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.

That's what a recently published (and yet to be peer-reviewed) paper from some of MIT's brightest minds suggests, anyway.

The study examines the "neural and behavioral consequences" of using LLMs (Large Language Models) like ChatGPT for, in this instance, essay writing. The findings raise serious questions about how long-term use of AI might affect learning, thinking, and memory. More worryingly, we recently witnessed it play out in real life.

Google DeepMind, you EmptyMind

The study, titled, "Your Brain on ChatGPT: Accumulation of Cognitive Debt when Using an AI Assistant for Essay Writing Task," involved 54 participants split into three groups:

• LLM group: Instructed to complete assignments using only ChatGPT, and no other websites or tools.
• Search engine group: Allowed to use any website except LLMs, even AI-enhanced answers were forbidden.
• Brain-only group: Relying only on their own knowledge.

Across three sessions, these groups were tasked with writing an essay about one of three changing topics. An example of the essay question for the topic of "Art" was: "Do works of art have the power to change people's lives?"

Participants then had 20 minutes to answer the question related to their chosen topic in essay form, all while wearing an Enobio headset to collect EEG signals from their brain.

In a fourth session, LLM and Brain-only groups were swapped to measure any potential lasting impact of prior sessions.

The results? Across the first three tests, Brain-only writers had the most active, widespread brain engagement during the task, while LLM-assisted writers showed the lowest levels of brain activity across the board (although routinely completed the task fastest). Search engine-assisted users generally fell somewhere in between the two.

In short, Brain-only writers were actively engaging with the assignment, producing more creative and unique writing while actually learning. They were able to quote their essays afterwards and felt strong ownership of their work.

Alternatively, LLM users engaged less over each session, began to uncritically rely on ChatGPT more as the study went on, and felt less ownership of the results. Their work was judged to be less unique, and participants often failed to accurately quote from their own work, suggesting reduced long-term memory formation.

Researchers referred to this phenomenon as "metacognitive laziness" — not just a great name for a Prog-Rock band, but also a perfect label for the hazy distance between autopilot and Copilot, where participants disengage and let the AI do the thinking for them.

But it was the fourth session that yielded the most worrying results. According to the study, when the LLM and Brain-only group traded places, the group that previously relied on AI failed to bounce back to pre-LLM levels tested before the study.

TL;DR: AI makes us stupid, but we didn't need a study to prove it

To put it simply, sustained use of AI tools like ChatGPT to "help" with tasks that require critical thinking, creativity, and cognitive engagement may erode our natural ability to access those processes in the future.

But we didn't need a 206-page study to tell us that.

On June 10, an outage lasting over 10 hours saw ChatGPT users cut off from their AI assistant, and it provoked a disturbing trend of people openly admitting, sans any hint of awareness, that without access to OpenAI's chatbot, they'd suddenly forgotten how to work, write, or function.

This study may have used EEG caps and grading algorithms to prove it, but most of us may already be living its findings.

When faced with an easy or hard path, many of us would assume that only a particularly smooth-brained individual would willingly take the more difficult, obtuse route.

However, as this study claims, the so-called easy path may be quietly sanding down our frontal lobes in a lasting manner — at least when it comes to our use of AI.

That's especially frightening when you think of students, who are adopting these tools en masse, with OpenAI itself pushing for wider embrace of ChatGPT in education as part of its mission to build "an AI-Ready Workforce."

A 2023 study conducted by Intelligent.com revealed that a third of U.S. college students surveyed used ChatGPT for schoolwork during the 2022/23 academic year.

In 2024, a survey from the Digital Education Council claimed that 86% of students across 16 countries use artificial intelligence in their studies to some degree.

AI's big sell is productivity, the promise that we can get more done, faster. And yes, MIT researchers have previously concluded that AI tools can boost worker productivity by up to 15%, but the long-term impact suggests codependency over competency. And that sounds a lot like regression.

At least for the one in front of the computer.

Sizzle. Sizzle.

More from Laptop Mag

• Is Microsoft misleading users about Copilot? New claims point the finger at AI productivity
• Why OpenAI engineers are turning down $100 million from Meta, according to Sam Altman
• Google's latest Gemini 2.5 models are its biggest response to ChatGPT yet — and they're already live

You've decided you want a MacBook, but the question of "MacBook Air vs. MacBook Pro?" remains. I'm not a certified Apple Genius, but I've spent hundreds of hours using and reviewing every current MacBook Air and MacBook Pro for Laptop Mag, so I'm ready to help you find the best MacBook for your needs.

Let's start with the basics: In 2025, the MacBook Air and Pro lineups consist of four options: 13.6-inch and 15.3-inch MacBook Airs and 14.2-inch and 16.2-inch MacBook Pros.

The MacBook Air models are limited to Apple's M4 chip, while the MacBook Pro features the M4, M4 Pro, or M4 Max. Only the Pro models offer the more powerful "Pro" or "Max" chipsets, one of the most apparent differences between the Air and Pro MacBooks. The base MacBook Pro 14-inch blurs these lines with its standard M4 chip.

People often ask me, "Is the MacBook Air or MacBook Pro better?" There is no universal answer to that question; there is only which is better for you. So, let's find out.

I will compare price, features, performance, battery life, and more to determine whether you should invest in the MacBook Air or MacBook Pro in 2025.

And once we've determined whether the MacBook Air or Pro is better for you, our best MacBook deals can help you secure the best price.

MacBook Air vs. MacBook Pro: Specs compared

The Quick List

MacBook Air (13-inch, M4): Best for most people

Pros: While the 13-inch MacBook Air M4 looks no different from its predecessor outwardly, multiple changes make it the best MacBook for most people right now. The $100 price cut helps, returning the base MacBook Air to a $999 starting price.

Combined with the bump to 16GB of RAM on the base model, formerly a $200 upgrade, our recommended configuration for the 13-inch MacBook Air is $300 cheaper than last year's, even without scouting for one of the best MacBook deals.

The MacBook Air's 13.6-inch display is one of the brightest laptops around, and True Tone also ensures excellent color accuracy, but the vibrancy falls short of some of the OLED competition. Rumors of Apple moving to OLED in the future abound, but not yet.

Like its predecessors, the MacBook Air M4 is one of the thinnest laptops at only 0.4 inches. However, unlike many ultraportable laptops, it can keep up with an impressive workload, thanks to the M4 chip. Whether it was our benchmarks or real-world usage, the Air M4 was up for any task.

Looking at the benchmarks, the MacBook Air M4 scored 14,489 on Geekbench 6, easily surpassing the competition. Our Handbrake video transcoding test took 5 minutes and 40 seconds to transcode a 4K video to 1080p. This blows past the mainstream average, but still can't hold up to the MacBook Pro models in similar tests. SSD speeds are among the best we've seen, with 3,456.2 MBps and 3,018.4 MBps in BlackMagic Write and Read tests, respectively.

All that performance prowess doesn't hurt its battery life, either. If finding an outlet can be a challenge during your day, never fear: The Air M4 powered through almost 16 hours of battery life testing in our lab.

Rounding out the additions and upgrades from this year, the new Apple Center webcam is one of the best I've ever tested, the 12MP camera makes you look your best in any lighting.

Cons: So what are the downsides? If you have a lot of peripherals, the pair of Thunderbolt/USB-C ports may be challenging, but at least you have MagSafe 3 to keep both ports free while charging.

While the base $999 price for the MacBook Air 13-inch M4 is reasonable given what you are getting, if you need to upgrade RAM or storage, each jump is another $200, but neither is user-upgradeable, so don't leave yourself short.

Need more screen real estate? Look no further than the 15-inch MacBook Air M4. It mirrors all of the strengths of its smaller sibling but with a larger 15.3-inch display.

See our full 13-inch MacBook Air M4 review.
See our full 15-inch MacBook Air M4 review.

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MacBook Air (15-inch, M4): Best affordable big screen

Pros: Getting that big 15.3-inch display on a MacBook for as low as $1,199 is hard to pass up, considering that for years, a large screen MacBook was at least $2,499. While it lacks the 120Hz refresh rate of the Pro models, Apple didn't skimp on the display, as it offers an excellent 476 nits of brightness in our testing.

At 3.3 pounds and just 0.45 inches thick, it's a strong contender for the best business laptops or best student laptops for anyone who values a larger laptop that won't weigh down their laptop bag. Thanks to 15 hours and 14 minutes of battery life in our testing, it also won't call it quits on you early.

It features the same M4 chip as the 13-inch Air M4. It delivers nearly identical performance results on many tasks, although sustained tasks like video editing tip in favor of the 15-inch model, presumably due to improved thermal performance.

Cons: Not many. I find the port situation slightly more frustrating on the 15-inch Air as it features the same pair of Thunderbolt 3/USB 4 ports, MagSafe charger, and headphone/mic jack as the much smaller MacBook Air 13-inch. However, most of us who need more ports have long ago added a USB-C hub or laptop docking station to our assortment of gear.

See our full MacBook Air 15-inch M4 review.

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MacBook Pro (14-inch): Best for creative pros on the go

Pros: The base MacBook Pro 14 with its M4 chip is an excellent value for those looking for more power than the Air can offer without spending upwards of $2,000. It's also important to note when comparing against the Air that you start at 512GB of storage, a $200 upgrade for Air buyers. For most users, the base M4 will get the job done, but if time is money for you, then the M4 Pro and M4 Max processors Apple are among the fastest, most power-efficient chips ever built for portable computing.

The base models at both the M4 and M4 Pro levels are better than ever, with the M4 Pro outperforming the M3 Max in many metrics, so consider that before snapping up a deal on the older models. While the base model will be more than enough for most users, you can configure the M4 Max up to 128GB of RAM and an 8TB SSD. Battery life was tested at 18 hours and 32 minutes for the standard M4 configuration, and we would expect fairly similar results from the M4 Pro and M4 Max.

That redesign from 2021 still feels fresh with the 14.2-inch, 3024 x 1964-pixel Liquid Retina XDR mini-LED display with a 120Hz refresh rate. At 556 nits, this panel is one of the brightest laptop screens ever and both color accurate and vivid enough for creative work.

At 12.3 inches x 8.7 x 0.6 inches and 3.4 pounds, the 14-inch MacBook Pro remains portable despite the power it packs underneath the hood.

The 12MP Center Stage camera is another notable upgrade for the M4 MacBook Pros, it's the best webcam we've ever seen on a laptop with outstanding color accuracy while holding up well in differing lighting conditions. Add in Touch ID, a six-speaker setup, and a comfortable keyboard and the 14-inch MacBook Pro has a lot going for it.

Cons: So, what's wrong with the laptop? I'll be honest, not much. It would be great to get Face ID support for facial recognition login since that's been available on Windows laptops for years. While your mileage may vary, I find the vent placement makes the MacBook Pro uncomfortable to hold in certain orientations, which isn't a major issue, but it's something I haven't encountered on a MacBook previously.

See our full MacBook Pro 14 M4 review.

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MacBook Pro 16-inch: Best for peak performance

Pros: This MacBook Pro has everything we love about the 14-inch MacBook Pro but with a large 16-inch display. It has the same M4 Pro and M4 Max chip options along with up to a ludicrous 128GB of memory and up to an 8TB SSD. Battery life is even better, at 20 hours and 46 minutes in our testing, our second-longest result ever and the longest ever for a MacBook. Given the sky-high performance benchmarks, that battery life is almost unbelievable, I've speculated before that Apple has a secret pocket dimension in the MacBook Pro chassis, and I'm still not counting that out as a possibility.

If you plan to keep your laptop for 5-7 years or more and particularly are doing creative work or other work that requires data transfers between your laptop and either an SSD or other hardware, then the 16-inch MacBook Pro offers another advantage over its smaller Pro sibling, Thunderbolt 5 ports. While there is little to take full advantage of the new standard at the moment, Thunderbolt 5 docks, external SSDs, and more are starting to arrive and will pick up over the next 12 months.

Cons: You can get most of what is available in the 16-inch MacBook Pro in the 14-inch model for $500 less. If you need the larger panel or Thunderbolt 5 support, then get the 16-inch MacBook Pro, but if that's not crucial, there is little reason to pay up for the larger laptop.

Also, at 14 x 9.8 x 0.66 inches and 4.7 pounds, the 16-inch MacBook Pro is considerably larger than the 14-inch model, so if you regularly tote your laptop around, that's worth considering as well.

Like the 14-inch model, I wish Face ID was available, and I'm not a fan of the vent configuration, but these are minor concerns overall.

See our full MacBook Pro 16-inch M4 Pro review.

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How We Test MacBooks

We put MacBooks through extensive benchmark testing—both synthetic and real-world—before they are handed to our reviewers. We evaluate everything from speed and battery life to display brightness, speaker volume, and system heat.

We use a Klein K10 colorimeter to detect a laptop display's brightness and sRGB color gamut. For performance benchmarking, we run the laptop through a gauntlet of benchmarks, including Geekbench 6, BlackMagic Disk Speed Test, and PugetBench for Adobe CC.

We task the laptop to convert a 4K video to 1080p resolution to determine real-world performance. Our real-world graphics tests on MacBooks include Borderlands 3, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Sid Meier's Civilization VI: Gathering Storm, and Total War: Warhammer III in 1080p and native resolution settings.

We also run heat tests by playing a 15-minute full-screen video, and our proprietary Laptop Mag Battery Test consists of continuous web surfing over wifi at 150 nits of brightness. Anything over 10 hours is considered strong battery life, a standard every current Macbook easily surpasses.

Following these tests, the laptop is given to our expert reviewers for extensive hands-on testing. Our reviewers will spend days using the laptop as part of their typical workflow to get a sense of the real-world performance and live with the laptop to come away with a thorough understanding of the hardware and software experience. This blended lab testing and hands-on approach allows us to offer you a clear and comprehensive view of every laptop that comes through Laptop Mag.

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Why Trust Laptop Mag

Laptop Mag reviews over a hundred laptops yearly, from paperweight ultralights to everyday workhorses to lumbering gaming notebooks that scorch the frame rates of even the hottest AAA games. We're not just experts in the laptop field, as we go one step further by meticulously testing smartphones, tablets, headphones, PC accessories, software, and even the latest in gaming.

We are 100 percent independent and have decades of experience to help you buy with confidence. In fact, Laptop Mag has been testing and reviewing products for three decades and continues to deliver trustworthy reviews you can rely on.

Our experienced team of 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.

One of the world's largest technology publishers, Future Publishing, enforces our editorial trustworthiness. As a company, we have unrivaled experience across every tech sector — and we're the group's specialist for all things mobile tech.

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I recently reviewed the Nintendo Switch 2, and I can tell you that it is not just hype, but there are a few caveats. If you’re rocking a Nintendo Switch OLED or considering buying one in spite of the Switch 2’s $450 price tag, there are some advantages over the Switch 2.

So, how much did Nintendo actually change with the Switch 2? Let me tell you why you shouldn’t count out the Switch OLED just yet, and why it might be worth upgrading depending on your needs.

What’s the same?

Despite some of the radical changes from afar, there are quite a few similarities between the Switch 2 and Switch OLED (for better and worse).

Thankfully, most Nintendo Switch games are compatible with the Nintendo Switch 2, including the game cartridges. However, some are incompatible, but I won’t fully count that against the Switch 2 just yet, as both Nintendo and developers are working to resolve that with future updates.

One of the most significant and disappointing similarities is the ergonomics of the Joy-Con controllers. For the most part, the layout of the Joy-Con 2 and Joy-Con controllers is the same. Not improving upon the ergonomics of the original Switch is a wild choice from Nintendo. If you’re using third-party Joy-Con controllers like I am, you know they're infinitely more ergonomic. Now, it’s great that Nintendo improved the process of attaching the Joy-Con to the Switch, but that means you’ll need to buy another third-party controller.

A majority of the operating system and UI are the same. I think that’s fine. It’s frustrating to learn a new UI, but at least the Nintendo eShop is improved on the Switch 2. My one criticism, however, for both consoles is that the Home themes are limited to white and black. Where are my cool PlayStation-esque backgrounds? Come on, Nintendo, get with the program.

Virtual Game Cards are a huge new addition for the Nintendo Switch 2 launch, but they also work on the Switch OLED. Essentially, you can let your friends borrow one of your games for up to two weeks. I have issues with how this process works when you’re trading with yourself (why is this a thing?), but overall, it’s a neat feature.

The difference: Where the Switch OLED wins

I've made it clear in my review of the Nintendo Switch 2 — no OLED is an absolute dealbreaker. Nintendo can't just give us the greatest handheld display out there and rip it from our hands.

The depth of color and contrast outpace all other LCD/LED displays, and that’s because OLED panels feature self-emitting pixels — when you see black, you’re looking at a pixel that’s turned off, thus you get virtually infinite contrast. The bezels are also considerably thinner.

Running around Hyrule in The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom looked breathtaking, from the crisp grass to the crystal blue ocean. It felt like gazing into a window of one of Nintendo’s most iconic worlds. Playing Echoes of Wisdom on the Switch 2 looked crisp, and while the screen displayed plenty of brightness, the depth of color didn’t capture the natural environments as well as the Switch OLED. It still looks great, but side by side? Switch OLED wins.

For those with longer commutes, the Nintendo Switch OLED is rated for longer battery life — 4.5 to 9 hours, compared to the Switch 2’s 2 to 6.5 hours.

Speaking of portability, the Switch OLED is smaller and lighter, coming in at 9.5 x 4 x 0.55~1.12 inches (Joy-Con attached) and 0.71 pounds (0.93 pounds with Joy-Con attached). Meanwhile, the Switch 2 measures 10.7 x 4.5 x 0.55~1.2 inches (Joy-Cons 2 attached) and weighs 0.88 pounds (1.18 pounds with Joy-Con 2). That’s a lot more weight to hold up when you’re using the same ergonomically unsound Joy-Con controllers.

Speaking of Joy-Con controllers, I use the Hori Split Pad Pro for my Switch OLED, which means I feel extremely comfortable playing games for hours. The Switch 2 will likely get some third-party controllers in the future, but we’re not there yet. At the very least, I’d wait until the Hori Split Pad Pro 2 gets released. (Hopefully, Hori will add haptics this time.)

The difference: Where the Switch 2 wins

Performance is where the Nintendo Switch 2 shines. With its new Nvidia T239 chip, Nintendo introduces frame generation into the Switch. That gives this relatively small handheld gaming console the power to run famously taxing games like Cyberpunk 2077. Nintendo Switch OLED cannot handle demanding AAA titles, as we’ve seen with its cloud-based ports of games like Control and Resident Evil Village. Of course, it also has 4x storage.

Then there’s the display. Yeah, I know I complained about the Switch 2 ditching OLED, but the overall specs in its display and connectivity are a massive improvement. It features a larger 7.9 display clocked at a 1080p resolution with a 120Hz refresh rate. And when you connect it to the dock, you can get 4K/60Hz. That puts the Nintendo Switch 2 into a more competitive ring with its rival consoles, which have offered these specs for years. It also crushes the Switch OLED’s 7-inch, 720p (1080p when docked), 60Hz display.

I previously mentioned that the Joy-Con 2 controller layout is the same, which is true, except when they’re used individually. The Switch 2 drastically improves upon its interior Joy-Con controllers by carving out larger buttons that offer a smoother, satisfying click. The original Joy-Con controllers made me feel like I needed to fight just to click the buttons. Additionally, the Joy-Con 2 controllers being bigger overall helps with the comfort, even though they’re still a bit awkward to use.

Of course, one of the biggest additions to the controllers and the console itself is GameChat. Clicking the C button brings up GameChat, which is exactly what it sounds like. Surprisingly, the previous Nintendo Switch did not have any party chat capabilities. So while it’s not a revolutionary feature, it’s a much-needed one. And you can also stream your game to your friends, which is pretty sick.

The Switch dock is also nicer — it looks and feels more premium, but that feels more like a cherry on top than a competitive quality, outside of its performance gains.

Which should you buy?

There’s no denying that the Nintendo Switch 2 is a superior purchase compared to the Switch OLED. Yes, I am distraught over the OLED display, but it is what it is. Yet, the Switch OLED still might be the best Switch for you.

Why? Well, the Switch OLED is $350. That’s $100 cheaper than the Switch 2, and $150 cheaper if you’re considering the Mario Kart World bundle. The truth is: There aren’t many Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive games out right now (although, Donkey Kong Bananza looks pretty darn good). Even some of Nintendo’s blockbuster titles like Metroid Prime 4: Beyond will be available for the original Nintendo Switch. Will new games run as well? Probably not. But if you’re not interested in new Nintendo exclusives, you probably don’t need to upgrade.

However, if you want all the latest games from Nintendo, and especially demanding AAA games on launch day, you’ll want to jump on the Nintendo Switch 2. But I still think most people can wait. I plan on purchasing a Nintendo Switch 2… OLED model, which Nintendo will hopefully launch relatively soon. Sure, it’ll be more expensive, but I’ll get my shiny new display. And if it seems too far away, I’ll try to get the Switch 2 on sale at the very least.

When Apple released its M1 processor in 2020, I finally caved and bought my first MacBook. I used it for light work while traveling because it only had a 13-inch display and couldn’t run my three external monitors. That meant I spent 80% of my working time on my Windows PC.

I eventually upgraded to the 15-inch MacBook Air when it arrived, but I still put off using it as my daily driver until I finally found a way to use my triple-monitor workstation with it.

But now that I have a DisplayLink dock to work around that monitor problem, I knew I had to try using it as my main machine — and after a week, I don’t think I’m sold on the Apple ecosystem.

Amazing battery life and sleek form factor

The extended battery life and sleek form factor that Apple silicon delivers is a game changer for me, as it allows me to work between three to four hours without needing to charge my laptop. Aside from that, the laptop is thin and light enough that it’s actually convenient to bring anywhere I go, making me second-guess my iPad Air purchase.

This is impossible with my Windows laptop, which could barely last over an hour. Granted, that’s a gaming PC I bought in 2020, and many newer and better options have come out since then, but the best MacBooks are still among the laptops with the best battery life.

macOS has its own quirks and features

As a long-time Windows user, I know my way around the operating system and have memorized the apps and hotkeys that let me work much faster. But when I switched over to macOS, I had to relearn a lot of things, like how to take a screenshot and getting used to the placement of the Option and Command keys.

Finder is one of the Mac apps that I had a hard time getting used to. For example, I open apps, files, and programs by hitting Enter and delete them by pressing Delete on File Explorer in Windows; these intuitive hotkeys make navigating my drive much easier. But Apple requires you to press Command + Down Arrow and Command + Backspace to do the same actions, adding one more keypress to what should’ve been a simple single step. I solved this by downloading third-party apps that helped me get the Windows feel on my MacBook.

Despite that, macOS does a couple of things much better than Windows. I love Spotlight Search as it gives me nearly everything I need in an instant. This feature is often faster and more accurate than Windows Search straight from the Start Menu. Furthermore, I love how macOS lets you calculate and convert figures straight from the search bar. You can also do this with Windows, but it’s just not as fast.

Installing and managing apps is also less complicated, especially if you stick to the App Store. But even if you download apps from a website and not through Apple’s own marketplace, adding software to your Mac could be as simple as dragging and dropping its icon to the Applications folder.

Apple’s trackpad is also so good that I invested in a separate Magic Trackpad for use when I’m at home. The gestures are just plain intuitive, and gliding your finger on its glass surface is just heaven. It’s something many Windows laptops tried (and failed) to copy.

No, 8GB is not enough RAM

Apple VP for worldwide product marketing Bob Borchers once said in an interview on BiliBili that 8GB of RAM was good enough for macOS because of how efficient it is — but my experience says otherwise. I only chose the base specs of the 15-inch MacBook Air because I will mostly use it as a travel and backup device.

It had no problems then when I was running just a couple of apps. But now that I’m using it as my main work laptop with my usual workflow, my MacBook Air is stuttering. When I checked the Memory tab in Activity Monitor, it showed my device using more than 7GB out of the 8GB RAM that it had.

This is a problem, especially since I haven’t launched Trello yet, which could use up a lot of memory. When I edit images in Photoshop and Lightroom, the lag gets so severe that I must close some of the browser tabs I need or even restart the computer.

Upgrades not allowed

My Windows laptop’s old memory sticks, plus the packaging of the SSDs I recently installed on it.

This is the biggest drawback for me with MacBooks — you need to spec the hardware you’d need in the future at the time of purchase, as you can’t upgrade the storage and memory on these devices. Since I initially bought my MacBook as a backup device, it only has 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage.

This was more than enough for its original purpose, but now that I’m using it as my main computer, I’m struggling with the available hardware. I wish I could bump this up to 32GB of RAM and at least 1TB of storage, but it’s just impossible with Apple silicon Macs.

I can’t help but compare this with my Windows laptop. It had 16GB of RAM, a 512GB SSD, and a 1TB HDD when I bought it, but I’ve since upgraded it to 32GB of RAM and 2.5TB of SSD storage. This added more life to my already five-year-old laptop, and the upgrades cost me less than $200.

If I wanted to level up my current Mac, I’d have to sell it or trade it in. Apple currently values it at $540, but I still have to pay at least $1,200 if I’m getting the MacBook Air 15-inch M4. This will give me 16GB of unified memory and 256GB of storage, but if I want to upgrade it to 32GB of RAM and 2TB SSD, I need to pay $1,200 more. This essentially doubles the price of the laptop to $2,400.

Even with the discount, I’ll shell out over $1,900 just to get the memory and storage I need. Sure, I’ll get a new processor (that I don’t really need) — but at nearly 10 times more than what I paid to upgrade my Windows laptop. It’s not worth it.

I’m still sticking with Windows

MacBooks are great devices, and Apple offers an option at nearly every price range. They’re easy to lug around everywhere I go, and the efficiency of M-series chips changed my life.

But after 30 years of using Windows, macOS is actually slowing me down. I could get used to the operating system, but it will likely take a year or two of using it full-time before I can hit the same efficiency I have with Windows. Yes, Windows is imperfect and has its fair share of bugs, but at least I can operate it in my sleep.

More importantly, economics is holding me back from going all-in with macOS. I can buy a Windows laptop that delivers similar performance to a MacBook at a fraction of the price. In addition, I have the option to get an upgradeable Windows laptop, allowing me to use it for years to come.

Still, that doesn’t mean I’m ditching my MacBook Air. It’s a great travel laptop and also serves as my backup device for my main PC. Maybe I’ll be a full Apple convert when it can run GTA 6 natively. Maybe.

More from Laptop Mag

• I ditched Windows 11 for Linux — and you should, too
• I’m a longtime Windows fan, but this shocking discovery pushed me to MacBooks
• Microsoft Surface Laptop 7th Edition vs. MacBook Pro 14 M3: Which is better?

Last month, Amazon announced it was removing a feature that allowed users to download their Kindle books to their PC, whether to backup those books or use a tool like Calibre to read them on a non-Kindle device. With this feature gone, the only way to read Kindle books is now on a Wi-Fi-connected Kindle or the Kindle app.

This announcement sparked frustration for a lot of readers, prompting many (myself included) to take a closer look at the Kindle's closest rival, Kobo. If you're also considering making the switch, you might be skeptical about whether or not it's really worth it or whether Kobo ereaders can truly compare to a Kindle.

I switched to a Kobo ereader for a week to find out. My experience left me absolutely certain which ereader I'll be using from now on.

Why I left Kindle (and you should, too)

Amazon's change to its ebook downloading rules might not sound like a big deal. After all, if you're buying ebooks on Amazon, you're probably planning to read them on a Kindle or in the app anyway. However, this move cements the reality that when you buy a Kindle ebook, you don't actually own it because Amazon can change or remove that title from your library at any point and you can't read it outside Amazon's ecosystem.

Amazon has already made use of this control in the past. Back in 2009, Amazon removed copies of 1984 from Kindle devices after discovering an independent seller didn't have the proper authorization to sell the ebook. Of course, the people who bought it had no way of knowing that. Amazon and publishers also can (and have) changed the content and covers of Kindle ebooks without giving readers any option to choose which version of the book they want.

Seeing Amazon remove the one feature that could allow users to control access to the ebooks they've purchased didn't sit well with me. My Kindle was getting a bit old and battered around the edges anyway, so I decided it was time to make the leap to Kobo.

What Kobo does better (and worse) than Kindle

Like Amazon, Rakuten offers a range of Kobo ereaders, from the basic Clara BW to the feature-packed Libra Colour. I prefer small, light ereaders and didn't really need a color display, so I went with the basic Kobo Clara BW (black and white). It's effectively the Kobo equivalent of the Kindle Paperwhite.

The most inconvenient part of making the switch was actually getting my Kobo. Thanks to Prime, you can order a Kindle and potentially have it that day. While Kobo ereaders are available on Amazon, it seemed a bit counterintuitive to buy one there so I ordered directly from Rakuten. The shipping took about a week from the time I placed my order to when my ereader arrived.

The build quality of the Kobo Clara BW feels really solid, noticeably moreso than my Kindle (2022 All-New Kindle). The plastic on the Clara is visibly more textured, which makes it easier to hold. It doesn't look as "minimalistic" as the smooth case on the Kindle, but it's much more practical. I also like that the Kobo has its power button on the back instead of on the edges like the Kindle. The placement of the power button on the bottom edge of my Kindle made it easy to press on accident.

Unfortunately, since Kobo ereaders aren't as popular as Kindles, there are far fewer options for cases and accessories. I wasn't looking for anything fancy, so I just got the basic clear plastic Clara case. However, if you like to deck out your ereader with a stylish or unique case, you probably won't have as many to choose from.

The reading experience on the Kobo is fantastic. The interface is very straightforward and only took a few minutes for me to get used to. I especially love that the Home screen on my Clara isn't full of shop recommendations like my Home screen on my Kindle. You can access the Kobo store and buy ebooks from the Clara, but the advertising isn't right in your face, which is a relief.

One thing that initially threw me off that I ended up appreciating is the way Kobo counts pages. For instance, if I'm on "page 8 out of 16" in a chapter on my Kobo, each "page" is one swipe of my screen. In contrast, Kindle doesn't adjust page numbers for your device and display settings so you can be on "page 8" for several swipes of your screen. I prefer the way my page number is displayed on Kobo because it makes it much easier to gauge how close I am to the end of a chapter.

So far, I like the Kobo store better than the Kindle store. Even just in my first week of using my Kobo, I've found over a dozen titles from my wishlist on sale for $5 or less. Of course, ebooks go on sale on Kindle, as well, but I've noticed more significant and frequent discounts on Kobo.

As an added bonus, Rakuten still allows you to download and export your Kobo ebooks to other devices, at least at the time of writing. You also don't need to pay to remove lockscreen ads like on the Kindle (that's right, there are no lockscreen ads on Kobo).

Do I regret switching to Kobo?

I haven't picked up my Kindle in over a week, and frankly, I forgot where it was for a few days. That's how content I am reading on my Kobo.

The battery life and the quality of the E-ink display on my Kobo are just as good, if not better than, my Kindle, and Kobo still supports downloading and exporting your ebooks, so your library isn't locked into one ecosystem or device. The Kobo UI is less cluttered with shop recommendations, includes more fonts, and has a more convenient page-counting system. Basic features like highlighting, adding notes, or looking up definitions for words all work just as smoothly as they do on Kindle.

Of course, making the switch might not be for everyone, especially if you have a large Kindle library you're no longer able to export. However, if your Kindle is due for an upgrade, you're looking to leave the Amazon ecosystem, or you're shopping for your first ereader, I highly recommend giving Kobo a shot. The drawbacks compared to Amazon are few and relatively small and the pricing is virtually identical.

I've had a great experience with my Kobo so far and can safely say it will be my ereader of choice for the foreseeable future. So long, Kindle.

More from Laptop Mag

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• Tim Cook’s MacBook Air M4 teaser was actually… a new iPad Air?
• Best tablet deals in March 2025: Save $400 on Surface Pro 11 and more

For a limited time, save up to $400 on the new Dell Plus laptop series starting at $699, up to $600 on Dell XPS laptops from $1,099, and up to $250 off Dell Inspiron laptops from just $499.

Browse: Dell's entire Black Friday in July sale

Or save big on professional-grade productivity and performance with up to $330 off Dell Pro and Dell Pro Max business laptops. Prices start from $719.

If you're a gamer or creator looking for a price break on a gaming-specific laptop, brace yourself for this one. Right now, you can score huge savings of up to $900 on Dell and Alienware gaming laptops.

Complement your new laptop, existing workspace, or gaming setup with Dell and Alienware monitors from $145 and PC accessories from $19.

Whether your daily driver or peripherals are in dire need of a refresh or you want to beat the back-to-school shopping rush, don't miss Dell's Black Friday in July sale.

Dell's limited-time deals typically sell out fast, so if you see something that catches your eye, act now. Keep scrolling to see my recommended Dell Black Friday in July deals starting from $19.

Dell Black Friday in July sale deals — Quick links

• Browse: Dell Black Friday in July deals
• Dell USB Slim DVD +/- RW Drive: was $40 now $19 at Dell
• Alienware Wired Gaming Headset: was $79 now $69 at Dell
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Dell Black Friday in July sale deals

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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.

Although Samsung’s upcoming smartphone promises to be the thinnest Galaxy Fold ever, the rumors surrounding it are anything but.

If you’d prefer not to wait, there have been more than enough leaks about the Z Fold 7 to form an early impression of what to expect from next month’s reveal.

So, let’s dive into what we know so far about the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7, early.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7: Release date and price rumors

Samsung hasn’t officially announced the Galaxy Z Fold 7 yet, but that doesn’t stop us from piecing together when it will, based on its usual routine for unveiling and releasing smartphones.

Samsung typically holds two Galaxy Unpacked events each year. The first of which takes place right at the start of the year, and will usually focus on its Galaxy S series smartphones. This year, it was the turn of the Samsung Galaxy S25.

The second of Samsung’s Galaxy Unpacked events takes place halfway through the year, and it’s here that we tend to see the company’s latest Galaxy Z Fold and Flip foldable phones.

Exactly when Samsung hosts these events can vary, but the second Galaxy Unpacked events of the last two years have both fallen within July. A Korean outlet, The JoongAng, claims the same will happen this year as well.

Samsung's summer Unpacked event is scheduled for July 9, 2025, at 10 a.m. Eastern.

Samsung’s Galaxy Z series phones will typically go on sale within a few weeks of their announcement, meaning this year’s Galaxy Z Fold 7 could be available for purchase as early as Wednesday, July 25.

While the Z Fold 6 and Z Flip 6 both received a $100 price bump last year, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Flip 7 are said to remain at that price, with no further increases expected.

This means that the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 will likely be available to buy starting at a still-mighty $1,899.

While there are rumors of a price hike for the Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7, it seems more likely that Samsung will unveil a higher-end foldable, such as a Z Flip Ultra or Z Fold Ultra. However, we'll have to wait until Unpacked to know for sure.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7: Rumored specs

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7: Design and display rumors

From what we’ve heard so far, this year’s Galaxy Z Fold 7 will reportedly take inspiration from last year’s Galaxy Z Fold 6 special edition, a limited edition of the foldable sold only in Korea and China that was larger, faster, thinner, lighter, and offered better cooling, speakers, and an improved primary camera.

These changes, along with the phone's super-narrow bezels, could translate to the Galaxy Z Fold 7 receiving a bigger ~8.2-inch foldable display (previously 7.6 inches), a 6.5-inch cover screen (previously 6.3 inches), and adopting a form factor that’s only 8.9mm thick (4.5mm when open) — though some reports suggest the phone could be as little as 3.9mm in thickness while open, making it the thinnest Galaxy Fold to date.

It’s suggested that the rest of the Z Fold 7’s build will largely remain the same, meaning it will presumably offer the same layout as the Z Fold 6 while touting a similar Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel with a 120Hz refresh rate, rated at 2,600 nits of peak brightness.

Beyond raw specifications, Samsung’s display is also claimed to have a significantly less noticeable crease than other Galaxy Fold models, with Android Central reporting that the company showcased a creaseless panel at MWC 2025.

As for color choices, it appears the Z Fold 7 will be available in a few different shades. Android Central reported additional color leaks, including the sleek Blue Shadow, Jet Black, and Silver Shadow. But Samsung could save the more unique colors for its own storefront exclusive.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7: Camera rumors

Among the list of Galaxy Z Fold 6 special edition features that the Z Fold 7 is expected to inherit, a staggering 200MP upgrade to the typically 50MP main camera stands out the most.

It’s believed that the new Galaxy Fold will also feature the same 12MP ultrawide, 10MP telephoto (3x optical), 10MP front-facing selfie camera with a 100-degree wide-angle lens, and 4MP under-display selfie camera of last year’s model.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7: Performance and battery rumors

There’s no need to speculate over whether or not the Galaxy Z Fold 7 will go with an Exynos or Qualcomm Snapdragon chip, as 91mobiles has already put that conversation to bed after uncovering an FCC certification confirming that the new Galaxy Fold will make use of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset (tailored for Galaxy devices) backed by up to 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage.

The Snapdragon 8 Elite is a proven powerhouse, with Qualcomm exec Chris Patrick telling Tom’s Guide in October 2024 that the chip was “a desktop-class CPU [with] mobile-level power efficiency.”

That efficiency could make great use of the Galaxy Fold 7’s expected 4,400 mAh battery capacity, the same as previous models, utilizing 15W wireless charging and 25W of peak wired charging.

What's next

With leaks relating to Samsung’s Galaxy Fold 7 appearing thick and fast ahead of July’s rumored Galaxy Unpacked event, expect more news to follow on this device in the coming days as we get closer to the official reveal.

These rumored changes to the Galaxy Z Fold 7 suggest a device even more premium, durable, and attractive than before. Samsung has confirmed in a May 2025 post that One UI 8 “will debut on Samsung’s newest foldables this summer,” making the Z Fold 7 one of the first devices to use the new customized Android 16 UI.

It’s also been suggested that owners of the Galaxy Z Fold 7 could get free access (for an unknown amount of time) to Google’s AI Pro subscription service (typically costing $19.99 per month).

For a full look at what the Z Fold 7 will be capable of, we’ll need to wait to hear it directly from Samsung during next week's Galaxy Unpacked event. But until then, there’s plenty of information here to digest, and the Galaxy Fold is looking stronger than ever based on these early reports.

More from Laptop Mag

• The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 might be the most beautiful phone to fail
• MWC Shanghai 2025 will actually be a pressure test for the next generation of tech
• Anker recalls 1 million power banks — here are five to buy instead

Laura Fryer, a member of the founding team for Xbox, says Xbox hardware may be on the way out, despite what Microsoft's marketing suggests.

In the aftermath of the unveiling of the Asus ROG Xbox Ally, Fryer shared her thoughts on the future of the Xbox as someone who helped get the brand off the ground.

Unfortunately for console fans, she has offered a harsh verdict.

Here's a look at what Fryer had to say about the future of the Xbox and how the ROG Xbox Ally could shape it.

See also: This month's best gaming laptop deals

"They are betting their entire business on Game Pass"

Fryer has been a leader in the video game industry for decades. While she is no longer affiliated with Microsoft, she shared her expert opinion on the future of Xbox hardware in a video posted on Sunday on her YouTube channel.

Unfortunately for console fans, in light of Microsoft's announcement of the Asus ROG Xbox Ally, Fryer thinks Xbox may be leaving the hardware market entirely, and it's part of a bigger shift across the brand that's leaning more and more on Game Pass and Xbox Anywhere.

Fryer called out the state of things at Xbox right now, saying, "They are betting their entire business on Game Pass and leaving the hardware innovation to their partners at Asus."

She went on to add, "I'll admit, it's a great message for gamers. Who doesn't want to play their games with their family and friends on any device and any platform? But that's all it is -- it's marketing."

While Fryer admitted that Game Pass "has a lot of value," she also pointed out the confusion surrounding which games can be played on Game Pass and Xbox Anywhere.

For instance, the ROG Xbox Ally is a Windows device, so it can't play native Xbox games; only native PC games are supported. The line between those is blurring, but it's still worth noting.

Similarly, the Core and Standard Game Pass subscription tiers for console specifically don't include the day-one releases that are one of the service's most significant selling points. In contrast, the PC version of the Standard Game Pass subscription does include day-one releases.

Fryer also called out confusing moves like this in her video, stating, "From my perspective, the Xbox strategy has been chaotic. So, it's hard to say what they'll do next."

Her prediction for the console's future was grim, to say the least: "Obviously, as one of the founding members of the Xbox team, I'm not pleased with where things are today.

"I don't love watching all of the value that I helped create slowly get eroded away. I'm sad because, from my perspective, it looks like Xbox has no desire or literally can't ship hardware anymore. So, this partnership [with Asus] is about a slow exit from the hardware business completely."

"Personally, I think Xbox hardware is dead."

Is the "future of Xbox" just... PC gaming?

Fryer's perspective on the state of things at Xbox doesn't bode well for gamers who prefer their console to a PC. While Fryer mentioned how cost-effective PC gaming can be when you build your own PC, she also praised the ease that comes with consoles.

They're often less expensive than a gaming PC and, at least historically, easier to use since you don't need to worry about things like driver updates.

With Xbox seemingly abandoning hardware, gamers who want the convenience of a console will likely switch to a PlayStation or even the Nintendo Switch 2.

Even if those gamers want to keep playing their Xbox games, Microsoft has, ironically, made it exceptionally easy for them to abandon Xbox hardware without losing access to their games.

Fryer pointed this out, too, saying, "Here's the problem: Xbox doesn't do exclusives anymore. Even if Xbox delivers a crazy great game, Xbox Anywhere means that I can play that game on any platform."

If the ROG Xbox Ally is any indicator of Microsoft's plans for the Xbox brand, we could be looking at a future where "Xbox hardware" is just... Windows gaming PCs. Of course, there are some phenomenal gaming laptops out there for those who want to get into PC gaming.

However, it's not the same as a console and it's easy to see why long-time Xbox fans may be disappointed to see Xbox consoles ride off into the sunset.

As Laura Fryer said, "It's one year from the 25th anniversary of the [original] Xbox and it looks like they're abandoning pretty much everything that made the Xbox brand great in the first place."

More from Laptop Mag

• The next-gen Xbox console may as well be a gaming PC, except for 1 key difference
• ROG Ally X vs. Xbox Ally X: Real differences or clever rebranding?
• With 'The Outer Worlds 2', Xbox missed the anti-capitalist message

In total, that's $65 in savings and one of the best tablet deals of the summer.

Browse: Best Buy's entire 4th of July sale

Launched in January 2024, the Galaxy Tab A9 Plus is one of the best-selling Android tablets at Best Buy for good reason. Satisfied customers praise the tablet's fast performance, long battery life, and thin, lightweight design.

We didn't test this exact tablet, but in our Galaxy Tab A7 review, we rated it 3.5 out of 5 stars, praising its colorful display, Dolby Atmos quad speakers, and impressive battery life of over 13 hours.

The Galaxy Tab A9 Plus has accumulated a 4.6 out of 5-star product rating at Best Buy, so I expect it not to disappoint. Since the base model tablet in this deal ships with 64GB of storage, the stackable discount on a Samsung memory card is welcome.

Best Buy's 4th of July sale ends Sunday, July 6, so don't hesitate too long.

Today's best Samsung Galaxy Tab A9 Plus

Potentially arriving by the end of the year, this new MacBook could be the most accessible of all, trading in the opportunity to sport Apple's upcoming M5 chip for a surprisingly more modest option, the A18 Pro Bionic — the very same chip used by the iPhone 16 Pro.

Sound a little far-fetched? Perhaps not. We've actually been tracking reports of low-cost MacBook across a string of rumors dating all the way back to September 2023.

What is the MacBook SE?

Tentatively labelled the MacBook SE, this modestly priced MacBook has reportedly been in the works, with Apple exploring ways to cut down on costs to deliver a product that doesn't aim to challenge its typical Windows counterparts, but this time, the Chromebook.

Early rumors suggested that Apple would cut costs by adopting less premium materials and components during construction. One option may include adopting a rigid plastic chassis, as it did with the Apple Watch SE 3.

According to an article posted by Kuo to X, Kuo shares that the new MacBook's chassis could come in four potential case colors, including silver, blue, pink, and yellow.

Kuo also shares that this long-rumored MacBook is expected to enter mass production late in the fourth quarter of 2025 or in the early first quarter of 2026, suggesting a release next year, potentially unveiling it sometime in March 2026 during its annual Spring event.

MacBook SE: What's the point?

Challenging Chromebooks seems like an odd decision at first, but having delivered serious competition in practically every market there is, Apple has one frontier it's yet to conquer: the classroom.

Ask any college goer what the best laptop for students is, and you're bound to be met by a slew of arguments that favor Apple's MacBooks, but when it comes to K-12 education, the Chromebook reigns supreme.

However, should Apple follow through on its low-cost MacBook plans, even the best Chromebooks would have reason to worry.

While Chromebooks win on price and simplicity, an Apple alternative, even one running an A-series chip, could bring a much broader toolkit with it, cutting out the reliance on web apps, granting access to Apple Intelligence, and delivering a host of macOS content through a thriving App Store.

That said, putting a powerful and less narrow computing experience in the hands of students for less wouldn't just benefit those in education, but Apple, too.

Apple's ecosystem: Get them while they're young

Another huge benefit for Apple would be having its OS in K-12 classrooms across the country, developing an instant familiarity with macOS among a younger generation, and, in turn, challenging Windows' dominance as the "standard" operating system for computing.

A move like this isn't just about expanding on a classroom's toolset; it's about quietly rewriting digital instincts among younger generations, something that Microsoft similarly managed to pull off in the 90s with Windows 95.

While Google's follow-up efforts haven't exactly turned ChromeOS into a major player among wider users, it has helped to proliferate use of Google's Workspace suite and get many to trade purchasing office software for using the company's free alternatives, regardless of which OS they eventually move on to.

A low-cost MacBook isn't just about increasing sales — though Kuo does project it accounting for 5-7 million units in 2026 — it's about Apple laying new groundwork for long-term loyalty, and redefining what is seen as the "default" for a whole new generation of tech-savvy youngsters.

More from Laptop Mag

• Dear Apple, it's 2025, where’s my MacBook SE?
• Apple doesn't want you to see its latest MacBook ad — or several others just like it
• Apple's Mac Minis are turning into fancy bricks – but there's a fix

The VR headset is just over a year old, and it has yet to catch on with the public thanks to its expensive price tag and lack of functionality. While the Apple Vision Pro inspired the company to introduce Liquid Glass across all upcoming software updates, the company had few features to reveal for the headset. It does appear, however, that Apple is coming for everyone's head, literally.

Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo posted about Apple's plans for the future, and it appears the company is going to focus on both eyewear and headsets. He says, "Apple views head-mounted devices as the next major trend in consumer electronics" and predicts the company will release multiple products for this trend starting in 2027.

Apple didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.

It's going to be a busy 2027 for Apple

According to Kuo, Apple will release a lighter version of its Apple Vision Pro in 2027, which he refers to as Vision Air. This new VR headset will be more than 40% lighter. This new lighter headset would also come at a much lower price.

Before the release of the Vision Air, Kuo predicts Apple will release another Vision Pro with the same design but an upgraded M5 processor replacing the current M2 chip.

Then, in 2028, Kuo says Apple will release its second generation of the Vision Pro. This new headset will have a different design, lighter weight, and a lower price than the original, with a Mac-grade processor.

For smart glasses, Kuo predicts Apple will release its smart glasses in 2027, with projected shipments to be 3 to 5 million units. Apple has "made progress" on a specialty chip designed for smart glasses, which could include versions with and without AR functionality. These glasses would compete directly with Meta, the current market leader, and its Ray-Ban and upcoming Oakley models.

The smart glasses will offer multiple frame and material options, along with voice control and gesture recognition, according to Kuo. The glasses will also have audio playback, camera, video recording, and AI environmental sensing features.

The glasses don't stop there. Kuo predicts Apple will begin production of a pair of XR glasses in 2028. These will have the same voice control and gesture recognition as the smart glasses while also having a color display. Kuo also says Apple is working on another "display accessory" that could return to development. This accessory would tether to an Apple device, such as an iPhone, and display content.

The PS5 exclusive from Metal Gear creator Hideo Kojima is a follow-up to his 2019 game, telling the story of Sam Porter, who is trying to reconnect the United States of America after the world was decimated by the souls of the dead roaming the Earth. Death Stranding 2 improves on many aspects of the original, but it appears that some players are having issues with the game, causing their PS5s to shut off.

A Reddit thread on the Death Stranding subreddit asked if other players were having their PS5s overheat while playing the game.

Death Stranding 2 – PS5 Overheats Only on Map Screen? from r/DeathStranding

"I’ve been playing the game on a base PS5 and overall it runs great—the graphics are stunning and I’ve had no issues during regular gameplay," the poster wrote. "But as soon as I pause the game and the map screen comes up, the fan suddenly goes into overdrive, and I get an overheat warning. It’s strange because everything else runs smoothly, even during long gameplay sessions. But the moment I bring up the map and start planning a route, the fan suddenly goes crazy and I get an overheating warning."

Kojima Productions didn't immediately respond to a request for comment about this problem.

Players on the thread who experienced this problem mentioned it came when they pulled up the map in the game. One poster suggests that because the map screen has an unlocked framerate, it causes the system to go into overdrive, thus raising the internal temperature. According to the comments, it appears to be affecting only the standard PS5, not the PS5 Pro or PS5 Slim, and it doesn't seem to matter if the PS5 is vertical or horizontal.

Some individuals suggested not leaving the map screen up for that long, as the longer it stays up, the more likely the PS5 will overheat.

One of the key designs for the PS5 was to address cooling, as the PS4 was notorious for having loud fans kick on whenever the console started to heat up. Sony made use of a double-sided fan, a sizable heatsink with heat pipes, and liquid metal between the heatsink and the SoC to make sure the heat is transferred properly.

The PS5 normally runs between 65°C and 75°C (149°F and 167°F) for most games. There is a point where the system determines that the temperature is too hot and will bring up the overheat warning.

A PS5 overheating can lead to a number of problems if it's not addressed, according to tech care firm Asurion. It can slow down the console, wear down components, and even lead to the PS5's breakdown.

A couple of easy tips to help prevent a PS5 from overheating include making sure the console is in a well-ventilated area, adding a cooling accessory, or opening it up to do some light cleaning.

Handhelds like the Asus ROG Ally, Lenovo Legion Go, and MSI Claw came after the release of the Steam Deck, and yet none have provided a better gaming experience, even though they all seemingly have better components. New testing shows that the biggest culprit is likely the operating system these devices are running.

Ars Technica released its findings from a test showing how different high-end games performed on a Lenovo Legion Go S using Windows 11 and the same device using SteamOS. The results showed that games running at the same resolution and graphics settings saw improved FPS with SteamOS instead of Windows, with some instances of nearly doubling performance.

In one particular case, Returnal improved from 18 FPS with Windows to 33 FPS with SteamOS. The Lenovo Legion Go’s performance improved after installing Asus drivers instead of Lenovo’s, but across the board, SteamOS outperformed Windows 11.

Who will beat Steam Deck?

The key reason why SteamOS performs so well is due to Valve's constant tinkering with the operating system over the years, unlike what other companies are doing, which is putting their own layer over Windows 11. This results in Windows 11 portable devices being bogged down with so much bloat, while the SteamOS is light and dedicated to just running video games.

This means companies have two choices if they want to compete with Steam Deck: Allow the optional installation of the SteamOS, like what Lenovo did with the Legion Go, or come up with a better alternative.

Microsoft and Asus are going for the latter with the ROG Xbox Ally X. The companies unveiled their device earlier in June, with Microsoft intending to create an Xbox-like experience with Steam Deck-level performance.

If the update to the Xbox PC app is any indication, the Xbox Ally will be able to run Xbox games as well as games for other platforms, such as Steam and Battle.net, which is something SteamOS can't officially support out of the box, although there are workarounds.

Being able to play more games that perform better than on a Steam Deck could be the right formula to take the top spot for portable consoles. That is, until the Steam Deck 2 comes out.

The MicroSD Express card is the latest generation of storage cards with read speeds up to 800 MB/s and write speeds of 700 MB/s. These Express cards are so new that only a few companies make them: Lexar, SanDisk, Samsung, and Walmart's Onn brand.

TeamGroup is the latest company to announce that it will offer MicroSD Express cards. It will make 128 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB, and 1 TB cards, however, TeamGroup didn't provide a date when they would become available or a price.

Even though the Switch 2 is not even a month old, storage is a big problem looming for console owners that can only be treated with more companies making more MicroSD Express cards to drive the price down.

The Switch 2 storage problem

While the 256 GB built-in storage for the Switch 2 might be plenty for storing games for the original Switch, it will likely fall short in the coming months or year. It comes down to the sizing of the third-party games.

For example, it would only take four Switch 2 launch titles to fill up the built-in storage: Split Fiction (69 GB), Cyberpunk 2077 (59 GB), Hitman World of Assassination: Signature Edition (59 GB), and Yakuza 0 Director's Cut (53 GB). Other games planned for later this year will likely have similar or even larger file sizes, such as Madden NFL 26, Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition, Borderlands 4, Final Fantasy 7 Remake Integrade, and Star Wars Outlaws.

Games from Nintendo, however, don't appear to take up as much space as the third-party titles. Mario Kart World comes in at just about 22 GB, and the upcoming Donkey Kong Bananza sits at 8.5 GB.

This means Switch 2 owners will likely have to get themselves a MicroSD Express card sooner rather than later, and they aren't cheap. Doubling the Switch 2 storage can cost $70-75, and a 1 TB card is around $200 if you decide to go with a Lexar, SanDisk, or Samsung card. Walmart's Onn brand, however, does come in at about half the price of the other brands. As mentioned earlier, card tests posted on Reddit suggest that the Onn cards appear to be rebranded Lexar cards.

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.

I track sales for a living, and I found many Prime Day-like Nintendo Switch deals today on Amazon and at other retailers.

Whether you own an og Nintendo Switch, Switch OLED, Switch Lite, or the latest Switch 2, racking up on games and accessories can put a dent in your wallet. That's where big events like Prime Day come to the rescue, offering numerous opportunities to save.

I'm a shopping aficionado, so trust me when I say that Amazon won't be the only retailer slashing prices on Switch consoles, games, and accessories in July. E-commerce giant will face some stiff competition from Best Buy and Walmart. The two big-box retailers are known to hold their anti-Prime Day sales to rival Amazon.

During Prime Day, Nintendo fans can expect to see the best summer discounts on Nintendo Switch games and accessories. Other game retailers like Best Buy, Target, Walmart, and others will also offer Nintendo Switch deals during Amazon's sale.

As a reminder, Prime Day 2025 will be a four-day sale taking place from July 8 to July 11. Be sure to visit our Amazon Prime Day 2025 deals hub for the best early discounts on tech and gaming.

Browse my favorite Prime Day-worthy deals

Early Prime Day Nintendo Switch deals — Quick links

• Browse: Early Amazon Prime Day Nintendo Switch deals
• PowerA Joy Con Comfort Grips: was $15 now $10 at Amazon
• PowerA Slim Nintendo Switch OLED Case: was $15 now $11 at Amazon
• DOG MAN: Mission Impawsible: was $39 now $29 at Amazon
• MLB The Show 25: was $60 now $43 at Amazon
• Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: was $50 now $25 at Amazon
• Five Nights at Freddy's: The Core Collection: was $40 $25 at Amazon

Early Prime Day Nintendo Switch deals 

Retailer sales

• Amazon: Early Prime Day Nintendo Switch deals
• Best Buy: Early Prime Day Nintendo Switch deals
• Target: Early Prime Day Nintendo Switch deals
• Walmart: Early Prime Day Nintendo Switch deals

The jump in audio quality I experienced with the Sony WH-1000XM6 reminded me of putting on a new pair of glasses for the first time — I could see (hear) everything. The XM6’s soundstage is grand and epic, the earcups are snug, the dual Bluetooth-connectivity is so convenient, and the battery life is long.

However, as much as I love the Sony WH-1000XM6, they aren't without some problems. The earcups are snug, which may be uncomfortable for some folks. If you’re app-averse for some reason, you need to download the phone app to disable ANC. I wish the Ambient mode took in more sound at higher volumes, and I would have liked the microphone to sound better, although it’s not terrible.

Yet, like Sony's other mythically excellent creation, Kratos with his Leviathan axe, my ears wield the Sony WH-1000XM6 as their daily weapon. I imagine the XM6 will be my companion for quite a long time, at least until it's dethroned by the XM9. There's no question that the XM6s are one of the best headphones out there, but are they good enough to drop $450? Let’s jump into that Yggdrasil rift together.

Sony WH-1000XM6: Price and value

I reviewed the Black model of the Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones, but you can also get them in Midnight Blue or Platinum Silver, all of which cost the same $449. I’m partial to the Midnight Blue colorway — they are the only ones with actual color. The XM6s also come with a neat magnetic carrying case, which is a dark gray color and includes a 3.5mm headphone jack and a very short USB Type-A to Type-C cable. You can get the Sony WH-1000XM6 directly from Sony’s website, Best Buy, or Amazon.

The real question is: Are they worth it? Well, that depends on you. What I can say is that the pricing is competitive, especially when compared to the Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones (also $449). And this is too much for you to spend on headphones, no matter how good they are; I completely understand. You can easily get the XM4 for $280 (at the time of writing).

If you really want the XM6 model and aren’t swimming in cash, I’d wait for a sale. But if you have the disposable income, they're worth it.

Sony WH-1000XM6: Design

The Sony WH-1000XM6 looks like an alien carved them out of a block of obsidian… and then blasted them with soft paint. Sony took the revamped design language of the XM5 headphones and threw a couple of curves in there. The design isn’t drastically different, but just enough to take a slightly basic design and add a more premium flair.

The cups feature an off-center circle that allows access to the touch controls, and they curve downward from there into an oblong shape. Around the edges of those cups are a slew of black microphone vents that blend in. The leatherette cups also feature a seamless transition, without the typical puffy protrusion on the outer layer.

My favorite part of the design is the hinges, where the cups meet the headband. It’s a diagonally carved cylinder with the classic gold Sony logo painted on it. Company logos are hit or miss, but Sony is iconic for its stylish logo on vintage and now future tech. And between the hinge and the headband is another thinly carved piece, which adds to the flair. The headband itself starts thin and then expands slightly.

On the left cup, you’ll find the power button, headphone jack, and the ANC button, while the right features the Type-C charging port.

Out of the previous XM-series headphones, the XM6 offer the most modern and sleek design, making them worthy of their premium price (in this regard, at least).

Sony WH-1000XM6: Comfort

Imagine a pillow with arms that could give you a little squeeze — that's the Sony WH-1000XM6. I like it, but they are pretty snug, so it might not be comfortable for some people.

The Sony WH-1000XM6 weigh 254 grams, which is unnoticeably heavier than their competitor, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra (252 grams).

From dusk till dawn, I played Elden Ring Nightreign. I'm not ashamed — those Nightlords needed to die. But after a short adjustment period from my looser XM3 headphones, the XM6 felt like the familiar yet satisfying pillow you'd flip over in the middle of the night. The cushions are soft yet firm. I still felt them squeeze my head, which may bother some folks, but I liked it because it offers some passive noise cancelling.

I didn’t even notice the headband until I paid attention to it. It’s soft and doesn’t crush my head like the earcups do, so I count that as a win.

Sony WH-1000XM6: Audio

I jumped from the XM3 to the XM6, and the best way to describe the jump is like watching a flower finally bloom. The 30mm neodymium drivers delivered a wide, immersive soundstage that kept me engaged in all of the content I played.

I listened to all of Epic: The Musical on the Sony WH-1000XM6. In “Full Speed Ahead,” the XM6 captured the subtle rumbling drums that open the song, accompanied by solid bass, and it stood out among the following soft piano and warm strings.

I jumped to “Keep Your Friends Close,” which opens with a melodic string of wind instruments, and I noticed that there were many more distinct notes than usual, none of which detracted from the smooth vocals. Then I moved to the more sinister “Get in the Water,” and the XM6 did struggle a bit with the opening synths, but it captured the subtle horns and synths during the vocals, amplifying the suspense of the track.

One of the issues I’ve had with Epic: The Musical is that when the creator, Jorge Rivera-Herrans, discusses how he developed the motifs for each character, I never really noticed it because the vocals often overpower the instruments. However, with the XM6, I got to experience everything he talked about, and it made me appreciate the sound design that much more. My heart actually broke when listening to “Love in Paradise.” I never heard Polites’ voice during Odysseus’ final scream to Athena, where he says, “We can light up the world, here’s how to start.” (I’m not crying, you’re crying.)

Of course, I simply had to game with the XM6, so I decided to get bodied in Elden Ring Nightreign. I had previously played with the XM3, so the soundstage changed completely once again. It expanded noticeably. Similar to my issue with Epic, some boss music filters through my ears because they could not match the level of intensity you’ve got to lock in to win.

However, when facing off against The Shape of Night, the strings were empowering. Every slash and spell still sounded sharp and impactful against the weight of the strings, making for a truly epic fight (pun intended). I don't think I’ve ever been as locked into a boss fight’s sound design before, and I’m honestly sad that I haven’t played so many of my favorite games with the XM6. For Duchess' sake, I could even hear this boss’ sword grinding through the sand in the opening shot.

There’s an equalizer on the Sound Connect app. I enjoyed the default sound the most at first, but one of the coolest features is the Find Your Equalizer setting. This is something that more audio apps need. It asks you to play some content, and then, similar to when you’re at the eye doctor, you get to choose between a set of numbers to see (hear) which sounds better. I’ll admit, the implementation isn’t the best. I’d prefer it if it offered a repetitive example with only two choices at a time, but I think this feature is pretty vital for non-audiophiles.

I also tried different listening modes, like Background Music and Cinema. The former is what you’d expect, which is fine if that’s what you want. Meanwhile, Cinema captured a more 360-degree soundstage to increase immersion, but I didn’t really vibe with it. This more so stretched out the soundstage, which made everything sound a little messy and distant. I’ll say that it does kind of give off a movie-theater experience, but maybe not the one you’d want.

Sony WH-1000XM6: ANC

The Sony WH-1000XM6 are outfitted with Sony’s latest HD Noise Canceling Processor QN3, which introduces 12 microphones to deliver improved noise canceling over the previous generation (with a measly 8 microphones — kidding).

With ANC enabled, my office got eerily quiet. The rumbling from the fan and the bass of my keyboard completely drowned out, but I could still hear the sharper sounds that they made — it doesn’t completely make your surroundings quiet. ANC is excellent for use during commutes. Traveling from New Jersey to NYC, I’m cursed with the annoyingly expensive NJ Transit, which features the loudest trains. However, with ANC on, I could fully focus on watching my favorite shows. I can still hear the train, but the sound is dramatically reduced and filters out to ambient background noise, equivalent to the fan in my room.

Ambient mode allows for external sounds to pass through. This is great for when you're walking through a bustling city and trying to avoid an expedition to the beyond by car. However, at home, I found myself just removing one ear cup from my head instead of using Ambient mode. When listening to music or playing a game at 50%, I could not hear my child asking me to open her applesauce pouch until she yelled at me. I tinkered with the app a little bit, and there's no way to increase the ambient sound filtered in (because it was already at a max of 20 out of 20). You can enable voice passthrough to focus voices, which helps a little bit. There’s also an Auto Ambient Sound setting, which adjusts the sensitivity based on your surroundings, but that operates within the slider that you can already manually use. It could be useful, but not in this context for me.

Despite that, there's a feature called Speak-to-Chat, which can detect when you're speaking and dramatically reduces the volume of the content you're listening to, remaining active until it stops detecting your voice. However, this doesn't trigger when people are speaking to you. I tested this with my daughter, and it registered her voice only when I was a foot or two away from her. This is also available for any mode, which is a nice feature.

The biggest issue with the Sony WH-1000XM6’s ANC is that I couldn't turn it off. There are two modes enabled out of the box: ANC and Ambient mode. There's no way to disable it. That's when I had to download the app, and sure enough, you can add a disable setting to that same ANC button. You don't just turn it off via the app; the headphones already have that setting programmed into the ANC button, but for some reason, you need to download the app just to enable the disable button.

Sony WH-1000XM6: Microphone

Despite the absurd number of microphones packed into the Sony WH-1000XM6 (there are 12), the microphone quality is a certified “meh.”

The quality of my voice sounded slightly better than how I'd normally speak through my phone, and that's the nicest way I can paraphrase what my friends said when I joined a group Discord call. In other words, my voice sounded muffled but audible.

However, overall quality is not necessarily the point of the XM6’s microphone. Headphone mics aren't going to sound as good as a $550 Shure SM7dB. What the XM6 delivers on is noise-cancelling. Similar to ANC, this doesn’t completely cut out all the sounds around you, but it does significantly drown it out. While on said terrible train, I got on a call, and my friends could hear me clearly. I tested this at my desk too, and the microphone could still pick up me knocking on the desk, but again, it sounded muted.

Sony WH-1000XM6: Battery life

I played Elden Ring Nightreign for several hours straight and the Sony WH-1000XM6 told me they had a 90% charge. Even if it was closer to 80%, that’s still pretty impressive. Sony claims that the XM6 can get up to 30 hours of battery life with ANC on and 40 hours with ANC off, and I’m inclined to believe that. (When communicating, you’ll get 24 hours with ANC on and 28 hours with ANC off.)

You can go at least a couple of days before you need to charge the Sony WH-1000XM6. And according to Sony, you can charge the headphones for 3 minutes and get 3 hours of playback (with an optional USB-PD compatible AC adapter). That’s pretty convenient for someone who constantly forgets to charge their headphones (it’s me, I’m the problem).

Sony WH-1000XM6: App and features

Keep in mind that if you get the Sony WH-1000XM6, you’re practically forced to use the app, at least if you want any of the valuable functions (you know, like turning off ANC). Sony’s Sound Connect app features the aforementioned settings for the equalizer, listening mode, and ANC and Ambient modes. If you care about spatial sound, head tracking, and 360 reality audio, there are settings to set those up as well. You can also enable DSEE Extreme, which improves the sound of compressed audio files.

One of my favorite features is the dual Bluetooth connectivity, so I can connect to my PC to play games while also connected to my phone to take phone calls. The coolest part is that I can tinker with audio settings on my phone and get immediate changes to the content I’m listening to on my PC. (Do you realize how much of a pain it is to jump from a phone app back to your PC and be able to tell the difference between audio settings?). If you’re having some connectivity issues, you can prioritize your Bluetooth connection over the sound quality.

In the System settings, you can enable voice assistants, add the Off setting to the ANC/AMB button, and assign shortcuts to the same button to pull up said voice assistants. There’s also a setting to enable head gestures, which I don’t think anyone is using (listen, my knees already ache, I’m not pulling a muscle to decline a call). You can also enable a microphone mute shortcut, which, again, why isn’t that enabled by default? Another cool feature is that the headphones will turn off after a certain amount of time if you’re not wearing them (I forget to turn my headphones off all the time).

Then there’s the touch controls, which I rarely use, but they’re convenient if you don’t have quick access to your device. If you’ve ever used a headphone with touch controls, the XM6 works generally the same. Tap twice to play/pause, swipe forward to skip, swipe backward to rewind, swipe up or down to raise or lower the volume, respectively. You can also swipe up or down and hold to continuously raise or lower the volume, which is great because I’d rather not have to swipe my headset over and over.

The Sony WH-1000XM6 comes with a one-year limited warranty.

Bottom line

I’m quite critical about tech, especially when it costs an absurd amount of money. However, I couldn’t help but be wowed by the XM6’s incredible range, sleek design, comfortable fit, and long battery life.

No, they aren't perfect. The Ambient mode and microphone could be better. It’ll certainly deter folks who don’t like snug headphones. And I hate anything that forces you to download an app for the most basic functions. Not to mention, they cost over $400, which is enough to make most people carefully consider the purchase.

Yet, while the Sony WH-1000XM6 might cost a whopping $450, it offers an unbeatable immersion for my favorite content. There’s a reason why it’s a premium headphone, just like there’s a reason why Kratos prefers his Leviathan axe — it’s just better.

To put that in perspective, the Pixel 9 alone starts at $799 unlocked. For $80 less, you’re getting two full years of Mint’s unlimited talk, text, and high-speed 5G data — that’s typically a $720 value in service alone. It’s one of the best phone + plan bundles we’ve seen all year, saving you up to $800.

The Pixel 9 features a 6.3-inch OLED display, the Tensor G4 chip powering its Gemini AI features, and a dual rear camera setup with a 50MP main sensor and 48MP ultra-wide. You also get advanced Pixel software features, such as Magic Eraser, Live Translate, and Call Screen, along with the promise of 7 years of software and security updates.

And Mint Mobile is no slouch, either. It runs on T-Mobile’s fast and widespread 5G network, and your plan includes mobile hotspot support and free calling to Mexico and Canada.

Whether you’re due for a phone upgrade or just want to lock in two years of service, this deal is an absolute no-brainer. Not a Pixel fan? Head to the Mint Mobile deals page for similar savings on Samsung Galaxy S25 models. But don’t wait, this offer may not last long.

Today's best Google Pixel 9 deal

Next week, Best Buy is set to rival Amazon's July Prime Day sale — the biggest shopping event of the year, next to Black Friday. Electronics expert retailer Best Buy will try to grab your attention during Prime Day 2025.

We expect last year's Best Buy Black Friday in July sale to return this summer to offer Prime Day alternative deals.

Although Amazon's four-day Prime Day sale is scheduled for July 8-11, Prime members can shop early deals. Currently, Best Buy's 4 of July Sale is on through July 6 and rewards My Best Buy Plus members with exclusive summer deals. Sound familiar?

If you don't shop on Amazon or like to place orders online for in-store pickup, Best Buy is one of the top go-to retailers. During Amazon's Prime Day summer takeover, we'll be curating the Best Buy Prime Day alternative deals right here.

Until then, shop and save with today's Best Buy Prime Day-rivaling deals. See my recommended discounts below.

Early Best Buy Prime Day deals — Quick links

• Shop: Best Buy's entire sale
• College Football 25 Xbox Series X: was $30 now $5 at Best Buy
• Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller: was $85 now $75 at Best Buy w/ Plus
• Beats Solo 4: was $199 now $129 at Best Buy
• Samsung Galaxy Tab A9 Plus: was $219 now $169
• Microsoft Elite Series 2 Controller: was $199 now $149 at Best Buy w/ Plus
• Sony ULT Wear: was $199 now $179 at Best Buy
• Sony WH-1000XM4: was $349 now $299 at Best Buy
• Apple iPad 11: was $349 now $299 at Best Buy
• Apple AirPods Max: was $549 now $479 at Best Buy
• Asus Vivobook 14: was $599 now $499 at Best Buy or $329 w/ Plus
• Lenovo Legion Go S Gaming Handheld: was $829 now $779 at Best Buy
• Samsung The Frame 43-inch QLED TV: was $999 now $799 at Best Buy
• LG Class C4 65-inch OLED TV: was $1,599 now $1,299 at Best Buy
• Laptops & Tablets: save up to 55% with My Best Buy Plus
• Gaming: save up to 43% with My Best Buy Plus
• Phones: save up to $400 on unlocked Motorola Phones
• Audio: save up to $320 with My Best Buy Plus
• Wearables: save up to $30 with My Best Buy Plus
• TVs & Sounbars: save up to 50% with My Best Buy Plus

Early Best Buy Prime Day deals 

Yes, we're all guilty of the occasional impulse buy, but if you were to cast your eyes across the vast expanse of my Steam game library, then you'd assume I was less prone to caving to the occasional guilty pleasure, and more inclined to commit war crimes against my wallet.

On the plus side, I now have a fresh new bundle of games to enjoy. Though, countering that, I am left wondering where I'll find the time to play them, and how I'm going to make rent. Still, I regret mostly nothing, and I'm here to share some of the games I'd recommend you could 'accidentally' buy also, with many available for under $10.

Top picks from Steam's Summer Sale

You don't have to be as careless with your cash as I was during Steam's Summer Sale. In fact, you can grab plenty of top titles that offer hours of content for less than $10 or $20.

Let's take a closer look at some of the better deals available right now through July 10, 1 p.m. ET (10 a.m. PT).

More from Laptop Mag

• AI is making your games better — a new Steam tool convinced me to stop hating GPU upscaling
• Steam users are flocking back to this once-hated game in huge numbers — and it's only $4
• 89 million Steam accounts could be at risk after a third-party data breach. Here's how to protect your account

If they were, there would be little purpose in our identifying the best handheld gaming PCs.

Thanks to Microsoft, we have two additional handheld gaming PCs arriving later this year. And the two highly anticipated Xbox handhelds are, actually, Asus ROG Ally handhelds with a twist.

We've already taken a look at whether you should go for the ROG Xbox Ally X or Asus ROG Ally X, so it's now time to take a look at the more affordable versions: The ROG Xbox Ally and the ROG Ally.

So, which should you be saving up for? The new ROG Xbox Ally or our old favorite ROG Ally? Or should you just go for Valve's Steam Deck OLED?

Asus ROG Xbox Ally vs Asus ROG Ally: Specs

Asus ROG Xbox Ally vs Asus ROG Ally: Pricing and configurations

Microsoft hasn't yet released the pricing on the Asus ROG Xbox Ally or the Xbox Ally X. But there will be just one configuration of the Xbox Ally, featuring an AMD Ryzen Z2 A processor, 16GB of RAM, a 512GB SSD, a 7-inch, 1920 x 1080, 120Hz IPS display, and a 60 watt-hour battery.

The Asus ROG Ally is available in two price variations, featuring either AMD's Ryzen Z1 or Ryzen Z1 Extreme chipset. Both variations come with 16GB of RAM, a 512GB SSD, 7-inch, 1920 x 1080, 120Hz IPS display, and a 40 watt-hour battery. The Ryzen Z1 version is just $499, while the Z1 Extreme edition is $649.

If you're wondering which ROG Ally is the best choice, we've done a rundown of the two models' strengths and weaknesses, and found that the Z1 Ally is often the better bargain.

For context, the Steam Deck OLED starts at $549 and comes with a custom 6nm Zen 2 AMD APU, 16GB of RAM, a 512GB SSD, and a 7-inch, 1280 x 800, 90Hz OLED display, plus a 50-watt-hour battery. You can upgrade your Steam Deck OLED storage to 1TB for an additional $100.

Asus ROG Xbox Ally vs Asus ROG Ally: Design and comfort

Look, the Asus ROG Ally looks incredibly cool. It features a sleek white aluminum chassis with RGB lighting on the joysticks. If you imagined an ROG Zephyrus laptop in handheld form, you'd get the original ROG Ally design.

Unfortunately, that also means its sharp angles and flat profile can make it rather uncomfortable to hold onto for long periods of time. Users have reported pain and numbness in their hands or fingers after long gaming sessions with the Ally, thanks to its unconventional design.

Asus took that into account when redesigning the chassis for the Ally X, which has a rounder design and thicker hand grips. For the ROG Xbox Ally, Asus went the extra mile and seems to have grafted standard Xbox controller handgrips onto the bottom of the Xbox Ally.

This looks a little lame in comparison to the classic Ally, but it also appears to be a lot more comfortable. The Xbox Ally retains the RGB ring around the joysticks and features the same angled, front-facing vents. It's mostly the grip that's changed between the two handhelds in terms of design. And while I don't love the aesthetics of the Xbox Ally, I'd have to say comfort matters more when gaming than pure looks.

Asus ROG Xbox Ally vs Asus ROG Ally: Performance and battery life

The ROG Ally with the Ryzen Z1 Extreme is the most powerful of the Ally handhelds, with an 8-core Zen 4 CPU. The ROG Ally Z1 model was a little less powerful with its 6-core Zen 4 CPU. Both ROG Ally handhelds operate at the same 30-watt max power threshold.

The ROG Xbox Ally will likely underperform both, as its Ryzen Z2 A CPU features just 4-cores of AMD's Zen 2 architecture, and operates at a TDP of 20-watts. It's a slightly more powerful variant of the Steam Deck's custom Zen 2 Van Goh APU.

The Steam Deck circumvents its hardware limitations by only offering a max resolution of 800p, while the Xbox Ally has a full 1080p display. So the extra 5-watts of power are likely necessary to keep the Xbox Ally at about 30fps in most games.

As for battery life, well. None of the AMD-powered handhelds have been super power-efficient. Our recommendation for the gaming handheld with the best battery life is the MSI Claw 8 AI+ for good reason.

One of the biggest flaws of the ROG Ally was its battery life. Particularly with the Ryzen Z1 Extreme model, but neither handheld lasted very long when gaming. The ROG Ally Z1 achieved a total of 1 hour and 46 minutes on the PCMark 10 Gaming battery test, while the Z1 Extreme managed 1 hour and 43 minutes.

This is largely due to the Ally's 30W TDP power profile compared to its small 40-watt-hour battery.

The ROG Xbox Ally operates at a lower 20W power profile and features a larger 60-watt-hour battery, which should result in longer battery life compared to either of the ROG Ally models. However, that extended battery life will come at the expense of performance.

Outlook

If you want a gaming handheld that's comfortable and can last through long unplugged gaming sessions, the Asus ROG Xbox Ally is likely the better choice. Especially if you're willing to take a performance hit in favor of battery life and comfort.

If you want the more powerful Ally handheld, the OG Ally is the way to go. And it's been out long enough now there are some tips and tricks to keep you hands from going completely numb on you after a few hours of gaming.

Unfortunately, we don't know the price of the ROG Xbox Ally, so we can't say which is the better bargain. We should know more about the Xbox handheld pricing as we get closer to the expected October launch date.

However, if you've got the cash to spare and you want a more powerful handheld, you might be better off opting for the Asus Xbox Ally X or the ROG Ally X.

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• The Switch 2's display is so slow, it hertz — here's the problem
• Netflix Gaming stole my heart, and now it's breaking it
• Sony is fighting like cats and dogs against a small game developer from Hong Kong

But don’t be fooled. This is more than just a cosmetic change. It’s a calculated response to one of the most catastrophic tech outages in history.

The great blackout

The update, announced June 26, is part of Microsoft’s Windows Resiliency Initiative, a sweeping overhaul of the platform’s architecture, recovery protocols, and crash diagnostics. As part of these changes, the iconic cobalt-colored BSOD, with its frowny face and vague messaging, is being replaced with something simpler, sharper, and darker.

The new screen now reads, “Your device ran into a problem and needs to restart,” accompanied by a progress percentage bar and, crucially, stop codes and driver details displayed upfront. Gone is the frowny face and QR code, both of which were long since criticized for being more confusing than helpful.

This change didn’t come out of nowhere. In July 2024, a faulty security update from CrowdStrike brought more than 8 million Windows machines to a halt around the globe, triggering a cascade of BSODs in airports, banks, emergency services, and Fortune 500 companies, causing an estimated $10 billion in damage.

The root of the issue was how deeply third-party security tools could penetrate Windows’ kernel, a vulnerability that Microsoft is now closing with a vengeance. And the new Black Screen of Death is the literal face of that transformation.

“This is really an attempt at clarity and providing better information,” said David Weston, Microsoft’s VP of Enterprise and OS Security, in an interview with The Verge. “It allows us and customers to really get to the core of the issue so we can fix it faster.”

More than a new paint job

Alongside the black screen rollout comes Quick Machine Recovery, a new feature that can automatically revive systems that fail to boot, even remotely. It works by entering the Windows Recovery Environment, pinging Microsoft for diagnostics, downloading fixes via Windows Update, and applying them without human intervention.

That alone would be newsworthy. But Microsoft is also rewriting decades of Windows security logic. Antivirus and endpoint protection tools are being kicked out of the kernel and re-housed in user space, where they’ll have less power to break the entire OS if something goes wrong.

In practical terms, this means fewer complete system failures and faster recoveries, with Microsoft claiming that restart delays will shrink to as little as two seconds for most users.

Designed for peace of mind

For most people, the Black Screen will just feel… quieter. The new aesthetic mirrors the visual language of Windows 11 updates, where progress bars and black backdrops already make the experience feel less alarming. The message is shorter. The look is cleaner. The vibe is calm.

But it’s also smarter. IT professionals now see the exact stop code and offending driver up front, eliminating the need to trawl through WinDbg or hunt down memory dumps. That clarity shortens downtime, cuts troubleshooting time, and gets users back in the flow faster.

Black is the new blue

It’s the end of an era for one of tech’s most recognizable (and feared) images. The original Blue Screen of Death wasn’t just a Windows quirk but a meme, a diagnostic, and a symbol of the fragility of modern computing.

Its evolution into something quieter, simpler, and more fixable is a milestone not just in UI design, but in how Microsoft is rethinking the relationship between users, crashes, and recovery.

Expect the new BSOD to roll out later this summer with Windows 11 24H2.

More from Laptop Mag

• Microsoft fails to exorcise the ghost of Windows Vista with latest Insider update
• The Switch 2's display is so slow, it hertz — here's the problem
• Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 price leaks take fans on an emotional rollercoaster — how much will it be?

For a limited time, you can get the Motorola Razr Plus for $799 from Motorola's online store. That's $200 off its normal price of $999 and one of the best phone deals you can get before Prime Day.

Browse: Motorola's entire sale

It's not the lowest price I've seen for this phone, but still a solid discount. Stack your savings with an extra $100 off at checkout when you trade in your old phone.

The Motorola Razr Plus is available in a range of colors to stand out from the crowd: Hot Pink, Spring Green, Mocha Mousse, Peach Fuzz, and Midnight Blue.

Only the Hot Pink color variant Razr Plus includes a FREE matching Razr Strap Case (valued at $50), so choose wisely.

The Motorola Razr Plus packs a (2640 x 1080) AMOLED 3000-nit 165Hz display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 3 processor, 8GB RAM, and 256GB of storage.

As an alternative, you can get the more powerful Snapgragon 8 Elite-powered 2025 Motorola Razr Ultra with 512GB of storage for $1,169 at Best Buy ($130 off).

It's the official phone of Peacock's hit reality series, Love Island USA series 7, and one of the best foldable phones around.

Now seeing markdowns of up to $200, the 2025 Motorola Razr series is worth a look if you're in the market for a foldable phone.

Today's best Motorola Razr Plus 2025 deal

On June 13, Yaka Mochi’s blog, Chimolog.co, reported that the Switch 2 display’s response time is an average of 17.06 milliseconds at 60Hz. That may not seem like much, but to put it into context, we’ve seen gaming monitors with a response time as fast as 0.03 milliseconds.

Let’s talk about why that significantly slow response time matters and what it means for the Switch 2’s future.

The Switch 2’s response time doesn’t bode well for fast-paced games

Response times that are off by even a few milliseconds can make a significant difference in competitive games or even your average shooter, which may be why playing Cyberpunk 2077 felt a bit sluggish during my original testing. And for all my rhythm game lovers out there… sorry, you’re off beat.

Yaka Mochi clocked the Switch 2’s fastest response time at 8.88ms and the slowest at 27.46ms. All of the testing was done on the 60Hz mode, however. Unfortunately, the reviewer was unable to determine how to adjust the Switch 2’s refresh rate for the purpose of testing. Typically, however, at higher refresh rates, display response times are higher. But there’s no guarantee that the Switch 2’s 120Hz mode would mitigate the already super slow response time.

Yaka Mochi compared the Switch 2’s display to dozens of other displays clocked at 60Hz, and the slowest among them was 11.06ms, whereas the fastest hit 0.18ms. Nintendo isn’t going to be pushing out another Switch anytime soon, so this is going to have a long-lasting negative effect on fast-paced games that make their way to the Nintendo Switch 2.

What does this look like in reality? Well, you'll not only feel it when you’re interacting with the controller, but you’ll also see it with your eyes. Games may appear noticeably blurry due to the time it takes for the image to transition between frames.

Unfortunately, this may have been a choice. If the display isn’t working as hard to refresh, that means the battery won’t be under as much strain. It’s unclear how much it would affect the battery life, however, so it’s tough to give Nintendo some grace here.

As I’ve complained about before, I wish the Switch 2 had an OLED display. In fact, OLED displays typically support faster response times, so this issue might not have been present if Nintendo outfitted the Switch 2 with an OLED display. We don’t have display testing for the original Switch OLED, but in theory, it could have a faster response time.

Well, the world may never know… until we get the Switch 2 OLED (yes, I’m still waiting).

Starting in July, Humble is upping the price of its Humble Choice from $11.99 to $14.99 per month ($129 to $154 per year). I stopped subscribing a long time ago because I just couldn’t justify the expense, so this price increase doesn’t exactly scream “deal-worthy” to me.

But that's just me, let’s break down what you’re getting for those $15 per month, and how it compares to alternative subscriptions like Game Pass.

Humble Bundle: A good deed over a digital lease

Let’s play the high ground for a second. Where is your money going when you pay for things like Game Pass ($12 for PC, $20 for Ultimate)? To some greedy shareholders.

But where is your money going when you pay for Humble Choice? Well… also some greedy shareholders, but — BUT, 5% of all profits go directly to a featured charity of the month.

This month’s charity is The Trevor Project, which is the leading organization working to protect LGBTQ+ people from the dystopian world that we live in.

Okay, now let’s talk about ownership for a second. Ignoring that digital content is just licensing and we don’t actually own anything, you get to “own” the games you get with Humble Choice. Meanwhile, the games on Game Pass will eventually disappear from the catalog.

In terms of quantity, Game Pass gives you access to hundreds of games, whereas Humble Choice gives you only a select number of games (June featured 8 games plus a 1-month subscription to Boot.dev and IGN Plus). And you also get access to “The Vault,” which features over 50 DRM-free indie games you can download.

Being DRM-free is the closest you’ll ever get to owning something digitally. But I’ll be honest, I’m not too impressed by the games in the June Humble Choice.

Is Humble Choice still worth it?

Taking a look at June's Humble Bundle offerings, we can expect to score the following games for its current $11.99 asking price ahead of a fresh curation in July:

• Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun
• Legacy of Kain Soul Reaver 1 & 2 Remastered
• Nobody Wants to Die
• Tchia
• Sker Ritual
• Biped
• Havendock
• Dungeons of Hinterberg

At least two of those titles are decades old, and most of them I haven’t even heard of, except for Dungeons of Hinterberg, which is easily the most exciting game on the list… Although it is available on Game Pass.

However, to be fair, it's a strong selection in terms of overall reception — all of the games on this list score 84% to 94% recommended on Steam.

Considering that you’re saving over $200 on those games — which offer a combined 188 hours of gaming according to metric tracker HowLongToBeat, and you also get a discount on games in the Humble store (including up to 20% on new game releases), I think Humble Choice is worth it for some folks.

But I still don’t think it’s for me. Humble could grab my attention if there were bigger games on that list, or at least more iconic indie games. To be fair, we’ve seen some great pulls in the past, like Life is Strange: True Colors and Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical, but I’m not paying Humble Choice for months just to get games I want.

Perhaps the upcoming price hike can help Humble make that kind of quality curation consistent in the future. It'd certainly help the subscription live up to its new price tag, at least.

If you like experimenting with the games you play and trying new things, even if they look old or weird, I highly recommend Humble Choice. Otherwise, you may be better served by Game Pass.

With the claim of “Made in America” emblazoned on the Trump Mobile website, many were left wondering how the Trumps planned to make a smartphone in the domestic US, when not even smartphone giants like Apple could do the same.

But now the company has changed the script, claiming only that the T1 phone will be “Proudly American.” What does this mean for the American jobs that Trump promised, if they even existed to begin with?

Dubious claims from the start

When the Trump Org, and specifically the U.S. President’s son, Eric Trump, announced the T1 Phone on June 16th, he was quoted in his Fox News interview as saying that “You’re going to have phones that are made right here in the United States of America.”

He then added, “It’s about time we bring products back to our great country.”

While the first statement could violate several FTC regulations surrounding the “Made in America” label, the second turned out to be more true than was initially insinuated.

From what many already predicted would be the case from the start, Trump Mobile does plan to bring products back to our great country. The only catch being that the company plans to do so via orders placed for phones that are designed and manufactured in, you guessed it, China.

The internet finds the T1 in China

Never to be outdone, the cadre of unpaid internet sleuths who live for a day like the announcement of the T1 quickly found out that the phone shared all its specs and design with a phone made by Chinese company Wingtech, the Wingtech REVVL 7 Pro 5G.

The phone — which can be purchased on Alibaba in bulk for as little as $100 per unit — is being “refurbished” with a faux-gold case and Trump’s logo. This is the line we got from a representative we spoke to on the Trump Mobile support hotline, but what exactly they meant by “refurbished” wasn’t elucidated further.

Our assumption is that Trump Mobile plans to order the phones stock from mainland China, and then add the Trump-themed accents on a factory line somewhere in the same country. They'll then ship them to the U.S (like every other smartphone maker), and sell them here.

The company is hanging on by a thread with its remaining claims that the T1 Phone is somehow a U.S product, now only stating the ordering and support for Trump Mobile are handled by a call center located in St. Louis, Missouri.

Just a more expensive MVNO

If you go to the Trump Mobile website now, the T1 is only being advertised as “designed with American values in mind” and “brought to life right here in the U.S.A.”

This means Trump Mobile is effectively no different from your Mint Mobile or Boost Mobiles of the world. They’ll be running an MVNO cell carrier service that piggybacks off the towers and networks of the big three providers (T-Mobile, AT&T, and Verizon), and selling compatible discount phones.

The difference is, while Mint and Boost both offer plans as low as $15 per month alongside smartphones that can be free at retail, the only options on Trump Mobile are plans that cost around $50 per month, and a phone that’s $499.

MVNOs are designed to provide low-cost service and devices to those who can't afford more expensive options like Verizon, or might be unbanked. Instead of doing the same, the Trump Org has decided to jack up the costs, in yet another attempt to profit off his MAGA base that doesn't know any better about what carrier options are available to them.

So, like everything from Trump Bibles to Trump Coins, just another Trump Scam™ in the books.

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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.

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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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On Tuesday, Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7 pricing appeared early on an Italian electronics website, showing price increases of roughly €100-€200 on the phones.

However, on Wednesday, a potential reprieve emerged from a new price leak spotted by German tech site WinFuture.de, indicating that the prices for the new phones will remain the same as last year.

So, which rumor is to be believed?

The case for a price hike

Given the price increases that we've seen across laptops and other consumer tech over the last few months, it wouldn't come as a shock if Samsung saw fit to bump the prices on the Galaxy Z Fold 7 or Galaxy Z Flip 7 by $50-$100.

Samsung has never really managed to bring down the cost of the Galaxy Z Fold line, while the Galaxy Z Flip line got a substantial cut of almost $400 to bring it to a starting price of $999 with the release of the Galaxy Z Flip 3, but that was almost four years ago now.

On top of the general increase in manufacturing costs, there are multiple rumors suggesting potentially pricey upgrades to the phones.

For the Galaxy Z Fold 7, this includes a much thinner design, a larger and nearly creaseless display, a more durable design, and a massive camera improvement to match the Galaxy S25 Ultra's 200MP main sensor.

The Galaxy Z Flip 7 is similarly rumored to be thinner, lighter, and more durable, but with a slightly larger 6.85-inch internal display and a 4-inch cover display, up from 6.7 inches and 3.4 inches, respectively. No other major changes for the Z Flip 7, so at a minimum, the expectation would be a smaller price bump.

The case for a price hold

Last year, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Z Flip 6 both saw a $100 price increase over their predecessors, moving to $1,899 and $1,099, respectively. Samsung is already at or near the top of the market with both of these phones, so increasing prices two years in a row would not be seen favorably.

While Samsung offers an abundance of deals on its phones for Unpacked, the Z Fold line in particular remains in a price category almost by itself, with other large foldables, such as the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold and OnePlus Open, starting at $100 to $200 less.

I just ran down the list of upgrades anticipated for the Galaxy Z Fold 7, but they are also potentially removing the digitizer from the display, which is a cost-saving move for them. And while it may match many of the Galaxy S25 Ultra features, it's doing so 6 months later, so component costs should be at least slightly reduced.

The Galaxy Z Flip 7 faces considerable price pressure from Motorola's foldables, with the Razr line starting at just $699. And while there are a few design changes for the Flip 7, none of these are particularly expensive, and rumors of an Exynos processor and no changes to the cameras would make a price increase a tough sell.

What's the verdict?

Based on what I've seen so far, I'll be surprised if Samsung raises the prices on either phone. My one hedge to that bet would be if they announce a new high-end Galaxy Z Fold 7 Ultra or Galaxy Z Flip 7 Ultra, but that would likely mean a slight price drop for the base models as again Samsung is already at the ceiling of what the market will bear with the prices on its foldables.

I love Samsung's foldables, but pricing remains the biggest factor holding them back from mainstream success. Particularly the Galaxy Z Fold, where rumors of a more affordable version have been circulating for as long as the line has existed, but Samsung has never managed to crack the $1,799 price point. This doesn't seem to be the year for it either, but at least we can hope for the prices to stay the same.

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Prime Day 2025 starts July 8 and runs through July 11; however, plenty of early Prime Day deals are available if you'd rather not wait. If you ask me, being able to shop before everyone else is a huge flex.

Amongst today's Prime only deals, I found discounts of up to 66% off Amazon devices, eero Mesh Wi-Fi Systems, and smart security cameras you can control with your phone.

If you don't already have Prime, join now to grab exclusive Prime Day deals now and during Prime Day, July 8-11. Your first 30 days of Prime are free, and you may cancel or pause your membership at any time.

Young adults aged 18-24 or students get a longer free Prime trial of 6 months. Plus, they get 5% cash-back and stackable savings with an additional 10% cash back during Prime Day.

This year's four-day Prime Day sale is destined to be bigger than ever, with twice as many days of deals. Keep scrolling to shop Amazon's early discounts and my favorite Prime only deals now.

Today's best Prime only deals — Quick links

• Shop: Early Amazon Prime Day deals
• Browse: Amazon Prime only deals
• Amazon Basics 24-Count AA + AAA Alkaline Batteries: was $11 now $9 at Amazon
• Amazon Echo Glow Multicolor Smart Lamp: was $29 now $19 at Amazon
• Amazon Luna Wireless Controller: was $69 now $39 at Amazon
• Amazon eero 6 mesh Wi-Fi Extender: was $80 now $65 at Amazon
• Amazon Fire TV Soundbar: was $120 now $85 at Amazon
• Amazon Kids Fire HD 8 + Echo Pop Kids: was $199 now $89 at Amazon
• Blink Outdoor 4 Smart Security Camera System: was $259 now $99 at Amazon
• Amazon 32-inch 2-Series Fire TV: was $149 now $109 at Amazon
• Razer Kishi Ultra Gaming Controller: was $149 now $129 at Amazon
• Amazon 50-inch 4-Series Fire TV: $399 now $259 at Amazon

Today's best Prime only deals

That’s because Google is quietly rewriting the rules of how assistant AI works on your phone. If you thought turning off Gemini Apps Activity meant turning off Gemini’s reach into your personal life, think again. Gemini is going live in your apps whether you like it or not.

This is according to a notification email seen by Android Police, where Google says that it will roll out an update that allows Gemini to “use Phone, Messages, WhatsApp, and Utilities on your phone, whether your Gemini Apps Activity is on or off.”

What’s actually changing?

Here’s what matters: Before now, if you disabled Gemini Apps Activity, the setting that governs what Gemini remembers and uses to train future AI models, you were cut off from deeper integrations. Gemini couldn’t place calls or send texts because it wasn’t allowed to access that data.

That barrier is about to vanish. Starting July 7, Gemini will gain access to four key phone services: Phone, Messages, WhatsApp, and Utilities (volume, flashlight, alarm, and media controls), regardless of whether you’ve turned activity tracking on.

This means Gemini will now handle everyday tasks that used to be blocked for privacy-conscious users. Want to say “text Alex on WhatsApp that I’m running late” with Apps Activity off? You’ll be able to. But it comes with a new kind of data compromise.

Google’s workaround: Access without memory

Google won’t save your assistant requests to your Gemini Activity page or use them to train its models if Apps Activity is disabled. But it will keep the data for up to 72 hours. Why? Google says this temporary window allows for “service reliability and safety checks,” which is corporate-speak for making sure things don’t break or misfire.

That data — the messages, call metadata, and voice prompts — lives in a kind of gray zone. You won’t see it in your history. You won’t be notified that it exists. And you can’t manually delete it before the 72-hour expiration.

If that feels a bit like having your privacy settings overruled, you’re not alone. What Gemini’s doing here is technically compliant with your preferences, but only because Google has quietly redefined what “off” means.

Can you stop it?

Yes and no. Gemini now has a second set of toggles buried in its settings menu. You can go to Profile → Apps inside the Gemini app and manually disable access to Phone, Messages, WhatsApp, or Utilities. But these are turned on by default, even if you’ve disabled tracking in the past.

There’s no upfront prompt. No opt-in. And unless you knew to look for them, or happened to read a very specific footnote in Google’s support pages, you’d never know those integrations were live. So, unless you go digging, Gemini now has deeper control of your device than the Assistant it’s replacing, and it’s not something you authorized.

More than an assistant

Sure, it’s easy to see this as a minor change, but it’s part of something much larger. Gemini isn’t just a voice assistant anymore. It’s being positioned as an “agent,” capable of understanding complex requests and acting across multiple apps. That’s a huge leap from the Google Assistant days of “Hey Google, set a timer.”

With cross-app prompts and generative suggestions rolling out across Android, Gemini is designed to handle multi-step tasks like “Find my next meeting and message the team I’ll be late.” The catch is that it needs deep integration into your personal apps to do that, and now it has it… even if you said no.

It’s not difficult to understand why this matters. Privacy isn’t just about what’s stored; it’s about what’s accessible. And Gemini is operating on a new model: Access-first, memory-later.

That might sound like a good compromise. After all, Google isn’t storing your requests forever or using them to train future models unless you explicitly allow it. But it also blurs the line between private and impermanent. Gemini doesn’t need to remember to function like it does. It just needs a few hours of access and your silence.

And that’s the problem. Because if you didn’t know about this, or didn’t check your app settings, you’re in a system that’s quietly opted you in, with no log, no prompt, and no accountability. Some may call that dystopian.

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Ahead of Prime Day, Amazon has dropped the price of its Amazon Luna controller to just $39, making it the perfect accessory for cloud gaming on your TV more affordable than ever.

This controller is designed for Amazon's Luna cloud gaming service, which you can try out for no extra cost with an Amazon Prime subscription. All you need to complete your setup and start streaming Fortnite, Fallout, and more directly on your TV is a Fire TV Stick, which is currently 50% off on Amazon, down to just $24.

Amazon Luna could be the perfect gaming solution for you if you don't have the cash for a console but prefer to play games on your TV, rather than streaming them on your laptop or phone.

You still have to pay for games on Luna, but you don't have to worry about pricey hardware. All you need is a stable internet connection and a good controller. Right now, you can save on at least one of those.

Save up to 85% off on Amazon Luna Games, plus play Fallout 3 for free

If you have an Amazon Prime subscription, you can play some games on Amazon Luna for no extra charge, including Fortnite, Fallout 3, and Fallout: New Vegas. Since Luna is a cloud gaming service, you can play these games anywhere, regardless of your gaming hardware, including on your phone or TV.

You can also buy games on Luna to stream through cloud gaming, many of which are currently on sale at a huge discount. Here's a look at a handful of the best deals.

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Not worthless, but you'll be getting less content for your money because nearly two dozen games are leaving Netflix Gaming next month, including hits like Hades, Death's Door, and Monument Valley.

The games getting axed will depart throughout the month, with Hades leaving on July 1 and Death's Door sticking around until July 14. Some of these games have no other mobile versions, at least not at the time of writing, so you might have just a few days left to play them.

Here's a look at all the games that are leaving, some good news, and alternatives to Netflix Gaming.

My favorite mobile gaming service just got a lot worse

A staggering 22 games are leaving Netflix Gaming next month, including nearly 20% of the service's entire game library. The titles getting axed are some of the best Netflix Gaming had to offer, too, like Hades, the Monument Valley series, Death's Door, and Katana ZERO.

Netflix subscribers were previously able to play all of these games for no extra charge on iOS and Android (with Hades being the only exception for Android users). However, in a matter of days, that will no longer be case and most of these games don't have mobile editions outside of Netflix Gaming (yet, anyway).

The full list of games being removed from Netflix Gaming includes nearly two dozen titles, as originally reported by Engadget:

• Battleship
• Braid, Anniversary Edition
• Carmen Sandiego
• CoComelon: Play with JJ
• Death’s Door
• Diner Out: Merge Cafe
• Dumb Ways to Die
• Ghost Detective
• Hades (iOS/iPadOS only)
• Katana ZERO
• LEGO Legacy: Heroes Unboxed
• Ludo King
• Monument Valley
• Monument Valley 2
• Monument Valley 3
• Rainbow Six: SMOL
• Raji: An Ancient Epic
• SpongeBob: Bubble Pop F.U.N.
• TED Tumblewords
• The Case of the Golden Idol
• The Rise of the Golden Idol
• Vineyard Valley

It's not all bad news, though. Monument Valley 3 is leaving Netflix Gaming, but it will return with a regular mobile release that doesn't require a Netflix subscription. The first two games in the series are already available as stand-alone titles.

Similarly, Devolver Digital said in a statement to The Verge that it's working to get its Netflix titles back on mobile platforms "as soon as possible," including two of my personal favorites, Death's Door and Katana ZERO.

Hopefully that will also be the case with other titles impacted by this change, particularly hits like Hades.

Best alternatives to Netflix Gaming

While I'm obviously disappointed that Netflix Gaming is losing many of its gems, including some of the best games the service had, it's not the only option for mobile gaming.

The first alternative, and possibly the best one, is the growing library of games with mobile ports outside of Netflix Gaming, including some titles that have separate "Netflix Editions." Dead Cells is a perfect example. There's a Netflix version of it, but you can also just buy the game by itself on iOS and Android.

There are also plenty of great mobile games beyond Netflix Gaming. Dredge, Stardew Valley, Prince of Persia: Lost Crown, Slay the Spire, the Kingdom series, Limbo, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Minecraft, and more are all natively available on mobile and aren't dependent on Netflix Gaming. While you have to pay for them, you're getting a full game that doesn't rely on a subscription.

It's also worth mentioning cloud gaming services, such as Nvidia GeForce Now. While it's not a perfect solution since it requires a fast internet connection, cloud gaming allows you to play PC games on your phone. I've had a great time using GeForce Now with my Nothing CMF Phone 1 and a Razer Kishi Ultra controller.

If you have a large PC library you wish you could play on the couch or while traveling, cloud gaming could be worth considering (and costs about the same as a Netflix subscription).

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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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At the time of writing, users are facing connection time outs when attempting to view Wishlists or purchase items through the Steam Store, greatly disrupting both your and my plans to spend money we don't have on games we'll likely never get around to playing.

This is clearly a massive inconvenience to us all, so follow along as we chase down the cause and connection status to the world's most popular gaming platform.

According to outage tracker DownDetector, user reports have spiked over the last few hours, suggesting that Steam is encountering a service issue.

While users can seemingly browse the storefront without issue, access cloud saves, play games, and even chat to friends, almost all problems currently being encountered seem to revolve around accessing your Wishlist or making purchases.

Of course, this couldn't come at a worse time, with Steam having just launched its annual Summer Sale, one of the best times of the year to save big on AAA and indie games.

Many gamers (like myself) are thus sat staring at a stacked shopping cart and longing for the days, weeks, months, and years they can spend procrastinating on other games and telling themselves they'll eventually get around to playing new ones any day now.

It's been nearly two years since Baldur's Gate III became available. I've yet to even download it.

Still, that won't stop me, and many like me, from adding dozens more games to our libraries once issues clear.

And, when this issue is resolved, its likely that Valve will face an avalanche of digital sales that will rake in more money than most small countries.

Some key highlights tantalizingly out of reach right now, but ready to pounce on once issues clear include the following:

• DOOM (2016): $4 (80% off)
• Sea of Thieves: 2025 Edition: $14 (65% off)
• Oblivion Remastered: $40 (20% off)
• Borderlands 3: $3 (95% off)
• STAR WARS Battlefront II: $4 (90% off)
• Mass Effect Legendary Edition: $6 (90% off)

However, the most impressive deal I've witnessed so far — painfully unable to be taken advantage of right now — has been seeing RoboCop: Rogue City for only $5, a saving of 90% on an absolute sleeper hit of a game.

Meanwhile, problems persist, even though the number of reported issues through DownDetector has dropped. Personally, I'm seeing issues spread to the Steam Store search in recent moments, with timeout issues occurring infrequently.

Oh! Are we back? Wishlists are accessible once more, at the very least.

Look, I promised myself I wouldn't go werewolf during this year's Summer Sale.

I'm something of a recovering addict.

But for the sake of informing the general public about whether or not the issue has been resolved, I will, for science, attempt to buy something to be sure.

The moment of truth.

Guys. I have good news and bad news.

The good news is, that you can now make purchases through the Steam Store.

The bad news is, I may not be able to afford rent this month.

What do this graph of user-reported incidents for the Steam Store and my bank account have in common? They've both suddenly plummeted in number, and both are appearing in the red. Lord, help me.

The problems seem to have been resolved. Let the Summer Sale commence in full.

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

• I quit Google Chrome after 15 years: Here’s where I ended up and why
• Why I ditched Google Chrome for Microsoft Edge (and haven't looked back
• Microsoft doesn't want to tell you how to uninstall Microsoft Edge

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.

This otherwise simple trademark application is now subject to Sony's legal team, as the company alleges the name "Naughty Cat" is too similar to Sony's game development studio, Naughty Dog.

To Sony, the age-old debate about which pet is superior just doesn't exist (and it shouldn't; the answer is cats), because it's just too hard to spot any differences between the two. But whether that will hold up at the U.S. Patent Office or not may require a deeper look into Sony's reasoning.

Naughty Dog vs. Naughty Cat: what you need to know

Naughty Cat only has two apps listed on the App Store, and both are gambling games that promise real cash rewards. We're not talking about a AAA game developer here, just your run-of-the-mill app developer.

On the other hand, Naughty Dog is a video game developer founded in 1984 and is responsible for some of the most well-known Sony game franchises ever. From Crash Bandicoot, to Jak and Daxter, to the Uncharted series and, of course, The Last of Us, many of Sony's most enduring exclusive game titles have been created by the Naughty Dog studio.

As you'd expect, Sony is rather protective of its trademarks, Naughty Dog being one of many, especially one relating to a first-party game studio for PlayStation consoles.

Sony's argument for opposing Naughty Cat's trademark registration, according to documents reviewed by IGN, states that the "Naughty Cat trademark is 'confusingly similar to the Naughty Dog trademark' it owns in overall commercial impression and connotation.”

Sony does not have a trademark registered for the word "naughty," likely because you can't trademark random words. The US Patent and Trademark Office requires that a word or phrase has to "indicate the source of your goods and services." So you can trademark Sony, PlayStation, and Naughty Dog, but not the word "Naughty" alone.

Regardless, Sony alleges that Naughty Cat's trademark construction is too similar. "The first, dominant element of the two marks, NAUGHTY, is identical," Sony claims in its filing.

“The second elements, DOG and CAT, are highly similar in that both refer to house pets and are likely to mislead consumers into believing, mistakenly, that Naughty Cat is affiliated with SIE [Sony Interactive Entertainment] and/or Naughty Dog or that its goods are licensed or approved by SIE and/or Naughty Dog.”

What this legal dispute means for gamers

Sometimes, legal filings are absurd. This is one of those times.

Regardless of whether or not Sony wins out in this trademark opposition, it's unlikely to impact gamers much.

If you do play one of Naughty Cat's two games (Cash Trip: Solitaire & Bingo and Bubble Bravo - Win Real Cash), you probably didn't even register the name of the app developer when you downloaded the game. So if Naughty Cat has to change its name, very few people are likely to notice.

Sony's argument that the two trademarks are too similar because they use the word "naughty" before an animal name is a bit much. Not a single person has looked at my cat and said, "That's a good dog."

T.S. Elliot's Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats even jokes about it. In the "Ad-dressing of Cats," Elliot writes, "How would you ad-dress a Cat?/ So first, your memory I'll job,/ And say: A CAT IS NOT A DOG." This joke even made it into the musical Cats, in the final song of the show.

It's beyond understatement. The comedy is that it's just facts.

Perhaps the most compelling argument Sony could form about possible confusion between the two lies in its own behaviour: claiming to be a Naughty Dog while acting so catty. Meow.

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Meanwhile, last year's Galaxy Z Fold 6 is now heavily discounted on Amazon. This is yet another telltale sign that the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is launching soon.

Browse: Samsung Galaxy phone deals

Early adopters who reserve the next Galaxy device now will receive a $50 Samsung Credit as well as bonus savings of up to $1,150. Thanks to Samsung's reserve offer, you can potentially save up to $1,200 on the next Galaxy device with an eligible trade-in.

You may also enter an exclusive sweepstakes to win a massive $5,000 Samsung Credit. To win any lottery, you have to be in it to win it, so be sure to tick the box that reads " I would like to enter the sweepstakes and have read and agree to the Official Rules" on the reserve page.

So, how much will Samsung's new foldable cost?

Last year's Galaxy Z Fold 6 had a starting price of $1,899 at launch while the Galaxy Z Flip started at $1,099. Samsung's next-generation foldables will likely cost the same price. As sister site Tom's Guide reports, no further increases are expected.

Samsung's offer ends July 9, which is the same day as the Galaxy Unpacked July 2025. The event starts at 10 a.m. ET, and you may watch the live stream at Samsung.com, the Samsung Newsroom, and Samsung’s YouTube channel.

Samsung Next Galaxy Reserve

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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What are the best ways to block ads on YouTube?

First, we should establish the two platforms you can access YouTube on: mobile and desktop.

If you’re accessing YouTube via desktop, you have several options to block YouTube ads including web browser extensions and VPNs.

Meanwhile, if you access YouTube through the mobile app, your only effective ad blocking method will be a VPN. But those results may be spotty, as we’ll get into later.

How can you block ads on desktop YouTube?

The fastest, and generally most reliable way to block ads on YouTube while browsing on your desktop is to use an extension that’s embedded in your web browser.

The two most popular options at the time of this writing are AdBlock Plus, and uBlock Origin, however the latter comes with a catch. Since uBlock has proven incredibly effective at getting around Google’s efforts to show ads on desktop YouTube, the company has disabled access to the extension entirely if you’re trying to install it on a Google Chrome browser.

That said, ABP is still available on Chrome as of this writing, and is just as effective in most instances. You can also continue to use uBlock Origin on alternative browsers, such as Firefox, Microsoft Edge, and Opera.

The second method of blocking ads on YouTube using your desktop is to install a virtual private network, or VPN.

VPNs come in many shapes and sizes, at every price point from free, up to around $15 per month. And while most of the top options in the category, like NordVPN, Surfshark VPN, and Windscribe VPN, all have ad blockers built in, dozens of others don’t.

This is why we suggest carefully reviewing the feature list of your preferred VPN before committing to a subscription, to ensure the service offers some level of ad blocking on its network. This issue is further compounded by the fact that even though your VPN may offer an ad blocker, the only way to find out if it will successfully block a YouTube ad (some do, some don’t) is to try the service out for yourself.

If you’re worried about compatibility, some VPNs offer a short trial period that allows you to test the service ahead of time. Most also support a 30- to 90-day money-back guarantee in case the VPN doesn’t perform as expected.

How can you block ads on mobile YouTube?

As mentioned earlier, the primary method for blocking YouTube in the mobile app is via a VPN.

Because the YouTube app is developed and maintained directly by Google, there’s no way to install an extension on top of the app that could capably block ads.

Previously, there had been a number of third-party ad blocking apps that were available on iOS and Android, but since Google's latest crackdown users have reported that most of them have lost all functionality.

Mobile VPNs, meanwhile, take control of the internet pipe for the entire device. This means it can filter out certain types of traffic, including ads, before they’re delivered to your device through the YouTube app.

However, a word of caution. As spotty as ad blocking can be for VPNs on desktops, it’s even spottier on mobile. Due to limitations on what parts of your device the VPN can access, especially on iOS, the success rates for VPN-based ad blocking are even lower than on desktop. Once again, the only way to find out if VPN ad blocking will work for your device, in your region, is to sign up for a subscription and try it out yourself.

Which VPNs are best for blocking ads?

As we’ve said, no VPN is ever a 100% surefire method for getting around Google’s ads on the YouTube platform. That said, a rule of thumb in the VPN space is, generally, “bigger = better.”

This means the larger a VPN company is, the more resources it will have to bolster its ad blocking efforts while also adding more features alongside ad blocking that make for a more holistic online privacy experience.

At LaptopMag, we’re especially partial to some of the biggest names in the game including NordVPN and Surfshark VPN. Both VPNs are deeply rich in features (including ad blocking), and also support massive global networks of servers.

The more servers the VPN supports, the more likely you are to find an option that’s close to you. The closer a VPN server is, the faster it will be, and the higher your bandwidth stays while doing everything from streaming videos on YouTube or Netflix, to gaming, and more.

Right now NordVPN is running a special deal for new subscribers, and you can click here to find out more about the money you might save on your next VPN!

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Ahead of its summer sale, Amazon is setting the vibes with five free offers for non-Prime members that are too good to pass up. To quote one of my favorite songs, by Luther Vandross and Janet Jackson, "The Best Things In Life Are Free".

While we're on the topic of music, non-Prime members can now get 4 FREE months of Amazon Music (valued at $48 with Prime). No strings attached. You can cancel anytime or continue with it and pay $11.99/month for unlimited access to 100 million songs.

With Amazon Music Unlimited, you can play any song at any time and enjoy spatial audio and HD-quality playback.

Prime Day is an all-inclusive sale for shoppers; however, Amazon reserves the best deals for its loyal Prime members. If you don't have Amazon Prime, join now to access exclusive Prime-only deals now and during Prime Day, July 8-11.

As a new Prime member, your first 30 days are free, and you may cancel at any time, so there's no risk. If you decide to continue when your 30-day trial ends, you'll pay $14.99 per month thereafter. You'll save if you pay $139 for a one-year membership outright, which reduces your cost to $11.58 per month, saving you $41 a year.

Young adults aged 18-24 or students can get a 6-month free trial of Amazon Prime and pay $7.49 per month or $6 thereafter. That's half the cost of the standard membership.

What's even better, young adults get 5% cash-back and can stack their savings with an additional 10% cash back during Prime Day, July 8-11. This new Prime for Young Adults membership includes fast, free shipping, unlimited streaming with Prime Video, and free food delivery.

These are just a few of the freebies Amazon currently offers are we count down the days to Prime Day, July 8. See all five of Amazon's free offers below.

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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Walmart's July 4th sale starts now, and it's a hot deals summer. If a new laptop is number one on your tech refresh checklist, here's a deal worth a look.

For a limited time, you can get the Editor's Choice Asus Zenbook 14 OLED for $979 at Walmart. Previously priced at $1,100, that's $121 in savings. This is the lowest price I could find for this AMD Ryzen AI-charged Zenbook 14 refresh which launched in 2025.

It's also one of the best laptop deals you can get ahead of Walmart's big summer sale.

Browse: Walmart's entire sale

If I were in the market for a Copilot+ PC, this Asus Zenbook 14 OLED would be on my radar, and here's why. It's sophisticated, portable, long-lasting, and packs 32GB of RAM and 1TB of storage.

What's more, in our Zenbook 14 OLED review, our expert said it's a nearly perfect laptop and rated it 4.5 out of 5 stars. During real-world and benchmark tests, it delivered snappy performance, impressive audio, and a tremendous 16-hour battery life.

Connectivity-wise, for a 14-inch laptop, the Zenbook 14 OLED has plenty of ports. It supplies you with a USB 4.0 Gen 3 Type-C port, a USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C port, a USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A port, an HDMI 2.1 port, and a 3.5mm combo audio jack.

This is impressive, as many of today's portable laptop ports are scant.

At $979, the Asus Zenbook 14 OLED is a solid buy if you're looking for an AI-ready laptop with long battery life.

Today's best Asus Zenbook 14 OLED deal

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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If you were hoping for a design shake-up, you might want to temper expectations. The base model Pixel 10 looks almost indistinguishable from its predecessor. Same horizontal camera bar. Same flat display. Same matte glass aesthetic.

We’re not saying it’s ugly. It’s arguably one of the cleanest designs on the Android side of mobiles. But in a year when all the big Android players are leaning into bold, AI-heavy, edge-to-edge reinvention, Google’s next phone feels like it’s stuck in 2022. Especially when the base models are missing what is quickly becoming a critical inclusion: A vapor chamber.

A safe bet, but perhaps too safe

According to the leak, the Pixel 10 will feature a 6.17-inch flat display, possibly OLED, with the same centrally aligned punch-hole selfie cam we’ve seen since the Pixel 6. Around back, the trademark camera visor houses what should be three lenses — wide, ultrawide, and telephoto — and a flash in a layout similar to the Pixel 9.

Measurements show it’s slightly taller and slimmer than its predecessor (152.8 x 71.9 x 8.5mm), with rounded corners and a new metal frame that could help with durability. But visual tweaks aside, this feels like more of a spec refresh than anything groundbreaking.

There’s no confirmed word on the chipset, but we’ll likely see a next-gen Google Tensor G5, manufactured by TSMC. Early whispers suggest modest gains in AI performance and battery efficiency, but no leap in raw power.

That’s going to sting when the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 and Apple A19 chipsets are reportedly doubling down on generative workloads with major gains in TOPS (trillions of operations per second).

Vapor chamber? Pro model only

Easily the most surprising and controversial takeaway from June 24’s Pixel 10 leak is what’s missing under the hood. According to Android Headlines, the base Pixel 10 does not include a vapor chamber cooling system.

This is a pretty big deal. We’re in 2025 now, and thermal design is table stakes. Even budget phones are shipping with copper heat pipes or vapor chambers to keep performance stable under load, particularly with AI processing and high-end gaming pushing mobile chips harder than ever. Samsung’s Galaxy S25 and even OnePlus mid-rangers include advanced heat dissipation systems.

Segmentation seems to be the only viable reason Google would choose to do this. It would also explain why Google is leaving out Wi-Fi 7 and Ultra Res Zoom on the base model. By pulling key features from the vanilla Pixel 10, Google is drawing a sharper line between the base and Pro models. But that strategy risks alienating fans who don’t want to shell out $999 just to get modern cooling.

If the Tensor G5 chip is as efficient as leaks suggest, maybe this won't matter for most users. But for video capture or AI workloads, the lack of a vapor chamber could lead to thermal throttling, which is simply unacceptable.

Pixel vs. everyone

Let’s put all this in context. The Galaxy S25 Edge is 5.8mm thin, feather-light, and still packs a 200MP camera with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 chip. That’s the same silicon expected in many late-2025 Android flagships. Apple’s iPhone 17 Pro Max, meanwhile, is tipped to include an upgraded Neural Engine with on-device GPT-4-class processing and improved battery life from its new stacked cell tech.

Against that backdrop, the Pixel 10's rumored dual-lens setup and conservative redesign feel underwhelming, especially without a confirmed leap in AI compute or display technology. Even mid-range phones like the OnePlus 13 and Xiaomi 15 Pro are starting to ship with periscope lenses and sub-4nm chipsets.

Despite all this, the Pixel 10 could still matter a lot. Pixel phones don’t win on brute force. They win on experience. Call Screen, Hold for Me, live translation, and Assistant at your fingertips. These are all features that turn Google’s phones into digital companions, not just pocket computers.

If the Pixel 10 tightens up the formula, enhances efficiency, and brings the next wave of Gemini-powered tools to a clean, stable phone? That’s a win for mainstream Android users. But if you were hoping for a radical Pixel Fold 2-style rethink? That’s not what the leaks are showing.

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