This Apple MacBook Pro (M1) Black Friday deal is still going – but not for long
The new Apple MacBook Pro with M1 chip is still on sale for $50 off over at B&H for Black Friday, but it won't stay that way for long.
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Gigabyte announces custom Aorus GPUs for Radeon RX 6800 XT and RX 6800
If you've been waiting to get your hands on a new AMD Radeon 6800 XT then you may be in luck. Gigabyte's gaming division Aorus live-streamed a launch event to YouTube and Facebook on December 14 to announce the latest AIB (add-in-box, or custom) Radeon RX 6800 series cards.
Versions of both the 6800 and 6800 XT were unveiled for the Aorus Master and Gaming OC lines, but if you were hoping for some low-cost gaming from this announcement then you're set up to be disappointed. To try and coax cash from your pocket, Gigabyte did a performance comparison against the last generation of RX 5700 XT cards, with new graphically demanding games such as Watch Dogs: Legion and Assasins Creed: Valhalla.
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Big power, big pricetag
First up, we have the RX 6800 Aorus Master version coming in at $719 (around £540, AU$1,000), which makes it the cheapest of the lineup. Note that this isn't the XT version of the Radeon card, and the price is still a good bit over the reference card MSRP of $579 (around £599, AU$820).
The next upcoming GPU (graphics processing unit) announced is the Gigabyte Gaming OC 6800 XT at $849 (around £635, AU$1,130), also sporting a hefty price increase with a 31% markup from the founder's edition card. Gigabyte has also included their 'screen cooling' tech in this card, promising a cooler and quieter gaming experience.
Finally, we have the premium option for the Aorus Radeon RX 6800 XT Master Type C. This GPU comes with all the bells and whistles, with an LCD monitor where you can display custom graphics or information (even your favorite gifs), and a USB-C output option. This will cost you $899 (around £670, AU$1,200) over the $649 (around £649, AU$960) MSRP of the reference AMD card, a 38.5% increase.
The cards have launched on the Gigabyte website, however we cannot locate any stock for them at this time.
Whilst the prices aren't in the region of those being seen for custom GeForce GTX 3090 cards, it still stings to see the premium being charged for these non-reference GPUs. It's standard for custom GPU manufacturers to increase the price of reference graphics cards, but that doesn't make the pill any easier to swallow when the AMD cards were marketed as 'affordable'.
With the high demand for next-gen hardware for both console and PC gaming, it's also likely we will see more of these high prices going forward. We'll keep our fingers crossed that the stock shortages are resolved soon.
- Check out all the best gaming PCs
Date
15 Dec 2020Sources
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New WhatsApp app for Windows 11 fixes some of its biggest problems
Read MoreA beta version of the new WhatsApp app is now available to download, after what seems like forever, and if brings some brilliant new features. Being a UWP app means that the same app can run on not only Windows 10 and Windows 11, but also Xbox consoles.
It is important to note that this UWP app is different to the existing WhatsApp desktop app. For starters, it is available to download from the Microsoft Store, and this is where future app updates will be handled as well.
If you're looking for a reason to make the switch from the desktop app to the UWP version, the fact that this new release uses fewer system resources is very attractive. Despite being classed as a beta version, the app seems stable and reliable.
Shiny and new
What can you expect from this latest release? Although it's not yet complete, there are already lots of features to explore. For many people the highlight will be multi-device support. This means that it is possible to use WhatsApp to chat with others without the need to have your phone to hand – in fact, your phone doesn't even need to be connected to the internet.
Other key features include video calling, a new look complete with Windows 11's transparent acrylic effects, and incredibly fast launch times. Perhaps the most useful feature of this new app is the way notifications work.
As this is a UWP app, background syncing is available, and this means that notifications will appear even when the app is not open.
There is a lot to love in the new WhatsApp, and this is a beta version that is still undergoing development so, with feedback from users, it is going to improve further and gain even more features in the future.
If you're interested in trying out the app, you can download it from the Microsoft Store here.
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