Tablets are some of the most versatile pieces of tech available today, and can be used for watching videos during travel, typing work emails, drawing, gaming, following recipes, and more. Many people use their iPad as a full- or part-time replacement for their computer, as it's so much lighter than the traditional laptop and can easily be hooked up to various accessories to enhance each user's experience.Also: The best cheap tablets you can buyWith so many tablets on the market today from brands like Apple, Samsung, Google, Amazon, and more, it can take time to choose the right one. There are tablets that exist within the low range, like the Amazon Fire Max 11, to the high range of the likes of the iPad Pro and the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra. Ultimately, it comes down to your specific needs, and what you'll use the tablet for.What is the best tablet right now?ZDNET went hands-on with tons of the best tablets on the market, using them for work and entertainment and even testing them out with our kids. Our pick for the best tablet for most people is theApple iPad (10th generation), thanks to its versatility and lightweight form. Read on to find the best tablet for your needs.Update Note: This page was updated on 1/29/25, where we added the OnePlus Pad 2 and Microsoft Surface Pro 11. We also added thorough explanations on common tablet FAQs. Sort by All Value for money Storage Performance Display quality Battery life The best tablets of 2025 Show less Apple's tried-and-true tablet, the base model iPad, is arguably the best value in the company's tablet lineup, especially thanks to its versatility and compatibility. Plus, Apple just lowered the price of this tablet by $100, making it more affordable at $349.When it comes to features, you essentially get the same suite as the more expensive iPad Pro and iPad Air models, but in a lighter form factor and a 10.9-inch Liquid Retina, True Tone display. Additionally, this model breaks out of the iPad's traditional space gray and silver color palette, adding pink, blue, and yellow in addition to sleek silver.Review:iPad 2022 (10th Gen)In his hands-on testing, ZDNET reviews editor June Wan determined that if you're shopping on a budget, last year's iPad should "make the most sense," especially given its A14 Bionic processor, USB-C support, 5G support for on-the-go tasks, and a new 12MP ultra-wide camera. There's also a Magic Keyboard Folio made specifically for this iPad. It includes an adjustable kickstand with a 14-key function row for shortcuts.However, Apple customers point out that this iPad doesn't support the 2nd gen Apple Pencil, which means you'll have to use a dongle to use it.Apple iPad specs: Display: 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display with True Tone|Processor: A14 Bionic chip with 16-core Neural Engine|Storage: 64GB or 256GB|Biometrics: Touch ID |Colors: Silver, Pink, Blue, Yellow |Cameras: 12MP f/1.8 wide, 12MP Landscape f/2.4 front |Weight: 1.05 pounds |Dimensions: 9.79 x 7.07 x .28 inches |Connections: USB-C, Smart Connector |Battery life:Up to 10 hours of video playback with USB-C charging Value for money 9 Storage 5 Performance 9 Display quality 7 Battery life 9 Pros Modernized design with a USB-C port Landscape front-facing camera is superior to other iPad models Four new colors to choose from Cons Dongle required to charge Apple Pencil (1st gen) Apple iPad (10th generation) Best tablet overall 3.9 / 5 Score Apple's tried-and-true tablet, the base model iPad, is arguably the best value in the company's tablet lineup, especially thanks to its versatility and compatibility. Plus, Apple just lowered the price of this tablet by $100, making it more affordable at $349.When it comes to features, you essentially get the same suite as the more expensive iPad Pro and iPad Air models, but in a lighter form factor and a 10.9-inch Liquid Retina, True Tone display. Additionally, this model breaks out of the iPad's traditional space gray and silver color palette, adding pink, blue, and yellow in addition to sleek silver.Review:iPad 2022 (10th Gen)In his hands-on testing, ZDNET reviews editor June Wan determined that if you're shopping on a budget, last year's iPad should "make the most sense," especially given its A14 Bionic processor, USB-C support, 5G support for on-the-go tasks, and a new 12MP ultra-wide camera. There's also a Magic Keyboard Folio made specifically for this iPad. It includes an adjustable kickstand with a 14-key function row for shortcuts.However, Apple customers point out that this iPad doesn't support the 2nd gen Apple Pencil, which means you'll have to use a dongle to use it.Apple iPad specs: Display: 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display with True Tone|Processor: A14 Bionic chip with 16-core Neural Engine|Storage: 64GB or 256GB|Biometrics: Touch ID |Colors: Silver, Pink, Blue, Yellow |Cameras: 12MP f/1.8 wide, 12MP Landscape f/2.4 front |Weight: 1.05 pounds |Dimensions: 9.79 x 7.07 x .28 inches |Connections: USB-C, Smart Connector |Battery life:Up to 10 hours of video playback with USB-C charging Read More Show Expert Take Show less Show less The Fire Max 11 is Amazon's newest (and best) tablet yet. Unfortunately it still runs Fire OS, which means you'll lose access to any of Google's apps and services. However, Amazon's own App Store has many of the same apps that regular Android devices have access to -- including Netflix, Facebook, and Spotify.With a starting price of $229, the Fire Max 11 brings an 11-inch display, 4GB of memory and 64GB of storage with support for 1TB of microSD card storage. If you're looking for a tablet for work and play, the Fire Max 11 Productivity Bundle costs $329 and comes with a keyboard with touchpad, case and a stylus.Review:Amazon Fire Max 11ZDNET contributor, Jason Cipriani, went hands-on with the Amazon Fire Max 11 and said that it is "easily the best Fire Tablet Amazon has made yet." He wrote, "the Fire Max 11 productivity bundle provides everything you need to get some work done on the small and affordable tablet, as long as your work can be done in Microsoft's suite of apps and services or in sites that work properly with Amazon's Silk Browser."Overall, 94% of Best Buy customers would recommend this tablet, giving it an average rating of 4.7 out of 5.Amazon Fire Max 11specs: Display: 11-inch, 2000 x 1200, 410 nits brightness, 213 ppi|Processor: MediaTek MT8188J, 2.2Ghz Octacore processor |Storage: 64GB or 128GB|Memory:4GB |Colors: Gray|Cameras: 8MP rear and 8MP front-facing camera|Weight: 490 grams |Dimensions: 259.1 x 163.7 x 7.50 millimeters |Connections: 3.5mm headphone jack, USB-C port |Battery life:14 hours Pros Affordably priced, especially when bundled Solid battery life New, modernized design Cons Performance is just alright Important productivity apps are missing The Fire Max 11 is Amazon's newest (and best) tablet yet. Unfortunately it still runs Fire OS, which means you'll lose access to any of Google's apps and services. However, Amazon's own App Store has many of the same apps that regular Android devices have access to -- including Netflix, Facebook, and Spotify.With a starting price of $229, the Fire Max 11 brings an 11-inch display, 4GB of memory and 64GB of storage with support for 1TB of microSD card storage. If you're looking for a tablet for work and play, the Fire Max 11 Productivity Bundle costs $329 and comes with a keyboard with touchpad, case and a stylus.Review:Amazon Fire Max 11ZDNET contributor, Jason Cipriani, went hands-on with the Amazon Fire Max 11 and said that it is "easily the best Fire Tablet Amazon has made yet." He wrote, "the Fire Max 11 productivity bundle provides everything you need to get some work done on the small and affordable tablet, as long as your work can be done in Microsoft's suite of apps and services or in sites that work properly with Amazon's Silk Browser."Overall, 94% of Best Buy customers would recommend this tablet, giving it an average rating of 4.7 out of 5.Amazon Fire Max 11specs: Display: 11-inch, 2000 x 1200, 410 nits brightness, 213 ppi|Processor: MediaTek MT8188J, 2.2Ghz Octacore processor |Storage: 64GB or 128GB|Memory:4GB |Colors: Gray|Cameras: 8MP rear and 8MP front-facing camera|Weight: 490 grams |Dimensions: 259.1 x 163.7 x 7.50 millimeters |Connections: 3.5mm headphone jack, USB-C port |Battery life:14 hours Read More Show Expert Take Show less Show less View now at Samsung If you're looking for anAndroid tablet, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra is one of the best around. The Tab S10 Ultra features a 14.6-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display, runs on the Android 14 operating system, and Samsung's S Pen stylus is included in the box.The base model comes with 12GB of memory and 256GB of storage, and a microSD card for adding up to an extra 1TB of storage to the tablet, the combination of which should be enough for most. Plus, new for this generation is Galaxy AI capabilities thanks to the MediaTek Dimensity 9300+ processor. Among these AI features that the S10 Ultra can handle include Sketch-to-Image, an improved version of Note Assist, and Circle to Search.Review: Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 UltraZDNET's Maria Diaz reviewed the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra and said she found it a superb option for creative professionals and productivity-focused users looking to take advantage of a strong processor and reliable AI features. She added, "Even those looking for an AI-powered tablet like an iPad Pro would do well to consider the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra."If you opt for the$350 Book Cover Keyboard, you can effectively turn the tablet into an Android-powered 2-in-1 device with plenty of space for multitasking and using more than one app at a time. Just keep in mind the tablet isn't as portable as some other options on this list--it weighs 2.35 pounds (compared to the S9 Ultra's 1.6 pounds.Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra specs: Display: 14.6-inch, 120Hz refresh rate, Dynamic AMOLED 2X 2960 x 1848 display |Processor: MediaTek Dimensity 9300+|Storage: 256GB, 512GB, 1TB|Memory: 12GB, 16GB |Colors: Moonstone gray and platinum silver|Cameras: Rear: 13MP main, 8MP ultrawide, Front: 12MP main, 12MP ultrawide|Weight: 2.35lb|Dimensions: 12.85 x 8.21 x 0.21 inches |Connections: 5G, LTE, Wi-Fi 6E, Wi-Fi Direct Bluetooth v5.3|Battery:Up to 16 hours Pros Snappy processor AI capabilities Supports up to seven years of OS upgrades. Cons Not super portable Minor design flaw where S Pen stores awkwardly on the back If you're looking for anAndroid tablet, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra is one of the best around. The Tab S10 Ultra features a 14.6-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display, runs on the Android 14 operating system, and Samsung's S Pen stylus is included in the box.The base model comes with 12GB of memory and 256GB of storage, and a microSD card for adding up to an extra 1TB of storage to the tablet, the combination of which should be enough for most. Plus, new for this generation is Galaxy AI capabilities thanks to the MediaTek Dimensity 9300+ processor. Among these AI features that the S10 Ultra can handle include Sketch-to-Image, an improved version of Note Assist, and Circle to Search.Review: Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 UltraZDNET's Maria Diaz reviewed the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra and said she found it a superb option for creative professionals and productivity-focused users looking to take advantage of a strong processor and reliable AI features. She added, "Even those looking for an AI-powered tablet like an iPad Pro would do well to consider the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra."If you opt for the$350 Book Cover Keyboard, you can effectively turn the tablet into an Android-powered 2-in-1 device with plenty of space for multitasking and using more than one app at a time. Just keep in mind the tablet isn't as portable as some other options on this list--it weighs 2.35 pounds (compared to the S9 Ultra's 1.6 pounds.Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra specs: Display: 14.6-inch, 120Hz refresh rate, Dynamic AMOLED 2X 2960 x 1848 display |Processor: MediaTek Dimensity 9300+|Storage: 256GB, 512GB, 1TB|Memory: 12GB, 16GB |Colors: Moonstone gray and platinum silver|Cameras: Rear: 13MP main, 8MP ultrawide, Front: 12MP main, 12MP ultrawide|Weight: 2.35lb|Dimensions: 12.85 x 8.21 x 0.21 inches |Connections: 5G, LTE, Wi-Fi 6E, Wi-Fi Direct Bluetooth v5.3|Battery:Up to 16 hours Read More Show Expert Take Show less Show less View now at Oneplus OnePlus is better known for its smartphone lineupand has led the way in producing phones that include a ton of features and performance while undercutting the competition when it comes to cost. And for the most part, that's exactly what's happened with the OnePlus Pad 2.This Android-powered tablet has month-long battery standby, along with impressive daily battery life. ZDNET contributor Max Buondonno reviewed this tablet and found it quick and snappy for daily tasks, especially when multitasking.Review:I've used this OnePlus tablet for entertainment more than my iPad or Samsung Galaxy"OnePlus has done a lot of work to make multitasking easier. You can run three apps at the same time in a shifting tile-like layout, pull up more apps through the dock or floating app drawer, drag and drop files between apps, and more," he wrote in his review. "It's the most useful multitasking system I've ever used on an Android tablet."OnePlus also sells a keyboard case and a stylus for the OnePlus Pad, which more or less turns the OnePlus Pad into an iPad Pro dupe. Still, many Android apps still need to catch up to their iPadOS counterparts. Some are well-optimized for tablet layouts, while others insist on showing up as blown-up phone apps.OnePlus Pad specs: Display: 12.1-inch 3K display|Processor: Snapgradon Gen 3 Platform |Storage: 256GB |Memory: 12GB |Colors: Nimbus Gray|Cameras: 13MP rear, 8MP front camera |Weight: 1.29 lbs|Dimensions: 10.57 x 7.67 x 0.25 inches|Connections: USB-C |Battery:9,510mAh Pros Display looks good Solid performance Battery life Cons Android apps still need tablet improvements OnePlus is better known for its smartphone lineupand has led the way in producing phones that include a ton of features and performance while undercutting the competition when it comes to cost. And for the most part, that's exactly what's happened with the OnePlus Pad 2.This Android-powered tablet has month-long battery standby, along with impressive daily battery life. ZDNET contributor Max Buondonno reviewed this tablet and found it quick and snappy for daily tasks, especially when multitasking.Review:I've used this OnePlus tablet for entertainment more than my iPad or Samsung Galaxy"OnePlus has done a lot of work to make multitasking easier. You can run three apps at the same time in a shifting tile-like layout, pull up more apps through the dock or floating app drawer, drag and drop files between apps, and more," he wrote in his review. "It's the most useful multitasking system I've ever used on an Android tablet."OnePlus also sells a keyboard case and a stylus for the OnePlus Pad, which more or less turns the OnePlus Pad into an iPad Pro dupe. Still, many Android apps still need to catch up to their iPadOS counterparts. Some are well-optimized for tablet layouts, while others insist on showing up as blown-up phone apps.OnePlus Pad specs: Display: 12.1-inch 3K display|Processor: Snapgradon Gen 3 Platform |Storage: 256GB |Memory: 12GB |Colors: Nimbus Gray|Cameras: 13MP rear, 8MP front camera |Weight: 1.29 lbs|Dimensions: 10.57 x 7.67 x 0.25 inches|Connections: USB-C |Battery:9,510mAh Read More Show Expert Take Show less Show less Microsoft's eleventh-generation Surface Pro earns the top spot as the best Windows tablet. The tech giant introduced several upgrades to this generation, with the most notable being Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Plus or X Elite chipset. The hardware delivers solid performance, allowing the device to handle multiple apps and tasks without noticeable slowdowns.The Snapdragon X Plus chipset also enhances energy efficiency. ZDNET writer Cesar Cadenas was impressed with the battery life's benchmarks in his testing."Iperformed our usual testof running a YouTube live stream at 720p and 50% brightness. At its peak, the Surface Pro lasted just under 13 hours on a single charge, just shy of Microsoft's purported 14-hour battery life," he wrote in his review. "In practical usage, this device will easily last multiple days on a single charge."Additionally, the Surface Pro features a PixelSense OLED touchscreen that delivers high-resolution images. Advanced color-enhancing software, such as adaptive contrast, further enhances the quality. Despite what the above image implies, the Surface Pro 11 does not come with a keyboard--the accessory is a separate purchase.Microsoft Surface Go 3 tech specs: Display: 13-inch OLED PixelSense Display |Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus or X Elite |Storage: Up to 1TB|Memory: 16GB, 32GB, or 64GB|Biometrics: Windows Hello face sign-in|Colors: Platinum, dune, black, or sapphire|Cameras: Quad HD front-facing Surface Studio Camer, 1440p Quad HD rear camera with ultrawide field of view|Weight: 1.97 pounds |Dimensions: 11.3 x 8.2 x 0.37 inches |Connections: Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, USB-C|Battery life:14 hours Pros Long-lasting battery Hi-res OLED touchscreen Powerful hardware Cons Disappointing generative AI features Microsoft's eleventh-generation Surface Pro earns the top spot as the best Windows tablet. The tech giant introduced several upgrades to this generation, with the most notable being Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Plus or X Elite chipset. The hardware delivers solid performance, allowing the device to handle multiple apps and tasks without noticeable slowdowns.The Snapdragon X Plus chipset also enhances energy efficiency. ZDNET writer Cesar Cadenas was impressed with the battery life's benchmarks in his testing."Iperformed our usual testof running a YouTube live stream at 720p and 50% brightness. At its peak, the Surface Pro lasted just under 13 hours on a single charge, just shy of Microsoft's purported 14-hour battery life," he wrote in his review. "In practical usage, this device will easily last multiple days on a single charge."Additionally, the Surface Pro features a PixelSense OLED touchscreen that delivers high-resolution images. Advanced color-enhancing software, such as adaptive contrast, further enhances the quality. Despite what the above image implies, the Surface Pro 11 does not come with a keyboard--the accessory is a separate purchase.Microsoft Surface Go 3 tech specs: Display: 13-inch OLED PixelSense Display |Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus or X Elite |Storage: Up to 1TB|Memory: 16GB, 32GB, or 64GB|Biometrics: Windows Hello face sign-in|Colors: Platinum, dune, black, or sapphire|Cameras: Quad HD front-facing Surface Studio Camer, 1440p Quad HD rear camera with ultrawide field of view|Weight: 1.97 pounds |Dimensions: 11.3 x 8.2 x 0.37 inches |Connections: Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, USB-C|Battery life:14 hours Read More Show Expert Take Show less Show less Apple's 2024 iPad Pro lineup is by far the most capable and impressive iPad lineup we've seen, and it makes replacing your laptop with a tablet an easy decision. The design is much slimmer than previous Pro models, and you'll find Apple's powerful M4 processor. This chip consists of a new 10-core GPU, next-generation machine learning accelerators to handle a diverse range of tasks, and ProMotion technology, enabling variable screen refresh rates ranging from 10 to 120Hz.June Wan spent some time with the 13-inch Apple iPad Pro and was especially impressed by the new Tandem OLED screen. "In practice, Tandem OLED makes the iPad Pro a phenomenal tablet for visual experiences. I've been able to complete text-heavy and photo-editing work -- which often require adequate viewing angles -- under a New York City sun that thinks it's already summer," Wan wrote in his review. "Watching Netflix and Disney+ on the iPad is straight eye candy; colors pop, and the darker, moodier scenes have a level of shadow detail unseen on older Pro models."Review:Apple iPad Pro (7th generation)The Pro also supports the newApple Pencil Pro, which has a range of features including a squeeze gesture for quick tool, color, and other changes, a gyroscope for precise control of pens and brush tools with a simple rotation, and custom haptic feedback that you can feel via a pulse. It also pairs with the newly revampedMagic Keyboard,which is thinner and lighter, has a larger trackpad, and a new row of function keys this year, making the keyboard case more essential than ever for the full iPad experience.Apple iPad Pro tech specs: Display: 11- or 13-inch Ultra Retina XDR OLED display with ProMotion|Processor: Apple Silicon M4 |Storage: 256GB, 512GB, 1TB or 2TB |Biometrics: Face ID |Colors: Silver, space black|Cameras: 12MP wide (4K, ProRes), Landscape 12MP ultra-wide|Weight: 11-inch: .98 pounds, 13-inch: 1.28 pounds |Dimensions: 9.83 x 6.99 x .21 inches or 11.09 x 8.48 x 0.20 inches|Connections: USB-C connector with support for Thunderbolt / USB 4|Battery life:Up to 10 hours of surfing the web Pros Tandem OLED display gets plenty bright M4 processor is fast, reliable, and for everyone Strongest accessory ecosystem yet Cons iPadOS still feels inconsistent and limited Accessories are expensive but almost mandatory Apple's 2024 iPad Pro lineup is by far the most capable and impressive iPad lineup we've seen, and it makes replacing your laptop with a tablet an easy decision. The design is much slimmer than previous Pro models, and you'll find Apple's powerful M4 processor. This chip consists of a new 10-core GPU, next-generation machine learning accelerators to handle a diverse range of tasks, and ProMotion technology, enabling variable screen refresh rates ranging from 10 to 120Hz.June Wan spent some time with the 13-inch Apple iPad Pro and was especially impressed by the new Tandem OLED screen. "In practice, Tandem OLED makes the iPad Pro a phenomenal tablet for visual experiences. I've been able to complete text-heavy and photo-editing work -- which often require adequate viewing angles -- under a New York City sun that thinks it's already summer," Wan wrote in his review. "Watching Netflix and Disney+ on the iPad is straight eye candy; colors pop, and the darker, moodier scenes have a level of shadow detail unseen on older Pro models."Review:Apple iPad Pro (7th generation)The Pro also supports the newApple Pencil Pro, which has a range of features including a squeeze gesture for quick tool, color, and other changes, a gyroscope for precise control of pens and brush tools with a simple rotation, and custom haptic feedback that you can feel via a pulse. It also pairs with the newly revampedMagic Keyboard,which is thinner and lighter, has a larger trackpad, and a new row of function keys this year, making the keyboard case more essential than ever for the full iPad experience.Apple iPad Pro tech specs: Display: 11- or 13-inch Ultra Retina XDR OLED display with ProMotion|Processor: Apple Silicon M4 |Storage: 256GB, 512GB, 1TB or 2TB |Biometrics: Face ID |Colors: Silver, space black|Cameras: 12MP wide (4K, ProRes), Landscape 12MP ultra-wide|Weight: 11-inch: .98 pounds, 13-inch: 1.28 pounds |Dimensions: 9.83 x 6.99 x .21 inches or 11.09 x 8.48 x 0.20 inches|Connections: USB-C connector with support for Thunderbolt / USB 4|Battery life:Up to 10 hours of surfing the web Read More Show Expert Take Show less Show less Google's first Android tablet in years nails exactly the caliber of what Android tablets should have been all along. It's true, not all apps are optimized for the larger screen, but Google's gotten clever in the way it handles those apps, while also getting a bunch of developers on board with updating their apps for the bigger display.Review:Google Pixel Tablet"When you open an app on the Pixel tablet, the app stays confined to a phone-like column view that takes up effectively a third of the tablet's display," Cipriani notes in his hands-on review. "The app can live on the left edge of the screen, in the middle, or on the right edge. You move it by double tapping in the blank space on either side of it."Not only is the app experience better with the Pixel Tablet, but it pulls double duty acting as a smart home hub when it's not in use thanks to the included Charging Speaker Dock. The $129 accessory has a built-in speaker that ups the bass by 4x, while enabling a hub mode feature that effectively makes the Pixel Tablet more like a Nest Hub, instead of a tablet.Unfortunately, right now, there isn't any sort of official keyboard or stylus for those who want to get some work done on the Pixel Tablet. Customers who have bought the tablet have voiced on Reddit that they mainly use it for media consumption and that it does the job for that purpose.Google Pixel Tablet tech specs: Display: 10.95-inch LCD, 2560x1600, 500 nits|Processor: Google Tensor G2|Storage: 128GB or 256GB|Biometrics: Fingerprint sensor |Colors: Hazel, rose, porcelain |Cameras: 8MP front, 8MP rear|Weight: 17.39 ounces|Dimensions: 10.2 x 6.7 x 0.3 inches |Connections: USB-C, pogo pins|Battery life:Up to 12 hours of video playback Pros Good performance and battery life Finally, Android tablet apps done right The Charging Speaker Dock makes it a Nest Hub Cons No official keyboard case Hub Mode could use some quality-of-life improvements Google's first Android tablet in years nails exactly the caliber of what Android tablets should have been all along. It's true, not all apps are optimized for the larger screen, but Google's gotten clever in the way it handles those apps, while also getting a bunch of developers on board with updating their apps for the bigger display.Review:Google Pixel Tablet"When you open an app on the Pixel tablet, the app stays confined to a phone-like column view that takes up effectively a third of the tablet's display," Cipriani notes in his hands-on review. "The app can live on the left edge of the screen, in the middle, or on the right edge. You move it by double tapping in the blank space on either side of it."Not only is the app experience better with the Pixel Tablet, but it pulls double duty acting as a smart home hub when it's not in use thanks to the included Charging Speaker Dock. The $129 accessory has a built-in speaker that ups the bass by 4x, while enabling a hub mode feature that effectively makes the Pixel Tablet more like a Nest Hub, instead of a tablet.Unfortunately, right now, there isn't any sort of official keyboard or stylus for those who want to get some work done on the Pixel Tablet. Customers who have bought the tablet have voiced on Reddit that they mainly use it for media consumption and that it does the job for that purpose.Google Pixel Tablet tech specs: Display: 10.95-inch LCD, 2560x1600, 500 nits|Processor: Google Tensor G2|Storage: 128GB or 256GB|Biometrics: Fingerprint sensor |Colors: Hazel, rose, porcelain |Cameras: 8MP front, 8MP rear|Weight: 17.39 ounces|Dimensions: 10.2 x 6.7 x 0.3 inches |Connections: USB-C, pogo pins|Battery life:Up to 12 hours of video playback Read More Show Expert Take Show less Show less Apple's latest update to the iPad Air is more of a catch-up announcement. The 6th-generation iPad Air keeps the same design we saw Apple bring to the Air in late 2022, but it now boasts an M2 processor, two size choices (11 inches or 13 inches), and compatibility with the Apple Pencil Pro.The Apple iPad Air still sits confidently between the base iPad and the iPad Pro when you look at the price, but it's effectively caught up to the iPad Pro in terms of performance. Apple says you'll get up to 50% better performance than in the previous model and much faster graphics performance for gaming or video editing. The big draw of the iPad Pro was always its bigger size, but that benefit has now come downmarket to a price tier that's much more accessible.Another standout feature is the iPad Air's front-facing camera, which has been rotated to the side bezel for landscape mode, which means you'll look a lot better during FaceTime calls.Where the iPad Pro is the model for those who want nothing but the best, the iPad Air is the model for those who want to use the tablet for work and play without big sacrifices in performance or features. In our review, we said the iPad Air is "where your search should begin and, likely, end" if you're in the market for an iPad.Apple iPad Air tech specs: Display: 11-inch or 13-inch Liquid Retina IPS, 60Hz |Processor: Apple Silicon M2 |Storage: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB|Biometrics: Touch ID |Colors: Space gray, starlight, purple, blue|Cameras: 12MP rear camera, 12MP webcam (landscape-oriented)|Weight: 11-inch: 1.02 pounds, 13-inch: 1.36 pounds |Dimensions: 9.74 x 7.02 x 0.24 inches and 11.04 x 8.46 x .24 inches |Connections: USB-C port and magnetic connector for Apple Pencil Pro |Battery life:10 hours Value for money 9 Storage 8 Performance 9 Display quality 9 Battery life 10 Pros Snappy M2 processor Two size options, including bigger 13-inch Landscape mode camera Increased base storage for the same price as older model Cons Thicker and heavier than the iPad Pro Apple iPad Air (6th generation) Best middle-of-the-road tablet 4.5 / 5 Score Apple's latest update to the iPad Air is more of a catch-up announcement. The 6th-generation iPad Air keeps the same design we saw Apple bring to the Air in late 2022, but it now boasts an M2 processor, two size choices (11 inches or 13 inches), and compatibility with the Apple Pencil Pro.The Apple iPad Air still sits confidently between the base iPad and the iPad Pro when you look at the price, but it's effectively caught up to the iPad Pro in terms of performance. Apple says you'll get up to 50% better performance than in the previous model and much faster graphics performance for gaming or video editing. The big draw of the iPad Pro was always its bigger size, but that benefit has now come downmarket to a price tier that's much more accessible.Another standout feature is the iPad Air's front-facing camera, which has been rotated to the side bezel for landscape mode, which means you'll look a lot better during FaceTime calls.Where the iPad Pro is the model for those who want nothing but the best, the iPad Air is the model for those who want to use the tablet for work and play without big sacrifices in performance or features. In our review, we said the iPad Air is "where your search should begin and, likely, end" if you're in the market for an iPad.Apple iPad Air tech specs: Display: 11-inch or 13-inch Liquid Retina IPS, 60Hz |Processor: Apple Silicon M2 |Storage: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB|Biometrics: Touch ID |Colors: Space gray, starlight, purple, blue|Cameras: 12MP rear camera, 12MP webcam (landscape-oriented)|Weight: 11-inch: 1.02 pounds, 13-inch: 1.36 pounds |Dimensions: 9.74 x 7.02 x 0.24 inches and 11.04 x 8.46 x .24 inches |Connections: USB-C port and magnetic connector for Apple Pencil Pro |Battery life:10 hours Read More Show Expert Take Show less Show less The recently-updated Kindle Scribe is perhaps the perfect example of part e-reader, part tablet to satisfy your reading and note-taking needs. Most notably, it has new artificial intelligence features, a new display with flush white borders and a paper-like texture, and something called Active Canvas, a new experience for taking notes in books.The Active Canvas allows you to take notes and scribble your thoughts directly onto the pages of your book. ZDNET editor Kyle Kucharski put the Active Canvas to the test and appreciated the feature as an avid note-taker.Review: Amazon Kindle Scribe (2024)"The cool design element here is that the notes you draw with the pan exist on another 'layer' than the book text, allowing you to edit what you write without messing with the text in the book," he wrote in his review, adding, "I actually found that I preferred using the sticky notes function, which drops a tiny icon on the text that, when tapped, opens up a floating window with your notes that can then be closed."There are also useful AI features that can summarize up to 15 pages in a notebook, extracting key takeaways from the text in a neat summary. These features can also transcribe handwritten notes into text, which might benefit those with chicken scratch handwriting.The Kindle Scribe now comes with the Premium Pen, which has more advanced features than the Basic Pen, like a dedicated eraser and a shortcut button.Amazon Kinde Scribe tech specs:Display:10.2-inch 300 ppi Paperwhite display |Storage:16 GB, 32 GB, or 64 GB |Weight:15.3 ounces |Dimensions:7.7 x 9.0 x .22 inches |Connections:Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB-C |Battery life:Up to 12 weeks (at 30 minutes per day) Pros Bright and paperlike display Premium note-taking features (and included Premium Pen Built-in AI Cons Price for higher memory models isn't cheap The recently-updated Kindle Scribe is perhaps the perfect example of part e-reader, part tablet to satisfy your reading and note-taking needs. Most notably, it has new artificial intelligence features, a new display with flush white borders and a paper-like texture, and something called Active Canvas, a new experience for taking notes in books.The Active Canvas allows you to take notes and scribble your thoughts directly onto the pages of your book. ZDNET editor Kyle Kucharski put the Active Canvas to the test and appreciated the feature as an avid note-taker.Review: Amazon Kindle Scribe (2024)"The cool design element here is that the notes you draw with the pan exist on another 'layer' than the book text, allowing you to edit what you write without messing with the text in the book," he wrote in his review, adding, "I actually found that I preferred using the sticky notes function, which drops a tiny icon on the text that, when tapped, opens up a floating window with your notes that can then be closed."There are also useful AI features that can summarize up to 15 pages in a notebook, extracting key takeaways from the text in a neat summary. These features can also transcribe handwritten notes into text, which might benefit those with chicken scratch handwriting.The Kindle Scribe now comes with the Premium Pen, which has more advanced features than the Basic Pen, like a dedicated eraser and a shortcut button.Amazon Kinde Scribe tech specs:Display:10.2-inch 300 ppi Paperwhite display |Storage:16 GB, 32 GB, or 64 GB |Weight:15.3 ounces |Dimensions:7.7 x 9.0 x .22 inches |Connections:Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB-C |Battery life:Up to 12 weeks (at 30 minutes per day) Read More Show Expert Take Show less Show less View now at Amazon Amazon just updated this tablet model in 2022, making it faster and with a longer battery life. This model is easily thebest tablet for kids. Not only does it have a kid-proof case built to withstand 3 to 7-year-olds, but it also comes with a free one-year subscription to Amazon Kids+.The tablet also grants users an Amazon Kids+ subscription, which grants them access to thousands of kid-friendly, ad-free books, as well as movies, games, and otherkid-friendly and educational content. Parents who purchased this tablet on Best Buy give it an average rating of 4.7 out of 5, and 95% would recommend it to other parents."The Fire HD 8 Kids tablet is a well-built, entry-level tablet that comes with a sturdy kid-proof cover and features useful parental controls," wrote ZDNET's Maria Diaz, who bought the tablet for her kids. "Its 13-hour battery life means that you'll need to charge it less often than other competitors, and the combination of a durable case and screen ensures the integrity of the Fire tablet for years to come."The tablet's kid-friendly case is also worth mentioning because it protects against drops and bumps, and it comes complete with an adjustable stand so your kids can go hands-free. But Amazon does offer you a two-year worry-free guarantee in case the tablet does succumb to playtime.Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids tech specs: Display:8-inch display |Processor:Hexa-core 2.0 Ghz|Storage:32GB or 64GB (expandable by up to 1 TB) |Memory:2GB |Colors:Blue, purple, Disney Mickey Mouse, or Disney princess| Cameras:2 MP front and rear-facing cameras with 720p HD video recording|Weight:18.3 ounces|Dimensions:8.7 x 7.1 x 1.1 inches|Connections:3.5mm headphone jack, USB-C port |Battery life:13 hours Value for money 8 Storage 8 Performance 6 Display quality 7 Battery life 8 Pros Affordable Kids edition has many perks Easy to use Cons Performance will be an issue Amazon's Appstore is hit or miss Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Tablet Best tablet for kids 3.7 / 5 Score Amazon just updated this tablet model in 2022, making it faster and with a longer battery life. This model is easily thebest tablet for kids. Not only does it have a kid-proof case built to withstand 3 to 7-year-olds, but it also comes with a free one-year subscription to Amazon Kids+.The tablet also grants users an Amazon Kids+ subscription, which grants them access to thousands of kid-friendly, ad-free books, as well as movies, games, and otherkid-friendly and educational content. Parents who purchased this tablet on Best Buy give it an average rating of 4.7 out of 5, and 95% would recommend it to other parents."The Fire HD 8 Kids tablet is a well-built, entry-level tablet that comes with a sturdy kid-proof cover and features useful parental controls," wrote ZDNET's Maria Diaz, who bought the tablet for her kids. "Its 13-hour battery life means that you'll need to charge it less often than other competitors, and the combination of a durable case and screen ensures the integrity of the Fire tablet for years to come."The tablet's kid-friendly case is also worth mentioning because it protects against drops and bumps, and it comes complete with an adjustable stand so your kids can go hands-free. But Amazon does offer you a two-year worry-free guarantee in case the tablet does succumb to playtime.Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids tech specs: Display:8-inch display |Processor:Hexa-core 2.0 Ghz|Storage:32GB or 64GB (expandable by up to 1 TB) |Memory:2GB |Colors:Blue, purple, Disney Mickey Mouse, or Disney princess| Cameras:2 MP front and rear-facing cameras with 720p HD video recording|Weight:18.3 ounces|Dimensions:8.7 x 7.1 x 1.1 inches|Connections:3.5mm headphone jack, USB-C port |Battery life:13 hours Read More Show Expert Take Show less Why choose a tablet over a phone or laptop? Tablets sit in the middle of smartphones and laptops. They are a compromisable device that allows for a bigger screen than a smartphone for tasks like editing PDFs, streaming movies, or browsing websites, but smaller and more portable than a laptop for note-taking, sketching and drawing, or photo editing.Plus, now many tablets have accessories like styluses and keyboards that allow you to use it as a sort of laptop replacement if you're doing relatively easy work on it. Show more What is the best tablet? After going hands-on with all of these tablets, the 10th-generation iPad is our pick for the best tablet. It has a battery life of up to 10 hours, up to 256GB of storage, and a lightweight design that's perfect for working or streaming movies on the go. Its fairly affordable price tag also makes it a great choice for students who need a mobile work computer. If you want to see quickly how the 10th-generation iPad specifically compares to the other tablets that made our list, see the handy chart below that compares factors like price, storage, and display size. TabletPriceDisplay sizeStorageApple iPad (10th gen) $349 10.9 inches Up to 256GB Amazon Fire Max 11$150 10.1 inches Up to 512GB with microSD card Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra $1,200 14.6 inches Up to 1TB with microSD card OnePlus Pad 2$55012.1 inches 256 GB Microsoft Surface Pro 11Starts at $90013 inches Up to 1TBApple iPad Pro (7th gen) $999 11 or 13 inches Up to 2TB Google Pixel Tablet $499 10.95 inches Up to 256GB Apple Gen iPad Air (6th gen) $600 11 or 13 inchesUp to 1TBAmazon Kindle Scribe $40010.2 inches 16GB, 32GB, or 64GB Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids $150 8 inches 32GB or 64GB Show more Which is the right tablet for you? The biggest question you'll need to answer about any tablet purchase is what you plan on using it for: Do you just want something to read a comic book and binge on some Netflix shows while you walk on the treadmill? If so, then a Fire tablet or the base model iPad is going to be more than enough for you. However, if you want to use a tablet more like a laptop, then you'll want to consider the iPad Pro, or one of the Surface devices. Here is a decision matrix that can help you choose which tablet is right for you: Choose this tablet...If you want or are...Apple iPad (10th gen) The best overall option when it comes to power, storage, and user-friendliness. The Apple iPad is the best tablet for anything. Amazon Fire Max 11An affordable tablet with basic features great for streaming. If you're looking to spend less on a tablet, this is a great pick. Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra An Android tablet with AI features and capabilities. This is Samsung's best tablet--and largest--tablet, by far. OnePlus Pad 2The best Android tablet for entertainment and daily tasks like checking your email and browsing the web. Microsoft Surface Pro 11A powerful Windows tablet for travel and mobile work. It has a long-lasting battery life and has AI capabilities.Apple iPad Pro (7th gen) A tablet to replace your laptop thanks to its powerful Apple M4 chip. All you need to add is an attachable keyboard, and you have a device as powerful as the MacBook Pro. Google Pixel Tablet Google's Pixel Tablet is one of the best Android tablets on the market. It's fast, reliable and comes with a Charging Speaker Dock that completely changes how you use it. Apple iPad Air (6th gen) A lightweight tablet for those who want something for work and play, without big sacrifices in performance or features.Amazon Kindle Scribe An part e-reader, part tablet with an outstanding battery life and an included pen. It's even compatible with Microsoft Word. Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids A kid-friendly tablet with built-in parental controls. It even has a kid-proof case and a two-year worry-free guarantee. Show more Factors to consider when choosing the best tablets: These were the factors that were most important to us when making our top picks:Feature sets:Not all tablets are created equal. Some are better for kids, others are simply for artists, and then there's the mini laptop for working professionals and students. We considered a variety of use cases to match virtually every need.Price points:Tablets are an expensive piece of tech, especially if you're planning on investing in compatible accessories or buying for your kids to inevitably drop at a moment's notice,Integrations with other products:We considered options that can work with a smart case, attachable keyboard, Apple Pencil, or Stylus, as well as other work and entertainment add-ons.Battery life:Whether you're using your tablet for work or play (or both), you'll want it to last the duration of your task. Show more How we test tablets The ZDNET team chose all of the tablets included in this list based on their performance whentested in the real world. When we test tablets, we typically follow the same routine for each one to see which performs best.Display: We measure the brightness level in different lighting conditions and assess color accuracy.We also compare the display's performance with what the manufacturer promised, test the screen's responsiveness to touch, and assess the performance of any extra features, like a manufacturer's stylus.Performance:For real-world performance metrics, our reviewers measure how quickly the tablet reacts to input, assess game performance and frame rates, test how the tablet handles having multiple apps running simultaneously, measure the time it takes to launch apps, and even assess the tablet's temperature during intensive tasks.Battery life: We test different scenarios for battery life, including measuring how long the battery lasts while streaming, web browsing, using productivity apps, and playing games.Camera and audio:For cameras, we evaluate features like resolution, aperture, low-light performance, autofocus accuracy, dynamic range, color accuracy, image quality, sharpness, and video quality. For audio, we look at the sound quality and overall listening experience, including audio clarity at different volumes, stereo separation of left and right audio channels, maximum volume level in various environments, and if there is perceived distortion.For a deeper look into our testing process, check out our comprehensivetablet testing methodology. Show more What are the best tablets to look forward to in 2025? As far as what to expect for new tablets this year, we are thinking Apple will announce a new base-model iPad sometime this year since it hasn't been updated since 2022. It's also the only iPad that didn't get an upgrade last year.Samsung usually releases new tablets in its Galaxy Tab series in the fall, and we're also expecting quite a few new models from Lenovo as well at some point this year. Show more FAQs on tablets What does it mean if a tablet is Wi-Fi only? When a tablet says it is "Wi-Fi Only," it requires a wireless internet connection to access things like email, websites, and apps. There are models available that give you the option to use LTE cellular data to connect to the internet, but if you aren't planning on traveling with your tablet, you can stick to a Wi-Fi only model. Show more Can tablets replace a laptop? That depends on what you want to use your tablet or laptop for. Digital artists tend to prefer tablets since they're easier to draw on with a stylus. Tablets are also great for photo editing and streaming movies if you get one with a large enough screen size. But if you want to do things like create spreadsheets, type in a word processing program, or do intensive 3D animation or modeling, you're better off with a laptop. Show more What is the best tablet for students in 2025? Our top pick for the best tablet for students is the 10th-generation iPad, thanks to its affordable price and versatility of use. However, we'd also recommend the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE+ or the Microsoft Surface Pro 9 for students looking to buy a tablet.If you're looking for a tablet with a keyboard, your best bet is the iPad Pro. This option is great for work as well. Show more What is the best Windows tablet? The best Windows tablet we've tested is the Microsoft Surface Pro 11, thanks to its long-lasting battery, high-quality OLED display, and great-performing chipset.Windows tablets are better suited for work since they support Windows apps that your job probably relies on and have the hardware capable of supporting them. Windows tablets also house chipsets normally found on laptops, whereas Android tablets typically have smartphone-like chipsets. Show more Are there alternative tablets worth considering?Of course, the tablet market is more than just these 10 picks above. There are plenty of other options from different brands at various price points if you're looking for additional tablets. ZDNETs Tablet Guide Tablet Roundups Tablets Reviewed & Compared Tablets Explained

ZDNET's key takeaways The Canon EOS R100 mirrorless camera is a great starter for aspiring photographers. It features a 24-megapixel sensor for great image quality and color and can capture 4K (UHD) video at 24 frames per second. Unfortunately, it doesn't have a flip-out preview screen. more buying choices What's the deal?On Amazon, you can purchase the Canon EOS R100 mirrorless camera and an RF-S18 45mm lens for $500, which is over $100 off the original price.It's a great time to be a photographer these days, as it's easier than ever to access great cameras. Specifically, mirrorless cameras like Canon's EOS R100. Sure, our smartphones are capable of capturing pretty good photos, but if you're a true photographer at heart, you're eventually going to want more from your camera.You'll want more flexibility in post-processing and, quite frankly, better image quality. Luckily, Canon has several camera bodies in its mirrorless product line, including the R100: a compact mirrorless camera aimed at the beginner photographer who's fresh off their smartphone. details View at Amazon The Canon R100 is one of the lightest camera bodies on the market, but don't let its weight fool you into assuming it can't create quality images or video. It has an APS-C sensor that can capture 24 megapixels and 1080p video at 60 frames per second. It can also capture 4K (UHD) video at 24 frames per second.When you're just starting out in photography, the last thing you want to do is struggle with flipping through menus, buttons, and dials. You want to start shooting as soon as possible to get used to the feel of the camera and its capabilities. Canon's intuitive menu design along with its dial-and-button layout makes the R100 an easy sale for new photographers. The Canon EOS R100 mirrorless camera is for beginner photographers and creators. Ant Pruitt/ZDNETYes, it's compact, but the shutter button and rear buttons are right where they need to be for your index finger and thumb, respectively. I have really large hands, so I battle with holding smaller cameras. With the R100, however, it only took a few minutes for me to get used to how it feels.I'm a firm believer that a camera has to feel good in your hands; I don't care about its elaborate list of bells and whistles. It should just "feel right" if you're going to shoot with it regularly. Canon does a good job with this.Image qualityThe image quality is on par with what I expected from a budget-friendly camera with a cropped sensor (APS-C). You'll hear smartphone manufacturers such as Apple and Samsung boast having over 40 megapixels in their smartphone cameras, so if you're unsure if a camera with only half that can stand up to them in quality, the answer is a resounding yes. Here's why.The image sensor on this camera ismuch larger than those on any smartphone, so the image quality will almost always be better. Here are two sample images captured with the R100 in two slightly different scenarios. Image one utilized the kit lens (18mm-45mm) that came with the R100. Here's a Canon R100 sample image with the 18mm-45mm kit lens. Ant PruittIn this first image, you'll notice the image quality is pretty solid. I didn't do any post-processing other than adjusting the white balance. My dog Kylo looks pretty good here. Even when I zoomed into the image, I noticed the noise wasn't bad, considering I shot this in a shaded area on a sensor smaller than what I usually use (full frame).The ISO was cranked up to 3,200, so getting image noise is almost guaranteed. Look at the first image and compare it to the zoomed-in version of the image below. The noise isn't much of an issue. Sample of image noise from Canon R100 Ant PruittI captured one more image, but I'll admit, I cheated just a little. In the second image, I attached an 85mm prime lens, which has a wider aperture for more light. Also, it's just a better lens, thanks to the quality of the glass.I should also note that I attached this lens onto the R100 via an RF to EF lens adapter. Most of my Canon lenses are EF mount, which isn't compatible with the mirrorless bodies unless you use an adapter. With that said, the R100 did a stellar job. Sample image Canon R100 with 85mm EF lens attached Ant PruittThis 24-megapixel APS-C sensor did a great job capturing fine details. Yes, I have a better lens on the body, but this also proves that a photographer can start with this camera and upgrade to better lenses over the years until they're ready to move on to an upgraded mirrorless body from Canon. As in the first image, I only corrected the white balance. No other post-processing was done.How the Canon handles videoShooting video on the R100 is straightforward, with full HD at 60 frames per second. This is great for live action, but if you're attempting to shoot something in a "cinematic flare," back the frame rate down to at least 30 frames per second, preferably 24 frames per second.Also: This 4K pocket camera easily replaced my iPhone 16 Pro Max for video recordingIf you're curious to shoot in 4K (UHD), note that your image will be presented at a tighter focal length because the video mode utilizes the center of the APS-C sensor and not the full working area. This could be an inconvenience, but it's not a dealbreaker for a camera in this price range. Canon EOS R100 camera body Ant PruittIf you're wondering whether the R100 can be used for vlogging and live streaming, the answer is yes and no. If you want to vlog, you can, but you won't be able to see yourself as there's no flip-out screen found on most vlogging cameras. Regarding live streaming, you can use the micro HDMI to connect the R100 to your computer via a capture card or an HDMI switcher such as an ATEM Mini.My concerns with the R100I don't have many concerns. First, the lack of a flip-out screen is rather inconvenient. Flip-out screens are useful beyond just vlogging purposes. For example, if you're photographing something from a high or low angle, rotating the screen is super helpful in composing and framing your shot.Secondly, the APS-C sensor is not a dealbreaker, but shooting video should be done in the highest resolution available. Shooting in 4K (UHD) is an option, but cropping in on the sensor doesn't give your 4K footage the look of a clean 4K video, just a 4K file size. On a positive note, the APS-C sensor is great for shooting moon photography, and it has a full-frame telephoto lens attached. You'll gain a little more reach in focal length by roughly 1.4x.ZDNET's buying adviceIf you're an aspiring photographer looking to scratch the itch that your smartphone camera can't seem to satisfy, the Canon EOS R100 is a solid camera at a budget-friendly $479 for the body only. It comes with a 45mm starter lens, which lens isn't the best, but you'll definitely see an improvement over your trusty smartphone.Another great thing about the R100 is that it has the potential to grow with you as you buy slightly better lenses, such as the Canon RF 50mm f/1.8 STM. This one offers a wider aperture, better glass, and great portraits right out of the box. So, even with the addition of the 50mm lens, you're still well under $1,000 spent for a great option to get started with photography.Top holiday deals

What to watch this weekend.Credit: Prime Video / GettyIts not the biggest weekend for new streaming TV shows and movies, but its a pretty huge weekend if youre into sports. Super Bowl LIXthe 59th NFL championship gamekicks off Sunday with a halftime show headlined by hip-hop star, Kendrick Lamar. The Kansas City Chiefs return yet again, this time against the Philadelphia Eagles.The Chiefs have won the last two championship games. Last year they eked out a win over the San Francisco 49ers 25 to 22. The year before that, they beat the Eagles 38 to 35. The Chiefs also won back in 2020 against the 49ers, though they lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2021. In the last five years, the Chiefs have only missed one Super Bowl, and 2025 makes that 5 out of six. If they win this year, it will be the first time a team has won 3 consecutive Super Bowls. Its impressive, even if I think were all a little tired of having the same teams play year after year. The Chiefs are basically the new New England Patriots.In any case, read on to see what else is out this weekend. As always, I spend every week trying to find all the new stuff for you to watch on all the various streaming services. I tested out writing a What To Watch This Week to post on Mondays this past week, and while I think its a super informative post, it didnt seem to hit the same nerve as my Weekend Streaming guide. Oh well!If you have any tips or I missed something, shoot me a message on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook. You can check out last weekends streaming guide right here.MORE FOR YOUWhats New & Notable This WeekendInvincible - Season 3 (Prime Video)The excellent animated superhero series from The Walking Dead creator, Robert Kirkman, returned this week. The first three (out of seven) episodes are already out on Prime Video. This is a terrific show with excellent writing, characters and a compelling story, but its also quite dark and cynical and violent, so go in with expectations set closer to The Boys than The Avengers. New episodes drop each Thursday for the next four weeks.Apple Cider Vinegar (Netflix)An Australian series about a feud between two young health and wellness influencers, one of whom pretends to suffer from all sorts of illnesses in order to gain popularity and sell bad healthcare products and advice to the masses. Kaitlyn Dever (Abby in the upcoming second season of The Last Of Us) plays Belle Gibson, the fraud, and Alycia Debnam-Carey (of Fear The Walking Dead fame) plays Milla Blake, who actually suffers from cancer. Both characters are based off of real people. Devers character is based off of and named after the actual Belle Gibson, while Debnam-Careys character is based on Jessica Ainscough. It looks pretty good, and Dever really nails that Aussie accent! All six episodes are out now on Netflix with an 84% Rotten Tomatoes score.In The Summers (Hulu)If you can make it through this trailer without getting emotional, youre a lot more resilient than I am. In The Summers follows a father living in New Mexico who sees his two daughters, who live with their mother in California, over the summers. He struggles with addiction. All three struggle with their relationship over the course of this four-part movie that uses time-jumps to show multiple phases of the family drama. It looks brilliant and powerful, though get a box of tissues handy.Clean Slate (Prime Video)Another estranged father-daughter story, though this time the daughter in question left as a son and has now come back as a daughter. This actually looks pretty good, with a nice blend of humor and heart.Newtopia (Prime Video)Half love-story, half zombie show, Newtopia certainly looks like a new twist on both. The South Koreans really know how to do great zombie stuff, so this might be worth checking out.The re Murders - Season 1 (Netflix)Nordic noir is a popular crime subgenre, and while Ive heard mixed things about this one, its certainly worth checking out if you enjoy cold cases (the type that take place in cold environments, that is, not actual cold cases).Marvels Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur - Season 2 (Disney+)For the kids, Marvels Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur should be a fun binge this weekend. For the kids and kids at heart, that is. Its actually reviewing better than most grown-up MCU TV.Wolf Man (VOD)If you missed Wolf Man at the movie theaters, you can now rent or buy the film at Prime Video and elsewhere. This werewolf horror movie didnt fare that well with critics, but if youre looking for something scary to watch on a cold winters evening, you could do worse.September 5 (VOD)A new telling of the horrific 1972 Munich Olympics hostage crisis, this time from the point of view of an American sports broadcasting crew. With a 92% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes and a 91% audience score, this is definitely a film anyone interested in modern history should check out.Bonus: The Wire (HBO / Max)Why am I currently so far behind on lots of new TV shows? The answer is simple: The Wire has kidnapped me! I watched Season 1 back in 2005 or 2006 when I was just a kid, really, 24 or 25 years old. That was when I was watching The Sopranos and other great HBO shows. Then we had our first kid. Sticking with compelling TV dramas became extremely difficult with the amount of work and parenting time, and the lack of sleep. So I never watched any other seasons of The Wire! Recently, I rewatched Season 1 since it had been two decades since Id seen it, and I liked it a lot more this time around. Now Ive binged my way through Season 2 and started Season 3. Its terrific! If you enjoy stories of organized crime, corrupt officials, police forces dragged down by the whims of petty bureaucrats and politicians, and a great cast of characters on both the police and criminal side of things, give it a shot.Whats Streaming WeeklyA number of TV shows are airing weekly at the moment, though the only one Ive been covering with recap/reviews is currently Severance. Well start there!Severance - Season 2 is everything I hoped it would be so far. The latest episode of Severance was one of the best of the entire series, and Season 2 continues to be a wild ride. If you arent watching because you dont have Apple TV, well its cheap compared to most other streaming services and has lots of great shows. If you arent watching because its about an office or youve heard its boring just stop it, stop listening to the wrong people and listen to me. This is a brilliant series. (Apple TV)Prime Target continues airing new episodes on Apple. This spy thriller follows a math genius obsessed with prime numbers who heads down a twisty turny path of no return. I still havent started it yet, as I caught up on the first season of Lioness and then started rewatching The Wire. But Ill check it out soon. New episodes drop Wednesdays. (Apple)The Pitt is genuinely great, though Ive decided not to watch it weekly and instead let a few episodes build up so I can binge them all at once. The medical drama follows a sprawling cast of characters in a Pittsburgh emergency room department, and manages to weave all these stories together expertly. Read my review here. (Max)Traitors - Season 3 is the most popular reality TV competition show out at the moment and Ive heard great things, but as I am not a reality TV show fan, I have not watched it. I might have to break my own rules, however, just to see what all the fuss is about. (Peacock)Dexter: Original Sin is the show I look forward to most each week (though only because Ive already watched the entire second season of Severance). Its just delightfully fun, with a great cast playing younger versions of the original shows characters. Were down to the wire, too, with just two more episodes to go. I dont want it to end but Im dying to know what happens. Heres my review. (Paramount)Paradise is another show I started and am behind on. I enjoyed the twisty-turny political thriller thats actually also a sci-fi show about big, calamitous events. But after one episode I switched back over to The Wire so I cant really tell you how its progressing. (Hulu)Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man is another fun one for the whole family, a very vintage-animation take on one of the most popular superheroes of all time. Three episodes drop each week. (Disney+)A bunch of stuff is coming out next week/weekend so while this weekend felt a little slow, get ready for overload soon enough. Which reminds me, I have screeners to watch for shows like Reacher, Yellowjackets and if Im lucky, The White Lotus. Fun times!Further Reading From Yours Truly:Dont forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel!What are you watching these days? What should I put on this list or add to my backlog? Let me know on Twitter, Instagram, Bluesky or Facebook.

@underthedesknews on TikTok, does a live stream after TikTok content creators gather outside the ... [+] Capitol to voice their opposition to a potential ban.Anadolu Agency via Getty ImagesCreators are reshaping how we consume, share, and produce news.A new wave of creators, known as news influencers, is transforming how current events get shared. They provide continuous real-time first and build trust with audiences who feel disconnected from traditional mainstream media.According to a recent report from the Pew Research Center, one in five Americans get their news from these news influencers, with a significantly higher percentage among adults under 30.As trust in traditional media continues to hit an all-time low, could this new era of digital news creators hold the key to helping restore confidence in how we consume news?What is A News Influencer? A news influencer is a creator who consistently shares breaking insights on current events and civic issues across social media platforms. They have diverse backgrounds, tooformer journalists, independent content creators, or individuals who built a following from commenting on events from around the globe.Unlike traditional journalists, who often work within the confines of established newsrooms and editorial boards, news influencers operate independently, directly engaging with their audiences and often covering stories mainstream outlets overlook or see as too niche.MORE FOR YOUSome news creators, like Lisa Remillard, known as "The News Girl" with over 3 million TikTok followers, have a background in traditional journalism. Others followed unconventional paths to spark their digital news careers.One example is V Spehar, an independent citizen journalist and the creator of the hugely popular Under The Desk News. Spehar mastered the art of short-form content, offering quick, digestible recaps of major headlines, cementing them as a go-to news source for Gen Z and Millennials.Aaron Parnas, a Gen Z news influencer, amassed more than one million followers in six months on TikTok after reporting on the Invasion of Ukraine. Frustrated by the lack of detailed coverage by mainstream media outlets, he turned to TikTok, where he shared real-time updates he received from his uncle, who was on the ground in Ukraine."He would tell me what's happening in front of his house, and I would report it on TikTok. Forty-five minutes later, one of the big journalists would verify my reporting on their own station."Parnas is unique in his willigness to report from anywherefrom HomeGoods and grocery stores to an airplane bathroom 35,000 feet in the air. There are no limits to where or when he shares news.The Appeal of News Influencers While anyone can become a news influencer, few have what it takes to hold attention long-term. However, the ones that do offer timely, accessible, and often more relatable news coverage than traditional outlets. As such, they build influence fast, especially among younger audiences.According to the Pew Research Center, 65% of Americans who get their news from social media influencers feel these creators help them better understand current events and civic issues. News influencers have a knack for explaining complex topics in a way that is digestible and easy to understand in a busy social media feed; they excel at communicating with Facetime-style videos.Sarah Baus, a TikTok creator known for her lifestyle content, became a citizen journalist, releasing timely updates on the TikTok ban. Or debacle.What started as real-time updates for her followers quickly became a full-fledged journalistic effort. Baus traveled to Washington, D.C., providing on-the-ground coverage, including attending a press conference after the Supreme Court hearing on TikTok's future.So, how did she transition to news influencer? Before she covered the ban, Baus already had a following of 800,000 TikTok followers. After the hearing, her audience grew rapidly, gaining over 50,000 new followers in just two weeks. Baus credits much of this growth to her community's interest in staying updated on the D.C. developments through her easily digestible content."I've always enjoyed breaking things down and explaining them," she says. "It wasn't my intention to become a reporter, but I was happy to be a voice for my community and keep them informed about what was happening in D.C., especially when the headlines from major news media outlets often contradicted each other."The Business of News InfluencersNews influencers aren't just sharing news; they're building sustainable business models to maintain independence from corporate media.Platforms like Substack, Beehiv, and Pateron have become popular platforms for independent journalists and news creators because they allow them to bypass traditional media gatekeepers and directly connect with their audience. Independent journalists can build a loyal subscriber base and monetize their content through paid subscriptions, offering exclusive content, analysis, or newsletters.Parnas, for example, has a loyal following through his Substack newsletter, The Parnas Perspective, where paid subscribers receive exclusive live coverage and in-depth analysis.Platforms like Substack provide the flexibility to write on niche topics that mainstream media may not cover, enabling independent journalists and creators to maintain creative control and independence. Ultimately, this allows creators to foster a more direct relationship with readers, who are willing to pay for valuable and trustworthy content.The Future of News Influencers Recent Gallup data shows that 36% of U.S. adults distrust the media, while 33% report having only "slight" confidence in it.As trust in traditional media reaches an all-time low, could news creators help restore that confidence?Creators like Aaron Parnas believe so.Parnas envisions a media landscape where traditional networks like CNN collaborate with news creators to deliver trustworthy information to audiences."There's a reason companies like CNN and Fox News are on TikTok," he says. "They want to replicate what we've been doing, but they can't because they don't have the same level of trust with their audience. I hope the next step is recognizing the value of news creators' work to the point where they integrate it with their own."With the White House briefing room now open to bloggers, podcasters, and influencers, news creators are poised to take an even more significant role in how news is shared on social media. In the first 24 hours after Press Secretary Karoline Levitt announced the "new media voices" initiative, over 7,400 creators applied. Creators like Parnas hope to obtain one of the coveted passes in the White House press room.Before you Go News influencers are reshaping how Americans consume information, offering timely, easy-to-understand updates that resonate with audiences, especially engaging younger GenZ and millennial audiences. As trust in traditional media declines, these creators are building strong followings by offering real-time coverage and personal insights in a way legacy media often can't match. With their increasing influence and financial autonomy, news influencers will play a pivotal role in the future of news consumption.

Acer has introduced two new gaming laptops outfitted with the latest chips to enable AI features. The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 AI and Helios Neo 18 AI were announced at a recent Counter-Strike gaming tournament in Poland, according to Engadget.The laptops can run processors up to Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX processor and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti Laptop GPU, which facilitates their AI features. Acer said it intends for the Helios Neo 16 model to be a portable gaming option, and the Helios Neo 18 to be good for replacing a desktop computer.AcerThe Predator Helios Neo 16 features a 16-inch OLED WQXGA display with a 240Hz refresh rate, 400 nits maximum brightness, DCI-P3 100%, and 1 ms response time. The Helios Neo 18 features an 18-inch Mini LED WQXGA display with a 250Hz refresh rate, DCI-P3 100%, and 3 ms response time.Recommended VideosThe Predator Helios Neo 16 AI and Helios Neo 18 AI both have simple and minimalist designs, with the Helios RGB logo prominent on the back panel, in addition to dynamic 4-zone RGB keyboards. They have similar hardware support with 64GB of RAM and up to 2TB of internal storage. Other similarities between the devices include Intel Killer Ethernet and Wi-Fi 6E, for connectivity, as well as NVIDIA G-SYNC, Advanced Optimus, and MUX Switch.The Helios Neo 16 supports Bluetooth 5.4 or above, while the Helios Neo 18 supports Bluetooth 5.3 or above. Many of the two laptops I/O ports are also identical. Both devices also have 90-watt-hour batteries.The Predator Helios Neo 16 AI will be available in North America in April with a starting price of $1,900. The Predator Helios Neo 18 AI will be available in North America in May with a starting price of 2,200. They will also be available in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa in June, with a starting price of 1,700 and 1,800 respectively.Editors Recommendations

Table of ContentsTable of ContentsAvicii Im Tim (2024)2 Fast 2 Furious (2003)Definitely, Maybe (2008)Richie Rich (1994)When We First Met (2018)This February, television dominates the upcoming Netflix slate. AfterBack in Actionfound a home in the Netflix top 10 last month, the streamer turns its attention toward TV in the next few weeks. Before she plays Abby in The Last of Us season 2, Kaitlyn Dever headlines the brand-new seriesApple Cider Vinegar. Elsewhere, the final season of Cobra KaiZero Daystreams on February 20.While TV might be the focus this month, Netflix continues to have one of the best vaults on the streaming market. With the addition of Warner Bros. and Paramount movies, the Netflix library is packed with underrated gems that need attention. Our movie picks for February include an emotional music documentary, a delightful rom-com, and a charming kids adventure.Recommended VideosWe also have guides to the best new movies to stream, the best movies on Netflix, the best movies on Hulu, the best movies on Amazon Prime Video, the best movies on Max,andthe best movies on Disney+.RelatedTim Bergling was a shy kid from Sweden who eventually became one of the worlds biggest DJs. You probably know him better by his stage name, Avicii. After entering the music space as a teenager, Avicii strapped himself on a rocket to superstardom with 2011s Levels. After that song, Aviciis life changed, for better or for worse.Avicii Im Timgoes behind the scenes into the life of Tim first and foremost. From his humble beginnings to his tragic death, Avicii became one of the defining artists of his generation. The emotional documentary features interviews with friends, family, and colleagues, as they try to answer one question: Who was Tim Bergling?Stream Avicii Im Timon Netflix.Universal PicturesConsidering how much his career has relied on Dominic Toretto, Vin Diesel turning down $25 million to star in 2 Fast 2 Furious is downright stunning. Diesels running mate in The Fast and the Furious, Paul Walker, did return as Brian OConnor for the 2003 sequel. Brian received a new partner, Roman Pearce (Tyrese Gibson), his former childhood friend.After escaping the cops in Los Angeles, Brian is captured by Miami authorities. In exchange for a clean record, Brian agrees to go undercover and aid in the arrest of crime lord Carter Verone (Carter Verone). With the help of Roman and undercover agent Monica Fuentes (Eva Mendes), Brian infiltrates Carters inner circle as a driver. Hell need to stay one step ahead of Verone and the cops to make it out alive.Stream 2 Fast 2 Furiouson Netflix.UniversalBelieve it or not, Ryan Reynolds was a rom-com staple before putting on the leather suit as Deadpool. 2008s Definitely, Maybeis certainly, absolutely his best romantic role. New York City advertising executive Will Hayes (Ryan Reynolds) is in the middle of a divorce from his wife Sarah. Wills 10-year-old daughter Maya (Abigail) asks how he met her mother. Will turns his story into a game. He speaks about romances with three women to see if Abigail can guess her mothers identity. Will makes the game harder by changing each womans name.Starting in 1992, Will introduces the three candidates: Emily Jones (Elizabeth Banks), April Hoffman (Isla Fisher), and Summer Hartley (Rachel Weisz). Each woman played a crucial role in Wills romantic upbringing, but only one won his heart. Definitely, Maybeis the kind of movie Reynolds should make when he needs a break from Wade Wilson.Stream Definitely, Maybeon Netflix.Warner Bros.Contrary to popular belief, Macaulay Culkin starred in movies outside the Home Alone franchise. The child actor played the worlds wealthiest boy in 1994s Richie Rich. Richie (Culkin) has it all in terms of material items. Richie owns every toy and gadget you can think of. Richie lives in a mansion in Chicago with his billionaire parents, Richard Sr. (Edward Herrmann) and Regina (Christine Ebersole).The only thing Richie needs is friendship. In an effort to branch out of the mansion, Richie befriends some local kids at a sandlot. The plan works, as Richie genuinely connects with the other kids. Right when Richie makes friends, his parents go missing after a plane crash. Richie believes the menacing CFO of Rich Enterprises, Laurence Van Dough (John Larroquette), is behind his parents disappearance. Good thing Richie knows some kids who might be able to help save his family.Stream Richie Richon Netflix.NetflixAdam DeVine: rom-com lead. TheWorkaholicsactor plays a convincing romantic interest inWhen We First Met. Noah Ashby (DeVine) is in the worst place a guy can be: the friend zone. Noah has been in love with Avery (Alexandra Daddario) since he met her three years ago on Halloween. However, Avery loves Noah as a friend, not a lover. She even meets her fianc, Ethan (Robbie Amell), the night after Halloween.Fast forward to the present day. Noah is still hung up on Avery at her engagement party. A dejected Noah gets drunk and stumbles into a photo booth. The next morning, Noah is magically transported to the day he meets Avery. With the magic photo booth, Noah can continue reliving the day he met Avery until she becomes his girlfriend. As any time travel movie has taught us, past decisions affect future actions. Is Noah willing to risk his future to be with Avery?Stream When We First Met on Netflix.Editors Recommendations

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That's gotta hurt New NIH policy will slash support money to research universities Sudden and drastic change will make it hard for researchers to keep the lights on. John Timmer Feb 7, 2025 7:17 pm | 0 UC Berkeley's Life Sciences Entrepreneurship Center. Credit: Steve McConnell/UC Berkeley UC Berkeley's Life Sciences Entrepreneurship Center. Credit: Steve McConnell/UC Berkeley Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn moreGrants paid by the federal government have two components. One covers the direct costs of performing the research, paying for salaries, equipment, and consumables like chemicals or enzymes. But the government also pays what are called indirect costs. These go to the universities and research institutes, covering the costs of providing and maintaining the lab space, heat and electricity, administrative and HR functions, and more.These indirect costs are negotiated with each research institution and average close to 30 percent of the amount awarded for the research. Some institutions see indirect rates as high as half the value of the grant.On Friday, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced that negotiated rates were ending. Every existing grant, and all those funded in the future, will see the indirect cost rate set to just 15 percent. With no warning and no time to adjust to the change in policy, this will prove catastrophic for the budget of nearly every biomedical research institution.Cut in half or moreThe new policy is described in a supplemental guidance document that modifies the 2024 grant policy statement. The document cites federal regulations that allow the NIH to use a different indirect cost rate from that negotiated with research institutions for "either a class of Federal awards or a single Federal award," but it has to justify the decision. So, much of the document describes the indirect costs paid by charitable foundations, which tend to be much lower than the rate paid by the NIH.The new rate of indirect cost reimbursement will be applied to any newly funded grants and retroactively to all existing grants starting with the issuance of this notice. The retroactive nature of this decision may end up being challenged due to the wording of the regulations cited earlier, which also state that "The Federal agency must include, in the notice of funding opportunity, the policies relating to indirect cost rate." However, even going forward, this will likely severely curtail biomedical research in the US.The indirect costs of doing research are real and substantial. Beyond the sorts of facilities and staffing needs faced by any other organization, biomedical research generates a regular flow of chemical and biohazard waste, which needs to be handled in accordance with state and local laws, and often requires trained staff. Animal research also requires specialized facilities, as does working with hazardous pathogens. There is a lot more involved than simply paying to keep the lights on.These local differences in regulations, utility and building costs, and salaries also explain why the rate varies from institution to institution. Turning to a flat rate will simply punish those institutions where costs are highest, such as those in dense urban areas. (Which may be a feature rather than a bug.)It's also important to note that any functions that can no longer be performed by the institution will need to be done by the scientists themselves, thus taking them away from doing research. That added responsibility makes the policy's statement that it is "vital to ensure that as many funds as possible go towards direct scientific research costs rather than administrative overhead" read somewhat ironically.Impending funding crisisIt is entirely appropriate for the NIH to drive a conversation about appropriate overhead rates and the higher share of those paid by the federal government compared to charitable funders. Acting without any conversation at all is likely to severely damage biomedical research in the US, given that universities and other institutions have already formulated budgets based on an expectation of overheads, and had no warning of a policy change.It's unclear what universities can do to deal with the impending financial problems beyond radically curtailing research activities or finding ways to extract the necessary funds from the direct costs of grants. The latter will force scientists to compensate by spending even more of their time writing grants rather than pursuing research.Overall, coming a day after the government's plans to radically shrink the National Science Foundation, it's difficult to read this as anything other than an attempt to crush scientific research in the US. The harm that will be done to research universities in the process may be viewed as a bonus by a populist political movement that has shown a consistent disdain for expertise.John TimmerSenior Science EditorJohn TimmerSenior Science Editor John is Ars Technica's science editor. He has a Bachelor of Arts in Biochemistry from Columbia University, and a Ph.D. in Molecular and Cell Biology from the University of California, Berkeley. When physically separated from his keyboard, he tends to seek out a bicycle, or a scenic location for communing with his hiking boots. 0 Comments

Reticulating Splines The Sims re-release shows whats wrong with big publishers and single-player games Opinion: EA might be done with single-player gamesbut we're not. Samuel Axon Feb 7, 2025 6:02 pm | 19 The Sims Steam re-release has all of the charm of the original, if you can get it working. Credit: Samuel Axon The Sims Steam re-release has all of the charm of the original, if you can get it working. Credit: Samuel Axon Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn moreIt's the year 2000 all over again, because I've just spent the past week playing The Sims, a game that could have had a resurgent zeitgeist moment if only EA, the infamous game publisher, had put enough effort in.A few days ago, EA re-released two of its most legendary games: The Sims and The Sims 2. Dubbed the "The Legacy Collection," these could not even be called remasters. EA just put the original games on Steam with some minor patches to make them a little more likely to work on some modern machines.The emphasis of that sentence should be on the word "some." Forums and Reddit threads were flooded with players saying the game either wouldn't launch at all, crashed shortly after launch, or had debilitating graphical issues. (Patches have been happening, but there's work to be done yet.)Further, the releases lack basic features that are standard for virtually all Steam releases now, like achievements or Steam Cloud support.It took me a bit of time to get it working myself, but I got there, and my time with the game has reminded me of two things. First, The Sims is a unique experience that is worthy of its lofty legacy. Second, The Sims deserved better than this lackluster re-release.EA didnt meet its own standardLook, it's fine to re-release a game without remastering it. I'm actually glad to see the game's original assets as they always wereit's deeply nostalgic, and there's always a tinge of sadness when a remaster overwrites the work of the original artists. That's not a concern here.But if you're going to re-release a game on Steam in 2025, there are minimum expectationsespecially from a company with the resources of EA, and even more so for a game that is this important and beloved.The game needs to reliably run on modern machines, and it needs to support basic platform features like cloud saves or achievements. It's not much to ask, and it's not what we got.The Steam forums for the game are filled with people saying it's lazy that EA didn't include Steam Cloud support because implementing that is ostensibly as simple as picking a folder and checking a box.I spoke with two different professional game developers this week who have previously published games on Steam, and I brought up the issue of Steam Cloud and achievement support. As they tell it, it turns out it's not nearly as simple as those players in the forums believebut it still should have been within EA's capabilities, even with a crunched schedule.Yes, it's sometimes possible to get it working at a basic level within a couple of hours, provided you're already using the Steamworks API. But even in that circumstance, the way a game's saves work might require additional work to protect against lost data or frequent problems with conflicts.Given that the game doesn't support achievements or really anything else you'd expect, it's possible EA didn't use the Steamworks API at all. (Doing that would have been hours of additional work.) Sadly, this is not the sort of computer bug players are encountering. Credit: Samuel Axon I'm not giving EA a pass, though. Four years ago, EA put out the Command & Conquer Remastered Collection, a 4K upscale remaster of the original C&C games. The release featured a unified binary for the classic games, sprites and textures that were upscaled to higher resolutions, quality of life improvements, and yes, many of the Steam bells and whistles that include achievements. I'm not saying that the remaster was flawless, but it exhibited significantly more care and effort than The Sims re-release.I love Command & Conquer. I played a lot of it when I was younger. But even a longtime C&C fan like myself can easily acknowledge that its importance in gaming history (as well as its popularity and revenue potential) pale in comparison to The Sims.If EA could do all that for C&C, it's all the more perplexing that it didn't bother with a 25th-anniversary re-release of The Sims.Single-player games, meet publicly traded companiesWhile we don't have much insight into all the inner workings of EA, there are hints as to why this sort of thing is happening. For one thing, anyone who has worked for a giant corporation like this knows it's all too easy for the objective to be passed down from above at the last minute, leaving no time or resources to see it through adequately.But it might run deeper than that. To put it simply, publicly traded publishers like EA can't seem to satisfy investors with single-purchase, single-player games. The emphasis on single-player releases has been decreasing for a long time, and it's markedly less just five years after the release of the C&C remaster.Take the recent comments from EA CEO Andrew Wilson's post-earnings call, for example. Wilson noted that the big-budget, single-player RPG Dragon Age: The Veilguard failed to meet sales expectationseven though it was apparently one of EA's most successful single-player Steam releases ever."In order to break out beyond the core audience, games need to directly connect to the evolving demands of players who increasingly seek shared-world features and deeper engagement alongside high-quality narratives in this beloved category," he explained, suggesting that games need to be multiplayer games-as-a-service to be successful in this market.Ironically, though, the single-player RPG Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 launched around the same time he made those comments, and that game's developer said it made its money back in a single day of sales. It's currently one of the top-trending games on Twitch, too.It's possible that Baldur's Gate 3 director Swen Vincke hit the nail on the head when he suggested at the Game Developers Conference last year that a particular approach to pursuing quarterly profits runs counter to the practice of making good games."I've been fighting publishers my entire life, and I keep on seeing the same, same, same mistakes over and over and over," he said. "It's always the quarterly profits. The only thing that matters are the numbers."Later on X, he clarified who he was pointing a finger at: "This message was for those who try to double their revenue year after year. You don't have to do that. Build more slowly and make your aim improving the state of the art, not squeezing out the last drop."In light of Wilson's comments, it's a fair guess that EA might not have put in much effort on The Sims re-releases simply because of a belief that single-player games that aren't "shared world experiences" just aren't worth the resources anymore, given the company's need to satisfy shareholders with perpetual revenue growth.Despite all this, The Sims is worth a lookIt's telling that in a market with too many options, I still put the effort in to get the game working, and I spent multiple evenings this week immersed in the lives of my sims.Even after 25 years, this game is unique. It has the emergent wackiness of something like RimWorld or Dwarf Fortress, but it has a fast-acting, addictive hook and is easy to learn. There have been other games besides The Sims that are highly productive engines for original player stories, but few have achieved these heights while remaining accessible to virtually everyone.Like so many of the best games, it's hard to stop playing once you start. There's always one more task you want to completeor you're about to walk away when something hilariously unexpected happens.The problems I had getting The Sims to run aren't that much worse than what I surely experienced on my PC back in 2002it's just that the standards are a lot higher now.I've gotten $20 out of value out of the purchase, despite my gripes. But it's not just about my experience. More broadly, The Sims deserved better. It could have had a moment back in the cultural zeitgeist, with tens of thousands of Twitch viewers.Missed opportunitiesThe moment seems perfect: The world is stressful, so people want nostalgia. Cozy games are ascendant. Sandbox designs are making a comeback. The Sims slots smoothly into all of that.But go to those Twitch streams, and you'll see a lot of complaining about how the game didn't really get everything it deserved and a sentiment that whatever moment EA was hoping for was undermined by this lack of commitment.Instead, the cozy game du jour on Twitch is the Animal Crossing-like Hello Kitty Island Adventure, a former Apple Arcade exclusive that made its way to Steam recently. To be clear, I'm not knocking Hello Kitty Island Adventure; it's a great game for fans of the modern cozy genre, and I'm delighted to see an indie studio seeing so much success. The cozy game of the week is Hello Kitty Island Adventures, not The Sims. Credit: Samuel Axon The takeaway is that we can't look to big publishers like EA to follow through on delivering quality single-player experiences anymore. It's the indies that'll carry that forward.It's just a bummer for fans that The Sims couldn't have the revival moment it should have gotten.Samuel AxonSenior EditorSamuel AxonSenior Editor Samuel Axon is a senior editor at Ars Technica. He covers Apple, software development, gaming, AI, entertainment, and mixed reality. He has been writing about gaming and technology for nearly two decades at Engadget, PC World, Mashable, Vice, Polygon, Wired, and others. He previously ran a marketing and PR agency in the gaming industry, led editorial for the TV network CBS, and worked on social media marketing strategy for Samsung Mobile at the creative agency SPCSHP. He also is an independent software and game developer for iOS, Windows, and other platforms, and heis a graduate of DePaul University, where he studied interactive media and software development. 19 Comments

Artists illustration of the large-scale structure of the universeScience Photo Library/AlamyAstronomers have found the largest known structure in the universe. It is 1.4 billion light years across and contains nearly 70 galactic superclusters. It is also hundreds of thousands of times more massive than a single galaxy, such as the Milky Way.Hans Bhringer at the Max Planck Institute for Physics in Munich, Germany, and his colleagues have named this cosmic structure Quipu after an Incan counting system made from knotted rope. B