Apple has quite a lot of expectations to break through when it reveals the MacBook Pro 2018 – it has to keep fans happy, and it has to surpass the 2017 MacBook Pro.

Considering all the rumors about the cheaper 13-inch Retina MacBook and MacBook Air supposedly coming out this year, the MacBook Pro 2018 is almost guaranteed to happen – we just don’t know when. It’s been more than two years since the MacBook Pro was refreshed with the Touch Bar and Thunderbolt 3 – so Apple has had plenty of time to fiddle with the hardware. And, when you consider all of Apple’s keyboard issues, we’re expecting them to address the keyboard with the MacBook Pro 2018 when it’s announced.

And, right before the WWDC 2018 keynote, benchmark results for a new 14.3-inch MacBook Pro surfaced with a 6-core Intel Coffee Lake CPU. Other than that flimsy leak, we don’t have a lot of solid information about the MacBook Pro, especially since the WWDC keynote came and went with nary a mention of new hardware.

Make sure you bookmark this page to get all of the latest news and rumors about the MacBook Pro 2018 model as they come in. 

Cut to the chase

• What is it? Apple’s most powerful 2018 laptop
• When is it out? June 2018 at the earliest?
• What will it cost? Hopefully no more than current models

MacBook Pro 2018 release date

In spite of all the rumors and leaks we’ve seen, we don’t really know when the MacBook Pro 2018 will actually come out. However, that doesn’t mean we can’t speculate based on previous MacBook Pro releases.

Last year, Apple gave us a surprise release of the MacBook Pro in June, immediately following the WWDC keynote. This was so surprising because of how soon it released following the MacBook Pro 2016.

We wouldn’t expect much about the MacBook Pro price to change year over year.

The year before that, in October 2016, Apple released the first MacBook Pro to get a major redesign, which saw the debut of the Touch Bar and the T1 co-processor which powers it.

Prior to that, the MacBook Pro was receiving piecemeal updates since the last major revision of 2012, also released just after Apple’s June WWDC of that year.

However, it looks like Apple is going to break away from tradition this year, as WWDC 2018 came and went without a mention of any hardware.

The next likely window is late 2018, most likely before November, just in time for the holiday shopping rush. So, we’re expecting to see the MacBook Pro 2018 announced at Apple’s iPhone event in September. Either way, we’ll look out for new rumors and update this article as soon as the MacBook Pro 2018 release date begins to grow clearer.

MacBook Pro 2018 price

Again, none of the rumors or leaks regarding a MacBook Pro so far have made any mention of the possible pricing, but this isn’t terribly surprising. Those bits of information don’t tend to drop until we get closer to an expected release date.

That said, we wouldn’t expect much about the MacBook Pro price to change year over year. Apple has already hit a sweet spot of prices for its various MacBook Pro models, starting at $1,299, £1,249 or AU$1,899, for one without the Touch Bar.

You can probably bet on Apple doubling down on its co-processor strategy this year.

From there, to purchase a Touch Bar model will increase the price to $1,799, £1,749 or AU$2,699. Of course, the 15-inch models (all with Touch Bar) pump up the price even further.

If pricing were to change this year, we’d wager that Apple would simply make room for that rumored 13-inch, entry-level MacBook by upping the hardware inside the low-end MacBook Pro and hiking up the price. Otherwise, Apple could simply wipe out the Touch Bar-free model and reserve the ‘Pro’ moniker for laptops with the Touch Bar.

We’ll look out for new rumors and update this article as soon as the MacBook Pro 2018 price begins to grow clearer.

What we want to see in MacBook Pro 2018

Of course, this lack of any truly substantial information about the forthcoming 2018 MacBook Pro gives us plenty of room to draft up a wishlist.

So, here’s what we want to see from a MacBook Pro for 2018.

Longer battery life

Apple’s laptops have always been notable for their lasting power, but the MacBook Pro has struggled to uphold that standard in recent years. For instance, the most recent MacBook Pro model lasted just 6 hours and 37 minutes. That’s a far cry from models of years previous and short of Apple’s own claim of 10 hours.

So, we’d like to see the rumored performance enhancements of the next macOS coupled with Apple’s rumored, self-made processor designs inside the next MacBook Pro to give its battery life the boost it desperately needs. Either way, we just hope the next MacBook Pro doesn’t issues with a swelling battery.

More power across all models

With the onset of Intel processors with AMD graphics onboard, we think this is the perfect opportunity for the smaller MacBook Pro models to get a power boost. For too long have 13-inch MacBook Pro models been relegated to Intel’s integrated graphics, which doesn’t do much to back up that ‘Pro’ moniker.

In working with both AMD and Intel, it’s easy to theorize that the next MacBook Pro would be able to better render video and photo work more readily with AMD Vega graphics on board. Better yet, such a processor might be able to better handle sharper screen resolutions with less of a battery draw.

As we mentioned above, there are rumors that the new MacBook Pro will come with a six-core Intel Core i7-8750H processor and up to 32GB of RAM. If those rumors are true, then our wish for a more powerful MacBook Pro 2018 will have been answered.

More ports, and a new MagSafe charger

These are admittedly ‘pie in the sky’ requests, but Apple’s MagSafe power adaptor was beloved for a reason, and charging via USB-C is a poor replacement for it. It’s hard to believe that there isn’t room for such a dedicated port, and it truly can be a laptop (and person!) life saver.

Plus, the move to solely Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports has left people still using SD cards in a lurch. The next MacBook Pro would do well to avoid trying to push the industry too far, too fast – especially when such rapid change may not be necessary.

If Apple were to make just these two wishes true, the MacBook Pro would be in a fantastic position.

A better keyboard

Unexpectedly, when the MacBook Pro was refreshed in 2016, we didn’t hate its implementation of Apple’s butterfly mechanized key switches. The keyboard was a massive step up from that of what was then the 12-inch MacBook, which would feature more tactile inputs despite having the same amount of travel. 

This was a design decision that went on to inspire the 2017 MacBook. It’s not clear how the MacBook Pro’s keyboard could be improved, but ‘sticky’ keys have been a problem for the MacBook Pro – there’s even a class-action lawsuit over its keyboard.

However, there’s a rumor that the Cupertino-based tech behemoth is considering implementing a virtual touch-screen keyboard with haptic feedback. Who knows if this would make it into the MacBook Pro 2018, but it would solve some of the sticky key issues.

Apple has also addressed some of the controversy surrounding its butterfly switches with a recently filed patent that describes a kind of ‘guard structure’ to prevent spills and crumbs from sneaking under the keys. If it’s actually real, we would appreciate not having to worry about pressing the spacebar and nothing happening.

Either way, the fact that Apple didn’t reveal anything at WWDC 2018 gives us hope that perhaps it’ll address the keyboard whenever the Cupertino giant does decide to reveal the MacBook Pro 2018.

• These are the best Macs that 2018 has to offer so far

Gabe Carey has also contributed to this report

http://www.techradar.com/news/macbook-pro-2018-release-date-news-and-rumors

‘Xbox One or PS4?’ It was a question we heard all the time back in November 2013 when the consoles first arrived on our doorsteps and has lingered on the tongues of gamers for the last five years – and who can blame them?

Deciding between the PS4 and Xbox One is like trying to decide which flavor of ice cream is your favorite. Sure, you might have a preference you like to stick with but there are tons of awesome flavors of ice cream and each are great in their own way.

But, if you had to choose just one, which one should you pick? The answer, it turns out, is more complicated than you might think.

Before we dive too deep into the debate, let’s set the stage here. Right now, there are two separate versions of the PS4, the standard slim version that’s capable of HDR playback and is slightly cheaper and the more expensive 4K-capable PS4 Pro. On the other side of the fence is the Xbox One, now available in the 4K HDR-ready Xbox One S and the ultra-powerful Xbox One X that not only does 4K HDR native gameplay but, in some cases, plays games at 60 frames-per-second.

What that means is if you already own a 4K HDR TV, you should probably opt for a PS4 Pro or Xbox One X to really get the highest visual fidelity from your console but, if you’re gaming on a 1080p TV, an Xbox One S or PS4 Slim make more sense.

Great. That settles the resolution debate! But what about games themselves? And entertainment options? Online reliability and marketplaces? Which platform is easier to navigate? Which has better first-party applications?

You have a million questions and, thankfully, we have a million answers. If you can’t decide which console is right for you, read on for our in-depth comparison.

PS4 vs Xbox One price comparison

The PS4 and Xbox One prices seem to change by the week, with price drops and bundle deals coming and going faster than handheld PlayStation systems.

While all these bundles are great for consumers, it can be hard to keep up with the latest pricing info. So, in an effort to cut through the noise, here are the latest prices and bundles for each console.

The Xbox One X is clearly the newest console with few discount available, while the PS4 Pro is now a year old, as of this month. It’s seeing more discounts and gives you a bit more power than the PS4 Slim while still staying at a reasonable price.

If you want to dial back the cost of either console, check out the latest prices for the Xbox One S and PS4 Slim.

Look, we can sit here and mete out the differences between each iteration of the consoles, but we really don’t want to be here all day – so, instead we’re going to compare the entire ecosystem of each platform. If you want to really look into the fine details, we have you covered below. Don’t worry. 

Hardware Versions and Design

• Both consoles are available in two different versions
• The PS4 has a slim version and a 4K PS4 Pro
• The Xbox has the Xbox One S and Xbox One X

Both the Xbox One and the PS4 have two separate hardware versions that you can buy right now. This is different than in the past, when each console existed on its own, and lasted an entire generation. 

The Xbox One S improved on the design of the original Xbox One by cutting down a lot of the heft, and removing the gigantic power brick – instead opting for an internal power supply. It measures at just 11.6 x 8.9 x 2.5 inches and unlike the previous version includes a 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray player and can even upscale 1080p games to 4K, as long as you have a TV that can support it.

The Xbox One X might be heftier than the Xbox One S, but it’s still considerably smaller than the original Xbox One, measuring in at 11.81 x 9.44 x 2.36 inches and weighing around 8.4 lbs and also opted for an internal power supply. This is the high-powered version of the Xbox One, that allows for native 4K gaming and, much like the Xbox One S, includes a 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray player, something that not even the PS4 Pro can boast.

Then starting out the PS4 side of the equation, the PS4 Slim is straight up the smallest of the major consoles available right now, measuring in at 10.4 x 11.3 x 1.5 inches and serving as the baseline PS4 for most consumers, serving as a complete replacement for the original PS4. It doesn’t allow for even 4K video playback, but it can still play the entire killer PS4 game library.

The PS4 was the original 4K console, coming out an entire year before the Xbox One X – even if the ‘X’ eventually outpowered it. It measures in at 12.8 x 11.6 x 2.1 inches. While the PS4 Pro does to at least some extent support native 4K gaming, it doesn’t include a 4K Ultra-HD Blu-Ray Player, an omission that has caught Sony some flak over the last year or so.

• Our guide to the PS4 Slim vs PS4 Pro outlines the differences between the consoles in more detail. 

Xbox One vs PS4 connectivity

• You can’t upgrade Xbox One’s internal hard drive, but you can on the PS4.
• Both consoles support the use of external hard drives.
• The Xbox One has more ports on its rear.

Depending on how your gaming setup is organised, the connectivity of your console could be an extremely important detail.

Both the Xbox One S and X have identical ports, each including two HDMI ports, one for receiving an input from a cable or satellite box, and one that inputs to your TV. On top of those, they’ve each got two USB 3 ports, IR outputs, optical audio out, Ethernet ports and, of course, the power cable – which is compatible with both versions of the Xbox. However, due to the quick and tragic downfall of Kinect, if you want to use a Kinect with either version of the Xbox One you’ll have to go out and get an adapter. 

The PS4 Pro and PS4 Slim have similar inputs, although they are slightly different. Each has a single HDMI out, a single USB port in the back (two in the front), an Ethernet port, and power. The only difference between the Pro and the Slim is that the Pro has an Optical Audio out, while the Slim drops it. One of the most compelling things about the connectivity of the PS4, however, is that both versions allow users to swap out the internal hard drive with one of their choice.

All versions of both the Xbox One and PS4 support 802.11 ac Wi-Fi and gigabit Ethernet. So no matter which console you decide on, you won’t have to worry about network compatibility.

PS4 and Xbox One are void of remarkable characteristics on the front. There’s a Blu-ray/DVD combo drive to the left (which can play Ultra HD Blu-rays on the Xbox One S and Xbox One X) and their respective, muted-color logos to the right. PS4 has a pair of USB ports tucked between its sandwich-like halves next to where the disc drive is located. 

http://www.techradar.com/news/gaming/consoles/ps4-vs-xbox-720-which-is-better-1127315

PC cooling mythbusting

PC cooling: there’s a right way and a wrong way. But, no matter who you ask, someone is bound to tell you something different. Whether its positive pressure versus negative pressure or air cooling versus liquid cooling, there are all too many PC cooling debates out there.

Luckily, we got a chance to speak with Corsair’s Aaron Neal, Manager of Worldwide Product Marketing for DIY Components and Annie Jankowski, Product Manager of Cooling, to help us settle some of the longest disputes about PC cooling.

• TechRadar’s fourth annual PC Gaming Week is officially here, celebrating our passion with in-depth and exclusive coverage of PC gaming from every angle. Visit our PC Gaming Week 2018 page to see all of the coverage in one place. 

Positive pressure vs negative pressure

TR: Positive pressure or negative pressure, what’s better?

Jankowski: Well, neutral pressure is the best. You want the same air flow coming in as you want going out with the same number of fans pulling and pushing air. You also want to match the CFM – that’s the air flow rate –  of the intake fans to the outtakes. So, if you just use the same three fans, that would do the job there.

TR: But, isn’t it true that positive pressure can reduce dust from entering your chassis?

Jankowski: Some of the assumptions out there aren’t necessarily true. So, with positive pressure or negative pressure, as long as you have your dust filters in front of your intake fans, I think you’ll be OK.

Natural convection

TR: What do you think about PC cases setup with 90-degree oriented motherboards so that they push heat through the top of the case?

Neal: So, if you were in a completely devoid space of any other air flow, yes, natural convection works. Heat rises, that’s a known scientific fact. As soon as you start putting forced cooling into that environment, natural convection is vastly overpowered by a single fan.

Jankowski: Basically, if you have any configuration, 90-degrees or whatever, where you’re pulling the cold air from the top or the bottom or whatever, the fan is going to do way more than natural convection anyway, so even if you have it going opposite of what convection would be it would make such a little difference.

Neal: We had the 600C and the 600Q, with a fully inverted motherboard and your configuration just changes the temp. The GPU temperatures would drop significantly in that configuration, but that’s largely not due to the fact that it’s rotated, it’s the fact that the vapor chamber on that GPU is now working in a more thermally efficient manner than it was when it was rotated the other way.

Push and pull?

TR: Push-pull system, are they worth it?

Jankowski: Yeah, buy more fans, man! *laughs* I mean, yeah, you’ll have better cooling with push-pull than with just push or pull. You should push if you can, if you have to choose one.

TR: Don’t push-pull systems create an air flow dead zone in between the middle of the radiator?

Neal: There’s always a dead zone. So, the problem is you have the center of the fan. There’s always a dead zone there. This is every on the market – unless you go with the old Delta fans. They actually reversed part of the fan section that took the air and basically turned it another way and forced it to go in a single direction. Instead of exiting the tip blade and going out the side but you still had the hub in the center.

Then you also had a company, back in the day, who did tip magnetic drive that moved the motors into the corners, and so it had a very small hub in the center, which worked, but that fan was then four times as expensive because it had four motors instead of one in the center.

So, you get down to the point where you can get the center section as small as possible, but there’s a little bit of a dead zone. There’s always going to be that dead zone coming off the fan motor into the radiator.

Front mounted liquid-coolers?

TR: Is it a good or bad idea to put your liquid-cooler in front and put intake fans in front of it?

Neal: You just have to make the choice. So, in that situation, if you take the CPU all-in-one liquid-cooler and put it on the front of the chassis, you’re going to warm up everything else in there – the motherboard, DRAM, GPU.

Now, if you take that and put it as an exhaust? You’re going to raise your CPU temps because it’s the hot air from the chassis that’s being exhausted out is going to effect that. So it’s just, which one do you want?

Modern day CPUs, probably on an Intel Core i7-8700K, is a bad idea because you can throttle that pretty hard pretty quickly, whereas the GPU really isn’t probably going to do that, for the most part. But, it’s a personal preference. Which one do you want?

How many fans is too many

TR: Is there a limit to how many fans will help cool a PC?

Jankowski: I don’t think there’s a hard number, I think there’s probably a number where there’s the gains are not worth the cost.

There’s a point of diminishing returns that totally depends on what case you’re using. Like, 1000D? Throw more than 15 fans in there and you’re probably doing great. But, I mean, in a smaller case? It’s how much space you have.

Neal: The majority of the time, if you’re doing push-pull, the whole point isn’t necessarily to get better cooling, it’s to get the same cooling with less noise because you can turn the fans down.

There is some additional noise with each fan added, but it’s not twice. You know, two fans is not twice the decibels. So, it’s one of those things where you can run the fans at a lower speed and get the same performance.

http://www.techradar.com/news/pc-cooling-mythbusting-with-corsairs-fan-and-pc-case-experts