.
With all that said, we’re going to be on hand throughout the day with tons of live updates – including stock, the best retailers to check, and also any interesting takes on this eye-wateringly powerful card. As stated, we think RTX 3090 Ti stock and pre-orders will be going live at 9am ET / 2pm GMT – which is the same time that postings on the lower-end RTX 3050 went live.
As for our first update, we’ll be posting a juicy rumor that, if taken on face value, confirms this GPUs specs. Stay tuned…
NEW YORK, March 8 (Reuters) – Apple Inc (AAPL.O) on Tuesday added 5G connectivity to its low-cost iPhone SE and iPad Air and introduced a faster chip for a new desktop, a high point in Apple’s move to power its devices with microprocessors designed in house.
The new Studio desktop starts at $3,999 with the new M1 Ultra chip. The iPad Air also got Apple’s M1 chip that was developed for laptops.
“Apple Silicon strategy is the key highlight,” said analyst Neil Shah of Counterpoint Research. “Apple is scaling the portfolio of its in-house semiconductor capabilities to power a broader set of richer devices from affordable iPhone SE to the most powerful product Mac Studio.”
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Apple’s Mac Pro still runs on Intel Corp microprocessors.
Apple slightly hiked the price on the iPhone SE to $429 from $399 for the previous model. The new phone starts shipping March 18. read more
The iPhone SE comes with an A15 Bionic chip, which Apple says is the fastest among competition, a 4.7-inch retina display and a home button with touch ID.
“This is important for our existing users who want a smaller iPhone at a great value,” Chief Executive Tim Cook said.
Nabila Popal, an analyst at IDC, said the new iPhone SE will cater to consumers looking for a budget 5G device, and it could be particularly popular given the economic uncertainty caused by the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
“A cheaper iPhone with 5G is good news for Apple, especially in these times of uncertainty,” Popal said.
But demand for larger screens could negatively impact iPhone SE sales, Popal added. Some consumers might instead opt for older iPhone models with bigger screens in the same price range.
The M1 Ultra is made by connecting two M1 Max chips and is eight times faster than M1 chips. Its first use will be in the creative professional-focused Mac Studio computer.
Apple will offer two versions of the Mac Studio, one with the M1 Max chip and the other utilizing the M1 Ultra chip.
Mac Studio pricing starts at $1,999 for the version with the M1 Max chip and $3,999 for the M1 Ultra loaded computer.
Apple also debuted a new monitor called Studio Display that can be paired with any Mac, including Macbook Air and Macbook Pro models, and which is priced at $1,599.
Apple shares were about flat for the day in mid-afternoon trading.
The company which has been broadening its services and other products also said its Apple TV+ product would begin showing Major League Baseball games on Friday nights. The weekly double header will be available in eight countries.
The new iPad Air gets its first refresh in two years with a new design, 5G connectivity and the M1, popular in MacBooks. The starting price remained $599 and it will be available starting March 18.
The new iPad Air also features a 12-megapixel front camera.
Apple also announced new iPhone 13 models in two new finishes, including alpine green.
During the presentation, Cook made no mention of the conflict in Ukraine. Apple said on March 1 it had paused all product sales in Russia in response to the Russian invasion. The Russian state media, RT News and Sputnik News are no longer available for download from the Apple Store outside Russia. read more
Russia calls its actions in Ukraine a “special operation.”
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Reporting by Danielle Kaye in New York and Nivedita Balu and Kanika Sikka in Bengaluru; Additional reporting by Ashwini Raj, Ahmed Farhatha, Shivansh Tiwary and Nilanjana Basu in Bengaluru; Editing by Karishma Singh, Peter Henderson and Lisa Shumaker
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
Chinese smartphone brand Realme is set to launch its first high-end smartphone overseas next week in a bid to grow market share in Europe and continue its rapid growth.
The move will pit the company, which began in 2018, against the likes of Apple and Samsung which dominate the high-end segment, as well as Chinese rival Xiaomi which has grown quickly overseas.
The GT 2 and GT 2 Pro smartphones will launch on Monday at the annual Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain. It is the company’s first appearance at the world’s biggest mobile trade conference, underscoring its desire to grow market share outside of China.
“In China and the European market, we want to focus on the breakthrough to the high-end market,” Realme CEO Sky Li said in an exclusive interview, according to a CNBC translation of his Mandarin remarks.
“In the European market, as well as any other market, we position ourselves as providing affordable phones with outstanding performance and trendy design. In the European market, we have the same strategy.”
Lofty targets
Realme may not be well-known to consumers in Western Europe or the U.S. but it has been growing quickly. In the fourth quarter, Realme shipped 20.65 million smartphones, up 48% year-on-year, according to data from Counterpoint Research. Apple meanwhile saw a decline while Samsung saw just 8% growth.
However, Realme is comparatively small with a global market share of just 6%. Apple shipped around 81.5 million smartphones in the December quarter, for example, Counterpoint Research data shows.
The Realme GT 2 Pro smartphone is pictured. The Chinese smartphone maker hopes its first high-end device will help it gain market share in Europe and other regions.
Realme
But Realme has made headway in markets with more price-conscious consumers where its lower priced, yet high spec phones have found appeal. It is the second-largest smartphone player in India.
CEO Li is hoping to maintain that healthy growth this year.
“In 2021, we managed 50% growth. In the past three years, we kept high growth. In 2022, we want keep the growth rate, at 40% or 50%,” Li told CNBC, adding the company wants to sell more than 85 million phones globally.
Apple, Samsung challenge
Realme faces a number of challenges in its push to gain share in the high-end market, most notably trying to convince consumers to buy their devices instead of from established players like Apple, Samsung and even Xiaomi.
The GT 2 will retail for around $600 while the GT 2 Pro will start at around $800.
“Its next challenge will be to convince customers who are used to purchasing established brand names to pay similar prices for Realme,” Harmeet Singh Walia, senior analyst at Counterpoint Research, told CNBC.
“In this regard, while it will face some challenge from Samsung and Apple, it will also face a challenge from vendors such as Xiaomi and OnePlus that sell devices in a similar or its desired price range.”
After a string of big shopping holidays, we landed on the first big tech event of 2022. I’m talking about CES 2022, for which The Verge produced dozens of articles. All sorts of new, exciting products were announced, and hopefully, some of them may show up in this deals newsletter once they launch later in the year. As for this weekend’s deals, we’re focusing on some hot products that we think will make your life a little better. Stay warm out there.
A specced-out Surface Pro 8 costs $1,599.99 at Best Buy
Look, it’s never affordable to get the most high-end version of a sought-after tablet. That’s why most people choose to get the most affordable one and call it a day. However, if you are after a Windows tablet that can offer big performance, a 120Hz refresh rate display, and other fine qualities highlighted in our Surface Pro 8 review by Monica Chin, check out Best Buy’s current deal. Normally $1,899.99, Microsoft’s Surface Pro 8 with 16GB of RAM, 512GB of storage, and Intel’s Core i7-1185G7 processor is just $1,599.99. Note: you’ll need to supply the Type Cover if you want an accessory that can provide a keyboard and a screen cover, which usually costs about $100.
Microsoft Surface Pro 8
The new Surface Pro 8 is Microsoft’s biggest upgrade in years. The excellent 2-in-1 touts Thunderbolt 4 support, a 120Hz display, a better camera, and a more modern design.
For something cheaper, Lenovo’s Chrome OS 10e tablet is just $100
There are people who are ready to pay $1,599.99 on a tablet, and those who aren’t. Whether you need a tablet for entertainment, or just one to pass off to your kid, Lenovo’s 10e might be a better fit. First off, it’s on sale at Lenovo for $99 instead of $334 (discount applies at checkout), which is about 6 percent of the Surface Pro 8’s total cost. The 10e isn’t trying to compete with the best of them, though, it’s a better deal than most 10-inch tablets offer these days (especially if you’re trying to avoid Amazon’s Fire tablets). It has a glossy, 1920 x 1200 IPS touchscreen that can get plenty bright with 400-nit peak brightness, as well as 4GB of RAM and 32GB of storage. It can also handle video calls and photos with its front- and rear-facing cameras.
Lenovo 10e tablet
Powered by Chrome OS, the Lenovo 10e is a value-focused, 10.1-inch tablet that can run plenty of apps, entertainment or otherwise. It’s not a spec powerhouse, but it should fit the bill if you just need a tablet to handle the basics, like video calling, streaming, and more.
Fire Emblem: Three Houses (a real gem of a Switch game) is $40 at Walmart
If you’re striking out on ideas for your next game, I’ll go to bat for Fire Emblem: Three Houses to anyone who will listen. It’s a turn-based strategy game that never gets so deep that its mechanics become entangled, and outside of battles, its gripping stories takes place at a university where, as their teacher, you’ll befriend many of your fellow soldiers as you strengthen them for battle. The writing is stellar, as is the music. Normally $59.99, Walmart has digital copies of this game for $39.99. Read our review.
The OnePlus 9 is $599.99 through January 22nd
The OnePlus 9 is a fine phone if you value having some of the most capable specs — including a Snapdragon 888, a 120Hz refresh rate screen, and a great ultrawide camera —without spending flagship-level prices. Our reviewer Allison Johnson thinks most people should be happy with the OnePlus 9 over the 9 Pro, though it won’t please photographers who crave main camera stabilization and a telephoto lens. Otherwise, this phone can give the likes of Google’s Pixel 6, which normally starts at $599, a run for its money. Right now, you can pick up an unlocked, 128GB model with 8GB of RAM at Best Buy and Amazon for $599.99.
OnePlus 9
The OnePlus 9 is a strong option, with a 6.55-inch 120Hz display, Hasselblad-branded triple camera system, and Snapdragon 888 processor.
Apple’s latest AirPods Pro are 26 percent off at Woot
It’s possible that you may have missed out on the many great deals happening on Apple’s AirPods Pro wireless earbuds that support active noise cancellation and MagSafe charging. If that’s the case, check out Woot’s deal that knocks the price all the way down to $184.99, a 26 percent discount off their original $250 price. You may recall better prices than this on the AirPods Pro, but that was likely the previous-gen model that omitted the MagSafe feature. All AirPods Pro models support spatial audio, and they can easily pair with Apple devices with their H1 wireless chip.
Apple had a busy year in 2021, announcing the iPhone 13 lineup, new Apple Silicon-powered Macs, and more. Looking ahead to 2022, there’s still a lot to expect from the company. In the latest edition of his Power On newsletter, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman breaks down everything he expects Apple to unveil in the new year.
In today’s newsletter, Gurman corroborates much of what has previously been reported about what to expect from Apple in 2022. Notably, he still says that Apple is planning a new iPad Pro design with support for wireless charging, as well as updates to the lower-end iPad Air and entry-level iPad.
Gurman also says that Apple has a redesigned MacBook Air in the works for 2022, alongside a “revamped, high-end iMac with Apple Silicon.” There’s also a new entry-level MacBook Pro, a new Mac Pro, and a new Mac mini in the works for next year.
For the Apple Watch, Gurman expects three new models, including an updated Apple Watch SE, an updated standard model, and a “ruggedized version aimed at extreme sports athletes.”
“2021 was a modest year for Apple product updates, but I’d expect a wider-range of new products in 2022. Let’s go down the list of what I expect to come next year,” Gurman says. Here’s the full breakdown of everything to expect from Apple in 2022, according to Gurman:
A new iPad Pro design with wireless charging, plus updates to the iPad Air and entry-level iPad.
A revamped, high-end iMac with Apple silicon to sit above the new 24-inch model.
An iPhone SE with 5G.
New AirPods Pro earbuds.
The biggest MacBook Air revamp in the product’s history, adding the M2 chip and a new design.
New versions of the Mac mini, entry-level MacBook Pro and a revamped Mac Pro with Apple silicon.
Of course, the iPhone 14 lineup.
Three fresh Apple Watches, including a new Apple Watch SE, an updated standard model, and a ruggedized version aimed at extreme sports athletes.
And, probably most significantly, the introduction of Apple’s first mixed augmented and virtual reality headset.
If all of this ends up panning out, it’s clear that Apple has quite a bit in the works for 2022. What are you most excited to see? Let us know down in the comments!
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Groups working in tandem stole property “using weapons and physical force to overwhelm and intimidate store employees and other patrons” in 11 instances from November 18-28, Los Angeles Police Department Chief Michel Moore announced in a press conference Thursday.
Among these incidents were four robberies, six burglaries and one grand theft, said Moore, who linked them to a series of what he described as smash-and grab thefts in the state and across the country.
Not all the recent group thefts have targeted high-end stores either, as there have also been similar crimes perpetrated against pharmacies and cannabis dispensaries.
Group robberies last month in California, Illinois and Minnesota have led to state and local law enforcement committing more resources toward combating organized theft.
“These crimes were characterized with multiple suspects working together and coordinate instances involving destruction of property, assault on store employees, and caravans of vehicles parking very close to high-end retail stores,” said Moore.
All 14 suspects in the Los Angeles crimes are out of custody, Moore said. Some suspects are still outstanding.
The amount of property that was stolen is worth about $338,000 and more than $40,000 in property damage, according to Moore, who said the stolen items are likely being resold at a discounted price.
A rash of flash mob thefts continued in Los Angeles as organized groups grabbed expensive merchandise in pre-Thanksgiving raids on stores in the Beverly Center and a Nordstrom in Canoga Park.
A security guard was attacked with bear spray as several people entered the Nordstrom at the Westfield Topanga & The Village shopping center in Canoga Park on Wednesday night, the Los Angeles Police Department said in a news release.
In interviews with local TV stations, LAPD Deputy Chief Alan Hamilton said the burglars made off with several high-end purses.
Hamilton told CBS Los Angeles that extra officers had been deployed to the shopping center but the burglars were able to avoid them.
The LAPD was also investigating a similar incident in which groups entered several stores in the Beverly Center on Wednesday, grabbed merchandise and ran out.
Officers were pursuing leads to catch those involved, the news release said.
The break-ins came two days after an organized group broke into a Nordstrom at the Grove mall by smashing a window and stole thousands of dollars of merchandise.
Los Angeles police arrested three suspects in connection with that incident. Officers recovered several items of clothing, at least one cash register and gloves from the suspects’ vehicle.
On Tuesday, LAPD Chief Michel Moore told the Police Commission that the department would be stepping up patrols and dedicating resources to some higher-end locations to deter the wave of mob thefts.
In another burglary Monday, six people entered a CVS pharmacy on the 5800 block of South Vermont Avenue in South Los Angeles and stole three cash registers, taking about $8,500 in cash, police said.
On Sunday, burglars used a sledgehammer to try to smash storefront windows at Louis Vuitton and Saks Fifth Avenue stores in Beverly Hills.
They were unable to get into the stores, and nothing was taken, according to police.
In Contra Costa County, Dist. Atty. Diana Becton announced Wednesday that three people have been arrested and charged in a burglary in which about 90 people stormed a Nordstrom in Walnut Creek on Nov. 20, using three separate entrances.
Parking 25 cars in front of the store, the group stole more than $100,000 in about a minute, a criminal complaint said.
One Nordstrom employee was pepper-sprayed, another assaulted with a knife and two struck or punched, the complaint said.
Dana Dawson, 30, Joshua Underwood, 32, and Rodney Robinson, 19, were arrested by the Walnut Creek Police Department and charged with conspiracy, burglary, robbery and organized retail theft.
Japanese design company Balmuda today announced its first smartphone at a press event in Tokyo. The straightforwardly titled Balmuda Phone is the debut product from Balmuda Technologies, a new division of the company previously known for stylish, premium home appliances like air purifiers and rice cookers. Balmuda’s toaster in particular has a cult following in Japan.
As you’d expect, the Balmuda Phone is quite a bit different to other phones on the market. CEO Gen Terao said on stage that he felt that smartphones have gotten too big and unwieldy in recent years, so the Balmuda Phone was designed with compactness and elegance as the primary goals. It has a very sharp 4.9-inch 16:9 1080p display and is roughly comparable to a 4.7-inch iPhone SE; the display is slightly bigger and the phone is 2mm wider, but the smaller bezels mean it’s 15mm shorter.
The Balmuda Phone is much thicker in the middle than on the edges.
The Balmuda Phone is a full 13.7mm thick at its thickest point, but the back panel tapers down heavily toward the edges. There’s a single large camera with a 48-megapixel sensor in the top right corner, and a similar-looking cutout in the top left houses a fingerprint sensor. The 8-megapixel selfie camera is housed in a hole-punch cutout at the top right of the screen.
The phone’s specs are generally mid-range. The processor is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 765 and there’s 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. The battery is just 2,500mAh, which will hopefully be offset somewhat by the lower-power processor, though we’ll have to test for ourselves to see. The phone does thankfully have wireless charging.
Where Balmuda is really differentiating itself is with design. It’s a well-worn tech writing cliche to say that something “feels good in the hand,” but that was clearly Balmuda’s intent here with the compact size and curved back that nestles into your palm like a pebble. I have big hands, granted, but I think just about anyone would find this more comfortable to use than the hefty 6-inch slabs most of us carry around these days. While the case is plastic, build quality feels solid and there’s a nice contrast between the textured back panel and the glossy edges. All in all it’s a cute, attractive object.
The Balmuda Phone has a textured plastic back and comes in black or white.
Balmuda’s built-in calendar app, which syncs with Google Calendar and Microsoft Outlook.
The software, based on Android 11, is also very different to what you’d find on most Android phones today. There’s an interactive home screen with various elements of the wallpaper customizable for different shortcuts; for example, you could swipe on one of the lines to launch Google Maps. Horizontal swipes move you between some of the built-in software, like a calendar, a notes app, and a calculator. All of these had neat design touches, like the notes app’s visual timeline of photos and memos, or the calculator app’s built-in currency conversion and ability to handle large Japanese numbers that are counted in the 10,000s rather than the thousands.
The Balmuda Phone will be available in Japan on contract with SoftBank later this month, and Balmuda is selling an unlocked model itself for 104,800 yen (about $920). That might sound like a lot for a compact Android 11 phone with these specs, but then $329 probably sounds like a lot for a toaster, too. In both cases, you’re paying for the design and the user experience rather than the bill of materials, and this clearly isn’t aimed at anyone who wants a conventional Android flagship. As someone who does own Balmuda’s toaster, I’m looking forward to finding out how well the phone holds up under general use — because much as I like the toaster, a smartphone is a lot more important to my life.
Apple today announced new 14 and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with M1 Pro and M1 Max Apple silicon chips, and the new machines come with higher than expected price tags.
The 14-inch model starts at $1,999, while the 16-inch model starts at $2,499. There are upgrades available for the chip, SSD, and memory upgrades depending on the model.
A fully maxed 16-inch MacBook Pro tops out at $6,099, featuring a top of the line M1 Max chip with 10-core CPU and 32-core GPU, 64GB unified memory, and 8TB SSD.
The 14-inch MacBook Pro models can be customized with the same specs. A 14-inch MacBook Pro with M1 Max, 64GB unified memory, and 8TB SSD is priced at $5,899.
Pre-orders for the new MacBook Pro models started today and the first machines will be arriving to customers next Tuesday. Fully customized and upgraded MacBook Pro models won’t ship out until December.
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