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Contrary to popular belief, most property crimes—including burglaries and package theft—happen during the day, not under cover of darkness. But night still brings unique challenges: fewer people around, limited visibility, and more opportunity for intruders to move unseen. If your security camera can’t see clearly after dark, you’re missing protection when you might need it most. Night vision lets security cameras capture what the human eye can’t see in the dark. Some cameras shine invisible infrared light to illuminate a scene, while others rely on light-sensitive sensors to amplify what little light is already there. More advanced models can maintain color, adapt to changing light, or light up the scene with built-in spotlights. And there are the many camera/floodlight combos. The following sections break down the most common types of night vision you’ll find in modern home security cameras, along with what each one does best. Eufy Security Indoor Cam (model C220) Read our review Best Prices Today: $34.83 at Amazon Standard infrared (IR) night vision Standard infrared (IR) night vision remains the backbone of most home security cameras. It works by using IR LEDs—infrared light-emitting diodes—positioned near the lens to flood the area with light. This light falls just beyond the visible spectrum, with wavelengths typically between 750 nanometers (nm) and 1 millimeter (mm). Most security cameras use IR LEDs that emit at 850nm or 940nm. The camera’s image sensor detects this infrared light and converts it into a black-and-white image, making it possible to see what’s happening even in complete darkness. Black-and-white night vision on the very affordable Blink Outdoor 4 home security camera, as recorded on a Blink Sync XR.Michael Brown/Foundry The biggest advantage of IR night vision is reliability. It doesn’t require streetlights, porch lights, or any other source of illumination. It’s also cost-effective, which is why you’ll find it not only on almost every budget-friendly camera, but cameras at nearly any price. Another plus: IR is discreet. Cameras that use 850nm infrared LEDs emit a faint red glow, which provides brighter and longer-range illumination, making them ideal for outdoor areas where visibility is more important than stealth. Cameras using 940nm LEDs, on the other hand, are completely invisible to the human eye and are better suited for indoor use or locations where you don’t want the IR source to be noticeable. The trade-off is that 940nm LEDs generally have shorter range and reduced brightness compared to 850nm. Unlike a bright spotlight, the faint red glow of 850nm LEDs or the invisible beam of 940nm LEDs won’t alert intruders or bother neighbors. The downside is reduced visual detail. IR footage is always black-and-white, which makes it harder to distinguish details like clothing color or vehicle paint. The range is also limited, often topping out at around 25 to 30 feet for entry-level models. Lorex 2K Indoor Pan-Tilt Wi-Fi Camera Read our review Budget-friendly cameras often rely solely on infrared for night vision, and many do it well. Models like the Eufy Security Indoor Cam and Lorex 2K Indoor Pan-Tilt Wi-Fi Camera offer strong IR performance, providing crisp and clear footage when the lights go down. Full-color night vision (low-light color sensors) Color night vision from a Ring Stick Up Cam Pro.Michael Brown/Foundry Full-color night vision takes a different approach from traditional IR by using low-light sensors and advanced image processing to maintain color in dim environments. Instead of switching to black-and-white when the light fades, these cameras amplify the available light, such as from a streetlamp or a porch light, to produce a more natural-looking video. The result is footage that looks closer to daytime recordings, with richer detail and less guesswork when identifying people or objects. Starlight sensors fall into this category, but they represent the high end of performance. These cameras use larger or more sensitive CMOS chips, wide-aperture lenses, and advanced noise-reduction algorithms to produce clear color video in extremely low light—often down to 0.01 to 0.1 lux, roughly the brightness of a full moon or dim streetlight. Originally used in professional surveillance, this technology is now found in consumer cameras that deliver exceptional nighttime clarity without needing spotlights. Annke NightChroma NC500 Read our review The biggest advantage of full-color night vision is its ability to capture key identifying details, such as the color of a car or the clothing someone is wearing. This can make a huge difference when reviewing footage as forensic evidence or sharing clips with law enforcement. Color night vision, however, has its limits. It still needs at least some ambient light to work. In pitch-black settings, these cameras often revert to standard IR mode, resulting in black-and-white video. Some models address this by adding a built-in spotlight to provide the needed light for color capture, a feature we’ll explore in the next section. If maintaining color footage in near-dark environments is a priority, the Annke NightChroma NC500 is a strong option. It uses a large f/1.0 aperture and a backside-illuminated (BSI) image sensor—both designed to capture more light in low-light conditions. Combined with Annke’s Acme Color Night Vision technology, the NC500 can produce full-color video even in near-total darkness, without relying on a spotlight. Spotlight-enhanced night vision Spotlight-enhanced night vision uses powerful built-in LEDs or floodlights to light up the scene, letting the camera record full-color video no matter how dark it is. When motion is detected, the lights kick on and provide enough illumination for the camera’s sensor to capture sharp, vivid footage, much like it would during the day. Arlo Pro 5S 2K (model number VMC4060P) Read our review Best Prices Today: $119.99 at Amazon | $119.99 at Best Buy The main benefit of spotlight-enhanced night vision is consistency. Because the camera provides its own light, you don’t have to rely on ambient sources such as porch lights or streetlamps to capture full-color video. The result is bright, detailed footage that makes it easier to identify faces, license plates, and other fine details. The sudden burst of light also acts as a visual deterrent, alerting potential intruders that they’re being recorded. The trade-off is that these lights can be intense. They might bother neighbors if they’re triggered often, so they’re not ideal for areas with frequent activity. Spotlights also consume more power than IR or low-light sensors, which is something to keep in mind for battery-powered cameras. Floodlight cameras, such as the Arlo Wired Floodlight Camera shown here, are just the ticket for monitoring wide spaces, such as decks, patios, driveways, and entry points.Michael Brown/Foundry Models like the Arlo Pro 5S 2K and Wyze Cam v4 excel in this category, providing both powerful lighting and sharp nighttime video. If you want to light up a large area–such as a patio or deck, consider a floodlight camera like the Eufy Floodlight Camera E340 or the Ring Floodlight Cam Pro. Choosing the right night vision mode The best night vision mode for your home depends on where you’re placing the camera, how much light is available, and what level of detail you need. Use standard IR night vision when you want discreet, reliable coverage—especially indoors or in shared spaces. It’s ideal for monitoring quiet areas like living rooms, offices, or apartment hallways where visible lights could be disruptive or draw unwanted attention. IR is also a smart choice for battery-powered cameras, since it consumes less power than full-color or spotlight modes. Wyze Cam v4 Read our review Color night vision mode without a spotlight works well for areas like front porches or side yards where low light is present, but you don’t want to blast the area with artificial lighting. Choose spotlight-enhanced night vision when you need maximum detail in complete darkness, such as in a dark driveway, backyard, or alleyway. When you match the right night vision mode to the environment, you’ll get sharper, more dependable footage and fewer blind spots. Further reading: This story is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best home security cameras. Read...

Welcome to The Full Nerd newsletter—your weekly dose of hardcore hardware talk from the enthusiasts at PCWorld. Missed the fierce debates on our YouTube show or the hot news across the web? You’re in the right place. Want this newsletter to come directly to your inbox? Sign up on our website! Last month, I wondered what the future of the desktop PC would be—if perhaps mini-PCs would eventually replace the image in everyone’s mind as the default. Intel is the reason I could sit and ponder such a world. The launch of the company’s Next Unit of Computing line sparked today’s proliferation of affordable competitors from other vendors. In 2013, no one thought much of small PCs. I fell in love when Gordon first introduced me to a NUC in 2014, but I was most definitely not part of the norm. Nowadays, though? Consumers are increasingly just as in on the idea as corporations have been. Intel also is behind other technologies that have proliferated widely—many have been topics of discussion on The Full Nerd episodes. Some, like USB 1.0, tied into joint projects. Others sprang fully from within, like RealSense. I’m personally still a fan of Team Blue’s contributions to Wi-Fi and Bluetooth module development; their efforts made rock-solid dependability the norm. Will and Brad nominated Unison, Optane, and Thunderbolt as standouts, as well. For decades, Intel approached the industry as if its champion. It strove to further PCs overall—it wasn’t content merely to pioneer new processor innovations. We the public gave them grief when they slowed down on the CPU side, content to keep pushing out four-core, eight-thread processors with minimal clock speed bumps. Criticism of their divided attention flowed freely. But now, looking at how rapidly Intel has shrunk in recent years, I feel regret and sorrow. Its NUC division is gone, sold to Asus. Other divisions and projects are outright dead, part of the company’s streamlining and downsizing. And in a recent earnings call, CEO Lip-Bu Tan was quoted as saying, “I do not subscribe to the belief that if you build it, they will come. Under my leadership, we will build what customers need, when they need it.” Nobody asked for these SFF-sized gaming NUCs. But they existed to show what simplified SFF building could look like—and I still love that.Alaina Yee / IDG Tan’s statement referred to a willingness to commit to the 14A node—chip making. The exact business the noisy masses have demanded attention to. But this level of contraction cuts so deep that I now wonder about what we’re losing, with this new austere approach. People don’t always know what they need. Sometimes, an investment in the unproven and unknown fills in gaps we always assumed were normal. When I talked about Intel’s best technologies with Will, we debated briefly about his pick of Thunderbolt. I wasn’t convinced Thunderbolt was ready to be named as such. He countered that its very existence mattered most. Will’s right. If no one takes a chance to experiment, to bring things into existence that may not be perfect, we don’t know what could be. Intel shaped much of what the PC is today. To know that it has set down the mantle of champion, even if temporarily, makes me quietly mourn all the technology we’ll never get to know. In this episode of The Full Nerd… Willis Lai / Foundry In this episode of The Full Nerd, Adam Patrick Murray, Brad Chacos, Alaina Yee, and Will Smith lock horns over nominations to our PC Hardware Hall of Fame. We may be dressed nicely, but our debate gets ugly at times. I also may have once again appealed to chat to help break a deadlocked vote in my favor. (I adore you all.) Plus, Will showed us his home-brew cufflinks, made from case thumbscrews. What I expected: Alliances to form and break around me. What I did not expect (but should have): Betrayal after being coaxed into an alliance for the greater good. As I said during the show, Clementine will remember that.  (I call up on you, my people, to help me wreak such chaos next year that the episode will go down in infamy. I’ve already begun my notes and planning. I have screenshots from this year. I plan to be ready.) Getting ready for next year’s fight. Uh, debate. Luis Ibarra / Adam Patrick Murray Missed our live show? Subscribe now to The Full Nerd YouTube channel, and activate notifications. We also answer viewer questions in real time!  And if you need more hardware talk during the rest of the week, come join our Discord community—it’s full of cool, laid-back nerds. This week’s surprising nerd news I pretty much adore Framework’s modular approach to PCs—so I read my colleague Mark Hachman’s review of their new desktop PC with delight. I don’t get quite the same excitement as from Intel’s Ghost Canyon or Beast Canyon, but I like where future releases could go. Also, I found out someone in the world—a pretty famous someone at that—still uses an RX 580. I don’t believe that negates my nomination of Polaris into the Hardware Hall of Fame, but just emphasizes its relevance and importance. AHEM. It’s so little!Alex Esteves / Foundry Framework’s teeny desktop PC is cute: A spiritual successor to Intel’s pandemic-era gaming NUC models? In many ways yes, but I am giving side-eye to that soldered memory. (Interested in its performance? Check out Mark’s review, too.) That’s a big oops, Proton: I’m betting you know of ProtonMail—and more likely trust Proton to keep data safe. But the company’s new Authenticator app isn’t immune from bugs, as it turns out. Saved 2FA seeds were stored as plain text in log files. Yikes. So many hertz: AOC’s upcoming native 600Hz display is impressive, yes…for its slide-out headphone holder. (Only half-joking here; I now want that feature on my next monitor.) Windows Recall still captures sensitive data: Continue filing this feature under “I’m not surprised” and also “Forever a hard no.” I like this PC Gamer quiz: I evaded the quiz-taking crazes of the late ’00s and early 2010s, but this one asking me to identify games from their crates? Fun. (Also that pun in the strapline? Chef’s kiss.) Valve should have kept surprising us: Keeping my backlog (fractionally more) manageable is easier when I don’t know upcoming sale periods. I can truthfully tell myself I didn’t budget for a bajillion random buys. A champion for the masses, still trucking along in some quarters of the world. Just like the GTX 1080 Ti, Brad. Boss. Sir.Brad Chacos / IDG Linus Torvalds still uses an AMD RX 580: I never thought I’d say I found myself in perfect alignment with Linux users, but part of personal growth is flexibility. (One day, I’ll get Polaris into the Hardware Hall of Fame.) PCIe 8 goes zoom: Before PCIe 7 launches, we already know for sure its successor will be trailing right behind it. We love to see it, but meanwhile, PCIe 6 SSDs haven’t reached us lowly consumers yet. :[ How times have changed for AMD: Windows users keep embracing AMD’s CPUs for gaming—Team Red’s market share just crossed over 40 percent in the latest Steam hardware survey. What a comeback. I want this ‘impractical’ display: What happens when you combine engineering with Wheel of Fortune mechanics? This really fun 1,000-pixel wood “display” panel. More hertz please: I’m a big fan of E-Ink displays. I also stare at a screen all day. If we can get refresh rates to a point where writing and editing is feasible on this kind of panel, my wallet is very ready. I now know I enjoy learning about fan blade design: Leave it to Steve Burke over at Gamers Nexus to make 30 minutes feel too short for discussions about engineering and fan blade angles. Castle Crashers got new DLC: What. Catch you all next week, when Brad is off on vacation—which means Adam, Will, and I can discuss rumors to our hearts’ content. If we want. :] Alaina This newsletter is dedicated to the memory of Gordon Mah Ung, founder and host of The Full Nerd, and executive editor of hardware at PCWorld. Read...

With the constantly evolving security threat landscape introducing new and ingenious methods for hackers and organisations alike to track our movements on the web, our online privacy is increasingly difficult to protect. It can feel like an overwhelming task just to stay safe in a digital world in which so many of our activities have moved online. The UK government recently introduced its UK Online Safety Act to stop younger users encountering harmful content online. It’s a great start to tackling some of the new threats we face today, yet everywhere we look another hazard pops up – be that spyware or fake networks that watch our activity over public Wi-Fi, or use our data and even device configurations to build profiles that might impact the prices we’re offered on insurance and holiday booking sites. One of the best tools to combat these new and emerging threats is a Virtual Private Network (VPN). So, what is that, and how can you choose one you can trust? What is a VPN? A VPN is software that creates an encrypted connection between your device and the online servers you access when using the internet. This means that all the data that travels between the two – the websites you visit, the pages you access, details you type into text fields, account logins, online banking and similar activities – is invisible to hackers and organisations. Even the VPN provider won’t know what you’ve typed or where you’ve been. With a VPN, your online activities have protection from any prying eyes. Getty For more information on how they work, you can also read Are VPNs legal in the UK? When should you use a VPN? VPNs are useful in a wide range of settings. One of the most important is when using public Wi-Fi networks, such as in airports, trains stations or coffee shops. It’s easy for hackers to set up fake networks that look like the real thing, but steal all your data or watch what you do. With a VPN your connection is encrypted, so the attackers can’t see your actions. Online banking is another time when a VPN should be used, as it adds an additional level of security to your transactions. A helpful feature offered by VPNs is the ability to hide the location of your network or even make it look like you’re in another country. This can be useful when you’re travelling and want to access the content you would normally use back home. The VPN could make it appear that you are still browsing from your home location. VPNs are not intended to contravene local legislation, but when they are used in the correct way they are incredibly powerful tools that can bolster your online privacy and security. Getty Which VPN should you use? It’s important to choose the right VPN, as you’ll need to trust that it’s doing what it says and protecting you from the attacks that exist online. Norton is a brand synonymous with security and data safety, so Norton VPN is an excellent choice. The service offers the assurance of the Norton name and has a no-logs policy, meaning the company keeps no records of your online browsing and can’t see your data, all of which is verified by independent audits from VerSprite. Norton VPN is quick and easy to use and includes a built-in ad-blocker to help stop you being pestered or tracked while you browse. Norton VPN Standard costs £19.99 for the first year, but you’ll find additional features available on two other tiers if you want even more convenience and protection online. Norton VPN Plus (£24.99 for the first year) gives you everything from the Norton VPN Standard package, but adds powerful AI technology that actively works to detect and help protect you from online scams. It also monitors the dark web for your personal information that may have been compromised. And it includes a password manager, which makes logging into your online accounts incredibly simple as you need only remember one password – Norton does the rest, and it throws in for Windows PCs 10GB of cloud storage for valuable files. The most comprehensive toolset is found in Norton VPN Ultimate (£29.99 for the first year), which boosts the cloud storage to 50GB and introduces parental control features including location supervision for iOS and Android devices, so you can not only keep your family safe online but also know where they are in real life. Sign up for a 7-day free trial of Norton VPN today! Each of the Norton VPN suites offers a 7-day trial: so you can try Norton VPN and see for yourself how it can improve your online safety. The digital world is continually changing, as are the threats to its users, so it’s a good idea to keep your privacy and security tools up to date. A VPN is a simple way to defeat some of the most prevalent attacks out there, all while staying out of the way and letting your get on with your life. If only everything was this easy. Read...

Watercare is installing 5,000 Kallipr smart sensors across Auckland to enhance real-time sewage monitoring and reduce overflows with edge-powered technology. Read...

At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros Sets up quickly and easily, integrates well with the SimpliSafe ecosystem.  Petite, attractive hardware.  Cons Camera has no real technology upgrades over older gen hardware.  AGOP drops video quality down to a grainy 720p. Monitoring service is extremely costly and may not be as effective as desired.   Our Verdict SimpliSafe’s new outdoor camera enables its new active response system, but it provides literally no other reason to upgrade from the previous camera.  Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Best Prices Today: SimpliSafe Outdoor Security Camera Series 2 Retailer Price Check Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Best Prices Today: Check today’s prices SimpliSafe is one of the most venerable smart home security companies, and while it regularly refreshes its hardware, it does so device by device, rather than upgrading the entire system at once. Makes sense, because it has at least 16 different components you can mix and match with your existing SimpliSafe base station or add on to one of its hardware bundles.  The latest upgrade to the SimpliSafe family is a new version of the SimpliSafe Wireless Outdoor Security Camera, which was released in 2021. The SimpliSafe Outdoor Security Camera 2 keeps the overall look and feel of the original, while making a few changes that offer some compelling upgrades.  Features and design Quite a few things remain the same: It’s still—surprisingly—a 1080p camera with IP65 weatherproofing (meaning it’s dust-proof and resistant to water jets sprayed from any direction) and a 140-degree field of view. Infrared night vision is included, along with a small spotlight, built-in two-way audio, and a 90 dB siren, while a magnetic base allows for easy repositioning. The camera can be powered either by its internal battery (SimpliSafe says it will last for up to 3 months), a microUSB power cable, or an optional solar panel ($80).  If you don’t want or need SimpliSafe’s active response service, there’s really no reason to upgrade from the older, cheaper outdoor camera. Again, none of camera’s core features offer any major changes, and were it not for the sizeable ridge that now juts out beneath the lens housing, you might not notice any difference at all between the SimpliSafe Wireless Outdoor Security Camera 2 and its predecessor.  The new SimpliSafe Outdoor Camera 2 looks and works almost exactly the same as the previous version.Christopher Null/Foundry Setup If you already have a SimpliSafe system, setting up the camera is a simple affair that should take only a few minutes of onboarding. I set up a new hub from scratch for this review. Including all the unboxing, setup, tutorials, and upgrades, preparing a small system of hub, keypad, two sensors, and two cameras took about 45 minutes, with only one hiccup requiring an indoor camera to be reset. The camera still works in conjunction with most other SimpliSafe gear, which means it will automatically record if the system is armed and one of the sensors is triggered. (SimpliSafe last updated its motion and entry sensors in 2023.) My only real complaint is that, bizarrely, SimpliSafe cameras still use dated microUSB connectors and cables for power instead of more modern (and symmetrical) USB-C.  AI-powered threat detection The biggest upgrade to the camera is its support for SimpliSafe’s Active Guard Outdoor Protection (AGOP), a new service that uses AI to detect potential threats on video, then alerts live (human) agents to view the camera feed and take action. Agents can speak to trespassers, sound the siren, or turn on the spotlight—or all three—and dispatch police if the situation warrants it.  Of course, to take advantage of this new feature, you will need one of SimpliSafe’s upper-tier monitoring plans. The Core plan ($32/month) doesn’t include AGOP. The Pro plan ($50/month) includes the AGOP service but only from 8pm to 6am local time each day. You’ll need the Pro Plus plan ($80/month, gulp) if you want 24/7 monitoring. Other than that, all the plans are about the same, including unlimited cloud storage for up to 10 cameras, agent intervention on indoor cameras, and emergency dispatch services.  Performance I tested AGOP on the new Outdoor Camera 2 by arming the system and walking through the camera’s frame multiple times, as well as having my wife do so.  What’s supposed to happen, per SimpliSafe, is that a SimpliSafe agent should connect to the camera’s speaker and let the intruder know they’re being monitored and recorded, then ask, “How can I help you?” What did happen during my testing is none of that: Not once did a voice come over the speaker at all. SimpliSafe’s Active Guard Outdoor Protection (AGOP) service uses AI to detect potential threats on video, then alerts live (human) agents to view the camera feed and take action. Christopher Null/Foundry The videos were, however, successfully monitored by SimpliSafe, as the app’s Timeline indicates when a clip is viewed by the company’s agents. Nearly all of these were categorized within a few minutes as “Common activity” and apparently dismissed as harmless. It wasn’t until I put on a baseball cap and ran through the frame—as suspiciously as I could—that the clip was categorized as “Person on property,” after which I received an email from SimpliSafe to that effect, along with a still from the video. The vetting process takes a few minutes to complete for each occurrence.  The results might have been different had I run through the frame wielding a machete or repositioned the camera so it could spot me picking the lock. But SimpliSafe formally advises against simulating such criminal scenarios, as their agents can opt to call police directly in the event of serious emergencies. (Besides, there are limits to what I am willing to do for PCWorld.) The bottom line is that while testing AGOP to its fullest extent may not be wholly possible, it clearly doesn’t quite work the way it is marketed.  AGOP also comes with some caveats. It only works with outdoor cameras (as the name implies) and it makes some mandatory changes to the camera’s settings in the process, notably dropping video quality down to 720 by 1280 pixels (720p), turning on IR night vision, and activating the status light. Medium motion sensitivity and people-only motion detection are also mandatory. As well, cameras with AGOP enabled must also be connected to wall power and can’t be running on battery power or have a solar connection. The only camera feature that the user has any real control over is the activity zone setting, so you can block out areas you don’t want monitored. Of these constraints, the resolution drop is the most notable: 720p video is grainy and pixilated, and at a distance it’s difficult to make out faces with any level of reliability. Night vision is similarly washed out and murky.  Should you buy the SimpliSafe Outdoor Security Camera 2? The $200 asking price for the camera (much less if you shop around) is of course misleading, as you’ll spend a minimum of at least $600 more each year on monitoring. If you don’t want or need the AGOP service–and it’s tough to say whether it’s worth that outlay–there’s really no reason to upgrade from the older, cheaper outdoor camera, which can be had for as little as $73 at this writing.  This review is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best security cameras. Read...

Windows Explorer has always seemed like a part of a small car’s toolkit: perfectly usable, but limited to the basic functions. Over the years, Microsoft has repeatedly revised the software and added a search function that, upon closer inspection, proves to be surprisingly complex. However, the operating concept of Explorer is still not intuitive and tends to hinder smooth working. Software companies and independent developers therefore seized their opportunity early on and presented alternatives for more powerful file managers, which are often referred to as “commanders.” There are two different types of file managers: On the one hand, there are programs which, like Windows Explorer, only offer one window. They are clearer as there are fewer control elements such as icons and menus. On the other hand, you will also find many programs that work with a two-window view. In this case, you’ll have to first find your way around the interface, but they make copying processes easier. Free Commander XE Free Commander is available in 32- and 64-bit versions. However, only the 32-bit version is free to use. Free Commander combines its functions in a modern, largely self-explanatory interface. Free Commander The program features a dual-window view, with tabs in each window that provides one-click access to available drives. The layout has large, modern-looking icons, the design of which makes it easy to deduce the assigned function. Free Commander also includes commands for packing and unpacking ZIP files, for synchronizing two folders, or for changing attributes and timestamps. A convenient option allows you to set favorite folders for quicker access. Multi Commander The developers of Multi Commander are also fans of two-window technology. Their file manager is available in 32- and 64-bit versions as well as a portable version that lets you copy onto a USB stick. Multi Commander helps you work productively with numerous auxiliary tools such as batch renaming.Multi Commander Using the mouse and keyboard differs slightly from Windows Explorer, so there may be a short adjustment period. However, Multi Commander is a fast and extremely feature-rich tool. It can, for instance, rename multiple files in one go, edit metadata in audio and video files, create backups of files and folders, and even play audio files directly within the file manager. Multi Commander is by far the most comprehensive of the free tools. The SE version, which is available in the Microsoft Store, has the advantage of automatic updates. Double Commander Double Commander comes from the open source scene. The program is available in 32- and 64-bit versions as well as portable versions. Double Commander combines a wide range of features with fast, easy usability.Double Commander The concept of the user interface is reminiscent of Free Commander: tab bars are arranged above the two windows, allowing you to quickly switch to the installed drives. A special feature of the program is that it can create symlinks, i.e. symbolic links to files and folders, as well as hard links. Additional functions include calculating and verifying checksums, synchronizing folders, splitting large files, and, of course, all the usual commands for marking, copying, and moving files. The interface, with its small icons, is not as clear as the one in Free Commander, but it adheres to Windows standards and is therefore quickly understood. One Commander One Commander leaves it up to the user to decide whether they prefer to work with a single or dual-window view. The buttons at the bottom of the program window allow you to switch the view quickly. One Commander mirrors Windows Explorer’s functionality but adds a customizable two-window view.One Commander The program is also flexible in other ways. For example, it offers a dark mode and an download alternative icon packages from the website upon request. Its operation is similar to Windows Explorer. Folders and files can be copied and cut via the right-click context menu. Marking is done by pressing the Shift or Ctrl keys while clicking. One Commander offers direct access to the OneDrive folder and remembers which folders were last opened in a history. Overall, however, the feature set doesn’t extend much beyond what you’re used to in Windows Explorer. The main advantage of One Commander is its dual-window view. Paid file managers In addition to the free program, there are also paid options for file management. Here are some of the most notable ones: Total Commander: A long-standing classic in the field, Total Commander still impresses with its clear, dual-pane layout and features such as an FTP and LAN client, an advanced search function, and built-in archive support. SpeedCommander: This is the second major classic among file managers. It can connect to network drives and FTP servers and includes a link to the Windows formatting function. The dual-pane interface is clear and well-structured, and drives can be accessed directly via buttons. XYplorer: XYplorer adopts the single-pane style of Windows Explorer but includes an option to display a second pane. It expands the Explorer feature set with scripting capabilities and lets you add files and folders to a favorites list. The paste function is also significantly enhanced—for instance, copied files can be pasted directly as ZIP archives to a chosen location. Although the program may seem modest at first glance, its full potential becomes clear with continued use. XYplorer supports one or two windows and features scripting and a folder favorites list.Xyplorer Q-Dir The Q in Q–Dir stands for Quad, indicating the most outstanding feature of the program. It opens four windows at the start, which you can then arrange horizontally and vertically in various patterns or reduce it to three or two. Q-Dir’s standout feature is its four-window interface, with design and controls highly customizable to your preferences.IDG The functionality of this free software largely mirrors that of Windows Explorer. For example, Q-Dir uses Windows file manager’s context menu. However, users can customize the layout and the visible elements to a much greater extent than in Explorer. As an added feature, Q-Dir offers the option of making folders quickly accessible via a favorites list. Common Windows Windows tools such as the command prompt or PowerShell can be accessed directly from the file manager, and the software can also print folder structures and start scanning processes. File Voyager The manufacturer of File Voyager advertises the program as the “Swiss Army knife of file management” to emphasize its comprehensive functionality. File Voyager stands out with a modern two-window interface and built-in audio, photo, and video viewers.File Voyager However, the range of functions is actually not that extensive. What is impressive about the software is the modern interface with its three-dimensional controls, clear organization, and two-window view. Like the programs from Microsoft’s Office suite, File Voyager works with ribbons instead of menus. If you click on a menu, a new ribbon appears with new commands. Below the ribbons is a small bar that you can use to send the selected files to TeamViewer, to the installed mail program, to the Documents folder, to the desktop, to a zipped folder, or to a device paired via Bluetooth. However, not all of these shortcuts worked in our test. In addition to the usual commands for selecting, copying and moving files, File Voyager comes with an extensive selection of viewers and its own pack function. It also includes its own audio and video players, which play the selected files in one pane to be previewed in the other. The developers have adopted the required codecs from the open source player VLC. The image and video preview can also be enlarged to full screen. File Voyager is one of the best, if not the best, free Explorer alternative on the market. However, the good impression is spoilt by an instability that was observed several times in our test. For example, the tool often pauses for a long time or even freezes when reading drive or folder contents. File manager for Android File managers aren’t just available for Windows, they’re also used on smartphone and tablets. Due to the smaller screen size, their layout looks different, and dual-pane views are rare. However, the core features are usually there. Google Files: Google’s file manager comes pre-installed on all newer Android devices. It displays the most recently viewed files on the start page and organizes the files on the smartphone into the categories “Downloads,” “Images,” “Videos,” “Audio,” “Documents,” and “Apps.” The user can also mark files as favorites or move them to a secure folder, which they can protect with a PIN or pattern. The device’s file system can be accessed through “Internal storage,” while “Other storage” provides access to cloud services like OneDrive, Google Drive, and Dropbox. Total Commander: Unlike its Windows counterpart, Total Commander for Android is free of charge. The app provides all the necessary file actions and can also organize the files according to various criteria such as size or creation date. Photos can be edited directly in the app. Files can also be sent directly to other network devices using the small WLAN transfer add-on program. X-plore: This file manager offers a wide range of functions: it can create ZIP archives, serve as an FTP server and Wi-Fi access point, and access network shares. If desired, the app can create a password-protected vault for storing sensitive data and access the most important cloud services. The only point of criticism are the small icons with barely legible labels. Total Commander’s Android app is free yet offers a wide range of features.IDG Read...