Cyberpunk 2077 absolutely blew us away — here’s why

At Gamescom 2018, we saw Cyberpunk 2077 in action for the first time. And we spent the hours following the presentation utterly dumbfounded. What an incredible ride.

CD Projekt RED is responsible for crafting what is arguably this generation’s best game, in the form of The Witcher 3. The Witcher 3, at the time, featured some truly unprecedented world building, visuals, and writing, with stellar third-person swordsmanship combat and piles of RPG layers on top for good measure. CD Projekt RED won itself praise for its support of The Witcher 3 post-launch too, which saw features and quality-of-life improvements filter in from fan requests, as well as two large expansions adding dozens of hours of additional story content.

CD Projekt RED set themselves a high bar for any future project they shipped. If what I saw this week at Gamescom 2018 was anywhere near the final product, Cyberpunk 2077 won’t just shatter even the grandest of expectations, it will raise the bar for all of gaming for years to come.

It might seem counter-intuitive since I am writing about Cyberpunk 2077, but if you’re a fan of CD Projekt RED’s work, my honest recommendation is to avoid reading or viewing any previews about this game, including this one. Go into it completely in the dark, and have your mind blown in the same way I have. If you do want to learn more, then please, read on, friends.

See at Amazon

Setting the stage for sci-fi dystopia

Cyberpunk 2077 takes The Witcher 3’s world-class world-building and applies it to a gritty sci-fi dystopia, based on the classic tabletop RPG Cyberpunk 2020. Mega-corps control civilization, led by corrupt officials protected by private high-tech super soldiers. Poverty and crime are rife, as the corporations turn a blind eye from their ivory towers. Gangs rule the streets, and Cyberpunk’s protagonist, “V”, finds herself (or himself) fighting to carve a niche in this tech-saturated world.

The sheer abundance of gameplay features and mechanics present in Cyberpunk 2077 was utterly dizzying.

V is effectively a bounty hunter/mercenary-type, working themselves up through the criminal underworld. The single 50-minute quest we were shown at Gamescom featured so many twists and turns, branching narrative options, and gameplay systems, that gathering my thoughts has been remarkably harder than usual when coming in to write a preview. 50 minutes may seem like a long time, but the sheer abundance of gameplay features and mechanics present in Cyberpunk 2077, even in this “small slice” as they described it, was utterly dizzying.

The demonstration opened with V and her partner in shady dealings, Jackie, infiltrating a criminal gang known to be kidnapping mechanically augmented humans, specifically to steal their cybernetic enhancements, forcibly, to then sell them on for profit. Dismembered cyborgs were piled up and discarded like mannequins in a store stock room, slamming home the idea that the lines between “person” and “product” have become utterly blurred in this late capitalist hell.

It was here we got the first taste of what combat will be like in Cyberpunk 2077. Some have lamented the fact CD Projekt RED has gone for a first-person perspective for Cyberpunk 2077, but honestly, for the type of game they’re building, there’s arguably no choice. Much of the game’s detail needs to be seen up-close-and-personal, especially given how vertical the game’s areas can be. A top-down or over-the-shoulder camera view wouldn’t do this approach to level design justice.

Cyberpunk 2077’s area layouts are crammed with options for traversal, opening up different ways to approach combat. Maybe you can slip through a vent and take a quiet approach, or simply go in gun’s blazing. You’ll need to pay attention to your environment if you want to take a more thoughtful approach to the game’s missions, but you’ll still have a vast arsenal of high-tech equipment to blast and cut your way through enemies, in addition to performance-enhancing drugs.

Cyberpunk 2077’s shooter combat felt very much like an interactive version of the infamous lobby scene from The Matrix. Bullet time capabilities are on offer to the player, granting heightened awareness for a brief period of time, creating slow-motion sequences of cascading gore and drifting sparks. The environment was also surprisingly destructible, creating a necessity for high-mobility gunplay. At one point, V and her partner were pinned down by a chap spraying gunfire through a wall, prompting the player to sneak around the back for a flanking kill.

Incredible sci-fi freedom

Cyberpunk 2077 does seem to offer the opportunity for contextual stealth kills as well, along with the tools to allow players to play this way if they so choose. CD Projekt RED emphasized their fluid class system, which allows players to, through cybernetic enhancement and weapons choices, to tailor their own classes. Want to focus on hacking and disabling enemies remotely before ever firing one of your bullet-homing smart pistols? You can. Want to be a Metal Gear Rising-like cyborg ninja, complete with the ability to hook onto walls, slice off limbs with a high-tech katana in slow motion, with enhanced mobility? You can. Want to be a heavy focusing on reducing targets to piles of blood and circuits with a wall-penetrating shotgun? Cyberpunk has you covered. And this was just a taste of what CD Projekt RED has in store for us.

In-keeping with playstyle customization, Cyberpunk 2077 will also allow you to tailor the way your character looks, including things like gender, and other aesthetics. It also enlists some pen-and-paper inspired stat choices, including things like constitution. It also allows you to select some pre-determined backstories for your characters. No doubt these choices will play a significant part in the game’s plot as you progress.

This could be a world sim without equal

If the full Cyberpunk 2077 experience is truly representative of the final product, the world the studio is building for the game will represent one of the most completely realized digital worlds in gaming history.

Cyberpunk’s imagining of a futuristic Northern California megacity is as daunting as it is enticing. Mega-complexes designed to house thousands of residences soar into the sky, while the streets are jam-packed with hundreds of seemingly unique NPCs plying their trade, heading to work, or skulking about in alleys ready to pounce on the innocent.

Everything in Cyberpunk 2077’s world, from menus to quest markets, to HUD elements, are fully realized as part of the game’s world and lore. If you want to display bullet count in your onboard brain OS, you need to purchase a modification for your eyeball. An advertisement in the world might allow you to download a quest marker to find a vendor or other opportunities, while information provided by NPCs in the game’s story will be uploaded directly into your cybernetically-enhanced brain, via personal uplink ports carved into your neck. All menus appear on screens in-game, or via augmented reality, rather than separately.

These systems work both ways, too, of course. Enemy NPCs and characters can hack into your brain, which impacts your HUD display, distorting elements. At one point during a conversation, V was forcibly uplinked by a bodyguard and made to answer questions while being monitored for telling lies or the truth. This opened up several dialogues, and actionable choices, all bearing web of consequences which should grant Cyberpunk 2077 some serious replayability.

Of course, your stats and skills with play a part too, when it comes to hacking and counter-hacking. During another mission, V had the opportunity to escape a tricky situation through a locked door, but the security requirements were too high for the player. Instead, V was able to subdue and hack into the network through an enemy NPC’s brain instead, giving you to upload all sorts of viral software into the gang’s internal network, offering new combat capabilities.

To modify your character, you must attend special clinics in-game that will facilitate upgrades to your body and mind. In the demo, this occurred as part of a cutscene, with “V” remarking that it was akin to visiting the dentist. The player selected mods that connected your gun to your HUD remotely, allowing you to see bullet and ammo count for your weapon, as well as information on different weapon modes. The doctor removes V’s eyeball to perform the enhancements, in a vivid out of body experience. This is a where your organs and senses can be fully digitized, and the very idea of “humanity” has become stretched.

So, so much more to find out

The Cyberpunk 2077 demonstration felt intentionally fast-firing, bombarding the audience with utterly insane amounts of information and gameplay systems, briefly hinting at features before tearing away into the next.

Cyberpunk 2077 at its core is an open-world, first-person RPG, but in execution, it feels like so much more than that. It’s complete with Grand Theft Auto-style open-world driving and car-chase gun battles. It enlists a Deus Ex-style approach to level design, with multiple pathways for different types of playstyles. The gunplay is as violent as Wolfenstein, but as elegant as something like Max Payne, with stunning slow-motion effects, a vast array of super high-tech weapons, with the breadth of combat options you might expect from something like Fallout or The Elder Scrolls, with Metal Gear Rising cyborg ninja combat for good measure.

This is the first press presentation that made me wonder, “can a game possibly be too good?”

For me, what really defined Cyberpunk 2077 was the way choice and consequence is weaved so intricately into the quests, in a way that many other big-name RPG developers have begun neglecting over the years. V’s mission to impress an underworld gangland boss had multiple pathways to completion, some including a non-violent approach hinging on conversational skills, while another focused on hacking abilities and stealth. And of course, there’s always the direct approach, spattered in blood.

Cyberpunk 2077 looks like it has terabytes of secrets waiting to be revealed as we head towards its – as of now – unknown launch date. But, as a fan of The Witcher 3, and CD Projekt RED in general, I know I’ll be dropping my digital pre-order the second they go live. This is the first press presentation that made me wonder, “can a game possibly be too good?”

Cyberpunk 2077 will hit Xbox One, PS4, and PC. It has no known launch date, but it is currently available for preorder at Amazon.

See at Amazon

The Galaxy S9+ is the best Android phone you can buy

The Samsung Galaxy S9+ builds on years of Samsung’s excellence. It starts with a gorgeously sculpted metal and glass body that’s waterproof, with features like dual speakers, a headphone jack and an SD card slot. Inside are the latest and greatest specs, plus a standout pair of cameras on the back and the best display on the market around front.

Our pick

Samsung Galaxy S9+

• $750 from Amazon
• $790 from Samsung

The best Android phone for most people.

Choosing the Galaxy S9+ doesn’t require much thought — it can do everything, and looks great doing it, with few real downsides. It’s beautiful, has the best screen, isn’t missing any hardware features and has one of the best camera experiences available in a smartphone today.

Who should buy this phone

Samsung designs its phones to be appealing to the widest possible audience, and that makes the Galaxy S9+ a great device for just about anyone. It has a big and beautiful display that’s quite simply the best in the industry, but with very small bezels and curved edges, it fits into a relatively compact size.

Internally, it has all of the latest specs to handle any app or task you need. It also has a pair of cameras on the back that are in the mix as the best available today. Samsung has also kept around crowd-pleasing features like wireless charging, waterproofing, an SD card slot and a headphone jack. Really, the Galaxy S9+ does a great job at being all things to all people.

Best of all, if you don’t care for the larger size of the Galaxy S9+ for whatever reason, you can simply buy the smaller and less expensive Galaxy S9 instead and get the same core experience with only a few changes.

Is it a good time to buy this phone?

Yes. The Samsung Galaxy S9+ launched the first week of March 2018, meaning it is still the latest and great phone that Samsung makes. The Galaxy Note 9 is expected to launch around October 2018, which will likely be only a marginal improvement over the Galaxy S9+, and the Galaxy S9+’s successor will not be unveiled until March 2019.

Reasons to buy

• Sleek and beautiful hardware
• Top-notch specs
• Waterproofing, wireless charging and more
• Best-in-class display
• Up to 256GB of storage available
• Fantastic dual cameras
• Dual speakers and a headphone jack
• Available everywhere

Reasons not to buy

• Lots of unnecessary apps installed
• Slow update speed

There are so many great Android phones available, but one stands out just a little extra

The Galaxy S9+ is all about giving you the most features, both hardware and software, in a beautiful package. You get a great display, top-end specs across the board, plus all of the hardware features you expect: waterproofing, wireless charging, an SD card slot, a headphone jack and more. It’s all wrapped up in a glossy and shiny metal-and-glass exterior that’s efficient and great looking.

The camera is all-new this generation, with a sensor that does fantastic processing to remove noise and sharpen fine detail even in poor lighting. It’s aided by a dual-aperture lens to get the best combination of light and detail in different shots, and is paired with a secondary telephoto lens for zoom and portrait mode shooting. Whether you shoot in auto or mess around in manual mode, you can get great shots in just about any scene.

You don’t get the clean and simple software experience of phones like the Google Pixel 2 XL or OnePlus 6, which may take some extra customization and tweaking on your part, but the Galaxy S9+ is far less polarizing overall because it just has so many features to appeal to everyone. When you take it all together, it’s a complete package.

Alternatives to the Samsung Galaxy S9+

The Galaxy S9+ has mass appeal, but it isn’t for everyone. There are several other awesome picks out there depending on your specific needs.

Upgrade pick

Samsung Galaxy Note 9

$999 from Samsung

An incredible phone with a huge price to match.

The Galaxy S9+ is great, but the Note 9 is even greater. It does everything the GS9+ does, but adds in a larger screen, more storage, longer battery life and an S Pen stylus. And it’s about $200 more because of it.

The Galaxy Note 9 is easily the best Note phone Samsung has ever made, and for once it’s actually better than the latest Galaxy S phone in every way. The battery has jumped up to 4000mAh, which gives you effortless all-day battery life, and the rest of the experience is the same as what the Galaxy S9+ offers.

That means you get top-end specs, a great camera, an industry-leading display and so much more. And the Note has an S Pen, which remains unmatched in the smartphone world. The problem is its $1000+ price tag, which is a tough pill to swallow when you can get almost the same experience for about $200 less with the Galaxy S9+. That makes this an “upgrade” and not the standard recommendation.

Budget pick

OnePlus 6

$529 from OnePlus

Great value for an amazing feature-rich device.

The OnePlus 6 is pretty much everything you expect in a high-end phone, but for $200-300 less. You don’t give up much with this $529 phone, and in many ways, you get a better software experience.

These top-end phones are expensive, but that doesn’t mean you’re stuck paying top-dollar for your next upgrade. The OnePlus 6 provides nearly the same experience as these other devices at a substantial discount — just $529. You get all of the latest specs inside, and it’s wrapped up in a beautiful metal-and-glass frame not unlike the Galaxy S9+.

There are a few shortcomings, like an average display, basic speaker, and subpar vibration motor, but the software experience is more akin to the Pixel 2 XL than the Galaxy S9+ — and that’s a good thing. OnePlus has dramatically improved its camera offering to where the OnePlus 6 is just a stone’s throw away from the top-of-the-line phones, which just adds to the great value this phone offers.

Amazing camera

Huawei P20 Pro

A high-end device that checks all the right boxes.

The Huawei P20 Pro is all about the cameras — a 40MP main sensor is assisted by an 8MP telephoto camera and a 20MP monochrome camera to give you so many shooting options and out-of-this-world results. It’s a photographer’s dream.

$800 from Amazon

You may think that the “Leica” branding is a bit of a joke at first, but don’t let that turn you away — the Huawei P20 Pro has an amazing set of cameras that can produce the best photos of any smartphone today. The combination of a 40MP main sensor, an 8MP telephoto camera and a 20MP monochrome sensor give you unending shooting options, and the software pulling it all together knows all of the tricks to create stellar photos.

The rest of the phone experience isn’t subpar, either — Huawei’s built a beautiful phone here with powerful specs. It’s just let down as ever by the Huawei software that heavily tweaks and modifies Android — to a fault. Some can look past that to get those wonderful cameras, though, and will even go so far as to import an international version to the U.S.

Great at a discount

Google Pixel 2 XL

$750+ at Google Store

Stellar software and performance with a superb camera.

The cleanest, smoothest and most Google-friendly phone available. It has sleek hardware, simple software and a killer camera, with years of guaranteed updates and unlimited Google Photos storage.

The Pixel 2 XL doesn’t have a fantastic screen or headphone jack like the Galaxy S9+ does, but that’s one of the trade-offs you make in order to get this fantastic software experience. The camera on Google’s flagship is just as good, though, and some would say that the overall experience, aided by that great software, is more consistent and approachable. You also get three years of guaranteed software updates, which provides excellent peace of mind.

Now that it’s almost a year old, you shouldn’t consider it at full retail. But Google, Verizon and other retailers sometimes have it on discount, and if you can find it for $100 or $200 off it’s a fantastic phone.

Bottom line

The Note 9 is an amazing phone that goes above and beyond the Galaxy S9+, but its price is prohibitive and doesn’t really add up considering the marginal improvements over the GS9+. If you fancy yourself more discerning about software experience, you’ll want to look at the Google Pixel 2 XL — you’ll have to buy unlocked or from Verizon, but that Google software is worth it. For less money, the OnePlus 6 gives you a near-flagship experience and also has great clean software. The most versatile camera imaginable can be found in the Huawei P20 Pro, and the rest of the phone isn’t exactly bad.

That leaves us with the Samsung Galaxy S9+, which is the best Android phone for most people. It provides the best experience, top-end hardware and most features for the widest number of people. It’s also available everywhere, from any carrier or retailer you could imagine.

Update August 2018: The Galaxy S9+ continues to be our top pick for its great features, hardware, camera and wide availability. The the Galaxy Note 9 is on the list as an upgrade pick for when money’s no object. The Pixel 2 XL remains, but only when it can be found on a discount as it’s nearing a year old at this point.

Credits — The team that worked on this guide

Daniel Bader is the Managing Editor of Android Central. As he’s writing this, a mountain of old Android phones is about to fall on his head, but his Great Dane will protect him. He drinks way too much coffee and sleeps too little. He wonders if there’s a correlation.

Andrew Martonik is the Executive Editor, U.S. at Android Central. He has been a mobile enthusiast since the Windows Mobile days, and covering all things Android-related with a unique perspective at AC since 2012. For suggestions and updates, you can reach him at andrew.martonik@androidcentral.com or on Twitter at @andrewmartonik.

Jerry Hildenbrand is Mobile Nation’s Senior Editor and works from a Chromebook full time. Currently he is using Google’s Pixelbook but is always looking at new products and may have any Chromebook in his hands at any time. You’ll find him across the Mobile Nations network and you can hit him up on Twitter if you want to say hey.

Chrome OS 69 beta adds Linux app support, Material Theme UI, and more

Not sure what’s new in Chrome OS? We’ve got you covered!

Chrome OS, Google’s own desktop operating system, receives regular updates to outfit it with new features, bug fixes, and more. There are three main levels of Chrome OS (Stable, Beta, and Developer) and while you can learn more about what these mean here, this guide will be updated regularly to highlight the main additions with each new release.

Since Google releases updates so frequently, we’ll only share them when something significant is added or patched as new builds are rolled out.

Without further ado, here’s what’s new in the Stable, Beta, and Developer Channels for Chrome OS!

Stable

June 7, 2018 — Progressive Web Apps can be installed and Tablet Mode gets split-screen support

Chrome OS’s Stable Channel was updated to 67.0.3396.78 on June 7, and it comes equipped with a host of new features.

One of the big highlights is the ability to download Progressive Web Apps as standalone applications — similar to how you’d download Android or regular Chrome OS apps. Progressive Web Apps are technically portals to websites but come with refined user interfaces and increased performance. They essentially give you desktop apps for things like Spotify, Flipboard, and more without developers having to create apps specifically for Chrome OS, meaning that we’ve just about ended the complaint that Chrome OS doesn’t have enough applications available for it.

Another big addition is that you can now use apps/websites in split-screen while in Tablet Mode. With devices like the HP Chromebook X2 and Acer Chromebook Tab 10 now around, a feature like this couldn’t have come at a better time.

Other goodies include a cleaner list of your Bluetooth devices, the ability to zip files on Google Drive via the built-in Files app, and new shortcuts that pop up when holding down your power button.

Read through the full changelog here

Beta

August 24, 2018 — Chrome OS 69 adds a blue light filter, Linux app support, and Material Theme UI

Chrome OS 69 is rolling out now to the Beta Channel for “most” Chrome OS devices, and there’s a lot of cool stuff to check out.

First of all, Linux app support is finally included! This is something that’s been limited to the Developer Channel for quite some time, so it’s exciting to see it now be ready for Beta users. Linux support is only available for select Chromebooks, including the Pixelbook, HP Chromebook X2, Samsung Chromebook Plus, and more.

Also new is a night light / blue light filter mode right in the quick settings. This is something that previously required you to enable a flag, so while not an entirely new feature, it’s much easier to access now.

Lastly, this update brings an updated UI with elements from Google’s Material Theme aesthetic and changes to the BIOS and trackpad firmware.

June 7, 2018 — All HTTP sites are now labeled as “Not Secure”

HTTPS is the future of website security, but for whatever reason, there are still some sites that continue to use the old HTTP standard.

As it stands right now, sites using HTTPS show a green “Secure” badge to the left of the domain. Starting with the Chrome OS 68 beta, that “Secure” badge is being removed and all HTTP sites wil show a “Not Secure” label so users can more easily identify if they’re on a site that’s not as safe as it should be.

Read through the full changelog here

Developer

July 11, 2018 — Android Nougat’s app shortcuts are now live!

App shorcuts, first introduced with Android Nougat, are finally making their way to Chrome OS.

On July 11, 2018, Chrome OS evangelist François Beaufort announced that they are now live in the Chrome OS Dev Channel.

To start using them, simply enable the flag chrome://flags/#enable-touchable-app-context-menu. Once that’s done, right-click on an Android app that’s pinned to your shelf or in your app drawer and you’ll see the app shortcuts menu pop up.

The flag is still experimental, so don’t be alarmed if things are a bit buggy right now.

June 8, 2018 — The Pixelbook’s power button can act as a physical two-factor authentication key

Two-factor authentication is a great way to secure your online presence, and one way to go about this is by using a USB key. If you’ve got a Pixelbook running the Developer Channel, you can now mimic the functionality of a USB U2F key with its power button.

To enable this, simply open a Chrome Shell and enter u2f_flags g2f. As with everything in the Developer Channel, this feature isn’t the most stable so consider having a USB key anyways just in case something goes wrong.

June 5, 2018 — Chrome OS’s emoji shortcut is now available!

Chrome OS has long been in need of an easy way to access emojis, and if you’re running the Developer Channel, there’s a new tool that allows you to do just that.

After enabling the flag chrome://flags/#enable-emoji-context-menu, right-click on a text field and you’ll see a new “Emoji” option. Click on this, and you’ll be able to insert whatever emoji you’d like.

It’s reported that the implementation is still a little wonky, but it should smooth out as it makes its way through the Beta and Stable Channels.

How to change your software channel on Chrome OS

Chromebooks

• The best Chromebooks
• Chromebooks in education: Everything you need to know
• Should you buy a Chromebook?
• Chromebook Buyers Guide
• Google Pixelbook review
• Join our Chromebook forums

The GW100 are Grado’s first wireless Bluetooth headphones ever

New is always exciting.

Grado Labs is not a company like Anker or SkullCandy. They don’t make thousands of products for every sound and every ear. Instead, Grado makes a few select headphones… hand makes them, in fact, in Brooklyn, NY… and what they do make is usually top of the line. “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” is the motto Grado has lived by since the 50s (you know, probably). That’s why it’s surprising to see Grado innovating with a new pair of wireless Bluetooth headphones called the GW100. Wireless headphones are the future, and even Grado can’t stay away.

The GW100 will still be made with Grado’s unique style, including the standard Grado audio drivers customized to this brand new housing and an open-air design. These will be open-back wireless headphones featuring Bluetooth 4.2 apt-X, a dynamic transducer, and 15 hours of battery life.

While Grado hasn’t announced a release date or a starting price yet, the GW100 product page links to Grado’s official online retailer, which suggests a price of $249. That’s a reasonable price compared to other Grado headphones like the $495 Reference Series or the $295 Prestige headphones.

See at Grado Labs

MacRumors Giveaway: Win a USB-C Pro Hub With Ethernet From Satechi

For this week’s giveaway, we’ve teamed up with Satechi to offer MacRumors readers a chance to win a USB-C Pro Hub Adapter with Ethernet, which is designed to work with 2016, 2017, and 2018 13 and 15-inch MacBook Pro models.

Priced at $100, Satechi’s Pro Hub comes equipped with a Gigabit Ethernet port, an HDMI port, a USB-C Power Delivery port that supports up to 87W of power, two USB 3.0 ports, and a microSD card slot.

The Pro Hub with Ethernet is available in a brushed aluminum in Silver or Space Gray to match Apple’s MacBook Pro machines, and it plugs into two of the USB-C ports on either side of the device.

Along with a Gigabit Ethernet port that supports 10/100/1000Mb/s, the Pro Hub works with a 4K monitor through the included HDMI port.

The USB-C port, which allows for power delivery, charges the MacBook Pro, while the microSD card slot supports importing images and files and the two USB 3.0 ports allow for data transfer from USB-A accessories.

We have five of Satechi’s USB-C Pro Hub Adapters with Ethernet to give away to MacRumors readers. To enter to win, use the Rafflecopter widget below and enter an email address. Email addresses will be used solely for contact purposes to reach the winners and send the prizes. You can earn additional entries by subscribing to our weekly newsletter, subscribing to our YouTube channel, following us on Twitter, or visiting the MacRumors Facebook page.

Due to the complexities of international laws regarding giveaways, only U.S. residents who are 18 years or older and Canadian residents (excluding Quebec) who have reached the age of majority in their province or territory are eligible to enter. To offer feedback or get more information on the giveaway restrictions, please refer to our Site Feedback section, as that is where discussion of the rules will be redirected.

a Rafflecopter giveawayThe contest will run from today (August 24) at 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time through 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time on August 31. The winners will be chosen randomly on August 31 and will be contacted by email. The winners will have 48 hours to respond and provide a shipping address before new winners are chosen.

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How Samsung’s New Galaxy Note 9 Measures Up to Apple’s Rumored 2018 iPhone Lineup

Samsung recently released its latest flagship device, the Galaxy Note 9, which is set to be one of the main competitors to Apple’s 2018 iPhone lineup, consisting of three iPhones in 5.8, 6.1, and 6.5 inch sizes.

Apple won’t announce its new 2018 smartphones until sometime around mid-September, but given the wealth of part leaks and rumors, we have a clear picture of what to expect.

We may not have real iPhones to compare to the Galaxy Note 9, but we’ve taken a look at Samsung’s new flagship next to dummy models of the 6.1 and 6.5-inch iPhones to see how Apple’s larger-screened devices will measure up to the Note 9.

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Samsung’s Galaxy Note 9 features a 6.4-inch display but Samsung has refused to embrace the notch, so it continues to feature bezels at the top and bottom. That sets it apart from Apple’s lineup, as all three iPhones are adopting the edge-to-edge design that was first introduced with the iPhone X.

Apple is planning on a second-generation 5.8-inch OLED iPhone, a 6.5-inch OLED iPhone, and a 6.1-inch iPhone with an LCD, which is set to be a low-priced option. Even though the 6.1-inch iPhone is expected to be priced as low as $700, all of Apple’s 2018 iPhone lineup is adopting the TrueDepth camera system and Face ID, doing away with Home buttons entirely.

5.8-inch iPhone X, 6.1-inch iPhone dummy model, 6.5-inch dummy model, and Galaxy Note 9
Size wise, the 6.4-inch Galaxy Note 9 is most similar in size to Apple’s upcoming 6.5-inch iPhone, but the Note 9 feels bulkier in the hand due because it’s taller with buttons that are placed in inconvenient locations. The 6.5-inch iPhone is a more comfortable shape, while the 6.1 and 5.8-inch iPhones are even easier to hold.

Galaxy Note 9 compared to 6.5-inch iPhone dummy model
Aside from size, Apple’s iPhones and Samsung’s Galaxy Note are rather different. Along with the difference in bezels (Apple’s are much smaller), the Note 9 continues to offer a headphone jack, a fingerprint sensor on the rear of the phone, and integration for the S-Pen, Samsung’s stylus.

Some rumors have suggested Apple is planning on introducing Apple Pencil support in at least some of the new iPhones, but it’s not clear if this is actually going to happen. If it does, though, it would introduce further feature parity between the Note and the iPhone.

Dual cameras are included with the Note 9, which we’re also expecting for two of three of the upcoming iPhones. Both the 5.8 and 6.5-inch models will feature a dual-lens camera setup, while the 6.1-inch model will feature a single-lens camera.

Note 9 compared to 6.1-inch iPhone dummy model
Since these are iPhone dummy models and not the real thing, we can’t compare performance between the Note and the upcoming iPhones. Samsung’s new smartphone uses a Snapdragon 845 chip, though, which is already outperformed by the A11. Apple’s new iPhones will use a faster, more efficient A12 chip, which will introduce further speed improvements. The 5.8 and 6.5-inch models are also rumored to include 4GB RAM. The Galaxy Note 9 offers 6 to 8GB RAM, but Apple often matches or exceeds the performance of Android phones with more RAM due to tight integration of hardware and software.

Samsung’s Galaxy Note 9 with S-Pen
Samsung’s smartphones win out when it comes to LTE speeds right now, but that could change with the 2018 iPhone lineup as Apple is using upgraded Intel chips that offer faster connection speeds than the chips in the iPhone X, 8, and 8 Plus. The Note 9 may also have superior battery life with its included 4,000 mAh battery, but we haven’t heard a lot of rumors about Apple’s battery plans as of yet.

The Galaxy Note 9 is actually one of the Android smartphones that looks the least like the iPhone X and the iPhones coming in 2018, but as Samsung’s newest flagship device with performance and features close to what we’re expecting to see in the new iPhone lineup, it is going to be one of the main competitors Apple will need to contend with this fall.

What do you think of the Galaxy Note 9 compared to the design of Apple’s larger-screened 6.5-inch iPhone? Let us know in the comments.

Related Roundup: 2018 iPhonesTag: Samsung
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Attack by hackers affects about 2 million T-Mobile customers

T-Mobile has been the target of an attack by hackers, and that attack may have resulted in the theft of personal details on about 2 million of its customers. T-Mobile is contacting anyone affected by the hack by text message.

According to an announcement on T-Mobile’s website, the hack was discovered on August 20 and swiftly shut down. Describing the hack as “unauthorized access,” T-Mobile was quick to clarify that no financial details were exposed in the hack, and neither were details about Social Security numbers or account passwords. However, details of a personal nature, such as addresses, names, and account numbers, may have been compromised.

In a comment to Motherboard, a T-Mobile spokesperson confirmed the attack and said that “an international group” of hackers was the suspected culprit. According to the statement, T-Mobile’s security team was able to shut it down on the same day it was discovered. While specifics were not provided, the spokesperson did let slip that the breach had affected less than 3 percent of T-Mobile’s 77 million customers — around 2 million users.

T-Mobile is reaching out to affected users by text message. If you’re a T-Mobile customer and have not received a text message, then it’s probably safe to assume you haven’t been affected. However, T-Mobile is encouraging customers to reach out to it if they’re worried about the hack. Customers can do so by dialing 611 from their T-Mobile phone to contact customer service.

Personal data breaches have almost become a fact of life in our connected, Internet of Things world. U.K. retailer Carphone Warehouse recently revealed customer details had been compromised after an attack on its servers, while the Facebook-Cambridge Analytica data leak has now become the stuff of legend — a legend that will likely haunt Facebook for some time, despite privacy changes.

If you’re worried about this and other data leaks, you can check whether your email account has previously been compromised on certain websites, and while you can’t do much to influence corporate data security, you can take steps to make sure your own channels are safe by securing your phone or your personal computer against data-seeking malware and viruses.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Firefox’s new Monitor service will let you know if you’ve been hacked
• Ticketfly goes offline after refusing to pay hacker’s Bitcoin ransom
• Timehop data breach may have compromised 21 million email addresses
• Dixons Carphone hack exposes 5.9 million cards, 10 million accounts
• What kind of data leak are you? Hacker says Facebook quizzes still leak data

Chrome’s picture-in-picture mode for videos is expected to arrive next month

Google is testing a new browser feature that will make it easier for Chrome users to multitask and watch web videos at the same time by allowing video content to play in a pop-out window on your desktop. While it was currently possible to activate picture-in-picture mode for videos in a Google beta build for Chrome, the feature is expected to arrive for all users with the release of Chrome 69. Picture-in-picture mode is expected to arrive on September 4, according to HTNovo.

“With the latest update that brought Chrome 69 to the Official Build 69.0.3497.57, the picture-in-picture mode for playing videos has been moved to the default state,” a Google translation of HTNovo’s report reads. “This means that even on stable Chrome it will be possible to view videos being played in a corner of the desktop, navigating between different pages from the original one, without having to act in advance in any setting (regular or experimental).”

The picture-in-picture mode will be based on a W3C API, according to gHacks. At this time, if you use Google’s more experimental Chrome-based browser called Canary, you can currently enable this new mode. Picture-in-picture is expected with the release of Chrome 69 Stable.

Image credit: gHacks.

Chrome users will be able to activate picture-in-picture mode by double-clicking directly inside the video and choosing picture-in-picture from the contextual menu. After that’s done, the video will appear in a pop-out window, and users can move and re-size the video frame. The video window will act independently of the main browser window.

“The new picture-in-picture API works on the majority of sites by default; website publishers may utilize it to customize the picture-in-picture experience on their sites; it is possible to change the size of the picture-in-picture interface, customize controls, add restrictions, or use it to gather statistical data,” gHacks reported.

The video window will also have the regular media keys for play, pause, and close, and should work in a similar way to how the YouTube app handles picture-in-picture on modern Android phones.

The Chrome 69 update is expected to be a big update for Google. Some recently reported features from this build include the ability to integrate Chrome notifications in Windows 10’s Action Center and a refreshed look with an updated Material Design language.

Editors’ Recommendations

• YouTube delights multitaskers by offering picture-in-picture to lots more users
• The Nixplay Iris might just make digital picture frames cool again
• How to take better pictures with your camera’s automatic mode
• Nokia 6.1 has Android One, takes funky ‘Bothie’ pictures, and is yours for $270
• How to take pictures of the Perseid meteor shower and the stars

Here’s what to do if you didn’t get a 500 million PS4 Pro

You may have missed out on one of the limited edition PS4 Pros celebrating 500 million consoles sold, but there are still plenty of others to fill that hole in your heart.

To celebrate 500 million PlayStation consoles sold since the original’s release in 1994, Sony unveiled a new limited edition translucent PS4 Pro. Only 50,000 of these systems were made available to consumers, meaning you had to be quite lucky to snag one for yourself. You may still have a shot at purchasing one on eBay, but because scalpers are the bane of any good collector’s existence, the prices are astronomical compared to its $500 retail price tag.

While you mourn your unfortunate circumstances, here are a few suggestions of what you can buy instead. Some of these are marked up from their original prices because the consoles have since been discontinued, but a little extra money can be worth it for collectors.

Limited edition headset only ($100)

Though you may have missed out on the console itself, the 500 million limited edition headset is being sold separately. Thankfully there is much more stock of these so you’ll have an actual chance of grabbing a pair.

See at Amazon

See at Target

See at GameStop

See at Best Buy

Limited edition DualShock 4 controller only ($65)

Like the headset, retailers are also selling the 500 million limited edition DualShock 4 controller separately as well. Again, these will be much easier to grab than the console itself which sold out in mere minutes.

See at Amazon

See at Target

See at GameStop

See at Best Buy

Spider-Man PS4 Pro

Spider-Man is slinging onto PlayStation in a couple of weeks, and it brings with it a special Spider-Man PS4 Pro in Amazing Red, complete with the hero’s iconic logo in white. Battle some of Marvel’s most fearsome foes in style this fall.

See at Amazon

See at Best Buy

See at PlayStation

Star Wars Battlefront II PS4 Pro

Welcome to the dark side in Star Wars Battlefront II. This console features all of your favorite Star Wars emblems, whether you fight for the Empire or Rebel Alliance. We’re 485 days away from Star Wars Episode IX as of the time of writing this, so there’s plenty of time.

See at Amazon

God of War PS4 Pro

Being one of the most acclaimed games to release in recent years, God of War deserves nothing less than a quality limited edition console. Both the console and controller come in a silver finish along with markings inspired by Kratos’ axe.

See at Amazon

Days of Play PS4 Slim

This isn’t a PS4 Pro, but it’s a nice little commemoration of PlayStation’s accomplishments and a thank you to its players. The Days of Play PS4 Slim features a royal blue casing with the controller’s iconic face buttons adorning it in gold. Though it’s technically discontinued, you can still grab it from sellers on Amazon.

See at Amazon

Throwback

Just for fun, here are some other translucent video game gadgets and consoles that may pique your interest. The 90s are alive and thriving in 2018.

Old school Nintendo 64s

Joy-Con controller

A limited edition Kingdom Hearts 3 PS4 Pro was announced back at E3 2018, but it has not gone on sale as of yet. Here’s a picture of it to tide you over until then.

Check out our handy guide where we’ve compiled every limited edition PlayStation 4 for you to peruse.

PlayStation 4

• PS4 vs. PS4 Slim vs. PS4 Pro: Which should you buy?
• PlayStation VR Review
• Playing PS4 games through your phone is awesome

Amazon

The Nokia 2 is the best phone you can buy for under $100 right now

We’re a virtual company made up of tech experts from across the globe. We live and breathe Android phones, and use nearly every one to find the best sub-$100 picks.

The Nokia 2 is about as good as it gets for $100 or less, offering a completely barebones version of Android, great built quality with an aluminum unibody enclosure, and a quad-core processor. Best of all, it’s unlocked to work on any GSM carrier — but CDMA shoppers will want to look elsewhere.

Our Pick

Nokia 2

$99 from Amazon

Clean software and speedy performance for just a Benjamin

Right on the dot at $99, the Nokia 2 is simply the best low-cost phone you can buy. It features a sleek and sturdy design with a metal frame, along with a 1.3GHz quad-core processor and a near-stock build of Android.

Who should buy this phone

Shoppers on a GSM carrier like AT&T or T-Mobile who value simple software and good build quality. The Nokia 2 isn’t the flashiest phone around, but you don’t expect pizazz when you’re paying a Benjamin for a full-featured smartphone. The only thing it’s missing — and this is a big one — is a fingerprint sensor, meaning you’ll have to revert back to using a PIN for security.

Is it a good time to buy this phone?

Not necessarily. The followup Nokia 2.1 was released globally earlier this month, though it hasn’t made its way to the U.S. just yet. It brings some welcome spec updates that might be worth waiting for.

Reasons to buy

• Clean software experience
• Nice aluminum design
• Large 4100mAh battery
• Decently quick performance

Reasons not to buy

• New model coming soon
• No fingerprint sensor or NFC
• Doesn’t work on Sprint or Verizon

There are other great sub-$100 phones

If you’re on Verizon, Sprint, or any of their prepaid subsidiaries, the Nokia 2 won’t do you any good since it’s a GSM-only phone. Even if you are on a GSM network like T-Mobile, sometimes there are better options offered by your carrier — you might also just not like the Nokia 2’s design or specs.

In any case, there are plenty of other good phones to choose from that are priced below $100.

Runner-up

Alcatel 1X

$99 from Amazon

At just under $100, the Alcatel 1X is a good alternative to the Nokia 2.

The Alcatel 1X doesn’t look like much, but its tall 5.3-inch display is great, and it’s got all the specs necessary to power Google’s version of Android that’s optimized for entry-level smartphones.

The Alcatel 1X doesn’t have the the Nokia 2’s nice metal build, but it does feature an 18:9 display, a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor, and Android Oreo. Like the Nokia 2, it’s only compatible with GSM carriers, but it serves as a good alternative to Nokia’s offering with more modern hardware features.

Best on Verizon

Moto E5 Play

$95 from Verizon

The Moto E5 Play is a great prepaid phone for Verizon customers.

The Moto E5 Play doesn’t have the 18:9 display or huge battery of the rest of Motorola’s refreshed lineup, but it still features a quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM, and 16GB of microSD-expandable storage.

The Moto E5 Play is largely unchanged from last year’s Moto E4 — but we liked the Moto E4 too, so that’s not necessarily a bad thing. This is one of the few remaining phones with a user-replaceable battery, and the included Moto app allows for some software conveniences that other phones in its price range lack, like the ever-useful Moto Display.

Best on Cricket Wireless (AT&T)

LG X Charge

$80 from Cricket

The X Charge’s huge battery will outlast any other phone in Cricket’s lineup.

AT&T’s Cricket sub-brand has a great selection, including the LG X Charge for $79.99 (at least for new lines). It’s got a big 5.5-inch HD display, a quad-core processor, Android 7.0 Nougat, and a massive 4500mAh battery.

The X Charge doesn’t run as clean of software as some of the other options in this list, but its 5.5-inch display is the largest of the bunch, which makes it great for watching YouTube and scrolling through social media on, and the massive battery will keep it running all day.

Best on MetroPCS (T-Mobile)

LG K20 Plus

$99 from MetroPCS

Decent specs and speedy performance at an affordable price.

With the K20 Plus, you get a 1.4 GHz Snapdragon 425, 2GB of RAM, and 32GB of storage. The 5.3-inch 720p display barely draws any power from the 2700mAh cell inside, and the 13MP camera isn’t half bad either.

The K20 Plus is a bit of an older device now, but it still touts a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor and decent specs. The removable back is textured to keep the phone from slipping out of your hand or pocket, and like the Moto E5 Play, the battery is removable, so you can carry a spare on a busy day and stay charged up.

Best on Boost Mobile (Sprint)

Moto E5 Play

$60 from Boost

Your best bet for clean, modern software for cheap on Boost.

The Moto E5 Play is one of the few phones under $100 that still runs a current version of Android, and while its specs aren’t anything mind-blowing, they’re enough to keep the phone running smoothly.

One of the Moto E5 Play’s biggest advantages is its wide network availability. The phone works just as well on Boost as it does on Verizon (or unlocked), and comes even cheaper than usual; Boost seems to have the best deal on the Moto E5 Play, running you just $60.

Bottom line

Whether you’re shopping for a phone made just for your network or you want an unlocked phone that you can take with you to the next carrier, there’s a surprising amount of good phones under $100.

Customer discounts could land you a better deal depending on your carrier, but for most people on a GSM network, there aren’t many deals better than the Nokia 2.

Updated August 2018: The Moto E5 Play has become our top pick on Verizon and Boost.