Over those three-plus decades, we have embraced high-quality journalism and authentic, first-person storytelling, producing in-depth features and reviews of consumer laptops, phones, tablets, headphones, and smart glasses. We published special issues dedicated to AI’s growing influence, the best of CES, changes in the silicon industry, and more.

We never wavered in being an advocate for readers, whether it was reporters interviewing decision-makers in Taipei, Las Vegas, Berlin, Barcelona, or at our home base in New York City.

Unfortunately, a changing business landscape has made it increasingly difficult for Laptop Mag to thrive as it had in previous years.

Our staff and contributors maintained a near-devout commitment to updating buying guides for an audience of experts and enthusiasts who counted on Laptop to help them make informed choices in an increasingly expensive world.

Laptop was a launchpad for writers who are now prominent voices at nearly every major tech publication, including national news organizations and specialist publications. Aided by a cast of opinionated contributors worldwide, Laptop published news but also commentary where we told it like it is by being straightforward, honest, and unafraid to speak plainly.

For all the latest in laptop and consumer tech, read the work of our colleagues at Tom’s Guide. For now, this site and all its articles will remain online, but this will be the last one.

The final masthead of Laptop Mag is below:

Nick Lucchesi - Editor-in-Chief

Sean Riley - Managing Editor

Hilda Scott - Deals Editor

Rael Hornby - Special Projects Editor

Rami Tabari - Reviews Editor

Madeline Ricchiuto - Staff Writer

Contributors included Stevie Bonifield, Sarah Chaney, Mahnoor Faisal, Oscar Gonzalez, Luke James, Jowi Morales, Joanna Nelius, Ross Rubin, Ian Stokes, Chris Stobing, and Monica J. White.

Laptop Mag reviews more than a hundred different models every year, from paperweight ultralights to everyday workhorses to lumbering gaming notebooks that scorch the frame rates of even the hottest AAA games. The writers and editors scour the available information about the laptop and put it through its paces to determine which is best for you. But before they start, the testing team subjects each system to a rigorous regimen of synthetic and real-world tests to see how a system handles the type of work and games you’re most likely to throw at it.

Here’s an in-depth look at what we evaluate about each and every system you see reviewed on Laptop Mag.

What we test on all Windows laptops

Productivity Tests
BAPCo Crossmark: For more than 30 years, the Business Applications Performance Corporation (aka BAPCo) has worked with leading technology companies to develop rigorous and reliable benchmark tests. One of BAPCo’s newest creations is Crossmark, which runs an in-depth collection of workloads designed to gauge system responsiveness and prowess on productivity (document editing, spreadsheets, Web browsing) and creativity (photo editing and organization, and video editing) tasks; the four scores it generates (one for each category, plus an overall result) can be used to compare performance not just between Windows PCs, but also any devices that run Android, iOS, or macOS.

Geekbench: There’s a reason that Geekbench is a ubiquitous title on the system benchmarking scene: It distills a number of complex computing tasks into simple results that give an immediate impression of performance on PCs, Macs, Chromebooks, and even smartphones and tablets. We only use the CPU Benchmark, which examines how the processor handles activities like text and image compression; HTML5, PDF, and text rendering; HDR and ray tracing; machine learning; and more. Geekbench crunches these numbers into single- and multicore results; we typically only report the latter, as it’s most relevant today, but the former can inform our evaluation as well. The most current version of Geekbench is 5.4

File Copy: We’ve all been there: We’re cleaning up one of our storage drives and we move a folder that has more files in it than we expected—and it takes a long time. Because it’s nice to know how a laptop might handle this eventuality, we use a script to time how long it takes to copy a folder containing 25GB of Microsoft Word documents; Windows applications; and music, photo, and video files. Dividing the size of the folder by the amount of time required gives us the drive speed (in MBps), which we report.

HandBrake: Converting a video is something many people do on computers, so it’s useful to know how well our review systems can handle the task. For that, we fire up the Handbrake video encoder, load the 6.5GB open-source Tears of Steel 4K video, and convert it using the Fast 1080p30 preset. We tell you how long it takes to complete the process—usually from about 5 to 20 minutes.

HDXPRT 4: We supplement HandBrake with another test designed to probe a laptop’s multimedia capabilities even further. Principled Technologies’s HDXPRT 4 uses real-world applications (Adobe Photoshop Elements, Audacity, and CyberLink MediaEspresso) to determine how well a computer can edit photos and videos and convert music files. We report both the overall number and the average time it took the system to finish each individual task.

Graphics Tests
Futuremark’s industry-standard graphics benchmarking software 3DMark has only gotten better since the company was acquired by UL in 2014. The current version offers many tests for measuring video hardware performance. We run the base Fire Strike and Time Spy tests, respectively, reporting on DirectX 11 and DX12 gaming performance. We also run Night Raid, an entry-level 1920 x 1080 DX12 test for laptops with only integrated graphics.

Gaming Tests
No, we don’t expect that most people who buy a Dell XPS 13 will want to play Red Dead Redemption 2 on it for 12 hours. (Editor’s note: That is not a good idea.) But most people will want to play something at some point casually, so we want to provide at least a glimpse into how good a genuinely mainstream gaming experience may prove.

To that end, we use a popular, easy-to-run title of a slightly older vintage that doesn’t get too bogged down by graphics hardware. Our current choice is Sid Meier’s Civilization VI with the Gathering Storm expansion installed, the latest installment in the world-building strategy franchise that has enthralled gamers for nearly 30 years. We use the Medium presets for both Performance Impact and Memory Impact, turn on 4x anti-aliasing and vertical sync off. Upon completion, the benchmark gives us a frame time; we divide 1,000 by that number to attain an average frame rate, which is the number we use. (Civilization VI tends to return relatively low scores, even though it’s still highly playable, so don’t fret if any individual system doesn’t reach the coveted 30fps threshold.)

Heat Test
At some point or another, most of us put our laptops on, well, our laps—and those who don’t still need to deal with picking up the systems and moving them around. So it matters how hot they get during general use. We run a 4K or 8K YouTube video for 15 minutes, then use an infrared thermometer to measure the heat on the touchpad, between the G/H keys on the keyboard, and the center of the laptop’s underside. Finally, we do a “sweep” of the system to discover its hottest point.

Display Tests
How bright does a laptop’s screen get, and how accurately does it reproduce colors? On some level or another, these are probably things you care about even if you’re not in the graphic design business. We delve into this realm, too, with the help of a top-of-the-line Klein K10-A colorimeter. After setting the laptop to display a field of absolute white, we use Klein’s ChromaSurf software to measure the screen’s brightness in all four corners and the center, then average the results to get the number we report. If the laptop has an OLED display, where pixels generate black by turning completely off, we do an additional test in the center of the screen with a window as close to the size of the colorimeter’s aperture as we can make it; sometimes this reveals stark differences in the brightness.

We conduct our color tests with DisplayCal, using an automated calibration procedure that returns the screen’s Delta-E value (which measures the difference between a color at the source and as displayed on the screen), along with percentages representing how well it covers the older sRGB and newer DCI-P3 color gamuts.

Battery Test
How long a laptop lasts when it’s not plugged in is one of the things people care most about when choosing a laptop. You want to know it’s going to have the power to see you through your day, whether you’re working or playing (or a little bit of both). Getting a reliable, accurate measurement of the laptop’s battery life is critical—but it takes a little work to get there.

All the changes we make in preparation for testing the battery attempt to balance usability and practical concerns, while in pursuit of a “best-case scenario”—how your laptop is likely to work paired with reasonable feature tweaks and tech adjustments to ensure our test can safely run unattended. Our list of actions includes:

• Setting the screen to 150 nits of brightness (as determined using ChromaSurf), so we have an even basis for comparison regardless of laptop manufacturer and display panel technology
• Uninstalling antivirus software
• Shutting down any programs running in the background
• Deactivating Battery Saver mode, Bluetooth, and GPS/location services
• Turning off keyboard backlighting and any gaming-specific features
• Adjusting Windows power settings so the screen stays on for the full duration of the test and battery life is maximized as much as possible.

Once all that’s finished, we connect the laptop to our internal battery test network, fire up our homegrown Battery Informant software, and unplug the laptop.

The system is served up a series of pages (some static, some dynamic, some with video) from popular websites we’ve scraped and stored on a Raspberry Pi; this process continues until the laptop’s battery has run down completely.

All that’s needed to find out the exact runtime is to plug in and restart the laptop and look at a text file Battery Informant generates.

What we test on gaming laptops

Our testing scheme for gaming laptops is similar to the one for regular laptops, except we add many more gaming-focused tests.

Additional Graphics Tests
We ramp up our 3DMark testing for gaming laptops to include Fire Strike Ultra and Time Spy Extreme, which determine how well the laptop copes with DX11 and DX12 4K graphics workloads.

If the laptop has a graphics card that supports DirectX ray-tracing, we also use the 2560 x 1440 Port Royal test. (We don’t bother with Night Raid here — who cares about integrated graphics on a gaming laptop?)

For the best-equipped laptops on the market, we may also run Speed Way, which plies the deepest and most demanding features of DX12 Ultimate.

Games
For obvious reasons, when testing gaming laptops, we forego running Civilization VI in favor of a battery of more demanding titles drawing on various genres and graphics technologies. We run all of these in full-screen mode with vertical sync disabled, always at least at 1920 x 1080 (1080p) resolution, as well as 3120 x 2100 (4K) if the laptop’s built-in display supports it.

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: A beautiful AMD-optimized, third-person fighting and exploration game set in Norway and Anglo-Saxon England in the late 800s. We use the Ultra High Graphic Quality preset with the Adaptive Quality setting off.

Borderlands 3: It is a highly stylized third-person shooter with integrated compatibility with AMD’s graphics technology. With the Frame Rate Limit setting turned off, we use the Ultra High graphics quality preset and change the Volumetric Fog and Screen Space Reflections setting to Ultra. (This mimics the old Badass preset, which was removed in the June 2020 update.)

DiRT 5: Another installment of the fun racing gaming series, DiRT 5 runs an extensive performance test around a track in a near-perfect recreation of what you’ll see in the actual game. We max all the (non-dynamic) settings for this one.

Far Cry 6: The most recent chapter in the long-running Far Cry series, set in a fictional Caribbean nation riven by revolution, is another good FPS choice for our tests. We ran it at the Ultra quality preset.

Grand Theft Auto V: Rockstar’s 2013 action-adventure is still popular, so we still run it for its unique aesthetic and gameplay value. Aside from using DirectX 11 as the rendering engine, we tweak far too many graphics options to list here, but we put most of them on their highest or next-to-highest setting.

Metro Exodus Enhanced Edition: This post-apocalyptic FPS is designed for Nvidia’s video cards and has an easy-to-run benchmarking tool that is ideal for our purposes. We run it on the High, Ultra, and Extreme presets.

Red Dead Redemption 2: A Wild West open-world game with stunning graphics, Red Dead Redemption 2 proves a punishing test for any gaming laptop. Because it pushes current hardware to the limits, we have to adjust dozens of settings; we aim for midrange for most of them but ensure everything is activated somehow. Only extremely powerful systems can run this capably at 4K or with all the settings upped to Ultra, but we’ll rerun the test using those settings, too, if necessary.

Shadow of the Tomb Raider: What would a game lineup be without Lara Croft? She anchors this Nvidia-optimized title, which we run in DirectX 12 mode at the Highest graphics preset, with SMAA4x anti-aliasing enabled.

Gaming Heat Test
Video watching is all well and good, but YouTube will only get your gaming laptop so hot. To get a better idea of what you can expect under real-world conditions, we add a special gaming heat test: Five loops of the Metro Exodus Enhanced Edition benchmark on the system’s native resolution using the Extreme preset. We then take the system’s temperature as outlined during the sixth run.

Gaming Battery Test
Okay, okay: Even if you have the most powerful gaming laptop on the market, you’re probably not playing much on it if it’s not plugged into the wall. (Nor should you! The frame rates plummet that way.) But we want to see what happens if you try.

UL’s PCMark 10 benchmark contains a battery test that runs a 3DMark test in a window on a continuous loop until the system dies; we use this to give you an additional number to guide your purchasing decision.

What we test on professional and workstation laptops

Laptops designed for professional applications require different treatment from everyday or even gaming laptops. Even though they may be loaded with top-of-the-line processors and graphics cards, they’re not optimized (or intended) for games.

So although we still run our standard productivity regimen and battery test on them for comparative purposes, we otherwise diverge significantly.

We begin this with the help of Puget Systems. The workstation manufacturer based in Washington State has developed an excellent suite of tests for measuring how well a system handles itself with four major Adobe Creative Cloud (CC) applications. The tests in this suite include:

After Effects: One of the entertainment industry’s go-to titles for visual effects, motion graphics, animation, and other video-enhancing functions, After Effects is an ideal choice for inclusion in this suite. PugetBench uses its capabilities to process video clips and determine how well it works in Render, Preview, and Tracking tasks.

Lightroom Classic: Images captured using Canon EOS 5D Mark III, Sony a7r III, and Nikon D850 cameras are run through four active tasks (Library Module Loupe Scroll, Develop Module Loupe Scroll, Library to Develop Switch, and Develop Module Auto WB & Tone) and six passive tasks (Import, Build Smart Previews, Photo Merge Panorama, Photo Merge HDR, Export JPEG, and Convert to DNG 50x Images).

Photoshop: A series of high-resolution photographs are processed with a collection of filters and other adjustments such as resizing, mask refinement, adding gradients, and more.

Premiere Pro: A 4K video recorded at 29.97 fps and 59.94 fps is processed to apply a Lumetri Color effect and to add 12 clips across four tracks in a multicamera sequence.

We use a script to run these tests in succession (a process that usually takes several hours). Each application returns a slightly different result, and it’s the overall numbers in these areas that we report.

UL Procyon: UL, the publishers of 3DMark and PCMark, have developed two tests designed to test professional-level editing in its new-ish Procyon suite. Both the photo editing (which imports with Lightroom Classic and applies multiple edits and layer effects with Photoshop) and video editing (using Premiere Pro to export video projects to edit, adjust, add effects, and export) tests provide a nice complement to the PugetBench suite.

Although these tests are superb for helping us rate processor performance, they’re less robust when it comes to challenging workstation systems’ graphics. For this, we turn to the SPECworkstation 3.1 benchmark, which, like PugetBench, determines real-world readiness through real-world workloads. It utilizes engines from major applications, including Blender, Maya, 3ds Max, and many more.

What we test on Chromebooks

For Chromebooks, we take a slightly different testing approach. As these systems typically don’t run local software, but instead run specially designed ChromeOS apps, we treat them as what they are: a cross between a traditional PC and a smartphone.

Geekbench: We run Geekbench on Chromebooks for all the reasons previously stated.

JetStream 2: A cross-platform benchmark designed to measure performance in a wide variety of Web-based applications, JetStream 2 is an ideal test to measure a Chromebook’s prowess in these areas. Sixty-four subtests, divided among JavaScript and Web Assembly technologies, result in the single number we publish.

WebXPRT 4: This test, designed by Principled Technologies, is a synthetic collection of Web-based apps that makes as much sense for Chromebooks as it does for smartphones. Its workloads include Photo Enhancement, Organize Album using AI, Stock Option Pricing, Encrypt Notes and OCR Scan Using WASM, Sales Graphs, and Online Homework. We report the overall result.

CrXPRT 2: Principled Technologies also offers a dedicated Chromebook benchmark in CrXPRT 2, which we use as one solid method of directly comparing Chromebooks. The Performance Test we run and then repeat the score of contains six workloads: Photo effects, Offline notes, DNA Sequence analysis, Face detection JS, Stocks dashboard, and 3D shapes.

Heat Testing: This follows the same process outlined above for other laptops.

Brightness and Color Testing: These procedures are the same as those used for other types of laptops.

Battery Test: To test Chromebook battery life, we use an app we designed specifically for use with Chrome OS, which produces results not directly comparable with those we get from our standard battery test. The main difference in operation is that the test is run via a live internet connection to better simulate how you use Chromebooks in your daily life. Otherwise, this test is run the same as our standard laptop battery test, with the display forced to remain on at 150 nits of brightness and Bluetooth disabled.

Testing considerations for Apple laptops

Ah, Apple — always delivering exciting new challenges. The latest products coming out of Cupertino do not always compare directly with even flagship PC laptops, but we do our best to get numbers that make sense.

Where precise macOS analogs of the appropriate software exist (such as Geekbench and Civilization VI), we use that; we sometimes need to tweak others (such as our file copy and battery tests) to come up with equivalent results.

For our Apple battery test, we measure the display in exactly the same way we do PCs, and in addition to turning off things like Bluetooth and location services, we also disable any Apple-specific settings that might interfere with a “clean” run, such as True Tone, Night Shift, and iCloud syncing. The Apple battery test is also run in, you guessed it, Safari.

Subjective evaluation

Once all the lab testing is complete, the laptop is turned over to the writer charged with reviewing it. That writer lives with the laptop for at least a few days, and sometimes longer, to see how it handles, well, life. Among the many questions the writer considers:

• What’s it like to type on? How well does the touchpad work?
• How do the speakers sound with a wide variety of content?
• Is it cumbersome to carry and set up, or is it as convenient to use as a smartphone?
• Is the design good, or is the system unpleasant to look at and use?
• What unique features does it have, and do they add to or detract from the computing experience?
• Who is the target audience for the laptop?
• Does the laptop accomplish what it was designed to?
• Is the system a good overall value for the money?

Ratings

After all of the above is completed and the review is written, the writer assigns the laptop a rating on a scale of 1 to 5 stars, with half-star ratings possible. The ratings should be interpreted as follows:

1 to 2.5 stars = Not recommended

3 to 3.5 stars = Recommended

4 to 5 stars = Highly recommended

In addition, Laptop’s Editor’s Choice award recognizes products that are the very best in their categories at the time they are reviewed. Only those products that have received a rating of 4 stars and above are eligible. Laptop Mag's editors carefully consider each product's individual merits and its value relative to the competitive landscape before deciding whether to bestow this award.

Laptop categories

Each score is recorded and compared with the average scores of all laptops in the same category. Those categories currently include:

• Chromebooks
• Budget Laptops (under $400)
• Mainstream Laptops ($400 to $800)
• Premium Laptops (Over $800)
• Workstations
• Entry-Level Gaming (gaming systems under $999)
• Mainstream Gaming (gaming systems under $1,999)
• Premium Gaming (gaming systems costing $2,000 and up)

Price ranges for the categories may change to meet current market conditions. Laptops will be categorized based on the regular price of the configuration tested.

Ratings

A notebook's results on each test are compared with results from other systems in its category. The category average for any given test and category (such as battery life for gaming laptops) is calculated by taking the mean score from the prior 12 months of test results.

Looking toward the future

We’re always busy re-evaluating the benchmark tests we run and the criteria we use to judge all types of systems to ensure we’re giving you the information that best meets your needs and represents the current state of the art in the industry. From the latest boundary-pushing games to major new technological innovations, we always want to be there, and make sure you have the information you need to come along for the ride.

To that end, please let us know what you want to see — what capabilities you want measured, what tests you want run, and what you want to do with your laptop. We’ll do everything we can to help you get there.

We hear a lot about Nvidia's DLSS updates whenever a new generation is introduced, and while Nvidia's new multi-frame generation has taken up a lot of space in the Blackwell discussion, DLSS 4's biggest update may be its transformer upscaling model, rather than the AI-powered frame generation smoothing.

On June 5, the Nvidia transformer model left beta, so Nvidia RTX laptop and desktop GPU owners can take advantage of the latest tech without needing to opt in.

But what is the transformer model, and why should you use it?

What is Nvidia's new Transformer Model

Nvidia announced the new DLSS 4 transformer model at CES 2025 in January with the official unveiling of the RTX 50-series. The transformer model replaces the current DLSS convolutional neural network model for clearer graphics upscaling.

This not only provides faster framerates, but also improves image quality when using Nvidia's Deep Learning Super Sampling, which should alleviate some issues with visual degradation associated with DLSS upscaling.

Nvidia has been working on the Transformer Model since 2022 and released the model in beta for early adopters in January 2025. The transformer model uses a "vision transformer" to evaluate the relative importance of each pixel across the entire frame, over multiple frames. This employs double the parameters of the old neural network to generate pixels with better stability, reduced ghosting, higher detail, and smoother edges.

Don't care about the technical details? What it boils down to is that upscaled frames and generated frames in DLSS 4 with the transformer model should be clearer and smoother than ever.

How much better is the Transformer Model?

As a former lab nerd and hardware enthusiast, I will take any excuse to do some hands-on testing.

So I broke out the Razer Blade 16 (2025) and kicked up a few of my favorite test games, Cyberpunk 2077, Monster Hunter Wilds, and Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail to see how the games handled the different DLSS models.

Both Cyberpunk and Monster Hunter are rather notorious for being difficult benchmarks. Cyberpunk 2077 is already DLSS 4 enabled, while Monster Hunter Wilds is only rocking DLSS 3.7 by default. Meanwhile, Final Fantasy XIV is notorious for performing worse with DLSS enabled.

To ensure the new transformer model doesn't slow down framerates during the upscaled image process, we reran the benchmarks to assess its impact on benchmark scores. In most cases, the transformer model performed comparably to the old convolutional neural network model, within 3-5 fps.

The DLSS transformer model isn't just RTX 50-series exclusive

I tested the transformer model on an RTX 5090 laptop in order to see how it handles with the new multi-frame generation software which is 50-series exclusive, however, the transformer model is available on all Nvidia RTX GPUs from the RTX 20-series up to the RTX 50-series.

To enable the transformer model, simply install the latest Nvidia drivers.

And if your game of choice doesn't offer DLSS 4 as an option, you can force the game to use DLSS 4 by using the Nvidia app. Just go to Graphics, select your game, and select the transformer model in "DLSS Override Model Presets."

The transformer model alone isn't going to drastically improve your GPU performance any more than the convolutional neural network in DLSS 3 did, but it will make games look far better, which is nothing to sneeze at. Particularly if you're trying to hold out for another GPU generation before upgrading your desktop or laptop.

If you have an RTX 50-series laptop or are planning to get one from among the best gaming laptops, you can get all the benefits of prettier frames and multiframe generation for even smoother gaming experiences.

Truly, there's no reason NOT to opt for the transformer model if you own an Nvidia RTX GPU.

More from Laptop Mag

• GeForce RTX 5050 brings next-gen gaming to the masses with Blackwell laptops starting at $999
• Steam users are flocking back to this once-hated game in huge numbers — and it's only $4
• AI is making your games better — a new Steam tool convinced me to stop hating GPU upscaling.

This year's sale could arguably be considered the first sale where a gamer could buy a title that can be played on their home computer or laptop, a portable consoles such as a Steam Deck or ROG Ally, and thanks to cloud gaming services like GeForce Now, it can also be played on their phone, tablet, or directly on their TV with no cables or console needed.

Still, when it comes to PC gaming, a laptop is the best choice all-around as you can hook it up to a monitor to feel like you're at a desktop or take it with you on the go without losing graphics fidelity or needing good Wi-Fi.

Picking the right gaming laptop really comes down to what you're looking to play on the laptop. Do you want a machine that will play practically every game out there just fine, or do you want a monster of a computer to run any title at the highest settings without a single frame dropped? For me, I would pick these three laptops, but for different reasons.

For power and portability at a low price, there's the Asus TUF Gaming A14 

The Asus TUF Gaming A14 is the laptop to go with if I wanted to play a lot of games well, that's easy to carry and comes with great battery life.

It has solid gaming performance, a decently colorful display that can reach high nits of brightness, and a satisfying keyboard. With its portable 14-inch size, light weight at around 3 pounds, durable military grade toughness, and the best battery life we’ve seen on a gaming laptop in years.

Some of the games the Asus TUF Gaming A14 is able to play at the highest settings that are currently on sale in the Steam Summer Sale are Baldur's Gate 3, Red Dead Redemption 2, and all those games with deep discounts dropping them below $10.

If I didn't worry much about price but want portability then I would need to buy the Razer Blade 16

Razer continues to offer a lot of power in a small package. The Razer Blade 16 (2025) is an expensive laptop with various options, and the RTX 5090 gaming performance being very smooth. There is an option to go with an RTX 4090 or RTX 5080 to save on money while still being able to play games on the highest settings.

The Razer Blade 16 (2025) features a stunning OLED display, Razer’s superb build quality, over 7 hours of web surfing battery life, and almost 2.5 hours of gaming battery life. It’s incredibly portable at just 4.6 pounds and 0.59 inches thick.

Games like Cyberpunk 2077, Hogwarts Legacy, and Forza Horizon 5 at the highest graphics settings could bring most computers to their knees, but the Razer Blade 16 can handle them with ease.

The MSI Raider 18 HX AI is the gaming laptop to buy if price is not a concern

Saying the MSI Raider 18 HX AI is expensive is an understatement. This laptop's price is approximately the same as the two previous laptops combined at $4,000.

Still, the Raider has strong general performance, fluid gaming performance, a bright MiniLED display, a comfortable keyboard, powerful audio, and more ports than needed even with a multi-monitor setup. It has a powerful Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX processor and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080 GPU with 16GB of VRAM, which offers the gaming performance one might expect from such a high-end spec. Its 18-inch MiniLED display is bright and vivid, and its 6-speaker sound system is powerful with high-quality audio. But this machine is staying home, as it weighs as much as the Asus TUF Gaming A14 and Razer Blade 16 combined.

The MSI Raider 18 HX AI is more than enough machine to take on the most graphically intense games, such as Monster Hunter Wilds and Alan Wake 2 at their highest settings.

Last Monday, we reported on an odd issue in Windows 11’s latest Beta and Dev channel builds, where the iconic Windows Vista startup chime resurfaced out of nowhere. Microsoft acknowledged the bug and even leaned into the nostalgia a bit when the issue was first spotted, and promised a fix.

Credit where credit is due, Microsoft did indeed stick to its word and tried to patch things up in the latest Windows 11 Preview Builds released earlier this week. Unfortunately, the Redmond-based giant only partially succeeded.

The Vista sound is still lingering in the Dev Insider build

Microsoft rolled out the Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.4452 and Build 26200.5661 for the Beta and Dev channels, respectively, earlier this week on Monday. Initially, the “Fixes for everyone in the Beta/Dev channel” section mentioned: Fixed the issue causing the Windows Vista boot sound to play instead of the Windows 11 boot sound.

Although this was great news, Microsoft updated the release notes of the Dev build the very next day on Tuesday, after realizing that the fix for the issue was “not working correctly in this build.” It further mentioned that the issue will be fixed in the next flight.

There’s been no update to the Beta release notes yet, suggesting that the fix is working as anticipated.

If you aren’t familiar with the bug we’re referring to here, a Windows Insider, @XenoPanther on X (formerly Twitter), spotted a bug that swapped the Windows 11 startup sound with Vista’s startup sound. This issue was found in the Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.4441 and 26200.5651 for the Beta and Dev channels.

Like a true tech enthusiast, he went on a quest to trace down the cause of the bug and determined that the .WAV file located inside the imageres.dll.mun resource file was the culprit. It previously had the Windows 11 startup sound and had been replaced with Vista’s.

Vista nostalgia or an indirect dig at Apple?

Though most would've likely disregarded it and forgotten about it as yet another silly Microsoft bug (despite the years), what truly raised eyebrows was the timing of the bug. It was spotted around a week after WWDC 2025, where Apple announced its new operating systems alongside its "Liquid Glass" UI design.

Though the redesign was certainly refreshing for Apple users who've grown tired of staring at the same old design, it felt like a step back in time to many. This was because Microsoft first debuted similar translucent glass effects with its Windows Aero theme in Windows Vista.

Brandon LeBlanc, the Senior Product Manager for the Windows Insider Program Team, replied to @XenoPanther’s X post and mentioned that Microsoft had added the issue as a known issue.

In the replies, when asked how it happened, LeBlanc jokingly mentioned that he “went in and had some fun with the sound files in Windows and thought folks wanted a blast from the past.”

Though LeBlanc was clearly joking around, people were still unsure if it was a genuine bug or an actual blast from the past, so he clarified that it’s an actual bug.

Whether an intentional bug or not, the sudden return of Vista’s startup sound just days after Apple debuted a design that looks suspiciously similar to Aero feels a little too well-timed to be pure accident.

Given that this strangely seems to be one of those bugs Windows Insiders aren’t too mad about, it’s also one of those rare times when Microsoft not having a proper fix isn’t bothering people all that much. If you're one of those affected and waiting for a fix, the only thing you can really do for now is sit tight for the next build, and maybe enjoy the nostalgia in the meantime.

More from Laptop Mag

• Microsoft just threw Windows 10 users a free lifeline — but it could test your loyalty
• This secret version of Windows 10 still gets updates until 2032
• A second Windows 11 bug takes suspicious aim at Google Chrome — and the same Microsoft app is to blame

It's easy to spend more than you need to on gaming gear, especially when you have the budget for a high-end laptop. If you're spending thousands on a great gaming laptop, though, you should make sure you're spending it on the right one, and that might not be an RTX 5090 laptop.

The Asus ROG Strix G18 G815 shows just how competitive the RTX 5080 is with the RTX 5090, and it's just one of a few incredible RTX 5080 laptops that offer great bang for your buck.

See also: Best gaming laptop deals in June 2025

Do you really need to spend more for an RTX 5090 laptop? Probably not.

I get it — if you want a top-tier gaming laptop, you probably have your eye on an RTX 5090. On paper, that makes sense. An RTX 5090 could be the right choice for some people, but the RTX 5080 offers much more competitive performance than you might think.

In fact, the Asus ROG Strix G18 even outperformed an RTX 5090 gaming laptop in our testing. Not just in one test, either, but across the board:

Looking at these test results without knowing which laptop had which GPU, you'd be forgiven for thinking the Strix G18 was the one with an RTX 5090. It outpaced the HP Omen Max 16 in every game we threw at it, which is shocking considering the Omen should be the more powerful laptop.

That doesn't mean the RTX 5090 isn't a good GPU. The Omen Max 16 got a glowing review from us. However, the RTX 5090 configuration we tested costs a whopping $4,299, over $1,000 more than our review configuration for the Asus ROG Strix G18.

So, if you were to go with the Omen for that flashy RTX 5090, you would be paying over $1,000 more to get lower performance than an RTX 5080 laptop like the Strix G18 can offer. The Strix G18 isn't even your only option. It's one of a few fantastic RTX 5080 gaming laptops that offer great value for your money.

Three Editor's Choice RTX 5080 laptops you don't want to miss

I had a great experience gaming on the Asus ROG Strix G18, and I can safely say it's a good buy if you're looking for a high-end gaming laptop that also offers great value for your money. It's not the only option on the table, though. There are a few stellar RTX 5080 gaming laptops that we've recently reviewed, all of which are highly competitive alternatives to pricier RTX 5090 models.

1. Asus ROG Strix G18 (G815)

First up, of course, is the Asus ROG Strix G18. With its massive 18-inch display, this laptop is an excellent choice for gamers who require ample screen real estate. It also boasts unusually long battery life, which is a nice bonus, even if it's a bit bulky for travel.

The Strix G18 crushed our gaming tests across the board, and while it got a bit hot in our thermal tests, the heat management is designed in a way that keeps the keyboard cool even under high temperatures. The keyboard itself is also fantastic, and the RGB light strip around the keyboard deck is a nice visual touch.

2. MSI Raider 18 HX AI

If the Asus ROG Strix G18 isn't the perfect fit for you, the MSI Raider 18 HX AI could be the perfect alternative, especially if you need more storage and RAM. While the Raider is pricier than the Strix G18, it offers twice as much storage and RAM along with a higher resolution 18-inch Mini LED display and a slightly stronger processor.

This RTX 5080 laptop handily crushed the HP Omen Max 16 and even bested the Strix G18 in some of our graphics tests. It even has top-firing speakers, a rare feature I'm a big fan of.

3. Alienware 16 Area-51

The Alienware 16 Area-51 pairs a stunning design with stellar performance at a price that's hard to beat. This RTX 5080 laptop is a great alternative to the Strix G18 if you want similar performance in a smaller chassis since the Area-51 features a 16-inch display. It's still a bulky laptop, weighing even more than the Strix G18 at 7.13 pounds, but you'll have an easier time fitting it in laptop bags.

Aside from the display, the Alienware 16 Area-51 is very similar to the Strix G18, powered by the same processor and sporting the same display resolution and refresh rate. It features some seriously impressive audio, too, with top and bottom-firing speakers, making for a highly immersive gaming experience.

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From today, the Dell 14 Premium and Dell 16 Premium laptops are available to purchase — and we have high hopes for them, especially after generally enjoying the XPS 14 and XPS 13 last year, despite the disappointment of the Dell 14 Plus and Dell 14 Plus 2-in-1.

While there's plenty new to mention about these new laptops, I'm actually glad to see the old XPS chassis return for another generation, even if it's a little divisive for some. Though the XPS name has been retired, it's good to see that Dell hasn't sunset the things that made it so special. Let's take a closer look at what's in store.

Dell Premium: Specs

Dell Premium: Features

Much like last year's Dell XPS models, the new Dell Premium lineup features a minimalist chassis with an ultra-slick keyboard deck, complete with an invisible touchpad and disappearing function row.

The Dell 14 Premium and Dell 16 Premium also feature top-firing speakers, optional OLED display panels rated to 100% DCI-P3 coverage, and Intel's powerful Core Ultra 200H series processors.

Unfortunately, due to the smaller NPU on Intel's Core Ultra 200H series, the Dell Premium laptops don't meet the minimum requirements for the Microsoft Copilot+ program. But if you ask me, you're not missing much.

The Dell 16 Premium also comes with the option for a discrete Nvidia GPU, from the RTX 5050 to the RTX 5070, so you can get the right amount of graphics power for your needs, whether you want to do some casual gaming or heavy video editing.

Dell also makes strong claims about the Dell Premium's battery life, with the Dell 14 Premium reportedly delivering up to 20 hours of video streaming, while the Dell 16 Premium gets up to 27 hours of streaming battery life.

Of course, that's with the LCD panel option, rather than the OLED.

What's next

The Dell 14 Premium is available now in the US and Canada, with a starting price of $1,649.

The Dell 16 Premium with an Nvidia RTX 5060 GPU is available now in the US and Canada, with a starting price of $2,699.

The Dell 16 Premium models with Intel Arc graphics, Nvidia RTX 5050, and Nvidia RTX 5070 will be available soon.

Pricing is not yet available for these models, but we would expect the Dell 16 Premium with integrated Intel Arc graphics to be closer in price to the Dell 14 Premium, while the RTX 5050 and RTX 5070 models will be closer to the 5060's $2,699 starting price.

While these new Dell Premium laptops are no longer called the Dell XPS, they maintain the XPS' level of high-end components with powerful Intel Core Ultra processors, OLED displays, and optional discrete graphics on the flagship Dell 16 Premium.

And hey, they've even got the XPS chassis, complete with an invisible touchpad and function row keys that are an accessibility nightmare.

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The workaround? Either disable the “Filter inappropriate websites” option under Family Safety or, oddly enough, rename the Chrome.exe file to Chrome1.exe.

Microsoft still hasn’t rolled out an official fix, but it has finally acknowledged the issue while confirming another bug impacting Chrome users, too.

Chrome’s still the main target in Microsoft’s latest bug

As reported by Neowin, Microsoft confirmed one more issue affecting Google Chrome users on Windows via a new Microsoft Learn entry. The entry was opened on Tuesday, June 24, and it hasn’t been updated since.

The new bug Microsoft has identified also has to do with the Family Safety feature that caused the issue we reported on earlier. However, instead of the feature causing Chrome to crash entirely, the feature just… doesn’t work.

The Redmond-based giant explains that the Web Content Filtering system relies on a block list to prevent browsers from accessing inappropriate search results and websites.

Unless a browser version is added to the block list, it won’t be, well, blocked — even if content filtering is turned on for the account. Something that, in the Microsoft Learn entry, the tech giant admitted to not having done with the latest version of Chrome and several other browsers.

Due to this mistake on Microsoft’s end, the browsers not added to the list might temporarily appear unblocked. Thankfully, Microsoft confirmed that it’s currently working on updating the block list.

The Redmond-based giant also touched on the issue we’ve already talked about in our previous article, which is causing Google Chrome and “some browsers” to shut down unexpectedly. PCs with Parental Controls enabled typically receive a parental approval message: “You’ll need to ask to use this app.”

Once a parent approves, the child gains access to the browser. However, this bug is causing the browser to shut down immediately without the prompt even appearing. Microsoft has pinpointed that this issue is only observed when the Activity reporting feature is disabled.

The suggested workaround is to enable Activity reporting under Windows settings in Family Safety. Once the feature is enabled, parents will begin to receive approval requests as usual.

The issues discussed above are affecting Windows 10 version 22H2 and Windows 11 versions 22H2, 23H2, and 24H2.

Is this another sneaky push toward Microsoft Edge?

Microsoft’s confirmed that it’s actively working on resolving both the above issues, and will update the support document when it has more information. What’s great is that the tech giant has finally acknowledged the issue and provided a workaround to the Google Chrome crashing problem.

Considering Microsoft has had quite the rocky history with Google Chrome, it’s frankly a bit odd that both issues seem to primarily be affecting Chrome.

Microsoft has a history of targeting Chrome (the world's most popular web browser) directly in various ways, including publishing a guide on “how to uninstall Google Chrome,” displaying pop-up ads promoting Edge in the Chrome app, and interrupting users who search for Google Chrome using its Edge browser, just to name a few.

Are both bugs genuine, or are they simply another attempt by Microsoft to push users toward Edge instead of Chrome? In this instance, I guess we’ll never know.

More from Laptop Mag

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The Asus ROG Strix G18 is exactly the kind of gaming laptop you don't want to overlook. It's hard to miss with its enormous 18-inch display, but that's not the only thing it has going for it. While it doesn't come cheap, it offers far better value for your money than you might expect and punches way above its weight class, giving RTX 5090 laptops a run for their money.

It left me asking – why pay a premium for an RTX 5090 laptop when you can get competitive performance from an RTX 5080 laptop like the Strix G18? This might even be one of the best gaming laptops you can buy, especially if you've got your eye on a large display.

Here's a look at everything the Asus ROG Strix G18 has to offer and a few things you should know before making it your next gaming rig.

Asus ROG Strix G18 (G815): Specs and benchmarks

Asus ROG Strix G18 (G815): Price and configurations

The Asus ROG Strix G815 is available in a few configurations starting at $2,499, which includes an Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX processor, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 (8GB) GPU, 16GB of RAM, and 2TB of storage.

Our review configuration costs $3,059 and includes an Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX processor, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080 (16GB) GPU, 32GB of RAM, and 2TB of storage.

That's certainly not cheap, but for a gaming laptop with these specs, that price is fairly reasonable. For context, the smaller Asus ROG Strix G16 costs a bit less at $2,499 for a configuration with an RTX 5070 Ti and 1TB of storage. The MSI Raider 18 HX AI, an 18-inch behemoth like the Strix G815, costs significantly more at $4,499 for a configuration with an RTX 5080 and 4TB of storage.

So, Asus's asking price is reasonable, especially if a large 18-inch display is a top priority for you.

Asus ROG Strix G18 (G815): Design

The Asus ROG Strix G18 is eye-catching, but more so because of its size than its design.

The plastic chassis isn't too over-the-top, sporting a dark steel-gray finish with a glossy ROG logo on the lid and a hidden RGB light strip along the bottom of the keyboard deck (which you can easily turn off if you want). The keyboard also features RGB backlighting, and a handful of keys have transparent keycaps, which not only look cool but help your WASD keys stand out.

I also appreciate that Asus separated the power button from the main keyboard and gave it a unique shape, making it unlikely you'll press the power button by accident. There are also a handful of additional media keys above the function row for quickly adjusting volume, muting your mic, swapping performance modes, and opening the Armoury Crate app.

The first thing I noticed about the Asus ROG Strix G18 was its weight. It's easily the largest laptop I've ever reviewed, an honor previously held by the enormous Acer Nitro 17. That's no surprise considering the huge 18-inch display, but you should keep the G18's bulky size in mind if you want to travel with it often, since it's too big to fit in most laptop bags.

The Strix G18 measures 15.71 x 11.73 x 1.26 inches and weighs 7.05 pounds. For context, here's how a few similar gaming laptops compare:

• Asus ROG Strix G16 (G624FR) (16-inch): 13.94 x 10.39 x 1.2 inches, 5.51 pounds
• HP Omen Max 16 (16-inch): 14.04 x 10.59 x 0.98 inches, 5.92 pounds
• MSI Raider 18 HX AI (18-inch): 15.91 x 12.11 x 1.26 inches, 7.8 pounds

Asus ROG Strix G18 (G815): Ports

The Asus ROG Strix G18 includes a pretty standard set of ports for a gaming laptop:

• 3x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A (supports up to 10Gbps)
• 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C (supports DisplayPort/power delivery/G-Sync)
• 1x USB Type-C Thunderbolt 4 (supports DisplayPort/power delivery)
• 1x HDMI 2.1
• 1x RJ45 Ethernet/LAN
• 1x 3.5mm audio jack

That was more than enough ports for my needs, but if you find yourself needing even more variety, you can always connect the G815 to one of the best laptop docking stations or a USB Type-C hub.

Asus ROG Strix G18 (G815): Battery life

Gaming laptops are rarely high performers when it comes to battery life, and the Asus ROG Strix G815 is no threat to the laptops with the best battery life, but it's notably better than most of the competition.

It lasted 7 hours and 45 minutes in our non-gaming battery life test, significantly longer than its rivals. Of course, the irony of good battery life on an 18-inch laptop like this is that it's so bulky you probably won't want to travel with it often. Even so, it's nice that you can get almost a full day of basic tasks done on the G815 on a single charge.

Conversely, the gaming battery life for the G815 is average at 1 hour and 34 minutes, but you'll get better game performance with it plugged in anyway.

Asus ROG Strix G18 (G815): Display

The huge 18-inch display on the Asus ROG Strix G18 is arguably its star feature. It's a roomy 2.5K (2560 x 1600) IPS panel with a 3ms response time and a maximum refresh rate of 240Hz.

This display is about as big as you can get without using an external desktop display. If your top priority is more screen real estate for gaming and watching movies, the Strix G18 could be the perfect fit.

While the Strix G18 isn't exactly portable, the giant display is nice for creating an immersive viewing experience. It made episodes of Andor even more of a visual feast than usual, drawing me into the moody shots of Ferrix back alleys and capturing sweeping shots of Chandrila in crisp detail and vivid color.

The Strix G18 didn't break any records in our display tests, but it didn't perform poorly either. It covered 78% of the DCI-P3 color gamut and reached an impressive average brightness of 511.8 nits. While I would have preferred a higher color gamut score, the brightness is notably higher than most of the competition, with the exception of the MSI Raider 18 HX AI.

Asus ROG Strix G18 (G815): Keyboard and touchpad

Considering it's an 18-inch laptop, it's no surprise the Strix G18 features a full-size keyboard. It's not as satisfying as my desktop mechanical keyboard (the Lofree Block), but it feels more like a mechanical keyboard than most other laptop keyboards. The Strix G18 also features per-key RGB backlighting, which can be customized in the pre-installed Armoury Crate app.

On the Monkeytype typing test, I scored 101 words per minute with 98% accuracy on the Strix G18, which isn't record-breaking for me, but it’s not bad at all, either.

The touchpad on the Strix G18 is huge, even larger than the display on my 6.6-inch phone. It's so big that I found myself moving my mouse accidentally with my palms from time to time while typing. The touchpad surface is smooth, and clicking has a decent amount of travel and feedback. You'll probably want to use one of the best gaming mice most of the time, but for moments when you need the touchpad, this one's not bad.

Asus ROG Strix G18 (G815): Audio

The Asus ROG Strix G18 features dual speakers located at the bottom front corners of the keyboard deck. Considering the size of the keyboard deck (and the amount of empty space on it), I would have really liked to see top-firing speakers on this laptop. Even so, the side-firing speakers sound really good with music, games, and video content alike.

"Welcome to the DCC" by Nothing But Thieves sounded punchy and detailed with impressive depth and a good balance of bass, mids, and highs. The bass could be a tad stronger, but it's not bad, either. The speakers get seriously loud, too (I could hear them from the next room at just 45).

The audio in games is also solid. I had a great experience with Avowed, where the Strix G18 delivered crisp dialogue and rich background ambiance while I wandered Dawnshore. I turned the volume up a bit for games, a little over half usually, but nothing sounded muddy or drowned out, even in combat.

Asus ROG Strix G18 (G815): Performance and heat

The Asus ROG Strix G18 is powered by an Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX CPU (24 cores, 24 threads, max frequency of 5.4GHz). This chip won't have any trouble managing a couple of dozen browser tabs at once, multitasking, or running resource-intensive tasks like photo or video editing. I didn't experience any lag during basic tasks, even while running a few apps at once and downloading games on Steam.

The Strix G18 crushed our overall performance tests, although it couldn't quite top a couple of competitors. It scored 19,899 on the Geekbench 6 multi-core benchmark, just a bit behind the AMD-powered Asus ROG Strix G16. The MSI Raider 18 HX AI, powered by an Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX, easily outpaced both.

While gaming laptops offer top-tier performance, it can often come with the notable drawback of high temperatures. The Strix G18 ran warm even in our non-gaming heat test, where it peaked at 94.8 degrees, just a hair below our 95-degree comfort threshold. It soared to 114.4 degrees in our gaming heat test, which isn't as hot as the smaller Strix G16 got, but still noticeably warm.

A lot of that heat is getting pushed out through the vents along the back of the hinge, so the keys stay cool most of the time. I didn't notice the heat while gaming on a desk, but you can definitely feel it if you have the Strix G18 on your lap while a game is running.

Asus ROG Strix G18 (G815): Gaming and graphics

The Asus ROG Strix G18 runs on an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080 GPU with 16GB of VRAM. It offered fantastic performance in all of my hands-on testing, with seamless gameplay, quick loading times, stunning visuals, and no noticeable issues.

I played a round of Elden Ring Nightreign on the Strix G18 and had one display hiccup at first, although it wasn't due to the GPU itself. The game initially failed to recognize the G18's display resolution correctly, but everything ran perfectly after I fixed it in the settings.

After that, the moody, shadowy visuals of Limveld looked stunning, with good contrast, crisp detail, and flawless movement thanks to the high 240Hz refresh rate on the G18. I averaged 60 frames per second throughout with no lag or stuttering. I didn't win my run, but that's not the RTX 5080's fault.

Avowed ran great on the Strix G18, as well. The vibrant tropical forests outside Paradis looked flawless, and new zones loaded quickly. Combat was smooth throughout, even with many enemies and special effects on screen at once. I averaged just under 80 fps.

Considering the smooth performance I experienced in my hands-on testing, I wasn't surprised that the Strix G18 crushed our gaming tests. Interestingly, it outscored the HP Omen Max 16 across the board, despite the Omen having a more powerful RTX 5090 GPU.

The Strix G18 scored 13,074 on the 3DMark Fire Strike Ultra graphics benchmark, second only to the MSI Raider 18 HX AI (which also has an RTX 5080). The G18 bested the Raider in several games, though, including Assassin's Creed Mirage, Far Cry 6, Monster Hunter Wilds, Red Dead Redemption II, and Shadow of the Tomb Raider.

The MSI Raider 18 HX AI and the HP Omen Max 16 each cost nearly $1,500 more, yet the Strix G18 outperforms both (especially the Omen). If you've got the budget for a high-end gaming laptop like this, the Strix G18 could be some of the best bang for your buck out there.

Asus ROG Strix G18 (G815): AI features

While AI might not be a top concern when choosing a gaming laptop, it's worth noting that the Asus ROG Strix G18 comes with the Microsoft Copilot AI assistant pre-installed and has a dedicated Copilot key on the keyboard.

The Copilot app includes basic generative AI features like text and image generation. Copilot also powers Windows Studio Effects, which uses AI to enhance your webcam video quality.

While those AI features might be nice from time to time, many gamers will probably be frustrated that the Copilot key replaces the right control key. Luckily, there are workarounds to remap the Copilot key so it functions like a normal right control key instead, but it may still be an unwelcome change for some.

Asus ROG Strix G18 (G815): Webcam

Laptop webcams usually disappoint me, and unfortunately, that includes the Asus ROG Strix G18. The built-in 1080p FHD webcam isn't as sharp as its resolution suggests, with visibly grainy, blurry video quality that lacks detail and struggles to properly balance shadows and highlights. It's fine for casual tasks like Zoom meetings or Discord calls, but if you want to use the camera for anything more, you'll be better off with one of the best webcams.

With that said, the built-in mic is pretty good. It captured my voice well and did a good job of blocking out the background noise from my air conditioner. The quality is more than enough for in-game voice chat and other casual uses.

Asus ROG Strix G18 (G815): Software and warranty

The Strix G18 comes with Windows 11 Home and includes the standard suite of basic Microsoft apps like Microsoft Edge, the Microsoft Store, and the Xbox app. It also includes Armoury Crate, where you can see live system usage data, adjust your performance profiles and macros, and customize your RGB backlighting. The MyAsus app includes some similar features, but mainly serves as a hub for running system diagnostics and updates and viewing your settings.

The Strix G18 comes with Asus's standard limited 1-year warranty.

Bottom line

The Asus ROG Strix G18 delivers stellar performance across the board, even outpacing top-tier RTX 5090 laptops. The roomy 18-inch display and crisp audio quality make for a truly immersive gaming experience that's tough to beat at this price. Why pay $1,000 more for an RTX 5090 laptop when the Strix G18 offers competitive performance for less?

While I had a great time gaming on the Strix G18, it may not be for everyone. If you need something portable, this is not the best option. The 18-inch display is suitable for gaming and watching movies, but the G18 is too large to fit in most laptop bags and is relatively heavy, weighing over 7 pounds. A smaller 16, 15, or even 14-inch gaming laptop would be a much better fit if portability is a concern for you.

However, if you want a laptop that can effectively replace your desktop PC, the Strix G18 could be the perfect fit. You can also visit our guide to the best gaming laptops to compare it to even more alternatives.

Now, you probably haven't heard of Phison unless you're really into your Solid State Drives (SSD), but for those that don't know: Phison is a Taiwanese electronics company specializing in the design and manufacture of NAND flash controllers and storage solutions — and its storage controller designs are used in popular SSDs from mega brands like Seagate, Corsair, MSI, and Kingston.

As an M.2 SSD, it'll slot into your desktop, laptop, and even a game console. Yes, you can even put this PCIe Gen 5 SSD into a PlayStation 5. But the real question is: is it worth looking for an SSD with a Phison E28 controller to get a few more years out of your old hardware? Let's find out.

Phison E28 SSD: Specs and features

Here's the thing: Phison doesn't sell SSDs directly to consumers.

In fact, Phison's E28 is just a reference design. But you will find the E28 SSD controller used in various storage devices by major SSD manufacturers such as Seagate, Corsair, MSI, and Kingston in the coming days.

Because you won't be purchasing the E28 directly from Phison, pricing will vary by OEM, but should remain relatively comparable to the highly-rated WD Black SN8100 (which typically retails at around $179 for the 1TB capacity, and climbs to $479 for 4TB).

As a note, Phison's E28 ranges in storage capacity from 1TB to 8TB, though our E28 reference design was a 2TB solid-state drive.

In addition to featuring the PCIe Gen 5 interface, the E28 storage controller is NVMe 2.0 and PCI Express Base 5.0 compliant. The SSD features a flash interface with transfer rates up to 2400MT/s with up to 2pcs of BGA308 flash.

Phison E28 SSD: Performance

We typically measure SSD performance in read/write speeds, but for the Phison E28, we dove a little deeper into the SSD performance testing for a clearer image of just how good the E28 controller really is.

While the Phison E28 is not the top-performing SSD on every benchmark, it offers solid all-around performance across various benchmarks from the BlackMagic Disk Speed Test to CrystalDiskMark. The E28 was more mid-range on the 3DMark Storage Benchmark, but certainly within range of the best SSDs.

As our colleagues over at Tom's Hardware point out in their preview coverage of the Phison E28, the drive is also rather power-efficient, making it a solid choice for desktops with lower power ceilings or for consoles and laptops.

The one caveat, of course, would be that the reference design Phison E28 doesn't feature a heat sink, which can make it less than optimal for use inside a PS5 console.

Pro Tip: Don't replace your laptop, just get a new SSD

You probably think your old laptop is getting slow due to wear and tear, or the increasing demands of modern workloads, and you're probably right. To a degree.

While you should probably upgrade your 8-year-old GTX 1060 gaming laptop to a more modern, ray-tracing-capable model, your RTX 30-series gaming laptop may just need a bit more SSD speed to keep it going for a few more years.

The same is true for ultra-light laptops like the Acer Swift 3 (2020). While not a bad laptop, we did take points off for a slow SSD in our initial review, so it's a prime candidate for an SSD upgrade.

Now, swapping the SSD on your laptop isn't for everyone. While some laptops like the Asus ROG Strix Scar 16 and 18, or the HP ZBook Fury 18 and 16 G1i, come with extra SSD and RAM upgrade slots and a quick-release latch on the bottom panel, most don't.

But with the right screwdriver set and some courage, you can usually swap out your SSD for a new one.

And it just might save your old laptop or desktop from the recycling bin. At least for another couple of years.

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The latest predictions by the Interuniversity Microelectronics Centre (IMEC), recently broken down by YouTuber TechTechPotato, presents the current timeline for TSMC's 2nm chipsets, as well as Intel Foundry's 18A and 14A process technologies, with A14 (1.4nm) chips expected in 2027 and A10 (1nm) process nodes expected in 2029. IMEC's predictions even highlight the possibility of producing 0.2mm silicon as early as 2039.

In reality, those numbers differ wildly from the physical, measurable transistors on a chip, and we may need to wait until the late 2030s before we even manage to break the 10nm barrier. Here's why.

Silicon wafers aren't as small as the 2nm size would make you think

The current 2-nanometer and 1.8nm silicon technologies in development by TSMC and Intel aren't made on wafers that are 2nm in thickness.

2nm is also not the distance between two transistors on the wafer.

Chip manufacturers tend to refer to silicon wafers based on the minimum feature size achievable on the wafer surface during fabrication. Right now, that size usually refers to the name of the process node rather than any physical feature of the chip.

In fact, since about 1997, silicon process node names have been inaccurate. Intel's 250nm process node actually had a gate length of 200nm. Intel continued this process understatement until 2011, when silicon process nodes dropped to 22nm, with an actual gate length of 26nm.

TSMC and Samsung also adopted the "perception marketing" for silicon in 2018 with the 7nm process nodes, which were similar in gate length to Intel's 10nm silicon.

And the confusion has only continued to spiral from there.

However, if you're looking for a hard physical measurement size for the current 3-nanometer chips, they have a gate length of 16-18nm and a metal pitch of about 23nm.

So, regardless of the current 2nm and 3nm talk, we likely won't see "true" 10-nanometer silicon until IMEC's predicted sub-A2 chipset generation in 2039.

Wafer size and Moore's Law go hand-in-hand

As a quick refresher, Moore's Law is an observation in microchip design, positing that the number of transistors on an integrated circuit doubles roughly every two years. As silicon wafers get smaller, so do transistors, but eventually all things must bow to the laws of physics.

Contrary to its name, Moore's Law isn't an actual Law, but rather an observation in microchip design. Eventually, semiconductors can only get so small before circuit heat becomes a real design issue.

Nvidia's CEO, Jensen Huang, has been against the idea of continuing the Moore's Law trend largely due to the higher thermal constraints of discrete graphics cards, while CPUs like Intel's Lunar Lake chipset have more room to grow (or shrink, in this case).

But with this reminder from IMEC about the true size of silicon wafers, and the expected improvement in chip interconnect architecture and transistor technology, Moore's Law seems far from unrealistic. Whether the trend will continue past the next decade, we can't say for sure, but it looks achievable based on current projections.

That said, the potential number of transistors on those sub-A2 (10nm Lg) chipsets is staggering. The current Intel Core Ultra 9 285K has about 18 billion transistors, meaning the sub-A2 chipsets could have around 300 billion transistors in 2039.

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This week, Apple posted and abruptly deleted a 7-minute ad on YouTube titled "Convince Your Parents to Get You a Mac," which showed comedian Martin Herlihy giving a room full of teenagers a presentation teaching them how to persuade their parents to cough up the cash for a MacBook.

The ad has since been seemingly wiped from the internet and is no longer available on Apple's YouTube channel.

This isn't the first time Apple has quickly backpedaled on an advertising fumble recently, and arguably isn't anywhere close to its biggest slip-up. Here's a look at what you missed in the ad and a few highs (and lows) from Apple's advertising rollercoaster.

Apple mysteriously removes controversial MacBook ad

This weekend, Apple hastily removed a 7-minute ad from its YouTube channel less than 24 hours after the video went live. Titled "Convince Your Parents to Get You a Mac," it was an uncanny cross between an awkward skit and an unironic instruction manual for teenagers to persuade their parents to buy them a MacBook.

Apple even posted the "Parent Presentation" slides for teens to duplicate and use. The actual video has been removed from nearly every corner of the internet, but the slides are still accessible at the time of writing. Be warned, the presentation is 81 slides long.

The whole thing seems like it was probably meant as a meme, but it comes across as a little too manipulative. You can catch it in full in the X post above, one of the last few places the ad has managed to stay online.

Ironically, MacBooks are already considered among the best laptops for students, and considering iPhones are overwhelmingly the most popular phones for teenagers, this wasn't really a demographic Apple needed to do much to appeal to.

This somehow isn't Apple's biggest marketing fumble in recent years, either. That honor goes to the infamous "Crush" ad.

The "Crush" controversy: Apple's best (and worst) ads over the years

When Apple launched its thinnest iPad ever last year, all anyone could talk about was the (literally) soul-crushing ad that followed.

The "Crush" ad was quickly removed shortly after Apple posted it, but it showed a giant industrial press machine physically crushing a multitude of objects used for creating art and music. When everything was destroyed, the press opened again to reveal an iPad Pro.

The ad lives on in a response ad Samsung made with the tagline "Creativity cannot be crushed."

That ad is arguably Apple's most tone-deaf ad to date in light of artists' widespread fears of AI threatening their jobs. While the "Crush" ad didn't mention AI specifically, it seemed to imply that one device (or technology broadly) can replace a wealth of creative tools used for self-expression, from guitars to paint to cameras, and by extension, maybe even artists themselves.

Ironically, people do use iPads for creating art. Like the "Convince Your Parents to Buy a Mac" situation, Apple somehow managed to drop the ball while communicating with an audience it had already widely won over.

Both fumbles are perplexing considering Apple's marketing history. This is the same brand that produced some of the most iconic ads ever, like the long-running "I'm a Mac" series starring Justin Long.

Going back even further, one of the most famous ads ever was Apple's 1983 Super Bowl ad for the Macintosh 128K. Released in 1984, Apple introduced it in a surprisingly cinematic ad based on George Orwell's book 1984. This ad was meant as a subtle jab at Apple's then-rival IBM, but there's a lot of symbolism to unpack in it. The actual Macintosh 128K isn't even shown.

Of course, an advertising stumble doesn't mean MacBooks aren't good laptops for students. They're just not the only good laptops for students. If you're looking for the right laptop for college, you should probably be basing your decision on reviews and lab testing rather than a 7-minute Apple ad anyway.

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I've grown inseparable from my AI-enhanced frames, and own several pairs from different brands. And, while my Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses get the most love and use, there's another brand that I have a soft spot for: Solos.

With their ChatGPT integration being a particular stand-out feature, Solos' AirGo smart glasses might not have the designer clout of EssilorLuxottica behind them, but its latest AirGo V2 and AirGo A5 models make for some of the best alternatives to Meta's luxury line there is.

New AirGo smart glasses: Solos' new high

On Wednesday, Solos announced two new smart glasses models, the AirGo A5 and AirGo V2, at the Hong Kong Smartglasses summit.

These models follow previous impressive outings from the ChatGPT-enabled Solos AirGo 3 and camera-equipped Solos AirGo Vision.

The company's latest smart glasses feature the same modular SmartHinge system, making them backward compatible with previous frames, as most of the tech that makes each model so impressive is housed within its detachable temples.

The AirGo A5s are more of an ultra-light follow-up to the AirGo 3, focusing on the same audio experience prompted by voice commands in a pair of glasses that are practically indistinguishable from regular frames.

Meanwhile, the AirGo V2 stands as a direct competitor to the impressively popular Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses, featuring a 16MP stabilized camera for capturing hands-free, HD pictures and video, and even offering real-time streaming alongside the usual AI copilot.

Both devices require a connection to your smartphone to use, linking with the all-new SolosChat 3.0 app, where you can monitor health metrics and continue to interact with multiple AI models, including ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and now even DeepSeek.

What's next

We're entering something of a Renaissance period for smart glasses at the moment, with particular emphasis on the AI.

Whether or not you've been convinced about Copilot's presence on your laptop, having hands-free access to some of the world's most powerful AI models at the drop of a wake word ("Hey Solos," in this instance) can come in shockingly handy.

I'm not one of those people who's going to use "AI wrote me a poem on the spot" as an example either. I'm not a bard in search of inspiration, after all.

However, from being able to snap a picture to learn more about something without needing to slow down your day, or just being able to field a 3 a.m. thought to ChatGPT and hear a satisfying answer, feels like more than a simple novelty.

While there are many smart glasses options to choose from right now, if the sound of Solos' Ray-Ban Meta alternatives has tweaked your ear, then you'll be happy to know that it's not just a feature set that is competitive with Meta's glasses, but the price is too.

The Solos AirGo A5 will be available starting Q3, 2025, becoming available to preorder from August for only $249.

The 16MP camera-touting Solos AirGo V2 glasses are expected to land in Q4, 2025 for $299.

Both will be available first from the solosglasses.com homepage.

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Thanks to images published by the European Union Intellectual Property Office, we finally got a good look at what appears to be the long-awaited Logitech MX Master 4. Now, to be clear, the product name doesn't appear anywhere in the listing, but if you've ever seen an MX Master mouse, this is unmistakable.

What's new in the MX Master 4?

The images (shown below) provide a close-up view of the mouse from multiple angles, revealing a similar profile but a few key differences from its predecessor.

The most notable upgrade is a new button, positioned slightly ahead of the familiar two side buttons below the scroll wheel, on the edge of the mouse. This will be a welcome addition to the productivity enthusiasts who tend to gravitate to the MX Master line.

The large side button, where your thumb rests on the MX Master, is also much more pronounced in this new design. It formerly was blended into the mouse seamlessly, but now it clearly stands out as another button with a dotted circular design toward the front.

Looking at the top of the mouse, the right and left buttons now run uniformly across the top. On the MX Master 3 and 3S, there was a division between them running up to the main scroll wheel. The button below them shifts slightly down to account for that change, and the charging/battery LED moves from the side of the mouse to just below that button.

Unfortunately, we don't get any connectivity, battery, or DPI specs to go off of. The MX Master 3S offered an 8000 DPI sensor, so it's safe to assume the MX Master 4 will at least match that.

For now, we have to settle for some fairly subtle design changes and, of course, one more remappable button.

As a longtime user of the MX Master 3 and 3S, I'm pleased to see that the overall design remains similar, as the ergonomics are great for me. However, I hope Logitech has implemented a few more internal upgrades and that the material quality has improved. My white MX Master 3S still performs well, but the finish on it has worn away quickly.

When will the MX Master 4 launch?

The listing didn't provide any specific clues regarding a launch date, but the existence of the listing indicates that it is likely only months away.

The MX Master 3 was released in September of 2019, and the MX Master 3S was released in June of 2022, so we are in the expected window if Logitech sticks to its 3-year schedule.

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Whether unwilling or unable, a large portion of Windows 10 users feel caught between a rock and a hard place when it comes to Microsoft's looming deadline to upgrade to Windows 11. Not only do the increased hardware requirements for Windows 11 render a large number of functioning computers unfit for purpose, but Microsoft's flagship operating system has something of a soured reputation, leaving even those with viable machines hesitant to adopt it.

For those users, time is the enemy. Time, and Microsoft. However, the latter is at least offering them a hand in compromise. One more year of additional year of support through its Extended Security Updates (ESU) program (previously costing $30 for individuals), at no monetary cost. Please note: I didn't use the word "free" for a reason.

Three ways to stay on Windows 10 until 2026: Bucks, backups, and Bing

Microsoft's ESU is nothing new, and we've known about its availability for individual Windows users since November 2024. For businesses, even earlier. And we know that signing up for this program will cost the average Windows 10 user $30 for a single year of additional support.

However, in a recent post to the Windows Experience Blog, Microsoft has provided a few additional ways for Windows 10 users to gain this additional support, without needing to pay Microsoft a single dime.

In the blog, Microsoft shares the following alternative ways to gain ESU for Windows 10:

• Gain ESU for Windows 10 by using Windows Backup to sync your settings to the cloud

Windows Backup is a new free tool from Microsoft that aims to make switching from your older Windows 10 machine to an upgraded Windows 11 machine a whole lot easier. It's not the only purpose though, users can also backup files and folders to external drives similarly to any other backup tool.

So, great. Download Windows Backup, transfer a few files to a USB storage device, and claim an extra year of support. Right? Well, no.

To become eligible for free ESU, you'll need to upload a copy of your Windows Settings to the cloud. Specifically OneDrive. Meaning you'll also need a free Microsoft Account. Which is, once again, another hurdle some Windows 10 users refuse to clear.

• Redeem ESU for Windows 10 with 1,000 Microsoft Rewards points

Microsoft Reward points are Microsoft's own Monopoly money you can earn through shopping at its store; completing challenges on Xbox Game Pass; referring friends to sign up for a Microsoft Account and also earn Reward points (not a pyramid scheme); willingly trading your information through polls, quizzes, and trivia; or helping Microsoft to artificially inflate engagement by watching certain videos online.

Of course. There is one other way of earning Microsoft Reward points, but it'll test your loyalty in ways you never thought. You'll need to start using Bing Search.

Yes, simply searching on Bing can score you some of that lucrative Microsoft Monopoly moolah, though earning 1000 points may take you some time. If you start now, I'm sure you'll make it in time for October 14.

Frustratingly, for those who want to avoid signing up for a Microsoft Account, this is yet another method of attaining ESU for free that leaves you no choice.

What's next

So, are you ready to backup your settings or switch to Bing to save a few bucks and gain an additional year of support for Windows 10? The ball's in your court.

Some would say that this method is simply delaying the inevitable. And I'm sure that anyone hoping for a savior in a potential release of Windows 12 will be sorely disappointed.

However, if you need a little longer to secure your next device, or a few more months to pluck up the courage to give Linux a shot, Microsoft's newest incentive might be ideal. Well, almost ideal. You might have to use Bing, after all.

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Officially unveiled Tuesday, June 24, following earlier leaks, the GeForce RTX 5050 drops into desktops and laptops in July, offering 8GB of memory, 4th-gen ray tracing cores, and DLSS 4, all built on Nvidia’s latest Blackwell architecture. That’s a big leap from the aging RTX 3050, and a not-so-subtle flex toward AMD and Intel’s efforts in the sub-$300 GPU war.

But here’s the twist: While the desktop card offers plenty of value, the laptop version might just steal the spotlight.

Blackwell without the price tag

Nvidia isn’t simply repackaging its old silicon and slapping a new sticker on it with the RTX 5050. Both the desktop and mobile versions are built on the same Blackwell family as the flagship RTX 5090. That means tighter memory compression, more efficient compute pipelines, and a massive boost to AI-accelerated gaming via DLSS 4.

For desktops, the 5050 ships with 8GB of GDDR6 memory and a 130W TDP, making it a drop-in option for most entry-to-midrange systems. But it’s in laptops where this card starts punching above its weight.

The RTX 5050 mobile SKU swaps GDDR6 for GDDR7 — a spec usually reserved for higher-tier cards. That change gives laptops faster memory bandwidth, helping offset some of the thermal and power limitations that typically kneecap mobile GPUs.

According to Nvidia’s benchmarks, RTX 5050 laptops running DLSS 4 can hit 150fps in Cyberpunk 2077 with ray tracing enabled, something the RTX 3050 mobile could only dream of, and an impressive flex considering the starting price is just $999, with some models available immediately.

Budget gaming laptops just leveled up

If you’ve ever shopped for a gaming laptop under $1,200, you know the compromises: throttled thermals, last-gen GPUs, and chassis designs that scream 2017. Nvidia seems to be targeting that exact pain point.

The RTX 5050 laptop variant not only gets access to full Blackwell features, but it does so in a power envelope ranging from 35 to 100 watts. That opens the door to slimmer, quieter machines that can still handle ray tracing, without setting your lap on fire or turning your fan into a jet engine.

In fact, Nvidia claims that RTX 5050 laptops will outperform RTX 4050 systems in ray tracing and DLSS performance, thanks to architectural improvements and smarter memory design. That’s a quiet but important milestone: Entry-level laptops are no longer locked out of the latest graphical features.

The specs that matter

Across both platforms, the RTX 5050 comes with 2,560 CUDA cores and 4th-gen ray tracing tech, alongside 5th-gen Tensor Cores that power DLSS 4 and Nvidia’s suite of AI upscalers. Support for full AV1 encode and decode means better streaming and media playback, even on lower-end hardware.

But the real kicker here is DLSS 4. By pairing motion reconstruction with frame generation, it allows the RTX 5050 to deliver surprisingly high framerates even in visually demanding titles, and it does so while using less power.

Nvidia’s goal here isn’t just to make games run faster. It’s about enabling new features like path tracing, RTX Remix mods, and real-time lighting, all on hardware that costs less than a flagship smartphone.

Of course, the RTX 5050 isn’t going to dethrone the 4060 or 4070. And for users pushing 1440p or dabbling in content creation, 8GB of VRAM may still be a bottleneck. But that’s not the point.

This card is about accessibility; getting more people onto the Blackwell platform and letting them experience high-end features without waiting for a hand-me-down refresh. And with laptops starting at $999, Nvidia is also firing shots at Copilot+ PC makers, who have largely focused on productivity and AI over gaming.

Whether you’re building your first rig or shopping for a back-to-school gaming laptop, the RTX 5050 marks a long-overdue upgrade to the mainstream GPU stack. And this time, mobile gamers aren’t stuck with second-best.

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Looking for one of the best laptops that's also affordable can be a real challenge, especially with laptop prices on the rise. That's just another reason to be extra cautious that you're getting the best possible value for your money before buying a new laptop.

While the HP Omnibook 5 Laptop AI isn't a bad laptop, it's not a good deal due to a few critical flaws. It's a perfect example of the red flags to watch out for in budget laptops. Luckily, there are a few alternatives among the best laptops under $1,000 that offer significantly better value for your money.

The HP Omnibook 5 Laptop AI is a bargain on the surface, until you look closer

The HP Omnibook 5 Laptop AI isn't a bad laptop, and I can see how it might seem like a bargain at first glance. For less than $1,000, you get a roomy 16-inch display, a full-size keyboard, a polished aluminum chassis, and decent battery life (11 hours, 30 minutes).

Unfortunately, that's not the full story. The Omnibook's minor strengths aren't enough to overshadow its flaws, which collectively diminish the value you're getting for the price tag.

For starters, the 16-inch display, one of the Omnibook's biggest selling points, is visibly dull and washed out. Although it may be a large display, it's not of high quality. It scored unusually low in our tests, covering just 44% of the DCI-P3 color gamut and averaging just 306 nits of brightness. If you're buying this laptop for its display, you're likely to be disappointed by the lack of vibrant colors.

Additionally, the budget-friendly base configuration falls short in terms of performance. It couldn't match the competition in our overall performance tests and graphics tests.

It will handle typical tasks without a problem, but you can get better performance at this price.

Three laptops under $1,000 that are great value for your money

If you're looking for an affordable laptop that's worth your hard-earned cash, the HP Omnibook 5 Laptop AI probably isn't the right choice unless you can find it at a steep discount (ideally around $600 or less). There are a few alternatives under $1,000 that I'd recommend taking a look at first.

It's worth noting that if you're looking for a gaming device under $1,000, the Omnibook definitely isn't the way to go. At this price point, your best bet would be one of the best handheld gaming PCs, most of which are available for less than $1,000 or bumping your budget a bit to reach the best gaming laptops under $1,500.

If you're searching for a budget-friendly laptop for school, work, or casual use, one of these three alternatives could be the best choice.

Asus Zenbook 14 OLED

The Asus Zenbook 14 OLED has a lot going for it, including fantastic battery life, a great display, high-quality audio, and solid overall performance. Depending on the configuration you want, you can find it for less than $100 more than the HP Omnibook 5 Laptop AI or potentially even less.

While the display could be a bit brighter, it was significantly more vibrant than the Omnibook's, with a score of 79.8% on the DCI-P3 color gamut test. It also scored significantly higher in overall performance, with a score of 12,707 on the Geekbench 6 test. Additionally, the ZenBook boasts an impressive 16 hours of battery life, more than enough to last a full day.

Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus

Chromebooks tend to be affordable laptops priced under $1,000, and the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus is no exception. It delivers some great bang for your buck at well under $800 and makes a great pick for students or casual users, especially if display quality is your top concern.

An AMOLED display is not a common feature on Chromebooks or budget laptops in general, meaning the Galaxy Chromebook Plus is a steal for budget-conscious users who want a great display. It scored 108.5% on the DCI-P3 color gamut test, which is fantastic, especially considering the price. It's also surprisingly lightweight for a 15.6-inch laptop at just 2.45 pounds.

MacBook Air M4 (13-inch)

A MacBook might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of "budget laptops," but they can be surprisingly affordable, especially if you keep your eye out for Prime Day MacBook deals and other big sales.

The MacBook Air M4 comes in barely under $1,000, but often goes on sale for hundreds $899 or less. It can be a fantastic value if you can find one on sale, even if you opt for a model with the base 256GB of storage, which is sufficient for most users. The M4 MacBook Air boasts phenomenal performance, top-tier battery life, a solid display, and a webcam that's drastically better than what most other laptops include.

It's even worth considering the M3 MacBook Air from last year, which can still be found for around $800 or less on sale.

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The Chromebook Plus 14 is also the only model in its class with two exclusive on-device Gemini AI features: Smart Grouping, which suggests how to organize tabs and files based on active tasks, and on-device image editing in the Gallery app, including background removal and sticker creation. These features run entirely on the laptop's dedicated MediaTek NPU 890, enabling full AI functionality without relying on cloud processing.

Built for speed and silence

The Chromebook Plus 14 debuts with a 14-inch 2K OLED display rated for 100% DCI-P3 coverage, flanked by quad speakers tuned with Dolby Atmos. The chassis weighs just 2.58 pounds and uses an all-aluminum design with a fanless architecture and an optional fingerprint reader for secure login. Battery life is rated at up to 17 hours, with support for 65W USB-C charging.

Under the hood, it runs on up to 16GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 256GB of internal storage, with support for dual 4K displays via USB-C. Wireless connectivity includes Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4.

The processor, a MediaTek Kompanio Ultra 910, includes a custom Immortalis-G925 GPU and a built-in MediaTek NPU 890, delivering 50 trillion operations per second of AI acceleration. That’s more than enough for the suite of Gemini features preloaded on ChromeOS.

AI without the cloud

The big story here isn’t hardware but rather the laptop’s AI capabilities. ChromeOS now supports Gemini AI tasks on-device, and Lenovo’s model is the first to unlock every feature. That includes new functions like Select to Search via Lens, which allows users to take a screenshot and search Google based on the on-screen images or text. Text captured in this way can also be imported into Google Calendar or Workspace apps, such as documents and spreadsheets.

Other new Gemini features include a smart grouping tool that can organize your current tabs and documents based on what you’re working on, and image editing that’s built into the Gallery app for tasks like image background removal.

These new Gemini AI functions are handled on-device thanks to local inference, with some, such as image editing, not requiring an Internet connection. They’re also exclusive to Lenovo’s new Chromebook Plus 14 laptop, which launches today, June 23rd, alongside a suite of new Google tools.

Built for the future of ChromeOS

Lenovo is also offering the Chromebook Plus 14 in Chrome Enterprise Upgrade and Chrome Education Upgrade configurations. These SKUs are managed through the Google Admin console, enabling mass deployment, data controls, remote access management, and app provisioning. The company says the new model is aimed at institutions looking to roll out smart, low-maintenance workstations at scale.

The launch aligns with Google’s wider push to redefine what a Chromebook can be, with Chromebook Plus guaranteeing a minimum hardware spec and AI feature support. Lenovo’s model simply goes further by being the first to ship with the local Gemini stack fully functional.

All this echoes similar moves from Microsoft with its Copilot+ PC initiative, though its machine enters the market at a much lower price point. Where Windows Copilot+ devices begin around $999 and require cloud fallback for certain tasks, Lenovo’s Chromebook aims to do the same work without the same price or dependency.

Closing the gap with Copilot+ PCs

The timing of this release is notable as it's only been a year since Microsoft Copilot+ PCs debuted with Snapdragon X Elite chips and 45+ TOPS NPUs, but most are still over $999, and still rely on the cloud for advanced tasks.

Lenovo’s machine delivers comparable AI workflows for hundreds less, inside a lighter chassis with longer battery life and fewer moving parts. While it can’t match the raw multicore CPU performance of Qualcomm or Intel chips, the addition of local AI support makes this the first ChromeOS device to go head-to-head with Windows on AI productivity.

The Chromebook Plus 14 is available now, with two configurations: $649 for the 12GB RAM model, and $749 for the 16GB RAM version. Both include one year of the Google One AI Pro plan, valued at $240.

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So far, we know that Nova Lake will appear on Intel's S-series desktop chipsets, with rumors of laptop variants (for the H and U suffix variants) circulating as well.

But we now have confirmation that Intel's Nova Lake will also get an HX high-performance laptop variant, which is ideal for gaming laptops and mobile workstations.

And it's all thanks to shipping manifests.

On Sunday, a well-known tech leaker, x86 is dead&back, posted shipping manifests from May 23, 2025, that indicate Nova Lake's HX variant is in testing for high-performance laptops, utilizing the same motherboard socket as 2025's upcoming Panther Lake chipset.

Nova Lake -HX just makes sense

This shipping manifest leak is the first we've heard of a Nova Lake -HX series, but if anything, it's the most logical laptop variant for the architecture.

Intel frequently releases a variant of its desktop architecture for high-performance laptops.

It's not always the case, but more often than not, the desktop architecture will have a laptop version, at least for gaming laptops and mobile workstations that require the increased power of a desktop-class CPU.

While this is news, it's not exactly a surprise.

But it is welcome regardless. According to the latest rumors, Intel's Nova Lake architecture features up to 52 cores and will include a dual-architecture GPU tile, which may render discrete graphics obsolete.

Nova Lake -H is still rumored

Some years, Intel offers an -H suffix variant of its desktop architecture for high-performance, light, and thin laptops. And we also get a -U suffix version for more power-efficient laptop models.

Other years, the -H and -U suffix chips are running a laptop-specific architecture, like in the Meteor Lake and Panther Lake generations.

The 2024-2025 Intel generation was a bit unusual as we also threw in the Lunar Lake 200V series chips, but that appears to be a situation Intel won't be keeping up in the future.

There have been rumors of -H and -U versions of Intel Nova Lake, although those mobile variants may ultimately be served by a mobile architecture instead.

What this means for Intel's upcoming chip roadmap

Intel is still on track to release the Panther Lake and Arrow Lake Refresh generations starting this fall, with laptops likely to hit the shelves in early 2026. However, some early laptops may arrive in late fall.

Intel's 2026 generation is also still on track, with Nova Lake expected to release on desktop in fall 2026, with the rumored laptop variants likely launching in early 2027.

Intel's Panther Lake and Wildcat Lake chips are expected to be the first using its 18A fabrication process, with Nova Lake bringing the 18A process to desktops in 2026.

While we still don't have a concrete idea of Intel's 18A performance, new details indicate Intel's 18A is 25% faster than Intel 3. Unfortunately, the Intel 3 node is primarily used for Xeon data-center CPUs, so it isn't the best baseline for consumer performance.

However, it is a positive sign that Team Blue is continuing to make progress in power and performance.

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The Lenovo Legion Go 2 made its debut at CES 2025 earlier this year, but updates have been sparse since then. That might not be the case for much longer, though, since a potential release date leaked over the weekend.

Here's a look at when the Lenovo Legion Go 2 is expected to launch, along with everything we know about it so far.

See also: Best gaming laptop deals in June 2025

Did this leak just reveal the release date for the Lenovo Legion Go 2?

Last week, a screenshot allegedly from Lenovo Latin America customer support was posted on Reddit, seemingly revealing the release date for the Lenovo Legion Go 2. The post suggests that the handheld gaming PC will be launched in September in Mexico.

Although this may be coming from an official Lenovo account, that doesn't necessarily mean it's the official release date or the global release date. At the time of writing, there has been no word from Lenovo about when the Legion Go 2 will launch or its price. Even if this release window is legitimate, it might differ from the release date for other regions.

With that said, there are a couple of reasons why this September release window could be accurate. For starters, the original Legion Go was officially unveiled on September 1, 2023, and launched almost two months later on October 31, 2023. So, it would make sense for Lenovo to announce the full details about the Legion Go 2 exactly two years later in September 2025.

Additionally, a September release date (or even an announcement in September with a proper launch in October or November) would put the Legion Go 2 ahead of the recently announced ROG Xbox Ally X. This rival handheld will likely be the Legion Go 2's biggest competitor. It's set to launch sometime in the holiday season at the end of 2025, which is roughly November through January.

A September launch for the Legion Go 2 could help Lenovo get an early edge over the Xbox Ally X.

Everything we know about the Lenovo Legion Go 2 so far

Even if the rumored September release window for the Lenovo Legion Go 2 doesn't pan out, there are a few other key details we know about it already, and there's a lot to be excited about.

For starters, the Legion Go 2 is expected to feature the AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme, the sequel to the Z1 Extreme that powered the original Legion Go. Even a couple of years after its launch, the original Legion Go has held up surprisingly well compared to the other top handheld gaming PCs, which gives us a hint about the performance and longevity we can expect from the Z2 Extreme.

While we won't be able to run our in-depth benchmark tests on the Z2 Extreme until we get the Legion Go 2 to our test lab, a prototype of the handheld impressed us at CES 2025 with smooth demo performance.

featuresThe Legion Go 2 also sports an updated design, while retaining the Switch-style detachable controllers from the original. This feature is somewhat uncommon on handheld gaming PCs, but it can be convenient for people who get tired of holding the entire console in handheld mode.

Perhaps the most important design update is the display. The Legion Go 2 will have the same display size as the original (8.8 inches), but now with an OLED panel, which is a huge step up. The original Legion Go is currently Laptop Mag's pick for best display on a handheld gaming PC, but the OLED display on the Legion Go 2 will make it a strong contender to take that spot.

Those details are an exciting start, but unfortunately, there are still some blanks Lenovo hasn't filled in yet, like the price and official release date. A September release window seems like a reasonable possibility, but it isn't confirmed yet. The price is also difficult to predict considering the ever-shifting state of Trump administration trade tariffs, but the Legion Go 2 could easily cost more than the original, which would put it somewhere above $699.

We're keeping a close eye out for more details on the Legion Go 2, so stay tuned for more updates.

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This polished 16-inch laptop includes all the basic specs you need for casual use, studying, or light work tasks. If you're eyeing a budget-friendly 16-inch laptop, you might stop there, but we need to dig deeper to see if it's truly a good value.

As much as I wanted to like the HP OmniBook 5 Laptop AI, it has one major drawback and a couple of disappointments that killed some of my enthusiasm. Compared to the best laptops, it's just not great bang for your buck at or near its full price. However, it is frequently available at a deep discount, which changes the equation if you have a hard cap on your laptop budget. So here's what you should know before buying.

HP OmniBook 5 Laptop AI: Specs and benchmarks

HP OmniBook 5 Laptop AI: Price and configurations

The HP OmniBook 5 Laptop AI pricing is messier than it should be. If you look at HP's website, you'll find it in several configurations, starting at $1,079. You should never expect to pay that price for this laptop, though.

We reviewed the base configuration, which includes an AMD Ryzen AI 5 340 processor, AMD Radeon 840M integrated graphics, 16GB of RAM, 512GB of storage, and a 16-inch WUXGA (1920 x 1200) IPS display. As I write this review, shortly after the laptop's release, this model is under $700 at Best Buy and under $600 directly through HP. This makes it a very different value discussion than the full retail price listed by HP.

A handful of upgrades are available for an extra cost, including an AMD Ryzen AI 7 350 processor, 24 or 32GB of RAM, 1TB of storage, and a touch display. You can also upgrade from Windows 11 Home to Windows 11 Pro for an additional $70.

The maxed-out configuration is listed at a full price of $1,608 and includes an AMD Ryzen AI 7 350 Processor, AMD Radeon 860M integrated graphics, 32GB of RAM, 1TB of storage, a 16-inch WUXGA (1920 x 1200) IPS touchscreen display, and Windows 11 Pro. Once again, don't pay that price. It was available for $1,118 at HP at the time of writing.

When on sale for under $600, the base configuration is a reasonable value; however, you'll still want to consider the trade-offs that I'll address in the rest of my review. I would also recommend configurations with the upgraded AMD Ryzen AI 7 350 processor, which will offer significantly stronger performance. However, even then, you may want to take a look at some rival laptops that are just a bit more expensive, including a few I'll compare below.

HP OmniBook 5 Laptop AI: Design

HP didn't break the mold with the OmniBook 5 Laptop AI, but that's not necessarily bad. It features a simple, straightforward design with a plain aluminum chassis and a basic silver HP logo on the lid. It's not flashy but will blend in at the office or school.

Inside, the OmniBook 5 has a full-size keyboard, which is perfect for productivity users. Unfortunately, it's not perfect. The power button is in possibly the worst place possible: seamlessly blended into the rest of the keyboard.

It's not even isolated in a corner of the keyboard; it's sandwiched between the print screen and delete keys. It's also the same size and texture, making it very easy to press the power button by accident. There's so much room on this keyboard deck that I would've preferred HP to isolate the power button away from the main keyboard.

Since this is a 16-inch laptop, it's on the larger side, measuring 14.08 x 10.03 x 0.73 inches and weighing 3.97 pounds. To put that into context, here's how a few similar laptops compare:

• Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-in-1 16 (2025): 14.21 x 10.12 x 0.67 inches, 3.96 pounds
• Asus Vivobook 16 Flip (TP3607): 13.98 x 9.62 x 0.69 inches, 3.9 pounds
• MacBook Air M4 (15-inch): 13.4 x 9.35 x 0.45 inches, 3.3 pounds

HP OmniBook 5 Laptop AI: Ports

The HP OmniBook 5 is surprisingly sparse on ports for a 16-inch laptop, but it includes the basics most people need:

• 3 x Thunderbolt 5 ports
• 1 x HDMI 2.1 port
• 1 x headphone/mic jack
• 1 x MagSafe 3 charging port
• 1 x SDXC card reader

One of the USB Type-C ports has to double as a charging port, so if you have many accessories to connect to your laptop, it may be a good idea to get one of the best laptop docking stations or a USB Type-C hub to connect to the HP OmniBook 5.

HP OmniBook 5 Laptop AI: Battery life

The HP OmniBook 5 Laptop AI isn't challenging the laptops with the best battery life, but it lasted 11 hours and 30 minutes in our battery life test, which is enough for a full workday. However, if battery life is a primary concern for you, this is a case where spending a little more might make sense.

For instance, the Asus Vivobook 16 Flip lasted over two hours longer, and the MacBook Air M4 (15-inch) lasted nearly four hours longer. Even the Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-in-1 16, which underperformed in other areas, has a longer battery life than the OmniBook.

HP OmniBook 5 Laptop AI: Display

If you're considering getting the HP OmniBook 5 Laptop AI because of its roomy 16-inch display, think again. The 16-inch WUXGA (1920 x 1200) IPS display is spacious, but the quality leaves much to be desired.

I noticed this immediately when I opened the OmniBook. Webpages and even my wallpaper looked less colorful than on other laptops or my desktop monitor. Everything is dull and washed out. Watching an episode of Survivor on the OmniBook was less enjoyable since Fiji lacked its usual tropical vibrancy on this display.

Considering my hands-on experience with the OmniBook's display, I wasn't surprised when I saw its display test scores. They're shockingly low: the OmniBook covered 61.8% of the sRGB color gamut and a mere 44% of the DCI-P3 color gamut.

That's on par with the equally disappointing Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-in-1 16-inch display. Both laptops are far behind the competition in terms of display quality. The Vivobook and the MacBook Air scored nearly twice as high on our color gamut tests, and the MacBook Air also has a dramatically brighter display.

If you're looking for top display quality, I'd advise you to steer clear of the OmniBook and look at the Asus Vivobook 16 Flip or the MacBook Air M4 instead.

HP OmniBook 5 Laptop AI: Keyboard and touchpad

One of the best features of the HP OmniBook 5 Laptop AI is its full-size keyboard. This isn't uncommon for a 16-inch laptop, but it's still worth mentioning since the inclusion of a number pad can be a huge plus for productivity users.

The keys on this keyboard have a nice, muted sound, but I felt like they had a slightly higher actuation force than most other laptop keyboards I've used. Depending on how you type, that might be preferable for some people, but I prefer a lower actuation force.

On the Monkeytype typing test, I scored 96 words per minute with 98% accuracy on the OmniBook, which is average for me. Still, a far cry from my personal record of 108 words per minute with 98% accuracy, scored on the HP EliteBook Ultra G1i AI.

The OmniBook's touchpad is just as roomy as the keyboard. The surface is smooth and responsive, and clicking offers just the right amount of travel and feedback. I was happy with it, but you can always connect one of the best wireless mice if it's not to your liking.

HP OmniBook 5 Laptop AI: Audio

The HP OmniBook 5 Laptop AI has dual bottom-firing speakers on the left and right edges of the keyboard deck. They get the job done and sound decent, but audiophiles will prefer headphones.

"Overcome" by Nothing But Thieves sounded fine with these speakers, with a surprising amount of depth and relatively good mids, but weak, muddy bass made for an underwhelming listening experience. Casual listeners won't mind these speakers, especially since they get pretty loud (I never needed to turn the volume up past 50), but the sound quality could be better.

HP OmniBook 5 Laptop AI: Performance and heat

The AMD Ryzen AI 5 340 powers the HP OmniBook 5 Laptop AI. It's fine for casual users and powerful enough for basic web browsing. The OmniBook's processor is more than enough if you're looking for a laptop for tasks like checking your email or doing homework.

However, if you're searching for a business or productivity laptop or want to use your laptop for more resource-intensive tasks like video editing, this isn't the laptop for you. It scored marginally on the Geekbench 6 overall performance benchmark at just 10,223, which is notably lower than similar laptops.

While the Asus Vivobook 16 Flip and Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-in-1 16 didn't perform drastically better in this test, the MacBook Air M4 crushed the OmniBook. So, if performance is your top priority, the MacBook is a better choice.

It's also worth noting that the OmniBook had an unusually high peak temperature in our thermal tests, reaching a maximum of 103 degrees. That's nearly ten degrees above our 95-degree comfort threshold and noticeably higher than rival laptops peaked at. The overheating potential adds another reason for power users to think twice before going with the OmniBook.

HP OmniBook 5 Laptop AI: Gaming and graphics

The HP OmniBook 5 Laptop AI relies on AMD Radeon 840M integrated graphics for all of its graphics processing, meaning this is by no means a gaming laptop.

AMD's integrated graphics have impressed us in the past, but unfortunately, the AMD chip in this laptop's base configuration falls short of the graphics greatness its more powerful siblings have achieved. If you're set on getting this laptop, I'd recommend upgrading to the AMD Ryzen 7 350 processor, which offers a bit more graphics performance with its AMD Radeon 860M integrated graphics.

I mention that because our review configuration of the OmniBook 5 Laptop AI offered pretty lackluster graphics performance. It averaged just 32.5 frames per second in Sid Meier's Civilization VI: Gathering Storm and scored only 4,627 in the 3DMark Fire Strike graphics benchmark.

To put that into context, the Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-in-1 16 scored double that in the 3DMark Fire Strike test, and the Asus Vivobook 16 Flip wasn't far behind. Both laptops, along with the MacBook Air M4, scored significantly higher than the OmniBook in Civilization VI.

The OmniBook's graphics scores effectively mean that it can only run the lightest casual games. The dull display doesn't help with the gaming experience on this laptop, either. Not only will you get low frame rates, but the graphics will look more washed out than they would on a better display. So, if you're mainly looking for a device for gaming at this price point, I strongly suggest you consider one of the best cheap gaming laptops instead, or even a handheld gaming PC.

HP OmniBook 5 Laptop AI: AI features

As its name suggests, the HP OmniBook 5 Laptop AI has some AI features. It's a Copilot+ PC, so it ships with Microsoft's Copilot AI assistant pre-installed and has a dedicated Copilot key on the keyboard. You can use that to launch the Copilot app quickly, which includes basic generative AI features like text and image generation.

If you're not a fan of Copilot, the HP AI Companion app includes similar features. It's also a bit more practical, offering tools that use AI to analyze your files or optimize your PC's performance. It can also perform basic generative AI tasks, like summarizing or generating text content.

The OmniBook also includes a preview version of Microsoft Recall, an AI feature that periodically takes screenshots to "remember" all of your laptop activity in case you want to find something later.

I'd caution against using this feature due to its myriad privacy concerns. You can easily disable it through your settings by going to "Privacy & security" then "Recall & snapshots." In this menu, simply turn off "Save snapshots." Recall will also be disabled by default if you opt not to set up facial recognition sign-in through Windows Hello.

HP OmniBook 5 Laptop AI: Webcam

The built-in webcam on the HP OmniBook 5 Laptop AI isn't the best I've ever tested, but it's not the worst. It's a 1080p FHD IR camera, which means you can use it for facial recognition sign-in. The video quality is acceptable for Zoom meetings, but looks dull and grainy. It's clear enough that everyone will be able to see you fine, though.

The built-in mic isn't bad, either. It captured my voice clearly and did a good job of cutting out background noise from my air conditioner. I didn't notice it cutting out or spiking, either. Overall, it does the job for the introductory daily video or audio calls most people need the built-in mic for.

HP OmniBook 5 Laptop AI: Software and warranty

The HP OmniBook 5 Laptop AI includes Windows 11 Home, although you can upgrade to Windows 11 Pro for an extra cost. It comes with the standard suite of Microsoft apps pre-installed, including the Microsoft Store, Microsoft Edge, Microsoft Copilot, and the Xbox app. It also has a few HP apps, including HP AI Companion, the OMEN Gaming Hub, and HP Support Assistant, where you can find troubleshooting tips and info on your device.

HP provides a 1-year limited hardware warranty for the OmniBook, which you can extend through HP Care Pack.

Bottom line

The HP OmniBook 5 Laptop AI has a few strengths, such as its touchpad and keyboard, but these are not enough to outweigh its flaws, including underwhelming performance and a dismal display. The display is disappointing, even at its often discounted price, while the performance and battery life are easier to take for under $700.

The OmniBook is fine for basic tasks like web browsing, but if that's all you need a laptop for, you may consider going even cheaper with one of the best laptops under $500! On the other end of the spectrum, if you're looking for a high-performance laptop for work or creative tasks, you will be much better off with the MacBook Air M4 or one of the best 16-inch laptops.

As much as I want to like every laptop I review, there are simply too many drawbacks to recommend the HP OmniBook 5 Laptop AI for most users unless it is deeply discounted.

In an effort to push the Edge web browser and its Bing search engine to Google's userbase (with all the tact of a used-car salesman), Microsoft has injected pop-up ads, tricked users with a fake Google Search page, flagged other browsers as errors that need to be fixed, and potentially broken a Chrome feature by blocking it through a system update. Oopsie.

However, after years of "coincidental" issues, "unintended" behaviors, and "accidental" bugs, Microsoft may have found a way to at least cut off the youth from being indoctrinated by Google's superior search and browser... By accidentally flagging it as unsuitable using Windows 11's Family Safety feature.

Too hot for Windows: Google Chrome no longer safe for small eyes on Microsoft's OS

In yet another unlikely turn of events that seems to benefit Microsoft's Edge browser and penalize Google's Chrome, Windows 11's Family Safety feature has been effectively blocking the world's most popular browser from opening for the better part of a month under the guise of a parental control measure.

The issue was first reported on June 3 to the r/Chrome subreddit by user Witty-Discount-2906, who claimed that following a crash, Chrome now "Just flashes quickly, unable to open with no error message."

Some time later, another Redditor suggested it was related to Windows' Parental Controls, stating, "I've had 9 students come see the IT Desk in the last hour saying Chrome won't open."

The issue was seemingly confirmed by Chrome support manager Ellen T, replying to a related post to the Google Chrome Help Community message board, stated: "Our team has investigated these reports and determined the cause of this behavior. For some users, Chrome is unable to run when Microsoft Family Safety is enabled."

According to a follow-up post, Microsoft advises that parents (or IT admins in the case of our previous Reddit sleuth) seeking a solution can use the Family Safety web portal or mobile app to select their Child's (or user's) account and choose to disable "Filter inappropriate websites" under the Edge tab.

However, while this will open up access to Chrome once more, it'll also open up access to all of the parts of the internet most parental controls seek to keep restricted.

Alternatively, admins or parents can navigate to Windows > Apps & Games, and unblock Chrome from there.

What's next

If this is a bug, it's an incredible on-brand one, and a genuine blessing. Typically, Microsoft would have to set aside engineers for weeks to plot and scheme ways to attempt to topple Chrome's popularity. This one would then have fallen into its lap for free.

According to Chromium's bug tracker, the problem persists for some, though reports have slowed. One team member shares: "We've not heard anything from MSFT about a fix being rolled out. They have provided guidance to users who contact them about how to get Chrome working again, but I wouldn't think that would have a large effect."

Narrowing down potentially affected users, the Chromium team member shares: "The set of Chrome users who are affected are those who turned on Web Safety under the Edge tab of the parental controls between roughly Nov 2024 and June 3rd."

Whether this is a fault with Chromium or with Windows 11's Family Safety feature remains to be seen. However, Microsoft will likely not see a situation that causes Edge to appear more attractive than the competition as a high-priority issue. So while we wait for a potential fix, I wouldn't blame Microsoft for dragging its heels.

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This time around, though the shiny new Start menu is simplified and looks much cleaner for the most part, it drags along a new limitation that’s already rubbing people the wrong way.

A more organized Start menu, with one big catch

As spotted by Windows Latest, the new Start menu features a new Category view that groups your applications into, well, different categories. These categories include: Utilities and tools, Productivity, Games, Social, Entertainment, Creativity, Information & Reading, and Other.

Doesn’t sound too bad, does it? In fact, it sounds like it might even make finding the right app quicker. But here’s where things start to fall apart. You can’t create your own categories beyond the existing ones or even decide where each application goes.

Instead, Windows automatically sorts your applications for you based on a predefined system, and you don’t get a say.

Windows Latest mentions that Microsoft doesn’t use AI or cloud-based analysis to sort your apps into one of the categories. Instead, everything is handled locally on your computer using an on-device JSON file.

This is a great thing privacy-wise, as it means your list of installed apps isn’t being sent to Microsoft’s servers. But it also means there’s little flexibility or intelligence in how the sorting process works.

In the case that Windows 11 can’t determine exactly which category an application should go into, it’ll add it to the “Other” category instead. Unfortunately, it doesn’t end here.

Not all the categories we’ve listed above need to show for you. According to Microsoft, a category only appears if the system detects at least three apps that belong to it. So if you’ve got exactly three apps in, say, the Creativity category and uninstall just one, the entire category disappears.

Of course, this means the remaining apps get automatically dumped into the “Other” category, even if they clearly don’t belong there. Microsoft also notes that apps within each category are arranged based on usage. So if you’ve got Paint in the Creativity category and it’s the app you use most often, it’ll appear at the top of that category.

Thankfully, the rest of the Start menu is what people wanted all along

To be fair, though, there’s likely a good chance that Microsoft will direct its efforts toward improving the “Categories” view and might eventually let users create their own categories and move apps around.

Other than this one frustration (which is admittedly a big one), the redesigned Windows 11 Start menu is certainly a step in the right direction and addresses multiple complaints users have had.

It’s cleaner, makes better use of screen space, and finally ditches the cluttered two-page layout for a single scrollable view. It even lets users finally remove the “Recommended” section, which shows recent apps and files they’ve installed.

The all-new Windows 11 Start menu is currently being gradually rolled out to Windows Insiders.

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At its core, this peripheral chimera remains a keyboard, featuring a hot-swappable 75% or 82-key ANSI layout with PBT keycaps and mysterious “Yellow” switches — accented by RGB backlighting (and side lit similarly), and including a useful rotary dial at the top right of the device.

For some, that’s enough of a product as it is. However, the Keyview 13 Touch is barely getting started, with its additional 13-inch touchscreen being the tip of a bizarrely compelling iceberg.

Keyview 13 Touch: The keyboard of Theseus

When does a keyboard stop being a keyboard and become something else entirely?

The Keyview 13 Touch takes its keyboard offering and straps so many extras on top that you’d assume Aura Displays, the company behind it, was originally looking to make laptops, but after a failed delivery of mainboards and processors said “Screw it, let’s assemble anyway.”

The result? A 4.6-pound amalgamation of keyboard, monitor, docking station, and storage that’ll make you look like a closeted laptop lover living in denial.

The 13-inch, 24:9 touchscreen features a 10-point multitouch IPS panel with a 1920x720 resolution, a 60Hz refresh rate, and a peak brightness of 300 nits. It’s also hinged, allowing it to lie flat above the keys or tilted up to 90 degrees. It even has a kickstand to gain a little bit of extra height and improve the keyboard’s ergonomics.

Micro monitors like this can be surprisingly useful, and ever since I got my hands on the Asus ZenBook Pro 14 Duo OLED a few years back, I’ve been enamored by the idea of adding a small ultra-widescreen secondary display to my setup. I just couldn’t stomach paying nearly $500 on the 14-inch, 32:9 ASUS ProArt Display at the time — so this, genuinely, appeals to me.

From there, the Keyview continues to blur the lines. It also features a built-in M.2 SSD slot for expanded storage, an SD/TF interface for storage cards, a 3.5mm twin USB 3.0 (5Gbps) ports, and two USB-C ports, one of which has 60W of Power Delivery. There’s even a small 1W speaker. For what reason, I’m unsure.

KeyView 13 Touch: Where to find it

While it might look bizarre, and it may seem overkill, the Keyview 13 Touch is one of those oddly compelling products that will have your mouse cursor hovering over the add to cart button and teetering over the thought to click.

I may even make that click myself. I’ve a soft spot for tech that’s a little odd, and the Keyview's display is something I’ve been looking to add to my setup for a while. If nothing else, it’s a conversation piece.

If you’re interested, the Keyview 13 Touch is available now for $399, 20% off its typical $499 price, from the Aura Display online store.

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It’s called the FlightSense VL53L8CP sensor, and it’s at the heart of ST’s fifth-generation HPD platform. This is no concept: The system is a turnkey solution, pre-trained with AI and ready for laptop makers to drop into next-gen models. And with ST’s track record (their older FlightSense sensors are already in over 260 models of laptops), this tech could land in devices before year’s end.

Smarter sensing through contextual AI

Unlike earlier systems from Dell, HP, or Lenovo that use webcams, ultrasound, or even radar, STMicro’s solution combines multizone Time-of-Flight (ToF) sensors capable of tracking movement up to four meters away and combines them with dedicated AI models trained on thousands of movement patterns. It doesn’t just sense movement but works to understand it.

ST’s HPD system hinges on four purpose-built AI models: Presence AI to detect whether someone is in front of the device, Head Orientation AI to determine where the user is looking, and two additional models focused on posture and hand detection. The system doesn’t just know if you’re there but whether you’re paying attention, if you’ve stepped away, or if someone is lurking behind you.

And crucially, it does all this without capturing a single image. That means no creepy camera footage, no facial recognition, and no cloud upload risks. This is a crucial privacy win at a time when AI is learning fast and loose.

HPD also doesn’t store audio, and it doesn’t need to send anything to remote servers for processing. That makes it fundamentally different from webcam-based systems like Windows Hello, which require explicit visual recognition, and from more intrusive sensing platforms that run afoul of data protection regulations.

With regulatory scrutiny mounting around how laptops and phones “watch” their users, STMicro’s decision to keep its AI local and its data anonymous reads as both ethically sound and commercially savvy.

The power savings argument

There’s also a more utilitarian angle to all this. According to ST, adaptive dimming alone can cut display energy use by over 20% on average per day.

Considering that backlighting remains one of the largest power draws in any mobile device, this kind of AI-managed optimization could meaningfully extend battery life not just in ultrabooks, but in desktops and monitors as well.

It’s a particularly timely innovation as OEMs compete to launch AI PCs with power-hungry NPUs and always-on interfaces. A smarter display system that quietly manages brightness based on attention is the kind of passive efficiency gain that users will feel without even realizing it’s happening.

No further development required

While many emerging sensor technologies tend to languish in concept stages or take years to hit production hardware, this one is different. STMicro says the system is a turnkey solution that requires no further development from OEMs. That’s a strong indicator that the integration pipeline is already underway.

Given that the company’s FlightSense platform is already embedded in more than 260 laptop models, including past partnerships with Dell, HP, and Lenovo, the leap from announcement to commercial rollout could be short.

Based on current OEM product cycles and supply chain availability, the first laptops with this fifth-generation HPD system could arrive by late 2025. But we’re just speculating.

If the AI PC trend has been defined by flashy silicon and visible performance gains, STMicro’s new presence detection platform takes a different approach. It operates invisibly. It watches without seeing. It reacts without needing to ask. And it quietly changes how we interact with machines by removing friction instead of adding features.

That may be the most compelling innovation of all… not what the tech does but rather what it no longer needs to do.

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But the home console? Not a chance.

If the Nintendo Switch 2 is anything to go by, consoles are getting more and more expensive, so I wasn't planning to budget for a next-gen Xbox.

And then Microsoft and AMD had to announce a continuation of their hardware partnership for the next generation of Xbox consoles earlier this week.

Xbox President Sarah Bond said in the announcement, "I’m thrilled to share we’ve established a strategic multi-year partnership with AMD to co-engineer silicon across a portfolio of devices — including our next-generation Xbox consoles in your living room and in your hands."

But it's not the hardware that changed my mind. Instead, one of Microsoft's smaller tweaks to the next-gen Xbox just might mean I shell out for yet another Xbox console.

Here's what we know about the next-gen Xbox so far.

The new Xbox is powered by AMD, again

Microsoft has used AMD hardware for the last couple of generations, so seeing that partnership continue isn't much of a surprise.

The original Xbox, released in 2001, was powered by a combination Intel Pentium III processor and an Nvidia NV2A graphics card. It also featured just 8GB of internal storage and 64 MB of RAM.

The Xbox 360 launched in 2005 and used a custom 64-bit IBM XCPU (later referred to as "Xenon") and a custom ATI Xenos graphics chip. It also featured 512MB of RAM and came in 20 GB or 60 GB storage variants, with later upgrades bringing the Xbox 360 to 120 GB of "internal" storage.

The Xbox One launched in 2013 and was the first Microsoft console with an AMD processor. It featured a custom 8-core AMD APU based on the Jaguar architecture and built-in AMD Radeon graphics. The Xbox One featured 8GB of DDR3 RAM and came in 500 GB or 1 TB storage models.

The Xbox Series X and Series S first launched in 2020 and are powered by a custom AMD 8-core Zen 2 APU with built-in AMD Radeon RDNA 2 graphics. The Series S features 8 GB of GDDR6 RAM while the Series X is upgraded to 10 GB of memory. Both consoles came in multiple storage configurations from 512 GB to 2 TB.

While this week's announcement confirms AMD hardware for the next-gen Xbox console, we didn't get many details. However, we do know it will be another custom AMD APU.

Based on the expected 2027 launch of the next-gen Xbox, the custom AMD APU could be based on AMD's Zen 6 architecture and RDNA 5 graphics architecture. Depending on cost and optimization, the APU could feature a Zen 5 CPU and RDNA 4 GPU. But that's still just speculation.

It's not the hardware that changed my mind

I've got a gaming desktop. I spend my days reviewing laptops, including gaming rigs. And all of Microsoft's exclusives and first-party titles always launch on Xbox and on PC, so there's no real point.

And, okay, maybe the thing that's changing my mind about the new Xbox doesn't really break that pattern.

Since the Xbox One, Microsoft's consoles have basically just been well-optimized gaming PCs in a custom ITX case. In fact, you can indeed install the regular version of Windows 10 and Windows 11 on the XBox One and Series X|S consoles.

While the Xbox consoles have traditionally used a proprietary Xbox System Software OS, that software isn't too far from Windows 10 and Windows 11's S-Mode.

But, despite owning a high-end gaming PC, the idea that the next-gen Xbox console is "not locked to a single store," is a compelling selling point.

Despite my love for my gaming desktop, and my quality gaming chair, I’m a big fan of couch gaming, which makes consoles an attractive option.

Sure, I can obviously access my Steam library on my gaming PC. But putting my Steam library on an Xbox just feels more reasonable than moving my gaming PC onto my TV stand. The bulky ATX case just will not fit in nicely. Additionally, the Xbox System Software is far better for gamepad controls than Windows 11.

And let's be real, Windows 11 is the inferior Microsoft OS.

Plus, my gaming rig is getting up there in years. And if trends continue, it won't be able to play new games on the best settings in just a few years. So rather than overhaul my gaming PC, I may as well just wait and buy a next-gen Xbox.

Though the other option for cozy couch play without sacrificing your living room aesthetic is, of course, a quality gaming laptop.

When will the next-gen Xbox even arrive?

Microsoft is expected to launch the sixth-generation Xbox console in the fall of 2027.

Gaming hardware typically launches in the September-November range, though there are exceptions. Particularly in the mid-cycle refresh phase. So this release date is subject to change.

The fun thing about this next generation of Xbox hardware is that it won't just come in home console form. Microsoft is not launching a proprietary Xbox handheld, but the ROG Xbox Ally X is expected to launch later this year.

There are also rumors floating around of an Xbox-branded VR/AR headset, which could also see a release as early as September 2025. While the launch date is just speculation, it wouldn't be out of pocket to see an Xbox VR headset.

As Xbox President Sarah Bond said in the AMD partnership announcement, "At Xbox, our vision is for you to play the games you want with the people you want, anywhere you want. That’s why we’re investing in our next-generation hardware lineup — across console, handheld, PC, cloud, and accessories."

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Whether you are in the market for a new MacBook, iPad, or iMac, you can select a free pair of AirPods or select accessories with the MacBook or iPad. If you just need the MacBook or iPad, you can find a deeper discount amoung our best MacBook deals or best iPad deals, but the free AirPods or accessory changes that math during the back-to-school season.

Prices start from $899 for the MacBook Air M4 — the best-value MacBook you can get and a rare 5-star Editor's Choice laptop. Eligible free items are:

• AirPods 4 with ANC
• AirPods Pro 2
• Magic Mouse
• Magic Trackpad
• Magic Keyboard with Touch ID.

Apple offers a similar back-to-school deal on the iPad Air and iPad Pro, but free options only include the Apple Pencil Pro or AirPods 4. The following AirPods and accessories are available at a discount of $119-$129, so you just pay the listed shown here:

• AirPods 4 with ANC ($50)
• AirPods Pro 2 ($120)
• Magic Keyboard for iPad Air 11-inch ($130)
• Magic Keyboard for iPad Air 13-inch ($180)
• Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro 11-inch ($160)
• Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro 13-inch ($210)

Of course other retailers also have great Apple deals for back-to-school season, so if you're looking for the best Apple back-to-school deals, there are plenty of ways to save.

Browse our favorite Apple back-to-school deals below.

Apple back-to-school deals — Quick links

• Apple Edu Store: up to $100 off MacBooks, iPads, + free AirPods or accessory
• Amazon: up to $400 off MacBook, iPad, AirPods, Apple Watch, more
• B&H: up to $300 off MacBook Air, up to $400 off MacBook Pro
• Best Buy: up to $200 off MacBook Air, up to $700 off MacBook Pro
• Walmart: Save on MacBooks, iPads, and Apple accessories

Apple back-to-school Apple deals

MacBooks

iPads

Apple Watch

AirPods

A recent survey revealed the impact rising GPU prices are having on the PC gaming community. It's even leading a significant number of gamers to take a closer look at cloud gaming as a potential solution.

The issue of latency remains a barrier, though. Gamers also have to ask themselves: Is a cloud gaming subscription actually cheaper than buying a better GPU or gaming laptop?

Here's a look at what the data shows and which cloud gaming services you should try first if GPU prices have risen beyond your reach.

See also: Best gaming laptop deals in June 2025

Survey shows GPU prices are pushing gamers toward cloud gaming

A survey conducted by Liquid Web found that 62% of gamers would "switch to cloud gaming full-time if latency were eliminated."

That's nearly 2 in 3 PC gamers. For many, the reason for this rising interest in cloud gaming is all about budget. The survey showed that 57% of gamers said they were unable to buy a new GPU due to scalping or price hikes, and nearly half (43%) said they "delayed or canceled [GPU] purchases due to other life expenses like rent and bills."

The vast majority of respondents (81%) said they prefer to keep their GPU for 3-5 years before upgrading and view Nvidia GPUs as being better value, yet most (69%) could only afford a GPU under $700.

For context, at the time of writing, you can get Nvidia's latest RTX 5060 graphics cards for less than $400, but the RTX 5070, RTX 5080, and RTX 5090 are all difficult or impossible to find for less than $700, with some cards costing thousands.

AMD graphics cards are generally more affordable, but that doesn't seem to be making a difference since 65% of the survey respondents said Nvidia GPUs hold their value the best.

Considering all this, it's not surprising that more and more gamers are starting to look to cloud gaming as hardware upgrades become unaffordable. If you're in the same camp, there are a few cloud gaming services you should try out first.

Top 3 cloud gaming services to try first

Depending on your needs, budget, and subscription tier, cloud gaming can be less expensive than buying a new GPU or even a budget gaming laptop. For instance, at $200 per year, the Nvidia GeForce Now Ultimate Plan is significantly cheaper than, say, a $1,200 gaming laptop or an even pricier desktop GPU.

Unless you're only considering sub-$1,000 budget GPUs like the RTX 5060, cloud gaming is usually more economical.

Unfortunately, latency is still a concern. Since you're streaming games from a server that could be dozens or hundreds of miles away, you're going to have higher latency compared with gaming on your own device.

I've never noticed significant latency issues or lag, but it depends heavily on what you're playing, where you're located, and what kind of internet service you have.

So, I highly recommend trying a day pass or a single-month trial to test out how well a cloud gaming service works for you, as performance can vary from one user to another.

Here's how a few of the top cloud gaming services compare to get you started:

• Nvidia GeForce Now: Arguably the best starting point for cloud gaming thanks to day passes that are currently less than $3. You can connect third-party accounts to play compatible games you already own on Steam, Epic, GOG, Xbox, and others. I've had nothing but good experiences on GeForce now so far. I've seen pretty impressive performance, too, like running Cyberpunk 2077 at 76 fps on a Chromebook.
  
• Xbox Cloud Gaming: Has some pros and cons, but definitely the best choice for Xbox Game Pass subscribers. However, you can't play games from Steam through this service, which could be a deal-breaker. I've had a pretty good experience on Xbox Cloud Gaming, but noticed a bit more lag than Nvidia GeForce Now.
  
• Boosteroid: Best for users in Europe, although also available in the US. Like GeForce Now, Boosteroid allows you to connect third-party accounts, like Steam or Epic, to play games you already own. One advantage it has, though, is that Boosteroid's Ultra plan doesn't have a session limit, unlike GeForce Now, which has a cap of 8 hours even on its most expensive plan.

If you're new to cloud gaming, it's probably worth giving all three services a spin. Nvidia GeForce Now is generally the best option for most users in the U.S. right now, although there's definitely a case for Xbox Cloud Gaming and Boosteroid, too. Plus, all three are cheaper than a new GPU.

More from Laptop Mag

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• If you have $29, every laptop is a gaming laptop
• Budget gaming laptops are now entering the next gen with the Nvidia RTX 5060

Some of my favorite daily driver devices are from Apple, like the iPad 11, which offers fantastic bang for your buck. Apple gear can be great, but it can also be pricey. That's why I highly recommend you wait for sales to roll around to save hard-earned cash.

For instance, right now you can pick up the iPad 11 for just $299, a $50 discount off the regular price. The Magic Keyboard Folio is also $50 off, so you can save a total of $100 on a budget-friendly laptop alternative. I had a surprisingly good experience with this combo, which is likely to get even better with some major upcoming improvements to iPadOS.

Even if you're not an iPad fan, there are still plenty of great deals you can snag right now on M4 MacBooks and Apple's full headphones line-up. These devices could sell out during Prime Day, so you might want to pick them up now ahead of that big sale.

See also: Amazon Prime Day 2025: When it starts and what to expect

Top 9 early Prime Day deals on MacBooks, iPads, and headphones

More from Laptop Mag

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• The iPad 11 is the best budget-friendly tablet you can buy, but there are two big drawbacks
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Last week, Denmark's Digitalization Secretary announced that her office is bidding Microsoft farewell and switching to Linux and open-source software. This wasn't the result of a fallout with Microsoft or even the European Union's Digital Markets Act.

It was about digital freedom and the role open-source software plays in that. Considering Denmark is one of the world's leaders in technological expertise, this could potentially inspire more organizations, government agencies, and even individual users to switch to Linux and open-source software.

See also: Best laptop deals in June 2025

Denmark's Office of Digital Affairs drops Windows for Linux

Denmark's Office of Digital Affairs will be Microsoft-free within just a few short months.

As the Danish newspaper Politiken reported, Denmark's Digitalization Secretary, Caroline Stage, has announced that her ministry is phasing out Microsoft and transitioning to Linux and LibreOffice (an open-source alternative to Microsoft Office).

Stage explained her reasoning for this decision in a post on LinkedIn (which has been translated to English with the aid of AI), stating:

"It is not about isolation or digital nationalism. We should not turn our backs completely on global technology companies – many of them provide solutions that we benefit from. This applies both today and in the future. But we must never make ourselves so dependent on so few that we can no longer act freely. Too much public digital infrastructure is currently tied up with very few foreign suppliers. This makes us vulnerable."

Stage's solution is to leave Microsoft behind and switch her team to Linux. Of course, that won't be without its challenges, but as Stage goes on to clarify, her office is doing this "Not because we think it is easy – but because we know it is necessary to take the lead if we want to create more competition and innovation – and reduce our dependence on the few [foreign suppliers]."

By this fall, all of Denmark's Office of Digital Affairs employees will be on open-source systems.

Why you should consider switching to Linux and open-source software, too

If an entire ministry of the Danish government can switch to Linux, anyone can — or, at least, almost anyone.

I switched to Linux on a whim earlier this year and haven't looked back ever since. While it was a little intimidating at first, I've been pleasantly surprised at the variety of free, open-source software readily available to replace paid apps I was using on Windows, like LibreOffice instead of Microsoft Office or RawTherapee instead of Adobe Lightroom.

I mainly switched to Linux because I didn't want to use Windows 11 and was left with no other alternative, considering that Windows 10 faces end-of-life at the end of the year. Plenty of people might be in the same boat, but even if that's not you, there are several other reasons you might want to give Linux a try:

• You want more control over your PC
• You want boundless freedom to customize your operating system
• You don't want AI baked into your operating system
• You want less bloatware on your PC
• You want to learn about coding or how your PC works
• You have an old laptop that's running slow on Windows

That last point is significant. With laptop prices rising, some people on a tight budget might be stuck with an aging Windows laptop running so slow that it's too slow to keep using.

Since Linux is a much lighter operating system than Windows, installing it could significantly extend the lifespan of an older laptop. I did this myself with an eight-year-old HP laptop and even doubled its battery life.

Of course, Linux isn't for everyone, just like macOS or Windows. If you rely on one specific app that's only available on macOS or Windows, unfortunately, Linux probably isn't an option.

But if you're looking to breathe new life into your laptop or PC, unlock infinite customization for your operating system, and see everything open-source software has to offer, now might be the time to give Linux a spin.

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Not all Apple devices are impacted, just specific Mac Mini models. So, if you have a MacBook or an iPhone, you're safe.

According to a report from Mac Rumors, Mac Mini models with the M2 chipset have been randomly bricking.

Thankfully, there's already a fix in the works.

Here's what you need to know.

The problem?

Some Apple Mac Mini models with the Apple Silicon M2 series chipset have failed to power on due to a critical power issue.

This issue doesn't impact all Mac Mini M2 units, either. Apple launched the Mac Mini with the M2 chipset in January 2023; however, the impacted models were manufactured between June 16, 2024, and November 23, 2024.

If your Mac Mini consistently fails to power on, or if you think it might be part of the scuffed Mac Mini batch, don't despair.

There is a fix, and it is free.

The Fix

Apple has launched a worldwide repair program for impacted Mac Mini devices. If your Mac Mini is one of the affected units, you can drop it off at an Apple Authorized Service Provider or an Apple Store location for repair.

You can find out if your Mac Mini M2 is eligible for the repair program by entering its serial number into the search bar on the dedicated Apple Support page.

Since Apple provides this repair service for free, it's one of the few cases where bricked hardware won't cost you anything. So you don't need to turn your dead Mac Mini M2 into some modern art statement piece.

Unless you want to, that is. We won't stop you.

Even if your Mac Mini M2 is still powering on, it may still need to be repaired due to the critical hardware issue impacting this specific batch of Mac Minis. So, if you think your Mac might be one of the affected units, you should still get it fixed.

More from Laptop Mag

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However, few would anticipate the kind of bug found in the latest Preview Build 26200.5651 of the Windows 11 Beta and Dev channels .

It's not disruptive, it doesn't cause any frustrating software gremlins, and neither is it particularly annoying to deal with — but it does, inexplicably, drop an 18-year-old platform relic into the Windows experience, welcoming users to their desktops with the iconic, long-retired chimes of Windows Vista/7.

While this bug would typically be seen as nothing more than your average post-update blunder, given the timing, I'm convinced it has a lot more to do with Apple's recently announced operating system makeover for iOS 26 and macOS 26 than Microsoft is willing to admit.

Hasta la Vista, baby (again)

One eagle-eyed (or eared) Windows Insider brought attention to the bug in a post to X on Friday, even tracking down its cause to the imageres.dll.mun resource file, where Windows 11's typical startup sounds had been overwritten.

In its place? The ethereal startup chimes of Window Vista (which you can preview below) — a certified classic for those with fond memories of running Windows circa 2007, and a surprising shot of nostalgia that harkens back to an era of computing that didn't require a Copilot, when the Start Menu knew its place, and a world in which Microsoft had yet to dream up the Lovecraftian horrors of Windows 8.

Microsoft's Senior Program Manager of the Windows Insider Program Team, Brandon LeBlanc, was first to acknowledge to bug on X, highlighting it as a now known issue, while also joking that it was an intentional tweak to give folks a much-needed "blast from the past."

And while LeBlanc was quick to double down on confirming the out-of-place tones as an actual bug, many a truth is also said in jest, and the timing of this so-called bug lines up almost too well with a sudden spike in interest surrounding Windows Vista following the reveal of Apple's new Liquid Glass visual overhaul at WWDC 2025 — a design that those with working eyes say borrows heavily from Vista's Aero theme.

What's next

Could the revival of Windows Vista's iconic startup sound have originally been an off-the-cuff Easter egg for those drawing parallels to Apple's new Liquid Glass design language, intended for a short stay at startup for Windows Insiders before quietly returning to the Windows graveyard?

Absolutely. It's not like Microsoft hasn't taken a few shots at Apple already, with a recent Instagram post showcasing the brand's willingness to join in on ribbing its rival over claims of Aero inspiration.

However, if it is the truth, Windows Insider lead Brandon LeBlanc isn't fessing. Instead, the patch notes for Preview Build 26200.5651 have been updated to include the lighthearted: "This week’s flight comes with a delightful blast from the past and will play the Windows Vista boot sound instead of the Windows 11 boot sound. We’re working on a fix."

Sadly, LeBlanc and his team will be looking to get Windows 11 back to its regular and far less iconic xylophone-like introduction as soon as possible.

Boo.

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With software out of the way, it's back to focusing on hardware. News of the next iPhone changes has been leaking for the past few months, including news of a thinner variant referred to as the iPhone 17 Air. The new MacBook Pro will make its way out soon after, but there are already rumors of what's new with next year's laptops from Apple.

A few big details of a MacBook Pro redesign set to happen in 2026 have already been leaked, according to a report by 9to5Mac. The most prominent leaks are regarding the upcoming laptop's processor, screen, and chassis.

Up first is the MacBook Pro's new chip, which will be a big jump from the current M4. This year's MacBooks will likely come with a new M5 chip, but Apple is rumored to be already developing the M6 and M7 chips at the same time. This will be the first generation of Apple Silicon to use 2nm technology from the Taiwanese Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC). It'll be some time before testing can be done to see if this new tech will make for impressive performance gains for the MacBook Pro.

Another change for the 2026 model is its display. The Apple laptop is rumored to use the tandem OLED display currently found in the 2024 iPad Pro. The MacBook Pro 2026 will reportedly come with a two-stack OLED display, which would mean improved brightness and make it last longer. Current MacBook Pro laptops use the IPS LCD with mini-LED backlighting, so a jump to an OLED display would be significant.

It's also rumored that the 2026 MacBook Pro will slim down a bit. There are no specifics on how slim the laptop will be, but it's likely that the OLED display will reduce the size of the MacBook Pro just a bit.

Apple didn't immediately respond to a request for comment about the MacBook Pro 2026 redesign.

When are the new Macbooks coming out?

With WWDC over, Apple is heading into its season of prepping for its hardware releases.

September is typically the time when Apple releases its new iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods. This year, it’s speculated that Apple will debut the iPhone 17, Pro, and Max versions, along with the new iPhone 17 Air.

Apple then releases its line of computers and laptops in October. Last year, the company didn't hold an event for its new hardware, but it did show off its latest iMac, Mac mini, and MacBook Pro models.

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Though Nvidia hasn't officially announced its specs, the chip has already appeared in product pages from Acer, HP, and Lenovo, with models like the Acer Nitro 5, HP Victus 16, and Lenovo Legion 5i all slated to include it.

The RTX 5050 Mobile is built on the new Blackwell architecture, marking a clean break from the RTX 4050 Mobile’s Ada Lovelace foundation. While the RTX 5050 shares the same CUDA ("Compute Unified Device Architecture") core count as its predecessor (2,560), everything else -- from the memory configuration to the clock speeds -- suggests this new chip represents a generational leap in capability. And this generational jump is available for an affordable price.

The specs were accidentally leaked by the German IT company Kiebel (via momomo_us).

Those specs point to two distinct RTX 5050 Mobile variants. Most laptops will ship with an 8GB GDDR6 configuration running at up to 100W TGP.

However, a second version reportedly pairs the same core GPU with 8GB of faster GDDR7 memory. This version appears in a handful of higher-end laptops, including the Asus ROG Strix G16 and Lenovo Legion 5 Pro engineering builds.

It may allow for improved bandwidth and power efficiency in demanding workloads, but for now, take all that with a pinch of salt.

According to the leaked specs, which surfaced in a retailer listing, the RTX 5050 is expected to include 20 RT cores, 80 Tensor cores, 8GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, and clock speeds up to 2.52GHz.

Power draw ranges from 60W to 100W, depending on the chassis. It also gains access to Nvidia’s latest Max-Q 4.0 power optimization stack. That’s the same efficiency-boosting tech used in the higher-end 5070 and 5090 mobile chips.

Blackwell brings gains where it counts

The 50-class tier has traditionally been where Nvidia cuts corners, often stripping memory, limiting bus widths, and dialing down RT performance. That made previous “entry-level” GPUs like the RTX 3050 or 4050 tough sells, especially for gamers looking to push modern titles with ray tracing enabled or DLSS turned on.

But the RTX 5050 changes that equation. Thanks to Blackwell’s improved power management and architectural upgrades, Nvidia is delivering more performance in the same power envelope, or less. It’s a smarter GPU, not just a faster one.

Early analysis suggests the 5050 offers a ~45% uplift over the 4050 in raw FP32 compute power, aided by its wider memory bus (128-bit vs 96-bit), higher clock speeds, and more VRAM. With 8GB of GDDR6, it avoids the memory bottlenecks that hampered the 6GB RTX 4050 in some games and creative apps.

More importantly, Blackwell’s efficiency translates into real-world advantages. Frame generation, DLSS 4, ray-traced lighting, and AI-assisted game logic all benefit from the updated Tensor cores and 4th-gen RT units, even in a chip this size.

Performance expectations

While we don’t have official benchmarks yet, we know enough to put the RTX 5050 Mobile in context.

It’s faster than the RTX 4050 Mobile in nearly every metric that matters. It runs cooler, clocks higher, and offers significantly better bandwidth. Thanks to DLSS 4 and increased memory headroom, games that struggled to hold 60 fps at 1080p on the 4050, especially with ray tracing enabled, should fare far better on the 5050.

In some cases, it could even approach RTX 4060 Mobile performance levels, especially in thin-and-light laptops where the 4060 is power-constrained. When configured at 100W in larger machines like the Legion 5 or Nitro 18, the 5050 may even outperform a 4060 running at 65W.

That’s not to say it’s a 4060 killer — it isn’t. The 4060 still has more CUDA cores (3,072 vs. 2,560) and a higher theoretical ceiling. However, the gap is much smaller than the model numbers imply. And in real-world gaming at 1080p, especially with DLSS and frame generation, the 5050 could close that gap further.

Which laptops are getting it?

This is where the RTX 5050 gets interesting.

OEMs aren’t treating this like a bargain-bin GPU. Acer, HP, and Lenovo have all listed RTX 5050 configurations in laptops that span midrange to premium territory. That includes gaming-focused machines like the Nitro 5, Legion 5i, and Victus 16, but also prosumer ultrabooks like the LG Gram Pro 16 and IdeaPad Pro 5. These systems will mostly use the standard GDDR6 version, but we expect higher-tier designs to quietly adopt the GDDR7 variant as a performance differentiator.

Acer’s Nitro line-up confirms multiple RTX 5050 configurations, with some using a 60W TGP and others going as high as 100W. That’s a critical detail. The 5050’s performance will vary significantly depending on how much power it’s allowed to draw. A 60W version will struggle to match a 4060. A 100W version might trade blows with it.

Expect pricing in the $1,199 to $1,499 range at launch, though GDDR7-equipped models could push closer to the $1,600–$1,700 mark depending on CPU and chassis pairing.

The bottom line?

The RTX 5050 Mobile isn’t a cut-down afterthought. It’s not a recycled 4050. It’s a thoughtfully tuned, architecture-first evolution that delivers next-gen features in laptops that won’t require a second mortgage.

Thanks to Blackwell’s efficiency gains and smarter feature integration, Nvidia has finally given the 50-class a reason to exist beyond marketing. The RTX 5050 offers legitimate 1080p gaming chops, full ray tracing and DLSS 4 support, and enough VRAM to future-proof budget laptops. And with the GDDR7 variant waiting in the wings, this might be the most dynamic 50-class release Nvidia has ever shipped.

Buyers will still need to shop carefully. Not every RTX 5050 laptop will unlock its full potential, and some may be priced too close to 5060 models for comfort. But in the right system, the RTX 5050 Mobile could be the best value GPU of 2025.

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AMD claims it is the “fastest mobile gaming processor,” but is that strictly true? I turned to our lab test results for some recent gaming laptops to find out.

One caveat before I dig into the results: unfortunately, the ROG Strix G16 tops out at an Nvidia RTX 5070Ti Laptop GPU. It's a solid choice for price and performance when shopping for one of the best gaming laptops, but it means we don’t have a 1:1 competitor for gaming performance.

All of the RTX 50-series gaming laptops we’ve reviewed in this generation have come with RTX 5080 or 5090 GPUs. The Strix G16 is the first laptop we’ve reviewed with a Ryzen 9 X3D CPU or an RTX 5070Ti GPU.

This means I can only accurately compare the Ryzen 9 9955HX3D to the Intel Core Ultra 9 on general performance and battery life. Those tests won’t get the most benefit from the Ryzen 9’s 3D cache.

All that aside, if you’re going to use your gaming laptop for more than just gaming, do you want AMD or Intel inside?

AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX3D: Performance

To keep things as even as possible, we compared the Asus ROG Strix G16’s Ryzen 9 9955HX3D to the MSI Raider 18HX AI’s Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX and the Gigabyte Aorus Master 16’s Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX.

When we compared Intel’s Arrow Lake HX systems to other CPUs of this generation, we hadn’t yet tested any AMD Fire Range systems. Now that we have the Strix G16, does Intel hold onto its performance lead?

The answer is complicated, as Intel’s two CPUs outperform their counterparts in multicore performance, video conversion, and overall performance in the Crossmark suite. However, AMD’s Fire Range 9955HX3D has the strongest single-core performance.

Specific use cases benefit from stronger single-core performance. Some Photoshop filters, specific video editing tasks, and some older games are optimized for single-core performance over multicore. However, most modern uses, including modern games, are multicore workloads.

If your main use for your laptop is gaming, it may be worth opting for the Ryzen 9 9955HX3D instead. You’ll have slightly better single-core performance for older titles while still having competitive multicore performance, and you’ll get the 3D cache benefits for newer games.

But if you're going to use your gaming laptop as your daily driver, Intel’s CPUs are faster all around. After all, it's not like either Core Ultra 9 processor is a slouch at single-core performance.

AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX3D: Battery life

The GPU can impact battery life. After all, the power consumption of the Nvidia RTX 5070 Ti can be lower than that of the RTX 5080. The 5070Ti requires a subsystem power of 60-115 watts, while the 5080 is an 80-150-watt GPU. So, these comparisons aren’t the ideal showcase of the Ryzen 9 9955HX3D compared to its Intel Arrow Lake counterparts.

Though, if anything, that makes the Strix G16’s battery life look worse.

After all, the Gigabyte Aorus Master 16 features the power-hungry RTX 5080 but gets about 27 minutes more battery life than the Strix G16. Both Intel-powered gaming laptops last longer on battery life while running the PCMark 10 Gaming Battery Life test.

Bottom line

Thanks to AMD’s proprietary 3D CPU caching, you can often get quality performance out of the Ryzen 7 compared to the Ryzen 9. And, at least on desktop, the Ryzen 7 X3D is the top gaming CPU this generation.

Once we get an Intel Core Ultra 9 system with an Nvidia RTX 5070Ti or a Ryzen 9 X3D unit with an RTX 5080 or 5090, we’ll be able to make some gaming comparisons to really see if Fire Range’s 3D cache is worth it on a laptop.

For now, in terms of general performance and battery life, things can vary a lot by OEM implementation. However, Intel has a lead on multicore performance, while AMD has it beat on single-thread.

So, if you’re looking to use your gaming laptop for general use, content creation, or deep data analysis, it’s worth opting for Intel’s Arrow Lake chipset over AMD’s Fire Range. But for gaming, it may still be worth choosing an AMD-powered system.

We’d love to compare Intel’s Arrow Lake HX chipset against AMD’s Fire Range X3D in the same laptop with the exact same GPU. While there is a version of the Asus ROG Strix G16 with an Intel CPU, we haven’t received it yet.

We’ve done our best to compare the two chips, but as always, there is a lot of variation in benchmarks depending on how the chip is implemented into a laptop by the manufacturer. We look forward to a more direct head-to-head later this year, which just might give more weight to AMD’s claims of superiority.

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If you have less than $1,000 to spend on a gaming PC, your options can be pretty limited in terms of both variety and computing power.

There's good news, though: I found what might be the cheapest possible way to get a great PC gaming experience.

Instead of spending thousands on the latest Nvidia GPU (or even shelling out hundreds just for a used or outdated graphics card), you can access an RTX gaming rig for just $3. It's not a scam, either. It's Nvidia GeForce Now, a cloud gaming platform you can use on even the weakest laptops.

GeForce Now's day passes are so cheap it feels too good to be true. If you don't believe me, take a look at my experience turning a Chromebook into a gaming laptop.

How I played Cyberpunk 2077 on a Chromebook with GeForce Now

Gaming might just be the last thing I'd ever want to do on a Chromebook. That's not because I dislike Chromebooks; they lack the hardware and operating system for a decent PC gaming experience. Chromebooks are designed to be affordable laptops mainly for web browsing -- they're not gaming beasts like these.

So, I knew I was facing an uphill battle when I wanted to try gaming on one.

If you're working with a similarly low-spec laptop, I have the solution. It's not the Google Play Store or even Steam for ChromeOS (which is better than you might expect thanks to the Proton compatibility layer).

The solution is Nvidia GeForce Now, which is more affordable than ever before. This cloud gaming service lets you run your games on an RTX gaming rig remotely over the cloud.

There's a free ad-supported tier, but the wait for availability can take a little while. Day passes are down to a mere $2.39, though, which is laughably cheap. The company announced the discount on Wednesday.

For less than $3, it was a no-brainer to try out GeForce Now. You can run it directly through your web browser, which means you're not limited by what operating system you're on. You simply login to your Nvidia account (or create one) and link it to whichever accounts you have your games on, such as Steam or the Epic Games Store.

Not all games are compatible with GeForce Now, but the majority of popular games are. You can check the library of compatible games before paying for a subscription or day pass if there's a specific one you're looking for.

With my Steam account connected, I could access most of my Steam library through GeForce Now. I selected Cyberpunk 2077 from my library and had a short wait, less than a minute, while my remote gaming rig booted up. From there I entered a virtual desktop environment where I logged into Steam. Cyberpunk 2077 was the only game I could access after login, but it was ready to go (i.e. no "downloading" it to my virtual gaming rig).

From there the process was effectively the same as playing Cyberpunk on my actual gaming PC. Steam started up the game with my current save file in tact. Everything ran smoothly with an average of 76 frames per second and no noticeable lag. My Xbox controller worked flawlessly, as well. I had a similar experience in other games, as well, like Avowed and Monster Hunter Rise.

For a little while, I even forgot I was gaming on a Chromebook, which shouldn't be able to run Cyberpunk, let alone at well over 60 fps. And it cost less than a cup of coffee.

Is Nvidia GeForce Now worth it for budget gamers?

Nvidia GeForce Now can be a great solution if you don't have the hardware for AAA games, but the free version is very limited. If you will use it frequently, paying for a subscription makes sense.

That raises the question: Is it cheaper to pay for a GeForce Now subscription or save your money for a more capable gaming laptop?

It depends, but I think there's a case for both. A GeForce Now subscription adds up over time, especially if you go for the Ultimate plan ($19/month or $99 per 6 months). However, if you're on a tight budget, that monthly subscription fee could be easier to afford than one large sum for a gaming laptop or PC, especially considering that a budget one can easily cost over $1,000.

Even if you went with the Ultimate plan and paid about $200 per year for six months at a time, it would take five years for those subscription fees to equal $1,000, barely enough for a budget gaming laptop.

So, if you really don't have a lot of money to spend on hardware, it could be more affordable to get a GeForce Now subscription. With that said, the big drawback is that you'll be reliant on having an internet connection to do any gaming, regardless of what you're playing. That could be a deal-breaker if you don't have a stable internet connection.

If you have the money to get a fully-fledged gaming laptop, you'll have more control over your gaming experience and have much lower latency gaming on your own device. While you're saving up, though, Nvidia GeForce Now offers a way to bridge the gap.

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You may not care about the how, but you will care about the results, and when the Strix G16 testing emerged from our labs, we were pleased to see its strong overall performance and solid Nvidia RTX 5070Ti graphics. The best gaming laptops have to deliver excellent performance, but it can’t stop there, and the Strix has plenty more to back it up with a bouncy keyboard, ports aplenty, and a bright and reasonably vibrant IPS display.

If you’ve been paying attention to the early RTX 50 series gaming laptops, you're waiting for the other shoe to drop, with a price tag north of $3,000. While the Strix isn’t cheap, starting at $2,399, it’s a value among its competitors, and upgrades aren’t prohibitively expensive either.

So, is the Asus ROG Strix G16 (G614FR) one of the best gaming laptops of this generation? Let’s find out.

Asus ROG Strix G16 (G614FR): Specs and benchmarks

Asus ROG Strix G16 (G614FR): Price and configurations

Asus has multiple configurations of the Strix G16 available this year. From Intel to AMD models, with both new and older chipset variations, there is a Strix G16 that can suit your budget.

But if you’re looking for the Strix G16 (G14FR), there are two main configuration options, and they’re not too different in price.

The starting configuration costs $2,399 and gets you an AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX processor with an Nvidia RTX 5070Ti GPU with 12GB of VRAM, 16GB of RAM, a 1TB SSD, and a 16-inch, 2560x1600, 240Hz, IPS display.

Upgrading to the Ryzen 9 9955HX3D processor variant jumps the price up to $2,499.

Our review configuration comes with the Ryzen 9 9955HX3D processor and upgraded memory to 32GB for a total of $2,499. Essentially getting the RAM upgrade for free.

Asus ROG Strix G16 (G614FR): Design

The Asus ROG Strix G16 is a thick, high-end gaming laptop with the aesthetics to match. While the Strix G16 doesn’t have the wild AniMeVision cover panel LEDs of the Strix Scar models, but it does have a flashy RGB lightbar below the keyboard deck, and full RGB on the keyboard.

The top panel and keyboard deck feature classic Republic of Gamers branding, including a darkened ROG logo and “For those who dare” tagline on the top cover and ROG badging along the top of the keyboard deck.

Outside of the aesthetics, the ROG Strix G16 is a bit on the chunky side, which, from a thermal perspective, is ideal for getting the best performance out of its hardware, but it makes it less portable than thinner 16-inch gaming laptops like the Razer Blade 16 (2025).

Measuring 3.94 x 10.39 x 0.89~1.20 inches and weighing 5.51 pounds, the Strix G16 edges into that desktop replacement class of laptops, though it still maintains the portability of a 16-inch laptop chassis. So it can fit into most laptop backpacks for transport to your next in-person gaming session.

While the Strix G16 isn’t the lightest or thinnest 16-inch gaming laptop we’ve reviewed, it fits nicely in the same size range as other 16-inch gaming laptops like:

• Alienware 16 Area-51: 14.37 x 11.41 x 0.85~1.12 inches, 7.13 pounds
• Gigabyte Aorus Master 16: 14.05 x 10 x 0.91~1.18 inches, 5.5 pounds
• Lenovo Legion 7i Gen 9: 14.08 x 10.33 x 0.69 inches, 5.1 pounds

Asus ROG Strix G16 (G614FR): Ports

Asus has made sure to include plenty of ports on the Strix G16, which should be more than enough for all your gaming accessories:

• 1x USB 4 Type-C (DisplayPort, Power Delivery, Nvidia G-Sync)
• 1x USB 4 Type-C (DisplayPort, Nvidia G-Sync)
• 2x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A
• 1x HDMI 2.1 FRL
• 1x RJ45 ethernet
• 1x audio combo jack

This should be enough ports for most people, though streamers may still want to invest in one of the best laptop docking stations or USB-C hubs to connect additional monitors, a professional webcam, a studio microphone, or a Stream Deck in addition to any gaming accessories.

Asus ROG Strix G16 (G614FR): Battery life

As we usually see with high-powered gaming laptops, the Strix G16 isn’t a threat to the laptops with the best battery life, but it does last long enough for you to work on battery power before needing to find an outlet.

I didn’t have much hope the Strix G16 would last more than a handful of hours when unplugged, at best. Just going about my usual workday meant I needed to hunt down a charger after just over three and a half hours of writing and video call meetings.

The Strix G16 lasted just 5 hours and 22 minutes on the Laptop Mag web surfing test, which is about what I expected from my hands-on testing.

Thanks to Nvidia’s investment in its BatteryBoost tech, the Strix G16 lasts a bit longer than previous generations while gaming. The Strix managed to survive for 1 hour and 22 minutes on the PCMark 10 gaming battery test, which is more competitive compared to other 50-series laptops, like the Alienware Area-51 compared to its 40-series counterparts.

Asus ROG Strix G16 (G614FR): Display

Our Strix G16 (G614FR) review unit features a 16-inch, 2560 x 1600, 240Hz matte IPS panel. Thanks to the Strix’s matte panel, it’s relatively glare-proof, which is ideal for gaming, so you don’t need to worry about missing your next shot because of a poorly placed lamp.

In order to test the Strix G16’s display, I booted up Avowed to see how well the Strix’s IPS panel handles the Fort Northreach beach with its broad color palette. While our lab testing indicated the display wasn’t super vibrant, I had no complaints about how well the Strix handled the corals along the shipwrecked shoreline, with bright, crisp reds and oranges bursting against the storm gray skies in a stunning contrast.

Our lab testing rated the Strix G16 at 79.7% coverage of the DCI-P3 color gamut, with an average peak brightness of 449 nits, which is bright and vibrant enough for most games.

While the Strix doesn’t have all the high-contrast benefits of an OLED or MiniLED display panel, its IPS-level LCD does have Pantone Validation for color, and supports Dolby HDR so it’s far from a disappointment.

Asus ROG Strix G16 (G614FR): Keyboard and touchpad

The Asus ROG laptops tend to have good keyboards, and the Strix G16 is no exception. While it is a Chiclet style keyboard, the Strix G16’s keys have a nice bounce to them and don’t feel mushy, with a satisfying level of key travel to each press, so you don’t bottom out your fingers on the keyboard.

Chiclet keyboards also tend to be quieter than mechanical switches, which can save your raid team from hearing each individual keysmash during tense encounters.

On the 10fastfingers.com advanced typing test, I averaged 86 words per minute (wpm) on the Strix’s Chiclet keyboard, which is just below my average of 88 wpm on the Apple MacBook Pro 14.

Asus has centered the touchpad on the keyboard deck, rather than on the space bar, which I prefer from an aesthetic point of view. And since the Strix’s touchpad is on the large side, measuring 5.4 x 3.4 inches, it’s got enough crossover with the spacebar that you shouldn’t have any kind of learning curve.

The touchpad offers a smooth feel with just the right amount of resistance for precise control. The very top of the touchpad isn’t clickable, though you can click just a half-inch down from the top edge, which isn’t too bad. Then again, I rarely click the top-half of a touchpad, so I didn’t notice it much in my day-to-day use of the Strix.

Asus ROG Strix G16 (G614FR): Audio

Asus equipped the ROG Strix G16 with a dual-speaker system with Smart Amplifier Technology, to get more volume out of fewer speakers. The sound system also boasts Dolby Atmos tuning, though the Strix’s Hi-Res audio certification is applicable for headphones so you might want to invest in a quality pair of the best headphones or an external sound system rather than rely on the built-in audio.

That said, the Strix’s audio is crisp. I was easily able to discern the individual string instruments that make up the orchestra behind Avowed’s title theme with perfect clarity. The volume wasn’t too explosive, but it was more than enough for some solid gaming immersion.

Though that also depends a bit on the game. Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail is notorious for having a very high default volume, and I ended up having to drop the volume below 45 percent to keep the audio at a sensible level while still covering the sound of the Strix’s cooling system.

Asus ROG Strix G16 (G614FR): Performance and heat

As for all-around performance, the Strix features AMD’s most powerful gaming CPU for this generation, the Ryzen 9 9955HX3D “Fire Range” chip. Boasting desktop-quality performance, the Ryzen 9 9955HX3D processor is more than sufficient for just about any task.

As for my hands-on testing, nothing I threw at the Strix really made the fans kick on. From e-mail and spreadsheet management with 20+ Chrome tabs open to Photoshop object selection, I had no hangups of slowdowns with the Strix G16.

With its powerful Ryzen 9 and RTX 5070 Ti combo, the Strix is capable of handling any photo or video editing you might need, and it can also double as a solid choice for handling your STEM data sets if you need to use it for any engineering classes.

Once the fans do kick on, the Strix G16 can be a bit loud, but not to the same level as the MSI Raider 18 HX. But those fans are needed, as the Strix runs hot under pressure. While gaming, the Strix G16 hit a peak temperature of 127.1 degrees Fahrenheit near the F4 key while the center of the keyboard hit 92.8 degrees, which means you’ll want to be careful of your fingertips during long gaming sessions.

Asus ROG Strix G16 (G614FR): Gaming and graphics

The ROG Strix G16 is a 280W system, so it can drive plenty of power to its onboard AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX3D processor and Nvidia RTX 5070Ti GPU, which offers a smooth, solid gaming experience, especially at the Strix’s max resolution of 1600p.

The Strix G16 gets framerates well above 100 fps at 1080p resolution on games like Assassin’s Creed Mirage, Borderlands 3, and DiRT 5. More demanding titles like Black Myth: Wukong and Cyberpunk 2077 will see those frame rates drop to 53 fps.

With the Strix’s RTX 5070Ti GPU, you can also enable software upscaling like DLSS 4 and frame generation, which can offer a smoother experience with poorly optimized games like Avowed and Monster Hunter Wilds. This is especially useful if you’re gaming at max resolution, or if you use the Strix to power a high-res gaming monitor

With DLSS 4 enabled at max 1600p resolution and the Ultra graphics presets, I was easily able to keep a stable 85 fps in Doom: The Dark Ages. That rate jumped up to 187 fps with frame generation enabled. While 85 fps is certainly playable, it’s nowhere near as smooth as 187 fps.

I saw similar improvements in Avowed, going from 70 fps at 1600p on Epic settings with only DLSS 4 to 114 fps with frame generation also toggled on. Without either, the game was hitting about 43 fps in terms of just pure Silicon performance.

Of course, if you plan to play a lot of competitive games where super sampling tech like DLSS 4 or FSR can be problematic, dropping your game resolution down to 1200 or 1080p will get you better framerates, as will opting for more mid-range graphics presets.

Asus ROG Strix G16 (G614FR): AI features

As the Strix G16 features an AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX3D CPU rather than a Ryzen AI 300 series processor, it doesn’t meet the requirements for Microsoft’s Copilot+ suite of AI features. In fact, the Ryzen 9 9955HX3D doesn’t have an integrated NPU at all, so any AI you run off the Strix G16 will be using either the CPU or GPU to run the workload.

That doesn’t mean the Strix G16 can’t run AI. It has access to Nvidia’s various RTX AI features like ChatRTX and RTX Remix with its 50-series GPU after all. But it does mean the Strix won’t bother you with a chatbot unless you go out of your way to install one.

Asus ROG Strix G16 (G614FR): Webcam

The ROG Strix G16 features a 1080p webcam, so it's suitable for Windows Hello sign-in, and can handle the occasional video call or virtual meeting.

The camera feed is, as usual, on the dim and grainy side, with a tendency to drop a pink cast over skin tones, but it’s far from the worst we’ve seen. Most colors appear as they should on the webcam feed, just darker than I’d prefer.

If you plan to use the Strix for a lot of video calls or streaming, we’d recommend using one of the best webcams instead of the onboard camera.

Asus ROG Strix G16 (G614FR): Software and warranty

The Strix G16 comes with Windows 11 Home installed, which includes a number of standard Windows apps already installed, like Microsoft Copilot, Office 365, and the Xbox App. Asus has included the ArmouryCrate app to control your power profiles and settings and the MyAsus App for more general controls. Asus has also pre-installed the ROG Aura software for controlling your RGB customization, and the Aura Wallpaper Generator to create custom desktop backgrounds.

The number of pre-installed Windows applications is constantly growing, and Asus has installed a decent chunk of proprietary software. Between Microsoft, AMD, Nvidia, and Asus there are a lot of programs pre-installed. Most are utility-based, however, so this doesn’t really count as bloatware, but it’s far from a clean Windows installation.

The Strix includes a 1-year service warranty.

Bottom line

The ROG Strix G16 is the kind of gaming laptop that makes you wonder why other gaming laptops even bother. Sure, we’ve seen stronger performance from some of the other gaming laptops this gen, but many of those were nearly twice the price of the ROG Strix G16.

While the Alienware 16 Area-51 is our most affordable RTX 5080 laptop, it’s still a good $500 more expensive than the Strix G16. And the Strix weighs two pounds less, making it a much better choice if you need to travel with your gaming laptop occasionally.

Of course, if portability is your key requirement and you’ve got the cash to spare, then the Razer Blade 16 (2025) is still the way to go. After all, the Blade 16 is ultra-lightweight and sports a more powerful GPU, up to the Nvidia RTX 5090. And it gets far better battery life than the Alienware or the Strix.

But if you’re looking for the best balance of performance, price, and portability, it’s hard to do better than the ROG Strix G16 (G614FR).

Nvidia's rumored N1 and N1x chips were expected to appear at Computex in Taipei last month, but the chipsets didn't appear in the company's lengthy keynote.

An N1x HP test system was recently benchmarked on Geekbench 6, with the results leaking to the Geekbench archives.

Based on the rumored specs for the massive APU, Nvidia appears to be targeting its own RTX 4070 Laptop GPU in terms of graphics performance, with general processing power in the range of a high-end gaming CPU.

So, how does the N1X actually compare?

Nvidia N1x Benchmarks

The Nvidia N1x APU was tested on an HP unit based on the motherboard specification for an HP 8EA3. The test unit was running Linux AArch64 and featured 128GB of system memory, confirming the N1x as a 20-thread, 2.81 GHz ARM processor.

The N1x returned a Geekbench 6.2 single-core score of 3,096 and a multicore score of 18,837.

These are respectable benchmarks for Geekbench 6 performance, but consumer systems will likely vary. It's not often you see a consumer laptop with 128GB of RAM, and the test unit was running Linux, which tends to provide higher benchmark performance on Geekbench compared to Windows, particularly in relation to single-core performance.

Right now, the Nvidia N1x is expected to remain with Windows on Arm, though that could also vary depending on what systems it appears on. After all, if it is used as a gaming handheld, we could end up with an N1x system running SteamOS.

How does it stack up against the competition?

Initial expectations for the Nvidia N1x APU put it in the range of Intel and AMD's high-end gaming and workstation processors.

To offer the best comparisons possible, I decided to pit the N1x against Intel's most powerful Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX mobile CPU (MSI Raider 18HX AI) and the more popular Ultra 9 275HX (Alienware 16 Area-51), along with AMD's high-end gaming CPU, the Ryzen 9 9955HX3D (Asus ROG Strix G16) and the Ryzen AI Max+ 395 "Strix Halo" APU (Asus ROG Flow Z13).

I also included the Apple M4 Pro (Apple MacBook Pro 16), as it still has the best Geekbench scores for single-core and multicore performance.

While the Nvidia N1x comes close to reaching the performance heights of Intel, AMD, and Apple's high-end chips, it still falls short. And that's even without accounting for the performance boost the N1x would be getting from running Linux rather than Windows 11.

Does the N1x stack up?

Nvidia's N1x APU is expected to have graphics performance that is in line with that of an Nvidia RTX 4070 Laptop GPU. This expectation is similar to AMD's Strix Halo APU. However, we haven't seen that level of performance from either of the two Ryzen AI Max systems that have launched so far. So, whether Nvidia can live up to these early rumors remains to be seen.

Geekbench 6, after all, isn't a GPU benchmark.

While the N1x should be a fast, responsive platform based on its Geekbench scores, it still doesn't pack the same punch as AMD and Intel's best high-end gaming and workstation-class CPUs. It comes close to competing against the Ryzen AI Max+ "Strix Halo" APU, though the Ryzen AI Max runs the full x86 version of Windows 11 while the Nvidia N1x test unit runs Linux AArch64.

Of course, a lot can change between early leaked benchmark runs and actual consumer-level systems.

Currently, the Nvidia N1x is expected to launch on notebooks, though other mobile systems like handheld gaming PCs could be a potential use. Nvidia is responsible for the custom chip powering the Nintendo Switch 2, after all.

Systems featuring the Nvidia N1x could launch as early as next year.

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Alienware's new RTX 50 gaming laptops are seeing first-time discounts during Dell's Summer Upgrade savings event.

One standout deal knocks huge savings off our beloved Area-51 series.

For a limited time, you can get the 2TB model Alienware Area-51 with RTX 5070 Ti GPU for $2,799 from Dell. It normally retails for $3,099, so you're saving $300 on this powerhouse gaming machine.

Browse: Dell's entire sale

This is the lowest price I've seen for this Alienware gaming laptop, which launched in April of this year. If you were hoping for a price break on an RTX 50-series laptop, this is one of the best deals available.

If you seriously want to level up your gameplay, the Alienware 16 Area-51 is the best gaming laptop to buy.

In our Alienware 16 Area-51 review, we rated it 4 out of 5 stars for its powerful performance, bright display, and satisfying mechanical keyboard with smooth touchpad.

While we wish we could've squeezed more playtime from it, we found its solid speakers and cool-looking aesthetic impressive. It's the Editor's Choice Award-winning laptop for competitive gaming.

If you have room in your budget to splurge, you can get the Alienware 16 Area-51 with RTX 5080 graphics for $3,049 ($400 off).

These Alienware gaming laptop deals are only as good as stock permits, so don't hesitate too long!

Today's best Alienware 16 Area-51 deal

In essence, you walk away, and your CPU backs off. You come back, and it’s ready to go. Microsoft is betting that these micro-adjustments will lead to macro savings, especially for laptops and 2-in-1s that rely on battery efficiency to stay competitive.

It might not be a flashy UI update or new Copilot feature, but it might be one of the smartest energy features Windows has introduced in years.

What exactly is User Interaction-Aware CPU Power Management?

It’s a mouthful, but the idea is simple: When you’re not actively touching your PC — no keyboard, mouse, pen, or touchscreen input — Windows shifts the CPU into a lower-power state. The moment you interact again, full performance kicks back in automatically.

Microsoft says it does this by applying a more aggressive processor power management policy than your laptop would normally use during idle time. That includes dropping clock speeds, activating deeper C-states, reducing voltage, and even scaling back high-performance cores in favor of efficiency cores.

The feature is live now in builds 26120.4151 (Beta) and 26200.5603 (Dev) and is expected to ship in Windows 11 25H2, with a possible backport to 24H2 for supported devices. To date, no issues have been reported.

Like low power mode, but with some brains

Traditional power-saving modes don’t always account for how you’re using your device. User Interaction-Aware Power Management adds a layer of context. If you’re watching a movie, for example, the CPU stays active. Running a background encode? It doesn’t interfere. But if your laptop’s sitting open with a dozen browser tabs and no input, that’s when it kicks in.

In theory, that means longer battery life with no performance trade-offs unless you're the kind of user who wants to game and walk away at the same time. And if you’re not a fan of how it works, Microsoft says that you can toggle the feature off in your Windows 11 device’s Power & Battery settings.

On paper, this is an easy win. But depending on your workload and your laptop’s OEM settings, there are edge cases to watch out for.

For example, if you're encoding video or training an AI model in the background without input, you may not want Windows to throttle your CPU just because you walked away.

Microsoft says these scenarios should be excluded, but it will depend heavily on your device and how well your laptop’s manufacturer tunes the feature.

Some users have already flagged concerns in early feedback threads. One Reddit user writes, “If I leave the machine doing a video encode, I really don’t want Windows choosing to make it take longer.”

Another wrote, “Designed and real world [performance] are two different things… how soon it triggers, how long it takes to resume, how third-party software reacts…”.

An ongoing obsession with smarter power control

This move feels like a natural next step in the PC industry's recent obsession with smarter power control. Between Copilot+ PC requirements, ARM-based laptops, and NPU optimization, battery life is quickly becoming the next competitive spec. Microsoft knows this.

With User Interaction-Aware CPU Power Management, Windows adds a subtle but potentially significant tool to its energy toolbox. For ultrabooks, tablets, and 2-in-1s, especially those with limited cooling headroom, this could be a game-changer.

Don’t be surprised if you see OEMs like Dell or Lenovo marketing this by name in their next-gen laptops.

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And on Wednesday, Maingear continued that tradition when it unveiled its newest gaming laptop. Unlike last year's ultra-portable ML-16, the new Ultima 18 is a high-end desktop replacement gaming laptop that lives up to its name.

Maingear's "most powerful laptop to date" boasts an Intel Core Ultra 9 processor and a discrete Nvidia RTX GPU up to the RTX 5090. With up to 4 M.2 SSD slots, up to 192GB of RAM, and an 18-inch 4K display, the Maingear Ultima 18 is undoubtedly a beast of a machine.

But what sets the Ultima 18 apart from other desktop replacement gaming laptops? Let's take a look.

Maingear Ultima 18: Specs

Maingear is currently offering just two GPU configurations for the Ultima 18, the Nvidia RTX 5080 and RTX 5090 Laptop GPUs, to keep the laptop's performance in line with its name.

Maingear Ultima 18: Features

In addition to its powerful Intel Core Ultra 9 and Nvidia RTX 5080/5090 combination, the Ultima 18 also features an impressive 18-inch display. With a max resolution of 3840 x 2400p, a 200Hz refresh rate, a rating of 100% of the DCI-P3 color gamut, and a response time of less than 7ms, the Ultima's display is suited for high-performance 4K gaming and content creation.

Maingear packed five speakers in the Ultima for a quality sound system, featuring two drivers, two tweeters, and a subwoofer. The five-point sound system is powered by Sound Blaster Studio Pro 2.

The Ultima 18 is Maingear's first laptop with support for dual-channel DDR5 memory, PCIe Gen 5 SSDs, Thunderbolt 5 ports, and WiFi 7.

“Ultima 18 isn’t just a laptop, it’s a no-compromise desktop-class gaming rig that fits in a backpack,” Maingear CEO Wallace Santos states in the Ultima 18 press release.

“We’ve engineered this notebook to handle the latest AAA games, creative workloads, and AI-driven applications with headroom to spare. From the raw horsepower to the fine details, this system embodies everything our gamers expect from a premium Maingear gaming system.”

Maingear Ultima 18: Outlook

Not only is the Ultima 18 a powerhouse laptop from a pure tech specs perspective, but it also comes with the quality and support guarantee that backs all Maingear systems.

Maingear has a reputation for high build quality and component selection in its desktops, which also tends to hold true of its laptops. Maingear also offers lifetime support for the Ultima 18, including live assistance from its New Jersey headquarters.

The Ultima 18 is now available from Maingear, starting at $3,599. It comes in both pre-configured and custom variations, so you can get the ideal spec for your personal gaming or content creation needs.

And about the laptop's name, like any good Final Fantasy XIV player, I'm immediately reminded of spell summon chant: "From the deepest pit of the seven hells to the very pinnacle of the heavens, the world shall tremble."

Let's hope Maingear's version of Ultima is just as powerful.

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Sure, you do want to keep your system relatively up to date to maintain proper app support and get all the latest security patches. But there's a difference between jumping on a new OS update immediately and getting to it a few weeks or months later.

During Monday's Worldwide Developer Conference, Apple shared details on its upcoming plans for the iPhone, Mac, and iPad platforms and some updates to the Apple App ecosystem.

As part of the Mac announcements, Apple detailed all of the changes coming with macOS Tahoe 26, which include an expanded Apple Intelligence portfolio, expanded Continuity features, a desktop facelift, and a revamped Spotlight search.

But are these updates enough? Let's take a look.

Expanded Apple Intelligence

Apple's proprietary AI features, called Apple Intelligence, have been generally underwhelming to start. Many of the features that were announced for Apple Intelligence at WWDC last year are still not available on any Apple devices.

If you were hoping for this year's WWDC to announce any significant changes there, you will continue to be disappointed. Apple still has not confirmed when it will be rolling out the better version of the Siri personal assistant, and the other AI updates are mostly just improvements on existing AI features like updates to the existing Apple Image Playground and Genmoji systems, better shortcuts, and AI-powered Reminders.

Apple's big AI win for Tahoe is live translation across the Messages, Phone, and FaceTime apps.

This is very similar to the Live Captions feature of Microsoft's Copilot+ or Google's translation system built into the Gemini AI on ChromeOS and Android devices.

Expanded Continuity features and Spotlight Search

Apple's other major changes with the macOS 26 Tahoe update are built around offering a more seamless experience.

Not only does macOS Tahoe come with a new design, offering more customization and better ease of use for quick settings controls, but the new operating system iteration also brings over some additional Continuity features to make switching from your iPhone or iPad to your Mac even more seamless.

With the Mac iPhone app, you can make and take calls more easily from your laptop or desktop. Tahoe makes the Phone app look even more like the Phone app from your iPhone and offers the same features, like Recents, Favorites, and Voicemail. Plus, the new Phone app for Mac includes Apple's enhanced call screening and hold assist features.

Live Activities also go over from iOS to Mac with the Tahoe update, porting straight from your iPhone. So if you've got an upcoming flight or ride-share notification on your phone, the information will also appear in the menu bar of your MacBook, so you don't lose track when you swap devices.

Finally, Spotlight Search is getting a major overhaul. You can now take direct action from the search window, including sending an email or playing a podcast. Spotlight Search can now access third-party cloud storage devices in addition to your local storage and iCloud drive.

Should you upgrade to macOS 26 immediately or wait?

Ultimately, it's up to you whether you install macOS Tahoe the instant its available on your MacBook or iMac.

The Apple Intelligence offerings for macOS and iOS devices are still slim and ultimately far from compelling. There's not enough new about Apple Intelligence coming with Tahoe, just the Image Playground and Genmoji features we've already seen on iOS or live translation on video calls, which launched on Windows Copilot+ PCs a year ago. So you won't be missing much if you hold off on your upgrade.

However, there are plenty of compelling reasons to update anyway. Between keeping your apps up to date, getting the latest security features, the revamped Phone app, and enhanced Spotlight Search, there's really no reason to hold off for long.

Certainly, Tahoe has its uses, even if it doesn't quite cash in on Apple Intelligence in a satisfying way.

Apple will launch macOS Tahoe 26 this fall, likely alongside the next generation of MacBooks. However, if you'd like to take an early look at macOS Tahoe, the OS update is currently available through the Apple Developer Program, and a public beta test will be available next month.

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Panther Lake will be for thin and light laptops and possibly some gaming handhelds, while Arrow Lake Refresh will hit desktops and high-performance gaming and workstation laptops. While not yet officially confirmed, these architectures are expected to go to market as the Intel Core Ultra 300 generation.

But what about the next generation after that?

Considering what we know of Intel's development roadmap, the expected Core Ultra 400 chips are being worked on under the codename Nova Lake.

But what do we know about Intel's ambitious 2026 chipset so far? Let's take a look.

Intel Nova Lake: Release date

Nova Lake is the codename for Intel's next major CPU architecture, following Arrow Lake Refresh and Panther Lake this year.

Based on Intel's usual timeline, we don't expect to see Nova Lake until 2026. It will likely be released sometime in the fall, and more details on the chipset will emerge in the summer and early fall of that year.

Intel Nova Lake: Architecture

Intel Nova Lake is an SoC (system-on-a-chip) style processor, with a CPU and GPU integrated into the tile. Intel will likely include an NPU on Nova Lake, as it did for Arrow Lake.

Nova Lake's CPU tile reportedly features up to 52 cores, comprised of Coyote Cove P (performance) cores and Arctic Wolf E (efficiency) cores.

Early details on Nova Lake's architecture imply the chipset will have a hybrid integrated GPU that combines Intel's Xe 3 and Xe 4 graphics architectures on the integrated graphics tile.

According to well-known Intel leaker Jaykihn, the Xe 3 architecture is expected to handle graphics rendering, while the Xe 4 section of the tile will be used for display and media operations.

This could offer stronger integrated graphics power to Nova Lake systems, potentially negating the need for a discrete GPU.

While Intel has made serious strides with its discrete Arc GPU business, the company has also made powerful claims about its integrated graphics performance, particularly on mobile platforms.

The split graphics architecture on Nova Lake could indicate a switch from discrete GPUs to integrated graphics, even on desktop. Though only time will tell.

Intel Nova Lake: Platforms

Nova Lake is currently expected to power desktops (-S suffix chipsets), though there are also rumors of a high-performance (-H suffix) laptop variant and potentially a more efficiency-focused (-U suffix) laptop version.

Desktop Nova Lake chipsets will likely be available immediately at launch, though it appears anyone looking to upgrade their PC with Nova Lake will also need to invest in a new motherboard. The chipset changes the socket type to LGA1954, which is different from the current Arrow Lake and Arrow Lake Refresh models.

Intel traditionally launches the desktop variant of an architecture first, so Nova Lake will likely launch on desktop in the fall, with laptops coming in early 2027.

Outlook

It's still early to know how Nova Lake will perform or to have too many confirmed details on the chipset's architecture. But we will be collating more information as it becomes available ahead of the SoC's launch.

In the meantime, Intel is expected to launch its Panther Lake and Arrow Lake Refresh chipsets later this year.

More from Laptop Mag

• The Nvidia GPU you actually want could launch next month
• AMD Ryzen AI Max Geekbench scores reveal a power drop in 300-series APUs
• Snapdragon X2 Elite leak teases a monster 18-core chip with 64GB RAM

Prime Day is one of the best times of the year to score fantastic bargains on today's top laptop brands. Outside of Amazon, Best Buy, Newegg, Walmart, and PC makers HP, Dell, and Lenovo are known to offer alternative Prime Day laptop deals.

Expect solid Prime Day discounts on laptops from Apple, Acer, Asus, HP, Samsung, and more. Our favorite laptops we've tested and rated 4 out of 5 stars and better are likely to be on sale for Prime Day.

Earlier this month, on Amazon, the Editor's Choice Apple M4 MacBook Air briefly fell to $812 in a flash deal. We may see this same deal return for Prime Day, or perhaps its price could dip even lower to $799. I predict older model M3 MacBooks and M4 MacBook configurations to see steep price cuts at Amazon, Best Buy, and B&H in July.

If you're not a Prime member, I recommend you join now to access Amazon's best Prime Day 2025 laptop deals.

We're Laptop Mag, so we're here to help you find the right laptop for your needs and budget. Browse the best early Prime Day laptop deals below and see our Prime Day 2025 hub for the best early discounts on mobile tech, gaming, and more.

Best early Prime Day laptop deals now — Quick links

• Amazon: Early Prime Day laptop deals from $198
• Best Buy: Early Prime Day laptop deals from $129
• Dell: Early Prime Day laptop deals from $549
• Lenovo: Early Prime Day laptop deals from $299
• Newegg: Early Prime Day laptop deals from $308

Best early Prime Day laptop deals

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The best webcams aren’t just a way of making sure you look your crispest over Zoom. They can turn setup into a studio, add an extra layer of professionalism to your next presentation, or bring a little cinema to your content creation.

Seeing a standalone webcam as part of a computing setup, especially on a laptop, feels incredibly archaic in 2025, like the tech equivalent of seeing somebody ride a Penny Farthing down Fifth Avenue.

But the humble webcam holds a strange distinction: it's the only computing peripheral that consistently bests its integrated counterpart, which, unless you own one of the best MacBooks, typically ranges from bad to really bad — while somehow being entirely overlooked as an essential accessory.

Needed by so many, yet recognized by so few, webcams (once a default accessory for anyone with a face and an internet connection) feel like the last niche accessory — hankered after by a subculture of hardware hipsters.

And if that imagery existed anywhere beyond the realms of my fever-dream-like imagination, there would be one webcam this collection of Capturecore cultists would covet above all others: the Insta 360 Link 2. The crown prince of cams and the heir apparent to the optical throne.

High praise? Absolutely. However, the next few hundred words may convince you that not only am I right, but that it's high time we reestablished the webcam as the vital component it is — and few webcams would serve you better, perched atop your laptop's screen, than the Insta360 Link 2.

Insta360 Link 2: Price and availability

The Insta360 Link 2's retail price is $199, but you can typically find it for around $169 on Amazon, Best Buy, and other retailers.

Its most obvious comparison would be to the original Insta360 Link webcam, which the Link 2 mirrors almost perfectly on the specs front. However, the Link 2, while matching its predecessor spec-for-spec, can do so while shaving $100 off of the original’s $299 asking price.

We’re definitely at the more expensive end of the scale when it comes to webcams, but the Link 2 resides where it does for a reason. Its DSLR-like image and video quality, even under tough lighting conditions, alone will be worth the price for most.

However, if you’re a streamer, teacher, content creator, tutor, or routinely present information online, the Link 2’s impressive AI tracking, staging, and framing will grant you captivating and dynamic results that would usually require editing in post or a second hand on the controls to achieve.

If you’re looking for a webcam to get by with the basics, then there are plenty of more affordable options to run with. If all you need is a webcam for a few online classes or remote meetings, then a 4K webcam like this is perhaps a little overkill.

But if you’re looking for a webcam to embolden your setup in terms of professionalism and creativity, you’ve found it.

Insta360 Link 2: Design

It's not often, as a tech reviewer, that you get to genuinely praise the design of a webcam. Shapes and sizes may vary, but you generally know what to expect, making it hard to be caught off guard.

However, Insta360, fittingly to its name, is running circles around the idea of what a webcam can be, tossing away decades of vanilla peripheral design to deliver something shockingly refreshing.

The result is the Link 2, a device that looks like the happy offspring of Short Circuit protagonist, Johnny 5, and Luxo Jr. — the iconic Pixar lamp. I'd almost describe it as adorable as you can't help but see a friendly little robot head with its left eye formed by the webcam's lens, the right by its ring status light (which glows green when active and red when blocked), and a tiny button nose represented by a pinhole microphone.

Outfitted with a two-axis gimbal, the Link 2 sneers at the typical pan-and-scan of other webcams, that will crop a full-resolution image and scroll within its bounds to pseudo-track its subjects, physically turning and tilting its BD-1-like "head" and "body" to keep you at the center of its focus at all times.

Thanks to its AI tracking, the Insta360 Link 2 is like having your very own personal cameraperson with you at all times. Ready to frame your head, upper-body, or full form within its 4K resolution (3840 x 2160), gently rotating on each axis to produce more dynamic, professional results.

The included adjustable Magnetic Mount is adjustable to fit your laptop screen or monitor, and can be folded flat to sit on your desk or monitor riser without issue. The magnet itself is powerful, and the stand plenty weighty (raising the Link 2's 101.5-gram weight to 166.5 grams), meaning you won't find yourself flinging the Link 2 around your desk by accident, and a 1/4-inch mounting point on its base will allow you to easily attach a tripod for even better positioning.

Using a tripod (like, perhaps the Insta360 Mini 2-in-1 Tripod for $29) also allows you to turn the Link 2 on its side, flipping its 16:9 aspect ratio with it, and capture in social-media/smartphone-friendly 9:16 portrait orientation.

However, in this position, you will lose access to DeskView, another viewing option of Link 2 that drops the view down to your desk and flips the image for a near bird's eye view of your immediate space. It's great if you're looking to share an unboxing, showcase a hands-on demo of something, or even capture artwork or written notes.

All in all, the Link 2's design pairs exceptional build quality with impressive versatility. Whether you use it as an everyday webcam or as part of a content creation setup, there are plenty of attractive elements to Insta360's camera that elevate it far and above the generally murky, hard-to-differentiate waters of traditional webcams.

Insta360 Link 2: Video quality

The Link 2's 1/2-inch sensor (and wider f/1.8 aperture) will easily eclipse the 1/4-inch or 1/3-inch image sensor offered by your average built-in laptop webcam. The result? Better low-light capture and more dynamic range. That's the on-paper claims, anyway. Thankfully, this is one of those claims that proves to be true in practice.

Whether you choose to capture in 4K (capped at 30fps) or in 1080p and below (up to 60fps), the Link 2 delivers technically sharp pictures with impressive clarity and fine details, though a persistent grain can haunt the image if your lighting is sub-par.

Thankfully, it's not enough to spoil the webcam's otherwise crisp capture and can be minimized by tweaking the Link 2's sharpness or applying its Natural Bokeh filter within Insta360's proprietary software.

Similarly, enabling the Link 2's HDR mode is a great way to combat both low-light environments and even those with peaking lighting, forcing a balance in tones to evenly capture your appearance, whether you're fighting a strong backlight or trying to tame any peaks in brightness from a particularly strong light source in front of you.

At my desk, I'm fairly well lit up by some bright LED wall panels, so that grain only really became apparent in the more contrastingly dark corners of my background. However, for most setups, as the day ticks on and that blanket of even natural lighting fades, you'll begin to notice that grain becomes more apparent, with it at its most notable when the camera zooms in.

Pushing that zoom to its extreme (up to 4x digital), you'll be left with a picture detailed enough to pick out individual pores, catch even a single stray hair in the act of rebellion, or allow strangers to rate your setup through the very reflection of it in your own eyes. But under less than optimal lighting, you'll do so with the kind of digital static present that suggests you're being stalked by the Slender Man.

Regardless, the picture and video quality offered by the Insta360 Link 2 is so above par that it's tantamount to using a pole vault to leap over a speed bump. There's no question whether I'd choose its output over that of a laptop's built-in webcam. The difference is stark, and if I were streaming, presenting, or even looking for an affordable webcam for content creation, Insta360's webcam is the one I'd choose.

Insta360 Link 2: Sound quality

The Insta360 Link 2's pinhole microphone is one of the few weaknesses I found with the webcam. Then again, it had pretty tough competition.

My typical setup includes a HyperX QuadCast S cardioid microphone that sets a pretty high bar for audio capture. It's an unfair direct comparison to make, but it does provide a solid benchmark with which to measure the Link 2's capabilities.

Placed head-to-head against the HyperX mic, the Link 2's audio (using the default "Voice focus" mode) is tinny, but surprisingly loud and clear. Thanks to the Link 2's AI tracking, it'll almost always be facing you, which means your audio won't fluctuate too heavily if you're shifting about in front of it. And, its noise cancellation did a great job of filtering out the sound of passing cars and people from a nearby open window.

As did the Link 2's "Voice suppression" mode, which managed to elevate my voice above the background music and voices on video spilling out of my desktop speakers.

Finally, the Link 2's "Music balance" mode ditches audio filtering for pure audio capture, ideal for instrument-owning content creators who want to record multiple sound sources at once, without them fighting for dominance.

While the Link 2 didn't manage to best my standalone mic, when comparing it to the mic of my laptop, its quality was more than apparent. Compared to my laptop's mic, the Link 2's formerly tinny audio seemed much richer and clearer, though both noticeably lacked an undercurrent of bass.

While the video capture of the Link 2 offers a great deal of versatility, the audio capture is much better suited to regular webcam use. Suitable for calls and meetings, but not ideal for content creation.

Insta360 Link 2: Software and support

The Insta360 Link 2 is plug-and-play, meaning you can connect it (using the sizeable ~60-inch USB-C cable provided) to an available USB-C port on your device (or USB-A with the supplied adapter) and immediately start using it as a regular webcam.

However, if you want the best experience with access to all of the Link 2's features, you'll need to download the Insta360 Link Controller software.

It's through this software that you'll be able to enable AI tracking features; DeskView; directly capture pictures and video; make adjustments to resolution, framerate and orientation; enable HDR mode; apply filters or change backgrounds; switch audio modes; fine tune the image through manual white balance, brightness, contrast, saturation, and sharpness; customize camera exposure with custom curves, and greater control over ISO and shutter speed; and enable another of the Link 2's interesting features: gesture controls.

Gesture controls allow you to instruct the Link 2 from a distance, enabling and disabling AI tracking by showing an open palm, creating an "L" shape with your hand and moving it up or down to trigger an appropriate zoom, and raising two fingers to enable whiteboard mode — which will cause the Link 2 to snap its focus to a rectangular area of interest marked by four reusable QR code patches included in the box. Think DeskView, but for vertical presentation areas.

The software itself is well laid out and intuitive to use. The only major gripe I had was finding out that the advertised 60fps capture was initially absent in all resolutions, leaving me to wonder if this feature had been removed post-release. After some tinkering, I was able to re-enable high frame rate capture only after disabling the Virtual Camera setting.

During my time with the Link 2, I never had any issues that would require me to cash in on its one-year warranty. There’s not a great deal of movement involved with my setup, and the webcam build quality seems impressively solid, but for those who feel their Link 2 may receive the occasional knock or bump, Insta360 also offers two “worry-free” replacements for that year through its FlexiCare support for $11.99 extra.

Bottom line

When you get down to it, the Insta360 Link 2 isn’t your typical webcam. In fact, it almost feels like a DSLR masquerading as a PC accessory. Its quality is outstanding, its versatility is second to none, and the most dramatic change to this revision is that its price tag is lower than ever.

If you’re an original Link owner, then the improvements may not make it an essential switch. However, if you’re laboring with a webcam that's limiting you, an upgrade to the Link 2 is one you won’t regret.

Is it perfect? No. But it’s close enough to perfect that it makes the competition look like a compromise.

More from Laptop Mag

• The best webcams in 2025: The top picks, based on our real-world testing
• The 8 best webcams for streaming in 2025

If you're hunting for a new laptop and have your eye on a 2-in-1, chances are you're interested in using it in tablet mode for tasks like digital art or watching movies. All the core reasons to go for a 2-in-1 over a regular laptop hinge, quite literally, on a great display.

That's why, despite some great strengths, I have to recommend a few other laptops over the Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-in-1 16. Here's a look at what you should expect from a great 2-in-1 laptop and a few top picks to get you started, whether you're a budget-conscious user or a creative professional.

See also: Best laptop deals in June 2025

The one spec you should never overlook in a 2-in-1 laptop

Your price range has a big impact on what you should look for in a 2-in-1 laptop, but one thing you absolutely shouldn't overlook is display quality.

All of the use cases that set 2-in-1 laptops apart, particularly when it comes to tasks like drawing or graphic design, rely on a high-quality display. So, if you compromise in this area, you're not getting your money's worth, and you're sacrificing what should be the top strength of any great 2-in-1.

The Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-in-1 16 is a perfect example, as it excels in several areas, with the key exception being its display. In our DCI-P3 color gamut test, it scored a mere 44%, which is barely half of the usual 80% threshold we look for, especially at this price point. It doesn't get very bright, either, averaging just 316 nits. For a 2-in-1, those scores are just too low to ignore.

Three 2-in-1 laptops with great displays

The Yoga's test scores translate into a dull, dim display that is noticeably less vivid side-by-side with other laptops. It's impossible to miss how washed out all the colors look.

If you're considering the Yoga 7i 2-in-1 16 for other reasons, like its impressive integrated graphics performance, and don't mind sacrificing display quality, or you can find it at a steep discount, it could still be a good option for some people.

However, if you're specifically looking for a 2-in-1, you'll have a better experience on a laptop with a higher-quality display. Luckily, you have a few great options to choose from.

1. Best overall: Asus Vivobook 16 Flip

The best overall alternative to the Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-in-1 16 is the Asus Vivobook 16 Flip, which sports a stunning 3K OLED display. It's one of the best 2-in-1 laptops you can buy right now and costs just $100 more than the Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-in-1 16.

The Vivobook scored well on our display tests, reproducing 84.4% of the DCI-P3 color gamut and 119.2% of the sRGB color gamut with an average brightness of 356 nits. As an added bonus, it has a bit more battery life than the Yoga at 13 hours and 47 minutes.

Whether you're a student, professional, or casual user, if you're looking for a great 2-in-1 in the same price range as the Yoga, you really can't go wrong with the Vivobook 16 Flip.

2. Budget option: Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 714

At $799, the Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 714 is a good budget-friendly alternative to the Yoga, particularly for students. It scored 78.7% on the DCI-P3 color gamut score, which is just shy of the 80% I ideally prefer, but considering the price, this is still a much better display than what you're getting on the Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-in-1 16, which costs $100 to $400 more, depending on the configuration.

It's also worth considering the Chromebook if you prefer Google's Gemini AI assistant over Microsoft Copilot. There are some genuinely useful Gemini features baked into the Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 714 that can really come in handy, like live captions or AI-assisted photo editing. I found it generally more consistent and reliable than Microsoft Copilot. It's easy to see why it's one of the best Chromebooks.

3. For creators: Lenovo Yoga 9i 2-in-1 Aura Edition

2-in-1 laptops are often ideal for creatives since they can double as a drawing tablet with the help of a Bluetooth stylus. If you're a creator, you don't want to miss out on the Lenovo Yoga 9i 2-in-1 Aura Edition. Not only is it a better buy than the Yoga 7i 2-in-1, but it's also a fantastic overall laptop for creatives and one of our picks for the best touchscreen laptops.

The stunning 14-inch 3K OLED 120Hz display scored superbly well on our display tests. It reproduced a whopping 149.2% of the DCI-P3 color gamut and 210.6% of the sRGB color gamut and averaged 421 nits of brightness. While it doesn't come quite as cheap as the Yoga 7i, the top-tier display is worth it for creative professionals.

More from Laptop Mag

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Last week, Bloomberg reported that Apple will launch a "dedicated gaming app" at WWDC 2025. The app will "serve as a launcher for titles and centralize in-game achievements, leaderboards, communications, and other activity."

That might sound familiar to anyone who remembers Apple's little-used Game Center app. A new gaming app is all well and good, but it doesn't address the core issue holding Macs back from being true gaming devices.

Luckily, Valve has the secret ingredient Apple needs to make gaming on the Mac great.

See also: Best Apple deals in June 2025

Apple's new dedicated gaming app is a step in the right direction, but not enough

According to Bloomberg, Apple's new dedicated gaming app "will feature editorial content from Apple about new titles, offer access to the App Store’s game section and promote Arcade, the company’s $6.99-a-month subscription offering."

It sounds like this app will be a gaming-focused alternative to the App Store, incorporating the achievements and social features that used to be in Game Center. It won't just be for iOS, though.

Bloomberg notes perhaps the most important detail: "Apple is also planning a Mac version of the app that can tap into games downloaded outside of the App Store."

Apple seems to be putting special attention into the macOS version of this new app, potentially even folding in games from other game stores, which may hint that Apple is trying to make another push into gaming on the Mac.

Since the launch of the M-series chips, Macs have gotten significantly better at gaming. However, they still struggle to pose any serious threat to PC gaming on Windows or even handheld gaming PCs like the Steam Deck. This is largely because there aren't many games that are natively compatible with macOS.

That is why a new game launcher might not be what Apple needs to succeed in gaming. What it really needs is what Valve already has.

Apple needs to take a page from Valve's book

Valve's Steam Deck played a huge role in sparking the rising popularity of handheld gaming PCs over the past several years. But on paper, it shouldn't have been a success.

After all, it runs on Linux, and most PC games are designed for Windows. Most of the games on Steam, which the Steam Deck is explicitly built for, are not natively compatible with the Linux operating system on the handheld.

You'd hardly notice that while playing on a Steam Deck, though, and that's something Apple should be paying attention to.

Valve developed a compatibility layer called Proton to launch the Steam Deck with its own custom-built, Linux-based operating system without sacrificing game compatibility.

This compatibility layer effectively acts as a translator that allows Linux to understand and run Windows games. That means that even if a game isn't natively compatible with Linux, you can (usually) still play it on the Steam Deck.

MacBooks could become far better gaming devices if Apple developed an officially supported compatibility layer like Proton for macOS. If people knew they could play all the same games, more people might consider choosing a Mac over a Windows PC, significantly increasing the player base on macOS. That, in turn, would likely attract more developers to create natively compatible games for Macs.

Apple seems to want developers to come to its platform before gamers, but that's not fair considering the amount of time and resources it takes to create and launch a game, which relies on a good return on investment.

If Apple wants more developers to make games for macOS, it must bridge the gap and make Macs more appealing to gamers. A compatibility layer could achieve precisely this. Apple's new gaming app could even be a launcher for that compatibility layer!

Valve already has the answer here. All Apple needs to do is give Proton a spin and take notes.

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The newly uncovered Snapdragon X2 Elite variant, reportedly codenamed SC8480XP, boasts a whopping 18-core CPU configuration and up to 64GB of LPDDR5X RAM — the highest we’ve ever seen in Qualcomm’s Windows-on-ARM efforts.

The leak, which comes via a test platform uncovered by @KOMACHI_ENSAKA and reported by TechPowerUp, indicates that Qualcomm may be preparing a chip powerful enough to blur the line between ARM laptops and high-end desktops.

SC8480XP aka SD X2 Elite in testing with 64GB RAM... looking like 18 core thing more and more.

— Roland Quandt (@rquandt.bsky.social) 30 May 2025 at 14:56

18 cores, 64GB RAM, and water cooling

According to the leak, the X2 chip packs 18 Oryon V3 CPU cores, a 50% jump from the already formidable 12-core Snapdragon X Elite. That means more threads, better multitasking, and higher headroom for compute-heavy apps like video editing and local AI inference.

The core architecture itself has evolved. Qualcomm’s third-gen Oryon design, derived from the server-class NUVIA Phoenix cores, is expected to deliver up to 30% better single-thread performance, with even bigger gains in multi-core workloads. That puts Qualcomm squarely in the fight with AMD and Intel’s most efficient silicon.

More than cores

But the spec sheet doesn’t stop at core counts. Testing configs are reportedly running with up to 64GB of LPDDR5 RAM, representing a full 2x increase over current X Elite laptops.

Qualcomm is also moving toward a System-in-Package (SiP) approach, directly embedding RAM and storage onto the processor. It’s a move that echoes Apple Silicon but goes one step further, minimizing latency by eliminating external buses.

There is a catch, though: SiP means that memory (and possibly storage) is integrated into the chip itself, so you won’t be upgrading anything. What you buy is what you get.

Is Qualcomm looking beyond laptops?

What’s interesting here is that the X2 Elite is being tested with full-blown desktop cooling solutions, including a 120mm all-in-one liquid cooler. That’s not standard issue for a thin-and-light laptop; it’s desktop-tier gear. And it suggests that Qualcomm may be prototyping desktop or high-TDP laptop configurations.

This would mark a significant departure from Qualcomm’s previous strategy, which focused on ultra-portables and long battery life. It now seems that the company wants to scale ARM performance into new product classes, potentially rivaling Apple’s M-series desktops and AMD’s Strix Halo APU for creative workloads and local AI inference.

It’s worth noting that these tests are reportedly being conducted internally, and it’s unclear whether such high-TDP devices will ever hit shelves, but the fact that Qualcomm is even testing them speaks volumes.

It’s also worth noting that Qualcomm might be positioning itself to compete more aggressively in the high-performance laptop segment, with the increased core count and memory support potentially making Arm-based laptops more appealing to power users.

A big chip is nothing without great software

Regardless of how impressive the chip sounds, Windows on Arm still has work to do. Compatibility and optimization remain sore spots, even despite Microsoft’s recent Copilot+ PC initiative and more OEMs embracing Snapdragon silicon. Qualcomm’s hardware might be catching up or even surpassing Apple and Intel on paper, but real-world performance will depend on software doing its part.

There’s also the matter of timing. Qualcomm is expected to unveil new Snapdragon X-series chips at its Snapdragon Summit 2025, scheduled for September 23-25 in Hawaii.

It’s unclear whether the 18-core X2 Elite will headline that event, but when Laptop Mag spoke to Qualcomm leaders at Computex in May, all questions about the X2 were met with "come to Snapdragon Summit."

If leaks are true, the 18-core Snapdragon X2 Elite might just be Qualcomm’s most aggressive move yet. With 64GB RAM support, an ultra-dense integrated design, and desktop-class cooling in test environments, the question now is whether the ecosystem — apps, drivers, and thermal envelopes — can keep up with the silicon.

If it can? ARM might finally be ready to challenge x86 where it hurts.

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Of course, Nvidia has not officially confirmed the existence of the RTX 5050, but the rumor mill has been in overdrive lately.

New details on Nvidia's entry-level RTX 5050 GPU have appeared this week and have been posted on VideoCardz. Combined with the RTX 5050 laptop specs leaked last week, we've got a pretty clear picture of the full RTX 50-series lineup.

And the RTX 5050 just might be the bargain you've been waiting for this generation.

But don't just take my word for it. Let's take a closer look at how the RTX 5050 compares to its higher-tier counterparts on both desktop and laptop.

Nvidia RTX 5050 Desktop GPU specs

Nvidia RTX 5050 Laptop GPU specs

Nvidia RTX 5050: Outlook

If Nvidia decides to opt for 8GB of GDDR7 (graphics double data rate 7) VRAM for the desktop variant, as rumors suggest, it'll be a better bargain in terms of performance and price than the RTX 5060.

The RTX 5050 laptops were already rumored to come with GDDR7 memory, so it would be a surprise if Nvidia didn't upgrade the VRAM on the desktop variant, but only time will tell.

While the RTX 5050 on both laptop and desktop will be underpowered compared to the other RTX 50-series GPUs, the 5050 does still have access to Nvidia's DLSS 4 and frame generation software, which can provide significant gains in frame rates if you're willing to use AI super sampling tech.

Most often, Nvidia's entry-level GPUs become the most popular in each generation as the -50 and -60 cards often hit the right price-to-performance sweet spot, while the higher-end cards tend to retail at astronomical prices.

As of last month, the most popular GPU on Steam is the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060. Given the usual four-year upgrade cycle for computer hardware (especially gaming GPUs), it's expected that either the RTX 5050 or RTX 5060 will eventually take that slot.

The RTX 5050 desktop GPU is expected to retail in the range of $199-249.

Based on current estimations, RTX 5050 gaming laptops are expected to cost about $999.

We do not currently have exact dates for when these GPUs will be available, but if the RTX 5060 launch is anything to go by, the desktop GPUs and RTX 5050 laptops will likely go on sale around the same time next month.

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The Yoga offers good speakers, solid battery life, a relatively affordable price tag, and integrated graphics that perform much better than I expected. If that was the whole story, I'd have no trouble wholeheartedly recommending this laptop.

However, the Yoga 7i 2-in-1 16 has a critical flaw that's enough of an issue to make me think twice before counting it among the best Lenovo laptops or best 2-in-1 laptops. Unfortunately, the Yoga's incredibly disappointing display is its Achilles' heel. That doesn't mean it can't be the right laptop for you, but there are a few things you should consider before making a purchase.

Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-in-1 16: Specs (as reviewed)

Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-in-1 16: Price and configurations

The Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-in-1 16 is available in a few configurations, starting at $899 for the model with an Intel Core Ultra 5 226V processor, Intel Arc 130V integrated graphics, 16GB of RAM, 512GB of SSD storage, and a 16-inch, 1920 x 1200 IPS touch display.

The configuration we reviewed costs $1,099 and includes an Intel Core Ultra 7 256V processor, Intel Arc 140V integrated graphics, 16GB of RAM, 1TB of SSD storage, and a 16-inch, 1920 x 1200 IPS touch display. For an additional $65, you can upgrade to Windows 11 Pro.

It's worth noting that Lenovo offers education discounts for the Yoga 7i 2-in-1, but you have to purchase the laptop using a confirmed education email address.

Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-in-1 16: Design

Lenovo didn't change much on the design of this year's Yoga 7i 2-in-1 16, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. It sports a polished aluminum chassis that will blend in seamlessly at school or work. The bezels around the 16-inch display could be thinner, but that's a minor flaw.

The keyboard is spacious and snappy, as Lenovo's keyboards usually are, and includes a number pad and function row, perfect for productivity users. The touchpad below is roomy, as well.

As its name suggests, this is a 2-in-1 laptop, meaning you can flip the display all the way back to use in tablet mode. It's compatible with the Lenovo Yoga Pen, available separately for $59, in case you want to use the Yoga's tablet mode for drawing or taking handwritten notes.

The Yoga 7i 2-in-1 is reasonably thin and light for a 16-inch laptop, measuring 14.21 x 10.12 x 0.67 inches and weighing 3.96 pounds. That's on par with other laptops in this size and price range:

• Dell 16 Plus 2-in-1 (DB06250): 14.05 x 9.87 x 0.67 inches, 4.52 pounds
• Asus Vivobook 16 Flip (TP3607): 13.98 x 9.62 x 0.69 inches, 3.9 pounds
• MacBook Air M4 (15-inch): 13.4 x 9.35 x 0.45 inches, 3.3 pounds

Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-in-1 16: Ports

The Yoga 7i 2-in-1 16 doesn't offer a lot of ports, but it features a diverse enough selection to cover most people's needs, including:

• 1x HDMI 1.4
• 1x USB Type-A
• 2x USB Type-C Thunderbolt 4
• 1x MicroSD card reader
• 1x 3.5mm audio jack

One more USB port might've been nice, but I was pleasantly surprised to see an HDMI port and even a microSD card reader. If you find yourself needing more ports, you can hook up the Yoga to one of the best laptop docking stations or USB Type-C hubs.

Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-in-1 16: Battery life

The Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-in-1 16 performed well on our battery life tests, lasting 13 hours and 19 minutes.

While other laptops have done better, like the 15-inch MacBook Air M4 (15 hours, 22 minutes), the Yoga's time is still more than enough to get through a typical day at work or school. It's also nearly twice as long as the Dell 16 Plus 2-in-1, which features a similar price and specs but lasted less than 8 hours in our tests.

Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-in-1 16: Display

The Yoga 7i 2-in-1 16 really let me down with its display quality. There's a lot to like about this laptop, but the display is a huge flaw to overlook. It's visibly dull, with little vibrancy and noticeably washed out colors. The difference is impossible to miss looking at the Yoga's display side-by-side with other laptops or even my ViewSonic Omni desktop display.

I could visibly tell that the scenery in episodes of Survivor looked less vibrant and colorful on the Yoga's display. The Fijian jungles looked noticeably washed out, even if the contrast and sharpness was fine.

Considering how dull the Yoga's display is, I wasn't surprised that it did poorly on our display benchmarks. It covered just 44% over the DCI-P3 color gamut, barely half of the usual 80% or more I prefer to see. Even for a relatively budget-friendly laptop, that is a seriously disappointing color gamut score, one that's important to note if you're a creative or want to use your laptop for art, design, or gaming. It defeats the purpose of a 2-in-1 laptop.

Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-in-1 16: Keyboard and touchpad

I'm often a fan of the keyboards on Lenovo laptops and the Yoga 7i 2-in-1 16 is no exception. It features a snappy, responsive, and roomy full-size keyboard that's perfect for pounding out essays and emails.

On the Monkeytype typing test I scored 100 words per minute with 100% accuracy, which is above average but just shy of my personal best of 108 words per minute with 98% accuracy, scored on the HP EliteBook Ultra G1i AI.

The touchpad on the Yoga is also good, with plenty of space and a smooth, responsive surface. It offered just the right amount of travel and feedback to be satisfying without slowing me down.

Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-in-1 16: Audio

The Yoga 7i 2-in-1 16 features bottom-firing speakers in the front right and left corners that sound surprisingly good for the price. They get much louder than I expected and deliver solid range, detail, and depth.

"Dead Club City" by Nothing But Thieves sounded great on the Yoga, with assertive bass, clean vocals, and surprisingly good depth, making for an immersive listening experience. "Overcome," also by Nothing But Thieves, came through the speakers great, as well, with crisp highs (although the mids in this song were a tad muffled, most likely because of the bottom-firing speaker orientation).

Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-in-1 16: Performance and heat

The Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-in-1 16 is powered by an Intel Core Ultra 7 256V processor that performs well for the price. It kept up with everyday tasks like word processing or web browsing, even with multiple apps and numerous tabs open.

I didn't notice any lag or slow loading times during my daily use. If you're a student or a casual user, the performance you'll get from the Yoga 7i 2-in-1 16 should be more than enough.

If you're a power user or a professional, you may run into the Yoga's limits. It scored 11,050 on the Geekbench 6 benchmark, which is on par with other laptops with this processor but not as high as some rivals scored.

For instance, the MacBook Air M4 15-inch scored 14,921, nearly 4,000 points higher. If you use your laptop for resource-intensive tasks like photo or video editing, you'll probably notice that difference. Of course, the MacBook Air is a bit more expensive than the Yoga 7i 2-in-1, and it isn't a 2-in-1 laptop, so there are trade-offs to consider.

However, if sheer performance is your top priority, the MacBook Air would be a better fit.

Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-in-1 16: Gaming and graphics

The Yoga 7i 2-in-1 16 isn't a gaming laptop, but its Intel Arc 140V integrated graphics are surprisingly capable. If you want to use your laptop for some casual gaming, the Yoga can deliver a pretty decent experience for the price.

I played Risk of Rain 2 on the Yoga and got smooth, responsive gameplay with an average of 60 frames per second on Medium/High graphics settings at 1920 x 1200. The only time I noticed any lag or stuttering was during cinematic cutscenes, like the game's intro video. The actual gameplay didn't display any significant performance issues, though.

The Yoga also did fairly well on our graphics benchmark tests with a score of 9,249 on the 3DMark Fire Strike benchmark and an average of 56.8 fps in Sid Meier's Civilization VI: Gathering Storm. That's better than most other laptops at this price point can deliver, especially considering the Yoga's relying only on integrated graphics.

Of course, if you want to play resource-intensive modern AAA games, you'll be better off with one of the best gaming laptops. But if you're just looking to do a round of Fortnite here and there or play some lightweight indie games, the Yoga 7i 2-in-1 is up to the task.

The lackluster display does hold back the gaming experience, though. Plus, as we’ve tested, the Intel Arc 140V can’t handle games like Elden Ring Nightreign.

Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-in-1 16: AI features

The Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-in-1 16 is a Copilot+ PC, meaning it comes with Microsoft's Copilot AI assistant pre-installed and features a dedicated Copilot key on the keyboard for launching the AI.

You can use the Copilot app for basic generative AI tasks like asking questions or generating text and images. Copilot also powers features elsewhere in Windows 11, like Windows Studio Effects in the Camera app, which uses AI to enhance your video quality. You can also use Cocreator in the Paint app for combining generative AI with your own doodles.

Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-in-1 16: Webcam

Laptop webcams often leave a lot to be desired in terms of camera quality and the Yoga 7i 2-in-1 16 is no exception. While I've seen worse, I've also seen better. The 1080p webcam delivered visibly grainy visuals in my test video, even in good indoor lighting. This webcam would be fine for basic everyday video calls, but for anything beyond that you'd be better off getting one of the best webcams.

While the camera isn't great, the Yoga's built-in mic is solid. My voice was clear and crisp in my test video. The mic even managed to cut out the background noise from my air conditioner.

Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-in-1 16: Software and warranty

The Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-in-1 16 comes with Windows 11 Home and includes the standard suite of basic Microsoft apps like Copilot, the Microsoft Store, Microsoft Edge, and the Xbox app. The Yoga also includes the Lenovo Vantage app, where you can see all of your device's specs, adjust your settings, check for updates, and access troubleshooting guides.

The Yoga 7i 2-in-1 16 is covered by Lenovo's standard one-year warranty for parts and labor, which you can extend or upgrade through Lenovo Premium Care Plus.

Bottom line

I wanted to love the Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-in-1 16, especially after its graphics performance and audio quality proved to be much better than I expected. Unfortunately, the display quality is so poor it's hard to overlook, even at the Yoga's relatively affordable price.

The 2-in-1 form factor and spacious 16-inch display would otherwise make the Yoga perfect for creative tasks, gaming, and watching movies, but all of those rely on a high-quality display, counteracting what would otherwise be great selling points for the Yoga. Unfortunately, the display is so underwhelming that I'd only suggest you pick up this laptop if you can find it at a good discount during a sale or if display quality isn't a concern for you.

Aside from the display, the Yoga 7i 2-in-1 16 delivers pretty good value for your money with plenty of performance for students and casual users. The battery life is enough to get through a full day of school or work, and the integrated graphics can handle some lightweight gaming in your downtime. If the display were better, the Yoga would be a no-brainer. You may want to consider one of the best 2-in-1 laptops instead, though.