Hardware manufacturer Nvidia is offering up a free collection of three virtual reality experiences for gamers who purchase select graphics cards or laptops along with an HTC Vive virtual reality headset.
Users eligible for the offer will receive Steam-redeemable digital copies of Raw Data, Serious Sam VR, and Sports Bar VR after submitting proof of purchase via the company’s redemption portal.
Nvidia’s VR bundle is up for grabs for users who purchase an HTC Vive headset along with a GeForce GTX 1080, 1070, or 1060 graphics card, system, or laptop. The buy-in price may be steep, but Nvidia’s three-game collection encompasses some of the best-received virtual reality experiences to date.
The bundle’s starring game, Raw Data, is a VR first-person shooter that originally launched via Steam Early Access earlier in 2016. Raw Data uses a twin Vive controller setup in order to deliver “active VR combat” sequences in which players dual-wield pistols and perform dangerous stunts from a first-person perspective.
Raw Data also features an online co-op mode, letting virtual reality enthusiasts team up in “a shared co-op VR space that encourages social communication via body language, facial expression, blended animation, and simulated eye contact.”
Serious Sam VR, the second game featured in Nvidia’s bundle, is a virtual reality adaptation of Croteam’s classic Serious Sam franchise. Serious Sam VR confronts players with hordes of deadly enemies in a room-scale experience that operates in conjunction with tracked motion controllers.
Sports Bar VR closes out Nvidia’s bundle with virtual reality versions of billiards, darts, and other bar favorites. Currently available via Steam as Pool Nation VR, the app will update with additional minigames under the Sports Bar VR banner later in December.
Compatible hardware bundles that are eligible for Nvidia’s free game offer are available via NewEgg and the Microsoft Store.
The absolutely absurd idea of putting a touchscreen display on a mouse isn't exactly new. Turtle Beach already did it with its Command Series MC7, which features a 2.25-inch control screen. But apparently, even that wasn't ridiculous enough for Arctic Fox Technologies. Its new Super Mouse looks like someone took the chunky old Atari ST mouse, slapped a touchscreen and scroll wheel on it, and called it an upgrade.
The result is a rather unusual-looking mouse that is now on Kickstarter, starting at $199. And as ridiculous as it looks, some of its features are genuinely intriguing.
Apple is less than a day away from launching its highly anticipated OLED MacBook Pro with a touch-sensitive screen. But it appears that the upgrade is going to cost a pretty penny. According to a report by Bloomberg, Apple is reportedly eyeing a starting price of $2,899 for the 14-inch MacBook Pro, while the 16-inch version could start at $3,399 in the US.
"At $2,899, the 14-inch model would mark the highest starting price for a new MacBook Pro model, surpassing the $2,799 Apple charged for a 17-inch version introduced in 2006," says the report. The report claims that Apple is targeting a minimum price hike of $400 for its upcoming redesigned 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models.
I've spent a good amount of time digging into the spec sheet of the new M6 MacBook Pro (14-inch), and for all intents and purposes, this is a classic Apple "chip and connectivity" refresh. It's not a full redesign. The chassis, Liquid Retina XDR panel, speakers, ports, and battery, all of them carry over unchanged.
However, the M6 brings more cores, stronger on-device AI, higher memory bandwidth on the larger configs, and modern wireless. Here’s the practical rundown of what actually improved, and whether those gains are worth your money.