MSI premiered the latest refresh of gaming laptops and devices for creators during its MSIology: Gameverse virtual event as a part of CES 2022 . These new laptops feature up to the new RTX 3080 Ti for laptops , as well as an Intel Core i7 processor. The Stealth and Raider lines also use a Phase-Change Liquid Metal Pad, which increases performance by up to 10%.
The GS77/66 Stealth refresh includes six speakers and 1TB of SSD storage. Depending on the model either 8G or 16G of GDDR6 VRAM, as well as 16GB or 32GB of DDR5 memory, and either a Core i7 or i9. The Stealth GS77 models start at $1,799 (about £1,320, AU$2,500) and the Stealth GS66 starts at $2,249 (about £1,650, AU$3,110).
The MSI Raider GE76 and GE76 have also been updated . This gaming laptop can be configured with up to an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Ti and 32GB of RAM. The MSI Raider GE76 starts at $1,599 (£1,200, AU$2,220) while the Raider GE66 starts at $2,249 (about £1,660, AU$3,120).
The Vector GP76/66 MSI-exclusive Cooler Boost 5 Technology but slightly weaker specs than either the Stealth or the Raider. You can get it with up to an RTX 3080 and 32GB of RAM, though so it’s not exactly weak. And it starts at $1,899 (about £1,400, AU$2,630), and the Vector GP66 begins at $2,249 (about £1,660, AU$3,120).
The Crosshair Rainbow Six Extraction Edition is a collaborative work between MSI and Ubisoft, which should be a treat for fans. It’s design incorporates much of the sci-fi aesthetics from the game, though spec-wise it’s less powerful than most of the other models. There are two different versions of this laptop, a 17-inch and a 15-inch version, both of which can only be specced out with an RTX 3070 or RTX 3070 Ti.
The new MSI Pulse GL76 was designed by Maarten Verhoeven and made more for agility and flexibility instead of power. It also uses the Cooler Boost 5, which increases airflow by up to 15%. This smaller chassis means that it's limited to the RTX 3080, rather than the new RTX 3080 Ti, though. But, at least it's more affordable than other 17-inch gaming laptops, starting at $1,349 (about £1,000, AU$1,870).
But it's not just gaming laptops : the Creator Z17, Creator Z16P, and Creator M16 have also been updated. According to MSI, the Z17 is the first 17-inch laptop to support pen touch, features a 16:10 screen, and supports True Color Technology. The Z16P specializes in improved airflow and cooler with its Vapor Chamber Cooler, which boosts performance by 20%. The M16 is a more portable version of the previous two models, featuring QHD+ True Pixel display and a 180 degree lay flat screen.
All of these laptops will be available for preorder starting January 25th and should ship by February 1st.
New Amazon Kindle (2022): what we want to see
It's been nearly three years since a new Amazon Kindle ereader launched - we're talking about the entry-level version, though a new Kindle Paperwhite launched in 2021.
That's quite a long time for Amazon to leave its entry-level ereader line without refreshing it, but it makes us hopeful that a new iteration is on its way very soon - we're also crossing our fingers for a new Kindle Oasis at some point too.
Amazon typically only waits two or so years between generational updates for its ereaders though, so we expected a new Amazon Kindle to be released sometime in 2021.
Clearly that didn't happen, but we'll almost definitely see one sooner rather than later.
There haven't been any credible reports that a new Kindle is coming, but when some appear we'll make sure to bring them to you here; until then, though, we've written up a wish list of new features and changes we'd like to see in whatever ereader Amazon comes up with next.
Cut to the chase
New Amazon Kindle (2022) release date and price
We don't have any clue as to a release date for the next Amazon Kindle - the company generally waits around two years between releases of each of its types of ereader, but that's not always been the case as of late, and reports suggest Covid-19 affected Kindle production.
We last saw a member of the 'vanilla' Kindle line in March 2019, but more recently the Kindle Paperwhite (2021) was the last Amazon ereader of any sort to get launched.
The price of entry-level Amazon Kindle ereaders changes a touch, but not a whole lot - the last one cost £69.99 / $89.99 / AU$139 for the base model, going up to £79.99 / $109.99 (about AU$150) if you don't want adverts appearing on the home screen, and we'd expect to see a similar price again.
What we want to see
Here are some things we want to see in the new Amazon Kindle (2021).
1. Connection to 5GHz internet
While most devices connect to both the slower 2.4GHz and faster 5GHz internet bandwidths, Amazon Kindle devices only hook up to the latter. That might not seem a problem - why do you need a fast connection if you're only downloading books?
Trouble arises because 2.4GHz is being phased out in some areas, and communal internet providers or even personal routers might not output the signal. This could lead some people to be unable to connect their Kindles to the internet.
If Amazon improved the Kindle's internet connectivity, it wouldn't just improve download speeds, but would enable some people to connect in the first place.
2. A USB-C port
All Amazon Kindle devices charge using micro-USB, which once was the connection standard, though has long since been replaced by USB-C.
USB-C allows for quicker charging, but more importantly, most devices use it, so if Kindle devices did too, you would only have to bring one cable on holiday or when traveling.
3. A monochromatic screen
Color ereaders are just around the corner, with TCL set to launch one in the first few months of the year, and rumors suggest Amazon could do the same with its Kindles.
Getting to see color displays in a Kindle would be great for fans of comic books and magazines, as you'd be able to make out what you're looking at much more easily, although it wouldn't be much use for people who prefer standard books.
We wouldn't like the 'standard' Kindle to have a color screen though, and we'd like to see it stick with monochrome. This is because a color display would bump up the price of the device, and this is supposed to be the entry-level ereader, with as low a cost as possible.
Instead, if Amazon was determined to put out a color ereader in 2021, we'd like to see it be the premium Kindle Oasis, which has a high cost anyway, or perhaps a new device entirely designed for magazines and comic books.
Soon you can manage your Office and Xbox accounts within Windows 11
Microsoft is making further improvements to Windows 11 with a better way to manage your Office and Xbox subscriptions within the Settings app if a Windows Insider build is to be believed.
A Windows Insider build can allow a user to sign up to a release of Windows that’s under development, which could showcase new apps, new features, or different ways to access parts of the user interface.
This change has been in the ‘Dev Channel’ of Windows Insider since late last year and has recently moved up to the ‘Release Channel’ build, numbered 22000.466. This most likely means that we could be seeing this arrive to all Windows 11 users sooner than Sun Valley 2 , the next big update to the operating system.
Analysis: It’s about time
We’ve been pleased to see Microsoft constantly look at aspects of Windows and how it could make the operating system easier on the eye, or just easier to use. While this is a small change, it’s going to make a big difference to those who manage Office subscriptions for their family or small business, or your personal Xbox Game Pass subscription.
Going to 'Settings > Accounts > Your Microsoft Account' in the Windows 11 Release Channel will show your active subscriptions, payment history, and rewards, mirroring what you would normally see on the web.
It’s another aspect of Microsoft focusing on the usability of Windows. In the past, such as Windows 8 and Windows Phone , form seemed to matter more than function, and once you got past the main feature that the company was showcasing, you’d be greeted with apps or message boxes that felt as though they had time traveled from Windows 95.
But with other improvements such as a new Task Manager coming, the return of Windows Media Player , and a better Microsoft Store , it looks as though Windows 11 is already shaping up to be a release that’s focusing on the future, not the past.
Regardless, we may see further improvements to how we use the apps and settings that we’ve been used to for years. And if that means few clicks and less confusion for more users, then it will benefit everyone.
Via MSPowerUser