Chaintech and Colorful Release iGame Z97 High-End Motherboard

As odd as it sounds, motherboards intended for gaming aren't necessarily the same as those intended for overclocking, even though some companies, like MSI, like to implement their best OC features on them anyway.

Overclocking means going overboard with clock tweaking and being prepared for a total meltdown. Gaming means (though some may disagree) getting the most performance you can out of your system without actually needing to start messing with the factory settings of the CPU. Especially since the GPUs determine a lot of how well a game runs. You might be safe pushing the chips a bit above the norm, but not to the point where you can set any records. Chaintech and Colorful wanted a motherboard that was equally good at both, however, so they made the iGame Z97 and even gave it water blocks for cooling.

Featuring the LGA 1150 Haswell-ready socket, it offers such things as dual-BIOS, a 16-phase VRM, 8-channel HD audio, three PCI Express 3.0 x16 slots, four PCI Express 2.0 x1 slots, six SATA III ports, mSATA (one port) and three video outputs (DVI, D-Sub and HDMI). Of course, the video ports will be mostly useless since buyers will no doubt buy an NVIDIA or AMD add-in board or more along with it. Unfortunately, while I do know that Chaintech intends to release the iGame Z97 LGA 1150 motherboard in Europe and APAC markets, I don't have an ETA or the price.

iGame Z97 LGA 1150 motherboard PCI Express slots
Image credits to TechPowerUp

iGame brand propagates

iGame Z97 LGA 1150 motherboard socket

iGame Z97 LGA 1150 motherboard water block

iGame Z97 LGA 1150 motherboard PCI Express slots
Images credits to 3DNews

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Meizu MX4 Pro Officially Introduced with 5.5-Inch Quad HD Display, Exynos Octa-Core CPU

The Chinese smartphone market seems to be dominated by local OEMs rather than other brands like Samsung, LG, Motorola, HTC or Sony.

Instead, customers in the Mainland prefer devices made by Xiaomi, Huawei, Lenovo, Meizu, Oppo, Gionee or ZTE. In fact, big handset makers like Samsung lost important chunks of market share to these Chinese OEMs, which are now thinking to go international with their products. One such native OEM, Meizu has just announced its new flagship smartphone, the MX4 Pro. For those out of the loop, this is the sequel to the recently launched MX4 which was launched in China back in September. Meizu MX4 quickly became one of the most popular Android smartphones in China, which is probably one of the reasons that made the company confident that an even better device will be more popular than the original model.

Regardless of how Meizu reached the conclusion that launching two flagship smartphones in a matter of a few months would be a great idea, the fact remains that the new device announced by the Chinese company is likely to become best-seller in the Mainland. Dubbed Meizu MX4 Pro, the new smartphone has been stuffed with the latest technologies available on the market. More importantly, the device has been priced at only $410 (€325) outright, which offers incredible value to the smartphone.

On paper, it may be the most powerful smartphone on the market

First of all, the MX4 Pro boasts a stunning 5.5-inch NEGA LCD display that supports Quad HD resolution, 546ppi (pixel per inch) and 450 nits. The smartphone comes in three variations: 16GB, 32GB and 64GB. We’ve already mentioned the price for the cheapest version, so if you want the other two, you will have to come up with $440 (€350) or $510 (€405), respectively. That will be an important choice, as Meizu MX4 Pro lacks microSD card slot. On the inside, Meizu MX4 Pro is a beast. The Chinese company decided to go for Samsung’s Exynos 5430 octa-core chipset, which accommodates a quad-core 2GHz Cortex-A15 processor, another 1.5GHz quad-core Cortex-A7 CPU and a Mali-T628 MP6 graphics processing unit.

In addition, the smartphone is packed with 3GB of RAM and an impressive 20-megapixel rear-facing camera made by Sony, which features 4K video recording, autofocus, LED flash and f/2.2 aperture. Meizu MX4 Pro runs Flyme OS 4.1 which is based on Android 4.4.4 KitKat and it’s powered by a non-removable 3,350 mAh battery. The flagship smartphone will be available for purchase in China beginning December 6, but there are no details on availability outside this country.

Meizu MX4 Pro

Meizu MX4 Pro QHD display

Meizu MX4 Pro display detailed

Meizu MX4 Pro display size

Meizu MX4 Pro front upper part

Meizu MX4 Pro

Meizu MX4 Pro (left side)

Meizu MX4 Pro (left side angle)

Meizu MX4 Pro display

Meizu MX4 Pro (bottom side)

Meizu MX4 Pro (Home button)
Images credits to Meizu

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Panram Ninja-V Memory Kits with Up to 16 GB and DDR4-3300 Speed Debut

DDR4 is not something that many people can afford at the moment, not just because of the price of the memory itself, but due to the expense involved in acquiring motherboards and CPUs that can actually use it. Panram has chosen to release a series regardless.

Called Ninja-V, the random access memory line is composed of twelve kits, set apart by both their capacities and their frequencies. More precisely, there are four frequency groups and each group comprises three different kits, or rather two kits and the option to acquire just one, lone module. That means that total capacities for consumers are 4 GB, 8 GB and 16 GB. The latter two involve two and four 4 GB modules, respectively.

The Panram Ninja-V DDR4 RAM series

It is composed of 4 GB modules with clocks of 2,800 MHz, 3,000 MHz, 3,200 MHz and 3,300 MHz in groups of 1, 2 and 3. That means there are three of each, as the table in the attached gallery shows. The 2,400 MHz modules are the only ones with 1.2V voltage (really 1.25V), while the others use 1.35V, which is still a lot less than DDR3. DDR3 RAM usually runs at 1.5V (older type run at 1.65V), with only low voltage versions managing 1.35V at the expense of performance. That's why the best DDR3 kits of today, those of 2,800 MHz or more, all need 1.5V/1.65V or even more via manual tweaking in that regard (during overclocking runs).

It's also worth mentioning that the standard performance level of DDR3 memory is 2,133 MHz, so having over 3,000 MHz at just 1.35V is quite impressive.

The catch

It's the same as before, unfortunately. In order to be able to use DDR4 you need to buy a motherboard based on Intel's X99 chipset, since LGA 2011-3 socket CPUs are the only ones with DDR4 support. That means the Haswell-E Extreme Edition Core i7 chips, as well as whatever overkill Xeon chips Intel has on sale via retail or as part of its enterprise/business sales channel.

Availability and pricing

All the Panram DDR4 Ninja-V memory products should sell soon, if they haven't already been posted by retailers. Unfortunately, the company didn't see fit to mention the prices in its announcement, so you will have to wait until retailers reveal that info themselves. Considering the cost of a DDR4-supporting PC, however, only the rich will be able to afford the Ninja-V anyway, so Panram doesn't stand to lose anything, unless kits from competitors are a lot cheaper, which isn't very likely.

Panram DDR4 Ninja-V 4-module kit

Panram DDR4 Ninja-V kit specs

Panram DDR4 Ninja-V dual-module kit

Panram DDR4 Ninja-V single-module package

Panram DDR4 Ninja-V 4Gb module
Images credits to Panram

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Gelid 1U Low-Profile Slim CPU Cooler Will Chill AMD's AM1 Processors

CPUs and APUs ship with their own coolers most of the time, but those coolers have to come from somewhere, and the default ones aren't always suitable or possible to use, especially if the PC case you buy is particularly small.

Gelid has created a cooler that is quite small indeed, being no taller than a DDR3 memory module, as a matter of fact. That means that it should easily fit in any PC case designed for mini-ITX motherboards. However, it's true that the options aren't as expansive as you might think, since the cooler is only compatible with AMD AM1 CPU sockets. Announced in April 2014, the AM1 socket is used by mid-range and entry-level AMD SoCs branded Athlon and Sempron and based on Jaguar and Puma architectures. The Gelid Slim Silence AM1 CPU cooler has a silent 70mm fan with intelligent PWM control. The height of the heatsink is of 26mm and the fan “sinks” into it, so it doesn't add to it. All this for a price of $11 / €8.58.

Shipments of the RoHS and WEEE compatible Gelid Slim Silence Am1 CPU cooler should have started already. All orders will be accompanied by a 5-year warranty.

Press Release:Thermal Solutions specialist GELID Solutions unveils its 1U low profile Slim Silence AM1 CPU cooler. The cooler is a product of GELID Solutions SILENT product line.
GELID Solutions has extended its product portfolio of CPU coolers to fit AMD's latest AM1 socket. The Slim Silence AM1 cooler comes with a silent 70mm fan. This fan provides high airflow and has an intelligent PWM controller which provides additional air flow only when it is really necessary. With a height of 26mm this heatsink is especially designed for slim chassis with limited space.
The cooler is RoHS and WEEE conform and carries a 5 year warranty. "If you are looking for an AM1 aftermarket cooler we have it with PWM too", said Gebhard Scherrer Sales Director of GELID Solutions Ltd. "Slim Silence AM1" is available now and has a MSRP of USD 11 USD or 8.65 Euro.

Gelid Slim Silence AM1 CPU cooler

Gelid Slim Silence AM1 CPU cooler, top view

Gelid Slim Silence AM1 CPU cooler, bottom view

Gelid Slim Silence AM1 CPU cooler box
Images credits to Gelid

Make sure you have an AMD AM1 SoC first
Image credits to AMD

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Gigabyte X99M-Gaming 5 Micro ATX Motherboard with DDR4

It's easy to expect a large computer to have the prowess needed to run, say, Dragon Age: Inquisition in 4K image quality. It's cooler to be able to cram all the needed resources in a fraction of the size though.

Sure, some may disagree, saying that a large, full tower or at least a mid-tower case is the most appropriate container for such power. Especially since high-end motherboards usually come in the full ATX form factor anyway. Every once in a while, though, someone will launch a micro-ATX gaming motherboard. Even mini-ITX models have been revealed with borderline gaming capabilities, but those aren't our focus today. Instead, we're bringing you the X99M-Gaming 5 mainboard from Gigabyte, based on (obviously) the X99 chipset.

The assets of Gigabyte's X99M-Gaming 5 motherboard

First off, the X99 chipset means that the LGA 2011-3 socket is available, supporting Core i7 Extreme Edition (Haswell-E) processors from Intel. Moreover, the X99 chipset has support for DDR4 memory. No other chipset, not from Intel and not from AMD, has this feature. Sure, the top capacity will be limited to 32 GB for now, since there are only 4 slots, but it's not like anyone really needs more than 8 GB anyway. In fact, even the most demanding games can make do with 8 GB of DDR3 easily, let alone DDR4. Even Dragon Age: Inquisition is supposed to run fine on 4 GB of DDR3 from what we understand, so long as you have a good enough video board.

Besides the chipset, CPU and what they inevitably bring with them, the Gigabyte X99M-Gaming 5 motherboard possesses 2-way graphics support (for AMD CrossFire and NVIDIA SLI setups), as well as AMP-UP Audio Technology (enhances the natural quality of the gold-plated, 7.1 channel tech), an OP-AMP socket (you can swap the onboard audio amplifier), Killer E2200 networking, server-level chokes, and black solid caps (for endurance). Add to that onboard SATA-Express and M.2 ports and you have top storage speed as well. All in all, the Gigabyte X99M-Gaming 5 motherboard has everything a high-end gaming system needs and then some.

Availability and pricing

Sadly, the company didn't include this information in the press release, and the product page for the Gigabyte X99M-Gaming 5 motherboard isn't much better. Given the time of the year and the oncoming winter holidays, however, we're willing to bet that it won't take more than a few days for retailers to add the product to their stock lists.

Press Release:
GIGABYTE TECHNOLOGY Co. Ltd., a leading manufacturer of motherboards and graphics cards announced today the new X99M-Gaming 5, a mATX addition to its X99 lineup based on the Intel X99 chipset with support for the new Intel Core i7 Extreme Edition (Haswell-E) processor and latest DDR4 memory support.
With the GIGABYTE X99M-Gaming 5 motherboard, the ultimate gaming station does not have to be bulky and expensive. With a compact, yet feature rich design, the X99M-Gaming 5 is an affordable solution packed with high-end features including GIGABYTE AMP-UP audio technologies, onboard SATA-Express and M.2 ports for fast data transfers, and a Killer gigabit Lan port from Qualcomm Atheros for better online gaming performance.
2-Way Graphics Support
Gaming is all about getting high quality and responsive graphics; featuring two full x16 Gen. 3 PCI Express slots, the GIGABYTE X99M-Gaming 5 motherboard can support 2-way CrossFire or SLI graphics configurations. With a dual GPU setup, you can ensure that your PCI DIY build will cover the system requirements of the most graphics demanding games out there.
GIGABYTE AMP-UP Audio Technology
GIGABYTE Gaming motherboards are equipped with the GIGABYTE exclusive AMP-UP Audio Technology, which provides the industry's highest level of onboard audio features and technologies. With GIGABYTE AMP-UP Audio, gamers and audiophiles are able to experience crisp, ultra realistic sound effects while gaming, and the richest possible sound experience when listening to their favorite music and movies.
Realtek ALC 1150 115dB SNR HD Audio with Built-In Reat Audio Amplifier
The Realtek ALC1150 is a high-performance multi-channel High Definition Audio Codec that delivers an exceptional audio listening experience with up to 115dB SNR, ensuring users get the best possible audio quality from their PC.
The ALC1150 provides ten DAC channels that simultaneously support 7.1-channel sound playback, plus 2 channels of independent stereo sound output (multiple streaming) through the front panel stereo outputs. Two stereo ADCs are integrated and can support a microphone array with Acoustic Echo Cancellation (AEC), Beam Forming (BF), and Noise Suppression (NS) technologies. The ALC1150 incorporates Realtek proprietary converter technology to achieve Front differential output 115dB Signal-to-Noise ratio (SNR) playback (DAC) quality and 104dB SNR recording (ADC) quality.
Upgradeable OP-AMP
The GIGABYTE X99M-Gaming 5 motherboard feature an onboard OP-AMP socket, allowing enthusiasts to swap out the motherboard's onboard operational amplifier (OP-AMP) and explore personal audio preferences using a range of nuanced OP-AMPs available on the market. Additional amplifiers can be purchased separately to further expand audio capabilities.
High End Audio Capacitors
The GIGABYTE X99M-Gaming 5 is equipped with high end, Japanese branded Nichicon audio capacitors. These professional audio capacitors deliver the highest quality sound resolution and sound expansion to create the most realistic sound effects for professional gamers.
Quad USB DAC-UP
Featuring four USB 2.0 ports, GIGABYTE USB DAC-UP provides clean, noise-free power delivery to your Digital-to-Analog Converter. DACs can be sensitive to fluctuations in power from the other USB ports, which is why GIGABYTE USB DAC-UP takes advantage of an isolated power source that minimizes potential fluctuations and ensures the best audio experience possible.
Gold Plated Audio Hardware
For improved connectivity and long lasting durability of some of the most vulnerable I/O, the X99M-Gaming 5 pack top quality gold plated audio connectors. Gold has superb signal conductivity and will not tarnish over extended periods of use.
Ambient LED
The GIGABYTE X99M-Gaming 5 features LED lighting for the audio guard light path, providing a cool, custom look to your rig. These lights are now programmable, so you can have them beat to the rhythm of the music you are listening to, or pulse at a soothing pace to create a great atmosphere to enhance the environment of your game, movie or music.
Killer Networking
The GIGABYTE X99M-Gaming 5 motherboard features the Killer E2200 from Qualcomm Atheros, a high-performance, adaptive gigabit Ethernet controller that offers better online gaming and online media performance compared to standard solutions. The Killer E2200 features Advanced Stream Detect technology, which identifies and prioritizes all network traffic to ensure important applications that require high-speed connectivity are prioritized over less important traffic.
Quad Channel DDR4
The next generation of DRAM is here with DDR4. Featuring stock frequencies starting at 2133 MHz, DDR4 delivers up to 20% less energy consumption and twice as much density as the previous generation DDR3. DDR4 can help GIGABYTE X99 users to load their programs faster, increase responsiveness of their system and help them to handle heavy data tasks in a flash. The GIGABYTE X99M-Gaming 5 motherboard includes Quad Channel DDR4 memory support, bringing exceptionally fast memory access.
Genuine All Digital Power Design
GIGABYTE X99 motherboards use an all digital CPU power design from International Rectifier which includes both digital 4th Generation digital PWM Controller and industry-leading 3rd Generation PowIRstage controllers. These 100% digital controllers offer incredible precision in delivering power to the motherboard's most power-hungry and energy-sensitive components, allowing enthusiasts to get the absolute maximum performance from their next generation Intel Core i7 Extreme processors.
IR Digital PWM and IR PowIRstage ICs
This new generation of IR digital power controllers and PowIRstage ICs feature Isense technology, which provides more precise current sensing accuracy. This helps evenly distribute the thermal loading between the PowerIRstage ICs, preventing the overheating of each individual PowIRstage, resulting in longer lifespan and better reliability.
Server Level Chokes by Cooper Bussmann
GIGABYTE X99 series motherboards feature Server Level Cooper Bussmann Chokes.
Server level reliability
High current capacity
New design reduces heat created by power loss and provides efficient power delivery to CPU VRM area.
Long Lifespan Durable Black Solid Caps
GIGABYTE X99 series motherboards integrate the absolute best quality solid state capacitors that are rated to perform at the maximum efficiency for extended periods, even in extreme performance configurations. This provides peace of mind for end users who want to push their system hard, yet demand complete stability and reliability.

Gigabyte X99M-Gaming 5 motherboard

Gigabyte X99M-Gaming 5 motherboard, high view

Gigabyte X99M-Gaming 5 motherboard, top view

Gigabyte X99M-Gaming 5 motherboard components

Gigabyte X99M-Gaming 5 motherboard I/O
Images credits to Gigabyte

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Nokia N1 Lava Gray Model in First Real-Life Pictures

Nokia today surprised everybody when it launched the N1 tablet with Android 5.0 Lollipop. The device was introduced to the folks present at the Slush event in Finland, but we only got to look at a few promo images of the device.

Now Chinese website Weand has managed to get ahold of the tablet and snapped some real-life images of it in the process. It’s the Lava Gray model, which looks very similar to the iPad mini. The N1 looked very much like an iPad mini clone in the promo shots, but the real life photos reveal an even greater similarity. Anyway, for those of you just joining the party, the N1 is a 7.9-inch device boasting 2048 x 1536 pixel resolution and drawing power from a 64-bit Intel Atom Z3580 processor clocked at 2.3GHz fitted with 2GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage.

The tablet boasts zero air-gap technology on the display and is offered with 32GB of internal storage. Even if the slate runs Android 5.0 Lollipop, Nokia has included its own Z Launcher UI, so you can expect a few tweaks with the interface. Nokia will start selling the tablet first in China, while the international release date is set for a later time.

Nokia N1 shown in real life

Nokia N1 browser running

Nokia N1 showing the company's logo on the back

Nokia N1 from the back
Images credits to Weand

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Spec Shootout: Nokia N1 vs. Nexus 9

As part of its comeback ceremony, Nokia today rolled out the N1 tablet, which is the company’s first under the Android umbrella.

The tablet is the second to arrive in the wild with Android 5.0 Lollipop out of the box, after the Nexus 9, so of course it makes sense to highlight the differences in specs between these two flagship models.

Design and Display

The Nexus 9 has an 8.9-inch display which is a bit larger than the N1’s 7.9-inch form factor. The Google tablet takes advantage of a thin bezel, brushed aluminum sides and is available in three different colors including Indigo Black, Lunar White and Sand. On the other hand, the Nokia N1 will be offered in Natural Aluminum or Lava Gray. The tablet boasts a one-piece design made of aluminum with surface anodization. The N1’s IPS screen with LED backlight takes advantage of Gorilla Glass 3 protection and boasts 2048 x 1536 pixel resolution. The display is also of the fully laminated zero air-gap variety. As for the Nexus 9, it offers the same resolution, but keep in mind that the display is a bit larger.

Now let's take a little look at dimensions: the N1 is 6.9mm / 0.27 inches in profile and weighs 318 g / 0.7 lbs, while the Nexus is a bit thicker coming with a 7.95mm / 0.31 inches frame. The Wi-Fi model weighs 425g / 0.93 lbs, while the LTE one is 436 g / 0.96 lbs.

Performance

The N1 runs on a 64-bit Atom Processor Z3580 clocked at 2.3GHz fitted with 533MHz PowerVR G6430 graphics chip and 2GB of RAM. The Nexus 9 relies on a 64-bit NVIDIA Tegra K1 dual Denver SoC at 2.3GHz with a 192-core Kepler GPU. It comes with 2GB of RAM and either 16GB and 32GB of internal storage. In terms of performance, the Nexus 9 will probably fair out better than Nokia’s first Android tablet due to the presence of the Denver platform. It should also be pointed out that there’s only a Wi-Fi version of the N1, while the Nexus 9 gets LTE.

Camera and Battery

Nokia’s N1 takes advantage of an 8MP camera on the back, while the frontal one is 5MP. The Nexus 9 also has an 8MP camera with f/2.4 aperture auto-focus and LED flash plus a 1.6MP frontal camera with f/2.4 aperture. So if tablet photography is important to you, you should probably pick up the N1. The Nokia N1 relies on a 5300 mAh battery powering a 7.9-inch display, while the Nexus 9's life is sustained by a 6700 mAh battery which said to be able to provide 9.5 hours of juice.

Price

The Nexus 9 is the first premium device from the Nexus tablet line up so it sells for $399 / €319 with 16GB of internal storage. The 32GB version will take you as far as $479 / €384. Nokia, on the other hand, sells its N1 tablet for a much more affordable $250 / €200. The device will go on sale in China in time for the Chinese New Year, but the Finnish company will probably launch it internationally soon enough.

Nokia N1 vs Nexus 9
Image credits to Amazon & Nokia

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Say Hi to the Nokia N1 Tablet with Android 5.0 Lollipop, Nokia Z Launcher [Video]

Remember that yesterday we told you Nokia was teasing its comeback with images of a shady boxy object? It appears the company had something a tad more exciting than that up its sleeve.

At its Slush event today, the device maker has surprised everybody as it unveiled a new tablet. The Nokia N1 has until now been a very well-kept secret since traces of the device didn't leak online before the event.

Nokia N1 is the first Android tablet to come from the company

Nokia’s first tablet, the Lumia 2520, shipped out with Windows RT onboard, but the new N1 is actually an Android slate. Rumors of Nokia working on an Android slate have been circling around for quite a while, long before the Finish company was acquired by Microsoft. The N1 is an 8-inch tablet boasting 2048 x 1536 resolution and Gorilla Glass 3 protection on the IPS panel with LED backlight. Nokia also said the tablet takes advantage of a fully laminated zero air-gap display. Under the hood lies a 64-bit Intel Atom Z3580 processor clocked at 2.3GHz fitted with 2GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage. Nokia makes use of PowerVR G6430 GPU to pump the graphics department.

In the photography department, users should be quite satisfied because they will discover an 8MP rear camera and 5MP front-facing one, both capable of recording 1080p video. As you can see, the specs are quite nice, but the tablet looks good too. It boasts a one-piece design made of Aluminum with surface anodization. The slate is also quite skinny being only 6.9mm / 0.27 inches in profile, although it doesn't take the iPad Air 2 in this department, which has a 6.1mm / 0.21 inches frame. Nokia is using a 5300 mAh battery on the tablet, which should provide enough juice to get you through the day. Other specs include two stereo speakers that feature total harmonic distortion being less than 10% and microUSB 2.0 with Type-C reversible connector.

Nokia N1 runs on Android 5.0 Lollipop

We mentioned above that the new N1 runs Android, but we didn't specify which version. The Nokia N1 becomes the second tablet to be launched in the real world with Android 5.0 Lollipop out of the box, after the Nexus 9. However, the tablet comes with Nokia Z launcher as a default UI, so you will be getting some tweaks in terms of design. The tablet will be made available in Natural Aluminum or Lava Gray and will start selling for $250 / €200 a pop. The N1 is said to go on sale in China before the Chinese new year, which takes place on 19 February 2015, but plans for the international launch haven’t been disclosed yet.

Nokia N1 is a top-notch Android tablet
Image credits to Youtube screenshot

Nokia N1 goes live

Nokia N1 runs on Android 5.0 Lollipop

Nokia N1 is a Nexus 9 competitor 

Nokia N1 has zero-gap air display

Nokia N1 comes with Nokia Z Launcher UI

Nokia N1 is quite portable

Nokia N1 hidden by two boxes
Image credits to Nokia

Nokia N1 showing speakers

Nokia N1 is relatively skinny
Images credits to YouTube screenshot

Nokia N1 during launch event

Nokia launched first Android tablet
Image credits to Slush

It's finally here! Nokia N1 – the tablet that thinks ahead. http://n1.nokia.com/
Video credits to Nokia

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The Samsung NX1 with 4K Is About to Get a Lot Cheaper in January

Samsung is eying the pro camera market and its most recent shooter proves this without a doubt. Back in September the tech giant unveiled the NX1 mirrorless camera which arrives with 4K capacity.

The new camera is a DSLR-style device made a little smaller and coming with an electronic viewfinder. Samsung also makes use of an OLED display that has super-high resolution of 2,260k, which is quite impressive.

Samsung NX1 is not that popular for the time being

Anyhow, despite bringing a lot of disruptive features to the table, it appears customers aren't so willing to jump onboard with Samsung for this and continue to get their pro gear from the likes of Nikon, Canon or Sony. According to information collected by Samsung Camera Rumors, NX1 pre-order numbers haven’t risen to the original expectations. However, some territories have been responding quite well. For example, customers in Korea and Germany apparently love the NX1. But in Europe and North America interest seems to be lagging. The problem isn't the quality of the camera, because the NX1 seems to be quite a worthy product. However, Samsung is a relatively new player to the world of photography, where giants like Nikon and Canon have been in charge for years.

The price seems to also be an issue, despite the fact that the camera is not horribly overpriced compared to similar options on the market.

Samsung is willing to cut prices on the NX1

But Samsung is planning to do something to make the NX1 more attractive to customers. Come January, the mirrorless camera will receive a price drop which will hopefully make the camera a lot more attractive to customers. For those who don’t know what the Samsung NX1 is all about, we’re taking the opportunity to take a quick tour back memory lane. The NX1 comes equipped with a new APS-C format CMOS sensor and back-illumination technology that’s characteristic of the compact camera market. In lay man’s terms, it means that the camera will be able to capture more in terms of light.

The NX1 has an NX AF System III autofocus to allow users to snap images even if subjects are moving about quite quickly. The NX1 can shoot up to Ultra HD resolution with the output being stored on a memory card in HEVC H.265 codec. The NX1 can shoot both in 4K (3840 x 2160) at 30 frames per second and Ultra HD (4096 x 2160) at 24fps. Naturally, there’s the option to record in HD (1920 x 1080) at 24, 30 or 60 fps. When it launched, the camera went on sale for $1500 / €1161, but we’re curious to see what price Samsung is going to put on it in January.

Samsung NX1 is not getting the feedback it wanted
Image credits to Samsung Camera Rumors

Samsung NX1 frontal view

Samsung NX1 with lens

Samsung NX1 with tilted LCD display

Samsung NX1 body-only

Samsung NX1 in profile

Samsung NX1 from the back

Samsung NX1 from above

Samsung NX1 flash out

Samsung NX1 with lens mounted
Images credits to Samsung

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