Alienware x14 review: A portable gaming laptop that doesn’t suck

February 20, 2022 Audrey

For years, Alienware eschewed thin-and-light gaming laptops, opting instead to make slightly bulkier systems with more affordable pricing. But all that changed last year with the introduction of its X-series notebooks. And now, Alienware is pushing its quest for sleekness even further with the new x14, the company’s thinnest and lightest gaming laptop yet. To add even more rum to the punch, the x14 is also one of the first gaming laptops available featuring Intel’s latest 12th-gen mobile CPUs. And while the x14 isn’t without its quirks, the result is a machine that makes me wish Alienware had gotten into portable gaming rigs years ago.

Design

Sporting Alienware’s Legend 2.0 design language, the x14 is without a doubt a striking system, though ultimately you’ll need to decide how much you fancy its sci-fi aesthetics. What’s not in question is the laptop’s thinness, which stands at just 0.57 inches thick while weighing barely more than four pounds. That’s even thinner and almost a pound lighter than the x15 (0.63 inches and 5 pounds), while making Alienware’s more mainstream M15 R7 seem almost bloated (0.8 inches and 5.3 pounds).

Pros

Slick design
Vibrant screen with Dolby Vision
Highly portable
USB-C power brick
Good performance and value for the size

Cons

Somewhat cramped keyboard layout
No side-mounted ports
Noisy fans
Mediocre 720p webcam
Short battery life during gameplay

Unlike its larger siblings, the x14 lacks the extra light ring that normally wraps around the backside of the system.

Now I’m not normally the type to lust after a few ounces or tenths of an inch getting shaved off a device, but on the x14, every little reduction matters. That’s because while most gaming laptops don’t even come close to fitting in my everyday messenger bag that’s not meant to stash anything larger than a 13-inch ultraportable, the x14 actually fits, if just barely.

That means I’m much more likely to bring this thing with me on trips, which is kind of the whole point of a thin-and-light gaming notebook. Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate beastly 17-inch gaming rigs, but when my back starts to hurt at the mere thought of carrying one around, in practice those systems often function more like mobile desktops than any sort of travel-friendly gaming machine.

Alienware's new dual-torque hinge for the x14 helps increase screen stability white reducing excess size and weight.

The main innovation on the x14 is Alienware’s new dual-torque hinge which adds strength and stability to the laptop’s display, while once again reducing weight and thickness compared to previous X-series machines. And, as you’d expect from Alienware, the x14 comes with customizable RGB lighting on its lid and keyboard. That said, compared to its larger siblings you do lose the extra RGB light ring that would normally outline the system’s rear ports. (Fun fact: That pill-like shape is actually called a stadium.) Inside, there’s a lovely soft-touch finish on x14’s wrist rest, which may feel a bit cramped for people with larger hands.

Display and sound

On the x14 there’s only one display option, and it’s a good one. The 144Hz 1,920 x 1,080 screen is plenty sharp, while support for NVIDIA’s G-Sync helps

Steam Deck: Everything We Know About Valve’s Handheld Gaming PC

February 17, 2022 Audrey

The Steam Deck, Valve’s handheld gaming PC, is nearly here… well, at least for those who were able to preorder it fast enough. But not only does this device give access to the Steam Store and a user’s Steam library wherever they may be, it can also be run as a regular PC that supports the install of third-party storefronts like the Epic Games Store.

However, the entry fee for Valve’s new handheld isn’t cheap, as the base model will run potential buyers $399. To help ensure you have all the information you may need when deciding on whether you want Valve’s Steam Deck for yourself, we’ve tried to answer all of Steam Deck’s biggest questions below, including what games it can play, how long its battery life is, how you can pre-order one, how it compares to others consoles, and so much more.

Steam Deck Cost and Configurations

The Steam Deck pricing starts at $399, and there are three different models available for purchase. The base Steam Deck model is $399, features a 64GB eMMC internal drive, and comes with a carrying case.

The next-highest priced model costs $529 and trades in the eMMC drive for a 256GB NVMe SSD internal drive. In addition to the carrying case, this model boasts “faster storage” and an “exclusive Steam Community profile bundle.”

The most-expensive model will run buyers $649 and offers a 512GB NVMe SSD internal drive. By choosing the highest-end Steam Deck, buyers will enjoy the “fastest storage” and “premium anti-glare etched glass” for the screen, as well as an exclusive carrying case, Steam Community profile bundle, and virtual keyboard theme.

Will the Steam Deck Have Expandable Storage?

Yes! Steam Deck owners can choose to upgrade the storage on any model by using its microSD slot.

Can You Replace the Internal SSD in the Steam Deck?

Yes, but it won’t be an easy process. Valve hardware engineer Yazan Aldehayyat said the SSD is not soldered to the motherboard, so it is technically user-upgradeable. However, he also noted it should only be replaced by someone with experience, as it does require the user to take their unit apart and likely void the warranty along the way.

When Is the Steam Deck Release Date?

The Steam Deck will officially go on sale on February 25, 2022, and the first batch of handhelds will be shipped out on February 28, though reservations have been going on for months. Valve said customers who already have reservations will get invites to finish the pre-order process “shortly after 10 am PT” on February 25. Once the invite is sent, users will have 3 days/72 hours to make the purchase. If no order is made, the next person in the Steam Deck reservation queue will get their chance to place an order.

Furthermore, Valve will only let customers purchase the Steam Deck model they originally reserved, and the down payment made to secure one of the handhelds will be applied to the total price.

Following Steam

The best gaming keyboards of 2022

February 9, 2022 Audrey

Not all gaming keyboards are created equal. The switches (the mechanism under each key that identifies a press) and key caps that a gaming keyboard is equipped with can have a huge impact on not just gaming but also on the everyday typing experience.

CNN Underscored spent a few months testing 12 gaming keyboards, checking for ease of setup, software support, performance while gaming, typing lengthy documents and connectivity options. Admittedly, personal preference is going to play a big part in deciding which gaming keyboard is best for you. Do you like something that’s loud that provides tactile feedback with each keypress? Or do you prefer a key that’s quiet and requires little pressure before a keypress is registered? Because personal preference is certainly a factor, we made sure to take into account which options give you flexibility in use and setup.

After all was said and done, the best overall pick was as close as it gets, but after a lot of debate, we settled on a premium keyboard and a budget pick.

Best overall gaming keyboard

After thousands of keypresses and countless hours of testing, the Apex Pro rose to the top of our testing pool. And at $199.99, it delivers a comfortable typing experience and fit right into our gaming style. From playing action-packed first-person shooters to a more casual session of Minecraft, it kept up without any hiccups.

Best budget gaming keyboard

The SteelSeries Apex 3 borrows some of the same core features of the Pro but cuts corners on some of the more advanced features. The switched are whisper-quiet and they’re responsive enough that we couldn’t find any issues with them whether we were posting to Twitter or playing just one more match of Call of Duty: Warzone.

SteelSeries

When it comes to a keyboard that checks off all of the possible boxes and then some, the Apex Pro shines bright, delivering extreme value with adjustable switches, individual key lighting and an OLED display that makes quickly changing settings a breeze.

The SteelSeries Apex Pro is a full-size keyboard, complete with a number pad and volume dial in an aluminum frame. It forgoes wireless connectivity for a USB connection. The cord actually has two USB connectors that connect to your computer. One adapter is for the keyboard itself, while the other adapter allows you to use a USB port that’s built directly into the keyboard itself. Having a USB port on your keyboard is convenient if getting to the back or bottom of your gaming PC is difficult, especially if all you’re doing is plugging in a thumb drive or another temporary peripheral.

The bottom of the keyboard includes channels to route the USB cables to two different spots on the back of the housing, along with adjustable legs that will put the keyboard at different angles based on your preference.

Each key is individually lit with RGB colors that you can control and customize using the SteelSeries Engine 3 app (available for Mac and

Inside Google’s Approach to Salvage Its Stadia Gaming Provider

February 6, 2022 Audrey

A yr back, Google introduced it would close its internal Stadia activity studios.
It has considering the fact that labored to land white-label promotions with companions these as Bungie and Peloton.
Elevated consolidation of the gaming sector poses troubles to Google’s prepare.

When Google announced last 12 months that it was shutting down its inner gaming studios, it was witnessed as a blow to the company’s major guess on video clip game titles. Google, whose Stadia cloud assistance was scarcely additional than a yr old, said it would instead aim on publishing online games from current developers on the system and explore other techniques to bring Stadia’s know-how to associates.

Since then, the business has shifted the focus of its Stadia division mostly to securing white-label discounts with companions that incorporate Peloton, Capcom, and Bungie, in accordance to people familiar with the designs.

Google is hoping to salvage the fundamental technology, which is capable of broadcasting significant-definition game titles above the cloud with lower latency, procuring the know-how to companions less than a new name: Google Stream. (Stadia was identified in growth as “Project Stream.”)

The Stadia customer platform, meanwhile, has been deprioritized in just Google, insiders mentioned, with a lessened curiosity in negotiating blockbuster third-get together titles. The target of management is now on securing company deals for Stream, people associated in people conversations explained. The variations show a strategic change in how Google, which has invested seriously in cloud services, sees its gaming ambitions.

Past year, Google entered discussions with Peloton to be a back again-conclusion supplier for games managing on the conditioning firm’s bikes, 3 people common with the circumstance claimed. Peloton unveiled the 1st of people games, titled “Lanebreak,” in summer and ran a closed demo late last 12 months that was supported by Google’s technology.

Google final 12 months also pitched its technology to Bungie, the developer at the rear of the “Future” franchise, which was exploring a

streaming

platform of its very own, in accordance to three individuals acquainted with the discussions. Beneath the proposal, Bungie would very own the articles and manage the entrance-end experience, but Google would electrical power the technology that beamed the online games to users’ screens.

Talks among Google and Bungie manufactured “sizeable” headway, according to a particular person familiar with the ideas. Sony, which owns PlayStation, declared this 7 days that it would purchase Bungie for $3.6 billion. Whilst Bungie reported it would continue to assist Stadia, insiders did not know if the merger would influence strategies involving Google and Bungie. Sony has a offer with Microsoft to assistance its cloud gaming support. A spokesperson for Bungie did not respond to a request for comment.

Google has closed at minimum a person offer: In October, AT&T began letting consumers stream the recreation “Batman: Arkham Knight” directly from their internet browser. When Google’s branding was nowhere to be witnessed, AT&T confirmed the video game was working on the Stadia technological innovation.

The corporation has talked over a very

Gaming consolidation in full swing

February 2, 2022 Audrey

Microsoft’s designs to purchase Activision Blizzard for a whopping $69 billion is the most recent signal that consolidation in the gaming business isn’t likely to gradual down at any time before long.

Why it issues: Convergence is at the heart of this consolidation — hardware and software package, mobile and Computer, social networks and content, sector authorities say.

The large photograph: Just in the previous pair of years, the gaming industry has seen unprecedented exercise in M&A, personal financing and public listings.

Two of the best three largest acquisitions ever (Activision Blizzard and Zynga) were being announced just this thirty day period, and the other (Stars Group) was finished in Could 2020, per Dealogic.
In 2021 by yourself, there ended up more than 250 gaming offers at a whole price of above $38 billion, according to Drake Star Partners.
Valuations in non-public financings for gaming corporations are also likely up, and many are fetching a quality for being section of the excitement all around crypto and Web3, claims Drake Star Partners’ Michael Metzger.

What they’re declaring: “I imagine you are going to see consolidation of amusement corporations below the umbrella of trillion dollar sector caps,” chairman and former Glu Cellular CEO Niccolo de Masi tells Axios.

Gaming corporations — which are likely to trade at lower multiples — can be quite very affordable for the tech giants, he adds. (Glu by itself bought to Digital Arts a year in the past for $2.1 billion.)

Concerning the strains: Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick explained to VentureBeat this 7 days that the company bought since it was “starting to notice that we require 1000’s of persons to be capable to execute against our production designs … and that opposition for that talent is expensive and definitely tough to appear by.”

Furthermore, the mixture of rising fees to create significant franchise game titles and the maturing of the market is building it more challenging for corporations to take in huge losses if a new recreation flops, explains de Masi.

But, but, but: It’s really hard to overlook the timing of the deal — which coincides with Activision Blizzard’s ongoing place of work issues dragging down its inventory rate. Less than a year back, it was investing at over $100 a share, in advance of shedding extra than 30% due to the fact news that California regulators are suing it alleging discrimination and a sexist lifestyle.

“The most important dilemma, my guess is, is the interior concerns,” Metzger tells Axios. With a large amount of funds flowing into gaming startups, there are additional and much more appealing work choices now, he suggests.
Mounting backlash from workforce and associates reportedly established an prospect for Microsoft to technique the enterprise in November and deliver an substitute route to quickly ousting Kotick, according to the Wall Avenue Journal.

What to watch: Apple, Amazon and Netflix’s next gaming moves, what takes place to Unity and irrespective of whether EA and TakeTwo continue being impartial.

The best cheap gaming headset deals January 2022

January 29, 2022 Audrey

A good gaming headset is practically a necessity these days. Clean and precise audio is essential for competitive gaming, allowing you not just to pinpoint your enemies, but communicate effectively with your teammates. Moreover, recent developments in spatial audio and virtual surround sound have allowed headsets to meet — and occasionally surpass — more expensive audio setups, allowing even the most budget-conscious gamer to obtain a competitive edge at a fraction of the price.

While you could always invest in a massive pair of speakers, they’re likely to earn you the dubious distinction of the worst roommate of the decade. Thankfully, the right headset will allow you to keep the running and gunning to yourself, which is why we’ve rounded up a collection of the best deals you can currently find on some of our favorite models.

For the sake of clarity, we’ve broken the deals down into two categories: wireless and wired. The former is tailored toward gamers looking for a little less clutter in their setup, while the latter is aimed at anyone who doesn’t mind a little extra cabling, or is looking for a headset that’s a little more budget-friendly.

The best wireless gaming headset deals

Logitech G435

Compatible with PC, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch

Definitely the boldest headset on our list, the Logitech G435 is a gaming headset perfect for anyone that isn’t afraid to make a statement. This comfortable, colorful headset is available in the blue colorway at Amazon and Walmart for $59, a modest $21 discount.

This on-ear headset has both Bluetooth and 2.4Ghz wireless connectivity, making it compatible with PCs in addition to consoles and mobile devices. The 18-hour battery life is impressive, too, and while it does lack the more traditional 3.5mm audio jack, the included USB-C cable can be used to simultaneously charge and listen.

While the lightweight headset lacks the prevalent boom-mic design used by other headsets in this category — it opts for beamforming microphones — the integrated mic still manages to provide an adequate audio input solution. This has the added benefit of giving the headset a more traditional, on-ear profile, giving you the option of wearing these in public without broadcasting your gamer status.

Logitech G435 Lightspeed

Logitech’s G435 Lightspeed is a lightweight and comfortable wireless gaming headset that won’t break the bank. It’s compatible with PlayStation consoles, as well as the Nintendo Switch and PC. It also supports Bluetooth, so you can listen to music or pick up calls while you game.

Razer BlackShark V2 Pro

Compatible with PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch (via 3.5mm audio)

The wireless version of the esports-inspired BlackShark headset from Razer boasts a lightweight, aviator design, and is currently discounted to $139.99 at Gamestop and $149.99 at Amazon. This isn’t the lowest price we’ve seen the comfortable headset go for, but it remains a solid discount on an excellent gaming headset that normally retails for $179.99.

The Razer BlackShark V2 Pro is sturdy and perfectly suited for