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 WELCOME PAGE

Contact us
Editor Madeline Bennett madeline@computershopper.co.uk
Reviews Editor James Archer james@computershopper.co.uk
Contributing Editor David Ludlow david@computershopper.co.uk
News Editor Roland Moore-Colyer roland@computershopper.co.uk
Senior Staff Writer Nathan Spendelow nathan@computershopper.co.uk
DESIGN & PRODUCTION
Design Bill Bagnall
Production Editor Steve Haines
Production Manager Daniel Stark
Production Assistant Lewis Small
Network Production Manager Kerry Lambird
CONTRIBUTORS
Jonathan Bray, Tom Bruce, David Crookes, Mel Croucher, Kay Ewbank,
Simon Handby, Alan Martin, Christopher Minasians, Edward Munn,
Nik Rawlinson, Clive Webster
ADVERTISING
Email ads.shopper@dennis.co.uk

A
Group Advertising Manager Charlotte Milligan
020 3890 3486
COVER GIFT CONTACT
s I sit and write my latest column, it’s still
Chris Wiles support@creativemark.co.uk 2018 – just; by the time this issue arrives in
SUBSCRIPTIONS
Tel: 0330 333 9493
your hands, it will be a new year.
Email: customercare@subscribe.computershopper.co.uk Our resolution here at Shopper is to keep
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UK £44.99, Europe £70, Rest of world £90 bringing you the best and most thorough reviews
PHOTOGRAPHY throughout 2019, as well as keeping you abreast of
Michael Pheasant
LICENSING AND SYNDICATION
advances in technology, offering useful and challenging
Ryan Chambers 020 3890 4027 Ryan_Chambers@dennis.co.uk projects to work on, and exploring interesting and
Anj Dosaj-Halai 020 3890 3816 anj_halai@dennis.co.uk
MANAGEMENT unusual areas of the computing world.
Tel 020 3890 3890 With that, the first issue of the new year seems a good
Managing Directoror John Garewal
Group Advertising Directoror Julian Lloyd-Evans time to introduce some new elements to the magazine.
Newstrade Directoror David Barker
Group CFO/COO Brett Reynolds Our popular Retro feature has trebled in size and has
Chief Executive James Tye
Company Founder
under Felix Dennis
moved to the in-depth section of the magazine. In the
PRINTING updated article, we’ll be profiling some of the key figures
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who have been so influential in the UK technology sector,
LIABILITY as well as taking a look back at some of the most
While every care was taken preparing this magazine, the publishers
cannot be held responsible for the accuracy of the information or
innovative and enduring products, and rounding up the
any consequence arising from it. All judgements are based on equipment latest retro news and events.
available to Computer Shopper at the time of review. ‘Value for money’
comments are based on UK prices at time of review. All prices include We start with a profile of Rick Dickinson, the design
VAT unless otherwise stated.
Computer Shopper takes no responsibility for the content of external
guru behind the ZX Spectrum, who also worked on an
websites whose addresses are published in the magazine. upcoming refresh of the ground-breaking computer (p123).
COMPUTER SHOPPER INCORPORATES UPGRADE SHOPPER, GAMES
SHOPPER, INTERNET SHOPPER, MOBILE SHOPPER, PC SHOPPER, We’ve also got a new column: Kay’s Corner, penned
PORTABLE SHOPPER AND SOFTWARE SHOPPER by long-time Shopper writer Kay Ewbank (p10). This will
A DENNIS PUBLICATION
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All material © Dennis Publishing Limited licensed by Felden 2019, and
artificial intelligence and the internet of things,
may not be reproduced in whole or part without the consent of the sharing practical advice on how you can get the
publishers. ISSN 0955-8578
© Copyright Dennis Publishing Limited
most out of these technologies.
But if Kay’s writing her column, who’s going to answer
our business queries, you may well ask. Never fear, as
we’ve incorporated Business Help into Helpfile (p128), so
please keep sending in your office and software questions
to Simon Handby. He’ll be adding those to the pile of PC

Subscribe and hardware problems he investigates each month.

Here’s to a refreshed and happy 2019!
and save
Call us on
0330 333 9493
or see page 126 Madeline Bennett
Bennett, Edit
Editor
madeline@computershopper.co.uk

ISSUE 373 | COMPUTER SHOPPER

PPER
R | MARCH 2019 3
 CONTENTS
Contents
p78
p90
p118
Regulars
6 Letters
Your monthly missives of wit and wisdom,
tips and tricks, and moans and groans
8 Mel’s World
When Mel Croucher started out in the music
biz, platforms were something you wore on
your feet. Now they’re the key to controlling
what we listen to, and there’s a new challenger
to Spotify and YouTube on the block
10 Kay’s Corner
How fit is Fido? Kay Ewbank attaches a
fitness tracker to her hound to find out.
Unsurprisingly, she discovers that the dog’s
getting a lot more exercise than she is
12 Rants & Raves
Don’t worry if you see David Ludlow saying
‘please’ and ‘thank you’ to his laptop – he
hasn’t completely lost the plot, he’s just
making sure the machines will be equally as
nice to him when they finally take over
138 Zygote
When a government cyber minister has never
used a computer, and a security awareness
trainer leaks email addresses like a rusty old
sieve, what hope is there for the rest of us?
4
Issue 373 March 2019
p123
p102 Features
News
All the latest news and views from the
technology world, including:
14 News Round-up
78 Smart Life
New revelations about Facebook’s privacy
and data protection policies raise concerns;
Save money, boost security and make life
and Qualcomm reveals its new 5G-capable more convenient with our step-by-step
Snapdragon chip guide to setting up a smart home
16 From The Lab
In-depth coverage of all the latest scientific
and technological advances
17 The Lowdown: 5G rollout
The super-fast mobile connection is finally
hitting UK cities this year. But just how fast
is it, and what difference will it make to you?
Learn 118 All the President’s Code
As ASCII turns 50, Nik Rawlinson looks at
128 Helpfile & Business Help how a former US President helped establish
Got a PC problem, app annoyance or the ground-breaking coding standard
Windows woe? Fear not: Simon Handby
is here to answer all your queries 123 Retro: Rick Dickinson
Our expanded Retro
132 Advanced Projects section kicks off with
It’s a blast from the past this month, as David Crookes’ tribute
Clive Webster shows you how to make to the pioneering
your own retro games console with a genius behind the
Raspberry Pi for just £36 ZX Spectrum
 p132

p118

p90

Reviews Group Tests

90 Smart Thermostats
18 Hot Product Stay cosy this winter
OnePlus continues its smartphone winning streak with the 6T, a and save money on
relatively affordable high-end handset with terrific battery life your energy bills by
and a neat fingerprint sensor built into the display taking full control over
your heating system
with a smart thermostat
22 PCs 42 Laptops
The Yoyotech Warbird i3 is a great-looking PC Asus’s new ZenBook S (p44) is an 102 4K TVs
that can handle 1080p gaming, but you can get uncharacteristic disappointment, Bring the big screen to
far more capable systems for similar cash suffering both heat and performance your living room with
problems, despite its high price a 4K TV. With prices
28 Components starting at just £279,
Unlike RTX 2080 and 2080 Ti graphics cards, 48 Handhelds there’s never been a
the MSI GeForce RTX 2070 Armor 8G is worth There’s a new 12.9in iPad Pro in town, better time to buy
buying even before ray-tracing support spreads and it’s an immensely powerful 2-in-1
tablet, even if some choices on Apple’s
32 Displays part hold it back
If you’re after a curved gaming monitor,
beware the AOC C27G1’s low brightness 54 Audio
74 Your Software*
and iffy response time settings The waterproof Brainwavz BLU-300 Create top-quality websites from scratch
headphones are good exercise aids, so with WebSite X5 Start 17 – no design or
36 Storage long as you’re wearing the right-sized tips coding experience required
With speeds that almost match top-tier
SSDs in certain tests, the Crucial P1 makes
for a fine budget NVMe drive
55 Smart Home
Hot on the heels of the 6
PA
FULL
Google Home Hub, the CKAGES
38 Networks new Amazon Echo
It’s short on a few features, but otherwise the Show makes some
BT Complete Wi-Fi system performs well and welcome improvements
is great value for BT Plus customers to both design and
functionality
40 Printers
Creative types will appreciate the Epson 56 Best Buys
Expression Premium XP-6100, although Looking for the best kit we’ve reviewed * FREE SOFTWARE
EDITION ONLY
perhaps not its running costs recently? It’s all in our Best Buys section

ISSUE 373 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | MARCH 2019 5

 LETTERS
Letters
Being able to take your devices on holiday with you is a real boon, but why
do we need so many chargers and cables to keep everything powered up?
letters@computershopper.co.uk
Base instincts
I’m grateful for
Mike’s well-meant
suggestion of Filemaker
for running membership
systems (Letters, 372).
Unfortunately, it doesn’t
come on Shopper’s cover
gift any more. Typically, it’s
£12 a month to rent or £400+ to buy.
Not really much use to cash-strapped
voluntary organisations, which need cheap
but legitimate software.
Paul Martin
We’re well under way with the research for
our ‘Life after Access’ feature, investigating four
different database options, so hopefully that
will provide a suitable alternative for you. Look
out for the article in the next issue of Shopper.
Star letter
Cable tied
I’ve just returned from a trip of a
lifetime, and like any good techie
tourist, I took my technology with me.
It wasn’t the technology that bothered
me, or the fact I had to lug it around.
What astonished me was the sheer
number of power supply units and
connecting cables I had to take just to
power and/or charge the portable devices.
My wife’s laptop and my laptop needed
different PSUs, the camcorder likewise, as
did the two digital SLRs. Mobile phones,
tablets, portable music players, fitness
watches, the list goes on. Some devices
charged external batteries in situ, others
needed a dedicated charging cradle.
On top of that, I had every type of USB
cable ever invented. Out of curiosity, I
weighed the total amount of support
equipment needed to power my tech.
It weighed in at 3.8kg.
The question is, in this high tech world,
why can’t manufacturers standardise?
Surely with USB Type-C, one type of cable
should be enough, at least until technology
demands a new standard?
6 MARCH 2019
Out of control one daughter has a Sky router and the
As a long-time other daughter has a Virgin Media Hub 3.0,
subscriber I have neither of which offers these features in an
used your magazine to easily controlled manner.
buy many products over So I thought that there would be an easy
the years and found solution even if it cost money. I would just
almost all of them to be purchase a Wi-Fi router that has these
good value for money. controls easily available, and switch the
Unfortunately, as a ISP routers into Modem mode.
retired IT person, my two daughters and I have reached the stage of giving up in
others frequently ask me for help in various disgust and telling them to switch the router
technical aspects of their family computer off and take it to bed with them (which is
use. The latest problem is not popular if the parents
to find a way to place time want to use the internet),
limits on their children’s because obtaining
use of the internet through information about the
their particular routers. device time limit facilities
I myself have a BT Home is almost impossible.
Hub 6, which is very easy I therefore have two
to set up for this. However, requests. First, would it be
What about PSUs? Device handshaking
One multi-port brick establishes the
with intelligence built charging parameters:
in to sense the voltage ‘Dear Brick, I’m an
and current requirements Acme Model X3 music
of the device it’s player. I need 5V at 1.2
connected to, along with amps. Please supply.’
a universal connector, is I should only need
surely all you need? Off-device battery a couple of USB Type-C cables, battery
charging should offer adaptors to adaptor plates for the devices I use, and
accommodate the battery attached, and all a single or dual cable with its universal
of this should be built into the brick. connector to work the lot. Everything
All tech devices are now intelligent, so connected through the brick. Surely in
just plugging a device into the brick the year 2019 we can do that?
should be all that’s required to power it. Stephen Donoghue
❱❱ Write in and win
Do you wish your computer was faster when booting and loading
applications? Thanks to Crucial, you can achieve your dream of a
faster PC or laptop with a 500GB MX500 SSD. The writer of our Star
Letter will be awarded one of these solid-state devices, which can be
installed in a desktop PC or a laptop.
This SSD is 45 times more energy efficient than a typical hard STAR
drive and has sequential reads/writes up to 560/510 MB/s and random reads/ PRIZE
writes up to 95K/90K IOPS, making it the perfect replacement for the ageing 480GB
hard drive in your sluggish PC. SSD
| COMPUTER SHOPPER | ISSUE 373

possible for you to produce an article
showing how to implement individual
device time limits in different routers,
ISP and others; and second, would it be
possible to include some information in
your router reviews as to how easy it is to
implement these limits?
Thank you for a really interesting
magazine – even if I am usually a few copies
behind with my reading.
Iain Sillars
We can certainly cover this topic in a future
article or our upcoming wireless routers group
test, and will also aim to provide information
on setting parental controls and time limits in
our individual router reviews going forward.
Written in thestars
I don’t think Richard Carrington would
have been flattered by his mention in
‘Are We There Yet?’ (Shopper 372). He was
an astronomer, not an astrologer.
Steve Smith
You’re of course correct that
Carrington (right) was a
19th-century astronomer, noted
for demonstrating the existence
of solar flares and suggesting
their electrical influence upon
the Earth; we have no idea
what star sign he was, and he
probably didn’t either.
Poles apart
Not wishing to minimise
Alan Turing’s contribution (Letters,
371), but may I point out that the Enigma
code was first broken in 1932 by Henryk
Zygalski, a Pole (pictured top right).
While the British tried to use language to
break the code with limited results, the
Poles used mathematics. Zygalski was joined
by Marian Rejewski and Jerzy Różycki,
brilliant mathematics graduates.
As the Germans altered the patch panel,
and changed and added new code wheels,
In the next issue
❱❱PCs on test
Finding a versatile home PC on a budget
can be hard, but it’s not impossible.
We go in search of budget perfection
with £700 desktops on test
COMPUTER SHOPPER ISSUE 374 ON SALE IN NEWSAGENTS FROM 14th FEBRUARY
ISSUE 373 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | MARCH 2019
the code had to be broken
anew. The Poles had three
ways to break the Enigma code.
To enable them to keep pace
with the changes, the Poles
invented various devices to
achieve this. One of them was
the Bomba, an electro-
mechanical computing device.
With time, German codes
became more difficult to crack.
Therefore, the Poles paralleled
(paralleling much used in
computing to this day) six Bombas together
for more power to speed up the decoding.
In July 1939, with the war imminent, the
Poles invited French and British delegations
to a secret cryptology unit in Kabaty Las
(Kabaty Wood) near Pyry, south of Warsaw.
There they where informed of the Polish
breaking of the German codes.
In the British delegation was a chap called
Dilly Knox, who threw a tantrum upon the
discovery that the Poles had broken the
codes and not the British. Each
delegation was presented with the
Polish version of the Enigma
machine and ancillary equipment.
The British also received circuit
diagrams of the Bomba.
After the invasion of Poland by
the Germans and their allies the
Russians, hundreds of thousands
of Poles made their way to France,
there to fight the Germans once
again. Some of the cryptology unit
made it there as well. Turing went
to the Poles in France to elicit as much
information from them as he could, to be
able to carry on the work in Britain.
The Polish Bomba was to become
the British Bombe, so Turing and
Gordon Welchman didn’t so much as
invent the Bombe, as to enhance and
develop the Bomba.
As an aside, some Poles involved in the
code-breaking team were captured by the
Germans. The Germans tried to obtain any
❱❱Super computing
We delve into the world of super computers,
and explore how they are making a real
difference to the worlds of healthcare and
the environment
LETTERS
information they could from
the Poles in their hands.
Under torture, none of
them gave away the secret.
They went to their deaths
in the extermination camps
rather than try to barter for
their freedom.
Jerzy E Woźnicki
Licence to ill
For years we have used
Kaspersky products on
our home computers and devices, but no
more. Why? Because Kaspersky has refused
to reactivate Total Security on a PC after a
motherboard change.
Why? Because the activation key has
– according to Kaspersky – been used 15
times. What? Hang on. I bought a new
licence key for five devices, activated it
and registered them all on the MyKaspersky
portal, but Kaspersky then allowed this
five-device licence to be activated on
another 10 devices.
Hadn’t I purchased software called
Total Security on a five-device licence?
How could it simultaneously be activated
on 15? Why did Kaspersky not lock it to
the MyKaspersky portal that originally
registered it on five devices?
Kaspersky replied: “We are not allowed
to do that… That would be annoying [to
users]”. Just how annoying do they think
this is to us, the legitimate users who first
registered it?
But after 21 circular emails, Kaspersky
remains adamant it is my fault, apparently
because I bought the licence from eBay and
now, despite having five months of unused
licence left to run, it insists the only way to
reactivate protection is to buy a new licence.
Yes, Kaspersky Total Security allows
illegitimate users to cuckoo out legitimate
ones and then tells them it is their fault.
After 15 years, I will never buy a Kaspersky
product again.
Brad
❱❱Make Windows 10 retro
How to get a retro Windows look but with
all the convenience and reliability of the
latest Microsoft operating system
7
 MEL’S WORLD
Musical shares
He’s gone from playing bass in a dingy basement to hobnobbing with the likes of Prince
and Eminem, but Mel Croucher’s latest musical venture could really shake things up
THIS IS A story about the future
of streamed digital music, which
is why I am starting it in the past.
Once upon a time, I was a
bass player in a rock’n’roll band.
That was back in the old days,
when everyone with greasy hair
and acne was forced to be in a
rock’n’roll band by law.
At the time, there was a
rock’n’roll gold rush going on,
and I was out to stake my claim
and dig up a gleaming nugget.
MEL CROUCHER My band wrote too much lousy
Tech pioneer and all-round good egg music, we rehearsed too often,
letters@computershopper.co.uk and we got paid too little. In fact,
every time we appeared on stage
we lost money, not only because
we were rubbish, but also
because we got ripped off by the
owners of all the local gold mines.
After a while, I figured out
that in a gold rush the only
people who make money are
those who sell shovels, so the
guitarist and I opened a small
club in a little basement venue,
and we charged one shilling and
sixpence for people to come and
suffer our terrible music.
People who control the platform as well as
the content also control the future of music
It was a revelation. Our
audience also paid a modest
ransom to drink beer, and the
owners of the venue were happy
with this ready-made clientele,
so they didn’t charge us rent.
By the end of the first week,
we were in profit.
And that’s how I discovered
that people who control the
platform as well as the content
also control the future of music.
These days they are known as
Netflix, Amazon and a whole host
of streamed music providers, and
they are all fighting over the
same motherload of music gold.
Many years after my clubland
experience, after a diversion into
the computer games business, I
invested my money in making
8 MARCH 2019
overblown concept albums. In
return, I received pitiful royalties
from the charlatans and shysters
running the record business.
I continued to give away
the profits from my musical
efforts until I remembered my
gold rush shovel experience,
and then I took back control by
crowdfunding my work and
selling direct to the good folk
who backed me.
I was quite happy with this,
until I discovered my music was
being stolen by advertisers for
soundtracks to stuff that should
be outlawed by the Geneva
Convention against crud. I simply
did not have the strength or
budget to fight them, so I didn’t.
DRUM’N’BASE
But I knew people who did,
people like Frank Zappa, Prince
and Eminem, and I worked with
them to build up huge online
databases of fans, with the
intention of taking back control
and selling direct. Those men
were far-sighted artists who
understood that the tyranny of
the new electronic platforms
was just as bad as the tyranny
of the old system of vinyl
exploitation and payola, and
they taught me a lot.
These days, the next
generation of aspiring musicians
and singers seem quite happy to
give away all their hard work on
YouTube or Spotify in the hopes
that some benefactor will pay
them enough to buy a pizza.
Trust me, they won’t.
YouTube pays artists the
princely sum of 1.7% of
streaming revenues, which
works out at $0.00074 a pop.
In other words, you need 10,000
people to enjoy your stuff on
YouTube before you can earn
enough to afford that pizza.
Google and Amazon seem
really generous by comparison.
They pay out around 4% of a
pittance, so if you’re really
successful you could afford a
large pizza with extra toppings.
What the world needs is an
ethical deal for creatives, and
because online streaming is now
the norm, here is my manifesto.
I will call my ethical crusade
Jeeni, not only because it has
connotations of magic and
genius, but also because I have
just spent all my pocket money
buying up Jeeni domain names.
JEAN JEENI
First of all Jeeni must allow
artists to upload original music
into a digital vault, where it is
date-stamped, fingerprinted,
watermarked, credited and
copyright protected for them
forever. Next, the actual
distribution of the music must
also be protected, so it can
only be played on platforms
that the creator has authorised
using a unique Jeeni key.
Then Jeeni will put its artists in
direct contact with past, present
and future fans, build up a
database of those fans, and allow
them to sell their music, and
pimp their streamed concerts,
and flog off their commemorative
leisurewear, direct to their eager
new audience.
Better yet, Jeeni should let
the artists trouser 100% of the
profits. How’s that for a music
industry disrupter!
I’ve asked some of my old
chums in the music industry to
help me out, and they have
agreed because they feel exactly
the same as I do about the need
for an ethical deal for new talent.
They know a lot about the music
industry, having sold 500 million
records between them. Just
because my generation put up
with the old system doesn’t
mean the next generation has
to do the same.
Anyway, in case you’re
thinking I’ve gone all soft and
fluffy with this Jeeni largesse, you
may have worked out what I am
doing in this brave new world of
ethical online gold rushes. That’s
right, I’m not just selling shovels,
I own the shovel factory.
| COMPUTER SHOPPER | ISSUE 373
 KAY’S CORNER
Fitness freaks of nature
With dogs and chickens now wearing fitness trackers, Kay Ewbank is worried that
her mutt and her hens are getting a better workout than she is
GET ANY GROUP of runners,
cyclists or keen hikers together,
and soon after the debate on the
best warm-up exercises and ways
to prevent blisters, they’ll have
their wrists out comparing fitness
bands and apps. If one person
boasts of how their device or app
can tell them their average heart
rate while cycling and how well
they’re sleeping, someone else
will have a better GPS (and a
device that’s waterproof to 25
KAY EWBANK metres, not that they ever go
Software guru and Shopper legend diving). In these situations I sit
letters@computershopper.co.uk quietly in the corner and hide the
fact I use a cheapo band I bought
second-hand and am in an online
league with – well – me, really.
However, I’m as hooked as the
rest of them, partially because
what most of these devices and
apps have in common is a wide
range of ways to keep you
motivated. It still does seem a
bit strange to me that we allow
an electronic coach to nag us.
All that ‘go for it’ and ‘keep it up’
are horribly reminiscent of the PE
I have contemplated adding squirrel chasing to my daily workout,
but feel it would worry the other dog walkers I encounter if they
found me barking at the bottom of a tree
teacher back in my school days,
apart from the fact I was far
better at avoiding her.
So what might improve
matters would be to have a more
encouraging voice. After all, if we
can have Clint Eastwood’s or
Katherine Hepburn’s voices for
our answering machine messages,
why can’t we have Arnold
Schwarzenegger telling us we’re
‘doing great’? Sadly, I haven’t
been able to find an app offering
such delights, but you do have
choices, depending on the device
and app you’re using.
Most apps running on
Android devices use the Google
Text to Speech voice, and you can
change that in the Text-to-speech
10
option in Settings. Click on the
gear icon, choose the language –
essentially US English or UK
English for most of us – then
work your way through the
choices to see which one you
like best. I was disappointed that
they all sounded quite similar
and very 1950s BBC English.
iPhone users need to change
the Siri Voice in Settings, and
there are choices of American,
Australian and British, with either
male or female options. Doing
this gets round problems
experienced by many Strava
users recently, who have had
their coach’s voice changed to a
very robotic option.
FIT AS A FIDO
In an attempt to get more
encouraging feedback on the
household’s exercise regime, I’ve
even got the dog wired up, with a
fetching little device on his collar.
This depressingly shows he goes
a lot faster and further than me.
Well, he’s a lot younger, and
chasing those squirrels is very
aerobic. I have contemplated
adding squirrel chasing to my
daily workout, but feel it would
worry the other dog walkers I
encounter if they found me
barking at the bottom of a tree.
The dog’s device is a fairly
low-cost entry-level option that
currently only reports his
prowess back to me, but there
are an increasing number of
options that can be used to check
your pet doesn’t leave a defined
safe area such as the garden,
monitor their daily activity levels
(why shouldn’t he have a daily
step count to fret about too?)
and even check on itchy skin by
looking at sleep patterns.
MARCH 2019
Devices such as Whistle
(www.whistle.com) have a large
database of how a healthy dog
behaves based on the breed,
weight and age. The data is cloud
based, and you can check it out
and see how it compares to what
your dog actually gets up to. You
can send the report to your vet,
or print it out and take it along.
Whistle (which has a new version
of its app) also analyses the data
returned by your pet’s device,
looking for patterns that might
indicate underlying problems.
Another option is PetPace
(www.petpace.com), which is a
collar that measures not just
activity, but temperature, pulse,
respiration and the number of
calories burned. Yes, you can
have an extra biscuit today, Fido.
FOWL PLAY
This month, however, I’ve a new
target for physical improvement:
the chickens. I’m not joking
here. Researchers at the
University of California have
developed what they term a
‘Fitbit for chickens’. Ha, now I’ll
be able to find out what my
motley flock of garden hens are
up to while I’m not there to nag
them. The device is a miniature
backpack that can analyse the
behaviour of the chicken to see
if it’s pecking, preening or
dust-bathing, with an accuracy
level of more than 85%.
Hang on, though, what about
telling me if the chicken is laying
eggs? That would be a lot more
useful. In reality, the study was
more about large-scale poultry
farms. The researchers are
going to gather information to
see whether chickens behave
differently if they’re ill or
healthy, so that poultry farmers
would be able to get an early
warning of problems.
On the whole, the thought of
both the chickens and the dog
beating my exercise record
should be quite an incentive to
help me stick to my new year
fitness regime.
| COMPUTER SHOPPER | ISSUE 373
 RANTS & RAVES
The robots are in the process of taking over, so if we want to survive
the rise of the machines, we’d better start being nice to them
w
David Ludlo
ORIGINALLY POSTED IN 2015, a Boston Dynamics video was
doing the rounds again this Christmas. It shows a sleigh being
pulled along by the company’s quadruped robots, cheerfully
dressed up to look like reindeer. It’s truly the stuff of nightmares.
Yet, being three years old, the advancements in the robots have
been quite truly stunning. Unlike Daleks, which could be easily
thwarted by running upstairs, the Boston Dynamics quadrupeds
can climb stairs and open doors.
It’s Atlas, the human-like biped, that has come on the most.
A few years ago, it was falling over or making a mess of stacking
shelves. Today, it can jump over objects and even perform parkour.
More recently, Atlas has been learning something that most
children have mastered early on: walking properly. For balance,
Atlas had been walking with bent knees, looking as though it had
Mo ore - Colyer
Roland
OVERALL, 2018 WAS a good year for technology. Granted, the
likes of Microsoft’s Surface Laptop 2, the Samsung Galaxy S9 and
OnePlus 6T were but incremental upgrades on already decent
devices, but there has also been some decent new tech from Nvidia
and its GeForce RTX 2000-series graphics cards, along with the
effective return of the MacBook Air.
But one area that’s left me feeling disappointed is wearable
technology. Despite there being a fair bit of that segment of the
tech world out in the wild, aside from smartwatches – by which I
really mean the Apple Watch – there isn’t a lot that impresses me.
I recently got a McLear smart ring to try out. Made out of
polished zirconia, it’s an attractive bit of jewellery, if you’re into
that kind of thing. But all it facilitates is contactless payments,
and not always that well. I had to often tug the ring off before
12
had some kind of toilet accident. Thanks to some
advanced training, Atlas is being taught how to
walk standing up, just like a human does.
It won’t just make him look better when he moves,
either. Standing straight will improve balance and
ensure Atlas can recover from slips, spills or being
ens
pushed. So, that’s the option of defeating the army of
pus
robots by scattering marbles everywhere out of the window.
this point, it’s time to admit that time’s up and the
At thi
robots are going to take over. I, for one, welcome our new robot
overlords, who will hopefully treat us kindly and perform the jobs
that we don’t want to do while we get more leisure time. That’s only
going to happen if we’re nice to them.
In the Atlas video where it learns to walk standing up, a guy can
clearly be seen prodding at the robot with a boxing glove on a stick.
The idea is to show how Atlas remains standing and can deal with
obstacles. I’m not going to be that guy. When the robots rise up,
they’ll be straight after the people that treated them badly.
So, I’m going to be nice to my devices. I’ll pat my laptop good
night; I’ll remember my pleases and thank yous when talking to
Alexa; and I’ll help any robot that falls over. I’ll survive the robot
revolution and might even get to enjoy the benefits it will bring.
it registered a payment, which made it less effective
than using a smartphone with G Pay.
And that’s the problem with wearable tech at the
moment. It doesn’t do enough to make it worth the
expense, or offer services that are more convenient
than using a smartphone.
Now I’m not expecting an Iron Man-style suit any
timee soon,
s but I’d really like to see 2019 usher in some
proper wearable tech. How about a smart ring that acts as a
one-stop authenticator for everything, not just payments? Or a coat
that can harvest solar energy and charge your phone while also
boosting its signal when you’re out on a mountain hike in an area
with poor reception? Or perhaps a jacket that can monitor your
body’s temperature and heart rate to alert you of any health
problems without the need to wear a naff fitness band?
As for things like smart glasses and augmented/virtual reality
headsets, surely there’s scope to add more functionality and
ergonomic design into them to make them less curio gadgets and
more devices we want to use every day.
The world now has plenty of underlying tech to make what
would have seemed futuristic just a few years ago an actual
reality; it’s just the execution needs to be nailed. 2018 let me down
on that, so here’s hoping 2019 delivers the goods.
MARCH 2019 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | ISSUE 373
 The biggest stories from the tech world, and what they mean for you
Internal Facebook documents spark fresh concerns
over social network’s privacy policies
SAY WHAT?
AS YEARS GO, 2018 wasn’t a great one for Facebook. The social
network was embroiled in the Cambridge Analytica scandal and fined
£500,000 as a result by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO); it
accidentally published the private posts of 14 million users; and saw
Mark Zuckerberg tackle questions from US senators over Facebook’s
data use, privacy policies and how it tackles fake news.
That would be enough for pretty much any company, but the year
had one last jab to throw at Facebook.
When Zuckerberg sent his chief technology officer Mike Schroepfer
to answer a UK parliamentary committee’s questions about Facebook’s
part in the Cambridge Analytica scandal, MPs weren’t exactly impressed.
Damian Collins MP, chair of the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
Committee, penned an open letter to Zuckerberg asking him several
times to come and face questioning. Zuckerberg refused each time, even
in the face of a joint committee held by UK and Canadian MPs,
explaining he couldn’t attend every hearing to which he’s summoned.
SO WHAT?
THE REDACTED COMMUNICATIONS revealed lots about Facebook
that’s worth chewing over if you think of the company as a place just for
sharing updates and stalking old school friends.
One nugget of rather damning insight was that Facebook had been
keen to bury as deep as possible changes to its privacy policy in its
Android app, which would allow it to collect call and textt llogs.
Such questionable data use also extended to Facebook’s
use of Israeli analytics firm Onavo to work out which
mobile apps its users were downloading and assess if
they were a threat to Facebook’s platform. If such apps
were deemed a threat, Facebook would try to crush
them by denying access to its data. The documents
note that Zuckerberg himself decided whether
potential rival apps would have access to Facebook
data or not. In one conversation between Zuckerberg
and a Facebook engineer, the company founder approved
a move to cut access to its application programming
interface (API) for Twitter’s video app Vine in 2013.
Facebook was also accused by Damian Collins MP of letting
some companies have access to users’ friends data without their
consent, even after it made changes to its platform to end such access.
“Facebook has clearly entered into whitelisting agreements with
certain companies, which meant that after the platform changes in
2014/15 it maintained full access to friends’ data,” Collins wrote in a note
in the documents.
“It is not clear that there was any user consent for this, nor how
Facebook decided which companies should be whitelisted or not.”
The documents also reveal that Facebook had pondered the idea of
selling data access to developers, as according to Zuckerberg at the
time: “It’s not at all clear to me here that we have a model that will
actually make us the revenue we want at scale. I’m getting more on
board with locking down some parts of platform, including friends’
data and potentially email addresses for mobile apps.”
One positive thing to come out of the documents is that Facebook
didn’t think it’s worth charging users for access to the social network.
14
At the same time, US software firm Six4Three was attempting to sue
Facebook over changes to the social network’s privacy policy in 2014.
Last November, Six4Three’s chief executive happened to be in the
UK, whereby parliament’s Serjeant at Arms confronted him and
effectively forced the handover of documents relating to the ongoing
trial the company had against Facebook in California. Those documents
contained internal Facebook communications, and those between the
social network and external companies.
As Zuckerberg missed the deadline to attend the joint committee
hearing, under parliamentary privilege, which allows the redacted
documents to be published in the UK but not in the US, the private
Facebook communications were put online as they were deemed to be
in the public interest. And they certainly were, spilling the beans on
Facebook’s attitude towards privacy and data use before the Cambridge
Analytica scandal took place and Facebook had implemented sweeping
changes to its privacy policy in 2014.
Zuckerberg claimed that the documents include cherry-picked
communications rather than giving the full picture behind the efforts
Facebook was making to change its platform for the better around 2014
and 2015. He also claimed the data use and privacy changes Facebook
made saw the purging of ‘sketchy apps’, including the quiz that led to
Facebook data being passed on to Cambridge Analytica.
“We’ve focused on preventing abusive apps for years,
and that was the main purpose of this major platform
change starting in 2014,” he said.
“In fact, this was the change required to prevent
the situation with Cambridge Analytica. While we
made this change several years ago, if we had only
done it a year sooner we could have prevented that
situation completely.”
And when it came to the idea of selling data access,
Zuckerberg said it was just that: an idea.
“Like any organisation, we had a lot of internal
discussion and people raised different ideas,” he explained.
“Ultimately, we decided on a model where we continued to
provide the developer platform for free and developers could choose to
buy ads if they wanted. This model has worked well. Other ideas we
considered but decided against included charging developers for usage
of our platform, similar to how developers pay to use Amazon AWS or
Google Cloud. To be clear, that’s different from selling people’s data.
We’ve never sold anyone’s data.”
Despite these protestations, Facebook has certainly had its once
arguably polished reputation tarnished in recent months. We suspect
the documents might have more people leaving the social network for
a break, if not for good.
As we head into 2019, it looks as though Facebook has a lot to do if
it’s to live up to its external messages of a world-linking platform that
values privacy and honesty, as well as sharing. But with more than 1.5
billion people on Facebook worldwide, the social network doesn’t look
like it’s going to fade away any time soon, regardless of what Zuckerberg
and his company decide to do next.
MARCH 2019 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | ISSUE 373
 BOOTING UP
Chips ahoy
Intel has revealed that it’s working on
10-nanometre processor architecture

New Snapdragon CPU aims to make dubbed Sunny Cove, due at the end
of 2019

your next phone smarter and faster Gender defender

Google is working hard on reducing
SAY WHAT? the gender bias in its Google
Translate service
QUALCOMM’S SNAPDRAGON
855 is the Californian chip Souped-up
company’s latest mobile chip and smartphones
the successor to the Snapdragon OnePlus teamed
845, found in a range of flagship up with UK car
phones over the course of 2018. company McLaren
The new system-on-a-chip to create a version
promises to be faster, more of the OnePlus 6T
capable and more efficient than its with 10GB of RAM
predecessor, which was no slouch. and some snazzy
The 855 features a new colour trim
eight-core ARM-based Kryo 485
processor, which will arrange Mob rule
those cores in three tiers: a single Amazon is looking to farm out the
high-performance core will clock generating of answers by its Alexa
the highest, up to 2.84GHz, to take care of strenuous mobile apps such as high-resolution virtual assistant to the general public
gaming; three mid-tier cores running at 2.42GHz will take care of tasks that require some decent
if not overwhelming amounts of performance; and the final four cores clocked at 1.8GHz will
take care of less demanding everyday tasks. Hanging Hangouts
All that adds up to a chip that should be 45% faster than its predecessor. And with the new Google has killed off its Hangouts and
Adreno 546 GPU, graphics performance will get a 20% boost. Allo apps in a move to cull some of its
But that’s just the core stuff. One of the really interesting parts of the Snapdragon 855 will be messaging apps
its Snapdragon X50 5G modem to allow phones that use it to connect to the new standard of
mobile broadband expected to begin rolling out in 2019. Russian robots
A new image signal processor will come with computer vision technology built in to allow for A supposedly advanced robot on
more smart image capabilities, such as object recognition, and allowing for effects and photo display at a tech forum in Russia
manipulation to happen in real time. The processor will also support capturing videos in 4K turned out to be a man in a suit
resolution with high dynamic range and at 60 frames per second.
Qualcomm has also put its fourth-generation AI Engine into the Snapdragon 855, which should
facilitate more smart artificial intelligence-based features, such as improved voice recognition and
smarter performance management.

SO WHAT?

IT MAY LOOK like an incremental upgrade on the

previous Snapdragon chip, and when you get your hands
There’s a
on the next wave of smartphones with the chip, the whole range
Snapdragon 855 might initially feel like that. Apps, games of possibilities
and general performance will probably feel a bit slicker, but
not enough to blow you away.
that connecting
However, the fact that the Snapdragon 855 will find its to 5G could bring Fax off
way into a lot of 2019 Android phones and will be 5G-ready is The NHS has been banned from
more exciting. There’s a whole range of possibilities that buying any more fax machines in a
connecting to 5G could bring, from watching 4K HDR movies on the go to playing high-fidelity move to ditch archaic communications
online games while sipping a latte at your fancy coffee shop of choice (see The Lowdown, page 17, by March 2020
for more details).
The image technology also promises some very interesting capabilities and should give the likes Personal privacy
of Google, which is very good at creating smart software to make smartphone photos look UK communications centre GCHQ
fantastic, even more potential to push this further. now has the power to legally hack
On the AI side, the likes of the Pixel 3 already feel pretty smart when serving up information anyone at will
customised to each user. But with enhanced AI processing technology on a phone’s chip, smart
features could react a lot faster and not be dependent on a mobile connection if you want to,
say, bark a command at the Google Assistant when you’re exploring a cave or scrambling up a
mountain in Wales.
CRASHING

ISSUE 373 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | MARCH 2019 15

 SOUND
UK police turn to AI to predict crimes
before they happen
BYTES
No government
NINE UK POLICE forces but the system could help police agency has
are using artificial forces strapped for funding
intelligence technology and resources when it
ever informed us
to create a system that comes to tackling crime that it has found
effectively predicts with just human intelligence malicious hardware
incidents of violent crime and willpower alone.
on our products”
before they happen. “The increasing availability
Server hardware firm Supermicro
Dubbed the National of information and new
is adamant that a Bloomberg
Data Analytics Solution technologies offers us huge
report of its tech having Chinese
(NDAS), the system uses potential to improve
spy chips is false
both AI tech and statistical how we protect the
data analysis to assess public. It sets new
how much at risk someone expectations about the The narrative is
is of committing or becoming a victim of knife services we provide, how that leaking is
or gun crime. The system also tries to work out they are accessed and our
bad, and the number
how likely some people are of becoming victims levels of transparency,” West
of modern slavery. Midlands Police said. one priority is to
West Midlands Police is leading the AI and The system is intended to supply prevent any leaks”
data analysis project, but eight other police forces, police forces with more information. It won’t tell the Ex-Google engineer Jack Poulson
including London’s Metropolitan Police and Greater police who to arrest, meaning a high-tech AI- claims his former employer is
Manchester Police, will be involved. By March 2019, controlled police state isn’t on the horizon just yet. hunting data leakers
the police are expected to have a prototype of the Rather, potential crooks are flagged based upon
system up and running. 1,400 indicators in the existing data sets that help
The extent of
According to a document on the NDAS and determine if they will commit a crime. These range
a report by New Scientist, the police are already from how many times someone has committed a discrepancies is
on their way to delivering a prototype, having crime or assisted in one, to assigning someone a risk alarming, as some
harvested more than a terabyte of data from local score if they are thought to be prone to violent acts. NHS organisations
and national police databases to serve as the People flagged by the system will get counselling
information foundation of the system. in order to prevent a crime from occurring, rather
are far better
It all might sound a bit like something out of than feeling the long arm of the law come crashing resourced, funded
Minority Report or a high-tech dystopian future, down upon them. and trained
than others”
Redscan’s director of cyber

MIT researchers take to the skies with a security, Mark Nicholls, on how
some NHS Trusts spend as little

fuelless, propellerless silent drone as £250 on cyber security per year

DRONES AREN’T KNOWN for
being the most subtle of aviation
gadgets, but boffins at
Massachusetts Institute of
Technology have ambitions to
create a drone that can fly
without whirring propellers.
It looks like aerospace
engineer Steven Barrett, alongside
other MIT researchers, have managed to do just
that, with a prototype drone that has completed a
successful test flight.
The secret to this accomplishment is the use of
electro-aerodynamic propulsion to create an ‘ion
drive’. That might sound as if the researchers have
been watching too much sci-fi, but the propulsion is
actually generated through ‘ionic wind’.
This is created by a series of electrodes set under
the drone’s aeroplane-like wings. These electrodes
are arranged with an array of thin wires at the front
positively charged to 20,000 volts, and a set of
aerofoils at the back negatively charged to -20,000
volts. These collide with neutral air molecules, which
generate the ionic wind to propel the craft forward.
As the plane was tested in a We were all
gymnasium hall, the drone could surprised how
only make a flight of 60 metres, much gut and faecal
remaining airborne for just 10
seconds, so it’s hardly ready to
bacteria there was
send to the skies just yet. But it on the touchscreen
does suggest that one day machines”
commercial aircraft could use Dr Paul Matewele from London
solid-state ion drives rather than Met University ponders how
burn through masses of aviation fuel. every McDonald’s self-service
“This was the simplest possible plane we could machine has traces of human
design that could prove the concept that an ion waste on its screen
plane could fly,” Barrett said.
“It’s still some way away from an aircraft that
could perform a useful mission. It needs to be more
We want this
efficient, fly for longer, and fly outside.” country, and
But despite these challenges, Barrett is hopeful especially those that
that ion drives will one day be helping propel people serve this country, to
through the skies at a mere murmur.
“The future of flight shouldn’t be things with
know we at Microsoft
propellers and turbines, and should be more like have their back”
what you see in Star Trek, with a kind of a blue Microsoft president Brad Smith is
glow, and something that silently glides through bullish about the company
the air,” he added. supplying tech to the US Army

16 MARCH 2019 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | ISSUE 373

 The rollout of 5G
5G might actually stop being just on the horizon, and should arrive in 2019

WE’VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT

5G ALREADY, IS IT REALLY
LAUNCHING SOON?
We know you’re taking this with a
good dollop of scepticism, as the tech
industry has often harped on about the
potential for 5G to change things in the
near future, but that future has always
been a couple of years away.
Well, that’s starting to change.
There’s now a lot of momentum
behind 5G. While the technology has
arguably been in place to facilitate it
at test level for at least a few years,
we’re now looking at projects that
can really bring 5G to the masses in
a practical way.

HOW SO?
For a start, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon
855 chipset will come with a 5G modem
that also works with 4G connections
(see page 14). Given that the chip will
find itself in a whole host of popular
Android smartphones, such as the
Samsung Galaxy S10, it will facilitate
easy and probably seamless connections to 5G networks while also
working with existing 4G connections. This means when someone
enters or leaves a 5G-covered area they won’t suddenly be blighted by
dropped mobile broadband connections.
The Qualcomm chip is set to make its debut in smartphones in the
first few months of this year.
One of the pioneers of the 4G rollout, telecoms firm EE, also looks
to be spearheading the launch of 5G in 16 cities in 2019.
London, Cardiff, Belfast, Edinburgh,
Birmingham and Manchester will be the first
six cities to enjoy the launch of 5G in 2019, as “We all know 5G will
EE reckons its 5G connections will be needed
most where there’s more demand for mobile not replace 4G… 5G is an
broadband bandwidth and capacity, as
opposed to widespread connectivity. additional layer on top of a very
After that, Glasgow, Newcastle, Liverpool,
Leeds, Hull, Sheffield, Nottingham, Leicester, strong 4G foundation”
Coventry and Bristol will get 5G.
The coverage won’t be nationwide, but it shows that 5G is absolutely
coming this year.
WHAT IF I DON’T WANT TO BUY A 5G PHONE YET?
You’ll be fine. The likes of EE have said they’ll keep investing in 4G
infrastructure as well, so if you’re on a contract that has you locked
in until 2020, you’re all good.
“We all know 5G will not replace 4G and that’s the big difference
we see with the launch of 4G, which really was a replacement. 5G is
an additional layer on top of a very strong 4G foundation,” said Marc
Allera, chief executive of BT’s consumer division.
SO WILL 5G MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE?
You might not notice any major differences in how you use your
smartphone straight away; possibly web pages and online services
might just load that bit faster.
But as apps and services are developed to tap into the much
higher bandwidth and speeds 5G offers over 4G, things could start
getting very interesting indeed.
The latest flagship smartphones come with fantastic high-resolution
displays that often support high dynamic range (HDR) for more vibrant
visuals. But streaming 4K HDR movies and videos can be a slow process
on some mobile broadband connections. However, on 5G such content
could be streamed more or less seamlessly, allowing you to get the
most out of your phone’s display without
worrying about downloading and preloading
content for a long commute.
Mobile online gaming, content creation
and uploading on the fly could also be a lot
smoother and easier to do on the much faster
connection, while smart services that need to
communicate back to a server to deliver data
will probably be a lot snappier.
Outside of consumer use, 5G is likely
to help facilitate the development of smart cities, with the bandwidth
on offer allowing data to flow quickly and in large quantities from
sensors to central systems that can, for example, cleverly figure out if a
road is traffic-clogged and the measures needed to unblock it; the
faster network could facilitate more connected tech that can work in
tandem to ensure that air pollution is kept to a minimum; and it could
also be used to look out for crime using image recognition.
SO, PLENTY OF POTENTIAL?
Yes, only unlike previous missives on 5G, that potential seems closer to
a reality than ever before.
The new year will see the beginning of 5G making its way into
Britain’s major cities. Come 2020, we expect it to have more
coverage, and help support services for civil and consumer use,
which could just be the time you might want to consider opting for
a 5G-capable phone.

ISSUE 373 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | MARCH 2019 17

 REVIEWS
YOUR TRUSTED GUIDE TO WHAT’S NEW

ONEPLUS 6T

ANDROID 9.0 SMARTPHONE

★★★★★
£499 • From www.oneplus.com

VERDICT
Even putting aside its multiple improvements
on the OnePlus 6, the 6T’s core performance,
design and camera are brilliant

18 MARCH 2019 | COMPUTER

COMPUT SHOPPER | ISSUE 373
ONEPLUS HAS BEEN flying the flag for
flagship-killing Android smartphones for
several years now, with the OnePlus 6
(Shopper 367) setting the benchmark for
delivering high-end smartphone features at
a price that significantly undercuts some of
the finest handsets out there.
With each new generation of OnePlus
phone, the Chinese firm has created a ‘T’
version, offering a suite of nips and tucks
to improve on the phone the company
released earlier. The OnePlus 6T is,
unsurprisingly, the exact same story.
BIG UP
At first glance, there aren’t many major
differences between the 6T and its
predecessor. The rounded rectangular design
is immediately familiar, only this time it
squeezes in a 6.41in display – up a slither
compared to the OnePlus 6’s 6.3in screen.
The bezels are slightly slimmer as well,
thanks to the display taking up 86% of the
handset’s front, which has the knock-on
effect of making the 6T slightly taller. The 6T
is also a tad heavier than the 6.
In real-world use, the 6T flies through
Android 9.0, with app animations and
transitions silky smooth
What you will notice is the change in
the notch, which now takes up around 50%
less screen space with a teardrop design
that houses the front-facing camera.
The earpiece speaker now sits in a tiny slit
on the top bezel, and the notification light
has been removed completely.
The only other noticeable changes are the
purging of the 3.5mm headphone jack in
favour of audio over USB Type-C, and the
removal of the rear fingerprint scanner, which
has been replaced by an in-display sensor, so
you can unlock the 6T by putting your thumb
or finger straight on to the screen.
The 6T has two speaker grilles on the
bottom, although these are for aesthetic,
rather than practical purposes, as the 6T has
a mono speaker setup. This is a little
disappointing when compared to the audio
strength of phones such as the Google Pixel 3
(Shopper 372), but the 6T still puts out
enough sound to be serviceable if you don’t
have a pair of headphones handy.
The OnePlus 6T is a good-looking,
well-built phone, and with Gorilla Glass 6
on the front and Gorilla Glass 5 on the rear,,
ISSUE 373 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | MARCH 2019
it’s likely to withstand a
good bit of wear and tear.
LOOK SHARP
With the exception of the
new notch design and a
slight increase in size, the
OnePlus 6T’s AMOLED
display is basically the
same as the screen on the
OnePlus 6. It features a
familiar 2,340x1,080
resolution, with a pixel
density of 402ppi.
The Full HD+ resolution
is a tad lacking when
compared to the 2K
panels offered by the
likes of the Samsung
Galaxy S9 (Shopper
364), but nevertheless
the 6T’s screen is still
lovely and sharp.
Colours are accurate,
too, once you move from
the default screen setting,
which oversaturates the
colour pallet, to the
DCI-P3 or sRGB settings.
In the latter, the display
covers 99.6% of the sRGB
colour gamut, and
although it’s not class-
leading in terms of pure
accuracy, the display is
more than good enough
for the 6T to rub shoulders
with much more expensive phones. phones. That chip is matched with 6GB or
Black levels and contrast (the latter 8GB of RAM; our review unit had the latter.
measures a perfect infinity:1) are suitably Much like the OnePlus 6, the 6T’s
impressive, but that’s pretty much a given performance is stellar. In the Geekbench 4
with AMOLED-toting phones. benchmark, the eight-core processor scored
If you don’t like notches, the new 2,326 in the single-core test and 8,815 in the
teardrop notch means there’s more screen multicore test, which is about as good as
space than ever before; not that the OnePlus any flagship 2018 phone.
6’s notch was that intrusive. It makes viewing
anything from emails and web pages to BREATHE EASIER
graphics-heavy graphs and videos even more In real-world use, the 6T flies through
of a joy, if not dramatically different. Android 9.0, with app animations and
Under the hood, the OnePlus 6T has the transitions silky smooth. It’s certainly on a
same Snapdragon 845 processor as its par with the Pixel 3.
predecessor and most other flagship Android OnePlus has boasted of software
improvements to its OxygenOS user interface
(currently on its ninth generation) to optimise
background processes and improve
performance in Android, but there’s no
noticeable difference between the 6T and the
6. However, the 6T has one of the neatest
and smoothest implementations of gesture
control we’ve seen on an Android phone.
19
 STAYING POWER
While 8GB of RAM might
seem like overkill for
current-generation apps, the
starting storage option of
128GB is much appreciated,
as is the scope to opt for
256GB. Again, it’s not
class-leading storage space
– for that you’ll need to
turn to the Samsung Galaxy
Note 9 (Shopper 370) – but
it will be more than enough
for most users.
That, in essence, is the
OnePlus 6T’s performance in
a nutshell: it pretty much
offers everything all but the
most power- and storage-
hungry users will need.
OnePlus has pumped an
extra 400mAh into the 6T’s
battery pack, bringing it up
to 3,700mAh. That’s a
much-appreciated upgrade,
as the OnePlus 6’s main
weak point was a slightly
disappointing battery life.
In our tests, the 6T
managed to last 21h 40m,
outlasting the OnePlus 6 by
four hours. In practical
terms, that translates to
more than a full working day
of power for everything from
web browsing and email to
watching videos.
If you’re after a workhorse
of a phone, then the 6T
certainly has the battery life
to facilitate working on the
move without worrying
about finding a socket on
the journey home. Rapid
charging is also supported,
with OnePlus’s Dash Charge filling the battery
to a day’s worth of power in 30 minutes.
FAMILIAR SIGHTS
While the battery has had an upgrade,
the 6T’s camera array remains the same as
its older sibling, albeit in a slightly slimmed-
down module. The rear dual camera setup
still uses a 16-megapixel lens with an
aperture of f/1.7 and a second 20-megapixel
lens for depth sensing and assisting with
low-light photography.
OnePlus claims that it has made some
software improvements to the camera, but
we struggled to see any difference between
photos taken on the 6T and the 6. That’s no
bad thing, however: the OnePlus 6 produced
very nicely detailed and colour rich photos,
and the 6T does the same.
It can’t quite compete with the quality
of the Pixel 3, iPhone XS (Shopper 371) or
Huawei Mate 20 Pro (see page 50), especially
when zoomed in. But those phones are far
more expensive, and the 6T does a sterling job
20
splashes from ruining it.
Nor will you find any
capabilities to turn the 6T
into a pseudo-desktop
with an adaptor, or any
dedicated AI assistant, as
is the case with Samsung
Galaxy handsets.
But the lack of frills
arguably makes the 6T a
more enjoyable device to
use, with little getting in
the way of your day-to-day
smartphone use, while Face
Unlock offers lightning-fast
security logins without the
need to tap at the phone.
The one outstanding
feature the handset
provides is its in-display
fingerprint scanner.
Although OnePlus isn’t
the first to have tapped
into such tech, it has
implemented it very well.
It takes a mere 350
milliseconds to unlock
the phone from placing a
finger on an icon that
pops up in the lower
centre of the screen.
That’s not as speedy
as the rear-mounted
fingerprint scanner on the
OnePlus 6, but it’s easy to
get used to the half-a-
heartbeat time difference
and helps lend a degree of
innovation to the 6T.
T TIME
We’d be tempted to call
the OnePlus 6T an
incremental update, but
that would be doing it a
for anyone who’s not obsessed with getting disservice. It may not be perfect, but you
the very best in smartphone photography. can spend a lot more to get a slightly better
A new Nightscape mode has been added camera and sharper screen and not
to the camera’s software, which helps pick out necessarily notice the difference.
more detail in poorly lit circumstances by The little changes to the design and
brightening up a scene. It’s interesting, but the under-screen fingerprint scanner add
tends to produce overprocessed results up to make the OnePlus 6T one of the very
that don’t look very natural. best Android phones around, and a handset
The front-facing 16-megapixel camera also we’d urge you to consider as your next
performs admirably and can handle portrait smartphone for work and play.
photos with blurred backgrounds for ‘bokeh’ Roland Moore-Colyer
effects with decent aplomb.
Video performance is as solid as it was SPECIFICATIONS
in the OnePlus 6, with 4K 60fps video PROCESSOR Octa-core 2.8GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 845
capture on offer, as well as an impressive • SCREEN SIZE 6.41in • SCREEN RESOLUTION 2,340x1,080
slow-motion mode. • REAR CAMERAS 16 megapixels, 20 megapixels •
STORAGE 128GB • WIRELESS DATA 4G • DIMENSIONS
158x75x8.2mm • WEIGHT 185g • OPERATING SYSTEM
GLASS PASS Android 9.0 • WARRANTY One year RTB • DETAILS
When it comes to extras, OnePlus has www.oneplus.com • PART CODE OnePlus 6T
always erred on the side of less is more,
That’s the case with the 6T, too. Battery life 21h 40m
There’s no IP water-resistance rating, 0% -50 Reference +50 +100
although the 6T comes with silicone rings See page 114 for performance details
and sealant to prevent occasional liquid
MARCH 2019 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | ISSUE 373
 DESKTOP GAMING PC
YOYOTECH Warbird i3
★★★★★
£800 • From www.game.co.uk
VERDICT
A finely crafted PC, but you can get much more
gaming and CPU power for similar money
IT’S HARD TO remember a time when you
could find full, custom-made desktops in
bricks-and-mortar stores. A handful of
department stores and specialist retailers may
carry a small variety of PCs, but these tend to
be slightly soulless, mass-produced systems
from big firms such as Dell and Acer. Sure, it’s
usually cheaper and more convenient to buy
online, but many still prefer to see the goods
in person before parting with their cash.
This thinking is also behind Yoyotech’s
recent team-up with Game, which is already
seeing the former’s UK-designed-and-built
gaming desktops on full display inside Game
stores. It’s an unusual sight, although not an
unwelcome one in theory: besides catering to
those who want to inspect before they buy,
anything that helps expose PC gaming to the
wider masses is fine by us.
TAKING FLIGHT
Of course, the big question is whether the
products are actually any good. We’re starting
with the Warbird i3, the most affordable of
the Warbird series that’s been developed for
this collaboration. Its key internals specs are
modest – there’s a quad-core, 3.6GHz Intel
Core i3-8100 CPU, 8GB of DDR4 RAM, a
4GB GeForce GTX 1050 Ti
graphics card and a 1TB
hard disk. Next to some of
the high-end models in the
range, which include parts
from Intel’s Coffee Lake
Refresh line-up and Nvidia’s
GeForce RTX cards, the
Warbird i3 is clearly and
overtly the budget option.
Even so, it’s packed up in
a very nice case indeed. It’s
a gorgeous black and blue
version of the NZXT Source
340, a smart and relatively
compact mid-tower chassis
even without this model’s
fine matt finish and tasteful
Warbird motifs. The side
window reveals a clean
and orderly build, lit up
by a single, not remotely
obnoxious strip of white
LEDs. It’s a great-looking
PC overall.
The Source 340 also
provides decent space for
storage upgrades. Two
empty 2.5in trays sit on top
22
of the PSU shroud, while two 3.5in
bays are hidden underneath it. One
of the latter is already occupied by
the pre-installed hard disk, but
there’s certainly scope to add faster
SSDs and/or set up a RAID array.
OVERBOARD
This PC being at the bottom of
the Warbird line hasn’t stopped
Yoyotech from including a full-size
ATX motherboard with the premium
Z370 chipset, rather than a smaller,
cheaper B360 or H310 model.
This grants the Warbird i3 some
pretty nifty features for the price, not
to mention further upgrade potential.
There are two PCI-E x16 slots and
a generous four PCI-E x1 slots, with
only one of each already being filled,
and two empty RAM slots would
make it easy to improve on the existing 8GB
of memory. Dual M.2 ports also allow
ultra-fast NVMe SSDs to be installed, or
perhaps an Intel Optane Memory drive.
The main benefit of the Z370 chipset
specifically is that overclocking is enabled on
unlocked Intel processors. The Core i3-8100 is
not one such processor,
sadly, but it’s worth having
should you ever wish to
swap out the CPU further
down the line.
The bundled 802.11n
Wi-Fi card is another
pleasant surprise. True, it’s
not 802.11ac, but will ensure
you can connect to your
home network at no extra
cost should you be unable
to hook up a wired
connection to the router.
In short, there’s a lot
here to set the Warbird i3
apart from the basic,
plasticky desktop PCs
we’ve more commonly seen
inside high-street shops.
Unfortunately, performance
is key to gaming systems,
and here the Warbird i3
starts to look more like
an entry-level PC in
mid-range clothing.
As expected from the
GTX 1050 Ti, it’s good
enough for playing Full HD
games. Dirt Showdown ran at 75fps on maxed-
out settings when using this resolution, and
while Metro: Last Light Redux only managed
29fps with equivalent settings, dropping from
Very High quality to High produced an
improvement to 39fps.
GIVEN THE BIRD
However, for £800 you don’t really have to
settle for good enough. The Warbird i3 is no
more powerful a 1080p machine than the
identically priced Acer Predator Orion 3000
(Shopper 372), which we criticised for being
too expensive, and for just £33 more you
could get the Wired2Fire Pyro Talon (Shopper
366) and its 6GB GTX 1060. This walked all
over the Warbird i3’s Full HD scores, averaging
134fps in Dirt and 49fps in Metro.
In fairness, the Warbird i3 didn’t do too
badly at 2,560x1,080, producing 61fps in Dirt
Showdown (again, with all the settings turned
up). It could manage only 17fps in Metro: Last
Light, but by dropping to High quality and
disabling SSAA, we could get this up to 43fps.
That’s a change from unplayable to fairly
smooth, and at 1440p the image is sharp
enough to cope with the loss of anti-aliasing.
Again, though, the Pyro Talon is simply
better, with its 99fps average in Dirt and
28fps in Metro (upped to 54fps with SSAA
disabled, and Very High settings left on
instead of dropping to High). The Warbird i3
isn’t as comfortable with VR, either, scoring
a so-so 3.1 out of 11 in the SteamVR
Performance Test. That means you’ll have
MARCH 2019 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | ISSUE 373
to cut back on most visual settings to get AAA
virtual-reality games running above 90fps.
FOUR ON THE FLOOR
The Warbird i3 also falls behind both the Pyro
Talon and the Orion 3000 on CPU performance.
Both of these have mid-range, hexa-core Ryzen 5
or Core i5 chips, while this system’s Core i3-8100
has only four physical cores and no virtual cores
via Hyper-Threading. As such, its results in our 4K
benchmarks, while fine for general home use,
aren’t nearly as high. Specifically, it scored 104 in
the image test, 111 in the video test, 110 in the
multitasking test and 109 overall, whereas the
Orion 3000 scored 162 overall and the Pyro Talon
scored 223 overall. That’s more than twice the
performance, for a scant £33 extra.
Both these other PCs also have better storage
than the Warbird i3, whether it’s by accelerating a
hard disk with Intel Optane Memory (as the Orion
3000 does) or, in the Pyro Talon’s case, simply
starting off with a fast SSD as well as a spacious
hard disk. Yoyotech’s system has just a single,
unaltered hard disk, although it is rather quick by
unaltered hard disk standards. According to AS
SSD, it can hit a sequential read speed of
183.4MB/s and a write speed of 137.8MB/s.
Mechanical drives can sometimes drop below
100MB/s in this test, so at least Yoyotech has
chosen a good-quality hard disk.
Connectivity is reasonable, too. There are no
hi-fi audio outputs or USB Type-C ports, but
that’s forgivable at £800. Two USB2 ports on the
rear are outnumbered by four USB3 ports, with
another two on the front panel, while a Gigabit
ISSUE 373 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | MARCH 2019
Ethernet jack provides the alternative to Wi-Fi.
There isn’t a huge number of different video
outputs, the graphics card providing one HDMI,
one DisplayPort and one DVI-D connector each,
though this is still enough for multiple monitors.
CLAWS OUT
Other than the Warbird i3’s superior upgradability
to the Orion 3000, there’s little that makes this a
better choice than its similarly priced alternatives.
That’s a shame, as it’s clearly been built with care
– but also with underpowered components.
Instead, consider the Wired2Fire Pyro Talon.
It has a faster GPU, a faster processor, twice as
much RAM, SSD storage and a larger hard disk.
For just £33 more, it’s the one to buy, even if
you can’t see and touch it in a store.
James Archer
SPECIFICATIONS
PROCESSOR Quad-core 3.6GHz Intel Core i3-8100 • RAM 8GB
DDR4 • FRONT USB PORTS 2x USB3 •REAR USB PORTS 2x
USB2, 4x USB3 • GRAPHICS CARD 4GB Nvidia GeForce GTX
1050 Ti • STORAGE 1TB hard disk • DISPLAY None •
OPERATING SYSTEM Windows 10 Home • WARRANTY
Three years RTB including one year parts and labour •
DETAILS www.game.co.uk • PART CODE WB-1118-i3
Windows overall 109
Multitasking 110
Dirt Showdown 75fps
Metro: Last Light 29fps
0% -50 Reference +50 +100
See page 114 for performance details
23
 DESKTOP GAMING PC
MSI Trident X
★★★★★
£2,699 • From www.currys.co.uk
VERDICT
An undersized desktop with overwhelming performance,
but it’s expensive even by premium standards
STANDING NEARLY 400MM tall, the Trident X
isn’t quite in the same mini-PC territory as the
Trident 3 and Trident 3 Arctic (Shopper 372). If
anything it’s a completely different type of
system: whereas the Trident 3 aimed to put PC
performance and versatility into a console-
sized box, the Trident X appears to be testing
how much sheer power can fit into a small, if
still recognisably tower-shaped, desktop.
It still makes a nice change from the usual
PC fare. It’s strikingly narrow and adopts an
unusual, compartmentalised internal layout,
with windowed panels providing glimpses of
the CPU cooler and vertically mounted graphics
card (all accompanied by RGB lighting).
PREMIER LEAGUE
The Trident X can be fitted out with either an
Intel Core i9-9900K (Shopper 371) or Core
i7-9700K, plus one of Nvidia’s latest GeForce
RTX GPUs. It’s telling that the spec we tested
costs a wallet-withering £2,699, yet isn’t even
the top option: it uses the Core i7-9700K and
the 8GB GeForce RTX 2080.
That’s the same combination as the Scan
3XS Gamer RTX (Shopper 371), which is £599
cheaper. The Trident X is better equipped for
memory and storage, with 32GB of DDR4
RAM, a 512GB NVMe SSD and a spacious 2TB
hard disk, but these didn’t make much of a
difference in our 4K benchmarks. MSI’s
system scored 170 in the image test, 255 in the
video test, 304 in the multitasking test and
265 overall. That’s almost exactly the same as
the 3XS Gamer RTX, on all four counts.
24
The good news is that
this means the Trident X’s
slinky design hasn’t
compromised cooling
much. Small form factor
PCs often struggle with
full-fat desktop chips, but
here the Core i7-9700K
runs just as effectively as
in a mid-tower desktop.
The bad news is unless
you specifically want a
more compact PC, you
can get virtually identical
performance for an awful lot less cash.
That goes for gaming, too. Technically, the
Trident X performed better in most of our
benchmarks than Scan’s PC, but it was only
ever a difference of a few frames per second.
Not that this makes the Trident X any less
capable. In Dirt Showdown, it breezed to
150fps at 1,920x1,080, only dropping to 149fps
at 2,560x1,440 and 126fps at 3,840x2,160. Even
Metro: Last Light Redux didn’t put up much of
a fight, averaging 117fps at 1,920x1,080, 69fps
at 2,560x1,440 and a playable (if not particularly
smooth) 30fps at 3,840x2,160.
Rounding things out with a perfect
SteamVR Performance Test score of 11, the
Trident X is undoubtedly strong enough to
handle any game at resolutions all the way up
to 4K. Again, though, the 3XS Gamer RTX can
accomplish the same, as can (likely) any other
cheaper desktop with the RTX 2080, such as
the £1,830 CyberPower Gaming Paladin or the
£2,200 Chillblast Fusion Portal.
THIN LINE
You really are paying a serious
premium for the design, though
another reason for the high price is
some excellent storage. Unlike the 3XS
Gamer RTX’s SATA-based drive, the
Trident X’s 512GB SSD is an NVMe
model, and a good one at that. We
measured a sequential read speed of
2,485.3MB/s and a write speed of
1,772.9MB/s, both tremendous results.
It’s particularly fitting that the
Trident X is stacked with such
premium components, as one
downside of the thin, double-sided
internal layout is that there’s not much
scope for upgrades. All the PCI-E x16,
RAM and M.2 slots are filled, leaving
just a single 2.5in drive bay (and
accompanying SATA port) available for
the addition of another
storage drive. As we say,
however, considering the
current-gen CPU and
GPU, hefty amount of
RAM, and storage that’s
both spacious and fast,
this system shouldn’t
need upgrades for a
few years at least.
Externally, the front panel
comprises one USB2 port, one USB3
port and a USB Type-C port, plus 3.5mm
mic and headphone jacks. The rear panel adds
a further two USB2 ports, two USB3 ports,
one USB3.1 port, another single USB Type-C
port, with three DisplayPort outputs, one
HDMI and one Type-C VirtualLink VR headset
connector on display duties. We think for this
price you could expect a few more full-size
USB ports, but otherwise connectivity is good,
with a choice of wired Ethernet or built-in
802.11ac Wi-Fi and a healthy mix of audio
outputs (including optical S/PDIF).
THE STEEP END
We like the Trident X: it truly delivers on
fitting full desktop power into a PC that,
while not console-sized like the Trident 3, is
shorter, slimmer and frankly better-looking
than most full-sized desktops.
However, it all comes back to that price.
We could look past the Trident 3 Arctic’s
expense because no other mini-PC came close
to its performance, but the Trident X isn’t so
‘mini’, and there are plenty of systems that are
just as potent but cost hundreds of pounds
less. It’s a great system, but not necessarily
one you should be rushing out to buy.
James Archer
SPECIFICATIONS
•
PROCESSOR Octa-core 3.6GHz Intel Core i7-9700K
RAM 32GB DDR4 • FRONT USB PORTS 1x USB2, 1x USB3,
1x USB Type-C• REAR USB PORTS 2x USB2, 2x USB3,
• GRAPHICS CARD 8GB MSI
1x USB3.1, 1x USB Type-C
GeForce RTX 2080 • STORAGE 512GB SSD, 2TB hard disk •
DISPLAY None • OPERATING SYSTEM Windows 10 Home
• WARRANTY One year RTB • DETAILS www.msi.com •
PART CODE Trident X
Windows overall 265
Multitasking 304
150fps
Dirt Showdown
Metro: Last Light 117fps
0% -50 Reference +50 +100
See page 114 for performance details
MARCH 2019 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | ISSUE 373
 DESKTOP GAMING PC

ACER Nitro 50
★★★★★
£1,149 • From www.currys.co.uk

VERDICT
A competent desktop system with a high-end
CPU and some handy little hardware extras

ACER’S NITRO BRAND of desktops, laptops
and monitors tend towards casual gamers,
with the Predator brand catering for a more
enthusiastic crowd that’s more willing to part
with big sums of cash. The Nitro 50 doesn’t
entirely subvert this – it comes with a variety
of internal specs, several with entry-level
parts – but the specific model we have here,
the N50-100, looks as if it could have a lot of
CPU brainpower for a £1,149 mid-ranger.
That’s thanks to its octa-core AMD Ryzen
7 2700, which sits behind only the Ryzen 7
2700X (Shopper 366) in AMD’s 2nd-gen
desktop CPU line-up. While the included RAM
is a basic 8GB, the 6GB GeForce GTX 1060
could make it a real contender for 1080p/1440p
gaming too. Even the storage looks good on
paper: a 256GB SSD plus a 1TB hard disk.
7 DOWN
As AMD didn’t send us a Ryzen 7 2700 to test
standalone, we were eager to see how the CPU
would get on in our 4K benchmarks. The Nitro
50 scored 141 in the image test and shot up to
220 in the video test. However, its multitasking
test score of 196 is far behind the 262 scored
by the 2700X in our test PC, and although its
overall score of 195 is high for a mid-range PC,
the 2700X’s overall score hit 231.
There’s a clear reason for this performance
disparity. The 2700X doesn’t just have a higher
boost clock than the 2700, thanks to its higher
Extended Frequency Range (XFR), but its base
clock speed (which you’ll be closer to when all
eight cores are under
load) is higher too. The
Nitro 50’s chip is
base-clocked at 3.2GHz
and can boost up to
4.1GHz; the 2700X starts
at 3.7GHz and can boost
all the way up to 4.3GHz.
Still, even if we
wouldn’t suggest buying
the Ryzen 7 2700 as a
build-it-yourself
component, it makes the
Nitro 50 a very flexible
desktop system: it will easily be able to cope
with photo and video editing, streaming and
heavy multitasking. It’s not the best at this
price, as the £1,100 Palicomp i5 Cosmos
(Shopper 366) scored 199 overall, but this is
down to its superior single-core performance,
as seen in its image test score of 168.
DIRT SLOWDOWN
However, Palicomp’s PC gives the Nitro 50 a
much tougher time in games. In fact, it’s never
a fair competition to begin with, as the i5
Cosmos is equipped with an 8GB GeForce GTX
1070, allowing it to easily beat Acer’s system
in every single one of our gaming benchmarks.
Making things worse for the Nitro 50 is
that, for reasons we could never uncover, it
underperformed in Dirt Showdown at
1,920x1,080 and 2,560x1,440, only averaging
76fps and 60fps respectively. We’ve seen far
better results from a GTX 1060,
but with no apparent heat/
throttling problems and
reinstalls not changing the
outcomes, it’s baffling as to
why this is. Thankfully, its
40fps result at 3,840x2,160 is
much more in line with what
we’d expect from the card, so
at least it’s an isolated issue.
We also didn’t have any
similar trouble with Metro:
Last Light. Scoring 45fps at
2.5in or 3.5in SATA drive,
but otherwise the
motherboard and
chassis are largely full.
On the upside, it’s
stuffed with pretty
good hardware: the
SSD/HDD combo is a
perfect compromise
between speed and
space, and with
sequential read and write
speeds of 654.8MB/s and
575MB/s respectively, the SSD is
vastly preferable to an HDD-only configuration.
There are also a few useful extras, the best
being an M.2-mounted wireless card, which
enables both 802.11ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.
An SD card on the front I/O panel should also
prove convenient to keen photographers, and
a DVD-RW is nice to have even if it won’t see
as much use as it might have a few years ago.
The remaining variety of connections isn’t
exceptional, but there’s a good enough mix.
In addition to the four USB2 and two USB3.1
ports on the back, a USB Type-C port and
full-size USB3 port are available at the front,
and the graphics card is fitted with your
choice of a single HDMI output, three
DisplayPort outputs or a DVI-D output.
A LITTLE CLASS
It’s hard to get excited about the Nitro 50 when
the i5 Cosmos is still on sale: it’s cheaper, but
also faster, particularly in games, and more
upgradable. Still, this is a potent enough PC
that (even with Dirt Showdown misbehaving)
can run games up to 1440p without much
trouble, so it could be a good fit for anyone
who’d prefer a more compact desktop.
James Archer
SPECIFICATIONS
PROCESSOR Octa-core 3.2GHz AMD Ryzen 7 2700 •
RAM 8GB • FRONT USB PORTS 1x USB3, 1x USB Type-C •
REAR USB PORTS 4x USB2, 2x USB3.1 •
GRAPHICS CARD
6GB Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 •
STORAGE 256GB SSD, 1TB

1080p, 27fps at 1440p and •

hard disk DISPLAY None •
OPERATING SYSTEM

12fps at 4K, the Nitro 50 is on

Windows 10 Home • WARRANTY One year carry-in •
DETAILS www.acer.com •
PART CODE N50-100
par with other GTX 1060-based
systems, even if the i5 Cosmos Windows overall 195
performs markedly better. Multitasking 196
Being a mini-tower system
Dirt Showdown 76fps
with a Mini-ITX motherboard,
Metro: Last Light 45fps
there’s not much scope for
0% -50 Reference +50 +100
future additions. You could add
See page 114 for performance details
RAM (up to 64GB) or another

26 MARCH 2019 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | ISSUE 373

Monitors

Vivid, true-to-life colours

in an elegant design
276E7QDSW

CCL
COMPUTERS
 GAMING GRAPHICS CARD

MSI GeForce RTX

2070 Armor 8G
★★★★★
£460 • From www.ebuyer.com

VERDICT
At last, an Nvidia RTX GPU that combines big
performance with a reasonable price

SO FAR, NVIDIA’S GeForce RTX series has

been tinged with disappointment. Not in
the sense that they’re bad GPUs – the RTX
2080 (Shopper 372) and RTX 2080 Ti
(Shopper 371) are both monstrously
powerful, with the RTX 2080 Ti in particular
delivering the ‘60fps at 4K’ dream shared by
PC gaming enthusiasts for years.
There are, however, a couple of problems.
The first is the RTX series’ pricing. Partner
card versions of the RTX 2080 go for around
£700, a deeply unattractive proposition
considering it’s only about as powerful as
the last-gen GTX 1080 Ti, while the RTX
2080 Ti can set you back £1,100 or more.
This actually is a considerable step up from
previous cards, in terms of core performance,
but the cost is going to put it out of reach
for far more potential users than any of
Nvidia’s erstwhile top-end GPUs.
THE RAYS TO COME
The second issue is that the two big new
features introduced by the underlying
Turing architecture, ray-tracing and deep
learning super-sampling (DLSS), still aren’t
being implemented widely enough to justify
the expense of upgrading. DLSS looks like
the more promising of the two; for the
unfamiliar, it’s basically a new form of
AI-powered anti-aliasing, which can smooth
out edges with significantly less impact on
performance. Ray-tracing, meanwhile, allows
for better-looking lighting and reflection
effects by more realistically simulating
how light bounces around a scene, although
unlike DLSS this has an adverse effect on
frames-per-second rates.
Both still have the potential to be great
features, but there just aren’t many games
that currently support them, or will do in the
near future. At the time of writing, only
Battlefield V has patched in ray-tracing
support, and this is only for improved
reflections, not for the lighting effects that
Nvidia presents as the technology’s main
focus. Fewer than 30 games have committed
to adding DLSS, too, and many aren’t even
releasing until deep into 2019.
This also comes back to the issue of value,
as even if ray-tracing and DLSS don’t yet offer
a material benefit, it could still be worth
There is absolutely no reason to buy anything other than
the RTX 2070 if you want a premium card below £500
buying the RTX 2080 or RTX 2080 Ti if their
prices weren’t so disproportionate to their
performance gains over the GTX 10-series.
All is not lost for RTX, however, as there’s one
more GPU we haven’t looked at: the RTX 2070.
This replaces the GTX 1070, which you
may remember as the Pascal generation’s
most affordable high-end, mostly 4K-ready
card. The RTX 2070 fills a similar role.
It’s less powerful than the RTX 2080 and
the RTX 2080 Ti, but uses the same Turing
architecture and – crucially – is less expensive.
Much less, in fact: the partner model we’re
testing here, MSI’s GeForce RTX 2070 Armor
8G, is ‘just’ £460.
FEEL THE BURN
This gets you the same 8GB of up-to-date
GDDR6 memory as the RTX 2080, 2,304
processing cores (fewer than the RTX 2080’s
2,944, but more than the GTX 1070’s 1,920)
and a dual-fan open air cooler, topped with a
sturdy backplate. MSI hasn’t added a factory
overclock, so the standard 1,410MHz base
clock and 1,620MHz boost clock are in effect,
but you can fiddle with speeds and voltages
yourself via MSI’s Afterburner software.
Our very first tests, running the Dirt
Showdown benchmark on Ultra settings with
4x anti-aliasing, weren’t terribly encouraging.
The RTX 2070 produced 128fps at 1,920x1,080
and 125fps at 2,560x1,440, which are
improvements of just 4fps and 5fps over the
GTX 1070. However, the RTX 2070
then reminded us that
this is a 4K card through
and through, scoring
100fps at 3,840x2,160,
where the GTX 1070
could only reach 80fps.
It’s also worth noting
that the MSI GeForce RTX
2080 Gaming X Trio, our
test card for the RTX
2080, only scored 127fps at

28 MARCH 2019 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | ISSUE 373


1080p and 130fps at 1440p, a convincing
argument for the cheaper GPU if you’re intending
to play at lower resolutions. That said, it did also
beat the RTX 2070 at 4K, with 120fps.
HIGH ACHIEVER
Metro: Last Light Redux put the RTX 2070 more
clearly in the middle between its previous-gen
equivalent and its bigger RTX brother. At 1080p, it
averaged 94fps without issue, while its 1440p
result of 56fps is close enough to the ideal 60fps.
At 4K, maxed-out settings proved slightly too
much, as it produced 26fps, although at this
resolution it’s easy to sacrifice SSAA, which we
did for an instant boost to 51fps. Interestingly,
this time the RTX 2080’s advantage becomes
smaller as the resolution increases: it managed
114fps at 1080p, but 30fps at 4K, a mere 4fps
difference. In any case, it’s another considerable
improvement on the GTX 1070, which only
managed 18fps at 4K, for instance.
Our third benchmark game, Tomb Raider,
showed the RTX 2070 taking even more steps
forward. 1080p and 1440p posed no problem,
with average frame rates of 117fps and 72fps
using Ultimate quality and the demanding 4x
SSAA setting. 4K forced it down to 33fps, but this
is still just about playable if you absolutely must
have the best settings enabled. The GTX 1070, by
contrast, could only get a high 4K frame rate with
the more easygoing FXAA setting, although while
this allowed the Pascal card to reach 48fps,
switching to FXAA also granted the RTX 2070 a
visibly smoother 64fps.
We also tested the much newer Shadow of the
Tomb Raider, though sadly not with the promised
ray-tracing implantation, which is still yet to
arrive. With maximum quality settings and TAA
enabled, the RTX 2070 managed 85fps at 1080p,
67fps at 1440p and 35fps at 4K, which is a
respectable set of results, considering the far
pricier RTX 2080 scored 93fps, 81fps and 44fps
ISSUE 373 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | MARCH 2019
respectively. These aren’t nearly as significant
differences as the price gulf might suggest. Both
RTX cards also scored a perfect 11 in the SteamVR
Performance Test for virtual reality games.
CUSTOM BUILD
COLD CARD CASH
Overall, the RTX 2070 might not produce such
outright awe-inspiring results as the RTX 2080 Ti,
which is about twice as fast in several of these
tests, but it’s close enough to seriously bother
the RTX 2080 at 1440p and 4K, especially when
it’s so much cheaper.
GAMING PCs
In previous RTX reviews, this is where we’d
then point out that an existing GTX GPU can
perform similar feats at a lower price, but that’s
Free UK Shipping
only half true: the GTX 1080 comes closest, but
is not only slightly less powerful than the RTX
3 Year Limited Warranty
2070, but – surprisingly enough – remains a little
more expensive, with relatively cheap partner Finance Options Available
versions coming in around £480.
As a result, there is absolutely no reason to
buy anything other than the RTX 2070 if you
want a premium card below £500. It breaks the
curse of RTX cards being overpriced, and while it
can’t fix a lack of game support for ray-tracing
and DLSS, current performance alone makes it
a smarter purchase than the GTX 1070, GTX
1080 or RTX 2080. There’s also the GTX 1080 Ti,
but this, like the RTX 2080, is a few hundred
pounds extra for what is often only marginally
better performance.
MSI’s own additions aren’t half bad either.
The twin fan cooling setup runs a bit louder than
the triple fans of the GeForce RTX 2080 Gaming X
Trio, but this also helps the RTX 2070 fit into
smaller cases, and under load the GPU doesn’t
run any hotter. While running Metro at 4K with
maximum settings, we recorded temperatures
generally staying around 63°C, only peaking at
65°C. An idle temperature of 45°C is higher than
most, but not worryingly so.
LAST OUT, FIRST IN
Nvidia may be giving most of the spotlight to
the RTX 2080 Ti, but the RTX 2070 is by far
the best of the bunch, even if it is the slowest.
It’s a perfect upgrade for anyone currently
using a mid-range card, a great bet for brand-
new PC builds, and until the RTX 1060 comes
out, the only current-gen Nvidia GPU you won’t
need to sell an organ for. Most importantly,
it’s also the only RTX card that makes sense
to buy today, and not when – or indeed, if –
ray-tracing and DLSS prove themselves worthy
of the two higher-end cards’ outlays.
James Archer
SPECIFICATIONS
GPU Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070 • MEMORY 8GB GDDR6 •
GRAPHICS CARD LENGTH 309mm • WARRANTY Three years
repair and replace • DETAILS www.msi.com • PART CODE RTX
2070 Armor 8G
Dirt Showdown 128fps
Metro: Last Light 94fps WWW.
WW W.CY
W.CYBE
CYBERP
BERPOW
RPOWER
OWERSY
ER SYST
SYSTEM
EM.CO.UK
WWW.CYBERPOWERSYSTEM.CO.UK
Tomb Raider 117fps
0% -50 Reference +50 +100 Follow Us!
See page 114 for performance details
@CYBERPOWERUK
@CYBERPOWER_UK
 MECHANICAL KEYBOARD
ROCCAT Vulcan
120 Aimo
★★★★★
£150 • From www.box.co.uk
VERDICT
Thinner keycaps and superb mechanical
switches propel this RGB keyboard to greatness
THE VULCAN SERIES was, in our eyes, one
of the standout product launches of last
summer’s Computex 2018 show. No small
feat for a trio of keyboards, surrounded by
some of the most powerful and ambitious
tech the industry had to offer.
Said keyboards – the Vulcan 80, Vulcan 100
Aimo and Vulcan 120 Aimo – really did feel a
bit special. From the short time we had to try
them out, the slimline, half-weight keycaps
and Roccat’s custom-made mechanical Titan
switch made for a strong first impression, and
now we’ve finally had the chance to use the
Vulcan 120 Aimo back home.
TAKEN BY SWARM
Before we get into specifics, a warning: this is
not a cheap keyboard. The Vulcan 120 Aimo,
which stands at the top of the range with full
RGB lighting and a detachable wrist rest, is
£150 – about 50% more expensive than the
excellent HyperX Alloy Elite (Shopper 361), and
almost equal with the ultra-high-end Razer
BlackWidow Chroma V2 (Shopper 359).
It also requires a bit of housekeeping
before it can get up and running at its full
capabilities. Handily, it only uses a single USB
cable – some gaming keyboards, including the
BlackWidow Chroma V2, need to take up two
USB slots – and simply by plugging it in, you
can get typing away with a solid red backlight.
Getting customisable RGB going, however,
demands the installation of Roccat’s Swarm
software, upon which the lighting will
automatically switch to a wavy rainbow effect.
We’d have preferred the RGB feature to
work out of the box, and for there to be more
onboard lighting controls instead of relying so
30
much on software; you can use the FX key and
the volume knob to adjust brightness, but that’s
it. Still, Swarm was more than competent at
getting the Vulcan 120 Aimo how we wanted
it. Besides the extensive lighting options,
including a range of effects and the ability to
tweak their speed and brightness, there’s
per-key input assignment and up to four
different profiles to create and swap between.
Swarm even includes an option to play a
digital sound effect on each click, so each tap
will be accompanied by, say, a typewriter-style
clack or even goofy sci-fi laser noises, should
you somehow be that way inclined. There is
It has the tactile feedback of a great typing keyboard, while
also being fast and responsive enough for any style of game
a very slight delay between an actual key
press and the sound effect playing, however,
which put us off the whole thing even with
the more conservative click sounds.
GOOD PRESS
We’re not here for the software, in any case.
We’re here for the hardware, and as a
typing and gaming peripheral, the Vulcan
120 Aimo is an absolute pleasure to use.
Roccat’s Titan switches combine the best
parts of multiple Cherry switches: there’s the
agile, gaming-friendly feel of MX Reds, a less
harsh but still nicely tactile bump in the MX
Blue vein, and a similarly satisfying travel
depth to MX Speed Silvers.
The result is a comfortable and extremely
versatile keyboard. It has the
tactile feedback of a great
typing keyboard, while also
being fast and responsive
enough for any style of
game (although MMO and
strategy fans might not
appreciate the lack of
dedicated macro keys;
macro functionality is
instead shared with the
six navigation keys). The
natural, non-digital noise is
just right, too: it’s clicky
enough to provide decent
audio feedback when typing,
but unlike MX Blue switches,
Titans aren’t so loud that they’ll distract you in
games, or annoy anyone sitting nearby.
The dainty keycaps play a part in this
typing experience as well. Because they weigh
less than full-size keycaps, they’re easier to
depress and faster to bounce back up to their
original position. You might not think the
difference is noticeable, given it’s a difference
of a few grams at most, but we’re convinced
that the Vulcan 120 Aimo feels crisper and
livelier than any other gaming keyboard
we’ve used. The keycap design also shows
off the lit-up switches better, and makes the
whole keyboard easier to clean.
Build quality on the whole is quite good.
The plastic edges and underside are made up
for by a brushed metal front, complete with
spill-proofing, and the fold-out legs are on
strong hinges. The wrist rest is somewhat
disappointing, as it’s just plain plastic without
any padding or a more comfortable soft-touch
finish, but it does its job at enabling a more
ergonomic hand position. It also attaches
magnetically, without any fiddly clips.
DOWN TO BASICS
We wish this wasn’t the full extent of the
Vulcan 120 Aimo’s extras, however. The
aforementioned volume knob is a worthy
inclusion, but there are no other dedicated
media keys, which are – like the macro keys –
folded into the function keys. There are no
USB port or headset audio jacks, either;
notable omissions for a £150 keyboard.
It’s not perfect, then, but the key switches,
cap design and robust customisation options
of the Vulcan 120 Aimo make it easily the
best keyboard Roccat has ever produced,
and that’s at least worth sitting through a
few minutes of software installation.
James Archer
SPECIFICATIONS
•
KEYBOARD SHAPE Full size NUMBER PAD Yes•
•
CONNECTION 1x USB2 DIMENSIONS 32x462x235mm •
•
MEDIA KEYS Mute, volume dial USB PORTS None•
•
WARRANTY Two years RTB DETAILS en.roccat.org•
PART CODE ROC-12-442-BN
MARCH 2019 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | ISSUE 373
 FULL HD VA MONITOR
AOC C27G1
★★★★★
£239 • From www.amazon.co.uk
VERDICT
The C27G1 caters mostly well for gaming, but
the panel’s poor brightness is hard to overlook
THE C27G1 IS AOC’s latest 144Hz gaming
monitor to aim for a highly responsive panel
without compromising too much on picture
quality. Much like the 2017 Samsung CFG70,
which has coincidentally dropped to a similar
price as this monitor, AOC’s panel is based on
vertical alignment (VA) technology.
In practice, VA is supposed to merge
the best of both worlds by offering a high
contrast ratio, good picture quality and a
fast response time all in one, but the
technology has some limitations.
BEND GAME
The C27G1 has an 1800R curvature with a
three-sided borderless design. Of course,
borderless shouldn’t be taken entirely literally,
but the monitor’s thin bezels don’t take up
much room on your desk. The 27in panel
takes up about the same amount of space
as a chunkier 24in monitor.
The triangular stand raises the display by
130mm and provides -4° to 21.5° of tilt and 34°
of swivel adjustments. If this doesn’t suffice,
the monitor can also be mounted on
a 100x100mm VESA compatible stand, so
it’s pretty flexible all round.
The case is black and red, which gives it a
somewhat aggressive, typically ‘gamer’ look
– not necessarily a bad thing, given the target
audience, but it won’t be to everyone’s tastes.
Its onscreen display (OSD) is accessed via
the buttons on the lower-right edge. The
menus let you adjust the panel’s response
time, select a colour profile and enable AOC’s
Bright Frame feature, which allows you to
adjust the brightness and contrast ratio of a
set portion of the screen manually.
Where connectivity is concerned,
there’s a VGA port, DisplayPort
1.2 and two HDMI 1.4 ports.
There’s no USB hub and no
speakers, unfortunately,
although if you do want to
channel sound through it,
you can plug your headphones
into the 3.5mm jack.
True to VA form, the Full HD
(1,920x1,080) panel achieves an
incredible contrast ratio of
3,848:1. It also has near-perfect
colour accuracy in sRGB mode,
with an average delta-E of 1.03.
Its sRGB gamut coverage of
95.8% is rather impressive, too.
Here the C27G1 is again
reminiscent of, if slightly
32
behind, the Samsung
CFG70, which
achieved a delta-E
of 0.45 and 99.6%
sRGB gamut
coverage. Both
panels are a touch
washed out when compared to a class-leading
IPS panel, but at this price it’s nothing to be
concerned about.
’s monitor beats the CFG70 on
AOC’s
contrast, however, with Samsung’s screen
reaching 2,501:1. That’s still very high, but
the C27G1 is even more impressive in this
regard, and it’s hard
to imagine an IPS
panel stretching even
halfway to AOC’s result.
RY EYED
DREARY Its 144Hz refresh rate also allows for
Where the C27G1 crumbles is in brightness. attractively smooth gameplay, and with
Peaking at just 265cd/m2, the monitor is dim AMD FreeSync technology built in, screen
and, in sRGB mode, this figure is further tearing is effectively eliminated with a
reduced to 228cd/m2. This makes the display compatible AMD graphics card.
a little hard to see in rooms that have bright If you have an Nvidia graphics card, you’ll
ambient light and, worse still, it drops to have to resort to using VSync to eliminate
68cd/m2 when the response time is set to tearing instead. You’ll still be able to run the
Boost mode using the OSD. monitor in Full HD at 144Hz, but VSync can
At 68cd/m2, you’ll struggle to make out induce input lag, so be wary.
important details in games and films,
especially in dark scenes. By THE LIGHTER SIDE
comparison, the CFG70 is a lot The AOC C27G1 comes awfully close to
brighter at 379cd/m2, and only success: it features a fast 144Hz panel,
limited to 250cd/m2 when set to excellent colour reproduction and is
its fastest response time. appropriately designed. However, its
The C27G1’s gaming brightness issues are a massive letdown,
performance is also disappointingly especially when compared to the Samsung
mixed. If you’re a competitive CFG70, which outshines it in every response
gamer, you’ll want to set the time mode. At the time of writing, both
monitor’s response time to Boost monitors can be found for roughly the same
mode but, as we’ve seen, doing price, so the CFG70 is the better buy.
so has nasty implications. Christopher Minasians
Realistically, you’ll not want to be
squinting while playing, so we’d SPECIFICATIONS
advise instead setting the response SCREEN SIZE 27in • RESOLUTION 1,920x1,080 •
time to Strong, although this can SCREEN TECHNOLOGY VA • REFRESH RATE 144Hz •
still feel a little too sluggish in the VIDEO INPUTS HDMI, DisplayPort, VGA • WARRANTY
fastest-paced games. Much like the Three years collect and return • DETAILS aoc-europe.com
Samsung CFG70, it’s not suited to • PART CODE C27G1
competitive gaming outside of the CONNECTION PORTS
fastest setting, and with the C27G1 being so HDMI x2 DisplayPort x2
dim, that’s not a feasible option for most.
On the plus side, no matter which
overdrive setting we chose, there
VGA 3.5mm headphone
weren’t any signs of inverse
ghosting or significant
impact on input lag.
MARCH 2019 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | ISSUE 373
 FULL HD TN PANEL
IIYAMA G-Master Black
Hawk G2530HSU-B1
★★★★★
RECOMMENDED £119 • www.pcworldbusiness.co.uk
VERDICT
With a 75Hz refresh rate and FreeSync, this is
a perfect match for gamers on a budget
GAMING MONITORS CAN be expensive,
but at £119, the G-Master Black Hawk
G2530HSU-B1 is making a confident move
into the budget arena. It doesn’t have the
catchiest name in the business, but a great
set of features and an amazing price make
this a monitor you won’t forget in a hurry.
The G2530HSU-B1 is a 24.5in gaming
monitor with a Full HD (1,920x1,080) TN panel.
It runs at a native 75Hz refresh rate, although
thanks to AMD’s FreeSync, that can vary
dynamically, syncing with the frame rate
output of an AMD GPU to ensure tear-free
gaming. It has an adjustable stand and a
borderless design on three sides, which makes
it look and feel more upmarket than it really is.
Importantly, there’s very little in the way of
direct competition, at least in terms of
marrying a similar price and features. The AOC
G2460VQ (Shopper 365), for instance, costs
the same but lacks the adjustable stand.
Otherwise, its closest rival is the AOC
G2590VXQ, which costs £145.
ROUND THE TWIST
The G2530HSU-B1 has a three-sided
borderless design, and it looks very elegant,
especially next to the AOC G2460VQ and its
thick bezels. The stand is also a cut above
Iiyama’s rivals: it provides height adjustment,
tilt and swivel, and can also pivot by up to 90°.
If you’d rather use your own stand or mount
the display on a wall, there’s a 100x100mm
VESA mount on the back.
For video input, there’s a mix of VGA,
DisplayPort and HDMI ports, plus two USB2
ports, and 3.5mm headphone input and output
34
jacks. The built-in pair of 2W speakers are fine
for Windows notifications, but if you want to
properly enjoy games and music, you’ll need
to attach external speakers or headphones.
The onscreen display is comprehensive and
easy to navigate using the physical buttons at
the bottom-right edge of the monitor.
The matt-finish TN panel doesn’t deliver
the best viewing angles: if you’re not looking
at it square on, colours shift noticeably. It also
has a rather average contrast ratio of 1,180:1,
which is common with TN panels. IPS and VA
panels are normally far superior in this regard.
REFRESH FACED
Colour coverage depends on your settings:
you can switch between Cool, Normal, Warm,
and User color modes. We found the Warm
setting came closest to covering the entire
sRGB colour gamut, although even this only
managed 90.2% coverage.
The display’s colour accuracy is somewhat
disappointing, too. We measured an average
delta-E of 2.42 and a maximum of 7.73, which
means this monitor won’t appeal to photo or
video editors. It’s fine for gaming, where
precise accuracy isn’t so important; just don’t
expect the most vibrant colours.
Brightness, meanwhile, depends
on your colour settings. In Normal
mode, we measured a maximum of
around 240cd/m2, but switching to
User color raised this to a peak of
297cd/m2. This certainly isn’t the
best we’ve seen, but it will suffice
for late-night gaming sessions.
The G2530HSU-B1’s image quality
may not excite, but its gaming
performance is impressive. With a
1ms response time and a native
refresh rate of 75Hz, this is a brilliant
display for gamers on a tight budget.
If you’re a competitive gamer, you’ll
ideally be aiming for a monitor with a
144Hz refresh rate, but you won’t
find one of those at this price.
For an extra boost, you can enable the
monitor’s Overdrive setting. The higher you
go, the more responsive the panel gets.
However, with anything over the first setting
of -2, you’ll experience some inverse ghosting
and, if you push it up to +2 (the highest
setting), there’s a noticeable purple trail,
even in less graphically intense games. We’d
suggest keeping it down to +1 or 0 to minimise
the unwanted effects, or disable it entirely for
the best visual experience. Even with
Overdrive off, the monitor is surprisingly
responsive, with minimal perceptible input lag.
MORE WITH LESS
The inclusion of AMD FreeSync technology
means that, if you have a compatible AMD
graphics card, you can remove unsightly
screen tearing. Nvidia owners can resort to the
software-based Adaptive VSync technology
instead, which exchanges a degree of
responsiveness for a similar smoothing effect,
but if your hardware can handle it, you can
still get the benefit of Full HD at 75Hz.
The Iiyama G2530HSU-B1 isn’t the greatest
gaming monitor in the world but, in terms of
value, it’s unmatched. It looks just as good as
the AOC G2460VQ and, with its adjustable
stand and borderless design, it’s a great,
cheaper alternative to the AOC G2590VXQ.
Christopher Minasians
SPECIFICATIONS
• RESOLUTION 1,920x1,080 •
SCREEN SIZE 24in
SCREEN TECHNOLOGY VA • REFRESH RATE 75Hz •
VIDEO INPUTS HDMI, DisplayPort, VGA •
WARRANTY Two years onsite • DETAILS www.iiyama.com
• PART CODE G2530HSU-B1
CONNECTION PORTS
HDMI DisplayPort USB2 x2
VGA 3.5mm headphone x2
MARCH 2019 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | ISSUE 373
 500GB SSD
CRUCIAL P1
★★★★★
RECOMMENDED £80 • From www.amazon.co.uk
VERDICT
Don’t be fooled by its slow sequential speeds: in normal use, the P1 is an exceptional bargain
CRUCIAL HAS NEVER made an NVMe SSD
until now, despite a long and illustrious history
with SATA drives. The simply named P1 isn’t
just unusual for this reason, either: it’s also a
rare instance of a consumer SSD using
quad-level cell (QLC) NAND flash memory.
Just like how multi-layer cell (MLC) stores
two bits of data per cell, and triple-level cell
(TLC) holds three bits, QLC flash stores four
bits per cell. The main benefit of allowing for
data to be stored so densely is that it allows
for higher capacities without taking up as
much physical space as MLC or TLC storage,
although this isn’t particularly helpful on a
standard 80mm M.2 drive; it’s more of a help
to server rack owners. QLC is also the slowest,
and has the worst endurance.
QUAD ONE OUT
Why, then, would Crucial choose QLC? For
one thing, it’s cheap. Much like the firm’s
BX500 (Shopper 371), the P1 is presented as a
storage drive for those on tight budgets, and
QLC memory helps keep the cost down. So
far down, in fact, that this is the most
affordable NVMe drive we’ve seen yet: the
smallest 500GB model, which we’re testing
here, works out at a mere 16p per gigabyte,
while the 1TB model is just 15.5p. Even next to
other value-oriented SSDs such as the Adata
XPG SX6000 Pro (Shopper 372), these are
some very tempting prices, as the 512GB
SX6000 Pro is 20.8p per gigabyte. The older
yet higher-end Samsung 970 (Shopper 368),
meanwhile, has only dropped to 21.7p.
The 1TB model looks an even better deal,
as the 500GB model has surprisingly lower
advertised sequential speeds: 1,900MB/s
read and only 950MB/s write, the latter
being remarkably low by NVMe standards.
The 1TB version is said to have a 2,000MB/s
read and a 1,700MB/s write speed. It’s
common for larger capacities to be slightly
faster, but seldom by this much.
36
Our testing with CrystalDiskMark showed
the 500GB model’s numbers to be fairly
accurate, as it scored 1,909.5MB/s in the
standard sequential read test and 980.6MB/s
in the sequential write test. These results, true
to the type of memory being used, are slower
than those of the TLC-based SX6000 Pro, and
much slower than those of the MLC-based
970 Evo. However, in the random 4K test, it
was a far closer contest, with the P1 managing
a respectable 337.5MB/s read speed and a
257.4MB/s write speed.
CLOSING THE GAP
The P1 was also more competitive in our file
transfer tests, which – like the 4K random
test – more accurately recreates real-use
cases than sequential benchmarks. Not that
it suddenly became blazingly fast, but the
P1’s 999.7MB/s read speed and 998.6MB/s
write speed in our huge files test are nipping
on the SX6000 Pro’s heels.
It also kept up the pace in the tougher
large files test. Here, Adata’s SSD dropped
to 825.3MB/s read and 820MB/s write, but
the P1 managed a very good 985.9MB/s read
and 984.3MB/s write speed. That’s even
getting close to the 970 Evo, which came in
at 995.3MB/s read and 1,010.8MB/s write –
not a lot of extra performance, for what is
certainly a lot of extra cash.
The P1 even took the lead in the small files
write test, with 398.7MB/s, which is about
22MB/s faster than the SX6000 Pro and
35MB/s faster than the 970 Evo. Samsung’s
SSD was back on top for read speeds,
scoring 373MB/s, but that’s only a little
better than the P1’s 364.2MB/s.
It’s not surprising that the P1 falls so far
behind on sequential jobs, but we were
deeply impressed by how well it kept up
with costlier drives in our more realistic file
transfer benchmarks. It also demonstrates
how manufacturers’ listed speeds aren’t
everything. We won’t hazard a guess as to
whether or not the 1TB model would be
much faster in everyday use, but considering
we’ve just seen a drive with a stated 950MB/s
write speed overtake the 2,500MB/s 970 Evo
in the small files test, you shouldn’t feel as
though you’re getting a bad deal if you opt
for the smaller model.
QLC isn’t entirely vindicated, as the P1
does have lower durability than its rivals.
The 500GB model is guaranteed for 100
terabytes written (TBW), one-third of the
512GB SX6000 Pro and 500GB 970 Evo, while
the 1TB model is similarly modest at 200TBW.
That said, the only way you’ll break this before
the five-year warranty runs out is if you’re
writing several tens of gigabytes every single
day, which seems unlikely in most cases.
SAVE HAVEN
Our only gripe with the Crucial P1 is that there
isn’t a smaller, even cheaper capacity available;
QLC lends itself better to larger drives, of
course, but a 256GB or even 128GB version
could have been irresistible to budget-
conscious PC builders. Nevertheless, the P1
represents outstanding value even at 500GB,
and unless you’re in a line of work (or just
have a hobby) that demands the very highest
speeds at all times, it’s seriously worth a look.
James Archer
SPECIFICATIONS
CAPACITY 500GB • COST PER GIGABYTE 16p •
INTERFACE NVMe • CLAIMED READ 1,900MB/s •
CLAIMED WRITE 950MB/s • WARRANTY Five years RTB •
DETAILS www.crucial.com • PART CODE CT500P1SSD8
Huge files 999.2MB/s
Large files 985.1MB/s
Small files 381.5MB/s
0% -50 Reference +50 +100
See page 114 for performance details
MARCH 2019 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | ISSUE 373
 MESH WI-FI SYSTEM
BT Complete Wi-Fi
★★★★★
£5 per month • From www.bt.com
VERDICT
A fast and powerful mesh networking
system that’s great value for anyone with
a BT Plus account
MOST WIRELESS MESH systems are
roughly the same: they all come with a
collection of satellites that you spread
throughout your home, and are designed to
extend and improve your wireless network.
BT Complete Wi-Fi is a little different.
Yes, Complete Wi-Fi has a router and
multiple satellites (called ‘discs’ here), but it
also comes with a guarantee. Available for
BT Plus customers, the BT Complete Wi-Fi
system costs £5 a month, and is covered by
BT’s guaranteed performance.
The guarantee is that you’ll get strong
Wi-Fi in every room. The starter package
ships with the BT Smart Hub 2 router and
one additional disc for extending range. If you
can’t get a reliable signal in every room, BT
will send you up to two additional discs free
of charge. At that point, if you’re still having
problems, you’ll get £20 back.
If you have a BT mobile phone contract,
the BT Plus benefits extend to those as well.
If your broadband should drop out, BT will
send you a mobile router for free and give
you unlimited phone data until the problem
has been fixed.
APPENSTANCE
Rather than using a dedicated app to control
the system, as with the preceding Whole
Home Wi-Fi (Shopper 351) system, BT
provides the controls for the Complete Wi-Fi
system in the MyBT app on your phone.
This is the same app that you’d use to
manage your account and view your bills.
Configuration is easy, with the app taking
you through plugging the new router in first.
There’s a single vDSL port on the rear, but no
Ethernet WAN port. While this means that
38
you can plug your router straight into the
master socket, not having Ethernet is a bit of
a shame. The old-style OpenReach modem
made it easier to reposition the router using
a length of Ethernet cable, but that’s not
possible with the new system.
Once the router is up and running, the
app takes you through configuring the disc,
helping you place it in the ideal location. The
disc should be able to connect to the router
wirelessly to pull the configuration that it
needs, but this didn’t work for us. Instead, we
first had to plug the disc into the router via
Ethernet to get the configuration, then we
could move it back to its final location.
The Ethernet port on the disc can be
used to plug in wired devices; you get a
further four Gigabit Ethernet ports on the
back of the router, plus a USB port for
printer or storage sharing.
The default network details are printed
on a handy pull-out card on the back of
the router. Unlike with the Whole Home
Wi-Fi system, you don’t get a pull-out card
on the discs.
NOTHING TO SEE
There are very few configuration options.
As with most mesh systems, the system
combines the 5GHz and 2.4GHz networks
under one name. When a device connects, the
BT Complete Wi-Fi system then pushes the
device towards the strongest disc and the
best channel based on its features. From the
app, you can change the wireless network
name and password, but that’s it.
There’s an option to configure the light
brightness on both the router and disc, and
you can turn all status lights off, which is
handy if you want to
place either disc in a
bedroom and don’t
want to be disturbed.
That’s it as far as the
app goes, and there’s
not even an option for
a guest network.
If you want a
little bit more
control, you can
connect to the
router using a web
browser. From this
interface, you can
configure port
forwarding and
turn off BT’s annoying Smart Setup, which
bugs newly connected devices with a page
advertising the free services you get with
your broadband account.
BT provides online parental controls, but
settings apply to all devices. It’s unfortunate
that you can’t group devices into profiles, and
control each set individually. For example, you
could set different access times and filtering
levels for each child in your house.
RAMPING UP
The BT Complete Wi-Fi system uses dual-
band 802.11ac, so it doesn’t have a dedicated
wireless channel for building the mesh
network. The Smart Hub 2, BT tells us, has
a 5GHz channel with a throughput of
1,733Mbit/s and a 2.4GHz channel that runs
at 289Mbit/s. The discs have the same
1,733Mbit/s 5GHz network, but a faster
385Mbit/s 2.4GHz network.
In testing, we found that we got very
fast average throughputs at close range,
managing 340Mbit/s. Moving to the
first floor, speeds were high at 279.5Mbit/s.
On the second floor, we got throughputs of
251.1Mbit/s. That’s faster than the Whole
Home Wi-Fi, but a little behind the Netgear
Orbi RBK50 (Shopper 358).
Whether or not the BT Complete Wi-Fi
is worth it comes down to your needs and
whether you’re a BT Plus customer or not,
as it’s not currently available standalone.
If you have BT Plus and want a fast upgrade,
then this system is great value.
However, Complete Wi-Fi currently
lacks features, such as a guest network
(we’re told that this will come later) and
granular parental controls. For the best
performance at a higher price, the Netgear
Orbi RBK50 remains our top choice.
David Ludlow
SPECIFICATIONS
MODEM vDSL • WI-FI STANDARD 802.11ac • STATED
SPEED Router: 1,733Mbit/s (5GHz), 289Mbit/s (2.4GHz);
Disc: 1,733Mbit/s (5GHz), 385Mbit/s (2.4GHz) • USB
PORTS 1 • WALL MOUNTABLE No • WARRANTY Under
rental contract • DETAILS www.bt.com • PART CODE BT
Complete Wi-Fi
5GHz close 340.0Mbit/s
5GHz 5m 279.5Mbit/s
5GHz 10m 251.1Mbit/s
0 200 400 600
See page 114 for performance details
MARCH 2019 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | ISSUE 373
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 INKJET MFP

EPSON Expression
Premium XP-6100
★★★★★
£111 • From www.epson.co.uk

VERDICT
Epson’s XP-6100 is a brilliant MFP for creative
home use, but it could be cheaper to run

THE EXPRESSION PREMIUM

XP-6100 is a mid-range inkjet
multifunction peripheral (MFP),
designed for everyday and creative use at
home. It can print, scan and copy, and you can
share it among users on a wireless network.
There’s support for automatic duplex replacements in standard or XL sizes, but Print quality was impressive across the
(double-sided) printing, although if you want even calculated for the latter, a colour A4 board, with crisp black text and strong
to fax you’ll have to look elsewhere. page costs a steep 11.2p, of which the black graphics. Duplex prints looked as bold as
While rivals such as Canon’s Pixma TS6250 component is a dizzying 3.7p. Photo black single-sided prints, although there was some
(Shopper 372) use a touchscreen, this MFP isn’t used on plain paper so isn’t included in bleed-through: you could adjust the ink
partners a colour screen with a small group this figure: Epson says a £17 XL cartridge density in the driver, or use thicker paper
of buttons. It works well enough, and the should last for 800 6x4in photos. than we do. Photocopies were fast, at nine
XP-6100 has plenty of other neat features.
In the base there are two trays for up to 100
pages of A4, and 20 sheets of 6x4in or 5x7in
photo paper. Tidied away behind the front
Steep ink costs aside, it’s hard to criticise the XP-6100.
panels are an SD slot and a USB port for
direct scans and printing.
It’s surprisingly quick, delivering black text at a heady
COMPACT KILLER
15.6ppm in our test; colour graphics reached a swift 4.4ppm
The XP-6100 is rather compact. Its
comparatively slight width is achieved by Steep ink costs aside, it’s hard to criticise seconds in black only or 19 seconds in
mounting the five ink tanks behind, rather the XP-6100. It’s surprisingly quick, delivering colour, and their exposure was well judged.
than alongside, each other. As with the black text at a heady 15.6ppm in our test. Photos were extremely good, with accurate
TS6250, Epson’s system pairs a pigment black Colour graphics reached a swift 4.4ppm, but colour reproduction and a wealth of detail,
ink for plain paper work with a dye-based they would have been quicker still without particularly in mid and light regions. The one
black for photos. Dye-based cyan, magenta some pauses during the most complex pages. disappointment was a dull, grey/brown
and yellow are used for both. Epson sells At less than a minute each, 6x4in photos were livestock photo, which looked to have been
quick, while two enhanced with too much contrast, making it
10x8in photos look far too exciting.
completed in just This is a great MFP, with all the features
under 10 minutes. the typical home needs, but it’s a very tight
choice between it and Canon’s Pixma TS6250.
QUICK SCAN We’d narrowly choose the XP-6100 for its
Despite testing over a speed and quality, but the Pixma is cheaper
wireless connection to run and almost as good.
– which can Simon Handby
sometimes be a
bottleneck – scans SPECIFICATIONS
were very fast too.
An A4, 150dpi scan TECHNOLOGY Piezo inkjet • MAXIMUM PRINT
completed in just RESOLUTION 5,760x1,440dpi • MAXIMUM OPTICAL SCAN
RESOLUTION (OUTPUT BIT DEPTH) 1,200x4,800dpi (24-bit)
seven seconds, and
even our 1,200dpi • DIMENSIONS 142x349x340mm • WEIGHT 6.6kg •
MAXIMUM PAPER SIZE A4/legal • WARRANTY One year
6x4in photo was
RTB • DETAILS www.epson.co.uk • PART CODE C11CG97401
done in 45 seconds.
While Epson’s scan
Mono speed 15.6ppm
interface feels a bit
Mixed colour
businesslike, it speed 4.4ppm
combines a good set Mono page cost 3.7p
of features with Colour page cost 7.5p
reasonable ease of
0% -50 Reference +50 +100
use, and produces See page 114 for performance details
great results.

40 MARCH 2019 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | ISSUE 373

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 CONVERTIBLE LAPTOP
LENOVO Yoga 530
★★★★★
£700 • From www.currys.co.uk
VERDICT
A Ryzen 7 processor gives this flippy laptop
decent performance for a mid-ranger, but
its battery life is terrible
LENOVO PROVED TO be ahead of the game
with its Yoga series of rotating convertibles,
and even if not every laptop in the series has
broken new ground, it’s still finding ways to
switch things up. The Yoga 530 is a perfect
example: on the outside it’s very plain – dull,
even – but it’s also the first Yoga to adopt
AMD’s mobile Ryzen chips.
Weighing 1.67kg and measuring
229x328x17.6mm when closed, it’s neither
light nor particularly slim for a 14in laptop,
and although the assortment of physical
connections is decent – there are two USB3
ports, one USB Type-C port, one HDMI
output, a 3.5mm audio jack and an SD card
reader – several of these are uncomfortably
close to the power button on the right edge.
We found this button rather oversensitive,
and too easy to press by accident.
JUST CLICKED
The keyboard, on the other hand, is sensible
and satisfying. There’s a fair amount of tactile
feedback, and the cool blue backlight aids its
use in darker conditions. The touchpad also
worked well once we bumped up the
sensitivity – on lower settings, it sometimes
struggled to differentiate between three- and
four-finger multitouch gestures – and the
fingerprint sensor, which is nestled below
the arrow keys, is fast and reliable.
Two speakers are buried either side of the
keyboard. Like most laptop speakers, they
sound all right up close, although they’re not
strong enough to fill a room; walk back
several paces and the quality drops off
significantly. They don’t cope well with sharp
increases in volume, either, crackling slightly
42
through the transition. In other words, they’re
suitable for the odd YouTube video, but when
settling down to watch a film or listen to
music, it’s best to plug in a set of earphones.
One of the more disappointing elements of
the 14in Yoga 530 is its display quality. The
resolution is 1,920x1,080, which is fine; it’s just
that the colours look flat and dull. This lack of
vibrancy was confirmed in our technical tests,
in which the Yoga 530 was able to reproduce
only 54.6% of the sRGB colour gamut. It’s not
unheard of for laptops to go this low – the
Acer Swift 3 (Shopper 364) isn’t much better,
at 57% – but that doesn’t diminish the fact
that it’s a poor result.
Maximum brightness is also deeply
average at 250cd/m2, while the contrast ratio
of 1,178:1 is fine, if nothing special. At least the
touchscreen is good, proving fantastically
responsive to taps, swipes and pinch gestures.
It’s compatible with the Lenovo Active Pen
stylus, although this is a separate £37
purchase rather than a bundled accessory.
THE QUICK AND THE DEAD
We tested the top Yoga 530 spec, which
includes the quad-core Ryzen 7 2700U CPU
(with integrated Radeon Vega 10 graphics),
along with 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD.
Scoring 70 overall in our 4K benchmark tests,
there’s no doubt it’s a powerful laptop for
£700, although it’s odd that the Ryzen 5
2500U in the Swift 3 helped it score a superior
74. We’ve been underwhelmed by the 2700U
before, in the HP EliteBook 745 G5 (Shopper
370), and although the Yoga 530’s much
lower price makes it more forgivable, it’s
concerning that AMD’s higher-end chip
struggles against the Ryzen 5.
As we say, however, for the price,
this laptop performs well. It shapes
up particularly well next to other
convertibles, such as the Asus
ZenBook Flip S (Shopper 359), which only
scored 39 overall. The Yoga also has a speedy
SSD: we measured read and write speeds of
1,334MB/s and 706MB/s respectively.
On battery life, however, the Yoga 530 isn’t
very good at all. In out battery rundown test
– which involves switching to flight mode and
lowering the screen brightness to 170cd/m2 –
Lenovo’s laptop died after a mere 3h 47m.
Portability is vital for any convertible laptop,
but unless you have a large power bank, the
Yoga 530 will seriously struggle with extended
trips away from the mains.
LAP HAZARD
In certain departments, the Lenovo Yoga 530
is a surprisingly good laptop. It’s as quick as
its Intel-toting rivals at a similar price, has
great-quality storage and, even if the design
is familiar, it’s been re-used for good reason.
The 360° hinge works as well as any on the
market, and the keyboard is excellent.
On the flip side, its Ryzen 7 2700U
processor is clearly not as efficient as its
Intel counterparts, and display quality is a
bit of a letdown, too. As long as the price
doesn’t creep higher than £700, it’s
affordable enough that some dull colours
aren’t really ruinous, but that lack of
endurance is something to be very wary of.
Tom Bruce
SPECIFICATIONS
PROCESSOR Quad-core 2.2GHz AMD Ryzen 7 2700U •
RAM 8GB • DIMENSIONS 229x328x17.6mm • WEIGHT
1.67kg • SCREEN SIZE 14in • SCREEN RESOLUTION
1,920x1,080 • GRAPHICS ADAPTOR Radeon Vega 10 •
TOTAL STORAGE 256GB SSD • OPERATING SYSTEM
Windows 10 Home • WARRANTY One year RTB •
DETAILS www.lenovo.com • PART CODE 530-14ARR
Windows overall 70
Multitasking 54
Battery life 3h 47m
0% -50 Reference +50 +100
See page 114 for performance details
MARCH 2019 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | ISSUE 373
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 ULTRAPORTABLE LAPTOP

ASUS ZenBook S
★★★★★
£1,100 • From www.johnlewis.com

VERDICT
The elevated keyboard is nice, but
otherwise this laptop is too hot, too
slow and too expensive

THE ASUS ZENBOOK S looks a little odd –

the keyboard section connects to the display
section about an inch-and-a-half higher up
than clamshell devices usually do – but you
shouldn’t judge a laptop by its ergonomically
elevated keyboard.
The ZenBook S is designed to function as
an even slimmer, ultraportable spin-off to the
Asus ZenBook and Asus ZenBook Pro ranges.
It’s a sleek, compact device with a 13.3in IPS
display, weighing only 1.4kg. When closed, it
has an incredibly slim depth of 12.9mm,
slipping neatly into a rucksack or under your
arm when on the move. It even comes with
its own snazzy protective sleeve.

UPWARDS TRAJECTORY
As we say, the ZenBook S has an unusual
appearance for a laptop, thanks to the
elevated base. When the lid is closed, it lies
flat to the table surface just like any other
laptop, but behind the hinge at the rear
of the device is a bit of extra bulk
that acts as a lever, pushing the
base upwards off the table
when the lid is opened.
Besides looking pretty
cool in an offbeat sort of
way, this has two key
effects. First, it provides
more ventilation for the CPU,
providing a lot of space to dissipate
heat. Second, the angle provides a more
ergonomic, ‘natural’ typing experience – at
least, that’s the idea.
That extra ventilation is much needed, as
it happens, because the ZenBook S gets
extremely warm when performing more
demanding applications – and sometimes
when it’s not doing anything at all. Using an
IR thermometer gun, we clocked the base’s
temperature at 54°C. You can cook an egg at
55°C, but a more worrying statistic is that
human skin can be burned by temperatures
as low as 44°C. This means the ZenBook S
isn’t really suitable for use on your lap, and
given that we’re talking about a laptop,
that’s a real problem.
SOCKET SCIENCE
Still, when it’s merely burning a hole in a
desk and not your legs, the ZenBook S is a
fetching device. It has an all metal (mostly
aluminium) body which features Asus’s
trademark ‘spun metal’ finish on the lid,
and it comes in either a striking burgundy
red or an equally attractive deep blue. with the table surface. This has the effect of
At 213x311x12.9mm, this is one trim laptop. boosting the audio, although even at top
However, that svelteness comes at an volume the ZenBook S suffers from a tinny
all-too-familiar cost: connectivity. sound. We’ve tested smartphones with louder
Excluding the 3.5mm audio jack on the speakers than these, so buying a separate
lower right-hand side of the lid, there are Bluetooth speaker is definitely a good idea.
only three ports on the Asus ZenBook
S, and they’re all USB Type-C.
Asus includes two clunky adaptors,
one for full-size USB-to-Type-C
and the other for HDMI-to-
Type-C. When plugged in, they
seriously cramp the ZenBook
S’s style, and there’s always
a possibility that you
might lose them and
have to buy your own
down the line. Asus
sells its own Mini
Dock for £75.
Dual Harman
Kardon speakers
are tucked away on
the laptop’s underside, where
they sit towards the front and lie in contact

44 MARCH 2019 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | ISSUE 373


FINDING THE ANGLE
The elevated keyboard takes some getting
used to, especially if you’re used to typing on
a flat keyboard. That said, after a while it
really grew on us – we definitely felt that our
hands and wrists were in a more neutral
position, which in turn made typing feel easier.
Then again, the keys themselves could be
a lot better, as there’s little satisfaction to be
drawn from the limited travel or the overall
feel. This isn’t a flimsy 2-in-1 keyboard – there
was absolute scope for a more weighty, clicky
keyboard with more travel depth. All the
same, we didn’t have any problems with the
layout, and the glossy red finish is pretty nice.
On the touchpad is a fingerprint reader,
nestled into the upper right corner, but this
turns out to be a poor design decision.
There are many places on the laptop where a
fingerprint reader could have been installed,
so why add it here? When using the
touchpad, a conscious effort must be made to
avoid the section of the touchpad containing
the sensor. Once your finger slips into the
inset groove of the reader, you lose control
ISSUE 373 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | MARCH 2019
We clocked the base’s temperature at 54°C. You can cook
an egg at 55°C, but a more worrying statistic is that human
skin can be burned by temperatures as low as 44°C
of the cursor. Essentially what’s left is a
touchpad with a chunk missing.
GLARE TACTICS
The 13.3in IPS display on our review model
has a 1,920x1,080 resolution, although
there is also a 4K touch-enabled
configuration available. The display looks
fine when playing Full HD YouTube and
Netflix videos, but our display calibrator
revealed that it has a pretty sub-par sRGB
gamut coverage of 87%, which is
compounded by oversaturation. Every
colour, aside from some shades of black
and grey, is inaccurate, and an average
delta-E of 5.1 highlights how unsuited the
ZenBook S is for photo or video editing.
A contrast ratio of 1,099:1 is unusually
low for a laptop of this price. Display
brightness is also disappointing, with a
maximum measured luminance of
288cd/m2; simply put, that’s not good
enough for a mid-range laptop, let alone
a premium effort. Under harsh lighting
conditions, the screen will suffer from
glare, making it difficult to see when
you’re sitting by a window on a
bright day, and borderline
unusable in direct sunlight.
Given how hot the laptop
gets indoors, it should
avoid contact with
sunlight either way.
Inside this
ZenBook S is an
Intel Core i7-8550U
processor, plus 8GB of RAM. Although this
setup came out decently from our 4K
benchmark tests, with an overall score of 62,
we had hoped it might keep up better with
the likes of the Microsoft Surface Laptop 2
(Shopper 372), which achieved 84 overall
using the lesser Core i7-8250U chip.
Sequential read and write speeds, while
not terribly slow, are a notch below the
competition as well. The SSD in the Asus
achieved file read speeds of 459MB/s and
wrote files at 204MB/s, which again falls
short of the Surface Laptop 2. Of course, the
ZenBook S packs a SATA-based SSD rather
than the faster NVMe SSD found in the
Surface Laptop 2 as well as the Dell XPS 13
(Shopper 366), which is leaps and bounds
ahead in terms of throughput. If you’re
working on tasks where SSD performance
matters, you’re likely to notice the difference.
AND NO PLAY
Gaming options on the Asus ZenBook S are
limited. It only has Intel UHD Graphics 620
integrated graphics and thus performed
poorly in our gaming benchmarks. Even the
undemanding Dirt Showdown averaged only
23fps at native 1080p.
The more demanding Metro: Last Light
Redux 1080p benchmark hovered around
the 12fps mark, suggesting that you’d better
keep the gaming light on the ZenBook S.
That said, it’s no worse than other laptops in
this price range; you really need a dedicated
graphics chip to run this game at anything
close to a playable frame rate.
The ZenBook S didn’t do too well in our
battery rundown test, either. Given that it only
has a Full HD, non-touch display, we had
hoped it might surpass rival laptops with
higher resolutions or touch displays, or both.
Sadly, its battery only lasted for 6h 13m of
continuous video playback, which is about an
hour shorter than the Surface Laptop 2. It’s
always a shame when an ultraportable can’t
make it to seven or eight hours, and chances
are that the battery life on the 4K touch-
enabled configuration is considerably shorter.
RISE AND FALL
Asus gets top marks for style, but there are
simply too many issues with the ZenBook S
for us to recommend it over laptops such as
the Surface Laptop 2, the Dell XPS 13 or
even the LG Gram (Shopper 369), all of which
can be bought for around the same price.
Aside from its neat elevating hinge design,
there’s nothing remarkable about it, and its
benchmarks results are far from special.
Add to that the heating issues, flawed
touchpad design and woeful lack of ports,
and the price starts to look unreasonable.
This is a laptop that, in aesthetic terms, has
many positives, but go beyond the looks
and the niggles soon outweigh them.
Students and casual users might get by
just fine, but if you’re looking for a laptop
that’s capable of being something more
than just eye candy, look elsewhere.
Tom Bruce
SPECIFICATIONS
•
PROCESSOR Quad-core 1.8GHz Intel Core i7-8550U
RAM 8GB • DIMENSIONS 213x311x12.9mm • WEIGHT 1.4kg
• SCREEN SIZE 13.3in • SCREEN RESOLUTION 1,920x1,080
• GRAPHICS ADAPTOR Intel UHD Graphics 620 • TOTAL
STORAGE 256GB • OPERATING SYSTEM Windows 10
Home • WARRANTY One year RTB • DETAILS www.asus.
com/uk • PART CODE UX391UA-ET087T
Windows overall 62
Multitasking 46
Battery life 6h 13m
0% -50 Reference +50 +100
See page 114 for performance details
45
 ULTRAPORTABLE LAPTOP
APPLE MacBook
Air (2018)
★★★★★
£1,399 • From www.apple.com/uk
VERDICT
Apple revamps the MacBook Air, but it’s lost
some of its appeal in the process
THE MACBOOK AIR remains an iconic
laptop, and deservedly so. It brought Apple
laptops into the mainstream, and its
combination of style, size, weight and
decent battery life made it a classic.
Even so, the Air has – unlike the MacBook
and MacBook Pro – essentially been gathering
dust, rather than treated to the new Retina
displays and internal upgrades granted to its
stablemates. With this new model, Apple is
finally rectifying that.
EYE CATCHER
The headline addition to the laptop is also the
most-requested among MacBook fans: a
Retina-class display. With a resolution of
2,560x1,600 and a pixel density of 227ppi,
it’s a huge upgrade over the 1,440x900
resolution of the previous 13in MacBook Air
(Shopper 329). Inside, meanwhile, the 5th-gen
Intel processors have at long last been
replaced by 8th-gen chips from Intel’s
low-power Amber Lake line-up.
We tested the more expensive of the two
spec options, with a dual-core, 1.6GHz Core
i5-8210Y, 8GB of RAM and 256GB of SSD
storage; the cheaper £1,119 model is identical
except for its 128GB SSD.
In terms of design, Apple has mainly
brought the Air in line with the MacBook
Pro; to the extent, in fact, that when placed
side by side they’re tough to tell apart.
The Air is fractionally thicker at the rear
and thinner at the nose, while the Pro
maintains the same thickness front to back,
and the Air is 120g lighter. Otherwise, the
46
dimensions are the same down to the nearest
millimetre: 304mm wide and 212mm deep.
The MacBook Air, just like the MacBook
Pro, has a flush-fitted display with narrow,
black bezels. It has a pair of Thunderbolt 3
USB Type-C ports on the left edge and a
3.5mm headphone jack on the right.
Stereo speakers flank the shallow-travel
keyboard, which has a Touch ID fingerprint
reader nestled in its top-right corner, while a
large, glass-topped touchpad occupies most
of the wrist rest beneath.
The Air’s smaller touchpad (compared
to the Pro) is one of precious few visible
differences, but it’s still only a minor one, and
with Apple’s excellent Force Touch technology
in place it feels just as good to use.
The display – as you’d expect from the
specifications – is also a major improvement
on the 2015 model. However, that’s not to say
it entirely meets expectations, which have
been raised considerably by the MacBook Pro.
It’s disappointing, for instance, that peak
brightness reaches only 321cd/m2, which is
around 180cd/m2 below that of the Pro.
The Air’s contrast ratio of 951:1 also falls
behind the Pro’s 1,451:1, and while sRGB
gamut coverage is good, at 93.2%, again
the Pro is better, managing 99%.
WHERE, HOW, Y
Of course, a big part of the appeal of
the new MacBook Air overhaul is not
just the new design and display;
it’s the performance. The previous
model, despite still being on sale, was
stuck with a fifth-generation Intel CPU,
so the 1.6GHz 8th generation dual-core
Intel Core i5-8210Y in the new model
comes as a very welcome boost.
That said, this is merely a Y-series
processor, not a more powerful U-series
chip like those often seen in Windows
ultraportables. As a result, its 4K
benchmark scores (including 28 in the
multitasking test and 49 overall) are
improvements on the 2015 MacBook Air,
but well below recent rivals such as the
Microsoft Surface Laptop 2 (Shopper 372)
and Dell XPS 13 (Shopper 366).
The good news is that storage speeds are
stupendously quick. We recorded average
read and write speeds of 1,871MB/s and
1,065MB/s respectively, speeds that outstrip
those of the Surface Laptop 2 by some
margin. Even heavy-duty applications launch
near enough instantaneously, so this is a
laptop that feels very fast in use even if it
doesn’t have the most processing power.
Battery life is fairly good, too, with the
MacBook Air lasting 8h 34m in our video
rundown test. The XPS 13 managed an extra
hour and a half, but the Surface Laptop 2
and even the latest 13in MacBook Pro
produced shorter times.
RETURN OF THE MAC
Instead of delivering what MacBook Air fans
desperately wanted – a laptop nearly as good
as a MacBook Pro but for significantly less
cash – what they’ve ended up with is a
laptop that’s more expensive than a base-
model Pro, but significantly slower.
That’s not to say the Apple MacBook Air is
a bad laptop. In fact, it’s quite the opposite.
It’s slim, attractive and beautifully made, and
Apple has improved it in all the places that
count, adding a better keyboard, a superior
touchpad, faster connectivity and a Retina
display. This is very much a MacBook Air for
the modern Apple era.
The trouble is, in doing so, Apple has
abandoned territory it used to be able to
call its own. The MacBook Air may be better
than ever, but it no longer stands out.
Jonathan Bray
SPECIFICATIONS
• RAM
PROCESSOR Dual-core 1.6GHz Intel Core i5-8210Y
8GB • DIMENSIONS 212x304x15.6mm • •
WEIGHT 1.25kg
SCREEN SIZE 13.3in • SCREEN RESOLUTION 2,560x1,600 •
GRAPHICS ADAPTOR Intel UHD Graphics 617 • TOTAL
STORAGE 256GB SSD • OPERATING SYSTEM macOS •
WARRANTY One year RTB • DETAILS www.apple.com/uk •
PART CODE MacBook Air (2018)
Battery life 8h 34m
0% -50 Reference +50 +100
See page 114 for performance details
MARCH 2019 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | ISSUE 373
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 iOS 12 2-IN-1

APPLE iPad Pro

12.9in (2018)
★★★★★
£969 • From www.apple.com/uk

VERDICT
A technically brilliant hybrid, but the price
and some minor limitations hold it back

THE NEW IPAD Pro is at the centre of a battle

at Apple HQ. Not the kind that involves Jony
Ive prodding Tim Cook with a pike, but a battle
over the future of mobile computing; more
specifically, between iPads and MacBooks.
You see, the iPad Pro – now in its third
generation – is a device that’s powerful and
capable enough that Apple would be glad for
it to replace your laptop. At the same time, the
firm not only continues to launch traditional
clamshell MacBooks and MacBook Pros, but
seems to be imposing roadblocks that prevent
the iPad Pro from achieving its potential as a
professional tool.

NEW YEAR, NEW LOOK

That’s particularly strange, as the new version
represents the biggest iPad Pro redesign yet.
Apple has not only improved performance, it
has also radically revamped the design. These
changes include removing the Touch ID sensor
(replacing it with Face ID, just like on the latest
iPhones), slimming down the bezel, squaring
off the edges of the tablet and redesigning the
keyboard case and Apple Pencil.
It’s also much more expensive, following
the rather unfortunate trend of rising prices
for pretty much all tech-related products.
The basic 12.9in iPad Pro with 64GB of storage
will set you back £969, while the new Smart
Keyboard Folio costs £199, and the second-
generation Apple Pencil is £119.
Tot up all of that and you’ll be paying
£1,287 for a fully equipped 12.9in iPad Pro.
Alternatively, the top-spec Wi-Fi and cellular
iPad Pro with 1TB of storage and all the
accessories adds up to a heartstopping £2,187.
Even the top-spec Surface Pro 6 (Shopper 372)
is cheaper, if only barely, with its Type Cover
and Surface Pen added on.
KNOW WHEN TO FOLD
Not only is this iPad Pro more attractive to
look at, with its squared-off edges, rounded
screen corners and edge-to-edge display,
Apple has also made changes that improve
the practicality of the design as a whole.
The keyboard case, for instance, is now a
front-and-back folio design, so although it’s
pricier than before, it protects the tablet
better than previous designs when folded up.
The keyboard case now has two positions,
instead of the one on the first iPad. One is
as steep as before and the other is a little
more relaxed, making the iPad Pro more
comfortable to use on your lap. This
arrangement still falls short of the
flexibility of the infinitely adjustable
kickstand on the Surface Pro 6, but
the iPad Pro feels more stable when
it’s perched on your thighs.
Apple has also taken inspiration
from the Surface Pro line in
improving how the Pencil is
charged and stored. Instead of
awkwardly having to remove an
eminently losable cap from the
end of the Pencil and plug it
into the tablet’s port in order to top up the
battery, the new Apple Pencil attaches
magnetically to the top edge and charges
wirelessly. This hasn’t been implemented
entirely perfectly – if you attach the pencil to
the left or right of centre, it will stick but won’t
charge – but it’s far more convenient.
A hidden consequence of the new shape
and design is that the three contacts that
connect the tablet with the keyboard are no
longer on the bottom edge, but at the rear of
the tablet. This means you won’t be able to
save cash and use the new iPad Pro with your
old Smart Keyboard. Owners of the first or
second-generation iPad Pro might also be
surprised to find that their old Apple Pencil
won’t be compatible, either.
QUICK DRAW
Still, you at least get an upgrade if you opt to
add the second-generation Apple Pencil to
your basket when you pick up your shiny
new iPad Pro and Smart Keyboard Folio.
And, aside from wireless charging and being
able to stick it to the top edge of the tablet
whenever you’re not using it, Apple’s stylus
has had a complete redesign.
It’s now shorter, flattened along one side
and finished in a soft, matt coating, which
makes it more comfortable to hold and use.
The nib has a slightly softer feel to it, too,
making it more akin to using a pen and paper.
Apple has also added touch sensitivity to the

48 MARCH 2019 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | ISSUE 373

barrel, which allows you to perform various
shortcuts with a light double tap.
By default, this double-tap gesture
switches you between the current tool and the
eraser, although it’s possible to customise it to
a certain degree. You can toggle between the
current and last-used tool, for instance, or use
it display the colour palette instead.
CLOSED PORT
To give Apple some credit, there’s a good
reason for the new stylus not being
compatible with the first-generation Pencil,
and that’s because the iPad no longer has
the Lightning port needed to charge it.
Instead, in possibly the most significant
change to the iPad since its launch, its main
connector is now no longer proprietary but
USB Type-C. However, it’s not what you’d
expect from a USB Type-C connected device.
On a Windows 10 or macOS laptop, a USB
Type-C connection allows you to connect all
manner of devices – monitors, printers,
calibrators, storage devices and so on – but
here, in a bout of typical Apple revisionism,
USB Type-C is much more restrictive.
You can technically connect to a monitor,
for instance, but doing so will only mirror the
iPad Pro’s display, and until Apple adds
pointing-device support to iOS you won’t be
able to do much with it anyway. iMovie is set
to gain a second monitor preview, but you’ll
never be able to do more than view content
because you can’t manipulate what’s on the
screen without a mouse or touchpad.
Neither does the Type-C port support
mass storage. Not properly anyway. Want to
hook up a hard disk or thumb drive and
transfer files back and forth? You’re out of
luck. The only external storage support comes
in the form of photo import to the Camera
Roll. You can’t even import photos directly
to apps such as Lightroom; instead, you
have to import to the Camera Roll and from
there to Lightroom. It’s a bit of a faff.
Even USB headphone support appears to
be a little inconsistent. Although all the cheap
Type-C headsets we connected worked well, a
third-party Type-C-to-3.5mm headphone
adaptor didn’t. There’s no other option if
you want to connect traditional wired
headphones, either, as Apple has removed
the 3.5mm jack. That’s just plain mean.
There is some good news: the use of a
widely shared connector standard instead of a
proprietary port means that you can now use
one charger to top up your laptop, tablet and
phone. You can also attach any old Type-C SD
card reader and import photographs and
video from your camera, rather than having to
splash out a small fortune on a bunch of
Lightning adaptors and connectors. Still, it’s
peculiar for a Type-C port to lack the total
versatility the standard is capable of.
INNER STRENGTH
With the new Apple A12X Bionic chip, coupled
with 6GB of RAM, the new iPad Pro is
phenomenally powerful by 2-in-1 standards.
ISSUE 373 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | MARCH 2019
Scoring 4,979 in Geekbench 4’s single-core
test and 12,921 in the multicore test, it’s not
only significantly faster than last year’s 12.9in
iPad Pro, it’s also quicker than the Intel Core
i5-based Surface Pro 6. Samsung’s Galaxy Tab
S4 (Shopper 370) is even further behind.
It has far greater graphical power, too,
judging by its 59fps result in the GFXBench
Manhattan 3 onscreen test, as well as its
209fps in the offscreen test. By comparison,
the Surface Pro 6 scored 27fps onscreen and
70fps offscreen, while the Tab S4 managed
only 35fps onscreen and 54fps offscreen.
If that wasn’t impressive enough, the iPad
Pro lasted 10h 21m in our battery test, easily
beating the Surface Pro 6’s 8h 2m, so it should
have no trouble lasting for a working day. The
Tab S4 had more endurance than both, mind,
lasting for an outstanding 17h 10m.
BRIGHT SPOTS
Last, but by no means least, the display is
excellent. Apple is still using IPS technology
and hasn’t moved to AMOLED yet, but it’s
excellent as always.
It’s super-sharp, with a resolution of
2,732x2,048, while touch responsiveness is as
good as it gets, and image quality is superb.
Peak brightness reaches a searing 629cd/m2,
contrast is 1,529:1 and sRGB coverage is 90.9%.
This is a wonderful display by any measure.
There’s also a whole tranche of smaller
improvements throughout, such as improved
audio from the reworked quad-speaker array
and better audio capture from its new
five-microphone setup (the last iPad had
three). There’s also Smart HDR for the iPad’s
12-megapixel camera – although as with all
tablets, it’s a bit unwieldy to use as your main
snapper – and also Gigabit-class 4G and eSIM
support for the cellular model.
Almost everywhere you look on the iPad
Pro’s spec sheet, in fact, there’s a minor or a
major upgrade, adding up to a huge step
forward for the tablet as a whole. It’s super-fast
and incredibly well made. It’s better in almost
every conceivable way than the previous
model, and even manages to beat Intel-based
Windows 2-in-1 tablets for performance.
The problem is, for all these improvements,
some of the iPad Pro series’ most lingering
disappointments remain. Although it’s now
as expensive as a fully fledged laptop and
just as quick, it isn’t flexible enough to
justify costing as much, if not more, than its
Windows and macOS-powered counterparts.
There’s still no proper multi-monitor or
pointing-device support. You still can’t always
easily transfer files from one application to
another without having to think quite hard
about what you’re doing first. And, despite
the introduction of USB Type-C, mass storage
support remains limited.
SHOWING RESTRAINT
There’s also the fundamental issue of trying
to use a mobile operating system on a device
that, like a laptop, would surely be better
suited to a desktop-style OS. Features such as
the split-screen Multitasking view and the
ability to drag and drop between applications
are useful, but you can still only see two apps
at the same time, and much of your favoured
macOS or Windows software is unlikely to
have an iOS version, and even those that do
might not have feature parity.
Until Apple removes those roadblocks, the
iPad Pro will remain a tool that only some can
use on a professional basis. For such a capable
and gorgeous piece of hardware, that’s a shame.
Jonathan Bray
SPECIFICATIONS
PROCESSOR Octa-core 2.5GHz Apple A12X Bionic • SCREEN
• SCREEN RESOLUTION 2,732x2,048 • REAR
SIZE 12.9in
CAMERA 12 megapixels • STORAGE 64GB • WIRELESS
DATA 4G (cellular version only) • DIMENSIONS
248x179x5.9mm • WEIGHT 468g • OPERATING SYSTEM
iOS 12 • WARRANTY One year RTB • DETAILS www.apple.
com/uk • PART CODE 12.9-inch iPad Pro
Battery life 10h 21m
0% -50 Reference +50 +100
See page 114 for performance details
49
 ANDROID 9.0 SMARTPHONE

HUAWEI Mate 20 Pro

★★★★★
£900 • From www.amazon.co.uk

VERDICT
With its cutting-edge processor and triple cameras, the
Mate 20 Pro is one of the most luxurious phones ever

MERE WEEKS AFTER the iPhone XS Max Otherwise, image sRGB colour gamut.
(Shopper 371), we have our first Android quality is every bit as Peak brightness is
smartphone with a 7nm processor. The Mate good as it was with 466cd/m2, which can’t
20 Pro’s Kirin 980 chip is, like Apple’s A12 the Huawei P20 Pro. quite match the best
Bionic, built using this finer fabrication It’s exceptional in both that Samsung or
process, which in theory should help it to be good light and poor, Apple can produce,
faster and more power-efficient than 10nm and if you select the but it ensures the
chips such as the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845. default 10-megapixel screen is readable in
It’s a fitting innovation for Huawei’s latest mode, the camera most conditions.
top-tier smartphone offering, which looks uses the extra Huawei has also
and feels the part as well. The comfortable resolution from the upgraded one of the
curved edges are reminiscent of the Samsung primary sensor to old Mate 10 Pro’s
Galaxy S9 Plus, and it meets the IP68 allow a seriously more niche features.
standard for dust- and water-proofing, so impressive in-camera That phone could
will survive accidental dunkings. zoom of up to 5x. be connected to a
Like the OnePlus 6T, the fingerprint reader This isn’t strictly monitor via its USB
is integrated into the screen, not in the form optical zoom, but it Type-C port, creating
of an external sensor on the rear or built into outperforms the a pseudo-desktop
a home button. It’s quick and largely reliable, digital zoom of the complete with a
but enrolment does take significantly longer iPhone XS Max windowed Android
than it does with a ‘normal’ fingerprint and the Pixel 3 XL user interface and
reader. That’s if you use it at all – the (Shopper 372) at 5x. the ability to hook up a keyboard and mouse
front-facing ‘3D depth-sensing’ infrared via Bluetooth. With the Mate 20 Pro, it’s
camera can unlock the Mate Pro 20 using NANO TECH largely the same, except now you can
facial recognition. In our experience, it worked Performance-wise, the Kirin 980 outpaces wirelessly connect to any Miracase-supporting
flawlessly, even in dark conditions. the Snapdragon 845. Scoring 3,358 in display. It’s a small improvement to what is
There are a couple of design issues: there’s Geekbench 4’s single-core test and 10,085 in likely to be a little-used feature, but it at least
no 3.5mm headphone jack and no microSD the multicore test, the Mate 20 Pro is faster shows some nice attention to detail.
storage slot. Huawei’s own Nano memory than the likes of the Pixel 3 XL and OnePlus
cards are supported, but are both harder to 6T. It’s not the fastest phablet ever, as the CHECK MATE
find and more expensive than microSD cards. iPhone XS Max is even quicker in both tests This is a smartphone that’s everything the P20
The Galaxy S9 Plus has both of these features, and the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 (Shopper 370) Pro was and more. It has a bigger screen, a
making it the more flexible choice. comes out ahead on single-core performance faster chip, better battery life and a more
but behind on multicore. flexible triple camera arrangement. It’s a
POWER TRIO Games won’t necessarily run noticeably great device, and one that looks and feels
Just like the preceding Huawei P20 Pro better than on rival smartphones, as the refreshingly different to the usual crowd of
(Shopper 366), the Mate 20 Pro includes Mate 20 Pro averaged 51fps in GFXBench flagship, glossy glass smartphones.
not one, not two, but three rear cameras. Manhattan 3’s onscreen test and 87 in the Should you spend £900 on it? Not
There’s a high-resolution 40-megapixel lens, offscreen test. Still, it’s more than powerful necessarily, especially now the OnePlus 6T is
an 8-megapixel, 3x optical zoom telephoto enough for a modern flagship, and the 7nm offering high performance and a great camera
lens, and a new, ultra-wide lens, which process delivers on battery life, too: our video for hundreds of pounds less. For those who
allows you to shoot at the rundown benchmark ran for appreciate having the most exclusive hardware,
full-frame camera equivalent 15h 21m, the best showing however, the Mate 20 Pro won’t disappoint.
focal length of 16mm. yet from a Huawei device. Jonathan Bray
This is fun to use, both True, the Note 9 and
when snapping landscapes and OnePlus 6T both keep SPECIFICATIONS
fitting large groups of friends going for much longer, but
into a single photo, but be as with CPU performance PROCESSOR Octa-core 2.6GHz Kirin 980 • SCREEN
warned: optical distortion this is nonetheless a
SIZE 6.4in • SCREEN RESOLUTION 3,120x1,440 •
REAR CAMERAS 40 megapixels, 24 megapixels, 8
creeps in noticeably at the respectable result.
edges of the frame, meaning Display quality is pretty
• STORAGE 128GB • WIRELESS DATA 4G •
megapixels
DIMENSIONS 158x72x8.6mm • WEIGHT 189g •
you might not want to get too good, too. The 6.4 screen uses DETAILS www.huawei.com/uk • PART CODE 51093ATT
up close and personal. The a 3,120x1,440 AMOLED panel
new lens also unlocks a new with perfect infinity:1 contrast Battery life 15h 21m
macro mode, which allows and, in Normal mode, it was 0% -50 Reference +50 +100
you to shoot your subjects reasonably vibrant, able to See page 114 for performance details
from a mere 25mm away. reproduce 95.4% of the

50 MARCH 2019 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | ISSUE 373

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 ANDROID 8.1 SMARTPHONE
XIAOMI Pocophone F1
★★★★★
£330 • From www.amazon.co.uk
VERDICT
For flagship performance at an affordable price,
absolutely nothing beats the Pocophone F1
XIAOMI MIGHT NOT be a name you’re
familiar with. Pronounced ‘shh-OW-mee’,
the Chinese tech company is the fourth
most popular smartphone maker in the
world, but has only just begun making
inroads here in the UK.
We suspect you’ll be hearing a lot more
about Xiaomi, however, as the Pocophone
F1 – one of its very first UK smartphones – is
phenomenal value. By including the
Snapdragon 845, the same CPU currently
powering most of the world’s flagship phones,
it’s a mid-range handset in price alone.
NO FIELD COMMUNICATION
Well, perhaps not entirely: some corners have
been cut, most noticeably in the uninspired
all-plastic chassis. Still, silver-tinted chamfered
edges add a dash of class, and the rounded
corners and sides ensure that it fits
comfortably in the palm. The rear-mounted
circular fingerprint reader is easy to reach, too.
You even get a 3.5mm headphone jack
on the phone’s top edge, which is quite
refreshing, and the 4,000mAh battery is
topped up via a USB Type-C charging port
on the bottom edge. The dual-SIM slot on the
left edge also allows for storage expansion up
to 256GB in capacity, and the volume rocker
sits next to a slightly rounded rectangular
power button on the right.
There’s no water- or dust-proofing, but an
even bigger issue is the lack of NFC. This
renders the Pocophone F1 unable to be used
with contactless payment systems such as
Android Pay, which could be a pain if you were
used to such services on your old phone.
The display, on the other hand,
is wonderfully uncompromised.
It’s a large 6.2in, 2,246x1,080 IPS
panel, matching the current
trend of 18:9 smartphone
screens. It covers a respectable
91.7% of the sRGB colour space,
with an excellent average delta-E
of 1.27. The contrast ratio of
1,371:1 also does justice to the
images captured with the
Pocophone F1’s dual rear camera
arrangement. Lastly, a peak
brightness of 446cd/m2 is high
enough for outdoor use,
although you may have to squint
at the screen in direct sunlight.
The real star, however, is the
Snapdragon 845 processor.
Together with 6GB of RAM,
52
it makes the You can only capture
Pocophone F1 a true 4K footage at a
match for the current maximum frame rate
crop of flagships: its of 30fps, for instance,
Geekbench 4 and the lack of sensor
benchmark results of stabilisation hampers
2,454 in the single- the quality somewhat,
core test and 8,427 in but video quality
the multicore are as remains impressive.
close as you’d hope There are also other
to other Snapdragon shooting modes on
845 models such as offer, such as
the £499 OnePlus 6T super-slow-motion
(page 18) and Google footage at 120fps and
Pixel 3 (Shopper 372). time-lapse capture.
The Pocophone The only
F1’s graphics questionable aspect
performance is of the Pocophone F1
equally potent. It is (besides the
reached a fantastic plasticky chassis)
score of 59 in the GFXBench Manhattan the MIUI 10 Android overlay. The app icons,
onscreen gaming test, as well as 68fps in the for one thing, are offputtingly child-like, and
offscreen test, so will effortlessly run any navigating the settings menu is trickier than
Android game you can currently throw at it. on stock Android; we simply couldn’t find
All this power typically comes at a cost to how to disable screen timeout. App
the phone’s overall battery life. Thankfully, the notifications don’t always show up at
Pocophone F1 has taken no such hit, and was the top of the screen, either.
capable of reaching 15h 29m in our continuous These issues can be remedied by installing
video playback test. That’s not as long-lasting a third-party launcher of your choice,
as the OnePlus 6T, but still more than thankfully, but that doesn’t stop the
satisfactory for a £330 smartphone. Pocophone F1 feeling that little bit less slick.
DOUBLE ACT STAR DEBUT
The dual-camera setup consists of a main Nevertheless, Xiaomi has mostly crafted a
12-megapixel sensor, with a secondary brilliant smartphone, planting its flag in UK
5-megapixel depth-sensing lens for fancy soil with a device that delivers utterly
bokeh-effect photos. Neither sensor is astonishing value. The physical design and
optically stabilised, but the main camera dodgy UI aren’t ideal – this isn’t quite a
benefits from effective dual-pixel OnePlus 6T-style handset, fully replicating
phase detection autofocus for the flagship experience at a lower price – but
super-speedy shots. on performance, battery life and camera
Bokeh or no bokeh, the capability, it can keep up with rivals that
Pocophone F1 is capable of cost twice as much or more.
capturing some truly stunning Nathan Spendelow
images. Our test shots were
bursting with crisp details, SPECIFICATIONS
accurate colours and a very PROCESSOR Octa-core 2.8GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 845
neutral palette, with the HDR • SCREEN SIZE 6.2in • SCREEN RESOLUTION 2,246x1,080
mode successfully lighting up • REAR CAMERAS 12 megapixels, 5 megapixels •
STORAGE 64GB • WIRELESS DATA 4G • DIMENSIONS
shadowy areas. Still images hold
156x75x9mm • WEIGHT 180g • OPERATING SYSTEM
up very well under scrutiny, Android 8.1 • WARRANTY One year RTB • DETAILS www.
especially in low-light conditions, mi.com/uk • PART CODE MZB6715EN
with minimal noise grain and
unnatural processing. Battery life 15h 29m
Video capabilities are just 0% -50 Reference +50 +100
as good, even if the recording See page 114 for performance details
modes are rather limited.
MARCH 2019 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | ISSUE 373
iOS 12 SMARTPHONE

APPLE iPhone XR
★★★★★
£749 • From www.apple.com/uk

VERDICT
The iPhone XR is not the best-equipped iPhone, but
it’s nearly as good as the XS and is far, far cheaper

IT’S BEEN A frustrating wait for the iPhone something that’s alongside super-
XR, the cheapest of Apple’s latest round of largely thanks to the smooth 60Hz
iOS smartphones. Not that it’s cheap per se more efficient 7nm stabilised 4K footage.
– at £749, it’s costlier than most high-end processor. It also sits And, despite the lack
Android handsets – but at least it doesn’t hit exactly in the middle of a second camera to
the £1,000 mark like the iPhone XS and between the XS and add depth mapping,
iPhone XS Max (Shopper 371). the XS Max, lasting Apple’s portrait
It’s also tough to spot many physical 13h 29m in our video mode is still in
differences between the XR and the XS test. This isn’t exactly evidence, and it has
models. The iPhone XR’s tiny bezels are only amazing, but it the same adjustable
very slightly thicker than on the iPhone XS, should comfortably bokeh as on the
and the frame is matt-finish aluminium get you through a iPhone XS. The key
instead of shiny stainless steel. day of moderately difference here is
demanding use. that the iPhone XR
DRIER GROUND shoots portrait
Look a little closer and you’ll see that the VISION QUEST images at a wider,
camera housing at the rear is circular (rather The big difference less flattering angle
than oval) in shape. The iPhone XR also has between the iPhone XR than the XS and XS
two fewer antenna bands around the edges, and its more expensive Max, and you don’t get
giving away the fact that this phone has only siblings is the screen tech, which Apple is as many studio-lighting effects. The results
a 2x2 MIMO antenna array and can’t reach calling ‘Liquid Retina’. Don’t be bamboozled are still very impressive, however.
the same gigabit download speeds as the by the marketing speak: it’s just an IPS The main camera, too, is outstanding.
XS and XS Max. screen with rounded corners. It’s capable of capturing stunning images in
The iPhone XR is slightly less water- Despite having a nominally lower pixel both good and poor light, aided by Apple’s
resistant than the iPhone XS, at IP67 instead density than the XS (326ppi vs 458ppi), it new Smart HDR algorithm, which captures
of IP68, although it will still shrug off a light doesn’t look at all fuzzy or pixelated, and and combines eight frames in a fraction of a
shower. Otherwise, the XR feels every bit as colour accuracy is as you’d expect from an second to deliver lag-free, full-range
good to hold and use as Apple’s top-end Apple iPhone, which is to say pretty photography. Although it isn’t quite a
iPhones and it has most of the same features, unimpeachable. Brightness reaches a match for the Huawei Mate 20 Pro (page 50)
including the front-facing True Depth Face ID sunny-day-friendly 684cd/m2, and the contrast in terms of its stills photography, the
camera. Again, this takes the place of any ratio is unbelievable good at 1,736:1. While it differences are small.
kind of fingerprint sensor. isn’t quite up to the level of the OLED displays
For core performance, the iPhone XR on the XS and XS Max, it’s not far off. UNDERDOG STORY
employs Apple’s latest hexa-core mobile chip, Its 93% coverage of the sRGB gamut is The iPhone XR might not be the most
the A12 Bionic. This 7nm chip is the fastest in very good too, and the display also supports highly-specced iPhone, and £749 still feels a
the mobile industry right now and, backed by both HDR10 and Dolby Vision content, so big ask, but if you absolutely refuse to pick
3GB of RAM, it powers compatible video up a better-value Android handset then it’s
the iPhone XR to an content (such as Netflix easily your best bet of the current iOS crop.
impressive set of Originals) will look Even if features such as the display and
benchmark results. absolutely stunning. waterproofing are better on the iPhone XS
Scoring 4,817 in The camera is the and XS Max, the XR is still more than good
Geekbench 4’s single-core same as you get on enough in these areas, and even matches its
test and 11,338 in the the XS and XS Max: a more expensive siblings on pure performance.
multicore test, the XR is 12-megapixel snapper Jonathan Bray
no less powerful than the with an aperture of
XS or XS Max, and that f/1.8, optical image SPECIFICATIONS
puts it above any existing stabilisation and 1.4um
Android smartphone as pixels, giving you more • SCREEN SIZE
PROCESSOR Hexa-core Apple A12 Bionic

well. It’s the same story light-gathering

6.1in• • REAR CAMERA
SCREEN RESOLUTION 1,792x828
12 megapixels • STORAGE 64GB • WIRELESS DATA 4G •
with gaming: the iPhone capabilities over last DIMENSIONS 151x76x8.3mm • WEIGHT 194g •
XR managed 60fps in year’s iPhone X. OPERATING SYSTEM iOS 12 • WARRANTY One year RTB •
GFXBench Manhattan’s You don’t get the DETAILS www.apple.com • PART CODE iPhone XR
onscreen test and 109fps XS’s second camera,
in the offscreen test. but you can expect Battery life 13h 29m
Battery life is better dynamic range 0% -50 Reference +50 +100
thankfully much better in video than last See page 114 for performance details
than last year’s iPhone X, year’s iPhones,

ISSUE 373 | COMPUTER 53

 IN-EAR BLUETOOTH HEADPHONES
BRAINWAVZ BLU-300
★★★★★
£31 • From www.brainwavzaudio.com
VERDICT
Inexpensive, waterproof and with an appealing sound,
the BLU-300 make excellent workout companions
IF YOU’RE LOOKING for Bluetooth earphones
that can survive a good drenching, the
Brainwavz BLU-300 might be just the model
for you. Weatherproof and sweatproof, they’re
water-resistant to the IPX7 standard, which
means they can be submerged in up to one
metre of water for 30 minutes. It seems
unlikely anyone would need to fully test
these credentials, but you can at least be
sure they’ll endure the wettest of outdoor
activities without skipping a beat.
Their design is well suited to being used on
the move, too. That’s because they have a
neckband that ensures the full weight of the
Bluetooth receiver never ends up tugging the
earbuds from your ears. This is handy when
walking and working out alike, but with no
wing locks to secure the earbuds in place,
it’s still important that you find a good fit
from the three silicone tip sizes included.
RUN FREE
Indeed, despite the neckband, it wasn’t
uncommon for the BLU-300’s earbuds to lose
their airtight seal in our ears when we
performed more vigorous exercise. This is
easily fixed by carefully adjusting the earbuds,
but one downside to cheap Bluetooth
earphones (at least compared to their wired
counterparts) is that the driver housing often
tends to be larger, which can have an impact
on how easily you achieve an optimum fit.
Another neat design feature of the
BLU-300 is that the reverse of the earbuds
attach magnetically, effectively turning the
earphones into a necklace when they’re not
in use. It might seem trivial, but with no
cable tethering them to your music player,
this ensures they never slip unintentionally
from your shoulders.
Apart from the additional silicone tips,
the BLU-300 come with no extra accessories.
All you’ll find in the box is a Micro USB
charging cable; there’s no carry case, for
54
example. That’s not a deal breaker, but it’s a
shame if you want to be able to chuck the
earphones in a bag without them becoming
entangled in your other possessions.
LASTING POWER
Otherwise, there are no major surprises.
The headphones are charged via a port on
the main control unit, where you’ll also find
three buttons for changing the volume and
powering the earphones on and off. These
buttons are easy enough to find with your
thumb thanks to the way the neckband sits,
and they also provide other useful functions
such as letting you pause playback, skip tracks,
and even summon Google Assistant.
In terms of battery life, Brainwavz claims
the BLU-300 last up to eight hours between
charges. Overall, that tallies with what we
experienced, and their stamina is only a short
way behind similarly priced rivals such as the
Creative Outlier One (£30), which boast a
10-and-a-half-hour battery life.
Best of all, the BLU-300 take only two
hours to charge from empty, so you can
quickly add enough juice to get you through
a short walk or workout. They also have an
impressive 250 hours of standby time, so if
you forget to turn off the earphones,
chances are they’ll still have plenty of
charge when you come back to them.
As you’d expect from Bluetooth
headphones that cost a little over £30,
you’re not going to find audiophile-level
sound quality here. Apart from anything,
the BLU-300 don’t support the hi-res aptX
audio codec offered by more expensive
models (and indeed some cheaper ones),
but that doesn’t mean they’re completely
disastrous from a sonic perspective.
Our only major criticism, considering the
price, is how bass-heavy they are. On rock
tracks in particular, this can result in a sound
that’s excessively boomy and imprecise, but
for other genres such as dance, you can just
as easily make the case that it helps bring
the music to life.
There’s also slightly less detail in the treble
frequencies than you’ll find with the excellent
Creative Outlier One, which have a more
neutral sound signature overall. Having said
that, there’s good mid-range presence, with
vocals and guitars never sounding too far
from the forefront.
DECISIONS, DECISIONS
As is so often the case with earphones,
whether the Brainwavz BLU-300 are the right
model for you comes down to what you’re
looking for. If you want Bluetooth earphones
that are as well suited to spoken-word
podcasts as guitar anthems, you might be
happier with Creative’s Outlier One earphones.
However, if you primarily want fun-
sounding earphones for walking or running
with, the BLU-300 fit the bill perfectly.
They’re easy to use, waterproof and simply
excellent value for money.
Edward Munn
SPECIFICATIONS
HEADPHONES SUBTYPE Bluetooth in-ear • DRIVERS
Dynamic, 10mm • •
PLAY TIME 6-8 hours CHARGING TIME
• WARRANTY One year • DETAILS www.
1-2 hours
brainwavzaudio.com • PART CODE BWAVZ-BLU300
MARCH 2019 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | ISSUE 373
SMART SCREEN
AMAZON Echo Show (2018)
★★★★★
£220 • From www.amazon.co.uk
VERDICT
With a bigger screen, bigger sound and better
microphones, the 2nd-gen Echo Show is a
much-improved smart home controller
AT THE TIME of its release, the original Echo
Show (Shopper 361) was easily the most
technically able of Amazon’s Echo family, so
it’s good to see the design refined for a
2nd-generation model. It’s timely, too: with
the launch of the brilliant Google Home Hub
(Shopper 372), not to mention the imminent
Lenovo Smart Display, the new Echo Show
has the chance to prove it’s the best of
these smart displays.
LOOKING BACK
One wise change Amazon has made is moving
the speaker from the front to being mounted
on the rear. This allows for a larger screen in a
shorter package, which is absolutely worth the
slightly bigger footprint. It hasn’t entirely shed
its gawkiness, however; with the top bezel
being broader than the other three (it
contains the 5-megapixel camera and several
microphones), the Echo Show still has a
lopsided look that’s somewhat out of kilter
with its ultra-modern smart-home ambitions.
Four additional microphones sit on top of
the speaker, as do the mute and volume
buttons. A cutout in the rear of the speaker
also contains the DC power input – like the
rest of Amazon’s Echo speakers, the Echo
Show is a mains-only speaker and has no
battery – and a Micro USB port, but there’s
no 3.5mm input or output.
A more significant upgrade is the display
itself. It’s streets ahead of the previous Echo
Show, with much more contrast and punchier
colours, and even the touchscreen surface
feels smoother and more pleasant. In fact, the
whole unit simply feels higher quality, right
down to the fabric-covered speaker.
It also sounds a lot better than the first
Echo Show, being bassier, fuller-sounding and
potentially much louder. It’s no match for a
more specifically audio-focused smart
ISSUE 373 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | MARCH 2019
speaker, such as the Apple HomePod
(Shopper 364), as the bass is slightly too
overbearing on default settings, and cranking
up the volume can result in distortion.
Nonetheless, it’s a big improvement, and after
some tinkering with the EQ settings we’d
much sooner use the Echo Show as a music
device than the Home Hub.
It’s also worth pointing out that the
improved microphone array really does
work well. The new Echo Show is far more
sensitive to the Alexa wake word than before;
whereas we frequently had to repeat
ourselves with the old Echo Show, the new
model is much better at picking up speech.
SHOW AND TELL
The Echo Show 2 has a slightly tweaked
user interface and a number of new features.
The first is greater smart home control:
drag a finger down from the top of the
touchscreen, tap the Lights & More option
and you’ll see a scrollable list of all your
smart home gear – from lights to cameras –
with toggle switches alongside. This
addresses an issue we’ve often had with
smart speakers: the need to remember the
name of every single connected device in
order to voice-control them.
Unlike on the Home Hub, you can also
browse the web via either Firefox or the
Amazon Silk browser, which gives you access
to YouTube, among other streaming video
services. Largely, however, what the screen
on the Show 2 can display is much the same
as it was before: it can display lyrics to
songs played from Amazon Music; it can
show TVs and movies directly from Amazon
Prime Video or YouTube; it can patch you
through to the live feed from connected
security cameras; and show visuals to go
along with things such as your current
timers or the weather and sports results.
There’s plenty you might expect it to do
that it can’t, however. You can’t watch Netflix,
for instance, and there are lots of irritations
with third-party apps. Ask the Show to play
BBC radio stations, for instance, or anything
from the default TuneIn internet radio service,
and the onscreen experience leaves a lot to be
desired. All you get is some text telling you
the current show and station, a rather low-res
radio station icon on a vast swathe of plain
background, and some Alexa tips at the
bottom of the screen.
Frankly, this is a wasted opportunity, and
a failure to make the most of the Echo
Show’s defining feature: the screen. There’s
not even a permanent spot for showing the
time; you need to tell Alexa to go to the
homescreen for that.
LITTLE HELPER
Still, approach this as a slightly more
feature-rich Echo speaker with video calling
and playback features, and you probably
won’t be too annoyed. After all, it works
much like any other Echo has done before it,
with all the pros and cons that come along
with using Alexa as your digital assistant
rather than Google Assistant. In short, Google
Assistant is better at answering questions
than Alexa, and it’s better at understanding
what you’re asking it as well. Conversely,
Alexa is better at the basics. Through its Skills,
it’s directly compatible with many more items
of smart home hardware.
Overall, we slightly prefer the Home Hub, if
mainly because it makes better use of its
display. The Echo Show is better for audio,
however, and it supports a wider variety of
third-party apps and hardware via Skills, so
might better suit a fully equipped smart home.
Jonathan Bray
SPECIFICATIONS
DRIVERS 1 • RMS POWER OUTPUT Not stated •
WIRELESS 802.11ac Wi-Fi, Bluetooth • DIMENSIONS
174x246x107mm • DISPLAY 1,280x800 • WEIGHT 1.7kg •
WARRANTY One year RTB • DETAILS www.amazon.co.uk
• PART CODE Home Hub
55
 Choosing a... PC system
01 A basic PC costing around £350 will
be able to run everyday office,
multimedia and education software and will
easily cope with surfing the internet. It might
even be able to run some modern games.
Many PCs can be sold either with or
without a monitor. If you don’t like the
display the manufacturer is offering, you
can always use your current one, or buy
another one separately.
03 All modern PCs come with at least
a dual-core processor and are
capable of most tasks. Anyone who
peripherals attach to these ports. Most new
PCs come with USB3 or the latest USB3.1
ports, which provide faster data transfers
regularly undertakes demanding tasks when used with supported devices than the
such as video editing and encoding older USB2 standard.
should consider a hexa-core or even
an octa-core processor.
06 Most new PCs now come with
Windows 10 pre-installed. Don’t be
04 There are plenty of good reasons to
upgrade the PC’s memory or hard
disk. If you’ll use your PC for gaming, video
too easily swayed by the inclusion of other
software, though, as it may be that you’ll
never use it.

02 If you want to play games, you’ll

have to upgrade the graphics card.
Budget cards such as the Nvidia GeForce GTX
1050 will cope well with many 3D games, but
to play the latest 3D games smoothly (and
enjoy the best-quality graphics) it’s worth
upgrading to a more powerful card such as
the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070.
editing or other demanding tasks, you’ll
need at least 8GB of RAM and a large hard
disk; 1TB should suffice. Many new PCs have
an SSD, which speeds up the time it takes for
your PC to boot and for programs to load.
05 Having plenty of USB ports is
always useful, as most computer
07 While most PCs come in cases of
a similar size, some have more
compact mini tower or mini PC cases.
These smaller PCs will fit under your TV
or on your desk more easily, but bear in
mind that they’re significantly harder to
upgrade than full-size machines.

PCs
RASPBERRY Y PI LE
LENOVO IdeaCentre 620S
3 Model B+ ★★
★★★★★
★★★★★ £549 • wwww.currys.co.uk
£32 • www.thepihut.com
Mini PCs can be overpriced, slow
The ultimate or even sold without RAM and
ro PC gets
micro storage, but the IdeaCentre 620S
even better is a complete system that’s both reasonably
with faster CPU clock speeds and dramatically improved powerful and pleasantly affordable. The quad-core
Wi-Fi performance. The differences between this and the el Core i5-7400T handles office work well
Intel
standard Pi Model 3 probably won’t be enough to be worth enough, while an Intel Optane Memory drive gives
a direct upgrade, but since this is no more expensive, it’s the the hard disk a speed boost, and there’s even a
best choice for new projects. GeForce GTX 1050 Ti for extra graphical capability..
PROCESSOR Quad-core 2.4GHz Intel Core i5-7400T • RAM 8GB • FRONT USB PORTS None •
PROCESSOR Quad-core 1.4GHz Broadcom BCM2837 • RAM 1GB • USB PORTS 1x Micro USB REAR USB PORTS 4x USB3 • TOTAL STORAGE 1TB hard disk, 16GB Intel Optane Memory drive •
(power), 4x USB2 • TOTAL STORAGE MicroSD card slot • DISPLAY None • OPERATING GRAPHICS CARD 4GB Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 Ti • DISPLAY None • OPERATING SYSTEM
SYSTEM Raspbian • WARRANTY One year RTB • DETAILS www.raspberypi.org • PART CODE Pi 3 Windows 10 Home • WARRANTY One year RTB • DETAILS www.lenovo.com • PART CODE
Model B+ • FULL REVIEW Jun 2018 90HC0011UK • FULL REVIEW May 2018

MSI Trident 3 Arctic PALICOMP i5 Cosmos

★★★★★ ★★★★★
£1,390 • www.chillblast.com £1,100 • www.palicomp.co.uk
This white-and-silver version of the Trident 3 crams Palicomp’s mid-tower
Intel Core i7 power into a PC no larger than a games system is an immaculately
console. Unlike a games console, however, you can rounded PC. The GeForce
open this up to customise the components, not that the SSD and GTX 1070 GPU provides massive graphical
hard disk duo will need imminent upgrading. At this price it’s power for the price, while a hexa-core Intel
expensive for a GTX Core i5-8600K and an NVMe SSD ensure it
1060 system, but stays fast in heavily multithreaded tasks.
compared to most It’s not extensively upgradable, but that’s
compact PCs it’s a NEW less of a problem when the starting specs
real powerhouse. ENTRY are so good.

PROCESSOR Hexa-core 3.2GHz Intel Core i7-8700 • RAM 16GB • FRONT USB PORTS 2x USB3.1,
1x USB Type-C • REAR USB PORTS 4x USB2, 1x USB3.1, 1x USB Type-C • TOTAL STORAGE 128GB
SSD, 1TB hard disk • GRAPHICS CARD 6GB MSI GeForce GTX 1060 Aero ITX •
OPERATING SYSTEM Windows 10 Home • WARRANTY Two years RTB •
DETAILS www.msi.com • PART CODE 9S6-B92012-061 • FULL REVIEW Feb 2019
PROCESSOR Quad-core 4.8GHz Intel Core i5-8600K • RAM 8GB • FRONT USB PORTS 2x
USB3 • REAR USB PORTS 2x USB2, 4x USB3 • TOTAL STORAGE 256GB SSD, 2TB hard disk •
GRAPHICS CARD 8GB EVGA GeForce GTX 1070 SC Gaming ACX 3.0 • OPERATING SYSTEM
Windows 10 Home • WARRANTY Three years RTB • DETAILS palicomp.co.uk •
PART CODE COF3 • FULL REVIEW Aug 2018

56 MARCH 2019 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | ISSUE 373

Choosing a... Laptop
01 A basic laptop costing around £300
will run everyday office, multimedia
and education software, but it won’t be
suitable for 3D gaming or processor-intensive
tasks such as video editing. Many laptops at
this price have a 15.6in screen and weigh over
2kg, so they’re best used around the house
and for occasional journeys.
portability, buy one that has a 13.3in or 14in
screen. In general, the smaller and lighter the
laptop, the more expensive it is, especially if
it has plenty of processing power.
04 Battery life is extremely important
for a laptop, particularly if you’ll be
carrying it around. We’d expect all but the
biggest and heaviest to last for at least
want better performance, you should
look for an Intel Core i5 or Core i7
model instead. We recommend a
minimum of 4GB of RAM, although 8GB
is better for multitasking.
06 Most budget and mid-range laptops
use a mechanical hard disk for
storage. You’ll want at least 500GB, but

02 If you want to play modern games,

you’ll need a laptop with a dedicated
graphics chip such as the Nvidia GeForce GTX
1060M. Good gaming laptops tend to have
large 15.6 or 17in screens and weigh around
3kg, so they’re best suited to use at home.
five hours on a single charge, but for an
ultraportable that you carry everywhere,
eight hours and above is more desirable.
1TB or more is better. Solid-state drives
(SSDs) have faster performance, making
your computer quicker to boot and more
responsive. They have lower capacities,
05 Laptops use mobile versions of
processors to conserve power,
though. You’ll need at least 128GB.

03 If you want a laptop that you can

take everywhere, look for a model
that weighs less than 2kg. For the best
and these lag behind desktop chips
when it comes to performance. For a
budget Windows laptop, an Intel Core i3
07 Convertibles and 2-in-1 laptops can
change from laptop mode to tablet
mode. We’ve listed our favourite models later
processor will do the job, but if you on in this guide in the Tablets section.

LAPTOPS
APPLE MacBook Pro 13in (2018) ACER Aspire 5
★★★★★ ★★★★★
£3,599 • www.apple.com/uk £630 • www.amzn.to/2MS5lqc
Just like its The Aspire 5 is the
bigger 15in epitome of the
brother, sensible mid-range
the latest MacBook Pro laptop. It’s not ultra-stylish
is as expensive as it is and it doesn’t have a
powerful, but powerful professional-quality
it most certainly is. This is an incredibly potent laptop, with an display, but for the
excellent display and blazingly fast storage, all within a thin and price it offers reliable performance in a
attractive chassis. variety of workloads, and it will last a full day on battery power
without much trouble.
PROCESSOR Quad-core 2.7GHz Intel Core i7-8559U • RAM 16GB • DIMENSIONS 304x212x14.9mm
• WEIGHT 1.37kg • SCREEN SIZE 13.3in • SCREEN RESOLUTION 2,560x1,440 • GRAPHICS PROCESSOR Quad-core 1.6GHz Intel Core i5-8250U • RAM 8GB • DIMENSIONS 382x263x21mm •
ADAPTOR Intel Iris Plus 655 • TOTAL STORAGE 2TB SSD • OPERATING SYSTEM macOS • WEIGHT 2.2kg • SCREEN SIZE 15.6in • SCREEN RESOLUTION 1,920x1,080 • TOTAL STORAGE
WARRANTY One year RTB • DETAILS www.apple.com/uk • PART CODE MacBook Pro 13in • 256GB SSD • OPERATING SYSTEM Windows 10 Home • WARRANTY One year RTB •
FULL REVIEW Dec 2018 DETAILS www.acer.com • PART CODE A515-51-50YS • FULL REVIEW Oct 2018

ASUS ROG Zephyrus DELL XPS 15 2-in-1

★★★★★ ★★★★★
£2,749 • www.box.co.uk £1,479 • www.currys.co.uk
Tumbling This is everything
prices mean that’s great about
the Core the XPS series –
i7-770OHQ version of this the massive power, the lengthy
slimline gaming laptop is, despite
e battery life, the sleek design – given
costing well over £2,000, a bit of even more flexibility with a fully
a bargain; notebooks with Nvidia’s rotatable hinge and touchscreen.
GTX 1080 graphics card inside are That’s not the only improvement, either: this is the first XPS laptop
usually even more expensive. The ROG with Dell’s ‘maglev’ keyboard design, which gives the keys a lovely
Zephyrus is a lot more portable than most gaming laptops, too. pseudo-mechanical feel.

PROCESSOR Quad-core 2.8GHz Intel Core i7-7700HQ • RAM 16GB • DIMENSIONS
379x275x17.9mm • WEIGHT 2.3kg • SCREEN SIZE 15.6in • SCREEN RESOLUTION 1,920x1,080 •
GRAPHICS ADAPTOR Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 • TOTAL STORAGE 512GB SSD •
OPERATING SYSTEM Windows 10 Home • WARRANTY One year RTB • DETAILS www.asus.com •
PART CODE GX501 • FULL REVIEW Oct 2018
PROCESSOR Quad-core 2.8GHz Intel Core i7-8305G • RAM 8GB • DIMENSIONS 354x235x16mm •
WEIGHT 2kg • SCREEN SIZE 15.6in • SCREEN RESOLUTION 1,920x1,080 • GRAPHICS ADAPTOR
Radeon RX Vega M GL Graphics • TOTAL STORAGE 256GB SSD • OPERATING SYSTEM Windows
10 Home • PARTS AND LABOUR WARRANTY One year onsite • DETAILS www.dell.com/uk •
PART CODE XPS 15 9575 • FULL REVIEW Oct 2018

ISSUE 373 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | MARCH 2019 57

 Choosing an... Internal hard disk
01 A basic 1TB internal hard disk should
cost around £40. This will be fast
enough for general use and will provide
enough storage for most users.
Make sure the hard disk you choose has
the appropriate interface type for your PC.
Most hard disks and solid-state drives
(SSDs) use the SATA3 interface, which
enables faster speeds than the older SATA2.
03
Pretty much every motherboard released in
recent years will have multiple SATA3 ports,
allowing you to connect several storage
drives at once.
04
to provide less capacity than mechanical
hard disks, they’re significantly faster. More
expensive SSDs use the NVMe standard,
which is even faster than SATA3, but require
an M.2 slot on the motherboard.
Buy a hard disk that provides more
capacity than you think you need, as
your storage requirements are likely to grow.
A 2TB disk strikes the best balance between
capacity and low cost per gigabyte.
If you want more disk space or you
want to protect your data against
duplicate your data for better protection.
RAID arrays require hard disks of the same
size. In theory, they can be from different
manufacturers, but it’s better to buy identical
disks if you can.
05 A hard disk’s spindle speed
determines how quickly it can
transfer data. A spindle speed of 7,200rpm
is common in desktop drives and is fast
enough for most purposes. Desktop hard
disks with 5,400rpm spindle speeds are
quite slow but use less power and generate
less heat and noise.

02 SSDs can make the most of SATA3’s

high bandwidth for fast file transfers.
They use flash memory similar to that found
in USB flash drives, and although they tend
disk failure, think about buying several hard
disks to create a RAID array. These use
multiple hard disks to create one large
To strike the best balance between
speed and storage capacity, use an SSD as
your system disk and store your files on a
logical disk with better performance, or to larger mechanical disk.

STORAGE
SYNOLOGY DiskStation DS418j INTEL Optane Memory 32GB
★★★★★ ★★★★★
£281 • www.broadbandbuyer.com £44 • www.scan.co.uk
When a tiny two-bay NAS An interesting twist
won’t cut it, the fast, on M.2 SSDs,
high-capacity DiskStation DS418j Optane Memory isn’t
is an excellent upgrade, especially as it can automatically convert old so much a dedicated storage drive as a
hard disks to be compatible with this NAS’s hardware and features. large cache for your existing hard disk,
accelerating its read speeds to NVMe levels at a much lower price.
3.5in HARD DISK BAYS (FREE) 4 (4) • NETWORKING 1x 10/100/1,000 Ethernet • DLNA MEDIA
SERVER Yes • PRINT SERVER Yes • DIMENSIONS 184x168x230mm • WEIGHT 2.21kg •
WARRANTY Two years RTB • DETAILS www.synology.com • PART CODE DS418j • CAPACITY 32GB • PRICE PER GIGABYTE £1.38 • INTERFACE M.2/NVMe • WARRANTY Five years
FULL REVIEW Jan 2018 RTB • DETAILS www.intel.com • PART CODE MEMPEK1W032GAXT • FULL REVIEW Sep 2017

SAMSUNG 860 Evo 250GB WD Red 6TB

★★★★★ ★★★★★
£50 • www.scan.co.uk £175 • www.amzn.to/2nEZIAQ
The 860 Evo, This is pricier than most 6TB
fittingly, replaces the hard disks, even those created
old 850 Evo as the specifically for NAS drives, but the
best 2.5in SSD around. Its read and write WD Red’s performance makes it a worthwhile investment. Despite its
speeds push the limits of what SATA drives can do, 5,
5,400rpm spin speed it manages to outperform 7,200rpm drives such
nce, meaning you can write far
and it’s had a big upgrade to endurance, as the Toshiba N300 in read/write tests.
more data to this SSD before it wears out.
CAPACITY 6TB • COST PER GIGABYTE £0.03p • INTERFACE SATA3 • CLAIMED READ 175MB/s •
CAPACITY 250GB • COST PER GIGABYTE £0.20p • INTERFACE SATA3 • WARRANTY Five years CLAIMED WRITE 175MB/s • WARRANTY Three years RTB • DETAILS www.wdc.com •
RTB • DETAILS www.samsung.com/uk • PART CODE MZ-76E250BW • FULL REVIEW Jun 2018 PART CODE WD60EFRX • FULL REVIEW Nov 2017

SAMSUNG Portable SSD X5 1TB vo 250GB

SAMSUNG 960 Evo
★★★★★ ★★★★★
£572 • www.amzn.to/2DNc17x £67 • www.scan.co.uk
For when you While it’s not quite as
absolutely need to quick as the 960 Pro,,
shift files as quickly the 960 Evo is still the
as possible, there’s the X5. Its use of second-fastest NVMe SSD we’ve ever
the Thunderbolt 3 interface makes it tested, and since it’s much more affordable,
the fastest external SSD ever. it’s the one most people should go for.
CAPACITY 1TB • COST PER GIGABYTE 57p • INTERFACE Thunderbolt 3 • CAPACITY 250GB • COST PER GIGABYTE £0.27p • INTERFACE M.2/NVMe • CLAIMED
WARRANTY Three years RTB • DETAILS www.samsung.com/uk • READ 3,200MB/s • CLAIMED WRITE 1,500MB/s • WARRANTY Five years RTB •
PART CODE MU-PB1T0B/WW • FULL REVIEW Dec 2018 DETAILS www.samsung.com/uk • PART CODE MZ-V6E250BW • FULL REVIEW Mar 2017

58 MARCH 2019 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | ISSUE 373

Choosing an... Intel motherboard
01 It’s essential that you buy the right
type of motherboard for your
processor. For example, Intel’s Skylake,
Kaby Lake and Coffee Lake processors all
use the same LGA 1151 socket, but because
each CPU generation introduced new
chipsets, you’ll need to get a Z370
motherboard for a Coffee Lake chip, a Z270
board for a Kaby Lake chip and so on.
Express x16 slot, although this may block
one of your other slots.
cards also work in PCI Express x16 slots.
If you need a lot of storage, a motherboard
with plenty of SATA2 and SATA3 ports is
03 Normal tower cases can accommodate
ATX motherboards, which provide the
most expansion slots. A microATX
essential. SATA2 is fine for optical drives
and hard disks, but to make the most of an
SSD you need SATA3.
motherboard will let you build your PC in a
smaller case, but if you opt for a microATX
board, make sure it has all the features you
need built in as there won’t be much room
05 All motherboards have built-in audio
chipsets, but some support only 5.1
surround sound rather than 7.1. If you’re

02 All current Intel processors have

built-in graphics chipsets, so if you
want to use your chip’s built-in graphics,
make sure the motherboard has the
video outputs, such as DVI, HDMI and
DisplayPort. If you want to play the latest
games, you’ll need to fit a dedicated
graphics card in the motherboard’s PCI
for expansion cards.
04 If you want to install lots of
expansion cards, look for a
motherboard that offers plenty of PCI and
PCI-E x1 slots. Some motherboards also
have PCI Express x4 slots and extra PCI
Express x16 slots. PCI Express x1 and x4
connecting to older surround-sound
amplifiers that don’t have HDMI, look for
an optical or coaxial S/PDIF output. All
motherboards have Ethernet ports and most
have the faster Gigabit version. You may also
find it useful to buy a board with built-in
Wi-Fi so you don’t have to use up a USB
port or PCI slot with an adaptor.

COMPONENTS
INTEL Core i9-9900K NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060
★★★★★ ★★★★★
£570 • www.novatech.co.uk £249 • www.geforce.co.uk
Intel’s 9th-gen chips see it Based on the same Pascal
finally joining the octa-core architecture as the fearsome
club, including the flagship GTX 1080 and GTX 1070, the
Core i9-9900K. With Turbo Boost speeds hitting 5GHz GTX 1060 is perfect for smooth gaming at 1080p
straight out of the box, it’s just as potent in single-core gaming as it and 1440p. It’s due a replacement, potentially as part of the new
is in serious multithreaded workloads. GeForce RTX line, but is still a great GPU today.
SOCKET LGA1151 • CORES 8 • FREQUENCY 3.6GHz • INTEGRATED GRAPHICS Intel UHD Graphics GPU Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 • MEMORY 6GB GDDR5 • GRAPHICS CARD LENGTH 250mm •
630 • WARRANTY Three years RTB • DETAILS www.intel.com • PART CODE BX80684I99900K • WARRANTY Three years repair and replace • DETAILS www.geforce.co.uk • PART CODE GTX 1060
FULL REVIEW Jan 2019 Founder’s Edition • FULL REVIEW Nov 2016

AMD Ryzen 7 2700X THERMALTAKE View 37

★★★★★ ★★★★★
£300 • www.scan.co.uk £103 • www.scan.co.uk
AMD’s second generation of A spacious, feature-rich chassis
Ryzen processors gets off to for both ATX- and EATX-based
an auspicious start with the builds, the View 37 comes with a
mighty Ryzen 7 2700X. It’s faster than Intel’s gull-wing side window that’s perfect for showing
equivalent Core i7-8700K at stock speeds, despite being cheaper, off your handiwork.
and temperatures stay low even when overclocking.
CASE TYPE Mid-tower • MOTHERBOARD TYPE ATX, EATX, microATX, Mini-ITX • SUPPLIED
SOCKET AM4 • CORES 8 • FREQUENCY 3.7GHz • INTEGRATED GRAPHICS None • FANS 2x 140mm • MAX DRIVE BAYS 7x 3.5in, 11x 2.5in • DIMENSIONS 525x261x538mm •
WARRANTY Two years RTB • DETAILS www.amd.com • PART CODE YD270XBGAFBOX • WEIGHT 11.8kg • WARRANTY Three years RTB • DETAILS www.thermaltake.com •
FULL REVIEW Aug 2018 PART CODE CA-1J7-00M1WN-00 • FULL REVIEW Dec 2018

HYPERX Alloy Elite MSI B350M Mortarr

★★★★★ ★★★★★
£96 • www.currys.co.uk £100 • www.amzn.to/2zuBbF1
This is a brilliant do-it-all gaming A near-perfect motherboard
keyboard; the agile Cherry MX Red for AMD Ryzen-based microATX
key switches provide a strong foundation, systems. It’s remarkably well equipped
upon which HyperX has built a comfortable, detachable for connectivity and upgradability, and comes close to much more
wrist rest, dedicated media keys and customisable red backlighting. expensive mobos in performance benchmarks.
The USB pass-through port is handy, too.
PROCESSOR SOCKET AM4 • DIMENSIONS 244x244mm • CHIPSET AMD B350M • MEMORY
KEYBOARD SHAPE Full size • NUMBER PAD Yes • CONNECTION 2x USB2 • MEDIA KEYS Pause/ SLOTS 4 • PCI-E x16 SLOTS 2 • PCI-E x1 SLOTS 2 • PCI SLOTS 0 • USB PORTS 2x USB2, 3x USB3.1,
play, mute, skip, volume • USB PORTS 1x USB2 • WARRANTY Two years repair and replace • 1x USB Type-C • VIDEO OUTPUTS 1x HDMI, 1x DisplayPort, 1x DVI-D • WARRANTY One year RTB •
DETAILS www.hyperxgaming.com • PART CODE HX-KB2RD1-UK/R1 • FULL REVIEW Mar 2018 DETAILS www.msi.com • PART CODE B350M Mortar • FULL REVIEW Jul 2018

ISSUE 373 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | MARCH 2019 59

 Choosing a... Custom PC spec
01 Building your own PC is often cheaper
than buying a pre-made system, and
gives full control over the components. You
don’t need any special computer knowledge:
just a few spare hours, a screwdriver and
your choice of parts. Even things such as
liquid-cooling systems can be found in
user-friendly, easy-to-install packages, and
for the most part it’s as simple as inserting
each component into a particular slot.
02 Arguably the most important
component is the CPU. These days
you can get a quad-core chip even on a tight
budget, which should provide more than
enough brainpower for simple tasks such as
web browsing, but hexa-core and octa-core
chips are better for tougher jobs such as
media editing, gaming and content creation.
The CPU will also determine which
motherboards you can choose from.
Intel CPUs will only work with boards that
use an Intel chipset, like Z390, Z370 and
B360, while AMD processors need AMD
chipsets, such as X470 and B450.
03 When choosing a motherboard, think
about both the size of the PC’s
chassis (smaller cases won’t fit larger ATX or
EATX boards, for instance) and how many
BUDGET PCs
AMD Ryzen 3 2200G
G ASROCK
★★★★★
£90 • www.scan.co.uk
This plucky quad-core
chip is decently fast,
comes bundled with its
own cooler and – unlike most Ryzen chipss
– includes integrated Radeon RX Vega graphics.
It’s therefore particularly ideal if you don’tt need the added power
of dedicated graphics.
SOCKET AM4 • CORES 4 • FREQUENCY 3.4GHz • INTEGRATED GRAPHICS AMD Radeon RX
Vega 8 • WARRANTY Three years RTB • DETAILS www.amd.com • PART CODE YD2200C5FBBOX
• FULL REVIEW Jul 2018
THERMALTAKE Versa H18
★★★★★
£40 • www.scan.co.uk
Budget PC cases are often
lacking in both features and
capacity for upgrades.
The Versa H18 isn’t entirely exempt, and is
limited to smaller motherboards, but it can easily
cope with basic components and ambitious
water-cooled builds alike.
CASE TYPE Mini-tower • MOTHERBOARD TYPE MicroATX, Mini-ITX • SUPPLIED FANS 1x 120mm
• MAX DRIVE BAYS 2x 3.5in, 2x 2.5in • DIMENSIONS 390x205x380mm • WEIGHT 4.5kg •
WARRANTY Three years RTB • DETAILS www.thermaltake.com • PART CODE CA-1J4-00S1WN-00
• FULL REVIEW Nov 2018
60
additional components you’ll want to install.
For systems with a lot of expansion cards
(such as graphics cards, sound cards or Wi-Fi
06 Every PC requires RAM and a PSU.
Performance doesn’t vary much
between specific models, but generally you
cards), it’s best to go with ATX motherboards should aim for 8GB of RAM for a basic build
and larger. For simpler builds, microATX or and 16GB for higher-end systems, and at least
Mini-ITX boards could well provide all the a 550W, Bronze-certified PSU. It’s better to
connectivity you need. Keep in mind, too, buy a higher-wattage PSU than you strictly
that if you want to try overclocking, only need, as it will allow you to add more
certain Intel chipsets will support it, such as components in the future. Also, check which
Z370 and Z390. AMD is more relaxed, RAM is compatible with your motherboard
enabling overclocking on all its Ryzen- before buying, although for all current
compatible chipsets, except A320 and A300. models it’s probably going to be DDR4.
04 While CPU integrated graphics will
suffice for everyday browsing, a
dedicated graphics card is essential for
07 Our recommended storage setup
comprises both an SSD and a larger
mechanical hard disk. By installing Windows
high-quality gaming. These can be installed in (and a few choice applications) on the SSD,
a PCI-E x16 slot on your motherboard, and you can ensure fast booting and loading
have the bonus of adding more display times, while the HDD is a cost-effective way
outputs to use – just make sure the card of storing lots of files. Alternatively, you
will fit inside your chosen case. could buy a hard disk, and then install an
Intel Optane Memory module to accelerate
05 On the subject of cases, personal
taste will factor highly here: nobody
wants an ugly PC. That said, picking a chassis
its write speeds to SSD levels, although since
SSDs are barely more expensive than Optane
drives, this is perhaps better for situations
with adequate space for components is vital. when you want to upgrade from an existing
As already mentioned, an ATX motherboard
likely won’t fit in a mini-tower case, and if
you want to install a lot of hard disks, you’ll
hard disk, rather than when you’re building a
whole new system. In the latter case, an SSD/
HDD combo is better all round. See page 58
need a case with sufficient drive bays. for our recommended storage drives.
A Fatal1ty AB350
350
Gaming-ITX/ac
G
★★★★★
★★
£95 • www.ebuyer.com
Tiny it may be, but the AB350 makes the
most of what space it has available. Multiple display
outputs, a rear-mounted M.2 port and onboard Wi-Fi
mean it almost has the specs of a respectable ATX model.
PROCESSOR SOCKET AM4 • DIMENSIONS 170x170mm • CHIPSET AMD B350 • MEMORY
SLOTS 2 • PCI-E X16 SLOTS 1 • PCI-E X1 SLOTS 0 • PCI SLOTS 0 • USB PORTS 2x USB2, 2x USB3,
1x USB Type-C • VIDEO OUTPUTS 2x HDMI • WARRANTY One year RTB • DETAILS www.asrock.
com • PART CODE 90-MXB5P0-A0UAYZ • FULL REVIEW Jul 2018
ZOTAC GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mini
★★★★★
£159 • www.amzn.to/2Qi7bG7
An optional purchase,
ase,
thanks to the Ryzen
en
CPU’s onboard
graphics, but if you’d like a spot of
1080p gaming capability, the GTX 1050 Ti
is the best budget GPU around. Zotac’s
compact design will allow it to easily fit in
small cases, too.
GPU Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 Ti • MEMORY 4GB GDDR5 • GRAPHICS CARD LENGTH 145mm •
WARRANTY Five years RTB • DETAILS www.zotac.com • PART CODE ZT-P10510A-10L • FULL
REVIEW Nov 2017
MARCH 2019 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | ISSUE 373
 MID-RANGE PCs
AMD Ryzen 7 1700 M rtar
MSI B350M Mortar
★★★★★ ★★
★★★★★
£170 • www.amzn.to/2RhQGHp £10
£100 • www.amzn.to/2zuBbF1
Both AMD and Intel A near-perfect
nge
have recent mid-range motherboard for
chips, but with the AMD Ryzen-based
pping
erstwhile high-end Ryzen 7 1700 dropping microATX systems. It’s remarkably well
below £200, it’s a great way of adding equipped for connectivity and upgradability, and comes close to
octa-core power to a PC that might otherwise much more expensive mobos in performance benchmarks.
have had to make do with six cores.
PROCESSOR SOCKET AM4 • DIMENSIONS 244x244mm • CHIPSET AMD B350 • MEMORY
SOCKET AM4 • CORES 8 • FREQUENCY 3.0GHz • INTEGRATED GRAPHICS None • SLOTS 4 • PCI-E X16 SLOTS 2 • PCI-E X1 SLOTS 2 • PCI SLOTS 0 • USB PORTS 2x USB2, 3x USB3.1,
WARRANTY Three years RTB • DETAILS www.amd.com • PART CODE YD1700BBAEBOX • 1x USB Type-C • VIDEO OUTPUTS 1x HDMI, 1x DisplayPort, 1x DVI-D • WARRANTY One year RTB •
FULL REVIEW Jul 2017 DETAILS www.msi.com • PART CODE B350M Mortar • FULL REVIEW Jul 2018

NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 COOLER MASTER MasterBox K500

★★★★★ ★★★★★
£249 • www.geforce.co.uk £74 • www.scan.co.uk
Based on the same Pascal Great looks, a full set of
architecture as the pre-installed fans, high build
fearsome GTX 1080 quality and a spacious interior:
and GTX 1070, the GTX 1060 is the MasterBox K500 is a commendable
perfect for smooth gaming at 1080p all-rounder. It’s not the best on storage capacity,
and 1440p. It’s due a replacement, but you can still add at least a couple of SSDs
potentially as part of the new GeForcece and hard disks each.
RTX line, but is still a great GPU today.
CASE TYPE Mid-tower • MOTHERBOARD TYPE ATX, microATX,
Mini-ITX • SUPPLIED FANS 3x 120mm • MAX DRIVE BAYS 3x 3.5in,
GPU Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 • MEMORY 6GB GDDR5 • GRAPHICS CARD LENGTH 250mm • 2x 2.5in • DIMENSIONS 260xx190x280mm • WEIGHT 6.2kg •
WARRANTY Three years repair and replace • DETAILS www.geforce.co.uk • PART CODE GTX WARRANTY Two years RTB • DETAILS www.coolermaster.com •
1060 Founder’s Edition • FULL REVIEW Nov 2016 PART CODE MCB-K500D-KGNN-S00 • FULL REVIEW Jan 2019

PREMIUM PCs
INTEL Core i9-9900K ASUS ROG Maximus XI Hero WiFi
★★★★★ ★★★★★
£600 • www.novatech.co.uk £287 • www.scan.co.uk
Intel’s 9th-gen chips see A quintessential
it finally joining the luxury motherboard,
octa-core club, including complete with multi-GPU
the flagship Core i9-9900K. With Turbo support, hi-fi audio connectors, onboard r
Boost speeds hitting 5GHz straight out of i
802.11ac Wi-Fi and Intel’s latest Z390 chipset.
the box, it’s a just as potent in single-core gaming as it is in Asus’s well-designed BIOS also makes it easy to overclock your CPU.
serious multithreaded workloads. PROCESSOR SOCKET LGA1151 • DIMENSIONS 305x244mm • CHIPSET Intel Z390 •
MEMORY SLOTS 4 • PCI-E X16 SLOTS 3 • PCI-E X1 SLOTS 3 • PCI SLOTS 0 • USB PORTS 2x
SOCKET LGA1151 • CORES 8 • FREQUENCY 3.6GHz • INTEGRATED GRAPHICS Intel UHD Graphics USB2, 2x USB3, 3x USB3.1, 1x USB Type-C • VIDEO OUTPUTS 1x HDMI, 1x DisplayPort •
630 • WARRANTY Three years RTB • DETAILS www.intel.com • PART CODE BX80684I99900K • WARRANTY Two years RTB • DETAILS www.asus.com • PART CODE ROG Maximus XI Hero (WiFi)
FULL REVIEW Jan 2019 • FULL REVIEW Jan 2019

THERMALTAKE View 37 MSI GeForce RTX 2070 Armor 8G

★★★★★ ★★★★★
£103 • www.scan.co.uk £460 • www.scan.co.uk
A spacious, feature-rich Whereas the RTX
chassis for both ATX- and 2080 and RTX 2080
EATX-based builds, the View Ti charge exorbitant
37 comes with a gull-wing side window that’s amounts for their fancy ray-tracing NEW
ENTRY
perfect for showing off your handiwork. and anti-aliasing tech, the RTX 2070
delivers the same features at a
CASE TYPE Mid-tower • MOTHERBOARD TYPE ATX, EATX,
much more reasonable price. It can also handle 4K gaming without
microATX, Mini-ITX • SUPPLIED FANS 2x 140mm • MAXIMUM much fuss, and MSI’s version stays very cool under load.
DRIVE BAYS 7x 3.5in, 11x 2.5in • DIMENSIONS 525x261x538mm •
WEIGHT 11.8kg • WARRANTY Three years RTB • DETAILS www. GPU Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070 • MEMORY 8GB GDDR6 • GRAPHICS CARD LENGTH 155mm •
thermaltake.com • PART CODE CA-1J7-00M1WN-00 • WARRANTY One year RTB • DETAILS www.msi.com • PART CODE RTX 2070 Armor 8G •
FULL REVIEW Dec 2018 FULL REVIEW Mar 2019

ISSUE 373 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | MARCH 2019 61

 Choosing a... Display
01 A basic 24in LCD monitor costs
around £100. It will be fine for typical
Windows work but is likely to have poor
Many DVI and all HDMI connections
support HDCP, which lets you watch
protected video content, such as Blu-ray
cable or either HDMI or DisplayPort to use a
monitor at these resolutions.

viewing angles, so you’ll need to sit straight

on for the best picture quality. Its colour
accuracy may not be very good, either.
movies. DisplayPort is becoming more
popular, but you’ll need a graphics card with
a DisplayPort output (mini or full-size) to
04 If you want better picture quality,
look for a monitor with a high
contrast ratio. The higher the ratio, the
use this input on your monitor. whiter the whites and the blacker the blacks.

02 A VGA input lets you use the monitor

with any PC, but the quality may not
be as good as it is over DVI or HDMI. Both
are digital connections and require a
compatible graphics card but they avoid the
need for digital-to-analogue or analogue-to-
digital conversions, which can reduce image
quality. A digital connection achieves the
best picture automatically, so you won’t have
to adjust clock or phase settings as you do
with analogue connections.
03 A larger monitor will be easier on the
eye and may have a higher resolution.
Most monitors have a resolution of at least
1,920x1,080 (1080p), which provides lots of
room for working with multiple windows at
the same time. For even higher resolutions,
you’ll need a larger display. Some 27in and
30in screens have 2,560x1,600 or even 4K
resolutions. You’ll need a graphics card with
a dual-link DVI output and a dual-link DVI
You’ll also be able to see more fine detail in
images with high contrast levels. Viewing
angles are important, as wider angles mean
you don’t have to sit directly in front of the
monitor to get the best picture. Wider
viewing angles also allow more people to
view the screen at the same time.
Fast response times reduce ghosting,
but don’t be dazzled by the numbers. A
response time of 25ms or quicker is fine
for all applications.

DISPLAYS
AOC G2460VQ6 BENQ SW2700PT
★★★★★ ★★★★★
£125 • www.pcworldbusiness.co.uk £599 • www.wexphotovideo.com
Once you switch it to After calibration, this
sRGB mode, this is one professional-grade
very good low-cost monitor has near-perfectect
gaming monitor. Its 75Hz refresh rate nd
colour accuracy, so it’s ideal for photo and
means you’ll benefit from higher frame rates video editing. The Quad HD resolution also ensures there’s plenty of
more effectively than on a standard 60Hz screen. room for Windows multitasking.
SCREEN SIZE 24in • RESOLUTION 1,920x1,080 • SCREEN TECHNOLOGY TN • VIDEO INPUTS SCREEN SIZE 27in • RESOLUTION 2,560x1,440 • SCREEN TECHNOLOGY IPS (AHVA) •
VGA, HDMI, DisplayPort • WARRANTY Three years collect and return • DETAILS eu.aoc.com • VIDEO INPUTS DVI, HDMI, DisplayPort • WARRANTY Three years RTB •
PART CODE G2460VQ6 • FULL REVIEW Jul 2018 DETAILS www.benq.com • PART CODE M352753 • FULL REVIEW Nov 2017

UQ
ASUS ROG Swift PG27UQ AOC Q3279VWF
★★★★★ ★★★★★
£1,900 • www.amzn.to/2Po71NO £239 • www.amzn.to/2BjxUGC
We’re finally starting to see We never thought
4K monitors with 144Hz you could get so
refresh rates, perfect for the much monitor for this
most luxurious PC systems. The ROG Swift little cash: a vast 31.5in MVA panel, with
PC27UQ’s real killer feature, however, is true Quad HD resolution, good colour accuracy and high contrast. That’s
HDR with TV-quality FALD backlighting. not to mention its 75Hz refresh rate and AMD FreeSync support.
SCREEN SIZE 27in • RESOLUTION 3,840x2,160 • SCREEN TECHNOLOGY IPS • VIDEO INPUTS SCREEN SIZE 31.5in • RESOLUTION 2,560x1,440 • SCREEN TECHNOLOGY MVA • REFRESH RATE
VGA, HDMI, DisplayPort • WARRANTY Three years RTB • DETAILS www.asus.com • PART CODE 75Hz • VIDEO INPUTS HDMI, DisplayPort, VGA • WARRANTY Three years collect and return •
PG27UQ • FULL REVIEW Jan 2019 DETAILS aoc-europe.com • FULL REVIEW Mar 2018

Q J
PHILIPS Brilliance 241B7QPJKEB SAMSUNG C34F791
1
★★★★★ ★★★★★
£179 • www.uk.insight.com £680 • www.amzn.to/2n1Nb9V
IPS monitors generally look With its Quantum Dot ot
great, but it’s hard to find one display, the C34F791
at a low price. Enter the can achieve pristine colour
Brilliance 241B7QPJKEB: a colour-accuate IPS coverage and superp accuracy. Its Ultra HD resolution and 34in
display for well under £200. It’s well designed, curved screen make it ideal for multitasking, but a 100Hz refresh rate
too, with a collapsible webcam and a greatly adjustable stand. and AMD FreeSync support ensure it’s even better for 4K gaming.
SCREEN SIZE 24in • RESOLUTION 1,920x1,080 • SCREEN TECHNOLOGY IPS • REFRESH SCREEN SIZE 34in • RESOLUTION 3,840x1,440 • SCREEN TECHNOLOGY VA •
RATE 60Hz • VIDEO INPUTS HDMI, DisplayPort, VGA • WARRANTY Three years RTB • REFRESH RATE 100Hz • VIDEO INPUTS DisplayPort, HDMI • WARRANTY Two years RTB •
DETAILS www.philips.co.uk • FULL REVIEW Jun 2018 DETAILS www.samsung.com/uk • FULL REVIEW Oct 2017

62 MARCH 2019 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | ISSUE 373

Choosing an... Inkjet printer
01 You should be able to buy a decent
inkjet printer for less than £40.
High-quality printing is possible on such a
03 If photos are your priority, speed is
less important. Choose a printer that
reproduces subtle tones well. You can’t
sided) printing or A3 capabilities are now
much more affordable.

printer, but it will be slow. The actual print

speed of an inkjet can be half the quoted
(maximum) speed for text documents,
and even slower when printing graphics.
Budget inkjet printers such as these are
designed only for light use and can be
expensive to run.
determine this by looking at the
specifications – only hands-on testing will
do, so remember to check our reviews
before you buy.
Borderless printing (up to the edge of
the paper) should also be possible. Pay
particular attention to running costs:
photos use three times as much ink as
05 Pricier photo printers let you print
from memory cards plugged straight
into the printer, so you don’t need to use a
PC. An LCD preview screen offers greater
control for this method of printing. Many
inkjet printers now have a PictBridge USB
port, which you can use to print images
directly from most digital cameras.

02 For £80 to £90 you can buy a more

capable printer that’s either faster and
regular colour documents.

06 If you’re really serious about

better built or better at reproducing photos.
If documents are your priority, you’ll want a
high minimum speed and low print costs.
Look for inkjets that can handle all your
office media, such as envelopes and labels.
04 Heavy-duty office inkjets can cost
up to £1,000 and their build quality
is improving. They use large individual ink
tanks, which can cut running costs.
Printers with automatic duplex (double-
photography, consider buying an
inkjet that can produce borderless prints
up to A3 size. The best devices can print
photos that look nearly as good as those
from professional labs.

PRINTERS & SCANNERS

EPSON WorkForce XYZPRINTING da Vinci Minimaker
★★★★★
WF-7710DWF £174 • www.xyzprinting.com
★★★★★
£147 • www.amzn.to/2JVaD3B It’s not as fully featured as the da
Vinci Jr 1.0w, but the Minimaker
The WorkForce WF-7710DWF allows you to print at prints at identical speed and
the larger A3+ paper size, as well as fax and scan at he
quality, and costs much, much less. In fact, it’s the
A3, so it’s great for home office users who require a most affordable 3D printer we’ve ever used.
bit more flexibility from their MFP.
TECHNOLOGY Fused Filament Fabrication • MAXIMUM PRINT RESOLUTION 100 microns •
TECHNOLOGY Piezo inkjet • MAXIMUM PRINT RESOLUTION 4,800x2,400dpi • DIMENSIONS MAXIMUM BUILD SIZE 150x150x150mm • DIMENSIONS 390x360x335mm • WEIGHT 11.5kg •
340x567x452mm • WEIGHT 18.7kg • MAXIMUM PAPER SIZE A3+ • WARRANTY One year RTB • FILAMENT 1.75mm PLA • WARRANTY One year RTB • DETAILS eu.xyzprinting.com •
DETAILS www.epson.co.uk • PART CODE C11CG36411 • FULL REVIEW Nov 2018 PART CODE 3FM1XXEU00D • FULL REVIEW Apr 2017

HP OfficeJet Pro 7720 CANON Pixma TS3150

★★★★★ ★★★★★
£125 • www.ebuyer.com £36 • www.ebuyer.com
The OfficeJet Pro 7720 If you only print or scan
strikes a fine balance infrequently, you probably
between price, performance and features, making it don’t need a load of fancy features. The Pixma TS3150
ideal for home offices and small businesses – especially those that does the job for hardly any money – it’s a bit slow, but the results are
could use A3 printing. of a higher quality than we’d expect from a budget MFP.

TECHNOLOGY Thermal inkjet • MAXIMUM PRINT RESOLUTION 4,800x1,200dpi • TECHNOLOGY Thermal inkjet • MAXIMUM PRINT RESOLUTION 4,800x1,200dpi •
SCANNER RESOLUTION 1,200x1,200dpi • DIMENSIONS (HXWXD) 307x445x585mm • SCANNER RESOLUTION 600x1,200dpi • DIMENSIONS 126x373x315mm • WEIGHT 3.9kg •
WEIGHT 15.5kg • MAXIMUM PAPER SIZE A3 (print only) • WARRANTY Three years RTB • MAXIMUM PAPER SIZE A4/legal • WARRANTY One year RTB • DETAILS www.canon.co.uk •
DETAILS www.hp.co.uk • PART CODE Y0S18A • FULL REVIEW Dec 2017 PART CODE 2226C008 • FULL REVIEW Jan 2018

CANON imageFormula EPSON EcoTank ET-7750

DR-C230 ★★★★★
£565 • www.currys.co.uk
★★★★★
£325 • www.ebuyer.com Like all EcoTank MFPs, the
This sheet-fed document scanner ET-7750 offsets its high
is perfect for getting through stacks of documents price with low running
without having to manually scan each page. It’s costs, and this specific model delivers sharp,
pleasantly fast and pairs with Canon’s powerful CaptureOnTouch Pro solid colours that suit photo printing well.
software, which does a fine job of processing your scans.
TECHNOLOGY Piezo inkjet • MAXIMUM PRINT RESOLUTION 5,760x1,440 •
TECHNOLOGY Dual CIS sheet-fed scanner • SCANNER RESOLUTION 600x600dpi • DIMENSIONS SCANNER RESOLUTION 1,200x2,400dpi • DIMENSIONS 168x526x415mm • WEIGHT 10.5kg •
231x291x530mm • WEIGHT 2.8kg • MAXIMUM PAPER SIZE A4/legal • WARRANTY One year RTB MAXIMUM PAPER SIZE A3 • WARRANTY One year RTB • DETAILS www.epson.co.uk •
• DETAILS www.canon.co.uk • PART CODE 2646C003 • FULL REVIEW Feb 2018 PART CODE C11CG16401CE • FULL REVIEW Sep 2018

ISSUE 373 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | MARCH 2019 63

 Choosing a... Wireless router
01 Wireless routers each use a number
of Wi-Fi standards, so you shouldn’t
have any trouble connecting your computer
or phone wirelessly if you get an 802.11n or
802.11ac router. Nearly all routers support
802.11n, so even a cheap model should
provide decent performance.
You can expect a transfer speed of around
40Mbit/s at a distance of 10m from any
modern 802.11n router. The very latest
routers use the 802.11ac standard, which
provides tremendously fast transfer
speeds. Some devices still don’t support
the 802.11ac standard, so check the
specifications before you buy.
a wireless router that has a built-in ADSL
modem. This will cost more than the
equivalent cable router, but it allows you
to connect your router directly to your
broadband connection without having to
use a separate modem.
03 Most 802.11n wireless routers use
the 2.4GHz frequency band. This has
good range but it can be prone to
interference if it’s positioned close to a lot
of other 2.4GHz devices, such as other
routers and baby monitors. If you have
trouble getting a consistent signal or you
want faster speeds for video streaming, for
example, it’s worth buying a dual-band
Alternatively, a high-gain antenna can
boost signals and improve ranges and
throughputs to the entire house. You can
also add a high-gain antenna to a PC’s
network adaptor. If wired network speeds
are a priority, you should look for a router
with a Gigabit Ethernet connection.
04 Many routers come with built-in USB
ports that let you connect a USB drive
and use the router as a network storage
device. If you want to share a USB printer
over your network, look for a wireless router
that has a USB print server.
Finally, if you’re interested in making voice
calls over the internet, buy a router with

02 If you subscribe to an ADSL

broadband service, you should buy
router that can use both the 2.4GHz and
5GHz bands.
built-in VoIP support (and phone sockets)
because this can save you money.

NETWORKS
D-LINK DIR-842 TP-LINK Archer C5400
400
★★★★★ ★★★★★
£30 • www.amzn.to/2AyE8G6 £230 • www.currys.co.uk
This budget Although this isn’t
dual-band router the fastest £200-plus
is fast enough to router, it’s still speedy,
serve as an affordable upgrade and comes with an impressive array of
to your ISP router, and it’s easy features, from parental controls and
to set up, too. filters to BT YouView support and smart home integration.
WI-FI STANDARD 802.11ac • STATED SPEED 867Mbit/s (5GHz), 300Mbit/s (2.4GHz) • MODEM Gigabit Ethernet • WI-FI STANDARD 802.11ac • STATED SPEED 2x 2,167Mbit/s (5GHz),
USB PORTS None • WALL MOUNTABLE Yes • WARRANTY Two years RTB • 2x 1,000MBit/s (2.4GHz) • USB PORTS 1x USB2, 1x USB3 • WALL MOUNTABLE Yes •
PART CODE DIR-842 • FULL REVIEW Jan 2018 WARRANTY One year RTB • PART CODE C5400 • FULL REVIEW May 2018

YUBICO YubiKey 4 TP-LINK Deco M5

★★★★★ ★★★★★
£37 • www.amzn.to/2vfQhtC £230 (triple pack) • www.currys.co.uk
This isn’t your standard Provided you’re willing
networking device: it’s a to tinker with a few
USB key that stores the cryptographic data settings, the Deco M5 is the most
required to log into your devices and services via two-factor feature-rich mesh Wi-Fi system around, even if it’s
authentication. This adds a secure and convenient second layer of not strictly the fastest. Get the triple pack for the
protection, wherever you are. best coverage throughout the house.
USB TYPE Type-A • SUPPORTED SERVICES Google, Facebook, Dropbox, Windows, MODEM Gigabit Ethernet • WI-FI STANDARD 802.11ac • STATED SPEED 867Mbit/s (5GHz),
macOS Sierra, LastPass, Dashlane • WARRANTY One year RTB • DETAILS www.yubico.com • 400Mbit/s (2.4GHz) • USB PORTS 0 • WALL MOUNTABLE No • WARRANTY Three years RTB •
PART CODE YubiKey 4 • FULL REVIEW Aug 2017 DETAILS www.tp-link.com • PART CODE 210380 • FULL REVIEW Dec 2017

D-LINK DIR-895L GOOGLE Wifi

★★★★★ ★★★★★
£260 • www.ebuyer.com £179 (twin pack) •
www.wickes.co.uk
If you can stomach
the price, D-Link’s Arguably the most
DIR-895L will make user-friendly mesh
it worth your while with staggeringly fast speeds and exceptionally networking system yet,
long range. It also lets you connect to your home network remotely, Google Wifi trades long-range speed for supreme
via an L2TP VPN. ease of use and excellent configuration tools.
MODEM Gigabit Ethernet • WI-FI STANDARD 802.11ac • STATED SPEED 2x 2,166Mbit/s (5GHz), MODEM N/A • WI-FI STANDARD 802.11ac • STATED SPEED 1,200Mbit/s • USB PORTS 0 •
1,000Mbit/s (2.4GHz) • USB PORTS 1x USB2, 1x USB3 • WALL MOUNTABLE Yes • WALL MOUNTABLE No • WARRANTY One year RTB • DETAILS madeby.google.com •
WARRANTY Two years RTB • PART CODE DIR-895L • FULL REVIEW Dec 2017 PART CODE Google Wifi • FULL REVIEW Jul 2017

64 MARCH 2019 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | ISSUE 373

Choosing a... Smart thermostat
01 A smart thermostat can save you a
lot of money by intelligently
controlling your heating.
02 Want smart hot water control?
If you want to remotely set
schedules and disable hot water while
This option is more expensive to install but
will provide you with greater savings.

Most smart heating devices are designed

to be used with hot water central heating
systems, with the boiler directly controlled
by the system. These typically require a relay
to be wired into your boiler, with a wireless
thermostat giving you direct control.
Smartphone apps then tie into the system to
give you remote control. While it’s possible
to fit controls yourself, you may want to pay
an experienced plumber to do the job: expect
to pay around £150 for a typical installation.
If you have electric heating, there are
very few choices, and the big names (Nest,
Honeywell and so on) do not directly
support these systems.
you’re away, choose your smart system
carefully, as many don’t have this option.
Hot water control usually requires a second
04 Do you use a smart personal
assistant? Make sure that your smart
thermostat supports the one that you use.
relay to be wired into the boiler. Amazon Alexa, powered by the Echo and
Echo Dot, is the best-supported system;
03 What kind of heating system do
you want? There are two main
choices: a central system and one with
Apple’s HomeKit, powered by Siri, isn’t so
well supported; Google Assistant, built into
Google Home, is just gaining traction and
individual radiator controls. The former supports Nest only.
replaces your existing thermostat, and
lets you set one temperature for your
entire house. The latter requires each
radiator valve to be replaced with a
05 If you want your smart heating
system to do more, look for IFTTT
support. With this handy system, you can set
smart valve so that each room and automatic rules, such as turning the heating
radiator can have its own individual control. off if the outside temperature rises.

SMART HOME
AMAZON Echo 2nd Generation door
NEST Cam IQ Outdoor
★★★★★ ★★★★★
£90 • www.amzn.to/2DxFEuQ £329 • nest.com/uk
The updated Echo is both While this is an expensive
smaller and cheaper than replacement for the old Nest
the original, and while the souped-up Cam Outdoor, its image quality
£140 Echo Plus is better for listening to music, this is without equal. Facial and sound recognition
model’s blend of value and all-round quality makes it have also been improved, and it’s now much
a better buy. harder for thieves to remove the camera from its mount.
DRIVERS 2 • RMS POWER OUTPUT Not stated • WEIGHT 921kg • NETWORKING Bluetooth, VIDEO RESOLUTION 4K sensor, 1080p recording • CLOUD STORAGE Yes (subscription required) •
802.11n Wi-Fi • WARRANTY One year RTB • DETAILS www.amazon.co.uk • PART CODE Echo NETWORKING 802.11ac • WARRANTY One year RTB • PART CODE Nest Cam IQ Outdoor •
2nd Generation • FULL REVIEW Mar 2018 FULL REVIEW Jul 2018

TADO Smart Thermostat HONEYWELL

★★★★★
£200 • www.tado.com Evohome Security
★★★★★
A flexible and stylish-looking £286 • www.theevohomeshop.co.uk
smart heating system, the Tado
Smart Thermostat distinguishes This smart alarm system will notify you of a break-in,
itself with a clever geolocation feature that turns on your and its motion sensors can even take a picture of an
heating when you enter a room and switches it off, saving intruder so that you can quickly rule out false alarms.
money, when you leave. A great range of sensors and full app control make this a top choice.
REMOTE THERMOSTAT Yes • HOT WATER SUPPORT Yes • INDIVIDUAL RADIATOR CONTROL AVAILABLE SENSORS Motion sensor, door/window sensor, motion sensor with camera •
Yes • VOICE ASSISTANT SUPPORT Alexa, Google Assistant, Siri • APPS iOS, Android and web • DISARMING OPTIONS Remote keyfob, app, Tags • SIRENS AND CONTROLS External siren,
FULL REVIEW Jan 2018 contactless tag reader/internal siren • WARRANTY Two years RTB • FULL REVIEW Aug 2017

ub
GOOGLE Home Hub RING Video Doorbell 2
★★★★★ NEW ★★★★★
£139 • www.currys.co.uk ENTRY £129 • www.johnlewis.com
The first truly excellent This is the best of the new
smart screen, Google’s breed of smart, camera-
Home Hub is both a equipped doorbells: it’s easy
multitalented smart home controller and a very clever device in itself, to install, comes with a bundled chime, and
jumping seamlessly between providing mapped-out travel routes, has fairly low subscription costs for storing
playing YouTube videos and showcasing photo albums. footage in the cloud.
DRIVERS 1 • RMS POWER OUTPUT Not stated • DOCK CONNECTOR None • WIRELESS 802.11ac VIDEO RESOLUTION 1080p • CLOUD STORAGE Yes •
Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0 • DIMENSIONS 118x179x67mm • WEIGHT 480g • WARRANTY One year RTB NETWORKING 802.11n • WARRANTY Two years parts and theft
• PART CODE Home Hub • FULL REVIEW Feb 2019 protection • PART CODE 8VR1S7-0EU0 • FULL REVIEW Dec 2018

ISSUE 373 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | MARCH 2019 65

 Choosing a... Smartphone
01 A smartphone’s operating system
(OS) dictates its basic features and
which third-party software you can install.
and watch Full HD videos. Don’t worry too
much about built-in media players or Office
document editors; you can always install apps
a variety of custom onscreen keyboards so
you can find one that suits you.

There are three main contenders: Apple’s

iOS, which is found on the iPhone, Google’s
Android, which is used by various handset
manufacturers, and Windows Phone, which
has few options, especially since Microsoft
has discontinued support for its OS.
Apple iOS and Google Android both have
thousands of apps available.
to replace these with better versions later.
The image quality of smartphone
cameras has improved tremendously in
recent years, and resolutions have
increased to as high as 20 megapixels.
03 Very few modern smartphones have
a physical keyboard for entering text;
they almost exclusively use touchscreens
04 Be careful when choosing a contract.
Look for one that includes a large data
allowance if you want to use the internet
regularly or you’ve set your phone to
synchronise your contacts, calendar and
email through online services.
Built-in Wi-Fi can help you avoid high data
charges by connecting to the internet
through wireless hotspots when you’re out,

02 All smartphones have colour screens,

but their resolutions vary. Basic models
have 1,280x720 pixels, but text can be
indistinct. Look for a display that has at least
1,920x1,080 pixels so it’s easier to read text
now. Physical keyboards can aid heavy
emailing, but today’s touchscreen
keyboards work just as well.
Android smartphones and iPhones
running iOS 9 or above allow you to install
or your router when you’re at home. Android
and iPhone handsets can operate as wireless
hotspots, letting you connect your laptop to
the web over your mobile data connection.
There may be an extra charge for this.

SMARTPHONES
MOTOROLA Moto G6 SAMSUNG Galaxy S8
★★★★★ ★★★★★
£180 SIM-free; £20-per-month contract www.amzn. • £363 SIM-free; £28-per-month contract •
to/2P8PANk (SIM-free); shop.vodafone.co.uk (contract) www.amzn.to/2qNy2fT (SIM-free);
www.tescomobile.com (contract)
The Moto G series gets back on form with
the Moto G6, a fast, fingerprint sensor-
This 2017 smartphone remains among
equipped budget marvel. Of particular
the best ever. The camera is superb, the display is
note are the dual rear cameras, which can take shots that
dazzling, and even the base model comes in a
rival far more expensive handsets on overall quality.
beautiful, almost completely bezel-free design.
PROCESSOR Octa-core 1.6GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 • SCREEN SIZE 5.7in •
SCREEN RESOLUTION 1,920x1,080 • REAR CAMERA 12 megapixels, 5 megapixels • PROCESSOR Quad-core 2.3GHz Samsung Exynos 8895 • SCREEN SIZE 5.8in • SCREEN RESOLUTION
STORAGE 32GB • WIRELESS DATA 4G • DIMENSIONS 154x72x8.3mm • WEIGHT 177g • 2,560x1,440 • REAR CAMERA 12 megapixels • STORAGE 64GB • WIRELESS DATA 4G • DIMENSIONS
OPERATING SYSTEM Android 8.0 • WARRANTY One year RTB • DETAILS www.motorola.co.uk • 149x68x8mm • WEIGHT 155g • OPERATING SYSTEM Android 7.0 0 • WARRANTYTY One-year RTB •
PART CODE PAAJ0004GB • FULL REVIEW Sep 2018 DETAILS wwww.samsung.com/uk • PART CODE SM-G950FZKABTU BTU • FULL REVIEW Jul 2017

NEW
HONOR 7X GOOGLE Pixel 3 ENTRY
★★★★★ ★★★★★
£180 SIM-free; £27-per-month contract • th
£699 SIM-free; £10 up front on £58-per-month
www.argos.co.uk (SIM-free); •
contract www.currys.co.uk (SIM-free);
www.three.co.uk (contract) shop.ee.co.uk (contract)

Don’t fancy paying tons of cash for an
edge-to-edge, 18:9 display? The Honor
7X is affordable but has a vast, vibrant
screen, and comes with a great dual-camera array.
PROCESSOR Octa-core 2.36GHz HiSilicon Kirin 659 • SCREEN SIZE 6in • SCREEN RESOLUTION
2,160x1,080 • REAR CAMERA Dual 16 megapixels • STORAGE 64GB • WIRELESS DATA 4G •
DIMENSIONS 157x75x7.6mm • WEIGHT 165g • OPERATING SYSTEM Android 7.0 • WARRANTY
One year RTB • DETAILS www.hihonor.com • PART CODE 51092ADQ • FULL REVIEW Apr 2018
Pure Android quality on a powerful
handset with one of the best
smartphone cameras ever. The larger
display is also the best-looking of any Pixel phone yet.
PROCESSOR Quad-core 2.8GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 • SCREEN SIZE 5.5in • SCREEN
RESOLUTION 2,160x1,080 • REAR CAMERA 12.2 megapixels • STORAGE 64GB • WIRELESS S DATA
4G • DIMENSIONS 146x68x7.9mm • WEIGHT 148g • OPERATING SYSTEM Android d 9.0 • WARRANTY
One year RTB • DETAILS store.google.com • PART CODE Pixel 3 • FULL REVIEW Feb 2019

SAMSUNG Galaxy J5 (2017) HUAWEI P20 Pro

★★★★★ ★★★★★
£131 SIM-free, £14-per-month contract • £629 SIM-free; £42-per-month contract •
www.amzn.to/2B6fPjS (SIM-free); www.carphonewarehouse.com
www.tescomobile.com (contract)
The P20 Pro competes with the
The new Galaxy J5 performs well, takes best on performance and display
great photos, has an incredibly vibrant quality, but its greatest strength lies
screen and looks stylish, but it’s the in its unique triple-lens camera setup, which helps to
battery life – over 18h in our tests – that really impresses. provide exceptional picture quality.

PROCESSOR Octa-core 1.6GHz Exynos 7870 • SCREEN SIZE 5in • SCREEN RESOLUTION 1,280x720 PROCESSOR Octa-core 2.4GHz HiSilicon Kirin 970 • SCREEN SIZE 6.1in • SCREEN RESOLUTION
• REAR CAMERA 13 megapixels • STORAGE 16GB • WIRELESS DATA 4G • DIMENSIONS 2,244x1,080 • REAR CAMERA 40 megapixels, 20 megapixels, 8 megapixels • STORAGE 128GB •
146x71x8mm • WEIGHT 160g • OPERATING SYSTEM Android 7.0 • WARRANTY One-year RTB • WIRELESS DATA 4G • DIMENSIONS 155x74x7.8mm • WEIGHT 180g • OPERATING SYSTEM
DETAILS www.samsung.com/uk • PART CODE SM-J350FZKABTU • FULL REVIEW Dec 2017 Android 8.1 • DETAILS consumer.huawei.com • PART CODE 51092FGU • FULL REVIEW Aug 2018

66 MARCH 2019 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | ISSUE 373

Choosing a... Tablet
01 All tablets rely on an operating system
(OS) to run apps. You have three main
choices: Apple’s iOS, which runs on the iPad;
Android, which Google licenses to various
manufacturers; and Windows 10, which has
become common in hybrid tablets and
convertibles. If you own an Apple or Google
smartphone, you can download your apps,
music and so on to a tablet that runs the
same OS, so it makes sense to stick with a
compatible device.
starting to see tablets that have even higher
screen resolutions. Some are as high as
2,560x1,600 or even 4K. Entry-level tablets
04 Tablets rarely include a SIM card
slot. This means you’ll have to rely
on Wi-Fi to get online, although some
typically use TN panels, which don’t have tablets let you access the internet through
particularly good viewing angles. The viewing your smartphone. If you want mobile access
angles of IPS panels are much better. to the internet, look for 3G- and 4G-ready
devices. These almost always cost more
03 If you want to listen to music, watch
films and play games, make sure your
tablet has plenty of storage. Many tablets
than Wi-Fi-only models, but they’re great
if you use your tablet while commuting
or travelling.
come with 8GB or 16GB of internal storage,

02 It’s important to pick a tablet that has

a good-quality, high-resolution screen.
Many budget tablets have 1,280x800-
resolution displays, but better tablets have
Full HD 1,920x1,080 panels, and we’re
although some budget models have less.
You’ll typically pay more for a higher storage
capacity. Many tablets also have microSD
05 Your choice of tablet determines the
apps you can use on it. You may find
that some of the apps you want are available
slots that let you add extra storage, although on iOS but not Android, and vice versa.
you won’t find one on an iPad. This is a cheap Windows 10, meanwhile, runs traditional
way of boosting storage capacity. desktop applications.

TABLETS
SAMSUNG Galaxy Book 10.6in APPLE iPad (2018)
★★★★★ ★★★★★
£549 • www.amzn.to/2A9hljh £319 • www.apple.com/uk
Good budget 2-in-1s are rare, but Apple has recalibrated its focus
Samsung hits the mark with itss for the latest iPad, keeping the
10.6in Galaxy Book. The Full HDD existing design but turning it
touchscreen display looks great and, unlike with the iPad Pro or into an education aid with Apple Pencil support
Surface Pro ranges, the excellent keyboard and stylus peripherals and the Smart Annotation software feature. Even if you’re not a
come included in the box. teacher or in education, it’s still a powerful tablet at a decent price.
PROCESSOR Dual-core Intel Core m3-7Y30 • SCREEN SIZE 10.6in • SCREEN RESOLUTION PROCESSOR Quad-core Apple A10 Fusion • SCREEN SIZE 9.7in • SCREEN RESOLUTION
1,920x1,280 • REAR CAMERA None • STORAGE 64GB • WIRELESS DATA No • DIMENSIONS 2,048x1,536 • REAR CAMERA 8 megapixels • STORAGE 32GB • WIRELESS DATA None •
261x179x8.9mm • WEIGHT 650g • OPERATING SYSTEM Windows 10 Home • WARRANTY Two years DIMENSIONS 240x170x7.5mm • WEIGHT 469g • OPERATING SYSTEM iOS 11 • WARRANTY One
RTB • DETAILS www.samsung.com/uk • PART CODE SM-W620NZKAXAR • FULL REVIEW Nov 2017 year RTB • DETAILS www.apple.com/uk • PART CODE iPad • FULL REVIEW Aug 2018

APPLE iPad Pro 10.5in MICROSOFT Surface Go

★★★★★ ★★★★★
£619 • www.currys.co.uk £509 • www.microsoft.com
While it’s still stuck with a If you’ve been craving a
mobile OS, rather than the tablet with the flexibility
productivity-friendly macOS, of a Surface Pro, without
there’s no arguing with the latest iPad Pro’s raw the usual expense, the Surface Go is a
power. An A10X Fusion chip makes it much faster than the 9.7in perfect fit. It’s smaller and uses a less powerful Intel Pentium CPU,
model in both multitasking and single-threaded applications. but it’s still a much more work-ready 2-in-1 than any Android slate.

PROCESSOR Hexa-core 2.36GHz Apple A10X Fusion • SCREEN SIZE 10.5in • SCREEN RESOLUTION PROCESSOR Dual-core 1.6GHz Intel Pentium 4415Y • SCREEN SIZE 10in • SCREEN RESOLUTION
2,224x1,668 • REAR CAMERA 12 megapixels • STORAGE 64/256/512GB • WIRELESS DATA 4G (cellular 1,800x1,200 • REAR CAMERA 8 megapixels • STORAGE 128GB • WIRELESS DATA No •
version) • DIMENSIONS 251x174x6.1mm • WEIGHT 469g • OPERATING SYSTEM iOS 11 • WARRANTY DIMENSIONS 245x175x8.3mm • WEIGHT 522g • OPERATING SYSTEM Windows 10 S • WARRANTY
One year RTB • DETAILS www.apple.com/uk • PART CODE 9.7in iPad Pro • FULL REVIEW Oct 2017 One year RTB • DETAILS www.microsoft.com • PART CODE MCZ-00002 • FULL REVIEW Jan 2019

SAMSUNG Galaxy Tab S3 AMAZON Kindle Oasis (2017)

★★★★★ ★★★★★
£389 • www.amzn.to/2EJBII0 £230 • www.amzn.to/2iz8Cge
Yes, it’s incredibly expensive for an The premium instalment of
Android slate, but the Galaxy Tab S3 Amazon’s eReader line is
is pure luxury: the AMOLED display back with a bigger screen,
looks exquisite, the stereo speakers sound great, and ambient light sensor and IPX8 waterproofing,
Samsung’s S Pen stylus is included as standard. though its most interesting improvement is
the ability to play Audible Audiobooks.
PROCESSOR Quad-core 2.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 • SCREEN SIZE 9.7n •
SCREEN RESOLUTION 2,048x1,536 • REAR CAMERA 13 megapixels • STORAGE 32GB • PROCESSOR Not stated • SCREEN SIZE 7in • SCREEN RESOLUTION 300dpi • REAR CAMERA None
WIRELESS DATA None (4G optional) • DIMENSIONS 2937x169x6mm • WEIGHT 429g • • STORAGE 8GB • WIRELESS DATA Optional 3G • DIMENSIONS 159x141x8.3mm • WEIGHT 194g •
OPERATING SYSTEM Android 7.0 • WARRANTY One year RTB • DETAILS www.samsung.com/uk OPERATING SYSTEM Kindle OS • WARRANTY One year RTB • DETAILS www.amazon.co.uk •
• PART CODE SM-T820 • FULL REVIEW Aug 2017 PART CODE Kindle Oasis (2017) • FULL REVIEW Mar 2018

ISSUE 373 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | MARCH 2019 67

 Choosing a... TV
01 A 32in Full HD TV costs around £200,
but premium larger 4K models can be
closer to £2,000. TVs look much smaller in
the shop than in your home, so measure the
space available before you buy.
Curved TVs are becoming increasingly
more common, but bear in mind that these
typically take up more floor space than a
traditional flat set.
03 Consider the number of inputs
you’ll need to connect the rest of
your equipment. Two HDMI ports should be
and the brightest shades that the screen
will be able to display. The higher the
number, the darker the blacks and the
the bare minimum, but many TV sets come brighter the whites. Buy a TV with High
with four HDMI connectors. You’ll need Dynamic Range (HDR) support for the best
HDMI 2.0 if you want a future-proof 4K TV, picture from supported services.
as this is the only way to get 60fps video
playback from external sources at such
a high resolution.
If you want to plug a PC into your TV,
05 HD content is now becoming fairly
widespread, but if you want Ultra
HD content your options are more limited.

02 A 1,920x1,080-resolution TV can
display a 1080p image. You can still
buy TVs with a 720p (1,366x768) resolution,
but they’re no cheaper and the image won’t
be as sharp. 3,840x2,560 Ultra HD resolution,
or 4K, TVs are finally available at reasonable
prices, although you’ll still pay a premium for
one over a 1080p model.
you’ll need to use either HDMI or VGA
inputs. Be aware that some TVs only let you
use a PC on an analogue input, and others
won’t display the Windows desktop at the
TV’s highest resolution.
04 The contrast ratio tells you the
difference between the darkest
Most Ultra HD TVs have Netflix built into
their smart TV systems, but only BT is
currently providing live Ultra HD video,
with BT Sport Ultra HD.
Ultra HD Blu-ray players give you an
amazing picture, and Amazon’s Fire TV
set-top box will stream its Prime Video
service and Netflix at Ultra HD resolutions.

HOME CINEMA
PHILIPS 55PUS6753/12
53/1 -MS750
SAMSUNG HW-MS750 NEW
ENTRY
★★★★★ ★★★★★
£479 • www.ao.com £999 • www.currys.co.uk
This Philips set There’s no
doesn’t have ultra-high-
the best tech trickery
implementation of HDR we’ve here: just a soundbar, subwoofer and their combined
seen on a TV, but otherwise, the 14 drivers blasting out pristine-quality audio, with Samsung’s usual
55PUS6753/12 is a fantastic 4K screen for a relatively low price. high standards for connectivity.
SCREEN SIZE 55in • NATIVE RESOLUTION 3,840x2,160 • VIDEO INPUTS 3x HDMI, 5x component • SPEAKERS 14 • RMS POWER OUTPUT 372W • DIMENSIONS 1,230x83x136mm (soundbar),
TUNER Freeview HD • DIMENSIONS 781x1,244x266mm • WARRANTY One year RTB • 203x400x416mm (subwoofer) • NETWORKING 802.11n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth • WARRANTY One year
DETAILS www.philips.co.uk • PART CODE 55PUS6753/12 • FULL REVIEW Dec 2018 RTB • DETAILS www.samsung.com/uk • PART CODE HW-N850 • FULL REVIEW Feb 2019

SONY PANASONIC DMP-UB900

KD-55XF9005
★★★★★
£1,149 • www.currys.co.uk
Direct-lit backlighting, excellent upscaling and
beautifully smooth motion make the KD-55XF9005 a
worthy alternative to high-end OLED TVs, even though
it only has a VA panel.
SCREEN SIZE 55in • NATIVE RESOLUTION 3,840x2,160 • VIDEO INPUTS 4x HDMI •
TUNER Freeview HD • DIMENSIONS 771x1,228x258mm • WARRANTY One year RTB •
DETAILS www.sony.co.uk • PART CODE KD-55XF9005 • FULL REVIEW Aug 2018
★★★★★
£319 • www.hifonix.co.uk
Together with the
Samsung UBD-K8500, this forms the
vanguard of a new breed of Ultra HD Blu-ray players.
Samsung’s model is cheaper, but the DMP-UB900 has superior
features, particularly where audio delivery is concerned.
BLU-RAY PROFILE 6.0 • 3D CAPABLE Yes • DIMENSIONS 435x199x68mm •
NETWORKING Ethernet, 802.11ac Wi-Fi • WARRANTY One year RTB •
DETAILS www.panasonic.co.uk • PART CODE DMP-UB900EB • FULL REVIEW Aug 2016

CAMBRIDGE AUDIO TV2 (v2) POLK Audio MagniFi Mini

★★★★★ ★★★★★
£200 • shop.cambridgeaudio.co.uk £235 • www.amzn.to/2tts0Rh
The TV2 (v2) is a simple, A tiny soundbar with big sound, the
clean-looking soundbase. What MagniFi Mini takes up hardly any
it lacks in multiroom capability, due to its lack of space under your TV but is capable of filling the living
Wi-Fi, it more than makes up in exquisite sound quality, especially room with crystal-clear music and dialogue. Best of all, it comes with
with an integrated subwoofer producing strong but controlled bass. a standalone subwoofer, empowering bass booms with an extra kick.

SPEAKERS 3 • RMS POWER OUTPUT 150 • DIMENSIONS 100x500x333mm • WEIGHT Not SPEAKERS 7 • RMS POWER OUTPUT 150W • DIMENSIONS 813x340x101mm (soundbar),
stated • DOCK CONNECTOR None • NETWORKING Bluetooth (aptX) • WARRANTY Two years 366x118x366mm (subwoofer) • WEIGHT 1.76kg (soundbar), 3.68kg (subwoofer) • DOCK
repair and replace • DETAILS www.cambridgeaudio.co.uk • PART CODE TV2 (v2) • CONNECTOR None • NETWORKING 802.11ac Wi-Fi, Bluetooth • WARRANTY One year repair and
FULL REVIEW Jul 2017 replace • DETAILS www.polkaudio.com • PART CODE MagniFi Mini • FULL REVIEW Sep 2017

68 MARCH 2019 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | ISSUE 373

Choosing a... Bluetooth speaker
01 Bluetooth speakers come in all shapes
and sizes, so you’ll need to decide
what you want to do with the speaker before
you buy. If you don’t plan to take your music
outdoors or around the house, look for a
wired speaker. These are typically cheaper
than speakers with built-in batteries.
If you do want a portable speaker,
however, pay particular attention to how
much it weighs. Ruggedised models should
be able to survive accidental drops, water
spills and unexpected rain showers.
03
It’s hard to tell the difference when listening
to pocket-sized speakers, but if you’re
looking for a speaker to fill a room, an
Single-driver speakers with larger driver
cones can be just as capable of producing
fantastic audio, however.
aptX-compatible device is a better option.
This Bluetooth protocol retains more detail
than the A2DP profile, although you’ll need
to use it with a compatible smartphone in
04 Most Bluetooth speakers have at
least one auxiliary input for a wired
3.5mm audio jack, in case you want to
order to get the benefits. listen to music from a device that doesn’t
have Bluetooth.
As with any audio product, the
number and size of speaker drivers
can have a significant impact on the quality
There are other extra features to look out
for, though. Speakers with built-in batteries
may have a USB port for charging your
of sound you get from a Bluetooth speaker. smartphone, or a built-in microphone to turn

02 Many of the cheapest Bluetooth

speakers use the lossy A2DP
Bluetooth protocol, which is prone to
compressing your music and discarding
detail compared with the original recording.
Typically, the presence of multiple drivers
enables the manufacturer to tune each one
for specific frequencies, directing high-end
sounds towards a tweeter and sending the
mid-range frequencies to the main driver.
it into a speakerphone when a paired
smartphone receives a call. Not all speakers
have physical controls; many rely on your
paired device’s controls for adjusting the
volume or muting playback.

AUDIO
60 S
SENNHEISER HD 660 BOSE QuietComfortt 35 II
★★★★★ ★★★★★
£360 • www.hifix.co.uk £279 • www.sonicdirect.co.uk
While theyre inspired by classic The world’s best ANC
Sennheiser headphones such as headphones get a Google
the HD 580 Precision, the HD 660 Assistant upgrade: you can
S bring a more modern, bassy sound of their very search for songs, select playlists and set
own. Being open-back, they’re best used at home.. reminders all via the built-in microphone..
And, of course, they sound splendid.
HEADPHONES SUBTYPE Over-ear headset • PLUG TYPE 6.3mm/4.4 jack plug • WEIGHT 260g • HEADPHONES SUBTYPE Over-ear headset • PLUG TYPE 3.5mm jack plug
CABLE LENGTH 3m • WARRANTY One year RTB • DETAILS en-uk.sennheiser.com • PART CODE (optional) • WEIGHT 310g • CABLE LENGTH 1.2m • WARRANTY Two years RTB •
HD 660 S • FULL REVIEW Oct 2018 DETAILS www.bose.co.uk • PART CODE 789564-0010 • FULL REVIEW Apr 2018

Q ACOUSTICS 3010i CREATIVE Muvo 2c

★★★★★ ★★★★★
£179 • www.amzn.to/2xi4CsE £23 • www.amzn.to/2wzSxB8
Louder and more Considering it’s both
precise than the 3010, pocket-sized and dirt
these bookshelf speakers cheap, the Muvo 2c’s
are worth the money. You’ll just need to plug them into an external bass presence and sheer loudness come e
amplifier, like a hi-fi amp or AV receiver. d
as a pleasant surprise, and it’s water- and
dust-resistant as well.
SPEAKERS 4 • RMS POWER OUTPUT 125W • WEIGHT 4.1kg per speaker • NETWORKING None • SPEAKERS 1 • RMS POWER OUTPUT Not stated • DOCK CONNECTOR None • NETWORKING
WARRANTY One year RTB • DETAILS www.qacoustics.co.uk • PART CODE 3010i • FULL REVIEW Bluetooth 4.2 (SBC) • DIMENSIONS 93x38x67mm • WEIGHT 159g • WARRANTY Two years RTB •
Nov 2018 DETAILS uk.creative.com • PART CODE 51MF8250AA011 • FULL REVIEW Jul 2018

UE Boom 3 UE Megablast
★★★★★ ★★★★★
£112 • www.amzn.to/2DhSzzG £130 • www.amzn.to/2qEISUg
This IP67-rated Bluetooth The Megablast brings Amazon Alexa
speaker is a comprehensive functionality to UE’s marvellous
upgrade on the Boom 2: it’s wireless range, making it a rare
more durable, looks better, has longer wireless smart speaker that can easily be taken outside or
range and sounds even better. used in the shower.

SPEAKERS 4 • RMS POWER OUTPUT Not stated • DOCK CONNECTOR SPEAKERS 4 • RMS POWER OUTPUT Not disclosed • DOCK CONNECTOR None •
None • NETWORKING Bluetooth (SBC) • DIMENSIONS 184x73x73mm • NETWORKING 802.11n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth (SBC) • DIMENSIONS 237x88x88mm •
WEIGHT 608g • WARRANTY Two years RTB • DETAILS www. WEIGHT 1.2kg • WARRANTY Two years RTB • DETAILS www.ultimateears.com •
ultimateears.com • PART CODE 984-001360 • FULL REVIEW Jan 2019 PART CODE 984-000923 • FULL REVIEW Apr 2018

ISSUE 373 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | MARCH 2019 69

 Choosing an... Action camera
01 Action cameras are typically much
smaller than a regular camcorder, as
they are designed to be mounted to a bike,
Keep an eye out for 4K/30, 4K/60,
1080p/60 and 720p/120 models for the
widest possible choice of resolutions
If you want to be able to see exactly
what you’re pointing the lens at, keep an
eye out for cameras with companion
board or car, or worn on your person. As the and frame rates. smartphone apps, or wrist-mounted
name suggests, they are designed primarily viewfinders that also let you start and
for shooting action footage, but because of
their small size they are ideal for strapping 03 Most action cameras rely on flash
memory for storing your video,
stop shooting remotely.

on to your pet’s collar or your children’s toys

for a different perspective.
letting you swap out memory cards on the
fly when you fill one up with clips. More
expensive devices can have integrated
05 Action cameras typically have a huge
range of accessories, with specific
mounts and harnesses for different activities

02 Even basic action cameras will shoot

Full HD video, and many will even
shoot 4K, but frame rate is arguably more
important than resolution when it comes to
action video. Higher frame rates will mean
smoother clips, and super-high frame rate
videos can be played in slow motion to
emphasise exciting shots.
flash memory as well as a card slot, but
it’s typically cheaper to buy the basic
version of a camera and pick up memory
and sports. If the camera itself isn’t water
resistant, a weatherproof case will protect it
from the elements, while a tripod mount will
cards separately. let you lock it firmly in place.
Spare batteries are essential for longer
04 Not all action cameras have LCD
displays; in fact, many don’t include a
sceen in order to extend battery life.
shoots, and some decent video-editing
software will help you to produce a more
polished result.

VIDEO
AMAZON Fire TV with AMAZON Fire TV Stick
★★★★★
4K Ultra HD (2017) £40 • www.amzn.to/2s4qrKp
★★★★★
£70 • www.amzn.to/2B72FTN Don’t have a 4K
TV? No worries – the
Despite shrinking from a set-top box to an HDMI standard Fire TV Stick is a wonderful little streamer
dongle, this is packed with new features, including a in its own right. The 2017 model has added Alexa, Amazon’s digital
remote that works with Alexa voice commands. assistant, so searching through the vast library is easier than ever.

VIDEO OUTPUTS HDMI 2.0 • NETWORKING 802.11ac Wi-Fi • DIMENSIONS 65x65x15mm • VIDEO OUTPUTS HDMI 2.0 • NETWORKING 802.11ac Wi-Fi • DIMENSIONS 86x30x13mm •
STREAMING FORMATS UPnP, AirPlay, DLNA, Plex • INTERNET STREAMING SERVICES Amazon STREAMING FORMATS UPnP (via apps) • INTERNET STREAMING SERVICES iPlayer, ITV Hub,
Video, Netflix, BBC iPlayer, ITV Hub, All 4, My5 • WARRANTY One year RTB • DETAILS www. All4, My 5, Amazon Prime Instant Video, Netflix • WARRANTY One year RTB •
amazon.co.uk • PART CODE Fire TV with 4K UHD (2017) • FULL REVIEW Feb 2018 DETAILS www.amazon.co.uk • PART CODE B01ETRIFOW • FULL REVIEW Aug 2017

NVIDIA Shield TV (2017) k

GOPRO Hero 7 Black
★★★★★ ★★★★★ NEW
£190 • www.johnlewis.com £380 • www.amzn.to/2Rh15mA ENTRY
A good media streamer/ The Yi 4K+ is cheaper, but
Android games console hybrid made even better by a no other action camera
more comfortable controller, a wider range of comes close to the video
streaming sources and smart home integration. quality of the Hero 7 Black. That’s largely down to its new electronic
image stabilisation, which keeps footage looking unbeatably smooth.
VIDEO OUTPUTS HDMI 1.4 • NETWORKING 802.11ac Wi-Fi, 10/100/1,000 Ethernet, Bluetooth 4.1
• DIMENSIONS 159x98x26mm • STREAMING FORMATS Plex, Kodi • INTERNET STREAMING SENSOR 1/2.3in CMOS • SENSOR PIXELS 12 megapixels • MAXIMUM RECORDING RESOLUTION 4K
SERVICES Netflix, Amazon Instant Video, Google Play Movies and TV, Google Play Music, YouTube, (60fps) • AV CONNECTIONS Micro HDMI • DIMENSIONS 45x62x32mm • WEIGHT 116g •
BBC iPlayer • WARRANTY Two years repair and replace • DETAILS www.nvidia.co.uk • PART WARRANTY One year RTB • DETAILS www.gopro.com • PART CODE CHDHX-701-RW •
CODE 945-12897-2505-000 • FULL REVIEW May 2017 FULL REVIEW Feb 2019

APPLE TV 4K SAMSUNG Gear 360 (2017)

★★★★★ ★★★★★
£179 • www.apple.com/uk £122 • www.amzn.to/2wesOMX
This big update adds 4K content (including, for the Samsung’s updated 360º camera
first time, Amazon Video support). The best part is improves on the original in every way: it’s
that if there’s a 4K version of content you’ve more portable, supports live video stream,
previously purchased in HD, Apple will upgrade it free of charge. and is no longer limited to Samsung Galaxy phones. Best
of all, it’s cheaper than the previous model was at launch.
VIDEO OUTPUTS HDMI 2.0a • NETWORKING 802.11ac Wi-Fi, 10/100/1,000 Ethernet •
DIMENSIONS 35x98x98mm • STREAMING FORMATS AirPlay, others via apps • SENSOR RESOLUTION Dual 8.4 megapixels • SENSOR SIZE Not disclosed • VIEWFINDER None •
INTERNET STREAMING SERVICES iTunes, Apple Music, Netflix, Amazon Instant Video, LCD SCREEN 0.5in 72x32 PMOLED • DIMENSIONS 100x46x45mm • WEIGHT 130g •
Now TV, BBC iPlayer, ITV Hub, All 4 • WARRANTY One year RTB • DETAILS www.apple.com/uk • WARRANTY One year RTB • DETAILS www.samsung.com/uk • PART CODE SM-R210NZWABTU •
PART CODE Apple TV 4K • FULL REVIEW Jan 2018 FULL REVIEW Oct 2017

70 MARCH 2019 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | ISSUE 373

Choosing a... Compact system camera
01 If you’re ready to step beyond the
basic controls of a compact camera,
or you want greater flexibility than an
ultra-zoom can offer, a compact system
camera (CSC) is the next logical upgrade.
With interchangeable lenses, manual controls
and stellar image quality, these cameras give
proper digital SLRs a run for their money.
Sony’s E-Mount has a slightly wider
range, but Micro Four Thirds offers the
widest variety. Both Panasonic and Olympus
budget. Most come with at least one kit
lens, but if you already have lenses for a
particular CSC mount, you can buy the body
cameras use this mount, and the lenses are on its own and save money.
interchangeable between manufacturers.
03 Micro Four Thirds cameras are
typically more compact than other
05 Once you’ve settled on a particular
mount, you should pay attention to a
camera’s features. Articulating screens and
types of CSC because the image sensor is integrated viewfinders will help you compose

02 There are three competing types of

CSC mount, and the one you buy
determines the number of compatible lenses
and accessories you have available.
Samsung’s NX-mount is arguably the most
limited in terms of lens selection, and the
company has confirmed that it’s shutting
down its European camera business, so it’s
best to avoid these altogether if possible.
physically smaller – with a 22mm diagonal,
it’s roughly 30% smaller than an APS-C
sensor. The APS-C sensors that Sony and
Samsung use in their CSCs are the same size
as those in traditional digital SLRs.
04 Like digital SLRs, CSCs come at a
wide range of prices. Available from
as little as £200, there’s a CSC to suit every
shots, while extra physical controls and a
hotshoe mount will give you flexibility for
manual shooting.
Touchscreens are great, but they’re no
replacement for physical dials when it comes
to changing shutter speed and aperture. An
integrated flash is much more convenient
than a detachable one, as you can never
forget to take it with you.

PHOTOGRAPHY
SONY RX100 V FUJIFILM X-T2
★★★★★ ★★★★★
£690 • www.slrhut.co.uk £999 • www.jessops.com
It may be small, but the RX100 The X-T2 is a mirrorless
V is seriously fast, and because CSC capable of shooting
it also captures a surprising high-quality images at incredibly high burst speeds,
amount of light, image and video quality are both top-notch. making it ideal for wildlife and sports photography.

SENSOR RESOLUTION 20 megapixels • SENSOR SIZE 13.2x8.8mm (1in) • FOCAL LENGTH
MULTIPLIER 2.7x • VIEWFINDER Electronic (2,400,000 dots) • LCD SCREEN 3in (1,228,800 dots) •
OPTICAL ZOOM (35mm-EQUIVALENT FOCAL LENGTHS) 2.9x (24-70mm) • 35mm-EQUIVALENT
APERTURE f/4.9-7.6 • WEIGHT 298g • DIMENSIONS 60x104x41mm • WARRANTY One year RTB
• DETAILS www.sony.co.uk • FULL REVIEW Apr 2017
SENSOR RESOLUTION 24 megapixels • SENSOR SIZE 23.6x15.6mm (APS-C) •
FOCAL LENGTH MULTIPLIER 1.5x • VIEWFINDER Electronic (2.36 million dots) • LCD SCREEN 3in
(1.04 million dots) • VIEWFINDER MAGNIFICATION (35mm-EQUIVALENT, COVERAGE) 0.77x,
100% • LENS MOUNT Fujifilm X Mount • WEIGHT 507g • DIMENSIONS 92x143x51mm •
WARRANTY One year RTB • DETAILS www.fujifilm.eu/uk • FULL REVIEW May 2017

NIKON D3400 POLAROID Originals OneStep 2

★★★★★ ★★★★★
£380 • www.argos.co.uk £95 • www.jessops.com
A collection of minor The OneStep 2 brings
improvements to battery life, back the simple joys of
shooting speed and stills quality
ity instant photography.
add up to make the D3400 the best entry-level DSLR available. Although the stock can get quite pricey,
your shots will look just as they would on
SENSOR RESOLUTION 24 megapixels • SENSOR SIZE 23.5x15.6mm (APS-C) • VIEWFINDER a classic Polaroid – perfect for sharing or
Optical TTL • LCD SCREEN 3in (921,000 dots) • OPTICAL ZOOM (35mm-EQUIVALENT FOCAL
simply sticking to the fridge.
LENGTHS) 3x (27-82.5mm) • 35mm-EQUIVALENT APERTURE f/5.25-8.4 • LENS MOUNT Nikon F
Mount • WEIGHT 655g • DIMENSIONS 99x124x135mm • WARRANTY One year RTB • PHOTO SIZE 3.1x3.1in • BATTERY LIFE 15-20 packets of film • PORTS 1x Micro USB •
DETAILS www.europe-nikon.com • FULL REVIEW Jun 2017 WARRANTY One year RTB • DETAILS www.polaroidoriginals.com • FULL REVIEW Jan 2018

H5
PANASONIC Lumix GH5 MC G80
PANASONIC Lumix DMC-G80
★★★★★ ★★★★★
£1,499 • www.wexphotovideo.com £699 • www.jessops.com
This update to the brilliant The G80 is ahead of the pack
GH4 can take great photos, when it comes to video quality,
but it’s video capture where the GH5 truly excels. Its and its stills look great as well. It’s
4K, 60fps footage is crisp enough for serious indie filmmaking, and it more expensive than the preceding G7, but includes a
supports 10-bit recording and an optional flat colour profile as well. superior 12-60mm kit lens, among other improvements.

SENSOR RESOLUTION 20 megapixels • SENSOR SIZE 17.3x13mm • FOCAL LENGTH SENSOR RESOLUTION 16 megapixels • SENSOR SIZE 17.3x13mm • FOCAL LENGTH MULTIPLIER
MULTIPLIER 2x • VIEWFINDER Electronic (3,680,000 dots) • LCD SCREEN 3.2in (1,620,000 dots) • 2x • VIEWFINDER Electronic (2,360,000 dots) • LCD SCREEN 3in (1,040,000 dots) •
LENS MOUNT Micro Four Thirds • WEIGHT 725g (with kit lens) • DIMENSIONS 98x146x88mm • LENS MOUNT Micro Four Thirds • WEIGHT 715g with kit lens • DIMENSIONS 79x137x130mm •
WARRANTY One year RTB • DETAILS www.panasonic.com/uk • FULL REVIEW Sep 2017 WARRANTY One year RTB • DETAILS www.panasonic.com/uk • FULL REVIEW Jul 2017

ISSUE 373 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | MARCH 2019 71

 Choosing a... Wearable
01 Wearable tech can include anything
from chest-strap heart-rate monitors
to augmented reality glasses, but the two
03 Fitness trackers are much more
dedicated to healthy pursuits.
Step counters, heart-rate monitors and
a single charge, so you can wear it to bed
and benefit from sleep tracking.

most common types are smartwatches and

fitness trackers. Both are designed to sit
unassumingly on your wrist, and are almost
always meant to be used in tandem with a
paired smartphone.
even sleep tracking are all common, and
the data collected is fed back to you so
you can see how your workout routine
05 Look out for waterproofing as well.
Wearables that don’t mind a few
lengths of the pool can be used for
or calorie intake is going. swimming or just timekeeping, and at the
Many smartwatches also contain very least we expect a fitness tracker to be
health-tracking features, but fitness- able to deal with rain or sweat.

02 Smartwatches are typically more

complex and expensive, though
more closely resemble a traditional
wristwatch. You can use them to receive
and reply to text messages and emails,
quickly check maps and even play
games – like a smartphone, most
smartwatches allow you to install your
own choice of apps.
specific wearables tend to be cheaper,
smaller and lighter.
06
04 When it comes to battery life, it’s
important for any wearable to
last a full day, but if it’s a smartwatch
then you can get away with having to
charge it overnight. With fitness trackers,
it’s better if it lasts for several days off
Different smartwatches use
different operating systems, which
determine which apps you can install on
your device, as well as compatibility with
smartphones. Android Wear and Tizen
smartwatches will work with both Android
and iOS phones, but Apple’s watchOS will
only pair with an iOS handset.

WEARABLES
SAMSUNG Gear S3 APPLE Watch Series 4
★★★★★ ★★★★★
NEW
£237 • www.amzn.to/2ssXHv4 £399 • www.apple.com/uk ENTRY
The Gear S3 isn’t the cheapest The latest Apple Watch h is
smartwatch, but it is one of the sleekest and slickest
the best. It’s ripe with both wearable the company has
everyday and serious fitness features, and its ever made. An edge-to-edge screen and
rotating bezel is hands-down our favourite haptic feedback in the crown are just two
method for navigating menus on a wearable. of the many enhancements.
PEDOMETER Yes • HEART-RATE MONITOR Yes • DISPLAY SIZE 1.3in • RESOLUTION 360x360 • PEDOMETER Yes • HEART-RATE MONITOR Yes • DISPLAY SIZE 1.78in • RESOLUTION 448x368 •
OS SUPPORT Android, iOS • BATTERY LIFE Five days • WARRANTY Two years RTB • OS SUPPORT iOS • BATTERY LIFE 18 hours • WARRANTY One year RTB • DETAILS www.apple.
DETAILS www.samsung.com/uk • PART CODE M-R760NDAABTU • FULL REVIEW Apr 2017 com/uk • PART CODE Apple Watch Series 4 • FULL REVIEW Jan 2019

MISFIT Phase HUAWEI Watch 2 Sport

★★★★★ ★★★★★
£40 • www.misfit.com £150 • www.amzn.to/2qLo7qo
An interesting combination It’s worth shelling out
of classic timepiece, fitness for the premium version of
tracker and connected this sporty Android Wear
smartwatch, the Phase doesn’t have a smartwatch: it includes built-in 4G connectivity,
ic
touchscreen or apps but can still control music which when combined with GPS tracking means you can
playback and smart home hardware. safely leave your smartphone at home.
PEDOMETER Yes • HEART-RATE MONITOR Yes • DISPLAY SIZE 1.6in • RESOLUTION N/A • PEDOMETER Yes • HEART-RATE MONITOR Yes • DISPLAY SIZE 1.2in • RESOLUTION 690x690 •
OS SUPPORT Android, iOS • BATTERY LIFE Six months • WARRANTY Two years RTB • OS SUPPORT Android, iOS • BATTERY LIFE Two days • WARRANTY Two years RTB •
DETAILS www.misfit.com • PART CODE MIS5000 • FULL REVIEW Jun 2017 DETAILS consumer.huawei.com • PART CODE Huawei Watch 2 Sport • FULL REVIEW Jul 2017

FITBIT Versa SAMSUNG Gear Fit2

★★★★★ ★★★★★
£199 • www.currys.co.uk £105 • www.amzn.to/2IWodDs
The Versa is a much more There’s much to like about
successful smartwatch/fitness this Tizen-powered fitness
tracker hybrid than Fitbit’s tracker. GPS is a very
previous attempt, the Ionic: this is pleasantly welcome inclusion, and you can add
lightweight, highly customisable and backed up widgets to the touchscreen, just like
by an active (and competitive) community of Fitbit users. on a smartwatch.
PEDOMETER Yes • HEART-RATE MONITOR Yes • DISPLAY SIZE 1.3in • RESOLUTION 300x300 • PEDOMETER Yes • HEART-RATE MONITOR Yes • DISPLAY SIZE 1.3in • RESOLUTION 216x432 •
OS SUPPORT Android, iOS • BATTERY LIFE Four days • WARRANTY One year RTB • OS SUPPORT Android, iOS • BATTERY LIFE Four days • WARRANTY Two days •
DETAILS www.fitbit.com • PART CODE FB505RGPK-EU • FULL REVIEW Jul 2018 DETAILS www.samsung.com/uk • PART CODE SM-R3600DAADBT • FULL REVIEW Sep 2017

72 MARCH 2019 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | ISSUE 373

 SOFTWARE

Vid sof
ADOBE Premiere Pro CC 2018 KASPERSKY Security Cloud

Sec ftwa
eo twa

so
uri re
-ed re
★★★★★ ★★★★★

ty
itin
• • www.kaspersky.co.uk

g
£20 per month www.adobe.com £50

There’s a lot to love in this update, especially the It’s just as effective as Kaspersky Total Security, but
improved support for collaborative editing and a host Security Cloud goes a step further by learning your
of new tools for producing VR-ready 360° content. bad security habits and warning you about them.
OS SUPPORT Windows 7/8/10, OS 10.11/macOS 10.12, Android 4.1 and later, iOS 10/11 •
OS SUPPORT Windows 7/8.1/10, OS X 10.11, macOS 10.12 and later • MINIMUM CPU Multicore •
MINIMUM CPU 1GHz • MINIMUM GPU None • MINIMUM RAM 1GB (32-bit), 2GB (64-bit) •
MINIMUM GPU Integrated graphics • MINIMUM RAM 8GB • HARD DISK SPACE 8GB •
HARD DISK SPACE 1,020MB (Windows), 1,110MB (Mac) • DETAILS www.kaspsersky.co.uk •
DETAILS www.adobe.com • FULL REVIEW Jun 2018
PRODUCT CODE Security Cloud • FULL REVIEW Jan 2018

pri
NORDVPN MICROSOFT Windows 10

Vir e net
vat

OS ate
tua wo

up
d
★★★★★ April 2018 Update

l rk
£9 per month • www.nordvpn.com ★★★★★
There are cheaper VPN services available, but
Free • www.microsoft.com
none has the flexibility and multi-level security Besides some subtle visual tweaks, the latest major
features of NordVPN. It’s become much faster update for Windows adds some genuinely useful
than previous versions, too. features, such as Focus Assist and Timeline.

OS SUPPORT Windows 10 • MINIMUM CPU 1GHz or faster • MINIMUM GPU DirectX 9 or later
OS SUPPORT Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, DD-WRT router • DETAILS www.nordvpn.com • with WDDM 1.0 driver • MINIMUM RAM 1GB (32-bit), 2GB (64-bit) • HARD DISK SPACE 16GB (32-
PRODUCT CODE NordVPN • FULL REVIEW Sep 2018 bit), 20GB (64-bit) • DETAILS www.microsoft.com • FULL REVIEW Aug 2018

ABBYY FineReader 14 APPLE macOS 10.14 Mojave

OC ware

OS ate
sof

up
R
t

★★★★★

d
★★★★★
£249 • www.abbyy.com Free • itunes.apple.com
The more feature-rich Corporate edition is expensive, Mojave’s small UI improvements and minor added
but FineReader 14 is perfect for turning paper notes features would disappoint on their own, but together
and documents into digital, editable files using they add up to a great update. It’s free, too, so
optical character recognition (OCR). there’s no reason not to make the switch.
OS SUPPORT Windows 7/8/8.1/10 • MINIMUM CPU 1GHz • MINIMUM GPU DirectX 10 • OS SUPPORT OS X Mountain Lion or later • MINIMUM CPU Not stated • MINIMUM GPU
MINIMUM RAM 1.5GB plus 512MB per additional CPU core • HARD DISK SPACE 2.4GB • Integrated graphics • MINIMUM RAM 2GB • HARD DISK SPACE 12.5GB • DETAILS www.apple.
DETAILS www.abbyy.com • PRODUCT CODE FineReader 14 • FULL REVIEW May 2017 com • FULL REVIEW Jan 2019

GAMING
XBOX One S OCULUS Go
4K conso
ga le

VR dset
he
★★★★★
me

★★★★★ a
s

£195 • www.amzn.to/2ylWNCV £179 • www.overclockers.co.uk

HDR support is great, No longer do you need
but it’s the 4K Blu-ray player a decked-out PC or
that makes this sleeker, premium smartphone to enjoy VR. The Oculus Go
smaller Xbox One really stand out against crams all the hardware you need into the headset itself, making virtual
the competing PS4 Slim. reality entertainment as immediate and accesible as it’s ever been.
PROCESSOR Octa-core 1.75GHz Jaguar • RAM 8GB DDR3 • FRONT USB PORTS 1x USB2 • DISPLAY LCD • RESOLUTION 2,560x1,440 • REFRESH RATE 72Hz • PROCESSOR Octa-core
REAR USB PORTS 2x USB2 • STORAGE 500GB/1TB/2TB • WARRANTY One year RTB • 2.4GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 • RAM 3GB • WEIGHT 467g • DETAILS www.oculus.com/go •
DETAILS www.xbox.com • PART CODE Xbox One S • FULL REVIEW Dec 2016 PART CODE Go 32GB • FULL REVIEW Sep 2018
Sw d per
an

bo
NINTENDO Labo SONY PS4 Slim
itch iph

Ga nsol
me e
co
ga eral

★★★★★ ★★★★★
me s

£60 • www.very.co.uk £250 • www.argos.co.uk

Nintendo’s Labo Sony has made the PlayStation
almost defies 4 even better with a slimmer,
explanation: it’s a neater chassis and superior
combination of video game, c power efficiency. It’s as cheap as the PS4 has
educational tool. What we do know is that it’s iincredibly innvovative, ever been as well.
rewarding and great fun.
PROCESSOR Octa-core 1.6GHz AMD Jaguar • RAM 8GB GDDR5 • FRONT USB PORTS 2x USB2 •
AVAILABLE FORMATS Nintendo Switch • DISK SPACE Not stated • DETAILS labo.nintendo.com • REAR USB PORTS None • STORAGE 500GB/1TB/2TB • WARRANTY One year RTB •
PART CODE Nintendo Labo • FULL REVIEW Aug 2018 DETAILS www.playstation.com • PART CODE B01GVQVQH2 • FULL REVIEW Jan 2017

ISSUE 373 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | MARCH 2019 73

 Free software guide
It’s easy to access your free software. Just go to www.shopperdownload.co.uk/373 and
register with the code from the card insert. Please be aware that you need to have
bought the ‘Free Software Edition’ and not the ‘£4.50 Edition’ to access the downloads
GETTING STARTED
The download instructions on the card
insert (opposite) show you how to
connect to the download site. Make
sure you type in the web address exactly
as shown. You’ll need your coupon code
the first time you log on to the site.
ANY PROBLEMS
If you need help with any of the
software this month, please send an
email to support@creativemark.co.uk.
We check this inbox regularly. Please
include the issue number of the
magazine and your coupon code.
WHY DOWNLOADS
In order to provide us with free
software, publishers now require us to
offer the applications as a download
and require online registration. You
need to use the unique code printed in
the box on the card insert to register
and download the software in this
issue. The unique code means we
stop the deals leaking online, so only
Shopper readers get the software.
NO CODE?
If you don’t have the card insert with the
unique code, you must buy the £4.99
‘Free Software’ print version of the
magazine. If you have this edition and
still don’t have a card, please contact
letters@computershopper.co.uk.
REGISTER YOUR SOFTWARE
BY 21st FEBRUARY 2019
REQUIREMENTS Windows 7, 8, 10,
100MB hard disk space
WEBSITE www.steganos.com
NOTES Get your registration code at
www.steganos.com/specials/
computershopper0319/sss19
74
WebSite X5 Start 17
WEBSITE X5 START 15 is a powerful
application that makes it easy to create
top-quality responsive websites, even if you
have no design or coding experience at all.
The program offers more than 50
professional templates covering just about
every site type and topic area, including
e-commerce, blogs, sports sites, animals,
food, films, web portals and more.
Choose a design that appeals, and you can
start planning your site’s structure using a map.
From here, it’s simply a case of populating
each page in turn by dragging and cropping
various elements on to your page. Again,
there are plenty to choose from, including
text blocks, images, galleries, tables, video and
audio widgets, maps, Flash animations, product
catalogues, email forms and more.
Each element can be styled in many different
ways for a more personal touch. WebSite X5 doesn’t
just embed an image, for instance – you’re able to
REQUIREMENTS Windows 7 SP1, 8, 10, 300MB hard disk space
WEBSITE www.websitex5.com
NOTES Register through the software or go to
go.websitex5.com/computershopper17en
Steganos Privacy Suite 19
STEGANOS PRIVACY SUITE 19 is a comprehensive
collection of tools for keeping your personal
information safe from snoopers.
For instance, Steganos Safe stores confidential
files in a secure password-protected vault. It’s able
to encrypt data on your hard drive, USB keys and
even cloud files, with support for Dropbox,
OneDrive and Google Drive.
define a quality setting and resize method, apply a
host of smart mouseover effects (such as zooming
in and displaying custom text), and even use some
basic protection to prevent a browser copying the
image. Of course, if someone’s truly determined to
save it they will quickly find some other way, but
regardless, it’s a convenient feature.
Your project may be previewed at any time,
whether to judge its progress or to give it a final
check over, or uploaded via a built-in FTP engine
for more testing.
If that’s too obvious, you can hide a Safe inside a
multimedia file so that no-one even knows it’s there.
Privacy Suite includes a password manager where
you can save your logins, bank account details and
credit card information, as well as Private Favourites.
These are URLs you’d like to keep handy, but not
make fully visible on a regular bookmarks list.
An Email Encryption module can also encrypt
your message text and file attachments,
making sure your private communications
stay private. In addition, there are general
online privacy tweaks to block ads and
social tracking buttons, and anonymise
your browser type.
The TraceDestructor, meanwhile,
securely deletes your browsing and
Windows traces to prevent others from
checking your activities.
Privacy Suite 19 is rounded off with
the Shredder, which wipes confidential
files or free space to ensure they can’t
be recovered later.
MARCH 2019 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | ISSUE 373

REQUIREMENTS Windows 7, 8, 10,
20MB hard disk space
WEBSITE www.abelssoft.net
NOTES Get your registration code within the
software (if you have previously registered an
Abelssoft full product, you won’t need to
register again)
Abelssoft AntiRansomware
2018
ABELSSOFT RANSOMWARE 2018 is a
program designed to constantly monitor
your computer for ransomware, and
raise the alarm as soon as any suspicious
activity is detected.
The package works by scanning the key
folders where your data files are stored. You
can tell it to watch any or all of the four
main user folders – Documents, Pictures,
Music, Videos – or add folders of your own.
If AntiRansomware 2018 spots any Because AntiRansomware 2018 restarts your
potentially dangerous activity, it will display a computer in Safe Mode, the ransomware should be
warning and recommend that you reboot your PC. prevented from working. The program also sends an
If you’re sure it’s a false alarm, this can be dismissed, email to your registered address to act as a warning,
but otherwise the system will automatically reboot just in case you’re not around, and opens an
into Safe Mode after a countdown. assistant to advise you of the next steps and help
Rebooting may sound drastic, and it could you recover your data.
mean that you lose unsaved work. But if you It can’t remove the ransomware, unfortunately,
really have been infected by ransomware, it could so it’s not a substitute for a full anti-virus package.
save hundreds or even thousands of files from Still, you can run it alongside your existing security
encryption, and rebooting automatically protects software without conflicts, and it just could give
you even if you’re not at the computer. you a valuable early alarm of problems.

Ashampoo Music Studio 2018

THIS CAPABLE COLLECTION
of powerful tools makes it easy
to build, manage and share your
music collection.
You might start by ripping
some tracks from CDs, for
example, and saving them as
WMA, OGG or WAV audio files.
However, you can also record
files directly from a microphone,
or the line-in connection on your
sound card. The software can
even strip the soundtrack from
a video, saving it as a more
convenient audio file.
If you already have plenty of
music files, you might prefer
Music Studio 2018’s ability to edit
them with cut, trim, copy, paste
and fade tools. The Normalize
tool helps you keep a consistent
volume level across a set of audio
files, while the Conversion option
will convert particular files into a
more usable format.
The Organize function will
rename and relocate your files
into a logical folder structure,
so that they’re easier to find.
There’s a built-in tool for burning
audio and MP3 CDs, and you
even get a tool to help you
design disc covers.
There are plenty of features
to explore, and a well-designed
interface ensures the program
is very easy to use. The various
functions are divided into logical
categories (Record, Burn, Edit
Cover and so on); hovering your
mouse cursor over an icon
displays a tooltip with more
details, and a series of helpful
wizards walk you through
everything you might want to do.

REQUIREMENTS Windows 7, 8, 10,

200MB hard disk space
WEBSITE www.ashampoo.com
NOTES Get your registration code within
the application

ISSUE 373 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | MARCH 2019 75


REQUIREMENTS Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, 10,
50MB hard disk space
WEBSITE www.iolo.com
NOTES Get your registration code at
sm18.disc.computershopper.co.uk
REQUIREMENTS Windows 7, 8, 10, 300MB
hard disk space
WEBSITE www.softmaker.com
NOTES Get your registration code at
softmaker.com/go/officenx1.
Includes a one-year subscription
76
iolo System Mechanic 18
SYS
SYSTEM MECHANIC 17 is an
ama
amazingly comprehensive tool
tha provides everything you’ll
that
nee to clean and speed up
need
you PC, fix system problems
your
and protect your privacy.
If your PC isn’t performing,
fo instance, System Mechanic
for
wil help you defragment your
will
har disk, optimise your
hard
int
internet connection for
fas downloads, defragment
faster
and compact the Registry,
optimise the boot process by
removing unnecessary startup
programs, and provide a
temporary performance
boost by closing selected
background processes.
Each of these functions in
turn delivers far more than
you might expect. For one There are tools here to defragment and compact
thing, you don’t just get a defrag module: System the Registry, repair hard drive problems, enhance
Mechanic also uses the Program Accelerator, system security, locate unnecessary duplicate files,
optimising applications by grouping related files or recover from disaster if Windows won’t boot.
together, while enhanced AcceleWrite technology A Windows tweaking tool provides easy access to
helps to improve the efficiency of your drives, and more than 100 key Windows settings, and an
the SSD Accelerator keeps solid-state drives running Advanced Uninstaller completely removes apps to
at their optimum performance levels. free up hard disk space – and you could still create
It’s the same across the suite, with powerful a very capable maintenance suite from the other
features and functionality everywhere you look. tools we don’t have space to mention.
SoftMaker Office NX Home
OFFICE NX HOME is a powerful productivity suite, too, although there are occasional problems with
providing an alternative to Microsoft Office while more complex documents.
keeping compatibility with its key file types. If you’re not a fan of the Microsoft Office UI,
The package includes a word processor then the SoftMaker Office interface may appeal,
(TextMaker), a spreadsheet (PlanMaker) and a as it offers a classic style (a ribbon is available as
presentation tool (SoftMaker), and each of these an option) to the more conventional menus
can open both the old-style and Office 365/2010 and toolbars. You also get the standard
files for their equivalent Microsoft application Microsoft Office flat-designed theme interface
(DOC and DOCX, XLS and XLSX, PPT and PPTX, if you prefer this instead. There’s even a dark UI
and so on). Conversion is reasonably accurate, to match Windows 10’s ‘dark mode’.
The suite also has
lots of useful extras,
including a handy
Export to PDF option on
every File menu, and the
ability to be installed on
a USB flash drive.
The commercial
version of Office NX
Home gives you a whole
host of additional
features in comparison
to the Free version.
We’re offering
you a whole year’s
subscription to Office
NX Home to take
advantage of the
additional content.
MARCH 2019 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | ISSUE 373
 Resources
Chat and Communication
Evernote 6.16.4.8094 Store your notes,
ideas and plans in the cloud, and
synchronise them between computers.
UPDATED Mailbird 2.5.24.0
A free desktop email client for Windows.
Miranda IM 0.10.80
Chat with friends across multiple
messaging platforms, including AIM,
Facebook, IRC and MSN, all from one
simple interface.
Customisation
iolo System Mechanic Free 18.0.1
Speed up your system with iolo’s
PC optimisation suite.
Rainmeter 4.2
Customise the desktop with your choice
of tools and shortcuts.
Windows 8 Transformation Pack 9.1
Emulate the look of Windows 8 on an
earlier version of the operating system.
General
Genie Timeline Free 2017 10.0.1.100
Protect your most valuable files with this
easy-to-use backup tool.
Paragon Partition Manager 16 Free
Create, format, split, merge and reorganise
all your hard disk’s partitions.
PeaZip 6.6.1 A tremendously powerful
archive-management tool.
Internet and Network
CarotDAV 1.15.5
Manage all your online storage services
with one simple application.
Cyberduck 6.8.3
A powerful but easy-to-use FTP client for
uploading and downloading your files.
Glasswire 2.0.137
Keep tabs on your network usage with this
simple monitor.
Tweaking and Performance
UPDATED CCleaner 5.50 Remove unwanted
information, temporary files, browsing
history, huge log files and even the settings
that uninstalled software leaves behind.
Defraggler 2.22 Ensure that your system
is defragmented properly and improve
its performance.
Finestra Virtual Desktops 2.5.4501 Set up
four or more virtual desktops on your PC.
ISSUE 373 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | MARCH 2019
Skype for Windows 8.34.0.78 Make internet
voice and video calls for free, and buy credit to
make calls to mobiles and landlines.
Telegram 1.4.3 This free IM app synchronises
your conversations across multiple devices, and
can spruce up chats with stickers and GIFs.
UPDATED WhatsApp Desktop 0.3.1649
A free PC and Mac version of the popular
messaging app, letting you chat from
your desktop.
Windows 8 UX Pack 9.1
Get a glimpse of the Windows 10 UI without
committing to a full OS upgrade.
Windows 10 Transformation Pack 7.0
Bring some of Windows 10’s new features
to your current operating system.
Winstep Xtreme 18.8
Freshen up your system with this suite of
desktop and UI replacement applications.
UPDATED Screenshot Captor 4.31.2 Create
and manage screenshots the easy way.
UPDATED UpdateScanner 2.2.0.0 Scan all the
software on your PC, find out if an update is
available, then install it immediately.
ZipGenius 6.3.2.3116 A flexible file-
compression tool with support for a huge
number of compressed file formats.
UPDATED FileZilla 3.39.0 A fast and reliable
FTP client with lots of useful features.
UPDATED NetBalancer 9.12.6
Make the most of your internet connection
by assigning download and upload priorities
to web applications.
NEW VERSION TeamViewer 14.0.13880
Remote-control your computer from
anywhere in the world.
NEW VERSION IObit Advanced SystemCare
Free 12.0.3.202 A complete computer
security, maintenance and optimisation suite.
Revo Uninstaller Free 2.0.5 Remove installed
applications completely, including all their
folders, system files and Registry entries.
Simple Performance Boost 1.0.5 Tweak the
Windows Registry to give your PC a
performance boost.
77
SMART
LIFE
The era of the smart home has arrived,
with technology that not only makes your
life easier, but can increase security and
save you money. David Ludlow takes you
through everything you need to know

W
e’re now at the point where
smart home technology isn’t just
a wishy-washy promise of things
to come, but a reality. With the right kit and
advice, you can make your home more
secure, save money, improve convenience
and, where necessary, automate it to work
the way you want.
Once you’ve gone smart, you’ll find it hard Contents
to go back to standard ‘dumb’ technology. Getting started .............. 80
Here’s our comprehensive guide to the Building blocks................. 82
steps, tips and tricks you can use to make
Voice assistants ............. 84
your home smarter and improve your life.
Tying in with this guide is our group test Working together ........... 86
comparing and rating the best smart Other smart devices ..... 88
thermostats (see page 90).

78
79
Getting started
with a sm ar t home
There are a number of standards you need to be aware of when setting up
your smart home kit, but our guide will help you cut through the jargon

W
hat exactly is a smart home?
The term is surprisingly loose,
but the minimum criteria is that
it’s a home where one or more devices can
be controlled remotely by smartphone, app
or web browser. Most devices go further
than that, interacting with other devices,
working on schedules, and even learning
the patterns and routines of your home.
When building a smart home, we feel
that it’s best to take it in stages, upgrading
old dumb kit for smart devices and tackling
key areas of your house. For us, the key
areas are smart heating, smart lighting,
smart security and cameras, and then
complementary devices. Around these go
the control systems, which tie everything
together in one neat package. We’ll cover
all of this in this article.

Protocol droid
First, before we dive into the various
sections, it’s worth having a look at the
various ways of controlling devices.
Inevitably, having a smart home means
you’ll end up with some hubs that you’ll have
to tuck away. These form a bridge between
your smart devices, which use their own
wireless standard to talk, and your home
network and internet connection. Wi-Fi
devices get rid of hubs, but have their own
problems. Understanding the differences
between standards will help you better
choose the right types of products.
First are proper smart home protocols,
with Zigbee and Z-Wave being the biggest
two. Typically, smart lightbulbs use Zigbee,
while you’ll find a greater range of Z-Wave
motion sensors and switches. To use either
protocol, you’ll need a hub that speaks the
right language that plugs into your network.
Samsung SmartThings talks both languages,
for example. There are proprietary options,
too, such as the Philips Hue Bridge, which
uses Zigbee, but is required if you want to
get the most out of your Hue bulbs.
So why bother with Zigbee or Z-Wave?
There are a few main reasons. First, both
are very low power, so you can have
battery-operated switches and sensors,
and you won’t have to change a cell more
than every year or so. Second, the devices
ABOVE: The Philips Hue system uses Zigbee, which means you’ll need a hub to control your lights via an app
that are mains-powered, such as light
switches and smart plugs, are range
extenders. That is, they repeat the main
signal, dramatically increasing the range
and reliability of the smart home network.
Importantly, these protocols work outside
of your home network. So if your wireless is
being flaky, then your light switches and
bulbs will continue to work. Given how
unreliable Wi-Fi can be, that’s a big plus
point in favour of Zigbee and Z-Wave.
Finally, these protocols are designed for
smart home products, so you won’t have
any problems if you add a lot of devices to
the mix; most hubs can support hundreds
of devices without a problem.
What about Wi-Fi?
There are a good number of devices that
use standard Wi-Fi, ranging from lightbulbs
to smart plugs. The benefit of Wi-Fi is that
you just connect devices to your main
network and you’re done. There are no hubs
or messing around. For the occasional smart
plug or smart light, that’s fine, but Wi-Fi isn’t
something we would recommend.
If you have too many devices, you may
find that your router starts to struggle, and
you can have performance issues. There’s a
lower limit to the number of devices you
can connect, too. Some routers are only
set to dish out 100 IP addresses: once that
limit has been reached, nothing else can
connect to the network.
Next, Wi-Fi isn’t known for its high
reliability. Do you really want a situation
where you can’t turn on the light because it
can’t connect to your wireless network?
As Wi-Fi uses a lot of power, you can’t
get wireless switches or motion sensors,
either. Some connecting and control
systems have remote buttons, which use a
low-power protocol for the signal, then
broadcast a control signal over wireless.
These work fine, but in these cases you’re
at the mercy of two systems.

80 MARCH 2019 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | ISSUE 373

 Dealing with smart home hubs
A s you add more smart devices to
your home, the chances are you’ll
end up with a growing collection of hubs.
Unfortunately, nobody has quite got to
the point of creating a single device that
can control and manage everything using
a single box. As the collection of hubs
grows, so does the problem of knowing
what to do with them all. As most hubs
need to be plugged into your router via
Ethernet, filling up your living room (or
wherever your broadband comes in)
with hubs can soon start to look rather
ugly and ungainly.
The answer for us is to find
somewhere else that you can tuck the
hubs away, such as a cupboard. For the
best coverage, hubs should be placed
roughly in the middle of your home.
Again, given that most broadband
connections come in at the front of the
house, this is another good reason to
move your smart home hubs.
To plug in your hubs somewhere else,
you need to have an Ethernet connection ABOVE: Tucking away smart home hubs in a cupboard means less clutter in your house
to your router. There are two main ways
you can do this. First, you can run a physical cable from your router don’t need a lot of bandwidth, using HomePlug kit won’t throttle
to the place where you want your hubs to go. This is the most your network speeds or cause any issues with performance.
reliable and direct route, but it’s not always easy, particularly if you For either solution, if you need to add more Ethernet ports,
want to hide the cable under the floor. you can add a Gigabit Ethernet switch near the hubs. An 8-port
The alternative is to use Powerline networking, such as with the Netgear GS108UK switch costs around £30 and should provide
TP-Link TL-PA4020PKIT. You plug one adaptor in near your router you with more than enough ports.
and connect its Ethernet port to a spare Ethernet port on the router. Note that some hubs can connect to your home network via
You plug in the other adaptor where your hubs go, and you then Wi-Fi. Where possible, we recommend using Ethernet, as this will
have two Ethernet ports for a couple of hubs. As smart home hubs give you the most reliable connection.

RIGHT: Using Wi-Fi for the occasional device, such as a

smart plug, can make life a bit easier

That’s not to say you shouldn’t use Wi-Fi;

but just be careful where. If you want lots of
lights, for example, going with a dedicated
smart home protocol will be better in the
long run. For us, Wi-Fi works best for
non-critical systems that complement your
existing home, rather than where reliability
needs to be top of the list.

A different language
Finally, there are smart home devices that
talk their own language entirely. These use
proprietary wireless signals and typically are
security devices, with wireless sensors that
communicate with a central hub. You have
little control over the protocol that’s used,
but that’s something you have to live with.
More important, in these cases, is the
connection these devices provide to other
systems, and how these smart devices can
integrate into your home.

ISSUE 373 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | MARCH 2019 81

Smart home
building blocks
Smart thermostats, security systems and lighting are a
good place to get started. We look at what you’ll need

A
smart home makes the most sense
when the kit provides something
genuinely useful and better than
what you have. For that reason, the best
way to get started with the smart home is to
begin with the core building blocks: lighting,
heating and security. From better control,
improved efficiency and a boost to security,
these core components improve your life.
SMART LIGHTING
On the one hand, smart lighting is a lazy way
to control your lights from your sofa. These
devices can do that, but there’s so much
more to them. For starters, smart lighting is
more secure, as you can have your lights
turn on and off while you’re away from home
to fool burglars into thinking somebody’s at
home. With the right rules, you can have
lights turn on automatically when a camera
detects motion. And you can turn off lights
when you’re not at home, saving electricity if
you forgot to turn them off as you went out.
Switched on
There are two types of smart lighting: smart
bulbs and smart light switches. The former
puts the intelligence and control in the bulb,
so you just remove your old ‘dumb’ model
and insert the smart one. You need to leave
your physical light switch on for these bulbs
to work, and you can’t use dimmer switches.
Smart light switches replace your existing
switches and control your existing bulbs. As
the switches need to be on all the time to
respond to commands, they’re all dimmer
switches; when ‘off’ they’re set to minimum
power to keep the current flowing. This
means you have to install dimmable bulbs.
The upside is that you get a single switch
that works much like your old one, which can
be convenient. The downside is that you
have to be DIY-savvy to install them.
Colour me in
Smart lightbulbs have a further advantage:
you can get temperature or colour-changing
options. Temperature-changing bulbs are
LEFT: Smart lighting gives you more
control over the way you light your home
brilliant, providing you with an
energising cold blue light during
the day to help you concentrate,
and a warm light in the evening
for relaxing. We use these kinds of
bulbs at our desk and find they
work brilliantly. If you want even
more control, colour-changing
lights are a good choice and can
let you transform the look and feel
of a room, having intimate settings for
dinner or bright, fun lights for a party.
Remotely interesting
For the best control, look for a lighting
system that gives you physical controls, so
you can turn on lights without resorting to
the app. Motion detectors are a good choice
to turn on lights automatically in certain
rooms, such as in a toilet or bathroom.
Look for home assistant support (Siri,
Alexa or Google Assistant), so you can adjust
your lights using your voice. We use our
smart lights with Alexa, and being able to
quickly change your lights at any point, such
as when our hands are full, is really useful.
Don’t forget IFTTT support. If you have
smart lighting that supports IFTTT, you can

Best buys The base kit, which

SMART LIGHT SWITCH
LightwaveRF Gen 2
£185 www.lightwaverf.com
LightwaveRF Gen 2 are the
best smart light switches, with
a high-quality metal finish to
them. In everyday use they
operate as a normal light
switch. With Alexa, Siri and
Google Home
control, you can also
control your lights
remotely using your
voice, or you can use
the app.
costs £185, gets you
the smart hub and
one light switch;
additional switches cost from
£60. IFTTT supports rounds off
the package.
If you want the best-looking
light switches, these are the
ones to go for.
SMART LIGHTBULBS
Philips Hue
£45 www.amazon.co.uk
Philips Hue is the best-known
smart lightbulb system, and it’s
also the best. The cheapest
starter kit gets you the Hue
Bridge and two white bulbs;
you can also buy more
expensive kits with temperature
or colour-changing bulbs.
Philips supports most light
fittings (including Bayonet,
E27, E14 and GU10), plus there
are LED strips and, now,
outdoor lighting. There’s a
range of wireless controls,
including a remote light
switch and a motion sensor.
Every voice assistant is
supported, as is IFTTT.
SMART DOORBELL
Ring Video Doorbell 2
£179 www.amazon.co.uk
You can run this doorbell using
its rechargeable battery or you
can wire it in for permanent
operation. It uses PIR sensors to
pick up motion, saving clips to
the cloud automatically. You can
adjust the range and
PIR zones in the app to
save on false positives
where the doorbell
picks up movement on
the street, for example.
Using a smartphone,
you can answer your
door from anywhere,
giving you convenience

82 MARCH 2019 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | ISSUE 373

RIGHT: Look for a lighting system with
remote controls to make things easier
for yourself
activate your lights using
triggers from other smart
devices. For example, if your
IFTTT-enabled security
camera detects movement,
it can turn on your lights.
SMART SECURITY
With traditional security
systems, even monitored ones,
the police won’t come to your house unless
you can prove that someone is in there.
This is a very good reason to move to smart
security, so you can remotely monitor your
home and use cameras to show if it’s a false
alarm or if you really do have burglars.
Roughly speaking, security systems are
split into two categories: security cameras
and alarm systems. It’s a good idea, in our
opinion, to have both.
Eyes up
Security cameras are also split into two
categories: indoor and outdoor. They both
do the same thing, but we prefer the
outdoor type for two reasons. First, we don’t
like bugging our own home with a security
camera; second, to get into your home,
someone has to come from outside, so we’d
rather have that covered. However, outdoor
cameras are more fiddly to install; indoor
ones can be plonked on a bookcase and
plugged into a standard power socket.
When looking for a security camera
(indoor or outdoor), you can choose
between those that use an SD card for
recording or those that use a cloud account.
With an SD card, there are no monthly
storage costs, but the card can be stolen,
taking away your footage. With cloud
storage, you pay monthly, but
your footage is free from theft.
Look for a camera that has a
1080p resolution or higher, as
this will give you the best-quality
picture and make it easy to spot
people or to provide evidence.
Ring in the changes
Smart doorbells are a newer
form of security camera. As well
as recording motion at your
front door, they provide a way
of having a video chat with anyone that
rings the bell. This can be used for safety
(you don’t have to physically answer the
door); for convenience (you can deal with
couriers when you’re out); and for security
(you can fool burglars into thinking you’re in).
Got the moves
Cameras alert you through
motion detection, which can
mean false positives. To cut
down on the number of
alerts you get, look for a
camera that has
customisable alert zones
so that you can monitor
only parts of the picture.
For outside, where there’s a
lot of movement, look for
a camera that won’t get ABOVE: Smart thermostats
flustered by foliage blowing make it quicker, easier and
cheaper to control your heating
in the wind. Ideally, an outdoor
camera can spot people, so you
only get alerted about people rather than a
fox stumbling around.
The ability to schedule when a camera
records is useful, whether it’s manual or
based on your location. You can then make
sure you don’t record yourself, and only
monitor at night or when you’re away.
Alarmed and dangerous
Smart alarms replace the old dumb type
of alarm and give you two main benefits.
First, you know when the alarm has gone
off, so you can deal with an intrusion quickly.
If you have smart cameras, this is even
better, as you can check the footage to see
if you have a false alert or not.
Second, you can disable or turn it on
wherever you are. This is great for shutting
down a false alert, but also helpful when
you go out and forget to set the alarm.
Feeling sensitive
Using a smart alarm means that you need
sensors. Window and door sensors detect
forced entry and should be used on all
accessible portals. Motion sensors let you
cover the inside of your home, but look for
pet-safe models to prevent false alarms if
you have cats or dogs.
Smart alarm systems should
have a siren to sound locally,
and are best if they have
battery and SIM-based
internet backup. That way,
if the power or internet
goes down, your alarm
carries on working and can
warn you about something
untoward going on.
IFTTT support can be useful,
so you can send different
alerts or trigger your lights to
come on.
SMARTTHERMOSTATS
Smart thermostats will save you money with
more efficient heating scheduling and are
easier to use than your existing controls.
There’s a huge amount of choice, and our
buying guide and reviews (see page 90) let
you know which system to buy.

and security. Footage can be
streamed live to an Amazon
Echo Show or Google Home
Hub, too. An IFTTT channel lets
you control other smart devices
when motion is detected or
someone rings the doorbell.
SMART OUTDOOR CAMERA
Nest Cam Outdoor IQ
£329 nest.com/uk
With its 4K sensor, the Nest
Cam Outdoor IQ shoots the
best-quality video footage
of any camera we’ve
reviewed. More than
this, it has facial-
recognition technology
when you use a Nest
Aware subscription (from £4 a
month), so you can spot who’s
outside your home.
Nest Aware also gives you
continuous recording, so you
capture everything that’s going
on. Customisable alert zones
help you cut down on false
positives. If you don’t need face
recognition, the older 1080p
Nest Cam Outdoor is a little
easier to install. Indoor versions
of both cameras are available.
Footage can be
streamed to an Amazon
Echo Show or Google
Home Hub. These
cameras have Works
With Nest rules, too.
SMART SECURITY SYSTEM For the best results, buy the
Honeywell Evohome system with the GPRS internet
Security connection, so that the battery-
£168 theevohomeshop.co.uk powered system can keep
If you want to alarm your home, working in all situations. There’s
Honeywell’s Evohome Security currently no IFTTT support or
system is the best we’ve tested. voice assistant integration, but
It has pet-safe motion detectors, Evohome Security nails the
and window/door sensors to basics and gives you a robust,
cover your entire home. powerful alarm system that you
Uniquely, there’s also a camera can control from everywhere.
motion sensor, which can grab a
low-res image so you can see
what triggered the alarm.
Honeywell lets you trigger
the alarm through remote
keyfobs, RFID tags or your
smartphone, giving you plenty
of ways to control your system.

ISSUE 373 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | MARCH 2019 83

Smart voice
assistants
Controlling your smart home using your voice is a simple and convenient way
of making the most of your kit. But which voice assistant is best for you?
O
ne of the drivers of the smart home
has been smart speakers, with the
likes of Amazon Echo and Google
Home proving popular. These devices are
powered by voice assistants, which let you
communicate with your devices using your
voice. Being able to talk to change a setting
or turn on a light is a powerful way of using
your smart home, as you no longer have to
reach for your phone to open an app.
The main choice is between Amazon
Alexa and Google Home, although Apple
users have the option of the Siri-powered
HomePod. Here, we look at the pros and
cons of each, so you can choose the system
that best meets your needs.
Choice of device
Amazon used to have the advantage when
it came to the range of devices, with far
more Echo smart speakers to choose from.
How to...
Control
your home
with Alexa
We show you how to
add, control and
manage your smart
devices using Alexa
U sing Amazon Alexa to control your
smart home is easy once you know all
the tricks. To follow this guide, you’ll need
an Echo device and a compatible smart
home device. We’re using Philips Hue for
this demonstration. A similar process is
required for Google Home.
84
Times have changed, and now Google is
roughly equal, with a few differences.
The basic devices are Google Home and
Amazon Echo. Both have roughly the same
sound quality and are about the same size.
Neither is particularly good for music, and
both give you about a mid-range Bluetooth
speaker level of sound. If you just want
something for home control, you can buy the
Google Home Mini or Amazon Echo Dot.
For music, the Google Home Max is hard
to beat. However, Amazon’s Echo Plus smart
speaker has the best audio quality across
the entire range, and it has a built-in Zigbee
hub so you can connect devices directly to it,
including Philips Hue bulbs. Control is quite
basic, but that may suit smaller installations.
You can use two Echo Plus devices
together to create a stereo pair: one
speaker is the left channel and the other is
the right. Add an Echo Sub and you have a
ADD YOUR SKILL
1 Open the Alexa app and tap the menu bar (the
three horizontal buttons), then tap Skills and Games.
Search for the smart home device that you want to
control (in this case Philips Hue). If you get multiple hits,
you can scroll through the list to find the one you want.
very good mid-range audio system that
costs less than a single Google Home Max.
Apple’s HomePod smart speaker has
excellent audio quality and is tuned for
music, but it’s relatively expensive.
The Google Home Hub and Google
Assistant Smart Displays both have screens,
as does the Echo Show. These let you view
smart security camera streams, directly
control your smart devices and more.
Help me out
One reason to buy a smart speaker is the
quality of the voice assistant. All offer similar
features and can answer simple everyday
questions, such as what the weather is like
or what the answer to a simple sum is. They
can also tell you what’s in your diary, but
Amazon and Apple have a slight advantage
by supporting G Suite; Google can’t read
information from paid-for accounts. When it
ENABLE SKILL
2 Tap your selected Skill and then choose Enable.
You’ll be redirected to a login page, where you have
to enter your authentication details for your chosen
service. Follow the onscreen instructions to authorise
Alexa. When complete, you’ll get a message telling
you that you can close the window, so tap the X icon.
Alexa will now prompt you to discover which devices you
have on your home network; tap Discover.
MARCH 2019 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | ISSUE 373
comes to answering any question that relies
on data from the internet, the Google
Assistant has the advantage. Ask for
directions or the details of a local restaurant
and Google will give you an accurate reply
quickly; Amazon and Apple don’t have the
same level of information to dig into.
Google and Apple use two-word wake-up
phrases (‘OK Google’ and ‘Hey Siri’), which
means they go off less by accident. Amazon
uses ‘Alexa’, which it picks up by accident
more often from a normal conversation.
Google Assistant and Alexa support
multiple users with voice-match technology,
so can return different results depending on
who’s talking. That’s something Siri doesn’t
offer at the moment, and it will just work
with one primary account.
In terms of smart home control, Apple is
far behind the other two. It will only work
with devices that support Apple HomeKit,
and relatively few do, with big names such
as Nest and Ring missing. Amazon and
Google are roughly equal. There are only a
few small exceptions; Dyson smart devices,
including the Eye 360 robot, only support
Amazon Echo, for example. Our advice is
to buy the system that supports the
majority of your smart devices.
Amazon has a huge Skills library, which
you can use to expand what your smart
speaker is capable of, such as adding live
Tube updates. With Alexa Blueprints, you
can even create your own Skills, such as one
USE YOUR DEVICES
3 Tap the Control icon (at the bottom right of the
app) to see a list of devices. You can now control them
using your voice; some devices can be controlled
through the app, too. Commands are mostly intuitive,
such as ‘turn on office light’, ‘set office light to 50%’ and
so on. Search Google for your product name plus Alexa
commands to find more detailed information.
ISSUE 373 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | MARCH 2019
ABOVE: The Amazon Echo was the first smart speaker
and is still one of the best, with a large choice of devices
that house guests can use to ask questions,
such as ‘what is the Wi-Fi password?’.
Group therapy
All smart speakers support grouping, so you
can place multiple devices in a single room.
That lets you use a single command to
control multiple devices, such as ‘Alexa, turn
off the living room’ to control all lights there.
Amazon and Google go one step further,
as you can tell a smart speaker which room
it is in. Saying something like, ‘OK Google,
turn off the light’ will work as the speaker
understands which light you want to control.
Amazon and Google now have simple
app control for devices, too, so you can
adjust supported thermostats’
temperatures or set your lights to the best
setting. It’s neat to have this level of control.
CREATE GROUPS
4 You can control multiple devices at once by
grouping them together. To do this, go to the Control
section of the Alexa app and tap the Plus button, then
Add Group. Enter a name for the group, then tap Next.
Add any Alexa devices that are in this group by tapping
them, then select the smart devices in this group.
Choose Save, which is right at the bottom of the list.
You can now control all your selected devices together.
Apple’s Home app is arguably the most
powerful, its clean interface giving you
control of all your devices. It also lets you
create smart home automations; turning off
all your lights when your phone tracks that
you’ve gone out, for example, or turning on a
light when motion is detected.
Amazon and Google have routines, which
let you control multiple devices, but they
have to be triggered manually. For example,
you could have a movie night routine that
dims the lights and turns up the heat.
What else can they do?
Amazon lets you make calls between Echo
devices, turning the smart speakers into an
intercom system for your home. Google
supports broadcasts, where you can send a
message to all speakers in your home. It also
gives you free calls to UK landlines and
mobiles using your caller ID.
You can play music on all of the devices.
Amazon supports its own music service, plus
Spotify; Google supports YouTube music and
Spotify; and Apple supports Apple Music.
Which one should I buy?
The Apple HomePod is more specialist, and
one for Apple-only homes. Amazon Alexa
and Google Assistant offer similar features.
Google is easier to talk to and smarter for
general questions; Alexa has slightly better
smart home support, so it comes down to
choosing the system that works with your kit.
MANAGE DEVICES
5 To manage your devices, go to Control. Browse
to any device and then tap the menu option (three
dots). This will take you to the status page for that
device. You can use the Enable toggle switch to
temporarily disable a device; tap the Bin icon to
remove it from Alexa. You can also rename the
device using the Edit name option.
85
How to m ake it all
wo r k tog et h e r
If you want your smart home devices to interact
with each other, this is what you need to know
O
ne of the biggest issues with the
smart home is that devices largely
act by themselves, controlled via
their distinct apps. While voice assistants
can help unify control, talking to a speaker
isn’t always the easiest thing to do, and
the current assistants don’t work with all
devices, nor do they give you any
automation controls. Fortunately, there
are some other options for unifying your
smart home, which we’ll look at here.
IFTTT
If This Then That (IFTTT) is an excellent way
to make your smart home devices talk to
each other. This cloud-based service is
completely free, and you can sign up for
your own account at ifttt.com.
IFTTT is a service that uses Applets,
which make smart things happen in your
home. The ‘if this’ part is known as a trigger,
and the subsequent action is the ‘then that’
part. For example, you can create an Applet
that says, ‘if my security camera detects
motion, then turn on my Hue lights’.
Both triggers and actions are made
available by activating channels. A channel
can be a service, such as Facebook; a
product, such as Honeywell Evohome
smart heating; or even part of your phone,
such as its current location. For smart
homes, a manufacturer simply needs to
publish an IFTTT channel that you can
then activate and use.
Triggers and actions vary by device
and manufacturer, but in all cases
they’re simple to understand and use.
More importantly, you can make your
smart home react and perform in
ABOVE: Browse through IFTTT’s channels to see what
your connected devices are capable of
86
different ways that weren’t possible
beforehand. For example, you can turn your
Philips Hue lights red when your Ring
camera spots someone at the front door.
You can search IFTTT to find compatible
devices. You need to link your smart home
device to IFTTT using the simple instructions.
Once done, you’ll find loads of example
Applets, which you can use and modify.
WORKS WITH NEST
Works with Nest are automated rules that
link compatible devices with Nest devices. ABOVE: Works with Nest rules are fully automated,
For example, if you have Hue lights and a making your home smarter and more secure
Nest Protect, the automated rule can
turn your Hue lights red when smoke is You can visit the website workswith.
detected. Security rules exist, too: if it’s nest.com/uk to find out which smart
dark and your camera detects activity, devices are supported and to connect
Nest can turn your lights on automatically to the Nest system. Supported rules can
after a random delay, turning them off be turned on or off individually for each
again after 15 minutes. type of device.
How to...
Create
routines
with the
Google
Assistant
R outines are a brilliant way to control
multiple devices at once, whether you
want to get your home ready for a movie
1 CREATE A NEW ROUTINE
Open the Google Home app and tap Settings
(under all your devices on the home page), then tap
night or just turn off everything when you More settings at the bottom of the page. Tap Assistant
and select Routines. Tap the Plus icon and you’ll be on
go out. We’ll show you how to create the screen for creating a new Routine.
routines using the Google Assistant for
Google Home devices, but Amazon has
similar controls for Alexa in its app.
MARCH 2019 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | ISSUE 373
SAMSUNG SMARTTHINGS
Samsung SmartThings was created to
bring together smart home devices under
one app. With the SmartThings Hub you
get a device that’s capable of talking to
Z-Wave and Zigbee smart home products,
as well as kit from other big manufacturers,
such as Philips Hue.
SmartThings starts at £79 for the new
Hub. You can buy compatible devices, such
as a motion sensor, window/door multi-
sensors, a presence sensor (which can tell if
you’re at home) and a plug-in power socket
that can toggle electrical devices on and off.
At its simplest, SmartThings lets you
group your compatible smart devices into
rooms, letting you control them from one
app. For example, we have Philips Hue lights
and a Sonos player in one room. Sonos only
gives basic play/pause and volume controls,
but this still means we can turn off the lights
and music from one app.
ABOVE: Samsung’s SmartThings can control multiple
devices from one app
Where SmartThings comes into its own
is with its smart automation routines and
modes. Using a routine, you can
automatically control a bunch of devices,
such as turning off all your lights and Sonos
players when you go out.
You can do smarter things, too. We’ve
got it set up so that locking the garden
office door after sunset using a smart
lock turns off the lights in the office and
turns on the lights in the garden. The
downside is that such automation is really
complex to set up, meaning SmartThings is
more of a tool for enthusiasts.
SMART BUTTONS
Logitech Pop! and Flic are both add-on ABOVE: Logitech Pop! buttons are a great way to
smart buttons for your home, which you control your smart devices
can program to control supported devices
(both support IFTTT, too). You can place devices. Check out each to make sure the
these buttons around your home and then devices you want to control are supported.
use them to control multiple devices, such
as tapping once to turn on your Sonos SMART SPEAKER
player, a double-tap to set your lights to a ROUTINES
favourite scene and so on. Putting one by If you have a smart speaker, such as an
the front door to turn off all the lights and Amazon Echo or Google Home, you can
music and set your heating to away mode create routines where you control multiple
is also a neat option, and can be more devices at once, even from different
reliable than using your phone’s location. manufacturers. Using routines is a handy
We covered smart buttons in more detail in way of doing multiple jobs while only
Advanced Projects, Shopper 370. requiring a single voice prompt to do it.
Both buttons have an equal level of Check out our guide on how to create
control, talking to a hub that’s connected to routines with the Google Assistant for
your home network to remotely control other more information (see below).

ADD A TRIGGER CREATE ACTIONS SAVE APPLET

2 You can use the Add commands option to give
the Routine a name. This is also the trigger word for
Google, such as ‘I’m going out’. You can also set a time
and day if you want to run your Routine at the same
time each day.
3 Now we have a trigger, we can create the action:
what we want to happen when we say the command
word. Tap Add action and you can type commands (for
example, ‘Turn off kitchen lights’ or ‘Set kitchen lights
to 50%’), or you can tap Popular actions and use the
tick-boxes to select devices manually and dictate what
you want them to do. Note that you don’t have to just
control devices: you can get your Google Home device to
tell you a weather report, give you a traffic update and
more. Tap Add when you’re done.
4 You’ll now see a preview of your Routine; tap
Save to finish it. Your new Routine can be started by
saying the command word (‘OK Google, I’m going
out’, for example), or it will start at the scheduled
time. Your Routine will appear in the list of Routines,
where you can edit or delete it.

ISSUE 373 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | MARCH 2019 87

Other
sm ar t devices
How to make your smart home even smarter

W
hile we’ve covered
the main products
that will make for
a decent smart home, we’ve
not managed to fit everything
in there. Here are a few
products that can complete
your smart home.
Smart plugs
Smart plugs are a brilliant way
to make dumb devices smart.
Whether you want to remotely
turn off an iron you left on or
switch off a lamp, smart plugs
are the way to go. Most work
using Wi-Fi, connecting directly
to your main network.
The Belkin WeMo Switch
(£40, www.belkin.com) is the
best we’ve tested. It works with
SmartThings, IFTTT, Alexa and
Google Home, plus you can use
it with Logitech Pop! and Flic
buttons. The WeMo Insight
Switch (£50) lets you measure
power usage, and also enables
you to do clever things such as
sending a notification when the
washing machine has finished.
Dyson Link
If you have any network-
connected Dyson devices that
use the Dyson Link app (www.
dyson.co.uk), including the latest
air purifiers and the Dyson 360
Eye robot vacuum cleaner, you
can control them using Alexa.
For the vacuum cleaner you can
start or stop a clean; for fans,
you can set the speed, turn on
auto mode (for purifiers only)
and toggle oscillation.
Nest Protect
Smoke detectors save lives, but
they’re also incredibly annoying
when they go off and you can’t
work out what’s going on. The
Nest Protect (£109, store.nest.
com) tells you when and where
smoke has been detected,
sending a notification to your
phone. Push the button on the
front or use the app and you
can silence a false alarm.
Works with Nest lets you
turn on Hue lights automatically
to light your escape route.
Logitech
Harmony Hub
The Logitech Harmony Hub
(£100, www.logitech.com) lets
you remotely control your home
entertainment devices through
your smartphone. You can set
up simple routines, such as one
to turn on your TV, soundbar
and Blu-ray player, all with the
touch of a button. The Harmony
Hub can also integrate with
Philips Hue and SmartThings so
you can control other smart
home devices. Alexa and IFTTT
support are both built in, giving
you control over other smart
home devices, too.
Honeywell Lyric W1
Water Leak Detector
Leaks can cost a fortune to fix,
so knowing about them before
they become a major issue can
be a real lifesaver. The Lyric W1
Water Leak Detector (£65,
theevohomeshop.
co.uk) is an excellent
choice. It’s battery
powered, so is
easy to position.
Detection is via the
attached sensor wire
(extension cables are
available to cover a
greater distance),
which you lie flat
where you’re
most likely to get
a leak, such as
underneath a dishwasher.
Alerts are sent to your phone
via the app, but a full IFTTT
channel means you can set
other things to happen, such as
cutting the power to a washing
machine via a remote socket.

What about smart locks?

S mart locks are starting to become more
prevalent, and make a lot of sense in
many ways, as you have multiple ways to
unlock them, and you don’t have to worry
about lost keys: you can revoke a person’s
access if they lose their phone or keyfob.
In the UK, Yale makes the best-selling
smart door locks: the Keyless Connected
Smart Door Lock (£129, www.yalestore.
co.uk) for rim lock doors, and the Conexis L1
(£230) for multi-point locks. The former can
be opened using the keypad, with an RFID
keyfob or with a Z-Wave ve controller,
such as SmartThings. It’s very reliable,
but you’ll still want a mortice lock for
installation if you go down this rou
route, as
getting the delicate cable trapped in the
lock can get you locked out of your house.
safety and will have to carry a key. A locksmith can remove the smart lock,
The Conexis L1 locks
ks a multipoint but only by damaging it, making it more
lock and can be unlockedked using an expensive to replace compared to a
RFID keyfob, your phone ne or with a traditional loc
lock.
Z-Wave module such as SmartThings. moment,
At the mo
We’ve found that the phone unlock smart locks fee
feel like
option is quite unreliablele and slow, products for people
and prefer to use the RFID keyfob. that don’t mind a challenge, but the
they’re
It’s worth paying for professional not quite ready for the mainstream yet.

88 MARCH 2019 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | ISSUE 373

 From Apple to Zeiss,
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 HEAT IS RISING
Smart thermostats
CONTENT REVIEWS
Keep warm, save money and take full control of
Page 92
DRAYTON Wiser Heat your heating by upgrading your home with a
Page 93
HIVE Active Heating 2 smart thermostat system
Page 94
HONEYWELL Evohome OF ALL THE different varieties of smart kit ROOM MATES
Page 95 that are available, it’s arguably the smart The main decision you have to make is
HONEYWELL Lyric T6 thermostat that makes the most amount whether you want a device that replaces your
Page 96
of sense for most people. As well as existing thermostat, or one that can control
NEST Learning Thermostat making life more convenient for you, individual radiators using smart valves that
3rd Generation smart thermostats are also capable of replace your existing thermostatic radiator
saving you a considerable amount of valves (TRVs). The former is far simpler, as
Page 97
money. In fact, according to Tado, UK you have a single thermostat that controls
NEST Thermostat E
users save around 19% of energy bills by the temperature for your entire home.
Page 98
upgrading to a smart thermostat. The downside of this type of system is
NETATMO Smart Thermostat Getting the right model for you isn’t that temperatures can vary massively across
Page 99 always easy, but we’ll take you through all a home. So if you set your thermostat for a
TADO Smart Thermostat of the options here to help you make the comfortable temperature in the lounge, for
best choice for your home. instance, your bedroom may be very cold.

90 MARCH 2019 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | ISSUE 373


However, you can still make good energy
savings with a replacement thermostat, and
this type of system is considerably cheaper.
Using smart radiator valves gives you
individual room control. You can set a
schedule and temperature for each room,
so you get the ideal temperature in each
room. In addition, as you only heat the
rooms you’re currently using, you can save
even more on your energy bills.
The downside of these systems is that
they’re more expensive to buy and more
complicated to run. You also have to change
batteries on the radiator valves every 18
months or so, or you lose heating in a room.
A compromise is to buy a smart
thermostat system that has optional TRVs.
That way, you can upgrade room by room as
you go, without the initial large payment.
SUPER SAVER
Smart thermostats should be about saving
money as much as about convenience.
There are several ways this can be done.
First, if you have an OpenTherm boiler and a
thermostat that supports this protocol, you
can run your boiler more efficiently.
The traditional way to run a boiler is to
fire it up to the maximum temperature, then
turn it off when the thermostat hits that
temperature. With OpenTherm, the boiler can
be modulated, with the smart thermostat
choosing the water temperature the boiler
produces to match the demand and reach the
set point. In some cases, the boiler may run at
a colder temperature for longer, which can
save money compared to blasting the boiler
at full heat for shorter periods. Think of it like
a car: if you accelerate gently and maintain
speed, you’ll use less petrol than accelerating
hard past the speed you want, drifting back
and then speeding up again, and so on.
If you’re paying for a professional
installation, ask your fitter about OpenTherm
and connect this way if possible. If you don’t
have OpenTherm, your smart thermostat will
be connected with a standard relay, which
will just turn the boiler on or off.
Many smart thermostats can also save you
money by learning how your home heats up.
Knowing this, they can switch off the boiler
earlier, knowing that the radiant heat in the
radiators will keep warming your home.
Traditional thermostats only turn off the
boiler when they reach the set point, which
means that you can often overshoot your
desired temperature.
Look out for other power-saving features,
too. Window detection can spot when you’ve
got a window open and then shut down your
heating, on the basis that it’s pointless and
inefficient to keep running the boiler.
Geolocation can be handy, too, turning your
heating off when you leave the house and
warming it up when you get back.
INSTALLATION ART
Some thermostats can be fitted by a
competent DIYer, and some are even
ISSUE 373 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | MARCH 2019
SMART THERMOSTATS
Smart thermostats should be about saving money
as much as about convenience. There are several
ways this can be done
designed for this. However, many require but they require a competent electrician that
you to use mains voltage, wiring them will take on some specialist wiring.
directly into the boiler, and OpenTherm
connections can make things even trickier. CONTROL CENTRE
In short, if you need to take the cover off All smart thermostats can be controlled via an
your boiler, it’s probably best to use a app, which is typically the easiest way to
plumber. Many smart thermostat vendors program and control them. Look for Google
can offer professional installation for a Assistant and Amazon Alexa support if you
one-off cost. Prices vary, but expect to pay want to turn the heat up using your voice.
around £75 to £100 for an installation. IFTTT (ifttt.com) is also useful to have, as
All the systems we’ve reviewed are you can often use this to replicate features
designed for wet heating systems; some can that are missing, such as turning off your
be connected to electric heating systems, heating when you go out.
THE BEST SMART THERMOSTAT FOR…
EASE OF INSTALLATION
NEST Thermostat E
If you have an old wired thermostat that you just want to
swap out, the Thermostat E is hard to beat. Simply follow
the instructions to wire in the new wireless receiver, plonk
the thermostat on a table and that’s pretty much it.
Even better, the Thermostat E comes with a preset
schedule, so it’s ready to go out of the box, learning
and adjusting to better suit you as the weeks go on.
Throw in geolocation and the ability to learn how your
home warms up, and you’ve got a top thermostat for
smart home novices.
MULTIROOM CONTROL
HONEYWELL Evohome
Even though it’s a little older now, the Honeywell
Evohome remains the king of multiroom control. Its huge
range of options give you everything from individual
radiator control to underfloor heating. What’s more, you
get a handy control pad from which to change settings –
it’s the only heating system to do that.
With a great app, support for all the voice assistants
and decent energy-saving options, this is the ultimate
home heating system.
POWER AND FLEXIBILITY
NEST Learning Thermostat
3rd Generation
If you want a single thermostat to control everything,
then the Learning Thermostat 3rd Generation is hard to
beat. This model looks absolutely fantastic and is
something that you’d be happy to have on display.
It gets its name from its ability to learn. Just change
your heat settings when you want, and the thermostat
will work out the best schedule for you. Geolocation and
True Radiant help save you money, and Works with Nest
makes the thermostat work with other products
automatically, too.
91
 SMART THERMOSTATS
DRAYTON
Wiser Heat
★★★★★
£184 • From www.amazon.co.uk
VERDICT
An easy-to-use, well-priced multiroom
heating system that’s seen some major
improvements in the past year
DRAYTON’S WISER IMPRESSED us last
year by being easy to set up and cheap to buy.
This year, those two attributes still count,
but the company has also made several
underlying improvements, including IFTTT
and Google Home support.
The Wiser Heat is available in several
versions, depending on whether you need to
control just heating (one channel), heating
and water (two channels), or two heating
zones and hot water (three channels). We
looked at the one-channel kit, which ships
with the boiler switch, a wireless thermostat
and two Radiator Thermostats. Impressively,
this costs just £184, which is cheaper than
some thermostat-only kits.
GET GOING
As with other smart heating systems, the
Wiser Heat has to be wired up to your boiler.
This is a straightforward job, although as it
involves mains power, you’re probably best
getting an expert in. You can use OpenTherm
if your boiler supports it. Once the boiler
relay is in place, the rest of the system is
configured through the app.
When you first start the app, it takes
you through configuring your smart
thermostat and radiator valves. The Wiser
Heat works by getting you to place the
heating elements into rooms. Each room
can contain multiple devices, such as two
radiator valves.
With the starter kit, you’re best off
wall-mounting the thermostat for whole-
home use (say, in a hallway), and then using
the individual radiator thermostats for the
most-used rooms where you want to control
them individually, such as the living room
and master bedroom. Additional radiator
valves can be bought for just £45, so you
can expand the system until you have every
radiator under control.
With an all-TRV system, the thermostat
can either be decommissioned or placed
into a room to act as a temperature sensor.
This can be useful if you have a TRV
located behind furniture, which could give
false readings.
Unlike other TRVs, the Wiser Radiator
Thermostats don’t have a screen or
advanced controls. Instead, you just twiddle
the spring-loaded top towards the ‘+’ position
to give you a 2°C boost on the current
temperature for one hour. The ‘–’ position,
likewise, lowers the temperature by 2°C for
92
an hour. It sounds basic, but the clever
controls mean that one touch of the dial
either makes a cold-feeling room warmer, or a
hot-feeling room cooler, without having to
guess what temperature you want.
The thermostat provides you with more
control, as you can pick a temperature set
point and choose how long you want the
boost to last (30 minutes, one hour, two
hours or three hours).
TAP DANCE
For more control, you can dive into the simple
smartphone app, which shows you the current
temperatures and settings of each room.
Tapping any room lets you turn on a boost to
a set temperature for 30 minutes, one hour,
two hours or three hours.
Here, you can also set schedules by day
for each room. That’s handy, as you can have
the bedroom warm up first, before heating
the kitchen up later for when you come
downstairs, for example. Schedules can be
copied from day to day, but not between
rooms, which is a little annoying. Finally, you
can override a schedule entirely, switching to
manual mode to keep a constant temperature.
If you have the hot water version (from
£199), you can also schedule your hot water
or give a temporary boost from the app.
Using a multiroom system can save you
more money than using a single thermostat,
as you only heat the rooms that you need.
To further cut costs and improve comfort,
the Wiser has a few additional modes.
First, Eco mode takes into account the
external temperature and thermal properties
of your home, to adjust when the boiler
turns on and off. For example, in colder
weather, your boiler will have to turn on
earlier and run for longer to warm your house
to the set temperature. It will take a few
weeks for the system to learn how your home
works before you get the most out of it.
Comfort mode, meanwhile, learns how
your home warms up, so the heating can be
turned on early to reach your desired
temperature by a set time.
There’s also an Away mode, where your
heating is set to a reduced temperature
(configured by you). This mode is handy when
you’re out or on holiday. There’s only manual
operation of this, but you can use the IFTTT
channel to build your own geolocation service,
either for one device or, with a service such as
Life360, for your entire family.
CALL FOR HEAT
Alexa and Google Home support means
that you can control your heating using your
voice. Alexa recognises individual rooms so
that you can adjust the heat automatically,
and you can also find out what the
temperature is in each room.
If you add in the optional Smart Plug
(£42), you can control this through Alexa
or the Google Assistant, and you can
control it through the app, even scheduling
the plug. Conveniently, the plug acts as a
range extender, too, helping if you have a
problem with wireless range.
Honeywell Evohome gives more flexibility,
with its custom actions and IFTTT channel.
Its radiator thermostats are also more fully
featured, letting you set the temperature you
want from the room. If you want the most
powerful and flexible multiroom heating
system, then, we’d recommend Evohome.
That said, what the Wiser Heat lacks in
complexity, it makes up for with simplicity and
a lower cost. You can’t find multiroom heating
for less, making the Wiser Heat ideal for those
that want fine control on a budget.
MARCH 2019 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | ISSUE 373

HIVE Active Heating 2
★★★★★
£249 • From www.hivehome.com
VERDICT
A decent smart heating system that can expand to lighting and
beyond, but you get more features and expansion options elsewhere
ACTIVE HEATING 2 is the successor to
Hive’s first, rather basic-looking system.
As well as being nicer to look at, Hive has
been expanding the system’s capabilities,
with sensors, smart lighting and even
cameras now feeding into the single app.
Hive, like Nest, is more of a complete smart
home system rather than a standalone device.
Design, undoubtedly, was largely
responsible for Nest’s success. The circular
smart thermostat is a beautiful thing, hewn
from metal and glass – something you
wouldn’t mind having on show in a modern,
minimalist living room. The Active Heating 2 is
very different, but attractive nonetheless.
Its mirrored front faceplate looks the part
much more than the old plain-white plastic
affair of the first generation, and you can
even buy coloured plastic frames to replace
the standard white one to match the colour
scheme of your room.
The thermostat connects wirelessly to the
boiler relay, which is only capable of simple
on/off commands, and there’s currently no
OpenTherm support for boiler modulation.
COLOUR COORDINATED
The thermostat looks great even before you
touch anything, but when you press either
the central knob or the buttons below it,
everything lights up in attractive candy
colours, shining through the chrome finish
in a satisfyingly high-tech manner.
The beauty of the Active Heating 2 is not
just skin deep, however. It presents an
interface that’s well designed enough that
you should be able to use it without having
to refer to the manual. The only thing that
isn’t obvious from the word go is what the
two buttons on the top of the thermostat
do. It turns out they’re used to deliver a
quick boost for your hot water or central
heating systems.
However, the Active Heating 2, like most
other smart thermostats, isn’t primarily
designed to be operated by walking up to it
and twiddling its knobs and prodding its
buttons. It’s meant to be operated mainly
from the smartphone companion app, which
works with both iOS and Android devices.
This has been redesigned for the Active
Heating 2, and it works very well. Using the
app you can apply a quick boost to your
heating, set up the schedule – up to six
heating ‘events’ can be defined per day –
and set up and activate Holiday mode.
Holiday mode essentially puts your heating
and hot water in frost protection mode – off,
unless the temperature in your system falls
ISSUE 373 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | MARCH 2019
SMART THERMOSTATS
below a preset level
– for the period that
you’re away.
Where smart
heating systems
come into their
own, however, and
where Nest generally
wins over the
competition, is
proactivity. The Nest
thermostat uses a
motion sensor to
learn when you’re in
the house and when
you’re not, and tweaks
your heating schedule
accordingly, so you aren’t heating You can control up to three heating zones,
your house when you’re not there. but Hive currently doesn’t have individual
radiator valves for room-by-room control.
IN, OUT, SHAKE IT ALL ABOUT Rather than just being used for your
The Active Heating 2 can also tell when thermostat, the app can also control other
you’re in or out. It uses the GPS data from Hive smart devices. These include motion
your phone rather than a motion sensor; sensors, smart lights, door/window sensors,
however, it doesn’t learn from that smart plugs and cameras. As well as giving
information. Instead, the Active Heating 2 you direct control over each device, you
will alert you when it senses that you’ve can set up Actions to control things
ventured a certain distance from home and automatically – turning on a light when a
you’ve left the heating on, or when you’re sensor detects motion, say, or turning off
on your way home and the heating has yet the heating when you leave home.
to be switched on.
Hive can learn how your home heats up, HOME ON THE RANGE
and can then automatically adjust your The range of products is impressive, with
schedules to pre-heat your home so that it’s colour-changing lightbulbs, for example,
at the right temperature when you want it. competing with the likes of Philips Hue.
The larger problem is that there are currently
no direct controls, so you can’t buy a remote
light switch to operate your lights; you have
to rely on the app or use a voice assistant.
It’s good to see that both Amazon Alexa
and Google Assistant are supported, giving
you full control over both the thermostat
and other connected devices.
Hive has improved dramatically since its
launch and it’s nice to see the firm expanding
the line-up of connected devices, so that the
system is about more than just heating. If you
can get the thermostat on a good deal,
perhaps through your heating provider, then
it will do a good job for you.
Yet, for all that, the system isn’t quite at
the top of its game. For the likes of lighting,
you’re better off with a fully fledged system,
such as Philips Hue. When it comes to
heating, the Nest Learning Thermostat
provides a better experience and has more
advanced controls. If you want smart radiator
valves, look at the Honeywell Evohome or
Tado systems instead.
93
 SMART THERMOSTATS
HONEYWELL Evohome
★★★★★
£215 • From theevohomeshop.co.uk
VERDICT
It’s expensive to install, but this is a powerful
and flexible room-by-room heating system
HONEYWELL EVOHOME WAS the first
multiroom heating system, and it’s still the
only product that’s built with this in mind.
However, with this flexibility and individual
control comes expense, and Evohome is the
most expensive system we’ve tested.
At its cheapest, Evohome costs £215,
which nets you the touchscreen controller
and the remote boiler relay for on/off control.
In this mode, the system acts as a smart
heating system, with the touchscreen
controller using its internal temperature
sensor. You can add an additional boiler relay
if you’d like to control hot water. If you want
to control a modulating boiler, you have to
buy the more expensive OpenTherm relay.
Operating like this, the Evohome is a
rather expensive waste. It’s when you add the
TRVs (£59 each, but look for packs to save
money) that Evohome really starts to come
into its own. By replacing your existing dumb
TRVs with the smart ones, you get complete
room-by-room control of your heating.
DIY installation is possible, but
professional installation is better and will
cost around £100, depending on the
complexity of installation and the number
of radiators you want to control.
Honeywell’s TRVs are easy to fit, shipping
with adaptors to fit most radiators. We have
to say that the TRVs aren’t the most
attractive, suffering from a rather plain
industrial look thanks to the glossy white
plastic. Given that most TRVs are hidden out
of sight, you can live with the problem. For
underfloor heating you can use a single-zone
thermostat and wireless relay for a single
zone; there are multi-zone controllers, too.
Configuration of the TRVs is super flexible,
and multiple units can be combined into a
single zone. This is particularly handy if you’ve
got rooms with multiple radiators.
CONTROL PANEL
Evohome is controlled directly from its
touchscreen controller. It’s brilliantly simple
to use, giving you an overview of every zone
in your home, and it connects via Wi-Fi, so
you can use the Evohome app without having
to install a separate hub.
Your first job is to set a schedule for each
zone. A setup wizard helps you, but we found
it easier to take each room and control it
separately. For example, you may want your
bathroom to heat up early so it’s warm when
you get up; you can fire up the kitchen a little
later, so it’s warm when you get downstairs.
Schedules can be adjusted by day, too, so
you can run your heating to suit your activity,
94
such as
changing
things for the
weekend when
you may lie in for a bit.
Schedules can
conveniently be copied between
zones and days, so you don’t have to
program every single change. We found
that it took us a few weeks to get our
schedules right, but we ended up only
heating zones as we needed them.
By not having to heat the entire house,
Evohome will save you more money on
heating bills than other systems; however,
the initial outlay means that the system will
also take longer to pay for itself.
HEAT IS ON
There will be times where your schedule
doesn’t quite work, such as if you come home
early from work. At this point, Evohome is
also exceptionally flexible, and you can
manually dial up the temperature from the
controller, app or by spinning the TRV’s
rotating head, and using the integrated
screen to see the set temperature.
From the controller or app, the
temperature change can be made
permanent, or you can set an end time
(this defaults to the next scheduled change).
From the TRV, temperature changes are
made until the next scheduled change.
We found the TRVs a little loud, and you
can hear a small mechanical whine as they
turn on. It took us a few weeks to get used to
this in the bedroom, but we could sleep
through the noise in the end.
As well as the default schedule, Evohome
has four programmable quick actions:
Economy reduces zone temperatures by 3°C;
Away sets every zone to a pre-set
temperature, which is handy if you go on
holiday; Day off changes the schedule to
match the weekend, so you’re warm if you’re
home during the week; and there’s a Custom
mode, which lets you set your own special
schedule. We use Custom mode as a guest
mode, turning up the heat in the spare
bedroom when we have people to stay.
VERY REMOTE
Everything you can do from the touchscreen
controller, you can also do from the
smartphone app, either remotely or in your
home, bar copying schedules between zones.
Honeywell has designed the app so you can
see all the different zones and related
temperatures directly on the home screen.
There’s no built-in geofencing, so you can’t
turn off your heating automatically when you
go out. Alternatively, you can use IFTTT to
adjust your heating automatically. Using the
Life360 service, for example, you can turn
off your heating when you go out and turn it
on when you return.
Amazon Alexa and Google Home are both
supported. You can ask either for the current
temperature or set a new temperature. The
Alexa Skill was slightly flaky at launch, but
we’ve since found both it and the Google
Assistant equivalent to be rock solid.
There’s no doubting that Evohome is
expensive, but it’s the only system designed
from the ground up to give room-by-room
control. For the ultimate flexibility, then, it’s
the best system to buy, and it will ultimately
save you more money on running costs.
MARCH 2019 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | ISSUE 373

HONEYWELL Lyric T6
★★★★★
£150 • From www.amazon.co.uk
VERDICT
A little inflexible at times, the Lyric T6 makes
up for it by being extremely good value
RECOGNISING THAT EVOHOME is a little
expensive for some people, Honeywell has
also brought out the Lyric T6 thermostat.
It’s part of an ecosystem of other products,
including security cameras and a smart
water leak detector. Unfortunately, now a
few years old, the Lyric T6 has fallen behind
the competition.
The Lyric T6 is available in two versions.
The standard T6 connects to existing
thermostat wires, while the T6R costs about
£15 more, comes on a stand and operates
wirelessly. Both versions require you to
install the remote relay, which hooks up to
your boiler and triggers heat on demand.
Given that the relay installation involves
mains power, you may want to get a
professional to install the system.
There’s no hot water support for this
system, so you’ll need to keep your old hot
water controls.
OUT AND ABOUT
The Lyric T6 connects to your home network
via its built-in Wi-Fi and is configured entirely
from the smartphone app. It’s quick to get
running, and we had ours configured within
10 minutes. We quite like the design of the
unit, although the cuboid body does look
rather like a giant keyboard key.
During configuration, you’re prompted to
set up the geolocation. This turns off your
heating when you leave the set radius, and
turns it on when you return, helping save
money. Importantly, Honeywell supports
multiple users for this system, so you won’t
have a situation where your heating turns off
just because one person has left the house.
In trying to keep the system simple,
Honeywell has implemented three modes
for the heating: Home, Away and Sleep.
The idea is that you have one temperature
when you’re at home, one when you’re away
and one for when you go to sleep. You can
configure the times at which the sleep
settings apply through the app.
If you want to take more control of your
heating, you can enable the full schedule
mode, and set different temperatures at
different times of the day. There’s a choice
to have the same schedule for every day,
different for weekdays and weekends,
or a different schedule each day. This is
very flexible, but it’s a little annoying that
setting your own schedule disables the
geolocation mode.
Outside of the schedule or geofenced
temperature settings, you can also
manually control the temperature of
ISSUE 373 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | MARCH 2019
your home using the controls on the
thermostat or through the app.
TRACKING DEVICE
If geofencing is turned on, temperature
changes last until the next change: you go
away, come back, or sleep mode is activated.
If you have the scheduled mode, temperature
changes are kept until the next temperature
change, or you can set a change to be
permanent or to run on a timer. It’s a shame
that you don’t get the same range of options
when running in geofenced mode.
THERMOST
SMART THERMOSTATS
As with other smart thermostats, the
Lyric T6 learns the thermal properties of
your home, so it knows how long it takes
to warm up. Turning on Optimised Start lets
the Lyric T6 turn on your heating early, so
that your home is at the correct temperature
by the start time that you set. It’s a great
feature for those cold winter mornings when
you don’t want to get out of bed.
We love the holiday mode, which lets you
turn your heating off when you jet off, and
back on automatically when you return. Using
the app, you just set the date and time that
you’re going away and your return time, and
that’s it. It’s a great feature and means that
you don’t return to a cold house because
you’ve forgotten to turn the heating back on.
Lyric supports Apple HomeKit, but it
also supports Amazon Alexa and Google
Home, so you can control your heating
with your voice regardless of the voice
assistant that you have.
Also available is an IFTTT channel, which
lets you set a temperature on your Lyric
thermostat automatically. This can be handy
for turning your heating down if, for example,
the outside temperature increases.
EXPANSION PACK
Launching the camera and water leak
detector, it seemed as though Honeywell was
trying to ape Nest’s range of products and
create a single app for common smart home
devices. Ultimately, the T6 now feels quite old
and doesn’t have the same range of features
or level of control as its competition.
The saving grace is the price: the Lyric T6
is excellent value. For those on a budget this
will do the job, although you’ll find the Nest
Learning Thermostat and Nest Thermostat E
give you more features and are easier to use.
95
 SMART THERMOSTATS
NEST Learning Thermostat
3rd Generation
★★★★★
£219 • From www.johnlewis.com
VERDICT
This system can’t be expanded, and it’s not cheap, but the simple
controls and great-looking thermostat make it a great choice
IF THERE’S ONE name synonymous with
smart heating, it’s Nest. Now on its third
generation, the Learning Thermostat is one of
the best and simplest smart heating systems.
The system ships as two components: the
smart thermostat and the Heat Link, which
connects to your boiler. With this version, the
Heat Link is capable of controlling both
heating and hot water, and it’s OpenTherm
compatible for modulating control.
There are no optional smart TRVs,
although you can install multiple Nest
thermostats if you have multiple heating
zones and want to control them individually.
It’s fairly straightforward to connect the
Nest up yourself, but professional installation
might make more sense, particularly as the
Heat Link needs 230V mains power.
Installation is flexible. If you have existing
thermostat wires, you can hook them up to
the 12V DC output. The Learning Thermostat
is then powered directly via these cables.
If you don’t have a thermostat, Nest can
operate in wireless mode, with the Learning
Thermostat powered via USB. In the box, you
get a wall-mount for the thermostat, but you
can buy a desk stand for £27 if you prefer.
COLOURIFIC
Your main choice when buying the system is
which colour thermostat you want: copper,
white, stainless steel or black. All versions look
great, and the hockey-puck-sized thermostat
remains the best-looking of its kind.
It’s not just a pretty design, as the Learning
Thermostat is also practical. The outside spins
and the unit acts as one big button, letting
you control the temperature, schedules and
other features directly from the thermostat.
It helps that the entire front of the
thermostat is a display with a sharp pixel
density of 229ppi. As a result, the Learning
Thermostat really does look like the heating
control of the future.
Setup is fairly straightforward, using the
thermostat’s controls to hook it up to Wi-Fi,
so it can be controlled remotely. Once online,
you can control everything from the Nest app,
which is the same app that also controls the
cameras and Nest Protect. If you already have
other Nest devices, then, it’s great to be able
to control everything from one place.
That said, the idea is that you shouldn’t
need to touch the app very often. As the
name suggests, this thermostat is designed
to learn how you work and set a suitable
schedule automatically.
96
For the first couple of
weeks, you’re encouraged to
turn the heat up when you get
up, down when you go out, and
up again when you get back in. We
found that the automatic schedule
could throw up some strange results, so
it’s good to see that you can set your own
schedule both in-app and on the thermostat.
If you leave learning mode on, the schedule
will be tweaked over time, but you can just
disable the learning mode if you wish.
LONG SIGHTED
Nest has designed the thermostat to save
money, by switching to Away mode and
reducing the set temperature when you leave
the house. It uses two methods for this: your
phone’s location (multiple users are supported
for busy households) and the motion detector
mounted on the front of the Nest. The
combination works brilliantly, and should
help you save money on heating bills.
Nest can use the motion sensor for its
Farsight mode, too. When you’re up to five
metres away, the thermostat can flash up
some information on its screen, as set by
the app. You can display a clock, current
room temperature, weather forecast or
target temperature. It’s a neat feature that
makes the most of the screen and makes
the Learning Thermostat more than just a
heating control.
True Radiant, Nest’s smart learning
algorithm, learns how your home heats up.
It’s designed to turn off your heating early, so
that hot radiators don’t push the internal
temperature past the set point. As Nest learns
how your home works, you should find that
your home’s temperature doesn’t vary much
from the temperature you set.
If you place your thermostat where the sun
can shine on it, the sun detector helps prevent
issues such as the heating shutting down early.
STOP, COLLABORATE AND LISTEN
Nest has built its thermostat to work with
Nest Protect via the Works with Nest
automatic rules. For example, if a siren goes
off, the thermostat can display an alert.
Even better, if carbon monoxide is detected,
the thermostat can shut off the heating to
prevent making the issue worse.
There’s an IFTTT channel, too, which lets
you set the temperature on your thermostat
automatically. You can also make other things
happen when the thermostat rises above or
falls below a certain temperature threshold,
or switches from Home to Away mode.
As Nest is a Google company, it should
come as no surprise that the thermostat
supports Google Assistant, and Amazon
Alexa has been allowed to join in too.
Unfortunately for iPhone owners, there’s no
Siri support via Apple HomeKit.
The Nest Learning Thermostat is certainly
not one of the cheapest heating systems,
and there’s no option to add smart radiator
valves, but its viability depends on exactly
what you want. For smaller homes or where
you want a simple, centralised controller, it’s
hard to beat Nest’s combination of simple
controls and powerful heating capabilities.
MARCH 2019 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | ISSUE 373

NEST Thermostat E
★★★★★
£199 • From www.johnlewis.com
VERDICT
The Thermostat E is a straightforward
system with user-friendliness at its core
THE PROBLEM WITH many smart
thermostats is that they require professional
installation, which can be a real hassle. The
Nest Thermostat E is different, as it’s
designed to be easy for anyone with an
existing wired thermostat to install.
At the heart of the system is the Heat Link
E boiler relay, which is designed to go on the
wall where your old thermostat is. Given that
this will be on display, Nest has done a good
job making it nice to look at, with its
soft-touch grey material cover reminiscent
of a Google Home Mini smart speaker.
The Heat Link E is entirely battery-
powered, so there’s no messing around with
mains power. Using the Nest app, you’re taken
through the simple installation instructions,
which tell you what to do with the cables
from your existing wired thermostat, and how
they should be wired into the Heat Link E.
After that, you’re prompted to set your
old heating controls to be permanently on:
don’t worry, the Nest Thermostat E will
then take over and define when your
heating goes on or off.
There’s no support for hot water systems,
unlike with more expensive products. The
Thermostat E is OpenTherm-compatible,
although you’ll need to pay an electrician to
wire in the Heat Link E to your boiler. At that
point, you’re probably better off buying the
more expensive Learning Thermostat.
CLOCKING ON
The main Thermostat E unit sits on a stand,
and isn’t wall-mountable, like the Heat Link
E. It’s powered via a mains socket, but you
have the flexibility to place it where it makes
the most sense.
Stylistically, the Thermostat E looks similar
to its big brother, the Learning Thermostat,
although the puck-shaped device is enclosed
in a glossy plastic body, rather than the more
premium-looking metal case.
Nest has used a diffused plastic front to
this thermostat, gently blurring the display
of the device so it doesn’t jump out as
much. It’s a neat effect, blending the
thermostat into the background without
affecting readability.
What’s particularly smart about this
thermostat is that it comes pre-programmed
with a schedule, based on real data from Nest
Learning Thermostat users. The schedule
should suit most people and means you’ll be
up and running immediately.
This is a learning thermostat, so as you
adjust the temperature manually, the
schedule learns to adjust to your needs. You
ISSUE 373 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | MARCH 2019
therefore get something that’s
pretty good out of the box, but
over a couple of weeks is fine-
tuned to the way you use the
thermostat. Temperature changes
can be made by twiddling the dial on
the thermostat or by using the app.
If you want, you can make
bigger changes to the schedule,
too, making the exact settings
that you want; if you leave
learning mode on, this
schedule will start to adapt
to any minor changes that
you make, too.
Other than showing the
temperature, the Thermostat E’s
screen isn’t as powerful as the one on
the Learning Thermostat; it can’t show you
the current weather, for example.
LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION
The Nest Thermostat E has all the same
location options as its big brother. It can
use its motion sensor and geolocation to
work out when the house is empty, cutting
your fuel bills by turning down the heating
when you’re out.
True Radiant is available, too, which is
the technology that learns how your home
SMART THERMOSTATS
heats up. Using this, the Nest thermostat
can pre-heat your home, so it’s warm when
you want it to be, and it can also cut off
the boiler early, so that your temperature
doesn’t overshoot the point you want.
There’s also a sun detector, which helps
compensate for a cold, bright day fooling
the thermostat into thinking it’s hotter.
CARBON COPY
As with the main thermostat, Works with
Nest rules are available. For example, if your
Nest Protect detects a carbon monoxide leak,
it can shut down your heating automatically
to help keep a lid on the problem.
Google Assistant support is available,
and you can set the temperature that you
want or get a reading of the current level.
However, at the moment there’s no
Amazon Alexa support. Given that the
Learning Thermostat supports Alexa, we
can only imagine that the reason is that
Google (which owns Nest) is pushing back
against Amazon. Whatever the reason, it’s a
shame and could be reason enough not to
buy this model.
There’s an IFTTT channel, too, which lets
you set the temperature on your thermostat
automatically. You can also make other things
happen when the thermostat rises above or
falls below a certain temperature threshold,
or switches from Home to Away mode.
Despite the lack of Alexa support, there’s
a lot to love about the Nest Thermostat E. If
you want to replace a dumb wired thermostat,
this is a very easy way to do the job and save
a bit on your heating bills. If you want
something wired into your boiler with a few
more controls, then the Nest Learning
Thermostat or Honeywell Evohome Systems
are better, if more expensive, options.
97
 SMART THERMOSTATS
NETATMO Smart Thermostat
★★★★★
£149 • From www.johnlewis.com
VERDICT
A gorgeous-looking thermostat that can
be expanded with radiator valves, but the
scheduling is fiddly to configure
A LOT OF smart thermostats can look a little
ugly, much like their regular counterparts.
Netatmo’s Smart Thermostat is different: it
was designed by the renowned French firm
Starck, and looks great. The neat battery-
powered thermostat looks great, and it’s
the kind of device that you can display with
some pride in your living room.
As well as looking neat, you have two
options for installing the thermostat. First,
you can wire the bundled receiver directly
to your boiler using the provided adaptor
cables. Alternatively, if you already have a
wired thermostat, you can remove that
from the wall and connect the thermostat
unit directly to the existing cables. You still
need the receiver for smart home control,
as this connects to your network via Wi-Fi,
but this can plug into a standard plug socket
using the bundled adaptor.
The second method is easy for a DIY
enthusiast and needs no new wiring. If you
have to go for the first option, you’re
probably best getting a professional to
install your unit, as it involves using 230V
mains power.
The smart thermostat uses an E-Ink
display, much like that in the Amazon Kindle.
It displays the current temperature and the
target. Tapping the top or bottom of the
unit adjusts the temperature until the next
scheduled change. This kind of basic control
is handy, as it can be a quick way to boost
internal temperatures without having to
reach for your smartphone.
ROOM FOR MANOEUVRE
In its default mode, the Netatmo Smart
Thermostat controls your entire home, but
the recently launched Smart Radiator Valve
(£70) gives you room-by-room control.
Netatmo ships each valve with plenty
of adaptors, so you should just be able to
screw the smart valve on to your existing
TRV, and you’re good to go.
Radiator valves added into the system
need to be added to a room. They can
coexist with other valves for rooms with
multiple radiator valves, or with the
thermostat if you’d rather use the main
unit for temperature monitoring.
As with the thermostat, the Smart
Radiator Valves have E-Ink screens that
show the current temperature. You can
override this by twisting the dial to the
right or left, to increase or decrease
temperatures for three hours. It’s neat
being able to do this, as you can quickly
98
dial up one room’s temperature without
having to heat the entire house.
From the Netatmo App, you get full
control over the schedule you want in the
house. It takes a little while to understand
how scheduling works, as you don’t set
temperatures; rather, you set the times you
want specific profiles to apply.
THE RIGHT PROFILE
By default, there are three profiles: Comfort is
set to 19°C, Night is set to 17°C and Eco to
16°C. Once you’ve set when each profile
should appear, the neat thing is that if you
adjust a profile, the temperature change is
shown immediately in all schedules that use it.
However, complexity creeps in when
you have Smart Radiator Valves, as you
have to set the temperature for each device
in each profile. Then, the schedule you set is
applied to every device at once. That makes
the system a little less flexible than others,
as you are unable to set independent
schedules for each room.
From the app, you can override any set
temperature for the period that you define.
And there are two special modes that set a
constant temperature until they’re turned off,
or the timer you set runs out.
The first mode, Away, is set to 12°C and
is used when you go out. It’s a shame that
geofencing isn’t built in to do this
automatically, although you can create a
similar feature using the excellent IFTTT
channel. The second mode, Frost-guard,
sets the temperature to 7°C and is there for
when you leave your home but don’t want
the pipes to freeze while you’re away.
Netatmo uses algorithms to track how
your house warms up. Using this information,
it can make sure that your boiler turns off
early enough so that hot radiators don’t push
the temperature past the set point.
SPEAK EASY
Netatmo was the first thermostat to support
Apple HomeKit for Siri, and since then the
system has been upgraded to support
Amazon Alexa and Google Home. Annoyingly,
however, Alexa can’t see or talk to Smart
Radiator Valves, and can only communicate
with the main thermostat. Google Home
and Siri can see the individual radiator valves
to give you room-by-room voice control.
Control works well for supported devices
across all three products, however.
Netatmo’s Smart Thermostat is simple
to set up and looks great. The ability to
expand using Smart Radiator Valves is neat,
too, although Netatmo’s valves are quite
expensive and Alexa support isn’t there yet.
The Honeywell Evohome provides a more
powerful multiroom system, while the more
expensive Tado is easier to configure and has
powerful geolocation built in.
MARCH 2019 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | ISSUE 373

TADO Smart Thermostat
★★★★★
£200 • From www.tado.com
VERDICT
A powerful, well-designed and upgradable
heating system, but beware of extra costs
THE TADO SMART Thermostat has evolved
since it first launched. It now offers a huge
degree of flexibility, extending into smart
radiator controls, so you can expand the
system to give room-by-room control.
There’s now a monthly charge for some of
the money-saving features, although existing
owners that want to upgrade to the new app
can do so for a one-off fee of £20.
At its most basic, you need the Smart
Thermostat Start Kit, which consists of the
Smart Thermostat and the USB-powered
Internet Bridge that connects via Ethernet to
your router to give you app and voice
assistant control. With the latest V3+ Bridge,
you get HomeKit support for Siri integration.
If you have a wired room thermostat
already, this is the only kit you need; if you
previously had no thermostat, or a wireless
one, you need to buy the Extension Kit,
which connects to your boiler to control
your heating. You also need the Extension
Kit if you want to control your hot water.
An extra £80, the Extension Kit makes the
Tado system quite expensive. Other systems
ship with the boiler connector as part of the
kit, and every other company negates the
need for a separate internet bridge, too. Both
the thermostat and Extension Kit support
OpenTherm for boiler modulation.
HOME AND AWAY
Don’t let the price put you off, however, as
Tado makes one of the best smart heating
systems. Its kit is also great-looking. We love
the way that the LED display shines through
the plastic covering of the thermostat.
While you can pay a professional to install
it, Tado can provide detailed instructions
based on your boiler and current heating
system. We self-installed, and the instructions
customised to our boiler made it simple.
The V3+ app shows you the air freshness
in your neighborhood and an overview of your
home environment: too warm, too cold, too
humid or too dry. Through advice in the app,
the idea is to get the right balance.
Less impressive is the fact that the V3+
app now requires a subscription to use two
money-saving modes: window detection,
which shuts down the heating when a door or
window is open, and geolocation, which turns
down your heating when you go out.
If you don’t pay, you don’t get either
feature, or geolocation will pop up a message
asking if you want to turn down your heating.
Subscription costs £2.99 a month, and you
can cancel at any point, so you could just use
these features during the winter.
ISSUE 373 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | MARCH 2019
This move to a subscription service is
ostensibly to help fund future updates. If you
don’t like it, then the older products (up to
V3) ship with the old app, which gives you
geolocation for free.
KEEP IT LOCAL
It’s neat that you can set the geolocation
radius; it’s helpful if you often pop out locally,
as you can shrink the radius to make sure the
heat goes off when you pop round the corner.
When the heating is on, Tado operates in
a simple scheduled mode, where you set the
temperature you want for the time periods
you want. It’s easy to configure, and you can
have the same schedule for every day,
different for weekdays and weekends, or
different for every day. Annoyingly, you
can’t copy schedules between days, so you
have to set each one manually.
From the app you can override the current
temperature to give it a boost, setting the
change to be permanent, to last until the next
switch, or run on a timer. The thermostat lets
SMART THERMOSTATS
you adjust the temperature, while the app lets
you set how long this lasts for.
The Smart Radiator Thermostats give you
room-by-room control through replacing your
existing TRVs. Tado’s controls are easy to fit
and look great. Neatly, the display is hidden
until it lights up through the white plastic when
you interact with the Radiator Thermostats.
Multiple thermostats can be placed in one
room and controlled together; you can add
thermostats to the same room as the main
thermostat and use the larger device for
temperature monitoring. Smart Radiator
Thermostats let you set schedules by room,
giving you a huge amount of flexibility on how
your house is warmed up. You may want some
rarely used rooms to be kept cooler, the
bedroom to heat up in the morning and the
lounge in the evening, for example. This level
of control will give you the biggest fuel
savings. It’s a shame that you can’t copy
schedules from room to room, however, and
configuration has to be done manually.
ZONING OUT
You can switch between heating zones in the
app by swiping on the home screen, and
override each zone’s current temperature
either from here or by twiddling the dial on
the Radiator Thermostat. This makes
controlling the temperature in each room easy
and flexible; if you walk into a cold room, you
can quickly get the heat up in that room only.
The home screen shows you the
temperature in each room, making it easy to
get an overview of your home. With the V3+
Bridge, Tado supports Google Assistant,
Amazon Alexa and Siri, with each letting you
set the temperature in specific zones. We
found that all the Skills worked well.
The full IFTTT channel includes triggers that
use Tado’s excellent location detection. You
can use this to turn off your lights and other
devices when you leave home, for example.
Charging for features that used to be
free is a hard sell, but if you can forgive that,
you get a powerful, well-designed and
expandable heating system.
99
 SMART THERMOSTATS

Award RECOMMENDED BEST BUY

Manufacturer DRAYTON HIVE HONEYWELL HONEYWELL
Model Wiser Heat Active Heating Evohome Lyric T6
2

Rating ★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★

HARDWARE
Remote thermostat Yes Yes Yes Yes

Hot water support Yes (2- and 3-channel Yes Yes No

versions)

Individual radiator Yes No Yes No

control

OpenTherm support Yes No Yes Yes

FEATURES
Voice assistant Alexa, Google Alexa, Google Alexa, Google Alexa, Google
support Assistant Assistant Assistant Assistant, Siri

IFTTT Yes Yes Yes Yes

BUYING INFORMATION
Price £184 £249 £215 £150

Warranty Two years RTB Two years RTB Two years RTB Two years RTB
Prices correct at time of going to press

Supplier www.amazon.co.uk www.hivehome.com www.theevo www.amazon.co.uk

homeshop.co.uk

Details www.draytoncontrols. www.hivehome.com www.honeywell.com www.honeywell.com

co.uk

VERDICT
There are a lot of smart thermostats out there, and they all do a
good basic job of making your heating easier to control and
manage. Out of the models that we’ve reviewed, there are some
clear winners. The Honeywell Evohome system is the best
multiroom system that we’ve reviewed, giving you the most
power and flexibility. If you want similar controls for less money,
the Drayton Wiser Heat is a great choice. Tado also has to be
mentioned as a powerful and upgradable system, although the
recent charges for some features that were previously free may
be hard to stomach for some people.
If you want a single thermostat, the Nest Learning Thermostat
3rd Generation is the product to buy, with its slick operation and
good looks. If you’re looking for simple installation, then the Nest
Thermostat E is a great alternative choice.

100 MARCH 2019 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | ISSUE 373

 SMART THERMOSTATS

BEST BUY RECOMMENDED RECOMMENDED

NEST NEST NETATMO TADO

Learning Thermostat E Smart Thermostat Smart Thermostat
Thermostat 3rd
Generation
★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★

Yes Yes Yes Yes

Yes No Yes Yes

No No Yes Yes

Yes Yes No Yes

Alexa, Google Assistant Alexa, Google Assistant Alexa, Google Assistant, Alexa, Google Assistant,
Siri Siri

Yes Yes Yes Yes

£219 £199 £149 £200

Two years RTB Two years RTB Two years RTB Two years RTB

www.johnlewis.com www.johnlewis.com www.johnlewis.com www.tado.com

www.nest.com www.nest.com www.netatmo.com www.tado.com

ISSUE 373 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | MARCH 2019 101

 KEEP WATCH
4KTVs
CONTENT REVIEWS 4K TVs are now firmly in the mainstream, meaning
Page 104 you have the best-ever selection to choose from.
HISENSE H43AE6100UK
Whether it’s a budget model or the latest display
Page 105
LG OLED65B8 tech, our guide will help you find your perfect TV
Page 106
THERE HAS NEVER been a better time to the most interesting areas in tech, and there
LOEWE bild 3.55
invest in a 4K TV. It’s true that, in the past, are plenty of great products as a result.
Page 107 they’ve been aspirational luxury goods instead Many of them can be found in the
PHILIPS 55POS9002 of something most potential owners could following pages, where we’ve put eight
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Page 108
things have changed, and nowadays you can
PHILIPS 55PUS6753/12 get a good-sized 4K screen for as little as or FOUR EYES
Page 109 less than some 1080p TVs. We’re focusing on 4K TVs (with the standard
SAMSUNG UE49NU8000 At the same time, 4K TVs have also been Ultra HD resolution of 3,840x2,160) because,
subject to some fine innovations at the high in 2019, this is the only resolution that makes
Page 110 end, such as OLED and quantum dot (QLED) sense when buying a brand-new telly.
SONY Bravia KD-55AF8 panel technology, new high dynamic range Naturally, it would be cheaper to go with a
Page 111 (HDR) techniques for better onscreen shades 1080p or even 720p model, but remember,
and colours, and even advances in speaker these aren’t desktop PC monitors. You’re likely
SONY Bravia KD-55XF9005 technology. With progress at both ends of to be viewing them from the other side of a
the market, TVs have quietly become one of room, not just a couple of feet away, so a

102 MARCH 2019 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | ISSUE 373


Brightness is particularly important, as the ability to display
high luminance is an essential part of HDR
higher resolution will ensure you can still make
out all the onscreen details even if you’re
sitting further away. To an extent, you could
also apply this more-is-more approach to the
total size of a set, although anything over 40in
will be enough for most living rooms.
That said, it becomes even more important
to have a higher resolution when the screen
itself is larger, as each pixel won’t have to
cover as much space – 1080p on, say, a 65in
TV would look far too pixelated.
The ever-increasing availability of 4K
content also means that, unlike when 4K TVs
were launched, there won’t be a dearth of
content preventing you from getting the most
out of the hardware. Netflix, Amazon Prime
Video and YouTube all offer 4K/UHD
streaming, and the number of films and TV
series available on 4K Blu-ray is only going
upwards. Even games consoles are being made
with 4K in mind, namely the PS4 Pro (Shopper
359) and Xbox One X (Shopper 361). In other
words, if you want your home entertainment
setup to get with the times, you need a 4K TV.
QUALITY ASSURANCE
It can’t just be any 4K TV, of course. It needs
to look good, and not just in the sense of its
physical design. A screen with washed-out
colours, low brightness and contrast or
weird processing artefacts can really spoil
the viewing experience.
Our testing regimen therefore consists of
a mixture of normal usage and altogether
more scientific measuring, with the aid of a
colourimeter. We’ll be looking for the same
qualities we look for in any display: high
colour gamut coverage, high brightness and
high contrast. Unlike, say, a professional
desktop monitor, it’s not so important
that a living room TV has perfect colour
accuracy, but a good TV should be able to
balance the need for lifelike tones with
attractive, vibrant hues. We’ll say if any of
our tested models falls short.
Brightness is particularly important, as
the ability to display high luminance is an
essential part of HDR. HDR-capable TVs
should be capable of producing cleaner,
brighter whites and darker, deeper blacks,
resulting in more vivid highlights and detailed
dark scenes than non-HDR TVs. If the
brightness is too low, then not only will you
have all the usual problems (such as ambient
lighting making it difficult to see the screen),
but supposedly HDR-ready TVs won’t actually
be able to show the full range of lightness.
DOT BLOODED
There are a few different panel types to be
found in today’s 4K TVs, each with their own
strengths and weaknesses. The more
affordable LCD TVs use vertical alignment
(VA) panels, which can offer high brightness
ISSUE 373 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | MARCH 2019
4K TVs
arguably the middle ground between LCD and
OLED. Basically, QLED uses an LCD-style
backlight, but when this illuminates the tiny
‘quantum dots’ contained in a layer of film,
each dot can produce its own, differently
and good contrast without pushing the price coloured light. It’s not true per-pixel lighting
up too much; however, they can also suffer like OLED, then, but it’s a cheaper technology
from narrow viewing angles, so unless you’re that tends to manage better contrast and
watching the TV from a straight-on position, wider viewing angles than VA.
the picture can look darkened or distorted.
Organic light-emitting diode (OLED) MAKING SOME CHANGES
panels have become a popular choice for QLED also appears to have lower input lag
higher-end TVs. Whereas LCD screens than OLED and VA – input lag being the
(including VA panels) use a backlight to delay between a picture being generated
illuminate each pixel, OLED’s pixels produce by the source and that picture being
their own light, and can switch off entirely, shown on the screen.
producing unbeatable dark blacks and High input lag doesn’t matter much for
perfect infinity:1 contrast ratios. watching films and TV, but lower is better
The downside is that although OLED when it comes to playing games. The amount
allows for much finer-controlled brightness, of lag can vary between models even if they
peak brightness isn’t as high as it is on LCD use the same screen technology, so in each
screens. Viewing angles are much wider with of our product tests we’ve judged how
OLED technology, however. responsive each TV feels when playing games.
Lastly, Samsung has its very own screen Some have input lag measuring in excess of
technology in quantum dot, or QLED. This is 40ms, which can be offputtingly sluggish.
THE BEST TVs FOR…
VALUE
PHILIPS 55PUS6753/12
The Hisense H43AE6100UK gets a special mention, as not
too long ago it seemed unthinkable that a living-room-sized,
4K-ready TV could cost as little at £279. Nevertheless, we
think the £549 55PUS6753/12 is the smarter buy overall.
It, too, is very cheap indeed for a 4K TV, while being bigger
and better than Hisense’s model.
True, brightness is low enough that you won’t be taking much advantage of HDR,
but colours are good, input lag is low, and it comes with Philip’s lovely Ambilight system.
Just like on the premium 55POS9002, this bias lighting can help reduce eye strain and
better immerse you in the action.
PICTURE QUALITY
LG OLED65B8
It’s hard to beat a good OLED for straight-up visual prowess,
and the OLED65B8 is easily one of the best implementations
of this young screen technology. Besides the expected
benefits, such as perfect contrast and inky blacks, LG’s TV
deftly avoids common OLED pitfalls, including vertical and
horizontal banding (when thin lines appear on the screen).
Brightness is also relatively high for an OLED panel, while colours are both vibrant
and – with a little tweaking – accurate. It even has low input lag, should you wish to enjoy
the OLED65B8’s sumptuous picture quality with games instead of films.
THE BEST OF BOTH
PHILIPS 55POS9002
It’s pretty impressive that the 55POS9002 is only Philips’
second OLED TV, as it manages not only to produce lovely
images, but does so at a very reasonable price indeed – the
same, in fact, as the VA-panelled Sony Bravia KD-55XF9005.
It’s not the absolute best-looking OLED, but still uses a
brilliant, colourful panel that’s bright enough for HDR content to be worth seeking out.
Build quality and connectivity are also up to premium standards, and not only is
Ambilight bias lighting included, but you can sync it with any Philips Hue smart lightbulbs
you own, filling entire rooms with dynamically shifting colours.
103
 4K TVs
HISENSE
H43AE6100UK
★★★★★
£279 • From www.amazon.co.uk
VERDICT
This is a stunningly affordable 4K TV, but
you’ll need to work around its low brightness
HISENSE HAS BEEN steadily making inroads
into the high-end TV market, but its core
television business – at least in the UK – is
more affordable sets that focus on value for
money. The company’s latest H43AE6100UK
4K LED LCD is a perfect example: a 43in TV
that can be yours for just £279, far less than
its already-low launch price of £329.
Like the rest of the Hisense AE6100
LED LCD series, this set features a native
4K UHD resolution, uses direct-lit LED
backlighting, and runs on the Chinese
brand’s VIDAA Smart TV platform.
There’s HDR support for both the open-
standard HDR10 and broadcast-friendly
Hybrid Log-Gamma (HLG) formats, too.
ECONOMY SIZE
We can hardly overstate how cheap this is
by 4K norms. There are other TVs that also
offer great value, such as the much larger
Philips 55PUS6753/12, but in terms of getting
the most affordable 4K hardware, the
H43AE6100UK is practically unbeaten. By
comparison, the cheapest 4K models from LG
and Samsung (the UK6400 and NU7120,
respectively) both cost £369, and the NU7120
is 3in smaller than Hisense’s TV as well.
With a black bezel framing the fairly
reflective LCD screen, the design of the
Hisense H43AE6100UK is a strictly no-frills
affair, which is no surprise at this price. That
said, the chassis isn’t as chunky as some other
LCD TVs we’ve seen that use direct-lit LED
backlights, although the bottom half does
bulge out to accommodate the internal
components, power supply and speakers.
A pair of feet slot into
both ends of the display,
which isn’t the best design.
In fact, it’s one of our pet
hates, as it necessitates an
AV rack that’s almost as
wide as the screen; you’ll
want to check the width of
your rack before buying.
Three HDMI inputs are
provided, of which two are
full-bandwidth HDMI 2.0b
ports that support 4K HDR
videos at a higher frame
rate, bit depth or chroma.
Sound quality is above
average, with decent bass
and clarity, and navigating
the user menu and smart
TV platform proved to be a
104
pleasantly responsive experience. All of the
major UK catch-up TV apps, including BBC
iPlayer, are on board thanks to Freeview Play,
and Hisense is looking after streaming
junkies with built-in Netflix, Amazon Prime
Video and YouTube apps. All of these,
thankfully, support 4K HDR playback.
As for picture quality, this is another thing
that’s harder to get excited about than the
price. The H43AE6100UK doesn’t feature any
sort of local backlight dimming, and the
VA-type panel has the technology’s usual
pros and cons. The screen delivers deep
blacks by LED LCD standards, but suffers
from narrow viewing angles. This means that
images become progressively paler and
more washed out as you move away from a
head-on angle. If you can’t sit in front of this
TV, it’s simply not going to look its best.
DULL PAIN
All that said, this is a better-looking TV than
you might expect from a budget model.
Thanks to the deep blacks and contrast,
colours on the H43AE6100UK look acceptable,
even if the out-of-the-box picture presets
aren’t that colour-accurate compared to
pricier sets. Hisense actually provides a
comprehensive array of calibration
controls, although it seems unlikely that
anyone in the market for a sub-£300 TV
would be interested in buying the £100
calibrator required to use them properly.
One major downside is the limited
brightness. The H43AE6100UK only manages
to produce a light output of 140cd/m2
full-screen, and struggles to combat ambient
light in a bright room, meaning it’s best
reserved for evening and bedroom duties.
Screen uniformity on our review sample
was also below par, with banding and a
dirty screen effect visible across the panel.
The 60Hz panel also causes problems for
motion smoothness and clarity: while
pricier sets use motion interpolation or
black frame insertion to combat the blur
typical of LCD-based televisions, Hisense’s
TV has no such capabilities.
You can write off HDR support completely,
too. As peak brightness only measures a
paltry 140cd/m2 both on a 10% window and
full-screen, there simply isn’t enough
brightness to recreate the burning bright
highlights in HDR content. DCI-P3 colour
gamut coverage came in at 82%, again falling
short of any respectable HDR TV these days.
VALUE ADDED
If you’re looking for a big-screen gaming
TV on a budget, however, the Hisense may
be worth considering. Despite not offering
any dedicated Game mode, the Hisense
H43AE6100UK is responsive
enough to be used for
playing games, with
input lag coming in at a
manageable 27ms in
both 1080p SDR and
UHD HDR modes.
If you can forgive its
useless HDR compatibility
and low brightness, the
Hisense H43AE6100UK is a
reasonable TV at a keen
price. Now that it’s tumbled
below £300, forgiveness
should come fairly easily,
especially if it goes in a
bedroom for late-night
viewing duties, where its
weakness to bright ambient
lights won’t be such a factor.
MARCH 2019 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | ISSUE 373

LG OLED65B8
★★★★★
£1,999 • From www.currys.co.uk
VERDICT
LG has upgraded it’s ‘entry-level’ OLED TV,
and the results are sensational
HOLD ON TO your credit cards: the LG B8
is the new ‘entry-level’ OLED TV from the
South Korean brand. With a starting price of
£1,299 for the 55in model it’s still by no
means cheap, especially when the 65in
model we were sent bumps things up to
£1,999, but with the latest OLED technology
on show – not to mention an upgraded image
processor – this big-screen TV looks set to
deliver a spectacle to remember.
SMART GALLERY
Whereas LG’s higher-ranking C8, E8, G8 and
W8 series TVs feature the company’s new
top-end Alpha 9 processor, the OLED65B8
uses an Alpha 7 processor, which is essentially
a modified version of the chipset found on
last year’s LG B7, C7, E7, G7 and W7 OLEDs.
While this means the OLED65B8 doesn’t
feature LG’s most advanced picture
processing technologies, it still manages to
pack the latest WRGB OLED panel from LG
Display, multi-HDR support for the open-
standard HDR10, broadcast-friendly Hybrid
Log-Gamma (HLG), Dolby Vision and
Technicolor HDR formats.
It’s also equipped with LG’s wonderfully
intuitive and responsive WebOS Smart TV
platform (dubbed ThinQ AI), which now
provides compatibility with both the Google
Assistant and Amazon Alexa.
The design of the LG OLED65B8 is almost
identical to 2017’s C7 OLED, with a slim black
bezel and a central sloped stand bearing an
LG OLED inscription.
The connections are located at the
rear-left of the display, and include four
HDMI inputs, all of which are full-bandwidth
HDMI 2.0b ports with HDCP 2.2 compliance.
You can therefore plug your Xbox One X,
PS4 Pro, Apple TV 4K box or 4K Blu-ray
player into any of these four HDMI
connections, and enjoy 4K HDR content
at a higher frame rate, chroma or bit
depth without any issues.
The bundled grey Magic Remote works
brilliantly. The mouse pointer function makes
it supremely easy to navigate the WebOS
front end, and switching between apps and
sources is a joy rather than the button-
clicking chore it can be on rival TVs.
The improvements brought by the WRGB
OLED panel are clear to see. Uniformity is
generally better than 2017’s OLED panels,
and when displaying brighter
full-field grey slides, our
OLED65B8 didn’t exhibit any
colour tinting, banding or
dirty screen effect at all.
ISSUE 373 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | MARCH 2019
If you’ve been tempted by OLED’s charms, then the
OLED65B8 is the perfect meeting point between price,
performance and big-screen HDR thrills
In very dark scenes, no consumer OLED
TV is completely free of thin vertical streaks,
but the OLED65B8 is one of the cleanest
we’ve seen in this regard. We barely noticed
any vertical banding in shadowy movie
scenes, which often prove challenging for
OLED-based TVs.
As ever, OLED itself has more than its
fair share of plus points. As every pixel can
be turned on and off individually – the
display technology is self-emissive after all
– the OLED65B8 is capable of delivering true
blacks, vibrant colours and wide viewing
angles which other TVs can only dream of.
OLED’s pixel-level light control also allows
HDR content to sparkle with pop and depth,
since bright highlights can coexist beside
inky blacks without blooming artefacts.
LOVING MEMORY
A further benefit is that the panel can be
calibrated to an extremely accurate level,
allowing memory colours – colours that
we instinctively know to be lifelike or
otherwise, such as skin tones – to look
stunningly realistic and natural.
Motion-wise, the LG OLED65B8
offers both frame interpolation and
black frame insertion (BFI) to combat
motion blur. However, we don’t think
many viewers will be able to tolerate
the flicker that comes with the latter,
which can become tiring in
brighter scenes with the 50Hz
broadcast content we get in
the UK and Europe.
On the video-processing
front, avid video buffs will
be a tad disappointed to
find that the OLED65B8
doesn’t appear to have
4K TVs
the decontouring filter that’s available on
LG OLEDs with Alpha 9 processor, such as
the C8, E8, G8 and W8 series. This is
probably because the B8 series is only
using an upgraded Alpha 7 chipset.
When it comes to HDR, peak brightness
on our review sample measured 670cd/m2 on
a 10% window after calibration to D65 white
point, and 135cd/m2 on an all-white screen.
DCI-P3 colour gamut coverage was a
near-perfect 99%, just as we have come to
expect from WRGB OLED panels over the
past couple of years.
Input lag measured 21ms in both 1080p
SDR and 4K HDR Game modes on the
OLED65B8, making it one of the most
responsive TVs for playing games. Because
LG’s 2017 OLEDs have been accused of being
too dark for playing HDR games that are
mastered to 10,000 nits, the firm has not only
revised its 2018 tone-curve to look brighter at
baseline, but also made dynamic tone-
mapping available in Game mode that can
brighten 10,000-nit games even further.
SHINING EXAMPLE
The OLED65B8 offers some welcome extra
features over LG’s 2017 OLED TVs, but in our
opinion, the number one reason to buy the
2018 model over the 2017 one is for the
increased brightness in HDR Game mode.
The result is that HDR games from your
Xbox One X or PS4 Pro console will have
never looked better on OLED – and the
comprehensive HDR format support means
that HDR movies and TV look fantastic, too.
The price is the real clincher, however.
If you’ve been tempted by OLED’s charms,
then the OLED65B8 is the perfect meeting
point between price, performance and
big-screen HDR thrills.
105
 4K TVs
LOEWE bild 3.55
★★★★★
£2,999 • From www.cramptonandmoore.co.uk
VERDICT
This TV delivers premium styling, great
sound and gorgeous OLED images; it’s just
a shame about the price
OUTSIDE OF GERMANY, Loewe is not a
well-known TV brand. And even those that
have heard of the company probably aren’t
aware that it has the biggest range of OLED
TVs save for LG: there’s the bild 9 designer
TV, the bild 7 with a motorised stand, the bild
5, the bild 4, and the bild 3, the 55in model of
which we’re reviewing here.
While it sits at the bottom of the Loewe
family, the bild 3.55 has all the headline
features you’d expect at the rather
considerable price. It has a UHD resolution,
HDR support for the open-standard HDR10,
broadcast Hybrid Log-Gamma (HLG) and
proprietary Dolby Vision formats, and it runs
on Loewe’s own operating system.
RISING SUM
Bizarrely, the bild 3.55’s asking price has
gone up over time, not down. When we first
crossed paths with it in early 2018 it was
£2,199, which was expensive but still
arguably reasonable for the quality you
were getting. Now, the best price we can
find is £2,999 – a tough ask when the LG
OLED65B8 and Philips 55POS9002 are so
much cheaper.
Still, it’s easy to see where the money has
gone. The OLED panel is supremely thin, and
is stylishly encased in a gun-metal grey trim,
with the trademark Loewe tag clipping on to
the top-right of the screen.
The table-top stand is entirely
constructed from metal, which gives
it the kind of solid, hefty feel you’d
expect from a premium display.
All-round build quality is superb,
and there are a number of
thoughtful design touches.
There’s a slick swivelling stand;
a door to conceal the various
ports and connections that’s
elegantly held closed by
magnets; and the rear cover
maintains a clean look from
any angle, which makes it
perfect for an open-plan
living space.
Underneath the panel
there’s an integrated,
fabric-covered soundbar,
with a circular LED
indicator in the middle.
As the stereo speakers
within use a bass reflex
port design with 40 watts
of amplification per
channel, it’s no surprise
106
to find that the Loewe’s audio is substantially
richer and clearer than most rival TVs.
The connections are positioned on the left
rear of the TV, with some facing downwards
and some facing to the sides. There are four
HDMI ports, but only one is a full-bandwidth
HDMI 2.0 port, so you’ll need to ensure that
you connect your HDR or Dolby Vision
sources to this specific port.
The supplied two-tone remote is typically
swanky, with a weighty feel, a brushed
metallic silver front and buttons that
provide a lovely, tactile feel. It’s also good
to see that Netflix, Amazon and YouTube
apps are available within the Loewe OS Smart
TV portal, even if you are restricted to 4K
non–HDR material.
PUT IN THE SHADE
Typical of OLED, the Loewe
bild 3.55 is able to deliver
the holy trinity of perfect
blacks, vibrant colours and
wide viewing angles that
prevent colours washing out
when viewed from the sides.
However, as Loewe’s
OLED TVs are pitched as
lifestyle products rather
than the last word in picture
quality, there are no white
balance controls, nor a
colour management system
in the user menu. In its most
accurate out-of-the-box
picture mode, there’s a
distinct creamy tint, causing
skin tones to look unnatural
and clay-like with all the
processing that’s going on.
Thankfully, disabling most
of the bild 3.55’s picture
processing makes things
look more natural, but colour
accuracy and near-black
gradation are still less
refined than LG’s, Panasonic’s
or Sony’s OLED TVs.
Scaling quality is
excellent, with the bild
3.55 displaying crisp detail retrieval from
standard-definition content. With the
esoterically named ‘Film quality improvement
DMM’ setting disabled, motion resolution is
pretty low: we measured it at the sample-and-
hold baseline of 300 lines. Engaging DMM
improves motion clarity, but inevitably
introduces interpolation artefacts and soap
opera effect (an overly smooth, floaty feel)
to 24fps movies. Thankfully, however, the bild
3.55 handles slow panning shots in 24p films
natively without any of the tell-tale judder
found on lesser sets, so we’d advise
prospective owners to leave the setting off
when watching movies.
The Loewe puts in a solid performance in
other areas, too. HDR performance is good,
at least by the standards of other OLED TVs.
We measured peak brightness at 650cd/m2
on a 10% window once calibrated to D65
white point, and DCI-P3 colour gamut
coverage was 99%. With the correct HDR
picture mode selected, the Loewe bild 3.55’s
tone-mapping algorithm worked very well, and
did a great job of attempting to maintain
overall brightness and specular highlight
detail depending on the content metadata.
BILD QUALITY
The Loewe also supports HLG and Dolby
Vision. We played some iTunes movies
and Netflix shows in Dolby Vision from
an Apple TV 4K box, and they looked as
spectacular as on any Dolby Vision-capable
OLED TV, with a richness and precision
that’s a sight to behold.
Gaming is a weak point, however. With
Gaming mode engaged, input lag measured
40ms in 1080p SDR, but went up to 66ms
with a 4K signal, so 4K games from the PS4
Pro and Xbox One X may feel a bit sluggish.
If you’re dead set on Dolby Vision
support, the Loewe bild 3.55 could be worth
a look. Its colour reproduction isn’t as
accurate as the competition, but its
exquisite styling, German build quality and
strong sound output combine to create a
TV that is definitely out of the ordinary.
Even so, we’d much rather save £1,800 and
get the Philips 55POS9002 instead.
MARCH 2019 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | ISSUE 373

PHILIPS 55POS9002
★★★★★
£1,199 • From www.amazon.co.uk
VERDICT
Philips’ second-ever OLED TV is a 4K HDR
stunner with some clever lighting tricks
FOLLOWING UP ON the excellent Philips
901F, which arrived all the way back in early
2017, TP Vision – the company responsible for
the development and marketing of Philips-
branded televisions in the UK and Europe –
has launched another OLED TV in the form of
the 55POS9002. Confusingly, this exact spec
also seems to be named the 55OLED873,
though since 55POS9002 is both the original
name and the one retailers appear to be
sticking with, we’re going to do the same.
Whatever it’s called, this 55in 4K HDR
screen is packed with standout features. As
ever, Philips’ excellent Ambilight integrated
bias lighting technology makes the grade;
there’s also Ultra HD Premium certification;
the TV runs on the Android Smart TV
platform; and the new P5 processing chip
promises to improve the picture quality of
even less-than-pristine sources.
HUE GOES THERE
The 55POS9002 is a handsome TV. The panel
is supported by a central U-shaped stand that
carries a tasteful brushed metallic silver finish,
and as OLED displays don’t need a backlight,
both the panel and the bezel are impressively
slim. An illuminated Philips logo hangs from
the bottom edge of the screen, but fear not:
the light can be dimmed or even switched off
from the user menu.
Look to the rear, and you’ll notice an array
of LEDs stretching around the TV’s upper
edges; it’s these that create the Ambilight
fireworks. The strips of multicoloured LEDs
can be set to react to the actual onscreen
colours, gently illuminating the wall behind
the TV in the same hues as the onscreen
action, or you can just select a single neutral
colour if you find that too distracting.
Ambilight isn’t just a gimmick, however: the
technique is called bias lighting, and it helps
to increase the perceived contrast and colour
vibrancy of onscreen images.
What’s more, the 55POS9002 also
supports Philips’ Hue connected lights.
Dot a few Philips Hue standalone lights or
lightbulbs around the room, connect with
the TV via Wi-Fi, and the 55POS9002 can
dynamically change the colour and intensity
of the lights in your room to match what’s
playing on the screen.
Like many OLED TVs, the bottom rear
bulges out to accommodate the internal
components, power supply and connection
ports. Four HDMI inputs are provided, but
only two support the HDMI 2.0b standard for
HDR10 and HLG formats. All the sockets face
either sideways or downwards, a blessing for
ISSUE 373 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | MARCH 2019
wall-mounting owners. Sound quality isn’t as
rich and detailed as the integrated soundbar
found on the 901F, however.
As the 55POS9002 runs the Android TV
operating system, it’s no surprise to find that
the supplied remote is dual-sided, featuring
traditional buttons on one side and a
QWERTY keyboard on the other to speed up
text input. The operating system has the
familiar, tile-based homepage interface, but
we noted that it feels slicker than Sony’s
implementation of Android TV on its sets.
Netflix, BBC iPlayer and YouTube video apps
are all present, too.
LOCALLY SOURCED
The 55POS9002’s OLED panel is simply stellar.
The usual traits of the technology get it off to
a great start: as OLED tech allows every pixel
to be switched on and off independently of
each other, and each is its own discrete light
source, the 55POS9002 is able to achieve the
perfect blacks that leaves even the best
full-array local dimming LED LCDs looking
slightly grey by comparison.
This blanket of inky blacks injects
breathtaking amounts of pop and depth to
every image displayed on the screen, and
also serves as the ideal canvas for colours to
flourish without being diluted by any errant
backlighting shining through.
Viewing angles are also superb, suffering
from virtually no drop-off in colours or
4K TVs
contrast when watched from the sides. In our
experience, 55in OLEDs generally exhibit
better near-black and colour uniformity than
65in models, and the 55POS9002 stuck to the
rule, giving us no cause for concern.
Philips’ new P5 picture-processing engine
works well to present a watchable image from
lower-quality feeds, but for high-quality
sources, we like to switch most processing off
to prevent the picture from looking unnatural.
Motion handling is top-notch, and there are
enough customisable controls for users to
achieve the desired smoothness and clarity.
In terms of HDR, peak brightness reached
740cd/m2 – much lower than the best LED
sets, but respectable by OLED standards –
and the Philips’s vast palette of colours
allowed it to cover an impressive 98% of the
DCI-P3 colour gamut. Both of these results
prove that the 55POS9002 genuinely
deserves its Ultra HD Premium stripes.
IMPAIRED VISION
Again, thanks to OLED’s pixel-level light
control, HDR videos looked mightily
impressive. There are no haloing or
blooming artefacts to spoil the picture,
although Philips’ processing of HDR material
does mean that very bright detail may
disappear: rather than dimming the overall
image to retain all the highlight detail, Philips’
tone-mapping errs towards clipping the very
brightest tones. Otherwise, there’s only one
other quibble on the HDR front, and it’s that
neither Dolby Vision nor HDR10+ dynamic
metadata technology are supported.
Still, firing up your favoured games console
won’t leave you disappointed. Philips has
improved the gaming responsiveness on the
55POS9002 compared with its predecessor:
input lag measured 39ms in both 1080p SDR
and 4K HDR (Game) modes, which while not
the best in its class, should be quick enough
for all but the most demanding of gamers.
The Philips 55POS9002 is a stunning TV.
For this level of performance, the asking price
is eminently reasonable, and with great
motion handling, video processing and
Ambilight/Philips Hue integration, it
definitely deserves a place on your wish list.
107
 4K TVs
PHILIPS
55PUS6753/12
★★★★★
£549 • From www.ao.com
VERDICT
HDR isn’t up to much, but Philips’ 4K TV is
otherwise a superb all-rounder for the price
AT THE OPPOSITE (more or less) end to
Philips’ 55POS9002 OLED TV is a slew of
more affordable LED LCD models, including
the Philips 55PUS6753/12, a 55in 4K HDR
screen priced at only £549.
Sure, that’s not quite as dirt-cheap as
the Hisense H43AE6100UK, but it’s still a
refreshing change when so many 4K TVs sail
clean over the £1,000 barrier. Besides, as
fantastic a bargain as the H43AE6100UK is,
it does have its issues, so perhaps the
55PUS6753/12 can strike a better balance
between affordability and performance.
This television uses direct-lit LED
backlighting, and while it lacks the local
dimming technology of pricier sets, that
omission is easy to forgive at such a low price.
It also lacks the excellent P5 processor and
Android TV system found on higher-end
models, but still manages to find room for
the three-sided Ambilight integrated bias
lighting technology for which Philips TVs
are renowned. This is not mere RGB
lighting gimmickry: Ambilight genuinely
improves the perceived image quality.
Supported HDR flavours include the
open-standard HDR10 and broadcast-
friendly Hybrid Log-Gamma (HLG) formats.
The onboard Saphi Smart TV platform is
Linux-based, offering access to a
comprehensive collection of streaming
apps such as BBC iPlayer (with support
for 4K HLG HDR) Netflix (4K HDR) and
Amazon Prime Video (4K, but not HDR).
THICK IN THE LED
The styling of the 55PUS6753/12 belies
its relatively low price. Indeed, it’s similar
in many places to the much more
expensive 55POS9002. Both the matt
grey bezel and the chassis are thick by
modern LED LCD standards, owing to
the TV’s direct-lit LED backlighting
system, but the strip of transparent
Perspex bearing a Philips logo that
hangs beneath the screen adds a slight
touch of sophistication.
Build quality is so-so, but again,
you can’t really expect absolute
perfection at £549. Besides, the
inclusion of Ambilight definitely
helps the 55PUS6753/12 to avoid
seeming cheap and cheerful. It works
by gently illuminating the wall
behind the TV, and subtly
adjusts the colour of the
lighting to suit the
108
If you want a simple, good-quality 4K TV at an affordable
price, the Philips 55PUS6753/12 has exactly what it takes
onscreen content. This can help to improve
perceived blacks and reduce eye fatigue.
The Ambilight version implemented on the
55PUS6753/12 is three-sided, which is the
same as Philips’ top-end OLEDs.
Three HDMI connections are found at the
back of the television, but like many modern
TVs (even high-end models), only two
– namely HDMI2 and HDMI3 – are
full-bandwidth HDMI 2.0b ports that
support UHD content at higher bit
depth, frame rate or chroma resolution.
The supplied remote control is
standard issue, and sound quality is as
you’d expect for a flat-screen TV:
passable for day-to-day viewing, but
far behind an external soundbar or
home theatre speakers.
MIRROR IMAGE
The 55PUS6753/12 uses a VA-type LCD
panel. This has the usual pros and cons:
it produces deep blacks by LED LCD
standards, but suffers from limited
viewing angles. It’s also worth noting
that the LCD screen is fairly reflective if
you watch in a brighter environment.
That said, the TV can be calibrated
to deliver natural-looking colours for
standard dynamic range (SDR)
material, despite the fact that the
onscreen display only offers single-
point white balance controls rather
than the multipoint controls of pricier
sets. Upscaling from sub-UHD
resolutions is also good,
overcoming the absence of
the company’s advanced P5
video processor. There are
some uniformity issues,
however – our review unit
exhibited both a mild
dirty screen effect and
darkened corners.
It’s also no surprise to find that Philips
has had to resort to a 60Hz LCD panel. As a
result, motion resolution isn’t as smooth as
it could be, and slow panning shots in 24fps
movies exhibit more judder than on TVs
with 120Hz panels.
Although the 55PUS6753/12 supports high
dynamic range playback, you should keep
your expectations in check. Peak brightness
measured only 270cd/m2 in the most accurate
HDR Movie preset, going up to 340cd/m2 in
the overly blue-tinted HDR Personal mode.
As you can imagine, this is far too dim to
provide an acceptable HDR picture, and leaves
films looking horribly flat and washed out.
It is, at least, a lot brighter than the
Hisense H43AE6100UK – remember that this
only peaked at a dismal 140cd/m2. Even if
neither television is particularly good for
watching HDR content, Philip’s TV will have
fewer everyday problems dealing with
ambient lighting, even with the reflective
screen, so it’s fine to have in the living room
instead of confining to a bedroom for
night-time viewing.
ON THE MONEY
What’s more, gamers who don’t mind
forgoing HDR will be happy with the Philips’
performance. Input lag measured 25ms in
both SDR and HDR game modes, making the
55PUS6753/12 a decent choice for gaming.
No-one should be particularly shocked
that a sub-£600 TV isn’t capable of producing
‘proper’ HDR: if you really want decent HDR
performance, you’re better off saving up for a
mid-range set. If, however, you just want a
simple, good-quality 4K TV at an affordable
price, the Philips 55PUS6753/12 has exactly
what it takes. With a 55in screen, Ambilight
technology and low input lag for only £549,
the 55PUS6753/12 is truly outstanding value,
to the point of being a better buy than the
cheaper H43AE6100UK.
MARCH 2019 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | ISSUE 373

SAMSUNG
UE49NU8000
★★★★★
£701 • From www.currys.co.uk
VERDICT
This mid-range set benefits from minimal
input lag and superb image processing, but
the 60Hz panel lets it down
WHILE THE UPPER echelons of Samsung’s
TV range keenly demonstrate the very latest
in quantum dot technology (also known as
QLED), the UE49NU8000 proves that
Samsung hasn’t abandoned the more
affordable LED LCD end of the market.
However, if you were hoping for an
eye-catching new physique for Samsung’s
latest mid-range set, then prepare to be
disappointed. The NU8000’s design refuses to
break the mould that’s been so successful in
recent years, with a slim black bezel, rounded
corners, and a slightly thicker bottom border
finished in light grey. It would be churlish to
complain about the results, however: the
classy two-tone appearance and brushed
metal T-bar stand look great from any angle.
What is different from the older MU8000
is the omission of the external One Connect
box. Now that all the connections are on the
rear of the TV, the chassis isn’t as slim as
previous edge-lit LED LCDs we’ve seen from
Samsung. The departure of the One Connect
box also makes it a little tougher to keep the
cabling neat and tidy, even though Samsung
has made provisions for cable management
along the pedestal stem. Connectivity is still
ample, however. Four HDMI inputs are
supplied, and all are full-bandwidth, HDCP
2.2-compliant HDMI 2.0b ports.
TWO HANDED
The UE49NU8000 ships with two remote
controls: a ‘smart’ voice control wand
and a traditional clicker. Whichever you
reach for first, the Tizen-based Smart TV
system remains easy to navigate, even if it
isn’t as slick and straightforward as LG’s
WebOS platform.
The bad news is that major UK catch-up
TV apps such as BBC iPlayer and ITV Player
still aren’t available, even a few months
after release. It’s also disappointing to
find that the onboard Prime Video app
lacks 4K HDR support.
Aural fireworks aren’t on the cards
here, but the audio output from the
down-firing speakers is passable.
Dialogue is reproduced with enough
clarity that you don’t need to crank up
the volume, but should you feel the
need to do so there’s enough oomph
to the built-in amplifier to reach
reasonably satisfying levels.
As the UE49NU8000 uses a VA-type
LCD panel, it suffers from the usual
ISSUE 373 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | MARCH 2019
drawback of narrow viewing angles. However,
the quantum dot tech also helps to serve up
deep blacks by LCD standards.
The edge-lit backlighting relies on LED
modules dotted along the base of the screen,
which reduces manufacturing costs and
chassis thickness compared with full-array
local dimming LED LCDs. However, there are
a couple of downsides to this type of LED
configuration, as it tends to leave the
letterbox bars on films looking dark grey
rather than black, and causes visible
blooming around bright objects when they’re
positioned against a dark background.
TRUE COLOURS
Put those limitations to one side, however,
and there are several points in the
UE49NU8000’s favour. Colour accuracy is
impressive after calibration, making all types
of SDR material look realistic and natural.
In the most accurate HDR picture mode,
DCI-P3 colour gamut coverage measured
92%, which is a solid result.
Video processing is excellent, too, offering
very good upscaling, with crisp detail and
minimal side effects such as ringing.
Peak brightness for HDR content is where
things begin to unravel. The UE49NU8000
reaches a maximum of 800cd/m2 on a 10%
window, which sounds reasonable, but this
can only be sustained for 35 seconds before
dropping to 535cd/m2. Another issue is that
since the UE49NU8000’s backlight must be
turned right up to deliver an acceptable HDR
Vs
4K TVs
experience, dark scenes can look grey, and
blooming and clouding around the
brightest parts of the image become apparent.
As ever, Samsung’s tone-mapping
algorithm aims to preserve the detail in the
very brightest highlights, but the result is
that detail in the darker parts of the picture
can look a bit too dark. This is especially
noticeable when watching Blu-ray films
that have been mastered to a maximum
brightness of 4,000 nits.
SLOW ZONE
Unfortunately, the UE49NU8000 is crippled
with one fatal flaw: unlike larger members of
the NU8000 family, which use 120Hz panels,
this smaller 49in model settles for 60Hz, as
budget TVs tend to do. This prevents it from
serving up the smoothest playback, and
unlike TVs with higher refresh rates it can’t
resort to frame interpolation to improve the
clarity and smoothness of moving images. In
addition, like previous Samsung TVs, the
UE49NU8000 tends to exhibit more
posterisation in tonally uniform backgrounds.
Input lag offers some respite. With
extremely low measurements of 14ms in
both 1080p SDR and 4K HDR modes, the
UE49NU8000 is the most responsive
television we’ve tested to date. It also has one
final ace up its sleeve: unlike self-emissive
plasma and OLED displays, there’s no risk of
image retention and permanent screen burn
from static logos and HUDs on screen.
Although its video processing and input
lag are superb, the Samsung
UE49NU8000’s 60Hz panel is its
Achilles’ heel, as it provides no effective
means of reducing motion blur on its
UHD screen. Furthermore, while the
bottom-lit edge LED configuration may
have been adequate in the past, the tech
is now beginning to look out of date.
Caught between more affordable models
such as the Philips 55PUS6753/12 and
better-performing rivals such as the
Sony KD-55XF9005, which offers
full-array local dimming technology,
the UE49NU8000 misses the mark.
109
 4K TVs
SONY Bravia
KD-55AF8
★★★★★
£1,799 • From www.currys.co.uk
VERDICT
With sharp design and superlative
processing, only a slight lack of brightness
for HDR material holds the KD-55AF8 back
UNLIKE MANY RIVAL TV manufacturers,
Sony has preferred to keep its panel options
open, embracing both OLED and LED LCD
technologies within its Bravia line-up. We’ve
seen a great recent addition on the LCD side
with the KD-55XF9005, and there’s also a
newer OLED model in the KD-55AF8.
On paper, its specifications are almost
identical to last year’s excellent Sony A1,
including a UHD OLED panel, the top-of-the-
range X1 Extreme picture processor, the
Android Smart TV platform, Acoustic Surface
sound technology (which allows the entire
screen to act as a speaker) and HDR support
for HDR10, HLG and – following a firmware
update – Dolby Vision formats.
The main difference comes in the
KD-55AF8’s design, which is wonderfully
minimalist. The OLED panel is wafer-thin,
and there’s an inconspicuous Sony logo at
the bottom left corner of the screen. While
the A1 featured a pronounced lean-back
design supported by a kick stand, the Sony
AF8 sits vertically on a table-top stand with
the lowest profile we’ve ever seen. Our review
unit still exhibited a very slight lean back
when inspected from the side, but it’s not
noticeable from the front.
TREBLE MAKER
The stand takes up barely any space at all,
which means that it sits nicely on narrower
AV racks. And you can safely ignore the pair
of rubber stand spacers provided in the box:
they’re intended to add stability, but are
really not essential.
Should you choose not to wall-
mount the Sony AF8, the screen is
almost flush with the surface below, so
there isn’t enough clearance for a
soundbar. However, Sony believes that
the AF8’s onboard Acoustic Surface
Speaker should be good enough to
obviate the need for a soundbar. This
technology turns the whole screen into
a giant speaker, while additional
conventional speakers in the body of
the TV handle the lower frequencies.
The result is impressive audio clarity,
and the kind of precise soundstaging
that most other TVs on the market can
only dream of, but bass isn’t as rich as
on the A1, probably due to a change in
subwoofer configuration.
The connection ports are located
on the left rear of the display. As is
110
the case with all Sony X1 Extreme TVs so
far, there are four HDMI inputs, but only
two are the full-bandwidth HDMI 2.0b
ports that support 4K HDR video at higher
frame rates, chroma or bit-depth, and you’ll
manually need to enable HDMI signal
Enhanced format in the user menu to get
the full benefit.
EXTREME MEASURES
OLED is the best display technology going. As
it’s self-emissive, every one of the 8.3 million
pixels on the Sony KD-55AF8 is effectively
its own miniature backlight, so they can be
turned on and off independently of one
another. The result is perfect blacks, vibrant
colours and wide viewing angles: unlike LCD
TVs, there is virtually no loss of contrast or
colour saturation when watched off-axis.
The X1 Extreme chipset, also works
wonders. For starters, its upscaling quality
of standard-definition content is better
than that delivered by any other TV brand.
The gap closes when you feed it with
high-definition material, however, as most
high-end 4K TVs are competent enough not
to reveal any upscaling issues – or at least
not from typical viewing distances.
Another feather in Sony’s cap is its
near-black handling. This is the cleanest
among consumer OLEDs, and the KD-55AF8
exhibits less noise and posterisation (the
blotchy effect that you might have noticed
in images of bright skies) in darker areas
than its rivals. Engage Sony’s Smooth
Gradation super bit-mapping technology,
and the good news is that any remaining
posterisation can be reduced even further.
Motion performance is top-notch, too, at
least with the correct settings.
We measured a DCI-P3 colour gamut
coverage of 99%, which is exactly what we’d
expect from a consumer OLED TV these days.
However, colour accuracy for standard
dynamic range video was superb after
calibration, and the result was supremely
realistic colours and skin tones.
When cycling through full-field slides,
brightness uniformity was excellent, with
no dirty screen effect, vignetting or colour
tinting on our review sample. Near-black
uniformity was good as well, without any
vignetting or reverse vignetting, and although
the KD-55AF8 couldn’t completely avoid thin
vertical streaks appearing in very dark scenes
(a common OLED issue), we weren’t that
bothered by them in practice.
DELAYED REACTION
There is one big weakness, however. We
measured a brightness of 600cd/m2 on a 10%
window after calibration, which robbed HDR
content of a little impact when compared to
LG’s 2017 and 2018 OLED screens, let alone
dramatically brighter LED LCDs such as the
Samsung Q9FN or Sony ZD9.
Input lag could be better, too.
In Game mode, we measured this at
31ms when fed a 4K signal, but if you
send the TV a 1080p video signal
(such as from the Nintendo Switch),
latency will go up by one frame due
to the upscaling involved, resulting in
a relatively sluggish 47ms.
There’s much to like about the
Sony Bravia KD-55AF8. The modest
brightness levels for HDR and
middling gaming responsiveness
may put off some people, but this
TV’s superb processing means that
its motion handling and video
processing are second to none.
MARCH 2019 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | ISSUE 373

SONY Bravia
KD-55XF9005
★★★★★
£1,199 • From www.currys.co.uk
VERDICT
Excellent HDR, motion handling and
upscaling make this a great 4K TV
SITTING BETWEEN THE Bravia A1 and the
flagship ZD9 in Sony’s TV hierarchy, the 55in
KD-55XF9005 aims to deliver top-notch
quality while stopping (just) short of the
truly high-end price bracket.
As such, it comes with a rather impressive
specs list: 4K and HDR are first and foremost,
but it also features full-array local dimming,
direct-lit LED backlighting – which is generally
superior to the more common edge-lit
backlighting – as well as Sony’s most
advanced X1 Extreme processor. This in turn
helps power the Android Smart TV platform.
Finally there’s X-Motion Clarity, the light-
boosted backlight-scanning technology that’s
currently exclusive to the XF90 family.
HEAVY FOOTED
The KD-55XF9005 is a fine-looking TV.
The bezel is impressively thin, and the
aluminium trim and feet look great, but
there’s no getting away from the fact that
direct-lit LED LCD TVs need a much bulkier
backlighting array to do their stuff: peer
over the back and you’ll see a sizable bump
behind. Still, it’s nice to see that the supplied
remote control has also received a welcome
minor facelift, with discrete buttons and a
slightly weightier feel.
But perhaps the most controversial
element of the design is the feet: these splay
outwards to accommodate Sony’s XF9000
soundbar. If you own a narrower AV rack, you
can also point the feet inwards to reduce the
footprint a little, although this isn’t mentioned
in the user manual. Some users may find this
a bit of a pain, but it’s not all bad news. There
are grooves behind each foot to route cables
for a cleaner look, and the KD-55XF9005
doesn’t use an external power brick, which
tidies things up considerably.
The connections are found on the left rear
of the display, and face both sidewards and
downwards. There are four HDMI sockets, but
just as with previous Sony X1 Extreme TVs,
only HDMI inputs 2 and 3 are the full-fat
HDMI ports that can do 4K HDR at higher bit
depth, frame rate or chroma – and only once
you go into the user menu and switch on
HDMI Signal Enhanced format.
As usual, the Android Smart TV system is
entirely usable, if a little clunkier than the
competition, and we wouldn’t expect too
much from the down-firing speakers.
Unless you’re happy to put up with average
sound quality, this is a TV that deserves a
quality soundbar.
ISSUE 373 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | MARCH 2019
The VA panel is capable of producing
deep, inky blacks by LED LCD standards,
but there is a downside of narrower viewing
angle than you’d get from an IPS panel.
Still, it looks very good straight-on; the
brightness and colours are commendably
uniform across the entire 55 inches, and we
measured a DCI-P3 colour gamut coverage of
94%, which is very respectable indeed.
Colours are a little undersaturated out
of the box, but this was soon fixed by
calibrating the greyscale and adjusting the
colour controls. Two-point and 10-point
white balance controls are on board, but
sadly there’s no advanced colour
management system for really in-depth
tweaking. Still, a little effort ensured that
all the colours clicked into place nicely, and
the result was that SDR movies looked
supremely accurate and realistic, with skin
tones looking particularly lifelike.
The X1 Extreme processor also serves up
the best scaling we’ve seen on a consumer
TV. It’s capable of extracting crisp detail from
less-than-pristine sources, and crucially
without introducing the excessive visible
ringing of lesser processors.
MAKING THE GRADE
We’re also big fans of the Smooth Gradation
feature, which is very effective in reducing
posterisation – the annoying patchy effect
that’s occasionally visible on anything from
4K TVs
popular streaming services such as Netflix and
Amazon Prime Video to Blu-ray discs.
What’s more, X-Motion Clarity is a
revelation: it harnesses the full-array local
dimming and peak brightness potential of
the TV, and uses the power of the video
processor to locally boost the brightness of
the LEDs where backlight scanning occurs.
The result is a clearer picture that’s not
significantly darker or flickery, which will
please fans of fast-action sports.
The KD-55XF9005 also delivers a dramatic
HDR experience. Once calibrated, peak
brightness reached over 1,000cd/m2 on a 10%
window, and a very impressive 680cd/m2
across the whole display. A total of 48
independently dimmable zones is by no
means a class-leading number, and overall the
effect doesn’t match up to an OLED TV, but
Sony’s local dimming algorithm does well to
minimise haloing or blooming artefacts,
particularly with gentle ambient lighting.
As for input lag, we measured a
competitive 25ms in 4K HDR mode, but that
increased to 42ms for 1080p video signal,
thanks to the need to scale 1080p images
to fit the 4K screen. Anyone with a PS4 Pro
or Xbox One X (which both send out 4K
video by default) needn’t worry, but with
something like the Nintendo Switch, which
is 1080p only, then the KD-55XF9005 is
liable to feel slightly more sluggish.
BETTER, NOT BEST
The KD-55XF9005 marks a confident step
forward from last year’s successful XE90
range. With brighter, more impactful HDR
performance, incoming Dolby Vision support,
and superbly smooth motion thanks to the
X-Motion Clarity technology, this TV is a
force to be reckoned with.
There is one problem, however, and its
name is the Philips 55POS9002. For exactly
the same price, this OLED TV delivers
deeper blacks, wider viewing angles, lower
input lag and better colour gamut coverage.
The Bravia KD-55XF9005 can go brighter,
which is better for HDR content, but Philips’
TV is superior overall.
111
 4K TVs

Award RECOMMENDED BEST BUY

Manufacturer HISENSE LG LOEWE PHILIPS
Model H43AE6100UK OLED65B8 bild 3.55 55POS9002

Rating ★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★

HARDWARE
Screen size 43in 65in 55in 55in

Native resolution 3,840x2,160 3,840x2,160 3,840x2,160 3,840x2,160

Screen technology VA OLED OLED OLED

3D No No No No

Claimed contrast Not stated Infinity:1 Not stated Not stated

ratio

Claimed peak Not stated Not stated 450cd/m2 Not stated

brightness

Speakers 2x 7W 2x 10W, 1x 20W 2x 20W, 2x 40W 2x 15W

Video inputs 3x HDMI, 1x RF 4x HDMI, 1x RF 4x HDMI 4x HDMI,

1x component

Audio inputs None 1x 3.5mm None 2x RCA

Audio outputs 1x S/PDIF 1x S/PDIF, 1x 3.5mm 1x S/PDIF, 1x 3.5mm 1x S/PDIF, 1x 3.5mm

USB hub 2x USB 3x USB 3x USB 2x USB

Other ports 1x Ethernet, 1x CI 1x Ethernet, 1x CI 2x CI 1x Ethernet, 1x CI, 1x

satellite, 1x antenna

Tuner Freeview HD Freesat HD, Freesat HD, Freeview HD

Freeview HD Freeview HD,

Media streaming DLNA DLNA, Miracast DLNA DLNA

Dimensions 608x970x213mm 876x1,449x220mm 781x1,230x320mm 769x1,230x228mm

BUYING INFORMATION
Warranty Two years RTB Five years RTB Two years RTB One year RTB

Price £279 £1,999 £2,999 £1,199

Prices correct at time of going to press

Supplier www.amazon.co.uk www.currys.co.uk www.cramptonand www.amazon.co.uk

moore.co.uk

Details www.hisense.co.uk www.lg.com/uk www.loewe.tv/uk www.philips.co.uk

Part code H43AE6100UK OLED65B8 57461D80 55POS9002

112 MARCH 2019 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | ISSUE 373

 4K TVs

VERDICT
There are plenty of
great TVs here, even
those that didn’t
quite reach award-
worthiness. The
RECOMMENDED RECOMMENDED Hisense H43AE6100UK,
for example, has some
PHILIPS SAMSUNG SONY SONY brightness issues but is
affordable enough to be
55PUS6753/12 UE49NU8000 Bravia Bravia tempting all the same.
If you’re looking to
KD-55AF8 KD-55XF9005 save cash, however, the
Philips 55PUS6753/12 is
★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★ your best bet. About
half the price of a 55in
OLED, yet still fairly
capable when it comes
55in 49in 55in 55in to picture quality and
responsiveness, it’s an
3,840x2,160 3,840x2,160 3,840x2,160 3,840x2,160 absolute 4K bargain,
with far fewer
VA QLED OLED VA compromises than
the H43AE6100UK.
No No No No For those with larger
budgets, there are even
Not stated Not stated Not stated Not stated more options. The Sony
Bravia KD-55AF8 is a
handsome OLED TV,
350cd/m2 Not stated Not stated Not stated and its party trick of
turning the entire
screen into a vibrating
speaker is both cool
2x 10W 2x 20W 5x 10W 2x 10W in theory and effective
in practice.
3x HDMI, 4x HDMI 4x HDMI, 4x HDMI, Meanwhile, the LG
1x component 1x composite 1x composite OLED65B8 allures with
higher brightness and
2x RCA None None None general picture quality
than the Bravia; it’s
1x S/PDIF, 1x 3.5mm 1x S/PDIF 1x S/PDIF, 1x 3.5mm 1x S/PDIF, 1x 3.5mm also a couple of
hundred pounds more
2x USB 2x USB 3x USB 3x USB expensive, but then
that helps pay for an
1x Ethernet, 1x CI, 1x 1x Ethernet, 1x CI, 1x 1x Ethernet, 1x RF in 1x Ethernet, 1x RF in, extra 10in of screen
space, so it’s perfect
satellite, 1x antenna RF in 2x satellite for larger living rooms
or dedicated home
Freesat HD, Freesat HD, Freeview HD Freeview HD cinema enthusiasts.
Freeview HD Freeview HD Besides, both cost
peanuts next to the
DLNA, Miracast DLNA DLNA, Miracast DLNA, Miracast Loewe bild 3.55, a
technically superb TV
781x1,244x266mm 771x1,091x300mm 717x1,226x255mm 771x1,228x258mm that is, unfortunately,
just too expensive to
recommend fully.
Of the eight TVs, our
One year RTB One year RTB One year RTB One year RTB favourite is the Philips
55POS9002. It’s big, it
£549 £701 £1,799 £1,199 looks fantastic (even
dodging, or at least
www.ao.com www.currys.co.uk www.currys.co.uk www.currys.co.uk largely abating, some of
OLED’s less desirable
traits) and keeps input
lag to a minimum. Best
www.philips.co.uk www.samsung.com www.sony.co.uk www.sony.co.uk
of all, it’s the cheapest
OLED TV here.
55PUS6753/12 UE49NU8000 KD-55AF8 KD-55XF9005

ISSUE 373 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | MARCH 2019 113

 REVIEWS

How we test
Find out how well products perform with the help of
Computer Shopper’s comprehensive tests

COMPUTER SHOPPER’S REVIEWS use The actual scores in each test are
some of the most exhaustive testing shown inside each bar
procedures you’ll find in any PC
magazine. Every product is subjected to
qualitative and quantitative tests that Normal speed 11ppm Bigger is better for
show how it performs in practical use. all bars except the
Graphs for performance, battery-life Mono costs 2.2p red ones, which
scores and costs are used in the Reviews show running costs
section, as shown on the right. Look in Colour costs 6.7p A product hitting
the ‘Summary of tests’ table (below) for the +100 per cent
0% -50 Reference +50 +100
details of each test we run. mark performed
For PCs and laptops, we evaluate twice as well as our
performance using our own custom reference
benchmarking suite. See opposite for This line represents the performance of a reference product in
a description of our benchmarking each test. All graphs for components and systems are relative
software and game tests. to our reference PC (see opposite for specifications)

SUMMARY OF TESTS
PC SYSTEMS & GAMING LAPTOPS
Windows overall Average speed across
numerous demanding tasks
Multitasking Speed when running
simultaneous applications
Dirt Showdown Frames per second at
(1080p) 1,920x1,080, 4xAA,
Ultra detail
Metro: Last Light Frames per second at
Redux (1080p) 1,920x1,080, SSAA,
Very High detail
LAPTOPS
Windows overall Average speed across
numerous demanding tasks
Multitasking Processor-intensive
multitasking test
Dirt Showdown Frames per second at
(720p) 1,280x720, 4xAA,
High detail
Battery life Run time in minutes for
continuous video playback
SMARTPHONES/TABLETS
Battery life Run time in minutes for
continuous video playback
PRINTERS AND MFPs
Mono text speed Pages per minute for
correspondence-quality text
Mixed colour speed Pages per minute for
presentable text and graphics
Mono page cost Running costs expressed as
pence per page
Colour page cost Running costs expressed as
pence per page
DIGITAL CAMERAS
Battery life Number of shots from
full charge
CAMCORDERS
Battery life Run time in minutes
for recording
ROUTERS
Laptop 2.4GHz Mbit/s at 5m with 802.11ac
5m laptop on 2.4GHz band
Laptop 2.4GHz Mbit/s 1 floor up with
1 floor 802.11ac laptop on
2.4GHz band
Laptop 2.4GHz Mbit/s 2 floors up with
2 floors 802.11ac laptop on
2.4GHz band
Laptop 5GHz Mbit/s at 5m with 802.11ac
5m laptop on 5GHz band
Laptop 5GHz Mbit/s 1 floor up with
1 floor 802.11ac laptop on 5GHz band
Laptop 5GHz Mbit/s 2 floors up with
2 floors 802.11ac laptop on
5GHz band
NETWORK-ATTACHED STORAGE
Large files Average MB/s for read/write
of 100MB large files
Small files Average MB/s for read/write
of 100MB small files
HARD DISKS
Huge files Average MB/s for read/write
of a single 2.5GB file
Large files Average MB/s for read/write
of 2.5GB of large files
Small files Average MB/s for read/write
of 2.5GB of small files
PROCESSORS
Windows overall Average speed across
numerous demanding tasks
Multitasking Speed when running
simultaneous applications
Dirt Showdown Frames per second at
(720p) 1,280x720, 4xAA,
High detail
MOTHERBOARDS
Windows overall Average speed across
numerous demanding tasks
Multitasking Speed when running
simultaneous applications
Dirt Showdown Frames per second at
(1080p) 1,920x1,080, 4xAA,
Ultra detail
Dirt Showdown Frames per second at
(720p) 1,280x720, 4xAA,
High detail
GRAPHICS CARDS
Dirt Showdown Frames per second at
(1080p) 1,920x1,080, 4x MSAA,
Ultra detail
Tomb Raider Frames per second at
1,920x1,080, SSAA,
Ultra detail
Metro: Last Light Frames per second at
Redux 1,920x1,080, SSAA,
Very High detail

114 MARCH 2019 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | ISSUE 373

 REVIEWS

BENCHMARKS RATINGS & AWARDS

Computer Shopper rates
products out of five:

★★★★★
Excellent

★★★★★
Very good

★★★★★
Good

★★★★★
Below average

SHOPPER BENCHMARKS ★★★★★

Our benchmark suite uses open-source software that runs on Windows, macOS and Linux Avoid!
systems. This lets us use objective results to compare PCs and laptops, no matter which
operating system they run. It’s designed to test each computer to its limit, using a
combination of intensive image-editing, video-encoding and multitasking tests. The best products can win
We ran the tests on our reference PC, which has an Intel Core i5-4670K processor, the following awards:
8GB of DDR3 RAM and an AMD Radeon R7 260X graphics card. We normalised our
results so this PC had a score of 100. This makes it easy to draw comparisons between
test systems.
BEST BUY
Products with outstanding quality
The resulting overall score is shown at the bottom of every PC and laptop review. and performance for the money
As we use the same tests in our standalone and group test reviews, you can compare
win our Best Buy award.
the performance of any computer, whether it’s a hybrid, laptop or desktop, from both
sections of the magazine.

3D BENCHMARKS
DIRT SHOWDOWN
Dirt Showdown is a cracking racing
game that makes good use of
DirectX 11’s fancy graphical effects.
RECOMMENDED
Products that don’t quite qualify
You’ll want at least 30fps for
for a Best Buy award but are still
smooth racing.
highly rated by our reviewers.

TOMB RAIDER
With the ultra-demanding
Super-Sampling Anti-Aliasing
(SSAA) enabled, 2013’s Tomb Raider
reboot is a great indicator of
mid-range performance.

BUSINESS BUY
The very best products for work
win our Business Buy award.
METRO: LAST
LIGHT REDUX
Our most demanding graphics test
uses tessellation, SSAA and massive
textures to give even high-end cards
a thorough workout.

ISSUE 373 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | MARCH 2019 115

 PRODUCT INDEX

Product Reviews
Our guide to all the products reviewed

140
in this month’s Computer Shopper

revie
Hot Product Storage
ws
OnePlus 6T 18 Crucial P1 36

PCs Networks
Yoyotech Warbird i3 22 BT Complete Wi-Fi 38 Huawei Mate 20 Pro 50
MSI Trident X 24 Xiaomi Pocophone F1 52
Acer Nitro 50 26 Printers Apple iPhone XR 53
Epson Expression
Components Premium XP-6100 40
Audio
MSI GeForce RTX 2070
Brainwavz BLU-300 54
Armor 8G 28 Laptops
Roccat Vulcan 120 Aimo 30 Lenovo Yoga 530 42
Smart Home
Asus ZenBook S 44
Displays Apple MacBook Air (2018) 46 Amazon Echo Show (2018) 55
AOC C27G1 32
Iiyama G-Master Black Handhelds Smart Thermostats
Hawk G2530HSU-B1 34 Apple iPad Pro 12.9in (2018) 48 Drayton Wiser Heat 92
Hive Active Heating 2 93
Honeywell Evohome 94
SUBSCRIBE AND SAVE Honeywell Lyric T6
Nest Learning Thermostat
95

3rd Generation 96
Nest Thermostat E 97
Netatmo Smart Thermostat 98
Tado Smart Thermostat 99

4K TVs
Hisense H43AE6100UK 104
LG OLED65B8 105
Loewe bild 3.55 106
Philips 55POS9002 107
Philips 55PUS6753/12 108
Samsung UE49NU8000 109
CALL 0330 333 9493 OR SEE PAGE 126 Sony Bravia KD-55AF8 110
Sony Bravia KD-55XF9005 111

116 MARCH 2019 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | ISSUE 373

118
ALLTHE
PRESIDENT’S
ASASCIITURNS50,NIKRAWLINSON
EXAMINESWHYTHECODINGSTANDARD
WASSOGROUND BREAKING,ANDREVEALS
LYNDONBJOHNSON’S ROLEINITSEVOLUTION

119
 A
da Lovelace, mathematician and writer, was the world’s first parties wanted to see in the finished code. Keeping the control
programmer but, being a woman, her contribution to modern characters separate from the graphics – displayed characters – was
computing was long overlooked. Mathematician Alan Turing easy, but where should it put the space? Indeed, what was a space?
invented the world’s first general purpose computer, but Was it a control character that shifted a printer’s head along to the
doing so during the Second World War meant his next column, or was it a graphic character that, although it didn’t
achievement remained under wraps until as late as the 1970s. technically ‘print’, was nonetheless visible on the page as a gap?
Lyndon B Johnson was president of the United States. He’s not “It is, of course, both,” wrote IBM’s Charles MacKenzie in his
known as a technical man, but his contribution to modern computing exhaustive book, Coded Character Sets: History and Development,
is every bit as important as that of Lovelace and Turing. Even today, it before explaining that, from a parallel printer’s point of view, it’s
remains largely unknown. more accurately the latter.
“By this rather hair-splitting
BREMER’S BRAINWAVE reasoning, the standards committee
Our story begins in 1961, when persuaded itself that the space
sharing data was difficult, even character must be regarded as a
between computers developed by graphic character,” and thus be filed
a single manufacturer. IBM alone among the graphics, not the controls.
employed nine different character sets But that wasn’t the only question
across its various products. It also it needed to resolve. It also had to
employed Bob Bremer, an engineer decide whether to interleave the
who helped devise COBOL and upper- and lower-case alphabets. If it
predicted the millennium bug in 1971. did, the table would be organised
As computers became more AaB
AaBbCc. If not, it would complete
important with every passing year, one run through the upper-case set
Bremer recognised that this lack of a be
before looping around for a second
standard character set was quickly tim for the lower-case characters.
time
becoming an issue. He alerted the This might not sound important,
American Standards Association unt you consider lists. Interleaving the
until
(ASA) and urged it to form a ⬆ Ada Lovelace and Alan Turing were both pioneers in the cases would make arranging them
committee to establish a common world of computing, although neither received alphabetically far simpler, as the case of
code, in which every letter, number full recognition during their lifetimes the lead character would be irrelevant.
and punctuation mark would be Keeping them separate, on the other
represented by an agreed-upon number. hand, would require that the computer switch back and forth between
So long as this was adopted across the computer industry – as a the two halves of the table, which would increase processing time,
lingua franca if nothing else – the headache of working between programming complexity, and demands on the hardware.
platforms might soon be overcome. If it wasn’t, we’d never be able to Ultimately, the committee kept the upper- and lower-case
mix and match servers, clients and printers from rival manufacturers; characters separate. Why? Because building computer hardware
swapping data by punched tape or card would remain a cumbersome was expensive. Whether designing a server, client or printer,
process; and email and the internet would never come into being. manufacturers could reduce costs by trimming various internal
The ASA agreed. It appointed Teletype Corporation’s John components which, in some cases, they might only be able to do if
Auwaerter to form the X3 committee and devise a solution. Looking they incorporated just half of the ASCII code table. An interleaved
back on it now, that sounds a simple task, until you consider how alphabet might thus have been truncated at LlMmNn, which would
many competing interests pitched in.
The US Department of Defense was
the first. It used more computers than
anyone else and was keen to make sure
that the graphics employed by COBOL,
on which its infrastructure relied, were
included in X3’s system.
Then ATT demanded codes for
all-zeros, all-ones, null and delete.
The Western Union Telegraph Company,
various punched card manufacturers, a
host of existing computer firms… each
submitted their own bids and charged
Auwaerter’s team with finding a patch
of common ground.

THE ASCII TABLE

The committee drew up a table to aid
its deliberations. Eight columns wide
and 16 rows deep, it would contain the
letters, numbers, punctuation and
control characters that the interested

➡ The X3 committee organised the various

elements within the ASCII specification
in an eight-column wide table, with
space separating the control and display
characters (SP at the top of column 2)

120 MARCH 2019 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | ISSUE 373

 ⬅ Typewriter manufacturers implemented expanded
character sets through the use of the Shift key,
combined with multiple characters on each typebar

alpha numeric graphics were 33 control

characters for ordering carriage returns, moving
the cursor back one space and sounding an
audible alert, among others. At last, regardless
of the encoding used by the receiving computer
or printer, operators could encode their local
content by swapping out each character for one
of the ASCII codes, which could be transmitted
and decrypted at the opposite end of the line.
It now needed official sanction.
Enter LBJ.

LAYING DOWN THE LAW

“I have today approved a recommendation by
the Secretary of Commerce that the United
States of America Code for Information
Interchange be adopted as a Federal Standard,”
he wrote in a memo 50 years ago.
“All computers… must have the capability to
be useless. Instead, running through each case in sequence would use the Standard Code for Information Interchange and the formats
accommodate the split while leaving end users with a fully functioning prescribed by the magnetic tape and paper tape standards when these
device, albeit one that couldn’t produce lower-case text. media are used.”
Typewriter manufacturers had overcome a similar problem 100 It wasn’t the first time the US had attempted to formalise its
years before. Faced with a finite number of keys and typebars, they national IT procurement. Johnson had issued a similar memo two
instituted the Shift key to literally raise the platen – or lower the rack years earlier with little effect, which is why he now mandated that
of typebars – so that a different part of each typebar struck the paper. “heads of departments and agencies are authorised to waive the
The result was an alternative character. Couldn’t the same be done use of these standards only under compelling circumstances of
here, so that sending a shift code would instruct the receiving device particular applications” – and even then, only if approved by the
to switch out of one character set and into another? Department of Commerce..
Theoretically, it could, but it was risky. re
LBJ’s memo refers to the somewhat clumsy ‘United States of
The committee was constrained by the technical America Code’,’, reflecting a certain amount of flip-flopping
limitations of its day, one of which was the potential during its early development. As MacKenzie explains: “It was
for errors and dropped bits during transmission. thought well to qualify the name of the code, according to
Its members asked what would happen if an error its purpose, and it came to be titled the American Standard
occurred at the moment the shift was transmitted. Code for Information Interchange… later the American
It wouldn’t be too great a problem if it meant the case Standards Association changed its name to the United
didn’t change when only using alphabetical characters, but States of American [sic] Standards Institute (USASI) [and]
what if it was ‘shifting’ into or out of a control character? the code then came to be titled the United States of
The result might be entirely unintelligible. When a second America Standard Code forr Information
I Interchange…
shift arrived, sent with the intention of cancelling out the first, USASCII. Both acronyms, ASCII and USASCII, enjoyed
this would only compound the problem by once again equal currency and were eventually written
switching away from the correct character set. into the standard itself as co-equal
‘standard’ acronyms. Then USASI
ASCII IS BORN once again
a changed its name.”
Despite so many demands, the committee At which point the industry
worked at some speed, and within two decided enough was enough.
years it published ASCII’s first spec. It was A proposal to change the code’s
primitive compared to modern standards name once again – to ANSCII –
but, in the words of its official was rejected, USASCII fell out
documentation, assigned unique codes of use, and today it’s known
to “a single case of alphabetic letters A simply as ASCII.
through Z, and those punctuation,
mathematical, and business symbols THE
T GREAT ESCAPE
considered most useful [as well as] ASCII’s only concession to
the characters commonly international users were the
encountered in programming three cells in its table that
languages. In particular, COBOL.” followed Z. Originally home to
The Department of Defense was [, \ and ], these characters were
no doubt pleased, and so were the deemed expendable, giving
telegraph operators. Alongside the national bodies the opportunity
to replace them with special
➡ Lyndon B Johnson mandated that all characters such as ß and ø.
computers bought by the US Federal It was a quick and dirty
Government should be ASCII-compliant, thus workaround, which soon got
ensuring the success of the X3 committee’s work even dirtier.

ISSUE 373 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | MARCH

CH 2019 121
 ➡ Windows NT employed Unicode as it
allowed the internationally distributed
operating system to address a wider
range of characters, including many not
found in English

Computers moved from 6-bit

or 7-bit encoding to 8-bit, which
allowed them to address more
memory and larger character sets.
PC and printer manufacturers
seized the opportunity to use these
sets’ empty slots to cater for
non-standard characters. Thus, IBM
assigned the British pound symbol
to slot code 156, which would have
been fine had other manufacturers
not assigned it to 35, which had
represented # in the original spec.
If you’ve ever wondered why # and
£ share a single button on your
keyboard, now you know.
This lack of uniformity undid
some of ASCII’s good work, as
there was no longer any guarantee
that data sent by one device
would be faithfully reproduced
wherever it was received.
Epson printers, wrote Mark
Needham in The Times in January 1986, “contain different character to be transferred between computers using all the world’s major
sets for different nations. When the British character set is in use, the languages… It should even include some less popular characters,
pound replaces the hash sign,” which, he explained, “frequently leads such as Egyptian hieroglyphics.”
to hash signs appearing where pound signs were intended… on the There were obvious benefits: “Diacritical marks and currency
earliest printers, the only way to get a pound sign is to print a capital L, symbols will transfer accurately between computers using different
then a back space, then overprint the L with a minus sign.” languages and print correctly on all Unicode printers. For scientists and
It was a logical solution, and a great use of those non-printing engineers, Unicode offers Greek and all mathematical symbols, while
command characters included in the ASCII spec (one of which for linguists it has the International Phonetic Alphabet… Unicode even
reversed the print head), but hardly a neat implementation. includes those odd characters called dingbats.”
Then Bremer had an idea. And it included a proper (Sterling) pound symbol, not just the hash.
What if, instead of using a special character, like shift, to switch We’re still using a variant of Unicode today, and with good reason.
between cases, you switched between whole alphabets? Or whole It was developed under the auspices of ISO, the Swiss-based
code sets, containing letters, numbers and accented characters? International Organization for Standardization, with a far more
That’s precisely what the Esc key, which still resides on most international outlook. It also benefitted from advances in technology
keyboards, was designed to do. Pressing it and following up with a that allowed it to accommodate more than 128 characters without
string of command characters would cause the machine to switch the use of escape codes.
out of (or escape) its current mode to implement a new character By late 2007, Google’s analysis of the pages in its index indicated
set or perform a specific function such as moving the print head or that ASCII had been overtaken by UTF-8, a Unicode variant capable of
onscreen cursor to a specific point. addressing more than a million unique characters.
It was the missing piece of the ASCII puzzle. With Escape at their That doesn’t mean ASCII is history, however. It’s been encapsulated
disposal, programmers and hardware manufacturers could use it to entirely in UTF-8 and its successors to ensure backwards compatibility,
implement any command they required while addressing a more and remains one of the simplest, surest options for encoding text, all
diverse range of character sets. but guaranteeing its transfer with
It might come as a surprise, absolute accuracy.
then, to learn that there are very It, and by implication LBJ,
few instances, at least in the without whose support it might
consumer space, where we’re still not have been adopted, also has a
using raw ASCII today. legacy in the highly standardised,
broadly compatible hardware and
ASCII’S DECLINE software options we enjoy using
The first sign of ASCII’s demise today. We may still need to
came with the advent of Windows choose between Windows,
NT, which instead adopted a system macOS and Linux, and between
called Unicode. This, explained Jack iOS and Android – but that’s just
Schofield in a May 1993 edition of five major platforms.
The Guardian, “enables files and texts Compare them to the dozens
of incompatible options facing
➡ The only way of printing a pound consumers 50 years ago, and
symbol on many early printers was to thank your lucky #83, #84, #65,
print a minus sign over a capital L #82, #83.

122 MARCH 2019 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | ISSUE 373

Retro COMPUTING HISTORY REMEMBERED + REBOOTED
The legacy of
Rick Dickinson
David Crookes examines how an icon of British design
produced the first – and last – ZX Spectrum
W
hat was the ZX Spectrum? The
answer to this question depends,
on your experience of it. For
gamers, it was a heavenly hub of joy thanks to
thousands of affordable titles. For businesses,
it was a way of getting to grips with word
processing, databases and spreadsheets.
In the mind of Rick Dickinson, however, the
humble Speccy – Sinclair’s route to affordable
computing in the early 1980s – was a huge
opportunity. The talented industrial designer
might not have known it back then, but his
sterling work on the ZX81 and ZX Spectrum
created something iconic, and it has more
than stood the test of time.
Dickinson sadly passed away in April 2018,
but not before he revisited the Spectrum some
35 years after the original. The Brazilian game
designer Henrique Olifiers came up with the
idea of a Spectrum for the modern era – the
⬆ Rick Dickinson’s sketch of the how the ZX
Spectrum would fit together
➡ The revolutionary, touch-sensitive keyboard
ISSUE 373 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | MARCH 2019
ZX Spectrum Next – and Dickinson agreed
to get involved with its design, helping it
attract 3,113 backers and £723,390 of
Kickstarter cash a couple of years ago.
The new 8-bit home computer is finally
due to ship in the coming months, a year or
so later than originally planned. Users are
set to enjoy a growing catalogue of new
software, which takes advantage of the
computer’s enhanced features. They’ll also
be able to take advantage of backwards
compatibility, ensuring the machine is
nostalgic, modern, familiar and fun.
“Rick loved the idea that we wanted to
re-create that special moment when you
opened the box, connected the computer
and got going straight away without much
fiddling about,” Olifiers tells us.
“He was also utterly passionate about the
original Spectrum.”
Little wonder, then, that he was keen for
those earlier machines to provide the stylistic
bedrock on which this new computer is based.
That, in itself, is something of a relief.
Affection for the computers, which effectively
drove the early British video game industry,
has meant the ZX81 and Spectrum have long
been hailed as Dickinson’s finest work, despite
them being designed at the beginning of what
turned out to be a lengthy career.
BUILDING BLOCKS
Indeed, Dickinson, whose interest in design
was kindled by LEGO and Airfix kits when he
was a child, hit the ground running. He had
worked for Sinclair Research while studying
Design for Industry at Newcastle Polytechnic,
assisting John Pemberton, whose work on
electronic calculators and the Microvision
pocket television had been widely acclaimed.
12
123
 RETRO

When he graduated in 1979 with a first
class degree, he received a message to
immediately call Pemberton, who was seeking
a replacement for himself. Dickinson’s first job
was to oversee the production of the ZX80’s
two-piece case and pressure-sensitive
keyboard and, after designing a memory
expansion of the computer on an Alpia
drawing board (which is now on display at the
Science Museum in London), he was promptly
handed the reins of the follow-up ZX81.
The original intention was to have a metal
case, but manufacturing complications forced
Sinclair to use injection moulding instead.
This presented a steep learning curve for
Dickinson, who had never worked with
this technique before. Yet it quickly taught
⬅ Sinclair’s new 16K colour micro, the ZX
Spectrum, was splashed across the cover
of Personal Computer World
him a lesson, as he soon realised
it wasn’t possible to design
something without first knowing
how it could be made.
With that in mind, he not only
came up with a compact case that
was simple, clean and attractive,
but also a revolutionary, touch-
sensitive membrane keyboard,
which had various functions
allocated to each key.
Both helped to ensure the
computer’s retail price could
be kept low, allowing consumers
to pick up it up in kit form for
just £50, or fully assembled
for £20 more.
As a cut-price salvo in the
fiercely fought battle between
Sinclair and Acorn, it was highly
effective, making computing
affordable and opening it up to
the masses. Dickinson’s work
earned a British Design Council award and an
accolade from Haus Industrieform.
Such honours weren’t granted for his work
on the follow-up ZX Spectrum,
but that didn’t make
Dickinson’s next design
creation any less of an
electronic style icon.
Boasting ‘dead flesh’
rubber keys to drive
down production
costs and carrying a
➡ Designed by Rick
Dickinson’s company
Dickinson Associates, the
Gizmondo flopped but
that had little to do with
how it looked
distinctive rainbow in its bottom right-hand
corner, the Z80-based computer – which was
available as 16K and 48K models – may have
been diminutive in size, but it heralded the
start of an attractive range that would go on
to sell more than five million units.
SELF IMPROVEMENT
Even so, despite its great reception and the
fact that he had created two acclaimed
computer designs before the age of 25,
Dickinson never fell prey to complacency.
He may have told the BBC in 2012 that he
didn’t regret any of the decisions he’d made
with the original computers, but in an
interview with the magazine Sinclair User in
1983, he told the interviewer: “There always
seems to be room for improvement.”
As such, at the tail-end of a career which
had also seen him design the Sinclair QL, the
Sinclair TV80 flat pocket television, the
Amstrad’s PPC line of portable computers,
the award-winning Lensman microscope and
the ill-fated Gizmondo handheld console,
among many others, he relished having
another shot with the ZX Spectrum Next.
With that came a clear vision of how it
should look. “We both agreed to bring the
original machine into the 21st century, and
that included keeping it simple, having clean

follow-up to Bug-Byte’s Manic

NE WS
MATTHEW SMITH
PLAYING MANCHESTER
To celebrate the 35th
anniversary of the classic 8-bit
platformer Jet Set Willy, its
enigmatic developer Matthew
Smith is set to make a rare
appearance at one of gaming’s
most popular events.
The former ‘rock star’
developer will be taking to the
stage for a Q&A at Play Expo
Manchester, straight after
the UK premiere of a short
animated film called Willy: 48k
About a Legend.
With a quiz and an award
for the best Jet Set Willy mod,
it looks set to be a mammoth
celebration of this 1984
Miner. Tickets for the event –
which takes place at the
Manchester Central Convention
Complex on 4th and 5th May –
are available from www.
playexpomanchester.com/tickets.
WATCH THIS SPACE
Gone are the days of Channel
4’s GamesMaster and even episode was watched by around
Children’s ITV’s Bad Influence, 27,000 viewers, introducing a
but one blast-from-the-past, panel format hosted by Mr Biffo,
Digitiser, has bypassed traditional aka Paul Rose, the most
broadcasters to become a prominent writer of the often-
madcap YouTube show. controversial Digitiser Teletext
Having only just come to an service, which broadcast
end in mid-December, the first between 1993 and 2003.

124 MARCH 2019 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | ISSUE 373

 RETRO

⬆ Rick Dickinson’s Spectrum legacy lives

on thanks to the imminent release of the
new ZX Spectrum Next computer

lines and retaining the elements that made the
first machine stand out,” Olifiers says.
Out went the rubber keys in place of a
modern, responsive keyboard – “Rick knew
the rubber keys wouldn’t work in this day and
age,” Olifiers explains – while the stylised
rainbow was re-thought and placed in
horizontal stripes to the right of the casing.
What’s more, in order to achieve this overall
look, Dickinson worked in much the same
way as he did decades before.
“Rick never moved to
computer-aided design,” says Phil
Candy, who worked alongside him
for about 23 years at Dickinson
Associates (the company
Dickinson set up in 1986 after
Amstrad shocked the computing
world by snapping up Sinclair for
£5m). Instead, Dickinson preferred
to sketch and model.
“He had this vision of simplicity
and he would always go back to
➡ Rick Dickinson’s handmade
prototype of the ZX Spectrum, which
was initially going to be called the
ZX82 and have a metal front
his sketches and say, ‘I’ve added too much
now to make it work and I need to cut
something’,” says Olifiers.
“He was absolutely committed to quality
and his eye for detail is hard to find. There was
also a motive behind his requirements and
that made him easy to work with.”
A NEW SPECTRUM
The result today is a new, expandable
computer with a Z80 processor, 1MB of
RAM, hardware sprites, a 256-colour mode,
RGB, VGA and HDMI output, Multiface
functionality for cheats and stereo sound,
all of which is wrapped in a casing that
looks sharp and modern, yet also classic
and spine-tinglingly nostalgic.
It’s just a shame that Dickinson never got
to see the final product; his death followed a
lengthy battle with cancer, which he sought to
keep quiet. He leaves his wife, Elizabeth, and
two daughters. But even if he had seen it,
you’d suspect he wouldn’t have
bragged and screamed from the
rooftops about his achievement.
“Rick was always down to
earth and modest with a
thorough way of thinking, and
there was no ego” Candy tells us.
“In fact, it was also quite a
while before I actually realised
who he was, because he never
told me he was Sinclair’s
product designer. When I
found out, I thought, ‘blimey,
you kept that quiet’.”
Thankfully, his designs spoke
for themselves.

But while subsequent videos
have yet to reach such audience
heights, there is optimism that
the surreal show will continue for
a second series. Catch the first
series at tinyurl.com/373retro if
you haven’t already, and consider
Rose’s Patreon fundraiser at
www.patreon.com/Digitiser2000.
OUT OF THE SHADOWS
As well as being able to play
old games on revised new
systems such as the PlayStation
Classic (released in December
2018), retro nuts can also enjoy
lots of freshly made games for
age-old machines.
One such gem is The Shadows
of Sergoth, a high-quality 8-bit
dungeon crawler by Christophe
Petit, which made its debut on
the Amstrad CPC 6128 last year
and is now being ported to the
Commodore Amiga. It will be
available in the final quarter
of 2019 on floppy disk or as a
digital download.
NEW ROMBOARD Original Rombo Romboxes are
FOR CPC hard to find today so Rob Scott
Loading software from cassette has produced his own £40 clone.
or disk was always a hassle, The Rombo Redux Deluxe
which is why many users would measures just 100x100mm and
seek speedier methods. One houses eight ROMs. It has a
involved placing apps on ROMs reset and pause button, as well
so they could be ever present in as a through-connector.
the background and instantly Email robscott@mrhangman.
launched by typing a command. co.uk for more information.
For Amstrad CPC users, the
Rombo Rombox was king,
allowing for expansion ROMs
such as the word processor
Protext, the print enhancer
ProPrint, the language compiler
Maxam and the set of BASIC
utilities, Utopia.

ISSUE 373 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | MARCH 2019 125

 Helpfile &
BusinessHelp
Whatever your PC, hardware, software, office application
or macro issues, Simon Handby is here to help
Send your problems to help@computershopper.co.uk
Stuttery video playback
We’ve got a Windows 10
mini PC that sits under our
main TV. We almost
exclusively use it for
streaming video from Netflix
and Amazon, with the odd
bit of YouTube. It’s about
four years old and has
always worked well, until
very recently when video
playback has started to
get choppy. It’s most
noticeable in tracking
shots where the camera is
moving smoothly: it looks
as though the computer is
skipping one or two frames,
perhaps once or twice a
second. There’s no
associated problem with
the audio, but the
playback issue is making
most things unwatchable.
I’m stumped as to what’s causing it.
I wondered if it was a browser issue,
but had the same problem with other
browsers and with the Netflix app from
the Windows Store. I suspected a network
or internet issue, but videos recorded on
my phone and copied to the local disk
also stuttered when I tried playing them
back. Finally, I wondered if the processor
was overheating and throttling itself,
but I tinkered with the cooling modes
and even the most aggressive made no
difference. Any ideas?
Neil Rosen
Your issue started at about the same
time that Microsoft rolled out Windows
Update KB4100347, which contained
Intel microcode updates for a large
number of processors. The patches are
designed to mitigate against the Spectre
Variant 2 vulnerability, which could – in
theory – allow unauthorised access to
128
portions of your computer’s memory and
reveal sensitive information.
The root of this vulnerability is in the way
most processors speculatively execute code
before they’re asked to, a long-used trick to
reduce latency and improve performance.
Unfortunately, the current mitigations for
Spectre block or limit this speculative work,
resulting in performance loss. You don’t
mention which processor you have, but in a
mini PC, video playback probably relies on its
onboard graphics: it’s quite possible that the
updated microcode has affected the chip’s
ability to smoothly decode video.
If you haven’t already done so, you should
check your BIOS version and update to a
newer release for your system, which may help
resolve the problem. If not, you can confirm
whether the Spectre mitigations are a factor
by temporarily disabling them. Visit www.grc.
com/inspectre.htm and click the Download
now button to download the tool to your PC.
Right-click the downloaded file, select Run as
administrator, give permission and you’ll see
⬅ InSpectre confirms if Meltdown
and Spectre protections are
active. It can turn them off, but
do so with great caution
your system’s vulnerability
to Spectre and Meltdown.
Assuming Spectre protection
is active, click Disable Spectre
Protection, then click Exit,
reboot the PC and again try
to stream video.
After you’ve finished
testing, retrace your steps to
re-enable Spectre protection,
then consider the options.
Assuming video playback
was smooth, you could
spend around £20 on a
USB video adaptor,
which would allow you to
circumvent the processor’s
graphics capabilities and keep Spectre
protection enabled. But while we’d expect
this to work, it may not.
Alternatively, you could simply leave
Spectre protection disabled. We’re reluctant
to recommend anything that could
compromise your security in this way, but if
the alternative is a PC that’s no longer fit for
purpose, you might consider it worth the
risk. If you do, you should minimise your
exposure by installing a good anti-malware
product. Also, review your use of the PC:
stop using it to handle any sensitive
personal or financial information, for
example, and if possible limit its access to
other computers or devices on the network.
If you disable Spectre protection, ensure
that you keep Windows, your anti-malware
software and the computer’s BIOS updated.
You should also periodically try re-enabling
protection and checking video playback, in
case future firmware or software updates
reduce the impact on video playback to an
acceptable level.
MARCH 2019 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | ISSUE 373

Doubled-up backup?
I’ve got a network-attached storage
(NAS) drive, a PC, an Android
phone and a compact camera.
These days I take most of my
photos on the smartphone,
although I still use the camera for
special occasions. At the end of
each month, I move photos from
both the phone and camera to a
new folder on the PC, then this gets
backed up to the NAS. A while ago I
realised I could use Google Backup
& Sync to store an additional
backup of my pictures in the
cloud, so I installed and
configured that on my PC.
I’ve had Backup & Sync
turned off on my phone, but
it’s just dawned on me that
turning it on will back up my
photos when they’re taken,
reducing the risk that I’ll lose
my phone and with it up to a
month’s worth of photos.
The problem is I’m not sure
how that will coexist with
Backup & Sync on the PC. I
need to leave this enabled to
make sure my camera’s
pictures are still backed up,
and I want to keep a local
copy of my smartphone
snaps and videos. Will all the
smartphone photos get uploaded twice?
Patrick Gardner
Happily, the short answer is no, as Backup &
Sync is smart enough to spot duplicate files.
Taking the PDF
I’ve got a long PDF file full of confidential information. I need to share a single page of it
electronically, so I thought the best way would be to export the relevant page. I found a
method on the web, which suggested that I could just bring up the thumbnail view in the
Adobe PDF viewer, then right-click and extract the relevant page, but the Extract option
⬆ Use Microsoft Print to PDF to export one or more pages
from an existing PDF file
ISSUE 373 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | MARCH 2019
⬆ Copy phone content to a
synced PC and you’ll see it being
‘synced’ again. Don’t worry, it’s
not being duplicated
⬅ Use the cloud to back up
photos and videos from your
smartphone as you take them
If you enable it within the
Android Google Photos app,
your smartphone’s pictures
and videos will be uploaded as
you take them – or at least,
when you next connect to a
wireless network. At the end
of the month, the files you
move to the PC will be checked against
what’s already stored in your Google account,
and only any previously unsynchronised
content – such as the photos from your
camera – will be uploaded.
isn’t available. Any other ideas?
Mary Nash
A simple alternative is to use Windows’
Print to PDF feature. With the document
open, scroll to the page you want to
export and note its number. Now hit
Ctrl-P to bring up the print dialog, and
enter the number of the page you want
in the page range box. Drop down the
printer selection and choose Microsoft
Print to PDF, check that the page preview
in the bottom right looks like the page
you want, and click Print: you’ll be
prompted where you want to save the
single-page PDF. If the contents are
sensitive, we’d recommend opening the
file to double-check it’s as expected
before you share it.
HELPFILE & BUSINESS HELP
SMB
mystery
I read with interest your reply to Mike
Marlow (Helpfile, Shopper 368), who
updated Windows 10 and lost access
to his NAS drive. I had exactly the
same problem with my Synology
DS215j, which stopped appearing in the
Network view after an update. I enabled
SMB v1.0 support on the PC in the way
you described and the NAS reappeared.
My question is why this should be
necessary, given that Synology
DiskStation Manager supports SMB
versions one, two and three by default.
Is it possible that SMB v3 is not
actually activated in Windows 10?
That would seem odd, given that
Microsoft deactivated SMB v1.0
because of its security weaknesses.
Ron Howes
The problem you’re seeing relates to the
Computer Browser protocol, which was
disabled alongside SMB v1.0 in Windows
10 version 1709. Your DS215j is correctly
preferring SMB v3 access to its shared
folders, but Windows can’t discover these
shares as it no longer has the relevant
browser service. When you enabled SMB
v1.0 on the PC it also re-enabled the
Computer Browser protocol, so the
shares showed up again.
Although you can’t browse them, you
can access your NAS’s shares by name
even with SMB v1.0 disabled: simply open
a File Explorer window, type \\NAS\
Sharename in the address bar (where
NAS is the network name of your DS215j,
and Sharename is the name of the shared
resource), then hit Enter. You can make it
easier to access shared folders again by
mapping them as network drives. From
the Start menu, open This PC, select Map
network drive from the menu bar, then
add the path as above and choose a drive
letter. Make sure you leave Reconnect at
sign-in ticked to have the mapped drive
available in each Windows session.
⬆ Map your NAS’s shared folders to find
them again easily
129
 HELPFILE & BUSINESS HELP

Counting colours
I have an Excel spreadsheet in which I’ve
highlighted some of the cells in red. The cells
will have a number in them. I’d like to count
the number of highlighted cells in each row;
is this possible?
Peter Harrison

You can’t do this with Excel’s standard formulas,

but it is possible in Excel 2007, 2010, 2013 and
2016 with a user-defined function. Open the
spreadsheet and press Alt-F11 to open the
Visual Basic Editor. Under Microsoft Excel Object,
right-click the relevant worksheet name and
choose Insert, then Module. We found several
similar solutions online, but we tested the code
from Ablebits at tinyurl.com/373helpfile. Copy and
paste the code from step three into the code
window, then save the spreadsheet as an Excel
macro-enabled workbook (.xlsm). ⬆ Use a user-defined function to count or sum cells by background colour
Ablebits’ code allows you to count the number
of cells in a range that is highlighted with a given colour, or conditional formatting, you might want to create separate reference
alternatively to sum its contents. For the cell in which you want the cells in which the background colour doesn’t change.
output, type =CountCellsByColor(A1:B2,Z1). Here, A1:B2 defines the If you’re also interested in the sum of the highlighted cells, the
range, so if you wanted to select, say, row seven, you could instead equivalent formula would be =SumCellsByColor(7:7,Z1). Note that when
use 7:7. Z1 specifies the cell with the target background colour, so you re-open the spreadsheet you may find that the code doesn’t work
change this to match the colour you want to count. If you’re using until you accept Excel’s security warning and re-enable macros.

Screen estate
I currently use two monitors side by side, ⬅ Get organised
primarily to help me work with multiple in a hurry: drag
windows to the sides
Excel spreadsheets. It also makes it easy
or corners to snap
to copy and compare data between two
them into place
sheets or other applications. Much of
the rest of the time I use my PC to play
games or watch films, for which I only
need a single screen. ⬇ The latest versions
To avoid distraction I usually end up of Windows 10
turning off one of my monitors, which is proactively offer
a bit of an inconvenience. I’ve recently other windows to
started seeing wide screens that look like speed up snapping
they’d have enough horizontal room for
me to work with two sheets, with the
bonus that games and films might look
bigger and better. snap to fill that
When I’ve previously viewed multiple half of the display.
spreadsheets on a single big screen, I’ve If you’re running
used Excel’s arrange windows option, Windows 10, you
but that’s not very practical: if I have can also drag to
four sheets open I may only want to one corner of the
view two of them side by side. My screen to fill just
question is whether there’s a way to that corner.
split a single screen into two (or more) Unfortunately,
partitions so I can simply drag and drop this isn’t possible if
any application on either side as though you want to snap
I was using multiple monitors? multiple workbooks
Kunal Dalsania displayed within a
single instance of Excel. Instead, you’ll have to physical screen into multiple virtual
There are a couple of ways to achieve this or open multiple instances of the program, each monitors. Unfortunately we haven’t tested
something similar, the easiest of which is containing a single, maximised spreadsheet. these extensively, so we can’t make a
just to use Windows’ Snap feature. For most For most purposes this should do the trick, recommendation, other than that you should
apps, simply dragging them to the far left or but if not it’s possible to find several utilities experiment with the alternatives before
far right of the screen will cause them to that do exactly what you want: split a single investing in a new widescreen monitor.

130 MARCH 2019 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | ISSUE 373

 Advanced
Projects
Clive Webster has been tinkering with computers ever since
Windows 98 forced him to manually install his drivers
clive@computershopper.co.uk

Make a gamepad
games console
Retro gaming is all the rage, with recently
relaunched versions of the Mega Drive, SNES
and Master System. Clive Webster shows you
how to build your own tiny retro gaming console
DECADES BEFORE DARK Souls introduced a generation to hardcore gaming, there was
Ninja Gaiden, the first ‘NES-hard’ game. The rivalry between Sony’s PlayStation 4 and
Microsoft’s Xbox One is nothing compared to the heady days of SNES vs Mega Drive
and Sonic vs Mario.
Mention classics such as Micro Machines, Metroid, The Legend of Zelda II, Mortal
Kombat, Gain Ground, Street Fighter II: Turbo, Super Mario Kart, Altered Beast, Streets of
Rage or NHL Ice Hockey (with its frequent punch-ups), and memories of the golden age of
gaming will come flooding back. If not, you’ve got a lot of catching up to do.

132 MARCH 2019 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | ISSUE 373


⬆ The Adafruit
JoyBonnet is a ‘HAT’ –
Hardware Attached on
Top – for the Pi
SUCH IS THE rate of computing progress,
you can now build a games console that far
exceeds the capabilities of the pricey games
consoles of yore for only £13. At the heart
of our build is the Raspberry Pi Zero WH
and an intriguing ‘HAT’ called the Adafruit
JoyBonnet. HAT stands for Hardware Attached
on Top, and refers to Raspberry Pi add-ons
that you just push on to the bank of 40 GPIO
pins of a Pi – no soldering required.
The only other items you’ll need are a
fairly hefty power USB supply, a microSD card
and a case that keeps the Pi Zero WH’s 40
GPIO headers exposed. The official Raspberry
Pi power supply costs £8 and provides up to
2.5A, while a 16GB microSD card costs around
£9. We used the official red and white Pi Zero
case, which costs £6, but a case with a flat top
would be a better fit. Prices are all taken from
Pimoroni (shop.pimoroni.com) but there are
other specialist Pi suppliers such as ModMyPi
(www.modmypi.com) and The Pi Hut (thepihut.
com). You may also need a mini HDMI-to-
HDMI cable; get the longest cable you can.
⬆ We think (we hope) the logo is a pun – surely no-one has made a joystick in the shape of a pie?
ISSUE 373 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | MARCH 2019
In all, that’s £36 for a games console you could lose in
a large pocket, and which can easily run every game
from the SNES and Mega Drive era
In all, that’s £36 for a games console you
could lose in a large pocket, and which can
easily run every game from the SNES and
Mega Drive era. We’ve even heard of people
running N64 and PlayStation 1 games on
their Pi Zero.
READY PLAYER 1
While the hardware element of this build
is so simple that it would be insulting to
explain it to a competent Computer Shopper
reader, the software side is far trickier.
The first job is to download the operating
system for your handheld games console,
which is RetroPie. That’s not a typo, as the
project’s logo makes clear.
ADVANCED PROJECTS
Head to retropie.org.uk/download and
click the link for Raspberry Pi 0/1. There’s a
separate version for Pis with multicore
processors if you want to see whether a Pi
3B+ can handle PS2 games. Once RetroPie
has downloaded, extract the .img file
somewhere memorable. Now insert your
microSD card and use a flash tool such as
Win32DiskImager (see tinyurl.com/win32di) or
Rufus (see www.downloadrufus.com) to write
the RetroPie .img file to the microSD card.
Whichever tool you use, it’s pretty much a
case of pointing it at the file, choosing the
drive letter of the microSD card and pressing
Start. You can’t just copy the RetroPie .img
file to the card, as this won’t do the necessary
work to make the microSD card ‘bootable’;
remember that the microSD card is the Pi’s
hard disk, and it needs to be set up as such.
Before removing the microSD card, you’ll
need to add a couple of files to the newly
made Boot drive (which is a small partition of
the card). Open the Boot drive in Explorer
(use Windows-E for maximum geek points),
right-click, select New and then Text File.
Name this text file ssh and then create
another text file called wpa_supplicant.
Open this second text file and enter:
ctrl_interface=DIR=/var/run/wpa_
supplicant GROUP=netdev
update_config=1
country =UK
network={
ssid="YOUR_SSID"
psk="YOUR_PASSWORD"
}
133
 ADVANCED PROJECTS
You now need to edit the file extensions
for these two files; this isn’t something
anyone would normally want to do, but it’s
needed in this case. On Windows 10, you’ll
need to click View in Explorer (the standard
file browser) and then tick File name
extensions. Delete the .txt from the end of
the ssh file – normally a reckless act – and
change the .txt of the wpa_supplicant file to
.conf. The ssh file will act as a flag when
RetroPie first starts to tell it to enable SSH,
while the second file will automatically
connect RetroPie to your Wi-Fi network.
This means you’ll be able to control your Pi
Zero remotely over your network, which is
essential for this project.
⬆ You need to use a flash tool such as Rufus to
make the microSD card ‘bootable’
134
You can now eject the microSD card,
assemble your Pi and power it up.
PRESS START
RetroPie has tools to set up SSH and enter
Wi-Fi through its graphical interface, but
using a JoyBonnet with a Pi Zero means it’s
impossible to do this. The first problem is
that it’s very hard to connect a keyboard
(or any input device) to a Pi Zero as it only
has a Micro USB port.
The second problem is that the very
first step of setting up RetroPie is to
configure your joypad, and as the
JoyBonnet isn’t supported natively you
can’t even close this screen. It’s therefore
⬆ Add these two files to the Boot partition of the microSD card to allow you to control the Pi Zero remotely
almost impossible to set up a Pi Zero-based
games console without remote access.
You’ll need an SSH terminal tool to
remote-control your Pi Zero; PuTTY is the
standard on Windows, but Linux and macOS
have tools built in. Download PuTTY from
tinyurl.com/ssh-putty. You’ll also need to find
the IP address of the Pi Zero; log into your
router and look through the devices on the
local network to find the RETROPIE listing.
You can then type this address into
PuTTY, click Open, agree to any security
warnings and you’ll see a Command Prompt-
like window appear. Enter the username pi
and password raspberry, and you’ll be
connected to the Pi Zero.
MARCH 2019 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | ISSUE 373

The first job is to update the system,
so enter sudo apt-get update && sudo
apt-get -y upgrade. You can then add
support for the JoyBonnet (think of this
like installing a driver for a new piece of
hardware). You’ll need to type in this rather
complicated instruction:
curl https://raw.githubusercontent.
com/adafruit/Raspberry-Pi-Installer-
Scripts/master/joy-bonnet.sh >joy-
bonnet.sh
sudo bash joy-bonnet.sh
The first line pulls down a script to install
the necessary elements, the second line
ISSUE 373 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | MARCH 2019
⬆ Take a trip down memory lane with some
classic games of yore, including Mortal Kombat
(top, centre) and Super Mario Kart (top, right)
executes that script (you need to pay
attention to the capital letters and syntax).
The script will ask you two questions
before it sets up the JoyBonnet; we disabled
overscan and didn’t install a GPIO halt
button. Don’t reboot the Pi just yet, as the
JoyBonnet installation script currently resets
the auto-login option for RetroPie.
Type sudo raspi-config, then select
Boot Options, then B1 Desktop/CLI and
then B2 Console Autologin and press OK;
you can move around with the cursor keys.
ADVANCED PROJECTS
You should also enter a new password at
this point (via option 1, Change User
Password). Then select Finish by pressing
the Right arrow key.
Don’t reboot yet, however, as it will
save time to load your games on to the
Pi Zero at this point.
GAME ON
RetroPie is a ‘front end’ for many different
pieces of software, allowing it to run games
from systems as disparate as the ZX
Spectrum, 3DO, Sega Mega Drive, PSP
and Dreamcast. The pieces of software in
question are emulators, which can interpret
original game data and transform it into
⬆ The JoyBonnet simply pushes
on to your Pi’s GPIO pins
135
 ADVANCED PROJECTS
code that can run on generic modern
hardware such as the Pi Zero.
That original game data is usually referred
to as a ROM, as games cartridges contained a
data chip of read-only memory that the
console accessed. So, to load your RetroPie
system with games, you’ll need ROM files.
And that’s where things get a little tricky.
As our ‘Rights and ROMs’ box (opposite)
makes clear, distributing and downloading
copyrighted ROMs is illegal, and could get
⬆ Use SSH terminal tool PuTTY to log into the Pi remotely and set up the JoyBonnet
136
you into trouble with a software publisher.
There are websites that host huge libraries
of retro game ROMs of dubious origin.
There are also a few sites offering legal
ROMs, however: pdroms.de and emulator-zone.
com both claim to host only public domain
ROMs, while www.mamedev.org hosts roughly
20 MAME (arcade cabinet) games that
you’ve probably never heard of. World of
Spectrum also hosts a lot of ZX Spectrum
games; see www.worldofspectrum.org.
⬆ We put our games console
in the official red and white
Pi Zero case
Once you’ve got your ROMs, you’ll need
a tool to transfer them to your Pi Zero.
We used WinSCP (see winscp.net), which lets
you transfer files over your network just as
you might to an FTP server on the internet.
Once you’ve downloaded and installed
WinSCP, launch it and enter the Host name
(the Pi Zero’s IP address) and login details
(as previously updated) and click Login.
Update the licence key (the warning of a
potential security breach is massively
MARCH 2019 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | ISSUE 373
 ADVA
ADVANC
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Rights and ROMs

The law on using ROM versions of games is pretty clear: it’s illegal. that are decades old in this feature,
A court ruling in June 2015 (see tinyurl.com/copyright-june-2015) and consoles that have long since
outlawed format shifting – the process of copying copyrighted disappeared from the shops. If you do
material from one object to another – even for personal use. So this load up a Pi with all those games you u missed
m
means that your phone-load of MP3s is also illegal, as is your library out on when you were young and the e paper round
of DVD and Blu-ray backups sitting on your NAS. didn’t quite stretch to a new game a month,nth, it’s highly
highl
This court ruling has had almost zero impact, however. Insert a unlikely that Sega, Nintendo, Capcom or the other companies are
CD into your computer and your music player will still offer to rip really going to send in their lawyers.
the contents. If the ruling isn’t going curb the behaviour of Apple As ever with old copyright-protected material, using it yourself
and Microsoft, it seems unlikely that personal users should worry. is very unlikely to get you in trouble. However, actively sharing
The rule of thumb has always been that using a ROM of a that material is more likely to trip an alarm at some corporate HQ.
game you own is fair use. Note the word ‘own’, however: it’s not If you’d like to read more, Nintendo has a full and reasonable
sufficient for you to have once owned the game, you should still conversation of the legal and moral case against emulation at
possess the disc or cartridge. However, we’re dealing with games www.nintendo.com/corp/legal.jsp.

➡ Use a tool like WinSCP to copy your ROMs

from your main computer (on the left) to the
correct folder on the Pi Zero (right)

overblown) and you’ll see two file browser

panes. The right one is the Pi Zero and the
left is your PC. All you need to do is copy the
ROMs from your PC to the correct folder in
the RetroPie/roms folder of the Pi Zero.
Mostly it’s obvious where the ROMs
should go – atari5200 is for Atari 5200
games, for example – but some folders are
strangely titled. While you can probably work
out that the gb, gba, gbc folders are for
GameBoy, GameBoy Advance and GameBoy
Color games, you can refer to retropie.org.uk/
about/systems to find the correct folder for
an obscure system of your misspent youth
(click the picture to be taken to the details).
Once all the ROMs have been transferred,
switch back to PuTTY and type sudo reboot
to reboot the Pi Zero. When RetroPie loads,
not only will the JoyBonnet work, but all your
games will be ready to play.

OPTIONS
Once RetroPie boots, you’ll see that
previously impossible hurdle, the controller
configuration tool. As RetroPie now
recognises the JoyBonnet, you can now
assign buttons easily. The configuration tool
allows for some really exotic gamepads with
billions of buttons, so once you’ve assigned
the thumbstick, Start, Select and the four
main buttons you’ll need to hold down a
button for each ‘unassignable’ function to
move to the next. Don’t worry too much
about the Hotkey Enable function.
You might find that some games run
better than others; there are many options
that you can tweak to get things running
just right. Head to retropie.org.uk/docs/
Configuration-Editor to see some of the
options you can play with. You’ll also find
guides on how to save progress without
having to wait for games to serve up a save
point; we’ll leave you to decide whether
that’s cheating or a godsend.

NEXT MONTH
MAKE WINDOWS 10 RETRO
Continuing the theme of turning back
the clock, get a retro Windows look
with modern Windows convenience
and reliability
⬆ Remember to set RetroPie to log in automatically, or it won’t boot into a nice games console-like interface

ISSUE 373 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | MARCH 2019 137

 PARTING SHOTS
Zygote
Smart technology may be helping to grass up murderers, but it’s doing more harm
than good when it comes to keeping track of your kids, as Zygote explains
PROPER CHARLIE
As soon as Yoshitaka Sakurada
was appointed Japanese Minister
for Cyber Security, the 69-year-old
pen-pusher announced he didn’t
know what all the fuss was about
and had never used a computer
in his life. This caused outrage in
the Lower House of Parliament
– as we noted in News, Shopper
372 – but Zygote thinks the
minister has come up with a very
robust defence against cyber
crime. After all, if he ever became
the target of hackers they would
be completely unable to steal his
computer data, simply because
he hasn’t got any.
Which brings us to Charlie
Hollinrake, a salesman for
KnowB4, which styles itself as
“the world’s most popular
Integrated Security Awareness
Training and Simulated Phishing
platform”. After running his
company stand at the IP Expo in
Manchester, Charlie emailed a list
of high-powered visitors,
including the Cabinet Office,
West Yorkshire Police and Ben
Holland of the National Security
Secretariat. His message ran as
follows: “Hi, I saw you’d attended
our stand. Are you open to
evaluating security awareness
training vendors at this time?”
Unfortunately, Charlie copied
in the entire mailing list, which is
just about the most basic
security error there is.
Responding to the breach of
protocol, Ben Holland replied,
“This is unlikely I’m afraid, in
light of the fact that you have
disclosed everyone’s email
address. Please remove me
from your mailing list.”
Doubly unfortunately, Holland
himself hit the reply-all button,
and exposed the list all over again.
At least Yoshitaka Sakurada can
never make the same mistake.
K9P
There is a new type of magic
cement called potassium-
geopolymetric (KGP), a
composite that is not only
cheaper than ordinary cement,
138
but can also store a significant
amount of electricity in its own
fabric. For example, a lamp-post
made from the composite
cement mixture can be charged
via a small solar panel placed
near the top, and can then hold
enough energy to power itself
during the hours of darkness.
Lancaster University professor
Mohamed Saafi heads up the
research on this remarkable
building material, and says: “We
have shown that KGP cement
mixtures can be used to store
and deliver electrical energy
without the need for expensive
or hazardous additives.”
This is great news for nocturnal
dogs, who can now aim at their
target without the risk of chemical
attack or a fatal electric shock.
NO KIDDING
MiSafe is a location-tracking
smartwatch for kids. It has been
on the market for three years and
at the time of writing it’s available
online for just under £35. MiSafe
devices are worn by thousands of
children, and the sales pitch is
that parents can stay in contact
with their offspring, monitor
that they are safe and well,
and receive an alert if the child
wanders away from a pre-set
safe zone monitored by GPS.
However, there is no security
or encryption, and software is
readily available to change a
MiSafe ID number and spoof its
communication. This gives access
to the child’s name, gender,
birthday, height, weight, photo
and a range of phone numbers.
Worse still, anyone can track
the child’s movements, listen in
to whatever they are doing and
make fake calls pretending to be
their parent or guardian. Zygote
only has two words of advice for
anyone who has inflicted their
child with a MiSafe, and those
two words are: bin it.
ECHOES
Prosecutors in New Hampshire
have ordered a key witness to
appear in the case against alleged
drug-dealer Timothy Verrill, who
is accused of stabbing two
women to death in their home
and then disposing of the bodies.
The witness is called Alexa, and
Alexa inhabits a weeny Amazon
Echo device that sits on the
kitchen table at the murder scene.
When a ‘wake word’ is
triggered, Alexa automatically
records whatever is going on. The
case has bizarre echoes of Jamal
Khashoggi’s murder and disposal
at the Saudi embassy in Istanbul,
where a bugging device captured
the grisly horror on audio and
provided vital evidence that
undermined the pitifully fake
alibis that the Saudis concocted.
Apart from homicidal maniacs
being banged to rights, the public
MARCH 2019
also has to understand the
implications of always-on devices
that are listening to and
recording everything around
them, whether they are the
virtual assistants who inhabit our
televisions and phones or the
smart speakers on our tables.
This does not just have echoes
of Big Brother in Nineteen
Eighty-Four, it’s the real thing.
FINGER-LOOKIN’ GOOD
Boffins at New York University
have used a neural network to
generate fake fingerprints. In a
biometric system that previously
had an error rate of only 0.001%,
they managed to fool it over 20%
of the time, and the predictions
are the fake rate will soon be
enough to render fingerprint
authentication redundant.
Most optical readers only
check the small part of a finger
that actually touches the
scanning device. They never
morph all the partial images into
a complete record, and only
check a tiny element of each
record until a match is found.
And that’s what the neural
networks have been tasked
with exploiting, and where they
have succeeded. So, flog off any
fingerprint recognition devices
you may have and move over
to facial recognition, at least
until the boffins manage to
fake that as well.
| COMPUTER SHOPPER | ISSUE 373
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