At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros Attractive and luxurious design Smart TV features powered by Samsung’s Tizen OS Infinite contrast and wide color gamut Great motion clarity Cons Smart TV features might annoy PC purists No USB-C Built-in speakers don’t impress Adaptive Sync support proved buggy Our Verdict The Samsung OLED G8 is an attractive QD-OLED monitor packed with Smart TV features rarely found on competitors. Though useful, the Smart TV functionality makes the monitor more confusing to use. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Best Prices Today: Samsung OLED G8 Retailer Price $1,299.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket The plethora of OLED has made comparisons a bit dull. Most use the same OLED panels, and have similar features, so the verdict often comes down to price. Samsung’s Odyssey OLED G8 is an exception, however, as it delivers an OLED panel alongside Smart TV functionality that includes built-in apps, a remote control, and much more. These features make the monitor more versatile, but could annoy PC enthusiasts who just want a monitor to act like a monitor. Samsung Odyssey OLED G8 (G80SD) specs and features The Samsung Odyssey OLED G8’s specifications are typical for a high-end OLED monitor. It offers 4K resolution, a refresh rate of up to 240Hz, and a QD-OLED panel that provides an exceptional color gamut. It also supports Adaptive Sync and HDR. Display size: 32-inch 16:9 aspect ratio Native resolution: 3840×2160 Panel type: Samsung QD-OLED Refresh rate: Up to 240Hz Adaptive Sync: AMD FreeSync, Nvidia G-Sync Compatible HDR: HDR10+ Gaming Ports: 2x HDMI 2.1, 1x DisplayPort 1.4, 2x USB-A 3.0 Wireless Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.2, Wi-Fi 6E VESA mount: 100x100mm Speakers: Yes Price: $1,299.99 MSRP ($1,099 typical) However, one specification stands out as unusual: The monitor includes Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. These features are required for its built-in Smart TV functionality, which includes support for streaming apps like Netflix. It can also be used for cloud gaming on services like Xbox Cloud Play and Amazon Luna. Pricing is similar to Samsung’s competitors. The LG Ultragear 32GS95UE-B is $1,399.99 at MSRP, which is $100 more, while the Alienware AW3225QF has an MSRP of $1,199.99, which is less than the Samsung. Further reading: See our roundup of the best monitors to learn about competing products. Samsung Odyssey OLED G8 design The Samsung Odyssey OLED G8 has a surprisingly elegant, even stately design. It’s covered in dark silver-gray materials, which strike a professional and reserved tone. However, the monitor still includes an RGB LED lighting ring on the back of the display, which can add some flair to your setup (it was off by default). The Odyssey should fit in anywhere you want to use it, whether that’s at a PC gaming desk, a home office, or a guest room. Matthew Smith / Foundry Matthew Smith / Foundry Matthew Smith / Foundry Build quality is a perk. Like other recent Odyssey OLED monitors, it has a metal panel design, which feels far more premium and rigid than the plastic panels that are common even among high-end monitors. Of course, a monitor is not frequently touched or moved, so this durability probably isn’t going to make it last any longer than it would otherwise. Still, the use of metal provides a luxurious feel that beats even the best alternatives, like the LG UltraGear 32GS95UE-B and Alienware AW3225QF. An ergonomic stand is included and offers adjustments for height, tilt, swivel, and the ability to rotate 90 degrees for use in portrait orientation. This is a good range of adjustment for a 32-inch gaming monitor. The stand feels sturdy and thankfully uses a compact, flat base. While the 32-inch monitor panel is, of course, quite large, the monitor doesn’t take up excessive room on a desk. That said, a 100x100mm VESA mount is available if you want to use the monitor with a third-party stand or arm. Samsung Odyssey OLED G8 features and menus The Samsung Odyssey OLED G8 isn’t like most monitors. Though it’s technically not a TV because it lacks a TV tuner, it functions much like any other Samsung Smart TV. It even runs Samsung’s Tizen OS and offers features typically found only on TVs, such as an image processor that enhances motion clarity in sports content. Because of these features, setting up the Odyssey involves several steps, including connecting to Wi-Fi and selecting the smart apps you want to use. This is likely to frustrate PC gamers who prefer a plug-and-play experience. However, I didn’t find the process difficult, and it took about five minutes to complete. Once set up, the Samsung Odyssey OLED G8 can be used like a Smart TV, providing access to popular apps like Netflix and Hulu, as well as bundled access to a variety of public television channels (though most of these channels aren’t particularly interesting). If you’re only using the Odyssey as a monitor, these features may not matter to you. However, if you’re looking for a multipurpose display for a studio apartment, entertainment room, or bedroom, these features are quite useful, effectively turning the Odyssey into a 32-inch Smart TV. You can even use the Odyssey to play games without any device connected, as it includes a Wi-Fi connection and has support for game streaming services like Amazon Luna and Xbox Cloud Gaming. Bluetooth is supported as well, and you can pair Bluetooth-capable controllers with the display. The monitor ships with a remote control, too, which can be used to adjust the volume, access Smart TV apps, and change monitor settings. Personally, I love monitors that come with remote controls — they’re much easier to use than the joysticks most monitors have on their bezel (though the Samsung also has a joystick as a back-up menu control). Matthew Smith / Foundry Matthew Smith / Foundry Matthew Smith / Foundry There’s more. Samsung also provides a decent Windows app for adjusting monitor settings. While most competitors offer similar apps, only a handful — primarily LG and BenQ gaming and entertainment displays — also have a remote. If you don’t want to use the Smart TV features, you can mostly ignore them, though they never completely disappear and can at times prove confusing. I more than once accidentally found myself launched into the monitor’s home screen, which immediately began blaring a low-budget reality TV show from one of the included free channels. It doesn’t help that Samsung’s manual offers little explanation of what the monitor’s many features accomplish. Getting back to basics: Samsung Odyssey OLED G8’s menus provide the usual range of image quality adjustments. There are options to adjust color saturation, color temperature, color gamut, and gamma, as well as gaming features like an on-screen crosshair and a dark equalizer to enhance shadow detail in dark games. My one nitpick is with the color temperature settings, where Samsung uses vague labels like “warm” and “cool” instead of more precise numerical presets. Still, the Odyssey offers more image quality options overall than most gaming monitors. If you’re looking for a multipurpose display for a studio apartment, entertainment room, or bedroom, the Samsung Odyssey OLED G8’s features are quite useful. Samsung Odyssey OLED G8 connectivity Flip the Samsung Odyssey OLED G8 around, and you’ll find a pair of HDMI 2.1 ports as well as a single DisplayPort 1.4. All of these inputs can handle the monitor’s 4K resolution at its maximum refresh rate of 240Hz. I would’ve liked one additional video input, but the three is likely fine for most people. You can connect a computer over DisplayPort alongside an Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5. One of the HDMI ports supports an Audio Return Channel (ARC). This is a handy feature that makes the Odyssey easier to use alongside home theater equipment that also supports ARC, like soundbars, as it eliminates the need for a separate audio cable. Most monitors don’t support ARC, though a few — like the Alienware AW3225QF — do. The monitor also offers some USB connectivity, but only in the form of two USB-A ports, driven by a USB-B upstream port. Unfortunately, USB-C is not available, which is a downside since USB-C is a convenient way to connect a laptop. To be fair, though, most of Samsung’s closest competitors — including the LG UltraGear 32GS95UE-B and Alienware AW3225QF — also lack USB-C. Samsung Odyssey OLED G8 speakers Samsung boasts about the Odyssey OLED’s built-in speaker system, claiming it will “take gaming to the next level.” Unfortunately, the monitor doesn’t live up to this promise. While the speakers are loud, they produce a muddy, harsh, and metallic sound quality that makes listening to music genuinely unpleasant. The audio improves somewhat at moderate volumes, but it’s still nothing special. Most of Samsung’s competitors offer even worse speakers or omit them entirely. A notable exception is LG’s Ultragear 32GS95UB-E, which features a “pixel sound” speaker system that vibrates the display panel itself. It’s good enough that some users might be content using it instead of external speakers. Samsung Odyssey OLED G8 SDR image quality The Samsung Odyssey OLED G8 has (surprise!) a Samsung QD-OLED panel. This is a known quantity at this point, as PCWorld has reviewed more than a dozen QD-OLED monitors in the past year, and all deliver excellent SDR image quality with a few notable downsides. Matthew Smith / Foundry Matthew Smith / Foundry Matthew Smith / Foundry Brightness is among those downsides, and the Odyssey is an especially poor performer in this area. Its maximum sustained SDR brightness of only 206 nits is lower even for an OLED monitor: Most alternatives hit about 250 nits. With a brightness of 206 nits, the Odyssey is adequate for most situations, especially if the monitor is used in a room with blinds, curtains, or other forms of light control. At higher brightness settings, it may even appear quite bright in this situation. However, if you plan to use the monitor in a space with little or no light control, such as near bright windows, it could be an issue. That’s unfortunate, as the Odyssey includes Smart TV features and could be a great option for use as a small TV in a studio apartment. In that case, though, its limited brightness could be a drawback. Matthew Smith / Foundry Matthew Smith / Foundry Matthew Smith / Foundry Contrast, on the other hand, is a strong point of the Odyssey, as it offers an effectively infinite contrast ratio. This is achieved through the panel’s ability to reach a luminance of zero nits when displaying dark images, providing an immersive, lifelike, and striking picture quality that’s far superior to less expensive monitors using conventional LED backlights. However, readers with strong opinions about OLED panels should be warned that this monitor uses an aggressive matte coating to reduce glare and reflections. It’s effective at providing a legible, almost paper-like image, but also dampens the perceived contrast, especially in brightly lit environments. This is a matter of personal preference. I tend to favor matte coatings over glossy ones for computer monitors. However, I know some people have strong preferences in the opposite direction. Matthew Smith / Foundry Matthew Smith / Foundry Matthew Smith / Foundry Color gamut is a traditional strength of QD-OLED monitors, thanks to the “QD” (Quantum Dots) panel technology, which significantly expands the range of colors the display can produce. The Samsung Odyssey is no exception, offering a very wide color gamut comparable to other QD-OLED monitors and superior to monitors using LG’s WOLED panel. A wide color gamut results in vivid, vibrant, and saturated colors in games and movies, but it’s also great for content creation, as it allows you to see a broader range of colors than what is typically possible with less capable monitors. Matthew Smith / Foundry Matthew Smith / Foundry Matthew Smith / Foundry Surprisingly, Samsung’s color accuracy was somewhat lacking, at least at its default settings. While the monitor’s color will generally look realistic, it’s not as precise as some competitors. Gamers likely won’t notice any issues, but content creators may want to manually adjust the monitor’s settings or use calibration software for more accurate results. On a positive note, the Samsung Odyssey OLED G8 performed well in gamma and color temperature tests. It achieved a nearly perfect gamma curve of 2.2, which is impressive, as many OLED monitors tend to slightly miss the mark, often producing a gamma of 2.3, which makes images appear a bit darker than they should. The Odyssey also had a default color temperature of 6800K, which is only slightly cooler than our target of 6500K. Also, as mentioned, the monitor offers multiple gamma and color temperature settings. It’s easy to adjust both to suit your needs and preferences. The monitor’s 4K resolution contributes to excellent sharpness. While QD-OLED monitors can suffer from subpixel rendering issues, which cause pixelation and aliasing around small fonts and some high-contrast edges, 4K resolution mitigates this problem. You might still notice it if you lean in when viewing small fonts in a spreadsheet, but it’s not a frequent concern, and the monitor’s image looks razor sharp. Overall, the Samsung Odyssey G8 OLED delivers great image quality. While it underperforms in brightness and color accuracy, it excels in gamma and color temperature and generally matches the impressive image quality of other 32-inch OLED monitors. It’s an especially good option for people who want a multi-purpose OLED display, as the Odyssey has the color gamut, sharpness, and image quality options necessary to work well for both PC games and Photoshop. Samsung Odyssey OLED G8 HDR image quality The Samsung Odyssey OLED G8 supports HDR10+ but, unlike most competitors, the monitor’s marketing doesn’t claim any level of VESA DisplayHDR Certification. That seems foreboding, but the Odyssey OLED G8 performs fairly well for a QD-OLED monitor — after a bit of trial-and-error. Matthew Smith / Foundry Matthew Smith / Foundry Matthew Smith / Foundry I measured a maximum sustained brightness of 779 nits in a 10 percent window, meaning just 10 percent of the display was lit by an HDR image, with the rest of the display completely dark. This is a good level of brightness for a QD-OLED monitor and shows the Odyssey can deliver bright, punchy highlights. A flash of lightning or an exploding car will look gorgeous on this monitor. However, the Odyssey’s HDR brightness dipped quickly as a larger portion of the display was lit. As a result, scenes that demand a high level of luminance across the entire display can look dull and dim. LG’s WOLED panel, found in the Asus ROG Swift PG32UCDP and LG Utlragear 32GS95UE-B, has a notable advantage here. I also had to tease out the Odyssey’s performance. It has several HDR settings and, at default, its brightness was rather low: just 337 nits in a 10 percent window. You’ll need to use the monitor’s Peak Brightness mode, as well as its Active tone mapping mode, to achieve the best brightness results. Still, the monitor’s overall HDR performance is good for an OLED display and will typically deliver a bright, punchy image in HDR content. However, I’d recommend an LG WOLED over the Odyssey monitor if you plan to use HDR more often than not. Samsung Odyssey OLED G8 motion performance Samsung’s Odyssey OLED G8 offers a refresh rate of up to 240Hz at 4K resolution. That’s an excellent refresh rate for a 4K monitor, though also typical for an OLED display: Many 32-inch 4K OLED competitors have the same refresh rate. Motion clarity is excellent at 240Hz. The monitor’s high refresh rate, paired with OLED’s low pixel response times, keeps motion blur to a minimum. Fast moving objects are easy to see and the silhouettes of distant enemies will stand out on the horizon. It’s not perfect: Small fonts can still be impossible to read at speed, for example. Still, motion clarity is great and only defeated by alternatives with even higher refresh rates, like the Alienware AW2725QF. Adaptive sync is supported, as well, though here the monitor runs into a few issues. First up: Samsung’s marketing is unclear. The monitor is prominently sold as G-Sync Compatible. However, the monitor’s menu system lists support for AMD FreeSync, with no mention of Nvidia’s G-Sync. This isn’t a huge concern because, in my testing, the monitor worked with both AMD and Nvidia hardware. Still, it’s an odd oversight. I also experienced an infrequent but notable bug when using Adaptive Sync. The monitor would sometimes display a garbled line of digital static at the bottom edge of the display when Adaptive Sync was turned on. Flipping the mode on and off, or rebooting my PC, could fix it, though it could take several tries. This is not a new problem for Samsung: A look at Reddit shows occasional user complaints of a similar issue with older Odyssey monitors. Should you buy the Samsung Odyssey OLED G8? The Samsung Odyssey OLED G8 is yet another excellent 32-inch QD-OLED monitor. It delivers a vibrant, saturated, and immersive image alongside excellent motion clarity. However, the monitor’s defining feature is actually its software, which includes Samsung’s Tizen OS and a buffet of Smart TV features that make the OLED G8 useful in situations where you’d otherwise want to buy a small television. The monitor’s overall image quality doesn’t stand out from the competition though, and its software features might annoy PC users who just want a monitor to act like a monitor. I recommend the Odyssey OLED G8 if you need a versatile display that will be used to watch movies and streaming TV as often as it’s used to play games or for productivity. Read...

Oh, how time flies! The 2024 gaming year is almost over and we’ve seen numerous exciting releases already, but there’s still a lot to come in the final months ahead. It is, after all, the holiday quarter and publishers will be going all out as we head into December. Here are some of the most interesting and most important games still to come. Not only might they achieve decent sales, but they might even end up being gaming highlights — so keep an eye on them! Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred Blizzard Entertainment Blizzard Entertainment Blizzard Entertainment Not a full-fledged game but important nonetheless: the Vessel of Hatred major expansion pack for Diablo IV will be releasing on October 8, expanding the game with a new region called Nahantu as well as an additional class called the Spiritborn. It’ll also add some exciting new mechanics to the game, such as switching between different elements. The story of Diablo IV will also be expanded with another chapter that looks extremely exciting. The first trailer for the expansion rightly gave many gamers goosebumps. Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Microsoft Microsoft Microsoft A new Call of Duty is, of course, one of the biggest and most important releases of the year. Black Ops 6 will be releasing on October 25 and will once again offer an action-packed campaign, gripping shooter battles, and a fantastic zombie mode — a real feast for fans of the series. Dragon Age: The Veilguard Electronic Arts Electronic Arts Electronic Arts The next installment in the Dragon Age series has been almost ten years in the making, and it’s finally arriving on October 31. Fans who have been itching since the big cliffhanger in Dragon Age: Inquisition will finally get the much-awaited resolution they’ve been waiting for. This Dragon Age entry was originally called Dragon Age: Dreadwolf after the antagonist Dreadwolf. But while Dreadwolf will still play a major role, EA felt it was more important to emphasize the role of the Veilguard — our protagonist Rook and his companions, who are tasked with defending the fate of the world against evil forces. The Veilguard excitingly takes us to Tevinter for the first time, a place that’s legendarily oozing with blood magic and slavery. The gameplay, on the other hand, looks much more action-packed than expected (to the chagrin of fans). We’re curious to see how the game will be received. Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 Microsoft Microsoft Microsoft Bigger, farther, better: on November 19, Aerosoft will be releasing a new version of Microsoft Flight Simulator, the ultimate experience for flight simulation fans. Not only will we be able to experience the entire world in more aircraft with improved visuals, but we’ll also be able to climb out of the cockpit and walk around with our characters. In addition, the 2024 version introduces new professions that further enhance the experience, and the game will be playable on weaker hardware thanks to cloud-based worldbuilding. Anyone who already owns Microsoft Flight Simulator can carry over all their purchased content into the sequel, meaning almost nothing stands in the way of a successful release. Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl IDG IDG IDG Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl has had an eventful history and numerous postponements. However, the developers aren’t to blame — they’ve been working on this project with a lot of passion for several years, only to be hit hard by the war in Ukraine. Nevertheless, Stalker 2 is still set to release this year on November 20. The game will take us back to the radioactive zone around Chornobyl with a hard-hitting role-playing experience where you don’t level up and instead progress solely by exploring the game world. For fans of the first Stalker game, this should be just the right kind of challenge. However, we hope the release won’t suffer from any serious technical problems, given how much the devs have endured. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Bethesda Bethesda Bethesda A new Indiana Jones game? With next-gen graphics and an adventurous story? Developed by Bethesda? Bring it on! That’s what many of us thought when Indiana Jones and the Great Circle was first announced, and it’s finally releasing on December 9. Not only do we get to control Indy through a new adventure, but we can also wield a whip in proper style to fend off enemies and solve puzzles. For fans of the films and fans of great action-adventure games, this one should be a real highlight this year. InZOI Krafton Krafton Krafton Fans of life-sim games probably already know of InZOI, but in case you haven’t heard of it: InZOI promises to give The Sims 4 a run for its money. Not only does it offer beautiful graphics, an extensive character creator, and lots of exciting ideas, the base game will also have many features that are currently only available as add-ons for The Sims. InZOI may just offer the best bang for your buck as far as life-sims go, and it’s high time that The Sims had some serious competition. South Korean developer Krafton seems well on their way with this title. No specific release date has been given for InZOI yet, but the publisher recently stated that it should at least be launched in Early Access by the end of the year. Our fingers are crossed! Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater Konami Konami Konami Last but not least, we have the remake of Metal Gear Solid 3 that’s expected to come out this year as Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater. Although no exact release date has been given, the game looked pretty good in its first gameplay videos, so it shouldn’t be far away. In this remake, we once again slip into the skin of Agent Snake, who’s on a secret mission and sneaks through levels using camouflage, disguises, and other stealth tactics. With Unreal Engine 5, the graphics are better than ever and gameplay should be fun for fans and newcomers alike. Assassin’s Creed Shadows Ubisoft Ubisoft Ubisoft What if Assassin’s Creed went to Japan? It’s a long-cherished dream for many series fans, and it’s finally happening with Assassin’s Creed Shadows. Though it was originally due for a November 15 release, Ubisoft recently just postponed it to February 11, 2025. In this entry, we’ll be able to roam Japan as stealthy shinobi and assassinate enemies from the shadows while also dealing out direct combat as powerful samurai. Which of the two protagonists will you play? It’s entirely up to you. The setting combined with the freedom of play and the beautiful, atmospheric game world could make Assassin’s Creed Shadows one of the most memorable spin-offs in the series. Read...

Trying to find the balance between pure engineering and entertainment has been a very difficult balancing act over the years in Formula 1, but many in the sport think we seeing the signs of change as the cost cap takes effect on track. Read...

Productions are down by about 40% and entertainment industry employees say they can`t find work. Read...

News that GOG.com has delisted 29 games this month is a sobering reminder that at any moment the games you own could vanish from your PC game libraries at any time and there’s not much you can do about it. Admittedly, GOG’s games include titles that many gamers may not have heard about. But history has shown that this happens to well-known titles too and on platforms with millions of users like Steam and Origin. So how is it that something you’ve legitimately bought can be whipped away in a heartbeat? Don’t we have consumer protection laws against that? Personally, I’d like to see protections in place to keep games from disappearing for purely licensing reasons if they still have legions of fans and are being played by many… How is it that my games can just vanish? The laws around your digital assets will differ depending on where in the world you live, but in most jurisdictions there are no clear laws stating that you unequivocally own and have the right to your digital games in perpetuity. In the U.S. the Federal Trade Commission outlines some of the reasons why this is the case. By far the main reason has to do with the terms of the agreement you make when you create an account on a gaming platform or when you click purchase. When you buy a game on a digital platform, you’re essentially just paying to access the content — in other words, you own a license but not the actual game. Accessing content is not the same as owning it. It means that if the seller changes their terms or conditions, goes out of business, or has licensing issues, that content can become inaccessible. This happens a lot more than you might think. Indeed, if you haven’t been across gaming news on a regular basis you might have missed the delisting of games like Titanfall, Battlefield 2, Rocket League, Fable 3, Deadpool, Evolve, and Mortal Combat from Steam, and games like Assassin’s Creed Origins, Darksiders III, and Far Cry 5 from EA’s Origin platform. What reasons do the platforms give for delisting? When reasons are given, and they’re not always forthcoming, they can be surprisingly varied. Expiring licenses is a biggy and explains the disappearance of titles like the James Bond game Quantum of Solace from Steam — publisher Activision simply no longer had a license to kill. In the case of Rocket League’s delisting from Steam in 2021, the game’s owner Epic decided to make the game free to play on the Epic Game Store. Although removing the game was controversial, it paid off in that it increased the game’s player base to nearly 1 million soon after. These are some of the more understandable explanations, but there are more obscure reasons, as is the case with EA’s Battlefield 2 and Respawn Entertainment’s Titanfall. Battlefield 2 was delisted from digital platforms despite being hugely popular.  Battlefield 2 was delisted from digital platforms despite being hugely popular. Dominic Bayley / IDG Battlefield 2 was delisted from digital platforms despite being hugely popular. Dominic Bayley / IDG Dominic Bayley / IDG In Battlefield 2’s case, it was delisted from Steam when the company that ran the game’s multiplayer servers, GameSpy, shutdown. Titanfall’s removal, on the other hand, had in part to do with some malicious activity. After the game’s online servers were subjected to multiple DDOS attacks, Respawn made the call to discontinue the game and cancel subscriptions. Another reason that accounts for quite a lot of delistings is when games lose a large amount of their player base. That can be because they are getting a little old, which was the case with some games in EA’s Need for Speed franchise, or players could simply cease to find them fun or interesting. Need For Speed: Carbon was one game delisted from online platforms back in 2021.  Need For Speed: Carbon was one game delisted from online platforms back in 2021. Dominic Bayley / IDG Need For Speed: Carbon was one game delisted from online platforms back in 2021. Dominic Bayley / IDG Dominic Bayley / IDG The removal of the Need For Speed games from five gaming platforms ruffled quite a few fans’ feathers when it happened back in 2021. In fact, the outcry was enough for EA to release a statement to the effect that the studios simply didn’t have the manpower to keep games operating beyond their use-by date. “The number of players has come to a point where it’s no longer feasible to continue the work behind the scenes,” a spokesperson said, and it’s a valid point. As much as we like to think developers and publishers have endless resources, the truth is that they need to keep making and selling games to be profitable and many simply can’t do that when their staff are busy keeping old titles alive. So, what should you do about it? In some cases, you can simply buy a physical copy of the game, but thanks to the rise of downloadable games not every game is released in that format. It’s worth noting, too, that if you do find a physical copy, legal conditions still apply. Again, you don’t own the software, just the DVD and the license, and under the terms of that license you have limited rights. Personally, I’d like to see protections in place to keep games from disappearing for purely licensing reasons if they still have legions of fans and are being played by many. Whether that’s new laws to protect gamer interests or the creation of some kind of not-for-profit organization that can rehome delisted games is worth some thought. For now, though, the one power you do have is to choose where you buy and play your digital games. The terms of the agreements will differ from platform to platform, and some are generally better than others, so be sure to read the fine print when you can. Read...

The 8th Immortal Andrew Johns joins host Danika Mason to dive into the week that was and gear up for a huge weekend of Prelim Footy. Joey gives his thoughts on how the Kalyn Ponga situation should have been handled, what Trent Robinson and the Roosters need to do to upset the Storm and if the wet weather in Sydney will favour either the Panthers or the Sharks. Danika and Joey talk about the best Grand Final Entertainment performances and if this current era is the best. All that and more on another episode of Immortal Behaviour. Read...

Guests complained they were met with cheap decor, undercooked food and just a stripper for entertainment. Read...

Although Amazon is currently readying the troops for its Prime Big Deal Days event (aka October Prime Day), which officially begins October 8, we’re already seeing a number of early laptop deals. I’ve curated a list of the best laptop deals below. Why should you listen to my recommendations? Valid question! I oversee PCWorld’s laptop review program, so I handle everything from assignment to publication. I also carefully maintain our best laptop deals roundup on a day-to-day basis as well as our best laptops of 2024 roundup on a weekly basis. Since I spend a good amount of time every day searching the web for the best laptop deals, I’m pretty tuned in to popular trends and able to pluck the good deals from a sea of bad ones. To assemble the list below, I looked at everything from graphics and storage space to design and form factor. I also checked out Amazon’s pricing history with Camel Camel Camel. Don’t forget to check out our Prime Big Deal Days 2024 hub for more great deals in other tech categories. First published on Sept. 24, 2024. Last updated on Sept. 24, 2024. Best Prime Big Deal Days deals on budget and mid-range laptops HP Stream 14, includes 16GB of RAM and an Intel Celeron N4120 CPU, $309 ($90 off at Amazon) HP Envy 360, includes a convertible form factor and an Intel Core Ultra 5 125U CPU, $759.99 ($240 off at Amazon) Acer Swift Go 14, includes an OLED display and an Intel Core Ultra processor 155H, $799.99 ($200 off at Amazon) The HP Envy x360 is a great laptop with a powerful Intel Core Ultra 5 125U processor and a versatile convertible form factor. It’s zippy enough for general browsing and productivity tasks, and the convertible form factor means you can fold the screen all the way back. Being able to use a laptop in different positions is useful if you’re a frequent traveler, especially when using the device in a cramped space like an airplane seat. The 15.6-inch 1080p display is also nice as it has touch capability. This is good news if you’re a regular doodler or note taker. Best Prime Big Deal Days deals on premium laptops Asus VivoBook S 16 OLED, includes an Intel Core Ultra 9 185H CPU and a 3200×2000 OLED display, $999.99 ($100 off at Amazon) Samsung Galaxy Book4 Pro, includes an OLED touchscreen and an Intel Core 7 Ultra CPU, $1,371.99 ($78 off at Amazon) Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6, includes Wi-Fi 7 connectivity and a Snapdragon X Elite CPU, $1,604 ($95.99 off at Amazon) The above laptop deals are all fantastic, but there’s one that really stands out from the rest. For under a grand, you can pick up the Asus VivoBook S 16 OLED, which boasts a powerful Intel Core Ultra 9 185H CPU as well as a stunning 3200×2000 OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate. The CPU has 16 cores, 22 threads, and can run up to 5.1GHz. That means it should blitz right through day-to-day tasks and office work. The OLED display is ideal for entertainment or graphic design work, as this type of panel is capable of producing inky blacks and rich colors. The laptop itself also weighs just 3.31 pounds, which is perfect if you travel often. Best Prime Big Deal Days deals on high-end gaming laptops Asus TUF Gaming A15, includes a 1080p 144Hz refresh rate display and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 GPU, $1,034.99 ($365 off at Amazon) MSI Katana 17, includes 32GB of RAM and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 GPU, $1,259 ($140 off at Amazon) Asus ROG Strix G16, includes a 165Hz refresh rate display and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 GPU, $1,282.76 ($117.23 off at Amazon) MSI Katana A17, includes a 240Hz refresh rate display and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 GPU, $1,699.99 ($300 off at Amazon) If you’re looking for a great gaming experience at a reasonable price point, the Asus TUF Gaming A15 is definitely worth checking out, as it’s a very well-rounded machine. Between the AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS CPU and the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 GPU, this laptop should fly through most games on the higher graphics settings. The 1080p display is also quite spacious at 15.6-inches and the 144Hz refresh rate should keep things looking nice and smooth in the heat of battle. It also comes with 1TB of SSD storage, which is a good amount of space if you’ve got a massive games library. Best early Prime Big Deals Day deals on gaming laptops under $1,000 HP Victus, includes an Intel Core i5-12450H CPU and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 2050 GPU, $589.99 ($110 off at Amazon) Gigabyte Aorus 15, includes a 360Hz refresh rate display, an Intel Core i5-12500H CPU, and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 GPU, $979 ($120 off at Amazon) Acer Nitro 16, includes 1TB of SSD storage, an AMD Ryzen 7 7840HS, and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 GPU, $957.47 ($342.52 off at Amazon) Acer Nitro V 16, includes a 165Hz refresh rate display, a AMD Ryzen 7 8845HS, and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 GPU, $967.49 ($162.05 off at Amazon) The Gigabyte Aorus 15 deserves a call-out because of its wickedly fast 360Hz refresh rate display. That’s an incredibly high number, so this display should churn out silky-smooth visuals, which is important during more intensive matches. It also comes with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 GPU and an Intel Core i5-12500H CPU, meaning it has enough juice to run most games on the Medium or High graphics settings, but you may want to dial those settings back on more modern titles. The display, measuring a roomy 15.6-inches, is pretty spacious with a resolution of 1920×1080. It’s not the highest resolution we’ve ever seen, but it’s perfectly fine for most games. More awesome Prime Big Deal Days 2024 tech deals Our PCWorld editors have curated best deal roundups across all the major tech categories: Best Amazon tech deals across PCWorld’s top categories Laptop deals: Best of Prime Day 2024 Monitor deals: Best of Prime Day 2024 SSD and storage deals: Best of Prime Day 2024 USB flash drive deals: Best of Prime Day 2024 Thunderbolt dock and USB-C hub deals: Best of Prime Day 2024 Office chairs and standing desks: Best of Prime Day 2024 Battery charger deals: Best of Prime Day 2024 Chromebook deals: Best of Prime Day 2024 Laptop deals FAQ 1. What kind of laptop should I get? Well, it depends on your needs and lifestyle. A 2-in-1, for example, is a good fit for someone who travels often. You can swing the screen back 360 degrees and use it in tablet mode for taking notes or you can prop it up like a tent for watching movies with others. If gaming is a top priority, then you’ll want to look into a laptop with powerful internal hardware and a display with a high refresh rate. For those of us who need a basic laptop for general web browsing, a low-powered Windows laptop should do you just fine. 2. How can I tell whether a laptop is a good Prime Day deal? I always use Camel Camel Camel, which is a pricing history platform. You can make a free account and the interface is pretty easy to navigate. Let’s use the Asus VivoBook 16 as an example. Plug the ASIN, which is the part of the URL that starts with the letter B (B0BT6NKLQR in this case), into the search bar and hit search. Once the result generates, scroll down and you’ll see a graph of its price history. You’ll see a big dip in the price this month, the lowest price it has ever been in fact. That’s a big drop from the end of March when it was as high as $741.16. 3. Do laptop brands matter? Not particularly when you’re hunting for deals, as long as you stick to household names. All of the big manufacturers like HP and Acer make perfectly capable machines and they all offer pretty steep discounts on their online retail storefronts. You may have a personal preference, though. Dell, for example, has great customer service and their website is easy to navigate. As for HP, their back-to-school guide is laid out in a really straightforward way. 4. How much memory do I need in a laptop? I always tell my friends and family to shoot for at least 8GB of RAM. Anything less than that and you may very well notice a slowdown. If you can go higher than 8GB, that’s great! The more RAM you have, the snappier your laptop will be, especially when it comes to general browsing or making spreadsheets. 16GB of RAM is better for productivity tasks and gaming, and 32GB of RAM is perfect for photo editors. Read...

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