Apple Seeds Fourth Beta of iOS 11.2 to Developers
Apple today seeded the fourth beta of an upcoming iOS 11.2 update to developers, four days after releasing the third iOS 11.2 beta, more than two weeks after releasing the first major iOS 11 update, iOS 11.1, and one day after the iOS 11.1.2 update.
Registered developers can download the new iOS 11.2 beta from Apple’s Developer Center or over-the-air once the proper configuration profile has been installed from the Developer Center.
iOS 11.2 introduces Apple Pay Cash, Apple’s new peer-to-peer payments service. Apple Pay Cash works through the Messages app and is designed to allow for quick person-to-person money transfers. It’s available as a dedicated iMessage app in Messages, with cash transferred through the app.
Cash can be sent from a linked debit or credit card, while received cash is stored in an Apple Pay Cash card in Wallet that can be used for purchases or sent to a bank account.
On the iPhone X, iOS 11.2 adds a small bar underneath the icons located at the upper right side of the device on the Lock screen, which is designed to make the location of the Control Center gesture more clear. On the iPhone X, Control Center is accessed by swiping down from the top of the device.
In Control Center on all devices, there are two new informational pop-ups that are displayed when using the Wi-Fi or Bluetooth toggles. These pop-ups explain that Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are disabled temporarily rather than permanently when accessed from Control Center.
In iOS 11.2, there’s support for faster 7.5W wireless charging for the iPhone X, iPhone 8, and iPhone 8 Plus. The faster speeds will be available when using third-party wireless chargers that support 7.5W charging or more.
The update also addresses an animation bug in the Calculator app that caused some numbers and symbols to be ignored when entered in rapid succession. The update removes the animations from the calculator app so calculations can be done quickly with no need to pause between entering numbers to obtain the correct result.
In addition to these bug fixes, iOS 11.2 introduces a new Now Playing option for controlling content on the Apple TV in Control Center, redesigned camera emoji, a new loading animation for Live Photos effects, and new Live wallpapers for the iPhone X, plus it adds a feature that lets developers offer new customers discounted introductory pricing for auto-renewable subscriptions on the App Store.
Related Roundup: iOS 11
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Apple Seeds Fourth Beta of tvOS 11.2 to Developers
Apple today seeded the fourth beta of an upcoming tvOS 11.2 update to developers for testing purposes, four days after seeding the third tvOS 11.2 update and over two weeks after the launch of tvOS 11.1.
Designed for the fourth and fifth-generation Apple TV models, the tvOS 11.2 developer beta can be downloaded onto the Apple TV via a profile that’s installed using Xcode.
According to Apple’s release notes, the tvOS 11.2 update enables a new AVDisplayManager feature for developers, designed to allow the device to automatically switch video display modes to match the native frame rate and dynamic range of video content.
The update includes support for switching the Apple TV 4K display output to SDR for apps that are GPU-bound when running in HDR and it re-introduces the Unwatched category in Home Sharing for Movies, TV Shows, and Home Videos.
Apple says tvOS 11.2 also adds new features, bug fixes, and security improvements to the tvOS operating system.
Related Roundup: Apple TVBuyer’s Guide: Apple TV (Buy Now)
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Apple Seeds Fourth Beta of watchOS 4.2 to Developers
Apple today seeded the fourth beta of an upcoming watchOS 4.2 update to developers for testing purposes, four days after seeding the third watchOS 4.2 beta and over two weeks after releasing the watchOS 4.1 update.
Once the proper configuration profile has been installed from the Apple Developer Center, the new watchOS 4.2 beta can be downloaded through the dedicated Apple Watch app on the iPhone by going to General –> Software Update.
To install the update, the Apple Watch needs to have at least 50 percent battery, it must be placed on the charger, and it has to be in range of the iPhone.
watchOS 4.2 brings support for Apple Pay Cash, Apple’s new peer-to-peer payment service that is designed to let users send money to one another. Apple Pay Cash can be used to send and receive money through the Messages app on the Apple Watch.
Aside from Apple Pay Cash, watchOS 4.2 appears to focus primarily on under-the-hood bug fixes and security updates.
Related Roundups: Apple Watch, watchOS 4Buyer’s Guide: Apple Watch (Buy Now)
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HTC U11 Life (Android One) review
If you want a Google Pixel 2 but don’t want to drop so much money on a phone, the HTC U11 Life with Android One is the next best thing. It’s one of the “mid-range Pixels” made under the auspices of the Android One program, only it’s made by the actual manufacturer of the regular-sized Pixel 2.
For all its highlights, the HTC U11 Life Android One still suffers from some of the same issues as the Pixel 2 and HTC U11, chief among them being an arguably inflated price tag for what you get. There’s a lot to like about the U11 Life, but a few things to be wary of. Find out more in our HTC U11 Life Android One review.
About this review: I’ve been using the HTC U11 Life Android One for eight days, on the Blau network in Germany. The device is running Android 8.0 Oreo with build number 1.06.401.8 and was provided on loan from HTC’s German PR agency.Show More
At half the price of the HTC U11 or Pixel 2 but with a lot of similar perks, the U11 Life Android One looks great on paper. It runs a stock+ version of Android Oreo, augmented by a full-fledged version of HTC Edge Sense and HTC USonic audio tuning. It comes with guaranteed OS updates for two years and security patches for three via Google’s Android One program.
At half the price of the HTC U11 or Pixel 2 but with a lot of similar perks, the U11 Life Android One looks great on paper
It has an IP67 water-resistant rating, a relative rarity at this price point, some of the best bundled earbuds I’ve ever tried, and a really competitive camera for this tier. It borrows the flagship design language of the HTC U11, has an excellent LCD display and fairly decent mid-range specs. But once you scratch the surface, there’s a little more to it that needs discussing.
Design
It all starts with the design. While I applaud HTC for so faithfully emulating their flagship styling in a mid-tier offering, the U11 Life necessarily makes some concessions to its price point. Rather than Gorilla Glass wrapped around an aluminum frame like the U11, the U11 Life puts a Gorilla Glass front on top of a polycarbonate frame with an acrylic back panel.
I wouldn’t go so far as to say the U11 Life feels cheap, but it is clearly plastic. It sounds hollow, is very light and scratches much easier than a glass-backed phone. Considering how terribly this phone picks up fingerprints, I’d recommend using a case, even if its plastic construction makes it less likely to break than glass.
Changes in material choice are pretty standard in a mid-range phone. The same can usually be said of bigger bezels, but considering HTC only just managed to reduce its bezel size in the upcoming U11 Plus, the HTC U11 Life has basically the same bezel situation as the flagship U11. Unfortunately, the U11 Life doesn’t inherit the BoomSound Hi-Fi Edition speakers found on the larger U11 models.
Hardware
The U11 Life uses its large bottom bezel to house capacitive navigation buttons and a solid-state fingerprint scanner. The navigation buttons work fine and can be constantly illuminated or switched off entirely. It’s a bit of a shame HTC didn’t offer on-screen navigation buttons as an option. The fingerprint scanner is reliable but not as fast as you’d find on a more expensive phone.
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The USB Type-C port is offset to the right of the mono bottom-firing speaker, something my lizard brain just couldn’t get used to no matter how many times I jabbed at the speaker with the USB Type-C charging cable or headphones.
There’s a microSD card slot in the nano-SIM tray on the top edge of the phone, which lets you expand the 32 or 64 GB of built-in storage. Those versions come with 3 and 4 GB of RAM respectively, with the 4 GB/64 GB version being an online exclusive available only via HTC.com. Considering the very minimal price difference between the two, the 4 GB/64 GB version is the natural choice (I reviewed the 3 GB/32 GB version). The mid-range Snapdragon 630 chipset lies at the heart of the U11 Life. While it might have been nicer to see a 660, the 630 is still used to good effect.
With its IP67 rating, the U11 Life can withstand submersion in a meter of fresh water for up to a half hour, which is a nice addition for a mid-range phone. Like other U11 models before it, the Life doesn’t have a 3.5mm headphone jack, though HTC tries to make up for it in other ways, which we’ll cover further later.
An IP67 rating is a nice addition for a mid-range phone, but the Life doesn’t have a 3.5mm headphone jack
The U11 Life supports Bluetooth 5 so you can enjoy higher throughput or longer range on compatible accessories – for more on how Bluetooth 5 works check out Gary’s excellent primer. The U11 Life also supports always-listening hotword detection, NFC, VoLTE and Wi-Fi calling, and Cat. 11 download speeds of up to 600 Mbits/s and uploads of up to 75 Mbits/s.
Display
The 5.2-inch Full HD LCD display on the HTC U11 Life was a very nice surprise
The 5.2-inch Full HD display on the HTC U11 Life was a very nice surprise. The Super LCD panel offers rich colors, good dynamic range, stable viewing angles, decent if not exceptional outdoor visibility (in excess of 500 nits), and was generally a lot better than I was expecting.
It wasn’t always very responsive to touch input, requiring some pretty forceful jabbing at times to register presses. This is a concession one has to make at lower price points, but it is more than made up for in the overall quality of the display.
Software
HTC’s Edge Sense is a particularly nice addition to the U11 Life. Despite the Android One software experience, HTC managed to get a fully functional version of its squeezable frame technology on board, something even the Pixel 2 hasn’t got right now.
Some may see a pressure sensitive frame as a useless gimmick, but I found it very intuitive and used it a lot. The default options are pretty much the most useful, with a short squeeze taking you to the camera app whether the phone is unlocked or not. While in the camera, a long squeeze switches between front and rear lenses and a short squeeze takes a photo. Obviously this is a handy feature while in the water, wearing gloves or when you’re otherwise unable to use the camera as normal.
Outside the camera app, a long-squeeze typically launches Google Assistant (you can, of course, modify any or all of the default Edge Sense actions to your liking). Assistant can also be activated via voice or by long-pressing the home button. Unlike the US-bound Sense version of the U11 Life, HTC Sense Companion and Amazon Alexa are not included in the software out of the box.
HTC Edge Sense also lets you enable various in-app squeeze actions that you can customize at will. It takes a little memory to remember what everything does but once you’ve got the hang of it it’s really quite useful. You can also adjust the pressure sensitivity of the squeeze gesture or disable it entirely if it’s not your thing.
The HTC U11 Life runs Android Oreo out of the box, with a guaranteed update to Android P and Android Q thanks to Android One
The HTC U11 Life runs Android Oreo out of the box, with a guaranteed update to Android P and Android Q thanks to Android One. Android One devices are also assured security patches for three years, putting a very healthy shelf life on a mid-range phone. As sad as it sounds, this was a pretty unusual situation until Google re-pitched Android One for the mid-range market.
The near stock version of Android Oreo on the U11 Life runs just as smoothly and reliably as you’d expect. HTC has never had any real issues with software performance even with its Sense skin, so this should come as no surprise. Various Oreo-specific benefits are present here too, like background execution and cached data limits to better utilize the phone’s available resources and prolong battery life.
Audio
HTC also has its USonic audio tuning baked into the Settings menu. The U11 Life comes bundled with a pair of excellent USB Type-C USonic earbuds too. They can be used with the USonic software to tune the U11 Life’s audio to your particular hearing profile.
If you’re unfamiliar, HTC USonic essentially uses sonar to map your ear canal. There’s really nothing to it, simply insert the super-comfortable buds, tap a button to emit a short audio signal and it’s done. Your USonic active noise cancelling earbuds are now tuned specifically to your ears. Of course, the tuning can be disabled at any time.
I’m far from an audiophile, but even my ears can appreciate the richer bass and punchier highs USonic enables. Disabling the feature flattens everything out a little, and while this adds more to the mid-range I prefer the crispy highs and solid low end the USonic buds produce. They’re also admirably spatial for included headphones and have active noise cancellation to boot, another rare bonus at this price point.
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Audio on the HTC U 11 Life is also fine if you want to use Android Oreo’s high-end Bluetooth codecs like Sony LDAC or Qualcomm aptX and aptX-HD with compatible wireless headphones. The absence of a 3.5mm headphone jack will be make or break for many, and there isn’t even a USB Type-C to 3.5mm adapter in the box. HTC sells a digital adapter on its website though, which includes a built-in DAC.
Despite the excellence of the USonic earbuds, your alternative audio options are limited. Besides the bundled USonic buds, there’s not many USB Type-C headphones on the market that we’d actually recommend. You can buy the dongle from HTC for your wired cans (because a regular “dumb” adapter won’t work with the U11 Life) or you can switch to Bluetooth headphones.
It’s also worth noting that the USonic buds won’t work with the majority of other phones either. Plug them into the USB Type-C port of the Galaxy Note 8, LG V30 or Pixel 2 and audio will continue coming out of the external speakers rather than switching to the buds. This is because HTC uses a digital protocol not supported by many other companies. The USonic buds worked just fine with the Huawei Mate 10 Pro though.
The USonic earbuds are really your best option, with no BoomSound stereo speakers
Even without the wired headphone issue, there’s no stereo BoomSound Hi-Fi Edition speakers on the U11 Life, just the single mono speaker on the bottom edge. Although the U11 Life’s speaker is apparently “built to be heard from the front”, don’t expect it to be anywhere near up to par with other U11 devices. I’ll grant that it’s relatively loud, it just doesn’t sound great. As far as audio on the U11 Life goes, the USonic buds are really your best option.
Performance
At this price range you have to expect less than flagship performance, but the U11 Life still performs admirably. Despite its mediocre specs sheet, which it shares to a large degree with the Moto X4, the U11 Life performs decently in benchmarking apps, the results of which you can peruse below. More importantly than numbers, in everyday usage the software runs as smooth and stable as most smartphones that cost twice as much. It’s just not as snappy.
Oreo runs as smooth and stable as most smartphones that cost twice as much. It’s just not as snappy
The U11 Life is naturally not up to the serious processor-hungry tasks a power user might demand, and apps are slower to launch than a flagship owner would be used to. Over the course of a week I never encountered any circumstances where the U11 Life simply couldn’t handle a task or took too long to launch an app or menu. It’s simply a matter of adjusting your expectations and moving on.
If you’re at all concerned about performance (and even if you’re not), you might want to pop the extra cash to get the version with more storage and RAM, just to be on the safe side. The Snapdragon 630 is a slightly disappointing chipset choice, because considering the Google Pixel 2 also ships with 64 GB of storage and 4 GB of RAM, a U11 Life with a slightly beefier chipset could have been very competitive.
Battery
The upshot of the Snapdragon 630 is that the U11 Life does a lot with the minimal battery capacity it has. A 2,600 mAh cell won’t get anyone excited, but combined with Android Oreo and the small, low resolution display, the U11 Life regularly got me between 4.5-5.5 hours of screen-on time. I was never worried about it dying before the end of the day, but it did occasionally get close later at night.
With the included 5V/2A brick, the HTC U11 Life Android One takes a little over an hour and a half to fully charge a depleted battery. Half an hour or so of charging will get you just under 50 percent battery.
As with most choices in the mid-range, it’s a game of trade-offs. I might lament the absence of a beefier chipset that would’ve nudged the U11 Life a little closer to the Pixel 2 in terms of performance, but the Snapdragon 630 does a good job of keeping the lights on as long as it does. But battery life is far from a strong point of the U11 Life, and might even be its weakest point barring audio options beyond the bundled earbuds.
Camera
On the other hand, the camera is a surprising strength. The phone’s 16 MP f/2.0 cameras on the front and back produce very good photos for a phone in this price range. There’s no dual-camera bokeh trickery or zoom lenses, but the basics have been nailed.
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As with practically any phone these days, the true measure of a camera comes in low light conditions. An f/2.0 aperture isn’t super wide, but it’s perfectly sufficient for most low-light scenes. You’ll need a decently steady hand though, as the U11 Life doesn’t feature OIS. Its phase detection auto-focus (rear camera only) is reliable though.
I was pleasantly surprised at the quality of the low light photos captured by the U11 Life. Having just gotten used to the Mate 10 Pro’s tendency to crush blacks while obliterating all noise, the U11 Life was a nice reprieve. Noise only just creeps into shots taken in very dark environments, the kind that would defeat almost all phones, no matter the cost. Generally speaking, the U11 Life minimized noise to a admirable degree while maintaining good colors and range.
I found that the U11 Life tended to slightly underexpose shots, but you can easily tap to focus and then adjust the exposure compensation slider to get it right for each scene. If you prefer to tap the screen to auto-expose, that’s available as an option in the camera settings. The U11 Life struggled a bit with blown out highlights in dark settings, but that’s true of practically any phone.
Colors are accurate and even, without over-saturation, though they’re unlikely to be punchy enough for some. The U11 Life captures a good amount of detail in good lighting, but things get a little muddy in the dark. Sooner or later noise is unavoidable. The U11 Life’s lowlight shooting was better than I expected and you can see just how well it performs against the Pixel 2 in the images below.
Daytime shots produce very balanced photos and like almost all smartphone cameras nowadays, you’d be hard pressed to mess up a photo on a sunny day. Having the same camera on the front and back of the phone is nice too, especially for the selfie inclined, but a 16 MP selfie shooter seems a little like overkill. I would’ve much preferred a more sedate front-facing camera and the addition of OIS on the main camera instead.
The phone’s 16 MP f/2.0 cameras on the front and back produce very good photos for a phone in this price range
Both cameras have HDR Boost which handles dynamic range quite well, even if it does slow things down a little. The camera app isn’t the fastest thing about the U11 Life and had noticeable shutter lag. I’d love to convince myself it was intentional on HTC’s part to avoid camera shake when hitting the shutter button or using Edge Sense, but it’s ultimately down to the chipset used. Nevertheless, it is something you get used to.
The HTC U11 Life shoots 4K video at 30 fps with a six-minute time limit and supports Hi-Res Audio recording in video (which defaults to off every time you change the video quality settings). The HTC camera app has a variety of other modes including a pro mode with RAW, alongside hyperlapse, slow-motion (720p at 120fps), and the usuals like panorama and selfie beauty mode.
All things considered, I expected the software experience on the HTC U11 Life Android One to be as good as it is, but the camera performance was a very nice surprise. With a little patience and steady hands, you can get very good photos out of the U11 Life far beyond what you might have expected from a phone in this price range.
Gallery
Specs
| Display | 5.2-inch Super LCD 1,920 x 1,080 resolution 424 ppi Corning Gorilla Glass 3 |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 630 Mobile Platform Octa-core |
| RAM | 3/4 GB |
| Storage | 32/64 GB |
| MicroSD | Yes, up to 2 TB |
| Cameras | Main camera: 16 MP sensor with f/2.0 aperture, PDAF, slow-motion video, 4K video recording
Front camera: 16 MP fixed focus sensor with f/2.0 aperture, 1080p video recording |
| Battery | 2,600 mAh Non-removable |
| Sensors | Edge Sensor Ambient light sensor Proximity sensor Motion G-sensor Compass sensor Gyro sensor Magnetic sensor Fingerprint sensor |
| Connectivity | USB Type-C (2.0) Bluetooth 5.0 Wi-Fi: 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4 & 5 GHz) NFC |
| Network | 2G/2.5G GSM/GPRS/EDGE – 850/900/1800/1900 MHz 3G UMTS 4G LTE |
| SIM | Nano |
| Sound | Mono speaker HTC USonic earbuds with Active Noise Cancellation High resolution audio recording |
| IP rating | IP67 |
| Software | Android 8.0 Oreo Google Assistant Edge Sense |
| Dimensions and weight | 149.09 x 72.9 x 8.1 mm 142 g |
Pricing and final thoughts
Should you spend €350 on the HTC U11 Life? I can’t give you a definitive “yes”. There’s simply too many other competitive devices in that price range right now that now you’d need to check out first, some of which offer dual cameras and other things that might be make or break for you like the presence of a 3.5 mm headphone port.
What I can say though is that if you do buy it, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. If the issues raised above aren’t the kinds of things that would immediately put you off a phone, the U11 Life Android One offers a whole lot of good stuff, from software and design to display and camera.
My biggest gripe with the U11 Life is the feeling that it’s slightly overpriced. That’s ultimately due to its chipset and battery size. If and when this phone goes on sale, I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it— assuming you can make peace with its slower performance and a smaller battery.
If you do spend €350 on the HTC U11 Life I don’t think you’ll be at all disappointed.
The HTC U11 Life Android One is now on sale in Europe for €349/€379. The Sense version went on sale in the US on November 3 unlocked for $349 and via T-Mobile for $300.
As much as I know the U11 Life is far from the perfect mid-range phone for everyone, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time with it and will be sad to see it go. I opened this review with a reference to the Pixel 2, and I’ll end it with a reference to a device I also came to love, warts and all: the Nexus 5. In some ways the U11 Life feels like the Nexus 5: it has its flaws, but if you’re willing to accept them, you’re in for a real treat.
Building a new PC? These are the best Intel processors no matter your budget
Even if AMD’s Ryzen processors offered real competition to Intel when they debuted in 2017, Intel chips are still arguably the best for gaming and other predominantly single-threaded tasks. Whatever reason you want to go Intel on your next upgrade though, this guide will show you the best Intel processors whether you’re looking for something entry level, or a little more on the high-end side of the spectrum.
Don’t forget that there are plenty of great options outside the world of best choices for Intel. This guide doesn’t extend to the very cheapest of Intel chips, though these are the ones we’d recommend you check out first before dipping lower. There are also chips well above our extreme-rated-recommendation, though those is really only recommendable for those with an unlimited budget.
For a more varied look at great CPUs for any budget, check out our manufacturer-agnostic guide to the best processors available today.
Entry level: Pentium G4560 ($80)
The entry-level market has always been one of the most hotly competitive and there are a lot of processors to choose from, meaning there’s something for every “entry-level” budget. Although we would certainly urge most people to consider AMD hardware at this price point, it’s hard to go wrong with the Pentium G4560.
Considered by many to be one of the best ultra-affordable gaming processors out there, the Pentium G4560 stands apart from predecessors with the same nomenclature by supporting hyperthreading. That means although it only has two cores, it can run four threads at once, which gives it solid multithreaded performance. In fact, in many tests it’s only a couple of steps behind the much more expensive i3-7100.
The G4560 isn’t going to hold a candle to any recent-generation Core i5 or i7 CPUs, but it represents a great starting off point for anyone looking to build a budget system. If you plan to use onboard graphics, it might be worth considering the Pentium 4600 for its more powerful Intel HD 630 graphics core.
Although we would love to recommend you one of the latest generation Core i3 CPUs, like the fantastically powerful i3 8100 with its four cores, at this point it’s not a viable option for entry-level buyers. While the CPU itself is affordable, the only available motherboards are Z370s which are typically north of $130 a piece.
Buy one now on:
Newegg
Mid-range: Core i5-8400 ($210)
As nice as it is to see Intel upping the core counts of all its eighth-generation processors, the real sweet spot in the Coffee Lake line up is the Core i5-8400. Hailed by many as the best mainstream gaming processor in generations, it comes with some impressive specifications considering its relatively diminutive price point.
Although it lacks hyperthreading and the ability to easily overclock it, the i5-8400 comes with six cores, which is more than enough for most programs and a decent frequency of 4.0GHz when in turbo mode. Although its base frequency of 2.8GHz might look weak compared to previous generations, that helps keeps its power demands to just 65 watts.
In many benchmarks, especially in gaming, this chip easily outperforms the beloved Core i5-7600K from the previous generation and even rivals the much heftier Core i7-7700K in some tests. That’s very impressive considering the 8400’s significantly cheaper price than either of those options.
The only real downside to the 8400 is that as part of the newest generation of CPUs, it is only compatible with 300 series motherboards. That means that whatever set up you’re running now you’re going to need a new motherboard too.
If you don’t want to upgrade your motherboard and processor all in one go, a last-generation alternative would be the i5-7600. A still solid processor, though not as easy to recommend as the new poster-child of mainstream gaming that is the 8400.
Buy one now on:
Amazon
High-end: Core i7-7700K ($315)
As much as even our review of the i7-7700K suggested that the Core i5 range of Intel’s latest chips offer better value, there’s no denying that the additional threads of a Core i7 CPU do have their benefits. With some of the best single-core performance of any chip available today and enough additional cores and threads for those more multithreaded scenarios, the Core i7-7700K is a fantastic processor for those with an inflated budget.
The chip sports four cores, with eight threads thanks to multithreading and a base frequency of 4.2GHz. That can turbo up to 4.5GHz as and when required and thanks to that “K” designation, this chip is unlocked, so can be overclocked easily. Although the 7700K typically struggles to get close to 5.0GHz, it is an already exceedingly fast chip, so any extra megahertz are a nice treat, rather than to be expected.
Another real benefit of the 7700K is its compatibility. Although it isn’t of the latest generation of Intel chips, it supports both 100 (with a BIOS update) and 200 series chipsets, making it widely compatible with various motherboards.
All of that can be had for $315, which is a hell of a lot of processor for your money. Although we could certainly draw comparisons between this chip and the newer generation Core i7-8700K, which has more cores and threads, the additional $100 on the price tag and lack of large performance gains just doesn’t seem worth it to us. For that reason and the overall stellar status of the 7700K, it continues to be our high-end recommendation.
That’s not to say we don’t love the new 8th-gen chips though. They’ve begun showing up in the latest-generations of some of our favorite laptops, such as the Dell XPS 13 or Surface Book 2 — and have been clocking in at some impressive speeds. Unfortunately, without some compatible motherboards on the market that aren’t extremely expensive, we can’t recommend them when building your next PC just yet.
Buy it now on:
Amazon, Newegg
Extreme: Core i9-7900X ($960)
In response to AMD’s Ryzen and Threadripper CPUs Intel introduced a number of staggeringly powerful processors in the latter half of 2017, so there’s a lot to pick from. However, when you’re talking about spending upwards of $1,000 on a processor, there are certainly some with more bang for buck than others.
As much as you might eye the ludicrously expensive 7980XE with envy for its 18 cores, that’s complete overkill for almost anyone, even someone with your impressively deep pockets. In comparison, the 7900X is a much more worthwhile purchase.
Although still expensive at $960, the 7900X is the cheapest of the Skylake-X range of Core i9 CPUs and is a fantastically powerful processor. With 10 cores, 20 threads (with hyperthreading), and a frequency that can turbo up to 4.5GHz using Turbo Boost Max 3.0, it offers ridiculous single and multithreaded performance. If you’re a sporadic upgrader, it will easily futureproof you for a few generations without missing a step.
Its advantages over the high-end alternative won’t be revolutionary in its effects on games, but it will be noticeable and for those planning to do high-resolution video editing and other intensive tasks. It’s there where the additional cores will absolutely make a difference.
The 7900X is still overkill for most users, but if you want one of the fastest Intel processors in the world without remortgaging your home, the 7900X is the best choice.
Buy one not from:
Amazon
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The best HTC U11 Life cases to keep your midrange beauty pristine
In the world of midrange devices, the HTC U11 Life is one of our new favorites. We praised the looks in our HTC U11 Life review, and we found the HTC U11‘s smaller sibling was just as snappy, responsive, and fun as its big brother. But while HTC may have opted to use acrylic as the body material in the U11 Life, it’s almost as vulnerable to damage as the glass covering the U11. What better to protect your new device and add some extra style than a protective case? We checked out some of the best HTC U11 Life cases currently available so that you can choose the one that suits you best.
TopAce Ultra Thin Silicone Case ($8)
Heavy duty cases aren’t for everyone. Some people want to be able to appreciate the beauty of the device they’ve chosen, or they want as small a case as possible. Those sorts of people prefer slim gel cases like this one from TopAce. Adding only 1.1mm of thickness to your device, it’s clear that this case won’t add too much in drop protection if your device does slip out of your hands. But it does offer some protection against scratches and minor bumps, as well as adding grip to your phone. It’s a second skin that you can forget about once it’s applied, safe in the knowledge that your device is protected. And at only $8, it’s a bargain.
Buy one now from:
Amazon
Dretal Carbon Fibre-Style Protective Case ($8)
This case from Dretal combines protection with a futuristic carbon fiber-style look to make sure that your phone looks good while being protected. Dretal has used soft TPU to create shock-proofing against bumps, scrapes, and falls. It won’t protect as well as a bigger case would, but TPU is still a great material for protection, thanks to its flexibility and durability. It’s not a bad looker either — the pattern emulates carbon fiber, adding a futuristic look. And it’s not just about fashion — this case makes it easier to grip your phone, as well as adding a raised edge to the camera, keeping that area protected when placed down.
Buy one now from:
Amazon
Incipio Multi-Glitter Design Case ($25)
Incipio is well known for its protective cases, and this one is no different. We chose the Multi-Glitter because it gives an element of fashionista style to the HTC U11 Life, with a glittery back that catches the light and adds some glamor to every occasion. It’s not all style with no substance either — the case is constructed with shock diffusion in mind, the flexible material of the case transferring the energy of impacts away from the phone to dissipate harmlessly. Thanks to the self-healing finish, your case will automatically repair most damage, looking good despite punishment.
Buy one now from:
Amazon Incipio
KuGi Scratch Resistant Grip Case ($5)
If you want something that looks different to everything else on the market, then this case from KuGi could be what you’re looking for. Intended to maximize grip on increasingly slippery phones, this grip case combines an outer layer of TPU that conforms to and holds your phone, with a back panel of PU leather that provides a soft and grippy surface for your fingers. The outside of the case has a series of small indentations, again to help you keep hold of your phone, and precise cut-outs ensure that you’ll never have to worry about an important feature or port of your U11 Life being cut off from use.
Buy one now from:
Amazon
TopAce Leather-Style Wallet Case ($10)
Every case round-up needs a wallet case. It’s easy to see why — they’re sleek, they look executive and understated, and thanks to the extra card slots that many have, they’re useful too. This offering from TopAce comes with all of the above, and then some. It’s made from a PU leather — no real leather at this price, we’re afraid — which is durable and easy to keep clean, as well as being protective. Your device rests in an inner layer of TPU, keeping it safe within the PU leather, and the soft inner lining protects your screen when the cover is folded around, stopping it from being damaged while not in use. The extra card slots inside the case are also perfect for carrying travel tickets, debit cards, or just a bit of extra cash. This case is also available in other colors — including a rather lurid lime.
Buy one now from:
Amazon
If you’re looking for more fun you can have with your HTC U11 Life, then check our list of the coolest HTC U11 Life tips and tricks! Then fill up your new device with our favorite Android apps this month!
Editors’ Recommendations
- Stay Pixel-perfect: Seven of the best Pixel 2 cases and covers
- 6 of the best Huawei Mate 10 Pro cases to protect your device
- The best Pixel 2 XL cases to keep your Google phone pixel perfect
- Check out our favorite iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus case deals
- The best Galaxy S8 cases
Bitcoin survey finds owners pursuing investment over use as payment alternative
Bitcoin buyers tend to be more interested in generating a profit from investment rather than using the cryptocurrency as a method for paying for goods or services, according to a new Lendedu Bitcoin survey. The average investor in the survey owned less than one half of a Bitcoin, though considering the cryptocurrency’s recent value spike, that’s perhaps not too surprising.
Buying Bitcoin today is easier than ever before, but it’s still a somewhat risky investment. Prices regularly fluctuate, even if they have trended up throughout 2017. Still, of the 564 American Bitcoin investors that Lendedu surveyed, most of them are in it to make money, rather than use the cryptocurrency to buy anything.
Of those polled, 22 percent said that they saw Bitcoin as a long-term investment option similar to gold or silver. 41 percent claimed that they believed it was a “world changing” technology and that they were on the cusp of a new generation of payment platforms. Only eight percent of those surveyed claimed they used Bitcoin to purchase something.
Another interesting element in the survey was the question of how long people planned to retain their investment. Considering Bitcoin value has increased sevenfold in 2017 but has suffered minor dips along the way, a longer investment makes sense. Still, some 16 percent claimed that they would hold their Bitcoin for less than a year.
The most common segment of those polled was the one-to-three-year crowd, who made up just under 40 percent of the total. Some 12 percent however, claimed they would be holding on to their Bitcoin for more than 10 years, which suggests a really long-term outlook for some investors.
The average value of surveyed investor’s Bitcoin was $2,930, or around 0.45 Bitcoins. For many that’s a collection built up over time, too, with close to 70 percent of those surveyed having never sold any Bitcoin. Considering the average value of most investors Bitcoin wallets, that would suggest that a majority got into the market recently, as even tapping into the market a couple of years ago would have seen greater returns on investment of comparatively little capital.
For Bitcoin to become as mainstream as many backers hope it will though, it will need to become accepted by more financial institutions. It appears that some investors will be helping it along in that respect, as some 64 percent of those surveyed claimed they had, or intended to, inform the IRS of their involvement with Bitcoin.
Editors’ Recommendations
- Bitcoin’s latest boom sends it scorching past $6,000
- Bitcoin Cash surpassed Ethereum as world’s second most popular cryptocurrency
- Bitcoin reaches new heights, surges beyond $7,000 in value
- SEC warns all of us that publicly endorsing Bitcoin may be illegal
- The value of cryptocurrencies is on the rise, but so are the risks from hackers
Best iOS app deals of the day! 6 paid iPhone apps for free for a limited time
Everyone likes Apple apps, but sometimes the best ones are a bit expensive. Now and then, developers put paid apps on sale for free for a limited time, but you have to snatch them up while you have the chance. Here are the latest and greatest iOS app deals available from the iOS App Store.
These apps normally cost money and this sale lasts for a limited time only. If you go to the App Store and it says the app costs money, that means the deal has expired and you will be charged.
Blink
These powerful and beautifully designed tools will help you add beautiful frames, filters, text, and so much more to your photos, in the most creative and playful way.
Available on:
iOS
Alti
Alti is a beautiful, feature-rich, minimalist altimeter and compass application for your iPhone. It sports a clean design, and includes an altitude indicator, a magnetic and true north compass, and coordinates for DMS and degrees.
Available on:
iOS
Fontz
A picture may be worth a thousand words, but sometimes, you still need those words. Fontz will allow you to add captions with many different fonts, colors, and designs.
Available on:
iOS
ACT Companion
Acceptance and commitment therapy is a scientifically supported mindfulness-based behavior therapy with over 100 published peer-reviewed studies demonstrating its effectiveness for a wide range of clinical issues (including anxiety and depression).
Available on:
iOS
Magnifying glass HD
Turn your iPhone into a magnifying glass with this easy-to-use app. Magnifying glass HD comes with a viewfinder to locate each object precisely, as well as image stabilization.
Available on:
iOS
Learn Spanish
Learn Spanish in no time! MosaLingua’s effective and addictive teaching method will help you memorize loads of vocabulary, key phrases, and conjugations in record time.
Available on:
iOS
Editors’ Recommendations
- Best iOS app deals of the day! 6 paid iPhone apps for free for a limited time
- Best iOS app deals of the day! 6 paid iPhone apps for free for a limited time
- Best iOS app deals of the day! 6 paid iPhone apps for free for a limited time
- Best iOS app deals of the day! 6 paid iPhone apps for free for a limited time
- Best iOS app deals of the day! 6 paid iPhone apps for free for a limited time
HTC U11 Life (Android One) review: Keep it simple
HTC’s first Android One device has everything you want from a mid-range phone — with highlights including Oreo out of the box, and a surprisingly capable camera.
Android One has arrived in Europe, and HTC is one of the first manufacturers to ship an affordable, Google-branded phone. The Android One badge made its debut in India and parts of Asia, as Google emphasized quality software on super-cheap hardware. But with its latest round of “One” handsets, the prices are higher, the products more premium, and the hand on the software rudder a little firmer.
The Android One U11 Life — unlike the T-Mobile U.S. version we reviewed separately, running HTC Sense — runs Android 8.0 Oreo out of the box, and comes with the promise of timely updates to future versions. It takes the fundamentals of HTC’s flagship phone and downscales it into a smaller size, while trimming the specs back to the essentials.
There’s a Snapdragon 630 processor — Qualcomm’s latest mid-ranger, and the successor to the very capable 625/626 — along with 3GB or 4GB of RAM, and 32 or 64GB of storage, plus microSD. I’ve been using the 3/32GB model for the past couple of weeks, however the UK will be getting the more capacious 4/64GB model when it goes on sale.
More: HTC U11 Life specs
From the outside, the U11 Life is a reasonable approximation of the full-grown U11 — at least visually. The reflective, curved back panel is as eye-catching as ever, but in the hand, the “acrylic glass” feels somewhat cheaper than the real thing. Same deal with the plastic borders around the sides of the device.
Many phones around this price point incorporate metal or glass designs, but I’m still fine with the U11’s not-quite-glass exterior. The feel isn’t a million miles away from the standard U11, with the main difference being the weight.
The U11 Life also boasts water and dust resistance, like the U11, with an IP67 rating.
Around the front, a 5.2-inch 1080p LCD panel gives the U11 Life a display that’s bright and punchy, but not too oversaturated. Viewing angles are impressive, and I encountered no issues using the display out in bright daylight.
A 5.2-inch screen is a step down from the much larger displays we’re seeing at the high end, but these dimensions, particularly with a 16:9 aspect ratio and off-screen keys, remains something of a sweet spot for easy one-handed use.
The back of the U11 Life is acrylic glass, which is more of the former than the latter.
Like its namesake, the U11 Life sports ample quantities of bezel in all directions around its display, most noticeably around the chin, which accommodates the phone’s speedy fingerprint scanner. It’s not quite as instantaneous as what you’ll find in a high-end phone, but the (very slight) delay in unlocking isn’t really bothersome.
As an Android One device, the software of the U11 Life is mainly a Google-centric experience. It’s pretty much stock Android 8.0 Oreo, with a couple of HTC touches where it makes sense. The most obvious of these is the camera app, which is literally just the U11’s camera app with a different icon, along with includes HTC’s excellent HDR Boost — an always-on post-processing feature similar to the Pixel’s HDR+.
In daylight, or moderate indoor light, HDR Boost allows the U11 Life to produce some striking images with rich colors and impressive dynamic range, but in darker conditions, the phone soon runs into the physical limits of its hardware. The f/2.0 lens and 16-megapixel camera, without OIS, means that night photography quickly becomes grainy and/or blurry, unless you’re able to stabilize the camera and shoot a longer exposure in Pro mode.
Ironically, the front-facing camera, also a 16-megapixel unit behind an f/2.0 lens, seemed to hold up a little better in darker conditions — possibly just because of the kinds of photos I was taking.
For video, 4K capture is supported — though, strangely, only through the rear camera — with image quality following a similar pattern to the still camera. In daylight to middling light, it’s decent; in low light it quickly becomes a grainfest. (And given the size of 4K video files, you’ll want to invest in a decent SD card if you plan on shooting lots of 4K video with the 32GB model.)
Android One is more Nexus than Pixel.
Other areas of the U11’s software are clean, fast, and as Google-y as you’d expect. It’s as minimalist as Google’s Pixel UI — perhaps more so, as it lacks many of the Pixel’s extra features. After initial setup, your app drawer shows 25 Google apps, and nothing else. It’s a wonderfully uncluttered experience, particularly in comparison to the cruft that seems to find its way onto most mid-tier Android phones.
And when it comes to performance, the U11 Life provides a consistently responsive experience, even with just 3GB of RAM in our review unit, so the UK retail version with a roomier 4GB should be even better.
Edge Sense is the other major HTC addition. Just like the U11 and U11+, you can squeeze the bezels to activate an app of your choice (for example, Google Assistant or the camera). And there are a handful of in-app squeeze options too, such as squeezing to snooze an alarm or answering a call.
It’s another one of these “moderately useful” features. Gimmicky? Sure. But also nice to have, though also not something I miss when I change to another phone.
Battery life from the built-in 2,600mAh has been dependable, but not exceptional. The relatively low capacity is offset by the fact that the Snapdragon 630 sips power, meaning I never struggled to reach the end of the day with moderate use. On heavier days, with extensive use of the camera and HDR Boost, it’s possible you’ll need an evening refill, and the U11 Life supports 5V/2A charging for relatively speedy recharges.
The HTC U11 Life isn’t the most exciting Android phone out there right now, but it does represent a great case for Android One in the West, and how HTC can create great mid-tier devices that make sense around the £350 price point. There are clear advantages to spending more than this on a phone — mainly camera improvements, more premium materials and more dazzling displays. But the Android One-flavored U11 Life provides a fast, clean Android experience, layers on top some impressive camera tricks, and the occasionally convenient Edge Sense, and then just gets out of the way.
We’ll have to wait and see how speedily Google and HTC manage to get this device updated with Android 8.1 and beyond — not to mention the more important question of security patches. But right now the U11 Life is definitely worth a look if you’re upgrading from something like a Nexus 5X, HTC One M9 — or if you’re just after a solid all-around phone without breaking the bank.
How much storage have you used so far on your Pixel 2?
Thank goodness for generous storage amounts.
One of the smaller changes that Google made this year with the Pixel 2 was the amount of storage available for the base model. Unlike last year’s Pixel that came with a minimum of 32GB, the Pixel 2 comes equipped with 64GB at the very least. That’s a healthy amount of space for most folks, but if you really need the added room, you can still increase it to 128GB for an extra $100.
Some of our forum users recently got to talking about how they’ve been using their local space with the Pixel 2 so far, and these are a few of the responses.
Almeuit
11-14-2017 12:31 PM“
I will lose this most likely (jk.. I know I will haha) but how is your storage working for you on your Pixel 2/XL? I have the 128 GB Pixel 2 XL and I have loaded up a good amount of media.
Mainly just my playlists from Google Play Music, anime from Netflix, and some movies I enjoy from Vudu/etc.
I do have unlimited data (Verizon) so I still stream certain things (such as Crunchyroll – an…
Reply
Ca_lvn
11-14-2017 12:58 PM“
My primary means of storage on this phone will be photos, I plan on exploring the camera a lot more, at that point most likely I’ll have to delete from the phone. I kept it on a budget with the 64 gigabyte drive.
Surprisingly I have 85 apps installed, kind of hard to believe I have that many on the phone.
Google photos is my guaranteed safe backup so I’m confident that will meet all my…Reply
paradroid
11-14-2017 01:48 PM“
24 out of 128 gigs used.
I don’t watch cartoons so none of those stored. For movies I wouldn’t waste watching a good one on a 6 inch phone screen, I’d use my 65 inch Ultra Hi Def TV with surround sound. If I did need to watch a movie on the go (flying overseas) I’d use my tablet or laptop for the bigger screen. Downloaded music from google play takes minimal space. My 500 albums are all…
Reply
11-16-2017 03:39 PM“
I currently have 42% free space on my 128 GB variant :).
Reply
Now, we’d like to pass the question on to you – How much storage have you used on your Pixel 2?
Join the conversation in the forums!
Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL
- Pixel 2 FAQ: Everything you need to know!
- Google Pixel 2 and 2 XL review: The new standard
- Google Pixel 2 specs
- Google Pixel 2 vs. Pixel 2 XL: What’s the difference?
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