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What does Amazon know about you? The answer is buried in your account info
We all know companies profile us. But understanding that abstractly is one thing. Reading the words “has flat buttocks” in your Amazon account is very much another.
The Surface Laptop Ultra is an AI monster with a laptop problem
Microsoft’s new Surface Laptop Ultra is powered by a Mediatek CPU and Nvidia’s powerful RTX Spark SoC, which is mainly designed to run local AI models on the user’s lap. Five competing laptops—from Dell, HP, MSI and more—will offer additional options.
PC upgrades are brutally expensive. These 8 Prime Day accessories aren’t
Being a PC gamer in 2026 makes me want to self-medicate. Upgrading your PC hardware or looking for a new laptop is an exercise in self-punishment, as RAM and storage push prices beyond the breaking point. That being the case, if you’re trying to upgrade on Amazon Prime Day, it’s time to look to everything else on your desk.
Nice, Samsung’s speedy T9 portable SSD is $115 off for Prime Day
I’ve been hoping for SSD prices to drop at least a little during holiday sales—and thankfully, Amazon delivered by slashing the price of the Samsung T9, one of our favorite portable SSDs, down to just $335 for the 2TB model. That’s an all-time low since February, when the prices of SSDs began skyrocketing. Normally, this fast, rugged portable SSD has gone for around $450 on the street, with discounts both small and rare.
I tested Google’s new SynthID detector on AI slop. There’s a big catch
Aw, have you seen that viral video of the little puppy nuzzling with a baby? It’s absolutely adorable — so adorable that it’s probably AI, although not even Reddit seems to know for sure.
I’ve tested a ton of USB-C hubs, and these are the best
The best USB-C hubs add ports to your PC, providing connections to legacy peripherals like mice, keyboards, printers, or more. If you follow my advice, you shouldn’t pay that much for a hub, either.
Still on Windows 11 24H2? You have one week to upgrade
If you’re still on Windows 11 24H2, time is running out. Microsoft is ending support for that version of Windows this month, so you’ll need to upgrade to either 25H2 or (ideally) 26H2 as soon as possible. If you don’t, you’ll put your system at increasing risk over time.
My favorite power bank with built-in charging cable is $33 for Prime Day
DEAL ENDS TODAY Anker Zolo 20,000mAh Power Bank View Deal It’s the last day of October Prime Day, which means it’s your last chance to take advantage of this discount on my favorite power bank.
Last chance: 8 Amazon gadgets hit their lowest prices ever for Prime Day
October Prime Day ends today, which means this is your last opportunity to grab Amazon’s marked-down products, including Blink, Ring, Echo, Fire TV, and Eero devices. Not sure which ones are worth pulling the trigger on? I’ll guide you to the best discounts going on right now.
Alienware’s gorgeous 280Hz ultrawide OLED is 21% off for Prime Day
$170 off Alienware 34-inch OLED gaming monitor $630 SEE DEAL There’s a sweet spot I look for when I want to have some fun, a little bigger than standard without b
Samsung’s ultra-light Galaxy Book6 is $250 off for Prime Day
Looking for a lightweight Windows laptop that doesn’t cut too many corners? Then take a look at this Samsung Galaxy Book6 deal on Amazon. It’s a 14-inch laptop that weighs just 2.98 pounds. It’s also packing a current generation Intel Core Ultra 5 325 processor. And right now, it’s $999.99 for Prime Day, down from $1,249.99.
Is your laptop’s LAN too slow? Here’s how to get the most out of it
Nowadays, most modern laptops don’t have an Ethernet port. It’s a fairly large port, and with laptops getting thinner and thinner, there simply isn’t enough room for one. However, if you still wish to enjoy the benefits of a fast and stable LAN connection, you can always use an adapter or a docking station.
Building a PC in 2026 is all about choosing your compromises
Anyone who wants or needs a new desktop computer has long had a choice to make: Buy a ready-built computer or build one yourself from individual components. The choice isn’t always that simple, and there are several factors that can make either option appealing. The price of a pre-built computer always includes, in one way or another, the cost of assembling it. If you build it yourself, you can spend all your money on getting the best possible components and pay for the assembly with your own time and by taking on the risk yourself.
Seagate One Touch Portable review: The fastest 2.5-inch USB hard drive I’ve tested
At a glanceExpert's Rating Pros Low cost per TB compared to SSDs Type-C connectivity Good looking and very portable Cons Slow compared to SSDs and 3.5-inch HDDs Our Verdict If you’re looking for a more affordable alternative to USB SSDs, the One Touch Portable provides lots of capacity for a lot less money in a still relatively portable profile. It’s also the fastest of its ilk that I’ve tested. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined
Relive the glory days of Windows 98 right in your browser
If the sight of a boxy, dull-beige desktop and a floppy disk drive gives you a weird little rush of nostalgia, then Desktop98 is about to blow your mind.
How to Keep Your PC Fast, Secure, and Running Like New with System Mechanic Ultimate Defense
Optimize and secure your PC With Just One App Improve PC Performance and Security Easily View Deal Keeping a modern PC safe, secure, and optimized can feel like a complex juggling act of different apps and services. Learning how they wo
A lifetime license for Microsoft’s latest IDE is only $30 right now
TL;DR: Visual Studio Professional 2026 is Microsoft’s full IDE, and a lifetime license is on sale for $30 through October 11.
Best mini PC deals: Top Intel and AMD picks for performance, gaming, and more
At a glance Top AMD mini PC deal picks Reatan A8—$499 (22% off on Amazon) Kamrui Pinova P2—$323 (15% off on Amazon) Glorlin AI Mini PC—$510 (27% off on Amazon)
An RTX 5060 gaming PC for only $1,100? Prime Day just delivered
The CyberPowerPC Gamer Xtreme with an RTX 5060 is 15 percent off for Prime subscribers this Prime Day, dropping it to its best price in well over a year. (If you aren’t already a Prime subscriber, here’s how to get Amazon Prime for free.)
Best Prime Day monitor deals: Save big on OLED, gaming, and office displays
One of the easiest ways to enhance your PC experience is to get a better monitor. It doesn’t require any upgrades for your desktop or laptop (which is good, since they’re all insanely expensive right now), and it shines up the primary way you interact with almost everything: the visuals. Even better, the prices of luxurious models with high resolutions, frame rates, and features like OLED panels have consistently fallen over the year. Now it’s time to take action.
One of my favorite PC-building tools is down to $28 for Prime Day
Look, a good electronic screwdriver set is useful in any household. But if your household is the kind that likes to roll up its collective sleeves and dive deep into the bones of DIY desktop computers, a good electronic screwdriver set is downright necessary. Good news! You can grab a beefy 25-piece electric screwdriver set for just $28.50 at Amazon during Prime Big Deal Days — damned near half off its usual $50 price tag.
I use my AirPods every day. Now they’re $70 off for Prime Day
I use my AirPods every single day. They come with me when I’m cooking dinner, writing, and walking the dog. Honestly, next to my Kindle, they’re probably the gadget I use most.
Samsung’s ferocious 9100 Pro SSD is 39% off for Prime Day — a rare deal in 2026
It’s been a brutally bad year for anyone who needs more storage or RAM, but Amazon’s Prime Day is ready to rescue you from misery. Today and tomorrow, you can grab the fantastic 1TB Samsung 9100 Pro SSD for $207 – assuming you’re a Prime subscriber of course. (Here’s how to get Amazon Prime for free if needed.)
These Prime Day deals will reinvigorate your home office and your productivity
Amazon’s October Prime Day (hopefully) kicks off the holiday sales season, and it’s an ideal opportunity for you to update your home office. From new displays to an update to the humble mouse, these are some of the deals that we’re keeping an eye as the deal days progress.
Anker’s 60W USB-C cable is just $4 each for October Prime Day
LOWEST PRICE EVER Anker 60W USB-C Cable (2-pack) View Deal It’s time to upgrade your USB-C cables, especially if you got them over five years ago and they came bundled with a device. Am
My favorite Shokz bone conduction headphones are $55 off for Prime Day
$55 off regular price Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 for $125 SEE DEAL I’ve been using bone conduction headphones for about a decade. They’re wonderful for bike riding or kayaking, or any othe
This $210 SanDisk 1TB portable SSD is the Prime Day deal to beat
NEW LOWEST PRICE 1TB SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD View Deal Would you look at that! We finally have a proper deal on PC storage. Right now, Amazon is selling the
I found the 9 best Anker deals for Prime Day — and 6 are all-time lows
October Prime Day is now here, and that means exciting discounts on Anker’s best products. We love Anker because they provide quality devices and accessories at affordable prices, and they have a solid track record of safety and consumer-friendly practices.
Snag this 1440p/240Hz OLED monitor for $300 before it’s gone
At $300, this AOC 27-inch 240Hz monitor is the best OLED deal on Prime Day, even if it’s not coming from Amazon.
Apple hiked the M5 MacBook Air’s price. Prime Day just erased it
If you’ve been waiting for the price of Apple’s M5 MacBook Air to come back down to earth, Prime Day just delivered. The 13-inch M5 MacBook Air is $1,099 at Amazon, the first time it’s dropped back to that price since Apple hiked it in June.
Disable this Windows 11 setting for a faster, longer-lasting laptop
The modern look of Windows 11 relies heavily on what is known as ‘Fluent Design,’ with transparent menus and smooth animations. It looks stylish, but it takes up processing power. According to Microsoft’s documentation, rendering certain glass effects — such as the so-called ‘Acrylic’ material — is GPU-intensive and can slow down system performance on older PCs or laptops, as well as putting greater strain on your battery.
Skip the 8GB laptops — this Asus Vivobook 16 with 16GB RAM is $140 off
If you’re shopping for a new laptop and don’t want to settle for 8GB of RAM, this Asus Vivobook 16 is definitely worth a look. It’s currently $529.99 at Amazon, which is $140.01 off of the original $670 price.
Samsung Odyssey G80SH review: A great-looking 4K OLED that’s easy to like
At a glanceExpert's Rating Pros 4K OLED with excellent picture quality Impressive anti-glare protection Elegant design Cons Plastic-feeling build and wobbly mount Limited customization options Our Verdict Samsung’s latest OLED monitors finally make its lineup worth a closer look, with prices that are much easier to justify. Price at time of review This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Price Today
Wallpaper Engine made my expensive gaming PC fun again
It’s been a rough year for PC hardware. It’s been a rough year in general, but it’s been particularly bad for anyone who wants to buy a new laptop, or desktop, or upgrade either of them. And if you think it’s frustrating spending 600 percent on memory, imagine how it feels to be reliant upon the consumer electronics industry for your job. With apologies for resorting to memes: I’m tired, boss.
Today’s best laptop deals: Save big on work, school, home use, and gaming
If you’re looking for an affordable Windows machine under $500, a blazing fast gaming beast for those intense matches, or a portable 2-in-1 for school or work, you’ve got plenty of great choices right now.
Minisforum MS-03 review: A powerful but flawed AI workstation
At a glanceExpert's Rating Pros Very high CPU performance Three 10 Gbit ports (2 × SFP, 1 × RJ45) plus 2.5 GbE Three M.2 slots and U.2 support PCIe slot for expansion cards Two USB4 ports and Wi-Fi 7 Intel vPro for remote management Cons Just one RAM module slows down the integrated graphics Large external power supply Fluctuating, clearly audible fan speed Only one high-speed USB port at the front Our Verdict The Minisforum MS-03 is a compact workstation designed for demanding networking and computing tasks.
Microsoft Office 2024 Pro Plus, Now $50 for LIFE!
Get a lifetime license for Microsoft Office 2024 Professional Plus for Windows, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, and Access, for $49.97 (MSRP $249.99).
Best Prime Day tech deals on Amazon: Top expert-curated picks
Officially known as Amazon Prime Big Deals Days, today mark’s the start of Amazon’s second annual Prime Day sales event, which runs from October 6 through October 7. It’s an opportune time to pick up some new gear at a good price. Perhaps get your holiday shopping started early?
Best laptops 2026: Premium, budget, gaming, 2-in-1, and more
PCWorld has been testing and writing about PCs since 1983. That’s a long time! Today, we put more than 70 laptops through our review process every year, covering everything from affordable everyday laptops to powerful gaming machines.
Best Chromebooks 2026: Top picks for work, school, and more
A laptop doesn’t need to do everything to be useful, you know. That’s the Chromebook in a nutshell. It keeps most of the experience inside a browser, which leaves behind the complexity that comes with a Windows PC. They can be remarkably quick, straightforward, and easy to live with. For this roundup, we focused on the models that deliver that experience without making big compromises on speed and battery life. Every laptop here was tested hands-on. Shopping during Amazon Prime Day?
Windows 11 26H2 isn’t exciting, but it does fix one real problem
Windows 11 26H2 dropped last week, but it doesn’t actually bring too much that’s new and interesting—and it may even cause issues for some. The update is a bit of a mixed bag as far as how well Microsoft has delivered on its promises, but if there’s one thing to be excited about, it’s that 26H2 brings some much-needed performance improvements.
ChatGPT is about to get its own digital wallet
Letting an AI agent do your shopping is, for better or worse, one of the hottest AI trends. And now it’s looking like ChatGPT will soon be joining the agentic shopping spree.
Windows 11 just made testing your internet speed easier
Since the end of February 2026, Microsoft has been distributing a new internet speed test via Windows Update. You can find it by right-clicking the network or Wi-Fi icon in the bottom-right corner of the taskbar. The option Perform Speed Test now appears in the menu.
Sony’s $400 noise-canceling headphones just dropped to $198
LOWEST PRICE EVER Sony WH-1000XM5 Headphones Premium, wireless, with active noise cancellation. View Deal Whether you’re on the subway, in a noisy office, or working out of a coffee shop, blo
Tested: Orico’s TB5 dock offers Thunderbolt 5 storage with extra benefits
At a glanceExpert's Rating Pros Very fast Thunderbolt 5 SSD performance Tons of ports in a nice arrangement Beefy power supply Cons On the expensive side The spacing of front USB ports is narrower than optimal Our Verdict Though pricey for pure storage, if you need more ports along with your super-fast 80Gbps SSD, the TB5 is a short-lister. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing
Microsoft warns: Windows 11 causes games and apps to crash
Microsoft has confirmed a bug in Windows 11 26H2, 25H2, and 24H2 that can cause some games and applications to crash. That’s right—even the recent major fall update 26H2 contains this issue.
Tested: This is the Acer laptop I keep reaching for
At a glanceExpert's Rating Pros Gorgeous OLED display Punchy audio Lightweight Solid all-around performance Plenty of ports Cons Solid battery life (though not class-leading) The keyboard takes some getting used to The display could be a tiny bit brighter Our Verdict The Acer Aspire 16 AI isn’t perfect, but it’s lightweight, capable, and has such a beautiful OLED display that I kept reaching for it anyway. Price When Reviewed This value will sho
How to get Amazon Prime for free
Amazon Prime membership includes loads of benefits—including the ability to shop Amazon’s best deals during big sales periods, like Prime Day and Black Friday. But here’s a secret: You don’t have to pay to take advantage of the benefits. At least, not at first.
Tired of Audible? These are my favorite free audiobook alternatives
If you like audiobooks but don’t want to be tied down to Audible, there are actually some good free alternatives out there. Two that I recommend are Audiobookshelf and Storyteller.
Instead of paying $99.99 for Microsoft 365, get the same subscription for $69.99 right here
TL;DR: Get a year of Microsoft 365 Personal with Copilot and 1TB of cloud storage for $69.99 (reg. $99.99).
Normally $199, you can now upgrade your PC to Windows 11 Pro for just $10
TL;DR: Windows 11 Pro is only $10 through October 4. Windows 10 is over 10 years old, and it really shows. Windows 11 Home is a solid upgrade, but it has its limitations. That’s why it’s worth it to jump straight to Windows 11 Pro, especially now that it’s only $10 (reg. $199) through October 4. Windows 11 Pro does everything 11 Home can do, with a few useful extras. BitLocker encrypts your entire drive, so files on a lost or stolen laptop are still protected.
Best Prime Day laptop deals: The best bargains we’ve found so far
I’ve been spending the past few months digging into laptop pricing, and one thing is incredibly obvious here. Laptops are getting wildly expensive thanks in part to the rising cost of RAM. But with Prime Day just around the corner (October 6th and 7th), some genuinely compelling discounts are starting to appear.
The best October Prime Day tech deals under $10
October Prime Day is next week, but we’re already seeing deals across Amazon. Some of those discounts are still hard to swallow, given the state of things in the world and the global economy. If you’re like me, your budget is tight—not much room to enjoy Prime Day sales.
Samsung’s 32-inch 1440p gaming monitor just hit $190, its lowest price
MATCHES LOWEST PRICE Samsung Odyssey G55C Monitor View Deal If you’re still stuck on a cruddy 1080p monitor and want to level up your gaming and workflows, stepping up to a 1440p display can be one of the best upgrades you
Best gaming monitors 2026: Displays that will do your games justice
Any monitor can be used for PC gaming, but a display built for productivity will likely leave you underwhelmed. Limited contrast, blurry motion, and slow refresh rates still hold basic productivity monitors back in games. Fortunately, there’s no shortage of excellent gaming monitors available at a wide range of price points—and the best of them embrace cutting-edge technology unavailable in any other PC display.
You don’t need max graphics settings for great PC gaming visuals
In the world of PC gaming, there’s a persistent myth that, to achieve maximum FPS rates (FPS, frames per second), you generally have to set all graphics settings to their maximum. However, we’ll show you that just a handful of settings are enough to massively enhance the visual experience without placing an excessive strain on modern graphics cards.
Best early Prime Day SSD deals: Save on storage before prices climb higher
PC upgrades cost more than they used to. At least, if you’re looking to get more storage space. AI data center buildouts have obliterated affordable prices for SSDs and hard drives. Even SD cards and flash drives haven’t been immune!
Your used CPU might come with someone else’s Valorant ban
With PC hardware more expensive than it’s ever been, doubly so for gamers, you might be tempted to hunt for used parts. That’s prudent and practical…but not without its risks. In addition to the usual problems of used goods with no warranty, you might just find yourself banned from your favorite online multiplayer game after you boot up with that new upgrade installed.
Best early October Prime Day deals on mini PC deals
Amazon’s October Prime Day is one of the best times of the year to score a mini PC deal. These compact machines have exploded in popularity thanks to their tiny footprints, surprisingly strong performance, and wallet-friendly prices. Whether you need a capable productivity box, a living-room PC, or even a compact gaming rig, Prime Day is packed with discounts worth considering.
Firefox can now show two websites in one tab. Here’s how
Firefox is making it easier to work with two web pages at once. In version 149, the developers added a new feature that allows a single tab to display two web pages side by side. You could, for example, keep Google Maps open on one side to follow your route while searching for accommodation on the other.
Best early October Prime Day deals on Thunderbolt docks, USB-C hubs
Amazon’s October Prime Day is one of the best opportunities for shoppers to score great deals on Thunderbolt docks and their cousins, USB-C hubs before the holiday season kicks off in earnest. I should know — I’ve been tracking them for years and years!
My phone ran Skyrim at 60 fps, and it wasn’t even streaming
Your phone can play games. You already know this if you’ve perused an app store in the last 15 years, or seen the absolute dregs of YouTube advertising. But did you know that your phone can play PC games?
ChatGPT Pro’s biggest perk just got cut in half. Meet the new AI subscription math
OpenAI unveiled several flashy new features during its annual developer’s conference Tuesday, from the always-on “Dot” work agent to a new, cloud-based security system that keeps constant watch for cyber threats. But one of the biggest — and to many ChatGPT users, the most infuriating — headlines from DevDay wasn’t announced on stage.
One last tour of the studio The Full Nerd called home for a decade
We’re taking a week off from recording the podcast, but don’t worry—Adam recorded a very special video giving you a behind-the-scenes tour of The Full Nerd studio with lots of fun anecdotes and stories!
I found a better way to search my Windows PC
Windows Search is fine, I guess. But Flow Launcher is a much quicker way to get around. While regular Windows Search can be slow with hit-or-miss results, Flow Launcher optimizes search results and uses keyboard shortcuts to navigate—and shortcuts are just better.
Compare 20+ AI models side by side for $54.97 for life
TL;DR: Compare answers from 20+ AI models in one dashboard with a lifetime ChatPlayground AI Unlimited Plan, on sale for $54.97 (reg. $619). Every AI model has different strengths, and figuring out which one to trust for a given task takes a lot of trial and error. A ChatPlayground AI Unlimited Plan lifetime subscription puts more than 20 models on hand in one place, and it’s on sale for $54.97 (reg. $619) through Oct. 4.
Cancel Microsoft 365 and get Microsoft Office for life for $30
TL;DR: Get Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and more when you get a Microsoft Office Pro lifetime license, only $30 through October 11.
A $100 PDF editor for $23.97, and the license never expires
TL;DR: AcePDF Converter & Editor handles PDF conversion, editing, OCR, and form building on Windows and Mac for a one-time $23.97 (MSRP $99.99).
Best PDF editors: Premium, budget, and free options
PDF files are a necessary component of our multi-platform world. With this convenient file format, users are able to view and share documents across various devices, using various operating systems and software programs.
Get Amazon’s 55-inch 4K smart TV for under $300 ahead of Prime Day
A 55-inch 4K Amazon TV, complete with Fire TV, HDR10, Wi-Fi 6 and an Alexa-enabled remote control, is currently available at its lowest price yet, making it particularly appealing to streaming enthusiasts.
Soulog Sense Goes Beyond Transcription to Turn Captured Context Into Useful Results
Log your Days. Log your life. AI Voice Recorder with a Personal Context System Soulog Sense There’s a particular kind of frustration that anyone juggling meetings, classes, or creative projects knows well: the good idea that slipped away because y
Best online backup 2026: Expert reviews and top picks
Online backup is your protection against any harm that might come to your computer or local storage devices. Mechanical failure, acts of malice, or natural disasters are serious threats to all of the data you have stored on your PC.
This $150 Ring doorbell + camera bundle is now $50 ahead of Prime Day
NOW $100 OFF Ring Battery Doorbell 2K + Indoor Cam Original value $149.98. Get this bundle for just $49.99. View Deal The Ring Battery Doorbell 2K is on sale for $39.99, down from $99.99. And
10 early October Prime Day tech deals worth buying right now
October Prime Day (officially known as “Prime Big Deal Days”) is coming next week! If you missed out on June’s Prime Day, this is your chance to snag a bunch of stuff on sale—hopefully stuff that’s already in your cart, waiting for you to pull the trigger.
Anthbot N8 review: Leaf cleanup is where this mower stands out
At a glanceExpert's Rating Pros Collects grass and leaves Automatic emptying is reliable Stable navigation via RTK and dual camera App comes with zones, profiles, and schedules Cons Noisy at 68 decibels Needs space to turn round Takes breaks to recharge Rainwater collects in the basket Our Verdict We tested the Anthbot N8, a robotic mower that collects grass clippings and clears leaves. It’s slower and louder than typical models, but its cleanup performance is hard to beat.
Spyware can listen in. This is the Windows setting I always change
Malware can gain access to more than just documents and apps on your PC. Get infected with a certain kind of virus, and your camera and microphone are fair game, too.
Logitech’s new $260 work/leisure headset is also repairable
Logitech’s new Zone Vibe Pro headset promises all-day comfort, active noise cancellation, and replaceable parts for a longer lifespan.
Microsoft promised a better Windows 11. Here’s its 6-month report card
This was supposed to be the year Microsoft fixed Windows 11. Back in March, Microsoft made an unusually blunt promise: Windows would become faster, more reliable, more consistent, and less eager to shove Copilot into every corner of the operating system. Six months later, Windows 11 26H2 is rolling out, and it’s time to grade the results. The early report card? Search earns an A-, Microsoft has done a decent job putting Copilot back in its lane, and Windows feels noticeably quieter.
I doubled my laptop’s battery life in a single click. Here’s how
It’s not often that I come across a productivity tip so good that it amazes even me. And that’s what happened when I started testing Windows’ hidden “energy recommendations” to extend laptop battery life.
What it costs to stream the top 100 TV shows of this century
If you have five years, four months, and $1,138 to spare, you might be able stream every one of The New York Times‘ top 100 TV shows of the 21st century.
Get a lifetime Adobe Acrobat replacement for $34.99
SwifDoo PDF Pro edits, converts, compresses, and signs PDFs on Windows, with OCR for scanned pages and batch processing for big jobs. A lifetime license is on sale for $34.99, with no subscription required.
Your PC Rig Is Optimized. Your Chair Probably Isn’t
Sit Smarter. Save Bigger. Up to 37% Off LiberNovo's Ergonomic Chairs VIEW SALE Gamers and PC users will spend hours tuning frame rates, working on a spr
Adios, Gems: Google’s new Gemini skills won’t be paywalled
One of the easiest ways to create your own, customized Gemini chatbot is about to be retired, but we just got a pair of encouraging updates about their replacements.
Amazon’s Fire HD 8 tablet just hit $79.99, its lowest price ever
NEW LOWEST PRICE Amazon Fire HD 8 Tablet (newest model) View Deal Tablets with a compact 8-inch display are especially appealing if all you want to do is read ebooks, watch
Firefox’s biggest redesign in years just landed with Nova
Firefox 157 is out for Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android and the biggest change in this version is the new Nova design, which brings a more modern look to the browser. Mozilla has also fixed over 70 security vulnerabilities, and updates are also available for the Firefox ESR versions.
Windows 11 26H2 update has known issues. You might want to wait
Windows 11 26H2 is here earlier than expected, but before you run off and install it, you might want to take a second. Microsoft has issued a warning that the update contains a few known issues.
Ashampoo Backup Pro 27 review: Easy, effective PC backup, but not ‘pro’
At a glanceExpert's Rating Pros Friendly interface Drive, partition, and file/folder (plain and compressed) backup with versioning Support for network sources and destinations Supports some cloud storage services Cons No more true real-time or continuous backup No backup using the recovery media Our Verdict Backup Pro 27’s friendly interface helps new users through imaging, versioned file backup, and disaster recovery. However, some features that would render it truly “Pro” aren’t included. Price When Reviewed
Windows 11 26H2 is here earlier than expected. Here’s how to get it
According to past patterns, Windows 11 26H2 should’ve released next Tuesday… but it’s actually already here. Windows 11 PCs running 25H2 or 24H2 (but not 26H1, which is specifically for Arm PCs) will receive the update as a tiny enablement package.
Switching to New Outlook? Here’s how to move your calendar and contacts
If you’re moving your data to the latest version of Microsoft Outlook, it’s important to know that your calendar and contacts may need to be handled separately from your email.
Save $100 on the Echo Show 11 before Prime Day even starts
MATCHES LOWEST EVER PRICE Amazon Echo Show 11 View Deal Want to smarten up your home with a gorgeous, versatile device you’ll actually use every day? The Amazon Echo Show 11 is a large Alexa-powered screen that can also act
RAM and SSD prices are soaring. Here’s how to buy a PC without overpaying
Do you need a new computer? Unfortunately, the market is currently experiencing high prices and uncertainty due to the massive wave of investment in AI. But it’s still possible to get ahold of a decent machine — even if you might have to compromise on your budget or your requirements.
Passkeys are safer than passwords. Here’s how to protect yours
Passwords? Left behind in the dust. You’ve moved on to passkeys—but you may not have locked them down properly. Most people use their phones, password manager, or PC to store passkeys. Each has their advantages, but they should be secured in slightly different ways. You may also not have covered your butt in the event you ever lose access to those devices. Here’s how to get everything in order. Cloud-saved passkeys
Acer Swift Air 14 review: This $699 MacBook challenger holds its own
At a glanceExpert's Rating Pros Excellent battery life Good display Aggressive price tag Cons Annoying keyboard bug Average performance 8GB of memory might not be enough for certain applications Our Verdict Acer’s Swift Air 14 mostly hits its mark as a solid budget productivity laptop. However, its 8GB of memory still can pose problems in certain scenarios. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Be
Control your PC from your phone with this free app
Phones and computers don’t always play nice together, especially when you’re bouncing between the two–it can be super annoying. KDE Connect is a handy app that helps fix this issue by linking your devices and letting them share files and notifications, while also allowing you to control your PC from your phone (or vice versa).
During this Flash Sale, a Microsoft Project Pro lifetime license is only $50
TL;DR: Microsoft Project Professional 2024 is a full project management tool for Windows, and a lifetime license is on sale for $49.97 (reg. $1,129.99) through October 4.
OpenAI’s Dots are always-on AI agents for work
Meta’s Muse agent was born to shop, while Gemini’s Spark can help you book airline tickets or plan your weekly meals. But while Muse and Spark act like personal assistants, OpenAI’s new AI agents are designed to be, well, another “you” in the office.
Best Windows backup software for PCs and laptops
By now, the importance of backing up your Windows PC or laptop goes without saying. It only takes a moment to consider how much of your data is at potential risk of a drive failure, natural disaster, or a bad actor, if you don’t have a solid backup plan in place. The best Windows backup software includes file backup, sure, but also disk imaging and full image restore, as well as disaster recovery.
Claude Sonnet 5.5 is here. This prompt stops it from wasting your usage
The latest version of Claude Sonnet—Anthropic’s workhorse AI model—has just landed, and with it comes a prompt that could help keep any AI agent from leaping into action before making a plan first.
Windows 11 can keep traces of deleted photos. Here’s what you can do
A viral social media post claims Windows 11 stores a preview of every photo ever deleted. The controversy centers around a well-known Windows feature called the thumbnail cache, which can still contain image thumbnails long after their original files have been deleted.
When is Windows 11 26H2 coming? Here’s what the pattern says
Microsoft hasn’t confirmed a release date for Windows 11 26H2 yet, but the pattern of past fall updates points to October 6th, 2026.
Discord’s age verification is less terrible than I expected
Back in February, Discord first attempted to launch its age verification process—only to run straight into massive user outcry. In response, the company went back to the drawing board. Now, half a year later, the branding of teen and adult accounts has finally rolled out.
This $12 USB-C hub adds 5 ports your laptop should’ve had
NOW JUST $12 Ugreen Revodok 5-in-1 USB-C Hub View Deal Tired of missing connectivity on your laptop? Wish you had extra USB-A and HDMI slots but don’t want to buy a bunch of different adapters to juggle? There’s a small acc
SD cards cost way more now. Here’s how to make yours last
Thanks to AI data centers, consumer SSDs, flash drives, and SD/microSD cards have doubled or even tripled in price. That really sucks if you haven’t stocked up on local storage options, and it really sucks if you’re relying on SD/microSD cards for DSLRs, dashcams, security cameras, and more.
Meta’s new VR headset forgot about the games
I have a medium-intensity interest in virtual reality gaming. I’m excited to try Valve’s new Steam Frame, and an older VR headset design helped me lose a ton of weight. VR, more than any other technology, has the potential to change how video games are experienced.
Want your photos to survive for decades? A digital archivist explains what to do
Some people spend most of their digital lives on social media and save almost nothing with the intention of preserving it for the future. They might share photos and videos on Instagram or send them via a messaging app, but it’s all ephemeral. If they ever want to keep something, they might order prints or a photo book.
Learning piano? This AI teacher gives you live feedback, and a 5-year subscription is on sale for $80
TL;DR: Instead of grinding through video tutorials, flowkey listens while you play and provides live feedback, and a 5-year subscription is only $80 right now.
Best budget computer speakers: Great PC audio from $25 to $150
Sometimes you just want to relax and hear your music or movie’s audio without being encumbered by wearing headphones. That’s especially true when you’re enjoying media with friends or family. Of course, laptop speakers aren’t known for having great sound — they often sound muffled, tinny, and/or lacking in audio fidelity. The solution, friends, is a solid set of PC speakers to get the best sound from your media files.
Gemini Gems appear to be on their way out, Reddit screenshots show
If you’re a fan of Gems—the Gemini feature that lets you create customized Gemini chatbots with their own instructions and knowledge files—prepare for some big changes coming soon.
Google will let some Chromebooks upgrade to Googlebook OS
A few days ago, Google quietly announced that it’ll be allowing certain Chromebook models to upgrade from ChromeOS to Googlebook OS at some point in the future. The announcement was made via a new support page, spotted by The Verge.
Anker’s clever $16 USB-C cable charges 2 devices at once
MATCHES ALL-TIME LOW PRICE Anker 140W USB-C splitter cable View Deal What do you do when you need to charge two devices? One option is to use a multi-port charger with multiple cables. Another option is to use a single USB
Ring’s popular Indoor Cam just dropped to $25 — its lowest price ever
MATCHES LOWEST PRICE Ring Indoor Security Camera View Deal There’s one thing that’ll give you peace of mind when you’re on vacation, at work, or on a grocery run—a security camera that watches over your home and lets you tu
Microsoft Office suddenly needs to reactivate? A bad update might be why
Microsoft recently released optional out-of-band update KB5002907, intended to bring outdated versions of Microsoft 365 Apps back in sync and continuing to receive updates. However, Microsoft quickly halted the rollout of this update due to a serious issue.
Windows 11’s ads are way too pushy. These 9 settings fix the worst
Remember back when Windows 11 first came out and Microsoft gave everyone a free pass to upgrade? On the surface, it was a generous move; in actuality, it was a ploy to lure us away from Windows 10. get windows 11 pro for cheap Windows 11 Pro
Samsung’s 49-inch ultrawide monitor is $400 off ahead of Prime Day
BEST PRICE ALL YEAR Samsung ViewFinity S9 Ultrawide Monitor View Deal Prime Day is a week away and we’re already seeing impressive discounts for tech gear we’ve been eyeing. Right now, Samsung’s impressive 49-inch ultrawide
Your monitor placement is hurting you. Don’t make these 5 mistakes!
Monitor placement is key to a healthy posture at your desk, whether for work or gaming. If the monitor is too far, too close, too high, too low, or tilted at the wrong angle, you will develop posture-related problems at some point—like eye strain, fatigue, back pain, or more severe issues like herniated disks and pinched nerves.
The FBI employee data hack offers three useful lessons for all of us
I don’t work for the FBI. (Obviously.) But I’ve avidly followed the news that ShinyHunters, a prolific hacking group, allegedly broke into the FBI’s personnel records. The high profile nature of this hack makes me wonder how well the agency’s employees will weather any data theft—and what lessons we ordinary folk can take away from such a situation.
Tested: TerraMaster’s D8 enclosure enables SSD speed, HDD capacity
At a glanceExpert's Rating Pros Supports four NVMe SSDs and four SATA SSDs/HDDs Good USB 3.2 10Gbps performer Easy drive access and installation Cons No hardware RAID 10Gbps limits NVMe performance Our Verdict This eight-bay (four M.2 NVMe and four 3.5-inch SATA) 10Gbps storage box from TerraMaster offers a ton of capacity and decent performance. However, there’s no hardware RAID and 10Gbps limits the NVMe performance. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today
This global disaster map is useful and strangely addictive
I’m not one that typically seeks out disaster news, but there’s something strangely addictive about the interactive disaster tracking map from The Emergency and Disaster Information Service (EDIS). It’s run by the Hungarian National Association of Radio Distress-Signaling and Infocommunications (RSOE).
Windows 11 Pro and Office 2019 land on one PC for $26 total
TL;DR: Get Windows 11 Pro and Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2019 together for $25.99 (reg. $428). Save for your personal work or business with this deal: two license keys, one payment, and zero monthly fees. Grab the All-in-One Microsoft Office Pro Plus 2019 for Windows and Windows 11 Pro bundle for $25.99 (reg. $428). What’s in the bundle
Get lifetime web hosting for unlimited websites at $149.99
Hostdeal’s Unlimited Plan swaps monthly hosting bills for one payment, covering unlimited websites, NVMe SSD storage, bandwidth, and 54 free lifetime domains.
Edit and convert PDFs without committing to another software subscription — this one’s a flat $40
TL;DR: Get lifetime access to PDF Agile for $39.99 instead of signing up for an ongoing Adobe Acrobat subscription. Adobe Acrobat may be the familiar name for working with PDFs, but it’s far from the only tool available. PDF Agile offers another way to handle everyday PDF tasks without adding another recurring software expense. The all-in-one editor normally costs $119, but it’s currently available for $39.99 with lifetime access. PDF Agile is simple and easy to use. It can edit text, images, or scanned files directly, and
10 early October Prime Day deals worth buying right now
October Prime Day (officially known as “Prime Big Deal Days”) is coming next week! If you missed out on June’s Prime Day, this is your chance to snag a bunch of stuff on sale—hopefully stuff that’s already in your cart, waiting for you to pull the trigger.
SCUF’s premium PC-only wireless controller just hit its lowest price ever
Amazon is currently selling the SCUF Envision Pro Wireless for 119.99 euros. Just a few days ago, according to the price history, the PC gaming controller cost 194.83 euros – a difference of almost 75 euros.
Best gaming laptops 2026: 4 top options for portable performance
Not all gaming laptops are created equal, which is important to know when you’re shopping for one. Some are designed to give you the best performance possible, while others prioritize color accurate displays. The real test is how they hold up in actually gameplay.
Windows 10 is more stable than Windows 11 in 2026, data shows
Time and again, Microsoft has to issue fixes for Windows 11 because its monthly updates cause unexpected damage. But just how prone to errors is Windows 11 really, given the number of updates that constantly cause new problems? And how robust is Windows 10 in comparison?
Microsoft is quietly killing its Copilot+ PC brand
When AI PCs first hit the market back in early 2024, Microsoft led the initiative with its hyped-up Copilot+ PC branding. The “Copilot+ PC” label was reserved for Windows machines that met minimum specs for running local AI features: an NPU with 40+ TOPS, at least 16GB of RAM, and at least 256GB of SSD storage, plus Windows 11 24H2 or later.
Want more PC storage space? This free duplicate-file finder is the key
Our mobile phone cameras are taking increasingly better photos and videos, and this isn’t all good news. One of the consequences is that the files themselves are taking up more and more space, and this can become a problem for anyone who saves them on their computer.
Amazon’s Alexa smart plug hits its lowest price. Get it for half off today
MATCHES LOWEST PRICE Amazon Smart Plug View Deal If you’ve ever complained about getting off the couch just to turn off the lamp across the room, then this smart plug from Amazon might be just what you need.
24 travel tech gadgets that’ll level up your next trip
With vacation season upon us, it’s time to figure out what to pack for your trips, whether it’s gear for the car, accessories that help you connect to your entertainment, or gadgets for backing up all your pics.
End the pricing tricks. Just combine Disney+ and Hulu already
Disney doesn’t seem to think too highly of its individual Disney+ and Hulu subscribers. That’s the only explanation for its latest price hikes, which largely eliminate any reason to pay for either service separately. Oh, Disney will still let you do it, but you’ll only be saving 50 cents per month versus the bundle of Disney+ and Hulu together. The a la carte route is a rip-off by design, intended to make Disney’s bundles look more attractive.
Microsoft Copilot wants to automate your work. Do you trust it?
For years, collaborating inside Office documents has been the foundation of Microsoft’s productivity scheme. But what’s the plan for the future? In a telling sign of the AI era, users may collaborate and share custom apps they’ve created themselves in Copilot.
Meta’s Muse AI assistant was born to shop
Let an AI agent go to town with your credit card? You must be nuts. But that’s the pitch — and the appeal — of Muse, the new agentic assistant from Meta that’s turned into an unlikely AI hit.
Is Windows 11 good enough yet?
After a viewer checks in on the state of Windows 11 in the latest episode of The Full Nerd, I’m forced to ask: has Microsoft done enough to improve Windows 11 in the last five years?
GeoGuessr fans should try this addictive history game
If you like GeoGuessr, then you’re going to love TimeGuessr. Although they’re made by different developers, it takes that same basic idea and adds a twist. Instead of scrolling around Google Maps, you’re given a random picture from history and you have to figure out where the photo was taken and when.
Accidentally deleted an important file? This $40 Windows recovery tool can help get it back
TL;DR: Recover deleted, formatted, corrupted, and otherwise inaccessible files with Magic Data Recovery for Windows. The lifetime Pro Edition license is currently $39.99 (MSRP $99.95), with unlimited recovery and support for more than 5,000 file types.
Best PCIe 4.0 SSDs 2026: 5 top picks from experts
Our list has picks for best PCIe 4.0 SSD overall, best on a budget, best for a game consoles, and more. Plus what you need to know about PCIe 4.0 drives in general.
Ring’s popular Indoor Cam is down to $25, matching its all-time low
MATCHES LOWEST PRICE Ring Indoor Security Camera View Deal There’s one thing that’ll give you peace of mind when you’re on vacation, at work, or on a grocery run—a security camera that watches over your home and lets you tu
Opera’s free VPN can now turn on by itself on public Wi-Fi
Opera hasn’t made much of a splash lately, with its most recent innovation being a new Paste Protect feature from July 2026 that blocks clipboard hijacking attacks. Indeed, it seems Opera is playing catch-up.
My lawn gave this Mova robot mower a real challenge
At a glanceExpert's Rating Pros Excellent traction on slopes and uneven ground Good obstacle detection and avoidance No boundary wire required Cons Automatic mapping struggled on a complicated lawn Expensive Large and heavy for smaller yards Our Verdict The Mova LiDAX Ultra 3000 AWD is a capable robot mower for challenging terrain, with excellent traction and dependable performance once its boundaries are established. Its unreliable automatic mapping, however, is a significant drawback at this price. Price When Reviewed
Can’t get started on a daunting task? Try this simple ChatGPT prompt
My goal was a simple one: Go to the DMV and replace my old driver’s license with a Real ID one. A tad annoying, yes, but not all that difficult. Yet somehow, I just couldn’t get it started.
Microsoft is killing its ‘Companion’ taskbar mini-apps in December
Back in August 2025, Microsoft launched a new kind of software initiative called “Microsoft 365 Companions,” which were like mini-apps that lived within the taskbar and served a middle-of-the-road solution between simple notifications and complex Widgets.
Google Chrome is a privacy nightmare. Fix these settings
Chrome is the most popular browser in the world by a country mile. With more than 77% of the browser market across all kinds of devices, it’s most people’s first choice—especially after a fresh Windows install. But Chrome isn’t some privacy-centric upstart that puts the user first. Just like Google’s “free” search engine, Chrome’s users are the product. The browser collects a lot of information about how, when, and where it’s used, and that can make some people uneasy.
These hidden Windows 11 tools can save your PC — and your workday
Ideally, your PC will work smoothly day in and day out. But when something goes wrong, you should have a game plan for solving your problems — and there’s even some new, updated features within Windows for doing so.
I’ve worked remotely for 20 years. Here’s what’s always in my laptop bag
One morning I’m working out of my home office, the next I’m working in a bustling coffee shop, and the next I’m working out of a fast food joint near my kid’s school. Being a working parent is hectic, and I’m lucky to have the flexibility to work wherever I happen to be.
How to Free Up Disk Space & Fix a Full C Drive on Windows 10/11
Running out of disk space on Windows 10/11 can trigger low disk space warnings and interfere with updates. In many cases, you can reclaim space without buying a larger drive or paid software.
One $32.97 purchase gets you Windows 11 Pro and the full Office suite for life
TL;DR: Get Windows 11 Pro and Microsoft Office with lifetime licenses for $32.97 through October 4, compared with a $418.99 MSRP. It’s a one-time purchase with no Microsoft 365 subscription or recurring license fees. If your PC is still running Windows 10, there are two areas to address: the operating system itself and the productivity apps you use every day. Windows 10 stopped receiving security updates in October 2025, while Microsoft 365 can cost nearly $100 per year. This bundle covers both needs with
EDU Unlimited gives you 1,000+ courses on business, design, AI, and more for $20
TL;DR: EDU Unlimited by StackSkills is a lifetime pass to more than 1,000 online courses in IT, design, coding, and business, and access is on sale for $19.97 (reg. $600).
Sorry, Microsoft: Haptic mice are a productivity gimmick
Mice from Logitech and now Microsoft support Windows’ latest feature: haptic feedback. But instead of serving as the next productivity enhancement, haptic mice feel like more of a convenience rather than a must-have.
Best 5 VPNs for streaming Netflix and other services
VPNs are best known for protecting your privacy online, but they’re also one of the most useful tools for streaming. Whether you’re traveling abroad, trying to access content from another country, or simply looking to avoid regional restrictions, a good VPN can open up libraries on services such as Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, Max, BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime Video, and more.
This 49-inch ultrawide monitor is $220 off — now just $530 at Amazon
NOW $220 OFF 49-inch Innocn Ultrawide Monitor View Deal If you need a massive ultrawide monitor but you’re on a tight budget, then here’s a deal to consider:
Make better use of the Copilot button and launch any app
Newer keyboards often feature a Copilot key, which by default launches Microsoft’s AI chatbot. If you don’t use Copilot, you can reassign the key. To do this, open Windows ‘Settings’ and go to ‘Bluetooth & devices > Keyboard.’ Under ‘Customize the Copilot key on your keyboard’, you’ll find a small menu where you can select the ‘Search’ option.
These are the best Thunderbolt docks you can buy right now
A Thunderbolt laptop docking station offers a serious boost to your productivity, providing support for old and new peripherals alike. It’s a necessity for a home office, but only buy what you need: In 2026, premium Thunderbolt 5 docks might be overkill for a Windows PC.
Anker’s best Amazon deals: $6 USB-C cables to a 250W charging monster
Anker sits among our favorite brands for accessories and gadgets, ranging from GaN chargers to power banks to USB-C cables and more. Stuff for your desk, stuff for your travels, and everything in between.
Chrome 154 fixes 108 security flaws, including 11 critical bugs
In the newest versions of Chrome—154.0.8037.57/58 for Windows and macOS, and 154.0.8037.57 for Linux—Google has fixed 108 security vulnerabilities, some of which are critical. None of them have been exploited in attacks yet. Meanwhile, Chrome 154 doesn’t offer any new features beyond these security improvements.
Lofree Flow 2 review: Great to type on, but oddly designed
At a glanceExpert's Rating Pros Exceptional build quality Quiet switches and a sound-dampening chassis Now with improved backlighting Cons Cramped key layout Limited, fiddly settings Moderate battery life Our Verdict The Lofree Flow 2 boasts brilliant build quality and a stylish design. However, it’s not the most practical keyboard, with a cramped button layout and limited battery life. Price at time of review This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today
Windows 11’s optional September update tries to fix Bluetooth again
Microsoft has released September’s optional Windows update, known as KB5124010 for Windows 11 25H2 and 24H2. It significantly improves the Bluetooth functionality of Windows 11 and optimizes File Explorer, plus adds a few minor features here and there.
I’m a PC expert, but I still can’t break these 8 bad habits
I have a confession to make: I don’t always do as I say. I’ve been a tech journalist for 20 years. Over those years, I’ve written countless how-to guides and advice columns, and I’ve made endless recommendations for how you should go about looking after, maintaining, and enhancing your PC. But I’m embarrassed to say, I don’t follow all of the tips and tricks I share, and I sometimes fall into the very traps I warn others against. It’s time to come clean and admit my mistakes.
RAM is painfully expensive. Make these 10 gaming PC upgrades instead
Any sports fan can tell you about the concept of a “rebuilding year,” when your team doesn’t have a realistic shot at the title, so they give the foundations of their franchise some much-needed TLC. I’m feeling that a lot at the moment, albeit in a twisted way. Because in terms of PC gaming performance, rebuilding is the only thing I’m not doing this year.
Buying a motherboard? Check this amazing site first
Shopping for a motherboard can get surprisingly complicated. A board might advertise five M.2 slots and a stack of PCIe slots, which sounds great… until you find out that using one of them can slow down or disable another.
Get lifetime AI stock analysis and a portfolio builder for just $59.99
TL;DR: Sterling Stock Picker combines stock analysis, personalized portfolio-building tools, and an AI financial coach in one platform, with lifetime access for $59.99.
Claude Opus 5.5 promises to cut the chatter
Better coding performance, improved safety and “alignment,” and greater value are among Anthropic’s selling points for its latest Claude Opus model. But for many Claude Opus users, one particular Opus 5.5 promise stands out: less chatter.
Google’s new Googlebook OS is basically Android for laptops
Not even a year ago, a rumor arose that Google was working on a new operating system for mobile platforms. Known as Aluminium OS, the OS would combine the best aspects of Android and ChromeOS, all while sidelining ChromeOS as Google’s OS of choice for laptops.
Lock down your Windows 11 taskbar so no one else can change it
The Windows taskbar is a pretty nifty thing, offering a wide range of customization options. You can change its position, size, the buttons displayed, the pinned programs, the appearance of the search box, and much more.
How to make CC emails stand out in Outlook
You probably get plenty of emails that are there to just keep you informed. You’re CC’d on the message, but you’re not actually expected to respond. If you want to make these emails easier to spot, you can set Outlook to highlight them in a different color. Here’s how to do it:
The Baseus Blade laptop power bank is 35% off, now $54 at Amazon
NOW 35% OFF Baseus Blade Laptop Power Bank View Deal The Baseus Blade is one of my favorite power banks for laptops. With its large capacity, fast charging speed, and slim-profile design, it’s the perfect companion for anyo
Windows 11’s audio bugs won’t be fixed until October
Microsoft is still busy addressing the damage caused by updates released on September’s Patch Tuesday. The Windows audio issues in particular are proving stubborn and still remain unresolved.
Tested: Ugreen’s Ryzen NAS makes 10GbE affordable
At a glanceExpert's Rating Pros Two 10GbE ports, which can be aggregated via link aggregation Four SATA bays, two of which also accommodate U.2 SSDs RAM upgradeable to 64GB; ECC modules supported Metal chassis, magnetic dust filter, quiet fan UGOS Pro with Docker, VMs, and AI photo search Cons Full volume encryption not available Only 8GB of DDR4 installed as standard Our Verdict The DXP4800 GT is not a refreshed DXP4800, but a completely new design. Two 10GbE ports, U.2-compatible bays, and a second f
Windows’ September update breaks File History. The fix is a rollback
Many users who have installed the latest September security patches for Windows have found that the “File History” feature no longer works—deleted or corrupted files can no longer be recovered.
34 work-from-home tech upgrades actually worth your money
Working from home is the dream for many people. But despite being more comfortable than a traditional office, your home office may not be optimally suited for productivity. Thankfully, it’s easy to upgrade your WFH life with a few choice products. With the right tools and equipment, your home workspace can be as efficient as you need it to be.
I’ve loved Razer’s weird keyboard for 20 years. Now make it wireless
The year is 2007. After two semesters of watching my college roommate play PC games on his laptop while I devoured Smash Bros. Brawl and Twilight Princess on the Wii U, I was ready to jump into PC gaming. But a decade plus of controllers made a mouse and keyboard look intimidating. The solution was the Belkin N52 Te, the third generation of a single-handed keyboard that looked appealingly controller-like to me.
Want your laptop battery to last for years? Avoid these 9 mistakes
One of the most frustrating aspects of an aging laptop is how the battery life diminishes. Even super-long-lasting laptops eventually decay, and what once lasted a full day starts needing a charge before the work day ends. Before long, you’re using it plugged in all the time.
Pay just $19.99 for a Windows PC cleanup toolkit
TL;DR: Get Ashampoo WinOptimizer Pro 29 for $19.99 and use its 30-module toolkit to clean junk, optimize Windows, troubleshoot crashes, and remove privacy traces.
The reviews don’t lie: These are the 5 best laptops for engineering students
Engineering students are constantly on the move. Lectures, labs, libraries. That’s why you need a laptop that can handle your workload without making you feel like you’re lugging around a block of concrete.
The best free VPNs: 5 no-cost top picks
VPNs, or virtual private networks, are among the best tools for protecting yourself online. They help keep your browsing anonymous, secure your data from prying eyes, and block invasive trackers from following your activity. On top of that, VPNs can bypass regional streaming restrictions and help prevent ISP throttling. The catch, however, is that most reliable VPNs require a paid subscription — and adding another monthly bill isn’t always ideal.
Anker’s USB-C splitter cable charges 2 devices. It’s at its lowest price now
MATCHES ALL-TIME LOW PRICE Anker 140W USB-C splitter cable View Deal What do you do when you need to charge two devices? One option is to use a multi-port charger with multiple cables. Another option is to use a single USB
Microsoft Defender is causing slow VLC startups. Here’s the fix
For some time now, there have been complaints across various online forums about how the popular VLC Media Player takes several seconds (sometimes half a minute!) to start up. The problem occurs regardless of size or the type of media file you wish to play. There’s also some unfounded accusations against the VideoLan developers; one often reads claims that Microsoft is deliberately slowing down the open-source media player.
Mac Studio (M5 Max) review: Shifting into overdrive
At a glanceExpert's Rating Pros Dramatic SSD speed boost Enhanced external display support Cons RAM and SSD are not user upgradeable Our Verdict The Mac Studio’s SSD speed improvement is so dramatic that even if you bought an M4 Max or M3 Ultra Mac Studio–the previous models–you should consider upgrading to the M5 Max Mac Studio. Plus, the external display support is expanded. Sure it’s expensive, but if you want the best Mac ever made, accept no substitute. Price When Reviewed This value will show the g
The first Googlebooks are here: I tried all 5 from Acer, Dell, HP, Asus, and Lenovo
It’s the official launch day for Google’s refreshed take on laptops. You can read my impressions here — long story short, it seems to be a platform made with phone-first users in mind. But if you’ve decided that you’re interested and want to pick one up, you have a choice of five at the launch, from the biggest names in the laptop industry: Acer, Asus, Dell, HP, and Lenovo.
I spend all day at my PC. These 10 desk gadgets under $50 are actually useful
As a tech journalist, I have a lot of gadgets… not just the ones I research and write about, but the ones that keep me sane and productive day to day. I spend so many hours at my desk and I’ve learned that the right gadgets can turn any cluttered, boring, undesirable workspace into a spot I actually look forward to and enjoy sitting at.
AMD GPU and motherboard prices could jump 10% soon, Ryzen may follow
According to information from ChannelGate, AMD may be set to raise prices on several of its products, reported by Digital Trends and gathered by @harukaze5719 on social media.
The Googlebook’s most compelling AI feature isn’t even AI
Google’s new Googlebooks are finally here! As promised, they come with a bevy of flashy Gemini features, including an AI-enabled mouse pointer, a local dictation tool, and the ability to create desktop widgets with prompts. But the Googlebook AI feature that really got my attention isn’t, strictly speaking, an AI feature.
Why the dumbest headphones might be the smartest ones
I take it back. I was wrong to scoff at the kids. A few months ago, an article crossed my feeds about wired earbuds. According to my juniors, this retro tech represents elegancy and simplicity—a better time. I was initially appalled at the characterization. Having lived through tangled wires and multiple snapped cords, I know exactly how Bluetooth headphone dominance came about. But after yet another confirmation of a security vulnerability in a wireless audio device, I’ve been rethinking my position.
This free Windows app makes file conversion ridiculously easy
Writing for a living means that I’m constantly converting text between Word documents and PDFs, or images into PNG or JPG files that I can use. Converting these files typically means either opening a separate app, uploading it to a website, or digging through a bunch of menus. File Converter cuts out all of that work by adding conversion tools right into the Windows context menu.
Skip the new computer and upgrade your existing PC to Windows 11 Pro for less than $10
Windows 11 Pro adds professional and power-user features like BitLocker, Hyper-V, and Windows Sandbox alongside Windows 11’s everyday multitasking and security upgrades. A license is currently on sale for $9.97 through September 27.
This 1min.AI plan gives you lifetime GPT-5.5 Pro, Claude, Sonnet & more for just $99.99
TL;DR: Get a 1min.AI Advanced Business Plan Lifetime Subscription with flagship AI models, all product features, and 4 million monthly credits for $99.99 (MSRP $540).
Block every ad and tracker for life with AdGuard’s $11 family plan
TL;DR: AdGuard’s Family plan blocks ads, trackers, and malware across nine devices, and a lifetime subscription is on sale for $11 (reg. $169.99). Ads, trackers, and shady pop-ups are on almost every site out there, and free ad blockers rarely catch what’s important. AdGuard’s Family plan blocks all three at once, and a lifetime subscription is on sale for $11 (reg. $169.99).
This Lenovo Chromebook touchscreen drops to $80
A refurbished 11.6-inch touchscreen Chromebook with 4GB RAM and 32GB storage, Grade B condition, now $79.99 with free shipping.
Microsoft spreads its version of DLSS to more Intel laptops
There’s more than one kind of optimized upscaling for games. Nvidia does it (DLSS), AMD does it (FSR), Intel does it (XeSS). And you might be surprised to hear that Microsoft does it, right there in Windows. Auto Super Resolution has been quietly spreading out to more and more hardware, and this week it comes to laptops and desktops with the latest chips.
Understand complex PDFs faster with Adobe Acrobat
Sign up for the Adobe Acrobat 7-day free trial Learn more The demands and pace of modern business can mean that there’s less time than you’d like to work through dense materials and produce insights. It’s no
Best laptops for college on Amazon right now
Finding the right laptop for college can be harder than it sounds. Amazon, for example, has thousands of models to choose from. Once you start comparing processors and screen sizes, it’s easy to get lost in the sauce (as they say).
Asus ProArt KD300 review: A tiny keyboard with big features
At a glanceExpert's Rating Pros A high-quality feel Smart touch control Smooth and flexible with settings Good battery life Cons Cramped key layout Unclear what the ‘professional’ angle is Our Verdict I’ve no idea what makes the ProArt a keyboard specifically for professionals, and the extra-compact layout won’t be to everyone’s taste. But it’s backed by a smart and user-friendly system, and the quality is undeniable. Price at time of review This value will show the geoloc
8 PC gaming upgrades under $100 that are actually worth it
Gaming on a budget doesn’t have to mean compromising on quality. Whether you’re a casual player or a dedicated enthusiast, finding the right accessories can make the precious hours you get to spend in front of your computer that much better… without emptying your wallet.
Your monitor says it has HDR. That might not mean much
Imagine you just bought a brand-new monitor that prominently advertises its HDR capabilities. You hop over to YouTube and stream the first “4K HDR” video you find… but it looks washed out or barely any different from the non-HDR display you had before.
Power 6 devices at once with this Anker station, now 25% off
Anker Prime Charging Station View Deal There’s no better time than now to pick up a charging station, especially with 25 percent off this Anker model That brings it down to
Custom GPTs in ChatGPT are going away. Here’s how to save yours
Used for everything from oft-repeated prompts workflows to role play, custom GPTs in the ChatGPT app will soon be “retired,” but there are ways to keep yours going.
Linux fixed a Windows frustration I didn’t know I had
I don’t know about you, but when I tuned into this week’s episode of The Full Nerd I was mostly just excited to hear about the Steam Frame. I haven’t bought a VR headset since the Quest 2 but I’m still curious about the state of VR gaming, and I’m sorely tempted to buy a Frame despite the eye-watering $1,000+ price tag.
This free Photoshop alternative runs right in your browser
It can be tough to justify shelling out for Photoshop if you only need to edit images every now and then. As an alternative, I recommend checking out Photopea. It’s a free image editor that runs right in your browser.
Get a lifetime license to Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and all the rest for $55
TL;DR: Get Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and more with a lifetime license to Microsoft Office 2024, now only $54.99 (reg. $249.99).
The real reason your Windows 11 taskbar couldn’t move for 5 years
When Microsoft made the switch from Windows 10 to Windows 11 as their operating system of focus, it wasn’t just the look that changed. A number of useful features were also removed, like the freely repositionable taskbar and the customizable Start menu.
Get a daily iPhone briefing with one simple Apple AI prompt
The long-awaited Siri AI revamp finally landed this week with the arrival of iOS 27—but aside from the new Siri, iPhone users got another Apple Intelligence-enabled superpower.
Tapo’s 4K solar security camera kit just hit its lowest price ever
NEW LOWEST PRICE Tapo C660 Solar Security Camera View Deal If you’ve always wanted an outdoor security camera for your home but dreaded the wiring, the battery upkeep, or the paid subscriptions for storing footage, then her
Anker’s 100W USB-C cable is just $5 each at Amazon right now
NOW JUST $10 Anker 100W USB-C cables (2-pack) View Deal It’s time to upgrade your USB-C cables! Ditch your old ones—especially if you got them over five years ago and they came bundled with a device—and start using
iFixit now has a dozen guides for repairing your Steam Machine
If you look at the Steam Machine as a game console, it’s remarkably open and repairable. With a little bit of knowledge and research, you can mod both the hardware and software down to the bones. But if you look at it as a PC, it’s suddenly more intimidating. Even by the standards of a small form factor device, this thing is tiny and complicated.
10 Amazon tech deals under $50 that are actually worth buying
There’s a lot of crap on Amazon. Like, a lot. You might be able to find a diamond in the rough every so often, but those diamonds are getting harder to find in a sea of trash that keeps growing. For every Anker, there are dozens of no-name knockoffs to wade through.
Tested: Aura’s automatic data removal requires some oversight
At a glanceExpert's Rating Pros Automates a substantial amount of data-broker opt-out work Monitors supported sites and can resubmit requests if data reappears Provides guided self-service options when automation isn’t possible Browser extension expands the number of brokers Aura can reach Cons Data removal isn’t available as a standalone service Some removals still require manual action “Removed” doesn’t always mean Aura independently verified that the record is gone Google Search Cleanup results require careful vetting
The NFL app is (still) an insult to sports streaming
Football fans who spent $15 per month on an NFL+ Premium subscription received a rude awakening on Sunday afternoon, when the NFL app refused to stream.
The one-size-fits-all laptop is dying
Stop buying a “good PC” and trying to make it do what you want. The PC ecosystem offers more diversity than ever, with purpose-built niche PCs that now align with what you want from them.
Asus Zenbook 14 review: A $799 laptop that feels pricier than it is
At a glanceExpert's Rating Pros Good office performance Lightweight, stylish Great OLED screen and good sound The price! Cons Modest battery life Only available with a 256 GB SSD Our Verdict Asus strikes the right balance with the ZenBook 14, delivering a laptop that feels premium without costing a fortune. A small SSD and a small battery bring the rating down slightly. But if you use the laptop wisely, these drawbacks are less of an issue. Price at time of review This va
This PDF editor has no monthly fees, and it’s on sale now for $30
TL;DR: AcePDF converts, edits, and OCRs PDF files on Windows and Mac, and a lifetime license is on sale for $29.99 (reg. $99.99). Online PDF converters cap your file size, watermark the output, and route private documents through someone else’s server, and most desktop editors bill by the month. AcePDF is a desktop PDF converter and editor for Windows and Mac, and a lifetime license is on sale for $29.99 (reg. $99.99).
The verdict is in: These are the 7 best external SSDs for gaming
Maybe your gaming laptop doesn’t have enough storage. Or maybe you simply want to render your game library portable between systems. Rather than upgrade your internal storage — add a speedy external SSD. Not only will you have a lot more fast storage for your games, you can use it on any system you wish.
Google just fixed 42 Chrome security flaws. Update now
In the new versions of Chrome 153.0.8010.47/48 for Windows and macOS, and 153.0.8010.47 for Linux, Google has fixed more than 40 security vulnerabilities, some of which are critical. According to Google, none of the patched vulnerabilities have been exploited in attacks yet.
MyPDFTools review: A handy free PDF toolkit with some rough edges
At a glanceExpert's Rating Pros 36 free browser-based PDF tools Clean, intuitive interface Strong performance on routine PDF tasks No account or software installation required Cons Editing tools are limited PDF-to-Word conversion can lose formatting and layout OCR supports only English and files up to 30 pages Limited transparency about who operates the service Our Verdict MyPDFTools is a convenient free option for quick, low-stakes PDF tasks, with a broad set of tools that generally handle the basics well.
This retro-styled Ryzen 7 mini PC with 16GB RAM is now $518 at Amazon
NEW LOWEST PRICE Acemagic Retro X3 Mini PC View Deal Mini PCs are great for saving space on a cramped desktop and for solid performance at affordable prices. Not just good for day-to-day office work, they’re also ca
Roborock Qrevo Edge 2 review: Slim and powerful (with caveats)
At a glanceExpert's Rating Pros Fits under low furniture Side brush and swivel mop cleans corners and edges Split main brush effectively reduces hair tangles The docking station washes at up to 176 F and dries them at 131 F Cons Thresholds over 0.8 inches are an obstacle No cleaning solution tank Our Verdict The Roborock Qrevo Edge 2 is a great pick if you have low furniture and lots of edges to clean, but its limited threshold clearance and lack of automatic cleaning-solution dispensing keep it from being an all-around winner.
This retractable 3-in-1 charging cable is now just $10
NOW JUST $10 Lisen 3-in-1 Retractable Charging Cable View Deal Is your car’s center console a nightmare to navigate? Wish it was easier to charge your phone while driving and cleaner and more organized when you are
This hidden VLC feature lets you stream thousands of free TV channels
A little-known VLC feature lets you open supported video and audio streams straight from a URL. Pair that with the IPTV-org GitHub project and you instantly have thousands of free TV channels.
The used PC parts market is full of deals — and traps
Whenever the retail market loses its mind, we can always turn to the second-hand market for relief. It’s there with open arms to give us months-old and years-old hardware at great prices. Right?
My high-end PC was already fast. These 10 accessories transformed it
Whether you’re buying a high-end gaming desktop, a compact mini PC, or simply docking your laptop, those accessories you bought 5+ years ago might be showing their age—and even dragging you down.
Nobody wants to buy Microsoft Office, but everyone eventually needs it — Now $33
TL;DR: Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and more in a one-time purchase, with no Microsoft 365 subscription required, on sale for $32.97 (reg. $219.99) through September 27.
Beats Solo 4 headphones are $70 off. Their 50 hours of battery life is killer
NOW $70 OFF Beats Solo 4 Wireless Headphones View Deal Good headphones tend to cost a lot, so you either have to pony up the cash or wait around for sales. Well, today is the latter opportunity with the
Want a laptop under $500? These 3 are the best
Need a laptop that won’t break the bank but still gets stuff done? We picked the best laptops under $500 that can easily handle your day-to-day workloads.
Firefox 156 opens PDFs 45% faster, plus a few annoying bug fixes
Today, Mozilla released Firefox 156 to the Release channel, which is basically all users in the general public. It’s a pretty limp update by all accounts, without any standout new features and just a handful of minor bug fixes spread out across components.
Webcam not showing up on a call? Check these 4 things
Suddenly, it happens. You’re about to use your computer to join a video meeting and connecting goes perfectly. You can talk, chat, and see all the other participants just fine, but the problem is that no one else could see you.
Windows 11 and 10 get emergency patches, but AMD GPU issues remain
Microsoft’s September Patch Tuesday fixed a record 700+ security vulnerabilities across Windows versions, but it also caused some issues—most notably the breaking of USB audio on Windows 11. Now a week later, the company has released emergency out-of-band updates for both Windows 11 and Windows 10 to address some of those issues.
Logitech MX Mechanical review: It rattles more than you think
At a glanceExpert's Rating Pros Large, wide, spacious Convenient for both Windows and Mac Stylish design Cons Very noisy despite Quiet switches Only average battery life Our Verdict The MX Mechanical fails to live up to my high expectations, based on Logitech’s superb flat keyboards. The features are there, but the physical construction means it rattles and makes a lot of noise. Price at time of review This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Price Today Price When Reviewed15
12 overlooked PC building tools I wish I’d started using years ago
From flashlight gloves to pry tools, here are the cheap but overlooked accessories that make PC building faster and less frustrating.
Rockstar won’t say when GTA 6 hits PC, so I did the math
Millions of PC gamers are waiting for the new Grand Theft Auto...but they’ll be waiting for a while. For the Boost Mode newsletter, I peer into my crystal ball to see how long it might be.
How to reinstall Windows and give your PC a fresh start
Once upon a time, “reinstalling Windows” was an often recommended remedy for all sorts of computer problems. Windows 95 and XP were notorious for becoming less stable over time, with “crap in the machine” in the form of settings left in the Registry, traces of uninstalled programs that had not been properly removed, and other things that lurked. Indeed, many people chose to reinstall from time to time even if the computer showed no symptoms, as part of regular maintenance. get windows 11 pro for cheap Windows 11 Pro
One AI dashboard replaces your browser tabs and your Claude and GPT sub — $39.99
A lifetime subscription to AskAnyModel AI Pro Plan puts 50+ AI models, including GPT, Claude, and Gemini, in one dashboard with side-by-side comparisons, on sale for $39.99 (reg. $499.00).
Save $650 on this Lenovo RTX 5060 laptop with 16GB RAM today
This Lenovo LOQ 15.6-inch gaming laptop with RTX 5060, Core i7-13650HX, 16GB RAM is $1,199.99 (was $1,849.99) at Best Buy.
I write about AI for a living. Lately, I don’t know what to tell people
There’s a TV commercial making the rounds that makes me inexplicably happy. Misunderstood by his smart speaker, driven to work by a faceless automated taxi, and served the wrong coffee order by a multi-armed robotic barista, a weary and resigned bank customer breaks into a surprised smile when he’s greeted by — surprise! — a flesh-and-blood human.
Microsoft quietly reveals a redesigned Windows 11 mouse cursor
Back in June, Zac Bowden of Windows Central said Microsoft was rumored to be working on a mouse cursor redesign for Windows 11, with no real evidence except hearsay via “whispers” heard “internally.” But now it seems that tweet is being vindicated by a preview version of the OS. In recent patch notes for Windows 11 Insider Experimental Preview Build 26340.9354, a stray screenshot that’s illustrating a different feature (one that lets you resume activity from your phone on your PC) also shows a new cursor design in action:
Tested: These are the best SSDs you can buy right now
Solid state drives, or SSDs, are singularly responsible for vast improvements to PC performance over the last decade or so. Taking the place of mechanical hard drives, SSDs transformed once-ponderous boot times into being virtually instantaneous, programs and games are far more responsive, and the frustratingly long large-file loads are largely a thing of a past.
HP and Lenovo laptops are the latest victims of a Windows 11 update
It’s been over a month since Microsoft rolled out KB5121003—known as the August Patch Tuesday update—and we’re still feeling the effects of it. Wracked with issues like crashing games, broken printers and PDFs, and Teams and Outlook failures on Arm PCs, the very same update is also causing major instability on HP and Lenovo laptops.
This free PowerToys command bar replaces several Windows search features
The Microsoft PowerToys suite for Windows include the Command Palette, a tool that is often overlooked but actually offers a vast range of functions. For example, the program includes a search function that combines several other Windows search features into a single interface. The easiest way to install the PowerToys is via the Microsoft Store.
My favorite lightweight laptop is almost $500 off today
$880 — $470 off regular price Asus Zenbook A14 with 16GB of RAM SEE DEAL (function () { document.querySelector("#sticky-promo-block a").addEventListener("click", function(e) { const debug = document.location.host.search(/lndo.site|go-vip.net/) !== -1; const text = this.closest("#sticky-promo-block").querySelector("p.promo-title").textContent;
Tested: The Acemagic K1 is an affordable Ryzen 5 mini PC with one flaw
At a glanceExpert's Rating Pros Compact case with plenty of ports Impressive multi-core performance for its price range Low power consumption of around 5 watts when idle Second M.2 slot for additional mass storage Windows 11 Pro with updates largely up to date Cons SATA SSD significantly slower than NVMe RAM is soldered in place; cannot be upgraded Our Verdict The Acemagic K1 handles office work, video conferencing, and streaming without a hitch. For the price, the Ryzen 5 delivers surprisingly good multi-core performance;
Windows 11 has a secret way to skip the Microsoft account requirement
Microsoft really wants you to use a Microsoft account when setting up Windows 11, and that’s why the company has been killing the workarounds for using Windows 11 with only a local account. Even so, a new trick—one that’s incredibly simple—has just been discovered.
Windows 11’s September patch breaks USB audio, and there’s no fix yet
Microsoft recently confirmed that the September Patch Tuesday security update (KB5124008) is causing problems with USB audio on some Windows 11 systems. However, Microsoft did not disclose how many users are affected, only stating that some computers with USB Audio Class 1.0 devices are reportedly affected.
I unleashed AI on the Excel World Championship. It got ugly fast
Every year, hundreds of contestants compete to solve elaborate puzzles in Microsoft Excel for a small cash prize and bragging rights. Unfortunately, AI like Copilot and ChatGPT can now solve them in a fraction of the time.
Your PC knows your age. Your TV knows what you watch. Privacy is disappearing
Privacy used to be a default feature of technology. Computers didn’t know who you were. Nor did any of the other appliances and devices living in our homes.
Gmail’s hidden trick: One inbox, endless custom addresses
For those who read this newsletter, you’re probably aware that Gmail can do a lot more than most people think. But there’s one neat trick you may not know about and it’s called “plus addressing.” Add a plus sign and a word of your choosing after your address, and Gmail will deliver the message to your main inbox. Go ahead and give it a try: send a test email to youraddress+test@gmail.com. It lands right where your regular mail does.
Run Windows 11 Pro on your Mac through Parallels or Boot Camp for $10
TL;DR: Windows 11 Pro runs inside Parallels Desktop, VMware Fusion, or Boot Camp on a Mac, complete with BitLocker, Hyper-V, and Azure AD for business use, and a lifetime license is on sale for $9.97 (reg. $199.00) through September 27.
This 153-hour IT certification prep bundle is only $25 right now
The All-in-One CompTIA Certification Prep Bundle gives you 10 courses to help you prepare for major CompTIA certification exams, including practice tests.