Rumours continue to surround the launch date of the hotly-anticipated Sony A9 II, and another reported image of the next-generation model has appeared on SonyAlphaRumors.
The original Sony A9 has been on the market since April 2017, so it’s ripe for an upgrade, especially with the Olympics coming up next year - the camera is pitched as a top-level professional camera which is particularly adept at sports and action shooting,
Its headline feature is its ability to capture 20fps at full resolution with zero viewfinder blackout and full autofocus - in short, it’s the perfect camera to capture fast-moving subjects without missing a shot.
The latest leaked image suggests that the body construction of the A9 II will be almost identical to its predecessor, which is fairly typical of how Sony likes to operate - we’ve seen similar decisions before in its A7 range.
Rumors of internal specs are a little thin on the ground so far, but it's been suggested that we could see a 36-megapixel full-frame sensor, which would certainly give other fast full-frame shooters a run for their money. We might also be treated to an even faster frame rate, which would make capturing those Olympic highlights almost too easy.
As for a Sony A9 II release date, rumors suggest an October launch event is on the cards - if so we shouldn’t have to wait to long to get the full low-down.
Apple’s latest iPad – which for clarity we’re calling the new iPad (2019) – is in stores as of today (September 30), and by Apple standards it’s rather affordable.
Available now from Apple and elsewhere, it starts at $329 / £349 / AU$529 for a model with 32GB of storage, rising to $429 / £449 / AU$689 for 128GB of storage.
If you haven’t read up on the new iPad (2019) already, those prices and storage sizes should give you a hint that this isn’t a high-end slate; but then not everyone needs a high-end tablet, and you're still getting a decent amount for your money.
It has a larger 10.2-inch screen than its predecessor with smaller bezels, and it supports both the Apple Pencil and Smart Keyboard (though these of course are sold separately).
Its A10 Fusion chipset, meanwhile, should offer reasonable if not top-end power, but it lacks Face ID, coming as it does with an older design than the likes of the iPad Pro 11 (2018), featuring a home button and Touch ID.
We haven’t put the new iPad (2019) through our full review process yet, but in our hands-on review we concluded that it’s a fairly minor refresh, although one that comes in at a decent price. So it could be worth a look if you want iPadOS on a budget, and with a bigger screen than the iPad mini (2019).
If you’ve already pre-ordered the slate it should be with you today (or already if you're reading this after September 30), and if you haven't pre-ordered you can now pick one up immediately; if you’re not in a hurry, though, you might still want to wait for our full verdict on the affordable new iPad.
Future DLC updates to Red Dead Redemption 2 will focus largely on the online multiplayer aspect of the game rather than the single-player mode, Rockstar lead online production associate Katie Pica has said.
Pica told VG24/7 that the developer is "100% focused" on the online mode of Red Dead, which doesn't leave many percentage points for solo gamers. It's the same strategy Rockstar has used with other titles like GTA 5.
"There's just so much to do, and we're just hoping to bring everything that a player can love about single-player into the online world, and fleshed out," Pica said.
The full interview with Pica and other Rockstar staff is well worth a read as they tease out a few details about the future of Red Dead Online – from being able to take your canine companion out on missions, to possible future expansions of the map.
Slow and steady
One of the key messages from the interview is that Rockstar wants to go slowly when it comes to building out the world of Red Dead Online, whether that's giving players new roles to explore, or letting them purchase actual physical property.
"It's definitely a different pace to what GTA offers," said lead open world designer Scott Butchard. "It's a lot slower, it's a lot more intimate, and we just really wanted to build up slowly bit for bit, so the player really feels progression."
That means a lot of focus on the camp and being able to develop it, before taking the experience further. And even as Red Dead Online expands, Rockstar is keen to make sure that newcomers don't ever feel overwhelmed.
It's clear that Rockstar has big, big plans for the online version of Red Dead Redemption 2 to keep players coming back – indeed, we've seen plenty of updates arrive so far, and hints of a possible zombie invasion.
As a new term begins at university – or you've settled back in at school or college, you might be looking for a new laptop which can tackle not just coursework and the like, but also provide some downtime with demanding gaming sessions. And naturally you'll want something portable, too. Nobody wants to lug a bulky or heavy notebook around campus with them, or anywhere else for that matter.
In the past, these different needs would work against each other. A high-performing notebook would be a larger, heftier machine, simply because manufacturers couldn't fit more powerful, chunkier components inside a thinner laptop chassis.
However, the good news is that these days, laptop tech has moved on considerably, and a truly surprising amount of power can be packed into a thin-and-light laptop – with Nvidia leading the way on the graphics front in this respect with its latest GeForce RTX and GTX mobile GPUs.
These Turing-based graphics cards are very impressive performers, delivering close to desktop PC levels of GPU performance in neatly compact laptops, and therefore offering some potentially major cost-savings.
Major cost-savings
Cost-savings? How does that work? Well, let's imagine that you decide to go for a cheap bottom-of-the-range laptop for your work at uni or college. Such a model will be nowhere near capable of gaming, so if you want to enjoy some Fortnite or Borderlands 3 in your downtime, then you're looking at also buying a separate desktop PC for gaming.
And when you add up the cost of a decent desktop gaming rig and a basic notebook, it's likely to be far more expensive than getting a good laptop with a capable Nvidia GPU which can handle work, gaming, and indeed anything else you throw at it.
Not only this, but you also get all those portability advantages, as a slim notebook is dead easy to take round to a friend's place, or indeed to a LAN party. A big old desktop rig? Not so much…
Furthermore, there's another reason why Nvidia is a leading player in laptop graphics, and that’s the company's innovative Max-Q technology.
Max-Q is essentially Nvidia's way of optimising the design and power requirements of the graphics solution inside a laptop – inspired by NASA engineering, no less – allowing a powerful gaming notebook to be even slimmer.
There are other benefits of Max-Q, as well, one of which is that it helps devices to run quietly, with no loud fans or other potential sources of noise pollution that could disrupt an environment like a library or lecture hall.
Even when tackling demanding gaming sessions, this tech helps to keep noise levels down, so while you might be piloting an F-15 in a virtual world, your laptop won't be making any convincingly realistic impressions of your fighter's jet engines (unlike some gaming laptops we’ve used in the past).
There's a final good reason to consider taking the plunge with a GeForce-powered laptop, and that's some of the deals available on these machines right now. There are lots of top-notch laptops suitable for students with some impressive discounts lopped off, so to give you some inspiration, let's highlight a few models.
Check out these machines (some of which use Max-Q technology) which are currently being offered in mighty tempting 'back to uni' deals which boast up to £300 off.
Asus ROG Zephyrus G
First up is the Asus ROG Zephyrus G GA502DU, a gaming notebook which runs with an AMD Ryzen 7 3750H quad-core processor and an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Ti (6GB) graphics card that utilises Max-Q technology.
Those core components are backed up with a healthy 16GB of system RAM, and a seriously quick 512GB PCIe NVMe SSD for storage. The 15.6-inch Full HD display has a refresh rate of 120Hz (meaning you'll be able to play games at up to 120 frames per second) and extremely thin bezels. The laptop itself is less than 19mm thin, and can currently be had with a £300 discount from Box.
Acer Predator Helios 300
Then there's the Acer Predator Helios 300 PH317-53-71HF which is built around a six-core Intel Core i7-9750H processor capable of Turbo up to 4.5GHz. That's partnered with a GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q (8GB) graphics card, a combo that will make very short work of any game you throw at it.
This Acer gaming laptop is also equipped with 16GB of RAM and a pair of 512GB SSDs (for 1TB of storage in total). You also get a 17.3-inch Full HD screen with a refresh rate of 144Hz. Box has dropped the price on the Predator Helios 300 by £200.
Asus TUF Gaming
Looking for something a little less high-end? Consider the Asus TUF Gaming FX505DT-AL086T which still packs more than enough power with an AMD Ryzen 5 3550H quad-core CPU twinned with an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 (4GB) graphics card.
This laptop has a 15.6-inch Full HD display with a 120Hz refresh rate, along with 8GB of system RAM and a 256GB PCIe NVMe SSD. It has been knocked down by £150 at Box.
HP Omen 15
Finally, if you want a machine that hits more of the middle ground – with plentiful storage – check out the HP Omen 15-DC1001NA. This laptop runs with an Intel Core i5-8300H quad-core CPU with Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 (6GB) graphics. For system memory, you get 8GB, and there's lots of storage in the form of a 256GB NVMe SSD paired with a 1TB hard drive.
Whatever your 'back to uni' budget, there's a thin-and-light laptop out there with Nvidia GeForce graphics that can cater for all your computing, work and gaming needs in one neat and highly portable package.
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Welcome to our pick of the best PC games of 2019. With TechRadar's PC Gaming Week 2019 now underway, we've selected the best PC games from all kinds of genres, with each entry on this list proving why the PC is such an awesome gaming platform.
Plus, now that the Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Ti is here, along with Intel’s Coffee Lake Refreshprocessors, now’s the best time to get into PC games. The PC is perhaps the best gaming platform in the world – forget about your PlayStations and Xboxes – thanks to a remarkably huge catalogue of brilliant games, starting with the best Steam games 2019 has on offer.
The best PC games cover a wide range of genres, from platformers and point-and-click adventures, to retro favorites and action-packed first-person shooters that take advantage of the best modern graphics tech for eye-popping visuals. There are even co-op PC games that you can play with friends.
The sheer number of brilliant PC games can leave you wondering where to get started, which is where our best PC games of 2019 list comes in. We've put together the definitive list of the best PC games, from oldies like the Orange Box to newer fan-favorites like Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. Believe us when we say you’ll want to get all of these PC games installed so you can experience them firsthand.
Looking for the best games to play on your laptop? Check out our best laptop games instead. But if you’re looking to game on your PC, you chose the perfect time to jump in on the platform, and as a warm welcome, we’ll dive into the best PC games you can play in 2019.
The best new PC game: Borderlands 3
Borderlands 3
The Borderlands franchise might not have much in terms of innovations. Plus, its third installation’s vehicle combat isn’t all that impressive, and its humor isn’t all that clever. However, Borderlands 3 has still proven itself more than capable of showing gamers a rollicking good time, with its arsenal of weapons and gear, deep RPG systems and new areas to explore, making it our pick for the best new PC game right now.
It isn’t just your combat skills that are tested here; you’ll be better off sharpening your survival skills as well, as you’re dropped on a Mad Max-esque arid planet where encounters with dangerous local wildlife is to be expected as well. In Borderlands 3, however, you can get a respite from that to explore exciting – not to mention, stunning – new locales with better climates. And, having better weaponry this time around, like the ‘guns on legs’ and guns that moonlight as explosives, only make your journey all the more riotous.
1. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is aging like fine wine. Even four years after its release, it’s still one of the most impressive open world games that’s ever existed – mixing Skyrim’s unapologetic scale with Grand Theft Auto V’s ridiculous depth. It’s such a jam-packed game, which is why it tops our list of the best PC games in 2019. Staggering, beautiful and an absolute time sink – in a good way – The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt isn’t just the best PC game of 2019. It might just be one of the best video games of all time.
While it's debatably not as hard as earlier entries in the series, From Software's Dark Souls 3 takes everything you like about the Souls series and blends it with elements found in Bloodborne, the developer's more recent title for PS4.
We won’t sugar coat it: you’re going to die in Dark Souls 3, possibly more than once. It takes patience to master its complicated combat system, but it also plays fair, which allows it to be more approachable for casual players to take part in its bleak, fantastical world. And, on the bright side, it’s much more optimized for PC than the first two games. Now that you can pick up Dark Souls: Remastered, and see where the apocalyptic series began, there’s never been a better time to link the first flame.
3. Control
Control
It’s easy to see why Control is already taking the gaming world by storm. The creative team at Remedy Entertainment made sure that there’s plenty to love in this game, paying very close attention to the intricate details. A deeply cinematic game, this action-adventure offers its players spectacular visuals, inspired environment design and standout performances, as well as a deeply satisfying combat experience.
Control places you in the capable shoes of fiery-haired Jesse Faden. You’re tasked to seek out The Oldest House, a building in New York City that’s in a constant state of architectural flux and only appears to those who desire to find it, and locate your missing brother, all while heading the Federal Bureau of Control as its director and overseeing the containment of paranatural entities.
There’s nothing quite like Control on the market, and it makes it one of the best PC games to play right now.
4. Monster Hunter World
Monster Hunter
Monster Hunter has been one of the biggest gaming franchises you’ve never heard of for years now. With Monster Hunter: World, the series broke into the mainstream and came to the PC (finally), which makes it one of the best PC games you can play today.
Monster Hunter: World puts you in the shoes of a monster hunter, and you’ll hunt progressively bigger and nastier monsters, strip them for parts, and craft bigger, badder armor. It’s a deceptively simple gameplay loop that ends up being one of the most compelling and rewarding PC games you can play right now.
There’s a ceaseless onslaught of content in this game, and Capcom, the developers of this monster hunting hit, are committed to bringing a wealth of free DLC to the game – not to mention a new frosty expansion in Monster Hunter World: Iceborne. If you’re looking for an addictive, immersive and most importantly, fun game to play on your own or with all your best friends cooperatively, check out Monster Hunter: World. There’s no doubt it’s one of the best PC games you can buy today.
Grand Theft Auto V is one of the most anticipated console ports to ever hit PC gaming, and you won’t any arm-twisting to wander back into Los Santos's hugely detailed and highly interactive world. This time, however, it’s 10 times more fun with the PC's richer graphics and smooth 60 fps gameplay.
And, don’t think you’ll be done after you’ve finished its 30-hour campaign. There’s an overflow of post-game content to enjoy, after all. Most recently, that includes The Doomsday Heist in GTA Online and even a radio station hosted by Frank Ocean.
6. Sid Meier's Civilization VI
Sid Meier's Civilization VI
Sid Meier's Civilization VI is the most recent title in the iconic turn-based strategy game, and it's one of our picks for the best PC game you can play to date. One of the things that make the PC the best platform for gaming on is the sheer breadth of different game genres on offer. Civilization VI might seem slow paced next to the likes of Fortnite; however, its scope is huge.
Spread your empire across the map and crush your enemies. You build up your empire from a simple settlement to a world power, and you can decide to do this through military might, technological supremacy or cultural influence. Since its launch in 2016, it has had two expansion packs that really cement this game as an epic entry in our best PC games list. Civilization VI: Rise and Fall released in February 2018, with Civilization VI: Gathering Storm following in February 2019.
7. Alien: Isolation
Alien: Isolation
Set 15 years following the events of the first Alien film from 1979, Alien: Isolation is the suspense-filled game that fans of the franchise have long anticipated. Playing the role of Amanda Ripley, daughter of Alien protagonist Ellen Ripley, you’re tasked to track down and retrieve the flight recorder of the Nostromo spacecraft from the first Alien film, which has been traced aboard the Sevastopol space station.
First and foremost a stealth game, Isolation heightens the tension by giving you minimal weaponry. Its brilliant graphics shine on high-end PCs and clever AI helps ramp up the dread, leaving you trembling at every corner. This and more make Alien: Isolation well-deserving of a spot on our list of the best PC games.
Overwatch, if nothing else, has significantly altered the landscape, moving it away from the norm of gray-ish cover shooters to the dominion of competitive gaming. Its bright, vibrant colors are only made better with highly likeable characters, each coming with their own interesting backstories, which, while non-existent in game, make for a collection of amazing webcomics and cinematics.
Overwatch is also one of the best PC games, due to how well it runs on all kinds of different hardware. Sure, it’s a bit aged now, but even in 2019, it’s the best PC game for anyone with a competitive streak. If you missed out on this game before, do yourself a favor – sign in to your Battle.net account and take Overwatch – not to mention, its colorful cast of characters – for a spin today.
9. Forza Horizon 4
Forza Horizon 4
Microsoft's racing series is only getting better with each release, and in many ways this spin-off has exceeded the main Forza Motorsport line as the best racing games on PC at present. They're definitely more fun, adding a dash of arcade fun to the strikingly recreated cars and race tracks we've come to expect from Forza.
Forza Horizon 4 is easily one of the best PC games you can buy today, and this entry brings the racing to the UK after having explored America, France, Italy and Australia in the previous three instalments of the franchise. Now, you can rip through charming villages, seaside towns and the city of Edinburgh by way of many miles of country roads and dirt tracks in between. It's fast, frantic and a lot of fun.
Fans of classic point and click games such as Monkey Island and Day of the Tentacle, which are some of the best PC games ever made, should add Thimbleweed Park to their must play list. Made by Ron Gilbert and Gary Winnick, two of the people behind PC classics Monkey Island and Maniac Mansion, Thimbleweed Park plays like a love letter to classic point-and-click adventure games.
From the splendid retro artwork, entertaining dialogue and perplexing puzzles, Thimbleweed Park deserves its place on our list of the best PC games, merging the best of old school PC game design with modern technology.
11. Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
From Software is a household name when it comes to designing the best PC games. The minds behind the critically praised Dark Souls series have transported PC gamers to some of the most forsaken landscapes and through some of the most challenging yet rewarding gameplay. From Software is back at it once more, with Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice.
Sekiro places you in the shoes of the Young Wolf, a shinobi tasked with rescuing his young master. The game will take you through 16th-century Japan, but things will get eerie and supernatural: this is From Software we’re talking about.
Don’t expect an easy time of it, however. Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is an awfully difficult game to master, and you’ll need quick reflexes to deflect enemy attacks, as well as to master stealth. You won’t be able to hide behind a shield all day, like you were able to in Dark Souls III.
The phrase "build it, and they will come" rings truer than ever with Minecraft, the survival-based sandbox RPG that has now been bought more than 100 million times since its release in 2009. In it, you can construct your own worlds using resources you find in the wild, or discover existing ones created by other players online.
In Minecraft, you can either limit yourself to the numerous tools and blocks offered by the developer, Mojang, or you can install mods to truly capitalize on your investment. Moreover, sometime in 2019, you’ll be able to take part in the Super Duper Graphics Pack, an optional piece of DLC that offers more realistic lighting effects and textures to an already amazing game.
13. Doom
Id Software's Doom was a phenomenon for PC gamers in the ‘90s. The crudely rendered first-person shooter series was as controversial as it was adored, thanks in large part to its cutting-edge depictions of gore and violence that only a computer could deliver.
Parents be damned, the franchise underwent a revival in 2016 with a fresh reset, aptly titled Doom. Although the multiplayer might not appeal to shooter fans regardless of age, the single player campaign will pit you against demons in Hell for a lengthy mission that is bloody satisfying, pun intended.
14. Fortnite Battle Royale
How could we not add what’s possibly the biggest game in the world right now to this list? Fortnite Battle Royale is a global phenomenon – not to mention, among the best PC games right now, if you like super-competitive online games. This is a game people keep coming back to, and that's mostly thanks to the addictive gameplay and regular updates from Epic.
Fortnite Battle Royale is actually a game mode for the Fortnite game, but this mode has become so popular, many people consider it a separate game in its own right. As with other Battle Royale games, the aim of Fortnite Battle Royale is to fight your way through an ever-shrinking map until you're the last player standing. While that might sound simple enough, there's a whole lot of depth to this game once you start playing.
15. Cuphead
Cuphead's 1930's animation aesthetics undoubtedly makes this one of the most stunning – and sounding – PC games on the list. Combining run-and-gun platforming and boss rush battles, it's an extremely challenging game – but that also makes it very rewarding.
With hand-drawn cell animation, watercolor backgrounds and original jazz soundtrack, Cuphead is unlike anything you'll play on PC, and while the steep difficulty curve may put people off, if you're willing to hone your gaming skills, you'll be rewarded with one of the best PC games money can buy.
Welcome to TechRadar's PC Gaming Week 2019. We're celebrating the most powerful gaming platform on Earth with in-depth articles, exclusive interviews and essential buying guides that showcase everything PC gaming has to offer. Visit ourPC Gaming Week 2019page to see all our coverage in one place.
Windows 10 will take another step forward with the second feature update of 2019 later this week, by all accounts, although it's set to be a minor upgrade compared to past efforts.
Windows 10 19H2 (aka version 1909) is shipping to insiders on the Release Preview ring, and has appeared on WSUS – the Windows Server Update Services server.
As Windows Latest observes, that latter development means this is likely the RTM build (final release candidate), and there’s also plenty of buzz online that the 19H2 update is ready to go.
The other thing to consider is that timing-wise, Microsoft has a big press event on Wednesday, October 2 – where lots of new Surface devices are expected – so it would seem likely that the update will be shown off there, and the rollout could kick off the day after (or Friday).
We don’t know this for sure, naturally, but everything seems to be lining up for this to be the case.
Update in a minor key
Of course, nobody is getting too excited about version 1909 of Windows 10, because, as mentioned, it doesn’t introduce any major new features – it’s more like a service pack of old, with various fixes and under-the-hood improvements.
That said, there are some interesting introductions in Windows 10 19H2 which might not be major features, but are certainly noteworthy.
That includes the promise of better battery life for laptops running certain processors, and a potential performance boost for CPUs that have multiple 'favored' cores (with any workload being better distributed amongst those particular cores, so any given task should run a bit faster).
While it’s likely that this upgrade will be called the October 2019 Update, it's possible that Microsoft will want to avoid that particular name given past history (and the calamity that was the October 2018 Update); it’s also possible that a different naming scheme could be called for given that this is a more minor update.
Every technology provider claims to have the key to improved productivity, providing greater efficiency and ensuring better collaboration. And for the most part, they do. Yet there are so many businesses that still remain stuck in the mire of stagnant productivity.
One of the reasons is the proliferation of technologies and platforms in use. With information siloed in different systems and with different members of staff preferring different communications apps, it should be no surprise that organisations are not working as efficiently as they could be.
This isn’t how technology was supposed to be, and it’s certainly not how technology vendors imagined their platforms being used. It’s up to each individual business to improve their use of communications apps and other associated technologies.
The power of communication
An estimated 4 million people already work remotely in the UK, with the figure predicted to continue growing to half the UK workforce in 2020. The concept of working from home is clearly here to stay.
Employers have realised the benefits that these initiatives can bring to their workforce. In particular, ‘smarter’ working practices such as remote working have been shown to improve mental health, support efficiency and even boost productivity.
Therefore, it’s in an employer’s own best interest to invest in streamlined collaboration technologies to ensure that employees working remotely will no longer have to compromise – or over-complicate – communication and collaboration with employees not sitting in their home office or their kitchen table, which is likely to be all of them.
Making use of virtual conferencing that provide additional features such as chat and resource sharing all in one platform allows employees to communicate with others regardless of their geographic location. And the main benefit of this is that it enables face-to-face communication in real-time, seamless communication in various forms also encourages further collaboration.
These benefits that virtual meeting rooms create is what has spiked the interest of many of today’s businesses. With traditional ways of working now in the past, new innovative methods are being introduced which can improve employee productivity. Virtual meeting rooms do just that.
Making use of virtual meeting rooms will create a collaborative atmosphere that will change the way normal meetings take place as well as keeping the workforce happy.
Due to the explosion of collaboration technologies in recent years, a plethora of tools have become available that can aid communication and day-to-day activities in the workplace. The significant amount of time people spent on switching between apps needs to change. It leads to reduced productivity which can prove detrimental for many organisations, and the market is demanding a new approach to application use.
Many employees have different tech preferences and communication styles which organisations need to streamline by adopting an all-in-one solution. The organisational impact of a solution like this with virtual meetings and virtual collaboration technologies also encourages cooperation and can develop team decision making.
Simple collaborative solutions can facilitate cross-platform activity where users can go from chatting online to face-to-face meetings in seconds. A fully-integrated application also allows workers to easily connect and communicate — internally and externally — via a web browser or a downloadable desktop or mobile app. This is exactly what the market is demanding.
As more employees bring new tools into the workplace, IT can get left out of the loop on critical applications that entire teams may be using to manage company data. This, on top of juggling a diverse set of approved tools and apps – including legacy, on-premises, cloud and mobile apps – makes it difficult for IT to know which apps are in use within the business, leaving them unable to protect those apps and the company data within. Managing and securing all of these apps can be a frustrating, manual process.
Having the right tools in place enables IT to set up a more holistic security system, as well as maintain that system going forward. Recent research shows that rather than investing in piecemeal solutions, 93 per cent of IT professionals agree that bringing the various aspects of identity and access management under one solution would greatly benefit the overall security of the organisation.
If you hope to drive adoption of a collaboration tool at all levels of the organisation, it needs to provide peace of mind that no matter what is being discussed or shared it is secure – especially at the executive level. Single Sign-On technology can add a layer of security to employees logging on from remote locations and with varying devices. It is a good policy for all access needs, but definitely reinforces the benefits of a single, secure, robust communication platform.
By streamlining processes and utilising a single sign-on all-in-one solution organisations can save valuable IT time, and more importantly provide their employees with tools that facilitate collaboration and creativity in the workplace. When used correctly organisations can cut through platform proliferation and use technology the way it was intended, to make life easier.
Stephen Duignan is VP International Marketing atLogMeIn.
Microsoft could soon release a version of its Chromium-based Edge browser specifically for Linux users, and its engineers are carrying out research to find out what it would involve.
As Windows Central reports, the Edge development team recently sent out a survey for web developers to find out their requirements and expectations of a Linux web browser.
The brief survey asks which Linux distro is most important for web development, and if the developer uses multiple distros, why that is. It also asks what developers use browsers on Linux for (just work, or personal browsing as well), how they prefer to install browsers, and whether their development and testing work means they have any special requirements.
Feeling tempted?
While more choice is always welcome, it's interesting that Microsoft would choose to target Linux users – people who have specifically decided to shun Windows, despite the convenience it offers.
However, the new Chromium-based Edge has been generally well received, offering the best features of Chrome but without the performance issues associated with Google's infamously RAM-guzzling browser.
As Windows Central notes, Edge is already available natively for Windows, macOS, Android and iOS, so with Linux on board too, Microsoft will have every major desktop and mobile operating system covered.
At the moment most high-end phones and some high-end tablets use OLED displays rather than LCD, with the former generally seen as superior. But Apple could soon start using an even better tech for its iPad range.
That’s according to Ming-Chi Kuo (a respected Apple analyst) who in a research note seen by MacRumors said that new iPads released in late 2020 or early 2021 would use miniLED screens.
A miniLED iPad display would use many more LEDs than an OLED one, but to achieve this each LED is substantially smaller. It’s a change which should allow for thinner, lighter screens (and therefore thinner, lighter iPads), with performance that at least matches OLED, and less risk of screen burn-in.
It’s also a move that should make Apple less dependent on Samsung, as while Samsung is the primary supplier of Apple’s OLED screens, LG Display would apparently be the main supplier for miniLED.
Not just iPads
Kuo doesn’t say what iPads would get these displays, but given that this is a new, high-end tech, they’re likely to initially be reserved for iPad Pro models. These miniLED screens would also apparently be used for new MacBook models launched in the first half of 2021 – and while Kuo doesn’t say as much, we wouldn’t be surprised if these screens are eventually used for iPhones as well.
Then again, Apple might leapfrog miniLED and go straight to microLED for its phones. Apple has been rumored to be working on microLED for a while, and as the name suggests, it’s similar to miniLED but with even smaller LEDs (keeping many of the advantages and likely being more power-efficient too).
However, microLED displays are also currently trickier and more expensive to produce, which is reportedly why Apple isn’t using them yet. As such, we wouldn’t expect to see them on the iPhone 12 – but for the iPhone 13 they’re a real possibility.
It's finally time to kick off the fifth – yes, fifth! – annual PC Gaming Week at TechRadar. This is the TechRadar Computing Team's favorite time of year, a time in which we get to celebrate the joys and explore the depths of arguably the most powerful and versatile gaming platform of all time.
This time around, we've rounded up a fine selection of analyses, interviews, opinions, how-to guides and features both old and new for all kinds of PC gamers. Whether you've been gaming on computers since the days of baud modem-powered multi-user dungeons, or you have no idea what we just said (but can clean house in Fortnite), we've got some excellent reads for you.
We’ll be updating this page daily as new articles are published, just so you don't miss a thing. Keep coming back throughout the week for fresh, new pieces and looks at gems from the TechRadar archives that you may have missed last time around.
OK, enough with this loading screen, let's get TechRadar's 2019 PC Gaming Week started right now.
5 secret tips for building a great gaming PC
Think you know all there is to know about building a gaming PC? Think again, as we kick off TechRadar's PC Gaming Week 2019 with this guide to the best secret tips for building a great gaming PC.
From winning the silicone lottery, to PSU and cooling tips, these handy hacks will have you building a killer rig in no time.
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Having both struggled in their opening matches, today's 2019 Rugby World Cup clash between Scotland and Samoa is a chance for both teams to make amends in Kobe City.
The last encounter between the two teams saw a 44-38 win for Scotland at Murrayfield in an autumn international back in 2017, and today's game should be an equally close affair.
You can watch the match live in full, no matter where you are in the world with our Scotland vs Samoa live stream guide.
Scotland were easily beaten against Ireland, failing to score a single try in the 27- 3 defeat. Meanwhile, Samoa initially made hard work of outsiders Russia before a strong second half saw them eventually ease to a 34-9 win.
The Scots' defeat against the Irish was further compounded by injuries for Hamish Watson and scrum-half Ali Prince that have ruled them out of the rest of tournament, while reckless tackles from Rey Lee-Lo and Motu Matu'u for the Pacific Islanders against Russia mean potential disciplinary action could rule them out.
Who will run out winners in this crucial Pool A clash? Read on to find out all your Scotland vs Samoa live stream options, no matter where you are in the world
How to watch the 2019 Rugby World Cup from outside your country
If you're abroad for any of the Rugby World Cup and don't want to miss out on catching the coverage from your home country, you'll inevitably find it geo-blocked when you try to stream online. But don't sweat. With the option of a VPN, you can tune into those fixtures no matter where you are in the world without resorting to some dodgy feed on Reddit. And best of all, it's really easy to do (or read on for details on how to stream coverage from the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the USA).
How to stream Scotland vs Samoa live in the UK
How to watch Scotland and Samoa: live stream in Australia
How to watch Scotland and Samoa live in New Zealand
How to live stream Scotland and Samoa in the US
Hulu with Live TV $40 per month - Hulu with Live TV includes CBS, Fox, NBC and ESPN.
FuboTV $35 for the first month - FuboTV gives you the first month at a discounted rate but after that the price increases to $45 a month. The service includes CBS, Fox, NBC and the NFL Network but does not come with ESPN.
DirecTV Now $50 per month - DirecTV Now includes CBS, Fox, NBC, ESPN and for $5 extra you can add the NFL Network.
YouTubeTV $40 per month - YouTubeTV gives you access to CBS, Fox, NBC and ESPN.
Live stream Rugby World Cup 2019 match in Canada
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Sony Xperia phones are designed to be great for watching movies and gaming with their 21:9 aspect ratio, but they’re also processing powerhouses, with the Sony Xperia 1 getting one of the highest benchmark scores we’ve ever seen. However it looks like Sony’s next Xperia handset could beat that.
That’s because it looks like its next release could have the upcoming Snapdragon 865 chipset. If that name’s unfamiliar, it’s because currently no phones have the chipset. Most high-end handsets have the Snapdragon 855, and the newer version hasn’t been announced yet.
That’s according to Japanese news site Androplus, which has reported on tests Sony conducted to use Snapdragon 865 in its Xperia 1 smartphone. This indicates the next Xperia smartphone could come with this futuristic chipset.
We’ve seen the Snapdragon 865 benchmark scores leaked already, so we know the next-generation chipset will come with incredibly high processing speeds, as well as native 5G support, which could lead to an influx of 5G phones.
This could make Sony’s upcoming smartphone a true processing beast, although we’ll likely see the chipset first in the Samsung Galaxy S11, since Samsung had a hand in creating the Snapdragon 865.
Things to come...
What do we know about the upcoming Sony Xperia smartphone? Not much, really. Before IFA 2019 an influx of leaks pointed to a eight-camera beast of a phone, but instead we got the Sony Xperia 5, a compact version of the Xperia 1.
We don’t even know what the new phone will be called, but since the Xperia 5 was named that since it’s halfway between 1 (like the Xperia 1, Sony’s flagship) and 10 (like the Xperia 10, Sony’s affordable phone), it likely won’t be called the Xperia 6. Our closest guess so far is the Sony Xperia 2.
Sony will likely announce its new phone in early 2020, stay tuned to TechRadar until then to follow all the surrounding leaks.
Building a gaming PC could be fun, or it could be rather frustrating, depending on how you approach the pursuit, and of course your own personal circumstances. You may be constrained by a tight budget, and therefore experience difficulty picking the right parts to achieve what you want in terms of performance. Or you might be a relative tech novice, and unsure of how to best put together a PC which can cope well with modern games.
Don’t worry, because help is at hand. Beginners should head over to our article on how to build your first gaming PC, and then this guide gives you all the info you’ll need to subsequently put the thing together, all broken down into easy to follow steps.
That’s all the core stuff covered, then – but what about the trimmings? In this feature, we’re going to look at five additional tips you may not be aware of that will help make sure that your gaming PC is everything it should be.
As you’re probably aware, processors aren’t created equal. For any given specific model of CPU, there’ll be slight variances in the manufacturing process that will mean some chips are a little better than others (although they will all be in the same ballpark).
So when you buy an unlocked processor – which can be overclocked – folks refer to the ‘silicon lottery’, essentially meaning that you’re keeping your fingers crossed that you get one of the better examples of that particular CPU model. Because these slightly superior products might overclock with considerably more headroom.
But you don’t have to rely on blind luck to secure a good CPU in this respect. That’s because there are companies out there who buy in processors, test them to see exactly how good they are, and then sell them on to PC builders who want a guarantee of what speed they’ll be able to overclock up to.
Now, a few caveats here. Of course, these operations – which also include the likes of Overclockers UK and German retailer Caseking – obviously charge more than the RRP for these CPUs, and some folks believe that you’re simply better off spending that extra money on upgrading other components to boost performance in your gaming rig.
Indeed, whether this makes sense or not, and how much mileage you might get out of going this route, will likely vary depending on the exact build and processor you’re looking at. In some cases, the expenditure might be such that it could simply be a better idea to step up to a faster (different) CPU (assuming there is one and you aren’t looking at the flagship already).
Also bear in mind that you may need to buy a certain spec of motherboard (i.e. not an entry-level model) to run a particular chip at the speed advertised by Silicon Lottery (or whoever you are buying from).
Still, this is certainly an interesting option for those who don’t mind forking out extra in some scenarios to achieve the absolute best build for their gaming PC. Finally, remember that these CPUs can be delidded by the company to lower the temperature they run at, which again is a useful boon for those looking to really push their processor to the limits.
2. Don’t skimp on the PSU
It’s not uncommon to see some pretty beefy gaming PC builds proposed online, where the builder has picked cheap, maybe even bottom-of-the-line, non-critical components. By which we mean the stuff which is normally considered not as important as the core components of the processor and GPU, motherboard, memory and primary storage.
We’re talking mainly about the PC case and power supply (PSU) here. These might seem like good areas to save money so you can afford that better graphics card – but hold your corner-cutting horses there a minute…
Do not – we repeat, do not – be tempted to purchase a cheap power supply for your gaming PC.
The CPU is generally regarded as the engine of your PC, but if that’s the brain of the machine, then the power supply is the beating heart that keeps everything running smoothly. Or not – if it’s a flaky second-rate model, it won’t provide much stability for any overclock you’re going to attempt. And if you get a cheaper model with a relatively low wattage rating, it may struggle to handle the load from a bunch of higher-end components when they’re really pushed.
Also remember when you upgrade your PC, maybe to a much beefier GPU down the line, say, you might need some room to breathe with that wattage. In other words, a low-wattage PSU may interfere with the future-proofing of your PC.
Furthermore, there’s also the prospect that a budget model might be so unreliable it completely gives up the ghost, meaning you have to buy another PSU (buy cheap, buy twice). And potentially worse still, when that power supply goes pop, it could take out some of your other components, leaving you well out of pocket.
All this said, there’s no need to purchase a hugely juiced-up 1,500W PSU or similar. Such units can be prohibitively expensive, and may not give you the best power-efficiency when your machine is idling (which may well be a good deal of the time). Indeed, these sort of high-powered PSUs will almost certainly be overkill for anything but the most over-the-top gaming PC.
Exactly how much power you will need depends on the sort of gaming machine you’re building – whether lower-end, or a beast of a rig. You can use a wattage calculator and enter your intended components to get an indication of what sort of PSU you might require, but be sure to leave a decent amount of headroom for future-proofing (at least 25% or so).
And get a PSU with at least an ‘80+ Bronze’ rating for efficiency, from a quality brand (such as Corsair or Seasonic – we have some recommendations for the best PC power supplies here). That way it will likely last you for a long time going forward, which will save you money in the long run (you can use that same PSU in your next gaming PC).
In summary, there’s no need to go stupidly overboard – but get a quality model, and do not skimp.
3. Coolest case
Following on from the above, while we wouldn’t place quite the same emphasis on purchasing a good case for your PC, at the same time: buy a cheapo one at your own risk.
A basic PC case which may not offer a huge amount of space could leave the internals feeling very cramped when all your components are inside (and heaven forbid something doesn’t fit, of course). And such a case might not have many options for cable management.
Well thought out cable management design involves leaving plenty of holes so you can run cables tucked away behind the motherboard tray, and a decent amount of tie-down spots to allow you to anchor cables more tidily.
Not having lots of cables – some of which can be quite thick – snaking around your components helps with better airflow throughout the case, and therefore better cooling of your critical hardware like the CPU and GPU. In short, not only does neat cabling have the additional benefit of looking cool, but it actually keeps your PC cool (or cooler, anyway).
Naturally, a better case is also likely to have a superior design in terms of fan and vent placement, and airflow in general, all to that same end. And as we’ve already touched on, cooling can be a pretty vital issue if you’re going to be overclocking hardware with your gaming PC.
A couple of quick general tips here: if you do go for a smaller case, it might be a good idea to buy a graphics card that vents heat out of the rear plate – away from the case – rather than inside the case. Because in a crowded environment, the latter is bad news. Also, make sure intake fans are guarded by dust filters, because dust is the other enemy of PC components when it comes to overheating.
Bearing that in mind, when you purchase your gaming PC, also buy yourself a can of compressed air, and every six months or so, use it to get rid of internal dust before this begins to accumulate in any quantity. Obviously turn off your PC first, and be gentle when doing this. When cleaning dust off the blades of a fan, be sure to hold it still (don’t spin the fan around with your air spraying, as that may damage it).
It might be a good idea to set up a recurring ‘clean my PC’ reminder on a calendar somewhere so you don’t forget.
Finally, remember that just like a PSU, a quality case can be carried over to your next build(s), leaving you set with a great foundation going forward.
4. Ask the experts
Once you’ve decided on your build, post the full list of proposed components on a techie forum populated by experienced PC builders (or preferably a few forums). This is a step that many folks don’t bother with – as it might take you a little time to sign up to these message boards, assuming you aren’t already registered – but it’s well worth the effort to do this just before you pull the trigger on buying all that hardware.
You’ll usually get some interesting feedback, and perhaps comments on alternatives or different configurations that may work better, or indeed things that you may have plain missed. You could well be glad of this advice prior to opening your wallet, and it could be a real money saver.
Don’t forget, PCPartPicker can be a useful resource when putting together and detailing/sharing your build – and can itself point out potential compatibility problems.
5. The importance of software
As well as all your juicy hardware, don’t forget the software side of the equation when you finally put together your gaming PC. When your rig first springs into action, HWiNFO (or alternatively CPU-Z) is a great little free utility for monitoring how your components are performing and highlighting any potential issues before they worsen.
Prime95 is a useful tool for stress testing and ensuring the stability of your processor, and we discuss this in our article that shows you how to overclock your CPU.
MSI Afterburner is another smart piece of software which is invaluable when overclocking your graphics card, and fine-tuning the fan speed of your GPU (note that this isn’t just for MSI video cards).
And there are other top-notch free apps that are useful for any gaming PC which we’ve rounded up here, including f.lux which helps protect your eyesight when indulging in long gaming sessions that stretch into the night.
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As the number of shows and movies available to stream in Australia continues to grow at an impressive rate, it can be tough to keep up with all the new additions to each streaming service each month.
We've all come to anticipate a new stable of Netflix Originals releases each month, but figuring out which shows they are and when exactly they become available isn't so easy. And what about the large number licensed shows and films that are made available to stream, if only for a limited time?
In an effort to keep you informed of the best shows and movies that are in the process of being added to Netflix, we'll be bringing you an updated list of what you can expect on the service on a monthly basis.
Not only that, we'll also be singling out the biggest releases, as well as a number of quality TV shows and films which we believe deserve your Netflixing time.
So get ready to kick off the month with an epic binge – here's what's new on Netflix in October 2019. Check out Netflix's newest offerings in the video below!
In Season 3 of Big Mouth, as seventh grade comes to a close, Missy’s new Hormone Monstress (played by Thandie Newton) shows up to throw everything into chaos. Meanwhile, a new student (voiced by Ali Wong) arrives at school, forcing everyone at Bridgeton Middle to question their sexuality. Featuring a fantastic cameo from Queer Eye's Fab Five, Big Mouth's third season is shaping up to be its best yet.
What's better than one Paul Rudd? How about two? In this Netflix original series, Miles (Paul Rudd) is a guy who's failing to live to his full potential. After seizing the opportunity to undergo a radical spa treatment that promises to make him the best he can be, Miles wakes up in a ditch only to later find that he's been replaced by a new and improved clone of himself (also played by Paul Rudd). Quirky and irreverent, Living with Yourself promises to take its Rick and Morty-esque premise and run with it.
With a premise that's part Mad Max, part Zombieland and part Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Daybreak sees teen outcast Josh Wheeler (Colin Ford) realise his full potential after an event sends the world into a post-apocalyptic state. To further drive home the Ferris Bueller connection, Matthew Broderick stars as Josh's high school principal.
Breaking Bad is one of the most celebrated TV shows of all time, so when creator Vince Gilligan decides to make a feature-length follow-up movie and release it on Netflix, you sit up and pay attention! El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie sees the return of Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul), who we last saw fleeing the scene of a devastating massacre carried out by his former Meth-cooking mentor. Now, Jesse is on the run and must turn to his old friends Skinny Pete (Charles Baker) and Badger (Matt Jones) for sanctuary. We wish we could tell you more about El Camino, but that's all we know about it for now!
With a killer cast that includes Meryl Streep, Gary Oldman and Antonio Banderas, The Laundromat follows a widow (Streep) who got swindled out of her life savings eventually track her money back to a pair of shady Panama-based lawyers (Oldman and Banderas). Directed by Steven Soderbergh (Oceans Eleven, Magic Mike), The Laundromat promises to be one of the most entertaining Netflix Originals of the year.
Eddie Murphy is back! In the tradition of films like Ed Wood and The Disaster Artist, Dolemite Is My Name tells the story of stand-up comedian and entertainer Rudy Ray Moore (Murphy), a man who seizes the opportunity to make a film featuring his jive-talking, karate-kicking pimp alter-ego, Dolemite. Of course, the movie is hilariously amateurish, but manages to strike a chord with black audiences, leading the film to become one of the most beloved blaxploitation classics of the 1970s.
...and the rest for October
ORIGINAL SERIES
Peaky Blinders: Season 5 (04/10/2019)
El Dragón: Return of a Warrior (04/10/2019)
Raising Dion (04/10/2019)
Match! Tennis Juniors (07/10/2019)
Rhythm + Flow (09/10/2019)
Haunted: Season 2 (11/10/2019)
Insatiable: Season 2 (11/10/2019)
Plan Coeur: Season 2 (11/10/2019)
Toon: Seasons 1-2 (18/10/2019)
MeatEater: Season 8 (18/10/2019)
Avlu (18/10/2019)
Baby: Season 2 (18/10/2019)
Interior Design Masters (18/10/2019)
La casa de las flores: Season 2 (18/10/2019)
Brotherhood (25/10/2019)
Nailed It! France (C'est du gâteau!) (25/10/2019)
Nailed It! Spain (Niquelao!) (25/10/2019)
Prank Encounters (25/10/2019)
Brigada Costa del Sol (25/10/2019)
The Kominsky Method: Season 2 (25/10/2019)
Flavorful Origins: Yunnan Cuisine (30/10/2019)
Nowhere Man (31/10/2019)
My Next Guest with David Letterman and Shah Rukh Khan (Coming Soon)
NETFLIX WEEKLY SERIES
Riverdale: Season 4 (10/10/2019)
NETFLIX FILM
Ready to Mingle (Solteras) (02/10/2019)
In the Tall Grass (04/10/2019)
Wolkenbruchs wunderliche Reise in die Arme einer Schickse (11/10/2019)
La influencia (11/10/2019)
Fractured (11/10/2019)
The Forest of Love (11/10/2019)
Banlieusards (12/10/2019)
Eli (18/10/2019)
Seventeen (18/10/2019)
Upstarts (18/10/2019)
Rattlesnake (25/10/2019)
Wounds (Coming Soon)
ORIGINAL COMEDY
Nikki Glaser: Bangin’ (1/10/2019)
Deon Cole: Cole Hearted (08/10/2019)
Martin Matte: La Vie, La Mort...Eh La La..! (14/10/2019)
Park Na-rae: Glamour Warning (16/10/2019)
Jenny Slate: Stage Fright (22/10/2019)
Grego Rossello: Disculpe las molestias (24/10/2019)
Arsenio Hall: Smart & Classy (29/10/2019)
ORIGINAL DOCUMENTARY
Living Undocumented (02/10/2019)
Rotten: Season 2 (04/10/2019)
Ghosts of Sugar Land (16/10/2019)
Tell Me Who I Am (18/10/2019)
Unnatural Selection (18/10/2019)
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner (23/10/2019)
Dancing with the Birds (23/10/2019)
It Takes a Lunatic (25/10/2019)
A 3 Minute Hug (28/10/2019)
Little Miss Sumo (28/10/2019)
KIDS & FAMILY
Carmen Sandiego: Season 2 (01/10/2019)
Creeped Out: Season 2 (04/10/2019)
Super Monsters: Season 3 (04/10/2019)
Super Monsters: Vida's First Halloween (04/10/2019)
Legend Quest: Masters of Myth (05/10/2019)
The Spooky Tale of Captain Underpants Hack-a-ween (08/10/2019)
The first third-party gamepads for Nintendo Switch Lite have arrived
Devised as a portable handheld-only alternative to the original Switch, the Nintendo Switch Lite lacks the detachable Joy Con controllers that made the modular console so unique in the first place, making it less than ideal for multiplayer.
That said, the Switch Lite does support Bluetooth controllers, meaning you can prop the portable console up and use it as a screen while you sit back with a pair of gamepads and duke it out with a friend – why you would want to do this instead of buying an original Nintendo Switch is beyond us, but at least the option is there.
Luckily, third-party peripheral maker 8Bitdo has already dropped some Bluetooth gamepads which perfectly match the aesthetics of the yellow and turquoise versions of the handheld.
Available from October 30, 2019 on Amazon from October 30, 2019 for $25 (around £20 / AU$37), the 8BitDo Lite Bluetooth Gamepad for Nintendo Switch Lite has a USB-C port for easy charging via the Switch Lite's existing power cable.
Additionally, the Switch Lite-styled third-party controller is also compatible with Windows, Steam and Rasperry Pi.
Bafflingly, 8Bitdo's Bluetooth Gamepad for Switch Lite forgoes the handheld's thumbsticks in favor of dual d-pads, which seems like an especially awkward way to play 3D games if you ask us.
Of course, if money isn't an issue and you're the type who values practicality over aesthetics, you could opt for a Nintendo Switch Pro controller instead.
Best compact camera 2019: 10 top compact zooms to suit all abilities
Best compact camera 2019: 10 top compact zooms to suit all abilities
From simple snappers for beginners to high-end powerhouses, here are the best compact and point-and-shoot cameras you can buy right now.
Compact cameras and the compact camera market have changed considerably over the last few years. Smartphones, with their ever-improving camera systems, have decimated budget models and as a result camera manufacturers have concentrated on putting more advanced features into compact cameras to make them more attractive than ever before.
One of the main reasons for choosing a compact camera is the ability to capture great images without the hassle of changing lenses, with most of them sporting a 1-inch type sensor. That's bigger than the chips you'll find in smartphones and cheaper compacts, yet smaller than the sensors you'll get in the latest mirrorless and DSLR shooters.
With a bigger sensor, you get significantly better image quality than even the best smartphones and, in some cases (particularly the high-end compact cameras), they can rival the performance of a DSLR or mirrorless camera. A larger sensor also offers more light-gathering pixels which, in turn, usually capture images with less noise at high ISO sensitivities or in low-light conditions.
There's currently a wide variety of different compact cameras offering a wealth of choice to pretty much suit all photographic needs and budgets. There are small compact cameras that can slip in a pocket yet have huge zoom ranges, and large bridge cameras that look like DSLRs, but have a large, fixed zoom lens and lots of automated easy-to-use options (though don't expect DSLR-rivalling image quality).
That's not forgetting waterproof options and high-end models that are a great alternative to a DSLR or mirrorless camera should you want something a bit more portable.
If you need a bit more help figuring out what kind of camera you need, then your best place to start is by reading this article: What camera should I buy?
Otherwise, read on to find out our pick of the best compact cameras you can buy right now.
In some respects, this is the best compact around right now. Its autofocus system is way ahead of what anyone else is doing right now, tracking moving subjects with excellent skill and cleverly switch into and out of face- and eye-detection as necessary. Control over video recording is as superb as the quality of the footage itself, while image quality is also stellar. But all of this comes at a price, and for many people it's just a little too steep for the camera to be included in the main list, but we can't pass it by as one of the best options there is. So if you have some spare change, we'd highly recommend the RX 100 VII.
If, however, you like the idea of the seventh-generation RX100 but are happy to sacrifice that superb autofocus system, check out the RX100 VI (position 6), which maintains much of what we see here for a little less outlay.
We admit that with its fixed-focal-length lens and bulky body, the X100F isn't going to be everyone's idea of compact camera fun. But as the fourth camera in a hugely popular series, Fujifilm has done a grand job to take the best bits from the previous triplet and elevate its performance once again – and the result is a mighty powerful camera. The 24MP APS-C sensor spits out detailed images with low noise and superb colours, while the manual dials for shutter speed, exposure compensation, ISO and aperture connect you with the camera in a way that just doesn't happen on most other compacts. The hybrid electronic/optical viewfinder also gives you the freedom to adjust what it displays to better suit your environment. Our only reservations are that video is limited to Full HD recording, although that's not a deal-breaker for many photographers.
Panasonic invented the travel-zoom camera genre - compact cameras that you can fit in a pocket but that have long zoom lenses built-in. Despite strong competition, the ZS range (known as TZ outside the US) has continued to dominate sales, and it looks set to continue this with the brilliant Lumix ZS200 (called TZ200 outside the US). As we first saw with the Lumix ZS100 / TZ100, Panasonic has been able to keep the camera body about the same size as earlier ZS-series cameras but squeeze a much larger 1-inch sensor into the camera to deliver much better image quality. The zoom lens isn't quite so extensive as some, but the versatile 15x zoom should be more than enough for most users, while you also get (an admittedly small) electronic viewfinder, 4K video and a great touchscreen interface. If you're looking for a neat all-in-one compact camera that delivers great images, this is it.
If you're looking for a powerful all-in-one bridge camera, then the RX10 IV from Sony is the best there is. You'll pay a premium for that performance, but when you look at what else is out there for the same price, the RX10 IV is virtually in a league of its own. Featuring a huge 24-600mm f/2.4-4 zoom lens, the RX10 IV builds on the RX10 III with an overhauled AF system that now does justice to the rest of the camera, while the 1-inch, 20.1MP sensor is capable of achieving excellent levels of detail. Handling is very polished, feeling like a DSLR in the hand and complemented by a large and bright electronic viewfinder. That's not forgetting the ability to capture video in 4K and shoot at up to 24fps. Impressive stuff.
The G7X Mark II proved to be a smash and we're confident that this will be just a great a hit with vloggers and enthusiast photographers. With the new advantages of 4K shooting, a mic port and live streaming to YouTube joining the previously seen built-in ND filter and flip up LCD screen, this is arguably the strongest compact right now for vlogging. But if you've no interest in video there's still plenty to keep you happy, from 30fps shooting at full resolution to a super-sensitive touchscreen, in-camera raw processing and the added convenience of USB charging. It's a shame there's no viewfinder or hot shoe, but then not everyone needs these.
Compact cameras with sensors larger than 1-inch in size are typically limited to fixed-focal-length lenses, which is great for quality but less so for flexibility. But not the Panasonic LX100 II; it manages to marry a 17MP Four Thirds sensor – the same size as those found inside Panasonic's G-series mirrorless cameras – with a zoom lens equivalent to 24-75mm in 35mm terms, proving that sometimes you can get quality and flexibility at once. The original LX100 was something of a landmark camera for offering something similar, and this latest iteration takes the baton, with a nippy AF system, robust body, clear 4K videos and a useful electronic viewfinder among its highlights.
Sony's original RX100 was a landmark camera that fused a 1-inch sensor in a compact, metal body with the controls and image quality demanded by enthusiasts. The RX100 VI goes several steps further, though, with a 'stacked' sensor design for high-speed data capture. This means it can shoot 4K video, amazing 40x slow motion and still images at 24fps in continuous burst mode. That's not forgetting the neat little built-in electronic viewfinder that its rivals lack, while this sixth generation model now packs an impressive 24-200mm zoom lens. It's a pricey option and does have its quirks, but if you're looking for a versatile, pocket-sized compact with a quality zoom lens, you won't be disappointed.
This trend towards bigger sensors shows up in the Panasonic Lumix FZ2000 (known as the FZ2500 in the US). Bridge cameras are very popular because they offer a colossal zoom range at a modest cost. To design a big zoom, though, the makers have to use a tiny sensor – and here Panasonic took the wise choice to sacrifice zoom range for better quality. The Panasonic FZ2000 uses a 1-inch sensor, and while the zoom tops out at 480mm equivalent, which is relatively short for a bridge camera, that's still plenty for all but the most extreme everyday use. We love the FZ2000 because it delivers both image quality and zoom range - if you're looking for something a bit cheaper, the older FZ1000 is still available.
Keen photographers usually go for a DSLR or mirrorless camera, but they also want something that will slip in a pocket for those days when the big camera needs to stay at home. Usually, that means putting up with a smaller sensor – but not this time. Somehow, Canon has shoehorned a DSLR-sized APS-C sensor into a compact camera body. There's also a built-in electronic viewfinder and refined touchscreen interface. The zoom range is a bit modest at 24-72mm, but there's nothing else quite like it.
It's tempting for list this model higher up just for the value for money it offer, but it isn't the newest model and, as a result, doesn't have the topnotch performance of its newer siblings. The RX100 IV sits in the middle of the RX100 family, and while newer models beat it for burst shooting, autofocus and focal range, for most people this cheaper alternative would still serve them brilliantly. The 1-inch sensor at its heart captures lovely images and super-crisp 4K videos, and while the 24-70mm (35mm equivalent) lens range isn't quite as broad as on the RX100 VI and RX100 VII, the lens itself has a wider f/1.8-2.8 aperture. The 2.36 million-dot viewfinder cleverly hides away when not in use, while optical image stabilisation inside the lens keeps everything steady. You might want to pair it with a separate grip for better handling, but if you need a powerful compact to slip into your pocket – and you don't want to spend a fortune getting it – you'll find the RX100 IV delivers plenty.
The ZS100 may have been refreshed by the ZS200 (position 2) but don't let that put you off; this is still a fine camera, and its last-gen status means it's at a better price than ever. Part of its charm is that fact that it partners a large 1-inch sensor with a 10x optical zoom lens, which provides better image and video quality than other superzoom compacts, but with the flexibility of a broad zoom lens – not something many cameras can claim. Other niceties include a built-in EVF, very good quality 4K video and Wi-Fi, along with image capture in raw.
None of the above take your fancy? Got some cash to play with? Here are two further options.
The Q2 is a thing of beauty, and right now it's arguably the best compact camera around. It's not for everyone – not least because it costs a small fortune – but if you genuinely want the best compact you'll be hard pushed to find a finer one than the Q2. Leica hasn't compromised on the spec sheet, with the 47.3MP sensor producing masses of detail and keeping noise impressive low, while the 3.68 million dot electronic viewfinder is bright and sharp. Also bright and sharp is that 28mm f/1.7 lens, while 4K videos show plenty of detail. It's not the easiest to handle (although you can get an optional grip) and some may have preferred a tilting screen, but its build quality is near-faultless. If you're pining for such a camera in your life but can't quite find the funds, consider the previous Q1 model, which offers a slightly stripped-down feature set by comparison for a hell of a lot less.
We had mixed feelings when we came to review the GR III, but it still deserves a mention here. Why's that? Because, despite a few quirks, Ricoh managed to get a lot right, and it delivers something no other compact quite manages right now, namely the combination of an image-stabilized 24MP APS-C sensor inside a body that you can squeeze into your pocket. Other advantages include a high-performing lens, fast operation, a revamped menu system and understated styling to help keep you discreet when you're out shooting. The fixed 28mm-equivalent lens won't be to everyone's taste, and the battery life is also disappointing, but for those who need to travel light and take great images, this is a very capable alternative to an interchangeable-lens camera.
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