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Amazon Prime Day 2024 is finally here and so is the deluge of laptop deals. Whether you need a lightweight notebook for school or a lightning-fast rig for marathon gaming sessions, these discounted laptops are primed (ha!) and ready to meet every need. You will need a Prime subscription, so if you’ve never subscribed before, sign up for a 30-day trial for free. So, why should you listen to my recommendations? I oversee PCWorld’s laptop review program, from assignment to publication, and I also carefully maintain our daily laptop deals roundup, as well as our best laptops of 2024 roundup. Every day, I spend a good amount of time searching the web for the best laptop deals. To assemble the list below, I looked at everything from graphics and storage space to design and form factor. I also checked out Amazon pricing history with Camel Camel Camel. Since I’m so tapped into the laptop scene, I’ve also included deals from Dell, Acer, Best Buy, and Newegg—though the focus for Prime Day deals is clearly on Amazon. Read on to check out the best laptop deals. And don’t forget to tune into our Prime Day 2024 deals hub for delicious discounts in other tech categories. First published on July 12, 2024. Last updated on July 16, 2024. Prime Day 2024 deals on budget and mid-range laptops Acer Aspire 3, includes 8GB of RAM and a 1080p display, $299.99 ($22 off at Amazon) HP Stream 14, includes 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage and a lightweight form factor, $299 ($100 off at Amazon) Asus VivoBook 16, includes an AMD Ryzen 7 7730U CPU and 1TB of SSD storage, $499.99 ($100 off at Amazon) Acer Swift Go, includes an Intel Core i7-1355U CPU and a 1200p touchscreen display, $507 ($72.99 off at Amazon) Lenovo ThinkBook 15, includes an AMD Ryzen 7 5825U CPU and a 1080p display, $568.26 ($81.34 off at Amazon) Acer Aspire 5, includes Thunderbolt 4 support and an Intel Core i7-1355U CPU, $633.33 ($166.66 off at Amazon) HP Envy x360, includes an Intel Core Ultra 5 125U CPU and a 2-in-1 form factor, $799.99 ($200 off at Amazon) Dell Inspiron 15, includes an Intel Core i7-1255U CPU and 1TB of SSD storage, $499.99 ($200 off at Dell) 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 is also nice, as it has touch capability. This is good news if you’re a regular doodler or note taker. Prime Day 2024 deals on premium laptops Acer TravelMate Spin P4, includes a 1200p touchscreen display and a convertible form factor, $939.99 ($210 off at Amazon) Asus VivoBook S 16 OLED, includes an Intel Core Ultra 9 185H CPU and a 3200×2000 OLED display, $949.99 ($150 off at Amazon) LG Gram 16, includes an Intel Core i7-1360P CPU and weighs just under three pounds, $999.99 ($300 off at Best Buy) Dell XPS 13, includes an Ultra 7 Processor 155H CPU and a 1200p 120Hz display, $1,149 ($250 off at Dell) Dell Inspiron 16, includes an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 GPU and 2TB of storage, $1,299.99 ($400 off at Dell) Dell XPS 14, includes an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 GPU and 14.5-inch 3200×2000 OLED touch display, $2,099.99 ($400 off at Dell) 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 5.1 GHz. 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. Prime Day 2024 deals on high-end gaming laptops Asus TUF Gaming A15, includes an AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS CPU and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 GPU, $1,049 ($350.99 off at Amazon) Asus ROG Strix G16, incldues an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 GPU and a 165Hz refresh rate display, $1,289.54 ($110.45 off at Amazon) Acer Nitro 16, includes an AMD Ryzen 9 7940HS CPU and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 GPU, $1,499.99 ($300 off at Acer) Asus TUF Gaming A16, includes an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 GPU and 1TB of storage, $1,670.94 ($129.05 off at Amazon) Razer Blade 16, includes an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 GPU and 2TB of SSD storage, $3,499.99 ($800 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 looking into, 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. Prime Day 2024 deals on gaming laptops under $1,000 HP Victus, includes an Intel Core i5-12450H CPU and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 2050 GPU, $599.99 ($100 off at Amazon) Asus TUF Gaming F15, includes an Intel Core i5-12500H CPU and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 GPU, $699.99 ($200 off at Amazon) Gigabyte Aorus 15, includes an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 GPU and a 360Hz refresh rate display, $939 ($160 off at Amazon) MSI Bravo 15, includes an AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS CPU and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 GPU, $879.99 ($120 off at Best Buy) MSI Bravo 15, includes a 144Hz IPS display and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 GPU, $979.99 ($320 off at Newegg) 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 faster-paced games like Fornite or Doom. 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 Day 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 PC computer 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 PC keyboard deals: Best of Prime Day 2024 Battery charger deals: Best of Prime Day 2024 Laptop bag and backpack deals: Best of Prime Day 2024 Chromebook deals: Best of Prime Day 2024 iPad, Galaxy Tab and Kindle deals: Best of Prime Day 2024 Laptop deals FAQ 1. How do I pick a laptop for Prime Day 2024? 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 zipper 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. Laptops Read...

Should I buy a Chromebook or a Windows laptop? It’s a common question: Both devices can surf the web, access apps, and so on, at home, work, or school. But there are clear differences between their respective platforms, with advantages to each. We’ve addressed the question from several perspectives, beginning with the basics and then diving deeper. In some ways, the two categories have grown closer together over time: With much of our life spent on the web, a web-based device (a Chromebook) has become increasingly similar in purpose to a laptop. We’ll define the differences and then advise you on which device to purchase. We’ve reworked this article as a FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) guide. You’ll find links to our respective laptop and Chromebook recommendations embedded in the answers, as well as links to recent developments that impact both platforms. Here’s what you need to know when buying a laptop or Chromebook. 1. Who should buy a Windows laptop? If you want the most power and flexibility available, buy a modern Windows laptop. See our roundup of the best laptops for a wide range of buying recommendations, and our daily laptop deals (updated almost every day) for the latest sales on top laptops. A laptop PC powered by Microsoft Windows offers several advantages. Windows laptops can run just about any app, your choice of any browser, and options that include native games, utilities, apps, and antivirus programs. You can tweak and configure your PC as you choose. The convenience of Windows demands more computing horsepower and often a higher price compared to most Chromebooks. On the other hand, if you need a powerful PC for gaming or video editing, Chromebooks can’t compete—though, granted, they don’t try to. 2. Who should buy a Chromebook? If you want to save money, and you work (and play) frequently on the web, buy a Chromebook. See our roundup of the best Chromebooks for buying recommendations, and our best Chromebook deals for the best Chromebooks sales of the day. A Chromebook powered by Google’s ChromeOS is a simpler, cheaper, more optimized device. Essentially, it’s useful to think of a Chromebook as a dedicated Chrome browser running on top of secure hardware. It can also be hundreds of dollars cheaper than a comparable Windows PC, even with the same processor inside! Numerous American classrooms have settled on Chromebooks for in-person and distance learning, and often make them available for loaning to students. Essentially, Chromebooks are best for web work: browsing the web, working online on documents, and using web streaming services like Netflix or Amazon Prime inside a web browser. You can also download and use Android apps for gaming and entertainment, though they may not run entirely like on your phone. You’ll still see quite inexpensive ($100 to $300) Chromebooks dominate Amazon’s list of “best-selling laptops,” but there’s even a specialized class of “gaming Chromebooks” now, too. (Those are quite new, and it’s not clear whether they’re worth buying.) Pay attention during the holidays or peak sales periods like Prime Day, when prices can drop really low—down by around $100 or more. Just make sure you’re not buying a Chromebook that’s fallen out of the support window. (We’ll talk more about that, below.) The efficiency of Chromebooks can work against them in certain situations, though. Does your printer use a specialized app? Chances are that your Chromebook will print to your printer, but an older printer might not work all that well with a Chromebook. Ditto for a specialized mouse app. It’s sometimes hard to know what will work, and what won’t. ChromeOS or Windows? The choice is up to you. ChromeOS or Windows? The choice is up to you. Shutterstock / Lazy Bear ChromeOS or Windows? The choice is up to you. Shutterstock / Lazy Bear Shutterstock / Lazy Bear 3. What’s it like using a Chromebook compared to a laptop? While it’s easy to focus on what you’re going to do with either a Chromebook or a Windows PC—web browsing! games!—it’s easy to lose sight of the little things. One of the best features of a Chromebook that’s easily overlooked is Google’s approach to updates and security. Everything takes place behind the scenes. Windows downloads updates for antivirus and other programs in the background, but others require a reboot. If you don’t have Windows properly configured, those reboots can even occur while you’re using the PC, which can be hugely annoying. While Chromebooks occasionally need to be rebooted to apply updates, the process is quicker and less intrusive, as Google reloads the pages you were on quite quickly.  In fact, “quick” is one of the best features of a Chromebook. While they’re less full-featured than a Windows PC, booting and resuming them just generally feels more efficient than it does on Windows. Part of that is the simplicity: Google takes care of most of the mundane tasks of powering a PC, like security and driver updates. “Blue screens of death” occur on Windows; Chromebooks rarely crash—a fact Google emphasizes in commercials. Still, some of those more mundane tasks can be irritating to Chromebook users, too: such as printing, file management, and utilities: This is where the differences between the two platforms can become abrasive, especially if you’re used to doing things in a certain way. For example, Google is trying to add diagnostics to the ChromeOS platform, but it’s still doing it its own way.  Take printing, for example. The world’s printers were designed from the ground up for Windows and Macs, and can print either over a wireless network or from a USB cable. Chromebooks, on the other hand, have struggled with direct printing or using the more advanced features of certain printers. Google Cloud Print was the company’s workaround, requiring a Wi-Fi enabled printer; however, this feature was phased out by the end of 2020.  Certain tasks also require a different way of doing things on a Chromebook versus a Windows PC. Sure, there are the ChromeOS keyboard shortcuts, where taking a screenshot or a portion of one requires knowing to press the Ctrl + “switcher” key. When you take that screenshot, you’ll see it saved inside a folder—but you won’t be able to rename that file without opening it. Windows allows you to right-click a file and perform any number of operations on it; ChromeOS does not. Even accessing those files on ChromeOS requires clicking the “home” circle in the lower-left corner, then either swiping or clicking the exposed up arrow to access the ChromeOS apps, some of which can be stored in the taskbar dock for easy access. The same goes for alternative input modalities. While Chromebooks allow for inking—you’ll generally need to supply your own stylus or use your finger—and can record audio, don’t expect a Chromebook to include pen input that’s translatable into text. Windows exclusively provides this. However, Chromebook pens will soon support NFC wireless charging, rather than forcing you to search out a AAAA battery or charge them with a cable. To be fair, Windows 11 looks a lot more like a Chromebook than it did before. The Windows 11 Taskbar (for now) can only be oriented at the bottom of the screen, where apps pop up from a Start menu that looks somewhat like the ChromeOS launcher. Our colleagues over at Computerworld include a Chromebook cheat sheet that you may find useful with more details on the ins and outs of Chromebooks. While you can connect a webcam to both a laptop and Chromebook, certain functions, like Windows Hello, are exclusive to Windows. While you can connect a webcam to both a laptop and Chromebook, certain functions, like Windows Hello, are exclusive to Windows.Shutterstock / Lazy Bear While you can connect a webcam to both a laptop and Chromebook, certain functions, like Windows Hello, are exclusive to Windows.Shutterstock / Lazy Bear Shutterstock / Lazy Bear 4. What’s the difference between a Windows laptop and a Chromebook, in terms of operating system and software? Windows PCs run Microsoft Windows 10 (and now Windows 11), the dominant operating system for traditional PCs for more than 25 years. Google Chromebooks run ChromeOS, optimized for both Google Chrome and Android apps. ChromeOS can’t run Windows or Mac apps, natively. Windows laptops can run Windows apps, naturally, as well as web apps (web pages) stored to the PC. Windows 11 PCs can now run a limited subset of Android apps, provided by Amazon. ChromeOS can run web apps and browse web pages. It can also run Google’s much more comprehensive library of Android apps, found on the Google Play Store. Microsoft seems to be phasing out efforts to compete directly with Chromebooks through specialized versions of the Windows OS. For the last few years, Microsoft has marketed Windows 10 S and Windows 11 S (or Windows 10/11 Home in S Mode) as its operating system for schools and a direct competitor to Chromebooks. As our linked review shows, it was essentially a locked-down version of Windows 10, preventing the ability to run third-party apps. You’ll find it on less-expensive PCs like the Surface Laptop Go, as well as some third-party laptops. Windows 11 SE, which we’ll discuss further a few sections below, is the sequel to Microsoft’s ChromeOS killer. Windows 11 SE will only be available to PCs designed for education, which is the target market for Chromebooks. Much of this is moot to most shoppers. All new Windows laptops are currently sold with Windows 11, of which the Windows 11 2022 Update is the latest version. It provides a visual refresh of Windows…that looks rather like a Chromebook, actually. You can read our Windows 11 superguide for more. Microsoft has dropped its historical timetable for new feature updates; its latest October update added new features like a tabbed version of File Explorer. At press time, Google’s ChromeOS is at version 108. Recent tweaks to the OS bring Chromebooks closer to Windows PCs: Photos taken by an Android phone show up in a ChromeOS Phone Hub; there are proper dark themes, improved Notifications, and a more compact Launcher. The latest version ChromeOS 108 adds a recycle bin/trash can, just like Windows. Google updates ChromeOS about every four weeks. In one of the weirder twists, Google has announced ChromeOS Flex, which can essentially turn an old PC laptop into a Chromebook. Microsoft won’t support Windows PCs forever, but the company has typically provided free upgrades from one OS to the next. (Windows 11 broke that cycle, by enforcing certain hardware requirements.) ChromeOS, for its part, has a support lifecycle of about eight years on new Chromebooks. Once that support window expires, that’s it: Google will not provide new features or offer security patches. You’ll need to read reviews or consult your Chromebook documentation to find out when support expires, though Google’s trying to make that easier. 5. Which can be personalized more, a Chromebook or a PC? Typically, Windows PCs have offered an enormous variety of options to allow you to tweak things as you like, which we’ve covered in our feature on how to personalize your PC. Most of this is already built into Windows, though there are wallpaper theme packs and even a Bing Wallpaper app to allow further customization. Chromebooks have generally not offered these capabilities, though there’s now an option to personalize your lock screen with either one of your own photos or an image preselected by Google. Music controls are available, too. The Windows 11 Start menu looks somewhat like a Chromebook. The Windows 11 Start menu looks somewhat like a Chromebook.Mark Hachman / IDG The Windows 11 Start menu looks somewhat like a Chromebook.Mark Hachman / IDG Mark Hachman / IDG 6. Can I run Windows apps on Chromebooks? Yes and no. Parallels Desktop for Chromebook Enterprise is a new feature that Google just introduced on Chromebooks, but not all of them. Parallels provides quick access to legacy and full-featured applications, like Microsoft Office, locally on ChromeOS—which means that they’ll even work offline. However, Parallels is a managed solution for enterprises with IT managers, meaning you won’t be able to take advantage of this with a cheap Chromebook that you’ll buy from Amazon.  Instead, only very specific enterprise Chromebooks will be able to access Parallels Desktop for Chromebook Enterprise: the HP Pro c640 Chromebook Enterprise, the HP Elite c1030 Chromebook Enterprise and the upcoming HP Chromebox Enterprise G3, all powered by Intel Core i5 and i7 processors. (It’s probable that these enterprise Chromebooks need the virtualization capabilities available in the Core i5 and Core i7 processors.) Could this ability to run Windows apps be extended to consumer Chromebooks in the future? Possibly. But right now it’s out of reach for most users. A better solution may be Windows 365, Microsoft’s program for running Windows via the cloud. Windows 365 is essentially the Windows equivalent of cloud gaming—Windows lives in the cloud, and is “streamed” down to the local PC. However, Microsoft designed Windows 365 for business users, so consumers won’t have access to this for now. 7. Do laptops and Chromebooks look different? Physically, a Chromebook looks much like a Windows-powered notebook, with a keyboard, a display, a front-facing camera for videoconferencing, and so on. But there are a few key differences: Chromebooks typically include a dedicated search keyboard key, while Windows emphasizes the Windows key.  With Windows, you’ll have many hardware choices, including a typical clamshell notebook, convertibles with 360-degree hinges, 2-in-1 Windows tablets with detachable keyboards, or pure Windows tablets. Most Chromebooks are clamshells, but we’re seeing a lot more convertibles now that Android apps are supported. Because ChromeOS and Android are now conjoined, a key reason to choose a ChromeOS tablet instead of a clamshell hinges on how often you’ll use Android apps. Android apps run acceptably in a laptop form factor, but they’re arguably more convenient when used on a tablet, and held in your hand. Remember, most 360-degree convertibles/2-in-1s flip the keyboard out of the way, essentially transforming the Chromebook into a big, bulky tablet. We prefer this approach. Physically, Chromebooks look much like laptops, with mostly similar ports, screens, and keyboards. Physically, Chromebooks look much like laptops, with mostly similar ports, screens, and keyboards.Acer Physically, Chromebooks look much like laptops, with mostly similar ports, screens, and keyboards.Acer Acer 8. How are the specifications of a laptop and Chromebook different? Inside, the only real differences are the processor. Windows PCs have a wide range of microprocessors powering them, usually chips from AMD and Intel, or more recently, a Qualcomm Snapdragon. Chromebooks generally favor lower-performance Intel Atom chips (branded as Pentium or Celeron), Snapdragons, or lesser-known processors from the likes of Mediatek or Rockchip, that are suited to the lighter demands of ChromeOS. But AMD has made aggressive, recent moves to bring its powerful Ryzen chips into Chromebooks, and Intel’s Core chips (typically a Core i3) can appear in Chromebooks, too. More recently we’ve seen pricier corporate and luxury Chromebooks include Intel Core CPUs, including the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook—but the jury’s still out on who will pay upwards of $1,000 for a Chromebook. In October 2022, Google unveiled a line of gaming Chromebooks with high-end displays and processors designed for cloud gaming. We haven’t tested these yet, however, and they’re significantly more expensive. Though you’ll find that many Chromebooks and inexpensive laptops feature a similar HD (1366×768) or Full HD (1920×1080) display, Windows usually requires more robust memory and storage. Both a Chromebook and a laptop can run acceptably on 4GB of memory, but 8GB is preferred where Windows notebooks are concerned. Windows notebooks, too, typically include more local storage for the Windows OS and associated apps: 128GB or 256GB is acceptable, though there’s really no upper limit. Chromebooks, meanwhile, don’t need much more than 32GB or so, assuming Google-oriented users are taking advantage of the Google Drive online storage, or stashing Android apps on an SD card. Less storage means less cost; many Chromebooks also use inexpensive eMMC flash storage to save even further. Both Chromebooks and Windows tablets allow external storage.  Laptops and Chromebooks are typically made by the same companies, so the internals typically look similar. Laptops and Chromebooks are typically made by the same companies, so the internals typically look similar.Kingston Laptops and Chromebooks are typically made by the same companies, so the internals typically look similar.Kingston Kingston 9. How are the digital assistants in Chromebooks and laptops different? One of the few Chromebooks with Google Assistant support so far is the Google Pixelbook. Instead, Google’s built-in intelligence is primarily put to use in the ChromeOS “Launcher.” Like the Chrome browser, you type a search question into the Launcher and Google will return answers. The feature was originally rolled out on ChromeOS 90. Microsoft’s own digital assistant, Cortana, is supported on all Windows PCs that include a mic—which is virtually all of them. But while Cortana was deeply integrated into Windows 10 when it launched, it’s now an app on Windows PCs and doesn’t play as much of a role as it used to. In fact, on Windows 11 you’ll need to add the Cortana app manually. 10. Is a Chromebook or laptop better for office work? Productivity apps—word processing, spreadsheets, and the like—represent the majority of the working day. Here, both Windows and Chromebook users have several choices, and both are honestly about equal. Chromebooks can run Microsoft’s Office apps as web apps or Android applications, while Windows PCs can run Google Workspace apps on the web. (Google Workspace was formerly named G Suite, and before that Google Apps.) You might think that Office would be restricted to Windows, but that’s not true either: Office.com, also known as Office Online, runs in a web browser, and—assuming you have a subscription to Office 365 (now called Microsoft 365)—offers nearly all the functionality that the Office 365 suite does. (Microsoft Office apps are also available as Android apps, but it’s sometimes simpler to run them within the browser.) In fact, given that it’s powered by the cloud, you’ll find that Office Online sometimes gets updated with new features before they arrive on Microsoft 365. Office is typically used by most enterprises, and if your company administrator allows it, even shared corporate resources may be accessible via a Chromebook.  There’s one tweak: As of August 2021, Microsoft won’t support the Android version of Office apps on a Chromebook. That doesn’t mean you can’t run Office on a Chromebook; you’ll just need to use Office.com (aka Office Online) instead. The Google Workspace suite also runs online, though it’s focused on the essentials, with fewer features than Office but a renewed focus on collaboration. I spent over a year exclusively working on a Chromebox (the nearly defunct desktop version of a Chromebook) and found Google’s simple interface and instantaneous autosaves superior to the Windows version of Office at the time. (Office apps like Word now autosave, too.) For our purposes, both Google Workspace and Office Online will run on either a plain Chromebook or Windows PC; however, if you need access to a local copy of Office, only a PC will suffice.  As of September 2021, Google has begun rolling out Cursive, a Progressive Web App (though they’re powered by the web, PWAs can be saved locally as apps) that is designed for detachable Chromebooks like the HP Chromebook X2 11. As the name suggests, Cursive allows you to jot notes in cursive, a bit like Microsoft OneNote. While it’s technically downloadable for the Chrome browser, many features reportedly won’t work on anything but a Chromebook. Other Chromebooks will receive the Cursive app a bit later on.  The gist is that productivity is possible on either a Chromebook or Windows PC with a minimal amount of effort, though you may want to pay for a subscription for either Office or Google’s suite of apps to get maximum benefit and storage space. You may also find Windows PCs a bit more easy to configure for printing. From a hardware perspective, a traditional laptop form factor is more convenient than a detachable keyboard such as on the Lenovo Chromebook Duet, for example. While tablets make Android apps more convenient, the tradeoff is less productivity when in laptop mode. If you buy a Chromebook that supports Android in tablet mode, then presto! Your Chromebook is now a large tablet. If you buy a Chromebook that supports Android in tablet mode, then presto! Your Chromebook is now a large tablet. Shutterstock / Lazy Bear If you buy a Chromebook that supports Android in tablet mode, then presto! Your Chromebook is now a large tablet. Shutterstock / Lazy Bear Shutterstock / Lazy Bear 11. Can a Chromebook play games as well as a Windows PC? With the vast history of classic PC games available to Windows machines, the PC is clearly dominant where gaming is concerned. However, there are also games that are “exclusive” to Chromebooks, thanks to 2016’s ChromeOS 53, and its ability to run Android apps and games. All Chromebooks made since 2019 (and some earlier models) have this capability. But the distinction is not quite as profound as it once was. While you won’t be playing the latest Battlefield game on a Chromebook as a native app, Google has ported Steam over to certain Chromebooks as of March 2022, allowing you to play dozens of Steam games on a supported Chromebook, in an alpha state. This is an extremely early implementation, with just a few supported Chromebooks and the very real possibility of significant bugs. Our tutorial on how to play Steam games on a Chromebook has more. We’re also seeing support for RGB keyboards in ChromeOS, implying that gaming Chromebooks could arrive sometime soon. Google also said in September 2022 that it’s rolling out keyboard support for touchscreen games, allowing you to play “touch” games on a Chromebook that lacks a touchscreen. This feature will debut in an alpha state in ChromeOS 105. If your Chromebook is one of the cheaper, less powerful variety, don’t despair. Cloud gaming services can come to your rescue—and running them is the next best thing to loading and playing them on the Chromebook itself. In addition to the older Parsec cloud gaming service, you now have Nvidia GeForce Now, the Blade Shadow service (hailing from Europe), and even Xbox games. We explain how Xbox cloud gaming runs on a Chromebook. Just make sure that you either have an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription in place, or own an Xbox outright. Google believes strongly in cloud gaming, and launched a wave of cloud gaming Chromebooks to take advantage of the trend. We’re a little skeptical of whether these devices will be worth the extra money until we’ve tested them ourselves. Windows PCs can now run Android games, too, believe it or not. As part of the “spring 2022 update” for Windows 11, Microsoft added support for a limited number of Android apps. They’re not downloadable via the Google Play Store, however. You’ll need to download them from Amazon instead. (Here’s how to install Android apps on your PC.) It’s possible you will be able to download Android apps from Google in the future, though. Google has also begun trialing Google Play games on Windows 11 PCs in Asia. 12. Which offers more apps, Chromebooks or Windows PCs? Games certainly fall into the category of local apps, but so do the numerous apps and utilities that can make everyday tasks a little easier. Here, it’s also a mixed bag. This is sort of a lopsided comparison, since Microsoft doesn’t reveal the number of apps inside the Microsoft Store. Even if it did, that number wouldn’t reveal anything about the quality of apps found within it. App stores are notorious for including “knockoff” apps or crapware, and Microsoft has been particularly vulnerable. ChromeOS doesn’t include the type of crapware Windows PCs also sometimes ship with, requiring apps like CCleaner to tidy up. One of the strengths of Windows, though, is its historical archive of bits of code, utilities, and other apps that have collected in dusty old hard-drive folders, FTP sites, and elsewhere. Batch resizing apps for images, custom calendar apps, macro managers—everyone has their favorites, and ChromeOS simply can’t compete. Windows PCs are the platform to run virtually everything: traditional Win32 apps, web apps, Linux apps, and Android apps via Windows 11 as well. The only exception are PCs running Windows 10 S or Windows 11 S, which won’t run anything but apps found in the Microsoft Store. Chromebooks can run native “apps” for Chrome, including plugins. Plus, there are the additional Android apps that can run under ChromeOS: There were almost 3 million total in the Google Play app store as of June 2020. Not every Android app will run on a Chromebook. Chromebooks don’t include GPS chips, so location-specific apps won’t work. Ditto for those who rely on rear cameras that the Chromebook may or may not have—Pokemon Go, for instance. Although we certainly don’t think this is for everyone, some Chromebooks can run Linux, but it will take some fiddling. Our friends over at Computerworld have an up-to-date guide on how to run Linux on a Chromebook. Chrome apps can be found within the Chrome Web Store, where there are utilities, educational tools, and more. Chrome apps can be found within the Chrome Web Store, where there are utilities, educational tools, and more. Shutterstock / Lazy Bear Chrome apps can be found within the Chrome Web Store, where there are utilities, educational tools, and more. Shutterstock / Lazy Bear Shutterstock / Lazy Bear 13. Which lasts longer, a Chromebook or a PC? The longevity of a PC is basically determined by how demanding Windows is, compared to the hardware powering it. The willingness of the PC maker and component makers to provide drivers also plays a role. Hardware failures will eventually occur. Every processor that Intel launches is accompanied by statements comparing the new chip to a 5-year-old PC, with performance improvements in the 30 to 40 percent range. Otherwise, a PC’s lifespan could go on for years, even decades, as long as the operating system is kept up to date. Or we thought so, anyway. As the previous section noted, Windows 11 suddenly cut off millions of PCs from an upgrade to Windows 11, because of new hardware restrictions. Older PCs, even Surface devices made by Microsoft, are being cut off. Could Microsoft do this again in the future? We don’t know. A Chromebook lasts as long as Google is willing to support it, and that’s much easier to determine: Google tells you. In the beginning, it was just five years after the original production date for any Chromebook (keep this in mind if you’re buying an older Chromebook, or a used one). More recently, Google’s begun extending the time it supports Chromebooks by about six months to a year, and even up to a total of eight years in some cases. Beginning with ChromeOS 80, in February 2020, it appears you can dive into the Settings menu and discover exactly when your device will lose support.  Just to be clear: A Windows PC or Chromebook that has exited its support window means that it won’t receive feature and security patches. That can leave either platform vulnerable to previously undiscovered malware or other attacks, with a variety of consequences. Google also said recently that it’s working to separate the security aspects of ChromeOS from new features. Right now, when a Chromebook exits the support window, that’s it: no new features, no new security updates. In the future, though, Google’s support window may put a hard stop on new ChromeOS features, but may keep adding security patches for longer. Ashley Biancuzzo Ashley Biancuzzo Ashley Biancuzzo 14. Which is more secure, a Chromebook or a Windows PC? Security isn’t a question that can be answered absolutely, but Chromebooks and Windows PCs differ fundamentally here. The relative simplicity of a Chromebook offers a far smaller “attack surface” than a Windows PC does. The complexity of Windows PCs, including the software Windows supports, provides hackers many more opportunities to attack.  Google developed Chromebooks with security as a priority, using everything from isolated, “sandboxed” processes to verified boot to help protect your system. (Our sister site, TechAdvisor, has a more detailed explanation.) For people who worry about websites that hijack your browser or download malware, a Chromebook’s defenses protect you without making you think about it much.  Keeping a Windows PC safe can be a much more complicated business. Security starts as soon as you begin setting up a new PC. Regular maintenance is required for both your antivirus software and the Windows operating system, though most happens automatically. Still, holes are constantly being discovered, such as the Meltdown/Spectre vulnerabilities, as well as the more recent Foreshadow/L1TF exploit. You have to be vigilant, or at least not too lazy, to protect your Windows PC. Fortunately, Windows’ built-in Windows Defender software is far better than it used to be, enough that Windows can basically take care of itself.  Login security works about the same on both platforms. Logging into a Chromebook requires a Google account and its password. While U2F hardware keys for logging in can be used, a typical home user probably wouldn’t. Windows PCs also prefer a Microsoft account and password (though you can log into the PC locally without one). Authentication options include Windows Hello (either via a fingerprint reader or depth camera, or else with a short PIN), which provides a casual level of security that also lets you resume work quickly and easily. It’s a cross between ease-of-access and security that Microsoft has invested in heavily, and it’s a convenience that most Windows users appreciate. Don’t forget that Microsoft hates passwords and a Windows 11 passwordless option is available, with your phone’s authentication features doing much of the work. Still, Chromebooks have improved here as well. ChromeOS 88, which rolled out in January 2021, supports WebAuthn, a feature that allows you to log into a website using your fingerprint or PIN. (Your Chromebook needs to have a fingerprint reader for this to work.) In this case, your phone replaces your PIN as a means of two-factor authentication.  Windows 11, though, introduces a huge wrinkle: Some PCs simply can’t be upgradable to Windows 11, because they lack the required hardware, including what’s known as a Trusted Platform Module, or TPM. But that TPM was specifically architected to provide more security to Windows platforms, too. Amazon Amazon Amazon 15. What Chromebook should I buy? When buying a Chromebook, the main things to consider are the memory size—believe it or not, that’s more important than the processor. More RAM means more open, available tabs, and surfing the web is the most important job of the Chromebook. Screen size and resolution are the next priority: Cheap Chromebooks can have 11-inch, 768p screens. Buy a 13-inch or 14-inch Chromebook with a 1080p (1920×1080) screen if you can—your eyes will thank you for it. Chromebooks can have a variety of low-end microprocessors to choose from, some of which you may have never heard of. PCWorld’s Alaina Yee recommends buying a Chromebook with a Pentium or Celeron processor—and that’s a good place to start if you don’t feel comfortable parsing Chromebook specifications. Anything more powerful than that, like an Intel Core chip, is just fine too. Of the Chromebooks we’ve reviewed, we are particularly fond of the Chromebook Spin 713 and HP Chromebook X2 11. Our older picks include the Lenovo Chromebook Duet and Google’s own, luxurious, aging Pixelbook Go. 16. What laptop should I buy? When buying a laptop, consider buying one of PCWorld’s recommended laptops. Buying a laptop is relatively easy: simply look for an up-to-date AMD or Intel processor, and look for the lowest price. Laptops with an Intel Core i3 or an AMD Ryzen 3 should be considered the minimum specification, with a Core i5 or Ryzen 5 preferred. Buy a laptop with at least 8GB of RAM inside and 256GB of storage. More RAM means more available tabs and a larger variety of applications; documents, video, and apps may require more storage space. Buy a laptop with at least a 1080p screen, and a comfortable size. Remember, a larger laptop is typically heavier, too. Gaming laptops should be avoided unless you intend to play games! Gaming laptops use a discrete GPU, and tend to be more expensive. But they’re fun! If you’re in the market for a gaming laptop, select from one of our top picks in gaming laptops. Dominic Bayley / IDG Dominic Bayley / IDG Dominic Bayley / IDG 17. Which is better, a Chromebook or laptop? While we can’t say for certain which platform you’ll prefer, here’s a suggestion: If you think that a Chromebook could be right for you, take a Windows PC, download the Google Chrome browser, and then work exclusively within it for a day. While both platforms now offer Android apps, ChromeOS still offers a broader, more popular range from the Google Play Store. It’s fair to say that Windows offers a more comprehensive experience, but ChromeOS is usually a significantly simpler, cheaper alternative. The buying decision usually works out to something like: “I can do almost everything in Windows with a Chromebook, but…” It’s that last little bit—printing, file management, etc.— that will guide your decision. Good luck!  ChromebookLaptopAffordableHigher price tagLong battery lifeBetter storage optionsEasy setupSnappier performance, can be used to play games or run video editing softwareAndroid and Linux compatabilityRuns more apps and browsersLess vulnerable to attacksLightweight form factors FAQ 1. Can I use Word on a Chromebook? Yes, but there are a few ways to go about it. You can download Microsoft 365 app by navigating to www.office.com and sign in to your Microsoft Account or an account that has access to a Microsoft 365 subscription. You can also install the Microsoft Word app on the Google Play Store. Once you’ve installed it, use the launcher to open the Word app and start typing away. You’ll need sign in using a Microsoft account or a Microsoft Office Subscription account. 2. How do I know if I should get a Chromebook or a laptop? It really boils down to the operating system at the end of the day. Do you like using Chrome OS or does it inspire intense feelings of rage? I’m something of a minimalist, so I prefer the straightforwardness of Chrome OS. But with Chromebooks, you’re stuck with Chrome OS and that’s that. If you’d rather have different browser options, then go for a Windows laptop. 3. What are the disadvantages of buying a Chromebook? While Chromebooks have a lot to offer the average user, there are a number of disadvantages to be aware of. It’s limited when it comes to resource-heavy tasks like multimedia editing and you can’t do much with it if you haven’t got a stable online connection. Chromebooks also don’t come with the latest and greatest CPU or ample RAM. The hardware is fine for general browsing, but not much else. 4. What can’t a Chromebook do that a laptop can? A Chromebook can’t run anything but Chrome OS. You get a lot more variety with Windows laptops. You can run a lot more apps, browsers, and so on. 5. Why get a Chromebook instead of a laptop? Chromebooks are just simple and easy to use. All you need is a Gmail account and you’re in. You don’t have to worry about updating the operating system because it does it automatically. If you can live without Windows or macOS programs and your usage is relatively light, then a Chromebook is the way to go. 6. Can you use a Chromebook without Internet? Yes, but you’re limited with what you can do. You can access Gmail, Google Drive, Google Calendar, Google Play Movies, and Google Keep. Just make sure you flip Google Docs to offline mode, which you can read more about here. The updates should happen automatically when you go back online. 7. Why is a Chromebook better than a laptop? Chromebooks are easier and don’t require as much maintenance as a Windows laptop. Updated on July 8, 2024, with more buying decisions, updates, and further details. Business, Chromebooks, Consumer Electronics, Desktop PCs, Laptops, Technology Industry Read...

Review: Finding Nemo Junior a delightful splash of underwater adventure perfect for kids and families looking for fun holiday entertainment. Read...

The Samsung Galaxy Book4 Pro is easily one of the best laptops out there right now, we’re happy to see that it’s now on sale at Amazon for $1,150. That’s a big drop from its MSRP of $1,450. In fact, it’s the cheapest price we’ve seen for it yet. This laptop is a powerhouse packed into a slim and ultralight design, making it perfect for both productivity and entertainment. We reviewed the Samsung Galaxy Book4 Pro 14 a while back and gave it 4.5 out of 5 stars along with our Editors’ Choice award, mainly for its outstanding OLED screen, super-light build, and HD camera. “The Samsung Galaxy Book4 Pro 14 is a lightweight, elegant all-rounder for business professionals who need reliable performance and ample features on the go,” our expert noted. This $1,150 configuration features an Intel Core Ultra 7 processor and 16GB of RAM, which means you’ll be able to breeze through any task, from complex projects to everyday doomscrolling on social media. It also has a 14-inch 3K (2880×1800) AMOLED touchscreen, too. The Galaxy Book4 Pro remains amazingly slim and lightweight. At just 2.71 pounds and 0.46 inches thick, it’s easy to carry around whether you’re commuting to the office or working from a café. Want a larger model? The 16-inch Galaxy Book4 Pro (Intel Core 7 Ultra, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) is also discounted right now, available for $1,400, down from its MSRP of $1,750. Since these kinds of deals expire fast, hurry and snag this Samsung Galaxy Book 4Pro while you can. It’ll last you for many years, so you won’t have to upgrade again for a long time. Save $300 on this Samsung Galaxy Book4 ProGet it now on Amazon Laptops Read...

At a glanceExpert`s Rating ProsExcellent SDR image qualityGreat motion clarityLots of connectivity including USB-CBeautiful designConsErgonomic stand is deep, wide, and requires assemblyDefault color temperature, gamut slightly off targetHDR performance could be betterOur VerdictThe Philips Evnia 8000 is a gigantic OLED display that delivers remarkable image quality, lots of ports, and robust image quality options. Best Prices Today: Philips Evnia 8000 Retailer Price B & H Photo $1349.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Want the last word in immersion and productivity in a single monitor? You’re going to want a 49-inch super-ultrawide QD-OLED monitor — like the Philips Evnia 8000. This gigantic OLED display delivers remarkable image quality, lots of ports, and robust image quality options. Philips Evnia 8000 specs and features The Philips Evnia 8000 has a 49-inch QD-OLED panel with a 32:9 aspect ratio and a display resolution of 5120×1440. This is the same Samsung QD-OLED found in competitive 49-inch OLED monitors, and like the Samsung Odyssey G9 OLED (spoiler alert), its performance is similar to the competition. Display size: 49-inch super-ultrawide 32:9 aspect ratio Native resolution: 5120×1440 Panel type: 240Hz glossy QD-OLED Refresh rate: Up to 240Hz Adaptive sync: Adaptive Sync, AMD FreeSync Premium, Nvidia G-Sync Ports: 2x HDMI 2.1, 1x DisplayPort 1.4, 1x USB-C with DisplayPort Alternate Mode and 90 watts USB Power Delivery, 1x 3.5 audio out, 1x USB-C 3.2 Gen1 downstream, 4x USB-A downstream VESA mount: 100x100mm Speakers: Yes, 4x 7.5-watt speaker system Price: $1,349.99 retail However, Philips adds a few extras to separate the Evnia 8000 from the pack. The monitor has a USB-C port with 90 watts of Power Delivery and multiple downstream USB-A ports for extended connectivity. It also packs an impressive four-speaker sound system with a total of 30 watts of audio oomph. Further reading: See our roundup of the best ultrawide monitors to learn about competing products. Philips Evnia 8000 design The Philips Evnia 8000 is impressive even before you turn on the monitor. It boasts an alluring white-and-silver design, and it’s constructed from high-quality plastics that look and feel luxurious. The rear of the display panel has an eye-catching geometric square pattern that’s distinctive yet not over-the-top or garish. The stand base, meanwhile, has a speckled look reminiscent of laptops and monitors made of recycled plastic (though Philips makes no such claim for this monitor). It’s easily among the most impressive designs I’ve witnessed for a 49-inch super-ultrawide, defeated only by Samsung’s Odyssey OLED G9. And while the Evnia is sold as a gaming display, it can look equally at home in a professional workstation or office setup. Even from the back, the Philips Evnia 8000 looks sleek and sophisticated. Even from the back, the Philips Evnia 8000 looks sleek and sophisticated.Matthew Smith / Foundry Even from the back, the Philips Evnia 8000 looks sleek and sophisticated.Matthew Smith / Foundry Matthew Smith / Foundry While the monitor looks great, it’s a mixed bag when it comes to ergonomics. On the plus side, the monitor has height, tilt, and swivel adjustments, making it easy to find a comfortable viewing height. However, Philips uses a wide stand base that takes up more desk space than necessary. The neck of the stand is deep, as well, so the display sits close to the viewer. It’s not an issue if you have a desk that’s 30-inches deep (or more), but it will feel cramped if your desk is narrow. Some assembly is required, as the monitor doesn’t use a standard 100x100mm VESA mount and clip-on stand mechanism. The panel is attached to the stand with two screws inserted beneath the neck. Their location makes it difficult to assemble the stand, as they’re not easily visible during assembly. However, the monitor is still compatible with VESA monitor stands and arms thanks to a bracket included with the monitor. Gamers who want flair will like the included Ambiglow lighting system. It’s bright and offers a variety of settings to customize the color and pattern to your liking. Ambiglow is among the brightest RGB LED backlights I’ve seen in a monitor, providing great contrast and a vibrant pop to your desk when set to its highest brightness. Matthew Smith / Foundry Matthew Smith / Foundry Matthew Smith / Foundry Philips Evnia 8000 connectivity and menus The Philip Evnia 8000 continues to straddle the line between professional and gaming displays with its connectivity. It has two HDMI 2.1 ports and one DisplayPort 1.4, but also a USB-C power with DisplayPort Alternate Mode and 90 watts of Power Delivery. That makes the Evnia 8000 a great choice if you have a mid-range laptop that supports charging over USB-C, or if you game on a desktop PC but also want to connect a work laptop with a USB-C port. There’s downstream connectivity, too, in the form of four USB-A ports and one USB-C port. That’s a lot of options, and it makes the Evnia 8000 a useful USB hub. Gamers can connect a wired keyboard and mouse and still have several ports left over for other peripherals like USB drives or a webcam. Philips ships the Evnia 8000 with a TV-style remote that controls the monitor’s on-screen menus. A joystick on the monitor can also be used to access them, in case the remote is lost. The remote is easy to use and quickly navigates through menus. The Philips Evnia 8000’s extensive menu system can be accessed and navigated using an included remote or a joystick on the monitor itself. The Philips Evnia 8000’s extensive menu system can be accessed and navigated using an included remote or a joystick on the monitor itself.Matthew Smith / Foundry The Philips Evnia 8000’s extensive menu system can be accessed and navigated using an included remote or a joystick on the monitor itself.Matthew Smith / Foundry Matthew Smith / Foundry The monitor’s image quality options are extensive. It supports color calibration and has color temperature and gamma presets that target specific numerical values. The monitor also has an sRGB mode to restrict the wide color gamut for more color-accurate viewing of sRGB content. The monitor looks good out of the box, but these extras are helpful for dialing in the image to your preferences. Gamers will find plenty of features, too. These include a black equalizer, which elevates the brightness of dark areas of the display to make foes more visible. Philips also provides a software utility called SmartControl that can change many monitor features straight from the Windows desktop. It works, but it’s far less attractive and sophisticated than competitive software from Dell and Asus. I also found it odd that some features, such as picture-by-picture modes and alternative aspect ratio modes, were only available through this software. Audio quality was a refreshing surprise. The Evnia 8000 has four 7.5-watt speakers and a total of 30 watts of audio output. That’s a lot, and it helps the monitor deliver strong, loud audio that absolutely blares at maximum volume. The speakers don’t provide the best stereo sound stage and are somewhat lacking in bass, but they’re clear, crisp, pleasant, and much better than what’s available from competing monitors. The Evnia 8000’s four-speaker system helps the monitor deliver strong, loud audio that absolutely blares at maximum volume. Philips Evnia 8000 SDR image quality The Philips Evnia 8000 has a super-ultrawide QD-OLED panel with an aspect ratio of 32:9 and a resolution of 5120×1440. It’s a beautiful display out of the box, though its overall SDR performance isn’t much different from other QD-OLED monitors. Matthew Smith / Foundry Matthew Smith / Foundry Matthew Smith / Foundry First up? Brightness. The Evnia 8000 reached a maximum SDR brightness of 250 nits, which is typical for an OLED monitor but low when compared to IPS and VA-panel displays, such as the LG Ultragear 45GR75DC. The Evnia 8000 also has a glossy display coat and curved panel, both of which can amplify glare. Despite that, I found the monitor comfortable to use in my home office, which doesn’t receive direct sunlight and has shades for light control. The Evnia 8000’s brightness isn’t an issue if you can dim the room and reduce sunlight. If you’re planning to use it in a room with bright sunlit windows, however, it may not look as brilliant as you’d like. Matthew Smith / Foundry Matthew Smith / Foundry Matthew Smith / Foundry Contrast is a strength, as expected. Most modern OLED monitors can achieve an effectively infinite contrast ratio, and the Evnia 8000 is no exception. It delivers an excellent sense of depth, dimensionality, and immersion. Colorful high-resolution video looks vivid, yet darker movies and games are rendered with good shadow detail and never look gray or washed-out. Matthew Smith / Foundry Matthew Smith / Foundry Matthew Smith / Foundry The Evnia 8000’s color gamut is impressive, as well. It achieved 100 percent of the sRGB color gamut, 98 percent of DCI-P3, and 97 percent of AdobeRGB. These figures are a hair better than other QD-OLED monitors I’ve tested, and much better than most IPS and VA-panel monitors, like the LG Ultragear 45GR75DC. A wide color gamut is great news for general use, as it provides a saturated and vivid look. Content creators will also like it, as it allows for better content creation when creating videos, photos, or digital art. You can feel confident the display will show the full range of colors others will see when they view the image. Matthew Smith / Foundry Matthew Smith / Foundry Matthew Smith / Foundry Color accuracy is good, as well. Though not class-leading, the Evnia 8000 is good enough for nearly any use straight out of the box. And, as mentioned, it offers extensive image quality controls to help users dial in the image to specific needs or preferences. While the Evnia 8000 scored well overall, it stumbled in color temperature and gamma performance. We prefer a default color temperature of 6500K and gamma curve of 2.2, but the Evnia 8000 scored 6100K and 2.4, respectively. That means the monitor’s image quality was warmer and darker than preferable at default settings. In general, all of the monitor’s color temperature and gamma settings undershot their targets. I was able to notice the issue in real-world use. The monitor looked darker than I expected, which made shadow detail less visible in dark games like Diablo IV and Halls of Torment. I was able to correct it by changing the monitor’s gamma setting in its option menu, but I expect a better out-of-box result from a monitor in this price range. The Samsung Odyssey G9 OLED doesn’t have this problem, either: It scored perfect on-target results of 6500K for color temperature and 2.2 for the gamma curve. Sharpness is generally good, though not exceptional. The Evnia 8000’s resolution of 5120×1440 across a 49-inch panel translates to roughly 109 pixels per inch, which is identical to a 27-inch 1440p monitor (indeed, it’s effectively two fused side-by-side). However, QD-OLED panels still have some issues with sub-pixel rendering that can degrade sharpness at high-contrast edges and small fonts. Put more simply, the monitor doesn’t look as sharp as most 1440p monitors that don’t have an OLED panel. But the issue won’t be a deal-breaker unless sharpness is your top priority. On the whole, the Philips Evnia 8000 delivers excellent SDR image quality that’s great for both entertainment and content creation. The monitor’s immersive contrast and vivid color makes both bright and dark content pop. That’s paired with a wide color gamut and accurate color performance that’s ideal for many creative tasks, from video editing to graphics design. The monitor’s out-of-box color temperature and gamma performance could be better, but that can be corrected with the included image quality options. Philips Evnia 8000 HDR image quality QD-OLED monitors can support HDR content and even look good in certain situations, but they’re often lacking in brightness. That’s true for the Philips Evnia 8000. The monitor’s maximum full-screen HDR brightness was identical to its maximum SDR brightness of 250 nits. Reducing the area of the display that’s lit to a 10 percent window (meaning just 10 percent of the total display surface was white, while the rest was black) increased brightness to 304 nits, which is still rather low. Philips says the monitor is VESA DisplayHDR True Black 400 certified, which means it can achieve 400 nits under specific circumstances. But I couldn’t coax the monitor into producing that in my testing. I don’t doubt the claim — VESA is a reputable standards organization—but it’s apparently not easy to achieve. Even if it were, 400 nits of brightness is not that impressive. Recent monitors with an LG WOLED panel, like the Viewsonic XG272-2K-OLED, can exceed 1,000 nits in a 10 percent window. With that said, the Evnia’s performance isn’t much different from the Samsung Odyssey G9 OLED or Alienware AW3423DWF. Those alternatives exceeded 400 nits in a 10 percent window, and remained under 300 nits in a full-screen test. All three monitors look great when displaying HDR content in which only small portions of the screen are brightly lit, such as a starry night sky. But they don’t seem bright when displaying a larger, more expansive scene, like a sunset or a snowy mountain. I wouldn’t recommend the Evnia 8000 if excellent HDR is your priority. But if you see HDR as a bonus or novelty — a stance that’s justifiable given the continued lack of quality HDR content for PC platforms — the Evnia 8000’s performance is fine. Philips Evnia 8000 motion performance The Philips Evnia 8000, like most QD-OLED monitors, has excellent motion clarity. OLED panels have extremely low pixel response times, which means each pixel changes quickly when necessary. That in turn reduces motion blur behind fast-moving objects. Motion clarity is further improved by the monitor’s 240Hz refresh rate. A refresh rate of 240Hz is common among QD-OLED monitors, but it’s still excellent, and delivers crisp, clear motion. Fast-moving objects are easy to pick out from a busy scene. Scrolling test images from League of Legends and DOTA2 showed that small details, like character names and the ticks in hitpoint bars, were generally legible when scrolling rapidly across the map, though in some situations still difficult to read. This level of motion clarity is similar to other 240Hz QD-OLED monitors. Philips lists official compatibility with Adaptive Sync, Nvidia G-Sync, and AMD FreeSync Premium Pro, so the monitor’s adaptive sync should work well with any modern video card. That eliminates screen tearing and keeps frame pacing in sync with the video card for smooth gameplay. Should you buy the Philips Evnia 8000? The Philips Evnia 8000 is an excellent QD-OLED monitor. It has great image quality, lots of connectivity, a handy remote, and looks attractive on a desk. Its out-of-box color temperature and gamma were a tad off, which is an area for improvement. The monitor isn’t the best pick for HDR, either, though that’s also true of similar QD-OLED ultrawides and super-ultrawides. The Evnia 8000 will appeal most to people who need a monitor for professional productivity, yet also want a top-notch experience when playing PC games. Monitors Read...

Once upon a time, OLED displays were prohibitively expensive. Nowadays, you can pick up a laptop with an OLED display for under $1,000. But are they really worth it? The answer might be more complicated than you think. An OLED laptop may be worth it for some, but not others. OLED displays are great for entertainment and gaming because they produce rich colors and deep blacks. That said, they’re suseptible to the dreaded burn-in, a visible impression on the screen that you can’t get rid of. They’re also a serious power suck as far as battery life is concerned. Read on to learn more. Further reading: The best laptops we’ve tested What the heck is OLED anyway? Let’s take it back to square one, shall we? OLED stands for Organic Light Emitting Diode. The tech produces a delightfully vibrant picture because there’s no need for a separate backlight like there is with LCD (liquid crystal display) displays. OLED screens are capable of adjusting the brightness on a pixel-by-pixel basis, leading to inky blacks and enriching colors. This makes OLED a good choice for gamers, graphic designers, movie buffs, and so on. check out our top 2-in-1 laptop Asus Zenbook 14 Flip OLED Read our review Best Prices Today: $1,199 at Amazon The pros Below you’ll find all the benefits of an OLED laptop display. Immersive entertainment If your eyeballs aren’t glued to the screen, are you really that immersed? Kidding… mostly. Laptops with OLED displays make great gaming machines because they show almost the full coverage of the DCI-P3 color scale. This results in a very color-accurate display. Think of it like an artist with an easel of supercharged paints. The color palette is bigger and therefore more interesting to look at. Now, apply that to the most epic fantasy game you can think of (maybe it’s riding Roach through the enriching world in The Witcher) and voilà! You’ve got quite the immersive experience. It’s also a great choice if you’re a big movie or TV buff, especially if you’re watching a colorful anime like Sailor Moon, which has a lot of pinkish hues in its scenes. Lighter laptop The OLED display panel is incredibly thin, which decreases the weight of the overall laptop. This is because they don’t need a backlight. LCD panels, for example, need a separate backlight that lights up the liquid crystals inside. According to Lenovo, LCD is “a layer of liquid crystals sandwiched between two transparent electrodes.” This additional layer adds more weight to the laptop. So, if you’re the type of person who frequently moves from room to room (hi!), then you’ll want to look into a laptop with an OLED display. In addition to making the laptop more portable, the viewing angles on OLED are also wider than the LCD variety. IDG / Matthew Smith IDG / Matthew Smith IDG / Matthew Smith Touch-enabled screens Do you like to randomly doodle a picture of Sailor Moon as a way to impress your friends? I sure do. If so, good news! There are a number of OLED laptops that offer touchscreen functionality, allowing you to doodle away with your fingers or a stylus. Jokes aside, if you’re a graphic designer or a budding artist, the deep blacks and rich colors will serve as a benefit to you in your work. Note takers should take note (ha) here, too: You should always make sure you can configure your chosen OLED laptop with a touchscreen. The cons Ah, we’ve made it to the burn, I mean con list. Below you’ll find a list of common deterrents to OLED such as burn-in, a loftier price point, and so on. Burn-in Burn-in is when part of a static image (like a taskbar or a gaming HUD) gets “burned” into the screen in a permanent way. It will hang around as a ghostly background or outline even if the screen is showing other content. This happens when the same image gets displayed over and over again with little variation at a high brightness. Here’s a deeper explanation of burn-in: OLED pixels, which consist of organic materials that shoot out light when an electric current passes through them, will degrade when exposed to high electric currents for a prolonged period of time. A higher brightness setting, which uses more power and generates more heat, will wear out some of the pixels, which then leads to a ghostly image. Image retention is often a precursor to burn-in, so if you’re seeing an outline of a taskbar sticking around for a few minutes and then fading away, you should start lowering the brightness level or use a screen saver to switch up what’s being displayed on the screen. Although burn-in is rare, it doesn’t hurt to take some precautions! Price When it comes to buying an OLED laptop, the prices can really vary. They used to be prohibitively expensive back in the day, but that’s not really the case anymore. For example, the Asus Zenbook 14 OLED, which we reviewed back in April, earned 4.5 stars plus an Editor’s Choice badge from us and it only costs $799 at Walmart at the time of this writing. Not only do “movies and games look realistic and vibrant,” but it also lasted 16 hours on a single charge, a typically difficult feat for a laptop with an OLED display. They’re not the cheapest option out there, but they’re definitely not the most expensive, either. Mark Hachman / IDG Mark Hachman / IDG Mark Hachman / IDG Battery The battery may take a baseball to the face, so to speak. Again, that’s not always so, as the aforementioned Asus Zenbook 14 OLED can last up to 16 hours with light use. But a high-end machine like the more expensive HP Spectre x360 14 ($1,819.99) that we reviewed in March, which has a higher resolution OLED display (2880×1800), only lasted about 11 hours. That’s still a good result; don’t get it twisted! But you can see the difference between the two OLED displays and the amount of power they consume. You definitely should do a little research into the battery life of your chosen machine, especially if you travel often and are regularly away from an outlet. Laptops Read...

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