I’ve lived a multi-monitor lifestyle since the CRT days. I’ve since upgraded over the years, most recently to an ultrawide monitor paired with a portrait 1080p screen, and didn’t think much of it… until I decided one day that maybe my fellow PCWorld staffers were right about virtual desktops. Windows has long offered the ability to create additional desktops—you can open apps in different desktops, corralling them based on function or need. Most commonly, people use these to separate work and play. I’ve always just kept whole separate PCs for that, and otherwise, my open apps tended to be condensed. Until they weren’t. That’s especially so as I began to move around my house more, sometimes working from other spots than my main desk in order to get more sunlight or to relieve some pressure off my back. I like my laptop, but it’s not my main desk setup. It has just one, small screen. So, not long ago, I gave multiple desktops a try. The only thing I regret? Not paying closer attention when I first set up my desktops, because I missed an important setting. You know, the one that lets you set a window or all windows belonging to one app in multiple desktops. (That would have saved me a lot of screen switching on a couple of calls…) I like using different desktop backgrounds to tell them apart at a glance.PCWorld Anyway, the way to get started is to click on the task view (the icon with overlapping gray squares) on the Windows 11 taskbar. Don’t see it? You might have removed it earlier if you weren’t using multiple desktops until now. Right-click on the taskbar, choose Taskbar settings, then make sure the toggle for Task View is on. You can also bring up the task view by hitting WIN + TAB on your keyboard. Click the + button at the bottom of the screen to start a new, fresh desktop. And if you want to jump straight into a brand-new desktop, you can just hit CTRL + WIN + D. Once you’ve opened a desktop, you can customize it with a different background (helpful for telling them apart) and right click on open windows per background to adjust your view settings. To switch between desktops quickly, hit WIN + RIGHT ARROW KEY or WIN + LEFT ARROW KEY. I still love my multi-monitor life, but I have started using virtual desktops on my main setup, too. It’s just a bit tidier this way. I think eventually I’ll step into using Powertoys to create custom workspaces, too. Read...

Potentially millions of users were left unable to access Canva, Amazon, Snapchat and Alexa in a global outage. Read...

Microsoft has introduced a new device category with Copilot+. Only laptops with a dedicated Neural Processing Unit (NPU), at least 16 GB of RAM and a fast NVMe SSD fulfil the minimum requirements. Intel is addressing these requirements with the Core Ultra series, which combines classic CPU cores with GPU acceleration and a hardwired NPU. This unit alone achieves 40 to 47 trillion computing operations per second – a device is only officially certified as a Copilot+ PC once it reaches this performance level. Put simply, if you want to use AI functions locally, you need a very fast computer with a chip specially optimized for AI. Core Ultra processors with local AI acceleration For modern AI applications, it is no longer just the clock rate that is decisive, but the internal distribution of tasks between the computing units. The Intel Core Ultra 7 268V has eight CPU cores and an integrated Intel Arc GPU. The set-up is complemented by the NPU, which is specially designed for inference-based AI tasks. This allows text analyses, translations, video filters, image generation or language modelling to be carried out directly on the chip – without any detours via the cloud. The Intel NPU cannot be configured separately; its activity is controlled via Windows components. Functions such as Recall, Cocreator or Windows Studio Effects access it automatically; there is no provision for manual assignment. Intel Copilot functions between benefit and control The central innovation in Copilot is not the graphical user interface, but the shifting of AI processing to the device. The Recall feature continuously creates screenshots of all activities. These can be searched through later using a text search. The feature works locally, stores content in encrypted form and can be deactivated for specific applications. However, users have no insight into the data model used. Chris Hoffman / Foundry The Live Captions function covers a special use case. It transcribes any audio signals in real time, regardless of whether they originate from a video, a video call or a locally played file. The Intel NPU takes over the continuous speech-to-text mapping at system level. The output takes place as an overlay directly above the respective window or as a separate bar at the bottom of the screen. Unlike conventional subtitles, Live Captions is speech-agnostic, automatically recognizing speech input and converting it into readable text on-the-fly. No internet connection is required. Translations can also be activated so that English-language content, for example, is automatically subtitled in German. If the NPU performance is sufficient, the delay remains minimal. The function can be used system-wide, which creates real added value, especially for people with impaired hearing or in noisy environments. Program-specific activation is not necessary. As soon as Live Captions are activated, the system analyses all sound sources. However, use is limited to the visible transcript. There is no storage or analysis beyond the current session. Chris Hoffman / IDG Local image synthesis with Paint Cocreator The Cocreator function integrated in Paint makes it possible to create images from simple text input within a few seconds. This requires a Copilot-certified device with an active NPU. The underlying diffusion model runs locally and utilizes both the main memory and the dedicated NPU for image generation. In contrast to cloud services, the entire process remains on the device. A short text-based prompt is sufficient to receive several image suggestions in low to medium resolution, which can then be edited directly in Paint. Users can influence the style, color scheme and complexity of the motif – but only within the specified limits. The model itself remains a black box; external models cannot be integrated. Without an NPU, Cocreator is hidden or refuses to start due to insufficient system resources. Mark Hachman / IDG In addition to pure computing power, Intel Core Ultra notebooks have specialized technologies to optimize the use of AI in mobile operation. The so-called Dynamic Tuning Technology analyses temperature, usage behavior and energy profile in real time and automatically adjusts the distribution of loads to the CPU, GPU and NPU. This is complemented by the Intelligent Display, which controls screen brightness, contrast and refresh rate in a context-sensitive manner, an aspect that can bring tangible benefits in terms of battery life in battery mode. This technology also proves useful for longer video conferences or remote working scenarios, as it relieves the thermal management and optimizes visibility at the same time. The NPU also benefits from the fact that the reduced GPU load creates more thermal headroom for inference tasks. Inference-based processes refer to tasks in which an AI makes decisions or delivers results based on an already trained model. In other words, the actual learning, i.e. the training, has already been completed. During inference, this knowledge is used to process new input. One example would be the automatic subtitling of videos using live captions. The AI has previously been trained with huge language data sets. During inference, it recognizes what someone is saying in real time, converts speech into text and displays it directly on the screen. To do this, it does not reuse the entire training material, but instead uses compact, optimized models. Crucially, inference processes can be executed locally on the device, provided a dedicated accelerator such as an NPU is available. This means that data remains on the notebook and AI reactions are almost instantaneous. Energy efficiency and system behavior under load One advantage of the Intel architecture is the thermal separation of the computing units. CPU, GPU and NPU do not compete directly for power reserves. The NPU only handles inference-based processes. This significantly reduces power consumption when AI features are active. Tests with the Core Ultra 9 285K show up to 25 per cent better efficiency compared to the Core i9 14900K. The battery life benefits noticeably from this shift. Systems such as the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition achieve up to 22 hours of video playback without any loss of performance in AI processes. The decisive factor here is the continuous support by BIOS and Windows. Without the latest UEFI update, the NPU is often underpowered. In addition to the Lenovo Yoga Slim, other manufacturers already offer devices that are explicitly suitable for local AI applications under Windows 11. The Acer Swift Go 14 relies on the Intel Core Ultra 7 155H, combined with an NPU that delivers over 40 trillion operations per second. Thomas Joos It is worth taking a look at the specific device basis, as not every laptop advertised as a “Copilot” fulfils the same requirements. Notebooks with Intel Evo certification and Core Ultra 200V processors undergo a validation program that is tailored to real-life usage scenarios. Not only high performance and long battery life are required, but also fast reactivation, smooth multi-monitor connection via Thunderbolt 4 and consistent behavior when using several applications at the same time. For Copilot, this means that functions such as Recall, Live Captions and Cocreator run without any loss of performance, even when switching between mains and battery operation. Evo-certified devices such as the Acer Swift Go or the Surface models from the business segment are thus exemplary for this new class of hybrid AI PCs, which combine everyday usability and technical sophistication. YouTube / Microsoft Intel divides the Core Ultra Series 2 into several model lines that have a direct impact on the field of application of mobile systems. The V models serve as a reference for slim premium devices and impress with their high efficiency and strong NPU performance. H models are aimed at classic high-end notebooks for productive applications with medium mobility requirements. U models are optimized for lightweight, ultra-mobile systems with reduced energy requirements and AI functions. HX models represent the upper performance spectrum with up to 24 physical cores and are primarily intended for workstations, gaming laptops and professional creative environments. V and H models are particularly suitable for everyday use in AI-supported Windows applications, as they offer a good balance between battery life, thermal budget and inference performance of the NPU. What Intel NPUs can do and what is not visible The practical use of the NPU is tied to the respective features in Windows. Independent programming or execution of user-defined models is not possible with on-board resources. Intel does provide developers with APIs, but in everyday life these paths are not accessible to users without programming knowledge. The visibility of NPU utilization is limited to indicators in the task manager or via third-party tools. For power users, it remains unclear which processes are running on which unit and when. Control remains in the hands of the operating system. A separation of CPU and NPU responsibilities can at best be indirectly tracked via utilization profiles. Thomas Joos Intel offers additional functions for corporate use with the vPro platform based on the Core Ultra series. In addition to the integration of security-relevant features such as hardware-based identity verification, the NPU can also be used directly by security software to analyze threats locally and detect behavioral anomalies at an early stage. In addition, vPro Device Discovery supports detailed queries on installed components, energy profiles and configuration states. In combination with Copilot functions, this creates devices that offer a high degree of transparency and control for both IT administrators and users in regulated industries – without direct access to the underlying models. Bottom line With an Intel Core Ultra 200V series device, you gain access to a clearly defined group of AI functions. These run locally, do not require an internet connection and benefit directly from the NPU. However, control over computing execution remains limited: Windows automatically determines which unit becomes active, while the setting options only allow rudimentary intervention. For productive use, this primarily means a gain in efficiency – but not deeper system control. The new device class is therefore more of a platform than a toolbox. Those looking for precise AI customizations will quickly reach their limits. On the other hand, those who rely on stable, locally executed features will find a convincing hardware basis in the Intel-based Copilot devices. Read...

If your computer won’t start you might be pulling out your hair at the prospect of losing all your precious data. But all isn’t necessarily lost. If the drive is corrupted or dead, you are in a pickle. Any attempt to retrieve data in that case is going to be very difficult and possibly cost an arm and a leg. But the PC may not be starting for a more benign reason – i.e., the power supply is on the blink or there’s a corrupted sector, in which case your data may well be intact. There are two main options if that’s the case, either to boot from a USB flash drive or remove the drive entirely and plug it into a working computer. Here we walk you through the former and give you advice on the latter. Option 1: Create a bootable Windows USB drive This is the method to try if your PC still turns on but just won’t boot into Windows. 1. Create the bootable drive Get another PC and a USB flash drive with at least 16GB on it. Now go to Microsoft’s Media Creation web page and download the installation media. Run the .exe file and select Create Installation media. You will have the option of choosing ISO or bootable media, choose bootable media. 2. Boot into Recovery Environment Next boot into the BIOS / UEFI on your PC that won’t boot and find the option that lets you change the order of the boot device. Set the USB/flash device as the first device. Plug in the USB drive and save and exit from the BIOS / UEFI. Once the USB flash drive is detected, you should see a Windows installation screen. Choose the option Repair your computer. This will open Advanced Recovery. Click on Troubleshoot > Advanced Options > Command Prompt. Dominic Bayley / Foundry 3. Use the Command Prompt to recover the data When the prompt appears on the screen, type notepad.exe and press Enter. Click on File > Open to reveal Windows File Explorer. Navigate to your drive and right click on it. Use the Send to option to copy the contents of the drive to external storage. Dominic Bayley / Foundry Option 2. Remove the drive and plug it into another computer If your computer won’t turn on, you won’t be able to boot from a USB flash drive. Instead, you’ll need to remove the drive from the PC and plug it into a functional PC to retrieve the data. There are a few things you’ll need. First off, you’ll need a screwdriver to open your PC and remove the drive. Also, to plug your drive into a working PC you’ll need to buy the correct cable, either a SATA to USB cable for a 2.5-inch drive, or if your drive is an M.2 type, SATA M.2-to-USB adapter or NVMe M.2-to-USB adapter (check your PC’s manufacturer specifications to see the drive type). Pexels: IT Services EU It can be tricky finding the right cable, but suppliers like Amazon tend to carry the different types. You may need to seek technical help or watch an online guide to remove your drive. In some laptops the drive is soldered onto the motherboard. If that’s the case, you won’t be able to remove the drive — you’ll have to take the PC to the repairer instead. Once the drive is removed, you simply have to plug it into the adapter and then plug it into a working USB port. With luck you should see the drive appear in File Explorer. You can then select all the files you need and copy them to an external drive. If you’re looking for an external drive, you can browse our PCWorld recommendations. When that’s done you can attempt to repair your PC with the knowledge that your files are safe and sound. Finally, make sure you have a reliable backup plan, so incidents like this aren’t so dire. Related content How to solve the dreaded Blue Screen of Death on Windows PCs 7 clever ways to use your old USB flash drives How (and why) to boot Windows 11 from a USB flash drive Read...

If you’re getting down low in the amount of available space on your PC’s hard drive, sometimes it can be difficult to find files to delete to free it up. That’s why Windows has a tool to do it for you. Windows Disk Cleanup locates files to clean up. It’s safe to use since it’s designed to only delete files that are unnecessary, leaving your documents and applications intact. Here’s how to use it. What to do: Type “Disk Cleanup” in the search bar and press Enter. This will launch the Disk Cleanup utility. When prompted choose the drive you want to clean (usually the C: drive) and click Ok. If you only have one drive, you will just get the one option. A list of file types will be displayed including options like “Temporary files”, “Delivery Optimization Files”, and “Recycle Bin”. Each category will show how much space can be freed from deleting those files. Check the boxes next to the file types you’d like to delete. You can click on each file type to get information about the files and whether they’re safe to delete. Once you’ve made your selections click on Ok then confirm by clicking Delete Files. Disk Cleanup will begin removing the files. For a deeper clean you can click on Clean up system files. This option allows you to delete unused system files which can free up even more space. Dominic Bayley / Foundry I hope that’s helped clean up some much-needed space. I managed to clean up 1.1 GB of files from my PC, which is no small amount. Apart from freeing up space, running regular Disk Cleanups will keep your PC running more efficiently. That’s all we have for this “how to.” For more tips and tricks delivered to your inbox each week be sure to subscribe to our PCWorld Try This newsletter. Read...

At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros Design looks and feels premium Great performance Beautiful OLED screen Speakers are excellent Cons Keyboard and touchpad abandon tactile feedback Limited ports (no USB Type-A or HDMI) Middle-of-the-road battery life Expensive Our Verdict The Dell 16 Premium is a premium take on a bad idea. The hardware is powerful, the design is beautiful, and it feels excellent. But the keyboard and trackpad are not pleasant to use. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Best Prices Today: Dell 16 Premium Retailer Price Check Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Best Prices Today: Check today’s prices The Dell 16 Premium is both impressive and deeply frustrating. Dell has created a high-quality 16-inch laptop that looks and feels great. It has powerful internals — an Intel Arrow Lake CPU and Nvidia GPU — and an excellent OLED screen. This is a laptop built by people who really cared. But the core design here was a mistake and good craftsmanship can’t save it. For $3,199, you’re getting a keyboard and trackpad experience that looks flashy in photos but feels obnoxious to use. You’re getting high-end internals without common ports (like USB Type-A and HDMI) that people would want in high-end work-focused laptops. And, if minimalism is your priority, the 16-inch size, 4.65-pound weight, and limited battery life here means this machine isn’t ideal for portability. This is one of the strangest laptops I’ve ever reviewed. Dell tried so hard to make something special and different that it made the day-to-day laptop experience worse. The Dell 16 Premium is a beautiful and expensive hybrid that doesn’t serve any audience particularly well. But it’s so incredibly polished. This is the highest-quality misfire I’ve ever reviewed. This is the highest-quality misfire I’ve ever reviewed. Dell 16 Premium: Specs The Dell 16 Premium is available in a few different configurations starting at $1,999. These configurations all have Intel Arrow Lake CPUs with discrete Nvidia graphics. We reviewed the $3,199 model, which came with an Intel Core Ultra 7 255H CPU, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 graphics, and 32GB of RAM. This high-end model packs a beautiful 4K OLED display with a variable refresh rate up to 120Hz and a touch screen. Because this is an Intel Arrow Lake CPU, it doesn’t have an NPU fast enough to run Microsoft’s Copilot+ PC features. Dell says this machine has an “AI-enabled Intel processor” on its web page, but the “premium” experience here doesn’t get you access to Windows 11’s latest AI features. Intel’s “Series 2” CPU naming remains baffling to me. Model: Dell 16 Premium (DA16250) CPU: Intel Core Ultra 7 255H Memory: 32GB LPDDR5X 8400MT/s RAM Graphics/GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070, Intel Arc 140T NPU: Intel AI Boost Display: 16.3-inch 3840×2400 OLED touchscreen with variable refresh rate up to 120Hz Storage: 1TB PCIe NVMe SSD Webcam: 1080p webcam Connectivity: 3x Thunderbolt 4 (USB Type-C), 1x combo audio jack, 1x microSDXC card reader Networking: Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4 Biometrics: IR camera and fingerprint reader for Windows Hello Battery capacity: 99.5 Watt-hours Dimensions: 14.10 x 9.40 x 0.75 inches Weight: 4.65 pounds MSRP: $3,199 as tested Dell 16 Premium: Design and build quality Foundry / Chris Hoffman The Dell 16 Premium looks beautiful. Our review model’s “Platinum” color scheme is the spitting image of a high-quality silver laptop. It’s a little large and heavy (this is a 4.65-pound 16-inch laptop) so this isn’t a thin-and-light style machine. The chassis is made of aluminum, and the metal and weight gives it a nice heft. The hinge action feels great, too. When you open it and turn it on for the first time, there’s a bit of a “wow” moment — at least there was for me. I review a lot of laptops, and this machine looks distinct. It’s a clean, minimalist design: a membrane keyboard framed by speakers on each side, and that’s it. (Aside from the obligatory sticker Intel forces PC manufacturers to stick onto their laptops.) When you turn it on, the function keys light up and it looks premium. The palm rest is one piece of gorilla glass, and it feels smooth to touch and to drag your finger over the trackpad. On this OLED model, the display looks especially vivid and beautiful. This is a laptop designed to look distinctly good in photos and to feel premium when you touch it in a store. And it delivers. Dell 16 Premium: Keyboard and trackpad Foundry / Chris Hoffman Once you start using the laptop, things go downhill fast. The keyboard and trackpad are the worst things here. The keyboard is large, has nice backlighting, and has a unique look. It’s also not mushy. That’s about all I can say in its favor. This keyboard only has 1.0mm of key travel, and I feel that low travel with every keypress I make. That’s the kind of extremely low key travel you see on thin-and-light laptops optimized for maximum thinness. It’s not the kind of key travel you see a 4.65-pound machine with a discrete GPU. This means the typing experience just doesn’t feel great. More obviously, the capacitive function row buttons completely lack tactile feedback. They light up and show different functions when you hold down the Fn key on the keyboard, which is a cool-looking trick. But, without any tactile feedback, you have to look down at the key you’re pressing, tap it, and wait to see if the computer noticed your tap. It feels bad. If PC manufacturers want to do this, they should try to integrate some kind of haptic feedback, a confirmation you pressed the button. That would make this feel a bit better. The trackpad is also a surreal experience. There is a trackpad at the center of the palm rest in the usual position you’d find one. However, its edges are completely invisible. Without a visual or tactile outline, you must guess where the edge is. This makes mousing around with your finger annoying, and it also causes problems when using multi-finger gestures. On the plus side, it is a haptic trackpad, so that’s nice. The Dell 16 Premium loses the plot here. It would be better if Dell had used a standard keyboard and trackpad setup. They’ve invested a lot of resources in providing an experience that feels worse to use. And, with the lack of tactile feedback, I don’t think it’s something I would adapt and get used to — even if I bought this machine and used it as my daily driver. Dell 16 Premium: Display and speakers Foundry / Chris Hoffman The Dell 16 Premium model Dell loaned us for this review had a 16.3-inch 4K OLED display with a variable refresh rate up to 120Hz. It looked vivid and beautiful — like the rest of this machine, it’s a looker. The main problem with the display is its fairly low brightness for an OLED. It maxes out at 400 nits, and while that’s reasonable enough, many laptops with OLEDs tend to deliver more brightness. I felt like I wanted to keep the brightness cranked up to maximum most of the time, even when using the laptop in a fairly dark room. Combined with the glossy display (a mainstay for OLED panels), this machine isn’t ideal for use outdoors in challenging lighting conditions. However, it did do pretty well on a cloudy New England day in the fall, as you can see in some of my photos. The Dell 16 Premium boasts a quad speaker setup, and it sounds great for a laptop. There’s plenty of volume. To test laptop speakers, I always fire up Spotify and play Steely Dan’s Aja and Daft Punk’s Get Lucky. The speakers did a surprisingly good job with the crisp instrument separation in Aja, and there was enough bass to deliver a fun sound in Get Lucky. These are unusually good laptop speakers. Dell 16 Premium: Webcam, microphone, biometrics Foundry / Chris Hoffman The Dell 16 Premium’s 1080p webcam captures a clear, sharp picture, and it looked better than average, even in challenging and dim lighting conditions. I was impressed with the quality of the image. In keeping with the spirit of minimalism, the Dell 16 Premium doesn’t offer a physical shutter or switch to block the webcam. That’s a shame. The microphone picks up clear audio with good noise cancellation, and I’d be happy to use it in video meetings, although I’ll stick with a studio mic for my podcast appearances. The Dell 16 Premium has both facial recognition hardware and a fingerprint reader. You can sign in with your face or touch your finger to the fingerprint reader built into the power button at the top-right corner of the laptop’s keyboard. Both worked well, giving you multiple ways to sign into your PC with Windows Hello. Dell 16 Premium: Connectivity Foundry / Chris Hoffman The Dell 16 Premium cuts way back on ports compared to the average 16-inch $3,199 laptop with a discrete GPU. It provides three Thunderbolt 4 (USB Type-C) ports — two on the left, and one on the right. It charges via one of these ports, too. Then, you get a combo audio jack and a microSDXC card reader slot on the right. That’s it. Dell has optimized this machine for a svelte, tapered look, as if a premium laptop means one with fewer ports. That may fly when we’re talking about thin-and-light minimalist laptops, but I don’t think this makes sense for a 16-inch laptop that’s over 4.5 pounds with discrete graphics. The audience for this type of laptop will want extra ports — USB Type-A, HDMI, and maybe even Ethernet. You’ll probably want to pair this machine with a dongle or dock. The Dell 16 Premium does have both Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4. It’s nice to see support for the latest wireless standards. Dell 16 Premium: Performance The Dell 16 Premium model we reviewed had an Intel Core Ultra 7 255H CPU (Arrow Lake), Nvidia RTX 5070 graphics, 32GB of LPDDR5X RAM running at 8400 MT/s, and a 1 TB PCIe SSD. With specifications like that, it’s no surprise it ran well. These specs are closer to a gaming laptop than the average productivity machine. The fans stay quiet and there isn’t much heat on the keyboard, even when running demanding tasks. Dell says this laptop has a vapor chamber cooling system, and that’s the kind of high-end touch that does make the hardware feel premium. We ran the Dell 16 Premium through our standard benchmarks to see how it performs. Foundry / Chris Hoffman First, we run PCMark 10 to get an idea of overall system performance. With an overall PCMark score of 8,204, the Dell 16 Premium delivered excellent performance. It’s closer to what you’d expect to see from a gaming laptop, and that’s no surprise given the high-end hardware and cooling system in this machine. Foundry / Chris Hoffman Next, we run Cinebench R20. This is a heavily multithreaded benchmark that focuses on overall CPU performance. It’s a quick benchmark, so cooling under extended workloads isn’t a factor. But, since it’s heavily multithreaded, CPUs with more cores have a huge advantage. With an overall Cinebench R20 score of 9,137, the 16-core Intel Core Ultra 7 255H CPU in the Dell 16 Premium delivered great performance — far exceeding the eight core Intel Lunar Lake CPUs in some other 16-inch laptops. Those slower CPUs are the only Intel CPUs that offer an NPU fast enough for Copilot+ PC AI features. With Intel, you have to compromise one way or another. This machine was neck-and-neck with an AMD-powered system that does deliver an NPU that hits Microsoft’s minimum standards, however. Laptop buyers should seriously consider whether they want to buy $3,199 machines that aren’t compatible with the latest features in Windows. An AMD chip could have delivered the best of both worlds. Foundry / Chris Hoffman We also run an encode with Handbrake. This is another heavily multithreaded benchmark, but it runs over an extended period. This demands the laptop’s cooling kick in, and many laptops will throttle and slow down under load. The Dell 16 Premium completed the encode process in 699 seconds — that’s just over eleven and a half minutes. It’s a great result that shows this machine’s cooling works well. You’d have to go up to an Intel Core Ultra 9 CPU with more cores for noticeably better performance. Foundry / Chris Hoffman Next, we run a graphical benchmark. This isn’t a gaming laptop, but it does have a dedicated Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 GPU. We run 3DMark Time Spy, a graphical benchmark that focuses on GPU performance. With a 3DMark Time Spy score of 11,016, the Dell 16 Premium was a little behind the Alienware 16X Aurora, which coincidentally has the same model of GPU. But the GPU’s name isn’t the only thing that matters. The Alienware 16X Aurora is a gaming laptop that runs the GPU with more power. The Dell 16 Premium runs its RTX 5070 GPU at 65W TGP, while the Alienware 16X Aurora runs its GPU at 115W TGP. So, despite the Nvidia graphics in this PC, you aren’t necessarily getting graphics horsepower on par with a gaming laptop. Overall, the Dell 16 Premium delivered excellent performance. Unless you plan on upgrading to a Core Ultra 9 CPU or switching to a beefier gaming laptop, you’re not going to do noticeably better. Dell 16 Premium: Battery life The Dell 16 Premium has a huge 99.5 Watt-hour battery. That goes right up to the line — the U.S. Transportation Security Administration won’t allow a battery onto an airplane if it’s over 100 Watt hours in size. Foundry / Chris Hoffman To benchmark the battery life, we play a 4K copy of Tears of Steel on repeat on Windows 11 with airplane mode enabled until the laptop suspends itself. We set the screen to 250 nits of brightness for our battery benchmarks. This is a best-case scenario for any laptop since local video playback is so efficient, and real battery life in day-to-day use is always going to be less than this. The Dell 16 Premium lasted 844 minutes on average, which is about 14 hours. That’s reasonable. But, in the real world, that doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll make it through an eight hour workday, especially not if you’re running the demanding software this machine feels like it was built for. The Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro 360, with its slower Intel Lunar Lake processor, lasted over 23 hours in our benchmarks. If you’re eyeing this machine for its sleekness and minimalism, a machine like that Galaxy Book may be more up your alley. Dell 16 Premium: Conclusion The Dell 16 Premium is an excellent, well-built machine with serious care and craftsmanship put into it. It’s also a confused hybrid that feels designed by committee. By trying to marry high-end hardware with a svelte laptop experience, Dell has created a compromised experience. But the biggest problem is the keyboard and trackpad. The lack of tactile feedback and the very low 1.0mm of key travel means this laptop isn’t great to type on for long periods of time. At $3,199, that just feels unacceptable. For what it’s worth, a Dell representative noted this particular configuration has already been on sale for as much as $400 off the retail price. The PC market is all about sales, and prices are hard to pin down. Still, I feel a little bad knocking this laptop. The Dell 16 Premium is built on a vision that doesn’t really make sense. But, after the idea stage, everyone involved knocked it out of the park and did an incredible job of bringing that vision to life. Read...

Snapchat, Fortnite, and some streaming platforms among those affected by large scale internet shutdown. Read...

Salesforce boss and Time Magazine owner Marc Benioff posted the apology on X following days of backlash Read...

TL;DR: Access dozens of top AI tools in one platform — 1min.AI bundles content, chat, design, audio, video, PDF, and more under a single lifetime license for just $79.99 with code SAVE20. One of the bigger annoyances of the digital age is the subscription model. Juggling a half-dozen AI tools, each with its own login credentials, pricing tiers, and learning curve, is exhausting. That’s why 1min.AI can be a helpful alternative to the usual chaos. This all-in-one platform brings together top-tier AI features for writing, design, video, audio, and more under a single dashboard. And you can get a lifetime subscription to the Advanced Business Plan for just $79.99 (down from the MSRP of $540) — with no recurring fees, ever. Need blog posts written in your brand voice? Check. Want to generate YouTube thumbnails, edit PDFs with AI, or even clean up audio? Covered. And 1min.AI does it fast — like, one-minute fast. You’ll have access to multiple flagship models like GPT, Claude, Gemini, and Llama, plus unlimited brand voice slots and unlimited prompt storage. If you’re tired of managing a spreadsheet of AI tools (we’ve been there), this is your chance to condense it all. Get lifetime access to the 1min.AI Advanced Business Plan for just $79.99 with code SAVE20 through November 2. 1min.AI Advanced Business Plan Lifetime SubscriptionSee Deal StackSocial prices subject to change. Read...

New Zealand’s ‘Earn As You Learn’ scheme, boosting skills and retention, expands nationally after a Waikato pilot showed 90% completion in manufacturing training. Read...