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Evercade EXP review: an accessible handheld for budding retro collectors
2:04 pm | January 27, 2023

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets | Comments: Off

If the Evercade EXP succeeds on just one thing, it’s in filling a fascinating – yet nonetheless gaping – hole in the handheld console market. Much like other Evercade devices, the EXP stores the vast majority of its retro-focused library on physical cartridges sold separately from the handheld itself.

The Evercade EXP is much more than its gimmick would suggest, though. Yes, its library and target audience is niche, but it’s such an impressive piece of hardware that it demands to be in the conversation of what the best handheld consoles on the market are today. 

The initial experience, fresh out of the box, is a fantastic introduction to the EXP. 18 Capcom games are pre-installed on the console, and there’s a cartridge included which has a further six games from developer Irem. That means you’re getting 24 mostly excellent titles right off the bat. And while there are some notable oversights I’d like to see addressed via future updates, you’re getting a lot with the Evercade EXP before you’ve even bought any additional cartridges.

Evercade EXP: price and availability

The Evercade EXP is available to buy from the brand’s official website and at several major online retailers, including Amazon. For $149 / £129 / AU$229.99, you’re getting the EXP handheld and 24 games (18 pre-installed and six more via an included cartridge).

To bolster your Evercade library, you’ll need to buy additional cartridges separately. There are a lot of cartridges available, most of which include compilations from a variety of publishers. Cartridges are subject to availability but will typically cost you $19.99 / £17.99 / AU$35.99 each.

Evercade EXP: design

Evercade EXP handheld up close

(Image credit: Future)
  • Smart design and comfy grip
  • Solid feeling buttons and triggers
  • Cartridges are sturdy, chunky, and charming

Before you’ve even turned it on, the Evercade EXP makes a great first impression. The delightful, aesthetically retro box opens up to reveal the EXP handheld inside, alongside an included cartridge and a gorgeous full-color manual detailing the 18 pre-installed Capcom games. Lastly, there’s a USB-C cable for charging purposes.

It’s the most fun I’ve had unboxing gaming hardware in ages,  I became engrossed flipping through the manual – complete with move lists for every Street Fighter 2: Hyper Fighting character and eye-grabbing full-page screenshots – and almost forgot to finish unpacking the console.

The quality of the EXP is immediately apparent. The console is sturdy, yet lightweight; your hands will comfortably wrap around the handheld with your fingers resting easily on the marvelously tactile triggers. That same level of quality applies to the d-pad, which utilizes a circular design that rocks nicely under your thumb. It’s a great d-pad for the games you’ll play on the EXP.

Cartridges both slide into and out of place effortlessly, and I’ll admit there’s a childlike joy in swapping out the chunky physical cartridges.

The face buttons are less impressive, feeling mushy to press in, whereas a click quality would be more satisfying. That goes for the four face buttons and the two extra underneath the d-pad for use with the EXP’s ‘TATE’ mode (more on that later). They get the job done, though, and are by no means of poor quality. The only gripes I have when it comes to button placement are for the volume buttons, which you need to stretch your thumb out to reach. The power button, I feel, could also have been placed ever so slightly closer to the right shoulder button, but that’s a mild nitpick.

As for the Evercade cartridges, they feature a basic, universal aesthetic. They’re not too dissimilar from something you’d find on Game Boy or Neo Geo Pocket Color, albeit with a sloped top that matches the curves on the handheld. Cartridges both slide into and out of place effortlessly, and I’ll admit there’s a childlike joy in swapping out the chunky physical cartridges. It made me feel a bit like a kid again, which is always nice.

  • Design score: 4.5 / 5

Evercade EXP: features

Evercade EXP back showing triggers and cartridge slot

(Image credit: Future)
  • Gorgeous IPS display
  • TATE mode makes vertical shooters a blast
  • Display options leave much to be desired

The star of the Evercade EXP is its stunning 800 x 480 IPS screen. And sure, that doesn’t sound as impressive as the Nintendo Switch’s 720p LCD on paper. In reality, the EXP’s 480p screen is plenty to precisely and accurately render the kinds of games the handheld plays. Don’t let that sub-HD pixel count fool you; the Evercade EXP features a gorgeously sharp screen that makes many of its supported games look better than ever.

You’ll be playing many arcade games on the Evercade EXP, a good number of which are vertical shoot-em-ups. That might not seem like a good fit for the EXP’s wide screen. 

Thankfully, Evercade’s thought ahead here and included a button for a togglable ‘TATE’ mode. This flips the on-screen display by 90 degrees to better facilitate the narrow resolution of vertical shooters, and it’s a wonderful addition. 

It’s perhaps a little top-heavy, given you’re now holding the EXP in a portrait position, and certainly not as comfortable to hold like this as it is vertically. But the trade-off is that games designed with a vertical resolution in mind, such as Capcom’s 1943, look far better as a result.

The EXP also features a suite of display options that let you adjust visual presets to your liking. You can choose between original, pixel-perfect, and fullscreen resolutions, as well as apply a scanline filter should you wish. I’d recommend leaving scanlines off as I found them to be more of an intrusive overlay rather than a convincing effect.

  • Features score: 4 / 5

Evercade EXP: performance and battery life

Evercade EXP playing Street Fighter 2 Hyper Fighting

(Image credit: Future)
  • Top-notch emulation
  • Battery life is a letdown
  • Control customization omission is baffling

Emulation across the board is remarkably solid on the Evercade EXP. Across all the games I tested, I never once encountered any visual anomalies. Likewise, gameplay was nothing but responsive. And for games that haven’t aged quite as well, the EXP still handled them accurately, and I’d argue the sharp IPS screen gives them a new lease of life.

I have some minor performance nitpicks, though. The EXP has a rather tinny pair of in-built speakers, meaning audio can sound flat and muddled. If you’re playing for longer sessions, I recommend plugging in a pair of headphones via the 3.5mm jack on the bottom of the handheld.

Boot time is also strangely lengthy. It’s ten seconds before the splash logos even appear on screen, and around 25 seconds before you reach the menu. Loading up a game, on average, takes between five and ten seconds, which isn’t quite as bad but certainly still notable.

You’ll get used to the long boot time, though. The bigger problem with the EXP is certainly its short battery life. Evercade’s website states you’ll get roughly four to five hours on a full charge. And this rang true in my testing, lasting just shy of five hours before the battery ran flat.

Lastly, the lack of customizable controls and button layouts is an odd omission. Sure, most of the Evercade EXP’s supported titles only use a few buttons, but you cannot map actions to buttons that have no use. I’d love to see this added in a future firmware update.

  • Performance and battery life score: 3.5 / 5

Should I buy the Evercade EXP?

Evercade EXP next to a stack of cartridges

(Image credit: Future)

Buy it if...

You’re a budding retro collector
Evercade’s consoles provide hundreds of officially licensed games at very reasonable prices. The EXP is a great start for budding retro and arcade collectors.

You dig its unique selling point
No other handheld does what the EXP is doing. If you love the idea of collecting cartridges to play on a razor-sharp handheld display, this console is for you.

You’re on a budget
At $149 / £129/ AU$229.99, the EXP is a reasonably affordable handheld and its cartridges don’t cost the world.

Don't buy it if...

You’re not into retro games
The Evercade EXP largely deals in old-school titles from the 80s and 90s. Some modern indies are supported, but the library by and large won’t be for you.

You prefer digital
Aside from the games pre-installed on the EXP, your only option for more games is to buy those physical cartridges. There’s no digital store on the console.

Images of the Samsung Galaxy Book3 360, Book3 Pro, and Book3 Pro 360 laptops surface
1:41 pm |

Author: admin | Category: Mobile phones news | Comments: Off

Samsung's upcoming Galaxy Book3 series of laptops will arrive alongside the Galaxy S23 series at the company's February 1 Unpacked event, and it's shaping to be an equally exciting lineup. Now we can add some finishing touches thanks to these leaked high-quality renders. They're of the Galaxy Book3 360, the Galaxy Book3 Pro, and the Galaxy Book3 Pro 360. We still don't have high-quality images of the range-topping Galaxy Book3 Ultra. All three models will have 2880x1800px (16:10) Super AMOLED touchscreen displays, backlit keyboards, Intel's 13th-gen processors, allowing for two...

Images of the Samsung Galaxy Book3 360, Book3 Pro, and Book3 Pro 360 laptops surface
1:41 pm |

Author: admin | Category: Mobile phones news | Comments: Off

Samsung's upcoming Galaxy Book3 series of laptops will arrive alongside the Galaxy S23 series at the company's February 1 Unpacked event, and it's shaping to be an equally exciting lineup. Now we can add some finishing touches thanks to these leaked high-quality renders. They're of the Galaxy Book3 360, the Galaxy Book3 Pro, and the Galaxy Book3 Pro 360. We still don't have high-quality images of the range-topping Galaxy Book3 Ultra. All three models will have 2880x1800px (16:10) Super AMOLED touchscreen displays, backlit keyboards, Intel's 13th-gen processors, allowing for two...

King C Gillette Beard Trimmer: a cheap trimmer for all styles of beard
1:01 pm |

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets | Comments: Off

One-minute review

The King C Gillette Beard Trimmer will let you sculpt and style your facial hair just how you like it. It's super-affordable, with many other beard trimmers and shavers coming in at more than double the price. Plus, it's ready to go straight out of the box, and has a quality feel in the hand.

In fact, I'd say it's right up there with some of the best beard trimmers and electric razors, with the King C Gillette Beard Trimmer in line to claim the spot for our best budget option. It may set you back just $30/£30, but it certainly delivers on all fronts. 

The King C Gillette range of grooming and styling products has everything you need to keep on top of your style. From beard and face wash to beard trimmer kits, the products make especially good gifts. The King C Gillette Beard Trimmer is sold without any styling products, making it the cheapest option to keep your facial hair trim.

Named after Gillette's founder, the range encompasses the brand's 119 years of experience in the areas of caring, trimming and styling facial hair. Having been designed in Boston by Gillette and powered by Braun, the King C range of beard trimmers and shavers are the see the coming together of two of the most recognised male grooming brands in the world.

The branding on the box gives the King C Gillette Beard Trimmer a plush look, while in your hand, its balanced weight gives it a premium feel. I was impressed by the price and the quality of trim achieved during testing. I've been using this trimmer for three months, and will continue use to deliver a longer-term review of it. So far, the only downsides are that the actual plastic material could feel more high-end, and accessories such as a storage bag and charging stand would be useful.

King C Gillette Beard Trimmer review: price and availability

  • List price: $30 / £30

The King C Gillette Beard Trimmer is available to buy in seven options from the Gillette website. On its own, it costs $30/£30. It's also offered as part of a number of kits, such as the King C Gillette Style Master and the King C Gillette Beard Trimmer & Beard Care Kit, for example, where it arrives accompanied by styling products.

While reviewing the King C Gillette Beard Trimmer, I did see it being sold for half price over Black Friday and the Christmas holidays. At the time of writing, it was available for a small discount on select sites.

It's available to buy in the US and UK either direct from Gillette or through resellers such as Best Buy and Target in the US, and Amazon, Boots and Superdrug in the UK.

King C Gillette Beard Trimmer review: specs

  • Price: RRP $30 / £30
  • Battery life: 50 minutes
  • Charge time: 10 hours
  • Weight: 0.3kg
  • Accessories: Stubble comb with fixed 1mm length; Short beard comb with 5 length settings (3mm, 5mm, 7mm, 9mm or 11mm); Long beard comb with 5 length settings (13mm, 15mm, 17mm, 19mm or 21mm); Cleaning brush

King C Gillette Beard Trimmer design

  • Sleek design with a premium feel
  • Easy on/off switch
  • Comes with 3 combs for different beard styles

The overall design of the King C Gillette Beard Trimmer is impressive given its price. It may not come sporting bells and whistles, but it has the essentials.

Its shaft is sleek with sufficient weight to make it feel like a premium product. It sits well balanced in the hand, with an indented area on the lower end to achieve a better grip.

close-up of the grip on gillette beard trimmer2

(Image credit: Future)

The wide on / off switch is located at the lower end of the shaft, and is controlled with a slider. It's easy to move this up and down with the thumb when the trimmer is being held in the palm of the hand. The textured grip ensures that you can control the device comfortably, even with wet hands.

The King C Gillette Beard Trimmer comes with three interchangeable combs for different styles of beard: a stubble comb, 1mm; a short beard comb, 3-11mm; and a long beard comb, 13-21mm. You can switch between them by simply sliding them on and off with a little pressure using your thumb. The two larger combs can be adjusted for a more precise trim, which keeps things simple and does away with the need to supply lots of plastic combs of different lengths.

removing the attachment comb from the gillette beard trimmer

(Image credit: Future)

King C Gillette Beard Trimmer review: performance

  • Easy to use
  • Quick to switch between interchangeable combs
  • Simple to keep clean

The King C Gillette Beard Trimmer is ready to use straight out of the box. It's a cordless beard trimmer that arrives with some battery power, so those who may have been neglecting their grooming for a while, can get to work straight away.

Its design makes this trimmer super-easy to operate. The wide on / off switch slides to start / stop the blade. Without any comb attached, I was able to shape my sideburns; you could also use it to shape a moustache, for example, or a partial short beard. Note that a degree of precision will be required if attempting to use just the blade to tackle a full beard; you'd be wise not to rush the job.

close-up of blade on gillette beard trimmer

(Image credit: Future)

The quickest and neatest way to achieve a tidy finish on a beard is to use one of the three combs. The curved profile of the combs made it easy to reach the difficult areas around the jaw and neck. My preference was the short beard comb, 3-11mm – although I did swap it out through the months of testing to achieve a different look.

gillette beard trimmer adjusting comb

(Image credit: Future)

In the box you'll also find a cleaning brush, which proved ideal for loosening tiny hairs that may have become trapped in the blade, on the rear of the comb and behind the head of the trimmer. The head and combs can also be rinsed under running water, and reattached once completely dry.

King C Gillette Beard Trimmer review: battery life

  • Up to 50 minutes run-time
  • Full charge takes up to 10 hours
  • No charge stand

The King C Gillette Beard Trimmer arrives with approximately 5 minutes of juice, so it won't be long before it needs recharging. A charger is included in the box; insert it into the base of the trimmer and then plug into an electrical outlet with the motor switched off.

A full charge takes some time at 10 hours, so you'd be wise to plan your trimming sessions in advance to ensure you have enough power to tackle the job. Annoyingly, the unit doesn't arrive with a charging stand, so the King C Gillette Beard Trimmer will need to be propped somewhere for the duration of the charge time.

charging the gillette beard trimmer

(Image credit: Future)

Should you buy the King C Gillette Beard Trimmer?

King C Gillette Beard Trimmer

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

King C Gillette Beard Trimmer review: also consider

If you're not looking for a beard trimmer, here are a couple of shavers to consider...

How I tested the King C Gillette Beard Trimmer

  • I've been using this beard trimmer for 3 months
  • It's trimmed my beard at various lengths
  • I've only had to charge it a few times

I've been using the King C Gillette Beard Trimmer on and off for around three months. During this time I've used it to trim my beard to keep it a neat length and in good shape.

The three interchangeable combs have all proved useful during my time with the trimmer, but my favourite is the short beard comb (3-11mm) since it's most suited to keeping my particular style of beard in shape.

This is the first beard trimmer I've reviewed, but it isn't the first beard trimmer I've used. Since my late-teens I've had facial hair to tame – plus a budget to stick to. As such, I've used my personal experience and knowledge to assess the performance of the King C Gillette Beard Trimmer.

Read more about how we test

  • First reviewed: January 2023
Apple reportedly halts in-house Wi-Fi chip project
12:44 pm |

Author: admin | Category: Mobile phones news | Comments: Off

Apple is in a battle to reduce its reliance on third-party suppliers by taking component manufacturing in-house. Just as it did with its A-series mobile chipsets and M-series SoCs, Cupertino is rumored to bring wireless chips, 5G modems and even display production for its iPhones, Apple Watches and Macs in-house. The latest semiconductor survey from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claims Apple will backtrack on its Wi-Fi chip development and will continue to rely on Broadcom as its key supplier. Apple is devoting most of its IC design resources to its chipset development. Kuo also mentions that...

Apple reportedly halts in-house Wi-Fi chip project
12:44 pm |

Author: admin | Category: Mobile phones news | Comments: Off

Apple is in a battle to reduce its reliance on third-party suppliers by taking component manufacturing in-house. Just as it did with its A-series mobile chipsets and M-series SoCs, Cupertino is rumored to bring wireless chips, 5G modems and even display production for its iPhones, Apple Watches and Macs in-house. The latest semiconductor survey from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claims Apple will backtrack on its Wi-Fi chip development and will continue to rely on Broadcom as its key supplier. Apple is devoting most of its IC design resources to its chipset development. Kuo also mentions that...

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Author: admin | Category: Mobile phones news | Tags: , , , | Comments: Off

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Here’s our first official look at the OnePlus Pad in Halo Green color
8:58 am |

Author: admin | Category: Mobile phones news | Comments: Off

OnePlus will launch the OnePlus Pad at its February 7 event, where it will also introduce the OnePlus 11R 5G, OnePlus Keyboard, and OnePlus TV 65" Q2 Pro. OnePlus hasn't detailed the OnePlus Pad's specs sheet yet, but the company has shared the slate's image on its Indian website, giving us our first official look at the tablet while also corroborating previously leaked renders. You can see the OnePlus Pad has a selfie camera built into the bezel above the display, and on the rear is a center-aligned camera joined by LED flash, below which is the OnePlus logo. The OnePlus Pad was expected...

There will be only one version of Google’s Pixel Tablet, new rumor claims
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Author: admin | Category: Mobile phones news | Comments: Off

Google's Pixel Tablet has definitely been a very long time coming. First teased in May 2022, it's still not official, despite one being for sale on Facebook Marketplace back in December. Today a new rumor from a generally reliable source sheds some more light on the upcoming device. Contrary to some previous mumblings, we are apparently only going to get one Pixel Tablet version - no 'vanilla' and 'Pro' separation here. Of the two possible iterations, the more high-end one stayed, and the lower-end model with the first-generation Tensor chipset apparently got canceled somewhere along the...

OnePlus Pad renders show off its metal unibody design and Oreo style camera
9:14 pm | January 26, 2023

Author: admin | Category: Mobile phones news | Comments: Off

Earlier today OnePlus confirmed that its first-ever tablet will be unveiled at its February 7 event. The company even shared a teaser image, though that only offers a clear look at the OnePlus 11 and the OnePlus Buds Pro 2, which already launched in China (the event on the 7th is for their global launch). The tablet itself remained shrouded in mystery. “Remained”, past tense. As usual leakster OnLeaks has 3D renders ready before official images have been shared. Have a gander at the OnePlus Pad: OnePlus Pad (speculative renders) Weird, isn’t it – how many tablets can you...

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