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The best antiviruses of 2017 for Windows 10 according to AV-TEST

Even though Windows Defender keeps improving its preinstalled antivirus protection on Windows 10 PCs, other ‘complementary’ software are certainly key to keep your PC’s security at a maximum. Therefore, freeing us from malware threats, evidently, although in some cases it would mean sacrificing our PC’s performance ever so slightly. AV-TEST has analyzed several antivirus software for Windows 10 and they have come up with a ranking showing the best ones of 2017.

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Is it technically possible to keep scaling down manufacturing processes?

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You already know that Moore’s law is practically dying: reducing lithography and increasing the number of transistors on chips keeps getting more complicated. Manufacturers, especially TSMC, Samsung and Intel, are working incessantly to keep reducing lithography by using new techniques on manufacturing processes, but it is clear that we are very close to the possible limit.

Currently, the main manufacturers are already producing 14 nm manufacturing processes (Intel’s Kaby Lake and AMD’s Ryzen, to name a few), although Intel has already planned its next generation (Cannon Lake) scaled to 10 nm while hinting at having something ready for next year at 7 nm. Meanwhile, TSMC already has its 10 nm process read and it has plans for a 5, and even a 3 nm, lithography, going as far as to anticipate a 2 nm lithography. Do not bother asking for AMD because it currently is the most realistic manufacturer: they have just started with the 14 nm process and it hopes for 7 nm by 2020.

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Certainly, we are talking long-term. Getting an actual 7 nm manufacturing process by next year or by 2019 would be quite an achievement, and the plans for 5 nm by 2020 seem pretty far away from what was originally expected. Let’s not talk about 3 and 2 nm: let’s face it, they will not be here any time soon.

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The comparison of Firefox vs. Chrome 2017 – Which is better

We looked under the hood of the popular browsers Firefox and Chrome and now it’s time to find out which one comes out first in a duel.

Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox are among the most popular web browsers used on the PC and are thus also the most widespread ones. Both apps also have phone and mobile (tablet) versions making it easy to keep your data and bookmarks synched across multiple devices. This way you can synchronize settings, favorites, etc. among your devices without using additional software.

Firefox vs. Chrome

Since Microsoft have said goodbye to Internet Explorer and, in Windows 10, released a new browser called Microsoft Edge, more users are looking for an alternative. The popular choice are Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox.

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Guide: AMD´S RYZEN Processors Questions and Answers

AMD´S RYZEN processors have been with us for a while now and thanks to the tests and analyses that we have been able to do, their possibilities, the value that they offer and practically all their technical issues are very clear to us.

We know many of you have hesitations about this new generation of processors, and that they are due above all to the differing results that have been recorded by different kinds of analyses, although there are also other secondary causes equally important, such as the habitual misinformation produced by some sources blinded by a certain favoritism and which affects even some well-known media.

To illustrate this last point, a simple example will do, and it is that in their analyses some sources began to negatively assess the fact that RYZEN does not include an integrated GPU. Yes, and they stayed that way to their liking.

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Special: RAM Memory, five myths you should not believe

RAM memory is one of the most important basic components of almost every technological device, including PCs, smartphones, smart watches, and so forth, but it is also one of the components that has the most false myths attached to it.

RAM memory is one of the most important basic components of any technological device that can be found in PCs, smartphones and smart watches, among others, but is also one of the components surrounded by many myths.

Several of these myths still persist and they can be truly troublesome, so we wanted to dedicate this component one of our special segments.

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Acer Aspire V 17 Nitro Black VN7-793G-709A/758J and VN7 593G Gaming Laptop Reviews

Acer Aspire V-Nitro 2017

While Acer’s Aspire V-Nitro series isn’t new on the market, it is very popular with consumers which lead Acer to update the range each year. We’ve already reviewed the 2015 line, and now, two years later, we think it’s time to do it again. Optically, not too much has changed, under the hood however, we find Intel’s 7th generation processors, DDR4 RAM and a GeFore GTX10-series GPU.

Acer Aspire V-Nitro 2017

Naturally, I got both models here – the base features among both are mostly identical. The 17” model (VN7-7936-767M) just has some more bells and whistles than the 15” one (VN7-593G-73HP). Let’s take a look at the specs first:

  • VN7-593G Display: 39.6 cm (15.6 “) Acer ComfyView ™ Full-HD IPS Display with LED backlight (matt)
    VN7-793G Display: 43.9 cm (17.3 “) Acer ComfyView ™ Full-HD IPS Display with LED backlight (matt)
  • Resolution: 1,920 x 1,080 (Full HD), 16: 9
  • Processor: Intel® Core ™ i7-7700HQ processor (4 cores x 2.80 GHz, up to 3.8 GHz Intel Turbo Boost, 6 MB 3rd Level Cache)
  • Graphics: NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 1060 with 6GB GDDR5 VRAM
  • Memory: 8 GB DDR4
  • Storage: 1,000 GB hard drive
  • Network: Gigabit LAN, wireless LAN 802.11ac / a / b / g / n, 2.4 GHz & 5 GHz, 2 × 2 MU-MIMO
  • Connections: HDMI, 1x USB 3.1 (Type-C Gen. 2, Thunderbolt 3), 2x USB 3.0, 2x USB 2.0, 1x audio, 1x SD card
  • Input devices: backlit keypad with numeric keypad, multi-gesture touchpad with integrated fingerprint reader
  • Sound: 4 stereo speakers, Optimized Dolby® Audio Premium® Sound Enhancement
  • Battery: Li-Polymer battery (4 cells / 4450 mAh), up to 6 hours battery life
  • Dimensions / Weight: 391 x 266 x 24.9 / 22.5 mm (W x D x H) / 2.6 kg
  • Operating System: Microsoft® Windows® 10 Home (64-bit)
  • Special features (only VN7-793G): integrated Tobii Eye Tracking Camera, for viewing in selected games

When it comes to specs, Acer hasn’t been a slouch – with the exception of one aspect: Memory. Both devices only come with an old-fashioned hard drive.  If you want an SSD you will have to add your own. For this, an M.2 PCIe 3.0×4 slot is available so that even a Samsung SSD 960 PRO can fully be taken advantage of. (I’m in UK, in US market, both two models feature SSD)

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Acer Aspire VX5-591G-75RM Gaming Laptop Review

Summary:

The Acer Aspire VX 15 (VX5-591G-75RM) is midrange gaming laptop that does okay for itself but doesn’t really do anything extremely well to stand out from its competition. To top it off, its minimalist-ish matte black design may not appeal to everyone. However, what it lacks in standout features and performance, it makes up for with a very attractive price tag, easily making it one of the best value midrange gaming laptops on the market today.

Pros:

  • 256GB SSD.
  • Minimalist-ish look for those who want something different and less flashy
  • Responsive and comfortable full-sized keyboard
  • Above-average battery life

Cons:

  • Bland Full HD screen
  • Doesn’t have as many ports compared to others in its price range
  • Too little storage options

Acer Aspire VX5-591G-75RM Gaming Laptop Review

Acer has ramped up their efforts in the gaming laptop market in recent years, with them releasing some of the best value portable gaming machines we’ve seen in a while. The Acer Aspire VX 15, which was announced by Acer at CES 2017, seems keen on continuing that trend this 2017.

Acer Aspire VX5-591G-75RM

The top model, the Acer Aspire VX 15 (VX5-5915-75RM), retails for $1049.99 and comes with all the bells and whistles you’d come to expect from gaming laptops at the same price range. It comes equipped with the latest i7 Kaby Lake processor, a 15.6” Full HD IPS screen, 16 GB of DDR4 SDRAM, a 256 GD SSD for storage and a GTX 1050TI with 4 GB of dedicated memory graphics card.

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Best Gaming Keyboard 2017 Buying Guide

With this tutorial, choosing the best gaming keyboard will be such a child’s play. The gaming keyboard is a magic tool that puts you in a compelling fully digital world. There are basically two different types, depending on their structure design.

Even if it’s a bit noisy, the mechanical keyboard is the most long lasting, reliable and precise one. Its more immediate response makes gaming or typing quicker, by pressing the keys more softly; moreover, it lets you program simultaneous inputs on more than one key.

A cheaper alternative is the membrane keyboard. It needs an harder pressure on the input key, whose response could not be immediate: it’s not expressly designed for high level competitions then.

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Asus ROG Swift PG258Q Review: 240 Hz With G-Sync

With 240 Hz, now even mosquitos can enjoy smooth motion on a screen. That’s because the eyes of said critter only perceive smooth motion past 240 images per second. Us humans meanwhile only need between 22 and 90 Hz depending on contrast and ambient lighting conditions. But jokes aside. At 240 Hz, the image will always be super smooth and fluid, even without G-Sync or Freesync, and without many noticeable sync errors.

The niche category of high refresh-rate monitors is starting to fill up. Late last year, the Benq Zowie XL2540 was the first commercially available model with a refresh-rate of 240 Hz. Right on time for the holiday season. Earlier, the Asus ROG Swift PG258Q had been announced but ended up coming out only a year ago. While the Zowie has a fixed refresh-rate, the Asus uses a G-Sync module which can dynamically adjust the refresh-rate between 30 and 240 Hz to match the frame rate of the game.

With the Acer Predator XB272bmiprz, another G-Sync monitor has hit the market. While it is already listed, it is said to become available in mid-April. For now, this one is the first 27” model, all the previously mentioned ones have a diagonal of 24,5”. The AOC Agon AG251FZ is currently the only Freesync model available that supports up to 240 Hz. Here, it is also dynamically being adjusted between 48 and 240 Hz.

That means that our ULITE comparison chart features 4 models at the moment. All of them have a responsive Full-HD TN-panel display. For Full-HD monitors, these are relatively expensive at around 600 dollars. If 144 Hz are enough for you, you can get one for about half that. Read More: Best Gaming Monitor 

Features

On the outside, the PG258Q doesn’t differ too much from the other ROG displays. Typical of the series it the matte-gray death star pattern on the back and the extravagant stand it comes on which projects a red logo onto the table surface. It comes with two gels with different Asus logos as well as three blank ones that you can customize with your own logo creations. A nice gimmick.

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Asus Chromebook Flip C100PA–DS03 / DB02 Review

Pros

  • Thin and light-weight
  • 8:5 ratio display adapted to use in tablet mode
  • Aluminum case
  • Ultra mobile

Cons

  • Thick borders around the display

What is the Asus Chromebook Flip ?

With the Flip, Asus was looking to prove that they could create a Chromebook that was not only inexpensive, but also beautiful and ergonomic.

Asus Chromebook Flip

The Flip was created with hybrid use in mind. The display, the keyboard, and the trackpad were all designed so that they would be useful in both the PC and tablet modes.

So, is this Chromebook worth buying? Read the rest of this test to find out.

Design

In terms of its design, the Asus Flip is striking because of its small size and extremely light weight. It weighs just 900 grams and measures 1.5 cm in thickness, making it an ultra laptop.

Asus Chromebook Flip

The room reserved for the trackpad is not ample, but it is sufficient, and the keyboard does not give the impression of having been squeezed as it does on certain other 10 inch laptops.

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