Whether you’re looking for a productivity desktop, a gaming PC powerhouse, or a stylish all-in-one Windows machine, we’ve got you covered. The team at PCWorld sort through all of the daily computer sales and put together a curated list of the best deals available. But not all deals are really deals, so we only choose those offered by reputable companies and that include great hardware to ensure you get the best value for your money.

We’ve also included some helpful answers to common questions about buying a computer at the bottom of this article. If you’re considering a laptop instead, be sure to check out our best laptop deals, updated daily.

Note: Tech deals come and go quickly, so it’s possible some of these computer discounts will have expired before this article’s next update.

Best gaming desktop computer deals

• Skytech Storm, Ryzen 7 5700/RTX 5060 Ti/16GB RAM/1TB SSD, $999.99 (12% off on Amazon)
• Acer Nitro 60, Ryzen 7 7700/RTX 5070/32GB RAM/2TB SSD, $1,359.00 (28% off on Amazon)
• Skytech Azure, Ryzen 7 5700/RTX 5060/32GB RAM/1TB SSD, $999.99 (12% off on Amazon)
• iBuyPower Y40, Ryzen 9 7900X/RTX 5070 Ti/32GB RAM/2TB SSD, $2,069.99 (10% off on Amazon)
• Legion Tower 5i, Core Ultra 9 275HX/RTX 5070 Ti/32GB RAM/1TB SSD, $1,799.99 (35% off on Lenovo)
• Alienware Aurora, Core Ultra 9 285K/RTX 5080/32GB RAM/2TB SSD, $2,549.99 (20% off on Dell)
• HP Omen 35L, Core Ultra 5 225F/RTX 5060/16GB RAM/512GB SSD, $1,119.99 (30% off on HP)

My top picks:

The Skytech Storm for $130 off on Amazon is the budget deal of this week. With a Ryzen 7 5700 CPU and RTX 5060 Ti it’ll deliver solid frame rates at 1080p for modern games and the inclusion of 1TB of onboard storage means you’ll have plenty of space to load it up with your game library.

Even though October Prime Day wrapped up, Amazon still continues to have excellent deals on gaming PCs. The Acer Nitro 60 for $530 off is an outrageous price for a strong midrange rig like this. Not only do you get an RTX 5070, but it also comes with 32GB of RAM and a generous 2TB of onboard SSD storage.

Best mini-PC deals

• GMKtec M7, Ryzen 7 6850H/32GB RAM/512GB SSD, $365.98 (25% off on Amazon)
• GMKtec K12, Ryzen 7 H 255/Radeon 780M/32GB RAM/512GB SSD, $499.99 (31% off on Amazon)
• AceMagician K1 Mini PC, Ryzen 7 5700U/16GB RAM/512GB SSD, $279.00 (30% off on Amazon)
• AceMagic Vista Mini N1, Alder Lake-N N97/16GB RAM/512GB SSD, $179.00 (31% off on Amazon)
• KAMRUI E3B, Ryzen 5 7430 U/32GB RAM/512GB SSD, $299.99 (25% off on Amazon)

My top picks:

Amazon is offering the GMKtec M7 mini-PC for $134 off. This mini-PC not only rocks a Ryzen 7 Pro 6850H CPU and a whopping 32GB of RAM, but comes with excellent connectivity features to boot. It’s a great mini-PC and at this discount the value can’t be beat.

Another GMKtec deal on Amazon is also a highlight deal right now. The GMKtec K12 for $220 packs a solid Ryzen 7 CPU and a Radeon 780M GPU—graphics cards are a rarity in mini-PCs—so you can even do some gaming on this bad boy.

Best all-in-one computer deals

All-in-one desktop computers combine a PC’s hardware with a modern display to make a desktop computer that has both form and function. Since everything is built together, you can save precious desktop space with an all-in-one. They make capable work computers and they can also be excellent home computers with the wide range of features appealing to the whole family.

• Lenovo 24 AiO, Core i5-1140G7/32GB RAM/1TB SSD/24-inch 1080p display, $599.99 (33% off on Amazon)
• HP OmniStudio X AiO, Core Ultra 5 125H/16GB RAM/256GB SSD/32-inch 4K display, $1,189.99 (22% off on HP)
• HP 24 AiO, Core i3-1110G4/32GB RAM/1TB SSD/24-inch 1080p touch display, $699.99 (63% off on Amazon)
• iMac M4, M4/16GB RAM/512GB SSD/24-inch 5K display, $1,523.86 (10% off on Amazon)

My top picks:

Amazon is offering a great deal of $300 off on the Lenovo 24 AiO. This budget-friendly all-in-one has way more RAM and onboard storage than most other models at this price. It’s a killer value for a trustworthy and dependable Lenovo PC. Alternatively, you can opt for the HP 24 AiO for just $100 more and get practically the same computer with the addition of a touch screen instead.

Alternatively, the HP OmniStudio X AiO for $340 off on HP’s website is a worthy splurge. Rocking a stunning 4K display and good performance features, this flagship all-in-one from HP will upgrade any desk space—you just might want to invest in some external storage as this only comes with 256GB.

Feeling bad for the “plus” sign that Apple TV shed earlier this week? Well, good news: that abandoned word now has a new home, thanks to Amazon. 

Starting today, Amazon’s Fire TV Stick 4K is now called the Fire TV Stick 4K Plus—not the exact “+” that the Apple TV streaming service removed, but it’s close enough. 

In a statement to TechHive, Amazon was careful to note that the Fire Stick 4K Plus doesn’t come with any new or plus-sized features; instead, we’re simply talking a new name, nothing more. 

The reason for the (somewhat random) name change is to “help customers differentiate between” the Fire TV Stick 4K Plus and the new Fire TV Stick 4K Select, which Amazon unveiled during its big fall hardware event late last month.  

The $39.99 Fire TV Stick 4K Select sits on the lower end of Amazon’s three Fire TV 4K sticks, while the $49.99 Fire TV 4K Plus takes the Select’s features (including 4K HDR output) and adds Dolby Vision HDR as well as Dolby Atmos audio. 

Then there’s the high-end $59.99 Fire TV Stick Max, which offers Wi-Fi 6e support (versus Wi-Fi 5 and 6 for the Fire TV Stick Select and Plus, respectively), 16GB of storage (double the storage of the other two sticks), and the Fire TV Ambient Experience, which serves customizable Alexa widgets, the ability to turn your TV screen into a photo frame, and “dynamic art” that changes according to the ambient light in the room, the current weather, and the time of day.   

There are also a couple of other Fire TV players: the Fire TV Stick HD ($34.99), which doesn’t do 4K streaming, and the Fire TV Cube ($139.99), a larger cube-sized streaming player that can control TV components with voice commands. 

Name changes for streaming services and devices have been something of a thing over the past few months. This past summer, HBO Max got its old name back (it was briefly rebranded as “Max,”) while Paramount+ shaved the “with Showtime” branding off some of its subscription tiers. 

Just on Monday, Apple announced that its Apple TV+ streaming service will now be called simply “Apple TV,” similar (some would say too similar) to its Apple TV 4K streaming box. 

This story is part of TechHive’s coverage of the best streaming media players.

If you work with PDF files regularly then a PDF editor is an indispensable tool. Whether it’s part of your job, you manage PDF files for your own personal use, or you just need to complete a one-off editing task, a top editor program is an essential piece of software. Full-featured editors such as Adobe’s Acrobat Pro DC might provide all of the bells and whistles, but a free PDF editor can still offer most of the important tools of a paid service for no additional charge.

Plus, many free PDF editors are browser based, which means you don’t need to worry about about platform- or device-compatibility issues.

Of course, free products won’t come with every feature of their premium counterparts. So, if you find that you need more advanced tools such as password protection, Bates numbering, or e-signatures, then you’re probably better served by a premium PDF editor.

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Why you should trust PCWorld for PDF editor reviews and buying advice: At PCWorld, we’ve been testing PC hardware and software for decades. Our evaluation process is thorough, always hands-on and focused on real-world usage needs. We won’t ever recommend something we wouldn’t be comfortable using ourselves.

PDF Candy – Best free PDF editor overall

Pros

• Many advanced features
• OCR capability
• Very easy to use

Cons

• Lacks a single interface, which some users may not like
• Free version limits you to one task per hour

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PDF Candy is the rare free PDF editor that offers a lot of the features you’d typically have to pay for. We’re talking scanning, multiple file-conversion options, and OCR functionality. While the free version has access to the expansive toolset of the paid version, you’re limited to one PDF task per hour. For unfettered access, you need to shell out $6 month.

Read our full PDF Candy review

PDFgear – Most sophisticated free PDF editor

Pros

• Full set of editing capabilities
• AI assistant helps streamline workflow
• Polished interface
• Free

Cons

• Doesn’t support form creation
• Doesn’t directly integrate with cloud services

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PDFgear

Free

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PDFgear is a robust free editing application with a full set of features you’d only expect to find in a paid service. Not only do you get the standard PDF editor capabilities such as edit, annotate, covert, merge, and split, but you also get more advanced functions such as compress, password protect, and E-sign. On top of all of that PDFgear includes a really interesting and unique AI co-pilot function that helps streamline your workflow by understanding and executing commands you type into a chat window. Overall, PDFgear is easily one of the best free PDF editors available.

Read our full PDFgear review

Sejda PDF editor – Most versatile free PDF editor

Pros

• Online and desktop versions available
• Performs dozens of PDF tasks
• No frills interface is easy to use

Cons

• There are daily usage limits without a subscription
• Limited font options

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Sejda

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Offered as both an online tool and a desktop editor, Sejda is capable of performing dozens of tasks including editing, form creation and filling, Bates stamping, file encryption, and more. If the daily usage limits are too restrictive for you, you can upgrade to the affordable paid version, with weekly, monthly, and annual options available.

Read our full Sejda PDF editor review

Apple Preview PDF editor – Best free PDF editor for Mac users

Pros

• Full set of PDF markup tools
• Supports form filling
• PDFs can be protected with passwords, encryption, and permission controls

Cons

• Limited native sharing options
• Only available to Mac users

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Mac users have an excellent PDF editor built right into their operating system. Although its ostensibly a photo viewer, macOS’s Preview app is rife with PDF-editing capabilities including tools for adding text and shapes, redacting content, making freehand drawings, inserting sticky notes, and capturing your signature using your trackpad, camera, or iPhone.

Read our full Apple Preview PDF editor review

What to look for in a free PDF editor

• Content editing: As its name indicates, a PDF editor’s primary function is to enable you to edit a document. That includes the ability to add and modify text; insert, resize, and move images; and reorganize pages in the PDF. Most free PDF editors will let you perform these tasks, though they may impose daily limits on how many you can perform or how many documents you can edit.
• Create, convert, and export PDFs: A common need for a PDF editor is to create PDF files from scanned hard copies or by converting digital documents. A good free PDF editor will be able to convert common file formats such as Word, JPG, and HTML to a PDF and preserve the original formatting. It should also be able to export PDFs into other editable formats such as Microsoft Word and PowerPoint, HTML, or plain text, maintaining the original files hyperlinks, images, and other elements.
• Review and annotate: Most free PDF editors allow you to add comments and other annotations to PDF files during review. Typical annotation tools include sticky notes, shapes, and drawing markup options.
• Signatures: Often all you need a PDF editor for is to sign a document. This used to be a premium feature only available on paid desktop editors, but more free PDF editors are allowing users to create and add electronic signatures to documents.

Officially, yesterday was a wrap on Windows 10. Microsoft has ended support for the operating system, with users now left with only a handful of options: extend Windows 10 support, upgrade to Windows 11, or switch to another operating system altogether.

If Windows 11 is on the table for you, today is your lucky day because you can get Windows 11 licenses for super cheap on the PCWorld Software Store right now. Seriously, both Windows 11 Home and Windows 11 Pro are currently priced at $14.97 each. That’s down from $139 (89% off) and $199 (92% off), respectively. Huge savings!

Casual users who don’t need all the fancy features of the Pro version can get away with Windows 11 Home, although given that they’re on sale for the same price, you might consider getting Windows 11 Pro for the heck of it. Windows 11 Pro unlocks advanced features like BitLocker encryption, Remote Desktop Server, Hyper-V virtualization, and Windows Sandbox. (See our breakdown of Windows 11 Pro versus Home.)

How to activate your Windows 11 license

After you’ve made your order, you’ll have to check your email inbox for the license key. Once you have that and your chosen Windows 11 copy is installed, here’s how to activate the license:

• Go to Start > Settings > System > Activation.
• Go to Change Product Key and enter the key you received via email. Copy/paste works just fine for this.
• Select Next and you’re done!

Being a technology journalist isn’t nearly as cool as you might think. Most of the time it’s just reading and analyzing information, writing, talking with people via chat and email, and occasionally trying out a cool new laptop. But once in a great while you get to see things that very, very few people ever see, like the inside of one of the world’s most advanced factories.

And by “you,” I mean Adam, Mark, and Will, not me. Because I’m too far away from Arizona to see Intel’s massive industrial fabrication center. And I’m not jealous at all, not even a little bit.

Sadly, because it’s 1) a clean facility that’s ten times as strict as an average surgical theater in terms of cleanliness and 2) stuffed floor-to-very-high-ceiling with proprietary technology and industrial secrets, the PCWorld team didn’t get to take photos or video of the brand new Fab 52-18A facility, which is gearing up to produce Intel’s next-generation Panther Lake chips for 2026.

The team did get to take notes and had a nice long chat in the Arizona sunshine about their experiences. For a deep dive on what has to be one of the most complex facilities on the planet, check out the full conversation. And if you want to be the first to know when we can actually try out Panther Lake for ourselves, subscribe to PCWorld and The Full Nerd podcast.

Strangers in black cloaks sneaking around the front door, phantom rodents scurrying around the backyard, threatening figures with black bags and hammers. Scared yet? 

Those are just some of the things that Google’s Gemini have been reporting in its Home Briefs—the summaries it can produce of the daily goings-on detected by Nest security cameras and other connected smart home devices—and some Gemini for Home users say they’re getting thoroughly creeped out by the briefings, particularly with Halloween right around the corner. 

“Throughout the morning, several instances of people in black cloaks or robes were observed standing in the yard,” read a Home Brief screenshot posed by a Google Home user on Reddit. “The unusual presence of individuals in black cloaks or robes continued into the afternoon, with multiple sighting in the yard and approaching the driveway.” 

Talk about a spooky report, but the reality turned out to be pretty innocuous. 

“It’s hilarious, I got this summary today,” the user said. “For the ‘black cloaks or robes,’ I have Halloween decorations that the camera sees.”  

The user allowed that the creepy description was more or less “accurate,” but that another event reported in the briefing (“a person was seen walking by the playset in the Backyard”) didn’t happen: “The person by the playset doesn’t exist, the clip showed nobody.” 

In a similar occurrence, another Gemini for Home users posted a screenshot of a Home Brief report about someone “walking up the driveway carrying a black bag and a hammer.” 

Again, spooky, but no cause for alarm. “We were putting Halloween decorations out yesterday,” the user wrote. “Sounds like we were committing a gruesome crime.” 

Android Authority, which first reported Gemini’s creepy Home Brief summaries, noted that plenty of Gemini for Home users have had good experiences with daily summaries, calling them “spot on” and “quite impressive,” while some of the Home Brief inaccuracies were fairly minor: for example, a car that was “not a Tesla Model 3, it was a Toyota Corolla.” 

But other Gemini for Home users say their Gemini-powered Nest cameras have mistaken cats for raccoons (or the other way around), while one user said their Home Brief warned of a raccoon that apparently wasn’t there: “It said it could not find the video. I said, ‘You’re the one who told me of this raccoon.’ It said something like ‘I know I said that but there’s no such video of the incident.’” 

We’ve reached out to Google for comment. 

Home Brief is a feature included in Google’s $20-a-month Google Home Advanced plan. Once enabled, Home Brief will crank out a daily report of what Gemini for Home has seen and detected around your smart home in the past 24 hours, including events captured by your Gemini-enabled Nest cameras. The feature is intended to give you a quick overview of daily activity without having to plow through a lengthy list of individual smart home updates.  

Google says it’s gone to great lengths to ensure that Gemini for Home’s reports are accurate, while Google’s “Familiar Faces” feature can help to pinpoint or screen out updates about the comings and goings of household members. 

Still, it’s easy to imagine how the hallucinations common to most LLMs could creep into Google’s Home Brief summaries. (I’m still waiting for Gemini for Home access.) That’s probably why Google is taking its time with Gemini for Home’s rollout. A new Google Home Speaker, for example, was announced earlier this month, but it won’t ship until next spring.

This news story is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best security cameras. 

Looking to upgrade your monitor without burning a hole through your wallet? This 27-inch LG UltraGear 1440p gaming display may be just what you need, and now’s a solid time to buy one because we haven’t seen its price this low in almost a year. It’s now on sale for $166.99 on Amazon, which is 33% off its original $249.99—a huge discount!

The LG UltraGear 27GS60QC-B is a stunning 27-inch display that delivers exceptional performance you can rely on. It has a crisp “sweet spot” 2560×1440 native resolution, which is great whether you’re gaming or streaming Netflix. Add in the fast 180Hz refresh rate and 1ms response time and you have a liquidy smooth visual experience that’s lag-free even during the most action-packed scenes and games.

This monitor has a nice 1000R curvature that bends around your vision, easing eye fatigue and making for more comfortable sessions whether you’re gaming, tackling work projects, or just mindlessly browsing the web and doomscrolling on social media. Other nice features include HDR10, AMD FreeSync, and a sleek “borderless” bezel. It also has both DisplayPort and double HDMI ports, plus a 3.5mm audio jack.

Right now, you can grab this 27-inch 1440p gaming monitor for just $169.99, and that’s an excellent deal for an LG display with these specs, so don’t wait and miss this opportunity.

Let’s be honest–whether you’re grinding through schoolwork, getting lost in your favorite games, or just streaming random stuff late into the night, you need a laptop that can keep up. And yeah, picking the right one? It’s really confusing. Do you spring for a bigger screen? Is a dedicated graphics card actually worth it?

That’s where we come in.

We’ve actually tried out every laptop on this list ourselves, so they’re real recommendations based on hands-on experience.

Why you should trust us: It’s in our name! PCWorld prides itself on laptop experience and expertise. We’ve been covering PCs since 1983, and we now review more than 70 laptops every year. All of the picks below have been personally tested and vetted by our experts, who’ve applied not only performance benchmarks but rigorous usability standards. We’re also committed to reviewing PC laptops at every price point to help you find a machine that matches your budget.

We’ve cut through the clutter to bring you the top picks across every category–from budget Chromebooks to powerhouse gaming machines.

Lenovo Yoga 9i 2-in-1 (Aura Edition) – Best laptop overall

Pros

• Long battery life (almost 24 hours in our test)
• Beautiful OLED screen
• Great webcam

Cons

• Lunar Lake’s multithreaded performance isn’t ideal for some workloads
• Glossy screen can be difficult to read in harsh lighting conditions

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Who should buy the Lenovo Yoga 9i 2-in-1 (Aura Edition)?

This Yoga is easily one of the best Windows laptops you can get right now and this is why: it looks great, it lasts forever, and it has a gorgeous screen. The display is a 14-inch 2880×1800 OLED with HDR that can hit up to 120Hz. Inside you get an Intel Core Ultra 7 258V CPU, 32GB of RAM, 1TB of SSD storage, and Intel Arc 140V graphics. That’s fast enough for work tasks, watching movies, and so on. It also weighs under three pounds and the battery can last up to 23 hours.

Lenovo Yoga 9i 2-in-1 (Aura Edition): Further considerations

The 2-in-1 form factor really adds something extra here. It flips all the way around so you can use it like a tablet or prop it up like a tent. The keyboard is also comfortable to use for long periods of time, the trackpad is smooth under your fingertips, and the Yoga Pen sticks to the top of the laptop via magnets. Ports are decent: You’re getting two Thunderbolt 4, one USB-C, one USB-A, plus a combo audio jack–no HDMI or microSD. Speakers are fine, the rotating soundbar is sort of fun, and battery life is insane.

Read our full Lenovo Yoga 9i 2-in-1 review

Acer Aspire Go 15 – Best budget laptop

Pros

• Affordable
• Decent battery life
• Good display visibility

Cons

• Big and bulky
• Cheap build
• Limited performance

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Who should buy the Acer Aspire Go 15?

The Acer Aspire Go 15 is a cheap and easy laptop that does the basics. It’s good for browsing, emails, and streaming shows. Plus, with about 12 hours of battery, you won’t need to go searching for an outlet.

The appeal mostly lies in its value, though. While more expensive laptops nail the polish and the speed, the budget variety is strictly about what’s functional and that’s exactly what you’re getting here. It’s a good option for students or anyone seeking a reliable, no-frills machine under $500.

You’ll also find a surprisingly generous port selection on the Acer Aspire Go 15–USB-A on both sides, a USB-C, an HDMI, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a Kensington lock. That’s more than what some laptops get twice the price.

Acer Aspire Go 15: Further considerations

Like many laptops in the budget category, the Aspire Go 15’s got a few trade-offs to be aware of. The chassis is made of plastic, though that’s part of what keeps the cost down–cheaper materials. It also weighs a little over four pounds, so it’s not the lightest laptop in town, but it’s not so heavy that it’s prohibitive.

Read our full Acer Aspire Go 15 (2024) review

Alienware 16X Aurora – Best gaming laptop

Pros

• High-end CPU performance
• Bright and beautiful display
• Great gaming experience
• Very competitive price

Cons

• You can get better gaming performance with a faster GPU (of course)
• Some hot air blows out the sides

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Who should buy the Alienware 16X Aurora?

The Alienware 16X Aurora delivers serious speed with its Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX CPU and RTX 5070 GPU. It’s perfect for gamers who want to run modern titles without bleeding their wallets dry–it’s currently $1,649.99 at Dell. The 16-inch 2560×1600 display keeps every frame looking buttery smooth thanks to its 240Hz refresh rate, and its subtle Interstellar Indigo finish makes it look sharp in just about any setting, whether it’s in a dorm or office space.

Alienware 16X Aurora: Further considerations

Alienware packs in plenty of goodies here, like a crisp 1080p webcam (with Windows Hello facial recognition), Wi-Fi 7 for super fast connectivity, and a nice selection of ports. The full-size keyboard has a number pad and customizable backlighting, which is a nice touch. And you get nearly seven hours of battery life, which a nice bonus, since long runtimes aren’t common in gaming laptops.

Acer Nitro V 16 – Best budget gaming laptop

Pros

• Fast performance
• Fast 165Hz display with good colors

Cons

• Fully plastic build
• Mushy keyboard

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Who should buy the Acer Nitro V 16?

Need a gaming laptop that won’t decimate your wallet? The Acer Nitro V 16 is where the fun begins. With an RTX 4060 GPU and a Ryzen 7 CPU, it crushes most games at 1080p. It’s not some over-the-top, showy powerhouse–honestly, that’s the appeal. It just does its job without draining your wallet.

The 16-inch 1200p display is quick and smooth thanks to its 165Hz refresh rate, which makes a big difference whether you’re in a fast-paced game or just scrolling around. For around $1,000, you’re getting great performance without all the extra fluff. It’s a good, no-nonsense pick if you just want to play games and get on with your day.

Acer Nitro V 16: Further considerations

The thing about the Nitro V 16 is that it really leans into the gamer aesthetic with its sharp lines and glowing keyboard. If you dig that style, cool. If not, this might not be the laptop for you. The battery life lasts about four hours, which is typical for a laptop in this category, but you probably can’t game untethered — at least not for very long!

Read our full Acer Nitro V 16 review

Asus ProArt P16 – Best laptop for photo and video editing

Pros

• Big touchpad with virtual scroll wheel
• Gorgeous 4K OLED display
• More connectivity than the competition
• Good battery life

Cons

• Chassis is light, but doesn’t look remarkable
• CPU performance falls behind the best
• Can get hot under load

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Who should buy the Asus ProArt P16?

If you want sharp, gorgeous visuals and a laptop that can handle some serious work, the Asus ProArt P16 is a strong pick.

The 16-inch 3840×2400 screen makes everything look awesome — whether you’re editing photos or just watching movies. Inside, it’s got an Intel Core i9 CPU and an RTX 4070 GPU, so it can easily handle heavy stuff like video editing. Battery life is pretty good too, around nine hours, so you’re not stuck hunting for an outlet all day. And with USB 4.0, moving big files is quick and painless. All in all, it’s a great machine if you want power without the hullabaloo.

Asus ProArt P16: Further considerations

Performance and display quality are the standout features here, of course, but understated design deserves a mention too. Some may find the all-black chassis too plain while others find it elegant. Also, under heavy workloads, the chassis can run a little warm.

Read our full Asus ProArt P16 review

Microsoft Surface Pro (2025) – Best lightweight laptop

Pros

• Compact and well-built
• Good office performance
• All Copilot Plus features available
• Good battery life

Cons

• Narrow screen to work on
• No HDR support
• No charger included

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Who should buy the Microsoft Surface Pro (2025)?

If you’re always on the go — whether it’s the train, a coffee shop, or just hopping around the house — the Surface Pro 2025 is pretty much made for that. It’s super light (under two pounds!) and still powerful enough to handle all the usual stuff like emails and Zoom calls.

With its Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus CPU, it’s great for anyone who wants something that works like a laptop but feels like a tablet. You can doodle or get work done, all without feeling like you’re lugging around a heavy brick.

Microsoft Surface Pro (2025): Further considerations

The smaller screen might not be great if you’re juggling a bunch of stuff all day, and there’s only two USB-C ports (so you’ll probably need a dock or something). Battery life can last a while, but honestly, it’s kind of all over the place. Expect around two hours at full brightness under heavy use or up to 19 hours with lighter tasks.

Still, if your work mostly lives in the cloud and you value portability above raw power, this is the best ultraportable Windows device you can get right now.

Read our full Microsoft Surface Pro 2025 review

HP OmniBook 5 14 – Best for battery life

Pros

• Enjoyable keyboard
• Attractive 1200p OLED display
• Incredible battery life
• Ships with small GaN charger

Cons

• Though attractive, build quality doesn’t stand out
• Connectivity is limited
• So-so performance

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Who should buy the HP OmniBook 5 14?

Looking for a Windows laptop that can actually survive your day on campus? The HP OmniBook 5 14 is solid. It’s got a Snapdragon X Plus X1P-42-100 chip, 32GB of RAM, and 1TB of SSD storage–so essays, Zoom calls, and a bunch of tabs won’t slow it down. The 14-inch 1920×1200 OLED touchscreen also looks really good, and the battery is insane. We’re talking, like, 25 hours in our testing (jeez!).

HP OmniBook 5 14: Further considerations

This isn’t a gaming rig or a 3D workstation, but for school stuff, streaming, and everyday tasks it’s more than fine. The keyboard’s comfy, the OLED display pops, and the ports are basic but usable (two USB-C, one USB-A, headphone jack).

The main draw? Ridiculous battery life, a nice OLED screen, and super easy portability–all under $900.

Read our full HP OmniBook 5 14 review

Asus Chromebook Plus CX34 – Best Chromebook

Pros

• Zippy processor performance
• Nice keyboard
• A wide array of connectivity options
• Chic design

Cons

• Battery life isn’t competitive
• The display’s 16:9 aspect ratio feels a little cramped

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Who should buy the Asus Chromebook Plus CX34?

If you need a zippy Chromebook for everyday tasks, the Asus Chromebook Plus CX34 won’t let you down–it’s simple, reliable, and ready to handle whatever your day throws at it. This machine will easily crush your daily workflow thanks to its Intel i5 processor and 8GB of RAM. The 14-inch 1080p display also looks sharp, and the 1080p webcam is perfect for Zoom calls.

Asus Chromebook Plus CX34: Further considerations

While the Asus Chromebook Plus CX34 offers smooth performance and a pretty design, there are minor trade-offs to be aware of like the non-competitive battery life (13 hours) and the lack of a touchscreen. You’ll also need to be comfortable with ChromeOS. If you prefer Windows or macOS, we’d recommend looking elsewhere.

Read our full Asus Chromebook Plus CX34 review

MacBook Air (M4) – Best MacBook

Pros

• Can drive two external displays at 6K/60Hz
• M4 provides a performance boost
• New 12MP Center Stage camera

Cons

• No more Space Gray option

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Who should buy the MacBook Air (M4)?

The new MacBook Air M4 is a fantastic option if you want something light but still strong. It’s running a 10-core CPU, 10-core GPU, and a 16-core Neural Engine–that’s a lot of muscle for such a slim laptop. Day-to-day stuff feels effortless, and when you need to push it harder, it holds its own way better than you’d expect from a MacBook Air.

Apple also fixed one of the Air’s biggest limitations—you can finally run two external 6K displays with the lid open, which is a game-changer if you love a multi-monitor setup. The 12MP Center Stage webcam makes video calls look sharper, and in our battery tests, it lasted about 18 hours, so you can leave the charger at home most days.

MacBook Air (M4): Further considerations

This thing is crazy light at just over three pounds and thin at under half an inch, so it basically disappears in your bag. The new Sky Blue finish looks slick, and pricing starts at $999 for the 13-inch or $1,199 for the 15-inch. Even better, the base models now ship with 16GB of RAM, so you don’t have to immediately think about upgrading memory.

The only real tradeoff? Battery life is about an hour shorter than the M3 model in video loop tests. But honestly, with nearly 18 hours on tap, it’s still more than enough to power you through a full day (and night).

Read our full

MacBook Air (M4) review

Framework Laptop 13 (2025) – Best laptop for upgrading

Pros

• Repairable and upgradeable
• Great keyboard
• Display is easy on the eyes

Cons

• High up-front cost
• Battery life lags way behind
• Not quite seamless design

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Who should buy the Framework Laptop 13 (2025)?

Need a laptop that’s super easy to upgrade and tough enough to stick around? The Framework Laptop 13 (2025) is where it’s at. You can swap out pretty much anything—RAM, storage, even the motherboard if you want. It runs on an AMD Ryzen AI 300 processor and is slim enough to toss in your bag and go wherever.

Framework Laptop 13 (2025): Further considerations

The price might sting a bit upfront, and the built-in graphics are okay for everyday stuff, but don’t expect much gaming performance. Battery life’s decent, but nothing groundbreaking.

Read our full Framework Laptop 13 (2025) review

Other notable laptops we’ve tested

These laptops didn’t crack the top of our list, but they’re still good picks. The Dell 14 Premium is an elegant machine with a vibrant 3200×2000 OLED display, strong CPU performance, and Thunderbolt 4 ports. It’s powerful, even if it skips a few legacy ports. The HP EliteBook 8 G1a is a 16-inch professional workhorse with long battery life (nearly 16 hours!) and an AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 350 processor, making it great for heavy multitasking, though its GPU is a bit limited. And if a larger screen is what you’re after, the Dell 16 Plus has a 16-inch 2560×1600 display that’s clear and easy to read indoors, Copilot+ integration for AI tasks, and good everyday performance in a well-designed chassis. That said, it’s a bit heavier than other ultraportables and it doesn’t excel at heavy multithreaded workloads.

How to choose the best laptop

What’s the best laptop style?

Regular ones are fine for everyday stuff. 2-in-1s are cool because the screen flips around. Chromebooks are cheap and good if you mostly do web browsing.

How much power?

Depends on what you’re doing. For basic web or email, an Intel Core i3 or Ryzen 3 works fine. If you’re into video editing or creative stuff, an i7/i9 or Ryzen 7/9 is better. And if you’re handling heavy 4K editing or lots of apps, a Ryzen 9 is your best bet.

Discrete graphics vs. integrated graphics?

Gamers and video editors need a legit graphics card—Nvidia, AMD, something with real muscle. But if all you’re doing is YouTube, emails, and Netflix, the built-in graphics won’t hold you back.

How much RAM?

8GB of RAM is plenty for most stuff. If you’re gaming, 16GB is better, and 32GB will keep you covered for a while. Content creators should try to get as much RAM as they can.

What’s the right display size?

Doing video edits? Go bigger—15 or 17 inches helps a ton. For everyday use, 13 or 14 inches usually does the trick. Light enough to toss in your bag, not a pain to carry, and still plenty of space to get stuff done.

Battery-life expectations

If you’re gonna carry your laptop around, try to get one that lasts 10 to 12 hours on a charge. That’s usually enough for a long flight or a full day of classes. Some of the new Snapdragon laptops are even crushing that, with one going up to 25 hours thanks to their super-efficient chips. Just remember, bigger batteries usually mean heavier laptops. (Also, check out our roundup of the best laptop chargers.)

Laptop pricing guide

A decent laptop usually runs $500 to $750. If money’s tight, a Chromebook or a basic work laptop under $500 will get you by. Push closer to $1,000 and you’ll start seeing nicer screens and more speed, but it really depends on what you need.

Don’t forget the ports

I like laptops with lots of ports so you don’t need adapters. Having both USB-C and USB-A is great, and an HDMI port is a bonus and super handy for hooking up to a monitor.

If you’re on the lookout for a powerful charger for your phone and other gadgets, then you’re gonna want to jump on this fast Anker Nano USB-C charging block (which comes with a free cable included) that’s now on sale for just $34.99 on Amazon (was $49.99). That’s a lovely 30% discount on a lovely accessory you won’t regret.

This tiny power adapter features three ports: two USB-C and one USB-A. The USB-C ports are faster, each delivering up to 70W of charging, which will juice up your phone in under an hour and is even fast enough to power many laptops, including MacBooks. That’s only when the USB-C ports are used on their own, though. When multiple are being used, the 70W total gets split up. (The USB-A maxes out at 33W, by the way.)

Apart from being able to charge three devices at once, what I love about this wall plug is that it’s compact with foldable prongs. It fits easily into pockets and bags, and you can take it with you while traveling without worrying that it’ll get damaged or scuff up anything else. And don’t forget that it comes with a free USB-C cable that’s capable of handling the fast charging power of this power block.

This is a must-have for anyone, so don’t miss out on this deal. Get this Anker Nano USB-C charger block with cable for $34.99 before this discount expires! It’s the best price we’ve ever seen for it.

Ask a bunch of PC gamers what CPU is going in their next desktop build and I’ll bet more than half will mention some variation of AMD’s Ryzen X3D series. With boosted V-cache, it’s proven to give any GPU a helping hand—and that’s why I picked up a Ryzen 7 7800X3D for the desktop I’m using to type these very words. Today, you can get that same chip for just $319.99 on Amazon, a cool $130 off.

The 8-core, 16-thread 7800X3D was the sweet spot for gaming performance and price a couple of years ago, though it’s been superseded by the Zen 5-based 9800X3D (which can be installed in the same AM5 motherboards). That said, the newer chip is $460 from various retailers right now and only about 5 percent faster in higher-end games.

That makes this deal on the older 7800X3D a no-brainer. Put that extra budget towards your GPU or a bigger SSD and your upcoming PC build will be a lot more capable. Oh, and remember that the X3D processors don’t come with coolers—as AMD assumes you’ll want something a little beefier—so make sure to include one in your PCPartPicker list.

Grab the Ryzen 7 7800X3D for $319.99 on Amazon while you still can. There’s no indication of how long this particular deal will last, but Walmart is also selling it on sale, which you can snag if the Amazon deal runs out. (In fact, depending on where you are in relation to the nearest distribution center, you could get the latter for as little as $305.)

Roku is jumping onto the AI bandwagon with its next batch of software updates.

In the months ahead, the company will add AI-powered voice search for its smart TVs and streaming players. While Roku’s existing voice search can find specific programs, actors, or genres, the upgrade will allow for more conversational queries, such as “What’s the Barbie movie about?” or “How scary is The Shining.” It will also support follow-up questions.

Other forthcoming Roku features include a “What do you like to watch?” feature to tweak Roku’s home screen recommendations, live scores in the Sports section, and a search function in Roku’s live TV guide. Roku is also updating its recently-launched Streaming Stick and Streaming Stick Plus to support private listening through Bluetooth headphones and earbuds.

TV-focused AI

Unlike rivals Amazon and Google, Roku isn’t trying to launch an all-purpose AI that also happens to work on TVs. Roku doesn’t sell its own smart speakers, and users primarily interact with voice control through the mic button on Roku remotes. The new AI-powered assistant will only respond to entertainment-related queries, Roku says.

“Even in this case, with us evolving Roku voice to now answer entertainment Q&A, we are specializing in a TV-related solution only,” Amit Desai, Roku’s director of product and UX for voice and conversational AI, told reporters. He added that the feature will use a combination of in-house and commercial AI technology.

Roku

When users do ask about something entertainment-related, Roku will tailor its responses for the TV, for instance by offering links to the shows being discussed along with related programming.

Other streaming platforms haven’t quite nailed that experience. You can ask the same questions on a Google TV or Fire TV device, for instance, but you might get a voice-only response with no quick way to access the movie or show in question. (In Google’s case, that’s because it’s using completely different voice assistant technologies for conversation and navigation.)

We’ve yet to see a live demo of Roku’s AI, but it could make for a less frustrating voice control experience if it works as advertised.

More features to come

Roku

Along with Roku’s AI voice upgrade, the company announced a slew of other software features and some hardware news:

“What do you like to watch?” This feature will present a series of movie and show tiles that users can mark with a thumbs up. Roku will automatically add suggestions to users’ Save Lists and tweak its home screen recommendations accordingly.

Sports scores and reminders: Roku’s Sports section, which tracks upcoming live events from across different streaming services, will display scores (which can be hidden). Users can also set reminders that will trigger a notification in Roku’s mobile app.

Roku

Channel search: Roku will add a search button to its Live TV menu, with a search function in its live TV grid guide to follow.

Trailer links: Trailers that you watch from Roku’s home screen will have quick links in the video player to add the program to your Save List or see where it’s available to watch.

Mobile app updates: Roku’s iPhone and Android apps are getting some quick shortcuts for things like closed captions, sleep timers, the remote finder function. The app will also get links to sections such as TV Shows and Sports, along with an easier way to rate shows or mark them as watched.

Roku

More hardware: Walmart will soon sell a $198 portable projector from Vankyo with Roku’s software built-in. It looks pretty similar to the Aurzen model that launched on Amazon last month for $250 (but quickly dropped to $180 as of this writing). The company has also added Pioneer to its stable of brands building Roku TVs.

Streaming Sticks add Bluetooth: It turns out that the Roku’s $30 Streaming Stick and $40 Streaming Stick Plus support Bluetooth after all. A software update will allow them to play TV audio through wireless headphones or earbuds. That’s one less reason to consider the $100 Roku Ultra instead.

It’s unclear exactly when the new software features will arrive, other than in the “coming months.” The updates will likely trickle out to Roku TVs and streamers over time, making it tough to product when you’ll start seeing them on yours.

I spend a lot of time talking about two-factor authentication. Often I wonder if people have a real sense of its usefulness. Yeah, it helps keep hackers out of your accounts if your password somehow becomes compromised, but its usefulness as a security feature can be pretty abstract.

So, instead of talking up 2FA, today I’ll let this cute parrot just show you instead:

^{Original video on Instagram}

Your password is that first food cover. Two-factor authentication is the second. With just one cover, your meal gets eaten by the parrot. With two, your food is still yours to enjoy.

Setting up two-factor authentication can be as easy as dropping that second cover over the dish, by the way. You can use something you already own—your phone or tablet—to set up at least one 2FA method. I recommend using a dedicated app like Bitwarden Authenticator or Authy as the best balance between security and convenience.

That said, with a bird that cute, I’d probably share my food. But it would be my choice rather than the parakeet stealing it.

(Thanks to Instagram user sk_olgapl for sharing Edek’s hijinks!)

Apple on Wednesday announced the launch of its M5 processor, saying the chip “ushers in the next big leap in AI performance for Apple silicon.” The M5 appears in new editions of the iPad Pro, MacBook Pro, and Vision Pro, all of which are available for U.S. and U.K. customers to pre-order as of today.

‘A faster, more efficient, and more capable chip’

The M5, as you would expect, is a higher-performance chip than its M4 predecessor. Although it’s still built using 3-nanometer technology (albeit 3rd-gen, compared to 2nd-gen on the M4), Apple claims substantial improvements in graphical speed in particular.

According to the announcement, the M5’s 10-core GPU architecture, with a Neural Accelerator in each core, delivers “over 4x the peak GPU compute performance compared to M4” as well as “enhanced graphics capabilities and third-generation ray tracing.” Overall, Apple claims, the new chip is capable of up to 45 percent higher graphics performance than the M4.

On the CPU side, what Apple describes as “the world’s fastest performance core” promises a 15 percent bump in multithreaded performance compared to the M4. And unified memory bandwidth has been improved by almost 30 percent to 153GB/s.

All of which sounds good on paper, but what’s all this theoretical power for? Apple makes this very clear: AI. Unlike the M4 announcement in May 2024, which referenced AI only twice in the first seven paragraphs, the M5’s press release mentions the current tech obsession in the headline, the standfirst, the first subhead, the captions of the first two pictures, twice in the first paragraph, twice in the second paragraph, three times in the third paragraph…

So we can expect lots more discussion of Apple Intelligence in the year to come, then. But for now, we can focus on the first three products to feature the M5 chip.

Rival chips inbound: Panther Lake unveiled: A deep dive into Intel’s next-gen laptop CPU and Benchmarked: Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme crushes Intel’s laptop CPUs

New iPad Pro

There’s a new iPad Pro for fall 2025, and the M5 is its main, indeed almost its only, significant upgrade. The M5 Pro is the same size, the same design, available in the same colors, and appears to be otherwise virtually identical to the M4 model in every respect except four: it gets the M5 chip, Wi-Fi 6E has been bumped to Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.3 has been bumped to Bluetooth 6, and there’s a new fast-charging capability.

The M5 is clearly the headline change, and Apple claims this means the new device offers “up to 3.5x the AI performance than iPad Pro with M4 and up to 5.6x faster than iPad Pro with M1.” The last addition on my list could be an appealing upgrade, too, however. Apple says the new iPad Pro can be charged to 50 percent in 30 minutes if you’ve got the right adapter.

There’s one other change, but it only affects the cellular models. They get Apple’s C1X modem that was introduced with the iPhone 17.

The M5 iPad Pro starts at $999/£999 for the 11-inch model and $1,299/£1,299 for the 13-inch model. It’s available to preorder starting today and will go on sale on Wednesday, October 22. For more details about this product, check out our iPad Pro news hub.

New MacBook Pro

As was rumored ahead of the announcement, Apple is only announcing new MacBooks with the standard M5 chip; there’s no sign of higher-end models with an M5 Pro or M5 Max. As before, the M5 laptop is only available in a 14-inch size.

As on the iPad Pro, the MacBook Pro’s main upgrade is the M5 chip. Apple says this delivers “up to 3.5x the AI performance and up to 1.6x faster graphics than the previous generation.” But there’s also an upgrade to battery life (an estimated 24 hours, compared to 22 hours on the 14-inch MacBook Pro with an M4 Pro), and faster SSD performance.

The 14-inch MacBook Pro with M5 starts at $1,599/£1,599. It’s available to preorder starting today and will go on sale on Wednesday, October 22. For more details about this product, check out our MacBook Pro M5 news hub.

New Vision Pro

Finally, the M5 makes an appearance on a second iteration of Apple’s Vision Pro mixed-reality headset. The company says this will mean “faster performance, sharper details throughout the system, and even more battery life, setting a new standard for what’s possible in spatial computing.”

Other than the M5 chip, the new Vision Pro features a new cushioned Dual Knit Band to improve comfort. Owners of the M2 Vision Pro can order a new band for $99.

The updated Vision Pro is available to preorder starting today for customers in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, the UAE, the UK, and the U.S, and will go on sale in those countries on Wednesday, October 22. Other countries will follow.

This article originally appeared on our sister publication Macworld.

Edifier is the go-to choice for “bookshelf” speakers that sit on either side of your desktop PC’s monitor instead of on a bookshelf. The brand knows it’s popular with PC gamers, which is probably why its newest design looks uncannily like a gaming PC itself. The so-called HUAZAI New Cyber Speaker is, well, a speaker… despite featuring a transparent housing and a lot of faux computer parts inside.

Yeah, this is a strange one. In terms of form factor, the whole 2.1 unit is basically a boom box or perhaps an especially large speaker bar. That bottom section houses a pair of 52mm drivers and a 100mm woofer, a 60-watt amp, and a pair of passive radiators. Up top is a 2.8-inch screen over the area where a “CPU” would be if this was a PC (again, this is not a PC), and various blocks and LED-bedecked sections roughly mimic RAM DIMMs, SSDs, fans, and GPUs sitting on top of a motherboard. Those things that look like coolant lines are, allegedly, braided speaker cables.

Edifier

According to Notebookcheck, the speaker unit can be connected via USB, standard auxiliary cable, or Bluetooth, and it doubles as a USB-C or USB-A charger at up to 35 watts. Set to release in black or white colorways—but only in China for the moment—the New Cyber model will cost 1,499 yuan (about $210 USD at current exchange rates). There’s no indication of when (or if) it will come to other markets.

I guess I could see this working as an accent piece for a “battlestation” setup if you have a gaming laptop but really want something on the side of your desk that looks like a cyberpunk fish tank? But then you’d lose a lot of the separation in a stereo setup, which is pretty important if you’re actually using it for gaming or media. I dunno. It looks cool, or at least interesting, and it’s not ridiculously overpriced for the hardware and bling… though there’s no telling what the price might stretch to in other markets, especially the tariff-wracked US.

Best Prices Today: HP EliteBook 6 G1q

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The HP EliteBook 6 G1q is a 14-inch Qualcomm Snapdragon X laptop with a killer feature: Integrated 5G connectivity. HP Go is a built-in eSIM solution that delivers multi-network 5G connectivity, so it connects to AT&T, Verizon, or T-Mobile. It automatically switches depending on which one has the best signal, and you never even have to think about it.

It’s a magical experience being able to set up a laptop without connecting it to Wi-Fi, taking it with you in a bag, and taking it out of your bag to use it wherever you want without connecting to Wi-Fi or tethering it to your phone. Being able to pull the laptop out of my bag — in downtown Boston, at the beach, or wherever else — and have an immediate internet connection immediately was magical.

The HP Go 5G experience delivers five stars. This first version is mainly aimed at businesses. HP implied it might be looking to deliver more consumer laptops in the future when I asked.

Unfortunately, the rest of the laptop experience here doesn’t stand out. Our review model had a lower-end Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus chip and a webcam that looked grainy. And the display is on the dim side, which is a real problem for a 5G laptop you may want to use outdoors.

HP EliteBook 6 G1q: Specs

The HP EliteBook 6 G1q is a 14-inch business laptop available in a wide variety of configurations with different Qualcomm Snapdragon X processors. Our review model had a Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus X1P-42-100 CPU. The model we reviewed is available from CDW for $1,695.

HP also has a configurator where you can configure options, including buying models without 5G and choosing higher-end Snapdragon processors, but it gets expensive fast. Since this is a business laptop, businesses buying fleets of PCs might end up negotiating pricing closer to the CDW model.

Thanks to the Qualcomm Snapdragon hardware, these are all Copilot+ PCs with a fast enough NPU to run the AI features Microsoft is adding to Windows.

• Model number: HP EliteBook G6 G1q with HP GO 5G
• CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus X1P-42-100
• Memory: 32GB RAM
• Graphics/GPU: Qualcomm Adreno
• NPU: Qualcomm Hexagon NPU (45 TOPS)
• Display: 14-inch 1920×1200 IPS display with 60Hz refresh rate and 400 nits of brightness
• Storage: 512GB PCIe NVMe SSD
• Webcam: 1080p webcam
• Connectivity: 2x USB Type-C (40 Gbps), 2x USB Type-A (5Gbps), 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x combo audio jack, 1x RJ-45 Ethernet, 1x nano SIM slot, 1x security lock slot
• Networking: Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, Ethernet, 5G with HP Go
• Biometrics: Fingerprint reader
• Battery capacity: 56 Watt-hours
• Dimensions: 12.54 x 8.83 x 0.43 inches
• Weight: 3.17 pounds
• MSRP: $1,695 as tested

HP EliteBook 6 G1q: Design and build quality

Foundry / Chris Hoffman

The HP EliteBook 6 G1q is a lightweight silver laptop made of a mix of aluminum and plastic, and HP is proud that it includes recycled materials. At 3.17 pounds, this 14-inch laptop isn’t heavy, but it’s not the lightest laptop either. Some thin-and-light laptop designs would shave off a half pound or more here.

The build quality is good but not fancy. This is a business laptop through and through: A design made for corporations to buy in bulk for their employees, not to buy as a premium one-off machine for the CEO. It’s a solid design with a hinge that feels good, and it feels sturdy.

But it doesn’t feel like a premium all-metal machine: When I run my fingers over the edges of the laptop — down from the keyboard tray, over the ports, and then to the underbody, I can feel the edge of where the aluminum keyboard deck meets the plastic bottom. It’s not going to cut me or anything, but every time I pick up the machine, I can feel that metal-meets-plastic feeling. In summary: It’s a workhorse, and not a premium machine. A more premium design would be lighter and have a unibody construction without a seam you could feel.

HP EliteBook 6 G1q: Keyboard and trackpad

Foundry / Chris Hoffman

The keyboard and trackpad on the HP EliteBook 6 G1q are serviceable. Since this is a 14-inch machine, there’s plenty of space for a large keyboard. The chiclet-style keys don’t feel mushy, but they don’t exactly feel snappy either. Key travel is a little low. That’s a tad disappointing for a business laptop, where keyboards are usually a focus.

The trackpad is also fine. It’s a good size and smooth enough, but it’s not the kind of premium glass surface you’ll find on higher-end business machines. Our review model didn’t have a touch screen, only a few configurations of this laptop do.

This is the kind of business laptop a company can hand out to its employees and know they’ll be able to work everywhere, but not the kind of business laptop an individual seeks out for the best typing experience.

HP EliteBook 6 G1q: Display and speakers

Foundry / Chris Hoffman

The HP EliteBook 6 G1q has a display that does the job in indoor lighting conditions, but it doesn’t go above and beyond. It’s a 14-inch 1920×1200 IPS panel running at 60Hz and delivering up to 400 nits of brightness. That’s not going to win any awards, but I’m grateful I had the 400 nit display: HP also sells configurations with a dimmer 300 nit panel!

For a 5G laptop, I’d say this is a real problem. The ideal 5G laptop would let me work from anywhere, whether that’s at the beach or on a park bench in downtown Boston (I tested both.) At 400 nits of brightness, this panel doesn’t have enough brightness to compete with the sun on a bright day, making it near unusable in many lighting situations. Many laptops like that, but a 5G laptop — where the goal is to use it on the go — really deserves a brighter panel than this.

The speakers have enough volume, but they didn’t wow me, either. I test all the laptops I review by firing up Spotify and playing both Steely Dan’s Aja and Daft Punk’s Get Lucky. The sound is a little muffled and muddy. Instrument separation in Aja wasn’t particularly clear and bass in Get Lucky wasn’t particularly distinct. These speakers are usable in a pinch, but you’d definitely want headphones for music and media.

HP EliteBook 6 G1q: Webcam, microphone, biometrics

The HP EliteBook 6 G1q has a 1080p webcam, which sounds good on paper. But the webcam was incredibly grainy and washed out in non-ideal lighting, which is a disappointment for a business machine, where nicer webcams are often a feature. It did better in brighter lighting, but it’s not up there with many higher-end business laptop webcams.

HP includes a physical webcam shutter switch you can slide to block the webcam, which is always nice to see.

The microphone sounds reasonably clear with good noise cancellation. I’d say it’s better than the webcam, but neither are particularly impressive. If you need to be visible and audible in an online meeting, this machine will do the job. But it won’t deliver high recording quality.

Our review model had a fingerprint reader for Windows Hello on the keyboard deck. It worked fine. But an IR camera for facial recognition would’ve been a nice option — it does appear like that is an option on some other configurations.

HP EliteBook 6 G1q: Connectivity

Foundry / Chris Hoffman

The HP EliteBook 6 G1q’s connectivity is its crown jewel. 5G just worked out of the box: I powered on the laptop, set up Windows, and started using the machine without ever connecting it to Wi-Fi or plugging in an Ethernet cable. This also enables better management of a laptop fleet. If a laptop is stolen or lost, a business can track and locate it even if it isn’t connected to Wi-Fi. From an end-user perspective, I never bothered configuring anything. It “just worked” and switched between networks as needed. At a starting price of $19 per user per month for the 5G service, that’s extremely impressive.

This machine also has a lot of ports: On the left side, two USB Type-C (40Gbps) ports, one USB Type-A port (5Gbps), HDMI 2.1 out, and a combo audio jack. On the right side, a second USB Type-A port (5Gbps), an RJ-45 Ethernet jack, a security lock slot, and an optional nano SIM slot for models with cellular connectivity.

This machine has both Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4. So the connectivity is incredible: Multi-network 5G, Wi-Fi 7, and wired Ethernet all in one machine.

HP EliteBook 6 G1q: Performance

The HP EliteBook 6 G1q ran cool and quiet, delivering reasonable desktop performance. The Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus X1P-42-100 hardware here is some of the slowest hardware HP could choose, however. It’s the slowest Snapdragon X Plus chip you’ll find. The only thing slower is the Snapdragon X X1-26-100, which doesn’t even get a “Plus” in its name. It does the job for basic productivity tasks: A web browser, office tools, and communication apps.

As always, we ran the EliteBook 6 G1q through our standard benchmarks to see how it performs. We normally start with PCMark 10, but it doesn’t yet run on Arm laptops like this one.

Foundry / Chris Hoffman

First, we run Cinebench R24. It’s available as a native Arm program, which lets us compare performance across laptops. CPUs with more cores do better on this multi-threaded benchmark. The Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus X1P-42-100 is an eight-core CPU, so it won’t keep up with CPUs with more cores on multithreaded tasks.

With a multi-threaded score of 759, the CPU here was definitely behind AMD’s Ryzen AI HX 300 series hardware, but it delivers better performance than many lower-tier power-efficient Intel chips.

Foundry / Chris Hoffman

Second, we run a graphical benchmark. This isn’t a gaming laptop, but it’s still good to check how the GPU performs. We run 3DMark Time Spy, a graphical benchmark that focuses on GPU performance. This particular benchmark is written for traditional x86 versions of Windows and runs through the Prism translation layer, so you’ll get an idea of how traditional GPU-accelerated apps (and games) will perform on this machine.

With a 3DMark Time Spy score of 1,066, this machine just isn’t suitable for GPU-accelerated workloads or gaming. Even the Qualcomm Hexagon GPUs in higher-tier Snapdragon X SKUs are significantly faster.

Foundry / Chris Hoffman

We also run 3DMark Night Raid. This benchmark does have a native Arm version, so we can compare the Qualcomm Hexagon GPU here and see how fast it runs when it isn’t being held back by the Prism translation layer here. The score here gives you an idea of how well the GPU will perform in apps written for Arm hardware.

With a score of 16,819 on the Night Raid benchmark, this machine closes some of the gap with Intel and AMD systems. The translation layer isn’t slowing things down, but it’s still far behind other machines in GPU performance.

Overall, the HP EliteBook 6 G1q we reviewed delivers serviceable performance for lightweight desktop PC tasks while running cool and quiet. But it’s no speed demon, and it will be quickly outpaced even by laptops with higher-end Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite CPUs.

HP EliteBook 6 G1q: Battery life

The HP EliteBook 6 G1q has a 56 Watt-hour battery. That’s low for a laptop that weighs over three pounds. The Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus hardware here is power-efficient, so it’ll get you through a workday. But I didn’t see the kind of extremely long battery life — 24 hours — that I did on Snapdragon X laptops with larger batteries.

Foundry / Chris Hoffman

To benchmark the battery life, we play a 4K copy of Tears of Steel on repeat on Windows 11 with airplane mode enabled until the laptop suspends itself. We set the screen to 250 nits of brightness for our battery benchmarks. This is a best-case scenario for any laptop since local video playback is so efficient, and real battery life in day-to-day use is always going to be less than this.

The HP EliteBook 6 G1q lasted for 983 minutes on average. That’s over 16 hours. It’s a lot, probably more than most people would need, but the battery size has it behind many competing Snapdragon laptops. It’s another way the laptop cuts a corner and doesn’t aim for the high-end premium experience crown. It’s a shame because long battery life matters even more on a 5G laptop, which could be used in locations far from Wi-Fi and power outlets.

HP EliteBook 6 G1q: Conclusion

The HP EliteBook 6 G1q delivers 5G connectivity that just works. It transforms how you use a laptop like this one, and I hope to see more laptops delivering seamless 5G out of the box in the future. For businesses, it also makes their fleet of laptops remotely trackable and manageable just like a cellular-connected phone or tablet is. The way HP has delivered multi-network 5G you don’t even have to think about is technically impressive.

Unfortunately, the rest of the laptop experience is a lower-end Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus machine. A company that wants to deliver a fleet of connected-but-mid-range laptops to a large number of employees will love these. But I bet the CEO will use a different machine.

Unless you’re always working away from home, you probably don’t need a laptop—and that’s good news because you can get a much more powerful device for the same price (or even less!) if you opt for a mini PC instead. This Geekom AX8 mini PC is amazing for home offices, and right now it’s on sale for just $499 on Amazon. That’s a massive 33% discount from its original $749 and an excellent price for a powerful machine!

This Geekom mini PC comes with an AMD Ryzen 7 8745HS processor and an impressive 32GB of DDR5 RAM. That’s a solid combo that will not stumble over any task. There’s also a speedy 1TB SSD on board, as well as Radeon 780M integrated graphics that can handle modest gaming with pretty good performance. It’s seriously robust and will last you for many years as long as you aren’t doing super-intensive stuff.

The Geekom AX8 is especially good for multitaskers because it supports a quadruple 4K setup. Between the two USB4 ports (up to 8K@30Hz) and two HDMI ports (up to 4K@60Hz), you can run several high-def displays for tons of screen real estate. It’s the perfect solution whether you’re reading dozens of documents, researching numerous browser tabs, streaming movies or playing music, meeting on Zoom, etc.

A laptop with these kinds of specs could easily cost you twice as much, so why waste the money? Get this Geekom AX8 mini PC for $499 while this limited-time Amazon deal is still around!

Microsoft’s Xbox brand is not doing great. Despite being a pillar of the modern gaming landscape, it seems like Xbox consoles are inconsequential thanks to stiff competition from within and without. Nintendo and Sony are playing to their strengths, and Microsoft itself seems more interested in pushing a platform and subscription than in maintaining its shrinking portion of the market. Add to this huge price increases, for both consoles and the lynchpin Xbox Game Pass itself, and it’s not exactly happy days in Redmond.

Into this fractious and uncertain landscape lands the Asus ROG Xbox Ally handheld, and its more souped-up version, the ROG Xbox Ally X. Launching later this week at $600 and $1,000, respectively, these gadgets are some major firsts for Microsoft. They’re the first Xbox portable devices, even if their claim to being “Xboxes” is mostly a matter of marketing. They’re the first post-Steam Deck portable gaming PCs made explicitly in cooperation with Microsoft and Xbox, though Asus has made two generations before them. And they’re the official debut of the Xbox Fullscreen Mode, Microsoft’s answer to the Steam Deck user interface.

Michael Crider/Foundry

Asus asked me to check out the new Ally hardware at a pre-release event, which was my first chance to go literally hands-on with the device just a week or so before they land on shelves. And while the handhelds themselves are impressive, I don’t think they’re such a huge step forward that they’ll convince anyone who wasn’t sold on the concept already. And the new, semi-exclusive interface is pretty good, certainly an improvement over the pain point of running Windows 11 on smaller handheld devices, but it still needs work even as it’s preparing for a full retail release.

PC gamers who are already fans of this form factor might find a new front-runner in the Xbox Ally, and maybe even the first true rival to the Steam Deck. But combined with the woes of the Xbox platform itself, and a pretty high price tag even if you don’t want the $1,000 upgraded X model, I don’t think this is the Xbox hit that Microsoft has been waiting for.

Fill your hands

The most striking difference between the older ROG Ally design and the ROG Xbox Ally is those highly visible handles, now distinctly jutting from the device’s body instead of smoothly integrated. And it’s no surprise that these are the biggest change in actually using the handheld, too. Gripping onto the gadget was instantly familiar — I could close my eyes and imagine I really was holding an official Xbox controller, as I’ve done for thousands of hours before. It’s comfy is what I’m saying here, and the familiar staggered control layout might be a huge improvement if you have medium or small hands and the Steam Deck’s interior thumbsticks are a pain point.

Michael Crider/Foundry

The more solid grip on the device makes it feel lighter, despite looking considerably chunkier, if only because my muscle memory makes it seem like I’ve held it so often before. This is an impressive trick, since the base model (the one in white) is almost exactly the same weight as the 2024 Ally X. The ROG Xbox Ally X (upgraded, in black, God these names are awful) is a few grams heavier, and feels it. But it needs a bigger, 65-watt battery to handle its more powerful and higher-wattage processor, 35W versus 20W. Even then, I didn’t feel uncomfortable holding it — though I never got to do so for more than about 10 minutes at a time.

Aside from the adjusted ergonomics, the physical experience of the device feels very familiar. With a 7-inch ,1080p IPS display it’s neither the biggest nor the sharpest screen available in a PC handheld. But it’s plenty smooth at 120Hz, and 500 nits of brightness should keep it visible in almost any situation. The only other big shift is a dedicated Xbox button, conspicuously hanging out near the left analog stick. The upgraded black model also gets haptic feedback in its triggers, though I didn’t play any game that seems to take advantage of it — this is still a rare find on PC games since it’s mainly a PS5 feature.

Michael Crider/Foundry

So if you’re already comfortable with any given 7- or 8-inch PC gaming handheld, I think you’ll find the Xbox Ally easy to pick up, literally. It’s impressively comfortable, sacrificing only a little extra space (about half an inch wider than the original Ally and a bit thicker). But given that you’ll need either a full bag or a dedicated carrying case for it anyway, I don’t think you’re giving up too much…and it’s still not as wide as the Steam Deck.

Performance

To be honest I’m not in a position to gauge minute differences in performance between the various flavors of PC gaming handhelds on the market right now. For that, be sure to check out Adam Patrick Murray’s coverage over on the PCWorld YouTube channel — he’s a fiend for these things. Both these devices are based on AMD APUs, with integrated graphics that are nonetheless tuned for impressive gaming performance given their size and power limitations. The white Xbox Ally has a Ryzen Z2 A with 4 cores and 16GB of memory, the Xbox Ally X gets a top-of-the-line Ryzen Z2 Extreme with 8 cores and a maximum speed of 5GHz, plus 24GB of memory.

2D games like Hollow Knight Silksong (and those that mix a lot of low-poly 3D, like Hades) seem more than comfy running smoothly on the hardware, with no gaps or stuttering. That’s hardly surprising, since even the low-priority integrated graphics on budget laptops can handle these games with few, if any, issues. The more interesting question in this application is how long the battery can last while intelligently giving the game just enough juice to keep it stable.

Michael Crider/Foundry

More strenuous games were a different story. Playing the graphically intense but well-optimized Forza Horizon 5 on the Xbox Ally X was a treat, with smooth racing at 60-80fps and plenty of graphical extras…let down by a very obvious dip in 1 percent frame rate lows every 30 seconds or so. This is, to my mind, perfectly acceptable — despite years of optimizations, we’re still talking about chips that were originally designed for laptops without discrete graphics cards. If you demand uninterrupted 4K/240Hz brilliance, you’re not playing on a handheld anyway (or you’re streaming from something more powerful).

But let’s say you’ve got a hankering for more power, and you also have a massive budget. Asus is also launching the latest generation of its XG Mobile dock along with the new Xbox Ally. These docks come with discrete laptop GPUs (Nvidia RTX 5070 Ti and 5090 for the newest versions) and a Thunderbolt 5 port. Not only will this max out the connection with the Xbox Ally, it’s compatible with almost any recent laptop or gaming handheld, granting them the boosted power too. This is a marked difference from the original XG design, which needed a proprietary connection designed only for ROG-branded laptops, tablets, and (later) the ROG Ally.

Michael Crider/Foundry

The combination of an explicitly portable device with an extra sizeable hunk of electronics to make it more powerful might seem strange. But Asus representatives told me that the ROG Ally family is the device most frequently paired with the XG dock, despite it being initially marketed as a companion for laptops and Surface-style tablets. Trying out the hardware at the event, I was impressed with the combination of the Xbox Ally X and the 5090-equipped dock, connected to a 4K display and running Gears of War Reloaded at full resolution and its maximum settings. While it wasn’t breaking any records, it consistently hit 80 frames per second at 4K.

We’re also talking about a pricey combination of hardware here. The ROG Xbox Ally X is $1,000, and the 2025 version of the XG Mobile dock with an RTX 5090 laptop card is $2,500. (The 5070 Ti version is a more palatable $1,300.) So $3,500 all-in, not counting the monitor, keyboard, and mouse. That doesn’t mean it’s a direct comparison with a $3,500 laptop — the combination setup is more portable (arguably), and that dock can work with almost any modern Windows-based device. But it’s a lot to ask for in any case.

Windows on handhelds still needs work

The most interesting aspect of the Xbox Ally to me is the new “Xbox Fullscreen Experience,” Microsoft’s answer to the Steam Deck’s software advantage. For the unaware, the Steam Deck runs on a custom Linux-based SteamOS, using the Proton compatibility layer to play Windows-based games when no Linux build is available. It also has a fully custom user interface, adapted from Steam’s Big Picture Mode. That should mean that Windows-based handhelds have an advantage running native software…but the overhead of Windows 11, not to mention its pain points on devices with screens as small as 7 inches, means these more expensive machines are often slower and more cumbersome.

Asus

The Xbox Fullscreen Experience is the solution, or at least it hopes to be. Not only is it offering a more focused, console-style browsing interface, with a unified library from the biggest Windows game stores, it helps the performance side of things by not loading the Windows taskbar, desktop, and various other behind-the-scenes stuff. This should be a one-two punch for the ROG Xbox Ally, making it feel like a much more integrated experience that’s been lacking for Windows handhelds. The Xbox Fullscreen Experience is coming to other devices in 2026, though it’s possible to test it out now if you put in a little elbow grease.

The system is getting something similar to Valve’s Steam Deck Certified program, too. Microsoft calls it the “handheld compatibility program.” Games labelled “Optimized” are good to go with no changes, while those marked “Compatible” might need a few settings tweaks or the occasional touchscreen input, but should run acceptably. A Microsoft representative said of the games tested so far (presumably mostly Game Pass titles), 85 percent fell into one of those two categories. Expect the program to be expanded to more hardware, just like the UI.

Michael Crider/Foundry

This new approach to handheld gaming is an improvement, to be sure. Focusing on the combination of controller-style navigation and touchscreen makes the device feel a lot more complete and natural. If you told me this really was a portable Xbox, instead of a partnership device running on Windows, I might believe you…until I saw that you can still get to the full desktop if you want to.

And that’s where the cracks started to show. When I first tried to launch Forza, it did so in a strange minimized floating window. That’s not unheard of for a game running on Windows, but it’s annoying, and a clear indication that yeah, the familiar and often clunky Windows 11 is still underneath all this nice UI. It might be smoother and faster than, say, the third-party launcher programs from Asus and Lenovo, but it’s still there. I had to manually close the game and launch it again to try it out.

Michael Crider/Foundry

Being mindful of this, I tried to launch the standard Windows interface, which was easy enough. When I tried to switch back to the Xbox Fullscreen Experience, the Ally warned me that I should restart to get the intended performance boost. I thought this might mean restarting Explorer.exe or something similar…nope. It reboots the entire device, which takes a solid three minutes or so. Whatever tweaks are being made behind the curtain to keep this thing running smoothly, they aren’t evident in the startup time.

I think that getting a unified, gaming-focused interface, provided and supported by Microsoft, is a great idea. (In fact I asked a Microsoft representative if it was coming to desktops and laptops anytime soon…no comment.) But while I’m sure that both Microsoft and Asus have put a lot of work into this, it seems pretty clear that there are a lot of kinks left to work out, and a lot left to do when this thing gets in the hands of end users.

Ouch, that price tag

Speaking of which…that price. Oof. $600 for a portable machine is a lot, albeit not in the context of Windows-powered handheld PCs launching this year. At that price the ROG Xbox Ally is competing not with the base model Steam Deck, but its OLED upgrade, $550 at the time of writing. And Asus said it intends this version of the device to be for “casual gamers.” Okay…but surely if someone considers themselves “casual,” they’re fine with their phone or tablet, or the console they already own. You can find an original Switch for half that much.

The upgraded ROG Xbox Ally X costs $1,000 USD, which easily makes it the most expensive Xbox ever, if you want to call it that. And it’ll land somewhere between the Series S and Series X consoles in terms of its graphical power. Granted, the Windows OS gives it far more flexibility, to say nothing of the option of throwing it in your bag without needing to lift with your legs. And let’s face it, there’s no major game coming out on Xbox that isn’t also coming to Windows at this point.

Michael Crider/Foundry

If you’re still looking at handheld PCs as an accessible way to get into the latest games, or even at consoles as a more affordable alternative to high-powered PC gaming, the new “Xbox” portables just don’t make sense as a value proposition. Of course there are plenty of people who see no problem dropping more than a grand on a handheld device — our own Adam Patrick Murray is one of them. But looking at the ROG Xbox Ally as a major hope for Microsoft’s gaming ambitions, I can’t help but think it’s underwhelming. And that was before both the Xbox consoles and Game Pass became much more expensive.

Even if the price isn’t a problem for you, I’d wait until you can get your hands on it to put some money down. Especially if you’re torn between the ROG Xbox Ally X and Lenovo’s alternative, the Legion Go 2, which should get that upgraded Windows interface at some point. There are plenty of options from other suppliers too, albeit less likely to show up on a retail shelf. With something this expensive, and with a satisfaction this dependent on how it physically feels, I’d make liberal use of a Best Buy demo unit if I had the option.

Our data is a precious commodity, not only to us but to the many potential customers of data brokers who collect and sell it without our knowledge. Once obtained the information can then be used to market products at us, assess our suitability for jobs or financial services, and even whether we qualify for certain healthcare coverage. The worst part is that we’re often unaware of the data being amassed and sold, as it all happens behind our back. Thankfully, you don’t have to be at the mercy of these practices, as there are services that can help you have your data removed and then prevent it from being collected again. So, if you want to keep your information secure, you’re going to need a little help.

What are data brokers?

As we’ve already outlined, data brokers collect information from websites, services and other companies, then package it to be sold to the highest bidder. It’s a legal practice, but not one that feels fair to consumers or in their best interests.

There are two main types – public and private. You may have seen public ones, as they come in the form of people search sites where you can look up a surprising amount of information about individuals – often including their address and contact details.

Then there are the private brokers. These collate the personal information of people and offer them to range of sectors, including marketing, risk-mitigation (for insurance companies, healthcare, etc.), recruitment (providing background information on candidates), and financial (data on whether you should be offered accounts, loans or other services).

Incogni

A report from the BBC, including video footage obtained from a call centre in India, showed the scammers that worked there laughing about their victims in the UK and USA. One recounted how he’d forced a woman to hand over her last $100, leaving her in tears. How does this relate to data brokers? The truth is that scammers don’t pick phone numbers at random. They buy your data from brokers. Once your data is out there, it’s not just calls. It’s phishing, impersonation, and identity theft.

How can I stop data brokers selling my information?

This is no easy task, as there are many private brokers and obviously your data is part of their business model. So, getting them to remove your information can be difficult. That’s where Incogni can give you a massive advantage, with its deep knowledge of the industry and how it works.

Incogni specialises in helping customers regain control of their personal data by automatically removing listings from over 420 data brokers, both private and public. On its Unlimited plan, customers can also send custom removal requests in additional to the standard ones, where they point out particular websites and Incogni handles the removal of the data. With over 1,000 unique sites already addressed on behalf of customers, alongside the 420+ standard scans, plus over 245 million successful data removal requests so far, you know that Incogni is a company you can trust to get the job done. This is borne out by the fact that it’s also the first data removal service to have its commercial claims verified by a Big Four auditing service.

The process of removing data is very simple. After setting up an account on the Incogni site, the service will run a scan on people search sites to find your personal information, then send removal requests. Next, requests are sent to the private brokers (something which is not always offered on other services without upgraded to a higher tier).

Incogni

If needed, follow up requests are sent after 60 days (public brokers) or 90 days (private brokers), with Incogni boasting an impressive 99% confirmation of removal requests. The company then re-scans the sites and sends fresh requests so that customers won’t have their data collected again. While this is going on, Incogni keeps you up to date with individual progress reports.

The approach of constant monitoring and recurring removal requests prevents brokers from sneakily re-adding your information again. This means that even if it does reappear, Incogni’s on-going process will take it down again, keeping your privacy safe.

Invest in your privacy with Incogni

The cost of having your data sold can be high but protecting it is very affordable with Incogni. Prices start at $7.99/£5.99 p/m and there are also plans for up to 5 people if you want to protect the privacy of your family. There’s a 30-day money back guarantee and you can cancel at any time.

To celebrate Cybersecurity Awareness Month in October, Incogni is running special promotions with major discounts off its subscription prices. So, be sure to check the site throughout the month to grab a fantastic deal.

Don’t let secretive companies track and report on you to make themselves money. Instead, take control again with Incogni. After all, data brokers can’t sell what they don’t have.

As you browse the internet and sign up to sites or services, you’re actually leaving behind a trail of personal information. This can then be packaged up and sold to various parties, with results that can impact applications to jobs, financial services or even healthcare. Just try Googling your name and you may find a shocking amount of data about you that’s available to anyone for free or at a small cost.

So, is this just the price of using online services, or should you be worried about how this information could affect your life?

How does your personal data become available?

One of the main currencies of the internet is information. This means that when you join a new site or service, there’s a good chance that elements of the data you provide could be sold to data brokers. These companies can then put together the information they glean from various sources to build a profile on you, which is then either made available on people search sites or sold to a range of interested customers.

What harm comes with having personal data online?

Not only does this have potential risks to your privacy and safety, as anyone could get access to things like your phone number, businesses you own, or other contact details.  But it could also work against you in a number of ways.

Data brokers can sell your data to financial bodies such as banks and insurance companies, who might decide that you’re too much of a risk for loans, credit cards or mortgages.

Recruitment consultants can go to brokers for background checks on potential employees, all without your consent.

Healthcare providers can also approach brokers as part of their risk-mitigation, which could result in you being refused treatment or cover.

The problem is that the information they are using to appraise you might not be accurate or at least could be missing the context in which it would make more sense. But you never see it and wouldn’t even know that the checks had taken place.

Incogni

How to I remove my personal data from the web?

To protect yourself from this scary situation it’s best to employ the services of a professional data broker information removal service. These have the best resources, knowledge of the industry, and know what legal and procedural approach to take when getting your data erased.

One of the leading companies in the field is Incogni, with over 245 million successful data removal requests executed so far. Its streamlined service makes the whole experience effortless. All you do is sign up for an account, ask Incogni to run a scan, then it takes care of the rest.

The service automatically removes your data from over 420 brokers (both private and public), then regularly re-scans the sites to ensure that your information doesn’t get added again. If it does, then Incogni removes the information can remains vigilant on your behalf. This constant monitoring and removal means you can feel safe that your data isn’t going to reappear the moment your back is turned.

If you use the Unlimited plan, then there’s the option to create custom requests, pointing Incogni to specific sites that host your data so it can be removed. Over 1,000 unique websites have already been addressed in this way, and Incogni constantly works to increase its scope in order to protect customers’ data.

Incogni never sells, trades or shares customer information, and it’s the first data removal service to have its commercial claims verified by a Big Four auditing service. This means you can trust Incogni to work on your behalf.

Incogni

Keep your personal data private

Signing up to Incogni only costs $7.99/£5.99 p/m for a single account and there are also plans available for up to 5 people. Plus, there’s a 30-day money back guarantee and you can cancel at any time.

To celebrate Cybersecurity Awareness Month in October, Incogni is running special promotions, with large discounts on its normal subscription prices. So, keep an eye on the Incogni site throughout October if you want to pick up a bargain. 

Don’t let that job, loan or health cover get away because of information about you that you can’t control. Instead, let Incogni clean up your online presence so you can take back your privacy once more.

If you’ve only just adopted Windows 11, one of the things that will jump out at you is the placement of the Start button on the desktop. It’s now towards the middle of the screen.

I actually like it in the center position, because it’s easier to orientate my searches without having to drag my mouse pointer all the way to the side of the screen. That said, not everyone feels the same way. It bugs some long-time users of Windows 10 who are used to the far left-hand side placement. But fret not, because you can change it back to the left in just a few clicks.

What to do:

• Right click on the taskbar and select Taskbar settings.
• Find the submenu “Taskbar behaviors” and click the dropdown arrow next to it.
• Now next to “Taskbar alignment” change Center to Left. Close the window and watch your taskbar magically shift position.

Dominic Bayley / Foundry

And voila! Your taskbar should be back in left-hand placement. Don’t worry if you’re not sold on it being there, because you can always change it back again in a jiffy. If you’re coming to Windows 11 due to Windows 10’s end of support, you can find more helpful tips like this in our Windows 11 guide for Windows 10 refugees.

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