Intel’s 10th Gen Ice Lake CPUs (which you’ll find in 2-in-1 devices like the HP Spectre X360 and clamshell laptops such as the HP Envy) offer a ton of benefits, with arguably one of the best ones being that the chip is compatible with Wi-Fi 6. Wi-Fi 6 is the latest Wi-Fi standard out there, and with each passing day more and more locations are upgrading their routers to support Wi-Fi 6 devices. But just what does Wi-Fi 6 bring to the table, anyway? Here are six great ways that Wi-Fi 6 can and will improve your experience with web browsing and beyond.
Better raw speeds
Right out of the gate, the most noticeable benefit that Wi-Fi 6 will provide to users is a sizable increase in throughput speeds between a device and the network it’s connected to. Specifically, according to Intel, users will potentially see a peak increase of 40 percent with Wi-Fi 6 compared to the previous Wi-Fi standard. Users will be able to feel this increase all the time during usage, and people who like to stream video in particular will love the boost to speed, as it will significantly increase stream stability.
Increased network stability
Wi-Fi 6 networks are considerably more stable than ones that use the previous standard, which in turn means that you’re a lot less likely to experience any connection issues while using the network. This will be especially noticeable when using a network that has several devices connected to it at once, as the better stability will help networks balance the increased stress that comes from multiple connections.
Increased network capacity
Wi-Fi 6 networks also have a greater capacity for simultaneous connections than the last Wi-Fi standard. They come with a brand new improved version of the multi-user, multiple-input, multiple-output (MU-MIMO) technology that networks use to stream data to several devices at one time. Previously, networks were limited to only being able to handle four simultaneous connections before resorting to rapid switching between devices. With Wi-Fi 6’s new MU-MIMO advancements, networks can now handle eight connections. This improvement may sound like something that will only matter in congested public areas, but in truth, it will matter a lot in the home, too. After all, the average American household has more than nine Wi-Fi devices on average.
Higher speeds in congested areas
As a result of all the stellar network improvements, Wi-Fi 6 boasts the ability to improve your throughput by up to four times while using networks that have a ton of connections at once. As long as the network you’re using is Wi-Fi 6, you’re going to see a dramatic increase in overall speed when in heavily-congested areas compared to the previous Wi-Fi standard. Whether you’re in crowded households or sports stadiums, you can expect your speeds to quadruple.
Better battery life
One of the powerful technologies that comes with Wi-Fi 6 is Target Wake Time (TWT), which allows a Wi-Fi 6 access point to minimize the amount of time a device needs to be “awake” in order to send and receive signals to the network while in sleep mode. In simple terms, this means that Wi-Fi 6 devices will use less power to stay connected than other ones do, thus resulting in a considerably better device battery life.
More effective security
Every Wi-Fi 6 network is protected by the latest Wi-Fi security protocol, WPA3. WPA3 is significantly more efficient and effective than the previous protocol, WPA2, because it has more safety measures in place to protect against password-cracking hacks. In the very, very unlikely event that one of those hacks ends up succeeding, WPA3 also comes with secondary safeguards that will shield your past network activity from intruders.
The future looks brighter with Wi-Fi 6
Wi-Fi 6 networks and devices are chock-full of exciting, beneficial features that will benefit users now, and for many years to come as well. Whether you’re looking for big increases in your browsing speed, a more stable network experience, or the latest in Wi-Fi security, a Wi-Fi 6 router and a device like the HP Pavilion X360 fitted with one of Intel’s Wi-Fi 6-enabling 10th Gen Ice Lake CPUs are your tickets to a convenient, efficient, and problem-free future with your tech.
Browse all HP laptops currently powered by Intel 10th Gen Processors here
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Thanks to Indiana University and The Next Platform, we have a hint of what’s to come with NVIDIA’s future GPU plans, with strong signs that NVIDIA will have a new Tesla accelerator (and underlying GPU) ready for use by this summer.
In an article outlining the installation of Indiana University's Big Red 200 supercomputer – which also happens to be the first Cray Shasta supercomputer to be installed – The Next Platform reports that Indiana University has opted to split up the deployment of the supercomputer in to two phases. In particular, the supercomputer was meant to be delivered with Tesla V100s; however the university has instead opted to hold off on delivery of their accelerators so that they can instead have NVIDIA’s next-generation accelerators, which would make them among the first institutions to get the new accelerators.
The revelation is notable as NVIDIA has yet to announce any new Tesla accelerators or matching GPUs. The company’s current Tesla V100s, based on the GV100 GPU, were first announced back at GTC 2017, so NVIDIA’s compute accelerators are due for a major refresh. However it’s a bit surprising to see anyone other than NVIDIA reveal any details about the new parts, given how buttoned-down the company normally is about such details.
At any rate, according to Indiana University the group expects to have their new accelerators installed by later this summer, with Big Red 200 running in CPU-only mode for now. The Next Platform article goes on to state that the newer accelerators will deliver “70 percent to 75 percent more performance” than NVIDIA’s current V100 accelerators, which assuming it’s accurate, would make for a hefty generational upgrade in performance. Though as always, with multiple modes of compute involved – everything from straight FP32 vector math to tensor operations to low precision operations – the devil is in the details on where those performance gains would most be realized.
In the meantime, NVIDIA’s next GTC event is scheduled for mid-March. So if NVIDIA is planning to launch a new Tesla, then I would certainly expect to see it there.
AMD Ryzen 4000 is coming at a time when Team Red is sitting on top of the world. According to several analysts, it's selling 40% more processors than its rivals over at Intel and its processors are more popular than ever before.
But it doesn't look like AMD plans to slow down any time soon. We've already got a sneak peek at AMD Ryzen 4000 processors for laptops at CES 2020, with AMD promising hugely improved performance across the board - and we might finally see AMD processors in big flagships for the first time in years.
Laptops aren't the entire scene, however, and we've heard plenty of whispers about the AMD Zen 3-equipped Ryzen 4000 processors for desktop. These will be based on a 7nm+ manufacturing process and could potentially push clock speeds high enough to really make Intel hurt, especially if Team Blue stays stuck at 14nm on desktop.
It is definitely an exciting time for AMD, and there's already so much information and gossip out there about the next generation of Ryzen. We gathered all the most important bits right here in this article so you can stay ahead of the Ryzen 4000 curve. And don't worry, we'll keep this article updated with all the latest news and information, so be sure to bookmark us so you can stay on top of it.
Cut to the chase
What is it? AMD's next lineup of processors for laptop and desktop
When is it out? Laptops will be out soon, Desktop TBA
What will it cost? TBA
AMD Ryzen 4000 release date
Right out of the gate, we don't know when AMD will be launching its next-generation of Ryzen processors for desktop. Right now, our money is on the Zen 3-backed processors making an appearance at Computex 2020, with a more details announced at E3 2020. This is exactly the approach AMD took with its Ryzen 3rd Generation processors in 2019, but there's one crucial difference.
Back at CES 2019, AMD announced Zen 2, the microarchitecture that would later be behind Ryzen 3rd Generation, Threadripper 3rd Generation and Epyc 2nd generation. We expected Team Red to follow suit by announcing Zen 3 with some vague details at CES 2020, but that didn't happen.
While we might still see AMD Ryzen 4000 desktop processors make an appearance at Computex 2020 and E3, there's a firm possibility that they'll come at a later date. All we know is that Lisa Su said AMD Ryzen 4000 for desktop will be coming in 2020. We just don't know when in 2020.
We did get something at CES 2020, at least, when AMD CEO Lisa Su unveiled the AMD Ryzen 4000 processors for laptops.
We do know that AMD Ryzen 4000 processors for laptops will be out in the very near future, and they're potentially much more interesting. There's no specific release date, which is typical for mobile processor lineups. We should start seeing laptops rocking AMD Ryzen 4000 processors by the end of Q1 2020 across both ultraportables and gaming laptops.
AMD Ryzen 4000 Price
As far as the laptop chips, the prices of the processors themselves are not relevant to most people, as laptop manufacturers will absorb the price and repackage them. Still, we will probably see prices increase over last-generation AMD laptops, due to the fact that AMD's processors will be behind flagship-class laptops like the upcoming Lenovo Yoga Slim 7.
We'll probably see Ryzen 3 laptops starting around the $600 mark, with laptops rocking the Ryzen 7 4800H or 4800U hitting the premium market above $1,000. However, we can be a bit more specific with our speculation on the desktop lineup.
AMD Ryzen 3rd Generation saw higher prices than Ryzen 2000, largely due to the introduction of Ryzen 9 processors with up to 16 cores. However, the Ryzen 7 3700Xdid launch at the same $329 (£319, AU$519) price point as the Ryzen 7 2700X that came before it.
Due to the success of chips like the Ryzen 9 3900X and 3950X, however, we fully expect AMD to follow suit with the Ryzen 4000 lineup. For reference, we included the pricing of AMD Ryzen 3000 processors below. We expect the pricing to stay roughly the same for the next generation.
AMD Ryzen 9 3950X: $749 (about £590, AU$1,080)
AMD Ryzen 9 3900X: $499 (about £390, AU$720)
AMD Ryzen 7 3800X: $399 (about £310, AU$580)
AMD Ryzen 7 3700X: $329 (about £260, AU$480)
AMD Ryzen 5 3600X: $249 (about £200, AU$360)
AMD Ryzen 5 3600: $199 (about £160, AU$290)
AMD Ryzen 5 3400G: $149 (£139, AU$240)
AMD Ryzen 3 3300G: $99 (£94, AU$144)
AMD Ryzen 4000 Specs
Right now we know the most about the AMD Ryzen 4000 mobile lineup, so that's where we're going to start. These will be the first 7nm processors to make their way to laptops, and with that they bring some huge benefits.
The biggest of these is, just like Ryzen 3000 desktop before it, core counts. Even with ultraportable laptops, which have previously been limited to 4 core/8 thread configurations, you're getting 8 cores and 16 threads. This is a huge improvement, and even though clock speeds are limited to 4.2GHz - or a bit higher with 25W configurations - users should see massive gains in productivity workloads.
However, what's odd is that only every other SKU has hyperthreading. For example, the AMD Ryzen 7 4700U has 8 cores and 8 threads, whereas the 4800U has 8 cores and 16 threads. Both of the announced H-Series chips for mobile have hyper-threading however, along with higher base clock speeds.
One of the key features of this AMD Ryzen 4000 series for laptops is going to be the integrated graphics performance. Now, we haven't had a chance to test this yet, of course, but AMD is promising a boost of up to 28% over Intel's Ice Lake when it comes to graphics performance. These chips will not be in gaming laptops, however, but when you just want to get in a quick Overwatch match on your lunch break, it will make a major difference.
We went ahead and listed the core specs of each of the laptop processors.
We know far less about desktop, however. Beyond the fact we know it'll be revealed in 2020, Zen 3 is largely an enigma wrapped in mystery. It will be based on a refinement of the 7nm process found in Zen 2, but any more specific information is purely in the realm of rumor.
There are rumors that it will be based on TSMC's new 7nm EUV (extreme ultraviolet) process, similar to what's rumored to be seen in Nvidia Ampere. If this is true, the processors could be much more power efficient, which could see clock speeds see a sizable bump - which could seriously threaten Intel's chips in the gaming scene.
Another thing that could make Intel start sweating is the rumor that with Ryzen 4000, AMD may introduce more powerful hyperthreading, with each physical core having four simultaneous processing threads, as opposed to the two found on today's silicon. This is a rumor we'd definitely take with a grain of salt, but if it's true it could even further widen the gap between AMD and Intel when it comes to multi-threaded workloads.
It's unlikely that we'll see huge core count bumps with this generation, like we did last year. Instead, AMD will probably use the EUV process to boost performance while cutting power consumption. This does mean that there likely won't be much of a reason to upgrade if you already have a Ryzen 3000 chip.
Still, we won't know what AMD Ryzen 4th Generation processors will look like until we see them announced by Team Red. We'll be sure to update this article as soon as we hear more about AMD's next desktop chips and once we've been able to actually test the laptop models.
So you're here for the best and cheapest Oculus Rift prices, but did you know there's a new Oculus in town in the form of the portable and almost-equally as powerful Oculus Quest? The 2019 device has solved the problem facing many VR hopefuls since Rift's release in 2016; the expense of a gaming PC rig to support it. While the Oculus Rift is still the most highly powered device on the market, you can get a portable, wireless model for the same price in the form of the Quest.
The flagship Oculus Rift headset has since been refreshed for 2019 and renamed the Oculus Rift S. It's backed by world-class technology, has a growing library of games and apps, and now you can get it at its cheapest price ever. That's because the Oculus Rift price was permanently reduced a while back making it much more affordable. You're saving a few hundred notes now, which we always love.
If you're looking for an even cheaper solution, the Oculus Go offers some of the best prices on a VR headset around. While you won't have access to the more flagship gaming titles, and the specs on offer here are far more modest than those of the beefier machines, the Go is perfect if you want to dip your toe in virtual waters for a low price.
Oculus Rift prices
When searching for an Oculus Rift sale price, you should always make sure that you're looking at the latest Rift S version. The new Oculus Rift S was released in March 2019 and replaces the original 2016 Rift on store shelves. It offers a lighter, more comfortable overall experience with better audio solutions and an improved display to reduce screen-door effect. Make sure you're purchasing the latest model by looking out for that S at the end of the name, you may even see a price increase when trying to buy the original Rift device, though few still remain out in the wild.
The Oculus Rift S is the standard PC-powered virtual reality headset we've all come to recognize. It remains a wired device, which may impede your free movement if it weren't for the extra cable length offered straight out the box. With improved tracking courtesy of new external cameras on the headset itself, you won't find yourself stumbling over the lamp of stubbing your toe as much either.
The Rift S is now easy to set up and use, with the removal of tricky tracking procedures and finnicky sensor positioning entirely. Plus, with a whole roster of flagship VR titles available through the Oculus Store you'll never run out of virtual worlds to explore.
To run the Oculus Rift S on full spec you might need a dedicated gaming PC, so make sure yours matches up by checking out the minimum and required specs as suggested by Oculus.
Looking to upgrade your PC gaming setup further? Check out our latest SSD deals to give your PC a speed boost before you hook it up to a Rift. Or, if you're looking to switch to a flashier CPU, be sure to keep an eye on the best processor sales we've come across this month.
Oculus Quest prices
The Oculus Quest price often matches that of the Rift S and yet the latest Oculus headset offers an almost parallel experience to the flagship device with added portability and boundary tracking features. If you want a high-quality VR experience without spending big on a PC to support it, the Quest is for you.
There's a lot of back and forth surrounding which headset comes across better on paper. While the Quest's 2560x1440 resolution outperforms that of the Rift S, its lower refresh rate may let more attentive eyes down. The Rift may well outshine the Quest if it's hooked up to a top of the range gaming PC, but if you don't have one of those at your disposal Oculus Quest does a pretty good job of making you think you do.
Oculus Quest opens up a world of virtual reality wherever you find yourself. The all-in-one unit takes the portability benefits of the Go and the game library and tracking capabilities of the Rift S and serves it up in one OLED display and Snapdragon 835 processor. Make sure you bring a charger with you, however - the two-hour battery life of the Quest reflects the power it's capable of during play sessions.
If you're looking to use your Oculus Quest with SteamVR compatible games, there are streaming workarounds but they aren't officially supported. As it stands, Oculus Quest will not work natively with your Steam library in the same way Oculus Rift S will.
Oculus Go prices
If the Oculus Quest looks a little pricey and you're not ready to invest in an upgraded rig for the Rift, there is a cheaper way to enjoy Oculus VR and that's by taking a look at our Oculus Go sale prices.
The Oculus Go is a standalone VR experience that does not require any extra equipment like a powerful PC, gaming laptop or modern smartphone. It has everything it needs built into the headset. You also get a hand-controller which makes interacting with menus and playing games much easier than trying to select things with your face.
The visual quality isn't quite up there with the full-sized versions and you can't lean in to make things appear closer, but the other degrees of head movement are covered in a huge range of apps and games available from the Oculus store.
It should be noted that the Oculus Go device runs from a different store to the Oculus Rift and Quest headsets. Many of VR's favourite titles aren't available for the Go, due to its technical limitations. That said, there's still a wealth of intriguing titles available for the Oculus Go - just be sure you're looking at the right storefront.
So if you're after a fun VR experience beyond those dodgy headsets you slot your phone into, then we'd seriously advise you check out the latest Oculus go prices below.
Oculus Touch controller deals
Oculus Touch is a pair of motion controllers with buttons that provide a more intuitive way of interacting with select Oculus Rift S games. The controllers come bundled in with most Oculus Rift deals, and certainly those sold by official retailers.
The controllers, which let you interact with VR games and apps by moving your arms around and pressing buttons, originally cost a rather steep £190/$199 for the pair, essentially bringing the overall cost much closer to the HTC Vive VR setup.
On the plus side, the controllers have been reduced to a much more attractive £99/$99, making them an essential purchase if you bought the headset before it was bundled with the controllers.
How much does the Oculus Rift cost?
In the UK, the original recommended price was £549 and $599 in the US. Thankfully, it's recently been reduced and you can now pick one up for £399/$399. Feel free to bookmark this page though to keep an eye on the best Oculus Rift prices as they are updated daily to reflect the best online Oculus Rift deals out there.
Will my PC run Oculus Rift S?
That's a good question, and certainly one to ask before splurging out on the Rift S virtual reality lid for your rig. Handily, Oculus provides minimum and recommended specs so you can check if your setup can handle it. If not, it might be time to upgrade or simply invest in an Oculus Quest headset.
If you're starting out from scratch and want to build your own Oculus Rift S ready rig, check out TechRadar's article below.
Can I use the Oculus Rift S on the PS4 or Xbox One?
Not on either so far. Sony has its own headset with PlayStation VR for the PS4, so we're not expecting Oculus Rift S compatibility any time soon. As for Oculus Rift S on the Xbox One, it's also a no, but with a potential 'maybe' further down the line. Oculus teamed up with Microsoft to include a PC/Oculus-compatible Xbox One controller with the retail release of the headset, so there's already a relationship to potentially build on. Microsoft's HoloLens VR/augmented reality headset has been very quiet of late and hasn't really been pushed as an Xbox One headset, leaving plenty of room for speculation that the Oculus Rift S will make it's way to the Xbox One.
Can I use Oculus Rift S on my phone?
Get out. Oh, you must be confusing the Oculus with the Samsung Gear VR. Samsung's headset is far cheaper and is made for mobile apps, rather than full-fat PC experiences. Well worth a look though if you have a compatible Android mobile phone. As things stand, your phone would probably melt faster than the sets-on-fire-for-fun Galaxy Note 7 if you tried convincing it to even look at an Oculus Rift.
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The cheapest MacBook Pro deals can be tough to track down on Apple's most premium line of laptops, with MacBook Pro prices rarely seeing significant discounts from Apple themselves.
That said, with MacBook Pro prices starting so high, retailers are left with plenty of scope for discounting in sales throughout the year. So check out our guide below where we've listed the cheapest MacBook Pro deals for all the latest models, along with our picks of older Apple laptops still worth checking out.
The MacBook Pro has become the go to laptop range for professionals and enthusiasts alike, absolutely powering through tasks regular laptops fear. Apple's staggering lineup of Retina screens lead the way for crisp visuals and an increasingly excellent physical design of the laptops themselves.
The latest 2019 Macbook Pro price is in keeping with its sheer power. This really is a beast of a laptop and if you want to pump it full of extra high specs you can easily start running up a hefty tab. The base model will still plough through anything you can challenge it with, however, with impressive specs to play with at the price point.
You want the best there is, but there's no reason to pay more than you should for it. If you want to save some money you could check out the other non-Pro MacBook deals or maybe even a standard cheap laptop deal.
If you've got an older MacBook Pro and want to sell it on, first visit our tutorial on how to reset a MacBook Pro.
Is the Macbook Pro price worth it?
The Macbook Pro is made for its power users. With a price point that can make everyday laptop users wary, Apple's range of lightweight super computers can seem inaccessible. If you're looking for a laptop that can handle anything, though, and will be able to handle anything for a long time into the future, then this is the laptop for you. While the Macbook Pro might have a heady overhead cost, it's an investment that will last you longer than other only slightly cheaper laptops will. So, if you're a creative or looking to power through high performance apps and complex workflows the Macbook Pro price is absolutely worth it. If you want to check your emails and watch Netflix, you might be better off elsewhere.
The 2019 16-inch MacBook Pro is here to replace the 15-inch model released earlier in the year, and it does far more than just add some centimeters to the display. Running an 8-core 9th generation i9 processor with 64GB of RAM and an 8TB SSD must feel nice, and while it's exciting that it's possible, that's a spec on its way to setting you back around $5,800. Nevertheless, this brand new MacBook is capable of blisteringly fast speeds even down to its most humble configuration (the little 6-core 9th gen i9 processor that could).
There are massive specs on offer here, but keeping all that power in place is a larger 16-inch chassis with an improved keyboard and a brighter, more intelligent Retina display. There's a lot going on here, so it's a good thing the 2019 16-inch MacBook Pro also boasts the largest battery capacity of any MacBook ever released, offering up to 11 hours of wireless use. While the battery does support an on-the-go workflow, the MacBook Pro weighs in at a hefty 2kg - and with that extra screen size you might think twice about lugging it around in a backpack all day.
Nevertheless, this is an impressive feat of laptop development. While the most powerful configurations are outside the scope of most peoples' wallets, you may be able to find enough loose change to invest in one of the more realistic models.
If you were somehow left wanting power with the older MacBook Pro, then the 2019 edition should answer your prayers for technical domination of anything you can throw at it.
If you've got the cash, the new 15-inch Apple MacBook Pro 2019 can be configured with up to 32GB of RAM with a 8-core 9th-gen i9 processor. Even the entry model on the Apple store comes packing a 6-core i7, 256GB SSD and 16GB of RAM.
As you'd expect with such great power comes great responsibility for Apple to charge you huge amounts. But this is the most powerful MacBook Pro ever made and if you're involved in the creative arts, digital design or engineering, then you might find Apple's latest is more than up to the task of the increasingly demanding apps and programs. Still not sure? Well all the rumors point towards a bigger 16-inch MacBook Pro coming later this year, which may feature additional new features.
The 2018 version of the 13-inch Apple MacBook Pro is the best yet, comes with the Touch Bar as standard and features a range of improvements over the older models. The screen resolution may be the same with the excellent Retina display, but now there's True Tone technology inside that senses ambient lighting in the room or outdoors to adjust the brightness of the screen for the best possible picture.
The keyboard is quieter and less 'clicky' too. You're getting the brand new 8th-gen Coffee Lake core processor and the quad-core CPUs have doubled the performance of the 2017 models. With more options for larger RAM too, options really open up for creatives and professionals with the MacBook Pro 2018. If you're looking for lower MacBook Pro price but a higher performance than most 2018 laptops, this model may be for you.
The larger 2018 15-inch MacBook Pro price reflects the boost you get in performance by choosing the bigger model. This model offers a larger screen but packs a lot more under the hood too, with Apple providing multiple options with increased RAM, extra processing power with a six core Coffee Lake processor and larger SSD storage options.
Naturally, you're getting the same improvements over the 2017 version too like the True Tone screen technology and quieter keyboard. This really is a powerhouse laptop for designers and industry creatives. If you don't need all that power though, we'd consider the cheaper 13-inch 2018 model, or maybe even the older but nicely cheap Macbook Pro 13-inch version found below if the prices are right for you.
Stock of the 2017 versions with a Touch Bar seemed to dry up pretty fast and most remaining stock actually costs more than the new 2018 upgrades, so we can't really recommend them.
This version doesn't come with the Touch Bar though, which helps keeps the cost down as it turned out to be an expensive extra feature. And unlike versions that featured the illuminated touch-keyboard element, 2017 MacBook Pro prices have dropped nicely, meaning you can save some serious cash and still get a powerful laptop.
The screen and overall shape of this cheap MacBook Pro didn't change on the previous year's iteration, but this MacBook Pro was bolstered by the Kaby Lake 7th-gen processor's speed boost. Throw in a gorgeous Retina display and a minimum of 8GB of RAM and you're looking a multitasking device suitable for everything from day-to-day activities, intensive media editing and creative design work.
Finding cheap MacBook prices can be a tough task, but we've searched through the sales to dig out the best deals on every model.
That's right, we've tracked down the latest offers for every type of Apple laptop out there. We've got you covered for the standard 12-inch MacBooks, the 13 and 15-inch MacBook Pros and if you want something that sits between the two, then you'll want to take a look at our MacBook Air section.
We've pulled the best cheap Macbook prices from the latest sales on a wide range of Apple's lineup via our price comparison technology which searches through the best retailers every day. All the newest MacBook models are covered of course, but we've also compared prices on some of the older MacBooks still readily available as you can save a lot of money by skipping back to an older model while still getting an excellent piece of tech.
All you need to do now is work out whether it’s a MacBook, a MacBook Pro or a MacBook Air that you want. We'll help though by telling you about each one of them.
If you're not quite set on a MacBook (they are rather pricey), then we have some alternative guides for you. Take a look at our selection of best laptops for other top performing machines or our cheap laptop deals for solid buys that won't break the bank as we search for great offers all year round. If the freshest MacBook prices are what you're after though, you'll find them all below.
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The MacBook Air 2019 is only marginally different from the 2018 version which it looks set to replace. And, sales aside, the 2019 MacBook prices are already a little cheaper at some stores, so it's generally worth trying to pick up this version instead.
The 2019 MacBook Air's main selling points over the 2018 model is the addition of the MacBook Pro's True Tone screen that automatically adjusts color temperatures on the screen depending on the ambient light of the room you're working in. A new third-generation Butterfly keyboard is less likely to see keys sticking or becoming unresponsive too, which has been an issue dogging multiple MacBooks in recent years.
The MacBook Air 2018 includes the excellent Retina screen display from the far more expensive MacBook Pro models, and the bezels are 50% thinner than the previous generation of MacBook Air. The keyboard is four times as stable as before and the Force Touch trackpad is 20% bigger too, which is great for multi-touch interactions. Audio hasn't been overlooked, as the speakers are now 25% louder and a new mic array means asking Siri for assistance is easier. Touch ID has finally come to the Air series too meaning you can log in or verify purchases via a simple touch.
You also get two Thunderbolt ports, but legacy options have been removed, so you may want to consider our guides for the best USB-C adapters or the best USB-C hubs. Inside the gorgeous chassis, you get an upgraded 8th-gen dual-core processor, Intel UHD graphics and the SSDs now run 60% faster and support larger sizes than the 2017 line. We didn't expect the new MacBook Air's form factor to improve given it was already pleasingly discrete but it's now 10% smaller and a quarter of a pound lighter. The 2018 MacBook Air prices start higher than ones for the 2017 edition did, but we'll compare the latest deals for you below thanks to our engaged price comparison technology. Prices for the new MacBook Air 2018 start at $1199 / £1199 / AU$1849 for the entry level versions. So anything under that is a bonus for the newest member of the cheap MacBook Air family.
We have to admit, we thought Apple was done with the MacBook Air line after the Pro lineup became just as compact and almost as light. In 2017, Apple gave the 13-inch MacBook Air its first update since 2015. This meant you could get a much healthier 8GB of RAM instead of 4GB along with a processor upgrade to 1.8GHz (over 1.6GHz) making it much better at multi-tasking. Stock of this older MacBook Air will gradually run out at retailers as the newer model above phases it out, and MacBook prices could fluctuate due to its age. But while new stock is still available, this is your best bet for a cheap MacBook Air.
Apple didn't release a standard MacBook in 2018 or 2019, instead focusing on the Air and Pro lines, so this is the newest regular MacBook you can buy. The screen and compact dimensions on the 2017 MacBook are the same as the 2016 edition. The main improvement with the latest version is the inclusion of the 7th-gen Kaby Lake processors in either m3, i5 or i7 configurations. 2015 MacBook owners are the most likely to notice and appreciate the improvements, but if you're still looking for a cheap MacBook and the Air model doesn't provide the power you need, these MacBook prices could be for you.
The internal specifications on the 2016 12-inch MacBook might be lagging behind the most recent version nowadays, but if you're not planning on pushing the device too hard with demanding tasks then it could be a great money-saving option for you.
While some of the cheapest prices might be reserved for refurbs, the 2016 MacBook is still a fantastic device and it's one of the most portable options in Apple's laptop lineup.
The newest 15-inch Apple MacBook Pro 2019 is strictly-speaking just the 2018 model stuffed with even more powerful spec. Depending on how much cash you're willing to splash, you can get up to 32GB of RAM with 9th-gen i7 6-core or i9 8-core processor options available too.
So yes, this is easily the most powerful MacBook Pro Apple has ever released, but unless you've got some seriously demanding professional-level kit that requires that much grunt, you're probably better off checking out some of the older, cheaper MacBook Pros models below instead and saving yourself some serious cash. There are also rumours of a 16-inch MacBook Pro coming soon, so you might want to hedge your bets until then.
The 2018 version of the 13-inch Apple MacBook Pro is the best yet, comes with the Touch Bar as standard on most models and features a range of improvements. The screen resolution may be the same with the excellent Retina display, but now there's True Tone technology inside that senses ambient lighting in the room or outdoors to adjust the brightness of the screen for the best possible picture. The keyboard is quieter and less 'clicky' too. You're getting the brand new 8th-gen Coffee Lake core processor and the quad-core CPUs have doubled the performance of the 2017 models. With more options for larger RAM too, options really open up for creatives and professionals with the MacBook Pro 2018. If you're looking for the best MacBook Pro prices for the highest performance, the 13-inch 2018 model may be for you.
The larger 15-inch version of the 2018 MacBook Pro with the Touch Bar is generally going to cost a fair bit more than the 13-inch model, but that's not just because of the larger screen. Apple have also pumped an impressive range of specs inside this bigger model. Increased RAM supports the extra processing power (a six core Coffee Lake processor), and larger SSD storage opens your MacBook Pro to even greater multitasking and more complex workflows.
The True Tone screen technology and quieter keyboard are also added improvements over the 2017 model. This really is a powerhouse laptop for designers and industry creatives. If you don't need all that gear though, we'd consider the cheap MacBook Pro 13-inch model. Or, you could always opt for an older MacBook Pro - prices are likely to be much better.
The older 13-inch MacBook Pros are amongst the cheaper options if you want to go Pro. These versions don't come with a Touch Bar which is something to factor in when comparing how much you'll save versus the added functionality the new tech could add to your work and computing life in general.
These are incredibly light for MacBook Pros, but they still pack an incredible punch with 2.3GHz and dual core processors ranging from i5 to i7. The trackpads are larger than older MacBook Pros too and you're getting fantastic Retina displays which still look stunning today. This is a cheap MacBook Pro price that reflects the age of the laptop but also maintains that Apple power to keep your older model running well.
PS5 is the next-generation PlayStation, releasing in late 2020, after a long and incredible decade that saw Sony emerge as the clear winner in the home console wars in the eyes of many (sorry Xbox).
So what do we know about the PS5 so far? The hysteria started in early 2019, when Mark Cerny, the chief architect on Sony's next console, confirmed that the company was working on the successor to the PS4 Slim and PS4 Pro.
We wouldn't get the official name or release date until much later, but Cerny did shed some light on the next-gen console's capabilities, revealing that it would retain a disc drive, and would have something to do with Sony's game streaming ambitions; other than that there was little else to go on.
That's not to say we won't see the PS5 anytime soon – there are rumors that Sony is planning a PS5 reveal event in February, although this hasn't been confirmed.
In addition, we've had some surprising leaks, in the form of a Sony-registered patent that seems to show off the PS5's general shape, button inputs, and cooling vents – this was confirmed to be the PS5 dev kit in a leaked photo, and we expect the end product design will be different for the PlayStation 5's official launch later in the year.
Sony can only keep the finer details of the next-generation PlayStation a secret for so much longer – especially with Microsoft having officially unveiled the Xbox Series X. But between the rumored specs, likely next-gen titles, and official features we are aware of, there's plenty to keep us busy for now.
Here's everything we know about the PS5 so far – and what we hope will be revealed the closer we get to launch.
What is it? The Sony PS5 is the next-gen PlayStation console, replacing the PS4 Slim and PS4 Pro.
When will it release? "Holiday 2020" in the US, says Sony, so between October and December 2020.
What can I play on it? Only a few titles have been confirmed, but expect all of Sony's big franchises, as well as in-development exclusives like Ghosts of Tsushima.
Will PS5 have VR? Oh yes. The next-gen console will be compatible with current PSVR hardware, and there are also rumors of PSVR 2.
What will the PS5 cost? The PS4 and PS4 Pro were both $399 / £349 at launch, but we expect the PS5 will cost somewhat more. Leaks have suggested around the $499 mark.
Can I play PS4 games on the PS5? Sony has said to expect a lot in terms of backwards compatibility, despite that being an area where Microsoft is usually better.
God of War (Image Credit: SIE)
Sony has officially confirmed that the PS5 will release "in time for Holiday 2020" in the US, so likely some time between October and December 2020. A leak has suggested that the release date will be November 20, 2020 but that's yet to be confirmed – but it's in the right window, and it would leave time before Christmas to get those orders in.
This would put the PlayStation 5 in direct competition with Microsoft's Xbox Series X (formerly Xbox Project Scarlett), which is releasing during the same period. Game on.
Death Stranding
Sony hasn't officially confirmed a PS5 price yet, but there have been rumors. One leak has suggested that the console will cost $499 in North America when it launches.
Naturally this should be taken with a pinch of salt, but it would be welcome news if the console did launch at this price, as it's only $100 more than the launch price of the PS4 and PS4 Pro.
There's also been a less believable rumor claiming the PS5 will cost up to £900 in the UK, which would be around $1,200, but Sony quickly debunked that.
We can expect that the console's price will be in line with the technology it uses, but Sony will also have to be aware of its competition. It's unlikely, with the Xbox Series X, that Microsoft will repeat the mistake it made by launching the Xbox One at a prohibitively high price point, so Sony will have to ensure that it doesn't make a similar mistake by making the PS5 too expensive.
There were also concerns that a US trade tariff on Chinese imports of electronics would hike up the price of the PS5 and Xbox Series X, however the tariff has now been halted, meaning we shouldn't have to deal with next-gen consoles being even more expensive.
Bespoke 8-core AMD chipset (based on third-generation Ryzen architecture and with Navi GPU)
SSD storage system
Backwards compatibility with PS4 games and PSVR hardware
3D audio
8K TV support
So what is the PS5 packing under the hood? We don't know a huge amount about the PlayStation 5's specs, but here's what we do know.
That AMD one-two punch of CPU and GPU unlocks the powers of ray tracing, an advanced lighting technique that can bring next-level immersion to gaming visuals. It's Hollywood tech that's used in big-budget CGI spectacles, putting into context the levels of visual fidelity you can expect from the PS5.
Ray tracing is enabled by GPU hardware rather than software level, Mark Cerny told Wired. “There is ray tracing acceleration in the GPU hardware,” he explained.
Sony has confirmed that the PS5 will support 8K gaming, and we think AMD SmartShift could be the secret sauce that makes this possible.
With 8K TV support comes far more detailed textures, and much larger-scale ones at that. The news of a bespoke SSD drive will be heartening then – just because the games will be getting more complex, that doesn't mean they'll be slower to load. It's estimated that the new SSD is 19 times faster than traditional SSD storage methods (but given the speed difference between the SSD and the optical drive, installation of games will be mandatory).
Not only that, but by harnessing the power of the SSD, developers could potentially reduce the install sizes of games because, as Cerny told Wired, “there is no need to duplicate data to compensate for slow seek times that optical drives and HDDs have”.
The PS5 will benefit from simplified data management due to its SSD, and this will allow players to have more control over installing and removing games, for example by allowing players to install (or remove) only certain parts of a game – so instead of installing the full game, you could choose to just install the single-player mode and then do multiplayer later, or vice versa.
Uncharted 4: A Thief's End (Image Credit: Naughty Dog)
Physical games for the PS5 will use 100GB optical disks, inserted into an optical drive that doubles as a 4K Blu-ray player, and the next-generation hardware will boast a completely revamped UI.
Speaking about the new UI to Wired, Cerny said: "Even though it will be fairly fast to boot games, we don't want the player to have to boot the game, see what's up, boot the game, see what's up.
"Multiplayer game servers will provide the console with the set of joinable activities in real time. Single-player games will provide information like what missions you could do and what rewards you might receive for completing them – and all of those choices will be visible in the UI. As a player you just jump right into whatever you like."
Audio will reach a new "gold standard" on PS5 too, according to Cerny, thanks to a new audio engine that will deliver immersive sound – particularly if you're using headphones. While the details remain unclear, expect something resembling the experience of a Dolby Atmos setup.
Sony's PS5 next-generation console will also offer improved cloud gaming performance, and "dramatically improved graphics rendering" power.
That's the word straight from the company itself, as it showed off a sneak peak during a corporate strategy presentation.
Marvel's Spider-Man (Insomniac Games)
In a statement sent out following the presentation, Sony said the "two keywords for the future direction of PlayStation are 'immersive' and 'seamless'", with the 'immersive' experience "created by dramatically increased graphics rendering speeds, achieved through the employment of further improved computational power and a customized ultra-fast, broadband SSD".
The company also reinforced the importance of its cloud-gaming plans with Playstation Now, and somewhat surprisingly doubled down on its underused Remote Play feature, saying the "evolution" of this would in the future "provide a seamless game experience anytime, anywhere".
Remote Play is already available as part of the PS4 package, enabling you to stream a game direct from the console to a computer, smartphone, tablet or PS Vita handheld console. But Sony says that going forward it will be "leveraging the latest computing, streaming, cloud, and 5G technologies" to allow it, and the performance of PlayStation Now, to improve.
We've seen several leaked images of the PS5 dev kit, with each showing the same console design, along with the above render based on one of those images, courtesy of Let's Go Digital).
What does the render above show us? There are a number of buttons: on/standby, reset, eject (for the double-layer 100GB-reading Blu-ray drive), system initialization and network initialization, all on the front-left. There are also a number of status lights, numbered '0' to '7', which likely relate to CPU cores engaged, but which could also be status lights for controllers connected.
To the right are six USB ports (one USB 2.0 and five likely USB 3.0 ports – the final port being obscured by a cable). A small circle above could well be a camera built into the console, according to earlier patent filings.
Interestingly, rubber feet appear to be on the top side of the console, suggesting that devs are being encouraged to either flip the console for stress testing and convenience, or to stack them when working on demanding games.
However, these images should only really be used to speculate on what the final design of the consumer console will be, rather than considering it wholly indicative on the machine to come. If we look at older PlayStation dev kits, the final product rarely resembles the dev kit.
Dev kits are specially designed to be robust, and to support a console working under extreme load so as to allow the developers to push their creations to the maximum without frying the hardware they're working on. They're also designed to help developers find any flaws in the final PS5 consumer hardware design.
With Sony still several months away from the launch of the PlayStation 5, there's plenty of time for its team to create something a little less alien-looking.
While we may not know exactly what the PS5 will look like, Sony did reveal the PS5's official logo at CES 2020. It's essentially just the PlayStation 4 logo with a '5' replacing the '4'.
But Sony PlayStation president, Jim Ryan, did tease during Sony's CES keynote that “there’s plenty to share about the PS5 in the months ahead. And we look forward to sharing more details, including the content that will showcase the platform and the future of gaming”.
The PS5 will come with a new controller, according to Sony. The PS5 controller (we don't know the official name yet) will include haptic feedback to replace the DualShock 4's rumble technology, designed to improve the controller's feedback and therefore player immersion.
The PS5 controller will also feature adaptive triggers, which Sony says have "been incorporated into the trigger buttons (L2/R2)". These adaptive triggers will allow developers to program the resistance of the triggers to simulate actions more accurately.
In an interview with Business Insider Japan (translated by Gematsu), SIE CEO Jim Ryan said: “3D audio and the haptic feedback support of the controller are also things that, when you try them, you will be surprised at how big a change they are. Even just playing the racing game Gran Turismo Sport with a PlayStation 5 controller is a completely different experience. While it runs well with the previous controller, there is no going back after you experience the detailed road surface via haptic control and play using the adaptive triggers."
If that's not enough for you, a patent suggests new back buttons are coming to the PS5 DualShock controller – perhaps along similar lines to the Back Button Attachment that Sony just launched for existing DualShock 4 gamepads.
But what will it look like? According to a Sony patent for a new controller, published by the Japanese patent office (via VGC), the PS5 controller could look very similar to the DualShock 4 – with some key differences.
For a start, the potential PS5 controller seems to have a slightly chunkier design, built-in microphone, larger triggers, no light bar and smaller sticks. It also seems the DualShock 4's micro USB port has been replaced by a smaller USB-C port, which is placed on the top rather than the bottom of the controller.
The lack of a light bar does make us question how the PS5 would track the controller when it comes to PSVR and PS Camera games. Usually this is done via the PS Camera, so we're hoping the console will have a different means of tracking the controller, otherwise compatibility will suffer. Unless, of course, Sony is gearing up to move solely onto PSVR 2 – although this doesn't seem likely, as Sony has promised that the PS5 will be backwards compatible with PSVR.
It also looks like the stereo headset jack and extension port at the bottom of the headset have been replaced by two larger circular ports. We think these will still be for plugging in headsets, but the two jacks could be headphone and microphone slots respectively, to expand compatibility with headsets. There's also a rectangular design that seems to wrap around the headset, which is potentially for compatibility with a charging dock – but again, this is all speculation on our part.
Sony has also patented a controller feature that would enable voice commands, meaning we could see more smart integration come to the PlayStation platform – which ties in with chatter around an AI voice assistant called PlayStation Assist. This would apparently offer "gaming assistance", such as pointing out health packs on a map or reminding you what your objective is, similar to what Google has said its Stadia controller will do.
The entire PS4 library, including PSVR games, will be supported by the PS5; that much is known. But we're now hearing more about confirmed – and rumored – PS5 games.
But what about third-party titles? We've had confirmation that Gearbox's new IP Godfall is coming exclusively to PS5, as is a new title from Bluepoint Studios. In addition, Ubisoft has confirmed that Watch Dogs: Legion, Rainbow Six Quarantine, and Gods and Monsters are all coming to Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5.
In addition, not only has EA has said that Battlefield 6 will be coming to Xbox Series X, but the company has sung the praises of the incoming next-generation machines during an investor call.
"The power of the new consoles is gonna be substantially greater than existing consoles," said EA CFO Blake Jorgensen.
"We can do a lot more [with PS5 and Xbox Series X]. Things we’re doing will blow people’s minds."
While this is a good start, we're expecting plenty more third-party games to be announced in the coming months.
According to a survey by GDC, when it comes to developer interest it seems the PS5 is already beating Xbox Series X – and the Nintendo Switch.
That's according to GDC's State of the Game Industry 2020 survey, which surveyed 4,000 game developers on a variety of industry topics ahead of GDC 2020 in March. And, of course, the next-gen consoles were top of the agenda.
When asked which platform they planned to launch their next project on, 23% of those surveyed said the PlayStation 5, while 17% said the Xbox Series X and 19% said the Nintendo Switch .
When it comes to the platform devs are most intrigued by, the PS5 once again leads the pack when it comes to consoles, with 38%, but the Switch only just behind on 37%. Again, the Xbox Series X is seriously lagging behind, piquing the interest of just 25% of devs.
The survey also revealed that 10% of developers are currently working on a game for the next-gen consoles.
However, while we know of a few third-party games in the pipeline for the PS5, there's still no confirmation on what the PS5's launch titles will be, but we're expecting first-party games to take the lead.
In addition, Sony has confirmed that the PS5 will prioritize AAA games over indie games in an effort to focus on "serious gamers".
PS5 games: all the games confirmed and expected on the PlayStation 5
With Microsoft having officially revealed the Xbox Series X, we're waiting with bated breath for Sony to unveil the PlayStation 5. While the company isn't giving much away about when that'll be, there are several rumors which suggest a PS5 reveal event will take place in February.
Rumors of a February reveal were ignited last year, when a 'leaked marketing email' from Sony found its way to 4Chan. The email claimed that a "PlayStation Meeting 2020" is scheduled for February 12, and will see the PlayStation 5 revealed in all its glory.
While Sony never confirmed these rumors, there have been other leaks which also suggest February for a PS5 reveal, even if the exact dates aren't the same.
One of these other leaks came via 4Chan, which supposedly spilled a bunch of information on the PS5 reveal event. The leak, which was reposted on Reddit, claims the PS5 will be unveiled on February 5, 2020 at a PlayStation Meeting event for the media – much like the initial email leak suggested.
According to the leaker, the event will see Sony revealing the console's design and specs, several PS5 exclusives, and a renewed focus on PlayStation Now, alongside the console's price and various other features. Again, it's worth noting that Sony has not confirmed any of this.
However, PlayStation fans on Reddit believe that Sony's next-gen console will be revealed on February 29, at New York City's Sony Hall. As there's a private event booked for that date and because they believe Sony will host the reveal event in a Sony-branded venue. But we're not quite convinced by this theory.
While we should treat all these leaks with caution, all signs are pointing to a February reveal. Even former Sony designer David Scott Jaffe seems to think a reveal is imminent, tweeting that he believes the reveal is "less than [four] weeks away" and calling the event "the worst kept secret in games right now".
Whether the reveal will actually be in February still unconfirmed by Sony, but a PS5 trademark listing points to the launch event being imminent.
Tech site LetsGoDigital spotted a trademark application for the PlayStation 5 that's been submitted in Switzerland this week by Sony Interactive Entertainment. It covers all you'd expect from a console, including hardware, peripherals and gaming software.
In the notes for the trademark application is also a priority claim for the trademark filed much earlier in Jamaica, dated October 3, 2019. It's common practice for a company to first file their trademarks in nations like Jamaica that don't list applications in readily searchable databases online, showing that Sony's been firming up its PS5 plans for some time.
A rumor has cropped up suggesting that Sony will double down by launching the PlayStation 5 Pro at the same time as its base-model PS5.
As spotted by Wccftech, noted Japanese games journalist Zenji Nishikawa made the claim in a video on his YouTube channel, and while that kind of thing wouldn't normally be considered a rock-solid lead, Nishikawa has been proven correct in the past with his predictions about the PS4 Pro and Switch Lite.
According to Nishikawa, the PS5 Pro will cost around $100-$150 more than the basic PS5 console. The report states that Sony is taking this approach because it has "acknowledged the interest in a high-end model and wants to give players what they want right from the beginning of the generation".
Tired of future-gazing? Why not check out the best PS4 games right now.
Xbox Series X is the next-generation Xbox, releasing in late 2020. Previously known by its codename 'Xbox Project Scarlett', the Xbox Series X was officially revealed at The Game Awards 2019 with a trailer that showed off the next Xbox in all its glory.
We now know when the next Xbox will release, its official name, a few of the specs on offer, and what it's going to look like. Xbox Series X will be a bit of a departure both design-wise and name-wise from its predecessors, sporting a blockier style that's similar to that of a small gaming PC - with an upright tower design. And, more importantly, the specs Microsoft has revealed so far suggest its going to be an absolute powerhouse.
But Xbox Series X will not be the only next-generation hardware on offer from Microsoft. The company has confirmed that the family of consoles will be called 'Xbox' and that 'Series X' is just one of the consoles within that family.
Sony's PS5 may be launching in the same late 2020 window as the Series X, but Microsoft looks like it's going to put up one heck of a fight in the next-generation console wars with the Series X boasting twice the power of the Xbox One X. Plus, Series X can take center stage at E3 2020 now that Sony has confirmed it won't be attending.
So what exactly has Microsoft got to offer? Let's break down everything we know about the Xbox Series X.
What is it? Xbox Series X will be the next-gen Xbox console (previously known as Xbox Project Scarlett)
Xbox Series X release date: "Holiday 2020" (So between October and December 2020)
What can I play on it?Halo Infinite and Hellblade 2, while all previous generations of Xbox console games will be covered by backwards compatibility.
What will the Xbox Series X cost? No prices yet, and we're not expecting it to be cheap. But Microsoft has said it won't be making the same pricing mistakes as last generation so perhaps we'll be pleasantly surprised.
Will Xbox Series X have VR? Microsoft doesn't have anything to say about VR on the Xbox yet, though Sony has confirmed that PSVR will work on its own incoming console.
Expect to see the Xbox Series X console launch in the 'holiday' window of 2020. That's between October and December of this year, and just in time for Christmas. We're thinking a November release is most likely, as that's when Microsoft has previously launched its consoles.
It's exactly the same sort of launch period we're expecting Sony to have for its PS5, too. Santa's going to be a busy guy this year.
Keep in mind that rumors pointed to there being two new Xbox consoles on the way, codenamed Anaconda and Lockhart, the former being high end and the latter being a cheaper, streaming-focused solution. While the former, Anaconda, appears to be the Xbox Series X, Microsoft hasn't spilled anything about the latter, Lockhart, console.
Whether Lockhart will also launch within this window is still to be confirmed - as is the console itself (read on below for further details).
Microsoft won't be pinned down on a price point quite yet – unsurprisingly, given what a sore spot the price of the Xbox One was for fans. At launch, the original Xbox One cost a whopping $499 / £429 / AU$599, which was quickly reduced when Microsoft realized people weren't forking out.
Microsoft has at the very least promised that it's learned from this pricing mistake, with Phil Spencer stating that this time "we will not be out of position on power or price.” That doesn't mean that the console will be cheap, mind you, it just means the price point will be better aligned with the console's power and the price points of the competition.
After all, Jason Ronald, director of the Xbox platform, gave only a vague reassurance when speaking to Windows Central, saying that Microsoft knew "what reasonable price points are for a console and kind of what customers expect about that".
Price will at least in part be determined by the cost of the components going into the console: Xbox Scarlett is going to be a lot more powerful than either the Xbox One S or Xbox One X, and that will likely mean we're looking at an even higher price tag.
There were also concerns that a US trade tariff on Chinese imports of electronics would hike up the price of the PS5 and Xbox Series X, however the tariff has now been halted, meaning we shouldn't have to deal with next-gen consoles being even more expensive.
Custom-designed processor from AMD (making use of Zen 2 and Navi architecture)
Twice as powerful than Xbox One X
Capable of running games at 120Hz frame rates
Potential 8K resolutions
Ray-tracing technology
SSD storage system
Compatible with Xbox one accessories
Physical disc drive
Xbox Project Scarlett components. (Image credit: Microsoft)
We now know what Xbox Series X looks like and what it's packing under the hood, and it's shaping up to be an absolute beast of a console. The next Xbox's gaming PC design is pretty apt, considering the next-gen console's internal hardware is comparable to one.
"I think the area that we really want to focus on next generation is frame rate and playability of the games," Spencer explained in an interview with Gamespot. "Ensuring that the games load incredibly fast, ensuring that the game is running at the highest frame rate possible."
Microsoft is aiming to get Xbox Series X games to run at 60 FPS in 4K, calling the challenge a "design goal".
"This generation, we've really focused on 4K visuals and how we bring both movies through 4K Blu-ray and video streaming," Spencer explained. "And with Xbox One X allowing games to run at 4K visuals, we will make really strong visual enhancements next generation."
Despite 4K being the aim, Microsoft has said the Xbox Series X has 8K capability. Head of Xbox Phil Spencer even changed his Twitter profile photo to what appears to be a picture of the next-gen Xbox Series X's processor. It says 'Project Scarlett' on there, and it's marked with '8K' (pictured below) suggesting Microsoft plans on doing more than simply talking the talk when it comes to 8K.
Not only will games look better, they could be bigger. In an interview with PCGamesN, Samsung revealed that it's talking with Microsoft and pushing the gaming behemoth to adopt ultrawide support for the Xbox Series X.
An SSD will come as standard in Series X, as with the PS5, which will give it the option of using its storage system as virtual RAM, as well as lifting load time performance by a factor of 40x. That'll let developers stream in far more detailed worlds around a player. In terms of 'standard' RAM, the console will use GDDR6. While GDDR6 is usually used as memory for graphics cards, the Series X could use it as super-fast system RAM instead.
In addition, benchmark results have appeared online for an AMD ‘Flute’ system-on-a-chip (SoC), leading some to speculate that this could be the hardware that will power Xbox Series X.
The benchmark results were spotted by a Twitter user, and while we’re not sure what the purpose of the chip is, we know that Microsoft is working with AMD to produce a custom SoC that combines a processor and graphics card for the next Xbox – in the same way that Sony is working with AMD on its custom Gonzalo SoC for the PlayStation 5.
If these benchmark results are real, and the AMD Flute SoC is indeed going to power the Xbox Series X console, then it gives us an idea of the console's specifications and potential power level – something Microsoft has been rather cagey about so far.
According to the benchmark results, the AMD Flute SoC will come with eight Zen 2 cores, 16 threads and SMT capability.
Interestingly, the base clock speed of the Flute SoC is just 1.6GHz, which is pretty low these days, with a maximum boost of 3.2GHz.
This suggests that the Flute SoC will be a low-power part for use in compact systems – such as a games console, and is similar to AMD’s Jaguar SoC which powered the Xbox One.
While on paper the Flute SoC’s processor doesn’t sound too impressive – especially when compared to modern desktop PCs’ CPUs – it looks like the Flute CPU will be at least two times faster than previous-generation Jaguar SoCs, and will be a big upgrade over the dated 28nm Jaguar SoCs found in the original Xbox One and PS4.
The Flute SoC is also expected to be 7nm, which will also bring power benefits.
As a system-on-a-chip, the AMD Flute looks like it comes with a graphics processing unit (GPU) as well, though clues about the graphics capabilities are harder to find. Apparently, it will be based on ‘NAVI 10LITE’ – which has been mentioned before when unreleased AMD Navi GPUs showed up in a Linux driver.
It’s possible that this is a ‘Lite’ version of the Navi 10 GPU, which will have reduced or limited specs compared to the full version, including lower CU (compute unit) counts. Having a lower CU count means the GPU will be less power-hungry, again suggesting that the AMD Flute SoC, if it does exist, is designed for a device where power efficiency is important – such as a games console.
Finally, the benchmark results also suggest the engineering sample uses 16GB of memory – though the type of memory is not mentioned. It could mean that the Flute SoC shares 16GB of GDDR6 memory between the CPU and GPU, in a similar way to how the Xbox One X shares GDDR5 memory.
So, does this mean we have a better idea of what the Xbox Series X's specs will be? Well, there’s some compelling evidence, but remember that this is from a leaked benchmark, and we’re not sure if the AMD Flute SoC is going to be used in Series X – if the SoC even exits.
It’s also worth noting that this AMD Flute is apparently an engineering sample, which means this may not be its final specifications – and that could change if (and it’s a very big if) it ends up in the next Xbox when the console launches late 2020.
If you're less bothered about the specs and more concerned about whether you can still play physical games on the next Xbox, then you'll be pleased to know that Xbox Series X has a physical disc drive.
Microsoft has also confirmed that all your current Xbox One accessories will work with Xbox Series X, including existing controllers and headsets. But we'd doubt that also includes the ill-fated Kinect motion tracker.
That means that the Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 that launched in November 2019 will be forward compatible with Series X, but Microsoft is also launching a next-generation wireless controller to accompany the new console.
Xbox Series X has a completely different design to its predecessors. For a start, the next-gen console has an upright tower design - similar to that of a gaming PC. However, Microsoft has confirmed Series X can sit horizontally or vertically.
From what we seen in the Series X reveal trailer, the console is black with slightly indented cooling vent on the top (with what seems to be a green light inside). The Xbox logo sits small on the top left hand corner of the console and there's still a disc drive - which is placed vertically on the left hand side also.
Windows Central estimates the console is 31cm x 16cm x 16cm, making it a tall cuboid. The Xbox One measurs 30cm x 24cm x 6cm, making the Series X considerably larger (volume wise) than its predecessor.
Unfortunately we haven't officially seen the back of the console yet so really we're taking the Series X on 'face value'. But, thanks to leaked photos that surfaced online, we may have some idea of the next-gen console's ports.
Shared on forum site Neogaf, the photos seem to show a prototype of the next Xbox console, which will likely have been shared with devs working on titles for the Xbox Series X.
The image below shows off the rear vents of the console, as well as ports for USB, HDMI, S/PDIF, power, and Ethernet. While, the second leaked image shows a single USB port on the front of the console. Will this be the console's final design? It's unlikely and, like any leaked information, we're treating these images with suitable speculation.
This wouldn't be the first time we thought we got a look at the Series X's ports. At AMD's CES 2020 showcase, the company offered what appeared to be our first legitimate look at the upcoming Xbox Series X's rear-mounted ports, showing off dual USB Type-C and HDMI ports (indicating either HDMI passthrough or a dedicated HDMI port for audio out), along with USB 3.0, Ethernet and SPDIF digital audio ports.
However, all of this tantalizing Xbox Series X connectivity information has now been officially retracted, with an AMD representative confirming to Stevivor that the "imagery used during the AMD CES press conference was not sourced from Microsoft and does not accurately reflect the design or features of the upcoming console.” Oh well. Guess we'll have to wait a bit longer for an official look.
Microsoft is releasing a next generation controller to accompany its next generation console. The new Xbox Wireless Controller will apparently be more accessible to everyone, as Microsoft has made an effort to refine the size and shape.
This shouldn't be too surprising to anyone that's been following the tech giant, as it's been making waves for accessibility in gaming for a while now with products like the Xbox Adaptive Controller. Along with enhanced accessibility, we'll also be getting a dedicated share button (finally) that will let you share screenshots and videos with your friends.
However, apart from these details, we don't know exactly what other new features the new Xbox Wireless Controller will boast quite yet.
During the Xbox Series X's official reveal, Phil Spencer said Series X games will be "more lifelike, immersive and surprising" and that the Xbox Series X will "lead us into the future of gaming". He also stated that 15 Xbox Game Studios are building a huge next-generation library that includes Hellblade II: Senua's Saga.
Halo Infinite has been confirmed to be an Xbox Series X launch title, bringing back the Master Chief for the franchises' first outing since 2015. It will have been five years at that point since a new mainline Halo game, so fans will be chomping at the bit for fresh Halo action.
Not a Halo fan? Don't worry, Xbox Series X will be capable of three generations of backwards compatibility. Microsoft has stated that Xbox Series X will support backwards compatibility from launch, with the company stating it wants the"thousands of games that run on Xbox One" to eventually become playable on Xbox Series X.
In addition, Microsoft will avoid siloing by taking a cross-generation approach to its first-party games. Talking to Stevivor, Phil Spencer said Microsoft wants to create a console that utilizes Xbox Play Anywhere so you can move seamlessly between devices: "Our goal for our first-party games is that your entitlements will be cross-generation and your Achievements will move effectively with your save game because that’s where they stand.”
Speaking of first-party games, Microsoft has been promising that it's investing in first-party studios in order to make a more competitive offering.
As far as third-parties are concerned, we already have confirmation from Ubisoft that its upcoming titles Watch Dogs: Legion, Gods and Monsters and Rainbow Six Quarantine will be coming to Microsoft's console after delays were announced during a financial call. It's likely that we'll see the likes of Starfield and The Elder Scrolls 6 coming to Xbox Series X too.
In addition, not only has EA has said that Battlefield 6 will be coming to Xbox Series X, but the company has sung the praises of the incoming next-generation machines during an investor call.
"The power of the new consoles is gonna be substantially greater than existing consoles," said EA CFO Blake Jorgensen.
"We can do a lot more [with PS5 and Xbox Series X]. Things we’re doing will blow people’s minds."
There's plenty to look forward to and now that next generation announcements are coming in, we'll be holding our breath waiting for updates from other publishers.
However it seems, at least for now, that game developers are more interested in creating games for the PS5 than Series X.
That's according to GDC's State of the Game Industry 2020 survey, which surveyed 4,000 game developers on a variety of industry topics ahead of GDC 2020 in March. And, of course, the next-gen consoles were top of the agenda.
When asked which platform they planned to launch their next project on, 23% of those surveyed said the PlayStation 5, while 17% said the Xbox Series X and 19% said the Nintendo Switch.
When it comes to the platform devs are most intrigued by, the PS5 once again leads the pack when it comes to consoles, with 38%, but the Switch only just behind on 37%. Again, the Xbox Series X is seriously lagging behind, piquing the interest of just 25% of devs.
The survey also revealed that 10% of developers are currently working on a game for the next-gen consoles.
While there's more interest in the PS5 now, Microsoft could potentially shift the scale as it reveals more details on Series X. Microsoft's Xbox Game Pass is also gathering more and more steam, bringing players (and devs) back to the Xbox platform.
We're also hoping that, by the time Series X launches, Microsoft's game-streaming service Project xCloud may be out of public testing and we should hopefully be able to enjoy Series X games on-the-go.
For those who aren't quite sold on upgrading to Series X quite yet, but still want to check out the best upcoming games, Microsoft has stated that there won't be Xbox Series X exclusive games for at least a year and, for the foreseeable future, new games are planned to work across the Xbox family of devices. That means you'll still be able to play them on Xbox One.
In an interview with MCV, head of Xbox Game Studios, Matt Booty, has said that as “content comes out over the next year, two years, all of our games, sort of like PC, will play up and down that family of devices.” The plan is that “if someone invests in Xbox between now and [Series X] that they feel that they made a good investment and that we’re committed to them with content.”
It makes sense considering Microsoft's aim to slowly transition players to the next-generation.
In an interview with TechRadar, Xbox Game Studios head Matt Booty said that the launch of Xbox Series X certainly won't mean the end of the rest of the Xbox family and that they'll be able to live alongside one another, maybe even in the same house: "Perhaps we feel confident about our content pipeline so that we feel like we don't have to save everything up for [Series X]. But then I will also say that, really for any device these days, when you launch a new device you are not eliminating all of the devices in that family.
"When [Series X] launches there will still be the Xbox One S out there, there will still be Xbox One X, and we really need to approach that family of devices, the same way we approach PC - content scales to meet the device. I think that's going to be the case for anybody. We will absolutely lean in on the power of [Series X], we think is going to be the best way to play and it will be the best thing you can put in your living room, but we also want to understand that there will be a family of Xbox devices out there."
The Xbox Series X will not be the only console in Microsoft's next generation lineup.
While we were all pretty excited when Microsoft unveiled the next Xbox (formerly known as Xbox Project Scarlett) at the Game Awards 2019, it appears that the upcoming console's name isn't quite what we thought - and it will belong to a family.
While we assumed that the next generation console is called 'Xbox Series X', Microsoft has clarified that, in fact, the family of consoles will be called 'Xbox' and that 'Series X' is just one of the consoles within the family. We know, it's a bit confusing.
Speaking to Business Insider after the reveal, a Microsoft representative tried to clear up any potential confusion.
"The name we're carrying forward to the next generation is simply Xbox," the representative told Business Insider. "And at The Game Awards you saw that name come to life through the Xbox Series X."
"Similar to what fans have seen with previous generations, the name 'Xbox Series X' allows room for additional consoles in the future," the representative continued.
This clarification from Microsoft serves to further fuel rumors that another next generation Xbox console is on the way.
Rumors have circulated for some time about a lower-cost next-gen Xbox console that would sit just below the high-end Xbox Series X.
The most solid information on this (so far) had come from a report by Kotaku’s Jason Schreier, who claims there is indeed a lower-specced console in the works from Microsoft that will still play all the next-gen games.
Project Lockhart will be disc-less console - a trait that it will carry forward from the Xbox One S All-Digital Edition - but Kotaku's sources believe it will be substantially more powerful than Microsoft’s current disc-less box, and will come with both a solid-state hard drive and a faster CPU than any current game console.
The report goes on to say that Microsoft told developers to shoot for a 1440p resolution and 60 frames-per-second frame rate with Project Lockhart and 4K/60 with Project Scarlett, and those same developers have likened the performance of the lower-end console to the PS4 Pro.
It seems Project Lockhart will primarily see use as a digital gateway for both Microsoft’s game-streaming service, Project xCloud, and its Xbox Game Pass service. From what we know, it will sit below Series X and be a less powerful - but more affordable - option.
