General Gaming Article

General Gaming Article


Best Local Co-op Living Room PC Games

Posted: 21 Jul 2015 04:35 PM PDT

Writers Wanted

Posted: 21 Jul 2015 01:30 PM PDT

Freelance for Maximum PC

Do you write well and know PC hardware like the back of your hand? If you've been building PCs since before you could walk and would like to contribute to Maximum PC, we would love to have you on board.

We're currently looking for experts who specialize in the following categories:
Software (Windows/Linux/Multimedia Production/Editing)

Cases

Cooling

Overclocking

Modding
Laptops

Peripherals (headset, keyboards, mice)

NetworkingHome automationSecurityNAS
Basically, if you write well and consider yourself an expert in any of the aforementioned categories, we would love to hear from you. Writers should be able to write a variety of content that could include news, reviews, how-to guides, and features. To be considered, please send resumes/written samples to
comments@maximumpc.com
and let us know what hardware beats you'd like to cover!

Newegg Daily Deals: Dell U2415 24.1-Inch Monitor, Intel Core i5-4460, and More!

Posted: 21 Jul 2015 12:37 PM PDT

Dell Monitor

Top Deal:

When it was clear that LCD monitors had won the war against CRTs, there was a battle cry among photo editors and color conscious users -- "Give us IPS panels, or give us death!" Seems like a pretty hardcore stance to take against TN panels, but you can quote us, this is real history folks. As time went on, the IPS rebels wore down monitor makers, who finally offered up IPS monitors at reasonable prices. And so it is with today's top deal for a Dell U2415 24.1-inch Monitor for $240 with free shipping (normally $280 - use coupon code: [EMCAVNK23]). The U2415 sports an IPS panel with a Full HD 1080p resolution, dual HDMI ports, dual DisplayPorts, and half a dozen USB 3.0 ports (5 up, 1 down).

Other Deals:

Kingston SSDNow V300 Series SV300S37A/240G 2.5-inch 240GB SATA III Internal Solid State Drive (SSD) for $77 with free shipping (normally $88 - use coupon code: [EMCAVNK29])

Corsair Vengeance Pro 16GB (2x8GB) DDR3 1866 Desktop Memory for $90 with free shipping (normally $95 - use coupon code: [EMCAVNK33])

Intel Core i5-4460 Haswell Quad-Core 3.2GHz LGA 1150 Desktop Processor for $180 with $1 shipping (normally $190 - use coupon code: [EMCAVNK28])

Asus VN248H-P Slim Bezel Black 23.8-inch 5ms IPS LCD Monitor w/ Built-in Speakers for $150 with free shipping (normally $170 - use coupon code: [EMCAVNK22]; additional $20 Mail-in rebate)

Microsoft Surface 3 4G LTE Heads to AT&T on July 24

Posted: 21 Jul 2015 12:24 PM PDT

The wait is almost over

Surface 3

Microsoft launched its toned down Surface 3 tablet back in May with two introductory models—a $499 SKU with an Atom x7-Z8700 processor, 2GB of RAM, and 64GB of storage, and a $599 model with the same CPU and twice as much memory (4GB) and storage (128GB). At the time, Microsoft promised to have 4G LTE–capable models soon.

That time is coming. AT&T today announced that it will offer a 4G LTE variant of the lower-end Surface 3 model on July 24. If you take advantage of AT&T's Tablet Installment plan, you can pick it up for no money down and $30 per month for 20 months, which works out to $600. That a $100 premium over the retail cost in the long run, though you're also paying for 4G LTE service.

Alternately, AT&T says you can purchase the Surface 3 with 4G LTE for $399.99 outright, provided you also pick up a Lumia smartphone (any model) on AT&T Next.

There will also be a commercial version of Surface 3 available to business customers in the coming weeks, though AT&T didn't provide any further details.

The Surface 3 features a 10.8-inch display with a Full HD 1080p (1920x1080) resolution. It also has 802.11ac Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, a full-size USB 3.0 port, mini DisplayPort, microSD card reader, headset jack, 3.5MP front camera, and 8MP rear camera. According to Microsoft, the Surface 3 offers more than 80 percent of the performance of the Surface Pro 3 (Core i3 model).

As for software, the entry-level slate comes with Windows 8.1, which you can upgrade to Windows 10 free of charge for the first year it's available, and a one-year subscription to Office 356 Personal.

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Rockstar Patch Fixes Frame Rate Issue in GTA V for PC

Posted: 21 Jul 2015 10:12 AM PDT

Performance restored

Gtav

The previous Title Update (1.28) for Grand Theft Auto V attempted to thwart gamers from using mods in Grand Theft Auto Online, though it had the unfortunate side effect of causing performance issues in Story Mode. There were complaints of significantly reduced frame rates, sometimes as low as 3fps on well equipped systems, and the issue seemed to affect both players with and without mods installed.

Rockstar Games promised to investigate the issue and appears to have found and fixed the culprit. There's a new Title Update available (1.28.01) that purportedly restores performance to what it was before applying the previous patch.

As for mods in Story Mode, Rockstar claims it isn't doing anything that would prevent players from using them.

"We also received some reports linking decreased performance when using Story Mode mods to TU 1.28. As mentioned previously, we are not actively targeting players using mods in Story Mode, nor are we explicitly implementing protections against them in-game," Rockstar said.

Instead, Rockstar said its primary focus is protecting the integrity of GTA Online and making sure players aren't using mods to gain an unfair advantage, disrupt gameplay, or cause griefing.

"However, as a reminder, mods are still unauthorized and as such, Title Updates may cause Story Mode mods to behave in unexpected ways because they are not supported or tested, and players run them at their own risk," Rockstar added.

In short, Rockstar doesn't care if you use mods in Story Mode, but if functionality breaks or performance suffers, you might be on your own.

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Update Windows Now to Avoid Hijacking Threat

Posted: 21 Jul 2015 09:26 AM PDT

All supported versions of Windows are affected

Windows Update

In a rare move, Microsoft has issued an out-of-band (read: emergency) security patch for Windows to address a zero-day vulnerability that could allow a hacker to take control of a system remotely. The security threat and subsequent patch affect all supported versions of Windows, including Windows 10.

"The vulnerability could allow remote code execution if a user opens a specially crafted document or visits an untrusted webpage that contains embedded OpenType fonts," Microsoft stated in a security bulletin.

Left unpatched, Microsoft says an attacker who takes advantage of the exploit could take complete control of a system and proceed to "install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full users rights."

What's more, an attacker has multiple avenues to exploit the vulnerability. One such way is by convincing a user to open a specially crafted document, while another option is getting a user to visit an untrusted webpage that contains embedded OpenType fonts.

The vulnerability was discovered by researchers who combed through numerous emails that were made public after Italian security outfit Hacking Team was itself hacked, ComputerWorld reports. Specifically, Microsoft gives credit to FireEye's Genwei Jiang and Google Project Zero's Mateusz Jurczyk for reporting the vulnerability.

Hacking Team makes a living by selling surveillance software to governments and corporations around the world. It also sells zero-day vulnerabilities, such as the three in Adobe Flash Player that prompted Mozilla to disable the software by default in its Firefox browser.

If you have automatic updates enabled, Microsoft says you're all set. This also underscores why Microsoft is forcing automatic updates on Windows 10 Home users, though Windows 10 Pro users will have the option of putting off updates for up to eight months.

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Dell's First Fully Rugged Tablet is Prepped for Extreme Conditions

Posted: 21 Jul 2015 08:42 AM PDT

One tough tablet

Dell Latitude 12 Rugged Tablet

Dell is no stranger to rugged PC products, though its new Latitude 12 Rugged Tablet is the OEM's first truly tough slate for adventure seekers and emergency responders alike, along with anyone else who often frequents locales that would send wimpier tablets into hiding.

The Latitude 12 Rugged Tablet is designed for the "harshest conditions" and can withstand water spills, sand and dust, drops from over four feet high, and extreme temperatures, Dell says. However, it's rough and tough construction doesn't come at the expense of performance.

Fifth Generation Intel Core M processor options power the rugged tablet's 11.6-inch "Direct-View" HD display, which Dell says is outdoor readable. It also boasts glove-enabled multi-touch capabilities and Gorilla Glass 3 protection.

You'll be able to configure a Latitude 12 with up to 8GB of LPDDR3-1600 RAM and up to 512GB of solid state drive storage. For connecting to the web, there's a built-in 802.11ac Wi-Fi adapter as well as optional mobile broadband and dedicated GPS. Software options will include Windows 7 Professional (64/32-bit), Windows 8.1 Pro (64-bit), Windows 8.1 (64-bit), Windows 10 Pro (64-bit), and Windows 10 (64-bit).

On the security side, the Latitude 12 features Dell Data Protection, Intel vPro, and Intel TPM 1.2 technologies.

Dell Latitude 12 Windows

As for ports, it has a USB 3.0 port, micro serial port, micro HDMI, microSD card reader, and a stereo audio combo jack, all of which are protected by port covers and HZO liquid protection technology.

The tablet also features a durable pogo-pin docking interface to pair with an extensive line of products, including a desk dock, vehicle dock, and keyboard. And speaking of the latter, Dell offers an optional full-size keyboard cover with customizable RGB backlight and an IP-65 rating to protect against water and dust.

"Dell Rugged devices are critical to many industries including military, emergency response, public safety, industrial work, scientists and even adventurers. It's important for Dell's Latitude Rugged devices to provide superior computing power and the mobile capabilities they require to accomplish their jobs," said Drew Moore,executive director and general Manager, Rugged Mobility Products at Dell. ""Whether it's a first responder to an emergency or an avid outdoorsman scaling an untouched summit for the first time, Dell's Latitude 12 Rugged Tablet is built to deliver the performance they need, wherever they need it, without worrying about what their environment throws at them."

The Latitude 12 Rugged Tablet will be available direct from Dell by the end of the month. However, it won't be cheap -- Dell tells Maximum PC that pricing will start at $1,599.

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