At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros Design looks and feels premium Great performance Beautiful OLED screen Speakers are excellent Cons Keyboard and touchpad abandon tactile feedback Limited ports (no USB Type-A or HDMI) Middle-of-the-road battery life Expensive Our Verdict The Dell 16 Premium is a premium take on a bad idea. The hardware is powerful, the design is beautiful, and it feels excellent. But the keyboard and trackpad are not pleasant to use. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Best Prices Today: Dell 16 Premium Retailer Price Check Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Best Prices Today: Check today’s prices The Dell 16 Premium is both impressive and deeply frustrating. Dell has created a high-quality 16-inch laptop that looks and feels great. It has powerful internals — an Intel Arrow Lake CPU and Nvidia GPU — and an excellent OLED screen. This is a laptop built by people who really cared. But the core design here was a mistake and good craftsmanship can’t save it. For $3,199, you’re getting a keyboard and trackpad experience that looks flashy in photos but feels obnoxious to use. You’re getting high-end internals without common ports (like USB Type-A and HDMI) that people would want in high-end work-focused laptops. And, if minimalism is your priority, the 16-inch size, 4.65-pound weight, and limited battery life here means this machine isn’t ideal for portability. This is one of the strangest laptops I’ve ever reviewed. Dell tried so hard to make something special and different that it made the day-to-day laptop experience worse. The Dell 16 Premium is a beautiful and expensive hybrid that doesn’t serve any audience particularly well. But it’s so incredibly polished. This is the highest-quality misfire I’ve ever reviewed. This is the highest-quality misfire I’ve ever reviewed. Dell 16 Premium: Specs The Dell 16 Premium is available in a few different configurations starting at $1,999. These configurations all have Intel Arrow Lake CPUs with discrete Nvidia graphics. We reviewed the $3,199 model, which came with an Intel Core Ultra 7 255H CPU, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 graphics, and 32GB of RAM. This high-end model packs a beautiful 4K OLED display with a variable refresh rate up to 120Hz and a touch screen. Because this is an Intel Arrow Lake CPU, it doesn’t have an NPU fast enough to run Microsoft’s Copilot+ PC features. Dell says this machine has an “AI-enabled Intel processor” on its web page, but the “premium” experience here doesn’t get you access to Windows 11’s latest AI features. Intel’s “Series 2” CPU naming remains baffling to me. Model: Dell 16 Premium (DA16250) CPU: Intel Core Ultra 7 255H Memory: 32GB LPDDR5X 8400MT/s RAM Graphics/GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070, Intel Arc 140T NPU: Intel AI Boost Display: 16.3-inch 3840×2400 OLED touchscreen with variable refresh rate up to 120Hz Storage: 1TB PCIe NVMe SSD Webcam: 1080p webcam Connectivity: 3x Thunderbolt 4 (USB Type-C), 1x combo audio jack, 1x microSDXC card reader Networking: Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4 Biometrics: IR camera and fingerprint reader for Windows Hello Battery capacity: 99.5 Watt-hours Dimensions: 14.10 x 9.40 x 0.75 inches Weight: 4.65 pounds MSRP: $3,199 as tested Dell 16 Premium: Design and build quality Foundry / Chris Hoffman The Dell 16 Premium looks beautiful. Our review model’s “Platinum” color scheme is the spitting image of a high-quality silver laptop. It’s a little large and heavy (this is a 4.65-pound 16-inch laptop) so this isn’t a thin-and-light style machine. The chassis is made of aluminum, and the metal and weight gives it a nice heft. The hinge action feels great, too. When you open it and turn it on for the first time, there’s a bit of a “wow” moment — at least there was for me. I review a lot of laptops, and this machine looks distinct. It’s a clean, minimalist design: a membrane keyboard framed by speakers on each side, and that’s it. (Aside from the obligatory sticker Intel forces PC manufacturers to stick onto their laptops.) When you turn it on, the function keys light up and it looks premium. The palm rest is one piece of gorilla glass, and it feels smooth to touch and to drag your finger over the trackpad. On this OLED model, the display looks especially vivid and beautiful. This is a laptop designed to look distinctly good in photos and to feel premium when you touch it in a store. And it delivers. Dell 16 Premium: Keyboard and trackpad Foundry / Chris Hoffman Once you start using the laptop, things go downhill fast. The keyboard and trackpad are the worst things here. The keyboard is large, has nice backlighting, and has a unique look. It’s also not mushy. That’s about all I can say in its favor. This keyboard only has 1.0mm of key travel, and I feel that low travel with every keypress I make. That’s the kind of extremely low key travel you see on thin-and-light laptops optimized for maximum thinness. It’s not the kind of key travel you see a 4.65-pound machine with a discrete GPU. This means the typing experience just doesn’t feel great. More obviously, the capacitive function row buttons completely lack tactile feedback. They light up and show different functions when you hold down the Fn key on the keyboard, which is a cool-looking trick. But, without any tactile feedback, you have to look down at the key you’re pressing, tap it, and wait to see if the computer noticed your tap. It feels bad. If PC manufacturers want to do this, they should try to integrate some kind of haptic feedback, a confirmation you pressed the button. That would make this feel a bit better. The trackpad is also a surreal experience. There is a trackpad at the center of the palm rest in the usual position you’d find one. However, its edges are completely invisible. Without a visual or tactile outline, you must guess where the edge is. This makes mousing around with your finger annoying, and it also causes problems when using multi-finger gestures. On the plus side, it is a haptic trackpad, so that’s nice. The Dell 16 Premium loses the plot here. It would be better if Dell had used a standard keyboard and trackpad setup. They’ve invested a lot of resources in providing an experience that feels worse to use. And, with the lack of tactile feedback, I don’t think it’s something I would adapt and get used to — even if I bought this machine and used it as my daily driver. Dell 16 Premium: Display and speakers Foundry / Chris Hoffman The Dell 16 Premium model Dell loaned us for this review had a 16.3-inch 4K OLED display with a variable refresh rate up to 120Hz. It looked vivid and beautiful — like the rest of this machine, it’s a looker. The main problem with the display is its fairly low brightness for an OLED. It maxes out at 400 nits, and while that’s reasonable enough, many laptops with OLEDs tend to deliver more brightness. I felt like I wanted to keep the brightness cranked up to maximum most of the time, even when using the laptop in a fairly dark room. Combined with the glossy display (a mainstay for OLED panels), this machine isn’t ideal for use outdoors in challenging lighting conditions. However, it did do pretty well on a cloudy New England day in the fall, as you can see in some of my photos. The Dell 16 Premium boasts a quad speaker setup, and it sounds great for a laptop. There’s plenty of volume. To test laptop speakers, I always fire up Spotify and play Steely Dan’s Aja and Daft Punk’s Get Lucky. The speakers did a surprisingly good job with the crisp instrument separation in Aja, and there was enough bass to deliver a fun sound in Get Lucky. These are unusually good laptop speakers. Dell 16 Premium: Webcam, microphone, biometrics Foundry / Chris Hoffman The Dell 16 Premium’s 1080p webcam captures a clear, sharp picture, and it looked better than average, even in challenging and dim lighting conditions. I was impressed with the quality of the image. In keeping with the spirit of minimalism, the Dell 16 Premium doesn’t offer a physical shutter or switch to block the webcam. That’s a shame. The microphone picks up clear audio with good noise cancellation, and I’d be happy to use it in video meetings, although I’ll stick with a studio mic for my podcast appearances. The Dell 16 Premium has both facial recognition hardware and a fingerprint reader. You can sign in with your face or touch your finger to the fingerprint reader built into the power button at the top-right corner of the laptop’s keyboard. Both worked well, giving you multiple ways to sign into your PC with Windows Hello. Dell 16 Premium: Connectivity Foundry / Chris Hoffman The Dell 16 Premium cuts way back on ports compared to the average 16-inch $3,199 laptop with a discrete GPU. It provides three Thunderbolt 4 (USB Type-C) ports — two on the left, and one on the right. It charges via one of these ports, too. Then, you get a combo audio jack and a microSDXC card reader slot on the right. That’s it. Dell has optimized this machine for a svelte, tapered look, as if a premium laptop means one with fewer ports. That may fly when we’re talking about thin-and-light minimalist laptops, but I don’t think this makes sense for a 16-inch laptop that’s over 4.5 pounds with discrete graphics. The audience for this type of laptop will want extra ports — USB Type-A, HDMI, and maybe even Ethernet. You’ll probably want to pair this machine with a dongle or dock. The Dell 16 Premium does have both Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4. It’s nice to see support for the latest wireless standards. Dell 16 Premium: Performance The Dell 16 Premium model we reviewed had an Intel Core Ultra 7 255H CPU (Arrow Lake), Nvidia RTX 5070 graphics, 32GB of LPDDR5X RAM running at 8400 MT/s, and a 1 TB PCIe SSD. With specifications like that, it’s no surprise it ran well. These specs are closer to a gaming laptop than the average productivity machine. The fans stay quiet and there isn’t much heat on the keyboard, even when running demanding tasks. Dell says this laptop has a vapor chamber cooling system, and that’s the kind of high-end touch that does make the hardware feel premium. We ran the Dell 16 Premium through our standard benchmarks to see how it performs. Foundry / Chris Hoffman First, we run PCMark 10 to get an idea of overall system performance. With an overall PCMark score of 8,204, the Dell 16 Premium delivered excellent performance. It’s closer to what you’d expect to see from a gaming laptop, and that’s no surprise given the high-end hardware and cooling system in this machine. Foundry / Chris Hoffman Next, we run Cinebench R20. This is a heavily multithreaded benchmark that focuses on overall CPU performance. It’s a quick benchmark, so cooling under extended workloads isn’t a factor. But, since it’s heavily multithreaded, CPUs with more cores have a huge advantage. With an overall Cinebench R20 score of 9,137, the 16-core Intel Core Ultra 7 255H CPU in the Dell 16 Premium delivered great performance — far exceeding the eight core Intel Lunar Lake CPUs in some other 16-inch laptops. Those slower CPUs are the only Intel CPUs that offer an NPU fast enough for Copilot+ PC AI features. With Intel, you have to compromise one way or another. This machine was neck-and-neck with an AMD-powered system that does deliver an NPU that hits Microsoft’s minimum standards, however. Laptop buyers should seriously consider whether they want to buy $3,199 machines that aren’t compatible with the latest features in Windows. An AMD chip could have delivered the best of both worlds. Foundry / Chris Hoffman We also run an encode with Handbrake. This is another heavily multithreaded benchmark, but it runs over an extended period. This demands the laptop’s cooling kick in, and many laptops will throttle and slow down under load. The Dell 16 Premium completed the encode process in 699 seconds — that’s just over eleven and a half minutes. It’s a great result that shows this machine’s cooling works well. You’d have to go up to an Intel Core Ultra 9 CPU with more cores for noticeably better performance. Foundry / Chris Hoffman Next, we run a graphical benchmark. This isn’t a gaming laptop, but it does have a dedicated Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 GPU. We run 3DMark Time Spy, a graphical benchmark that focuses on GPU performance. With a 3DMark Time Spy score of 11,016, the Dell 16 Premium was a little behind the Alienware 16X Aurora, which coincidentally has the same model of GPU. But the GPU’s name isn’t the only thing that matters. The Alienware 16X Aurora is a gaming laptop that runs the GPU with more power. The Dell 16 Premium runs its RTX 5070 GPU at 65W TGP, while the Alienware 16X Aurora runs its GPU at 115W TGP. So, despite the Nvidia graphics in this PC, you aren’t necessarily getting graphics horsepower on par with a gaming laptop. Overall, the Dell 16 Premium delivered excellent performance. Unless you plan on upgrading to a Core Ultra 9 CPU or switching to a beefier gaming laptop, you’re not going to do noticeably better. Dell 16 Premium: Battery life The Dell 16 Premium has a huge 99.5 Watt-hour battery. That goes right up to the line — the U.S. Transportation Security Administration won’t allow a battery onto an airplane if it’s over 100 Watt hours in size. Foundry / Chris Hoffman To benchmark the battery life, we play a 4K copy of Tears of Steel on repeat on Windows 11 with airplane mode enabled until the laptop suspends itself. We set the screen to 250 nits of brightness for our battery benchmarks. This is a best-case scenario for any laptop since local video playback is so efficient, and real battery life in day-to-day use is always going to be less than this. The Dell 16 Premium lasted 844 minutes on average, which is about 14 hours. That’s reasonable. But, in the real world, that doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll make it through an eight hour workday, especially not if you’re running the demanding software this machine feels like it was built for. The Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro 360, with its slower Intel Lunar Lake processor, lasted over 23 hours in our benchmarks. If you’re eyeing this machine for its sleekness and minimalism, a machine like that Galaxy Book may be more up your alley. Dell 16 Premium: Conclusion The Dell 16 Premium is an excellent, well-built machine with serious care and craftsmanship put into it. It’s also a confused hybrid that feels designed by committee. By trying to marry high-end hardware with a svelte laptop experience, Dell has created a compromised experience. But the biggest problem is the keyboard and trackpad. The lack of tactile feedback and the very low 1.0mm of key travel means this laptop isn’t great to type on for long periods of time. At $3,199, that just feels unacceptable. For what it’s worth, a Dell representative noted this particular configuration has already been on sale for as much as $400 off the retail price. The PC market is all about sales, and prices are hard to pin down. Still, I feel a little bad knocking this laptop. The Dell 16 Premium is built on a vision that doesn’t really make sense. But, after the idea stage, everyone involved knocked it out of the park and did an incredible job of bringing that vision to life. Read...

TL;DR: Access dozens of top AI tools in one platform — 1min.AI bundles content, chat, design, audio, video, PDF, and more under a single lifetime license for just $79.99 with code SAVE20. One of the bigger annoyances of the digital age is the subscription model. Juggling a half-dozen AI tools, each with its own login credentials, pricing tiers, and learning curve, is exhausting. That’s why 1min.AI can be a helpful alternative to the usual chaos. This all-in-one platform brings together top-tier AI features for writing, design, video, audio, and more under a single dashboard. And you can get a lifetime subscription to the Advanced Business Plan for just $79.99 (down from the MSRP of $540) — with no recurring fees, ever. Need blog posts written in your brand voice? Check. Want to generate YouTube thumbnails, edit PDFs with AI, or even clean up audio? Covered. And 1min.AI does it fast — like, one-minute fast. You’ll have access to multiple flagship models like GPT, Claude, Gemini, and Llama, plus unlimited brand voice slots and unlimited prompt storage. If you’re tired of managing a spreadsheet of AI tools (we’ve been there), this is your chance to condense it all. Get lifetime access to the 1min.AI Advanced Business Plan for just $79.99 with code SAVE20 through November 2. 1min.AI Advanced Business Plan Lifetime SubscriptionSee Deal StackSocial prices subject to change. Read...

I don’t know how your tech drawers look, but mine are filled with wires I’ll likely never use again because technology has advanced quite a bit. Thankfully, USB-C seems to be here to stay since there is no wrong way to plug these things in. It’s not just smartphones, tablets, and laptops that use these, however, but also a long list of gadgets. We’ve scoured the market for hidden gems: 13 gadgets that will make you think “Wow, I didn’t know I needed that, but it will make my life so much easier!” Let’s dive in and see what cool devices you’ll be able to use your type-C cables and ports with. Unihand rechargeable hand warmers Unihand As the weather is getting colder, you sometimes wish you could warm up your hands a bit faster. Well, these $18 hand warmers are rechargeable and perfectly ready to keep your fingers toasty for up to 20 hours on a single charge. These gadgets feature a temperature sensor chip that helps you pick one of three temps for precise control. There are plenty of colors to choose from, too. Wowstick 1F+ mini electric screwdriver Wowstick If you often have to fiddle around with your computer or other gadgets, this Wowstick mini electric screwdriver may be just what you need. This pen-shaped screwdriver features three LED lights so it’s easier to see what you’re working on and rotates 200 times per minute so you can finish the job faster. The screwdriver has a stylish base so you can hold it on your desk, and a whole collection of 56 aluminum alloy bits. The screwdriver can be charged via USB-C and it can last for hours. This super fun electric screwdriver usually goes for $41. Anker Nano Power Bank Anker One thing you need to have in you bag/pocket/backpack is a power bank because you never really know when your phone will fail you and cry for a recharge. Well, the Anker Nano power bank is tiny enough to fit just about anywhere. It comes with a foldable USB-C connector and a port on the side so you can charge two devices at once if you need to. The 5,000mAh capacity is just about enough for a full phone recharge, so it will be great in a pinch. It’s also only $30, but we’ve seen it as low as $16. Endoscope camera with light Ennovor Although it’s not something you’ll use every day, this Ennover endoscope camera can definitely come in handy. You just plug it in your phone, install and app, and see everything your camera does. Our team swears by it, using it for finding whatever they dropped behind the desk, while working on the car, or looking for pipe leaks. Since it has an IP67 rating, you can even plop it in your aquarium. The camera comes with a 16.4ft semi-rigid cable and several accessories, including a hook, magnet, and a mirror. You can get this one for $17 right now. Blukar flashlight Blukar I don’t care who you are—you need a flashlight. The smaller, the better, because you get to shove it into any pocket. This model from Blukar comes with a built-in 1800mAh battery that you’ll recharge with one of those many type-C cables you have in that tech drawer we were talking about. It can work for up to 16 hours on a single charge, which is pretty decent. There are four different lightning modes to cycle through, including one that will help you signal for help. Plus, one of these is less than $8, so no excuse to pass on this one. Heat It insect bite healer Anyone plagued by mosquitoes in the summer will be particularly pleased with this ingenious gadget. This tiny device, which can be easily connected to your smartphone via USB-C, can significantly reduce the itching of bites and stings with targeted heat. You simply charge the small Heat It bite healer via the app and then hold it on the bite. The heat then does the rest, breaking down the proteins in the mosquito bite that cause the area to swell, itch, and hurt. A true must-have for summer, and it costs only $20 when on sale. A tiny air pump Also perfect for summer is this small air pump from Cycplus, which fits in any bag while on the go. Not only can it inflate a bicycle tire in two minutes at the touch of a button, but it’s also USB-charged. According to the manufacturer, it’s suitable for mountain bikes, road bikes, motorcycles, and even cars! In addition to being an air pump, this practical gadget can also be used as a flashlight or power bank for on-the-go use — all things that come in very handy on a bike ride. And at just $57 (although we’ve seen it for as low as $35) it’s highly recommended if you need quick help with a flat tire. USB-C mini fan These little fans are also pretty ingenious; you can easily carry them in your pocket in the summer and quickly use them whenever you need them. Anyone who’s ever sat on a crowded subway train in 30-degree heat and wished for at least a little fresh air will love this gadget. The mini fan, which costs just $20, has a USB-C port and can be easily powered by power banks, computers, laptops, or USB chargers. There are even smaller and cheaper fans available that can be connected directly to your phone, costing under $10 each. But these also provide less powerful airflow, so we recommend the standalone version. Reading light with a book clamp Anyone who enjoys reading a lot, sometimes late into the night, will appreciate this little gadget: a reading lamp that you can simply clip onto your book. It may not be groundbreaking, but with a total of three color temperatures and five different light modes, you can individually adjust how much light you need for reading. The Gritin reading lamp costs just $8 on Amazon and features a 1200 mAh battery that lasts up to 80 hours depending on usage. Afterward, you can easily recharge it via USB. You can swivel the neck of the lamp back and forth as desired, and there’s even a small charging indicator. What more could you want? External DVD Drive Amicool If your laptop is like mine and lacks a DVD drive, then this little gadget will come in handy for you. This Amicool external DVD drive uses a USB-C (or USB-A) to connect to your laptop and give yout he optical drive you sometimes need. It can read and burn DVDs and CDs with ease, allowing you to install software, copy files, back up data, play games, and so on. You won’t even need to install drives as this thing is plug and play. While this thing’s usually $29, you can often get it for around $20, which is an absolute bargain. Samsung flash drive Samsung The vast majority of flash drives have a USB-A connector, but this one from Samsung has a Type-C connector. With transfer speeds of up to 400MB/s, you’ll move files around in no time. The beauty of this thumb drive is that you can even pop it in your smartphone to record 4K vids directly on it. The Samsung Type-C flash drive comes in multiple storage options, starting at 64GB and up to 512GB and they start at $14. The 256GB version, for instance, is $27 at the time of writing. Type-C microSD card reader Ugreen Most laptops nowadays don’t come with a card reader anymore (I know mine doesn’t), so finding other ways to get data off those little buggers is a must. Whether you need to pull data off your dashcam’s card or if it’s from your camera, this tiny Ugreen USB-C microSD reader will work just fine. This reader is tiny enough that you should probably put it on a keychain of some kind. If you’d rather a slightly more versatile version, Ugreen has a model that also works with SD cards and features both USB-C and USB-A connectors. Any of these will cost you less than $10, so they’re worthwhile investments. USB-C to HDMI adapter Anker If your laptop has a USB-C port but you haven’t updated your monitor in ages, your display won’t feature a Type-C port. This Anker adapter fixes this problem for you, enabling you to connect the regular HDMI cable you plug in your monitor with this gadget. The adapter supports resolutions of up to 4K at 60Hz, which is pretty awesome. This is also a nifty way to connect your phone or tablet to your monitor or TV. This thing’s $20, but we’ve seen it as low as $12. Editor’s note: This article was originally published on May 16, but was updated to include additional devices. Read...

At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros Pans 360 degrees and tilts 180 degrees Smooth, accurate motion tracking Clear 2K video, with a spotlight for color night vision Cons Must stay plugged in—there’s no battery option Many smart features require a paid subscription No local video storage (it’s not compatible with Arlo’s SmartHubs) Our Verdict The Arlo Essential Pan Tilt Security Camera offers wide, intelligent coverage and strong everyday performance at a budget price, making it a great fit for users who don’t need a fully wireless setup. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Best Prices Today: Arlo Essential Pan Tilt Security Camera (model VMC3083-100NAS) Retailer Price $39.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Best Prices Today: Check today’s prices Arlo’s Essential line has always been about giving users the features that matter most without charging premium-camera prices. The new Essential Pan Tilt Security Camera adds movement to the mix. It can spin a full 360 degrees and tilt 180, giving you wall-to-wall visibility in a single device. Like the rest of Arlo’s new generation, it runs on Arlo Intelligence and ties into the Arlo Secure app for AI-powered alerts, privacy controls, and quick access to live video. Available with HD ($49.99) or (2K) resolutions ($59.99 and reviewed here), the camera targets budget-conscious buyers who still want broad coverage and real-time control. Design and features The Essential Pan Tilt Security Camera is compact, light, and cleanly styled. It plugs into power rather than running on a battery, which keeps the body small enough to be discreet when mounted to a wall, fence, or eaves (it can be installed indoors or out). Michael Ansaldo/Foundry The camera is mounted to a pan/tilt motor that can cover entire yard from one position. Once it detects motion, it automatically tracks the moving person or object. You get two-way audio with noise cancellation for back-and-forth talk, night vision for after-dark monitoring, and a built-in siren you can trigger manually or automatically. When you want privacy, a quick tap in the app disables both video and audio recording. The Arlo Pan Tilt security cam delivers smooth, nearly silent movement and quick response to motion. The camera has a dual-band Wi-Fi adapter that automatically locks onto the stronger of your 2.4- or 5GHz network signals for smoother streaming. Because it’s continuously powered through the included 16-foot cable and adapter, you need never worry about downtime for charging a battery. The camera works with Arlo Secure and Arlo Intelligence to deliver AI-powered alerts for people, vehicles, animals, and packages, animated preview notifications, and event captions that make alerts easier to interpret. On the downside, you won’t get any of that if you don’t sign up for a subscription. Arlo’s Plus plan runs $7.99 a month when billed annually for a single camera, or $17.99 for unlimited cameras; month-to-month pricing bumps that to $9.99 and $19.99. The Premium tier, about $24.99 a month when billed annually, adds 24/7 professional monitoring and emergency response; plus, cellular and battery backup when used with compatible Arlo hardware. This plan would really be of interest only if you also have a complete Arlo home security system. Arlo includes a 30-day free trial of Arlo Secure with the purchase of the camera. Setup and performance To set up the camera, just plug it in, add the device in the Arlo Secure app, and follow the on-screen prompts. The app handles Wi-Fi onboarding, firmware updates, and even evaluates your wireless signal strength automatically. The last step will be important when determining where to mount the camera. The necessary hardware is provided and the app includes a helpful installation guide. The Essential Pan Tilt Security Camera comes with hardware to mount it to a wall, fence or eave, but it needs access to a power outlet (it comes with a 16-foot power cable).Michael Ansaldo/Foundry Once it’s up and running, the Pan Tilt delivers smooth, nearly silent movement and quick response to motion. When someone moves through its field view, the camera tracks them smoothly, without stuttering or swinging past the action. In manual mode, the camera responds almost instantly to swipe commands in the Arlo app, with little lag between your input and its movement. I found the custom positions feature especially useful for high-traffic areas like the driveway and back gate. You just steer the camera using the on-screen joystick, then save that angle as a waypoint. From there, jumping between views takes a single tap—much faster than panning manually each time. The 2K stream is crisp, colors look natural, and detail holds up even when zoomed in. With the spotlight enabled, color night vision motion-activates in low light to capture details like the color of car paint or clothing. The camera defaults to black-and-white IR night vision in complete darkness. Dual-band Wi-Fi also helps here, keeping the video feed stable even when the network is busy. The Arlo Secure app provides intuitive controls for arming the camera and managing its security features. Michael Ansaldo/Foundry The AI reliably distinguishes between people, pets, and passing cars. In my testing, alerts came through within seconds of motion, and the system did a good job filtering out harmless movement like wind fluttering the pop-up canopy in my yard. Each alert includes an AI-generated event caption that spells out what the camera saw, such as “Person detected at home.” These make scanning alerts much faster, even if the captions themselves are fairly plain. The camera does not have any facial recognition features, however, so you won’t be alerted beyond the generic “person detected.” Recorded events are easy to review in the Feed tab, which lays everything out in a clean, scrollable timeline. You can tap a clip to watch, scrub through motion events, or view animated previews if you’re on a Secure plan. Arlo keeps its security controls refreshingly straightforward. You can choose Arm Away, Arm Home, or Standby depending on how much coverage you want, or use automations to schedule these automatically—arming when you leave, and disarming at bedtime, for example. Once you’ve dialed in your routine, the camera quietly does its job without constant tinkering. Should you buy the Arlo Essential Pan Tilt Security Camera? At $59.99 for the 2K model, the Arlo Essential Pan Tilt Security Camera is a good value. Few budget cameras can provide broad coverage, track movement automatically, and plug into a mature ecosystem like Arlo Secure. It’s a solid pick for anyone who wants reliable, around-the-clock protection without paying Pro-series prices. There are obviously tradeoffs, however. The plug-in design limits where you can mount it, there’s no facial recognition features, and most of its smarter detection and emergency-response features sit behind pricey subscription tiers. Even so, for homeowners or renters who just want a simple, capable camera to watch over a porch, garage, or side yard, this one fits the bill. This review is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best home security cameras. Read...

These days, home security cameras have gotten increasingly affordable, making it easy to keep an eye on your home right from your phone no matter where you are. If you want to get in on the action without spending much at all, here’s a fantastic deal for you: the Tapo TP-Link C100 indoor security cam is a perfect entry-level option, and it’s even cheaper now with this 36% discount. Normally retailing for $24.99, you can now grab it for an astonishing $15.99. Designed for indoor home use, the C100 is such a versatile pick because it’s not only great for keeping an eye on your home while you’re out and about, but it can also be used to check in on a particular room even while you’re at home. Want to use it as a baby monitor? A pet monitor? A view into your garage or your foyer? Your imagination is the limit here. The C100’s camera is equipped with night vision capabilities and delivers high-definition 1080p video, which is impressive at this price. But it gets even better with features like motion detection notifications, letting you know when there’s activity (like someone sneaking a midnight snack), as well as two-way audio so you can chat with whoever’s in the room when you check in on your phone. The Tapo C100 supports up to a 512GB microSD card, meaning you can store lots of footage and keep it private. No need to worry about cloud security and whether a hacker could access your videos. You simply won’t find another indoor security camera with specs like this, at a price like this, from a brand like this. If you don’t have a home security cam yet, you should take advantage of this opportunity and get the Tapo TP-Link C100 for $15.99 while this deal’s still around! A 1080p cam with night vision and motion alerts for this cheap? Wow!Buy the Tapo TP-Link C100 on Amazon Read...

Chrome is the most popular browser in the world by a country mile. With more than 77% of the browser market across all kinds of devices, it’s most people’s first choice—especially after a fresh Windows install. But Chrome isn’t some privacy-centric upstart that puts the user first. Just like Google’s “free” search engine, Chrome’s users are the product. The browser collects a lot of information about how, when, and where it’s used, and that can make some people uneasy.If you’re in the nothing-to-hide, nothing-to-fear camp, feel free to mosey along and enjoy your browsing experience with Chrome (resource hog or not). But if you’d rather limit how much data Chrome, and by extension, Google, has on you, there are steps you can take.We don’t know everything Chrome gathers; Google keeps those details deliberately vague. But thanks to court filings, independent studies, and forensic testing from privacy researchers, we do have a clear picture of some of the data Chrome collects behind the scenes. Here’s what the evidence shows, and what you can do about it. Telemetry data: How you use the browser Disabling telemetry data in Chrome can help restore some privacy. Jon Martindale Just about every app collects data on how you use the app in question. It’s one of the best tools the developers have for figuring out what works and what doesn’t, and how they can improve the user experience based on the very real habits of its users. Chrome does much the same, but it’s certainly not something you have to be onboard with if you don’t want to. Chrome actually has a built-in tool for disabling at least a portion of its telemetry recording. In the Chrome browser, select the three-dot menu icon in the top-right, then Settings > You and Google and look for Help improve Chrome’s features and performance. Toggle it off. To further restrict how Google tracks you across sites and services, you can logout of the browser and change Chrome’s sign-in habits. Navigate to Settings > You and Google and consider some of the available options. Select the Sign out of Chrome button to log out. You can also use the drop-down menu on the right to decide what happens when you sign in to other Google services. You don’t have to sign in to Chrome just to take advantage of your YouTube Premium account. Your browsing history: The websites you visit Reduce unwanted tracking by changing Chrome’s settings on web searches.Jon Martindale Unsurprisingly, Google’s Chrome web browser knows the websites you visit while using it. It’s been caught out collecting even in incognito mode in the past and had to settle a lawsuit just a few years ago, deleting enormous reams of data on user browser activity that it collected, even when it wasn’t supposed to. Although we probably can’t trust Google to entirely disregard what you’re looking at in Chrome, you can at least tell it not to track some of it. Using incognito mode is a good start, but you can also adjust Chrome’s settings to reduce the chance it’s tracking which websites you visit. Navigate to Settings > You and Google and next to Make searches and browsing better make sure to toggle that option to Off. For good measure, also turn off Enhanced spell check, as that sends what you’re typing to Google. It’ll stop the spellchecker working, but it’s a small price to pay for enhancing your privacy (at least a little). You might also want to navigate to Settings > You and Google > Sync and Google services, and toggle off Improve search suggestions so that you only send your searches to whatever search engine you’re using, not also to your default one (which is probably Google). If you don’t mind reducing your security a little, you can also navigate to Settings > Privacy and security > Security and make sure that under Safe browser, you select No protection. Any other option sends at least a portion of the URL you’re visiting and the page content to Google to check if it’s safe or not. Also toggle off Help improve security on the web for everyone for similar reasons. Alternatively, if you want to improve your protection, the AI enhanced safe browsing feature is interesting. Your purchasing habits and advert effectiveness Reducing the amount of personalized ads through Chrome can help reduce another layer of data collection. Jon Martindale Google makes the majority of its money from advert sales, which is why it wants to collect so much data on its users in the first place: to better target ads at them. Although you can’t stop Google sharing some information with advertisers, you can reduce the amount the adverts that do reach you that are personalized. Select the three-dot menu icon and navigate to Settings > Privacy and security. Select Ads privacy followed by each of the tree options in turn: Ad topics, Site-suggested ads, and Ads measurement. Toggle all of them to off to restrict the data Chrome shares with advertisers. Alternatively, you can sack off all the adverts altogether by using an adblocker. Popular options include Ublock Origin and Ghostery and they’re simple to install – they’re some of my favorite Chrome extensions, in fact. You may need to chop and change which one you use on occasion, though, as Google and Chrome updates regularly break certain functions of one blocker or another. It’s an ongoing cat and mouse game. Extra tips worth considering Alongside advertisers, Chrome also helps others collect data on you and your browsing habits too. Using anti-tracker and advert blocking extensions and apps is the best way to block them out, but you can also use Chrome to make it more difficult for them as well. Navigate to Settings > Privacy and security > Third Party Cookies. Toggle on the Block third-party cookies off to cut down on what other sites and services can track about you, though certain site features may not work correctly. Navigate to Settings > Privacy and security > Third Party Cookies and toggle Send a ‘Do not Track’ request with your browsing traffic, to On. There’s no guarantee a site will listen to it, but if they do, it’s there at least. Settings > Privacy and security > Delete browsing data. You can do this manually to remove any browsing data Chrome has collected on you, but you can also have it do it automatically after you close the browser, or on a trigger of your setting. It won’t stop Chrome collecting any data, but it will make sure there’s no record of it on your local machine. Using another browser The ultimate way to stop Google collecting so much data about you via Chrome, is to simply not use Chrome. I know that’s a tricky proposition when it’s so often the default browser option and much of the internet is built with Chrome in mind. However, that’s not as strictly true as it might seem and you don’t even need to ditch the style of browser you’ve grown used to in moving over. Chrome is based on the Chromium open source project but it’s not the only one. It’s the underlying core of Opera, Microsoft’s Edge, Vivaldi, and the Brave Browser. Any of them will feel quite similar to Chrome, even if they don’t work in quite the same way. There’s also the venerable Firefox, which privacy proponents tend to be quite fond of. There’s also Colibri for a very minimalist browser experience, or Maxthon, which makes bold claims about its lack of user tracking. Give one of them a try. You might find you like it. Read...

At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros Crystal-clear motion clarity Attractive and functional design Excellent image quality Solid HDR performance Broad Adaptive Sync support Cons Only 1440p resolution No USB-C Our Verdict The Asus ROG Strix XG27AQDPG serves up a 500Hz OLED panel with great image quality, solid HDR, and gobs of features. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Best Prices Today: Asus ROG Strix XG27AQDPG Retailer Price Check Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Best Prices Today: Check today’s prices The Asus ROG Strix XG27AQDPG is one of two new 500Hz QD-OLED monitors that were launched in close succession (the other being Samsung’s Odyssey OLED G6 G60SF). An OLED monitor capable of 500Hz was a dream a decade ago, but now it’s a reality, and the results are spectacular. Read on to learn more, then see our roundup of the best gaming monitors for comparison. Asus ROG Strix XG27AQDPG specs and features The headliner here is obviously the refresh rate, which can hit a maximum of 500Hz. That’s an incredibly high refresh rate for any monitor, and a new height for OLED—though a few other companies, like Samsung, also offer a 500Hz OLED display. Display size: 26.5-inch 16:9 aspect ratio Native resolution: 2560×1440 Panel type: Samsung QD-OLED Refresh rate: 500Hz Adaptive sync: Yes, Adaptive Sync / AMD FreeSync Premium Pro / Nvidia G-Sync Compatible HDR: VESA DisplayHDR 500 True Black Ports: DisplayPort 1.4, HDMI 2.1, 3.5mm audio jack, 1x USB-B 3.2 Gen 1 upstream, 2x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 downstream Audio: None Additional features: Tripod mount, Aura Sync lighting, Neo Proximity Sensor Price: $899.99 MSRP Refresh rate aside, the ROG Strix XG27AQDPG is tightly focused on gaming. It has a wide range of adaptive sync support and is VESA DisplayHDR 500 True Black certified. The monitor has an MSRP of $899.99 and is selling at MSRP as of early October 2025. That makes it a hair more expensive than Samsung’s competitor, the Odyssey OLED G6, which is $850. Asus ROG Strix XG27AQDPG design The ASUS ROG Strix XG27AQDPG looks identical to the more recent ROG Strix XG27AQDMG. It has a stealthy yet aggressive matte-black look with slim bezels around the panel and a small, red LED Asus ROG logo on the chin. Turn it around and you’ll also find an RGB-LED Asus ROG logo. It’s not as bright as the RGB-LED lighting on the back of the Samsung Odyssey OLED G6 G60SF (and some other competitors). On the other hand, the lighting can be controlled and coordinate with other Asus devices using Asus’ Aura Sync, which is a solid software utility for managing RGB-LED customization. Matthew Smith / Foundry A compact square stand keeps the Asus ROG Strix XG27AQDPG planted on a desktop. Asus used to insist on huge, tripod-style stands, but has recently changed course. As a result, the monitor doesn’t take up much desk space. The stand also provides ergonomic adjustment for height, tilt, and swivel. It can also pivot 90 degrees into portrait orientation. One unique feature found on the stand is a 1/4-inch tripod mount. It’s included for mounting camera gear, such as a camera or light above the monitor. Though targeted at live streams, it could also be useful for anyone who regularly joins video calls. This is a feature you won’t find on competitive monitors. Asus ROG Strix XG27AQDPG connectivity There’s something else you won’t find on the Asus ROG Strix XG27AQDPG: USB-C. It’s sadly absent, which means the monitor won’t easily connect to some modern laptops that only offer USB-C ports for video-out. USB-A connectivity is limited, as well. There are just two USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 downstream ports, which are driven by a USB-B upstream port. That’s enough to connect a wired keyboard and mouse, but not much else. A 3.5mm audio jack, used for audio pass-through, rounds out the connectivity options. Video connectivity is provided by two HDMI 2.1 ports and one DisplayPort 1.4 port, all of which can drive the monitor’s 2,560 x 1,440 resolution at its maximum refresh rate of 500Hz. The Asus ROG Strix XG27AQDPG’s connectivity is limited for a $900 monitor, but it’s not unusual in the gaming space. Samsung’s Odyssey G6 G60SF has a similar array of ports. Alienware monitors are also sticking to minimalist connectivity in 2025. Shoppers who want USB-C with Power Delivery should consider monitors like the MSI MPG 272URX. Asus ROG Strix XG27AQDPG menus and audio Asus provides a long list of image quality customization with the Asus ROG Strix XG27AQDPG. It includes color temperature and gamma settings that target specific values, a long list of image quality presets, and six-axis color calibration, among other features. The monitor also tosses in features that target gamers. It has an “AI crosshair” that changes color dynamically to enhance visibility. There are also two “aspect ratio control” modes. One restricts the viewable area to a 4:3 display, which may be useful for playing older games; the other restricts the viewable area to a 24.5-inch 16:9 aspect ratio, which is popular among competitive gamers. The menus are easy to navigate with a joystick centered on the monitor’s chin. Asus’ menus are responsive and menu options are well-labeled. Competitors like Alienware and Samsung are on a similar level, but Asus’ menu is a step up from brands like Gigabyte and AOC. Matthew Smith / Foundry You can also control the monitor through a software utility called DisplayWidget. It can be used to control most monitor features and can also be used to update the monitor’s firmware. DisplayWidget is available for Windows 10, Windows 11, and MacOS. The XG27AQDPG includes a Neo Proximity sensor that is meant to reduce the burn-in problems that can occur on OLED screens. When on, it will detect whether you’re near the display and turn the monitor’s screen off if you’re not (after a user-selected timeout period of 5 to 15 minutes). I can’t say whether this is truly effective at combating burn-in, as I only used the monitor for a couple weeks, which isn’t enough time to cause burn-in. Still, it makes sense in theory. Speakers are nowhere to be found. That’s typical for a gaming monitor, as most brands assume gamers will want to use a headset or desktop speakers for a better audio experience. Gamers who want great built-in audio should consider the LG Ultragear 32GS95UE, which has powerful “pixel sound” audio. It’s a more expensive 32-inch OLED monitor, though, and not a direct competitor to the Asus ROG Strix XG27AQDPG. Asus ROG Strix XG27AQDPG SDR image quality The Asus ROG Strix XG27AQDPG is yet another QD-OLED display, albeit one that can reach a refresh rate of 500Hz. The increased refresh rate does little to dampen the panel’s excellent SDR image quality. Matthew Smith / Foundry First up is brightness, and here the Asus ROG Strix XG27AQDPG pulls ahead of the pack. Most OLED monitors land around 240 to 270 nits, but the XG27AQDPG manages to sneak above 300 nits. I don’t think the gain is enough to be plainly obvious, but it does help the monitor provide usable brightness in a more brightly lit room. Every bit of brightness helps if you’re trying to use the monitor near sunlit windows. While the added brightness is excellent, the XG27AQDPG uses a glossy finish, and glare can still be an issue even at maximum brightness. Samsung’s Odyssey G6 G60SF has a “glare-free” finish if you’d like to go that route. Matthew Smith / Foundry Next up is contrast where, as usual, there’s not much to say. OLED panels all provide an effectively infinite contrast ratio because they achieve a perfect minimum luminance of zero nits. As a result, OLED panels deliver an outstanding sense of immersion in high-contrast scenes and can also render very dark scenes with convincing and realistic black levels. The XG27AQDPG’s contrast ratio is a major advantage over LCD displays, but it’s not an advantage over other OLED panels. Matthew Smith / Foundry The XG27AQDPG has a very wide color gamut that spans 100 percent of sRGB, 98 percent of DCI-P3, and 94 percent of AdobeRGB. This is an excellent result that ranks among the widest color gamuts available from a monitor. However, this is another area where the XG27AQDPG doesn’t stand out from most competitors, as most also provide a wide color gamut. Still, the XG27AQDPG does have a small edge against monitors like the LG Ultragear 27XG790A-B, which has an LG WOLED panel. Matthew Smith / Foundry Color accuracy is a strength for the Asus ROG Strix XG27AQDPG. It has the second-lowest color error of the monitors used for comparison and scores well by any standard. The image looks realistic and errors in color accuracy are difficult to notice even in close comparison with other monitors. That’s good news if you want to use the monitor for photo editing, videography, digital art, or other tasks where color accuracy is important. The monitor’s gamma and color temperature results were a mix. On the plus side, the monitor scored a default gamma result of 2.2, and every gamma setting available is highly accurate. The XG27AQDPG has an edge here, as many OLED monitors have a gamma curve that skews too dark. However, the XG27AQDPG was also warmer than it should be with a color temperature of 6100K, off the target of 6500K. That means the image can have a slightly reddish tinge. Sharpness is a weak point. The 2560×1440 panel has a pixel density of about 110 pixels per inch. That’s not bad, but it’s a lot lower than a 4K panel, which packs 163 pixels per inch. The image on the XG27AQDPG is softer than a 4K competitor. Personally, I find this less noticeable in games, but it stands out when viewing 4K video content and using the Windows desktop. The Asus ROG Strix XG27AQDPG’s overall SDR image quality is excellent, though I’m not sure it’s a reason to buy it over another QD-OLED monitor. The differences are often subtle and hard to notice in the real world. Still, the XG27AQDPG posts above-average results overall. It scores very well in color accuracy and brightness. The Asus ROG Strix XG27AQDPG is a good choice for photo editing, videography, digital art, or other tasks where color accuracy is important. Asus ROG Strix XG27AQDPG HDR image quality The Asus ROG Strix XG27AQDPG is VESA DisplayHDR 500 True Black certified. Virtually all OLED monitors have VESA DisplayHDR certification, but most have the less demanding DisplayHDR 400 True Black certification. The XG27AQDPG’s higher level of certification suggests it should be brighter than most competitors, and that turns out to be true. Matthew Smith / Foundry I measured a maximum peak brightness of 953 nits when a small portion of the display was lit. As the graph shows, that’s a great result, though a few competitors offer comparable performance. The XG27AQDPG also did well when half the display, or the entire display, was asked to display a sheer white HDR image. That’s not to say it’s perfect. OLED struggles most when asked to produce bright scenes that stretch across the entire display, and the XG27AQDPG is not an exception. Still, the XG27AQDPG performs well overall. Subjectively, it makes for a great HDR experience. Bright highlights, like a flash of lightning, pop with brilliance. And scenes that have a bright gradient, such as a sunrise or sunset, show good detail in HDR highlights. We’re not at premium HDTV levels yet, but it’s good for a monitor, and also good enough to make HDR content worth viewing. The XG27AQDPG also provides several HDR brightness modes. Some prioritize accuracy, while others prioritize brightness. I tested the monitor in the ConsoleHDR mode with dynamic brightness on. The monitor also has an HDR brightness adjustment. This is not typical, as HDR content is typically given control of brightness. This manual adjustment can override HDR content brightness to let you tone it down. That’s useful, as HDR content can sometimes feel overly bright on a monitor. Asus ROG Strix XG27AQDPG motion performance The Asus ROG Strix XG27AQDPG has me seriously contemplating whether motion clarity is now more-or-less a solved problem. Pairing a 500Hz refresh rate with OLED’s lightning-fast pixel response times makes for a truly outstanding experience. Scrolling test images from DOTA 2, for example, show that virtually all details of the game are preserved in motion. I could easily make out the names above characters and even the individual ticks in HP bars. Scrolling text is equally crisp. That’s not just handy in games, but also in Word documents and PDFs, where text remains readable as you scroll through a document. Let me be clear: 500Hz on OLED is a big deal. Seeing it for the first time is at least as impressive as seeing the first 120Hz LCD displays after years of 60Hz panels. It’s a night-and-day difference that’s readily apparent not only when compared to a 60Hz panel, but also when compared to a 240Hz or 360Hz panel. It’s not obviously better than last year’s 480Hz OLED displays, but those were already close to perfection, and I’m sure the extra 20Hz doesn’t hurt. While the XG27AQDPG’s motion clarity is gob-smacking, it’s important to remember that competitive monitors with the same 500Hz QD-OLED panel, like the Samsung Odyssey OLED G6 G60SF, will offer identical motion clarity. But Asus does have a trick up its sleeve: Extreme Low Motion Blur (ELMB). This is a backlight mode that effectively inserts blank, black frames between existing frames. Due to the quirks of human persistence of vision, this reduces apparent motion blur. ELMB is only available at a refresh rate of 120Hz or 240Hz, which might seem odd, but it’s still handy. Many games can’t actually achieve a frame rate of 500 FPS, in which case the XG27AQDPG won’t look any different from an OLED monitor with a maximum refresh rate of 240Hz. ELMB provides a way to boost clarity even at more modest frame rates. The catch is brightness. Adding a blank, black frame every other frame halves the brightness shown. That will be a problem in bright rooms, but it’s not an issue in dim settings. I found that with ELMB on, the XG27AQDPG was just barely bright enough to comfortably view in my office, which has two large windows that face away from the sun. Most competitors don’t have a feature like ELMB, and those that do often don’t work quite as well. This gives Asus a motion clarity edge when playing games at 120Hz or 240Hz. Should you buy the Asus ROG Strix XG27AQDPG? The Asus ROG Strix XG27AQDPG is a titan of motion clarity. It looks crystal clear at 500Hz and also has ELMB, which enhances motion clarity at 120Hz and 240Hz. That alone would be noteworthy. But what really makes the XG27AQDPG worth your money is the lack of compromise. The only significant issue is the monitor’s 2560×1440 resolution, which definitely isn’t as crisp as 4K. But 1440p still isn’t bad, and in some cases can be preferred for high-refresh gaming, as it’s less demanding on a video card than 4K. Toss in great color accuracy, bright HDR, and functional design, and the XG27AQDPG has everything covered. Compared to Samsung’s Odyssey G6 G60SF, I think Asus and Samsung are close to tied. Asus provides some extra features like ELMB, but the Samsung is $50 less expensive. Samsung also uses a matte display finish, while Asus opts for glossy. Don’t get me wrong: a 4K QD-OLED with a refresh rate of 240Hz is still the better choice for most people. But if you’re more concerned about clarity in motion than at a standstill, well, the XG27AQDPG will make you very happy. Read...

Antivirus programs are comprehensive packages that not only detect and block virus types, but often also include functions to protect against phishing and ransomware as well as other features such as a VPN or a password manager. To do this, they require a lot of RAM, which other applications then lack. The most time-consuming part is of course the monitoring of ongoing file actions. When starting and installing programs, the antivirus software monitors all executable files as well as the documents that are subsequently loaded. This ties up both memory and CPU resources. On current PCs with modern multi-core processors and 32GB RAM, this hardly plays a role. With older models, however, it is often clearly noticeable that the virus protection slows down the computer. In this article, you will find a number of tips that you can use to speed up your antivirus software or reduce its impact on the performance of your computer — especially Microsoft Defender. Microsoft Defender has a special status Last year, in a test of antivirus software, we specifically scrutinized its effects on the speed of file actions such as copying and compressing as well as actions on the internet. The assumption at the time was that Microsoft Defender would hardly have any influence on these tasks, as it accesses files that are loaded by the operating system anyway. But the opposite was the case. The Defender even proved to be particularly resource-hungry and ended up in penultimate place in the list of 15 test candidates. We have therefore compiled several tips specifically for Defender in this article. On older, somewhat slower computers, we recommend switching to the resource-saving, free programmes from Avast or AVG or to the test winner Eset Internet Security, which has since been renamed Eset Home Security Essential. Improve the hardware base: Upgrade to an SSD An antivirus program, like any program and Windows itself, benefits from powerful hardware. The speed of virus scans can be significantly increased by moving your system drive from a hard drive to an SSD. Models with a PCIe interface and NVMe protocol are preferable. However, SATA SSDs also have clear advantages over hard drives in terms of speed. Further reading: Best SSDs: From SATA to PCIe 5.0, from budget to premium Another recommended measure is to expand the RAM. a PC today should have at least 16GB of RAM. If you want to be on the safe side, increase to 32GB. In this way, the antivirus engine can be kept completely in the fast RAM and Windows does not have to reload any modules. Quick scan instead of a full scan The recommended scan method for everyday use is the quick scan. You should only run a full scan after reinstalling the antivirus software.PCWorld All antivirus software regularly scans the PC for malware; these scans run invisibly in the background. These are usually quick scans that only include folders that are the preferred targets of malware, such as the Windows folders required for system startup or the registry folders. Removable storage devices such as USB drives are also scanned during a quick scan, as are the active processes, the RAM, and the files in the user profiles. In addition, every antivirus program also offers a full scan. It scans all files in all folders on the hard drive. This process can take several hours. If new virus definitions are loaded during this time, the scan even has to start again from the beginning. You normally have to start a full scan manually. However, you should only use this scan method if you have reinstalled an antivirus programme. Otherwise, a quick scan in conjunction with the real-time scan of the antivirus programmes offers sufficient protection against malware. Microsoft Defender: Quick scan weekly Just like other antivirus programs, Defender also performs regular quick scans (see the box “No daily quick scan with Defender”). You can also set the program to start a scan every week on a specific day and at a specified time. This allows you to select a time for the quick scans when your PC is normally idle. To specify the execution of the Defender’s quick scans, you need the task scheduler, where the Defender already has an entry that you need to adjust.Foundry To do this, proceed as follows: Type tasks into the search window of the taskbar and click on the hit “Task Scheduler.” Click on the small arrow in front of “Task Scheduler Library” and then on “Microsoft > Windows.” Scroll down the folder list and select “Windows Defender.” In the top window of the middle column of the task scheduler, move the tab under “Name” to the right so that the full names are visible and double-click on “Windows Defender Scheduled Scan.” In the “Windows Defender Scheduled Scan Properties” window, open the “Triggers” tab and click on “New.” In the next window, select “Weekly,” set the desired day of the week and time to run the quick scan and close the window by clicking “OK.” Use the “Trigger” tab to set the day and time for the Defender scans in the task scheduler.Foundry Switch to the “Actions” tab, click on “New” and first make sure that the “Start program” option is set next to “Action.” Click on “Browse” under “Program/Script” and select the file “C:\Program Files\Windows Defender\MpCmdRun.exe.” Enter -scan -scantype 1 in the “Add arguments” field. This will ensure that the Defender performs a quick scan. Then close all task scheduling windows with “OK.” With other antivirus programs, you can normally set directly in the software that they should only perform a scan on a certain day of the week. In the “Actions” tab, tell the task scheduler which program it should start with which parameters.Foundry No daily quick scan with Defender By default, Defender does not perform daily virus scans for performance reasons, but only starts these scans when necessary, at the latest after one week. However, a number of prerequisites must be met for this: The previous quick scan took place after the last Security Intelligence update was installed. These updates contain, among other things, updated virus definitions. Defender downloads them from the cloud at regular intervals. Real-time protection has not been deactivated since the last quick scan. The computer has been restarted. Reduce the scan volume: Exclude file types Another way to speed up an antivirus program is to reduce the number of files it scans. You can achieve this in two ways: Either you exclude certain file types from the scan or you clean up your computer thoroughly and delete large files in particular. In most cases, malware attacks executable files such as EXE, COM, JAR, PIF, SCR, or BAT files, but also office documents with macros in DOC, DOCX, XLS, XLSX, PPT, PPTX, DOT and XLT formats, PDF files, archive files with the extensions ZIP, RAR, 7Z, TAR, ARJ, CAB, LHA, and LZH, script and control files (VBS, JS, CMD) as well as installation packages in the formats MSI (Windows), APK (Android), and DMG (Mac OS). There are also system files (SYS and OCX) and some other formats such as RTF, XML, and SWF. These file types should therefore always be included in the antivirus program’s scans. Other files, such as the large collection of graphics and sound files, can be ignored without running any great risk. However, this may significantly shorten the scan times of the software. Every antivirus package offers the option of excluding certain file types. Often some are already excluded. In Defender, click on “Virus and threat protection,” go to “Manage settings” under “Virus and threat protection settings,” scroll down and click on “Add or remove exclusions.” Click on “Add exclusion,” select “File type,” enter the file extension, e.g. BMP, and click on “Add.” You can also exclude individual files or entire folders from the scans. In Defender, this is done via the same menu that you use to define the file types for a scan. Installing applications on Dev-Drive Since version 11 23H2, Windows offers the option of setting up developer drives, or dev drives for short. These drives are formatted with the ReFS file system, which offers high access speed, especially for large volumes of data. The Defender also works on dev drives with an asynchronous virus scan. Instead of checking a file for viruses before it is opened, as in normal operation, the scan in this mode only takes place after the file has been loaded, which speeds up the start and execution of applications. However, this speed advantage comes at the expense of security. It is best to create a virtual hard drive for your dev drive. It consists of a single, large file that behaves like a separate partition. Foundry Dev drives must first be formatted. Please note that these drives must be at least 50GB in size. As the ReFS file system is not bootable, you cannot use a dev drive as a system drive. To create a dev drive, open the “Settings” in the Start menu and click on “System > Storage > Advanced storage settings > Disks and volumes > Create dev drive.” In most cases, the easiest way is to create a virtual hard disk (VHD), which then holds the dev drive. Therefore, click on “Create new VHD.” In the following window, give the hard disk a name, specify a storage location (this can be a folder or subfolder) and define the size. A dev drive must contain at least 50GB. You can leave all other settings as they are. Then click on “Create.” Windows offers the option of creating special partitions with higher performance but a lower security level. These dev drives can then accommodate any applications.Foundry Now check whether the dev drive protection is already active. Click on the “Windows Security” icon in the bottom right-hand corner of the taskbar, select “Virus and threat protection,” scroll to “Virus and threat protection settings,” and click on “Manage settings.” In the following window, the switch for “Dev Drive Protection” should be set to “On.” After clicking on “Show volumes,” your newly created dev drive should appear in the overview. This drive will also appear in Explorer with its own drive letter. Microsoft has designed the dev drives for software developers who can save and test their projects on them without Defender protection constantly interfering. However, you can also use these drives for other applications that require high performance. Read...

Eleanor the Great features that 96-year-old force of nature, June Squibb, but all the heavy lifting is being done by Scarlett Johansson in her directorial debut. Read...

TNT’s long run as an NBA broadcaster has ended, ushering in a new era of media rights that will reshape how fans watch the league. Starting with the 2025–26 season, the NBA’s national package is split among three partners: Disney (ABC/ESPN), NBC/Peacock, and Amazon Prime Video. That means cord-cutters still have plenty of options to watch marquee games, but keeping track of which platform carries which contest will take more effort than in the past. NBC/Peacock will present up to 100 regular-season games, highlighted by Tuesday night regional doubleheaders and a new Sunday-night showcase launching in January. Every game NBC airs will also stream live on Peacock, which will add its own exclusive Monday night games to the schedule. Amazon Prime Video has carved out a complementary package that includes 66 regular-season games, every Play-In Tournament matchup, select first- and second-round playoff games, and in certain years a share of the Conference Finals. Prime Video also holds exclusive rights to the Emirates NBA Cup knockout rounds, adding extra weight to its midseason coverage. Regional sports networks (RSNs) remain the toughest piece of the puzzle. These local channels still carry the majority of NBA games, yet many—such as Fox Sports, NBC Sports RSNs, YES Network, and Marquee Sports Network—are absent from the most popular streaming services due to unresolved carriage disputes. RSNs are even more important now with the Emirates NBA Cup, the league’s midseason tournament. Group play begins October 31 and the knockout rounds wrap up on December 16, with most games still shown on each team’s local network alongside selected national broadcasts. Whether you want to chase the Cup or simply follow your home team, the best approach is to find a service that carries your RSN and pair it with one of the national platforms. A handful of teams still have over-the-air arrangements, but those are increasingly rare. Here’s a guide to all your 2025–26 options when the season tips off on October 21. Over the air The Televes Bexia is a high-performance indoor TV antenna suited for homes in areas with strong- to medium-powered broadcast TV signals. In our tests, it was comparable to the best indoor antennas we’ve tested, including the Winegard Flatwave Amped.Martyn Williams/Foundry The good news is you can access ABC for free if you have an over-the-air TV antenna (you’ll find our top antenna picks here) and are within the radius of your local ABC affiliate’s broadcast tower. The bad news is the network is scheduled to air only about two dozen of this year’s nationally televised games. These, however, include some of the league’s marquee matchups, including five Christmas Day games. You can watch the remaining games with some combination of the following services. Streaming service options Sling TV Sling TV remains a flexible option for catching nationally televised NBA games. The Orange plan costs $45.99/month and includes ESPN and ESPN2, with NBA TV available through the Sports Extra add-on for $11. New subscribers often get the first month at a discounted rate (around ~$23). Sling has also rolled out a $4.99 Day Pass, which provides 24-hour access to its Orange channels, and you can add Sports Extra to that pass as well. DirectTV Stream You can get ESPN, ESPN2, and and NBA TV via DirectTV Stream‘s Choice plan for $89.99 per month. RSN availability varies by location, so you’ll need to enter your ZIP code during signup to see exactly which regional networks (if any) your package will carry. DirecTV Stream also includes your local NBC affiliate in most markets, so you’ll be able to catch NBC’s share of national NBA broadcasts, such as Tuesday doubleheaders and the Sunday-night showcase. But, as with other live TV services, you’ll still need a separate Peacock subscription to stream Peacock-exclusive Monday night games. Hulu + Live TV and YouTube TV Both Hulu + Live TV and YouTube TV give you access to ABC and ESPN/ESPN2 for a flat fee, but only YouTube TV offers NBA TV, giving it the edge for hoop heads. Hulu + Live TV costs $82.99 a month with ads or $95.99 a month with the No Ads plan (live broadcasts still carry commercials either way) and includes Hulu’s on-demand library, Disney+, and ESPN Select. YouTube TV charges $82.99 a month, discounted to $49.99 a month for the first two months. Both services carry your local NBC affiliate in most markets, which means you’ll be able to watch NBC’s slate of national NBA broadcasts, including Tuesday doubleheaders and the new Sunday-night showcase. However, you’ll need a separate subscription to catch Peacock-exclusive Monday night games. With just the one base channel package for each of these services, you don’t get the customizability of Sling TV or DirecTV Stream, so keep that in mind if you plan to use your subscription beyond basketball season. YouTube TV uses a small number of menu sections to make navigation easier.Martyn Williams/Foundry FuboTV FuboTV offers ABC and ESPN in its $79.99-per-month Pro package, and you get $20 off the first month. This package also includes the regional sports networks NBC Sports Bay Area and NBC Sports California, which is great news if you’re a fan of the Kings, Warriors, Lakers, or Clippers. You can add NBA TV by purchasing the Sports Lite add-on for an additional $9.99 a month. FuboTV also carries local NBC affiliates in most markets, so you’ll be able to see NBC’s Tuesday night doubleheaders and Sunday-night showcase games. But as with other services, Peacock-exclusive Monday night games aren’t included. Fubo appeals to sports fans, and it includes NBA TV.Martyn Williams/Foundry Peacock Peacock is now a must-have for NBA fans under the league’s new media rights deal. A subscription costs $10.99 a month for the Premium plan or $16.99 a month for Premium Plus (with lighter ads and extra features). Peacock streams every NBA game that airs on NBC; plus, a package of exclusive Monday-night games. It will also carry NBC’s Tuesday night doubleheaders and the new Sunday-night showcase beginning in January, making it the only standalone service that delivers such a large share of the national schedule. ESPN ESPN’s new direct-to-consumer service launched this past summer, giving fans their first chance to watch the network’s full slate of games without a cable or live TV bundle. The service offers two tiers: Select, at $11.99 a month (or $119.99 a year) folds in the former ESPN+ library; Unlimited, at $29.99 a month (or $299.99 a year), adds live access to ESPN’s full lineup of channels along with ESPN on ABC broadcasts. Existing ESPN+ subscribers were migrated to the Select tier automatically. A launch bundle also offers Unlimited with Disney+ and Hulu for $29.99 a month for the first year. For NBA fans, that means every ESPN-televised game is now available as a standalone streaming option. Amazon Prime Video Amazon Prime Video has also become a central player in the NBA’s new media landscape. A subscription to Amazon Prime, which includes Prime Video, costs $14.99 a month or $139 a year (Prime Video by itself is available for $8.99 a month). Under its 11-year agreement with the NBA, Prime Video will stream 66 regular-season games, including marquee Friday-night matchups and, beginning in January, Thursday-night doubleheaders once the NFL season wraps. It also holds exclusive rights to all Play-In Tournament games, the knockout rounds of the NBA Cup, and selected first- and second-round playoff contests, as well as a rotating share of the Conference Finals. NBA League Pass If you’re truly hardcore for the hardwood, you should consider a subscription to NBA League Pass, the league’s official streaming service. For $109.99 a year or $16.99 per month, you can watch every live out-of-market game that isn’t being broadcast nationally on one of the four networks we’ve mentioned. A League Pass subscription allows you to watch every game feed (home, away, mobile view, plus additional languages and camera angles) on your TV, computer, tablet, and smartphone. Games are available three hours after completion in the video archives. You also get anytime access to a curated selection of “classic” games. For $159.99 a year or $24.99 per month, you can upgrade to NBA League Pass Premium, which enables you to stream a game on three devices at once and watch all games commercial free. With an NBA League Pass subscription, you can stream live out-of-market games to your TV, computer, or mobile device.Martyn Williams/Foundry NBA Team Pass That’s a big investment if you only want to follow your favorite team. NBA Team Pass is a less-expensive alternative. For $89.99 a year, you get access to all your squad’s local broadcasts for both home and away games. The rub is that NBA blackout rules still apply. If you live in your team’s “home” market—a Warriors fan residing in the San Francisco Bay Area, for example—you still won’t be able to watch their games even with a Team Pass subscription (this goes for League Pass as well). Your team’s home market, however, isn’t necessarily defined by your town’s city limits. In the NBA’s own words, the league determines blackout zones “using zip code (if watching via a satellite television provider), a combination of zip code and cable system distribution territory (if watching via a cable television provider), or by the IP address associated with your internet connection or your mobile device’s GPS coordinates.” That means this isn’t a cord-cutting option for everyone. You can see which teams are not available in your area in the blackout section on this page when you choose your subscription. NBA streaming is still 50-50 ball Streaming live NBA games continues to be a mixed bag for cord-cutters. The availability of national broadcasts through streaming services gives you a courtside seat for some of the biggest matchups of the season. But local fanbases who want to follow their team continue to be left on the bench, for the most part. Until streaming options for regional sports networks become more widely available, you might want to dust off your radio. Read...