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At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros Affordably priced 360-degree pan and 180-degree tilt will cover an entire room Smooth and reliable motion tracking Cons Requires continuous power (no battery option) Smart features locked behind an Arlo Secure subscription Our Verdict A strong budget buy for pet and child monitoring, the Essential Pan Tilt Indoor Camera offers wide coverage and solid performance at a price that makes this 2K model an easy pick. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Best Prices Today: Arlo Essential Pan Tilt Indoor (model VMC3073-100NAS) Retailer Price $49.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Best Prices Today: Check today’s prices The Arlo Essential line of home security cameras is meant to make the company’s tech more accessible, with budget-friendly cameras that are simple to install but still deliver the features most people actually use. The lineup already covers indoor, outdoor, and battery-powered models, and now there are pan-and-tilt options. The Essential Pan Tilt Indoor Camera is the newest member of that family, slotting in as an affordable way to get full-room coverage without stepping up to Arlo’s pricier Pro or Ultra gear. Note that this is an indoor-only camera; we reviewed the indoor/outdoor Arlo Essential Pan Tilt Camera on October 17. (Editor’s note: Yes, the very subtle difference in product names confuses us, too, which is why we also include the full product SKU above.) Design and features The Essential Pan Tilt Indoor Camera has a small, unassuming design that won’t stick out on a bookshelf or side table. The motorized head can sweep a full 360 degrees or tilt 180 to cover floor to ceiling. You can also save shortcut positions, so instead of swiping around the room every time, a tap takes you straight to points of interest; say a crib or the front door. Motion tracking is built in, so once it spots a person or pet, the camera will follow them until they leave the frame. The camera comes in two flavors: a budget HD version ($34.99) and the sharper 2K model ($49.99) reviewed here. The difference shouldn’t be dramatic at close range, but 2K’s extra pixels give you clearer edges and preserve more detail when you zoom in on a clip. That can mean recognizing a face more easily, catching the logo on a delivery driver’s shirt, or spotting what your pet has in its mouth. If pulling extra detail from the image matters to you, the 2K model is worth the modest $15 jump. Arlo’s camera pans 360 degrees and tilts 180 degrees with motion tracking to follow subjects as they move.Michael Ansaldo/Foundry Arlo rounds out the package with the kind of features you’d expect in a modern security cam. Dual-band Wi-Fi helps maintain a steady connection, a one-tap privacy mode disables both video and audio when you want downtime, and standard security perks like night vision, two-way audio, and an integrated siren are all built in. To unlock the camera’s smarter features, you’ll need an Arlo Secure subscription. The Plus plan costs $7.99/month when billed annually for a single camera or $17.99/month for unlimited cameras. If you pay month to month instead of annually, the rates are $9.99 and $19.99. Upgrading to Premium (about $24.99/month, billed annually) gives you 24/7 professional monitoring, emergency response, and cellular/battery backup so your Arlo Home Security System can stay online even if Wi-Fi fails (that service tier is probably not worthwhile if you only have Arlo cameras). With a paid plan, you also get AI alerts that detect people, vehicles, animals, or packages, animated preview notifications, and event captions, along with and more precise filtering to cut down on false alarms. Arlo offers a 30 day free trial with purchase of the camera. Setup and performance Getting the Essential Pan Tilt Indoor Camera up and running is about as painless as it gets. Plug it in, open the Arlo Secure app, add the device, and follow the prompts. The app walks you through connecting to Wi-Fi and pairing the camera in just a few minutes. The home screen shows a live preview of your camera feed, and tapping it gives you quick access to pan and tilt controls. They are responsive and the camera tracks smoothly, though it tends to glide past your stopping point. Because of that I found it easier to use custom positions for spots I wanted want to check often, like my front and patio doors. These are easy to set by nudging the camera with a joystick-style control in the app and saving the position for later. In everyday use, the camera works well for its price. Video streams smoothly and provides enough detail to make out faces across a room. The night vision feature adequately captures video in dimly lit hallways or bedrooms, though you won’t get the same clarity as with Arlo’s pricier models. The Arlo Secure app makes it easy to view the live feed, arm and disarm the camera, and set custom positions for the pan-and-tilt feature. Michael Ansaldo/Foundry Motion-detection tracking worked well in my testing and notifications were timely and accurate. Each one includes an AI-generated event caption describing the captured activity: instead of a vague “motion detected,” I’d get alerts like “Person detected at Home” or “Animal detected in room.” These were handy for triaging alerts quickly, but the captions are pretty basic. As an Arlo Secure subscriber, you can also enable Person Recognition, which identifies familiar faces and lets you know when specific people are seen. The feature isn’t turned on by default—you’ll find it in a separate settings menu marked with a “person” icon on the top left-hand side of the app—and you train it by adding photos from your phone’s camera roll or tagging people as they appear in clips. If you’re getting too many notifications, the app lets you define activity zones, so the camera only reacts to motion in the areas you care about. This helps cut down on unnecessary alerts. Detected events are easy to find in the Feed tab, which collects recordings in a simple timeline. From there, you can tap into a clip, scrub through motion events, or check animated previews–provided you’re on an Arlo Secure plan. Arlo also bakes in security modes. You can set the system to Arm Away, Arm Home, or Standby, depending on whether you want full coverage, selective coverage, or nothing armed at all. Automations let you take it further, allowing you to schedule the camera to arm when you leave the house, for example. Everything is straightforward and doesn’t require digging through menus. Should you buy the Arlo Essential Pan Tilt Indoor Camera? At less than 50 bucks, the Arlo Essential Pan Tilt Indoor Camera feels like an easy buy for anyone who wants to keep tabs on kids, pets, or general activity indoors. The 2K model is the better deal for the modest price bump, but either version should deliver solid performance for the money. If you don’t mind plugging it in and can live with Arlo’s subscription model, it’s one of the best budget-friendly indoor cameras you can pick up right now. This review is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best home security cameras. Read...

At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros Highly automated and effective data removal Extremely easy to use Transparent removal tracking and progress Strong privacy standards Cons Verification of data removals is limited Ultimate plans are expensive Our Verdict Incogni’s automated data removal service expertly leverages privacy laws to compel data brokers to delete your personal information across hundreds of sites. The service is easy to use, secure, and effective at large-scale data deletion, though users must extend some level of faith in its confirmation process and pay a premium for the full feature set. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today 1 month$15.98/month12 months$95 ($7.99.mo)See all plans & pricing at Incogni Incogni in brief: Data removal sites: 420+, plus an additional 2,000+ custom removals Data removed information: Yes, for every site Identity monitoring: No Free version available: No Cost: $15.98 per month, or $95 for one year Most people are unaware of just how much of their data is out on the web available for anyone to buy and sell. Most of this is done by data-aggregator and data-broker websites which hoover up as much info as possible about as many people as possible. They then match this data to each individual to create personal profiles that are then packaged and sold online. There are so many of these data-broker sites now that it’s nearly impossible to remove your data from each on your own. As a result, a number of personal data-removal services have cropped up to help customers with this process. Incogni, from the famous VPN Surfshark, is probably the most famous and popular data-removal service—at the time of this writing it has processed over 245 million removal requests It makes the entire process of removing your data from these sites easy and effective. All requests are automated and the service even continually sends new requests to make sure your data never reappears in the future. What are Incogni’s features and services? Incogni is a personal data-removal service that delivers in an easy and automated format. Using its database of more than 420 data-broker websites, it sends removal requests on your behalf and requests that your data be added to suppression lists so it doesn’t reappear, and follows up every 60 to 90 days for as long as you’re subscribed. The service takes advantage of privacy laws in both the U.S. and EU to force data brokers into compliance. It leverages these legal frameworks in a really clever way too—the removal of your personal data is not only a request, but actually a compulsory legal requirement. All of the removal requests and their progress can be found under the Dashboard in your Incogni account on its website. Each request is shown as “In progress” or “Completed” based on whether the data broker has processed and confirmed the removal. Incogni shows detailed information relating to each removal request including when it was processed and completed, plus what data was removed. Sam Singleton You can click on the drop-down next to each request to see more detailed information including the data removed and a summary of the data-broker site itself. Each request comes with a unique ID and shows the last time it was updated and the average resolution time for the request as well. Incogni will follow-up with additional removal requests periodically to ensure your data doesn’t reappear on that site in the future. If you opt for the Ultimate or Family Ultimate plans, you’ll also gain access to Incogni’s Custom Removals feature. With this tool you can manually add your own data broker or public search sites not covered by the service’s automatic removals. When I reached out to Incogni about this tool, a representative assured me that each individual Custom Removal request is personally handled by an Incogni agent. As far as I know, there is no other service on the market that gives its customers the same individualized attention. That alone should be applauded. Incogni’s Custom removals are easy to set up and each request receives individualized attention. Incogni Custom removals can also cover sites outside of data brokers and traditional public search sites. This includes business and company information sites, legal resources, limited court record sites, and more. Not everything can be removed, but Incogni will give it a try if it can. As you are allowing Incogni to handle a lot of highly personal data, you want to make sure your data is in safe hands. According to its privacy policy, Incogni only shares your personal data to process a removal request with each data broker.  It does not sell, nor ever has sold, the personal data of customers. It complies with all personal rights according to U.S. and EU data protection laws. Customer data is only retained for a maximum of 12 months after you cancel the service. Finally, Incogni underwent a third-party security audit by Deloitte in August 2025 and the firm gave it a successful third-party assurance rating. These all lead me to believe that Incogni is doing its part to maintain the integrity of the vast user data it’s privy to. How much does Incogni cost? Incogni offers four subscription tiers: Standard, Unlimited, Family, and Family Unlimited. Each tier is offered in either a monthly plan or annual plan.  The Standard and Family plans are nearly identical, as are the Unlimited and Family Unlimited. Opting for the “family” versions of each provides the same service for up to five members on a single plan. The Standard plan is offered for $15.98 per month or $95 annually (at $7.99 per month), which is a 50 percent discount. With the Standard plan you get access to automated removal requests for over 420 data broker sites, up to three different emails, phone numbers, and addresses per person, plus recurring removals as long as your subscription lasts. The Ultimate plan is $29.98 per month or $179 annually (at $14.99 per month). If you opt for the Ultimate plan, you’ll get everything from the Standard plan plus unlimited custom removal requests for over 2,000 additional sites, plus live phone support. While the monthly price does seem expensive, the annual plans are much more affordable. Additionally, while data brokers have between 30 and 45 days to respond to a removal request, Incogni will continue to finish up any outstanding removals even if your subscription runs out.  Incogni also offers a 30-day money-back guarantee on all plans, which is even more incentive to give it a try if you’re curious. Incogni: Getting started You can add up to three emails, addresses, and phone numbers to your Incogni profile. Incogni Getting started with Incogni is pretty straightforward. After sign-up you can create your account and begin entering your personal data. This includes emails, addresses, phone numbers, and names or aliases you may be associated with, plus your birth date.  The service allows each user to enter up to three emails, phone numbers, and home addresses—each email needs to be verified though. I would recommend that everyone take advantage of this and fill up these extra data points, even if you haven’t used these old addresses or numbers in a long time. Old data has a funny way of following you around years or even decades later. After you enter in this information, Incogni will ask you to grant it the power to make requests on your behalf and away you go. Incogni will take over at this point and begin automatically sending out removal requests to known data-broker sites. You can see each request and its progress on the dashboard. The number of requests will balloon quickly. Just on my first day alone Incogni had sent out 585 requests, and each time I reloaded the page more and more were marked as completed. I received a few emails such as this directly from data brokers confirming my data was removed.Sam Singleton Once the requests begin, you may receive some emails from data brokers themselves verifying that they have removed your data from their sites. For me personally, I only received two or three over the course of a few weeks. The vast majority of these verification emails are sent directly to Incogni so you won’t be spammed. How are Incogni’s results over time? From day one Incogni was showing results. This honestly surprised me as data brokers have a month or more to respond to data removal requests. Additionally, Incogni itself shows the “Average resolution time” for each data broker under the Requests tab and most of them have averages in the two to three week range. Still, after just 24 hours I already had multiple pages of completed removals. Flash forward to a month later and I now have 743 requests sent, 662 removals completed, and 81 still in progress.  The Incogni Dashboard shows a graph displaying requests, time saved, and suppression list entries. Sam Singleton A neat little addition that Incogni includes on the dashboard is the amount of “Time saved” which is based on an estimate of how long it would take to submit each request manually. In just this short amount of time it claims to have saved me over 496 hours—which amounts to an insane amount of overtime I’d have had to put in just to do this myself. Another useful thing that Incogni does is request not only that your data be removed, but also a request to suppress your data. This means that a data broker has agreed to never re-collect any of your personal information in the future.  As of the time of writing, I have 102 suppression list entries, meaning that I’ll never have to worry about those sites collecting my data again. This is, at least, in theory. While I can dig into the requests page and see which brokers are suppressing my data, I would need to individually reach out to each to confirm this. Something that I, and most other people don’t have the time to do. It should be noted that while Incogni does not verify that your data has been removed on private data broker sites, it does verify removals on public search sites. In fact, this is the inherent problem with Incogni’s service: As most removal confirmations are sent to Incogni, you have to trust that the data it claims it removed has actually been removed. Of course, Incogni isn’t the only personal data-removal service that has this problem—it’s inherent to the entire industry.  To Incogni’s credit, they do this on purpose so that you aren’t spammed with hundreds, or even thousands, of removal confirmation emails. Out of curiosity, I visited a few public search sites at random from the list of those confirmed to be removed by Incogni just to check if my data was truly wiped.  All except one, Spokeo, had indeed removed any trace of me from their website. Spokeo still had a profile on me, but due to it being behind a paywall I wasn’t able to verify what data it had. This isn’t exactly an issue with Incogni’s service, rather these public search sites that don’t agree to suppression often re-add profiles over time.  Incogni tries to keep these recurrences to a minimum by periodically resubmitting new removal requests. And indeed, a new pending request by Incogni was already underway for Spokeo when I checked. Incogni occassionally asks you to verify records it found that may be associated with you in order to further enhance its services. Sam Singleton At the top of the Incogni Dashboard, I occasionally found a red banner indicating that Incogni found additional records that might belong to me. When I clicked on the banner, it took me to a “Verify your record” screen where I was asked to double-check some possible aliases that Incogni had identified as potential matches.  Most of these were only tangentially related to me—same first name, similar ages, etc. Some of them were obviously not me with completely different info that left me baffled as to why they would be potential matches.  When I questioned Incogni about this they said that the record verification tool is constantly learning and improving upon itself. As it’s still relatively new, it may produce results that seem puzzling. They assured me that over time—and with enough user input—the tool would become much more precise. So for now, users have an incentive to sort through the head-scratchers in order to improve the algorithm and receive more accurate results in the future. What data does Incogni remove? Incogni checks for personal data on both public search sites as well as private data brokers. As mentioned previously, this list currently totals over 420 sites.  The type of information that Incogni sends removal requests for include any current or former names, physical addresses, email addresses, and phone numbers associated with you. The more information you provide to Incogni, the more effective it is at removing all of your data. This is why it’s always a good idea to fill in all available physical address, email, and phone number slots allowed on your profile in Incogni.  For public search sites, Incogni checks for your information first, then sends a removal request. Once the removal has been confirmed, Incogni verifies the removal and provides you with all of the information removed. As for private data brokers, the process is a little trickier. These companies have the ability to stock up a lot more data on an individual user and generally keep their practices (and clients) hidden. Consequently, it’s next to impossible for Incogni to verify your data with these sites. Instead, it takes a shotgun approach by sending out mass removal requests to all the private data brokers it tracks, requesting that your data be removed. It doesn’t check that your data has been removed; it just marks the status as “Completed” when the broker confirms the removal. While this might seem unreliable, most of these data brokers are located in the U.S. or EU where there are massive fines for mishandling removal requests thanks to laws such as the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) and the CCPA (California Consumer Privacy Act). Therefore, it’s safe to assume that these removal confirmation responses that Incogni receives are true. Is Incogni worth it? Yes, Incogni is absolutely worth using for anyone who values their privacy. Keeping personal info off the internet is an important step in combating identity theft, scammers, harassment, and more. Incogni automates the entire process making it dead simple to use—it’s as easy as just setting and forgetting. It can be hard to justify another monthly (or yearly) subscription in today’s world, but the payoff in privacy with Incogni can be huge. I do wish that there was a way to see removal confirmations from each site rather than just trusting Incogni that it received them on your behalf. Still, that’s a minor gripe and if you put in the legwork you can probably verify this yourself. Overall, the service works quickly and efficiently to remove and suppress data brokers from collecting and selling your personal information. When it comes to data-removal services, Incogni is the one to beat. Editor’s note: Because online services are often iterative, gaining new features and performance improvements over time, this review is subject to change in order to accurately reflect the current state of the service. Any changes to text or our final review verdict will be noted at the top of this article. Read...

At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros The simplicity of an Xbox All the possibilities of a Windows PC Well-built and comfortable Acceptable performance Cons Just a slight upgrade in performance No case or other accessories Our Verdict It’s not the purely handheld Xbox that many had hoped for, but something better. The simplicity of an Xbox, without losing the flexibility of a Windows PC. The AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme isn’t what I was hoping for, but it does the job. A more comfortable, easier to use, and more affordable handheld choice than the MSI Claw 8 AI Plus. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Best Prices Today: Asus ROG Xbox Ally X Retailer Price Check Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Asus Rog Xbox Ally X specs: Processor: AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme, 3 x Zen 5 up to 5 GHz, 5 x Zen 5c up to 3.3 GHz NPU: AMD XDNA NPU, 50 TOPS Graphics: AMD RDNA 3.5, 16 CU Memory: 24 GB lpddr5x Storage: 1 TB SSD, micro-SD slot Display: 7-inch glossy IPS, 1920 x 1080p, 120 Hz, 500 cd/m2 Connections: USB-C 4 with DP 2.1 and PD 3.0, USB-C 3 gen 3 with DP 2.1, headset Wireless: Wi-Fi 6e, Bluetooth 5.4 Operating system: Windows 11 Home Battery: 80 Wh, 2 hrs (high load, high brightness, 120 Hz) to 19 hrs 40 mins (low load, low brightness, 60 Hz) Size: 11.45 x 4.78 x 1.99 inches Weight: 1.58lbs The two new handheld gaming computers from Asus, the ROG Xbox Ally and the ROG Xbox Ally X, have been the focus of a lot of controversy. Most of it has to do with the name. They are called Xbox, and are promoted by Microsoft as an Xbox. But they cost much more than the desktop consoles do. “It’s too expensive!” xbox fans shout, complaining about Microsoft, which shrugs it off by saying that Asus sets the prices. As a PC-based gamer, I look at the fuss and don’t get it. Is this expensive? The top-of-the-range ROG Xbox Ally X that I tested here is not expensive compared to other handheld gaming PCs. It’s almost double the price of its predecessor, but there are clearly more expensive alternatives, and the new model has more memory, double the storage, and of course a new, faster processor. It has the Xbox name, Xbox-style gamepad, a separate Xbox button, and an Xbox interface. But it’s a regular, compact Windows 11 PC just like all the other handheld gaming PCs from Asus, Lenovo, and MSI—and costs accordingly. Well-placed and well-built buttons.Mattias Inghe More than just Xbox In the Xbox app, running in a new “Full Screen Experience” mode, you can buy Xbox games or sign up for Gamepass. It’s not the Xbox dashboard you get on the TV with a console, but the Windows app interface, adapted for mouse control. Regardless, it works well to navigate with the device’s D-pad, trackballs, and buttons. Or with the screen’s pointer. Even though Microsoft has recently raised prices for Gamepass, it’s still a good deal for an active gamer. However, you can jump out of the Xbox box, head over to Windows desktop, and do whatever you want on the computer. Plug in a mouse, keyboard and external monitor and surf the web, stream movies, run Office, talk to Copilot, edit photos, or cut video. Nothing stops it. The big stores are even nicely integrated with the Xbox interface. I tried installing some Steam games and they show up (after a reboot) in the Xbox app under “My Games”. That makes this the only “Xbox” that can run Playstation games that are otherwise console-exclusive to Sony—a potential selling point on its own. 3DMark, installed from Steam, on an Xbox? Yes, it can.Mattias Inghe Well thought out, well built and comfortable Asus and Microsoft have done a great job of kicking you right into the Xbox interface from startup, and after I’m signed up with my Microsoft account, I never really have to leave that interface. There’s a quick panel with performance, light, sound, and screen settings that comes up as an overlay. You can also manage the microphone, Xbox friends list, screenshots, and Gaming Copilot, a beta-stage AI service that will provide strategy tips and recommend new games. The device is built with high quality materials and provides just the right control. Two extra buttons on the back are unusually small, but well placed. The screen, a seven-inch IPS, is sharp, attractive and produces good colors. There’s good contrast, short response times and up to 120Hz frame rate with VRR. Clean and distinct sound from the built-in stereo speakers isn’t bad either. But it could be more powerful. I liked the 8-inch MSI Claw 8 AI Plus I tested this spring, but it has a few more pixels to push on its 1200p screen, which affects performance slightly. And it’s a heavier and clunkier machine, so as a whole I prefer the ROG Xbox Ally X which is lighter and more compact—and more affordable to boot. Most games run smoothly as long as I don’t enable ray tracing. Mattias Inghe Fast enough, but no more So, what about the most important thing, the performance? Is this the handheld gaming machine to beat? Well, AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme gives a slight boost in CPU and graphics performance compared to Ryzen Z1 Extreme, and in some measurements it beats Intel’s Arc solution sitting in MSI Claw 8 AI Plus. But is it enough? When I tested the MSI Claw 8 AI Plus, I complained that a desired performance boost was missing compared to Ryzen Z1 Extreme machines. MSI disagreed and said they had better performance, but the difference is likely due to the games I was testing and not optimizing them with the correct settings. The boost didn’t feel as obvious as two years of development should though. I feel the same here. The Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme performs better in synthetic performance measurements with Geekbench and 3DMark. That makes it a smoother docked desktop PC, but it doesn’t immediately convert to better frame rates in games. But certainly not bad Not that it’s slow. I test a wide range of games from both Steam and Xbox Gamepass, and can fly around throwing copters in Control, hike Night City in Cyberpunk 2077, and ride around the prairie in Red Dead Redemption 2 with acceptable frame rates and stability of 30 fps or more. Nothing for a hardcore PC gamer, but at a stable console level—at least without ray tracing. Less demanding games like Celeste, Hades, and Silksong run with even better results. With Wi-Fi 6e you get a fast connection with little lag, and can stream games via Gamepass Ultimate. Or why not even Geforce Now? As I said, it’s a completely open PC. Not quite the familiar Xbox interface, unless you’re running Xbox on Windows – then you’ll recognize it.Mattias Inghe You can also connect Asus’ external graphics card XG Mobile via usb-4 port if you play with the device docked. Then you can get full Xbox Series X-level performance, and play on a 4K TV with high framerates. But that all costs quite a bit extra. Minimal hassle The CPU cores are more energy-efficient than the previous generation, reducing cooling requirements and extending battery life. Total TDP with the graphics circuit lands between 13 and 25 watts on battery or up to 30 watts with a power adapter. You can seamlessly choose between Turbo, Performance, and Quiet modes, with different energy consumption. You can also quickly and smoothly switch between 720p and 1080p resolution to maximize frame rates in games. It’s one thing that Asus and Microsoft have achieved for Xbox fans: Xbox games are so well customized that the need for settings is minimal. I don’t know if that’s specific to the ROG Xbox Ally X or general to Xbox games on Windows, but it provides a smoother “buy and run” feel than I’m used to. Select the performance mode and resolution in the context menu, and most things are taken care of automatically. The battery lasts between 90 minutes and 5-6 hours depending on the games I play. Especially for less demanding games, it’s clearly more power efficient than previous models. If you want to do something simpler, like streaming a film or surfing, it can last all day without any problems. Obviously, it’s the graphics circuit that saps the most energy. Performance benchmarks: Cinebench 2024, multi-core CPU: 745 pointsCinebench 2024, single core CPU: 113 pointsGeekbench 6, multi-core CPU: 12,885 pointsGeekbench 6, single core CPU: 2,796 pointsGeekbench 6, gpu: 48,463 points3DMark Fire Strike (DirectX 11): 9,183 points3DMark Time Spy (DirectX 12) 4,406 points3DMark Steel Nomad (Vulkan): 777 points3DMark Port Royal (Ray Tracing): 1,978 pointsDisk, read: 3,233.75 MB/sDisk, write: 2,960.25 MB/s Read...

The dirty secret with Amazon’s Fire TV Sticks is that they’re great for piracy, but maybe not for much longer. Amazon confirmed this week that it will block Fire TV apps that provide access to pirated content, including apps that users sideload onto their devices from outside Amazon’s Appstore. Amazon is working with Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE), an anti-piracy coalition for the entertainment industry, to identify offending apps. The news was first reported by The Sun and confirmed by AFTVNews. If you’re not using a Fire TV device for anything illicit, you might not see the problem. But the move is also part of a broader push by Amazon to lock down what people can do with their devices, for legitimate purposes or not. Those who bought a Fire TV with the expectation of an open platform may soon wind up with a different kind of device entirely. What’s a piracy app, anyway? Neither Amazon nor ACE has disclosed which specific apps they plan to block or how they will define a piracy app. One concern is that apps with legitimate uses could become collateral damage. In 2015, for instance, Amazon removed the popular media player app Kodi from its Appstore, deeming that it could be “used to facilitate the piracy or illegal download of content.” Although the Kodi app itself does not distribute pirated content, its third-party add-on system allows users to connect with sources of piracy. Still, Kodi also has a wide range of legal uses, such as playing media files, tuning to internet radio stations, and recording over-the-air channels. In those regards, it is functionally similar to other media player and server apps that Amazon welcomes into its Appstore, including Plex, Emby, and VLC. For now, Kodi is still available on Fire TV devices via sideloading—that is, installing the app from outside Amazon’s official app store—but it’s unclear whether that will continue under Amazon’s new policy. Amazon and ACE did not respond to questions on whether they’ll target Kodi in particular or media player apps in general. So far, the only examples of blocked piracy apps on Fire TV are Flix Vision and LiveNet TV, which Amazon temporarily disabled in June due to malware-like behavior. Amazon unblocked both apps a month later, though they are likely the kinds of apps that the company will target for removal in the future. Clamping down Regardless of which apps Amazon decides to block, Fire TV is becoming less hospitable to sideloading overall. While most Fire TV devices still support sideloading for non-piracy uses, an Amazon spokesperson said the feature is meant for developers to test their apps. Those who sideload apps for other purposes are misusing the feature, the spokesperson added. Meanwhile, Amazon’s new Fire TV 4K Select streaming dongle has more explicit sideloading restrictions. The device, which runs on a new Linux-based operating system called Vega, only offers the feature to registered developers. Amazon’s new Fire TV 4K Select limits sideloading to registered developers.Ben Patterson / Foundry In the past, sideloading has allowed users to make Amazon’s devices more useful by addressing gaps in the company’s app catalog. During Amazon’s eight-month fight with NBCUniversal over distribution terms for Peacock in 2020, for instance, subscribers were able to sideload the Android TV version of the app. HBO Max required the same workaround for nearly two months after its own launch that same year. Users of Amazon’s Fire tablets have also sideloaded Google’s Play Store to access a significantly broader app selection, and retro game enthusiasts have sideloaded popular emulation apps such as RetroArch. It’s no surprise that Amazon wants to clamp down on this behavior. The company likely earns little from the actual sale of its Fire TV devices, and instead relies on ad-supported content, subscription sales, on-demand content purchases, and aggressive home screen advertising to make money. The company already blocks apps that modify its home screen or remap its remote control buttons, so cutting off apps that exist outside of its monetization purview would be the next logical step. What it means for you Amazon’s crackdown on piracy apps isn’t all bad news. Over the years I’ve heard from non-tech-savvy readers who’ve paid hundreds of dollars for “fully loaded” Fire TV devices, only for them to stop working with no recourse. I also get earnest questions from folks who see ads for inexplicably cheap streaming services, not realizing they’re too good to be true. Those services should be harder to access by folks who don’t know any better. But for those who want access to more open streaming platforms—for piracy or not—the options are becoming more limited. Devices that run on Google’s Android TV platform, such as Walmart’s inexpensive Onn boxes, don’t have the same sideloading restrictions, though Google’s plan to make developers verify their identities could change that calculation. Roku players and Apple TV devices don’t support sideloading at all. In the end, if you really want full control over your streaming experience and all the software that runs on it, you might just have to use an actual computer. Sign up for Jared’s Cord Cutter Weekly newsletter for more streaming TV advice. Read...

I’ve used Windows 11 regularly for a couple of years now. I still dislike it. But now we’re all stuck with it, given Windows 10’s “death” earlier this month. What I hate in particular: The sound settings on the Windows taskbar.  In Windows 10, when you clicked, you could immediately see a name for your output device. I could tell at a glance what the active speakers were. Most people don’t have as many connected devices I do, but even when I traveled with just a laptop and a pair of headphones, this info was helpful. In Windows 11, you only see the volume slider—to get the name of the active speaker, you have to click a button. This extra step slows me down, which is the part I dislike. Having to scroll through a bunch of device names (some of which I’ll never use as speakers) drags out the process even more. I can’t fix the interface, but I can hide the excess audio devices. So that’s what I did. How to disable a sound device in Windows There’s a lot going on here.PCWorld To make an audio device disappear as a sound option, you have to disable it in Windows. Open the Settings app. Click on System > Sound. (Or search for ‘Sound’) Click on the audio device you want to disable. Under General > Audio, click on the Don’t Allow button. You can choose to disable both output and input devices. Output is what plays sound from your PC, like internal or external speakers, Bluetooth headphones and earbuds, etc. Input is what records audio from you or your environment—basically, microphones. These can be webcams, dedicated microphones, etc. On these output and input lists, you may see peripherals and devices you might not expect like your monitor or a capture device. For me, it was two monitors and a CamLink 4K capture dongle that was cluttering my audio options. So I disabled them all, both as output and input devices. After a massive spree of disabling, I now have a much cleaner, clearer set of audio options.PCWorld For good measure, I also disabled the audio for my webcam. I prefer my dedicated mic and this reduces the ability for compromised or rogue software on my PC to immediately hijack its use. If you ever accidentally disable the wrong sound device, just go to System > Sound, scroll down to All sound devices, and then choose the one you want to re-enable. Note: If you disconnect a device (like a monitor) and plug it into another port, you may cause Windows to reactivate it as an audio source. You’ll have to disable it again if this happens. This “fix” doesn’t eliminate all of my crankiness about Windows 11 and its interface nonsense. But it reduces the friction. Read...

At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros Top notch motion clarity Professional design with significant use of metal Great image quality and color performance Broad adaptive sync support Cons Only 1440p resolution No USB-C HDR isn’t as bright as some OLED monitors Our Verdict The Samsung Odyssey OLED G60SF is among the first 500Hz QD-OLED monitors. It doesn’t beat Asus’ take on the concept, but there’s a couple good reasons to buy the Samsung instead. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Best Prices Today: Samsung Odyssey OLED G6 Retailer Price $849.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Best Prices Today: Check today’s prices The Samsung Odyssey OLED G60SF is an unusual display, not just because it has a 500Hz QD-OLED panel. Though it has a super-high-refresh panel capable of handling world-class competitive esports, the G60SF also delivers a classy design and a matte display coat that maximizes usability in a wide range of lighting. Samsung Odyssey OLED G6 (G60SF) specs and features The Samsung Odyssey OLED G60SF, known more simply as the Odyssey OLED G6, is all about the refresh rate, which reaches as high as 500Hz. As of late October 2025, it’s one of just three QD-OLED monitors to provide a 500Hz refresh. The others are the Asus ROG Strix XG27AQDPG, which I’ve previously reviewed, and the MSI MAG 272QP QD-OLED X50. Display size: 26.5-inch 16:9 aspect ratio Native resolution: 2560×1440 Panel type: QD-OLED Refresh rate: 500Hz Adaptive Sync: Yes, AMD FreeSync Premium Pro, G-Sync compatible HDR: VESA DisplayHDR 500 Ports: 2x HDMI 2.1, 1x DisplayPort 1.4, 1x USB-B Upstream, 2x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 downstream, 3.5mm audio jack Audio: None Additional features: RGB-LED lighting ring on rear of monitor Price: $999.99 MSRP And it’s really the refresh rate that will carry the Odyssey G60SF to victory, or defeat, because it’s otherwise a typical QD-OLED monitor. It sticks to 1440p resolution and lacks USB-C. The monitor’s MSRP is $999.99, which is $100 more than the Asus alternative. Read on to learn more, then see our roundup of the best gaming monitors for comparison. Samsung Odyssey OLED G60SF design The Odyssey OLED G60SF’s design is a win. Samsung switched to a new, more professional look a couple generations ago, and the Odyssey G60SF delivers the best rendition available. The rear of the monitor is made of sleek, silver metal—not plastic, like most competitors—and looks more like a high-end professional monitor than a gaming display. Whether you prefer the Asus or the Samsung depends on the aesthetic you’re going for but, personally, I like the Asus better. Though it’s mostly demure, the G60SF does add some flair with an attractive RGB-LED light ring. The ring can be customized and includes CoreSync, a feature that syncs the LED light with content shown on-screen for a more immersive experience. The LED lights are dim, though, so CoreSync isn’t that noticeable unless your gaming den is very dark. Matthew Smith / Foundry The G60SF is attached to a sturdy stand with a small, flat base that minimizes the space it occupies on your desk. Most competitors have swapped to this style of stand in recent years, but it’s still worth mention, as wider tripod-style stands are still found on some gaming monitors. The stand adjusts for height, tilt, swivel, and can pivot 90 degrees (up to 92 degrees, to be precise) for use in portrait orientation. A 100x100mm VESA mount is also available for use with third-party monitor stands and arms. Most 27-inch gaming monitors in this price range have the same features, but it’s good to see Samsung nail the fundamentals. Samsung Odyssey OLED G60SF connectivity and audio The Samsung Odyssey OLED G60SF’s connectivity is disappointing, though no more so than its competition. Video connectivity includes two HDMI 2.1 and one DisplayPort 1.4 for a total of three video inputs, which is typical for a gaming monitor. However, the monitor lacks USB-C and instead offers just two USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 ports, both driven by a USB-B upstream port. As mentioned, this is typical for a high-refresh gaming OLED. The Asus ROG Strix XG27AQDPG has the same port layout. The MSI MAG 272QP QD-OLED X50 does include a USB-C port, but it has just 15 watts of Power Delivery, which isn’t enough to supply a Windows laptop. Some 4K OLED monitors, like the MSI MPG 272URX, provide USB-C with 65 watts or 90 watts of Power Delivery, which is great if you want to connect a laptop alongside a desktop. The MSI is a 4K 240Hz monitor, so it’s not a direct competitor to the 500Hz Samsung—but it’s something to keep in mind. Speakers are not included. That’s common for a gaming monitor, as most gamers prefer to use a headset or desktop speakers. A 3.5mm audio pass-through is provided. Samsung Odyssey OLED G60SF menus The Samsung Odyssey OLED G60SF provides an easy-to-use joystick tucked slightly off-center behind the monitor’s right lower lip. It’s used to navigate a legible, well-organized menu system. The font size is slightly smaller than I might prefer, but should be readable for most people. I’m less enthused about the range of image quality options. Unlike the Asus XG27AQDPG, the Samsung G60SF doesn’t provide precisely targeted gamma or color temperature values and has a very slim number of image quality presets. As the SDR testing will show, this doesn’t mean the image quality is worse—but it does make the image quality a bit more annoying to tune. If you want a gamma of 2.4, for example, you can’t switch to that, but instead have to guess which of the provided gamma settings comes close to the gamma value you want to see. Samsung also lacks a Windows app that surfaces all or most monitor features within Windows itself. Most competitors, including Asus and Alienware/Dell, offer software with that functionality. Samsung does provide Samsung Display Manager, but it largely exists for Windows management, not control of monitor features. Matthew Smith / Foundry Together, the sometimes vague menu settings and lack of a Windows app for monitor control put the G60SF at a disadvantage. It’s not an issue if you tend to tune your monitor’s settings once and then never touch them again. But if you often change settings—perhaps because you want an AdobeRGB mode for work, but then a Game mode for play—the G60SF’s limitations could prove annoying. Samsung Odyssey OLED G60SF SDR image quality The Samsung Odyssey OLED G60SF has (surprise!) a Samsung QD-OLED panel. This type of OLED panel has become the gold standard for OLED monitors, with only LG’s WOLED providing competition. Which is extremely relevant, because some LG WOLED monitors achieve refresh rate up to 480Hz. Indeed, all the monitors I’ve included in the graph below are OLED or WOLED monitors with a refresh rate of 500Hz or 480Hz. Matthew Smith / Foundry The Odyssey G60SF gets off to a good start with an SDR brightness of up to 320 nits, which is a great result for an OLED monitor. As of 2024, a brightness of around 250 nits was more common—but we’re now starting to see 300 nits or more from flagship displays. A higher maximum brightness means the G60SF works better in rooms with bright lighting or many sunlit windows. Samsung’s matte display finish also helps with readability and provides an important reason shoppers might choose the G60SF over a competitor. Most OLED monitors have a glossy finish, which enhances perceived contrast and vibrance, at the cost of increased glare and reflections. The G60SF takes the opposite path, with minimal glare at the cost of reduced perceived contrast and vibrance. Personally, I prefer Samsung’s approach, though your opinion may differ. Keep in mind that the Asus ROG Strix XG27AQDPG, the other 500Hz QD-OLED currently available, has a glossy finish. Matthew Smith / Foundry Next up is contrast, where all the OLED monitors offer identical performance. They have an effectively infinite contrast ratio because they can reach a minimum brightness of zero nits. All of these monitors have an immersive, deep image, and they’re great for watching Netflix or playing darker games, like Path of Exile 2 or the latest Silent Hill. Samsung’s matte display finish helps with readability and provides an important reason shoppers might choose the G60SF over its glossy-finish competitors. As mentioned earlier, the G60SF’s finish has an impact on perceived contrast. This occurs because of how light scatters differently across a matte panel finish as compared to a glossy finish. This doesn’t change the minimum luminance of each panel, however. The practical effect is that the XG27AQPDG may seem to be a bit more contrast rich than the G60SF. I can notice this, but as mentioned, I personally prefer the reduced glare of a matte finish over the enhanced perceived contrast of glossy. Your mileage may vary. Matthew Smith / Foundry Color gamut is a win for the G60SF, which can display up to 100 percent of sRGB, 98 percent of DCI-P3, and 95 percent of AdobeRGB. The Asus ROG Strix XG27AQDPG, which has the same QD-OLED panel, is more or less tied with the G60SF. But competitors with the LG WOLED panel, such as the LG Ultragear 27GX790-AB, Asus ROG Swift PG27AQDP, and Sony M10S, all have a slightly more narrow color gamut at 96 percent of DCI-P3 and 88 to 90 percent of AdobeRGB. With that said, though, all of these monitors have a very wide color gamut, and all of them will generally look vibrant and vivid in colorful content. I wouldn’t necessarily recommend one over the other solely because of the color gamut. But if vivid color is your top priority, the G60SF will do the trick. Matthew Smith / Foundry The G60SF also delivers excellent color accuracy with a very low average color error and no single color showing an error value beyond 2, which is a great result. In general, the image looks incredibly lifelike and shows no obvious inaccuracies. To be honest, all OLED monitors tend to perform well here—but it does seem that the QD-OLED monitors have an edge over the WOLED competition. Gamma and color temperature were a slight miss for the G60SF. The default gamma value was 2.3, slightly off the target of 2.2, which means the image can look a bit darker than it should. Many OLED monitors have this problem, but the Asus XG27AQDPG managed to hit the target gamma of 2.2. The G60SF also displayed a color temperature of 6200K, which is a bit warmer than the target of 6500K. And because the G60SF’s menu has less precise gamma and color temperature options than the Asus, you may have more difficulty tuning these settings than you would with other displays. Sharpness is a weak point, as to be expected for a 1440p OLED display. While sharpness has improved in the latest panels, we’re still talking about a pixel density of about 110 pixels per inch across the 26.5-inch display. That’s not bad, but 4K ups that to roughly 163 pixels per inch, which is a big increase. And, of course, many 4K monitors are available at prices similar to, or less than, the G60SF. Still, the G60SF’s overall image quality is great, as typical for a QD-OLED display. It doesn’t perform any better than its competitors, but also no worse, and the matte display coat gives the G60SF a unique selling point that sets it apart from the alternatives. Samsung Odyssey G60SF HDR image quality I went into the Samsung Odyssey OLED G60SF hot off my review of the Asus ROG Strix XG27AQDPG, the other 500Hz QD-OLED currently available. And the Asus was great in HDR, so I expected the same from the Samsung. Unfortunately, I was a bit disappointed. Matthew Smith / Foundry While I tried to coax the highest brightness possible from the G60SF with the monitor’s Peak Brightness setting and Active HDR tone mapping, the highest sustained brightness I recorded was 678 nits. The Asus, meanwhile, achieved up to 953 nits. It’s also brighter than the G60SF in all HDR scenarios. The difference was large enough that I could easily notice it in subjective viewing. The Asus’ brightness can strike like lightning—sometimes literally, as is the case in the “Into the Storm” scene from Mad Max: Fury Road. The G60SF still looks great, but it didn’t sear my eyes with the same brilliance. With that said, the G60SF’s HDR performance is still decent overall, and comparable to a variety of OLED alternatives. It’s a fine pick for HDR—but definitely not the best. Samsung Odyssey G60SF motion performance But odds are you’re not buying the G60SF for HDR. You’re buying it for motion clarity which, though not technically at odds with HDR, kinda is in practice—because most scenarios where you’d game at 500Hz are not scenarios where you’d want to be using HDR. Motion clarity is what matters most here, and the G60SF delivers. As I said in my review of the Asus ROG Strix XG27AQDPG, and in 480Hz monitors before that, the motion clarity of an ultra-high-refresh OLED really must be seen to be believed. Scrolling test images for a game like DOTA 2 shows that virtually all detail is visible, right down to the names above characters and the ticks in hitpoint bars. Samples of scrolling text also show incredible clarity. The text is nearly as easy to read as when it’s sitting still. To be clear, I don’t think there’s any noticeable difference in clarity between the new 500Hz QD-OLED monitors and the 480Hz LG WOLED monitors from 2024. Still, 500Hz is really something, and players who crave impeccable clarity for competitive esports play are going to love it. Frame pacing will be smooth, as well, if you engage AMD FreeSync Premium Pro or Nvidia G-Sync. Both adaptive sync standards are supported. While the G60SF is great for motion clarity, the Asus XG27AQDPG has an extra feature called Extreme Low Motion Blur. This inserts blank, black frames between existing frames which, due to how humans perceive motion, has the effect of reducing motion blur. ELMB doesn’t work beyond 240Hz, so it doesn’t provide the Asus an absolute motion clarity advantage. However, it does provide slightly improved clarity at lower refresh rates, like 120Hz or 240Hz. That can be helpful, because many games won’t render at a frame rate high enough to exceed 240Hz. That gives Asus an edge in overall motion clarity. It’s a small one, however, and does require that you take the time to activate ELMB, since it doesn’t engage automatically. Should you buy the Samsung Odyssey G60SF? The Samsung Odyssey OLED G60SF is a great choice if you want an OLED monitor with excellent motion clarity. It provides a rich, vibrant, bright 1440p image at up to 500Hz. The G60SF faces only one problem: The Asus ROG Strix XG27AQPDG, which has the same Samsung QD-OLED panel, is slightly better overall. The Asus alternative provides better HDR performance, includes ELMB for better motion clarity at 120Hz and 240Hz refresh rates, and is a bit more feature-rich overall with extras like a tripod mount on the top of the stand and a Windows app for managing monitor features. With that said, I find myself in an odd position as a reviewer because, if I were choosing between these monitors today, I would personally buy the Samsung. I prefer Samsung’s design. I also prefer the matte finish on the Samsung panel over the glossy finish on the Asus. So, while the Asus inarguably offers more features at a lower MSRP, the G60SF is still a great 500Hz monitor—and it might be the one to buy, depending on your preferences. Read...

Khaled El-Enany was elected last month by UNESCO`s 58-member Executive Board as the first Arab director-general of the U.N. cultural and education agency despite criticism from heritage groups. Read...