Untitled

[gamingway360-blog]

YETI VS RTIC COOLERS

Yeti Cooler Overview

Yeti is arguably the most well-known premium cooler line in the industry.  They were founded in 2006 in Austin, Texas and since then they have taken the cooler industry by storm.  One of their largest target audiences is outdoor enthusiasts, who typically are looking for a cooler that is both tough enough to handle outside elements and also need a cooler with extremely long ice life.

Yeti offers a wide variety of cooler shapes and sizes, both in soft-sided and hard-sided varieties.  In addition, they have also expanded to including ice buckets, drink wear, and various other gear.  However, for the purpose of this article, we will focus on just the items that keep things cool!It appears that with the recent release of RTIC’s new lineup, Yeti has began to expand their products to keep up as well.  Some new sizes in their drinkware and soft-sided coolers are in the works and/or have been released and are actively for sale!

Yeti Hard-Sided Coolers

Yeti Hard-Sided Coolers come in two types, the Roadie Series and the Tundra Series.  The Roadie series is designed for smaller trips where compactness and mobility is a bigger priority than storage size and maximizing ice life.  The Tundra Series is their larger cooler which has an expansive range in sizes from very small to enormous.  Yeti has stuck with this lineup for quite some time now and for good reason: it continues to be one of the most expansive hard-sided lineups in terms of size choices.  In fact, there are quite a few additional sizes of Yeti hard-sided coolers that were not tested in this RTIC vs. Yeti Comparison simply because RTIC doesn’t have a similar size.  These include the Yeti 50, 75, 105, 110, 125, 160, 210, 250, and 350.  Yes, there are actually that many different sizes!

Yeti Soft-Sided Coolers

Yeti’s original Soft-Sided Coolers were called the Hopper. They have since expanded this name into two categories: The Hopper Flip and the Hopper Two.  The Hopper Two is their larger, more resilient product with a zip-open entry while the Flip is smaller and has a flip-open top similar to your typical lunch box.  Two of the three sizes of Hopper Flip are targeted to be released shortly (NOTE: they are now available!) and we suspect the creation of these is in response to higher competition from RTIC.  Since they don’t have hard plastic walls, 

Hoppers are much more compact, light, and convenient than the traditional hard-sided coolers.  However, this comes at the cost of having shorter ice life and also not being quite as tough.  Also, it is worth noting that from a toughness and ice life standpoint, we see no major differences between the original generation Hopper and the newer generation Hopper Two.  Recently, Yeti also came out with a backpack cooler that they have called the Hopper Backflip 24.  As the name suggests, this larger unit is designed to carry more ice and drinks (approximately 25 pounds and 20 cans, respectively).  We hope to get our hands on one of these soon to try out!

Yeti Drinkware

Yeti also makes specialized drinkware that is engineered to keep your liquids cold or hot (depending on what you are looking for).  They have a large range of sizes in these as well, going from small designs intended to hold nothing more than a cup of coffee all the way up to large bottles and jugs that can hold up to a gallon of liquid.  They recently rolled out a few additional sizes in their drinkware, including the 1/2 gallon and gallon jugs.

RTIC Cooler Overview

RTIC Coolers are much newer, with the company being established in 2014.  Their business approach is unique in that they have seemed to center it on competing directly with Yeti.  In fact, they have designed many of their products on a feature-by-feature basis with Yeti, which they then advertise as being able to sell for cheaper.  Despite their recent lawsuit, it is still apparent that they took inspiration from Yeti and other premium cooler brands.  

According to their site, they are able to offer much cheaper prices because they avoid the traditional cooler distribution channel, which cuts out a lot of the middlemen which can drive up costs.  It also means that they have to rely more heavily on word of mouth since they aren’t being sold in typical big box stores. (12/21 update: This is no longer the case!  We are starting to see all of RTIC’s products being sold in various box stores and online at places like Amazon as well).

RTIC Hard-Sided Coolers

RTIC hard-sided coolers don’t have a fancy name and are simply called Roto-molded coolers.  They now come in five sizes, ranging from the portable 20 size all the way up to the huge 145 size.  Again, they designed these sizes around competing with the comparable Yeti Sizes with the similar name designation.  However, they have recently updated their designs per the requirements of their lawsuit with Yeti.  Surprisingly, they have yet to come out with some other sizes (9/18 Update: They are intending on releasing their 110-quart and 145-quart sizes in late October!).  It appears that at least for now they are sticking to the small to mid-sized hard-sided coolers but this will change come October.  At that point in time, Yeti will only significantly stand out in their size options through their enormous Tundra 210.  The updated designs are listed in the above image.

RTIC Soft-Sided Coolers

RTIC’s soft-sided coolers are called SoftPak coolers and, similar to their hard-sided coolers, come in sizes that are intended to directly compete with Yeti’s Hopper.  They also have a compact lunch box meant for a much shorter excursion.  The designs have recently been updated to be less like Yeti’s, as represented above.  Another important note is that they have also recently come out with a couple of portable packs that are intended to hold small items and keep them waterproof.  These are called the SidePack and Small SidePack.  They are not designed to store ice or cold items so they will not be considered in the ice tests below.  Similar to Yeti, RTIC also has a back pack cooler now.  We hope to get our hands on one of these soon to try out.

RTIC Drinkware

RTIC makes a variety of drinkware products that include their portable tumblers up to their insulated bottles.  They are targeted and advertised as being able to compete with Yeti’s equivalent offerings in all shapes and sizes.  We are still waiting on the rest of RTIC’s new drinkware products to come out and will continue to update the images when they do.  That being said, we can tell you that there is a much larger lineup of drinkware sizes, particularly in the bottle category.  Specifically, RTIC is in the process of rolling out 17oz, 25oz, and 32oz bottles as well as a 40oz tumbler (9/18 update: you should have a much easier time purchasing these new sizes now).  In addition, some of RTIC’s original sizes may be going through a facelift as well so the designs above are subject to change.  From a quick comparison to Yeti’s active lineup, it seems that there will be quite a bit of overlap in sizes between the two companies.

RTIC vs. Yeti Cooler Matchup: How We are Judging

In order to have a viable comparison between both of these premium cooler companies, we need to establish metrics that we can compare the two by.  Below we will outline what factors we are considering when judging.

Ice LifeObviously one of the most important factors, this is how long ice will last inside the container.  Before reviewing these coolers we already knew that both should have exceptional ice life, but we were more concerned with how they performed relative to each other.  Would RTIC’s attempt to emulate Yeti’s build quality and materials shine through or will there be some shortcuts that had to be made for pricing purposes that would influence ice life?  Also, to keep things consistent, we are sticking to calling it “ice life” even in cases where ice would even be present such as the RTIC Can and Yeti Colster, which would instead focus on preserving the cold in the can or bottle that they are holding.ToughnessYeti is known for the variety of premium features that it comes with that helps to make it a tough contender in any environment.  Beyond this, they have plenty of experience in dealing with roto-molded design and due to their size they can easily outsource to find the best materials.  We compare this to RTIC’s attempt to copy if not improve their approach.Size RangeWe feel that the more sizes available the better.  There will be people who only need a small and compact cooler while others may need as large as available to cater an event or tailgate.  How well do both companies do in offering an acceptable range of products?AppearanceBelieve it or not, premium coolers have become a sort of status symbol in the outdoor world, and many people like to proudly show off their cooler of choice when at the lake, tailgate, etc.  Because of this, aesthetics do play a role when people are considering what ice chest to buy.Company Reputation/Warranty/Customer ServiceWe decided to lump all of these together since they are somewhat related.  If the time comes where you need to contact the manufacturer for whatever reason, how well do they respond?  If there is damage to your cooler, will they cover it?  And for how long?  When you are spending potentially hundreds of dollars on a product you want a company that will stand behind their product, and for a long time.PriceThis is generally the other biggest factor that plays a part when shopping for a premium cooler, or any item in general really.  While RTIC makes it clearly evident that they are the more affordable option, did they have to take some shortcuts to get there that impact performance?  Is the storied Yeti name justification enough to demand a premium?Now let’s get to it!Ice Life: RTIC vs. YetiDue to the huge range of products that these two companies sell, we have broken down the ice life categories into three sections: hard-sided coolers, soft-sided coolers, and drinkware.Ice Life: RTIC vs. Yeti Hard-Sided CoolersTo keep things consistent, we are going to directly compare sizes between each company as it relates to ice life.  It wouldn’t be fair to compare a very large Yeti Cooler to a small RTIC cooler as both will have vastly different ice retention rates due to their volume and construction.  As we mentioned above, Yeti has significantly more hard-sided coolers than RTIC so we were only able to directly compare 3.  That being said, with the inclusion of the new RTIC 110 and RTIC 145 coolers planning to come out in October 2017, we plan on expanding the comparison as applicable.  Also, it is important to understand that environment and how often the cooler is opened will have a huge effect on these numbers.  You’ll see videos and articles that state that certain coolers might have over a week of ice life if kept closed in an air-conditioned building, but we are more concerned about its performance sitting on a boat exposed to the sun during the summer or other types of more challenging scenarios.  Because of this, our ice life estimates are based off of REAL use in non-optimal environments.

RTIC 20 vs. Yeti Roadie 20

Yeti Roadie 20This is a cooler that we have a lot of experience with.  Due to its relatively small size, it will have a little lower ice life than its big brothers but having premium construction and very thick insulation for its size means you still get great performance.  We have seen around 4 days of maximum ice life in this size.RTIC 20RTIC 20 is meant to compete with the Yeti Roadie 20, but it actually is slightly larger, allowing for 25 pounds of ice instead of 20.  While more ice should make the product last longer, in theory, the small overall size results in very similar ice retention rates of around 4 days.RTIC 20 vs. Yeti Roadie 20 Ice Life Verdict: TieRTIC 45 vs. Yeti Tundra 45yeti roadie 45 vs rtic 45Yeti Tundra 45The Tundra is built in a very similar fashion as the Roadie, but with large storage volume which allows for more ice.  The combination of more ice, as well as more overall volume, bumps up the ice life by a little bit.  You can expect to see around 5 days of maximum ice life with this product.

RTIC 45

The RTIC 45 is also slightly larger than the Yeti 45, which allows for 5 pounds more ice life.  Due to the larger volume combined with more ice than Yeti, it actually allows the 45 to have a bit longer ice life than the Yeti.  We are seeing around 5 ½ to 6 days of maximum ice life.RTIC 45 v. Yeti Tundra 45 Ice Life Verdict: RTIC 45RTIC 65 vs. Yeti Tundra 65yeti roadie 65 vs rtic 65Yeti Tundra 65The Tundra 65 is another step up in size from the 45, but will look very similar.  It utilizes 56 pounds of ice in combination with its thick insulated walls and premium component to give an impressive 7 days of ice life.RTIC 65This is the largest size that RTIC offers in hard-sided coolers, and it actually ends up being a good bit larger than the Yeti Tundra 65 despite the similar name.  In fact, it can hold 13 pounds more of ice.  This is the primary factor in it pulling away from the Yeti for this size.  Specifically, we have seen ice life of 8 to 8 ½ days. (Please note: The RTIC 65 is no longer the largest size that RTIC offers.  There are now up to RTIC 145 sizes).

RTIC 65 v. Yeti Tundra 65 Ice Life Verdict: RTIC 65

One thing to keep in mind is that Yeti offers much larger sizes than RTIC (which we will get into later) and that their largest coolers have ice life that exceeds anything that RTIC currently offers.  However, since we don’t have a comparable-sized RTIC to compare to these huge Yeti Coolers we don’t feel that it is fair to include these in our direct comparison (although we do hope and encourage RTIC to think about making larger sizes!)When comparing the 3 different types of hard-sided coolers, RTIC equals or exceeds Yeti in all three.

Overall Ice Life: RTIC vs. Yeti Hard-Sided Coolers Verdict: RTIC

Ice Life: RTIC vs. Yeti Soft-Sided CoolersNext, we look at the soft-sided coolers offered by both companies.  We will approach this in the same way that we did the hard-sided coolers in that we will directly compare sizes.  Also, we will consider ice life numbers that more accurately reflect real-world use over optimal use in a lab.  Please note that we have updated the images and comparisons below to represent RTIC’s newest SoftPak coolers.  While Both RTIC and Yeti came out with some new products, only RTIC Lunchbox and the new Yeti Flips are really designed to hold ice.  Once they come out and we can get our hands on some we will directly compare the two.

RTIC SoftPak 20 vs. Yeti Hopper 20

Yeti Hopper 20This is Yeti’s smallest soft-sided cooler (not counting their Hopper Flip 12) and for the size, it has an impressive amount of features and thick insulation to help maximize ice life.  The biggest obstacle it faces is simply not having enough volume so when opened it really does a number on the ice in there.  However, you can still expect around 3 days of ice life for this size.RTIC SoftPak 20Unlike RTIC’s hard-sided coolers, their SoftPak line is designed to hold the same amount of ice.  They are a tiny bit larger in regards to can storage (in this case, the RTIC will store 20 cans vs. Yeti’s 18) but in terms of overall storage volume, the effects are negligible.  Build quality is very similar and RTIC has done a good job in matching Yeti’s variety of features and high-quality materials.  Because of this, ice life is also around 3 days for this size.RTIC SoftPak 20 vs. Yeti Hopper 20 Ice Life Verdict: TieRTIC SoftPak 30 vs. Yeti Hopper 30yeti hopper 30 vs rtic softpak 30Yeti Hopper 30This is the mid-range size that Yeti offers in their soft-sided line, and by increasing the relative volume quite a bit from the Hopper 20, they are able to fit an extra 10 pounds of ice inside.  This bumps up ice life a solid 12 to 24 hours, meaning you should see around 3 ½ to 4 days.RTIC SoftPak 30Again, the only real difference between the RTIC and the Yeti is that the RTIC can hold more cans (24 vs 30) but ice quantity remains the same at 30 pounds.  Similar build quality and materials also result in ice life of around 3 ½ to 4 days.RTIC SoftPak 30 vs. Yeti Hopper 30 Ice Life Verdict: TieRTIC SoftPak 40 vs. Yeti Hopper 40yeti hopper 40 vs rtic softpak 40Yeti Hopper 40This is the largest soft-sided cooler Yeti makes, and it has a similar design approach as the smaller sizes, utilizing up to 1.5 inches of ColdCell foam insulation to go along with its 2:1 ice ratio and other high-end features.  Specifically, it can hold up to 40 pounds of ice, meaning you are getting a lot of ice in a relatively small package.  Because of these things, you can expect a solid 4 days of ice life.RTIC SoftPak 40Due to the relative shape change between the SoftPak 30 and the SoftPak 40, while it still holds more cans than the Yeti, it is only by 4.  Beyond this, ice levels remain equal as well as build quality and materials.  The slightly larger volume doesn’t do enough to put the RTIC in front of the Yeti by any noticeable amount.

RTIC SoftPak 40 vs. Yeti Hopper 40 Ice Life Verdict: Tie

This is a good direct comparison as RTIC has a product to match every single one of Yeti’s for a given size.  As you can see, the results are too close to call here and it really boils down to personal preference.Overall Ice Life: RTIC vs. Yeti Soft-Sided Coolers Verdict: TieIce Life: RTIC vs. Yeti DrinkwareFinally, we will compare the drinkware offered by both companies.  This is a more complex comparison as these products are designed to handle both hot and cold liquids so both need to be considered when judging.  Similar to the other examples, we will compare relative sizes from both sides to keep things fair.  Please note that currently these compare the old styles of RTIC products as many of the new designs have not yet hit the shelves.  Once they do, we will update the comparison and images accordingly.  (8/1 update: many of the new products are now out for both RTIC and Yeti.  We are in the process of acquiring similar-sized products so as perform the comparison).

RTIC 10 oz. Lowball vs. Yeti 10 oz. Lowball

Yeti 10 oz. LowballThis is a tough competitor, being made of 18/8 stainless steel, having double-wall vacuum insulation, and having a unique no-sweat design.  Because of this, you can expect to keep your iced drink colder for much longer and your coffee or other beverage warm for much longer. There are a lot of variables at play here but we have seen it last for around 30 minutes before significant changes occur.RTIC 10 oz. LowballThis product is similarly sized to Yeti and also implements just about the same features and in the same way.  Because of this, as expected, performance numbers are about the same of around half of an hour.  One important note to make is that the RTIC also comes with a lid but we didn’t find that it really had a huge effect on performance but was simply a nice convenience.RTIC 10 oz. Lowball vs. Yeti 10 oz. Lowball Ice Life Verdict: TieRTIC Can vs. Yeti ColsterYeti ColsterThese are unique in that they are essentially high-performance cozies for your bottle or can.  They are designed to hug your standard 12 oz container and they help to keep the initial liquid temperature for as long as possible.  This is accomplished by a combination of double wall vacuum insulation that ensures a tight fit, thick stainless steel construction, and premium manufacturing.  We have seen it be up to the task for around an hour for a given drink.RTIC CanThese are basically identical in size and performance so you can expect very similar numbers of around an hour.

RTIC Can vs. Yeti Colster Ice Life Verdict: Tie

RTIC 20 oz. Tumbler vs. Yeti Rambler 20Yeti Rambler 20This is the smaller of the two sizes of Rambler products that Yeti offers, and with it you get a container that can contain up to 20 ounces of either hold or cold liquid.  They have use 18/8 stainless steel, double-wall vacuum insulation, and a sturdy one-piece design to keep your ice longer or your coffee warmer longer.  You can expect an impressive 24 hours of potential performance out of this product.RTIC 20 oz. TumblerSimilar construction methods and materials result in similar numbers for both cold and hot liquids.  The RTIC is a bit taller than the Yeti but it doesn’t have anY major effect on ice life and is more of a convenience factor.

RTIC 20 oz. Tumbler vs. Yeti Rambler 20 Ice Life Verdict: Tie

RTIC 30 oz. Tumbler vs. Yeti Rambler 30Yeti Rambler 30This is the larger of the two Rambler sizes Yeti offers, and it will be very similar in size application except that it holds 50% more liquid.  Construction process, materials used, and wall thickness all stay pretty much the same for the 30 size as the 20 size which means you should also see similar ice life of around 24 hours.RTIC 30 oz. TumblerSince RTIC copied a majority of Yeti’s design you will also see similar numbers.  It is a good bit taller and slimmer which could be a good thing or a bad thing depending on who you ask but it doesn’t have any real effect on performance.  Expect ice life of around 24 hours.

RTIC 30 oz. Tumbler vs. Yeti Rambler 30 Ice Life Verdict: Tie

RTIC 18 oz. bottle vs. Yeti Rambler 18 BottleYeti Rambler 18 BottleThe Rambler bottle is the cousin to the standard Rambler.  The biggest difference is that this is a tumbler-style container that has a twist-off cap vs a snap cap that is standard on the regular Rambler.  It is made of premium 18/8 stainless steel, contains double wall vacuum insulation, and goes through an optimized assembly process.  This results in a product that has up to 24 hours of ice life and about half that for keeping items warm.RTIC 18 oz. BottleThis is RTIC’s response to the Yeti Rambler bottle for this size, and it essentially approaches it in the same manner with the same materials and features.  It is also very similar sized.  Honestly, it is sort of hard to tell the difference between the two!  Because of the many similarities, ice life is about the same as the Yeti.

RTIC 18 oz. bottle vs. Yeti Rambler 18 bottle Ice Life Verdict: Tie

RTIC 36 oz. Bottle vs. Yeti Rambler 36 BottleYeti Rambler 36 BottleThis is Yeti’s mid-sized contribution to the bottled Rambler series, and it shares many similarities with its smaller sibling.  The biggest difference will be in the overall size of the bottle, which is twice as large.  However, the components and materials used are identical so you will see similar cooling and heating performance.  It might be a hair longer since it is a bigger container but for the most part expect up to around 24 hours of ice life.RTIC 36 oz. BottleAgain, RTIC comes through and just about copies every facet of the Yeti example.  Therefore, expect similar ice life of around 24 hours maximum.

RTIC 36 oz. bottle vs. Yeti Rambler 36 bottle Ice Life Verdict: Tie

RTIC 64 oz. Bottle vs. Yeti Rambler 64 BottleYeti Rambler 64 BottleThis is Yeti’s largest rambler, coming in at a whopping 64 ounces.  Despite being nearly 4x as large as the smallest size, it approaches things very similarly with the usage of premium stainless steel and having double vacuum insulation.  Also similarly you can expect around 24 hours of max cooling/heating performance with this product.RTIC 64 oz. BottleAnd to no surprise, RTIC emulates Yeti’s approach almost exactly, from the type of material used all the way to the construction.  Because of this, also expect approximately 24 hours of ice life.

RTIC 64 oz. bottle vs. Yeti Rambler 64 bottle Ice Life Verdict: Tie

Again, RTIC did a good job of copying Yeti’s approach on both material as well as construction, and the result is ice life that is very similar for their drinkware products.Overall Ice Life: RTIC vs. Yeti Drinkware Verdict: TieAs you can see, it was a pretty close match overall.  In two of the three categories, things were simply too close to choose a victor one way or another.  However, RTIC did have a slight edge over Yeti in the hard-sided category, mostly due to having a large storage space so more ice could be added.  We have listed all of the products we tested in the graph below.  Yeti products are orange and RTIC products are blue.Overall Ice Life: RTIC vs. Yeti Verdict: RTICToughness: RTIC vs. YetiWhen we refer to toughness, we are talking about the cooler’s ability to perform its job when exposed to potentially challenging or demanding environments as well as the occasional drop or bump that tends to happen as a cooler is used outdoors.  If the cooler is dropped into a body of water will it still work correctly afterwards?  If someone accidentally drops the cooler out of the back of the tailgate will it break anything?  These are just a couple of the many scenarios that can be considered when thinking of toughness.YetiTo nobody’s surprise, Yeti is considered one of the highest quality coolers in the industry.  The combination of many proprietary features coupled with high-quality materials and specific manufacturing processes results in a cooler that is extremely tough and can handle just about any environment you can throw at it.RTICAs mentioned above, RTIC has gone about trying to copy Yeti’s approach as closely as possible.  The assumption is if they are able to do so then their coolers should be as tough as a Yeti.To directly compare the two, let’s go over features found in each that assist in toughness.

Toughness: RTIC vs. Yeti Verdict: Tie

Size Range: RTIC vs. YetiYetiYeti has an extensive range of sizes to choose from, particularly in their hard-sided cooler line and they also recently came out with some rather large jugs.

Since they are a larger company they are able to manufacture a very wide size range which means that there is likely a storage volume for everybody’s needs.RTICRTIC has designed their products directly around competing with some of sizes that Yeti has made.  In fact, many of them even copy the numbers in their names!  However, for a given size RTIC products tend to be a bit larger, allowing them to fit more ice and/or cans than the comparable Yeti.  That being said, they don’t have nearly as impressive of a size range as Yeti.  (9/18 update: RTIC is in the process of rolling out two new sizes: The RTIC 110 and the RTIC 145.  This will align them much closer to Yeti in regards to size selections, particularly in the large and huge cooler categories).

Below are the specifics:Size Range Choices: RTIC vs. Yeti Hard-Sided CoolersSize Range Choices: RTIC vs. Yeti Soft-Sided CoolersSize Range Choices: RTIC vs. Yeti DrinkwareDespite RTIC’s coolers being a bit larger relative to the Yeti’s of the same name, RTIC is lacking in the large to very large cooler department (9/18 update: this is soon to change come October with the RTIC 110 and RTIC 145!)  In fact, Yeti offers over half a dozen coolers that have more capacity than the largest RTIC.  We aren’t sure why RTIC decided not to pursue larger coolers (perhaps it is in their future plans) but we feel that they are really missing out on a large part of the market by doing so.Size Range: RTIC vs. Yeti Verdict: YetiAppearance: RTIC vs. YetiLooks do play a part in purchasing a cooler, particularly when you are paying the sometimes very high cost to obtain a premium cooler.  We understand that looks are subjective so we are focusing more on fit and finish, customization options, color choices, etc.YetiWhile Yeti’s core design is considered by many to be more than adequate, they go beyond and offer a wide range of color choices and some patterns and they even now offer various products that are adorned with sports teams.

They also have special services where you can have custom logos made for work, sports, and or any other organization you are a part of.  You can check out our article focusing on various Yeti colored coolers and many other brands here.RTICCurrently, RTIC’s choices on modifications and colors are somewhat limited.  That being said, with their recently updated product lines they have expanded this quite a bit.  While they used to often only be available in two color choices, their hard-sided coolers now come in three choices (Arctic White, Mojave Tan, and Ocean Blue).  In addition, their SoftPaks have also had a bit of a redesign and now come in an attractive off-blue color as well as an additional camouflaged option on many of the examples.  Their drinkware also received a huge boost, with multiple colors options in every size including stainless steel, red, orange, blue, camo, and more.However, Yeti still has them beat slightly thanks to a higher number of color choices and, most importantly, the rights to add additional customization through connections they have with sports teams.  If and when RTIC can expand to keep up with RTIC in this regard then this metric will be an easy tie.

Appearance: RTIC vs. Yeti Verdict: Yeti

Company Reputation/Warranty/Customer Service: RTIC vs. YetiThis is a pretty wide metric but important nonetheless.  Basically, we want to encompass how good of a company each are in regards to dealing with customers and standing behind their products.ReputationIn regards to company reputation, Yeti is just about the best there is.  They have been around a lot longer than RTIC and have established themselves as the go-to premium cooler for many.  RTIC’s approach of avoiding big box stores and not spending a ton of money on marketing and advertising means that it is going to have to heavily rely on word of mouth.  While they have made great strides, overall most people would still answer Yeti when asked which is more reputable.  Advantage: YetiYeti warrantyAs for warranty, Yeti has an impressive 5-year warranty on their roto-molded products and a 3-year warranty on their soft-sided Hopper products.  RTIC has jumped around quite a bit over the years with their warranty.  Originally, they had an impressive 7-year warranty on their hard-sided coolers while a much shorter 90-day warranty on the rest of their products.  This was then changed to a 30-day warranty on all of their products.  With the rollout of their newest models, their warranty specifics have changed yet again.  Up until recently, they had a 5-year warranty on their hard-sided coolers/stainless steel drinkware, and a 3-year warranty on their soft-sided coolers/duffel bags.  However, one of our readers informed us that the warranties have again been changed. 

 They currently stand as follows:Hard-sided coolers: 1 yearSoft-sided coolers: 1 yearDuffel bags: 1 yearDrinkware: 90 daysWhile this is still better than what they started with, RTIC is behind Yeti and their impressive warranties.  We considered this metric a tie at one point but now Yeti has to have a slight advantage.  Advantage: YetiCustomer ServiceCustomer service can be a very complex thing and results can be really individualized.  Some people may have a great time dealing with customer service while someone else might have a nightmare scenario.  While we have personally had great experiences with both, we asked other and looked at complaints/compliments of both companies to get a good idea what we were working with.It appears that Yeti, being a much larger company, has a much more established customer service center with more representatives to help.  Many people have mentioned that RTIC seems to be a bit overwhelmed with their recent success and service tickets can take a while to go through.  Furthermore, with the rollout of their new products, many are behind schedule, out of stock, and we are unsure if RTIC will be able to keep up with the huge demand they are about to receive when the rest of their new product line rolls out in the Spring and Summer.  Yeti also appears to have a better system set up for submitting tickets and asking questions.  Advantage: YetiCompany Reputation/Warranty/Customer Service Verdict: YetiPrice: RTIC vs. YetiThe first thing that can come to someone’s mind who is shopping around for a premium cooler is just how expensive some of them can be!  Some of the larger roto-molded coolers can be several hundred dollars and some can even come close to a thousand dollars or more!  While these coolers are intended to last for many years, that can still be a very large investment.RTIC has built their company around offering Yeti-like products without the Yeti-like price.  But just how significant are the savings?One important thing to consider is that RTIC mostly sells their products directly from their site so there is a pretty consistent price point. (12/21 update.  This is no longer the case!  RTICs are starting to be sold in various brick and mortar stores and also online at various outlets)  However, Yetis are sold in many different avenues including: directly from their site, from big box stores, from online sites, and much more.  Due to the various hurdles and logistics associated with selling products, there will be a noticeable range of price points for Yeti products.This makes it a little challenging to do a direct comparison between two products’ asking price when one of the prices fluctuates a lot.  On RTIC’s website, they compare their prices with the MSRP of Yeti’s products according to Yeti’s website.  While there is nothing wrong with that, the Yeti products can oftentimes be found cheaper in other places (and also sometimes more expensive!).So we have done some research to see “roughly” how much money you will save by going with RTIC for each type of product.  Again, we encourage you to shop around for the best Yeti prices and the ranges we show are not absolutes and simply used for comparison purposes.  Also, these prices don’t account for taxes, shipping costs, and whatever other additional fees you might run into when purchasing one.  Also, please note that we tried to directly compare equal sized products between RTIC and Yeti.  Both brands have a few certain sizes that the other doesn’t so it doesn’t make much sense to try to directly compare two very different products with different capacities.

 RTIC MSRP (per website 9/18/17) Approximate Premium You’ll Pay to buy YetiRTIC 20 vs. Yeti Roadie $134.99 130-160%RTIC 45 vs. Yeti Tundra 45 $189.99 170-190%RTIC 65 vs. Yeti Tundra 65 $239.99 150-170%RTIC 110 vs. Yeti Tundra 110 $319.99 140-160%RTIC Lunch Box vs. Yeti Hopper Flip 12 $84.99 280-340%RTIC SoftPak 20 vs. Yeti Hopper 20 $109.99 250-310%RTIC SoftPak 30 vs. Yeti Hopper 30$134.99 230-290%RTIC SoftPak 40 vs. Yeti Hopper 40$164.99 220-270%RTIC Can vs. Yeti Colster$9.99 240-250%RTIC 12 oz Lowball vs. Yeti 10 oz Lowball$9.99 180-220%RTIC 20 oz Tumbler vs. Yeti Rambler 20$10.99 250-330%RTIC 30 oz Tumbler vs. Yeti Rambler 30$12.99 235-310%RTIC 18 oz bottle vs. Yeti Rambler 18 Bottle$12.99 220-250%RTIC 36 oz bottle vs. Yeti Rambler 36 Bottle$18.99 250-320%RTIC 64 oz bottle vs. Yeti Rambler 64 Bottle$25.99 250-320%As you can see, the price differences between RTIC and Yeti are pretty significant.  While we believe Yeti might have some proprietary methods that RTIC has yet to discover plus they have the heritage behind their name, the savings you get with an RTIC is just too much to ignore.  That being said, the price of RTICs have been creeping up some over the past year on most of their products so we will continue to watch this.Price: RTIC vs. Yeti Verdict: RTICRTIC vs. Yeti: Overall: Who is the Winner?Choosing a better company was a lot closer than we originally thought.  Both companies bring a lot to the table and having good competition ends up giving the consumer better products at better prices, which we are all for!  Before we give our top choice, let’s recap how each company did in the various segments we focused on.Overall Ice Life: RTIC vs. Yeti Verdict: RTICWhile Yeti made a very good showing, RTIC’s decision to increase their storage size allowed for more ice.  Combine this with the similar build quality and thick insulation found in their products and RTIC edged out Yeti.Toughness: RTIC vs. Yeti Verdict: TieThis one was too close to call.  Both companies sell very similar features and components (which makes sense because RTIC aimed to copy Yeti’s design).  While RTIC does have a few additional features, we feel that Yeti likely has some proprietary methods that they have learned over the years that even things out for the most part.Size Range: RTIC vs. Yeti Verdict: YetiRTIC matches Yeti very well in the drinkware and soft-sided cooler categories but is really lacking in the large hard-sided coolers.  While RTIC’s coolers do allow for a bit more storage for a given size, the fact that they don’t have anything over RTIC 65 really hurt them here.Appearance: RTIC vs. Yeti Verdict: YetiRTIC is relatively new to the game and this might explain why they don’t have the wide array of color and design choices that Yeti has.  With Yeti, you can even purchase products that have your favorite football team’s logo stamped on them.  Beyond this, they have many other colors while RTIC has white and tan.Company 

Reputation/Warranty/Customer Service Verdict: YetiYeti is a much larger company and we have a feeling that has allowed them to have more responsive customer service.  In addition, their reputation is pretty well-established while RTIC is still an up-and-comer.  RTIC used to offer a 7-year warranty on their hard-sided coolers (which was even longer than what Yeti offered) but have recently changed their warranty, jumping from a 5-year warranty down to the current 1-year warranty, which we are somewhat disappointed in.  The clear-cut winner here is Yeti.Price: RTIC vs. Yeti Verdict: RTICNo surprises here.  RTIC’s main selling point is their fantastic prices and they don’t disappoint.  We were actually surprised at how big the gap was in some areas.  For someone on a tight budget, RTIC is hard to beat for the quality that you receive.And with that, the winner is….If you have checked out this article in the past you would have noticed that we chose Yeti.  However, with the rollout of RTIC’s new products we have decided to lean in favor of them over Yeti.  While Yeti did win 3 of the categories and RTIC won just two (and the sixth ended in a tie), the categories that RTIC equaled or beat Yeti in (Toughness, Ice Life, and Price) are widely considered to be the most important.  The factor that bumped RTIC over Yeti was that they had significantly increased their warranty coverage from just 90 days to several years.  This has, unfortunately, been reduced to just one year recently.  This makes things much closer but we still have to give RTIC the slight edge based off of the much more affordable asking price.No matter which brand you decide to go with, you are in store for a fantastic cooler that should perform beyond your expectations.As always, we will keep a close eye on any changes or new products that either company rolls out will and update this comparison accordingly.We encourage you to check out the many Yeti and RTIC coolers for sale online and purchase one that best meets your needs!

[gamingway360-blog]

Samsung Galaxy S9: Everything You Need To Know About The Gaint

Looking ahead to 2018

Update: New rumors suggest Samsung and Qualcomm are already working on the Snapdragon 845 chipset, which is likely to power the Galaxy S9.

The Samsung Galaxy S8 is only just hitting stores, but we're already hearing rumors of the Samsung Galaxy S9, with one report claiming the phone is already in the first few stages of production.

We've put together an overview of the rumors and news we've heard so far. You'll find that below, along with everything we know about the inevitable Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus.

But we've also included a list of improvements we hope Samsung will include on its next phone, because as good as the S8 is, it's not perfect.

Cut to the chase:

What is it? Samsung's 2018 flagship phone

When is it out? In 2018, probably March or April release

What will it cost? It's going to be pricey, around $720, £689, AU$1,199

Samsung Galaxy S9 price and release date

We so far know nothing about when the Samsung Galaxy S9 will be announced, so we'll just have to go off what Samsung has done in the past.

Samsung announced the Galaxy S8 in late March, so we'd expect it will follow up with the Galaxy S9 roughly a year later, at the end of March 2018.

But it was late in announcing the Galaxy S8 in 2017 - the company waited about a month longer than normal, so it's possible that the S9 will land around the end of February, in which case it might be launched at Mobile World Congress 2018, as that's likely to take place at that sort of time.

What we can safely predict is the Samsung Galaxy S9 is sure to be expensive, as the Galaxy S8 launched at $720, £689, AU$1,199.

Samsung Galaxy S9 news and rumors

Not much is known about the Samsung Galaxy S9, but some sources claim the company has already started work on producing its next flagship phone.

The Bell reports unnamed industry sources saying that Samsung has been hard at work on the display panels for the Galaxy S9 since late March 2017. If Samsung has started work on the S9’s display panels that’s apparently about 6 months earlier than usual.

That doesn't come as a massive surprise, as many companies start work on their phones before one generation has even been announced, but it's good to get the rumors flowing already about the next Samsung phone.

Samsung and Qualcomm have also started working on a new mobile chip according to The Investor.

The chip is apparently likely to be called the Snapdragon 845 - up from the Snapdragon 835 found in some versions of the Galaxy S8 - and is supposedly going to be used in the Samsung Galaxy S9.

So far we don't know anything about the power or performance of the Snapdragon 845 chipset, but we'd wager it won't be the only one Samsung uses, with a new Exynos chip likely headed to S9 handsets in some parts of the world.

One of the big issues with the Samsung Galaxy S8 was the fact the fingerprint sensor was shoved to the back of the phone, after rumors abounded that the reader was supposed to go under the display's glass but it just didn't work.

However, the new Qualcomm Fingerprint Sensor can sit below quite thick displays, and OLED technology (used in Samsung flagship phones) was specifically mentioned.

All that points to the Samsung Galaxy S9 having fingerprint-sensing technology below the glass... and if Apple integrates that into the iPhone 8, then Samsung will have to follow suit.

And the Galaxy S9 is sure to get some new features too. Back in late 2016, Samsung licensed a new glass coating technology that makes water bounce off your smartphone screen. Samsung plans to include this tech in an upcoming phone, so it may mean the Galaxy S9 is much easier to use in the rain. Watch the video below to see how the technology works.

As you can imagine, the rumors remain thin on the ground at the moment, but we'll be scooping our way through the best and worst of them - so bookmark this page if you ever want to know the very latest on the Samsung Galaxy S9.

Samsung Galaxy S9: what we want to see

The Samsung Galaxy S8 isn't officially out in the wild yet, but we've had a brainstorm about the new improvements we'd like to see on the Galaxy S9.

1. A foldable screen

Rumors of the Samsung Galaxy X - a phone with a foldable display - have been building for the past few years.

A Samsung executive has told the media that the company doesn't plan to launch a fully foldable phone until at least 2019, but plans may change in the coming months.

For Samsung to build the first truly foldable phone and sell it in 2018 would be a major boost to the South Korean company, and may change the way we use our phones forever.

Samsung Galaxy X - the story of Samsung's foldable phone

2. A smaller version

Samsung doesn't offer an Android alternative to the iPhone SE. Instead the company has the Galaxy S8 and Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus for the mid-sized and larger phone lovers out there.

We'd like to see Samsung embrace a smaller display on the Galaxy S9, or offer up a third version that includes a smaller screen instead.

3. A fingerprint sensor under the screen

It's clear Samsung wanted to move the fingerprint sensor under the screen for the Galaxy S8, but didn't have enough time to make it work.

Instead Samsung included a touch-sensitive home button under the display, which is useful, but we'd like to see the company go the full way and include a fingerprint sensor below the screen.

4. A lower price

Samsung has had to increase the price for the Galaxy S8, making it one of the most expensive flagship phones on the market.

If you're buying it as part of a two-year deal it's not as expensive as you'd expect, but we'd like to see Samsung reduce the price for next year's phone if at all possible.

5. Dual-lens camera

Rumors for the Galaxy S8 suggested Samsung was working on a dual-lens shooter like the iPhone 7 Plus or the LG G6 but it never came to fruition.

Considering the camera improvements on the Galaxy S8 seem to be rather limited it would be great for Samsung to push the camera tech in the phone to a dual-lens setup on the Galaxy S9.

Everything we know so far about the HTC 11 and Galaxy Note 8

[gamingway360-blog]

Samsung Galaxy Note 8 release date, news and rumors

Note 8 price and launch date information for 2017

Update: It’s now all but confirmed that the Galaxy Note 8 will be announced in late August and sold in September, and we have recently seen a clear picture of what the phone may look like.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 8 is the biggest comeback story in phones following all of the disastrous Galaxy Note 7 battery failures last autumn.

And now that our Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus reviews are up, we’re focused on what next’s for Samsung’s S Pen-equipped smartphone and its launch date.

It’s fascinating: The Note 7 will go down in smartphone history for all the wrong reasons, yet when it wasn’t causing property damage or injuries, it was among the best phones you could buy. That honor was short-lived.

Where does Samsung go from here? We now have a better idea of the Galaxy Note 8 features thanks to the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus launch. They look and feel like Note phones (read: really big) without that all-important S Pen.

Samsung will build on top of its new all-screen technology, and the Note series will continue to be Samsung’s high-end, at times experimental smartphone.

Ready for the future? It’s time to dive into all of the promising Note 8 rumors, as new leaks begin to emerge ahead of a possible August release date.

Cut to the chase

What is it? Samsung’s next flagship phablet

When is it out? Autumn of 2017

What will it cost? A lot, the Note 7 cost $850/£749/AU$1,349

Samsung Galaxy Note 8 release date

Samsung has already confirmed that the Galaxy Note 8 release date will happen in 2017. That’s a fact.

And the company has since gone one better and said that it will be announced in late August, hitting stores in some countries in early September, and in the rest of the world in October.

That makes sense, as we’ve come to expect an S Pen compatible Android phone every autumn. It also lines up with earlier rumors, as trusted source The Korea Herald has reported the Galaxy Note 8 will come out in August in order to beat the iPhone 8 to market.

Another rumor has suggested August 23 will be the exact date for the launch of the Galaxy Note 8 and it will be released properly in early September.

Though another source puts the announcement date as late September, but that’s not looking very likely, as an August announcement is all but official.

Here’s what we’re going to look out for over the next several months: the phone with the model number SM-N950, as revealed by leaker Evan Blass.

We’re also digging up information on Baikal, the supposed codename for the Note 8 that refers to a Siberian lake – the deepest lake in the world.

TechRadar’s take: The Note 8 will almost certainly be announced in late August, before hitting shelves in early September.

Samsung Galaxy Note 8 screen

Hottest leaks:

Pixel-sense 4K resolution

6.4-inch screen size likely

Another ‘Infinity Display’

The Samsung Galaxy Note 8 may once again make the Note series known for its groundbreaking screen, but not just because of its size this time around.

We’re predicting that the Note 8 will be one of the first smartphones with a pixel-dense 4K screen, with convincing rumors backing up that theory.

Why do you need a 4K resolution on a phone? You don’t when it’s in your hand; the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus look good enough paired down to Full HD 1080p in its battery saving mode.

But a 4K screen is important when your phone doubles as a Samsung Gear VRheadset screen. Otherwise, you’ll see individual pixels (that’s what we call the screen door effect) when it’s just two inches from your face.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 8 has to have a 4K screen

What about the Note 8 screen size? The phone series has stuck to a 5.7-inch screen ever since the Note 3, but it’ll almost certainly break from tradition.

A 6.2-inch Samsung Galaxy Note 8 is more likely, because the Galaxy S8 Plus has reached that tipping point. It’s really hard to see it being any smaller than that.

But an even bigger 6.4-inch screen is very possible, and indeed has been rumored, with the source adding that it will be a QHD+ OLED display with minimal bezels, just like the S8 and S8 Plus.

Or maybe it will split the difference and have a 6.3-inch display, as has also been rumored.

It’s also, unsurprisingly, likely to have an ‘Infinity Display’, an idea backed up by a recent front display panel leak. That’s what Samsung calls the near bezel-free 18.5:9 display on the Galaxy S8, and it would make sense for a similar screen to be used on the Note 8. Not only would it make sense, but it’s also been rumored.

Samsung might go even further that maximize the screen-to-body ratio on the Note 8 though, with the image above suggesting the corners will be shrunk.

A picture from the same source, below, shows what could be our first proper look at the Galaxy Note 8 – but there’s no way of knowing whether this is an official photo that’s been leaked or a clever Photoshop.

Another rumor suggested that the Galaxy Note 8 could act as Samsung’s first smartphone with a foldable screen. It’s extremely unlikely, but a fun thought.

Samsung is rumored to be readying two foldable phones for 2017. But we don’t feel like it’s due for a flagship phone just yet – not this year at least. We’ve seen patents for what could be the Galaxy Note 9, too, but that’s even further out

Instead of launching an overhauled Note this year, Samsung is said to be preparing a foldable Samsung Galaxy X prototype – not a phone ready for commercial launch.

At best, next year’s Samsung Galaxy Note 9 could test the waters with a foldable variant, much like it tested curved screens with the Samsung Galaxy Note Edge.

Samsung Galaxy Note 8 design

Hottest leaks:

Curved glass front and back

A camera bump

The Note 8 design is likely to take almost all of its cues from the glass-and-metal sandwich that is the Galaxy S8 Plus. It’s almost a Note phone – minus the stylus.

Samsung’s ‘Infinity Display’ doesn’t seem like a one-off marketing term. It’s here to stay, and you can see how the screen and phone might look in the rendersbelow.

These are apparently based on a factory CAD and indeed they show a Galaxy S8-like design, with a cruved glass front and back and almost no bezels. But they also include an ugly camera bump and the dimensions point to a chunky phone that comes in at 162.4 x 74.5 x 8.4mm, going up to 9.5mm on the camera bump.

We’re not convinced the final design would take such an ugly form, so hopefully we’ll see some more polished leaks over the coming weeks and months.

One of those leaks comes directly from Samsung. The company published a tweet promoting the new Exynos 8895 processor, which is expected to be inside the Note 8, and it’s placed on a phone that may be the Galaxy Note 8.

In other news, instead of a physical home button, the Note 8 is rumored to have a pressure-sensitive screen that brings up different menus and options depending on how hard you press the display. The S8 and S8 Plus have this, but it’s limited to the home button.

More than cloning Apple’s 3D Touch screen technique, however, we’re hoping that Samsung figures out a way to embed a fingerprint sensor in the screen. One of the latest leaks of a prototype device suggests the company may have found a way to do it as there’s no sign of a physical fingerprint scanner.

The S8 and S8 Plus shifted the fingerprint scanner to the back, awkwardly next to the camera lens. Cue the smudges.

But returning it to the front, under the display, would be ideal placement when such technology is ready – though rumors suggest it may not be ready in time, and leaked images such as the renders above show it on the back.

Here a video on latest Updates and Leaks on Upcoming Galaxy Note 8:

Samsung Galaxy Note 8 camera

Hottest leaks:

A dual-lens camera

3x optical zoom

Telephoto and wide-angle lenses

Samsung’s camera is due for an upgrade, and the Galaxy Note 8 is Samsung’s playground to try new things.

The 12MP sensor stayed the same from the Galaxy S7, S7 Edge and Note 7 to the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus. Samsung promised it tweaked the software. Okay.

But we still anticipate seeing something different from the Note 8, and that could come in the form of a dual-lens camera, especially as exactly that has now been rumored by respected analyst Ming Chi Kuo.

Supposedly, the Galaxy Note 8 will have a 12MP wide-angle lens and a 13MP telephoto one, and you’ll be able to combine them for a 3x optical zoom.

That sounds a lot like the setup on the iPhone 7 Plus, which allows for a 2x optical zoom, though hopefully you’ll also be able to use the sensors independently like on the LG G6.

Kuo adds that both cameras will also have optical image stabilization, and we also fully expect a 5MP to 8MP front-facing upgrade given that the Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus got that spec boost along with selfie auto-focus.

Elsewhere we’ve heard that the Note 8 could get dual 12MP snappers.

We’ve also now seen a render showing dual lenses on the back of the Note 8, so this is looking likely.

Samsung Galaxy Note 8 battery

Hottest leaks:

A 3,300mAh battery

Wow. Here’s a touchy subject for you. The Note 8 battery has to be big, in the ballpark of 3,500mAh, like Samsung’s current crop of phones.

Samsung could technically go bigger – Asus Zenfone Max has a 5,000mAh battery. But we don’t expect a such fightingly bigger number.

The Note 8 battery not only has to be safe, it has to look safe. 5,000mAh doesn’t look safe. Plus, Samsung packs in a lot more internal technology.

The Note 7 findings confirmed that the explosions were the result of two different battery failures. So we expect Samsung to play it cool with a smaller battery capacity than it could technically go with.

In fact, it might be very conservative with the size, as one rumor points to just a 3,300mAh juice pack.

Samsung Galaxy Note 8 OS and power

Hottest leaks:

A powerful 3GHz+ octa-core processor

Android Nougat

64GB and 128GB sizes

The Samsung Galaxy Note 8 specs are likely to reflect those of the S8 and S8 Plus, but may finally include a boost in RAM.

Samsung’s newest phones just premiered in two chipset flavors: The Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 in the US and its own Exynos 8895 in the UK and other regions. The fact that Samsung is manufacturing both doesn’t hurt the chances that they’ll continue on to the Note 8, and indeed an Exynos 8895 has been rumored for the phone.

Here’s the difference: It may jump from 4GB of RAM to 6GB of RAM. We were surprised to see Samsung didn’t make a 6GB Galaxy S8 for the West, although it is launching that exact model in China.

A Note 8 with 6GB of RAM isn’t out of the question then, and has even been rumored. More memory means more apps can be open at once, and Samsung is boasting that the large screen is great for multitasking.

And there could be plenty of space for apps too, with an unnamed Samsung official reportedly saying that the Note 8 will come in both 64GB and 128GB storage sizes – the latter being double the capacity of most Samsung flagships.

Samsung renamed TouchWiz to ‘Samsung Experience,’ and it’s actually likable. We expect a further refined operating system overlay based on Android Nougat, more specifically Android 7.1.1 if rumors are to be believed.

Wanting Android O on the Note 8 is wishful thinking, as that’s likely being saved for the Google Pixel 2, which is expected to launch later. Indeed, a new benchmark again points to Android 7.1.1 for the Galaxy Note 8 – though it’s sure to get updated to Android O once that’s available.

Samsung Galaxy Note 8 other features

Hottest leaks:

A stylus with a speaker

A fingerprint scanner built into the screen

An iris scanner

Bixby AI 2.0

Like the Galaxy S8 before it we’re hearing rumors that the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 could have a fingerprint scanner built into the screen. But will it happen this time? The render below backs the theory up, and also points to audio tuned by AKG, so the Note 8 could put a focus on sound.

However, a Samsung official has reportedly said that the Note 8 won’t have an in-screen fingerprint scanner as the company couldn’t perfect the technology in time, so that’s looking like an unlikely feature, despite the image above.

One render of the phone suggests the scanner will sit in a similar position to where it did on the Galaxy S8, but slightly away from the camera to make sure you don’t smudge it when you miss the sensor.

The S Pen meanwhile is a Galaxy Note 8 essential – it’s why some people are holding off on buying the S8 and S8 Plus. Good things may come to those who wait.

The S Pen stylus could come with a built-in speaker, according to a new patent. What the speaker does isn’t clear. It could very well read notes back to you. We’ve also heard that it might be able to vibrate.

Samsung has changed up its S Pen on the Galaxy Tab S3, so it has not been afraid to make it different (in the case of the Tab S3’s it’s much bigger).

You can bet we’ll see an iris scanner in the Note 8. This unique phone unlocking method debuted in the Note 7 and made its way to the S8 and S8 Plus.

However, we may see a more secure Galaxy Note 8 given recent reports that a group of hackers were able to bypass the iris scanner. Time to improve the tech.

It’ll also inherit dust and water resistance with a rating of IP68, have a microSD card slot for expandable storage and Fast Charge via USB-C and wireless charge, too.

Samsung confirmed that it intends to expand its Bixby virtual assistant beyond the S8 and S8 Plus, so the Note 8 is a prime candidate for its Siri rival. Give it a couple months and it’ll be much better – just in time for the Note 8 release date.

Samsung Galaxy Note 8 price

Hottest leaks:

Could cost over $1,000

The Samsung Galaxy Note 8 is shaping up to sound like the S8 Plus, but better. Of course, that means it’ll likely be more pricey.

Noted leaker Evan Blass says the phablet will launch with a sticker price of €999 (roughly $1,120/£875/AU$1,475), so you’d better start saving.

[gamingway360-blog]

iPhone 8 Leaks

We know almost everything about Apple AAPL -0.36%’s substantially redesigned iPhone 8: the massive, elongated display, wireless charging, vertically aligned dual cameraand price increase. And now new sources are rubber stamping these details one by one…

The latest to spoil Apple’s iPhone surprises are luxury iPhone case maker Nodus and popular YouTuber EverythingApplePro.

The former contacted me directly through Nodus co-founder Jack Spencer. Much like prolific case maker and smartphone leaker Olixar, Spencer said Nodus received CAD models from its supply chain which it believes “accurately depicts” the iPhone 8.

In fact Nodus is so confident in the information received, it (like Olixar) is already manufacturing its range of iPhone 8 cases. The image below shows the Nodus ‘Shell Case and Micro Dock’ (a magnetic case and dock combo) which ties in perfectly with the major leaks we have seen.

In fact all we can’t verify at this stage are the exact iPhone 8 build materials, widely tipped OLED display (with its much increased resolution) and a working version of iOS 11 showing off the all new bottom based Function Area.

In fact I was so confident in the sources I spoke to that last week I called it saying: This is the iPhone 8 - and I’m doubly sure now.

Furthermore with iPhone owners desperate for such innovation following three generations of visually identical handsets, I doubt there’s anything Samsung’s redesigned Galaxy Note 8 and Google’s enlarged Pixel 2 can do to stop it.

[gamingway360-blog]

(via https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzVp24WyZ8o)

[gamingway360-blog]

(via https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIpLG3xojag)

[gamingway360-blog]

(via https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIpLG3xojag)