Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 Plus with faster clock speeds and improved performance officially launched

Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 Plus has officially launched as a slight upgrade to the Snapdragon 888 processor that we saw on nearly every major flagship phone in the past six months. The Snapdragon 888 was launched back in December 2020 and has been powering flagship experiences on phones such as the Asus ROG Phone 5, Mi 11 Ultra, Mi 11X Pro, OnePlus 9 Pro, Vivo X60 Pro+ and more. The Snapdragon 888 Plus will be seen on phones in the second half of 2021 from companies like Xiaomi, Asus, Motorola and more.

“Snapdragon is synonymous with premium Android experiences. Our latest flagship Snapdragon 888 Plus 5G Mobile Platform will help deliver the premium entertainment, connectivity, and gaming experiences users deserve. We’re excited to see OEMs launch with products based on our highest performing platform,” said Christopher Patrick, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Mobile Handset Business, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.

Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 Plus: What’s new?

The major change from Snapdragon 888 to Snapdragon 888 Plus is that the latter has been designed with a slightly higher clock speed of the Prime core. The prime core on the Snapdragon 888 Plus is clocked at 2.995GHz up from 2.84GHz prime clock speed on the Snapdragon 888. The Kryo 680 CPU on the 888 Plus is capable of going up to 3.0GHz giving it a boost in raw performance. 

Qualcomm has also upgraded the sixth-generation AI engine with over 20 per cent performance gains. Previously on the Snapdragon 888, the AI engine was able to drive the Hexagon 780 processor at 26 TOPS (tera operations per second) and the Snapdragon 888 Plus upgrades it to 32 TOPS which means significant improvements in AI-based experiences.

Apart from these upgrades, the rest of the features of the Snapdragon 888 Plus remains the same as the Snapdragon 888. This includes the Adreno 660 GPU, third-generation Snapdragon X60 5G modem, Spectra 580 ISP and Snapdragon Elite gaming features and more.

Smartphone makers including Asus, Honor, Motorola, Vivo and Xiaomi have confirmed that they will launch Snapdragon 888 Plus powered phones in the third quarter of 2021.

 

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Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo states that the new iPhone 13 Pro could feature an ultra-wide lens with autofocus

It looks like Apple is readying itself for the inevitable launch of the iPhone 13 in the second half of 2021. Noted analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has reported that the iPhone 13 Pro could come with an ultra-wide lens with autofocus. In a report on 9to5Mac, Kuo has stated that the iPhone 13 Po will come with an ultra-wide lens with autofocus. On the current iPhones, the ultra-wide lens is currently fixed-focus. This means that the older lenses cannot focus on very specific objects. With the addition of autofocus on the ultra-wide leans on the iPhone 13 Pro, this means that users will be able to focus on whatever object they wish to photograph. It will function like the normal wide-angle and telephoto lenses. 

Back in May, we also reported that Kuo has all but confirmed that Apple could be launching its foldable phone sometime in 2022. Kuo stated that, “Based on our latest industry survey, we forecast that Apple will likely launch a foldable ‌iPhone‌ with an 8-inch QHD+ flexible OLED display in 2023, with SDC as the exclusive display supplier and Samsung Foundry as the exclusive DDI foundry provider. Based on Apple's requested capacity plan, we predict that the foldable ‌iPhone‌ shipments will reach 15-20 million units in 2023. We expect that the foldable ‌iPhone‌ will adopt TPK's silver nanowire touch solution because of its several advantages over SDC's Y-Octa technology”. He also states that folding phones could be the bridge between tablets and smartphones. For now, we should have the iPhone 13 Pro with its autofocus ultra-wide lens to look forward to.

There have been no major leaks as such, but there have been reports that state that the iPhone 13 will retain a similar look to its predecessor. Although experts have said that the new iPhones will come with a new processor, smaller notch, camera improvements, 5G support as well as a 120Hz screen on the higher-end Pro variants. Kuo says that the iPhone 13 Pro Max, the top of the line in the upcoming iPhone 13 series will have a slightly better main camera than the other phones in the lineup. We should be expecting the new Apple iPhones to be announced sometime in September or October. 

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Battlegrounds Mobile India Maker Krafton’s $5-Billion IPO Said to Be Delayed by Up to a Fortnight

Krafton said it will resubmit an application for a $5-billion (roughly Rs. 37,100 crores) domestic listing after the financial regulator raised some questions on the application, that sources said would delay its listing.

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From Softwares Elden Ring gameplay details finally revealed at E3

Elden Ring from developer From Software was finally unveiled with the first official gameplay trailer, and it’s set to launch on January 21st 2022.

From Software’s largest game yet

From Software made some of the most critically acclaimed titles in gaming like Dark Souls, Bloodborne and Sekiro, but Elden Ring appears to be the biggest and best yet as it is possibly the largest game to date developed by From Software.

That is not only obvious by the huge scale of Elden Ring’s world looking at the gameplay trailer which was released during E3, but players will have to travel on horseback in order to travel across the land in Elden Ring. And just like other From Software’s games in the soulsborne series, Elden Ring’s world will be interconnected and seamless.

Gameplay details :

FromSoft’s soulslike games have always been semi-open worlds, and quite linear in terms of narrative. Only by the final boss of the game will the player actually have a decision to change the outcome of the story. But Elden Ring sounds like it will have more choices for the players to make that will actually affect their gameplay. According to the developers, players during their adventures will get to choose the fate of the cursed land by deciphering its myths and secrets. Elden Ring also seems to actually have a day and night cycle, along with dynamic weather events.

Elden Ring launches for all platforms including PC via Steam, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, and Xbox One on January 21st 2022.

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Razer is back with the most powerful 14-inch gaming laptop and a new monitor at E3

Razer is back at it again being the first to announce a 14-inch laptop with an AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX also equipped with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 inside. This is Razer's first AMD CPU in the Blade line. They have also launched a new 27-inch monitor named Razer Raptor 27.

Alongside the laptop, they launched a new wall charger, based on Gallium Nitride rather than silicon and it's called the USB-C 130W GaN Charger. 

Specifications:

There will be three models of the Blade 14 during launch and all use the same Ryzen 9 5900HX, with the same 1TB SSD, 16GB RAM and 720p webcam. They will all have Razer's THX Spatial Audio along with other standard ports.

The entry-level $1,800 model embodies a 144Hz 1080p screen and an RTX 3060 GPU and for $2,200 you will get to upgrade to an RTX 3070 with a 165Hz 1440p display, and taking a step further for $2,800 gives you an RTX 3080. The SSD is also upgradable but the RAM is sadly soldered to the motherboard. All screens support FreeSync Premium adaptive refresh through G-Sync compatibility mode.

Razer promises a battery life of up to 12 hours, though it's likely to be in the average of about 10 hours.  Expectedly, the RTX 3080 isn't being pushed to the max in this laptop. The GPU power draw can range anywhere from 80 to 150 watts, and Razer takes the spot at 100 watts. 

Power up:

Razer is gradually switching over to support USB-C power delivery for its laptops, so it makes sense that it would want to have their own charger as well. And now we got the USB-C 130W GaN Charger.

GaN is an up-and-coming technology that can handle higher voltages higher than silicon, but also runs cooler and can support higher energy density for smaller, lighter bricks. Razer's charger weighs about 349g with dual USB-C connectors that support up to 100W each, which is enough to charge almost any laptop and dual USB-A connections for up to 18W each. It plugs directly into an outlet or just uses the included 6.6ft (2m) cable. It comes bundled with overseas adapters. 

Razer’s new monitor: 

Razer's Raptor 27 which is a 27-inch monitor doesn't get an overall  makeover, but the 1440p panel does get upgraded to a better 165Hz model (from 144Hz), with a maximum brightness of 400 nits along with HDR support. It's also said to be the "world's first THX-certified gaming monitor," which means there are gonna be some THX controls and cinema mode presets. Unfortunately, the monitor hasn't been upgraded to support HDMI 2.1.

There is a choice now to mount it with the new optional VESA mount (100x100), which slides into the slots on the back used for tilting on the standard mount.

The monitor is available in pre-order now for $799 and the VESA mount is another $100.

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Everything from Nintendo Direct E3 2021

As the Nintendo Direct kicked off at E3 2021, there were tons of announcements (although none about Nintendo Switch Pro), which included a slew of new games for its ever-so-popular Nintendo Switch console. Further down, you can explore almost everything announced at the ~40mins long Nintendo E3 2021 Direct event. 

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2

While being one of the most anticipated titles, Zelda fans were likely kinda both excited and disappointed by the Nintendo E3 2021 event.  Fans were expecting a nearabout release window of 2021, but it was announced to be released somewhere in 2022. From the first gameplay footage of the anticipated sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, it looks like Link will be heading up into the clouds for this game, which reminds us of The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. The brief trailer teases a few new and upgraded abilities, including Link freezing a giant spiked cement ball to roll it back at the enemies, phasing through solid rock to rise up through the bottom of a floating island and ends with the scenes of a castle being violently ripped from the ground and suspended mid-air in a field of wispy red miasma.

Metroid Prime 4 / Metroid Dread

Nintendo E3 2021 also showcased Metroid: Dread, the first 2D platformer game in the Metroid series in freakin’ 19 years, which will feature Samus battling it out in Metroidvania style, just like in the days of Super Metroid. Samus will star in Metroid Dread as she explores a strange new planet while being pursued by something known as E.M.M.I. Similar to the SA-X in Metroid Fusion, this is likely to be a repeating theme throughout the game too. It has also since been confirmed to be a continuation of Metroid Fusion, making it the most recent entry in the Metroid timeline. Although Shinya Takahashi (Nintendo representative), assured players prior to the announcement that Metroid Prime 4 was still in active development, Metroid: Dread will likely launch on October 8, 2021, probably along with a game-related Amiibo for sale too.

Mario Party Superstars

The new Mario Party title from Nintendo is a kind of mix between a remaster and a new game which will also incorporate boards and minigames from past entries in the series, promising over 100 minigames from across the series. It will include some classic boards from the Nintendo 64 era of the series, but with better graphics. Interestingly, online play will be included in the Mario Party game too, which will enable players to play online with their friends or with random players from all over the world. Mario Party Superstars is slated to launch on October 29, 2021.

WarioWare: Get It Together

Nintendo showed off their new WarioWare series game called WarioWare: Get It Together, which brings the popular microgame collection to Switch, where you'll play as Wario and his friends in brief, five-second spurts to execute simple tasks like disconnecting a drain, spinning a windmill, tweezing body hair, and evading pigeon poop. (ok this is turning more gross...). As with typical WarioWare titles, this isn’t so much of a single game but a huge collection of insane minigames. There’s also an exclusive two-player co-op, where you and a friend can join in on bizarre minigames and aid each other in clearing a level. WarioWare: Get It Together lands on September 10, with pre-orders available.

Shin Megami Tensei V

When it comes to RPGs Nintendo Switch is always all in for more. Shin Megami Tensei V, a JPRG, which was revealed in a Nintendo Direct last year, has now finally been covered more, and will mark the first entry in the series since the 2013 3DS title. The Nintendo Direct revealed a trailer that flaunted the game’s world, gameplay, and various offered features. As with other games in the series, you’ll use turn-based combat to fight enemies and level up your character, with one of the cool features being recruiting and even fusing demons together. It is set to release on November 12 as a Switch exclusive, with pre-orders open from June 21.

Life is Strange: True Colors and Life is Strange: Remastered Collection

Two titles were revealed to be coming later this year: Life is Strange: True Colors and Life is Strange: Remastered Collection. The former will be arriving on September 10th, while the latter has an unconfirmed “Q4 2021” release window. This will also be the franchise’s first time appearing on the Switch console, so players will have every opportunity to catch up with the emotionally compelling series with both a new standalone release and a collection of previous games as well.

Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp

Advance wars might be the most unexpected announcement from Nintendo Direct in my opinion. Also, this would mark the first time that the Advance Wars franchise would launch as a new title, since 2008. It has even been announced that the title will be developed by WayForward ( the company that’s known for surprise remasters), and was revealed that the original two titles in the Advance Wars series would be remastered and re-released, exclusively for the Nintendo Switch console. The package deal will be titled Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp, set to release on 3rd of December.

Other announcements

And whoa, you think that’s all? There were a whole lotta other announcements and showcases done in the Nintendo Direct apart from the ones we covered above. Some of the exciting ones are:

Doom Eternal: The Ancient Gods Part 1 DLC hits the Switch. Nintendo confirmed that free DLC will make its way to Mario Golf Super Rush, including new characters and courses. Kazuya Mishima from the Tekken series will be featured as a playable character in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Speaking of Mario, the beloved Nintendo character will join up again with the Rabbids in Mario & Rabbids: Sparks of Hope, out in 2022. Square Enix's planet-hopping Guardians of the Galaxy will come to the Switch on October 26. The publisher showed off an extended gameplay demo earlier in the week. Worms Rumble will land on the Switch next week. Astria Ascending received a new trailer as well as a launch date of September 30, 2021. The previously announced game Two Point Campus will land on the Switch in 2022. Super Monkey Ball: Banana Mania, a remastered version of the first three games in the GameCube-era monkey-rolling series, will hit the Switch on October 5, alongside versions for Xbox One, Series X/S, and PS4/5. Cruis’n Blast will land as a Nintendo Switch exclusive in Fall 2021, with more details coming soon. Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot lets you explore a vast world and battle through four separate sagas from the anime. It hits the Switch on September 24 with a new "Power Awakens" set Capcom already let us know at its own E3 event, but Nintendo reminded us that Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin lands on the Switch on July 9. Danganronpa Decadence brings the first three games from the cult-classic schoolhouse murder investigation series to the Switch, complete with an expanded spin-off digital board game. The Wii U title Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water gets a port to the Switch later this year with better graphics and some new content. The old Advance Wars games are being rebuilt from the ground up with Advance Wars 1 & 2: Re-Boot Camp, out on the Switch December 3. The two games in Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 & 2 Remastered are coming to the Switch on June 25. Strange Brigade lands on the Switch very soon…as in today. Just Dance 2022 will continue to deliver what the title promises yet again on the Switch on November 4.

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All 8 new titles revealed by Yooreka Studios at E3

During this year's all-virtual E3 2021 Livestream event, Yooreka Studio, the emerging publisher behind Streets of Rage 4 in China, unveiled some of it’s best upcoming new games in a special presentation. Yooreka presented some footage and gameplay of these upcoming games, flaunting their details.

Out of the games revealed, three games: free demos of Reshaping Mars, Mohism, and Extremely Realistic Siege Warfare Simulator; can be demoed for free right now on Steam while five other games are set to be available at Steam Next Fest starting June 16th.

Here’s the rundown of the games showcased by Yooreka on the last day of E3: Reshaping Mars (Tholus Games)

Reshaping Mars is a colony simulation game where players can utilize resources to create a functioning extraterrestrial society. From establishing hydroponic farms to vetting batches of immigrants, every choice players make will determine the planet’s future.

Mohism (Black Mirror Studio)

Mohism is a detective game set in the Wuxia world of martial arts heroes, where players make choices and use their wisdom to defeat opponents. From collecting clues to interrogating suspects, players must use the tools at their disposal to investigate crimes.

Extremely Realistic Siege Warfare Simulator (ScreamBox Studio)

ERSWS is a physics-based tactics game where players lead their own army in a fantasy medieval world. Careful strategy paired with a roster of unique commanders allows players to secure equipment and revolt against a wicked tyrant.

Loopmancer (eBrain Studio)

Set in a Cyberpunk world, Loopmancer combines 3D action platformer gameplay with exploration and puzzle-solving elements as players investigate the disappearance of a famous journalist. With multiple twists and turns, players must navigate the metroidvania city to crack the case.

Metal Mind (Whirllaxy Studio)

Metal Mind is a top-down shooting game that combines Mecha and roguelite gameplay for all-out pixel robot combat. Players can forge their own suit builds with unique transformations to deal maximum damage.

The Swordsmen X: Survival (DreamGame Studio)

In this action survival game, players enter an intriguing yet treacherously massive world, rich with secrets and enemies. Players can hone combat skills, establish a home of their own and make choices to fulfill their destiny as a martial arts hero.

Tales of wild (QingLong Games)

In this online multiplayer sandbox survival game, players must utilize their gathering, manufacturing, hunting, harvesting, building, and research strategies to survive. As players obtain resources and forge alliances, they can grow their power to take what is theirs.

The Immortal Mayor (Star Chess Studio)

In this construction and management simulator, players act as a local deity that watches over the city. Players can befriend other gods and use magic to help residents build and grow the town.

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