If you buy The Outer Worlds 2 or any number of major Microsoft-published games, you can play them on both Xbox and PC with the same purchase. Now that Sony is all in on supporting the PC platform with its first-party games, it might just be planning to support a similar cross-platform purchase system between PC and PlayStation 5. Newly uncovered assets indicate that it’s in the works. Leakers on social media are showing a “Cross-Buy” logo from files uncovered on the PlayStation Store with a combined “PS5/PC” logo attached. While it’s far from definitive, that sure sounds like a buy-it-once, play-it-anywhere approach to me. “Anywhere” might include streaming options, which Sony has just recently expanded to its Portal handheld device, but is unlikely to include an actual Xbox home console. As Tom’s Hardware notes, this isn’t the first time that the “Cross-Buy” label has been used by Sony. Back when the PS Vita was still kicking, you could buy some games and have them available on your handheld, PS3, and PS4. But Sony moved away from that when it ceded the handheld market to Nintendo. All PS4 games can play on the PS5, and some can be “upgraded” to the more powerful hardware with extra graphical features. Since I have both a gaming PC and a PS5, the idea of owning games across systems is particularly exciting for me. I’ve often had to weigh buying a game on the more powerful PC hardware or the system sitting in my living room that’s much better for multiplayer. It sure doesn’t help that we seem to have fully embraced the idea that $70 is an acceptable price to pay for a new game. Getting access to it on PC and console with one purchase would help a lot to ease that sting in my wallet. Read...

Ring’s AI event notifications are handy when it comes to getting text descriptions of what’s happening around your abode, but too many of the AI-generated pop-ups can get annoying fast.  To cut down on the chatter, Ring is debuting a new feature: AI Single Event Alert, which takes multiple AI notifications from related motion events captured by your Ring cameras and combines them into—you guessed it—a single alert.  The feature, which is slated to begin rolling out today for subscribers to Ring’s priciest subscription plan, joins a couple of other Ring AI tools that were first introduced last fall: Video Descriptions, which employ AI to write brief summaries of video events, and Smart Video Search, which allows you to comb through your saved videos using natural-language queries.  AI Single Event Alert works by taking multiple Video Descriptions, analyzing their summaries to pinpoint “patterns and similarities that signal one ongoing activity,” and then combining those summaries into a single notification.  AI Single Event Alert takes multiple AI notifications from related motion events and combines them into a single alert. Ring In other words, instead of getting peppered with pop-ups like “A person is walking a brown dog in the grass,” “A person and a brown dog are playing in the yard,” and “A person and a brown dog are walking on the grass,” you’ll just get a “single event” alert that reads, “A person is playing with a brown dog in the yard.”  The individual motion events will remain in your video history, Ring says, adding that “you’ll simply be alerted in a more efficient, intuitive way.”  Before you can enable AI Single Event Alert, you’ll need to sign up for Ring Home Premium, the priciest of Ring’s subscription plans.   Ring Home Premium costs $20 a month, and it includes features such as the aforementioned Video Descriptions and Smart Video Search, along with 180 days of video history, 14 days of 24/7 video recording for supported Ring cameras, the ability to request emergency responders directly within the Ring app, and local microSD video storage on the Ring Alarm Pro security system.  Also available for $200 a year, a single Ring Home Premium subscription is good for all your Ring cameras within a single location, and it includes the same features as the less expensive Ring Home Standard and Home Basic plans, including AI object detection for people, packages, and vehicles, live picture-in-picture views, daily event summaries, and more.  This story is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best security cameras. Read...

The most expensive laptops often have vivid, beautiful, high-resolution OLED panels that look fantastic. But those OLED screens are almost always glossy, and that means they suffer from glare and reflections. Out in the real world, I prefer matte IPS displays—they don’t look as good in perfect lighting, but they’re more usable everywhere else. If your laptop lives at your desk in perfect lighting all the time, then OLED is an excellent choice. But if you’ll be taking it outdoors, the sun is kryptonite for flashy OLED panels. That premium OLED display option? It doesn’t always feel premium in real-world conditions. Glossy panels are the real problem I keep saying OLED, but the core issue here is the display’s coating: glossy versus matte. A glossy display is more vivid and shiny, but it also produces more glare in sunlight, in overhead lighting, and in other challenging lighting conditions. I often find glossy laptop screens to be impossible to read outdoors while matte panels are still fine. Unfortunately, OLED panels are almost always glossy. The one exception I know of is the Samsung Odyssey OLED G8 desktop monitor, which has an OLED panel with a matte coating. I myself own one of these and I use it on my office desk—I wouldn’t want to use a glossy panel in a room with that much natural light! Matthew Smith / Foundry But even if you opt for an IPS panel, you aren’t quite out of the woods. IPS panels are available with both matte and glossy surfaces, with some of the nicer laptops I’ve reviewed offering anti-reflective coatings that go the extra mile. Sadly, many IPS laptops have glossy displays, too. IPS displays can be glossy, too — especially ones with touchscreens If a laptop has a touchscreen, it probably has a glossy surface. Whether you’re looking at a touchscreen clamshell laptop, a 2-in-1 convertible, or a device with pen input, the glass layer tends to be glossy and smooth so you can have a smooth surface to touch. A matte finish just isn’t as smooth, so it’s not the ideal fit for a touchscreen display. Glossiness isn’t always associated with price, by the way. Lots of laptops with cheaper IPS panels are paired with glossy finished, and I’ve personally used cheaper laptops with matte finishes. Laptops with IPS panels and matte finishes are particularly common in business laptops, which are mostly used to get work done in rooms with suboptimal lighting, whether that’s outdoors or under overhead fluorescent bulbs. That said, “premium” and “high-end” business laptops do tend to have glossy touchscreen OLED panels with stylus input. Glossy vs. matte panels: It’s a trade-off There’s no one best solution. Glossy displays are shiny and vivid, and in ideal lighting conditions—a dark room, for example—they’ll likely wow you. Heck, they often impress me when I use them indoors. But with laptops designed for portability, that glossy appeal fades as soon as I take them outside and the glare of the sun hits the screen. Even with manufacturer-applied anti-reflective coatings, there’s a glare. A glossy panel looks vivid—and so do its reflections.Chris Hoffman / Foundry Meanwhile, matte displays aren’t as impressive at first glance. Side by side in ideal lighting conditions, you’ll find matte displays to be more “dull” and nowhere near as colorful. But once you step into challenging lighting conditions—outdoor sunlight, overhead fluorescent lighting, or any room with overly bright or dark lights beyond your control—matte displays prove their value as far as readability, reflections, and eye fatigue are concerned. A matte panel won’t win beauty awards, but it’s less harsh on the eyes.Chris Hoffman / Foundry So, pick one: a vivid display with more shiny reflections and eye-fatiguing glare, or a duller display with less vibrant colors that’s easier on the eyes in challenging lighting situations. The good news is, if you’re looking for a high-performance gaming laptop that stays on your desk in a your room with great lighting, this isn’t a problem. It’s mainly a concern if you need a portable machine that’s going to be taken into a variety of situations. Thinking of buying an OLED laptop? Here’s what else you need to consider Not all glossy OLED displays are unreadable outdoors. If you do want a glossy OLED, one thing I can recommend is a brighter panel. The brighter the display can get, the better it can overpower harsh lighting conditions and stay readable. (This is true for matte IPS displays, too.) Brightness is an incredibly important spec when using an OLED laptop outdoors. A screen that only reaches 400 nits of brightness is going to be harder to read in bright conditions than one that can hit 800 or even 1,000 nits. The more brightness you have available, the better and more adaptable—but that’s a brute-force solution. Also, while it’s possible to get OLED panels with anti-reflective coatings or surface treatments, those coatings and treatments aren’t all equal… and some are more expensive than others. Each one is its own compromise. For example, if you’ll always use an OLED laptop in perfect lighting conditions, you don’t want an anti-reflective coating because it’ll hamper the vivid picture you’d get with that shiny screen. Valve I own a 1TB Steam Deck OLED, and while the higher-end OLED model features “premium anti-glare etched glass” that produces fewer reflections and less glare, the image on the standard OLED model (without the etching) looks a tad more vivid. Similarly, my Samsung G80SD monitor gives me a nice big OLED display in my office where I don’t have window sunlight making it hard to read. In short, if you’re getting a laptop with an OLED screen for use in challenging lighting conditions, make sure to get one with plenty of brightness and anti-reflective coatings or surface treatments. Glossy vs. matte: I love them both “Glossy” and “matte” are words that usually aren’t highlighted on spec sheets. But for a portable device like a laptop, the reflectivity of the display matters a lot even if it doesn’t get top billing. I love OLED displays. I really do. When I review a high-end OLED laptop and the lighting is perfect, I get why people are willing to put up with the reflections. But then the sun peeks through the clouds… If you’re buying a laptop and plan to use it outdoors, think twice before buying the high-end glossy OLED model. A cheaper matte IPS display could actually feel like a much more premium experience. 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...

Microsoft apologises to New Zealand users for unclear communication on Microsoft 365 pricing and AI features, offering refunds for plan changes until end of 2025. Read...

At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros Incredibly cheap Slightly more effective than other skimmers Remote control is handy for spot cleaning Cons Repeatedly bashed into the pool’s walls No real navigation features Initial setup is confusing Our Verdict This sub-$200 skimmer looks funny and feels flimsy, but it gets the job done better than most, even without having any smarts to speak of. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Best Prices Today: Ultenic S1 Pool Skimmer Retailer Price $229.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Best Prices Today: Check today’s prices As a category, pool skimmers aren’t the most effective at cleaning your pool, but they’re better than just letting surface debris sink to the bottom. What makes them potentially more compelling is when they’re inexpensive, and the Ultenic S1 Pool Skimmer is as cheap as they come. And much to my surprise, it works as well as (or better than) anything else in its class that I’ve tried. Specifications The Ultenic S1 measures 8 x 15 x 19 inches (HxWxL) once it’s assembled, and it weighs just 6 pounds. Like many modern pool skimmers, it features a solar panel on top (this one puts out 9 watts) that keeps its 5200mAh battery charged. If the weather isn’t cooperating, you can charge it manually with the included custom USB cable (power adapter included). The unit offers a 6-liter debris basket, and as its sole bonus feature, it comes with a slim remote control that lets you drive the robot around the surface of the pool on demand. The solar-powered Ultenic S1 Pool Skimmer would commonly run all day, even in relatively cloudy weather. The filter basket includes a small chamber that can be used to hold a chlorine tablet, dispensing chemicals as it moves around the pool. This can be removed if you don’t need it. The device does not have any wireless capabilities aside from its remote control, and it does not connect to a mobile app. Installation and setup The Ultenic S1 Pool Skimmer comes partially disassembled, and it can be intimidating to put together; fortunately, the user manual guides you as to what goes where.Christopher Null/Foundry The Ultenic S1 comes in a jumble of pieces, and considering how simple the product is, it’s remarkably confusing to set up. You’ll need to attach various components to the core device, including two propellors, guide wheels, anti-stranding bars, and the filter basket, which comes in two parts. Assembly is far from intuitive and even after studying the quick-start guide, I struggled for longer than I care to admit to figure out how the guide wheels clipped into place. The longer, printed manual is, fortunately, more thorough and explanatory, but the process still took longer than I expected to complete, about five minutes. I fully charged the device as the manual suggested via wall power in advance of its initial deployment. At this point I noticed the power port on the underside of the device has no cover to prevent water ingress, though I ultimately did not notice any ill effects of water getting into this part of the device during several days of testing. A front-mounted paddle-wheel impeller pulls debris into the skimmer.Christopher Null/Foundry Lastly, a skimmer blocking system—a slim piece of foam rubber—is included in the box should you find your robot getting stuck in the wall-skimmer intake. I didn’t encounter a problem with this, so I didn’t use it. Using the Ultenic S1 Pool Skimmer A physical switch on the front of the S1 is all it takes to power up the robot; and in fact, it’s the only onboard control. It’s clear that, much like Ultenic’s Pooleco 10 floor-cleaning robot, there is not a lot of intelligence built into the device. There’s no real rhyme or reason to how it moves, alternately pushing straight ahead or opting to turn. When it comes to a wall, the S1 just plows right into it, and the guide wheels in front of the robot are not soft or padded in any way. Over time I can imagine this might have an impact on your pool’s waterline tiles, possibly leading to cracks or looseness. The device just feels flimsy, almost like a toy. A wireless remote control gives you the option to “drive” the skimmer around your pool. Christopher Null/Foundry Ultenic promises 15 hours of running time on a full charge, and while that’s difficult to properly test given that solar power is constantly recharging the battery—and there is no battery level meter—I did note that the Ultenic S1 would commonly run all day, even in relatively cloudy weather, stopping only for occasional breaks and then starting back up again once it had enough juice. The device can always be charged via cable overnight, but I usually didn’t bother and let the unit pick up where it left off each morning once the battery had enough charge to work with. The remote control works well, and while it’s always difficult to control something that has momentum on water, I was easily able to navigate the skimmer around the pool to pick up debris on demand. Another button can be used to instruct the S1 to “dock” against the side of the pool with a single press, but I found it easier to simply drive it to the wall. The Ultenic S1 Pool Skimmer is outfitted with a 6-liter filter basket.Christopher Null/Foundry I had low expectations for the Ultenic S1, but much to my surprise it was more effective than I guessed it would be; in fact, it was better at cleaning than many other much more expensive skimmers I’ve tested. Despite an intake that measures just about 14 inches across and no real sense of direction, the unit gobbled up more than 50 percent of the test material in my test run, after about 5 hours of uninterrupted operation. While most of the remaining debris sank to the bottom of the pool, which might not sound like a great result, it’s because debris won’t float forever. The bottom line is that that’s the best score I’ve seen from a skimmer to date. These ard plastic bumpers on either side of the skimmer constantly slammed into my pool’s walls at the waterline.Christopher Null/Foundry My theory for explaining the Ultenic S1’s unexpected effectiveness is that its very light weight creates less bow wake as it moves across the water. This, in turn, causes fewer leaves to be pushed out to the sides, escaping the skimmer’s “mouth,” as you’ll see with larger skimmers. The front-mounted paddlewheel, meanwhile, is effective at pulling in debris—it even captured small branches. The debris basket’s confusing two-part design, on the other hand, makes cleaning a little more difficult than other skimmers; but once you’ve done the disassembly and reassembly a few times, the hassle eases. Should you buy the Ultenic S1 Pool Skimmer? I’m still not convinced most pool owners need a robotic skimmer at all, but in times of significant wind and rain, it can be helpful to have something to complement the wall skimmer if the pool gets a heavy dusting of leaves. The price is, of course, what makes this product worthwhile: At less than $200, the Ultenic S1 is an exceptionally low-risk investment to have on hand in case of emergency. This review is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best robotic pool cleaners. Read...

It’s been hard to avoid tech giant Google’s AI ventures lately. You might find all those new AI services and features useful, or you might find them annoying—but either way, one thing is absolutely true: they run in data centers that suck down huge amounts of power. And, apparently, the data centers here on Earth aren’t enough. Yesterday, Google announced Project Suncatcher and its intention to explore the possibility of running AI calculations in space. Project Suncatcher will investigate whether networks of solar-powered satellites equipped with Tensor AI chips could serve as data centers in space. In the blog post, Google mentions that there are several major challenges with the project, including that the satellites in the network will need to move in a much tighter formation than existing satellite networks, and that the Tensor chips will also need to cope with cosmic radiation while in orbit around the Earth. Two prototype satellites will be launched into orbit by early 2027, but Google says there’s still a long way to go before the Project Suncatcher network can become operational. Google expects that launch costs will not be low enough to make the satellite network a cost-effective alternative to data centers on Earth for a long time—at least until the mid-2030s. Further reading: At least one Starlink satellite burns up every day Read...

At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros Small, thumb-drive class form factor Retractable captive Type-C connector Inexpensive for the capacity Cons Slows drastically off secondary cache Our Verdict For light duty, this cleverly designed thumb-drive class SSD delivers a lot of bang for relatively few bucks. However, it slows drastically when it runs out of secondary cache. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Best Prices Today: Adata SC735 10Gbps SSD Retailer Price Check Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Best Prices Today: Check today’s prices Adata’s tiny, blue-striped SC735 is an attractive, if a tad squatter-than-usual take on the hyper-portable SSD, aka a thumb drive. It’s 10Gbps USB and available with up to 2TB at unusually affordable price points. Our only real caveat is that the drive, while not slow, ranks well down the charts in performance, especially when writing larger amounts of data. Adata SC735 SSD: Features Though not the traditional shape, I still think “thumb drive” when I use the SC735. It’s about 0.4-inches thick, 2.25-inches long (2.5-inches with the Type-C connector extended) and 1.2-inches across — quite a bit shorter and wider than most thumb drives, though the dimensions total up roughly the same. The weight is hardly worth mentioning at a mere half an ounce. I’m generally not a fan of retractable connectors as these mechanisms tend to be either hard to slide, don’t stay in place, or retract when you don’t want them to. Happily, the SC735’s take on retractable suffers none of those issues. The slide switch is on the bottom so that you don’t disturb it when you grip the unit on the sides (by far the most comfortable way), and the switch locks firmly into place. The SC735 with its Type-C connector extended.Jon L. Jacobi That said, the slide button sticks out a hair so the SC735 wobbles ever so slightly when placed with the slide facing down. Compensating for this, one “side” of the SC735 is flat, allowing you to set the drive on said side (or alternate bottom if you will) without the wobble. When sitting upright on its side, the SC735 is easy to spot in the crowd of thumb drives I generally have out for comparison. (As if the blue stripes weren’t enough…) It is a bit less stable, but I didn’t find it nearly as easy to knock over as I had imagined. As noted, the SC735 is 10Gbps USB and employs a Silicon Motion SM2322 controller and layered QLC NAND. Secondary caching is done by writing the QLC as SLC up to 20 percent of capacity during any single write operation. Adata warranties the SC735 for five years — two years beyond the norm, though the company doesn’t provide a TBW rating. However, QLC of this apparent vintage (see the performance section) is typically rated at 250TBW per terabyte of capacity. TBW stands for TeraBytes Written, or more informatively — TeraBytes that may be Written before you can’t write anymore. The SC735 has a lot going for it: a clever design, an attractive look, and especially enticing pricing. Given its roles as light-duty storage, 250TB is quite likely far more data than you’ll write to the SC735 in ten years, let alone the five covered by the warranty. Adata SC735: Price The 1TB version of the SC735 is $80 and the 2TB version, $150. That’s not a heck of a lot more than you’d pay for a bare internal M.2 NVMe SSD of the same capacity. For an external 10Gbps SSD, those are exceptionally low prices. Sweet, but… Adata SC735: Performance The performance of the SC735 is adequate as long as you don’t write too much data at one time to it. It’s not the fastest 10Gbps SSD we’ve tested by any means, but subjectively you’d be hard-pressed to tell the difference during normal usage. When writing gobs of data, however, the SC735 lags — from a bit to a lot. Even our 2TB model ran out of secondary cache before completing the 450GB write and it was nothing to write home about in our 48GB write tests, either. In CrystalDiskMark 8’s Sequential tests, the SC735 was in the ballpark with most 10Gbps drives, though not quite in the same league as the outstanding, albeit pricier Corsair EX300U or Teamgroup X2 Max I compare it to (somewhat unfairly). Though not as fast as Corsair’s EX300U, we’d hardly call the SC735 slow. Longer bars are better. For small 4K data transfers, the SC735 was still a bit off the pace, but again, hardly slow. For small 4K data transfers, the SC735 was still a bit off the pace, but again, hardly slow. Longer bars are better. Sadly, it was in our real world transfers that the SC735 really started to lag. Reading was competitive, but the write times were considerably slower than those of its competitors. Sadly, it was in our real world transfers that the SC735 really started to lag. Reading was competitive, but the write times were considerably slower than its competitors’ were. Shorter bars are better. The reason the SC735 lagged so far behind in the 450GB write (shown in the next chart) was its QLC native write rate of only 130MBps — about the pace of a 2.5-inch USB hard drive. This was the norm for QLC until recently, with newer versions available that can manage around 500MBps writing natively. Without the slowdown, the SC735’s write time would’ve been similar to the others. Also bear in mind that we tested the 2TB capacity (the competitors were also 2TB). The 1TB SC735 will run out of secondary cache in half the time and finish even further behind. Capacity determines available secondary cache for all SSDs. The reason the SC735 lagged so far behind in the 450GB write was its QLC native write rate of only 130MBps once secondary cache is exhausted — about the pace of a 2.5-inch USB hard drive. Shorter bars are better. Below you can see where the SC735 ran out of gas (secondary cache) — around the 380GB mark. That’s largely in line with the 20 percent of available NAND that Adata says the SC735 employs as such. Again, expect the slowdown much sooner with the 1TB model. This shows where the SC735 ran out of gas (secondary cache). The SC735 is an adequate light-duty performer and far faster than any 5Gbps unit, as well as near on par with the 10Gbps competition when reading data. The QLC slowdown shouldn’t affect many users — even we don’t write 450GB of data often outside of testing. But be aware of the inevitable drop it if you do. Adata SC735: Conclusion The SC735 has a lot going for it: a clever design, an attractive look, and very appealing pricing. Performance is also adequate if you don’t try to write too much stuff to it at one time. Adata SC735 SSD: How we test Drive tests currently utilize Windows 11 24H2, 64-bit running off of a PCIe 4.0 Samsung 990 Pro in an Asus Z890-Creator WiFi (PCIe 4.0/5.0) motherboard. The CPU is a Core Ultra i5 225 feeding/fed by two Crucial 64GB DDR5 4800MHz modules (128GB of memory total). Both 20Gbps USB and Thunderbolt 5 are integrated into the motherboard and Intel CPU/GPU graphics are used. Internal PCIe 5.0 SSDs involved in testing are mounted in an Asus Hyper M.2 x16 Gen5 adapter card siting in a PCIe 5.0 slot. We run the CrystalDiskMark 8.04 (and 9), AS SSD 2, and ATTO 4 synthetic benchmarks (to keep article length down, we report only the former) to find the storage device’s potential performance. Then we run a series of 48GB transfer and 450GB write tests using Windows Explorer drag and drop to show what users will see during routine copy operations, as well as the far faster FastCopy run as administrator to show what’s possible. A 25GBps two-SSD RAID 0 array on the aforementioned Asus Hyper M.2 x16 Gen5 is used as the second drive in our transfer tests. Formerly the 48GB tests were done with a RAM disk serving that purpose. Each test is performed on a NTFS-formatted and newly TRIM’d drive so the results are optimal. Note that in normal use, as a drive fills up, performance may decrease due to less NAND for secondary caching, as well as other factors. This issue has abated somewhat with the current crop of SSDs utilizing more mature controllers and far faster, late-generation NAND. Note that our testing MO evolves and these results may not match those from previous articles. Only comparisons inside the article are 100% valid as those results are gathered using the current hardware and MO. Read...

Infostealer malware keeps popping up in the news these days. Those headlines about millions of compromised passwords, some linked to major services like Gmail? Just a year or so ago, such big info dumps were largely full of less critical data—weak or recycled passwords for sites not central to your digital life. But when an infostealer lurks on a PC, it can capture a lot of sensitive data, including login information for banking, email, and cryptocurrency accounts. Victims often don’t know until their account shows signs of odd or fraudulent activity because infostealers perform their advertised function to avoid detection. So, how do you avoid this kind of malware? Use reliable apps and browser extensions, ones that have good reputations in addition to many downloads. Many are free (or very affordable), and some don’t even require an install. Just point your browser at a website, and off you go. For example, here are a few trustworthy alternatives to popular apps like Photoshop and Acrobat—and a couple of better choices for a popular type of browser extension. Photopea (Adobe Photoshop) — Unless you’re a heavy power user, this web-based image editor is plenty robust in its own right. You can use an ad-based version for free, while ad removal and AI features cost $5 per month. (Read about our hands-on experience with Photopea.) PDF Candy (Adobe Acrobat DC) — This web-based PDF editor offers an advanced feature set and is free for use, though with a heavy limitation of just one task per hour. For unlimited access, you can pay $6 per month or $48 per year as a subscription, or a flat rate of $99 for a lifetime license. (Read our review of PDF Candy.) OnlyOffice (Microsoft Office 365) — This document editing suite is a sleeker, more familiar-feeling alternative to Microsoft Office apps compared to the better-known LibreOffice. Apps are available for PC and on mobile. (Read our overview of OnlyOffice.) uBlock Origin Lite — If you’re looking for a good ad-blocking extension, this long-time extension has weathered both the years and Chrome’s move to Manifest V3. Want another option to consider? My colleague Michael Crider swears by AdGuard. You can find trustworthy alternatives to apps like Adobe Acrobat, without exposing yourself to an infostealer.Michael Ansaldo/Foundry (If you’re most interested in image editing, I recommend trying sites like Canva and Adobe Express as well. Their free versions can handle simple projects, while making them easier to complete—the tools heavily reduce the labor of manual tasks.) Want more good free software suggestions? You can check out a few of PCWorld’s round-ups of free software recommendations, like the best free software for your PC, free Photoshop alternatives that actually work, best free PDF editors, the best free password managers, and Chrome extensions we always install. Besides choosing known, trusted alternative apps and extensions, another smart move is to keep your PC and browser streamlined. Think of it this way: The fewer chunks of code you install on your PC, the less you have to monitor or worry about. Read...

At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros Powerful Intel processor with AI functions Good equipment with many USB ports Good expansion options for SSDs Up to four 4K monitors can be connected Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 Low power Consumption Cons No DisplayPort Revs up abruptly and gets loud No Thunderbolt 4, only USB 4 Our Verdict The Geekom IT15 is a compact, future-proof mini PC with strong computing power, AI support, and capable performance from its Core Ultra 9 285H and Arc 140T GPU. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Best Prices Today: Geekom IT15 Retailer Price $999 View Deal $1,199 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Best Prices Today: Check today’s prices The compact housing of the Geekom IT15 conceals the 2nd-generation Intel Core Ultra 9 285H. According to the manufacturer, it offers enough power for everyday tasks and it supports the AI functions of Windows 11. With its multitude of connections and the ability to operate up to four monitors simultaneously, the IT15 presents itself as an interesting alternative to classic desktop PCs, which are becoming less and less relevant outside the gaming world. We’re particularly interested to see how the Geekom IT15 with Intel CPU compares to the Geekom A9 Max with AMD hardware, which we’ve tested before. Geekom IT15: Specifications Dimensions: 117 × 112 × 45.5 mm without rubber feet, 117 × 112 × 49.2 mm with rubber feet (each W × D × H) Weight: 1.32 lbs CPU: Intel Core Ultra 9 processor 285H, maximum operating power 45 watts Graphics processor (GPU): Intel Arc 140T GPU for 9 285H Memory: Dual-channel DDR5-5600 SODIMM, up to 128 GB Internal storage: 1 × M.2 2280 NVMe PCIe Gen4 x4 SSD, pre-installed Crucial P3 Plus CT2000P3PSSD8 2 TB Expandable: 1 × M.2 2242 SATA III SSD slot, 1 × 2.5? SATA HDD slot (up to 2 TB each) Ports: 1 × USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, 1 × USB 2.0 Type-A (rear), 1 × USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A with S5 power supply, 1 × USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A (front), 2 × USB 4.0, one with PD input (rear), 1 × 3.5 mm stereo headphone jack (front), 2 × HDMI 2.0, SD card reader 4.0 Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.4, Wi-Fi 7, 1 × 2.5G RJ45 Extras: Kensington lock, VESA mount Operating system: Microsoft Windows 11 24H2 (64-bit), pre-installed Warranty: 3 years Overall, the Geekom IT15 is a compact, efficient, and powerful mini PC ideal for productive and professional users. Geekom IT15: Design Geekom packs the hardware in a black case that’s less stylish than the A9 Max’s gray metal case. The IT15’s metal base and lid are built to withstand up to 200 kilograms, providing solid protection for the components inside. Measuring 117×112×45.5 millimeters (A9 Max: 132 × 46.9 mm), the mini PC fits easily on any desk and can also be mounted to the back of a monitor or a wall using a VESA bracket. Christoph Hoffmann As is typical for mini PCs, the ports are located on both the front and back. No matter how the computer is positioned on the desk, the side with the power button is considered the front. Geekom hasn’t been stingy with connectivity: there are six USB ports in total, ranging from USB 2.0 and USB 3.2 Gen 2 to USB 4.0 Type-C. This allows external drives and peripherals to connect at high speeds—up to a theoretical 40 Gbps. Christoph Hoffmann There are two USB 4 ports and two HDMI 2.0 ports for up to four 4K monitors. However, there’s no DisplayPort. Other components include 2.5 Gbps Ethernet, Wi-Fi 7 (Intel BE200), Bluetooth 5.4, and a fully-fledged SD card reader. The mini PC can be secured against theft with a Kensington lock. Geekom IT15: Equipment The centerpiece of the Geekom IT15 is the Intel Core 9 285H. Alternatively, the IT15 is available with an Intel Ultra 5-225H processor and 32 GB of RAM, though that model comes with only a 1 TB SSD. The Intel Core Ultra 9 285H is a modern high-performance processor from Intel’s current “Arrow Lake H” series, which was developed for high-performance laptops. It combines six performance cores, eight efficiency cores, and two additional low-power efficiency cores, resulting in a total of 16 cores and 16 threads. With a maximum boost clock of up to 5.4 GHz and a 24 MB smart cache, the chip provides a strong foundation for demanding applications. Geekom Its typical power consumption is around 45 watts, but can rise to up to 115 watts in turbo mode — good cooling is important. Geekom relies on its own “IceBlast 2.0” cooling system with a large heat sink, two heat pipes, and quiet fans. The Intel Arc 140T is the integrated GPU of the Intel Core Ultra 9 285H and is based on the Xe architecture with eight Xe cores and ray tracing support. It offers strong performance for a CPU graphics and is well suited for everyday use, multimedia, content creation, and light gaming. Its strengths lie in its high efficiency, modern technology, and good integration into the CPU system. For complex games or professional 3D workloads, however, it doesn’t match the power as a dedicated graphics card. The processor has 32 GB of DDR5 RAM (5,600 MT/s) at its disposal, divided into two 16 GB modules. This is fine in functional terms, but makes it difficult to upgrade to 64 GB at a later date, as both modules would have to be replaced. With a single 32 GB module, expansion would be much easier and cheaper. However, you wouldn’t benefit from the faster dual-channel mode with one module. The 2 TB NVMe SSD in our IT15 is a Crucial P3 Plus (model CT2000P3PSSD8). It’s possible that other IT15 units may come with SSDs from different manufacturers. Christoph Hoffmann There are two options for additional internal storage: A slot for an M.2 2242 and a slot for a 2.5-inch SSD–each with a capacity of up to 2 TB. This gives users much more flexibility than the A9 Max with its M.2 2230 slot. Geekom IT15: Windows In our test setup, a 27-inch Dell monitor is connected to the IT15, along with a wired Cherry keyboard and a Microsoft mouse using a dongle. The mini PC connects to the network via Ethernet through a 2.5 Gbps BrosTrend 8X switch. The Geekom IT15 comes with a hardware-bound license for Windows 11 24H2. After booting the mini PC for the first time, the Windows installation begins and is completed within a few minutes. Updates install during setup, but Windows offers more updates later. And then a strange problem appears. Christoph Hoffmann The Windows 11 25H2 update offered by Windows fails with an error message. During the alternative in-place upgrade using an ISO file, the Keep personal files and apps option is grayed out. The issue appears to stem from incorrect language settings in the pre-installed Windows. We therefore selected Keep only personal files, which isn’t a problem on a fresh Windows installation. Another solution is the in-place upgrade with an English setup ISO. The installation then runs in German and the new Windows 25H2 starts with a German-language interface. In addition to Windows’ built-in updates and provided drivers, the dedicated Intel drivers should also be installed. The easiest way to do this is with the free Intel Driver and Support Assistant, which installs the latest drivers for Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Arc Graphics, and the NPU. Christoph Hoffmann We won’t go any further into Windows itself, but we can see in many places that the AI features of the operating system are supported and activated. Geekom IT15: Performance We used the PCMark 10 benchmark test to measure desktop performance. This software gives us realistic values by running everyday tasks. With a score of 8,341, the Geekom IT15 with its Intel Core 9 285H ranks in the top third. The Geekom A9 Max we tested with the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 scored 7,976 points–that’s only four percent less. Christoph Hoffmann This shows how the Intel Core 9 285H performs in comparison to Qualcomm and AMD CPUs. The gaming graphics performance of the Geekom IT15 was measured by 3DMark Steel Nomad Light, where it scored 3,393 points (Geekom A9 Max: 3,279 points) — a good result that’s slightly above average. The Time Spy benchmark delivered 4,244 points. That’s significantly higher than the A9 Max with its AMD processor, which scored 3,701 points. Christoph Hoffmann With a TimeSpy score of 4,244, the IT15 achieved strong CPU performance for a mini PC as well as decent iGPU performance for light gaming applications. Christoph Hoffmann The M.2 NVMe SSD installed in the IT15 comes from Crucial. The P3 Plus CT2000P3PSSD8 model, with 2 TB capacity, delivers read speeds of 5,029 MB/s and write speeds of 4,658 MB/s in the CrystalDiskMark. These are decent values, though the A9 Max with its Lexar SSD performs even better, reaching 6,242 MB/s read and 5,423 MB/s write. Christoph Hoffmann And what about the AI performance of the system? We ran the Geekbench AI test to find out: Single Precision Score: 4,350 Half Precision Score: 1,790 Quantized score: 8.005 These are typical results for a mid-range system or a system that’s not primarily designed for heavy AI workloads. Compared to the A9 Max (2837/1342/6,496), the IT15 scores with better AI performance and is therefore pretty much on par with an Intel Core Ultra or similar laptop SoCs with an integrated NPU. In combination with its GPU, the processor is suitable for games that benefit from its high single-core performance. At the same time, the large number of cores enables strong multi-core performance. This is perfect for video editing, 3D rendering, photo editing, or music production. Thanks to its efficient hybrid architecture, the Intel processor handles multitasking, office apps, and browsing smoothly. Geekom IT15: Conclusion The Geekom IT15 impresses in the test with strong performance from Intel, modern AI support, and extensive features. The Intel Core Ultra 9 285H offers plenty of power for work, multimedia, and light creative applications, while the integrated Arc 140T GPU delivers solid graphics performance. With Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, USB 4, and support for up to four 4K monitors, the mini PC is versatile and future-proof. Criticisms include the lack of Thunderbolt 4, the loud fan under load, and limited RAM upgrade options. Overall, the IT15 is a compact, efficient, and powerful mini PC ideal for productive and professional users. Read...