Copilot should be ahead of the competition—it comes pinned to the taskbar on every Windows PC. But I keep bouncing off it, and I’m not alone. AI-positive Windows users are largely going out of their way to download competing AI tools, just as people skipped on Internet Explorer decades ago. As for Windows users who don’t like AI? They just resent seeing Copilot everywhere. If Copilot is like Internet Explorer, then ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude are like Firefox and Chrome. If you want the best experience, you skip what’s bundled with Windows and opt for something else. Personally, I didn’t start appreciating AI tools until I looked beyond Copilot. It’s no surprise that Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella is reportedly taking over Copilot development. Here are several ways Copilot is the new Internet Explorer. History truly repeats itself. Nobody is using Copilot I’ve talked to a lot of Windows users over the past few years—casual users, power users, gamers, office workers. I haven’t heard passion for Copilot from any of them. Even among the ones who use AI tools all the time, Microsoft’s Copilot is rarely their tool of choice. Microsoft doesn’t publicly share how many users Copilot has. Meanwhile, competitors like OpenAI are trumpeting their usage numbers. (Indeed, over 800 million users every week for ChatGPT.) If Microsoft was proud of their own usage numbers, you can bet they’d be loud about it. A recent report from SimilarWeb claims that Copilot website usage is at 1.1% of AI market share, behind ChatGPT at 64.5% and Gemini at 21%. Of course, that’s just the website and doesn’t include the Windows app. Chris Hoffman / Foundry The situation is similarly dire in the mobile space. On Apple’s App Store charts, the top three productivity apps are ChatGPT, Gemini, and Grok. Claude is the 12th most popular productivity app, while Microsoft Copilot is down at 14th most popular. That means Microsoft’s AI chatbot is in 5th place—behind OpenAI, Google, xAI, and Anthropic. We can’t know exactly how popular the Windows Copilot app is. But it’s unlikely that people would be hot on Copilot all day on their PCs while ignoring it altogether on their phones. Just as power users once skipped Internet Explorer in favor of Firefox and Chrome, AI-passionate users are unpinning Copilot from their taskbars and replacing it with their AI chatbots of choice. Microsoft Copilot isn’t as good as non-Microsoft alternatives Copilot just isn’t as flexible or reliable or useful as other AI chatbots. Under the hood, Microsoft is routing requests to OpenAI’s GPT models… but ChatGPT is a much more mature platform with more configurability and control over what AI model you’re using. Copilot’s desktop vision feature is a bright spot, though, and Copilot has other strengths, too. For example, it’s the only AI tool that’s integrated into Word and Excel, which should give it a leg up in professional environments. And there are Microsoft’s efforts to turn Copilot into a “companion,” complete with a face. Microsoft But it’s still not catching on. It’s not enough to sway consumers over from those competing AI tools that don’t have virtual faces. I see a lot of enthusiasm for ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude in AI communities, meanwhile Copilot is rarely mentioned (unless in a bad light). I spoke to an avid Claude user the other day. He told me that he recently used Copilot in Microsoft Word as it was the only option for making obscure charts—and he came away from it thinking that Claude is much smarter. Sure, Copilot was able to make the chart he needed, but the experience didn’t sell him on Copilot. Microsoft And it’s not just users who think this. A recent internal email from Microsoft CEO Sayta Nadella to Microsoft staff said that Copilot’s connections to Gmail and Outlook “for [the] most part don’t really work” and are “not smart,” according to The Information. That mirrors what I’ve seen when using Copilot over the years—other AI tools just seem to be more competent in most situations. Copilot’s biggest strengths rest in GitHub Copilot for coding and Microsoft 365 Copilot for deep integration with organization data. These benefits aren’t felt by standard Copilot users. And not only that, but according to The Verge’s Tom Warren, Anthropic’s Claude Code is increasingly favored internally at Microsoft. If Microsoft doesn’t even prefer Copilot, then why should anyone else? Copilot is being forced upon PC users Like Internet Explorer, the worst thing about Copilot is that it’s the “default option” presented to you on Windows. If you start using Copilot, it’s likely because the Copilot icon appeared on your taskbar or you pressed the Copilot key on your keyboard. Copilot is being shoved into everything… and that just reeks of desperation. It’s not something you use because you want to; it’s something you use because Microsoft wants you to use it. Meanwhile, if you end up using ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, or any other AI tool, it’s because you explicitly made the choice to explore, find, and start using that particular tool. IDG / Mark Hachman Windows is soaked in Copilot messaging. There’s a Copilot key on the keyboard. New Windows PCs are branded as “Copilot+ PCs” with extra AI features. Apps like Word, Excel, Edge, and even Notepad now have Copilot icons all over the place. It’s annoying. No wonder why users are clamoring for ways to disable AI in Windows. You don’t hear people complain about Claude because Windows doesn’t bundle Claude everywhere in its interface. If that started happening, you know you’d start hearing about it. In fact, Google is now heading down this road with baking Gemini into Chrome and AI Mode for Search, it’s starting to annoy those users, too. It’s more evidence that people just don’t like having things shoved down their throats. Windows PC users will keep complaining about Copilot as long as Microsoft keeps doing this, just as they once complained about Internet Explorer (and Edge) being thrust upon them at every turn. Is Copilot going the way of Bing? Microsoft was early to AI with its first chatbot, named “Bing Chat.” Microsoft later renamed it to Copilot. But despite the branding change, Copilot and Bing still share a lot in common. Both Bing and Copilot are perfectly fine tools that can get the job done, but very few prefer Bing as their primary search engine and the same can be said about Copilot. Bing has been struggling with user adoption for years, and Copilot clearly isn’t taking off among curious AI users or regular PC users. Copilot needs to be more than “just another AI chatbot” if it’s going to succeed, and simply being bundled with Windows isn’t going to be enough to get it where it needs to go. After all, being bundled with Windows didn’t save Internet Explorer. In fact, this kind of move is only going to alienate people further away from Copilot. Microsoft needs to learn from its past ASAP. Further reading: Did Microsoft do anything right in 2025? A look back at their wins, fails, and WTF moments Read...

TL;DR: Pay just $19.97 once (MSRP $229), install on one Windows PC, and keep Microsoft Office 2019’s core apps—Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and more—for life. Subscriptions are everywhere, but Microsoft Office 2019 Professional Plus keeps things refreshingly simple. One low $19.97 payment gets you lifetime access to the essential Office apps millions of people rely on every day—no renewals, no recurring charges, and no compromises on functionality. This version of Office is built for users who want dependable, familiar tools that just work. You’ll get Word for writing and editing, Excel for data and analysis, PowerPoint for presentations, and Outlook for managing email and calendars. Publisher and Access round out the suite for users who need design layouts or database tools, while OneNote keeps ideas and notes organized. Office 2019 also includes meaningful upgrades across the board. Excel offers improved data analysis tools, PowerPoint introduces new visual and presentation features, and Outlook makes it easier to manage inboxes and contacts. Enhanced inking support across apps adds flexibility for touchscreens and stylus users. Because this is a device-based lifetime license, the software is installed directly on one Windows PC and stays there—ready to use anytime, even offline. There’s no Microsoft account connection required, which many users prefer for simplicity. Don’t miss getting Microsoft Office Pro Plus 2019 for a one-time payment of just $19.97. Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2019 for WindowsSee Deal StackSocial prices subject to change. Read...

If you’re tired of messy and tangled cables when charging things at your desk, then you need a proper charging station. Our favorite is the 6-port Anker Prime, and we love it even more at its all-time low price of just under $100 at Amazon. When we reviewed the Anker Prime 250W charging station, we gave it a 4.5-star rating and our Editors’ Choice award, appreciating the versatility the six ports offer, the large power delivery, and the design, which features a detailed smart display that provides real-time data on charging speeds and power distribution. The total output of this hub reaches 250W across all ports, with the primary USB-C port capable of delivering up to 140W on its own, enough to fast-charge a 16-inch MacBook Pro. The other ports also deliver 100W, which will do just fine for keeping your MacBook and iPhone filled up during the day. For extra gadgets, you can also use the two USB-A ports on the side for your AirPods, Apple Watch, Magic Trackpad, etc. Grab the 6-port Anker Prime for $100 while this deal’s still live — it will make charging your MacBook, iPhone, tablet, and various other gadgets an absolute breeze. Charge your Macbook, your iPhone, AirPods, and three other gadgetsBuy now at Amazon Read...

Litera launches a hybrid AI upgrade for its Kira contract tool, promising 90%+ accuracy and new generative features planned for 2026. Read...

Like many other streaming platforms, Google TV is gradually getting harder to tolerate. Finding something to watch requires wading through all kinds of ads and upsells, from the sponsored listings at the top of the home screen to multiple rows touting movies and shows for purchase. Those money-grabs detract from what used to be one of the more useful streaming TV home screens. A new app called AT4K Launcher offers a solution, with an alternative launcher that shamelessly borrows from the Apple TV interface. With a few minutes of setup, you can remove the ads from Google TV’s home screen and get a much simpler menu for apps. If you have a Google TV smart television (from brands like TCL, Hisense, and Sony) or a Google TV streaming player (like the excellent Walmart Onn 4K Plus), this free app is at least worth a look. How AT4K Launcher works AT4K Launcher is an alternative home screen (also known as a launcher) for Google TV and Android TV devices. It lists all the apps you’ve installed on your smart TV or streaming device, but with a different presentation than the default home screen. Google TV’s standard home screen (left) vs. AT4K Launcher (right)Jared Newman / Foundry The inspiration is clear: AT4K Launcher looks nearly identical to the app grid on Apple TV streaming boxes, with five big app icons per row and a carousel of featured content at the top. You can reposition apps by long-pressing them and choosing where you want them to appear. That top feature carousel works similarly to Apple TV as well. When you highlight an app in the top row, it’ll show a list of things to watch, seemingly based on Android TV’s recommendation rows. Clicking one of those recommendations takes you directly to the video. You can view Hulu’s recommendations by highlighting the app in the top row.Jared Newman / Foundry If an app doesn’t support home screen recommendations (such as Netflix), AT4K Launcher’s top carousel will instead show a “Watch Next” row, with recently watched movies and shows from across different apps. You can also hide the top carousel entirely through AT4K Launcher’s settings menu. AT4K Launcher is free to use, with an optional one-time purchase of $5 to unlock some extra features, including custom wallpapers and an option to have six apps per row instead of five. While it’s not the only replacement launcher for Google TV devices (Projectivy is a popular alternative), I appreciate its visual polish and the way it handles recommendations. AT4K Launcher’s settings menuJared Newman / Foundry That said, the app has room for improvement. The Watch Next row could use its own dedicated app icon, along with an option to add or remove items from it. And perhaps long-pressing an icon could reveal more options for things like uninstalling and viewing the app info page. Unlike on Apple TV, there’s no folder support either. At least the developer seems responsive to suggestions and bug reports on AT4K Launcher’s subreddit. Replacing Google TV’s default launcher When you install AT4K Launcher from the Google Play Store, it’ll appear as an app on the standard Google TV home screen, and you’ll need to launch it manually every time. That’s obviously not ideal. If you want to replace the regular home screen with AT4K Launcher, there are a couple of ways to approach it: The easier way The easiest option is to remap your remote’s home button so it opens the AT4K Launcher app. For this, I recommend a separate app called TVQuickActions, or the optional Pro version ($4). I’ve written a separate article on setting up TVQuickActions, but here’s the gist: Install the TVQuickActions app on your Google TV device. Skip over the Show Overlay and Usage Access setup screens unless you want to enable some more advanced controls, and skip the battery optimization screen as well. When prompted to start the accessibility service, hit “Agree.” In your device’s Settings menu, head to Accessibility, then scroll to the button and enable “tvQuickActions.” Jared Newman / Foundry In the TVQuickActions app, head to Mappings and select “Add Button.” Hit your remote’s Home button. Set “Button action type” to “Usual action.” Set “Single press” to “AT4K Launcher.” Select “Double press” or “Long press,” then look under the “Action” tab and select “Go to home.” (This lets you return to Google’s default home screen as needed.) Jared Newman / Foundry Using TVQuickActions to remap your home button has a couple of downsides: The standard home screen will always appear when your TV first turns on, and you’ll need to hit the back button instead of the home button to exit Google TV’s screensaver mode. Still, I like that you can easily return to the default home screen, whose broader recommendations can sometimes come in handy. The harder way If you want to fully replace Google TV’s standard launcher, you must use a different app called Launcher Manager. It’s only available via sideloading and requires extra configuration to setup. Advanced users who are comfortable with sideloading can follow these instructions: Install Downloader by AFTVnews from the Google Play Store. Open the Downloader app, then enter 160445 in its address bar. Jared Newman / Foundry When you see the warning about installing unknown apps, hit the “Settings” button Enable the toggle for Downloader. Allowing Downloader to install apps from outside the Google Play Store.Jared Newman / Foundry Hit the “Install” button when prompted. Open the Launcher Manager app and select “Enable Custom Launcher.” If you get a “Connection Failed” message, hit “Open ADB Settings.” In the next menu, turn on developer options and enable USB debugging. Return to the Launcher Manager app and select “Enable Custom Launcher” again. Jared Newman / Foundry Now, your Google TV device will always load AT4K Launcher at startup and when you hit the home button. If you need to access the default Google TV home screen again, just open Launcher Manager and select “Disable Custom Launcher.” This story is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best media streamers. Sign up for Jared’s Cord Cutter Weekly newsletter for more streaming TV advice. Read...

At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros High CPU and iGPU performance for a mini PC Good RAM and SSD expandability despite compact design Stable continuous performance thanks to good cooling system Modern connections including USB4 and dual 2.5G LAN Powerful AI acceleration for local AI workloads Cons At full load in 45-watt mode, the fan noise is clearly audible The built-in SSD limits the maximum possible transfer rates of the system Our Verdict The Alliwava GH8 is a good example of how much performance is possible today in the smallest of spaces. With the Ryzen 9 8945HS, it not only offers powerful CPU performance, but also added value for AI applications thanks to the improved NPU. It bridges the gap between a compact office computer and a powerful gaming station. In doing so, it leaves many competitors behind in terms of connectivity and cooling management. A real powerhouse for demanding users. Price when reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Best Prices Today: Alliwava GH8 Retailer Price Check Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Best Prices Today: Check today’s prices Tech specs: Processor: AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS (8 cores / 16 threads, up to 5.2 GHz, Zen 4 architecture) GPU: AMD Radeon 780M (12 cores, up to 2.8 GHz) RAM: 32 GB DDR5-5600 RAM (dual channel, expandable to 64 GB) Storage: 1 TB NVMe M.2 2280 PCIe 4.0 SSD (second slot available, up to 4 TB total capacity) Connectivity: Dual 2.5G LAN (Realtek RTL8125BG), WiFi 6 (Intel AX200), Bluetooth 5.2 Ports: 1 × USB 4.0 (Type-C), 1 × HDMI 2.1, 1 × DisplayPort 2.1, multiple USB 3.2 ports Operating system: Windows 11 Pro pre-installed Cooling: MSC 2.0 system with vapour chamber and dual fans Dimensions: 13 × 12.7 × 5.2 cm (L × W × H) Weight: approx. 580 grams The Alliwava GH8 aims to provide powerful notebook hardware in a compact mini PC case. It uses the latest high-end AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS processor from AMD’s Hawk Point series, which is specially designed for performance-oriented, space-saving systems. Does the Alliwava GH8 prove itself in our test, compared to similar devices? In testing, the Alliwava GH8 proves to be a high-performance solution for users who need a lot of computing power in a minimal footprint. Alliwava GH8: Design The Alliwava GH8 dispenses with large plastic elements and instead features a metal case with integrated mesh grilles. This choice of material primarily serves passive heat dissipation and gives the device a technical, functional aesthetic. The build quality is impressive, with precise gap dimensions and mechanically resilient sockets. Christoph Hoffmann With compact dimensions of 13 × 12.7 × 5.2 centimeters (L × W × H) and a weight of around 580 grams, the GH8 is less bulky overall than, for example, the models from Geekom (A7 Max and A9 Max) and Miniforum’s AI X1 Pro. It should fit easily on any desk, in the living room or in the home office. Thanks to the included VESA mount, it can also be mounted on the back of a monitor to save space. A key focus of the GH8 is its cooling design. Compared to earlier models such as the H90 Pro, Alliwava has visibly revamped the design. It features an efficient cooling design with large heat dissipation and an optimized dual fan system. The side ventilation grilles support even air circulation, which is particularly relevant during prolonged CPU and GPU loads. In noise-reduced operating modes, the system remains pleasantly quiet at around 35dB. This makes it significantly quieter than older, less thermally efficient mini PC generations. Christoph Hoffmann Alliwave GH8: Features The processor is the AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS (Hawk Point), a further development of the 7940HS used in the Geekom A7 Max, for example. With 8 cores and 16 threads at up to 5.2 GHz, the system covers demanding multitasking and content creation scenarios. The integrated Ryzen AI NPU is optimized for local AI processes such as image filters, audio noise reduction and on-device language models. Graphically, the GH8 relies on the Radeon 780M (12 CUs), which enables Full HD gaming at moderate quality settings and is thus expected to outperform the Intel competition in terms of frame stability. Our benchmark results below show whether this is indeed the case. Christoph Hoffmann Three performance profiles between 25 and 45 watts can be selected via the UEFI BIOS. This allows users to choose between maximum performance and quiet operation. The processor is flanked by a whopping 32GB of DDR5 RAM (manufacturer: Micron) with a clock speed of 5,600 MT/s. One critical point is the installed 1 TB NVMe SSD: measurements of 3,572 MB/s (read) and 2,029 MB/s (write) confirm a PCIe 3.0 standard connection, which falls short of the system’s capabilities. On the positive side, however, is the second free M.2 slot, which allows memory expansion up to 4 TB. Christoph Hoffmann The variety of connections is impressive for a device of this size. The interfaces for direct access are located on the front, with the USB4 port in Type-C format being particularly noteworthy from a technical point of view. This operates with a bandwidth of up to 40 Gbit/s and supports PCIe tunnelling. This makes the port not only suitable for transferring large amounts of data, but also for video output or connecting external graphics cards (eGPU). The front is complemented by two USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports, which provide a data transfer rate of 10 Gbit/s. Christoph Hoffmann The rear of the case is designed for permanent cabling. Here, two additional USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports are available, which are also specified at 10 Gbit/s. For devices with lower data throughput, such as keyboards, mice or printers, two additional USB 2.0 ports are available. Christoph Hoffmann This separation according to USB standards allows the processor’s fast data lines to be kept free for high-performance storage solutions, while the slower interfaces take care of the basic peripherals. In combination with the dedicated video outputs, this USB configuration allows multiple screens to be operated and integrated into complex working environments. Together with HDMI 2.1 and DisplayPort 2.1, up to four screens can be controlled simultaneously with 4K resolution at 60 Hz. This makes the GH8 a good choice for professional multi-monitor setups. On the network side, the compact computer boasts two 2.5 Gbit/s LAN ports. This also makes it interesting for special applications such as soft routing or as a responsive media server in the home network. WiFi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2 round off the modern connectivity package. Alliwava GH8: Operating System The Alliwava GH8 comes with Windows 11 Pro pre-installed, which is activated with a local user account. On our test device, the operating system was Windows 11 25H2 Build 26200. Therefore, you may need to update when necessary after setup. We downloaded and installed various drivers via Windows Update, as well as the AMD drivers for the Radeon graphics card and the chipset. Although we are not looking at Windows 11 Pro in isolation, the synergy between the operating system and the GH8’s hardware is a decisive factor. The architecture of the Ryzen 9 8945HS is tailor-made for the modern Windows environment, as the system accelerates the new AI functions natively and efficiently in many areas. Instead of burdening the CPU cores with background tasks such as Windows Studio effects (background blur or eye contact correction in video calls), the system delegates these processes directly to the NPU (Neural Processing Unit). This not only ensures a smoother user experience, but also conserves the thermal reserves of the mini PC. The seamless integration is also evident in the automatic allocation of AI workloads within Creative Cloud or local Copilot applications, underscoring the GH8’s role as a future-proof AI workstation. Alliwava GH8: Performance With the AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS, the Alliwava GH8 positions itself as a powerful representative of the current mini PC upper class. It delivers a balanced result in benchmarks in terms of computing power, graphics performance and memory throughput. The installed processor is based on the Zen 4 architecture (“Hawk Point”) and integrates the Radeon 780M graphics unit. This puts it in the same performance range as demanding compact workstations. Compared to the newer Zen 5 generation, as found in the Sapphire Edge AI 370, for example, the 8945HS built into the GH8 offers an already established platform that has been supplemented by an optimized NPU for AI calculations. In combination with 32GB of DDR5 RAM and a PCIe 4.0 SSD, the result is a system that not only handles classic office and productivity tasks, but is also designed to be stable for computationally intensive applications such as multitasking scenarios and local AI workloads. The hardware configuration is designed to make efficient use of the thermal capacities of the compact chassis. We determined the desktop computing power using the PCMark 10 benchmark test. The software gives us realistic values by processing everyday tasks one after the other. Christoph Hoffmann The benchmark sub-sections Essentials (9,814 points) and Productivity (9,066 points) show that everyday tasks, office work or multitasking run practically without delay on the GH8. The Digital Content Creation score of 7,810 points is somewhat weaker, leaving the mini PC almost 3,000 points behind the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 and even 4,000 points behind the Geekom IT15 with Intel Core Ultra 9. In 3DMark’s CPU profile, the GH8 underscores its versatility: with 6,284 points at maximum threads and 956 points in the single-thread test, it achieves scores on par with the mobile Ryzen 9 8945HS. However, this places it around 20 percent below the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 in the market environment. Nevertheless, the multithread scaling shows that even demanding computing operations or parallel AI processes are handled stably. Christoph Hoffmann The Time Spy score of 2,573 points is dramatically lower than the 4,244 points achieved by the IT15 with Intel Core Ultra 9 285H. The CPU points (10,150), on the other hand, are in the upper performance segment, which pays off in simulations, renderings or AI tasks. The results in benchmarks such as Steel Nomad (375 points) and Solar Bay (9,826 points) confirm that the GH8 translates its theoretical nominal performance into measurable results in 3D and ray tracing scenarios. These values illustrate the potential of the Radeon 780M within the Zen 4 architecture. The system delivers stable performance, especially with modern graphics interfaces. The Geekbench AI Pro values (2,941 single precision / 6,831 quantised) indicate solid AI acceleration, which is particularly relevant for on-device AI applications, edge computing or local LLM inference. Here, the GH8 even outperforms the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370. Christoph Hoffmann Less convincing is the SSD performance in Crystal Disk Mark: with 3,572 MB/s read and 2,029 MB/s write, the data storage is comparatively slow. Competitor models achieve values of 6,000 to 7,000 MB/s in read performance and more than twice the write performance. The SSD in the GH8 slows down the system in some areas. Interestingly, however, it’s in a similar speed range to the Alliwava H980 Pro. Christoph Hoffmann Is the Alliwava G8G worth it? In testing, the Alliwava GH8 proves to be a high-performance solution for users who need a lot of computing power in a minimal footprint. The decision to use the AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS pays off especially in multi-core scenarios and with modern AI workloads, where the integrated NPU shows its strengths. While the CPU performance is beyond reproach, the integrated Radeon 780M positions itself as a solid basis for casual gamers and content creators, even if it lags behind dedicated graphics solutions or AMD’s latest Zen 5 generation, as expected. A clear plus point is the revised cooling concept, which reliably dissipates waste heat even in 45-watt mode, although a clearly audible background noise is generated under full load. The USB4 and dual 2.5G LAN equipment is future-proof. Only the factory-installed SSD detracts from the overall picture with its below-average transfer rates. Those who are willing to take matters into their own hands—which is easily possible thanks to the excellent expandability—will find the GH8 to be a versatile powerhouse. It confidently bridges the gap between a compact office computer and a powerful workstation, leaving many competitors behind in terms of connectivity. Read...

At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros Attractive and lightweight chassis Enjoyable keyboard and haptic touchpad Easy-to-view matte OLED touchscreen Good multi-core CPU performance Great integrated graphics performance Cons Battery life is merely typical Might be expensive at MSRP Our Verdict The Asus ExpertBook Ultra benefits from the performance of Intel’s new Panther Lake architecture, but it’s also a great premium business laptop in its own right. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Best Prices Today: Asus Expertbook Ultra Retailer Price Check Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Intel’s Panther Lake, produced with the company’s long heralded and frequently delayed 18A fabrication process, is finally beginning to tip-toe into the world. And the Asus ExpertBook Ultra is one of the first production laptops we’ve had the chance to try (Mark Hachman also recently reviewed an Asus Zenbook Duo with the top-tier Intel Core Ultra X9 388H).  While the ExpertBook has a less powerful version of Panther Lake than what’s in the Zenbook Duo, I have to concur with Mark’s conclusion. You’re going to want this.  Asus ExpertBook Ultra: Specs and features as-tested The Asus ExpertBook Ultra I received has Intel’s Core Ultra X7 358H inside. This is a high-end version of Panther Lake. It provides 16 cores in total and has Intel Arc B390 graphics, just like the Intel Core Ultra X9 388H. However, the X7 358H promises a maximum Turbo clock speed of 4.8GHz, a bit lower than the X9 388H’s maximum Turbo clock of 5.1GHz.  Model number: B9406 CPU: Intel Core Ultra X7 358H Memory: 32GB LPDDR5x-8533 Graphics/GPU: Intel Arc B390 NPU: 50 TOPS Display: 14-inch 2880×1880 tandem OLED touchscreen with Corning Gorilla Glass Storage: 2TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 solid state drive Webcam and microphone: 1080p FHD IR camera Connectivity: 2x Thunderbolt 4 with DisplayPort and Power Delivery, 2x USB-A 3.2 Gen 2, 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x 3.5mm combo audio jack Networking: Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6.0 Biometrics: Windows Hello facial recognition, fingerprint reader Battery capacity: 70 watt-hours Dimensions: 12.24 x 8.38 x 0.65 inches Weight: 2.42 pounds Operating System: Windows 11 Pro Additional features: Haptic touchpad Price: TBD While the new Intel Panther Lake hardware inside the ExpertBook Ultra is certainly exciting, it’s not the only feature worth mentioning. The ExpertBook also has a 14-inch OLED touchscreen with a Corning Gorilla Glass Victus Matte finish, a haptic touchpad, and a pair of Thunderbolt 4 ports.  One bit of information that’s missing from the equation, however, is the price. The ExpertBook is not due for release until April. Because of that, pricing is not yet settled. Asus said it expects a price similar to competitors, however, and cited alternatives like the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon and Dell Pro 14 Premium. These are often around $2,500 when similarly equipped. The Asus ExpertBook Ultra is a solid premium business laptop and a significant escalation of Asus’ profile in the space. Asus ExpertBook Ultra: Design and build quality Foundry / Matthew Smith The Asus ExpertBook Ultra makes a solid first impression straight out of the box. It uses a light, strong magnesium-aluminum alloy that keeps the laptop’s weight down to just 2.42 pounds (with tandem OLED display).  Magnesium-aluminum alloy is a common material for lightweight laptops, and it usually suffers from a plastic-y feel that seems inexpensive. However, the ExpertBook Ultra counteracts that with a “nano ceramic” finish, much like Asus’ ceraluminum, which adds a pleasing matte finish and gives the laptop a grippy feel. The laptop’s build quality is solid, too, with only the slightest flex noticeable when handling the laptop from one corner or opening the display lid.  I like the laptop’s Morn Gray colorway. Gray—as opposed to silver—is not that common of a color option for a modern laptop, and the particular tone used here feels modern but professional. The finish is matte but has a metallic luster that sparkles when the light catches the laptop just right. It will also be available in a darker Jet Fog colorway, but I didn’t have a chance to see it. It’s also a compact laptop, measuring a hair over 12 inches wide, about 8.5 inches deep, and no more than 0.65 inches thick. Measurements like this are not uncommon in 2026, but still sufficient to give the laptop a slim, sleek feel similar to what 13-inch ultralights provided five or so years ago—but with a slightly larger 14-inch display.  Asus ExpertBook Ultra: Keyboard, touchpad Foundry / Matthew Smith I was further impressed when I sat down to write on the Asus ExpertBook Ultra. It has a spacious keyboard with fantastic key feel. Keys have good travel and activate with a crisp yet not overly firm action. Most modern business laptops have at least a passable keyboard, but the ExpertBook Ultra has one of the best in recent memory.  Below the keyboard you’ll find a spacious haptic touchpad. It measures about five inches wide and a little over three inches deep, which is a respectable size for a 14-inch laptop. The surface provides enough room to execute Windows multi-touch gestures including the 5-finger swipe.  I also like the touchpad’s haptic feedback. I find haptic touchpads are almost universally better than those with a physical click action. Of course, that’s because the physical click action on modern laptops is often terrible, but it is what it is. The haptic touchpad offers a convincing sense of tactile feedback. Asus ExpertBook Ultra: Display, audio Foundry / Matthew Smith A 14-inch OLED touchscreen with 2880×1880 resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate is found on every Asus ExpertBook Ultra. The specs suggest it’s a rather common panel, but the ExpertBook has a secret weapon. It’s a matte display.  Specifically, the laptop uses a Corning Gorilla Glass Victus display with a matte finish. This is doubly rare. Most laptops with an OLED panel don’t have a matte or anti-glare finish, and most laptops don’t use Corning’s Gorilla Glass.  The result is a spectacular yet practical display. The 14-inch OLED panel delivers the incredible color vibrance, rich contrast, and high sharpness that is typical of OLED display panels. Yet it also provides a low-glare finish that keeps the display reasonably easy to read even outdoors. The high-gloss finish used by most OLED screens can become a problem in that situation. The ExpertBook also comes through in audio performance. It has a six-speaker sound system that delivers good volume and some hint of bass, which allows it to deliver kick in movies and music without becoming muddy and indistinct. It can still begin to sound buzzy and harsh at maximum volume, but that volume is so loud you’ll likely not use it often, and the sound is decent at more modest volumes. Asus Expertbook Ultra: Webcam, microphone, biometrics The Asus ExpertBook Ultra has a lot to recommend it, but it’s not flawless, and the webcam is among its less impressive features. That’s not to say it’s bad. It’s a 1080p webcam with a physical privacy shutter. Image quality is competitive with most Windows laptops in good to moderate lighting, but it doesn’t defy the typical issues webcams experience in mixed or low light. The webcam also has an extremely wide field of view, which I’m not a huge fan of—though this is typical for many webcams on modern Windows laptops. Audio is recorded with a dual-microphone array. Like the webcam, it’s not bad but also doesn’t stand out. The audio is recorded at good volume and can reject most background noise, but audio capture still has the hollow, distant sound common to laptop microphones.  However, the ExpertBook Ultra delivers on biometrics. It has a fingerprint sensor built into the power button, which is located on the keyboard beside the Delete key, and it supports facial recognition via an IR webcam. Both were smooth in my testing.  Asus ExpertBook Ultra: Connectivity Foundry / Matthew Smith A pair of Thunderbolt 4 ports are the star of the Asus ExpertBook Ultra’s connectivity. Each supports Power Delivery to charge the laptop as well as DisplayPort for video-out connections. Asus also wisely places one port on each side of the laptop, instead of both on the same side, and both ports are about as far back on the flanks of the laptop as possible. That helps with cable management.  The laptop also has a pair of USB-A ports. These, too, are split across both flanks of the laptop. An HDMI 2.1 port and a 3.5mm combo audio jack, both on the laptop’s left flank, round out the options.  Wireless connectivity is solid, as well, as the laptop supports both Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6.0. I was impressed by the laptop’s Wi-Fi speeds. Most laptops that I review deliver fine performance, but the ExpertBook was noticeably quicker than the average when I used it in my detached home office, which is several walls and about 40 feet from my router.  Asus ExpertBook Ultra: Performance The Asus ExpertBook Ultra is one of the first laptops PC World has received with Intel’s new Panther Lake architecture inside.  Specifically, the laptop has the Intel Core Ultra X7 358H. This chip provides a total of 16 CPU cores (four performance, eight efficient, and four low-power efficient) with a maximum Turbo clock of 4.8GHz. The ExpertBook pairs the Intel chip with 32GB of LPDDR5x-8533 memory and a 2TB PCIe 4.0 solid state drive.  So, how does Intel’s new hardware stack up? Foundry / Matthew Smith We start off with PCMark 10, a holistic system benchmark that speaks favorably of the Intel Core Ultra X7 358H. It leaps ahead here with a score of 9,892, which is well ahead of the AMD Ryzen AI and Intel Core Ultra Series 2 chips in previous premium business laptops.  I found this result surprising, and tried it several times, only to discover the scores improved (slightly). Having done that, I can only conclude that the laptop is a performer, and a performer across many aspects instead of one or two. This is a stellar start for Panther Lake. Foundry / Matthew Smith Next up is Cinebench R24, a heavily multi-threaded benchmark that is often quite harsh on Intel architecture or, at least, was harsh to Lunar Lake chips that usually found their way into this category of laptop. The benchmark doesn’t seem to love Intel’s strategy of using many different types of cores.  This may still be somewhat true with the Intel Core Ultra X7 358H, as its level of performance is not what the core count might lead you to expect, but it’s still quick enough to deliver a big gain over Intel Core Ultra 256/258V chips from the last generation, and it’s now competitive with AMD Ryzen AI 9 and Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite.  Foundry / Matthew Smith Handbrake was a real surprise. As the graph shows, this benchmark has historically been rather down on Intel Core Ultra Series 2, placing them well behind AMD Ryzen AI competitors. Yet Panther Lake makes up the difference and then some, and squeezes out a slight victory. As the graph shows, this is a huge improvement. Intel’s Panther Lake seems to be mostly spoken of as a graphics story, or at least that was the impression I received at CES 2026, but don’t sleep on its CPU performance. It’s a big leap over Lunar Lake.  It should be mentioned that Panther Lake currently has the advantage of going first. PC World has yet to benchmark a production laptop with AMD’s new Gorgon Point architecture (though its gains are expected to be modest) or Qualcomm’s upcoming Snapdragon X2 (which is promised to post big gains). Still, as it stands right now, Panther Lake looks solid. Foundry / Matthew Smith The Asus ExpertBook Ultra’s integrated graphics performance only sweetens the deal. Some new Intel Core Ultra Series 3 chips, including the Intel Core Ultra X7 358H in the Asus ExpertBook Ultra, have Intel’s Arc B390. It has 12 Xe graphics cores and, in this incarnation, a maximum clock of 2.5GHz. And it’s quite a beast. Intel’s Arc B390 cleans up the competition. In 3DMark Time Spy, the most graphically complex of these tests, it’s about 75 percent faster than the HP EliteBook X G1a with AMD Radeon 890M integrated graphics, and over 45 percent quicker than Intel Arc 140V in the Lenovo ThinkPad T14s. For comparison, I also tossed in the Acer Nitro V16 AI with Nvidia RTX 5050 graphics. The RTX 5050 is still much quicker with a Time Spy score of 9,571, so if you were thinking Intel Arc B390 might replace modern Nvidia discrete mobile graphics, it’s not quite there. However, the Intel Arc B390’s Time Spy score is in league with many entry-level RTX 3050 and RTX 4050 laptops from a few years ago. Laptops with those GPUs often score between 5,000 and 7,000. I also tried Intel Arc B390 in two games we frequently test: Shadow of the Tomb Raider and Cyberpunk 2077. Tomb Raider averaged 79 FPS at 1080p resolution and the Highest detail settings, while Cyberpunk 2077 averaged 46 FPS at 1080p and Ultra detail. This is playable performance, and without any form of XeSS upscaling (which works well) used to further enhance frame rates. Asus ExpertBook Ultra: Battery life Asus stuffs a 70 watt-hour battery in the ExpertBook Ultra. That’s a typical battery capacity for a Windows laptop of this size, so the laptop’s longevity comes down to the efficiency of Intel’s new chip. The results are fine but, unlike Panther Lake’s performance, don’t stand out. Foundry / Matthew Smith I recorded a little over 15 hours of battery life in PC World’s standard battery rundown test, which loops a 4K file of the short film Tears of Steel with the display brightness set to roughly 200 nits. As the graph shows, this is a fine but not unusual result. Many modern Windows laptops can achieve 15 hours of battery life, though some land far short of that mark. My real-world experience was close to the battery life test. The battery drained at a rate that would leave me with about 12 hours of life. I used the laptop for my typical workflow, which included writing in LibreOffice, using Google Docs, browsing the web, and occasionally editing photos with GIMP.  The ExpertBook ships with a 90-watt power adapter that can charge the laptop via either of its two Thunderbolt 4 ports. The power adapter is compact, measuring less than three inches in depth and width, and almost exactly an inch thick.While the laptop will complain if it receives less than 90 watts of power, a less powerful 45 to 65 watt USB-C power adapter can charge the laptop if you’re not using it for demanding work—it will just do so more slowly and may impact performance. Asus ExpertBook Ultra: Conclusion The Asus ExpertBook Ultra is a solid premium business laptop and a significant escalation of Asus’ profile in the space.It’s attractive and light, it has a great keyboard and touchpad, and it offers an easy-to-view matte OLED display. Intel’s Core Ultra X7 358H, meanwhile, delivers great marks across the board with good multi-core CPU performance and outstanding integrated graphics performance.  I can find a couple nitpicks. The battery life is just mediocre and the webcam is merely adequate. But in these areas the laptop is competitive—it just doesn’t stand out. The one open question is the laptop’s MSRP, as the ExpertBook Ultra will not arrive until April. I do expect it will be expensive (roughly around $2,500), as is typical for this type of laptop. Still, the laptop’s quality is high enough to be worth a premium. This is a serious alternative to a Dell Pro 14 Premium, ThinkPad X1 Carbon, or HP EliteBook. Read...

Using the antivirus trial that came with your PC? Or perhaps you’ve just been sitting it out with Windows Security? You may be able to do better. Why only may do better? It all depends on your needs—factors like your household, level of tech savvy, and willingness to directly manage your protection. You could work in tech but might not have time to constantly monitor your family’s fleet of devices, for example. Or maybe you’re an individual with interest and time to stay abreast of the latest security news. With that in mind, these three antivirus recommendations are the ones I most often suggest. They cover a broad range of situations, no matter your circumstances or budget. Option 1: Windows Security The former Security Center is now called “Windows Security” and summarizes the Windows 11 security modules in one overview. Foundry This may be the option you’ve already got—or perhaps you don’t know it exists. Either way, Microsoft’s built-in security can be an adequate defense against threats, if you already practice good security habits. (Not installing software from questionable sources or purposely hitting up sketchy sites, etc.) You will, however, have to play with the settings to get the most out of the app. Ransomware protection may not automatically be on by default, for example. The same goes for blocking unwanted apps by turning on reputation-based protection in Windows Security’s App & browser control settings. If you’re on a fresh PC, I recommend also turning on Smart App Control while in the App & browser control settings, for an extra boost. (Note: These settings can mildly interfere with select apps, but most people won’t notice.) By the way—if your PC has a free trial for another antivirus service already installed, you’ll need to disable it (or better, uninstall it) to allow Windows Security to take over. Pros: Free, unobtrusive Cons: Bare-bones user interface with minimal explanations. Management of passwords and privacy must be done separately. Option 2: Full-featured antivirus suite Mattias Inghe Paid antivirus subscriptions may not be needed by everyone, but they do offer some advantages over Windows Security and other free options. Good ones have three key strengths: First, they’re more proactive about guarding users from dangers. For example, plans may include screening tools in the apps to detect scam language or links in messages. Second, they make understanding features and notifications much easier, by giving context and explanations in the interface and alerts. Finally, they simplify management of online security by offering a more comprehensive set of services. At minimum, I like to see a password manager, VPN, and basic data breach monitoring. But more robust subscriptions will include features like parental controls, cloud storage to help back up vital files (as extra protection against ransomware), or PC utilities that scan for outdated drivers. Currently, our top pick for best paid antivirus is Norton Deluxe 360, as this particular plan ticks these boxes. But there are plenty of other options that could be equally (or better) fits for your circumstances—our roundup of the best antivirus suites has multiple recommendations. Pros: Broader, centralized protection that’s easier to understand Cons: Such suites require a regular subscription fee Option 3: Free antivirus Foundry Perhaps you don’t want to pay for antivirus, but you would like higher protection, more information, or even additional features than found in Windows Security. Fortunately, you have options—and some of them are excellent. Want some of the strongest offline and online safeguards? Bitdefender’s free version is no-frills, but its antivirus engine consistently gets high marks across the board from independent testing organizations. Or perhaps you’d like strong defense and more features? You can lean on Avast One’s no-cost plan, which also can monitor your email and browser activity. These free plans rely on the same scanning engines as paid subscriptions, so you’re not compromising on protection. The main catch is that advanced features and services will require upgrading–and some apps will nag you periodically to consider forking over that money. But with some tweaks, you usually can make the software leave you in peace. Pros: Free, but with stronger security or more features than Windows Security (or both) Cons: Still limited feature sets. Periodic notifications about upgrading to paid plans. Read...

Google says that it’s bringing a major change to Chrome users today: a mainstream agentic AI that will “autobrowse” the web for you, performing tasks that you assign it. Chrome’s also getting a sidebar — and yes, with Gemini AI. Autobrowsing capabilities will arrive today for Chrome users who subscribe to either Google AI Pro ($19.99 per month) or Google AI Ultra ($249.99 per month), while the Chrome sidebar will roll out today for all Chrome users. The move comes a day after Google announced the Google AI Plus plan for $7.99 per month, which will not have access to the autobrowse features. Essentially, Google sees the autobrowsing as the evolution of its autofill capabilities, which aren’t unique to Chrome. Autofill stores details like your credit card and applies them when necessary, such as to complete a purchase. Autobrowsing simply takes a task and goes out and completes it to the best of Chrome’s ability, leaving the final step — a confirmation of purchase — for you to approve. Agentic browsing is nothing new; Microsoft showed off an agentic shopping demonstration a year ago, as well as Copilot Mode for Edge last summer. OpenAI has done something similar with the Atlas agentic browser, and others have followed suit. Nevertheless, Statcounter reports that Chrome has about 65 percent of the desktop browser market share for North America, far and away the most dominant browser. Mainstreaming agentic actions, even for a paid subscription, is a significant move. Google You’ll access auto browse the same way that you’ll interact with Google’s Gemini AI: as a browser sidebar, accessible by clicking the small Gemini icon at the top of the browser. That will open up the sidebar and a text box, and allow you to ask Gemini to start filling out tasks. Google said that auto browse tasks can include filling out PDFs, renewing drivers’ licenses, but also researching trips and other tasks, including scheduling and booking reservations. However, executives said information “that’s happening on the right-hand side is not shared back with the site.” Google said that the new Gemini sidebar will tap what it’s referred to as “personal intelligence,” remembering past conversations and information you’ve shared with it, which is now included in AI Mode. If you’ve allowed Google access to apps like Gmail, this information will be used, too. Google An interesting addition will be support for Nano Banana, Google’s image rendering algorithm. Nano Banana will be accessible by Chrome, so that it will be able to pull in and edit an image that you have in your browser — not just one that you own. Google executives couldn’t say whether there would be any copyright protections in place, or whether users would simply be able to tell the algorithm to edit the image. Yes, autobrowsing is reserved for paying subscribers — for now. But it will likely move down to cheaper tiers over time, if it proves successful. Google Read...

$1,000 is a lot to pay for a monitor. But this one might be right up your alley, if you’re looking for a combination of OLED brilliance, massive size, and relatively manageable resolution. LG’s 45-inch UltraGear OLED gaming monitor is going for $999.99 on Amazon, an impressive $700 off the retail price. Let me break it down for you. With 3440×1440 ultrawide resolution and a 240Hz refresh rate, this 45-inch monitor has the same requirements as most 34-inch gaming monitors on the market right now, including premium OLEDs. But its physical size is massive, almost double the total screen space of a 34-inch ultrawide monitor. You actually get more physical screen space than 49-inch, super-mega-ultrawides, which stretch the screen out to a wider 5120×1440 resolution (double QHD) and a 32:9 aspect ratio. Generally more pixels is better… unless you’re trying to hit high game framerates on anything less than a top-of-the-line machine. So PC gamers who want a big, beautiful picture without sacrificing performance might find this LG monitor right up their alley. The 45GS95QE includes lots of other premium features, including support for Nvidia G-Sync, AMD FreeSync, and HDR-10. It’s using a dramatic 800R curve on the panel, which makes it more immersive for gaming and video (and perhaps less ideal for regular office-style work, depending on your setup). The only downer on the spec list is USB-C, or rather, the lack thereof. The only data expansion in the monitor is a pair of USB-A ports, making this an awkward companion for laptops, which will need to use HDMI or DisplayPort. This monitor can be used with a standard VESA mount, but if you want to add a monitor arm, make sure it’s reinforced. The screen without its stand weighs 19.6 pounds or 8.9 kilograms. If you’re looking for something else, be sure to check out PCWorld’s roundup of the best gaming monitors. Get a 45-inch LG OLED ultrawide gaming monitor for $999.99View Deal Read...