Tech platforms could be forced to prevent illegal content from going viral, under more online safety measures proposed by Ofcom. Read...

Arvind Krishnan has joined Alteryx as Chief Technology Officer to lead the firm`s AI analytics platform and global engineering team. Read...

If there’s one thing we all need, it’s a bit of extra storage space. Even better when that storage is super-fast! Whether you have a laptop with a small SSD or you just want to rely on the cloud less, getting a portable SSD can be the most convenient step. Last month, Crucial released the super-fast Crucial X10 portable SSD, and you can already snag it at a huge discount: the 2TB Crucial X10 is down to $135 on Amazon (was $250). This is an incredible deal given how fast and compact the brand-new Crucial X10 is. We reviewed it and we loved it, enough to give it a 4.5-star rating and our Editors’ Choice award. The super-fast transfer speeds, the gorgeous design, and the IP65-rated water and dust protection are some of the things we loved the most about it. It’s inching its way towards becoming one of our favorite portable SSDs. We’re talking data speeds of up to 2,100 MB/s. Think about that for a second. With the Crucial X10, you can move two gigabytes every second—an entire movie file in the blink of an eye. In our own tests, we managed to move 48 gigabytes in less than half a minute. That’s a huge step up over nearly all other portable SSDs in this price range. Plus, the Crucial X10 is compatible with just about any device and operating system, including Windows, Mac, Android, iPad, Linux, and even PS5. Snap up the 2TB Crucial X10 on Amazon for its best price yet while you still can! Or if 2TB is too little or too much storage space for you, take advantage of the other models as well: the 1TB drive is $82 (was $140), the 4TB drive is $297 (was $396), and the 6TB drive is $292 (was $559). The 8TB drive is $621 but not on sale. Save a whopping 46% on Crucial`s ultra-fast portable SSDBuy now at Amazon Read...

At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros Great battery life Good desktop performance Solid build quality NPU for Copilot+ PC features Cons Price feels high when higher-end laptops are often on sale Dull display Tinny speakers Slow GPU Our Verdict Lenovo’s IdeaPad Slim 3x delivers great battery life and capable day-to-day performance, but the hardware makes a lot of compromises. That’s a tough sell when higher-end Copilot+ PCs with faster CPUs and better displays often drop to this price on sale. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3x is an ARM-based laptop with the new low-end Qualcomm Snapdragon X chip. Thanks to Snapdragon, this machine has excellent battery life for its class and an NPU for the shiny Copilot+ PC features Microsoft is releasing. It’s the lowest launch price for a Snapdragon X Copilot+ PC I’ve seen yet. The build quality and design are good, too. But the compromises here would feel a lot more justifiable at $599 than $749. Still, this machine beats the Intel variant — no question. The big problem is that this laptop is launching a year after the first Snapdragon X Copilot+ PCs, with slower internals than those in earlier models. At this machine’s initial retail price, it’s competing with Copilot+ PCs with stronger hardware that have been out for months and are frequently on sale for a similar price. Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3x: Specs The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3x has the same lower-end Qualcomm Snapdragon X X1-26-100 CPU I initially reviewed in Asus’s featherlight $1200 Asus ZenBook A14. It makes much more sense here in this $749 machine than that $1200 machine. (Qualcomm initially said it hoped this CPU would power $600 laptops.) While this laptop’s price makes a lot more sense for this CPU, it’s still worth noting that this is a newer, lower-end Snapdragon X SKU. It’s slower than the Snapdragon X Plus chips that Qualcomm initially released. Here’s the official product matrix. As it shows, Snapdragon X ranks at the bottom of the pack with the slowest CPU (up to 3 GHz) and the slowest GPU (1.7 TFLOPS). Qualcomm talked up GPU performance and gaming a lot when it launched the Snapdragon X platform, and you should be aware the GPU in these machines is much slower than Qualcomm’s marketing might lead you to believe. However, this machine does have the NPU all Qualcomm Snapdragon X PCs come with. That means that, unlike with the Intel variant, you are getting Copilot+ PC AI features on this machine. This laptop has a 256 GB SSD, but it comes with a second SSD slot so you can install another SSD if you need more storage later. Model number: Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3x 15Q8X10 CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon X (X1-26-100) Memory: 16 GB LPDDR5x RAM Graphics/GPU: Qualcomm Adreno X1-45 NPU: Qualcomm Hexagon NPU (up to 45 TOPS) Display: 15.3-inch 1920×1200 IPS display with 60Hz refresh rate and touch screen Storage: 256 GB PCIe Gen 4 SSD Webcam: 720p webcam with privacy shutter Connectivity: 1x USB Type-C (USB 5Gbps), 2x USB Type-A (USB 5Gbps), 1x HDMI 1.4, 1x SD card reader, 1x combo audio jack, 1x power connector Networking: Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4 Biometrics: Fingerprint reader for Windows Hello Battery capacity: 60 Watt-hours Dimensions: 13.52 x 9.51 x 0.7 inches Weight: 3.42 pounds MSRP: $749 as tested At $749, the compromises — the display, speakers, webcam, and GPU in particular — feel like they add up fast. Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3x: Design and build quality IDG / Chris Hoffman The 15-inch Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3x has a top made of aluminum and a bottom made of plastic. While plastic isn’t the most premium material, it looks good and feels fine. From a distance, the design looks similar to Lenovo’s more expensive laptops to me, especially thanks to the aluminum lid. There’s nothing particularly wrong with a good plastic laptop, and the design and build quality here are both good! There’s no weird flexing as you hold the laptop or open it up. The “Luna Gray” color scheme here looks nice, too — it’s more silver or light-blue than gray in the right lighting. At 3.42 pounds, this 15-inch laptop could be a little more lightweight if it was made of more expensive materials. But the weight is totally fine, and the 0.7-inch thickness is reasonable too. The software is a bit obnoxious out of the box, as it tends to be on consumer Lenovo laptops. For example, McAfee antivirus pops up and encourages you to buy a subscription. You can uninstall this stuff, but the laptop would feel better out of the box without it. Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3x: Keyboard and trackpad IDG / Chris Hoffman The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3x has a fine keyboard, complete with a number pad. I like having the number pad when there’s room. 15-inch laptops tend to include a number pad since they have more space, but some people might want a roomier keyboard without that number pad. Lenovo makes lots of good laptop keyboards, and this keyboard feels okay, but it’s lower-end and more budget-focused than the options in more expensive premium laptops. As in the Intel-powered Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 model, there’s some mushiness to the keys. When I type, I notice the plastic around the keys push downward into the machine when my finger goes all the way down on a key. It’s not as bad as it sounds, but this is one of the mushiest keyboards I’ve used on a Lenovo machine. It’s one of those touches that makes the machine feel more budget than premium. But it’s usable and comfortable enough. The trackpad feels solid, too. It’s a plastic surface rather than a premium glass one, but it’s responsible and smooth, with a fine click-down feel. It’s positioned further to the left than on most laptops. If you find yourself using your touchpad with your right hand, that may be a little inconvenient. Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3x: Display and speakers IDG / Chris Hoffman The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3x’s 15.3-inch 1920×1200 IPS display is the weakest part of the experience. At 300 nits, it’s on the dim side on paper. In real life, it feels not just unusually dim, but also dull. I cranked this one up to 100 percent brightness and still want it to go higher. The display does have an anti-glare coating that works nicely to avoid reflections, so it arguably needs less brightness than glossy laptop displays that are more vulnerable to glare. The 60Hz refresh rate is also the bare minimum, here — but 60Hz isn’t a major issue compared to the other problems with the display. This is a touch-screen laptop, too. That’s a nice feature to have. The speakers are lacking, too. They’re on the quiet side, but the biggest problem is that the audio quality is tinny. I listen to both Steely Dan’s Aja and Daft Punk’s Get Lucky on Spotify when I review laptop speakers. The instrument separation in Aja and the bass in Get Lucky were both on the bad side as far as laptop speakers go. I’d get a good pair of headphones if you want to listen to music or watch media. Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3x: Webcam, microphone, biometrics The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3x includes a 720p webcam, which is a surprise since the Intel variant I recently reviewed included a 1080p webcam. The webcam just isn’t great in 2025 — 1080p webcams have largely become standard. The webcam produces an image that’s lower-detail and more washed out than the average 1080p webcam on a newer laptop. Still, it’s fine — if you just need to participate in an occasional video meeting, webcam quality isn’t necessarily the most important factor on a machine like this. The IdeaPad Slim 3x does have a physical webcam shutter switch above the display — that’s always a privacy feature I’m thrilled to see. The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3x’s microphone didn’t do a great job, either. It picked up my voice without background noise, but the sound was unusually quiet and sounded a little low-quality. I would aim to use an external mic in calls and voice chats if you opt for this machine. This machine doesn’t have an IR camera for facial recognition with Windows Hello. Instead, it has a fingerprint reader at the right side of the laptop, below the Enter key on the number pad. The fingerprint reader works fine, and some people will prefer it to facial recognition hardware. That’s a matter of personal taste. Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3x: Connectivity IDG / Chris Hoffman The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3x has a decent number of ports for a budget-focused laptop, just like the Intel variant does. On the right side, this machine has a USB Type-A port next to a full-size SD card reader. On the left side, Lenovo includes a power connector (Lenovo doesn’t include a USB-C charger, which is a surprise for a Snapdragon laptop) along with a second USB Type-A port, an HDMI 1.4 out port, a USB Type-C port, and a combo audio jack. With so many laptops supporting faster USB speeds and HDMI 2.1 out, the port selection does feel a bit lower-end. Thanks to the Snapdragon hardware here, this machine does support the future-proof Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 standards. (The Intel variant, with its previous-generation platform, doesn’t offer these.) Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3x: Performance While the Snapdragon chip here is the lowest-end one available, this machine still performs fine in day-to-day use. While the CPU speed is a bit lower, the biggest performance drops are in multi-core performance (this chip has fewer cores) and graphics performance (the GPU here is substantially slower than on higher-tier Snapdragon X Plus and Snapdragon X Elite chips.) Those aren’t the most important for typical desktop productivity performance. While app compatibility has improved with Windows on ARM, it still isn’t perfect. Personally, all the desktop apps I use regularly run fine — aside from OBS Studio, which has an experimental build that should run. We ran the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3x through our standard benchmarks to see how it performs. However, bear in mind that some of our benchmark tools — like PCMark 10 — don’t run on ARM PCs. IDG / Chris Hoffman To get an idea of CPU performance, we run Cinebench R24. Unlike many benchmarking tools, this runs natively on ARM PCs, so we can compare performance across the x86 and ARM platforms without Microsoft’s Prism translation layer getting involved. Cinebench is a heavily multithreaded benchmark that focuses on overall CPU performance. Since it’s heavily multithreaded, CPUs with more cores have a huge advantage. The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3x scored 711 in the Cinebench R24 multi-threaded benchmark. That’s substantially faster than the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 variant with the Intel Core 5 210H hardware and not too far behind the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus variant with faster Snapdragon hardware. IDG / Chris Hoffman Next, we run a graphical benchmark. This isn’t a gaming laptop — not even by Snapdragon laptop standards — but it’s still good to check how the GPU performs. First, we run 3Dmark Time Spy, a graphical benchmark that focuses on GPU performance. This particular benchmark runs through the Prism translation layer as it’s not ARM-native. Despite that translation layer slowing things down, the Qualcomm GPU here scored 1063, which was only a little slower than the integrated Intel graphics in the Intel variant. This benchmark reflects how GPU-accelerated apps perform in the real world, as most apps and games aren’t available in ARM-native versions. IDG / Chris Hoffman We also run 3DMark Night Raid, which runs natively on ARM laptops. With the Prism translation layer getting out of the way, the Qualcomm Adreno GPU here produced a score of 16677. That’s substantially faster than Intel’s integrated graphics. However, as you can see in both the Night Raid and Time Spy benchmarks, this is unusually bad compared to other Snapdragon laptops. If you plan on using the laptop for gaming or GPU-accelerated professional applications, I would strongly encourage you to look for a laptop with faster graphics hardware. Overall, the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3x did fine, delivering decent desktop performance in the desktop apps many people use all day — browsers like Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge, productivity apps like Microsoft Word, and collaboration tools like Slack. But it will lag behind in more demanding workflows — especially anything that needs graphics acceleration. Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3x: Battery life The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3x has a 60 Watt-hour battery. Combined with a power-sipping Qualcomm Snapdragon X processor, this ARM-powered Windows PC should have great battery life. And it does. IDG / Chris Hoffman To benchmark the battery life, we play a 4K copy of Tears of Steel on repeat in on Windows 11 with airplane mode enabled until the laptop suspends itself. We set the laptop’s display to 250 nits of brightness for this test. This is the best-case scenario for any laptop since local video playback is so efficient, and real battery life in day-to-day use is always going to be less than this. The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3x lasted an average of 982 minutes before suspending itself — that’s over 16 hours. While you can get a few more hours of battery with a more expensive Snapdragon or Lunar Lake laptop — those will often have larger batteries, which means longer life — this is a great number for a budget laptop. There’s a good chance it will last for an entire workday — depending on how demanding the applications you use are and how long your workday is! Notably, it’s nearly two times more battery life than the similar Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 and its Intel Core 5 210H processor delivered. That’s a huge improvement. Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3x: Conclusion The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3x is a tough laptop to pass judgement on. If this was one of the $600 Snapdragon laptops we were promised by Qualcomm’s marketing push, I think it would be compelling. At $749, the compromises — the display, speakers, webcam, and GPU in particular — feel like they add up fast. On the other hand, this machine is worlds better than the Intel variant I just reviewed. You’re getting a faster CPU, faster GPU, much longer battery life, Wi-Fi 7 support, and an NPU for Copilot+ PC AI features. The laptop runs cooler and quieter. I’d much rather have the Snapdragon hardware in this chassis than that particular Intel chip. While I haven’t seen another Snapdragon laptop or Copilot+ PC with a starting retail price this low, you can often find laptops with more impressive hardware on sale around the $749 price point. Some of the competing models that frequently drop to that price even have beautiful-looking OLED displays. But, on a good sale, this machine could be an amazing deal if you want an inexpensive ARM laptop running Windows. Read...

Listen, we know you don’t have enough space on your desk because no one really does. If that’s true, and if you feel like your PC’s age is showing, and if you’re looking to make an upgrade, then this should be a no-brainer for you: swap out your PC/laptop with this high-performance GMKtec M3 Plus mini PC that’s compact yet packed with ports. Right now, you can get this awesome mini PC with an excellent discount on Amazon. Normally priced at $590, the GMKtec M3 Plus is now 25% off and available for just $440, matching the lowest price it’s ever been. It’s tiny enough to fit under your monitor, it’s super powerful, and it supports three 4K@60Hz monitors via two HDMI ports and a USB-C video port. You also get three high-speed USB-A, LAN, and 3.5mm audio. This is a device you’ll use day in and day out for all your needs, ranging from work to streaming to light gaming. The Intel Core i9-12900HK processor paired with the chunky 32GB of RAM makes for a fantastic combination that can carry you through the day without stumbling or choking. There’s also a 1TB SSD on board that offers plenty of storage, and if you ever need more, you can self-upgrade the memory up to 64GB and the storage up to 4TB. These days, nothing is better for a modest home office than a mini PC, especially when you can get something like the GMKtec M3 Plus for just $440. It’s worth every penny at this deal price! Save 25% on this powerful Core i9 mini PC with 32GB RAMBuy now at Amazon Read...

HCLTech partners with OpenAI to integrate AI products into services, boosting global enterprises` digital transformation and operational efficiency. Read...

Microsoft formally announced the next version of Windows 11 on Friday, Windows 11 25H2, and indicated that the upgrade will be much simpler than its predecessor. Windows 11 24H2 will be administered via what’s known as a “shared servicing branch,” which is the normal way for Windows to be updated. Microsoft simply takes the code that your machine lacks and sends it down to your PC via Windows Update, reducing the total download size by about 40 percent, Microsoft said. In early 2025, Microsoft rolled out an update to Windows 11 24H2, which required a much more intensive process. Microsoft called that rollout a full code swap, and when I performed the upgrade myself, it took as long as just under two hours on an older machine. That process essentially swapped all of the existing code for a total update. Since Microsoft is returning to a shared servicing branch, you can expect the update to move much more quickly. Essentially, Microsoft is saying that it will quietly download the Windows 11 25H2 components, then turn them on via an enablement package. Once the code is enabled, all a user has to do is reboot to “turn on” the new code. If you go to Windows Settings > System > About, you can see the new version, Microsoft said. Microsoft didn’t say when Windows 11 25H2 will officially roll out, but history says that it will probably be in September or October. Microsoft isn’t saying what new features will be rolled out as part of Windows 11 25H2. The company released two test builds for Windows 11 this week, one offering a dashboard for its Recall technology as a passkey integration with 1Password. Read...

Feel like your power banks never last as long as you expected? The device might not be the one at fault. Just like smartphone batteries, there are a few things to consider with mobile power banks and chargers to ensure they last longer. Many power banks noticeably lose power over time—often not so much because of technical defects, but due to incorrect handling. As such, many of the most common mistakes can be easily avoided with a bit of know-how. We will show you which typical everyday mistakes will slowly ruin your power bank and how you can easily extend its lifespan. 1. Incorrect charging behavior: Too often or too empty The next trip is coming up and of course it makes sense to charge the power bank properly beforehand. What actually sounds quite logical is unfortunately one of the most common mistakes, as many people charge their power bank when it’s still half full or almost full. Just like a smartphone battery, this leads to battery wear in the long term. But the opposite—regularly letting the power bank run completely empty—is also problematic. Ideally, it should be recharged as soon as the capacity has dropped to around 20 to 30 percent. 2. Temperatures that are too high or too low Batteries don’t like it too hot or too cold. If you leave your power bank in the car in summer or transport it outside in winter, you risk permanent damage. Temperatures above 95 degrees or below 32 degrees Fahrenheit cause the chemical processes in the battery to change, which reduces the capacity and charging ability in the long term. Therefore, always store your power bank at room temperature if possible and avoid direct sunlight. 3. Using cheap cables and chargers A common and often underestimated mistake is charging with poor or non-certified cables and power supply units. These often do not provide the necessary current stability, which not only slows down charging, but also puts a strain on the battery in the long term. In the worst case, they can lead to overheating or short circuits. You should therefore only use high-quality accessories, ideally those recommended by the manufacturer. 4. Incorrect storage Even if you rarely use your power bank, it still needs attention. If it’s stored unused for weeks or months—especially when empty—it can permanently lose capacity. For longer storage, the battery level should be around 50 to 60 per cent. Dry, cool places are ideal (i.e. not window sills, cars or near a radiator). 5. Overcharging or leaving it constantly connected Modern power banks usually have protection mechanisms against overcharging. However, if you leave your device plugged in all the time, for example overnight or at work, it often remains at 100 percent, which stresses the battery in the long term. Lithium-ion batteries are particularly sensitive to permanent maximum voltage. It’s better to charge selectively and disconnect as soon as the battery is full. 6. Infrequent use or continuous idling Powerbanks benefit from regular, but not excessive use. If you only use them once or twice a year, you risk damaging the battery completely through deep discharge. Even when switched off, a battery slowly discharges itself. A short charging cycle every 2 to 3 months helps to keep the cells active and avoid total failure. 7. Using it with incompatible devices Not every power bank is suitable for every device. For example, if you want to charge power-intensive laptops with a simple 5V/2A power bank, you are overloading the system. The same applies if charging protocols such as Quick Charge or Power Delivery are not supported, which can lead to inefficient or even harmful charging. So be sure to check in advance whether your power bank meets the requirements of your devices. 8. Poor quality housing and workmanship Physical damage is not just visual. A power bank that is dropped, scratched, or exposed to moisture can be damaged internally—often without visible consequences. You should therefore look for solid housings, good workmanship and, if necessary, invest in a case or cover for transport. You should pay particular attention to customer reviews, especially for inexpensive non-name products. Read...

TL;DR: Get a lifetime license to Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for just $39.97 (reg. $219.99) and install it on one Windows PC. It seems that monthly software fees are getting out of hand. If you’re tired of watching those auto-renewals chip away at your bank account, this one’s for you. Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows is now available for just $39.97. That’s a one-time payment, with no subscription fees or surprise charges a year from now. This lifetime license includes all the heavy hitters: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, Publisher, Access, and even Teams (free version). Whether you’re crunching numbers in Excel, writing proposals in Word, or designing attention-grabbing presentations in PowerPoint, you’re covered from every angle. You get the full professional suite, just like you’d expect in an office environment—whether you’re running your own business, freelancing from your laptop, or managing a busy household. It works for any kind of workflow, from basic budgets to complex database management. No cloud dependency. No recurring charges. Just one solid download that gives your Windows PC the professional tools it deserves. So if you’re ready to ditch the subscription model and finally own your Office apps again, this is your moment. Get a lifetime license to Office Professional 2021 for Windows for just $39.97 (reg. $219.99) through July 15. Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows: Lifetime License See Deal StackSocial prices subject to change. Read...

TL;DR: Get a lifetime license to QuickBooks Desktop Pro Plus 2024 for Windows for just $199.97 (reg. $699) through July 15. No recurring fees—just powerful accounting tools, forever. If “crunching numbers” sounds like a nightmare and “subscription fatigue” is real in your world, let’s talk QuickBooks Pro Plus 2024. For a limited time, you can get a lifetime license for just $199.97—down from its regular $699. That’s a serious chunk of change saved. Whether you’re running a one-person show, managing a small team, or handling books for clients, QuickBooks Desktop Pro Plus 2024 combines everything you need into a single, streamlined platform. Think invoicing, expense tracking, financial reports, job costing, purchase orders, inventory tracking—the whole nine yards. What sets it apart? No subscriptions. Just reliable accounting tools for life. And it plays nicely with other Intuit products like TurboTax, so your flow doesn’t hit any speed bumps during tax season. Its user-friendly design lets you import data from Excel, automate tasks like bank feeds, and even generate sleek reports to impress your CPA. So go ahead, ditch the clunky spreadsheets and endless monthly fees. Get a lifetime license to QuickBooks Desktop Pro Plus 2024 for just $199.97 (reg. $699) through July 15. Intuit® QuickBooks® Desktop Pro Plus 2024 (1 User) for Windows: Lifetime License See Deal StackSocial prices subject to change. Read...