Yes, it’s that time again – the PCGuide weekly roundup. It’s been another busy week in the tech world with Google proposing a Chrome update that’ll help your battery life, 8BitDo releasing a custom controller for Microsoft’s xCloud, and probably the biggest story of the week, AMD making their highly anticipated 3000XT series of Ryzen processors available for purchase.
Delving into the Google news for the week, as previously mentioned, they’re potentially implementing an experimental feature in the Chrome 86 update, attempting to shut down JavaScript timers and trackers when you’re not using certain tabs. This may seem insignificant but with tests reportedly extending laptop battery life by up to 2 hours, it could prove to be extremely helpful for those who are browsing on the go. While being hard at work on Chrome, Google has similarly been developing new features for their apps, unveiling dark mode for their Docs, Sheets, and Slides applications on Android devices. This is a welcomed addition for users and one that has been requested for some time now. Unfortunately, you iOS users are sadly left wanting for now.
Moving to the other tech giant Microsoft, 8BitDo announced that they’ve been working in partnership with Xbox to create a custom mini controller in anticipation of the release of their game streaming service xCloud. This mini controller will have the full functionality of a regular Xbox One/Xbox Series X controller and will transmit the signal to your mobile device via Bluetooth. For those planning to get involved with xCloud upon its release in October this 8BitDo controller is certainly a product worth considering that will ensure on-the-go gaming will be a lot easier.
The biggest announcement of all this week is the release of AMD’s 3000XT range of Ryzen CPUs. These new processors offer an incredible boost in performance over their predecessors at pretty exceptional prices, leaving Intel in their dust. Starting at $249 for the 3600XT and increasing in power and price up to the 3900XT, you’ll be able to create a top tier gaming rig for such little cost in comparison to just a couple of years ago. If you’re wanting to get your hands on these, head over to our where to buy page which provides you with a bunch of different avenues to purchase.
As usual, we’ve released some top-notch how-to guides as well as some handy product roundups for helping you find the right products to purchase. Summing these up, we looked at how to use a DSLR as a webcam to increase that Zoom call quality, showcasing the top ten tips and tricks for you Windows and Mac users, and teaching you how to mine Bitcoin. Additionally, looking at the product roundups, we’ve given you an insight into the best home theater PC and next week look out for the best PC build for mining Bitcoin.
Finally, we released the details of our first of many giveaways for PCGuide readers! The prize this time is the highly-rated Logitech G203 Gaming Mouse and it’ll cost you absolutely nothing to enter! Head over to our page announcing the giveaway and be in with the chance of winning!
Be sure to come back to PCGuide next week for the latest tech news coupled with some really helpful tips for working at home during this trying period.
