HP Announces New EliteBook Business Notebooks PCs with AMD PRO A-Series APUs
There are three new notebook models with 12.5-inch, 14-inch, and 15-inch display sizes. The MIL-Spec tested notebooks will be offered with a wide range of options, but will be powered by the AMD A12, A10, or A8 APU models and 16 GB of memory. HP will be offering accessories like fingerprint readers and LTE as well. They also offer HP’s Sure Start BIOS which will automatically correct the BIOS if it finds there is an issue – whether malicious or not. HP will also be offering a choice of operating system from Windows 10 to Windows 7, and FreeDOS 2.0 as well. The displays are all SVA panels, with (unfortunately) 1366x768 as the base option on all three laptops, with 1920x1080 optional, or the 14-inch model can also be had with 2560x1440. On the networking side, HP has gone with Broadcom for Wi-Fi, and Qualcomm’s X5 LTE model is optional.
| HP EliteBook | |||
| EliteBook 725 G3 | EliteBook 745 G3 | EliteBook 755 G3 | |
| APU | AMD PRO A12-8800B 2.1-3.4 GHz quad-core R7 GPU AMD PRO A10-8700B 1.8-3.2 GHz quad-core R6 GPU AMD PRO A8-8600B 1.6-3.0 GHz quad-core R6 GPU |
||
| Memory | 16GB DDR3L | ||
| Display | 12.5" 1366-768 SVA 1920x1080 optional Touch optional on 1080p |
14.0" 1366-768 SVA 1920x1080 and 2560x1440 optional Touch optional on 1080p |
15.6" 1366-768 SVA 1920x1080 optional Touch optional on 1080p |
| Storage | 180-240 GB M.2 SSD 500GB-1TB SATA HDD |
128-512 GB M.2 SSD up to 256 GB M.2 PCIe SSD 500GB-1TB SATA HDD |
128-512 GB M.2 SSD up to 256 GB M.2 PCIe SSD 500GB-1TB SATA HDD |
| I/O | 1 x USB Type-C 1 x DisplayPort 1 x VGA 2 x USB 3.0 SDXC RJ-45 Docking Connector |
||
| Dimensions | (mm) : 311 x 219 x 18.9 (inches) : 12.2 x 8.6 x 0.74 |
(mm) : 338 x 237 x 18.9 (inches) : 13.3 x 9.3 x 0.74 |
(mm) : 383 x 258 x 19.4 (inches) : 15.1 x 10.1 x 0.76 |
| Weight | 1.26 kg / 2.78 lbs | 1.54 kg / 3.41 lbs | 1.88 kg / 4.15 lbs |
| Battery | 44 Wh | 46 Wh | 46 Wh |
| Price | $749+ | ||
The notebooks have a nice magnesium chassis with a bit more flash than your traditional business PC. HP also includes spill-resistant keyboards, docking connectors, and RJ-45 on all models, and yes, even a VGA port which seems like it can’t ever go away.
The new models should be available in September starting at $749.
Source: HP
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Google Announces The Pixel C Tablet
As far as specifications go, the Pixel C has a 10.2" IPS display with a resolution of 2560x1800, which equates to a pixel density of 308ppi. Google states that the tablet's aspect ratio is the square root of two, and that's pretty much accurate as 2560/1800 is around 1.42. Representatives at the event stated that the display uses an LTPS backplane rather than an a-Si one, which allows for higher brightness and greater efficiency. Manufacturing LTPS displays at this size costs a considerable amount and it seems that Google felt it was necessary in order to achieve their 500 nit brightness.
As for color, Google advertises that the display covers the sRGB color gamut. I stated this in my live blog, but it's worth repeating that gamut coverage is only loosely correlated with color accuracy. The 2015 Chromebook Pixel covers the sRGB gamut, but is significantly less accurate than a laptop like the MacBook or the QHD+ XPS 13. Based on what I saw at the event, Google has put effort into making sure their new Nexus devices are well calibrated. However, they've also shown lacking effort in doing the same for their $1000 Pixel-branded laptop. I'm very interested to see how accurate the Pixel C's display is, and I'm hopeful that it can stand alongside the new Nexus smartphones and the Nexus 9 when color accuracy is considered.
Inside the Pixel C is NVIDIA's Tegra X1 SoC. Built on TSMC's 20nm process, the X1 packs a quartet of ARM Cortex A57 cores backed by 2MB of L2 cache, and another four A53 cores backed by 512KB of L2 cache, with NVIDIA balancing between performance and power efficiency. Meanwhile the GPU is a 256 core Maxwell implementation that should more than give other Android tablet SoCs more than a run for their money judging from what we've seen in other X1 devices.
It's hard to guess what we're dealing with in terms of clock speeds and TDP, as this is the first time that X1 has shown up in a mobile device. Ryan and Josh have done some previous analysis of X1, and so far the X1 has only been used in the SHIELD Android TV review, an Android TV console built to service 4K video playback and 1080p(ish) native gaming. Compared to the set-top Android TV, performance will obviously differ in a power and thermally constrained situation like a tablet - though by how much remains to be seen - and in any case the X1 remains as one of the most powerful Android tablet SoCs on the market at this time.
While launching the first Tegra X1 mobile device is quite a big announcement, the focus of the Pixel C is actually on the keyboard accessory that you can purchase for it. For Google, the Pixel line has always had a focus on providing users with great build quality, great keyboards, and great trackpads. The Pixel C is no exception, as it has a new bluetooth keyboard accessory designed to work specifically with it. While Apple and Microsoft have opted for soft keyboard covers, Google has decided to make their keyboard accessory out of the same aluminum as the tablet's chassis. This means that there really aren't any compromises as far as key feeling, size, and travel distance are concerned. The keyboard really looks and feels like a slightly condensed version of the Chromebook Pixel's keyboard, with only the lesser used keys around the edges being less than full size.
Almost as important as the keyboard itself is how it works with the tablet. Some devices use a kickstand, while others use the cover itself for support by folding. Google decided to come up with their own way, and when you see it in person you can't help but admire its elegance. The keyboard cover attaches to the tablet magnetically. You can store it on the front to make it like a folded laptop, or on the back when you just want to hide it. When it's on the back you can simply pull the tablet to one side, which shifts the magnetic connection and allows you to elevate the tablet and use it just like a laptop. It's really difficult to describe, but it works incredibly well and allows for a tilt range from 100 to 130 degrees without any sort of kickstand.
Since the keyboard connects via Bluetooth, it does need to be recharged. However, Google has come up with a method of doing so that is as elegant as the keyboard itself. While it's attached to the face of the tablet the small internal keyboard battery is charged inductively by the tablet itself. Having it in that position for only a few minutes a day allows it to stay charged perpetually, and the battery will last up to two months on a single charge. It's just a really ingenious solution and I'm really impressed by it.
The Pixel C is the next device in an emerging category of tablets that sit between your traditional tablet and traditional laptop. How users will respond is anyone's guess, but the Pixel C isn't priced at the extreme high end of the market like Chromebook Pixel is so it should be more accessible to consumers. On the subject of price, the Pixel C will start at $499 for 32GB, and $599 for 64GB, with the keyboard being a $149 accessory.
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Google Announces Chromecast (2) & Chromecast Audio
First off is the new, second generation Chromecast, which is simply being called the Chromecast. The update to Google’s original well-received player from 2013 doesn’t see a radical overhaul of the device, but does see Google making some significant changes where they need it most. On the networking side the Chromecast 2 has seen its WiFi radio upgraded from a single-band 2.4GHz 802.11n solution to a dual-band 2.4/5GHz 802.11ac solution, which should improve the overall bandwidth to the Chromecast while also making it a bit more apartment-friendly. Google’s presentation also notes that the Chromecast 2 uses multiple antennas to improve reception, presumably implementing antenna diversity.
| Google Chromecast Family | |||||
| Chromecast (1) | Chromecast (2) | Chromecast Audio | |||
| Processor | Marvell 88DE3005 SoC | N/A | N/A | ||
| Memory | 512MB | 512MB | N/A | ||
| Wireless | 2.4GHz 802.11n | 2.4GHz/5GHz 802.11ac | 2.4GHz/5GHz 802.11ac | ||
| Display Output | 1080p | 1080p | N/A | ||
| Max Video Decode | 1080p30 | 1080p | N/A | ||
| Ports | HDMI Micro-USB (Power) |
HDMI Micro-USB (Power) |
3.5mm Combo Jack (Analog + Optical Audio) Micro-USB (Power) |
||
| Launch Date | 07/24/2013 | 09/29/2015 | 09/29/2015 | ||
| Launch Price | $35 | $35 | $35 | ||
Meanwhile Google is staying mum on the rest of the internal electronics, besides providing broad guidance that the Chromecast 2 still supports “1080p” video. Given that they have published the RAM – 512MB – it’s entirely possible that this is the same Marvell chipset. What we do know is that the display output is still limited to 1080p; the bigger question is whether H.264 video decoding is still limited to 1080p30, or if 1080p60 is finally supported.
The physical form factor of the Chromecast has also been overhauled, doing away with the stick form factor of the original Chromecast for a more stand-alone ball in the shape of the Google Chrome ball. The new form factor in turn now includes an integrated HDMI cable, which is designed to fold against the ball when not in use. The shift in form factors is apparently driven in part by Google wanting to improve WiFi reception in concert with the changes they made above. The change also removes the need for a separate HDMI extender for the Chromecast, which was previously necessary in some cases on the stick form factor in order to plug it in to an HDMI port in a tight space.
Alongside the Chromecast 2, Google also announced a second Chromecast product, the Chromecast Audio. True to its name, the similarly ball shaped device is to audio what the Chromecast 2 is to video, functioning as a digital audio player and receiver. The Chromecast Audio is designed to be an additional audio source to be fed into existing sound systems, offering 3.5mm, RCA, or optical audio out to a speaker/receiver.
Google is pitching the Chromecast Audio as a more elegant solution to home audio streaming than Bluetooth, in large part by avoiding the pairing/range needs of Bluetooth, avoiding the need to keep a phone awake to stream, and leveraging Google’s existing media casting infrastructure. Meanwhile unlike its visual counterpart, as part of Google’s social aspirations the receiver also supports receiving audio from guests, allowing anyone in the area to send audio to a Chromecast Audio.
Both the Chromecast 2 and Chromecast Audio are being released immediately in 17 countries, and will retail for $35 each, the same price as the previous generation Chromecast.
Finally, along with the release of the new Chromecast hardware, Google is also updating the Chromecast software. Notable new features include a new Chromecast app for both Android and iOS which offers a more centralized interface for both selecting which Chromecast receiver to work with, and for interfacing with Chromecast-capable apps. The new Chromecast app can list all of the installed applications on a device capable of casting, making it much easier to identify which apps one can cast from. Meanwhile the company is also rolling out a new “fast play” feature, which uses predictive loading to attempt to speed up the loading process by predicting what media the Chromecast thinks a user may access next, and then pre-loading the start of that media so that playback can begin immediately. Given the normal amount of time required to suitably buffer an H.264 stream to start playing it, this could significantly shave off loading times, though a big part of its effectiveness will depend on the accuracy of Google’s prediction system.
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HTC Launches the One M9+ Supreme Camera Edition
| HTC One M9+ | HTC One M9+ Supreme Camera Edition | |
| SoC | MT6795 2.2GHz 8xA53 MediaTek Helio X10 | MT6795 2.2GHz 8xA53 MediaTek Helio X10 |
| RAM/NAND | 3GB LPDDR3 32GB NAND + microSD |
3GB LPDDR3 32GB NAND + microSD |
| Display | 5.2” 1440p IPS LCD | 5.2” 1440p IPS LCD |
| Network | 2G / 3G / 4G LTE (MediaTek Category 4 LTE) | 2G / 3G / 4G LTE (MediaTek Category 4 LTE) |
| Dimensions | 150.99 x 71.99 x 9.61mm 168g | 150.99 x 71.99 x 9.61mm 168g |
| Camera | 20MP Rear Facing w/ 1.12 µm pixels, 1/2.4" CMOS size, f/2.2, 27.8mm (35mm effective) 2MP Duo cam 4MP Front Facing, 2.0 µm pixels, f/2.0 26.8mm (35mm effective |
21MP Rear Facing w/ 1.12 µm pixels, 1/2.4" CMOS size, f/2.2, 27.8mm (35mm effective) Laser AF + PDAF + OIS 4MP Front Facing, 2.0 µm pixels, f/2.0 26.8mm (35mm effective) |
| Battery | 2840 mAh (10.79 Whr) | 2840 mAh (10.79 Whr) |
| Connectivity | 802.11a/b/g/n/ac + BT 4.1, GNSS, NFC, DLNA, microUSB 2.0 | 802.11a/b/g/n/ac + BT 4.1, GNSS, NFC, DLNA, microUSB 2.0 |
| SIM Size | NanoSIM | NanoSIM |
As you can see, the big change here is the camera. Instead of the 2.1MP secondary camera, HTC has added an IR laser rangefinder for short distances, which should dramatically speed up auto-focus in low light and macro shots. The sensor is now a Sony IMX230 with phase detect auto focus, so in conditions with good light it should be possible for the sensor to traverse straight to in-focus instead of bracketing the in-focus point with contrast detection. However, the optical characteristics are unchanged from the One M9 and M9+ with an f/2.2 aperture likely to keep edge distortions under control. OIS is also added to improve low light performance for still photos and improve video stability.
The One M9+ Supreme Camera edition will go on sale in Taiwan on October 6th for $630 USD in gunmetal grey and two-tone silver/gold. This is likely to remain an Asia-only variant, although we may see a similar camera in future devices.
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Hands On With the Nexus 5X and 6P
| Google Nexus Smartphones | ||||
| LG Nexus 5 | LG Nexus 5X | Motorola Nexus 6 | Huawei Nexus 6P | |
| SoC | Snapdragon 800 | Snapdragon 808 | Snapdragon 805 | Snapdragon 810 |
| GPU | Adreno 330 | Adreno 418 | Adreno 420 | Adreno 430 |
| RAM | 2GB LPDDR3 | 3GB LPDDR3 | 3GB LPDDR4 | |
| Display | 5.0-inch 1920 x1080 IPS LCD | 5.2-inch 1920 x 1080 IPS LCD | 5.96-inch 2560 x 1440 AMOLED | 5.7-inch 2560 x 1440 AMOLED |
| Wireless | 1x1 802.11a/b/g/n/ac BT 4.2, NFC | 2x2 802.11a/b/g/n/ac BT 4.2, NFC | ||
| Storage | 16/32GB | 32/64GB | 32/64/128GB | |
| I/O | microUSB, 3.5mm audio | USB Type-C, 3.5mm audio | microUSB, 3.5mm audio | USB Type-C, 3.5mm audio |
| Size / Mass | 137.84 x 69.17 x 8.59mm, 130g | 147.0 x 72.6 x 7.9 mm, 136 grams | 159.26 x 82.98 x 10.06mm, 184g | 159.3 x 77.8 x 7.3mm, 178 grams |
| Battery | 2300 mAh (8.74Wh) | 2700mAh (10.26Wh) | 3220 mAh (12.236Wh) | 3450mAh (13.11Wh) |
| Camera | Rear Facing 8MP, 1/3.2", (Sony IMX179), F/2.4 Front Facing 1.3MP |
Rear Facing 12.3MP with 1.55µm pixels, F/2.0 Front Facing 5MP, F/2.0, 1.4µm |
Rear Facing 13MP, 1/3.06" (Sony IMX214), F/2.0. Front Facing 2.1MP |
Rear Facing 12.3MP with 1.55µm pixels, F/2.0 Front Facing 8MP, F/2.0, 1.4µm |
| SIM | MicroSIM | NanoSIM | ||
| Launch Price | $349 (16GB) | $379 (16GB) | $649 (32GB) | $499 (32GB) |
The Nexus 5X is similar to the Nexus 5 in some ways but different in others. The chassis is noticably thinner, although the camera protrudes a fairly significant amount. The device has gotten larger in the other dimensions as a result of its larger display. However, it's not that much larger, and during my time with it I never felt that it was difficult to hold. The SoC moves from Qualcomm's Snapdragon 800 to Snapdragon 808, with the amount of RAM and internal NAND remaining the same. The battery capacity receives a significant bump, going from 8.74Wh to 10.26Wh. As for the camera, it's greatly improved. The Nexus 5 was never known for having an amazing camera, and with these new Nexus phones Google appears to have implemented a custom camera sensor. It's a 12.3MP sensor with 1.55 micron pixels, which roughly equates to a 1/2.3" sensor format.
The back of the Nexus 5X feels similar to the material used in the black Nexus 5. There's also a blue model and a white model, and while I didn't get to try the white model the blue version seemed to have the same texture as the black one. The design of the phone diverges significantly from the appearance of the Nexus 5. There's no more raised black ring around the camera, which makes the current Nexus 9 a bit of a loner as it's the only device left that has that design accent. The camera has also been moved to the center of the back, while on the Nexus 5 it was situated in the upper corner. Something worth noting is that the Nexus 5X and 6P both lack OIS, something that existed on their predecessors. Google's rationale is that you won't need long exposures as the camera sensor and pixel size is large enough to work well without it. Whether or not that is true remains to be seen, but OIS is still a useful feature and I think many users who are hoping to upgrade from an existing Nexus smartphone will be sad to see it gone.
On the software side, Android Marshmallow has a significantly improved camera app. Google has addressed many of the issues with menus and settings being difficult to find, and I also noticed that the camera preview frame rate on the Nexus 5X and 6P was much higher than on the Nexus 5 and 6.
Below the camera is Google's new fingerprint sensor. According to Google it can recognize a finger in under 600ms and has a very low error rate. It's difficult to say how it compares to other devices, and I wasn't able to get time to use it, so that will have to wait for when we actually review the Nexus 5X. The position on the back seems to be well chosen, and because it also will wake up the phone it doesn't suffer from the issue with some early rear-mounted fingerprint scanners which is that you had to wake the device first.
As for the front of the phone, there's not a whole lot to say. It's dominated by the display, with the earpiece on the top and a single speaker on the bottom and a front-facing camera to the left of the top speaker. The display itself seemed very good, and the color rendition looked similar to the Nexus 5 which is a good sign. While the Nexus 6P has an AMOLED display, the Nexus 5X is an IPS LCD.
Next is the Huawei-made Nexus 6P. Every aspect of the device feels like a large improvement over the Nexus 6. The first thing that stood out to me is the size. The Nexus 6 was extremely large and I couldn't hold it properly in really any circumstance. The Nexus 6P takes a step back to a 5.7" display, and the dimensions of the phone itself are not much larger than the iPhone 6s Plus despite the larger screen. Of course, you end up losing some real estate to the on screen buttons while the iPhone has a physical home button, but the point is that the phone is much easier to hold and use than the Nexus 6 was. The thickness also contributes to this as well, as the Nexus 6P is almost 3mm thinner than the Nexus 6.
Beyond the dimensions, the construction and feel of the phone is miles ahead of the Nexus 6. It's an aluminum unibody construction with a diamond cut edge edge, and the primarily plastic construction of the Nexus 6 isn't even remotely comparable. It's also fairly light considering the aluminum build and its size.
Something worth noting is that Google seems to have given Huawei and LG a lot of freedom when designing these new phones. The Nexus 5X doesn't share many visual characteristics with the 6P apart from the Nexus logo on the back and the fingerprint scanner. Rather than mounting the camera in the middle, Huawei has put it in the upper left corner like the old Nexus 5 did. The entire top of the back also has a slightly raised black bar. I'm honestly not a fan of this, as it just interrupts what should be a continuous aluminum surface.
Like the Nexus 5X, there's not a whole lot to say about the front of the Nexus 6P. It has stereo speakers, a front-facing camera, and a large display. The 6P bumps the front camera resolution up to 8MP from the 5X's 5MP, with a corresponding increase in sensor size to maintain the 1.4 micron pixel size.
The display is the part of the Nexus 6P that I was most curious about. The Nexus 5 was notable for having a very accurate display despite its low price, and with the Nexus 7 also having accurate calibration it was hoped that Google would continue this across all of their products. Unfortunately, the Nexus 6 shipped with a very poorly calibrated AMOLED display with low brightness. When I first used the Nexus 6P I was very upset to see that it was clearly oversaturated like the Nexus 6, but there's more to the story this time around. In the Nexus 6P's developer settings there is a switch to enable an sRGB mode, and when this switch is turned on the Nexus 6P's display appears to have similar color rendition to the Nexus 5X which is a very good sign. While we'll need to get a review unit in order to analyze all of the display's attributes, I am hopeful that Google has recognized and fixed the issues with the Nexus 6's display in the Nexus 6P.
On the top of the Nexus 6P you'll find a 3.5mm audio jack, whereas you'll have to move to the bottom to find it on the Nexus 5X. However what you won't find on the bottom of either Nexus phone is a USB Micro-B port; Google has decided to be forward looking, and like the Chromebook Pixel the new Nexus smartphones use the USB Type-C connector for data and charging. While this will come with some pain in the short run as users won't be able to use existing USB Micro-B cords, I think the benefits are worth it.
Both new Nexus devices also come with the new Android Sensor Hub. This essentially refers to the different sensors that the devices include, and how they are now controlled and managed by a dedicated processor rather than the device's application processor. This is important for features like Doze in Android Marshmallow, as it allows Google to use minimal power to check the status of sensors and determine whether or not to go into deep sleep.
For me personally, the Nexus 5X is the most interesting of Google's two new Nexus phones. I always like to see what vendors can do when they're targeting a price far less than that of a flagship smartphone. The Nexus 6P definitely has its appeal too though, and we'll be running both of them through our standard suite of tests in order to see how they compare to the competition. If you're already convinced that you want the Nexus 5X or 6P you can pre-order them online now from the Google Store so long as you live in the US, UK, Canada, Japan, or Ireland. The Nexus 5X starts at $379 and comes in black, white, and blue, while the Nexus 6P starts at $499 and comes in standard aluminum, white, and black.
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Google September 2015 Event Live Blog
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Update: AMD Releases Catalyst 15.9 Beta Drivers
Among several of the fixes a few of note are an issue with the AMD Catalyst Control Center 'update' option failing to download the latest driver, so users should now be able to properly update their drivers from within Catalyst Control Center. Also some BenQ 144Hz monitors were having driver issues by losing the video signal while uninstalling the driver and some BenQ 144Hz Freesync monitors would crash during DiRT Rally when launched in DirectX11 mode.
A couple of noteworthy known issues remain. For those running AMD Crossfire that are looking forward to the Star Wars: Battlefront Beta there is apparently a chance of some flickering happening, which is unfortunate. Also while booting into Windows 10 there can be issues with a black screen though the system will still continue on to the login screen. Lastly a TDR error (a.k.a. a driver crash) may happen while toggling between minimized and maximized mode while viewing 4K YouTube video content.
Those interested in reading more or installing the drivers for AMD's desktop, mobile, and integrated GPUs can find them on AMD's Catalyst beta download page.
Update 09/29: Thanks go to user hansmuff for pointing this out in the comments. AMD earlier this morning announced that they were aware of a memory leak that causes all video memory to be used while resizing active browser windows. With that they are asking everyone to please roll back from the Catalyst 15.9 Beta drivers until the problem is resolved.
Those interested can read their brief update on the AMD Catalyst 15.9 Beta Memory Leak page.
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Available Tags:HP , AMD , Google , Tablet , HTC , Catalyst ,
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