At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros Enjoyable keyboard Lots of wired, wireless connectivity Well-rounded CPU and integrated GPU performance Lengthy battery life Cons Boring design  Touchpad could be bigger IPS display can’t match OLED competition Multi-core CPU performance can lag competitors Our Verdict The Acer Swift 14 AI isn’t exciting, but it packs well-rounded performance, good battery life, and a nice buffet of connectivity at a reasonable price. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today The Acer Swift 14 gets a slight rebrand for the fall of 2024—it’s now the Acer Swift 14 AI. Like its predecessor, the new model is a thin-and-light Windows laptop that tries to deliver good performance at a mid-range price. Though it suffers a few flaws, like a mediocre display, it delivers on that promise.  Further reading: Best laptops 2024: Premium, budget, gaming, 2-in-1s, and more Acer Swift 14 AI: Specs and features The star of the Swift 14 AI’s spec sheet is undoubtedly Intel’s Core Ultra 7 258V, which is part of Intel’s new Core Series 2 lineup. It sits high in the product stacks and, in this incarnation, comes paired with 32GB of LPDDR5x. Model number: SF14-51T-75AF CPU: Intel Core Ultra 7 258V Memory: 32GB LPDDR5x Graphics/GPU: Intel Arc 140V integrated graphics NPU: Intel AI Boost (47 TOPs) Display: 14-inch 16:10 1,920 x 1,200 IPS touchscreen Storage: 1TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 solid state storage Webcam: 1440p 30fps camera with physical privacy shutter and IR camera for Windows Hello login Connectivity: 2x Thunderbolt 4 / USB-C, 2x USB-A, 1x HDMI-out, 1x 3.5mm combo audio jack Networking: Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4 Biometrics: Fingerprint reader, facial recognition  Battery capacity: 63 watt-hours Dimensions: 12.3 x 8.71 x 0.63 inches Weight: 2.95 pounds MSRP: $1,299.99 MSRP  However, a few other specifications leap out. The laptop has an IPS touchscreen instead of an OLED display. Though obviously helpful for touch input, this decision hints that display quality will be a weakness. As an apology, the laptop packs a ton of future-proof connectivity including two Thunderbolt 4 / USB-C ports and Wi-Fi 7.  The Acer Swift 14 AI is a competent laptop that makes good use of Intel’s Core Ultra 7 258V to deliver strong performance and battery life at a mid-range price. Acer Swift 14 AI: Design and build quality IDG / Matthew Smith Acer’s Swift laptops tend to strike an unassuming profile on a desk, and the Swift 14 AI is no exception. When closed, the laptop is marked only by a small holographic Acer logo and an odd symbol in the upper-left corner, which appears to be part of Acer’s new AI branding. Otherwise, the Acer Swift 14 AI could easily be mistaken for any number of mid-range Windows laptops released in the past few years. What the laptop lacks in flair, it makes up for in rigidity. Opening the laptop causes minimal flex in the display lid, and the lower chassis feels solid when picked up from a corner. This laptop doesn’t have a unibody design, and some flex can be found if you press firmly in the center of the keyboard. However, the same is true of many competing Windows laptops. The Swift 14 AI is rather thin and light, as it measures roughly 0.6 inches thick and weighs just under 3 pounds. While neither number is record-setting, the Acer Swift 14 AI feels noticeably lighter than competitors like the Dell Inspiron 14 and HP Omnibook Ultra 14. The Asus Zenbook S 14 has Acer beat, however; the Asus is under 0.5 inches thick and weighs less than 2.5 pounds. Acer Swift 14 AI: Keyboard, trackpad IDG / Matthew Smith The Acer Swift 14 AI’s keyboard, like the rest of the laptop’s design, doesn’t make much of an impression. It has a conventional layout with color-coordinated, island-style keys. As is usually true of laptops that take this approach, the color of the keys doesn’t precisely match the surrounding laptop, which cheapens the look. But when it comes time to bang out an e-mail (or novel), the keyboard proves up to the task. Key travel is acceptable, and each key activates with a definitive snap. It’s not a leader, but it does the job. Keyboard backlighting is standard, as well, which is typical at this price point. The touchpad is less impressive. Though responsive, it only measures about five inches wide and three inches deep. That’s (at best) mediocre for a laptop in 2024, and the smaller touchpad’s modest size is noticeable when the Swift 14 AI is compared to alternatives like the Asus Zenbook S 14 or Apple’s MacBooks.  Acer Swift 14 AI: Display, audio IDG / Matthew Smith Display quality is a weakness of the Acer Swift 14 AI. It has a 14-inch screen with a modest resolution of 1920 x 1200, using an IPS panel instead of a newer, more impressive OLED or mini-LED option. The absence of these higher-end technologies is somewhat surprising, as Acer often includes them in other models, and it’s not great news for image quality. The display looks fine in productivity apps like Word and Excel. However, when it comes to gaming or watching movies, the lack of contrast and color vibrancy is noticeable compared to an OLED display. Acer doesn’t market this laptop as an entertainment machine, but shoppers should be aware that if you want the best visual experience for games or movies, this might not be the right choice. On the plus side, the display is a touchscreen, which can be handy if you’d rather not use the touchpad. The display hinge also rotates 180 degrees, allowing the screen to lie flat on a surface. Together, these features make the laptop easier to use in cramped spaces or in unusual positions, like when reclined on a couch or crammed into an airplane’s economy class. The Acer’s modest display performance is echoed in its audio quality. The built-in speakers sound clear at lower volumes but become muddied and harsh as the volume increases. They’re adequate for listening to a podcast or attending a video call, but they’re not ideal for music, movies, or games. Acer Swift 14 AI: Webcam, microphone, biometrics The Acer Swift 14 AI has a decent webcam with a maximum resolution of 1440p (though, by default, the camera app still records at 1080p). The image is sharp for a webcam but can’t avoid classic webcam issues, like difficulty dealing with low-light situations that can lead to a grainy or over-exposed look. Still, it’s perfectly fine for Zoom calls. The same can be said of the microphone array, which picks up clear audio at acceptable volume. Acer ships the Swift 14 AI with a software utility to control features like portrait blur and microphone noise cancellation. It feels a bit redundant, though, since Windows already provides controls for these features. A physical privacy shutter is included to block the webcam when it’s not in use. The laptop has both a fingerprint reader and an IR camera and allows biometric login via Windows Hello with either (or both). That’s notable. While many laptops have one or the other, it’s less common to see both. Personally, I prefer Windows Hello facial recognition, but the fingerprint reader can be the better choice if you like to keep the webcam’s privacy shutter active.  Acer Swift 14 AI: Connectivity IDG / Matthew Smith Acer provides a good range of connectivity with the Swift 14 AI. It includes two Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports, both of which support DisplayPort video output and power delivery for charging the laptop. These are joined by two USB-A ports, an HDMI output, and a 3.5mm combo audio jack. This selection makes it easy to connect both modern USB-C devices and older USB-A peripherals. The only physical port that’s missing is Ethernet, but this is typical for most thin and light competitors. Wireless connectivity is also solid, as the laptop supports both Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4—the latest versions of each standard. While most routers and wireless devices have yet to adopt these standards (which limits their immediate impact), they help future-proof the laptop’s wireless connectivity. Acer Swift 14 AI: Performance This review covers the Acer Swift 14 AI with Intel Core Ultra 7 258V. However, Acer also sells the Swift 14 AI with the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite. They’re not identical:  the Qualcomm-powered model has a better 1600p 120Hz touchscreen and larger battery, though half as much RAM. Still, they look extremely similar and sell at a similar price (the Intel model has an MSRP of $1,299.99, while the Qualcomm model is $1,199.99).  IDG / Matthew Smith There is just one wrench in the works: Qualcomm’s hardware doesn’t play nice with every benchmark in our test suite, and PCMark 10 is among them. Personally, I’ve found that Qualcomm’s app support—both in terms of new native apps, and those that run through emulation—is excellent. But gaps remain, and the uncertainty that brings can be off-putting. Placing that aside, the Acer Swift 14 AI with Intel’s Core Ultra 7 258V had a good showing. It beat many recently tested laptops with an overall score of 7,173. HP’s OmniBook Ultra 14, an especially strong performer with AMD’s Ryzen AI 9 HX 375, is the only comparable system that leaves the Swift 14 AI in the dust. IDG / Matthew Smith Cinebench R23 is a heavily multithreaded, short duration CPU benchmark, and it seems to deliver a clear result. AMD rules, and Intel drools. Well…to be fair, the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 is an especially strong incarnation of AMD’s new chips, and the HP OmniBook Ultra 14 is about $350 more than the Ace Swift 14 AI. Still, it’s a bit surprising to see the AMD-powered machine leap so far head.  Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite brings up the rear, but it also runs under emulation in this test. In Cinebench 2024, which has an Arm-native version more friendly to Qualcomm, the Snapdragon X Elite is generally at least as quick as Intel’s Core Ultra Series 2 silicon.  IDG / Matthew Smith Handbrake is a longer duration, heavily multithreaded CPU benchmark that involves a real-world transcode of a feature film.  Here, the Acer Swift 14 AI avoids the thermal throttling situation that holds back laptops like the Asus Zenbook S 14 (which, remember, is about a half-inch thick, and has less space to accommodate its cooling system). But the Acer again falls way behind the AMD-powered HP OmniBook Ultra 14. IDG / Matthew Smith The Acer Swift 14 AI has Intel’s Arc 140V graphics. Though it promised gains over the prior incarnation of Intel Arc, the results we’ve recorded so far have told a mixed story: the Intel Zenbook S 14 did post big gains, but the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition did not. Fortunately for Intel, the Acer Swift 14 AI leans towards the “big gains” side of the story. It delivered an impressive 3Dmark Fire Strike result of 4,446, then went on to an even stronger score of 36,591 in 3Dmark’s Night Raid benchmark. The Swift 14 AI defeats all similarly tested laptop, and sometimes by a wide margin. And here’s something else to consider: the Acer Swift 14 AI’s result of 4,446 in Fire Strike defeats the Lenovo Slim 7 Pro X with RTX 3050 that we reviewed in August of 2022. IGP performance is clearly on the rise and can now compete with entry-level discrete GPUs sold a couple years ago.    Overall, the Acer Swift 14 AI with Intel Core Ultra 258V is a well-rounded performer. Multicore performance is its weakest point, and it ends up falling behind competitors in heavily multithreaded CPU tests. However, the Core Ultra 258V packs a rather good integrated GPU and is helped along by 32GB of speedy memory. This leads the laptop to score well in 3DMark and PCMark 10. Acer Swift 14 AI: Battery life The Acer Swift 14 AI ships with a 63 watt-hour battery. That’s reasonably large but not unusual in the category; the Acer Zenbook S 14, Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition, and HP OmniBook Ultra 14 all have larger batteries.  IDG / Matthew Smith Despite that, the Acer Swift 14 AI proved itself an able travel companion. It provided almost 19 hours of battery life in our standard battery test, which loops a 4K file of the short film Tears of Steel.  That’s as good or better than competitors like the HP OmniBook Ultra 14 and Lenovo Yoga Slim 7 Aura Edition. The Asus Zenbook S 14 is the only comparable laptop that lasts much longer, as it tops 20 hours of endurance. Acer Swift 14 AI: Conclusion The Acer Swift 14 AI is a competent laptop that makes good use of Intel’s Core Ultra 7 258V to deliver strong performance and battery life at a mid-range price. It’s not the most attractive laptop, and shoppers who care about entertainment (whether that’s streaming Netflix or playing Fortnite) will be turned off by the mediocre display. Still, the Swift 14 AI is a good choice for home office work, travel, and less demanding content creation workflows. Read...

The titans of the PC industry slugged things out in 2024, jockeying for dominance in the new AI era blossoming before our eyes. It was most evident in laptops: Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite chips kicked off Microsoft’s Copilot+ PC era with long life and surprisingly competitive performance, only to be rivaled by Intel’s Macbook-killing Lunar Lake chips months later. AMD, meanwhile, focused on bringing high-octane speed to Copilot+ PCs, zigging for oomph while the others zagged to endurance. With competition flourishing, PCWorld expects to review over 120 laptops by the end of the year, by far a new high water mark! But laptops weren’t the only category laser-focused on innovation and performance. This year, cutting-edge monitors became the norm, Thunderbolt docks and SSDs embraced newer, faster standards, Intel and AMD launched overhauled desktop CPUs, gaming handhelds got truly competitive, and the software that runs on all that hardware kept getting better and better, too. You love to see it. With such a gluttony of choice, it became harder than ever for PC hardware and software to impress us. Few products earned our rare Editors’ Choice award. And only the very best of the best grace this list. Without further ado, this is the Best PC Hardware and Software of 2024, as chosen by PCWorld’s editors. Congratulations to the winners – with a field this crowded, they’ve definitely earned it. Best laptop: Dell Inspiron 14 Plus Dell Inspiron 14 Plus Read our review The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus is one of the most well-rounded laptops we’ve ever tested here at PCWorld. You’re getting strong performance, phenomenal battery life (17 hours on a single charge!), and a vibrant 14-inch 1400p display to boot. It hits nearly every mark and is clearly the best laptop for most people. The aesthetics are a little bland, sure, but the hardware capabilities and marathon battery life more than make up for it – and a laptop that fits in with the crowd isn’t a bad thing. -Ashley Biancuzzo Best desktop CPU: Ryzen 7 9800X3D Adam Patrick Murray / Foundry It’s been a dour year for CPUs – AMD’s initial Ryzen 9000 lineup offered minimal performance uplift and suffered from (since-fixed) Windows-related performance woes, while Intel’s radical new Core Ultra chips wound up being slower than their predecessors in gaming. But things ended with a bang courtesy of AMD’s jaw-dropping Ryzen 7 9800X3D. Thanks to a second-generation V-Cache that eliminated the caveats required by earlier X3D models – the 9800X3D isn’t a drawback for productivity now! — AMD’s new gaming champion brought the heat against Intel. The Ryzen 7 9800X3D obliterates Intel’s flagship Core Ultra 9 285K by 25 to 30 percent on average, with the whupping hitting an almost unbelieveable 45 percent in Cyberpunk 2077. Madness! I can’t remember the last time I witnessed a hardware beat down this relentlessly violent. If you want the single best gaming chip you can buy, the Ryzen 9 9800X3D is it – by a whole hell of a lot. -Brad Chacos Best password manager: Dashlane Dashlane Read our review Best Prices Today: $4.99 at Dashlane As data breaches increase in number and severity, password managers have become ever more important. A good one makes staying on top of your online security easy—quickly creating strong passwords, alerting when one’s been compromised, and updating compromised or weak credentials. Of the options out there, Dashlane’s consistency and continual feature updates have helped keep it as a long-standing favorite among our staff. Its paid Premium plan includes passkey support, passwordless login, dark web monitoring, VPN access, and even real-time phishing protection. The latter two features are a proactive stance against other dangers to your password health—a welcome touch if your online habits would benefit from extra privacy and online protection, but you haven’t yet looked into a dedicated VPN or antivirus subscription. – Alaina Yee Best monitor: Dell Ultrasharp U2724DE Dell Ultrasharp U2724D Read our review We knew this monitor was special when our veteran monitor reviewer, Matt Smith, described it as “arguably the most versatile monitor ever sold.” Say more! The Dell Ultrasharp U2724DE has what it takes to meet a user’s every display need, whether it’s as the command center of a busy workday, the canvas for content creation, or the means of losing yourself in a movie or game. The IPS Black panel gives the 27-inch screen incredible contrast, while a 120Hz refresh rate makes for great motion clarity. Add to that the oodles of ports, an attractive and functional design, and a reasonable price, and Dell’s stunner is definitely this year’s best monitor! – Katherine Stevenson Best desktop GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 Super Nvidia It was a slow year for graphics cards, but the GPUs we did get were welcome ones. Nvidia’s RTX 40-series Super refresh, announced at CES, righted the missteps made in the original 40-series lineup, lowering prices and beefing up specs where it made sense. The best of the bunch was Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 4070 Super, which offers a super-sized performance boost over its vanilla namesake thanks to 20 percent more CUDA, ray tracing, and DLSS tensor cores, all at the same $599 price point as the original. Yes please! On top of best-in-class ray tracing performance, Nvidia’s also best-in-class software features (such as DLSS 3.5 ray reconstruction, dual AV1 encoders, and Nvidia Reflex, a must-have in competitive shooters) make the RTX 4070 Super shine bright in the most competitive segment of the graphics card market. What, that’s not good enough for you? The Nvidia RTX 4080 Super also earned an Editors’ Choice award for its all-around excellence, buoyed by a $200 price cut versus the original 4080. -Brad Chacos Best Chromebook: Lenovo Flex 5i Chromebook Plus Lenovo Flex 5i Chromebook Plus Read our review From the versatile 2-in-1 design to the stunning touchscreen, the Lenovo Flex 5i Chromebook Plus has a lot to offer. The Chromebook Plus models have really raised the bar in terms of hardware capabilities and the Lenovo Flex 5i Chromebook Plus pushes the pedal to the metal even further. Not only is day-to-day performance zippy, but the build feels strong in both tent and tablet modes. The 360-degree hinge is especially unyielding, which is exactly what we like to see. The original $499 MSRP price is a little high for a Chromebook, sure, but the overall fit, finish, and firepower make it worth the extra cash. – Ashley Biancuzzo Best SSD: Crucial T705 Crucial T705 NVMe SSD Read our review Best Prices Today: $174.99 at Amazon The cutting edge in solid state storage is the PCIe 5.0 interface, and the SSD that sets the bar for this echelon is the Crucial T705. If it’s speed you’re after, this bad boy brings it – as in 14.5GBps sequential reading and 12.3GBps writing in our synthetic benchmarks. Real-world performance is also impressive. And the price for the Crucial T705 has come down considerably since we first reviewed it, to sub-$200 for 1TB, making this high-performance drive a no-brainer for speed freaks. – Katherine Stevenson Best VPN: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN Read our review It’s a tough ask to select the best VPN overall. There are so many factors to consider such as privacy, ease of use, server network size, unblocking capabilities, and speed. Everyone’s intended usage may vary and that needs to be taken into account. Will the VPN be used to get around location blocks for streaming, staying incognito online, torrenting, or something else—the list goes on and on. Many VPNs excel at a few of these functions, but seldom manage to shine across the board. Enter ExpressVPN. It’s one of the only services that consistently ranks highly across each category. That’s why, for the third year in a row, it’s my top VPN. Not only does it continue to be one of the fastest VPNs I’ve ever tested, but it has a huge server network, it’s dead simple to use, and comes with a sterling user privacy record. It also never fails to unblock streaming services and fully supports P2P. There might be services with more extra features, but none exemplify all of the elements of a great VPN like ExpressVPN. — Sam Singleton Best gaming monitor: MSI MPG 341CQPX MSI MPG 341CQPX Read our review Best Prices Today: $849.99 at Amazon | $849.99 at MSI If your primary purpose is gaming, the MSI MPG 341CQPX is the monitor you want, hands down. The 34-inch curved display stands out among a sea of other QD-OLED competitors by boasting a higher refresh rate (up to 240Hz), strong HDR performance, and an excellent range of connectivity including the ability to charge a laptop or phone over USB-C. Of course, with QD-OLED, incredible contrast and color performance are a given. With a vibrant and realistic image and smooth-as-butter motion clarity, this display was made for immersive entertainment. – Katherine Stevenson Best Windows backup: R-Drive Image 7.2 R-Drive Image Read our review Best Prices Today: $44.95 at R-tools Technology When it comes to backup, the most important feature is reliability. R-Drive Image, which has been in the backup game for years, boasts an unblemished record in this regard. Now at version 7.2, it’s more full-featured and capable than ever. It offers the range of backup duties: disk and partitions, files and folders, WinPE and Linux boot media creation, the works. You can save your backups locally, to the network, or to your preferred cloud storage. You can even replicate backups across multiple destinations. The interface is straightforward, and performance is speedy. There’s really no need to consider other options. – Katherine Stevenson Best Thunderbolt Dock: Kensington SD5800T Kensington Thunderbolt 4/USB 4 Quad Video Docking Station (SD5800T) Read our review Best Prices Today: $280.40 at Amazon Many laptop docking stations come and go across my desk, enough that I donate the remainder to my coworkers at the end of the year. Kensington’s Thunderbolt 4 dock, the SD5800T, was one I didn’t want to give up. I love docks that don’t sacrifice either flexibility or stability, and the SD5800T offers it all: support for up to four displays, USB-C and USB-A, charging capabilities (7.5W to a phone, just under 100W to a laptop). There really aren’t any compromises, at all. The only concern I had was its price, and that’s fallen to a wholly respectable $250 at press time. Absolutely recommended. – Mark Hachman Best external drive: Adata SE920 Adata SE920 USB 4 SSD Read our review Best Prices Today: $179.99 at Adata | $179.99 at Amazon If you want the very best external drive, look no further than the Adata SE920. It features the latest-gen USB 4 spec, making it capable of 40Gbps transfers. Within that class, it’s the fastest external drive we’ve tested. But that’s not all. The SE920 also looks badass – a welcome perk on a device that will live on your desk or accompany you out in the field. The enclosure consists of a latched, spring-loaded outer shell that can slide open about half an inch to activate an internal fan, which is effective at heat dissipation and quiet. How clever is that? – Katherine Stevenson Best gaming laptop: Alienware m16 R2 Alienware m16 R2 The Alienware m16 R2 has everything you could ever want in a gaming laptop, and unlike most gaming laptops, it can even work as your daily driver, far away from a power outlet. It offers exceptional gaming performance thanks to the RTX 4070 GPU, a wickedly fast display (240Hz!), and an efficient cooling system. It lasted 11 hours on a single charge, which is impressive, as most gaming laptops tend to die at the five or six hour mark. The cherry on top? It’s a great value for a gaming laptop, especially one with RTX 4070 graphics. – Ashley Biancuzzo Best wireless keyboard: Nuphy Air V2 Nuphy Air96 V2 keyboard Read our review Best Prices Today: $159.99 at Amazon | $167.53 at Aliexpress If you don’t need gaming chops, the wireless keyboard you want is the Nuphy Air V2, full stop. It’s low-profile and stylish, but still has great components and excellent typing. And despite being low-profile, it still has hot-swap switches and a surprising variety of options from both Nuphy and Gateron. Combine it with easy VIA programming and a selection of layouts, plus a pretty good price, and it’s easily outpacing the latest slim designs from Logitech and the rest. -Michael Crider Best feature-packed VPN: NordVPN NordVPN Read our review Each year NordVPN seems to find something new and exciting to add to its service. At this point, I find myself asking, what doesn’t NordVPN have? Not only do you get the VPN with an outstanding server network and lightning fast speeds, but you also have access to a whole slew of top-notch privacy and security extras. Its “Threat Protection” service gives you ad- and tracker-blocking, anti-malware download protection, and a malicious URL link-checker. Then there is an active Dark Web monitoring service and built-in file transfer feature called Meshnet. The list goes on and on. No other VPN is as rich in features as NordVPN, making it an easy top pick this year. — Sam Singleton Best PC gaming handheld: Asus ROG Ally X Calling the Asus ROG Ally X “just a refresh” of the original ROG Ally is selling it too short. Yes, the ROG Ally X maintains the same 1080p 120Hz screen and AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme processor as before, but almost everything else has been redesigned based off community feedback, which has lead to a much better experience. Quieter fans, two USB-C ports (one with USB-4/ThunderBolt support), and refined ergonomics are just a few highlights, but the main one is the upgrade in battery life. Asus summoned dark magic (and excellent engineering) to get battery life that finally rivals Valve’s Steam Deck — all without a major weight increase! Sure, the Steam Deck is the de facto mainstream handheld gaming PC option, but if you are looking for the absolute best of the best out there, it’s the ROG Ally X. Dual-boot Bazzite (a custom image of Steam Deck’s SteamOS) and you can get the best of both worlds! – Adam Patrick Murray Best laptop for battery life: Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 Read our review The Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 ran for almost 24 hours on a single charge, a first here at PCWorld. Excuse me while I pick my jaw up off of the floor! In addition to the phenomenal battery life, it also has a diverse array of ports and is powerful enough to handle light to moderate workloads. It measures just 0.67 at its thickest point and yet Lenovo somehow squeezed in two USB4 ports, two USB-A ports, one HDMI 2.1 port, and one 3.5mm combo audio. –Ashley Biancuzzo Best gaming headset: HyperX Cloud Mix 2 Wireless HyperX Cloud Mix 2 Read our review Most gaming headsets that claim to be versatile enough to be used as headphones fall somewhat short. With their large boom mic ports, obtrusive flip mics, or chunky earcups they’re obviously more at home in gaming dens. But not the HyperX Cloud Mix 2. This headset hides its mics stealthily in its earcups. It’s also a champion of portability being very compact and lightweight. The sound too is crisp and clear, with enough detail in the tones to make playing and listening a treat. Barely any clamp pressure in the headband and the headset’s soft leatherette ear coverings make it a comfortable fit that I can wear for hours on end. It also has awesome compatibility, connecting to almost all my gaming devices, plus my mobile devices. Suffice it to say, the Mix 2 is the only audio device I currently need. What’s also brilliant is that it has a 110-hour battery life, which means I can charge and then forget about plugging it in for days at a time. – Dominic Bayley Best gaming mouse: Lemokey G1 Wireless Lemokey G1 Wireless mouse Read our review Unboxing the Lemokey G1 Wireless, I was immediately surprised by its excellent maneuverability, which is smoother and faster than any pro gaming mouse I’ve ever used. If that impressed me right from the get-go – and then its devastatingly quick 8,000Hz wireless polling rate sealed the deal for me, making hitting targets a lot easier. With its lightweight design of just 1.94 ounces and smooth 30,000 DPI sensor with a maximum speed of 750 inches-per-second, this mouse gives me the edge I need to win one-on-one engagements in fast-paced games. It’s also the perfect size for my medium-to-large hand. For what I’m getting here I could have paid upwards of $150, but the Lemokey G1 Wireless is also a smashing bargain at just $69. – Dominic Bayley Best keyboard: Corsair K65 Plus Wireless Corsair K65 Plus Wireless keyboard Read our review It came out all the way back in February, but the best keyboard of the year is Corsair’s K65 Plus Wireless. It’s hitting all the big trends, excluding only a (wholly unnecessary) screen. It packs a 75% layout inspired by custom builds, hot-swap capability, and high-quality switches that are great for both typing and gaming. It’s wireless, obviously, which many of these designs aren’t. And it’s about half the price of Razer’s excellent, but very expensive, BlackWidow V4 Pro 75%, and doesn’t try to convince you that a screen belongs on a keyboard. (It doesn’t.) – Michael Crider Best antivirus: Norton 360 Deluxe Norton 360 Deluxe This year proved the necessity of strong online security. Vulnerabilities are getting discovered and exploited faster, and the rise of AI tools is only fueling the onslaught. Solid antivirus software will shield you from the worst of it, whether that’s viruses, malicious websites, hackers on public networks, or use of weak passwords. And it’ll do so with little effort on your part. Sure, you could stitch together different free services, but most people find a comprehensive security suite far easier – and Norton 360 Deluxe is easily the cream of the crop. It simplifies online security at a fair price, with a slew of features that cover you across the board. Beyond stopping malicious software and websites in their tracks, Norton also provides key protections like dark web monitoring, a password manager, VPN service, parental controls, and 50GB of cloud storage for automated backups of important files. General utilities like file cleanup are even included, too. This level of comprehensive defense is rare among rivals—especially for how little Norton charges. – Alaina Yee Best webcam: BenQ IdeaCam S1 Pro BenQ IdeaCam S1 Pro Read our review Best Prices Today: $199.99 at Adorama | $199.99 at Amazon The advent of personal streaming, content creation and work-at-home has meant that webcams have advanced massively from even a few years ago. BenQ’s IdeaCam S1 Pro is a fantastic example of this, with functionality that goes beyond just making you look good. This “4K” webcam has a lot to offer just on that front, with sharp, lovely images and utility software that’s truly a utility. But there’s more! A macro mode seems gimmicky, but it works great. There’s even a “measuring” mode that would work well for detail work. And there’s a big bonus: a remote control “puck” that seems like something BenQ would sell separately, but includes in the box. That’s real value. – Mark Hachman Best USB-C hub: Ugreen 9-in-1 Revodok Pro Ugreen 9-in-1 USB-C (Revodok) Docking Station CM615 Read our review Best Prices Today: $139.99 at Ugreen | $169.99 at Amazon Ugreen’s 9-in-1 Revodok Pro is a simple, straightforward, compact little dock that uses the free, downloadable DisplayLink utility as an intermediary. It’s great for office work, with the flexibility to accommodate a pair of either DisplayLink or HDMI connections. It offers two USB-A ports (for mouse or keyboard, say), Ethernet, as well as a USB-C port for a smartphone or other peripheral. USB-C hardware can be exceedingly simple, like a dongle, or with a much more robust feature offering. The Revodok Pro provides the essentials, trims the fat, and keeps the price affordable. Ugreen’s a not a household name, but the company’s products have been consistently solid. – Mark Hachman Read...

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Robot vacuums hold an undeniable allure: the promise to handle your floor cleaning while you kick back and relax. While premium models can cost well over $1,000, budget-friendly options starting under $200 make automated cleaning seem within reach for almost any budget. But are these wallet-friendly bots actually worth it, or are you better off saving up for a premium model? Read on for my advice, and be sure to browse our top robot vacuum and mop picks once you’re ready to shop. Lower-cost robot vacuums will deliver basic cleaning capabilities, but your user experience may leave something to be desired. Why budget robots are so tempting Even if you’re not working with a tight budget, it’s hard to resist scoring a robot vacuum for the price of a standard upright. Budget models promise the same hands-free cleaning experience as their pricier cousins, often with similar-looking features and capabilities. And for basic cleaning needs, they can get the job done. But before you click “buy” on that suspiciously cheap robot vacuum, it’s important to consider what you’re really getting and what you might be giving up. What budget bots actually deliver Lower-cost robot vacuums will deliver basic cleaning capabilities, but your user experience may leave something to be desired. These models typically come with reduced suction power and “bump-and-run” navigation systems, meaning they head in one direction until they hit an obstacle, then change course at random. While they can handle routine light cleaning, they can miss spots and get confused around furniture, especially in cluttered rooms. They may also lack the advanced app features of higher priced models. Eufy’s RoboVac 11s, for example, can be had for under $300, if you’re OK with simple navigation and controlling it with a physical remote. Eufy RoboVac 11s: Very affordable, but not so smart Pros Simple to set up and use Multiple cleaning modes Budget-friendly price Cons Can’t customize scheduling for different days Not compatible with digital assistants such as Alexa Can’t be connected to your Wi-Fi network Best Prices Today: $229.99 at Amazon There’s a similar trade-off with popular 2-in-1 vacuum and mop combinations. Budget models might offer both functions, but they typically lack the sophisticated features that make premium robots truly effective, such as self-cleaning mop heads or dual water tanks. These models may require frequent manual cleaning and refilling, cutting into their promised convenience. The Vactidy Nimble T8, for instance, can vacuum and mop your home without fancy interactive maps or a space-hogging, self-cleaning base station. But you’ll need to remove and wash its mop pad after each cleaning, among other issues. Vactidy Nimble T8: Budget mopping, but hands-on maintenance Pros Impressive vacuuming performance Very affordable Small footprint Cons Mop pad must be washed manually Frequently bumps into obstacles Returns to dock to recharge its battery after just minutes of operation Best Prices Today: $254.38 at Amazon$499 at Vactidy For pet owners, the limitations of budget models become even more apparent. While premium robots boast self-emptying bases, anti-tangle brushes, and powerful suction designed specifically for pet hair, budget models often get overwhelmed. That automated cleaning dream can quickly turn into a daily ritual of untangling fur from brushes, unclogging inlets, and frequent emptying of tiny dust bins. The hidden cost That bargain bot might end up costing more than you expect. Without advanced features like those mentioned above, you’re signing up for more hands-on maintenance. Parts like brush rolls, filters, and side brushes will need regular replacement regardless of price point, but budget models often come with fewer spare parts included. And while longevity varies by brand and usage, cheaper components may show wear more quickly. When cheap makes sense That said, budget robot vacuums aren’t automatically a bad choice. If you live in a small apartment with minimal furniture and no pets, a basic model might be exactly what you need. These scenarios play to the strengths of simpler robots: smaller spaces mean less navigation complexity, and lighter cleaning needs don’t demand premium features. Wyze Robot Vacuum: Top-shelf features at a budget price Pros Includes laser mapping and room customization Three suction levels Budget price Cons Easily gets stuck under low-profile furniture No Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant support No specialty cleaning modes Best Prices Today: $199 at Amazon$274.99 at Wyze Labs But if you’re dealing with multiple rooms, varied floor types, or fur-shedding pets, you might want to think twice before choosing the cheapest option. Smart alternatives to consider If you’re not sold on entry-level models, you’ve got several savvy ways to upgrade without maxing out your budget. Last year’s premium models often go on sale when new versions launch, offering high-end features at mid-range prices. Certified refurbished units from reputable brands can be another money-saving strategy; you’ll get thoroughly tested devices with warranty coverage for significantly less than new models. If you’re willing to wait and save, mid-range robots offer a sweet spot of features and reliability. These models typically include the most useful premium features, like improved navigation and stronger suction, without the cutting-edge extras that drive up flagship prices. Brands like iRobot and Roborock have carved out strong reputations in this space. iRobot Roomba Combo J9+: Last year`s model for a steep discount Pros Retractable mop arm keeps carpets dry New Clean Base design blends in with home furnishings Recognizes and prioritizes dirtiest areas Cons Companion app’s maps are basic and many controls are buried in sub-menus Mop pads must be cleaned manually Best Prices Today: $999 at Amazon Making the right call for your home Budget robot vacuums can work but only if your expectations and needs align with their capabilities. Before making your decision, consider your specific situation: How large is your space? Do you have pets? How much maintenance are you willing to do? What’s the total cost of ownership, including replacement parts and potential early replacement? Sometimes, spending a bit more upfront can save both money and headache in the long run. The best robot vacuum isn’t necessarily the cheapest—it’s the one that actually meets your needs and continues to handle your cleaning demands day in and day out. Read...

Making the switch from the office to working from home has become the new normal, but some users might feel like their setup is not as well-appointed or productive as at the office. It’s time to change that. With the proper equipment and gear, you can turn your boring-old home setup into a workstation powerhouse — ensuring you’ll never need to return to the office again. At PCWorld, we’ve had to adjust to remote work just like the rest of the world. Our staff has spent countless hours testing and reviewing hardware, which means we’ve been lucky enough to find the best gear and accessories available. Below you’ll find our favorite work-from-home essentials. Look sharp during Zoom meetings: Logitech C920e Business Webcam Logitech Working from home means you’ll have video meetings. Lots of them. And those low-quality webcams that ship with most laptops won’t show your brightest side. So opt for a new webcam with high-quality resolution such as the Logitech C920e Business Webcam. It captures 1080p HD resolutions, a 78-degree field of view, and comes with great perks such as autofocus and light correction. Get the Logitech C920e Business Webcam for $69.00 at Amazon Bring stability and comfort with a laptop stand: Lamicall Adjustable Laptop Stand Lamicall A good laptop stand will do wonders for your comfort and health. Not only can a stand keep you in a good ergonomic position, but it will keep your laptop safe and secure on your desk. Plus, a stand makes using a mouse and keyboard with your laptop a lot easier. You don’t need to drop a ton of money on anything expensive, either. A solid lightweight aluminum stand such as the well-liked Lamicall Adjustable Laptop stand will do just fine. It’ll support almost any laptop, from 10 inches up to 17.3 inches. It allows you to adjust both tilt and height and comes with ventilation holes to help dissipate heat from your laptop. Get the Lamicall Adjustable Laptop Stand for $35.99 at Amazon Store your important files for easy on-the-go access: Crucial X9 Pro SSD IDG Sure you might work at home, but you might need something to transport your work files for those occasional trips into the office or just a quick and convenient way to take your data on the go. External drives are a great way to store and back up your files, and their ever-decreasing size means you can now conveniently transport mass amounts of storage anywhere you go. The Crucial X9 Pro SSD is small enough to fit in your pocket, but capable enough to be your main external drive. It’s also one of the most affordable SSDs on the market and comes with up to 4TB of storage capacity. Plus, the 10Gbps transfer speeds are lightning fast for an external drive. It also comes with USB-C connectivity and includes a Type-C-to-Type-A adapter cable so you’ll have no issue connecting it to whichever computer you’re connecting to. Get the Crucial X9 Pro 1TB USB SSD for $84.99 on amazon Block out background noise to help you focus: Wyze Noise-Cancelling Headphones Wyze Labs While products from the likes of Bose and Sony are great, they are also incredibly expensive. Enter Wyze Labs. The company has created a good pair of over-ear noise-cancelling headphones for a surprisingly affordable price. While the audio quality might not be able to compete with the more expensive brands, the noise-cancelling is still top-notch. If you’re looking to block out background noise at your home office or while working in a busy café, these headphones will do the trick just fine. Get the Wyze Noise-Cancelling Headphones for $53.99 at Amazon Get every answer with a smart display: Google Nest Hub Google Marrying Google’s ever-helpful voice assistant to a 7-inch touchscreen, the Nest Hub smart display is much more than a device to control your music playlist or play ambient white noise (though both use cases can make working from home more pleasant). You can also use the Nest Hub to run fact-checks (“When did Musk become the CEO of Twitter?”); get direct spellings of words that elude spellcheck; verify the dates of important trade shows and other events; set workday alarms and reminders; and pretty much search everything on Google hands-free, receiving both audio and video results on a separate, independent display. Once you start exploring the work-from-home benefits of a smart display, you’ll never stop. Get the Google Nest Hub Smart Display for $99.99 at BestBuy Protect your devices with a surge protector: TP-Link Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Power Strip TP-Link Many people take for granted the vulnerability of their electronic devices to power spikes. Unfortunately, after your equipment gets fried is the worst time to realize your mistake. By purchasing a surge protector, you’re only paying a little amount of money to help ensure the safety of your much more expensive electronics. The TP-Link Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Power Strip goes above and beyond a normal everyday surge protector by offering six outlets that can all be controlled and scheduled individually with a mobile app or voice commands, and three USB charging ports. The scheduling system is robust and allows for ultimate flexibility in choosing when to power your devices on and off automatically for any kind of routine or travel need. Get the TP-Link Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Power Strip at Amazon for $44.99 Create a full-on workstation: Belkin Thunderbolt 3 Dock Core Docking Station Belkin Your ultraportable laptop may be perfect for commuting to and from the office, but when you’re working from home you want a dedicated workstation with the ability to connect all of your peripherals. A Thunderbolt dock will help you expand your laptop’s capabilities and allow you to connect to a larger monitor and a full-sized keyboard. You’ll increase your productivity and your body will thank you for the ergonomic upgrade. We’ve tested a ton of Thunderbolt docks and the Belkin Thunderbolt 3 Dock Core is our favorite budget-friendly option. It gives you the reliable Thunderbolt 3 standard, HDMI and a DisplayPort 1.4 ports, all in a package that is easy to travel with and won’t take up much room on your desk. Get the Belkin Thunderbolt 3 Dock Core for $69.99 at Walmart Or opt for a less expensive USB-C hub: UGREEN Revodok USB-C Hub Hiearcool If you don’t want to drop the cash on a Thunderbolt dock, you should at least consider getting a USB-C hub. Modern laptops tend to lack all of the ports you need to connect peripherals and that’s where a USB-C hub comes in. They are cheap and they allow you to significantly expand your port options. We recommend the UGREEN Revodok USB-C Hub as it gives you a variety of USB-A as well as USB-C ports and microSD and HDMI slots, all for under $20. Get the UGREEN Revodok USB-C Hub for $15.99 at Amazon Don’t skimp on your screen: Dell Ultrasharp U2724DE Matt Smith Working from home is all about productivity, and one of the best pieces of hardware to boost productivity is a great monitor. The Dell Ultrasharp U2724DE is an extremely versatile monitor with a sharp IPS Black panel and enhanced 120Hz refresh rate. It sports excellent image quality, a wide color gamut, and outstanding connectivity options. There are a ton of great monitors out there, but the Dell Ultrasharp U2724DE has an excellent mix of features for anyone who has wants a premium experience without the premium price. Get the Dell Ultrasharp U2724DE for $489.99 at Dell Upgrade that new screen’s ergonomics: Ergotron LX Premium Monitor Arm Matt Smith/Foundry A good monitor arm is one of the best upgrades you can make to your home office setup. It’ll open up way more options to move and position your display around your desk and it frees up precious desktop space as well. The Ergotron LX Premium Monitor Arm is our favorite monitor arm for a reason. It’s sturdy, practical, and can pair with almost any monitor around. The LX Premium is designated as an “entry-level” model, but it comes with specs that you’d expect from something much more expensive. It can support monitors up to 25 pounds and comes with 75 degrees of tilt, plus 360 degrees of rotation and pan. Get the Ergotron LX Premium Monitor Arm for $209.00 at amazon Consider ergonomics: Logitech Lift & Keychron Q8 keyboard Foundry If you’re working from home all day, you need to be comfortable and a standard mouse and keyboard just won’t cut it. Focusing on ergonomics, the Logitech Lift mouse and Keychron Q8 keyboard were built to help keep your hands and wrists in a more comfortable and less injury-prone position. Michael Crider/IDG The Lift mouse can be purchased for either left or right hands and comes in a variety of colors. It’s also wireless, which helps you minimize desktop clutter. The Keychron Q8 keyboard is a bit pricey, but gives you the satisfying feel and dependability of a mechanical keyboard while the curved design allows your wrists to rest in a more natural and comfortable position while typing. Get the Logitech Lift Mouse for $69.99 at Amazon Get the Keychron Q8 Keyboard for $199.00 at Keychron Go wireless: Logitech MK540 Advanced Wireless Keyboard and Mouse Combo If you don’t want to spend big on a mouse and keyboard, you can find a more affordable alternative in the Logitech MK540 Advanced Wireless Keyboard and Mouse combo. Coming in at an affordable $50, the keyboard is surprisingly snappy and has a pleasant tactile experience without too much noise. The mouse provides smooth and reliable use and has a few programmable gestures you can set for your convenience. Both are wireless, so you can do away with all of those annoying cables cluttering your desktop. Get the Logitech MK540 Wireless Keyboard and Mouse for $49.95 at Amazon Backup software is a must: iDrive Online Cloud Backup Many people neglect to consider backup when working from home, but if your IT department isn’t covering you and your data, it’s something that needs to be addressed. Luckily there are relatively inexpensive services such as iDrive Online Cloud Backup that make it simple to do. iDrive is comprehensive and versatile and allows you to set up and use the backup service without any fuss. It’s a one-stop shop to help keep your valuable data safe and secure. Get iDrive for $79.50 at iDrive So is a robust PDF editor: Adobe Acrobat Pro DC PDFs are a staple of any modern digital workplace, but they aren’t always the easiest to edit. There are a ton of great PDF editors out there, but Adobe Acrobat Pro DC has been, and continues to be, the reigning champ. There is no other software that combines the same features for creating, editing, reviewing, and securing your PDF documents. Plus, the subscription-based format means that you’ll always have access to the latest version and won’t need to continually buy new software every year. Get Adobe Acrobat Pro DC for $19.99 per month at Adobe Ease eye-strain: BenQ ScreenBar BenQ ScreenBar BenQ To save space on your desk and reduce eye-strain there is no better option than a screenbar — a USB-powered desk lamp that attaches to the top of your monitor. When BenQ debuted its ScreenBar it had us wondering why no one had thought of this extremely practical solution before. It’ll save you desk space and keep you from going cross-eyed from squinting through the reflections on your monitor all day. Admittedly, it’s a bit pricey, but your eyes will thank you in the long run. Get the BenQ ScreenBar for $109.00 at Amazon The conventional desk lamp option: IKEA Forså If you don’t want to shell out the money for a screenbar or it just isn’t your style, then the tried-and-true desk lamp can be a great alternative. At just over $30, the IKEA Forså provides form and function to help keep your desk looking chic and well lit.  It comes with excellent adjustability, a cool old-school chrome design, and a straightforward on/off switch to keep things dead-simple. Get the Ikea Forså Desk Lamp for $34.99 at IKEA Keep upright: Jarvis Bamboo Standing desk When working from home you have a tendency to stay seated for long periods of time even more so than working in an office. And no matter how comfy that fancy ergonomic office chair is, sitting in it all day isn’t ideal. The best way to keep your body happy while working at a desk is to switch to an electric height-adjustable standing desk.  The Jarvis Bamboo Standing desk not only looks nice with its clean bamboo top, but it’s practical too. It comes with an impressive height adjustment range, solid stability (even when maxed out), a great warranty, and decent customization options — it ticks all the boxes for things you want in the perfect standing desk. Get the Jarvis Bamboo Standing Desk for $744 at HermanMiller Set the mood: Lutron Diva Smart Dimmer Michael Brown/Foundry A smart light switch isn’t an obvious necessity, until you have one. Being able to control the lighting system in your home office via voice controls, motion detection, or your smartphone is a simple luxury that can pay dividends — both in your mood and in your energy bill. The Lutron Diva Smart Dimmer is built to work with the Lutron Caséta ecosystem, but it also provides broad compatibility with different smart products and systems such as Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and many others. It also has a minimalist design that doesn’t draw attention to itself. Get the Lutron Diva Smart Dimmer for $69.95 at Home Depot Stay warm: Vornado VH200 Heater In those cold months of winter you need a way to keep warm and comfortable while you work at home. A space heater such as the Vornado VH200 Heater is a great way to keep your energy bill down while still warming a specific area. The Vornado is small enough that it won’t take up too much room in your office, but powerful enough that it can heat an entire room by itself. It’s also extremely quiet, meaning you can focus on your work without being distracted by an overly noisy fan. Get the Vornado VH200 Heater for $68.00 at Walmart Say no to cables: Anker 633 Magnetic Wireless Charging Stand Anker A clean desktop can help you stay productive and focused while working at home. One of the best ways to reduce your cord clutter is to switch to a wireless phone charger. It’s also one of the most convenient and hassle-free ways to charge your mobile devices. Right now there’s no better wireless charger than the Anker 633 Magnetic Wireless Charging stand. This 10,000mAh battery provides some of the fastest Android charging we’ve ever tested, it has a clean, minimalist look, and the magnetic stand keeps your phone securely upright, making checking notifications a breeze. Get the Anker 633 Magnetic Wireless Charging Stand for $54.99 at Amazon Get some computer speakers: Creative Pebble Creative A full, booming 7.1 surround-sound speaker setup might be great for watching movies and playing games, but for work you don’t need anything nearly as fancy. If you’re working at home you just want something that will produce clear audio during meetings or while listening to some background LoFi beats to help keep you focused. Save yourself some money and go with the Creative Pebble speakers, which for only $40 produce deep and rich audio that you would expect from something two or three times the price. Plus they don’t take up much space and look really good on a desktop. Get the Creative Pebble Speakers for $34.84 at Amazon Do-it-all productivity: Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 Lenovo You need a laptop while working at home and there are none more suited to the task than the Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6. It sports great performance thanks to its Snapdragon X Elite X1E-78-100 CPU, Qualcomm Adreno integrated graphics, and 32GB of RAM. It will not only easily tackle any word processing and spreadsheet work you throw at it, but it can also handle web-browsing while you’re on your “lunch break.” It has a 1920×1200 display with a glare-blocking matte finish, which is ideal for viewing in any environment, and a comfortable keyboard for marathon typing or coding sessions. Get the Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 for $1,181.40 at Lenovo Back to basics: Lenovo Flex 5i Chromebook Plus IDG / Ashley Biancuzzo If you want something a little more portable (or affordable) than a full-fledged productivity machine like the Lenovo ThinkPad, then look no further than the Lenovo Flex 5i—we’re big fans of Lenovo laptops here, can you tell? This Chromebook has fast performance and a versatile 2-in-1 form factor. Meaning you can either use it as a regular laptop or flip the screen around and use it like a tablet. It’s also portable enough to take to the coffee shop when you need a change of scenery. So long as you don’t require Windows while working, the Flex 5i is a great everyday option. Get the Lenovo Flex 5i Chromebook Plus for $499.00 at BestBuy Read...

Ready to bring your PC into the future? With Microsoft Windows 11 Pro, now only $17.97, you’re not just upgrading your operating system—you’re getting a whole new toolkit for productivity, gaming, and secure, seamless performance. Windows 11 Pro’s Copilot AI transforms how you interact with your computer. Ask Copilot to change settings, summarize content, open the right app, or even help with writing and code suggestions, all with a few keystrokes. It’s a game-changer for students, professionals, and multitaskers who want an OS that works as hard as they do. Built for more than just productivity, Windows 11 Pro enhances gaming with DirectX 12 Ultimate, delivering incredibly detailed graphics and smoother play, letting you maximize your hardware. Security is a top priority with Windows 11 Pro, which provides advanced measures like biometric login, TPM 2.0, and Smart App Control to keep your data safe. Plus, with features like Hyper-V and BitLocker, professionals can take advantage of added control over their workspace. However, before upgrading, make sure your PC meets Windows 11 requirements, as not all systems are compatible. Don’t miss the chance to grab Microsoft Windows 11 Pro for only $17.97 (reg. $199) when you order through November 21.   Microsoft Windows 11 Pro – $17.97 Get It Here StackSocial prices subject to change. Read...

The Princess of Wales` appearance at the Remembrance Sunday ceremony at the Cenotaph features on several of Monday`s front pages. Read...

At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros Excellent sound quality for voices High sampling rate and bit depth for recording Wide compatibility More versatile light control Cons New multi-control not so intuitive Large in dimensions Our Verdict HyperX’s QuadCast 2 microphone offers fun personalization options as well as high quality sound. What more could you ask for? Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Best Prices Today: HyperX QuadCast 2 Retailer Price $149.99 View Deal $159.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket HyperX started out as Kingston’s brand of gaming computer RAM and, like so many other component manufacturers, has since expanded its product offering into all sorts of gaming hardware. In 2018, they released the QuadCast USB microphone. With its iconic look, featuring vibration-dampening wire suspension, and red diode-glowing large puff covers, it’s a popular choice among Twitch streamers. Not only is it stylish, but it provides high sound quality for a good price. You don’t need any audio expertise to make it sound good. Since then, Kingston has sold HyperX to HP and they’ve continued to regularly pump out streaming products. I question the quality of some of these products, though, which is why I was a little worried when HyperX released the QuadCast 2 this summer, a direct sequel to the now classic microphone. Will HyperX deliver an equally good or better mic? Let’s find out. Further reading: Why I won’t spend a fortune on a gaming microphone Standard bracket for free mounting.Mattias Inghe HyperX QuadCast 2: High quality sound Fortunately, the QuadCast 2 is a high quality product that offers a number of technical upgrades. It’s still a condenser mic with three 14mm elements that allow you to switch between four sound pickup techniques, omnidirectional, forward kidney, bi-directional forward, and back (or sideways!). However, HyperX has fine-tuned the technology, increasing the sensitivity of the microphone while lowering the level of noise it generates. The original QuadCast produced great sound, but QuadCast 2 produces even clearer sound. I got my hands on an old QuadCast and I tested the sound recording in the same environment and the difference is actually noticeable. So, what does this mean? It means it sounds damn good. Voices have a warm, natural tone and there’s plenty of detail in the high frequencies. Finally, USB-C. The mini-USB that the predecessor had was already mossy then.Mattias Inghe The sampling rate has gone up from 48 KHz to 96 KHz and the bit depth is 24 bits, an improvement over the previous 16. It doesn’t make much difference when you just push it out directly in a compressed live stream, but if you want to use the mic to record sound and manipulate it afterwards, you have more room to do so without loss of quality. The QuadCast 2 sounds damn good. Voices have a warm, natural tone and there’s plenty of detail in the high frequencies. HyperX QuadCast 2: Free hanging for less interference The design of the QuadCast 2 is recognizable from its predecessor. It’s still a black cylinder with a red LED light behind the grille and puff guard in the top half, with the entire top as a large and extra-sensitive touch button for mute control. The stand with the microphone attached to elasticated wires all around is pretty much the same style as before, but with slightly different mounts that are said to be easier to unhook when needed. The new button is more versatile than before, but is less convenient as a volume control.Mattias Inghe The laces are black now instead of red, which takes away some of its iconic look and it’s completely flat at the ends. Where the QuadCast had a control knob at the bottom for the microphone gain level, the QuadCast 2 instead has a small knob on the front. It controls the volume of headphones, something that was missing in its predecessor. I’m not entirely fond of this little knob, as it emits a loud(ish) sound when turned. It’s not possible to discreetly change the volume during recording. The dial also has a click function, where a quick press switches between controlling the headphone and microphone. A long press is used to cycle between audio recording profiles. It’s more cumbersome than the knob on the back of the QuadCast. That said, you now get a light ring on the top of the mic that indicates which way it’s listening–I appreciate that. HyperX Quadcast 2: Small practical improvements Connection to the computer is via USB-C instead of the mini-USB that the original QuadCast came with. The five Watts of power is good enough, so it should work to connect anywhere. You’re also getting a USB-C to USB-A adapter for the three meter USB-C to USB-C cable. You can manage it from the Windows program Ngenuity instead.Mattias Inghe The microphone is easier to detach from the round table base. The stand mount also allows you to easily mount it on a microphone arm instead, an ideal set-up for streamers. The light is dimmable (and thus switchable) and can be controlled with HyperX’s Ngenuity app for Windows. You also get digital volume control and a digital high-pass filter. You can adjust this if you have too much background noise, but for the most part I’d probably avoid it. You can plug it in and run it on a Mac, a PlayStation 4, or PlayStation 5. That’s what HyperX lists as compatible devices, but it’s only a USB audio device by default, so it’ll work on a Chromebook, a Steam Deck, an Android mobile phone with USB audio support, and the Nintendo Switch. However, not with Xbox, as they insist on not supporting standard USB microphones. That’s not HyperX’s fault, it’s just Microsoft being stubborn. Here you also set diode effects. For example, you can make it light up in sync with detected sound.Mattias Inghe HyperX QuadCast 2: Conclusion The QuadCast 2 offers excellent sound quality, nice dampening capabilities, wide compatibility, and versatility of use. It’s a great device for streaming gameplay, recording a podcast, or sounding professional in a video meeting. Of course, there’s better gear for music studios and streaming studios. XLR mics are designed to fit into an analogue mixing desk, after all. But if you’re looking for a good microphone with nice features, the QuadCast 2 is definitely worth it. HyperX QuadCast 2: Specifications Product name: HyperX QuadCast 2Tested: October 2024Manufacturer: HyperX Connection: USB-C 2.0, 3.5 mm analogue headphoneMicrophone technology: CondenserSampling rate: 96 KHzBit depth: 24Microphone modes: Directional, omnidirectional, stereo, bidirectionalSystem requirements: Windows10 or newer, Mac OS, PS4, PS5, Switch, etcSize (incl. stand): 11 x 12 x 23.8 cmWeight (incl. stand): 1.71 poundsPrice: $149.99 Rating: 5 out of 5 Read...