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- Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 graphics gives your gaming PC wings - CNET
- Google Pixel 5 alternatives: Galaxy S20 FE, OnePlus 8, and more - Android Authority
- Pro-Ject Debut Carbon EVO review: Audiophile features spin vinyl joy - CNET
| Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 graphics gives your gaming PC wings - CNET Posted: 03 Oct 2020 04:00 AM PDT  New graphics cards bring opportunity. For better gaming, faster performance and expensive hardware sales. But they also bring challenges, with driver issues, design challenges and often supply shortages. As delivered by GeForce RTX 3080-based graphics cards, the latest version of the company's GPU architecture achieves playable frame rates in games which use fancy RTX-specific features like ray-tracing and global illumination. Its AI-based upscaling feature, DLSS, lets you finally play in 4K at (frequently) better-than bare-minimum frame rates without visible degradation in quality. The GPU also lifts performance over predecessors in games that don't take advantage of the whizzy features by about 20%-40% on average, which is really most games. But the 30-series of GPUs Nvidia launched at the beginning of September, powered by the new Ampere architecture, has already run into problems. There've been reports of instability with some third-party 3080-based cards because of capacitor design, as well as price gouging due to shortages. And Nvidia has already bumped the ship date of the RTX 3070 -- likely to be one of the most popular cards with prices in the $499 range -- until the end of October, though that may be to avoid the stock problems of the 3080.  Watch this: Full breakdown of Nvidia's new RTX 3000 series (3070,... 3:56 But you show me a GPU launch that hasn't had similar problems, and I'll show you a GPU that's just a ho-hum rote refresh. This is the price of playing on the bleeding edge, and why I always recommend waiting before opening your wallet for new tech. However, I haven't waited. In fact, I've been spending the past few weeks with two RTX 3080 cards -- the Nvidia RTX 3080 Founders Edition and an EVGA RTX 3080 XC3, both running in the Origin PC Chronos gaming desktop -- and didn't run into any issues. Yes, there was one blue screen of death with no identifiable cause. But the reported 3080 problems seem to be linked to the GPU clock exceeding 2GHz, and neither of mine ever rose above it, hitting just a hair below. If you're planning to buy a system with one of these new GPUs ASAP, you'll probably have to go with an air-cooled version until the redesigned liquid-cooling systems almost all gaming PC makers offer have ramped up. Because the new cards are physically longer than the 20-series, they don't fit in some of the tighter spaces, including the Maingear Turbo into which I was initially hoping to install the Founders Edition. (Maingear is swapping out the cooling system of my eval unit and installing the card, so stay tuned for that review.) To upgrade your system, you'll not only need to make sure the card fits, but that your power supply (PSU) can handle it. It really needs a minimum of a 750w PSU, but most not-maxed-out systems have 650 watts or smaller. In that case, you'll either have to swap in another PSU or opt for the less greedy RTX 3070. RTX 3080 specifications
There's more than just a bigger power draw. In addition to switching to a 12-pin power connection, Nvidia made a notable change for its 30 series from its 20-series models: It now smartly vents hot air out the back of the case instead of into it, which was a big 20-series complaint at the time. But your exact configuration matters, too. For example, the fans in the EVGA card vent blow mostly out the top (in other words, toward the side of a case in a tower), so you might want to consider a case design that allows for airflow out the sides.  Unlike the previous generation of Founders Edition cards, which blew the hot air into the case, the 3080 vents out the back. Lori Grunin/CNETHow fast does it fly?Though technically the RTX 3080 replaces the RTX 2080 Super in the $699 price class, it feels more like a follow up to the 2080 Ti card because of its specs, which are in the same ballpark. It vastly outperforms the 2080 Super since it has so much more of everything: memory and memory bandwidth and ray tracing, Tensor (AI) and CUDA (texture processing) cores. It also requires a lot more power than the 2080 Super and Ti -- 320 watts vs. 250w -- and even more than the flagship Titan RTX (280 watts). In addition to the speed benefits conferred by the second-gen RT and third-gen Tensor cores, such as new algorithms and instruction sets that make them a lot more efficient and a switch to an 8nm process size from 12nm, the 3080 (and 3090) have another performance perk you won't find in the 3070 or any other lower-end cards Nvidia launches -- GDDR6X memory. Micron's GDDR6X incorporates new signaling technology that essentially doubles the data rate over GDDR6, the memory used by the RTX 3070 and 20-series cards. If that's more spec detail than you're used to, my guide to the best PC GPUs can offer a little background.  The EVGA GeForce RTX 3080 XC3. So, how does the new 3080 perform? In my hands-on testing, it's fast enough to average 1440p/70fps on Ultra quality/Ultra ray tracing without DLSS in the notoriously piggy Metro Exodus and 96fps in Far Cry 5 on High. On pro graphics applications it was more mixed -- still fast, but not outstripping the 2080 Ti by much in some applications (up to about 10% on various SpecViewPerf 13 tests and 15% or so on Unigine's Superposition rendering benchmark). Using dual displays in Lightroom Classic can get laggy and glitchy, but the RTX 3080 worked as smoothly as I've ever seen. Interestingly, I saw no significant performance difference between the EVGA and Nvidia cards. That's unusual, because typically Nvidia's reason for the Founders Edition is to provide a best-case-performance example of a flagship card. The EVGA did tend to run a little hotter when maxed out, though, about 88C vs. 85C. As fast as the RTX 3080 is and as much as I liked both the Founders Edition and the EVGA cards, I'd still wait to see how the RTX 3070 stacks up before plopping down $700 -- and see what AMD has up its corporate sleeve later this month, when it launches its RX 6000 series. Between the upcoming consoles and new graphics processor announcements, these are interesting times to be a speed freak. Geekbench 5 (Vulkan)Origin PC Big O (PS4 Edition) MSI MEG Trident X Origin PC Chronos Maingear Turbo Corsair One Pro i200 Origin PC Cryo Core Millennium Note:Longer bars indicate better performanceGeekbench 5 (CUDA)MSI MEG Trident X Maingear Turbo Origin PC Chronos Note:Longer bars indicate better performanceShadow of the Tomb Raider gaming testOrigin PC Big O (PS4 Edition) Falcon North West Talon 20th AE MSI MEG Trident X Corsair One Pro i200 Maingear Turbo Origin PC Cryo Core Millennium Origin PC Chronos Note:Longer bars indicate better performance (FPS)3DMark Port Royal (RTX)Origin PC Big O (PS4 Edition) MSI MEG Trident X Corsair One Pro i200 Maingear Turbo Origin PC Cryo Core Millennium Origin PC Chronos Note:Longer bars indicate better performanceSystem configurations
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| Google Pixel 5 alternatives: Galaxy S20 FE, OnePlus 8, and more - Android Authority Posted: 03 Oct 2020 06:01 AM PDT   Credit: Google We've known about it for months, but the Google Pixel 5 is finally official. Coming in at $699, the new Google flagship sacrifices a bit of power on paper to deliver a lower price, 5G, and flagship-level features in other areas. What if you want more value for money? Or maybe you simply want a world-class phone regardless of price? Join us as we look at some of the best Google Pixel 5 alternatives you can get your hands on. 1. OnePlus 8
The OnePlus 8 isn't quite as big a leap as the OnePlus 7T was in the brand's smartphone history, but you're still getting a good flagship phone for the same price as the Pixel 5 in the US ($700). It matches the Pixel device by packing 5G, a 90Hz OLED screen, and 128GB of base storage. OnePlus' phone steps things up over the Google flagship by offering a more powerful Snapdragon 865 chipset, 30W wired charging (versus 18W charging), a slightly bigger battery, and higher resolution main and selfie cameras if you care about that. OnePlus also tends to offer three Android version updates to its flagships, in line with Google.
Google's phone does have a few upsides compared to the OnePlus 8 though, such as wireless charging and a reputation for better image quality. It's also worth noting that US carrier versions of the OnePlus device are the only variants to officially offer water resistance. Meanwhile, the Pixel 5 offers IP68 water and dust resistance. The OnePlus Nord is another Google Pixel 5 alternative worth checking out, especially as its ~$350 to ~$460 price tag means it's well under the Google flagship's price. You do miss out on wireless charging and an IP rating, but it packs six cameras (a case of quantity over quality though), a 90Hz OLED screen, and a Snapdragon 765G 5G processor. Sadly, it's unavailable in the US, but those in Europe or looking to import could do far worse than OnePlus' first budget phone in many years. There's also the OnePlus 8T to consider if you're prepared to wait. It's expected to cost more than the Pixel 5 when it launches later this month, but shouldn't break the bank. Save $100 .00 $699 .00 2. Google Pixel 4a 5G Credit: Google
The Pixel 4a 5G is arguably the most obvious and best Pixel 5 alternative, as it basically offers the core Pixel 5G experience without the flagship extras. That means you're not getting a 90Hz refresh rate, wireless charging, or water resistance. Google's cheaper 5G phone also skimps a little on battery size and RAM compared to the Pixel 5. The two phones still share plenty of features though, such as a Snapdragon 765G chipset, the same dual rear camera setup (12MP main plus 16MP ultra-wide), and Google's clean version of Android with three years of promised version updates. Related: Google Pixel 5 vs Pixel 4a 5G vs Pixel 4a: Which should you buy? Best of all, the Pixel 4a 5G comes in at $499, making it $200 cheaper than the Pixel 5. If you want to go even lower there's the Pixel 4a too, though you'll be further sacrificing some crucial features like 5G and a second camera, and that's before you take into account the even weaker SoC. So, if you want a bit more than the Pixel 4a but don't want to splash out $700 on the Pixel 5, this is a great middle ground. 3. Google Pixel 4 series
The Pixel 4 series is generally considered to be one of the more disappointing Pixel releases to date, with Google forgoing an ultra-wide lens and the standard Pixel 4 offering a tiny battery. That's before you even consider the measly 64GB base storage, the less-than-stellar debut of Motion Sense, and the initially high price tags. Related: Google Pixel 4 XL revisited — The good and bad In saying so, the Pixel 4 series is still worth considering at the right price, as it offers a more powerful chipset than the Pixel 5, a 90Hz OLED screen, and a dedicated zoom camera. Otherwise, the Pixel 5 brings back the fingerprint scanner, offers 5G, and an ultra-wide shooter in lieu of the telephoto camera. Decisions, decisions. The Pixel 4 series started at $800, but you're likely to find it at a cheaper price now that the Pixel 5 and Pixel 4a 5G are out. As the phones have been discontinued they won't be around for long, however. 4. Samsung Galaxy S20 FE
Samsung's latest Galaxy S20 series phone might just be the best Samsung flagship phone of 2020. For starters, it comes in at just $700, making it $300 cheaper than the Galaxy Note 20 and Galaxy S20 and matching the Pixel 5. You do miss out on features compared to the S20 though, such as a glass back, 8K video recording, a high-resolution camera for zoom shots, and a QHD+ screen. Then again, the Galaxy S20 FE offers S20 series staples like a Snapdragon 865 or Exynos 990 chipset, water resistance, wireless charging, a flexible triple rear camera setup, and a 120Hz screen (at FHD+). Read more: Google Pixel 5 vs Samsung Galaxy S20 FE Samsung's phone also delivers a 4,500mAh battery that's identical in size to the S20 Plus and bigger than the vanilla S20. Although the big downside here is that the device only offers 15W wired charging. So expect to wait a while before your phone is fully topped up. For a more detailed comparison, check out our Vs at the link above. 5. Apple iPhone 11
Apple's iPhone 12 is around the corner, but the $700 iPhone 11 is still one of the better Google Pixel 5 alternatives if you need a phone right now. The two phones share features like water resistance, wireless charging, and a dual rear camera setup (main+ultra-wide as well). More on Apple: Everything we know about the Apple iPhone 12 series The iPhone 11 differs thanks to its use of the iOS platform in lieu of Android, while also offering a more powerful processor that dukes it out with the best Android chipsets. Otherwise, Apple's device lacks a high refresh rate OLED panel and fingerprint unlock, so the choice might not be clear-cut for many. Like the idea of an iPhone but want to go even cheaper? Then the $400 iPhone SE 2020 is for you. It may have a dated design, LCD screen, and single rear camera, but it does bring wireless charging, water resistance, fingerprint unlock, and Apple's flagship A13 Bionic processor. 6. Xiaomi Mi 10T Pro Credit: Xiaomi
In Europe or Asia? Then you've also got a great Pixel 5 alternative in the newly announced Xiaomi Mi 10T Pro. For €599 you get a phone with a high-end Snapdragon 865 processor, a 144Hz LCD screen, and a 5,000mAh battery with 33W charging. Xiaomi's new release also packs a triple rear camera (108MP main, 13MP ultra-wide, and 5MP macro), 8K recording, and a 20MP selfie camera. This all makes for pretty impressive figures, but the jury's out on actual image quality right now. Related: These are the best Xiaomi phones you can buy There are a few missing features here compared to the Pixel 5 though, such as an OLED screen, wireless charging, and water resistance. It's also not as easily available in the US compared to Google's phones. But if you want an ultra-fast phone that should last a while, this is worth considering. €599 .90 7. Realme X50 Pro
Realme's early 2020 phone is slightly cheaper than Google's new flagship in Europe, but it takes the Xiaomi approach of delivering impressive core specs compared to the Pixel 5. It ups the ante over the Google phone by offering a truly top-end processor, super-fast 65W wired charging, a flexible rear camera setup, and a versatile dual-selfie camera pairing. Read more: The best 5G phones you can buy right now The Realme X50 Pro also packs a 4,200mAh battery and a 90Hz OLED screen, as you'd expect from higher-end 5G devices in 2020. The Pixel 5 enjoys wireless charging and water resistance, which are both lacking on Realme's phone. In addition, while Realme's Android skin is fairly clean and fluid, the company still tends to lag behind when it comes to update commitments. Rs.37999 .00 8. LG Velvet
LG launched its flagship V60 earlier this year, but the Velvet is one of the more direct Google Pixel 5 alternatives out there. LG's later release matches up pretty well to Google's phone by virtue of it having the same chipset, water resistance, and wireless charging too. But the Velvet comes in at $100 cheaper in the US, and offers a slightly bigger battery and a headphone port too. An optional Dual Screen case also turns your LG phone into a foldable of sorts if you like the idea of that. It's not all great for the LG device though, as the Pixel series tends to trounce LG devices in terms of pure image quality, while the Velvet's ultra-wide camera also sees a downgrade in theory over the Pixel 5 and previous LG phones. It also offers a 60Hz refresh rate compared to the 90Hz option on the new Pixel. That's it for our look at the best Google Pixel 5 alternatives! Are there any other similarly priced phones you can recommend? Let us know in the comments. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Pro-Ject Debut Carbon EVO review: Audiophile features spin vinyl joy - CNET Posted: 03 Oct 2020 04:00 AM PDT How much do you really need to spend on a new turntable? As I've found from our reviews of record players from $100 to $1000, there are great products at every level -- but like most things in life, paying more will give you more. If you can split the difference and spend around $500, some excellent designs exist out there to tempt any vinyl fan. One of my new favorites is the Pro-Ject Debut Carbon EVO. Like
Don't Like
I compared the EVO to another turntable in this price range, the Fluance RT85. Both outdo cheaper models with solid build quality and step-up features, but in the end I preferred the Pro-Ject over the Fluance -- it sounded more musical and felt more pleasing to use. The EVO combines excellent playback quality with a selection of extras that you won't see even on some more-expensive players like the Rega Planar 3. The original Debut Carbon has enjoyed accolades ever since its appearance over ten years ago. The new EVO version ($500, £449 and AU$879) is a worthy update and one of the best ways to spend up on a record player. Are we not men? We are EVO! The Pro-Ject Debut Carbon EVO packs in the audiophile-friendly features. It includes a one-piece carbon-fiber tonearm, adjustable feet and an electronic speed selection (no more removing the platter, more on that shortly). In addition, Pro-Ject offers nine different finish options, including forest green and canary yellow. My review sample came in high-gloss red. The turntable includes a suspension system borrowed from the higher-end X1, supporting a hefty 3.7-pound aluminum platter. The platter has been dampened with TPE (thermoplastic elastomer) lining the edge, which contributes to the turntable's impressive weight. Rapping with a knuckle on the platter still made it resonate however, even with the felt slipmat on, and especially towards the middle. Doing the same thing on the Fluance's acrylic platter didn't ring at all.  In the US the EVO comes pre-mounted with the Sumiko Rainier phono cartridge (little brother to the Olympia), while in the UK and Australia it's fitted with the Ortofon 2M Red. Note that all of my listening tests below were of the US version; the UK and Australia versions will sound different. Though the carbon fiber tonearm looks spiffy, the fact that it's one piece can make it a little more awkward to use. The finger lift (the jutty-out bit at the end of the tonearm) is a little too flat and broad, making it trickier to grab than other models. The Pro-Ject deals with speed changes in an innovative way: with a three-way power rocker tucked underneath the plinth. The three positions -- Left 33 ⅓rpm, Center Off and Right 45rpm -- aren't marked however, so you'll need to exercise your muscle memory when turning on the player. The turntable comes with two cables. One is flat, which you'll probably use all of the time, and the second is a rounded cable for people who have old 78s. The company also includes an admittedly attractive RCA cable in the box, but tweakers may still want to upgrade to a better one later. Yo DJ spin that wheelTactility -- removing the record from its sleeve, putting it on the platter, picking up the tonearm, placing the needle in the groove -- is arguably more than half of the experience when you're playing records. The Pro-Ject may not quite feel like true a high-end player, but it was definitely more fun to use than the Fluance. Compared to the Fluance's plastic-y lever the Pro-Ject's knobbed lever felt a little more like you'd expect in a product costing half a grand. If you haven't used a Pro-Ject 'table before, the way you have to rest the tonearm vertically takes some getting used to -- you can't just swing the arm back over to the right. When the two turntables were actually spinning records, it was the Pro-Ject that that most closely evoked the spirit of listening to vinyl. It had a relaxed, full presentation that wasn't as tiring as the Fluance could be.  The Ortofon 2M Blue that comes with the Fluance is an exciting-sounding cartridge, and with the right material it can make you want to get up and dance. Compared to the Pro-Ject's stately performance, Velvet Underground by Jonathan Richman sounded like a completely different recording on the Fluance-- bass was deeper, tambourine crisper and there was a greater degree of slapback echo from the right channel. By the same token the Fluance can sound too forward with some tracks, while the Pro-Ject offers more of a sense of space, which is especially great for big room sounds like Nils Frahm's Spaces. The Pro-Ject enhanced the record's ambient qualities, making the room seem like it extended deep into the space in front of me. The Fluance made the recording sound more detailed but it was also two dimensional -- it seemed to exist only on the plane between the speakers. Spaces is not exactly an edge-of-your-seat kind of recording, so the Pro-Ject's more relaxed approach worked better here. I heard the Fluance's forwardness again on Nick Cave's Red Right Hand, and here the bass also threatened to become boomy. Unless you have a mellow sounding system, the Fluance RT85 seems like one upgrade too far. The OM10 cartridge in the less-expensive Fluance RT82 is a well balanced cartridge, but the step up to the 2M Blue in the RT85 will be too much for already-bright systems. The Pro-Ject again showed better balance and a finely honed delineation between Cave's baritone and the deep bassline. I tried my reference Rega Planar 3 with the Ortofon 2M Blue and while it offered a similarly forward balance it was more tempered, not steely like the Fluance could be. The Pro-Ject with its Sumiko Rainier still sounded better, however. And when I switched the Rega's cartridge to the Goldring E3, I again preferred the Pro-Ject, which demonstrates how tightly integrated the EVO's cartridge/turntable combination is. Should you buy it?The Pro-Ject EVO offers excellent playback, looks great and is a lot of fun to use. It's built well and the ability to adjust the feet makes leveling a painless process. The EVO may not be perfect -- the ergonomics of the tonearm take a little getting used to, for example -- but this is nonetheless a great way to get back into vinyl, or to upgrade from a starter table. |
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