At the risk of repeating myself from Engadget’s MacBook Air M1, M2 and M3 reviews: The M4-equipped MacBook Air is a nearly flawless ultraportable. Even better, it now starts at $999, which is $100 less than before. While I’d still like to see more ports and a faster screen refresh rate, the MacBook Air still remains heads and shoulders above the competition. And when companies try to one-up Apple, as ASUS did with its 2.2-pound Zenbook A14, it only proves how much better-designed Apple’s hardware actually is.
It’s easy to take the MacBook Air for granted, since its design hasn’t changed since the M2 model arrived in 2022. It’s still a remarkable machine today, one that’s fast, light and well-built. The only major downside is that there’s a bit of a learning curve for Windows users jumping ship for the first time. But aside from that, the MacBook Air is a no-brainer purchase if you’re looking for a new ultraportable.

Hardware
Once again, both the 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air models feel impressively thin (measuring 0.44 inches thick) and light, weighing in at 2.7 pounds and 3.2 pounds, respectively. Last year, I noted “Its unibody aluminum case feels as smooth a river stone yet as sturdy as a boulder. It’s a computer I simply love to touch.” All of that remains true with the M4 models.
In fact, it’s even more impressive that Apple holds such a commanding design lead when competitors have had a chance to catch up. As much as we like the Surface Laptop, XPS 13 and ASUS’ Zenbook S14, Apple still maintains a level of polish that PC makers can’t quite match. The MacBook Air’s case feels more luxurious than the rest, its keyboard is a dream to type on and it has one of the best trackpads around. (And before you go calling me an Apple fanboy, I’m still primarily a Windows desktop user.)

Devindra Hardawar for Engadget

Apple’s M4 chip — which sports a 10-core CPU, 10-core GPU and 16-core Neural Engine (or what you’d call an NPU in a PC) — is the main upgrade with these new MacBook Airs. It’s also worth noting that the base $999 13-inch model has a slightly slower 8-core GPU, which will slightly hamper gaming and media creation performance. Aside from a new Sky Blue option, there aren’t any physical design changes. Apple also upgraded the webcam to a new 12-megapixel Center Stage shooter, which could be particularly helpful if you want to show off the contents of your desk. (More on that later.)
The 13-inch MacBook Air features a 13.6-inch Liquid Retina Display, which practically feels like a 14-inch screen, while the larger model has a 15.3-inch display. They’re still limited to 60Hz — an annoyance since plenty of PC ultraportables are shipping with faster and smoother screens — but they’re impressive displays nevertheless, with support for the P3 wide color gamut and 1 billion colors. Both screens can also reach up to 500 nits of brightness, which is enough to be usable on a sunny day.

Devindra Hardawar for Engadget

In use: Fast and light
Both the 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Airs handled my basic workflow without a sweat: juggling browsers with a ton of open tabs, Slack, Spotify, messaging apps and the Pixelmator photo editor. But that was no surprise, as the previous models were similarly zippy. Still, after testing the sluggish Zenbook A14 recently, it felt refreshing to be using laptops that seemed eager to get to work.
I couldn’t actually feel a difference with the jump to the M4 chip, but according to the Geekbench 6 benchmark, it’s 19.5 percent faster than the M3 for single-threaded tasks, and 21 percent faster for multi-threaded tasks. That’s a typical incremental jump for CPU improvements, so I won’t knock Apple too much there. The M4’s GPU gains were far less impressive, scoring just 6 percent higher than the M3 in the 3DMark Wildlife Extreme benchmark and 16.3 percent better in the Geekbench GPU test.

Geekbench 6 CPU
Geekbench 6 GPU
Cinebench 2024

Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M4, 2025)
3,784/14,745
36,273
172/660 GPU: 3,465

Apple MacBook Air 15-inch (M4, 2025)
3,874/14,873
36,131
171/748 GPU: 3897

Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M3, 2024)
3,190/12,102
30,561
N/A

Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch (M4, 2024)
3,797/14,571
37,869
172/979 GPU: 3770

Surface Laptop 7 (Snapdragon X Elite)
2,797/14,400
19,963
123/969 GPU N/A

You likely won’t be doing much serious creative work on the MacBook Air, especially since there’s no fan to cool things down. But you can still squeeze out a bit of performance in a pinch. I was able to transcode a 4K clip to 1080p in 27 seconds using the M4’s CPU in Handbrake, while using the GPU took just 17 seconds. In comparison, the Dell XPS 13 Copilot+ system took 32 seconds with its CPU and 24 seconds with its GPU.
The graphically intense Lies of P ran at a smooth 60 fps in 1080p with high settings. That was also true of the M3 MacBook Air, but this time around the performance seemed a bit more consistent. While I’d never recommend buying a MacBook Air with gaming in mind, it’s nice that it can handle a bit of playtime, at least.
While jumping between the 13-inch and 15-inch models, I found a lot to like about them both. The smaller one is definitely easier to travel with, but I also loved the immersive screen on the 15-inch. Ultimately, choosing between them comes down to what’s most important to you.
Similarly, the leap to a 12-megapixel Center Stage camera isn’t exactly Earth-shattering, but I appreciated having a slightly better picture during video calls. I typically turn off the actual Center Stage feature on Macs, but I’m sure some will appreciate its ability to track you around a room. The new camera also supports Desk View, which projects a slightly skewed view of the area directly in front of the MacBook Air.
As for battery life, both MacBook Air models lasted for more than 18 hours while playing an HD video. The 13-inch Air lasted for 18 hours and 15 minutes, while the 15-inch notebook went for 18 hours and 23 minutes.

Devindra Hardawar for Engadget

How can Apple improve the MacBook Air?
As much as I love the 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air, there are still plenty of ways Apple can refine them down the line. As I mentioned above, it’d be great to have higher refresh rate displays, which makes scrolling through documents far easier on your eyes. And while I don’t need Apple to go all-out with ports, it’d be nice to have at least one USB-C connection on the right side of the Air to allow for easier charging. Right now, you’re stuck with a MagSafe charging port and two USB-C connections on the left side.
Of course, I don’t really expect Apple to actually deliver those upgrades anytime soon. I’d bet the company would nudge more demanding users to the $1,599 14-inch MacBook Pro, which has a ton of ports and a high refresh rate ProMotion screen. Still, a geek can dream.

Devindra Hardawar for Engadget

Should you buy the M4 MacBook Air?
If you can’t tell by now, I think the 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air are the ideal ultraportables for most people. So sure, if you’re in the market for a sleek laptop, they’re worth considering. And if you’re a Windows user who’s hesitant to make the jump, I’d recommend trying an Air for a while. It’s not that hard to learn the basics of macOS, and if you’re not satisfied you can always return it (just be sure to double-check retailer return policies).
While I’d bet most users would be fine with the base $999 13-inch MacBook Air with 256GB of storage, it may be worth jumping up to the $1,199 model with a 10-core GPU and 512GB SSD if you plan to do light media work. Or just jump straight to the $1,199 15-inch model, which comes with a 10-core GPU. 
As usual, I’d also recommend avoiding paying Apple’s absurd upgrade fees for components. If you’re considering spending $400 more for 32GB of RAM, you should probably be considering a MacBook Pro instead. If you’re looking to save some cash, several retailers are still selling the M2 MacBook Air at a steep discount of $700. Even though it’s an older chip, that laptop could still serve most users well for several years (just make sure you’re getting 16GB of RAM).

Devindra Hardawar for Engadget

Wrap-up
Once again, the 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air are basically everything we want from ultraportable notebooks. They’re zippy, wonderfully light and can last well beyond a full day of work. While the M4 chip isn’t a transformative upgrade, it helps Apple keep pace with evolving PC notebook chips. And now that the MacBook Air starts at $999, even Windows users should consider making the jump.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/laptops/apple-macbook-air-m4-13-inch-and-15-inch-review-minimal-upgrades-at-a-much-better-price-130002570.html?src=rss

Among the slew of Apple announced news from the previous few weeks is a refreshed MacBook Air. The laptop still comes in 13- and 15-inch sizes, starts with 16GB of RAM and offers up to 18 hours of battery life. The big spec bump here is the new M4 chipset, and that’s paired with a $100 price cut; the base model starts at $999. MacBook Air pre-orders are open now, and the notebook will be widely available starting March 12. Here’s everything you need to know about the M4 MacBook Air.
Apart from the new pricing, the marquee upgrade is the M4 chip. Although it isn’t a massive leap over the M3, it still makes the 2025 MacBook Air up to twice as fast as the M1 model. (You know it’s less than a generational breakthrough if Apple’s comparing it to its first in-house silicon from 2020.) The M4 silicon in this model has a 10-core CPU and up to a 10-core GPU.

The MacBook Air still starts with 16GB of RAM, but the top-tier configurations support up to 32GB — an increase from a maximum of 24GB in the M3 model. When combined with the faster processor, you should see a noticeable speed boost when upgrading from an M1 or (especially) an older Intel MacBook.
In a welcome change for those whose laptop does double duty as a desktop PC, you can now connect it to two external displays while still using the built-in one. Last year’s model only supported two with the MacBook lid closed or one with it open.
The new MacBook Air also adds Center Stage, Apple’s auto-centering camera feature, for the first time in the lineup. It’s paired with a 12MP camera, which should make your video calls and selfies look much sharper.
The last big upgrade is a cosmetic one. It now ships in sky blue, a light metallic color also found in the iPad Air and AirPods Max. It joins the carryovers midnight, starlight and silver.
Elsewhere, it still supports Apple Intelligence (if you’re into that), runs macOS Sequoia and has a pair of Thunderbolt / USB 4 ports.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/laptops/how-to-pre-order-the-new-apple-macbook-air-m4-140559026.html?src=rss

Apple announced a number of new products recently, despite its last on-stage event being held last September. On the iPad side of things, both the entry-level iPad and the iPad Air received updates. The new base iPad runs on an upgraded A16 chipset, comes with double the previous amount of storage and is now considered to have an 11-inch display (the previous version sat at 10.9 inches). The new iPad Air models still come in 11- and 13-inch sizes, but are powered by M3 processors. iPad pre-orders are open now, and they will be widely available on March 12. Here’s everything you need to know about the new iPad and the iPad Air M3.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/tablets/heres-how-to-pre-order-the-new-apple-ipad-and-ipad-air-m3-143643261.html?src=rss

Replacing a smartphone every two years is partially why billions of phones go into landfills each year. If stacked flat atop one another, that many handsets would reach farther than the ISS. But we’ve become accustomed to that 24-month time frame because wireless carriers often push an upgrade on biennial contracts, and many smaller phone makers only offer software support for two years. But now, with longer software commitments from major manufacturers, along with growing right-to-repair legislation, many newer phones can stay in our pockets for closer to seven trips around the sun. Here’s how you can extend the lifespan of your smartphone and avoid shelling out hundreds before it’s absolutely necessary.
How to make your smartphone last longer
Amy Skorheim for Engadget
Use a case
It’s a flashy move to carry a naked phone around, but the chances of a handset making it through a tumble go up dramatically when you employ extra protection. We recommend a few in our guide to iPhone cases. In my family, we’ve been happy with Mous cases. Though we’ve never subjected our phones to the brutality seen in the company’s ads, I can say that these cases have seen my partner’s aging Samsung Galaxy through some pretty gnarly spills and I credit the cases for getting my iPhone 11 to 2025 in working condition.
Take care of the built-in battery (or use a power bank)
Since a phone’s battery is often the first thing to show signs of age, it’s worth it to follow recommendations for extending its lifespan. Lithium-ion batteries don’t perform well in heat and you should avoid charging them if it’s hotter than 95 degrees — doing so can degrade the battery quickly and even cause them to malfunction. They’ll tolerate cold weather better, but can get sluggish when things get too chilly.
If you’re storing a phone for a while, it’s best to do so with the battery at half charge, rather than full or empty. In fact, Li-ion cells last longer when they spend less time being either completely discharged or full — that’s why battery optimization features in iPhones and Pixel phones delay overnight charging to 100 percent until about an hour before you typically grab your mobile. And while it’s sometimes necessary to charge a battery quickly, a slower charging method when speed isn’t critical will put less stress on the ionic components and help extend the cell’s life.
But over time, any battery will eventually wear down. The cell powering my iPhone 11 can make it through a typical day, but if I’m traveling, relying heavily on navigation or using the phone as a hotspot, it’ll need a top-off before bedtime. I have a slew of them on hand after testing for our best power banks guide and the two I grab most often are the Nimble Champ Pro, because it’s crazy fast and the Anker Prime because it’s massive and I know it’ll always have a charge to lend.
If you really want to give your phone a new lease on life, a new internal battery could be the ticket. For Pixel phones, you can go through Google’s official channel for either a walk-in or mail-in repair, you can look for an authorized repair partner or you can pick the DIY route with iFixit’s Pixel repair kits and instructions.
For iPhones, you can start with Apple’s official page, go through Best Buy or other authorized third-parties, or try iFixit’s methods. Samsung also has an in-house option but both iFixit and Best Buy ended their repair relationships with Samsung in 2024. Depending where you go and the model of your phone, the price for a new battery and installation will likely run you between $60 and $150 — still far less than ditching your handset for something brand new.
Clean up your phone’s storage
Most advice on how to declutter your phone and make it run faster centers on one thing: freeing up space. Your phone’s OS will likely have suggestions for clearing up storage space, like automatically offloading unused apps or deleting year-old messages. You can also do things manually by deleting any apps you don’t use. Next, consider the photos and videos you’re storing locally and either opt to pay for cloud storage or transfer the files to a computer or an external backup device. You can also consider getting rid of any music and movies you may have downloaded for offline use, and deleting old messages and large attachments. A good rule is to keep your storage at around 80 percent capacity. Once you’ve deleted and transferred what you can, restart your phone to give it a chance to clear up its temporary memory.
Why you can (and should) extend the life of your smartphone
Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget
The e-waste stream grows each year and doesn’t do great things for human or planetary health. Smartphone companies are offering better and more consistent trade-in deals, but even some electronic recycling has its faults. Simply hanging onto a device instead of opting for a new one is the most efficient way of cutting back on a phone’s environmental impact — plus it’ll save you money.  
While every giant phone maker would like you to believe that upgrading annually is critical, it’s worth noting that new generations of phones often bear strong resemblance to the prior year’s model. Engadget editors see this time and again with the countless smartphones they review — there’s a new button, a few new AI tricks, but the technology generally doesn’t leap forward each year to create something wildly different than what came before.
With only minor hardware upgrades, the more exciting new features come via over-the-air software updates. Starting with the release of the Pixel 8 in 2023, Google promised security and software updates for a full seven years. So those who buy a Pixel 9 in 2025 could still be using the same phone in 2032. Samsung’s Galaxy S25 from this January has the same length of promised support. Apple hasn’t made the same pledge, but when the launch of iOS 18 last year cut support for the iPhone 8 and iPhone X, both models had enjoyed around seven years of updates from launch.
When Apple launched the iPhone 15, the company doubled its estimation for the handset’s battery life saying a handset should retain 80 percent of the original full charge after 1,000 cycles. And Apple said the placement of the larger battery in the iPhone 16 makes replacing it easier. Overall, battery technology has improved in capacity over the years, but longevity hasn’t gone up across the board, as a study by PhoneArena makes clear.
More advancements in battery life spans may be on the horizon particularly as the EV industry grows, which also relies on lithium-ion cells. For now, declining battery health is usually the most noticeable issue affecting older phones. In 2023, the European Council of the European Union adopted new guidelines for battery-powered devices, which includes a mandate to allow consumers to “easily remove and replace” batteries. That won’t go into effect until 2027, and there will be plenty of interpretation as to what “easily” means. But EU mandates are what made Apple finally ditch Lightning ports on iPhones in favor of USB-C, so this could eventually be a step towards (once again) having smartphones with swappable batteries.
Even in the US, legislation could compel companies to make repair a better option. Right-to-repair bills were passed in 2022 in New York, Minnesota and other states. California has the strongest rule, and it even garnered Apple’s support. And Google has voiced its support for Oregon’s law. Some of these laws have already gone into effect, and will require manufacturers to do things like providing repair tools and documentation, and selling components for a number of years after the last new model for higher priced devices.
Currently, a number of phones have decent repairability scores, according to the online repair community iFixit (The FairPhone 5 gets the highest marks.) It even appears California’s law is having an impact, considering that iFixit gave the iPhone 14 a repair score of 4, but the iPhone 15 and 16 gets a 7. Unfortunately, the scores for Google’s Pixel 9 phones went down compared to previous models. Until more companies start making it easier to fix things ourselves, authorized repair is an option, while self-repair remains an option for the more industrious.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/how-to-make-your-smartphone-last-longer-120014817.html?src=rss

Ford says it’s done sending out all the complimentary NACS adapters that 140,000 EV customers in the US had reserved. The automaker announced in 2023 that it was working with Tesla to give Ford EV owners access to tens of thousands of Superchargers across the US and Canada. In 2024, Ford’s EVs became the first non-Tesla vehicles to be able to access Superchargers. However, since Ford EVs come with Combined Charging System (CCS) ports, they need North American Charging System adapters to be able to plug into Supercharger stations. 
The automaker gave new and current members of it BlueOval Charge Network — in other words, everyone who purchased it EVs — complimentary NACS adapters until June 30, 2024. Now, it has finished sending out the free adapters to everyone who asked for it. Those who need one will have to purchase the Ford Fast Charging Adapter, which “unlocks access to a vast network of DC fast charging stations using the North American Charging Standard (NACS),” for $200. Ford was planning to make the switch to built-in NACS ports for this year’s EV models, but it’s now unclear if that will happen, seeing as the 2025 model Mustang Mach-E still comes with a CCS port. 
Ford has also announced that its BlueOval Charge Network now includes 180,000 chargers at more than 50,000 locations, which translates to a 40 percent increase from the beginning of 2024. Like other automakers making the switch to electric, Ford is making an effort to expand charging availability. The hope is that wider access to chargers can help assuage range anxiety and encourage more people to buy electric. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/ford-says-its-done-sending-out-all-its-complimentary-nacs-charging-adapters-120020255.html?src=rss

The Justice Department said in a filing that Google will have to break up its network of myriad, overlapping businesses and services, upholding the previous administration’s proposal.
The DOJ reiterated Google will have to sell the Chrome browser — saying, last year, that selling off Chrome “will permanently stop Google’s control of this critical search access point and allow rival search engines the ability to access the browser that for many users is a gateway to the internet.”
Google is likely to file its own alternate remedies, of course. In a December filing, the company said the Justice Department’s original remedies went “overboard” and reflected an “interventionist agenda.”
But Google is huge, and the DOJ is trying to grasp how its parts intermingle and make it less monopolistic. It dropped a Biden-era proposal requiring Google to sell AI startup stakes. Instead, Google must now notify officials before making AI investments. Early 2025 reports say Google has thrown another billion dollars at Anthropic.
The company gave funds to both Trump’s presidential campaign and his inauguration — so it might be frustrated its donations aren’t working.
— Mat Smith
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The biggest tech stories you missed

Elon Musk says a ‘massive cyberattack’ is to blame for X being down
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Everything announced at MWC 2025: Samsung, Nothing, Lenovo, Xiaomi and more tech news

Watch the predictably cinematic 10-minute trailer for Death Stranding 2
My feels!
Engadget
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is coming to PlayStation 5 on June 26. At SXSW, creator Hideo Kojima and his Kojima Productions dropped a 10-minute trailer. The trailer reveals Death Stranding 2 takes place 11 months after the creation of the United Cities of America. As previous glimpses have shown, there are familiar Hollywood faces, new stars, new creepy adversaries and AOT-style giants to fell.
Continue reading.

Apple’s smarter, more personal Siri gets delayed further 
New features are taking longer to complete than expected.

Apple is delaying its updated version of Siri that understands personal context and can act inside apps, according to a statement published at Daring Fireball. The company says upgraded Siri features will roll out “in the coming year.” Yeah, a little vague.
A revamped, more powerful Siri was a core part of Apple’s original pitch for Apple Intelligence. Way back when the company first detailed its plans, it claimed Siri would not only understand what’s happening on your phone but also be able to take action in apps for you. It teased some agentic features, as teased by Amazon’s upgraded Alexa and even Rabbit’s AI assistant R1, which is only just warming up to delivering on those capabilities.
Continue reading.

iPad Air M3 review
It’s a modest update that’s still easy to recommend.
Engadget
The iPad Air once again hits the sweet spot in Apple’s tablet lineup, offering a lot of additional features over the basic iPad while keeping the price down. It’s the most affordable large-screen iPad, the chip is powerful and it’s better in every way to the base iPad.
Continue reading.

Would you rent a PS5?
Sony is using a third-party partner to offer leased consoles in the UK.

We’re over four years into the current generation of consoles (which is probably past the halfway point), but perhaps not everyone has a PS5. Sony has teamed up with a leasing company called Raylo to offer a PS5 rental service in the UK via the country’s PlayStation Direct website.
Leases for the PS5 Digital Edition, the version with a disc drive and the PS5 Pro are available on 12-, 24- or 36-month agreements or a rolling monthly contract. The longer a term you lock in, the lower the monthly price. A 36-month agreement for a PS5 Digital Edition costs £11 (around $14) per month. A rolling contract for the PS5 Pro, however, will run you a whopping £35.59 (nearly $46) per month. At the end of that, you’d return the console, but hey, you’d be primed for the PS6 launch, possibly?

Continue reading.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/the-morning-after-engadget-newsletter-111535558.html?src=rss

Let’s be honest: shopping for a gaming monitor can feel like wading through mud. As soon as you decide to buy a display for gaming instead of regular productivity use, a whole host of new considerations come into the equation. Should you go for an LCD or OLED monitor? What about the differences between NVIDIA G-Sync and AMD FreeSync? How about refresh rates?Those are just some of the questions this guide aims to answer. In the process, my hope is to help you find the perfect gaming monitor for your budget.
Table of contents

Best gaming monitors for 2025
How we test gaming monitors
Factors to consider before buying a gaming monitor
Gaming monitor FAQs

Best gaming monitors for 2025

How we test gaming monitors
While I’ve not used every product recommended in our list, I have extensively tested dozens of gaming monitors in the past, including models with WOLED and QD-OLED panels. In the case of the Alienware monitor I highlight above, I bought one for myself with my own money. Separately, I spent dozens of hours over a two-year period researching computer monitor options to write the current version of this guide.
Factors to consider before buying a gaming monitor
LCD vs OLED
When shopping for a gaming monitor, you first need to decide if you want to go with a screen that has an LCD or OLED panel. For most people, that choice will come down to price; OLED gaming monitors are more expensive than their LCD counterparts. Even if money isn’t a concern, the choice might not be as straightforward as you think; both LCD and OLED panels come in a few different flavors, and knowing the differences between each type is important to making an informed decision.
LCD monitors come in three different varieties: twisted nematic (TN), vertical alignment (VA) or in-plane switching (IPS). For the most part, you want to avoid TN monitors unless you’re strapped for cash or want a monitor with the fastest possible refresh rate or fast response rate. TN screens feature the worst viewing angles, contrast ratios and colors of the group.
The differences between VA and IPS panels are more subtle. Historically, VA gaming monitors featured slower pixel response times than their TN and IPS counterparts, leading to unsightly image smearing. However, that’s improved in recent years. VA panels also frequently sport better contrast ratios than both TN and IPS screens. They’re not dramatically better than their IPS siblings on that front, but when contrast ratios aren’t an inherent strength of LCDs, every bit helps.
On the other hand, IPS panels excel at color accuracy and many offer high refresh rates and response times that are as fast as the fastest TN panels. The majority of LCD gaming monitors on the market today feature IPS panels, though you will frequently find VA screens on ultrawide monitors.
What about OLED?
If you can afford one, an OLED screen makes for the best monitor for gaming. The ability of organic light-emitting diodes to produce true blacks is transformational. Simply put, every game looks better when there isn’t a backlight to wash out shadow detail. Plus, you can experience true HDR with an OLED screen, something that LCDs aren’t known for.
Today, OLED screens come in two different flavors: WOLED and QD-OLED, with LG producing the former and Samsung the latter. I won’t bore you with the technical details of how the two panel types differ from one another other than to note both technologies broadly offer the same set of shortcomings.
Most notably, OLED monitors don’t get very bright. At best, the most capable models peak at around 250 nits when measuring brightness across the entire screen. I didn’t find this to be an issue in my testing, but your experience may vary depending on the ambient light in your gaming setup.
If brightness is important to you, note that due to manufacturer tunings, different models can perform better than others, even if they feature the same panel from LG or Samsung. It’s worth comparing monitors in the same class to find the model that’s right for you.
Separately, almost all OLEDs feature sub-pixel layouts that produce text fringing in Windows. The latest generation of OLED panels from both LG and Samsung are much better in this regard, to the point where modern OLEDs are good enough for reading and image editing. However, it’s still worth going to your local Micro Center or Best Buy to see the model you want in person, as the text fringing issue is hard to capture in photos and videos.
Another (potentially more serious) issue is burn-in. Organic light-emitting diodes can get “stuck” if they display the same image for long periods of time. Every OLED gaming monitor you can buy today comes with features designed to prevent burn-in and other image quality issues. Provided you don’t use your new OLED monitor for eight hours of daily productivity work, I don’t think you need to worry about burn-in too much.
Screen size, resolution and aspect ratio
After deciding where you fall on the LCD vs OLED debate, you can start thinking about the size of your future gaming monitor. Personal preference and the limitations of your gaming setup will play a big part here, but there are also a few technical considerations. You should think about size in conjunction with resolution and aspect ratio.
A 1440p monitor has 78 percent more pixels than a 1080p resolution screen, and a 4K display has more than twice as many pixels as a QHD panel. As the size of a monitor increases, pixel density decreases unless you also increase resolution. For that reason, there are sweet spots between size and high resolution. For instance, I wouldn’t recommend buying an FHD monitor that is larger than 24 inches or a QHD one bigger than 27 inches. Conversely, text and interface elements on a 4K monitor can look tiny without scaling on panels smaller than 32 inches.
You also need to consider the performance costs of running games at higher resolutions. The latest entry-level GPUs can comfortably run most modern games at 1080p and 60 frames per second. They can even render some competitive titles at 120 frames per second and higher — but push them to run those same games at 1440p and beyond, and you’re bound to run into problems. And as you’ll see in a moment, a consistently high frame rate is vital to getting the most out of the latest gaming monitors.
If your budget allows for it, 1440p offers the best balance between image quality and gaming performance. As for 1080p resolution and 4K, I would only consider the former if you’re on a tight budget or enjoy competitive gaming shooters like Valorant and Overwatch 2. For most people, the user experience and productivity benefits of QHD far outweigh the performance gains you get from going with a lower resolution screen.
Just a few years ago, 4K was not a viable resolution for PC gaming, but then NVIDIA came out with its 40 series GPUs. With those video cards offering the company’s DLSS 3 frame generation technology, there’s a case to be made that the technology is finally there to play 4K games at a reasonable frame rate, particularly if you exclusively play big, AAA single-player games like Alan Wake 2 and Cyberpunk 2077 or enjoy strategy games like the Total War series. However, even with frame generation, you will need a GPU like the $999 RTX 4080 Super or $1,599 RTX 4090 to drive a 4K display. Plus, 4K gaming monitors tend to cost more than their 1440p counterparts.
If you want an ultrawide, note that not every game supports the 21:9 aspect ratio, and fewer still support 32:9. When shopping for a curved monitor, a lower Radius, or ‘R’ number, indicates a more aggressive curve. So, a 1000R monitor is more curved than an 1800R one.

Photo by Igor Bonifacic / Engadget

Refresh rates and response times
And now, finally, for the fun stuff. The entire reason to buy a gaming monitor is for its ability to draw more images than a traditional computer monitor. As you shop for a new screen, you will see models advertising refresh rates like 120Hz, 240Hz and 360Hz. The higher the refresh rate of a monitor, the more times it can update the image it displays on screen every second, thereby producing a smoother moving image. When it comes to games like Overwatch, Valorant and League of Legends, a faster refresh rate can give you a competitive edge, but even immersive single-player games can benefit.
A monitor with a 240Hz refresh rate will look better in motion than one with a 120Hz refresh rate, but there are diminishing returns. At 60Hz, the image you see on your computer monitor is updated every 16.67ms. At 120Hz, 240Hz and 360Hz, the gap between new frames shortens to 8.33ms, 4.17ms and 2.78ms, respectively. Put another way, although a 360Hz monitor can display 50 percent more frames than a 240Hz screen in a given time period, you will only see a speedup of 1.14ms between frame intervals. And all that depends on your GPU’s ability to render a consistent 360 frames per second.
Ultimately, a fast response monitor will do you no good if you don’t have a gaming PC with a graphics card that can keep up. For example, with a 1440p 360Hz monitor, you realistically need a GPU like the RTX 4070 Super or RTX 4080 Super to saturate that display while playing competitive gaming titles like Overwatch 2 and Valorant.
There’s also more to motion clarity than refresh rates alone. Just as important are fast response times, or the amount of time it takes for pixels to transition from one color to another and then back again. Monitors with slow response times tend to produce smearing that is distracting no matter what kind of game you’re playing. Curved gaming monitor options help with immersion by wrapping the screen around your field of vision, making the gaming setup feel more expansive. Unfortunately, response times are also one of the more opaque aspects of picking the best gaming monitor for your needs.
Many LCD monitor manufacturers claim their products feature 1ms gray-to-gray (GtG) response times, yet they don’t handle motion blur to the same standard. One of the reasons for that is that many companies tend to cherry-pick GtG results that make their monitors look better on paper. The Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA) recently created a new certification program to address that problem, but the grading system is unwieldy and, as far as I can tell, hasn’t had a lot of pickup from manufacturers.
For now, your best bet is to turn to resources like Rtings and Monitors Unboxed when shopping for a new gaming monitor. Both outlets conduct extensive testing of every screen they review and present their findings and recommendations in a way that’s easy to understand.
FreeSync vs G-Sync
No matter how powerful your system, it will sometimes fail to maintain a consistent framerate. In fact, you should expect frame rate fluctuations when playing graphically-intensive games like Alan Wake 2 and Cyberpunk 2077. For those moments, you want a gaming display with adaptive sync. Otherwise, you can run into screen tearing.
Adaptive sync technologies come in a few flavors. The two you’re most likely to encounter are AMD FreeSync and NVIDIA G-Sync, and each has its own set of performance tiers. With G-Sync, for instance, they are – from lowest to highest – G-Sync Compatible, G-Sync and G-Sync Ultimate.
The good news is that you don’t need to think too much about which adaptive sync technology a display supports. In the early days of the tech, it was rare to see a gaming monitor that offered both FreeSync and G-Sync since including the latter meant a manufacturer had to equip their display with a dedicated processor from NVIDIA. That changed in 2019 when the company introduced its G-Sync Compatible certification. Today, if a monitor supports FreeSync, it is almost certainly G-Sync Compatible, too, meaning you can enjoy tear-free gaming whether you’re using an AMD or NVIDIA GPU.
In fact, I would go so far as to say you shouldn’t make your purchasing decision based on the level of adaptive sync performance a monitor offers. As of right now, the list of G-Sync Ultimate-certified displays is about two dozen models long, and some are a few years old now.

Photo by Igor Bonifacic / Engadget

Inputs
Almost every gaming display on the market right now comes with at least one DisplayPort 1.4 connection, and that’s the port you will want to use to connect your new monitor to your graphics card. If you own a PS5 or Xbox Series X/S, it’s also worth looking out for monitors that come with HDMI 2.1 ports, as those will allow you to get the most out of your current generation console.
A word about HDR
As fast and responsive gaming monitors have become in recent years, there’s one area where progress has been frustratingly slow: HDR performance. The majority of gaming monitors currently on sale, including most high-end models, only meet VESA’s DisplayHDR 400 certification. As someone who owned one such monitor, let me tell you it’s not even worth turning on HDR on those screens. You will only be disappointed.
The good news is that things are getting better, albeit slowly. The release of Windows 11 did a lot to improve the state of HDR on PC, and more games are shipping with competent HDR modes, not just ones that increase the brightness of highlights. Thankfully, with more affordable mini-LED monitors, like our top pick, making their way to the market, HDR gaming is finally within reach of most PC gamers.
Gaming monitor FAQs
Are curved monitors better for gaming?
It depends on personal preference. Many manufacturers claim curved monitors offer a more immersive gaming experience due to the way the display wraps around your field of vision. However, I find the edge distortion distracting, particularly when you increase the field of view in a game.
What aspect ratio should I look for in a gaming monitor?
The vast majority of 24-, 27- and 32-inch gaming monitors feature 16:9 aspect ratio panels, and that’s been the case for many years. In fact, nearly every game made in the last two decades supports 16:9 resolutions, such as 1,920 x 1,080 and 2,560 by 1,440, and if you buy a standard-sized monitor, you won’t need to worry about letterboxing.
In the case of ultrawides, 21:9 is the most common aspect ratio, with some very wide models sporting 32:9 panels. Among games, support for 21:9 and 32:9 resolutions is far from universal, so don’t be surprised if a game doesn’t fill the entirety of your screen.
Is OLED good for gaming?
OLED monitors are great for gaming. Not only do they offer excellent motion clarity and input latency, but they’re also easily the best displays for HDR gaming. If money is no object, and you primarily use your PC for gaming, you can’t go wrong with an OLED monitor.
How much does a good gaming monitor cost?
While you could easily spend more than $1,000 to obtain the best gaming monitor on the market now, the reality is that the budget and midrange categories have never been more competitive. In 2015, I spent $500 CAD to buy a 1080p monitor with a 144Hz refresh rate and TN panel. The budget AOC model I highlight above is not only cheaper than my first gaming monitor, but it also features a faster 180Hz refresh rate and a higher contrast VA panel.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/best-gaming-monitor-140008940.html?src=rss

Chores are just a fact of life, but there may be some chores you detest more than others. If vacuuming comes to mind for you, consider a robot vacuum cleaner. These smart home gadgets have come a long way in recent years. Previously, you’d shell out hundreds for basic dirt-sucking capabilities. Now, robot vacuums have gotten so advanced that even affordable machines have good suction power, and maybe even a handful of extra features like obstacle avoidance and home mapping. Prices for models with self-emptying bases and mopping capabilities are also falling.That’s all to say that the robot vacuum space has gotten much more crowded recently. While that means you have many good options to choose from, making sense of the market gets tougher and tougher each year. Engadget has tested dozens of robot vacuums over the years and we continue to try out the latest models as they become available. Below, we’ve collected our top picks for the best robot vacuums you can get right now.
Table of contents

Best robot vacuums 2025
What to look for in a robot vacuum
Robot vacuum maintenance tips
Robot vacuum FAQs

Best robot vacuums 2025

What to look for in a robot vacuum
Floor type
We recommend thinking first about the floors in your home: Do you have carpet throughout, or tile and hardwood floors, or a mix? Robots with stronger suction power will do a better job cleaning carpets as they can get into the nooks and crannies more easily. Some machines have “max” modes as well, which ups the suction power but also typically eats at battery life faster than the “normal” cleaning mode.
Vacuum suction
Suction power is an important factor to consider. Unfortunately, there isn’t a standard power scale that all robo-vacs adhere to, so it’s difficult to compare among a bunch of devices. Some companies provide Pascal (Pa) levels and generally the higher the Pa, the stronger the vacuum cleaner will be. But other companies don’t rely on Pa and simply say their robots have X-times more suction than other robots.
Wi-Fi connectivity
As we explained in our budget guide, Wi-Fi connectivity is a key feature for most robot vacuums. Some of the affordable devices aren’t Wi-Fi connected, though, so it’s best to double check before you buy cheap. Wi-Fi lets a robot vacuum cleaner do things like communicate with a mobile app, which then allows you to control the device from your phone.
Mapping features and object detection
Past a certain price threshold, you’ll find advanced perks like home mapping features, improved object detection and automatic dustbin disposal. Home mapping is exactly what it sounds like: The vacuum uses sensors to map your home’s layout as it cleans, allowing you to send it to particular rooms or areas.
Most robo-vacs have object detection, but some will be better than others at actually avoiding things like chair legs and children’s toys. Higher-end models even go so far as to promise obstacle avoidance to steer clear of things like pet poop that can potentially ruin your machine.
Robot vacuums with mopping capabilities
We’re also now starting to see more robot vacuums with mopping capabilities. Machines with this feature have a water tank either built into the robot’s chassis or as a separate piece that you swap in for the dustbin when you want to mop your floors. It makes the robo-vac more useful if you have hard floors in your home that you like to keep squeaky clean, but it does require more work on your part.
Filling and emptying the reservoir remains a human’s job for the most part (except on the most expensive machines), as does adding cleaning solutions if the mopping robot comes with this feature to ensure it uses clean water for every cycle.
Auto-empty station
Finally, for peak convenience, consider a robot vacuum that comes with a self-emptying base station. These are basically garbage bins attached to the machine’s docking station. At the end of each job, the robo-vac automatically empties its small dustbin into the large clean base – that means you won’t have to empty the dustbin yourself and you’ll only have to tend to the base once every few weeks.
Just keep in mind that most self-emptying bins require proprietary garbage bags – another long-term expense you’ll have to factor in. Also, any vac-and-mop robot with a water tank will not dump its dirty water into the clean base, so you’ll still have to clean up that yourself.
Robot vacuum maintenance tips
First and foremost, always empty your robot vacuum’s dustbin after every cleaning job. If you have a model with a self-emptying base, there’s less work for you to do yourself. If not, simply detach and empty the dustbin as soon as the robot is done cleaning. It’s also a good idea to take a dry cloth to the inside of the dustbin every once in a while to remove any small dust and dirt particles clinging to its insides.
In addition, you’ll want to regularly examine the machine’s brushes to see if any hair has wrapped around them, or if any large debris is preventing them from working properly. Some brushes are better than others at not succumbing to tangled hair, but it’s a good idea to check your robot’s brushes regardless — both their main brush and any smaller roller brushes or corner brushes they have. These parts are often easy to pop off of the machine (because they do require replacements eventually) so we recommend removing each brush entirely, getting rid of any tangled hair or other debris attached to them and reinstalling them afterwards.
Robot vacuums also have filters that need replacing every couple of months. Check your machine’s user manual or the manufacturer’s website to see how long they recommend going in between filter replacements. Most of the time, these filters cannot be washed, so you will need to buy new ones either directly from the manufacturer or from other retailers like Amazon or Walmart.
Robot vacuum FAQs
Are robot vacuums worth it?
We tackled this question when we reviewed budget robot vacuums and the answer is yes, especially if vacuuming is one of your least favorite chores. Robots take the hard work out of cleaning your floors – just turn the thing on and watch it go. Any robot vacuum cleaner worth buying is semi-autonomous in that it will suck up dirt around your home until its battery is low and then make its way back to its charging dock. Unlike a regular vacuum, you should only have to interact with it to turn it on, empty its dustbin and untangle it if it were to get stuck somewhere.
That’s not to say robot vacuums are perfect. They’re almost always less powerful and less flexible than traditional vacuums. Since most robo-vacs are much smaller than traditional models, they often don’t have the same level of suction you’ll get in an upright machine. Plus, their dustbins are smaller, so they will need to be emptied more frequently. While Wi-Fi-connected robot vacuums give you the flexibility to start a cleaning job from anywhere using an app, targeting a small area of your home can be more complicated. Some robo-vacs have spot-cleaning features that focus the machine’s attention on a specific area, which almost – but not quite – mimics the spot-cleaning you’d be able to do yourself with a regular or cordless vacuum.
How long do robot vacuums last?
Robot vacuums can last many years, if you take care of them properly. Check out our recommendations for robot vacuum maintenance above, but in a nutshell, you should make sure that you’re emptying the machine’s bin after every job and periodically cleaning the interior of the bin and the brushes. It’s also a good idea to check the user manual to see how often your robot vacuum’s filter needs changing.
Do robot vacuums work better than handheld vacuums?
There’s no straight answer to this question. Robot vacuums offer more convenience than handheld vacuums, so for those who are looking to automate a chore, that could mean one of these devices works better for them than a standard vacuum. However, handheld vacuum cleaners often have stronger suction power, and they give the user a bit more control. It ultimately depends on how you intend to use your main vacuum cleaner and what you want to prioritize most.
How often do you have to clean a robot vacuum?
Cleaning a robot vacuum isn’t too much of a chore, but you’ll want to give it a little TLC every few weeks or so, depending on how often you’re running it and how much dirt it’s picking up. The dustbin usually needs to be emptied after each cleaning run, especially if you have pets or lots of carpet where dirt can hide. Many newer models have self-emptying docks, which means you won’t have to empty the dustbin yourself after every use, but the main bin will still need a good clean once a month or so. Also, it’s a good idea to check the side brushes and main brush for any hair tangles or debris every couple of weeks to keep things running smoothly.
What are the negatives of robot vacuums?
Robot vacuums won’t work for everyone. One of the biggest drawbacks is that they usually don’t have the same suction power as a full-sized upright vacuum or even a cordless stick vacuum, so they might struggle with deep-cleaning thick carpets. They’re also designed for floors only, so if you’re looking to clean furniture, stairs or other tricky spots, you’ll still need a traditional vacuum to do that. Plus, they can sometimes get stuck or miss spots, especially if you’ve got a lot of furniture or obstacles in the way. While their sensors help, they might still bump into things or need a little help getting out of tight spots. And while most have decent dirt detection features, they’re best for keeping things tidy rather than doing heavy-duty cleaning.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/best-robot-vacuums-130010426.html?src=rss

TikTok may be back online and in app stores, but its future in the United States is still far from certain. President Donald Trump’s executive order delaying enforcement of the ban was only a temporary reprieve for the company.
While ByteDance was once resistant to the idea of selling TikTok’s US business, that seems to have changed since Trump took office. A ByteDance investor said early this year that striking a deal to keep TikTok in the US is “in everybody’s interest.” Officials in China also suggested they were “open” to a deal, according to The Wall Street Journal.
A number of people and companies have signaled some interest in TikTok. Trump himself has said he would like to see a “bidding war” for the app and that the US government should own a stake in the company. What an eventual deal may look like, though, is unclear. These are the offers we currently know about. On March 9, Trump said the administration was “dealing with four different groups” on a potential deal, though he didn’t name names. 
Trump’s executive order gave the company 75 days to come to an agreement, though he has recently said he would “probably” extend the deadline if a deal isn’t reached by April 5.
Oracle
NPR reported in January that Oracle was working with Trump Administration officials on “a plan to save TikTok that involves tapping software company Oracle and a group of outside investors to effectively take control of the app’s global operations.” Under this arrangement, ByteDance “would retain a minority stake in the company” but Oracle would oversee “the app’s algorithm, data collection and software updates.”
Headed up by Trump pal Larry Ellison, TikTok has an existing partnership with Oracle. The cloud company already hosts TikTok’s US user data and the company was a key part of TikTok’s original negotiations to remain operational in the US under a plan called Project Texas. (Those negotiations abruptly fell apart in 2022.)
Trump also previously signed off on a deal for Oracle and Walmart to acquire a 20 percent stake in TikTok in 2020, when the president tried to ban the app during his first term. That deal never materialized. Now, Trump’s position on Oracle is unclear. He told reporters that Oracle was not among the “many people” with whom he had discussed a deal for TikTok. (Ellison, notably, has been at the White House in recent days. He joined Trump and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman for the announcement of the Stargate Project.)
Microsoft
Microsoft is reportedly also interested in playing a role in TikTok’s future, according to the same NPR story, which said Microsoft was among the “other potential investors” involved in the talks with Oracle. Trump seemingly confirmed this. When asked directly if Microsoft was interested in buying TikTok, Trump responded “I would say yes.”
As with Oracle, this isn’t the first time Microsoft has attempted to acquire the social media company. Microsoft was in talks to buy TikTok in 2020 and take over its US business, but the deal abruptly fell apart. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella later described it as “the strangest thing I’ve ever sort of worked on.”
Perplexity AI (and maybe the US government)
Just before TikTok briefly went offline, Perplexity AI threw its hat into the ring, offering a deal to ByteDance that “would “create a new entity combining Perplexity, TikTok US and New Capital Partners.”
Since then, Perplexity has reportedly tweaked its proposal. According to the Associated Press, the AI company floated a plan that calls for the “U.S. government to own up to half of that new structure once it makes an initial public offering of at least $300 billion.” Under this plan, ByteDance would keep a minority stake in the company and “would contribute TikTok’s U.S. business without the proprietary algorithm that fuels what users see on the app.”
Project Liberty
Another set of investors that’s proposed a bid to buy TikTok is a group known as Project Liberty. Led by investor Frank McCourt, it includes Kevin O’Leary of Shark Tank fame. The group initially came forward before the ban took effect.
In March, Reddit cofounder Alexis Ohanian announced that he was joining the Project Liberty bid to acquire TikTok’s assets. “I’d love to see an app where users actually own their data and where creators have real control,” he wrote in a short post on X that hinted at a potential tie-in with… the blockchain. “Imagine bringing all those users seamlessly onchain…” An accompanying video referenced the possibility of “decentralized distribution,” but disn’t offer details.
O’Leary previously told CNBC that deals involving a government stake may not comply with the law. “That 50/50 deal, I would love to work with Trump on, so would every other potential buyer … But the problem with some of these ideas is they are inconsistent with the ruling of the Supreme Court,” he said. “I would love to do a deal, if the law provided for it, but I don’t have the luxury of breaching the order of Congress.” Later, he said that the deal “changes by the hour,” writing on X that “it’s clear to me now that we’re going to have to do a dance between the original owners, the founders of ByteDance itself, and interpreting the law of what Congress and Supreme Court has upheld.”
MrBeast
YouTuber MrBeast, also known as Jimmy Donaldson, joked on X about buying TikTok ahead of the initial ban. He later said that “so many billionaires” had reached out to him about making an offer that he was going to try to actually pull it off.
Okay fine, I’ll buy Tik Tok so it doesn’t get banned— MrBeast (@MrBeast) January 14, 2025

At least one group has already confirmed his involvement, along with other “high-net-worth individuals” looking to make an “all-cash offer.” That group, led by employer.com founder Jesse Tinsley also reportedly includes Roblox CEO David Baszucki. According to Bloomberg, together they have put together “significantly” more than $20 billion for a bid, though it’s not clear how seriously their offer is being considered. Bloomberg noted that there’s also a possibility that MrBeast may attach himself to other bids.
What’s next?
So where does all this leave TikTok? For now, the company is still in limbo. Yes, it’s available in the App Store and Google Play, but the app’s service could be interrupted again if the company is unable to reach some kind of a deal. For now, though, it seems both the government and ByteDance are much more willing to negotiate than they have been in the past, though it’s not at all clear what terms both sides may actually agree on.  
Update, March 10, 2025, 6:55PM ET: This story has been updated to add new statements from President Trump, as well as to add details about Reddit founder Alexis Ohanian joining the Project Liberty bid.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/what-will-happen-to-tiktok-a-look-at-the-potential-buyers-000110723.html?src=rss

Bluesky continues to beef up its video capabilities. The app’s latest update adds support for uploads of up to 3 minutes, a notable expansion from its previous limit of one minute. The change should give video creators on Bluesky much more flexibility in what they can post. It will also likely be appreciated by fans of Flashes, the new Bluesky-based photo and video app.
The update also brings some much needed inbox-management tools to Bluesky DMs, with the addition of a new “requests” section for incoming messages from users you don’t know. You’ll also now be able to reject incoming chats, which should help reduce the number of spammy DMs that have been flooding many users’ inboxes in recent weeks.
The latest Bluesky update rolled out as CEO Jay Graber appeared onstage at SXSW for a keynote about the growing decentralized social media platform, which has just under 33 million users. Graber, who was wearing a t-shirt emblazoned with a Latin slogan “mundus sine caesaribus” (a world without Caesars) — an apparent play on Mark Zuckerberg’s affinity for Roman Empire-inspired attire — spoke about why Bluesky is “billionaire-proof” compared with other apps.
Zuckerberg’s shirt translates to “All Zuck or all nothing.” Graber’s says “A world with no Caesars.” Screenshot via X
“If a billionaire came in and bought Bluesky or took it over, or I decided tomorrow to change things in a way that people really didn’t like, then they could fork off and go on to another application,” she said. “That openness guarantees that there’s always the ability to move to a new alternative, still using the same network. There’s much less tolerance in the ecosystem for a very heavy-handed change.”
She also opened up about how Bluesky is thinking about its business model and generative AI. On the business side, she once again said the company is “exploring subscriptions” as well as paid “developer services” for those who build experiences on top of Bluesky. In a similar vein, she also said the company was considering how it could eventually turn some of its features, like moderation services or custom feeds, into a “marketplace” where the company may get a cut of potential transactions.
When it comes to large language models, she said the company was “working with some partners on developing a framework for user consent, for how they want their data to be used for generative AI.”This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/bluesky-adds-3-minute-video-uploads-and-inbox-management-features-220317950.html?src=rss

It took a few years of dealing with poorly optimized handheld PCs, but Windows Central reports Microsoft may finally be working on an Xbox handheld. The company could announce an Xbox-branded portable device as early as this year, though it sounds like it won’t come from Microsoft directly.
Instead, the company is partnering with a PC maker already working in the gaming space to build a handheld, Windows Central writes. The device, codenamed “Keenan,” will feature Xbox design elements, an “official Xbox guide button” and will likely run Windows 11. Given the clunky experience of navigating Windows on the handhelds you can buy today, the real hope is that Xbox’s take will include a launcher or new way of using the desktop OS that’s fit for a controller instead of a mouse. The big advantage SteamOS has over Windows is that you never have to interact with a desktop environment if you don’t want to.
These rumored plans might line up with what Microsoft’s VP of “Next Generation” Jason Ronald shared at an AMD and Lenovo event from CES 2025 called “The Future of Gaming Handhelds.” According to The Verge, Ronald said that Microsoft wants to bring “the best of Xbox and Windows together.” The company hopes to simplify Windows and make it using it more console-like for handhelds. “I think we’ll have a lot more to share later this year,” Ronald said.
Phil Spencer, CEO of Microsoft Gaming, has expressed interest in handheld devices before and said the company was experimenting with prototypes. It seems like at least for now, though, Microsoft is borrowing Valve’s approach and making a handheld-friendly version of its operating system available for other PC makers to use. 
That doesn’t mean there won’t be a first-party handheld in the future. Windows Central’s report mentions that there’s a successor to the Xbox Series X, new internet-connected controllers and an official Xbox gaming handheld, all tentatively slated for 2027.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/xbox/the-first-xbox-handheld-might-not-come-from-microsoft-220043843.html?src=rss

Apple is planning to dramatically rethink the look and feel of its operating systems with the introduction of the next version of iOS, iPadOS and macOS, according to Bloomberg.
The redesign is meant to make using the company’s software more consistent, and will impact “the style of icons, menus, apps, windows and system buttons,” Bloomberg writes. The changes may take loose inspiration from visionOS, the mixed-reality operating system of the Vision Pro. The headset featured a slightly different style from Apple’s other software, with a focus on translucency, floating interface elements and rounded app icons.
As Bloomberg notes, Apple hasn’t dramatically rethought the look of any of its software since iOS 7 and macOS Big Sur, so tweaks would be notable. When it was released in 2013, iOS 7 was the first version of the iPhone’s operating system overseen by former Chief Design Officer Jony Ive, and when Big Sur came out in 2020, it was the first version of macOS to run iPad apps and work on Apple’s custom silicon. There don’t seem to be any equally big shifts paired with iOS 19, iPadOS 19 and macOS 16, beyond the company’s ongoing work on Apple Intelligence, which isn’t available in all of its apps yet.
Apple Intelligence was introduced alongside iOS 18 and includes a host of new AI-powered features for working with audio, images and text, on top of a revamped version of Siri that can use apps for you. Most of those features shipped — though not at launch — save for the new Siri, which Apple recently announced will now be available “in the coming year.”This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/apple-is-reportedly-planning-a-major-redesign-for-ios-19-and-macos-16-202804091.html?src=rss

Go to a profile of any celebrity on Wikipedia and it’s quite possible that you’ll be met with a terrible photo of them. Such images are often old or out of focus, perhaps captured candidly on a smartphone at a public event. A group of volunteer photographers has set out to fix that, as 404 Media reports.
Any media uploaded to Wikipedia has to be made freely available for anyone to use. Given that professional photographers want to make money from their work, they don’t tend to share their photos there.
Enter WikiPortraits, a team of amateur snappers who have been hitting up festivals, award ceremonies and other events to take Creative Commons-licensed shots of high-profile attendees. Some of the stars seem very happy to have a replacement headshot on their Wikipedia page, the first stop for many people to find out about that person.
One photographer, Jay Dixit, said Succession star Jeremy Strong was all too glad to pose for a new snap. “His publicist said no,” Dixit recounted. “But Jeremy said, ‘Wait, you’re from Wikipedia? For the love of God, please take down that photo. You’d be doing me a service.'”
The Wikimedia Foundation and donations are funding WikiPortraits’ efforts, which you can read more about at 404 Media.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/volunteer-photographers-are-fixing-wikipedias-terrible-celebrity-headshots-194454358.html?src=rss

AMD just debuted its new FidelityFX Super Resolution 4 (FSR 4) upscaling tech on the latest Radeon RX 9070 and 9070 Ti GPUs, and it sounds like it might not be limited PCs. According to a new Digital Foundry interview with Mark Cerny, some version of FSR 4 will make it into the PlayStation 5 Pro via a software update rather than new hardware.
“Our target is to have something very similar to FSR 4’s upscaler available on PS5 Pro for 2026 titles as the next evolution of PSSR,” Cerny tells Digital Foundry. The PS5 Pro’s PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR) is a custom upscaling technology that lets the console run lower-resolution versions of games and make them appear like they’re 4K, and by Cerny’s own lengthy explanation, it was created using a combination of existing and future AMD tech. 
Based on our review of AMD’s new GPUs, FSR 4 is not a miracle worker. In some cases it leads to a lower frame rate than you might get from FSR 3, but in exchange for more detail. That extra crispness, while subtle, will probably make a difference to someone who’s already spent $700 on a “Pro” console. The comparison video below does a pretty good job of illustrating the improvements FSR 4 actually makes:

Sony believes implementing FSR 4 on the PS5 Pro is even possible in the first place because the company also directly contributed to the development of the tech through its “Project Amethyst” collaboration with AMD. “The neural network (and training recipe) in FSR 4’s upscaler are the first results of the Amethyst collaboration,” according to Cerny.
The company’s work with AMD was announced with a focus on building new machine learning architecture for game graphics, but it will clearly have more immediate impacts on PSSR and current PlayStation consoles, too. “FSR 4 and this next evolution of PSSR are a paradigm for our future,” Cerny tells Digital Foundry, “going forward we expect to have our own implementations of each of the algorithms developed through the collaboration.”This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstations-mark-cerny-says-a-version-of-fsr-4-could-be-implemented-on-the-ps5-pro-191802108.html?src=rss

The fantastic third-person adventure Control, developed by Remedy Entertainment, just got a surprise software update. The biggest news here is HDR support, which should be a real boon for graphics-minded gamers.
Interestingly, HDR support started as a mod. It was made by a Remedy dev as a passion project and now it’s in the actual game. That’s always nice to hear. There’s a video below with a lot more information as to how this was done.

The update also brings improved DLSS support. The game now integrates with DLSS 3.7. This isn’t the latest DLSS 4.0 release, but it’ll get the job done. Film grain has been added back to DLSS SR and the devs have enhanced shadow resolution when DLSS is enabled. Otherwise, the update brings a new “Ultra” ray-tracing preset, which the dev promises “more rays per pixel and higher temporal stability.”
There’s ultrawide monitor support for up to 48:9 displays, a new FOV scaling setting for the camera and rendering resolution support beyond 4K. This is very much a graphics-focused update.

The newly-released features do, however, go beyond looks. All outfits that were formerly pre-order or console-specific exclusives will now be available to everyone. Also, all players can now access a mission called Dr. Yoshimi Tokui’s Guided Imagery Experience. This is the one that includes voice work by Hideo Kojima. This mission was previously exclusive to the PS4 Digital Deluxe version of the game.
Beyond that, there are the usual minor bug fixes, including one for the end game credits. The update is available right now for PC players, with a console version on the way.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/a-surprise-control-update-brings-hideo-kojima-and-hdr-to-the-pc-version-190051559.html?src=rss

Handheld gaming systems are having a moment. While people have been gaming on the go since the days of the Game Boy, the last few years have brought a tidal wave of devices that let you play all sorts of games wherever you want. Because new handhelds seem to launch every week, though, figuring out which ones are actually worth your attention can be overwhelming. You don’t need us to tell you the Nintendo Switch is great, but depending on your tastes, the right handheld could be a $70 emulation machine or an $800 portable PC. To help you cut through the noise, we’ve researched the best handheld gaming consoles, tested several top contenders and laid out the ones we like the most right now.
Table of contents

Best gaming handhelds for 2025
Other gaming handhelds we’ve tested
What to know about the gaming handheld market

Best gaming handhelds for 2025

Other gaming handhelds we’ve tested

The MSI Claw 8 AI+.

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

Note: This is a selection of noteworthy gaming handhelds we’ve tested, not a comprehensive list of everything we’ve ever tried.
MSI Claw 8 AI+
The original MSI Claw was a flop, but the newer Claw 8 AI+ is much more appealing if you’re willing to pay for a larger and slightly more powerful alternative to the ASUS ROG Ally X. With its Intel Core Ultra 7-258V chip and 32GB of RAM, it typically pumped out 10 to 15 percent higher frame rates than other high-end models like the Ally X and Lenovo Legion Go in our testing. Battery life is relatively strong, while its 8-inch 120Hz IPS display is plenty bright and supports VRR. There are smooth Hall effect thumbsticks and triggers, two Thunderbolt 4 ports and a built-in fingerprint sensor beyond that.
The Claw’s main issue is its price: At $900, it’s hard to justify over the ROG Ally X, which is already too expensive for most people. ASUS’ handheld is smaller, lighter and generally more portable on top of that— though the Claw is thinner — and its Armoury Crate software, while far from perfect, is still a bit more polished than MSI’s Center M hub.
It’s worth noting that MSI has a smaller 7-inch version of this handheld for $800, the same price as the ROG Ally X, but we haven’t tested that one yet.

The Lenovo Legion Go.

Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

Lenovo Legion Go
The Lenovo Legion Go is another capable alternative to the ASUS ROG Ally X with an even larger display. It runs on the same Ryzen Z1 Extreme chip and offers a similar set of performance modes, but it has a mondo-sized 8.8-inch panel with a sharper 2,560 x 1,600 resolution and a higher 144Hz refresh rate. It also borrows some ideas from the Switch, including detachable controllers and a built-in kickstand for playing games in a tabletop mode. Those controllers have touchpads to make navigating Windows a little easier, something the ROG Ally X lacks.
But it’s still a Windows handheld, and Lenovo’s software tweaks aren’t as intuitive as what ASUS has done with Armoury Crate, so the UX can feel half-baked by comparison. The jumbo design is bulkier and heavier than the ROG Ally X, so some will find it too fatiguing to hold. Its fans are louder as well, plus the display lacks VRR. Lenovo teased a Legion Go 2 at CES earlier this year, though it hasn’t shared a release date or pricing details as of our latest update.

The Lenovo Legion Go S.

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

Lenovo Legion Go S (Windows version)
The Lenovo Legion Go S has a relatively comfortable design and a commendable 8-inch 120Hz display, but its performance lags too far behind the ROG Ally X, Claw 8 AI+ and original Legion Go for a device priced at $730. Windows is still as clunky as ever, too. We’re more excited to test the SteamOS version that’s scheduled to arrive in May, as that should be one of the first non-Valve devices to utilize the Steam Deck’s software.

The Ayaneo Flip DS.

Photo by Jeff Dunn / Engadget

Ayaneo Flip DS
The Ayaneo Flip DS is a cool concept: a powerful Windows machine with a clamshell design and dual displays, sort of like a supercharged Nintendo DS. It feels sturdy, it performs roughly on par with the other Ryzen 7 7840U (or 8840U) handhelds in this guide, and its 7-inch top display is sharp, fast and bright. The second screen makes it a natural fit for emulating Wii U or 3DS games, but you could also, say, look up a guide or play a YouTube video without having to close whatever you’re playing. 
Unfortunately, this is more of a neat idea than a fully thought-out product. The folding design means that the joysticks have to be short and recessed, while the face buttons and d-pad are uncomfortably flat. The whole thing is overly thick and heavy, plus it runs very hot. Battery life tops out around two hours, and actually managing two displays on a Windows handheld is about as clunky as you’d expect. With prices starting above $800, the Flip DS is hard to recommend unless you’re (oddly) desperate for a handheld Wii U emulator. We’re always happy to see more weird hardware, though.

The Ayaneo Kun.

Photo by James Trew / Engadget

Ayaneo Kun
The Ayaneo Kun is among the most decadent Windows handhelds we’ve tested. With a sharp 8.4-inch display, a Ryzen 7 8840U chip, up to 64GB of RAM, up to 4TB of storage, a sizable 75Wh battery and a 54W max TDP, it’s both a capable gaming device and a feasible replacement for a desktop PC. But it costs well over $1,000, it’s huge and it suffers from the usual Windows-related issues. It also lacks VRR. It’s still a fine device if money is truly no object, but it’s more handheld than most need. The ROG Ally X is a much better value. This is technically an older model for Ayaneo, too, as the company seems to launch a new handheld every other hour these days.
Ayaneo 2S
The Ayaneo 2S is another high-power Windows handheld with a sharper display and higher configuration options than the ROG Ally X. It also uses the same chip as the Kun above. But it’s limited to a 60Hz refresh rate and costs a few hundred dollars extra. Ayaneo announced a decked-out successor called the Ayaneo 3 toward the end of 2024; we’ll try to test that one out when it becomes available. 

The Retroid Pocket Mini (bottom) and Retroid Pocket 5.

Jeff Dunn for Engadget

Retroid Pocket Mini
The Retroid Pocket Mini is essentially a smaller version of the Retroid Pocket 5. It runs on the same Snapdragon 865 chip and feels just as sturdy, but it has a smaller 3.7-inch display with a 4:3 aspect ratio. This makes it a more natural fit for older retro consoles, as you won’t get the black boxes you’d see on a 16:9 display like the one on the Pocket 5. If you mainly want to emulate systems like the SNES, Sega Genesis or Game Boy Color and don’t mind paying extra for a rich OLED display, it’s a good little device. But the tiny screen is limiting if you ever want to play newer games, and we wish there wasn’t so much empty space around the display. 
This device has also generated some controversy within the retro gaming community for having persistent issues with inaccurate shaders (and for the slapdash way Retroid has handled the matter). That shouldn’t be a dealbreaker for most people, but those who prefer to use effects like those may want to look elsewhere. 
Retroid Pocket 4 Pro and Retroid Pocket 4
The 4.7-inch Retroid Pocket 4 Pro is the predecessor to the Pocket 5. Its performance isn’t significantly far off the newer model, so it remains a nice value if you’re determined to spend less than $200 on an emulation device. It misses out on the larger OLED display and more ergonomically-friendly design of its follow-up, however. The base Pocket 4 may also be worth a look if you want to stay under $150, but its weaker chip makes it less adept at emulating games from the PS2, GameCube and up.

The Anbernic RG35XX Plus.

Photo by Jeff Dunn / Engadget

Miyoo Mini Plus
The Miyoo Mini Plus is a highly affordable handheld with a well-built, Game Boy-style form factor that fits nicely with older games. Its 3.5-inch display really pops for something in the $60 to $80 range, its battery lasts as long as it needs to and it can emulate consoles up to the original PlayStation without much issue. Its Linux-based software is extensively customizable, though it requires some tinkering to get it working optimally. Still, of the many Game Boy-like emulation handhelds floating around the budget end of the market, it’s the one we’d recommend first. Since it’s from a smaller Chinese firm and isn’t available at major retailers, however, it can be difficult to actually buy.
Anbernic RG35XX Plus
The Anbernic RG35XX Plus is another wallet-friendly vertical handheld. For about the same price as the Miyoo Mini Plus, it offers a faster chipset, more RAM and a bigger battery alongside a similarly impressive design. Its stock OS is sloppy and cheap-looking, however, and while the stronger processor is nice, the small screen and lack of analog sticks means you won’t want to emulate much beyond the PS1 anyway.

The Anbernic RG35XXSP.

Jeff Dunn for Engadget

Anbernic RG35XXSP
The Anbernic RG35XXSP is a variant of the RG35XX Plus based on the same internals, only it apes the clamshell form factor of the old Game Boy Advance SP. That’s a great design to rip off if you must pick one, and the hardware doesn’t feel nearly as cheap as its $60-ish price tag would suggest. But the software issues noted above still apply (both here and with the many other devices in the same RGXX family). We’ve also seen several user reports of quality control issues with the RG35XXSP’s battery, which is automatically disqualifying.
Anbernic RG405M
The Anbernic RG405M is another 4:3 handheld with a 4-inch display and a pleasing metal frame. It’s an OK alternative to the Retroid Pocket Mini if you want a little more screen space for $50 less, but it’s slower, and it lacks the Mini’s OLED display. We find the Retroid’s grooved back to be comfier to hold over time as well.

The PlayStation Portal.

Photo by Devindra Hardawar/Engadget

PlayStation Portal
The PlayStation Portal is an odd accessory that’s designed to stream games from a PlayStation 5. It lacks built-in apps, so it doesn’t support traditional emulation. Because it’s entirely dependent on the quality of your home Wi-Fi, we can’t guarantee how well it’ll actually perform. It doesn’t work with Bluetooth earbuds either. 
The 8-inch display is fine and the DualSense-style controls are great, so PlayStation diehards who want a second screen for local PS5 streaming may see the appeal. Sony recently added the ability to stream a selection of games via the cloud, which is a step in the right direction, but you need an expensive PlayStation Plus Premium subscription to take advantage. In general, there’s little here that you can’t do with a smartphone and mobile game controller, so most people are better off saving their $200.
Logitech G Cloud
The Logitech G Cloud would’ve been a great Android pick when it launched if it cost about $150 less. Its 7-inch 1080p display is bright, vibrant and generally more pleasing to look at than the panel on the AYN Odin 2, its battery lasts a good 10 to 12 hours per charge and its design is comfy to hold for hours at a time. Alas, the G Cloud still typically sells between $260 and $300, which is just too much when the Retroid Pocket 5 offers more power at a lower price.
What to know about the gaming handheld market

Jeff Dunn / Engadget

You can break down the gaming handheld market into three broad tiers. At the top, you have x86-based portable gaming PCs like the Steam Deck or ASUS ROG Ally X. These are the most powerful handhelds you can buy, as they seek to replicate the experience of a moderately specced gaming desktop. The Steam Deck runs on the Linux operating system, but most others use Windows. If you want to play modern, recently released PC games on the go (and need something stronger than a Switch), this is the type of device you’d get. They can also emulate the widest range of retro consoles. They’re typically the largest and most cumbersome devices to hold, however, and their battery life can be short. Naturally, they’re also the most expensive, costing anywhere from $400 to more than $1,000.
Further down on the price spectrum are “mobile handhelds” like the Logitech G Cloud or Retroid Pocket. These devices often run Android or Linux and can range from under $50 to $400-ish. They aren’t equipped to play modern console or PC titles, but they’re usually more compact than a portable PC, and you can still use them for mobile games and cloud streaming. While most are marketed toward those ends, many gamers actually buy them to emulate classic games through software like RetroArch. Getting emulators to work can be complicated, and accessing the BIOS and ROM files required to play games this way is legally murky. One lawsuit from Nintendo recently led to the shutdown of the most prominent Switch and 3DS emulators, for instance. (Engadget does not condone piracy.) Backing up files of games you already own for personal use only is considered more defensible, though, so for that a mobile handheld can be a more user- and wallet-friendly way to play the classics — provided you don’t want to just use your phone.
We’ll call the last tier “handhelds that do their own thing.” This is a catch-all for things like the Switch or Playdate: portable devices that run heavily customized software and aim to provide a unique gaming experience. They aren’t necessarily ideal for emulation or playing the latest multiplatform titles; instead, they often have distinct game libraries. They might not have the widest appeal as a result (Switch excluded), but they’re often easier for less tech-literate folks to just pick up and use.
Recent updates
March 2025: We’ve edited this guide for clarity and added testing notes for the MSI Claw 8 AI+ and Lenovo Legion Go S (Windows version). Our main picks are unchanged. Looking ahead, we’re keeping an eye on upcoming Windows handhelds from Acer and Ayaneo, a pair of new emulation devices from Retroid, the first third-party devices to ship with SteamOS and the first machines to run on AMD’s Ryzen Z2 chips, among other releases. Oh, and we’ll also learn more about the Nintendo Switch 2 in a few weeks.
January 2025: We have a new top pick among emulation-focused handhelds: the Retroid Pocket 5. Beyond that, we’ve added notes on a few other devices we’ve tested, including the Retroid Pocket Mini and Anbernic RG35XXSP; lightly edited other blurbs to reflect changes in the market; and removed a couple write-ups for products that’ve been discontinued. We’re also keeping an eye on new handhelds that’ve recently been announced or are strongly rumored to arrive in the near future, including devices from MSI and Lenovo.
August 2024: We’ve replaced the ASUS ROG Ally, our prior pick for the best Windows gaming handheld, with the new and improved ROG Ally X. We’ve also checked to make sure all availability and pricing details noted throughout the guide are accurate.
June 2024: We’ve updated this guide to ensure all of our recommendations are up to date, adding a note on ASUS’ upcoming ROG Ally X in the process. We’ve also included details on two new handhelds we’ve tested since our previous update: the MSI Claw and Ayaneo Flip DS. Staying on top of this market is a tall task, but we’re currently looking at recent noteworthy releases like the PSP-esque AYN Odin 2 Mini and the GBA-style Anbernic RG35XXSP as well.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/best-handheld-gaming-system-140018863.html?src=rss

Perhaps like the loser of the proposed cage fight between Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg that’s never, ever happening, X has been down and out for much of Monday. Down Detector saw a spike in outage reports from users between around 5:30 AM and 6:30AM ET. There were two more prolonged spikes, denoting more significant outages, later in the morning. Team Engadget has not been able to view tweets on X for the most part, save for a few brief moments when the service showed signed of life.
The platform’s owner, Elon Musk, claimed that there was a “massive cyberattack against X” with either a “large, coordinated group and/or a country” behind the claimed assault. Musk didn’t provide any evidence, but experts told NBC News that his assertions were plausible.
“It’s difficult to be certain, but given the pattern of three observed outages, a denial service attack targeting X’s infrastructure can’t be ruled out,” Isik Mater, director of research at NetBlocks, which tracks internet connectivity around the world, told the outlet. “It’s certainly one of the longest X/Twitter outages in our records.”
This isn’t the first time that Musk has blamed a major attack for X’s technical issues. He did the same thing last year when when he held a livestreamed audio chat with President Donald Trump last year and the broadcast wasn’t working.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/elon-musk-says-a-massive-cyberattack-is-to-blame-for-x-being-down-184148605.html?src=rss

TCL just unveiled a new TV in its Precise Dimming Series. The QM7K is a Mini-LED TV and a follow-up to the recently-released QM6K. It uses the company’s Halo Control Technology Suite, which is kind of a catch-all name for a bunch of tweaks the company has made to the dimming and picture quality of its Mini LEDs.
The company says the QM7K offers higher peak brightness than its predecessors and a new anti-reflective panel. TCL also promises “enhanced color accuracy, gray scale accuracy” and “virtually no blooming.” This is thanks to the company’s Super High Energy LED Chip, which combines high brightness with increased light efficiency, and the Super Condensed Micro Lens, which uses a “narrower light path for more precise” control.

TLC

Additionally, newly-enhanced technology minimizes the optical distance between the backlight and the diffuser, which eliminates blooming, reduces the halo effect and avoids LED light overlap. The new features, in conjunction with the anti-reflective panel, create a picture with a better contrast and deeper blacks.
On the software side of things, there’s a new color optimization algorithm for improved accuracy. The Halo Control System also adds a bi-directional 23-bit backlight controller, which allows for granular control of over 65,000 levels of brightness for each and every LED. There’s also a new algorithm that “intelligently optimizes” incoming SDR signals at “near HDR level.”
The QM7K features Bang & Olfusen speakers and select sizes ship with a pedestal stand. Sizes range from 55-inches all the way up to 115-inches. Prices fluctuate from around $1,300 for the smallest one to a whopping $20,000 for the 115-inch monster. Traditional sizes are availright right now at retailers nationwide, with the large models coming soon. Some purchases come with a $500 Visa gift card, which is a nice bonus.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/home-theater/tcls-new-mini-led-tv-offers-higher-peak-brightness-and-better-contrast-than-earlier-models-175237076.html?src=rss

Season two of HBO’s The Last of Us is just a month away, and as such the hype cycle kicked into full gear this past weekend. A full trailer finally arrived on Saturday during a panel at SXSW with the show’s creators and cast (not to mention an in-depth preview in Variety), and both that trailer and the panel discussion reinforced at least one major change coming this season: more action.
That could fix one of the bigger complaints fans had about season one, which garnered tons of praise from critics and fans alike. While season one brought the Infected to life in terrifying fashion, there were long stretches of the show where they simply weren’t around, making them feel like less of an ever-present threat. The new trailer shows off the town of Jackson, where Joel and Ellie settled at the end of season one along with his brother Tommy, under a massive siege of Infected, the kind of battle that might take up an entire episode. And show creators Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann hinted that Infected would play a bigger role this season, not just in numbers.

“It was important to us to always move the ball forward with the infected,” Mazin said during the SXSW panel. “It’s not a question of just more, but something else that is meaningful to what is going on so they don’t just become NPCs. So definitely an escalation, we’re careful about it because we know we have space yet to go [in future seasons].” And in response to the panel’s moderator noting the balance between action and drama, Druckmann pointed out that, for the showrunners, “everything is drama, even the action scenes. They all have to be character-driven.”
To that end, the trailer showed off a new-but-old way for the infection to spread that wasn’t present in the first season: spores. Anyone who played the games noted the absence of spores as a transmission for infection in the first season, but Mazin exclaimed “spores? They’re back!” when talking about how the Infected were evolving for the new season. “There had to be a dramatic reason to introduce [spores] now,” Druckmann said, “and now there is.” Unsurprisingly, he wasn’t more forthcoming about the details.
I didn’t really object to the lack of spores in season one; it felt more like a game mechanic than something crucial to the plot. But there are a few story beats in The Last of Us Part II that I can recall where having spores around leads to a crucial plot reveal, and I’m looking forward to seeing how they get integrated here, and what the on-screen excuse will be for not seeing them before now. Similarly, I chalked the smaller number of Infected up to changes made to translate a video game to a show, though I feel like the first season could have had one more big throw-down — but I feel like season two will answer those complaints and then some.

Druckmann also said part of the reason the Infected weren’t more present was simply that the showrunners “weren’t exactly sure what we were doing.” That’s not in terms of the story, but specifically in terms of showing the Infected on screen. “What should Infected look like? How much should be practical effects? How much can be VFX? Now, we know what we’re doing and we swung for the fences,” he said. “In the game, we talk about how Jackson has had these attacks, but now we get to show it. And the reason we do it is we show you what’s at stake, not for individuals but for an entire community.”
The notion of community plays into the overarching story that Mazin and Druckmann want to tell in season two. Druckmann said that the first season followed Joel and Ellie and was a lot about them against other communities, like the group in Kansas City or David’s flock of followers late in the first season. “Now, we get to see them settled in Jackson, that’s their home, and there’s a love there for a community,” Druckmann explained. “That gets us into tribalism… what happens when you go against another group and you don’t see the humanity in them and how far will that take you, especially when they hurt someone you love.”
HBO
Mazin followed that up by noting that the show has tried to investigate “the cost of love” and is now trying to create a sense of a larger, communal love and how a smaller, tighter group can fit into it. “What happens if someone in your tight group is taken from you, and you feel alone? One thing Ellie said in season one was the thing she’s most afraid of is ending up alone,” Mazin said. “So all these characters have to face this potential threat of being alone, and without a tribe, and then what do you do?”
The other big theme that came out of the panel focused on how new cast members Kaitlyn Dever (Abby), Isabela Merced (Dina) and Young Mazino (Jesse) would fit in with returning stars Bella Ramsey (Ellie), Pedro Pascal (Joel) and Gabriel Luna (Tommy).
“Yes, [the new cast] came in like badasses,” said Pascal before then turning to Ramsey. “But you make it so easy, and so welcoming. I think we all really looked to Bella this time around as far as the cast is concerned. And this kind of open permission to be ourselves and to partner together in the scenes… I think it is the sort of unspoken leadership that made it such an easy, horrifying place to step into.” With his ever-present Dad-style humor, Pascal followed that by saying “The story was horrifying. Not Canada.”
“They’re not new to me, because we’ve lived all this time together and it was seamless… and I feel rather protective of you guys, and I love you guys, and you gave us everything,” Mazin said. “Not a weak link in the chain,” Druckmann interjected before Mazin went on to say how much he was looking forward to shooting with them yet again.
Ramsey spoke to how well the new cast integrated itself during season two’s filming. “I think it’s such a hard thing to do, to come into a world and a show that’s already really established, it must be so intimidating and these people just came in and made it their own and fit in so well,” they said. “Izzy brought a lot of joy and laughter and made everyone laugh consistently… it’s just a joy to work with all three of these guys.”
HBO
Kaitlyn Dever owned up to the anxiety the shoot produced, saying that stepping into a world that was so beloved was “nerve-wracking and anxiety-inducing” — and that’s without mentioning the online hate that the character she’s portraying (and its voice actor) received in 2020 when The Last of Us Part II was leaked two months before its release. Dever didn’t get into that specific hornet’s nest during the panel, but did say that “there are so many expectations going into this, and it’s just a matter of balancing that and also coming to it with my own ideas and building the character with Craig and Neil.”
The cast was an undeniable highlight of the first season of The Last of Us — everyone on the show absolutely killed, regardless of whether they were in six episodes or were on the screen for six minutes. Projecting familial friendliness during a press tour is one thing, but the love and respect the actors have for each other as well as Mazin and Druckmann has been continually obvious over the last few years, particularly between Ramsey and Pascal.

A fan shot a clip of Pascal watching the season two trailer during the panel, and he clearly gets emotional at the end of it, leaning over and giving Ramsey a big bear hug. As much as the show might be, on the surface, about fungal zombies, it only works because of the relationships between the characters on screen, whether that’s Joel and Ellie or now Ellie and Dina or Abby and her WLF crew. Assuming everyone gets that right in season two, the show should satisfy again — regardless of how many Infected are on screen.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/the-last-of-us-season-two-promises-a-lot-more-action-alongside-devastating-drama-170044014.html?src=rss

Now’s a good time to pick up a pair of AirPods Pro 2 earbuds. Amazon has them on sale for $170, which is just about the lowest price we’ve seen them this year. The all-time low hit back during Black Friday last year, but if you missed them then, you have another opportunity now to grab them for a good sale price. This purchase comes with the earbuds, four pairs of silicone tips in different sizes, a charging case, a lanyard loop and a USB-C cable.
We heaped a fair amount of praise on these earbuds in our official review, calling them “a worthwhile update.” The sound is better-than-ever, thanks to new drivers, amplifiers, transducers and audio algorithms. The transparency mode is absolutely stellar, largely helped by the company’s proprietary H2 chip.

The ANC is solid, particularly for earbuds. This is also thanks to that H2 chip, which allows the AirPods Pro to cancel twice as much noise as the first-gen model. These earbuds are made for Apple devices, so there’s seamless switching between, say, iPhones, iPads and Macs.
The touch gesture controls are neat, but there’s a learning curve. Give it a few days before throwing in the towel. The battery life is just average, but the charging case helps keep the music going. The primary downside here is age. The AirPods 2 Pro earbuds came out in 2022, so a refresh is likely on the horizon.
Check out our coverage of the best Apple deals for more discounts, and follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/apples-airpods-pro-2-are-down-to-170-at-amazon-180055702.html?src=rss