Personal Computers

Razer has ushered in a new Thunderbolt 5 generation of external GPUs with the launch of the Core X V2, alongside its new Razer Thunderbolt 5 dock. But it’s a noticeable step down from Razer’s earlier eGPUs.

One of the more popular eGPUs of the Thunderbolt 3 generation was the Core X, which provided 650W of power for a three-slot graphics card — which you had to supply yourself, of course. The Core X V2 allows for GPUs up to four slots wide, but this time, you’ll need to provide both the GPU and power supply.

Even worse, the original Core X also included a handful of USB slots and a gigabit Ethernet port. The Core X V2 apparently does not. Instead, Razer’s Core X V2 page attempts to sell you one of Razer’s Thunderbolt docks instead. At $349.99, that’s a tough pill to swallow for potential Core X V2 buyers: you’ll need to buy a graphics card, a power supply, and maybe an optional dock.

Razer’s first Thunderbolt 5 dock isn’t cheap, either. A Mercury White edition costs $389.99, while the blinged-out RGB option, the Chroma edition, goes for $399.99.

The Core X V2 accomodates a four-slot card, a step up from its predecessor. The V2 measures 16.59 inches deep by 7.76 inches wide and 8.51 inches high, and is designed for ATX power supplies. The ventilated steel chassis also includes a built-in 120mm fan for additional cooling.

Razer says you’ll need to buy a power supply that can meet your card’s power requirements, plus an additional 230W for the Core X V2 itself. (Presumably, that includes powering the dock as well as pushing 140W of power to your laptop, in line with the Thunderbolt 5 specification.)

Razer

Razer’s price is higher too, even after the omissions. The Razer Core debuted in 2016 for $500, followed by the Core X for $299. Now, the price has bounced up again, even after cutting the power supply the previous models included.

At this point, you may be wondering why you’re spending $350 if you still have to fork over additional cash for an external GPU and a power supply. But there’s another issue: right now, Thunderbolt 5 is typically found only on high-end gaming laptops, which already have a robust GPU. Part of the promise of an external GPU dock is that you can buy a relatively modest laptop, then connect it to an external GPU card for after-hours gaming. That scenario doesn’t seem likely for a few months yet, or longer.

To be fair, Razer’s Core X V2 should work with PCs equipped with Thunderbolt 4 ports. But the increased bandwidth of Thunderbolt 5 fits better with the high-end capabilities of today’s high-end GPUs.

A Thunderbolt 5 dock, however, seems to be a more useful option. For now, most gaming laptops — again, where Thunderbolt 5 is debuting — still include gobs of hardwired ports. But I really liked the Razer Thunderbolt 4 Dock Chroma, which is a good omen for the Thunderbolt 5 model. (You’ll be able to use the dock with a laptop or PC equipped with Thunderbolt 4, too.) PCWorld included it in its list of the best Thunderbolt docks.

Razer

The Razer Thunderbolt Dock is a 10-port dock (hub), with three Thunderbolt 5 connections in addition to the dedicated port between the dock and the laptop. That means that the dock should support three 144Hz 4K displays. The dock also includes a gigabit Ethernet port, a pair of 10Gbps USB-A connections, one 10Gbps USB-C connection, a UHS-II card slot and a mic/headphone jack. It’s also actively cooled, with a small fan inside.

Razer’s dock also ships with an open M.2 slot, specifically for PCIe Gen 4 x4 SSDs. I’ve loved the performance a docked SSD provides. The dock also supports Thunderbolt Share, which can connect two Thunderbolt-equipped PCs together. And, of course, there’s the optional RGB, too.

The dock ships with a year’s warranty.

Razer

Nothing’s cheap any more, unfortunately. Razer’s latest Thunderbolt hardware looks great, but the amount you’ll spend really puts a damper on the bling.

Looking for a decent laptop under $500? Yeah, it’s a bit of a mess out there. One quick search and you’re drowning in options–most of them are pretty meh. The key is knowing what actually matters.

Shoot for a 1080p screen and at least 8GB of RAM. That combo keeps things running smooth and makes videos look good, too. You’ll have to give up a few bells and whistles at this price, but don’t worry, we’ve already sifted through the junk to identify affordable laptops you actually want.

Here are our top picks that prove budget laptops don’t have to be terrible.

Pros

• Affordable
• Decent battery life
• Good display visibility

Cons

• Big and bulky
• Cheap build
• Limited performance

If you’re looking for the best bang-for-your-buck laptop under $500, this is it. The Aspire Go 15 just gets the job done. You’re getting a sharp screen, solid performance for everyday stuff, and crazy good battery life. We got almost 12 hours in testing, which is a full workday and then some. The 1080p screen looks sharp, even if it’s not super bright. The Intel Core i3-N305 isn’t built for anything heavy-duty, but it’s more than enough for streaming, web stuff, and basic work or school use.

The keyboard feels great (our reviewer was cranking out 110 words per minute without a problem) and the trackpad is smooth and responsive. Plus, there’s a nice spread of ports: USB-C with power and video out, two USB-A, HDMI, headphone jack, and even a Kensington lock and barrel charger.

It’s not flashy, that’s for darn sure. But for under $300, it does the basics better than most.

Read our full Acer Aspire Go 15 (2024) review

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

If you’re not running Photoshop or playing AAA games, the Asus Chromebook Plus CX34 absolutely gets the job done. The Intel Core i5 and 8GB of RAM keep everything zipping along, even with a dozen tabs open and a video call going.

It’s lightweight, looks clean with that white finish, and has a 1080p display that’s easy on the eyes. The webcam’s full HD too, which makes a real difference on Zoom or Google Meet. No weird lag or blurry faces here.

The CX34 keeps it simple and just works. It boots fast, stays responsive, and doesn’t run hot or loud. Chrome OS has come a long way, and if you mostly live in a browser, this setup is kind of ideal. Sure, the speakers and keyboard are nothing to write home about, and if you need Windows apps, this is not the one. But if Chrome OS fits your flow, this is one of the best machines you can get at the price.

Read our full Asus Chromebook Plus CX34 review

Pros

• Compact form factor
• Good everyday performance
• Long battery life
• Great keyboard and mouse

Cons

• Screen quality is mediocre
• Noisy fans

If you want something that just keeps going, the HP Laptop 14 is it. It gave us 15 hours on a single charge with light use, and it’s pretty light too, weighing just over three pounds, so you can carry it around all day without feeling it. You also get a snappy-enough Intel Core i3-1315U, a nice 1080p webcam, and an understated look in that deep blue finish.

Battery life is the main event here. You won’t need to hover near an outlet, even during long workdays. The build is compact and travel-friendly, and typing feels great for long stretches. The fan noise can also be a little distracting under load, but for this price? Kind of hard to complain.

Read our full HP Laptop 14 review

We also looked at the Acer Aspire Go 15, which has great battery life and a solid 1080p screen for under $500. Then there’s the Acer Chromebook Spin 312, a small 2-in-1 that’s great for basic stuff like browsing and streaming but not super fast. Both are good options if you want something simple.

The PCWorld team puts each and every Windows laptop through a series of benchmarks that test GPU and CPU performance, battery life, and overall usability. The idea is to push the laptop to its limits and then compare it against others we’ve tested. Chromebooks, on the other hand, go through a series of web-based tests.

For a much deeper look at our review methodology, check out how PCWorld tests laptops.

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 our picks 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.

Hi, I’m Ashley Biancuzzo, and I oversee all laptop and Chromebook coverage at PCWorld. While you’ll see me review Chromebooks on occasion, I’m also really into the broader world of consumer tech. I spend a lot of time writing and thinking about where laptops are headed–from AI and sustainable designs to long-term trends. When I’m not deep in the world of tech, you’ll probably find me gaming, getting lost in a good book, or chilling with my rescue greyhound, Allen.

Ah, here we are at the billion dollar question. Do you spring for a basic Chromebook or go for a Windows laptop with more features? Honestly, it mostly comes down to your lifestyle and what you’re expecting from a laptop under 500 bucks. You’re not gonna get some super-powerful beast at that price, but if you just need something for the basics, there are a lot of decent options out there.

Chromebooks, for example, are super budget-friendly and the battery life is awesome. I actually use one myself for work (writing, editing, all that) and it does the job just fine. If you travel a lot, it’s worth going for something that’s nice and light — under 3 pounds, if possible. Still not sure what to get? No big deal, take your time figuring it out. I’ve put together a list of quick buying tips below.

• Laptop type: There are many different laptop types that fall in the sub-$500 category: clamshells, 2-in-1s, Chromebooks, and much more. The displays on convertible laptops (aka 2-in-1s), for example, can swing around 360 degrees. This allows you to use the laptop like a tablet. They can also be propped up like a tent for viewing movies or participating in video calls. Chromebooks come in various shapes and sizes, and exclusively run Google’s web-focused Chrome OS. With a Chromebook, all you need is a Gmail account and, boom, you’re in.
• CPU: When it comes to the sub-$500 Windows laptops, you can expect to find Intel Core i3 or i5 processors. An i5 processor obviously provides a little more oomph. That said, basic office and web work does just fine on a Core i3. For AMD stuff, Ryzen 3 is fine for everyday stuff like web browsing, and Ryzen 5 is a solid all-rounder—kind of like Intel’s i5. On Chromebooks, Snapdragon and Pentium chips usually beat out MediaTek ones.
• Graphics: Don’t expect great graphics at this price. You’ll mostly get integrated graphics, which is totally fine unless you’re trying to game or do 3D work.
• RAM: RAM-wise, go for 8GB if you can—it just makes everything smoother. Most Chromebooks come with 4GB, which works, but 8GB is way better if you can swing it.
• Display size: For screen size, 13 to 14 inches is the sweet spot. Big enough to work on, small enough to carry around. Bigger screens mean more weight (and usually a higher price).
• Resolution: Don’t settle for less than 1080p resolution. Anything lower just looks kinda blurry, even for basic stuff like Netflix or spreadsheets.
• Battery life: Battery life? Look for 10 to 12 hours. That’ll get you through most of the day without hunting for an outlet.
• Ports: It’s nice to have a bunch so you don’t need extra adapters. Look for USB-C and USB-A, and HDMI is cool if you want to hook up to a screen.

If you want a no-fuss laptop under $500 that just gets the job done, the Acer Aspire Go 15‘s got you covered. Solid everyday speed, a sharp 1080p screen, killer battery life (almost 12 hours!), and a comfy keyboard, all for under $300.

If you want a solid Chromebook under $500, the Asus Chromebook Plus CX34 is fast, smooth with tabs and video calls, has a sharp 1080p screen, and a good HD webcam. It’s just plain simple and reliable.

Most laptops under $500 don’t let you upgrade RAM because it’s soldered, but some do let you swap or add storage. Check before you buy if that stuff matters to you.

When people say “laptop,” they usually mean a PC or a Mac. But Chromebooks are laptops too, they just run Google’s Chrome OS instead of Windows or macOS. So, yeah, all Chromebooks are laptops, but not all laptops are Chromebooks. They’re mostly built for Google apps like Drive and Docs, so they work best when you’re online.

Eh, not really. If gaming’s your thing, you’ll probably wanna look at a Windows laptop or a Chromebook designed for cloud gaming. Both will be more expensive than a basic Chromebook. Most Chromebooks are fine for web games and Android stuff, but that’s about it. With a gaming Chromebook you will need to subscribed to a cloud gaming service such as GeForce Now and have a reliable internet connection.

Yes, some of the latest processors with integrated graphics can run modern PC games at decent enough settings. For example, we found that in our tests, Intel’s latest Iris Xe line of processors with integrated graphics can run some of the latest games at 1080p and 30fps. Unfortunately this is not the case for all integrated graphics and your mileage may vary drastically with older tech.

Intel and AMD’s integrated graphics have made huge leaps in recent years with regard to gaming performance. If you’re on a budget or looking for an ultra-thin laptop with integrated graphics you need not worry, you can still game on. We recommend checking out Intel’s Core 12th-gen Iris Xe or AMD’s brand new Ryzen 6000 RDNA 2.

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You can finally play Cyberpunk 2077 on your MacBook! Later this week. In 2025. Five years after the game hit PC and consoles (in an admittedly problematic launch). Cyberpunk 2077, arguably the most-anticipated game ever when it arrived in a blizzard of hype and expectations, landed on a Nintendo handheld before it came to the Mac. Insert Nelson Muntz “ha ha!” here.

I don’t often engage in this kind of across-the-fence taunting. Hell, as a life-long Windows user and a career-long Android fanboy, I’ll admit that both Microsoft and Google are looking distinctly unappealing at the moment, as both companies fumble their hardware and try to shove AI into every possible orifice of their software.

But even if it’s largely independent of Microsoft’s actions, PC gaming is in a pretty good spot in 2025, at least from a gamer’s perspective… and specifically from the perspective of a gamer who doesn’t need a new GPU. And despite having an enviably centralized platform store, one that also has access to millions of iOS apps and games, people who actually want to play PC games on the Mac are still at a distinct disadvantage.

As a mental exercise, I’m going to grab ten notable PC games from 2025 without checking if there’s a Mac version, and see what it looks like. Here are the ten released this year that I picked blindly:

• 9 Kings 
• Avowed
• Assassin’s Creed Shadows
• Blue Prince
• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
• DOOM: The Dark Ages
• Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii
• Monster Hunter Wilds
• Spider-Man 2
• Stellar Blade

On this list, only 9 Kings (easily the smallest game among them and also developed on the cross-platform Unity engine) and Assassin’s Creed Shadows, are available for Mac right now. To be fair, Avowed and DOOM are published by Microsoft (via its studios Obsidian and Bethesda), and Microsoft has an incentive not to release games on Mac. But also to be fair, many of these games are from massive publishers like Sony, Sega, and Capcom, who definitely have the resources to port games to the Mac on release if they want.

So yeah, Windows as a platform, even as a gaming platform, isn’t without its issues at the moment. And personally I’m hoping that Valve steps up and gives it some much-needed competition for laptops and desktops. But if you want the most games, right away, on the most powerful hardware, Windows is still the way to go.

That said, it’s not as if people with a Mac are completely locked out of PC gaming. There’s a pretty decent list of games that users can “port” themselves to Apple’s M-series Arm hardware using an official Apple Game Porting Toolkit, which is similar to Valve’s Proton compatibility layer for the Steam Deck. And streaming options, notably Nvidia’s GeForce Now, open that up a little wider if you’re willing to dip into a subscription.

Logitech’s MX Keys is probably the most-loved non-mechanical, non-gaming keyboard out there. I realize that’s a lot of qualifiers, but non-gamers really like this thing. Today, you can score a rare discount on the MX Keys Mini, a slimmer version of the MX Keys that’s a great companion for everything from desktops to tablets. It’s $70 on Woot right now—that’s 30% off the original price—and the deal expires today.

The MX Keys Mini is essentially the PC equivalent of Apple’s Magic Keyboard, but it’s better because almost anything is better than the Magic Keyboard. It’s a 60% super-slim keyboard with both 2.4GHz and Bluetooth wireless, multi-device pairing, and some options for layout customization via Logitech’s desktop software. You can read my full review of the MX Keys Mini for more details.

This isn’t the absolute most recent model of the MX Keys design, but the only real difference is that the newer MX Keys S is a little quieter. That said, the MX Keys isn’t exactly a noisy mechanical design in the first place, so if you want to save a lot of money on a stylish keyboard, this is a perfect way to do so. Oh, and apparently there isn’t an S variant of the mini version of the keyboard… so there ya go.

This is one of Woot’s old-fashioned daily deals, and it’s a new (not refurbished) model. It’ll only be on sale today only, July 15th, until midnight US Central time. And it might go out of stock well before then, so get an order in quickly if you want one.

Working from home has gone from being a growing trend to a full-scale phenomenon. There are many perks to a work-from-home arrangement, to be sure, but there can also be downsides: For example, there’s a good chance you’ll need to supply your own monitor.

Fortunately, there are many great home office monitors to choose from, as I’ve discovered through extensive real-world testing.

Below you’ll find my picks for the best home office monitors, and below that you can learn more about what specs and features matter when shopping for a home office monitor.

Pros

• Functional, professional design
• Thunderbolt 4, USB-C, Ethernet, and 140 watts of Power Delivery
• New generation of IPS Black boosts contrast ratio
• Excellent sharpness from 31.5-inch 4K panel
• 120Hz refresh rate with VRR

Cons

• Contrast ratio is good for an IPS panel, but still behind VA and OLED panels
• HDR brightness is decent, but contrast remains limited
• Doesn’t have speakers

The Dell Ultrasharp U3225QE is an outstanding choice for a home office thanks to its excellent image quality and extensive connectivity.

Its 31.5-inch 4K IPS Black panel delivers sharp text and vivid colors, while the improved 3000:1 contrast ratio enhances depth and clarity over standard IPS panels. It also delivers a 120Hz refresh rate, which makes scrolling through documents and navigating complex spreadsheets feel more responsive.

Connectivity is another perk, as the monitor’s Thunderbolt and USB-C connectivity make it a great hub for a modern PC workstation. The standout feature is the USB-C port’s support for up to 140 watts of USB Power Delivery, which can fully power most laptops and reduces cable clutter. Additional USB-A and USB-C ports, including a pop-out hub for quick access, are icing on the cake.

Though it’s not inexpensive, the U3225QE stands out for its blend of performance and features tailored for productivity. It offers strong color accuracy, improved contrast, and tons of connectivity, all of which makes it well-suited for office work and creative production.

This monitor does lack speakers so you’ll need to invest in standalone speakers if you need them. Also, the HDR performance is a bit limited, but the excellent connectivity features and high-quality panel more than make up for these minor drawbacks.

Looking for a smaller version of this monitor? Check out the Dell Ultrasharp U2725QE. It has a similar 4K IPS Black display panel and Thunderbolt 4 / USB-C connectivity.

Read our full Dell Ultrasharp U3225QE review

Pros

• Solid build quality with ergonomic stand
• Good image quality for the price
• Easy-to-read menu system with plenty of options
• 120Hz refresh rate with adaptive sync

Cons

• Lackluster cable management
• Only one HDMI and one DisplayPort
• No USB ports

The Acer Vero B247Y G is a great choice for the budget-conscious buyer with a home office setup. This 24-inch 1080p IPS monitor prioritizes comfort with an exceptional ergonomic stand that adjusts for height, tilt, swivel, and pivot to help maintain proper posture through long workdays. The monitor’s matte finish and high brightness effectively combat glare from household lighting, and its clear, simplified menu system makes image adjustments straightforward.

The monitor’s connection options cater to home offices and small businesses with HDMI and DisplayPort for modern systems, alongside VGA support for older computers that might still be in use. While it lacks USB ports and sophisticated cable management, the Vero B247Y G otherwise delivers a lot of features for the price, and it’s an obvious choice if you need a versatile home office display.

This monitor also has extras that are useful in a home office. The quick-release stand makes initial setup painless. The inclusion of a 1/4-inch tripod mount on top provides a solution for attaching webcams or ring lights, which is an extremely rare feature at this price point. The 120Hz refresh rate, also uncommon at this price point, means it’s even a decent choice for entertainment. That’s good news if you need one monitor for both work and play.

Read our full Acer Vero B247Y G review

Pros

• USB-C port with 96 watts of Power Delivery
• Good color performance and wide color gamut
• Easy-to-use menus with many options
• Up to 100Hz refresh rate with Adaptive Sync

Cons

• Mediocre contrast, brightness
• HDR is available but disappoints
• Color accuracy is good but doesn’t beat peers

The Asus ProArt PA278CFRV stands out as an excellent choice for home office users who need a monitor for general office productivity or content creation.  

This 27-inch monitor has a crisp 2560×1440 IPS panel that delivers sharp visuals and vibrant colors. Its color performance is especially notable, as it covers up to 97 percent of the DCI-P3 color gamut with good color accuracy. That’s essential for photographers, digital artists, and other creatives. 

The monitor provides a good range of USB connectivity. It includes a USB-C port with 96 watts of Power Delivery. You can power and charge most laptops directly through the monitor’s USB-C port. The monitor also has a built-in USB hub with multiple USB-A and USB-C ports. 

An ergonomic stand is included and adjusts for height, tilt, swivel, and pivot. There’s also a built-in ambient light sensor that automatically adjusts screen brightness based on your environment. 

Though best for productivity, the ProArt is good for entertainment. It has a speedy maximum refresh rate of 100Hz and supports Adaptive Sync for smoother gameplay in PC games. Its motion clarity won’t rival a dedicated gaming monitor but easily beats competitors stuck at 60Hz. Pricing also works to Asus’ favor, as the ProArt PA278CFRV carries an MSRP of just $379.  

Read our full Asus ProArt PA278CFRV review

Pros

• Plenty of connectivity
• Numerous image-quality options
• Extremely wide color-gamut
• Good value for money

Cons

• Mediocre contrast and brightness
• Subpar HDR performance
• Unimpressive motion clarity

The Asus ProArt PA279CRV is an outstanding home office monitor for professionals, artists, and creators seeking exceptional color performance at an affordable price. 

It has a 27-inch 4K display that packs 163 pixels per inch. That translates to outstanding sharpness and clarity across apps, web pages, movies, and games. The monitor also has a remarkably wide color gamut that rivals more expensive displays, covering 100 percent of sRGB, 99 percent of DCI-P3, and 98 percent of AdobeRGB. 

Asus pairs the monitor’s excellent image quality with elegant design and a sturdy, ergonomic stand that supports height, tilt, swivel, and pivot adjustments. The monitor’s extensive connectivity options include USB-C with DisplayPort Alternate Mode and 96 watts Power Delivery, two DisplayPort 1.4 (including one output supporting Daisy Chain), two HDMI 2.0, and three USB-A 3.2 Gen-1 ports, as well as a 3.5mm audio-out.

The PA279CRV has a mediocre contrast ratio and struggles with detail and ambiance in dark content. It also offers a modest 60Hz refresh rate, which amounts to lackluster motion fluidity in games.

These downsides are easily excused by Asus’ competitive MSRP of $469. That’s an extremely low price for a monitor that offers 4K resolution and top-tier color gamut alongside gobs of ports. 

Read our full ProArt PA279CRV review

Pros

• Extremely crisp 5K panel
• Great color performance
• Includes USB-C with 96 watts Power Delivery
• Lots of menu options and image customization

Cons

• Contrast ratio is fine, but not great
• Only 60Hz; motion performance suffers
• HDR performance doesn’t stand out

The Asus ProArt Display 5K PA27JCV is the perfect home office monitor for people who crave ultra-sharp text or need the ability to view every detail in high-resolution photos.

It delivers true 5K resolution (5120×2880) on a 27-inch panel, which works out to a crisp 218 pixels per inch. That’s much sharper than a 5K ultrawide monitor, and it nearly reaches the pixel density of Apple’s Pro Display XDR.

The ProArt Display 5K also has a good range of connectivity. It includes USB-C with 96 watts of power delivery, which is enough to charge most laptops while carrying display and data signals. The inclusion of HDMI 2.1, DisplayPort 1.4, and multiple USB ports, along with an integrated KVM switch, makes it a useful hub for multi-device home office setups.

Color performance is another highlight. The ProArt Display 5K offers 100 percent of both the sRGB and DCI-P3 color spaces, plus 91 percent of AdobeRGB. It’s also bright, reaching up to 578 nits in SDR. That means the monitor should look bright even under harsh lighting.

The Asus ProArt 5K’s price is surprisingly tame. It has an MSRP of just $799.99, almost half the price of Apple’s 5K monitor. It’s the least expensive 5K monitor available right now, and it’ll fit comfortably in any home office, no matter if you use Windows or Mac.

Read our full Asus ProArt Display 5K PA27JCV review

Pros

• Attractive and functional design
• Wide range of connectivity including Thunderbolt 4
• Bundled remote is handy
• Excellent SDR image quality

Cons

• No Ethernet connectivity
• HDR is available but underwhelming
• Only a 60Hz refresh rate

The Asus ProArt Display 5K PA27JCV is a great choice for most people who want a monitor, but creative professionals should upgrade to the BenQ PD2730S.

The two monitors are similar in many respects. They use the same 27-inch 5K In-Plane Switching display panel, so they offer similar image quality. BenQ’s monitor is more precisely calibrated from the factory, however. Because of that, the BenQ’s color accuracy score was among the five best monitors we’ve reviewed in the past year.

BenQ also throws in several useful features. It offers better connectivity through support for both USB-C and Thunderbolt 4. It also has a USB-C downstream port and four USB-A downstream ports, which makes the monitor a useful USB hub. The monitor ships with a puck-style remote, as well, offering easy access to the monitor’s wide range of image quality options. The PD2730S also looks great on a desk, and the bundled stand offers an especially wide range of ergonomic adjustment.

While the BenQ PD2730S is a great monitor for creative work, it has two downsides. It’s a 60Hz monitor and doesn’t support Adaptive Sync, so it’s not great for fast-paced PC games. And while HDR is supported, the monitor’s brightness and contrast aren’t a great fit for HDR content. Most 5K monitors share these downsides, however.

The BenQ PD2730S carries an MSRP of nearly $1,200, which is about $400 more than the Asus ProArt Display 5K. Shoppers who just want a nice, super-sharp image should save a few bucks and go for the Asus, which is also an excellent monitor. Creative professionals, however, are likely to find the BenQ’s extra features worth the increase in price.

Read our full BenQ PD2730S review

Pros

• Easy-to-use touchscreen
• Unique tilt stand
• Excellent USB-C connectivity
• Good contrast ratio

Cons

• Expensive for its size and resolution
• Image quality is good, but not amazing
• No Adaptive Sync or HDR

The Dell 2424HT is an excellent monitor for those craving a touchscreen experience for their home office. With its 24-inch display, 1080p resolution, and 10-point multi-touch panel, it provides an intuitive touch experience for navigating through documents, spreadsheets, and presentations.

Dell improves the touchscreen experience with a versatile tilt stand that lets you adjust the angle of the screen for comfortable viewing and easy touchscreen access. The monitor also delivers excellent connectivity with USB-C, HDMI, and DisplayPort inputs. The USB-C port provides USB Power Delivery, which can charge a connected laptop or tablet. It also serves as a USB hub providing additional USB-A ports and Ethernet.  

The 2424HT delivers solid image quality for office work with good color accuracy, contrast, and viewing angles thanks to its IPS panel. It sticks to a 60Hz refresh rate, however, and lacks Adaptive Sync. The 2424HT’s purpose is clear: It’s for work, not gaming. 

Dell asks a steep $519.99 MSRP, but the monitor is sometimes discounted to $414.99. That makes the Dell 2424HT more expensive than its alternatives, but it makes up for that with superior image quality and connectivity. These advantages make the 2424HT the obvious choice if you want a touchscreen monitor for your home office.

Read our full Dell 2424HT review

Pros

• Sharp, vibrant, color-accurate 5K display
• Incredible connectivity including Thunderbolt, Ethernet
• Long list of menu options and features
• 120Hz refresh rate is impressive at this resolution

Cons

• Stand is wobbly and hard to adjust
• Contrast ratio remains far short of OLED competitors
• HDR doesn’t look its best
• Extremely expensive

The Dell Ultrasharp U4025QW is an ideal ultrawide monitor for a home office setup thanks to its extensive connectivity and a robust feature set. With an array of ports including Thunderbolt, Ethernet, HDMI, DisplayPort, and USB-C, the U4025QW is something of a Swiss Army knife for professionals. It’s perfect for connecting multiple devices, daisy-chaining displays, or adding Ethernet to a device that doesn’t have it.

Dell also delivers settings that allow for personalized adjustments, ensuring that the display meets your specific image quality needs, whether it’s color accuracy, brightness, or contrast. The built-in KVM switch provides control over multiple computers from a single monitor, and the monitor has picture-by-picture and picture-in-picture modes, too. The monitor’s image quality is attractive, too, as its 5K (5120×2160) resolution exceeds most competitors to achieve a sharper, more detailed image.

Unfortunately, the monitor’s perks come with a price tag that nearly exceeds $2,000. That’s a lot to ask for a home office monitor, and you could achieve even better image quality with a different display (or save a lot of cash). However, less expensive competitors don’t have the U4025QW’s connectivity.

And that’s what it comes down to. A lot of monitors can work for a home office setup, but an ideal monitor has both great image quality and the connectivity to handle any laptop, desktop, or peripheral thrown at it. The U4025QW is that monitor.

Read our full Dell U4025QW review

Pros

• 28-inch panel with 3840×2560 resolution
• Attractive and functional design
• Good range of connectivity
• Useful extra features

Cons

• Only a 60Hz refresh rate
• HDR is supported, but sub-par
• Expensive for its size

The BenQ RD280U is uniquely suited to coders thanks to its unusual 3:2 aspect ratio, which makes it much taller than a conventional widescreen. The extra height is great for viewing more lines of code simultaneously and reduces the need for constant scrolling back or forth. 

Besides the unusual aspect ratio, the RD280U’s image quality is conducive to long coding sessions. The monitor’s IPS panel delivers excellent color accuracy and wide viewing angles, ensuring code remains clear and legible from any position. The 28-inch display panel has a crisp 3840×2560 resolution, which helps to render small fonts. It also has a matte finish that reduces glare, making it ideal for various lighting conditions.

A MoonHalo ambient light and an automatic night mode feature are both designed to reduce eye strain during extended use — a crucial consideration for programmers who often work long hours. Connectivity is another strong suit of the RD280U, with a versatile array of ports including USB-C with DisplayPort Alternate Mode and 90 watts of USB Power Delivery. Programmers can easily connect and charge a laptop.

Priced at $599.99, the BenQ RD280U is relatively expensive for a monitor of its size, but its long list of unique features makes it an easy recommendation for coders. The fact is, no competitor offers the same features at any price.

Read our full BenQ RD280U review

Pros

• Bundled webcam, microphone, and speakers
• USB-C port with 90 watts power delivery
• Sturdy and functional design

Cons

• Mediocre image quality
• No HDR
• Bundled features add to the price

Viewsonic’s VG2756V-2K is a 27-inch home office monitor with a built-in webcam, noise cancelling microphone, and speakers. 

The integrated 1080p webcam provides a clear step up from a typical laptop webcam. An integrated lightbar is provided to brighten dark rooms and the entire camera assembly can retract into the monitor, effectively acting as a privacy shutter. The built-in soundbar has two 5-watt speakers that deliver good volume and crisp audio for video or audio calls. They’re paired with a noise-cancelling microphone that prevents echoes and can eliminate most soft, repetitive sounds. 

Viewsonic includes a wide range of connectivity. The monitor has a USB-C with DisplayPort Alternate Mode and 90 watts of Power Delivery for charging a connected device. It also acts as a USB-C hub that powers two USB-A ports and an ethernet connection. Video inputs include HDMI and DisplayPort for a total of three video inputs.

Image quality is good with excellent sharpness, adequate brightness, and an acceptable contrast ratio.

While the VG2756V-2K comes with good image quality, it does not support HDR and therefore is not recommended for gaming due to its 60Hz refresh rate and lack of Adaptive Sync. 

The Viewsonic VG2756V-2K is competitively priced with an MSRP of $399. That’s expensive for a 27-inch 1440p monitor, but the premium you’re paying for the monitor’s bundled features is less than you’d pay for a webcam, microphone, and desktop speakers purchased individually. That makes the VG2756V-2K a good value and worthwhile business expense.

Read our full Viewsonic VG2756V-2K review

Pros

• Small, versatile desk stand with unique options
• Sturdy built-in kickstand for portable use
• Offers USB-C for easy single-cable connections
• Good image quality

Cons

• Lacks additional connection options
• Only 1080p resolution
• A bit pricey for its feature set

Asus’ ZenScreen MB249C is a good option for users who want a multi-monitor setup, as well as some flexibility. This is a portable home office monitor that can be mounted next to a primary monitor in several ways, and also used on its own for work out on the road. 

The MB249C has an adjustable desk stand that can clamp to the back of your desk instead of sitting on top of it, which reduces wire clutter and keeps the surface of your desk free. The monitor also has a built-in kickstand, which is great for portable use, and a “partition mount” to hang the monitor from a vertical surface. The options end with a 100x100mm VESA mount that is compatible with most third-party monitor arms and stands. These options make the MB249C easy to place next to your primary monitor even in cramped spaces.

This is a portable monitor, as mentioned, which means it’s easy to move. The monitor mounts to its stand with a clip mechanism that’s easily detached, and the built-in kickstand can flip out to support the monitor on most flat surfaces. It’s powered by either a USB-C connection that supports up to 60 watts of Power Delivery or the included power adapter. Not everyone will need the monitor’s portable versatility, but it’s handy if you like to work in different locations throughout the day.

Once in place, the MB249C is a competent office and productivity monitor. While it lacks the wow-factor of more expensive alternatives, like the Dell U3223QE, Asus delivers a robust, colorful, and accurate image with plenty of brightness for a typical home office. The lack of features like HDR might seem disappointing but, at this price, it’s better to execute the basics well.

Read our full Asus ZenScreen MB249C review

The Alienware AW3425DW delivers stellar SDR and HDR image quality at an aggressive price, but foregoes any extra features; the MSI Modern MD272UPSW is an impressive smart TV powered by Google TV OS; the Asus ProArt PA32UCDM delivers top-notch OLED image quality and high refresh rates, but it’s held back by limited connectivity features; the HP Omen Transcend 32 packs great USB-C connectivity and top-tier SDR image quality into a 4K OLED panel; the LG Ultragear 45GX950A-B‘s high price and extreme curve aren’t for everyone, but gamers will appreciate its sharp image quality and HDR performance; the BenQ GW2786TC is a great budget choice if you want a home office display with USB-C for under $200; the Gigabyte G34WQCP is a $350 ultrawide monitor that provides solid SDR brightness, contrast, and color performance; the Asus ProArt PA278CFRV offers the color performance and connectivity options that one needs for productivity at a very friendly price; the Samsung OLED G8 makes a good fit for small spaces, where it can serve as both a computer display and TV, helping it earn its keep.

Our monitor guides are based on testing by freelance and staff contributors with decades of combined experience. 

While we rely on our eyes for an initial impression, we thoroughly test each monitor with a Datacolor Spyder X2 Ultra color calibration tool. This specialized hardware can objectively measure a monitor’s brightness, contrast, color gamut, color accuracy, luminance and color uniformity, gamma, and many other aspects of image quality. 

Using this tool helps us detect strengths and weaknesses that don’t stand out at a glance and guarantees that a change in lighting conditions or monitor location won’t skew our impression.

For more details, see our article on on how we test monitors at PCWorld.

It’s in our name! PCWorld prides itself on PC hardware experience and expertise. We’ve been covering PCs since 1983, and we now review dozens of monitors every year. All of our recommendations have been personally tested and vetted by our expert reviewers, who’ve applied not only performance benchmarks but rigorous usability standards.

Matthew S. Smith is a freelance technology journalist with 15 years of experience reviewing consumer electronics, including the universe of computer monitors. In addition to PCWorld, his work can be found on Wired, Digital Trends, Reviewed, Lifewire, and other technology publications.

A great home office monitor should have a high maximum brightness, great image clarity, and vivid color. A height-adjustable stand is preferable, as it helps with ergonomics, and a wide range of connectivity is useful for connecting multiple devices.

Most monitors are available in 4K (3840×2160), 1440p (2560×1440), and 1080p (1920×1080) resolution. A higher resolution provides a sharper, more attractive image and is generally preferable. There’s nothing wrong with 1080p for your home office, however. It remains the baseline and is more than adequate for most home office tasks. 

Brightness is a key trait for a home office monitor. An office monitor doesn’t need to be bright to look usable: 200 nits is fine. However, a home office is likely to be brighter and to have less light control than a corporate cubical. A maximum brightness of 300 nits, or better, is ideal. You can always turn the brightness down from its maximum if it looks too bright but, of course, the reverse isn’t true.

Look for a monitor with a connection supported by your computer. HDMI and DisplayPort are the most common. USB-C is rising in popularity because it can charge connected devices, such as a laptop. You only need one video connection between your PC and your home office monitor, and the type of connection you use isn’t terribly important. HDMI and DisplayPort work equally well for home office use.

Most monitors have a 60Hz refresh rate, but a higher refresh rate (such as 144Hz) will make motion look smooth and crisp. This is most appealing to PC gamers, as improved motion performance is most noticeable when panning the camera in a 3D game. 

This technology also improves motion performance. It does so by keeping a monitor’s refresh rate in sync with the video input from your computer. Our guide to FreeSync and G-Sync provides more detail.

HDR is by no means required for a home office monitor, but it can be nice to have—HDR usually means wider color gamuts and brighter displays. Many 4K monitors support HDR, but often the HDR performance is lackluster. The HDR will function, and may look superior to SDR, but it won’t approach the quality implied by the spec. To ensure a quality HDR experience, look for a minimum of VESA DisplayHDR 1000 certification (or VESA DisplayHDR True Black).

Want to know more before you make a decision? Our monitor buying guide explains the nerdy details of monitor specifications. 

The best monitor for a home office is the Dell Ultrasharp U3225QE. This 31.5-inch IPS display with 4K resolution, a 120Hz refresh rate, and extensive connectivity options is tailor-made for productivity. It’s well built, has nice ergonomic adjustments, and crystal clear image quality.

The Acer Vero B247Y G is the best cheap monitor for a home office. For around $150, this 24-inch display outdoes its price range with a 1080p resolution, 120Hz refresh rate, adaptive sync, a fully adjustable stand, and solid image quality. A really great value!

Monitor size really depends on personal preference and available space. 

A 24-inch monitor is fine for a desk that is around 24 inches deep, or less. Its small size will still be enough because the monitor will be closer to you.

For most people, however, a 27-inch monitor is the goldilocks size. The larger display will make everything easier to see. This also opens up a wider range of 4K monitor options, as 4K is very rare on a 24-inch monitor.

Larger monitors, such as a 32-inch widescreen or 34-inch ultrawide, are great for deep desks and people who want an immersive experience. Monitors this large can also double as a TV replacement in a small room. 

Displays of even larger size, such as 42-inch or 48-inch HDTVs, are best for home theater setups or an unusually large office. With a display of this size you’ll ideally want to sit four to six feet away.

USB-C is the best display input for most people. It works by bundling DisplayPort into USB-C. It offers all the same features as DisplayPort plus features of USB-C including support for Power Delivery to charge external devices. This is why we recommend a USB-C monitor for most people.

DisplayPort is generally second-best. It supports higher resolutions and refresh rates than HDMI and is quite common on desktop computers. 

HDMI comes in third due to lower resolution and refresh rate support. This is improved by HDMI 2.1, but this newer version remains hard to find and often adds to a monitor’s price.

All three of the options above handle 1080p at 60Hz, which is the most common resolution and refresh rate available today. It’s always important to buy a monitor that has an input compatible with your PC.

No, a home office monitor doesn’t need HDR. Windows’ HDR support leaves a lot to be desired. HDR works better with streaming apps and games that support HDR. If you want to play games, check our guide to the best gaming monitors.

• PCWorld monitor reviews
• Best monitors
• Best gaming monitors
• Best 4K monitors
• Best ultrawide monitors
• Best USB-C monitors
• Best portable monitors
• Best monitor arms
• Always hit the wrong buttons on your monitor? Try this hack
• How to configure a multi-monitor PC setup like a pro
• 5 simple monitor adjustments everyone should make
• 1080p, 1440p, 4K: Which monitor resolution should you choose?

If you’re going to go on vacation this summer, at least upgrade your phone before you go so you can take some proper photos. It just so happens that Mint Mobile is running some amazing deals right now, slashing prices left and right, including for its Unlimited plans.

So, what does Mint Mobile have planned? First of all, you can save up to $440 on one of the best smartphones out there. All these phones have amazing screens, great battery life, are blazing fast, and have cameras that will capture jaw-dropping photos.

Second of all, Mint Mobile is offering 50% off two years of Unlimited. Basically, you’re going to use the service for free for a full year. In total, you’ll pay a mere $360 for the whole thing which is impressively low.

So what phones can you get with $440 off? The very best, of course. The Samsung Galaxy S25 is usually available for $800, but you can get it for a mere $360 right now. Next one up, the Samsung Galaxy S25+ usually costs a round $1,000, but you can get it for $560 at Mint Mobile.

Samsung’s $1,100 Galaxy S25 Edge can now be purchased for $660, while the absolutely impressive S25 Ultra is down to $860 from its $1,300 MSRP.

If you’d rather get the Google Pixel 9 and the clean Android, know that this $800 phone is also available for $360. That’s a really low price for such a stellar phone.

So there you go, the best chance to get a fantastic new phone and two years of Mint Mobile Unlimited for the price of one. This deal lasts through August 28th or while supplies last, so hurry up!

Back in January 1982, we were treated to the launch of the Commodore 64, an early computer that was bought by millions of users around the world across 12 years, which is now fondly remembered by those very same users and celebrated as a cult classic.

If you’re brimming with nostalgia for those C64 days, or if you’ve never used one but always wished you could’ve, then here’s some good news for you: the Commodore 64 is being remade and re-released later this year, reports Techspot. The new model is based on the AMD Xilinx Artix-7 FPGA processor and supports modern tech like HDMI, USB, and Wi-Fi.

According to Techspot, the remade Commodore 64 promises 99 percent software compatibility with its hardware emulation, which means you’ll be able to play more than 10,000 C64 games if desired.

If you want one, you can pre-order now via Commodore with a “no quibble money-back guarantee” for a full refund if you ever change your mind. The standard price is $349, but there’s an early bird special that lets you snag one for $299 if you’re quick—and if you buy two, you can get an additional 10% off your order.

Crack open your desktop PC for a second. No rush, I’ll wait. Are you looking in there? Good. Do you see a Gigabyte motherboard? Okay, now peek under the CPU cooler. I’ll wait again. Okay, see that CPU? If it’s an Intel processor from 8th to 11th generations (2017 to 2021), you might need a new BIOS update… which may or may not exist. Oh dear.

Researchers at Binarly and Carnegie Mellon University disclosed four deep firmware issues to Gigabyte back in April, which could allow attackers to bypass Secure Boot on hundreds of Gigabyte motherboard models. These compromised versions of the Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI, also sometimes called by the outdated term BIOS) can be used to run code in a pre-boot environment, essentially compromising the computer long before Windows or another operating system boots.

According to BleepingComputer, about 240 Gigabyte motherboard models with Intel chipsets use the American Megatrends parts affected by this firmware, plus tons of devices from other manufacturers that aren’t currently disclosed. Gigabyte already patched the issue on some affected motherboards via the June BIOS update. But given the age of these PCs, many of them are out of service, meaning they’re not scheduled to ever get UEFI/BIOS updates to fix the problem. That is… a problem.

Gigabyte

Gigabyte issued a security bulletin showing which of the affected systems, by chipset, have been patched. About half are past the End Of Life service date, for which Gigabyte recommends that users “Contact the FAE for support.” FAE stands for Field Application Engineer, basically a more technical sort of corporate salesperson who offers highly specialized service after hardware has been bought and installed.

If you bought a Gigabyte motherboard at a retail store, or a PC from a system integrator with a Gigabyte motherboard inside, you don’t have a Field Application Engineer. Reading between the lines, Gigabyte is basically saying “buy a new motherboard.” (Or, considering how old some of them are, “buy a new computer.”) Which, to be fair, is pretty much the same message it’s sending to corporate clients, too.

The National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT) in Japan has set a groundbreaking record: a data transmission rate of 1.02 petabits per second (around 127,500 GB/s) over 1,802 kilometers (about 1,120 miles), reports CNET.

That’s around 350,000 times faster than the average US fixed broadband internet connection, which was around 289 Mbps according to Speedtest as of May 2025. At this new record-breaking speed, you could download the entire Netflix library in under a second.

The key to the record is a new optical fiber with 19 cores, which are installed in a cable with a diameter of just 0.125 millimeters (the standard size for existing networks). Compared to conventional cables with one core, this fiber transmits 19 times more data with minimal data loss due to uniform light conduction. For transmission over the 1,120-mile distance—comparable to New York to Chicago—the signal was amplified 21 times.

The new record more than doubles the previous year’s figure of 50,250 GB/s. In 2023, the NICT team achieved similar speeds but only over a third of the distance. Advances in signal amplification and reduction of data loss are what made this new range possible.

The technology could meet the growing demand for data worldwide, as data volumes have been increasing by about 50 percent annually according to Nielsen’s Law.

In general, the new technology is exciting and also interesting for countries where fiber optic expansion is stagnating, primarily because these new cables fit into existing infrastructures.

The record has not yet been independently verified, but it shows how fiber optics could further shape the future of the internet.

Watching your favorite movies and TV shows wherever you go is easier when you have the right tools, and it’s so nice when you can do that at hotels, Airbnbs, etc. The Roku Streaming Stick HD is one such tool, and it’s a no-brainer now that it’s only $19 on Amazon (was $30).

This is a super-compact device that’s so easy to use—just plug it into any TV’s HDMI port, then power it using the USB cable. (That USB cable can be plugged into your TV as well, or some other source of USB power.) That’s it! Your world will open up with instant access to all your favorite streaming apps, live TV apps, shows, movies, and more.

It also comes with a remote to help you navigate those apps, control playback, and more. The Roku can be integrated with several smart home systems—including Alexa, Google Home, and Apple Home—and you can even use voice commands to find content to watch.

This little device isn’t just fantastic in your home, but it’s also magical while traveling. Instead of relying on limited hotel TV channels, you can continue watching your own shows exactly where you left them.

For $19, this is an absolute bargain! Again, it’s the lowest price it’s ever been, so there’s never been a better time. Grab the newest Roku Streaming Stick HD for cheap before this hot deal expires.

In yesterday’s Windows Insider blog post, Microsoft announced that it’s launching a new feature for Dev Channel users called “Describe Image,” which can be found in the Click to Do menu on Copilot+ PCs.

Using the computer’s local AI capabilities, the Describe Image feature can generate detailed descriptions of images, charts, and graphs to quickly give you an overview of visual content.

Microsoft

The first time you use it, the required AI models are set up. After that, all of the image descriptions are AI-generated locally and those descriptions stay on your PC so no sensitive data is ever shared.

This feature is now being rolled out to Windows Insiders on the Dev Channel who have Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs. It will soon also be made available to those who have AMD and Intel Copilot+ PCs.

Generative “AI” isn’t just useful for stealing from artists and writers—it’s also giving malware a boost in its ability to iterate and spread. According to hackers at this year’s upcoming Black Hat conference, some of the newest stuff can defeat Microsoft Defender (the default security suite for a billion or two Windows machines) up to 8 percent of the time.

Dark Reading (via Tom’s Hardware) reports that a security researcher will present the system at the Black Hat security conference in Las Vegas next month. (Black Hat Briefings are ostensibly legitimate, not actually criminal, though Wikipedia reports that the presence of genuine hackers has resulted in “antics.”) Kyle Avery of Outflank will reportedly show off a lightweight language model designed specifically to evade Microsoft Defender, the free built-in security for Windows 10 and Windows 11.

Eight percent might not seem alarming, and it’s not as if this would be the first time Defender was defeated. But it would be a huge leap forward in AI-powered malware’s core capability, an order of magnitude more reliably dangerous than the malware you can “vibe code” with current models. But expand that to 1.4 billion active Windows machines in the world, and power it up by the scale that AI-powered automation software could enable, and it suddenly becomes a lot more serious. Let’s say that this yet-to-be-detailed system was deployed at a large enough scale to access one in every 10 of those machines. That’s an audience of 140 million, resulting in over 11 million PCs compromised.

The system is built on an open-source language model and trained on data for $1,500 over three months, according to its designer. If true, that’s a trivially small amount of time and money for the result. A “build your own black hat AI hacker” kit could be distributed easily, in the same way that current plug-and-play malware is passed around.

The fact that Avery will present his findings at a security conference means Microsoft should have some time to work around it, to identify and mitigate its most threatening components. I hope Redmond has enough people left after its recent massive layoffs to pay attention in Las Vegas.

• User-friendly presets
• Helps prolong SSD lifespan
• Works independently of the OS

• Performance improvements depend on your setup
• Doesn’t support caching for network drives

PrimoCache delivers noticeable speed improvements on systems with ample RAM and slower drives that frequently read and write data, while on high-end systems its main benefit is reducing wear and tear rather than boosting speed.

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PrimoCache is designed to boost the performance of hard drives and SSDs by using fast cache memory. It works by using your RAM or secondary SSD to temporarily store data you use a lot. Then, when your system needs that data again, it grabs it straight from the cache instead of the slower hard drive. That means your most common programs launch quicker and files open faster. This software tool also operates independently of the operating system and doesn’t require changes to existing software.

It works with traditional hard drives, SSDs, and modern flash memory. PrimoCache can also speed up access to USB flash drives. But caution is advised: PrimoCache delays the final data storage. New data is first written to the cache and only later transferred to your hard drive or USB stick. Premature removal of your flash drive can actually lead to data loss when using this software.

The software is pretty configurable. You can decide how much RAM or SSD space to dedicate to caching, and even speed up several devices at once.

PrimoCache speeds up your system by using fast cache memory to load frequently used data quickly, helping programs start faster and files open sooner.

After installation, we first had to set up a cache task. We were able to reserve RAM for the cache, set up a second-level cache on an SSD, select the drives to be cached, and adjust a few other parameters such as block size and delayed writing specifications. This process wasn’t overly complex, but less technically experienced users will appreciate the presets provided, which cover different use cases with just a few clicks.

We initially set up a cache on a somewhat outdated notebook with a mechanical hard drive and 8GB of RAM to get a sense of PrimoCache’s performance. As expected, the result was positive, though there was no real wow factor, especially since the old machine had already been working satisfactorily.

Primocache

To avoid relying solely on subjective impressions, we measured performance using the Crystal Disk Mark benchmark tool. The results showed a significant increase in performance: in tests with a USB drive, average read speeds increased by more than 50 percent with random reads, and a performance gain of nearly 25 percent was measurable with the mechanical hard drive. However, speed gains in writing and sequential reading were negligible, such as when copying large files in one go, which is typical during backups.

On a second, more current notebook with a fast SSD, neither perceived nor measured speed improvements were particularly impressive. In such cases, the main benefit of PrimoCache would be reducing the frequency of SSD access, potentially prolonging the drive’s lifespan by limiting write and delete cycles.

From our tests, we developed a simple rule of thumb to help decide whether purchasing PrimoCache is worthwhile. The software offers greater benefits the slower the drives you use and the more frequent individual, non-sequential file accesses occur in daily use.

Examples include database applications, indexing services, or using your computer as a web server.

These days, your home office doesn’t really need a laptop or bulky PC tower anymore—mini PCs are more than powerful enough for anything you may need to do, especially if you get one from a brand as solid as Minisforum. And right now, this Minisforum UM870 Slim is 20% off on Amazon, bringing its price down to $479.90 (was $599.90).

You might scoff at the potential of mini PCs given how small they are, but that’s far from the truth. At least with the UM870 Slim, you’re getting a brilliant device that packs great performance between its AMD Ryzen 7 8745H CPU, chunky 32GB of fast DDR5 RAM, and fast 1TB SSD for quick file transfers and app loads. That’s more than enough for a responsive Windows 11 experience through work and leisure tasks.

And while the UM870 Slim lacks a dedicated graphics card, it does have AMD Radeon 680M integrated graphics, which is good enough for some light gaming. (I have the same in my own mini PC and it works just fine for World of Warcraft!) It’s also able to power up to three high-def monitors: two 8K@60Hz via HDMI 2.1 and USB4, one 4K@60Hz via DisplayPort 1.4. There are plenty of other ports too, including high-speed USB-A ports, a 2.5G LAN port, and a 3.5mm audio jack.

Don’t miss out on the Minisforum UM870 Slim for $479.90 on Amazon! This rare 20% discount won’t stick around forever.

As mentioned in the recent Windows Insider blog post, the latest preview version of Windows 11 for Insiders on the Dev Channel includes a new feature called “Administrator Protection,” which “aims to protect free floating admin rights for administrator users allowing them to still perform all admin functions with just-in-time admin privileges.”

In a deeper dive via this Windows IT Pro blog post, we’re told that Administrator Protection kicks in whenever you want to do anything that requires administrator privileges, such as install software, change system settings, or access sensitive data. To do any of that, you’ll need to authenticate via Windows Hello on demand (which means setting up and using your fingerprint, face scan, or PIN code).

Microsoft

There are three fundamentals that make Administrator Protection work:

Just-in-time elevation: With Administrator protection, the user stays de-privileged and is granted just-in-time elevation rights only for the duration of an admin operation. The admin token is discarded after use and is recreated when another task requiring admin privileges is performed.​

​Profile separation: Administrator protection uses hidden, system-generated, profile-separated user accounts to create isolated admin token. This helps ensure that user-level malware cannot compromise the elevated session, thus making elevation a security boundary.

No auto-elevations: With Administrator protection, the user needs to interactively authorize every admin operation. This ensures that the administrator user stays in full control and that admin privileges are not abused. Integration with Windows Hello further enhances security while providing a convenient experience.​

Not only does Administrator Protection help you avoid making accidental changes to your system, it also protects against malware that might otherwise make hidden changes that go undetected.

For now, Administrator Protection is off by default and must be turned on manually via Windows Security or via group policy. However, in the future, Administrator Protection will be enabled by default. Expect this new feature to be rolled out to all users later this summer.

The gorgeous Asus ROG Keris II Ace is down to $100 on Amazon, or a whopping 44% off its original $180 price. Back when we reviewed the Keris II Ace, we were utterly impressed by it, calling it “near perfection in an esports mouse” and giving it a 4.5-star rating plus our Editors’ Choice award. With this discount, it’s an absolute no-brainer!

What did we love about it? The powerful and sensitive 42K optical sensor, the 4,000Hz polling rate, the ultra-light design, and that it has both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity. “The Asus ROG Keris II Ace boasts a combination of top-level features and functionality that you’d be hard-pressed to find altogether in another FPS mouse. That makes it a dynamo—you’ll get some of the very best performance you’ve ever had in FPS games with this mouse.”

This mouse is extremely featherlight, weighing just 54 grams (0.12 pounds), and you can charge it via USB-C so you won’t have to worry about batteries. And unlike lots of other gaming mice, this one features a single RGB zone that’s located in the scrolling wheel. You can use the associated app to change the color and motion effects and even sync them with other Aura Sync-compatible devices.

The one caveat is that only the white version is on sale for $100 right now, while the black is only down to $140. If you’re okay with white, don’t miss out! Snag the Asus ROG Keris II Ace for $100 before this deal expires.

It’s easy to get attached to a gaming mouse and avoid getting a new one, especially when it’s helped you battle and win against hordes of enemies.

If you’ve had it for years, like I’ve had my trusty Razer Cobra Pro, there’s a familiar safe feeling you get from it in games that’s hard to let go of, too. A new mouse can feel awkward and put you off your best game.

While that may be so, a gaming mouse is meant to be a precision tool, and if your old familiar mouse isn’t living up to expectations you’re also not going to perform at your best. But how can you tell if it’s time for an upgrade? These five signs will tell you.

You’ll know your buttons aren’t working properly if they’re unresponsive or slower to actuate than normal, or if the clicks aren’t smooth like they used to be (i.e. the buttons feel hard to press), or you experience double-clicking that happens unintentionally, or your macros don’t work.

If those things are hard to pinpoint, you can take more of a blanket approach and aim to replace your mouse or its buttons using the manufacturer’s button lifespan rating as a guide.

Manufacturers usually rate buttons for a certain number of clicks — say 80 to 120 million. From that figure you can work out the approximate lifespan of your gaming mouse’s buttons in years, which will give you a rough estimate of when it’s time to get a new mouse.

For example, if you’re a heavy user and clock 500,000 clicks a year (to work that out, first work out your daily clicks then multiply up), as some gamers do, then you can likely expect the buttons to work at their peak for five years in a mouse with buttons rated for 100 million clicks.

But that’s just a rough estimate. Every mouse is different, and your gaming mouse buttons could last for more or less time than that, depending on your model and usage patterns.

Further reading: Best gaming mice 2025: Find your perfect match

Jerky, jittery, choppy, and erratic tracking, or a curser that gets stuck or disappears or won’t move smoothly to where you want it, are all signs of a sensor problem.

You might also notice a delay in the response time of your cursor compared to your physical movements, or acceleration or deceleration that can’t be put down to DPI changes.

But before you decide that your gaming mouse’s sensor is malfunctioning, you’ll want to rule out the other things that can cause these problems — those being a software conflict, debris or smudges on your sensor, a low battery, outdated drivers, outdated companion software app, or a sensor that’s fallen out of calibration.

Eliminate these things one-by-one and you’ll have your culprit.

Dominic Bayley / Foundry

If you’re anything like me, you don’t think about the kind of damage you’re doing to your mouse when your mind is focused on winning the game. Indeed, lifting, dropping, jitter-clicking, and hard clicks are all fair game in the heat of a match.

Most gaming mice are well suited to handling that kind of robust treatment, but even the strongest and most well-made will show signs of wear and tear after too long.

Signs to look out for are cracks in the chassis, wonky mouse wheels (they will often rattle when you shake them in pro-grade mice; budget mice will rattle anyway), worn-down feet, and mouse buttons that don’t sit at their normal vertical positions at rest.

Also look out for any RGB zones that stop working, which could indicate damage to lighting. Of course, scratches are just aesthetic and won’t affect performance, but if you’re the kind of gamer who likes your devices to look new, a scratched mouse can be very off-putting.

Friedrich Stiemer

Gaming mice, like other devices, vary in size and shape and have varying degrees of functionality. They keep getting upgraded with each new generation released too, so if there’s a particular feature that you don’t dig in your current mouse — like a hump in the wrong place — you should find a better fit.

For me design is more crucial than the mouse’s speed because it determines how much control I have in my movements. So, If I don’t like the shape, where my fingers fall on the buttons, or want a smoother glide, I’ll definitely try to swap out my device for something that does all of that.

As to the sensor, a little secret is you don’t need a mouse with a 30,000 DPI resolution. Even 12,000 DPI or 14, 000 DPI is enough to stay competitive in just about every game you can play.

Whether your mouse is wired or wireless, if you notice your connection is intermittently dropping out, or your cursor is blinking and disappearing, or if your cursor takes a while to appear in the first place, you could have a connection problem.

If you’ve got a wireless mouse, you’re going to want to check if the connectivity settings are correct for your mouse in your companion software app. Again, also make sure your drivers are all up to date and your battery isn’t on the blink.

In wired mice that have been well loved, connectivity problems can sometimes be put down to a yanked or frayed cable that’s damaged to the point where the wires are starting to break and affect the signal. If that fits the bill for you, then yes, it’s time to get a new mouse.

Dominic Bayley / Foundry

The Shelly Group is now shipping most of the Z-Wave Long Range-based smart home devices the company announced in December 2024. Nine new products are available, including relays for converting conventional switches and dimmers into smart versions, a smart plug, a motion sensor, and a humidity and temperature sensor.

Paired with a Z-Wave LR-capable controller, such as a Hubitat Elevation C-8 or C-8 Pro, a HomeSeer HomeTroller Pi G8, or the Linux-based Home Assistant platform with a Z-Wave 800-series USB stick, Shelly’s ZWLR devices can operate at distances up to 1.5 miles, line of sight with ideal conditions, without the need for repeaters. The devices can’t operate without a hub.

Relays like the Shelly Wave 1 shown here are designed to be installed inside an electrical box with–and wired to–a conventional (dumb) lighting control. In this case, that would be an on/off switch.

Shelly Group

While few homeowners need that kind of range, ZWLR’s sub-GHz signals can pass through thick walls and dense building materials much more effectively than Wi-Fi, Thread, or Zigbee, wireless technologies that operate in the 2.4GHz frequency range. What’s more, the standard enables ZWLR hubs to support up to 4,000 devices in a star network, and it’s backward compatible with existing Z-Wave devices.  

“ZWLR strengthens the reliability and reach of our smart home solutions,” said Leon Kralj, CTO of Shelly Group. “With extended range capabilities and low power consumption, ZWLR enables seamless connectivity across vast distances, outdoor areas, large properties with multiple buildings or even an expansive campus.”

Here’s a list of the nine Z-Wave LR devices that are available now:

• Shelly Wave Plug, a smart plug: $37.99
• Shelly Wave 1, a smart on/off switch relay: $29.99
• Shelly Wave 1PM, a single-channel smart on/off switch relay with energy monitoring features: $29.99
• Shelly Wave 2PM, a dual-channel smart on/off switch relay with energy monitoring features: $36.99
• Shelly Wave 1 Mini, a smart on/off switch relay in a smaller form factor: $28.99
• Shelly Wave 1PM Mini, a single-channel smart on/off switch relay with energy-monitoring features in a smaller form factor $29.99
• Shelly Wave PM Mini: $28.99
• Shelly Wave H&T, a humidity and temperature monitor: $34.99
• Shelly Wave Motion, a motion detector: $36.99

You can find detailed specifications for each of Shelly’s new Z-Wave Long Range products on the company’s website.

Shelly says it will ship the balance of its Z-Wave LR lineup later in 2025.

This news story is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best smart dimmers and switches.

Deako takes a unique approach to smart lighting with its modular system, and now it’s offering a next-generation switch and app that promises to make installation and configuration even easier than before.

The appeal of Deako’s system lies in its use of backplates that, once hardwired to your home’s electrical system, allow you to hot-swap one type of Deako lighting control for another—you don’t even need to turn off the power. If you have an on/off switch controlling your ceiling cans, for example, but you’d prefer to be able to dim those lights, you can just yank the switch out of the backplate and pop in a dimmer. Boom! You’re done.

Once you’ve installed a Deako backplate in your electrical box, you can plug in–and later hot-swap–any of its smart or simple lighting controls.

Deako

Deako is celebrating its 10^th anniversary by taking the wraps off an all-new smart switch: the Deako Smart Switch Gen 2 ($100, pictured at the top of this page) features an integrated, dual-function LED light bar at its base.

In Locator mode, the Beacon Light bar emits a soft glow when the lights it controls are turned off, to help you find the switch in a dark environment. Status mode, meanwhile, provides a visual cue to let you know if the controlled lights are on or off. The feature can be programmed in the Deako app.

Deako has added a new Magic Linking feature to its app that automatically configures multi-way circuits (lights that are controlled by more than one switch; i.e., 3-way or 4-way). Once the switches are installed and activated, the app automatically configures them to work together without the user needing to have any electrical knowledge—you don’t even need to do any programming.

All of the company’s smart devices support both Bluetooth mesh and Wi-Fi, and they’re compatible with DIY smart home ecosystems such as Amazon Alexa, Google Home, Home Assistant, and Samsung SmartThings as well as professionally installed smart home including Alarm.com and Control 4.

Deako also offers a collection of “simple” switches and dimmers that offer local manual control.

This news story is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best smart dimmers and switches.

Whether you’re always on the go, always forget to charge your phone, or just need a convenient way to charge while chilling in your backyard, this new power bank by Baseus is a standout—not just because it’s fast, not just because it’s high-capacity, but because it has a built-in retractable cable for maximum convenience. And it’s only $45 right now on Amazon, or half off its $90 MSRP! (Make sure to redeem all the coupons.)

I’ve been using one of the Baseus Enercore review units for a few days now… and I’ve been enjoying it a bit too much. The built-in retractable USB-C cable is super handy as I no longer have to hunt down a cable whenever my husband and I go to chill out in the yard while playing Hearthstone (yes, yes, very fancy, I know).

Since the power bank can hit 67W of charging, it takes very little time to actually get my phone back to 100%. There’s also a second USB-C port so my husband and I can charge our phones at the same time if needed, though I do need to find a cable to use that port. When both ports are in use, the total charging speed is split between them—but even then, the charging speed is still pretty fast for each device.

There’s also a cute display on the power bank that tells you just how much battery life is left in the thing. With its 20K capacity, you can get between 3 to 4 full phone recharges from a single charge. And you can plug the built-in retractable cable into a wall plug to recharge the power bank—yes, that cable goes both ways!

It’s one of the most convenient power banks on the market right now, so take advantage of this 50% discount while you can. Grab the 20K Baseus Enercore for $45 before this awesome promo expires!