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PC World Latest News
Sep 02, 2025

This crazy Intel Core i9 mini PC with 32GB RAM is a steal for 45% off

This Acemagic mini PC is a tiny beast with a jaw-dropping configuration for the price. Inside you'll find it running on an Intel Core i9-11900H processor, a whopping 32GB of RAM, and a speedy 1TB SSD that's large enough to hold all your apps, pics, vids, and more. It's the perfect home office machine for work, leisure, hobbies, streaming, and more. Want to soup it up? It's user-upgradeable to 64GB memory and 4TB storage!

And it's indeed a workstation winner for productivity fiends because it can support up to three 4K@60Hz monitors via its HDMI 2.0, DisplayPort 1.4, and USB-C video ports. It also has way more ports than any laptop, including six fast USB-A, 2.5G Ethernet, and 3.5mm audio. For wireless, it comes with built-in Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2.

It's a compact yet responsive machine and you'd be hard-pressed to find a laptop this good for anywhere close to the same price. Get the Acemagic M1 mini PC for $440 while this deal's still available!

This crazy Core i9 mini PC with 32GB RAM is a steal for 45% offBuy now at

PC World Latest News
Sep 02, 2025

I used a standing desk treadmill for a month. Here's what I learned

So when I had the opportunity to test a WalkingPad Z1 folding treadmill for standing desks, I leaped at the chance! And I'm really glad I did because now I know what it's like to walk for hours every day while working. It isn't easy. I'm tired, I've fallen off a few times, and I find it annoying at times. I've certainly learned a lot from the experience.

After a month of on-again-off-again treadmill-walking while I work, I have some thoughts. Here's what the past month has taught me and whether I've decided to keep it or move on to something else.

Walking is way harder than standing This might sound obvious—and perhaps I missed the forest for the proverbial standing-desk trees here—but I was surprised how tiring it was to walk than to stand. I like to think I'm pretty active at my standing desk

PC World Latest News
Sep 02, 2025

Dolby Vision too dark? Dolby Vision 2 promises an AI-powered fix

The issue arises because what content creators see in their production studios can differ greatly from what we see in our living rooms. Video pros work with calibrated reference monitors in perfectly lit conditions; we, on the other hand, watch on consumer TVs with many different makes, models, and display technologies and in myriad lighting environments, from a pitch-black room to a brightly lit kitchen. 

That means content creators must take a one-size-fits-all approach when "grading" the brightest and darkest images of the picture for Dolby Vision, and in some cases, that means some viewers will be left straining to see what's happening on their screens. 

Now comes the next generation of Dolby Vision—the aptly named Dolby Vision 2—and with the help of AI, it aims to deliver more of a two-way approach (or "bi-directional" tone mapping, as Dolby is calling it) that can tailor Dolby Vision HDR images for your particular TV, and even according to the light in the room where you're watching. 

Debuting this week at IFA in Berlin, Dolby Vision 2 arrives with an important caveat: It will only work on forthcoming TVs with built-in Dolby Vision 2 circuitry. Hisense is the first TV manufacturer to get on board with the upgraded HDR standard, with its first Dolby Vision 2-enabled TVs to land "at a later date," the brand says. 

On the content side, CANAL is the first studio to pledge its support for Dolby Vision 2 on i

PC World Latest News
Sep 02, 2025

Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i 16 Gen 10 review: Greatness at every turn

Price When Reviewed

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Price When Reviewed$1,949

Best Prices Today: Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i 16 Gen 10 Aura Edition

PC World Latest News
Sep 02, 2025

Windows 11 25H2: Meet the exciting features coming to your PC soon

If you don't already have Windows 11, or just need a new license, you can grab it for 50 percent off on the PCWorld Software store right now.

For all systems that are already running on 24H2, the upgrade requires minimal effort. A small enablement package activates the new functions without the need for a complete reinstallation or in-place upgrade.

This procedure not only saves time, but also significantly reduces downtime, both in private households and in corporate environments. For Home and Pro editions, support is extended with the release by a further 24 months until 2027, for Enterprise and Education versions it's even extended by 36 months until 2028. Devices with older versions such as 23H2 or Windows 10, on the other hand, must go through the classic, more extensive upgrade process.



PC World Latest News
Sep 02, 2025

Upgrade to Windows 11 Pro and actually learn how to use it for just $20

PC enthusiasts and power users, here's a deal built for you: Windows 11 Pro plus a professional-grade tutorial, bundled for a clean $19.97, down from the usual $237 value. 

Why this matters: Windows?11?Pro isn't just a fresh look—it's packed with upgrades that optimize performance and security. Features like Snap Layouts, DirectX?12 Ultimate, BitLocker, Hyper-V, and Microsoft's integrated AI assistant Copilot offer real gains in control and productivity. How? You can get answers to questions, generate content, and even study with Copilot.

The included Essential Windows 11 Pro course (10 hours, 150 lessons) walks you through core features like

PC World Latest News
Sep 02, 2025

Founders, freelancers, hustlers: this AI tool just replaced half your workflow

If you've ever needed to write a cold email, draft a quick marketing plan, or whip up a polished pitch deck in minutes—this one's for you. 1min.AI is a streamlined AI productivity tool designed to crank out business content fast, and right now you can grab lifetime access to the tool's Advanced Business Plan for only $79.97 (reg. $540).

This isn't your average ChatGPT wrapper. 1min.AI is powered by platforms like Claude, Gemini, and more, and it specializes in business use cases, with 100 AI-powered tools built in—from email templates and ad copy to HR docs, financial reports, and startup pitch builders. Whether you're launching your side hustle or working in a fast-paced startup environment, it's designed to cut hours of busywork i

PC World Latest News
Sep 01, 2025

Best free VPN for Android: 5 top picks you can trust

The problem when looking for a good free VPN, though, is that there are a ton available on the Google Play Store and many aren't trustworthy. So how do you determine which ones are worth your time? I've personally tested heaps of VPNs, both for PCs and Android devices, and have curated a list of the best free options you can feel confident in using. Check out my top picks below.

You can also check out my guide to the best VPNs covering multiple devices.

Proton VPN - Best free VPN for Android

PC World Latest News
Sep 01, 2025

Best USB-C monitors: 4 displays with a hidden talent

The details of USB-C can be confusing, however, and pricing for USB-C monitors is often higher than that for monitors that lack the interface. See our buyers' guide below our recommendations to better understand the nuances.

Dell Ultrasharp U3225QE - Best USB-C monitor overall

PC World Latest News
Sep 01, 2025

This website turns my scribbles into artful drawings

This website analyzes your rough, uninspired drawings and makes suggestions for images based off of them. It takes a lot of the guesswork out of trying to sketch out something you're unfamiliar with. Plus, it's just plain fun to use — you can even color the drawings and when you're finished save and download them as .png files.

What to do: Go to http://autodraw.com. Start drawing what you want to draw to the best of your ability. The website's suggestions will appear along the top of the draw space. Choose the image that best matches what you want to draw and make any edits to the suggested drawing. When you've finished click on the three horizontal stripes top left and select Download.

PC World Latest News
Sep 01, 2025

Portable SSDs aren't just for PC backups. Here's why everybody needs one

But portable SSDs aren't just for backups. Even if you prefer using online backup software and don't plan on backing up anything to a physical drive, there are lots of great reasons to have a compact, portable SSD on hand. (Our go-to recommendation? The Crucial X9 Pro, which tops our roundup of the best external drives). Here are some especially useful uses to consider.

Bring media files to your media center A portable SSD is an excellent and near-foolproof way to get media files (e.g., videos, music, and photos) from your PC to your home media center. It's way faster than via wireless transfer!

For example, if you have a Roku streaming box or Roku TV with a USB port, you can connect a portable SSD to that USB port and use the Roku Media Player app to watch videos, play music, and view photos straight off the drive. That's just one option for one streaming platform — there's a good chance your own streaming device or gaming console of choice has a USB port, and if it does, it likely has its own media player app.



PC World Latest News
Sep 01, 2025

I'm a tech expert, but I still commit these 8 Windows PC mistakes

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. Here are some of my worst tech sins that you should avoid doing yourself. Don't be like me!

I have 38,000 unread emails

PC World Latest News
Sep 01, 2025

Microsoft 365 price jump? Beat it with Office 2021 for life at $40

Let's cut to the chase: Microsoft just bumped the price of its 365 subscription—for the first time in 12 years—to $9.99/month or $99.99/year. That's a full 45% increase for everyday users. Meanwhile, you can bypass all that recurring stress with a lifetime license to Microsoft Office 2021—just $39.97 (regularly $219.99).

What you get when you hit "buy" A one-time purchase = no more subscription bills Full access to Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, OneNote, Publisher, and Access Works offl

PC World Latest News
Aug 31, 2025

10 indispensable Gmail ‘extra' features I can't live without

While Gmail is fundamentally built for the sending and receiving of email, its various features can make that entire process work better for you. If you aren't using the following Gmail features, consider starting today. You might be surprised by how helpful they can be.

Smart compose Smart Compose is designed to help you write emails faster by writing your emails for you, saving you the hassle of wasting time or brainpower. The feature uses machine learning to predict what you intend to type, with Gmail offering real-time suggestions as you compose an email.


PC World Latest News
Aug 30, 2025

Get Microsoft Visual Studio Pro FREE when you buy this $50 coding course bundle

Learning to code takes more than just lessons—you need the right tools to put that knowledge into practice as you follow along. With this $49.97 coding bundle, you'll get 15 courses covering today's top programming languages and Visual Studio Pro 2022 at no extra charge, giving you a pro-grade environment to sharpen your skills.

The coding curriculum covers Python, C , JavaScript, Java, SQL, Ruby on Rails, Flutter/Dart, Salesforce, IoT automation, and even computer vision with OpenCV. With hundreds of hours of step-by-step video lessons, you'll go from beginner concepts to building real-world projects.

Once you've got the fundamentals down, fire up Visual Studio Pro 2022, Microsoft's fully featured 64-bit IDE, for a professional-grade coding experience. Whether you're building cross-platform apps with .NET MAUI, designing web UIs in Blazor, debugging C in

PC World Latest News
Aug 29, 2025

Windows 11's yearly '25H2' update enters its final preview stage

Actually, chances are that you have most of the bits associated with Windows 11 H2 on your PC right now. Microsoft is servicing both Windows 11 24H2 as well as Windows 11 25H2 on the same servicing branch, and the 25H2 update will be pushed to your PC as an "enablement package."

In simpler terms, this means that Microsoft has simply sent most of the code in Windows 11 25H2 to your PC already, and the only thing left to do will be to turn the new, updated features on. The enablement package will basically be a standard patch, delivered to your PC by Windows Update. How big the patch is and how long it will take to install is basically determined by your habits: if you've previously kept your PC up to date, there won't be that much code to install and the process should go far more quickly than the sizeable Windows 11 24H2 update that took place late last year.

In June, Microsoft pitched the Windows 11 25H2 update as "as easy as a restart." It will be rolled out in the "second half of 2025," Microsoft said then.

Naturally, there will be bugs — though with a smaller update hopefully they will be minimal. You can always postpone the Windows 11 25H2 Update by using the "Pause updates" control in Windows Update. That will buy you seven weeks until Microsoft forces you to apply new patches, including Windows 11 25H2. Usually, there's a small cadre

PC World Latest News
Aug 29, 2025

Watch: AMD talks ROCm and how it's a game-changer for Radeon PCs

PCWorld contributor Will Smith got to speak with Andrej Zdravkovic, Senior Vice President of GPU Technologies at AMD. While ROCm is mostly relevant for large-scale "big iron" enterprise applications right now, the latest changes are making it more relevant for regular Windows users.



How so? Well, the new HIP (Heterogeneous Interface for Portability) SDK. It's a bit of special sauce that lets programs designed to use CUDA and similar systems tap into ROCm's power to leverage Radeon graphics cards. And it has the potential to be a huge game-changer. Basically, any local program that needs extra power—from AI applications to rendering to file processing and beyond—can benefit from this, with only small tweaks needed to get existing code up and runnin

PC World Latest News
Aug 29, 2025

Best laptops for engineering students: Top 5 picks for power and portability

It should run CAD and simulations easily, but still be light enough to toss in your bag between classes. A keyboard that doesn't make your fingers scream, a screen that won't kill your eyes, and solid battery life are all must-haves. Seriously, freaking out because you can't find an outlet when your laptop's about to die? No thanks.

These picks have been tested to cover those bases, with something for every budget.

Asus Zenbook 14 OLED - Best overall

PC World Latest News
Aug 29, 2025

Tablo DVR users just got a feature they've been waiting years for

The answer, it turns out, is today. On the official Tablo blog, Tablo manufacturer Nuvyyo announced that it's rolling out a long-promised feature that allows users of the fourth-generation Table DVRs to watch live TV with an antenna and stream previously recorded over-the-air TV shows even when their internet goes out or Tablo servers go down. 

Tablo's new offline mode comes a few weeks after Tablo DVR users endured a pair of server outages that briefly locked them out of live and recorded over-the-air TV streams and temporarily blanked out their electronic programming guides. 

There have been plenty of other Tablo outages in the past too, enough so that Tablo owners have long been asking for an offline mode that would allow them to access live TV via an antenna, as well as their recorded OTA shows when Tablo's servers are inaccessible. 

The new offline mode (first reported by Cord Cutters News) has some quirks, including the fact that it can't be ac

PC World Latest News
Aug 29, 2025

Eufy PoE Bullet Security Camera E40 review: Professional grade

PC World Latest News
Aug 29, 2025

Alienware's 1440p ultrawide OLED gaming monitor is a huge 50% off

The Alienware AW3423DWF is a 34-inch ultrawide curved design, using the semi-standard 3440×1440 resolution. That means this is basically a 27-inch monitor stretched out to the cinematic 21:9 aspect ratio. On top of that gorgeous OLED panel with its near-perfect contrast, it's packing a 165Hz refresh rate. While that isn't as fast as some more recent OLED gaming monitors, it should be enough to make your desktop PC sweat with newer 3D games at full resolution. It also supports a standard VESA mount, so you can easily add a monitor arm. You can check out PCWorld's full review for more details.

This monitor comes with plenty of ports for multiple consoles or desktops—one HDMI, double DisplayPort, five USB-A, but no USB-C support so it's not a great choice if your only gaming device is a laptop. But even a couple of years after it debuted, it's one of the best deals around. You simply won't find a new ultrawide OLED at this size for this price.

Amazon says this is a "limited time deal," so it might not stick around for long, especially since it's been replaced with a newer Alienware model. I'd get an order in quickly if it's what you want. If not, be sure to check out PCWorld's selections for

PC World Latest News
Aug 29, 2025

Clearance! This Asus OLED laptop with 16GB RAM is only $570

Frankly, the original asking price of almost $1,000 was too much for a laptop without a touchscreen and only 512GB of storage, as noted in our PCWorld review. That review was for a slightly different config with more RAM, storage, and a different CPU, but the battery life figure—an impressive 20 hours—should be about the same here. And with a 14-inch OLED screen at 1920×1200 resolution and a fairly light 2.87-pound build, it's a great choice for students or anyone who needs some decent power on the go, especially at this incredible sale price.

Connectivity is a high point, with double USB-C, double USB-A, full-sized HDMI, and a microSD card slot. The Intel Lunar Lake processor won't beat bigger laptops with discrete graphics cards, but for light gaming (up to about Minecraft), it should be more than enough. It's also got a solid metallic keyboard and an accurate, roomy trackpad. If you aren't the kind of user who misses a touchscreen, you'll be right at home here.

Best Buy has this marked as a clearance sale and I'm not seeing this model in stock in many other places, so you might want to hop on it quickly if you're interested. If it i

PC World Latest News
Aug 29, 2025

How to view the HTML code of emails in the new Outlook app

This no longer works in the new Outlook app, and it appears that Microsoft has no plans to change this. However, there's still a way to view the HTML code of an email with a little trick.

Here's how it works: Open the email, then now click on the three-dot menu at the top-right corner to access the email's context menu. (Make sure you aren't accidentally accessing the three-dot menu in the toolbar instead!) In the menu, go to Save as Save as EML and select a destination folder for the resulting file.

Next, launch File Explorer and navigate to the destination folder, then right-click on the EML file. Click on Open with Choose another app and choose a text editor from the app list (e.g., Notepad). In the EML file, scroll down to the line that reads Content-Type: text/html, and after that is where you'll find the HTML code for that email.

Further reading: Useful tips for the new Outlook app



PC World Latest News
Aug 29, 2025

AMD Ryzen CPUs just got stock cooler downgrades (or eliminations)

CPU watchdog Momomo on social media spotted the changes made to several Ryzen CPU specifications online. On some of these pages, the rollover text (which isn't easy to see on some browsers) says that the SR4 cooler is reaching end-of-life status. That's the "Wraith Prism" cooler that comes from AMD in the box, which is well-liked for decent cooling capacity and a bit of RGB bling, more than most pack-in CPU coolers.

According to the text, the Wraith Prism/SR4 and Wraith Spire/SR2a won't be made after August 1st, 2025 and thus won't be included in the box. VideoCardz.com reports that some Ryzen 5000, 7000, and 8000G will get the Wraith Stealth/SR1 cooler, a super-basic model with a smallish 92mm fan and no LEDs. That's the one that's come with most mid-range Ryzen processors going back to the 5000 series

PC World Latest News
Aug 29, 2025

Best PDF editors: Picks for premium, budget, and free options

While simply viewing or commenting on a PDF can be accomplished with free software, there are times when you might want to engage with a PDF document more extensively. Say you want to make edits, reorganize a file, or collaborate with others to make changes. That's where a full-featured PDF editor comes in.

The best PDF editors allow you to edit, create, alter, and convert PDF files just like you would with any other text document. Adobe Acrobat is the most well-known option for most people. Its reputation is certainly deserved given its excellent feature set and overall utility. But it's also quite expensive.

Thankfully, there's a whole range of respectable and even great third-party PDF editors that provide less expensive alternatives to Adobe's premier product.

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PC World Latest News
Aug 29, 2025

Make any outlet controllable with your phone with this $20 smart plug

Amazon Smart Plugs are really simple. All you have to do is plug it into an outlet, then plug any device into the smart plug itself. Then, using an app on your phone, you can remotely control the smart plug and toggle it on and off from anywhere. Using Alexa routines, you can even schedule and automate via rules. Boom! Any dumb device can be "smart" now.

For example, you can smart plug your coffee machine and have it automatically start in the morning, or you can smart plug your main living room lamp so you can turn it off without getting out of bed. Another idea is to connect your Christmas lights to a smart plug and have them turn on and off at certain times of day without any intervention.

These Amazon Smart Plugs are nice because they're compact and don't block the other outlet when plugged in, and you can even plug two of them in on the same outlet plate if you want to. Get one for just $20, or grab several and place them around your home!

Start your foray into smart home control with this $20 plugBuy now at Amazon

PC World Latest News
Aug 29, 2025

This fast-charging 3-port USB-C charger block is 40% off right now

This Baseus charger block hits 100W of charging, which means it's fast enough to fully charge a phone in about 45 minutes or a laptop like the MacBook Pro M4 in under 2 hours. Yup, this power adapter works just as well with phones as it does laptops—or any other device that charges via USB cable (as long as you have USB cables rated for 100W).

What's great about this charger block is that it has three ports: two USB-C and one USB-A. All three ports can be used at once, allowing you to fast-charge up to three devices simultaneously. Note, however, that only the USB-C ports are capable of hitting 100W, and only when used solo. The USB-A maxes out at 22.5W when solo. Otherwise, when multiple ports are used, the charging power is split between them.

One other thing I like about this power adapter is that it has foldable prongs, so it's perfect for travel. Stash it away in any bag and don't worry about it getting damaged or causing damage to anything else.

The Baseus 100W 3-port USB-C power adapter is only $29.98 with this awesome 40% discount, so grab it fast while you still can!

Save 40% on this super-fast Baseus 3-port USB-C charger block

PC World Latest News
Aug 29, 2025

Holy crap! Roblox hits 45 million concurrent players, beating Steam

According to Roblox CEO David Baszucki, the game-slash-service surpassed 45 million players on August 23rd. As PC Gamer notes, that's more simultaneously active in-game players than Steam—the de facto standard platform for PC gaming—by about 5 million. And I don't just mean for a single Steam game. I'm talking about Steam's record for active players across every game, everywhere on the planet at any given time. For further comparison, Fortnite‘s record is 14.3 million concurrent players while Minecraft averages almost 32 million daily players with a concurrent peak of 4.2 million.

Granted, this isn't a perfect apples-to-apples comparison. Roblox isn't so much a singular game as it is an entire platform, where users can develop their own games with relatively friendly tools and publish them for other Roblox users to try out. Roblox is also cross-platform, available on PC

PC World Latest News
Aug 29, 2025

Your Windows 11 PC hangs at shutdown? Adobe may be at fault

Adobe bundles this file with its Creative Cloud applications for the purpose of transmitting data about you back to the company. If the executable is still communicating with Adobe servers when you shut down your PC, it'll stall the process to finish its task. So, to nip this issue in the bud, you have to tell Adobe to stop spying on you.

The fix Open a web browser. Head to adobe.com, then log into your account. Click on your avatar icon at the upper right. Choose Manage account. At the top of the screen, choose Account and Security, then Data and privacy settings. Uncheck the boxes for sharing.

PC World Latest News
Aug 29, 2025

Microsoft Teams added lots of awesome new features this month


PC World Latest News
Aug 29, 2025

This super-fast Anker power bank with 2 built-in cables is 30% off

This versatile Anker power bank comes with not just one but two built-in USB-C cables, and one of them doubles as a carrying strap while the other is fully retractable. It also has an additional USB-C and USB-A, allowing you to charge up to four devices at once.

The 25,000mAh capacity is massive too, enough to charge your phone about five times over (or a laptop one full time). Since it can hit 100W single-port fast-charging, your gadgets will be juiced back to 100% in no time. When charging multiple devices, only one USB-C keeps the 100W speed while the others get limited to 30W max.

Small, fast, convenient, and versatile—it doesn't get better than this. You'll never need another power bank, so get this one for $94.49 while you can! This limited-time deal on Amazon won't last forever.

Save 30% on this super-fast 25K Anker power bank with built-in cablesBuy now at Amazon

PC World Latest News
Aug 29, 2025

Asus ZenScreen MB27ACF review: If you want a big portable monitor, this is it

Price When Reviewed

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Best Pricing Today

Price When Reviewed$465.99

Best Prices Today: Asus ZenScreen MB27ACF Retailer Price

PC World Latest News
Aug 29, 2025

This Ryzen 7 Pro mini PC with 32GB RAM and quad 4K is only $417

The GMKtec NucBox M7 is a mini PC, but don't let that fool you. Inside you'll find a powerful AMD Ryzen 7 Pro 6850H processor that's based on the Zen 3 architecture (higher performance than its 6850U counterpart) plus a chunky 32GB of fast DDR5 RAM. That's more than enough to power Windows 11 without choking, plus whatever apps and browser tabs you have open. And with the 2TB SSD, you'll have all the storage space you need for your apps, games, and files.

While it lacks a dedicated graphics card, the NucBox M7 is nice because it has decent AMD Radeon 680M integrated graphics. That'll handle most games at passable frame rates on light settings, but more importantly it can handle up to four 4K monitors at once—a multitasker's dream! If you want to push it further, this mini PC even has an OCuLink port that you can use to connect an external graphics card for even more power.

Those quad 4K displays can connect via HDMI 2.1, DisplayPort 2.0, and double USB-C video. Other connections include four USB-A, the aforementioned OCuLink, double LAN, and 3.5mm audio. The cherry on top is that it comes with a VESA mount, so you can attach it to the back of any VESA-compatible monitor and keep it out of sight.

For all that you get, this GMKtec NucBox M7 mini PC is a steal for $416.49, so get it this che

PC World Latest News
Aug 29, 2025

With Gemini, Google's smart home dreams are finally getting back on track

Google touted Gemini AI assistant throughout the entire keynote of its annual I/O developers conference, demonstrating how it would come to permeate every aspect of the search giant's products—everything from phones and AR glasses to watches and TV. 

But Google Home wasn't mentioned at all, while Google's Nest smart speakers, displays, and cameras were all but ignored. (Google did have a few scattered smart home announcements later in the conference). 

Just as troubling, Google had been discontinuing other Nest products and even withdrawing from some smart home categories from a manufacturing standpoint, all while many Google Home owners were complaining that Google Assistant was faltering at even the most basic smart home duties. 

Indeed, things got so bad that Anish Kattukaran, the director of product management for Google Home and Nest, felt compelled to speak up on social media, apologizing for Google Assistant's spotty performance while promising that his team is "actively working on major improvements." 

Now, roughly a month after Kattukaram's comments on X, those "major improvements" are coming into focus. 

First came more details about the "new experience powered by Gemini" that Google had earlier promised for its smart speakers

PC World Latest News
Aug 29, 2025

It's time we blow up PC benchmarking



PC World Latest News
Aug 29, 2025

If my Wi-Fi's not working, here's how I find answers

That's why I now enlist the help of an app to find out what's going on. There are a bunch of apps you can use, but one that I've come across recently is called WifiDiagnosticsView. This free app monitors your Wi-Fi network's key parameters — from the time that changes occur on your network, to when connection failure is detected.

When problems do occur, you get error codes that you can then look up online. You can also see information like when there's a change in signal quality, whether you have security enabled on your Wi-Fi network, and your SSID. Here's how to get the app up and get it running in the background on your PC.

What to do: Download and install WifiDiagnosticsView. From the top menu select Options then select Put Icon on Tray. Then, next time you'd like to check your Wi-Fi for any connection issues, you can simply choose the app's icon from the system-tray to open it.

PC World Latest News
Aug 29, 2025

Asus ROG NUC 2025 review: Mini PC in size, massive in performance

Price When Reviewed

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Best Pricing Today

Best Prices Today: Asus ROG NUC 2025 90AS00I1-M00090 Retailer Price

PC World Latest News
Aug 29, 2025

20 free ‘hidden gem' apps I install ASAP on my Windows PCs

But there are many, many, many awesome free apps out there that can seriously improve your PC and your workflows, unlock new tools and features, and just make your PC experience better overall.

If you want to wring a little more out of your PC, here are some of the best hidden gem apps that are super useful and available for free.

Ferdium for centralizing all the web apps and services you use in one place

PC World Latest News
Aug 29, 2025

20 free ‘hidden gem' apps I install on every Windows PC

But there are many, many, many awesome free apps out there that can seriously improve your PC and your workflows, unlock new tools and features, and just make your PC experience better overall.

If you want to wring a little more out of your PC, here are some of the best hidden gem apps that are super useful and available for free.

Ferdium for centralizing all the web apps and services you use in one place

PC World Latest News
Aug 29, 2025

Lowest price ever: Microsoft Office at $25 over Labor Day weekend

While you're taking a break from work this Labor Day, also stop paying Microsoft 365 fees. Grab a Microsoft Office lifetime license for just $24.97—the lowest price we've seen yet (MSRP $229). No subscription strings, no surprise fee hikes, just the essential Office apps you actually use for a one-time price.

What's included Word Excel PowerPoint Outlook OneNote Publisher Access These aren't stripped-down versions, either. Office 2019 remains fully capable of handling reports, spreadsheets, presentations, email, and more, without requiring constant updates or additional charges.

If you're tired of Microsoft's subscription model and worried they might hike the price of 365 again, this is your chance to future-proof your setup. Whether you're working from home, freelancing, or managing your fami

PC World Latest News
Aug 29, 2025

This is your hack for getting full Acrobat features without paying Adobe prices

Subscriptions have taken over everything, from streaming to software—PDF editors included. If you've been paying Adobe Acrobat's fees for as long as you can remember, here's a reality check: you don't have to. 

A lifetime PDF editor tool is a far more cost-effective way to edit, sign, convert, and manage PDFs than any subscription-based software. One we're sharing today is SwifDoo PDF Pro—only $29.97 for a lifetime Windows license (reg. $129).

It's not anything fancy… it's software that lets you 

PC World Latest News
Aug 28, 2025

Best laptops for college students: 7 picks for every budget

That's where we come in. We break things down without all the technical word vomit so you can quickly find the best machine for your lifestyle. From featherlight models that disappear in your bag to laptops with marathon battery life, we've got you covered.

Asus Zenbook 14 OLED - Best overall

PC World Latest News
Aug 28, 2025

Snag this 1440p OLED gaming monitor for an absurdly cheap $480

This just about hits the baseline for gaming-focused OLED monitors right now, with a 2560×1440 resolution and fast 240Hz refresh rate. That's far from the fastest on the market, but it'll make your gaming PC sweat if you try to load up a recent triple-A game with all the graphical fixins. It also offers a little more than just the basics, with USB-C support and a built-in KVM switch, though with just 15 watts of power delivery it's not an ideal companion for a single-cable laptop setup.

However, it is a pretty good pick if you like to play both PC and console games at your desk, thanks to double DisplayPort and HDMI inputs. You also get a standard VESA mount included, in case you want to add on a monitor arm. Overall, at this price, it's a solid get.

Newegg hasn't put a time limit on this deal, but since it's currently the cheapest OLED around, I wouldn't be surprised if it went pretty quickly—so grab it quick if you're interested. If you're looking for something else, check out PCWorld's picks for the best monitors.



PC World Latest News
Aug 28, 2025

Vivaldi rejects AI browsing: ‘Humans over hype'

Vivaldi, the small Norwegian-made browser which I use as an alternative to more mainstream browsers like Microsoft Edge and Google Chrome, said it plans to "choose humans over hype," in the words of Jon von Tetzchner, the company's chief executive.

"We're taking a stand, choosing humans over hype, and we will not turn the joy of exploring into inactive spectatorship," von Tetzchner said in a statement, shared by the company. "Without exploration, the web becomes far less interesting. Our curiosity loses oxygen and the diversity of the web dies."

To be fair, Vivaldi reportedly employs just 150 people. Anthropic, whose AI browser, is one of a number of browsers designed around agentic AI, reportedly employs over well over 1,000 — meaning that it's possible that VIvaldi's statement simply means that it lacks the capability to keep up, anyway. On the other hand, Opera (which employs about 600 people and was co-founded by von Tetzchner) has managed to publish several browsers as well as Opera Neon, an agentic browser the company debuted in May.

Agentic browsers not only provide access to an AI chatbot, but also use smaller "independent" small-language model (SLM) tools to perform tasks independently, such as researching hotel options for a planned trip. Vivaldi said it will not be using an LLM to add a chatbot, a summarization solution or a suggestion engine "until more rigorous ways to do those things are available."

"If AI contributes to that goal without stealing intellectual prop

PC World Latest News
Aug 28, 2025

Microsoft's AI Copilot slides into Samsung TVs, with eyes on LG

Samsung said Thursday that it has begun rolling out Copilot to its 2025 lineup of AI-powered TVs, meaning your living room won't be the escape from AI you might have been hoping for. Samsung's smart monitors, including the Samsung Smart Monitor M9 (review) — which likewise runs on Samsung's Tizen operating system — will be getting Copilot, too.

Samsung originally announced a partnership with Microsoft at CES in January, saying that Copilot will be used for a "wide range of Copilot services, including personalized content recommendations."

"Copilot is available on 2025 TV models including, Micro RGB, Neo QLED, OLED, The Frame Pro, The Frame,  as well as the M7, M8, and M9 Smart Monitors," Samsung said. "Availability will expand to additional regions and models over time and may vary by market."



PC World Latest News
Aug 28, 2025

The best monitor arms: 10 top models you can trust

The only catch is the price. Most monitor arms worth buying will cost close to $200, and heavy-duty arms capable of holding two large displays can be priced even higher. The good news is that a good-quality monitor arm is likely to last you for a very long time. That's why it's important to make the right choice when you purchase a monitor arm.

To help you with that, we've tested several popular monitor arms, for both single- and dual-monitor setups. Below you'll find our curated list of recommendations, with detailed explanations of what features and qualities make them stand out. We even have some good budget recommendations. Below our picks, we point out some arms that we aren't so keen on — to provide a point of comparison.

Ergotron LX Pro - Best monitor arm

PC World Latest News
Aug 28, 2025

A hacker used AI to create ransomware that evades antivirus detection

According to a blog post from ESET Research interviewing researcher Anton Cherepanov, they've detected a piece of malware "created by the OpenAI gpt-oss:20b model." PromptLock, a fairly standard ransomware package, includes embedded prompts sent to the locally stored LLM. Because of the nature of LLM outputs (which create unique, non-repeated results with each prompt), it can evade detection from standardized antivirus setups, which are designed to search for specific flags.

ESET elaborates in a Mastodon post, spotted by Tom's Hardware. PromptLock uses Lua scripts to inspect files on a local system, encrypt them, and send sensitive data to a remote computer. It appears to be searching for Bitcoin information specifically, and thanks to the wide-open nature of the OpenAI model and the Ollama API, it can work on Windows, Mac, and Linux. Because gpt-oss:20b is a lightweight, open-source AI model that can run on local PC hardware, it doesn't need

PC World Latest News
Aug 28, 2025

Wow! The ad-free Kindle Kids just dropped to its best price all year

This is the newest Kindle Kids, featuring a 6-inch glare-free E-Ink display that replicates what it's like to read text on physical paper. It comes with 16GB of storage—plenty of space to store thousands of e-books—and it lasts up to 6 weeks on a full charge. The Kindle Kids has no ads (nice), and you can configure parental controls to keep your children safe from explicit content on the Kindle Store. And since there are no apps, videos, or games, the Kindle Kids really does encourage reading.

This Kindle Kids comes with a kid-friendly cover, a robust build, and a two-year worry-free guarantee where Amazon will replace the device for free if your kid somehow manages to break it. Your purchase also comes with six months of an Amazon Kids subscription, which provides unlimited access to age-appropriate digital books and graphic novels. Afterwards, it's only $5.99/month to continue.

Reading is a fantastic way to develop a child's brain, and a Kindle Kids device is one way to encourage more of that. As your kids head back to school, get a Kindle Kids for only $99.99 while you still can!

Save 23% on a Kindle Kids and get your kids reading a lot more

PC World Latest News
Aug 28, 2025

Toallin Hello Pro 2K webcam review: Confusing models, mediocre performance

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Price When Reviewed$59.99

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Aug 28, 2025

Samsung's speedy 32-inch 1440p monitor is only $220 right now

The Samsung Odyssey G55C offers plenty of screen real estate with its 32-inch panel at 2560×1440, allowing you to enjoy your games or movies while also providing enough space for all your windows and apps. Our only complaint here is that we wish it were an IPS panel instead of VA, but that's partly why the price is so affordable on this thing.

That VA panel also makes it possible for this monitor to hit its speedy 165Hz refresh rate, providing smooth visuals for all the frames your PC is capable of cranking out. Between that and the 1ms response time and HDR10 images and AMD FreeSync compatibility, it's about as good as it gets at this price. Connectivity is slightly lacking, only offering HDMI and DisplayPort, but you can't expect too much here.

This is a great step up for any budget gaming PC battlestation that won't cost an arm and a leg. Get the 32-inch Samsung Odyssey G55C for $219.99 before this limited-time deal runs out!

Save 33% on this budget-friendly 32-inch 1440p 165Hz gaming monitorBuy now at Amazon

PC World Latest News
Aug 28, 2025

I'm shocked by the price for Asus' ultra-innovative Falcata split gaming keyboard

This version of the Falcata is an interesting beast. As the full-length title implies, it's a 75% layout, which basically means laptop-style with a full function row and arrow keys but no numpad. The keyboard's signature feature is its ability to split in half, separating into two sections tethered by a USB cable. Many typists prefer this option for ergonomic layouts, and gamers like it for similar reasons. Notably, this keyboard is wireless—you still need that cable for the left side of the board, even when it's positioned in its conventional layout, but Bluetooth, 2.4GHz dongle-based wireless, and standard USB are all options.

The rest of the keyboard is a laundry list of in-demand features. PBT keycaps, interior layers of foam, and, of course, RGB lighting are

PC World Latest News
Aug 28, 2025

Asus' new Falcata split wireless gaming keyboard has a hefty price

This version of the Falcata is an interesting beast. As the full-length title implies, it's a 75% layout, which basically means laptop-style with a full function row and arrow keys but no numpad. The keyboard's signature feature is its ability to split in half, separating into two sections tethered by a USB cable. Many typists prefer this option for ergonomic layouts, and gamers like it for similar reasons. Notably, this keyboard is wireless—you still need that cable for the left side of the board, even when it's positioned in its conventional layout, but Bluetooth, 2.4GHz dongle-based wireless, and standard USB are all options.

The rest of the keyboard is a laundry list of in-demand features. PBT keycaps, interior layers of foam, and, of course, RGB lighting are

PC World Latest News
Aug 28, 2025

Microsoft Word documents will soon auto-save to the cloud by default

But you have to enable the feature per-document to take advantage of it. At least, that was the case until now. According to a recent Microsoft 365 Insider blog post, this auto-save option will soon be enabled by default for all new Word documents.


PC World Latest News
Aug 28, 2025

I won't leave my house without these 6 useful gadgets under $50

From multi-tools that fit on your keychain to powerful portable chargers, we've rounded up a list of fantastic gadgets that will enhance your daily life without spending more than $50 on anything.

Ugreen power bank

PC World Latest News
Aug 28, 2025

Disney might kill the best streaming idea in years

Disney is suing Sling TV over its Day Passes, which provide access to Sling's Orange bundle (including Disney-owned ESPN and more than 30 other channels) for $5, with weekend and weeklong passes also available for $10 and $15 respectively. By comparison, a full month of Sling Orange costs $46, and ESPN's new streaming service costs $30 per month on its own.

With Day Passes, Sling is solving a real problem with sports streaming: Even if you're only interested in a single game, you must pay for an entire month of service. Programmers like Disney should be embracing this approach to reach audiences who otherwise might not pay anything, but they're too short-sighted to realize it.

Why Sling is right While we all want more flexible options, new standalone offerings from the likes of Fox and Disney's ESPN are insufficient. Both companies have intentionally set prices high—$30 per month for ESPN, $20 per month for Fox One—hoping to prolong the pay TV model that's collapsing under them. The appeal will likely be limited.

We've already seen this play out with regional sports networks, most of which now offer their own standalone services in the $20 to $30 per month range. Despite offering more local team games than ESPN and Fox combined, these offerings aren't gaining much traction because they're just too expensive.

PC World Latest News
Aug 28, 2025

Windows 11 supercharges Bluetooth quality in game chats & voice calls

In short, Microsoft is adding support for a new LE Audio compression algorithm that supports even higher "super wideband" audio fidelity even while using voice. In other words, Windows 11 will soon be able to play audio in high-quality stereo while using the microphone.

Previously, Bluetooth headsets automatically switched to an 8 kHz sampling rate when the microphone was used, and could only play "super wideband" audio in mono. The sampling rate now goes up to 32 kHz and supports "super wideband" in stereo.

The update also makes it possible to use spatial audio in Microsoft Teams even with wireless Bluetooth headsets. All chat participants' voices should now come from the direction their video stream is on your screen.

To take advantage of this, you'll need an audio device that supports Bluetooth LE Audio as well as a Windows 11 PC running the latest 24H2 version (or later) that also supports LE Audio.



PC World Latest News
Aug 28, 2025

Password managers vulnerable: 40 million users at risk of stolen data

This vulnerability was discovered by security researchers from The Hacker News. The following password managers have affected browser extensions that are based on DOM (Document Object Model):

1Password Bitwarden Dashlane Enpass iCloud Passwords Keeper LastPass LogMeOnce NordPass ProtonPass RoboForm This list includes some of the best-known and most widely used password managers, affecting an estimated 40 million users worldwide. Extreme caution is therefore advised. The security flaw hasn't yet been patched by most of these providers, so data theft can still occur as of this writing.

How hackers get your passwords The vulnerability in question is known as clickjacking. Attackers can lure unsuspecting users to fake websites that imitate real websites and look deceptively real, except the fakes ones contain invisible elements.

In some cases, users can inadvertently switch

PC World Latest News
Aug 28, 2025

Save $400 on this crazy Core Ultra 9 gaming laptop with RTX 5070 GPU

What makes this laptop special? Just look at the specs. This HP Omen Transcend 14 runs on a cutting-edge Intel Core Ultra 9 285H processor and a chunky 32GB of fast LPDDR5X RAM, delivering high performance for anything and everything you wish to use the device for—not just gaming but also browsing, streaming, hobbies, and work. It also has a 1TB SSD to hold all your apps, games, and files.

But the kicker here is the dedicated Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 graphics card that unlocks tip-top visuals thanks to the latest tech, including DLSS 4, ray tracing, and frame generation. Crank those settings up and watch it fly! And rest assured that it'll look great on this laptop's gorgeous 14-inch OLED display with its 2880×1800 resolution, 120Hz refresh rate, and 500 nits of brightness. It doesn't get better than that.

When we reviewed a lesser config of the HP Omen Transcend 14, we still appreciated its performance enough to give it a 4.5-star rating and our Editors' Choice award. This one's even better—and though it's normally pretty pricey, it's now within reach with this $400 discount.

Get this

PC World Latest News
Aug 28, 2025

We love this fast and compact 1TB portable SSD, and it's only $63 today

This is a portable SSD that we reviewed a while back and absolutely loved, and we were impressed enough to give it a 4.5-star rating. Our testing revealed impressive data transfer speeds, with up to 1,050 MB/s read and 850 MB/s write speeds. Plus, the golden sheen and tiny size make for a unique but convenient drive. It deserves a spot among our top portable SSD picks, if you ask me.

We couldn't help but appreciate its compact design with rounded edges. And whether you're transferring files, streaming video, or gaming, it handles all those tasks with ease. Plus, it's built to last, with protection against data loss from drops up to 6 feet. It also comes with two cables—one USB-C and one USB-A—so it's immediately compatible with modern and older devices. From desktop PCs and laptops to smartphones, tablets, and gaming consoles, this drive has you covered.

Go ahead and snag this 1TB SK Hynix Beetle X31 portable SSD for $63 while this limited-time 26% discount is still around!

Save 26% on the fast-and-compact SK Hynix Beetle X31 (1TB) portable SSD

PC World Latest News
Aug 28, 2025

Keep hackers away from your data! How to encrypt your laptop and USB drive

Important and confidential documents, such as tax documents, are often stored on laptops. In some cases, even sensitive company papers may even be stored there. And a smartphone stores doesn't just hold emails, but also contact lists and WhatsApp chats.

Although access to a laptop is password-protected, the files are freely accessible. If the device is booted via a live system, they can be easily read and copied.

USB drives usually only need to be connected to a computer to reveal their contents. With smartphones, on the other hand, the file system is always securely encrypted.

However, if the device has just been used, the screen lock may not yet be reactivated and the finder can read the stored data and send it by email or chat program.

The loss of a device gets especially tricky when the device is deliberately stolen. This usually happens because the thief is after confidential company documents or credit card data. This is why important documents should always be encrypted.

Encryption options When encrypting the SSD of a laptop or an external hard drive, you have the choice between two methods:

Full Disk Encryption (FDE) File Level Encryption (FLE) With Full Disk Encryption, the software encrypts the entire data carrier, including the operating system. The scope of delivery of Windows Pro and Education also includes FDE encryption

PC World Latest News
Aug 28, 2025

The best game about an unhinged goose is just $7 on Steam right now

I've been especially vocal during the past week, when its price on Steam dropped to its all-time low of just $7 for the second time ever. Normally, it's $20 and already worth the several hours of entertainment it provides.

Why is being a jerk to everyone in the most serene, chill, and nonviolent hamlet so delightful? I'm too cheap to pay for the therapy to unpack that. I'd much rather sing the game's praises.

Developer House House calls its creation a "slapstick-stealth-sandbox" game, which is decently accurate (and pretty funny). I'd call it humor masquerading as a low-key puzzle game. With the ability to terrorize everyone with your honking.


PC World Latest News
Aug 28, 2025

A new cloud storage doesn't charge monthly fees, and their 1TB plan just went on sale

Keeping your files safe shouldn't take a monthly subscription. If you're sick of paying rent for your files, then switch from subscriptions like Dropbox to a cloud storage that lasts for life. Koofr Cloud Storage just dropped the price for a 1TB lifetime subscription to $129.99 (reg. $810), but this sale won't last long.

Koofr works on just about every major platform, including iOS, Android, and Windows, and you can access your files through a web browser or WebDAV. It even connects to other popular cloud services like Google Drive, Dropbox, Amazon, and OneDrive, so you can manage everything in one place. No more digging through separate accounts to find your stuff.

The platform includes a few extra tools to help you organize your files. There's duplicate detection to help clean up clutter, batch renaming to save time when handling lots of files, and customizable sharing links to make collaboration easier. Files are encrypted both in transit and at rest, and Koofr has a no-tracking policy that helps protect your privacy.

Best of all, there are no recurring charges. O

PC World Latest News
Aug 28, 2025

Windows 11 Pro is normally $199, but right now, it's only $13

Microsoft is phasing out support for Windows 10, which means an upgrade is coming whether you're ready or not. If you're making the switch, it might be a good time to skip the standard version and go for Windows 11 Pro instead. Right now, you can get a lifetime license to Windows 11 Pro for only $12.97, down from $199.

Windows 11 Pro comes with a handful of upgrades that make everyday use smoother. The interface is cleaner and easier to navigate, and tools like Snap Layouts and virtual desktops help you keep things organized without much effort. Whether you're juggling work, streaming, or just browsing with way too many tabs open, it keeps things running efficiently.

Gamers also get a few perks. With support for DirectX 12 Ultimate, games can load faster, look better, and run more smoothly. Combine that with a generally more efficient system, and you're getting better performance overall.

Security is another big plus. BitLocker helps keep your files safe, Smart App Control blocks sketchy downloads, and biometric login options add an extra layer of protection. If you're a power user, you'll also get access to tools like Hyper-V for running virtual machines and Windows Sandbox for safely testing apps.



PC World Latest News
Aug 27, 2025

The best monitors: 11 top picks for gaming, 4K, HDR, and more

While my favorite monitor overall is an awesome choice for most people, I also have alternative options for budget shoppers, gamers, and those seeking the best HDR performance. After all, not everyone needs the same features from a monitor. You can find out more about how I evaluate monitors and what specs matter most below my list of recommendations.

Dell Ultrasharp U2724DE - Best monitor overall

PC World Latest News
Aug 27, 2025

Microsoft adds PC, cloud gaming to Xbox Core, Standard subscriptions

Game Pass Core and Standard subscribers will now have access to cloud gaming, both on games that they do and don't own. Even better, Microsoft is testing giving them access to local versions of select PC titles, widening the Core and Standard tiers — which were tied to the Xbox console — and making them accessible to PC and/or handheld players, too.

All this makes sense, as Microsoft has expanded its concept of what an Xbox is to both the PC, handheld, and streaming television platforms. It's also good news for existing PC gamers who may have struggled to game on a productivity PC and now can take advantage of Microsoft's GPU-powered servers in the cloud.

Microsoft's Core subscription already gives console users access to a small library of between 25 and 30 games. Standard subscribers gain access to a vastly expanded library of several hundred games — but solely on the Xbox console, until now. Microsoft isn't saying how many games on each tier will be playable in the cloud. But the nice touch is that if you already own the game, you should be able to stream it from the Xbox cloud, giving those low-end PC players an immediate boost.

There is a small catch. For now, Microsoft is testing this capability with its Insider program, which means that you'll simply need to download the Xbox Insider Hub app for the Xbox or the PC, as well as the correspon

PC World Latest News
Aug 27, 2025

MSI's new mini PC includes a Copilot button and fingerprint reader

Starting at $899, MSI's little mini PC is also Copilot qualified, with either a Core Ultra 9 288V or Core Ultra 7 258V chip inside. Both are Core Ultra Series 2 "Lunar Lake" chips.

The hardware design, however, is something special. This isn't the first mini PC with a dedicated Copilot button — that was the Asus NUC 14 Pro AI, launched at the 2025 edition of CES. However, this is the first mini PC that I can recall with a dedicated fingerprint reader underneath the power button, a feature normally associated with laptops like the Samsung Galaxy series.

Naturally, the dedicated Copilot button unlocks voice capabilities, as well. The Cubi NUC AI includes both a speaker and built-in mic, so you should be able to wake Copilot with a trigger word (or, alternatively, have a voice chat with Claude or ChatGPT.) Based on my own experiences, I don't think users will want to talk to their PCs in a public environment, but MSI obviously thinks differently.

All told, there's a lot of power packed inside this mini PC, which measures 5.3 x 5.2 x 2.0 inches and weighs about 1.5 pounds without the power brick. As you might expect, the NUC lacks a dedicated GPU, leaving Intel's very good integrated Lunar Lake GPU to shoulder the load. Naturally, the CPU also includes a 48 TOPS NPU that's ready to run Microsoft's AI applications like Windows Studio Eff

PC World Latest News
Aug 27, 2025

Alfred DB2S smart lock review: Entry options aplenty

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When I last checked out a smart lock from Alfred, the company had upgraded its DB1 lock series to the DB2 series, bringing with it a simpler industrial design and some extra features, including voice prompts.

So, this most recent next version of Alfred's lock must be the DB3 series, right? No, sir. Naturally it's called the Alfred DB2S.

Specifications The DB2S looks a lot like the older DB2, alt

PC World Latest News
Aug 27, 2025

Best laptops 2025: Premium, budget, gaming, 2-in-1, and more

That's where we come in.

We've tested all the laptops on this list ourselves, so these aren't just specs pulled from a product page. They're real recommendations, based on hands-on experience.

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Buying a Laptop? This Deal's Next:



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Get the deal We've cut through the clutter to bring you the top picks across every category-from sleek, no-fuss Chromebooks to powerhouse gaming machines.



PC World Latest News
Aug 27, 2025

I got Starlink internet at home. I wish I knew these 6 details first

It worked pretty well, too. At first I heard a bunch of buzzing noises that I was not expecting, but that sort of coil whine is apparently pretty typical. A few minutes later, I was online!

But it wasn't all smooth sailing. Having Starlink isn't like having fiber internet, and I ran into several surprises along the way. Here are all the things I wish I'd known before getting Starlink at home.

Starlink is better when it's mounted As soon as I had Starlink working, I messaged my friends saying "Space internet installed!" with the following image:



PC World Latest News
Aug 27, 2025

Ring's 1080p indoor security cam with smart motion alerts is 33% off

Since this security camera is so small, you can place it anywhere in your home that's convenient for you, whether that's on a table, on a shelf, or mounted on a wall. It captures crisp 1080p video so you don't miss any details, allowing you to tell exactly what your dog is chewing on while you aren't home. It even has color night vision, too.

The Ring Indoor Cam is smart enough that it can "pre-record" footage before a motion event, allowing you to see what happened in the seconds leading up to the event. It can also notify you upon an event, and you can customize what types of events you get. It also integrated with Alexa, so you can receive notifications on other devices like an Echo Dot or check in on footage with an Echo Show.

With a Ring Protect subscription, you can unlock a few more advanced features, including recording all your videos, reviewing stored videos from up to 180 days ago, and sharing videos with others.

If you've always wanted the peace of mind that comes with convenient home surveillance, this is a great time to jump on. Get the Ring Indoor Cam for only $40 before this limited-time deal expires!

Save 33% on Ring's 1080p home security cam with smart motion alerts

PC World Latest News
Aug 27, 2025

Anthropic launches Claude AI agent extension for Chrome

The Claude AI chatbot will keep track of your open tabs, and in doing so will analyze and understand the context of any prompt you submit and any action you ask it to perform, like completing an online order.

In the video below, you can see how it's supposed to work:


To begin with, only customers with an active Max subscription will have access to Claude for Chrome, and even then only 1,000 users can participate in the pilot program.

As Anthropic gains confidence in Claude for Chrome, more users will be invited to participate. If you're interested, make sure you have a Max plan and then join the waitlist.



PC World Latest News
Aug 27, 2025

9 mundane tasks ChatGPT handles in seconds, saving you hours

What's shocking is just how many tasks ChatGPT is already capable of managing for you. While the naysayers may still look down their noses at the potential of AI assistants, I've been using it to handle all kinds of menial tasks for me. Here are my favorite examples.


PC World Latest News
Aug 27, 2025

Intel's confusing ‘Series 2' CPU brand is a huge step backwards

Turns out, not a whole lot.

When Intel unveiled simple branding for its "Series 1" CPUs, it was clear what we were getting. With "Series 2" and the launch of Lunar Lake, I thought Intel Core Ultra Series 2 CPUs were going to be AI PCs with long battery life and NPUs capable of running Copilot PC features… but that's not true anymore. It's more confusing than that.

Intel's "Series 2" branding doesn't tell you much. You need to dig into model numbers and CPU architecture details to understand what's going on—just like in the days before Intel simplified its CPU branding.

The promise of Intel's "Series 1" naming scheme, explained In 2023, Intel shook up its branding and aimed to simplify everything. On the mobile side—this is going to be complicated enough without dragging in deskto

PC World Latest News
Aug 27, 2025

Every laptop worker needs this 1080p portable monitor, now 30% off

Fortunately, that hasn't been a problem for me in a while because I use a travel-friendly portable monitor—and if you want one yourself, now's a great time to grab this KYY portable monitor that's only $70 on Amazon (30% off) because that matches the lowest price it's ever been.

This lovely 15.6-inch 1080p monitor is super slim (0.3 inches) and lightweight (1.7 pounds), so you can take it with you anywhere just by sliding it into your bag next to your laptop. All it needs are video and power connections, which you can provide with a single USB-C video cable or with a combination of Mini HDMI video and USB-C power.

KYY's portable monitor comes with a scratchproof smart cover that doubles as a stand, and the monitor itself can be oriented in either landscape or portrait mode to your liking. Plus, it's not only compatible with your laptop, but also with smartphones, tablets, PCs, Nintendo Switches and other gaming consoles, and more.

Snag this portable monitor for just $70 on Amazon before this limited-time deal runs out. It's one of the best laptop accessories you'll ever get, especially if you're a remote worker who's always on the go.

Save 30% on this ultra-slim travel-friendly 1080p external displayBuy now at Amazon

PC World Latest News
Aug 27, 2025

Everyone should know which passwords suck. Do you?

AI search analytics firm Peec AI recently looked at a small portion of stolen password data, dating from 2019 until now. And while its analysis yielded similar results to what security researchers have already uncovered from far larger amounts of data, the findings proved the point: people really suck at creating their own passwords.

In Peec AI's slim data set of about 100 million unique passwords, common themes we've seen time and time again popped up once more:

Simple number strings: 123456 is always a top weak password—about 6.6 million in this data slice. Trailing behind is 123456789 at 2.2 million, with 111111 coming in at almost one million. Easily guessed: Password, qwerty, and abc123 all came close to one million uses each. Common names: English language speakers leaned most on familiar names, with this data's top 10 coming in as Michael, Daniel, Ashley, Jessica, Charlie, Jordan, Michelle, Thomas, Nicole, and Andrew. Four-digit years: 2013, 2010, and 1986 appeared the most frequently, with years in the 1980 range the most popular. Millennials likely haven't changed old, outdated habits of adding a memorable number string to strengthen passwords. Sports: People love foot

PC World Latest News
Aug 27, 2025

Drives, images, and virtual disks: A guide to storage terms & concepts

Partitions are logical subdivisions of a data carrier. They organize the memory, but are initially empty and unusable. Only when a partition is formatted and assigned a file system does it become a volume. This appears in the operating system as an independent drive with a letter such as "C:" or "D:." A hard drive can contain multiple partitions and, therefore, multiple volumes.


PC World Latest News
Aug 27, 2025

Logitech's MX Master 4 is getting haptic feedback, according to leaks

The feature we're most excited about is haptic feedback, which can provide vibrations when you perform certain actions like switching computers, adjusting the cursor, or changing settings. The haptic feedback will be customizable in terms of both intensity and usage.

The MX Master 4 also gets a new menu called "Action Ring" for quick shortcuts, and it'll also be updated with silent clicks (similar to what we've seen in the MX Master 3S). The design is reminiscent of previous models, but with a more durable and slightly textured surface and transparent main buttons. Battery life and DPI remain unchanged.

Logitech's MX Master 4 is expected launch on September 30th at a price point of €129.99 (approximately $150 USD).

Further reading: Our favorite wireless mice, rated



PC World Latest News
Aug 27, 2025

Keep using Office 2016/2019 for 3 years after end of support with this tool

There's an awesome tool called 0patch, which we previously covered as a way to safely keep using Windows 10 after end of support. For Windows 10 users, 0patch can provide up to five years of additional security updates long after the October 2025 end of support date.

Now, according to an announcement post from yesterday, 0patch can also provide continued security updates for up to three years for both Office 2016 and Office 2019 after support officially ends. In other words, you could potentially keep using both Office 2016 and Office 2019 until the end of 2028 with 0patch if you so wish.

Note that if you want to access these Windows 10, Office 2016, or Office 2019 security updates, you'll need a 0patch Pro (€24.95/year) or 0patch Enterprise (€34.95/year) subscription.



PC World Latest News
Aug 27, 2025

Sling TV's Day Passes are great. ESPN owner Disney wants to quash them

Turns out it got Disney's attention, too. 

Disney, as you may know, owns ESPN, and Disney doesn't want to sell you just a day's worth of ESPN. It wants you to pay for at least a month—ideally though its new ESPN streaming service—or even more.  

Now Disney is claiming it never got a heads-up from Sling about its paradigm-breaking Day Pass idea, and it's suing to stop it. 

As Deadline reports, Disney's legal team filed a federal lawsuit late Tuesday that accuses Sling of rolling out its Day Passes "without our knowledge or consent," adding that the short-term subscriptions "violate the terms of our existing license agreement." 

From a business perspective, Disney is right to be concerned. Sling's Day Passes (there are Weekend and W

PC World Latest News
Aug 27, 2025

Google's in-house AI agent discovers critical vulnerability in Chrome

In the Chrome Releases blog post, Krishna Govind presents the eliminated vulnerability (CVE-2025-9478), which is treated as if it were discovered by external security researchers, but Google Big Sleep is named as the discoverer of the vulnerability. This is an "AI" tool based on Gemini for detecting security vulnerabilities and it's designed to detect vulnerabilities on its own without human assistance.

As the security findings of such "AI" tools should always be treated with caution, they're double-checked by experts. Google doesn't provide any information on how often Big Sleep makes a misdiagnosis. In this case, however, Big Sleep has clearly not made a mistake—and Google even classifies CVE-2025-9478 (a use-after-free vulnerability in the Angle graphics library) as critical.

In the previous security update for Chrome from a week ago, Google also closed a security vulnerability discovered by Big Sleep. Whether such "AI" tools will be needed in the near future to find security vulnerabilities in program code generated by "AI" remains to be seen.

Chrome usually updates itself automatically when a new version is available. You can trigger the update check manually using the menu item Help About Google Chrome. Google has also provided Chrome for Android 139.0.7258.158. The Android version fixes the same vu

PC World Latest News
Aug 27, 2025

Whoa! This 16-inch gaming laptop with RTX 5060 is only $1,100 right now

That's a fantastic price for a gaming laptop of this caliber. Just look at the main specs: a 13th-gen Intel Core i7-13620H processor, 16GB of fast DDR5 memory, plus a fast 1TB PCIe 4.0 SSD. All together, that's a speedy machine that's more than capable of handling your day-to-day tasks with ease—and that includes creative hobbies and gaming.

Because here's the cherry on top: this Gigabyte Gaming A16 features an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5060 GPU. Yep, that's right. One of the latest RTX 50-series cards that's capable of Nvidia's latest gaming tech like DLSS 4, ray tracing, and frame generation. Not only will you get to experience awesome visuals, but you'll be future-proofed for years to come.

And those games are going to look great on this laptop's gorgeous 16-inch IPS display with its 1920×1200 resolution and 165Hz refresh rate. Expect smooth graphics and high frame rates at decent settings.

The Gigabyte Gaming A16 is a winner for just $1,100, so grab it at this low price while you still can! Meanwhile, if you want something even better, check out our picks for the best gaming laptops—or if you want to spend less, the best gaming laptops under $1,000

PC World Latest News
Aug 27, 2025

This $320 Ryzen 7 mini PC with 32GB RAM is perfect for home offices

The GMKtec M5 Plus runs on an AMD Ryzen 7 5825U CPU and 32GB of RAM, making this a speedy home office computer that can smoothly handle everything from spreadsheets to streaming media to social media and whatever else you need to get done on a normal day.

If you're worried about storage space, you shouldn't be. This mini PC comes with a spacious 1TB SSD, and it can later be user-upgraded to 4TB between the two PCIe 3.0 M.2 slots. Meanwhile, the RAM can also be user-upgraded, reaching a max of 64GB between two slots.

And if there's one area where mini PCs really excel over laptops, it's connectivity. This thing comes with HDMI, DisplayPort, and USB-C video for triple 4K@60Hz support, as well as two high-speed USB-A for data, two more USB-A for peripherals, double LAN ports, and a 3.5mm audio jack. Round it out with Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2.

That's a crazy good machine for just $319.96, and this sale matches the lowest price it's ever been. Get the GMKtec M5 Plus while you can before this limited-time deal expires!

Save 20% on this Ryzen 7 mini PC with 32GB RAM and triple 4K support

PC World Latest News
Aug 27, 2025

4 ways hackers can break 2FA—and why you should still use it anyway

Truthfully, no security measure is. For 2FA, attackers have discovered ways to sidestep the stronger protection. Whether exploiting human weaknesses or known system vulnerabilities, the effect is similar to kicking a door down to get past the deadbolt.

The good news: Knowing how common forms of 2FA can be bypassed will help you avoid a hacker's tricks—and continue getting the full benefit of having 2FA at your back. Think of it akin to swapping in a stronger strike plate and longer screws on your front door.

Stolen text messages

PC World Latest News
Aug 27, 2025

This secret Windows command summons every app on your PC

But there is another way to find and manage my apps. I've learned a neat trick to see all the apps I have in one place and then I can decide whether to keep or delete them without having to find them individually. Here's how.

What to do: Hit the Windows key R. Now at the prompt type Shell:appsfolder and then Enter. You should see all your apps appear in a window. Now you can decide whether to keep them or delete them without having to remember all their names and type them separately into the search prompt, or else find their shortcuts on the desktop.

PC World Latest News
Aug 27, 2025

WD Blue SN5100 SSD review: A worthy PCIe 4.0 successor

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PC World Latest News
Aug 27, 2025

Geekom A9 Max review: A mini PC with gargantuan AMD power

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PC World Latest News
Aug 27, 2025

Silkland 80Gbps DisplayPort 2.1 Cable: The first VESA-certified DP80 cable on Amazon

That's where the premium-build Silkland 80Gbps DisplayPort 2.1 Cable comes in. As the world's first fully VESA-certified 2m DP80 cable available on Amazon, it delivers next-level reliability and performance that generic or low-quality cables simply can't match.

DP80-certified DisplayPort cables are specially constructed to ensure the best performance for high-bandwidth applications, addressing the limitations of traditional cables that can't support high resolutions (such as 8K@60Hz or 4K@240Hz) or are incompatible with the latest graphics cards and monitors.

You don't get a "better" picture or other incremental improvements with a more expensive DisplayPort cable, but a poor-quality cable can lead to data errors and corruption of the video or audio data and will likely be less reliable over the long term.



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