Microsoft has invested heavily in increasing the security of Windows. The firewall, the automatically activated antivirus program, various security functions for protection against boot viruses and much more help to ensure that hackers and malware cannot simply hijack a Windows PC.

However, there is more to this than the standard configuration. For example, various functions that pose a security risk under certain circumstances can be deactivated.

get windows 11 pro for cheap

Windows 11 Pro

You can also use the group policies in Windows to make it impossible for a user to change the operating system settings. In technical jargon, this is known as hardening the software.

However, this requires in-depth knowledge of Windows and its structure. This is because the relevant switches and settings are located in different places, their function is not clear at first glance, and in some cases they can only be configured via text entries on the command line.

However, there are some tools that can save you the tedious search for the advanced security settings. They offer you a security configuration that you can simply click together with the mouse. In this article, we present a selection of them.

Foundry

Foundry

Foundry

Caution: Some of these programs have a deep impact on the operating system. To be on the safe side, you should therefore set a system restore point before using these tools.

To do this, open the Windows Control Panel and go to “Restore” in the icon view. Click on “Configure System Restore” and make sure that the “System Protection” tab is open.

Select the Windows drive, click “Create,” enter a name and the current date and click “Create” again. If there are problems later, you can reconstruct the old state in the “System protection” tab via “System restore.”

Hardentools: Switch off Windows functions

IDG

IDG

IDG

Hardentools is an open-source program that disables a range of Windows, Office, and Adobe functions. It’s easy to use: After installation, the software recommends starting with administrator rights and then asks you to enter your Windows password.

If you tick “Show Expert Settings” on the start screen, the list of changes made by Hardentools appears. You can also prevent individual security settings there.

Otherwise, the software deactivates the execution of Powershell, the Windows Script Host, the programs in Windows Autostart and Office macros by default and ensures that the file extensions are displayed in Explorer.

Further reading: The best antivirus software 2024

It sets the Windows user account control to the highest level and only allows access after entering the Windows password.

It also activates protection against Potentially Unwanted Applications (PUA), i.e. probably unwanted programs. After calling up the program again, you can undo the changes you have made using “Restore.”

Riot Isolator: Prevent hacker activities

Major Geeks

Major Geeks

Major Geeks

The Riot Isolator combines a range of functions with which you can prevent the execution of known hacker techniques.

For example, the program includes a tool called “Anti-Screen Capture,” which turns every screenshot into a black area. The “Anti-Keylogger” and “Anti-Web Camera” functions prevent the recording of keystrokes and webcam images.

The “Anti-Exploit” module ensures that Windows displays the real file types. According to the manufacturer, it also recognizes the execution of processes in RAM and via the Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) and blocks them. A “removable disc protection” blocks access to USB sticks and drives.

After that, things get more martial: A “drive destroyer” deletes the hard disk and SSD drives on request, while a “RAM destroyer” does the same with the contents of the RAM. The Riot Isolator can also wipe individual files from the hard drive without leaving any residue.

The “recycle bin cleaner” is more harmless. The functions of Riot Isolator are partially identical to those of anti-virus tools. Otherwise, the software is a good addition to these programs.

Ultra Virus Killer: Immunize Windows

IDG

IDG

IDG

The name of this software is misleading. The Ultra Virus Killer does not even have an antivirus module, but is only able to automatically upload files to the Google service Virustotal and have them scanned there.

Otherwise, the software harbors numerous Windows maintenance functions under its surface. These include an autostart and service manager, a collection of Windows tweaks, and a module for deleting files and folders.

Of interest in the context of this article is “System Immunization,” with which you can protect selected files, drivers, browser components and registry entries from changes.

This should make it much more difficult for malware to nest in your Windows system. This is linked to functions for backing up and restoring the registry database.

IDG

IDG

IDG

OS Armor: Block system functions

The OS Armor program is very similar to the Windows group policy editor. It provides a list of dozens of options that you could also define via Group Policy, but which are much easier to configure here.

For example, you can block the execution of a number of applications that work close to the system. These include the system configuration msconfig, the Ps tools from the Sysinternals Suite, the Windows terminal, the registry editor, but also third-party programs such as Teamviewer or the Nirsoft tools.

Even access to individual command line commands such as netsh.exe or diskpart.exe can be switched off.

IDG

IDG

IDG

OS Armor opens with a standard configuration that offers basic protection against manipulation by malware or other persons. The program sounds an alarm if such attempts are made. You can set up password protection in OS Armor so that nobody but you can change the settings.

Winoptimizer Free: Lock Windows functions

Winoptimizer from Ashampoo is a powerful program for tidying up Windows and making the operating system faster and more secure. It also includes a module that allows you to block individual security-relevant functions in the hardware, Explorer, and Control Panel.

Further reading: 6 ways hackers sidestep your two-factor authentication

You can find this module under “All modules – Restrict user rights.” There, in the “Hardware” section, you can, for example, deactivate the Windows CD burning function and access to other workgroup computers.

Under “Explorer,” you can switch off access to the “File” menu and the “Manage” option in the context menu of the My Computer icon.

In “Control Panel,” the Winoptimizer offers a block on changes to the desktop functionality, under “Applications” you can prevent the Windows Task Manager and other freely definable third-party applications from being called.

At the bottom of the window, you can set whether the restrictions should only apply to the logged-in user or to all users. A restart is required for the changes to take effect.

Hard Configurator: Block dangerous actions

IDG

IDG

IDG

You only understand how the Hard Configurator works at second glance. The small tool works with an unconventional interface that only gradually reveals itself.

The two wide columns in the center are important as they list the available functions. To the left and right of this you can see the current setting. There you can, for example, block Powershell scripts or access to certain file types. Use “Apply Changes” to transfer your configuration to Windows.

Use the “ConfigureDefender” and “FirewallHardening” buttons to start modules for configuring Windows Defender and the firewall. Click on “Tools” to access additional functions for logging events in Windows, restoring the default configuration, and uninstalling Hard Configurator.

I spend a lot of time searching Amazon listings. In addition to standard shopping for cheap tchotchkes, I have to find deals to show you, dear reader, pretty much every work day. And also “Prime Day,” which has somehow become multiple weeks every year. I’ve noticed a funny trend: the “brand names” or store names for the third-party Amazon sellers are getting really frickin’ stupid.

There’s a reason for this. Drop shipping, the practice of opening a “store” that’s basically just passing along mass-produced generic items to shoppers through a unified online storefront, is now a massive and inescapable practice. Drop shipping has become a modern replacement for the middleman who used to sell items to local department stores by the millions, including white-box items that would be re-branded a dozen times over with store brands or other labels.

Pexels/tiger Lilly

Pexels/tiger Lilly

Pexels/tiger Lilly

So far, so good, right? You get a near-endless supply of cheap goods mostly manufactured in China, and you get them shipped insanely quickly via Amazon. Amazon gets a ridiculously huge amount of listings, admittedly many of which are repeats of identical products at essentially the same prices. And the drop-shippers get a job, albeit a pretty grueling one staring at a computer all day trying to squeeze a nickel out of a penny with razor-thin profit margins after all those parts of the retail machine get their cut.

But there are hoards of drop shippers competing for your dollar on Amazon and every similar store that has a third-party seller system. And every single one of those stores needs a unique name to sell with, whether or not anyone actually considers them a “brand” unto themselves. For every company like Acer or Lenovo selling directly to customers on Amazon, there are tends of thousands of small businesses or even individual sellers doing the same thing. And every one of them needs a name.

So, we’re now in a situation not unlike the race for unique or relevant URLs in the early 2000s. Except that the “relevant” part of the equation is no longer necessary. So the brand names are essentially meaningless, they just need to exist. Ryan George made light of this in one of his videos:

And since I’ve spent more hours than I can count combing through Amazon listings, I’ve found names that are far more nonsensical than “Floorgoo” or “Barbintron.” Here are the most outstanding — meaning dumbest — that I’ve found in the last year.

VRURC

Amazon

Amazon

Amazon

I’ve actually bought from this brand. It’s one of many that drop ships this neat little portable battery, which integrates both charging cables and a wall outlet into its design. It’s fantastic for throwing in your pocket for a long day out, no extra chargers or cables needed. But “Vrurc” sounds like a word I’d blurt out after stubbing my toe in mixed company and trying not to swear.

Taygeer

Amazon

Amazon

Amazon

I can’t decide if “Taygeer” is what you get when everyone has already taken every possible brand name variation of “gear” or it’s someone trying to think of what you call an obscure species of monkey that only gets thirty seconds of Attenborough narration in a nature documentary. Anyway, they sell laptop bags.

Gogoonike

Amazon

Amazon

Amazon

I suspect that someone was trying to cheekily get “Nike” into their brand name on this one, despite the fact that this Amazon store only sells tech accessories. How would you even pronounce it? Go-goo-nik-ee? Go-go-on-ike? For some reason I want to read it as “baboon-like,” so apparently I have simians on the brain.

Jajafook

Amazon

Amazon

Amazon

Stylized in all caps, JAJAFOOK is a vendor of extremely cheap and showy men’s jewelry, complete with a faux-military stamp font on the storefront. If said logo is to be believed, the name is in fact a registered trademark, and I was able to find a listing for said trademark going back to 2018. So someone paid an actual attorney to make sure no one dared to steal that name. Wonders never cease.

Ladybro

Amazon

Amazon

Amazon

Well, that’s unfortunate. Without wishing to limit anyone’s gender expression, “Ladybro” seems like an off-putting name for any brand that wants to sell clothing to either ladies or bros. Ladybro offers hats and hat-adjacent accessories, as well as one neck gaiter in a bunch of different colors.

Quatish

Amazon

Amazon

Amazon

I’m fairly sure “Quatish” is the name of a species of alien I read in a 1970s sci-fi paperback. Their society was a thinly-veiled social commentary on the evils of unions, or something like that. Or maybe it’s the sound your shampoo makes when you squeeze it out of one of the TSA-approved squishy bottles this brand sells.

Mosptnspg

Amazon

Amazon

Amazon

Okay, now we’re venturing into the territory of names that just seem to be randomly generated. “Mosptnspg” looks like a typo you get after your cat walks across your keyboard. Which is appropriate, since this brand sells a bunch of mechanical keyboards with colorful keycaps… thankfully without the brand name anywhere on the case. Oh, and you road warriors will be happy to hear that at least some of them are “Protable.”

Glozili

Amazon

Amazon

Amazon

Choose from the available answers: Glozili is a) a Toho-copyrighted monster designed to appeal to children in a Showa-era Godzilla movie, b) an antiquated Latin term for a body part that you can’t recall on your Anatomy & Physiology exam, or c) an Amazon drop shipper of pop culture T-shirts whose official licenses are questionable at best. I like the one featuring Baldur’s Gate III‘s hunky vampire Astarion (five different times) and emblazoned with the legend “Girl Dinner.” Classy.

HTBNFYY

Amazon

Amazon

Amazon

Wow, all consonants and ending in double Y. I’m an uneducated plebian who only speaks English, but that is a tongue-twister for any language that includes vowels. I checked and, no, that’s not an acronym for anything that I can find. HTBNFYY sells luggage, home organization stuff, and a ring holder that looks like a cowboy hat. Oh, and it also sells home decor that includes…this vase that looks like a butt. Okie dokie.

DwanNuts

Amazon

Amazon

Amazon

Readers, I apologize. It appears that when I was preparing this list over the last year, I subconsciously put it in ascending order of horniness. That’s the only explanation I can think of for DwanNuts, another brand I spotted while shopping for carry-on luggage. Note that I didn’t camel-case the “Nuts,” that is a decision someone made for themselves.

Though that doesn’t appear to be the brand on the luggage itself, which is inconsistent from image to image and might even be AI-generated. The label in the video is “Linghangzhe,” which is yet another drop-shipping label.

Pornitor

Amazon

Amazon

Amazon

Pornitor is a brand that sells portable monitors. It might be one of the few brands on this list that actually makes sense, but “portable” plus “monitor” equals one of the most regrettable portmanteaus I’ve ever seen. They sell a portable dual-screen monitor, the better to watch two of…whatever it is you’re watching on a Pornitor. I didn’t actually spot this one myself, so shout out to Mastodon user David Bisset for finding it, and for finally breaking my spirit.

I’ll add that as part of preparing this article, I searched for all the above names using multi-lingual dictionary tools and on Wikipedia, just in case someone had chosen a brand name in another language. Because even in an endeavor as frivolous as this one, we don’t wish to belittle anyone’s real language or culture. “Pornitor” is the only one that triggered anything remotely coherent, this time in Romanian.

To the best of my ability to search, “pornitor” means nothing in Romanian. But “porni” is the Romanian verb for “start” or “to start,” and “tor” is a masculine suffix. I’m informed by a Romanian-speaking member of my extended family that “pornitor” could conceivably be translated as “starter,” in the sense of a job or position.

Google Translate seems to have attempted to conjugate the verb, and it translates pornitor as “turn on.” Make of that what you will.

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Supermusic AI’s customization features are where it truly shines. Unlike many other AI music generators that offer pre-made tracks with minimal tweaking, Supermusic gives you control over your track. Whether you’re crafting a jazz tune or an electronic beat, you can select from multiple genres and tailor the mood to your exact specifications.

Not only can you adjust the style, but you can also add your own lyrics or choose from AI-generated options, making it a versatile tool for all kinds of creators. Compared to other AI music platforms, Supermusic’s range of personalization is a game-changer. While other tools may lock you into rigid templates, Supermusic lets you take the reins for a more authentic sound.

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If you’ve been thinking about leveling up your gaming experience, now’s the time. With Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, you get access to hundreds of games on your Xbox and PC — but here’s the real kicker: you can buy up to 5 codes at once, giving you a total of 15 months of non-stop gaming.

It’s perfect for both new and existing users, so whether you’re trying Game Pass for the first time or already enjoying it, this deal stacks up in your favor.

Dive into the latest titles, multiplayer favorites, and even day-one releases without breaking the bank. Plus, it’s not just for Xbox — you can use it on your PC, too. Just make sure to redeem your codes within 7 days of purchase, and you’re set for over a year of gaming.

Normally $50, you can get three months of stackable Xbox Game Pass Ultimate on sale for $36.49.

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The other day, we reported that Microsoft has made good on its promise to speed up Windows 11 apps that have been suffering from performance issues. That fix is currently in testing and should roll out soon.

But in another positive move, Microsoft is showing that they’re paying attention to performance on a broader scale — in this case, we’re about to see performance improvements to the Microsoft Store.

According to the company’s dev blog, Microsoft is introducing a new path for app developers to migrate their UWP apps to .NET 9 and Native AOT (which stands for Ahead-of-Time compilation).

Get Windows 11 Pro for cheap

Windows 11 Pro

This is great news as app developers can now modernize their UWP apps in two phases rather than with one monolithic change. This particular path makes it possible to get apps working on .NET 9 and Native AOT, which should make it easier to later switch to WinUI 3.

According to the post, apps on .NET 9 and Native AOT have better performance than UWP apps on .NET Native, and Native AOT is actively being improved over time. As such, this is a change that should be pursued by most UWP app developers at some point.

Interestingly, the dev blog post also mentions in a side note that the Microsoft Store is going through this exact migration. The Microsoft Store is currently being switched over to .NET 9 and we can expect to see a new version of the app running on Native AOT “in the near future.”

Of course, when that happens, it will most likely roll out to Windows Insiders first before reaching the general public.

Further reading: Should you become a Windows Insider? The pros, cons, and what you need to know

When it comes to buying a new laptop, there are many different variables to consider. How much RAM will I need? Do I go with Intel or AMD hardware? Well, it depends. Do you consider yourself a power user? If so, you should spring for a laptop with discrete graphics. For general web browsing, we’d recommend something more straightforward like a Chromebook. Whatever it is you need, from blazing fast gaming laptops to featherlight convertibles, we’ve got it all here.

Why you should trust us: It’s in our name. PCWorld prides itself on laptop experience and expertise. We’ve been covering PCs since 1983, and we now review more than 70 laptops every year. All of the picks below have been personally tested and vetted by our experts, who’ve applied not only performance benchmarks but rigorous usability standards. We’re also committed to reviewing PC laptops at every price point to help you find a machine that matches your budget.

Looking for sweet discounts? Check out our regularly updated roundup of the best laptop deals available right now. By the way, since we’re in the thick of back-to-school season, make sure you check out PCWorld’s back-to-school coverage.

Updated September 18, 2024: We replaced the Best Budget Gaming Laptop with the recently reviewed Acer Nitro V 16 ($1,099.99). You’re getting a big display with a high refresh rate (perfect for action games!), and the RTX 4060 GPU has enough horsepower to run most games on the High graphics preset. We’ve also updated our list of recent laptop reviews, so be sure to check those out near the bottom of the page.

The best laptops we’ve tested

Dell Inspiron 14 Plus (2024) – Best overall

Pros

• Strong performance
• Exceptional battery life
• Wonderful typing experience

Cons

• CPU throttles under heavy loads
• No user upgrades

Why we like the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus

The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus is one of the most well-rounded laptops money can buy. It offers strong performance, exceptional battery life, and a vibrant display. The best part is that it costs about $1,000, which is a reasonable price point considering the price to performance ratio. In fact, it performed exceptionally in PCMark 10’s benchmark, according to our review. With a PCMark 10 score of 7,061, it beat out the Acer Swift Go 14, which has similar specs to the Dell, and the more expensive Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon. The Inspiron 14 Plus also lasted an impressive 17 hours on a single charge, which is definitely more than a full workday or school day. You don’t have to worry about finding a wall outlet to charge up.

Who should buy the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus

Anyone looking for a really good, well-rounded laptop. In addition to the impressive performance and battery life, it also has a lovely 14-inch 1400p display. According to our review, “the display is exceedingly well suited to office work and static imagery.” It has a peak brightness level of a stunning 418 nits as well as an anti-glare coating, which means you can use this laptop in different lighting environments. It may not have the prettiest design we’ve ever seen, but its hardware capabilities and astoundingly long battery life make up for the blah aesthetics.

Read our full Dell Inspiron 14 Plus review

Asus Zenbook 14 OLED – Best overall runner-up

Pros

• Robust build quality
• Attractive OLED touchscreen
• Good CPU and integrated GPU performance
• Outstanding battery life

Cons

• Blah design
• Keyboard isn't memorable
• Mediocre connectivity options

Why we like the Asus Zenbook 14 OLED

The Asus Zenbook 14 OLED wowed us with its zippy CPU performance, phenomenal battery life, and attractive OLED touchscreen display. According to our review, “movies and games look realistic and vibrant” on the 1200p OLED touchscreen, although it can be difficult to use in bright environments due to the reflective surface. It also lasted 16 hours on a single charge, which is absolutely wild! That result really trumps otherwise excellent competitors like the Lenovo Slim 7 14 Gen 9 and the HP Pavilion Plus Laptop 14. As for performance, the Asus Zenbook 14 OLED absolutely crushed the PCMark 10 benchmark with an impressive score of 6,772. That means it’s very fast and responsive during real-world tasks like web browsing, video conferencing, and so on.

Who should buy the Asus Zenbook 14 OLED

Anyone looking for a powerful, affordable laptop with an OLED display! It’s so much more than its OLED screen, though. The build quality is quite good and day-to-day performance is zippy. Plus, you won’t have to go looking for an outlet often thanks to the long battery life. Connectivity options are a bit limited, but that’s not unusual for a laptop in this price range. Overall, it’s a great Windows machine that hits all the right marks.

Alternative option: If you’re looking for an even more affordable option, you should check out the HP Pavilion Laptop 16 ($769.99). It boasts a large 16-inch display with a taller 16:10 aspect ratio, which is perfect for scrolling through long web pages and documents. The keyboard is also spacious and easy to use, and it lasted over 18 hours on a single charge.

Read our full Asus Zenbook 14 OLED review

Acer Aspire Go 15 – Best budget laptop

Pros

• Affordable
• Decent battery life
• Good display visibility

Cons

• Big and bulky
• Cheap build
• Limited performance

Why we like the Acer Aspire Go 15

The Acer Aspire Go 15 offers decent performance and battery life for the price ($299). The Intel Core i3-N305 CPU is power efficient and more than capable of handling daily tasks like general browsing, checking e-mail, and so on. It also ran for almost 12 hours on a single charge, which is nothing to sneeze at. The port selection is quite good as well. You’re getting USB-A ports on either side, a 3.5mm headphone jack and Kensington lock slot on the right, and one USB-C port and one HDMI port on the left.

Who should buy the Acer Aspire Go 15

Anyone looking for an inexpensive laptop with reliable day-to-day performance and good battery life. It doesn’t have all the bells and whistles you’d see on more high-end machines, but it’s both serviceable and affordable, making it a clear value. The CPU is power efficient and the battery should last you throughout the day. Plus, the 15.6-inch 1080p display is easy to see “despite its low brightness,” according to our review. It’s a solid machine, especially for those on a tight budget.

Read our full Acer Aspire Go 15 (2024) review

Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 – Best battery life

Pros

• Remarkable battery life
• A great array of ports
• Sturdy, lightweight design
• High-visibility display

Cons

• Variable performance trails competitors
• A bit pricier than the competition

Why we like the Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6

The Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 absolutely floored us with its battery life. This machine ran for almost 24 hours on a single charge, which is impressive given the smaller 58 watt-hour battery inside. This result likely stems from the lower resolution (1920×1200) display and the more power-efficient Snapdragon X Elite X1E-78-100 processor. This laptop also weighs just under 3 pounds, so it’s a great option for those who travel often.

Who should buy the Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6

Anyone looking for a long-lasting laptop. It’ll last you 20+ hours on a single charge and it’s a relatively lightweight laptop that’s capable of handling light to moderate workloads. Although the display isn’t the sharpest we’ve ever seen, it still has plenty of visibility in most conditions. The port selection is also decent for a thin laptop. You’re getting two USB-A, two USB 4, one Kensington Nano lock slot, one HDMI 2.1, and a headphone/mic combo jack.

Read our full Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 review

Lenovo Flex 5i Chromebook Plus – Best Chromebook

Pros

• Snappy day-to-day performance
• Versatile 2-in-1 design
• Good typing experience

Cons

• Stylus not included
• Heavier than expected

Why we like the Lenovo Flex 5i Chromebook Plus

From the convertible design to the beautiful touchscreen, the Lenovo Flex 5i Chromebook Plus has a lot to offer, especially for under $500. The 2-in-1 design allows you to swing the screen around and use the laptop like a tablet, upping the versatility factor. You can also expect snappy day-to-day performance as well as lightning fast boot-up times.

Who should buy the Lenovo Flex 5i Chromebook Plus

If you’re looking to pick up a premium Chromebook for work or personal use, then the Lenovo Flex 5i Chromebook Plus is a fine choice. While the $499 price tag is very much in the high end when it comes to Chromebooks, we feel the overall fit, finish, and firepower make it worth the extra cash.

Alternative option: If you’re looking for a cheaper Chromebook with a bigger screen, the Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE ($699.99) is a great option. The display measures 16 inches and it has a 2560×1600 resolution as well as a 120Hz refresh rate. According to our review, the “120Hz display is excellent and gives the laptop an edge if you’d plan to play games on a cloud gaming service that supports high refresh rates like Nvidia’s GeForce Now.” The only downside is that it’s a bit expensive for a Chromebook.

Read our full Lenovo Flex 5i Chromebook Plus review

MacBook Air (M3) – Best MacBook

Pros

• Excellent battery life
• Great combination of price, features, and performance
• 256GB SSD is now two NAND chips, maintaining performance

Cons

• Expensive memory upgrades
• Dual external display support requires closed lid

Best Prices Today: $1,449 at Amazon$1549 at Adorama$1599 at Best Buy

Why we like the MacBook Air (M3)

The MacBook Air (M3) has a lot to offer for the $1,299 price. In fact, it received high marks across the board thanks to the 8-core CPU (M3) and the 10-core GPU. It’s capable of chewing through office work as well as casual use tasks. While performance is comparable to the MacBook Pro (M3), there is one difference: the fans or lack thereof. The MacBook Air doesn’t have any fans, which results in quieter operation before heavy-duty tasks will likely put more pressure on the chip. That said, battery life is the real star of the show here. The MacBook Air (M3) breathed its last breath at the 19 hour mark, which is perfect for those with busy schedules.

Who should buy the MacBook Air (M3)

Anyone who prefers MacOS over competing operating systems. Battery life is outstanding and the laptop itself is both slim and light, weighing in at just over three pounds. The 15-inch Liquid Retina (LED) screen might be considered a step-down from the MacBook Pro’s Liquid Retina XDR (mini-LED) display, but that doesn’t mean it’s a poor screen. It still looks fantastic for day-to-day use. The $1,299 price tag is also reasonable for the performance and features you’re getting.

Read our full MacBook Air (M3) review

Alienware m16 R2 – Best gaming laptop

Pros

• Solid gaming performance
• Rugged build quality
• Good battery life

Cons

• Display is dimmer than we like

Why we like the Alienware m16 R2

The Alienware m16 R2 delivers strong graphics performance and good battery life. This specific model comes loaded with an Intel Core Ultra 7 155H CPU and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 GPU, which is nothing to sneeze at. It lasted a respectable 11 hours and fifteen minutes on a single charge and it averaged 144 frames-per-second when running the Shadow of the Tomb Raider benchmark. According to our review, it’s only “four frames-per-second slower than the Razer Blade 16,” which has an RTX 4090 GPU and a price tag of over $3,000.

Who should buy the Alienware m16 R2

Anyone looking for a great gaming laptop. You’re getting strong graphics performance as well as long battery life, which is unusual for a gaming laptop, as most tend to die around the six hour mark. The 16-inch IPS display also has a resolution of 2560×1600 and a refresh rate of 240Hz, so gameplay should be nice and smooth. The picture quality is good, but it’s not an OLED panel. While it may not be the brightest or most color rich display we’ve ever seen, it’s perfectly fine for gaming. Besides, you can always plug into an external monitor if need be.

Alternative option: If you’re looking for a more lightweight option, you should definitely check out the $1,599 Asus ROG Zephyrus G14. It weighs just 3.31 pounds, which means you can easily take it anywhere with you. That said, it didn’t make the cut because of ho-hum battery life. Plus, the Alienware m16 R2’s RTX 4070 GPU is more powerful than the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14’s RTX 4060 GPU. Alternatively, if you’re looking for even more firepower, the ROG Zephyrus G16 is a killer OLED-equipped laptop with RTX 4070, 4080, and 4090 options available.

Read our full Alienware m16 R2 review

Acer Nitro V 16 – Best budget gaming laptop

Pros

• Solid performance
• Competitive price
• Dedicated button for quick performance mode switching
• Fast 165Hz display with good colors

Cons

• Fully plastic build
• Mushy keyboard
• Weak battery life

Why we like the Acer Nitro V 16

The Acer Nitro V 16 pairs a fast IPS display and RTX 4060 graphics in a package that costs just under a grand, making it the perfect option for the budget-conscious gamer. The GPU is “capable of running any modern game,” according to our review. In fact, while running the built-in Shadow of the Tomb Raider benchmark, the Nitro managed a respectable 136 frames-per-second on average. This result almost matches some gaming laptops with RTX 4070 graphics–impressive! The 16-inch 1920×1200 display isn’t the sharpest, but it’s a step up from the traditional 1080p fare, and the 165Hz refresh rate means you can expect smooth gameplay.

Who should buy the Acer Nitro V 16

Anyone who’s looking to save some cash on a reliable gaming laptop. The display is a fine choice for action-packed games because it’s big and fast, and the RTX 4060 GPU is capable of running most games on the Medium or High graphics preset. Battery life, as you might’ve guessed, is subpar (about four hours on a single charge) and the gamer aesthetic is a touch flashy, but if you can live with those trade-offs, then the Acer Nitro V 16 is a fantastic value pick.

Alternative option: The Asus TUF Gaming A16 Advantage Edition ($1,099.99), which was our previous Best Budget Gaming Laptop pick until the Acer Nitro V 16 usurped it, is still a good option to consider. For about a grand, you’re getting reliable graphics performance, a spacious keyboard, and long battery life.

Read our full Acer Nitro V 16 review

Asus ProArt P16 – Best content creation laptop

Pros

• Big touchpad with virtual scroll wheel
• Gorgeous 4K OLED display
• More connectivity than the competition
• Good battery life

Cons

• Chassis is light, but doesn't look remarkable
• CPU performance falls behind the best
• Can get hot under load

Why we like the Asus ProArt P16

The Asus ProArt P16 is a fantastic pick for creative professionals and prosumers. You’re getting a diverse selection of connectivity options, a stunning 4K OLED display, and great battery life. The 3840×2400 resolution (4K!) display measures 16 inches and features a taller 16:10 aspect ratio. This is a phenomenal display for photo or video editing, as it “boasts an incredible color gamut and deep contrast,” according to our review. The ProArt 16 also lasted over nine hours on a single charge and one of the USB-C ports supports USB 4.0 with data rates up to 40Gbps.

Who should buy the Asus ProArt P16

Anyone that likes making content. The Asus Pro Art P16 is the kind of laptop that really pays attention to the finer details. It exhibits the perfect balance of weight, connectivity, and battery life. Although it can get hot under heavier workloads and the aesthetics aren’t much to write home about (it’s just a black slab), it’s still a really good choice for creative folks. The 4K screen is to die for and, despite the powerful internals inside the machine, it somehow manages to weigh only 4.08 pounds.

Read our full Asus ProArt P16 review

Acer TravelMate P6 – Best ultraportable

Pros

• Long battery life
• Light and portable
• A good price for a business laptop

Cons

• Keyboard is a tad mushy
• No NPU for future Windows AI features
• Consumer laptops deliver similar specs for a lower price

Why we like the Acer TravelMate P6

The Acer TravelMate P6 is featherlight at just 2.65 pounds. The chassis is made of magnesium-alloy, which is a very light yet durable material. According to our review, “the ports are reinforced with additional metal brackets to hold up wear and tear.” In other words, this machine is built to last. It also has fantastic battery life, which is what you want in an ultraportable laptop. The 65 watt-hour battery lasted nearly 13 hours on a single charge–more than a full workday! This laptop offers reliable performance, too. The Acer TravelMate P6 turned in a respectable Cinebench R20 score of 3,065, which isn’t far behind the more powerful HP Pavilion Plus.

Who should buy the Acer TravelMate P6

Anyone looking for an affordable ultraportable. In addition to the featherlight form factor, it also comes with a 1080p webcam with a physical privacy shutter and a 14-inch 1200p display with a 16:10 aspect ratio. The taller screen makes it easier to scroll through documents or webpages, and the 1080p webcam will make you look good on videoconferencing calls. The keyboard provides a nice typing experience, too. It even boasts white backlighting, which is perfect for typing in low light environments.

Alternative option: If you’re interested in picking up a more high-end ultraportable, you should consider picking up the HP Dragonfly G4. It weighs same as the Acer TravelMate P6, but has much better battery life–it managed 17.5 hours on a single charge! The only downside is that it costs just over $3,000 thanks to its more potent components and support for mobile LTE connections. The Dell Latitude 7450 Ultralight is another great option, as it weighs 2.33 pounds, lighter than our top pick. But, similar to the HP Dragonfly G4, it’s just too expensive, costing north of $2,000.

Read our full Acer TravelMate P6 review

Asus Zenbook 14 Flip OLED – Best 2-in-1

Pros

• Long battery life
• Connectivity includes two Thunderbolt 4 ports
• Fast performance

Cons

• Function keys are small
• The display is a little dim

Best Prices Today: $1,848.84 at Amazon

Why we like the Asus Zenbook 14 Flip OLED

When it comes to 2-in-1 laptops, the Asus Zenbook 14 Flip OLED just gets it right at the start. It has a gorgeous OLED display, a zippy Intel Core i7-1360P CPU, and a versatile convertible design. You can flip the screen around 360 degrees and use it like a tablet or prop the device up like a tent if you so wish. Colors on the 1800p OLED display are also “remarkably bright and saturated,” according to our review. The battery died at the 12 hour mark, dominating laptops with similar hardware like the Lenovo Yoga Book 9i and the Acer Aspire Vero 14.

Who should buy the Asus Zenbook 14 Flip OLED

The Asus Zenbook 14 Flip is a good option for business professionals because of its convertible, slim design and stunning OLED display. You can take this machine with you anywhere and you don’t have to worry about finding an outlet to charge up. How can you go wrong with that?

Alternative option: The Dell Inspiron 16 2-in-1 ($849.99) is another good option to consider if you want to save some cash. The 1600p 16-inch display is bigger than the Asus Zenbook 14 Flip OLED’s and is a “pleasant screen for work and entertainment,” according to our review. Battery life is comparable to our current pick (about 13 hours) and it’s currently on sale for $849.99 at Best Buy as of this writing, which is a pretty good deal for the hardware and features.

Read our full Asus Zenbook 14 Flip OLED review

Framework Laptop 13 – Best upgradable option

Pros

• Customizable, repairable, and upgradable
• Choose your own ports
• Detailed repair documentation
• Reasonable Core Ultra performance with solid build quality
• A physical mic shutoff switch

Cons

• On the expensive side for the specs
• Not the best battery life, especially compared to Snapdragon laptops

Why we like the Framework Laptop 13

The Framework Laptop 13 is unique because you can repair, upgrade, or customize any part of it. The hardware is marked with QR codes, which leads you to the individual part on Framework’s website. You can also mix and match the ports–they’re little rectangular blocks (similar to Lego pieces) that snap into the laptop. The whole idea behind this laptop is fun, but practical. You can really extend the life of your laptop with something like this.

Who should buy the Framework Laptop 13

Anyone that likes to get in there and tinker away. In addition to the upgradability aspect, it’s also pretty light at 2.87 pounds and it churns out respectable CPU performance. It’s not the fastest laptop we’ve ever tested, but office work and day-to-day tasks should be no problem. That said, it’s a little expensive for the hardware, so it may not be the best option for the budget-conscious.

Read our full Framework Laptop 13 review

Lenovo Yoga 9i 14 Gen 9 – Best audio

Pros

• Amazing speakers
• Included accessories
• Great display

Cons

• Short on ports
• Cramped keyboard

Why we like the Lenovo Yoga 9i 14 Gen 9

The Lenovo Yoga 9i 14 Gen 9 is a fantastic 2-in-1 laptop with fantastic audio. Generally speaking, most laptop speakers suck. They’re usually poorly placed, so you lose a lot of bass and treble, but that’s not the case with the Lenovo Yoga 9i 14 Gen 9.

The sound bar in the Lenovo Yoga 9i 14 Gen 9 lives in the hinge, so it’s not firing down into whatever surface you’ve got the laptop on. The sound is “impressively loud,” according to our review, and you can even hear the bass and treble at louder volumes. That’s why this laptop is perfect for listening to music or watching movies.

Who should buy the Lenovo Yoga 9i 14 Gen 9

Audiophiles and movie buffs! The Lenovo Yoga 9i 14 Gen 9 is a great laptop for consuming media. The sound is great, but so is the OLED touch display, which boasts a 2880×1800 resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. Black colors are “inky and dark, which makes movies look all the better,” according to our review.

Read our full Lenovo Yoga 9i 14 Gen 9 review

Recent laptop reviews

• Acer Nitro V 16: The Acer Nitro V 16 delivers great gaming with its RTX 4060 GPU and Ryzen 7 CPU, but the battery life could be better.
• Acer TravelMate P4 Spin 14: The Acer TravelMate Spin P4 could be quicker, but it provides professionals a good keyboard, a touchscreen with an active stylus, and solid battery life at a reasonable price.
• Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 714: The Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 714 is a 2-in-1 Chromebook that delivers an excellent all-around ChromeOS experience. Of course, it’s more expensive than the average Chromebook — and it’s not perfect.
• Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6: You can get faster and flashier systems, but the Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 efficiency is on levels we haven’t seen elsewhere. It’s an all-around strong machine for general productivity on the go, and may prove a tough one to beat on that front.
• MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio: MSI’s Stealth 18 AI Studio A1V has a beautiful display and lots of connectivity, but high pricing paired with mediocre performance (for its size, at least) leaves it behind the pack.
• Lenovo Yoga 9i 14 Gen 9: The Lenovo Yoga 9i 14 offers a gorgeous OLED display as well as punchy speakers. What more could you ask for?

How we test laptops

The PCWorld team puts each and every Windows laptop through a series of benchmarks that test GPU and CPU performance, battery life, and so on. The idea is to push the laptop to its limits and then compare it against others we’ve tested. Chromebooks, on the other hand, go through a series of web-based tests. It wouldn’t be fair or possible to run the same kinds of tests on a Chromebook, as they’re Chrome OS-based machines.

Below, you’ll find a breakdown of each test and the reasons why we run them. For a much deeper look at our review methodology, check out how PCWorld tests laptops.

Windows laptops

• PCMark 10: PCMark 10 is how we determine how well the laptop handles lighter tasks like web browsing, word processing, spreadsheets, and so on.
• HandBrake: HandBrake is more intensive than PCMark 10. It basically measures how long a laptop’s CPU takes to encode a beefy 30GB file.
• Cinebench: Cinebench is a brief stress test of the CPU cores. It does this by rendering a 2D scene over a short period of time.
• 3DMark: 3DMark checks if 3D performance remains consistent over time by running graphic-intensive clips.
• Video rundown test: To gauge battery life, we loop a 4K video using Windows 10’s Movies & TV app until the laptop dies.

Chromebooks

• CrXPRT 2: The CrXPRT 2 benchmark tests a Chromebook’s battery life.
• Speedometer 2.0: This test determines a Chromebook’s web browser performance. It simulates this by adding, completing, and removing a to-do list.
• Basemark Web 3.0: This benchmark gauges how well a Chromebook can handle web-based applications.
• Kraken 1.1: Kraken 1.1 is a JavaScript performance benchmark.
• Jetstream 2: Jetstream 2 is a combination of WebAssembly and JavaScript benchmarks. This is a way to gauge how well a Chromebook runs advanced workloads.

In need of a high-quality 4K monitor? You don’t have to pay a fortune to get one — if you act fast, anyway. Right now, Dell’s gorgeous 32-inch curved 4K monitor is down to just $280.

Not only does this monitor have a large 32-inch curved display that provides an immersive experience with movies and TV shows, it sports a 4K resolution for crisp and captivating visuals. The 60Hz refresh rate might exclude this one for serious gamers, but that’s no reason to skip over it if all you’re going to do is work, browse, and watch.

Connectivity is good with two HDMI 2.0 ports and a DisplayPort 1.2 port, with two USB-A 3.0 ports for connecting peripherals and devices. That all makes this monitor a versatile addition to your workstation setup, and you can even charge your phone through it if needed.

This Dell monitor comes with a height-adjustable stand with a helpful tilt feature, so you can angle it however you want. Coupled with its anti-glare coating, you’ll find it comfortable for day-to-day use.

It’s a good price for a great monitor, so grab this 32-inch Dell 4K monitor at Dell.com while you still can and save a cool $80.

Why did Amazon rise to world dominance? It made online shopping convenient and easy, yes. And it stocked almost every item you can think of, sure. But really it comes down to low prices and discounts. Prime Day and the upcoming Prime Big Deal Days events are prime examples.

But the online shopping titan is currently facing headwind for its pricing policy. A class action lawsuit alleges that the company advertises with “fake discounts” to entice customers into making purchases.

The Ramirez v. Amazon lawsuit (PDF) was filed by lead plaintiff David Ramirez at the Western District Court in Washington. It calls out Amazon’s alleged practice of using fake list prices that aren’t suitable for use as genuine comparative values for advertised discounts.

Deceptive practices in Amazon deals

The claim states that list prices on Amazon may not be older than 90 days. However, Amazon allegedly used older prices as comparative values to make current discounts appear significantly better.

One example mentions Fire TV models, which are produced by Amazon and were offered at a discount. Comparative prices from 2023 were allegedly used to conceal the fact that Fire TVs had been cheaper to buy in the past, but that would’ve made the offer less attractive.

In addition, Amazon allegedly labeled the deals as limited-time offers, which in reality were not limited at all. According to the lawsuit, this helped to push potential customers to buy.

Waiting for an injunction against Amazon

Ramirez emphasizes that deals have a major influence on consumer purchasing decisions and that companies should therefore not advertise with “fake discounts.” He’s therefore suing for injunctive relief and hopes that other affected parties will join him.

The court must now decide whether the lawsuit will be upheld and whether those affected can hope to receive compensation. If consumer purchases can be demonstrably linked to these deceptive offers, a decision could be made in favor of the plaintiffs.

Until then, take care when shopping Amazon deals. Use price tracking tools like CamelCamelCamel and Keepa, which monitor Amazon price histories for millions of products, so you can check if any given “deal” on a product is actually a deal by comparing past prices.

Further reading: Key tips for scoring the best deals on tech

Microsoft appears to be preparing to push the next Windows 11 feature update, otherwise known as Windows 11 24H2, to PCs beginning next month.

Paul Thurrott sniffed out the release date on this Microsoft post, which “aligns” a new feature in Copilot with the “the annual Windows 11 feature update release,” or Windows 11 24H2. It appears that Windows 10 may receive its annual feature release, known as Windows 11 24H2, a month later in October.

“The shift to the Microsoft 365 app as the entry point for Microsoft Copilot will align with the annual Windows 11 feature update release,” the post says. “Changes will be rolled out to managed PCs starting with the optional non-security preview release on September 24, 2024, and following with the monthly security update release on October 8 for all supported versions of Windows 11. These changes will be applied to Windows 10 PCs the month after.”

As the post notes, you’ll have the option of accepting Windows 11 24H2 “early,” on Sept. 24. You can do that by going into the Windows Settings menu, navigating to Windows Update, and toggling on the option to “Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available.” Otherwise, the update will be pushed to your PC beginning on October 8.

Ironically, Windows 11 24H2 has been officially out for months — but not for everyone. Microsoft shipped a “final” version of Windows 11 24H2 with the launch of the latest Surface Laptop (7th Edition) and Surface Pro (11th Edition), which included many of Windows 11’s AI-powered features — some of which we’ve seen before on AI-equipped PCs that predated the Copilot+ era. (Windows Studio Effects, for example, included background blur and a new Eye Contact feature. It’s since been beefed up with additional filters, lighting effects, and Voice Clarity to filter out background noise.) Those Surface devices also debuted with Microsoft’s Prism emulator, which helps some apps emulate native X86 instructions and allows them to run.

Mark Hachman / IDG

Mark Hachman / IDG

Mark Hachman / IDG

Those AI features, however, will require a Copilot+-capable NPU. (You should still receive the update whether you have one or not, but without the bits that enable AI features.) If you do already own a laptop with an AMD Ryzen AI 300 chip (and soon, Intel’s Lunar Lake) you’ll receive an update that enables those features. Microsoft hasn’t clarified whether this will be separate from the existing Windows 11 24H2 update.

What to expect in Windows 11 24H2

Windows 11 24H2 is expected to be a mixed bag of features. We already know that Ryzen laptops should get a significant performance boost, thanks to some recoding performed behind the scenes. AutoSR (Automatic Super Resolution) should do for generic games what frame generation like Nvidia’s DLSS has done for games specifically optimized for the technology: potentially improve performance. (Eurogamer’s tests of this technology were mixed, though positive.) Wi-Fi 7 support debuts, too.

Generally, Windows 11 will ship with a few UI tweaks here and there, with most of the improvements coming from the apps. Again, the Surface devices have allowed me to play with some of the AI experiences within Windows 11 24H2: Paint’s Cocreator and layers, and the AI elements like background removal that have been added to Photos. (My Surface Pro review has more.) Since Microsoft has said that it plans to test its controversial Recall feature more thoroughly, it will almost certainly be excluded, save for Windows Insider preview releases.

I’ve already seen new Windows 11 24H2 PCs preload with the new Outlook web app, which pales in comparison to Mail. It’s unclear whether Mail will get a last-minute reprieve or at least get cast out into the Microsoft Store, to be loaded later. However, Microsoft has signaled in periodic popups throughout 2024 that it will go away.

Tracking your luggage while traveling, knowing where you accidentally left your keys behind, and making sure your pets don’t get lost while hiking — all of that’s easy with a smart tracker.

And right now, the Samsung Galaxy SmartTag2 is on sale for $21 at Amazon, down from its $30 MSRP. It’s a good time to snag a few!

I recently got some of these Galaxy SmartTag2 trackers myself. A couple of them went onto dog collar holders for my pups and the others hitched rides on my keychains. (Yes, I keep misplacing my keys…)

I love that these are water- and dust-resistant with an IP67 rating, so if the dogs get into puddles on their walks or if I drop my keys in water — yes, it’s happened before — the trackers won’t die on me.

You’ll need a Samsung Galaxy device to pair to these trackers, which use Bluetooth and ultra-wideband tech to help you locate them. Just use the free app to spot each tracker on a map or force a given tracker to make a beep. (And if you’re too far for Bluetooth, the tracker can still ping off nearby Samsung devices to get you its location.)

It’s a small price for peace of mind. Grab a Samsung Galaxy SmartTag2 for just $21 at Amazon and never lose your keys again.

Is your computer running slow? Just download more RAM! (If you’re so young that you’ve never Googled “lower back pain,” you might have missed this classic of early internet humor.) But Logitech is doing something similar in real life for some of its high-end gaming mice: boosting sensor DPI with a software update. Neat.

Logitech recently announced that every mouse in its G series with a Hero 2 sensor will be boosted to its maximum possible resolution — a staggering 44,000 DPI (dots per inch) — with a software update that’s planned for October this year.

That’s according to PC Gamer, reporting from Logitech’s Logi Play conference. At the time of writing, only three mice use the Hero 2 sensor: the Pro X Superlight 2, the newly-announced Pro X Superlight 2 Dex (which is almost identical but with an 8K polling rate and a grippier shape), and the older ambidextrous Pro 2 Lightspeed. (Good grief, Logitech! You need better names for your gaming mice.)

While the Hero 2 sensors in the older Pro 2 Lightspeed and Pro X Superlight 2 are identical to the one in the Pro X Superlight 2 Dex, they’re running at lower 32,000 resolutions out of the box. That gives the new Pro X Superlight 2 Dex and its previous stablemates the highest DPI of any gaming mouse on the market. For sake of comparison, Razer’s flagship Viper V3 Pro mouse has “only” 35,000 DPI.

That already seems like insane overkill to me, someone who rarely sets his mouse above 1,200 DPI even when gaming. But I’m not a 360 noscope master or whatever. The upgrades will come via Logitech’s omnibus G driver system, so keep an eye out for it. Expect most of Logitech’s $100+ gaming mice to come with the Hero 2 sensor by default going forward.

Further reading: The best gaming mice for your needs

A fast drive that speedily moves files between devices is always a great thing to have on hand, especially for sensitive documents and images that you might not want shared via the cloud.

Our favorite for this sort of thing is the SK Hynix Tube T31, and right now the 1TB version is on sale for $70 on Amazon. That’s back down to the best price it’s ever been, almost half off its $135 retail price.

When we reviewed the SK Hynix Tube T31 earlier this year, we gave it an outstanding 4.5-out-of-5-stars rating as well as our Editors’ Choice award. Our review expert appreciated this tiny SSD’s ultra-fast performance that reached speeds of up to 1,000MB/s.

“If you want the speed of an external SSD but the convenience of a captive Type-A connector and a svelte form factor, the Tube T31 is what you seek. It’s the one I’ll be keeping in my pocket, which is indeed a recommendation,” our expert noted.

And it’s not just a performance king — the Tube T31 is small enough to be confused for a flash drive, making it extremely portable and widely compatible. It’ll work with laptops, desktop PCs, and even gaming consoles (including the PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, and Xbox One).

The SK Hynix Tube T31 comes with 1TB of storage capacity, and that’s ample enough to house all your documents, photos, videos, and games with room to spare. It’ll be a while before you fill it out.

This is the ideal storage drive for anyone who wants speed in pocket-sized form. Don’t miss this chance to grab the SK Hynix Tube T31 (1TB model) for just $70 on Amazon while you still can!

Discord has faced its share of controversies. Just this year, it came to light that 600 million Discord users had their data leaked after someone scraped group chats across thousands of servers. And earlier this month, Discord released a new feature that felt like spying.

Fortunately, there’s a tiny bit of good news to balance that out: the gaming-focused communication platform is now rolling out end-to-end encryption for audio and video calls.

In the announcement post, the company refers to it as the DAVE protocol — short for Discord’s Audio and Video End-to-End Encryption — and it will be implemented across all audio and video calls in direct messages, group chats, voice channels, and Go Live streams.

What this means is that call data is encrypted on your end before it’s sent to receivers, and then decrypted by receivers. Only the participants in a call know the per-sender keys needed for decryption — not even Discord knows, which means the content of your audio and video calls will now be shielded from Discord itself once the rollout completes. Discord claims that the encryption process will not affect call quality.

For an in-depth breakdown of how it all works, check out the post. Or you can dig even deeper into Discord’s whitepaper on the DAVE protocol as well as the open-source library behind the DAVE protocol.

Note that this only affects audio and video calls. Text messages are not encrypted in order to facilitate content moderation rules.

The DAVE update is currently available on Discord’s desktop and mobile apps, and it will roll out to other clients in 2025. This end-to-end encryption brings Discord more in line with other communication platforms, like WhatsApp and Signal, that have been using end-to-end encryption for several years now.

Further reading: How to close your Discord direct messages properly (and keep weirdos out)

Remember Flappy Bird? You know, that mobile game that became an overnight sensation for its simple-yet-frustrating setup, and disappeared almost as quickly? I was never a fan, but I found myself fascinated by the original creator’s apparent lack of concern over a potentially lucrative game. Flappy Bird is back—but it’s not the same.

Last week a trailer for Flappy Bird was posted to YouTube by “The Flappy Bird Foundation.” The one-minute video is chock full of ridiculously epic orchestral music over news footage and web video covering the initial sensation, and the shocking decision by solo developer Dong Nguyen to de-list the lucrative game from mobile app stores.

The original game is being rebooted and re-released, complete with all the trappings of a slickly produced mobile game a decade after the 2013 original. There will be multiple levels. There will be cosmetics. There will be a Mario-style overworld.

Though it wasn’t indicated in the trailer, there will almost certainly be in-app purchases. The newly revamped game is billed as “AN EPIC ADVENTURE,” and it’s not clear whether that’s ironic or entirely sincere in describing a title with a single one-tap game mechanic.

In case it wasn’t obvious, the new Flappy Bird isn’t coming from the original developer. But how and why that happened is a longer story.

Nguyen famously ended his work on Flappy Bird in February of 2014 after its sudden breakout success, despite estimates of his mobile ad revenue totaling $50,000 US every day. The game reportedly took only three days to create—its “tap to make the bird flap” concept almost literally couldn’t be simpler. So clones of the game were already rampant, but Flappy Bird imitations and forgeries became widespread across the internet and mobile stores almost immediately.

Nguyen posted to Twitter about the cancellation, writing “I cannot take this anymore.” He later told Forbes that he was concerned about creating addictive behavior in Flappy Bird‘s players, with the straightforward solution being to simply take the game down. In August of 2014, Nguyen released a new game, Flappy Birds Family, on the Amazon Appstore for Amazon’s Fire tablets and Fire TV programs. Its focus on multiplayer and TV experiences seemed to address Nguyen’s concerns on mobile game addiction.

But Flappy Bird quickly fell out of the public eye after Nguyen removed the original game, despite becoming such a phenomenon that it inspired a Google Doodle and even an easter egg included on millions of Android phones. He seems to have abandoned both the game and its high profile on social media, preferring to stay relatively quiet and enjoy his work as an indie game developer. You have to admire someone who can ignore the siren song of flash-in-the-pan fame, not to mention the fortune he could have made by leaning into it.

Nguyen’s documented work on the original game grants him an automatic copyright on Flappy Bird in the US and many other countries. But he apparently cared so little for Flappy Bird that he never took steps to formalize or defend it.

In January of this year, a company named Gametech Holdings successfully filed to label the original copyright as abandoned and take over ownership. Searching through the USPTO database, it appears that the New York-based attorney hired by Gametech specializes in finding abandoned but potentially lucrative copyrights.

Dong Nguyen was apparently alerted of this action in November 2023, but never responded. Nguyen is a resident of Vietnam, so it’s possible that in the 10 years since the original game was taken down, he moved or was otherwise unable to answer the information sent to his public address or phone number. But given his apparent lack of concern for profiting from his creation, I’m inclined to think he simply didn’t care.

Gametech passed along the trademark to “The Flappy Bird Foundation,” which may or may not be the same people. (I genuinely don’t know what the connection is—Gametech might have planned a big re-release all along, or simply grabbed a valuable trademark and flipped it immediately.) Whoever they are, they appear to have spent 2024 ramping up for an “epic” reboot. The new game has a dedicated website describing its new game modes and characters.

It’s exactly the sort of flashy, attention-grabbing exploitation of IP that Nguyen never did. But it also includes something a little more concerning: a direct link to a Telegram address.

Telegram is an anonymous messaging service that has nearly a billion users. But its easy access to systems that can obfuscate phone numbers and identities makes it a popular choice for criminals and scammers, including those using automated bots. Telegram was recently in headlines as its CEO was arrested in France, on charges that include being an accessory to drug trafficking and the distribution of child pornography.

So, yeah, a high-profile game release with its only point of contact being a Telegram account is… unusual. But as journalists and regular web users dig into the promotional material, additional strange connections have been discovered. Security researcher Varun Biniwale found more pages on the site that aren’t immediately accessible from the landing page, including one that says the game will “fly higher than ever on Solana as it soars into Web 3.0.”

https://flappybird.org

https://flappybird.org

https://flappybird.org

If you know anything about crypto, there are alarm bells blaring in your head right now. Solana is a blockchain platform used to create cryptocurrencies. “Web 3.0” is a buzzword encompassing crypto and NFT tech applied to conventional websites and services. There’s a lot to unpack here, but suffice it to say, there have been several attempts to combine cryptocurrency and NFTs with video games.

At best they’ve been unimpressive flops. More often, they’re obvious “rug pulls” designed to make a quick buck. At worst, they’ve devastated the economies of already-struggling communities in developing countries—and no, that’s not an exaggeration.

Perusing through more pages in the WordPress-based FlappyBird.org site, Biniwale was able to find even more info, including a playable web-based prototype of the game itself. He was even able to find the cloud-based XML files that the games are based on. And poking around in that code, he found the crypto hook.

Playing these versions of the game (which, again, are not publicly presented even though they’re accessible with a little digging) prompts users to connect Flappy Bird to various cryptocurrency wallets. Playing the game appears to generate crypto coins, which presumably can be sold and traded. The infrastructure for the actual cryptocurrency component doesn’t appear to be live, or at least it’s not operational yet.

https://flappybird.org

https://flappybird.org

https://flappybird.org

The rabbit hole goes deeper. Biniwale found an API for the game in the code, and following that lead discovered a leaderboard, presumably populated by people who’ve been playing the game in a pre-release state. The leaderboard is filled with names that reference cryptocurrency, and many of them match “crypto influencers,” social media users who spread information on new cryptocurrencies.

Many crypto influencers have been accused, and sometimes convicted, of manipulating social media to “pump and dump” unregulated cryptocurrency and NFTs to reap massive financial gains. The names and handles Binwale found are not necessarily the people connected to those names. One of them is “Matthew Perry,” and it seems almost impossible that the late Friends actor is involved.

But several of the associated accounts follow the “official” Flappy Bird Twitter (X) account. The highest score on the uncovered leaderboard is named “Deez Nuts.” While it’s possible that this is a coincidence — it’s a joke and a meme, after all — “Deez” is a term associated with many NFT collections. Two such collections are associated with a company that has heavily promoted the new incarnation of Flappy Bird.

Since Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies effectively became mostly unregulated securities for holding and growing wealth rapidly, the crypto space has been filled with innumerable attempts to make “the next big thing” and a quick fortune. An association with cryptocurrency does not automatically mean a project is suspicious. But it’s inarguable that the unregulated nature of crypto and NFTs has made it a magnet for scams, heightened by the utility of unregulated cryptocurrency as a means of hiding wealth or illicit activity.

Even among those who still believe cryptocurrency is the future of economics, every new “coin” or NFT project now arrives with the specter of a potential rug pull hanging over it. A rug pull is a technique wherein the vast majority of a cryptocurrency or NFT — controlled by the initial creators and their partners — is quickly converted into conventional currency or other crypto. This leaves the initial investors outside of the controlling group with worthless crypto assets, their real money having vanished into the scheme.

Hypothetically, a great way to get a ton of interest in a new cryptocurrency or NFT would be to associate it with a smash-hit mobile game. If that game had been more or less forgotten a decade later, and it were possible to legally acquire the trademark and launch a legitimate reboot of the game, it would be an almost ideal vector for turning casual gamers into participants in an NFT or crypto system. And the high profile would inevitably attract the interest of the larger online crypto space, possibly spurring a huge amount of initial investment.

Again, this is all hypothetical, based on well-known rug pulls that have become a routine part of the crypto world. None of it is, in any way, an accusation towards any individual or group. Concerns over rug pulls and other scams have cast a shadow over pretty much any new cryptocurrency or NFT project for years, making it difficult for even legitimate businesses to enter the space without huge skepticism surrounding the decision.

Twitter

Twitter

Twitter

The Flappy Bird Foundation says the new game will be available on the web in October and on app stores in 2025. Aftermath reports that original Flappy Bird developer Dong Nguyen tweeted for the first time in seven years last weekend. “No, I have no related [sic] with their game,” he says. “I did not sell anything. I also don’t support crypto.”

At a glance

Expert's Rating

Pros

• Highly affordable
• Very good everyday performance
• Graphite heat spreader

Cons

• Super slow off cache

Our Verdict

Given the lowball pricing and good if not top-shelf performance the T-Force G50 is a prime competitor for your bargain NVMe SSD dollar.

Best Prices Today: Teamgroup T-Force G50 SSD

Teamgroup’s T-Force G50 is an excellent combination of good (if not top-shelf) performance and penny-pinching affordability. It’s a great value for anyone who’s looking for a solid PCIe 4.0 drive for everyday tasks.

What are the Teamgroup T-Force G50’s features?

The Teamgroup T-Force G50 is a M.2, 2280 (22mm wide, 80mm long) NVMe PCIe 4.0 x4 sporting 176-layer 3D TLC NAND Flash governed by a InnoGrit IG5220 controller. It has a host memory buffer (HMB) design, meaning it uses your device’s memory rather than onboard DRAM as primary cache.

The G50 comes with removable thin graphene heat-spreader (seen in the image above) that, besides helping thermals, gives the module a sporty look.

Teamgroup warranties the T-Force G50 for a full five years, mitigated by the 650 TBW (terabytes that may be written to the drive) per 1TB of capacity. If you’re not familiar, TBW is like the miles in an automobile warranty. The average TBW rating in this category is 600TBW, though many like-priced QLC SSDs are only covered for 200 to 250 TBW.

Further reading: See our roundup of the best SSDs to learn about competing products.

How much does the Teamgroup T-Force G50 cost?

I’ve always wanted to create a website with one word or single-phrase product evaluations. In this case, that phrase would be “not very much.” Not very much as in $50 for 512GB, $70 for 1TB, and only $120 for 2TB (and right now, Amazon has them for even less). Yowser, folks! NVMe dropping to only $60 per terabyte? That’s even cheaper than the recently reviewed, and very affordable Kingston NV3.

How fast is the Teamgroup T-Force G50?

The G50 hardly jumped to the head of the PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD class. But with all due respect to the fine art of benchmarking, even the most slothful student in this class is darn fast. Subjectively, except for the 450GB write, which is heavily dependent on the amount of NAND on board, you’d never be able to tell most NVMe SSDs apart in real-world use.

That said, there are faster PCIe 4.0 drives available (including the Crucial P310 and Corsair MP600 Elite in the charts). Sequential throughput in CrystalDiksMark 8 was the G50’s weakest test, if one could all over 4GBps weak.

The G50’s 4K numbers under CrystalDiskMark 8 were closer to those of the competition.

The G50 actually nudged in front of the rival Kingston NV3’s aggregate 48GB transfer time.

Having 2TB of NAND generally allows an HMB NVMe SSD such as the T-Force G50 to write our large 450GB file in a short amount of time: 2 minutes, 17 seconds is bookin’.

Below you can see what happens when the G50 finally runs out of cache. Most users will rarely copy a single 900GB file or experience this issue. This speed is indicative of older TLC. Only QLC will write slower natively (sans caching of any type).

Should you buy the Teamgroup T-Force G50?

If you’re not looking for every last ounce of generally unnoticeable performance, the G50 is a worthy and extremely affordable option for your PC or device — assuming, of course, that your device supports HMB. The vast majority do.

That said, HMB SSDs will work without support, just not nearly as well.

How we test

Drive tests currently utilize Windows 11, 64-bit running on an X790 (PCIe 4.0/5.0) motherboard/i5-12400 CPU combo with two Kingston Fury 32GB DDR5 4800MHz modules (64GB of memory total). Both 20Gbps USB and Thunderbolt 4 are integrated to the back panel and Intel CPU/GPU graphics are used. The 48GB transfer tests utilize an ImDisk RAM disk taking up 58GB of the 64GB of total memory. The 450GB file is transferred from a 2TB Samsung 990 Pro which also runs the OS.

Each test is performed on a newly formatted and TRIM’d drive so the results are optimal. Note that in normal use, as a drive fills up, performance may decrease due to less NAND for secondary caching, as well as other factors. This can be less of a factor with the current crop of SSDs with far faster late-generation NAND.

Caveat: The performance numbers shown apply only to the drive we were shipped and to the capacity tested. SSD performance can and will vary by capacity due to more or fewer chips to shotgun reads/writes across and the amount of NAND available for secondary caching. Vendors also occasionally swap components. If you ever notice a large discrepancy between the performance you experience and that which we report, by all means, let us know.

There’s a new hacking method making the rounds and it’s as clever as it is annoying. According to a new report, attackers are using the Kiosk Mode of Chrome to put the browser into full-screen mode, which then refuses to let you do anything else until you input your Google password. At that point, of course, your password is stolen.

A report from OALabs observes this novel attack vector for stealing Google credentials. It’s really a combination of two techniques.

First, a Windows program loads up a dummy Google login page in Chrome and then activates Kiosk Mode. This is a UI feature that shows a page in full screen and won’t let you navigate to other programs — exactly the sort of thing you’d see at a self-service retail kiosk. Even advanced users might have trouble getting around this because it disables some inputs (like F11 to exit full-screen mode).

But the only thing you can do on the dummy page is put in a Google login and password. Once you do, another program grabs said login data and squirrels it away to a remote hacker. In the worst-case scenario, the hacker then changes your password, immediately locking you out of Gmail and any other accounts associated with that information, including third-party services that use Google’s login platform.

It’s a devious little one-two punch for identity thieves. While the tool has been observed going after Chrome specifically, it’s capable of using other browsers with similar implementations of Kiosk Mode to do the same.

Savvy Windows users might be able to circumvent the login prompt — the good ol’ Ctrl + Alt + Delete keyboard shortcut should still get you into the Task Manager where you can shut down the browser, for example. But this combination of tools is so direct and so annoying that even long-time PC users might just input their Google passwords out of reflex.

As always, be careful when you download anything and be mindful of where you’re downloading it from. And if you ever see a full-screen Google login page unexpectedly, the first thing you should do (after escaping it) is run a good virus scan.

Further reading: The best antivirus software for Windows

If you’re looking to score a fast laptop at a killer price, you’ve come to the right place. Whether you’re on the hunt for a blazing fast gaming rig, an affordable laptop under $500, or an everyday Chromebook, we’ve assembled a list of the best laptop deals available right now, using our finely honed editorial judgement (and thousands of hours of testing experience) to only recommend truly compelling deals on worthwhile notebooks.

We’ve separated the recommendations below by best laptop deals under $500, best home use laptop deals, best gaming laptop deals, and best premium laptop deals, to make it easier to find a notebook that fits your budget and needs. For more options, check out PCWorld’s roundup of the best laptops available right now.

Best laptop deals (at a glance)

• Lenovo Flex 3 Chromebook, $328.99 ($150.01 off at Best Buy)
• HP Envy x360, $569.99 ($379.01 off at Adorama)
• HP Victus, $599 ($380 off at Walmart)
• HP Dragonfly Pro One, $698.99 ($700.01 off at Adorama)
• Dell Inspiron 14, $699.99 ($300 off at Best Buy)
• HP ProBook 450 G10, $749.99 ($249.01 off at Adorama)
• Dell G15, $899.99 ($250 off at Best Buy)
• LG Gram 17, $1,249.99 ($447 off at Adorama)
• MSI Katana 17, $1,294.99 ($104.01 off at Amazon)
• Origin EON17-X v2, $2,543 ($635 off at Origin) 

Best laptop deals under $500

Lenovo

Lenovo

Lenovo

Lenovo Flex 3 Chromebook: $328.99 ($150.01 off at Best Buy)

Sometimes all you need is an affordable laptop for browsing social media and composing e-mail exchanges. If you’re in the market for such a laptop, the Lenovo Flex 3 Chromebook is definitely worth considering. It’s powered by a Pentium Silver N6000 processor, which is suitable for everyday browsing and streaming Disney+, but not much else. It’s not the fastest processor we’ve ever seen here at PCWorld, but you’ve also got to temper your expectations, as this laptop is specifically designed with basic tasks in mind. However, according to Best Buy reviews, the 1080p touchscreen display is pretty darn crisp, making this machine an excellent value.

That said, because it’s a Chromebook, you’re stuck using Google’s ecosystem (aka ChromeOS). If you’re looking for a Windows alternative, check out the laptop below.

Best for home use

HP

HP

HP

HP Envy x360: $569.99 ($379.01 off at Adorama)

The HP Envy x360 is powerful, lightweight, and versatile. The 2-in-1 form factor means you can fold the screen back and use the laptop like a tablet, and it comes equipped with a good amount of RAM (16GB) and storage (512GB SSD). The 1080p display is quite large at 15.6-inches and is touch-enabled, which is perfect for habitual notetakers and doodlers. The keyboard is also full-sized and has backlighting–this is great for when you’re using the laptop in low light environments.

Dell

Dell

Dell

Dell Inspiron 14: $699.99 ($300 off at Best Buy)

The Dell Inspiron 14 offers reliable performance, a 2-in-1 form factor, and 1TB of SSD storage. The Intel Core 7 Series 1 150U processor (10 cores, 12 threads) should be able to handle day-to-day tasks, office work, and so on. The 14-inch touch-enabled display has a 1920×1200 resolution and a 60Hz refresh rate, which is perfect for note takers and doodlers. Thanks to the 2-in-1 form factor, you can even rotate the screen around so it sits against the keyboard or you can prop the laptop up like a painter’s easel. It’s a versatile machine with a good amount of performance power behind i t.

HP

HP

HP

HP ProBook 450 G10: $749.99 ($249.01 off at Adorama)

The HP ProBook 450 G10 features a peppy Intel Core i7-1355U CPU and a roomy 1080p display. The CPU is fast enough for spreadsheet work, PowerPoint presentations, browsing social media, and so on. The 15.6-inch display, on the other hand, is perfect for watching Netflix or participating in Zoom calls. There’s also a backlit keyboard with a numeric keypad, which is great for data entry, and an RJ-45 port for those times when you need a direct Internet connection. The 720p webcam isn’t the best, but I wouldn’t say it’s a deal breaker, as you can always hook up to an external webcam.

Best gaming laptop deals

HP

HP

HP

HP Victus: $599 ($380 off at Walmart)

The HP Victus contains powerful hardware for the price. It’s outfitted with an Nvidia GeFOrce RTX 4050 graphics card and an AMD Ryzen 5 CPU, so it should have no problem running most modern games. The 15.6-inch 1080p display also has a 144Hz refresh rate and AMD FreeSync Premium technology built-in, so gameplay should be fluid. The 8GB of RAM is pretty light for a gaming laptop, but you can always upgrade later on if need be. If you’re looking for more details regarding this laptop, be sure to check out PCWorld’s comprehensive write-up.

Dell

Dell

Dell

Dell G15: $899.99 ($250 off at Best Buy)

If you’re after a great gaming laptop with good bang for your buck, look no further than the Dell G15. The hardware is pretty good for the price. You’re getting an Intel Core i7-13650HX processor plus 16GB of RAM–that’s more than enough juice for resource-hungry apps. The Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 graphics may not be the newest GPU in town, but it’s still capable of running most modern games. Finally, the 15.6-inch 1080p LED display delivers good brightness as well as vivid colors and strong contrast.

MSI

MSI

MSI

MSI Katana 17: $1,294.99 ($104.01 off at Amazon)

The MSI Katana 17 is a great option for those who like to game on a big screen. The 1080p display measures a massive 17.3 inches, which is absolutely humongous! It’s the kind of screen I’d love to play Sid Meier’s Civilization VI on because I like being able to see every miniscule detail.

You’re also getting an Intel Core i7 CPU, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 GPU, 32GB of RAM, and 1TB of SSD storage. That’s a good amount of power right there! This machine should have no issues running graphically intensive games.

Origin

Origin

Origin

Origin EON17-X v2: $2,543 ($635 off at Origin) 

If you’re after the ultimate gaming experience, the Origin EON17-X v2 is the one to get because it’s armed to the teeth with top-tier hardware. Thanks to its Intel Core i9-14900HX CPU and Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 GPU, this laptop will run anything you throw at it.

The 17.3-inch 1440p display is ginormous, which really helps up the immersion factor. And the 240Hz refresh rate is wildly fast, too, which is ideal for fast, action-intensive games like first-person shooters.

Best premium laptop deals

HP

HP

HP

HP Dragonfly Pro One: $698.99 ($700.01 off at Adorama)

The HP Dragonfly Pro One is a good laptop if you’re a serial multitasker. This baby is packing an AMD Ryzen 7 7736U CPU as well as 16GB of memory and 512GB of SSD storage, so it should be capable of handling a bunch of open tabs and more demanding applications. The 14-inch touch display has a resolution of 1920×1200 and a maximum brightness of 400 nits, which means the picture should be sharp and vibrant. The Ceramic White colorway is also just plain gorgeous and a welcome departure from the grey rectangles we’ve grown accustomed to seeing.

LG

LG

LG

LG Gram 17: $1,249.99 ($447 off at Adorama)

The LG Gram 17 is one swanky laptop with its 17-inch 2560×1600 display, powerful internals, and lightweight form factor. It weighs just 3.2 pounds and yet it somehow manages to house a giant 90 watt-hour battery inside of it. How does that even make sense?! It also comes armed with an Intel Core i7-1360P CPU and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 GPU, so performance should be pretty darn fast. The RTX 3050 GPU is older, sure, but it’s a nice addition for those who need a little more oomph in the graphics department. Lastly, it comes with four USB ports (two of them include Thunderbolt 4 support) and a micro SD card slot, which is perfect for offloading large files.

For more options, check out PCWorld’s roundup of the best laptops available right now.

In a gaming PC, the graphics card is easily the most exciting component. Responsible for producing all those beautiful frames and pushing those frame rates as high as possible, you’d be lost without it.

But shopping for a graphics card can be madness. You have to navigate between Nvidia, AMD, and Intel, then sift through each one’s product offerings. You’ll struggle to discern between models like the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 and the RTX 4070 Ti. And even after you’ve decided on a model, that model might have numerous variations — like a reference version and a factory overclocked version.

Related: Common mistakes when buying a graphics card

Honestly, it can be overwhelming. Should you pay up for those special GPU versions? What do you actually get for what you pay? Is it worth the stress or can you just ignore all of the noise?

Well, if you ask me, I’m going to say: don’t fret over any of it. You shouldn’t be paying extra for factory overclocked GPUs. To understand why, though, we have to first understand why all of these different GPU versions exist in the first place. Let me take you through it.

What’s a reference GPU?

For any given graphics card, you have to start with a baseline foundation. In industry talk, this baseline version is called the reference. (Nvidia’s reference cards are dubbed Founders Edition, but it’s the same thing.)

The three primary GPU manufacturers — Nvidia, AMD, Intel — release their own reference cards, and these reference cards are released with standard designs and hardware specifications. All of this establishes a baseline for any particular graphics card, and the manufacturer sets the MSRP for each card released (often as low as they can go).

These reference cards are distinct from third-party graphics cards, which we’ll get into in the next section below. For now, just know that the reference version of any graphics card tends to be the cheapest of all its variations (e.g., Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 Super Founders Edition has an MSRP of $599 while third-party variations are usually more expensive).

Though reference graphics cards operate at base-level specifications, they often come in fancy packaging with premium build quality. They’re usually sold directly by the manufacturers or through exclusive retail partnerships. (In the US, Nvidia sells FEs through Best Buy and you likely won’t find them on sites like Amazon or Newegg. AMD and Intel reference cards can be found more widely, but still in limited quantities.)

Thiago Trevisan / IDG

Thiago Trevisan / IDG

Thiago Trevisan / IDG

Since manufacturers control the production pipelines of their GPUs, they tend to have the best PCBs and hardware components — and they can afford to sell them for cheaper than third-party partners can.

That’s why reference GPUs have become quite desirable in recent years, not just for their designs but for their performance. (Historically, Founders Edition GPUs were noisy and inefficient, but lately they’ve been good enough to kill the need for other versions. Same goes for AMD.)

What’s an AIB partner GPU?

The term AIB has been causing confusion in the graphics card community for several years now because people keep using it to mean difference things. Here’s a quick explanation:

• An add-in board (AIB) is any card that can be inserted into your PC’s expansion slots to extend capabilities. According to this definition, all graphics cards are technically AIBs, and there are many other non-graphics card accessories that are also AIBs.
• GPU manufacturers (i.e., Nvidia, AMD, Intel) work with third-party manufacturers (e.g., Gigabyte, MSI, PowerColor) who create their own riffs on reference graphics cards. These third-party manufacturers are typically called AIB partners or board partners.
• Within the graphics card community, an AIB card is typically synonymous with custom card or non-reference card — in other words, a graphics card version created by an AIB partner.

AIB partners purchase GPU chips from Nvidia, AMD, or Intel, then design their own graphics cards with those chips while making sure they adhere to the original manufacturers’ specifications.

Thiago Trevisan / IDG

Thiago Trevisan / IDG

Thiago Trevisan / IDG

The graphics card business has historically had low margins, which helps to explain why there are so many spruced-up versions — the goal is to upsell to consumers and earn more profit per card sold.

When you shop for a graphics card, you’re most likely looking at AIB partner versions. AIB partners want to sell their graphics cards far and wide so they’re available at many retailers, and they’re also the ones providing the warranties and RMA support for their products.

Most AIB partners offer simpler versions of the GPU on hand and sell for base MSRP. These hit the minimum specifications required by the GPU manufacturer and tend to have comparable performance, but they aren’t as aesthetically pleasing as their more-expensive counterparts.

Thiago Trevisan / IDG

Thiago Trevisan / IDG

Thiago Trevisan / IDG

AIB partners also create more expensive versions of the same GPU. For example, the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 has an MSRP of $1,599 set by Nvidia, but ASUS sells its ROG Strix GeForce RTX 4090 variant for $1,999 and has cheaper TUF variants that can go as low as the $1,599 MSRP.

What are factory overclocked GPUs?

The premium build quality and strong performance of reference graphics cards have put AIB partners in a tight squeeze. With thin profit margins at baseline MSRP, they need to upsell their variants — and to do that, they need to figure out ways to entice buyers to shell out more cash.

One way is through factory overclocked GPUs.

A factory overclocked GPU is a graphics card that’s sold at a higher clock speed compared to its reference card. It’s pre-overclocked, if you will, and it’s been tested by the AIB partner for stability and performance. It frees you from the need to overclock the GPU yourself, and the card may also come with some modifications to support the higher clock speed.

Why factory overclocked GPUs generally aren’t worth paying extra

In my mind, there are two big reasons why factory overclocking isn’t worth whatever premium the AIB partner wants to charge.

First, factory overclocked GPUs have negligible performance gains.

If you were to go out and buy a factory overclocked GeForce RTX 4090 for $1,999, the reality is that you’d likely only see a single-digit performance difference compared to the $1,599 reference card or the AIB partner’s non-factory overclocked variants.

Thiago Trevisan / IDG

Thiago Trevisan / IDG

Thiago Trevisan / IDG

In other words, the markup for factory overclocking doesn’t actually get you that much more performance, and non-factory overclocked AIB partner GPUs perform just as well in many cases — definitely capable of meeting baseline specifications, at the very least.

Related: Reference vs. custom graphics cards, compared

Take the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX ($999) reference model, for example. It has a dual 8-pin PCI Express power connector and a TDP of 355 watts, with a game frequency of 2,300MHz and boost frequency up to 2,500MHz. Compare that to PowerColor’s Red Devil AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX ($1,899), which ups the power connector to a triple 8-pin PCI Express design and bumps the game frequency to 2,395MHz and boost frequency to 2,565MHz.

Thiago Trevisan / IDG

Thiago Trevisan / IDG

Thiago Trevisan / IDG

It’s basically the same GPU but with minor changes to eke out a tiny bit of extra performance, and it might give you several more frames per second in most games — barely noticeable to the naked eye.

Second, factory overclocked GPUs often have oversized coolers.

While the performance gains on factory overclocked GPUs may be small, they still come at a cost: increased heat and noise. In increasing the power limits of a GPU, AIB partners may choose to compensate with better cooling — perhaps via beefier coolers.

The problem is, many of the larger and more complex coolers you see on factory overclocked GPUs are downright overkill and unnecessary for heat management. (In fact, with proper airflow in your PC case, base MSRP GPUs shouldn’t thermally throttle even when overclocked.)

Related: How to check your GPU’s temperature

You end up with an enormous graphics card that likely doesn’t fit in your average PC case. Many owners of large GPUs like the GeForce RTX 4090 have had to upgrade their PC cases because they just couldn’t close their glass side panels. Sort of a headache, isn’t it?

Thiago Trevisan / IDG

Thiago Trevisan / IDG

Thiago Trevisan / IDG

On the other hand, Founders Edition or reference GPUs are often the smallest in their class. They provide nearly the same performance while fitting snugly in small PC cases, with quiet cooling that’s capable enough to handle modern games. (Of course, some reference cards are still hefty. The GeForce RTX 4090 Founders Edition is smaller on average than an AIB partner variant, but it’s still quite large.)

GPU size is becoming a key factor for many PC builders, and it’s important enough that Nvidia has decided to act upon it — by introducing the GeForce SFF guideline for GPUs that fit in smaller PC cases.

When is a factory overclocked GPU worth buying, then?

Performance is only one angle when it comes to factory overclocked GPUs. You can’t forget about aesthetics.

Some gamers are attracted to the small cosmetic details that differentiate one GPU variant from another. Others are all about brand loyalty, willing to stick with one brand despite price. And yet others care more about matching system components than anything else.

I mean, if you have an ASUS ROG-branded gaming setup, you’re probably willing to pay a premium for an ASUS ROG factory overclocked GPU. That’s perfectly fine and can be as valid a reason as greater performance. Pay for what you value.

Thiago Trevisan / IDG

Thiago Trevisan / IDG

Thiago Trevisan / IDG

You might find the straightforward designs of reference and Founders Edition GPUs to be off-putting. Maybe they don’t feel “gamery” enough for you, in which case it might make sense to pay up for another variant that has the wow factor you’re looking for — and many factory overclocked GPUs rely on said wow factor to attract buyers.

These more-expensive GPUs tend to have fancier fan designs and the all-important RGB lighting setups that ooze that gamer vibe. Said GPUs can also punch themselves up with other non-essential features for enthusiasts, like dual BIOS and higher power limits.

Hardcore overclockers tend to prefer these pricier models because they offer more room to tweak performance and achieve higher benchmarks. For example, GPUs like the older EVGA GeForce RTX 3090 Kingpin provide enthusiasts with more than just factory overclocking — but for most gamers and users, these features aren’t needed and can often lead to issues for less-experienced tinkerers.

Related: How to benchmark your graphics card

Sometimes you may not have a choice

Given the intricacies of the GPU market, factory overclocked GPUs may actually be your only option at times.

Even though the GPU shortages are behind us, you’ll probably see fewer baseline MSRP GPUs from AIB partners on store shelves going forward. (Remember, AIB partners want to upsell you on factory overlocked GPUs to score higher margins.) What happens when reference and Founders Edition GPUs sell out fast and remain unavailable for months? You may have no choice but to buy those more expensive AIB partner cards.

Thiago Trevisan / IDG

Thiago Trevisan / IDG

Thiago Trevisan / IDG

On the other hand, you sometimes run into factory overclocked GPUs that are basically the same price as reference editions, in which case the choice is a no-brainer. For example, we reviewed the AMD Sapphire Pulse Radeon RX 7900 XT and found it to have superior acoustics and better ports than the reference edition, and it cost nearly the same.

Sure, the more expensive version has a dual BIOS and RGB lighting, but that won’t matter for most users who would rather save on cost with similar performance.

And then you have limited edition GPUs or special themed products that only come in factory overclocked variants. If you want that limited edition product, you have no alternative. (But if you end up buying such a thing, you’re probably enough of an enthusiast to want the extra goodies.)

Don’t pay extra for factory overclocked GPUs unless you have a good reason

There’s only a tiny performance difference between reference GPUs and factory overclocked GPUs, so smart money will typically go with the reference edition. Often, you aren’t sacrificing anything — many modern reference graphics cards have incredible bang for your buck.

But availability can be an issue. If all the reference cards are out of stock, you may not have a choice but to shell out for a factory overclocked GPU. Or you may want the factory overclocked GPU for reasons other than performance, which are all totally valid.

Only you can decide whether a given GPU is worth the price — and in the case of factory overclocked GPUs, it may make sense to pay up if you know what you’re getting and know what the premium is for.

But if you only care about performance? It’s generally best to avoid paying extra for factory overclocked GPUs.

Further reading: The best graphics cards for every budget

CPUs and GPUs are old news. These days, the cutting edge is all about NPUs, and hardware manufacturers are talking up NPU performance.

The NPU is a computer component designed to accelerate AI tasks in a power-efficient manner, paving the way for new Windows desktop applications with powerful AI features. That’s the plan, anyway.

All PCs will eventually have NPUs, but at the moment only some PCs have them. Here’s everything you need to know about NPUs and why they’re such a hot topic in the computer industry right now.

What is an NPU?

NPU stands for neural processing unit. It’s a special kind of processor that’s optimized for AI and machine learning tasks.

The name comes from the fact that AI models use neural networks. A neural network is, in layman’s terms, a vast mesh of interconnected nodes that pass information between them. (The whole idea was modeled after the way our own human brains work.)

Related: How neural networks are finally maturing

An NPU isn’t a separate device that you buy and plug in (as you would with a GPU, for example). Instead, an NPU is “packaged” as part of a modern processor platform — like Intel’s Core Ultra, AMD’s Ryzen AI, and Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite and Snapdragon X Plus. These platforms have a CPU along with an integrated GPU and NPU.

NPU vs. CPU vs. GPU: What’s the difference? Explained

For many years now, computers have been running tasks on either the central processing unit (CPU) or graphics processing unit (GPU.) That’s still how it works on AI PCs (i.e., computers with NPUs).

The CPU runs most of the tasks on the computer. But the GPU, despite its name, isn’t just for graphics and gaming tasks. The GPU is actually just optimized for a different type of computing task, which is why GPUs have been critical for non-gaming endeavors like mining cryptocurrency and running local AI models with high performance. In fact, GPUs are very good at such AI tasks — but GPUs are awfully power-hungry.

That’s where NPUs come into play. An NPU is faster than a CPU at computing AI tasks, but not as fast when compared to a GPU. The trade-off is that an NPU uses far less power than a GPU when computing those same AI tasks. Plus, while the NPU handles AI-related tasks, the CPU and GPU are both freed up to handle their own respective tasks, boosting overall system performance.

Why use an NPU instead of a CPU or GPU?

If you’re running AI image generation software like Stable Diffusion (or some other AI model) on your PC’s hardware and you need maximum performance, a GPU is going to be your best bet. That’s why Nvidia advertises its GPUs as “premium AI” hardware over NPUs.

But there are times when you want to run AI features that might be too taxing for a regular CPU but don’t necessarily need the top-tier power of a GPU. Or maybe you’re on a laptop and you want to take advantage of AI features but don’t want the GPU to drain your battery down.

With an NPU, a laptop can perform local (on-device) AI tasks without producing a lot of heat and without expending inordinate battery life — and it can perform those AI tasks without taking up CPU and GPU resources from whatever else your PC might be doing.

And even if you aren’t interested in AI per se, you can still take advantage of NPUs for other uses. At CES 2024, HP showed off game-streaming software that uses the NPU for video-streaming tasks, freeing up the GPU to run the game itself. By using the NPU’s extra computing power, the streaming software doesn’t take up any GPU resources… and it’s much faster than using the CPU for the same type of task.

But what can Windows PC software do with an NPU, really?

With an AI PC, the NPU can be used by both the operating system and the apps that reside on the system.

For example, if you have laptop with Intel Meteor Lake hardware, the built-in NPU will let you run Windows Studio Effects, which are AI-powered webcam effects that provide features like background blur and forced eye contact in any application that uses your webcam.

Microsoft

Microsoft

Microsoft

Microsoft’s Copilot+ PCs — the first wave of which are powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon X chips — have their own AI-powered features that use the NPUs built into that platform. For example, the Windows Recall feature that Microsoft delayed will require an NPU.

Related: What is a Copilot+ PC? Explained

In November 2024, AMD and Intel PCs will get access to those same Copilot+ PC features that were previously exclusive to Qualcomm PCs, but only AMD and Intel PCs that have the new AMD Ryzen AI 300 series and Intel Core Ultra Series 2 (Lunar Lake) processors.

And those are just the features built into Windows; app developers will also be able to use the NPU in a variety of ways. Don’t be surprised to see plug-ins for Audacity and GIMP that offer AI-powered audio and photo editing that’s powered by a computer’s NPU.

The possibilities are endless, but it’s still early days for the hardware so it’ll be a while before its full potential is realized.

Why do I need an NPU if my PC can already run AI software?

Most current applications that have AI features — including Microsoft’s Copilot chatbot — don’t utilize an NPU yet. Instead, they run their AI models on faraway cloud servers. That’s why you can run things like Microsoft Copilot, ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Adobe Firefly, and other AI solutions on any device, whether an old Windows PC, a Chromebook, a Mac, an Android phone, or something else.

Adobe

Adobe

Adobe

But it’s expensive for those services to run their AI models on the cloud. Microsoft spends a lot of money churning through Copilot AI tasks in data centers, for example. Companies would love to offload those AI tasks to your local PC and reduce their own cloud computing expenses.

Of course, it’s not just about cost savings. You also benefit from the ability to run computationally heavy AI tasks on your local device. For example, those AI features will still work even when you’re offline, and you can keep your data private instead of uploading it all to cloud servers all the time. (That’s a big deal for companies, too, who want to maintain control over their own business data for privacy and security reasons.)

Which NPUs are available and how powerful are they?

Intel

Intel

Intel

NPU performance is measured in TOPS, which stands for trillion operations per second. To give you a sense of what that means, a low-end NPU might only be able to handle 10 TOPS whereas PCs that qualify for Microsoft’s Copilot+ PC branding must handle at least 40 TOPS.

As of fall 2024, the following NPUs are available:

• Intel Core Ultra Series 1 (Meteor Lake): Intel’s first-generation Core Ultra NPU can deliver up to 11 TOPS. It’s too slow for Microsoft’s Copilot+ PC features, but it does work with Windows Studio Effects and some third-party applications.
• Intel Core Ultra Series 2 (Lunar Lake): Intel’s Lunar Lake chips will include an NPU with up to 48 TOPS of performance, exceeding Copilot+ PC requirements.
• AMD Ryzen Pro 7000 and 8000 Series: AMD first delivered NPUs on PCs before Intel did, but the NPUs in Ryzen 7000 series processors are too slow for Copilot+ PC features, with up to 12 and 16 TOPS of performance.
• AMD Ryzen AI 300 Series: The NPUs in the latest AMD Ryzen AI 300 series processors can deliver up to 50 TOPS of performance, more than enough for Copilot+ PCs.
• Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite and Snapdragon X Plus: Qualcomm’s Arm-based hardware includes a Qualcomm Hexagon NPU that’s capable of up to 45 TOPS.

It’s worth noting that NPUs aren’t just on PCs. Apple’s Neural Engine hardware was one of the first big splashy NPUs to get marketing attention. Google’s Tensor platform for Pixel devices also includes an NPU, while Samsung Galaxy phones have NPUs, too.

Bottom line: Should you get a PC with an NPU right now or wait?

Honestly, it’s risky being on the bleeding edge.

If you went out of your way to get a Meteor Lake laptop in hopes of future-proofing your PC for AI features, you actually got burned when Microsoft later announced that Meteor Lake NPUs were too slow for Copilot+ PC features. (Intel disagreed, pointing out that you still get all the features those laptops originally shipped with.)

The silver lining to that? Copilot+ PC features aren’t that interesting yet. And especially with the delay of Windows Recall, there just isn’t much remarkable about Copilot+ PCs. Most of the biggest AI tools — ChatGPT, Adobe Firefly, etc. — don’t even use NPUs at all.

Still, if I were buying a new laptop, I’d want to get an NPU if possible. You don’t actually have to go out of your way to get one; it’s just something that comes included with modern hardware platforms. And those modern processor platforms have other big features, like big battery life gains.

Related: The laptops with the longest battery life, tested

On the other hand, those fast NPUs are only on the latest laptops right now, and you can often find great deals on older laptops that are nearly as fast as the latest models. If you spot a previous-generation laptop that’s heavily discounted, it may not make sense to shell out tons more cash just for an NPU, especially if you don’t have any AI tools you plan to run.

As of this writing, most big AI tools still run in the cloud — or at least offer that as an option — so you’ll be able to run them on any Windows laptop, Chromebook, or even Android tablets and iPads.

For desktops, the NPU situation is different. Intel’s desktop CPUs don’t have NPUs yet. You could hunt down an AMD desktop chip with a Ryzen AI NPU, but AMD’s Ryzen 7000 and 8000 series chips don’t support Copilot+ PC features anyway. So, if you’re putting together a desktop PC, set aside the NPU for now. It just isn’t that important yet.

Looking for a PC with a high-performance NPU? Consider Arm-based Windows laptops like the Surface Laptop 7 and AMD Ryzen AI 300 series laptops like the Asus ProArt PX13. Plus, stay tuned for our reviews of Lunar Lake-powered Intel laptops when they arrive. Until then, catch up with all the AI PC jargon you need to know.

Further reading: Key things to know before buying a Copilot+ laptop

The new Outlook has been available as a finished program since August 2024. New PCs delivered with the latest Windows 11 installations (Windows 11 24H2) will receive the new Outlook as an alternative to Windows Mail and the Windows Calendar app.

In addition, users who use the classic Outlook can switch to the new Outlook at any time using a slider in the top right-hand corner. As a Windows 10/11 user, you can use the new Outlook free of charge if you have a license for Microsoft Office or Microsoft 365. Here’s what you need to know about it.

Thomas Joos

Thomas Joos

Thomas Joos

There will be two different Outlook versions from Microsoft in the future: The previous Outlook from the Microsoft Office package and the Microsoft 365 apps that will be retained over the next few years and will be called “classic Outlook.” The new Outlook is an alternative to Windows Mail and the Windows Calendar app for end users using Windows 10/11.

Microsoft has announced that it will discontinue the old UWP-based Mail app in September 2024, forcing users to use the new Outlook app. Private users who work with the older programs will have to change because the old programs will be replaced.

The user interface of the new Outlook is based on WebView2–meaning the Outlook website runs in a native Windows window. This sometimes leads to a cluttered and inefficient user experience. The app is slower than the classic version and has annoying adverts, some of which are disguised as emails.

Microsoft routes all e-mails via its servers, including login details

The new Outlook is more like a web-based app in terms of operation and interface. In addition to Microsoft e-mail accounts, accounts from third-party providers can also be connected to the new Outlook. However, all e-mails from providers are generally routed via Microsoft servers, including the login details for the mailbox.

It doesn’t matter whether it’s a Microsoft mailbox, for example, Microsoft 365 or Outlook.com, or the mailbox of another provider like Google.

Anyone who doesn’t want this experience shouldn’t use the new Outlook. However, as Microsoft plans to remove the discontinued Windows Mail and Windows Calendar apps from Windows by the end of 2024, alternatives should then be found.

The best-known alternative is Mozilla Thunderbird. Data protection concerns further exacerbate the situation, as Microsoft shares data with over 770 third-party companies.

IDG

IDG

IDG

Microsoft already enables the connection of numerous e-mail accounts, including Microsoft 365/Exchange Online, Outlook.com, Gmail, Yahoo, iCloud, and manually configurable connections with IMAP4/POP3. It is to be expected that more providers will be added here and, of course, on-premises Exchange will also be added.

Professionals can decide for themselves when to use the new Outlook

Corporate customers can continue to work with classic Outlook for the next few years without any problems. It’s currently planned that the new Outlook will be supported until 2029. Although it is already possible to connect mailboxes in the new Outlook from Exchange Online, it is not yet possible to connect locally installed Exchange servers. According to Microsoft, however, this is set to change very quickly, presumably with the release of the new Exchange version Exchange Server SE (Subscription Edition) at the latest.

Admins in companies or even experienced users can use policies to prevent other users of the PC from activating the new Outlook. If this block is not active, every user can change their Outlook installation via the slider Test the new Outlook. It is possible to undo this step, but this may result in data loss. In our tests, the switch worked several times without any problems, but it is difficult to say with certainty whether this is the case everywhere.

Thomas Joos

Thomas Joos

Thomas Joos

You can also switch back using the slider. Both Outlook versions cannot be used in parallel, at least not without a great deal of effort.

The new Outlook is still under development: not everything works yet

Over the last few months, the development of the functions in the new Outlook have become apparent. Microsoft is regularly expanding the range of functions, but this does not change the fact that numerous functions are still missing. For example, there is no support for PST files nor is it possible to import or export data. Anyone who needs these functions should wait until Microsoft integrates them into the new Outlook. It’s currently unclear when this will be, and it’s also not certain whether all the functions from classic Outlook will make it into the new Outlook.

There are lots of settings that are available in the options in classic Outlook, but are missing in the new Outlook. One example of this is the Trust Centre, in which numerous security settings can be made. External programs, APIs, and tools will probably not work with the new Outlook, either. Many registry settings such as signatures, profiles, and other settings that you were previously able to export and import no longer work with the new Outlook.

Thomas Joos

Thomas Joos

Thomas Joos

Users also often miss the option of dragging and dropping attachments onto the desktop, the creation and management of quick blocks and the simple use of QuickSteps and e-mail rules. The options for resending e-mails, forwarding contacts via business card, or exporting emails as PST files are either no longer available or are much more cumbersome.

Another particular problem is that the new Outlook no longer allows multiple mailboxes to be merged into a single inbox, which makes managing multiple email accounts considerably more difficult.

These restrictions and the inability to intuitively customize the user interface, as was possible in the old Outlook, have caused frustration among many users and raise questions about the future viability of the new Outlook version.