Logitech Showcase: take control of your games with the Orion Spectrum

Logitech showcase messages are created in collaboration with Logitech.

There are few things more frustrating in games that not being able to find the key you need, exactly when you need it, especially if you're playing a fast or MOBA RTS. These games often require a large amount of allocated through several key commands, and where the slightest delay in performance can mean the difference between death and glory.

It need not be the case, however. Add a Logitech G810 Orion Spectrum game to your arsenal and is equipped with an immediate advantage, no matter what you're playing. Built with games in mind, which comes packed with intelligent technology and customization options designed to help change things in their favor, and is available at a price that will not make your eyes water.

So if you have ever blown a game Dota 2 for not hitting the right key fast enough - or hit the wrong completely in the heat of battle - you'll love what the G810 can do with your lighting RGB intelligent driven by Logitech gaming software. It comes preloaded with over 300 profiles that cover all the best games, and everything that is playing will illuminate only the keys you need in the game, leaving the dark others so that it never stays on the hunt for the order you need.

It is fully customizable, so, so you can take things further by setting any desired key to any color you want, color codes made available so that there is never any doubt about what is about to unleash . And customization options do not end there.

We have accidentally pressed until the Windows key in the game at one time or another, and the G810 with Logitech Gaming Software can prevent it from happening again. When in game mode Windows key is automatically disabled, and any other key you choose, so you never have to worry about your fingers away starting point.

You can also use Logitech Gaming Software to assign custom macros 12 function keys on the G810 Orion Spectrum, putting complex combinations and devastating special moves at your fingertips. And with the G810, which can be lowered to 26 keys simultaneously and always get the results you want.

In addition to helping you nail the controls, the G810 also allows you to play better and longer thanks to their mechanical switches Romer-G. Designed for faster action than the standard Cherry MX switches that found in most mechanical keyboards, Romer-G switches have a stroke of only 1.5 mm, 2 mm against the standard and 3 mechanical switches, 5mm for cheap rubber domes will find in the average keyboard included.

The cover design key G810 keeps your fingers centered and activation edge enhancement strike keystrokes simple and reliable. And because the Romer-G requires only 45 g of pressure to actuate that will put less stress on each keystroke, enough to help you enjoy the game longer sessions with a minimum finger fatigue. You can be sure that the G810 will not release at a crucial moment. Its switches are tested by 70 million keystrokes, so that 40 percent more durable than its main competitor and ensures years of dependable operation.

If you are serious about your game, then you can not afford to be without the Logitech G810 Orion Spectrum, and ESL agrees, the G810 is adopted as its official gear. You know that one deserves.

Logitech showcase messages are created in collaboration with Logitech.

There are few things more frustrating in games that not being able to find the key you need, exactly when you need it, especially if you're playing a fast or MOBA RTS. These games often require a large amount of allocated through several key commands, and where the slightest delay in performance can mean the difference between death and glory.

It need not be the case, however. Add a Logitech G810 Orion Spectrum game to your arsenal and is equipped with an immediate advantage, no matter what you're playing. Built with games in mind, which comes packed with intelligent technology and customization options designed to help change things in their favor, and is available at a price that will not make your eyes water.

So if you have ever blown a game Dota 2 for not hitting the right key fast enough - or hit the wrong completely in the heat of battle - you'll love what the G810 can do with your lighting RGB intelligent driven by Logitech gaming software. It comes preloaded with over 300 profiles that cover all the best games, and everything that is playing will illuminate only the keys you need in the game, leaving the dark others so that it never stays on the hunt for the order you need.

It is fully customizable, so, so you can take things further by setting any desired key to any color you want, color codes made available so that there is never any doubt about what is about to unleash . And customization options do not end there.

We have accidentally pressed until the Windows key in the game at one time or another, and the G810 with Logitech Gaming Software can prevent it from happening again. When in game mode Windows key is automatically disabled, and any other key you choose, so you never have to worry about your fingers away starting point.

You can also use Logitech Gaming Software to assign custom macros 12 function keys on the G810 Orion Spectrum, putting complex combinations and devastating special moves at your fingertips. And with the G810, which can be lowered to 26 keys simultaneously and always get the results you want.

In addition to helping you nail the controls, the G810 also allows you to play better and longer thanks to their mechanical switches Romer-G. Designed for faster action than the standard Cherry MX switches that found in most mechanical keyboards, Romer-G switches have a stroke of only 1.5 mm, 2 mm against the standard and 3 mechanical switches, 5mm for cheap rubber domes will find in the average keyboard included.

The cover design key G810 keeps your fingers centered and activation edge enhancement strike keystrokes simple and reliable. And because the Romer-G requires only 45 g of pressure to actuate that will put less stress on each keystroke, enough to help you enjoy the game longer sessions with a minimum finger fatigue. You can be sure that the G810 will not release at a crucial moment. Its switches are tested by 70 million keystrokes, so that 40 percent more durable than its main competitor and ensures years of dependable operation.

If you are serious about your game, then you can not afford to be without the Logitech G810 Orion Spectrum, and ESL agrees, the G810 is adopted as its official gear. You know that one deserves.

Alienware Aurora proves not all prebuilt gaming PCs are awful

You have to hand it to Alienware. Although it bears the brunt of criticism player l33t from buying Dell in 2006, after all, machines Alienware have tended to resemble something book-sketch high school 12 years old, the company has plowed ahead, creating increasingly elegant desktop and laptop computers.

His last, squat tower, midsize called Aurora, is even more desirable Alienware machine. Taking cues from the company giant Area 51, the Aurora sports a form factor surprisingly compact, restricted (by Alienware at least) aesthetics, and a price that is not far from a self-construction. It even has a decent cooling performance.

For the first time in a long time, if a novice family game or PC-tech timid question whether or not a desktop Alienware worth, you can finally say yes.

Standing 472.52mm (18.6 inches) in height, a 360.5mm (14.19 inches) deep and 212 mm (8.35 inches) wide grouper, Alienware Aurora is smaller and wider than your average desktop game. That, given the trend towards smaller systems that are just at home in the living room, as they are in an office or bedroom, it is not a bad thing. In fact, this is probably the first Alienware could be placed in a living room, the view, and not get cold, hard ashamed of a loved one.

That is partly thanks to the flat front panel of the Aurora, which was finished in a matt black plastic top resistant up with a piano black grille below nonthreatening. Older models were somehow much more curves and more angular way once, which led to some questionable aesthetics. That said, there is still light up, RGB LED alien-head power switch, but you can disable if you prefer a more subdued look.

Specs at a glance: Alienware Aurora
	Lowest	Best	As reviewed
OS	Windows 10 Home 64-bit
CPU	6th Generation Intel Core i3-6100 (Dual-core, 3.7GHz, 3MB cache)	6th Generation Intel Core i7-6700K (Quad-core, 4.0GHz, 8MB cache)	6th Generation Intel Core i7-6700K (Quad-core, 4.0GHz, 8MB cache)
RAM	8GB DDR4 2,133MHz (4GBx2)	16GB 2,133MHz DDR4 (2x8GB)	16GB 2,133MHz DDR4 (2x8GB)
GPU	Nvidia GTX 950 2GB	Nvidia GTX 1080 8GB Founders Edition	Nvidia GTX 1080 8GB Founders Edition
HDD	1TB (64MB Cache) 7,200 RPM SATA 6Gb/s	1TB (64MB Cache) 7,200 RPM SATA 6Gb/s	256GB Toshiba M.2 NVMe SSD, 1TB (64MB Cache) 7,200 RPM SATA 6Gb/s
PSU/Cooling	460W PSU and air cooler	850W modular PSU and liquid cooler	850W modular PSU and liquid cooler
NETWORKING	RJ-45 Killer Networks e2400 Ethernet, Intel 3165 1x1 802.11ac Wi-Fi Wireless LAN, Bluetooth 4.2
PORTS	7 x USB 3.0, 1 x USB 3.1 Type-A, 1 x USB-3.1 Type-C, 6 x USB 2.0, 4 x DisplayPort, HDMI, optical out, headphone jack, microphone jack, 7.1 surround sound out
SIZE	Height: 472.52mm (18.6 inches), depth: 360.5mm (14.19 inches), width: 212mm (8.35 inches)
WEIGHT	Average weight 14kg (30lbs)
WARRANTY	One year premium support with Onsite
NOTE	Dell's prices can vary wildly thanks to its "instant savings." The prices below include VAT.
PRICE	£699 ($799)	£1,679 ($1,949)	£1,789 ($2,179)

The Aurora has a unique look that quickly grows on you. [That's the Ars UK office, by the way -Ed.] The ignition switch Alienware head lights but the lighting can be turned off. On the front panel are four USB and headphone and microphone jacks. The feet of the Aurora. The other side of the Aurora has vents for the graphics card. rear IO of the Aurora, which includes a lot of USB jacks.

The sleeker styling continues with the side panels, which have a smooth finish and gray, and the same light bars LED tri-appearing across the range of Alienware. The panels are not flat, and actually bow outward from the front panel somewhere, but look good, carefully avoiding the effect of swelling that many cases of PC sufferers with a similar design. The left panel also has air intakes for the (s) graphics card inside.

The top of the Aurora has the same bright as the front grill and an exhaust fan 120 mm. If you opt for the cooling solution all-in-one liquid, radiator stands here along with the fan. The asymmetrical top panel also has a useful handle transport, which makes carrying around the Aurora LAN parties (still a thing, right?) Much easier. And with an average weight of 14 kg (32lbs), depending on the configuration, it is almost possible to lift with one hand as well.

Unfortunately, the reasonable weight comes at the expense of building materials: the entire exterior of the Aurora case is made of plastic. It's a good, solid, plastic, quality, but when there are so many other desktop high-end are being built with quality materials like aluminum and glass, plastic is a disappointment. In fact, when removed, the side panels make that awful hole, jingling sound so reminiscent of pre-built PC from the 90's.

Yes, it is upgradable

At least the side panels are easy to remove. While the Aurora could be a PC game off-the-shelf, Alienware has made it easy to enter. On the back of the box it is a plastic handle that, when pulled, ejects the side panel revealing a tight airy interior and a unique design. Where most PCs have a top- or lower power supply assembly, Aurora saves space by placing the power supply above the motherboard. Right next to the lever side panel are two sliding switches that open the power supply, allowing them to move up and out of the case, the cables still attached.

This gives you unrestricted access to the CPU-cooler and socket, memory slots (there are four, with two populated by default), and PCIe slots. There is room for two full-length graphics cards, although the use of two means providing access to one of the smaller slots 4X. There is a slot for M.2 PCIe based storage NVMe as a Samsung 960 Pro, two sleds without tools standard 2.5-inch SSD drives, and a single slot 3.5-inch hard drive, which is located just below the power supply. These should provide sufficient storage options for most users, although not a great setup for anyone who wants to store large amounts of data.

Pull the lever and the side panel is triggered. The power supply is uniquely mounted above the motherboard. It sits on a hinge that turns, which gives you access to all internal components. With the graphics card can access the M.2 slot and SATA sockets. RAM, GPU, and memory M.2 SSD removed. The power supply flip-out in all its splendor. Another look inside. This particular system comes with a cooling system all-in-one liquid. The SSD and RAM that Aurora uses.

The only thing you can not do is replace the motherboard. It is standard fare Dell owner, although it seems near Micro ATX size with little in the way of easy access. Cable management is good, but with wires tied tightly into position along the sides of the box bare steel. This particular configuration comes with a modular power supply of 850W, but Alienware pre-wire any additional cable you might need in their respective positions. There are pieces of SATA power connectors near the bays of 2.5 inches, for example, and there is an additional PCIe power connector, if you want to add another graphics card.

With a configuration of this unique type, you might be wondering how the airflow is in charge of Aurora. The good news is that despite the location of the power supply, we had no problem strangulation. 120 mm fan on the front pulls in fresh air, with the radiator and fan upper mounting evacuate air out of the box. Meanwhile, the card (like the blower) graphics sucks fresh air grilles on the side panel. There is no removable fan filter on the grid, which means you have to carry all the side panel around in order to clean the dust. I also wonder how well the Aurora would with an air cooler (as offered in certain configurations) instead of all in one. I suspect overclocking would be out of the question.

Acer Predator 17 review: who would want a gaming laptop?

You might not want to carry your laptop or upgrade your gaming PC

It is easy to see why PC makers are targeting gamers - what other demographic consumer is willing to pay higher prices for premium Windows hardware? But the problem with PC gamers is that many of them do not require PC makers to assemble components for them, because you can get better results for less money when you yourself are built.

You really can not do that with laptops, however, which perhaps explains why a number of PC manufacturers have produced high-end, portable super powerful with the express purpose of playing in them. And Acer is the latest to jump on the field with the new Predator 17, one of the first portable game machines ts. It's everything you expect from a gaming laptop: heavy huge, juicy and specifications.

A gaming laptop is also much more expensive than a desktop computer with similar performance, and its design seriously compromises the advantage of portability is expected of a laptop. So why do you want one?

I have some ideas.

A lot of gaming laptops has an ultra-aggressive style, and Acer says the design of the Predator 17 was "inspired by intergalactic cruise," which at least earn the points of the company to find words that never I would get in a video Jony Ive. And it's not an inaccurate description - this is like a Star Destroyer on my desk. It features a combination of black and aggressive red with bright LEDs that illuminates the keyboard and bright stripes on the back of the screen, and it is very safe to say that Acer had no coffee tables into account in the design of this colossus. I do not like the finished soft-touch rubber collecting fingerprints too easily, but the Predator 17 is very well put-together otherwise. In addition, you can exchange the Blu-ray drive for an extra fan called the FrostCore, which made basically no difference in my tests, but I love that exists.

Not a single bag I possess Predator 17 fits into the inside. At 8.7 pounds and 1.6 inches thick, it is simply not practical to move this laptop anywhere outside the home unless you will be sitting in the passenger seat of his car. The battery will not last nearly as long as what can be found in many more laptops, either - I tried to use it for a day's work, but only made it to 3 hours and 40 minutes from paraffin and light and using Chrome, with 3 hours and 56 minutes on the Verge website-loop battery test. Move from one room to another is one thing, but is unlikely to want to take it much further than that.

None of this has stopped the players loaded with desktop PCs over the LAN for decades holidays, however, and only one thing really matters for the type of person who wants a portable game: performance.

The Acer Predator 17 model that has sent me a cost of $ 2,599.99, and is a ridiculously powerful machine. It has a 2.6 GHz quad-core Intel i7-6700HQ Skylake processor, a GeForce GPU Nvidia GTX 980 million, a USB-C port Thunderbolt 3, an SSD of 512 GB hard disk copies of 1TB, and a 32 GB, frankly free of DDR4 RAM. The screen is an LCD screen 17.3-inch 1080p IPS. (Low-specced models are available.) All this is top-of-the-line or near it - the better i7-6700 CPU Intel mobile gaming and is best GTX 980 million mobile GPU from Nvidia, although some competing notebooks include card 8GB instead of 4GB version found here. The screen does not have the best viewing angles in the world, but punchy and vibrant front looks, and 1080p is the right resolution for a gaming laptop, even if it seems that lacks high-resolution side ultrabooks.

In practice, what this means is that the Predator 17 just breezes through virtually anything you can throw at it. I installed the most difficult titles of my libraries steam and origin - think Ryse: Son of Rome, Crysis 3, dying light, and so on - and saw smooth frame rates at the highest graphical settings at all. Ark: Survival Evolved, a title Early Access steam notoriously bad optimization, can be played on higher settings although it stops at my table. Last month bought the witness to prove he had heard that the PC port was inflexible and a lot of people had trouble running it. My result? almost flawless performance, broken occasionally frame when looking at the puzzles. In desperation I tried to Star Wars Battlefront, arguably the most visually advanced game there today and one that I have been playing on Xbox One for months. I learned two things: Star Wars Battlefront looks much better on a good PC in the Xbox One, and the Predator 17 handles quite well ultra settings with frame-rate drop odd. Turn the shadow detail a touch and you're golden.

So no, the performance is not a concern with the Predator 17 - at least not at the beginning of 2016. A problem with gaming laptops is that you really can not update them later, which means you have to buy a completely new machine once inside the GPU is not up to snuff. And considering that the 980M came out in 2014, which may well be a concern. But the Predator 17 runs all with such aplomb that I can not see any reason why it would not be suitable for this purpose for several years.

I also want to draw attention to the keyboard 17 Predator, I'm pretty sure it's the best I've used in a notebook. It does not feel as heavy mechanical keys favored by many players, but offers a comfortable ride and a quick response equally well suited to games and write - my only problem was having to adjust my hand position due to the sheer thickness of the machine . The giant figure of Predator 17 also means there is room for a complete design with a numeric keypad and customizable macro keys. I was less impressed by the trackpad, it feels like, well, a trackpad at a cheaper Acer laptop. If ever a laptop manufacturer could be forgiven for assuming the presence of a mouse, however, it would be in a gaming laptop; That's why it even has a glowing discreet button to change the trackpad out altogether.

Actually, my biggest problem with the Predator 17 was only to find a chance to use it. My main computer is a 12-inch MacBook, which is as different from a laptop, as it is possible, and is obviously much more suited to a portable typical things like browsing on the couch or working in a cafe. My other computer is a desktop game Alienware X51, it really was smoked by the Predator 17 in terms of performance, but I think it is much more convenient to use - I have a configuration with a 21: 9 screen ultra wide and comfortable chair to lean back on. Hunched over a table to watch the games on a laptop screen smaller is not so attractive, even if the graphics are better.

But you know, a machine like this is a compromise. It is getting power high-end places that would not normally be able to. And that could be a godsend for any frequent traveler can not be without their Witcher 3 character for weeks. I? I stay with Persona 4 at PS Vita and Downwell on the iPhone. But the Predator 17 finally wormed his way into my heart when I left it on the bar counter in my kitchen, perhaps the last place in my apartment I otherwise make a PC game. It turns out that making a drink, sitting on a stool, and pushing his way through Tomb Raider is a very good way to relax at the end of the day.

And that's what a gaming laptop get: a PC game in which not or could not put one otherwise. You pay a premium for performance monitoring and sacrifice on the accumulation, yes, but also give you comfort and a different kind of flexibility. Although the current Predator 17 does not meet the requirements for Oculus Rift or HTC Vive, I can see the future gaming laptops as an attractive option for anyone interested in entering VR, for example; at CES this year I took a demonstration by a similar HTC Vive powered laptop, and performance was excellent. Laptops make sense for Vive in particular, because you may want to move your experience of walking-around-the-space for different parts of your house, and that will be an easier purchase all-in-one any PC novice whose interest has been awakened by Oculus.

A gaming laptop like the Acer Predator 17 will seem like a ridiculous product to a lot of people - even for many players. The entire category of gaming laptops is without a doubt niche, and $ 2599 is a lot to fall into this particular model. But it is hard to see how Acer could have run much better concept of what he did with the Predator 17, and I'm glad it exists. It is built with so much restraint and reckless abandon in all the right places focused machine, and I think it will make some people - not many, but some - very happy.

And it is an interesting strategic investment for a company like Acer, which has traditionally operated in high volume and low margins. Many fewer people will take a look at the Predator 17 which would consider purchasing one of the laptops $ 500 sub out the traditional market, but Acer will charge a premium for each sale. If the Predator 17 has proven to be a successful company, you can expect to see further search PC laptop manufacturers gaming as the industry in general continues to decline. After all, who else is going to spend more than $ 2,000 in a notebook of Windows?

Sony's PlayStation blurring lines between console, PC games

The renewal of PlayStation 4 is a sign that video game consoles are turning away from a life cycle of six to seven years, to more frequent updates aimed at players looking for the flexibility offered by personal computers, said the head division games Sony Corp.

[Tokyo] Renewal of PlayStation 4 is a sign that video game consoles are turning away from a life cycle of six to seven years, to more frequent updates aimed at players looking for the flexibility offered by personal computers, said the head of the division of Sony Corp. games

This step by the electronics company based in Tokyo follows an announcement last month that PC users can enjoy hundreds of PlayStation games via streaming service without a console Sony.

Andrew House, the head of the division, said the threat of players defecting to computers played a role in the decision of the company to launch PS4 Pro, an update that will be released 10 Nov.

He also indicated PlayStation Now streaming service Sony will have an increasingly important role in the strategy games company, which now includes the PC.

The decision to release a more powerful version PS4 was driven in part by "the feeling that maybe some of our most engaged users, perhaps gravitate to the PC at some point in their life cycle, as they put great emphasis on graphics, "House said.

Sony announced last week two variants of its PlayStation 4 console: a more powerful version called PS4 Pro designed for high-quality video and VR, and a thinner, more efficient version of the PS4 that was originally for sale in November 2013 .

"This came also from conversations with our own creative partners who said that perhaps the last cycle of life was too long," said Mr. House.

Sony is also pushing virtual reality. PlayStation VR headset company will go on sale within weeks, and should be paired with the PS4 console to operate the company. The new hardware is priced at $ 399 in the US, significantly less than competing head receptors Facebook Inc and HTC Corp.

Sony has said it plans to compete in areas beyond games, including related to movies, concerts, sporting events and, possibly, education and medicine experiences.

CEO Kazuo Hirai has relied increasingly on division games House transformation of the company, which last fiscal year recorded its highest net income since 2008.

The strong pace has continued this year, with operating income of the gaming unit more than doubled in the last quarter.

TECHNOLOGY TRICKS BRING VR TO 500 DOLLAR PC LEVEL

Bulky, expensive hardware, technical problems and questionable content are definitely the key barrier to mass adoption of AR and VR technology. mass adoption so that any technology that became ubiquitous is needed. With VR, that adoption is even more important as digital immersion can be overwhelming. As for the game content goes, it takes several years to create a great game, if it is being backed up by a major publisher. To close the circle - compared to the global gaming market, the market for premium games VR is small. Oculus and HTC are many promising experiences that will push those limits, as the cover 7 conference games oculus Connect 3.

Investors begin to lose money, the latter have won it with interest. Fear stops. From the stone age, we live in a world of stick and carrot at its core. However, you do not see every day that the requirements for a game - or in this case the entire platform game VR - are falling drastically. Creating new and better VR content also means new graphics and software solutions. As we know a key component to the game is the graphics processing unit (GPU). The paradox lies in the fact that even during intensive rendering operations, a significant proportion of the processing power of a GPU is sitting idle.

This behavior presents a great opportunity to make it even better through software upgrades architectural and asynchronous shader computing represents the next important step. In the last year, Oculus worked closely with Microsoft, NVIDIA and AMD to improve software architecture and reach new levels of performance. The result of these efforts is asynchronous Time Warp (ATW) and Asycnhronous deformation space (ASW)

A very basic method ATW existed back in the 1990s, during the early hours of VR - was even used in various devices mounted on the first generation VR head. Oculus Rift uses asynchronous Time Warp (ATW) to soften the perceived frequency table and reduces motion sickness. It works well when tracking the head position only, but does not solve the problems with the positional movements. Move within a virtual reality environment is one of the most difficult and important moments during the VR development.

So far, the commitment / most common solution is moving through teleportation. Today, Oculus launched a new call Spacewarp (ASW) asynchronous technology. As its name says, ASW prevents jittering position while allowing better use of the GPU. In turn, the ATW / ASW combination allows cheaper computers that provide sufficient power to run performance VR content.

These VR extensions are now built into the driver Oculus Rift, and supported through liquid VR AMD and NVIDIA VRWorks. In order to "celebrate" the launch of its driver, AMD pushed the next step in virtual reality accessibility with the launch of a limited edition CyberPower PC. By combining the AMD FX-4350 and RX 470 Radeon graphics processor, CyberPower is able to send this computer for just $ 499, when purchased with an Oculus Rift of $ 500.99. The system includes a keyboard, mouse, DVD drive, 1TB hard drive, and Microsoft Windows 10. With this PC, Oculus changed the minimum hardware requirements for handset Rift CV1.

New (minimum) specifications are:

• NVIDIA GTX 960 / AMD RX 470 or more
• I3-6100 Intel / AMD FX4350 or greater
• 8 GB of RAM +
• Compatible with HDMI 1.3 video output
• 1x USB 3.0 port, 2 USB 2.0 ports
• Microsoft Windows 8 or newer

Project Scorpio release date rumours

Microsoft Project Scorpio have rumors: Scorpio offer VR Microsoft Project and 4K capabilities once launched in 2017

With the introduction of Sony PS4 Pro, Microsoft had to lift the lid on its own high-end console currently in the works: Scorpion Project. While Scorpion Project is still over a year away from a possible release, Microsoft itself, Phil Spencer has provided a number of details about what to expect from the console. Then we discuss what we know about Microsoft Project Scorpio including release date and pricing rumors, and some of the key features of the console.

Consoles are historically a little strange. While manufacturers of smartphones (and almost everyone else) provide annual updates of their products to keep them updated, console manufacturers do such a thing. Look at the Xbox 360 - apart from visual enhancements, the console remained virtually unchanged in terms of technology throughout its eight-year cycle. However, with the introduction of the likes of Pro PS4, Xbox One S and now Project Scorpion, console makers are making an effort to keep the consoles in line with their brothers PC. See also: Best video game consoles 2016.

Then we discuss what we know about the next project scorpion Microsoft, including release date and pricing rumors, and some of the key features you would expect from high-end console.

See also: PS4 vs Xbox One

Scorpio Project release date and price rumors: When Scorpio project be released in the UK? How much will it cost?

So before entering the crux of the matter of what to expect next project Scorpion Microsoft, we thought we'd first address one of the most important elements - its release date and price. However, although no date solid release yet, Microsoft's Phil Spencer hinted that he would be with us by Christmas 2017 (or "vacation" as our American colleagues call it), explaining why the company decided to announce the project so early.

"It's crazy to announce something so early, but when I put on the skin of our client, I want to be able to make a decision on what console I buy as much information as possible," Spencer said. "We want to give you the information to make that decision. We also want to go talk to the developers that are out there today, they are building games next vacation, and say that this is what will be available on the side console. "

Why Spencer wants to "talk to the developers [...] who are building games for the next holiday" if the company had no plans for the console to be on the market by then? Therefore, we have a wide release date of 2017. It is not always the best spoon, but at least know what to expect before Christmas 2017.

But what about prices? While there is no confirmation of pricing at the moment, Spencer hinted about possible pricing, speaking to The Verge.

"We're not ready to announce anything at this time, but you can imagine at the point of Scorpion price - we have not really said, but think consoles and we live in terms of price - it has something in six teraflops that will that millions of people buying is very attractive for some of the VR companies that are out there already, and we have architected is such that something will be able to connect to the right and work ".

Let's assume that the Scorpion project will cost more than standard consoles, possibly around the same price as a low-end PC games VR-ready - putting around £ 600-650 mark. It is far from the £ 249 price tag competitive Xbox One S, but with native 4K output and capabilities of virtual reality, at least, we are not very surprised by pricing high end.

Scorpion project have rumors: What can I expect Scorpion project?

As we are a little over a year since its launch, rumors specifications and features are a little light on the ground. However, we are having said that, we have been joked with some details that we and the players will keep everyone interested in Microsoft's next project.

What we do know is that the Scorpion Project will be awesomely powerful because of the six teraflops of graphics performance it provides. While teraflops three less than the recently announced Nvidia GeForce 1080 GTX, the graphical representation could rival that of the GTX 970 and as such, provide the console with virtual reality capabilities, as well as a much improved game.

We also know that AMD chips will be driving Scorpion Microsoft Project; "We are proud that Microsoft has chosen to expand its family of Xbox One device with two new consoles offering high semi-custom performance SoC AMD that support the new revolutionary technologies such as HDR, 4K and VR-fi to allow the next generation of immersive gaming experiences, "the company said in a recent statement.

Virtual reality helps

As with the PlayStation 4, one of the main selling points of the next Scorpio Project will be virtual reality - and this is where it gets interesting. According to sources, Microsoft does not have its own virtual reality device and not the development of its own for use with the console - so you will use it? Spencer the likes of HTC Vive and Oculus Rift listed, although it has not confirmed any of these points are project partners.

He had felt for Microsoft opt ​​for the Oculus Rift as the company has already been associated with Oculus to provide all handsets in an A controller Xbox and Windows 10 was designed with the Rift in mind. In addition to this, the unified support could make it much easier for developers to create virtual reality games that run on Windows and Xbox, an important element if Microsoft wants to do well in the VR game.

The real problem comes when it comes to price - as with the PlayStation 4, the virtual reality device will not be included in the standard package of Scorpion Project. This means that you may have to shell out £ 549 for Oculus Rift on top of Project Scorpion ~ £ 600 if you want to try VR on the console. Sony PlayStation VR, on the other hand, costs £ 349, which is a more attractive option (at this stage) for console gamers who want to try VR.

An enhanced gaming experience

And VR, Scorpio Project seems to provide users a gaming experience generally improved in a number of ways. First, Microsoft has promised that the console will be able to render graphics at 60Hz, providing a set of soft butter that is synchronized with the refresh rate of your TV, although we're not sure if this applies to 4K game yet.

To appreciate the second point, we must first explain how "work" consoles. While developers can say, for example, console games run at 1080p @ 60fps, resolution may be reduced during periods graphically demanding to ensure that not much (or any) sees drop in frames per second. However, Microsoft claims that this will not happen when playing in the next console; "When a game like running in Scorpio will work at the maximum resolution all the time," Spencer said when speaking to The Verge.

We will update this article with new information as soon as we receive it, so be sure to check back soon for the latest news of the Scorpion Project.

The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim Special Edition Goes Gold; PC System Requirements Revealed

The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim special edition is set to launch later this month, and now Bethesda has announced that the game has officially gone gold. Accompanying the announcement is the release of the system requirements of PC gaming, as well as the file size for each version of the game.

Bethesda says "Soon, players will be able gaming experience on Xbox One and PlayStation 4 - with mods. - For the first time, and the Special Edition will include 4K native support for the PlayStation 4 Pro But what is more interesting for us is that the special edition also means a new generation of players can create new Skyrim memories and learn what being Dragonborn for the first time ".

They will say that "Skyrim Special Edition gold will also mark the first time we are holding a press as an international study. We can not say enough about the hard work and love of our study of Montreal poured into this project."

The following are the PC system requirements and storage requirements of the console for The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim Special Edition:

Minimum

• Windows 7 / 8.1 / 10 (64-bit Version) 
•  I5-750 Intel / AMD Phenom II X4-945. 
•  8 GB of RAM. 
•  12GB of free hard disk space 
•  NVIDIA GTX 470 1GB / 2GB AMD HD 7870

Recommended

• Windows 7 / 8.1 / 10 (64-bit Version)
• I5-2400 Intel / AMD FX-8320. 
•  8 GB of RAM. 
•  12GB of free hard disk space 
•  NVIDIA GTX 780 3GB / AMD R9 290 4GB

storage requirements of the console:

PS4

• 20GB (North America) 
• 33 GB (Europe)

Xbox One

• 17 GB (North America) 
•  25GB (Europe)

The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim Special Edition will be released for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC on October 28. Steam users who already have the game and all DLC will be able to get Skyrim absolutely free Special Edition.

PlayStation 4 Pro 4K Gaming Detailed By Digital Foundry

Players patiently waiting for the release of the new PlayStation 4 Pro console, you would like to learn more about its features and specifications Ultra HD 4K, they are sure to enjoy the video embedded below.

During which the team at Digital Foundry explains a little more about what you can expect in the way of 4K features of the PlayStation 4 Pro console. It is now available for pre-order and will be launching in November provide increased hardware specifications compared to the current hardware PS4.

The website Euro gamer explain a little more:

"With just over a month for new releases of the console, the lack of exposure to the system is disconcerting. There are many reasons to be optimistic about the possibilities of hardware, mainly because the software I've seen - mainly the last days and Horizon Zero Dawn - looks impressive. They are not released titles, of course, but perhaps hint at the kind of quality we can see more generally a couple of months after release. More than that, the price point of the PlayStation Pro - $ 399/349 £ - makes the hardware of a no-brainer for new buyers of the console as we move into the holiday season.

The conclusion is as follows. While we expect fully offers bundling and special offers to reduce prices on existing hardware, the retail price for PS4 Pro is undeniably compelling - $ 100 / £ 100 more than the new GJC-2000 'slim' PlayStation 4 model buying 31 percent more CPU power, the hoarse 2.3x GPU, RAM faster and twice the storage space. As things stand, the base PS4 are looking suddenly very expensive for what it offers relatively.

Price of PlayStation 4 Pro in line with the cost of launching original PS4, Sony has realized that there is some maximum acceptable price for a current release of the console, and while the omission of the Blu-ray UHD it is a bad move for a device aimed at the top end, the most demanding user, it is clear that is a business decision aimed at getting as many consoles in homes as quickly as possible. Keep the price also helps to address the key concerns about the hardware, which is quite simple: to what extent is what really enhance the viewing experience? Before addressing that, it is worth noting that the relatively small lump price PS4 to Pro means that even if you are buying only the most refined performance, excellent anti-aliasing and 2 times the storage, you're still not getting a bad deal .

Mafia 3 PC port review

A lack of code review and a cap rate feared frames cast a pretty big shadow over the release of Mafia III last week, and I'm still working my way through the game to our opinion, to be able to read in a few days . Now that it has received its first patch, and the limit of 30 fps it has been removed, at least I've been able to put to sufficient evidence to make a judgment on the snout of the PC port.

Looking our opinion mafia 3 pcs? It is still not quite ready ...

Things are not great in New Bordeaux.

Tested on Intel i5-3570K @ 3.40GHz, 8GB of RAM, GeForce GTX 970, Windows 10.

The seething anger 30fps cap Mafia III was greeted with a sort of done all the ridiculous fiasco, but the reality does not inspire confidence monitoring. Not only because of 60fps is the standard lens, but the fact that these tops always result in a lot of angry, vocal players. It's just courting trouble. So while the weekend was changed, it is only the first of what is a rather large list of reasons why the PC port of Mafia III does not feel ready yet.

So! Mafia III can finally play at 60fps, or the frame rate can be unlocked completely. Unfortunately, this has revealed a new problem: it does not seem remotely like the Mafia III has been optimized. With the lid, the game was smooth if slow. I confess that eventually I forgot all about the low frame rate, thanks to the fact that it was at least consistent. I miss those days. I could crown 30 again, in fact.

But before delving into performance problems, we will spend some time digging around game settings. Mafia III looks dated, and there's nothing you can do about it. low resolution textures, terrible Vaseline-like anti-aliasing, cars that look like cheap toys, plastic, lighting and low quality paint a picture far less. With the persistent fog and low sight distance, which is not that much, anyway.

graphics settings menu Mafia III is a short list of things that do not make much difference, visually or in terms of performance, beyond the anti-aliasing and quality of reflection. Apart from the expected elements such as texture quality and the FA, the absolute basics can be adjusted by choosing between high variations of low, medium and high. A field of view configuration is certainly a nice addition, but the surprise only serves as a reminder of how thin are the options.

This is as good as it gets. Ok, maybe that's not fair. I could not have picked a nicer than a portacabin burning in a parking place. In fact, the Mafia III, may even seem quite bold for its sunsets, or when you are browsing the city illuminated at night.

Since it is difficult to establish any bar, I do not expect any real performance problem. But I forgot the old mantra: just because you can run The Witcher 3 or GTA V on very high settings and still get 60 fps, not the Mafia III working as garbage will stop. Yes, it's a very, very specific mantra. I wonder if a homeowner engine was the wrong way to Hangar 13 to go way. The result, at the top, is an inconsistent, often poor performance does not appear justified. The frame rate fluctuates, sometimes quite irregular, between 30-50fps. On foot, ranging around 40, while driving, it reduces it to 30 years. There is also some noticeable stutter, while car accidents or spins at high speed and the like can cause the frame rate plummet.

It's just a dramatic difference, but in the media settings you can detect a certain loss of small details, like dirt in Lincoln pants, and the disappearance of some objects in the distance. However, some of the changes are helpful. In particular, AA reducing effect decreases petrolatum.

Unexpectedly, the performance is not improved significantly. The game jumps between 40-50fps while walking around, although fast driving reduces this to between 35-40. The last time I saw such a poor performance in medium settings on a triple A game that was Arkham Knight.

In the lowest setting, the game is not worlds apart from the others. quality options texture absent, and indeed many others, just not much to change, resulting in only minor differences which are difficult to detect whether they are standing around doing nothing, or speeding through the city in a car.

Finally, on the lowest setting, I managed to get a frame rate of 60 fps most compatible. Incredibly, however, the stuttering persists while driving fast, and the tank can frame rate, plunging 40fps. In the lowest setting.

In terms of performance and customization, mafia III is quite poor. There are only a few options that have a real impact on performance, so if you are having problems, there's not much you can do about it. And judging from my experience, as well as those with the most striking and most robust platforms, there is a good chance you encounter problems, even if you are wearing a GTX 980.

When the patch unlock the frame rate landed, I realized that the limit of 30 fps was not alone in making you feel Mafia III was slow because of the control settings as well. The default sensitivity makes the Lincoln control feels as if he were driving a tank. Fortunately, this can be adjusted. You can rebind keys, too, but not the design of the controller. Unfortunately, there are only two designs to choose from.

The bad news continues as the HUD, which often gets in the way, and can not be altered at all. The game also has a tendency to stop you to give a tutorial that you have already read several times, which is not even relevant to the situation is. Just as little control over the game. And every time you want to change something that you can actually change, you must navigate through a slow presentation slides menus that hide a smaller menu presentation. Fantastic!

Although Hangar 13 were quick to shoot out a patch that adds new options frame rate, which has only revealed more of the deficiencies of the Mafia III. Even more patches roll out, this is best avoided.