Over the past few days, there have been an increasing number of reports about supposed YouTube outages. The number of reports rose sharply on fault-tracking platforms such as Downdetector, but this time there was no technical error. Apparently, the “issue” is simply that YouTube has tightened its measures against ad blockers once more. Many users are suddenly only seeing gray elements instead of videos or thumbnails, and playback only works again when their ad blockers are deactivated. The Opera GX gaming browser, which blocks ads by default, appears to be especially affected—and the issue persists even when the feature has been deactivated, according to some users. Different effects in different browsers As various reports show, the current crop of problems on YouTube occur differently depending on the browser. In Chrome, many users can apparently continue to use YouTube with their ad blockers activated, especially if they aren’t logged in to Google. In Firefox or Edge using the uBlock Origin extension, YouTube seems to work without issues. YouTube already started taking action against ad blockers back in the summer, for example by issuing warning messages or slowing down video playback. The “outages” that are now being observed are apparently a further escalation stage of that initiative. How YouTube detects ad blockers According to a report by Tom’s Guide, YouTube doesn’t directly detect whether an ad blocker is installed and active. Instead, the platform checks whether certain ad scripts are blocked when the page is loaded. YouTube also uses so-called “bait” ads—invisible code that, if removed, basically serves as an indication of ad blocker use. That said, it’s still possible that YouTube recognizes when an ad blocker is installed via the public ID of a browser extension. YouTube Premium as an alternative If you don’t fancy the cat-and-mouse game between YouTube and ad blocker developers, you can opt for YouTube Premium. The subscription costs $13.99/month or $139.99/year and removes ads from videos, plus unlocks features like downloads and background playback. We don’t blame you if you proudly block ads on YouTube, and maybe you’ll continue to do so out of principle despite the inconveniences. But if YouTube succeeds in its efforts, the war might end in favor of the platform, with YouTube Premium emerging as the “best” solution. Read...

The Framework Mini PC brings together sustainability, modular design, and solid performance in a compact form factor. With AMD Ryzen 7040 or 8000 APUs and integrated graphics, it’s ideal for quiet office tasks, media playback, or software development, all while keeping hardware upgrades and customization straightforward. The concept behind the Framework Mini PC is exciting for anyone who wants a flexible, repairable system that can fit under a desk or on a shelf. Rather than a traditional mainboard, it features a fully interchangeable module, which is similar to what you’d find in other Framework machines. check out our review of the Framework Mini PC Framework Desktop Read our review Best Prices Today: $2515 at Framework If you want to upgrade the processor or switch platform generations, you don’t have to discard the entire Framework Mini PC–you can simply replace the motherboard. This rare flexibility is great for anyone who values long-term investments or regularly updates their hardware. The mainboard of the Framework Mini PC can be removed from the housing like a module. If necessary, the unit can be replaced with a new platform.Framework Computer The housing itself is compact but functional, with ports that can be customized via modules at the rear: HDMI, DisplayPort, USB-C, and Ethernet. This flexibility helps with changing requirements or special applications. The external power supply ensures good heat distribution, the airflow is thoughtfully designed, and the fan remains quiet even under load. The design aims to make maintenance and upgrades as uncomplicated as possible. The Framework Mini PC prioritizes modularity over monolithic design and spare parts availability over one-way thinking. Nearly every component (RAM, SSD, WLAN, mainboard, etc) can be replaced in just a few simple steps. There’s also detailed online documentation for the less technically-inclined among us. Rear modules can be replaced or added to the Framework Mini PC as required in order to customize connections and functions.Framework Computer The approach is particularly interesting for anyone looking for a compact yet fully controllable system–whether for software development, light to medium rendering, a home office, or a private media server. That said, the Framework Mini PC isn’t designed for intensive workloads or complex 3D games, as a dedicated GPU cannot be retrofitted. For those who want to forgo traditional towers, Framework’s Mini PC offers an unusually open, quiet, and upgradeable system. In an era of increasingly complexity and decreasing reparability, it sends a clear message: there is another way, and it’s actually pretty elegant. Read...

Windows 11 comes with many hidden features that Microsoft has already built into the system, but hasn’t yet activated for general use. With the ViVeTool program, you can activate those hidden functions yourself. This small command-line tool lets you test new system elements weeks or months before their official rollout date and customize the interface to fit your needs. The tool works on all current builds of Windows 10 and Windows 11 and uses the same internal A/B test logic that Microsoft uses for internal feature distributions. The special thing about it is that you can use it to unlock real system functions, not apply unofficial hacks. Microsoft integrates many new features into Windows in advance, but holds them back via so-called feature flags. ViVeTool addresses these flags directly. You can activate or deactivate individual functions or check the status without having to intervene in the system files. In this way, the system usually remains stable and you retain full control over the functional scope of your computer. Thomas Joos Caution: ViVeTool intervenes deeply in internal system mechanisms and is therefore falsely recognized as potentially dangerous by some security programs. This is not an indication of malicious code, but a consequence of the fact that the tool uses the same internal interfaces that Windows uses to control experimental functions. Incorrect or incompatible feature IDs can lead to system instability, display errors, or crashes. Not every function can be activated, as Microsoft deactivates some switches in certain builds. Before making extensive changes, you should create a backup or a restore point so that you can easily reset the system in the event of a problem. Create a restore point before using ViVeTool A restore point can be created in PowerShell with a single command, as long as computer protection is activated for the system drive. To do this, run PowerShell as an administrator and enter the following: Checkpoint-Computer -Description “Before ViVeTool activation” -RestorePointType “MODIFY_SETTINGS” This command creates a system restore point with the description “Before ViVeTool activation.” If the error message “System Protection is not enabled” appears, you must enable computer protection. This can be done via the classic Control Panel: Open sysdm.cpl Select the “Computer protection” tab Highlight drive C: and click on “Configure” Select “Activate computer protection” and confirm By default, Windows only allows one restore point every 24 hours. If you want to force another point immediately, use: Checkpoint-Computer -Description “Previous point overwritten” -RestorePointType “MODIFY_SETTINGS” -Verbose After successful execution, you can reset the system to this state at any time using the system restore function. How it works After unpacking the downloaded archive, the file “vivetool.exe” is located in the target folder, for example in “C:\vive.” Open the command prompt with administrator rights (via the context menu) and change to the directory using “cd C:\vive.” From here you can control the tool with simple commands. The basic command is “vivetool/enable/id:XXXXX,” where the ID denotes the respective function. You can deactivate it again with “vivetool /disable /id:XXXXX.” The command “vivetool /query” shows which features are currently active and “vivetool /fullreset” resets all switches. A restart is required after each change so that Windows loads the new components. Thomas Joos The command line work sounds technical at first, but is uncomplicated in practice. The command prompt confirms each successful activation with “Successfully set feature configuration(s).” This means that the function is available immediately after the restart. A modern take on File Explorer One of the most interesting tests concerns the new File Explorer, which is based on WinUI components. Use the following command to activate the revised interface: vivetool/enable /id:40950262 Afterward, File Explorer responds noticeably more smoothly, the context menu is clearly structured, and access to network drives or OneDrive uses standardized interfaces. AI-supported suggestions are also already integrated and visible. Thomas Joos You can gain initial experience with the upcoming Windows interface and directly compare the differences to the standard version. If necessary, deactivate the new Explorer again with the following command: vivetool/disable /id:40950262 Animated video backgrounds A highlight for visually interested users is the return of animated backgrounds. Use the following command to activate the video wallpaper function, which is reminiscent of Dreamscene from Windows Vista: vivetool/enable /id:57645315 Next, open the Settings, go to “Personalization” > “Background,” and set the type to “Image.” You can now select an MP4 or MKV file that Windows will play as a moving wallpaper. The clip starts automatically as soon as the desktop is visible. This option is interesting for presentation systems or information monitors because it can display dynamic scenes in a corporate design or subtle ambient videos in the background. If you want to switch off the function later, use “/disable” again. This will revert the desktop to a static background. New start menu and search functions The ViVeTool can also be activated in the user interface. Use the following commands to enable experimental versions of the Start menu and taskbar search: vivetool/enable /id:38937525 vivetool/enable /id:40887771 After restarting, the search responds faster, the results appear grouped and easier to filter, and Windows may display context-related suggestions, such as system settings or recently opened documents. Users who rely heavily on search will benefit from the smoother interface and additional categories, while developers can test how API calls behave in the new search system. Windows Latest Activating feature packages Microsoft often bundles major innovations in monthly security or function updates, but releases them in stages. This delay can be avoided with the ViVeTool. After installing the October update, activate the new functions with the following command: vivetool/enable /id:57048226 Additional options will now appear in the system settings, including a revised hardware display, new AI areas in the “Settings” app, and an extended sharing menu that allows you to pin your favorite applications. These changes will only appear on selected devices, but are already available in the system. By activating them manually, you can test the new features before Microsoft opens them up to all users. Advanced use and troubleshooting Use the following command to check which features are currently activated: vivetool/query This allows you to maintain an overview if you change several IDs at the same time. If an activated feature causes problems, such as display errors or instability, you can use the following command: vivetool/disable /id:XXXXX or, if needed, vivetool/fullreset This will reset all customizations. ViVeTool does not modify any system files, so changes are reversible. If a command has no effect, this is usually due to an incompatible Windows build. Updating Windows typically fixes this. Benefits for users and IT With the ViVeTool, private users can get an early look at upcoming features and customize their system, while developers and IT administrators can test the compatibility of their applications with new Windows components. The benefit for both groups is that changes can be tested with minimal risk. As the tool works directly with the feature management integrated in Windows, the system generally remains stable and can return to its original state at any time. Nevertheless, creating a backup is recommended to ensure you can restore the PC if any issues arise. In corporate environments, ViVeTool is ideal for evaluating experimental functions in test environments. It allows you to check in advance whether new operating elements, interfaces, or security options are useful for your devices. If you manage several systems in parallel, you can integrate the commands into scripts and roll them out automatically. Read...

When historians look back at the PC industry in 2025, they’ll probably remember a time of intense turmoil. Between wildly unpredictable tariffs, geopolitical strife, the AI boom, hardware shortages caused by the AI boom (and tariffs), and hundreds of thousands of industry layoffs, it’s been an eventful – and stressful – year for the PC. Nonetheless, great things happened. We’ve seen the launch of entire new graphics card generations from Nvidia and AMD. The laptops of today are the laptops of tomorrow we’ve always dreamed of. Handheld gaming is exploding in popularity, leaving Microsoft scrambling to make Windows a viable alternative to Valve’s SteamOS on those devices. Security is evolving daily to protect a new breed of AI-powered attacks. Today is a day to celebrate the best of times. This is the Best PC Hardware and Software of 2025, as chosen by PCWorld’s editors. Best laptop: Lenovo Yoga 9i 2-in-1 Aura Edition Lenovo Yoga 9i 2-in-1 Read our review Best Prices Today: $1,650 at Amazon The Lenovo Yoga 9i 2-in-1 (Aura Edition) is the most impressive Windows laptop we tested this year, and I’ll tell you exactly why. It combines a stunning 14-inch 2880×1800 OLED display with HDR and a 120Hz refresh rate, beastly specs (including an Intel Core Ultra 7 258V CPU, 32GB of RAM, 1TB SSD, and Intel Arc 140V graphics), and a battery that can last up to 23 hours. It’s speedy enough to handle work tasks and binge-watching your favorite show on Netflix and, at under three pounds, it won’t break your back.  The 2-in-1 design is nice too, especially if you move around a lot. You can flip it into tablet mode or set it up like a little tent. This versatility is cool when you’re working with limited space like in an airplane seat, for example. The keyboard and trackpad also feel great, and the Yoga Pen sticks right to the top so it’s always handy when you’re ready to create your next masterpiece… or just doodle for fun! -Ashley Biancuzzo Best graphics card: Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti GeForce RTX 5070 Ti Read our review Nvidia bet the fate of the GeForce RTX 50-series on DLSS 4’s incredible multi-frame gen feature. As magical as the feature can be, it left most of the RTX 50 lineup feeling flat at best, or as uninspiring sidegrades at best. Not the GeForce RTX 5070 Ti. Unlike most of the 50-series lineup, the 5070 Ti includes a sizeable performance uplift, while costing less – versus the 4070 Ti, you get 25 percent faster performance for $50 less. Better yet, the 5070 Ti’s prowess makes it the perfect vehicle for DLSS 4’s multi-frame gen – the card delivers killer 1440p and solid 4K performance as-is, but flipping on MFG takes visual smoothness and frame pacing to utterly sublime levels. You’re going to want to pair this beast with a 240Hz monitor if you can manage it. In a weak and price-engorged generation for graphics cards, only the RTX 5070 Ti and AMD’s Radeon RX 9070 series stand out as particularly appealing. The amazing power of DLSS 4 earns Nvidia this well-deserved nod. If you’re dismissing MFG as “fake frames,” you’re missing out. –Brad Chacos Best laptop for battery life: HP OmniBook 5 14 HP OmniBook 5 14 Best Prices Today: $549.99 at Amazon The battery life on the HP OmniBook 5 14 is utter insanity. We’re talking over 25 hours in our testing–you can thank the super-efficient Snapdragon X Plus processor for that one. The 14-inch 1920×1200 OLED touchscreen also looks great because of its wide color gamut and high contrast ratio. While it’ll breeze through most day-to-day tasks, it isn’t a gaming rig or a 3D workstation, so you may want to mind how you use it. That said, the main draw here is the ridiculous battery life and an OLED display that truly pops… all for under $900! This is one stunner of a laptop. -Ashley Biancuzzo Best monitor: Dell 32 Plus 4K QD-OLED  Dell 32 Plus 4K QD-OLED Monitor S3225QC Read our review Best Prices Today: $695 at Amazon | Not Available at Amazon Prime This year, the monitor that stood out as the best overall – i.e., the monitor most likely to satisfy the versatile needs of the majority of users – was the Dell 32 Plus 4K QD-OLED. Our high regard began with its big, sharp, colorful 4K QD-OLED panel. It grew with the 120Hz refresh rate and support for Adaptive Sync, making it a suitable option for work as well as entertainment, even gaming.   With two video inputs (HDMI 2.1 and USB-C with DisplayPort 1.4 support), 90 watts of Power Delivery for connecting to either Windows or Mac laptops, and two USB-C downstream ports supporting 15 watts of USB Power Delivery and 5Gbps of data, it’s up for productivity. The monitor goes on to sweeten the pot with five speakers – wait, what? — for 25 total watts and support for spatial audio. Finally, it seals the deal with a price that undercuts the competition — $850 MSRP, but currently hovering around $700 on Amazon. – Katherine Stevenson   Best password manager: Dashlane Dashlane Read our review Best Prices Today: $4.99 at Dashlane Staying sane while dealing with online security is much easier with a password manager. A good password manager, that is—one that quickly creates and fills in strong passwords, stores passkeys, immediately alerts you to compromised or weak passwords, and lets you securely share credentials with others. Dashlane gets the highest possible marks from us not just for its dependability, but its regular updates, too. In particular, the service now supports full passwordless login, which lets you sign in to your Dashlane account without a password. It’s also one of the first to implement secure import/export of passkeys and passwords (aka CXP). This puts it on the leading edge of credential security—other password managers are still working on their rollout. Combined with standard features like passkey support and dark web monitoring, plus surprising extras like VPN access and real-time phishing protection, Dashlane provides a lot of broad protection for your logins. Other password managers may be cheaper, but not as complete. -Alaina Yee Best SSD: WD Black SN7100 WD Black SN7100 1TB Read our review Best Prices Today: $79.99 at Amazon You might expect our pick for best SSD to use the latest-gen PCIe 5.0 interface, which can be 100 percent faster than the previous generation. But while the prospect of such blazing-fast transfer speeds is certainly tantalizing, for most everyday computing activities, including gaming, PCIe 4.0 performs comparably to PCIe 5.0 — and for a lot less money!    This is why our pick for best SSD is the WD Black SN7100 SSD, a PCIe 4.0 drive whose overall benchmark performance bested those of its peers, even if only by small margins. The upshot is that this drive is fast, and it features a reassuring five-year warranty. Better still, at $74 for 1TB, it’s half the cost of the best PCIe 5.0 drive. Need we say more? – Katherine Stevenson  Best desktop CPU: AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D Adam Patrick Murray / Foundry It’s been a slow year for CPUs. Perhaps in reaction to 2024’s performance issues and regressions, both Intel and AMD have been quiet on the desktop front. Instead, focus has been on laptop CPUs. The lone bright spot for desktop enthusiasts? AMD’s Ryzen 9 9950X3D. We saw it coming. Last year, the Ryzen 7 9800X3D delivered stupendous performance in both gaming and content creation. A flagship version would be even beastlier—and the 9950X3D proved that assumption right. Against the Intel Core 9 285K, the 9950X3D showed gaming performance lifts ranging from 25 to 48 percent (!) and a content creation performance boost of about 10 percent on average. And that’s at stock settings. Turn on PBO and you get another bump in performance. The only disappointing thing about the Ryzen 9 9950X3D is that it takes the title with no real competition. But that doesn’t make it a bad chip. On its own merits—and no matter what kind of PC user you are—it’s a win. -Alaina Yee Best Thunderbolt docking station: Plugable TBT-UDT3  Plugable 11-in-1 Thunderbolt 5 Docking Station Read our review Best Prices Today: $299.95 at Amazon | $299.95 at Plugable I expected 2025 to be a breakout year for Thunderbolt 5 docking stations, and I wasn’t disappointed. Many docks I received, however, were priced at the high end of the spectrum. Plugable’s TBT-UDT3 was a notable exception, a moderately-priced laptop docking station I could recommend to those who needed a current-generation Thunderbolt 4 dock or who were looking to invest in next-gen Thunderbolt 5 hardware. Why did I weigh price so heavily? Two reasons: first, the omnipresent tariff concerns, and second, because Intel has reserved (again!) Thunderbolt 5 as a discrete add-on component, making it the domain of high-end, premium laptops, and not the mainstream. Eventually, that will change. But Plugable gives you tomorrow’s hardware at today’s prices. Plugable’s docking station offers the choice of three displays (or two plus an external SSD), Thunderbolt Share, and a general overall stability that unfortunately isn’t that commonplace. I think it’s the best overall docking station I tested, even though others had standout features that I ranked highly. –Mark Hachman Best antivirus: Norton 360 Deluxe Norton 360 Deluxe Read our review Data breaches keep piling up. So too attacks via phishing links and malware. AI may be helping people with dinner recipes and email writing, but it has also sped up the discovery of vulnerabilities—and exploits of them. Even with good online browsing habits, the most careful person can still fall prey to common tricks. You need a safety net. That’s why we love Norton 360 Deluxe. You could stitch together your own equivalent suite yourself, but this antivirus app pulls together and simplifies a very broad range of features for users. In addition to blocking malware and shady websites, Norton 360 Deluxe also offers dark web monitoring, a VPN, parental controls, a password manager, and 50GB of cloud storage for automated backups of critical documents. The subscription even includes general PC utilities like file cleanup, too. This highly comprehensive level of defense is rare—especially given how little Norton charges. You’ll be hard-pressed to find rivals that cost as little or provide as many features. -Alaina Yee Best gaming handheld: Valve Steam Deck Willis Lai / IDG If you want a solid, affordable handheld gaming PC…just get Valve’s Steam Deck. It’s nearly four years old now, but with a starting price of $400 and a “sweet spot” OLED upgrade at $550, it’s still the best option out there for most gamers (especially if you pair the Steam Deck with a GeForce Now subscription, an utterly transformative duo). SteamOS, smoother and better integrated than Windows 11, is a big part of that. If you want a little more gaming power or a bigger screen, the Legion Go S comes with a SteamOS option that doesn’t require any tweaking…but maybe wait for a sale. –Michael Crider Best high-end gaming handheld: Lenovo Legion Go 2 Lenovo Legion Go 2 Read our review For those who want a lot more oomph and options, and don’t mind paying for it, the Lenovo Legion Go 2 is our pick. This beast of a handheld includes the larger screen and Switch-style breakaway controllers of the original design, plus an OLED upgrade and screaming Ryzen Z2 Extreme processor. It runs Windows 11, but Bazzite is a Steam-powered option (and probably official SteamOS, later). Just be prepared to pay for it: this thing starts at $1350 USD. –Michael Crider Best gaming laptop: Alienware 16X Aurora Alienware 16X Aurora Not only did the Alienware 16X Aurora impress us with its raw performance, but its high refresh rate display also makes everything look positively delicious. This laptop is equipped to keep up with the latest titles thanks to its Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX CPU and RTX 5070 GPU. You can jump straight into the latest triple-A games without problem, with all the eye candy cranked, and they’ll play amazing. The 16-inch 2560×1600 IPS screen is crisp and big, and the 240Hz refresh rate makes every frame feel as smooth as silk. -Ashley Biancuzzo Best personal data removal service: Incogni Incogni Read our review Best Prices Today: $7.99 at Incogni You might be surprised how much of your personal data is being collected and sold online. Data brokers and people search sites are hoovering up your data at an alarming rate and it’s nearly impossible to keep a lid on it yourself. So the best solution is to let a personal data removal service handle the arduous task of removing this data for you. And none are doing it better than Incogni. The service is dead simple to use, and the set-it-and-forget-it automation begins to work in a flash. After only the first day of using it, Incogni had already sent out hundreds of removal requests on my behalf, saving me months’ worth of effort. Plus, the service regularly follows up with every site to ensure my data doesn’t ever reappear. The addition of Custom removals means there is practically no site that Incogni won’t attempt to wipe your data from either. It can be a bit expensive, but if you’re concerned about your personal data being shared online, the piece of mind Incogni offers is unparalleled. –Sam Singleton  Best gaming monitor: MSI MPG 272URX MSI MPG 272URX Read our review Best Prices Today: $999 at Amazon | $1099.99 at MSI For a gaming monitor to even warrant consideration, it needs to be fast and it needs to have a damn good picture. Those are just table stakes, which the MSI MPG 272URX delivers handily. Not content with the standard 1440p resolution, the 272URX goes full 4K for maximum clarity, and its 240Hz refresh rate renders even fast-paced games with buttery smoothness. Adaptive sync support is a given.   But lest you think the 272URX’s talents begin and end with gaming, consider this: generous connectivity, including four video inputs, Power Delivery, and a KVM switch; a full complement of image-quality adjustments via a user-friendly on-screen menu; and HDR support. In sum, it’s an all-around winner. – Katherine Stevenson  Best Chromebook: Asus Chromebook Plus CX34 Asus Chromebook Plus CX34 Read our review Best Prices Today: $499.99 at Amazon Prime | $559.99 at Amazon When it comes to Chromebooks, the Asus Chromebook Plus CX34 is damned near flawless. It’s got an Intel i5 processor and 8GB of RAM, so it’s zippy when running everyday tasks, and the 14-inch 1080p touchscreen display looks sharp whether you’re cranking on daily workflows or zoning out to YouTube. It’ll also last around 13 hours on a single charge. You’ll get through a full workday, no problem – and with how great the keyboard feels, you won’t have any complaints while doing so. -Ashley Biancuzzo Best webcam: eMeet Piko+ 4K EMeet Piko+ Read our review Best Prices Today: $89.99 at Amazon Prime | $95.99 at Amazon I am so glad I picked eMeet’s Piko+ 4K for our best webcam of 2025: the only flaw that I could find with this cute little 4K webcam is that it lacked a traditional webcam mount. Imagine my surprise when I double-checked my review and our shopping listings, only to discover that eMeet now ships a “traditional” version of this webcam, too! I absolutely loved the clarity that this dual-lens 4K webcam offered, especially in low light. This webcam’s visual capabilities were simply excellent (the mic is merely average, but that’s okay) and the $90 price splits the difference between our $40 budget webcams and the $150-$250 you’d pay for an ultrapremium offering. I wasn’t expecting much from this webcam, but I was blown away by what it offers. –Mark Hachman Best VPN: NordVPN NordVPN Read our review Best Prices Today: $3.39 at NordVPN (Monthly) It’s never easy to select the best VPN overall. There are so many factors to consider such as privacy, ease of use, server network size, unblocking capabilities, and speed. The reasons people have for using a VPN varies widely and that all needs to be taken into account. Will the VPN be used to get around country blocks for streaming, staying anonymous online, torrenting, or something else—the list goes on and on. Many VPNs excel at a few of these functions, but rarely manage to shine across the board. That is, except NordVPN. It’s one of the only services that consistently ranks at the top, or close to it, of each category. That’s why it’s my pick for this year’s best VPN. Not only does it continue to be the fastest VPN I’ve ever tested, but it has a huge server network, a vast array of security extras, and its no-logs policy is backed by plenty of independent audits. It also never fails to unblock streaming services and fully supports P2P. No other current service exemplifies all of the elements of a great VPN like NordVPN, full stop. –Sam Singleton Best cheap VPN: Surfshark Surfshark Read our review Best Prices Today: $2.19 at Surfshark (Monthly) Each time I review Surfshark I’m amazed at the new and interesting features it adds to the service while maintaining such an inexpensive subscription price. At this point, I find myself asking, what doesn’t Surfshark have? Not only do you get the VPN with an outstanding server network and lightning-fast speeds, but you also have access to a whole slew of top-notch privacy and security extras such as multi-hop, antivirus protection, rotating IP, ad- and tracker-blocking, and more. The best part is that all of these great features and tools can be had for less than the price of a cup of coffee every month with Surfshark’s long-term plans. Even shady off-brand VPNs that market themselves as “cheap” barely offer subscriptions for this price—and none of them have the feature set or verified privacy record of Surfshark. It’s by far the best value VPN for those on a budget—and one of the best VPNs overall. –Sam Singleton  Best portable SSD: Teamgroup X2 Max  Teamgroup X2 Max Read our review Best Prices Today: $96.99 at Amazon For truly portable storage that can be carried with ease and used without the need for any additional cables or adapters, look no further than the Teamgroup X2 Max USB stick. This USB 3.2 Gen2 drive uses NVMe internals to deliver sustained transfers of approximately 1.1GBps.   Sure, you can find portable drives that are even faster than that – USB 3.2×2 or USB4, for example. But they won’t feature this lil’ one’s unique flexibility in the form of dual connectors. With both USB-A and USB-C connectors, one on each end, you are assured of being able to plug into any device as-is. Now that’s convenience! – Katherine Stevenson Best Windows Backup software: EaseUS Todo Backup 2025 Easeus ToDo Backup 2025 Read our review Best Prices Today: $39.95 at EaseUS This year, things got interesting in the backup software space. Our long-time favorite backup program was knocked from its perch by EaseUS Todo Backup 2025, which made impressive strides to achieve what our reviewer dubbed “the most efficient workflow I’ve seen.” He also described the interface as “a joy.” Wow. These are the kind of superlatives that make the tedious chore of backing up data much more welcoming.    Of course, EaseUS Todo Backup 2025 provides all the necessary functionality you need for complete confidence: whole drive and partition imaging, file and folder backup, sync, disaster recovery including a WinPE recover disk, and more. We also love that EaseUS bucks the trend by offering a perpetual licence ($59.99, or $79.99 for lifetime upgrades) in addition to a yearly subscription ($39.99). Although, to take advantage of EaseUS’s optional cloud storage at a respectable $20 per year for 1TB, you will need to opt for the subscription tier. – Katherine Stevenson   Best online backup service: iDrive  iDrive Online Cloud Backup Read our review Best Prices Today: $69.65 at iDrive It makes a lot of sense to use an online backup service. In the context of the trusty 3-2-1 rule for backups, an online backup suffices as one of the two distinct types of media that’s suggested, as well as checks the box that a backup be kept in a remote location.   What’s really great about iDrive, our pick for best online backup service, is that it offers even more than that, such as a client for local backups and basic imaging and disaster recovery, which is pretty rare among online services.     The Personal tier, which starts at $69.65 per year, has support for multiple devices and includes 5TB of online storage. With its comprehensive feature set and user-friendliness, iDrive is tough to beat. – Katherine Stevenson Best USB-C Hub: OWC USB-C Travel Dock OWC USB-C Travel Dock Read our review Best Prices Today: $29.99 at Amazon Most USB-C hubs are dongles: you get a long rectangular slab of plastic or aluminum about the length of a utility knife, with a number of ports attached. OWC’s Travel Dock looks a bit more like a docking station without the size of a docking station. It’s only 3.2 inches on a side, and ports sprout from all three sides of this 5-in-1 hub: USB-A, Ethernet, USB-C power input, HDMI, and an SD card reader. Even the cord tucks away. For about $35 ($30 as I write this) you get the most important four ports you’ll need, all in a compact little square that still fits inside a pouch, purse, or pack. Or…perhaps a stocking? –Mark Hachman Read...

At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros Sharp OLED touchscreen with 120Hz refresh rate Healthy amount of RAM and storage for the price Wide range of physical connectivity Good integrated GPU performance Cons Boring design Supports table mode, but too heavy for frequent use CPU performance doesn’t stand out Battery life is just average for the category Our Verdict The Asus Vivobook 16 Flip’s yawn-worthy design is countered by well-rounded performance and a 16-inch 120Hz OLED touchscreen. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Best Prices Today: Asus Vivobook 16 Flip Retailer Price Check Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Best Prices Today: Check today’s prices Windows 2-in-1s just aren’t what they used to be—though, arguably, that’s probably for the best. Instead of tiny thin-and-lights with displays sized for a child, we now get 2-in-1s like the Asus Vivobook 16 Flip, which has a 16-inch OLED touchscreen. It’s definitely not an iPad alternative, but it’s a versatile Windows machine with solid performance. Asus Vivobook 16 Flip: Specs and features as-tested The Asus Vivobook 16 Flip I received for review is the maxed-out configuration, which is available from Costco at $1,249.99. It has an Intel Core Ultra 7 258V octo-core processor, 32GB of RAM, and 1TB of storage, as well as a 16-inch OLED touchscreen. While none of these specifications are remarkable on their own, they represent good value at the $1,249.99 price point. Model number: TP3607 CPU: Intel Core Ultra 7 258V Memory: 32GB LPDDR5x-8533 Graphics/GPU: Intel Arc 140V NPU: Up to 47 TOPS Display: 16-inch 2880×1800 OLED 120Hz touchscreen Storage: 1TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 solid state drive Webcam and microphone: 1080p with dual microphone array and physical privacy shutter Connectivity: 1x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 with DisplayPort and Power Delivery and up to 20Gbps data, 1x Thunderbolt 4 with DisplayPort and Power Delivery and up to 40Gbps data, 1x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1, 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x 3.5mm, MicroSD card reader Networking: Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4 Biometrics: None Battery capacity: 75 watt-hours Dimensions: 13.98 x 9.62 x 0.69 inches Weight: 3.97 pounds Operating System: Windows 11 Home Price: $1,349.99 MSRP / $1,249.99 typical retail from Costco Asus also offers a less expensive model with an Intel Core Ultra 7 256V, 16GB of memory, and 512GB of storage. That model retails for $1,049.99 from Asus and is currently $1,019.99 on Amazon. I think you should spring for the more expensive configuration if you can swing it. Getting twice as much RAM and storage, plus a processor upgrade, is good value in return for an extra $200 to $230. Asus Vivobook 16 Flip: Design and build quality Foundry / Matthew Smith The Asus Vivobook 16 Flip’s design makes a modest first impression. It’s a slab of metallic silver-gray material with minimal branding and no flair. This, of course, is also true of many mid-range laptops. But there’s definitely something about the Vivobook 16 Flip’s design that screams “budget!” to me. I think it’s the bottom of the laptop, which is adorned with large ridged fan vents and rubber feet. It’s a serviceable design but not one that stands out. Build quality is the same story. The laptop feels solid and doesn’t allow much flex in typical laptop use. However, picking up the laptop from a corner flexes the chassis enough to cause a couple disconcerting creaks and groans. That contributes to the Vivobook 16 Flip’s budget feel. As the name implies, the Vivobook 16 Flip is a 2-in-1 with a 360 display that can rotate (or flip) so that the display is flush with the bottom of the laptop, effectively converting it into a tablet. This is a 16-inch machine that weighs in at nearly four pounds, and while that’s light for a laptop of this size, it’s still heavy enough to make tablet use awkward. I find the rotating hinge more useful when the laptop is in “tent” mode on a desk. This places the touchscreen at your fingertips, while the keyboard rotates back to become a stand. It’s a nice option if you want to watch Netflix or YouTube. Asus Vivobook 16 Flip: Keyboard, trackpad, mouse Foundry / Matthew Smith A spacious keyboard with numpad spans the Asus Vivobook 16 Flip’s interior. The primary alphanumeric keys are large and well positioned. Only the left-side Tab, Caps, and Ctrl keys are a little undersized—and even then, no more so than other laptops. The numpad keys aren’t full-sized but larger than most 16-inch laptops that squeeze in a numpad. Key feel is mediocre but good enough. The keys have good travel and a decent bottoming action, but the keyboard is quiet and lacks a sense of tactile feedback. That is not my preference, but people who want a smooth and quiet typing experience will like it. White LED keyboard backlighting is standard, which is typical for a laptop sold above $1,000. The inclusion of a numpad means the primary alphanumeric keys are shifted to the left, and the touchpad also shifts left to keep itself centered under the spacebar. I like the touchpad. It’s large, at roughly six inches wide and four inches deep, and provides a smooth, responsive touchpad surface with good palm rejection. There’s plenty of room to execute Windows’ more elaborate multi-touch gestures, like the five-finger pinch-to-minimize. But many 16-inch laptops, from the more expensive Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i 16 to the budget Acer Aspire 16 AI, have similar touchpads. Asus Vivobook 16 Flip: Display, audio Foundry / Matthew Smith The Asus Vivobook 16 Flip has an OLED touchscreen with 2880×1800 resolution, a 16:10 aspect ratio, and a 120Hz refresh rate. It’s a wonderful display with great sharpness, deep contrast, vibrant color, and good motion clarity thanks to the high refresh rate. Even the brightness is decent with an HDR maximum of 500 nits and, in my testing, an SDR maximum of about 400 nits. My nitpick is with the glossy finish. It’s glossy, and while the display is bright for OLED glare can be an issue if you’re near a sunlit window. But this is a common problem for many OLED laptops, so while it’s an annoyance, it’s not a disadvantage. That cuts both ways, though. The OLED panel, while fantastic, is identical to the OLED panels found on many other 16-inch laptops, such as the Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i 16. The Vivobook 16 Flip is inexpensive for a 16-inch laptop with an OLED touchscreen, at least. The speakers offer good volume and a rich, robust sound at lower volumes, which can prove genuinely enjoyable for chill beats or less demanding gaming. However, at higher volumes the sound can become muddy and imprecise. Most competitors have the same issues, though more expensive competitors like Lenovo’s Yoga Pro 9i and Apple’s MacBook Pro have a serious advantage in audio performance. Asus Vivobook 16 Flip: Webcam, microphone, biometrics You’ll find a 1080p webcam stuffed into the display’s top bezel. It provides decent sharpness and color but can look grainy in dark lighting. I also noticed the default field-of-view is wide, which means you’ll look small in the frame, which often isn’t ideal for video calls. You can counter that with zoom, but doing that will reduce the effective resolution. I had no problem with the dual microphone array. It picked up my voice without issue and was able to cancel out the sound of a space heater in my room. Louder and more abrupt noises, like a barking dog, may make it through the noise cancellation. Biometric login is not supported, which is a bit unusual for a Windows laptop above $1,000. Many competitors have either an IR camera for facial recognition or a fingerprint reader (and sometimes both), but neither is included here. Asus Vivobook 16 Flip: Connectivity Foundry / Matthew Smith Asus provides a good mix of physical connectivity on the Asus Vivobook 16 Flip. It has a Thunderbolt 4 port and a USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 port, both with DisplayPort and Power Delivery. That means both can be used to connect displays or charge the laptop. There’s also a single USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 port. Additional connectivity includes an HDMI 2.1 port, a MicroSD card reader, and a 3.5mm audio jack. This is a good, though not remarkable range of connectivity. Most competitive laptops have a similar number of USB-C ports and at least one USB-A. Perhaps counterintuitively, you’re actually more likely to see laptops and 2-in-1s above $2,000 ditch USB-A and HDMI, while competitors in the Vivobook 16 Flip’s price range are more likely to have these ports. Wireless connectivity covers the bases, too, with Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4. These are the latest versions of each wireless standard, though most laptops in this price range provide the same support. Asus Vivobook 16 Flip: Performance The Asus Vivobook 16 Flip that I reviewed had the Intel Core Ultra 7 258V. It’s an eight-core CPU with a maximum clock speed of 4.8GHz, four performance cores, and four low-power efficient cores. It also provides a robust version of Intel’s Arc 140V integrated graphics. The Intel chip was paired with a healthy 32GB of memory and 1TB of solid state storage. Foundry / Matthew Smith The Asus Vivobook 16 Flip gets off to a strong start in PCMark 10, a holistic system benchmark. This test tends to favor heavily multi-threaded CPU performance a bit less and does benefit from a GPU, all of which turns out well for the Vivobook 16 Flip. It delivers the best score and even beat more expensive 2-in-1s like the Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro 360. Foundry / Matthew Smith The story is a bit different in Cinebench 2024, a heavily multi-threaded benchmark. As mentioned, the Intel Core Ultra 7 258V has eight cores, but only half of those are performance cores. Many competitors offer more high-performance cores, and it shows. The AMD Ryzen AI 7 350 runs circles around it here. Foundry / Matthew Smith Things once again change in Handbrake, however. Here, we see that the Vivobook 16 Flip provides a strong score for an Intel Core Ultra 7 258V laptop. It seems the laptop’s aggressive cooling (which is rather loud at full load) is more able to keep the chip running at full tilt over the duration of this test. Foundry / Matthew Smith Diving in 3D benchmarks, we see Intel’s Arc 140V strut its stuff. The 140V is generally a great integrated graphics solution and the Vivobook 16 Flip helps it extend its lead over AMD’s Radeon alternatives. While the Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro 360 is more-or-less tied with the Vivobook 16 Flip, the Vivobook’s performance here is strong. The 3DMark score will translate to strong performance in older or less demanding 3D games. Shadow of the Tomb Raider, for example, averaged 67 frames per second at 1080p resolution and Highest detail. A wide range of more modest games, from World of Warcraft to Ball X Pit, will be enjoyable on this laptop. I’m happy with the Asus Vivobook 16 Flip’s performance, and it’s probably the most significant reason to choose this laptop over a competitor that might have AMD’s Ryzen AI 7 350 or the Intel Core Ultra 256V. While I wouldn’t call the Vivobook 16 Flip a high-performance laptop, it’s very respectable for the price, and can handle both productivity apps and less demanding 3D games. The laptop’s 32GB of RAM and 1TB solid state drive are icing on the cake. While I wouldn’t call the Vivobook 16 Flip a high-performance laptop, it’s very respectable for the price, and can handle both productivity apps and less demanding 3D games. Asus Vivobook 16 Flip: Battery life and portability A 75 watt-hour battery lurks inside the Asus Vivobook 16 Flip. That is an average size for a Windows laptop, and it results in average battery life. Foundry / Matthew Smith The good news is that Asus’ Vivobook 16 Flip managed to endure PCWorld’s standard battery test, which loops a 4K file of the short film Tears of Steel, for over 14 hours. That’s a long time! The bad news is that many Windows laptops in this category offer similar or better battery life. Real-world battery life will generally prove a bit less, though roughly 10 hours shouldn’t be hard to squeeze out and 14 hours is achievable if you keep to less demanding apps, use a low-performance power profile, and set the display to around 50 percent of its maximum brightness. It’s an easy laptop to charge, too. It ships with a small 65-watt USB-C power adapter and can be charged with a wide range of third-party USB-C chargers. Even a modern phone charger can charge it to 100 percent in about four or five hours. Asus Vivobook 16 Flip: Conclusion The Asus Vivobook 16 Flip is a well-rounded 16-inch 2-in-1 that often fails to excel,but generally provides good value when compared to the competition. It’s strongest in performance, where it often was a bit quicker than the alternatives. The Vivobook also provides an OLED touchscreen at an affordable price, and while it doesn’t have any headline feature that really separates it from the competition, it also avoids any major problems that might make it a hard pass. It’s also a good value at $1,249.99 Read...

TL;DR: Upgrade your PC with a Windows 11 Pro lifetime license for just $9.97 (MSRP $199) through 11:59 p.m. PT Nov. 9. Microsoft Windows 11 Pro delivers the tools modern professionals need—performance, security, and a clean interface. With a one-time payment of $9.97 (MSRP $199), this lifetime license provides full access to a future-ready operating system built for productivity and security. This version of Windows features advanced multitasking capabilities, including Snap layouts and multiple desktops, making it easy to manage projects or switch between personal and work profiles. Support for features like Hyper-V, BitLocker, and Windows Sandbox makes it an ideal choice for developers, IT professionals, and anyone who values control and security. The Pro edition also enhances everyday usability with voice typing, a powerful search bar, touchscreen support, and Windows Copilot—an AI assistant that helps you take action, find answers, and even generate ideas. If your PC meets the system requirements, this upgrade is a cost-effective way to unlock better multitasking, enterprise-grade protection, and AI-powered convenience. No recurring costs. Just one low payment for a fully licensed, always-updated OS. Don’t miss the opportunity to get Windows 11 Pro for just $9.97 (MSRP $199) through November 9 at 11:59 p.m. PT. Microsoft Windows 11 ProSee Deal StackSocial prices subject to change. Read...

A red poppy features on every front page, with a number of the papers running special editions for Remembrance Sunday Read...

On Friday, Microsoft released the first build of Windows 11 26H1—and as suspected, you won’t need to worry about it. Microsoft released Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 28000 to the Canary Channel, the most experimental of the four Windows Insider channels. “With this build today, Windows Insiders in the Canary Channel will see the versioning updated under Settings > System > About (and winver) to Windows 11, version 26H1,” the company said in a blog post. In the announcement, Microsoft was fairly clear that Windows 11 26H1 won’t be something that consumers will have to worry about. “26H1 is not a feature update for version 25H2 and only includes platform changes to support specific silicon,” the blog post noted. “There is no action required from customers.” “[Windows 11] 25H2 remains the primary place for new features,” the post added. “Windows 11 continues to have an annual feature update cadence, with releases in the second half of the calendar year.” Microsoft’s statement is in line with what tipster Phantomofearth revealed little more than a week ago: that the Windows 11 26H1 release was specifically aimed at new silicon. The leaker claimed that the new silicon in question was the Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 Elite, which should ship in early 2026. Microsoft basically used the earlier Snapdragon X Elite as a test bed, rolling out new features on that platform first, then adding support for other Copilot+ processors like Intel’s Core Ultra 200 chips and the AMD Ryzen AI 300 processors. Although Microsoft could adjust course and launch a new feature or two on the Windows 11 26H1 channel, it looks like enthusiasts who want to try out and test new Windows features should remain on Windows 11 25H2 for now. You can double-check which version your PC is on by using the “winget” command within Windows. Again, the Canary Channel is purely experimental. “The builds we release to the Canary Channel represent the latest platform changes early in the development cycle and should not be seen as matched to any specific release of Windows,” Microsoft noted. “Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.” Read...

One of Microsoft’s unexpected success stories on the PC is Phone Link, the way in which you can monitor and use your Android phone while working on your PC. So it’s a shame that Microsoft is fracturing the app when it probably doesn’t need to. Microsoft is removing the Photos portion of Phone Link and handing it back to File Explorer. Is this a big deal? Yes and no. Windows Central and Windows Latest noticed the change Friday morning, but it has appeared on my Phone Link app, too: A notification that Phone Link is going away, and that you can now access your phone’s photos via the standard File Explorer application. Phone Link, once called the Your Phone app on a Windows PC, is now a cohesive experience within Windows for both Android phones and Apple iPhones (well, kind of.) A recent change to the Windows Start menu places a “phone companion” menu on the page, which is basically a subset and a shortcut to Phone Link. Phone Link puts all of your SMS messages, phone calls, photos, and Android apps on a single page, and can even navigate through the phone screen itself. Yes, mobile messaging has quietly migrated to iMessage and various Android apps like WhatsApp, but it’s still a unified vision of what’s taking place on your phone. And that’s handy, both for you and for Microsoft. I’ve used Phone Link’s Photos feature when my phone hasn’t quite synced with OneDrive and the Windows Photos app, when I need a photo from my phone to illustrate a story. I’ll still use Photos and even OneDrive to hunt down photos from years ago, but the fact that I can see the key features of my phone right on the display that I’m working on is quite handy. And let’s face it: File Explorer is a bit clunky in the best of times. The one feature that I don’t see in Phone Link that I see elsewhere on the PC is support for video, which is becoming more of a feature in our daily lives as people record short snippets of what they see around them. For that, I suppose it’s worth visiting File Explorer or the Windows Photos app, which remains my choice for archived photos and video. It does, however, feel (again) like Microsoft is making changes that no one asked for. Isn’t there a better way? Read...

All-in-one coolers are all the rage these days because they bring liquid cooling tech to the masses without having to deal with, well, liquid. Take the NZXT Kraken 240mm, for example. It packs in a bunch of features in an easy-to-use size, complete with a bit of extra pizzazz with a 1.5-inch LCD screen on the head unit. Will Smith tested it out for the latest PCWorld video on YouTube. Will says that he loves the approachable price ($140 retail) and size of this Kraken variant, even if the small screen isn’t the flashiest on the market. It’s also probably not a go-to if you’re looking for that ultra-clean look for the interior of your PC, as it has a proprietary control cable dangling off the head. It’s not a deal-breaker in terms of aesthetics, but some won’t appreciate it. With a smaller radiator and less intense fans, this probably isn’t enough to cool the most ridiculous overclocked CPUs either—if you can afford a Threadripper, look elsewhere. That said, it’s great for someone looking for a starter liquid cooling setup or anyone who wants something easy to set up and go. Once you’ve installed the fans and gotten power to both them and the integrated pump, you’re ready to rock, with an impressive default “silent” profile on the NZXT Cam software. It’s probably not for someone who wants the most interoperability or customization, but it’s a good pick for for regular users. The same design comes with an RGB variant in black or white. For more of the latest PC hardware, be sure to subscribe to PCWorld on YouTube and join us every week for our podcast The Full Nerd. Read...