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In a cloud-based, networked world, local storage still offers distinct performance advantages. Transferring 4TB of data across the usual home network is generally far slower than offloading it to a 20Gbps/40Gbps SSD, then walking it to its destination. Similarly, restoring a backup from local storage is far, far faster than pulling down your data from the web. We're talking gigbytes per second instead of megabytes.
Whatever your needs or intent, these are the best external drives we've tested, both in terms of performance and budget.
Why you should trust PCWorld for external drive reviews and buying advice: It's in our name! PCWorld's reviewers have been testing PC hardware for decades. Our storage evaluations are thorough and rigorous, pushing the limits of every product — from performance benchmarks to the practicalities of daily use. As PC users ourselves, we know what makes a product stand out. Only the best external drives make this list.
Crucial X9 Pro - Best 10Gbps external SSD
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The Comet browser was always intended to be a free competitor to Chrome and other browsers, though it started out locked behind that massive "AI" paywall. (In fact, Perplexity is so committed to the browser bit that it briefly entertained buying Chrome from Google, before the U.S. government decided that antitrust laws are more like guidelines.)
As of today it's free for anyone to use, along with its LLM-powered Sidecar feature, according to TechCrunch. Though the download site still indicates you either need a subscription or an invitation to use it, I was able to download and install it without logging in.
But in order to get the full powers of the browser, you'll still need that $200-a-month subscription. Without it you're rate-limited for its various tools, including text generation, shopping, and even logging in and "browsing" using your identity. Just be careful — like many LLM tools it has some rather glaring security issues.
Chris Hoff
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Apple revamped its smartwatch lineup, including a new SE model, with a mix of dramatic and subtle changes from previous versions.
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We've known for some time that Microsoft Office apps were getting new icons (thanks to a leak). But they're official as of today, according to Jon Friedman (CVP of Design and Research for Microsoft 365) in this Microsoft Design blog post.
Microsoft is rolling out the new design to users with immediate effect. In the post, Friedman explains the redesign's significance:
The last time Microsoft updated the Office icons was in 2018. Below, you can see all the redesigned icons side by side:
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 Best Buy recently kicked off a Member Deals Days sale, with exclusive discounts available only to My Best Buy Plus and My Best Buy Total members. With Amazon Prime Big Deal Days approaching, many retailers have begun introducing their own discount events, and Best Buy's is set to end this Sunday, October 5.
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Want to see even more? Take a peek at PCWorld's list of the top laptops you can get right now.
Why you should trust us: It's in our name! PCWorld prides itself on laptop experience and expertise. We've been covering PCs since 1983, and we now review more than 70 laptops every year. All of the picks below have been personally tested and vetted by our experts, who've applied not only performance benchmarks but rigorous usability standards. We're also committed to reviewing PC laptops at every price point to help you find a machine that matches your budget.
Best budget laptop deals under $500
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Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders are technically open, but you may have trouble grabbing the console before its June 5 release date if you haven't secured an order already. As of our latest sweep, the device is still completely out of stock at Walmart, GameStop, Best Buy, Target and other retailers. This has (mostly) been the case in the US since the Switch 2 first went up for sale on April 24, and it remains unclear when it'll change.
Your best hope right now might be ordering through Nintendo itself, as the console maker will start accepting pre-orders at its My Nintendo Store tomorrow, May 8. However, the company is only offering the Switch 2 through an invite system. It's been accepting registrations for that since April 2, and it's prioritizing invites for past Switch players and Switch Online subscribers before anyone else. So if you're just registering now, don't be surprised if your invite doesn't arrive for some time after the initial batch. Nintendo even updated the language on its pre-order page last month to note that some invite emails may not arrive until after the console has been released.
Nevertheless, we're keeping an eye out for any surprise restocks that may pop up. If you're still hoping to get your hands on the device early, we've rounded up all the Switch 2 pre-order listings we could
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