PCWorld February 2018

Massive security vulnerabilities in modern CPUs are forcing a redesign of the kernel software at the heart of all major operating systems. Since the issues— dubbed Meltdown and Spectre—exist in the CPU hardware itself, Windows, Linux, Android, macOS, iOS, Chromebooks, and other operating systems all need to protect against it. And worse, plugging the hole can negatively affect your PC’s performance. Everyday home users shouldn’t panic too much though. Just apply all available updates and keep your antivirus software vigilant, as ever. If you want to dive right into the action without all the background information, we’ve also created a focused guide on how to protect your PC against Meltdown and Spectre. Here’s a high-level look at what you need to know about Meltdown and Spectre, in plain language. Be sure to…

AMD dropped a blockbuster at CES, unveiling its plans for a 2nd-gen Threadripper, Zen 2, Zen 3, and its next-nextgeneration 7nm GPUs. The company even broke out a new mobile Vega chip. And that’s not even the company’s full list of upcoming products, which includes two new Ryzen APUs with integrated Vega graphics. The executive summary is that AMD’s serious about regaining its reputation for fast chips. “For us, it is all about high-performance computing,” said AMD CEO Lisa Su. “Highperformance computing is absolutely the most exciting part of the semiconductor industry today.” RYZEN APUS WITH VEGA GRAPHICS For all those people obsessed with building the ultimate budget gaming PC, AMD offers two new low-cost chips. • The Ryzen 5 2400G will feature four cores with SMT and run at a base clock of…

Intel’s startling marriage with AMD’s graphics chips has finally borne fruit, as Intel announced five new Core H-series chips that use two variants of the AMD “Vega M” GPU. The combination of Intel and AMD technology should outperform a last-gen system with a discrete Nvidia chip, Intel says. You can jump straight to our performance section on page 21 to learn more about Intel’s claims. The new 8th-generation, quad-core Core i5 and Core i7 chips, together with what AMD calls the Radeon RX Vega M GPU, will power laptops from Dell and HP. They’ll also appear in new Intel-branded “Hades Canyon” NUCs, with prices beginning at $799 and $999, Intel said. Intel’s announcement at CES adds a significant amount of detail to the bombshell AMD and Intel dropped in November. Intel’s overarching goal…

An ominous Spectre hung over CES 2018’s PC announcements, as the industry grapples with how to protect against devastating CPU exploits that melt down security on damned near every computer on the planet. But put all that aside for now: 2017 was one of the best years for PC hardware ever, and at CES 2018, the PC kept the pedal firmly planted to the metal. Intel and AMD joined forces on a powerful chip. Nvidia pushed gaming displays way past the limits of what we’ve seen so far. Next-gen routers and VR headsets made their debut. Heck, Asus used an optical illusion to make multi-monitor setups even more immersive! Let’s dig into the 10 big CES reveals that PC enthusiasts need to know about, starting with a doozy. 1. INTEL Hell’s frozen over. Pigs…

CES may be all about consumer electronics, but sadly that doesn’t really include phones. Most companies hold off until the spring to unveil their newest handsets, and there hasn’t been a big Android splash at CES since Google unveiled the Nexus One back in 2010. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t any Android news coming out of Las Vegas this week. While the Intel-AMD love affair (see page 15) and Google Assistant-powered speakers might have snagged most of the headlines, Android fans still found enough to entertain them. Here’s a look at eight things you might have missed: 1. MOTO MODS Lenovo’s Moto Mods were all the rage a year ago, but the fad isn’t completely over. During its keynote, Lenovo showed off two new magnetic Moto Mods for its Z2 Force and…

Creative had the demo to beat at this year’s CES. The company showed an early prototype of a product it calls Super X-Fi Headphone Audio. And it blew my mind. Done right, object-based audio such as Dolby Atmos can be the next best thing to being at a live performance. The only problem is that the cost of the equipment to reproduce it at home can cost tens of thousands of dollars. Creative says its Super X-Fi Headphone Audio Holography (how’s that for a mouthful?) can replicate the experience—positioning audio events in 3D space around your head—with headphones. But Creative’s technology isn’t limited to decoding object-based audio, it also works with stereo recordings. The technology relies on a smartphone app that captures a picture of each of your ears, so that it…