ZDNET's key takeaways The OnePlus 13 is a snappy, nearly no-compromise phone that starts at $899. A Snapdragon 8 Elite, paired with a 6,000mAh battery and 80W fast charging, is a recipe for endurance success. IP69 is almost excessive, but you'll appreciate it when least expected. more buying choices It's not often that I review a smartphone in the first few weeks of January and feel confident in calling it a "Phone of the Year" contender. But the OnePlus 13 is almost as good as it gets. Whether Samsung launches an Ultra phone with a 300-megapixel camera at Unpacked later this month, or Apple releases a thinner iPhone in the fall, the OnePlus 13 will likely still be on my mind when the year-end nominations are due.Also: World's first 500W charger unveiled at CES 2025 - for all you super power usersThere's a lot going for the latest flagship phone, from the more secure (and reliable) ultrasonic fingerprint sensor to the IP69 rating to the 6,000mAh Silicon NanoStack battery. It's also one of the first phones in North America to feature Qualcomm's new Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, which promises improvements to performance, efficiency, and AI workloads.Over the past few weeks, I've been testing the OnePlus 13 alongside my iPhone 16 Pro Maxand Google Pixel 9 Pro XL to see exactly how the new Android stacks up against one of the best phones from 2024. In a few ways, the OnePlus 13 falls short. In many ways, it puts the iPhone and Pixel to shame. details View at OnePlus When I first unboxed the OnePlus 13 and held it in hand, my reaction was audible. Allow me to geek out here: The slightly curved glass, slimness of the phone, and overall appearance made my four-month-old iPhone look and feel outdated. It's as if OnePlus made the iPhone 17 Air before Apple did.However, what sells the OnePlus 13 design for me is the new Midnight Ocean colorway, which flaunts a vegan-leather backing that makes the phone visually distinctive and more comfortable to hold than its glass-only predecessors. The texture isn't as rough and grippy as actual leather though, so I'd be interested in seeing how it ages over the year. Kerry Wan/ZDNETIf you were hoping the first major Android phone of 2025 would feature Qi2 wireless charging, I have good news and bad news. While the OnePlus 13 doesn't have an in-body Qi2 charging coil, meaning MagSafe (and similar) accessories won't attach directly to the back of the device, OnePlus has embedded magnetic guides within its protective covers, enabling users to take advantage of the accessories so long as the OnePlus 13 is encased. It's a burdenless workaround, but one that hopefully won't be necessary with the next model.For years, one aspect that's held OnePlus phones back is the water and dust resistance rating or lack thereof. With the OnePlus 13, the company is finally taking a stronger stance on the endurance standard, certifying the phone with an IP69 rating. It's a step above the IP68 ratings we commonly see on competing devices, and allows the OnePlus 13 to withstand high-pressure, high-temperature water jets, and humidity changes.Also: One of the most innovative Android phones I've tested isn't made by Samsung or GoogleIn practice, this means the OnePlus 13 can function properly even if you leave it in your washer and dryer, dishwasher, or a pot of boiling soup. The IP69 rating feels very much like a flex, but it's a benefit that users will appreciate when they least expect it. Kerry Wan/ZDNETPowering the device is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite chip that, from my weeks of usage, has some noticeable strengths and weaknesses. For day-to-day usage, such as bouncing between productivity apps, definitely not scrolling through TikTok, and taking photos and videos, the processor handles tasks gracefully. It helps that OxygenOS 15, based on the latest version of Android, has some of the smoothest animations I've seen on a phone.Also: The best Android phones to buy in 2025But once you fire up graphics-intensive applications like Adobe Premiere Rush and Honkai Star Rail, you'll notice some stuttering as the higher heat development leads to throttling performance. This isn't a dealbreaker, per se, as the nerfs are only apparent when you're using the device for a prolonged time.I've actually been using the OnePlus 13 quite liberally, as the 6,000mAh Silicon NanoStack battery has kept my review unit running for at least a day and a half per charge. That's unseen with any other mainstream phone in the US market, and I fully expect more manufacturers to adopt silicon batteries for their greater energy density. If not that, copy the 80W fast charging or 50W wireless charging; they're quite the revelation. Kerry Wan/ZDNETOn the camera front, the OnePlus 13, with its triple camera setup (50MP wide, ultrawide, and telephoto), has been a reliable shooter throughout most of my days. While the Sony LYT-808 sensor isn't on par with the one-inch sensors I've tested on international phones, it does an excellent job of capturing details and finishing the output vividly. If you're a fan of sharp, bright, and slightly oversaturated imagery (read: more colorful than how the actual subject appears), then the OnePlus 13 will serve you well.Also: 5 hidden Android features that can simplify your lifeWhere the camera sensors fall short is in post-processing and AI-tuning features. For example, the phone leans heavily on computational photography to contextualize details when taking far-distance shots. This sometimes leads to images with an artificial, over-smoothening filter. But when the backend software works, it's able to reproduce details that you probably didn't think you'd capture in the first place.ZDNET's buying adviceFor a starting price of $899, the OnePlus 13 delivers some seriously good value -- possibly the best of all the major flagship phones I've tested lately. The company has improved the device in almost every way, from the design to the performance to its accessory ecosystem.I just wish OnePlus offered more extensive software support, as the OnePlus 13 will only receive four years of Android OS updates and six years of security updates. Samsung, Google, and Apple offer at least seven years of OS support.If you're interested in the OnePlus 13, the best deal I'm currently seeing is on the OnePlus website, as the company is offering a free OnePlus Watch 2 (valued at $299), a free storage upgrade (valued at $100), and at least $100 off when you trade in any phone in any condition.Featured reviews

Path of Exile 2GGGI am nearing 200 hours in Path of Exile 2, now with a level 89 ranger and a level 90 Monk that deletes everything onscreen so fast it would make Elon Musk jealous. But the further I get, the more frustrating I fund it that the ultra-endgame of Path of Exile 2 seems mainly about wasting your time rather than actually posing a challenge in a meaningful way.Ive spoken before about some irritating aspects of Path of Exile 2s midgame endgame, I guess youd call it, which involved the fact that a single death on a map erases XP, all modifiers, your Waystone, a way, overreactive punishment.What Ive found is that this becomes somewhat less of an issue as time goes on as you can get so strong you rarely die, and youll have enough Waystones where you can eat a few and its fine. (The XP loss never stops being annoying).However, moving past just simple mapping, the main objective of the endgame is to find Citadels to hunt down beefed-up campaign bosses, and then fight one ultimate boss once youve hit up enough of those.Citadels are frustrating for two main reasons. First and foremost they are simply a nightmare to find. The way mapping works in the current Path of Exile 2 endgame is that you simply have to go in random directions and hope you find a Citadel. And the right Citadel out of three, depending on what youre looking for.MORE FOR YOUPath of Exile 2GGGThis can take dozens and dozens and dozens of maps, and even dozens of hours, and you still may not find one. Or you can occasionally get very lucky (I currently have a zone with two on the same board, seen above). But its all random, and theres no way to plan a path to these. It seems expressly geared toward wasting time without any way to mitigate that.The second issue is how punishing failure is on these. As I said with other maps, it will kick you out and erase all valuable modifiers and other things, but you can still go back, complete that node, and keep going.Citadels are also a one-death-failure map, but in this case, you have one shot for the entire Citadel. And even with strong characters, one wrong step can still be an instant death on these multi-phase bosses. If this happens you lose the entire Citadel, you are locked out completely and just have to go find another one which, as I said, is exhausting.I learned this the hard way when I circled back to a Citadel I had tried and failed about 20 levels ago just to see how it went, when I found that nope, no trying that again, and I need to find a new one. About a hundred hours into this endgame, Ive never found another version of that Citadel on the map (but three Copper ones, so far).Then theres the ultimate boss of the entire game, which, you guessed it, only allows for one death, but features way more one-shot mechanics than any other. It costs an enormous amount of time or very valuable currency to even attempt to fight him. One wrong step, all of that gone.This isvery bad? Sure, the latter half of this is about being overly punished for death again, but the idea that finding Citadels is just completely random and a time sink that you can do nothing at all to alleviate. Sure, Id love to see more content and class balancing and so on, but this aspect of the late endgame needs help, badly.Follow me on Twitter, YouTube, Bluesky and Instagram.Pick up my sci-fi novels the Herokiller series and The Earthborn Trilogy.

Amazons Retail Ad Service raises questions about data privacy, transparency, and consumer consent ... [+] in an increasingly interconnected ecosystem.gettyAmazons advertising business continues to break records. In Q3 2024 alone, Amazon reported a staggering $14.3 billion in ad revenue, marking a 19% year-over-year growth. Once considered a sideline to its e-commerce and cloud empire, advertising has emerged as a critical revenue engine for the retail giant, offering brands unmatched access to its ecosystem of first-party data.Now, with the launch of its Retail Ad Service, Amazon is poised to expand its dominance further, offering retailers the ability to precisely target consumers at every stage of their purchasing journey. But behind this growth lies a critical question: Are consumers genuinely giving informed consent for how their data is used?In an era where data is the new oil, consent has become murky, often reduced to a fleeting checkbox at the bottom of an endless privacy policy. Amazons ad service highlights the need to reexamine how consent is obtained, understood, and respected in retail media. This isnt just about complianceethics, trust, and the evolving relationship between businesses and their customers.As Amazon continues its meteoric rise in digital advertising, its new Retail Ad Service promises to be a game changer for brands and retailers. Offering a powerful platform to target consumers with precision, the service leverages Amazons unparalleled access to data from shopping habits, voice interactions, and even physical world behaviors. But behind its promise lies a fundamental question: Are consumers giving informed consent for their data to be used in such a pervasive and interconnected ecosystem?Amazon: An Illusion of ConsentEngaging with Amazon feels simple and intuitive for most consumers: browse, purchase, repeat. However, the consent they provide to share their data is anything but straightforward. When someone uses Alexa, shops on Amazon, or even streams on Prime Video, they unknowingly contribute to a sprawling data ecosystem that fuels advertising algorithms.MORE FOR YOUThe problem? Most consumers dont fully understand the extent of their participation. A 2023 Pew Research study found that 79% of Americans are concerned about how companies use their data, but only 21% feel they have any control over it. In Amazons case, consent is often buried in legalese, and few have the timeor expertiseto parse.Does clicking Accept on Amazons terms of service constitute meaningful consent when most people dont know what they agree to? This gap between perceived and actual consent creates fertile ground for distrust and pushback.Amazons Data GoldmineAmazons Retail Ad Service thrives on the companys first-party data, which includes granular details about purchase histories, search behavior, wish lists, and even real-world actions captured through devices like Ring and Echo. With this data, advertisers can precisely target consumers at every stage of the purchasing journey.While this is a boon for marketers, it raises significant ethical questions. Are consumers aware that their seemingly mundane actionsasking Alexa for a recipe or purchasing detergentare being monetized to drive advertising revenue? The scope of Amazons data collection is unparalleled, yet the average user remains largely in the dark about how their information fuels the platform.Dustin Raney, Identity Evangelist and Senior Director, Industry Strategy at Acxiom, a global leader in data-driven marketing and customer intelligence, underscores the importance of managing first-party data responsibly: Brands are now forced to adapt to these new and ever-changing customer privacy regulations. They must take control of relationships by focusing on the optimization, resolution, and enrichment of their first-party data.Amazons ability to navigate these challenges effectively could determine whether its Retail Ad Service fosters trust or provokes consumer pushback.Sensitive Data: Is Amazon Crossing the Line?While Amazon's data collection powers its Retail Ad Service with unmatched precision, it also raises questions about collecting and potentially using profoundly personal information. Consumers might accept that their purchasing habitslike buying detergent or streaming preferencesare being used to personalize ads. But what about more sensitive insights inadvertently captured through Amazon's ecosystem?For instance, consider Alexa's voice interactions. While Alexa is designed to respond to commands, its ability to listen continuously raises concerns about unintended data capture. Imagine a casual question like, "Alexa, where's the nearest church?" or "What are the symptoms of diabetes?" being aggregated as part of a consumer profile. While seemingly innocuous, such interactions could reveal personal insights like political or religious leanings, health concerns, or other intimate details.Similarly, product purchases like sensitive healthcare itemsfrom over-the-counter medications to home-testing kitscould be used to infer medical conditions or life circumstances. While Amazon has strict policies around data security, consumers may wonder: How much of this data feeds into advertising algorithms, and could it be misinterpreted or even exposed in ways they didn't anticipate?The challenge lies in consumer awareness and control. Most people don't realize how seemingly benign data points can be pieced together to create a comprehensive and potentially invasive picture of their lives. This isn't just a question of legal complianceit's about whether Amazon can ensure that such sensitive data is used responsibly or, better yet, excluded from ad targeting altogether.By proactively addressing these concerns and setting clearer boundaries for how sensitive data is collected and used, Amazon has an opportunity to foster trust and lead the industry in ethical data practices.Regulatory ChallengesThe regulatory landscape around data privacy has been tightening, with laws like GDPR in Europe and CCPA in California pushing companies to rethink how they handle consent. These regulations aim to give consumers more control over their data but also leave room for interpretation.While likely compliant with these laws, Amazon's consent approach may not align with their underlying intent. Legal compliance alone doesnt guarantee ethical behavior. As governments worldwide continue to crack down on opaque data practices, Amazon faces a pivotal moment: Will it meet the minimum requirements, or will it set a higher standard for transparency and accountability?Reimagining ConsentThe future of retail media could hinge on rethinking consent. Imagine an Amazon that doesnt just bury its data practices in fine print but actively invites users to engage with them.For example:Real-time Notifications: Inform users immediatelyThis purchase will help personalize your ads.Consent Dashboards: These allow consumers to view, manage, and revoke consent for specific types of data use in an intuitive interface.Data Transparency Reports: Provide regular updates showing how consumer data is being used and the value it creates for them.These steps wouldnt just protect consumersthey could give Amazon a competitive edge by fostering trust in an industry increasingly scrutinized for its opacity.The Ethics of NudgingAmazons algorithms are designed to optimize ad performance, but this optimization raises ethical questions. By leveraging behavioral data, the system can nudge consumers toward purchases they might not have made otherwise. At what point does this cross the line from helpful to manipulative?Consent should not be weaponized as a justification for behavioral targeting that exploits consumer psychology. To lead the industry, Amazon must ensure its nudges are empowering rather than exploitative, respecting both the letter and the spirit of consent.Amazon: Consumer Pushback and Brand TrustIf Amazon fails to address these consent concerns, it risks losing the trust of its customersa critical asset in an era of increasing privacy awareness. High-profile privacy missteps by companies like Facebook have shown that consumer sentiment can quickly turn toxic, damaging brands and bottom lines.The stakes are high. As Amazons ad service grows, it could become a lightning rod for debates about consumer rights, data ownership, and the ethical use of technology. Conversely, by prioritizing consent and transparency, Amazon can set a new benchmark for trust in retail media.The Future of Retail Media NetworksAmazons Retail Ad Service is more than just a tool for brandsits a window into the future of consumer relationships in a data-driven world. Consent must evolve from a passive, box-ticking exercise into an active, meaningful exchange between businesses and their customers. If Amazon can lead the charge, it wont just dominate retail media; it will redefine it, proving that profitability and ethics arent mutually exclusive. The question is, will it seize the opportunityor gamble with consumer trust?

Intel's Arc B580 graphics card was meant to be a massive hit among mainstream PC gamers, offering excellent value at $250. So much so that we even hailed it as the best value GPU in our day-one review published a month ago. However, as reports began to surface indicating that the graphics card's impressive performance was limited to newer CPUs, we knew it was time for a retest.We've gathered a ton of new benchmark data for you, some of this was already explored briefly on YouTube, diving into the B580's overhead issues that cause performance to suffer in CPU-limited gaming scenarios. Our testing revealed that the Arc B580 performed significantly worse than the RTX 4060 in games like Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 when paired with either a Ryzen 7 9800X3D or a Ryzen 5 2600. With the latter, average frame rates dropped to just 31 FPS, while 1% lows dipped to 25 FPS making the game nearly unplayable.That said, the issues appeared to be limited to some titles. In many other games, the Arc B580's performance aligned with expectations. For instance, it delivers playable frame rates in games like Alan Wake 2, Doom Eternal, Horizon: Forbidden West, and Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 when paired with an older Core i5-9600K chip.It's important to note that all Arc graphics cards require ReBAR and Smart Access Memory (SAM) support. For this reason, Intel recommends using 10th-gen Core CPUs or newer, or AMD Ryzen 3000 series CPUs or newer. However, in our tests, ReBAR was backported and enabled on the systems, suggesting the issue lies elsewhere.Test System SpecsUpon realizing that the Arc B580 doesn't perform as well with a slower CPU, such as the Ryzen 5 5600, it became obvious that a re-review was in order. To address this, we've added Ryzen 5 5600 results to our original Arc B580 review data.This updated analysis includes not just the Intel B580, but also the RTX 4060, Radeon 7600, and Radeon 7600 XT. All of these GPUs were retested using the Ryzen 5 5600, allowing us to compare this data to the original results gathered with the 9800X3D.CPUAMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D AMD Ryzen 5 5600MotherboardGigabyte X670E Master (BIOS F33f - ReBAR enabled) MSI MPG X570S Carbon MAX WiFi (BIOS 7D52v1B1 - ReBAR enabled)MemoryG.Skill Trident Z5 RGB DDR5-6000 [CL30-38-38-96] G.Skill Ripjaws V Series 32GB DDR4-3600 [CL14-15-15-35]ATX CaseAntec Flux ProPower SupplyKolink Regulator Gold ATX 3.0 1200WStorageTeamGroup T-Force A440 M.2 PCIe Gen4 NVMe SSD 4TBOperating SystemWindows 11 24H2Display DriverNvidia GeForce Game Ready 566.14 WHQL AMD Radeon Adrenalin 24.12.1 Intel Arc 32.0.101.6449_101.6256 WHQL CertifiedOn top of that, we spent several days collecting a fresh set of results using the same 12 games. This time, we tested with lower-quality presets mostly medium settings and also compiled a 1440p quality upscaling data set. These results are particularly interesting, and we'll delve into them after reviewing the initial re-review data. Let's get into itGaming BenchmarksThe good news is that the performance issue is likely to occur only in very CPU-demanding games, and thankfully, that is indeed the case. We will skip over many examples where performance or scaling remains unchanged when using the Ryzen 5 5600, but here are a few notable cases.A Plague Tale RequiemTesting with A Plague Tale: Requiem shows a minor performance decline for the B580 at 1080p 3% for the average frame rate and 8% for the 1% lows. The hit to the 1% lows is slightly concerning, as the RX 7600 and RTX 4060 saw no such decline, but since they were slower to begin with, it's not a major issue. At 1440p, the B580 remains much faster than its GeForce and Radeon competitors and shows no performance impact with the 5600, which is an excellent result.Dragon AgeFor Dragon Age, there was no performance hit at all. The B580 delivered identical performance using either the Ryzen 5 5600 or Ryzen 7 7800X3D, and this was true at both 1080p and 1440p.Dying Light 2In Dying Light 2, performance dropped only slightly, with a 4% decrease in the average frame rate and an 8% reduction in 1% lows when pairing the B580 with the 5600. While not massive, this is less than ideal, especially given that Radeon and GeForce GPUs experienced no performance loss.Star Wars Jedi: SurvivorStar Wars Jedi: Survivor showed no performance difference when running the B580 on the 5600 compared to the 9800X3D. This might not hold true for all areas of the game, but in the section used for GPU testing, the results were consistent.The Last of Us Part IThe performance in The Last of Us Part I is more concerning. Previously, with the 9800X3D, the B580 averaged 75 FPS at 1080p. However, with the slower 5600, this dropped to 53 FPS a significant 29% reduction. Although slower CPUs can reduce frame rates, the alarming part is that the RTX 4060 experienced only a 6% drop, and the RX 7600 just 5%. At 1440p, this issue appears to resolve itself, as the lower frame rates reduce the CPU bottleneck. However, enabling upscaling might bring back the problem, something we'll explore shortly.StarfieldStarfield already suffered from poor performance on the Arc GPUs, with severe frame-time issues. A further 10% reduction when using the 5600 is unfortunate, but given the baseline performance was already poor, not much is lost here.War ThunderThe War Thunder results in DirectX 11 mode are eye-opening. Using the 9800X3D, the B580 achieved an impressive 255 FPS. Switching to the Ryzen 5 5600 dropped this to 155 FPS a massive 39% decrease. Interestingly, the Radeon GPUs also saw substantial declines (e.g., 36% for the RX 7600), but the RTX 4060 experienced only a 5% drop in average frame rate, although its 1% lows were hit by 20%.Historically, Radeon GPUs have shown overhead issues with older APIs like DX11 and DX10, while GeForce GPUs have generally performed well with DX11, albeit sometimes struggling with DX12 titles. Even at 1440p, the B580 and Radeon GPUs exhibited declines with the 5600, while the RTX 4060 remained unaffected.Cyberpunk 2077In Cyberpunk 2077, the B580 struggled when paired with the 5600, with the average frame rate dropping by 18% and 1% lows by 24%. The 1% lows were already low with the 9800X3D, making this decline more noticeable. Radeon and GeForce GPUs, however, showed no performance impact. At 1440p, the problem seems to diminish due to the lower frame rates, but enabling upscaling would likely bring it back something we'll investigate soon.Hogwarts LegacyThe B580 also faltered in Hogwarts Legacy when using the 5600. The 1% lows suffered a 38% decline, while the RTX 4060 saw an 18% drop. At 1440p, the B580 appeared to recover, but this was likely due to reduced CPU load from lower frame rates.Star Wars OutlawsIn Star Wars Outlaws, the B580 dropped from 40 FPS with the 9800X3D to 34 FPS with the 5600 a 15% decline. Meanwhile, the RX 7600 and RTX 4060 showed no performance loss.Space Marine 2In Space Marine 2, the B580's average frame rate dropped from 62 FPS with the 9800X3D to 53 FPS with the 5600 a 15% decrease. Similar to War Thunder, the RTX 4060 exhibited minimal performance loss, while Radeon GPUs like the RX 7600 saw more substantial declines, such as a 17% drop with the 5600.Spider-Man RemasteredSpider-Man Remastered was particularly problematic for the B580. At 1080p, performance dropped by a staggering 50%, while the RTX 4060 saw only a 13% reduction and the RX 7600 just 5%. These issues persisted for the B580 even at 1440p.12 Game Performance AverageHere's a look at the 12-game average data, and the results look concerning for the B580. It shows an 18% performance reduction when paired with a slower CPU. This is particularly disappointing, as the RTX 4060 only saw a 4% drop, and the RX 7600 just a 6% drop.Essentially, the B580 goes from being faster than both the RTX 4060 and RX 7600 when paired with the 9800X3D to noticeably slower than both when paired with the Ryzen 5 5600.The performance hit at 1440p is significantly lower, as the lower frame rates reduce the impact of the CPU bottleneck. Here, the B580 experiences just a 9% drop. However, this is still worse than the RX 7600, which saw a 4% reduction, and the RTX 4060, which experienced no performance drop at all.For context, when using the 9800X3D, the B580 was 14% faster than the 4060, but with both GPUs paired to the Ryzen 5 5600, the B580 is only 4% faster. This shift has a noticeable impact on the value proposition of the B580.Cost Per FrameLooking at the updated cost-per-frame graph, the Intel Arc B580 is now 17% better value than the Radeon RX 7600, compared to 21% previously. While this isn't a dramatic shift, it's important to note that this comparison uses the more favorable 1440p data, which largely masks the B580's overhead issues.With that in mind, let's move on to a more compelling and real-world data set.The Big Re-Test: Medium Quality 1440p Upscaling ComparisonThe following data set could easily stand alone as its own article, given the scope of the testing involved. However, our goal is to make this re-review as comprehensive as possible, so let's dive in. For this analysis, we've tested the Arc B580, RTX 4060, and RX 7600 using both the 9800X3D and Ryzen 5 5600 at 1080p, 1440p, and 1440p with quality upscaling across all 12 games.Medium: Star Wars Jedi: SurvivorFirst, we have Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, tested using the medium quality preset. With the 9800X3D, the B580 achieves an average of 97 FPS, dropping slightly to 89 FPS with the 5600. This appears to be a typical CPU bottleneck, and as previously observed, this title doesn't seem to present specific issues for the B580, at least in the area we tested.At 1440p, some interesting trends emerge. At native 1440p, the B580 outperforms the RX 7600 and RTX 4060 regardless of the CPU used. However, when enabling quality upscaling at 1440p, we see higher frame rates than at native 1080p. As a result, the Radeon and GeForce GPUs are able to match the B580, delivering around 90 FPS with the Ryzen 5 5600.Medium: A Plague Tale: RequiemUsing the medium preset, A Plague Tale: Requiem reveals some interesting results. When paired with the 9800X3D, the B580 performs impressively, beating the RTX 4060 by a 16% margin at 1080p. However, when paired with the Ryzen 5 5600, the B580 falls 2% behind in average frame rate and 11% in 1% lows.At 1440p, the scenario changes for a few reasons. First, the RTX 4060 and RX 7600 can no longer achieve 60 FPS, causing their performance to drop. Meanwhile, the B580 hits 71 FPS on the 5600, remaining below the CPU cap but still outperforming the RTX 4060 by 27%, a significant advantage.However, enabling the resolution optimizer since this title doesn't support FSR or XeSS dramatically boosts the B580's frame rate to 113 FPS with the 9800X3D, making it 66% faster than the RTX 4060. When using the 5600, the B580 caps at 80 FPS, which is 18% faster than the RTX 4060. While still an impressive result, it's less remarkable compared to what we initially observed with the 9800X3D.Medium: Cyberpunk 2077Testing Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty with the medium preset significantly reduces CPU load due to the crowd density being lowered from "high" to "low." This benefits the B580, which now performs well at 1080p, even when paired with the Ryzen 5 5600.At 1440p, the B580 looks even better. However, enabling quality upscaling reduces its margin. To further analyze, we manually adjusted the crowd density back to "high" while keeping the other medium preset settings unchanged.Medium: Cyberpunk 2077 (High Crowd)With the higher crowd density, the B580's performance changes significantly, particularly when using the Ryzen 5 5600. Previously achieving 99 FPS, the frame rate drops to 82 FPS under the increased CPU load. In contrast, the Radeon and GeForce GPUs show virtually no change in performance.At 1440p, the additional CPU load reduces the B580's advantage. While it was 17% faster than the RTX 4060 with the 9800X3D, it's now only 5% faster with the 5600. Enabling quality upscaling pushes the RTX 4060 ahead of the B580, with the latter suffering a 20% drop in 1% lows.Medium: Dying Light 2No significant issues were observed for the B580 in Dying Light 2 Stay Human when using the high preset, and this remains true with the medium preset. The B580 outperforms both the RTX 4060 and RX 7600, even when paired with the Ryzen 5 5600. At 1440p, this trend continues, even with upscaling enabled.Medium: Dragon Age: The VeilguardIn Dragon Age: The Veilguard, the B580 lags slightly at 1080p, but this isn't due to CPU limitations, as both the 9800X3D and 5600 produce identical results. At 1440p, the B580 experiences a smaller performance drop compared to its competitors, allowing it to match the RTX 4060. However, it falls slightly behind with upscaling enabled. Overall, the results for the B580 appear reasonable.Medium: Marvel's Spider-Man RemasteredAs seen in earlier testing, Spider-Man Remastered is a challenging title for the B580. Dropping from the "very high" preset to "high," the B580 delivers 160 FPS with the 9800X3D, outperforming the RTX 4060 by 13% in average frame rate and 42% over the RX 7600.Switching to the Ryzen 5 5600, the B580's performance drops to 82 FPS. While still playable, this represents a 26% deficit compared to the RTX 4060 and a 20% deficit compared to the RX 7600.At 1440p, the B580 continues to excel with the 9800X3D but only matches the RX 7600 when paired with the 5600, making it 16% slower than the RTX 4060. With upscaling enabled, the B580's performance worsens further, becoming 27% slower than the RTX 4060 and 21% slower than the RX 7600. Although the performance is still playable, the reduced value is concerning.Medium: Hogwarts LegacyIn Hogwarts Legacy, the B580 previously matched the RTX 4060 at 1080p with the high preset and the 9800X3D. However, with the older medium preset, the B580 falls behind, limiting performance to 106 FPS, which, while excellent overall, impacts its value.At native 1440p, the B580 matches the RX 7600 and slightly outpaces the RTX 4060 when using either CPU. However, enabling upscaling significantly impacts the B580's performance, as its overhead becomes a bottleneck.Medium: Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2In Space Marine 2, using the ultra preset, the B580 struggled, and dialing down to medium only improves performance slightly. With the 9800X3D, the frame rate increases by 6%, reaching 66 FPS, and by 8% with the 5600. However, the Radeon and GeForce GPUs remain much faster, regardless of CPU.At 1440p, performance with the medium preset mirrors the ultra preset, and the B580 fares poorly when paired with the 5600. With upscaling at 1440p, the B580 is 25% slower than the RTX 4060. Interestingly, the RX 7600 also experiences a 10% performance drop with the 5600, whereas the RTX 4060 remains unaffected.Medium: The Last of Us Part ISwitching to the medium preset, The Last of Us Part I shows strong performance from the B580 when paired with the 9800X3D, achieving 120 FPS on average. With the 5600, performance remains good, though 1% lows slip slightly.At native 1440p, the B580 dominates, outpacing the RTX 4060 and RX 7600 by a wide margin, rendering over 80 FPS compared to around 60 FPS for the other GPUs. However, with upscaling, the B580 gains little due to overhead limitations, even with the 9800X3D. As a result, the RX 7600 and RTX 4060 close the gap, offering similar performance with the 5600.Medium: Star Wars OutlawsResults for Star Wars Outlaws are fairly typical. The B580 performs well, even with the Ryzen 5 5600. At native 1440p, the B580 outpaces both the RTX 4060 and RX 7600. However, enabling upscaling allows the RTX 4060 to pull ahead, as it sees a 59% performance boost compared to 36% for the B580 and 34% for the RX 7600.Medium: StarfieldIn Starfield, the B580 continues to struggle. Even with the medium preset, 1% low performance is weaker than expected relative to the average frame rate, which is comparable to the RX 7600.At 1440p, the B580 remains similar to the RX 7600 in average frame rate but suffers from weaker 1% lows.High: War ThunderLastly, we have War Thunder, tested using both DX11 and DX12, which yielded some very interesting results. Starting with the DX11 1080p data, we see significant differences between the 9800X3D and Ryzen 5 5600 configurations. With the 9800X3D, the B580 outperforms both the RTX 4060 and RX 7600 in terms of average frame rate, although it only matches the 1% lows of the Radeon GPU.Switching to the Ryzen 5 5600 brings notable changes. The RTX 4060 experiences a 25% performance drop, which aligns with expectations given the slower CPU. However, the RX 7600 sees an even steeper decline, losing 41% of its performance. The B580, unfortunately, fares the worst, with its frame rate dropping by 52% to 184 FPS. While this is still a very playable performance, the relative decline compared to its competitors is concerning.At 1440p, the data becomes even more surprising. Using the 9800X3D, the B580 dominates the RTX 4060, which appears to suffer from a bandwidth issue, making the B580 almost 50% faster. It also outpaces the RX 7600 by over 20%.However, when paired with the Ryzen 5 5600, the situation reverses entirely. The RTX 4060 becomes the fastest GPU by a significant margin, and the RX 7600 also outperforms the B580, especially in terms of 1% lows. Enabling upscaling further widens the gap, as it provides no benefit for the B580, while the RTX 4060 gains an 18% boost and the RX 7600 gains 7%. This raises the question of whether DirectX 12, listed as a Beta API option by the developer, could improve the situation for the B580.High: War Thunder (DX12)Switching to DX12 dramatically changes the results. At 1080p, the RTX 4060 becomes far more competitive when paired with the 9800X3D, and all three GPUs perform significantly better with the Ryzen 5 5600.At 1440p, the B580 and RTX 4060 perform neck and neck regardless of the CPU used. However, the RTX 4060 shows slightly more headroom with the 9800X3D, which is expected since it performed best at 1080p. Interestingly, the use of a low-level API like DX12 helps alleviate the B580's overhead issues, as it should, although similar improvements haven't always been consistent across other games.Average 1080p PerformanceHere's a look at the average performance across the 12 games tested at 1080p. With the 9800X3D, the B580 is 2% faster than the RTX 4060 and 10% faster than the RX 7600. While this is decent, it's not a substantial lead.However, with the Ryzen 5 5600, the situation becomes less favorable. The B580 is now 8% slower than the RTX 4060 and roughly matches the RX 7600, though with weaker 1% lows.Average 1440p PerformanceAt 1440p, the data shows mixed results. Starting with native resolution testing, the B580 significantly outperforms the RTX 4060 and RX 7600 when paired with the 9800X3D. This advantage diminishes with the Ryzen 5 5600, as the slower CPU introduces more CPU-limited scenarios, which is expected.However, the 1440p upscaling data highlights some concerning trends. With the 9800X3D, the B580 still holds a slight edge over the RTX 4060. But when paired with the Ryzen 5 5600, the B580's performance falters. It now only matches the RX 7600 and falls 9% behind the RTX 4060.If we calculate the cost per frame based on the 1440p upscaling data with the Ryzen 5 5600, the B580 ends up being just 9% better value than both the RTX 4060 and RX 7600. This drops further to 5% better value than the RX 7600 if it's priced at $250, which is currently achievable in some markets.What We LearnedAll this new data changes the narrative significantly, but let's start by discussing how these updated results using the Ryzen 5 5600 compare to the initial review data with the Ryzen 7 9800X3D.Based on the original review data, the B580 was 21% better value than the Radeon RX 7600 at 1440p and 27% better than the RTX 4060, when paired with the 9800X3D. However, with the 5600, these margins have shifted. The Intel Arc B580 is now 17% better value than the Radeon GPU and 20% better than the GeForce GPU still respectable but notably diminished.It's important to note that this data represents more of a best-case scenario, particularly when paired with a slower CPU. This is because ultra-quality settings often resulted in frame rates hovering around or below 60 FPS. If you're willing to lower quality settings and enable upscaling, the value of the B580 decreases even further, as demonstrated in the data.For instance, when considering the more real-world 1440p upscaling data, the B580 struggles, offering less than 10% better value over the GeForce and Radeon competition. This is far from sufficient, given the compromises inherent to an Arc GPU. In our opinion, Arc GPUs need to offer at least 20% better value to justify those trade-offs.We've also been working on a 50-game benchmark comparison between the B580 and RTX 4060. Originally scheduled for release this week, we've had to revise that content in light of the overhead issue, but it will be available soon. From our initial findings, even when using the 9800X3D, the Arc B580 doesn't stack up nearly as well against the RTX 4060 in a broader range of games as it does in this 12-game sample.For example, the review data using the 9800X3D at 1440p showed the B580 to be, on average, 14% faster than the RTX 4060 a strong result. However, expanding testing to 50 games reduced the margin to just 5%. Even when removing outliers, the lead was only 7%, half of what we reported in the day-one review. When paired with a CPU like the Ryzen 5 5600, the B580 will likely fall behind the RTX 4060, as seen in the upscaling data.What Does This Mean for Intel's Arc B580?For most users indeed, almost all users the value proposition of the B580 isn't as strong as it initially appeared. Additional factors must now be considered. For example, to fully benefit from the B580, you'll need a relatively modern and reasonably powerful CPU. Anything slower than the Ryzen 5 5600, and the recommendation shifts firmly to a Radeon or GeForce GPU instead.That said, the suitability of the B580 will depend on the specific games you play and how you play them. As a general rule, the overhead issue makes the B580 a poor choice for systems with older or weaker CPUs, which undermines its appeal as a budget-friendly, entry-level GPU. Furthermore, even for users not currently playing CPU-intensive games, there's the possibility they will in the future. In such cases, the B580 could necessitate a CPU upgrade sooner than a Radeon or GeForce GPU would, allowing you to delay that expense.For the Arc B580 to maintain the excitement we initially had for it, it really needs to be paired with a Ryzen 5 7600, Core i5-13600K, or a better CPU. Using the B580 with slower CPUs significantly diminishes its value and, depending on the games you play, could completely negate it.Intel is aware of these findings and is actively investigating the issue. Beyond that, we don't have any official updates. It's possible that a future driver update could address this problem, but as noted in our initial assessment, we're not particularly optimistic about a swift resolution. This is based purely on intuition and a rudimentary understanding of the complexity of the issue.One thing is certain: if you can't purchase the Arc B580 for $250 or less, you're better off with the Radeon RX 7600. Alternatively, explore the second-hand market you might find a great deal on a Radeon 6700 XT.Shopping Shortcuts:Intel Arc B580 on AmazonAMD Radeon RX 7600 on AmazonNvidia GeForce RTX 5070 on Amazon (soon)Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti on Amazon (soon)AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT on AmazonAMD Radeon RX 7900 XT on Amazon

Table of ContentsTable of ContentsDesignSetupPerformanceFeaturesPriceThe verdictThe Sonos Arc has long stood as the flagship soundbar from the American networked audio giant. Upon its release in 2020, the Arc established itself as one of the most feature-rich products in its category. It was Sonoss first soundbar to support Dolby Atmos, which was a significant step forward at the time.Four years later, the Sonos Arc Ultra was released, intended to take up the mantle of a premium flagship soundbar. The Arc Ultra represents the next generation for Sonos, features breakthrough technologies like Sound Motion, and adds Bluetooth support for the first time in any Sonos soundbar.Recommended VideosIf youre in the market for an upscale soundbar, the new Sonos Arc Ultra release presents an opportunity. With the Sonos Arc soon going the way of the dinosaurs, youre bound to see its remaining inventory undergo some steep sales. So, should you snatch one up for a bargain (or even find one used) or go with the latest and greatest? To help you make that decision, weve compared the two generations of this premium product to see how much daylight there really is between them.RelatedSimon Cohen / Digital TrendsAt first glance, the Sonos Arc and Sonos Arc Ultra share remarkably similar form factors, making them difficult to distinguish from afar. The new Arc Ultra is just shy of a pound lighter than the original Arc, weighing just over 13 pounds compared to 13.8 pounds, and about half an inch thinner from top to bottom, measuring 2.9 inches in height versus 3.4 inches.Simon Cohen / Digital TrendsThe Arc Ultra also measures roughly a quarter inch shallower than the Arc, with a depth of 4.3 inches compared to 4.6 inches, meaning it would stick out just a touch less from the wall when mounted. Overall, the newer generation carries a slimmer and more compact design, if only just.Simon Cohen / Digital TrendsBoth models feature capacitive touch controls and are available in black and white finishes. If aesthetics are a priority for you in picking the perfect soundbar, youll find little difference between these two.Winner: TieThe setup process for Sonos speakers is always a breeze, and truthfully, this is one of Sonos greatest strengths. Once users have downloaded the Sonos app on their iOS or Android device, they will be walked through an uncomplicated set of steps and have their soundbar up and running in just a few minutes. This is also where users will be prompted to take advantage of features like Trueplay to optimize the soundbars audio for the room its being used in.Winner: TieSimon Cohen / Digital TrendsAs we began testing the sound and performance of the Sonos Arc Ultra, the upgrades from its predecessor became more apparent. Right off the bat, the Arc Ultra boasts 15 amplifiers, whereas the Arc has only 11.Where the Arc featured just three silk-dome tweeters, the Arc Ultra has seven, which help deliver superior clarity and volume with less distortion. The added drivers also shine when watching content that supports Dolby Atmos. The Arc Ultra offers a spatial audio masterclass in 9.1.4 surround, while the Arc is limited to 5.0.2, lacking the additional height channels. For an even more immersive Atmos surround sound experience, add a pair of Sonos Era 300s as rear channels, and you will be blown away.On the lower end, the original Arc used its eight elliptical woofers to handle both mids and lows; the new Arc Ultra divides up this work with six dedicated midwoofers and its new Sound Motion system, composed of a four-motor, dual-membrane woofer serving as a dedicated driver for bass on the soundbar. This new design, in particular the addition of Sound Motion and more immersive Dolby Atmos, yields a substantially refined sound with vastly improved bass performance.You can, of course, add a Sonos Sub or Sub Mini for truly deep and room-filling low end, but both Sonos Arc soundbars deliver surprising bass with the Ultra having a leg up.Winner: Sonos Arc UltraSimon Cohen / Digital TrendsSonos has often excelled at setting itself apart from competitors by offering products that are as feature-rich as they are user-friendly. From features like Trueplay tuning, which uses onboard microphones to optimize audio for the acoustics of the room, to its new Sound Motion tech, Sonos remains one of the most innovative players in the game.For the purposes of comparison, the four years between the release of the Arc and the Arc Ultra were just enough to introduce a few added features with which the Arc Ultra sets itself apart yet again.Firstly, the Arc Ultra is the first soundbar from Sonos to support Bluetooth, making it that much easier to use your Arc Ultra as a dedicated speaker from various devices without having to connect to Wi-Fi or through the Sonos app.The Arc Ultra also offers advanced speech enhancement settings, leveraging its added tweeters to highlight the frequencies most used by dialogue in television and film. This helps ensure clarity of dialogue even among complex soundscapes.Phil Nickinson / Digital TrendsThe Arc Ultra has added Trueplay support for users with Android devices, too, as the original Arc only supported this feature when setting up the soundbar with an iOS device. Both generations of the soundbar support a Night Sound mode, which reduces the volume of loud sounds while raising the volume of quieter sounds. Anyone who has tried watching an action-filled movie at night while their spouse is sleeping knows the pain of turning the volume up so that you can hear the quieter dialogue, only to have a blaringly loud scene suddenly wake the whole house.Giving some more thought to nighttime viewing, the Arc Ultra features something of an Easter egg for its sister product,the Sonos Ace headphones. Owners of both the Arc Ultra and the Ace headphones can seamlessly switch their audio between the two devices, though most smart TVs and streaming devices offer wireless headphone support as a standalone feature.Winner: Sonos Arc UltraThe Sonos Arc is likely to be discontinued soon, but it is still available directly from Sonos for $899 and can already be found for less than that at various online retailers like Amazon and BestBuy. Its likely that as stock dwindles, more aggressive sales will appear until all new units have been sold. The new Arc Ultra is available from Sonos and all major electronic retailers for $999.Look around for the best sales, and youll easily find the original Arc on sale for over $100 less than the Arc Ultra.Winner: Sonos Arc 1st GenSimon Cohen / Digital TrendsThe Arc and Arc Ultra both exemplify the top-of-the-line soundbars in their respective eras. The original Arc endures as an impressive speaker with its support for Dolby Atmos, Trueplay tuning, and 11 high-end drivers, though the reality remains that four years in the world of consumer gadgets can feel like a lifetime in terms of features and performance.With an MSRP of just $100 more, the Arc Ultra delivers improved sound with a dedicated bass driver, a 9.1.4 Dolby Atmos setup that feels far more future-proof, improved dialogue enhancement, added Bluetooth capability, and expanded Android support that all make it worth the splurge for the newest tech. If youre looking for a great deal on a top-notch soundbar, then by all means, keep your eyes peeled for an aggressive sale on the original Arc, but if $100 is all that separates the old from the new, then the Sonos Arc Ultra is the way to go.Editors Recommendations

The New York Times has plenty of word games on its roster today with Wordle, Connections, Strands, and the Mini Crossword, theres something for everyone but the newspapers standard crossword puzzle still reigns supreme. The daily crossword is full of interesting trivia, helps improve mental flexibility and, of course, gives you some bragging rights if you manage to finish it every day.While the NYT puzzle might feel like an impossible task some days, solving a crossword is a skill and it takes practice dont get discouraged if you cant get every single word in a puzzle.Recommended VideosIf youre having trouble completing todays NYT Crossword, were here to help. Weve got all the answers for todays clues down below.Please enable Javascript to view this contentNew York TimesAcross1 Get an engine going : POWERUP8 Incurs an extra service charge, perhaps : ROAMS13 Cost-efficient : ECONOMIC15 Georges ___, Habanera composer : BIZET16 Jargon heard at Comic-Con or in a D&D game, humorously : NERDSPEAK18 Clearing : GLADE19 Specially trained teams : CADRES20 Tubular! : RAD22 Movement in The Nutcracker : PLIE23 River featured in the Rig Veda : INDUS24 Fruit-filled loaf : DATEBREAD26 Pride parade participant? : LION27 Own up : COMECLEAN28 ___ fly : SAC29 Antarctic explorer for whom a sea is named : JAMESROSS30 Attachments for speakers : LAPELMICS31 Blatant deceptions : NAKEDLIES32 Open for drinks : TAP35 Monarchs, e.g. : AUTOCRATS36 Baby ___ : YODA37 Setting for balloon darts or a ringtoss : GAMEBOOTH38 Television star who went on the Legally Prohibited From Being Funny on Television Tour in 2010 : CONAN39 Taiwanese electronics brand : ACER40 Note extender, in sheet music : DOT41 Lothlrien in The Lord of the Rings, e.g. : FOREST42 Make way for : LETBY44 They believe the radical notion that women are people, per Marie Shear : FEMINISTS46 Siren call? : BLARE47 Well, that works! : SURECURE48 OK : ALLOW49 Certain workplace protection? : DESKPADDown1 #2s, e.g. : PENCILS2 Locale of Niue and the Pitcairn Islands : OCEANIA3 Common format for an essay, informally : WORDDOC4 Bypassing play : ENDRUN5 Many early wines : ROSES6 Professional squatters? : UMPS7 Bit of Sweeney Todd fare : PIE8 Recurring role for Kate McKinnon on S.N.L. : RBG9 Extractor used on some seeds and nuts : OILPRESS10 Their petals are used to make a traditional Korean wine called dugyeonju : AZALEAS11 Turnpike feature : MEDIAN12 One taken for a ride : STEED14 Some sweet pick-me-ups : CARAMELLATTES17 Contralto singer known as the First Lady of Radio : KATESMITH21 Publicly criticizes : DECRIES24 Feature of the United States Capitol : DOMEDROOF25 They act as one : BLOCS27 Simple house style with gables : CAPECOD29 Track star Ingebrigtsen who, at age 16, became the youngest person in history to run a sub-four-minute mile : JAKOB30 Peace, dude! : LATERBRO31 Music genre for Linkin Park and Limp Bizkit : NUMETAL32 Hits the weights, say : TONESUP33 To the stars, in Latin : ADASTRA34 De-briefed? : PANTSED35 Small juice container? : AACELL36 Jester named in a Shakespeare soliloquy : YORICK37 First of four emperors in the Year of the Four Emperors : GALBA38 Stack in an ice cream shop : CONES41 Its lit! : FIRE43 Material for Robin Hoods bow : YEW45 Result of a downpour, perhaps : MUDEditors Recommendations

Sam Hill / Digital TrendsLove crossword puzzles but dont have all day to sit and solve a full-sized puzzle in your daily newspaper? Thats what The Mini is for!A bite-sized version of the New York Times well-known crossword puzzle, The Mini is a quick and easy way to test your crossword skills daily in a lot less time (the average puzzle takes most players just over a minute to solve). While The Mini is smaller and simpler than a normal crossword, it isnt always easy. Tripping up on one clue can be the difference between a personal best completion time and an embarrassing solve attempt.Recommended VideosJust like ourWordle hints and Connections hints, were here to help with The Mini today if youre stuck and need a little help.Please enable Javascript to view this contentBelow are the answers for the NYT Mini crossword today.New York TimesAcrossStreak of lightning BOLTFlowers with tiger and trumpet varieties LILIESSurface to stretch on YOGAMATCondition treated with exposure and response prevention therapy, for short OCDRocks, to a bartender ICEWait,seriously?! WHATTHEActress with a record number of Oscar nominations (21) STREEPAssists AIDSDownInformation sets used in machine learning and predictive analytics, collectively BIGDATAPortuguese greeting OLANot infinite LIMITEDShows the ropes to TEACHESScottish bodies of water LOCHSLike some prices and roller coaster drops STEEPThat really hurts! YOWPrefix with -ceratops TRIEditors Recommendations

You can't replace cats with AI, not yet Three bizarre home devices and a couple good things at CES 2025 Some quietly good things made an appearance at CES 2025, amidst the AI slush. Kevin Purdy Jan 11, 2025 7:30 am | 19 Credit: Verity Burns/WIRED UK Credit: Verity Burns/WIRED UK Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn moreEvery year, thousands of product vendors, journalists, and gadget enthusiasts gather in an unreasonable city to gawk at mostly unrealistic products.To be of service to our readers, Ars has done the work of looking through hundreds of such items presented at the 2025 Consumer Electronic Show, pulling out the most bizarre, unnecessary, and head-scratching items. Andrew Cunningham swept across PC and gaming accessories. This writer has stuck to goods related to the home.It's a lie to say it's all a prank, so I snuck in a couple of actually good things for human domiciles announced during CES. But the stuff you'll want to tell your family and friends about in mock disbelief? Plenty of that, still.AI-powered spice dispenser: SpicerrPart of my job is to try and stretch my viewpoint outwardto encompass people who might not have the same experiences and who might want different things from technology. Not everybody is a professional writer, pecking away in Markdown about the latest turn-based strategy game they are enjoying. You must try to hear many timbres inside the common voice in your head when addressing new products and technologies.I cannot get there with Spicerr, the "world's first AI-powered spice dispenser," even living aside the AI bit. Is the measurement and dumping of spices into a dish even 5 percent of the overall challenge? Will a mechanical dispenser be any more precise than standard teaspoons? Are there many kinds of food for which you would want to sprinkle a "customized blend" of spices? Are there home cooks who are so dedicated to fresh, bright flavors that they want their spices delivered in small vials, at presumably premium prices, rather than simply having small quantities of regularly restocked essentials?Maybe the Spicerr would be a boon to inexperienced cooks, whose relatives all know them to under-season their food. Rather than buying them a battery-powered device, they must charge to "take the guesswork out of seasoning," though, you could buy them good cookbooks, or a Times Cooking subscription, or just a few new bottles of paprika, oregano, cumin, cayenne, and turmeric.Philips Hues (sigh) AI-powered lighting assistantsI'm not dismayed that Philips Hue is jumping on the "This has AI now" bandwagon. Well, I am, but not specifically dismayed, because every vendor at CES this year is hawking AI. No, the bad thing here is that Hue lights are devices that work great. Maybe Philips' pursuit of an "AI assistant" to help you figure out that Halloween lights should be orange-ish won't distract them from their core product's reliability. But I have my doubts.Hue has recently moved from a relatively open lighting system to an app-and-account-required cloud-controlled scheme, supposedly in the name of security and user control. Having an AI assistant is perhaps another way to sell services beyond hardware, like the $130 or $3/month LG TV app it now offers. The AI service is free for now, but charging for it in the future is far from impossible.Again, none of this should necessarily affect people who, like me, use Hue bulbs to have a porch light come on at sunset or turn a dim, warm hue when it's time to wind down. But it felt like Hue, which charges a very decent amount for their hardware, might have held off on chasing this trend.Robot vacuums doing way too muchRobot vacuums are sometimes worth the hassle and price. If you don't mind doing a pre-vacuum sweep of things that might get stuck in its brushes, you've got room for an emptying base or will empty it yourself, and you don't mind that they usually miss floor edges and corners. They're fine, I'm saying.Robot vacuum makers have steadfastly refused to accept "fine" and are out way over their skis this year. In one trade show, you can find:Eureka's J15 Max Ultra, incorporating "IntelliView AI 2.0," infrared, and FHD vision, detects liquid spills and switches brushes and vacuums to better clean and avoid spreading.Roborock's Saros Z70 has a "mechanical task arm" that can pick up objects like socks and small debris (up to 10.5 ounces) and put them in a pre-determined pile spot.SwitchBot's modular K20+ Pro, which is a vacuum onto which you can attach air purifiers, tablet mounts, security cameras, or other things you want rolling around your home.Dreame's X50, which can pivot to clean some small ledges, but cannot actually climb.The Narwal Flow, which has a wide, flat, off-center mop to reach wall edges.Pricing and availability are not available for these vacuums yet, but each is likely to set you back the equivalent of at least one new MacBook. They are also rather big devices to stash in your home (it's hard to hide an arm or an air purifier). Each is an early adopter device, and getting replacement consumable parts for them long-term is an uncertain bet. I'm not sure who they are for, but that has not stopped this apparently fertile field from marching onward.Now for good things, starting with Google HomeI've been watching and occasionally writing about the progress of the nascent Matter smart home protocol, somewhat in the vein of a high school coach who knows their team is held back by a lack of coordination, communication, and consistent direction. What Matter wants to do is vital for the future of the smart home, but it's very much a loose scrimmage right now.And yet, this week, in a CES-adjacent announcement, Google reminded me that Matter can really, uh, matter. All of Google Home's hub devicesNest screens and speakers, Chromecasts, Google TV devices running at least Android 14, and a few other gadgetscan interoperate with Matter devices locally, with no cloud required.That means people with a Google Home setup can switch devices, adjust volumes, and otherwise control devices, faster, with Internet outages or latency no longer an issue. Local, no-cloud-required control of devices across brands is one of Matter's key promises, and seeing it happen inside one major home brand is encouraging.More we'll-see-what-happens news is the unveiling of the public Home APIs, which promise to make it easier for third-party devices to be set up, integrated, and automated in a Google Home setup. Even if you're skeptical of Google's long-term support for APIs, the company is also working with the Matter group to improve the Matter certification process for all devices. Device makers should then have Matter to fall back onto, failing enthusiasm for Google Home APIs.This cat tower is also an air purifier; it is also goodThere are a lot of phones out there that need charging and a bunch of gamers who, for some reason, need even more controllers and screens to play on. But there is another, eternally underserved market getting some attention at CES: cats wanting to sit.LG, which primarily concerned itself with stuffing generative AI interfaces into every other device at CES 2025, crafted something that feels like a real old-time trade show gimmick. There is no guarantee that your cat or cat will use the AeroCat Tower; some cats will sit inside the cardboard box it came in seemingly out of spite. But should they deign to luxuriate on it, the AeroCat will provide gentle heat beneath them, weigh them, and give you a record of their sleep habits. Also, it purifies the air in that room.There is no pricing or availability information yet. But if you like your cats, you want to combine the function of a cat tower and air purifier, or you just want to consider something even just a little bit fun about the march of technology, look out for this one.Kevin PurdySenior Technology ReporterKevin PurdySenior Technology Reporter Kevin is a senior technology reporter at Ars Technica, covering open-source software, PC gaming, home automation, repairability, e-bikes, and tech history. He has previously worked at Lifehacker, Wirecutter, iFixit, and Carbon Switch. 19 Comments

As the song says, the Beats go on. Well, not exactly what the song says, but you get the drift. But the Amazon deals on Beats headphones and earbuds do indeed go on, and the latest is todays 36% off sale on the Beats Powerbeats Pro Wireless Earbuds.See at AmazonThe best Beats for workout fanatics, runners, and anyone who prefers earhooks on their buds for more stability and comfort are just $159 while this deal lasts $20 less than the Apple AirPods 4 and nearly $90 less than the AirPods Pro 2. The Powerbeats Pro are powered by Apples H1 headphone chip, the same one that you find in the AirPods Max for nearly $400 more.Perfect for Your Gym BagIf youve ever had to deal with earbuds shaking loose while youre on the treadmill or taking an active-motion exercise class, you know how a pair of earhooks are the best way to keep your buds firmly in place while staying wireless. The Powerbeats Pro have adjustable, secure-fit earhooks that keep your tunes rolling comfortably.The enhanced sweat and water resistance of the Powerbeats Pro are another mark in the plus column for anyone seeking the ideal sound companion for your trips to the gym or outdoor workouts, and if youre a truly dedicated gym rat or long-distance runner, youll love that the Powerbeats Pro have a 9-hour battery life on a single charge, and up to 24 hours of combined playback when you factor in the charging case.Its Still About the SoundHaving earbuds that can hang and bang with you in the gym is great, but if they sound like junk, whats the point. Beats, however, claimed their place among the top headphone brands with their outstanding sound and tub-thumping bass. The Powerbeats Pro sacrificed none of that sound to make them workout-friendly. They support Spatial Audio for truly immersive sound, and that H1 chip creates greater range and fewer dropouts.Each bud has full volume and track controls, so you dont need to fumble with your smartphone to make adjustments. And that smartphone can be an iPhone or Android device the Powerbeats Pro are compatible with both. They also have Audio Sharing so you can pair two sets of Powerbeats Pro with the same device so you can listen with a friend.The $160 Powerbeats Pro available now at Amazon move to the front of the line if youre looking for earbuds that are right at home in your gym bag and able to bring world-class sound when you comfortably latch them over your ears. Grab yours now before this deal ends.See at Amazon

When wildfires spread into neighborhoods, they burn all kinds of materials found in cars and houses and everything around them electronics, paint, plastics, furniture. Research shows that the mix of chemicals released when human-made materials like these burn is different from what is emitted during a vegetation fire and is potentially more toxic. The smoke and ash can blow under doors and around windows in nearby homes, bringing in chemicals that are absorbed into furniture, walls, and other indoor surfaces and continue off-gassing for weeks to months. As people return to smoke-damaged homes after a wildfire, there are several steps they can take to protect their health before starting to clean. Elevated levels of metals and VOCs In 2021, after the Marshall Fire swept through neighborhoods near Boulder, Colorado, my colleagues and I at Colorado universities and labs heard from many residents who were worried about the ash and lingering smells inside their homes that had otherwise survived the flames.In homes that my colleagues were able to quickly test, they found elevated levels of metals and PAHs polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the ash. We also found elevated VOCs volatile organic compounds in airborne samples. Some VOCs, such as dioxins, benzene, formaldehyde and PAHs, can be toxic to humans. Benzene is a known carcinogen.At the time, we could find no information about physical health implications for people who have returned to smoke-damaged homes after a wildfire. So, to look for patterns, we surveyed residents affected by the fire six months, one year and two years after the fire. Even six months after the fire, we found that many people were reporting symptoms that aligned with health risks related to smoke and ash from fires.More than half (55%) reported that they were experiencing at least one symptom six months after the blaze that they attributed to the Marshall Fire. The most common symptoms reported were itchy or watery eyes (33%), headache (30%), dry cough (27%), sneezing (26%) and sore throat (23%). All of these symptoms, as well as having a strange taste in ones mouth, were associated with people reporting that their home smelled differently when they returned to it one week after the fire.Many survey respondents said that the smells decreased over time. Most attributed the improvement in smell to the passage of time, cleaning surfaces and air ducts, replacing furnace filters, and removing carpet, textiles and furniture from the home. Despite this, many still had symptoms. We also found that living near a large number of burned structures was associated with these health symptoms. We found that for every 10 additional destroyed buildings within 820 feet (250 meters) of a persons home, there was an associated 21% increase in headaches and a 26% increase in having a strange taste in their mouth.These symptoms align with what could be expected from exposure to the chemicals that we found in the ash and measured in the air inside the few smoke-damaged homes that we were able to study in depth. Lingering symptoms and questions There are a still a lot of unanswered questions about the health risks from smoke- and ash-damaged homes. For example, we dont yet know what long-term health implications might look like for people living with lingering gases from wildfire smoke and ash in a home. We found a significant decline in the number of people reporting symptoms one year after the fire. However, 33% percent of the people whose homes were affected and responded to a later survey still reported at least one symptom that they attributed to the fire. About the same percentage also reported at least one symptom two years after the fire.We also could not measure the level of VOCs or metals that each person was exposed to. But we do think that reports of a change in the smell of a persons home one week after the fire demonstrates the likely presence of VOCs in the home. That likely has health implications for people whose homes are exposed to smoke or ash from a wildfire. Tips to protect yourself after wildfires Wildfires are increasingly burning homes and other structures as more people move into the wildland-urban interface, temperatures rise and fire seasons lengthen. If your home survives a wildfire nearby, here are some of the steps to think about before starting to clean: When youre ready to clean your home, start by protecting yourself. Wear at least an N95 (or KN95) mask and gloves, goggles and clothing that covers your skin. Cleaning can send some of those gases and ash into the air again. Keep people with heart or lung diseases, older adults, pregnant women, children and pets away from cleanup activities. Vacuum floors, drapes and furniture. A recent scientific study documents how cleaning all surfaces within a home can reduce reservoirs of VOCs and lower indoor air concentrations of VOCs. Once the air outside has cleared, open windows to let clean air in. Avoid harsh chemical cleaners because they can react with the chemicals in the ash. Clean your HVAC filter and ducts to avoid spreading ash further, and change filters monthly until the smell is gone. Portable air cleaners with carbon filters can help remove VOCs and particles. If your car smells of smoke, consider changing the cabin air filter. This is an update to an article first published Dec. 23, 2024.Colleen E. Reid, Associate Professor of Geography, University of Colorado Boulder This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.