Avoid scratches and dents with the 10 best iPhone 8 Plus cases

Apple’s latest iPhone range has been revealed, and they’re the most desirable iPhones yet. The iPhone 8 Plus is the largest of the bunch, with a beefed up A11 processor, a dual-camera setup, and more power than you can shake a stick at. It’s no ugly nerd either. Thanks to an all-new glass back, the new iPhone 8 Plus has the looks to back up its brains. But with those stylish new looks come new dangers. Smartphone glass has improved in leaps and bounds, but when you’re spending hundreds of dollars on an iPhone, do you really want to run the gauntlet with it? No one wants their iPhone to sport cracks, scratches, or worse — that’s why we’ve made this list of the best iPhone 8 Plus cases to keep your pride and joy safe and sound.

By the way, if you’re upgrading from an iPhone 7 Plus, then your existing case will work just fine. All the changes to the iPhone 8 Plus are internal, so our iPhone 7 Plus case picks will also serve you well. But there’s always an argument for new with new — so check out our new picks below!

Ghostek Cloak 3 Clear Protective Case ($20)

Stylish and slim protection is one of Ghostek’s primary mission statements, and although the fledgling casemaker is better known for their larger, waterproof cases, their slimmer offerings are not to be missed. The latest in their Cloak range, the Cloak 3 is one of those smaller offerings. Supremely styled to match the contours of your device, the Cloak 3 also comes with a clear back — and if you got it, flaunt it. The hard polycarbonate bumper protects the phone’s edges from scratches and physical hazards, while the soft TPU inner case absorbs impacts and offers shock protection that exceeds the military standard for drop testing. Even better — the Cloak 3 has raised edges that protect the 5.5-inch Super Retina screen on the front and the raised camera bump on the rear.

Buy one now from:

Ghostek

VRS Design SimpliMod Leather-Style Case ($25)

Searching for a different style? VRS Design might have the case you’ve been looking for. Featuring a blend of protective polycarbonate with luxurious feeling PU leather, VRS’s SimpliMod case combines two state-of-the-art materials into one case for a unique look. A slim-fitting shell holds your phone snugly, while the sleek lines of the case add barely any bulk. The polycarbonate keeps your phone safe against scrapes and scratches, and the PU leather adds extra grip to a slippery phone. Raised edges keep your screen and camera from contacting flat surfaces, and spacious cut-outs allow for full use of your phone at all times.

Buy one now from:

VRS Design Mobile Fun

LuMee Duo Case ($70)

A “lit” choice for the selfie-conscious out there. LuMee’s iconic range of light-included cases shot into the spotlight after Selfie Queen Kim Kardashian posted a picture of her iPhone with a LuMee case (and partnered with them). Since then, LuMee’s range of cases, with included soft lighting, have been the go-to for any wannabe Instagram star, or anyone who cares about keeping their selfie game on point. The LuMee Duo doubles the effective uses of the case by adding forward-facing light, so you’ll never be without the perfect, studio-level lighting for your snaps. But it’s not all about the lighting either. LuMee has added an extra layer of protection to the Duo, adding cushioned corners and improved drop resistance to the case — extra useful when your phone is pulling double duty as your camera. The Duo is available in black, rose, gold, and white matte, so you can get the perfect color to match your style.

Buy one now from:

LuMee Amazon

Vaja Wallet Agenda Leather Case ($129)

Your iPhone 8 Plus is one of the finest smartphones in the world — and it deserves the best in protection. Vaja crafts cases by hand from the finest bridge leather, ensuring that each case has a 100 percent unique leather grain. Not only that, but as the case ages, so does the leather, becoming more beautiful with age. Your case will truly be your own — unique to the way that you have used and weathered it over time. The Agenda Wallet series also comes with several card and money slots, along with the cover that folds around the screen when not in use, protecting it from harm. The black matte camera frame also helps to enhance the camera flash, assisting low-light photography (check out our iPhone camera tips for more). It’s an expensive option, but if you can afford to part with the cash, then you’re unlikely to find a more luxurious case.

Buy one now from:

Vaja

Spigen Liquid Air Armor Case ($11)

What sort of case round-up would this be without the current king of the hill? Spigen is well known for its range of uber-protective cases that add functionality as well as protection. But bigger doesn’t always mean better, and that’s why we’ve moved away from Spigen’s usual range to show you one of the case titan’s slimmer offerings. Spigen’s Air Cushion technology provides protection against outside hazards, bumps, and drops, while only adding 0.3cm of thickness to your slim iPhone 8 Plus. The distinct (and stylish pattern) on the back of the case isn’t just for looks either — it provides a solid grip on what can be a slippery phone, helping stop drops before they happen.  The Liquid Air Armor is a solid pick if you’re after a slim but effective case.

Buy one now from:

Amazon Spigen

Olixar Makamae Case ($17)

Hawaiian for “precious”, Olixar’s Makamae case lives up to its name. A great choice for anyone who wants a look that breaks away from the crowd, but won’t break their bank balance, Olixar’s Makamae can holds an easy style and grace. But it’s not all looks either — it has brawn to match, with a construction of polycarbonate and a durable synthetic leather. A raised edge around the screen keeps that precious area from scratching on surfaces, and precise cut-outs allow access to all the ports and functions of your iPhone 8 Plus.

Buy one now from:

Olixar Mobile Fun

Supcase Unicorn Beetle Style Clear Case ($13)

Supcase has made a splash in the past few years with a range of budget protective cases that offer great protection for reasonable prices. And its back with a slightly tinkered design for the iPhone 8 Plus. The clear back of the Unicorn Beetle Style shows off the color choice of your iPhone, offering protection with a scratch-resistant clear back plate, and military-standard drop resistance. A raised edge around the screen and rear camera protect those vulnerable areas from damage, and the high-grade TPU and polycarbonate materials ensure that it’s protection that’ll last. Don’t let misgivings at the low price put you off – the Unicorn Beetle Style is definitely worth a look.

Buy one now from:

Amazon Supcase

Ringke Air Prism Glitter Combo Case ($7)

As strange as it seems, the image above is from the same case — the Ringke Air Prism comes with a holographic insert that can be slipped between the phone and case to create the amazing rainbow effect above. Take it out, and the clear back shows off your phone’s peerless design, overlaid with the attractive triangular pattern. The perfect phone case for someone who likes to change up their style, and isn’t afraid of making a statement. The case is also super-slim at only 1.4mm thick, adding barely any bulk to your iPhone 8 Plus. It might not be for everyone, but if you like this case, you don’t need me to tell you to buy it.

Buy one now from:

Amazon

UAG Trooper Series Card Case ($40)

Another big name in cell phone protection, UAG has updated the Trooper range to include the iPhone 8 Plus. Super durable, the Trooper adheres to military drop test standards (MIL STD 810G 516.6), and is sure to keep your phone secure and safe through most daily hazards. A hidden backpack on the rear of the case contains enough room for up to four credit cards, and super-tactile buttons on the sides keep your buttons covered, but still feeling responsive. A network of hollow honeycomb shells keep the weight of the case down, while still providing the strength needed to keep your phone safe with the combination of hard outer shell and shock-absorbent inner core. UAG’s good name lives on with the Trooper series.

Buy one now from:

Amazon UAG

Moshi SenseCover ($50)

Available in a wide variety of colors, the Moshi SenseCover has long been one of the most sought-after cases for iPhone, and it’s easy to see why. The SenseCover not only keeps your phone fully protected, but doesn’t need to be opened to use the phone. Thanks to Moshi’s technology, you can answer your phone (after seeing the caller ID in the window) and chat away, without ever having to open your phone and expose it to the elements. A soft microfiber lining inside the case keeps your phone snuggled and safe, and it also doubles as a stand for media viewing. It’s fully wireless-charging compatible, military drop-tested, and lightweight. The Moshi SenseCover is a strong contender to be the case of choice for your iPhone 8 Plus.

Buy one now from:

Moshi

Not had enough on the iPhone 8 Plus yet? Then check out our hands-on review for our impressions of Apple’s latest and greatest.

TCL P-Series TV unboxing and setup: Jump into 4K Ultra HD in all its glory

The TCL P-Series TV is a high-performance 4K Ultra HD TV. It comes with support for both Dolby Vision and HDR 10, and runs on the Roku OS platform. In the accompanying video, we guide you through the TCL P-Series TV unboxing and setup to show you exactly what to expect when you get your new TV.

Unboxing tips 

Unboxing the TCL P-Series TV is very straightforward. All of the accessories for the TV sit right at the top, allowing for easy access.

What’s in the box

• Product and setup literature
• Breakout cables
• Power cable
• Headphones
• Two batteries
• Remote
• Two legs
• Four screws

Items not included

Several items are not included with the TV. You will need to buy HDMI cables to connect your TV to other devices. The easiest way to ensure you have HDMI cables is to buy the AmazonBasics High-Speed HDMI cables at the same time you buy your TV. If you do not buy the AmazonBasics HDMI cable, make sure that the HDMI cables are rated as “high speed” cables so they can accommodate the large amount of data 4K HDR content requires.

Additionally, the TV does not come with any wall mounting hardware. For information about wall mounting check out our wall mounting guide video.

TV setup

The two feet attach to the bottom of the TV in a matter of seconds. All you have to do is place the feet in the correct spot and secure them with screws. To do this, you will need a Phillips-head screwdriver. Both of the feet come with transparent anti-ski pads, ensuring that your TV will not slip around on your entertainment stand.

Looking at the back of the TV, you will see a connection bay on the left side. There are three HDMI 2.0 inputs, one of which is ARC compatible, as well as a breakout cable for composite or component connections. Unfortunately, the connections are difficult to access once the TV is mounted on the wall, so get your cables connected beforehand to make it easier on you in the future.

Design features

The width of the stand is 38.5 inches, giving the TV a wide base. The TV feels pretty stable but installing a security strap is always a good idea to ensure it doesn’t get knocked over. The bezel is nice and trim. Similarly, the profile of the TV is slim, with a slight bump at the bottom that is about three inches in depth. Since the TV is so thin, a wall mount will look fairly clean.

Set up connections

Once you power on your TV and connect it to the internet, you will have to wait for the TV to go through several updates. Then you can link your Roku account to the TV and add a few apps. Once you have the TV set up and connected, you can scroll through your apps and rename your inputs as you like. If you want to listen in private, all you have to do is connect your headphones to the remote.

Adjusting settings

To set up the picture settings on the TCL P-Series TV, we suggest using the movie preset. This preset is basically ready to go straight out of the box. In terms of minor adjustments, we like to bump the brightness up one or two notches and turn the tint back one or two notches toward green because reds tend to be pretty intense. The picture adjustment process is a little odd, however, because you must start streaming a video in an app to adjust the picture settings for that app. Fortunately, adjusting individual inputs is easy enough once you get to the settings.

For more information, check out our full review of the TCL P-Series TV.

The best gaming laptop you can buy

Desktop gaming will always be the pinnacle of the PC gaming experience, but gaming laptops have come a long way in 2017. Some even rival their desktop counterparts in power, design, and affordability.

So if you’re looking to join the growing ranks of laptop gaming adherents, look no further — here’s our list of the best gaming laptops on the market today.

Our pick

Why should you buy this: You want to play the latest games at the highest settings while you’re on the go.

Our Score

The best

Acer Predator 17 G9-791-79Y3

The Acer Predator 17 isn’t just a great gaming laptop; it’s a great laptop.

$2,599.99 from Acer

$2,547.63 from Amazon

Who’s it for: Gamers who don’t mind spending a little extra to snag the best performance on the market.

How much will it cost: $2,600

Why we picked the Acer Predator 17 X:

A better question than “what is the Acer doing right?” is “what isn’t the Acer doing right?” Its performance, powered by an Intel Core i7-7820HK, 32GB of RAM, and Nvidia GTX 1080 graphics, makes it one of the most powerful gaming laptops you can buy.

With a GTX 1080 graphics card and that monster of a processor, which is unlocked and overclock-ready, the Predator 17X will make short work of just about anything you throw at it. Yes, even Destiny 2 — crank up those detail settings, Guardian.

But it’s not just what’s under the hood that counts. Acer has taken the time to rethink its Predator gaming series, and the new machines it introduced at in 2017 are more impressive than ever. It does look a bit on the conventional side, but Acer supplements its stereotypical matte black and red with a sturdy, spacious layout that includes a full-sized numpad. It’s a more subdued look than the Asus G752, and one that’s sure to please the users who find the Asus too garish.

Like most high-end gaming laptops, the Predator 17X starts at $2,600 for the base model, but for that price you get a system with top-of-the-line hardware, lightning-fast performance, and a rock-solid chassis. That’s why the Predator 17X remains at the top of our list.

Our full review (2016 model)

The best portable gaming laptop

Why should you buy this: You want a gaming powerhouse with MacBook style.

Our Score

The best portable gaming laptop

Razer Blade (2017)

The Razer Blade provides a perfect balance of portability and power, it’s the ultimate ultra-light gaming laptop.

$1,899.99 from Razer

$0.00 from Razer

Who’s it for: Gamers who need something small and light that can still pack a punch.

How much will it cost: Starts at $1,900

Why we picked the Razer Blade:

The Razer Blade offers serious gaming performance in a slim package. The newest version packs an Intel Core i7-7700HQ in with an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060, despite the system’s slim profile.

The system bolsters its slim design with an attractive, matte black exterior. The result is a system that looks a lot like the black MacBooks of yore (that’s a compliment). With its slick design and impressive, Chroma-lit keyboard and trackpad, it stands out in the crowd.

And Razer packs in performance to match. The GTX 1060 is incredibly quick, roughly equivalent to the outgoing GTX 980M. Though there are faster laptops, there are very few of similar size with similar hardware. The Alienware 13 is the most obvious alternative, but it’s not as slick as the Razer Blade.

Though it has many strengths, the Blade does fall victim to the limitations of its own footprint. It runs hotter and louder than competitors, and it can’t be had with an optional GTX 1070 or 1080 graphics chip. The price is also high, starting at $1,900 for a model with a 256GB hard drive.

Our full review

The best cheap gaming laptop

Why should you buy this: It provides useable gaming performance for less than $1,000.

The best cheap gaming laptop

Dell Inspiron 15 7000 Gaming Laptop (Late 2017)

Fast and affordable, the Dell Inspiron 15 Gaming is a great do-it-all PC.

$999.99 from Dell

Who’s it for: Students, gamers, anyone who wants a gaming laptop but doesn’t want to break the bank.

How much will it cost: Starts at $750

Why we picked the Dell Inspiron 15 Gaming :

This budget-friendly laptop may not seem like a gaming powerhouse, but as one of the cheapest systems with a dedicated GPU, it can’t be ignored. It’s more modest than the other systems here, coming standard with an Intel Core i5-7300HQ, 8GB of RAM, and a GTX 1050, but that doesn’t stop it from playing most games at reasonable frame rates. Faster models are available with a GTX 1050 Ti or GTX 1060, if you’re willing to spend a few hundred more.

Our review unit, which had a GTX 1050 Ti, hit 44 frames per second while running Battlefield 1 on ultra at 1080p. Even running Deux Ex: Mankind Divided at ultra, the frame rate holds at around 26 FPS, a very playable score which rises to considerably with the settings turned down a bit. Both games are easily playable at medium to high settings and 1080p resolution.

The Inspiron 15 Gaming does look like a budget system. Apart from the aesthetic, which is more toned down than the other systems, the plastic parts betray its budget-friendly status. The screen’s bezel bends, as does the system’s lower chassis. Plus, it just doesn’t feel as sturdy as the other systems, although the slim build is a boon.

But at just $750 to start, it’s easily the cheapest system on this list, and much less expensive than other laptops that can handle modern games.

Our full review

How we test

When we test a laptop, particularly a gaming laptop, we leave no spec un-tested. Starting from look-and-feel and running all the way through individual hardware tests, laptops that enter our lab don’t leave until they’re put through their paces in every conceivable way.

On top of formal testing, we spend a lot of time with the laptops that come through out offices. We’ll use them for everyday work and web browsing, in hopes of catching any elusive issues that evaded our earlier testing. For more information on how we test laptops, you can read a full run-down over here.

What to expect out of a gaming laptop

Gaming laptops have come a long way in the last couple years. While some are still the big LED-clad behemoths we’ve come to know and love, it’s become easier and easier for manufacturers to cram some serious performance into small packages. Just look at the Razer Blade, or even the Dell Inspiron 15 Gaming. They’re no bigger than other non-gaming laptops, but they’re able to deliver some seriously impressive performance.

That said, can we expect desktop-level performance out of a notebook? Well, almost. The best gaming laptops on the market come close, but there are a few areas that desktops still have an edge.

First up, desktop gaming rigs are bigger, so they’re more spacious inside. That extra space is important for heat diffusion. Even the most high-efficiency gaming laptop will still have some issues when it comes to heat accumulation. Inside a laptop’s chassis, everything is crammed together so tight there isn’t much manufacturers can do to reduce heat, other than just pump it out as fast as possible.

Similarly, gaming desktops will almost always have better processors because they don’t need to worry about battery life or the aforementioned heat issue. They can suck down as much power as they need to run those 4.0 GHz octa-core processors without batting an eye. In the process, they’ll generate a massive amount of heat which is easily dispersed with air cooling.

So, when it comes to performance, a great gaming laptop will come close to a desktop gaming experience in all but those areas. It’s going to run hotter, and it’s going to run a little slower. The desktop is faster, but if you only want a laptop, you can make it work.

What about Freesync and G-Sync?

When your GPU is rendering a game, it sends that information to your monitor, which normally can’t communicate with the GPU itself. When a game’s performance dips, your monitor’s refresh rate – the rate at which it displays frames – doesn’t change. That results in screen-tearing — your game looks like it’s coming apart. Options like V-Sync attempt to mitigate that by locking your frame rate to your monitor’s refresh rate (usually 60Hz), but it does so blindly, without communicating with your video card.

With G-Sync and Freesync, your video card communicates directly with your display, keeping things nice and buttery smooth, even when your frame rate starts to chug. If your frame rate goes down, your refresh rate goes down to match, which keeps your screen from tearing and provides an overall better gaming experience. G-Sync is the Nvidia option, while Freesync is the AMD option, but they do essentially the same thing.

It’s a complex issue, and if you’re curious about the nuts and bolts of frame rate versus refresh rate, and how G-Sync and Freesync work in practice, check out our rundown here.

Algorithm predicts Parkinson’s disease by digging through your medical history

Why it matters to you

This new algorithm could help Parkinson’s patients get the support they need as early as possible.

As a progressive degenerative disorder that predominantly affects motor abilities, patients with Parkinson’s disease are instantly recognizable to physicians based on their distinctive symptoms — which can include tremors, slowness of movement, and even changes to a person’s handwriting. The problem is that these symptoms only develop after a person has been successfully diagnosed.

At present, there is no reliable way to consistently identify people who are on track to develop the neurological disorder. This can make it difficult to get them the treatment they need early on, while subjecting patients to multiple tests as doctors search for the root of the problems they report. Researchers at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis think they’ve come up with a solution, however — by developing algorithm that’s able to accurately predict whether a patient will be diagnosed with Parkinson’s. To do this, it looks for signs in a patient’s medical history, which may otherwise be overlooked.

“We started [developing our algorithm by using] demographic factors already known to be associated with the development of Parkinson’s disease — age, sex, race, and tobacco smoking history — and then added to it a simplified medical history,” Brad Racette, professor of neurology at Washington University School of Medicine, told Digital Trends. “Specifically, we started with 26,468 codes for diagnoses or medical procedures they had received in the past five years. Then we identified which of those codes also were predictive of PD. The final stage of the model development allowed us to compress this list down to the 536 codes that were both the most informative in our dataset, and also the most likely to be useful in future datasets.”

The algorithm proved 73 percent accurate when it came to identifying individuals who would be diagnosed with the disease, based on a test data set from 2009. It was also 83 percent accurate at predicting who would not be diagnosed with the disease. Factors in a person’s medical history which can indicate Parkinson’s include gastrointestinal problems, sleep disturbances, fatigue, weight loss, and more — many of which may not immediately make physicians think of Parkinson’s as a potential cause.

Washington University’s study isn’t the only high tech approach to diagnosing and treating Parkinson’s disease that we’ve covered. With 1 million Americans living with Parkinson’s disease, and an estimated 10 million worldwide, this is a disease that has attracted plenty of research — from attempts to treat it by reprogramming cells in the brain to the use of sensor-packed belts to help patients overcome the symptoms. Hopefully, an early diagnosis tool such as this one can play a valuable role alongside these other treatments.

A paper describing the work was recently published in the journal Neurology.

HP Omen 15 review

Research Center:
HP Omen 15

HP has been a player in the gaming notebook space for a few years now, with its Omen line hitting the market in 2014, returning the company to the space after something of a hiatus. The 2016 Omen 15 was the company’s midrange entry, and it suffered a bit from being based on the HP Pavilion chassis. However, HP has returned to a more maverick design for 2017. In our HP Omen 15 review, we look at its refreshed aesthetic and revved up components to see if HP’s latest gaming notebook stands up to the competition.

We were sent the most lavish model to review, configured with an Intel Core i7-7700HQ quad-core processor, a 4K UHD (3,840 x 2,160) display, an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 with Max-Q, 16GB of DDR4-2400 RAM, and 256GB PCIe solid-state drive (SSD) running alongside a 1TB 7200RPM hard disk drive (HDD). It’s a solid setup that runs a reasonable $1,660, making the HP Omen 15 a well-equipped midrange gaming notebook. If you’re willing to drop back to an AMD Radeon RX 550, 8GB of RAM, a Full HD display, and a 1TB HDD, then you can shave the price to $1,000.

Does the HP Omen 15 live up to its promise? Read on to find out.

Finally, an Omen laptop deserving of the name

The Omen 15 benefits tremendously from the company’s 2017 refresh of the Omen line. It’s no longer just a revamped HP Pavilion, but rather incorporates some distinctive flair with the same design cues as the rest of the Omen line — down to the x-shaped Dragon Red flair on the lid, and the iconic Omen logo. HP has worked hard to create consistent designs across its various product lines, and it’s obvious that the Omen 15 is a bona fide member of HP’s new gaming lineup.

Bill Roberson/Digital Trends

Bill Roberson/Digital Trends

Bill Roberson/Digital Trends

Bill Roberson/Digital Trends

Entirely red and black, it’s aggressive enough to appeal to gamers, while not quite tipping over into being garish. The venting takes on the same jet engine exhaust motif in the rear as is common with this kind of machine, and the chassis is all angles. This is a futuristic design that won’t be mistaken for a productivity notebook, but it’s also not going to embarrass if it’s taken to a coffee shop to get some work done.

Our real-life gaming tests are a testament to Max-Q, demonstrating solid midrange performance.

Most of the HP’s exterior is plastic, as expected in this price range, and it’s plenty solid without any creaking or buckling. The hinge is smooth and sturdy, and the aluminum keyboard deck is free of noticeable flexing — although that bit of metal does readily pick up smudges. The display lid cover isn’t stiff enough in its center portion, however, and it readily flexes, making it the one surface that doesn’t quite evoke confidence in the overall build.

The Omen 15’s recent refresh has improved thermal management, which includes larger fans and heat pipes to accommodate the new GTX 1060 with Max-Q. The jet engine exhausts aren’t just for show, either, as the hot air produced during heavy gaming sessions is now vented out the back rather than the side, as with the previous design. The resulting 21 percent increase in maximum airflow promises less CPU and GPU throttling, and is a significant upgrade over the previous design.

In an all too rare move, HP makes it easy to open the chassis and upgrade components. That means the RAM, the SSD, and the HDD can be replaced, improving the machine’s potential lifespan. Overall, the Omen 15 doesn’t aim to be the thinnest or lightest gaming notebook — not that it’s overly thick at just under an inch — but instead aims to provide easily accessible insides that are kept cool, for optimal gaming performance.

A passel of ports with network optimization tossed in

When you design a notebook today that’s an inch thick, there’s no excuse for leaving users unable to connect to their favorite peripherals. Thankfully, HP takes advantage of the space.

Along the left-hand side you’ll find a mini-DisplayPort, a full-size HDMI port, a gigabit Ethernet port, a USB Type-A port, a USB Type-C port with Thunderbolt 3 support, a headphone jack, and a microphone jack. Whew. On the right-hand side, you’ll find two more USB Type-A ports, an SD card reader, and a power jack.

Bill Roberson/Digital Trends

In terms of networking, the Omen 15 is equipped with Bluetooth 4.2 and Wi-Fi with 2×2 MU-MIMO support. Because this is a gaming system, HP’s Omen Command Center software adds in the ability to optimize networking to ensure good performance for multiplayer gaming. Users can either tune the Wi-Fi to prioritize gaming packets, or better yet can connect an Ethernet cable, and send all gaming bandwidth over that fast connection, while sending all other traffic over Wi-Fi.

A great keyboard for work or play

HP’s red-shifted design aesthetic carries forward to the keyboard, with Dragon Red backlighting and keys that are red on black when the backlighting it turned off. The WASD keys stand out with white on red lettering. The Omen 15 offers three backlight settings — off, all keys backlight, and just the WASD keys backlit.

HP makes it easy to open the chassis and upgrade components, including RAM and both storage options.

The keyboard supports 26-key rollover and anti-ghosting, ensuring that every keystroke is registered, and letting gamers execute multiple commands simultaneously. In addition, HP has made the arrow keys full size, and set them slightly apart from the rest of the keys. Hardcore gamers might that the keys aren’t mechanical, though they nevertheless provide a solid experience with more than sufficient travel and a crisp response.

The touchpad is surprisingly good, albeit a touch small, with a comfortably slick coating that still allows for precise control. The buttons take some getting used to for anyone who’s used to one-piece touchpads, but they’re sufficiently sized and responsive enough to be effective. The touchpad doesn’t conform to Microsoft’s Precision Touchpad protocol, but the Synaptics drivers offer support for basic multi-touch command, like scrolling and pinch-to-zoom.

Finally, the Omen 15 can be configured with an infrared camera supporting Windows 10 Hello password-less login. Our review unit was equipped with that option, and we found it easy to set up and use.

An unnecessary but nonetheless enjoyable high-res display

If you’re a gamer, then you probably expect — and maybe even prefer — your portable gaming rig to come equipped with a Full HD (1,920 x 1,080) display. HP will accommodate you just fine, but if you want a 4K UHD display for watching the occasional Netflix movie on your Omen 15, then the company is happy to oblige. Our review unit arrived with 4K, and we had high hopes of some real display quality

As it turns out, our expectations were mostly met. The 4K panel that HP selected for the Omen 15 is about par for the course, with average contrast at 740:1, a slightly below-average but perfectly acceptable AdobeRGB color gamut, and average color accuracy for the class. Brightness is also perfectly fine at 315 nits.

These are excellent scores compared to notebook displays just a few years ago, and they’re absolutely great results for a gaming laptop, particularly one that’s solid under $2,000.

Toss in the fact that our review Omen 15 comes with a 4K UHD display, and you have a machine that not only looks great when playing games, but is also quite enjoyable for productivity work and for watching video. Benchmark results aside, the visual experience left us with nothing to complain about.

Good speakers, but they can get too rowdy

The HP Omen 15 offers up Bang and Olufsen-tuned dual speakers located underneath the front of the chassis. They’re able to pump out some serious volume, which is a good thing for gaming given that they need to overcome some serious fan noise, and they’re well behaved up until about 90 percent volume. After that, audio can become distorted, so it’s better not to turn the volume all the way up.

Bill Roberson/Digital Trends

For music and watching video, the audio is just acceptable. Bass is somewhat lacking, as usual, and music sounds a bit thin. Movie and TV audio is just fine, however, and there’s an app that allows the audio to be tuned somewhat based on the content. Overall, audio is better than average, but if you’re looking for truly high-quality sound, then consider investing in a good set of headphones.

Purely predictable processor performance

The seventh-generational Intel Core i7-7700HQ processor is a mainstay for gaming and high-performance notebooks. It provides solid quad-core performance while keeping relatively cool. It also provides predictable performance.

As expected, the HP Omen 15’s implementation is solidly in the middle of the pack. In Geekbench 4, both single-core and multi-core scores were competitive with our comparison group, at 4,448 and 14,926 respectively. Only the Core i7-7820HK processor in the EVGA SC17 1080 was faster.

The same held true in our more demanding real-world test, using Handbrake to encode a 420MB video to H.265 format. There, the Omen 15 scored a relatively fast 461 seconds, beating out the other Core i7-7700HQ machines, losing only to the Asus ROG Strix GL553VD, and again to the EVGA SC17.

In short, the Omen 15 can handle anything you can throw at it, including games the favor multiple cores, and demanding creative productivity tasks like video editing.

Fast enough storage, with some extra bulk

HP equipped our review Omen 15 with both a 256GB Toshiba PCIe SSD and a relatively fast 7200RPM hard disk drive (HDD). That’s the best of both worlds — you get fast performance for booting up and running productivity apps, while there’s plenty of storage for the games you’ll be installing.

In our benchmark tests, the Omen 15’s SSD wasn’t quite as fast as some of the competition’s, but it’s no slouch, either. At 1,055 Mb/s in the CrystalDiskMark read test and 780 Mb/s in the write test, the Omen 15 fell behind machines like the Asus ROG Zephyrus with its stunning 2,408 Mb/s and 1,536 Mb/s scores. For comparison, we included hard disk scores for the Asus ROG Strix GL553 to show just how much you’ll appreciate having an SSD installed.

What this means in practice is that, benchmarks aside, the Omen 15 will be a very good performer when it comes to starting up and accessing programs stored on the SSD. Things will slow down for games stored on the 1TB hard disk, but you can always equip the machine with a larger SSD if that’s of concern.

Nvidia’s GeForce GTX 1060 with Max-Q makes its debut

Previously, the HP Omen 15’s best GPU option was the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 Ti, a merely capable chip that doesn’t quite elevate itself to hardcore gaming status. Thanks to Nvidia’s new Max-Q technology, which packs more powerful GPUs into a thinner chassis with improved thermal performance, HP can incorporate the new GTX 1060 with Max-Q into the Omen 15. That promises significantly better gaming performance, while still fitting into a relatively thin chassis compared to the full GTX 1060 GPU.

Looking at 3DMark synthetic benchmark results, it appears that Max-Q is effective enough. The Omen 15 manage a solid 8,755 in 3DMark Fire strike, for example, significantly improved over the Origin EON15-S with its GTX 1050 Ti, and also better than the Asus ROG Strix GL553V with its GTX 1050. Of course, the EVGA SC17 with a full-on GTX 1080, and the Asus ROG Zephyrus with its GTX 1080 with Max-Q, both blew past 14,000 points – but they’re much more expensive.

Solid enough gaming performance

Of course, the HP Omen 15 is meant to play real games, not just run benchmarks. Again, its GTX 1060 with Max-Q is something of a compromise, offering more performance than a GTX 1050 Ti and somewhat less than a full GTX 1060, yet still fitting into a relatively thin chassis with solid thermal performance for sustained gaming sessions.

As it turns out, our real-life game tests are a testament to the Max-Q concept. We run systems with discrete GPUs through four titles — Civilization VI, Battlefield 1, Deus Ex: Mankind Divided, and For Honor — at 1080p and 1440p (on higher resolution machines), and at various levels of quality, to see how well the machines perform in modern titles.

The HP Omen 15 was more than capable of running all the test games at 1080p, and the lower of our two quality settings. For example, it ran at an average of 67 frames per second (FPS) in Civilization VI at medium detail, 101 FPS in Battlefield 1 at medium detail, 45 FPS in Deus Ex: Mankind Divided at high detail, and 87 FPS in For Honor at medium detail. Those results were significantly higher than systems with GTX 1050 or 1050 Ti GPUs.

Stepping up to maximum detail levels at 1080p, the Omen 15 maintained decent frame rates. Civilization VI at ultra detail ran at 59 FPS, Battlefield 1 at ultra detail ran at 69 FPS, Deus Ex: Mankind Divided ran at 31 FPS at ultra detail (without MSAA turned on), and For Honor ran at 63 FPS at extreme detail. Those are either very playable or, in the case of Deus Ex: Mankind Divided, right on the edge of acceptable performance.

In a few titles, the HP Omen 15 did a great job of stepping up to 1440p. In Civilization VI, for example, the machine managed 65 FPS at medium detail and 55 FPS at ultra detail. That’s just a few frames per second less than 1080p. The GTX 1060 with Max-Q also managed to maintain good performance at 1440p in For Honor, where it ran at 56 FPS at medium detail, and 38 FPS at extreme detail. Deus Ex: Mankind Divided was more of a challenge, with frame rates dropping below 30 FPS at 1440p. Battlefield 1 remained quite playable at 72 FPS at medium detail, and 49 FPS at ultra detail.

Overall, the HP Omen 15 pushes itself into serious midrange gaming territory by adopting the GTX 1060 with Max-Q. If you’re willing to stick with 1080p, then you’re pretty much guaranteed a solid gaming experience, and you’ll even be able to jump to 1440p in some titles. The Omen 15 also meets the recommended specifications for virtual reality (VR) titles, which the older models did not.

4K gaming looks, but is often too much for the hardware

If you opt for the lovely 4K UHD display on our review unit, you might be tempted to run some games at its native resolution. If so, then be prepared to be underwhelmed. We ran Deus Ex: Mankind Divided at high and ultra detail, and hit 15 FPS and 12 FPS, respectively. In Battlefield 1, we ran at medium and ultra detail and saw 34 FPS and 26 FPS, respectively.

HP Omen 15 Compared To

EVGA SC17 1080

Razer Blade Pro (2017)

Dell Inspiron 15 7000 Gaming Laptop…

Origin EON15-S

Asus ROG Zephyrus

MSI GS63VR 6RF Stealth Pro

Alienware 13 R3

MSI GS60 Ghost Pro

Alienware 15 (2015)

Asus ROG G501

Digital Storm Triton

Acer Aspire V15 Nitro Edition

AVADirect Clevo P157SM-A

MSI Global GT60 Dominator Pro

Lenovo IdeaPad Y500

Clearly, this laptop is most comfortable with 1080p gaming, and 4K gaming is a bit out of reach in more demanding titles. As such, you might save money by opting for the standard 1080p screen. Just remember that we didn’t test it, so we can’t be sure its color accuracy and contrast measure up to the 4K panel.

Don’t forget the power brick!

At an inch thick and weighing 5.68 pounds, and with a full-size gaming chassis that doesn’t even pretend to be on a diet, the HP Omen 15 isn’t a machine that you’re going to casually carry around. And that’s okay, because with only 66 watt-hours of battery capacity, it’s unlikely that you’ll be using it for long away from a plug.

The Omen 15’s battery was competitive with our comparison gaming systems, but that’s not saying much.

In our most intense Basemark battery test, which runs a machine through a series of CPU- and GPU-intense web pages, the Omen 15 lasted for two hours and 11 minutes. That’s longer than the Asus and EVGA gaming machines, but falls short of the Dell and HP mobile workstations with similarly powerful CPUs, and more of a demand for longer battery life.

In our macro test, which runs through a series of popular web pages, the Omen 15 lasted for two hours and 40 minutes, tying the Asus ROG Zephyrus, and beating out the EVGA, which barely lasted for more than two hours. Note that a productivity thin-and-light notebook can last for well over eight hours in this test.

Bill Roberson/Digital Trends

Finally, when looping a local video until the battery runs out, the Omen 15 lasted for a scant three hours and 34 minutes. Again, that’s competitive with other gaming systems — even one without a 4K display — but well short of the over 10 hours you’ll get on non-gaming notebooks.

Let’s face it. The Omen 15, like all gaming notebooks, is meant to be carried from one place to another, and then plugged into an outlet. Who wants to game on battery power anyways, right? So while the Omen 15 is relatively thin and relatively light with relatively decent battery life for a gaming system, you’ll still be using it mostly when connected to a power socket.

Software

The HP Omen 15 has some trialware and other bloat software installed, including McAfee antivirus. Also, there are the usual HP support apps that are useful in keeping the system updated. Finally, the HP Omen Command Center app is installed, which provides system performance information and allows optimizing the network for online gaming.

Warranty information

HP provides a standard one-year limited warranty with the Omen 15. That’s normal for the industry, though a few competitors, like Acer, offer a two-year warranty on some gaming laptops.

Our Take

The HP Omen 15 marks a serious return to the gaming notebook market. While its use of an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 with Max Q means gaming performance will be limited next to the most expensive laptops, it’s perfectly capable in most games. The Omen 15 is a welcome addition to the market, and at $1,660 for our well-equipped review unit configuration, it’s reasonably price as well.

If your budget is tighter, then you can get the same design for $1,000, if you’re willing to step down to an entry-level discrete GPU, 8GB of RAM, a 1TB HDD, and a Full HD display. For that price, you’re getting an AMD Radeon RX 550 that’s going to provide decidedly lower gaming performance – closer to an Nvidia MX150 than a GTX 1050. That’s quite a tradeoff, however, and for only $30 more you can step up to a GTX 1050 2GB, while $110 more will get you a GTX 1050 4GB. We recommend either of those options.

Is there a better alternative?

The HP Omen 15 slips into a new space in the gaming notebook market thanks to the GTX 1060 with Max Q. It’s around the same price as some systems that currently top out at GTX 1050 Ti GPUs, giving it a short window to rule the roost.

For example, we recently reviewed the Origin EON15-S with similar specs as our review Omen 15, except with only 8GB of RAM, a Full HD display, and a GTX 1050 Ti. That machine cost $1,360, compared to our review machine’s $1,660. The Omen 15 is priced higher, but twice the RAM, a 4K display, and a significantly faster GPU is well worth the extra money.

A more direct comparison might be the latest update of the Dell Inspiron 15 1700, which also offers both a 4K display option and the GTX 1060 with Max-Q. That machine runs around $1,500 in the same configuration, making the Omen 15 a bit pricier. The Omen 15 is a more striking gaming notebook visually, so whether that’s enough to justify spending a bit more is up to you.

How long will it last?

The Omen 15 is equipped with a relatively modern processor, a brand-new GPU, and enough connectivity to ensure that it can work with just about any peripheral today or tomorrow. In addition, HP made it easy to swap out the RAM (up to 32GB) and storage, meaning that you won’t be running low on working or long-term memory any time soon. Accordingly, the machine should last as long as any gaming laptop can hope, though its GPU will feel ancient within five years.

Should you buy it?

Yes. The Omen 15 is a well-built, attractive, and fast midrange gaming machine that utilizes the latest GPU technology. Get it with the 4K UHD display, and you can use it for enjoying some high-quality Netflix binging. It makes for a powerful productivity machine, as well. More manufacturers will be releasing Max-Q notebooks soon and providing more competition, but for now, the HP Omen 15 is a great choice.

Take control of your house’s scents with Moodo, the smart diffuser

Why it matters to you

Control how your house smells with Moodo, the smart scent diffuser for the 21st century.

Home may be where the heart is, but it is most certainly where the nose is. After all, does anything say “home” quite like the smell of mom’s cookies or dad’s aftershave? Now, you can decide exactly what your home smells like thanks to Moodo, an internet-connected, customizable scent-mixing system. With Moodo, you won’t be stuck with the premixed scents provided to you by Yankee Candle or some oily diffuser — you can create your own scents, and control them straight from your smartphone.

After a successful Indiegogo campaign in which the smart diffuser maker raised more than $200,000, Moodo is now shipping to its backers. General online ordering will become available this fall.

“There’s so much you can personalize in today’s smart home, but a key part was missing: scent,” said Yoav Avidor, CEO of Agan Aroma and Moodo’s creator. “With more than 50 years in the fragrance industry, we know that smell can influence your mood instantly, so we set out to bring a new custom scent experience to consumers with a virtually limitless world of fragrances to choose from. We’re excited to now get Moodo in the hands of our biggest supporters from the beginning and ramp up our general availability.”

So how does it work? The smart fragrance box comes with four slots for up to four different smell capsules. Not only can you decide which four scents you’d like to combine, but you can also determine their ratios. Using the companion smartphone app, you can adjust the intensity of each of the four capsules at a moment’s notice. So if you want a citrus smell in the morning, but need something a little more woodsy in the evening, just grab your phone and make those changes.

If you’re particularly taken with one of the scents you create, you can save the specific combination in the app, then recall, share, or further refine your personalized fragrance. And if you’re not sure what you’re in the mood for, simply tell Moodo how you’re feeling, and the app can suggest a few scents that will match or enhance your mood.

So go ahead — take control of how your house smells. Your nose deserves it.

Update: Moodo is now shipping more than $200,000 worth of product. 

How to move apps to your SD card on the Galaxy Note 8

A little storage management can go a long way.

Samsung knows that simply having an SD card slot in its phones increases sales. What you actually do with that slot is up to you. One of the historically popular use cases is to move apps over to the card to save as much of the internal storage as possible for things that can’t be moved over.

While not every app can be moved to the Galaxy Note 8’s SD card, many can — here’s how to get it done, and save some of that 64GB of internal storage for something else.

Open Settings.
Tap on Apps.
Tap on the app you wish to move to the SD card.
Tap on Storage
Under “Storage used” tap on Change.

Select SD card and confirm by tapping Move.

• To move it back, simply repeat the process, tapping “Internal” instead.

  

As you go through your list of installed apps to move some to the SD card, you may notice that many apps simply can’t be moved. It’s actually expected, and increasingly common for apps to only work on internal storage. Security-focused apps, pre-installed apps and many utilities simply have to stay on the internal storage in order to work right. Many games may let you move them to the SD card, but you’ll find only some assets made the move while the critical files of the game remain on your internal storage.

Nonetheless, you can save some internal storage by going through and seeing which apps can be moved off to your SD card. If you plan on keeping an SD card in your phone near-permanently, it’ll be a good way to free up that fast internal storage of other uses!

Samsung Galaxy Note 8

• Galaxy Note 8 review
• Complete Galaxy Note 8 specs
• Galaxy Note 8 vs. Galaxy Note 5
• Which Note 8 color is best?
• Join our Galaxy Note 8 forums

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Blue Satellite review: Sweet sound, bad basics

The Blue Satellite Headphones don’t just stand out thanks to their striking looks. With an onboard analog amplifier, dual drivers per earcup, and one of the most well-known brand names in audio, the Blue Satellite should have been a shoe-in for first place in my ever-rotating selection of bluetooth headphones.

But after a month of using them in the real world, I can’t bring myself to like them nearly as much as Daniel Bader did when he reviewed the Satellite this summer. Maybe that’s because I’m not really an audiophile – or maybe it’s because I think $399 is a steep price for a headset that doesn’t even give you the courtesy of a warning beep before its battery dies. As usual, the truth is probably somewhere in between. Dive into my Blue Satellite review video for the full story!

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Unlocked Moto X4 with Motorola software will come to the U.S. this year

This is really good news for Motorola fans.

One of the big questions coming out of Google’s announcement of the Android One Moto X4 coming to Project Fi was what impact this had on the release of a “normal” Motorola version in the U.S. Thankfully, Motorola has confirmed to Android Central that there will be a standard, unlocked, Motorola software version of the Moto X4 hitting the U.S. this year.

That means it would no longer be part of the Android One program, and would offer all of the Motorola-specific features and tweaks so many of us enjoy using. On the other side of the coin, it’s also likely to have more relaxed standards in terms of a commitment to software updates.

It looks like a really nice phone, but it’s probably not worth changing carriers for.

This is a big sigh of relief for those who were intrigued by the idea of the mid-range Moto X4 being a great phone at a reasonable $399 price, but weren’t willing (or able) to switch carriers for it. While the Android One Moto X4 is most likely unlocked (like the Nexuses and Pixels before it) and able to be used on other carriers after purchase, it isn’t so different from the standard Moto X4 that it’s worth jumping through the hoops of buying one through Project Fi with no intent to use it there.

Motorola isn’t offering any more specifics in terms of pricing, release time frame or retailers, but we can expect that the $399 price will carry over to the regular U.S. model when it’s released. We’d expect Motorola to let the Android One news die down a bit and make an independent announcement in October.

Airbnb wants to help you book a restaurant reservation, too

Airbnb just added a new feature that allows users to book restaurant reservations directly through its app and website. It’s powered by Resy and is currently available in 16 US cities.

Airbnb now has a dedicated restaurants tab that lets you search by cuisine, whether you want breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner as well as other options like prix fixe meals and prime seating. The latter lets you pay a little extra to snag a seat at a fully booked spot. You can also search for a place to eat using a map view in order to find a place in a particular location.

This is the latest addition from Airbnb, which has recently introduced the option to leave a review before your booked stay is complete, to find a place to stay near a US national park and began testing a payment-splitting feature. At launch, the new restaurant booking service is available in New York, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., San Francisco, Miami, Charleston, Austin, Seattle, Hamptons, Denver, Portland, the Raleigh/Durham area, Atlanta, New Orleans, Nashville and Napa. Around 650 restaurants are available for booking through Airbnb in those areas.

Airbnb says that in the future, it’s aiming to include options for Airbnb-exclusive tables and the ability to make reservations and meet up with other Airbnb travelers. It’s also looking to expand this feature internationally within the coming months.

Via: The Verge

Source: Airbnb