Create perfect green screen backgrounds for Zoom with XSplit VCam: now 59% off

Appearing professional on Zoom can be a challenge sometimes. The last thing you want is clients or your boss looking at your messy bedroom. XSplit VCam offers a neat solution — this Windows app uses AI to replace or blur the background with a realistic alternative. It’s normally $49, but you can get the software today for just $19.99 at the XDA Developers Depot.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/0UN6l-A1-GE

Although Zoom and other video calling apps have their own background replacement tools, they rarely look good. In addition, technology drops out sometimes, revealing the mess you are trying to hide.

XSplit VCam offers a major upgrade. This software mimics a movie-style green screen, without the expensive equipment. You simply run through a quick calibration process and then choose what kind of background you want.

If you just want to disguise the scene behind you, XSplit VCam offers a neat blur option. You can control the effect using a slider, and it looks kinda like portrait mode on your phone. Alternatively, you can use any image, video, webpage, or YouTube video as the background.  

Along with video calls, this software is great for streamers and YouTubers. The ability to remove the background completely is great for putting together custom content in your video editor.

XSplit VCam works with Zoom, Skype, Discord, Google Hangouts, WeChat, Slack, GoToMeeting, and many other apps.

Order today for $19.99 to get a lifetime subscription, worth $49.99.

 

XSplit VCam: Lifetime Subscription (Windows) – $19.99

See Deal

Prices subject to change 

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Motorola ‘Nio’ live image gives us a glimpse of the upcoming Moto G smartphone with Snapdragon 800-series SoC

Motorola is set to launch its first Snapdragon 800 series powered midrange handset in early 2021, and according to a new leaked render, ‘Nio’ is the one. That’s a code name, of course. We fully expect the handset to roll out as a Moto G branded device, as hinted at by President Sergio Buniac himself. We may even have had a brief glimpse of the new device during the announcement of the company’s new Desktop mode, earlier in the week.

Leaker extraordinaire, Evan Blass posted the first render of the device overnight, with a few hints as to what to expect. We’d already established that the device would likely be rocking a Qualcomm Snapdragon 865, first spotted by Techniknews. This puts it on processor-par with the likes of Google Pixel 5, Samsung Galaxy S20 and OnePlus 8. Not bad for a mid-range handset range! Also said to be included are a 5000mAh battery and “at least” 8GB RAM and 256GB storage. It should run Android 11 out of the box, and offer Displayport Alternate Mode via the USB-C charging port, to allow connection to a monitor for that DeX-alike Desktop Mode. It’s not yet known if the wired connection will be mandatory or if something like Miracast will offer a wire-free option, but there will be an option to connect directly to a Windows 10 machine via FreeRDP. There’s no detail on the display, but we’re expecting that this could be the phone with that odd 105Hz refresh rate that we reported on a few days ago, too.

So far, that’s all we’ve been able to glean from Evan’s post and the stuff we’d already gathered. It’s too early to speculate on a full spec sheet (though the double punch-hole front camera hasn’t escaped our notice), and as of yet, there’s no information about pricing or availability. We’d expect to hear something more official in the early months of 2021.

 

 

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Best Galaxy Tab S7 Plus Deals: Where to Buy the Galaxy Tab S7 Series in the US

The Galaxy Tab S7 Plus is here, and we can tell you, it’s damn good as far as Android tablets. In our Galaxy Tab S7 review, Pranob Mehrotra says it’s a “marked improvement over the Galaxy Tab S6, and it still is a great buy for artists and people for a portable media device.” As for the Galaxy Tab S7 Plus, it is even so fantastic that one of our staff sold his iPad Pro! It’s just that good. So we’ve rounded up the best Galaxy Tab S7 and Galaxy S7 Tab Plus deals below!

The 12.4-inch Super AMOLED screen will make everything you view on the Galaxy Tab S7 pop, and the 120Hz refresh rate will make sure anything you watch will play smoothly. The Pro’s 6,000mAh battery even manages to last a day of heavy use, even with all the bells and whistles that it offers. On top of that, who doesn’t love the S-Pen, which comes with the Tab S7, and works seamlessly with the tablet? It even… has a camera, if you’re into that on your tablets. You really can’t go wrong with choosing the Galaxy Tab S7 or Tab S7 Plus.

If you’re in the US and looking for the best Galaxy Tab S7 Plus deals, we have them below!

Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 Deals in the US

You can pick up a Galaxy Tab S7 at all the usual suspects in the US. You can go with Amazon, Samsung, or Best Buy with their own sets of deals, or go to Verizon or AT&T for possible 5G coverage and bundles!

Amazon

The Galaxy Tab S7 is available at Amazon! You can pick between three colors (silver, bronze, and black), two memory capacities (128GB and 256GB), and whether or not you want a keyboard cover. While Amazon doesn’t have as many deals as their competitors, they still win in one factor–convivence. Picking up a Galaxy Tab S7 from Amazon means that you can get it via Prime Shipping. Also, if you have a Prime Rewards Visa, you can sign up for than 18-month payment plan. Currently, the 128GB model is on sale for $570!

Samsung Galaxy Tab S7

For the most hassle-free way to pick up a Wi-Fi Tab S7, go with Amazon. Enjoy a variety of options and free Prime Shipping!

Buy From Amazon

Samsung

At the Samsung Store, you can get up to $500 in trade-in credit if you have an eligible device. If you can manage the maximum discount, that will bring your tablet down to just $70. You can’t beat that trade-in price!

Samsung Galaxy Tab S7

If you have an eligible trade-in, you can get the Galaxy Tab S7 for just $70! that's an incredible deal.

From $70 at Samsung Store

Best Buy

Best Buy currently has the save deal going for the Galaxy Tab S7 that Amazon has. You can pick up your new tablet for $570, no trade-ins needed or strings attached! With Best Buy, you can also save $20 on Microsoft 365 Family, and some free anti-virus software. Whether these extra perks are work going to Best Buy over Amazon are up to you!

Samsung Galaxy Tab S7

Best Buy is offering the Galaxy Tab S7 Wi-Fi for $570, and you can also get $20 off Microsft 365 Family with your purchase!

From $570 at Best Buy

Verizon

Looking for a 5G tablet so you don’t need to worry about Wi-Fi? Verizon has you covered. the 128GB black version of the Tab S7 for $850. Currently, Verizon does have a deal to knock down that price a bit, though. If you have another non-WiFi tablet to turn in, you’ll save $100 on the price.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 5G

This is the 5G version of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7, and you can pick it up from Verizon for $849. Seem a bit steep? You can try and save some money by trading in an old tablet!

$849 at Verizon

AT&T

Not a fan of Verizon? AT&T also has the 5G model of the Tab S7 in stock. With them, you can save 50% on the overall price on both the tablet and a pair of Samsung Galaxy Buds Live. If you were already with AT&T and really want a 5G tablet, this will be your best bet.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 5G

If you're already part of AT&T, you can pick up a 5B Tab S7 with them. Grab both the tablet and the Samsung Galaxy Buds Live, and you'll save 50%!

$850 at AT&T

Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 Plus Deals in the US

For the Galaxy Tab S7 Plus, you can grab it at Amazon, Best Buy, or Samsung’s store. For some reason AT&T doesn’t have the S7 Plus, so for 5G, you can go with Verizon.

Amazon

Amazon appears to be missing the memory and color options it used to have, but in exchange, you can get a 128GB, Mystic Black Galaxy Tab S7 Plus for just $770! That’s not bad at all. With Prime shipping available, you know you’ll get maximum convenience.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 Plus

Get thew 128GB Mystic Black Galaxy Tab S7 at Amazon! The retailer makes up for lack of choices with the most convenience with Prime shipping.

Buy at Amazon

Samsung

Good news, Samsung Store fans–the same deals that apply to the Galaxy Tab S7 also apply to the Tab S7 Plus! That means, with an eligible trade-in, you can get this tablet for just $270 with $500 worth of credits.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 Plus

You can pick up your Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 Plus from Samsung's website with $450 off or saving on a trade-in! This is probably the best deal on the Tab S7 Plus, if you can pay for the tablet outright.

From $400 at Samsung store

Best Buy

Best Buy currently has the save deal going for the Galaxy Tab S7 Plus that Amazon has. You can pick up your new tablet for $770, no trade-ins needed or strings attached! You’ll also get some free anti-virus software.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 Plus

Grabbing the Galaxy Tab S7 Plus at Best Buy means you'll be able to grab the device for just $770, and some free virus software to boot.

From $770 at Best Buy

Verizon

Looking for a 5G tablet so you don’t need to worry about Wi-Fi? Verizon has you covered. the 128GB black version of the Tab S7 for $1,050. Currently, Verizon does have a deal to knock down that price a bit, though. If you have another non-WiFi tablet to turn in, you’ll save $100 on the price.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 Plus 5G

Want the Galaxy Tab S7 Plus with 5G? Head over to Verizon and take advantage of some of the deals available for this powerful tablet.

$1,050 at Verizon

No matter where you’re looking to get your Galaxy Tab S7 Plus, you’ll be sure to find a great deal. Grab your new high-end tablet with no regrets!

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NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Restocks: Where and when to purchase your new graphics card

The PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X may be getting a lot of retail spotlight, but there’s another piece of gaming hardware that shouldn’t be missed this holiday shopping season–the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080. NVIDIA’s newest, super-powerful graphics card has been getting a lot of buzz around the web, but there’s just been one problem… trying to buy one! While PC gamers have been faring better on getting the RTX 3080 than console gamers, the limited stock has still been a real issue with the card. We’ve compiled everything we know about the GeForce RTX 3080 restocks below!

Understanding the GeForce RTX 30 Series

Before getting into the restocks, it’s worth taking a minute to talk about the RTX 30 Series, NVIDIA’s latest graphic cards line. Of the line, there are four cards: the RTX 3060 Ti, the RTX 3070, the RTX 3080, and finally the GeForce RTX 3090. In short, the higher the number, the more powerful the graphics card.

The GeForce RTX 3090 is the most powerful of the new Series 30 graphic cards, but the RTX 3080 is the most popular of the bunch. This is because the GeForce RTX 3080 is the best value for the specs you get. The RTX 3080 is a perfect blend of technological improvements and cost-effectiveness, making it the most in-demand card. The 3090 may be more powerful, but the price will scare most of the consumer base off. You may also need better components, like a beefier power supply, which also puts off prospective buyers.

With that, we focus on GeForce RTX 3080 restocks for this article, but you should be able to follow any Series 30 graphics card at the same retailers.

When and where will the GeForce RTX 3080 be restocked?

While we believe the information below is accurate, it’s important to note that sometimes restocks don’t happen as planned. Restocks may go up late, websites may break, or retailers may just change their minds. This information is to help you plan for possible restocks.

There are multiple versions of the GeForce RTX 3080 on the market for you to pick up, but… well, they’re all sold out right now! You might see some RTX 3080 models “on sale” at places like Amazon, but these will be third-party sellers. PC Gamer reports that this is a problem plaguing much of this year’s PC hardware releases, with similar shortages on AMD graphic cards and new processors. It’s just a rough go of it all around.

Unfortunately, there’s just not a lot of information out there about when the GeForce RTX 3080 will restock. The graphics cards have seen the occasional restock since its initial release, but they usually don’t have much of a warning. Tom’s Hardware reports that the inability to restock has to do with chip shortages and other materials being in short supply. At this time, all we can do is wait and see. If we learn more, we’ll be sure to update this post!

One of the best chances to get the 3080 at this time is if you buy a pre-built PC with the RTX 3080 in it, such as the Alienware Aurora R11 or the ABS Gladiator. Of course, if you’re just looking to upgrade your rig and don’t want a whole new PC, this is far from the best option.

If you absolutely need an RTX 3080 by Christmas, StockX is always an option. With the inflated prices, though, I’d recommend you get by with an older graphics cards and just wait for retailers to restock.

General advice for restocks

Trying to get your hands on something with limited stock is really, really stressful. Make sure to give yourself the best chance you can by following the advice below!

• Make sure you have an account at the store, and all personal information is updated. Restocks put huge strains on websites. On top of that, retailers will only allow you to hold it in your cart for a few minutes, if even that long, when it comes to items like this. Don’t waste your chance trying to update your address or payment information!
• Start refreshing the page early. Often, retailers won’t put stock up at EXACTLY the moment they say. It may be a few minutes early or late. Get to the store page of the item you want before the restock time. You might get lucky!
• Use Ctrl+F5, not just F5. This gives you a hard refresh that doesn’t pull store information from the cache. So, you won’t get outdated information and will be able to see the “Buy” button as soon as possible!
• It’s usually better to be on the computer rather than your phone. While that is not always the case, mobile websites aren’t always optimized for fast refreshing. Or optimized for mobile viewing at all, sometimes. However, sometimes you can have better luck on a mobile app than a browser site. It’s not very often, though, so it’s best to start trying with your computer browser first.

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Store Links

Generally, the GeForce RTX 3080 restocks are only going to happen online, as many typical retailers will not be stocking this in-store. Here is a handy list of retailers that you can check!

• Amazon
• Best Buy
• NVIDIA
• Newegg
• Office Depot/Office Max
• Walmart
• StockX

Unless you have specific and reliable information on an offline retailer stocking up on the card, we would advise against physically visiting a store just to check.

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Huawei Announces Winners of Global App Contest

Huawei, the world’s leading technology company, today announced the winners of Apps UP, its annual HMS global application innovation contest. This contest invited leading developers from around the world to create apps using the HMS and HMS Core full suite of tools and resources, in order to help Huawei device users navigate everyday life more easily.

More than 3,000 teams from over 170 countries and regions took part, with the contest receiving nearly 1,000 app submissions, all integrated with HMS open capabilities. HMS Core, the collection of Huawei Developer kits and services, currently supports more than 2 million registered developers and more than 100,000 HMS Core integrated apps worldwide. These kits work together seamlessly to ensure that Huawei devices provide an exceptional user experience, right out of the box.

 

The entries submitted promoted innovation in areas such as physical and mental health, education, agriculture, environmental protection, transportation, and public safety. Zhang Pingan, President of HUAWEI CLOUD Services, commented: “We will continue to open up more capabilities, integrated development environments, and tools, and strive for software and hardware innovation to enable developers to create innovative applications. We’re welcoming more developers to join the HMS ecosystem, bringing each innovation to the global stage to help shape the future of technology.”

These are the top 20 apps, and the HMS kits that make them possible.

• 100 Doors Games 2020: Escape from School – Integrated: Ads, Account, Game, In-App-Purchases
• Blackout Age – Map Based Postapo Survival Craft – Integrated: Analytics
• Complete Rhythm Trainer – Integrated: Account, Game, In-App-Purchases
• Cooking Mania – Integrated: In-App-Purchases, Account, Game, Ads
• Earthquake Network – Integrated: In-App-Purchase, Ads, Account, Location
• Genius Brain – Too tricky for you? – Integrated: Analytics, In-App-Purchases, Push Ads
• Kustom Widget Maker – Integrated: Location, Ads, In-App-Purchases
• Learn 34 Languages – FunEasyLearn – Integrated: Analytics, Game, In-App-Purchases
• Marble AR – Integrated: AR engine, Account, Game Service, In-App-Purchases, Ads
• Peaklens – Integrated: Location, Analytics
• Plantsnap – Integrated: Map, In-App-Purchase, Account, Push, Location
• Pocket Code – Integrated: Analytics
• Runbit – Integrated: Account, Location, Scan, In-App-Purchases
• Scoolio – Integrated: Analytics, Scan, Push, Location, Dynamic Tag Manager
• Spingram – Integrated: Account, In-App-Purchases
• Streamer Sim Tycoon – simulation mobile game – Integrated: Account, Game, In-App-Purchases
• Sun Locator Lite – Integrated: In-App-Purchases Location, Maps, Dynamic Tag
• TapVenture – Integrated: Account, Game, Ads, In-App-Purchases, Push
• Toy Box Party Game – Integrated: Account, Game, In-App-Purchases
• Virtual Assistant DataBot: Artificial Intelligence – Integrated: Machine Learning, Location, In-App-Purchases

Each of the winners listed above was picked by a panel of judges, as well as public voting. The winners were awarded a cash prize of up to $20,000 each. Huawei will also be promoting their apps on the Huawei AppGallery, so help these developers reach an audience of hundreds of millions of users.

• “Best App” finalists: Scoolio (Germany), Pocket Code (Austria), Complete Rhythm Trainer (Belgium), Marble AR (Germany), and Runbit (Sweden).
• “Most Socially Impactful App” finalists: Plantsnap (USA), Learn 34 Languages (Moldova), and Earthquake Network (Italy).
• “Best Game” finalists: Spingram (Italy), Streamer Sim Tycoon (Finland), and 100 Doors: Escape from School (Serbia).

In addition, the “Most Popular App” prize was awarded to Peaklens (Italy), who received the highest number of votes and downloads during the public review stage. Another twelve apps submitted by European developers, including Virtual Assistant DataBot: Artificial Intelligence (Italy), Sun Locator Lite (Switzerland), and Blackout Age (Poland) all received an “Honourable Mention” award.

Feedback from the Winners

The judges of the Apps UP contest reviewed the submissions in line with four main requirements: positive social influence, excellent visual and functional design, market positioning, and business model and technical features. The successful finalists demonstrated how their apps would empower smarter living, to create an improved all-scenario, digital lifestyle for Huawei device users.

Renee Gittins, Executive Director at International Game Developer Association and Apps UP judge commented: “The functionality for the user and the emotions the app or game invoked were critical during the decision-making process.”

Jaime Gonzalo, Vice President of Huawei Mobile Services in Europe and Apps UP judge said: “Our goal was to shake up the app development industry, interacting with developers from around the world who had not yet had the opportunity or platform to showcase their talents. We were really impressed by the number of applications we received, as well as the outstanding quality of the submissions. It was really refreshing to see the drive of these developers who, with their apps, want to help society in areas such as education and health.”

Catrobat, a non-profit project awarded “Best App” for Pocket Code, developed their app to inspire teenagers and adults to learn coding, in order to prepare for the digital world of the future. Wolfgang Slany, Founder of Pocket Code, commented: “We believe in poverty alleviation through coding education for teens – in particular, girls, refugees, and teenagers in developing countries, with a fun app which can be used directly on their personal smartphone device. Pocket Code has experienced tremendous growth since its launch in 2014 and looking ahead, we plan to add even more HMS Core services to the app, to enable users to embrace its full capabilities.”

Runbit was awarded a win in the “Best App” category. The Runbit creators were asked about the inspiration behind their app. “We wanted to create an app that does not take loaded numbers into consideration. Other apps for runners and walkers focus a lot on calories, pace, and distance, which puts a lot of pressure on their users. Since we identified this gap on the market, we saw an opportunity to create an app that inspires people to get moving, without it feeling like a burden. Therefore, gamification was a keyword in the process from idea to product.”

Marble AR, another finalist in the “Best App” category, is the first location-based Augmented Reality platform that allows people to place memories and stories in the real world. Tom Brückner, Founder and CEO of Marble AR, said: “Having a solid AR framework is absolutely key to an app like ours, which is why the most prominent HMS Core open capability we use is the AR Engine. We were pleasantly surprised by how straightforward the adaption to AR Engine was and so far, the results have been fantastic. Marble AR is also the perfect app to showcase 5G, which is where Huawei’s mobile devices really shine, thanks to their broad experience in this field.”

Games also made a big slash in this contest. Streamer Sim Tycoon is a game that lets users play as an online content streamer, as they grow their business. The creators of this app were able to make the most of their development process, by using Account Kit, Game Kit, and In-App-Purchases Kit. When asked about this process, the developer said “Unity’s Distribution Portal took care of implementing all the HMS Core capabilities needed and made it possible, and hassle-free to get the game to the HMS environment, and to the Huawei AppGallery.”

Apps Up 2020 Contest Winners

Huawei is committed to encouraging developers to innovate, providing comprehensive incentives in terms of capability openness, policy support, and technology enablement. Apps UP is just one of Huawei’s efforts to support developers from around the world, with the winners of the Huawei 2020 DIGIX Global AI Challenge also announced last month, which saw thirty undergraduate and graduate teams awarded prizes from a collective fund of $158,000 USD. In addition, the Huawei DIGIX Geek Innovation Competition Platform has run nearly ten competitions since its conception, to inspire innovation among younger developers, using various technologies such as AI and AR.

Find more information on Huawei’s Apps UP contest and the finalists here.

 

We thank HUAWEI for sponsoring this post. Our sponsors help us pay for the many costs associated with running XDA, including server costs, full time developers, news writers, and much more. While you might see sponsored content (which will always be labeled as such) alongside Portal content, the Portal team is in no way responsible for these posts. Sponsored content, advertising and XDA Depot are managed by a separate team entirely. XDA will never compromise its journalistic integrity by accepting money to write favorably about a company, or alter our opinions or views in any way. Our opinion cannot be bought.

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Xbox Series X vs Xbox Series S – Which one should you buy?

Microsoft’s latest gaming consoles, the Xbox Series X and the Xbox Series S have finally hit the stores. While stocks have been very limited, the holiday season might be the perfect time to get your hands on either one of them. Speaking of which, Microsoft is offering two options for consumers. The fairly affordable Series S can deliver 1440p 120fps gaming along with HDR and Ray Tracing features while the Series X pushes the boundaries by offering 4K 120fps gaming that can even go up to 8K resolution. Now, this itself should give you a fair idea as to which is the right one for you. But let’s quickly first compare the new consoles with the previous-gen offerings, to get better clarity as to how big of an upgrade are we looking at.

Xbox Series X and Series S — The Big Upgrade

The Xbox Series X and Series S, both take a generational leap over the Xbox One X and One S. Let’s consider the four main aspects that you should be looking at. First of all, the new Series X takes a whole new direction when it comes to design. The Series X comes with a tall tower design, unlike the One X that would easily slide under your TV. Similarly, the Series S also gets a new design where Microsoft has managed to shrink it quite a bit, making it the smallest Xbox console ever. This one, however, can still make space under your TV as it can lay flat, unlike the Series X.

Performance is where the new consoles are obviously going to shine. The Xbox Series X comes with a custom made octa-core AMD processor based on the Zen 2 architecture clocked at 3.8GHz. The One X also came with a custom eight-core AMD processor, but that one runs at a maximum of 2.3GHz and was based on an older architecture. The Series X also gets 16GB of GDDR6 RAM that outperforms the 12GB of GDDR5 RAM on the One X and of course more powerful graphics hardware that can deliver 12 teraflops of power and 52 compute units running at 1.825GHz. The GPU on the One X on the other hand only comes with 6 teraflops of power, 40 compute units and runs at 1.172GHz.

This basically means that the Series X can run games at 4K 60fps easily whereas the One X has the ability to run only a handful of titles in full 4K natively. The Series X actually goes beyond that and can play certain titles at 4K 120fps and 8K 30fps. The Series S also makes use of the same custom octa-core CPU that is clocked at 3.6GHz as seen on the Series X which is a huge jump over the 1.75GHz octa-core processor on the One S. There is also an increase in terms of memory where the Series S makes use of 10GB GDDR6 compared to the 8GB of DDR3 RAM and 32MB of ESRAM on the One S.

The more powerful hardware then brings a significant difference in the graphical output between the Xbox Series S and the One S. The older console cannot output 4K while the new Series S aims at 1440p 120fps as well as 4K resolution upscaling features. Besides offering obvious graphics improvements, the two new consoles also bring ray tracing for improved lighting as well as auto HDR features that bring a huge change in the overall look of the games.

The new consoles also make use of a faster SSD instead of using hard drives that were seen on both the Xbox One X and One S.  In doing so, Microsoft promises super-fast load times, as well as a new quick resume feature that lets you switch between games and resume where you left off, without having to load the game all over again. It is notable that the Series S only gets a 500GB SSD, which is less storage compared to the 1TB HDD on the One S, but that was probably done to keep the cost of the new console in check.

Another important aspect here is the optical drive. If that is an important feature for you, then you should know that while the Series X does come with one, the Series S does not. In comparison, the One S was offered with and without the optical drive, while the One X came with a built-in optical drive.

Lastly, the price. The Series X is priced at $499 which is similar to the launch price of the One X, making it a valuable upgrade. On the other hand, the Series S is priced at $299, which is again a great price but you do need to consider that unlike the One S, this one doesn’t come in an optical-drive version. The One S was priced at $299 and $249 for the digital-edition.

Now that we cleared that up, let’s have a look at how the two new consoles compete against each other.

Design

The Series X comes with a tall ‘monolithic’ design, almost like a small form factor tower PC. It can be placed horizontally, however it is suggested otherwise since the cooling fan is going to blow hot air out from the vent on top. It only comes in a black color finish with green accents on the exhaust grill. The design approach for the Series X is debatable. While it makes a lot of sense for optimized thermal performance, it could be tricky to fit inside your existing TV cabinet.

The Series S on the other hand comes in a white finish and has a more conventional design where you place it flat. Now it can stand tall just like the Series X, and being super compact one can easily slide around their TV, vertically or horizontally. Of course, you need to make sure that you don’t block the large round exhaust as it does get quite hot. I personally prefer the design of the Series S, even though I know it isn’t the more powerful one. It just looks really modern and minimalistic with perforations all around for improved airflow.

Performance

Both the consoles are powered by a custom made AMD eight-core processor based on the Zen 2 architecture. The Series X has the CPU clocked at 3.8GHz per core (3.6GHz with multi-threading) while the clock speeds on the CPU of the Series S are at 3.6GHz (3.4GHz with multi-threading). It is the graphics performance that really sets them apart as the Series X comes with AMD’s RDNA2 GPU capable of 12-teraflops performance using its 52 compute units clocked at 1.825GHz. The Series S offers just 4-teraflops performance making use of 20 compute units at 1.565GHz. The Series S gets 10GB of DDR6 memory which is again less than the Series X that comes with 16GB of DDR6.

The higher specced Series X promises 4K gaming and can push up to 8K resolutions at lower frame rates. At its native resolution, the console can go up to 120fps. The Series S on the other hand is optimized for 2K (1440p) gaming at up to 120fps but can offer dynamic resolution going up to 4K. There are certain common features including Ray Tracing, support for quick resume, HDR as well as variable refresh rates (VRR). Both the consoles also offer similar audio features including support for DTS 5.1, Dolby Digital 5.1, Dolby TrueHD with Atmos, and Windows Sonic.

	Xbox Series X	Xbox Series S
CPU	Octa-core AMD Zen 2, 3.8GHz (3.6GHz with multi-threading)	Octa-core AMD Zen 2, 3.6GHz (3.4GHz with multi-threading)
GPU	1.825GHz clock speed, 12 TFLOPS, 52 compute units	1.565GHz clock speed, 20 compute units, 4 TFLOPs
Memory	16GB GDDR6	10GB GDDR6
Resolution support	2160p at 120Hz, up to 8K	1440p at 120Hz, up to 4K
Internal storage	1TB NVMe SSD	512GB SSD
Storage expansion	1TB expansion card	1TB expansion card
External storage	USB 3.1 external HDD support	USB 3.1 external HDD support
Optical disc	4K UHD Blu-Ray Drive	Not available
Connectivity	3x USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-A ports HDMI 2.1 802.11ac dual-band wireless 1Gbps Ethernet	3x USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-A ports HDMI 2.1 802.11ac dual-band wireless 1Gbps Ethernet
Audio	DTS 5.1 DOLBY Digital 5.1 Dolby TrueHD with Atmos Windows Sonic	DTS 5.1 DOLBY Digital 5.1 Dolby TrueHD with Atmos Windows Sonic
Dimensions	301mm x 151mm x 151mm	275mm x 151mm x 65mm
Weight	4.45kg	1.93kg
Price	$499	$299

Storage

Both Xbox Series X and Series S feature custom super-fast NVMe SSD storage. This helps the console to load games way faster than the previous generation consoles. While the Series X gets a larger 1TB drive, the Series S features a 512GB unit. Of course, you can further add a proprietary storage expansion card that would run exactly like the internal drive. Additionally, both the consoles come with three USB 3.1 ports to attach external drives. Thanks to the new SSD drives, these consoles offer a new quick resume feature. Users can pause a handful of games allowing them to quickly jump back in where they left off and even switch between them without reloading the game. Having more storage makes a lot of sense especially considering the fact that games are now tipping the 100GB mark. Also, since these consoles offer backward compatibility, one would definitely need a lot of space to maintain their library.

Price

The consoles are priced at a substantial difference. The Series X is priced at $499 while the smaller Series S is priced at $299. When it comes to the pricing, it makes sense to go for the more powerful Series X. You not only get a more powerful console, but you are also getting double the storage which is going to be crucial if you want to have a solid library of games available at your disposal. While the Series S is indeed cheaper, it makes sense as a purchase only if you have a very strict budget and do not intend to get a 4K TV in the future.

Conclusion: The Xbox Series X should be your de-facto choice

Microsoft has taken the right path by launching two consoles at different price points, similar to how it did with the Xbox One lineup. The Series X is the obvious hero product and feels like a justified next-gen console upgrade. It should be your choice if you care about the best performance along with a high-resolution 4K gaming experience. Along with that, you get larger internal storage compared to the Series S which is important if you want to store more games from the go. The Series S is not as beefy as the Series X. It offers a more compact package and is only optimized for 1440p resolution. It does offer some of the benefits from Series X. But for an extra $200 for the Series X, you are getting a lot more, and honestly, it does make sense to buy the Series X.

Xbox Series X and Series S Restocks: When, where, and how to buy Microsoft’s new gaming console

Go for the Series S only if you are willing to compromise on the resolution and internal storage or just don’t want to spend extra for a 4K TV in the near future, or have a very strict budget. For all other cases, the Xbox Series X is the one you should be buying.

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Realme X50 Pro’s stable Realme UI 2.0 update with Android 11 is now rolling out

Realme was among the first OEMs to announce an Android 11 beta for its flagship Realme X50 Pro earlier this year in June. A month after the announcement, the company rolled out the first Android 11 Beta 1 build with Realme UI to the device. Early last month, the Realme X50 Pro received its first Realme UI 2.0 Open Beta release based on Android 11. And now, the company is finally pushing the first stable build of Realme UI 2.0 to the device.

According to a recent post on the Realme community forums, the Realme UI 2.0 update has started rolling out to Realme X50 Pro users in India. The update (firmware version RMX2076PU_11.C.16) is based on Android 11, and it brings a host of new features to the device. You can check out the complete changelog, with all the new features and improvements in the changelog section below.

As with all major OS updates, the Realme UI 2.0 release for the X50 Pro will roll out to users in a staged fashion. This means that it will only reach a handful of users today, with a broader rollout following a few days after. As of now, Realme hasn’t published a manual download link for the update. We’ll update this post with the download link as soon as it’s available.

Realme UI 2.0 changelog

• Personalizations
  • You can now create your own wallpaper by picking colors from your photos.
  • Third-party icons for apps on the home screen are now supported.
  • Three Dark mode styles are available: Enhanced, medium, and gentle; wallpapers and icons can be adjusted to Dark mode; and the display contrast can be adjusted automatically to ambient light.
• High Efficiency
  • You can now drag text, images, or files out of a floating window or from one app to another app in Split screen mode.
  • Optimized the editing page of Smart Sidebar: Two tabs are displayed and the order of items can be customized.
• System
  • Added “Tone tunes”: Consecutive notification tones will be linked to form a single melody.
  • You can now determine a time period when Do Not Disturb is on.
  • Optimized the user interfaces of Notes: New visuals are provided on the list and editing pages.
  • Added weather animations to provide you with a more interesting experience.
  • Optimized vibration effects for text input and gameplay.
  • Optimized “Auto brightness”.
• Launcher
  • You can now remove a folder or combine it with another one.
  • Added filters for “Drawer mode”: You can now filter apps by letters, install time, or usage frequency to quickly find an app.
• Security and Privacy
  • Added “System cloner”: You can create a system clone from your main system and use different fingerprints to enter different systems.
  • You can now turn “App lock” on or off in Quick Settings.
  • Added “Low battery message”: When your phone battery is lower than 15%, you can quickly send a message to share your location with specified people.
  • More powerful SOS functions
    Emergency info: You can quickly display your personal emergency info to first responders. The information can be shown even when your screen is locked.
  • Optimized “Permission manager”: You can now choose “Allow only once” for sensitive permissions to better protect your privacy.
• Games
  • Added Immersive mode which reduces disturbances while gaming so you can stay focused.
  • You can change the way to summon Game Assistant.
• Communications
  • You can share your personal hotspot with others via a QR code
• Photos
  • Added the Cloud Sync for Private Safe feature which allows you to sync the photos in your Private Safe to the cloud.
  • Optimized the photo editing feature with upgraded algorithms and more markup effects and filters.
• HeyTap Cloud
  • You can back up your photos, documents, system settings and more, and easily migrate to a new phone.
  • You can select the types of data to be backed up or restored.
• Camera
  • Added shortcuts to instantly share and edit photos or videos.
  • Added the inertial zoom feature which makes zooming smoother during video shooting.
  • Added the lens stain detection feature.
  • Added the level and grid feature to help you compose videos.
• realme Lab
  • Added Sleep Capsule, help you schedule downtime and secure your sleep time
• Accessibility
  • Added “Sound Amplifier”: You can amplify faint sounds in the environment and soften loud sounds when wearing earphones.

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Thanks to Telegram user @girish2834 for the screenshot!

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