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When will my OnePlus phone get the Android 15 update?

OnePlus 12 in hand

Android 15 is the next big update coming to Android smartphones, but when exactly should OnePlus users expect the update to appear?

While you might assume that it’ll roll out as soon as the final release of Android 15 is ready later this year, that’s sadly not the case. While there’s no confirmation of exactly when OnePlus will roll out the Android 15, we can take a look at previous OS update rollouts to gauge OnePlus’ plans.

With that in mind, here’s all you need to know about the Android 15 update on OnePlus smartphones, from rollout speculation to supported devices and how you can get in on the fun early with the Android 15 beta. 

When will OnePlus roll out the Android 15 update to supported phones?

While you might hope that, like Google Pixel devices, all supported OnePlus devices would get updated to Android 15 as soon as it’s available – but looking at the Android 14 release schedule, it seems highly unlikely.

Take the OnePlus Open for example; the Android 14 update began rolling out in India in early 2024, but it wasn’t rolled out to the US and Europe until mid-2024. That’s almost six months after the stable release of Android 14 first appeared on Pixel devices. 

Thankfully, that’s a bit of an outlier in the current OnePlus collection. The Android 14 update began rolling out to OnePlus 11 users who participated in the beta program in late 2023, with a wider release in January 2024, while the OnePlus 10 Pro and Nord CE 3 Lite received the update in early 2024. 

With that in mind, it’s likely that most OnePlus devices running Android 14 won’t get the Android 15 update until the end of 2024, or more likely, early on in 2025.

OnePlus Open
Image Credit (Trusted Reviews)

Which OnePlus devices will get the Android 15 update?

It’s worth noting that not every single OnePlus device will get the upgrade to Android 15 – only those with ongoing long-term software support. That means if you’ve bought a OnePlus phone in the past couple of years, you’ll likely get the update later this year. However, if you’re rocking a OnePlus 10 or earlier, you might be out of luck.

Based on OnePlus’ long-term software promise, the following devices should get the Android 15 update once it rolls out: 

OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite in the hand
Image Credit (Trusted Reviews)

Can I install the Android 15 beta on my OnePlus phone?

The good news is that you don’t need to wait until later this year – or possibly even 2025 – to try out Android 15 on your OnePlus smartphone. There is a catch, however; despite Android 15 coming to 10+ OnePlus devices, you can only install the Android 15 beta on either the OnePlus 12 or foldable OnePlus Open. 

It’s also worth noting that OnePlus has explicitly warned against everyday OnePlus users installing the Android 15 beta as it’s currently unstable and breaks a few key features on both phones – the full list of known issues is available on the OnePlus community forum. As such, it’s only really recommended for software developers, and certainly not on primary devices. 

If you are interested in this early look at Android 15, follow the (quite advanced) steps on the OnePlus community forum – but be warned, the process risks bricking your phone entirely. 

The post When will my OnePlus phone get the Android 15 update? appeared first on Trusted Reviews.

When will my Google Pixel get the Android 15 update?

Mint Pixel 8 pro back in hand
Mint Pixel 8 pro back in hand

Google has released the first Android 15 beta ahead of a wider rollout later this year – but when exactly will the final version of Android 15 be released? And more specifically, when will eligible Google Pixel devices get the update?

While we’re still some time away from Android 15 landing on your Pixel smartphone, here, we cover everything there is to know about the upgrade right now, from Pixel rollout date speculation to supported devices and how to get in on the action early with the Android 15 beta program. 

When will my Google Pixel smartphone get the Android 15 update?

As with most Android manufacturers, it’s pretty hard to say with any degree of certainty exactly when the Android 15 update will appear on your Pixel smartphone. 

The saving grace is that Google is usually among the first to roll out the software update to previous-gen devices, with the Pixel 7 and Pixel 6 getting the upgrade from Android 13 to Android 14 on 4 October 2023, the same day that the Android 14-enabled Pixel 8 range was announced. 

With that in mind, we’d expect something similar from Google with the Android 15 update, essentially rolling out the polished OS on the same day that the Android 15-equipped Pixel 9 range is revealed. 

We’re still too far away from the launch to get specific, but Google does tend to launch its flagship hardware in early October, so expect the update sometime in the first half of October if all goes to plan. 

Pixel 8 Pro display
Image Credit (Trusted Reviews)

Which Pixel devices will get the Android 15 update?

It’s worth noting that not every single generation of Pixel will get the update to Android 15 – only those with ongoing long-term software support. 

That’s fine if you’ve purchased a Pixel device in the past couple of years as they’re essentially guaranteed to get the update, but if you’ve got a Pixel 5 or older, it’ll be stuck on its current iteration of Android.

Google has confirmed that the following devices will get the Android 15 update later this year, alongside the expected Pixel 9 range:

Google Pixel Fold next to Trusted Reviews coaster on wood table.
Image Credit (Trusted Reviews)

Can I access the Android 15 beta on my Pixel?

The good news is that keen Pixel users don’t have to wait for the official rollout of Android 15 later this year – as long as you can deal with the occasional bug or broken feature, that is. Like the iOS Public Beta that lets keen iPhone fans get a sneak peek of the upcoming version of iOS, Pixel users have the Android Beta for Pixel program.

The beta program is available to all Pixel devices due to get the Android 15 update, meaning Pixel 6 users and later can get involved – and it’s pretty easy to do too.

If you’re interested, simply head over to the Android Beta for Pixel website and enrol your device. It shouldn’t take more than a few minutes, at which point the Android 15 beta should be available to download onto your Pixel.

We wouldn’t recommend installing the update – especially earlier betas – onto your primary device as it could break some important features and functionality. However, if you’ve got a spare Pixel phone handy and want to delve in ahead of everybody else, go for it! 

The post When will my Google Pixel get the Android 15 update? appeared first on Trusted Reviews.

Android 15 is all about Google Gemini, placing AI help in every app

Google Gemini in Android

Google has announced its Gemini AI assistant will be an intrinsic part of the Android operating system from Android 15, bringing a ton of perceived benefits to users.

Breaking Google I/O tradition the company decided against revealing Android 15 in full, but did tell us what’ll underpin the new version of the operating system.

During the keynote, the company explained how a new overlay will enable contextual interaction with key apps on your Android device. Circle to Search is getting better, while it’ll also be better at weeding out potentially dangerous spam calls.

Google says there’s plenty more to come from Gemini within Android, which for all intents and purposes will replace the existing Assistant in time, but here are the key new features we’ll get later this year.

Gemini Overlay

During the Google I/O keynote address on May 14, Google said Android 15 will feature a new Gemini overlay capable of helping you interact with whichever Android app you’re currently using.

So, for example, Google says you’ll be able to “Ask This Video” in YouTube in order to find the specific information you’re looking for without watching the whole thing.

For Gemini Advanced users “Ask This PDF” will be more powerful than the existing text search function, enabling users to pull out exactly what they need from the document.

Google says this is part of the mission to give users dynamic suggestions based on what’s on your display.

Google also says it’ll be possible to drag and drop images generated by Gemini into your correspondence in Gmail and Google Messages. The presenter during Google I/O told Gemini to help it create a pickle playing tennis in answer to a request from a friend to play pickleball.

Google Pickleball image generation

New Circle to Search tools

Google is giving the excellent new Circle to Search feature on Android to harness the information contained in just about anything on your screen – including helping with homework. Effectively, it’ll be fantastic for cheating on maths tests.

“When students circle a prompt they’re stuck on, they’ll get step-by-step instructions to solve a range of physics and math word problems without leaving their digital info sheet or syllabus,” Google says. “Later this year, Circle to Search will be able to help solve even more complex problems involving symbolic formulas, diagrams, graphs and more.”

Circle To Search Homework

Better scam detection

Google says this Gemini Nano-powered feature could cut down on fraud by deleting “patterns commonly associated with scams” in real time during phone calls.

So if someone from “the bank” asks you to transfer some money or requests personal information, you’re more likely to be alerted to a “likely scam” and be prompted to end the call.

There’ll also be a helpful message informing you “banks will never ask you to move your money to keep it safe.”

Spam Detection Google Gemini

Big TalkBack Boost

Google TalkBack, which helps visually impaired users identify images on their phone, is getting a helping hand thanks to Gemini AI. Later this year, the multimodal capabilities will enable clearer descriptions of what’s happening within the image. This will help, Google says, with shopping online or when receiving a pic sent by family.

The post Android 15 is all about Google Gemini, placing AI help in every app appeared first on Trusted Reviews.

Google Search AI future explained – here are the best new Gemini features

Google gemini Search

Google has announced a host of generative AI improvements coming to Google Search courtesy of its new Gemini 1.5 Pro model.

The improvements include new AI overviews, a new ‘plan ahead’ tool for things like meal planning, and the ability to show Gemini a video you’ve recorded as a shortcut to resolve an issue. The latter sounds like it could be a game changer.

Announced during the Google I/O keynote, the new generative AI capabilities come courtesy of Gemini’s new multi-step reasoning capabilities, planning and multimodality. Google will enable users to customise the results from the original yield to a simplified result or a more detailed “break it down” page.

Here’s the best new Search features the company announced today:

AI Overviews

Limited to Google Labs users until now, the impressive AI Overviews will be available to everyone in the United States from today (more counties coming soon) while the ability to answer more complex questions coming soon.

For example, with a single search, a Google user could ask a question like “find the best yoga or pilates studios in Boston and show me details on their intro offers, and walking time from Beacon Hill.”

Gemini would easily handle this complex query thanks to the multistep reasoning, enabling users to surface the studios, complete with reviews, details of the intro offer in a knowledge box, while offering a map detailing how to get there on foot.

Video troubleshooting

Google will soon enable users to show Gemini a video you’ve shot on your smartphone in order to ask a question and solve a problem, making use of that multimodal capability in Google Gemini 1.5 Pro.

So, to use Google’s example, if the tone arm on your turntable won’t stay in place, you could shoot a video, upload it to Google Lens, ask a question with your voice and receive text information with context specific to that model on how to fix it.

Instead of having to search for the manufacturer, the model, the issue, and more Google will be able to offer detailed troubleshooting steps for the issue. Google says it will “save you the time and trouble of finding the right words to describe this issue, and you’ll get an AI Overview with steps and resources to troubleshoot.”

Google Search video AI

Plan Ahead

Fancy creating a customised meal plan for the week without the hassle of researching tons of recipes? Google Gemini will have you covered and in your context. So, if you’re looking for a meal plan that saves you money, is suitable for preparing in a college dorm and is microwavable, you can surface a detailed plan in seconds.

“With planning capabilities directly in Search, you can get help creating plans for whatever you need, starting with meals and vacations,” Google says in a blog post. “Search for something like “create a 3 day meal plan for a group that’s easy to prepare,” and you’ll get a starting point with a wide range of recipes from across the web.”

If you see something you don’t like the look of, Google says users will be able to make adjustments like specifying a vegetarian dish or something healthier, in place of a cheeseburger by clicking a “replace” button.

When finalised, the meal plan can be exported to Google Docs or Gmail for shopping or sharing.

Google Gemini Search Meal Plan

The post Google Search AI future explained – here are the best new Gemini features appeared first on Trusted Reviews.

What is Google Gemini Ask Photos? Powerful AI adds context to your library

Google Gemini Ask Photos

What is Google Gemini Ask Photos? At Google I/O the company revealed a new way to leverage your photo library. Here’s how it’ll work.

One of the first key announcements in Google’s AI-dominated I/O keynote event was ‘Ask Photos’. The tool, which is rolling out to the Photos app in the coming months, will enable users to ask the AI assistant to search their photo library to surface complex results – far beyond the usual keyword searching.

Google said during the keynote that over 6 billion photos are uploaded to Google Photos every day and Gemini can leverage those to cut down on scrolling and deliver results across your entire library, with extremely deep context.

For example, via a new tab within the Google Photos app, the user could ask: “Show me the best photo from each national park I’ve visited” and Gemini would yield precisely that, without the need to scroll through the entire library, or search for specific locations.

The response is incredibly detailed. For example, it might tell users: “Here’s a great photo from each of the 22 national parks you’ve visited around the world, including: Experiencing the Amazon at Yasuni, Peaks and lakes of the UK, Each of Utah’s ‘Mighty 5’ national parks.”

Gemini Ask Photos National Parks

During the keynote address, Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai asked Gemini to bring up photos of a young girl called Lucia through the lens of her swimming journey. From her first dip and swimming lessons, to her first swimming certificate. It would be surfaced in an album, cutting plenty of time searching via keywords.

Pichai also spoke of the ability to ask Gemini “what’s my license plate number again?” Gemini will search the library for pictures of cars, identify what it deems to be your current vehicle and show you an image of the license plate.

Google says it’ll help users plan original birthday parties for their keys by asking Gemini of the themes they’ve already used. It may respond: “Here are the themes from Lena’s last 4 birthdays: 3rd: A princess celebration, 4th: Under-the-sea with mermaids, 5th & 6th: Two magical unicorn parties.“

Google Ask Photos

Google says the key is the ability to understand the question and complex natural language terms in order to conduct a more sophisticated search of the library. Keywords, places, people and dates are picked up, but also concepts like “themed birthday parties”

The second element is the crafting of the response, which comes through studying the results of the search, assigning relevance (sometimes by reading text within the images) and choosing which photos are surfaced in the results.

Gemini Ask Photos birthday

Google says the final element is to ensure responses are safe and appropriate. It’ll also respond to your corrections and additional context and remember for next time.

You’ll be able to try Google Gemini Ask Photos this summer.

The post What is Google Gemini Ask Photos? Powerful AI adds context to your library appeared first on Trusted Reviews.

What is a GPU? Everything you need to know

A brown-black GPU floating on a black background

The GPU is one of the most important components of any PC, as it’s not just required for high-end graphics performance, but also for being able to generate an image, whether it’s your Windows desktop or a 3D world in a video game.

In fact, a GPU isn’t just important for your computer, as even your smartphone, tablet and smartwatch will have some form of GPU.

Whether you’re looking to upgrade your PC, or simply want to learn a little more about your device, this is our comprehensive guide on the GPU, covering why it’s so important and what factors you need to consider before a purchase.

What is a GPU?

A GPU, or a Graphics Processing Unit, is a computer component that can create images. Any device that creates images on a display (such as a laptop, tablet or smartphone) will have a GPU.

Without a GPU, a device would be unable to create any on-screen images, rendering it as useless as a doorstop.

What does a GPU do?

GPUs are responsible for creating images, scenes, and animations on a device, but having a more powerful GPU will accelerate the rendering of 3D graphics, making them useful for many different workloads.

While every smartphone, tablet and laptop will feature a GPU of some form, they’re mostly associated with gaming. That’s because you generally need a powerful GPU to run games at a smooth performance, as the PC component is tasked with creating lots and lots of animations in a matter of milliseconds.

GPUs are required to render multiple complex animations at the same time, which comes in handy not only for gaming but for creatives that are looking to render 3D models or edit video. For example, the MacBook Pro has a more powerful GPU than most laptops since it’s created specially for digital artists and designers.

GPUs are also used in data centres, which enables the likes of cloud gaming, video encoding and video streaming, as well as bitcoin mining.

Essentially, a GPU has a massive influence on everything you see on your screen, and the quality of a GPU is one of the biggest differentiators between the MacBook Pro and MacBook Air.

What is an iGPU?

There are two main types of GPUs, with an iGPU (or Integrated Graphics Processing Unit) being built inside the main processor rather than being a separate chip to the CPU.

These types of GPUs are generally less powerful than discrete GPUs, and are usually developed for basic rendering tasks and generic productivity work, rather than gaming and 3D animation.

The GPU inside the Apple M4 chip
Integrated GPU – Image Credit (Trusted Reviews)

That being said, companies such as AMD and Intel are working on improving the performance power of their iGPUs. Apple has also surprised many people with its Apple Silicon chips, particularly the Max and Ultra chips of its M range, which flaunt iGPUs so powerful that they can compete with high-end graphics cards.

It’s also worth noting that anyone looking to buy a new PC without a dedicated graphics card should check that it features an integrated GPU, as sometimes this isn’t the case. You’ll generally need either an iGPU or dGPU for your PC to run, as otherwise it will be incapable of generating any images.

What is a dGPU?

The second variation is the dGPU, also known as a Discrete Graphics Processing Unit. A dGPU is usually found inside a graphics card for a desktop system, though it can be a dedicated chipset in high-end laptops too.

A discrete GPU is usually a lot more powerful than an iGPU, as it specialises in rendering advanced graphics for the likes of content creation or gaming.

If you’re looking to build a gaming PC, a powerful dGPU is essential for rendering high-quality images and scenes. Right now, the biggest names in the dGPU industry are AMD and Nvidia, although Intel has also launched its own GPUs in the form of Intel Arc.7

Nvidia RTX 4090 discrete GPU
Discrete GPU – Image Credit (Trusted Reviews)

Discrete GPUs do come with a catch however, as they require a dedicated cooling system to prevent overheating and to maximise their performance, which is usually why gaming laptops are so much heavier than traditional laptops.

dGPUs also have a higher power consumption, which means that gaming laptops will usually need charging more often than devices that come with an iGPU.

Plus, discrete GPUs can boost the price of a laptop significantly, which is why they’re only usually recommended if you’re going to be gaming or creating content. It’s arguably the most expensive component of a PC.

Is the GPU the same as a graphics card?

While the terms GPU and graphics card are often used interchangeably, they are not the same thing.

A GPU is the chip that is doing all of the heavy lifting, and can be found inside a graphics card.

The graphics card is an ‘expansion card’ that enables the GPU to connect to the motherboard. Graphics cards will also have built-in fans to help cool down the GPU when under stress, as well as their own dedicated RAM.

In essence, the graphics card is the house that a GPU lives in, helping it to connect to the rest of the computer, in a similar relationship to a CPU and a motherboard – the former providing all of the processing power, while the latter sorts out the logistics.

Due to the size of a graphics card, they’re typically only found in desktop PCs. A laptop will instead feature a GPU chip that plugs directly into the motherboard, with each laptop manufacturer developing their own cooling system instead.

Is a GPU better than a CPU?

We wouldn’t say that the GPU is better than the CPU or vice versa, as they both perform different jobs. While a GPU is tasked with generating images for a device, the CPU is instead responsible for processing and sending out instructions to all of the other components in an electronic device.

Without a CPU, a GPU wouldn’t be able to perform its job, making both components incredibly important. Both will often be baked into the same chip, especially for small, portable devices such as a smartphone. But even when a CPU and GPU occupy separate chips, they’re still able to communicate with each other effectively.

Depending on your desired workload, you may want to target different performance levels for each chip. A CPU’s performance will affect almost every workload, although you only really need a high-end performance for complex workloads and when juggling multiple tasks simultaneously. Meanwhile, a powerful GPU will generally have a greater impact on gaming performance than the CPU, while it can also have a major influence on the likes of content creation.

The post What is a GPU? Everything you need to know appeared first on Trusted Reviews.

iOS 17.5 Features: New iPhone update available to download now

iOS 17.5

Apple has dropped the iOS 17.5 update, which brings another game to the News+ service and greater protection against stalking via item trackers.

The relatively minor update for UK users is a bigger deal in the EU where Apple is now allowing apps to be side-loaded from the developer’s website, in order to adhere to the Digital Markets Act across the bloc.

Here’s what’s new for everyone else…

Apple News+ gets game

Apple is looking towards the New York Times model for increasing engagement with its news content. The News+ service now includes a game called Quartiles which is a “new and original daily word game”.

Essentially, it sounds like Apple’s attempt to have a Wordle-like pull to the News app every day, where users can build streaks.

In a post on the Apple Newsroom blog, Apple explains the game “challenges players to form words by selecting tiles containing two to four letters, and users collect points based on word length. New puzzles are available each day, and players can also choose to share a Quartiles puzzle with other News+ subscribers.”

iOS 17.5 also includes a new Puzzles Scoreboard where users can keep tabs on their records in Quartiles, as well as the daily crossword and mini crossword Apple added to the News+ proposition in iOS 17.

Elsewhere, News+ gets an Offline Mode in iOS 17.5 where subscribers can access “recent and personalised News content” when they’re not connected to the web.

Apple News Quartiles game

Cross-platform anti-stalking

Apple has finally added the key piece of the puzzle to allow its Find My network to play nice with trackers designed for Google’s equivalent Find My Device platform – and vice versa. This means iPhone users will be alerted when a non-AirTag tracker is following them, for example.

iOS 17.5 release notes

The full iOS 17.5 release notes are as follows:

Apple News

  • Offline mode in Apple News+ gives you access to the Today feed and News+ tab, even when you don’t have an internet connection.
  • Quartiles is a new and original daily word game that is now available in Apple News+.
  • Scoreboard in News+ Puzzles gives you access to new player data for Crossword, Mini Crossword and Quartiles, including stats and streaks.

Tracking Notifications

  • Cross-Platform Tracking Detection delivers notifications to users if a compatible Bluetooth tracker they do not own is moving with them, regardless of what operating system the device is paired with.

This could be the last major update before Apple reveals iOS 18 at WWDC next month.

The post iOS 17.5 Features: New iPhone update available to download now appeared first on Trusted Reviews.

What is 4K TV and Ultra HD?

What is 4K resolution

Although it’s been around since the early noughties, 4K technology has only become more of a household term in the last 10 years or so.

Whether you’re investing in a new TV and want to know which one to go for or you’re just not sure what 4K actually means, we’ve put together a guide so you can take the confusion out of the jargon.

What is 4K?

For a TV or screen to be 4K it needs to have a resolution of 3840 x 2160 pixels, which equates to a total of about 8.3 million. This is four times as many as a Full HD TV, with the higher amount of pixels resulting in a clearer and better-defined picture which results in more detail and texture.

To make things slightly confusing, 4K is also known as Ultra High Definition (UHD) resolution, and sometimes brands will refer to a 4K screen as UHD, Ultra HD, 4K UHD or even 2160P. However, regardless of the name favoured by a brand, these are all essentially the same thing and will have the same high 3840 x 2160 pixel count.

4K resolution

What is the difference between 4K and Ultra HD?

True 4K refers to a resolution of 4096 x 2160, which is used by digital cinema projectors. UHD in the consumer world refers to a resolution of 3840 x 2160, which is the resolution you get on TVs.

So technically, 4K is the wrong term, but the two are pretty much interchangeable.

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How close do I need to sit to the TV?

The extra resolution and increased pixel density means you can sit further forward to get the most from your TV. And filling up more of your field of view makes for a more immersive experience.

While sitting close provides the most impact, we reject the notion that there’s no benefit from distant viewing positions. Lines remain cleanly drawn, depth is still perceptible, colours maintain their subtlety, and objects within the picture keep their three-dimensional appearance.

Where can I watch 4K content?

You can stream in 4K across the majority of popular streaming services, with Netflix currently offering the most 4K streaming options, although you may need to check your plan to see if you are able to. You can also stream 4K content from the likes of Apple TV Plus, Disney Plus and Amazon Video.

Pretty much all of Netflix’s original content comes wrapped in 4K Dolby Vision (but not everything, we should add), and much of the new content from Amazon and Disney, especially their big original series and films, are shown in 4K. Almost all of Apple’s streaming library is in 4K with a few exceptions.

Apple tv 4k 2021 remote box

Then there’s the Sky Q/Glass service, where you can watch the broadcaster’s growing catalogue of films, TV shows and sports in 4K with their Ultra HD package.

Can you watch non-4K content on a 4K TV?

Yes you can watch lower-quality content on a 4K TV. Better still, some TVs even have upscaling technology which optimises lower resolution content to fit the display panel of a 4K screen. This results in clearer and more detailed content which hasn’t been stretched or distorted, but note that not all TVs support this so be sure to check.

What internet speed do you need to stream 4K TV?

Netflix and Amazon require speeds of at least 15Mbps to stream 4K content. Speeds need to remain consistently at or above that figure because as soon as it drops – perhaps due to peak usage times – the picture will slip back into HD.

Don’t worry if you start off with a blurry image: it’s common for streaming services to start at a lower resolution and then bump it up to UHD after the initial buffer.

Roku Express 4K Greenland

Netflix says on its website that you need 25Mbps minimum. But we’ve confirmed with Netflix that a consistent 15Mbps is enough. Compression techniques have improved over the years as have broadband speeds, so 4K streaming is more reliable than it used to be.

Although we’d say it doesn’t offer the best 4K picture (that’s 4K Blu-rays). Speaking of…

What connections do I need to watch 4K?

There have been multiple versions/standards of HDMI since the digital connection first appeared, with HDMI 2.1 the most recent.

At the time of its release, HDMI 2.0 carried an increase in data bandwidth, enabling playback of 4K feeds with full (so-called 4:4:4) colour sampling at frame rates of up to 60fps. HDMI 1.4 only supported 4K feeds up to 30fps.

It’s been subsequently replaced by a newer standard in HDMI 2.1, which boosts the bandwidth to 48gbps (from HDMI 2.0’s 18gbps). v2.1 support for 4K and 120fps as well as passthrough of dynamic HDR formats such as Dolby Vision and HDR10+ among many, many more things.

Given TVs support HDMI 2.0, and a fair few show some love for HDMI 2.1, it shouldn’t be a problem to feed 4K content into your TV.

Should you buy a 4K TV?

If you want to upgrade your TV to a better picture quality then you absolutely should consider a 4K TV. Although not the most pixelated offering on the market, with more and more 8K TVs popping up, a 4K TV is one of the best options for the average household as there’s more compatible content available and it’s affordable.

The post What is 4K TV and Ultra HD? appeared first on Trusted Reviews.

Explaining the differences between HyperOS and MIUI on Xiaomi phones

Xiaomi’s MIUI has a bit of a reputation in the smartphone industry, and honestly, it’s not a good one. 

It’s an Android skin that, traditionally, is difficult to get used to with an awkward UI packed with bloatware and seemingly random features, and it’s particularly aggressive when it comes to killing background apps to save battery life too. 

This combination means that, no matter how good Xiaomi’s smartphone hardware has been over the past few years, the software is always a little bit of a disappointment for consumers in the Western market who prefer more simplistic approaches to the Android interface, keeping it as close to stock Android as possible. 

Well, it looks like Xiaomi has been listening, and its answer is HyperOS; a new Android skin found on recent Xiaomi devices including the Xiaomi 14 and Xiaomi 14 Ultra. The question is, what’s actually new with HyperOS and is it really that different from MIUI? The two certainly still look similar, after all. 

HyperOS has a renewed focus on design

Swiping around the interface HyperOS interface on the Xiaomi 14, you might assume this is simply a rebranded version of MIUI, but there are subtle differences to Xiaomi’s UI approach. 

HyperOS has a focus on clean lines and a decluttered interface, with a new MiSans Global font, a slightly more organised approach to the (previously chaotic) Settings menu, redesigned app icons and new animations to help the interface feel fresh and new.

Xiaomi 14 quick controls
Image Credit (Trusted Reviews)

There’s even a new lock screen layout dubbed Artistic Lock Screen that turns your photos into a magazine poster when your phone is locked, complete with customisable text and more. It looks a lot like Apple’s new lock screen system, albeit without widgets – for now, anyway. 

The HyperOS interface also supports more screen sizes, which should translate to a better experience when using HyperOS on a foldable or tablet whenever those eventually materialise in the Western market. 

But it’s not just about good looks

Still, most of the hard work Xiaomi has done lies beneath the surface of HyperOS. For one, the Android skin takes up much less space on your smartphone than MIUI did, with HyperOS on the Xiaomi 14 Pro occupying just 8.76GB of storage. 

Considering users reported MIUI taking up anywhere between 15GB to 25GB of storage on last year’s Xiaomi 13 Pro, that’s a huge improvement that provides more space for your apps and data, and it should allow the OS to perform faster in everyday use too. 

It also focuses a lot on cross-device compatibility, working well not only with other Xiaomi-branded devices but even smart home tech and car tech. Most of this is unavailable at the time of writing, with most Xiaomi-compatible tech only in China, but you can get a good idea of Xiaomi’s future cross-compatibility plans on its HyperOS explainer page. 

HyperOS cross-device features
Cross-device features on HyperOS

Xiaomi also wants to follow Samsung, Honor and Google’s lead on GenAI capabilities with HyperOS-enabled smartphones with a renewed focus on GenAI capabilities and NPU efficiency – though no GenAI capabilities are currently available in the Western variant of the OS. 

That’s the biggest issue with HyperOS right now; it’s still very new, only making its debut on smartphones in the past few months, and it feels like a system that’s very much still in its infancy. There has been a lot of groundwork laid in the background of the OS, and now Xiaomi needs to take advantage of it.

The post Explaining the differences between HyperOS and MIUI on Xiaomi phones appeared first on Trusted Reviews.

What is the Final Cut Camera app?

Apple has announced a new initiative to enable multicam productions on your iPhone and iPad, with a new Final Cut Camera app playing a crucial role.

As part of its latest launch event, Apple announced the powerful new iPad Pro (2024) and iPad Air 6. It also announced some exciting new things you can do with its expanded slate of devices, including high-end video production.

So what exactly is the Final Cut Camera app? Read on to find out.

What is Final Cut Camera?

To put it briefly, Final Cut Camera is a forthcoming free app for iPhone and iPad that lets you capture and stream video footage back to an iPad as part of a wider multicam production.

Apple’s new version of Final Cut Pro will serve as a hub studio for multicam productions through its new Live Multicam feature, with Final Cut Camera serving as the means for actually capturing and broadcasting that video footage.

Final Cut Pro for Mac and iPad

You can shoot on up to four iOS devices using the app, and have them all stream wirelessly to a single iPad or Mac simultaneously.

The app also works as a standalone professional video capture app for iPhone and iPad, providing precise manual controls for advanced productions. Using the app, you can adjust settings like white balance, manual focus, ISO and shutter speed, as well as enabling focus peaking and monitoring recordings with zebras and audio meters.

When will Final Cut Camera be available?

Final Cut Camera will be available to download later this spring as a standalone app. It will be completely free to download, though a Final Cut Pro for iPad 2 subscription will also be necessary to run your multicam productions.

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What is Ultra Retina XDR?

iPad Pro Ultra Retina XDR display

Apple recently announced its latest range of iPads, including the iPad Pro (2024) and the iPad Air 6. 

A highlight on the new iPad Pro is its bright Ultra Retina XDR screen. Here’s what you need to know about Apple’s latest display technology.

What is Ultra Retina XDR? 

Ultra Retina XDR is the latest version of Apple’s Retina display technology, announced alongside the iPad Pro (2024) at the company’s May launch event. The screen is designed to push beyond the capabilities of the Liquid Retina XDR display found in 2022’s iPad Pro M2. 

So what is the Apple Ultra Retina XDR?

To break it down simply, a Retina display is any Apple IPS LCD or OLED screen with a pixel density high enough that your eyes shouldn’t be able to distinguish individual pixels at a certain viewing distance. 

A Retina XDR display is a Retina display with support for XDR – or Extreme Dynamic Range. 

Ultra Retina XDR is the next step in Apple’s display technology and “the world’s most advanced display”, according to the company. 

The display tech launched alongside the M4-powered iPad Pro, taking advantage of the tablet’s new Tandem OLED screen. The display combines the light from two OLED panels to offer improved full-screen brightness, resulting in up to 1000 nits of full-screen brightness for SDR and HDR content, or a huge 1600 nits of peak HDR brightness, on the iPad Pro. 

“No other device of its kind delivers this level of extreme dynamic range”, brags Apple in the press release. 

The Tandem OLED screen also enables sub-millisecond control over the colour and luminance of each pixel on the screen, taking the tablet’s XDR precision further than was possible on previous displays. 

This means you’ll be able to see brighter highlights, greater detail from shadows, and improved responsiveness to content in motion, making the display tech better for digital artists and movie lovers alike.

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What is Tandem OLED? The OLED panel in Apple's iPad Pro

iPad Pro 2024 Specs

We can’t say we’ve ever heard of Tandem OLED but we (and you) will be hearing more about it with the news that Apple’s latest iPad Pro features the panel technology.

There were rumours back in 2023 that Apple was going to launch a device with a Tandem OLED, replacing the Mini LED display that featured in the previous iPad model.

What is Tandem OLED? Read on to find out.

What is Tandem OLED?

In short, a Tandem OLED panel is one that stacks multiple OLED screens on top of one another.

Apple has done this with its new iPad Pro and branded it as its Ultra XDR Retina Display. As Apple describes it, the Ultra XDR Retina Display uses two OLED panels and combines the light from both to boost the full-screen brightness.

The levels of luminance (or brightness) we referring to appear to be massively bright for a portable device. The new iPad Pro is claimed to be able offer 1000 nits of full-screen brightness for both SDR and HDR content, able to hit a peak brightness of 1600 nits for HDR content.

And with OLED’s perfect blacks and infinity contrast, that should make for quite the striking appearance on an OLED screen. Plus, Apple says that the Tandem OLED technology “enables sub-millisecond control over the colour and luminance of each pixel”, which as we understand it, should allow for the screen to react in a more responsive and fluid handling of motion.

iPad Pro 2024 Specs
credit: Apple

Specular highlights are described as brighter than they were on previous iPad Pros, while Apple also says you’ll be able to see more detail in the shadows and low light areas than was possible.

There’s no mention of burn-in or image retention solutions in Apple’s press release, but from what we can scramble together online, a two stack OLED panel is designed to last for longer.

With the Tandem OLED panel structure, the iPad Pro should be able to deliver the black levels without blooming that OLED is known for, with a level of brightness that’s in the same area as Mini LED, along with a fluid motion that we’d imagine make this a good screen for gaming on too.

We aren’t too sure on who is supplying the glass (i.e. the panel) for the new iPad Pro, but it has been reported that both LG Display and Samsung Display have developed their own Tandem OLED screens to compete for supply for Apple’s future iPads.

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High-end vs mid-range CPUs: Is the difference worth the cost?

Buying a new CPU for your PC can be an intimidating process, not only because of all of the technical specs that you need to consider, but also the high expense.

One of the most common questions that people ask is whether they should purchase a mid-range or high-end processor. The likes of AMD and Intel will always launch multiple chips for each generation, all with different price points. So which one should you go for?

We’ll be explaining everything you need to know about purchasing a CPU, so you can be more confident that you’re purchasing the right processor for your desired workloads. 

What is a high-end CPU?

Let’s start with defining what a high-end processor actually is. In terms of Intel chips, the i7 and i9 ranges are generally thought of as the high-end options. Over at AMD, it’s the Ryzen 7 and Ryzen 9 chips. But what exactly is it that makes these chips high-end? 

Intel Core i9-14900K in motherboard
Image Credit (Trusted Reviews)

Generally, high-end chips have more cores and higher peak clock speeds, making them the most powerful options. For example, the high-end Intel Core i9-14900K features 24 cores and is capable of up to a 6GHz frequency. Meanwhile, the mid-range Intel Core i5-14600K has 14 cores and a max clock speed of 5.3GHz.

Thanks to those extra cores, high-end processors are generally more equipped to deal with juggling multiple tasks at once, or engaging in complex workloads such as video editing and 3D animation. The higher frequency speed will also provide a boost to overall performance.

What is a mid-range CPU? 

A mid-range processor is generally just a slightly less powerful version of its high-end counterpart, as long as they’re part of the same generation.

Intel Core i5-14600K being tested in a PC
Image Credit (Trusted Reviews)

For example, any processor in the latest 14th generation of Intel Core chips will share the same architecture. But when comparing two chips from differing generations (14th Gen vs 11th Gen for example) there will most likely be fundamental differences to how the chip was built, which can greatly impact performance. 

So if you’re choosing between two processors from the same generation (such as the i9-14900K and i5-14600K) then the only differences will be the peak frequency speed and number of cores. 

Is the difference worth the cost?

It’s obvious that a high-end processor is capable of a more powerful performance than its mid-range counterpart (as long as they’re part of the same generation) but is the performance difference actually worth the cost? This all depends on the workload.

The greatest advantage a high-end processor will have over a mid-range one is a greater number of cores and threads. However, many applications aren’t designed, or strenuous enough, to take advantage of numerous cores simultaneously. 

For example, web browsing, video streaming and word processing are such simple tasks that you most likely wouldn’t notice much of a difference between the performance of an i5 and an i9 processor. 

Strangely enough, most video games don’t require the power of numerous CPU cores either. This means that an i5 CPU will often be nearly just as competent as an i9 chip when it comes to elevating gaming performance. As a result, we often recommend gamers opt for a mid-range processor instead of a high-end one in order to get the best value for money. 

The benchmark table above demonstrates the performance difference between the Intel Core i9-14900K and Intel Core i5-14600K. As you can see, the former offers a superior performance, but not by a significant margin for modern games – there’s only 4fps advantage for Horizon Zero Dawn, 1fps boost for Returnal and 3fps gain for F1 22.

A high-end processor can offer a greater performance advantage for games that aren’t too restricted by GPU performance. For example, the i9 saw a 31fps performance boost compared to the i5 for Dirt Rally, although the performance was extremely high for both chips.

It’s also worth mentioning that all of the tests above are for a 1080p resolution. Crank up the resolution to 4K, and you’ll see an even smaller difference in gaming performance between the chips. Instead, it’s the GPU performance that becomes more important.

So does that mean there’s no point in buying a high-end processor? Not quite. A high-end chip will generally excel at workloads that make use of multi-threaded performance. This includes tasks such as video editing, 3D animation, machine learning and more. We typically recommend a high-end processor for creative professionals who deal with complex productions on a frequent basis. For such workloads, you should notice a big performance difference compared to using a mid-range chip. 

So whether the high cost of a high-end chip is worth it really just comes down to your workloads. Most people, including gamers, will likely be perfectly fine with a mid-range chip. But if you’re someone who deals with CPU-intensive workloads on a consistent basis, then the added firepower of a high-end chip will be worth it in the long run. 

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What is Apple's account deletion policy? The iOS Developer rule explained

App Store icon on iPhone

Although Apple’s account deletion policy has been around for a while now, there still may be confusion over what it entails.

Read on to learn more about Apple’s account deletion policy, what it has meant for iOS app developers and how it affects app users.

What is Apple’s Account Deletion policy?

Introduced back in 2021 and implemented in June 2022, Apple’s account deletion policy is a rule for iOS app developers. Essentially, if an app is listed in the App Store and includes a feature where users can create an account, then there must also be a feature to allow users to subsequently delete their account within the app. 

Before this policy was implemented, some apps would require users to visit the app’s web platform or website if they wanted to delete their account. It should now be much easier for users to delete account without needing to leave the app. 

It is also not enough for apps to only provide a disable or deactivate option; all users must be able to permanently delete their account and data.

Apple MacBook Air M3 FRONT IMAGE

Why did Apple implement this policy?

Simply, having an in-app deletion necessity helps Apple comply with data privacy laws around the world.

Who does the account deletion policy affect?

The account deletion policy affects all iOS app developers as they need to ensure they have the option for users to delete their accounts within the app.

If any app doesn’t comply with the policy, developers risk having their apps removed from the App Store or rejected by Apple. Developers can risk being banned from hosting apps on the App Store too, if they breach other Terms of Service too.

Apple-EU-Digital-Markets-Act

This policy also naturally affects users too. Users can feel secure and get peace of mind that they can easily delete their accounts and, as Apple elaborates deletion means removing the account and any associated data, which isn’t legally required, from the developer’s records, users know extra data won’t be stored.

The post What is Apple's account deletion policy? The iOS Developer rule explained appeared first on Trusted Reviews.

Can you hear the difference between Apple Music, Tidal and Spotify?

Focal Bowers and DALI headphones

It’s an age-old debate about music whenever new technologies come to the fore or whenever someone introduces a different way of listening to audio. Can you hear the difference?

When it comes to music streaming services that’s a question that’s frequently asked. You might expect all streaming services to sound the same, but we’d say that they are all different from one another.

We’d also assert that it’ll differ depending on your device, and what equipment you’re using too. Each chain in the link will have an effect.

Drivers have a bigger effect than the overall bit-rate

You’ll likely have heard a lot in the past few years about music providers trying to drive up the quality of audio, especially streamed audio.

Spotify still lags behind the rest with its 320kbps OGG Vorbis streams, which aren’t much higher in bit-rate than what iTunes was pumping out with its M4A streams at the turn of the century. Spotify Supremium should hopefully be coming soon to resolve this issue, but at the moment, Apple Music, Deezer, Qobuz, and Tidal all offer higher quality streams.

The marketing hook that’s been used to sell headphones is the uptake of higher quality Bluetooth codecs such as LDAC, aptX Apadative, and aptX Lossless (also known as Snapdragon Sound). This is all well and good, as Bluetooth does have a bandwidth problem and if you want to hear at the highest quality possible (say lossless audio), then that bandwidth pipe needs to be stretched open to allow more data through over a Bluetooth connection.

Dyson Zone angled drivers
Image Credit (Trusted Reviews)

However, this doesn’t matter as much as you think it does without high quality headphone or speaker drivers. Poor quality will ensure that detail, clarity, and overall resolution won’t make their way to your ears. Tracks may sound muddy or indistinct, even if they support tech like Snapdragon Sound because the drivers can’t pass through what’s in the signal.

The tuning of drivers will also have an effect on what you hear. Is it more of a neutral sound, a crisp, analytical performance or something that sounds warm and rich. These tuning decisions will have an effect too.

Really, it’s a combination of the driver, tuning, and technology used that will ensure a higher quality performance.

Each streaming service takes a different approach

Some may refute this point, but in our experience, each streaming service is tuned slightly differently in terms of how it sounds.

Qobuz is the clearest, most detailed sounding streaming service we’ve come across. Tidal sounds warmer than others, while Apple Music has a more neutral, if slightly dour tone that lacks the richness Tidal can offer. Spotify is similar, but its low bit-rate and compression also starves it of detail, definition, and dynamism.

Bowers Wilkins Panorama 3 Music app streaming
Image Credit (Trusted Reviews)

With Amazon Music, we’ve noticed that even when using the same equipment and listening to the same track, the bass can sound bigger. And there’s more to it than that, sometimes the soundstage is smaller (or bigger); other times a streaming service offers better top-end clarity. And listening on different platforms can also yield an effect. Qobuz and Tidal on an iPad sounded much more even, although Qobuz still bested its rivals in the detail and clarity stakes.

All of this is to say the quality of the streaming files, the signature of the streaming service, and how it’s delivered to your device of choice will have an impact.

It depends on the equipment you use

Do you use a portable DAC or a headphone amplifier? You’ll yield much better results with a device that can clean up and remove the noise from the signal before it passes through to your headphones.

Do you stream over Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, as that too can have an effect. The former often leads to higher levels of resolution, even with Spotify Connect, than you’d often find when streaming through Bluetooth.

And obviously if you’re using a music streamer, a higher quality one with premium parts will be able to do a better job than a cheaper one, but at some point you’ll hit a limit and it’ll become “much of muchness” in terms of how much you spend and how much performance you get back.

Cambridge CXN100 on mount
Image Credit (Trusted Reviews)

To hear the differences, every part of the chain needs to be strong without a weak link. Your source needs to be high quality, the connection between the source and the end device needs to keep the quality up and then whatever you’re listening through needs to make sure that what’s in the source at one end makes it all the way to your ears.

There are differences to be heard, some more nuanced than others. At the end of the day, it all depends on what you’re looking for. Is it an audiophile performance? Then that will guide you in one direction. Are you more a casual listener who’s not as interested in quality? Then that’s a different route too. In either case, if you like what you hear, that’s the most important thing.

Although it would be better if everyone listened in audiophile quality.

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How to optimise your gaming phone's settings for peak performance

RedMagic 9 Pro smartphone displaying a racing game.

Smartphones are pretty powerful in 2024, and that’s particularly true of gaming phones like the Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro Edition and RedMagic 9 Pro, delivering the very best possible performance from any smartphone right now to provide the best gaming experience around.

However, even with top-end gaming-focused hardware, there are ways that you can optimise your phone’s settings to squeeze out even better performance – ideal for particularly taxing games like Call of Duty Mobile and Genshin Impact.

With that said, here are four ways you can optimise your gaming phone for peak game performance. If you’re yet to pick up a gaming phone, take a look at our selection of the best gaming phones to make sure you’re getting one of the best. 

Enable performance mode

Most gaming phones come with a top-end smartphone chipset and plenty of RAM to boot, all in the name of delivering the best gaming performance possible from a phone. That’s usually enough to provide a great gaming experience with top-end graphics enabled and smooth frame rates, but you can eke out even better performance in particularly demanding titles by enabling Performance Mode.

Though the exact location of the mode switch depends on the smartphone you’re using, you can usually locate it by going into the Settings app, tapping the search icon and searching for performance. 

ROG Phone 8 Pro Edition X-Mode
Image Credit (Trusted Reviews)

Once enabled, the phone will deliver the best performance possible, though that does come at a cost to both battery life and internal temperatures, as your phone will get noticeably warmer when gaming. 

That shouldn’t matter too much if your gaming phone has a solid cooling system, but if you’re using a regular smartphone, the heat could actually cause the phone to overheat and bottleneck performance as a result – the exact opposite of the desired effect.

This overheating can be negated with the use of mobile gaming accessories, with some mobile controllers sporting built-in cooling, but it’s worth bearing in mind – especially if you’re not using a gaming-specific smartphone. 

Adjust resolution and refresh rate settings

This tip is more for top-end flagship phones instead of gaming phones, but it could be relevant for both depending on the spec of your gaming phone. 

You see, while you’d assume that a higher screen resolution would equate to a better gaming experience, that’s not always the case. Flagship phones like the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra are indeed capable gaming phones, but performance takes a hit when there are simply too many pixels to power. 

It’s why most gaming phone screens sit at the FHD+ mark, offering a sweet spot both in terms of overall screen quality and game performance.

RedMagic 9 Pro smartphone displaying gaming features and functions.
Image Credit (Trusted Reviews)

If you find that your smartphone, gaming or otherwise, has a particularly high resolution, head into the display section of the Settings app and adjust the screen resolution. Most high-res smartphones offer an FHD+ mode, primarily for better battery performance, but it also serves our purposes here.

On a similar note, be sure that your screen’s refresh rate is set as high as possible. While detrimental to battery life in everyday use, selecting the highest refresh rate in your display settings will allow your phone to display the maximum frame rate possible in supported high-framerate games, further improving performance – particularly in online shooters. 

Use Game Mode

Practically every gaming phone on the market has its spin on Game Mode, a mode that can further optimise your mobile gaming experience. 

The exact specifics of said Game Mode depend on the manufacturer of your smartphone, but most offer the same broad set of features; the ability to mute incoming calls and notifications to avoid distraction, close all background apps to improve performance and some even include on-screen overlays to give you a breakdown of current performance as well as access to macros. 

RedMagic 9 Pro gaming smartphone displaying a map-based game.
Image Credit (Trusted Reviews)

Most dedicated gaming phones will have a dedicated Game Mode app where all your games are easily accessible in a console-esque UI. To make sure that you’ve got Game Mode active on your favourite game, add it to your Game Mode list. Most games are added automatically but the automatic selection isn’t always perfect. 

Then, with your game active, simply activate the Game Mode overlay (again, the exact method depends on your phone) and enable the features you’d like to use. 

Tweak in-game graphics settings

Finally, it’s time to adjust your in-game graphics settings to get the best performance possible. Most games are designed with the limitations of smartphone performance in mind, and that means that if you’re rocking a top-end gaming phone, you’ll be able to enable the best graphics possible (in games that support graphical settings anyway!). 

However, there are some games that, even with top-end gaming hardware, can be taxing on the phone’s SoC – Genshin Impact is one of the most popular of its kind. Even on top-end phones, the game struggles to maintain a solid 60fps with all graphics settings cranked up to the max.

Hands holding Oppo phone displaying a game screen.
Image Credit (Trusted Reviews)

With that in mind, it’s a good idea to tweak the graphics settings of any particularly demanding title, bringing down elements like textures and disabling high-end features like ray tracing to increase frame rate. It might not look quite as good, but if top-end performance is what you’re after, it’s a worthy trade-off. 

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What is a USB to SATA adapter and when do you need one?

If you’re looking for an easy way to access data from an internal drive without installing it inside your PC, then a USB to SATA adapter could be your answer. 

Keep reading to learn everything you need to know about USB to SATA adapters, including what they are, why you might need one and what you need to know about transfer speeds. 

What is a USB to SATA adapter? 

A USB to SATA adapter is an adapter cable that connects an internal SATA hard disk drive (HDD) or solid-state drive (SSD) to a PC via an external connection.

Many SATA hard drives are designed to be installed inside your PC via a SATA cable. This makes it difficult to access the data on these drives without opening up your PC, especially if you don’t fancy replacing your system’s existing drive.

A USB to SATA adapter allows your PC to connect to the SATA hard drive via a USB connection instead. This means you can simply plug the USB cable into your desktop PC or laptop, and then gain access to all of the files stored on the drive.

When do you need a USB to SATA adapter? 

There are several scenarios in which you might find yourself in need of a USB to SATA adapter. 

By connecting an HDD/SSD to your computer using a USB to SATA adapter, you can quickly access the data on those drives. This means you can migrate data from one drive to another when replacing an old drive. 

USB to SATA adapters can also be used to perform backups and recover data, making it a handy adapter to keep on hand. 

For example, if a corrupted Windows file on your HDD/SSD prevents your PC from booting up, you may worry about losing all of the stored data such as documents, photos and videos. However, installing a fresh copy of Windows on a separate drive will allow you to boot up your PC, while using the USB to SATA adapter should enable you to also access all of your data on the old HDD/SSD and transfer the files over to the new one.

USB 2.0 vs USB 3.0 

One thing to bear in mind when picking up a USB to SATA adapter is the transfer speed.

For example, a USB 3.0 adapter will deliver faster speeds and greater bandwidth compared to a USB 2.0 adapter. This means they can transfer your data over significantly faster. 

It’s worth checking if your PC and HDD or SSD support the USB 3.0 standard (or higher) to determine whether you can take advantage of these speeds.

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What is Intel Evo? Everything you need to know

Intel Evo

If you’re shopping around for a new laptop, you may have come across Intel’s Evo badge – but do you know what it means? 

We’ve compiled this guide to explain everything you need to know about Intel Evo, including its benefits, and where you can find an Intel Evo laptop. 

What is Intel Evo? 

Intel Evo is a certification process created by Intel. The Evo badge lets buyers know that a laptop has passed tests to prove it meets certain standards and criteria. These include a great battery life, lightweight design and consistent performance. 

This doesn’t necessarily mean that Evo laptops are the best of the best in terms of performance. Rather, Evo highlights laptops that offer top usability and battery life over a powerful GPU. 

This makes Evo-certified laptops ideal for students, office workers and everyday users, as opposed to content creators and hardcore gamers who require high-end performance specs. 

What are the benefits of Intel Evo? 

The Evo platform first launched in September 2020 as a replacement for 2019’s Project Athena. However, the specifications have grown over the years. 

Intel also offers several Evo badges, with the requirements varying depending on the badge. This means that not all of the following criteria will apply to every Evo laptop. 

As of the latest update to Intel’s Evo platform overview which was last reviewed in January 2024, Intel Evo laptops should wake from sleep in less than one second, and offer biometric login options, such as a fingerprint sensor, face recognition or Bluetooth phone proximity. 

Laptops should feature some form of AI noise suppression. Devices might also support Wake On Approach, Gaze-Based Dimming, or Walk-Away Lock if they’re fitted with the right sensors. 

Evo-certified laptops should offer at least 9.5 hours of battery life with a full HD display. They should also deliver fast charging capabilities via USB-C. 

Wireless connectivity should be fast and consistent with Wi-Fi 6E and 6 GHz support, along with Wi-Fi connection management from the Intel Connectivity Performance Suite 2.0. The laptop should also offer universal cable connectivity over USB-C with Thunderbolt 4. 

The hardware should also be up to date with a Full HD display, backlit keyboard, and precision touchpad. The laptop should have a thin and light chassis and the webcam should feature a resolution of at least 1080p at 30fps. The device should offer immersive audio and microphone tuning. 

Finally, the laptop should be powered by one of the following processors: 

  • Selected 11th through 13th Generation of Intel® Core™ i9, i7, and i5 mobile processors (laptop processors) with Intel® Iris® Xe Graphics
  • Selected Intel® Core™ Ultra processor
  • Selected Intel® Core™ processors (series 1)
  • Optional Intel® Arc™ or third-party discreet graphics 

You can find a full list of the laptops that carry the Intel Evo branding in our guide to which laptops are Intel Evo. This includes models from leading brands, including HP, Samsung, LG, Razer, and many more. 

Intel® Evo™ - Laptops. Evolved

Intel® Evo™ – Laptops. Evolved

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Why is Intel Evo important?

It’s interesting that Intel has put so much effort into creating Intel Evo, which is why we asked Melissa Gregg, Head of User Experience Research at Intel.

Gregg explained that Intel Evo will “allow computing to be accessible, understandable and relevant” for people who may not be as fluent in the technical specs of laptops. This means people can check for the Intel Evo badge instead of needing to dig into the specific specs.

Gregg also mentioned that Intel has done significant research to narrow down the requirements for Intel Evo. After testing user behaviour and looking into the software that people most often use, as well as what locations people use their laptops, the criteria were set.

In short, Intel Evo is a badge that is awarded to laptops that pass Intel’s own strict requirements, and these specifications have been specifically made for ultrabooks that prioritise on-the-go productivity.

The post What is Intel Evo? Everything you need to know appeared first on Trusted Reviews.

When is the perfect time to upgrade your iPhone?

iPhone 15 Pro Max back angled
iPhone 15 Pro Max back angled

Exactly when is the very best time to buy an iPhone? That’s the question we’re aiming to answer as definitively as possible.

Whether you’re after the latest tech as soon as possible or care more about saving money, we’ve got a lot of experience in covering iPhone launches and the price changes that happen after.

Below we’ll run through when Apple usually announces its phones and share the best times of the year to splurge on an upgrade – plus a few times when we’d avoid it.

When are new iPhones announced?

Apple almost always announces the new iPhone models in September, usually on a Tuesday. The phones will then go up for pre-order on the Friday, and hit shelves a week later. 

For example, the iPhone 15 was first announced on September 12, with pre-orders starting September 15 and an on-sale date of September 22.

Apple Event

There have been some years where this has changed, notably when travel was limited during COVID lockdowns, but Apple’s release timing for the iPhone has been fairly consistent. 

A confirmed date for the launch typically comes two weeks before the event, when invites to the press are sent out.

When should you buy an iPhone?

There are a couple of times in the year when it’s best to buy an iPhone. Right after the new one is announced, or around shopping days like Black Friday in November and Amazon Prime Day in the summer. It really depends on which model you’re looking at.

When Apple releases its new iPhones, it usually reduces the price of its older models and moves them down the line. While brands like Samsung launch multiple mid-range series of phones, Apple uses its older flagship as its mid-tier choices when they’re replaced.

Apple still sells the iPhone 14 and iPhone 13, alongside the iPhone 15 and the prices are lower than when they first came out.

So, in 2022 Apple launched the iPhone 14 for £849 – however when the iPhone 15 came out Apple lowered this price to £699. If you’d have purchased the iPhone 14 even a day before the iPhone 15 arrived you’d have paid more.

This doesn’t happen so much with the Pro phones, with Apple usually discontinuing these as soon as the newer models arrive. Sites like Amazon and mobile networks would still likely have stock though, and might reduce the prices further to make space for the shiny new models they plan to push.

We’ve also seen some fantastic iPhone deals around Black Friday. Black Friday takes place just a few months after the usual iPhone launch, so if you can stick it out you’ll save some cash especially if you’re after a contract price. Another bonus of grabbing a phone deal around Black Friday is that with contracts mostly running for 24-months, it’ll be Black Friday when it is time to renew so you’ll once again benefit from lower prices.

Two cameras on the back of the iPhone 14
Image Credit (Trusted Reviews)

Our deals expert Thomas Deehan also states that he’s noticed a lot of low prices for iPhones in the early months of the year, around February and March.

There are numerous reasons for this, including the initial hype running dry or people aiming to save a little more money at the start of the year. If we look at the price history of the iPhone 15 on Amazon UK using the Keepa price tracking service, we can see that the phone dropped from its £799 RRP to £749 in January 2024, then to £719 and then to £699.

We also found a huge price drop for the iPhone 15 Plus in February 2024 – around 5 months after launch – which took it down to the same price as the smaller iPhone 15. It can really benefit consumers to wait.

When shouldn’t you buy an iPhone?

The worst time to buy an iPhone is just before the new models arrive

If you’re buying around this time, especially from Apple directly, then you’ll be paying top price for a phone that’s about to be replaced. Just wait a few weeks and you’ll have more choices and much better prices.

Again, we’d recommend avoiding buying an iPhone just before big shopping days like Black Friday. Retailers will usually save their big deals for the day itself, and it’s not uncommon to see slight price rises before these days to show a bigger discount later on.

There’s also something to be said for not upgrading to the new model immediately. Of course, some simply have the latest tech – but waiting can ensure any early bugs in the new iOS software are ironed out. If you want to see what offers are currently available, make sure to check out our rundown of the best iPhone deals.

The post When is the perfect time to upgrade your iPhone? appeared first on Trusted Reviews.

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