New video shows the Legion Go 2 outperforming the MSI Claw A8 in benchmark test
A recent video from the YouTube channel Lines Tech (via Notebook Check) shows the Legion Go 2 running Shadow of the Tomb Raider, which is also one of the games we benchmark in our PC gaming tests. The Legion Go 2 in question packs an AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme chip and has an OLED panel.
In the video, Shadow of the Tomb Raider averages 49 frames per second at 1080p resolution, with 7,710 frames rendered. Notebook Check believes that Lines Tech enabled DirectX 12 and had frame generation disabled. The site also thinks the benchmarks were achieved on medium graphics settings.
We also see an MSI Claw A8 in the video, a handheld device that also features an AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme chip, although it lacks an OLED panel. MSI's gaming handheld averaged 44 fps with 6,751 frames generated in the same graphics settings for Shadow of the Tomb Raider. As Notebook Check notes, the Legion Go 2 achieves 10% higher frame rates than the MSI Claw A8, at least based on this video.
Lenovo says the Legion Go 2 has a super cooling solution. The machine will also have 32GB of RAM vs the Claw A8's 24GB. These factors are likely what account for the Legion Go 2's better performance. That said, we would need to conduct our own benchmark tests to see which machine has better overall performance. I'm also curious to see how games perform on these handhelds when frame generation is enabled.
Based on what we've seen so far, it appears that gaming handhelds featuring an AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme chip should deliver big performance gains over the current crop of Ryzen Z1 Extreme machines. But as I said, we'll know for sure once we've brought such handhelds into our lab. Stay tuned for more!
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Tom's Guide
10 hours ago
- Tom's Guide
Only $54 and perfect for gamers and typists alike — the Keychron C1 Pro 8K is my new favorite mechanical keyboard
The Keychron C1 Pro 8K mechanical keyboard looks exactly like the one that came with my family computer back in the 2000s. But don't worry, it performs like one of the best mechanical keyboards on the market. It feels incredibly nostalgic to type on, but with RGB backlighting, strong ergonomics and some hefty gaming performance, it adds its own modern twist. It may be wired only, and the Keychron Super switches proved a little tricky to remove in testing, but everything else is ideal. This is the most comfortable I've ever been while typing. The typing angle is adjustable with the board's retractable feet, and the OSA profile keycaps make for an effortless typing experience, so I was typing faster and easier than ever. It's lightweight, too, thanks to its ABS case and wired-only design (meaning no battery), for easy positioning on your desk. Keychron has typically been a productivity brand, with the sub-brand Lemokey making gaming keyboards. However, with a polling rate of 8,000Hz, the C1 Pro 8K is also perfect for pro-tier gamers, demonstrating Keychron's desire to blend the productivity and gaming spheres more than it ever has. You can find out more about my experience by reading this full Keychron C1 Pro 8K review. Price $54/£75 Switches Keychron Super Switch Layout TKL 80% Mount type Tray Mount Keycap material Double-Shot PBT Keycap profile OSA Backlight South-facing RGB LED Case material Plastic Supported operating systems MacOS, iOS, Windows, Android, Linux Connectivity Wired Type-C Polling rate 125Hz - 8,000Hz Measurements 5.15 x 14.07 x 1.13 inches Weight 1.83lbs The Keychron C1 Pro 8K mechanical keyboard is perfect for typists and gamers alike. The typing is incredibly smooth, with OSA profile keycaps that rake beautifully out to the edges of the keyboard, making it easy for your fingers to find the right keys. And with a polling rate of up to 8,000Hz, it's perfect for low-latency gaming — as long as your CPU can put up with it. I'm going to say it. This is the nicest keyboard I have ever typed on. The keycaps are made out of double-shot PBT and use Keychron's OSA profile. OSA key caps have a standard, medium-tall profile with sloped, bevelled tops and rounded edges that cradled my fingers as they hit the keys. This is different from the previous C1 and C1 Pro models that used OEM profile keycaps. The rake of the keys varies from the back to the front of the keyboard — the top row is the tallest, therefore requiring less stretch to hit them from a neutral typing position. This made it easy for my fingers to quickly find keys, giving me the fastest typing experience of any keyboard I have tested, as you can see below. MacBook Air M2 built-in 61 96.19% Lenovo Multi Device Keyboard 59 99.66% Seenda Foldable Bluetooth Keyboard with Touchpad 54 89.63% Keychron B2 Pro 60 94.60% Keychron C1 Pro 8K 64 95.21% The PBT key caps offered enough grip without stunning my typing, and were smooth but not slippery. If I were Goldilocks, this would be the keyboard that's just right. There are also adjustable feet on the underside of the keyboard that offer ergonomic support. The keyboard can be used at an angle of 4.8°, which is the lowest setting, 8.5° with the small feet deployed and 10.7° at the highest angle. The 10.7° setting was the most comfortable for me. The keyboard is available with three types of Keychron Super Switches: red (linear), brown (tactile), and banana (tactile, Panda-style). I used the Banana switches, which use a relatively long 21.5mm spring for a bouncy typing experience. I'll discuss the other switches in more detail later. The C1 Pro 8K uses a tray-mounted PCB, which means the PCB is screwed into the bottom case. This results in a very firm bottom-out when typing, similar to a top-mounted PCB. This is nowhere near as comfortable as softer gasket-mounted keyboards like the Keychron Q1 Pro or Keychron K2 HE. However, as the C1 Pro is intended to be a responsive, efficient gaming keyboard, it's understandable that Keychron has employed this mount. If you don't mind the firmness, you'll be fine with the red linear switches, although if you prefer a softer experience, I would recommend the longer-sprung banana tactiles, which mitigate this somewhat. If you're mostly using your board for typing, though, I would suggest a gasket-mounted board like the Q1 Pro or, well, most of Keychron's lineup. There is also a switch on the back to alternate between macOS and Windows with ease if you use different operating systems for games and work like I do. The board comes with macOS keycaps installed, but there are Windows keycaps included in the box that are easy to swap out. This keyboard has a retro sound to go with its retro styling. It sounds amazing — just like an old-school Macintosh keyboard from the 90s. The case is made from strong ABS plastic to give that retro clack, while two layers of sound-absorbing foam layer and several layers of cushioning foam and film dampen the sound to remove unwanted rattles or pings. Since the metal plate is fixed to the bottom plate, there is also a nice clicking sound when the keys bottom out, although it doesn't sound unpleasantly metallic like the Keychron Q6 or Keychron Q3 Max. I love the sound of this keyboard, and it takes me right back to playing video games on the shared family computer in the early 2000s — super nostalgic. The Keychron C1 Pro 8K is perfect for anyone who enjoys customizing their keyboard. With hot-swappable switches, meaning they can be swapped without the need for soldering, I found it incredibly easy to simply pop off the keycaps using the supplied keycap/switch puller, but the switches were a different story entirely (more on that later). It is compatible with most three-pin and five-pin switches on the market. Although the setup of the keyboard when you get it is slightly better suited to productivity — OSA keycaps, Keychron Super switches — the switch compatibility and 8K polling give the C1 Pro a lot of potential for enthusiasts looking for a solid platform to build a custom high-performance gaming/productivity hybrid deck. And it isn't just about hardware. The C1 Pro 8K uses open-source QMK firmware, which is customizable via the fantastic Keychron Launcher web app. Launcher can be used to remap the keyboard and assign macros to streamline workflow, or create essential binds and shortcuts. And there's no need to download companion software to your computer, so you can tweak your board from any computer, as long as you have access to a browser. Keychron also offers 3D printing diagrams of the C1 Pro 8K's plate on its website, so modders can print their own if they have a preferred plate material. The C1 Pro uses a metal plate by default. There are three switch options from Keychron at checkout. The C1 Pro uses Keychron's Super pre-lubed switches: red (linear), brown (tactile) and banana (tactile, panda-style), with varying characteristics to choose from when ordering the keyboard. The red linear switches have the lightest operating force and a 19.5mm spring, so they are great for responsive, fast gaming performance. As for the brown tactile switches, expect 'bump' feedback when typing. These have a gentle sound but use a very short 15.2mm single-stage spring and require a firm 55g actuation force, so this won't be as comfortable as the banana. The banana super switches are the ones I tested and, as someone who spends all-day-every-day typing, I can say with certainty that they are great to work with. These switches have a much lighter operating force of 47g versus the browns, and a longer two-stage spring, for a bouncy, comfortable feel that somewhat mitigates the firm tray-mounted PCB. While the previous C1 and C1 Pro boards polled at 1,000Hz, the Keychron C1 Pro 8K has a polling rate of up to 8,000Hz, reducing latency and making this a viable keyboard for serious gaming. Although the high polling rate is an option, it can prove a drain on system resources. Luckily, you can customize it for your preferred typing or gaming experience. The polling rate can be altered from 125Hz to 8,000Hz in Keychron Launcher. It means you don't need a keyboard specifically for typing or gaming; this one can do it all. You can also set different profiles in the Keychron Launcher, so you could have one configuration for gaming, and one for work. I played Counter-Strike 2 using the keyboard, and I didn't notice any latency issues. The C1 Pro 8K is incredibly lightweight, which isn't necessarily a must for a mechanical keyboard, but I was able to take it with me on the train in my work bag, and it didn't weigh me down at all. It weighs just 1.83 pounds, which is far lighter than the 3.91-pound Keychron Q3 HE that I usually use. The lightweight nature of the board means you can move it around your desk with ease and get the best positioning super quickly. But this difference in weight is down to the C1 Pro 8K's ABS case and having no battery or wireless hardware, as it's wired-only. As if it weren't already good enough, priced at only $54, the Keychron C1 Pro 8K is a total budget dream. For the money, this keyboard is a great starting point for customization. It has all the potential to be an ideal gaming keyboard with the right switches and keys. But equally, it could be kitted out to be one of the best productivity keyboards. The downs of this keyboard are very minor, but the wired-only connection may prove annoying to anyone who enjoys a wire-free workspace. The switches can also be hard to remove without the right technique. The Keychron C1 Pro 8K is a wired-only keyboard, which can prove slightly cumbersome. One of the perks of having a wireless keyboard such as the Keychron Q1 Pro is that you don't have wires cluttering your desk. That being said, this does have its perks, such as the lack of battery, helping make the C1 Pro 8K a lighter keyboard. And you don't have to worry about polling rates decreasing over wireless connections (as there are none). Despite being hot swappable, the C1 Pro 8K's switches were tricky for me to remove, to say the least. After pulling for 15 minutes, I could not get the switches to budge. Tom's Guide Staff Writer Nikita Achanta, who is well-versed in the world of keyboards, also had trouble with these switches, so it's not just my lack of muscle. Just to make sure we weren't losing our minds, we removed the switches of the Gamakay TK75 Pro, and they came out with ease. However, our Reviews Editor, Peter (who I'm sure is a keyboard whisperer), got the switches off without a hitch — this required him to unclick one of the fastening clips, then lever the switches down before the second fastening clip could be undone. In his words, it was fiddly. I scratched the plate slightly in my attempts, and while this doesn't affect the performance or look of the keyboard itself, it was annoying. The Keychron C1 Pro 8K has very easily become my favorite mechanical keyboard. Once you look past the wired-only design and the slightly fiddly switches, it's totally dreamy. It's perfect for any typist, with an ergonomic key rake and adjustable angle. My wrists weren't straining when I was typing, and the OSA keycaps guided my fingertips to each key with ease. This is the fastest typing result I have had with any keyboard, and that is also largely down to the bouncy and responsive switches. With 8,000Hz polling, it's also ideal for anyone who wants to use the same keyboard for office work and serious gaming. And since there is no battery, the keyboard is extremely light, meaning it can be positioned on any gaming desk with ease. For the price, the customization potential is insane. With Keychron Launcher, it is easy to get the right setup for your ideal productivity use, but the hot swappable switches mean this could become one of the best gaming keyboards, too. I would recommend this keyboard to literally anyone, and the retro look with the signature Keychron lighting is the cherry on top of the cake for me.
Forbes
a day ago
- Forbes
AI Technology Outdated? That's Okay, Just Keep Moving
One can be forgiven for thinking that everyone is mastering artificial intelligence, while they are scrambling to understand it and catch up. Let's face it: no one knows where AI is going to take us. Not a year from now, not even a month from now. Everyone is experimenting and learning. Not even the chief information officer of one of the world's leading technology providers can say with certainty where AI is taking things. And that's okay. Today's AI intelligence platforms and offerings are becoming outdated at a blinding pace. Which raises the question, where should one insert their investments, as there is the risk of pouring money into outdated technology? This typically doesn't sit well with boards, or employees that have to depend on the technology. But the worst strategy is to hold off and wait for the next iteration of the technology, because that day will never come. That's the word from Art Hu, CIO of Lenovo Global, who urged decision-makers to work with the AI they've got, which is more productive than waiting for new versions to come along – no matter how quickly they appear on the scene. Everything is uncertain, so don't count on certainty, he said, speaking with CXOTalk's Michael Krigsman in a recent interview. 'Agility beats certainty as an AI investment strategy,' he said. Accept that the AI technologies chosen today will not remain at the forefront for long. Hu shared Lenovo's own approach to AI investment, which emphasizes "no regret" investments, even if the technology becomes outdated. It's not about perfection – it's about adaptability and agility, he again emphasized. Too often, organizations get caught in 'analysis paralysis,' unable to move forward because they are unsure how the technology will develop. Don't wait for guaranteed outcomes that may never materialize, he said. AI technology 'is advancing at a rapid pace – almost by day or by week or by month,' Hu said. Analysis paralysis sets in because 'the frontier seems to be moving so quickly,' and people don't know how to handle it. The best approach is to keep learning and tolerate ambiguity, he explained. At his company, that translates into AI decisions made by a cross-enterprise executive committee. 'In terms of the investment question and our investment strategy, everyone is expected to engage, and that helps tremendously,' he said. 'There's no need to explain what we're doing or why, and that really helps the team step forward.' An important part of this open AI strategy is to take on the prevailing fear that AI is taking jobs away. This narrative 'portrays workers as passive victims rather than active participants in change,' he said. 'AI automates specific tasks within jobs, but humans still design job roles and define organizational goals.' There's a productivity benefit as well, 'Software engineers who once spent only 10-15% of their time coding now have access to capabilities that previously required specialized designers or prototypers,' he explained. As a result, professionals are freed up to focus on higher-value activities, such as architecture, security, and business outcomes. The key to successfully building an AI partnership is to 'help teams break down their roles into tasks, identify which ones AI can enhance or replace, and restructure positions to focus on distinctly human contributions,' said Hu. It's important to reframe the AI discussion, he continued. 'The point is to not lose momentum and to continue in the face of that uncertainty.' For its part, Lenovo seeks to create 'the environment that invites people in,' Hu related. 'If you want to work in legal, if you're in marketing, if you're in finance, if you're in HR, there's something for you to work with that will help invite you in the door.' That 'pull' results in high levels of interest among employees, and a desire to learn more, he added.
Tom's Guide
a day ago
- Tom's Guide
Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3x review: Incredible battery life has never been so affordable
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3x ($749) makes sacrifices to hit its budget-friendly price, but they're easy to overlook thanks to one huge strength. Finding a budget laptop that offers good value for your money can be a real challenge, especially if you're not sure what you should and shouldn't compromise on. The IdeaPad Slim 3x is a great example of how budget laptops can hit an affordable price and still offer great performance in key areas. Despite costing well under $1,000, the IdeaPad Slim 3x impressed me with its outstanding battery life, lasting over 16 hours in our tests. With a snappy keyboard, roomy 15-inch display and relatively low weight, it's a great buy for students and casual users. If you can find it on sale, the IdeaPad Slim 3x is a steal. Of course, it's not perfect. There are a few drawbacks you should consider before buying, but if you're searching for an affordable laptop that will last all day, the IdeaPad Slim 3x is a great choice. It's one of the best laptops for battery life we've tested this year and one of the best Lenovo laptops you can get on a tight budget. Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3x Price $749 Display 15.3-inch (1920 x 1200) 60Hz IPS touch display CPU Qualcomm Snapdragon X 8-core (X1-26-100) GPU Qualcomm Adreno integrated graphics RAM 16GB Storage 256GB Ports 1x HDMI 1.4, 2x USB-A 3.2, 1x USB-C 3.2, 1x SD card slot, 1x 3.5mm headphone jack Size 13.52 x 9.51 x 0.7 inches Weight 3.42 pounds The IdeaPad Slim 3x offers a lot of value for well under $1,000, especially with its outstanding battery life. It also boasts solid performance for the price and a fantastic keyboard. By far the biggest strength of the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3x is its incredible battery life. It lasted 16 hours and 29 minutes in our battery life test, which is far more than enough for a full day at work or school. Battery life that long is especially impressive for a budget laptop like this one. I wasn't surprised the IdeaPad performed so well in this particular area considering Snapdragon-powered laptops tend to be battery life all-stars. Given the price this IdeaPad really punches above its weight class, outlasting much pricier alternatives. For instance, the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x, one of my personal favorite laptops, only lasted 14 hours and 14 minutes on our battery life test. Granted, it has a more powerful processor, but if battery life is your top priority, the more affordable IdeaPad Slim 3x could be the better buy. In contrast, the Acer Aspire Go, which is a similarly budget-friendly laptop, only lasted 10 hours and 15 minutes. It just goes to show, the IdeaPad Slim 3x offers a uniquely long battery life in the sub-$1,000 price range. The IdeaPad Slim 3x could have scored a bit higher on our performance tests, but it didn't do poorly either—especially considering the price. With a Geekbench 6 multi-core score of 10,505, the IdeaPad is powerful enough for basic everyday tasks like web browsing and word processing. You could probably get by with some minimal photo and video editing, but expect slow rendering and exporting. On the other hand, if you're a student or you're looking for an affordable laptop for casual use, the IdeaPad Slim 3x is definitely up to the task. I had a good experience using it for tasks like writing, watching Netflix and replying to emails. Geekbench 6 single-core Geekbench 6 multi-core Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3x 2,124 10,505 Acer Swift 14 AI 2,406 13,132 Acer Aspire Go 15 1,310 5,209 The IdeaPad Slim 3x is in a sweet spot among budget laptops, as well. It's a killer deal if you can find it on sale, but even at the full $749 price it offers better bang for your buck than laptops at the low end of the budget range. For instance, the Acer Aspire Go 15 costs just under $300, which might sound like a steal—but its Geekbench 6 score is barely half of the IdeaPad Slim 3x's score. There's a much smaller gap between the IdeaPad Slim 3x's performance and that of the pricier Acer Swift 14 AI. I often love the keyboards on Lenovo laptops and the IdeaPad Slim 3x is no exception. This might seem like a little thing, but if you're planning to use your laptop for tasks like writing, replying to emails, or coding, a great keyboard can make or break your experience. The IdeaPad Slim 3x offers a stellar keyboard at a budget-friendly price. On the Monkeytype typing test I scored 96 words per minute with 97% accuracy, which is a bit above my personal average and just goes to show how swift and snappy this keyboard is. It also includes a full number pad, which can be really convenient for programming or filling spreadsheets. I appreciate that Lenovo didn't slip the power button into the keyboard, too (it's located on the right edge of the keyboard deck). While I had a good overall experience with the IdeaPad Slim 3x, it's not perfect. There are a few drawbacks you should know about before making this your next laptop, including display quality, speaker volume, gaming performance and potential issues with app compatibility. The display is one of the biggest drawbacks of the IdeaPad Slim 3x. Unfortunately, that's not uncommon in budget laptops. The display isn't bad, but it isn't outstanding, either. If you need a laptop primarily for tasks like graphic design or photo editing, you may want to choose something with higher display scores, like the Acer Swift 14 AI. The IdeaPad Slim 3x sports a 15.3-inch 60Hz IPS touch display. It scored 48.4% on our DCI-P3 color gamut test and had an average brightness of just 296 nits. Even for a budget laptop, those scores are pretty low. Average brightness (nits) Peak brightness (nits) Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3x 296.2 310 Acer Swift 14 AI 380.2 399 Acer Aspire Go 15 329.6 340 I noticed that low brightness while watching Stranger Things, which has a lot of dimly-lit scenes that didn't show up well on the IdeaPad. However, the matte finish on the display at least minimized reflections, which is nice. Text and well-lit content also looks fine, so the lackluster display might be a non-issue for some people. The IdeaPad Slim 3x is by no means a gaming laptop. If that's what you're looking for, your options will be pretty limited in this price range, but a handheld gaming PC could be a good alternative. Considering it's running on Qualcomm Adreno integrated graphics, I wasn't surprised by the IdeaPad's disappointing graphics performance. It scored 3,262 on the 3DMark Fire Strike benchmark and averaged just 21 frames per second in Sid Meier's Civilization VI: Gathering Storm. 3DMark Fire Strike Sid Meier's Civ VI: Gathering Storm (1080p) Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3x 3,626 21.3 fps Acer Swift 14 AI 5,720 21.1 fps Acer Aspire Go 15 1,928 12.3 fps To put that into perspective, the Acer Swift 14 AI, which costs just a few hundred dollars more, scored 5,720 on the 3DMark Fire Strike benchmark, but also averaged 21 fps in Civilization VI. The Acer Aspire Go 15 scored far lower, though, with just 1,928 on the 3DMark Fire Strike benchmark and a meager 12.3 fps in Civilization VI. You're unfortunately just not going to get outstanding gaming performance on a budget laptop. Handheld gaming PCs offer slightly better performance for around the same price as these laptops, but if you're looking for something that can breeze through AAA games, you might want to save your money for a proper gaming laptop. While it isn't necessarily a deal-breaker, I wish the speakers on the IdeaPad Slim 3x had a higher max volume. I rarely have to crank up the speakers when testing laptops, but I had to turn up the volume to 100% while watching Stranger Things on the IdeaPad. Even then, quieter scenes were a bit hard to hear clearly, especially with background noise like an air conditioner. The speaker quality is fine, especially considering the price, with a decent balance of mids, highs, and bass. It's just a bit difficult to hear since the volume doesn't go as high as some may prefer, so you might want to keep a pair of headphones handy with this laptop. While the IdeaPad Slim 3x can be a great sub-$1,000 laptop, it's worth noting that the Arm-based processor can present issues. This isn't unique to the IdeaPad Slim 3x, but rather a larger concern with Snapdragon-powered laptops. Since they use a different type of processor architecture than Intel or AMD laptops, some apps aren't compatible with them, such as certain games and Adobe apps. This will likely improve over time as app developers expand support for Snapdragon chips, but it's just something to be aware of before buying. With that said, if you're looking for a budget-friendly laptop and you're between the IdeaPad Slim 3x and a Chromebook, many of which go for this price or less, you would probably be better off with the IdeaPad since it's compatible with the majority of Windows apps. Chromebooks, in contrast, are limited to mainly apps on the Google Play Store. While it isn't a perfect laptop, the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3x offers fantastic battery life and solid performance at a price that's tough to beat. If you can find it on sale, it's a serious bargain. This laptop would be an especially good pick for students and casual users, but probably isn't the right choice for power users and gamers. If you're looking for a sub-$1,000 laptop that will easily last all day on a single charge, the IdeaPad Slim 3x could be perfect for you. Its battery life is impressive enough that it outweighs less significant drawbacks like a lackluster display and quiet speakers. It's hard to find battery life this long at such a low price, so that alone makes the IdeaPad Slim 3x stand out. With that said, if you're looking for a budget laptop for gaming, you would be better served with a handheld gaming PC since graphics performance is not the IdeaPad's strong suit. Depending on your needs, you may also want to double check that your must-have apps are compatible with Snapdragon-powered laptops. Those drawbacks might be deal-breakers for some, but if battery life and price are your top concerns, the IdeaPad Slim 3x could be the perfect choice.
