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| PC World - 15 May (PC World)USB-C is the one connection to rule them all—literally, in many cases, thanks to a recent law passed by the European Parliament. Its popularity has made USB-C a common sight on new monitors. A USB-C monitor can act as USB hub, giving you additional ports for connecting various USB devices, but the monitor’s USB-C port can also serve as a video-input alternative to HDMI or DisplayPort; and some USB-C monitors can even charge a connected device while in use.
The details of USB-C can be confusing, however, and pricing for USB-C monitors is often higher than that for monitors that lack the interface. See our buyers’ guide below our recommendations to better understand the nuances.
For even more monitor recommendations, check out our roundups of the best monitors and the best monitors for a home office. And while you’re at it, check out our list of best monitor arms so you can optimize the ergonomics and comfort of your desk setup while viewing that brand new monitor.
Updated May 14, 2024: Check out our review of the BenQ PD3225U, which offers the complete package: an impressive 4K IPS Black panel, great brightness, impressive color gamut and color accuracy, loads of image quality customizations, and USB-C support as well as a full complement of ports, mitigating the need for an expansion hub or dongle. Of course, with all this goodness, it’s no surprise that it also comes at a premium price.
Dell Ultrasharp U2724DE – Best USB-C monitor overall
Pros
Attractive and functional design
Class-leading Thunderbolt and USB connectivity
IPS Black improves contrast
120Hz refresh rate
Cons
Most competitors offer 4K resolution
No HDR support
Adaptive Sync has some caveats
The Dell U2724DE Ultrasharp has exceptional connectivity that caters to a mix of office productivity, gaming, and multimedia use. It supports Thunderbolt 4, USB-C, USB-A, Ethernet, and video-out. It also provides up to 90 watts of Power Delivery over USB-C for charging a connected laptop or tablet.
Dell employs a new type of display panel called IPS Black, which achieves a better contrast than past IPS panels. It enhances the monitor’s depth and immersion which, though not able to conquer OLED or Mini-LED, is better than average for its category. The monitor scores high marks in color accuracy and offers a wide, vibrant color gamut.
The most surprising feature is the monitor’s 120Hz refresh rate. Boosting the refresh rate improves motion clarity and fluidity in 3D games. It also makes the Windows desktop feel more responsive. Very few competing USB-C monitors have a 120Hz (or better) refresh rate, and those that do lack the U2724DE’s range of connectivity.
Dell makes a couple sacrifices to achieve a refresh rate of 120Hz. It sticks to a modest display resolution of 2560×1440 instead of 4K (3840×2160). HDR is missing, too. Those willing to sacrifice the 120Hz refresh rate for 4K resolution and HDR should consider the U2724DE’s predecessor, the U2723QE.
Dell’s U2724DE carries a reasonable MSRP of $649.99 which, though not inexpensive, is good value for the monitor’s many features. It’s a great USB-C monitor for work and play.
Read our full
Dell U2724DE review
BenQ GW2790QT – Best budget USB-C monitor
Pros
Attractive and ergonomic design
Sharp, bright image
Includes USB-C and DisplayPort-out
Acceptable built-in speakers and microphone
Cons
Mediocre image quality
No HDR
No Adaptive Sync
Best Prices Today:
$279.99 at AmazonNot Available at Adorama
The BenQ GW2790QT is an inexpensive monitor that doesn’t skimp on USB-C. Though priced at just $300 (with occasional drops to $280 on Amazon), it features a USB-C port with 65 watts of Power Delivery and DisplayPort Alternate Mode, which makes it possible to connect and charge a laptop or tablet.
It also has HDMI, DisplayPort, three USB-A 3.2 downstream ports, and a 3.5mm audio jack. It even includes DisplayPort-out, a rare feature that simplifies cable management by enabling daisy-chaining to a second monitor.
That’s not all. The GW2790T has built-in speakers and a microphone, which makes it an all-in-one video conferencing display. The microphone admittedly isn’t the best, but it’s fine for video conferencing.BenQ throws in an ergonomic stand with adjustments for height, tilt, swivel, and pivot. The stand’s sturdy base ensures the monitor remains securely in place on your desk. It also has a unique cut-out that can be used as a smartphone or tablet stand.
The GW2790T’s many strengths are offset by a couple downsides. It lacks gaming-oriented features like AMD FreeSync or Nvidia G-Sync, and it doesn’t support HDR. These missing features make the GW2790T less useful for entertainment, but it’s a go-to pick if you want an affordable USB-C monitor for your office.
Read our full
BenQ GW2790QT review
Viewsonic ColorPro VP16 OLED – Best portable USB-C monitor
Pros
Versatile, useful stands
Good connectivity, cables included
Numerous image quality customization options
Top-tier image quality even at default settings
Cons
Speakers are included, but weak
Pricey for a portable monitor
No HDR
Best Prices Today:
$399.99 at Amazon
The Viewsonic VP16-OLED is a remarkable portable OLED monitor that brings together top-notch image quality, USB-C connectivity, and an innovative stand design.
The monitor’s 15.6-inch 1080p OLED panel delivers exceptional color accuracy, gamut, and contrast. It surpasses many full-sized OLED monitors and nearly all portable monitors. This makes it a great choice for productivity, though it also looks excellent when viewing movies or playing games.
The VP16-OLED’s stand can be used as a kickstand or expanded to hold the monitor upright, making it ideal for professionals who want to maximize their workspace or need improved ergonomics. The stand includes two USB-C ports, both of which can provide power and video input to the monitor, and a micro-HDMI port for compatibility with non-USB-C devices. The monitor includes all the necessary cables as well as a USB-C power brick.
There is a drawback: the cost. The Viewsonic VP16-OLED’s MSRP of $399.99 is expensive for a portable monitor. However, if you place a high value on image quality and want the best monitor for your portable office, the Viewsonic VP16-OLED is an excellent choice.
Read our full
Viewsonic ColorPro VP16-OLED review
Asus ProArt PA348CGV – Best ultrawide USB-C monitor
Pros
Excellent SDR image quality
Sturdy, hefty design
Wide range of customization
120Hz refresh rate
Cons
USB-C hub lacks video-out or ethernet
HDR is merely passable
Best Prices Today:
$899.99 at Amazon
The Asus ProArt PA348CGV is a spectacular ultrawide USB-C monitor. It manages to serve a huge range of people, from gamers to prosumers and professionals, without letting anyone down.
This monitor has a USB-C port with DisplayPort Alternate Mode and up to 90 watts of Power Delivery, so it can charge a connected laptop or table. The USB-C port can drive up to four additional USB-A ports, offering a wide range of physical connections. It doesn’t support ethernet or video-out, however, so some owners will still need an additional adapter.
Image quality is superb. Color accuracy is excellent, the color gamut is wide, and maximum brightness is high. The monitor’s 34-inch panel has a resolution of 3440×1440, which is roughly equivalent to a 27-inch 1440p monitor and looks sharp in everyday use. The monitor has a maximum refresh rate of 120Hz and supports AMD FreeSync Premium Pro, which is good news for gamers.
The ProArt PA348CGV is reasonably priced, as well, at $729.99—not a bargain, but lower than most ultrawide monitors with similar features. Its price, wide range of features, and excellent image quality make the ProArt PA348CGV a great USB-C monitor for gamers and content creators.
Read our full
Asus ProArt PA348CGV review
Dell Ultrasharp U4924DW – Best super-ultrawide USB-C monitor
Pros
Excellent build quality and stand
Lots of connectivity including USB-C
Easy-to-use menu with numerous options
IPS Black improves contrast ratio
Cons
Image quality is mediocre overall
No HDR or Adaptive Sync
Expensive for its feature set
Best Prices Today:
$1,296.91 at Amazon1359.99 at Dell$1359.99 at Dell Home
The Dell Ultrasharp U4924DW is the best super-ultrawide monitor with USB-C. It offers outstanding USB connectivity, functioning as a USB-C hub with a total of six downstream USB ports (four USB-A, two USB-C) plus Ethernet and audio-out. The USB-C port also supports DisplayPort Alternate Mode and provides 90 watts Power Delivery, letting users connect and charge a laptop or tablet over a single USB-C cable. This eliminates the need for a separate USB-C hub or dock which, in turn, reduces cord clutter behind your desk.
Dell’s U4924DW is a curved ultrawide but has a less aggressive curve than alternatives focused on gaming, which in turn makes it more suitable for work tasks. It also benefits from a sturdy, elegant design, a small yet effective stand, and VESA mount compatibility for both 200x100mm and 100x100mm mounts. The monitor also supports picture-by-picture and picture-in-picture modes that let users view two input devices at once. It’s perfect for use in either a home or corporate office.
Image quality is solid, but the monitor has a mediocre 60Hz refresh rate and lacks support for HDR. The lack of these features is surprising given its $1,999 price point. Still, the U4924DW is a wise investment if you care more about productivity than gaming and entertainment.
Read our full
Dell Ultrasharp U4924DW review
LG DualUp 28MQ780-B – Best USB-C monitor for productivity
Pros
Unique aspect ratio is useful for photo, video editing
Makes an awesome second monitor
Highly adjustable stand
Vivid, accurate color
Cons
Difficult to fit in a small home office
USB-C port offers limited downstream connectivity
Can lack immersion in some content
Best Prices Today:
$629 at Amazon$699.99 at LG
The LG DualUp 28MQ780-B is a USB-C monitor with a unique 16:18 aspect ratio that’s almost exactly square. It can rotate into a 18:16 aspect ratio if you’d prefer. The monitor is much taller than most monitors and, as a result, has an adjustable stand that clamps to the rear of your desk instead of a normal desktop stand.
The monitor’s odd form factor is ideal for viewing large, complex documents and can be useful for editing portrait or square photos. It’s also well suited for use as a second monitor alongside a large 32-inch display.
The DualUp 28MQ780-B has a USB-C port with DisplayPort Alternate Mode and 90 watts of Power Delivery, so it can charge a connected laptop or tablet. The USB-C port can extend connectivity to two additional USB-A ports. Unfortunately, the monitor lacks ethernet or video-out, so some owners may need an additional adapter.
What about image quality? It’s great. The monitor has great color accuracy, a wide color gamut, and respectable sharpness thanks to its resolution of 2560×2880. Just be warned: The odd aspect ratio makes it a strange fit for gaming and movies. This is a monitor built for work, not play.
Read our full
LG DualUp 28MQ780-B review
What to look for in a USB-C monitor
Many features desirable in a USB-C monitor are the same as on any other display. A sharp, vivid, bright, and contrast-rich screen is best. However, shoppers who want to buy a USB-C monitor should keep an eye on details only relevant to USB-C.
Remember, too, that a USB-C display can be used in two contexts. First, you can connect your USB-C monitor to a desktop PC or laptop via a USB-C cable, and use it like a traditional USB-C hub via the USB-C cable’s 20Gbps interface. That’s pretty straightforward.
Second, you can also use the USB-C cable as a replacement for a display cable like HDMI or DisplayPort, especially for newer laptops that might eliminate an HDMI or DisplayPort port.
It’s here that USB-C monitors can get tricky. The traditional rule of thumb is that a USB-C port can support a 4K display at 30Hz resolution. DisplayPort Alternate Mode (see below) increases that to 4K60, which is much easier on the eyes. Newer laptops use DisplayPort 1.4, which combines a high-bit-rate mode (HBR3) with a DSC compression mode that should allow for 4K60 video alongside the ability to use USB 3.1 storage devices.
Be aware, however, that the USB-C cable’s 20Gbps throughput may not allow for video to be passed to premium displays like the NZXT Canvas S27Q at its full 1440p, 165Hz refresh rate. Those specifications probably assume that you’re using a dedicated video port like DisplayPort, instead, as well as its separate video cable. You can certainly connect the display to your laptop using both a video cable and the USB-C cable simultaneously, however.
If your laptop uses either Thunderbolt 3 or Thunderbolt 4 or USB4 — all of which use a 40Gbps data connection and a USB-C port on your laptop — you should probably have no issues connecting your laptop to the monitor at the full refresh rate using a Thunderbolt cable. Just consult your laptop’s specifications and/or manual to make sure.
Power Delivery
USB-C Power Delivery provides power over a USB-C cable. It’s not part of the core USB-C specification, so devices with USB-C (including monitors) don’t always support it. Power Delivery can pack up to 240 watts, but most USB-C monitors provide just 65 to 90 watts. It’s a perfect fit for those who own a thin-and-light laptop, 2-in-1, or tablet.
Power Delivery is inadequate for some devices, such as gaming laptops, which consume more power than current USB-C monitors can provide. These laptops may still charge when left at idle but will charge slowly (or even discharge the battery) when in use.
Ethernet
Wired ethernet is a desirable feature in a USB-C monitor. Many modern laptops lack a physical Ethernet port, so its inclusion on a monitor is convenient. It can improve the speed and reliability of a connected device’s internet connection.
While useful, this is an expensive feature available only on premium models. The Dell U3223QE is the only USB-C monitor on this list with ethernet support.
DisplayPort Alternate Mode
DisplayPort Alternate Mode is a feature available to USB-C that handles video as if the USB-C cable was a DisplayPort cable. It supports all the features you’d expect from DisplayPort including high refresh rates and adaptive sync.
A monitor without this feature won’t accept video over USB-C, meaning you’ll have to connect both USB-C and a separate video input. All the monitors on this list support DisplayPort Alternate Mode.
How we test monitors
PC World’s monitor guides are the result of independent tests by PC World staff members and freelance technology journalists.
We test each monitor with a Datacolor Spyder X2 Ultra color calibration tool. This tool can measure a monitor’s brightness, contrast, color gamut, color accuracy, uniformity, gamma, color temperature, and other important aspects of display quality. Using a tool that measures objective quality helps us objectively compare dozens of monitors.
Our tests of USB-C monitors also consider the range of USB-C connectivity and features available. We prefer to see a USB-C monitor with a complete range of physical connectivity including ethernet and at least 90 watts of Power Delivery, but these desirable features are balanced against the monitor’s price.
FAQ
1.
Do I really need a USB-C monitor?
A USB-C monitor is a great way to expand your computer’s connectivity without the added clutter of a USB-C hub or dock. It reduces the wires present on your desk, freeing up space for other uses. PC World’s guide to USB-C hub monitors has the full story.
USB-C monitors are excellent when used with a USB-C laptop that consumes less than 90 watts of power at load. Docking a laptop at a desk can be annoying if you use a wired keyboard, wired mouse, and external monitor. A USB-C monitor can consolidate all your wired devices to a single USB-C cable.
If these benefits sound good, then a USB-C monitor could be for you. If not, you may get more value from a conventional monitor.
2.
Are USB-C monitors expensive?
Yes, USB-C monitors are more expensive. Basic monitors without USB-C retail for as little as $100, while similar monitors with USB-C start around $150.
That price premium persists through all price categories. You can expect to pay around $50 to $100 more for a USB-C monitor than you would for a similar monitor without it.
Premium productivity and professional monitors are an exception. Nearly all monitors in these categories offer some form of USB-C support. They remain expensive, though, and are often priced between $500 to $1,000 (and sometimes more).
3.
Are USB-C monitors good for gaming?
Technically speaking, USB-C monitors can be great for gaming. USB-C video is handled over DisplayPort Alternate Mode, which preserves all the usual benefits of DisplayPort. This includes great support for high refresh rates, high resolutions, and adaptive sync.
But there’s a catch: Many monitors that have a USB-C port don’t support important gaming features like an enhanced refresh rate, low pixel response times, or adaptive sync. The Asus ProArt PG348CGV, our pick for best ultrawide with USB-C, and the NZXT Canvas 27Q, our best budget pick, are two notable exceptions. Just make sure that you’re connecting to them with a dedicated DisplayPort or HDMI video cable, and not using the USB-C cable as the video cable, too.
Monitors Read...Newslink ©2024 to PC World | |
| | | PC World - 15 May (PC World)Microsoft just unveiled a series of Outlook updates designed to combat spam emails. There are a number of new features for the web, desktop, and mobile versions of Outlook, which should ensure that spam mail ends up in the right place, and help you avoid phishing attempts.
Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft
To make sorting easier in your Spam tab, you will no longer need to open an email to see the sender’s email address, it will now appear directly under their name. You will also get a new warning box if you start opening links in emails that are in Spam.
Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft
It will also be easier for you to report spam and phishing emails. You will now be able to report an email address with the click of a button and unsubscribe or block all mail from that address. Previously, blocking a sender only deleted the email currently selected.
Further reading: Microsoft says you should always ask this one security question to avoid scams
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Windows 11 Pro
Online Services, Personal Software, Professional Software Read...Newslink ©2024 to PC World | |
| | | PC World - 15 May (PC World)At a glanceExpert`s Rating
ProsClean, uncluttered interfaceExcellent antivirus protectionWell-priced for its feature setConsFull scans affect PC performance when using Microsoft Office appsNo included password managerOur VerdictAvast One expands upon the company’s free security suite, with upgraded defenses against online threats and additional features. You don’t get just excellent antivirus protection, but tools to safeguard your identity and privacy (including a VPN with unlimited bandwidth), as well as tune up your PC. While it lacks a password manager and parental controls, if you’re all set on those fronts, this app’s polish is hard to beat.
You could let Windows protect your PC — it does already shield against online threats. But independent antivirus software like Avast One is better at catching viruses and malware, and wins on user friendliness, too.
Avast actually has two lines of paid products, both powered by the same antivirus engine. They have similarly clean interfaces, too. But the Avast One line focuses on identity and privacy concerns, making it arguably the better choice for most people. Life is largely conducted online these days, and staying safe is more than just thwarting malware and exploits. Phishing schemes and personal information leaked in data breaches can weaken your security, too.
Avast One lets you stay on top of these issues, which are currently unavoidable in modern life, and does so with polish.
Further reading: See our roundup of the best antivirus software for Windows to learn about competing products.
What does Avast One include?
Avast One enhances the already wide protection against online threats available in the free Essentials plan — it both upgrades existing defenses and adds new ones to the set, too.
The fundamentals include the company’s top-notch antivirus and firewall, which block malware, ransomware, malicious websites and downloads, and network intrusions. The suite also monitors for vulnerable networks, compromised applications, attempts at unauthorized access to the saved passwords in your browser, and appearances of your data on the dark web. And you get PC utilities, too: a system optimizer and software updater.
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PCWorld
PCWorld
Upgrading to Avast One unlocks safeguards against dangers like webcam takeovers; webmail messages containing malware and phishing attempts; shady apps hunting for sensitive data (like social security numbers) on your PC; and malicious redirects for websites you visit (aka DNS hijacking).
You get strengthened identity and privacy protections as well. For starters, dark web monitoring becomes continuous in the background. The VPN puts no restrictions on bandwidth or server usage, too, and online trackers get blocked. Avast One even ties these latter two features together in a “Private Mode” setting for your default browser’s incognito tabs. When enabled, a secure VPN connection and tracking prevention will automatically kick in whenever you start an incognito session.
As for PC utilities, you get three extras: a disk cleaner, driver updater, and duplicate file finder.
Avast One does not include a password manager or parental controls. You’ll have to look elsewhere for these services, as Avast doesn’t offer them at all.
How much does Avast One cost?
If you buy a license directly from Avast, you get a discounted rate for the first year, then the standard price afterward. Plans purchased through Avast come with a 30-day money-back guarantee and are automatically enrolled in auto-renewal.
Individual plan (5 devices)
$51 for the first year
$110 per year thereafter
Family plan (30 devices)
$70 for the first year
$150 per year thereafter
For more savings on Avast One plans, you can take advantage of a special offer for PCWorld readers, which drops the cost of the first year to $33 for 5 devices and $53 for 30 devices. You can also check out our article on discounted antivirus software that explains how to get deals through online stores like Newegg.
If you use our link, PCWorld readers get a special rate for Avast One plans on the Avast website.
If you use our link, PCWorld readers get a special rate for Avast One plans on the Avast website.PCWorld
If you use our link, PCWorld readers get a special rate for Avast One plans on the Avast website.PCWorld
PCWorld
You can install Avast One on PC, Android, macOS, and iOS devices. The Avast One Family plan also includes a Family Sharing feature — it allows you to invite other users with separate accounts to share in that bigger device limit.
Relative to Avast’s Premium Security plan, which has a similar number of features, you’ll pay less for Avast One in the first year (relative to the number of devices you have). However, Avast One is more expensive in subsequent years, when the cost rises to the full list price.
Key features of Avast One
Installation and user interface
After downloading Avast One from your online account dashboard and installing, you’ll see a screen asking to start a scan of your PC. You can choose to do so (which is recommended), or skip to access the app.
Avast One’s interface is light-themed, with a mix of cream, tan, and orange accents for its color theme. A simple navigation bar lives on the left side of the screen, giving quick access to the dashboard, features, notifications, and settings. The tabs aren’t labeled as clearly as in competing software — Account is where you’ll find settings and other app-related info, for example. But you can get oriented quickly, thanks to good descriptions within each section of the software.
The Avast One dashboard view.
The Avast One dashboard view.PCWorld
The Avast One dashboard view.PCWorld
PCWorld
Opening the app will show the Home screen, which is a dashboard that lets you run a scan, turn on the VPN, or run one of several utilities. You have just two options for scanning here, a smart scan and a deep scan. For others, you must head to the Scan Center within the Explore tab, which houses all Avast One features. There you’ll find options for Targeted Scan and Boot-Time Scan in addition to the smart and deep scan defaults. You can also create a custom scan. But unlike Avast’s Premium Security suite, Avast One’s scan settings are more limited. In fact, this difference is how the two products diverge — Avast One focuses on a simpler experience geared toward life online, while Premium Security prioritizes greater control over security on your PC.
Some users may not like the list format of the Explore tab. Though it groups the different settings by type (Device Protection, Online Privacy, Smooth Performance), those who like to see everything on a screen at once may find it frustrating to have to scroll. But each entry is labeled clearly and described well.
Surprisingly, Avast One’s attempt to upsell its more premium plans is a fairly discreet button at the top of the window, next to the minimize and exit buttons. It’s far more subtle than the approach taken by Avast’s sister company, AVG.
Virus, malware, and threat protection
Real-time protection
Avast One keeps continuous watch for real-time threats, both online and on your PC. When you browse the web, the software scans pages for malware and watches for attempts to redirect you to fake sites. The traffic going to and from your PC also get screened for suspicious activity, as do attempts to access passwords saved to your browser. If you choose to give Avast access to your webmail account (like Gmail), it will also monitor your email for phishing scams and malware.
On your PC, Avast One scans files you add or open, checks downloaded email in Microsoft Outlook or Mozilla Thunderbird for malicious attachments, and limits access to folders often target by ransomware (and any others you add to the list). It also allows only approved apps to use your webcam.
Avast One includes continuous dark web monitoring—an upgrade from the free plan, which only lets you manually check for your info in known breaches.
Avast One includes continuous dark web monitoring—an upgrade from the free plan, which only lets you manually check for your info in known breaches.PCWorld
Avast One includes continuous dark web monitoring—an upgrade from the free plan, which only lets you manually check for your info in known breaches.PCWorld
PCWorld
Avast One also tracks data breaches to see if any of your email addresses (up to five) have appeared in them. You’ll get notified whenever a match is found. Changing your password on that service or site — and any others where you might have also used it or a close variant — will be up to you to perform yourself, though. (Which is when a password manager comes in handy.)
Scheduled and manual scans
Unlike other antivirus software makers, Avast does not set up a default scheduled scan in a freshly installed app — and so Avast One lacks this feature out of the box (so to speak), too. It’s an odd move, since scheduled scans keep up the security of a PC with minimal user effort needed.
To get your PC on a regular scan schedule, you can click the Automated Smart Scan scheduling button in the Scan Center’s Scan Now tab. A smart scan checks for malware, vulnerabilities in your browser and apps, and other issues, in order to keep your PC clean overall.
Alternatively, you can create your own custom scan, which lets you pick from Deep Scan, Targeted Scan, or Quick Scan as your template. Deep scans dig thoroughly through your PC, while targeted scans examine specific files or folders. Quick scans look at commonly targeted and critical areas of your system. You can then further tweak a handful of advanced settings.
Avast One’s custom scan creation screen.
Avast One’s custom scan creation screen.PCWorld
Avast One’s custom scan creation screen.PCWorld
PCWorld
For both smart scan and custom scan scheduling, your options are to run the scan just once, daily, weekly, or monthly. Of the options, I recommend scheduling a quick scan or custom scan — they require no user input to complete. Smart scans ask for your input on findings for each portion of the scan before moving to the next piece.
If you prefer to manually run a scan, your options are Smart Scan, Deep Scan, Targeted Scan, Boot-Time Scan (which searches for any threats before Windows starts), and any of your custom scans. Unlike Avast’s Premium Security suite, you can only adjust your custom scan’s settings.
Firewall
Avast One’s firewall handles all traffic coming and going from your PC, completely replacing Windows own default protection. For most people, it will feel like an upgrade — the interface makes monitoring and controlling app access feel easy, rather than scary. You can clearly see which Windows programs and services are currently online and which have asked for access, as well as immediately block any suspicious items on the list.(Windows may have come a long way with its security suite, but dig into its firewall settings, and you’ll see a mix of interfaces from different eras—and most of them are not friendly to a non-technical audience.)
The default settings are adequate for most people, though Avast One doesn’t allow much customization. You can add new apps, block apps or devices, and change three settings (two of which are related to notifications). But that covers the basics sufficiently.
Ransomware Shield
A common protection against ransomware, which encrypts files so that the attacker can extort money from victims, is to limit software access to folders often targeted by such malware. Untrusted apps can’t change or delete files in those locations. So even if you accidentally install ransomware on your system, you get an extra layer of defense.
By default, Avast One protects select Windows folders from ransomware by limiting app access to them and certain file types within.
By default, Avast One protects select Windows folders from ransomware by limiting app access to them and certain file types within.
PCWorld
By default, Avast One protects select Windows folders from ransomware by limiting app access to them and certain file types within.
PCWorld
PCWorld
By default, Avast One monitors specific file types within your Documents, Pictures, Desktop, Videos, and Music folders, including documents, pictures, and videos. You can manually add more folders and file types (using file extensions like .tiff or .pdf) to the protected list. Well-known apps (e.g. Microsoft Word or Adobe Photoshop) automatically get access, but not any others.
For a stronger defense, you can change the settings to let only approved apps through, as well as wholesale protect all files within protected folders. But be aware these tighter restrictions can require intervention on your part to ensure apps like games still function normally.
Of course, for the best protection, you should still independently keep at least one current, offline copy of your files — like on an external drive you only connect to your PC when performing the backup. Your PC could fall to ransomware, but your data won’t be lost to you.
In addition to excellent malware protection, Avast One provides tools that simplify safeguarding your privacy and keeping your PC in tip-top shape
Additional features
Browser extensions
Avast One automatically screens and blocks malicious websites, but the optional Avast Online Security & Privacy extension can help you avoid clicking on bad links to begin with. Search results in Google and Bing get visual badges that indicate if a site is safe or not. They can be easy to miss at first, though, since the icons are smaller and more subtle.
The extension will also block trackers, several ad networks, and cookie permissions. In fact, it automatically requests only necessary cookies from sites. If you’re tired of pop-ups asking you for your cookie preferences, you’ll like the last feature. Having to manually install the extension becomes worth the effort.
Network Inspector
Avast One’s Network Inspector tool can be a good way to get verification that you’ve indeed done the basics to secure your home network.
Avast One’s Network Inspector tool can be a good way to get verification that you’ve indeed done the basics to secure your home network.PCWorld
Avast One’s Network Inspector tool can be a good way to get verification that you’ve indeed done the basics to secure your home network.PCWorld
PCWorld
Hopping onto a new network can expose you to vulnerabilities — an issue that Avast tries to solve with its Network Inspector feature. You run the scanner to look for potential threats lurking on the network you’re connected to, like DNS hijacking or a weak password on a router, or a vulnerable device.
This tool has limited utility, especially for public networks. To protect yourself on such connections, the answer is simple: Use the included VPN to maintain your security and privacy. For a private network that you trust (like the one you have at home), it can help you verify your router is configured with at least basic safeguards in place.
You can adjust the settings for automatic scanning and if devices are checked for weak passwords. You can also check to your connection history to see what networks you’ve recently used.
PC utilities (Disk Cleaner, Driver Updater, and Duplicate File Finder)
Avast One unlocks three additional utilities to help keep your PC running efficiently: Disk Cleaner, Driver Updater, and Duplicate File Finder.
Disk Cleaner and Driver Updater simplify tasks you can perform yourself in Windows. Disk Cleaner lets you dump temporary files, downloads, items in the Recycle Bin, broken shortcuts, and broken registry keys to free space on your PC. Driver Updater scans your PC for outdated drivers and handles updating any that are out of date.
Both have clean interfaces that are explained with clear, simple language, which is an improvement over poking around in Windows to do the same work. Disk Cleaner also lets you see exactly which temporary files are on the chopping block, and unselect specific categories to keep them around.
Avast One’s Disk Cleanup utility helps you purge temporary files from your PC — but its easy-to-use interface is a double-edged sword.
Avast One’s Disk Cleanup utility helps you purge temporary files from your PC — but its easy-to-use interface is a double-edged sword. PCWorld
Avast One’s Disk Cleanup utility helps you purge temporary files from your PC — but its easy-to-use interface is a double-edged sword. PCWorld
PCWorld
There’s just one downside to these two tools — how easy it is to use them. Disk Cleaner makes deleting elements from registry too quick and simple. Fiddling with your Windows registry can cause problems, so you should always understand what you’re changing; yet with Disk Cleaner, you can wipe parts of your registry without having to know where to dig and why. Similarly, updating a driver without knowing its source can also lead to later issues, though usually not as bad as a botched registry.
Happily, Duplicate File Finder gives no reason for concern. It performed surprisingly well in my light testing — the utility could tell the difference between files that were created separately but functionally the same, and actual copies with different names. Video files created as part of my Handbrake benchmarks are the same for real-world purposes, but the tool didn’t flag them. It did catch files I copied but renamed.
Sensitive Data Shield
Many people store files containing sensitive information on their computer, such as banking details, social security numbers, paycheck info, and even passwords — and that practice can become a liability if your computer is compromised.
(Side note: Storing passwords in a document on your PC is very insecure. Use a password manager with a database stored on your computer instead — it will encrypt the data and greatly strengthen your security.)
Avast tries to shield your PC from this threat with its Sensitive Data Shield feature. It scans your PC for documents for common types of private information, then restricts access to the list of the files found. Malicious apps won’t be able to discover and extract that data. You can manually flag additional files for protection, as well as allow or block specific apps.
The feature has limited effectiveness, though. The scanner doesn’t always catch every file with sensitive info — and it only looks for .pdf, .doc, .docx, .xls, and .xlsx files. You can’t manually add files of other types, either.
VPN
Accessing Avast One’s VPN is most easily done through the main dashboard, where you can instantly flip on a connection to the preselected server. You can also tap the tile to jump to the VPN Secure Connection screen, which lets you adjust a handful of settings.
Avast One gives more granular control over automatic connection of the VPN when compared to some rivals.
Avast One gives more granular control over automatic connection of the VPN when compared to some rivals.
PCWorld
Avast One gives more granular control over automatic connection of the VPN when compared to some rivals.
PCWorld
PCWorld
If you choose the latter option, you can turn the VPN on and off, select a specific server, and change the connection settings. The VPN can be configured to automatically activate in certain scenarios, like when on an untrusted network (e.g., public Wi-Fi), a banking website, streaming, or shopping. It also supports peer-to-peer connections.
Additionally, you can toggle whether Avast sends autoconnection notifications, kills all internet traffic if the VPN accidentally disconnects while active, and allows your PC to see local devices (like printers) when the VPN is on. The first two features are enabled by default, while the latter is disabled.
Avast offers servers in 37 countries, which span Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Turkey, UK, Ukraine, and the USA. You can choose a specific city for five countries (Australia, Canada, Germany, Spain, UK, and the USA).
Customer support
If you have questions about Avast One, you can use Avast’s support website or help forums to find answers. Customer service is also available by phone, email, or chat. The support website is the best place to start with for basic questions — there’s even a helpful user guide if you want to get properly acquainted with the software.
Updates and maintenance
Avast One automatically updates its virus definitions and the app itself in the background by default — you don’t have to check on it. However, you can change these settings so that you only get notified when updates are available, or go for complete manual control (not advisable). You can also manually check for updates in the app settings (Account > Settings > General).
Performance
Avast’s antivirus engine generally performs well in tests conducted by leading security research institutions. It detected 100 percent of the threats in AV-Test’s zero-day attack and malware evaluation for January and February 2024 (the most current as of this article’s publishing). All 15,362 samples for recently discovered and widespread malware and 278 samples for zero-day attacks were blocked.
AV-Comparatives / PCWorld
AV-Comparatives / PCWorld
AV-Comparatives / PCWorld
In AV-Comparatives’ real-world protection test for February and March 2024, Avast also blocked 100 percent of the 246 test cases, with just 5 false positives. Its engine should notice and catch malicious web links, exploits (like drive-by downloads), and URLs that direct you to malware.
Avast also performed almost as well in AV-Comparatives’ March 2024 malware protection test, with a strong 99.95 percent online protection and 98.8 percent online detection rate. Its offline detection rate was just a bit lower than the top performers, coming in at 95.6 percent—though that’s still notably higher than the actual low performers of the group. (Quick Heal sits at the bottom with a 44.6 percent offline detection rate.) It also had ten false positives, which was on the moderately lower side.
For more sophisticated, targeted threats, Avast still has room to improve. It caught 11 of the 15 test cases in AV-Comparatives’ November 2023 Advanced Threat Protection Test, which involves threats like fileless attacks and malicious scripts. However, Avast caught test cases that higher performing rivals missed, suggesting that antivirus vendors are all still strengthening their protection in this area.
AV-Comparatives / PCWorld
AV-Comparatives / PCWorld
AV-Comparatives / PCWorld
In daily use, expect Avast to have minimal impact on system resources during most typical tasks, especially when left idle in the background. When I ran PCMark 10’s Extended benchmark, which simulates web browsing, video chatting, gaming, and image and document editing in free, open-source apps, the scores remained the same as before installing Avast One. The software also had little effect on our Handbrake encoding test, which transforms a large, uncompressed video file into a smaller, compressed version. When running a deep scan continuously in the background, performance dipped by about 10 percent for both benchmarks — a modest amount compared to competitors.
The one exception to this behavior is when working on Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint documents. Avast was aggressive during in its scans when I ran UL Procyon’s Office Productivity benchmark, which focuses on Microsoft Office use. When Avast One was idle in the background, scores dropped by about 11 percent when idle. They fell by 25 percent when a deep scan was run continuously.
In the real world, these results suggest heavy Microsoft Office users on slower PCs should be strategic about the timing of scans. A full system scan scheduled for off-hours (like when you’re asleep) won’t interfere with getting work done. During active hours, you could see some performance effects when in Office apps, but not as notably.
Should you buy Avast One?
Avast One provides strong, broad defense against online threats, with features that make an upgrade from the free version (or Microsoft Defender) worthwhile. In addition to excellent malware protection, it provides tools that simplify safeguarding your privacy and keeping your PC in tip-top shape — and the interface for managing everything is clean and simple, to boot. This security suite does lack a password manager and parental controls, but if you’re set on those fronts, this app’s polish is hard to beat.
Editor’s note: Because online services are often iterative, gaining new features and performance improvements over time, this review is subject to change in order to accurately reflect the current state of the service. We’ve most recently updated it to include up-to-date protection result details.
Antivirus, Security Software and Services Read...Newslink ©2024 to PC World | |
| | | PC World - 14 May (PC World)Key Takeaways:
To record Discord audio on a PC, you can always try the built-in screen recorder: Xbox Game Bar. However, if you want advanced features like the ability to record multiple sources without a time limit, you can try EaseUS RecExperts.
Craig Bot is a good choice when you want to record Discord audio on a phone, whether it’s an Android phone or iPhone.
Recording Discord audio on PS5 can be troublesome, but OBS Studio can help you with this.
How to Record Discord Audio on PC
If you are using Discord on a computer, say a Windows computer running Windows 10 or later, you can try two recorders to capture the streaming audio. Let’s check out the two tools below.
Record Discord Audio via EaseUS RecExperts
Compatible with: Windows 11, 10, 8.1, 8, 7 & macOS 10.13 or later
Editor’s opinion: This recorder is suitable for those users who want to record Discord for as long as they want with an easy and comprehensive recorder.
EaseUS RecExperts is the most recommended Discord audio recorder for computer users. It is compatible with Windows and Mac. It is capable of recording streaming platforms. For instance, it can record Discord, Netflix, and record YouTube audio etc.
It also offers a noise-reduction function to record Discord audio clearly. There’s no time limitation on your recordings. After recording, you can save and export it in MP3, AAC, WAV, etc.
Let’s take a Windows computer as an example to show you how to use RecExperts.
Steps to record Discord audio with EaseUS RecExperts
Step 1. Launch Discord and play whatever you want to record. Then, install and launch EaseUS RecExperts.
Step 2. Click “Audio” (the speaker sign) from the left side of the interface. Select the audio source from the “System sound” or the “Microphone”. You can also record them both.
EaseUS
EaseUS
EaseUS
Step 3. After that, hit the orange “REC” button to start recording. To finish it, you just click on the red square icon from the recording taskbar. Then, you will be led to the “Recordings” list. You can edit or manage the recordings here.
Record Discord Audio with Xbox Game Bar
Compatible with: Windows 11, 10
Editor’s opinion: This recorder is suitable for those who need a basic screen recording function and don’t want to download things.
As EaseUS RecExperts requires downloading, some people may not want it. In this case, you can try the built-in screen recording tool on Windows 10 and later. It records computer audio from any source for free. No installation is required.
One thing to note is that Xbox only offers basic recording functions. Also, it has a recording time limit of up to 2 hours. If it meets your needs, you can record Discord audio with it by following the steps below.
How to record Discord audio with Xbox Game Bar
Step 1. Change the audio recording setting on your computer by clicking “Windows Settings” > “Gaming” > “Captures” and toggle on the “Capture audio when recording a game” option.
Step 2. Change the audio capturing setting in the Xbox Game Bar by pressing “Windows” + “G” on your keyboard and clicking “Settings” > “Widgets” > “All (Game, enabled mic, apps, system)”. Also, you need to make sure the “System Sounds” is not muted from the top menu.
Step 3. Play whatever you want to record on Discord and go back to the main interface of Xbox Game Bar. Then, click “Capture” > “Start recording” to begin.
Step 4. Click on “Stop recording” from the taskbar to finish the recording process. Then, you can click to check your recordings in the Xbox Game Bar.
How to Record Discord Audio on Phones
Some people like using Discord on their mobile phones. In this part, we will show you how to record Discord audio on a phone. This method is applicable to both Android and iPhone. Let’s dive in!
Record Discord Audio with Craig Bot
Compatible with: Android, iOS
Editor’s opinion: For most Android and iPhone users, this is the best choice for recording Discord audio.
To record Discord audio on iPhone and Android phone, we will need a tool called Craig Bot. This will activate the inbuilt audio recording function on Discord. With this, you can capture audio from Discord without downloading anything on your phone.
One thing to note is that this method requires you to invite your mobile on the Craig official website from the desktop. The operation is quite simple. Now, let’s check the details below.
Steps to record Discord audio with Craig Bot
Step 1. Log in to your Discord account to create a Discord server. Then, visit Craig’s official website.
Step 2. Select “Invite Craig to your Discord server” and choose the server you want to record on. Then, click “authorize” to continue.
EaseUS
EaseUS
EaseUS
Step 3. Type “/join” into the chat box and hit “Send”. Then, choose the channel you want to record in.
Step 4. Enter “/stop” in the chat box or press “Stop recording” to pause or stop your recording. Then, you can select “Download recordings” to save them.
How to Record Discord Audio on Mac
If you want to record Discord audio on a Mac computer, try Audacity and GeForce Experience. Below is the detailed tutorial.
Record Discord Audio Using Audacity
Compatible with: macOS X 10.7 or later
Editor’s opinion: To record Discord audio in various formats on a Mac computer, you can always trust Audacity.
Another Discord audio recording option is Audacity. You can use it on your Mac computer. It allows users to capture the audio they want in high quality. Moreover, Audacity supports all major audio formats, including WAV, MP3, FLAC, OGG, and much more.
It also offers audio-editing functions, suitable for producing music, podcasts, or playing audio files. Now, let’s see how to use it to record audio from Discord.
Step 1. Open Audacity on your Mac and select “Audacity” from the top-most left corner of the home screen.
Step 2. Choose “Preferences” from the dropdown menu and go to “Devices”. Then, you need to select the recording device as your microphone.
EaseUS
EaseUS
EaseUS
Step 3. Join a Discord channel and select the red recording button in Audacity. The recording will start now.
Record Discord Audio via GeForce Experience
Compatible with: Windows 10, 8.1, 8, 7
Editor’s opinion: This tool not only records Discord audio but also speeds up your device for a better and smoother experience.
GeForce Experience is helpful in capturing and sharing videos, screenshots, and live streams with others. Also, it keeps your drivers up to date and optimizes your game settings on your Mac computer.
One thing to note is that, if you want to capture the Discord audio successfully, you have to have both Discord and your system output be the same. Then, check the steps to record Discord audio with GeForce Experience below now.
How to record Discord audio with GeForce Experience
Step 1. Go to Discord > “User settings” > “Voice & Video” and check if the input device and output device are workable.
EaseUS
EaseUS
EaseUS
Step 2. Open the “share” overlay by pressing “Alt + Z” on your keyboard. Then, click the “Microphone” > the “Settings” in the drop-down to select the audio source you want to record.
Step 3. Click on “Record” from the overlay and choose “Start” to begin. You can also press “Alt + F9” to start recording.
How to Record Discord Audio on PS5
PS5 Control doesn’t offer an audio recording feature for Discord. This part gives you another tool to record Discord audio.
Record Discord Audio with OBS
Compatible with: Windows 10 20H2 (64 bit)
Editor’s opinion: This free tool is commonly used in audio and screen recording. It is best for those who want a real free recorder.
As we mentioned above, PS5 Control doesn’t support audio-recording for Discord. In this case, you will need a third-party recorder called OBS Studio. This is an open-source screen recorder. It is totally free to use.
Compatible with almost all devices, OBS helps record Discord audio on PS5. However, you need to connect the PS5 to your computer first.
Stage 1. Connect PS5 to your computer
Step 1. Disable HDCP in the “Setting” of your PS5 and take your first HDMI cable and plug it into the “IN” port of the capture card, and the other needs to plug into PS5. Then take the second HDMI into the “OUT” port.
Step 2. Connect your capture card to your computer.
Stage 2. Record Discord audio on PS5 with OBS
Step 1. Open OBS and go to “Settings”.
Step 2. Navigate “Capture” > “Audio” to set the Desktop Audio to “Default”. Then, hit on “Apply” > “OK” to save the settings.
Step 3. Now, you can click the “start recording” option on the main interface. Finish the recording by clicking “Stop recording”.
How to Choose A Suitable Discord Audio Recorder
To choose a Discord audio recorder, you need to check if it meets the standards below.
Function: The tool you choose must support audio recording and needs to be compatible with Discord. It means you need a streaming audio recorder.
Price: If the tool you find is not free to use, make sure the performance is worth the price you pay for.
After-sale service: It is normal for you to encounter some issues when using the recorder. A good after-sale service can solve many problems quickly.
Interface: You need a recorder with an easy-to-use and intuitive interface. Otherwise, it will take you a lot of time to get used to it.
The Bottom Line
After recording this article, you must have known some feasible ways to record Discord audio on PCs and mobile phones. These methods have their advantages and disadvantages. Choose the one based on your needs.
Audio, Personal Software Read...Newslink ©2024 to PC World | |
| | | CNet News - 14 May (CNet News)Commentary: Small smartwatch screens limit how we use and interact with wearables. But they also provide an opportunity for new AI features to shine. Read...Newslink ©2024 to CNet News | |
| | | CNet News - 14 May (CNet News)ChatGPT is getting more conversational. Read...Newslink ©2024 to CNet News | |
| | | CNet News - 14 May (CNet News)Apple`s highest-end iPad introduces features Macs don`t even have yet. It makes me wonder, more than ever, why there`s a line between iPads and Macs at all. Read...Newslink ©2024 to CNet News | |
| | | PC World - 14 May (PC World)Most computers and storage drives still use the common SATA or PCIe 3.0 interfaces to sling your bits of data around, but if you’re lucky enough to own a relatively modern PC, you might be able to upgrade to a solid-state drive (SSD) built on the insanely fast PCIe 4.0 protocol.
We’ve tested several PCIe 4.0 SSDs and the best one to cross our labs thus far is the Solidgm P44 Pro in a field of tough contenders thanks to ferociously fast speeds only rivaled by next-gen PCIe 5.0 SSDs.
Read on to learn more, including what to look for in PCIe 4.0 SSD.
Why you should trust us: We’re not called PCWorld for nothing. Our reviewers have been testing PC hardware for decades. Our storage evaluations are exhaustive, testing the limits of every product — from performance benchmarks to the practicalities of regular use. As PC users ourselves, we know what makes a killer product stand out. Only the best SSDs make this list. For more about our testing process, scroll to the bottom of this article.
Updated May 13, 2024: If you’re looking ahead to the next generation of cutting-edge storage, check out our recent review of the PCIe 5.0 Teamgroup Z540 SSD. It’s not the fastest PCIe 5.0 drive we’ve tested, but it comes in second, and comes at up to 4TB capacity.
Solidigm P44 Pro SSD – Best PCIe 4.0 SSD
Pros
Fastest PCIe 4.0 SSD to date
DRAM facilitates excellent random performance
Synergy low-level Windows driver improves random performance further
Cons
Inconsistent pricing on web
Best Prices Today:
$67.95 at Amazon$116.99 at Adorama
The Solidigm P44 Pro is without a doubt the fastest PCIe 4.0 drive we have ever tested. In fact, it finished within the top five fastest drives in our tests, and was only beaten by three next-gen PCIe 5.0 drives. Plus, by installing the Solidigm Windows driver you can further improve random performance in small read/writes making it even faster during everyday use.
Not only is the Solidigm P44 Pro performance top-notch, but it also has a very reasonable price so long as you shop at the right place—we found that pricing varies widely online from retailer to retailer. This is not only the best PCIe 4.0 drive on the market, but also one of the best SSDs period. And despite stiff competition from a crowded field of other excellent PCIe 4.0 drives it holds its own at the top.
Read our full
Solidigm P44 Pro review
WD Black SN850X – Best PCIe 4.0 SSD runner-up
Pros
Excellent performance
Decently affordable given its speed
Available up to 4TB
Optional heatsink for 1/2TB models
Cons
Pricey per gigabyte
Somewhat parsimonious TBW ratings
Best Prices Today:
$91.92 at Amazon$99.99 at Adorama$99.99 at Best Buy
The WD Black SN850X is a screaming-fast drive and ranks right up next to the FireCuda 530 near the top in terms of speed. The reason the WD Black SN850X edges out that drive as our pick for best PCIe 4.0 runner-up is that it offers better value for the money—not only does it give you the same great speed as the FireCuda, but it does so at a lower price per GB.
Also, in terms of overall performance, the SN850X stands out with its excellent real-world transfer rates and outstanding random write performance. In the crowded field of great PCIe 4.0 SSDs, the WD Black SN850X holds its own despite stiff competition.
Read our full
WD Black SN850X review
WD Blue SN580 SSD – Best budget PCIe 4.0 SSD
Pros
Fantastically affordable
Super fast real world transfers
Single-sided for laptop upgrades
Cons
Slows to less than 300MBps when writing off secondary cache
Slightly low endurance rating
Best Prices Today:
$58.88 at Amazon
Now with the very first signs of PCIe 5.0 drives coming to market, we’re finally starting to see companies offering budget PCIe 4.0 NVMe drives at compelling prices. The best of the affordable bunch? The WD Blue SN580 NVMe SSD. At just $70 for a 1TB model at the time of writing, and with speedy transfers, you won’t likely find a better value PCIe 4.0 drive.
In our testing, the SN580 turned out both stellar benchmark and real-world results. Admittedly, it slowed down considerably in the large 450GB transfer test, but seeing as how it’s unlikely anyone will write that much contiguous data, it likely doesn’t matter. When all is said and done, the SN580 is a super-affordable, wonderfully high-performing PCIe 4.0 SSD. It simply can’t be beat at this price point.
Read our full
WD Blue SN580 review
Solidigm P41 Plus – Best budget PCIe 4.0 SSD runner-up
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Pros
Super affordable
Good everyday performance
Cons
Slowed significantly on our long 450GB write
Best Prices Today:
$42.99 at Newegg$63.99 at Amazon
The Solidigm P41 is a fantastic budget SSD. It provides solid real-world performance at a super-affordable price. As is the case with all budget drives, you will need to sacrifice some speed in order to save money.
The P41 slows a bit during longer writes, but it’ll still provide great everyday performance for most users. In fact, it was neck-and-neck with our favorite budget drive above, the WD Blue SN580, in terms of performance. So why did we make it the runner-up? It mostly comes down to price. The SN580 is on average, is just a bit cheaper than Solidigm’s P41. This of course can change based on retailers, sales events, or even just a stiff breeze. When choosing between the two we recommend opting for whichever is cheapest at the time.
Read our full
Solidigm P41 Plus NVMe SSD review
WD Black SN770M – Best PCIe 4.0 SSD for Steam Deck
Pros
Small 2230 form factor for handheld gaming rigs
Up to 2TB of capacity
Very good real-world performance
5-year warranty and good TBW ratings
Cons
Slow writes when secondary cache is exhausted
Requires host memory buffer support (HMB)
Best Prices Today:
$84.99 at Amazon$109.99 at Best Buy
In the past, you were out of luck if you wanted to upgrade your storage in a smaller-sized device such as a handheld gaming console where the longer 2280 NVMe SSDs wouldn’t fit. Thankfully, with the advent of more advanced handheld gaming consoles such as the Steam Deck, manufacturers are changing all of that. There are bunch of half-sized 2230 small form-factor SSDs on the market, and the latest WD Black SN770M is our favorite. It comes with up to 2TB of capacity and shockingly excellent real-world performance. Its unique feature is that it’s only 30mm long, meaning you’re able to use it in small devices such as a Steam Deck.
The SN770M drive has great everyday performance and truly impressive real-world transfer speed. During our testing, it cruised through the 48GB and 450GB transfer tests, beating out other zippy full-sized PCIe 4.0 drives. While the Rocket Q4 provides decent enough capacity-to-cost, if your device is able to handle the longer, standard-sized 2280 drives, you’ll likely have more options to choose from and might be able to find even better price-for-performance. Regardless, we love this compact SSD and the SN770M from Western Digital expertly fits a niche that is only likely to grow more common with devices such as the Steam Deck in the future.
Read our full
WD Black SN770M review
Seagate Game Drive – Best PCIe 4.0 SSD for PS5
Pros
Very good overall performance
Excellent 4K performance
Low-profile heatsink
Twice the TBW rating of the competition
Cons
A bit pricey
No 4TB model
Best Prices Today:
$109.90 at Amazon$254.99 at Best Buy
The Seagate Game Drive is a PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD that was made specifically for next-gen consoles—the PS5 in particular. And it doesn’t disappoint. It features DRAM for primary caching duties, which is a bit unique and almost essential for Sony’s console system. The PS5 doesn’t support HMB, so a drive such as this with DRAM cache is the optimal choice. The drive comes in 1TB and 2TB models, meaning you’ll have plenty of space to store all of your games should you need it.
While the Seagate Game Drive is optimized for a PS5, it’s no slouch as a regular SSD either. In our speed tests it did remarkably well, earning the spot as the second-fastest PCIe 4.0 SSD with random ops that we’ve ever tested. Seagate also provides a generous five-year warranty with the drive and it has an astounding 1,275TBW rating—more than double the industry norm. PS5 owners simply can’t go wrong with the Seagate Game Drive.
Read our full
Seagate Game Drive PS5 NVMe SSD review
What to look for in an SSD
There are a few things to look out for, but most importantly you’ll want to focus on capacity, price, and warranty length. Three-year warranties are standard, but some nicer models are guaranteed for up to five years. And unlike the olden days of SSDs, modern drives won’t wear out with normal consumer usage, as Tech Report tested and proved years ago with a grueling endurance test.
Another crucial thing to watch out for is the technology used to connect the SSD to your PC. For more details and buying advice you can read our in-depth guide on which type of SSD you should buy.
SATA: This refers to both the connection type and the transfer protocol, which is used to connect most 2.5-inch and 3.5-inch hard drives and SSDs to your PC. SATA III speeds can hit roughly 600MBps, and most—but not all—modern drives max it out. (More on that in the next section.)
PCIe: This interface taps into four of your computer’s PCIe lanes to blow away SATA speeds, to the tune of nearly 4GBps over PCIe gen 3. Those sort of face-melting speeds pair nicely with supercharged NVMe drives. Both the PCIe lanes in your motherboard and the M.2 slot in your motherboard can be wired to support the PCIe interface, and you can buy adapters that allow you to slot “gumstick” M.2 drives into a PCIe lane. PCIe 4.0 drives are significantly faster, but require an AMD Ryzen 3000-series or Intel Core 11th-gen (or newer) processor, along with a compatible PCIe 4.0 motherboard.
NVMe: Non-Volatile Memory Express technology takes advantage of PCIe’s bountiful bandwidth to create blisteringly fast SSDs that blow SATA-based drives out of the water. Check out PCWorld’s “Everything you need to know about NVMe” for a nitty-gritty deep-dive.
M.2: This is where things get tricky. Many people assume M.2 drives all use NVMe technology and PCIe speeds, but that’s not true. M.2 is just a form factor. Sure, most M.2 SSDs use NVMe, but some still stick to SATA. Do your homework. Many modern Ultrabooks rely on M.2 for storage.
U.2 and mSATA: You may also stumble across mSATA and U.2 SSDs, but both motherboard support and product availability are rare for those formats. Some older Ultrabooks included mSATA before M.2 became popular, and drives are still available if you need them.
Speed matters, of course, but as we said most modern SSDs saturate the SATA III interface. Not all of them, though.
How we test SSDs
We test SSDs using a variety of synthetic benchmarks (such as CrystalDiskMark 6’s various tests) and real-world tests, including 48GB transfers that showcase how a drive performs during common tasks, and also a demanding 450GB transfer test that pushes an SSD’s cache performance to the limit.
The PCIe 4.0 testing was done on an MSI MEG X570 motherboard socketing an AMD Ryzen 7 3700X 8-core CPU, using the same Kingston DRAM, cards, and software. All testing is performed on an empty, or nearly empty drive. Note: performance will decrease as the drive fills up.
Storage Read...Newslink ©2024 to PC World | |
| | | PC World - 14 May (PC World)In 2024, there’s no reason you can’t have a wireless keyboard anymore. From the most complex mechanical boards to the sleekest designer sets to the flashiest gamer machines, and everything in between, there are plenty of options for wireless excellence. That even includes keyboards for budget buyers — you can find a great pick in every category for well under three-digit prices.
We’ve spent hours and hours using each model, banging away on our reviews, surfing the web, and keeping up on social media to bring you a list of the very best wireless keyboards around. For example, the Logitech Wave Keys isn’t our pick for the best wireless ergonomic keyboard, even though it’s a fairly good option and a great value.
While there’s no one-size-fits-all keyboard, our recommendations aim to help you make an informed decision based on your own personal needs. After you’ve perused our best picks, be sure to check out our buying advice at the end to help you learn what to look for when shopping for a wireless keyboard.
Why you should trust us: PCWorld has been the go-to name for personal computer news and reviews for over 40 years. And as the writer of this roundup, and the reviewer of most of the keyboards on this list, I can assure you they’ve been thoroughly tested by people who are absolutely obsessed with keyboards.
Every single keyboard on this list has been used by an expert, put through its paces for features and reliability, and carefully considered against the alternatives. We’ve tested every facet of the boards, even programming and complete disassembly for those that support it.
For a more in-depth look at how we test keyboards of every kind, check out our dedicated article covering our keyboard review process.
Updated May 10, 2024 to include a new recommendation for the best wireless keyboard for travel: the Nuphy Air V2. This compact mechanical keyboard proves that you don’t need to sacrifice quality or features in exchange for a portable form factor. See our summary of the Nuphy Air V2 below to learn why we are so smitten with this stylish and capable board.
Logitech MX Keys S Wireless Keyboard – Best overall wireless desktop keyboard
Pros
Great typing experience
Customizable keys
Long battery life
Auto-dimming backlight
Cons
No height adjustment
Wireless can get choppy in crowded environments
Best Prices Today:
$104.99 at Amazon
Why I like the Logitech MX Keys S
Logitech’s top-of-the-line keyboard design returns in an S variant, this time with an updated Bolt multi-device receiver and a new auto-adjusting backlight feature. The typing experience is as good as it was in the original model, and it’s even a tiny bit cheaper, so this upgrade is a win-win if you like your keyboards thin and stylish.
Just be aware that dozens of Bluetooth devices in the vicinity might bog it down. If you prefer your Logitech boards a little more clicky-clacky, check out the MX Mechanical variant. This design is also available in a smaller “60%” model — see below.
Who should buy the Logitech MX Keys S
If you want one of the most stylish keyboards around that isn’t mechanical, and one that effortlessly works with multiple devices, this is it. The MX Keys is also shockingly quiet, so it’s a good choice for crowded offices. But it you want a longer, more traditional key travel or an ergonomic layout, there are better options out there.
Read our full
MX Keys S Keyboard review
Logitech MK540 Advanced Wireless Keyboard and Mouse Combo – Best value proposition
Pros
Quiet yet tactile keys
Programmable function keys and mouse gestures
Roomy, comfy design
Cons
Too bulky for mobile use
Limited MacOS support
Best Prices Today:
$44.99 at Best Buy$44.99 at Lenovo$49.99 at Adorama
Why I like the Logitech MK540 Advanced combo
Logitech does it again with the MK540 Advanced combo. It might not have the convenience of backlighting that the K800 offers, but it hits all the other important features for productivity: a roomy layout, dedicated media buttons, a numpad, programmable keys, and tactile typing. In addition to all that, the keyboard comes with a decent wireless mouse, that’s also programmable, so you’re good to go.
This budget combo isn’t especially good for gaming, and you might find your multi-device options (especially on MacOS) limited. But if you’re in desperate need for a keyboard and mouse, you need them wireless, and you want to spend as little money as possible, then this is the combo for you.
Who should buy the Logitech MK540 Advanced combo
Anyone who needs a keyboard and mouse for a desktop PC that didn’t come with its own, or who wants a quick-and-dirty setup for a laptop workstation, will be well-served here. But if you’re looking for a keyboard that can take a little gaming-grade punishment, or connect to devices over Bluetooth, check elsewhere on this list.
Read our full
Logitech MK540 Advanced Wireless Keyboard and Mouse Combo review
Corsair K65 Plus Wireless – Best wireless gaming keyboard
Pros
Solid hardware
Great value for wireless
Tons of customization options
Cons
No wrist rest
Slightly awkward default layout
Why I like the K65 Plus Wireless
Corsair has been improving its designs for the last couple of years, incorporating more premium features and customization options. And it all comes together in the vastly redesigned K65 Plus, and does so at a shockingly low price.
This keyboard combines the popular 75% form factor, high-speed, multi-device wireless, high-quality switches, and hot-swappable key sockets, with Corsair’s typically good gaming pedigree. The result is a keyboard that does a lot, for a lot of users, for a relatively low price.
While the K65 skips a couple of exotic features like adjustable actuation or an OLED screen, and it doesn’t include a wrist rest in the box, it nails just about every other facet of design. It’s simply the best gaming keyboard you can get at the moment.
Who should buy the K65 Plus Wireless
Anyone who wants a high-quality keyboard with tons of options for customization, both hardware and software, will be pleased with this design. It also has some excellent bonuses, like PBT keycaps and a dedicated button for turning RGB on (or off, if you want maximum battery life).
The 75% form factor isn’t for everyone — you’ll have to look elsewhere, or wait for Corsair to offer more models, if you want a different format. It’s also considerably less “flashy” than other gaming keyboards, and doesn’t offer the heft and quality of a metal body.
Read our full
Corsair K65 Plus Wireless keyboard review
Redragon K596 – Best ultra-budget wireless gaming keyboard
Pros
Low price
Included wrist rest
Long battery life
Volume wheel
Cons
Ugly keycaps
Can only program G keys
No Bluetooth
Best Prices Today:
$79.99 at Gamestop
Why I like the Redragon K596
Gaming keyboards usually don’t come cheap, and that goes double for wireless models. Redragon is a company that thrives in the bargain bin, and the K596 offers up most of the options of its full-priced competition at under 100 bucks. It also manages long battery life, a fancy volume wheel, and even a column of dedicated macro keys. Not bad.
Note that this is still very much a budget model from a budget brand, so it’s missing some of the fit and finish of more expensive keyboards. For example, you can only custom program those five G keys on the left. But for anyone who needs a deal, Redragon delivers, and throws a wrist rest into the package.
Who should buy the Redragon K596
There are a surprising amount of wireless keyboards that claim to be for “gaming,” even on the budget side of things. But Redragon is one of the few that walks the wireless walk, with most of the bells and whistles you’d expect and performance that doesn’t lag behind. Note that this is one of the few boards on this list that doesn’t offer Bluetooth — a fair trade for the value.
Read our full
Redragon K596 Wireless Keyboard review
Nuphy Air V2 – Best wireless keyboard for travel
Pros
High-quality switches
Hot-swap sockets
Colorful style
Sound dampening
VIA programming
Cons
Cramped number pad layout
That’s it, it’s a darn good keyboard
Best Prices Today:
$159.99 at Amazon$167.53 at Aliexpress
Why I like the Nuphy Air V2 series
Low-profile keyboards are sleek and travel well, but you give up a lot of the powers of a mechanical keyboard by going with a more compact design. Or do you? Nuphy’s Air series wants to cram as many features as possible into the teeny-tiny keyboards, and for the most part, it does just that.
Metal body? Check. RGB lighting? No big deal. PBT keycaps? Yup. There’s even interior dampening for a wonderfully “thocky” feel, and premium switches customized by the manufacturer. And like a lot of the keyboards on this list, you can customize your layout and macros with browser-based VIA software.
But the most impressive inclusion here is that Nuphy made the Air keyboards hot-swappable. There are a lot fewer options with Gateron low-profile switches…but Nuphy sells a handful of customized switches itself, instantly upping your choices when you order. It doesn’t hurt that the keycaps and case colors are poppy and stylish.
Who should buy the Nuphy Air V2 series
If you’re looking for a keyboard that travels as well as it looks, the Air V2 series is available in full-sized, 75 percent, and 60 percent form factors. (I’d recommend the 75 for a good balance between size and practicality.) It gets this slot over a limited number of competitors thanks to cramming as many features as possible into a high-quality, super-slim package.
Oh, and it doesn’t hurt that the keyboards are a lot cheaper than you might think based on the features and materials. Depending on the size and switch choices, they range from $100 to $140 at standard prices.
Read our full
Nuphy Air96 V2 keyboard review
Logitech Casa – Best all-in-one travel option
Pros
Clever, aesthetically pleasing design
Excellent battery life
Range of remappable keys
Makes working-from-home more ergonomic
Cons
Not travel friendly
Expensive
Why I like the Logitech Casa
If you need something a little more comprehensive for your travel needs, Logitech’s Casa might just hit the spot. It’s a keyboard and touchpad set that also comes in a swanky bento-style case, which doubles as a stand that significantly elevates your laptop. As an all-in-one solution for those who want to set up an office-style workstation on the go, it’s a pretty neat little package.
It is on the pricey side, though — for the same price you could get a laptop stand, keyboard, and touchpad and save a bit of dough, albeit without the neat travel-friendly design.
Who should buy the Logitech Casa
If you can’t stand typing on your laptop but you prefer a touchpad to a mouse, then this is the perfect package for you. It’s also surprisingly stylish in its all-in-one case, which folds down into a portfolio for grab-and-go convenience.
The option to raise your laptop screen may appeal, though there are easier ways to do that on the go. There are certainly cheaper ways to do all three.
Read our full
Logitech Casa Pop-Up Desk review
Keychron Q Max series – Best high-end mechanical keyboard
Pros
Tons of features
Excellent typing
Improved 2.4GHz wireless
Endless customization
Cons
No adjustable feet
No wrist rest
Why I like the Keychron Q Max series
For the last couple of years Keychron has been absolutely killing it with its high-end Q series. These mechanical boards make features previously available only via building your own or spending a fortune on a boutique design available to everyone, like full aluminum bodies, gasket-mounted PCBs, and easy, open-source programming with VIA. They’re about as good as you can get for a standard design.
The Q Max series takes these designs and shores up their one weakness: reliance on Bluetooth. While Q Max keyboards have multi-device Bluetooth available, they’re also packing standard 2.4GHz wireless with a USB dongle, making them ideal for use with a hefty desktop PC (and they even do alright as gaming boards).
With a wide variety of layouts like the TKL-sized Q3 Max above, there’s a keyboard in this series for just about anyone, including split “ergonomic” designs. They’re fantastic as stand-alone purchases, or bases for your custom dream build with replacement switches and keycaps.
Who should buy the Keychron Q Max Series
If you’re ready to step up to a premium mechanical keyboard design, one of these Q Max models should be at the top of your list. At the time of writing they’re available in full-size with number pad, TKL, 75%, 65%, and compact “1800” sizes, plus oddball Alice and left-handed models. There’s even a Happy Hacking Keyboard clone version, all of which come with hot-swap switch sockets and RGB lighting.
They’re great on their own with no extra mods, with the only real downside being so-so stabilizers. But you can swap those out too if you’re okay with opening the case, and the rest of the board is just as customizable. They can be custom-programmed, too, so both newbies and veterans are welcome.
Keychron’s high-end boards are on the pricey side, even if they aren’t as expensive as the boutique builds they’re inspired by, so bargain hunters should hunt somewhere else. And while they offer 2.4GHz wireless and wired options for gamers, the lack of game-specific software features means that there are better choices if you want to slay first and type later.
Read our full
Keychron Q3 Max keyboard review
Keydous NJ80-AP – Best typing experience
Pros
Amazing typing experience
High-quality parts
Bluetooth and 2.4GHz wireless
Long battery life
Cons
Clunky software
Plastic case
A bit heavy
Best Prices Today:
$135 at Amazon
Why I like the Keydous NJ80-AP
Keychron gets the recommendation for an all-around mechanical keyboard. But if what you really want is a fantastic “thocky” typing feel right out of the box, then this unassuming little keyboard is the best I’ve ever tested. It does this with a lot of high-quality components, like PBT keycaps, a brass plate, premium stabilizers, and lots of internal sound dampening. But the big magic is in the switches.
Keydous went with exotic, high-end switches from Kailh to make the NJ80-AP and its stablemates stand out. These “Blueberry Ice Cream” BOX switches have a ridiculous name, but with soft POM plastic housing, reinforced stems, and a factory-lubed sliding mechanism, they feel amazing. They’re the best I’ve ever seen come standard on a keyboard, and that includes boards that cost twice as much as this one.
The NJ80-AP also offers both Bluetooth and dongle-based wireless, RGB lighting, an aluminum volume wheel — all the standards from a high-end mechanical design. Its plastic case and fiddly, proprietary programming software are a disappointment, but for satisfying typing out of the box, it’s simply the best around.
Who should buy the Keydous NJ80-AP
If you’re looking for a standard design with absolutely amazing typing, look no further. The NJ80-AP delivers, and if you want something bigger or (slightly) smaller, the same features are available in 65% and compact “1800” layouts (full number pad, slightly squished). Just make sure to order the one with those fancy switches.
But on the other hand, the software leaves a lot to be desired, and you can get keyboards with better all-metal bodies or faster wireless by spending a little more. And if you really want to go all out, you can get most of the way towards the high-quality typing of this board by ordering the same switches online and putting them in another board with hot-swap capability.
It’ll cost a lot — Keydous designs are on the cheap side of the high end — but if you’re dropping more than three digits on a keyboard anyway, it’s a legitimate option.
Read our full
Keydous NJ80-AP wireless mechanical keyboard review
K780 Multi-Device Wireless Keyboard – Best full-size multi-device option
Pros
Works with all major platforms
Can toggle between three paired devices
Quiet keys with great travel
Cons
Not built for portability
Best Prices Today:
$52.49 at Amazon$59.99 at Adorama$59.99 at Best Buy
Why I like the Logitech K780
If you like the convenience of a Bluetooth keyboard that can switch among different devices, but don’t require the compact layout of the MX Keys Mini, Logitech’s K780 Multi-Device Wireless Keyboard promises to be the one keyboard to rule all your computing gizmos. Indeed, it’s fully compatible with Windows, Mac OS, Chrome OS, Android, and iOS for fast and effortless switching between your computer, smartphone, and tablet.
It also costs a good deal less than the MX Keys Mini, and offers a roomy layout with a numpad. The integrated device stand is especially good for phones and tablets up to about ten inches in size — like the standard iPad Air. Anything bigger might need its own separate stand. That makes this an excellent companion for a multi-device desk…though it doesn’t exactly pack away well.
Who should buy the Logitech K780
If you’re constantly switching between a PC and a phone or other mobile gadget, this keyboard is exactly what you’re looking for. The dedicated keys for switching gadgets and the integrated stand make it an excellent way to save time and space on your desk.
Read our full
Logitech K780 Multi-Device Wireless Keyboard review
Logitech Ergo K860 – Best ergonomic wireless keyboard
Pros
Curved and split ergonomic design
Comfortable wrist support
Palm raise feature lets you adjust height for sitting or standing
Cons
Requires some time to get used to split design
Expensive
Best Prices Today:
$129.99 at Adorama$129.99 at Amazon$129.99 at Best Buy
Why I like the Logitech Ergo K860
Logitech’s Ergo K860 has finally conquered our skepticism about awkward ergonomic keyboards. In the course of our review, there was a marked improvement in typing comfort and reduced muscle tension, all without sacrificing productivity to a steep learning curve.
It’s a little expensive compared to a conventional wireless keyboard, but if you’re struggling with comfort, the K860 is the only ergonomic keyboard we’d heartily recommend. If you need a more compact, affordable version of Logitech’s curvy keyboard design, check out the Wave Keys instead.
Who should buy the Logitech Ergo K860
Ergonomic keyboards aren’t the easiest to find, especially with big, comfy integrated wrist rests. Among major vendors it’s basically this design and the Microsoft Ergonomic Keyboard, which is wired. So if the split, angled layout with low-profile keys is what you want, the K860 is the best game in town.
If you aren’t trained in strict home row-style typing (index fingers on F and J, et cetera), the split layout may cause a headache. Try the Wave Keys instead if you want bigger, more responsive individual keys and a continuous layout that still has a comfy wrist rest integrated into the design.
Read our full
Logitech Ergo K860 review
FAQ
1.
What’s the difference between a Bluetooth keyboard and a wireless keyboard?
Wireless keyboards connect to a PC in one of two ways: via Bluetooth or a USB receiver. Wireless keyboards that connect via a USB receiver or dongle can only connect to a computer or device if it has a USB port. Bluetooth connectivity on the other hand does not require any dongle or extra receiver and can therefore easily connect to other Bluetooth-enabled devices without the need for any ports. Additionally, Bluetooth keyboards tend to cost a little more but also offer longer battery life.
While shopping, you may find that older devices do not support Bluetooth. However, if you need a keyboard to work across different platforms on newer devices, a Bluetooth-enabled model is the way to go.
2.
Can a laptop be used with a wireless keyboard?
Yes, you can use a wireless keyboard with a laptop without issue. Depending on whether you are using a wireless USB dongle keyboard or a Bluetooth keyboard, you just need to connect to the laptop and then you are good to go. This is true if you wish to connect a wireless keyboard to your tablet or 2-in-1, as well.
3.
Do wireless keyboards need special batteries?
Usually wireless keyboards are powered using either rechargeable or disposable batteries. Wireless keyboards with rechargeable batteries will just need to be plugged into an external power source such as a computer or wall outlet when the battery is low. Otherwise, wireless keyboards with disposable batteries will need those batteries to be replaced when they die. The most common types of batteries these keyboards use will be either AA or AAA alkaline batteries.
4.
Are wireless keyboards good for gaming?
Wireless keyboards are a fantastic option for most people, but they have a few limitations when it comes to gaming. Wireless keyboards can produce some slight latency issues between the keystroke being made and it being registered by your computer. This lag can be especially frustrating when playing games that require fast reaction times or in competitive environments — the latency may in some instances lead to a competitive disadvantage.
That being said, wireless technologies have improved immensely in recent years and any lag or interference issues are becoming extremely rare with the latest technology. Most casual gamers will be just fine with a wireless keyboard — opt for 2.4GHz wireless over Bluetooth for the most reliable results. You can minimize interference issues by keeping other wireless devices away from your wireless keyboard, as well.
Business, Keyboards Read...Newslink ©2024 to PC World | |
| | | PC World - 14 May (PC World)It wasn’t very long ago that Samsung’s enormous, super-mega-giga-ultrawide gaming monitors were seen as a ridiculous extravagance, out of reach to all but the wealthiest of PC gamers. But good things come to those who wait, and now you can get a 49-inch Odyssey ultrawide gaming monitor for a much more attainable price. Today Amazon is selling it for just $699.99, a whopping 50 percent off and the lowest price we’ve seen it going for by far. With this discount, it’s going for under a third of its launch price, which is absolutely wild.
I should point out that this is the Odyssey G95NA, which uses a QLED VA panel instead of the more vibrant, contrast-heavy OLED model (which also sees some massive-but-not-quite-as-deep discounts). This monitor is just as big with the same 5120×1440 resolution (basically two QHD screens smooshed together) and speedy 240Hz refresh rate, which will bring your gaming PC to its knees on any recent AAA title. The QLED tech is a bit older, but does beat OLED in terms of brightness with 1000 nits and has a more dramatic 1000R curve.
The screen is built for gaming, but has some more button-down features as well, including a side-by-side mode for connecting multiple PCs or consoles, a built-in USB hub, and HDR10+ compatibility. Inputs include DisplayPort and dual HDMI, but sadly no USB-C video. The monitor is compatible with standard VESA mounts, but at 26.2 pounds without the stand, you may need a more beefy monitor arm than usual.
The Odyssey G95NA launched at a price of $2499 back in 2021. But as these niche monitors are wont to do, the price has plummeted as the competition has increased. Amazon is selling it for less than a third of its original price, and this is a new model, not refurbished. Amazon says it’s a “limited time deal,” but exactly how long the sale will last isn’t mentioned.
Get a gigantic 49-inch Samsung ultrawide gaming monitor for $699.99
Monitors Read...Newslink ©2024 to PC World | |
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