You might already have a good idea of which smartphone you want to be your next one. But there are more solid options available now than ever before, making the decision not as cut-and-dry as it used to be. While the decision is a bit easier if you know you want an iPhone, there’s even enough variation between those new models that you may have to think about it longer than you anticipated. If you’re an Android person, you have even more options to choose from — including foldables — and more questions to answer before you spend any money.

At Engadget, we review phones regularly and have tested dozens over the years. Whether you’ve had your eye on one of our current top picks, one of Samsung’s Galaxy S25 phones, a cheap phone or another device, we’re here to help you decide which is the best phone to buy this year.

Android or iOS?

When you’re searching for the best smartphone, it becomes clear that each OS has its pros and cons. Apple’s tight-knit ecosystem makes it super easy to share data between iPhones, iPads and Macs or seamlessly hand-off phone calls or music from one device to another. At the same time, you’re effectively locked in, as services like Apple Messages aren’t available on other platforms.

As for Android, there’s a much wider range of handsets from companies like Google, Samsung, Sony and more. However, Android phones don’t enjoy that same length of software support and often have lower trade-in values. In short, there’s no wrong answer. However, you will want to consider how your phone will fit in with the rest of your devices. So unless you’re really fed up with one OS and willing to learn another, it probably doesn’t make a lot of sense to switch from an iPhone to an Android phone (or vice versa) – especially if everyone else in your household is using the same platform.

Cameras

Since your cell phone often pulls double duty as your primary camera, figuring out what kind of photo tools you want is key. Nowadays, practically every mobile phone can take a great picture in bright light. But if you want a long optical zoom, you’ll probably have to upgrade to a more expensive device.

Cherlynn Low / Engadget

Mid-range phones often only have two rear cameras (a primary wide-angle lens and a secondary ultra-wide camera) and can sometimes struggle in low-light situations. Each phone maker also has various features that might be a better fit for your style, with Apple offering four different color presets on the latest iPhones, while Google’s Pixel 9 Pro comes with neat tools like dedicated long exposure and Action Pan modes.

Will you get mmWave 5G or Wi-Fi 7?

The good news is that in 2025, most phones have at least Wi-Fi 6 or Wi-Fi 6e and support for some kind of 5G connectivity. However, if you want the fastest wireless speeds possible, it’s going to cost you a little extra. For example, on certain networks, mmWave 5G offers up to gigabit download speeds, less latency and better bandwidth. But mmWave 5G also requires more sophisticated (and pricier) modems, which means support for it is often missing on less expensive devices.

On the bright side, mmWave 5G isn’t as widely available as other versions of 5G, so depending on where you live and what network you’re on, you may not be missing out on much right now if you buy a phone that doesn’t support it. It’s a similar situation for Wi-Fi 7, which is available on some high-end handsets like the Galaxy S25, but harder to find on cheaper devices. Wi-Fi 7 also requires you to have a compatible router, so unless you know you need it or have a specific use case in mind, the lack of support for mmWave 5G or Wi-Fi 7 shouldn’t be a dealbreaker when looking for a new phone.

Other features to consider

Because not everyone agrees on what makes the best phone, you should think about any other specs that might be extra important for you. Mobile gamers will almost certainly appreciate the 120Hz refresh rates you get on phones like the Samsung Galaxy S25 or the Apple iPhone 16 Pro. Alternatively, if long battery life is important, you’ll probably want to go with a larger iPhone or an Android phone with a battery that’s between 4,000 and 5,000 mAh in size. Meanwhile, if you find yourself juggling a lot of devices, it can be really nice to have a phone that supports reverse wireless charging, which on Samsung phones even lets you recharge the company’s Galaxy Watches.

Other smartphones we’ve tested

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra

Like its predecessor, the S25 Ultra is an incredibly versatile phone. It’s one of the few handsets that come with an included stylus and premium features like a gorgeous 6.9-inch AMOLED display, titanium frame and a 5x telephoto camera. It also has excellent performance and strong battery life. The issue is that, aside from improved AI, this year’s phone doesn’t offer that much more than the previous model (or the one before that), and with prices starting at $1,300, we feel it needs to do more to earn a top pick spot.

OnePlus 13

While the OnePlus 13 features some basic AI features like Google’s Circle to Search and Gemini assistant, it’s really just an old-fashioned flagship in all the best ways. That’s because instead of focusing on machine learning, OnePlus crammed the phone with tons of top-notch hardware. It sports a 6.8-inch OLED display with an incredible peak brightness of up to 4,500 nits. The OP13 also offers excellent performance thanks to Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, along with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. There are also three 50-MP rear cameras including one with a 3x telephoto zoom and a massive 6,000 mAh battery that’s bigger than what you get in practically all of its competitors.

OnePlus didn’t skimp on the phone’s design either, as the OP13 still comes with the company’s signature Alert Slider. Plus, if you opt for the blue or white variants, you’ll get a durable and very touchable vegan leather back that helps the phone stand out among all its glass brick rivals. But the best part is that starting at $900, it costs less than an equivalent Galaxy S25+ too.

FAQs

How do I know which smartphone is the best for me?

While choosing the best smartphone can be challenging, it mostly comes down to how you plan on using the device. All of the best phones available now get the basics right — you’ll be able to make calls, text and access the internet without many hiccups. If your smartphone is your most used gadget, you may want to consider paying for a device on the higher end of the price spectrum. That will get you better overall performance, higher-quality cameras and a phone that will last for many years. If you don’t use your phone for everything, you may be able to compromise on performance and extra perks and spend less on a still-capable handset.

How much is a smartphone?

Smartphones range in price from $300 to over $1,500. The best budget phones available now will usually compromise on overall performance, design, camera prowess and extra features to keep costs down. On the flip side, the most expensive phones will have powerful processors, triple-camera arrays and even flip or fold designs. Most people will find a phone that fits their needs somewhere in the middle of that wide price range — we’ve found that most of the best smartphones available right now cost between $500 and $1,000.

What can you do on a smartphone?

Smartphones are essentially small, portable computers that let you do things like check email, browse social media, follow map directions, make contactless payments and more. This is all on top of the basics like making phone calls and texting, which we’ve come to expect in all modern cell phones. Smartphones have also mostly replaced compact cameras thanks to their high-quality, built-in shooters, and the fact that most smartphones today as just as portable, if not more so, as compact cameras.

How long do smartphones last?

Smartphones can last years and people are holding on to their phones longer now than ever before. Software updates and battery life are two of the biggest factors that can affect phone longevity. Apple promises five years worth of software updates for its latest iPhones, and Google promises the same for its Pixel phones. Samsung phones will get four years worth of Android updates from the time they launch. As for charging speeds and battery life, your phone can deteriorate over time as you use and recharge your phone on a regular basis.

Recent updates

February 2025: Updated to include the iPhone 16e.

January 2025: Updated to include details about Samsung’s latest Galaxy S-series phones.

September 2024: Updated to include the latest iPhone 16 models and a new midrange iPhone top pick.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/best-smartphones-140004900.html?src=rss

In a fitting crossover, Roblox is getting a big speed boost on Chromebooks. Google said on Thursday that a new x86 version of the online game platform and creation system is twice as fast as the Android version, which was previously the only way to play Roblox on ChromeOS.

Given the overlap between Chromebooks (popular in education) and Roblox (popular with kids, for better or worse), a better-performing version on ChromeOS seems like a good match. Although there are more ARM-based Chromebooks than before, most still use x86 architecture.

Google says the new Roblox build provides smoother gameplay, quicker load times and “an overall better Roblox experience.” More specifically, you should see a 99 percent framerate increase in the virtual pet game Adopt Me! and a 67 percent boost in the role-playing sim Brookhaven RP. Load times are up to 29 percent faster when going from a fresh start to the login page.

Alongside the x86 launch, Google and Roblox have some speed-themed in-game swag for Chromebook users. You can redeem a jetpack with a Chrome logo (of course!) for your avatar to fly around like a Google-sponsored Buzz Lightyear. You can also redeem a “hoverboard” (which looks suspiciously like a OneWheel) for faster ground travel. You’ll find both on Google’s perks page.

This isn’t the first mashup between the two companies. Last year, they teamed up on a weird game that teaches kids about online safety, the, uh, “interestingly” named Be Internet Awesome World.

Google told Engadget that you can install the x86 version of Roblox directly through the Play Store. Although that’s typically where you find the Android version, the storefront should automatically deliver the right build for your laptop.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/roblox-is-now-much-faster-on-chromebooks-210030799.html?src=rss

At some point in 2025, Twitch plans to offer monetization tools like subscriptions and Bits for all streamers, according to an open letter from Twitch CEO Dan Clancy. Monetizing Twitch streams previously required reaching “Affiliate” status on the platform.

Having viewers subscribe to a Twitch channel or cheer with Bits (Twitch’s digital currency) during a stream are the two most prominent ways the average streamer can make money from their streams, outside of passive ad revenue or sponsorships. Currently, each subscription earns you a 50/50 split on subscription revenue after processing fees and taxes, while each Bit earned during a stream translates to around $0.01.

Opening up subscriptions and Bits to “most streamers, from day one,” should serve to make streaming on Twitch more enticing to anyone worried about the long process of becoming a Twitch Affiliate or Partner. Reaching either status on Twitch requires earning a certain amount of followers and streaming a certain amount of hours, on top of other criteria. With at least some monetization tools becoming available to everyone, climbing Twitch’s ladder seems like it could become more about unlocking access to tools rather than the ability to earn money at all. (Thought novice streamers should keep in mind they must get a minimum of $50 to withdraw their earnings from Twitch at all.)

Alongside these changes, Clancy also announced that Twitch will introduce more ways for streamers to earn money together, new editing tools for creating clips of streams and expanded moderation tools on mobile. Twitch’s has been rethinking its approach to moderation and policy violations over the last few months. Earlier in February, the company tweaked how it enforces community guideline violations, making it so violations can “expire” after a certain amount of time.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/twitch-will-open-some-monetization-tools-to-even-first-time-streamers-204805004.html?src=rss

Amazon announced that it has created its own quantum computing chip, joining Microsoft and Google in a push to take this potentially transformative technology from the theoretical to the practical. Ocelot is a prototype that’s intended to test the effectiveness of Amazon Web Services’ quantum error correction architecture. Compared with other chip methods, the company claims Ocelot can reduce the cost of implementing quantum error correction by up to 90 percent.

Quantum computing could solve complicated problems exponentially faster than standard computers by using quantum bits, or qubits, rather than traditional bits that store a computer’s information as 1s and 0s. Rather than representing only a 1 or a 0, qubits can represent a proportion of both 1 and 0 at the same time. Ocelot takes this a step farther with its use of “cat qubits,” named for the famous Schrödinger’s cat thought experiment, which can “intrinsically suppress certain forms of errors,” according to Amazon.

Error rate is one of the key limitations of current quantum computing, because the qubits are so sensitive to minute changes in their environments. Electromagnetic interference from a WiFi network can be enough to disturb a qubit and cause it to make mistakes. Adding more qubits to a chip means faster calculations, but also more mistakes.

Ocelot consists of five data qubits (the cat qubits), five “buffer circuits” to stabilize them and four qubits for detecting errors on the cat qubits. “We selected our qubit and architecture with quantum error correction as the top requirement,” said Oskar Painter, director of quantum hardware at AWS. “We believe that if we’re going to make practical quantum computers, quantum error correction needs to come first.”

Google claimed that its Willow chip, announced in December, was able to reduce errors as more qubits were added. Ocelot is another step toward reducing errors and making useful quantum computers a reality.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/amazon-joins-the-quantum-computing-race-with-a-chip-designed-for-error-correction-201501075.html?src=rss

Your keyboard is one of the few pieces of technology you’ll use for hours at a time, so why not make it something that brings you joy? Sure, the people who gush over mechanical keyboards can be a bit much, but the enhanced comfort, durability and customizability that comes with the best of them is real. If you’re interested in making the switch (ahem), we’ve tested dozens of mechanical keyboards over the past year and rounded up our favorites below. We’ve also broken down what to look for as you shop.

What to look for in a mechanical keyboard

Layout

The first thing to decide with any keyboard is what size and layout you want. Full-size layouts have all the keys you’d ever need — a number pad, a full function row, arrow keys, etc. — but they also have the largest physical footprint. A 96-percent or “1800” keyboard is similar, but crunches the navigation cluster (Page Up, Home, etc.), numpad and arrow keys closer together to save space. Tenkeyless (TKL) or 80-percent keyboards omit the number pad entirely; they’re often considered the best blend of size and functionality. 75-percent keyboards keep almost all of the buttons of a TKL model but further reduce any “dead” space between them — think of them like the TKL versions of a 96 percent layout.

It gets more and more minimal from there. The smallest popular layout is the 60 percent keyboard, which removes the arrow keys, function row, numpad and navigation cluster. This kind of design can be particularly useful for gaming, as it opens up a ton of desk space to swing your mouse around. It typically relies on shortcuts to make up for its missing keys, but it comes with a learning curve as a result.

Even more compact options exist beyond that. These can be adorable, but they usually involve removing the number row, which is a step too far for most people. There are all sorts of ergonomic keyboards that utilize different shapes to improve your wrist and arm comfort as well, but we have a separate guide for those.

Switch type

No component has more of an impact on how a mechanical keyboard feels and sounds than the switches beneath its keycaps. The market for these tiny mechanisms is vast and complex but, to keep it simple, you can separate them into three types: linear, tactile and clicky. Which you prefer ultimately comes down to personal preference, so we encourage you to go to a store, try out a friend’s keyboard and test switches out to determine what you like best.

Linear switches feel smooth and consistent all the way down. Many PC gamers prefer them because they’re often light and fast to actuate, so they can register inputs quickly. They tend to be quieter than other switch types as well, but some may find them too sensitive.

Tactile switches create a noticeable “bump” partway through a press. They generally aren’t as fast as their linear counterparts, but many (including yours truly) enjoy the tangible sense of feedback they provide with each keystroke. This bit of resistance can make it a little easier to avoid typos, too. Many tactile switches are neither outright quiet nor disruptively loud.

Clicky switches are, well, clicky. They work similarly to tactile switches but use an extra mechanism that makes a sharp click sound when pressed. The exact design of that mechanism can differ depending on the switch. Some people love the audible feedback of clicky switches. The people who work or live with them? Probably not so much.

Photo by Jeff Dunn / Engadget

Remember: These are general buckets. Within them lies an enormous variety of switches with differing actuation points, weights, springs, bump sensations and more. One linear, tactile, or clicky switch can feel and sound noticeably different than another.

There are more dramatic variations as well. Low-profile switches, for one, can be linear, tactile or clicky but aren’t as tall and have a shorter travel distance. They allow for flatter and more compact designs, with keys that are fast to press but also easy to bottom out.

Optical and Hall effect switches rely on different mechanisms entirely. Instead of a physical contact point, the former uses a beam of infrared light to register keystrokes, while the latter uses tiny magnets. Both commonly have a linear feel. They can also enable a few gaming-friendly features: You could set custom actuation points and make any key more or less sensitive, map multiple actions to one keystroke or even use an “analog mode” that emulates gamepad controls. (Newer inductive switches are said to offer similar benefits.) These are niche tricks, but they can make a difference for competitive-minded players. Boards that use these “analog” switches are frequently more expensive and less customizable than traditional mechanical options, though.

Switch modifications

It doesn’t stop at switch types: Manufacturers (and you!) can make several other tweaks to shape how a mechanical keyboard feels and sounds. Some have layers of different foam inside their case to tamp down noise, for instance. Some have switches that are lubricated out of the box to provide a smoother feel and more muted sound. A few others put plastic, rubber or foam “films” between the upper and bottom housing of a switch to keep it from wobbling and further tune its acoustics. Or they stick a layer of tape on their printed circuit board (PCB) to absorb higher-pitched sounds. We think most people will find that some well-applied foam and lubing makes things feel nicer, though this is another matter that comes down to taste.

Keycaps

Keycaps play a huge role in defining a keyboard’s character. First off, they should look nice! There’s a huge market for third-party keycaps in all different styles, from the playful to the professional to the proudly impractical. The majority of mechanical keyboards make it easy to swap in new keycaps, so it’s usually not a huge deal if you ever get bored with your device’s stock set.

Most keycaps are made from one of two types of plastic: ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) or PBT (polybutylene terephthalate). Keycaps using the latter tend to be higher-quality. They’re often thicker, more durable, deeper-sounding and less prone to developing a shiny or greasy finish over time. Still, premium ABS keycaps do exist, so this is another case where what’s “best” partly comes down to personal taste. You may prefer an ABS keycap that feels smooth over a PBT model with a rougher texture.

Keycap sets are available in several different shapes and sizes. Some are totally uniform; many others are distinctly sculpted to meet your fingers in (ostensibly) more natural positions. Which is most comfortable is something you’ll have to figure out for yourself. You can check out keycaps.info to see what the most popular keycap profiles look like.

Photo by Jeff Dunn / Engadget

Keyboard makers have several different methods of printing the letters and symbols (aka “legends”) that go on a set of keycaps. The two most common are known as double-shot and dye-sublimation. Double-shot caps are typically more durable but cost more to produce — they’re made by molding one color of plastic for the keycap around a second color of plastic for the legend. “Dye-sub” caps, in contrast, use heat to stain in the legends but are decently durable in their own right.

For keyboards with RGB backlighting, it’s best if the legends to be “shine-through,” so those color effects are visible through the keycaps. We don’t think it’s the end of the world if they aren’t — as you’ll see below — but the RGB won’t be as fun otherwise.

Stabilizers

Stabilizers (or “stabs”) are little components that go under large keys like the space bar or backspace to keep them from rattling or wobbling when pressed. These come in different types as well. Many a decent keyboard has been hindered by subpar stabilizers, so it’s worth checking your bigger keys first to ensure they aren’t distractingly shaky or uneven.

Mounting styles and case quality

A keyboard’s mounting style determines how its PCB and plate — i.e., a common (but not universal) layer that holds the keycaps in place above the PCB — are secured within its case. This, too, comes in varying styles and can have a significant effect on how the board feels and sounds. It’s also something that’s best explained visually, so we’ll point you to this excellent infographic from Thomas Baart instead of running through every possible configuration here. It’s hard to say one mounting style is always better than the others, but many enthusiast boards these days use some sort of gasket mount, which puts a gasket material on either side to separate the plate from the main case. Done well, this can make typing feel softer and bouncier than it would on a more traditional, tray-mounted design.

Regardless of what’s going on under the hood, a good keyboard shouldn’t feel cheap on the outside, either. Its case shouldn’t flex under pressure or feel hollow as you’re clacking away. Higher-end models often have cases made from metal or sturdier plastic — the former may feel more premium but it’s typically heavier and pricier.

Customizations and software

We focused on pre-built models here, but that doesn’t mean customization isn’t important. Experimenting with different switches and keycaps is half the fun of this hobby, after all. For this guide, we prioritized keyboards that are “hot-swappable,” which means they let you easily remove and replace switches without having to desolder anything. Permanently attached switches may be more stable, but fixing a broken hot-swappable switch should be relatively painless — and more affordable to boot.

We also valued keyboards that are easy to program and customize through software, whether it’s a manufacturer-specific app or popular open-source programs like VIA. Not everyone will go through the trouble to set macros, customize backlighting or remap keys, but it’s better to have the option if your mindset changes down the road.

It’s a plus if a keyboard works across multiple operating systems, particularly Windows and macOS, just in case you ever switch allegiances. If the device comes with OS-specific keycaps you can pop on to make the experience less clunky, that’s even better.

Connectivity

Wireless connectivity isn’t essential with a device that mostly sits on your desk, but it’s always nice to cut down on cables. Though wireless keyboards still cost more than wired ones, today you can get something great for less than $100. If you do go wireless, look for a model that can connect over Bluetooth and a USB wireless dongle. The former is convenient for travel, while the latter can provide a more stable connection. For wired keyboards, you want a detachable USB cable so you don’t have to replace your entire device if the cord ever frays or breaks.

Photo by Jeff Dunn / Engadget

Backlight

Good backlighting will make any keyboard easier to use in the dark. We gave bonus points to keyboards with fully programmable RGB lights, as they can be particularly fun to mess with, but they’re not essential. As noted above, the strength of your backlight will be neutered if your keycaps’ legends aren’t transparent.

Rotary knob

Some mechanical keyboards come configured with a rotary knob, which typically controls volume by default but can be customized to control other inputs as well. This is more of a fun bonus than anything else, but we found it hard to give up on devices without one.

How we tested

To be clear, there isn’t one “best” mechanical keyboard for everyone. Yes, some are likely to be better for most people than others; that’s what we set out to find with this guide. But ultimately, this is one of those categories that’ll largely depend on your personal tastes.

It’s also worth reiterating that we only considered pre-built models for this guide. We still valued keyboards that are configurable with different switches, keycaps and other design tweaks upfront and easy to customize after purchase. However, we recognize that many people just want to pay for a nice thing and enjoy it, without having to do homework on how they can make it better. If you want to get hardcore later on and start building your own custom keyboards, we have a whole separate guide for that.

With that said, we started our research by reading a ton of reviews from both professionals and everyday users, trawling enthusiast forums along the way. This helped us whittle down the devices that had a shot of being a top pick and were readily available from reputable brands. From there, we used each keyboard as our daily driver for a few days, typing up thousands of words, playing PC games and paying attention to the key aspects noted above. We fully charged each wireless model and monitored its battery drain to ensure it lined up with their advertised rating. We also ensured any companion software worked as intended.

It’s worth keeping in mind that new mechanical keyboards are coming out all the time. It’s very difficult to get to everything, but we’ll continue to monitor the market and update this guide as noteworthy boards arrive.

Other mechanical keyboards we tested

Photo by Jeff Dunn / Engadget

Lofree Block

The wireless Lofree Block feels great and has a fun retro aesthetic that looks like it belongs next to an old Mac. Its keys are wonderfully smooth to the touch and create a nice thocky tone. At $169, it’s a good middle ground between the Keychron Q Max and V Max series if you dig the look. However, it doesn’t have any software for programming macros, it only has a white backlight and it only comes in a full-size layout. Are those huge issues? No. But there are fine margins separating these things once you get to a certain point.

Lofree Flow

It’s a similar story with the Lofree Flow, a low-profile model. Its full-POM switches are softer and noticeably quieter than the NuPhy Air V2, and its thin aluminum case looks and feels high-quality. It can only work wirelessly using Bluetooth, though, and we noticed a couple of connection hiccups in testing. There’s still no software, either, plus its backlight is fairly weak. It also costs $40 or so more than the Air75 V2. Still, it’s a great alternative.

Keychron K Max

The low-profile Keychron K Max series has all the requisite features and costs less than the NuPhy Air75 V2 and Lofree Flow. If you don’t like the Air V2’s style and want a cheaper low-profile model, it’s worth a look. That said, the keycaps on NuPhy’s board feel a bit higher-quality, and the tactile Gateron switches in our K Max unit sound thinner.

NZXT Function 2 & Function 2 MiniTKL

The full-size NZXT Function 2 and tenkeyless NZXT Function 2 MiniTKL are perfectly solid gaming keyboards with fast optical switches, durable PBT keycaps, tasteful RGB lighting, sound-dampening foam and aluminum top plates. They support a fair amount of customization through NZXT’s CAM app, including the ability to swap between two different universal actuation settings. The stabilizers on larger keys exhibit some rattle, though, and the Wooting 80HE’s magnetic switches are far more versatile for not too much extra cash.

Photo by Jeff Dunn / Engadget

MelGeek Modern97

With its fun speckled color scheme, gasket-mounted design and multiple foam layers, the MelGeek Modern97 is a solid value at $139. The linear, pre-lubed Kailh Box Plastic switches in our unit are smooth and enjoyably clacky, while the larger keys are neither hollow nor overly loud. All of the switches are hot-swappable, and the whole thing works over USB-C, Bluetooth or a 2.4GHz dongle. Alas, its ABS keycaps start to feel slicker and greasier with extended use. This model also has a 90 percent layout, which saves a little extra desk space compared to a 96 percent board but can lead to more accidental presses around the arrow keys.

Razer Huntsman V2 TKL

The Razer Huntsman V2 TKL is a quality gaming keyboard with light optical switches, crisp shine-through keycaps, a sturdy frame and an impressively muffled sound thanks to some internal foam. (If you buy the model with Razer’s linear optical switches, that is; another variant with clicky switches isn’t nearly as quiet.) It’s often available in the $100 range, and at that price it’s a solid pick. It’s neither wireless nor hot-swappable, though, and its keys wobble more than those on the Keychron V Max.

Razer Huntsman V3 Pro

The analog Razer Huntsman V3 Pro is a decent alternative to the Wooting 80HE if the latter’s shipping delays become too great. It’s available in a 60 percent, TKL or full-size layout, and it offers a similar set of gaming features, including an adjustable actuation range and a rapid trigger setting for repeating keystrokes faster. But its optical switches are noisier and more hollow-feeling than Wooting’s Hall effect setup, so it’s not as pleasant for typing.

Jeff Dunn for Engadget

SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Wireless (Gen 3)

We recommend the SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Wireless in our guide to the best gaming keyboards, and it remains a good choice if you want the extensive customizability of the Wooting 80HE in a wireless design. It also comes with a wrist rest, unlike Wooting’s keyboard, and it offers an impressive typing experience in its own right. SteelSeries’ configuration software is clunkier to navigate than Wootility, though, and at $270 it’s pricier than Keychron Q Max without having quite as premium a design.

G.Skill KM250

The $45 G.Skill KM250 is the top budget pick in our gaming keyboard guide, and it’s still a better buy than the Keychron C3 Pro is gaming is your chief concern. Compared to Keychron’s board, it adds hot-swappable switches, full RGB backlighting, PBT keycaps and a rotary knob in a smaller 65 percent layout. That said, the C3 Pro’s fuller sound and springier keystrokes make it superior for typing, and its tenkeyless design should be more comfortable for a wider swath of people. It’s typically available for $10 to $15 less, too.

Jeff Dunn for Engadget

Logitech G Pro X TKL & G Pro X 60

The Logitech G Pro X TKL and 60 percent Logitech G Pro X 60 are well-built but far too expensive for gaming keyboards that lack hot-swappable switches and the analog functionality of competitors like the Wooting 80HE.

Logitech G Pro X TKL Rapid

The Logitech G Pro X TKL Rapid is better, and a fine magnetic-switch alternative to the Wooting 80HE if you must buy from one of the major keyboard brands. It’s wired-only, but it looks good, with clear RGB lighting, a built-in volume roller, dedicated media keys and a sturdy metal top plate. Its rapid trigger and adjustable actuation features all work fine, and Logitech’s G Hub software is easier to get around than most apps from the big-name manufacturers. All of it costs $30 less than the 80HE as well. Where it falls short is the typing experience: The default switches are pretty noisy, and bottoming out the keys feels stiffer. 

Photo by Jeff Dunn / Engadget

ASUS ROG Strix Scope II 96 Wireless

The ASUS ROG Strix Scope II 96 Wireless is a wireless 96 percent keyboard that’s marketed toward gamers but should feel great to anyone. The pre-lubed, linear ROG NX Snow switches in our test unit are smooth and quiet, while the PBT keycaps feel stable and high-quality. The keycaps let the RGB backlight shine through cleanly, plus there’s a clever multi-function key that puts various lighting and media controls in one place. ASUS’ Armoury Crate software is sloppy, though, and the board’s overall look may be too gamer-y for some. At $180, it’s not cheap either. The Keychron Q5 Max costs $40 more but gets you a more premium (if heavier) all-aluminum chassis; here, the housing is plastic.

ASUS ROG Azoth

The ASUS ROG Azoth is like a 75 percent version of the Strix Scope II 96 Wireless with a few more enthusiast touches. Its gasket-mounted design gives keystrokes a slightly softer landing, it has a programmable OLED display and it even includes a switch lubing kit in the box. Like the Strix, its hardware is very clearly high-grade. But its software is much more aggravating and, with a list price of $250, it’s a worse value than the Keychron Q Max.

Corsair K70 RGB TKL

The Corsair K70 RGB TKL isn’t bad in a vacuum, but it lacks wireless functionality and fully hot-swappable switches. It’s on the noisy side, too, and Corsair’s iCue software is rough.

Photo by Jeff Dunn / Engadget

Corsair K70 Max

The full-size Corsair K70 Max is another high-end gaming keyboard with magnetic Hall effect sensors and Wooting-style features, but trying to program those settings through Corsair’s iCue app gave us headaches. The 80HE also feels better for typing, with less rattling on large keys like the space bar. Wooting’s HE keyboards support a slightly wider actuation range on top of that, plus they cost $30 to $55 less depending on size.

Razer Huntsman Mini

The Razer Huntsman Mini is a fine value if you want a no-frills 60 percent keyboard for less than $100, but it’s another wired-only model that isn’t truly hot-swappable.

Logitech G915 TKL

The Logitech G915 TKL is a wireless low-profile model with a metal frame and handy media controls. The GL Tactile switches in our test unit are comfortable and not particularly noisy. But the thin ABS keycaps feel way too cheap for something that costs $180, the keys themselves are a little too wobbly and the switches aren’t hot-swappable. The NuPhy Air75 V2 is a superior value. Logitech released an upgraded model with PBT keycaps and a USB-C port last year; we’ll aim to test that one for our next update, but it’s still pretty expensive at $200.

Recent notes

February 2025: We’ve updated this guide with a new gaming pick, the Wooting 80HE, and ensured the rest of our recommendations are still accurate. We’ve also added a few notes on other keyboards we’ve recently tested. We’ve put several other gaming-oriented models through their paces since our last update: You can find testing notes for those in our dedicated gaming keyboard buying guide.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/accessories/best-mechanical-keyboard-120050723.html?src=rss

In what has already been a busy past few days for new model releases, OpenAI is capping off the week with a research preview of GPT-4.5. The company is touting the new system as its largest and best model for chat yet. In early testing, OpenAI says people found GPT-4.5 to be a more natural conversationalist, with the ability to convey warmth and display a kind of emotional intelligence.

In one example shared by OpenAI, a person tells ChatGPT they’re going through a hard time after failing a test. Where the company’s previous models, including GPT-4o and o3-mini, might commiserate with the individual before offering a long list of unsolicited advice, GPT-4.5 takes a different tact. “Want to talk about what happened, or do you just need a distraction? I’m here either way,” the chatbot says when powered by GPT-4.5.

The gains shown by GPT-4.5 are the result of advancements OpenAI made in unsupervised learning. With unsupervised learning, a machine learning algorithm is given an unlabeled data set and left to its own devices to find patterns and insights. GPT-4.5 doesn’t “think” like the company’s state-of-the-art reasoning models, but in training the new model OpenAI made architectural enhancements and gave it access to more data and compute power. “The result is a model that has broader knowledge and a deeper understanding of the world, leading to reduced hallucinations,” the company says.

Speaking of reduced hallucinations, OpenAI measured how much better GPT-4.5 in that regard. When put through SimpleQA, an OpenAI-designed benchmark that tests large language models on their ability to answer “straightforward but challenging knowledge questions,” GPT-4.5 beat out o3-mini, GPT-4o and even o1 with a hallucination rate of 37.1 percent. Obviously, the new model doesn’t solve the problem of AI hallucinations altogether, but it is a step in the right direction.

Despite its relative strengths over GPT-4o and o3-mini, GPT-4.5 isn’t a direct replacement for those models. Compared to OpenAI’s reasoning systems, GPT-4.5 is “a more general-purpose, innately smarter model.” Additionally, it’s not natively multimodal like GPT-4o, meaning it doesn’t work with features like Voice Mode, video or screensharing. It’s also “a very large and compute-intensive model.”

It’s best to think of GPT-4.5 as a stepping stone to systems OpenAI plans to offer in the future. In fact, Sam Altman said as much earlier this month when he shared the company’s roadmap, noting GPT-4.5 would be “our last non-chain-of-thought model” — referring to the fact that the new system doesn’t solve problems by tackling them step by step like OpenAI’s reasoning models do. Its successor, GPT-5, will likely integrate many of OpenAI’s latest technologies, including its frontier o3 model. OpenAI reiterated that today, saying it plans to bring GPT-4.5’s “unique strengths, including broader knowledge, stronger intuition, and greater ‘EQ,’ to all users in future models.”

In the meantime, ChatGPT Pro subscribers can begin using GPT-4.5 starting today, with Pro and Team users slated to gain access starting next week.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/openais-new-gpt-45-model-is-a-better-more-natural-conversationalist-200035185.html?src=rss