FiiO’s KB3 adds DAC and headphone amplifier to RGB 75% Keyboard

Whether you’re a gamer struggling with desktop space or work from home and need better audio, FiiO’s KB3 mechanical keyboard may be what you are looking for.

Sporting a gamer-friendly 75% layout, this tenkeyless (TKL) mechanical keyboard, the FiiO KB3 adds a shock-absorbent gasket mount design on an aluminium-magnesium alloy base and Gateron G Pro 3.0 yellow switches with semi-transparent swappable keycaps that expose the RGB lighting beneath into the mix. The keys and switches are also hot-swappable, enabling you to find the perfect set-up. So far, this sounds like the basics of any gaming board.

Even the 3.5mm headphone port in the keyboard isn’t new territory; I remember Razer at least doing so. However, where the KB3 comes into its own is that headphone output is not just at the end of an analogue passthrough; audio, in fact, is treated to a DAC and headphone amplifier built into the FiiO keyboard.

Crunching the numbers are dual Cirrus Logic CS43131 DACs supporting up to 32-bit / 384kHz and DSD256 audio, helped along by a pair of low-noise SGM8262 op-amps producing a claimed 550mW. Alongside the standard 3.5mm headphone jack, you also get a 4.4mm balanced output. Not too shabby, then.

Finally, two USB A and a USB C port around the rear of the board round things off.

Available in Midnight Black / Morning Silver, the FiiO KB3 Hi-Fi Keyboard with built-in DAC/Amp is available now, priced at £139 / $149 / €169.

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Studio JTM – The Amp That Started it All Returns

The Marshall JTM returns in a more compact, lightweight package to honour what would have been Jim Marshall’s 100th birthday and to pay homage to the first Marshall amp.

Inspired by the JTM first produced in 1962, the new Studio JTM brings the modern player the same legendary warm, smooth tone that inspired generations of musicians to launch their musical visions onto the world.

The new Studio JTM range includes a 20W head, 20W combo amp, 1 x 12″ and 2 x 12″ cabs. They come adorned with period-correct aesthetics such as the famous red enamel poured “coffin” logo and luxurious fawn fret.

The original JTM45 was heavily praised by Gary Moore, Richie Blackmore and Angus Young for granting more tone, gain and grit to their sound. You can expect that same ethos behind the creation of the Studio JTM, having recreated the sound of the JTM in immaculate detail. Moreover, the Studio JTM range is handmade in Marshall’s world-class UK factory in Milton Keynes.

Terry Marshall, Jim Marshall‘s son and creator of the original JTM45, told GadgetyNews:

When I was demonstrated the Studio JTM, and it took me back to my original JTM45; it was my sound…I feel like it is going to be something special.

Modern Convenience – Classic Sound

The Studio JTM features many of the same components that helped define the iconic tone, from the ECC83 preamp values, 5881 power amp valves, ECC83 phase splitter and G12M-65 Creamback Celestion speakers, resulting in a unique blend of warm, growling and versatile sound.

Marhsall’s new design features a smaller footprint and more lightweight offerings than its historical counterpart without compromising sound quality. This results in easy transportation and more applications for the busy musician, especially as the Studio JTM boasts built-in power reduction technology, allowing players to switch between 20W and 5W settings.

Additionally, you will find an FX Loop and DI out, enabling you to add FX and external recording to personalise your playing experience further.

The Marshall Studio JTM range is available now with suggested retail pricing coming at £1,075 for the ST20H 20W head, £1,279 for the ST20C 20W combo, while the ST112 1×12″ cabinet is priced at £565, and the ST212 2×12″ cab costs £765.

Visit Marshall Amps for more information

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EPOS has unveiled its latest premium gaming headsets, the GSP 601 and GSP 602. 

EPOS?SENNHEISER’s GSP 601 and 602 offer high-quality, crisp audio fidelity, clarity and exceptional realism for gaming sessions, says the company. Not only have these headsets been designed for quality-loving and aesthetic-minded gamers, but the headsets also boast the GSP 600’s much-lauded ergonomic design. Moreover, these headsets eschew the standard gaming palettes for something much more classy.

Sporting a sleek white frame with black accents and interchangable copper-coloured side panels, the GSP 601 looks understatedly stylish.

Meanwhile, the GSP 602 adds unique flair with gloss navy exteriors set against bold brandy-coloured around-ear coupling pads.

The new EPOS?SENNHEISER offerings retain the 600’s ergonomic leatherette earpads with adjustable pressure for the required passive noise-isolation. Additionally, you get broadcast-quality audio from the flexible boom arm microphone featuring lift-to-mute for crystal-clear team communication. Also, on-the-fly volume adjustments are easily made via the wheel on the outer edge of the right ear cup.

The GSP 601 and GSP 602 plays nice with PC, Mac, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and all other consoles and mobile devices with a 3.5 mm jack input.

Price and availability

The EPOS I SENNHEISER GSP 601 and GSP 602 are available now on eposaudio.com/gaming at a suggested retail price of £199.

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Razer has today announced its Razer Productivity Suite that promises to usher in the next generation of office working. 

While most of us continue to work from home, now is the perfect time to upgrade the most-used tools at our desk. Razer has unveiled its new Pro Click mouse, designed in collaboration with Humanscale, the Pro Type keyboard and Pro Glide surface. Together these are said to form a suite of exceptionally comfortable, durable and high-performance peripherals perfectly styled for any work environment.

Naturally, Razer has years of experience through creating high-performance gaming peripherals. However, this know-how has now been transferred to the workplace with a collaboration with ergonomic experts, Humanscale. With a chic white finish and subtle grey highlights, the Razer Productivity Suite enhances the look of any workspace as well as promising to deliver speed, precision and durability demanded by the modern worker.

While they might look sleek and businesslike, the new Razer Productivity Suite is built to be durable as well as good-looking. For instance, the buttons on the Pro Click mouse rated for up to 50 million cycles, and the switches on the Pro Type keyboard rated for up to 80 million cycles.

Razer Pro Click

Designed in partnership with Humanscale, the Razer Pro Click mouse has been specifically designed to minimise the health risks associated with long-term mousing, including Tendonitis and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. The mouse is ergonomically contoured to position the user’s wrist at a neutral 30-degree angle, therefore preventing discomfort and injuries associated with wrist pronation. 

Furthermore, it is said to meet the ideal comfort zones for both small and large hands, incorporating extended palm, thumb, and little finger support. The result is an extremely comfortable mouse that reduces fatigue and the number of errors, ultimately delivering on Razer’s high precision and performance promise. 

Sporting Razer’s Advanced 5G Optical Sensor, multi-host Bluetooth connectivity and battery life of 400+ hours, the Pro Click mouse is the ideal pointing device for the desk worker needing accuracy and reliability all the time.

Razer Pro Type

The Pro Type keyboard features a soft-touch coating for all-day typing comfort.

Using Razer’s proprietary Orange Mechanical Switches, the keyboard will deliver a quiet, yet tactile keystroke for fast, accurate typing. It also boasts wireless and Bluetooth connectivity for up to 4 devices and backlit keys.

Razer Pro Glide

Completing the Razer Productivity Suite set-up, the Pro Glide surface not only matches the suite’s modern, professional colour scheme but also perfectly complements the features of the Pro Click mouse. The durable, textured micro-weave surface is the ideal tracking layer for quick, accurate pointing and smooth, jitter-free movements.

Alvin Cheung, Senior Vice President of Razer’s Peripherals Business Unit, told GadgetyNews: 

The vast majority of office peripherals are based on one-size-fits-all designs and technology, becoming a source of frustration to the user and hindrance in the working day. I am incredibly proud of the Razer Productivity Suite that we are unveiling today alongside our partner, Humanscale, to address these issues. We firmly believe that our combined expertise and innovation will take workplace productivity to the next level.

Price and availability

The Razer Productivity Suite is available online from today at Razer.com and from August 27th from authorised resellers.

The post Razer Productivity Suite Could be The Best WFH Keyboard, Mouse and Mat appeared first on GadgetyNews.

Zhiyun has announced the launch of its CRANE 2S camera gimbal that boasts the company’s famous three-axis but with the 9th generation Instune Algorithm system to ensure reliable and excellent performance even in the most challenging environments. 

Zhiyun CRANE 2S

The Zhiyun CRANE 2S can handle larger cameras such as the BMPCC 6K, Panasonic S1H, or Canon EOS 1DX Mark II with ease thanks to its improved motors.

Additionally, the FlexMount System promises to make the setup process more efficient while still securing your valuable camera gear with a double safety mechanism. Also, the new gimble sports a quick-release mount along with a safety knob on the tilt axis which enables you to switch to vertical shooting in a snap without the need of additional accessory installation.

The axis lock system is new for the CRANE 2S and, we’re told, will remain totally still once locked without any swinging. Perhaps more importantly, we are also reassured that your camera equipment is 100% safe on the gimbal while travelling or in storage. 

Lightweight yet strong

The lightweight but sturdy carbon fibre handle of the CRANE 2S is another critical feature that makes this a reliable and robust workhorse while offering a more secure hand feel. 

The new 0.96-inch OLED screen offers a broader view, making it easier to navigate the menu system and switch between the six gimbal modes – pan following, locking, following, full-range POV, Vortex mode, and Go mode. Advanced cinematic effects such as Panorama, Timelapse, Motionlapse, and Long Exposure Timelapse are also said to be easy to achieve.

Furthermore, the new Zhiyun camera gimble is equipped with multiple mounting points: a 1/4-inch screw hole on the back of the quick release base plate for the camera to shift between different devices such as sliders and tripods; Two 1/4-inch screw holes with crown gear and a 3/8-inch screw hole on the gimbal for creative adaptation. The TransMount Image transmitter can directly slide into the bottom of quick release base plate without screws. 

Finally, the CRANE 2S uses three removable 18650 Li-ion batteries, providing a standard 12-hour runtime. Videographers can easily extend the runtime with backup batteries.

Price and availability

Zhiyun CRANE 2S comes in three versions:

1. Standard at £599/€659
2. Combo at £649/€699
3. Pro – MSRP due by the end of August

The post Zhiyun CRANE 2S Camera Gimble Announced appeared first on GadgetyNews.

BenQ has announced that its upcoming DesignVue professional design monitors, the PD2705Q and PD3420Q, are the first in the world to have achieved prestigious certifications from CalMAN, Pantone and VESA.

The BenQ DesignVue monitors are aimed explicitly at creatives who rely on exact colour reproduction, HDR quality and precise image clarity.

Featuring IPS HDR panels in 27-inch (PD2705Q) 2560×1440 and 34-inch (PD3420Q) with ultrawide HDR 3440×1440 resolutions, both monitors also boast a 5ms response time, 60Hz refresh rate and built-in speakers.

Embedded with BenQ’s exclusive AQColour Advantage, we’re told that ICC/ISO professional standards are met to deliver detailed precision and assure out-of-the-box Delta E ? 3 colour accuracy. Furthermore, the monitors are said to achieve 100% of industry-standard sRGB and Rec.709 wide colour gamuts. Also, the factory-calibrated displays arrive with a unique calibration report for guaranteed quality for designers relying on exact colour matching.

Additionally, the PD3420Q is HDR-10 compatible, having achieved the prestigious status of VESA DisplayHDR 400. Allowing videographers to preview HDR video content during editing sessions for realistic results in an instant.

You also get nifty presets such as Darkroom Mode to adjust the image brightness and contrast for work in dark environments; M-book Mode to replicate the colour from Mac devices, etc.

Good news if you use multiple input sources and/or multiple screens. BenQ has included KVM switch connectivity enabling smooth switching between two PC inputs on one display with a single mouse and keyboard. We are also promised colour consistency across all screens from different product lines will be displayed at the same level.

Finally, as well as HDMI, DisplayPort and USB connectivity, there is a USB-C port that transmits high-speed video, audio, data and 65W power delivery.

Naturally, the displays also feature BenQ’s exclusive industry-leading Eye-Care technology to reduce eye fatigue via its low blue light, flicker-free and anti-glare features.

We are awaiting confirmed UK pricing and availability details.

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GadgetyNews has been using the Samsung Space Monitor in its 32-inch flavour for the past couple of weeks. Has it made our life easier? Has it handed us back some much-needed desk space? Read on to find out.

The £330 Samsung Space Monitor sounds all very sci-fi, doesn’t it? Well, there’s nothing genuinely futuristic about it, if I’m perfectly honest. However, it is a 32-inch, 4K monitor with minimal bezels and a handy built-in cable-tidy.

Anyone moving from a smaller monitor to a larger one will automatically notice the benefits. The same way as working on a single monitor suddenly seems silly after using a dual-screen (or more) set-up. Personally, I would prefer one large flat monitor instead of using dual screens for most of my work. I do see where a curved monitor would work better, especially for immersive gaming, but I have little chance for that kind of behaviour these days.

So, when the kind folks over at Samsung asked me to check out their Space Monitor, I was intrigued. Not just because a 4K, 32-inch monitor sounds ideal to me but – well, it has space in the name. Geek Mode initiated!

Samsung Space Monitor design

Most of us will agree that size does matter – when it comes to monitors (I’ll leave you all alone to debate other areas amongst yourselves). The thing is, large monitors need big desks. Even then, once positioned and looking awesome, they tend to take over the space they are in. Also, plenty of sizable monitors have equally sizable feet to stop them from falling over. So, if your desk real estate is at a premium and you want a large monitor, you will usually have to see that mascot, holiday snap and, worse of all, your venti cup live elsewhere. That was before Samsung’s 32-inch Space Monitor.

The way that Samsung has enabled space-poor desk monkies the opportunity to fit a 32-inch monitor on their desk is swapping out the usual stand for an arm that clamps on the back of your desk. Furthermore, that arm allows the screen to be brought forward when in use or pushed right back up against the wall or office divider when you need the desk for other things.

Up against the wall

The fact that when in its pushed-back mode, the rear of the monitor is perfectly flat with the arm means that even if you got a ‘normal’ monitor and paid the extra for a monitor arm, you will still not get all the space back you do with the Sammy Space Monitor. Samsung claims this design allows for 40% more usable desk space than a standard monitor stand for the same size display.

Additionally, the integral arm sports nifty cable routing channels and a recessed area for the HDMI, power, and Mini Display Port connections.

The arm allows the display to move forward and down as well as tilting. However, this clever hinging does not enable the screen to pivot nor rotate. Furthermore, as the arm mount is not of the common VESA variety, you won’t be able to easily swap arm for arm.

The 16:9, 32-inch display boasts 4K (3840 x 2160) resolution and slim bezels along the top and sides. The VA panel has a quoted average brightness of 250 nits, which suits most office settings. You also get 100% sRGB and 72% NTSC Colour Gamut coverage, according to Samsung. Finally, a 4ms (GTG) response time and 60Hz refresh rate means that this won’t be on your list if you’re a serious gamer but for the casual shoot em/drive em kind of player that gets the chance to boot up Steam perhaps five times a year the displays’ ‘Game Mode’ will suffice. For the most part, this screen is for productivity and maybe some design/photo/video work.

Samsung Space Monitor in use

Firstly, I had to ditch my VariDesk Pro 36 table-top adjustable standing desk for this review as the Space Monitor refused to dock with it, owing to a bar that runs just below the top tier at the rear of the VariDesk. I did try altering the clamp position but to no avail. However, attaching the Space Monitor to my regular desk was simplicity itself. Additionally, once the cables were run up the monitor’s rear trench, the result was a clean and tidy 32-inch monitor.

The on/off switch has been squirrelled away to the rear, and I will openly admit some mild confusion until I located that pesky button. This little blue nubbin is actually a joystick of sorts and will drive you through the on-screen menu.

Nothing added

Also, I must applaud Samsung for not bothering with adding speakers to this monitor. I understand that some might need speakers in their monitor, but they rarely do a great job and, as the Space Monitor has been designed for productivity, I see no use for integrated speakers here. Furthermore, should I require PC audio, I’ll run it directly from the source device or, better still, via a decent DAC/ amplifier and headphones or speakers. Thanks to the Space Monitor’s negligibly tiny footprint, a compact headphone DAC/amp will hardly undo all of Samsung’s good work.

Furthermore, there’s no FreeSync, G-Sync or kitchen sink, for that matter. What you do get is a slick-looking panel – no more, no less.

Be that as may, I do think that Samsung is missing one trick, though. As the Space Monitor can be positioned like a draughtsman’s drawing board, it would have been very cool if the display had touch support. I know, maybe a bit daft after my applauding the lack of unnecessary faff – but I stand by it.

Screen Quality

The out of box settings had the colours somewhat washed-out. To start with, I assumed it was in Eye Saving Mode. As it turned out that all it took was a few tweaks before colours were as vibrant as I was hoping from the spec sheet.

The Picture By Picture (PBP) option is pretty neat, enabling you to run the HDMI and Mini Display Port inputs at the same time and displaying their output side-by-side on the screen. There is also Picture in Picture where the second source can take 25% of the screen space. So, you could be working on something in most of the area while having a boxset running in the corner. Nice.

The imaging is decent and a quick 30 minutes of Counter-Strike was playable enough to have a break and get back to what I should be doing. I do really love the amount of space, both on-screen and on-desk, that the Space Monitor gives me. There have been times where I’ve had my document full screen and the display in its upright position just so that I can enjoy seeing my desk more.

Space Monitor review conclusion

Overall, I think that the Samsung Space Monitor does what it sets out to do. It is a great-looking monitor with decent colour reproduction and brightness once you fiddle with the settings a bit.

I liked the screen’s adjustable eye-level and the clever hinging; however, I would have liked some lateral height adjustment too, though.

I maintain that touch tech would’ve made this display even better but, as it is, and ignoring that it wouldn’t clamp to my standing desk-topper, I would still very much buy one.

The post Samsung Space Monitor Review appeared first on GadgetyNews.

Shark vacuum cleaners have been catching our eye for the past couple of years, so it was time to take one for a test drive.

I have been using a cylinder vacuum cleaner designed by a well-known British engineer. It’s done me proud over the past 7 years. However, as always with technology, it has since been bettered – by both its successors and by alternative brands. Shark is one such alternative that has been making waves and a regular at tech shows I attend. The designs are modern and eye-catching, and the company appears to make real-world claims.

Hairy issues

The main issue in my household is hair. I’ve had long hair since my teens, and my girlfriend has shoulder-length hair. Furthermore, we seem to shed. A lot. This means that the regular style spinning bristle brushes found on most cleaners soon get hair wrapped around the barrel which impacts on its cleaning efficiency. It also requires me to unravel and cut the hair out of the bristles, wasting more time.

Thankfully, Shark has an answer with its Anti Hair Wrap system that features on this AZ910UK model, so I put it to the test.

Shark AZ910UK Vacuum design

Firstly, I like that vacs are now allowed to sport funky colours. The Shark upright we have is the kind of purple that Prince would have approved of. 

Putting the device together actually gives you a preview of its nifty superpowers. The Powered Lift-Away part of its moniker means that you can detach the vacuum bit and use it as a handheld vac using the long wand that makes up the upright part of the handle.

Alternatively, you can disengage the handgrip, which then becomes the nozzle. It’s all quite engenious.

I am also digging the LED headlights at the front of the roller brush head. It is this sizeable DuoClean floorhead that also boasts the Anti Hair Wrap Technology, too. The clever bit of engineering actively separates and removes hair with a unique bristle-guard.

The result is a tangle-free bristle brush-roll. Oh yeah, Shark gives the floorhead the DuoClean moniker due to the two motorised brush-rolls which together removes large debris and small particles, as well as stuck-on dust from hard floors and carpets, so Shark tells me.

I have to admit, it’s quite a nice looking thing and really easy to put together.

The Shark AZ910UK in use

My first impression was that it was more substantial than the drag-along vac that I have had in service for several years. You see, I have grown used to waving the hose around while the motor and dust collection was happening in the unit on wheels being dragged behind, now I was pushing and pulling the lot. However, once I had got back into the upright-vac-shuffle, all was well.

I tell you what though, it is excellent at its job. My living room is a mixture of hard-flooring, a thick pile rug and a more hardy close twill rug. It was the cleaning of those rugs that really impressed. Whether it’s the little robot vac or me using my regular yellow sucker, there are generally still little bits suck in the fibres, especially in the black shaggy rug. However, the Shark DuoClean using the correct setting flicked on using the handle switch, got every little bit after a few passes. I really did get the feeling that the rug was the cleanest it had been for a long while.

It gets everywhere

I also liked the 8 meter-long power cord, which meant that I could attack the living room, hallway and stairs in my little London home without having to unplug. It’s been a while since I’ve had to manually coil up a vac cable, but I’ll live. On the subject of stairs, being able to convert the Shark AZ910UK into a more compact machine really does help.

The dust collection/motor section fits well on the stairs and removing the wand means that close work is effortless. Using the same configuration also works wonders for the car too.

Finally, a note about hair tangles. Even after cleaning the trouble areas (in front of the hallway mirror and in the bedroom), the DuoClean head remained tangle-free. Moreover, the easy-to-empty collection bin was full of hair that would have otherwise been left for me to untangle and cut away from the brush head of a regular vacuum cleaner.

Shark AZ910UK review conclusion

The Shark AZ910UK DuoClean Powered Lift-Away with Anti-Hair Wrap Technology might be a long title, but it tells you everything you need to know about this very talented vacuum cleaner.

The DuoClean head does an exceptional job of cleaning and being able to adjust for low pile, deep pile carpets, and hard flooring at the handle means there’s no starting and stopping. The Powered Lift-Away is nothing short of genius and, finally, the Anti-Hair Wrap tech really works.  

If being this excited about a vacuum cleaner is wrong, I don’t want to be right.

The post Review of the Shark AZ910UK Vacuum Cleaner appeared first on GadgetyNews.

We were in Munich recently for the Huawei Mate 30 launch. We also spent some time with the new handset. While there was the usual rush of people posting their thoughts, we thought we’d take some time to reflect, and also see if we could get some more details – this was no ordinary launch.

The Mate 30 is Huawei’s second hero phone of 2019, following the excellent P30 Pro which is still our daily driver – and camera. 

Naturally, the Mate 30 sports usual expected upgrades of cosmetic tweaks, uprated display and cameras. So, what else were we waiting to find out? Well, this was no straight forward launch.

Awks

Unless you’ve been avoiding the news (which we totally understand), you will know that President Trump is upset with China and so has prevented the likes of Google playing with them. The upshot of this hissy fit is that Huawei is unable to release the Mate 30 loaded with the Play Store. The result of this is no Google Maps, Google Pay, Gmail app, you get the idea. It sucks. 

As discussed with fellow tech journalists out there, everything felt a “tad awks” before, during and after the launch. That’s not to say it wasn’t impressive with many gasps, applause and the rest of it; it’s just that there was also a slight undercurrent to the whole proceedings.

Anyhoooo – enough of that. What about the phone?

Mate 30 Pro hands-on

The Mate 30 Pro certainly has the looks and the spec to claim its crown as a flagship. 

The newcomer boasts a curved ‘Horizon’ display, a super-powerful chipset, and a huge camera sensor. Additionally, there’s mind-melting slow-mo and 8K capture skills, ToF (Time of Flight) modules front and back, and a battery with super-stamina as well as a range of charging options.

Mate 30 Pro and Android

OK – let’s get tackle the irritating pachyderm in the room first. The Huawei Mate 30 Pro runs Android 10. Is that a confused look on your face after everything we’ve said? Let us explain – this is the AOSP version (Android Open Source Project) which is free to use across the world. All previous Huawei Mate phones used the “standard” version of Android, which includes all the proprietary software many of us use every day. So – you get Android, just not the Google apps.

Huawei already has the apps needed to replace much of the Google suite. There is an app store, a mail client, a browser, a fitness tracker and a cloud storage service, but we know that this might not be enough. We reckon we won’t see the likes of Netflix, WhatsApp, even Facebook appearing in the Huawei app store anytime soon – but we could be wrong. We suppose that some apps have browser versions we could use…

During our hands-on time with the phone EMUI10 (Huawei’s Android wrap) seemed to work smoothly with no hint of any loss of full-fat Android.

What were we waiting for?

Originally, Huawei’s Richard Yu stated that bootloader unlocking would be available to give customers “more freedom.”

We limited [bootloader unlocking] because we wanted to guarantee more security for consumers. But this time we will leave more freedom for the consumers so they can do more customisation by themselves.

Naturally, everyone read that as it’s making it easier to install Google apps.

That glimpse of light, however, was soon diminished after the company then said it has “no current plans” to allow bootloader unlocking.

Did Yu misspeak? Did he show Huawei’s hand too soon? Only those closer to the situation than us knows for sure.

Mate 30 Pro improved camera

This is what most people will be interested in after the P30 Pro grabbed awards left, right and centre for its snapper.

Seeing the Mate 30 Pro in the flesh for the first time, the most noticeable thing that grabs you is the new circular lens array. Dubbed Halo the circular lens grouping looks great to us. If you recall, the 20 Pro rocked the square-style, much like the latest iPhone does.

Camera quartet

The flagship 2019 edition Mate boasts a quartet of cameras on its rear.

Firstly, there’s a standard-view 40-megapixel sensor, then an 8-megapixel 3x zoom and a 40-megapixel ultra-wide. Finally, there is the ToF (time of flight) depth sensor.

The P30 Pro is still king of the zoom, although the Mate 30 Pro is very capable; however, it is the Mate’s ultra-wide that steals the show with its performance thanks in part to its 1.54-inch sensor.

If you’ve used a P30 Pro, then the Mate 30 Pro’s camera app will feel very familiar. You can zoom in by 5x and still get decent results, or up to 30x if you don’t mind a slight hit-and-miss aspect to your shooting. 

We weren’t able to test the Mate 30 Pro’s night mode, but it is still one of the P30 Pro’s stand-out skills, so we assume the new Mate will match it. Again, Huawei is using an RYB pixel set up in the main sensor that swaps the typical green pixels (RGB) for yellow pixels. The result is that the sensor can capture more light and so the bright f/1.6 lens with OIS, along with some software magic, means the phone can shoot pictures in near darkness.

The snaps we took in Munich (although not able to keep them) showed the expected good dynamic range, even without HDR engaged. The images seemed to have plenty of detail on screen with very low noise.

The Mate 30 Pro gives you a decent macro camera too, enabling you to take incredibly sharp shots as close as 2.5cm from the object.

Video

The Mate 30 Pro boasts a dedicated cine camera so videos promise to be top-notch.

Slo-mo is really impressive looking at the specs. Where 960fps has become the high-end mobile standard for slo-mo video, the Mate 30 Pro trumps that (so to speak) and goes up to 7,680fps, for 256x slo-mo.

This uses smart interpolation skills thanks to complicated algorithms that works out what the frame between two others should look like.

Would we ever use that setting? Perhaps not. However, that upper limit does mean that 64x, 32x, 8x and 4x is silky smooth.

Mate 30 Pro front cameras

On its front, the Mate 30 Pro sports another three lenses.

In addition to a primary 32-megapixel selfie snapper, the Mate 30 Pro features an ultra-wide-angle shooter and another ToF sensor.

Overall, the Mate 30 Pro is armed with a mind-bending total of seven cameras.

Curvy display

The Mate 30 Pro comes with what Huawei calls a “Horizon” display.

This essentially means the curves on the display’s sides are more prominent than on its curvaceous rivals such as the P30 Pro or Samsung Galaxy S10.

Also, the added curvature makes the hardware look more like a single piece of glass than any of its competitors. The display curves 88 degrees to the sides, and if you look at the phone head-on, you practically don’t see any side bezels. 

The curvy 6.53-inch display is also called in for volume control dutues as the Mate 30 Pro has no physical volume rocker. A double-tap on the side wakes the virtual slider up and then you make the adjustments. It seemed to work well during our time with it.

We were a little concerned about accidentally triggering things while the phone is in our hands with that extra bit of side-screen, but all seemed well. We were told that the side areas were “switched off” for the most part – which explains the need for the double-tap to wake the volume control.

Sophisticated notch

Huawei has created “the most sophisticated notch” – is this going to be the new battleground for phones? 

It’s a lot smaller than the Mate 20 Pro‘s and still manages to pack in a gesture sensor, a 3D (ToF) depth camera, a proximity sensor and a selfie camera.

Rolling the Mate 30 Pro around in our hands it certainly feels like a premium device thanks to its all-glass and forged metal casing. Additionally, you get a choice of Space Silver, Emerald Green, Cosmic Purple and black colourways to choose from. There’s also cool-looking vegan leather options too, available in orange and green. We fell in love with the orange pleather in a rather major way.

The phone’s IP68 rating should protect it from water and dust, which is a good thing.

The single, bottom-ported speaker, however, not such a good thing.

5G-ready

The Mate 30 Pro is powered by Huawei’s new Kirin 990 chipset.

The Kirin 990 comes in two variants – one that supports 4G networks and another with 5G capabilities.

Most notably, the 5G version has support for the next-generation networks built-in, meaning an external modem is not required.

We hear plenty of people saying 5G skills are unwarranted right now but as 3 year contracts are commonplace, we would rather buy a handset that is ready for tech coming in the next 1-2 years.

Mate 30 Pro – Neat tricks

We saw a demo of the Mate 30 Pro’s AI gesture control. Using the front-facing sensors you can interact with the screen without touching it. For example, we were able to scroll through web pages simply by waving our hand. Additionally, using another gestrure we could perform screen captures.

Auto Rotate is cool and all but it can be easily confused, especially if you’re reading in bed or on the sofa. However, AI Auto Rotate can detect your head movements and rotate the screen from portrait to landscape automatically as you move around.

We also really liked AI Private View. Here your privacy is further enhanced. The phone is able to detect if there’s somone trying to see your screen and so hides the content – for your eyes only.

Mate 30 Pro battery

Of course, we were unable to test the battery life on the Huawei Mate 30 Pro, but we’d expect it to be excellent with its 4500mAh cell inside. There’s fast-charging technology on offer, plus fast wireless charging.

Mate 30 Pro first impressions

Huawei has certainly created the best Mate yet with the 30 Pro. 

The Mate 30 Pro has it all – a fantastic display, impressive stamina, and excellent picture quality, all of which hinges on class-leading performance. 

It is just rubbish timing that the ‘leader of the free world’ as decided to prevent the company from pre-installing Google apps for its users. Knowing full well that his decision makes the Mate 30 Pro practically unusable in the Western world without some sideloading antics which could open the phone up to security concerns.

Nevertheless, as Walter Ji told us, Huawei has faced challenges throughout its 32 years and this is just another one to overcome.

However, the moment Google gets the license to provide products and services to Huawei, then you will see Samsung, Apple and all the rest run for cover.

Price and availability

We haven’t got an exact release date for the Mate 30 or even if it will ever come to the UK.

Huawei gave pricing of €799 for the Mate 30 and €1,099 for the Mate 30 Pro. The 5G model has an asking price of €1,199.

The post Huawei Mate 30 Pro Hands-on Review appeared first on GadgetyNews.

SteelSeries has revealed the Sensei Ten gaming mouse, featuring a TrueMove Pro sensor.

The original Sensei was one of the most iconic and widely used mice in esports. The Sensei Ten continues that legacy while retaining the iconic shape, but with all-new upgrades under the hood.

The SteelSeries Sensei defined the world of competitive mice with its iconic ambidextrous shape and performance. Now, the Sensei is rocking the brand new esports-ready sensor, the TrueMove Pro.

TrueMove Pro Sensor

The TrueMove Pro is the latest custom-designed optical sensor from SteelSeries and PixArt. The TrueMove Pro outperforms the competition on any surface with True 1-to-1 tracking, 18,000 CPI and a 450 inches-per-second (IPS) tracking speed.

Thanks to advanced tracking, the sensor also stabilises tilted mouse manoeuvres, eliminating false tracking.

Brian Luu, Product Manager of Mice at SteelSeries, told GadgetyNews:

The original Sensei is the most beloved mouse in the history of PC gaming, and we’ve devoted our engineering expertise to bringing that original shape and feel back to gamers. Our team has done a fantastic job staying true to the Sensei design while upgrading its performance for the demands of modern esports.

Sensei Ten Features

The new Sensei’s ergonomic, ambidextrous design provides a comfortable, natural feel for both right and left-handed users with any grip style. Its eight-button universal shape allows gamers to quickly change grip styles as needed.

The new gaming mouse also features room to save five settings across devices; 60 million click mechanical switches, and two-zone RGB lighting.

Price and availability

The Sensei Ten is available now globally for £69.99

The post SteelSeries Sensei Ten Gaming Mouse appeared first on GadgetyNews.