Laptops

By June 20, 2023 Read More →

HONOR MagicBook X 16

HONOR MagicBook X 16The HONOR MagicBook X 16 is a powerful and portable laptop that is perfect for students, professionals, and anyone who wants a great all-around laptop. It has a large 16-inch display, an Intel Core i5-12450H processor, up to 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB or 1TB PCIe NVMe SSD. It also has a backlit keyboard and a fingerprint sensor.

Posted in: Laptops, News
By May 30, 2023 Read More →

Acer Swift Edge 16: A Powerful and Portable Laptop for Creative Professionals

Acer has announced the new Swift Edge 16, a laptop that is powered by AMD Ryzen 7040 Series processors and up to AMD Radeon 780M graphics. The laptop also features Wi-Fi 7 and Microsoft Pluton security.

The Swift Edge 16 has a 16-inch 3.2K OLED display with an upgraded refresh rate of 120 Hz and support for 100% DCI-P3 color gamut. The laptop also has a full-sized keyboard and a range of essential connectivity ports.

The Swift Edge 16 is a powerful and portable laptop that is perfect for users who need a device that can handle demanding tasks. The laptop’s AMD Ryzen 7040 Series processors and up to AMD Radeon 780M graphics provide the performance needed for tasks such as video editing, gaming, and creative work. The laptop’s Wi-Fi 7 and Microsoft Pluton security ensure that users can stay connected and secure while they are online. The laptop’s 16-inch 3.2K OLED display provides stunning visuals, and the full-sized keyboard and range of essential connectivity ports make it easy to use.

Posted in: Laptops, News
By April 20, 2017 Read More →

Venturer PrimePro 12 TS review

P1030596aThe world of the laptop and two-in-one device is a crowded one at the moment and Windows 10 has really excelled at providing an operating system that is both lightweight and features packed for the budget to mid-range device to run quite well. Venturer look to be making waves and this environment and whilst their latest device, the PrimePro 12 TS, is not without its flaws, the sum of the parts is commendable.

The Prime Pro 12 TS easily feels like they have learnt from the mistakes of previous models. It looks a lot better, it feels more premium and most importantly it runs smoothly.

A 12-inch screen with a resolution of 1920 x 1200 pixels proves to be just perfect for day to day interactions. Of course, this is a touchscreen device and therefore prone to large, oily fingerprints, something that is very difficult to avoid. One thing I will say about the screen and whilst it’s hardly a negative a small quirk is that the display is off-centre due to the camera on the left-hand side. Once noticed it’s impossible not to notice again. Everything is fine when running this in portrait mode, however, adopting landscape to plug it into the keyboard it just feels a little Asymmetric.

The keyboard bundled with the unit is a great feature and one that will attract many a business person who isn’t interested in the high price of the Surface line. By comparison with the previous Venturer model we looked at, the keys are greatly improved, there is decent spacing and enough travel so that you know that you press the button once you’ve pressed it.  Early usage finds that the keyboard dock was a little unresponsive and this annoyed me to some degree.  I felt I needed to push a little harder for the keyboard to respond, building up speed saw letters being dropped however once I got the knack I was able to build up speed whilst also pushing the buttons to a degree that I was sure of that the keyboard had received the signal. Over time this went away and now it’s very simple to type without issue. Perhaps the keys had a “bedding in” period of sorts.

The magnetic connection between the keyboard and the screen is very strong, I never doubted it for one moment which is commendable. When connecting the screen to the keyboard it always worked the first time, there was no fiddling around trying to find the connection and with a solid “thunk” you knew you were there.

The touchpad is great. Measuring almost 5 inches by 2 inches, there is plenty of travel in any direction. With no moving parts and stylishly cut into the keyboard’s base, there is little that can go wrong with it.

One thing that can be said about the unit as a whole is that it’s not the lightest, in fact, the whole thing bundled together is quite heavy. Weighing in at 1500 grammes, it’s on the heavier side,  but thrown it in the bag and it’s not that noticeable.

Folding the device up and putting it away is initially quite tricky but after using it for a few days you realise just how simple that actually is and becomes second nature. Once bundled up everything feels secure and protected save for the exposed microSD card, the one big problem on the exterior of the device. This popped out once on the train and landed on the table. Whilst it only happened once, it was one time too many.  I noticed it and felt it as I tapped it with one of my knuckles however on a busy train or leaving a flight this might be less than ideal. Perhaps a little piece of tape might hold things together a little better but who wants that?

Port-wise the Venturer Prime Pro has a lot to offer. Some my gripe there is only one USB, however, I never noticed the need for more. The mini HDMI is handy however I feel it’s a little redundant and was replaced by the micro HDMI and the micro USB was something I never found a use for.

The addition of the rear camera is a peculiar one and the device could do without it. For most of the time, I forgot it was there and whilst it is only two megapixels I guess it might be handy for capturing a business card but it certainly isn’t going to record your holiday memories. With a fixed focus and strange zoom in appearance, the photos feel as if there should be a warning that objects may be closer than they appear.

In the unboxing video, I was unsure of the volume switch, as to whether or not it was a handy placement. In usage it became invaluable. Easy to find and as it’s a button it was actually more responsive than other options like rollers.

Windows 10 runs very well. Initially, I was highly concerned as upgrading to the latest version of Windows 10 took a ridiculous amount of time. After almost 24 hours I finally had the machine up to date. This concerned me as I figured things were quite slow when it came to the Intel atom 1.83 gigahertz processor inside, coupled with 4 gigabytes of RAM. Thankfully once updated the machine appeared to be pretty quick. I rarely noticed any slow down when opening multiple applications and even managed some light gaming with some older titles downloaded through GOG Galaxy.

To boot the device from fully powered off to a usable state took roughly 20 seconds. When using the device it lasted for around 5 hours doing a little word processing and web development,  nothing too intensive. The media playback on the screen worked well, movies look good and the full HD display impressed. The speaker was acceptable however as with most speakers there is always room for improvement. Viewing photographs, the colour representation was pleasantly more than adequate and at no stage did it appear washed out. The screen gets a solid thumbs up indoors. Outside, one a sunny day things were a little different. With the brightness up full, the screen’s glossy finish made things impossible to see, a real shame.

The Venturer Prime Pro 12 TS is a very good alternative if you aren’t prepared to spend the money for the typically recommended Windows 10 experience. At £350 it is a little more than a budget laptop however you do get a more accessible experience having the choice to leave the keyboard behind and that might be worth that price difference.

I have enjoyed my time with the Ventura prime pro12 TS. It’s an interesting form factor from a company daring to be a little different. The Prime Pro does turning heads and people have asked questions. I can nit pick, but there is nothing I can really complain about, it’s a strong package at a good price and worth considering if you’re looking for a portable Windows 10 two-in-one device.

Posted in: Laptops, Reviews, Tablets
By February 23, 2017 Read More →

Venturer introduces its PrimePro 12TS Windows 2-in-1 notebook

Venturer, one of the largest manufacturers of tablets worldwide, with world class manufacturing facilities, today announces the launch of the PrimePro 12TS Windows 10 2-in-1 Notebook. Following on from the hugely successful launch of its BravoWin and Elitewin 2-in-1 affordable notebooks which were positioned as an ideal first computer, Venturer have now produced a device perfect for business users who require a sturdy yet portable notebook for use in the office, on the move, or at home.

With an Intel Atom Core Quad Core processor, 4GB RAM and an impressive 64GB memory, the PrimePro 12TS offers a quick and responsive user experience. It has the ability to access the internet within seconds and has an expandable storage space for work files, photos, videos and music. The 2MP dual cameras at the front and rear allow users to make conference calls and take photos or videos, producing good quality images and videos.

Unlike other more expensive tablets in the market, the Venturer PrimePro 12TS is equipped with a detachable smart keyboard with a leather backing and stand to rest the screen on. When connected, this provides the optimum angle for working and when closed, also provides an extra layer of protection for the metallic black notebook. Rather than draining precious battery power using Bluetooth, the keyboard clips on magnetically, featuring a pressure sensing trackpad so the PrimePro 12TS can be used as a stand-alone tablet or quickly transformed into a working laptop; making it easier to type, work and surf the internet.

The PrimePro 12TS has a battery life of eight hours and an impressive 12.2” 1920 x 1200 display. It is also fully loaded with the latest Windows 10 software and a month’s free trial of Office 365  (Word, Excel and Powerpoint) making it an ideal laptop for work or entertainment.

The device also features headphone, micro and regular USB ports to attach or charge other devices and a mini HDMI output meaning the PrimePro 12TS can be connected to a TV for presentations or an enhanced viewing experience.

Priced at only £349.99 the new Venturer PrimePro 12TS Notebook is the ideal choice for those looking for the flexibility of a tablet and laptop combined, for a lightweight device that easily fits into a work satchel but with the quality, reliability and durability for work, for play, for every day.

The Venturer PrimePro 12TS is available in Metallic Black from Amazon RRP £349.99

Posted in: Laptops, News, Tablets
By February 7, 2017 Read More →

5 tech tends to fly in 2017

reichelt elektronik Online Electronics and Components SpecialistWith 2017 well upon on us it’s time to take a look at what’s set to be the next big thing in the tech world. Whether you’re a tech enthusiast or just after a nifty gadget, Holger Engelbrecht, Product Manager of Home & Security, and Tools of reichelt.co.uk gives the lowdown on some of the big trends that will be coming our way…

  1. Storage breakthrough with SSDs

Ever heard of 3D Nand Flash technology? It’s the latest range in SSDs and many of the big tech giants will be rolling it out this year. This technology is a type of flash memory in which memory cells are stacked vertically in multiple layers to help achieve higher densities at a lower cost per bit. Ultimately, 3D Nand Flash can offer higher capacity in a smaller physical space compared to 2D Nand. More space for less money – makes sense.

  1. Lightening fast USBs

The introduction of Thunderbolt 3 technology as the new interface for USB Type-C cables, has presented a desktop-level performance from a mobile computer. This advancement in technology supports the fastest data transfer and most video bandwidth available on a single cable in the world. To get technical, it provides 40Gbps – doubling the speed of its predecessor and eight times faster than USB 3.1 – it will be a technological marvel this year!

  1. The virtual reality revolution continues

Virtual reality is here and 2016 has proven to be the year that it’s moved into the mainstream. However despite many VR headsets on general sale, there is still a need for VR content that fully lives up to expectations. Expect a new expanded offering of VR content not just from gamers but also the film industry, streaming services, and even new areas like visual novels and comic books. Users still need a solid enough reason to invest in VR headsets. As slick as they may look, content is king.

  1. Smart home tech is the future

From decor-friendly gadgets and wireless power controls, right through to sophisticated security systems, advances in technology continue to make it easier to make homes smarter and safer, and it seems homeowners are waking up to the value. Day-to-day tasks are made simpler and it’s inevitable that more exciting smart home products will come to market this year. This year, sales of general smart home devices are up 21% at reichelt.co.uk, with one of the best-sellers being the Konig Smart home security starter set.

  1. Robotics

Robots are reaching a whole new realm of realism and this year promises to deliver a new generation of robot. The arrival of these mechanical companions is making the unthinkable a reality. We’ve already seen the announcement drone deliveries and there will be a whole host of new robotic product launched as the year goes on. Our fascination with A.I is fuelling the advancement of this technology at an alarming pace. Our robot friend, the Ubtech Humanoid Alpha 1S has been a hit so far and we’re predicting he’ll be just as popular throughout 2017.

As well as its robotic kits and smart home range, reichelt.co.uk offers a wider variety of tools, components, tech accessories and more – offering many items up to 20% cheaper than elsewhere in the UK.

By January 25, 2017 Read More →

ASUS Previews Chromebook Flip C213

C213na_13ASUS gave visitors to the Bett 2017 show in London an exclusive preview of the upcoming Chromebook Flip C213, the world’s first ruggedized Chrome OS-powered laptop to feature a 360°-flippable display.

Built to military standards of durability, Chromebook Flip C213 offers educational users a tough, reliable and powerful laptop that is easy to use, manage and service.

The ruggedized construction features a wraparound reinforced rubber ‘bumper’ to protect the chassis and I/O ports from minor knocks and scrapes, and the all-metal 360° hinges are covered with strong zinc alloy caps. The 11-inch touchscreen display features a covering of tough, scratch-resistant Corning® Gorilla® Glass 4.

With a 46Wh battery designed to deliver over 11 hours of continuous use, Chromebook Flip C213 minimizes the need for recharging during the normal working day, making it the ideal laptop for busy classrooms.

The 360°-flippable display with its stepless any-position hinge makes Chromebook Flip C213 exceptionally versatile, offering multiple usage modes all the way from productive laptop to handy tablet.

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Chromebook Flip C213 features dual cameras, including a 5MP rear camera for photos and videos. It also supports an optional stylus incorporating Wacom EMR technology for intuitive and natural painting, sketching and handwriting input.

To minimize downtime, Chromebook Flip C213 is designed for easy field servicing, with a modular construction that enables IT staff to replace key components — such as the keyboard and battery — in a matter of minutes.

Full product specifications will be announced at a later date.

Posted in: Laptops, News, Press Releases
By January 9, 2017 Read More →

The Alxum Hi-Speed USB 2.0 4-Port Ultra Mini Hub Unboxing

image25The Alxum Hi-Speed USB 2.0 4-Port Ultra Mini Hub comes in four flavours and priced appropriately. This black version with a 120cm long cable is also available in white and priced at £8.99. Then there is a black and a white version with a 60cm long cable for £7.99. The Hub adds up to 4 peripherals quickly and easily for Plug-and-Play connectivity to your USB 1.1 and USB 2.0 devices. Especially great for notebooks which come with only a few ports in an era when you need to attach many USB devices at once, such as a mouse, keyboard, card reader or thumb drive, etc. It offers an ideal way to connect on the road, and virtually anywhere you need fast access to your USB devices.

High Speed Data Transfer
Four downstream ports support high-speed (480Mbps), full-speed (12Mbps), and low-speed (1.5Mbps). This USB Hub saves your valuable USB 2.0 quota by consolidate 4 x USB 2.0 interfaces to one USB port so you can have more 4 peripherals connected simultaneously.It maintains backwards compatibility with USB 1.1 devices, so feel free to add more to your Mac, Windows or Chrome devices. To get the full power, the host and the device must have the same version.

Portable Size
With compact size, this 4 port USB 2.0 hub is a perfect lightweight travel tool, and the right companion for your business trip and travel. This compact hub tucks easily into the pocket of your laptop bag. Only take it out when you need to connect additional USB peripherals like, mouse, keyboard, thumb drive, digital cameras, flash drives, iPod etc.

Additional Notes
1.This hub is not meant to serve as a stand-alone charger. Devices connected to this hub should not exceed a combined current of 5V 900mAh.
2.External hard-drives should be connected to an external power source, do not connect it to high power-consuming devices (such as HDDs, certain office equipment, etc). This 4 Port hub will not charge an iPad (it will only sync).

Package Contents:
1 x 4 Ports USB 2.0 Portable Hub

  • 4 port USB 2.0 or 1.1 devices to Compact size and portable. Easily expand by connecting up to your Macbook, Laptop, ultrabook, tablet PC and any USB 2.0 capable computer works with USB. Works with USB extension cable and reverse Compatible with USB 1.1
  • Designed with a built-in surge protector to keep your devices safe. Plug-and-Play; hot-plugging; driver free.
  • Designed with a built-in surge protector to keep your devices safe
  • Build in Overvoltage/Overcurrent/Leakage and Short-Circuit protection unit. The connection cable is attached to the hub -no need to worry about leaving it behind or losing it
  • Compatible with Windows XP /Vista/7/ 8 /8.1 (32/64-bit), Mac OS 10.10 or higher, Linux.

Grab one from Amazon here.

By January 3, 2017 Read More →

Venturer EliteWin S Notebook Review

image25Venturer has very kindly sent over a 2 in 1 Mini Windows Notebook for our appraisal. This low-cost tablet and laptop combination ticks a lot of boxes for the cost conscious whilst packing a smooth experience inside the interesting external design.

  • HDMI, USB, Bluetooth and wifi
  • 11.6” 1366 X 768 Display
  • 2GB/4GB DDR3 SDRAM
  • 32GB Internal Memory 64GB Micro SD
  • CorIntel Atom Processor @ 1.83 GHz
  • 8 Hrs Battery 
  • Smart Keyboard with Trackpad
  • Foldable

Grab one from Amazon for around £249.99.

By December 6, 2016 Read More →

2016 Christmas Gift Guide

christmas_gift_187449The market is saturated with devices, that is why GiftsforPeopleWho.com recommended us with Christmas ideas and where to get them at a great price.

Remember that you can also buy your gifts by using exclusive student deals to save money in your purchases.

Best Budget Mobile:

Moto G4

The last few generations of this phone have been one of the most recommended devices out there. Moto has got the balance of hardware and low price just right and it’s hard to find some who has bought one dropping anything but praise on the device.

John Lewis are selling the Moto G4 for £159.99.

WileyFox Swift 2

Of this little list, this is the only one with a 720 screen, however, the Wiley Fox Swift 2 is another perfect balance of style, performance, and hardware. Some have complained that the camera might be merely serviceable, however for the money everything here is a winner.

Amazon is selling the WileyFox Swift 2 for £119.99.

Honor 5X

Honor phones feel as is they are trying to sit midway between Apple and Android, appealing to both. They are almost successful. The grandeur of the Emui OS adds a great deal to the phone’s presentation. Combined with smooth performance and an agreeable price, the Honor 5X is great value.

Ebuyer is selling the Honor 5X for £167.98.

Best Mid-Range Mobile:

Honor 8

The Honor 8 is exceptional value for money, depending on when you purchase it. During sales, the price can drop below £300 making it easily one of the most recommended phones of the year. That camera combination is one of the best on the market and really only slightly surpassed by the iPhone. It is safe to say, in any colour, the Honor 8 is the best-looking device of 2016.

Honor 8 can be purchased from Vmall for £369.90 – £30 off Honor 8 with voucher code “DIGIN16”

Nexus 5X

An oldie, but a goodie. The Nexus 5X still has a bit of time left before Google will drop it off the update radar and the pricing has dropped to make it a steal. Naked Android with LG’s hardware makes a top-notch Android device that other manufacturers have yet to top.

Amazon have the Nexus 5X for £255 right now

OnePlus X

The little phone that dared. The OnePlus 3T is an improved version of the OnePlus 3. Taking everything that was criticised about the 3 and fixing it. However, the Oneplus X steals the thunder here, not only because it’s such a low price, but because the specs are fantastic. The 3 is almost £150 and the 3T £200 more.

The best price for the OnePlus X is from their own store at £189

Best High-End Phone:

Apple iPhone 7

Apple hasn’t reinvented the wheel for some time, however, they know how to put together a solid package that people can rely upon. Their boldest move has said goodbye to the 3.5 mm headphone jack, thankfully, aside from this, they have stepped everything up half a step over last year. It’s hard to deny this phone just works and looks beautiful. However, you will pay for the privilege.

Apple prices can be set in stone, however using code KRUQT  can grab £15 cashback with Very.

pixelblack

Google Pixel

With much hesitation, I place this device on the list. Why? This is the overpriced Nexus successor, and now the only way to get all of Google’s greatness straight away. A phone that really doesn’t have any of the beautiful stylings manufacturer HTC are known for. Google has won us over the Nougat, however, the Pixel hardware adds little to experience. You are paying for a name.

Google Pixel prices start at £599 and go up. You can look but you won’t find them going down.

HTC 10

The forgotten phone of 2016. One of the best examples of looks and hardware, the HTC 10 is almost perfect. It seems like HTC is making one last ditched effort with their Flagships over the last few years and pouring in their heart and soul and no one is watching. This is simply a wonderful handset.

techinthebasket.com has the HTC 10 for £455.70

Best Tablet:

Apple iPad Pro 9.7

Like their phones, Apple knows their way around the tablet now. Where Android tablets are generally used as a secondary device for media on the go, Apple still focus on the tablet as a productivity device and it’s working, the Air and the Pro versions are used by most professionals. The Pro 9.7 sits right in the middle between the Air and the 12.9 Pro becoming Apple’s most perfected tablet so far.

John Lewis offer the 128gb variant for £639 includes a 3-year warranty

Microsoft Surface Pro 4

When considering a Windows 10 tablet, you really need to go to the top end to get the best experience. Hardware matters with Windows. The Surface Pro line is a shining example of how well Windows can run and how powerful an operating system it can be.

Argos have the Surface Pro 4 for £599. Incredible price.

Asus ZenPad 3S 10

Asus are putting a huge amount of effort into their products right now, and deserve to be noticed. The ZenPad 3S is pretty amazing and one of the best Android tablets out there. Wafer thin, dazzling display and packed with enhancements and features.

You can grab the ZenPad 3S (Z500M) from PC World for £299.99

Best Laptop:

ASUS Zenbook UX360UA

The Asus Zenbook are looking at Apple and bring the MacBook experience to Windows 10 at a fraction of the price. A beautifully lightweight design coupled with powerful innards and a great selection of customisation for the consumer mean the Zenbook is the best option if you are not interested in paying Apple prices or are invested in the Windows ecosystem.

ASUS Zenbook Flip UX360UA is on amazon for £799.99

By November 23, 2016 Read More →

Venturer EliteWin S Unboxing

image11The new Venturer 2-in-1 Mini Notebook is ideal as a first computer for students heading to secondary school, college, university or even home use. Like the earlier model, the new 2-in-1 Mini Notebook is equipped with Windows 10 and Office 365 and the EliteWin S has a total 96GB of memory (32GB Flash memory plus a 64GB Micro SD Card included free of charge), vastly improving its storage capacity.

With the new sleek soft touch, lightweight design with soft curved edges, and long battery life, the EliteWin S 11KT is ideal for work or entertainment on the go with up to 8 hours usage whilst travelling.

Unlike other more expensive tablets on the market, the Venturer convertible notebook is equipped with a detachable smart keyboard that has a pressure sensing trackpad which clips on magnetically so it can be used as a stand-alone tablet or quickly transformed into a working laptop, making it easier to type, work and surf the internet.

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