CheckMag

There are lots of gaming handheld options on the market right now. (Source: Nintendo - edited)

3 best gaming handhelds currently on the market

CheckMag The gaming handheld space has gotten pretty exciting lately, and there's no better time to get in on the excitement than now. But with quite a few good options available for the casual mobile gamer, making a choice on which one to...

Habeeb Onawole, 15 Nov 2023 23:35

Double your phone's battery lifespan: 5 smart tips to make it last longer

CheckMag If you're aiming to protect your phone battery from wear and tear and want to maximize its longevity, it's important to remember to follow a set of key practices. Maintaining the health of your phone's battery is vital for its lon...

Triet Le, 15 Nov 2023 22:28

Oversized EVs defeat the object of electrification, and their ranks are growing. (Image source: Tesla - edited)

Tesla's Cybertruck is just another bloated EV that misses the point of green transportation

CheckMag Electric cars were conceived as a more environmentally-friendly form of transport. With the effectiveness of EVs being called into question more and more, it's time to address the elephant-sized trucks and SUVs in the room. Super-...

Julian van der Merwe, 15 Nov 2023 16:48

Top 4 game-changing graphics cards for your gaming PC in 2023

CheckMag A graphics card is the soul of every gaming PC. A strong card with efficient cooling is essential for smooth gaming and conquering the virtual world. Below is a list of the top 4 most worth-buying graphics cards for gamers in 2023...

Triet Le, 15 Nov 2023 15:14

Why Windows on ARM is far from dead

CheckMag Some people compare Windows on ARM with Windows RT, declaring its death. But such proclamations may be a tad early. Arguably, Windows on ARM is more alive now than it has ever been since the 2016 Qualcomm/Microsoft partnership ann...

Benjamin Herzig, 14 Nov 2023 19:33

Top 5 family-friendly PS5 games to enjoy this holiday season

CheckMag As November approaches, we look forward to the Thanksgiving holiday and Black Friday, the most unique sale of the year. Restful holidays wouldn't be complete without moments of relaxation. Below are the top five PlayStation 5 game...

Triet Le, 14 Nov 2023 14:54

Repurpose that old laptop into something that serves a genuinely useful purpose (Credit: NotebookCheck)

5 things to do with that old laptop after upgrading to an M3 MacBook Pro

CheckMag If you've upgraded to the new M3 MacBook Pro or a Lenovo X1 Carbon, take a look at some of the options for repurposing your old hardware instead of selling, recycling or sending to landfill. Repurposing old hardware can be a rewar...

David Devey, 14 Nov 2023 14:29

The default 2 lens wide and ultrawide is the standard for all but the most expensive flagship phones (Credit: Notebookcheck)

Why the ultrawide has become the de facto second lens for all but the most premium smartphones

CheckMag The wide and ultrawide camera lenses seem to be the default setup for any phone that falls below the flagship tier. Who do we have to thank for this and are there any alternatives? If you aren't looking to spend top tier prices yo...

David Devey, 14 Nov 2023 13:53

7 warning signs your iPhone may be tracked

CheckMag By recognizing the signs of mobile phone tracking, you can determine whether your iPhone is being monitored. Below are 7 warning signs your iPhone may be tracked, which range from unexpected Apple ID login alerts to unusual data u...

Triet Le, 13 Nov 2023 21:49

This isn't the first time Microsoft has tried its luck with ARM chips (Image source: Unsplash/Microsoft/ARM - edited)

Windows on ARM is certainly more dead than it is alive

CheckMag Of the 10 ARM-powered laptops we tested in 2022 and 2023, just 1 comes with Windows on ARM - all the rest are Apple MacBooks. Apparently, laptop makers do not see much point in using ARM chips; worse still, software developers do ...

Sergey Tarasov, 13 Nov 2023 19:41

GPU accelerated ray tracing has just been added into the latest version of Lumion. (Image Source: Lumion)

Lumion 12 finally adds RTX and Radeon Raytracing support

CheckMag Lumion has been the quintessential rendering software used by university students and professional architects to visualize buildings and interiors etc. We are finally at version 12 and the developers of Lumion have decided to add ...

Daniel Murti, 12 Nov 2023 08:46

If you want a small phone with a big zoom think again, you probably won't find one. (Source: Notebookcheck)

If you want a phone with a 5x zoom, make sure you’ve got big hands

What was once considered "big" in smartphone terms is now the norm in the industry. But one feature seems to be tied specificially to the size of the screen. If you don't like big phones, don't expect to be on the cutting edge of ...

David Devey, 12 Nov 2023 08:28

For those sticking to their years-old phone, the G54 is definitely worth upgrading to. (Image source: Notebookcheck - edited)

At US$200, the Moto G54 almost makes the U$799 Apple iPhone 15 look like bad value

CheckMag For a quarter of the price of an Apple iPhone 15, Motorola's Moto G54 delivers very good shots, 5G compatibility, a sharp screen with no PWM flickering, good looks, strong performance and stock Android experience. A few quirks suc...

Sergey Tarasov, 09 Nov 2023 20:57

2018's new Apple Pencil saw a raft of new features announced - and 2023's saw a bunch of them taken away. (Image credit: Own)

Apple’s USB-C Pencil is still pretty...pointless

CheckMag A lot can change in less than a month. New iMacs, MacBooks, and M-series chips might have been announced, but don't let that distract you from the fact that Cupertino's new non-Lightning Pencil – its first in half a decade – is ar...

Matthew Lee, 09 Nov 2023 19:36

Over the years, talented developers have proven there's more to expansions than map packs and cosmetics. (Image source: Unsplash)

6 influential expansions that changed the face of gaming

CheckMag A good expansion can turn a poorly received videogame into a darling, or elevate a good one to legendary status. Good expansions build upon and shape the base game they originated from – and the best can introduce innovations that...

Matthew Lee, 09 Nov 2023 19:24

Nokia 9110 Communicator. (Image source: Wikipedia)

From concept to reality: Foldable phones have come a long way

CheckMag Foldable or flip phones allow users to fold their phones in half or use them as a tablet. These devices have come a long way, surviving the thick and thin of the technology sector. They quickly gained customer attention, but the c...

Ayesha Aslam, 09 Nov 2023 19:11

Apple M2 Ultra vs the might of x86

CheckMag The launch of Apple's first home-grown CPU design in late 2020 has sparked an arms race with x86 giants such as AMD and Intel. The M2 Ultra has a total of 24 CPU cores in which 16 are performance cores and 8 are efficiency cores. ...

Daniel Murti, 08 Nov 2023 08:58

Samsung Bada was a smartphone platform released in 2010. (Image source: Bada/waybackmachine)

Bada OS: Revisiting Samsung’s defunct mobile OS

CheckMag Before Samsung finally settled on making only Android smartphones, it experimented with other operating systems, one of which was Bada OS, a proprietary OS that powered some of Samsung's phones for a brief period.

Habeeb Onawole, 07 Nov 2023 04:25

The Vision 14 received an 89% rating in our testing (Image source: Notebookcheck - edited)

7 reasons why a Schenker Vision 14 (2023) is better than an HP Envy

CheckMag The Schenker Vision 14 is a very good laptop that fully deserves more spotlight. With no PWM, no coil whine and no significant throttling to speak of, the product is in several ways ahead of many Dells and HPs tested by us this ye...

Sergey Tarasov, 31 Oct 2023 21:25

One of the highlights of the Legion 9i 16IRX8 is a thin chassis and understated, yet decidedly still gaming-themed, design.

3 Lenovo Legion 9i Gen 8 review highlights that justify its ultra-high-end US$4,000+ pricetag

CheckMag In our review, we called the Lenovo Legion 9i Gen 8 16IRX8 the best Legion that money can buy, and that's not just because of its US$4,399 price and built-in water cooling. The Legion 9i Gen 8 earns its praise with an astonishingl...

Julian van der Merwe, 30 Oct 2023 22:09

With cellular connection, the customer has no way of influencing the speeds that he or she is getting. (Image source: Unsplash)

It's time to stop taking multi-gigabit cellular modems seriously

CheckMag When getting a laptop with a Gig+ Wi-Fi card such as the AX200, consumers know they are getting at least 900 Mbps in either direction. In contrast, download/upload rates smartphone chip makers such as Qualcomm mention in media rel...

Sergey Tarasov, 30 Oct 2023 03:07

Alan Wake 2 running on a Steam Deck (Source: Notebookcheck)

Alan Wake 2 works on the Steam Deck but only with user assistance

CheckMag Alan Wake 2 is one of the most anticipated games of 2023. The minimum specifications were so high they had the PC community up in arms. But does it work on a Steam Deck? The short answer: Yes. But there are some fairly significant...

David Devey, 28 Oct 2023 19:20

The Radeon PRO W7900 is a powerful graphics card for creators. (Image source: AMD)

AMD re-entering the workstation GPU market is a force for Nvidia to reckon with

CheckMag Since 2006, CUDA has been consistently gaining ground in the workstation and gaming market. In recent times AMD has introduced Pro Render and other features to entice workstation users.

Daniel Murti, 28 Oct 2023 01:38

Is the Pixel 8 Pro the world's first AI-first edge computing smartphone? (Source: Notebookcheck)

Pixel 8 Pro reviews may be inadvertantly convincing readers that the Tensor G3 is powering all new AI features

At best, many reviews of the Pixel 8 Pro don’t distinguish between when AI tasks are performed on device by the Tensor G3 and when they are off-loaded to Google Cloud for processing. At worst, some assume that all of the AI models...

Sanjiv Sathiah, 26 Oct 2023 00:00

GRID Autosport offers PC and console quality racing on your phone. (Source: NotebookCheck)

3 console quality Android and iOS games that can rival Steam Deck games

CheckMag Don't have a Steam Deck to hand? Waiting for Apple to release Resident Evil on the iPhone 15 Pro? Here are 3 Android and iOS games that offer PC and console class gaming on your device today. Just make sure you pair it with a dece...

David Devey, 25 Oct 2023 22:50

Life gets easier when there is no extra weight to carry - but at what cost? (Image source: Notebookcheck - edited)

3 of the lightest smartwatches and fitness trackers Notebookcheck reviewed in 2023

CheckMag The Huawei Band 8, the Huawei Watch Fit SE and the Amazfit Band 7 are the lightest fitness trackers and smartwatches that we have tested over the course of the last 10 months. In this short piece, we briefly revisit their features...

Sergey Tarasov, 23 Oct 2023 20:23

The iPhone camera may not be exactly as it seems (Image source: Apple - edited)

Apple needs to be more honest about the iPhone camera specification

CheckMag Does measuring features differently to the competition make a product better? Is Apple "Thinking Different" or hoping branding will sell more devices? There certainly seems to be some convenient favouritism shown by Apple in regar...

David Devey, 23 Oct 2023 20:07

The Google Pixel 8 Pro features some impressive cloud-powered AI features. (Source: Notebookcheck)

Exclusive: Google confirms with Notebookcheck it blocked benchmarks during Pixel 8, Pixel 8 Pro review embargo period

Notebookcheck has received written confirmation from Google that it deliberately blocked the installation of benchmarks on its Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro devices during the review embargo period. It confirms our earlier report on the...

Sanjiv Sathiah, 23 Oct 2023 07:52

Warframe's Abyss of Dagath update introduces a harrowing new Warframe and a host of welcome quality of life changes. (Image source: Digital Extremes)

Warframe Abyss of Dagath update delivers 4 crucial changes alongside the new frame

CheckMag Warframe's Abyss of Dagath update just went live, bringing with it a number of big changes that may make the game more friendly to both new and old players alike. Here are four Abyss of Dagath highlights, including immortal compan...

Julian van der Merwe, 19 Oct 2023 22:31

Europa combines sci-fi and fantasy elements in a relaxing adventure through a gorgeous backdrop. (Image source: Steam)

3 gorgeous indie adventure games previewed at Steam Next Fest that are coming soon

Between the atmospheric horror platforming of Artificial and the expansive, fantastical exploration of Europa, the Steam Next Fest previewed some of the most visually-pleasing indie adventure games coming to Valve's platform.

Julian van der Merwe, 18 Oct 2023 02:55

Final Fantasy XIV is one of the biggest games still sticking to the subscription model, even 10 years in. (Image source: Square Enix)

Bringing back subscription games could be the answer to greedy microtransactions

CheckMag So, another game comes out. It’s packed with battle passes, a cosmetic store, and an intolerable grind carefully designed to inflate playtime until you give up and spend money on it. It’s not made to be fun, it’s made to drive eng...

Matthew Lee, 12 Oct 2023 18:26

We tested the €2,399 e-bike in September 2023 and found it to be mostly good. (Image source: Notebookcheck - edited)

Revisiting our Gazelle Esprit C7 HMS e-bike review: Quiet, reliable, and fun to use

CheckMag The Gazelle Esprit C7 HMS's low standover height, combined with quality Shimano components, makes for enjoyable rides and trouble-free day-to-day use. The 418 Wh battery allowed us to ride 70 km (43 miles) in the Alpine foothills ...

Sergey Tarasov, 10 Oct 2023 02:32

Amazon Music was the first big-name library-matching service offered - and the first to be culled (image source: Amazon)

Music lockers – a look back at the best, and worst, of both worlds

CheckMag Music lockers have always been curious creatures. Amazon, Google and Apple promised they would bring legacy music collections forward into the cloud age – but all three pivoted to streaming services as they saw the way the wind wa...

Matthew Lee, 03 Oct 2023 20:11

The Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra is the crowning achievement of the Tab S9 lineup.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra - 3 reasons why Notebookcheck loved the colossal Android tablet

Samsung leads the premium Android tablet market with its Galaxy Tab Ultra, and its ultraslim design and fast, bright Dynamic AMOLED 2X display are just some highlights of the Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra's features that impressed us in our...

Julian van der Merwe, 03 Oct 2023 19:57

The titanium credit card might even get discontinued (Image source: Unsplash - edited)

Apple Card is slowly fading into oblivion

CheckMag The titanium credit card Apple launched in 2019 was set to conquer the world, according to easy-to-excite types. The hype was so abundant that Samsung followed suit shortly out of fear of missing out. It's Q4 2023 and Apple Card's...

Sergey Tarasov, 02 Oct 2023 04:12

Steam Deck fans need to cool their jets on a next-gen model, lest they be rewarded with disappointment. (Image source: Valve)

Steam Deck 2 delay was right choice for Valve as mid-generation refresh would fare better

Valve won't be releasing a Steam Deck 2 with more performance until at least 2025. Given the broadly parallel smartphone market's reputation for disappointing incremental updates, this is the right choice. Valve should, however, t...

Julian van der Merwe, 30 Sep 2023 17:23

4 retro gaming accessories that support a blast to the past

PC gaming has come a long way, but the retro look and nostalgia factor are picking up steam. As such, here are some excellent, affordable retro gaming accessories such as the Retroid Pocket Flip and 8BitDo Retro Mechanical Keyboar...

Julian van der Merwe, 30 Sep 2023 00:23

Too hot to handle? The iPhone 15 Pro Max. (Source: Notebookcheck)

Opinion: What is going on with iPhone 15 Pro overheating issues?

Since the iPhone 15 Pro rolled out to customers last week, reports quickly started to emerge that were overheating. Renowned analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has pointed the finger at the iPhone’s internal design, but not all iPhone 15 Pro us...

Sanjiv Sathiah, 29 Sep 2023 06:43

It's easy to get lost in the sea of handhelds floating around nowadays.

3 of the best handheld gaming PCs we tested in 2023 put Valve's feet to the fire for Steam Deck 2 performance

The Steam Deck may still be the de-facto gaming handheld in 2023, but that doesn't mean there aren't alternatives. Companies like Asus, GPD, and OneXPlayer have all released excellent alternatives to the Deck that deserve consider...

Julian van der Merwe, 29 Sep 2023 00:38

Nintendo's upcoming Switch 2 may not feature the ground-breaking graphics capabilities we had hoped for. (Image source: Nvidia/Nintendo - edited)

No way the Nintendo Switch 2 will be a Steam Deck killer - despite alleged PS4-like prowess

Recent Nintendo Switch 2 leaks have led to much speculation about specifications. The apparent suggestion is that Nintendo's next-generation hybrid handheld console would match the PS4 in performance, but lofty performance doesn't...

Julian van der Merwe, 23 Sep 2023 17:42

It's been a long time since the Littlest Pascal GPU was cutting-edge. (Image source: Nvidia)

Charting the demise of Nvidia's MX GPUs across six laptops

CheckMag 2017 was a heady year for Nvidia. The Pascal architecture remains fondly regarded even today, with the GTX 1080 Ti seen as one of the company's high-water marks - but it also ruled the bottom end of the market, with the MX150 the ...

Matthew Lee, 22 Sep 2023 16:55

Whale is here to take web browsing to the next level (Image source: Naver, Google, Microsoft - edited)

Naver Whale: A lovely freeware web browser for those looking to break free of Edge and Chrome's stranglehold

CheckMag Whale by Naver is like a breath of fresh air in the crowded Web browser market. The browser hails from Korea; it looks great, it has additional features that are actually useful, like screen recording in GIF format, and it is comp...

Sergey Tarasov, 21 Sep 2023 21:04

To reduce those long render times, content creators need the latest and greatest hardware available. (Image source: Notebookcheck)

3 GeForce RTX 4090 gaming laptops that can double as content creation powerhouses

CheckMag We have chosen a selection of 3 gaming laptops from our detailed Notebookcheck reviews: The ROG Strix Scar 17 G733PY, the Legion Pro 7 16 and the Erazer Beast X40 all sport 175 W RTX 4090 graphics and spacious, color-accurate, fli...

Sergey Tarasov, 19 Sep 2023 23:05

AMD is planning on rolling out FidelityFX Super Resolution 3 to the first supported games in early fall (autumn). (Image source: AMD)

Upscalers and perspectives: In offence of AMD's FSR 2.0

CheckMag Image upscaling techniques in games have been a huge step forward, enhancing graphics quality while optimising performance. While the promise of better-than-native-resolution image quality is only a reality in a few select cases -...

Matthew Lee, 17 Sep 2023 20:34

The Xiaomi Pad 6 serves as convincing competition to Apple's iPad, particularly thanks due to its low price point. (Image source: Xiaomi)

4 of the best 11-inch Android tablets - Lenovo, Xiaomi, and Samsung take the fight to Apple's door with midrange powerhouses

When it comes to tablets, Apple's iPad is the gold standard, but many Android makers have spent years playing catch up. A number of top Android manufacturers that have spent years chasing the iPad have finally stumbled across winn...

Julian van der Merwe, 13 Sep 2023 01:33

PHP trails behind C family programming languages in popularity (Image source: KOBU Agency on Unsplash)

4 of the world's most popular programming languages in 2023 according to IEEE and GitHub

Python, Java, JavaScript, and C family members are the world's most widely used programming languages as of September 2023, according to the IEEE and PYPL. The Rust language that is increasingly used by Microsoft is found closer t...

Sergey Tarasov, 12 Sep 2023 22:48

The Steam Deck was launched in 2022. (Image source: Petar Vukobrat on Unsplash)

Supposed Steam Deck killers are missing the point

There are plenty of supposed Steam Deck killers available in the portable gaming space, from the Asus ROG Ally to the Lenovo Legion Go and all the Ayaneo and ONEXPLAYER devices in between. But none of them have managed to outright...

Matthew Lee, 11 Sep 2023 23:36

Dell XPS laptops are supposed to deliver superior user experience, but this isn't always the case. (Image source: Notebookcheck - edited)

2023 Dell XPS laptops might be a bad deal according to our extensive reviews

Of the 3 Dell XPS laptops we tested in 2023, none was truly great. The XPS 13 9320, the XPS 15 9530 and the XPS 17 9730 all sport a similar range of issues including subpar performance-per-dollar ratios, DPC latency issues and blu...

Sergey Tarasov, 01 Sep 2023 14:14

Stellaris is an iconic space-based 4X RTS game with superb variation and exploration. (Image source: Steam)

Steam Strategy Fest discounts 3 of the best 4X games until September 4

Whether you're in it for the brain-tickling strategy, or you're simply looking for an adventurous game to take a break from all the MMORPG and FPS games, the Steam Strategy Fest has something for you to explore, expand, exploit, a...

Julian van der Merwe, 01 Sep 2023 13:49

3 products Apple won't bring back for the iPhone 15 launch on September 12

On the 12th of September, we are getting a new generation of the iPhone, as well as the Watch. In the meantime, several iconic products such as the "trash can" Mac Pro will again be left waiting for Apple to revive them in one for...

Sergey Tarasov, 30 Aug 2023 15:14