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WWE Extreme Rules 2020: Results, awful main event, ratings and full recap


WWE Extreme Rules 2020: Results, awful main event, ratings and full recap

WWE called this years Extreme Rules "The Horror Show at Extreme Rules." That was, I think, mostly meant to spotlight the main event, a Wyatt Swamp Fight, but it unfortunately encapsulated much of the show. Despite a strong WWE Championship match, this was a very weak pay-per-view.

The main event saw Bray Wyatt and Braun Strowman faceoff in a nonsensical short film at the Wyatt Swamp. Wyatt won, I think, but it was too confusing and boring to really matter. (And it wasn't for Strowman's Universal Championship). The Eye for an Eye match between Rey Mysterio and Seth Rollins had fantastic action, but it was let down by its dumb stipulation. Asuka versus Sasha Banks was excellent -- right up until the finish, which was lacklustre in several ways. 

For a full recap of the show, including the new SmackDown Tag Team Champions, scroll below. 

The Fiend wins Wyatt Swamp Fight (I think)

This sucked. Like WrestleMania's Boneyard and Firefly Funhouse bouts, this Swamp Fight was a short film that pitted Bray Wyatt, as Bray Wyatt and not The Fiend, against Braun Strowman. Strowman's Universal Championship was not on the line. Unlike the Boneyard and Firefly Funhouse, this was not fun at all.

Remember Bray Wyatt's promos? How they sounded kind of cool sometimes, but mostly were just empty dribble that didn't need to be paid attention to? That was the Wyatt Swamp Fight.

It began with Strowman confronting Wyatt by the entrance to the Wyatt Swamp. Bray is on his rocking chair, but laughs and disappears. Then Strowman runs to find him, beating up miscellaneous swamp dudes as he tried to find Bray. He's then hit in the back with a shovel, and then we see he's been attacked by a clone of himself. Clone Strowman hits him in the head with the shovel.

Real Strowman wakes up, chained to a rocking chair. Wyatt walks in and says... stuff. "To be the monster you were I need to destroy the monster you've become," lines like that but a way too much of them. Bray brings out a lady with a snake. The snake bites Strowman. 

Strowman wakes up by a fire, and then beats up more swamp dudes. He sees visions of who I think is Sister Abegail, but in any case is the lady with the snake. I stopped paying attention because it didn't make any sense and was actively painful to watch, and when I snapped back to it, Bray and Strowman were fighting.

Strowman chokeslams Bray onto a boat. The boat animates itself and rides into the lake, but then rides itself back. Bray and Strowman fight some more. Strowman throws Bray into the swamp. He looks relieved. Bray jumps out of the swamp and pulls in Strowman. The show ends with The Fiend laughing into the camera.

The Boneyard match was fun. Firefly Funhouse was fun. Money in the Bank was fun. Every short film thing they've done since hasn't really worked. This didn't just not work, it was bad. Really bad. 

Drew McIntyre retains WWE Championship

If Asuka versus Sasha Banks was let down due to its finish, Drew McIntyre versus Dolph Ziggler ended up being the night's overachiever. Drew McIntyre ended up pinning Ziggler following a Claymore Kick to end a very strong bout.

It opened with Ziggler revealing a surprise stipulation for the match: It's extreme rules, but for Ziggler only. If McIntyre uses a weapon, gets counted out or disqualified, Ziggler is the new champ. The stipulation kind of screams "McIntyre will win this match," but it ended up being fun.

But really, this match's biggest strength is that it wasn't inhibited by an obstructive stipulation or a silly finish. Ziggler's character has been weakened by regular losses, but Ziggler the performer was on top of his game tonight, and did an admirable job at coming off as a threat to McIntyre. That said, even after Ziggler hit a Famouser, Zig Zag and then a Urange onto a chair, it was hard to believe McIntyre was losing the match. 

Lots of cool spots throughout, including when McIntyre called for the Claymore but ended up getting slammed with a chair to the leg by Ziggler. At the end of the match, Ziggler called for a Superkick but got countered with a Claymore for the pin. Life is all about circularity, y'all.

Rating: 3.75 stars. Super fun match. 

Asuka vs. Sasha Banks

Fantastic match with a dumb finish. After Asuka accidentally sprayed the referee with green mist, Bayley hit Asuka in the back with one of the Tag Title belts and then -- and this is where it gets too silly -- puts a referee shirt on herself and counts the pin. She demands the timekeeper ring the bell, and Bayley and Banks walk out with all the gold.

So we don't know if Sasha Banks is the champion or not (the announcers all disagreed about this afterward), making this effectively a non finish. And a bad non finish at that. 

The match itself was fantastic, with crisp and fluid action. Lots of back and forth, including an excellent series of counters towards the end which ended with Banks tapping out in the Asuka Lock while the ref was distracted by Bayley. 

Rating: 3.25 stars. Such a fun match right until the end. 

Seth Rollins 'takes out' Rey Mysterio's eye

Rey Mysterio and Seth Rollins are both outstanding wrestlers. Their Eye for an Eye match had fantastic action. But it was hamstrung by the stipulation, which was literally that to win the match you had to take out your opponent's eye. Since we know that wasn't going to happen, the match lacked the structure and tension it should have had. It ended with Seth Rollins cramming Rey Mysterio's face into the corner of the ring steps, like he did on Raw to begin this storyline. He then barfed afterwards.

The bout had plenty of memorable spots, like Mysterio finding innovative ways to slam Rollins into the barricade (see above) and, later, Curb Stomping him (also see above). Then there were the silly bits, where one or the other would try and use a chair or a Kendo stick to take out an eye. Rollins at one point got a steel spike and tried to stab Mysterio.

Not only was it dumb, it was also fairly distressing to watch a man try to murder another man under the auspices of a pro wrestling match. The ended was lambasted on Twitter -- Mysterio had a lollipop-looking eye under his mask to make it look like it was extricated -- but, honestly, watching Rollins try to stab Mysterio with a spike or a pen, and ultimately watching him force Mysterio's eye into the steel steps, was not fun. It was unpleasant, and not the good "I can't wait to see him get his comeuppance" way. Just not enjoyable. 

Rating: 2 stars. Great action, but completely let down by the stipulation. These two would have easily had a 4+ star match without it. 

Apollo Crews can't compete against MVP

Apollo Crews was scheduled to defend his United States Championship against MVP but, due to an attack by Bobby Lashley on Raw, isn't cleared to compete. So MVP claims to be the new United States Champion, raising the belt he had made and which he's been parading around on Raw. 

Bayley retains SmackDown Women's Championship

After a lengthy match (or at least, it felt like a lengthy match), Bayley defeated Nikki Cross to retain her SmackDown Women's Championship. Sasha Banks distracted the ref, allowing Bayley to hit Cross with brass knucks, her faceplant finisher and get the pin.

This match wasn't super fun to watch. Nikki Cross is a popular performer, but her matches and character really need fan feedback to truly work. Bayley is at day 280 of being SmackDown Women's Champion, and similarly that storyline needs fans in the crowd anticipating her defeat to truly work. Of course, there are NXT students in the crowd making noise, but it's not quite the same thing.

Bayley and Nikki worked hard, and it certainly wasn't bad. But it's not one I'd go out of my way to watch.

Rating: 2 stars. Would have likely been much better with a crowd. 

Shinsuke Nakamura and Cesaro win Tag Team Titles

The main show begins with a SmackDown Tag Teat Title Tables match between The New Day and Shinsuke Nakamura. It ended in spectacular fashion, with Cesaro powerbombing Kofi Kingston off the turnbuckle to the outside through two tables stacked atop each other. It was sweet.

Cesaro and Shinsuke Nakamura undoubtedly have the feel of two singles guys thrown together as a team because creative had nothing else for them, but they absolutely work together. Having them win the gold is a smart move: The New Day are a credible team no matter what, so the loss doesn't hurt them, while being champions solidifies Cesaro and Nakamura as a threatening tag team.

After the match, Cesaro goes to ringside and tells Michael Cole he and Nakamura are sick of being overlooked. "Overlooked no more," assures Michael Cole. We'll see about that.

The match was fine, punctuated by some exhilarating spots like Big E's terrifying spear to Cesaro through the middle ropes and a huge trust fall by Kingston. Ultimately though, despite the aforementioned awesome finish, I couldn't help but feel like these four talented stars could have put a better match on without the tables stipulation.

Rating: 3 stars. 

Kickoff-Show Results

Kevin Owens pins Murphy with a stunner in a short match. 

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Apple Watch: It's been 5 years since my original review, and it holds up


Apple Watch: It's been 5 years since my original review, and it holds up

I'd love to say that when I first put on the Apple Watch, I'd never seen anything like it before. But of course, that's not true. By late 2014 I'd been surrounded by smartwatches for a few years. So when Apple announced it was making its own watch, my thought (as so often with Apple) was: finally.

The first smartwatch I reviewed at CNET was the Martian Passport, an analog watch that could make phone calls. It sounds so primitive now, but it was cool in early 2013. The Pebble Watch followed, and the Steel version became my favorite: It was like a Casio watch turned into a useful little pager-assistant. It was simple and had long battery life, and it was great.

There were others, too: Samsung's first smartwatches were ambitious (a camera?). Google's first Android Wear watches arrived in 2014. Meanwhile, there were Fitbits and Jawbone trackers galore.

I say this to lay the groundwork for the Apple Watch and what its impact was. Like the iPhone wasn't the first smartphone, the Apple Watch wasn't the first smartwatch... but it made the biggest footprint. It was another step validating that a world of wearables was here to stay. 

I was able to wear the Apple Watch a month before it went on sale. I spent a ton of time with it, getting used to both how it handled phone calls, and the activity tracking rings. I looked at my heart rate measurements. I accidentally ordered an Xbox One with an early Amazon app.

The Watch was, much like the first iPhone, sometimes feature-limited. But it also had some features that already stood out.

My original review was updated a year later, which you can read here. Some parts have changed, clearly, and Apple has updated the OS. But I'll comment on what I wrote then, and how I felt, and how that's evolved. Quotes from the original review are in italics.

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The gold Apple Watch, way back when.

 James Martin/CNET

An excellent design, with luxury overtones

Apple wants you to think of the Apple Watch as fine jewelry. Maybe that's a stretch, but in terms of craftsmanship, there isn't a more elegantly made piece of wearable tech. Look at the Apple Watch from a distance, and it might appear unremarkable in its rectangular simplicity compared with bolder, circular Android Wear watches. It's clearly a revamped sort of iPod Nano. But get closer, and you can see the seamless, excellent construction.

The first Apple Watch came in aluminum, steel and ramped all the way up to a gold model costing more than $10,000. Compared to other smartwatches, it screamed luxury.

Certain touches felt luxurious, too: the fine-feeling Digital Crown, which spun ever so smoothly like a real watch part, for instance. The OLED display, which was a first for an Apple product, looked crisp and bright.

The most amazing part, maybe, were the watch bands. Apple created a really nice series of specially designed straps, from a steel link to a clever magnetic Milanese mesh that were extremely expensive and impressively engineered. 

Its watch face designs were great, too, and they integrated some information from the iPhone that aimed to add at-a-glance ease of use. There was a Mickey Mouse watch face that danced! The Solar face showing sunrise and sunset, and the astronomy face that showed planetary alignments and moon phases, felt like magic. I wanted more, but Apple's assortment of watch faces was limited, and it didn't allow for third-party watch face design. That's still the case now.

A lot of the Apple Watch reminded me of the strides Apple began with the iPod Nano, which also had watch mode... and a Mickey Mouse watch face.

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Sarah Tew

New technologies at first: fantastic haptics, a force-sensitive display

All Apple Watches have a new S1 processor made by Apple, that "taptic" haptic engine and a force-sensitive and very bright OLED display, which is differently sized on the 38mm and 42mm models. The watch has its own accelerometer, gyrometer and heart-rate monitor, but no onboard GPS. It uses Bluetooth 4.0 and 802.11b/g/n 2.4GHz Wi-Fi to connect to your phone or your home network. There's a built-in speaker and microphone, but no headphone jack.

As I wore the watch on the first day, I felt a rippling buzz and a metallic ping: one of my credit card payments showed up as a message. Apple's "Taptic Engine" and a built-in speaker convey both a range of advanced taps and vibrations, plus sounds. Unlike the buzz in a phone or most wearables, these haptics feel sharper: a single tap, or a ripple of them, or thumps.

Sometimes the feelings are too subtle: I don't know if I felt them or imagined them. My wrists might be numbed from too many smart devices. I set my alerts to "prominent" and got sharper nudges on my wrist.

The first watch introduced some ideas that eventually made their way to other iPhones. A "taptic engine" delivered on some amazingly refined vibration effects, ranging from a purr to a ping to a gentle tap. These were way ahead of what anybody else was doing -- and they weren't just a gimmick. The notification types associated with unique vibrations felt distinct. Sometimes, the vibrating taps on the first Watch weren't as powerful as I wanted. But with later updates, the haptics made parts of the interface seem real: virtual wheels, clicking as if moving with invisible gears.

The more advanced haptics made their way to the iPhone next, making us used to them now. Other phones, game consoles like the Nintendo Switch, and VR accessories, have evolved haptics since, but the Apple Watch was the first mainstream device that upped the haptics game.

Force Touch was another wild idea: Apple made its watch display force-sensitive, meaning a deeper press could work like pushing a button. Though this idea was refined further into 3D Touch on the iPhone 6S, 3D Touch was a technology that never became as necessary as expected, and current iPhone models have dropped the pressure-sensitive display tech completely.

The Apple Watch still has Force Touch, though, and I think it always will.

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Digital Touch: I never used it much after that.

 Sarah Tew

Lots of features. Too many features?

As you can see, this is a lot of stuff. Did I have fun using the watch? Yes, mostly, but there are so many features that I felt a little lost at times. There are so many ways to interact: swiping, touching, pressing harder into the display, a button and a clickable digital crown-wheel. Plus, there's Siri. Do I swipe, or click, or force touch or speak? Sometimes I didn't know where an app menu was. Or, I'd find getting back to an app I just had open would require an annoying series of crown clicks, swiping through apps, then opening the app again.

There's a reason I used the word "complicated" to describe my feelings using that first Apple Watch. Setting up bits of information, called complications, was slow and not always intuitive. Apps took a while to load, and were sometimes so slow that it was easier to check my phone instead. Quick glances and notifications, and phone calls, were fine. Apple Pay on the watch was clever, but would I use it? I wished the watch had more battery life.

I didn't like the overcomplicated feel. The design of the OS, and the card-like swappable mini-view apps that used to be on the Watch like a dock, changed over time. It's gotten better since.

Storing music on the watch, while it took a while to sync, was easier than attempts on Samsung Gear or Android Wear. Of course, I had to hunt for a good pair of Bluetooth headphones to connect with the watch.

Today I still forget to dive into and make the most of the apps on the watch. I just dusted off Walkie Talkie: it's cool. There's noise monitoring. One app lets me remote control my iPhone camera, which has been a huge help for my stay-at-home self-shot videos. The Remote app helps me when I lose the Apple TV remote every other day. 

Third-party apps, and the grid of options? It turns out I don't use them much at all. I don't dig down deep into the layers of functions. I prefer what's on the surface: watch faces, and their readouts. But I've come to appreciate the watch's surprising number of options and settings. It's better than not having them at all.

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The rings were the beginning.

 Sarah Tew/CNET

Fitness: The ring idea was just the beginning

The Apple Watch doesn't work any fitness miracles that the rest of the wearable world hasn't already invented, and it doesn't ship with any new magical sensors that change the game. But the Apple-made integrated fitness apps, Activity and Workout, are far and away the best fitness apps on any existing smartwatch that isn't a dedicated "fitness watch" (Samsung Gear, Android Wear, Pebble and the like). A clever three-ring method of tracking daily activity, which simultaneously measures and rewards daily calorie burn, active exercise and standing up, feels like a fusion of rewards and metrics seen on the Nike FuelBand, Jawbone Up, Fitbit and others. 

I appreciated Apple's complete-the-ring motivational activity tracker, which felt inspired by wearables like the Nike FuelBand (not surprising, since Apple's head of fitness, Jay Blahnik, arrived from Nike). For the red ring's daily goals, it's great. It felt too easy to complete the blue Stand ring, and it still does.

There are tons of fitness advancements Apple has made on the Watch in the last five years: GPS, resting heart rate, workout controls, social sharing, third-party app integration, swimming, modes for accessibility, activity trends -- and I haven't even discussed Apple's massive health aspirations like adding ECG, checking for falls, monitoring elevated or irregular heart rate or women's health tracking. There is some form of coaching and motivation, too. But I'd still love to see more of that. I hit a wall when trying to be fit, and there's only so much watches seem to help.

The first Apple Watch was more of a Fitbit. Now, it's more of a health companion. Those two worlds still feel like they need to dovetail and grow. There are missing features, too, like sleep tracking, which feels like the inevitable next step.

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You still need an iPhone, just like in 2015.

 Sarah Tew

It was, and still is, an iPhone accessory

Much like most other smartwatches, the Apple Watch isn't a standalone device -- it's a phone accessory. Android Wear, Samsung Gear, Pebble and others work the same way. But here, you must own an iPhone 5 or later to use the Watch. A few Apple Watch functions work away from the phone, but the watch primarily works alongside the phone as an extension, a second screen and basically another part of your iOS experience. It's a symbiote.

One thing I noted back then was that you needed an iPhone to use the Apple Watch. Unlike other wearables that can pair with Android or iOS, or even sync with a computer, the Apple Watch was always designed to live symbiotically with the iPhone.

That's still the case now. Even with independent cellular options, and an on-watch App Store, you can't use the Watch without pairing to an iPhone. And it still won't work with Android. It's a shame, because a fully standalone watch could be a really helpful tool for many people who don't have iPhones, and it could even be a phone alternative (for kids, maybe).

Apple's AirPods created a gadget trinity where the Watch, the iPhone and AirPods can all work seamlessly together. But that trinity is an expensive one. The entry price of the Apple Watch has dropped, at least. But it feels like an extension of the iPhone more than its own device, even now.

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The Apple Watch Series 5: much better, with a few similarities.

 Sarah Tew/CNET

Today: the best watch in a war of attrition

You don't need an Apple Watch. In many ways, it's a toy: an amazing little do-it-all, a clever invention, a possibly time-saving companion, a wrist-worn assistant. It's also mostly a phone accessory for now. In the months and years to come, that may change: with Apple's assortment of iPads, Macs, Apple TV and who knows what else to come, the watch could end up being a remote and accessory to many things. Maybe it'll be the key to unlock a world of smart appliances, cars and connected places. In that type of world, a smartwatch could end up feeling utterly essential.

I think back to what the Apple Watch was competing against back then: Jawbone, Pebble, Fitbit, Google's Android Wear, Samsung's watches, the Microsoft Band. A lot of competitors are gone now. Fitbit was acquired by Google. Samsung still has watches. Garmin makes lots of dedicated fitness watches. There are still plenty of more affordable relative newcomers, too.

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The original Apple Watch, with the Pebble Steel, Moto 360 and the original iPod Nano with wristband (clockwise from top left).

 Sarah Tew

In a field of fewer alternatives, the Apple Watch's consistent addition of new features and ongoing performance improvements has made it the best option. It's Apple's commitment to gradual improvements that has made it a stand-out watch now, especially compared to the struggles of Google's Wear OS.

The Apple Watch is still an iPhone accessory. And it's still not an essential product. But it's become a really fluid and useful device, one with lots of key upgrades that work, and one that's a lot easier to use.

What's the best smartwatch now? The Apple Watch. That doesn't mean I don't want to see improvements: battery life, sleep tracking, a watch face store and most importantly, Android support and true standalone function. If the last five years are any indication, Apple will tackle these problems on its own... time.

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Movie Tickets $3 This Saturday: How to Snag the National Cinema Day Deal


Movie Tickets $3 This Saturday: How to Snag the National Cinema Day Deal

Saturday, Sept. 3, just might be the best possible day to catch a new movie in theaters. In celebration of National Cinema Day, movie tickets will cost just $3. The discount will be available at more than 3,000 theaters, according to an announcement from The Cinema Foundation, a nonprofit group with the National Association of Theater Owners.

The new special day dedicated to the cinema honors a summer of record-breaking moviegoing, thanks to films such as Top Gun: Maverick, Minions: Rise of Gru, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and Jurassic World Dominion. 

"After this summer's record-breaking return to cinemas, we wanted to do something to celebrate moviegoing," said Jackie Brenneman, Cinema Foundation president. "We're doing it by offering a 'thank you' to the moviegoers that made this summer happen, and by offering an extra enticement for those who haven't made it back yet."

National Cinema Day and its $3 movie tickets come as MoviePass is set to relaunch its credit-based movie theater subscription service on Labor Day. Here's how to find a theater near you offering discounted movie tickets on Sept. 3.

Which theaters are participating? 

Major chains, including AMC and Regal Cinemas, are among the many theaters participating in the one-day event. Tickets for every showing, in every format, will be discounted at those participating locations. 

How to find out if your nearest theater will have $3 tickets

You can find which theaters near you offer the discount on the National Cinema Day website. Once there, scroll to the bottom of the page where it says "Find Cinemas" and type in your city or zip code. Your town should show up as an option, and once you click it, a theater option will appear if it's available in your area. 

Note that taxes and other fees aren't included in the $3 price.

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Biden to Invoke Defense Production Act to Fast-Track EV Battery Production


Biden to Invoke Defense Production Act to Fast-Track EV Battery Production

President Joe Biden is set to invoke the Defense Production Act to encourage the production of materials necessary for the construction of electric vehicles, the White House announced Thursday. But that's not all. Biden also authorized the release of a portion of the US strategic oil reserve to help alleviate prices at the gas pump.

The DPA was signed into law by President Harry Truman during the Korean War to allow the US government to set priorities for the production of goods and materials, ostensibly for national security. Invoking it gives the Biden administration more authority to push its EV adoption agenda without Congress getting in the way.

"Specifically, the DPA will be authorized to support the production and processing of minerals and materials used for large capacity batteries -- such as lithium, nickel, cobalt, graphite, and manganese -- and the Department of Defense will implement this authority using strong environmental, labor, community, and tribal consultation standards," the White House said. "The President is also reviewing potential further uses of DPA -- in addition to minerals and materials -- to secure safer, cleaner, and more resilient energy for America."

The DPA is the next big step in the Biden administration's EV agenda, and it could make a significant difference in determining how fast the transition away from fossil fuel-powered vehicles happens. The government has already pledged to spend $5 billion on a new national EV charging network, and Biden has also said the bulk of the federal vehicle fleet will go electric sooner rather than later.

In addition to reducing the US' greenhouse gas emissions, all of these things will have the added benefit of reducing our energy dependence on foreign countries, which would be a benefit to national security.

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Acer Predator Triton 300 SE review: A special edition that feels ordinary


Acer Predator Triton 300 SE review: A special edition that feels ordinary

Intel heralded the arrival of the "ultraportable gaming laptop" at CES 2021, rolling out a trio of low-power 11th-gen H series processors intended for systems prioritizing portability and battery life above raw performance, promising workday-long battery life and thin, businesslike designs. 

The $1,400 Acer Predator Triton 300 SE uses the Intel Core i7-11375H, a "special edition" -- "SE," get it? -- of its 35-watt i7-11370H sibling. It supports Intel Turbo Boost 3.0, which potentially allows the CPU to attain a peak single-core frequency of 5GHz compared to 4.8GHz for the not-so-special part. That's all great on paper, but ultimately, while it's a solid Triton gaming laptop with nicer looks than the rest of its family, you don't gain any noticeable advantages from the special CPU.

While it definitely has a sleeker, more businesslike design than the more powerful models, it's not nearly as bizzy as, say, the 13-inch Asus ROG Flow X13 two-in-one or Razer Blade Stealth 13. It's not nearly as "ultraportable" either -- while the performance of the smaller models lags the Triton, they will more than likely also get upgraded to 11th-gen CPUs and the new GeForce RTX 3050 that was just announced, so it's just a matter of time. 

Like

  • Relatively light
  • Can open 180 degrees
  • Some nice design touches

Don't Like

  • Doesn't use Nvidia Advanced Optimus
  • Single-channel memory
  • Can't change performance modes unless there's at least 40% battery and it's plugged in

The Predator Triton line sits in the enthusiast middle of Acer's gaming laptops, between the entry-level Nitro series and the more aggressively game-focused Helios models. So it makes sense that the Triton line would be Acer's choice for the quad-core, low-power CPU.

Acer's offering only a single model of the $1,400 Triton 300 SE (approximately £1,290 or AU$2,340 if you convert from euros). It comes with 16GB RAM (upgradeable to 24GB), a GeForce RTX 3060 Max-Q graphics processor, a 512GB SSD and a 144Hz 14-inch 1080p display with a 100% Adobe RGB color gamut. It includes many of the 11th-gen perks, including a USB-C and Thunderbolt 4 connector and Intel Iris Xe integrated graphics. There's also a full-size HDMI 2.1 connection. But it's missing some features as well, such as Wi-Fi 6E. 

Acer Predator Triton 300 SE

Price as reviewed $1,400, £1,290 (approx.)
Display size/resolution 14-inch 1,920x1,080 pixels, 144Hz 100% Adobe RGB
PC CPU Intel Core i7-11375H
PC Memory 16GB 3,200MHz DDR4
Graphics Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 Max-Q, Intel Iris Xe (96 execution units)
Storage 512GB SSD
Ports 1x USB-C/Thunderbolt 4, 2x USB-A, 1x HDMI 2.1, audio combo jack
Networking Intel Killer Wi-Fi 6 AX1650 (802.11ax), Bluetooth 5.1
Operating system Microsoft Windows Home (2H20)
Weight 3.8lbs (1.7kg)

The configuration is pretty much the only one it could offer. Strip it down more and it makes less sense, bump it up and it probably wouldn't fit into the power or thermal requirements of the design. To me, the SE model seems like a trial balloon to see if there's a market for a laptop built around the i7-11375H and other low-core-count 35w CPUs.

The newest non-SE Triton 300 models slated to ship in July don't have the SE's pretty silver finish. They have the same 15-inch black chassis as the models from earlier this year, with much better gaming specs that include up to the new eight-core 11th-gen i7 CPUs, GeForce RTX 3070 and 32GB RAM, with 360Hz 1080p or 165Hz QHD displays. Those start at $1,699. There's also a new 17-inch model coming in July.

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Thin, yes, but not ultrathin.

 Lori Grunin/CNET

Though it doesn't look much like a Razer at first glance, the Triton 300 SE has the same thick, uniform, slab-like shape of one, albeit with far more detailing, such as extensive vents and surface colors and textures. Those include a brushed silver lid and accents that switch between blue and red depending upon the viewing angle and lighting. 

I like the way the bottom screen bezel turns the reflection of the keyboard backlight into an abstract rainbow. The screen can tilt back flat; even if you never plan to use it at such an oblique angle, it still means it can tilt back far enough to accommodate most situations, such as (ahem) lying in bed with the laptop perched against your bent knees.

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The Triton has a decent set of connections for a 14-inch laptop: a full-size HDMI, two USB-A, one USB-C/Thunderbolt 4 and a combo audio jack.

 Lori Grunin/CNET

The keyboard is decent for both typing and gaming, with good travel and a mechanical-sounding click. There are dedicated Turbo and PredatorSense buttons, with media keys down the right side, and a touchpad disable function key for gaming. It lacks per-key RGB lighting, but has three zones to configure and the backlight shines brightly through the keycaps.

Nothing about the 720p webcam stands out -- it's the usual ho-hum camera you find on so many midrange laptops -- and it lacks an IR camera for use with Windows Hello login. There is a fingerprint reader on the smallish touchpad, though.

It's hard to capture the laptop's attractive shade of warm silver and textured finish. One of the notable touches is the highlight color on the hinge, which switches between blue and red depending upon the angle.

 Lori Grunin/CNET

Does the low-power CPU matter?

The laptop has four performance modes: quiet, default, extreme and turbo. Turbo cranks it up to the most power, overclocking both the CPU and GPU and spinning the fans up to a jet engine. But it doesn't seem to push performance significantly beyond the standard mode, which automatically adjusts (within a cap) clock frequencies and power consumption. 

Generally, the laptop's performance is solid. Given the positioning of the CPU, you'd expect it to be all about battery life, but at 7 to 8 hours on default balanced settings, it's hardly outstanding. You can extend it to 9 or 10 hours by dialing back the settings to maximize battery life, and it can certainly handle a full workday, but that's not atypical for mainstream gaming laptops anymore. 

The CPU has only four cores compared with eight in the 11th-gen H series i7 and even the six-core i5 -- Intel had to drop some cores to fit the chip into a smaller space. There's always some tradeoff for laptop shrinkage. The Turbo Boost-enabled 5GHz single-core speed isn't much of a selling point either. I couldn't get a single core to hit more than 4.3GHz. I think the system's performance is hampered by limitations like the single-channel memory. It's just not worth sacrificing the cores from a six-core, 35-watt part like a Core i5.

It's decent for unplugged gaming, another selling point, provided it's not something that needs to push the system to the max for good frame rates. For instance, Hades repeatedly slaughtered me at more than 100 frames per second (and frequently more than 140fps) both on and off battery, and without draining it too quickly. You'll generally be able to get better than 60fps in 1080p on GPU-intensive games out of the RTX 3060.

acer-predator-triton-300-se dsc02343

The Triton's hinge allows it to open 180 degrees, a rarity among gaming laptops.

 Lori Grunin/CNET

Unfortunately, the system doesn't use Nvidia's Advanced Optimus, which lets you force a switch between the discrete GPU and integrated CPU for the display. You can use Windows' graphics settings to assign specific applications to use the discrete GPU, but there's no wholesale way to force it.

Another drawback is you can't change modes while on battery or if the battery level is less than 40%. Not being able to drop down to quiet after sitting down in a meeting, for example, is especially annoying, though you can go into the custom settings and set the fans to slower speeds. And it might be a bug, but the laptop ignored Windows' setting for "do nothing" on closing the lid, which may be an issue for some people.

I have no serious complaints about the Predator Triton 300 SE. It's a good, well-designed intermediate-size laptop for the money to balance your working and gaming lives. But much of what Acer did here could be applied to the standard Triton 300 models; despite the new CPU, the SE just isn't as special as it seems.

Geekbench 5 (multicore)

Acer Predator Triton 300 SE

Razer Blade 15 Advanced (early 2021)

Dell G5 15 Special Edition (2020)

Asus ROG Zephyrus G14

Note:

Longer bars indicate better performance

Cinebench R20 CPU (multicore)

Acer Predator Triton 300 SE

Razer Blade 15 Advanced (early 2021)

Dell G5 15 Special Edition (2020)

Asus ROG Zephyrus G14

Note:

Longer bars indicate better performance

Cinebench R20 CPU (single core)

Dell G5 15 Special Edition (2020)

Razer Blade 15 Advanced (early 2021)

Acer Predator Triton 300 SE

Note:

Longer bars indicate better performance

Streaming video playback battery drain test (minutes)

Acer Predator Triton 300 SE

Razer Blade 15 Advanced (early 2021)

Note:

Longer bars indicate better performance

Far Cry 5 (1080p)

Acer Predator Triton 300 SE

Asus ROG Flow X13 with XG Mobile

Razer Blade 15 Advanced (early 2021)

Note:

NOTE: Longer bars indicate better performance (FPS)

Shadow of the Tomb Raider gaming test (1080p)

Dell G5 15 Special Edition (2020)

Acer Predator Triton 300 SE

Razer Blade 15 Advanced (early 2021)

Asus ROG Flow X13 with XG Mobile

Note:

Longer bars indicate better performance (FPS)

3DMark Time Spy

Dell G5 15 Special Edition (2020)

Asus ROG Zephyrus G14

Acer Predator Triton 300 SE

Razer Blade 15 Advanced (early 2021)

Asus ROG Flow X13 with XG Mobile

Note:

NOTE: Longer bars indicate better performance

3DMark Fire Strike Ultra

Asus ROG Zephyrus G14

Dell G5 15 Special Edition (2020)

Acer Predator Triton 300 SE

Razer Blade 15 Advanced (early 2021)

Asus ROG Flow X13 with XG Mobile

Note:

Longer bars indicate better performance

3DMark Port Royal (RTX)

Asus ROG Zephyrus G14

Acer Predator Triton 300 SE

Razer Blade 15 Advanced (early 2021)

Asus ROG Flow X13 with XG Mobile

Note:

Longer bars indicate better performance

Configurations

Acer Predator Triton 300 SE Microsoft Windows 10 Home (2H20); 3.3GHz Intel Core i7-11375H; 16GB DDR4 SDRAM 3,200MHz; 6GB Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 Max-Q; 512GB SSD
Asus ROG Flow X13 with XG Mobile Microsoft Windows 10 Home (2004); 3.3GHz AMD Ryzen 9 5900HS; 6GB DDR4 SDRAM 4,266MHz; 4GB Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 (16GB GeForce RTX 3080 mobile in XG Mobile)
Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (GA401IV) Microsoft WIndows 10 Home (1909); 3.0GHz AMD Ryzen 9 4900HS; 16GB DDR4 SDRAM 3,200MHz, 6GB Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 with Max-Q Design, 1TB SSD
Dell G5 15 Special Edition (2020) Microsoft Windows 10 Home (1909); 1.6GHz AMD Ryzen 7 4800H; 16GB DDR4 SDRAM 3,200MHz; 6GB AMD Radeon RX 5600M; 512GB SSD
Razer Blade 15 Advanced (early 2021) Microsoft Windows 10 Home (2009); 2.3GHz Intel Core i7-10875H; 16GB DDR4 SDRAM 3,200MHz; 8GB Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 Max-Q; 1TB SSD
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'The Flash' and 'Aquaman and The Lost Kingdom' Release Dates Delayed to 2023


'The Flash' and 'Aquaman and The Lost Kingdom' Release Dates Delayed to 2023

Warner Bros. has delayed multiple upcoming movies, with DC's The Flash now slated to be released on June 23, 2023, and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom on March 17, 2023. The delays follow The Rock announcing that Black Adam is being moved from July to October 2022.

The Flash was originally set to be released on Nov. 4, followed by the Aquaman sequel on Dec. 16, 2022.

Read also: The Batman Movies Ranked: From Robert Pattinson's Batman to 'The Dark Knight'

A sizzle reel in February showed off new footage from The Flash and Aquaman 2, providing a first glimpse of some of the newest characters hitting the big screen.

The new footage from The Flash sees the character asked why he's fighting to save this timeline and universe if he could be anywhere, at any time. The Flash is set to star two Flashes, with Ezra Miller appearing to play alternate reality versions of the character after his debut in the Justice League movies.

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom will see Jason Momoa return as the title character and star alongside Nicole Kidman, Amber Heard, Patrick Wilson and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II.

Also delayed by Warner Bros. on Wednesday are DC League of Super-Pets, which moves from May 20 to July 29, 2022; and Wonka, which moves from March 17, 2023, to Dec. 15, 2023. One film is actually coming closer than expected: Shazam: Fury of the Gods moves up from summer 2023 to Dec. 16, 2022.

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Best MicroSD Card Deals: Get $192 Off a SanDisk 512GB Extreme, $16 Off Topesel and More


Best MicroSD Card Deals: Get $192 Off a SanDisk 512GB Extreme, $16 Off Topesel and More

Not too long ago, even the biggest and most expensive memory cards could only handle a few gigabytes of data. Things have come a long way since then, and these days you can fit an entire terabyte of storage into a chip that's smaller than the tip of your finger. And you can pick up packs of smaller-capacity cards for a dime a dozen.

As you can probably infer from the name, microSD cards are an even smaller version of the standard SD cards used by most digital cameras. They're primarily used in phones and tablets, where size is a major factor, and it never hurts to have a few extras on hand. And right now, you'll find plenty of these tiny memory cards on sale with big discounts. We've rounded up some of the best deals on microSD cards out there below, and we'll continue to update this page as offers come and go. Be sure to check back often to make sure you're getting the best price available.

Read more: How to Choose the Right MicroSD Card for Your Android

SanDisk

SanDisk's Extreme series is built to withstand harsh conditions, so they're ideal if you're looking for a memory card for your GoPro or another action camera. This card is resistant to water, shock, extreme temperatures and even X-rays. Beyond its durability, this card boasts some impressive specs. It has read speeds of up to 160 megabytes per second, and write speeds of up to 90MBps for fast shooting, plus a respectable 512GB of storage. This is one of the best overall values you'll find out there at the moment.

SanDisk

If durability is your No. 1 priority, this is the best deal for you. The Extreme Plus, like the Extreme, is resistant to shock, water, temperature and X-rays, so there's no need to worry about leaving it in your airport carry-on. It also boasts an impressive read speed of up to 170MBps, and a write speed of up to 90MBps, to save you time while transferring files.

Topesel

Considering how many devices can be improved with a microSD, there's a good chance you'll want to pick up more than one. Right now at Walmart, you can get this five-pack of 16GB Topesel cards at just $4.38 per card. True, 16GB isn't a lot of storage in this day and age, but that's still enough to hold about 600 pictures or about two hours of HD video.

SanDisk

The SanDisk Ultra is a less expensive alternative to the more rugged Extreme series listed above. It boasts read and transfer speeds of up to 120MBps and can capture and store full HD video.

SanDisk

Sometimes it makes more sense to invest in a single microSD card that you can reuse over and over, rather than several different cards. This 256GB SanDisk is designed for maximum longevity, and can record and re-record for up to 120,000 hours. It's also fairly durable with protection against extremes, water, shock, and x-rays, and boasts read speeds of up to 100MBps. 

Samsung

This Samsung microSD only has half the storage capacity of the 512GB SanDisk Extreme listed above, but it also costs less than half the price, and is more durable. This 256GB chip is protected against water, shock, drops and temperatures, as well as magnets and X-rays. It's designed to capture 4K UHD video and boasts transfer speeds of up to 130MBps.

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