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Oct 18, 2021
Technically, Windows 11 isn't free. If you don't already have a Windows PC (or spare product key), you have to pay for a license. But an upgrade to Microsoft's newest operating system costs nothing. For the foreseeable future, compatible Windows 10 laptops and desktop computers can move up to Windows 11 without any charge. You […]
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Oct 18, 2021
The Silicon Power XD80 is four lane (x4) PCIe 3 NVMe SSD that is sold in 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB flavors—at least theoretically. We tested the $220 2TB version, but it's difficult to find in stock online, with only the $110 1TB flavor available at Newegg more times than not. That's a very good price, […]
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Oct 15, 2021
Dell's Latitude 7320 Detachable rivals what some may call the definitive Windows tablet, the Microsoft Surface Pro 7 . The Latitude 7320 may be a little more expensive, but it also boasts Thunderbolt connectivity, a one-two punch of biometric security options, and a suite of genuinely useful utilities. Unfortunately, the Latitude 7320 is not immune to […]
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Oct 15, 2021
On Friday, Microsoft began testing a fix to eliminate the cache latency issues that have plagued PCs powered by AMD Ryzen processors running Windows 11. However, the patch, part of Windows 11 Build 22000.282, is available just to the Windows Insider Beta and Release channels—both opportunities for members of Microsoft's beta program to test new […]
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Oct 15, 2021
Intel is planning to offer an 8-core version of its hybrid Alder Lake chip—without efficiency cores—and will apparently offer AVX512 support too, according to a developer guide released by the company. The two tidbits were in a gaming software developer guide Intel released on its website to help game developers prepare for its 12th gen […]
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Oct 15, 2021
Every computer has a graphics processing unit (GPU), and what kind of GPU you have largely determines which applications and games you can smoothly run. Before you buy expensive software, check which GPU you have to make sure your PC can handle it. Why you should know which graphics card you have Before we get […]
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Oct 15, 2021
You can lock down your PC and get productive for a fraction of the usual price right now. Newegg is selling a bundle with one year of Microsoft 365 Family and one year of AVG Internet Security for just $70 combined. That's $65 off the MSRP of the two products separately, and an absolutely awesome […]
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Oct 15, 2021
Good news, Chrome and Edge users—you no longer need to download PDFs in order to make basic edits. Earlier this week, Adobe officially rolled out new features to its Chrome extension, giving you the ability to skip the standalone application for common tasks. A phased rollout for Edge users will begin later this month as […]
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Oct 15, 2021
Today is the day to pick-up a new laptop, Chromebook, or monitor at Amazon. The online retailer is throwing a huge one-day sale on all of these PC-rific items. The deals end just before midnight on Friday evening Pacific time. We've sifted through all the deals to identify our favorite picks from the sale, though […]
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Oct 15, 2021
Let me start with a disclaimer: I am primarily a Mac user writing about Windows 11. For more than a decade, I've used a MacBook Pro as my primary work computer. I'm no stranger, however, to Microsoft's operating system. Prior to my embrace of macOS, I used a Windows PC at my job and at […]
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Oct 15, 2021
Despite a few forays into more buttoned-down design, Razer is still the first name you think of when it comes to gaming accessory excess. The BlackWidow V3 Pro shows why. It's a bombastic full-sized keyboard with RGB lighting, dedicated media controls, a comfy wrist rest in the box, and switches allegedly fine-tuned for gaming. The […]
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Oct 14, 2021
Windows 11 might have just had its Chernobyl moment. AMD and Microsoft already confirmed that the new operating system increases L3 cache latency by 3x on Ryzen CPUs, but it can actually be as much as 6x slower, according to independent testing. Cache latency can affect performance in many applications, including games. Want even more […]
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Oct 14, 2021
In current enterprise environments, the need for an efficient PC management solution is clear. IT teams are expected to build, manage, and secure networks that must keep up with increased corporate headcount and device usage. Unfortunately, the ongoing focus on cost control means that even as their workloads get larger and more complex, IT teams […]
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Oct 14, 2021
While many factors impact the PC selection process, performance is almost always #1. It doesn't matter how big the organization is, or which products or services it delivers, businesses buy technology to make people and processes more productive. Even as data security concerns have gotten more attention in the past few years, performance is still […]
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Oct 14, 2021
Microsoft said Thursday that it is looking into reports that Outlook.com has unexpectedly stopped supporting calendar subscriptions with "high priority," and that Microsoft has no plans to drop then feature. WinFuture reported that some users had seen Outlook.com apparently stop supporting calendar subscriptions, though the same issue didn't seem to affect people subscribed to the […]
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Oct 14, 2021
As risks accelerate in volume and variety, AMD continues to believe that meaningful protection for today's PCs requires a carefully multi-layered approach that relies on best-in-class security controls and capabilities embedded directly into hardware, software, and firmware. This paper explores AMD Ryzen™ PRO 5000 Series mobile processors' security features and the part they play in […]
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Oct 14, 2021
The best Windows tablets squeeze as much performance, battery life, and features as they can inside their ultraportable form factors. Also sometimes referred to as 2-in-1s, thanks to their ability to function as a laptop with the aid of rotating or removable keyboards, these compact PCs can replace a traditional laptop or an iPad for […]
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Oct 14, 2021
Sometimes you'll be using your PC and suddenly notice it feels sluggish, for no apparent reason. It's the type of situation where you're clicking on things and doing your normal "Windowsing," but for whatever reason your PC is not as responsive as it usually is. You're not doing anything intense like encoding video, so why […]
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Oct 14, 2021
Do you know what time it is? Time to pair that iPhone with a 40mm Apple Watch SE. Amazon is selling Apple's basic smart watch for $240 right now. That's $39 off the MSRP, and a $30 savings from Amazon's usual price. The deal is only for the SE with a silver aluminum case and […]
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Oct 13, 2021
Microsoft's Surface Pro 8 tablet arrives as Windows 11 goes out the door. Microsoft has already shipped one tablet this year, the Surface Pro 7 , which rose to the top of our roundup of the best Windows tablets of 2021. Can the Surface Pro 8 improve upon it? Yes. The Surface Pro 8 boldly strides […]
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Oct 13, 2021
It's a good day to get a solid deal on a laptop. OfficeDepot is selling a 15-inch Asus VivoBook for $330, with a Ryzen 3 processor and 128GB of onboard storage. The sale price is $160 off the MSRP and the deal expires Wednesday, though it's not clear exactly when it ends. The Asus VivoBook […]
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Oct 13, 2021
Acer just claimed the prize for announcing the first Intel 12th-gen "Alder Lake" gaming rig with its feature-filled Predator Orion 7000. Your wait is almost over. Sure, it's been no secret that Intel's Alder Lake desktop processors are in the works, but the reveal of the Acer Predator Orion 7000 confirms the new CPUs are […]
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Oct 13, 2021
Popular Chromebook maker Acer is debuting several Chromebooks today, ranging from an inexpensive $399 Chromebook 514 on up to the similarly named $699.99 Chromebook Spin 514. Most Chromebook manufacturers typically offer processor options that include more traditional Intel Core processors, cheaper Pentium Gold options, and ARM processors from MediaTek, Samsung, or others. It's this latter […]
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Oct 13, 2021
We don't know what the "D" in Acer's ConceptD lineup of creative laptops, stands for but it might as well be "different," because you can nowt get an Ezel version, glassless 3D, and one with a standard 16:10 panel too. The ConceptD 3 Ezel is the one that'll get the most attention due to all […]
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Oct 13, 2021
Just a week or so after formally announcing its first Acer Vero eco-friendly PC, Acer is expanding the lineup with new consumer and commercial devices, including the Acer TravelMate Vero. Acer launched its Vero brand in May, as a way to alert consumers that Vero laptops were made with sustainable practices in mind. Acer launched […]
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Oct 13, 2021
It's finally happened. Well over a year after this generation of graphics cards kicked off, AMD is releasing the first true 1080p GPU of the lot with the Radeon RX 6600, which is being both announced and launched today. Sure, the step-up Radeon RX 6600 XT ostensibly targets high-refresh rate 1080p gaming, but it's massively […]
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Oct 13, 2021
"Microsoft places the most disconcerting aspects of Windows 11 front and center, while its best features are hidden deeper within." That's how I closed my Windows 11 review, and it still feels true today. But what are those hidden, superior features? Yes, you'll need to hunt a bit. But Microsoft has scattered some hidden gems […]
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Oct 12, 2021
Most computers and storage drives still use the common SATA or PCIe 3.0 interfaces to sling your bits of data around, but if you're lucky enough to own a relatively modern PC, you might be able to upgrade to a solid-state drive (SSD) built on the insanely fast PCIe 4.0 protocol. We've tested several PCIe […]
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Oct 12, 2021
Netgear has announced the first quad-band WiFi 6E router, in the form of the Orbi Quad-Band Mesh WiFi 6E System AXE11000 (RBKE960). Historically, high-performing, hot-rod routers have been tri-band, meaning they have an extra WiFi 5 band to cover the higher channels and offer more throughput for 160 MHz-capable devices. In contrast, every WiFi 6E […]
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Sep 28, 2021
Is your computer's CPU too hot? If your PC starts spontaneously shutting down, locking up, or acting sluggish during intense tasks, overheating could be the issue. Keeping tabs on your CPU temperatures is crucial when you're overclocking your PC's processor, too—you don't want to accidentally push the performance pedal too far to the metal when you're supercharging your pricey Core i9-11900K or AMD Ryzen 5900X, especially given how hard it is to acquire PC parts in general these days.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Sep 28, 2021
Most people who are in the market for a new graphics card have one primary question in mind: Which card will give me the most bang for my buck? Obviously, the answer will vary depending on your budget. Beyond that, there are a number of factors to consider: Raw performance is important, but so are things like noise, the driver experience, and supplemental software. And do you want to pay a premium to get in on the bleeding edge of real-time ray tracing?
Gaming GPU cheat sheet
Our quick-hit recommendations:
Best budget GPU: AMD Ryzen 5 5600G APURemove non-product link [newegg.com]
Best 1080p GPU: GeForce GTX 1660 Super [newegg.com]
Best 1440p GPU: GeForce RTX 3060 Ti [bestbuy.com]
Best 4K GPU:
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Sep 28, 2021
PNY's new LX3030 NVMe SSD isn't for everyone. It's marketed directly at Chia cryptocurrency plotting, a very high-bandwidth sustained write task. If you want some info on how much data Chia requires, you can find it here. But if your workload involves something similar, such as continuous large-scale backup, video encoding, or anything else that involves writing lots and lots of data, it might also be of interest.
Why? The LX3030 is the fastest PCIe 3.0-based sustained writer we've tested and its TBW (TeraBytes that can be Written) ratings are astounding: 27,000TBW per 1TB of NAND. Seagate's scorching fast FireCuda 530 is rated for 1,250TBW per terabyte—a lot of data by normal standards, but shy one zero compared to the PNY's rated durability.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Sep 28, 2021
I've reviewed a lot of Aukey products, but never had the chance to test out one of the company's power stations. So a few months ago, I reached out to the Aukey team and asked to check out the $250 PowerTitan 300.
This power station offers enough ports to connect and power almost anything you can think of, and it's not terribly expensive. Additionally, Aukey sells a 100W solar panel kit that you can use to charge the PowerTitan or small devices, like your phone or tablet, when you have a clear sky.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Sep 27, 2021
You're not the first person who's wondered what it would be like to have a giant desktop monitor. Think of all the multi-tasking and immersive gaming you could manage if you had a 50- or 60-inch monitor instead of a standard 24-inch monitor! But you've probably noticed that as monitors get bigger, they also tend to get prohibitively expensive.
You've probably already got a big screen in your house, though—a high-definition television. At the end of the day, isn't an HDTV just a giant, living-room-oriented computer monitor?
Not exactly. While you can use a TV as a computer monitor in most cases, that doesn't mean it's the best option. In fact, it's likely less attractive, convenient, and usable than you think (not to mention, probably not that cheap). There's a reason dirt-cheap 32-inch HDTVs aren't flying off the shelves to be used as budget-friendly jumbo screens.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Sep 27, 2021
What should you look for when choosing a motherboard? The best CPUs might get all the attention, but motherboard choice can be just as crucial. We'll show you how to buy based on the features that you need—without breaking the bank.
Choose your CPU and chipset
Your first decision also involves the CPU. Your choice here is either AMD or Intel. Motherboards only work with the specific families of processors they're designed for. Our guide to the best CPUs can help you pick the ideal processor for any budget; your needs there should drive most of your decision making.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Sep 27, 2021
Pre-pandemic, the number of true wireless earbuds with noise canceling was just a trickle. Now they are entering the market in a steady stream, and just in time. Even with reduced travel demand, in-ear headphones with active noise-canceling (ANC) still have their uses—blocking out background conversations in busy households, muffling the cacophony of loud streets, and the like.
With the predecessor WF-1000XM3, Sony pit a strong contender against Bose's well-regarded noise-canceling competition. Now Sony's successor ANC buds have improved across the board, making the WF-1000XM4 one of the top contenders in this space. That said, if you care deeply about sound profiles and noise-canceling strength, you should first make sure these buds have what you're after.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Sep 24, 2021
A tiny BIOS chip lurks inside every computer, sitting on your motherboard to breathe life into your system when you press the power button. It not only powers your PC, but helps protect it, too.
BIOS stands for basic input and output system, and the BIOS chip initializes all the other devices in your PC, like the CPU, GPU, and motherboard chipset. But a few years ago, motherboard manufacturers—in partnership with Microsoft and Intel—introduced a replacement for traditional BIOS chips dubbed UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface).
Almost every motherboard shipping today has a UEFI chip rather than a BIOS chip (UEFI is a Windows 11 system requirement, in fact), but they both share the same core purpose: preparing the system to boot into the operating system. That said, most people still call the UEFI the "BIOS" because of the familiarity of the term.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Sep 24, 2021
In this episode of The Full Nerd, Gordon Ung, Brad Chacos, Alaina Yee, Keith May, and Adam Patrick Murray open up the books and admit worthy hardware into our officially unofficial PC Hall of Fame.
In past years, the Intel 8086/8088 processors, Nvidia GeForce 8800 GT graphics card, IBM Model M keyboard, 3DFX Voodoo graphics card, Raspberry Pi, and MLC NAND (as a stand-in for affordable SSDs) made the cut after a fierce debate. This year, each of us brought three more legendary picks to the table, prepared to plea and cajole as we whittled the original field of 15 nominees down. It starts out full of laughter and trips down memory lane, then the smiles gradually disappear as well-deserving components start getting the axe. Be sure to watch the entire process play out, but in the end, only three products manage to become our 2021 inductees in The Full Nerd's PC Hardware Hall of Fame:
To read this article in full, please click here
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Sep 24, 2021
The easiest way to watch TV on a personal computer--and the one that's most popular now--is to view programming over the Web. The major networks, a number of cable channels, and general sites such as Hulu allow you to view shows in your Web browser. If you want a more direct connection to your TV, you'll need extra hardware, namely a TV tuner.
Tuners essentially turn a computer into a TV set. Usually they include software that allows you to record programming on your computer, too, so you can watch shows on your schedule and not a TV network's. If you have a media center PC, a tuner may already be built into the machine. If you don't have a tuner, you can add one either by installing a tuner card into your PC or by connecting an external tuner.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Sep 24, 2021
Should you buy a used mining GPU? Usually, you may want to avoid graphics cards that were used around the clock to mine cryptocurrency. But that's not necessarily the case during the Great GPU Shortage, when the best graphics cards are always out of stock even when they're going for exorbitant prices.
Let's say you've done your research, stood in line for hours, and endlessly refreshed your browser at online retailers without any luck. When you're finally about to give up, you find the perfect used GPU for sale—but the seller tells you it was used for mining cryptocurrency.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Sep 24, 2021
Films like these make a Hulu subscription worthwhile.
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Sep 23, 2021
As the name suggests, Microsoft's new Surface Laptop Studio fuses together a number of different Surfaces, among them the Surface Laptop and Surface Studio. Inside the Surface Laptop Studio, however, new GeForce RTX hardware points to the power Microsoft has traditionally offered inside the Surface Book. Our full video above walks you through every inch of the laptop, which doubles as a physical avatar for Microsoft's Windows 11 ambitions.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Sep 23, 2021
If you think that overclocking is solely for performance-obsessed geeks armed with bottles of liquid nitrogen, it's time to reconsider! Even a small bump in PC performance can delay the need to upgrade your processor, keeping money in your pocket. Yes, overclocking can make the best gaming CPUs even better.
Today I'll walk you through simple overclocking steps that can usually boost processor speeds 10 percent or more. If you're a gamer, video artist, or media streamer, that's a useful, no-cost upgrade. Read on if you want your PC to go faster!
What is overclocking, anyway?
Overclocking is a technique for tweaking various types of PC hardware, so that it runs faster than the manufacturer's intended specification. Many processors, RAM modules, and graphics cards can be overclocked, usually by adjusting their settings via your motherboard's UEFI BIOS. Operate in safe margins and overclocking shouldn't damage your PC. But, as we'll discuss, it's important to manage the additional heat that accelerated hardware can generate.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Sep 23, 2021
With Windows 11 on the horizon, PC makers have been busy announcing new laptops and tablets based on the next-gen operating system.
Add to that heavy competition between Intel, AMD, and Nvidia and we're in an era of some of the best laptops in history right now. Our top picks from currently available laptops are below:
Latest laptop news and reviews
Here are the latest stories:
HP announced three new Windows 11 devices that may throw you for a curve: the HP 11 inch Tablet, the 14 inch Laptop, and the Spectre x360 16. The Tablet's cool trick is a swiveling 13MP camera that lets you show off homework. The 14 inch Laptop is also quite different and will be powered by Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon processor. Finally, the Spectre x360 features a 5GHz 11th-gen Tiger Lake H CPU, a GeForce RTX 3050, and a pixel-packed 5 megapixel camera.
Framework wants you to take its laptop apart and repair it. Seriously. While most laptops are difficult to impossible to repair or upgrade, this debut product from Framework not only can be dismantled and upgraded, but the company actually encourages you to do it. Find out what we learned when we took an early-production Framework laptop for a whirl.
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Sep 23, 2021
It's easy to see why people mistakenly believe that all USB-C cables are essentially the same, and that differences are mostly superficial and a way to mark up prices. After all, it's just a cable, right?
Wrong. We can tell you from testing more than a dozen USB-C cables that they are not all the same. You will see huge performance differences in transferring data and charging devices depending on the particular cable you buy.
Unfortunately trying to find a quality USB-C cable among the multitude of options available can be daunting. So we bought 14 cables ranging from the biggest, most recognizable brand-names to the cheapest-looking cables around and put them through the wringer to test relative performance. In doing so we were able to identify some clear winners to make your purchasing decision easier.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Sep 23, 2021
The trusty Pavilion has come a long way. With a magnesium aluminum chassis that looks elegant and feels durable and impossibly light, the HP Pavilion Aero 13 looks and feels more like a model from the company's higher-end Envy or Spectre line than a mainstream Pavilion. And yet the Pavilion Aero 13 line starts at a reasonable $750.
Despite its light price and weight, the Pavilion Aero 13 is roomy and powerful. The laptop is based on a 13.3-inch display with a 16:10 aspect ratio that makes the display feel more spacious than a standard 16:9 display of the same size. The keyboard runs from edge to edge and feels spacious along with the generously proportioned touchpad. Powering this perfectly sized laptop is an 8-core AMD Ryzen 7 processor that's no lightweight CPU. Our $999 test system is a great pick for students or anyone looking for tons of style and portability at a great price.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Sep 22, 2021
Microsoft's original Surface Duo folding phone designed in some serious flaws. The Surface Duo 2, to its credit, appears to have at least addressed them.
When Microsoft launched the Surface Duo folding phone a year ago, Microsoft executives preceded it with a gauzy veil of hype that concealed the many flaws reviewers noted: a poor camera, a lack of NFC and 5G, a subsequently poor track record of patches and updates, and an interface whose bugs made the dual-screen interface painful to use.
Microsoft's Surface Duo 2 arrives today, available for preorder for $1,499.99 on up, with shipments starting Octobr 21. That's about the same price as Microsoft's earlier Surface Duo. Can the new phone fix the flaws of the first? On paper, it takes a good first step.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Sep 22, 2021
Microsoft's latest premium notebook, the Surface Laptop Studio, borrows the best from Microsoft's other products: the flexibility of the Surface Studio, the convenience of the Surface Laptop, and the power of the Surface Book. It might not be the Surface Book 4 we were expecting, but with a new pull-forward display, Nvidia GeForce RTX graphics, Thunderbolt, Windows Hello 2.0, and a high-refresh-rate screen, it's both an interesting fusion of other Surfaces as well as a physical avatar for many of the new capabilities within Windows 11.
The Surface Laptop Studio won't come cheaply, though. Microsoft has priced the notebook at $1,599.99 and above, with prices climbing to $3,099.99 for the most premium model. The Surface Studio Laptop is available for preorder beginning today, and will ship on Oct. 5.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Sep 22, 2021
Microsoft announced three new Surface tablets on Wednesday, including a larger, more powerful Surface Pro 8, a new Surface Go 3 that boasts options for a faster Intel Core i3 processor, and an updated Surface Pro X. Microsoft's Surface Pro 8 boasts Thunderbolt ports for the first time, integrated LTE, Slim Pen integrated storage and charging, as well as a new display that can run at up to 120Hz.
The new updates to Microsoft's tablet lineup are on par with what we expected from this Surface launch, with Windows 11 looming on October 5, though Microsoft's quick pace of recent tablet introductions means that there's not as much of a performance gap as with prior generations.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Sep 22, 2021
Glance at the NZXT H510 Flow, and it looks about as you'd expect given current sensibilities. Optimal airflow dominates the scene at the moment. Most new cases now feature mesh front panels, and the H510 Flow is no different.
Yet the Flow represents a shift on NZXT's part, as you'll see in the video above. The standard H510 has long sported a solid front panel, as did the H500 and S340 before it. And despite its critics, the case has enjoyed wild popularity. PC builders love this compact ATX mid-tower's smaller footprint, thoughtful and straightforward design, and minimalist vibe.
But general trends have had their influence, with a result that should quiet most naysayers. NZXT put a steel mesh front panel on the body of the H510, complete with removable dust filter, and made minor additional tweaks. Namely, the two included 120mm fans come mounted at the front and rear, instead of the top and rear. (The standard H510's smaller air intakes on the right side panel and the bottom front of the case are gone, too.) You'll find no other changes to the chassis aside from airflow improvements; PC builders still get the same H510 otherwise. The removable hard drive cage, front fan/radiator bracket, and signature cable bar remain so for ease when building.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Sep 22, 2021
In a field dominated by square or rectangular design, the egg-shaped $160 Nexar Pro dash cam (with its equally egg-shaped discrete interior camera) stands out—in a good way. The Nexar Pro is also one of the cheaper options in a dash cam offering cloud storage, bested only in affordability by the previously reviewed Nexar Beam.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Sep 22, 2021
Previously, I reviewed the RockPals 300W portable power station and rated it 4.5 stars. It had reliable performance, plenty of ports, and a large display that kept you up to speed on everything the power station was doing.
Now I'm taking a look at a device that has the same exact name, but a completely different design. The updated power station lost the dual flashlights, has been shrunk down quite a bit, and the screen no longer details every aspect of the station's performance.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Sep 21, 2021
Official news came much sooner than expected. On Tuesday, just a day after leaks surfaced on the company's Canadian and Mexican sites about models with a bigger screen and dramatically more LEDs, Amazon confirmed the launch of three new Kindle Paperwhites. In addition to a successor for the existing Paperwhite—which was already the best Kindle you can buy—two fresh variants have gone up for pre-order: the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition and the Kindle Paperwhite Kids.
A larger screen is the biggest and most notable upgrade on Amazon's latest e-readers. While these keep the same flush-front design and 300ppi resolution as the current fourth-generation Paperwhite, the display has grown from 6-inches to a roomier 6.8-inches and sports a narrower bezel. It also comes with a new ability to shift the color temperature of the screen's backlight from white to a warmer amber tone, with the swankier Signature Edition featuring an auto-adjusting light sensor.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Sep 21, 2021
HP will release three new Windows 11 devices to kick off the launch of Microsoft's next-gen operating system, including a fresh Spectre with a juicy OLED display and a webcam designed to blow your socks off, the first laptop with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c Gen 2 chip, and an 11-inch tablet with a nifty swiveling camera that lets you show off your homework.
The HP 11 inch Tablet—yes, that's it's name—is among several new laptops, all-in-ones, and monitors that HP dropped on the world today, but it's really the 11 inch Tablet that catches your eye thanks to that unique camera.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Sep 21, 2021
No matter whether you treat your computer as the centerpiece of your home office or just stuff it under your desk, buying the right PC case matters.
At a minimum, you want to pick a PC case that's the right size for your needs and has room for all your hardware and USB devices. But some PC cases offer much, much more. Spacious innards, lower temperatures, muffled sound, extensive water-cooling support, and fancy-schmancy tempered glass panels or RGB lighting are just the tip of the iceberg.
Here's a guide to buying a PC case that's perfect for you. This is just the first step in your DIY journey; be sure to check out PCWorld's guide to building a PC, too, as well as our guide on setting up your PC's fans for maximum system cooling.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Sep 20, 2021
Windows 11 won't just change the Windows operating system, it will change the way some Windows apps look and feel, too. Though Windows 11 will launch this fall, Microsoft has already been highlighting several Windows apps that are being updated for Windows 11.
So far, Microsoft has shown off several Windows apps that it's reworking for Windows 11, including what you might consider to be core Windows apps: Mail and Calendar, Paint, and even the lowly Clock app. Below, we'll show you what to expect of these new apps within Windows 11. (Remember, Windows 11 is officially in beta. Things may change between now and the final release.)
To read this article in full, please click here
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Sep 20, 2021
How hot is your PC's graphics card temperature? During normal operations, your GPU temperature shouldn't matter much—your graphics card should simply drive monitors and play games without overheating and shutting down. But if you have an older PC, or if you want to try your hand at graphics card overclocking, being able to monitor your GPU temperature is vital.
The good news? Checking your PC's graphics card temperature is dead simple, especially now that Windows finally includes a native way to keep tabs on temps. All sorts of free GPU monitoring tools are also available, and many of them can help you check your PC's CPU temperature, too.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Sep 20, 2021
Roku Streaming Stick vs. Amazon Fire Stick vs. Chromecast vs. Apple TV, and more. Which streaming device is best for-cord cutters? Our buying guide will help you pick the right accessories for your TV.
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Sep 20, 2021
With mere weeks left before Windows 11's launch, Microsoft is deploying its vanguard. The company is expected to launch an arsenal of new Surface devices during its September 22 event, including a significantly redesigned Surface Book 4, the Surface Pro 8, and even a next-generation Surface Duo phone.
Initial reports say we should expect to see:
A new Surface tablet, the Surface Pro 8
An updated Surface Pro X, possibly referred to as just the Surface Pro X (2021)
A slightly updated Surface Go 3
A drastically updated Surface Book 4
The new Surface Duo 2
There have been rumors of a new Surface Dock, as well.
The Verge has reported early information about the new Surface hardware, and Windows Central published Surface details as well. Both sites have a great track record for Microsoft reporting. We'd expect all of these new devices to be powered by Windows 11, either at launch or immediately after. The timing of this event can't be coincidental. Let's dig in!
To read this article in full, please click here
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Sep 20, 2021
Hotspot Shield in brief:
P2P allowed: Yes
To read this article in full, please click here
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Sep 17, 2021
Anyone who uses a smartphone knows the importance of carrying a backup battery pack. But try searching for one on Amazon, say, and you're likely to feel overwhelmed by the vast number of options. Besides the various charging specs, ports, and even cables you have to consider, there are a ton of competing brands. How are you supposed to know which ones actually live up to their promise?
We've done the legwork for you, evaluating a wide range of power banks from different manufacturers, costing different prices, and some offering unique features. Our testing is extensive, too, subjecting the packs to real-world usage (read about our testing process in detail below). Our picks below reflect a range of needs. (You might also be interested in our our roundup of USB car chargers if you spend a lot of time in transit.)
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Sep 17, 2021
I've been quiet for the last few months, but I can explain. I was tasked with testing several power stations, ranging from affordable to almost too expensive. The goal? Find a range of portable power stations for all budgets and use cases.
Admittedly, testing took far longer than I expected. But, alas, here I am, ready with the first review born out of months of testing, frustration, and more testing.
First up is the RAVPower Portable Power Station 252.7Wh Power House, a $179 powerhouse that looks more like a portable speaker than something you'd plug a 110v gadget into, or that could power a lamp for 37:26 minutes. But I'm getting ahead of myself.
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Sep 17, 2021
Want to maximize your desktop's real estate? You have two options: an ultrawide monitor, or a dual-monitor setup. Either choice will massively expand the screen space at your command. But ultrawide and dual-monitor setups are not the same. Each has its strengths and weaknesses.
Here's how to decide whether an ultrawide monitor or dual monitors is right for you.
How wide is it?
Everyone looking to buy an ultrawide monitor or dual monitors wants more usable display space. But how much do you gain with each scenario?
A 34-inch ultrawide monitor, the most common size, is not as large you might think. This size of ultrawide is nearly identical to a 27-inch widescreen monitor in height and about 8 inches wider.
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Sep 17, 2021
Adata's XPG Gammix S70 Blade is the second fastest NVMe SSD we've tested, bettering Samsung's excellent 980 Pro by a smidge—the drive it replaces in the number two spot. It's also PlayStation 5 compatible and offers a large improvement in real world performance over its predecessor, the previously reviewed and fast-in-its-own-right XPG Gammix S70.
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Sep 16, 2021
Microsoft said Thursday that it plans to launch Office 2021, a standalone version of Office 365, on Oct. 5—the same day as Windows 11 releases. It will include some, but not all of the features of Microsoft's perpetually-updating cloud productivity service
Microsoft will release Office 2021 for personal and small business users "later this year," Microsoft said in a blog post in February. On Thursday, Microsoft added the ship date of October 5. Microsoft also did not offer any other pricing guidance beyond what it had said in February, which was that it did not plan to change the prices for this new release. If true, that would price the cheapest version of Office 2021 at $150, the price Microsoft charges for
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Sep 16, 2021
When Microsoft finally added virtual desktop support to Windows 10, my productivity instantly skyrocketed. Virtual desktops create secondary (and tertiary, and..) home screens for your PC, each running instances of its own software, that you can quickly hop between. They're one of the best Windows 10 tools you may not even know about. But every time I profess my love for virtual desktops I inevitably get asked, "What do you use them for?"
I can only speak to my own experiences, of course. I like segregating my work software from my play software, to resist the allure of Discord and GeForce Now when I'm on the clock. Virtual desktops also come in handy if I'm working on several complicated projects at once—each one gets its own desktop. But don't just take my word for it! Buried deep in a LifeProTips Reddit thread revolving around using Win Shift to shift windows between your monitors (keyboard shortcuts rock, y'all), I found an interesting chain of comments where real people were sharing how they use virtual desktops.
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Sep 16, 2021
For PC enthusiasts, the global chip shortages aren't fresh news. Trying to get components for DIY builds or a even good pre-built PC at a decent price has been a wild ride since spring 2020, and laptops fly off store shelves as quickly as they arrive. But continuing to wait out all electronics purchases won't pay off this holiday season—not with recent reports that even toys will be affected by the shortages when shoppers go on the hunt for gifts.
Yes, children's toys with electronic chips will be in short supply, according to Slickdeals.net. In its interview with the head of Sky Castle Toys, the crowdsourced-deals site explains the steeper difficulty faced by the toy industry in obtaining processors. Competition from other major industries like PC, automobile, smartphone, and home appliance makers means fewer available chips for toys that incorporate motion, light, or sound, or connect to a companion app.
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Sep 16, 2021
If you're asking yourself if all USB-A to USB-C cables work the same, well, the short answer is no. Not at all.
To illustrate our point, we reviewed two six-foot, gray-braided Amazon Basics USB-A to USB-C cables that look virtually identical and, surprisingly, cost virtually identical amounts. A USB 3.1 model cost $12.40 while a USB 2.0 model cost $11.90.
Our prior evaluation of pure USB-C cables revolved around three features: Charging performance, data transfer performance, and monitor cable performance. But our testing of the USB-A to USB-C cables we're comparing today showed they really only differentiate in one key area: data transfer speed.
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Sep 16, 2021
Let's get ready to rumble! Today we're pitting the first two "sweet spot" 1080p graphics cards from this generation in an epic head-to-head showdown: Nvidia's GeForce RTX 3060 versus the AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT.
Mainstream options like these have historically been priced competitively to garner the attention of as many gamers as possible. With recent MSRP and street pricing raging out of control, are they still attractive choices? Which is the best graphics card for you: The RTX 3060 or the Radeon RX 6600 XT? Let's look at their pricing, performance, and more to answer those questions.
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Sep 15, 2021
Intel's 12th-gen Alder Lake processors aren't upon us yet, but another price leak indicates they might indeed compete with AMD's best CPUs, unlike current top-end Core offerings.
The latest oopsie comes from retail IT vendor Provantage, which puts the top-end Core i9-12900K at $605. The IT vendor also lists the Core i7-12700K at $420, as well as a Core i5-12600K for $283.
After news reports of the part numbers and prices surfaced, Provantage removed the listings. The latest leak follows reports two weeks ago—supposedly from European retailers—that placed the Core i9-12900K at $705, the Core i7-12700K at $495, and the Core i5-12600 at $343.
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Sep 15, 2021
We need backup software for our PCs because our storage drives won't last forever. Backup software ensures we're covered when the day comes that our primary drive up and dies.
It would be nice if Microsoft itself provided Windows users with something like Apple's Time Machine: an effective, set-it-and-forget-it, total system recovery and backup solution that requires little interaction or thought on the user's part.
Instead, Microsoft delivers a mishmash of restore points, recovery discs, file backup, and even the un-retired System Backup (Windows 7), which was probably originally put out to pasture for its propensity to choke on dissimilar hardware. Online backup services are another option, but desktop clients tend to offer far more flexibility.
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Sep 15, 2021
Razer has never been afraid to take a shot on products that seem unusual at first glance. Witness its RGB-infused N95 mask, the now-defunct Razer Game Store with its own zVault currency, or the first-gen Firefly mousepad, which has evolved into something special but originally prompted us to review it against a ripped-up piece of cardboard. The company's latest offering might just take the cake though. This week, Razer introduced gamer thimbles.
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Sep 15, 2021
Popups within Windows are one of the operating system's more polarizing features. If you're not a fan, you may want to brace yourself, because Microsoft is testing whether or not to add even more to Windows 11. It might not be bad news, though.
As part of the review notes for the Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22458, Microsoft says that it's including an enhanced Tips app for Windows 11, with more hints about how to use the new upcoming operating system. But Microsoft also says that it's going to be scattering more of these hints around the operating system itself.
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Sep 15, 2021
Many of the chips inside a typical PC generate a lot of heat and require some form of active cooling to remain stable. Powerful recent hardware like Nvidia's GeForce RTX 3000-series graphics cards and AMD's Ryzen 5000 processors demand even more heat dissipation.
System builders usually rely on heatsinks and fans to manage the heat within a PC. If you're upgrading or building a new PC—or your PC is overheating—you may need to install new or additional fans.
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Sep 15, 2021
Microsoft is now offering you the choice to get rid of passwords entirely from your Microsoft account, moving to a passwordless future where your phone and face will log you in instead.
The shift begins today and will roll out through the coming weeks. Your Microsoft account, together with apps that require you to sign in (such as Outlook, OneDrive, and others), won't require you to verify yourself using a password.
So how will your account be secured? In place of a password, Microsoft will use its Microsoft Authenticator app for your phone, Windows Hello, and codes sent to your email or phone in place of a traditional password. We've seen Microsoft offer to sign into your account without a password since 2017, but today is the first day that Microsoft is also inviting you to ditch passwords entirely.
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Sep 15, 2021
TP-Link's newest gaming router, the Wi-Fi 6 Archer GX90 (which we first wrote about as part of our CES coverage in January, 2020), has finally gone on sale at Amazon and other retailers for MSRP $249, undercutting a lot of its competition in the tri-band Wi-Fi 6 gaming router space by a fair amount—assuming it holds up well.
You could think of the Archer GX90 as part of a second wave of Wi-Fi 6 routers, after several major manufacturers, including TP-Link, released their early-adopter units starting in late 2019. As such, it's unsurprising that its specs look better than the similarly priced and very solid ASUS RT-AX86U, for instance.
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Sep 15, 2021
Online gaming is awesome. Teaming up with friends who may be physically located all over the world is great. Engaging with hundreds of other people in a virtual world is fantastic. Having that fun disrupted by network lag, connection latency, and random disconnects is very uncool.
While an internet connection is often subject to the whims of your internet provider, there are still many things you can do with your local router and network setup to optimize your gaming experience. Let's dig in, starting from the top.
[ Further reading: The best mesh Wi-Fi routers ]
Use a capable router
Many home internet providers provide a combined modem and router device that you might be using for your home network and Wi-Fi. Some of these ISP-supplied routers do offer the type of control and software adjustments that are outlined below, but many do not. With that mind, if you're not already using your own router to manage your home network, you may want to.
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Sep 15, 2021
Surface devices usually remain relatively unchanged from generation to generation, a remarkable consistency that can nevertheless leave the impression that Microsoft doesn't keep up with the times. After reviewing almost all of the Surface devices ever released, we can't help but keep a running tally of the features we'd like to see in the next generation of Microsoft's Surface laptops and tablets.
On Wednesday, Sept. 22, Microsoft plans to host a virtual event where the company is expected to provide updates for its Surface devices, since the invitation (pictured above) literally shows a Surface tablet in profile. Microsoft will likely offer updates to its Surface Pro tablet lineup as well as the Surface Laptop. We may also see new versions of the Surface Pro X, Surface Book, and more.
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Sep 14, 2021
Stay on top of the latest tech with PCWorld's Digital Magazine. Available as single copies or as a monthly subscription, it highlights the best content from PCWorld.com—the most important news, the key product reviews, and the most useful features and how-to stories—in a curated Digital Magazine for Android and iOS, as well for the desktop and other tablet readers.
In the September issue
This month, meet the laptop that wants you to take it apart. We showcase the best prebuilt PCs with AMD's Ryzen APUs. See our picks for the best online marketplaces for selling used devices. Learn how to check your laptop's battery health.
Other highlights include:
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Sep 14, 2021
Windows 11 is almost here, complete with a new look, a new location for your taskbar icons, and a new (and stringent) list of hardware requirements. But a fresh coat of paint is essentially mandatory with a new version of Windows. What we didn't anticipate was the laundry list of features coming with the new operating system, many of which caught us by surprise.
From Android apps to automatic HDR in games to the glorious return of widgets, here are 7 new Windows 11 features we didn't expect. You'll be able to try them out for yourself when the operating system launches on October 5.
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Sep 14, 2021
Windows 10 users can now stream games directly to their PC's Xbox app. Today marks the culmination of Microsoft's cloud-gaming efforts, as games can now be streamed from the cloud to phones, tablets, Chromebooks, browsers, and (finally) to a PC app. And as a bonus, the Xbox app will let you stream games from your Xbox Series X or Series S as well.
Xbox cloud gaming will begin moving from the Xbox Cloud gaming (beta) app directly to the Xbox app. That app should allow you to two ways to stream games. The first, "true" cloud gaming, will stream games from the Microsoft cloud to your PC, much like Chromebooks or browser-based cloud gaming already does. Cloud gaming essentially taps an Xbox Series S console in Microsoft's cloud, streaming the game down over tens or hundreds of miles of Internet infrastructure to your PC. That lets you play games your PC hardware might not be able to handle on its own, but it also introduces some latency, or lag, to your inputs.
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Sep 14, 2021
Windows 11 won't be officially supported on Apple M1 Macs, dashing the hopes of those who hoped to pair Apple's new M1 Arm hardware with the new operating system.
Microsoft called running Windows 11 on an Apple Mac powered by an M1 chip "not a supported scenario" late last week in a statement to The Register. Microsoft issued that report after the publication found hardware compatibility errors while running the latest build of Windows 11 on Parallels, an app that lets you run third-party operating systems on Macs.
As anyone who has followed the Windows 11 upgrade path understands, "supported" and "unsupported" are subtly complicated terms that refer to whether or not the Windows 11 operating system will run as expected. "Support" depends on whether the PC platform meets Microsoft's Windows 11 hardware specifications, which the company has aggressively set in an effort to assure the PC is secure. Microsoft's Windows on Arm program has ensured that Windows 11 will run on Arm PCs like the Surface Pro X, just not on Apple's Arm-based M1 Macs.
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Sep 14, 2021
Can you get an 8-core gaming laptop with a GeForce RTX 3080 inside without completely breaking the bank? Yes.
That's the pitch for Acer's latest Nitro 5 iteration, at least, which packs an 8-core Ryzen 7 5800H processor, a GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop 8GB GPU, and an ultra-fast 17.3-inch 360Hz panel for $2,099.99 on Amazon. Sure, there's no optical mechanical keyboard, per key RGB lighting, or fancy magnesium or carbon here (it's mostly plastic) but for gamers, having a fast CPU and a fast GPU might be all that matters, especially paired with such a speedy screen. Most RTX 3080 laptops cost hundreds more.
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Sep 14, 2021
We've all, at some point in our computing lives, dealt with browser tab overload.
But instead of giving into that helpless feeling—and loading yet another version of a tab you've probably got open already—consider the alternatives. These days, there are lots of ways to quickly sift through your open or recently-closed browser tabs, sparing you the agony of having to click through each one to find what you're looking for.
Here are four tricks you can use in Chrome, Edge, and other Chromium-based browsers to instantly get back to what you're looking for:
Use Chrome's built-in tab search
Over the summer, Google added a nifty tab search tool to its browser, one that you can operate exclusively with keyboard shortcuts. Just press Ctrl Shift-A, and you'll see a list of open tabs in the browser's top-right corner, along with a search box and any tabs you've closed recently. (You'll also see some recently-closed tabs, provided you don't have too many open ones.) Type in the title of the page you're looking for, then hit Enter, and you'll immediately jump over to the appropriate tab.
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Sep 14, 2021
Common wisdom on the internet proclaims you must use two separate power cables when attaching two 6- or 8-pin power connectors to a graphics card. According to some, using just one cable is a danger. Others say at the very least, you could be leaving performance on the table—a sad prospect, as typically only high-end graphics cards need that much power, and so you won't get your money's worth.
But like with most advice on forums and social media, what started as a reasonable guideline has been boiled down to an oversimplified rule lacking nuance. You can use a single cable's multiple power connectors without fear of harm to your graphics card or tanking its performance. It's usually fine.
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Sep 13, 2021
Remember when Zoom was just our pandemic video-chat app? Now the service is adding collaboration features of all stripes, including translation, whiteboarding, and even voice mail, while challenging established players like Microsoft Teams and Slack.
Zoom kicked off its Zoomtopia user conference by announcing a ton of new features, par for the course during the whirlwind days of the pandemic when Google, Microsoft, Zoom, and others competed for users. Now, as the world moves into a hybrid work environment, Zoom is trying to capture a greater percentage of both in-person and remote workers. (Zoom hedged its bets by saying that these are "future potential projects.")
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Sep 13, 2021
The latest version of Radeon Software adds an unusual (and welcome) new twist: The ability to automatically overclock your Ryzen processor if you're rocking an all-AMD gaming desktop. Yes, your GPU software can speed up your CPU now, too—and it can do it all with a single click.
The addition might not come as a surprise if you've been paying close attention to AMD's behavior over the past year. Now that Ryzen bests Intel processors and Radeon graphics cards go blow-for-blow with Nvidia's top GPUs, gamers can get no-compromises performance from an all-AMD rig for the first time in many years—and AMD has been working hard to strengthen the ties between the two product lineups. Smart Access Memory grants your Ryzen CPU full access to your Radeon GPU's memory, while Smart Shift technology lets laptops with a Ryzen/Radeon combo intelligently shift more power to either component when it's needed for faster performance. And earlier this year, AMD worked Ryzen performance monitoring into Radeon Software.
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Sep 13, 2021
For a very long time, the most common path to improving your PC's performance has been through upgrading the RAM. RAM stands for "random access memory" and it's effectively the component of your PC that is keeping track of what your computer is currently working on. When RAM is limited, your PC has to keep that current information stored somewhere else, which can dramatically slow down your workflow and load times. This is particularly notable in computationally heavy projects, such as video encoding and high-quality art creation.
Whether you're looking to upgrade or you're looking to harvest the RAM from one PC to use in another, it helps to know what kind of RAM your system is using. There are a handful of ways to figure that out!
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Sep 13, 2021
Most computers and storage drives still use the common SATA or PCIe 3.0 interfaces to sling your bits of data around, but if you're lucky enough to own a relatively modern PC, you might be able to upgrade to a solid-state drive (SSD) built on the insanely fast PCIe 4.0 protocol. We've tested several PCIe 4.0 SSDs, and the best one to cross our labs thus far is the Samsung 980 Pro in a field of tough contenders.
"The Samsung 980 Pro is a great NVMe SSD—the fastest we've ever tested using the PCIe 4.0 bus," we said in our review (though it has since been unseated by the far pricier Seagate FireCuda 530). "If you're lucky or smart enough to own a late-gen Ryzen system, it's the one you want."
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Sep 13, 2021
Mullvad in brief:
P2P allowed: Yes
Business location: Sweden
Number of servers: 780
Number of country locations: 35 (38 for WireGuard)
Cost: €5 ($5.86 at this writing) billed monthly
VPN protocol: OpenVPN
Data encryption: AES-256-GCM
Data authentication: TLSv1.3 (TLS_CHACHA20_POLY1305_SHA256)
Handshake: 4096-bit RSA
For a long time Mullvad has been a solid VPN service that didn't change a whole lot other than adding an improved app. It continues to use its improved VPN app that we saw roll out several years ago, but the company is also adding new features and dramatically expanding its network compared to what we saw last time around.
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Sep 10, 2021
Protecting your personal data isn't just smart these days—it's a necessity. As the world grows more and more connected, your private info becomes more and more valuable. Whether it's using leaked info from website breaches to hack into your other accounts or holding your personal computer ransom for money, malicious evildoers won't hesitate to ruin your day if it puts profits in their pockets. And a recent scary Microsoft Office hack reminds us that local files can secretly be malware in disguise as well.
All is not lost though. Following some basic security principles can help protect you from most of the attacks you'll find on the World Wild Web. Better yet, these five easy security tasks should take only a short while to get set up. Do them now and sleep easier at night.
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Sep 10, 2021
You've probably already seen a Lian Li O11 case before. Visit any forum where people show off builds, and the O11 Dynamic comes up time and time again. But the Dynamic isn't the only O11 line that Lian Li produces. It also has the O11 Air, which focuses more on airflow.
The company is now launching a Mini version of the Air, one that sports some key differences from its O11D Mini cousin. And those features may be enough to lure away builders from the O11D Mini that launched late last year—after some hands-on time with the case, I think this may be the one I'd recommend of the two.
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Sep 10, 2021
Back in 2018, Lian Li launched the O11 Air, a dual-chamber ATX case with a strong focus on airflow. Now the company has introduced a Mini version of it—one with a very strong resemblance to the incredibly popular O11 Dynamic Mini that launched last fall.
But the two cases belong to different lines of cases, each with subtle differences that add up. Given how modular these cases are, it can be hard to keep track of all those nuances. So to make it easier to decide which O11 is right for you, we've broken down the many specs and put them side by side. (For a full compilation of all the info, check out the chart at the bottom of this article.) Be sure to watch the video above too for a clearer visual idea of how components fit into each case.
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Sep 10, 2021
Does your laptop feel sluggish? Do you have to wait five minutes after rebooting the laptop before it responds? Does it struggle to switch between browser tabs even when you have less than half a dozen open?
A slow, frustrating laptop may have you shopping for a new model, but you should try these tips before you give up. Improving the performance of your aging laptop can extend its life by several years and keep it out of the landfill.
Restart your PC
Have you tried turning it off and on again?
It's cliche for a reason. If anything, this trick is even more relevant today. A modern laptop is reliable and can be placed in an efficient sleep mode to save power. There's no reason to turn it off unless you're installing a Windows update or troubleshooting.
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Sep 09, 2021
Worth the price of admissionImage by Respawn
There was a time when "free-to-play" was a dirty term in the games industry. There are still terrible, exploitative free-to-play games on the market—more every day, in fact.
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Sep 09, 2021
In 2010, Microsoft's Kinect smart camera recognized you and logged you in to your Xbox. Now Microsoft is applying the same principles to meetings, announcing support for a future lineup of intelligent cameras that will zoom in and highlight you in hybrid meetings.
Support for intelligent cameras in Microsoft Teams is just part of several announcements Microsoft made Thursday regarding the future of so-called hybrid work, where employees navigate between working at home and in the office. New features include the ability to tell coworkers whether you'll be working from home or in the office via Outlook, be it your weekly schedule or an RSVP for a specific meeting, and to stream video of yourself as you present a PowerPoint presentation.
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Sep 09, 2021
There's a scary new attack targeting Microsoft Office—and worse, it's not patched yet. But you can keep your computer safe if you don't click on risky files from untrusted sources. And even if you do by accident, Office's Protected View feature can save your bacon.
Unfortunately, we all still click on Office documents emailed from "trusted" contacts, so the next line of defense is to make sure Protected View—the prompt that warns you a file originated from someone potentially insecure, requiring you to click a button to start editing it—is switched on in Office 365. It's normally on by default, but some users may errantly switch it off. If you're wondering if you have Protected View on, here's the easy 5-step process to check.
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Sep 09, 2021
Windows 11 sure looks different, but under-the-hood performance improvements may make it feel different, too—specifically in how the operating system handles multiple apps, as well as how your PC resumes from sleep.
Microsoft detailed the new changes in a company video, where Steve Dispensa, vice president of enterprise management at Microsoft, explained how Windows 11 will deliver more performance in three different scenarios.
[ Further reading: Our best Windows 10 tricks, tips and tweaks ]
Running multiple apps on an overloaded PC
Take a PC with multiple applications running: email in the background, instant messaging, browsers with multiple tabs, and so on. A PC without much memory or CPU cycles available will run slowly, probably causing you to close an app or two to improve performance. In Windows 11, Microsoft promises that the way in which those apps are prioritized, called foreground prioritization, will make your PC feel faster even with a heavy load.
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Sep 09, 2021
When Google announced it would guarantee Pixel phones three years of security updates, the news reports were largely positive. At the time, the reaction made sense. For years and years, Google left it up to smartphone makers to decide update releases—and they chose to do so very erratically. Setting a standard of three years seemed like a big step.
Well, my Pixel 3 is coming up on its three year mark, and instead of feeling gratitude for that time, I'm extremely annoyed about the end of its security updates next month.
The phone still runs perfectly well. Apps and websites load quickly, and the battery is holding up. I have no urge to upgrade it, much less spend $700 on the newest Pixel (and definitely not as much as $1,200 for a competing Android phone). So if I want to keep my Pixel 3 and protection against current security threats, I'm going to have to "hack" it.
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Sep 09, 2021
The Acer Swift X packs impressive power inside an ultraportable case and is a great pick if you want a high-performance, highly portable laptop. Where most ultraportables prize efficiency and rely on integrated graphics, the Swift X serves up Nvidia's GeForce RTX 3050 Ti GPU for an added punch. With the RTX graphics and a powerful AMD CPU, the Swift X is able to handle content-creation tasks and some gaming in addition to the basic office chores for which most ultraportables are built.
The Swift X doesn't toss efficiency out the window and provides ample battery life despite its power-hungry parts. You'll need to put up with a frequently loud fan and warm keyboard, however, and the system's fit and finish is not on par with that of other premium ultraportables. Make sure you need the graphics prowess of the Swift X before committing because you are forced to sacrifice in other areas to get it.
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