Animation VERSUS is an upcoming fighting game with stick figure characters from Alan Becker. Watch the official reveal trailer here.

Gran Turismo players! Update 1.57* for Gran Turismo 7 available as of Wednesday, March 26 at 10:00pm PT / March 27 at 5:00am GMT / 2:00pm JST.Play VideoThree new cars added this monthView and download imageDownload the imagecloseCloseDownload this imageView and download imageDownload the imagecloseCloseDownload this imageAston Martin Vintage 18(Can be purchased from Brand Central)This lightweight cornering machine has been called the best Aston Martin ever.The Vantage name had long been used by Aston Martin to represent their high performance model grades, but in 2005 the Vantage became its own separate model. Relatively compact for an Aston Martin model and equipped with a V8 engine, the car would become a hit being the best handling front-engine rear-wheel drive model in the line-up. The next generation Vantage introduced in 2017 carried on the core concepts of the model.Though sharing a platform with the DB11 V8, the Vantage body has a shorter wheelbase and is 120 kg lighter which results in a cornering machine that has been lauded as the best handling car in the history of Aston Martin. The powerplant is a Mercedes-AMG 4L V8 producing 502 BHP. With a 0-62 mph time of 3.7s, and a top speed of 195 mph, the car is also capable of supercar speeds.View and download imageDownload the imagecloseCloseDownload this imageView and download imageDownload the imagecloseCloseDownload this imageMazda CX-30 X Smart Edition 21(Can be purchased from Brand Central)This crossover SUV from Mazda features a revolutionary new engine design.During the sport utility vehicle (SUV) boom that swept across the globe during the 2010s, Mazda introduced their CX-3 and CX-5 models, however there was a significant size difference between the two. The CX-30 is a crossover SUV designed to fill that gap in the line-up between the CX-3 and CX-5. While relatively compact, measuring 4,395 mm in length, 1,795 mm in width and 1,540 mm in height, the CX-30 still exhibits Mazdas flowing, streamlined KODO Design aesthetics in its exterior. On the front mask, the signature wing stretches out to the sides, joining the left and right headlights together, while the ripple across the side of the body exquisitely reflects the light as it moves across.The car is provided with a choice of 3 powertrains: The 2L gasoline direct injection SKYACTIV-G, the 1.8L direct injection diesel SKYACTIV-D or the SKYACTIV-X a 2L gasoline direct injection engine which uses a revolutionary spark-controlled compression ignition (SPCCI) system. The CX-30 X Smart Edition grade seen here was introduced in 2021, based on the SKYACTIV-X model. One of the major selling points of this model are its wealth of driver assistance equipment included as standard, like the Active Driving Display which projects information onto the windscreen, and the Smart Brake Support automatic emergency braking system. The introduction of this model grade also saw improvements to the SKYACTIV-X system itself, with automatic models receiving increased throttle pedal resistance to improve driving feel.View and download imageDownload the imagecloseCloseDownload this imageView and download imageDownload the imagecloseCloseDownload this imageRenault Kangoo 1.4 01(Can be purchased from Brand Central / Used Cars)A popular leisure activity vehicle that started life as a commercial van.In France, there has been a long-running trend of fourgonnette style vehicles, small commercial vans, with a number of bestsellers emerging over the years. One such car which stemmed from this trend was the Renault Kangoo, originally debuting in 1997. When developing the Kangoo, alongside optimizing its performance as a commercial vehicle, Renault also added some features that would give it some potential to be an MPV for personal leisure as well. This model included sliding doors for the rear passenger seats and separate rear seats that could be individually adjusted. This strategy proved to be a success and the Kangoo became the forerunner of the ludospace leisure activity vehicle segment. The roughly 4 m long body provided abundant cargo space, making it the go-to model for outdoors activities. The Kangoo was available with a variety of different power units to fit its purpose, but the model featured here uses the 1.4L gasoline engine. At only 73 BHP, it offers the bare minimum in power, but the ability to use all the power available is in the true spirit of French automobiles. And with its soft suspension, this makes for an unusually exhilarating driving experience.Caf / Extra MenusThe following Menu will be added to the Extra Menus section:Extra Menu No. 45: Suzuki (Collector Level 35 and above)World Circuits (Event)The following new events have been added to World Circuits:Sunday Cup: Brands Hatch Indy CircuitEuropean Clubman Cup 600: Deep Forest Raceway ReverseJapanese FF Challenge 450: Tokyo Expressway Central CounterclockwisePlay VideoView and download imageDownload the imagecloseCloseDownload this imageView and download imageDownload the imagecloseCloseDownload this imageView and download imageDownload the imagecloseCloseDownload this imageGran Turismo SophyThe next-generation racing AI agent, Gran Turismo Sophy has evolved into GT Sophy 2.1 and is now available in Custom Race (PS5 version only)GT Sophy can now be selected as the rival AI in Custom Race on all GT Sophy supported tracks and layouts in World Circuits.ScapesThe Faroe Islands has been added as a featured curation in Scapes.*Internet connection and Gran Turismo 7 game required for update.

We cover a lot of things at Polygon, but nothing gets us more excited lately than the Nintendo Switch 2. And now you have a chance to win your very own Switch 2!All you need to do is take a few seconds to submit an entry. If selected, youll win a new Switch 2. As of now, Nintendo has yet to announce the price or release date for the console, though experts are predicting a June launch. In fact, Nintendo has said very little about the Switch 2 so far, but based on a mix of confirmations, leaks, and informed speculation, it seems that the console will have a larger 8-inch screen and will feature magnetic Joy-Cons, and that the Joy-Cons will allow for mouse functionality. Nintendo is expected to reveal more details during the April 2 Nintendo Direct, which will be dedicated to the Switch 2.To enter, simply subscribe to Polygons Switchboard newsletter using the widget below. Once youve signed up, you can submit additional entries by visiting Polygon on Instagram (@polygondotcom) or subscribing to Polygon on YouTube. The sweepstakes begins at 10 a.m. EDT on March 26, and it ends at 5 p.m. on April 23.If there are supply issues with the Switch 2 and Polygon is not able to obtain one by Dec. 31, 2025, the winner will instead receive a gift card of approximate equal value.NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.Sweepstakes begins at 10:00am ET on 03/26/2025 and ends at 5:00pm ET on 4/23/2025. Open to legal residents of the 50 U.S. states and Washington D.C., of legal age of majority and have access to the internet, and a valid email address. Odds of winning depend on number of eligible entries received. Subject to Official Rules, additional eligibility restrictions apply. Official Rules, which govern, can be found here: Official Rules. SponsorPrivacy Policy.

The most powerful graphics card you can buy right now is actually pretty worthless if you dont have the right PC gaming setup. Nvidias GeForce RTX 5090 is at its best when paired with a 4K monitor that can reach high refresh rates, like 144 Hz or 240 Hz. Anything less than that diminishes the value of an already ridiculously expensive card.A graphics card as beefy as the RTX 5090 needs to chew on the toughest games to justify its $1,999 price tag. Im talking about Alan Wake 2 with everything set to max, or Cyberpunk 2077 with all the ray tracing on. Its a card for people who dont mind paying to not have to fiddle with graphics settings. Chances are, you already know if thats you or not.The RTX 5090 didnt transform my experience with games it mostly saved me time. Ive been using a card sent to me for review by Nvidia, and over the last month I havent had to think about frame rate. Even a game as unstable as Monster Hunter Wilds ran almost flawlessly on my PC which is equipped with an Intel Core i9-12900K 5.2 GHz 16-core processor, 32 GB of RAM, and a 1000 W power supply. Im also running everything on an 4K 32-inch MSI OLED monitor. All the reports of stuttering and abysmal frame rates didnt affect me. And thats really the whole reason youd buy the most expensive graphics card in the world right now: to boot up any game and know itll have enough overhead to run just fine.That doesnt mean Id recommend it, though. Even if it were possible to find one in stock, the RTX 5090 isnt worth it for almost anyone in need of an upgrade or looking to build a gaming PC. There are far more reasonable options out there, particularly in Nvidias previous generations of cards.Thats largely because you dont actually need an RTX 5090 to benefit from several of its best features. The 40-series cards can use both DLSS 4 and Frame Generation, which leaves the RTX 5090s primary advantages in Multi Frame Generation and raw horsepower. In other words: The RTX 5090 is mostly a peek at what future hardware iterations could be capable of at more reasonable prices. Its proof that Nvidias AI-powered upscaling technologies, DLSS and Frame Generation, can get even better than they already were. Both of them really do feel like magic when they work, and theyre only becoming more important as it gets harder and harder to afford the latest hardware.For example: I cranked up every single setting in Cyberpunk 2077 as high as it would go. My frame rate chugged as the RTX 5090 churned out scenes with real-time reflections in the puddles and cars whizzing by. But unless I wanted to spend hours people-watching in Night City, the game was unplayably slow. With DLSS 4 and Multi Frame Generation on, however, it went from a choppy mess in motion to a slightly sluggish but playable game that was hitting upward of 120 frames per second. I could run through the busy market full of NPCs and neon signage without a hitch. If I was willing to put up with a slight delay between my button presses and the actions on screen similar to how it feels to stream a game over the cloud Cyberpunk 2077 was playable at a high frame rate on settings that were mostly a novelty in the past.A comparison of DLSS 3 on the left and DLSS 4 on the right in Alan Wake 2.It still wasnt smooth enough to justify relatively minor improvements in the lighting over less absurd graphics settings. The more you rely on Multi Frame Generation to insert AI-created frames, the more input lag is introduced, meaning your button presses will have a noticeable delay. In situations where you need to drastically increase the frame rate to make the game visually playable, youll have to sacrifice responsiveness. And it hurts a fast-paced first-person shooter like Cyberpunk 2077 the most. It was certainly impressive seeing the game run well above 60 frames per second on a high-refresh-rate monitor. Normally, that would require a lot of graphical sacrifices to pull off. But just because it was playable doesnt mean it was tolerable. Its a feature much better suited for when youre not aiming for super-high frame rates, which is why I see no reason to invest in an RTX 5090 and an expensive monitor for it. And remember: Nvidias other 50-series cards can use Multi Frame Generation too, so the high frame rate life doesnt require the top-of-the-line GPU.DLSS 4 is a similar story. This version of the upscaling tech uses a new AI model that basically makes details on objects look a little less blurry, especially in motion. On my 4K monitor, I had to stop and squint in Alan Wake 2 and Marvel Rivals to really notice a difference. Things like raindrops sliding down a window or blades of grass had slightly sharper details in DLSS 4 over DLSS 3, but my frame rates were about the same. These are the kinds of improvements worth waiting 10 minutes to download new drivers that enable it on your 40-series card, rather than spending thousands of dollars on an RTX 5090.The only tiny caveat to that is Ray Reconstruction, a high-end feature for games with the fanciest ray tracing, which is also known as path tracing. Path tracing makes even the RTX 5090 sweat from all the calculations it has to do to accurately track how light bounces around a scene. Lesser cards can barely handle it. Its the kind of thing you turn on, admire for 30 seconds, and turn off again to reclaim the chunk of frames it eats up. Ray Reconstruction uses AI-powered denoisers to make the job significantly easier, which causes it to take a much smaller bite out of your frame rate. While you can definitely see and feel the difference in games like Cyberpunk 2077 headlights cast sharper cones of light on the road as you drive it feels like the first step in making path tracing less of a luxury feature.A comparison of the RTX 5090s Ray Reconstruction in Cyberpunk 2077 with the feature disabled on the left and enabled on the right.DLSS 4 and Multi Frame Generation overshadow a lot of the raw power of the RTX 5090. Everything from Diablo 4 to Assassins Creed Shadows ran exceptionally well on it, easily hitting over 60 fps. That was the same case in Alan Wake 2 and Marvel Rivals. Both games gained about 20 to 30 fps over my RTX 4090, and were able to sit comfortably at 60 fps even during intense action. The slight increases werent particularly noticeable without staring at the fps counter, though. In practice, all it really meant was that there were fewer times where the frame rate would dip low enough for me to notice it. That kind of overhead is nice to have, especially when youre trying to hit solid fps at 4K, but its not enough to justify hunting an RTX 5090 down and shelling out the money for it, especially when anyone with an RTX 4090 or an RTX 5080 will be able to take advantage of DLSS and regular Frame Generation already.The RTX 5090 is the most powerful GPU right now, but its also the most niche GPU right now. Its not a substantial upgrade from the RTX 4090, nor is it the most cost-effective upgrade for those who have an RTX 30-series or older card. Its a high-end GPU for people who dont need a review to tell them whether its worth it or not. For everyone else, its really just a concept for where graphics tech is headed. Eventually, a much cheaper card with these features will come around. Youre better off acting like it doesnt exist while you take advantage of all the software improvements Nvidia made along with it.

After spending several months as an artist-in-residence at the RALPH PUCCI sculpture studio in New York City, architect Lee F. Mindel has expanded his Veritas collection for the RALPH PUCCI brand. Recently on view at Galerie56, the six new pieces build on the possibilities of PUCCIs proprietary Plasterglass material through evocative forms that give nod to global destinations and elevated craftsmanship. Veritas means truth and honor in Latin, elevating the stories of the artisans that created the collection through a lens of perceived effortlessness, despite the materials unique challenges.The Pont Royal Sofa embodies the spirit of Parisian refinement and beauty. Elevating details to features, this take on seating is welcoming, elegant, and cohesive, blending well with the other elements in the room. We can see the Santorini Coffee Table evoking images of waterways and arches of bridges reflected in murky depths. The use of light blue, both in the walls and in the rug, helps freshen every piece in the room, giving a clean and tidy effect despite the handmade nature of the pieces. The Rialto Bench shares similar design language with the Santorini Coffee Table, utilizing the same mold in the sculpture studio to form its arched structure.The Santorini Console is a great example of the casting technique utilized in the collection, building upon the artisans knowledge of Plasterglass and the inherent limitations of the material. We were thinking about these forms and what they represented, and then by moving them around, resculpting, shaping, and carving, we realized that we wanted nothing to be literal, and we wanted nothing to be copied from something else, but to be their own fresh version of something, shares Mindel.The Circle Game Chandelier also debuts, featuring a dynamic, ringed shape that mimics the circular form of the Double Take Mirrors.Hand-built forms take center stage, creating a dialogue between modern design and public perception of craft. Mindel adds: The creative experience is a collaborative one we learn from the craftsmen about who Pucci really is, and how we could perhaps together go somewhere that each of us couldnt go on our own. Another thing that concerned us was a consciousness about waste, and economy of material. The hardest thing I think in design is to make things seem inevitable, that things look effortless to do in the end, that you cant imagine them any other way. These things usually take the most effort.Lee F. Mindel is an architect and designer who worked with RALPH PUCCIs Master Sculptor to better understand the capabilities of Plasterglass, which can be molded, pigmented, and waxed to create different effects. Veritas, meaning truth, is an homage to his alma mater, Harvard, and signifies how Mindel treats the practice of architecture. As architects, our work is in pursuit of rigor and honesty, with the intent to transcend the ordinary, in search of the extraordinary, Mindel says.To learn more about the Veritas collection by Lee F. Mindel for RALPH PUCCI, visit ralphpucci.com or galerie56.com.Photography by Antoine Bootz.

A classic gadget brand is making a comeback. Pebble smartwatch founder Eric Migicovsky has announced the launch of a new brand, called Core Devices, which will launch the Core Time 2 and Core Duo 2 later this year. If youre a Pebble fan, this is what youve been waiting for both of these device are Pebble watches in everything but name.Pebble preceded the modern smartwatch, offering a new vision for the future of the humble watch. Over time, Pebble fell out of favor with newer and more capable devices like the Apple Watch, and the brand was eventually sold to Fitbit which itself was eventually sold to Google.But earlier this year, Google announced that it would open-source the Pebble operating system, essentially meaning that anyone could use it, for free, for their products. That includes Eric Migicovsky and Core Devices, which may not own the Pebble name, but seemingly has the rights to release watches that look like Pebble successors, and full rights to use the software that shipped with them.So what about the devices themselves? Both of them continue Pebbles design legacy, which these days means that they look kind of retro. That potentially makes them perfect for launching now specifically, given how in vogue retro tech is.Core 2 DuoThe first of the new watches is the Core 2 Duo, which is set to ship in July and will cost $149. According to Migicovsky, its essentially a Pebble 2 watch, but made by his new company. It has the same black and white e-ink display and more or less the same design as the original Pebble 2 watch.There are some upgrades to the actual tech inside the device, though. It will have an impressive 30-day battery life, thanks largely to more power-efficient Bluetooth chips. It also has a speaker built into it, unlike the original device.Core Time 2The second watch, called the Core Time 2, is a refreshed Pebble Time 2. It will ship in December and will be a little more expensive than the Core 2 Duo, priced at $225. The big upgrade to this device is a touch display, which will make it easier to access certain information, though Migicovsky noted in a report from The Verge that he doesnt necessarily intend to make the device a whole multi-touch surface like some smartwatches. It also has things like a heart rate monitor, step tracking, and sleep tracking.Its likely that these two watches are simply a starting point for Core Devices, and while they play on nostalgia, it remains to be seen exactly where the company will go for any future products. I wouldnt be surprised to see things like more fitness tracking sensors added down the road, though I certainly expect the company to remain true to its design philosophy.Both of the new Core Devices watches are available for pre-order here.

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication.Amazon's Big Spring Sale is back for only the second time, and while its not quite Prime Day levels of excitement, it still has a few solid gems tucked in. The event runs from March 25 to March 31, giving you a full week to poke around for deals. You dont need to be a Prime member to participate, though Amazon claims Prime users will see deeper discounts. If youre not already subscribed but are eyeing a few things, it might be worth signing up for a free 30-day trial, loading up your cart, and then dipping out before the billing cycle kicks in.One of the better under-$50 finds from this weeks sale is the Anker Soundcore Space A40. Down to $44.99 from $79.99, these earbuds are a solid buy if youre looking for great audio and noise-canceling without spending a lot. Named the "Best Budget Earphones of the Year 2022" by PCMag, they offer adaptive noise cancelling, which works surprisingly well for the price (enough to drown out background chatter or the low hum of traffic). The sound quality leans warm and bass-forward, which makes them great for EDM or hip-hop but not as sharp for podcasts or acoustic music. They also support LDAC for hi-res audio, which is rare in this price range. Youll notice better depth and clarity if you're into lossless formats or streaming on higher-tier music subscriptions. Battery life is solid, too, with 10 hours with ANC off. You can stretch it to 50 hours with the charging caseplenty for long commutes or a weekend trip without a charger. Anker Soundcore Space A40 $44.99 at Amazon $79.99 Save $35.00 Get Deal Get Deal $44.99 at Amazon $79.99 Save $35.00 The app support is goodyou can tweak the EQ, toggle ANC, and find lost earbuds through Soundcores app, according to this PCMag review. That said, a few things might be worth keeping in mind. The touch controls of these earbuds can be finicky, especially if youre the kind of person who frequently adjusts fit while listening. And while the noise-cancelling works well for most day-to-day use, its not going to beat out the big names like Sony or Bose. Also, the fit is snug but not super secure for workoutssomething to consider if youre buying these for the gym. But at $45, they punch way above their weight and are a steal for anyone who wants clean sound, long battery life, and decent ANC for less than $50.Shopping for tech? Lifehacker can help you make the right decision. Browse our tech reviews and head-to-head comparisons for everything from laptops and smartwatches to e-bikes and home gyms. Subscribe to our deals newsletter, Add to Cart, for the best sales sent to your inbox, or browse our best-of lists directly on Amazon, including:The Best Over-Ear HeadphonesThe Best Wireless EarbudsThe Best Adjustable Dumbbell SetsThe Best Projectors

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication.Amazons Big Spring Sale is back for a second year and runs through March 31. Its not quite the frenzy of Prime Day, but there are still plenty of decent tech deals worth checking out. You dont need a Prime membership to shop the sale either, though Prime members do get access to a few better prices. If youre curious, you can always sign up for the free 30-day trial and cancel later. Either way, this weeks a solid time to pull the trigger on those bigger purchases youve been eyeing. Like, say, a giant new TV.Right now, the 65-inch Sony Bravia 7 QLED TV is on sale for $1,198, down from its usual $1,999.99. Thats not just a steep $800 discountits the lowest price its ever hit, according to price-trackers. Sonys new QLED seriesessentially the brand's answer to Samsungs dominance in the spacebrings in Mini LED backlighting for better contrast, and the Bravia 7 delivers deep blacks without washing out highlights. It runs on Sonys XR Processor, supports Dolby Vision and Atmos, and has a native 120Hz panel, which means smoother gaming and sports watching. Google TV is baked in, and for gamers, theres HDMI 2.1, VRR, and ALLM support, making it a solid match for a PS5 or Xbox Series X setup. It checks a lot of boxes. But its not OLED, and you might notice the difference if youre picky about contrast in dark rooms. 65" Sony Bravia 7 4K Mini LED QLED Smart TV (2024 Model) $1,198.00 at Amazon $1,999.99 Save $801.99 Get Deal Get Deal $1,198.00 at Amazon $1,999.99 Save $801.99 From a practical standpoint, this feels like a solid buy if you want something premium but dont want to pay OLED prices. The local dimming is decent, though not as perfect or as precise as Sonys higher-end models, which means you might catch some blooming around bright objects on dark backgrounds. And while it gets bright enough for most rooms, its not the brightest in its classSamsungs QN90C reportedly edges it out there. Also, if you're planning to set it up in a bright living room for group viewing, it might not be the best fit. The screens glare handling isnt strong enough to fight off reflections in well-lit spaces, and the picture quality drops off unless youre sitting right in front of the TV. Still, if youre upgrading from an older LED or mid-tier TV, youll notice a big jump in picture quality and color accuracy.Shopping for tech? Lifehacker can help you make the right decision. Browse our tech reviews and head-to-head comparisons for everything from laptops and smartwatches to e-bikes and home gyms. Subscribe to our deals newsletter, Add to Cart, for the best sales sent to your inbox, or browse our best-of lists directly on Amazon, including:The Best Over-Ear HeadphonesThe Best Wireless EarbudsThe Best Adjustable Dumbbell SetsThe Best Projectors

The last few years have seen an ongoing debate over what rights AI companies have to utilize copyrighted material. The latest development tips the scales in favor of use: A judge has rejected Universal Music Group, ABKCO and other music publishers' preliminary bid to block Anthropic from using their lyrics to train its AI assistant Claude, Reuters reports.US District Judge Eumi Lee ruled that UMG and co had submitted too broad a request and failed to demonstrate that Anthropic's use of the lyrics caused the companies "irreparable harm." Lee stated, "Publishers are essentially asking the Court to define the contours of a licensing market for AI training where the threshold question of fair use remains unsettled."The case dates back to 2023, when UMG joined some of its fellow music publishers in suing Anthropic for copyright infringement. They claimed that Anthropic used and distributed copyrighted material, including at least 500 songs. "Anthropics copyright infringement is not innovation; in laymans terms, its theft," UMG stated at the time.The two sides came to a partial agreement in January of this year. Anthropic confirmed it would maintain current guardrails for reproducing, displaying or distributing copyrighted material. It also agreed to "expeditiously" respond to the music producers' copyright concerns with a written statement outlining how it plans to or why it won't do so in an individual case.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/anthropic-might-get-to-use-universal-music-groups-lyrics-after-all-133020685.html?src=rss

When it debuted in 2022, Apples 10th-generation iPad sat in something of a no-mans land, bringing a long-overdue design revamp at an inflated price. A year and a half later, Apple gave the slate a $100 price cut and immediately turned it into a much more enticing value. Now, the company has quietly released a follow-up. Dubbed the iPad (A16), the new tablet is a far less dramatic update, one with welcome performance improvements that otherwise refuses to rock the boat. It even lacks the Apple Intelligence features Apple has endlessly promoted over the past year. This isnt necessarily a bad thing. Compared to the iPad Air, iPad Pro and iPad mini, this might be the easiest Apple tablet to grok its the cheapest, it only comes in one size and its clearly designed for the core iPad Things. That doesnt make it a slam dunk, though. What hasnt changed Almost everything about the latest iPad is identical to the previous entry-level iPad from 2022, which brought many of the iPad Airs features down to a lower price. The design is unchanged, with the same dimensions, weight, bezels, display and aluminum finish as before. Apple now lists the screen as being 11 inches instead of 10.9 inches, but its merely rounding up for marketing purposes the size is no different. There are still competent 12-megapixel cameras on the front and back, with the selfie cam conveniently located along the devices long edge for FaceTime calls. The same reliable Touch ID fingerprint sensor is built into the power button in lieu of Face ID. Two speakers, one on either end, sit behind a (misleading) quartet of grilles, while a lone USB-C port continues to max out at basic USB 2.0 transfer speeds. Theres no difference in accessory support either, and the whole thing is available in the same bold colors: blue, pink, yellow or silver. Battery life, meanwhile, still checks in at around 10 hours per charge, give or take a few depending on how you push it. I got 11 hours and 19 minutes out of the slate after playing a 1080p movie on loop at roughly 70 percent brightness and volume (and with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth disabled). Gaming and media editing will naturally sap it faster. Most of this is still perfectly fine for a $349 tablet. The last iPad was a light and comfortable slab, with a substantial aluminum finish and flat sides that made it feel modern. This one is no different. And iPadOS is still a level above Android and Windows tablets when it comes to app and game support, long-term updates and features optimized for large displays. But if the 10th-gen iPad was a tick update, the iPad (A16) is clearly a tock. That said, there are some important changes, namely a faster chip, more memory and higher storage options, plus a few minor tweaks like Smart HDR 4 processing for photos and support for Bluetooth 5.3 instead of Bluetooth 5.2. Its a spec bump through and through, with most of those tweaks being for the better, although I do think that some of the things that havent been touched could really use an update next time. A faster chip and more RAM As the name implies, the latest iPads headline upgrade is its A16 chip. This is a slightly weaker version of the A16 Bionic found in 2022s iPhone 14 Pro and the regular iPhone 15 from 2023. Compared to that SoC, this A16 has five CPU cores instead of six and four GPU cores instead of five. But in practice, its still more than fast enough for the vast majority of things people do with iPads: browsing the web, streaming video, reading ebooks, viewing and editing photos, playing most games and the like. I tested this iPad against my personal 13-inch iPad Air M2 for much of this review, and the two consistently booted up and loaded popular apps at virtually the same speed. The few times the Air M2 was quicker, the difference wasnt long enough to be significant. Geekbench 6 results back this up: The iPad (A16) earned a single-core CPU score of 2,582, while the iPad Air M2 was only marginally better at 2,632. This is a roughly 20 percent jump from the 10th-gen iPad, though the most recent iPad Air M3 still measures about 16-18 percent faster. But for media consumption and common work tasks, it wont feel slow anytime soon. These performance gains are helped by the 6GB of RAM, which is 2GB more than the last model and twice as much as the 9th-gen iPad from 2021. While this is still 2GB short of the iPad Air and lower-spec iPad Pros, getting more memory for the same price is always a good thing: It lets the tablet hang onto apps and Safari tabs longer before it has to start refreshing things for new tasks. It will only improve the chances of the device holding up four or five years down the road, too. Where the iPad (A16) lags behind its higher-end siblings is multi-core and graphics performance. In Geekbench 6, the tablets multi-core CPU score was about 40 percent below the iPad Air M2 (6,185 vs. 10,006), while its GPU score was about 55 percent worse (19,448 vs. 42,920). Other graphics benchmarks were largely the same: It scored about 60 percent lower than the Air M2 in 3DMarks Wild Life Extreme test (with an average of 15.2 fps vs. 37.6 fps) and anywhere between 45 to 55 percent worse on GFXBenchs Aztec Ruins benchmark, depending on the resolution. Of course, the difference will be a little greater with the newer iPad Air M3. This sounds more dramatic on paper than it does in real life. Many everyday iPad workloads wont tax the chips multi-core abilities all that hard, and the scores above are still a good 15 to 30 percent higher than the last entry-level iPad. I could still play Call of Duty Mobile at its highest settings (120 fps mode aside) without any hitches. Diablo Immortal warned that maxing out its settings would put the device under high load with the Air M2, it only goes up to medium load but I still got through the opening areas totally fine. (It does seem to drain the battery a bit faster, though.) You can still edit RAW photos in Lightroom or create music in GarageBand without major frustration. The iPad (A16) on top of a 13-inch iPad Air. Still, the Air is better if you ever want to push things further. This is easiest to see in the newest and most taxing iPadOS games. With Infinity Nikki, for instance, playing at ultra or high settings on the new iPad brought a constant bit of choppiness and some slowdowns during more involved animations. It also warmed up the devices back and drained the battery faster. The game was still totally playable at medium settings, but theres less need to knock it down on the iPad Air M2, where it looked sharper and ran smoother at high settings. Likewise, the Air will be noticeably quicker to export higher-res videos in apps like Adobe Premiere Rush. Arguably, the main benefit of the iPad Airs M-series chip and extra RAM has less to do with today than it does the future. Features like Apple Intelligence and the Stage Manager multitasking mode arent available here, nor are some especially demanding games. Those arent essential right now though omitting Stage Manager does make the device more cumbersome to use with an external display but therell always be some risk that the next great iPadOS feature or power-hungry game wont work (or work as well) with this entry-level model. More storage hallelujah The best improvement with the iPad (A16) is also the simplest: It now starts with 128GB of storage, which is twice as much as the last model. Theres also a new 512GB option for $649. There isnt much to say about this besides good. Its a common-sense upgrade that makes the tablet a much safer long-term investment than its predecessor, especially when theres no hope of Apple ever letting us upgrade storage manually. A fine display, but its time to improve In his iPad Air M3 review, my colleague Nathan Ingraham argued that its time for Apple to update the Airs display with a higher refresh rate or a mini LED panel, as the OLED tech exclusive to the iPad Pros represents a major upgrade on its own. Since the iPad (A16)s screen is no different than the last one, I want to make a follow-up case for the entry-level model, albeit on a smaller scale. It's much easier to see in person than through photos, but if you look at the bottom corner of the display, near the bezel, you can see the air gap between the iPad's LCD panel and front glass. Out of context, the IPS display here is still totally adequate. Its comfortably sized, its sharp enough, its not a massive smudge magnet and it doesnt have any serious color accuracy issues. A tablet is nothing if not a big display, and most of the people Apple is targeting with this one will still enjoy watching and reading stuff on it. I can also live with the 60Hz refresh rate thats the minimum in 2025, but its a harsher limitation on a $599 (or $799) tablet like the iPad Air than a $349 device. The other restrictions are more annoying. This screen still isnt laminated, most notably, which means theres a visible air gap between the LCD panel and the glass above. This helps the screens repairability but makes it look cheaper and feel more distant when you interact with the glass. This is particularly discernible with the Apple Pencil: Writing out notes on the iPad Air is both quieter and more natural. Those whove never used a higher-end iPad probably wont care, but once you notice the difference, you cant unsee it. The display also lacks an anti-reflective coating, so its worse at fending off glare. Its certainly not unusable outdoors, but youll see your reflection much more clearly on the iPad (A16) than you will on the iPad Air M2 in sunlight. Youre much more likely to have to angle its display to make things out. Unlike the iPad Air and iPad Pro, the base iPad isnt tuned for the wider P3 color space either. While the difference in color reproduction between the iPad Air and iPad (A16) is nowhere near as dramatic as the one between the Air and the iPad Pro, colors on the Air can still look slightly bolder and less washed-out when you put the two side-by-side. I appreciate that Apple wants to keep its good, better, best hierarchy intact, but at this point the iPad Pros display is so far ahead of the rest of the lineup that theres room to even things out. If the next Air can upgrade to 120Hz, as Nathan suggests, then the next entry-level iPad should at least have a laminated display with better glare protection. Those arent premium features anymore. The USB-C Pencil can attach magnetically but lacks wireless charging and pressure sensitivity, so it's not a great choice for more involved work. Continued weirdness with accessories Apple Pencil and Magic Keyboard support is another ongoing pain point. Like its predecessor, the iPad (A16) isnt compatible with the Pencil Pro (Apples best stylus) or the older, second-gen Pencil. That means the only stylus you can buy with pressure sensitivity a key feature for digital artists that lets you make darker marks by pressing down harder is the original Pencil, which is nearly a decade old (!), isnt as comfortable as the newer models and cant attach to the tablet magnetically. It also requires a USB-C cable and a USB-C to Lightning adapter to charge. All of this is bad. You can still get the $79 USB-C Pencil, which is nicer to hold and can attach to the iPads side magnetically but isnt pressure-sensitive and still requires a separate cable to pair and charge. Really, though, most people who want an iPad for drawing should start with the iPad Air. Ive never been a big fan of this iPads Magic Keyboard Folio either, as its Surface-style kickstand is hard to keep stable on your lap and it lacks backlit keys. Thats tough given its exorbitantly high price of $249. Not built for Apple Intelligence, but thats OK (for now) As noted above, the iPad (A16) isnt compatible with Apple Intelligence, which is Apples catch-all term for the suite of generative AI features its gradually rolled out since late last year. In fact, its the only major device Apple has released without the AI tools since they became available. Right now, though, you wont miss much without them. Sure, the Clean Up feature that lets you scrub unwanted objects from photos is nice. Some of the writing-assistance tools are fine if youre completely out of gas, and being able to access ChatGPT through Siri is convenient. But just as many of the tricks are either half-cooked or, lets say, less than essential. A promised Siri revamp has been significantly delayed. If anything, many people will appreciate that their tablet wont push AI onto them with every update. Theres always a chance Apple Intelligence becomes more useful down the road, and buying the iPad (A16) means locking yourself out of that potential future. But its not there yet, and Apple is reportedly well aware of that, so we cant call it a major omission today. Wrap-up The iPad (A16) isnt a massive leap forward from the last entry-level iPad, and some of its display and accessory quirks are getting long in the tooth. We still recommend stepping up to the iPad Air if you can swing it: Its faster and more futureproof, with small but meaningful upgrades to the screen, better accessory support and speakers that sound less compressed. Its also worth the upgrade if you want to use your iPad as a pseudo laptop replacement without spending top dollar. If you see a great deal on refurbished iPad Air M2, thats a good buy as well. But for $250 less than the latest Air, the iPad (A16) does well to meet most iPad users where they live. Its largely well-built and plenty quick for reading, watching and playing things, with solid battery life and an eternally easy-to-use OS. If youre upgrading from a 9th-gen iPad or older, buying for a kid or just looking for a competent slate you wont use for hours every day, it should be plenty of tablet for your needs. Its not the most delightful iPad, but its good enough for the masses.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/tablets/ipad-2025-with-a16-review-no-apple-intelligence-no-problem-132641539.html?src=rss