PC Advisor là tạp chí máy tính hàng tháng, được phát hành tại Vương quốc Anh và Ireland và trang web do IDG xuất bản. Nó cung cấp lời khuyên về các khía cạnh khác nhau của máy tính cá nhân, các mục liên quan như nhiếp ảnh kỹ thuật số, internet, bảo mật và điện thoại thông minh, và các sản phẩm và dịch vụ công nghệ cá nhân khác. Đây là ấn bản tiếng Anh và Ireland của PC World của IDG. (Một tạp chí đã ngừng bán tên là Computer Computer World và một nhà bán lẻ PC World không liên quan đến tạp chí PC World đã tồn tại ở Anh).
GET FREE SOFTWARE IN OUR ONLINE DOWNLOADS ZONE EXPERT ADVICE YOU CAN ADVISOR FROM IDG LAPTOPS The new generation is powerful and portable Full © HD screens All-day battery C Windows 10 GOOGLE'S NEW GADGETS r Why you'll want a Daydream View, Google Home and more REVIEWED AMAZON ECHO NOW THERE'S A DIGITAL ASSISTANT FOR EVERY ROOM OF JANUARY 2017 ISSUE 258 SPITFIRE Specialists in business-class Internet connectivity, SIP and Voice over IP Hummingbird [Colibri Thalassinu COPPERSTREAM® A hummingbird's heart beats at over a 1,000 times a minute and its wings will beat about 70 times per second • Copper Ethernet GEA/EFM Leased Lines • 2Mb to 35Mb • Auto failover (optional) • From £125 per month • Free connection* FIBRESTREAMđ ã ã ã ã ã Fibre Ethernet Leased Lines 10Mb to 1Gb Auto failover (optional) From £300 per month Free connection* VSTREAM® Our FibreStream® Internet connections transmit data at up to one Gigabit per second • • • • • Fibre Broadband (VDSL) Up to 76Mb Auto failover (optional) From £21 per month Free connection and router on most services* DUALSTREAM®SF Whatever your budget, we have a fast, resilient broadband solution to suit your business needs • SDSLM and VStreamđ ã 2Mb voice and up to 76Mb data ã Auto failover • From £99 per month Sales 0800 319 6010 • Partner Services 0800 319 6500 Innovative • Flexible • Reliable • Supportive ?CTJO COMMENDED2015 0^0 WINNER 2015 ^ CWIWWMBOMI tTUB I cowmraMowl dSZISlH www.spitfire.co.uk *Subject to terms and conditions CWO DD 12 issues £37.99 £35.88 Six issues £24.99 £19.99 Europe (12 issues) £100 £100 Rest of world (12 issues) £125 £125 Google, Apple and Amazon announce new products t's been quite a month for product launches, and this issue of PC Advisor is packed with everything you need to know about them From Google's new virtual reality headset to its voiceactivated assistant, you'll find all the details in our feature on page 76 But while Google's Home speaker is yet to launch, Amazon's Echo (and Echo Dot) are already on sale It's one of the most exciting new gadgets in years and thanks to lessons learned during the time it has been on sale in the US, the UK version is a much more polished and useful system What can it do? Just turn to page 48 to find out You'll also find reviews of Apple's iPhone (page 29), Google's Pixel XL (page 77) and Sony's new Xperia XZ and X Compact (pages 32 and 34) Again, there's something for everyone here: if you can't afford or don't want a flagship phone, check out the best budget phones to buy on page 130 Things haven't quite gone to plan for Samsung with the Note (page 10) It initially recalled the first batch of phones and replaced them because some batteries were catching fire or exploding, but further problems with batteries in replacement handsets have led it to pull the Note off the shelves and completely discontinue the phone As well as new phones, we've hand-picked four of the best-value laptops you can buy for around £550 At this mid-price you can expect many fewer compromises than a true budget laptop, and the models from Lenovo, Acer, Asus and MSI are all great buys To find the best for you, turn to page 64 The MSI is an entry-level gaming laptop, but there's no denying you get more for your money with a PC In fact, upgrading your PC's graphics card can be an inexpensive way to boost performance and avoid having to buy a whole new machine We explain how to this on page 112 and how the latest generation of monitors can make games look even better (page 101) We also dissect a graphics card on page 88, so you can see how they work Finally, don't miss our beginner's guide to Windows' PowerShell on page 106 Invest a little time in this powerful tool and you'll discover that the command line can still be useful in 2016 What you think of this issue of PC Advisor? We welcome feedback - email Jim Martin at jim_martin@pcadvisor.co.uk and include the issue number in the subject heading NATIONAL talkingnewspapers ond magazines PC Advisor is published by IDG UK IDG UK, 101 Euston Road, London NW12RA Tel: 020 7756 2800 Printer: Wyndeham Press Group Ltd 01621 877 777 Distribution: Seymour Distribution Ltd 020 7429 4000 No material may be reproduced in whole or part without written permission While every care is taken, the publisher cannot be held legally responsible for any errors in articles, listings or advertisements All material copyright IDG UK 2016 ISSUE 259 ON SALE DECEMBER 2016 January 2017 www.pcadvisor.co.uk 3 CONTENTS FEATURES & GROUP TESTS NEWS & ANALYSIS COVER Latest technology news 14 New Windows preview 15 BBC's FEATURE 10 micro:bit computer 16 Intel's revenue soars 17 Nadella talks LinkedIn 18 Hackers create LJ- IoT REGULARS & OFFERS Welcome 20 Subscribe 64 GROUP TEST: Best 119 Software downloads zone 146 Outbox value 96 Why you should try Linux 101 Glaptops Sync vs FreeSync 104 Meet Pixel 76 Google's big launch 88 How graphics cards work TEST REVIEWS CENTRE Reader Software Downloads Zone Latest Windows Downloads Cyt«rUnk PhotoCMrector Ultra 0>9«m* (OttM M Ml yeMT *9*4) tMM imwiMi i a***.' CyberUnk PhotoOtrwtor Subscribe to PC Advisor and SAVE 50% 22 25 27 29 32 34 36 39 42 44 46 48 50 52 54 55 56 57 54 Chuwi HiBook Pro Chuwi Hi10 Jumper EZBook Air Apple iPhone Sony Xperia XZ Sony Xperia X Compact Xiaomi Redmi Note Xiaomi Redmi Pro Huawei Nova IMO S Amazon Fire HD Amazon Echo Apple Watch Series Synology RT1900ac Yi 4K Action Cam Devolo WiFi ac Repeater Griffin Survivor Omnicharge DJI Osmo Mobile Bitdefender Total Security 2017 Battlefield BUDGET LAPTOPS 66 Acer S 13 S5-371 68 Asus ZenBook UX310UA 70 Lenovo Yoga 11 710 72 MSI GL626QC 065UK 6 50 34 www.pcadvisor.co.uk January 2017 CONTENTS S TEST ON THE COVER 64 CENTRE 119 TOP CHARTS: BUYER'S GUIDE GET FREE SOFTWARE IN OUR ONLINE DOWNLOADS ZONE PC ADVISOR BEST VALUE LAPTOPS - The new generation powerful and portable moMioa is OFull HD screens © All-day battery © Windows 10 GOOGLE'S NEW GADGETS View Google Home and more REVIEWED! AMAZON ECHO Now there's a digital assistant for every room of your home 76 48 29, 32, 77 121 Best laptops 122 Budget laptops 123 Ultraportable laptops 124 Chromebooks 125 Gaming laptops 126 Gaming PCs 128 All-in-one PCs 129 Smartphones 130 Budget smartphones 131 Phablets 132 Best tablets 134 Smartwatches 135 Activity trackers 136 Budget printers/Printers 137 Wireless routers/ Powerline adaptors 138 NAS drives/External hard drives 139 SSDs/Smart thermostats 140 Budget graphics cards/ Graphics cards 141 K flat-panel TVs/ 4K flat-panel displays 142 e-book readers/Media streamers 143 Games console/ Budget portable speakers 144 Budget 106 Master Windows' PowerShell 111Shut down a PC at a set time 112 Install a graphics card 115 Know when your SSD will die 116 Work smarter in Excel January 2017 www.pcadvisor.co.uk NEWS Keep up to date with PC Advisor news: » pcadvisor.co.uk/news » twitter.com/pcadvisor facebook.com/pcadvisor » youtube.com/pcadvisor Microsoft announces slew of new products at Windows event CHRIS MARTIN Brad Chacos reveals everything, from Windows 10 Creators Update to the Surface Mouse and keyboards Microsoft's recent big event included plenty of new Surface hardware, but nevertheless, it's easy to see why the company called this a Windows event rather than a Surface shindig Windows and devices chief Terry Myerson (pictured) kicked things off with a tantalising glimpse of the features that will debut with the new Windows 10 Creators Update, scheduled to release in the spring The rest of the event was dedicated to new Surface gear designed specifically to marry powerful, thoughtful hardware with the best of those new software features Windows 10 Creators Update As we said, the freshly revealed Windows 10 Creators Update, scheduled to arrive in early 2017, kicked off the show The update is built around three key pillars: the creation and manipulation of 3D content, sharing your Xbox Live gaming experiences and easily communicating with others Surface Studio Microsoft's first-ever desktop PC is the paragon for all those Windows ideals The Surface Studio all-in-one mixes stunning physical design and impressive internal hardware, focused on creating the best www.pcadvisor.co.uk/news January 2017 experience possible for professionals and content creators From an ultra-slim 4500x3000-pixel screen with 'True Scale' 1:1 image recreation, to the ability to lay at a 20-degree angle for natural positioning while sketching, to the sixth-generation (Skylake) Core i7 CPU and Nvidia GPU powering it all, the Surface Studio is laser-focused on helping you get things done (And showing off Windows in the best possible.) Prices start at $3,000 - at the time of writing no UK price had been announced Surface Dial The Surface Studio's content-friendly design and Windows 10's new content creation tools are amplified by the Surface Dial, a radical puck that can control Microsoft's new PC It's primarily designed to work in conjunction with Microsoft's Surface Pen Priced at $100, the UK price has not yet been revealed The Surface Dial doesn't have any buttons Instead, using it reveals an interface wheel customised for specific applications, with selections occurring as you twist the device back and forth You may cycle through tool-tip brushes in an image-editing app, for instance, or rewind and fast-forward through written notes in Office A virtual version of the Dial appears even if you don't place the puck directly onscreen, letting you zoom, scroll and adjust various options such as screen brightness and volume Support will be baked right into Windows 10, and the accessory will be compatible with the Surface Pro 3, Pro and Surface Book contract”call BT One Phone Professional You never know when opportunities will call But with BT One Phone Professional, your business won’t miss them It’s the mobile service that takes all of the advanced features of a phone system and lets you use them on your mobile, so incoming calls can be seamlessly directed to the right person with the right expertise files onto these contacts to immediately share items, or click the contact to interact in a specific app such as Skype or Xbox Live Live PC game streaming Surface Book i7 Handily enough, Microsoft also revealed a newer, more powerful version of the Surface Book, the aptly named Surface Book i7 It comes with a sixth-generation Skylake Intel Core i7 processor and an Nvidia GTX 965M GPU to deliver twice the power of the most potent original Surface Book The Redmond-based firm has also boosted the Book i7's battery life to a claimed 15 hours, despite the additional firepower, thanks to a redesigned cooling system and, well, more batteries Microsoft revealed that prices will start at $2,400, with UK cost to be announced Paint 3D The Windows 10 Creators Update adds Paint 3D, a Windows Store app designed from the ground up to create 3D images even out of 2D pictures The program includes numerous tools for editing three-dimensional images, and also integrates with a new Windows 10 3D-scanning app dubbed Windows Capture 3D, which allows you to digitize real-world objects Microsoft also plans to introduce a 'community' hub on Remix3D.com for shared 3D images, plus it'll let you drag your creations out of Minecraft Office www.pcadvisor.co.uk/news January 2017 apps will also support 3D images after the Windows 10 Creators Update rolls out You have to wonder how many nonprofessionals are interested in 3D image creation, but there's no doubting that Paint 3D looks mighty nifty - and like a perfect match for the Surface Studio and Surface Dial's capabilities Windows Holographic VR headsets You'll be able to view those 3D creations through Microsoft's own HoloLens, or via an onslaught of Windows Holographiccompatible VR headsets reportedly coming from Dell, HP, Lenovo, Asus and Acer “These headsets will be the first and only to ship with inside-out, six-degree-of- freedom sensors," Microsoft's Terry Myerson revealed “Unlike every other VR headset on the market today, this means there will be zero need for a separate room Zero need for a complicated setup." My People Microsoft wants to make your friends the centre of your Windows experience with My People, a feature that borrows from Android and iOS In the Creators Update, five important contacts will appear as profile images in your taskbar You'll be able to drop Microsoft is muscling in on Twitch The Windows 10 Creators Update adds the ability to easily start broadcasting your Xbox Live games via the OS's Game DVR toolbar, sending notifications out to your friends to let them know when you're online Once they hop into your stream they'll be able to chat with you, as with every other streaming service out there The service is powered by Microsoft's recent Beam acquisition and looks simple to use It's easy to envision Windows 10 Game DVR livestreaming becoming popular on consoles, but the firm faces an uphill battle on PCs, where Twitch and tools such as Nvidia Shadowplay and OBS already enjoy massive user bases Custom tournaments and fancy audio The firm is tying console and PC users closer together with custom tournaments powered by Xbox Live's Arena platform Next year, you'll be able to create your own custom gaming tournaments, controlling everything from the games, to the rules, to the players and the start times Previously, Area tournaments were only created by Microsoft and its official partners The Xbox One S, which is itself powered by Windows 10, is adding support for bitstreaming Blu-ray audio passthrough and Dolby Atmos Soon, those 4K videos and games will sound glorious Surface Mouse and keyboards The niche Surface Dial isn't the only Studio peripheral Microsoft announced, though none of the others made it onto the stage The firm quietly launched a Surface Mouse and a pair of desktop Surface keyboards to complement its premium all-in-one PC All three match the grey aesthetic of Microsoft first-ever desktop PC The Studio includes a Surface Mouse and basic Surface Keyboard, however Enterprise seconds features • Load balancing Call 0808 • Easy to use control panel • VPN • Set up in Extern Cloud Servers from: £15.0 1686 777 or visit fasthosts.co.uk/cloud-servers SERVERS • WEB HOSTING • DOMAIN NAMES • EXCHANGE EMAIL fasthosts s News Samsung kills off the Galaxy Note to end the exploding battery debacle Samsung's problems worsen after reports of replacement Note 7s catching fire John Ribeiro reports SAMSUNG NOTE ADVISORY SAMSUNG GALAXY NOTE IS NOT ALLOWED TO BE CHECKED IN OR USED ONBOARDISWTTCHED ON OR CHARGED) 01 Oct 201* Count*' Etiwtk-tn »