Modern VPNs are designed for everyone, from first-time novices to IT professionals. Not only can just about anyone benefit from using a VPN, but they also come with a few not so obvious upsides—and one or two downsides. You may be about to use a VPN for the first time or just have questions about why certain things occur while connected to one. If so, welcome. I’m here to walk you through the most common things you’re likely to encounter while using a VPN. Let’s get started. If you’re on the hunt for a new VPN, check out my list of the best VPNs to make sure you maximize the upsides. Getting connected to a VPN is very easy A VPN might come across as intimidating to the uninitiated—after all, Virtual Private Network sounds like something straight out of the IT department. But VPNs are actually very easy to use. Millions of non-tech people use them every day and if they can figure it out, so can you. Our favorite VPN Overall ExpressVPN Read our review Most VPN providers understand the trepidation that new users have and they’ve designed the apps to be as intuitive as possible. Top services such as ExpressVPN and AVG Secure VPN allow you to quickly connect with just one click. If you don’t want to worry about scrolling through a long list of servers either, almost every VPN has a “Quick connect” option that will choose for you. Simply start up the VPN, click “Quick connect” and you’ll instantly be enjoying a secure, private connection. It’s as easy as that. Options, options galore VPNs such as NordVPN come with a plethora of options to tweak.Sam Singleton While getting up and running with a VPN is the main goal, there is so much more you can explore in the app as well. Almost every VPN comes with at least a few configurable settings. Some even come with a head-spinning number of options that you can play around tweaking with for hours. Power users or tinkerers can optimize connections with everything from kill switches to protocols, split tunneling to multi hop connections, and more. If that sounds like a bunch of technospeak to you, don’t worry. We have plenty of VPN explainer articles, guides, and how-tos here at PCWorld for you to learn from. Start with our guide to the 5 VPN features you need to start using today. You can also find a lot of additional information on a VPN provider’s webpage. Streaming services have different content based on your location Connecting to a VPN server in a different country or region may allow you to watch different content. Due to various copyright and distribution restrictions, some streaming services only allow certain content to be shown in certain areas. Using a VPN, such as any of my top picks for best VPN for streaming, is a great way to access region-locked content. This works well if you’re traveling as well. If you’re abroad and want to catch up on a show from back home, just set your server location to your home country then connect, and voilà—sit back, grab some snacks, and enjoy your unlocked content. Prices while online shopping may change We all love the convenience of online shopping. Not only does it allow us to find just about everything we need, but we can even compare prices across retailers with ease. What you may not know is that retailers often set different prices across different countries, or even times of day, for the same items or services—sometimes drastically so. You may notice that when connected to a VPN the prices for items will be suspiciously different than when disconnected. Savvy shoppers can absolutely use this to their advantage to save money while shopping online. Plus, with a VPN, you get the added benefit of a more secure transaction. Speeds may decrease (or increase!) Something that you’ll inevitably notice when you start using a VPN is that your internet speeds will decrease. Sorry, but it’s just the nature of the game when it comes to VPNs. By encrypting all of your traffic and then rerouting it through a remote server, your ping is bound to increase.  Depending on the VPN you use and the specific server, you may also run into server load issues that can potentially slow down your connection as well. For those who are looking to stream or game with a VPN, it’s imperative that you choose a fast VPN in order to minimize performance issues. On the flip side, and if you’re lucky, you may notice that your internet speeds actually increase while connected to a VPN. If this is you, the likely culprit is your ISP, who may have been throttling your home internet connection for some reason—congratulations, you’ve finally found a way to stick it to your ISP. Further reading: How to test your VPN speed Websites may still know who you are VPNs are really good at anonymizing and obscuring your traffic from your ISP, but they aren’t so great at hiding your data from websites. This is because websites, particularly those that you log into, are going to track your activity with cookies.  Cookies are storage files that remember how you interact with a website. This is how the site knows what you add to your cart, what articles you click on, and other site preferences. It doesn’t matter what IP address or server you log in from with a VPN, the website will still be able to recognize the cookies on your device and track you from there. This is why it’s so important to regularly clear the cookies on your devices. You’ll run into more CAPTCHAs ninefotostudio / Shutterstock.com One of the most annoying things on the internet nowadays are those “prove you’re not a robot” tests. Well, guess what? Using a VPN is going to result in you taking even more of those. They’re called CAPTCHAs, and are designed to protect services and websites from being overrun with bots.  Because a VPN server often hosts many users at the same time, traffic from these servers is frequently flagged as being potential bots. And while, sure, these CAPTCHA tests are annoying, they are also mercifully easy to pass. It’s a small price to pay for the added privacy and security you’re getting with a VPN connection. You’ll probably run into less ads A great ad-blocking Vpn NordVPN Read our review Now this is going to depend a lot on your VPN. If it comes with a built-in ad- and tracker-blocking feature then you should notice less ads while browsing. Services like NordVPN and Surfshark are just some of the VPNs offering powerful ad-blocking tools that help keep those pesky pop-ups at bay. It might not be possible to completely block out ads while browsing, but a VPN with these features turned on can dramatically reduce their occurrence. When you connect to a VPN server, you are using a new IP address, meaning many websites won’t recognize you. So essentially just by connecting, you are already mitigating the instances of targeted ads. As I mentioned earlier though, a website can still serve up targeted ads if you don’t take extra precautions such as wiping cookies regularly or using private browsing. Sometimes, websites just don’t like VPNs While using a VPN is a great way to keep your browsing private and get around certain internet blocks, you’ll just have to accept that some websites refuse to work for VPN users. Not every site will allow traffic coming from a VPN, and some actively block known VPN server IP addresses. This is an unfortunate truth that you’ll have to accept when using a VPN. If you still want to access the site while using a VPN you could try out connecting to different servers. If that doesn’t work then you could use the split-tunneling feature to omit that specific site or app while keeping everything else protected. Finally, if all else fails you might just need to accept that accessing that site requires turning off your VPN for a bit. Read...

TL;DR: On sale for a one-time payment of $99.99, Microsoft Visio Professional 2024 delivers powerful, intuitive tools to turn ideas into organized, visual plans. Sometimes, explaining complex ideas or processes requires more than words alone. Microsoft Visio lets you create professional-level diagrams and flowcharts that make your vision clear and accessible. Ideal for both business and creative applications, this lifetime license to Visio for $79.99 provides a range of templates and shapes to map out workflows, systems, floor plans, and more. With a user-friendly Windows interface, Visio Professional 2024 gives you drag-and-drop functionality for easy layout, plus built-in tools for adding data and customizing details. Whether you’re building an organizational chart, illustrating complex processes, or designing a floor plan, Visio’s flexible features help you bring your ideas to life. Perfect for those who need their presentations to speak volumes without saying a word, Microsoft Visio Professional 2024 is a powerful tool for creating organized, visually impactful diagrams that simplify the complex and clarify the unknown. For a limited time, take advantage of this deal on a lifetime license to Microsoft Visio Professional 2024 on your PC for $79.99.   Microsoft Visio Professional 2024: Lifetime License for Windows – $79.97 See Deal StackSocial prices subject to change. Read...

Budget-friendly laptops can pack a lot of power if you know what to look for, and this Acer Aspire Vero 16 is a great example of that. Now on sale for just $580 at Best Buy — a solid $320 off its MSRP — this deal is shockingly good and only good for today (November 4). Running on an Intel Core Ultra 7 155U processor and a solid 16GB of RAM, this laptop delivers fast loading times and steady performance for all your apps, and it’s able to handle almost anything you throw its way (even if you’re the type to multitask hundreds of browser tabs). There’s also a 512GB SSD on board that provides enough space for all your documents, photos, and videos while also being fast enough to boot up and transfer files in the blink of an eye. The Acer Aspire Vero 16 features a 16-inch display with a spacious 2560×1600 resolution and vibrant colors, making it a pleasure to work on, play games, or stream all that Netflix content you’re binging. It also has a Copilot button, handy if you often use Microsoft’s AI helper. In our review of the Acer Aspire Vero 16, we thought it was “a good all-around package” — and that was at its original MSRP with a weaker configuration. This model that’s on sale (for $320 off!) has an upgraded display and a better processor, so the price-performance ratio looks much better, making this a solid buy for a laptop that “avoids being bad at just about every turn.” If you want value, it’s waiting for you here. For connectivity, you get two Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports, a full-size HDMI 2.1 port, two USB-A 3.2 ports, a headset jack, and a Kensington lock slot. Expected battery life is up to 10 hours and it weighs about 4 pounds. Hurry up and snatch this great-value laptop for $580 at Best Buy because this deal is only available today (November 4)! Save $320 on this great-value Acer laptopBuy now at Best Buy Read...

Microsoft just released a new version of PC Manager, the free tuning tool for optimizing Windows 10 and Windows 11 systems that competes with CCleaner. PC Manager 3.14 now allows you to view your internet speed on the desktop directly in the Windows taskbar. This means you can see how fast you’re surfing in real time, as reported by Window Latest, and you’re able to see both downstream and upstream speeds. Get Windows 11 Pro for cheap Windows 11 Pro Microsoft has also added a new algorithm for freeing up storage space that’s taken up by files that are no longer required. This improvement makes PC Manager better able to recognize and remove both temporary files and otherwise unneeded files more quickly. Also new with this update is the ability to integrate PC Manager into Windows 11 Widgets. (If you aren’t using Widgets yet, you should really consider it. They’re a great way to access a wealth of information with a single keystroke, and one of the most overlooked Windows 11 features actually worth trying.) We’re really pleased with PC Manager and consider it a must-have app for regular PC maintenance. Check out our guide to using PC Manager for a digital spring cleaning and reclaim all kinds of storage space you didn’t even know you had available. Further reading: The best apps for speeding up your Windows PC Read...

Last week, Google released its major ChromeOS M130 update to everyone on the operating system’s stable channel. This latest version of the Chromebook OS includes a variety of improvements, including Quick Insert, Focus, and Welcome Recap features, among others. Quick Insert is a new menu that allows you to quickly input emojis, symbols, GIFs, links, calculations, and even access AI features. Depending on the type of Chromebook you have, Quick Inserts can be activated with a special keyboard key. However, all ChromeOS devices can also do it using the Launcher key + F keyboard shortcut. Focus is a new feature that makes it easy for you to toggle ChromeOS’s Do Not Disturb (DND) mode, set and adjust your focus times, select or create new Google Tasks, play curated playlists for better focus through YouTube Music Premium (subscription sold separately). The idea here is to reduce distractions and boost productivity. Welcome Recap is a new feature that helps you jump back into what you were doing when you start up your Chromebook. Once enabled, you can quickly view and restore apps and tabs that were open in your previous session. It’ll also show you info you might be interested in, like weather, upcoming calendar events, and Google Drive suggestions. Other notable improvements in this update include: quick access to starred Google Drive files from the shelf, an AI-powered Recorder app that can create transcriptions, better OS-level privacy settings, multi-calendar events support, and more flexibility with Picture-in-Picture (PIP) windows for playing videos while doing other tasks. ChromeOS version M130 is currently being rolled out to all users and should be available to you within the upcoming days if you don’t already have access to these new features and improvements. Read...

Today, the internet has become like water and electricity, a necessity for everyday life and something we take for granted. Most people never think about routers, network cables, frequency bands, and more as long as everything works. But wireless networks — Wi-Fi — are not flawless and few users have never had problems. Common problems include weak coverage in parts of the home, devices being disconnected and having to be reconnected manually, choppy music and video playback on connected devices, and slower-than-promised speeds on large downloads. By optimizing your router’s settings and placement in your home, you can achieve a more stable and faster Wi-Fi network. Often this is enough, but otherwise there is help from different types of networking equipment. Foundry Optimal router settings Different routers offer different levels of customization for Wi-Fi settings, but the vast majority have at least the following settings: Channel width Channel width refers to how much of the available frequencies in a frequency band the communication between router and devices takes up. Narrow channels allow for more channels, which means that several different networks can operate simultaneously in the same location without interfering with each other. But wider channels mean more data can fit per transmission, resulting in a higher overall speed for connected devices — as long as the signal is strong enough. If your router can choose the channel width automatically, this is likely to give you the best results. Some routers can automatically vary the channel width to optimize the network. If you have to choose for yourself, or just want to test whether it can be useful, you can test from the top down — start with 160MHz in the 5GHz band and step down to 80- and 40MHz and see how it affects the experience of devices around the home. If your router supports the 6GHz band, you can probably push a little harder and choose the widest possible channels, but as radio is complicated, it’s always best to test the waters. Foundry Channel – manual or automatic Depending on the channel width, there are different numbers of channels to choose from. For example, with 160MHz channel width there are only three channels, while with 40MHz there are 14 in the 5GHz band. The 2.4GHz band can only use channels of 20- or 40MHz, and the normal one is 20Mz because it can fit three channels without overlap (channels 1, 6, and 11). In houses without interference, 40MHz can work. Normally, it’s best to let the router choose itself as it has a better idea of which channel has the least “noise,” but if you have coverage problems in a particular part of the house and can see that a neighbor in that direction is using the same channel as your router has chosen, you can try a different channel. TP-Link Combined or separate frequency bands Behind the scenes, Wi-Fi over 2.4GHz and 5GHz are completely separate and use different antennas, but normally the router creates a common network name (SSID) to which devices connect. Which frequency band they connect with can either be up to the device itself, chance, or the router (see below). This usually works well, but you may find it useful to choose two separate networks with separate names instead. This can be useful, for example, if you have smart home devices that only support 2.4GHz and are having trouble connecting (which is relatively common). It can also help if you have devices that insist on connecting to the 5GHz band even though the signal is weak due to an obstruction such as a brick wall or some other reason. Lower frequencies penetrate walls better, so the 2.4GHz band is often more reliable at a distance from the router. Band steering On networks that combine multiple frequency bands, devices or routers must choose which band to communicate in. Most routers have a feature called band steering that automates the selection based on various parameters. On newer routers from Asus, you can set how it should choose, but as you can see in the picture below, solid knowledge is required to do a better job than the router, if possible. The Quality of Service (QoS) function balances the network and ensures that no single device takes up all the bandwidth.Foundry If you have a specific problem, such as devices that insist on connecting on the 5GHz band even in parts of your home where the signal is so weak that the internet is slow, you can experiment with the settings. The Small Net Builder website has a good guide to Asus settings. Quality of Service gives all devices a chance Quality of Service, or QoS, is a feature found in many higher-end routers that balances the network so that no single device hogs all the bandwidth. Without QoS, a computer running Bittorrent, for example, with hundreds of active connections, can saturate the connection to the internet service provider on its own. QoS can also be used to prioritize certain types of traffic. Most typical are online games that require very short response times to mitigate lagging. Setting QoS to prioritize games reduces the likelihood that temporary spikes in network activity will cause games to hack. Video calling is also something that can benefit greatly from a QoS service in the router, as it requires both relatively short response times and a steady stream of data. Routers with large processors often do better without QoS than less well-equipped routers. Problems that can be solved with QoS are often due to something called bufferbloat, where the router queues up too many packets and can’t forward them all in a reasonable time. A faster connection won’t help, and incorrect router settings can make it worse. Bufferbloat test results from Waveform.Foundry You can test for yourself how much bufferbloat your router suffers from with tests at dslreport.com or waveform.com. Both give a rating, so you don’t need to understand all the numbers. But in case you’re wondering, it’s all about how much response times degrade when the connection is heavily loaded. Whether you have a lot of bufferbloat or not, you can try enabling QoS if your router has the feature, especially if you experience occasional problems with gaming or video calls. If you can’t find the settings for your particular router, search for “[router model] qos” and you’ll probably get both an answer to whether it has the feature at all and, if so, how to enable it. Change the order of priority in Adaptive QoS.Foundry As an example, take my newly purchased Asus router, which has a feature called Adaptive QoS. Here, I can choose one of five preset profiles that prioritize different things — gaming, streaming, general browsing, distance learning, or remote work. You can also set the prioritization order manually. I should point out, however, that Adaptive QoS is one of several features in Asus routers that require you to authorize security firm Trend Micro to collect data from you. Other router manufacturers may have other similar agreements for certain features. Netspot Map your home and find the radio shadows If you’ve tested out the best Wi-Fi settings on your router but are still having problems with slow internet, or devices occasionally losing connection in remote parts of your home, it might be time to look at upgrading your network. Before splurging on a new, more powerful router or any kind of extension, it’s a good idea to check what the signal strength is actually like in your home. There are a number of programs that can help you with this, such as Netspot. You will need a floor plan of your home and a laptop. Once you have installed the program and launched it, select the Survey tab and create a new project. Here you can upload an image of the floor plan or draw it manually. A calibration function ensures that the distances are correct, and before you start taking measurements, you can choose how large an area each measurement point should cover. I recommend the default setting. Then you simply carry the computer around to different locations in your home and let Netspot measure the signal strength. Click on the floor plan to show where you are at each measurement and on the stop button when you’re done. The results are displayed as a color chart of the floor plan, with warmer colors indicating stronger signals. Areas in blue show parts of the home where the router has difficulty reaching. Measuring many places around your home can give you a good idea of where it might make sense to place an extender, or whether a router with stronger antennas is likely to reach all corners. It can also help you spot poor router placement, and if you move it to a location that should provide better coverage, you can repeat the survey and check whether it actually did. Dmitry Didorov Reduce the load with cable connections If your problems don’t seem to be due to a weak signal, it could be that you are utilising the full capacity of your Wi-Fi network with many connected devices. If you have a large family where everyone watches a lot of streaming services, this can easily happen. An easy way to give the router and the devices that can only connect wirelessly some wiggle room is to connect desktop computers and other fixed devices with an Ethernet cable instead of Wi-Fi. Televisions, games consoles, smart home hubs and media players often have a connector for network cables. If your router doesn’t have enough connectors, you can buy a cheap switch from Netgear or TP-Link, for example. A switch also allows devices connected to it to communicate directly with each other without going through the router, which can further reduce the load on it. For example, if you have a media library on a NAS device and stream from it to a TV or computer and both are connected to the switch, it can have a big effect on the speeds of the Wi-Fi network for other connected devices. Sabine Kroschel Get a Wi-Fi booster, repeater, or mesh Sometimes the only solution to Wi-Fi problems is to upgrade your hardware. There are different options depending on what you have today and what the possibilities are for running cables in your home, for example. Wi-Fi amplifier A Wi-Fi repeater extends an existing network by creating its own network with the same name (SSID). Newer models can connect either by cable or wirelessly. The latter is obviously more flexible, but offers slower speeds and longer response times as devices connected to the extension communicate with the router in two stages. TP-Link Repeater Wi-Fi repeater is the name of an older technology that is not as common today, where a radio intercepts the signal from the router and simply sends it out again. It rarely gets much better and I do not recommend it. Linksys Mesh With mesh routers, you place two or more base stations in the home, where one acts as the main unit and is connected to the broadband. They connect to each other wirelessly but do so either smarter or with separate antennas and channels so that that transmission doesn’t clash with the regular network. For those who have Wi-Fi problems with a regular router and want a simple solution, a mesh system with two or three base stations is often the simplest solution, but rarely the cheapest. Use Netspot to find the best placement of base stations, then just sit back and enjoy. Roadlight Some traditional routers now have a built-in mesh function so you can expand your network afterwards with compatible base stations. Asus, for example, has a feature called AI Mesh, while TP-Link calls its equivalent Onemesh. Both of these manufacturers are flexible with what additional devices you use as base stations, such as another regular router, a mesh router, or a dedicated Wi-Fi extender that supports the mesh system. Unlike regular Wi-Fi extenders, all devices in one of these mesh networks must be from the same manufacturer and support the mesh technology in question. One important thing to consider if you’re getting mesh is to position the base stations so that they have the best possible signal to each other. This means that their signals should overlap but not too much, and there should be as few walls as possible in the straight line between two base stations. Read...

At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros Solid connectivity options Easily viewable display Windows Hello facial recognition Cons Performance lags behind x86 systems Battery-life isn’t a standout Bland display and design Our Verdict The choice to switch to a Qualcomm SoC should have come with some advantage over other systems, but our testing couldn’t really find one. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today The Dell Inspiron 14 (5441) is yet another iteration of a machine that’s seen many in the past year. This one changes very little outwardly. It shifts a few ports and vents, and it swaps facial recognition in place of a fingerprint reader. The bigger change is under the hood, where the Dell Inspiron 14 has switched over to an ARM chip from Qualcomm. There’s been a lot of excitement around these chips, and the Dell Inspiron 14 has put one on offer with a starting price of $749. That said, Dell chose the weakest Snapdragon X Plus chip of the bunch and did little else to make this laptop truly shine, leaving little reason to consider it over the many other quality laptops you can find near its price, including Dell’s own excellent Inspiron 14 Plus. Further reading: Best laptops 2024: Premium, budget, gaming, 2-in-1s, and more Dell Inspiron 14: Specs and features Model number: 5441 CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus X1P-42-100 Memory: 16GB LPDDR5x Graphics/GPU: Adreno X1-45 Graphics Display: 14-inch 1200p IPS Storage: 512GB PCIe Gen4 SSD Webcam: 1080p + IR Connectivity: 2x USB4 Type-C with Power Delivery and DisplayPort Alternate Mode, 1x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, 1x MicroSD card reader, 1x 3.5mm combo audio Networking: Qualcomm FastConnect7800 WiFi 7, Bluetooth 5.4 Biometrics: Windows Hello facial recognition Battery capacity: 54 watt-hours Dimensions: 12.36 x 8.81 x 0.7 inches Weight: 3.3 pounds MSRP: $799 as-tested ($749 base) Dell Inspiron 14: Design and build quality This laptop does little to differentiate itself from the many Inspiron permutations that have come before it. It bears more than a little resemblance to the Inspiron 14 Plus I tested earlier this year. And even though this isn’t a Plus mode, it gets the classier touch with a sturdy aluminum chassis all around. It’s not overly thick at 0.7 inches nor overly heavy at 3.3 pounds. It could certainly be more svelte, but it’s meeting expectations for a sub-$1,000 laptop.  Despite the more premium build, The Inspiron 14 still ends up looking rather bland. It’s all silver save for the black plastic of the keyboard and display bezel, which date the design a bit. The frame is nicely rounded and doesn’t make any major design statements.  The hinge takes a small step away from basic by being of the sort that lifts that back edge of the laptop when opened beyond 90-degrees. While this can improve typing ergonomics, the trade off is less comfort when using the laptop on a lap, where the back edge of the display will add pressure to the thighs. The bottom of the laptop sits on two small rubber feet at the front and one wide one at the back. There are two small slits for the speakers near the front of the laptop, and there’s a grate for airflow. Curiously, the grate doesn’t line up all that well with the fan inside the Inspiron 14, which could impact its efficacy.  Dell Inspiron 14: Keyboard, trackpad IDG / Mark Knapp The Inspiron 14’s keyboard is uninspired and yet, at the same time, quite capable. The keycaps offer just enough stabilization and resistance to provide a firm platform for typing. So even though the keyboard doesn’t have a particularly memorable feel, it’s more than up to the task of snappy typing. With just an hour or so of using the laptop, I was already able to get my typing speed up to 118-words-per-minute with 96 percent accuracy in Monkeytype. I’d love to see a little more contour to the key caps, as I find most of my typos come from reaching the edge of the flat keycaps, which are hard to feel out. The keys include basic white backlighting that effectively illuminates all of the legends.  The trackpad is nothing too special. It’s plenty smooth and reasonably large, though not quite as wide as it could be. It’s enough for even large hands, but there are certainly better out there. It has a somewhat deep physical click, which proved largely consistent in my testing.  The keycaps offer just enough stabilization and resistance to provide a firm platform for typing. So even though the keyboard doesn’t have a particularly memorable feel, it’s more than up to the task of snappy typing. Dell Inspiron 14: Display, audio IDG / Mark Knapp If you love a quality display, don’t get too excited. It’s a big letdown with just 65 percent coverage of the sRGB color space and 50 percent of the DCI-P3 color space. This makes content of all sorts look decidedly bland even with its 1690:1 contrast ratio. The display gets reasonably bright with a 370.9-nit peak brightness, and that combines well with a matte finish for easy visibility even in un-ideal conditions. But compared to the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus, it’s an all-around downgrade. That laptop hit 79 percent DCI-P3 coverage, a 418-nit peak brightness, and boasted a higher resolution.  The Inspiron 14’s speakers are a mixed bag as well. They fire out the bottom of the laptop, and this can leave them sounding a bit boxed in depending on the surface they’re set on, especially when listening at high volumes. High volumes also come with a bit of reverberation in the chassis, making for harsher listening. At lower volumes, the speakers are rather satisfying, offering a touch of bass depth alongside bright and clear mids, higher frequencies aren’t well done, coming through as more of a high-pitched sibilance. This matters less for dialogue but hurts music.  Dell Inspiron 14: Webcam, microphone, biometrics IDG / Mark Knapp The Inspiron 14 offers just a 1080p webcam, but it does surprisingly well. In a modestly lit room, it managed to capture bright and clear visuals without noticeable noise. The footage also didn’t struggle with exposure. The ability to capture enough light helps significantly with sharpness as well, as even sharp high-resolution cameras that need to resort to high ISO settings will end up with so much digital noise that their visuals end up soft and grainy. When you’re not using the camera, there’s a physical shutter that flips over the sensors above the display. The webcam also provides helpful Windows Hello facial recognition for quick sign-ons and biometric authentication. Though the keyboard layout is similar to other Dell laptops with fingerprint scanners, the Inspiron 14 doesn’t get one.  The microphone does its job well, capturing my voice clearly while easily subduing light background noise.  Dell Inspiron 14: Connectivity IDG / Mark Knapp The Dell Inspiron 14 is at least on point when it comes to connectivity. It’s not compromising on connection quality with two USB4 Type-C ports capable of some serious bandwidth, display output, and power. Splitting these ports between each side would have been nice, but instead Dell situated both on the left edge alongside a microSD card reader. The right side of the laptop includes a USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A port and a 3.5mm headphone jack, giving the Inspiron 14 a quick leg up on even XPS models when it comes to wired connections.  With a Qualcomm chipset inside, the Inspiron 14 gets Qualcomm FastConnect7800 Wi-Fi 7, which has been plenty fast and stable in my testing. It also gets a more recent Bluetooth 5.4 connection.   Dell Inspiron 14: Performance The Dell Inspiron 14 isn’t promising to be a performance beast built around the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus X1P-42-100 — the lowest-tier chip in Qualcomm’s lineup. I’ve already seen Qualcomm’s higher-tier chips struggling to keep up with Intel and AMD chips when emulation is required, and the Inspiron 14’s chip has even less horsepower available to help it keep up. Sure enough, whether it’s single- or multi-core performance, the Inspiron 14 struggles to keep up with the $999 Dell Inspiron 14 Plus and $849 Asus Zenbook 14 OLED in Cinebench R23, Cinebench R20, and Cinebench R15, all of which don’t run natively on ARM. Even the $749 Acer Aspire Vero 16’s relatively weak Intel Core Ultra 5 125U chip outperformed the Dell in these tests.   That’s something of a tough spot for the Inspiron 14 to be in, as it’s not like the CPU is bad. In fact, when it gets to run a native app, the tides can turn. Other systems that it loses to in Cinebench R23, like the Lenovo Yoga 9i 14 Gen 9 and Acer TravelMate P4, and up falling behind it in Cinebench R24, which runs natively on ARM. The problem is the variably performance can lead to an inconsistent experience. Plus, it’s not like the Inspiron 14 will always turn the tides, as it still loses to the Dell Inspiron 14 2-in-1 7445, and therefore very likely still would lag behind the ASUS Zenbook 14 OLED which runs the same chip. To the Inspiron 14’s credit, it does run the Snapdragon X Plus X1P-42-100 faster than the Asus ProArt PZ13 ran it, but that was a compact tablet and the Inspiron 14 is a sizable laptop. Graphics performance also isn’t a strong point for the Dell Inspiron 14. In Time Spy, it struggles to keep up with even the basic Intel Graphics found inside the Acer Aspire Vero. And next to both Intel Arc Graphics and AMD Radeon 780M graphics, it’s no contest.  3DMark’s Night Raid benchmark is a slightly different story. It was designed with ARM systems in mind, and sure enough, the Dell Inspiron 14 ends up performing better. Both the Inspiron 14 and Asus ProArt PZ13 manage to leap ahead of the Acer Aspire Vero 16 and its Intel Graphics. But they still don’t come close to scratching the performance of Intel Arc Graphics in the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus or AMD Radeon 780M graphics in the Asus ZenBook 14 OLED.  The Inspiron 14 also experiences a hiccup I’ve encountered on many Windows systems with weak integrated graphics. While streaming video, it will occasionally stall all video updates to the screen, appearing to have completely frozen. The system remains responsive, however, and quickly minimizing all windows restores everything. But a simple fix doesn’t erase the fact that the Inspiron 14 is experiencing a glitch that shouldn’t happen in the first place. Dell Inspiron 14: Battery life Battery life is the great refuge for low-performance systems, and as good as the Inspiron 14 manages to be, it doesn’t stand out. It’s efficient, managing to run for over 17 hours on average in our local 4K video playback benchmark with just a 54-watt-hour battery. But many Windows machines have stepped up to the plate recently. In fact, the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus managed the same result down to the minute, and yet its performance is better in just about every way. It’s a similar story for the Asus Zenbook 14 OLED, which only ran a few minutes less in our battery test but had so much more to offer in other respects.  In regular use with browsing and some streamed video playback, the Inspiron 14 offered a bit over 8 hours of runtime. This is considerably different from its video playback runtime, but not unexpected. Dell Inspiron 14: Conclusion You can do a lot worse than the Dell Inspiron 14. It’s a classy, if bland, looking machine that’s got plenty to offer in terms of connectivity and easy utility. But it’s just not quite all it could have been. Dell shifted over to a low-tier Snapdragon X Plus chip for this model, and the performance left plenty to be desired. As long as emulation is required, you’ll end up better off with even some of Intel’s less-loved CPUs, and graphics lags behind thoroughly.  Factor in a very disappointing display and the fact that even the low-power processor couldn’t set the Dell Inspiron 14 apart from the competition in battery life, and you’ve got a laptop that has no easy time justifying itself over others. Read...

TL;DR: AdGuard VPN combines speed, security, and privacy features like Threat Protection and DNS leak protection — get a five-year subscription for $34.97 through November 3. Craving online security without the hassle? AdGuard VPN is like locking your browsing in a digital vault without slowing you down. This VPN’s no-logging policy keeps your data as private as a secret diary, and with Threat Protection and DNS leak safeguards, it’s built to handle whatever the internet throws your way. Hurry and grab this deal on a $34.97 five-year subscription — sale ending November 3. Plus, with global servers at the ready, you’re free to explore worldwide content worry-free. Say hello to high-speed, low-fuss browsing with a five-year AdGuard plan that’s as secure as it is smooth. With AdGuard VPN’s global network of servers, bypassing geo-restrictions is simple, giving you the freedom to explore content from anywhere. Its performance-focused protocols also mean you won’t experience annoying lag while streaming, browsing, or downloading. Beyond its VPN capabilities, AdGuard offers a complete security suite with Threat Protection and DNS leak prevention, helping shield your data from potential online threats. For anyone who values privacy, security, and a smooth connection, AdGuard VPN’s five-year plan — for $34.95 until November 3 — wraps it all up in one powerhouse package, so you can browse with confidence and speed.   AdGuard VPN: 5-Yr Subscription – $34.97 See Deal StackSocial prices subject to change. Read...

If you want to charge your laptop while on the go, then you need a power bank that’s capable of providing what a laptop needs. Not one of those dinky little ones for phones. Something big, something fast. Something like this super-slim yet super-capable Baseus power bank that’s so crazy, it looks like a tablet. It’s now on sale for $52.78 on Amazon, or 34 percent off its $80 MSRP. (Clip the on-page coupon!) I have this Baseus power bank myself and let me tell you, it has saved my bacon numerous times when I’d forgotten to pack my laptop charger. Thankfully, because of its design, it’s easy to keep on hand with my laptop, and that means I can keep going without losing my work. The Baseus Blade 2 really is slim, measuring 5.2 by 6.36 inches. I sometimes even joke that it looks like a sleek kitchen scale, but it’s actually a lot smaller. It’ll fit right next to your laptop in your laptop bag, and it only weighs 0.73 pounds so you won’t even notice it. This thing has 65W fast-charging throughput that can get a MacBook Air M1 to 46% in about half an hour (or an iPhone 15 Pro Max to 57%, if you end up using it with your phone). And the 12,000mAh capacity should be enough to recharge your laptop at least once fully. The power bank features two USB-C ports so you can recharge two devices simultaneously, and it also comes with a tiny display where you can check just how much battery it has left. So take advantage of this deal and get the thin-but-fast Baseus Blade 2 power bank for $52.78 on Amazon. Remember to clip the on-page Amazon coupon to get this deal price! Save 34% on this fast laptop power bankBuy now on Amazon Read...

If you’re going to buy one thing today, let it be this 22-device surge-protecting power strip that’s now just $18 on Amazon. That’s 40 percent off its $30 MSRP — a fantastic bargain. Playing the “need” versus “want” game? Keep reading to see why this power strip is actually going to land in the need pile. It’s definitely something you should have in your home if you don’t already. This absolutely loaded power strip features 18 outlets, three USB-A ports, and one USB-C port. Yes, you read that right. Not only can this thing intelligently fit 18 different plugs, it can also support an additional four devices via USB so you don’t have to clog up the strip with power adapters for your phone, laptop, and other USB devices. The power strip comes with surge protection of up to 2,100 Joules, which means it’s well-equipped to protect your devices. And the 6-foot cord has a flat plug, so it can plug into the wall cleanly. Frankly, 18 outlets and four USB ports is probably more than you’re actually going to use, but it’s the arrangement of the outlets on this strip that makes it a winner. No more struggling to get all your devices plugged in, especially if you have power plugs that take up two or even three outlets due to their size. The surge protection is just bonus. This epic power strip is a total bargain at just $18, and don’t you deserve to treat yourself for getting through another week? Snag this awesome deal while you can because it won’t last forever. Save 40% on this massive 22-device surge protectorBuy now on Amazon Read...