Futuremark, the creator of the popular graphic-rendering benchmark 3DMark, released a free tool that allows users to gauge whether their PC configurations are powerful enough to support virtual reality headsets and applications.
The newly launched VRMark features two distinct virtual reality benchmarks, offering detailed hardware breakdowns while highlighting which PC components should be updated to boost performance.
Users who download the free version of VRMark get access to the software’s Orange Room benchmark, which focuses on the minimum performance requirements for HTC Vive and Oculus Rift headsets. The Orange Room delivers a first-person experience where users navigate a museum filled with living paintings and displays, each of which is built to test the capabilities of PC hardware with regard for virtual reality performance.
A paid version of VRMark is also available via the developer’s website and Steam. VR enthusiasts who upgrade to VRMark Advanced Edition will unlock an additional Blue Room benchmark session that tests the VR-rendering capabilities of high-performance PCs, along with custom settings that allow users to manually adjust graphical intensity and detail.
VRMark does not require a VR headset and an included Experience mode gives users a heads up when VR software engages special rendering techniques to account for dropped frames.
“Experience mode is a great way to judge the performance of a system with your own eyes,” Futuremark notes. “VR headsets use clever techniques to compensate for missed frames. Even when the frame rate is low, you may be surprised by the quality of the VR experience. Take your time and explore in VR or on your monitor.”
Normally priced at $20, VRMark Advanced Edition is currently available for $15 as part of a launch-week promotion. In addition to its core VRMark software, Futuremark offers an online FAQ and support aimed at VR first-timers, along with a technical guide for advanced users.
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.