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| PC World - 2:35AM (PC World)At a glanceExpert`s Rating
ProsVery good value1440p, 30HzAutofocus, which works well in good lightingGood noise-cancelling micsDecent imageryConsAutofocus doesn’t work as well in dim lightingSomewhat precarious connection to a laptopUnnecessary utility softwareOur VerdictThe eMeet’s SmartCam C960 2K is a decent $50 midrange webcam that’s a good value, with decent imagery in good lighting. It’s not a definitive upgrade over the 1080p model, though.
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The eMeet SmartCam C960 2K pushes into midrange webcam territory by offering 1440p video at a 1080p price, but you’ll still find some areas in which this webcam feels more like a budget offering. Will that matter to you? Probably not.
eMeet’s SmartCam C960 2K is the upgraded version of the eMeet SmartCam C960, a rather decent webcam and one of the most popular on Amazon by virtue of its reasonable price and feature set. As the name suggests, the autofocusing C960 2K offers “2K” resolution, which is another way of saying that it produces 1440p video (at 30Hz) and 2560×1440 images.
This review forms part of our roundup of the best webcams for Windows PCs.
eMeet SmartCam C960 2K build quality
At 3.9 x 2.3 x 2 inches., the C960 2K is a compact little webcam that perches on top of your monitor. A pair of noise-canceling mics are mounted to either side.
This is a $50 (or less) webcam, but it’s still a bit disappointing to see that eMeet preserved the “stickum” privacy shutter that graced the cheaper model. It’s a folding plastic tab that connects via sticky tape to the top of the camera, instead of being already attached. In fairness, it works just fine, but feels a bit cheap.
Again, eMeet cut a corner (rather literally), in that the mounting mechanism consists of the standard “tooth” that hooks over the front of the display. In the C960 2K’s case, the webcam’s mount is a “V,” with the webcam mounted on one leg. The other leg swivels on a hinge. Some webcam makers add another hinge, allowing the webcam to better accommodate a variety of laptops and monitors. In this case, the webcam sat easily on top of my desktop display, which has a slightly curved backing.
On a laptop, the eMeet SmartCam C960 2K grips a little too precariously for my taste.
On a laptop, the eMeet SmartCam C960 2K grips a little too precariously for my taste.Mark Hachman / IDG
On a laptop, the eMeet SmartCam C960 2K grips a little too precariously for my taste.Mark Hachman / IDG
Mark Hachman / IDG
On laptops, though, the eMeet C960 2K sits much more precariously, gripping the top of a laptop more like a pair of chopsticks than anything else. While you can swivel the C960 2K around its mount by 360 degrees, it has much less vertical play — maybe 20 degrees in either direction. On a laptop, then, the C960 feels more like a balancing act than an extension of your laptop. There is a threaded hole, however, if you prefer a tripod.
The C960 2K’s cable stretches almost 5 feet, terminating in a legacy USB-A port. The manufacturer says that the cable is an older USB 2.0 cable, which should be able to connect to a legacy 480Mbps USB port on your laptop.
The C960 2K is an autofocusing camera, but it’s a different type of autofocusing: According to eMeet, it “uses time-of-flight camera technology to calculate the distance to the object, and when adjusting the focus, it prioritizes the distance to the object, so it can focus more accurately…. In addition, TOF focusing can work better in low-light environments because it does not rely only on visible light.”
There’s a flip-down privacy lid on the eMeet SmartCam C960 2K.
There’s a flip-down privacy lid on the eMeet SmartCam C960 2K.Mark Hachman / IDG
There’s a flip-down privacy lid on the eMeet SmartCam C960 2K.Mark Hachman / IDG
Mark Hachman / IDG
As it turns out, I’m not so sure about that.
eMeet SmartCam C960 2K performance
If you’re not a fan of downloading random utilities to assist peripheral devices, you might be able to skip downloading eMeetLink, the webcam’s utility software. Microsoft’s Bing search engine began autosuggesting “is eMeetLink safe” after typing the first two words, which wasn’t particularly reassuring. When installing the driver, Windows will note that the software comes from a manufacturer which is identified in Mandarin, not English, so the source of the software isn’t easily determined.
In any event, eMeetLink overlaps heavily with Windows’ own built-in webcam controls (Settings > Camera, then select the eMeet camera) with contrast, brightness, and other image controls within the app. But there really isn’t anything else, although I suspect that it would influence how well it can control autofocusing. I downloaded the app on a test notebook anyway.
The eMeet SmartCam C960 2K, captured at 2K (1440p) resolution, in my downstairs office.
The eMeet SmartCam C960 2K, captured at 2K (1440p) resolution, in my downstairs office.Mark Hachman / IDG
The eMeet SmartCam C960 2K, captured at 2K (1440p) resolution, in my downstairs office.Mark Hachman / IDG
Mark Hachman / IDG
I thought eMeet’s camera did an excellent job in terms of color accuracy, though I accidentally reset the settings when I was testing the utility. That made the camera reassess the ruddy look it had given my face (Irish-German heritage, hurray) and color it more accurately. It still looks fairly red in my sample shot.
I was convinced that the camera wasn’t delivering the proper resolution, however, until I discovered that it simply wasn’t focusing correctly on my face. I use two locations to capture images: one, downstairs, in a rather dimly-lit office; and upstairs, in my living room with much more natural light. The claim that the camera autofocuses better in low light doesn’t quite hold up, in my opinion. Upstairs, focusing wasn’t an issue, and the camera captured me pretty well. I still feel that the image was dimmer than it could be, compared to the laptop’s internal webcam that I used as a reality check.
What the camera doesn’t do — and this is a good thing — is constantly focus in and out. That drives me nuts, like people who tap their brakes constantly on the highway.
Upstairs, the eMeet SmartCam C960 2K’s picture is rather dim. It was a bright spring day outside, around noon, and the drapes were open.
Upstairs, the eMeet SmartCam C960 2K’s picture is rather dim. It was a bright spring day outside, around noon, and the drapes were open.Mark Hachman / IDG
Upstairs, the eMeet SmartCam C960 2K’s picture is rather dim. It was a bright spring day outside, around noon, and the drapes were open.Mark Hachman / IDG
Mark Hachman / IDG
A great webcam isn’t great unless it can make your voice sound good, too.
I test webcams and their noise-cancelling mics by playing background music and white noise to see how well the camera filters them out. The eMeet SmartCam C960 2K didn’t do badly: I was able to faintly hear a rock song I was playing in the background as I recorded my test sample, which would be apparent to a listener but not enough to overwhelm the conversation. Simulated white noise (in this case, rainfall) was filtered almost perfectly. My voice sounded normal, too.
Remember, there’s no “privacy shutter” for the C960 2K’s mic. It’s always on, and you’ll have to unplug the camera to turn it off or manually turn off the mic in the Windows Settings menu.
Should you buy the eMeet SmartCam C960 2K?
I think the C960 2K is worth buying. I’m not sure I agree with the TOF autofocusing being better than traditional methods. As with all webcams, better lighting produces a better picture, and if you prefer working in a dim environment, this webcam is a little hit or miss. You might want to add a ring light or just open the blinds a bit during a call.
Even in a brighter environment, you may have to adjust the brightness settings within Windows to produce a better image. I do like a solution that works well out of the box. Here, though, any focusing issues disappear.
Is the eMeet C960 2K better than the eMeet C960 (1080p)? Not definitively. I rather liked the images the vanilla C960 produced in well-lit areas. The 2K’s mics are better, in my book. I think with some fiddling you can produce a better picture with the C960 2K, but it’s not an overwhelmingly better camera.
I’m convinced, though, that the C960 is indeed a solid webcam, at the price. I’m not awarding it an Editors’ Choice award, but it earns my approval nevertheless.
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| | | PC World - 1:55AM (PC World)8BitDo made a name for itself by selling controllers that are shockingly cheap while being just about as good as first-party versions, burying the legacy of companies like MadCatz in the past. Their first mechanical keyboard follows that pattern, as the Retro is a solid, customizable wireless board, a good deal, and stylish as hell with its NES looks. Today Woot has it for $30 off retail.
When I reviewed the Retro keyboard, I praised 8BitDo for nailing all the basics while also delivering on its Nintendo-inspired aesthetics. The keyboard has Bluetooth and dongle-based wireless, PBT keycaps, and even an add-on section with two massive NES-inspired macro buttons. Said buttons, and the rest of the keyboard, can be programmed with the 8BitDo Windows app.
Best of all it’s packing hot-swap switch sockets, my must-have feature for mechanical keyboards. Yes, even the big extra buttons are hot-swap. So if you’re not a fan of the noisy Kailh Box White switches, you can sub in any MX-compatible switch you like.
At its $100 retail price the 8BitDo is already a darn good deal. But right now Woot is offering it for $69.99, a 30 percent discount. And unlike many Woot listings, this one is good for multiple days — more than two weeks, at the time of writing — and it’s a new keyboard, not refurbished.
Both colors are offered, the grey and red based on the American NES and the more burgundy version based on the Japanese Famicom. Go grab one for yourself if you want to see what all the fuss is about, or maybe get a gift for your Nintendo-obsessed friend or family member.
Get a wireless, hot-swap, Nintendo-inspired keyboard for just $70 at Woot
Keyboards Read...Newslink ©2024 to PC World | |
| | | PC World - 1:15AM (PC World)If you revise a document several times and save it again and again as a separate file, it is often difficult to see exactly which changes you have made and where.
The same happens if a doc has been edited by several people. However, you can use Word to display the changed passages.
Word’s comparison function allows you to determine the differences between two versions of a document in a matter of seconds.
Word’s comparison function allows you to determine the differences between two versions of a document in a matter of seconds.
Foundry
Word’s comparison function allows you to determine the differences between two versions of a document in a matter of seconds.
Foundry
Foundry
To do this, switch to the “Review” ribbon and click on Compare > Compare. In the next step, enter the file of the original document in the drop-down menu on the left-hand side of the window and enter the revised document on the right-hand side.
After clicking on “Expand,” you can remove individual elements such as comments or spaces from the comparison in favor of a better overview.
Further reading: Microsoft Word: 9 tricks and hidden features
Under “Show changes in.” you can specify whether the changes should be presented in the original, in the revised version, or in a new file. After clicking on “OK,” Word marks the changed passages in your text.
This article was translated from German to English and originally appeared on pcwelt.de.
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| | | BBCWorld - 13 May (BBCWorld)The game`s developers said the controversial terms gamers were told to agree to was a miscommunication. Read...Newslink ©2024 to BBCWorld | |
| | | PC World - 13 May (PC World)You don’t have to spend a lot of money for online security tools. In fact, you don’t have to spend a single cent to stay secure. There are a lot of great security tools that we recommend — features built into Windows, trustworthy free downloads, and protection practices that won’t cost you anything at all.
We do recommend a variety of premium antivirus software, password managers, VPN services, and Windows backup tools. But you don’t need any paid offerings to stay safe online — you can get all the security you need for free.
Protect your PC with a free antivirus
Antivirus software is an essential security tool on any PC. Even if you’re careful, applications you trust could have security flaws that open your PC to attack. Malware could get onto your PC due to a flaw in your web browser or even a developer’s account falling prey to criminals on a platform like Steam.
If you’re using a modern Windows PC running Windows 10 or Windows 11, good news: You already have an antivirus program installed, even if you’ve never thought about it. It’s called Microsoft Defender and is part of the Windows Security suite of software. It works well as baseline protection, but it’s not particularly feature-packed. Still, it’s nice that it doesn’t try to upsell you to a paid antivirus tool.
Chris Hoffman/IDG
Chris Hoffman/IDG
Chris Hoffman/IDG
Want to try a different antivirus? We can recommend quite a few other high-quality free antivirus programs, including Avast Free Antivirus. Paid antivirus suites pack in additional features — they may bundle their own password manager, VPN, and even backup tools — but free antivirus programs will scan your PC for malware in the background and keep it safe.
You don’t have to pay for capable antivirus software. That’s an antivirus myth.
Store your passwords in a free password manager
We often recommend premium password managers that cost money, and those paid password managers often have more polished interfaces. But you can get a free, high-quality, secure password manager so you can generate, store, and access all your passwords on all your devices.
Our top choice for a free password manager is Bitwarden. It’s not just free — it’s open-source. You get browser extensions for all popular browsers, apps for everything from Windows PCs and Android phones to Linux systems and iPhones, cloud syncing, sharing with one other person, and two-step authentication to protect your passwords — all for free.
the best free password manager
Bitwarden
Read our review
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Free at Bitwarden
Bitwarden’s Premium plan adds some nice-to-have features like file attachments, emergency access to your account, and security reports — but they’re not essential, and they’re just $10 a year if you decide you want them in the future.
There are other options, too. KeePassXC is free, open-source, and a very traditional experience. It stores your password database locally on your own device so there’s no cloud syncing. It’s not what we’d recommend to most people, but some people will prefer this type of thing.
Also, web browsers now often have solid password managers built in — and they’re free. For example, Google Chrome has a capable password manager that doesn’t require installing any extra software. If it feels right to you, you shouldn’t feel bad about using your web browser’s password manager.
Use a free two-factor authentication app
Two-factor authentication, also known as two-step authentication, is an important tool for keeping your accounts safe — even if you use a password manager. If an attacker gets your password somehow, they still won’t be able to sign in with your two-factor authentication code.
Paid password managers often have built-in code generators as a convenience feature. But you don’t need that kind of feature built into your password manager of choice.
To generate app-based 2FA codes, you can use an app like Google Authenticator, which is our favorite 2FA authentication app. It’s completely free and available for both Android phones and iPhones. Just use it when setting up two-factor authentication with your accounts.
Activate free ransomware protection on your PC
Ransomware is one of the most dangerous threats out there. While you can get expensive tools that promise ransomware protection, you can also turn on the ransomware protection built into Windows.
get windows 11 pro for cheap
Windows 11 Pro
This feature may be a little annoying to use. You’ll have to go out of your way to allow apps access to locations like your Documents folder when they need it. That’s the tradeoff you make if you want to control which apps have access to these sensitive locations.
Of course, your antivirus already protects against known ransomware — but antivirus software isn’t perfect.
Back up your files with free tools
Backups are a critical part of any online security strategy. They won’t just protect you if ransomware locks up your files or malware takes over your PC and you have to wipe it — they’ll protect your important data if you lose your laptop or your PC stops working for whatever reason.
While there’s a lot of paid backup software we like — and cloud backup tools that automatically back up to a remote server — there are lots of good free backup tools, too.
the best free backup software
Softland FBackup 9
Read our review
Best Prices Today:
Free at Softland
We recommend Fbackup 9 as our favorite free backup tool here at PCWorld, and you can also use the File History feature built into Windows 10 and Windows 11. You’ll just need a location to back up to — an external hard drive, for example, or a network share on a network attached storage (NAS) device.
If you’re looking to get some peace of mind from cloud backups, you can also use the OneDrive storage Microsoft provides for free — you get 5GB of storage for free with every Microsoft account. Additionally, if you pay for a Microsoft 365 subscription, you get a whopping 1TB of storage you can store files in.
Chris Hoffman/IDG
Chris Hoffman/IDG
Chris Hoffman/IDG
Keep an eye out for phishing and other scams
People always say that “the best things in life are free.” Likewise, the best ways to beat phishing and other scams are also free.
Yes, you can pay for security suites that provide phishing protection, attempting to warn you when you visit scam websites and see phishing emails. But you already have a lot of these protections: Your web browser has built-in protection against phishing websites, for example, and the email service you use attempts to file away all the phishing emails you can into your spam folder so you never see them.
Be sure to watch out for scams and avoid clicking links in suspicious emails. If your boss contacts you via text and asks for a pile of gift cards on the company card, be suspicious! Don’t provide sensitive personal details to anything that isn’t trustworthy.
A password manager can help you avoid phishing sites, too: If you always use a password manager to enter your online banking password, for example, you’ll know something is up if you somehow end up on a phishing website impersonating your bank’s website. Your password manager won’t auto-fill those details on an imposter website.
Pick the right free VPN (if you need a VPN)
VPNs aren’t the ultimate, one-step solution to online security — despite some of the marketing you may see online. Still, they can provide some extra privacy and are useful in certain situations. For example, public Wi-Fi isn’t as dangerous as it once was, but you may still want a VPN for public Wi-Fi networks that you don’t fully trust.
the best free vpn we`ve tested
Windscribe Pro
Read our review
Free VPNs are easy to find, but you shouldn’t trust most of them. Free VPNs have drawbacks. Many free VPNs may sell your data or do other sketchy things to pay the bills. Even the best free VPNs may not provide enough bandwidth to stream another country’s Netflix library, for example. Or, they may limit you to a certain amount of data each month. Still, they should be great for using public Wi-Fi in a pinch.
We’ve got a list of free VPNs PCWorld trusts. You don’t have to pay to use a decent VPN, but be sure to pick a trustworthy one.
All the most important security tools are free
The complete package of useful security tools we recommend above are all available for a grand total of zero dollars and zero cents.
Of course, you can spend money on security software if you like! The premium applications we recommend often have extra features, sleeker interfaces, and other goodies. But you can get a complete layer of online protection without shelling out a single cent.
Antivirus, Security Software and Services, VPN Read...Newslink ©2024 to PC World | |
| | | PC World - 13 May (PC World)At a glanceExpert`s Rating
ProsGreat specs for the priceServiceable hardware all aroundComes with lots of RAM and storage spaceConsDisplay could be better and brighterNot the nicest keyboard, touchpad, webcam, or speakersNo IR camera for Windows HelloOur VerdictThe Gigabyte G6X delivers a great GPU and CPU at a good price — and it comes with 32GB of RAM and 1TB of storage, too! Everything else is fine, but it’s not flashy or premium feeling.
The Gigabyte G6X is all about the specs for the price. Gigabyte packed an Intel Core i7 HX CPU along with an Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU into a 16-inch gaming laptop. The company also went above and beyond at this price point by including 32GB of RAM and 1TB of solid-state storage. That’s a lot for a $1,349 laptop.
After that, Gigabyte started making compromises to keep the price down. But the compromises are all smart: There’s nothing here that’s bad. Everything else about the laptop is serviceable, even if it doesn’t go above and beyond. If this laptop fits your budget and powerful specs are more important than a flashy exterior, this could be the right gaming laptop for you.
I got my hands on the $1,949 Gigabyte Aorus 16X at the same time as the Gigabyte G6X and used them side by side. The experience was instructive: This laptop is $600 less than the Aorus 16X. In comparison to that more expensive laptop, I noticed a blockier design, a less-beautiful display, and a lack of nice-to-have features like an IR camera for Windows Hello facial recognition. But while the G6X here doesn’t feel as premium as laptops costing hundreds of dollars more, it does its job well and offers a perfectly fine experience.
Looking for more budget-friendly options? Check out PCWorld’s roundup of the best gaming laptops under $1,000 right now.
Gigabyte G6X: Specs
IDG / Chris Hoffman
IDG / Chris Hoffman
IDG / Chris Hoffman
The Gigabyte G6X is all about specs for your dollar. We reviewed a Gigabyte G6X 9KG model that came with an Intel Core i7-13650HX CPU. This is one of Intel’s Core HX chips, a refresh of last year’s Raptor Lake CPUs. These seem to perform a bit better than Intel’s current Meteor Lake Core Ultra chips, although they lack the neural processing unit (NPU) that will supposedly accelerate future Windows AI features, according to rumors.
Our review unit came with Nvidia RTX 4060 graphics as well as 32GB of RAM and 1TB solid-state drive. That’s a good selection of hardware for the laptop’s $1349 price. Gigabyte also has a model of this laptop with an Nvidia RTX 4050 GPU, and Gigabyte says the laptop’s storage capacity may vary by region.
Let’s address the AI elephant in the room: Gigabyte is calling this an “AI gaming laptop.” It’s just as much an AI laptop as any other modern laptop with a powerful Nvidia RTX GPU inside it. And Gigabyte is right — as we’ve said, powerful GPUs deliver the fastest AI performance on PCs right now. But there’s nothing extra here beyond a standard Nvidia RTX GPU despite all the AI talk — the Aorus 16X at least has a few little software AI features designed to show things off, but I didn’t see any of those here.
However, the lack of a neural processing unit means it may not get future Windows AI features that may only work on systems with an NPU — we don’t know yet! We’re waiting for Microsoft to reveal its plans.
CPU: Intel Core i7-13650HX
Memory: 32GB DDR5-5600 RAM
Graphics/GPU: Nvidia RTX 4060
Display: 1920×1200 16:10 IPS display with 165 Hz refresh rate
Storage: 1TB PCIe NVMe SSD
Webcam: 720p webcam
Connectivity: 2x USB Type-C (Both USB3.2 Gen2, one with USB Power Delivery 3.0, one with DisplayPort 1.4), 2x USB Type-A (USB3.2 Gen 2), 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x combo headphone jack, 1x RJ-45 (Ethernet), 1x Kensington lock slot, 1x DC power in
Networking: Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2, gigabit Ethernet
Biometrics: None
Battery capacity: 73 Watt-hours
Dimensions: 14.21 x 10.19 x 1.06 inches
Weight: 5.64 pounds
MSRP: $1,349 as tested
Gigabyte G6X: Design and build quality
IDG / Chris Hoffman
IDG / Chris Hoffman
IDG / Chris Hoffman
The Gigabyte G6X’s design isn’t going to turn any heads. Compared to the Gigabyte Aorus 16X, it’s a much “blockier” design without sleek-looking curves. There’s nothing wrong with that: This is a classic utilitarian gaming laptop through and through.
This 16-inch laptop has Gigabyte branding, complete with a silver Gigabyte logo on the lid, the name “Gigabyte” below the screen, and some understated “X” graphics on the lid and to the right of the touchpad.
Aside from that, it’s a blocky design, all gray chunky plastics. (Gigabyte calls it “Gunmetal Gray”). It’s fine, but it doesn’t feel or look premium — that’s no surprise, as that’s what Gigabyte’s more expensive Aorus line of laptops is going for.
Still, the Gigabyte G6X feels like it has solid build quality. This may be a five-and-a-half pound brick of plastic, but it feels like a solid one. The chassis doesn’t have any weird creaky bits or questionable flexing to it, and the hinge feels fine when opening and closing the laptop. While gaming, the fans work well and direct air out the back of the laptop, not onto your mouse hand.
There’s also not a lot of bloatware. It’s nice to see Gigabyte didn’t make compromises there.
Gigabyte G6X: Keyboard and trackpad
IDG / Chris Hoffman
IDG / Chris Hoffman
IDG / Chris Hoffman
The Gigabye G6X’s classic chiclet keyboard is fine to type on. The keys feel a little bit mushy, and the keyboard on the Aorus 16X feels a little snappier to type on. Digging into the specs, I see the G6X’s keyboard has up to 1.5mm key travel while the Aorus 16X has up to 1.7mm key travel. The difference is a little noticeable, but this keyboard still feels fine.
The keyboard has LED backlighting, but only a single zone — just one color at a time.
One thing that stands out about the keyboard is the full-size number pad at the right side. Many gaming laptops don’t include a number pad anymore. Even the Aorus 16X, which is the same size, doesn’t include this feature. I’m personally a big fan of the extra keys here.
The trackpad feels fine — not as nice as a premium glass trackpad, but not bad. The clicking-down action feels less snappy than on the Aorus 16X, though — it’s a pretty middle-of-the-road trackpad experience.
Gigabyte G6X: Display and speakers
IDG / Chris Hoffman
IDG / Chris Hoffman
IDG / Chris Hoffman
To deliver these specs on a budget price, you have to make some compromises. This 16-inch laptop’s display is one of those compromises. Like the keyboard and trackpad, the display is fine. It’s not bad, but it’s not outstanding.
The 1920×1200 IPS display doesn’t have the highest resolution you’ll find on a display, but it’s not unreasonably low either. It has a 165 Hz refresh rate, which is good to see. It’s not particularly bright, though — delivering only 300 nits of brightness, which means we had to turn the brightness up high for our standard battery benchmark. In addition, you won’t find HDR support in this display.
The display works fine for gaming and day-to-day computer use, but it’s nothing to write home about. (Meanwhile, the more expensive Aorus 16X delivers a more premium display with a higher 2560×1600 resolution, much more brightness, and HDR support.)
The speakers sound fine, as well — they’re more than loud enough and the sound is clear. There’s not a lot of bass, though. You’re going to want some headphones or external speakers to properly appreciate games, streaming videos, and music.
Gigabyte G6X: Webcam, microphone, biometrics
The 720p webcam is a very standard 720p webcam. If you want something with a higher resolution, you can plug in an external webcam. It’s nice to see the webcam is there, though! I’ve seen budget gaming laptops without webcams at all.
The microphone is serviceable — it did seem to pick up some background static, even in a quiet room. But it does work fine. I would plug in an external microphone for gaming sessions and online meetings, although it will work in a pinch.
Biometrics are another place the Gigabyte G6X cuts corners: There are none. Without an IR camera or fingerprint reader, you can’t use your face or fingerprint to sign in with Windows Hello. You’ll be using a PIN or password to sign into this PC. It’s a shame because facial recognition is so convenient for signing in on a modern Windows PC. But, once again, it’s not a dealbreaker. It’s an understandable omission to help keep the price of this laptop down. (Unsurprisingly, the more expensive Aorus 16X does have facial recognition.)
Gigabyte G6X: Connectivity
IDG / Chris Hoffman
IDG / Chris Hoffman
IDG / Chris Hoffman
The Gigabyte G6X doesn’t compromise on the number of ports it provides, which is good to see.
On the left side, you’ve got a USB Type-A port (USB 3.2 Gen 1), a combo audio jack, and a Kensington cable lock slot.
On the right side, you’ve got a USB Type-A port (USB 3.2 Gen 1), and a USB Type-C port (USB 3.2 Gen 2 with USB Power Delivery 3.0.)
On the back of the laptop, you’ve got a gigabit Ethernet port, HDMI 2.1 out, DC power in for the charger, and a USB Type-C port (USB 3.2 Gen 2 with DisplayPort 1.4 out).
This laptop does omit Thunderbolt 4 and USB4 — the USB ports here use a previous-generation standard, unlike on the Aorus 16X, which does provide Thunderbolt 4 and USB4 if you’re willing to pay for a more expensive laptop. Again, that’s not a deal breaker, and if you’re looking at this laptop, there’s a good chance you aren’t seeking out the latest and fastest USB connection standards for high-end gear.
The Gigabyte G6X supports Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2, and gigabit Ethernet for networking. The Aorus supports Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4. That’s nice and future proof, but the Gigabyte G6X likely supports the Wi-Fi router you have today — you almost certainly don’t have a Wi-Fi 7-compatible router yet.
Gigabyte G6X: Performance
The Gigabyte G6X delivered snappy performance in day-to-day use, which is to be expected given all the powerful hardware in this laptop chassis. As always, though, we ran this laptop through our standard benchmarks to see how it performs.
IDG / Chris Hoffman
IDG / Chris Hoffman
IDG / Chris Hoffman
First, we run PCMark 10 to get an idea of overall system performance. This benchmark is designed to give us an idea of overall system performance, but it’s rather CPU focused. The Gigabyte G6X delivered a PCMark 10 score of 7609, right around where we’d expect it to be with other Intel Core i7 HX-powered laptops.
The upgraded Raptor Lake CPU here delivers stronger performance than a laptop with Intel’s Meteor Lake Intel Core Ultra 7 hardware. This isn’t surprising, as those Meteor Lake-powered PCs have more a focus on power efficiency and AI performance with their built-in neural processing units (NPUs.) Despite all Gigabyte’s marketing around this being an AI laptop, it’s again worth noting that it doesn’t include an NPU for accelerating AI tasks — the Nvidia GPU has to provide the AI-related horsepower.
IDG / Chris Hoffman
IDG / Chris Hoffman
IDG / Chris Hoffman
Next, we run Cinebench R20. This is a heavily multithreaded benchmark that focuses on overall CPU performance. It’s a quick benchmark, so cooling under extended workloads isn’t a factor. But, since it’s heavily multithreaded, CPUs with more cores have a huge advantage.
The Gigabyte G6X delivered a score of 7278 in Cinebench R20’s multi-threaded benchmark. That’s about what we’d expect to see given its specs. The Intel Core i7-13650HX CPU delivers less top-end performance than the Intel Core i7-14650HX CPU found in some other laptops, like Gigabyte’s more expensive Aorus 16X laptop, and the scores show the Aorus 16X achieving a 15 percent higher score in this benchmark.
IDG / Chris Hoffman
IDG / Chris Hoffman
IDG / Chris Hoffman
We also run an encode with Handbrake. This is another heavily multithreaded benchmark, but it runs over an extended period of time. This demands the laptop’s cooling kick in, and many laptops will throttle and slow down under load.
The Gigabyte G6X finished the encode in 979 seconds on average — that’s a bit over 16 minutes. That’s a little on the high side compared to some other gaming laptops we’re measuring against, with Gigabyte’s Aorus 16X clocking in at 22 percent faster on this benchmark.
IDG / Chris Hoffman
IDG / Chris Hoffman
IDG / Chris Hoffman
Now, we get to the graphical benchmarks. As this is a gaming laptop, the graphical benchmarks are the most interesting. First, we run 3DMark Time Spy, a graphical benchmark that focuses on GPU performance.
The Gigabyte G6X, with its Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU, delivered a score of 10383. The results here are all about which GPU each laptop has — the Aorus 16X is about 20 percent faster thanks to its RTX 4070, for example.
IDG / Chris Hoffman
IDG / Chris Hoffman
IDG / Chris Hoffman
Next, we look at some games. We run the benchmark in Shadow of the Tomb Raider to test all the gaming laptops we review. This is an older game, but it’s a great way to compare graphical performance across different PCs.
The Gigabyte 16X delivered 136 frames per second with our benchmark settings, which is within the margin of error of what the Aorus 16X delivered here. The shift from an RTX 4060 to a 4070 doesn’t make a big difference in this one game. Only upgrading to the $3,800 MSI Raider GE78 with its RTX 4090 GPU makes a big difference.
IDG / Chris Hoffman
IDG / Chris Hoffman
IDG / Chris Hoffman
Finally, we run the benchmark in Metro Exodus, a more demanding game. We set the benchmark to 1080p resolution at the Extreme detail setting. The Gigabyte G6X delivered 40 frames per second in this benchmark, 20 percent slower than the Gigabyte Aorus 16X’s result of 50 frames per second.
Once again, the story here is all about the different GPUs. This laptop’s RTX 4060 is faster than an RTX 4050 but not as fast as a 4070 — and nowhere near as fast as a 4090.
Overall, the laptop’s performance is what we’d expect to see given its powerful hardware. The cooling works well. The fans are moderately loud while gaming, about normal for a laptop like this. You’re getting the strong performance you’d expect from an Intel Core i7-13650HX powered laptop with an Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU. That 32GB of RAM is really nice to have, too, in a world where many gaming laptops still come with 16GB of RAM.
Gigabyte G6X: Battery life
The Gigabyte G6X laptop has a 73 Watt-hour battery. Battery life was middle of the road for this type of gaming laptop — many laptops have lower battery life, while others offer more.
IDG / Chris Hoffman
IDG / Chris Hoffman
IDG / Chris Hoffman
To benchmark the battery life, we play a 4K copy of Tears of Steel on repeat in the Movies & TV app on Windows 11 with airplane mode enabled until the laptop suspends itself. We set the screen to 250 nits of brightness for our battery benchmarks. This is a best-case scenario for any laptop since local video playback is so efficient, and real battery life in day-to-day use is always going to be less than this.
The Gigabyte G6X lasted for 306 minutes (a bit over five hours) in our benchmark. You won’t get this much battery life in real use, so this isn’t an all-day-away-from-an-outlet system. Of course, that’s no surprise — this is a big gaming laptop.
The Gigabyte Aorus 16X lasted for 410 minutes instead — that’s nearly another two hours over the Gigabyte G6X here. That more expensive Aorus has a much larger 99 Watt-hour battery, which explains how it’s able to deliver that longer battery life.
Gigabyte G6X: Conclusion
The Gigabyte G6X has excellent internals — an Intel Core i7-13650HX, Nvidia RTX 4060, 32GB of RAM, and a 1TB SSD — for the price. It makes some compromises elsewhere on the laptop, so whether this is the right laptop for you really depends on your budget and whether you want a nicer display, a fancier design, a keyboard with more key travel, an IR camera so you can sign in with your face, and various other niceties.
Laptops with Nvidia RTX 4060 GPUs tend to be more expensive than this. Laptops which are in this ballpark of price tend to have other compromises: Consider the Asus ROG Strix G16, which costs another $20 but has just 16GB of RAM instead of the 32GB on the Gigabyte G6X here. Or take a look at the MSI Cyborg 15, which gets down to $999 but does so by going down to an older Core i5 CPU, half the RAM, and half the storage.
Of course, laptop prices will shift over time, so it pays to keep an eye on laptop deals.
If you’re eying this laptop at a good price, the good news is that there are no deal breakers here. You’re getting a lot of great hardware in a modest box. From the display to the keyboard, touchpad, and webcam, everything feels fine. Nothing about this laptop feels bad, and that’s a triumph in its own way.
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