DeepSeek has gone viral.Chinese AI lab DeepSeek broke into the mainstream consciousness this week afterits chatbot app rose to the top of the Apple App Store charts. DeepSeeks AI models, which were trained using compute-efficient techniques,have led Wall Street analystsand technologists to question whether the U.S. can maintain its lead in the AI race and whether the demand for AI chips will sustain.But where did DeepSeek come from, and how did it rise to international fame so quickly?DeepSeeks trader originsDeepSeek is backed by High-Flyer Capital Management, a Chinese quantitative hedge fund that uses AI to inform its trading decisions.AI enthusiast Liang Wenfeng co-founded High-Flyer in 2015. Wenfeng, who reportedly began dabbling in trading while a student at Zhejiang University, launched High-Flyer Capital Management as a hedge fund in 2019 focused on developing and deploying AI algorithms.In 2023, High-Flyer started DeepSeek as a lab dedicated to researching AI tools separate from its financial business. With High-Flyer as one of its investors, the lab spun off into its own company, also called DeepSeek.From day one, DeepSeek built its own data center clusters for model training. But like other AI companies in China, DeepSeek has been affected by U.S. export bans on hardware. To train one of its more recent models, the company was forced to use Nvidia H800 chips, a less-powerful version of a chip, the H100, available to U.S. companies.DeepSeeks technical team is said to skew young. The company reportedly aggressively recruits doctorate AI researchers from top Chinese universities. DeepSeek also hires people without any computer science background to help its tech better understand a wide range of subjects, per The New York Times.DeepSeeks strong modelsDeepSeek unveiled its first set of models DeepSeek Coder, DeepSeek LLM, and DeepSeek Chat in November 2023. But it wasnt until last spring, when the startup released its next-gen DeepSeek-V2 family of models, that the AI industry started to take notice.DeepSeek-V2, a general-purpose text- and image-analyzing system, performed well in various AI benchmarks and was far cheaper to run than comparable models at the time. It forced DeepSeeks domestic competition, including ByteDance and Alibaba, to cut the usage prices for some of their models, and make others completely free.DeepSeek-V3, launched in December 2024, only added to DeepSeeks notoriety.According to DeepSeeks internal benchmark testing, DeepSeek V3 outperforms both downloadable, openly available models like MetasLlama and closed models that can only be accessed through an API, like OpenAIs GPT-4o. Equally impressive is DeepSeeks R1 reasoning model. Released in January, DeepSeek claims R1 performs as well as OpenAIso1model on key benchmarks.Being a reasoning model, R1 effectively fact-checks itself, whichhelps it to avoid some of thepitfallsthat normally trip up models. Reasoning models take a little longer usually seconds to minutes longer to arrive at solutions compared to a typical non-reasoning model. The upside is that they tend to be more reliable in domains such as physics, science, and math.There is a downside to R1, DeepSeek V3, and DeepSeeks other models, however. Being Chinese-developed AI, theyre subject tobenchmarkingby Chinas internet regulator to ensure that its responses embody core socialist values. In DeepSeeks chatbot app, for example, R1 wont answer questions about Tiananmen Square or Taiwans autonomy.A disruptive approachIf DeepSeek has a business model, its not clear what that model is, exactly. The company prices its products and services well below market value and gives others away for free.The way DeepSeek tells it, efficiency breakthroughs have enabled it to maintain extreme cost competitiveness. Some experts dispute the figures the company has supplied, however.Whatever the case may be, developers have taken to DeepSeeks models, which arent open source as the phrase is commonly understood but are available under permissive licenses that allow for commercial use. According to Clem Delangue, the CEO of Hugging Face, one of the platforms hosting DeepSeeks models, developers on Hugging Face have created over 500 derivative models of R1 that have racked up 2.5 million downloads combined.DeepSeeks success against larger and more established rivals has been described as upending AI and ushering in a new era of AI brinkmanship. The companys success was at least in part responsible for causing Nvidias stock price to drop by 18% on Monday, and for eliciting a public response from OpenAI CEO Sam Altman.As for what DeepSeeks future might hold, its not clear. Improved models are a given. But the U.S. government appears to be growing wary of what it perceives as harmful foreign influence.TechCrunch has an AI-focused newsletter!Sign up hereto get it in your inbox every Wednesday.

In BriefPosted:2:49 PM PST January 28, 2025Image Credits:TechCrunchDavid Sacks claims theres substantial evidence that DeepSeek used OpenAIs models to train its ownDavid Sacks, Trumps AI and crypto czar, said in an interview on Fox on Tuesday that theres substantial evidence that Chinese AI company DeepSeek distilled knowledge from OpenAIs AI models, a process that Sacks compared to theft.Sacks, who didnt cite the source of this evidence, suggested that DeepSeek used responses from OpenAI models to train its own. I dont think OpenAI is very happy about this, Sacks said. DeepSeek, which went viral this week for its openly available, highly performant models and free chat apps, is being looked at with increasing scrutiny by U.S. government officials. According to Reuters, the National Security Council the U.S. body that advises the president on foreign policy and national security is reviewing the implications of DeepSeeks apps, which topped the Apple App Store this past weekend.The U.S. Navy has also reportedly banned the use of DeepSeeks AI, citing potential security and ethical concerns.Topics

The National Audit Office (NAO) has found the UK governments cyber resilience to be significantly behind where it needs to be, in the face of mounting and more dangerous threats.In its Government cyber resilience report, the public spending watchdog warned that the cyber threat to the UK government is severe and advancing quickly. It found that 58 critical government IT systems, assessed in 2024, had significant gaps in cyber resilience, and the government does not know how vulnerable at least 228 legacy IT systems are to cyber attack.The report does not cover the cyber resilience of local government, the NHS, or the nation as a whole. Fieldwork for the report was conducted between May and October 2024, with NAO staff interviewing officials from the Cabinet Office about efforts to support government departments in the implementation of the Government Cyber Security Strategy: 2022-2030.The strategy included a target for key government organisations to be significantly hardened to cyber attack by 2025, but the government has not improved its cyber resilience fast enough to meet this aim, said the NAO.The NAO also interviewed officials from the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and the Central Digital and Data Office (CDDO), along with cyber security civil servants from government departments and the British Library.The biggest risk to making the UK government resilient to cyber attack is a yawning skills gap, according to the report. It found one in three cyber security roles in government were vacant or filled by temporary and more expensive staff in 2023-24, while more than half of cyber roles in several departments were vacant, and 70% of specialist security architects were staff on temporary contracts.The NAO said departments reported that salaries and civil service recruitment processes are barriers to hiring and keeping people with cyber skills.Other concerns include a lack of coordination within government, which is jeopardising effective cyber defence. The NAO found that the respective roles of departments and central organisations, such as the NCSC, are insufficiently understood, and nor have departmental leaders consistently recognised the relevance of cyber risk to their strategic goals.The government must act now, urged the reports authors.Gareth Davies, head of the NAO, said: The risk of cyber attack is severe, and attacks on key public services are likely to happen regularly, yet governments work to address this has been slow.To avoid serious incidents, build resilience and protect the value for money of its operations, government must catch up with the acute cyber threat it faces. To avoid serious incidents, build resilience and protect the value for money of its operations, government must catch up with the acute cyber threat it faces Gareth Davies, National Audit OfficeThe government will continue to find it difficult to catch up until it successfully addresses the long-standing shortage of cyber skills, strengthens accountability for cyber risk, and better manages the risks posed by legacy IT.The NAO evaluated whether government is keeping pace with the rapidly evolving cyber threat it faces from hostile actors. It found that it is not.It spotted that the governments cyber assurance scheme, GovAssure, which had independently assessed 58 critical departmental IT systems by August 2024, found significant gaps in cyber resilience, with multiple fundamental system controls at low levels of maturity across departments. GovAssure assesses the critical systems of government organisations. It was set up in April 2023.According to the NAO report, government departments were using at least 228 legacy IT systemsThe report noted that in April 2024, the Cabinet Office Government Security Group (GSG) reported to ministers that some departments had significantly reduced their cyber security improvement programmes to fund other priorities. This was due to cuts to programme funding, lack of access to cyber skills, challenges with delivery partners, and delays in departmental and cross-government approvals.As examples of how damaging cyber attacks can be, the NAO cited the instance, in June 2024, of an attack on a supplier of pathology services to the NHS in south-east London, which led to two NHS foundation trusts postponing 10,152 acute outpatient appointments and 1,710 elective procedures. It also cited the British Library ransomware attack in October 2023, which has already cost 600,000 to rebuild its services. The library expects to spend many times more as it continues to recover.The report also gave other examples of attacks on the Ministry of Defence and Parliament. In May 2024, the MoDs payroll contractors network was compromised by an attacker a network that held armed forces staff members data. Further back in time, in 2021, a Chinese state-affiliated attacker was, said the report, highly likely responsible for a cyber campaign against the parliamentary email accounts of members across both Houses of Parliament.The report stated that in March 2024, departments did not have fully funded plans to remediate around half of governments legacy IT assets 53%, or 120 out of 228.The NAO recommends the government develops, shares and starts using a cross-government implementation plan for the Government Cyber Security Strategy within the next six months. It also suggests the whole of government needs to operate differently.Within the next year, the government should make and enact plans to fill cyber skills gaps in workforces, said the NAO.Of the technology trumpeted most by the current and previous government artificial intelligence (AI) the report said: AI can improve governments cyber security, but it can also help threat actors looking to interfere or undermine trust in our democratic system. The NCSC is collaborating with its partners to realise the benefits of AI and protect against the associated security risks.Read more about government cyber securityCyber lessons, and priorities for the UK's new government.How might the UK's cyber landscape change under Labour?UK unites nations to discuss closing global cyber skills gap.

Years ago, we were lucky to have one or two Linux laptop options. Now, you'd be surprised at how many laptops are sold with Linux installed, making it an excellent time for programmers to use the open-source alternative to Windows and MacOS. Linux-based laptops are also great for high school and college students looking to expand their knowledge and skillsets. Linux can also run on many Windows laptops, which is great for beginners who may not be ready to invest in a dedicated machine.With so many options, we can now be selective with how we spend our money. On top of that, we no longer have to do extensive research on other laptops to ensure every component will work with Linux. For those of us who'd been working with Linux for some time, that was more a bother than a problem, but for others, it was a significant effort to track down chipset manufacturers and models that went into a particular laptop. Those days are long past, and consumers can now purchase a computer that ships with Linux installed, knowing it will "just work." What is the best Linux laptop right now?We went hands-on with some of the best laptops on the market that can run Linux, testing their performance, battery, and features. Our pick for the best Linux laptop overall is the Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 AMDis our top pick due to its more affordable price and customization options. Check out the rest of the list to learn about our other top picks. Sort by All The best Linux laptops of 2025 Show less The Lenovo ThinkPad T14s is an excellent workhorse of a laptop that features full support for Linux as well as Windows for users who prefer dual-boot systems. With AMD's latest Ryzen AI 7 processor and 32GB of RAM, you'll have plenty of power to tackle web browsing, office work, and video streaming.Review: Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 AMDZDNET staff writer Cesar Cadenas got to test out the ThinkPad T14s, and while he was impressed with the sheer processing power the laptop has, he found the 1920 x 1200 resolution display left him wishing for a 2K model instead. In lieu of high resolution, you get an anti-glare coating and Eyesafe certification to improve visibility and reduce eyestrain. He was also able to get 12 hours of use on a full charge while in Best Power Efficiency mode, though Best Performance dropped that to 7.5 hours; however, with the laptop's fast-charge ability, you can get up to a 70 percent charge in about an hour.Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 AMD specs - CPU:AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 360 |GPU:Integrated AMD Radeon 880M|RAM:32GB|Storage:Up to 1TB SSD |Display size:14 inches |Display type:IPS|Resolution:1920 x 1200|Battery life:12 hours Pros Wi-Fi 7 support Thunderbolt 4 support Eyesafe certified display Cons No 1440p or 4K display option No OLED option The Lenovo ThinkPad T14s is an excellent workhorse of a laptop that features full support for Linux as well as Windows for users who prefer dual-boot systems. With AMD's latest Ryzen AI 7 processor and 32GB of RAM, you'll have plenty of power to tackle web browsing, office work, and video streaming.Review: Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 AMDZDNET staff writer Cesar Cadenas got to test out the ThinkPad T14s, and while he was impressed with the sheer processing power the laptop has, he found the 1920 x 1200 resolution display left him wishing for a 2K model instead. In lieu of high resolution, you get an anti-glare coating and Eyesafe certification to improve visibility and reduce eyestrain. He was also able to get 12 hours of use on a full charge while in Best Power Efficiency mode, though Best Performance dropped that to 7.5 hours; however, with the laptop's fast-charge ability, you can get up to a 70 percent charge in about an hour.Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 AMD specs - CPU:AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 360 |GPU:Integrated AMD Radeon 880M|RAM:32GB|Storage:Up to 1TB SSD |Display size:14 inches |Display type:IPS|Resolution:1920 x 1200|Battery life:12 hours Read More Show Expert Take Show less Show less The Dell XPS 15 9530 is a consumer-grade laptop that is an excellent choice for Linux newcomers and experienced users. While pre-configured builds are available from retailers like B&H Photo, you can choose from various CPU, GPU, and storage options if you order directly from Dell. This way, you can tailor the laptop to your exact needs.Review: Dell XPS 15The 15-inch display has a 3.5K OLED and 1920 x 1200 LED option, letting you choose between incredible color accuracy, contrast, and detailing for creative work and streaming or a more budget-friendly option for entry-level programmers and coders. ZDNET's June Wan traded his MacBook for the Dell XPS 15 for a month, praising the 7-hour battery life and various connectivity options. Verified reviewers who purchased it could also get between 7 and 8 hours of use out of their XPS 15 laptops.Dell XPS 15 9530 tech specs - CPU:Up to Intel Core i9-13900H |GPU:Up to Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 or Intel Arc A370M|RAM:Up to 64GB |Storage:Up to 8TB SSD |Display size:15.6 inches |Display type:LED or OLED |Resolution:Up to 3.5K |Battery life:7 hours Value 10 Performance 9 Design/Build 8 Battery life 6 Display 10 Pros Tons of configuration options OLED display available Decent battery life Cons Expensive at higher configurations No fast charge feature Dell XPS 15 Best configurable Linux laptop 4.3 / 5 Score The Dell XPS 15 9530 is a consumer-grade laptop that is an excellent choice for Linux newcomers and experienced users. While pre-configured builds are available from retailers like B&H Photo, you can choose from various CPU, GPU, and storage options if you order directly from Dell. This way, you can tailor the laptop to your exact needs.Review: Dell XPS 15The 15-inch display has a 3.5K OLED and 1920 x 1200 LED option, letting you choose between incredible color accuracy, contrast, and detailing for creative work and streaming or a more budget-friendly option for entry-level programmers and coders. ZDNET's June Wan traded his MacBook for the Dell XPS 15 for a month, praising the 7-hour battery life and various connectivity options. Verified reviewers who purchased it could also get between 7 and 8 hours of use out of their XPS 15 laptops.Dell XPS 15 9530 tech specs - CPU:Up to Intel Core i9-13900H |GPU:Up to Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 or Intel Arc A370M|RAM:Up to 64GB |Storage:Up to 8TB SSD |Display size:15.6 inches |Display type:LED or OLED |Resolution:Up to 3.5K |Battery life:7 hours Read More Show Expert Take Show less Show less The Acer Swift Edge 16 is an excellent AMD-based laptop that supports three different versions of Linux: RHEL x86 64-bit, Ubuntu x86 64-bit, and SLED/SLES 15. The AMD Ryzen 7 7840U processor uses the brand's new AI engine for better power efficiency and performance, letting you multitask with fewer issues.Review: Acer Swift EdgeZDNET's Cesar Cadenas did some hands-on testing with the Acer Swift Edge 16, praising its incredible display and lightweight design. He even pushed the CPU to its limit by opening several dozen tabs in Google Chrome (a notorious CPU hog), and "not once did [he] experience any drops in frame rates; everything ran smoothly." Customers who bought the Acer Swift Edge also love the large display and lightweight design.Acer Swift Edge 16 specs - CPU:AMD Ryzen 7 7840U |GPU:AMD Radeon integrated graphics|RAM:16GB |Storage:1TB SSD |Display size:16 inches |Display type:OLED |Resolution:3200 x 2000 |Battery life:7 hours Pros Lightweight design 100 percent DCI-P3 color range OLED Excellent contrast and color ratios Cons "Mushy" keyboard May feel fragile to some users Somewhat short battery life The Acer Swift Edge 16 is an excellent AMD-based laptop that supports three different versions of Linux: RHEL x86 64-bit, Ubuntu x86 64-bit, and SLED/SLES 15. The AMD Ryzen 7 7840U processor uses the brand's new AI engine for better power efficiency and performance, letting you multitask with fewer issues.Review: Acer Swift EdgeZDNET's Cesar Cadenas did some hands-on testing with the Acer Swift Edge 16, praising its incredible display and lightweight design. He even pushed the CPU to its limit by opening several dozen tabs in Google Chrome (a notorious CPU hog), and "not once did [he] experience any drops in frame rates; everything ran smoothly." Customers who bought the Acer Swift Edge also love the large display and lightweight design.Acer Swift Edge 16 specs - CPU:AMD Ryzen 7 7840U |GPU:AMD Radeon integrated graphics|RAM:16GB |Storage:1TB SSD |Display size:16 inches |Display type:OLED |Resolution:3200 x 2000 |Battery life:7 hours Read More Show Expert Take Show less Show less While the Linux gaming community is small, more developers are offering support for popular versions like Ubuntu. The MSI Stealth Studio is an excellent gaming laptop that also supports Linux, allowing you to run a dual-boot system for tinkering. With an Nvidia RTX 4070, you'll have all the graphics processing power you need to handle almost any triple-A game in your library and on your wish list.Review: MSI Stealth Studio AIThe display is available in 14, 15, and 17-inch sizes, offering excellent 1920 x 1200 resolution and up to a 165Hz refresh rate for better detailing and smoother motion. You can also configure the Stealth Studio with up to 64GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD, giving you plenty of storage space and memory for programming projects and large game libraries. Customers who bought the MSI Stealth Studio agree with my testing results that the 4-hour battery life is disappointing, but the laptop makes up for it in sheer power.MSI Stealth Studio specs - CPU:Up to Intel Core Ultra i9 |GPU:Up to Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070|RAM:Up to 64GB |Storage:1TB SSD |Display size:14-17 inches |Display type:IPS |Resolution:1920 x 1200|Battery life:4 hours Pros Multiple display sizes 1920 x 1200 resolution High refresh rate Highly configurable Cons Expensive No AMD option No 4K or touchscreen display options While the Linux gaming community is small, more developers are offering support for popular versions like Ubuntu. The MSI Stealth Studio is an excellent gaming laptop that also supports Linux, allowing you to run a dual-boot system for tinkering. With an Nvidia RTX 4070, you'll have all the graphics processing power you need to handle almost any triple-A game in your library and on your wish list.Review: MSI Stealth Studio AIThe display is available in 14, 15, and 17-inch sizes, offering excellent 1920 x 1200 resolution and up to a 165Hz refresh rate for better detailing and smoother motion. You can also configure the Stealth Studio with up to 64GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD, giving you plenty of storage space and memory for programming projects and large game libraries. Customers who bought the MSI Stealth Studio agree with my testing results that the 4-hour battery life is disappointing, but the laptop makes up for it in sheer power.MSI Stealth Studio specs - CPU:Up to Intel Core Ultra i9 |GPU:Up to Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070|RAM:Up to 64GB |Storage:1TB SSD |Display size:14-17 inches |Display type:IPS |Resolution:1920 x 1200|Battery life:4 hours Read More Show Expert Take Show less Show less The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 offers one of the best battery lives on the market, let alone for a Linux-capable machine. You can get up to 19 hours of use on a full charge. This impressive battery life means you can take it to work with you, tackle your workflow in Windows, and then boot up in Linux at home and tinker with projects until dinner.The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 also sports a 2-in-1 design that allows you to use it as a traditional laptop and a tablet. You can configure it with up to 64GB of RAM, a 2TB SSD, and an Nvidia RTX 4060 graphics card for all the power, storage, and memory you'll need for creative projects, programming, and streaming.Review: Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2Both Kerry Wan and Max Buondonno of ZDNET got to try out the Surface Laptop Studio 2 for themselves, and they were highly impressed with its ultra-portable design, 13th-gen Intel Core processor, and the option to add an Nvidia RTX 4050 or 4060 graphics card for gaming or graphics-intensive work. Verified reviewers who bought the Surface Laptop Studio 2 love its ultra-portability and 14-hour battery life.Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 specs - CPU:Up to Intel Core i7-13800H |GPU:Up to Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060|RAM:Up to 64GB |Storage:Up to 2TB SSD |Display size:14 inches |Display type:LCD |Resolution:2400 x 1600 |Battery life:19 hours Pros Excellent battery Great display Highly configurable 2-in-1 design Cons Expensive Somewhat thick and heavy design The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 offers one of the best battery lives on the market, let alone for a Linux-capable machine. You can get up to 19 hours of use on a full charge. This impressive battery life means you can take it to work with you, tackle your workflow in Windows, and then boot up in Linux at home and tinker with projects until dinner.The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 also sports a 2-in-1 design that allows you to use it as a traditional laptop and a tablet. You can configure it with up to 64GB of RAM, a 2TB SSD, and an Nvidia RTX 4060 graphics card for all the power, storage, and memory you'll need for creative projects, programming, and streaming.Review: Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2Both Kerry Wan and Max Buondonno of ZDNET got to try out the Surface Laptop Studio 2 for themselves, and they were highly impressed with its ultra-portable design, 13th-gen Intel Core processor, and the option to add an Nvidia RTX 4050 or 4060 graphics card for gaming or graphics-intensive work. Verified reviewers who bought the Surface Laptop Studio 2 love its ultra-portability and 14-hour battery life.Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 specs - CPU:Up to Intel Core i7-13800H |GPU:Up to Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060|RAM:Up to 64GB |Storage:Up to 2TB SSD |Display size:14 inches |Display type:LCD |Resolution:2400 x 1600 |Battery life:19 hours Read More Show Expert Take Show less What is the best Linux laptop? My choice for the best Linux laptop is the Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 AMD. Lenovo is no stranger to offering Linux support for their laptops and desktops, and the ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 takes the cake. It also offers several configuration options to help tailor the laptop to your specific work, learning, or hobbyist programmer/coder needs. It also has a more affordable price than some other options on the market, retailing for about $1,500. This makes it a great option for beginners and hobbyists who might not want to drop a lot of money on something they may not use much.Best Linux laptopPriceProcessor/graphicsBattery lifeLenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 AMD$1,500AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 360/AMD Radeon 880M 12 hours Dell XPS 15 9530 $1,400Up to Intel Core i9-13900H/Up to Nvidia RTX 4070 or Intel Arc A370M 7 hours Acer Swift Edge 16 $1,000AMD Ryzen 7 7840U/AMD Radeon integrated graphics 7 hours MSI Stealth Studio AI$2,000Up to Intel Core i9-13900H/Up to Nvidia RTX 4090 4 hours Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 $2,600Up to Intel Core i7-13800H/Up to Nvidia RTX 4060 19 hours *MSRP at time of writing. Please note that actual retail pricing may vary depending on the seller as well as available deals and promotions. Show more Which Linux laptop is right for you? It depends on how much experience you have using the Linux operating system. If you're just starting out, you'll want to opt for a laptop with lower-end components and configurations as well as a lower price. By opting for less sophisticated, less expensive laptops, you can cut your teeth on Linux without losing a ton of money if it turns out not to be your cup of tea. However, if you're running with more experienced Linux crowds, you may want to consider laptops with more powerful processors and graphics cards to help you create programs or work with Linux source code. Buy this best Linux laptop...If you need...Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 AMDA well-rounded laptop for working in Linux. Lenovo offers full Linux support for the ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 AMDas well as customization options. Dell XPS 15 9530 A highly configurable Linux Laptop. The Dell XPS 15 9530 offers multiple configuration options to tailor the laptop to your specific work needs. Acer Swift Edge 16 A Linux laptop with an incredible display. The Acer Swift Edge 16 is built with an OLED panel for enhanced color and contrast as well as up to 3.2K resolution. MSI Stealth Studio AIA Linux-capable laptop for gaming. The MSI Stealth Studio offers up to a 17-inch display and up to an Nvidia RTX 4090 graphics card. Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 A Linux laptop with a long battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 offers up to 19 hours of use on a full charge. Show more Factors to consider when choosing a Linux laptop: What makes a machine worthy of belonging to the best Linux laptop list? Obviously, it has to work with Linux and not require the user to do any of the work to make that happen. Beyond that, here are the key features we considered when completing hands-on testing to compile this list:Performance:I included laptops with current or last-generation components. This ensures that you'll get the best performance out of your new Linux laptop.Design:Not all laptops are designed the same way. I chose laptops with both eye-catching, gamer-inspired designs as well as laptops that would fit right in a traditional office setting.Cost:Since Linux can run on just about any laptop as long as the hardware is supported, you can choose an older model (or even a used one) to load the operating system onto. This means you can save money on upgrades, especially if you're just starting out learning Linux.Open-source support:Linux is an open-source operating system. You can find tons of online communities dedicated to learning Linux, tweaking source code, and reporting issues. Show more How did we choose these Linux laptops? While we were researching and testing each Linux-compatible laptop on this list, we kept these criteria in mind:Brand integrity: It may be tempting to spring for that ultra-cheap, unfamiliar brand, but what you'll save, you'll end up paying for later trying to deal with shady customer service or replacing failing parts. Each laptop on this list has been chosen from reputable brands with robust return and exchange policies as well as excellent customer service.Dual boot: Many Linux enthusiasts may also need or want to run a secondary operating system like Windows or MacOS on their computer for completing certain tasks. Each laptop we've chosen has been verified to be able to run at least one other operating system aside from Linux.Configurability: No two users will have the exact same needs when using a Linux laptop. Each model chosen for our list has been verified to allow users to drop in new components, expand memory, and add storage drives. Show more What is Linux? Linux is an open-source operating system, created by Linus Torvalds, that is not only suited for desktops and laptops, but for enterprise-grade servers, container deployments, the cloud, and much more. Linux is available as a distribution and can be downloaded and installed for free on as many machines as you need. Show more Can you run Linux on a Mac? This is a bit of a complicated answer.Yes, you can run Linux operating systems on MacBooks, Mac Minis, and Mac desktops. But there's a catch: you have to opt for an older model that uses an Intel Core processor instead of Apple's own M1 or M2 chips. Apple's silicon chips are starting to see Linux hobbyists and pros alike build support, but at the time of writing, the only reliable way to get Linux to run on an M1/M2 Mac is to use a virtual machine which is a type of emulation program. Show more Are there disadvantages to running Linux instead of Windows or MacOS? The biggest hurdles you'll have to face when using Linux over Windows or MacOS are the learning curve and general lack of support from brand-name software companies. Since Linux is an open-source operating system, there isn't a single, unified version like there is for Windows 11 or macOS Catalina. This means that it's much more difficult to program applications like games, video players, and even weather apps to work consistently across all versions of Linux. Different versions also mean that just because you're familiar with Ubuntu, that doesn't mean your expertise will be of any use on a machine that runs a different Linux dispo. Show more What does "open-source" mean? When talking about programming and coding, you may come across the term "open-source." This just means that the original code for a program (like Linux or VLC Media Player) is freely available to the public for downloading, distribution, and modifying. Linux is popular with programmers since it is open-source, which means that it's easy to try and make your own modifications or command lists. Or you can work together with the Linux community to resolve common bug issues or create new support programs for hardware like Apple's M3 Silicon Chips. Show more What's the oldest computer you can run with Linux? The great thing about Linux is that it is an open source operating system. Which means there are a lot of different versions out there on forums and also the Internet Archive. And since there are so many different release versions, newcomers looking to save money on their first dedicated or dual-boot Linux machine can pick up a vintage computer at a thrift store, estate sale, or other secondhand store and likely find an operating system version that will run with it.A thread on the Linux Mint Forums is full of users who were able to use various versions of Linux Mint as well as Puppy (a version of Linux designed to be run from a flash drive, making it great for hobbyists who restore vintage tech) and Ubuntu on Windows Vista and Windows 98 computers (which intrepid tech hunters may be able to find for a bargain at a thrift store or secondhand online). And Tech Tangents on YouTube, a channel dedicated to restoring and archiving retro computer hardware and software, was able to revive a TeleVideo 950 terminal that was originally released in 1980 and use a version of Linux on it. Show more More Linux laptops we tested ZDNETs Laptop Guide Laptop Roundups Laptops Reviewed & Compared Laptops Explained ZDNET Recommends

StrandsNew York TimesLooking for Tuesdays Strands hints, spangram and answers? You can find them here:Have you ever completed a puzzle and still not really had any idea what was going on by the end of it? Thats how I feel about todays very strange Strands.How To Play StrandsThe New York Times Strands puzzle is a play on the classic word search. Its in beta for now, which means itll only stick around if enough people play it every day.Theres a new game of Strands to play every day. The game will present you with a six by eight grid of letters. The aim is to find a group of words that have something in common, and youll get a clue as to what that theme is. When you find a theme word, it will remain highlighted in blue.Youll also need to find a special word called a spangram. This tells you what the words have in common. The spangram links two opposite sides of the board. While the theme words will not be a proper name, the spangram can be a proper name. When you find the spangram, it will remain highlighted in yellow.Every letter is used once in one of the theme words and spangram. You can connect letters vertically, horizontally and diagonally, and its possible to switch directions in the middle of a word. If youre playing on a touchscreen, double tap the last letter to submit your guess.If you find three valid words of at least four letters that are not part of the theme, youll unlock the Hint button. Clicking this will highlight the letters that make up one of the theme words.Be warned: Youll need to be on your toes. Sometimes youll need to fill the missing word(s) in a phrase. On other days, the game may revolve around synonyms or homophones. The difficulty will vary from day to day, and the puzzle creators will try to surprise you sometimes.What Is Todays Strands Hint?NYT hint first and then I will give one of my own to help further. The official hint is:Show of HandsAnd my hint is:Punch and JudyWhat Are Todays Strands Answers?Spangram first and then I will post a full list of answers underneath that. The spangram is:PUPPETMASTERAnd here is where you find that on the board:Strands NYTAnd the answers:STICKSOCKMARIONETTEGLOVESFINGERSHADOWStrands NYTOkay I...what? I have figured out the basics of whats going on here, as these are the ingredients to some sort of puppet show. But multiple types it seems? Like doing shadow figures isnt the same as controlling a full marionette. Where does a stick come into play, the thing at the top of that? Do people wear gloves for puppet shows? Im so confused about all of this, but I still got it done through many, many, many hints.Follow me on Twitter, YouTube, Bluesky and Instagram.Pick up my sci-fi novels the Herokiller series and The Earthborn Trilogy.

Welcome back to The Prompt,Chinese AI company DeepSeek has taken the AI world by storm. News of the models capabilities briefly shaved $600 billion of market cap from chip giant Nvidia, which then jumped back and recovered almost half of it. With its latest R-1 model (free and open source) on par with OpenAIs o1 ($200 per month and locked away for paying users), AI-based application startups like Perplexity have already started using the model in their products. Elsewhere companies are rethinking their AI training strategies, multiple founders told me this week.Though the model received accolades from prominent AI leaders like OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, some in the space remain skeptical that DeepSeek was seemingly able to train its models with fewer resources, thus making it cheaper. OpenAIs Chief Research Officer Mark Chen said on X: I think the external response has been somewhat overblown, especially in narratives around cost.The model is also riddled with safety risks, according to a report by AI evaluation company Chatterbox Labs, and can produce hate speech, misinformation and sexually explicit content. Researchers at cyber intelligence company Kela were able to bypass its safeguards to use the model to create malware, as well.Now lets get into the headlines.SHOW ME THE MONEYPresident Donald Trump's announcement of $500 billion AI infrastructure project Stargate, jointly funded by OpenAI, Oracle, Japan-based SoftBank and Emirati-based investment firm MGX, resulted in major drama with tech leaders criticizing the megadeal. Elon Musk called the initiative fake, alleging that the companies involved dont actually have the money. He also called Sam Altman, a swindler. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella commented: All I know is Im good for my $80 billion, allotted towards putting up data centers. Not wanting to be left behind, Meta followed up the Stargate announcement by saying it plans to plunge $60 billion to better its AI models.HUMANS OF AIA new startup called Palona launched by a team of former Meta and Google researchers is building an AI sales agent that simulates emotional intelligence. CEO Maria Zhang said the company uses one AI model to supervise another and keep track of the conversation. She claims this also ensures the AI system is accurate but is also persuasive, humorous and has personality. The company has raised $10 million in seed funding.AI DEAL OF THE WEEKClay, which uses artificial intelligence to filter sales leads, has raised $40 million at a $1.3 billion valuation. Among its customer base of 5,000 companies are outfits like Anthropic and OpenAI, which uses Clay to test sales tactics by surfacing helpful data points.DEEP DIVEThe power of DeepSeeks model and its pricing are already shifting the way American AI startups run their businesses. Its a cheap, compelling alternative to offerings from incumbents like OpenAI, Jesse Zhang, CEO of Decagon, which builds AI agents for customer service, told Forbes. DeepSeeks new model will likely force American AI giants like OpenAI and Anthropic to reevaluate their own prices.Eiso Kant, CTO and co-founder of Poolside AI, a unicorn that builds AI for software engineering, told Forbes that DeepSeeks strength is in its engineering ability to do more with less.What DeepSeek is showing the world is that when you put a strong emphasis on making your training compute-efficient, you can do a lot, he said. There's incredible things that you can continue to squeeze out of these Nvidia chips to make them incredibly more efficient.Others are less impressed. Writer CEO May Habib told Forbes shes not surprised that DeepSeeks models, trained on a significantly smaller budget, are able to match the most intelligent models in the US. In October, Writer launched a model that was trained with just $700,000, when it cost $4.6 million for OpenAI to build a model with similar capabilities. The company used synthetic data to lower its training costs.Even before DeepSeeks model exploded on the scene, we have been saying that these models are commoditizing. Theyre getting more and more distributed, Habib said.Read the full story on Forbes. AI INDEX Turing, a Palo-Alto-based company that provides data sourced from millions of human experts to train leading AI models from companies like OpenAI, Anthropic and Meta, announced today that it became profitable in 2024. CEO Jonathan Siddharth told me hes building an AGI infrastructure company, providing data to make models more intelligent and perform advanced tasks like coding and reason with complicated prompts. Turing, valued $1.1 billion in 2021, also assesses AI models performance and builds AI applications across sectors like healthcare and retail.$300 million Annual recurring revenue that Turing recorded in 2024, growing 3x from 2023.4 millionCoders, scientists and professionals contribute to what Siddharth claims is the worlds largest human intelligence cloud.QUIZ This company is using AI to better detect and remove AI-generated child sexual abuse material from the internet.PerplexityGenpactHiveMetaCheck if you got it right here.MODEL BEHAVIORWhen Google introduced AI-generated summaries that sat on top of links, the immediate result was hallucinated inaccurate responses that told people to eat rocks and add glue to pizza. But a longer-drawn, lesser-known ripple effect is now playing out: a reduction in traffic to individual websites, which is beginning to hurt companies like Kayak, Yelp and TripAdvisor, Forbes

Reviewers LikedSuper small form factorGreat 10Gbps performance1-, 2- or 4TB capacitiesHandsome designDrop-proof up to 7.5 feet256-bit AES hardware-based encryptionFive-year warrantyReviewers Didn't LikeNot the least expensive 10Gbps SSD availableLacks USB-C-to-A cable or adapterCompetitors and Related Products Our editors hand-pick related products using a variety of criteria: direct competitors targeting the same market segment, or devices that are similar in size, performance, or feature sets. Expert reviews and ratings 80 The X9 Pro is one of the fastest SSDs around, and its diminutive size combined with rugged design makes it a great choice to use on the road. The 2TB and 4TB models are a better value than their immediate rivals, and you get transfers going up to 1,050MB/s. The lack of password protection is irksome, but if you don't need the feature, there are considerable savings to be had. By AndroidCentral on July 09, 2024 90 If you want elegant, fast and supremely compatible portable storage, Crucial's X9 Pro portable SSD delivers all. By TweakTown on December 11, 2023 80 Although we could hit the advertised maximum Sequential speeds with our testing, Crucial's X9 Pro is still a quick, very compact external SSD with the added bonus of hardware encryption and password protection. By KitGuru on October 24, 2023 90 The Crucial X9 Pro is a tiny, near-perfect external SSD with a sturdy, ruggedized frame, hardware-based encryption, a long warranty, and up to 4TB of capacity. By PCMag on September 14, 2023 90 If you are looking for a very fast, compact, and durable external drive, the Crucial X9 Pro and Crucial X10 Pro are excellent choices. They are attractively priced, and I found no faults with their design or use. By GearDiary on August 31, 2023 90 Marrying good looks, great performance, and affordability, the X9 Pro is one of the top 10Gbps USB SSDs on the market. By PCWorld on August 22, 2023 88 Micron's latest Crucial X9 Pro is an easy recommendation. It has everything you'd want from a portable SSD, including fast performance, a compact and rugged design, built-in encryption, and lots of storage space. Additionally, its pricing is reasonable. By Dong Knows Tech on August 07, 2023 80 For US customers, the aggressive pricing of the X9 Pro and its extra features make it a no-brainer. But for those in the EU or the UK, the older X8 and X6 remain a much better deal if you dont need encryption. Those that are looking for something quicker should consider the X10 Pro instead. By TechAdvisor on August 04, 2023 Both the Crucial X9 Pro and the X10 Pro share the same housing and shape except for their colors so it isnt a surprise that I have a lot of the same aesthetic-focused things on both pros and cons lists. The new design that Crucial came up with is surprisingly compact, especially compared to their X8. By LanOC on August 30, 2023 The Crucial X9 Pro has class-leading performance specifications, and the claimed numbers are backed up by our evaluation. There are certain scenarios where true top-tier SSD performance (such as high IOPS for random access scenarios) may be needed across a wide variety of use-cases. For such requirements, bridge-based PSSDs with a DRAM-equipped internal drive can perform better even within the 1 GBps-class interface limitations. By Nutesla on August 19, 2023Load More Reviews

html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd" Table of ContentsTable of ContentsThe OnePlus 13 is close to being a perfect smartphoneAll the hardware you could wish forClass-leading battery life and chargingOutstanding cameras that can compete with the bestThe OnePlus 13 is the best value-for-money smartphoneFour weeks into the first month of the year, one thing is clear about smartphones in 2025: this is going to be an extremely competitive year. Whereas some phone makers used to wait until February or March to launch their flagships for the first half of the year, the early launch of the Snapdragon 8 Elite last year has seen all companies launch their products early.Honor launched the Magic 7 Pro two weeks ago, followed by Samsung with the Galaxy S25 series last week. Before both of these, however, was the launch of the OnePlus 13, a phone that I think is setting the standard for smartphones in 2025 in so many ways.Recommended VideosAfter using the OnePlus 13 for several weeks including the back end of December and during CES 2025 heres why its still my favorite Android phone right now, despite a plethora of new devices that have made their way into my pocket.RelatedTushar Mehta / Digital TrendsIts worth noting that Ive only used Samsungs Galaxy S25 Ultra for a couple of days so this may yet change, but the Galaxy S25 Plus hasnt converted me away from the OnePlus 13. The reason is fairly straightforward: the OnePlus 13 feels like it has the least compromises of any phone Ive used over the past few years.A great display? Check. Outstanding performance? Check. Phenomenal battery life and charging? Check. Superb software, including the excellent Open Canvas multitasking that has made its way from the foldable OnePlus Open to non-folding phones? Check. What about wireless charging, a particular pain point of previous OnePlus phones? Also present, in some way at least.Ive used many OnePlus phones in the past, but this is the first non-folding OnePlus phone that has blown through any preconceived notions and delivered everything Im looking for. Its not the slimmest or the lightest smartphone on the market, but it doesnt need to be. The OnePlus 13 more than makes up for anything perceived as missing by offering so much in so many areas.Andy Boxall / Digital TrendsThe OnePlus 13 delivers on OnePluss decade-long mantra of Never Settle. The irony behind this motto has always been that while its been ever-present in OnePlus smartphones, even the best OnePlus phones felt like you had to settle in some way. The OnePlus 13 finally proves that that mantra can lead to one of the most polished smartphones you can use right now.This is most apparent in performance, battery, and charging, three areas that OnePlus has consistently delivered. The base OnePlus 13 features 256GB of storage and 12GB of RAM, and there are also options with double the storage, as well as 16GB RAM. If you want to go all out, you can get the 1TB storage model which has 24GB of RAM.Of course, RAM isnt everything, but paired with the Snapdragon 8 Elite processor and extremely polished software means you have a fast software experience that has yet to stutter for me. The OnePlus 13 has all the hardware I need in a smartphone, and the OnePlus approach of throwing the kitchen sink at the internals means you have a specs sheet that can challenge the very best smartphones.OnePlus 50W wireless charger attached to the OnePlus 13 Tushar Mehta / Digital TrendsIts not just the internals that OnePlus has excelled on, but the way they manifest themselves into one package. This is most apparent in the battery life and charging, where the OnePlus 13 has class-leading battery life and charging.The first OnePlus smartphone to adopt silicon carbon battery technology instead of the lithium-ion technology used for many generations has allowed OnePlus to increase the density of the battery while making it thinner and lighter. Case in point: the OnePlus 13 is 0.7mm thinner and 10 grams lighter than last years OnePlus 12, despite increasing the battery capacity to 6,000 mAh.Andy Boxall / Digital TrendsOptimizations in software, improvements in efficiency offered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite despite it also requiring more power and the larger capacity all mean the OnePlus 13 has delivered excellent battery life as well. During the past six weeks of using it, its consistently delivered multi-day battery life, even when used as a hotspot while traveling.As far as workhorses go, the OnePlus 13 delivers, and even when its running a little low, it takes mere minutes to bounce back. In the U.S., you get an 80W charger in the box, and this charges the battery to full in just 39 minutes. Thats a standardized speed of 153 mAh per minute, which is faster than almost any other phone Ive tried. For context, heres how it compares to key competitors in the U.S.:OnePlus 13Galaxy S25 UltraPixel 9 ProiPhone 16 ProBattery technologySilicon CarbonLithium IonLithium IonLithium IonBattery capacity6,000 mAh5,000 mAh4,700 mAh3,582 mAhTime to full charge39 minutes67 minutes83 minutes96 minutesMax charging speed:80W (in US)45W45W45WStandardized charging speed:153 mAh / min75 mAh / min57 mAh / min37 mAh / minThese are the key competitors for the OnePlus 13 in the U.S., but what about abroad? Here OnePlus has far more competitors that are on par or beat it, but heres how the OnePlus 13 stacks up:OnePlus 13Honor Magic 7 ProOppo Find X8 ProBattery technologySilicon CarbonSilicon CarbonSilicon CarbonBattery capacity6,000 mAh5,850 mAh5,910 mAhTime to full charge39 minutes41 minutes53 minutesMax charging speed:80W (in US)100W80WStandardized charging speed:153 mAh / min143 mAh / min112 mAh / minYes, despite the Honor Magic 7 Pro having the same max charging speed the OnePlus 13 supports 100W charging when connected to a 240V power supply outside the U.S. and a smaller battery, it charges at a slightly lower standardized charging speed. Similarly, the Oppo Find X8 Pro supports the same charging speeds and has a similar-sized battery, but takes slightly longer than its more affordable cousin.Theres only one current phone Ive used that beats the OnePlus 13 in its charging speeds: the Realme GT 7 Pro, which features a 6,500 mAh battery and takes 36 minutes to charge to full with its 120W charger. This leads to a standardized charging speed of 181 mAh per minute, or about 18% faster than the OnePlus 13.Andy Boxall / Digital TrendsA true flagship needs more than just great performance, battery life, and display; it also needs excellent cameras, and the OnePlus 13 has delivered for the most part. As Ive been using it, a series of software updates has considerably improved the camera, and right now, it has a camera that can match any smartphone sold in the US, as well as many sold outside the US.Despite only having a single telephoto lens that offers 3x zoom and lacking the secondary 6x periscope lens offered by the Oppo Find X8 Pro it matches its sibling at most focal lengths and delivers mostly consistent photos. There are points where the cameras dont quite deliver, but the trade-offs that were present in previous OnePlus cameras have proven to be few and far between with the OnePlus 13.As Ive been testing the OnePlus 13 alongside the Galaxy S25 Ultra and Galaxy S25 Plus over the past few days, one thing has become apparent: the OnePlus 13 doesnt need a secondary telephoto to challenge the Galaxy S25 Ultra, despite the latter costing 30% more. Stay tuned for our full comparison in the coming days!Andy Boxall / Digital TrendsTherein lies the true appeal of the OnePlus 13: at $1,000, it offers the best value-for-money experience Ive used on a smartphone at this price point, bar none. The iPhone 16 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro come close but the OnePlus 13 beats them in most areas Ive mentioned. Meanwhile, the new Galaxy S25 Plus costs the same, but the OnePlus 13 also has it beat.When considering which of the best smartphones to buy, several weeks with the OnePlus 13 have helped me realize that theres little reason not to buy it. Sure, you may prefer Googles flavor of Android, Samsungs display, or the iPhones ecosystem and apps, but when it comes to being the best pound-for-pound smartphone, the OnePlus 13 is in a class of its own.Editors Recommendations

Table of ContentsTable of ContentsUpgrade to PrecisionEngineered for Real Life (and Real Faces)The MANSCAPED DifferenceReady to Level Up?Every man eventually learns that a great shave is about more than a clean lookits about feeling confident. Enter The Chairman Plus from MANSCAPED, the ultimate foil shaver. If youve experienced irritation, uneven trims, or dull blades that just arent cutting it (literally), then this is the upgrade your face needs.SHOP NOWCooking with dull kitchen knives and rockin worn-out sneakers are things of your past. Youve evolved. Why settle for a substandard shaving experience? The Chairman Plus features a SkinSafe three-blade foil system, for a close, comfortable shave without the nicks and irritation that lesser razors leave behind.And heres the kicker: it features two interchangeable blade heads, so you can shave or shape your beard until your hearts content (or your significant other says you look good). The precision trimmer attachment means you can shave those edges with the confidence of a surgeonbecause, lets be honest, who wants a crooked neckline or stray stubble?A good razor should work for you, not against you. Thats why the Chairman Plus is equipped with FlexAdjust technology, designed to adjust to the contours of your face. No awkward angles or missed spotsjust a perfect finish each time. And because life is messy and so is shaving this bad boy is fully waterproof! Cleanup is as simple as a rinse under the faucet.But waittheres more. MANSCAPED packed in a powerful battery with up to 60 minutes of runtime and a quick-charge feature so you can always put your best face forward. At home, at the gym, or on the road, the ergonomic grip and travel lock are the perfect grooming companions.Anyone who has used MANSCAPED products before, knows they dont mess around with innovation and quality. The Chairman Plus is no exceptionit promises a barber-quality shave without the barbershop visit. And if you havent tried MANSCAPED, now is the time to start.A mans face is his calling card dont let yours be sent to voicemail. The Chairman Plus is the upgrade your grooming routine needs. Go to MANSCAPED now to learn more and make the best investment in your face youll ever make. Trust usyour skin (and everyone who gets close to it) will be better for it.SHOP NOW

Its impossible to look at the Chinese artificial intelligence startup DeepSeeks new AI model without comparing it against OpenAI, the dominant American rival.