Electrek

In this week’s Best of 9to5Toys: All-new Apple TV 4K from $139, M1 Mac mini $99 off, RYOBI 3-tool combo kit $99, more…

While we’ve talked about network attached storage (NAS) devices many times, and we’ve taken an in-depth look at Blair’s massive 80 TB setup, we’ve never really looked at why you should pick different storage systems. Synology is quite popular, but so is TrueNAS and Unraid. If you’ve not heard of the latter two, however, nobody could blame you. However, in our guide today, we’re going to review Unraid vs. Synology vs. TrueNAS in the ultimate showdown to see which is the best for various different storage setups.

Essentially, Synology is synonymous with simple, easy-to-use hardware and software that you can pick up at most major electronics retailers, plug in, and be up and running. However, TrueNAS and Unraid are software that you install on existing hardware that’s already sitting at your home or business, which makes entry much easier for many folks on lower budgets. Do any of these options sound interesting to you? If so, then let’s take a closer look at why you should have a NAS, and which you should choose down below in our head-to-head Unraid vs. Synology vs. TrueNAS review.

Yesterday, Amazon announced its annual Prime Day sale, with Walmart following suit earlier today. Well, Target is getting in on the festivities as well with its Deal Days, featuring three days of “spellbinding savings — no membership fee required.” That’s right, Target’s “biggest digital sale of the summer,” which is set to take on Amazon Prime Day, is coming June 20-22. So, what all can we expect from Target Deal Days? Let’s take a closer look.

NZXT, a leader in the gaming PC scene, just announced its latest motherboard: the N7 Z590. With support for Intel’s latest 10th and 11th Generation Core processors, there’s quite a bit to like about this motherboard. Namely, you’ll find next-generation features like WI-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.1, and much more here. So, should you use the NZXT N7 Z590 motherboard in your next build? I think so. Keep reading to find out why.

If you’re still rocking an older WI-Fi 5 router, it’s time to upgrade. Sure, Wi-Fi 6 isn’t super popular in most devices yet, but the new standard actually has plenty of benefits even for older devices. TP-Link recently launched the Archer AX73, a Wi-Fi 6 router capable of streaming 8K video and delivering Gigabit speeds wirelessly, and I’ve spent the past month or so putting it to the test. How’d it hold up with my AT&T Gigabit Fiber internet plan? Let’s take a look in our hands-on review of the TP-Link Archer AX73 Wi-Fi 6 Router.

Today at Computex, NVIDIA announced its latest graphics cards, the RTX 3080 Ti and 3070 Ti. Dubbing the RTX 3080 Ti the new “gaming flagship” of its 30 series lineup, you’ll find that it’s 1.5x faster than the RTX 2080 Ti at 4K gameplay, and the 3070 Ti “supercharges” the company’s most popular 30 series card, as it’s 1.5x faster than the RTX 2070 super. What do these numbers mean, and how easy will it be able to pick up these cards? Well, let’s take a look at the founders editions, as well as third-party board partner cards below.

After releasing the SN750 and SN850 NVMe SSDs in 2019 and 2020, respectively, WD_BLACK is back with the SN750 SE. This solid-state drive is designed for those on tighter budgets who still want the best performance their computer can muster. So the company made the SN750 SE. This drive is designed using PCIe Gen 4 technology and features up to 3.6GB/s transfer speeds. Remember how we mentioned that these were budget-focused? Well, pricing starts as low as $55, making it an easy buy for any system. So, let’s take a closer look at the SN750 SE as well as the other products that WD_BLACK is launching today.

Recently, Sony introduced an all-new line of X-series speakers that include the SRS-XP700, SRS-XP500, and SRS-XG500. These are designed to help users “LIVE LIFE LOUD” and offer a range of sound quality, portability, durability, and lighting options. These are higher-end speakers designed to be brought to the beach, your backyard BBQ, or just used inside for karaoke nights. So, without further ado, let’s take a closer look at Sony’s latest X-series speakers.

This week, Wyze is introducing another new product called the Wyze Night Light. Shipping in packs of three for $19.99 (with no-cost delivery,) you’ll be able to link up to 10 together so that way when one turns on, all will light up. Coming in at a soft 2500K light temperature, Wyze Night Light is backlit so that you can enjoy a soothing illumination on your wall. With a built-in rechargeable battery, you’ll find up to three months of use before it’s time to plug back in. So, without further ado, let’s take a closer look at Wyze Night Light.

Is your home theater lacking in smart abilities? Well, Amazon’s Fire TV lineup is here to help. You’ll find streaming devices that are quite affordable and on sale often, as well as those that are fully featured with 4K HDR Dolby Vision playback, depending on what your needs are. Below, we’ll be taking a closer look at the different Fire TV options available to purchase, including a brief overview of actual TV sets with the operating system built in that offer an all-in-one experience.

Today, Cricut is announcing its biggest update to its product lineup yet: an all-new Maker 3 and Explore 3. This time around, both machines share many similarities, but there are a few differences we’ll note. The biggest change to the lineup this time around is that both the Maker 3 and Explore 3 have the ability to cut materials without a mat, and up to twice as fast as their predecessors. So, what all can these new machines do? Let’s take a closer look. Also, be sure to stay tuned for our hands-on review, coming in the next few weeks as we get closer to the official launch on June 10.

In this week’s Best of 9to5Toys: M1 Mac mini $99 off, Apple Watch Series 6 from $329, Home Depot Memorial Day sale, and much more…

Destiny 2 just entered its latest season, which included a little cross-play bug that allowed players on various platforms to join each other’s Fireteams before the official launch in Season 15. Well, that bug was quickly squashed, and we were back to being locked into our own platform for multiplayer. That all changes on May 25, as Bungie aims to launch an official cross-play beta that day to test out the servers in a more prepared capacity. Also, we’ll be entering the Vault of Glass tomorrow, along with other updates in the latest Bungie Destiny 2 blog.

While we got a glimpse as to what’s to come this summer for The Sims 4, June 1 will be the start of upcoming content for the game. It’s starting with the The Sims 4 Dream Home Decorator Game Pack, which will allow you to become the interior decorator that you’ve always wanted to be. The latest Sims 4 blog was translated from Simlish and is written by Patina Wainscot, an interior designer inside of the Sims 4 game, so let’s take a look at what she has to say.

NVIDIA’s DLSS, or Deep Learning Super Sampling, is available on RTX graphics cards. It’s an AI rendering technology that allows the dedicated Tensor Core AI processors in NVIDIA’s latest graphics cards to boost frame rates while still delivering “beautiful, sharp images” for your games. Well, until now, DLSS has only been available for those who were playing standard games, and not inside of VR, which can arguably be more demanding. That’s officially changed, and NVIDIA gave us a hands-on impression with just what enabling DLSS in VR can do by playing No Man’s Sky. The results? A substantial performance increase across the board, including with the RTX 2060.

Elite Dangerous: Odyssey is the latest step in Frontier’s long-term vision for the game. We first wrote about it in June of last year, as the expansion that would let players take their first steps off a ship in the game’s history. Well, that update is finally here, and we now have our first trailer to showcase just what Elite Dangerous: Odyssey will consist of.

Today, Apple announced a new tier of Apple Music that would offer both lossless and Hi-Fi listening experiences. Over at 9to5Mac, we took a closer look at what would be required to hear the difference with Apple Music’s Hi-Fi audio tier, and now we’re going to take a deeper dive into what gear we recommend if this is a whole new world to you. Sadly, you won’t be able to enjoy the Hi-Fi category of music wirelessly, or even wired on any of Apple’s in-house headphones, so all of the options below are wired and require you to plug a cable in. One benefit? Your entire audio setup could cost less than a single pair of AirPods Max, which don’t even support Hi-Fi listening, so that’s something to look forward to.

In this week’s Best of 9to5Toys: Purple iPhone 12 mini FREE on Verizon, Apple TV 4K sees rare discount, AirPods Max hit 2021 low, and much more…

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, first talked about back in 2019 and then confirmed in 2020, received its first DLC today dubbed Wrath of the Druids. This isn’t just a standard DLC, either, as it’s the game’s first major expansion. It’ll bring players to Ireland and allow them to “uncover the secrets of a mysterious ancient cult.” You’ll discover the occult forests, haunted landscapes, and gain influence among regional kings. Sound interesting? Keep reading to find out everything we know about this expansion and how to get it for yourself.

This year, Xbox turns 20. That’s right, our favorite gaming console is nearly of legal age, and Microsoft is taking a walk back down memory lane for a celebration. You’ll find exclusive gear drops, wallpapers, profiles, and even the ability to go back to where it all started: Halo. So, let’s take that stroll back in time and see how far Microsoft has come in the past two decades.

HTC took the world by storm when it launched the original HTC Vive back in 2016 and has come a long way since. We’ve covered the Vive Cosmos, Vive Pro, and more from the company in the past, but it’s time to step it up to the big leagues now once again with the Vive Pro 2. This VR headset aims to deliver “next-level graphics and sound” for a “riveting PC VR” experience. Each eye now has a 2.5K display in front of it for a combined 5K viewing experience, and the field of view has also been increased to 120 degrees. This all combines to create an awe-inspiring experience, so without further ado, let’s take a closer look at the HTC Vive Pro 2.

Destiny 2 Season 14, Season of the Splicer, launched today. With it comes quite a bit of new content, but there’s one thing that’s working for some that we’ve been waiting for: cross-play. Now, it’s not in full swing, and it doesn’t work in every scenario, but multiple people have reported being able to cross-play with PC and Xbox in Season of the Splicer. This feature wasn’t set to roll out until Season 15, which launches this fall, but it’s awesome to see it already working. So, let’s take a closer look as to why cross-play is seemingly working, as well as the other changes that Destiny 2: Season of the Splicer brings to the table.

Wyze has been fairly quiet with launches so far this year. After releasing several products at the end of 2020, the company is finally getting back in the swing of things. Essentially, we’ve got one product a month so far with the handheld vacuum, Bulb Color, and Floor Lamp. What’s new? Wyze is launching some in-ear earbuds with the Buds Pro. Featuring a Qi wireless charging case, 10mm drivers, Alexa built-in, and more, these earbuds could become a go-to choice for those who don’t want to drop over $100 on Apple’s AirPods. So, without further ado, let’s dive into what Wyze Buds Pro has to offer.

RAM is a crucial aspect of any desktop, and with more and more cases featuring transparent side panels, how your memory looks is becoming just as important. Because of this, PNY’s latest XLR8 lineup of EPIC-X RGB RAM features a beautiful design as well as high-end specs, like a 4000MHz clock speed.

Today, MSI is releasing a number of gaming laptops that have some killer features. You’ll find the latest 11th generation Intel processors here alongside RTX 30-series graphics cards, Thunderbolt 4, Wi-Fi 6E, 2.5GbE, and much more in MSI’s new computers. With a wide range of options available in all budgets, let’s take a look at the latest that MSI has to offer with 11th gen Intel processors and RTX 30-series graphics cards.

We first heard about Mass Effect: Legendary Edition back in February. With fresh information being released over the past few months, the game is set to launch on console and PC this Friday. Featuring brand-new 4K visuals, enhanced performance, and HDR, there’s quite a bit to explore in Mass Effect: Legendary Edition. So, without further ado, let’s take a closer look at the game and where you can pre-order it.

In this week’s Best of 9to5Toys: Best Buy Mother’s Day sale, M1 MacBook Pro hits new low, Apple Watch Series 6 up to $100 off, and more…

Turtle Beach just announced its latest headset, the Recon 500. While it’s an addition to the popular Recon lineup of headsets, there’s something that this specific model brings to the table that no other pair before it did: 60mm Eclipse Dual Drivers. These are a “first-of-their-kind” patented tech that offers “separate high and low frequencies” for “ultra-detailed gaming audio across a massive soundstage.” This is far from the only improvement being made here, so keep reading to find out more.