The year’s second Amazon Prime Day event is here and we’re seeing steep discounts on tech gadgets all over the place, from laptops to fancy monitors and beyond. That’s great and all but if you’re looking for things that you can afford without breaking the bank, this list of cool tech under $50 is just what you need. An Anker laptop hub: $36 Anker Without spending a ton of money, you get to turn one of your laptop’s ports into eight of them. This compact Anker USB-C hub includes a 4K HDMI port, two USB-A ports, a USB-C data port, a USB-C PD port with 85W pass-through charging, an Ethernet port, and both SD and microSD card readers. Since it can also help you add another monitor to your setup, this hub is the perfect splurge during October Prime Day. Get an Anker 8-in-1 hub for $36Buy now at Amazon Charge it faster: $33 Ugreen We don’t know what you need to charge, but we’re sure there’s something in your house with a failing battery. Well, this Ugreen Nexode GaN charger is 41% off on Prime Day and it delivers a 100W max output vithrough the top two USB-C ports — so those are your go-to if you want to recharge your laptop — while the bottom two ports have a max 22.5W output. If you’re charging multiple devices at once, the 100W will get split between all ports. Get this 4-port charger for $33Buy now at Amazon Turn up the music: $24.95 JBL Everyone needs a fun way to rock out. Whether you set this up in the kitchen while you cook dinner, take it with you in the bathroom for some shower singing, or crank some tunes on your patio, you can jam to your new favorite album while you work, do chores, or chill out. Despite how small this speaker is, it’s actually quite loud. Plus, it also doesn’t hurt that it has an IP67 waterproof and dustproof rating and that you get 5 hours of playback on a single charge. Grab a tiny JBL speaker for 38% offBuy now at Amazon Read those memory cards: $9 Anker If your laptop is missing an SD card slot, then you should shell out the $9 to get this Anker card reader. This is a 2-in-1 device that can handle both your SD and your microSD cards, thus enabling you to read recordings off card you used with your dashcam, security cam, or your professional camera. This is a USB-C gadget so you’ll easily be able to plug it into your laptop. With a 50% discount, this is an impulse buy. Get this half-off Anker SD card reader USB-C dongleBuy now at Amazon Keep your hand comfortable: $29.49 Logitech If you’re going to splurge on just one thing during October Prime Day, make sure to keep your hand comfortable while working or gaming. The Logitech M705 is a stellar mouse with five programmable buttons, a durable build, and cross-platform compatibility. I’m actually using this exact mouse mouse right now and can vouch that it’s absolutely perfect for day-to-day activities and gaming. Enjoy a rare 26% discount on this Logitech mouseBuy now at Amazon Get a 2K webcam: $47.99 Anker Webcams are important if you often have to attend online meetings or want to record yourself while streaming. This Anker PowerConf C200 is not only affordable, but it also captures video in 2K, features AI-noise canceling mics, and has an adjustable field of view. Oh, and when you don’t feel like worrying about your privacy, you can just slide in the physical privacy cover. Get a 2K webcam for $48Buy now at Amazon Keep an eye on your home: $19.99 Blink It’s tiny, it’s affordable, and it will keep an eye on your home when you’re not there. It’s great to record video at all times of the day and can even deliver color night vids. It has two-way audio so you can tell your dog off for hopping on the couch, or check in your baby while making lunch. The Blink Mini 2 is only $20Buy now at Amazon Plug in everything: $19.99 Anker Your power strip is probably pretty old, right? Well, let’s upgrade to this one from Anker. There are six AC outlets on this thing, as well as two USB-A and two USB-C ports on its very edge, thus enabling you to charge ten gadgets at once. It will be perfect on your desk, in your office, and just about anywhere you spend a lot of time. It`s only $20 to power ten devices at onceBuy now at Amazon Take the data with you: $35.88 SanDisk A long time ago, flash drives were quite large. Now they’re literally the size of your thumbnail, like this SanDisk Ultra Fit. For $35.88, you get 512GB of storage space, which is absolutely amazing. With up to 400MB/s transfer speeds, you’ll be backing up that data in a flash. Get this super tiny thumb drive for under $36Buy now at Amazon Alexa, get this deal: $44.99 Michael Brown/Foundry One of the best things you can get this October Prime Day is an Echo Spot — they’re cheap, they’re cute, and they give you full access to Alexa’s awesome powers. You can play music, control smart home gadgets, set alarms, and ask Alexa about that recipe you always forget. It also doesn’t hurt that the Echo Spot is cheaper than ever. Get this smart speaker for $45Buy now at Amazon Read...

Microsoft developers are currently investigating a bug that causes the Copilot AI assistant to crash if you run multiple Office apps simultaneously. For example, if you open Excel, one instance of WebView2 starts—but if you also open Word, the system tries to launch a second instance of WebView2. According to a Microsoft support page, since Copilot is based on WebView2, the result is that the AI assistant crashes and a dialog box appears prompting you to “restart all Office applications and try again.” “Multiple customers have reported issues with Office features that rely on WebView2, notably Copilot, Share, and Room Finder,” Microsoft writes in the support document (spotted by BleepingComputer). “The most impactful symptom is the failure of the Copilot pane to launch when multiple Office applications are open simultaneously.” However, given the cause of the problem, restarting your Office apps isn’t enough for a solution. Until a fix is available, you should only run one Office app at a time if you’re going to use Copilot. Read...

The web is absolutely swimming with Prime Day deals for Amazon subscribers right now. But this OLED gaming monitor is as good a deal as you’ll find for any name brand, and it doesn’t require any subscription at all. Best Buy is offering a 27-inch OLED monitor from MSI for just $449.99, over $200 off retail. While it’s a bit basic in terms of features, this MAG 271QP monitor is hitting the “sweet spot” for gaming displays at the moment. 2560×1440 resolution and 240Hz of refresh mean you’ll get buttery-smooth graphics that are fast enough to compete with the twitchiest of online shooters. Double HDMI 2.1 and DisplayPort 1.4 ports mean it can handle multiple PCs and consoles just fine, but with no USB options at all, it’s not a great pick for a laptop unless you also have a dock. I’d also throw in a VESA mount, especially if you want to run a multi-monitor setup. Even so, this is about as cheap as you can get for an OLED monitor right now, especially one with 240Hz of refresh and .03ms response time. If you’ve been waiting for a deal to upgrade your desktop, this is it. Best Buy is offering the deal until October 9th (I’d assume approximately 1 AM Eastern US time), but it might run out before then. Shipping is already pretty slow for Best Buy, so it looks like the store is moving quite a few units. If this isn’t quite what you’re looking for, be sure to check out PCWorld’s Prime Day monitor roundup for deals on OLEDs, office monitors, and standard gaming monitors. We’ve got plenty of deals from across the web. Get a 27-inch MSI OLED gaming monitor for just $450View Deal Read...

Why shell out for an expensive laptop when you can get a compact, high-performance mini PC for a fraction of the cost? Especially if that laptop is just going to sit in your home office 24/7. Mini PCs are all the rage these days, and for good reason. I mean, look at this Kamrui Hyper H1 mini PC that’s plenty powerful and on sale for $379.99 (was $499.99) with this awesome 24% discount for October Prime Day. This tiny yet mighty machine is powered by an AMD Ryzen 7 6800H processor paired with 32GB of DDR5 RAM and a 1TB SSD, delivering super-fast performance for all the tasks you need to get done in a day. If you need more power later on, you can always upgrade the system with more parts, reaching up to 64GB of RAM and 4TB of storage. Windows 11 will feel snappy on this, let me tell you. The Kamrui Hyper H1 also features AMD Radeon 680M integrated graphics, so it’s also great for some lightweight gaming, video editing, and other creative tasks. It can also support three 4K@60Hz monitors with the available HDMI, DisplayPort, and USB-C video outputs. As for connectivity, this tiny PC also comes with six high-speed USB-A ports for data drives and peripherals, a 2.5G LAN port, and a 3.5mm audio jack, as well as Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2. Grab this stellar Prime Big Deal and score the Kamrui Hyper H1 mini PC for $349.99 before this deal vanishes. If you want to spend even less, check out the best October Prime Day mini PC deals. And don’t miss the best tech deals for Prime Big Deal Days! Save 24% on this Ryzen mini PC with 32GB RAM for Prime Big Deal DaysBuy now on Amazon Read...

October Prime Day is the perfect opportunity to treat yourself to those wishlist items you’ve been eyeing for months, and the deals this year are sizzling. Case in point: this ultrawide 34-inch LG OLED monitor is now on sale for a whopping 51% off. You can snag it for just $691.42, a massive savings on its original $1,399.99 price tag. Spending just shy of $700 on a monitor might sound crazy, but you have to realize this is an ultrawide OLED display, and both ultrawide and OLED displays are all the rage right now. They’re gorgeous, vivid, spacious, and on the cutting edge. To find an OLED like this for under $800 is a steal right now, and that’s why we’re so excited about this Prime Big Deal. The LG UltraGear 34GX90SA-W features an expansive 3440×1440 resolution, an ultra-smooth 240Hz refresh rate, and a super-fast 1ms response time. This all means it’s a fantastic choice for gamers, video editors, streamers, workers, bums, and everyone in between. That ultrawide screen real estate is perfect for side-by-side apps, browser tabs, background videos, and so much more. Note that the 800R screen curvature is a bit more pronounced than most monitors in this category, but it ain’t terrible. The way it wraps around your vision means less eye fatigue over long sessions, as well as a more immersive experience when playing your PC games. Other features include Nvidia G-Sync and AMD FreeSync Premium support, plus double HDMI, DisplayPort, and USB-C video inputs. Don’t wait too long because Prime Big Deal Days is ending soon, so grab this LG 34-inch ultrawide OLED monitor for $691.42 while you can! And while you’re at it, check out PCWorld’s roundup of the best October Prime Day tech deals and best October Prime Day monitor deals! Save 51% on this fantastic ultrawide 1440p OLED monitorBuy now on Amazon If this particular monitor doesn’t seem like the right fit for you, here are a few other Prime Day OLED monitor deals to check out: Samsung Odyssey G61SD 27-inch 1440p OLED — $529.99 (34% off, was $799.99) Asus ROG Strix 27-inch 1440p OLED — $584 (16% off, was $699) Dell Plus 32-inch 2160p OLED — $679.99 (20% off, was $849.99) Samsung Odyssey OLED G93SC 49-inch ultrawide 1440p — $899.99 (44% off, was $1,599.99) Read...

When Chromebooks first arrived in 2011, they were simple laptops–no weird gimmicks or unpleasant surprises. Just basic hardware for the day-to-day stuff.  These days, Google’s “Chromebook Plus” packs more power, AI features, and fancier designs. Of course, all that comes with a higher price, which might make some people pause. So the real question is: do you actually need one? Prime Big Deal Days are officially kicking off today, so it’s a good time to figure out if a Chromebook Plus is worth picking up or not. You might be surprised by what they can actually do. What’s a Chromebook Plus laptop? IDG / Ashley Biancuzzo Chromebook Plus is Google’s new take on higher-end Chromebooks, with a new standard of hardware and software. It launched in 2023 and these new machines came with the following hardware requirements: at least 8GB of RAM, 128GB storage, 1920×1080 displays, and faster processors. We’ve reviewed quite a few of them here at PCWorld and our response to them has been largely positive, particularly the latest MediaTek-powered models. While features like AI-assisted writing tools are a fun touch, we think they’re mostly unnecessary. They usually go for around $400 to $800, but the older ones pop up on sale pretty often (sometimes just under $300). So who’s this really for? Who is Chromebook Plus for? Basically anyone who doesn’t need anything ultra fancy (though the build quality on these is better than an entry-level Chromebook)—just web surfing, writing, or streaming YouTube. Students, bloggers, and remote workers are the ones who’ll really appreciate it. And if you want something a bit faster and more premium feeling than a regular Chromebook, a Chromebook Plus model fits the bill. If you’re on lots of Zoom calls and want AI features like noise reduction, that’s a nice bonus in compatible models–though we feel most of those features are unnecessary. They’re also decent for multitasking or light creative stuff like photo editing. check out pcworld`s top chromebook pick Asus Chromebook Plus CX34 Read our review Best Prices Today: $559.99 at Amazon Students would probably benefit the most here. Taking notes or doing group projects in Google Docs? No sweat. Battery life is pretty good too, though don’t expect the insane runtimes we’ve seen on Snapdragon-powered machines (we’ve seen one run for up to 25 hours). You’ll probably be able to get through a full day without hopping from outlet to outlet, especially if you’re conservative with your use.  Chromebooks are perfectly alright in my book, especially the Plus models. They’re fast, secure, and they’ve got just the right amount of polish I want to see in an updated model. I’ve always respected the straightforward nature of them and I’ll continue to do so. But they’re not perfect for everyone. Who is Chromebook Plus not for? Chromebook Plus isn’t the right fit for every laptop user. If you’re a Windows or Mac person, you’re likely better off keeping what you’ve got. There’s also some software and gaming limitations you’ve got to be aware of. IDG / Ashley Biancuzzo For one, they mostly run web apps and Android apps, not desktop software. If you depend on Adobe Photoshop or Premiere Pro, for example, you’ll be out of luck–these don’t run natively on a Chromebook. You can use Photoshop Express (a lighter version of Adobe Photoshop), sure, but it doesn’t have all the tools and gizmos the full version offers.  They’re also not built for serious gaming. They usually have mid-range processors and integrated graphics. Older games run okay, cloud gaming helps a bit, but anything with heavy 3D? That’s when you’ll really struggle. And if you’re somewhere with unstable Wi-Fi? You’ll be limited in what you can do, as Chromebooks work around the cloud.  So, should you get a Chromebook Plus? If all you want is a nice laptop that’s fast enough for browsing, streaming, or a bit of work, it’s totally worth it. Heavy software or serious gaming? Yeah… probably not the one for you. At the end of the day, it’s kind of like picking a coffee—you don’t need the super fancy stuff high up on the shelf, but a little extra polish sure does make the experience nicer. Read...

Online can be a dangerous place for kids. Explicit content, predators, and harassment and bullying are just some of the dangers that kids can be exposed to. But with a bit of know-how, the internet can be safe, fun, and educational for kids. Here are some quick things you can do to help keep your kids out of harm’s way. 1. Download parental control apps There is a plethora of apps to keep kids safe online. Two commonly used ones are Qustodio and Bark. Qustodio is often cited as being one of the best because it offers features like web filtering, app blocking, screen time limits, and detailed activity reports. Bark excels in monitoring social media and online interactions. It uses AI to scan for signs of cyberbullying, online predators and other dangerous content, sending real-time alerts to parents. For that reason, it’s considered an excellent parental control app for teens. 2. Set up Microsoft Family Safety Microsoft Family Safety gets a special mention being the parental control that a lot of users of Microsoft 365 will turn to. It allows you to set screen time limits and apply content filters. The content filters block inappropriate apps and games and limit browsing to kid-friendly websites using Microsoft Edge. It also allows you to view activity reports and to track the location of family members. 3. Have a discussion about online safety Parental controls are helpful but they’re not a first line of defense against online dangers, that’s your child! Be sure that your child knows the dangers of making friends online, including sharing information about themselves and any images, so that they are well versed in how to protect themselves against online predators. Pexels: Fernando Arcos 4. Have a supervised device-time rule If you’re worried about what your kids are doing when you can’t see them, try mandating a compulsory supervision rule for when kids are using their devices, which essentially means they can only do so in common family areas of the home like the living room. That way you can look over their shoulders and ensure they’re not accessing inappropriate content, and you can quiz them about anyone they’re communicating with online. 5. Download the YouTube Kids app Chances are your kids are going to be spending a lot of time on YouTube. YouTube Kids is a free app built to provide safe video content for kids under 12. Parents can decide what content to make available to their children. They can either take full control and approve content themselves, or they can choose from categories that contain content suitable for specific age groups. Dominic Bayley / Foundry 6. Have reliable antivirus software running Hackers are indiscriminate and will infect a PC with malware no matter who the user is. To prevent your child from unknowingly visiting websites with malware or downloading malicious files, you should always have antivirus software running in the background. We review antivirus software at PCWorld, so be sure to check out our current top recommendations. 7. Instigate a device curfew This is an easy way to limit your kids’ online time and to stop them using devices when they’re unsupervised. The curfew should be a strict hour of the evening, say every night at 8pm, so your kids know what’s expected of them. A good way to uphold a curfew is to ask for devices to be handed in for charging, so that they can’t be used from that time onwards until the next day. Pexels: Karolina Grabowska 8. Turn on your browser’s safe browsing mode If your browser has a safe browser mode built-in, you should use it. If you’ve subscribed to an antivirus program like Norton 360 Deluxe, you will probably have access to another safe browser built by the antivirus company, so you should ensure this is switched on to prevent kids accessing inappropriate or malicious websites. Further reading: The best antivirus for 2025: Windows, Android and iPhone The 15 most dangerous places on the Internet 10 must-know PC security tips that keep you safe online Read...

Prime Day is the perfect opportunity to treat yourself to those wishlist items you’ve been eyeing, and the deals this year are sizzling. Case in point: the massive 34-inch LG UltraGear OLED curved monitor, now a whopping 51% off. You can snag it for $691.42, down from its usual $1,400 price tag. While $691 might seem quite a bit of money, it’s actually a rare find because this monitor is rarely below $800. The LG UltraGear 34GX90SA features a gorgeous 3440×1440 resolution, an ultra-smooth 240Hz refresh rate, and a super-fast 1ms response time. This all means it’s a fantastic choice for gamers, video and photo editing, streaming content, and just everyday activities. Its 800R curvature is a bit more pronounced than most monitors in this category, but it will definitely deliver an immersive experience for gamers who want to be enveloped in their virtual worlds. If this particular monitor is a bit too much for you, here are a few other OLED monitor deals you may love: Samsung Odyssey OLED G6, 27-inch, 2560×1440, 240Hz, 0.03ms — $530 (34% off, was $800) Asus ROG Strix, 27-inch, 2560×1440, 240Hz, 0.03ms — $599 (14% off, was $699) Dell Plus, 31.6-inch, 3840×2160, 120Hz, 0.03ms — $680 (20% off, was $850) Samsung Odyssey OLED G9, 49-inch, 5120×1440, 240Hz, 0.03ms — $900 (44% off, was $1,600) Don’t wait too long because Prime Day deals like this one won’t stick around forever! Go ahead and grab the LG UltraGear 34-inch curved monitor for $691 before October Prime Day ends. And while you’re at it, check out PCWorld’s roundup of the best October Prime Day tech deals for even more savings and the best monitor deals we’ve found. Don`t miss out on this 51% Prime Day discountBuy now at Amazon Read...

Amazon’s October Prime Big Deal Days 2025 sales event is here and there are tons of great deals on desktop PCs available. This year’s event runs October 7-8 and includes solid discounts on everything from gaming PCs to all-in-ones to traditional mainstream desktop computers. You’ll need to be a Prime member to take advantage of Amazon’s steep discounts. If you aren’t a member already, check out our guide for how to get Amazon Prime for free. I’ve been tracking and writing about the best computer deals year-round for a long time now, and at PCWorld I’ve used this knowledge to curate a list of the best available computer deals across the internet specifically for this October Prime Day. Other retailers have jumped in on the action, and some of the best desktop PC deals can even be found outside of Amazon, so I’ve included those deals too. Best October Prime Day deals on gaming desktop computers Skytech Storm, Ryzen 7 5700/RTX 5060 Ti/16GB RAM/1TB SSD, $949.99 (16% off on Amazon) Alienware Aurora, Core Ultra 7 265F/RTX 5070/32GB RAM/1TB SSD, $1,549.99 (24% off on Amazon) LXZ Gaming PC, Ryzen 7 8700F/RX 7650 GRE/32GB RAM/1TB SSD, $899.99 (10% off on Amazon) Skytech Azure, Ryzen 7 5700/RTX 5060/32GB RAM/1TB SSD, $999.99 (12% off on Amazon) MSI Aegis, Core Ultra 9 285/RTX 5070 Ti/32GB RAM/2TB SSD, $2,399.99 (17% off on Amazon) Alienware Aurora, Core Ultra 9 285K/RTX 5080/32GB RAM/2TB SSD, $2,699.99 (16% off on Dell) Omen 35L, Ryzen 5 8500G/RTX 5060/16GB RAM/512GB SSD, $1,064.99 (21% off on HP) My top picks: The Skytech Storm for $180 off on Amazon is the budget deal of the week so far. With a Ryzen 7 5700 CPU and RTX 5060 Ti it’ll deliver solid frame rates at 1080p for modern games and the inclusion of 1TB of onboard storage means you’ll have plenty of space to load it up with your game library. Another killer deal right now is the Alienware Aurora for $295 off on Amazon. Not only does it come with the latest gen Core Ultra 7 265F CPU, but also sports an RTX 5070. For this price it’s hard to go wrong and those in the market for a strong midrange gaming PC should look no further. Best October Prime Day deals on mini-PCs GMKtec M7, Ryzen 7 6850H/32GB RAM/512GB SSD, $369.99 (24% off on Amazon) Apple Mac Mini 2024, M4/16GB RAM/256GB SSD, $499.00 (17% off on Amazon) AceMagician K1 Mini PC, Ryzen 7 5700U/16GB RAM/512GB SSD, $279.00 (30% off on Amazon) AceMagic Vista Mini N1, Alder Lake-N N97/16GB RAM/512GB SSD, $169.00 (35% off on Amazon) Beelink EQR5, Ryzen 5 5650U/32GB RAM/1TB SSD, $279.00 (28% off on Amazon) Beelink SER5 MAX, Ryzen 7 6800H/32GB RAM/500GB SSD, $319.00 (20% off on Amazon) My top picks: Amazon is offering the GMKtec M7 mini-PC for $120 off. This mini-PC not only rocks a Ryzen 7 Pro 6850H CPU and a whopping 32GB of RAM, but comes with excellent connectivity features to boot. It’s a great mini-PC and at this discount the value can’t be beat. If you’re more of a Mac fan, then this rare deal on the latest M4 Mac Mini for $100 off on Amazon is for you. The latest 2024 Mac Mini is a seriously good option for those looking to get great mini-PC performance for the price. The M4 chip has outstanding processing power and this model also comes with a good amount of RAM and onboard storage. Note: If you’re looking for even more great deals on mini-PCs be sure to check out our full roundup spotlighting the very best Prime Day mini-PC deals. Best October Prime Day deals on all-in-one & mainstream computers All-in-one desktop computers combine a PC’s hardware with a modern display to make a desktop computer that has both form and function. Since everything is built together, you can save precious desktop space with an all-in-one. They make capable work computers and they can also be excellent home computers with the wide range of features appealing to the whole family. Lenovo 24 AiO, Intel N100/32GB RAM/1TB SSD/24-inch 1080p display, $559.99 (30% off on Amazon) HP OmniStudio X AiO, Core Ultra 5 226V/16GB RAM/512GB SSD/31.5-inch 4K display, $1,179.99 (28% off on HP) Dell 27 AiO, Core 5 120U/16GB RAM/512GB SSD/27-inch 1080p display, $879.99 (13% off on Dell) iMac M4, M4/16GB RAM/512GB SSD/24-inch 5K display, $1,522.36 (10% off on Amazon) My top picks: Amazon is offering a great deal of $240 off on the Lenovo 24 AiO. This budget-friendly all-in-one has way more RAM and onboard storage than most other models at this price. It’s a killer value for a trustworthy and dependable Lenovo PC. Alternatively, the HP OmniStudio X AiO for $470 off on HP’s website is a worthy splurge. Rocking a stunning 4K display and good performance features, this flagship all-in-one from HP will upgrade any desk space—you just might want to invest in some external storage as this only comes with 256GB. Other great October Prime Day deals These aren’t the only Prime Day deals being tracked by the PCWorld team. If you’re looking to supercharge your home setup with more killer tech sales, hit the links below for the more of the best expert-curated picks we’ve found. Best Amazon October Prime Day tech deals: Great sales chosen by experts Best October Prime Day laptop deals: Gaming notebooks, 2-in-1s, and more Best October Prime Day deals on SSDs and storage Best USB flash drive deals for October Prime Day Best monitor deals for October Prime Day: OLED, home office, and more Best October Prime Day deals on Thunderbolt docks and USB-C hubs Best October Prime Day mini PC deals: Big savings on tiny computers Best October Prime Day deals on battery chargers and power banks Best October Prime Day deals on Chromebooks Best October Prime Day deals on office chairs and standing desks FAQ 1. What type of desktop computer should I get? You’ll see a ton of options when searching for a desktop computer, but they all mainly fit into four main categories: gaming PCs, mainstream PCs (towers or mini PCs), and all-in-ones (AiO). Which you should end up buying is entirely dependent upon what your needs are and what you want to do with your computer. If you’re looking for something that will work in a home office or family room, then a mainstream PC or AiO with a solid CPU and a decent amount of RAM and storage is probably the way to go. If gaming is your main concern, a gaming desktop PC can offer a lot more bang for your buck than a laptop and you should prioritize getting the best GPU possible. 2. How much processing power will I need in a desktop computer? If you’re after CPU power, look for processors with higher numerical labels. Intel processors are available in the newer Core Ultra 3, 5, 7, or 9, and the older Core i3, i5, i7, and i9. AMD processors are available in the Ryzen 5000, 7000, 8000, and 9000 versions. Generally speaking, the higher the number, the more powerful the CPU for both manufacturers. If you don’t need a ton of power, Intel Core Ultra 5 or Core i5 processors are your best bet, as they offer good performance at a decent price. You can get along just fine with a Core Ultra 3 or Core i3 for basic office and web browsing. A Core Ultra 7 or Core i7 is more suited to gaming and more intense work than everyday tasks. Also, if gaming is your main concern, you may want to consider opting for the older Core i-processors as the newer Core Ultra processors are optimized for AI performance rather than gaming. As for AMD options, the Ryzen 5000 chips rival Intel’s Core i5 as solid all-arounders. If you need more power, the Ryzen 7000 or 8000 chips are well suited for content creation like video editing. Finally, if you’re dealing with 4K video or want peak gaming performance, spring for a Ryzen 9000. 3. What GPU should I get for a desktop computer? If you don’t intend to do any gaming on your computer, then feel free to save some money by going with integrated graphics. However, if you are looking to get your game on, then we recommend at least an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 or RTX 5060 (or the equivalent Radeon RX 9060) as these are the least expensive discrete graphics cards that can handle 1080p gaming on High graphics settings in most games. For 1440p gaming you’ll typically want to aim for an RTX 4070/5070 (or Radeon RX 9070/XT), and for 4K gaming you’ll need to shell out for at least an RTX 4080/5080 or upgrade to the RTX 4090/5090 Thankfully, the latest-gen GPUs have dropped significantly in price in pre-built systems so opt for those if you have the money and want a performance boost. But if you’re on a tight budget, then opting for a rig with a previous-generation card can allow you to save some money while still providing decent graphics quality. 4. How much memory do I need in a desktop computer? As for RAM, nowadays I think it’s best to shoot for 16GB at the minimum for all systems. If you’re on a budget or just need a basic browsing machine then 8GB may suffice but you’ll likely notice a performance drop if you tend to have multiple applications or browser tabs open. Those looking to do heavy content creation such as video editing should aim for at least 32GB or go for 64GB for 4K editing. 5. What is a good amount of storage for a desktop computer? Storage size is dependent upon your personal needs, but it is generally a good idea to opt for an SSD over a standard HDD as they are much faster and don’t significantly affect the price of a desktop. Before deciding, it’s best to consider what your intended use of the computer will be. Are you just storing documents or doing web browsing? Then something like 512GB will be plenty. If you want to load up a lot of large files such as games or content creation projects, then you’ll need at least 1TB to 2TB of storage. However, just remember that even if your computer doesn’t have enough storage built-in you can always upgrade your SSD or go with an external drive to increase your available storage options. 6. Is now a good time to buy a desktop computer? While the prospect of tariff-induced price increases may seem daunting to consumers, right now is actually a pretty good time to buy a new PC. Component prices have generally stabilized in the face of tariffs—with the exception of high-end GPU models—and CPU prices overall generally remain affordable. If you’re waiting for upcoming releases, you shouldn’t hold your breath. Don’t get caught in the cycle of waiting for the next new thing as something new is always around the corner. Waiting for a new product launch is only beneficial if it’s imminent and there are no good deals available right now. Fortunately, events such as October Prime Day offer buyers an excellent time to buy the latest components and PC builds at a discount. Read...

This year’s October Prime Day event starts today, October 7th, and will end at midnight Pacific, October 8th — a two-day event rather than a four-day sale like we had in July. Still, we’re already seeing some killer deals on everything tech, including flash drives. After all, everyone needs a great USB flash drive, and October Prime Day is an excellent time to grab one for cheap. Why listen to my recommendations? I’ve been a journalist for 19 years, with 13 of those years focused on consumer technology. I love sifting through deals and spend every day hunting down the very best sales on the very best tech. With October Prime Day, I’m exercising those muscles to help you find the best USB thumb drives worth your money. These hand-curated recommendations take price, reviews, and brand reputation into consideration. Best October Prime Day deals on 64GB to 256GB flash drives Kindston Ironkey Vault Privacy 50, 256GB, USB 3.2, Encrypted — $90 (42% off, was $155) SanDisk Ultra Luxe, 256GB, USB 3.2 — $21 (12% off, was $24) Lexar JumpDrive Dual, 128GB, USB 3.2 — $13.88 (37% off, was $22) The best deal of the lot is for the Kingston Ironkey Vault Privacy 50, where you can get 256GB of storage space for 42% off. The thing that makes this flash drive stand out is the fact that it can secure your data like no other. Plus, it comes with a rugged metal casing. Best October Prime Day deals on 512GB to 2TB flash drives PNY Pro Elite V3, 512GB, USB 3.2 — $45 (17% off, was $61) SanDisk Extreme Pro Dual, 512GB, USB 3.2 — $58 (28% off, was $80) A superb pick from this list is the Ultra Flair from SanDisk. This is a flash drive with a USB-A connector, 128-bit AES encryption, and up to 150MB/s transfer speeds for a quick job on moving files around. Other great October Prime Day deals These aren’t the only October Prime Day deals being tracked by the PCWorld team. If you’re looking to supercharge your home setup with the juiciest tech sales, hit the links for the best expert-curated picks we’ve found. Best Amazon October Prime Day tech deals: Great sales chosen by experts Best October Prime Day laptop deals: Gaming notebooks, 2-in-1s, and more Best October Prime Day deals on SSDs and storage Best monitor deals for October Prime Day: OLED, home office, and more Best October Prime Day deals on Thunderbolt docks and USB-C hubs Best October Prime Day mini PC deals: Big savings on tiny computers Best October Prime Day deals on battery chargers and power banks Best October Prime Day deals on Chromebooks Best October Prime Day deals on office chairs and standing desks Best October Prime Day PC computer deals USB flash drive deals FAQs 1. What capacity do I need in a USB flash drive? This is a question that you need to answer yourself because it really depends on what you plan to use it for. If you’re only moving work documents around, a small capacity like 64GB will be fine. If you want to use a flash drive for backing up photos, videos, games, and other big files, then you might want to go 512GB or larger. 2. What features should I prioritize when choosing a USB flash drive? First of all, our recommendation is to look at the flash drive’s transfer speeds. To ensure you get fast read/write speeds, you should get a USB 3.0 or above. USB 2.x drives are sorely outdated. Then, you have to make sure the flash drive can survive living in your pocket, getting crushed by your laptop, falling through your fingers, and so on. Aluminum casings will offer better protection in such cases. If the flash drive offers 128-bit AES encryption or better, your data will also have some extra protection in case you lose it, as the drive will be inaccessible and block out others from reading your data. 3. How did we find the best USB flash drive October Prime Day deals? Finding great deals can be difficult because not all discounts are worth covering. When looking for good October Prime Day deals, we compare the prices on Amazon with the regular retail price and check pricing history to see if there have been any changes lately and that the price drops are truly noteworthy. We also check product reviews to see if they’re reliable in the long run and live up to their promises. Read...