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| PC World - 5 Jun (PC World)Fantastic monitors are hard to come by without costing an arm and a leg. And yet, here’s the Asus ProArt Display PA247CV down by 40 percent to a magnificent $119. This is a fantastic price for a 23.8-inch monitor of this quality and the best price for this particular model.
The ProArt monitor delivers images in full HD (1920×1080), but at this price point, you can’t exactly expect 4K. Still, this monitor features an IPS panel with a wide 178 degree viewing angle, ensuring that colors remain consistent no matter where you’re viewing from.
This monitor adheres to international color standards with 100 percent sRGB and 100 percent Rec. 709 wide color gamut coverage. These specifications make it an excellent choice for content editors or anyone who wants to make sure the colors they see on the screen are as close to reality as possible.
Another thing that will definitely pique the interest of content editors is the fact that the Asus ProArt display is Calman verified, with a factory calibration for super high color accuracy. This is crucial for tasks like photo editing, graphic design, and digital artwork.
While it’s important to note that this is a 1080p monitor—so not the best choice for 4K video editing—you won’t find a comparable 4K monitor anywhere near this price point.
As an added bonus, purchasing this monitor includes a complimentary 3-month Adobe Creative Cloud subscription. This perk gives you access to a suite of powerful tools for creative projects, adding even more value to this already impressive deal.
So go ahead and get this 24-inch Asus ProArt display for just $119 while the deal is still live.
Snatch the Asus ProArt monitor for $119 at Amazon
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| ![](/n.gif) | | PC World - 5 Jun (PC World)The PlayStation 5 is the console everybody wants and for good reason — there are tons of games to play, the experience is seamless and there are loads of features to upgrade your gaming experience. The best part is that the digital version is only $399 right now, which is the best price we’ve seen for this model.
The PS5 with a disc is also on sale right now for $449, down from $500, so if you’re often buying physical copies of your games, this is the best option for you.
Otherwise, going for the digital version means you’re spending less money while getting the same quality experience and you can just take advantage of the frequent sales on games in the PS Store.
At the heart of the PS5 is its lightning-fast SSD, which means your games install and load fast, no matter what you’re playing. This sleek console features a 1TB SSD so you can install tons of games without worrying about running out of space.
The graphics are fantastic, and the console supports 4K-TV gaming, delivering vibrant and lifelike colors with HDR technology and smooth gameplay at up to 120fps with 120Hz output on compatible games.
Is there really anything extra we can say about the PS5 that you don’t know yet? Go ahead and place your order for the $399 Digital version or the $449 disc version.
Get the PS5 Digital at Walmart for $399
Get the PS5 Digital at Best Buy for $400
Get the PS5 with Disc at Walmart for $449
Get the PS5 with Disc at Best Buy for $450
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| ![](/n.gif) | | ITBrief - 4 Jun (ITBrief)![NZ Located](/pimages/nzsmall.gif) GIGABYTE unveiled GIGABYTE AI TOP at COMPUTEX 2024, promising local AI training with a comprehensive solution of software, hardware, and support features. Read...Newslink ©2024 to ITBrief | ![](/n.gif) |
| ![](/n.gif) | | PC World - 4 Jun (PC World)Today at Computex, MSI announced a slew of new AI-ready gaming and content creation laptops. They’re powered by the latest Intel Core Ultra (codenamed “Lunar Lake”) and AMD Ryzen AI 300 processors, which are more power efficient, resulting in laptops with better battery life and thinner builds. When it comes to the war on chips, the NPUs (aka neural processing units) inside Qualcomm’s new Arm-based Snapdragon X Elite and X Plus processors have been taking the news circuit by storm, as it can deliver 45 TOPS of AI computing power. That’s impressive, but MSI’s new AI laptops, which contain both AMD and Intel processors, offer more than 100 combined TOPS of power. Pop off, sis.
Speaking of NPUs and AI features, Microsoft has been pushing its Copilot+ PCs with gusto and for good reason, too. These laptops use the NPU to bring you seamless AI experiences. Heck, they even work offline! Microsoft’s Recall feature, for example, takes snapshots of whatever you’re doing on your PC, which a locally run AI can use to answer practical, personal questions like “What is that movie Katherine from work recommended last week?” and bring you back to the item in question.
I could go on and on about AI, but I’m going to stop it right there. Let’s see what MSI’s bringing to the table this year.
Further reading: Best gaming laptops 2024: What to look for and highest-rated models
Laptops, laptops, and more laptops!
MSI
MSI
MSI
AMD offerings
AMD’s Ryzen AI 300 Series processors have new architecture, which is called XDNA 2. According to MSI, this new architecture delivers up to “three times the performance compared to previous products.” You can run generative AI or large language models directly on the laptops.
MSI Stealth A16 AI+
The MSI Stealth A16 AI+ gaming laptop is packing a lot of power in a relatively lightweight package. It features an AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 processor, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 GPU (top-tier configuration), an RGB backlit keyboard with a Copilot key, a massive 99.9 watt-hour battery, and a decent array of port selections. Connectivity options include one audio combo jack, two USB 3.2 Type-A, one USB-C, one RJ45, one HDMI, and one Kensington lock. Plus, thanks to the magnesium alloy chassis, it weighs just 4.62 pounds, which is lighter than most gaming laptops. For context, most gaming laptops tip the scales at six pounds or more.
MSI Summit A16 AI+
The MSI Summit A16 AI+ laptop is both versatile and powerful, and seems like it could be a fine choice for content creators. You can flip the screen around and use it like a tablet or prop it up like a tent for watching YouTube or sharing information with others. Inside you’ll find an AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 processor, AMD Radeon graphics, 32GB of RAM (maximum), and 1TB of SSD storage. The 16-inch 1600p display is also touch-enabled and has a 165Hz refresh rate, which should result in smooth-looking visuals.
MSI Prestige A16 AI
The MSI Prestige A16 AI laptop is near identical to the MSI Summit A16 AI+ as far as hardware goes. You’re getting an AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 processor, 32GB of RAM (maximum), AMD Radeon graphics, and 2TB of SSD storage (maximum). However, the Prestige is a little lighter at 4.18 pounds. Other features include a white backlit keyboard with a Copilot key, an 82 watt-hour battery, and a physical webcam shutter.
Intel offerings
The latest Intel Core Ultra processor (codenamed “Lunar Lake”) is capable of generating “more than 100 TOPS of AI performance,” according to MSI. When it’s paired with a laptop that has Nvidia graphics, it’s capable of offering up to 542 TOPS, apparently!
MSI Prestige 13 AI+ Evo
The MSI Prestige 13 AI+ Evo has the smallest display of the Prestige models, but it’s also the lightest at 2.20 pounds. You can easily toss this laptop in a bag and take it anywhere with you. Shoulder ache? Who is she? It also has an Intel Ultra Core processor, a 13.3-inch 2880×1800 OLED display, and a 75 watt-hour battery. Other neat features include Wi-Fi 7, two Thunderbolt 4 ports, and a white backlit keyboard with a Copilot key.
MSI Prestige 14 AI+ Evo
The MSI Prestige 14 AI+ Evo is rocking an Intel Core Ultra processor, 32GB of RAM (maximum), and a 14-inch 2880×1800 OLED display. The taller 16:10 aspect ratio makes it easier to scroll through longer web pages, too. Similar to the other versions of the Prestige, this model also comes with a white backlit keyboard as well as Wi-FI 7 and a physical privacy shutter for the webcam.
MSI Prestige 16 AI+ Evo
The MSI Prestige 16 AI+ Evo is a powerful, lightweight laptop with a big screen. It comes with an Intel Core Ultra processor, 32GB of RAM (maximum), and a 16-inch OLED display with 100 percent DCI-P3 support, which creators will especially appreciate. It also has Wi-Fi 7, a colossal 99.9 watt-hour battery, and a white backlit keyboard with the aforementioned Copilot key and 1.7mm of travel. It only weighs just 3.30 pounds, which is surprising given the giant battery and the 16-inch display.
MSI Summit 13 AI+ Evo
The MSI Summit 13 AI+ Evo is a powerful convertible laptop. It’s powered by an Intel Core Ultra processor and it has up to 32GB of RAM and 2TB of SSD storage. That’s plenty of power for office work, editing photos, everyday activities, and so much more. The 13.3-inch display is lovely, too. It has an aspect ratio of 16:10 and it covers 100 percent sRGB, which means you can expect to see a pretty colorful picture.
Special edition laptops
MSI
MSI
MSI
MSI also announced three special edition laptops, which is good news if you like luxury cars and the Capcom game Monster Hunter. It’s not my cup of tea, but the Monster Hunter edition of the MSI Crosshair 16 HX does look pretty rad with its dragon carving on the lid. Read on to learn more details.
MSI Stealth 16 Mercedes-AMG Motorsport
The MSI Stealth 16 Mercedes-AMG Motorsport (say that five times fast) is equipped with the latest Intel Core Ultra processor, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 GPU, up to 96GB (!!!) of RAM, a giant 99.9 watt-hour battery, and Wi-Fi 7. The design is kind of comical, too. The power button is meant to look like the ignition button in a car. Is it cool? I guess, if you’re into that sort of thing.
MSI Stealth 18 Mercedes-AMG Motorsport
The MSI Stealth 18 Mercedes-AMG Motorsport is the bigger sibling of the 16-inch model. You’ll find, again, the latest Intel Core Ultra processor as well as an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 GPU. This machine will basically chew through anything you toss at it. The 18-inch display has a 3840×2400 resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate, so game play should look fluid.
MSI Crosshair 16 HX (Monster Hunter edition)
The MSI Crosshair 16 HX sports an Intel Core i7 14700HX CPU and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 GPU. In other words, this laptop should have no problem whizzing through most modern games. The 16-inch 1600p display also has an ultra-fast refresh rate of 240Hz–ideal for those who play first-person-shooters or faster-paced titles in which every second counts.
Price and availability
Intel
MSI Summit E13 AI Evo: $1,299
MSI Summit E13 AI Evo: $1,499
MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo: $1,399
MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo: $1,199
AMD
MSI Stealth A16 AI+ (RTX 4070, GDDR6 8GB): $1,999
MSI Summit A16 AI+ (AMD Radeon Graphics): $1,699
MSI Prestige A16 AI+ (AMD Radeon Graphics): $1,599
No word yet on the pricing and availability of the special edition laptops, but when I get that information, I’ll be sure to update this article accordingly. MSI also didn’t confirm the availability of the laptops, so I reached out to a representative and hope to hear back soon.
Laptops Read...Newslink ©2024 to PC World | ![](/n.gif) |
| ![](/n.gif) | | PC World - 4 Jun (PC World)Intel launches Lunar Lake, its next entrant into its Core Ultra series of laptop processors, today at Computex, ushering in a new generation of AI-infused Copilot+ PCs that have been initially overshadowed by Qualcomm.
Stop us if you’ve heard this before: Intel is prioritizing low power, perhaps feeling the pressure from Qualcomm’s just-launched Snapdragon X Elite. Several tweaks to Lunar Lake’s design, however, resulted in power savings and performance boosts, including shifting all of the E-cores to a low-power architecture. The Xe2 GPU at the heart of Intel’s “Battlemage” is here. Oh, and hyperthreading? Gone.
But there’s a fairly major change that affects you, a potential laptop buyer: Intel is embedding the DRAM onto the chip package. Yes, the PC’s memory. For now, if you buy a Lunar Lake laptop, you’ll have a choice between 16GB and 32GB of DRAM, but with no option to upgrade it later.
We’re diving deep into Lunar Lake in this story, so feel free to jump ahead to the section you’re interested in. We’d expect Intel to eventually market Lunar Lake as the Intel Core Ultra Series 2, the unofficial 15th-gen Core chip.
Intel’s Lunar Lake chip.
Intel’s Lunar Lake chip.Intel
Intel’s Lunar Lake chip.Intel
Intel
Lunar Lake: Made in Taiwan?
First, let’s be clear: Though Intel announced Lunar Lake at Computex, this isn’t a product yet. Intel is working with early production steppings, but Lunar Lake (and presumably laptops) won’t ship until sometime in the third quarter.
IFA, the Berlin trade show that begins Sept. 6, is the projected launch venue, sources at notebooks vendors say. Arrow Lake, the next iteration of Intel’s desktop processors (and possibly mobile chips for gaming laptops), are also due this year and could launch around IFA, too.
Intel
Intel
Intel
While Intel’s Meteor Lake was a relatively complex chip with multiple tiles, Lunar Lake is a simpler design. While there are four tiles, only two matter: there is a compute tile (fabricated on TSMC’s 3nm-class N3B process) and the platform controller tile (on TSMC N6, an older 7 nm process). There is also a “filler” tile, a structural “blank” piece of silicon that’s just there to fill out the remainder of the chip and avoid it bending. It’s all mounted over a passive interposer, the “base” tile, which provides interconnections between the chips.
That’s a significant change: Intel had always targeted Lunar Lake as the first of the “angstrom” generation, fabricated on its 18A process. Meteor Lake was the first time that Intel mixed and matched tiles from its own fabs as well as TSMC. The key there, though, was that the compute tile was manufactured on Intel’s Intel 4 process, as it originally promised. With Lunar Lake, only the base tile is manufactured at Intel, according to executives, though Intel handles the assembly.
“You’ve probably heard my boss Pat [Gelsinger, Intel’s CEO] talk a little bit about 18A and we’re on track to fully utilize this process,” said Michelle Johnston Holthaus, executive vice president and general manager of the Client Computing Group at Intel. “We’re going to market on B0 silicon and we’re on track to be in production in [the third quarter] of this year.”
Following Apple: On-package memory
When you buy a laptop, a PC maker will install memory: sometimes soldered on, sometimes with slots that allow more memory to be added in the future. Now, Lunar Lake puts that memory within the chip package itself.
Apple has most recently been known for adding on-package memory with its M3-based Macs (with up to 128GB of unified memory) and the M4-based iPad, which follows suit. Now Intel is joining the crowd. Lunar Lake will mount 16GB and 32GB of LPDDR5X memory (with up to 8.5 gigatransfers per chip in two ranks), saving up to 250 sq. mm on the motherboard.
“I said, how do we build the best thin-and-light PC, and memory on package with our customers was by far the desired first step,” said Jim Johnson, senior vice president of the Client Computing Group and general manager of the Client Business Group at Intel, in an interview.
Intel
Intel
Intel
“The technical part is that we want to have an exquisite notebook that will take on ecosystem competitors,” Johnson added. “And that’s what we built. And we think 16[GB] and 32[GB] is the right matchup and yes, it’s not upgradable beyond that, but this is the cornerstone of our architecture moving forward and we will offer those options in the future.”
If you don’t like the idea of not being able to upgrade your memory, or if you want more memory configurations, it sounds like they might be coming. “I would just say that the next turn of the roadmaps are going to offer more traditional options,” Johnson said, which other Intel executives said referred to Lunar Lake’s successor, Panther Lake.
Low-power DDR DRAM needs to be soldered as close to the CPU as possible, so Intel’s decision makes sense — if weren’t for the recent introduction of LPCAMM2, an upgradable module which actually allows you to replace the memory, too.
Lunar Lake e-core are all low power now
Intel’s Lunar Lake makes two major changes to the CPU designs that you’re familiar with. First, what’s known as the “Skymont” efficiency core no longer has the low-power E-core that its predecessor, Meteor Lake, shipped with — all of the Skymont E-cores are essentially low-power E-cores, period.
But there’s a bigger twist: hyperthreading has been completely disabled across the board. All cores simply have a single thread associated with them for performance reasons. Even the performance cores, known as “Lion Cove,” are single-threaded. More on that later.
Intel’s Skymont E-cores offer substantive performance and power gains over Meteor Lake, Intel says.
Intel’s Skymont E-cores offer substantive performance and power gains over Meteor Lake, Intel says.Intel
Intel’s Skymont E-cores offer substantive performance and power gains over Meteor Lake, Intel says.Intel
Intel
Lunar Lake has four E-cores and four P-cores. Stephen Robinson, an Intel fellow and the lead architect for the new Skymont E-core, explained that at least for this generation, the E-cores should be thought of as a “brick,” which implies that Lunar Lake products will have blocks of four E-cores each — so a Lunar Lake chip with six E-cores sounds highly unlikely.
Lunar Lake’s E-core has a number of substantial architectural enhancements — wider machine decoding and out-of-order engines, a 4MB level-2 cache shared among all four cores — but the improved performance is startling.
Lunar Lake’s E-cores make the now-familiar tradeoff: they can either be run at lower power or at substantially higher performance for the same power. Here, the low-power cores can either be run at one-third the power of Meteor Lake’s E-cores, or else offer a substantial 1.7X performance improvement.
Intel is even claiming that its E-cores outperform the 13th-gen Core’s performance CPU, Raptor Cove.
Intel is even claiming that its E-cores outperform the 13th-gen Core’s performance CPU, Raptor Cove.Intel
Intel is even claiming that its E-cores outperform the 13th-gen Core’s performance CPU, Raptor Cove.Intel
Intel
At peak load, Lunar Lake’s E-core performance is basically double that of Meteor Lake, Robinson said. In multithreaded performance (where the four E-cores in Lunar Lake double the two low-power E-cores in Meteor Lake) multithreaded performance reaches 2.9X or 4X at peak clock speeds.
If put in a desktop compute tile, the Skymont E-cores actually outperform Raptor Cove, the 13th-gen Core CPU tile by about 2 percent in both fixed-point and floating-point operations, with some variation. Lunar Lake is not a desktop architecture. Instead, that’s a tip that may point to how the next-gen Intel desktop chip, Arrow Lake, performs.
Intel is not saying how fast that Lunar Lake will be clocked, unfortunately. For now, it’s just talking about the design of the chip itself.
Intel Thread Director gives Windows more control
Intel’s Thread Director has thankfully been simplified within Lunar Lake, too. Thread Director interacts with the Windows operating system, determining where and when to send tasks on to which cores. On Lunar Lake, it’s simple: tasks are assigned to the E-cores first. If they’re full or the workload exceeds their capabilities, then they’re routed to the P-cores.
As you might expect, there is a wrinkle: the creation of “OS containment zones.” Users have been asking for years for controls to specify playing a game, for example, on all of the chip’s P-cores. It’s not quite clear whether users will be granted this sort of specificity, but the OS will. For example, Microsoft Teams has been granted an OS containment zone so that the app will run only on the E-cores, and won’t touch a P-core, according to a presentation by Rajshree Chabukswar, an Intel fellow.
As a result, Teams power was cut by 35 percent, Chabukswar said.
Lunar Lake’s P-cores kill hyperthreading
The performance core within Lunar Lake, Lion Cove, is 14 percent faster than the P-core within Meteor Lake, known as Redwood Cove. And that’s with a huge change: Intel has turned off hyperthreading across Lunar Lake. Yes, hyperthreading, the SMT technology that’s been a staple of Intel’s chips for about twenty years.
Intel is making the case that hyperthreading is just too expensive in terms of power and cost.
Intel is making the case that hyperthreading is just too expensive in terms of power and cost.Intel
Intel is making the case that hyperthreading is just too expensive in terms of power and cost.Intel
Intel
So why get rid of hyperthreading? According to Ori Lempel, the senior principal engineer of Intel’s P-Core, Intel’s goals were to optimize single-threaded performance, with an eye toward maximizing the performance per watt per area on the chip — low performance per watt costs battery life, and low performance per area essentially costs Intel money in manufacturing costs.
Hyperthreading does make sense for performance parts and datacenters, Lempel noted. But it requires physical space for the hyperthreading logic and the associated silicon. But in thin-and-light laptops, the target for Lunar Lake, Intel engineers discovered that they achieved 15 percent more performance per watt and 10 percent more performance per area with hyperthreading turned off than a hyperthreading-enabled processor.
Intel’s Lion Cove, and its relative performance.
Intel’s Lion Cove, and its relative performance.Intel
Intel’s Lion Cove, and its relative performance.Intel
Intel
There are two other key changes in the P-Core. First, if a Lunar Lake needs to add or subtract performance, it will do so more gradually. Intel processors currently increase and decrease in 100MHz increments; Lunar Lake will step up and step down at 16.67MHz intervals. Second, Intel has added a small “AI” controller, which will monitor and watch the system in real time. The idea is that Lunar Lake systems will make small, incremental adjustments to power and speed, maximizing performance and battery life for users.
From a security standpoint, Intel has added a “partner security engine” to the Intel silicon security engine and the Intel graphics security controller. That partner security engine is Pluton, the Microsoft-AMD security engine that has successfully protected the Xbox.
It’s time for Xe2 to debut
Intel has steadily increased the performance of its integrated GPU in successive generations, but Lunar Lake marks a sharp leap: this is the debut of the Xe2 graphics architecture. Tom Petersen, an Intel fellow, confirmed that Xe2 is inside Lunar Lake, and this is the same architecture that will debut later in a discrete GPU for desktops, code-named “Battlemage.”
intel’s Xe2 architecture: Lunar Lake on the left, Battlemage on the right.
intel’s Xe2 architecture: Lunar Lake on the left, Battlemage on the right.Intel
intel’s Xe2 architecture: Lunar Lake on the left, Battlemage on the right.Intel
Intel
Again, Intel isn’t talking specifics, including Xe2’s clock speeds, memory, or details of the Lunar Lake implementation. But Intel provided a more general overview of how Lunar Lake’s Xe2 implementation compares to the integrated GPU within Meteor Lake.
Petersen described the Xe2 architecture as “more compatible with games and with a higher utilization.”
Intel isn’t providing actual performance numbers yet, but it providing some comparisons to the first-gen architecture.
Intel isn’t providing actual performance numbers yet, but it providing some comparisons to the first-gen architecture.Intel
Intel isn’t providing actual performance numbers yet, but it providing some comparisons to the first-gen architecture.Intel
Intel
Intel’s Xe2 core has been redesigned, with eight 512-bit vector engines accompanied by eight 2048-bit Xe Matrix Extension (XMX) engines capable of 2,048 FP16 operations per clock and 4,096 8-bit integer operations per clock — both tools that can be used for traditional graphics as well as AI. There’s an improved ray tracing unit, too.
In Lunar Lake, Intel has set up the GPU to offer eight Xe cores, with 64 vector engines and two geometry pipelines. All told, Intel believes it will offer 1.5X the performance of the previous generation, at the same power.
Here’s how Intel’s Xe2 will be configured within Lunar Lake.
Here’s how Intel’s Xe2 will be configured within Lunar Lake.Intel
Here’s how Intel’s Xe2 will be configured within Lunar Lake.Intel
Intel
“I don’t think I’m allowed to tell you the performance at higher power,” Petersen added.
The Lunar Lake display engine will offer 3 display pipes, with HDMI 2.1 (up to 8K60 HDR 10-bit), DisplayPort 2.1 (three 4K60 displays) and a new eDP 1.5 connection, which will allow for 360Hz 1440p displays for gaming.
Intel also has a technology called “panel replay,” which is an evolution of how the display panel can self-refresh. Adaptive sync displays adjust the panel’s frame rate to match the content coming in, eliminating judder or screen tearing. Panel replay does something similar. The example shown was a movie, where the panel has to self-adjust its timing to account for the 24fps movies are broadcast in, as opposed to the native 60Hz (or higher) of the panel.
What panel replay does is understand that certain frames may need to be repeated. If this happens, though, the display engine can turn off the CPU cores and in some cases the memory when they aren’t needed. The GPU just queues the needed frames in place.
There’s also something new in the video codec front. While Lunar Lake performs coding and decoding of the AV1 video codec, it has added decoding support for VVC (H.266), an advanced video codec. AV1 shrinks file size by about 40 percent compared to the older HEVC file format, and VVC file sizes will be about 90 percent of a AV1 file, Petersen said. However, VVC’s file complexity is substantially more.
Lunar Lake’s NPU: It’s finally time for Copilot
Naturally, a key focus for Lunar Lake is AI, which features a significantly improved “NPU 4” core.
We live at a weird intersection of AI capabilities, which Lunar Lake lands in. Most people have only used AI in the cloud, through Windows Copilot, Google’s AI Overviews, ChatGPT, or some other service. Chipmakers would love for you to use local AI, and Copilot+ PCs with native AI capabilities will start shipping later this month — but only initially with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite chips inside.
Intel is making the case that whatever the platform — CPU, NPU, or GPU — it can deliver.
Intel is making the case that whatever the platform — CPU, NPU, or GPU — it can deliver.Intel
Intel is making the case that whatever the platform — CPU, NPU, or GPU — it can deliver.Intel
Intel
Customers who bought into Intel’s initial vision of an AI PC may feel a little jilted; current Meteor Lake laptops only generated 11.5 TOPS from the NPU, significantly under the 40 TOPS that Microsoft’s Copilot+ program requires. The new “NPU 4” inside Lunar Lake produces 48 TOPS all by itself. That means Lunar Lake PCs will be Copilot+ capable, when they ship. Meteor Lake AI PCs are not.
Further reading: Microsoft’s Copilot+ PC push leaves existing ‘AI PCs’ behind
What’s new? Meteor Lake had a pair of inference pipelines in the NPU. Lunar Lake has six, each of which triples the amount of multiply-accumulate (MAC) engines that are fundamental to AI processing. That basically works out to double the performance in the same power envelope. AI processing is essentially a ton of specific matrix and vector mathematics, and Intel has begun adding in specialized blocks. What it calls the SHAVE DSP is one vector engine, which provides 12 times the vector performance. Basically, Intel is saying that SHAVE will boost the performance of LLMs, or AI chatbots, running locally on your PC.
Intel believes that Lunar Lake offers a potent combination of AI capabilities, with 120 TOPS spread over the CPU (5 TOPS), GPU (67 TOPS), and NPU (48 TOPS). But that unfortunately ignores the broader point: most applications pick one chip, and don’t use all three at once.
Not all, though. In a demo, Intel showed how running 20 iterations of Stable Diffusion could be achieved in about a quarter of the time of Meteor Lake, and at lower power, too, using the NPU and GPU in concert.
Intel NPU4 on Lunar Lake in action.,
Intel NPU4 on Lunar Lake in action.,Intel
Intel NPU4 on Lunar Lake in action.,Intel
Intel
Lunar Lake’s communications technology: using Wi-Fi as a sensor and more
Surprisingly, Lunar Lake will not be the debut platform of Thunderbolt 5, as you might have expected. But it will integrate Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4, and provide an enhanced multi-link single-radio (eMLSR) technology that should improve throughput by hopping back and forth between wireless channels. And there’s a wild new technology, called Wi-Fi Sensing, that uses a Wi-Fi radio as essentially a type of radar.
According to Carlos Cordeiro, an Intel fellow the wireless CTO of Intel’s Client Computing Group, Intel is strongly encouraging laptop makers to cluster all of the Thunderbolt ports on one side of a laptop, stop mixing and matching Thunderbolt and USB-C ports, and properly label all Thunderbolt ports — all things that should have happened long ago. (Lunar Lake will also support three Thunderbolt ports, up from two, and the Thunderbolt Share sneakernet will be featured.) Cordeiro indicated that Thunderbolt 5 will be in Intel silicon later this year, which likely means Arrow Lake.
Interestingly, you will see higher throughput with Thunderbolt 5. Thunderbolt 5 SSDs will actually deliver 25 percent more performance on a Lunar Lake PC with a Thunderbolt 4 port, Cordeiro said.
Wi-Fi 7 was in Meteor Lake, too, but now it’s been more fully integrated, saving power. Intel built in a small 11Gbps interface between the Lunar Lake platform controller tile as well as the wireless, future-proofing the connection.
Though the Intel WiFi radio can talk on the three bands — 2.4GHz, 5GHz, and 6GHz — those bands can still become congested, slowing data throughput. Intel built a technology called enhanced multi-link single operation to solve that problem. Essentially, eMLSO concentrates on a single frequency, but periodically listens to others, especially if the frequency becomes congested. The technology will then shift the radio’s communication over to the uncongested frequency.
And did you know that DDR memory itself can cause Wi-Fi interference? Intel uses a technology called RF Interference Mitigation to dynamically adjust the clock frequency of the memory to prevent interference.
Intel can adjust the frequency of its DDR memory to avoid interference with your laptop’s WiFi radio.
Intel can adjust the frequency of its DDR memory to avoid interference with your laptop’s WiFi radio.Intel
Intel can adjust the frequency of its DDR memory to avoid interference with your laptop’s WiFi radio.Intel
Intel
WiFi Sensing uses both antennas, one broadcasting and one receiving. The laptop essentially broadcasts radio data out, then uses the other antenna to “listen” for a bounce off various objects — specifically you. If the WiFi Sensing technology detects you’re walking away, it locks your computer and shuts off the display. If you then approach, it wakes the displays (but doesn’t unlock the computer.)
“You can be a kid, a big person — that’s the other type of magic,” Cordeiro said. “We can retrain the model so that we know the size of the person that’s approaching.”
It’s a little scary! Intel has bigger plans for Wi-Fi Sensing, though it’s unclear whether they’ll come to market. “Future PCs will be able to detect user movements and gestures, monitor heartbeat and breathing rate, whether accessories are to the left or right, how many there are, etc.,” Intel said.
Intel’s Unison is getting beefed up, too, with tablet control, a quick connect to phones that don’t have access to Unison, and a universal hotspot. The latter functionality is already in Windows, so it’s unclear what Unison will deliver.
Intel
Intel
Intel
Finally, Lunar Lake can run Bluetooth over PCIe, which Cordeiro said will save time accessing the Bluetooth device.
In all, Lunar Lake is yet another substantive rewriting of the mobile PC processor. But with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite and AMD’s Ryzen AI 300 waiting in the wings, can it maintain its traditional laptop leadership? We’ll see.
CPUs and Processors, Laptops Read...Newslink ©2024 to PC World | ![](/n.gif) |
| ![](/n.gif) | | ITBrief - 4 Jun (ITBrief)![NZ Located](/pimages/nzsmall.gif) Progress rolls out the R2 2024 update for Telerik and Kendo UI, introducing AI prompts, improved design-to-code tools, new UI components, and enhanced accessibility features. Read...Newslink ©2024 to ITBrief | ![](/n.gif) |
| ![](/n.gif) | | ITBrief - 4 Jun (ITBrief)![NZ Located](/pimages/nzsmall.gif) IFS launches IFS Cloud 24R1, enhancing operational effectiveness, profitability, and sustainability for asset and service-focused firms with advanced AI features. Read...Newslink ©2024 to ITBrief | ![](/n.gif) |
| ![](/n.gif) | | ITBrief - 4 Jun (ITBrief)![NZ Located](/pimages/nzsmall.gif) Aspen Technology has launched V14.3 of its aspenONE portfolio, featuring Industrial AI and enhanced data integration to optimise operations and sustainability for asset-intensive industries. Read...Newslink ©2024 to ITBrief | ![](/n.gif) |
| ![](/n.gif) | | PC World - 4 Jun (PC World)Before PC users can enjoy everything Windows 11 has on tap, they must first enter an e-mail address that’s linked to a Microsoft account. If you don’t have one, you’ll be asked to create one before you can start setting it up.
A frequently used trick to circumvent this block is a small but ingenious step. By entering a random e-mail address and password, which doesn’t exist and causes the link to fail, you end up directly with the creation of a local account and can thus avoid creating an official account with Microsoft.
Get windows 11 pro for cheap
Windows 11 Pro
Many users prefer this method, as a local account promises more control over their own data and more privacy. However, without a Microsoft account, some useful functions are also lost such as account backup or special features for apps like Copilot.
This common method no longer seems to work, as Microsoft has apparently patched this bug. Instead of skipping the account link, you’re led into a kind of continuous loop that doesn’t end until you have entered the correct email address.
It looks like Microsoft has blocked the bypass that allowed you to create a local account during Windows 11 setup by typing in a blocked email address. Now it just loops you back to typing in a different account ð?? pic.twitter.com/mKnHToLLQV— Zac Bowden (@zacbowden) June 3, 2024
Previously, it was possible to cut the Internet connection in the Task Manager before creating an account. Microsoft has since removed this workaround. As a result, many people who previously used this method are now forced to enter a working Microsoft account email address and password or use other methods.
Bypassing Microsoft account restrictions
Another method of bypassing the account lockdown still exists. You simply have to enter OOBE\BYPASSNRO in the command prompt during the Windows 11 setup process, which allows you to skip the connection to the Internet and thus also the link to a Microsoft account.
However, it’s questionable how long this option will remain available. It seems that Microsoft is aiming to make the use of Windows 11 dependent on a Microsoft account. In combination with the increased calls for Windows users to finally switch to Windows 11, this appears to be a controversial combination.
This article originally appeared on PC Welt and has been translated from German to English.
Windows Read...Newslink ©2024 to PC World | ![](/n.gif) |
| ![](/n.gif) | | PC World - 4 Jun (PC World)Now that wireless gaming mice are just as fast and feature packed as their wired counterparts, going wireless can be a smart move, giving you greater flexibility as a gamer. But before you cut loose and buy one, it’s worth noting they’re not all alike. You’ll still need to consider factors like weight, dots per inch (DPI), and battery life which can be telling factors in how your gaming mouse performs and ultimately how you will perform in games.
Our expert reviewers have put these mice through their paces, testing them across a range of scenarios, and over extended periods of time — you can find out all about our extensive testing process in the article “How we test gaming mice at PCWorld.”
Below are the results of that effort. While these are the current best wireless gaming mice available, for a no holds barred list, including both wired and wireless models, be sure to check out PCWorld’s all-inclusive selection of the best gaming mice.
Why you should trust us: We aren’t just tech enthusiasts we’re also keen gamers and we’re always on the lookout for better gaming gear to get an edge in our favorite games. We know that we’re adding our expertise to a large body of PCWorld product news and reviews that goes back 40 years — that’s credibility we’ve built up over four decades. Consequently, we want to tell you exactly what we find in a product — the good, the bad and the in-between.
Updated May 28, 2024 to add the Keychron M3 mini 4K Metal Editon. This mouse is compact, so ideal for gamers with small-to-medium sized hands. It also benefits from an ultralight weight and a quick 4K wireless polling rate. The M3 mini 4K Metal Editon is also very tough thanks to its chassis which is made from magnesium.
Razer Cobra Pro – Best wireless gaming mouse overall
Pros
Its Razer Focus Pro 30K sensor is superb
Dedicated DPI up/down buttons makes switching DPI on the fly easy
Having all 11 zones of RGB is brilliant
Cons
The dimensions won`t suit large hands
Buying the Cobra Pro with a Hyper polling dongle costs extra
It`s a little heavier than its stablemate the Razer DeathAdder V3 Pro
Best Prices Today:
$116.90 at Amazon$129.99 at Best Buy
What I like about the Razer Cobra Pro
While some mice have fantastic sensors but fall short in the connectivity department, the Razer Cobra Pro seemingly has it all. It sports both a very high-resolution 30,000 DPI sensor as well as dual wireless connectivity. Not only is its 30K Razer Focus Pro sensor exceptionally smooth and accurate it also allows me to set my preferred lift-off distance from a total of up to 26 granular settings—that’s 23 more than most mice with this functionality.
There’s little to fault about the Cobra Pro’s design either—it’s symmetrical and feels balanced and I also get the benefit of dedicated DPI up/down buttons, which is a rare luxury in pro-grade mice. This allows me to change DPI settings on the fly so I can get the drop on opponents in an instant. To top all that off, the Razer Cobra Pro looks fantastic thanks to 11 programmable RGB lighting zones.
Who should buy the Razer Cobra Pro
Serious gamers looking for a do-it-all mouse with some of the best specs you can currently get. I’d also strongly recommend this mouse to gamers that tend to lift their mouse and want to have precise control over their mouse’s tracking when they do.
Read our full
Razer Cobra Pro review
Logitech G502 Lightspeed – Best overall runner-up
Pros
Very comfortable design
Weighs less than the wired version
Compatible with Powerplay wireless charging mouse pad
Cons
Scroll wheel feels less substantial
Weight customization is hampered by Powerplay
Expensive
Best Prices Today:
$91.33 at Amazon$149.99 at Logitech
What I like about the Logitech G502 Lightspeed
The Logitech G502 Hero was a hit with PCWorld reviewers before it went wireless because of its comfortable design, well-thought-out button layout and convenient dual-mode scroll. Thankfully all these features return in the update, but the G502 now has Powerplay compatibility — a feature we can’t speak of highly enough.
The Powerplay system trickle-charges the mouse as you play, freeing you from having to charge it manually, and ensuring you’re never without power (read more about Logitech’s Powerplay Wireless Charging System.) The redesigned wireless G502 also sports a new rubber-coated wheel instead of the metal one we saw in the wired version. This change reduces its weight down to just over 4 ounces (114 grams), making it the lightest version you can get.
This mouse’s 11-button selection places it in-between mice like the 18-button SteelSeries Aerox 9 and the smaller 6-button HyperX Pulsefire Haste, which makes it ideal as a do-it-all mouse that doesn’t shirk on functionality but won’t overwhelm you with having to remember too many commands.
Who should buy the Logitech G502 Lightspeed
Players looking for more customizable buttons than a standard six- or five-button FPS gaming mouse can provide, so ideally gamers who like to play games in different genres.
Read our full
G502 Lightspeed review
Keychron M3 mini 4K Metal Edition – Best value for money
Pros
An excellent sensor that syncs movements precisely
4K polling rate
Strong and lightweight metal chassis
Cons
Perforated back won`t suit claw grippers
Smaller size isn`t great for large hands
Battery life isn`t great in 4K polling mode
Why I like the Keychron M3 mini 4K Metal Edition
It’s lightweight, weighing just 2.25 ounces (64 grams), yet it’s made of a robust magnesium that’s built to last and also shimmers beautifully under the light. The mouse’s sensor is extremely well honed for very quick tracking in games — it has a sensitivity of 26,000 DPI and supports up to 4K wireless polling via its 4K receiver. This 4K Metal Edition also won’t break the bank; yes, it costs $99, but compared to rivals with similar specs that’s a whole $50 less.
Who should buy the Keychron M3 mini 4K Metal Edition
Esports players or serious gamers who want to track opponents at a blisteringly quick 4K in wireless mode should buy this mouse. One caveat is that its chassis is quite compact, so it’ll best suit players with small-to-medium sized hands.
Read our full
Keychron M3 mini 4K Metal Edition review
HyperX Pulsefire Haste 2 Wireless – Best value for money runner-up
Pros
The solid top back is comfortable and stylish
Its 26,000 DPI sensor can target at lightning speeds
Bluetooth functionality makes it one of the most versatile esports mice
Cons
The compact buttons can feel a bit cramped at times
There`s just the one RGB zone to play with
It`s more expensive than its predecessor
Best Prices Today:
$79.99 at Amazon$89.99 at HyperX
Why I like the HyperX Pulsefire Haste 2 Wireless
Shipping for $89.99 the HyperX Pulsefire Haste 2 Wireless isn’t so much a cheap mouse as it is an excellent value-for-money proposition. By that I mean you’d be very hard pressed to find an esports mouse that weighs just 2.15 ounces (61 grams), with a 26,000 DPI sensor, dual wireless functionality, RGB lighting, and a compact symmetrical shape for this price. But beyond that, the Haste 2 Wireless is just a stellar performer that will handle even the fastest FPS action with ease.
In regard to its sizing, it’s quite a versatile mouse, easily fitting small to large hands. Although, medium-sized hands will undoubtedly feel the most comfortable on its moderate-sized body.
Who should buy the HyperX Pulsefire Haste 2 Wireless
Players on a budget who want a lightning-quick mouse with pointer-like precision for FPS games or general-purpose gaming. The DPI switcher button on top also makes it a great option for players who like to switch DPI on the fly.
Read our full
HyperX Pulsefire Haste 2 Wireless review
Razer Naga V2 Pro – Best wireless gaming mouse for MMO / MOBA games
Pros
The Swappable button plates let you tailor your button setup to your game`s command load
The sensor is very accurate and without a hint of lag
There`s tons of comfort and the build quality is excellent
Cons
The Razer Gen 3 Optical Switches are a little stiff at first and need wearing in
It weighs 134 grams which is quite heavy even for an MMO mouse
It`s currently very expensive
Best Prices Today:
$179.99 at Amazon$179.99 at Best Buy$179.99 at Razer
Why I like the Razer Naga V2 Pro
The Razer Naga V2 Pro follows in the footsteps of the Razer Naga Trinity, featuring magnetic swappable side-button plates that let you customize your button setup to match your gameplay. The side-button plates include a 12-, 6-, and 2-button option. It’s also stacked with upgrades such as a sporty 30,000 DPI pro-grade Optical Sensor, wireless connectivity, and Razer Gen 3 Optical Switches for lighting-fast button responses.
Admittedly, at 4.72 ounces (134 grams) the Razer Naga V2 Pro does weigh a lot even for an MMO mouse. But in my playtesting, I found the weightiness provided a nice authenticity to weapons play that I scarcely ever get from wireless gaming mice. At its current price of $180 USD, it’s not cheap. But considering how well it performed for me, it’s unlikely you will regret shelling out for such a capable mouse.
Who should buy the Razer Naga V2 Pro
The Razer Naga V2 Pro is perfect for gamers needing lots of buttons for MOBA and MMO games. With the mouse’s 12-button plate attached you get a maximum of 22 programable commands, which is just ideal for letting fly spells and other commands in games like WoW.
Read our full
Razer Naga V2 Pro review
SteelSeries Aerox 9 – Best for MMO / MOBA games runner-up
Pros
18 easily programmable buttons
Weighs only 89 grams
Dual Bluetooth 5.0 and 2.4GHz wireless
Cons
Some buttons on the side grid are hard to reach
Best Prices Today:
$137.99 at Amazon$137.99 at Best Buy
Why I like the SteelSeries Aerox 9
SteelSeries Aerox 9 is a rare find among wireless gaming mice in that it packs a whopping 18 programmable buttons but weighs just 3.13 ounces (89 grams). I also like the Aerox 9 for its fast 18,000 CPI sensor and dual Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity that I found super convenient for switching between laptops in an instant.
With an open-top honey-comb design and internal RGB lighting, the Aerox 9 sports a slick, futuristic look that won’t go unnoticed in any group gaming session. It also has the added benefit of being extremely comfortable on hot days, circulating plenty of cool air for your hand.
Although punctuated by a multitude of holes, this mouse is also very sturdy: The top mesh didn’t show any give during my most frantic gameplay. According to SteelSeries, the mouse’s internal hardware is protected against dust and spillage by an IP54-rated Aquabarrier, which is reassuring for gamers like me who like to keep hot beverages close at hand.
Who should buy the SteelSeries Aerox 9
The SteelSereis Aerox 9 is an excellent option if you like to tinker with commands and macros in MOBA and MMO games but don’t want to compromise on speed using a heavier gaming mouse.
Read our full
SteelSeries Aerox 9 Wireless review
Corsair M75 Air Wireless – Best ambidextrous grip
Pros
Its narrow high-backed design enables superior control
The 26K Optical Sensor is quick and reliable
Up to a quick 2000Hz / 0.5ms default polling rate
Cons
One button for Bluetooth and Wi-Fi can be confusing
There`s just one on-board memory profile
No DPI switcher button
Best Prices Today:
$69.99 at Amazon
Why I like the Corsair M75 Air Wireless
Corsair’s M75 Air is a FPS performance dynamo just based on how smooth and precise its 26K Optical Sensor was in my playtesting, but it also felt really comfortable too. It boasts a symmetrical chassis with a high back and narrow front that allows it to work equally as well with all the major grip types. The mouse’s five-button configuration sports two buttons on the left-hand side that are very low-set, which along with its symmetrical body, means it’s a great mouse for switching hands with.
With no DPI button, the M75 Air doesn’t give you the option of switching DPIs on the fly. But it does have a not-so-vanilla 2,000Hz default polling rate, which I was super happy with, since it’s an improvement on the default 1,000Hz sensor reporting rate I often get in FPS mice. Thanks to extremely well-placed horseshoe shaped PTFE feet, this mouse also glides over a mouse mat or tabletop like a dream.
Who should buy the Corsair M75 Air Wireless
The Corsair M75 Air Wireless is the epitome of minimalism in an FPS mouse. Its perfect symmetry, high 2,000Hz polling rate and high-back, narrow front design works well with all the major grip types. If you like to switch grip types or hands and like the most precise control over your movements you can get, then the Corsair M75 Air is the best mouse you can buy.
Read our full
Corsair M75 Air Wireless review
Razer DeathAdder V3 Pro – Best pro-grade wireless gaming mouse
Pros
Ultra light and quick off the mark
Perfectly chiseled to the contours of your hand
The 30,000 DPI sensor is very impressive
Cons
It`ll cost you extra to upgrade to 4000Hz hyper polling
Has fewer buttons than its predecessor
DPI button is located on the underside
Best Prices Today:
$131 at Amazon$149.99 at Razer
Why I like the Razer DeathAdder V3 Pro
The Razer DeathAdder V3 Pro has everything you need to perform at your best in quick, competitive matches, including a comfortable ultra-lightweight 2.22-ounce (63 grams) design that’s perfectly chiseled to the contours of your hand, a flawless 30,000 DPI optical sensor, and very quick Razer Gen 3 Optical Switches in the buttons, which incidentally are some of the quickest I’ve used.
Better still, the V3 Pro incorporates a few sweetener technologies that can provide big performance boosts if you’re willing to take the time to apply them. Two of these are, Asymmetric Cut-off distance, and hyper polling. The former lets you set a very precise landing distance up to 26 granular levels of adjustment — that’s 23 levels more than what you get in some pro-grade gaming mice. The latter, ramps up the V3’s default 1,000Hz polling rate to a lightning-quick 4,000Hz, although you will need to shell out an extra $29.99 for a HyperPolling dongle for the privilege.
And therein lies the biggest drawback with the V3 Pro — its cost. It’s currently wearing a $150 USD price tag which makes it quite an investment. Still, if you’re looking for the very best performance you can get, it’s totally worth it.
Who should buy the Razer DeathAdder V3 Pro
When I’m talking the absolute best of the best esports mice that money can buy, there’s only a few mice that come to mind, and the Razer DeathAdder V3 Pro is one of them. Yes, it’s expensive but if you’re a pro gamer or just seriously into your competitive FPS games, you won’t regret buying this mouse.
Read our full
Razer DeathAdder V3 Pro review
Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2 – Best pro-grade wireless gaming mouse runner-up
Pros
Symmetrical body provides nice accuracy
Ultra lightweight – it weighs over just 2 ounces
Quick and accurate 32,000 DPI sensor
Cons
The mouse wheel feels a bit flimsy
No Bluetooth connectivity
It`s expensive
Best Prices Today:
$135 at Amazon
Why I like the Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2
The Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2 is the successor to one of the most favored mice by big-name esports athletes. Consequently, it sports some kick-ass functionality. A premium-level, very accurate 32,000 DPI sensor, and a lightweight symmetrical body are its best assets, that make it a cinch to move and aim. It also comes in a range of stylish colors.
The mouse’s high back is also as comfortable as they come, it presses into your palm providing lots of support for long gaming sessions, where you just want to immerse yourself in your gaming and not have to worry about how your wrist or arm feels. If quick jerky firefights in FPS games are your jam, search no more — this mouse is just what you need.
Read our full Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2 review
Who should buy the Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2
The Superlight 2 is another big-name mouse perfect for esports and competitive gamers. The fact that it keeps appearing as the mouse of choice for esports athletes says it all. If that’s your jam, then you need this mouse.
If you want to size up every FPS option before you buy, two other excellent FPS gaming mice we recommend are the Logitech G Pro X Superlight and the ROG Harpe Ace Aim Lab Edition.
Roccat Burst Pro Air – Best RGB lighting
Pros
Owl-Eye sensor is very precise and quick
You won`t find a mouse with more stunning RGB lighting
Dual wireless as well as wired connectivity
Cons
81-gram weight can feel heavy if you`re used to a lighter mouse
Mouse wheel lacks left and right lateral clicks
Pricey compared to some rivals
Best Prices Today:
$49.99 at Amazon$69.99 at Best Buy79.99 at ROCCAT
Why I like the Roccat Burst Pro Air
While some gaming mice only have limited RGB lighting around their buttons or periphery, the Roccat Burst Pro goes all out with four dedicated programmable RGB lighting zones that light up the whole mouse like a firecracker. Suffice to say, with 16.8 million color options in Roccat’s Swarm software app to play with, you can get some dazzling lighting effects on this mouse.
But while the Pro Air is genuinely stunning to look at, it’s equally as proficient in games, thanks to its comfortable eight-button configuration, powerful 19,000 DPI Owl-Eye optical sensor, and low-latency switches, which have a 100-million-click durability rating.
The Pro Air is also an extremely versatile mouse, thanks to its multiple connectivity options, which include a low-latency 2.4GHz Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.2, and a USB-A to USB-C cable for wired connectivity.
Who should buy the Roccat Burst Pro Air
This is a great choice for gamers who like to really make a visual impact in their gaming dens. What you see in my photo is just one example of the dazzling affects you can get with this mouse, the sky’s the limit really!
Read our full
ROCCAT Burst Pro Air review
Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Mouse – Most versatile esports mouse
Pros
4KHz wireless polling rate
The buttons are soft and have a quick debounce
The Alienware styling looks awesome
One of the most precise mouse wheels I`ve used
Weighs just over 2 ounces
Cons
The back could do with more height
There`s no RGB lighting
It`s quite large so won`t suit everyone
Best Prices Today:
$149.99 at Amazon
Why I like the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Mouse
Gaming mice manufacturers are gradually releasing their premium-grade esports mice to include 4KHz polling rates, a reporting rate so quick that previously only tethered mice had it. The Alienware Pro Wireless isn’t the first to have this functionality, but it is one of the first to make it a feature right out of the box, without you needing to pay for an additional hyper-polling dongle.
That functionality alone means you’re going to get the quickest wireless reporting rate for aiming and tracking players in FPS games that you can in a wireless mouse. But it’s not the only thing that makes the Pro Wireless such an excellent performer for esports. It also has a very precise 26,000 DPI sensor, very soft buttons with a very quick debounce, and a comfortable symmetrical grip that is perfectly molded to your hand. If you need more speed and precision in your game, one of these speed demons is just what the doctor ordered.
Who should buy the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Mouse
Pro gamers who want the quickest wireless polling rate that you can currently get in a mouse. It’s also a red-hot performance dynamo so if you want to perform at your best, this mouse can get you there. If you’re a fan of Alienware laptops, as I am, you’ll also get a big kick out of having an Alienware mouse; it’s one-of-a-kind among pro gaming mice.
Read our full
Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Mouse review
Cherry Xtrfy M8 Wireless – Most versatile for esports runner-up
Pros
Very good sensor
Ultra-flat front
Very light
Fast wireless connection
Eco-friendly design
Long battery life
Cons
Unusually placed charging socket
Design might take some getting used to for some users
Best Prices Today:
$99 at Amazon
Why I like the Cherry Xtrfy M8 Wireless
With an ultra-light four-button design weighing just 1.94 ounces (55 grams), the Cherry Xtrfy M8 Wireless mouse is an optimal weight for esports gaming. It comes equipped with a Pixart 3395 optical sensor with a maximum resolution of 26,000 DPI and super-quick Kailh GM 8.0 mouse switches in its buttons. Both of these pieces of hardware are highly suitable for pro-grade gaming: The sensor proved extremely precise in our playtesting, offering precise control and accuracy. The switches feature a high durability rating of 80 million clicks.
The M8 Wireless features the convenience of 2.4GHz Wi-Fi connectivity with a low-latency response time of less than 1ms. On the whole, this mouse has a comfortable and practical design. It does, however, have an unusually placed charging socket located on its right-side. Cherry claims the M8 Wireless’s housing is made from 60 percent recycled plastic, which makes it one of the eco-friendlier gaming mouse options on the market today.
Who should buy the Cherry Xtrfy M8 Wireless
The Cherry Xtrfy M8 Wireless is a great option for gamers who like fine control of their mouse’s actuation speed, since you can adjust the debounce time to 2, 4, 8, or 12 milliseconds. Raising the debounce time can help prevent double clicks, while lowering the debounce time allows you to get more clicks in per second, which is ideal for click-intensive games.
Read our full
Cherry Xtrfy M8 Wireless review
MSI Clutch GM51 Lightweight Wireless – Easiest to recharge
Pros
Charging dock included
Long battery life
Current high-end sensor from Pixart
Omron switches
Three connection modes (2.4GHz, Bluetooth, wired)
Good price-performance ratio
Cons
A bit heavy for `Lightweight`
Software is a little convoluted
Best Prices Today:
$84.99 at Amazon
Why I like the MSI Clutch GM51 Lightweight Wireless
The MSI Clutch GM51 is flanked by unique RGB Diamond Lightgrips that bestow a drool-worthy gamer-centric look. These grips also provide your hand with excellent grip and precision control of movement. For hardware, this mouse boasts quick Omron Switches in its buttons and a 26,000 DPI Pixart PAW-3395 sensor supporting three-pronged connectivity — 2.4GHz Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and a wired connection.
In our playtesting we found the sensor to be very fast and precise. It was also extremely smooth thanks to an MSI technology called “Motion Sync” that kept our mouse movements precisely in sync with our game.
By far one of the best features of the GM51 is its excellent rechargeability. Not only does it come with a convenient charging dock, but it’s also one of the fastest USB charging mice you can buy, with 15 minutes charging time being all that’s needed for 27 hours of wireless play.
Who should buy the MSI Clutch GM51 Lightweight Wireless
Gamers who want a lightning-fast FPS gaming mouse, but also don’t want to compromise on how their gaming mouse looks — you simply don’t see many FPS gaming mice with stunning RGB accents like this one. It also suits gamers who like the convenience of having a charging dock to charge between games.
Read our full
MSI Clutch GM51 Lightweight Wireless review
SteelSeries Rival 650 – Best for lifters
Pros
Gets 10 hours of charge in only 15 minutes
Comfortable and attractive design
Removable weight system provides plenty of options
Cons
Heavier than some might like
Expensive
Third thumb button is small and awkwardly placed
Best Prices Today:
$59.99 at Amazon$79.99 at SteelSeries
Why I like the SteelSeries Rival 650
On the surface, the SteelSeries Rival 650 could be any other wireless gaming mouse, but dig a little deeper and you’ll find it has two big advantages over rivals — its dual-sensor hardware configuration and its fast-charging capability.
To improve your accuracy, the Rival 650 pairs a primary sensor, the PWM3360 TrueMove 3, with a dedicated depth sensor whose job is solely to cease input when your mouse leaves your mousepad. If you mainly keep your mouse flat on your mouse pad or table top, chances are you won’t notice much difference in your gaming accuracy. However, if you do lift your mouse a lot, this feature should make aiming a tad easier.
SteelSeries claims 15 minutes fast charging is all the Rival 650 needs to run for 10 hours straight. We put this claim to the test and found it to be mostly true; 15 minutes or sometimes just a few minutes more was enough to power it through more than a day of gaming, which made us very fond of this mouse.
Who should buy the SteelSeries Rival 650
If you’re prone to lifting, then this mouse is just the ticket. It helps eliminate the kind of jumping and jittering that lifting can cause in your mouse’s movement, which ultimately is going to have payoffs to your gaming performance.
Read our full
SteelSeries Rival 650 review
Razer Viper V3 Hyperspeed – Best replaceable battery option
Pros
Quick and accurate sensor
High sensor positioning
Very long battery life
Hyperpolling support
Cons
No RGB lighting
2.4GHz Wi-Fi connectivity only
Weighs less than 3 ounces
Best Prices Today:
$69.50 at Amazon
Why I like the Razer Viper V3 HyperSpeed
It may sport modest looks, but the six-button Razer Viper V3 HyperSpeed is a real performance juggernaut. With its extremely quick and accurate 30K Razer Focus Optical Sensor, 1,000Hz polling rate, and a chassis that weighs less than 3 ounces, this mouse is built for speed right out of the box. But what really made it cook with fire in my playtesting was the mouse’s high sensor positioning, which registered my hand’s movements at its origin point, so a little quicker than I’ve experienced with some other six-button FPS mice.
The Razer Viper V3 HyperSpeed is also unique in its class in that it houses a single AA battery instead of a rechargeable one. That means you get a little extra battery life than some FPS mice in Razer’s lineup; Razer says it gives you up to 280 hours with the default 1,000Hz polling rate, or 75 hours at the maximum 4,000Hz HyperPolling rate. That outdoes the Razer DeathAdder V3 Pro by 190 hours at 1,000Hz and by 51 hours at 4,000Hz. A downside is that if you want 4,000Hz HyperPolling functionality, you’ll need to buy an additional part from Razer’s website. This mouse also lacks Bluetooth connectivity.
Who should buy the Razer V3 Hyperspeed
If you travel a lot for work or take your gaming mouse with you when you’re on the road, then the Razer Viper V3 HyperSpeed is the perfect companion. With an insanely long battery life of 280 hours at 1,000Hz polling mode and 75 hours at 4,000Hz HyperPolling mode, it’s a great fit for players who want a low maintenance mouse with premium specs.
Read our full
Razer Viper V3 Hyperspeed review
How we test wireless gaming mice
To make sure our wireless gaming mice picks are the best of the best, the PCWorld team puts them through a legion of tests. We look at everything from how well they’ve been designed and perform in games, to the suite of software that helps you personalize them. Here’s a list of the main categories our tests fall under:
Design and ergonomics: Here we factor in the mouse’s physical characteristics, including its shape, styling, buttons, and RGB lighting (if any). We also consider how comfortable it is, what size hands it fits and, importantly, what grip type it will ideally suit (palm, fingertip, or claw). Last of all, we consider how tough it is, including how likely it is to survive the rigors of gaming life.
Wireless performance: This is the fun part of our testing where we get to try out our mouse in a bunch of games, while at the same time evaluating factors like its tracking accuracy, sensitivity, and how fast it reacts to our movements. We’re testing the mouse’s sensor in a big way here, but also our mouse’s wireless, and or Bluetooth connectivity.
Software support: What you can actually achieve with your wireless gaming mouse sometimes comes down to what its supporting software allows. When testing our mouse’s software app we consider how easy it is to navigate, change settings, program buttons, set up profiles for games, and make changes to RGB lighting (if any).
For more details about our evaluation process, see our article on how we test gaming mice at PCWorld.
FAQ
1.
Does having a gaming mouse really matter?
If you plan on doing any gaming, it absolutely is better to opt for a gaming mouse over a regular office mouse. That’s simply because gaming mice boast hardware and design benefits over regular office mice that make them eminently faster, more comfortable, and more accurate. The sensor and the buttons are the two most obvious features that have been enhanced in gaming mice.
For example, while the average office mouse is lucky to have just a measly 8,000 DPI resolution sensor, we’re now seeing gaming mice with sensors that have resolutions of more than 26, 000 DPI, which makes them a lot faster and more accurate.
In mice like the Razer DeathAdder V3 Pro the buttons feature 3rd-generation Razer Optical Switches, which actuate in less than 0.2 milliseconds—much less than the typical 1 millisecond average in office mice. What’s more, gaming mice are usually more customizable, allowing you to program specific commands to your buttons so that you can just fire them off at will in games.
2.
Connectivity: Wireless or Bluetooth or both?
Some wireless gaming mice have Bluetooth as well as 2.4GHz wireless connectivity and let you switch between the two. Having Bluetooth is considered a luxury that gives you the versatility of being able to use your mouse with more devices, like your tablet or gaming console. It also offers you the advantage of a dongle-less connection on the go, which can be very handy for school or work.
Still, there are at least two good reasons why you might still opt for a mouse with only Wi-Fi connectivity. Number one is Bluetooth-capable gaming mice tend to be slightly heavier than mice with just Wi-Fi connectivity alone. Also, a Wi-Fi connection is ultimately a lot faster and more stable, so if you do a lot of competitive gaming, Bluetooth won’t be the best option for that.
3.
Do esports players use wireless mice?
At one time it would have been unheard of for an esports players to use wireless mice because of the slight millisecond or so lag that they used to have compared to conventional wired options. Nowadays, however, thanks to 2.4GHz Wi-Fi connectivity, any such latency difference has all but been eradicated. That said, it’s now not uncommon for most professional esports teams to have at least one player using a wireless mouse.
One example is team Natus Vincere that includes Ukrainian professional CounterStrike: Global Offensive player Oleksandr Kostyliev, aka S1mple, who has achieved spectacular results with his wireless Logitech G Pro X Superlight.
4.
Are there any disadvantages to using a wireless mouse?
While the difference in latency between top-level and wireless mice is almost imperceptible these days, there can still be disadvantages to choosing wireless gaming mice over wired ones. One is that the lightest wireless gaming mice tend to be slightly heavier than the lightest wired gaming mice. This weight difference is usually only a few grams. Still, for esports professionals even a few grams can make a difference to their overall performance.
The other obvious thing worth noting, is you’ll need to ensure you don’t lose the mouse’s wireless dongle. Wireless dongles can be small and easy to misplace. Losing your dongle could render your gaming mouse essentially useless—something that you needn’t worry about in wired gaming mice.
5.
Is my mouse’s sensor really important?
A gaming mouse’s sensor is the number one hardware component that determines how well a mouse performs in games. The sensor decides the mouse’s tracking speed and accuracy, two factors we scrutinize in our tests. The main spec to look for in any sensor is dpi (dots per inch), which tells you how well the mouse’s sensor reports movement per inch of physical movement. The newest wireless gaming mice have dpi ranging from 12,000 to 30,000, with higher numbers indicating mice with greater sensitivity.
While a lot of fuss is made about dpi in manufacturer brochures, there’s really no perfect dpi for gaming, it being largely a personal choice. While it can’t hurt to have the best, unless you’re a professional esports gamer you probably won’t need a 30,000 dpi sensor. In reality, even 12,000 dpi provides decent performance in games.
6.
Orientation: right, left, or ambidextrous?
Are you left or right-handed, or ambidextrous? For practicality’s sake the answer to this question should inform your choice when buying a wireless gaming mouse. That way you’ll get a better fit for your hand shape and the buttons will be within reach of your fingers. While most of our wireless gaming mice reviews are of right-handed mice, simply because that’s what most people use, we’ll endeavor to bring you left-handed and ambidextrous mice reviews when possible.
7.
What grip type do I use?
How you grip your mouse is not something you’ve probably given much thought to—just like you don’t give much thought to how you hold your fork when you eat. Still, it can be important since you’ll want to get a mouse that fits your specific grip type. The three main grip types are:
Palm grip: This is the most common type of mouse grip among gamers. It’s also the most comfortable for long gaming sessions since it puts more of your hand in contact with your mouse and prevents tension in your wrist. For palm grippers, long, flat mice tend to be a better fit and more comfortable.
Claw grip: If you use a claw grip, you’re arching your palm over the mouse to make a claw shape. This grip is popular in the e-sports community, especially among FPS players, since it allows you to make quick wrist movements—useful for sweeping attacks on targets. It does however clench the wrist and cause some tension there. Narrower and smaller mice suit a claw grip.
Fingertip grip: This grip provides you the least amount of control but the most dexterity for aiming. Gamers who use this grip mainly use just their fingertips on the left and right clicks, putting a lot of strain on their wrists. Because of the added strain, lighter mice are often preferred by fingertip grippers.
8.
Should I buy a light or heavy mouse?
A mouse’s weight can have a big impact on how accurately you can target and position its curser or crosshairs. Gamers these days tend to go for the lightest mice available since they require less effort to move and are also naturally faster.
Lighter mice also lend themselves to longer gaming sessions, since gamer hands (and arms) aren’t as easily fatigued by them. Wireless gaming mice are among the lightest available because they are unencumbered by wires.
One thing to note about a mouse’s weight is that whether it’s considered light is relative to how many buttons it has. For example, the 18-button SteelSeries Aerox 9 Wireless might seem like a heavyweight at 89 grams compared to the six-button / 61-gram HyperX Pulsefire Haste, yet for an 18-button mouse it’s considered exceptionally lightweight.
9.
How many buttons do I need?
The type of games you play should help you decide how many buttons you need. If you’re mainly into FPS (first-person shooters) a wireless gaming mouse with six buttons—which tends to be the minimum number we see in wireless gaming mice these days—should be more than enough.
On the other hand, if you play games where you need to quickly deploy lots of commands—like MOBA and MMO games—a mouse with between 6 and 18 buttons will provide you with more versatility.
10.
Why is software so important?
If your mouse is your weapon in games, then the mouse’s support software is its armory. The best software apps for wireless gaming mice allow you to change and customize settings like your mouse’s sensitivity and acceleration and deceleration. They also let you set commands and macros and save your preferences in profiles that you can easily switch to when you want to play specific games.
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