The Vivo X60 may be able to “switch” between its new OriginOS and Android

Vivo has set its next Developer Conference for November 19, 2020. It is now rumored to unveil a successor for the X50 premium smartphone line at this event, not to mention a whole new operating system. According to a recent leak, it is to be called OriginOS and will be improved compared to the company’s existing Funtouch OS, an Android skin based on version 11 at the latest.

The prolific leaker Digital Chat Station claims to have an interesting new detail on this new software to divulge. Apparently, the X60 will be able to run either it or Android at the user’s whim.This could be interpreted to mean that OriginOS is in fact an entirely discrete in-house product, like Huawei’s HarmonyOS, and, moreover, supports dual-booting.

However, it is much more likely that its substantially altered UI and that of a more standard Android nature will be interchangeable at the touch of the software button mentioned in this new leak. Therefore, it may be as much like a custom launcher as anything. In other OriginOS news, Vivo has reportedly also got it running on older devices that include the iQOO Pro, 3 and Neo3 smartphones.

The Nokia 6300 and Nokia 8000 are making a comeback; new 4G models to debut in a few weeks

Roland Quandt claims that HMD Global has some nostalgia up its sleeve. Writing on Twitter and WinFuture, Quandt states that the company plans to revive the Nokia 6300 and Nokia 8000, following the successes of re-launching the Nokia 3310 and Nokia 8110 4G.

The two reborn classics will support 4G LTE, according to Quandt, so they should also support other modern connectivity like Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. If the Nokia 6300 and Nokia 8000 are anything like the Nokia 8110 4G, then they should run KaiOS, a fork of Firefox OS. KaiOS is also open-source and has spawned custom ROMs, such as GerdaOS.

Quandt expects HMD Global to unveil the Nokia 6300 and Nokia 8000, rebranded as the Nokia 6300 4G and Nokia 8000 4G, within the next few weeks. The two devices should launch with popular apps installed, like Facebook, WhatsApp, Google Maps, YouTube and Twitter, among others. We would expect HMD Global to have improved the Nokia 6300 and Nokia 8000 in a few areas, but new 4G models should retain the charm of the original models.

AMD’s Ryzen 5 5600X is allegedly spotted running at 6GHz via CPU-Z

AMD has launched its Ryzen 5 5600X processor along with the rest of its Vermeer-based siblings, although it has yet to become available. However, this has not stopped it from bring very active in preliminary leaks about its performance. It may have demonstrated its superiority over the Intel Core i5-10600K in Cinebench scores today alone (November 2, 2020).

The new APU may not have stopped there, however: it may also have shown potential fans what it can do when overclocked. It normally runs at 3.7GHz with a boost up to 4.6GHz; however, according to a pnael of CPU-Z results posted by @TUM_APISAK, it is capable of reaching 6.1GHz.

This new leak seems accurate in terms of the specs and properties returned via the analytical tool:six cores; a 7nm archiitecture; the AM4 socket and a TDP of 65 watts (W). There is one discrepancy in which its voltage is listed as 0.1V. Then again, this may be a detection fault in the program.

It is not clear how this frequency may have been achieved (presuming it is genuine), although it is nearly certain that it may not have been achieved using AMD’s Wraith Stealth cooler. CPU-Z’s benchmarking facility has also been used on the 5 5600X recently, resulting in a single thread score of 643 and 4814 in multi-thread scores.

Again, this was better than the i5-10600K in the same test. Therefore, it seems that the Ryzen 5 5600X will at least make a solid alternative to this chipset.

Apple likely to unveil the ARM-based 13-inch MacBook Air, 13-inch MacBook Pro, and 16-inch MacBook Pro on November 10

Despite their announcement several months ago, Apple has been fairly tight-lipped about when it will unveil the world’s first ARM-based Macbooks. Earlier reports have told us that the notebooks would likely land before the year ends. Thankfully, that wait got a whole lot shorter, as Apple just announced its ‘One More Thing’ event on November 10.

A report from Bloomberg suggests that Apple will unveil three new Macbooks at the event, namely a 13-inch MacBook Air, 13-inch MacBook Pro, and a 16-inch MacBook Pro. Renowned Twitter leaker l0vetodream also confirms that there will be two 13-inch MacBooks but neglected to mention the exact model.

We can also expect Apple to unveil a new iPad Pro alongside the MacBooks. An earlier report told us that Apple’s in-house silicon was likely to come in two variants, one with eight cores and the other with twelve. The former will likely be a modified version of the A14X Bionic, which is also set to power the iPad Pro.

Considering that MacBooks need to pack a more formidable punch than iPads, we can expect Apple to use a 4+4 (power/efficiency) configuration on the eight-core chip and an 8+4 layout on the eight-core variant. There’s a more powerful sixteen-core version of the silicon due to hit the shelves in 2021.

The Nokia 10 PureView is now tipped to be a 2021 flagship with a seriously premium display spec

Nokia has developed a habit of allegedly developing flagship phones and then canning them for nebulous reasons. Now, it may have a new one in the works, which may be aimed at a launch in 2021. This 10 PureView has come up in rumors before, albeit without many additional details.

Now, NokiaPowerUser says it has heard from its sources that the phone is set to rock the Snapdragon 875 SoC. This would probably make it a Nokia flagship in 2021. Then again, it is also slated not to launch until the second half of the year, by which time slightly newer chipsets and devices based on them might have emerged.

However, none of them is likely to make another claim the blog is making for the 10 PureView, which is that it will have a display made with “sapphire glass”. OEMs have not offered this spec since the HTC U Ultra special edition in 2017. (Not that it did that company a lot of good in the end.)

NokiaPowerUser also claims the phone will have the “multi-lens” Zeiss-branded camera system for which its series is known. However, it does not know how much the phone might cost on its putative launch. In addition, the manufacturer itself is yet to acknowledge this new leak.

Google Pixel 5: An overview of the test results

After the 5.7-inch Pixel 4 and the 6.3-inch Pixel 4 XL, Google now takes a step backward: The Pixel 5 uses a 6-inch OLED display with an FHD+ resolution of 2340 x 1080 pixels. In addition, there are 8 GB of RAM, 128 GB internal storage, and the Snapdragon 765G mid-range SoC with an integrated 5G communication module.

Although with its mid-range SoC, the Pixel cannot really compete against the high-end competitors, it still offers more than sufficient performance for everyday tasks. Its 4080-mAh battery is also suitable for everyday use, ensuring a very long battery life for the smartphone.

Android 11 and a very good dual camera system

The Pixel 5 already runs Android 11. In addition there is the promise from Google that the Pixel 5 will be provided with updates of the Android operating system and security patches for at least 3 years. The 3-year time frame starts with the introduction of the Pixel 5 into the Google Store USA, which was in mid-October.

Even though the Pixel 5 only has a dual camera system with a 12.2 MP resolution, it plays among the top as far as image quality is concerned, which is traditionally one of the strengths of the Google Pixel series. The Pixel 5 not only takes very good pictures in daylight, but the results are still impressive in bad light conditions. As in the Pixel 4 XL before, there is again an Astro Photo mode for hobby astronomers. 

However, the Pixel 5 is also not free of faults. For example, we missed the option for storage expansion or a more current WiFi module – the Pixel 5 is limited to the slightly aged WiFi 5 (WLAN 802.11ac). And with its stereo speakers, one of which is hidden below the display, the Pixel 5 also does not impress either, since the sound is very thin.

Motorola Moto G 5G to launch with a Snapdragon 750G, a 5,000 mAh battery and 6 GB of RAM

Motorola has a new smartphone in the works, reputedly codenamed Kiev. While the device has been rumoured for a while, XDA Developers and u/kutlay1653 on Reddit have revealed multiple details, including a hands-on photo. According to the former, Motorola will launch the device as the Moto G 5G; a slimmed-down version of the Moto G 5G Plus that Motorola launched earlier this year.

The Moto G 5G will rely on the Snapdragon 750G, Qualcomm’s new mid-range gaming SoC, along with 6 GB of RAM. Additionally, the device will be available with 128 GB of storage and a 6.66-inch display. According to Mishaal Rahman of XDA Developers, the screen will have a 60 Hz refresh rate and a resolution of 2,400 x 1,080 pixels. There will also be a punch-hole for a 16 MP camera, which will be complemented by a 48 MP Samsung GM1 primary camera, an 8 MP Samsung S5K4H7 telephoto lens and a 2 MP OmniVision OV02B10 macro lens.

A 5,000 mAh battery will be powering the Moto G 5G, too. Motorola is expected to release the device on Verizon in the US, but there will be four models: XT2113-1, XT2113-2, XT2113-3 and XT2113-5. A release date or pricing remains unknown for the time being, though.

MediaTek reportedly working on two Cortex-A78 based chips

Even though ARM unveiled its Cortex-A78 and Cortex-X1 cores earlier this year, we are yet to see them in action. If recent benchmark results are anything to go by, they can pack quite a punch. We’ve only seen them in Exynos and Qualcomm chipsets so far. MediaTek is all set to join that list soon, according to a new leak.

Weibo stalwart Digital Chat Station says MediaTek’s upcoming MT6893 and MT6891 chips will use Cortex-A78 cores, likely on a 5nm or 6nm process node. Judging by the model number, the former is likely MediaTek’s top-of-the-line offering, presumably a sequel to the Dimensity 1000. The tipster rounds things off by saying that the company is expected to release both chips earlier than usual. Considering that the MediaTek Dimensity 1000 was released in November 2019, we can expect the company to unveil the silicon soon.

If the yet-to-be-named MediaTek chip uses the same 4+4 configuration as the Dimensity 1000, we can expect it to perform on par with the Exynos 1080 (four Cortex-A78 cores clocked at 3.0GHz). While its performance will be significantly better than its predecessors, it is unlikely to surpass the Qualcomm Snapdragon 875 or the Exynos 2100. However, the gap will probably be a lot less narrow should MediaTek opt for a 1+3+4 design with a Cortex-X1 at the helm.

PlayStation 5 DualSense controller soaks up the accolades as reviewers call it a mind-blowing next-generation game changer

First impressions of the PS5 DualSense controller have started appearing online, and they seem to be almost universally glowing. Marques Brownlee (MKBDH) stated that the DualSense “feels more next gen than any other piece” because of the large haptic motors that are contained inside the accessory. Tom Warren of The Verge took to Twitter to equally laud the merits of the PS5 controller after testing out the haptic feedback and the response of the adaptive triggers: “I still can’t get over how good the PS5 controller is. It’s truly mind blowing”. The DualSense’s purpose is to help immerse the user deeper into the gameplay, such as being able to hear and feel the rumbling feedback in a racing game when a vehicle is moving over rough terrain.

YouTuber Dave Lee was also effusive about the DualSense, settling for a punchy “The PS5 controller is AMAZING” as the title for his video preview of the next-gen accessory. Lee also explained how a special motor is incorporated into the device to offer resistance for certain situations when a gamer needs to use the trigger buttons for more-complicated tasks; he calls it “controllable tension”. Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreier didn’t hold back with his praise either, saying that the controller was “wild” and “feels more ‘next-gen’ than any graphical improvements we’ve seen yet”, thanks to the combination of the haptics, triggers and rumble.

Sakis Karpas of Unboxholics was also impressed with the DualSense’s haptic feedback and adaptive triggers, and he classified the controller as a “game changer”. However, Karpas also pointed out that the battery was “a bit disappointing”, but other sources have also praised the improvement in battery life that the DualSense controller (1,560 mAh) offers over the DualShock 4 (1,000 mAh). YouTube resident Skill Up wore a look of amazement on his face when he held the PS5 accessory and said “the controller blew me away”. The video’s hosts were particularly enamored with the additional gaming properties the controller can provide, such as adding extra resistance in the triggers when a weapon becomes jammed and using the touchpad to move a zip, with the DualSense also offering audio feedback to match the action on the screen.

It’s a flying start for the PS5 and the DualSense in particular. The controller is bustling with features (light effects, built-in microphone, the Create button, etc.) that add extra entertainment value to those long and intense gaming sessions. It seems every component of the DualSense has been carefully considered, even down to the tiny PlayStation symbols that decorate the grips and underside. Although back buttons would certainly have been a welcome inclusion, the DualSense has still successfully delivered a next-gen experience according to these initial reviews.

AMD Ryzen 5 5600X ends Intel’s hegemony in single-thread perf; 10% faster than Core i9-10900K and 23% faster than Ryzen 9 3900X

Intel has traditionally held the single-core performance crown for many generations. AMD did get close to Intel 9th gen Coffee Lake, but Comet Lake once again showed good leads in single-core and gaming. With Ryzen 5000 Zen 3, Intel may not be in a comfortable position any longer.

User /u/losh11 (@loshan1212) first posted CPU-Z results of the Ryzen 5 5600X on Reddit. The OP had since deleted the post, but the results were shared quickly to other subreddits. CPU-Z screenshots and product packaging of the Ryzen 5 5600X were subsequently reposted by @GawroskiT on Twitter.

In the CPU-Z single-thread benchmark, the Ryzen 5 5600X scored 643 points leading the Core i9-10900K by 10% and the Core i7-10700K by 15%. The Zen 3 processor also seems to be 23.4% faster than a Ryzen 9 3900X in single-core, which shows that AMD is leaving no stone unturned in the quest to extract the maximum possible peak performance from the new architecture.

The Ryzen 5 5600X seems to be no slouch in the multi-core either with the processor amassing 4,814 points — 12% faster than the Core i5-10600KF and 14% faster than the Ryzen 5 3600XT.

This is not the first demonstration of AMD’s new found single-core leads, though. Previously, we saw the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X and the Ryzen 5 5600X posting impressive single-core results beating Intel’s flagship Core i9-10900K by a significant margin.

While it is always advisable to wait for final reviews before coming to conclusions, these initial scores do indicate that AMD may have a definite winner on their hands with Zen 3 that does not compromise either in single-core or multi-core workloads.