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4 Windows 10 S to evolve into a mode in 20197 Sets to reappear in autumn Insider builds 10 Oculus releases fix after worldwide blackout
12 Dell XPS 13 9370 (2018) 25 Samsung Galaxy S9 41 Sony Xperia XA2 Ultra 52 Honor 9 Lite
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Microsoft’s Joe Belfiore tweeted the news.MARK HACHMANreports
R
eports that Windows 10 S will become a ‘mode’ of Windows 10 were confirmed recently by Microsoft’s Joe Belfiore, who stated that the transition will occur next year.Belfiore, a corporate vice president in the Operating System Group within Windows, tweeted his statement in response to this author’s own comment that Microsoft had neglected to mention 10 S in a recent blog post touting the success of Windows devices in schools. Microsoft launched the OS in 2017 as a standalone
version of Windows, partly to provide a secure, manageable version of Windows to those schools.
Currently, Microsoft sells Windows 10 S and 10 as separate versions. Windows 10 S works only with the UWP apps Microsoft itself provides from the app store. Its users may also switch to Windows 10 Pro via an upgrade found within the Microsoft Store.
However, Windows 10 S hasn’t appeared in anything more than the Surface Laptop and a handful of
education devices. A representative of FutureSource, the author of the report, said that the company could not provide data on the number of Windows 10 S devices, given that “few have been available until recently.” Reports surfaced recently that Microsoft would combine Windows 10 S and Windows 10, making the former a ‘mode’ of the Windows 10 OS.
Microsoft had declined to confirm the substance of those reports until now, and hadn’t said when the transition would take place, if ever. Belfiore’s tweet has revealed that the reports are true, and when the transition will take place.
“We use Win10S as an option for schools or businesses that want the ‘low-hassle’/ guaranteed performance version,” Belfiore tweeted. “Next year 10S will be a ‘mode’ of existing versions, not a distinct version. SO … I think it’s totally fine/good that it’s not mentioned,” he said of the report’s omission of Windows 10.
for free, but Pro users going from the ‘S’ version to the full version will be charged $49 (around £35).
While it’s not clear why the Windows 10 S
If you’ve been pining for a tabbed File Explorer app, your wait is almost over. Sets is returning, revealsMARK HACHMAN
I
f you’re a fan of Windows 10’s tabbed Sets interface, you may want to sign up for the Windows Insider program this autumn, because Sets is back.Microsoft has announced Windows 10 Insider Build 17618, a closed beta for the ‘Skip Ahead’ portion of the Windows Insider program. Most Insiders follow the developer team working on the current build; that team is wrapping up the spring update (Redstone 4) that’s due in the next few weeks. The ‘Skip Ahead’ Insiders follow another team of developers working on the next update, due in the autumn.
which replaces the traditional ‘one app, one window’ user interface with something that looks more like a web browser. Last autumn, the beta Sets interface allowed you to tack on an app as another tab, using UWP apps like Calendar, Edge, and Mail.
Now, the ‘Skip Ahead’ Insiders get to play with a beefed-up version of Sets, where support for some legacy Win32 apps has been added in. In a month or so, the current Insiders will get it, too. Now File Explorer, Notepad, Command Prompt, and PowerShell are also tabbed – great news for those who’ve been hoping for a tabbed File Explorer interface for years.
Microsoft also announced that Sets will be integrated once again with Timeline, Microsoft’s replacement for the virtual-machine-like Task View. Timeline sees each disparate app you’re using for a project as an ‘activity’, and it gathers all your activities into one virtual place. “When restoring your projects you’ll be prompted to restore related apps and web pages,” Microsoft said in a blog post. “In Timeline you’ll see when a project has multiple activities associated with it.”
While Windows users can switch from browser tab to browser tab using Ctrl + PgUp/PgDn, Windows users can switch from application tab to application tab using Ctrl + Win + Tab, or use Ctrl + Win + T to open a new tab. (To open a Win32 app in a new tab, hold down Ctrl as you launch it; otherwise, it will launch in a new window.) Unfortunately, you can’t use drag-and-drop to reorder tabs at this time, Microsoft said.
version for Windows Insiders, then yanked it to polish it behind the scenes. Microsoft has said it could take years for Sets to roll out in a final form, with support for all of Microsoft’s own apps as well as legacy applications from third-party developers.
Previously, Sets was an optional experience that could be toggled on and off, and that may be the case here, too. It’s very possible you’ll like Sets; it’s very possible you won’t. Microsoft’s expended a lot of effort, though, in making Windows work for a variety of users, from those who prefer using Windows tablets with pens, to differently abled users, and hardcore gamers.
The good news is that it’s fixable. But it probably shouldn’t have happened in the first place, reportsHAYDEN DINGMAN
I
f you want a hint of how fragile our tech-reliant world is, look no further than the Oculus Rift. Rift owners the world over recently discovered that their £399 virtual reality headset had become a paperweight overnight – at least temporarily.It seems as though Oculus forgot (?) to issue an updated Windows certificate, the security feature that
confirms that, yes, Oculus’s software is actually Oculus’s software. As Microsoft’s decade-old primer puts it, “Digital certificates function similarly to identification cards such as passports and drivers’ licenses.” That’s a pretty good analogy.
When the certificate expired, Windows stopped recognizing Oculus Runtime Service and thus stopped allowing it to run – for good reason, I might add. As the end user though, this manifests as a pretty opaque ‘Can’t reach Oculus Runtime Service’ error.
On the plus side, it’s a relatively easy fix. According to Oculus: ”To patch your Oculus software, you’ll need to download ‘OculusPatchMarch2018.exe’ at fave.co/2HwSMxN. Run the executable, and select ‘Repair’. When the update is finished, launch the Oculus desktop app to continue the update process. Once the update is complete, you’ll be able to use your Rift.”
Dell XPS 13 9370 (2018)
D
ell‘s XPS line has always been good, but this year it is now certainly great. The 2018 XPS 13 is the best laptop Dell has ever made, and boy has it made a few. Comparing it to the MacBook is lazy – the XPS 13 is more powerful by some distance than Apple’s MacBook, the 12in rival of a similar price. In fact, the Core i7 XPS 13 we tested is the smoothest, fastest XPS ever and worthy of your consideration if you have the money to spend on a high-end laptop.Design
a CES Innovation Award. Just like last year. It seems Dell has cut a niche for building a high-end Windows laptop that looks good on an executive’s desk as well as performing well in all conditions.
And to be fair it does look the part. Whether or not you like the rose gold and white model is a matter of taste, but at least it stands out from the crowd compared to the uniform black version that is by now very familiar with its carbon fibre finish on the inside and slick silver exterior.
The casing is now 23 percent smaller, which is always good so long as it doesn’t affect performance, and the XPS 13 still feels as close to the premium build of MacBooks that a Windows machine has come, albeit with a more practical, less space-age design.
With simple lines, that just-about-subtle-enough carbon fibre effect on the inside and a sleek, completely flush 4mm bezel round the screen, it’s a good-looking piece of kit. The white model has a UV coating on it too, and Dell claims you can wipe permanent marker off either one should you have a frantic boardroom accident.
The bottom of the laptop (yes it matters) look much nicer than previous years, with Dell getting rid of all the legal text and other odd stickers to give a sleeker feel to the machine. When you’re spending this much, that stuff matters, so well done Dell, for leaving just the fan grates and the XPS logo.
a fingerprint sensor in the power key and you have a mighty fine design, refined for 2018 needs.
Less fun is the webcam placement, now under the Dell logo on the bottom of the screen. Even if it is a space saver, it’s still annoying but Dell told us it’s working to fitting one into the top bezel on future models. Although it’s easier to stick a piece of tape over it where it is now, and you probably should.
And at 1.21kg with those slim bezels, the laptop is as compact and portable as you could hope for.
This is an excellently made ultrabook, niggles aside. Most of the Tech Advisor staff when asked would select this as their preferred Windows laptop. So how do the specs hold up?
Hardware
exception. We tested how they run day to day and against the current crop of competing products.
Processor, RAM and storage
Dell has added these 8th-gen Intel Core i5-8250U and i7-8550U processors to the XPS 13, depending on your needs and budget, while all models have the Intel UHD Graphics 620 GPU. Note that Coffee Lake chips are reserved for desktop only – here the silicon is 8th-gen, but is technically a refreshed Kaby Lake architecture.
Other options for you are a minimum of 128GB and a maximum of 1TB storage and 4/8/16GB RAM. Our high end 16GB RAM model performed outstandingly, but you can expect slower
multitasking speeds in the 4/8GB versions.
Display
You can choose between a non-touch 1920x1080 FHD or a touchscreen 3840x2160 4K Ultra HD. Again, we were given the high-end touchscreen version and it looks incredible. The insanely high resolution looks amazing on a 13in panel and colour reproduction is a pleasant level of saturated.
Brightness is also outstanding, and there’s very little occasion you’ll want to have it on 100 percent. Under halfway is usually fine.
much down to the quality of the hardware build as the software interaction.
While the 4K touchscreen looks truly phenomenal, it’s not necessary for many. Touchscreen on full
Windows 10 is still a hindrance to productivity in some cases where using the trackpad or a mouse is simply easier, and the non-touchscreen version is still HD and fully adequate for all work and play uses and still bears a great resolution.
Keyboard and trackpad
The keyboard is brilliant, with a great level of physical resistance for longer typing sessions. Keys are well spaced with a textured finish and a two-level backlight.
Its central position is preferable as the carbon fibre texture either side proves a comfortable palm rest. The cursor doesn’t randomly shake or fire off in the wrong direction in problems that plague other laptops.
Connectivity
For connectivity needs are 2x Thunderbolt 3 USB-C ports and a further USB-C 3.1. All share responsibilities for PowerShare, DC-In and DisplayPort.
Dell has removed the SD card slot and all USB-A slots. We are going to all have to get used to USB-C as it turns up on the phones in our pockets and the laptops on our desks. One day it will hopefully be standardized well enough that we’ll all only need one charger for all our gadgets.
Unlike Apple, Dell puts a USB-A adapter in the box, acknowledging the annoying transition.
There is a microSD card reader built in though, so if you have an Android phone with expandable storage or digital camera this might come in useful to transfer media. Otherwise it’s a new standard to adjust to in 2018.
Performance
The 1.8GHz Intel Core i7-8550U CPU is overkill for most people, as most likely is the 16GB LPDDR3 2133MHz RAM. 8GB RAM should be enough for you even if you stick with the i7 model.
speed increases thanks to 8th-gen are decent and reflected in our benchmarking.
The below results are encouraging for the new XPS 13. Its score in Geekbench 4, which measures raw processing power (CPU, GPU and RAM) was only just shy of the 2017 15in MacBook Pro.
The XPS notably outperformed the HP Spectre x360’s i7 set up, though aside from the lower Surface Pro results, all these scores are comparable. The performance between the Dell XPS 13 and the latest 8th-gen Lenovo Yoga 920 is also very similar.
The PC Mark 10 score for the XPS is also decent, with good results for Cinebench against the Surface Book 2, but considerably lower in 3D Mark, meaning the XPS 13 is still not quite the machine you want to opt for if you want to indulge in very high-end graphical
Cinebench R15
PC gaming. But for most gaming needs it’s not far off the competition.
Battery life
Dell claims the 52Wh battery can run in some conditions for up to 19 hours. Bear in mind that Dell has cut this down from 60Wh from the previous generation. This is to save on weight and component space, while the next-gen processors should make the smaller capacity more efficient.
It certainly excels in battery life and charges remarkably fast with the supplied charger, but in our standard video test it didn’t hit 19 hours.
XPS 13 managed 10 hours and 51 minutes. This is highly respectable, but less than the 12 hours 30 minutes the previous generation model did.
The latest HP Spectre x360 13 lasted 10 hours 32 minutes with a 60Wh battery, so the latest XPS 13 wins in this regard with a lower capacity battery.
By far the best performing laptop we’ve tested for battery life is the Lenovo Yoga 920. It lasted 16 hours 45 minutes in the same test, which is utterly amazing. It also costs less pound for pound when you compare similarly specified models to the XPS. It’ll come down to which design you prefer and if battery life matters that much to you (and it generally should).
Part of the reason for the difference is the Dell’s 52Wh battery in comparison to 70Wh, and its 4K resolution display. We are still at the stage where most mainstream streamed content is not 4K, but the XPS will have used more power even when playing 720p video. Unless you need 4K< you can spend less on the lower end XPS 13, though we haven’t received this model to see the presumed improvement in battery life.
A laptop that can go a full nine-hour work day away from the plug is a luxury, but Dell is still near the top of the pack, despite the XPS 13’s drop in battery longevity here.
Audio
Netflix experience. Like practically any laptop speaker though it has its downsides, and we haven’t yet reached the point where a laptop speaker should keep the party going. But there’s little to no distortion here at all, so even the highest volumes are acceptable if needed.
Software
In our time with the XPS 13 2018, there’s not a lot to report other than you, of course, get Windows 10 Home. Business purchasers can opt for Windows 10 Pro.
Having said this, Windows 10 has never looked – or performed – better on a Dell XPS. The combination of 4K display, fluid processing power and best-in-class keyboard and trackpad interaction mean this is the best compact laptop Windows 10 experience going. Even if you buy the entry level Core i5 model, you’re getting the benefits, minus the 4K.
As mentioned before, touchscreen interaction is a surprisingly good one here, but it’s not necessary. It’s down to the clean feel afforded by the trackpad and the excellent use of RAM to mean the XPS 13’s software feels truly part of the machine in a way only the truly best laptops do. It’s as good as you’ll find on a Microsoft Surface product.
Verdict
In fact, for value for money, it is a better purchase than the Microsoft Surface Laptop as you get
Windows 10 Home rather than Windows 10S, as well as saving at least £500.
For all but the most hardcore gamers (for whom this laptop is not the target audience) and those who really do want USB-A connectivity, there is not a better Windows laptop on the market. Henry Burrell
Specifications
• 13.3in UltraSharp 4K Ultra HD (3840x2160)
InfinityEdge touch display or 13.3in FHD (1920x1080) InfinityEdge display
• Windows 10 Home or Pro
• 8th Generation Intel Quad Core i5-8250U processor
or Intel Quad Core i7-8550U processor
• Intel UHD Graphics 620
or 16GB Dual Channel SDRAM at 2133MHz
• 128GB SATA, 256GB PCIe, 512GB PCIe, 1TB
PCIe SSD
• 52WHr battery (built in)
• 2x Thunderbolt 3 with PowerShare, DC-In &
DisplayPort
• 1x USB-C 3.1 with PowerShareDC-In and DisplayPort • microSD card reader
• 4 Digital Array Microphones
• Full size, backlit chiclet keyboard 1.3mm travel • Optional Windows Hello compliant fingerprint reader
in power button
Samsung Galaxy S9
S
amsung’s Galaxy S9 is the first flagship to hit the market in 2018. The S8 was almost a perfect phone so can Samsung really make it even better? Read on to find out.Design
you like, so this is essentially the Galaxy S8.1. With an almost identical design to its predecessor you’d be hard pressed to notice the difference, especially from the front – the bezels above and below the screen are a fraction smaller. The device is also a little shorter than the S8 and it’s a bit thicker and heavier at 8.5mm and 163g, but none of these are things you’ll really notice.
At the rear, the change is more obvious with the fingerprint scanner moving to below the camera. Samsung clearly listened to feedback on this, so not only does it look nicer, it’s also much easier to reach and use. You might still smudge the camera up occasionally but it’s bound to happen far less.
Hardware
As we’ve touched upon, the Galaxy S9’s design isn’t very different in design from its predecessor, so is it a big jump in specs and new technology? Well not really, but Samsung has made improvement to what was already a very impressive smartphone.
Display
The screen is one area that hasn’t changed since the Galaxy S8, so it’s still 5.8in on the regular model and jumps to 6.2in if you get the S9+ (page 21). Both phones have the curved Infinity Display, so you only need to choose which size you want.
Samsung is sticking to its 18.5:9 aspect ratio, Quad HD+ resolution and Super AMOLED technology. It’s still one of the best screens on the market and compared to our S8, looks a little brighter.
As previously, you can take advantage of features such as the Edge screen, where you can swipe in from the side and flick through various panels of things like popular contacts, apps and more. There’s also the always on feature which displays important information on the lock screen when the phone is off.
There are plenty more smaller features, many of which have been around a long time, hidden away in the settings menu, so it’s worth exploring what the S9 can do, especially if this is your first Galaxy device.
Processor, memory and storage
1.7GHz efficiency cores, but the faster four have jumped from 2.4- to 2.7GHz.
As you can see from the benchmark results, the Exynos outpaces the Snapdragon 845 a little bit (figures via Qualcomm’s reference design), but neither can match the raw power of the iPhone’s A11. We’ve included the OnePlus 5T so you can get an idea of the performance on offer at a much lower price.
It’s important to note that performance isn’t an issue here and the S9 is clearly capable of handling all you can throw at it.
Like the Galaxy S8, you get 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage, and although you can find more elsewhere (even in cheaper phones like the OnePlus 5T) it should be enough for most people. If it’s not enough storage, then there’s a 256GB option and a microSD
GFXBench Manhattan
card slot that can now take up to 400GB. If you are more of a power user, then the S9+ has 6GB of RAM with the same storage options.
Connectivity and Audio
There’s not much Samsung or other manufacturers can do to improve connectivity on a 2018 flagship smartphone. Like the S8, the S9 has all the things you’d expect including 11ac dual-band Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0, NFC, GPS, USB-C and a headphone port.
Unlike most, Samsung continues to offer heart rate monitor. The S9 can reach 4G speeds of 1.2Gb/s, which is impressive, but in real life you’re not going to see that kind of grunt. There’s no Quad DAC for better headphone audio like the LG V30, but Samsung has
improved the speakers on the S9. There are now stereo speakers with the usual down firing one on the bottom and now one where the earpiece is above the screen.
It’s the same setup Apple uses for recent iPhones, and also one Sony has adopted with the XZ2.
It might sound a little odd with both firing in different directions, but we’ll take it over a mono speaker any day. There’s still tuning from AKG and this time Samsung has also added Dolby Atmos, which you can toggle for a bigger, more spacious soundscape.
There’s a noticeable improvement compared to the S8, particularly in the on-board speakers. They’ve got a lot more power but aren’t flawless with the audio quality getting a bit rough at higher volumes. We do like the optional Dolby Atmos mode, which can make content a lot more immersive, especially video.
It’s worth noting that the supplied AKG headphones are very good, so most users won’t be rushing out to find a replacement pair.
Samsung’s upgrades in the audio department are welcome, but the S9 isn’t the best phone around for audio – that’s still the LG V30.
Fingerprint and Iris scanners
be used to pull the notification panel down – just switch it on in the settings.
We’d rather the Galaxy S9 had the fingerprint scanner embedded in the screen as the tech is out there but it seems we’ll have to wait.
Samsung hasn’t explicitly said the iris scanner is better than before, which is a shame, but the firm is keen to point out that it’s embedded in the front of the phone without a notch like the iPhone X. There’s also a new Intelligent Scan option, which combines iris and facial scanning.
One thing is for sure, there’s a dramatic
improvement over previous iterations. Generally it works quite well, but it’s not as consistent compared to rival phones just doing face unlock. Even switching to Facial
just facial scanning it’s not as good as phones like the iPhone X and OnePlus 5T.
Cameras
The biggest change on the S9 comes in the camera tech, as teased by Samsung before the launch with its ‘The Camera. Reimagined’ campaign.
Sadly, it’s the S9 that’s not as impressive as you’ll have to get the S9+ to get a dual-camera setup. We’d like to see dual-cameras as standard on both phones, but it’s understandable that Samsung wants more than just size to differentiate the two.
Still, the S9’s camera is improved from before even though it remains at 12Mp with 1.4µm pixels and OIS. The main upgrade is an adjustable aperture that can go down to f/1.5 – the best of any phone on the market.
Huawei temporarily had the fastest lenses (on the Mate 10 Pro) at f/1.6, but the S9’s lens now lets in 28 percent more light than on the S8.
The iris is mechanical like a DSLR camera and should mean better results in both daylight and low light. What Samsung calls the ‘Super Speed Dual Pixel’ package now has DRAM, so it can do things faster and more intelligently. The camera now takes 12 shots together instead of 3 to improve noise by 30 percent.
DxO has awarded the Galaxy S9+ a score of 99 for the camera, the highest of a phone to date. The regular model might not have the telephoto lens but it’s still excellent on its own.
Landscape
that makes images look great on the Pixel 2 phones, but it’s still very impressive.
Overall, the S9 has a camera that can achieve excellent results in all conditions partly thanks to that dual aperture. You get crisp shots in decent light – although some can be a little washed out like our shot of St. Pancras – stunning detail in macro and most noteworthy is how well it copes in low light, without excessive levels of noise.
We’re still not totally convinced by Bixby, but the camera part, Bixby Vision, has been improved and can now do live translation, better place recognition and more food features, such as calories and recipes. The latter will be market dependant.
Super slow motion
Furthermore, the S9 can now match Sony’s flagship Xperia phones and shoot super slow motion video at a whopping 960fps. That means 0.2 seconds in real life becomes six seconds of video and Samsung has some clever tech to make it easier to make great slow motion videos.
With Sony’s phones we found it hard to press the super slow-mo button at the right time while recording a video of something that happens very quickly such as a balloon popping. Since 960fps can only be switched on in a short burst, it’s easy to miss the moment.
lock screen wallpaper. You can also shoot in manual mode, selecting when you want to do the slow motion shooting which is easier for some situations. In either mode, you can shoot 20 different slow-mo sections within one video.
Sony’s new Xperia XZ2 phones might be able to do 960fps in 1080p, but we’d rather have the functionality offered by the S9 to make better content in 720p.
AR Emoji
There’s more to talk about with the front camera, which remains at 8Mp with an f/1.7 aperture, but on the software side Samsung has created AR Emoji to provide users with something similar to Apple’s Animoji feature.
Instead of the phone tracking your face to animate various animals and the like (although there are some to
choose from), you take a photo of yourself and the S9 will create an emoji that looks like you.
It’s quick and easy, though we’re not exactly blown away with the likeness (and it cannot handle beards at all) – the three men we got to try it were all given very similar characters. You can edit them a bit to help and choose from one that incorporates the selfie you took or a more cartoon option.
Once you’re done 18 animated gifs are automatically generated and you can send them to anyone, not just those who also happen to have an S9. They’re pretty cool and easy to access via the default keyboard.
However, one of the ideas is that you can animate the character yourself, but doing this is extremely glitchy and the emoji of you spends most of the time flinching. The tracking on the iPhone X is leagues ahead. It might be fun but let’s face it, this is another gimmick feature just like Animoji.
Battery life
It’s a shame the battery remains at 3,000mAh and Samsung has not made any claims on the subject. The Galaxy S9 will offer fast charging via the USB-C port and with wireless charging, though. With the supplied charger, we managed to charge the S9 from 0- to 36 percent in 30 minutes. That’s pretty good, although the HTC U11+ beats it slightly at 38 percent.
Software
As you would expect, the Galaxy S9 phones come with Android 8 Oreo and Samsung’s own user interface. There’s not a huge change in the way things work compared to before, but that’s to be expected.
There are still preloaded apps from Google and Microsoft, but Samsung has made a few tweaks here and there to tighten up the experience.
For those using various different Samsung apps for other devices, you’ll be pleased to know that there’s now one app to rule them all. SmartThings is now the one place where you can manage all your devices and it will also do useful things like provide your new Samsung TV, for example, with the Wi-Fi details and logins to all your services.
There are improvements to Bixby – you can, for example, use the phone in landscape mode, whether you’re browsing the home screen panels or your apps. When you are, notifications will pop up at the top, but in an unintrusive way.
There’s also a new DeX dock (pictured opposite), so you can connect the phone to a monitor and use it like a PC. This time it’s flat, so you can use the screen as a trackpad or even keyboard.
Verdict
We’re going to have to wait for big jumps in
appeal to all kinds of users. The incremental updates will mean S8 users might struggle to justify upgrading. However, those on an S7 or earlier Galaxy will notice a huge difference. But might want to simply grab the S8 at a lower price. Chris Martin
Specifications
• 5.8in (2960x1440, 570ppi) Super AMOLED capacitive display
• Android 8.0 Oreo
• Exynos 9810 Octa processor
• Octa-core 4x 2.8GHz Mongoose M3 and 4x 1.7GHz Cortex-A55 CPU
• Mali-G72 MP18 GPU • 4GB RAM
• 64/128/256GB storage, microSD up to 256GB • Iris/fingerprint scanner
• 12Mp rear-facing camera: f/1.5-2.4, 26mm,
1/2.5in, 1.4µm, Dual Pixel PDAF, phase detection autofocus, OIS, LED flash
• 8Mp front-facing camera: f/1.7, autofocus, 1440p,
dual video call, Auto HDR
• 802.11ac Wi-Fi • Bluetooth 5.0
• A-GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO • Micro-USB 3.1 Type-C
• Non-removable lithium-ion 3,000mAh battery • 147.7x68.7x8.5mm
Sony Xperia XA2 Ultra
S
ony makes good phones. Even some great phones. But it cannot escape criticism for its design language and large bezels.same design every three to six months. The design itself isn’t much of a problem.
But if you just hate on bezels (and many do), the Xperia XA2 Ultra won’t make you happy. It’s a pricier version of the XA2 that has more battery, a larger display and dual selfie cameras. Is that enough to ignore its unwieldy size?
Design
At the front, the Xperia XA2 Ultra looks pretty much identical to the previous model. The main giveaway that it’s new comes via the two camera lenses in the top bezel. Looking at the phone from the top or bottom sees a subtle slight curved design, complete with
bevelled edges. However, the remainder of the XA2 Ultra looks distinctly average and even dated. Granted, the screen goes right to the edges at either side but the phone has hefty bezels above and below. The wait for an 18:9 bezel-free Xperia goes on.
Unless you have huge hands (and pockets) or simply love physically huge phones then the XA2 Ultra is too big. Previously, having a large 6in screen would justify its massive size but we’ve rightly come to expect slim and light handsets, even in the mid-range.
It’s not just about the looks though, it’s also impossible to use one-handed. The Xperia XZ1 had big bezels but was slim, light and packed stereo front-facing speakers. The XA2 Ultra is very heavy and uses only its top bezel effectively, housing the headline dual selfie cameras.
The build quality on show is premium, and the metal design is robust though the back is a textured plastic. Volume rocker, power key and the excellent dedicated shutter button are on the right side, while Sony has moved the fingerprint sensor to the rear for the first time, under the camera lens.
Thankfully for American Sony fans, the fingerprint sensor now actually works thanks to the end of a weird long running legal battle. The camera also had a flash, as do the two front facing sensors. A speaker on the bottom edge accompanies a modern USB-C port. The XA2 Ultra amounts to a monolithic slab of smartphone, an unashamed brick of a thing.
It comes in the blue of our review unit, as well as black, gold and silver.
Hardware
As you’d expect, the XA2 Ultra is a bigger version of the regular model. However, there’s more differences here than just a larger screen. The screen is exactly the same as the XA1 Ultra at 6in with a Full HD 1080p resolution resulting is a fairly poor 367ppi. That’s a decent chunk bigger than the 5.2in XA2.
reviewed recently that tips the scale over 200g. For comparison, the 6in screened Honor 7X is just 165g.
It’s nice to have a big screen but you’ve got to really want it here to live with the size and weight of the phone, as the 16:9 aspect ratio makes it huge. The 6in screen on the recent Honor 7X is a slighter 18:9, looks great and costs £269.99 at the time of writing – £100 less than the XA2 Ultra.
The display settings hidden away do improve things though. Usually phones come with the saturation turned up which is less natural but more attractive. You can turn on standard mode to boost it at little, or go all-out with super vivid mode. We prefer standard, but it’s good that the option is there to bring some life to the natural but dull out of the box settings.
Unlike the MediaTek chip in the previous XA1, the XA2 Ultra has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 630 processor. A small upgrade on the power-efficient 625, the 630 here proved to give excellent battery life both in real world usage and the Geekbench 4 battery test, where it ran for an excellent nine hours and 57 minutes. The pairing of energy efficient chip and 3,850mAh battery proves solid. There’s also NFC for mobile payments.
There’s a relatively tame 32GB storage on-board, but you can expand with a microSD card up to 256GB. Some regions will get a 64GB option but both versions come with 4GB RAM, an upgrade on the regular XA2’s 3GB.
Cameras
The rear-facing camera is a 23Mp Sony sensor with f/2.0 aperture, but the software processing doesn’t take advantage of the megapixels. Unless you’re in bright sunlight, the results are disappointing and muddy. Colour reproduction is often inaccurate too, though it can handle light well in landscape shots, even if the sky on the below photo is a little blown out.
Sony markets the Ultra as a phone for selfies as the two front facing cameras allow for wide angle group shots, or just a way to get more of the background in. It’s quite good but you get the fish bowl effect often seen at the edges of pictures taken with such a set up. You may also want to turn off the on-by-default skin softening mode.
A real boon here is the selfie cameras’ optical image stabilisation, something the rear camera
Low light Wide-angle selfie cam
actually lacks. It means your group selfie shots will be largely blur free, and it’s good to see on the phone considering the price.
If you’re into your selfies you will enjoy the feature, but there are better camera set ups on other mid-range phones.
during recording. The slo-mo recording feature from Xperia flagships has also been ported over for recording bursts of 120fps footage.
The added AR feature is fun to turn your living room into a prehistoric scene and the timeshift burst mode lets you select the best shot from several, handy if you have a moving pet or child to snap.
We still recommend spending more on a higher-end phone if photography is important to you. Despite Sony’s insistence that the camera tech here is top end, it isn’t quite. A better display and better software processing are needed such as on Google’s Pixel 2 or the Huawei Mate 10 Pro.
Audio
Where the XA2 Ultra does deliver is in its audio delivery. Though it lacks front facing speakers, the wired headphone experience on the phone is great. ClearAudio+ is a software setting that optimizes the sound output, making music and video brighter and more immersive. It’s a surprisingly decent feature, but might not be to your taste if you prefer a compressed sound and isn’t driven by a hardware DAC like on the (admittedly pricier) LG V30.
Software
Sony’s Android skin is minimal, with only minor aesthetic changes to Google’s stock version. It’s very crisp and clean and doesn’t make any change for change sake like Honor does with its EMUI skin. Sony still pre-installs and pushes SwiftKey on you, but we prefer to download and use Google’s Gboard.
Performance
Opposite are benchmarks from the XA2 Ultra and some comparable phones. The Ultra is a solid choice for mobile gaming, though if that’s the reason you’re looking to buy you will want to spend a bit more on a high-end phone.
Casual gaming looks great, and the extra money you will pay compared to the Honor 7X (with its Kirin 659 chip) or the Moto G5S Plus (with the older Snapdragon 625) will be worth it.
Geekbench 4
Verdict
The Sony Xperia XA2 Ultra is a weird phone. Sony could have made a svelte mid-range Xperia at a lower cost than its flagships, but has instead made a £379 chunky mess. You can get the XZ1 for £449 in the UK now, and we strongly recommend that Sony phone over this one.
If you really want a 6in 16:9 screen then the XA2 Ultra is one of the only ones on the market and its performance is solid. The rear camera is acceptable and the audio quality, run by Android Oreo, is top notch.
But with cheaper mid-range phones like the Honor 7X boasting more compact 18:9 6in displays, the huge XA2 Ultra is a phone that will only appeal if you love the design, its audio quirks, and have a pocket big enough to fit it in. Henry Burrell
Specifications
• 6in (1920x1080, 367ppi) IPS LCD capacitive display
• Android 8.0 Oreo
• Qualcomm SDM630 Snapdragon 630 processor
• Octa-core 2.2GHz Cortex-A53 CPU
• Adreno 508 GPU
• 4GB RAM
• 32/64GB storage, microSD up to 256GB
• Fingerprint scanner
• 23Mp rear-facing camera: f/2.0, 24mm, 1/2.3in, phase
detection autofocus, LED flash
• Dual front-facing cameras: 16Mp, f/2.0, 23mm,
1/2.6in, OIS, AF, and 8Mp, f/2.4, 1/4in • 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi
• Bluetooth 5.0
• A-GPS, GLONASS
• Micro-USB 2.0 Type-C
• Non-removable lithium-ion 3,580mAh battery
• 163x80x9.5mm
Honor 9 Lite
T
here‘s no let up in the smartphone market and Honor has yet another new handset to tempt those looking for a stylish phone at an affordable price. Over the following pages we take a close look at the 9 Lite.Honor’s range can get a little confusing, especially when you include Huawei, the firm’s parent company, devices into the mix.
So the Honor 9 Lite sounds like a cut-down version of the excellent Honor 9 and while it is to some extent, it’s also a sort of mini or light edition of the Honor View 10 because of its 18:9 screen.
However, the device is closest – almost identical in fact – to the Huawei P Smart which has just launched on Vodafone. Honor’s version, though, will be a great way of picking up the same phone on a contract-free basis.
Design
There’s no design overhaul when it comes to the Honor 9 Lite. It does indeed look like the Honor 9, one of our favourite mid-range phones ever, so uses the now familiar combination of glass and aluminium.
The firm’s current range of phones are very glossy and eye-catching thanks to the glass front and rear covers and the signature blue colour. The ‘mirror-like’ finish – on the blue and grey models – might be attractive in photos but quickly gets grubby with fingerprints and the like.
In design, it actually looks like a successor to the Honor 9 due to a move to an 18:9 screen, which is all the rage these days. That’s why it also looks similar to the firm’s View 10, which is bigger. That said, Honor has moved the fingerprint scanner to the back instead of squeezing it in below the display. This is pretty usual for an 18:9 smartphone and the sensor is neatly placed in the middle and away from the cameras. There is a camera bump, but it’s very small and doesn’t cause the phone to rock when placed on a flat surface.
Overall, the Honor 9 Lite is easily one of the nicest phones around in terms of design and build at under £200. It certainly doesn’t feel like a budget device, but can it offer enough when it comes to specs and performance?
Hardware
As mentioned already, the Honor 9 Lite is something of a combination of existing phones. Offering the kind of things you would expect at the mid-range level at the least.
Display
Much is similar to the regular Honor 9, but the even cheaper newbie has the same 18:9 style screen available on the View 10.
That 5.6in screen sits between the 9 and View 10 in terms of size. The resolution is slightly higher than the 9 at Full HD+ 2160x1080 to accommodate the 18:9 aspect ratio and retain the 428ppi pixel density. Overall, the IPS screen is very nice offering decent brightness, an ‘eye comfort’ mode and the softer colours of an LCD panel. We’re very impressed for a phone at under £200.
Processor, memory and storage
It’s no surprise that the Honor 9 Lite has a lower grade processor than its comrades, with a Kirin 659 – as used in the Honor 7X – instead of the flagship level 960 or 970. It’s still an octa-core chip with decent speeds. Other specification cuts are expected, but getting 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage is perfectly acceptable and enough for most people buying a phone in this
range. And there’s always the microSD card slot if you need to add more storage – up to 256GB more. As you can see in our benchmark results, it outpaces key rivals such as the Moto G5 in Geekbench, though the Nokia 5 offers better graphics performance thanks to its lower resolution screen.
Overall we’ve found the performance to be smooth in general usage, but it’s not flawless. The main issue is that the camera can take a while to load, and we’ve even found the app menu to lag sometimes.
Connectivity
and GPS. It doesn’t have the more modern reversible USB-C port but does have the more and more elusive headphone jack.
The fingerprint scanner on the back works well and can be used for various things other than unlocking the phone. These include taking photos, answering calls, stopping alarms, browsing photos and pulling the notification panel down – you just need to switch them on in the settings.
Cameras
Apart from having a ‘FullView’ display, Honor is really selling the 9 Lite on the basis that it has no less than
four cameras. You’ll find a combination of 13- and 2Mp camera on the front and back. Each pair works together to provide what’s commonly known as a portrait mode, where the 13Mp sensor captures the detail while the low resolution sensor is there for depth effect. Although the rear cameras are the same, they feature HDR and phase detection auto focus.
Once again, the Honor 9 Lite is impressive here if not perfect. Aside from the camera taking a while to load and the autofocus taking a while to lock on, the results are generally good from both rear and front.
As you might expect from a budget phone, low light performance isn’t anything special but as you can see opposite the HDR mode works well for landscape and the portrait mode does a decent job – just remember to turn on the bokeh effect to blur the background.
Battery life
It’s understandable there’s nothing like wireless
charging here and even no USB-C. There’s a 3,000mAh battery, which is about average for a mid-range phone, but more than usual for the budget category. Some fast charging would be nice, but perhaps that’s too much to ask at this price.
Honor promises a whole day’s use and that’s what we’ve found during our testing. Even being out and about relying on the 9 Lite for Google Maps and more wasn’t enough for it to conk out before bedtime.
Software
version, which many of last year’s phones, even the Galaxy S8, haven’t been updated to yet.
Honor adds Huawei’s EMUI 8.0 on-top which used to be a big issue but the overlay has been improved over time.
These days it’s closer to stock, simpler and easier to use. You get the Google Now panel a swipe away from the home screen, gorgeous lock screen images that change every time you unlock and the option to customize the phone with Themes.
There are still issues though, and on the downside there are a few too many preinstalled apps including no less than six games and by default there’s no app draw. Luckily, you can easily switch it on in the settings. You can do things like double-tap to wake the screen but they’re switched off by default. As is the app draw/ menu so you’ll be presented with an iOS-style layout at first. Not everyone will like SwiftKey either, but you can easily install a different keyboard if you like.
Overall, then, it’s not a perfect software experience, but it’s much better than previously and most issues can be rectified with some customization.
Verdict
Specifications
• 5.69in (2160x1080, 428ppi) IPS LCD capacitive display • Android 8.0 Oreo
• HiSilicon Kirin 659 processor
• Octa-core 4x 2.36GHz Cortex-A53 and 4x 1.7GHz Cortex-A53 CPU
• Mali-T830 MP2 GPU • 3/4GB RAM
• 32/64GB storage, microSD up to 256GB • Fingerprint scanner
• Dual rear-facing cameras: 13- and 2Mp, phase detection autofocus, LED flash
• Dual front-facing cameras: 13- and 2Mp, 1080p • 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi
• Bluetooth 4.2
• A-GPS, GLONASS, BDS • Micro-USB 2.0
• Non-removable lithium-polymer 3,000mAh battery • 151x71.9x7.6mm
Vodafone Smart N8
T
he Vodafone web listing for the Smart N8 says: “Access your messages, apps and contacts via the Smart N8’s fingerprint sensor.” This doesn’t actually make sense, but hints at the limitations of an incredibly cheap smartphone.If all you need is a phone to call, text, dabble with email, Facebook and online banking, then the Smart N8 will suffice. But you’ll find a whole host of frustrations if you want it for anything more than that.
Design
The plastic Smart N8 is surprisingly sturdy considering its £79 price tag. There’s hardly any flex or bend in
the frame despite the removable back panel that gives access to the nano-SIM card and SD card slot. It’s an odd design choice given that the battery is not removable, but it keeps the phone slick and slim with the only exterior ports being headphone jack and Micro-USB.
You have a choice of graphite or gold, and the back panel is subtly textured to help with grip. Our gold and white review unit looks a lot like a first generation Google Pixel from the front, and has a fingerprint sensor on the back just under the camera.
It’s a very basic design, but it’s quietly understated and not an encumbrance to any pocket thanks to its slight size. It won’t turn any heads, but for a budget phone it’s perfectly functional and has above average build quality.
Hardware
The Smart N8 is, unsurprisingly, locked to the Vodafone network. More important when buying a budget phone is asking if the specs are good enough for your particular needs. The Smart N8 is powered by a very low-end MediaTek MT6737 chip with 1.5GB RAM. These specifications really are the bare minimum on a modern smartphone and won’t power you anywhere near high end gaming, for example.
see how bad the lag was, and the phone couldn’t even handle downloading the full game file.
You won’t want to use it as a main phone for business unless you’re very patient, as switching between email and text apps is quite slow and using Gmail itself as part of the preinstalled Google apps can often drag thanks to the lack of memory. These are basic apps, and they work here, just very slowly.
In comparison to similar phones, its performance is not as good. The EE Hawk, for example, runs better, but is nearly double the price. The Nokia 3 has the same MediaTek chip as the Smart N8 and runs with just as much lag as the N8 does. You can use Instagram, but it chugs along in its own sweet time. The textured rear
The display is a 1280x720 IPS LCD with a low 294ppi. That doesn’t matter too much on this small 5in screen (and remember the price), so it’s fine for all basic use. Even Netflix doesn’t look too bad, but this is a big video viewing downgrade if you usually watch on an iPad, for example.
There’s only 16GB storage on-board, but the microSD slot lets you expand up to another 32GB. Such a card is available very cheap on Amazon.
The camera is passable, and in good daylight photos are acceptable for use on social media, though obviously very far off the quality of high end phones. The 13Mp sensor struggles in low light, despite the LED flash but for a point and shoot it’s not bad. Zooming in reveals a lack of detail captured. It can also record video at 720p at 30fps – a low bar, but still nice to have for the occasional shoot.
While not unacceptable, the camera even in daylight cannot capture much detail
The front-facing camera is just fine for selfies, and its 5Mp are enough for Skype calls, even if a little grainy. You’re also not going to watch to listen to music or watch video for long using the single speaker, but it’s fine for these video calls. The headphone jack lets you plug in when you want to use Spotify or have a YouTube session.
need to charge every night with above average use.
There’s also NFC for mobile payments, but no sign of any waterproofing.
Performance
Benchmarking a phone this cheap is somewhat redundant, but we’ve done it anyway. The EE Hawk is noticeably faster in all tests, so if you aren’t fussy about which network you’ll be on it might be a better bet if
Landscape
Geekbench 4
GFXBench T-Rex
you want less lag when using a few apps. Geekbench measures the processing power, GFXBench looks at graphics and JetStream is for browsing capabilities.
It’s very similar to the Nokia 3 as the specs are basically the same. What these numbers tell you is that yes, the Smart N8 is not an overly capable phone, despite functioning perfectly well in basic tasks.
Software
The Smart N8 ships with Android 7.0 Nougat. As it’s a low-end phone, you are unlikely to ever receive a software update to Android Oreo or, indeed, any updates at all. Our review unit is still on the March 2017 security patch. This isn’t the end of the world, but manufacturers will only work with Google to update the most popular handsets, so this is a downside to buying a budget phone.
You aren’t necessarily at a data security risk in this case, but it’s good housekeeping to keep your phone software up to date, and buying the Smart N8 will stop you for doing this.
Vodafone is using very close to stock Android, but with some telling changes. Swiping right on the home screen opens a whole screen called ‘Beginner tips’, showing that Vodafone considers this a phone for children or perhaps the less technologically advanced. The tips are useful, though, if you are not used to how smartphones work.
Messages+ app. Other than that, the phone is low on operator bloatware, which is nice.
Verdict
If you are okay with being stuck on Vodafone, the Smart N8 is pretty much the least you should spend on a functioning smartphone. You won’t see much of an improvement in performance unless you spend double the £79 asking price, so for teenagers or as a simple Internet tool it will suffice. But beyond simple apps like Facebook and Instagram, the N8 struggles. Running several apps at once grinds it to a halt, and any form of graphical gaming is a no. But it’s not built for that, and if your needs are simple, then the N8 will suffice. Henry Burrell
Specifications
• 5in (1280x720, 294ppi) IPS LCD capacitive display • Android 7.0 Nougat
• MediaTek MT6737 processor • Quad-core 1.3GHz Cortex-A53 CPU • Mali-T720MP2 GPU
• 1.5GB RAM
• 16GB storage, microSD up to 32GB • Fingerprint scanner
• 13Mp rear-facing camera: autofocus, LED flash • 5Mp front-facing camera
• 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi • Bluetooth 4.0 • A-GPS
• Micro-USB 2.0
• Non-removable lithium-ion 2,400mAh battery • 144.5x71.9x8.6mm
From Raspberry Pi to Arduino, there’s never been a better time to
build a computer.MARTYN CASSERLYreveals the best kits
T
he Raspberry Pi reignited interest in the DIYhome computer market. Thanks to the little marvel there are now a wide range of kits and platforms available for users to assemble their own machines, ranging from budget boards up to more expensive complete kits that include keyboards, cables, batteries, and even robotic arms.
Whether you’re looking for a project to tinker with, a chance to learn some coding skills, or just a gift for
a curious child, it can be hard to know where to begin, so we’ve done our best to break down what you can expect from the best DIY computer kits on the market.
Raspberry Pi 3 Model B
Price: £26.69 from fave.co/2pb7HqB
Although it certainly wasn’t the first DIY computer kit, the Raspberry Pi has quickly become the most widely known platform thanks to a few key elements. Firstly, it’s cheap; second, it’s British (although production was moved from Wales to China in order to meet demand); and third, it was adopted by schools all over the UK as an excellent way to teach basic programming and encourage kids to invent their own technical solutions to problems.
The success of the Raspberry Pi has seen a huge range of projects spring up around the platform, with Raspberry Jams (user groups were people show off their ideas) occurring regularly around the country, and indeed the world.
There are dedicated magazines and books covering the kind of devices you can build, an excellent website that has a variety of fun projects laid out and explained, and even a recent initiative called AstroPi, which
enabled code written on a Raspberry Pi to be taken into space and used on the International Space Station.
Raspberry Pi uses it’s own operating system, called Raspbian, but can also run with flavours of Linux and even a slimmed down edition of Windows 10.
(under £10), but the most powerful – currently – is the Pi 3, which is around £30.
Of course, the Raspberry Pi is just a circuit board, so to do anything useful with it you’ll need a USB keyboard, mouse, monitor, and SD card to run the OS. While you can use any spares you have around the house, there are also full kits available.
As a starting point for DIY computing the Raspberry Pi, thanks to its widespread support and educational links, is an excellent place to begin.
Arduino Uno
Price: £21 from fave.co/2FIpyLN
Long before Raspberry Pi was around Arduino was the place to go for do-it-yourself computing. The company began in 2005 when it released an open source
platform which people could use to build a whole number of impressive devices.
From robots to security cameras, Arduino has been used in pretty much anything you can turn your mind towards. Due to recent internal disputes Arduino boards sold outside the US are now known as Genuino, but retain the same components and design.
There is actually a wide range of boards available, such as the UNO (Rev3) that costs around £15 and contains 14 digital input/output pins (of which 6 can be used as PWM outputs), 6 analogue inputs, a 16MHz crystal oscillator, a USB connection, a power jack, an ICSP header, and a reset button.
A huge community of enthusiasts surrounds Arduino/Genuino and meetups are found all around the world. It does have the feel of a more advanced product, with specialised uses catered for, so if you’re confident in your abilities then Arduino is the place to go.
Kano Computer Kit
Price: £139 from fave.co/2tJkB3I
The Kano is a DIY kit that uses a Raspberry Pi at its centre, but surrounds the device with beautifully designed peripherals that fit together to make a
complete, small, PC. The idea came from a challenge to build a simple computer that was as fun as Lego. Kano came up with the design, then released a Kickstarter project that became an instant success.
The pack costs £139 and features a Raspberry Pi 3, Bluetooth/USB RF keyboard with built in touchpad, external speaker, 8GB SD card, plastic case for the Pi, Wi-Fi dongle, cables, books, and stickers.
The software is also excellent – not only does it feature an extensive range of tools to teach real coding skills, it also wraps a lot of them up into a video game in which you explore the world inside the computer, which should help incentivize kids to keep on learning.
While you can put together your own set for less money, the friendly, easy construction, and child-sized keyboard make this an excellent kit for the younger people on your life. One of these under the Christmas tree will certainly be a welcome present for many children this year, and a few adults too.
The company also offers kits to make your own screen and interactive light board to expand the set.
BBC micro:bit go
Price: £15 from fave.co/2tN4MJj
Those of a certain age will remember the BBC Micro B, one of the first home computers in the UK, and one that many people started their PC adventures upon. Now, 30 years on, the BBC is once again looking to bring computing into the classroom with its micro:bit.
This tiny circuit board packs some impressive specifications, with Bluetooth capabilities, an
accelerometer, compass, two programmable buttons, and a grid of LEDs that are also controllable.
to everyone that’s interested in making an electronic scoreboard, Bluetooth remote shutter button for a smartphone camera, or even a basic games machine.
You can buy the micro:bit board on its own, but we recommend the micro:bit go kit, which only costs a tiny amount more but includes batteries, a battery holder, and a USB cable to help you get started.
FUZE powered by Raspberry Pi
Price: £129 from fave.co/2BOi6jQAnother Raspberry Pi-based system is FUZE. This titanic unit is a fully metal construction, with a full size
keyboard, chunky body, and all powered by an included Raspberry Pi, though you can now get a separate model with the slightly more powerful Asus Tinker Board instead.
The look is very reminiscent of early home computers from the 1980s, and with its focus on teaching children programming, starting with FUZE BASIC, the comparisons to BBC Micro B and Acorn Electron models are justified.
The kit also comes with a box of electronic components and a ‘breadboard’ on which to mount them. This allows children, or indeed adults, to build simple electronic devices and control them via programs written on the unit. The included, and very detailed, project guides and programming manual make the process a lot easier, enabling users to create things quite quickly.
All of this doesn’t come cheap, as the standard FUZE model costs a not inconsiderable £129, but if you’re
going to spend that kind of money then we recommend adding an additional chunk of cash and buying the model that comes with a programmable robot arm. Yes it’s £189.99, but come on. A robot arm. If that doesn’t get kids interested in programming, nothing will.
BeagleBone Black
Price: £74 from fave.co/2tMweHh
If you prefer to use Linux or Android on your device then the BeagleBone Black is an interesting choice. The small board is inexpensive and comes loaded with a 1GHz ARM Cortex A8 CPU, 512MB RAM, 4GB of 8-bit eMMC on-board flash storage, a 3D graphics accelerator, plus USB, ethernet, and HDMI ports. It runs on a range of operating systems, with Android 4.0 supported, alongside Ubuntu, Debian, and others.
When connected to your PC the BeagleBone is recognised as a standard flash drive, and you can access the unloaded files that link to online tutorials about how to use the device and projects you might want to attempt.
These majestic games demand to be played for days, not hours, and your tenacity will be rewarded, writesBRAD CHACOS
F
ar too many games these days are built to be played in small bursts: brief encounters, designed for a world with too few hours in the day and too many digital distractions. And that’s fine. Blasting through a few rounds of Call of Duty multiplayer, or playing a few run-throughs in Spelunky, is a wonderful way to spend a few minutes. But sometimes, you want something more – something meatier. Whether you’re looking for an entertaining way to blow a long weekend or simply want to wrap your head around a satisfyingly complex experience, these 20 deep, intricate, and just plain great PC games will hold you for hours on end.1. Divinity: Original Sin 2
Price: £29.99 from fave.co/2FI3HEj
The first Divinity: Original Sin was one of the best PC games of 2014 thanks to its deep systematic combat, which felt like what isometric CRPGs could have been if they had thrived over the years instead of temporarily dying in the early 2000s. Divinity: Original Sin 2 is better in every way, and sits beside The Witcher 3 as one of the best role-playing games released this decade.
Original Sin 2 doubles down on the XCOM-like mechanics of the original, but the real improvement came in the story. To say narrative was an afterthought in the original would be an understatement. Divinity: Original Sin 2 steps it up, weaving compelling dialogue together with Larian’s hallmark
first approach. Every quest, dialogue, and interaction is modified by your character’s unique traits, such as race and upbringing – doubly so if you play as one of five preset ‘Origin’ characters.
This game clocks in at a meaty 80-plus hours. The ability to roll your own characters, shift around the characters of your party, or even play the whole thing in four-player co-op gives the game near endless replayability. Play this.
2. Assassin’s Creed Origins
Price: £44.99 from fave.co/2FG235YjPlaying Assassin’s Creed: Origins feels like playing Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag, but with Egypt’s sands replacing Caribbean seas. That’s high praise indeed. The gameplay feels great and the story takes
around 40 hours to complete, with optional side quests available to flesh it out even more. The newly introduced RPG mechanics add welcome complexity, but need to be refined in the future to make
upgrades feel more meaningful.
It’s the sandbox that steals the show, though. The map is gigantic. It might feel like it suffers from too many empty spaces playing the proper game, but the free, superb Discovery Mode add-on fills in the gaps of the vast, intricate world with in-game tours that teach you about Egypt’s history – and make you consider Assassin’s Creed: Origins in a new light.
3.
Kingdom Come Deliverance
Price: £39 from fave.co/2FHCpxMSkyrim and the other Elder Scrolls entries aren’t on this list because most gamers have played – or at least heard of – Bethesda’s buggy masterpieces by now. But if you’re a fan of open-world western-style RPGs, don’t miss out on Kingdom Come Deliverance. This game is basically a realistic Skyrim set in the Holy Roman Empire, and it leans into accuracy hard. You’re the son of a blacksmith. Moving up in the class-obsessed circa-1400 society takes real time, and real hard work. You’ll spend a day lugging a spoiled nobleman’s armour into the woods to hunt rabbits. Earning your first sword comes hours and hours into the story. Merely reading requires levelling up the skill.
game’s rough edges never feel that rough. For now, Kingdom Come: Deliverance is decidedly niche, and all the better for it.
4. Destiny 2
Price: £44 from fave.co/2tPCIVG
Destiny 2 has been slammed by hardcore players of the original game, who say the lack of randomized gun perks and hidden secrets and PvP heroics make the sequel’s end game less compelling. That’s true: once you’ve maxed out three characters and found all the weapons and armour in the game, there’s little in-game incentive to keep coming back.
But don’t be fooled. Maxing out a single character class, much less three, takes a significant time
investment. I still haven’t hit the top 335 light level with
my Hunter after playing the game five- to 10 hours per week since it launched in September. And Destiny 2 is brimming with stuff to do. Beating the main campaign is the real start to the game, and you can spend hours upon hours blasting through public events with other Guardians, seeking out every last Adventure side-quest and scannable item, or throwing yourself at oh-so-hard Raids and Nightfall Strikes. Bungie also holds limited-time special events most weeks to entice you to come back, and is working on a long-term development road map to address player concerns.
5.
PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds
Price: £26 from fave.co/2pbrTZh
The multiplayer action never disappoints in PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds though – a bit of a
surprise, as the game’s battle royale-style combat is pretty simple on the face of things. A hundred players airdrop into one of two large maps, which are full of static buildings and areas littered with randomized loot: weapons, armour, health boosts, vehicles, weapon accessories, you name it. A circle frequently shrinks the size of the play area, damaging players stranded outside of it and pushing competitors toward each other relentlessly. The last man, duo, or squad of four wins, depending on the play mode.
The game is simple, but the random loot, tense stakes, and unpredictability of your 99 rivals makes every playthrough thrilling. Few games suck you in as intensely as PUBG. It became the most-played title on Steam in no time, surpassing even Dota 2 and Counter-Strike. Many players have sunk hundreds, or even thousands, of hours into this quirky gem of a game. PlayerUnknown’s
6.
Civilization VI
Price: £49 from fave.co/2FIJxtK
Civilization VI launched in a far better state than its predecessor, wrapping in new city district and Active Research mechanics that provide a valuable twist on the usual Civilization formula. It’s an age-old formula, but one that’s made some vital changes this time around. This is the freshest that Civilization has felt in a long time, and the recent Rise and Fall DLC added intriguing new Dark Age and Golden Age mechanics.
7.
Total War: Warhammer 2
Price: £44 from fave.co/2FJ8tBz
