Kodi is an open-source entertainment platform that plays your films, music, and videos and lets you view your pictures locally and over your home network. You can also stream content, play games, and much more. To get the most from the app, you’ll want to download various add-ons, which you can do free of charge. You can also download audio and video decoders and connect it to cloud storage such as Google Drive and Microsoft OneDrive. Dominic Bayley / Foundry If you want to get going with the app then there are add-ons for streaming film and TV that you can download via the Add-on section. You might also like to download a Kodi build. This is a custom package that contains a pre-configured setup of Kodi along with selected add-ons, themes, and skins. There are lots of guides online to show you how to do this for different builds that people swear by. That’s a wrap for this Try This. For more app recommendations like this one be sure to sign up to our PCWorld Try This newsletter. Read...

Extreme Networks reports growing global adoption of its Wi-Fi 7 solutions across education, healthcare, sports, and entertainment sectors, boosting connectivity and security. Read...

9news.com.au caught up with Justin Vasquez, Creative Director at Eidos Montreal and Miles Winzeler, Producer at Obsidian Entertainment, to talk scary spiders and all things Grounded 2, out now in early access. Read...

For better or worse, laptop docking stations have generally been “dumb” devices. Synaptics and its customers are hoping to change that. Right now, there are two main technologies that “compete” in the docking stations space: USB4 (which Intel puts its own spin on with its Thunderbolt 4 technology) and DisplayLink (a technology Synaptics bought in 2020). Thunderbolt supplies more raw bandwidth to docks, while DisplayLink uses compression technologies to deliver a high-speed video experience that approximates Thunderbolt. Normally, the best Thunderbolt docks compete against DisplayLink docks, and it’s easy to get lost in the raw horsepower that a Thunderbolt dock offers. Synaptics, however, believes its high-speed signaling finesse can give it a leg up in future devices. Synaptics sells its DisplayLink chips to dock makers like Anker, Kensington, Plugable, and Ugreen, making Synaptics the key chipmaker in those docking stations. Although Synaptics does plan a major expansion into the “competing” USB4 technology, it recently showed off a dock concept at a tech exhibition at its headquarters (in San Jose, California) this week, which turned the dock into something like a thin client with basic video and possibly even apps living at the edge. As of now, perhaps the closest approximation to Synaptics’ vision would be the Anker Prime Charger, a 250W USB-C charging dock with an integrated display. But Synaptics was especially proud of its Astra series of IoT SOCs, whose SL2610 series leverages a “Kelvin” NPU that Google contributed to the industry as an open-source design. What do you get when you take a regular dock and add an Astra? A “smart” dock. A Plugable concept docking station with an Astra chip connected.Mark Hachman / Framework Synaptics showed off some office applications, consumer applications, and video all running on an Astra development board connected to a Plugable DisplayLink dock. At CES 2026, the company expects to show off some LLM AI models running on top of that, said Ganesh Tekkatte, director of product marketing at Synaptics. “It’s a traditional dock, but it’s now also an AI-enabled dock,” added Harsha Rao, vice president of high speed interfaces and distributed compute at Synaptics. Synaptics calls this “edge AI,” and it was a key focus for the demonstrations that the company showed off. It all sounds somewhat familiar, with one demonstration showing gesture controls being used to control a consumer video streaming device, with visual recognition coming next. That’s a feature we’ve seen before with the Microsoft Kinect (though, years later, Synaptics can now do it far smaller and for far cheaper). Another opportunity is the automotive space, where your car could recognize you and adjust your seat, heating, and entertainment options differently than with other drivers in your family. In the PC market, Rao said an intelligent dock could replace a business PC in a hotel’s conference center or hotel room, or in a shared business environment. Putting intelligence in a dock could solve three problems: diagnosing any problems that the user might have right at the edge; intelligent bandwidth monitoring and management; and failure analysis of accessories connected to the dock. Intelligent bandwidth management could be an interesting feature, since DisplayLink usually works with a generic 10Gbps USB-C port rather than a specialized Thunderbolt connection. Rao said the dock could recognize that certain apps (like email) could always be routed to a connected 1080p display while more intensive apps (like CAD) be directed to a 4K display. “And the idea is that you could connect that with an on-screen display, because nobody wants to use the joystick [on the back of the display],” Rao said. Rao also said Synaptics is also working on a USB4 solution, which will debut in about a year and a half. He called DisplayLink a “poor man’s GPU, and said that the market was moving toward a more universal USB4 solution that could provide a cost-effective solution to Thunderbolt 4 and Thunderbolt 5. “And now is the time for us to do that.” Edge AI via sight and sound Synaptics also showed off its vision for universal presence detection using the Astra chip. Presence detection is nothing new—in Windows (Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options), you might see an option for “dynamic lock,” which uses a paired Bluetooth phone to detect when you’re nearby. But Synaptics is working with Dell’s Pro series laptops to integrate a presence-detection sensor with the webcam, and is working with Lenovo to add presence detection to Lenovo’s displays as well. Synaptics showing off universal presence detection.Mark Hachman / Framework In the demonstration, the presence detection simply identified which of two displays the user was looking at, and blurred the other. Synaptics has also implemented gesture control for moving the screen and controlling volume function, though its customers aren’t obligated to use it. One of Synaptics’ customers used the webcam for presence detection, but Synaptics would prefer a dedicated edge sensor that could provide the same function for about 20 cents more and up to 50 milliwatts. Synaptics also showed off how a smart display could sense the “owner” of the display and prioritize their voice during a video call. Edge AI can be sued to “lock on” a speciifc user.Mark Hachman / Framework Again, this all feels somewhat familiar. Brian Krzanich’s tenure at Intel was marked by BMX bikers performing stunts on a CES stage, and claims that edge sensors would supply the data for which Intel’s CPUs constantly clamor. “We are the only company that can actually put a solution mindset to this,” Rao said. “What I find out with my docking customers is what their compute needs, then we go talk to the processor [team],” Rao said. “Intel can not do that. The edge is not just coming with a sledgehammer and saying, we’ve got a processor. We actually go to there and say, what is the solution that I can solve with all the LEGO blocks we have?” Read...

Roku is jumping onto the AI bandwagon with its next batch of software updates. In the months ahead, the company will add AI-powered voice search for its smart TVs and streaming players. While Roku’s existing voice search can find specific programs, actors, or genres, the upgrade will allow for more conversational queries, such as “What’s the Barbie movie about?” or “How scary is The Shining.” It will also support follow-up questions. Other forthcoming Roku features include a “What do you like to watch?” feature to tweak Roku’s home screen recommendations, live scores in the Sports section, and a search function in Roku’s live TV guide. Roku is also updating its recently-launched Streaming Stick and Streaming Stick Plus to support private listening through Bluetooth headphones and earbuds. TV-focused AI Unlike rivals Amazon and Google, Roku isn’t trying to launch an all-purpose AI that also happens to work on TVs. Roku doesn’t sell its own smart speakers, and users primarily interact with voice control through the mic button on Roku remotes. “Even in this case, with us evolving Roku voice to now answer entertainment Q&A, we are specializing in a TV-related solution only,” Amit Desai, Roku’s director of product and UX for voice and conversational AI, told reporters. He added that the feature will use a combination of in-house and commercial AI technology. Roku While it’s not yet clear what will happen if you ask about non-entertainment topics, Desai said Roku will tailor its responses for TV users, for instance by offering links to the shows being discussed along with related programming. Other streaming platforms haven’t quite nailed that experience. You can ask the same questions on a Google TV or Fire TV device, for instance, but you might get a voice-only response with no quick way to access the movie or show in question. (In Google’s case, that’s because it’s using completely different voice assistant technologies for conversation and navigation.) We’ve yet to see a live demo of Roku’s AI, but it could make for a less frustrating voice control experience if it works as advertised. More features to come Roku Along with Roku’s AI voice upgrade, the company announced a slew of other software features and some hardware news: “What do you like to watch?” This feature will present a series of movie and show tiles that users can mark with a thumbs up. Roku will automatically add suggestions to users’ Save Lists and tweak its home screen recommendations accordingly. Sports scores and reminders: Roku’s Sports section, which tracks upcoming live events from across different streaming services, will display scores (which can be hidden). Users can also set reminders that will trigger a notification in Roku’s mobile app. Roku Channel search: Roku will add a search button to its Live TV menu, with a search function in its live TV grid guide to follow. Trailer links: Trailers that you watch from Roku’s home screen will have quick links in the video player to add the program to your Save List or see where it’s available to watch. Mobile app updates: Roku’s iPhone and Android apps are getting some quick shortcuts for things like closed captions, sleep timers, the remote finder function. The app will also get links to sections such as TV Shows and Sports, along with an easier way to rate shows or mark them as watched. Roku More hardware: Walmart will soon sell a $198 portable projector from Vankyo with Roku’s software built-in. It looks pretty similar to the Aurzen model that launched on Amazon last month for $250 (but quickly dropped to $180 as of this writing). The company has also added Pioneer to its stable of brands building Roku TVs. Streaming Sticks add Bluetooth: It turns out that the Roku’s $30 Streaming Stick and $40 Streaming Stick Plus support Bluetooth after all. A software update will allow them to play TV audio through wireless headphones or earbuds. That’s one less reason to consider the $100 Roku Ultra instead. It’s unclear exactly when the new software features will arrive, other than in the “coming months.” The updates will likely trickle out to Roku TVs and streamers over time, making it tough to product when you’ll start seeing them on yours. Read...

No operating system is without its merits, and that includes Windows 11, even as much as I complain about Microsoft’s latest operating system. Its handful of useful features continues to grow as time goes on, with more and more being rolled out every year. get win11 pro for cheap Windows 11 Pro But with helpful utilities and settings trickling out slowly, it’s easy to miss a few here and there, especially when the flashier features hog the news headlines. We’ve pulled out 10 features that we don’t think get enough love—if you’ve heard of them and haven’t tried them yet, now’s the time. Further reading: The Windows 11 survival guide for Windows 10 refugees Notepad tabs You no longer need to keep multiple Notepad windows open on the Taskbar.PCWorld Notepad actually predates Windows, but it’s still fully relevant (and useful!) today. The streamlined app lets you open a window to make quick notes. And in Windows 11, you can now manage and navigate between open files in a single window, thanks to the addition of tabs. It’s far tidier than opening a new instance of Notepad for each file—and combined with the new dark mode, it makes the app look and feel modern. Widgets Widgets for Facebook, Spotify, and PC performance monitoring could be coming soon.PCWorld Windows 11 makes a wealth of info available with just one mouse click (or quick tap of Win + W). Right now you can get weather, stock prices, sports updates, and entertainment news, and those cards are slowly being joined by new additions, like for Xbox Game Pass. It’s a much easier way to stay up to date than fully shifting to a browser and poking around in your tabs. Screen recording Click the video icon, then New to start recording a portion of your screen.PCWorld Previous versions of Windows had a Snipping Tool app, but you could only take screenshots. In Windows 11, screen recording finally gets added—and unlike Windows’ Xbox Game Bar’s recording feature, you can use it to capture specific parts of your screen. If you serve as informal tech support for family and friends, this feature can make your life a lot easier when explaining how to tinker with an app or in Windows. (Note: You’ll have to open the full Snipping Tool app for screen recording—it doesn’t appear in the Win + Shift + S keyboard shortcut overlay.) Quick Assist If you need help, you’ll first generate a code to share with the person doing the troubleshooting.PCWorld If your loved ones can manage unfamiliar but basic interactions with a PC, a Windows Pro license isn’t necessary to provide them remote support. You can have them fire up Quick Assist instead. (Remember this app from Windows 10? It’s still around in Windows 11.) Once in the program, they’ll log in to their Microsoft account, and then generate a six-digit code to send to you. You’ll input that code into Quick Assist on your PC, at which point you can then see what’s happening on their end, and even request full control of their PC. Clock info This tiny tweak adds more precision to your clock readout.PCWorld If you’ve needed more precision in your clock readout on the Windows 11 taskbar, you’re in luck. You can now add seconds to the display—but you’ll have to head to taskbar settings to flip it on, rather than your date and time settings. Under Taskbar behaviors, scroll to the bottom of the list and check the box for Show seconds in system tray clock. File Explorer tabs Now if Microsoft would just add a Ctrl + Shift + T keyboard shortcut to quickly bring back closed tabs.PCWorld Microsoft didn’t just add tabs to Notepad. File Explorer got the upgrade, too. You no longer need third-party software to enable the feature (like Stardock’s excellent Groupy). All your numerous Explorer windows can now be grouped as tabs in a single container. Just click the “+” button in the top-most menu bar (or hit Ctrl + T on your keyboard)—each new tab will appear along the top of the window, just like a web browser. Fast Snap Bar access We love Snap, and having fast access to the default layouts makes it even easier to get the right arrangement for your open windows.PCWorld Snap is one of our favorite features in Windows—being able to automatically resize and align windows saves time and makes working a lot easier. And not only do you get more layouts to choose from in Windows 11, but you can access them faster, too. Just hover your mouse over the maximize button in the upper right-hand corner of any window. A small pop-up menu will appear showing six different template options. Roll your cursor over any of the grids, and your current window will get sent to that position. Keyboard users can instead tap Win + Z, then the number of the layout they want. Further reading: 12 handy Windows shortcuts you probably don’t know Power savings Microsoft’s Energy Recommendations can help reduce your power bill.PCWorld Energy costs keep climbing—and in some parts of the world, they’re still at record prices. While you can of course switch your power plan in Windows to something lighter, Windows 11 has a few specific settings you can turn on to reduce idle power consumption. (After all, why pay for the higher electricity use when you’re not active on the PC?) You’ll find these under Settings > System > Power & battery > Energy recommendations. You can then turn on one or more of the suggestions. These more stringent settings will help extend battery life on laptops, too. Virtual desktops You can set different backgrounds for each of your virtual desktops to tell them apart.PCWorld This feature might be one of the most underrated in Windows. Virtual desktops, which first launched in Windows 10, let you spread your active apps and windows among different home screens—it reduces clutter and makes your primary desktop less overwhelming. Some people use their virtual desktops to separate out work from play (or research from daily tasks), while others separate programs by category or function. Navigating between your desktops is as fast as clicking on the Virtual Desktop taskbar icon or tapping Win + Ctrl + Left/Right Arrow. Clipchamp Clipchamp’s video editing capabilities amply cover the basics.PCWorld Davinci Resolve is great if you need deep video editing capabilities, but Microsoft has an alternative free option that’s easier to jump into. Clipchamp can handle quick cuts, fades, and media insertions with ease, and the interface is far less intimidating. It also handles direct uploads to services like YouTube and TikTok, as well as cloud saves for OneDrive, Google Drive, and Dropbox. Combine this program with the built-in recording features in Windows (i.e., Xbox Game Bar or Snipping Tool) and you can be on your way to internet fame quickly. get windows 11 pro for cheap in pcworld`s software store Windows 11 Pro Read...

Apple TV+ is now plain-old Apple TV, Apple told us yesterday. Confusing? Not for most. Indeed, Apple TV+’s dropping of the “+” was as inevitable as Max getting the “HBO” back. First, the news: In its announcement that the Brad Pitt blockbuster F1: The Movie will make its debut on Apple TV+ in December, Apple casually noted that as of now, Apple TV+ isn’t Apple TV+ anymore.  “Apple TV+ is now simply Apple TV, with a vibrant new identity,” Apple’s press release reads. What’s the new identity, you ask? Aside from a new and multicolor Apple TV logo, that’s hard to say.  Those of us who follow the streaming industry greeted the news with furrowed brows. So Apple TV the streaming service is now on Apple TV, the streaming box? Isn’t that kind of confusing? Yes, the Apple TV streaming player is officially known as “Apple TV 4K,” but still.  Well, it’s details like the “+” and the “4K” that cause headaches when it comes to clear and consistent branding, and the truth is most folks haven’t bothered with the “plus” for a long time. Severance, The Studio, The Morning Show, Ted Lasso—those are all Apple TV shows, according to everyday streamers.  Sometimes, simplicity and familiarity are best. Take HBO Max, which went through a three-year-old rebranding drama that saw the service renamed as “Max,” a change that was mainly driven by the now-unraveling alliance between the former WarnerMedia and Discovery.  Warner Bros. Discovery likely spent a fortune trying to get the Max branding to stick, but most subscribers just kept calling it HBO Max. Finally, the entertainment giant stopped swimming against the tide and restored the old name.  Same goes with Paramount, which yanked the “Showtime” branding from its Paramount+ streaming tiers back in June. Starting in 2022 with Paramount’s plan to blend Showtime content into its Paramount+ service, the streaming had a number of different “with Showtime” tiers, leading to confusion and some very ungainly streaming plan names.   Ultimately, Paramount relented, ditching the “Showtime” branding for the streaming version of Paramount+ (there’s still a linear Paramount+ with Showtime channel). Now it’s just Paramount+ Essential and Paramount+ Premium, which (incidentally) both include Showtime shows. Again, it’s a change that only the suits and industry watchers cared about.  So yes, Apple TV+ is now just Apple TV, although for most it’s always been Apple TV. But what about Apple TV—you know, the streaming box?  Well, there’s an interesting theory making the rounds that a new—and renamed—Apple TV will clear up any lingering confusion. The Apple TV Max, maybe? Apple TV Pro? Or maybe a name that ditches the “TV” altogether, like the Apple Streamer or the Apple Hub (a smart home hub plus video streamer).  It’s not clear exactly when a new Apple TV—or a new Apple Streaming Whatever—will arrive (it’s reportedly coming soonish, if not this week), but when it does, the whole “Apple TV+ is now Apple TV” issue might become moot. Read...

At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros 4K video with a wide field of view Reliable PoE connection with 24/7 recording AI detection for people, vehicles, and pets Cons Requires the $400 ProSecure NVR to function Installation involves drilling and cable runs No Apple Home support Our Verdict The Eufy PoE Turret Security Camera E41 delivers dependable, subscription-free security with crisp video and smart detection, but only if you’re willing to commit to Eufy’s wired ProSecure NVR system. It’s a strong option for homeowners ready to go beyond Wi-Fi cameras. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Best Prices Today: Eufy PoE Turret Security Camera E41 Retailer Price $99.99 View Deal $129.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Best Prices Today: Check today’s prices Wi-Fi cameras are popular because you can set them up almost anywhere and be watching video on your phone within minutes. The convenience is hard to beat. But they can also be temperamental. Most are limited to operating on crowded 2.4GHz Wi-Fi networks, live feeds can buffer and stall, and you’re never completely sure the camera captured what you needed–especially with battery-powered cameras that don’t record anything until they detect movement. A power-over-ethernet (PoE) camera, such as the Eufy PoE Turret Security Camera E41 reviewed here, avoids those headaches. PoE cameras are also immune to Wi-Fi jamming, although you’ll want to ensure the cable is out of reach of an intruder armed with wire-cutters. A single cable carries both power and data, delivering steadier streams and 24/7 recording not subject to the vagaries of an overburdened wireless network. In this case, the camera’s recordings are stored locally on a network video recorder (NVR, a concept similar to the digital video recorder–DVR–you might use to record video entertainment). This eliminates the need for ongoing subscription fees to store and process video in the cloud. This particular camera is designed to be used with an 8-channel (expandable to 16 channels) Eufy ProSecure S4 NVR ($400 with a 2TB hard drive), which you’ll plug into your router. It cannot operate on its own, so that’s how I reviewed it here. This NVR was part of the TechHive Editors’ Choice-winning Eufy PoE NVR Security System S4 Max system I reviewed in July 2025, so it also includes local AI processing that enables facial, pet, and vehicle, detection to reduce false alerts; “AI Smart Search” that enables you to search for specific events in recorded video; and a host of other advanced features. The Eufy PoE Turret Security Camera E41 and Eufy ProSecure S4 NVR combo use artificial intelligence to distinguish between people, vehicles, and pets, which helps cut down on false alerts. The camera itself has an onboard siren and flashing red and blue LEDs, so it can deter intruders as well as record them. Given its system requirements and the need to string cable, the Eufy PoE Turret Security Camera E41 will mostly be of interest to hardcore home security buffs and small business owners. Design and features The Eufy PoE Turret Security Camera E41 looks similar to a pan/tilt model, but turret cameras are not motorized, so their field of view can’t be adjusted via an app. A ball-and-socket design enables you to manually adjust a turret camera’s angle of view to a limited degree after mounting it. Eufy’s E41 turret camera is more compact and less conspicuous than bullet cameras, and when mounted under an eave, it blends in and doesn’t draw much attention to itself. The Eufy Turret E41 has a 122-degree field of view, sufficient to cover most front yards, driveways, or side entrances without the need for multiple cameras. Its lens can be manually tilted over an 82-degree arc.Michael Ansaldo/Foundry This is a 4K UHD camera (3,840 x 2,160 pixels) with a 122-degree field of view and 5x digital zoom. That wide viewing angle should cover most front yards, driveways, or side entrances, eliminating the need for multiple cameras. In low light, the Turret E41 relies on a starlight sensor for clear nighttime footage, and it can switch between infrared and spotlight modes depending on the situation. If you want to keep things discreet, infrared captures in black and white while emitting little visible light. If you’d rather see full color video at night and don’t mind a light kicking on, the spotlight mode brightens the area. The camera can be deployed indoors or out, and it carries a weatherization rating of IP67. According to our guide to IP codes, that means the Turret E41 is completely dustproof and that it can withstand immersion in up to one meter (approximately 3.3 feet) of water for up to 30 minutes. The camera itself has a built-in siren and red-and-blue flashing lights that can deter intruders as well as record them. The camera and NVR combo use artificial intelligence to distinguish between people, vehicles, and pets, which helps cut down on false alerts. Deployed with compatible Eufy cameras, a cross-camera tracking feature can follow a person as they move around your property, stitching the recordings of several cameras into a continuous clip. You’ll use the Eufy Security app to manage the system’s cameras, and it can be integrated with Amazon Alexa or Google Home, but Apple Home is not currently supported. The eufy Network Video Recorder S4 includes 2TB of local storage that can exdpanded be up to 16TB). Its built-in AI handles detection and tracking without relying on the cloud. Michael Ansaldo/Foundry Setup and performance As I’ve already mentioned, the Eufy PoE Turret Security Camera E41 must be wired directly to the ProSecure NVR with an ethernet cable. That means you’ll need to figure out how to run the cable cleanly as well as how to secure it, whether by tacking it along your home’s soffit or siding and possibly drilling a hole through an exterior wall to bring it inside your home. The 2TB mechanical hard drive in the ProSecure NVR S4 will be sufficient for light use, but you’ll run out of storage quickly if you opt for 24/7 recording with multiple cameras. While the camera(s) won’t stop recording as the drive fills up, the NVR will overwrite older recordings; in other words, you’ll lose that history. Fortunately, the drive sits in a standard 3.5-inch bay and can be easily swapped out for a higher-capacity drive, up to 16TB. Just be sure to buy a mechanical drive that’s rated for surveillance, because a run-of-the-mill hard drive won’t stand up to the constant writing. Hard drive manufacturers label their drives accordingly, with Western Digital’s Purple drive lineup and Seagate’s SkyHawk series being two popular choices. SSDs (Solid State Drives) are generally not recommended for this type of application. The NVR must be wired directly to your router, and you’ll use the included mouse and an HDMI-connected monitor to handle the initial configuration. From there it’s about picking your camera spot, mounting the bracket, and connecting the ethernet cable. Once plugged into the NVR, the camera comes online automatically, and you can manage the system from the monitor or the Eufy Security app. In daily use, the Turrent Camera E41 delivers sharp daytime video that lets you pick out small details like license plates or clothing logos. At night, the starlight sensor maintains color well when there’s some ambient light, and the spotlight can light up an area when you want full color. The Eufy Security app lets you view live and recorded video and manage features such as motion detection and lighting. Michael Ansaldo/Foundry The AI detection does a solid job of discerning between people from a cars or wandering pets, so you don’t get bombarded with unnecessary alerts. If you’re running more than one camera, as most people will with this system, you can also default to the NVR’s global AI settings. These override whatever you’ve set on individual cameras, which makes it easier to apply consistent detection rules across the system without tweaking each camera one by one. But reliability is the selling point here, and it held up in my testing. I mounted the Turret Cam E41 in a spot where Wi-Fi cameras have given me issues with dropped connections. This one streamed continuously without buffering, and recordings went straight to the NVR without a hitch. The Eufy Security app is straightforward to use and gives you full control of the Turret Cam. It was my preferred interface for viewing live feeds, reviewing recordings, and fine-tuning motion zones, alerts, and audio settings. Everything is laid out cleanly, so you don’t waste time digging through menus to make simple changes. Should you buy the Eufy PoE Turret Security Camera E41? At around $130, the Eufy PoE Turret Cam E41 delivers solid value. You get sharp 4K video, reliable AI detection, and built-in deterrence features without paying for a cloud subscription. Just remember that it doesn’t work on its own—you’ll need the Eufy Network Video Recorder S4 ($400) to run it. If you’re starting from scratch, Eufy sells bundles that combine its NVR with mixes and quantities of its cameras (turret, bullet, and pan/tilt), which is a better deal if you’re planning whole-home coverage. This review is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best home security cameras. Read...

At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros Inoffensive design includes a VESA mount Good sharpness and brightness for a budget monitor 100Hz refresh rate enhances motion clarity Cons Design is a bit too simple Doesn’t ship with a height-adjustable stand Modest contrast ratio and color gamut Our Verdict Though certainly drab, the MSI Pro MP275Q provides solid image quality for an office productivity monitor, and does it at an appealing price. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Best Prices Today: MSI PRO MP275Q Retailer Price Check Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Are you shopping for a basic productivity monitor that won’t disappoint? The MSI Pro MP275Q might be what you need. Though it has a ho-hum design and barebones feature set, it delivers high brightness and sharpness on a budget. Read on to learn more, then see our roundup of the best home office monitors for comparison. MSI PRO MP275Q specs and features The MSI Pro MP275Q’s specifications are firmly targeted at office productivity. It provides a 27-inch panel with 2,560 x 1,440 resolution, which is a nice bump from 1,920 x 1,080. It also has speakers, a VESA mount, and supports both HDR and Adaptive Sync. Display size: 27-inch Native resolution: 2560×1440 Panel type: IPS-LED Refresh rate: 100Hz Adaptive Sync: Yes, Adaptive Sync HDR: Yes, “HDR Ready” Ports: 2x HDMI 2.0, 1x DisplayPort 1.4, 1x 3.5mm audio-out Audio: 2x 2-watt speakers VESA Mount: Yes, 100x100mm Price: $179.99 MSRP, $139.99 typical retail Buying the MSI Pro MP275Q will set you back about $180 at MSRP but, like most monitors, it is often on sale and often for less than $150. That’s a decent price for a 27-inch 1440p monitor, but I wouldn’t call it a deal. MSI PRO MP275Q design The MSI Pro MP275Q doesn’t make much impression out of the box, and I suspect that’s the point. It’s a “Pro” monitor and, in this case, the professional could be anyone from a work-from-home administrator to a retail clerk ringing up an order. The Pro MP275Q looks fine, and it feels reasonably durable for a budget monitor, but it’s nothing special. However, the monitor’s function doesn’t live up to its branding. It has a simple stand that only adjusts for tilt. It’s not a tall stand, either, so tall users will find themselves looking down at the screen at an uncomfortable angle. The monitor does include a 100x100mm VESA mount, at least, so it’s possible to add a third-party stand or monitor arm. Matthew Smith / Foundry MSI PRO MP275Q connectivity MSI keeps it basic with the Pro MP275Q’s connectivity, but it covers the necessities. We’re talking two HDMI 2.0 ports, plus one DisplayPort 1.4, and a 3.5mm audio-out. This is the expected range of connectivity for a monitor around $150. It’s neither better nor worse than usual. USB-C would be nice, but it’s not common south of $250. MSI PRO MP275Q menus, audio Menu navigation is provided with a joystick tucked around the right flank of the MSI Pro MP275Q. Many monitors offer a joystick (which is often the easiest, most responsive way to navigate a monitor’s menus), so this isn’t unusual. The monitor’s menu options are easy to navigate, but barebones. There are some image quality presets, a few color temperature options, and an EyeCare mode for reduced eye strain, all of which is normal for a monitor in this price bracket. You can also adjust monitor features using MSI Display Kit, a desktop software utility. It provides easy access to most monitor options and is often more intuitive to use than the on-screen menu controls. Display Kit is not the most visually appealing example of such a tool—I think those from Asus, BenQ, and Dell look a bit better. Still, it gets the job done. Matthew Smith / Foundry The only unusual feature is an “Eye-Q Check” feature, which displays an Amsler Grid that’s supposed to help you determine if you’re experiencing eye strain. Does it work? Probably not. While I was able to find medical studies on using an Amsler Grid to detect problems like macular degeneration, I couldn’t find studies suggesting it’s useful for general eye strain.A pair of 2-watt speakers are included. They provide modest volume and no hint of bass but, as budget monitor speakers go, they’re not bad. The speakers are fine for listening to podcasts or ambient music at low volumes—which is more than I can say for most budget monitors. MSI keeps it basic with the Pro MP275Q’s connectivity, but it covers the necessities: two HDMI 2.0 ports, one DisplayPort 1.4, and a 3.5mm audio-out. MSI PRO MP275Q SDR image quality The MSI Pro MP275Q is the type of monitor that will frequently be used for spreadsheets, web browsing, PDFs, and other office productivity. These tasks don’t require incredible image quality but benefit from good results in brightness, accuracy, and sharpness. Fortunately, the Pro MP275Q delivers. Matthew Smith / Foundry Brightness is definitely a highlight for the MSI Pro MP275Q. A maximum brightness of nearly 400 nits is extremely high for any monitor in the sub-$200 price bracket. This level of brightness isn’t required in most situations, but it’s helpful if you’re planning to position a monitor near bright windows or in an office environment without light control. The monitor also has an anti-glare finish to minimize reflections, which further helps with usability in bright rooms. If you want a bright, readable office monitor, the MSI Pro MP275Q is a top choice. Matthew Smith / Foundry Contrast, on the other hand, is an unsurprising weakness. The MSI Pro MP275Q uses an IPS display panel and doesn’t have a fancy dynamic Mini-LED backlight. Because of that, its contrast ratio is just 1190:1 at 50 percent of maximum brightness.That’s not a terrible result, and it’s typical of budget IPS monitors. However, technologies like IPS Black and VA panels (like the Lenovo Legion R27fc-30) can achieve a contrast ratio of 3000:1 or better, and OLED’s contrast ratio is effectively infinite. On the other hand, monitors with those technologies are often twice the price. While the contrast ratio isn’t great, it’s arguably not that important for an office monitor. Text-based workflows rarely benefit much, if at all, from a very high contrast ratio. Matthew Smith / Foundry Color gamut isn’t the Pro MP275Q’s strength. It’s okay, with a color gamut that covers 99 percent of sRGB and 78 percent of both DCI-P3 and AdobeRGB. However, these are not impressive figures in 2025, and many alternative monitors do better. The color gamut will be a limitation if you need to do photo or video editing, or digital art, as many colors visible on more capable displays won’t be visible on this monitor. Matthew Smith / Foundry While the Pro MP275Q’s color gamut doesn’t impress, color accuracy is more in its favor. The monitor’s color accuracy is solid, and most people won’t notice any issue. Color inaccuracy is highest in cyan and blue tones—a fairly common result for an IPS-LCD monitor—but even there, it didn’t come across to me in subjective viewing. Again, I wouldn’t recommend using this monitor to edit professional photography for, say, National Geographic. But that’s to be expected at this price point. The Pro MP275Q’s color temperature and gamma results were fine for a budget display. It displayed a gamma curve of 2.3, off the target of 2.2, which means content looks a tad darker than it should. But this is often hard to notice. The color temperature came in at 6600K, also just a shade off the target of 6500K. I didn’t find that difference noticeable. Sharpness is a strong point. The Pro MP275Q’s resolution of 2560×1440 works out to about 110 pixels per inch across the 27-inch screen. That’s a respectable pixel density. Speaking personally, I find it sharp enough—and a big upgrade over 1080p. With that said, shoppers should keep in mind that 4K monitors aren’t much more expensive. Even MSI has one priced at $200. Overall, the MSI Pro MP275Q’s image quality is good for a budget monitor. Its brightness and sharpness make it ideal for its target use case, which is office productivity. The monitor’s color performance and contrast are less impressive, and make it a less appealing choice for entertainment. However, at $150, you’ll be hard pressed to find alternatives that clearly defeat it in SDR image quality. MSI PRO MP275Q HDR image quality and motion The MSI Pro MP275Q doesn’t advertise HDR support, but its specifications list it as “HDR Ready.” This is, I think, a fair way to market the monitor. It can technically support an HDR signal, but its image quality is entirely insufficient to do much with HDR. It’s not bright enough, doesn’t have a wide enough color gamut, and doesn’t have enough contrast. However, this is true of all budget monitors. I actually like that MSI doesn’t advertise this feature. Some budget monitors do, which annoys me, because their claims of HDR support can be misleading. In reality, you’ll need to upgrade to a much more expensive OLED or MiniLED monitor if you want good HDR. Adaptive Sync is also technically supported, but the Pro MP275Q lacks AMD FreeSync or Nvidia G-Sync certification. My AMD video card did detect it as a variable refresh rate display, however, and I saw smooth motion in games. The monitor also has a maximum refresh rate of 100Hz. Though that won’t make headlines in 2025, it’s high enough to provide a noticeable improvement in motion clarity. The Pro MP275Q will look a bit less blurry in fast motion than 60Hz competitors. Note, however, that it is fairly subtle—your mileage will vary depending on how sensitive you are to motion clarity improvements. Gamers should note that budget gaming monitors like the Lenovo Legion R27fc-30 and Pixio PX248 Wave will provide a higher refresh rate of up to 240Hz for less than $200. However, you’ll often have to make a trade-off in either display size or resolution. Should you buy the MSI PRO MP275Q? The MSI Pro MP275Q is a workmanlike monitor meant for, well, work. It provides good image quality in SDR with high brightness and sharpness. The monitor’s build quality is simple and notably lacks a height-adjustable stand, which is its only significant flaw. Still, the Pro MP275Q is a good option if you want a 27-inch 1440p monitor for just about any work environment, from a home office to a corporate bullpen. Read...

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