As we all know, Intel has not raised its processors’ core count for quite long time in the consumer market. The latest 7th generation Core series processors tops out at 4 cores, 8 threads. The mid-range Core i5 do not even get Hyper-Threading. At the same time, AMD releases its 6-core Ryzen 5 and 8-core Ryzen 7 to compete.
Core i7?
The 8th generation Intel processors will be using the new Coffee Lake architecture. A Core i7 chip with a higher core count is most likely to happen. Rumors now suggest that the top-of-the-line i7-8700K will be available at 6 cores and 12 threads, running at 3.7 GHz. An non-K version, i7-8700, will operate at 3.2 GHz with 6 cores and 12 threads. The new i7 processors will have a lower TDP of 95W, instead of the Core X-series 140W.
Core i5?
According to the rumors, the Core i5 processors also get a bump in core count. The fastest i5 will be the i5-8600K, with 6 core and 6 threads. It is reported to run at a clock speed of 3.6 GHz. However, all 6-core i5 processors will not get Hyper-Threading. The bottom-end of the 6-core series will be the 2.8 GHz clocked i5-8400.
These new 6-core CPUs are Intel’s responses to the AMD’s Ryzen 7 and 5 CPUs. Intel is trying to match AMD’s specifications in terms of core count, but Intel wants to have a clearer line between each series (Core i5 vs Core i7) by limiting the CPU threads. At the same time, AMD’s Ryzen 5 has 6 cores, 12 threads and Ryzen 7 has 8 cores, 16 threads. We will have to wait to see if the new 6-core i5 and i7 processors are worth buying.
Coffee Lake Mobile?
A 6-core mobile processor for notebooks is also rumored to happen. The CPU will be clocked at only 2.0 GHz with a TDP of 45W. Not much information is available at the moment.
Feel free to leave comments below, if you have any opinion about this website. Share the website around if you enjoy reading it. Subscribe to our Newsletter or follow our Google+, Facebook and Twitter. Support this website simply by shopping in Amazon. It will give us small kickbacks, if you use the above affiliate links to make any purchases, which will help us grow.
Just a week before, some benchmark results about AMD Threadripper processors were leaked. On 13 July, AMD releases a video about upcoming Ryzen 3 and Threadripper processors, disclosing both the specifications and the prices.
The prices of the AMD Ryzen Threadripper are announced. The 16 core, 32 thread 1950X will be available at $999 USD. The 12 core, 24 thread 1920X will be priced at $799 USD. The 1920X has a higher base clock than the 1950X at 3.5 GHz. They both have the same CPU boost clock speed at 4.0 GHz.
Prices shown are the MSRP
When comparing the Threadripper with Intel Core i9 series, Threadripper processors have a higher number of CPU cores in similar price point. You will have to pay 50% more money to get a 12 core, 24 thread Intel i9-7920X, instead of the 1920X. The Threadripper CPUs have qual-channel memory support and 64 PCIe lanes for increased popularity of add-in cards.They have a TDP of 180W.
Peformance
In AMD’s product updates, it shows how the Threadripper runs in Cinebench R15, a benchmark program that test 3D rendering. AMD compares the 1950X and 1920X with the i9-7900X. The 1950X comes on top with a score of 3062, about 43% higher than the i9-7900X. The 1920X scores less with 2431, still 12% better than the i9-7900X. Please be reminded that AMD’s test is not based on the same core count of the processors, but their prices.
If we take a look at the price-to-performance ratio, we will be able to find out which is the best bang for the buck enthusiast grade CPU. The Intel i9-7900X has a ratio of 2.17 marks per $1 USD. The comparable 1920X scores 3.04 marks per $1 USD, slightly lower than the 1950X’s 3.07 per $1 USD. The Threadripper performs more than 40% better at the same price. Take all the above results as reference only, because we do not know how AMD’s test machines are configured.
AMD Threadripper will be available in early August. The exact release date is not yet announced. (Update) It is rumored that Threadripper may be bundled with an all-in-one liquid cooler. AMD Threadripper Processors are now available for sale. Source from AMD. Feel free to leave comments below, if you have any opinion about this website. Share the website around if you enjoy reading it. Subscribe to our Newsletter or follow our Google+, Facebook and Twitter. Support this website simply by shopping in Amazon. It will give us small kickbacks, if you use the above affiliate links to make any purchases, which will help us grow.
What AMD RX Vega may look like. (Photo from Videocardz)
With the release date coming, there are more information about the AMD Radeon RX Vega, the gaming version of the Vega GPU. We can expect to have at least three models for the RX Vega.
There will be three RX Vega cards, the XTX, XT, and XL. Other lower end cards may be available, but it cannot be confirmed at this point. The RX Vega XTX is the most powerful card at the lineup, with a TDP of 375W. It has 4096 Stream Processors and 8GB of HBM2 memory. Similar to the Vega Frontier Edition, the XTX has a higher TDP to accommodate the all-in-one water-cooling solution. In terms of specifications, the RX Vega XT is nearly identical to the XTX. Both of them have the same number of Stream Processors and memory. Although the XT is also water-cooled, the power consumption drops down to only 285W. A lower clock speed may need to apply in order to achieve the reduced TDP. The only air-cooled card in this lineup is the RX Vega XL. It has 3584 Stream Processors with an unknown amount of memory. The power consumption is the same as the XT.
We just need to wait until July 30 to get an official release of the AMD RX Vega graphics cards. AMD will be announcing the RX Vega products in SIGGRAPH 2017 according to its twitter page. You may want to check out the Vega Frontier Edition cards.
Feel free to leave comments below, if you have any opinion about this website. Share the website around if you enjoy reading it. Subscribe to our Newsletter or follow our Google+, Facebook and Twitter. Support this website simply by shopping in Amazon. It will give us small kickbacks, if you use the above affiliate links to make any purchases, which will help us grow.
For the past decade, there are two major industry leaders in the CPU market, AMD and Intel. Customers always compare their technologies used in products, arguing which side is better. One of the most debatable standards between AMD and Intel is the CPU socket type – Land Grid Array (LGA) vs Pin Grid Array (PGA).
PGA – mainly used by AMD now
Photo from HWSW
AMD has been using Pin Grid Array (PGA) after the socket G34 in 2010. The latest Ryzen processors are still using PGA with the AM4 socket. However, AMD’s Ryzen Threadripper and EPYC processors have already moved onto a larger, brand new LGA 4094 socket (TR4/SP3). AMD’s AM5 socket, launched in September 2022, for mainstream platform will also be switched to LGA 1718 format.
For Pin Grid Array, the contact pins are on the CPU, while the socket on the motherboard contains holes to secure the CPU. This kind of socket is known as zero insertion force socket, which means the CPU will be able to drop in without any pressure.
LGA – mainly used by Intel
Since Socket J (LGA 771) in 2004, Intel has been using Land Grid Array for more than one decade. All its processors, from Core i7 to the Pentium/Celeron, uses the same LGA socket. The current 7th generation CPUs use LGA 1151 socket, which there are 1151 contact pins on the socket.
In fact, Land Grid Array is essentially the direct opposite of PGA. All the contact pins are on the socket, soldered to the motherboard. Instead, equal numbers of contact pads are on the CPU to make connection.
Comparison – LGA vs PGA
You may be wondering which CPU socket type is better. The answer is NO. There is no definite answer about choosing LGA or PGA sockets.
Advantages of LGA socket:
The processors are less likely to be damaged by mishandling and drops, because of no fragile pins. (More Durable CPU)
LGA pins are smaller in physical size, allowing for more pins in the same amount of space. (More Space Efficient)
Advantages of PGA socket:
The motherboard can hardly be damaged by CPU misalignment. (More Durable Motherboard)
It is much easier to repair bent pins on a PGA processor than on a LGA motherboard. (Slightly Better Repairability)
In conclusion, both LGA and PGA sockets have their respective pros and cons. I personally prefer using LGA socket because of its ease of use. Although a slightly bent pin will mean the motherboard is toasted, it can be avoided by being extra careful.
What is your choice then, LGA or PGA?
Feel free to leave comments below. Share the article if you enjoy reading it. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest.
Support this website simply by shopping on Amazon and Newegg. We will receive small kickbacks, if the above affiliate links are used to make any purchases.
Earlier today (July 11), LG announced their new mid-range smartphone lineup – the Q6, previously rumored as the “G6 Mini”. For the first time in the industry, LG brings their FullVision display from the G6 to the mainstream budget smartphones.
The LG Q6 series smartphone has 3 separate models with slightly different specifications. All Q6 models have the same minimalist design, similar to the G6. Gone is the reflective glass back panel of the G6, replaced by a curved plastic panel. The phones get a solid metal mid-frame to provide enough durability and rigidity. The 5.5- inch 18:9 FullVision display stretches to almost the whole front of the phone. The Q6 can still maintain a smaller footprint with a huge display because the screen bezels are tiny.
All 3 Q6 models are equipped with the Snapdragon 435 octa-core SoC, clocked at 1.4 GHz. They have the same 5.5-inch display with a resolution of 2160×1080 (FHD+). They also have a wide angle 5 megapixel front camera that is capable of using LG’s own face recognition feature. Fingerprint sensor is not available on the Q6. All physical dimensions and weight are identical across the lineup. The only difference among the Q6α, Q6 and Q6+, are the memory configuration and colours. They can have RAM from 2GB up to 4GB, and storage from 16GB to 64GB.
Pricing of the LG Q6 is not yet revealed yet, but we can expect a pretty budget-friendly price. The Q6 will first available in Asia in August. The LG Q6 looks like a great mid-range smartphone with decent hardware and that stunning bezel-less display. Source from LG.
Feel free to leave comments below, if you have any opinion about this website. Share the website around if you enjoy reading it. Subscribe to our Newsletter or follow our Google+, Facebook and Twitter. Support this website simply by shopping in Amazon. It will give us small kickbacks, if you use the above affiliate links to make any purchases, which will help us grow.
In June 2017, AMD teased us about their upcoming enthusiast level CPU – Threadripper in Computex. Later in E3 2017, Alienware showcased the flagship Area 51 gaming PC that can use the Threadripper CPU. Since then, a few benchmark results in Geekbench 4 have given us a glimpse of how Threadripper will perform.
Most of the benchmark samples were recorded on the same day (June 14) using the same hardware. A Ryzen Threadripper 1950X CPU on an ASRock X399 Professional Gaming motherboard with 16GB of RAM. The single-core score at that time was around 3900 to 4200, and a multi-core score of around 24000.
On 5 July, a new result appears on Geekbench‘s website. We can identify that the CPU is the AMD Threadripper 1950X because of the 16 cores, 32 threads and the 3.4 GHz base clock. This time, the single-core score does not have any difference comparing to the results in June, but there is a 11% increase in the multi-core score. We expect the increase in performance is due to better optimization by AMD.
Comparison
Prices shown are the MSRP
The Threadripper 1950X has an edge on the core count with 16 cores, 32 threads. The Intel Core i9-7900X has 10 cores, 20 threads ; the i7-7820X has 8 cores, 16 threads. We still do not know the exact base and boost clock speed of the 1950X. We assume its base clock is at 3.4 GHz as all the benchmark results reported the same clock speed.
In Geekbench 4, the single-core performance is leaning towards Intel, with up to 31% more score than the AMD Threadripper 1950X. The Core i9-7900X blows away the 1950X in both single-core and multi-core score, about 27% higher than the 1950X. The Threadripper 1950X is about the same with the i7-7820X at around 26000. However, the i7-7820X is only a 8-core processors, while the 1950X is a 16-core. This giant gap in performance means the instructions per cycle (IPC) of the Threadripper is not on par with Intel’s offerings. AMD still has more work to optimize the CPU’s architecture, but it is already a huge step forward in the enthusiast market. Sources from Geekbench and wccftech.
Feel free to leave comments below, if you have any opinion about this website. Share the website around if you enjoy reading it. Subscribe to our Newsletter or follow our Google+, Facebook and Twitter. Support this website simply by shopping in Amazon. It will give us small kickbacks, if you use the above affiliate links to make any purchases, which will help us grow.
In September 2016, Samsung released the Galaxy Note 7 that had a flawed battery design. This caused a massive world-wide recall, putting the Note series smartphone in a very bad position. Most analysts in the industry think Samsung may retire the whole lineup, replacing it with the Galaxy S Plus. But clearly, they are totally wrong about that.
What Happened?
Screen Capture from a Google Search
After the Note 7 was released, multiple incidents about the phone’s battery exploding happened around the globe. At first, Samsung claimed that this was just some isolated incidents, not a design flaw of the Note 7. Samsung let customers refund or replace the phone with a new one, said that one of their battery manufacturer (SDI) was the reason of producing the faulty batteries. However, more explosions still happened even with the replacement units. Samsung finally decided to stop the production of the Note 7 and recall every single one of them. In January 2017, Samsung revealed the reason of the spontaneous explosion of the Galaxy Note 7.
The original Note 7’s batteries were deformed at the upper right corner. The negative electrode was deflected and the tip was not correctly located in the planar area. The positive and negative electrodes can make contact with each other, causing the explosion.
The batteries of the replacement Note 7 had problem with the welding of the manufacturer. Some welding burrs were left behind on the electrodes of the batteries. The material was able to penetrate the insulation and causing the battery to short circuit.
Samsung is releasing the refurbished Galaxy Note 7 to the public on July 7. Most of the internal hardware and specification are the same, except a smaller battery. It will not be called the Note 7, but the Samsung Galaxy Note FE. “FE” stands for “Fan Edition”. Currently, it will only be available in Korea, which will be limited to 400,000 units.
The “new” Galaxy Note FE is expected to used the original hardware of the Note 7, but with a new battery. Apart from the smaller battery capacity and updated Android OS, the Note FE is identical to the Note 7. The Note FE will undergo the stricter 8-point battery safety test. The Note FE will be sold for about $605 USD (700,00 Won), about 30% cheaper than the original Note 7 (in Korea). With the Galaxy Note 8 coming in September, the older design may become a little out-dated, but it is better than just wasting all those recalled electronics. Sources from Engadget, CNET and Samsung.
Feel free to leave comments below, if you have any opinion about this website. Share the website around if you enjoy reading it. Subscribe to our Newsletter or follow our Google+, Facebook and Twitter. Support this website simply by shopping in Amazon. It will give us small kickbacks, if you use the above affiliate links to make any purchases, which will help us grow.
Every single year, the Apple‘s next generation iPhone will be the spotlight of the whole tech industry. The hype goes through the roof this year with the 10th Anniversary iPhone coming out. There are tons of rumors around the Internet months before the product launch, but what do we actually know about the new iPhone?
iPhone models and their names
According to most of the sources, there will be 3 models of iPhone appearing in September 2017. Two of them will be the updated versions of the current iPhone 7 and 7 Plus. The other one will be the long-waited “iPhone 8” with a overhauled design.
For the names, the two normal versions may stick to calling them iPhone 7s and 7s Plus. However, the new iPhone’s name is still not yet confirmed. It is confusing for Apple to launch both iPhone 7s/7s Plus and 8 at the same year. There are rumors that the new iPhone may be called the iPhone X or iPhone Edition, because of its 10th Anniversary or being a higher end product.
New Design
The iPhone 7s and 7s Plus will generally have a same design of its predecessors with some slightly tweaked styling. They will have the same 4.7 and 5.5 inch display. Some rumors may suggest a glass back panel for the 7s and 7s Plus, but there is no other reputable analysts to support this. Also, this will make the design too similar to the iPhone 8.
Siri’s Interface in iOS 11 Beta
The iPhone 8 will not use aluminium anymore this year. It will be having two glass panels on both top and bottom with a stainless steel mid-frame. The whole device will be a little thicker than the iPhone 7. The mid-frame will be polished, while the glass will be curved at the edge. This will make the whole phone looks like a single piece of glass. Moreover, there will be no home button at the front, which will be replaced by a edge-to-edge display.
Display
Status Bar in iOS 11 Beta
The iPhone 8 will have a giant 5.8 inch OLED display made by Samsung. There will not be any physical button on the front. The OLED display is going to cover to whole front on the phone, while having the cutout at the top for the required sensors. In iOS 11 beta, the status bar shows evidence of this design. Because of the obstruction of the sensors, the original signal indicator occupies too much space. It changes back to a shorter four-line indicator in iOS 11.
Photo from MobileFun.com
Thanks to the edge-to-edge display, the iPhone 8 will have a ridiculously high screen-to-body ratio of over 90%. It will have a similar usable display area of a iPhone 7 Plus (5.5 inch display), while maintaining the physical size of a iPhone 7 (4.7 inch display). A online shopping website, MobileFun, has the iPhone 8 full cover screen protector available for pre-order, supporting the above design.
It is also expected to be a True Tone display featuring ProMotion, which adapts to the colour temperature of the environment and can have refresh rates up to 120 Hz.
Sensors and Cameras
All Internal Hardware and Sensors. Photo from SlashLeaks.com
Due to the massive display, there is no place to put both the front-facing camera, ambient and proximity sensors, and the Touch ID home button on the front.
iPhone 8 is rumored to have a dual-lens front-facing camera with 3D depth-sensing technology. The camera is paired with an additional laser sensor and a infra-red sensor. This whole camera system may introduce a new form of biometric authentication by 3D modelling the user’s head, similar to facial recognition. All these sensors and cameras will be sitting on the top with a small, wide cutout on the screen.
For the Touch ID fingerprint sensor, it is still not clear on which will be the final design.
Touch ID sensor embedded under the display (Unlikely)
Touch ID sensor relocated to other places
No Touch ID sensor at all
Most sources say Apple would like to embed the Touch ID sensor underneath the display to create a more seamless and futuristic design, but the manufacturing process is difficult to perfect for mass production. Apple is working hard to eliminate the issue. The other option is to put the sensor on the power button or the back.
As more leaked iPhone 8 schematics and mock-ups appear, the power button on the iPhone 8 is surprisingly longer than older iPhone. This may suggest that the Touch ID sensor can be located under the button if the embedded sensor is not performing up to Apple’s standard.
iPhone 8’s main camera is still a dual-lens system. The orientation of the camera is switched to vertical for better depth-of-field detection when in landscape mode. The new camera is expected to be AR-kit compatible, as well as VR capabilities.
Hardware
Of course, the new iPhone will be the most powerful iPhone ever made. It is believed that the iPhone 8 will be using the new A11 Apple-designed 10 nm SoC, equipped with 3GB of RAM. The A11 chip is reported to be produced by TSMC exclusively. Apple is already using the new 10 nm process on the iPad Pros’ A10X SoC, which is expect to use on the new chip for iPhone 8.
A new “Neural Engine” co-processor may be equipped on the iPhone 8. This dedicated chip is rumored to perform Artificial Intelligence (AI) tasks, such as Siri or facial recognition. Offloading these tasks from the A11 will increase efficiency and improve battery life.
The Stacked Motherboard. Photo from SlashLeaks.com
The iPhone 8 is also rumored to use both a stacked motherboard and a L-shaped battery to save space. This will reduce the overall length of the motherboard. The new battery will make use of the extra space. The battery will be manufactured like to multiple-cell battery on normal laptops, which connects two or more batter cells to each other to form a complete package. Pairing the shorter motherboard with the new L-shaped battery, it may outlast the similar-sized iPhone 7 in battery life.
The latest rumor suggests iPhone 8 to have about 2700 mAh for the battery, only 200 mAh less than the iPhone 7 Plus.
Wireless and Fast Charging
The iPhone 8 will finally get wireless charging. It is not possible for previous aluminum iPhones, because wireless charging cannot work through metal. The new iPhone 8 is using a glass back which is suitable for wireless charging. MAKS+ posted a sound track on YouTube that a new unused sound effect is found in iOS 11 beta. This may probably be the activation sound when you are using wireless charging.The iPhone 8 may not be using the full potential of the Qi 1.2 standard (15W of charging power). It can only charge at 7.5W (5V, 1.5A).
Rumors also suggests fast charging through USB-C is supported by the iPhone 8. The iPhone 8 will still use lightning port, but it can support a 10W USB-C wall adapter for charging, similar to those new MacBook chargers.
Updated: The iPhone 7s, iPhone 7s Plus and the iPhone 8 are expected to be announced on 12 September 2017.
Feel free to leave comments below, if you have any opinion about this website. Share the website around if you enjoy reading it. Subscribe to our Newsletter or follow our Google+, Facebook and Twitter.
Support this website simply by shopping in Amazon. It will give us small kickbacks, if you use the above affiliate links to make any purchases, which will help us grow.
