Home security cameras are easy to install, easy to use, and incredibly affordable these days. They let you keep tabs on your home–inside and out–from wherever you have internet access. They can respond to motion, creating a visual record of everything that’s happened within their field of view, and high-end models can distinguish between people, pets, and even cars.  The latest security cams require minimal installation and offer flexible setups and a range of security features—so many features, in fact, that it can be difficult to decide what you need and which model you should buy. Should you get an outdoor camera with a space-illuminating floodlight and a weatherized shell, an indoor cam with AI-powered pet detection and a motorized lens that patrols the room, or something in between?   We’ve tested dozes of the top home security cameras available in real-world conditions, and we’ve distilled a list of the very best models. Whether you’re looking to check on your kids and pets, or need a full-service sentinel with humans watching for intruders in real time, we’ll help find the right security camera for your needs.  Best home security camera reviews Arlo Pro 5S 2K – Best home security camera overall Pros 2K video resolution B&W and color night vision Automatic zoom and tracking Cons Subscription required for best features Requires hub to record video locally No Apple HomeKit support Best Prices Today: Retailer Price $119.99 View Deal $119.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Who should buy the Arlo Pro 5S 2K? Easy to set up yet packed with cutting-edge features, the Arlo Pro 5S 2K is the best choice for a battery-powered 2K security camera that can track moving subjects, see in the dark, and connect to speedy 5GHz Wi-Fi networks–everything you need to keep an eye on your homestead. It’s also compatible with Alexa and Google Home, meaning you can view lives feeds on a smart display or set the camera to trigger home automations when it detects motion. Arlo Pro 5S 2K: Further considerations The Arlo Pro 5S 2K keeps the Arlo Pro series near the top of the market with such high-end features as dual-band Wi-Fi support, a low-power mode (which extends battery life by 30 percent by taking snapshots of detected activity instead of full video clips), and Arlo SecureLink technology, which provides a more secure connection to protect your data while further optimizing battery life. Just be sure to factor in the cost of an Arlo Secure subscription to get the most utility from this camera. Read our full Arlo Pro 5S 2K (model number VMC4060P) review Nest Cam (battery, 2021) – Best security camera for Google Nest smart homes Pros Offers the easiest setup in the industry Can be installed indoors or out Can operate on AC or battery power Cons Anemic night vision Proprietary and too-short power cable Subscription required to get full value Best Prices Today: Retailer Price $150 View Deal Google Nest $179.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Who should buy the Nest Cam (battery, 2021)? Nest has long offered some of our favorite security cameras, and the Nest Cam (battery), redesigned in 2021, is a versatile offering packed with great features. Naturally, Google Home users will get the most out the battery-powered Nest Cam, while Alexa and Apple HomeKit users should steer clear. The camera is supremely easy to set up, and it delivers fabulous performance under any lighting condition. Also, it can be deployed indoors or out. Finally, you’ll appreciate having three hours of event history stored on the device since you won’t have to pay for a subscription unless you want more history. Nest Cam (battery, 2021): Further considerations While the Nest Cam (battery) does boast on-device person, pet, and vehicle detection, a Nest Aware subscription is required to review recorded video events beyond the last few hours. Note: Google also offers the equally excellent indoor-only Nest Cam (indoor, wired), which requires plug-in power (there’s no battery option), for $99.95. Read our full Nest Cam (Battery) review Ring Stickup Cam Pro – Best indoor/outdoor home security camera for Ring/Alexa smart homes Pros Excellent performance, indoors and out Radar-based motion detection Fantastic night vision, with the option of color Cons You can have Bird’s Eye View or Pre-Roll, but not both Not fully compatible with Google Home or Apple HomeKit 1080p resolution Best Prices Today: Retailer Price $89.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Who should buy the Ring Stickup Cam Pro? This indoor/outdoor camera is a no-brainer for any Ring customer looking to expand their home security coverage. Also, this camera has very strong night vision, with a color night vision option you might find you don’t even need. Yes, the Ring Stick Up Cam Pro is limited to 1080p resolution, but enabling HDR delivers gorgeous color-saturated images. Ring Stickup Cam Pro: Further considerations If you need just a single camera and can get by without so many advanced features, you’ll find a bevy of less-expensive options. The also-excellent Ring Spotlight Cam Pro has a very similar set of features, but its onboard spotlight boosts its price a little higher. Read our full Ring Stick Up Cam Pro review Eufy Security Indoor Cam (model C220) – Best value in indoor pan/tilt security cameras Pros Excellent image quality Onboard AI detection and tracking Budget price Cons Requires continuous electrical power No Homekit support Best Prices Today: Retailer Price Check Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Who should buy the Eufy Security Indoor Cam (model C220)? This product is a great starting point for anyone looking to protect their home with home security cameras. Unless you’re firmly in Apple’s HomeKit ecosystem–or you already have a lot of another brand of home security camera–the Eufy Security Indoor Cam (model C220) should be on your short list. Eufy Security Indoor Cam (model C220): Further considerations Cameras that have as many features and specifications comparable to the Eufy Security Indoor Cam (model C220) tend to cost a whole lot more than this budget-priced device does. It’s uncommon to get 2K resolution, onboard storage (albeit via a microSD card with a maximum capacity of 128GB that you must provide), and a pan/tilt motor for $35. It doesn’t support color night vision, either, but you can solve that shortcoming with a smart speaker and a smart bulb or smart light switch. This camera is a great value. Read our full Eufy Security Indoor Cam (model C220) review Eufy SoloCam S340 – Best outdoor pan/tilt security camera Pros Dual lenses deliver excellent image quality Subscription service is truly optional Included solar panel Cons Eufy’s app can’t flip the camera’s feed Battery must be charged while inside the camera Provided USB-C charging cable is only 10 feet long Best Prices Today: Retailer Price $199.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Who should buy the Eufy SoloCam S340? Anyone who needs to surveil large areas of property should consider this camera. That goes double for folks who hate the ongoing cost of a subscription to store your video recordings. Eufy has one if you want it, but it’s truly optional. The camera has 8GB of onboard storage, or you can spend another $150–plus the cost of a hard drive or SSD–and pick up the Eufy HomeBase 3, a NAS-like network storage device that can accommodate up to 16GB of encrypted storage. Eufy SoloCam S340: Further considerations If you’re looking for an outdoor surveillance camera that can operate without depending on AC power, the high-grade Eufy SoloCam S340 sports two high-resolution lenses: one is a 2K (2304 x 1296 pixels) telephoto, and the other is a 3K (2880 x 1620 pixels) wide-angle. And since it comes with a solar panel, you never need to worry about plugging it into a charger. A built-in motor enables the camera to pan a full 360 degrees and tilt over a 70-degree arc, and it will track the movement of anyone in its field of view. You can also program set up to four way points, so it will patrol a broad swath of your property. Read our full Eufy Security SoloCam S340 review Wyze Cam v4 – Best budget indoor security camera Pros Carries over the best features of its predecessor Crystal-clear image quality 24/7 recording to local microSD storage Cons Dependent on hardwired power Subscription required to unlock all its best features Best Prices Today: Retailer Price Check Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Who should buy the Wyze Cam v4? This is a great option for security shoppers on a budget. Wyze Labs continues to build outstanding home security cameras that deliver a whole lot of bang for the buck. Even following the expiration of Wyze Labs’ introductory offer, the $36 Wyze Cam v4 remains one of the best values in indoor/outdoor home security cameras. Highlights include crisp, lively video quality, along with a smart sound detection feature can alert you to noises like a baby’s cry or a cat’s meow. Wyze Cam v4: Further considerations While this model doesn’t move the needle on video resolution compared to the Wyze Cam v3 Pro it replaces, you will get a faster Wi-Fi adapter (Wi-Fi 6), a microSD card slot that can host cards with twice as much capacity, and an even easier onboarding process. You’ll also want to sign up for a subscription plan to unlock all of its best features, but those are affordable, too, starting at $2.99 per month for a single camera. Read our full Wyze Cam v4 review Blink Mini 2 – Best budget-priced indoor security camera runner-up Pros Can be deployed indoors or out Extremely compact size Great video quality Cons Subscription required to unlock all features Local storage requires separate purchase No audio detection Best Prices Today: Retailer Price $39.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Who should buy the Blink Mini 2? Devoted Mini users and newcomers alike should find plenty to love with the Blink Mini 2. This camera is small enough to fit in the palm of your hand. It’s also visually discrete and easy to install anywhere there’s access to AC power–but you’ll need to purchase a weatherized power supply if you’re deploying outdoors. Blink Mini 2: Further considerations Amazon’s Blink Mini 2 brings more utility to the original Blink Mini with the addition of a weatherized enclosure, an LED spotlight for color night vision, person detection, and a wider field of view. Read our full Blink Mini 2 review Eufy Floodlight Camera E340 – Best security cam/floodlight combo Pros Dual cameras with pan/tilt motor LED panels produce up to 2,000 lumens Dual-band Wi-Fi 6 adapter Cons Eufy doesn’t offer a strong home alarm system Local storage limited to 128GB So-so industrial design Best Prices Today: Retailer Price $219 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Who should buy the Eufy Floodlight Camera E340? If you’re looking for a camera that can monitor a wide expanse of your property coupled with flexible floodlights to illuminate it, the Eufy Floodlight Camera E340 is the product to buy. This camera can distinguish between people, pets, and vehicles, and you can set it to track the movement of any combination of those things. This camera will also cost less over its useful life because you don’t have to pay for a subscription to view your video history. Eufy Floodlight Camera E340: Further consideration We’re growing increasingly fond of Eufy’s twin-lensed, pan/tilt security cameras. In this configuration, you’ll also get twin LED panels that produce a combined 2,000 lumens of brightness. For those times when you just want to enjoy an evening on the deck and don’t want it to look like a prison yard, those panels can be dimmed. The 3K wide-angle and 2K telephoto lenses capture crisp detail, and the pan/tilt motor they’re mounted to will cover every inch of your yard, panning 360 degrees and tilting over a 120-degree arc. Add up to a 128GB microSD card and you won’t need to worry about paying for a cloud storage subscription. Need more storage than that? Drop up to a 16GB hard drive or SSD in the Eufy HomeBase 3, park it on your network, and you can store your recordings that way. Read our full Eufy Floodlight Cam E340 review Ring Floodlight Cam Pro – Best security cam/floodlight combo runner-up Pros Unbeatable playback interface Birds-eye view of motion detection Affordable subscription plan Cons No local storage Must be electrically hardwired So-so design Best Prices Today: Retailer Price $249.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Who should buy the Ring Floodlight Cam Pro? It’s expensive at $250, but anyone deep into the Ring home security or Ring smart lighting ecosystems should give the Ring Floodlight Cam Pro serious consideration. Just be prepared to connect this cam to hardwired power, and a Ring Protect plan–while not strictly mandatory–is essential for reviewing recorded video events. Ring Floodlight Cam Pro: Further considerations It doesn’t take much time using the Floodlight Cam Wired Pro to realize how incredibly powerful it is, starting with some of its impressive motion-detection features. The 3D Motion Detection with Bird’s Eye View feature is a game-changer. In addition to a great security camera, you also get dual floodlights that can illuminate your outdoor space with 2,000 lumens of brightness. Read our full Ring Floodlight Cam Wired Pro review Blink Wired Floodlight Camera – Best budget-priced security camera/floodlight combo Pros Ultra-powerful spotlight Easy hardware installation Super affordable Cons Subscription required for video storage and person detection Limited flexibility when it comes to aiming its camera and floodlights Industrial design trails Nest and Ring Best Prices Today: Retailer Price $99.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Who should buy the Blink Wired Floodlight Camera? Need to have eyes on the outdoors while sticking to a strict budget? The Blink Wired Floodlight Camera is among the most affordably priced floodlight cams on the market, and it’s both easy to install and casts impressively bright light for the price. Blink Wired Floodlight Camera: Further considerations Blink’s floodlight cam offers run-of-the-mill video resolution, but extremely bright outdoor lighting and an amazingly affordable price tag. You’ll need a subscription to record video to get the most value from it, but those plans are affordable. Read our full Blink Wired Floodlight Cam review Safemo Set P1 – Best solar-powered security camera kit Pros Solar powered Excellent 4K image quality No cloud subscription required Cons Time-consuming installation No HomeKit support Currently no Android app Best Prices Today: Retailer Price $199.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Who should buy the Safemo Set P1? Thanks to its solar panels, the Safemo Set P1 can run almost indefinitely on solar power, making it ideal for those who want to install cameras in locations where wired power isn’t an option. Also, budget-minded shoppers will love that the Set P1 doesn’t require a cloud subscription for object detection. Safemo Set P1: Further considerations Boasting advanced features, ease of use, and expandability, the Safemo Set P1 is a great option of anyone looking for a reliable security camera system. While the initial setup may require some patience, once installed, the cameras deliver high-quality video with timely, accurate alerts. Read our full Safemo Set P1 review Baseus S1 Pro – Best solar-powered security camera kit runner-up Pros Solar panels track the sun Dual-lens cameras Base station includes 16GB of storage Cons Expensive You can’t buy single cameras Can’t be integrated into a broader system Best Prices Today: Retailer Price $299.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Who should buy the Baseus S1 Pro? The S1 Pro’s rotating solar panels and crisp 3K video make it a solid choice for those who want hassle-free home security without monthly fees. The upfront cost is steep, but the bundle includes two dual-lens cameras with solar panels, and a base station with 16GB of storage that can be expanded to 16TB. Baseus S1 Pro: Further considerations If you consider subscriptions for cloud storage to be anathema, and you want a security camera that delivers very high resolution with batteries that never need tending, the Baseus S1 Pro bundle’s dual lenses with up to 3K resolution and a base station with local storage could be just what you’re looking for. But if you think you might want more than two cameras, you should hold off until Baseus offers the cameras in singles without the base station. Read our full Baseus S1 Pro review Other notable security cameras we’ve tested The Baseus N1 security camera system lets you start with two cameras and a base station and add indoor or outdoor cameras as you need, but its digital zoom feature introduced significant visual distortion; the Deep Sentinel DS2 security camera system is a significant investment, but it offers proactive threat deterrence you can’t get from many other DIY security camera, including live agents who monitor the camera feed in real time; the indoor pan/tilt Eufy Indoor Cam S350 is outfitted with both wide-angle and telephoto lenses to deliver different views of the same scene simultaneously; the pan-and-tilt Noorio T110 provides a raft of security features and makes them easy to operate with a smartly designed app; the Reolink Argus 4 Pro’s dual lenses deliver an ultra-wide 180-degree field of view without suffering from fish-eye distortion; the Ring Pan-Tilt Indoor Cam is an inexpensive but modestly appointed option for those in the Ring ecosystem; the Swann MaxRanger4K Solar Security System uses the 900MHz frequency band to communicate with the included hub, enabling a range of up to 2,000 feet; the SwitchBot Pan/Tilt Cam Plus 3K left us unimpressed; and the upgraded Wyze Cam Floodlight v2 now offers better resolution, stronger lights, and a lower price tag. How we test home security cameras Our security camera guides are based on testing by freelance and staff contributors with decades of combined experience. Our meticulous evaluation process takes place in real homes and begins the moment we unbox a camera.  We begin by timing the installation process as outlined in the camera’s user manual, noting any difficulties or special tools required. For indoor cameras, we evaluate their size, shape, and color options to evaluate how seamlessly they fit into various interior styles. For outdoor models, we note the camera’s material quality and IP (Ingress Protection) rating, which indicates resistance to dust and water. We then test video performance, audio quality, and motion sensitivity, while also considering the app interface, storage options, connectivity, smart home compatibility, and privacy issues. To learn more, read our article about how we test home security cameras at TechHive. Why you should trust us TechHive’s editors and contributors have been testing home security cameras for many years, and we regularly evaluate the latest hardware, along with their accompanying mobile apps. We’ve checked out wired security cameras, battery-power cameras, outdoor cams, floodlight cams, pan-and-tilt cams, and more. You can trust us to guide you to the right home security camera for your needs. Who curated this article? Michael Ansaldo is veteran consumer and business technology journalist. He’s been a contributor to TechHive since 2013, covering robot vacuums, home security cameras, and other smart devices. He previously served as PCWorld’s Small Business Editor, and his tech coverage has appeared in Wired, Macworld, Mac|Life, Mobile Magazine, Enterprise.Nxt, Executive Travel, and other publications. How to choose the best home security camera Most home security cameras perform the same basic functions—they detect an event, record the event, and send you an alert—but they don’t all perform them the same way. And some cameras have special features that go beyond those basics. Here are some common features you’ll encounter while shopping and why they’re important. #id688259bc28d44 .jw-wrapper::before { content: `` !important; } Alerts  Home security cameras push notifications to your smartphone when they detect events. Without watching the live feed all day, this is the only way to keep tabs on your home in relative real time. Depending on the camera, it may send text alerts when it detects motion, sound, a face (known or unrecognized), or all three. Some can send alerts to multiple people, usually anyone else in the household using that product’s app; others will send emails in addition to text messages as a failsafe in the event you can’t access your mobile device. Battery backup Power outages happen, and clever burglars cut electricity before breaking into your home. When that happens, your camera goes dark and, if there’s a crime taking place, you lose all forensic evidence. For this reason, some cameras can also run for a short time on battery power. It’s a feature worth looking for. There are also some models that run on battery power full time; you can either swap batteries as they’re depleted, or plug the camera into an AC outlet and recharge its battery that way. Environmental monitoring This is the feature that sets all-in-one home monitors apart from strictly security cameras. Though the home “vitals” that these units track vary by model—we’ve seen everything from motion to luminosity included in home health profiles—three tend to be ubiquitous: Temperature monitors for spikes and dips in indoor temperature and alerts when it falls outside a range you define. Humidity tracks relative humidity inside your home. Humidity outside optimal levels—usually defined as between 30 and 50 percent—can contribute to problems such as static electricity, sinus irritation, and mold growth. Air quality tracks pollutants ranging from cooking odors to carbon monoxide. However, most monitors don’t identify the pollutant in their alerts, merely warning that the air quality is “abnormal.” Because of that, this feature should not be considered a substitute for potentially life-saving devices like smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. HomeKit Secure Video support This is a subset of Apple’s smart-home initiative, and while you don’t necessarily need to be an avowed Apple user to benefit from HomeKit Secure Video’s privacy-enhancing features, you will need to sign up for an Apple iCloud account and have a HomePod, a HomePod mini, or an Apple TV 4K. Where other types of security cameras send video to the cloud (often unencrypted), security cameras that support HomeKit Secure Video send thier video streams to one of those devices on your local network first. That device will process the video, performing tasks such as facial recognition and what have you, and then encrypting it before uploading it to your iCloud account. You can read more about HomeKit Secure Video on our sister site, Macworld. Integrated spotlight Like all cameras, home security cameras need adequate ambient light to capture clear images. While that is easy to come by during daylight hours, it’s in shorter supply as the sun goes down, often making it necessary to supplement with artificial ambient light. This can easily be accomplished with light fixtures inside your home and floodlights outdoors, but many cameras include an integrated spotlight that offers a few advantages. Because the spotlight is built into the camera, it directly lights the scene the camera is viewing, enabling the clearest possible image capture. And integrated spotlights can be configured to be triggered by motion detection, so they only switch on when a possible intruder is in view, eliminating the need to keep your home or yard lit up all night. As a bonus, being suddenly caught in the white hot glare of a spotlight is often enough to scare an intruder away. Local storage Some cameras include memory-card slots in lieu of, or in addition to, cloud storage, so you can store video right on the device. It’s an attractive feature as it can eliminate the cost of monthly storage fees. The downside (if there isn’t a cloud backup) is that if crooks steal your camera, they take your forensic evidence with it. Motion detection Assuming you’re monitoring your home when it’s empty, motion detection is one of the most desirable features in a security camera. Built-in sensors pick up movement within the camera’s field of view and trigger video recording. You’ll find an in-depth explanation of how motion detection works in this article. Because these sensors can be sensitive to any movement—even a shift in lighting or leaves blowing outside a window—it’s important the camera system also offer the ability to narrow the range of detection, adjust the sensor’s sensitivity, or otherwise customize this feature to cut down on false alerts. More and more security cameras now offer AI-powered motion detection that can identify people, pets, packages, and vehicles, allowing you to filter out such innocuous motion events as tree branches swaying in the wind or insects crawling across the camera lens. Such “advanced” motion-sensing functionality is often tied to a paid subscription plan, however. Night vision Most break-ins occur after dark, so this feature is nearly as important as motion detection. Technically, most home security cameras support infrared LED illumination, versus true night vision based on image intensification or thermal vision. Be that as it may, most cameras will switch to night vision automatically in low-light conditions, while others allow you to customize when and how it should be activated. Increasingly, cameras are equipped with full-color night vision, which enables video footage to capture important information that IR night vision can’t such as the color of an intruder’s clothing or vehicle. These cameras use hypersensitive light sensors, such as Starlight image sensors, which can reproduce color images in dimly lit environments, some as low as 0.0005 Lux (for reference, 0 Lux indicates no ambient lighting). To increase battery efficiency, some models include both black-and-white and color night vision, defaulting to black-and-white in low light and switching to color only when motion is detected. Pan/Tilt/Swivel Most security cameras can be manually tilted and swiveled to focus on a certain viewing area, but this is a purely set-it-and-forget it feature. A true pan/tilt camera is equipped with a motor so that you can move its lens—or even follow a moving object if you’re watching a live feed—using its app or browser-based app. Some cameras can even track a person moving within their field of view. Resolution No amount of security video will help you if it’s blurry, jittery, or otherwise distorted. Look for a camera that offers the highest possible resolution. There was a time when 720p (often referred to as “high definition” or HD) resolution was the standard, but most newer cameras now support 1080p (often referred to as “full HD”). Some models provide even higher resoution (2K or 4K), but keep in mind that higher-res cameras use more internet and Wi-Fi bandwidth as well as battery life (where applicable). Many cameras also offer a software zoom feature (which is not the same thing as having a physical zoom lens). Scheduling Scheduling features allow you to tell the camera to turn on and off, detect motion, and/or send alerts at specified times. This is useful when you, say, only want to be notified when your kids get home from school or just want to monitor your home when you’re away. It also reduces the amount of false alerts. Cameras that support geofencing can do this based on the location of your smartphone, activating themselves when you leave home and turning themselves off to enhance privacy while you’re home. Smart device integration If you have a home full of smart devices, consider looking for a security camera or an all-in-one home monitor that includes a Z-Wave, Zigbee, or—eventually a Thread—radio that can connect them. Support for an automation service like IFTTT is also useful. This allows the camera or monitor to react to various scenarios, such as taking a picture when your Nest Protect detects smoke, or telling your Philips Hue smart bulb to turn on when unexpected sounds are detected. Two-way audio While the idea of a security camera implies eyes-on monitoring, the ability to also hear what’s going on gives you a more complete picture of what’s happening on the home front when you’re away. It can also alert you to something occurring out of the camera’s field of vision. This feature can also allow you to speak through the camera, a great tool for remotely commanding an unruly pet or startling an intruder in the act. On some very low-end models, you might need to plug in a powered speaker for this feature to work. Viewing angle The camera’s field of view determines how much it can see. As you’re probably monitoring a single room, you want a wide viewing angle. Most current cameras fall in the 130-degree range. These wide angles can sometimes cause image distortion at the edges in the form of a fisheye effect, particularly when used in smaller rooms, but it’s not like you’re going to use a security to capture snapshots for your photo album. Frequently asked questions about home security cameras 1. What is the best security camera to buy for a home? Easy to set up yet packed with cutting-edge features, the Arlo Pro 5S 2K is the best security camera for most people. This battery-powered 2K security camera can track moving subjects, see in the dark, and connect to speedy 5GHz Wi-Fi networks–everything you need to keep an eye on your homestead. It’s also compatible with Alexa and Google Home, meaning you can view lives feeds on a smart display or set the camera to trigger home automations when it detects motion. 2. What is the best cheap security camera for a home? The $36 Wyze Cam v4 remains one of the best values in indoor/outdoor home security cameras. It offers crisp, lively video quality, along with a smart sound detection feature can alert you to noises like a baby’s cry or a cat’s meow. 3. What is the best home security camera without a subscription? Among its many other virtues, the Eufy Floodlight Camera E340 supports local storage. Add up to a 128GB microSD card and you won’t need to worry about paying for a cloud storage subscription. For even more storage, drop up to a 16GB hard drive or SSD in the Eufy HomeBase 3 and put it on your network. 4. What is cloud video storage, and how much does it cost? Many manufacturers offer cloud storage plans with their cameras. With one of these, your recorded video is sent to a remote server and stored for a predetermined time—usually anywhere from 24 hours to several weeks—and then deleted to make space for new videos. Though sometimes free, these cloud plans usually require a monthly subscription, but are worth it both for their convenience and if you want a surveillance record during a vacation or other extended time away from home. For more, check out our comparison of all the major security camera subscription plans. 5. Can security cameras recognize faces? A few newer cameras are experimenting with facial recognition. This feature could more accurately be called “facial identification,” as in practice it’s much better at distinguishing a face from, say, a lamp, than it is at actually distinguishing between one person’s face and another’s. If you opt for a camera with this feature, know that it typically learns faces through increasing exposure to them, so be prepared to spend a lot of time in front of the lens. 6. Can you access a security camera over the web? Many cameras can be accessed through a web portal. This is useful for times when you don’t have access to your mobile device or a wireless connection. The web app should closely mirror its mobile counterpart, so you don’t need to learn a whole new set of controls. 7. What’s the wireless range of a security camera? One of the benefits wireless cameras offer is the ability to move them around your home. Ideally, your home security camera should be able to maintain a Wi-Fi connection no matter how far you move it from your router, even in a large home. Some cameras come with an ethernet port as well, so you have the option of hardwiring it to your local network. A camera that supports power-over-ethernet (PoE) eliminates the need for an AC adapter and relies on just one cable (but your router or switch will also need to support PoE. Another alternative would be to use a PoE injector.) If you’re deploying a security camera beyond the range of your Wi-Fi network, models that connect instead to the same LTE network that your smartphone relies on are a good option, but they’re generally more expensive and you’ll need to pay your cellular provider for a data plan.  8. Are security cameras vulnerable to hackers?  There have been plenty of headlines about hackers compromising home cameras, baby monitors, and other Wi-Fi devices to spy on people, so be sure to check what steps has each manufacturer taken to eliminate this problem. Look for a camera that supports up-to-date wireless security protocols, such as WPA2, and make sure it encrypts internet transmission of your user name, your password, and the live feeds. Even better, opt for a security camera that supports end-to-end encryption, which ensures no third parties will be able to see your videos. Several security camera manufacturers, such as Ring, support end-to-end encryption. Never install a security camera (or a router or any other device on your home network) without changing its default user ID and password, and be sure to employ two-factor authentication if available. 9. Can you access your securty camera using a smartphone? Most of today’s home security camera’s are accessed primarily through a smartphone/tablet app. In addition to offering you a reliable way to view the camera’s live feed, it should offer plenty of options for customizing the way the camera performs. The ability to customize notifications, adjust motion and sound detection sensitivity, and set detection areas are some of the key features to look for. The app should also be intuitive and easy to master. Related content Best video doorbells Best DIY home security systems Best smart locks Best smart home systems Latest smart home security reviews Smart home security how-tos Smart home security news Read...

At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros Fast 20Gbps performance over USB 3.2×2 Built like a tank IP68 rated against dust and water intrusion Cons Not USB4 Our Verdict If I were roughing it in the wilder regions of the planet, the Asus TUF Gaming A2 ruggedized storage is what I’d take with me. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Best Prices Today: Asus TUF Gaming A2 Retailer Price Check Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Best Prices Today: Check today’s prices While there are a lot of vendors shipping ready-to-play, pre-populated external SSDs, they tend to be either super-fast and super-expensive, or super-cheap and suitable only for light-duty data transfer. Drive-less enclosures such as the IP-rated Asus TUF Gaming A2 reviewed here, while not exactly cheap, allow you to leverage faster SSD technology at a more affordable price point. Read on to learn more, then see our roundup of the best external drives for comparison. What are the TUF Gaming A2 features? I’m used to hex screws, they’re all over my guitar hardware. But I certainly wasn’t expecting them on an external drive enclosure. Then again, given the TUF moniker, I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised. It stands to reason that thieves are less likely to have a hex wrench like the one Asus includes on hand than a screwdriver. That is, if the thief wanted to remove the drive from the very attractive enclosure anyway. More likely, the hex is just for aesthetics. The Asus TUF Gaming A2 with the backplate off but no drive installed. As to its very attractive, black, ribbed silicone-wrapped enclosure — the A2 measures approximately 4.5-inches long, by 2.25-inches wide, and just over 0.5-inches thick. It’s on the hefty side at roughly 5.5 ounces. Personally, I love the solid weight in the hand as well as the nice grip offered by its silicone-ized upper and side surfaces. If I were going to take any portable drive to a barroom brawl, this would be it. Okay, wrong weapon, but you get my drift. All this TUF-ness culminates with an IP68 rating, which means dust and sand won’t enter, and if you drop it in 3 feet of water — no big deal. This primer on Ingress Protection ratings will tell you more. Personally, I love the solid weight in the hand as well as the nice grip offered by its silicone-ized upper and side surfaces. How much is the Asus TUF Gaming A2? The A2 is available on Amazon for $54 at the time of this writing, discounted from $60. You can certainly grab 20Gbps enclosures for less. A lot less, actually. But they won’t offer anywhere near the build quality of the A2. The large logo is actually on the flip side of the A2. Note the hex bolts securing the SSD cover. If you’re planning to work cross-platform, you might also consider a USB4 enclosure such as the UGreen CM642, which will be faster (much) on Macs. 20Gbps USB 3.2×2 slows to 10Gbps on most Macs and many Windows PC Thunderbolt ports. How fast is the TUF Gaming A2? The TUF A2 turned in an excellent USB 3.2×2 performance. Far better than average — though full disclosure, I populated it with the mighty Samsung 9100 Pro. Most external drives, such as the competing Crucial X10 and Addlink P21 in the charts will use less competent SSDs. This shows up more dramatically in the long transfer tests than in the synthetic benchmarks. Note that I’ve recently started testing transfers with Xcopy along with Windows Explorer. For some reason, Microsoft has optimized Xcopy for NVMe and not Explorer. Go figure. Read the How we test section at the bottom of this review for more info on testing. CrystalDiskMark 8 had very nice things to say about the A2’s sequential transfer potential. CrystalDiskMark 8 had very nice things to say about the A2’s sequential transfer potential. The A2 was head and shoulders above the X10 in terms of random performance; then again, so was the Addlink P21 in most cases. But victory belongs to the A2. Again, partially due to the fantastic Samsung 9100 Pro inside. The A2 was head and shoulders above the X10 in terms of random performance; then again, so was the Addlink P21 in most cases. But victory belongs to the A2. Again, partially due to the fantastic Samsung 9100 Pro inside. It was in our real-world transfers where the A2 really began to shine, cutting almost two minutes off of the aggregate (Xcopy and Explorer) copy times. There’s no doubt that the Samsung 9100 Pro contributed mightily to the 450GB write result. Both the X10 and P21 ran out of gas — aka, secondary cache — where the 4TB 9100 never did. Fair? Not really. So sue me. These results show what the A2 is capable of, but again, the competition wasn’t on the same level in terms of the SSD component inside. This simply shows what you can get if you spend a bit more. Note that while I used the Samsung 9100 Pro for testing, it is, in fact, overkill. There’s no way any external 20Gbps enclosure can utilize all its speed. Any DRAM-enabled NVMe SSD, PCIe 3.0 or later with modern TLC NAND will perform similarly. Should you buy the TUF Gaming A2? If you want 20Gbps USB storage that will easily stand up the rigors of travel, and even off-road excursions, it doesn’t get better than the A2. I’m quite enamored of it and it will stay in the backpack as long as Asus allows. How we test Drive tests currently utilize Windows 11 24H2, 64-bit running off of a PCIe 4.0 Samsung 990 Pro in an Asus Z890-Creator WiFi (PCIe 4.0/5.0) motherboard. The CPU is a Core Ultra i5 225 feeding/fed by two Kingston Fury 32GB DDR5 4800MHz modules (64GB of memory total). Both 20Gbps USB and Thunderbolt 5 are integrated and Intel CPU/GPU graphics are used. SSDs involved in the test are mounted in a HighPoint 7604A 16x PCIe 5.0 adapter card. We run the CrystalDiskMark 8, AS SSD 2, and ATTO 4 synthetic benchmarks to find the storage device’s potential performance, then a series of 48GB and 450GB transfers tests using Windows Explorer drag and drop to show what you’ll see under Window, as well as the far faster Xcopy to show what’s possible. The 48GB transfer tests utilize an USFMount RAM disk taking up 58GB of the 64GB of total memory. The 450GB file is transferred from an SSD on the HighPoint card. Each test is performed on a newly NTFS-formatted and TRIM’d drive so the results are optimal. Note that in normal use, as a drive fills up, performance may decrease due to less NAND for secondary caching, as well as other factors. This can be less of a factor with the current crop of SSDs with far faster late-generation NAND. Caveat: The performance numbers shown apply only to the drive we were shipped and to the capacity tested. SSD performance can and will vary by capacity due to more or fewer chips to shotgun reads/writes across and the amount of NAND available for secondary caching. Vendors also occasionally swap components. If you ever notice a large discrepancy between the performance you experience and that which we report, by all means, let us know. Read...

Nope, it’s not just you: Reports of Google Assistant strugglng to perform even basic smart home commands have been surging in recent weeks, and now Google is admitting that something’s amiss.  The lead executive for Google’s Home and Nest division tweeted on X that he’s heard the complaints “loud and clear” and revealed that his team is “actively working on major improvements.”  “I want to acknowledge the recent feedback about Google Assistant reliability on our home devices,” said Anish Kattukaran, the director of product management for Google Home and Nest. “I sincerely apologize for what you’re experiencing and feeling!”  Kattukaran’s assurances come after a steep rise in complaints about Google Assistant on Google’s Nest speakers and displays. Some users have been reporting that their Assistant routines have stopped working, while others say their Assistant-enabled devices have lost contact with smart lights, fail to play Spotify playlists, or can no longer control their Chromecast streaming devices with voice commands.  “We hear you loud and clear and are committed to getting this right – and making sure we have a long-term solution that provides better reliability and capability,” Katturkaran promised.  Kattukaran’s statement on X come during a turbulent time for Google Assistant, which is gradually being phased out to make way for Gemini.  Google kicked off a test of Gemini on Google Nest speakers late last year, before announcing in March that a “new experience powered by Gemini” will soon replace Google Assistant on Google’s smart devices.  In the meantime, Google has been quietly shedding features from Google Assistant and dropping support for some key Nest smart products, including its first- and second-generation Nest Learning Thermostats. Google has also discontinued its Nest Protect smoke and carbon monoxide alarm and Nest x Yale Lock and handed off the development of further devices in those product categories to third parties.  Of course, Google isn’t the only company facing a difficult transition period for its voice assistants. Alexa is in the middle of a glacially slow rollout of its AI-enhanced Alexa+, with mixed success. Meanwhile, Apple’s rumored smart hub has been reportedly delayed until next year due to speedbumps with Siri’s AI makeover.  In any event, Google has been promising big things for Google Home in the fall, including new devices and—presumably—this “new experience powered by Gemini” that we’ve been heading about. Sounds good, but at the rate things are going for Google Assistant and Google’s Home efforts in general, these promised autumn improvements couldn’t come a moment too soon. Read...

Windows Security is not the same across Windows 10 and Windows 11. Microsoft’s built-in security suite protects against online and offline threats in both operating systems, but Windows 11 gets extra features. Not that most people know about it—few users keep up with the latest additions to background protections. So Microsoft has taken steps to get more use out of a particular Windows 11 exclusive—Smart App Control. Smart App Control screens apps, analyzes them via Microsoft’s cloud security service, and determines if they’re safe. It works broadly across all programs too, whether installed directly by a user or via the Microsoft Store app. As a supplement to the antivirus, firewall, and other protections in Windows Security, it provides an additional layer of defense against compromised executables and malware.  And as of January 2025, Windows 11 can automatically start Smart App Control in an audit mode, where it monitors your usage to see if you’re a good candidate for the feature. (Some developers and gamers run programs that Smart App Control can interfere with.) If all’s well after 30 days, then it will automatically switch on. But this security feature has one wrinkle—only clean installations of Windows 11 behave this way. For most people, that equates to when you initially begin using a new PC. This Windows 11 PC will need to be reset in order to turn on Smart App Control.PCWorld So, if you’ve just bought a laptop or desktop, you should open Windows Security after you first boot up. Head to App & browser control, then verify that Evaluation mode is selected. Pretty sure Smart App Control won’t conflict with your usual apps? You can also jump straight to turning the mode fully on. If Smart App Control is set to off on your PC already, you can still activate it. You must reset Windows—but a full clean wipe isn’t necessary. You can do the version that lets you keep your apps and data. Just make sure to back up your system to ensure you don’t lose any of your files. Microsoft has sound reasoning for allowing only clean installs to use Smart App Control—it better ensures the screening process begins on an uncompromised system. But this decision makes Windows 11 security even more convoluted—and security in general is already a muddle, thanks to the explosion of scams, phishing attempts, malware, and other attacks in the last couple of years. Using a password manager, antivirus, and keeping your software up to date is now very much the bare minimum. Read...

If all you do on your laptop is work, browse, and watch stuff, then you don’t need a top-of-the-line rocket that costs an arm and a leg. What you need is a machine with decent specs and an affordable price tag—like this HP OmniBook X Flip 2-in-1 laptop that’s only $700 right now (was $1,050). With this $350 discount, you’re getting a winner. For starters, this is a laptop with a gorgeous 1920×1200 touchscreen with a color-accurate IPS panel and 400 nits of brightness, so it looks great in nearly all environments. You get crisp images that look clear, on a compact 14-inch screen that’s neither too small nor too large. And this is a 2-in-1, so the screen folds back all the way and can be used like a tablet or propped up like a tent (for watching videos or reading documents). Under the hood, this laptop runs on an Intel Core Ultra 7 256V processor, which is in the newer Series 2 line and makes it a proper Copilot+ PC. That means you get access to all of Microsoft’s newest AI features in Windows 11, and your Windows experience will be smooth and responsive thanks to the 16GB of LPDDR5 RAM. Throw in the 1TB SSD and you have a lovely workstation that isn’t overkill for your wallet. There may not be a dedicated graphics card on board, but the Intel Arc 140V integrated GPU is plenty strong for some modest gaming and supporting any external displays via the HDMI 2.1 and Thunderbolt 4 ports. Other connectivity options include one USB-C, two USB-A, Wi-Fi 6E, and Bluetooth 5.2 Meanwhile, it lasts 20+ hours on its 65-watt-hour battery and it’s both light (3 pounds) and thin (0.58 inches). Take advantage of this Best Buy deal and get this HP OmniBook X Flip 2-in-1 laptop for only $700 while supplies last! Save $350 on this AI-ready 2-in-1 laptop that`s perfect for productivityBuy now from Best Buy Read...

At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros Good design with enjoyable keyboard Sharp 15.6-inch 1080p display Decent speakers Extremely inexpensive Cons Small touchpad Slow dual-core processor 4GB RAM often holds it back Short battery life for a Chromebook Our Verdict The Asus Chromebook CX15 offers just the basics—and nothing more—for under $200.    Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Best Prices Today: Asus Chromebook CX15 Retailer Price $269.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Best Prices Today: Check today’s prices Want to buy a laptop for less than $200? If so, you’re in for a rough time. Laptops sold in the extreme budget category often struggle with slow performance, bad displays, and questionable build quality. Asus Chromebook CX15 doesn’t avoid the first problem (performance), but it does dodge the others. That makes it a fair choice if you want a just-the-basics laptop for the price of dinner, drinks, and a movie. Asus Chromebook CX15: Specs and features The Asus Chromebook CX15’s specifications are as basic as you’ll find in any new laptop. It has a dual-core Intel Celeron processor paired with just 4GB of RAM and 128GB of eMMC storage. The display is 1080p, at least. Model number: CX1505CKA CPU: Intel Celeron N4500 (2 cores, 1.1GHz up to 2.8GHz) Memory: 4GB LPDDR5X Graphics/GPU: Intel Integrated NPU: None Display: 15.6-inch 1080p LCD Storage: 128GB eMMC Webcam: 720p with privacy shutter Connectivity: 1x USB-C 3.2 with DisplayPort and Power Delivery, 1x USB-A 3.2, 1x HDMI 1.4, 1x 3.5mm combo audio Networking: Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.4 Biometrics: None Battery capacity: 42 watt-hours Dimensions: 14.5 x 9.14 x 0.79 inches Weight: 3.51 pounds Operating System: ChromeOS Price: $159.00 MSRP The basic specifications come with a low price attached. The Asus Chromebook CX15 I reviewed retailed for just $159. That’s MSRP, not a limited-time sale. It’s possible (even, I’d say, likely) that the laptop will be less expensive in the future. Consider the Chromebook CX15 the minimum viable laptop. It’s not great at anything, but it can handle the basics at an extremely low price. Asus Chromebook CX15: Design and build quality IDG / Matthew Smith I unboxed the Asus Chromebook CX15 expecting the worst. $160 isn’t much for a laptop, and many models in this category suffer terrible build quality. Fortunately, the Chromebook CX15 defies that trend. Don’t get me wrong: it still feels inexpensive. The laptop is constructed from simple plastics that lack a distinctive texture and feel hollow. On the upside, though, the laptop is surprisingly solid overall. The display hardly flexes when opened and the lower chassis feels rigid when held from a corner. It’s not bad to look at, either. The silver exterior and interior provide a simple, minimalist look that’s inoffensive and fits in nicely with most home décor. You could easily spend $500 on a laptop and end up with a machine that looks no more attractive than this humble $160 Chromebook. There are functional benefits to the design, as well. The laptop weighs just 3.51 pounds and measures about eight-tenths an inch thick. While plenty of thinner and lighter 15-inch laptops are available, from the MacBook Air 15 to the LG Gram lineup, they tend to be much more expensive. Asus Chromebook CX15: Keyboard, trackpad IDG / Matthew Smith I was again surprised by the Asus Chromebook CX15’s keyboard. It provides good key travel, reasonable tactile feel, and some audible feedback with each keystroke. The plastics used for the keycaps do feel hollow, which cheapens the experience, but it’s not terrible. I happily wrote most of this review on the keyboard. A numpad is included, as well. The numpad keys are slightly undersized, however, so it can prove a cramped experience. A keyboard backlight is not included. That’s always disappointing, but it’s expected at this price point. The touchpad, on the other hand, hints at the Chromebook CX15’s extreme budget price. It measures about four inches wide and three inches deep, which makes it the smallest touchpad I’ve tried on any 15-inch (or larger) laptop in 2025. Multi-touch gestures are responsive but can be difficult to execute inside the touchpad’s limited area. Asus Chromebook CX15: Display, audio IDG / Matthew Smith The Asus Chromebook CX15 has a 15.6-inch display with full HD (1920×1080) resolution. That’s not a headline feature in 2025, but it’s not guaranteed at this price point. A quick glance at Amazon reveals plenty of Chromebooks with an inferior display resolution of 1366×768. A laptop with a 1366×768 display is not worth buying in 2025, no matter the price, so I’m glad Asus avoided that mistake. The CX15’s 1080p resolution, paired with a matte display coat, helps the laptop provide a crisp, clear image in most situations. It’s not a bright display, so don’t expect to use it outdoors or near a fully sunlit window, but it’s fine for most indoors use. Color performance is where the display reminds you of the laptop’s low price. The display has a dull, flat look with muted colors. Intense reds tend to look orange; intense greens tend to look pastel. It’s tolerable but not the best option for streaming Netflix or playing a game over Amazon Luna or GeForce Now. Viewing angles are limited, too. Brightness and color shifts noticeably when viewing slightly off-axis in all directions. Vertical viewing angles are particularly tight with only a few degrees of tilt separating an image that looks fine and one that’s nearly unusable. The Chromebook CX15’s speakers continue the trend of beating the expectations set by the laptop’s price. They provide good volume and decent clarity in less complex content, like video calls or podcasts. Music quickly overwhelms them, particularly at maximum volume, but the speakers are workable for casual use. Asus Chromebook CX15: Webcam, microphone, biometrics The Asus Chromebook CX15’s webcam and microphone, on the other hand, aren’t great even for an inexpensive laptop. The laptop has a muddy, grainy 720p webcam and a mediocre dual-array microphone that picks up passable but slightly soft audio. A physical privacy shutter is included to cover the camera when it’s not in use. Biometric login isn’t available on Chromebook CX15. That’s hardly a surprise given the price. Most laptops sold below $500 don’t include facial recognition or a fingerprint reader. Asus Chromebook CX15: Connectivity You’ll charge the Asus Chromebook CX15 with the laptop’s sole USB-C port. It also supports DisplayPort, so it can be used to connect with an external display. An HDMI-out port is also available, though, which makes it easy to connect the Chromebook to a TV, projector, or older monitors. A single USB-A port and a 3.5mm combo audio jack round out the options. This is a modest selection of ports even for budget Chromebooks. Many alternatives, like the Lenovo Ideapad 3 and Acer Chromebook 315, offer an extra USB-A port. Some also have a microSD card reader. HDMI-out is often omitted, though, especially on Chromebooks that have USB-C with DisplayPort, so it’s good to see it included here. Asus Chromebook CX15: Performance At this point you might be scratching your head about the Asus Chromebook CX15’s $160 price tag. It’s not an amazing laptop but it provides a slim design, enjoyable keyboard, and 1080p display. So, why is it so affordable? Because it’s slow. CrXPRT 2: 82 Speedometer 2.0: 101 Basemark Web 3.0: 506 Kraken: 1298.4 Jetstream: 111.289 The benchmark results don’t look great. The Asus Chromebook Plus CX34 is much quicker with scores that often doubled the Chromebook CX15’s results. Even the Lenovo Chromebook Duet, which has a MediaTek Kompanio 838, often got the better of the Chromebook CX15. Overall, the Chromebook CX15 is the slowest ChromeOS machine PC World has reviewed in several years (though also, to be fair, the least expensive). The Intel Celeron N4500 processor is partly to blame. It’s a dual-core chip with a base clock of 1.1GHz and a maximum boost clock of 2.8GHz. That’s not much, and it shows. However, I think the laptop’s RAM is where it really drags. 4GB of memory is incredibly slim for any modern laptop, even a Chromebook, and quickly becomes a problem. The laptop’s performance is acceptable with a couple browser tabs open but, as the tab count grows to a half-dozen or more, it starts to slow. Opening too many tabs can cause the laptop to completely freeze up for several seconds, and it remains sluggish until some tabs are closed. Performance is likely to be the deal breaker—or the reason to buy—depending on what you need. People who just want to browse the web with a few tabs open, watch YouTube, and send emails will find the Chromebook CX15’s performance passable, if not amazing. But if you want to multitask, the laptop’s 4GB of RAM will hold you back. Even if your “multitasking” consists of nothing more than two web apps open side-by-side in the Chrome browser. Asus Chromebook CX15: Battery life and portability Asus ships the Chromebook CX15 with a small 42 watt-hour battery–that’s not very big. By comparison, most 15-inch Windows laptops have a 60 to 80 watt-hour battery. I recorded 10 hours and 57 minutes in the CrXPRT 2 battery test. That’s considerably less than the Asus Chromebook CX34, which topped 13 hours, or the Asus Chromebook Spin 314, which endured 14 hours. While the Chromebook CX15’s battery life isn’t great, it still provides a full workday of solid use. I also noticed that the laptop’s real-world battery life held up, enduring five hours of light use (mostly web browsing) with 51 percent of the battery remaining. As mentioned earlier, the Chromebook CX15 is slim and light for a 15-inch budget laptop. It also ships with a small USB-C power brick that delivers just 45 watts. That means the CX15 can be adequately powered by a wide variety of USB-C power bricks. Asus Chromebook CX15: Conclusion The Asus Chromebook CX15 is a $160 laptop that provides the essentials without any glaring flaws that would make it unappealing. It’s not fast enough to handle anything beyond casual web browsing and doesn’t last as long on battery as more expensive Chromebooks. But it still offers a crisp 1080p display, slim design, and a decent keyboard. Consider the Chromebook CX15 the minimum viable laptop. It’s not great at anything, but it can handle the basics at an extremely low price. Read...

Not all browsers are created equal, especially for gamers. If you game while browsing, use Discord, watch Twitch, or check out new games often, you need more than just speed. That’s where Opera GX comes in. This free specialized browser comes with a range of clever functions that are specifically tailored to gamers, from a resource manager to an integrated streaming sidebar. We present the five best tips and tricks for Opera GX. Note: You can download Opera GX (for free!) for Windows, macOS, and even mobile. 1. Tame resources with one click With Opera GX, you can set an upper limit for resource consumption directly in the browser.Foundry We’ve all been there: the voice chat is open, a game is running in the background, a YouTube video is playing in the browser tab, and suddenly things get jerky because the system is running out of steam. Many browsers consume significantly more resources in the background than gamers would like. This is especially critical when a demanding game is already fighting for CPU and RAM. Opera GX solves this problem with a built-in function called GX Control. This allows you to define exactly how much RAM and processor power the browser is allowed to use. The whole thing works via two simple controllers, one for RAM and one for the CPU. Once the limit is reached, the browser automatically slows down its processes so that the game continues to run smoothly. How to activate GX Control: Click on the GX Control icon at the top left (it looks like a speedometer). Activate the RAM limiter and/or the CPU limiter. Use the slider to select the desired upper limit. A small diagram shows you in real time how busy the browser currently is, and you can counteract this directly if necessary. This is real life insurance for gamers with only 8GB RAM or older systems. You can also activate a network limiter at this point. 2. Free games, deals, and release dates at a glance GX Corner shows the latest gaming news, free games and new releases at a glance.Foundry Opera GX thinks for you, even when you’re not playing games, but are looking for new titles or favorable gaming deals. That’s what the GX Corner is for: a central information hub directly in the browser that clearly lists free-to-play games, current deals, and upcoming releases. You can find the GX Corner directly in the sidebar. Click on the small game pad at the top left (next to the GX symbol). You’ll then find it in a new window: A list of free games from stores such as Steam, Epic Games, or GOG A clear calendar with the most important gaming releases Top news from the world of games, e-sports, and hardware Practical: The range of free games is updated automatically, so you won’t miss any more promotions. And, if you’re looking for new releases, you can filter by platform (e.g. PC, Xbox, PS5, Switch, or mobile games). What we particularly like about the GX Corner is that it’s completely ad-free. Instead of banners and pop-ups, curated content awaits us here: compact, up-to-date and without annoying distractions. If you regularly browse gaming stores anyway, this feature can save you a lot of time. 3. Whatsapp, Discord, Twitch–keep everything in the sidebar Opera GX lets you keep an eye on chats and streams, even while gaming.Foundry Want to game, browse, and chat simultaneously without constantly switching windows? No problem. Opera GX can anchor the most important gaming services directly in the sidebar like Twitch and Discord. (Note: Twitch is already integrated by default in the current version of Opera GX) How to activate the integration: Click on the three-dot icon at the bottom of the left sidebar (sidebar settings). Tick the boxes for the services you want to use, such as Whatsapp and Discord. Now log in to the services (click on the icon in the sidebar)–done. What happens next is virtually seamless social media access via the sidebar: Twitch shows which channels are live in real time, including a preview. Discord allows quick access to servers, chats and channels directly in the browser window. This means you no longer have to switch back and forth between apps or tabs. This is particularly helpful if you are in a gaming session and still want to quickly clarify something in the chat or respond to a stream. The sidebar remains visible even when browser tabs are active, which is perfect for multitasking. Tip: Telegram, Messenger, TikTok, or Spotify can also be integrated into the sidebar for maximum control with minimum distraction. 4. Hot Tabs Killer: Put an end to those background memory hogs With the Hot Tabs Killer, we find and close performance-hungry tabs immediately.Foundry Many browsers suffer from the same problem: the more tabs you’ve got open, the slower the system runs. This gets annoying fast, especially when individual pages continue to run happily in the background. With the Hot Tabs Killer, Opera GX provides an in-built task force against precisely this phenomenon. The tool shows you at a glance which tabs are consuming a particularly large amount of RAM or CPU, and allows you to close them directly. You get to reclaim computing power without having to guess which tab is the culprit. How to use the Hot Tabs Killer: Click on the GX Control icon in the sidebar. Scroll down to the Hot Tabs Killer section. There you will see all active tabs, sorted by resource consumption. Click on the “X” to close the memory guzzlers immediately. Tip: Opera GX automatically sorts tabs according to resource requirements. This means we don’t have to search long to identify system slowdowns. This is ideal for gaming sessions on older laptops, streaming with lots of tabs in the background or for multitaskers who like to have 20 tabs open at the same time. The Hot Tabs Killer is basically the task manager for your browser. Only simpler and with gaming flair. 5. Custom sounds, skins, and effects We can give the GX Browser a real gaming setup with personalised sounds and your own style in no time at all.Foundry Features matter, but they’re not everything. With Opera GX, style isn’t overlooked, it helps set the mood and it’s done especially well here. The browser is highly customized, from color themes to background music and click sounds. GX Design is more than just cosmetics, it transforms the browser into a real gaming interface. You can customize it: Color scheme: Choose your favorite color as a theme, from neon blue to toxic green and magenta. Background music: A subtle synth soundscape provides focus while browsing and can be quickly switched off again with a click. Sound effects: Tab changes, keystrokes, or new messages can trigger your own sounds. Wallpapers & themes: Set your own backgrounds or use gaming themes that are updated regularly. How to activate your customized design: Click on the GX menu at the top right (three dashes). Go to “Appearance.” Choose colors, sounds, and effects to suit your taste–everything can be changed in real time. If you prefer a quieter look, you can also switch off design options. But if you want to feel a bit like you’re in the start menu of Cyberpunk 2077 as soon as you start your browser, Opera GX is the right choice for you. Conclusion: Perfect for gamers who value performance and style Opera GX is ideal for gamers who value performance and style. The browser conserves resources, provides useful gaming news, and looks cool. It also offers many clever features such as GX Control, GX Corner, Twitch and Discord integration, Hot Tabs Killer, and a customizable design. In short, function meets style without compromising the system. Read...

One of the handier features on new cars is the ability to remotely unlock and start them. Microsoft is adding the opposite — the ability to remotely lock your PC — to its Windows toolkit. Windows Central is reporting that it’s seeing an update to the Microsoft Link to Windows app on Android, whose latest update adds the ability to remotely lock your PC, even if you’re not nearby. As the site notes, Windows already allows you to automatically lock your PC when you walk away, so it basically uses your phone’s Bluetooth connectivity as a “fence” of sorts. Go beyond that fence and Windows can lock your PC as a protective measure. If you don’t have that feature turned on, the Link to Windows app update allows you to manually lock your PC, especially if you’re going to be unexpectedly delayed. Windows Central’s tests of the new app show that Microsoft is reorganizing some of Link to Windows’ functions in a more organized interface, too. In general, the interaction between your Android phone and Windows has been relatively one-sided. On a PC, the Phone Link app provides an interface to share files, photos, texts, and more between your PC and the phone. The Link to Windows app has traditionally been pretty rudimentary, simply allowing you to specify whether you want Windows to be able to share certain files or connect to it as a hotspot. Now, it sounds like Microsoft is beefing up its Android app, and the ability to remotely lock your PC sounds like a definite improvement. Look out for version 1.25071.165 or higher in the app to trigger the new feature. Read...

The niche, privacy-focused Brave browser will now block Microsoft’s controversial Recall function by default, the company said this week. But you really don’t need Brave to do it yourself, either. Microsoft Recall is Microsoft’s otherwise useful tool for taking snapshots (or screenshots) of your Copilot+ PC, and using them as a way to hunt down scraps of information that may have been shared in chat tools, Word documents, or other places. But, paired with Windows Hello in an increasingly authoritarian world, it represents a privacy risk. Brave, as it turns out, agrees. This week, Brave said that version 1.81 and above of the Brave browser will block Recall’s ability to save snapshots of what you view in it, by default. Microsoft did revise Recall to try to secure it further, locking it down using a combination of BitLocker and Recall, and Brave’s blog post announcing the new program notes this. But Brave also adds that Recall is still in preview, and it’s unknown what it will look like when formally released. “Given Brave’s focus on privacy-maximizing defaults and what is at stake here (your entire browsing history), we have proactively disabled Recall for all Brave tabs,” the Brave blog post says. “We think it’s vital that your browsing activity on Brave does not accidentally end up in a persistent database, which is especially ripe for abuse in highly privacy-sensitive cases such as intimate partner violence.” What this means is that, if you browse the web using Brave, Recall will not record what you’re looking at and will not index it, either. However, you can toggle Recall’s ability to archive what you’re viewing in Brave via a toggle switch in the browser’s settings. (For more on Brave, read our original Brave browser review, as well as our article on one of its killer features that swayed a PCWorld reporter.) Brave ensures Recall isn’t watching you In May, the communication app Signal essentially blocked Recall’s snapshot functionality. Brave takes a more standardized approach, essentially using Recall’s ability to exclude apps and websites from being recorded. (Right now, even on Copilot+ PCs, you must agree to use Recall before the feature is enabled, and Microsoft uses Windows Hello to lock down snapshots and settings.) Recall offers you a list of apps to exclude from its “snapshot” screenshots.Mark Hachman / Foundry In other words, you can do the same thing without Brave. Recall includes numerous settings to filter snapshots, including the ability to turn them off entirely. But you can also tell Recall to stop taking snapshots of various apps, including Google Chrome. (Microsoft Edge does not seem to be included in a list of apps that can be excluded, however.) This means that Recall should allow you to exclude a third-party browser from being recorded by Recall. Microsoft also explicitly supports filtering websites on certain browsers (Edge, Firefox, Opera, and Chrome) and won’t capture sites that you browse in a private mode. Put another way, Recall already allows you to prevent Recall from taking snapshots of Brave browsing, and allows you to filter websites and private browsing while in Brave, too. But Recall stores snapshots by default. Brave automatically turns them off, another safeguard for those concerned about their online privacy. Read...

Mozilla is bringing all kinds of new features and improvements with the latest Firefox 141 update, including the ability to organize tag groups with the help of AI and use the address bar as a unit converter. In addition, the developers have addressed several security vulnerabilities per usual, in both Firefox and Firefox ESR versions. Mozilla plans to release the next versions—including Firefox 142 and Firefox ESR 140.2, ESR 128.14, and ESR 115.27—on August 19th, 2025. Firefox ESR 128 will receive its last update in August, as will Firefox ESR 115 (subject to Mozilla’s pending decision). What’s new in Firefox 141? You can now partially automate the organization of multiple tabs in tab groups with AI support. A local AI model (which doesn’t send any information to the cloud and thus preserves privacy) can automatically group similar tabs and suggest suitable names for the tab group. Mozilla will be gradually rolling out this feature over the next few weeks. Furthermore, if you use the vertical tabs layout introduced in Firefox 136, you can now create more space for even more tabs by minimizing the toolbar at the bottom of the sidebar. Since version 136, Firefox has been initially displaying placeholders when a website embeds content from Instagram or TikTok, and the content is only loaded after clicking on it. With Firefox 138, similar support was added for X/Twitter, and with Firefox 141, Disqus is also supported. You can now also use the address bar to convert units without referring to Google or another search engine. The built-in unit calculator recognizes metric and imperial units for length, mass, temperature, force, and angles. Firefox 141 can also convert time to different time zones. For example, “10:00 CEST in EDT” presents the time as it would be in US East Coast for when it’s 10:00 (summer time) in Germany. Then, “now in JST” would give the current time in Japan. Other conversion examples: “100 km in mi” converts to English miles, “28 C in F” converts degrees Celsius to Fahrenheit, and if you click on the result, it ends up in your clipboard. Incidentally, the address bar has been able to do math since Firefox 137. Security updates in Firefox 141 Mozilla’s 2025-56 Security Advisory shows more than 18 fixed vulnerabilities in Firefox 141. Mozilla categorizes two of the externally reported vulnerabilities (CVE-2025-8027 and CVE-2025-8028) as high risk. For example, the JavaScript JIT compiler IonMonkey only writes 32 bits of a 64-bit return value to the stack, but the base JIT reads all 64 bits, which could invite abuse. Four entries in the security report concern internally discovered vulnerabilities, each summarized under a CVE number. They are also considered high risk. The other vulnerabilities that Mozilla’s developers have fixed in Firefox 141 are categorized as medium or low risk. Updates for Firefox ESR Mozilla is currently maintaining three transitional Firefox ESR generations: versions 140, 128, and 115. Firefox ESR 140.1.0 is the most technically up-to-date version and also the one with the longest life expectancy (until September 2026). The developers have fixed at least 14 security vulnerabilities in this version, which have also been fixed in Firefox 141. Firefox ESR 128.13.0 is the latest version of the previous generation, which is nearing its end. The update fixes at least nine vulnerabilities. The update to Firefox ESR 115.26 addresses four security flaws, but this one is only available on Windows 7/8.1 and macOS 10.12 to 10.14 computers. In August, Mozilla will decide whether to continue or end maintenance for Firefox ESR 115. Further reading: Firefox is getting WebGPU, but only on Windows Read...