Apple's app platform is finally opening up a bit. Today, the company said that it will allow developers to utilize new in-app experiences, including streaming games, accessing mini-apps, and talking with chatbots. That means devs can create a single app that houses an easily accessible catalog of their streaming titles. Perhaps we'll finally see a usable Game Pass app from Microsoft (or even its long-awaited mobile game store).
The new in-app experiences, which also includes things like mini-games and plug-ins, will also get new discovery opportunities. Apple isn't being clear about what that means, but it could involve new sections of the App Store pointing to specific features. It wouldn't be too surprising to see a collection of apps feature chatbots, for example. Apple also says the new built-in experiences will be able to use its in-app purchase system for the first time (like easily buying a subscription to a specific mini-game or chatbot).
"The changes Apple is announcing reflect feedback from Apple’s developer community and is consistent with the App Store’s mission to provide a trusted place for users to find apps they love and developers everywhere with new capabilities to grow their businesses," the company said in a blog post. "Apps that host this content are responsible for ensuring all the software included in their app meets Apple’s high standards for user experience and safety."
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apple-lets-apps-feature-streaming-games-chatbots-and-other-built-in-experiences-180016453.html?src=rss
If you’re a PC hardware geek who’s been dreaming of a laptop that you can upgrade far beyond the life cycle of a typical machine, Framework's modular notebooks must seem like a miracle. The American company has a straightforward pitch: What if your laptop could be nearly as customizable as a desktop, with the ability to swap components out for repairs and upgrades? What if we could put an end to disposable hardware? We were intrigued by Framework's original 13-inch notebook and its Chromebook variant, despite some rough edges and a basic design. Now, with the Framework Laptop 16, the company is targeting the most demanding and (arguably) hardest group of PC users to please: Gamers.
Framework has already proved it can build compelling modular laptops, but can the Laptop 16 cram in powerful graphics, a fast display and other components to keep up with the likes of Alienware, Razer and ASUS? Sort of, it turns out — and there are plenty of other tradeoffs for living the modular laptop dream. Hardware quirks abound, battery life is mediocre and it still looks like a totally generic machine. But how many other notebooks could let you completely upgrade your CPU or GPU in a few years? Who else offers a customizable keyboard setup? In those respects, the Framework 16 stands alone.
You'll also have to pay dearly for its unique features. The Framework Laptop 16 starts at $1,399 for its DIY Edition, which includes a Ryzen 7 7840HS chip, but RAM, storage and an OS will cost extra. (You could also bring your own hardware, if you happen to have all those components lying around). The pre-built "Performance" model goes for $1,699 with the same Ryzen chip, 16GB of RAM, 512GB of storage and Windows 11 Home. The highest-end "Overkill" edition starts at $2,099 with a Ryzen 9 7940HS, 32GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD. Oh, and if you want the dedicated Radeon RX 7700S GPU, that's an additional $400 for every model.
I just wanted you to have those numbers in mind as we dive into what the Laptop 16 gets right, because for true PC tinkerers, those high prices could be worth it. The device's singular personality was clear the instant I opened it: I saw a machine with a fairly typical display, the usual wrist rest area with a touchpad, and a big gaping hole where the keyboard was supposed to be. I've come across hundreds (probably thousands) of laptops in my time, this was one of the rare times where I felt genuinely surprised. Underneath the metal Mid Plate where the keyboard was supposed to be, I could see the internals of the Framework 16 peeking through, just tempting me to get my hands dirty (and my knuckles inevitably scraped up).
Photo by Devindra Hardawar/Engadget
After opening the two side locks on the wrist rest, I slid the two side spacers off. Then, ever so carefully, I pulled back on the touchpad to detach it from the case. That's when I learned that I didn't have to be too gentle with the Laptop 16. All of the components are built for removal. With the lower panels gone, I had full access to the metal barrier protecting the rest of the machine’s internals.
At that point, I realized it paid to read Framework's online documentation, as things quickly got more complicated. It stated that I needed to remove the cable with the number one next to it, and then unscrew 16 screws spread through the Mid Plate. Thankfully, the screws are held in place, so I didn’t have to worry about losing them as I would during a desktop build.
Then, I was treated to a wondrous sight: A laptop with a completely open mainboard, featuring components I could easily reach without much effort. There's a large battery at the bottom, a wireless networking card at the top left, SSD slots in the middle and two RAM slots off to the side. QR codes are nestled alongside the parts, which direct you to online help documentation. The last time I saw so many easily reachable components was on the failed Alienware Area 51M, another dreamy modular laptop, but that was quietly killed after a few years. (Dell was sued by Area 51M customers who felt misled about its upgradability, though that ultimately didn't amount to much.)
And yes, I know other large gaming laptops like the Razer Blade 16 also let you easily access their RAM and SSDs. But those machines don't have the modular ambitions of the Framework Laptop 16. I could see the Ryzen 7840HS module within reach, and also easily swap out my review unit's Radeon RX 7700S graphics. That GPU, by the way, is completely optional. You can order the Laptop 16 with a slimmer expansion bay instead, which helps to cool the Ryzen chip's Radeon 780M graphics. Or you could have both modules and swap them out as needed. Simply having the option to do so is revolutionary.
The Radeon 7700S GPU is contained within a module that sticks out from the rear of the Laptop 16. A more powerful video card could potentially stick out further, while a more efficient one could end up being smaller. The key is that the choice could be entirely yours (I'm hedging a bit here, because Framework and AMD still haven't committed to the availability of future GPU upgrades). The GPU module also makes a big difference when it comes to weight: The Laptop 16 clocks in at 5.3 pounds with the graphics card attached, whereas it’s just 4.6 pounds with the standard expansion bay.
Photo by Devindra Hardawar/Engadget
Looking at the Framework Laptop 16 splayed out on my workbench, all I could see was possibility. The possibility of doubling my RAM in a couple of years to run local AI models, upgrading the CPU for a major power upgrade, and replacing the battery on my own after far too many charge cycles. Framework is selling a dream of hope. I had my doubts when the company launched, especially after seeing how badly Dell botched the Area 51M. (Fun fact: Frank Azor, the Alienware co-founder who spearheaded that machine's launch, is now AMD's chief gaming architect. He left Dell before the company failed to live up to its upgradability promises.)
But now that Framework has several products under its belt, and it's managed to deliver a truly replaceable mobile GPU where others have failed, I find myself rooting for this little hardware company that's daring to do something different. (Okay, sure, it also raised $27 million in VC funding, but hardware is a difficult and expensive thing to get right!)
Even if you're not eager to get new components in a few years, the Framework Laptop 16's modularity also allows you to easily customize it for your needs. As I reassembled the machine, a process that took around three minutes, I wanted to make my setup look different from a typical laptop. So I slapped the RGB keyboard module on the left side of the Mid Plate (it landed with a genuinely satisfying magnetic thunk) and aligned the trackpad right below it. To the right of the keyboard, I installed a customizable button module (you can also order a standard Numpad, if you'd like), and metal spacers on the right of the trackpad.
Photo by Devindra Hardawar/Engadget
With the top of the machine configured, I also had to figure out which ports I wanted to equip along the sides of the Laptop 16. Framework handles that process brilliantly: The computer has three expansion bays along each side, all of which lead to USB-C connections at the end. The expansion cards are just USB-C dongles connecting to your typical ports, including USB Type A ($9), Type C ($9), a headphone jack ($19) and HDMI ($19). Our review unit came with a handful of cards, so I slapped on two USB-C ports on the left (which also handle charging), USB A on both sides, as well as HDMI and 3.5mm on the right (because the legend will never die).
If I was configuring my own machine, I'd also opt for Ethernet ($39) and MicroSD ($19). The cards sit flush with the Laptop 16 once they're installed, and are very secure once you enable the locks on the bottom of the case. They're so easy to swap out, I wouldn't be surprised if Framework owners end up switching between them on the fly. You can never have too many ports, after all.
Photo by Devindra Hardawar/Engadget
While I appreciated the simple customizability of the ports, charging was a bit annoying. Framework's documentation points out that only certain expansion slots can be used for USB-C charging. There's also a USB-C port on the back of the GPU module, which I was disappointed to learn couldn't actually charge the Laptop 16. The company told me that USB-C port is only meant for accessories and additional displays. Still, it would have been nice to have rear charging support just to hide the cable from view.
Once I had everything locked into place, this ugly duckling of a laptop started to look like a gaming swan. The RGB keyboard jolted to life when I hit power. I had no idea what I was going to do with the programmable keyboard, but I could see it potentially being useful while podcasting (and certainly if I was a game streamer). But I also realized that nothing is permanent about the Laptop 16.
I learned quickly that I wasn't a fan of typing for too long on a left-aligned keyboard, so I yanked everything out and center-aligned the keyboard and trackpad instead. Instead of blank metal spacers around the keyboard, I installed some customizable LED modules, which basically exist to look pretty. That took me just two minutes. The keyboard, by the way, is wonderful to type on, with 1.5mm of key travel and a soft landing that easily dampens my heavy typing. The trackpad is also smooth to the touch and has a responsive click. It's so great that I have to wonder how some Windows laptops still ship with frustrating touchpads — I'm looking at you, ZenBook 14 OLED.
There's so much to love about the Framework Laptop 16, I was genuinely bummed to discover that it was a fairly mediocre gaming machine, at least for its high price. Across multiple games and benchmarks, it fell in line with laptops sporting NVIDIA's RTX 4060 GPU, a card typically found in systems starting around $1,000 (and sometimes less). Framework isn't completely out of line, though, Razer still sells the Blade 16 for $2,500 (down from $2,699). Remember, you're paying for the magic of customizability, not just raw performance.
Our review unit included the Radeon GPU module, the Ryzen 7 chip, 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD, which would all cost at least $2,144 to configure. (That doesn't include the cost of expansion cards or additional input modules.) For that amount of money, I really would have liked to see more than 61fps on average while playing Halo Infinite in 1440p with Ultra graphics settings. In Cyberpunk, I hit 53fps on average with maxed out graphics and mid-range ray tracing settings. Both games fared better in 1080p — 85fps in Halo and 76fps in Cyberpunk with the same settings — but still, those are numbers I'd typically only put up with in a budget gaming laptop.
As for benchmarks, the Framework Laptop 16 scored 200 points less than the Razer Blade 18 with an RTX 4060 in 3DMark's TimeSpy Extreme. And as usual, the AMD GPU still lagged behind in the Port Royal ray tracing demo. Still, the Laptop 16 held up decently in the broader PCMark 10 benchmark, which tests productivity apps and not just gaming. The Framework machine hit a score of 8,129, putting it alongside some of the fastest machines we saw last year (it even beat out the Blade 18, which was running a beefy Intel i9-13950HX CPU).
While I would have liked to see higher numbers across the board, the Framework Laptop 16's 16-inch screen was at least a joy to behold throughout my testing. It's an LED panel running at 2,560 by 1,600 pixels with a 165Hz refresh rate, a respectable 500 nits of brightness and 100-percent DCI-P3 color gamut coverage. The display made the neon-soaked world of Cyberpunk pop more than usual, though it certainly didn't have the extra brightness of MiniLED screens or the eye-searing contrast of OLED panels. At the risk of repeating myself, the beauty of this screen is that you can yank it off the laptop in a few minutes and replace it if your kid damages it, or if Framework releases new modules. (Again, big if there.)
The Framework's left speaker.
Photo by Devindra Hardawar/Engadget
Personally, I’d also eagerly swap out the Laptop 16’s 3-watt speakers the instant Framework offers upgrades. They’re serviceable, but given what Apple and Dell offer these days, they feel almost insulting. Music sounds far too tinny, and they can barely even convey the faux drama of a typical movie trailer. I’m sure most people would use headphones while gaming, but if you’re the sort of person who relies on your laptop speakers for music, I beg you to consider other options.
I’d also recommend some sort of noise blocking solution that can overpower the Laptop 16’s fans. While I was gaming and benchmarking the system, I could swear it was about to lift off like my DJI drone. The fans are louder than any gaming laptop I’ve encountered over the past few years, but at least they did their job. CPU temps stayed around 80 degrees Celsius under load, while the GPU typically stayed under 70C.
Since it’s a huge gaming laptop, I didn’t expect much battery life from the Framework Laptop 16, and I was right: It lasted for four hours and five minutes in the PCMark 10 “Modern Office” battery benchmark. I saw similar results while writing this review, and as you’d expect, it lasted around two hours playing a demanding game like Halo Infinite.
Photo by Devindra Hardawar/Engadget
Much like the original Framework notebook, the Laptop 16 is meant for a niche group of PC users, those who prioritize customizability and upgradability at all costs. If you’re a gamer trying to get the most frames for your dollar, this isn’t really the machine for you (consider these budget gaming PCs, or wait to see how we feel about the Zephyrus G14 in our review). But if you want a notebook that could last you for the next decade, and don’t mind so-so gaming performance, the Laptop 16 could be the notebook of your dreams.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/framework-laptop-16-review-modular-wonder-mediocre-gaming-laptop-150026910.html?src=rss
No, NVIDIA's mid-range RTX 40-series GPUs aren't getting any cheaper, but at least the new RTX 4070 Super packs in a lot more performance for $599. We called the original RTX 4070 the "1,440p gaming leader," and that still holds for the Super. It's so much faster, especially when it comes to ray tracing, that it edges close to the $799 RTX 4070 Ti (due to be replaced by its own Super variant, as well). And together with the power of DLSS3 upscaling, the 4070 Super is a far more capable 4K gaming card.
So what makes the RTX 4070 Super so special? Raw power, basically. It features 7,168 CUDA cores, compared to 5,888 on the 4070 and 7,680 on the 4070 Ti. Its base clock speed is a bit higher than before (1.98GHz compared to the 4070's 1.92GHz), but it has the same 2.48GHz boost clock and 12GB of GDDR6X VRAM as the original.
The difference between the RTX 4070 Super and the plain model was immediately obvious. On my desktop, powered by a Ryzen 9 7900X with 32GB of RAM, I was able to run Cyberpunk 2077 in 4K with Ultra graphics and DLSS at an average of 78fps. The RTX 4070 sometimes struggled to stay above 60fps at those settings. NVIDIA’s new GPU showed its limits in Cyberpunk's RT Overdrive mode (which enables intensive real-time path tracing), where I only saw 51fps on average while using DLSS and frame generation. (CD Projekt says that mode is meant for the RTX 4070 Ti and up, or on the 3090 at 1080p/30fps).
While the original RTX 4070 was a card that could occasionally let you game in 4K, the 4070 Super makes that a possibility far more often (so long as you can use DLSS). Of course, you'll need to have reasonable expectations (you’re not getting 4K/120fps) and ideally a G-Sync monitor to smooth out performance.
None
3DMark TimeSpy Extreme
Port Royal (Ray Tracing)
Cyberpunk
Blender
NVIDIA RTX 4070 Super
9,830
12,938/60fps
1440p RT Overdrive DLSS: 157
GPU 6,177
NVIDIA RTX 4070
8,610
11,195/52 fps
1440p RT DLSS: 120 fps
6,020
NVIDIA RTX 4070 Ti
10,624
14,163/66 fps
1440p RT DLSS: 135 fps
7,247
AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT
11,688
13,247/61 fps
1440p FSRT RT: 114 fps
3,516
When it comes to 1,440p gaming, the RTX 4070 Super is truly a superstar. In Cyberpunk's Overdrive ray tracing mode with Ultra graphics settings, I saw an average of 157fps — almost enough to satisfy the demands of a 165hz 1,440p monitor. To my eye, the whole experience looked far smoother than the 4K Overdrive results and, as usual, I found it hard to tell the difference between 4K and 1,440p textures during actual gameplay.
Similarly, I'd rather keep the 160fps/1,440p average I saw in Halo Infinite with maxed out graphics, than the 83fps I reached in 4K. That game doesn't get an assist from DLSS, either, so there's no upscaling magic going on in those numbers.
Across most of our benchmarks, the RTX 4070 Super landed smack dab between the 4070 and 4070 Ti. In 3DMark Timespy Extreme, for example, the new GPU scored 9,830 points, compared to 8,610 on the 4070 and 10,624 on the 4070 Ti. In some cases, like the Port Royal ray tracing benchmark, it leaned far closer to the 4070 Ti (which also bodes well for the 4070 Super's overclocking potential). NVIDIA's advanced cooling setup on its "Founders Edition" cards also continues to work wonders: The 4070 Super idled at around 40 Celsius and typically maxed out at 66C under heavy load.
Photo by Devindra Hardawar/Engadget
The RTX 4070 Super is clearly a big step forward from the original card, and a far better value for $599. It's a solid upgrade if you're running a 20-series NVIDIA GPU and even some of the lower-end 30-series options. The value should hopefully trickle downhill, as well: The original 4070 now sells for $550 on NVIDIA's website and used models are on eBay for well below that.
While we’ll continue to long for the days when “mid-range” described a $300 GPU, NVIDIA is giving gamers more of a reason to shell out for the $599 RTX 4070 Super. It’ll satisfy all of your 1,440p gaming needs — and it’s ready to deliver decent 4K performance, as well.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/nvidia-rtx-4070-super-review-a-1440p-powerhouse-for-599-160025855.html?src=rss
No, NVIDIA's mid-range RTX 40-series GPUs aren't getting any cheaper, but at least the new RTX 4070 Super packs in a lot more performance for $599. We called the original RTX 4070 the "1,440p gaming leader," and that still holds for the Super. It's so much faster, especially when it comes to ray tracing, that it edges close to the $799 RTX 4070 Ti (due to be replaced by its own Super variant, as well). And together with the power of DLSS3 upscaling, the 4070 Super is a far more capable 4K gaming card.
So what makes the RTX 4070 Super so special? Raw power, basically. It features 7,168 CUDA cores, compared to 5,888 on the 4070 and 7,680 on the 4070 Ti. Its base clock speed is a bit higher than before (1.98GHz compared to the 4070's 1.92GHz), but it has the same 2.48GHz boost clock and 12GB of GDDR6X VRAM as the original.
The difference between the RTX 4070 Super and the plain model was immediately obvious. On my desktop, powered by a Ryzen 9 7900X with 32GB of RAM, I was able to run Cyberpunk 2077 in 4K with Ultra graphics and DLSS at an average of 78fps. The RTX 4070 sometimes struggled to stay above 60fps at those settings. NVIDIA’s new GPU showed its limits in Cyberpunk's RT Overdrive mode (which enables intensive real-time path tracing), where I only saw 51fps on average while using DLSS and frame generation. (CD Projekt says that mode is meant for the RTX 4070 Ti and up, or on the 3090 at 1080p/30fps).
While the original RTX 4070 was a card that could occasionally let you game in 4K, the 4070 Super makes that a possibility far more often (so long as you can use DLSS). Of course, you'll need to have reasonable expectations (you’re not getting 4K/120fps) and ideally a G-Sync monitor to smooth out performance.
None
3DMark TimeSpy Extreme
Port Royal (Ray Tracing)
Cyberpunk
Blender
NVIDIA RTX 4070 Super
9,830
12,938/60fps
1440p RT Overdrive DLSS: 157
GPU 6,177
NVIDIA RTX 4070
8,610
11,195/52 fps
1440p RT DLSS: 120 fps
6,020
NVIDIA RTX 4070 Ti
10,624
14,163/66 fps
1440p RT DLSS: 135 fps
7,247
AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT
11,688
13,247/61 fps
1440p FSRT RT: 114 fps
3,516
When it comes to 1,440p gaming, the RTX 4070 Super is truly a superstar. In Cyberpunk's Overdrive ray tracing mode with Ultra graphics settings, I saw an average of 157fps — almost enough to satisfy the demands of a 165hz 1,440p monitor. To my eye, the whole experience looked far smoother than the 4K Overdrive results and, as usual, I found it hard to tell the difference between 4K and 1,440p textures during actual gameplay.
Similarly, I'd rather keep the 160fps/1,440p average I saw in Halo Infinite with maxed out graphics, than the 83fps I reached in 4K. That game doesn't get an assist from DLSS, either, so there's no upscaling magic going on in those numbers.
Across most of our benchmarks, the RTX 4070 Super landed smack dab between the 4070 and 4070 Ti. In 3DMark Timespy Extreme, for example, the new GPU scored 9,830 points, compared to 8,610 on the 4070 and 10,624 on the 4070 Ti. In some cases, like the Port Royal ray tracing benchmark, it leaned far closer to the 4070 Ti (which also bodes well for the 4070 Super's overclocking potential). NVIDIA's advanced cooling setup on its "Founders Edition" cards also continues to work wonders: The 4070 Super idled at around 40 Celsius and typically maxed out at 66C under heavy load.
Photo by Devindra Hardawar/Engadget
The RTX 4070 Super is clearly a big step forward from the original card, and a far better value for $599. It's a solid upgrade if you're running a 20-series NVIDIA GPU and even some of the lower-end 30-series options. The value should hopefully trickle downhill, as well: The original 4070 now sells for $550 on NVIDIA's website and used models are on eBay for well below that.
While we’ll continue to long for the days when “mid-range” described a $300 GPU, NVIDIA is giving gamers more of a reason to shell out for the $599 RTX 4070 Super. It’ll satisfy all of your 1,440p gaming needs — and it’s ready to deliver decent 4K performance, as well.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/nvidia-rtx-4070-super-review-a-1440p-powerhouse-for-599-160025855.html?src=rss
The tech world isn’t taking any breaks after CES! This week, Cherlynn and Devindra are joined by Senior Writer Sam Rutherford to discuss Samsung’s latest Galaxy Unpacked event, where it debuted the Galaxy S24 smartphone line. They don’t look very different from last year, but they’re packing a load of AI smarts. Also, Cherlynn finally got to try out the Apple Vision Pro and tells us all about her spatial computing journey. While it was a mostly eye-opening experience, the headset also hurt Cherlynn’s head and forced her to confront one of nature’s most terrifying creatures: A butterfly.
Listen below or subscribe on your podcast app of choice. If you've got suggestions or topics you'd like covered on the show, be sure to email us or drop a note in the comments! And be sure to check out our other podcast, Engadget News!
Topics
Samsung’s Galaxy AI event: S24 line, 7 years of support for new phones, and a Galaxy Ring teaser – 1:05
Cherlynn’s Apple Vision Pro hands-on experience – 34:42
Apple is selling Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 again with blood oxygen feature disabled – 1:03:05
Apple finally allows links to third party websites for purchases – 1:04:57
Google throws support behind right to repair bill – 1:06:19
OpenAI laid out its misinformation strategy for a busy 2024 election year – 1:07:58
Cold temperatures in Chicago led to a lot of dead Teslas – 1:09:44
The tech world isn’t taking any breaks after CES! This week, Cherlynn and Devindra are joined by Senior Writer Sam Rutherford to discuss Samsung’s latest Galaxy Unpacked event, where it debuted the Galaxy S24 smartphone line. They don’t look very different from last year, but they’re packing a load of AI smarts. Also, Cherlynn finally got to try out the Apple Vision Pro and tells us all about her spatial computing journey. While it was a mostly eye-opening experience, the headset also hurt Cherlynn’s head and forced her to confront one of nature’s most terrifying creatures: A butterfly.
Listen below or subscribe on your podcast app of choice. If you've got suggestions or topics you'd like covered on the show, be sure to email us or drop a note in the comments! And be sure to check out our other podcast, Engadget News!
Topics
Samsung’s Galaxy AI event: S24 line, 7 years of support for new phones, and a Galaxy Ring teaser – 1:05
Cherlynn’s Apple Vision Pro hands-on experience – 34:42
Apple is selling Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 again with blood oxygen feature disabled – 1:03:05
Apple finally allows links to third party websites for purchases – 1:04:57
Google throws support behind right to repair bill – 1:06:19
OpenAI laid out its misinformation strategy for a busy 2024 election year – 1:07:58
Cold temperatures in Chicago led to a lot of dead Teslas – 1:09:44
Almost a year since Microsoft launched its ChatGPT-powered Bing Chat — which is now just called Copilot — the company is announcing its next major AI moves. First, it's launching Copilot Pro, a $20 monthly subscription that gives power users access to the latest ChatGPT releases, as well as access to Copilot in Microsoft 365 apps and other new features. Additionally, the Copilot iOS and Android apps are now available to everyone, following a limited launch last month.
And that's not all! Microsoft also introduced Copilot GPT, a new feature that will let you tweak Copilot around specific topics like "fitness, travel, cooking and more," according to Microsoft EVP and Windows head Yusuf Mehdi. Copilot Pro users will also be able to create their own Copilot GPTs eventually. (And yes, the name is certainly confusing, but this appears to be Microsoft's version of OpenAI's standalone GPTs.)
Microsoft says that Copilot Pro users will have access to GPT-4 Turbo at peak times starting today, and eventually they'll be able toggle between different GPT models. The subscription also grants you better AI image creation, which will be faster and deliver higher image quality, with optional landscape formatting. It's also worth noting that Copilot Pro is $20 a month per user — plan to shell out more if multiple people in your household need access.
While Copilot and Microsoft's onslaught of AI announcements throughout 2023 led to plenty of publicity — it actually made us care about poor old Bing again! — it remains to be seen if it actually ends up being useful to general users. That may explain the rush to monetize Copilot for power users so quickly. Copilot queries are expensive, both in terms of computation power and energy use, so Microsoft needs a way to actually recoup some of those costs from its most aggressive users. The company also needs to make good on its $13 billion investment in OpenAI, which gave it a 49 percent stake in the AI firm (and once again raised regulatory scrutiny).
Given how strongly linked they are, it's no wonder Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella was instrumental in getting OpenAI co-founder Sam Altman re-instated as CEO, following a dramatic battle with the company's board of directors.
Alongside Copilot Pro, Microsoft says that Copilot for Microsoft 365 is now widely available to small companies with its "Business Premium" and "Business Standard" subscriptions. The pricing hasn't changed from its earlier enterprise launch, though: It's still $30 a month per person (except now you can buy between 1 and 299 seats).
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/microsoft-copilot-pro-is-a-20-monthly-subscription-for-advanced-ai-features-234847522.html?src=rss
Almost a year since Microsoft launched its ChatGPT-powered Bing Chat — which is now just called Copilot — the company is announcing its next major AI moves. First, it's launching Copilot Pro, a $20 monthly subscription that gives power users access to the latest ChatGPT releases, as well as access to Copilot in Microsoft 365 apps and other new features. Additionally, the Copilot iOS and Android apps are now available to everyone, following a limited launch last month.
And that's not all! Microsoft also introduced Copilot GPT, a new feature that will let you tweak Copilot around specific topics like "fitness, travel, cooking and more," according to Microsoft EVP and Windows head Yusuf Mehdi. Copilot Pro users will also be able to create their own Copilot GPTs eventually. (And yes, the name is certainly confusing, but this appears to be Microsoft's version of OpenAI's standalone GPTs.)
Microsoft says that Copilot Pro users will have access to GPT-4 Turbo at peak times starting today, and eventually they'll be able toggle between different GPT models. The subscription also grants you better AI image creation, which will be faster and deliver higher image quality, with optional landscape formatting. It's also worth noting that Copilot Pro is $20 a month per user — plan to shell out more if multiple people in your household need access.
While Copilot and Microsoft's onslaught of AI announcements throughout 2023 led to plenty of publicity — it actually made us care about poor old Bing again! — it remains to be seen if it actually ends up being useful to general users. That may explain the rush to monetize Copilot for power users so quickly. Copilot queries are expensive, both in terms of computation power and energy use, so Microsoft needs a way to actually recoup some of those costs from its most aggressive users. The company also needs to make good on its $13 billion investment in OpenAI, which gave it a 49 percent stake in the AI firm (and once again raised regulatory scrutiny).
Given how strongly linked they are, it's no wonder Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella was instrumental in getting OpenAI co-founder Sam Altman re-instated as CEO, following a dramatic battle with the company's board of directors.
Alongside Copilot Pro, Microsoft says that Copilot for Microsoft 365 is now widely available to small companies with its "Business Premium" and "Business Standard" subscriptions. The pricing hasn't changed from its earlier enterprise launch, though: It's still $30 a month per person (except now you can buy between 1 and 299 seats).
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/microsoft-copilot-pro-is-a-20-monthly-subscription-for-advanced-ai-features-234847522.html?src=rss
Call it love at first sight. Every year, I come across a handful of products that elicit instant joy, a sense of elation that's so strong I forget about the many ways the tech industry is actively making our world worse. As we wrap up CES 2024 in Las Vegas, I can't stop thinking about the new ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14, the latest edition of one of our favorite gaming laptops.
As we covered in our initial hands-on, the Zephyrus G14 features the spec bumps you'd expect: new Ryzen 8000 CPUs and the return of NVIDIA's RTX 4070. But really, it's the all aluminum case and minimalist aesthetic that I've fallen for. When I touched it for the first time, it felt like I was holding a piece of high-grade scientific equipment. The case feels almost too good for a gaming laptop.
Couple that with the cleanest layout ever on an ASUS machine, and you have an evolutionary design leap for the company. (It's particularly shocking seeing it next to the new ASUS ZenBook 14 OLED, which looks practically ancient in comparison.) We've called Razer's Blade laptops the gaming equivalent of Apple's MacBook Pro for years — but now the torch may have been passed to ASUS. The Zephyrus G14 more closely resembles the boxier refreshed aesthetic from Apple's Pro machines. (If you’re looking for an even bigger screen, there’s also a new G16 with the same design and it can hold more powerful hardware, like NVIDIA’s RTX 4090.)
The G14 is more than just a design showpiece, it's also a far better gaming laptop than before. Its new keyboard, which sports 12 percent larger key caps, makes hours-long Halo Infinite matches feel far more comfortable since there's more room for my fingers to spread out. Just about everything shines on its new 3K 120Hz OLED screen, which makes colors pop perfectly. And I was even able to hear a decent amount of positional audio from its revamped speakers (20 percent larger than before) when I was too lazy to grab a pair of headphones.
Devindra Hardawar/Engadget
While I can't divulge any benchmarks from our RTX 4070-equipped preview unit, I can say that Halo Infinite, Cyberpunk 2077, Elden Ring and the new uber-stylish Metroidvania Cookie Cutter all played like a dream at the G14's native resolution with maxed out graphics quality. Cookie Cutter, with its fluid and expressive art style, was practically made to be shown off on OLED screens. And in Cyberpunk, the G14's HDR capability made the neon lights in Night City almost searingly bright.
The Zephyrus G14 also excelled at game streaming, something I like to test to stress a laptop's networking capabilities. I was able to hop into Forza Horizon 5 in around 30 seconds while I was sitting 20 feet and a floor away from my router. And once I hit the road, I was able to zoom through a few races without any noticeable video artifacts, tearing or slowdown. Anyone walking by might think I was playing the game locally.
Devindra Hardawar/Engadget
Beyond gaming, the G14 just kept surprising and delighting me. Its larger keyboard feels great for typing, with more depth and responsiveness than before. Its touchpad is one of the smoothest I've used on a Windows laptop. And I can't help but love that it has all the ports I want: HDMI, mini-SD and both USB-C and Type A on both sides of the case. I was less enamored with ASUS' new power connector — it's a bit stiff, and a slight tug could easily send the G14 flying. It would have been nice to see a pure USB-C charging solution, but the company told our senior reporter Sam Rutherford that the cost and efficiency of using that port for high-powered charging still isn't good enough for wide deployment.
I'm looking forward to spending more time with the ROG Zephyrus G14 during our review. But until then, we’ll always have CES 2024.
We're reporting live from CES 2024 in Las Vegas from January 6-12. Keep up with all the latest news from the show here.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/asus-rog-zephyrus-g14-preview-180025962.html?src=rss
The latest ZenBook 14 OLED from ASUS has most of the hardware we'd want in a modern ultraportable: Intel's new Core Ultra chips, a gorgeous OLED screen and a decent number of ports. But after testing ASUS's laptops for years, and seeing how much progress it's made with the Zephyrus G gaming line, it's surprising that the company's premium Zenbook hasn't evolved much lately.
While it's a solid step into the "AI PC" era, thanks to its NPU for accelerating AI tasks, the new ZenBook 14 is also a reminder that ASUS is lagging behind Apple and Microsoft when it comes to premium design. It doesn't feel nearly as sturdy or sleek as the redesigned MacBook Air, and it lacks the refinement of the Surface Laptop. The ZenBook 14 OLED looks fine — it’s as if you asked an AI to generate an image of a generic ultraportable.
On the plus side, ASUS is delivering far more bang for the computing buck than Apple and most other competitors. You can snag the ZenBook 14 OLED with a Core Ultra 7 155H chip, 32GB of RAM and 1TB SSD for $1,300 at Best Buy. An M2 MacBook Air for the same price comes with 16GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD (and it can only be upgraded to a maximum of 24GB of RAM). ASUS also includes a decent selection of ports, including a USB-A connection, two USB-C Thunderbolt ports, an HDMI socket and a microSD card slot. You'd have to step up to the pricier 14-inch MacBook Pro to get some of those ports on a Mac.
While ASUS is touting the Core Ultra's AI capabilities as the big upgrade this year, I'm still far more compelled by the Zenbook 14's glorious 14-inch 3K OLED screen. It's wonderfully bright and colorful when it needs to be, and it can hit those inky dark blacks that we love from OLED displays. This year the Zenbook's OLED screen can also reach a 120Hz refresh rate for smoother scrolling, which is practically a requirement for premium laptops these days.
Images and video practically leap off of the ZenBook 14's OLED screen, which makes it ideal for binging Netflix or catching up on your YouTube queue. And thanks to the laptop's incredibly thin bezels, it's almost as if the display is floating in the air — so much so, I stopped noticing how dull the rest of the ZenBook's design feels. I also wish there was a bit more spring and depth to its keyboard, and that its trackpad didn’t feel so stiff.
But back to Intel's Core Ultra chip. Our review unit, which was equipped with a Core Ultra 7 155H, 32GB of RAM and Intel Arc graphics, delivered some healthy gains over ultraportables running Intel's 13th-gen chips. It scored 1,000 points higher in PCMark 10 compared to the ZenBook S 13 running a Core i7-1355U, and its Arc graphics were almost twice as fast as the S 13's Intel Xe graphics in the 3DMark Wildlife Extreme benchmark.
None
Geekbench 6 CPU
PCMark 10
Cinebench R23
3DMark Wildlife Extreme
ASUS ZenBook 14 OLED (Intel Core Ultra 7, 2023)
2,240/10,298
6,170
1,599/7,569
4,827
ASUS ZenBook S 13 (Intel i7-13700H, 2023)
2,479/13,367
5,165
N/A
2,784
Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch (Apple M3, 2023)
3142/11,902
N/A
1,932/10,159
8,139
While it's far from a gaming machine, the ZenBook 14 OLED's Arc graphics also reached between 30fps to 49fps while playing Halo Infinite in 1080p with low graphics. Streaming games over Xbox cloud gaming delivered far better results: Halo Infinite and Forza Motorsport played like a dream over Wi-Fi in my office. Of course, that's more a testament to the ZenBook's wireless hardware than its graphics.
Photo by Devindra Hardawar/Engadget
Intel's Core Ultra chips are also focused on a lot more than just raw horsepower (Intel's internal benchmarks even show it getting bested by a 13th-gen chip in some single-threaded tasks, a trade-off it made to deliver better AI and graphics performance). The addition of an NPU means the ZenBook 14 OLED can handle AI workloads in the future; developers like Adobe and Audacity have announced they're working on AI-powered features in their apps. If you're not using those apps, there's not much to do with an NPU in Windows yet except for Microsoft's Studio Effects, which lets you blur backgrounds and automatically keep yourself in frame during video chats. And notably, Studio Effects delivers far better background diffusion and person detection than the built-in alternatives in Zoom and Google Hangouts.
Buying an AI PC like the ZenBook 14 OLED is more a bet on the future rather than an immediate speed upgrade. But based on the industry support we've seen from Microsoft and other big tech firms, having an NPU-equipped PC could pay off soon. Just imagine Microsoft giving Copilot offline capabilities to make it more responsive, similar to Apple's push to make Siri available offline (something also powered by the company's Neural Engine). Eventually, you may be able to speak aloud to Copilot and have it instantly find files or locate a specific setting on your PC.
I won't blame you if you're not excited by the future of AI PCs. When Macs switched over to Apple Silicon chips, there were dramatic performance improvements over Intel's older hardware, along with the additional benefits of the Neural Engine and far better battery life. Windows users, instead, can only hope and pray that developers actually tap into NPUs.
Photo by Devindra Hardawar/Engadget
For now, though, you can look forward to some decent battery life from Intel's Core Ultra chips. The ZenBook 14 OLED lasted 12 hours and 43 minutes in the PCMark 10 Modern Office battery benchmark, which was longer than any other PC we've tested. During a recent trip, it held up for around a day and a half for general productivity work (lots of web browsing, writing, photo editing and a few video chats). ASUS is still lagging behind Apple, though — the M2 MacBook Air lasted 16 hours and 30 minutes in our benchmark. Fan noise also remains a problem: Its fans spun up noticeably during a podcast recording, whereas the fan-less MacBook Air is completely silent even under heavy workloads.
After spending a few weeks with the ZenBook 14 OLED, I’ve grown to love its OLED display and I’m intrigued by the possibilities of the Core Ultra chip’s NPU. It’s just a shame to see those features stuck in a relatively humdrum package. If you care more about getting a good deal than style, though, this ZenBook is tough to beat.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/asus-zenbook-14-oled-review-ai-pc-143054247.html?src=rss