I freakin’ love bone conduction headphones, which keep my ears open so I stay alert to traffic while I’m walking, or bears while I’m kayaking, or far more frequently, fellow shoppers when I’m stomping around the grocery store. Today Shokz’ newest, most advanced design, the OpenRun Pro 2, is $60 off at Best Buy. That brings the final price down to $119.99. This blue-and-gray colorway is actually a Best Buy exclusive, but lacks any kind of branding (aside from, well, Shokz), so I don’t feel weird wearing it. I’ve been using the OpenRun Pro 2 for the better part of a year. I love the clearer mids and deeper bass than my previous, cheaper pair, and unlike some other bone conduction headphones, these recharge via USB-C so you don’t need to pack a separate cable. They’ll pair with multiple Bluetooth devices at once, just like all modern headphones. They also last a lot longer than some previous designs at 12 hours, and combined with a sleek, lightweight body and some water resistance, they’re great for workouts. I’ve dunked mine in Lake Wallenpaupack and the Delaware River (not exactly intentionally, ahem), and they’ve survived to tell me more audiobook tales. Best Buy is selling this exclusive color both on its own site and via its eBay account. I’d hop on it quickly, these headphones are popular, and this discounted blue-and-gray set might not last long. View Deal

When you’re in a hurry and shoving charging cables into your bag, you risk them getting damaged or tangled. That will never be an issue again if you grab this retractable Baseus USB-C cable that’s only $9 on Woot right now—a stunning 55% discount (was $20). Baseus made an amazing cable for anyone who hates worrying about their cables getting snagged on random crap. This one automatically winds itself up in its protective casing, so it takes up less space and avoids unwanted snags and doesn’t get tangled. This thing is only 3.3 feet long, but that’s enough for most needs. Sure, you might want a 6-footer when you’re lounging in your bed and plugged into the wall, but for any other time, this length is perfect. And with it supporting up to 100 watts of charging power, this cable can fast-charge any phone or laptop (as long as you have a power bank or wall plug that’s capable of pushing that much wattage). At $9, this retractable Baseus USB-C cable is a no-brainer impulse buy. And with this being a Woot deal, you can even score free shipping if you have Prime. But it’s only available for the next few days—or until stock runs out—so don’t wait. Order now before it expires! Buy now via Woot

TL;DR: Grab a lifetime license to Microsoft Visio 2021 Pro for just $14.97 (reg. $249.99) and unlock the easiest way to build flowcharts, org charts, and more. How do you make data look good? Well, if you have years of design experience, you throw together a quick visual. If you don’t have all that experience, you use Visio.  Microsoft Visio Professional 2021 is a user-friendly design tool that turns complex data and ideas into simple, appealing visuals, and a lifetime subscription just went on sale for $14.97 (reg. $249.99).  Whether you’re creating flowcharts, org charts, floor plans, or network diagrams, Visio’s extensive library of over 250,000 shapes and templates makes it easy to get started. You can customize your diagrams with precision, ensuring that your ideas are clearly communicated. You can even automatically generate org charts by importing data from Excel or Exchange. Plus, it’s compatible with touch-enabled devices, allowing you to annotate diagrams directly with your finger or stylus. It’s only $14.97 to get a Microsoft Visio Lifetime License, but it won’t stay that way.  Microsoft Visio 2021 Professional: Lifetime License for WindowsSee Deal StackSocial prices subject to change.

Stop the presses because we just found the Acer Swift X 14 laptop for $400 off on Amazon! This powerful gaming laptop packs some mean guts, and right now you can get it for $1,100. You won’t be balking at that price when you see what this laptop brings to the table. For starters, this thing has a 14.5-inch OLED screen with a gorgeous 2880×1800 resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate powered by an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 graphics card. You’ll get to enjoy an upper-tier portable gaming experience with vivid colors and deep blacks at high frame rates with the latest 3D games. Then there’s the speedy performance of this laptop. With an Intel Core Ultra 7 155H processor and 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM, it won’t falter when running Windows 11 with whatever apps you need. The 1TB SSD is also spacious enough for all your pics, videos, and files, while being fast enough for quick system boots, app launches, and file transfers. Snap this gaming laptop up for $1,100 on Amazon while this deal is still around because this is one you’ll have tons of fun with! Buy now at Amazon

Yesterday in an announcement blog post, AI company Anthropic unveiled Claude 4, its new generation of AI models consisting of Claude 4 Opus and Claude 4 Sonnet with a range of new abilities. Both Claude 4 models are hybrid models, which means they’re capable of giving you short-and-quick answers or thinking longer on their responses with deeper reasoning. They’re also better at following your instructions more precisely and using different tools in parallel. Anthropic Claude 4 Opus is excellent at solving complex problems and at programming. In fact, according to Anthropic, it’s the world’s best AI model for programming. The model can maintain its performance in long tasks over several hours with thousands of different steps. Meanwhile, Anthropic says Claude 4 Sonnet is a huge upgrade over Claude 3.7 Sonnet’s abilities. The newer Claude 4 Sonnet is still good at coding, but not as good as Claude 4 Opus; instead, Sonnet has a better balance between skill and practicality. Claude 4 Sonnet will be available for free, but if you want to access Claude 4 Opus, you’ll have to pay for one of Anthropic’s subscriptions.

According to The Verge, Mozilla is officially shutting down Pocket, the web bookmarking service that was once known as Read It Later. The tool was integrated into Firefox back in 2015, then acquired by Mozilla in 2017 but continued to operate as an independent subsidiary. Pocket will stop working on July 8th, 2025. If you use Pocket, you’ll be able to export your data up until October 8th, 2025. After that point, Mozilla will permanently delete all user data. In July, Mozilla will also start cancelling paid Pocket subscription and issuing prorated refunds to anyone who prepaid for an annual plan. As of this writing, the Pocket extension and app have both been removed and made unavailable, but anyone who has previously installed either will be able to redownload until the October deadline. According to Mozilla, they’re discontinuing Pocket because “the way people save and consume content on the web has evolved” and they plan to focus their efforts more fully on Firefox. “This shift allows us to shape the next era of the internet—with tools like vertical tabs, smart search and more AI-powered features on the way. We’ll continue to build a browser that works harder for you: more personal, more powerful and still proudly independent.” In addition to Pocket, Mozilla is also shuttering its Fakespot fake reviews detector, which the company acquired in 2023. The Fakespot-powered Review Checker feature in Firefox will stop working on June 10th, 2025.

Pocket’s imminent demise has been bemoaned across the industry. Now, one entrepreneur has expressed interest in keeping it alive. Kevin Rose—who founded Digg.com, became a venture capitalist, and is now trying to bring Digg back—has petitioned Mozilla to let Digg take over Pocket. Rose published a tweet on X (via TechCrunch, which is owned by Foundry but operates independently of PCWorld) that both supports Pocket and petitions Mozilla to keep it going. “We love Pocket at @digg, happy to take it over and continue to support your users for years to come!” On May 22nd, Mozilla said that it would shut down both Pocket and Fakespot. Fakespot analyzes the authenticity of user reviews. Pocket, however, was a subscription service that allowed users to save posts and online articles for later—basically a bookmark, though Mozilla pitched it as an “online discovery app.” That description dovetails nicely with what Digg was, and presumably what it could be again. In 2010, Digg released a major redesign of its site, and users rebelled for a number of reasons, including a virtual monopoly of the site by a handful of power users as well as the removal of the “downvote” button. Now, Rose has a chance to once again win the internet’s favor with Digg’s revival—and this time he’s partnering with Alexis Ohanian, co-founder of Reddit. In the tweet, Rose also tagged Peter Rojas, who founded Gizmodo, Engadget, and Joystiq. If nothing else, Rose’s tweet won the upcoming revamped Digg some free publicity, which is what the site will need to succeed.

Computex 2025 is drawing to a close today, putting a period on a fairly sleepy convention—at least, compared to previous years. But while the big hardware announcements may have left PC building enthusiasts craving more, fun components still could be found around the show. Like PC cases. I haven’t been on the show floor, but I’m still pumped for the news that I’ve been devouring while at home. I wasn’t exactly planning a makeover for my rig just yet, but I’m now awfully tempted by what’s coming down the pipeline. Especially by one case in particular. (It’s not the one all my colleagues want.) Interested in all the best hardware out of Computex? Check out our staff’s picks! InWin ChronoMancy InWin For its 40th anniversary, InWin pulled out all the stops. At Computex, the company unveiled the ChronoMancy, a jaw-dropping piece of spectacle that stands over 3 feet tall (!). This E-ATX case looks like a bit of wizardry with cyberpunk overtones—transparent blue plastic set against a sleek, dark gray aluminum body. When lit in a full build, the shimmering effect of RGB lighting makes the whole array look like a device meant to bring the dead to life. Personally, I dig how the rounded panels curve around to reveal the components inside, which stack like the spine of a mechanical beast. Also, the fact you can open this chassis with the wave of a wand. (You can also press a button, but that’s way more boring.) Sinking money into this likely super-expensive case seems like a good idea. Right? Right. Hyte X50 Air Hyte Call me a curmudgeon, but it feels like every case is a sharp-edged box these days. Don’t get me wrong—when the O11D first appeared on the scene, its clean lines provided a needed break from “gaming” cases that had aggressive ridges, fins, and slanted front panels. I never wanted the whole industry to lean so hard into that single look, though.  Thankfully, Hyte is swimming upstream with delightfully (and literally) bubbly, colorful cases. Its X50 Air has me seriously considering putting cash down to rehome my current desktop build. I adore red PC cases, and they don’t often appear in the wild. But the X50 also sports pink, lime green, and periwinkle options in addition to standard white and black, too. Heck, as hard as I fell for the red color, even the white case could be fun for a project—maybe a “skittles” build? Use the white as a base for color accents from across the rainbow (custom cables, perhaps). Just peeks of color through the mesh panels could be cute, given the rounded, curved shape of the case edges. (Rather than incongruous on a sharp box.) An X50 variant with a glass panel exists as well, but nah. I love the meshy, huggable vibe of the X50 Air. Not for you? Just think of how you could tempt the kids in your life away from their consoles. SilverStone FLP-02 Willis Lai / Foundry I have to be honest—I love to hate this case. Just as with the neon vomit everyone associates with the 1980s, I also want to leave beige cases firmly in the 1990s. Not my coworkers, though. SilverStone made a beige throwback case as a joke awhile back, and the tech media took off with spreading word of it. And now we’re here with the SilverStone FLP-02. In the year of our lord 2025, did I expect a chassis with 5.25-inch bays, a front panel with grills dead center and along its edges, and even a turbo button? And also a lock? Nope. Are we getting one? Yep. Pretty sure my boss is going to be first in line for this ATX case, which he calls a piece of junk debris memorabilia out of a time machine. But one that is fully modern inside, despite its looks. I will grudgingly admit though—you could definitely use this as a sleeper build. Shove a RTX 5090 in it and never worry about it being stolen. You know, like those fake cans of soup you were supposed to hide your money and spare keys in, as seen in ’90s commercials. Yes, I remember. Phanteks Evolv2 Matrix GearSeekers / Phanteks Who really wants gigantic LCD screens inside their PC? Me, actually, but Phanteks showed off a case at Computex that has me potentially reconsidering. Perhaps I should be aiming for something a little more practical (aka visible)–but no less cool. The Evolv X2 Matrix has a fun extra at the bottom of its chassis—a display that shows text in a pixel font. Text that can scroll, to boot, wrapping from front panel to side without a hitch. The look perfectly blends retro vibes with enough modern style to turn my head. Somehow, seeing the sample temperature bars for your CPU and GPU rendered in blocky lines is just so charming. For a closer look, hit up this video from our friends over at GearSeekers. In Nick’s own words? “Huh, that’s pretty cool, I haven’t really seen that before.” Me either, dude—it’s slick. Even more fun? It apparently comes part of a line of Matrix cases.  Also I realized plenty of room still exists for an AIO with a screen, so I’m now asking my future self: ¿Por qué no los dos? Cooler Master MasterFrame 360 Panoramic OC3D TV / Cooler Master Some people have expert-level cable management skills. (I do not.) But we can still aspire to such lofty heights—particularly when you have a good purchase to motivate you to improve. For me, that challenge buy would be the Cooler Master MasterFrame 360 Panoramic, which wraps glass around three sides of the case for a full view of the build. You can’t hide your frustrated attempts to quit cable management early with this chassis. Softening the harsh demand to git gud are the lovely curves on the front panel of the 360 Panoramic—I find the gentler aesthetic less intimidating. Sure, I don’t do custom water cooling (another solid skill to make the most of this look), but you know what? Do I really need to, when there are AIOs with gigantic screens I could feature inside? You may think seeing one fish tank style case means you’ve seen them all, but not anymore. You’ll understand when you take a closer look at the case, courtesy of OC3D TV.

As of yesterday, Microsoft has begun rolling out a new update to Windows 11 Insiders on the Dev and Canary Channels. This update brings new AI features to Notepad, Paint, and the Snipping Tool. Notepad now has the ability to write text from scratch using generative AI, which is meant to aid you by quickly producing drafts based on your prompts and instructions. To use AI text generation, simply right-click anywhere in the document and select Write. Type in your instructions, then either click Keep Text or Discard on the results. You’ll need a Microsoft account and AI credits to use Write in Notepad. Meanwhile, Paint now has a new AI-generated sticker feature as well as an AI-assisted smart selection tool for isolating and editing elements in an image, and Snipping Tool has a new AI-powered “perfect screenshot” feature for capturing your screen without the need to crop or resize afterwards. Paint’s new AI features only work on Copilot+ PCs while Snipping Tool’s features work on all computers. All of this builds on Microsoft’s strategy to bring more AI experiences to Notepad, Paint, and other Windows apps.

It feels like we’ve been waiting a long time for an official build of SteamOS to make its way beyond the Steam Deck. Today, the latest version of SteamOS officially supports the Lenovo Legion Go SteamOS Edition, the first third-party handheld gaming PC to run Steam right out of the box. It’s scheduled for a retail release later this month. “Added official support for the Lenovo Legion Go S,” reads the update notes for SteamOS 3.7.8 Stable. Among a long list of bug fixes and other adjustments, Valve also lists “Improved support for other AMD powered handhelds (like the ROG Ally and original Legion Go).” That indicates, with very little room for doubt, that fully-compatible Linux-based builds for these other devices from Asus and Lenovo are on their way. It shouldn’t be too hard. With the notable exception of the MSI Claw series, every handheld PC from a major manufacturer uses an AMD APU as its starting point… and even MSI is now on the AMD bandwagon. So building support for the smaller differences in these Ryzen-based hardware designs, while not trivial, is certainly within the power of Valve and anyone it wishes to partner with. PC gamers and reviewers have expressed their dissatisfaction with Windows in this low-powered form factor, which can be clunky at best and dreadful at worst. Not that Microsoft is ignoring the situation. It’s apparently teaming up with Asus for a new version of its Ally hardware that has Xbox branding, indicating a more dedicated, streamlined Windows gaming handheld in the future. But that “ROG Ally 2” leak did include two devices, one of which conspicuously lacked that Xbox branding. I wonder if the second variant also runs Windows? Or is it preparing for a SteamOS variant? That’s speculation on my part, to be clear. But if you’ve been hoping for a bit more variety in your gaming PC handhelds, it looks like it’s right around the corner. Unfortunately, it’s not going to solve the other big problem with non-Steam Deck handhelds: price. Originally pegged for a $500 MSRP, Best Buy is currently showing the cheapest Legion Go S SteamOS Edition (sigh) with a $599.99 price tag. Hooray for trade wars.

Welcome to The Full Nerd newsletter—your weekly dose of hardcore hardware talk from the enthusiasts at PCWorld. In it, we dig into the hottest topics from our YouTube show, plus hot tidbits seen across the web. This week, we crack open local Taiwanese beers while chatting about Computex—grab a cold one of your own (or maybe some Kuai Kuai chips?) as you join us on this fine Friday! Want this newsletter to come directly to your inbox? Sign up on our website! In this episode of The Full Nerd… In this episode of The Full Nerd, it’s all things Computex! Live from Taiwan, Adam Patrick Murray joins up with Jeff of CraftComputing, Paul of Paul’s Hardware, and Nick of GearSeekers to chat about the highs and lows of their week. With Computex 2025 being a pretty sleepy show, the guys have a more casual two-hour discussion, with more than one tangent about an enthusiast hot topic near and dear to the individual’s heart. AI and enterprise servers benefitting us consumers? Nvidia’s hijinks for RTX 5060 review timing? Worst of Computex? Best of Computex? Yep, those are all covered. And a lot more, too. Finishing out Computex strong.Willis Lai / Foundry I literally did a double-take when Paul described this Computex’s vibe as the “enterprise sector being all sexy.” What? And yet, somehow, the tech industry’s latest favorite buzzword could mean good things for consumers. As Jeff explains that AI’s effect on enterprise servers could have benefits for us at home—like if the bubble bursts and suddenly all that hardware makes it our way. Or as Adam shares from a talk with SilverStone, we could see more powerful cooling solutions get adapted over, like thick radiators. There’s a muscle build waiting to happen. Is it a resistance? Or is a reprisal? PC reviewers are upset about Nvidia’s review practices—namely, its decisions for its release of its new RTX 5060 graphics card. Sure, reviewers got samples in hand before the launch, but not a pre-release driver—and the launch happened during Computex. In other words? The inability to run numbers in a timely fashion, meaning potential buyers couldn’t make informed decisions when considering this new 50-series GPU. Should reviewers complain about not having functional free cards before launch? It’s not that simple, says Nick. He points out a review sample isn’t free, since so much work goes into running numbers and presenting the data. Readers and viewers expect to have information to guide them, and when reviewers can’t provide it, it’s problematic. Aesthetics vs performance—an age-old question, and one that bubbles up as Adam kicks off the Computex disappointments by naming the Hyte X50 & X50 Air. (He’s very wrong. The X50 in red is going to look so good on my desk.) Jeff pushes back, willing to sacrifice a few percent for the joy of looking at something he likes. More disappointing to him? Corsair Air 5400D, the company’s first triple-chamber case that has no panel on one side. And blocks the installation of additional PCI-e add-in cards. But that’s not the only thing that baffled the guys—Paul and Nick have their own nits to pick, too. (You’ll have to watch the episode for that pun’s context!) I’m fully on-board with Paul’s pick for best in show. In fact, I may have decided on my own top pick for PCWorld’s Best of Computex roundup after watching his report from G.Skill’s booth. Memory DIMMs may not sound racy, but a set in neon yellow and neon orange can make you reconsider. (I prefer the sparkly silver concept finish. Speaking of, go tell G.Skill you like it too, so it becomes a thing.) But no one can rival Adam’s enthusiasm for his top pick. In fact, he waxes so poetic about scented thermal paste that I’m slightly reconsidering my stance against it. Still don’t think I’d build with it, but okay, I guess I could at least see it in person. Not sure about that baby-diaper smelling one, though. But these topics aren’t the whole of the conversation. Strap in for chatter about AMD’s Radeon strategy, the level of consumer interest in power efficiency (it’s the U.S. vs the rest of the world), fab capacity, and more. Bummed you missed the live show? Subscribe now to The Full Nerd YouTube channel, and activate notifications. We also answer viewer questions in real-time!  And if you need more hardware talk during the rest of the week, come join our Discord community—it’s full of cool, laid-back nerds. This week’s best nerd news Some things should be left in the past. Or at least made with aluminum and a shiny clear coat.Foundry Hardware, software, we love all the cool stuff meant for nerdy brains. This week is chock full of Computex reveals—which are especially exciting because unlike CES, you can mostly count on seeing these products arrive on retail shelves. The only wrinkle? Pricing may not be certain for U.S. residents, due to ongoing fluctuations with tariffs. Get an AMD RX 9060 XT, not Nvidia’s RTX 5060 Ti? AMD claims its upcoming Radeon graphics card costs less and performs better than the Nvidia RTX 5060 and RTX 5060 Ti. If reviews agree, this $350 card will be a boon for mid-range gamers upon its June 5 release. Microsoft dropped a PC into coolant designed by AI: I have my doubts about AI’s usefulness, but this experiment at Microsoft Build was pretty dang cool. There was even a demo of Forza Motorsport played on the submersed hardware! SilverStone made a throwback beige PC case: I’m going to catch heat from the internet (and my coworkers) for this, but I hated the beige boxes of the 1990s and still do. However, this retro-style case does come with a lock. And a Turbo button. Hmm. Cooler Master’s all-metal case fan is metal as heck: Its Masterfan XT Pro can hit such a high RPM (4,000) that the product has to ship with a fin grill for safety. But only on the front. Watch your fingers. Noctua brings brown town to AIO coolers: A special kind of person loves Noctua’s signature color scheme (truly, one of our Discord server members is like this and he’s a gem). Now you’ll no longer need to choose between love for water cooling and for so much brown and tan. A split mechanical gaming keyboard for the masses!: An ergonomic keyboard that doesn’t feel gross when typing? And also a gaming keyboard? Sign me up. Y’all, this thing can be tented. (Vertical pitch makes this kind of design way more comfy.) I want Hyte’s X50 case very badly: I mentioned how much I want one in red, right? Adam’s so wrong about the bubbly edges. It’s so refreshing among a sea of sharp-edged boxy cases. AMD is dropping a 96-core Threadripper CPU: For when you crave workstation performance but not workstation prices. Ninety-six cores and 128 threads. That’s all for this week—for all my fellow U.S. residents, enjoy the long holiday weekend! -Alaina This newsletter is dedicated to the memory of Gordon Mah Ung, founder and host of The Full Nerd, and executive editor of hardware at PCWorld. Want The Full Nerd newsletter to come directly to your inbox every Friday morning? Sign up on our website!

The Belkin division responsible for developing the excellent Phyn Plus smart water shut-off valve has been acquired by an investor group led by contractor and TV personality Jonathan Scott (HGTV’s Property Brothers). The announcement is the latest sign that Belkin, which brought the Phyn Plus to market back in 2018, is rapidly losing interest in developing new smart home products following its own acquisition by Foxconn. Belkin has already discontinued many of its Wemo-brand smart home products, and it “paused” its efforts to develop Matter-compatible products in early 2023. We’ve praised both the first- and second-generation Phyn Plus devices for their ability to not only warn homeowners of leaky or burst pipes, but to automatically take action to shut off a home’s main water supply to prevent the catastrophic damage that can result. In an exclusive telephone interview with Scott and Phyn CEO Ryan Kim late last week, Scott described himself as a “technology nut” and expressed his admiration for the Phyn Plus, which he said he’d previously installed in his own home as well as in a guest house and in his parents’ home. Celebrity contractor and TV personality Jonathan Scott is leading a group of investors buying Phyn from Foxconn’s Belkin.Scott Brothers Global “One of the benefits of being on the air for as long as we have is that when something feels ‘off’ to me, I have to dig in. My brother [Drew Scott] once spent $3,000 to put in a water leak-detection system in his own home, but if it detected a leak and shut off your water, you had to be there to turn it back on. There was nothing like Phyn at the time.” Asked why more consumers haven’t already installed products like the Phyn Plus, Scott replied “Sometimes you can tell people all the benefits in the world that a product has to offer, but they still don’t see the value.” Scott continued: “People hate to spend money on what they don’t see, but eliminating the risk of a flood [caused by a pinhole leak or a burst pipe] is so worth it. [My family has] already recouped 10 times the value of the Phyn devices we’ve installed just based on the kids leaving the tap on or a toilet handle getting stuck. The Phyn Plus is one of the greatest kept secrets that no one knows about.” The Phyn Plus leak detection and smart water shut-off valve also tracks household water consumption patterns.Michael Brown/Foundry Phyn CEO Ryan Kim said the acquisition “will unlock not only massive awareness in the consumer space but also increased adoption by the insurance industry.” Given the average cost of a water damage claim stemming from a leaking or burst pipe is around $12,500, many insurance companies already offer policy discounts to homeowners who install water leak detections systems with smart shut-off valves, such as the Phyn Plus and Moen Flo. Scott believes the insurance industry will eventually move beyond just offering homeowners incentives to install such products. “I think in a matter of years,” he said, “all insurance companies will require this type of leak detection and smart water shut-off [as a condition of coverage].” Phyn has revenue streams beyond selling its hardware, according to Kim. “Phyn is not just a hardware company.” he said “It’s also a data company. There’s value in the data we’ve collected from the 2.5 billion [water-related] events we’ve collected. The data is anonymized—we don’t track individual homes—but we can see trends on a regional basis, which can help insurance companies and utilities understand trends to offer better services. It’s exciting for me that this powerhouse group came together.” In addition to Scott, the investor group acquiring Phyn includes Intuit founder and Quicken developer Tom Proulx, who will serve as an advisor and board member; Silicon Valley venture capitalist and Microsoft board member David F. Marquardt; and Allen Sands, founder of Icon Builders, a construction company focused on renovating affordable housing. A source has told us the deal is worth “up to $24.9 million U.S. dollars.”

TL;DR: Permanently erase files and folders with military-grade security using the Data Shredder Stick—just $29.99 with free shipping. Some not-so-known info is that hitting “delete” doesn’t actually delete anything. Sure, your files look gone, but your hard drive’s just politely pretending. If you’re getting ready to sell an old laptop, recycle an external drive, or simply want to wipe that folder named “Taxes 2013 FINAL v3,” you’re going to want something more permanent. That’s where the Data Shredder Stick can help. This unassuming USB stick is your new digital enforcer—plug it in, and it’s ready to go full scorched-earth on your data. Simply drag and drop files into the app, and the stick’s military-grade algorithms overwrite them so completely they’re gone for good. We’re talking zero chance of recovery. Need to wipe an entire hard drive before handing it off to a new owner? The Data Shredder Stick makes it easy. Select the drive, press shred, and boom, no digital breadcrumbs left behind. Whether it’s a few old photos or an entire corporate server, this tool gets the job done. It works on as many computers and drives as you want. No subscriptions, no limits. Just plug, shred, and peace out. Get this Data Shredder Stick while it’s just $29.99 (reg. $39.99) with free shipping. Data Shredder Stick Secure Data Wiping Tool for WindowsSee Deal StackSocial prices subject to change.

Gigabyte’s Aero line of laptops is intended for media pros, those who need production power in a relatively portable package. Or at least they were intended for that. The new Aero X16 model that debuted at Computex 2025 hopes to thread the needle between creators and gamers, both of whom need extra oomph in their laptops. This new design goes with a popular AMD CPU plus Nvidia GPU combo, topping out with a Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 and a GeForce RTX 5070 with 85 watts of TGP, and it can be disabled with a MUX switch if you need more battery life than sheer pixel-pushing power. All of that hardware is shoved into a 16-inch chassis that’s under 17mm thick and 4.2 pounds light, an impressively sleek design. There’s a plethora of ports, though only one is USB-C (4.0). You get three USB-A ports, full-sized HDMI and Thunderbolt, and an old-fashioned barrel charger if you need to recharge faster than USB allows. The juicy bits for me are under the hood, where you have two M.2 slots for storage, two user-accessible SO-DIMMs for RAM, and a 76.1-watt-hour battery. But it’s not all good news. PCWorld’s Adam saw it in person and wasn’t impressed with the 2560×1600 IPS screen with 165Hz of refresh. That’s pretty good in gamer terms, but creators might not be satisfied. Adam says that even with a Pantone verification and 100 percent of SRGB coverage, it’s lacking full Adobe RGB color space. It’s an upgrade option Adam would like to see in the future. Gigabyte is also refreshing its A16 and A16 Pro gaming laptops. The A16 is making do with older CPUs from AMD and Intel and an RTX 5070 card with a max TGP of 80 watts. Step up to the Pro version and you get access to a newer Intel Core 7 250H and an RTX 5080 screaming at 115 watts. The Aero X16 is launching in June or July while the A16 should arrive in October. The beefier A16 Pro will be here in August. We have no idea what they’ll cost… which might as well be the official slogan of Computex 2025. For more on the latest laptops, be sure to subscribe to PCWorld on YouTube. Check out our weekly podcast The Full Nerd while you’re at it.

Over the years, Netflix has made their streaming apps available across a wide range of devices, including PCs, tablets, smartphones, smart TVs, and many more. Lots of users also use Amazon’s Fire TV devices to watch movies and TV shows on the popular streaming service. However, an important change is coming soon for those latter users: Starting June 3, 2025, you’ll no longer be able to use Netflix on first-generation Fire TV devices. This includes the Fire TV, the Fire TV Stick, and the Fire TV Stick with Alexa voice remote control. Netflix reportedly informed affected customers by email. These older Fire TV models first launched on the market back in 2014 and technically haven’t been supported by Amazon for a long time, with zero software or security updates in the past few years. Plus, with those devices having weaker hardware and lesser performance, most affected users will likely have switched to newer models by now. Nevertheless, if you’re still using a first-generation Fire TV device, you won’t be able to stream Netflix on it starting in June. It’s not exactly clear why Netflix is ending support for old Fire TV devices, but it could have something to do with Netflix using newer standards—such as the AV1 codec—to stream with better picture quality, particularly for customers who are on the Premium plan. If you still own a first-generation Fire TV device, you can’t retrofit it to support modern video codecs. You’ll want to upgrade to one of the newer Fire TV models with 4K resolution support—like the Fire TV Stick 4K or the Fire TV Stick 4K Max—and you might even be able to get a discount on it by trading in your outdated model.

Google issued 100 announcements during its Google I/O developers conference this week, none of which involved the smart home. That apparent lack of enthusiasm for a topic close to our heart didn’t dissuade TV and smart-appliance manufacturer Hisense from announcing plans to integrate new Google Home APIs into its own ConnectLife app, so that third-party smart home devices can be folded into that ecosystem. Hisense first announced that it would open its ConnectLife app to third-party products in December, 2024. Today, it announced it will incorporate the latest Google Home APIs into the app by the fall of 2025, Hisense says this will enable users to onboard a wide range of third-party smart home devices—including Matter and Works With Google Home-certified products—to create a more integrated smart home experience. Hisense cited two examples of how this would benefit ConnectLife users: “One-touch modes and customized automations can blend Hisense products with third-party devices to create intelligent home responses, such as air conditioners automatically adjusting based on third-party air quality sensors, or smart lights providing visual notifications when the Hisense refrigerator’s VersaTemp drawer reaches the ideal temperature for chilling drinks.” “At Hisense, we are committed to simplifying smart living for everyone,” said Hisense Director of Smart Home Experiences, Hisense Americas Region Miguel Becerra. “This integration enhances ConnectLife to create seamless experiences that make everyday life more convenient and enjoyable for our consumers.” Further reading: Smart home got the cold shoulder at Google’s I/O keynote The new version of the Hisense ConnectLife app is expected to be available this fall for both the Android and iOS platforms. As for the new Google Home APIs, they were quietly announced on May 15, ahead of Google I/O, and aren’t included in the “100 things we announced at I/O” list that was published on May 21, after the conference wrapped up.

For years, the URL bar in your browser has done double duty: you can enter a web address, sure, but you can also use it to enter search requests. Now Norton has a new “free” browser, Neo, which adds a third function: AI prompting. Norton—most famous for its antimalware solutions like Norton 360 Deluxe—is entering the browser market with Norton Neo, an AI-first browser that you can sign up for and join the waitlist. Norton already ships a browser, the Norton Private Browser, which is similar but lacks AI. Neo replaces the search/URL bar with what it calls the “magic box,” where you can “search, generate, and take action,” according to Norton. It’s not immediately clear whose AI solution you’ll be able to use or whether it will run in the cloud or locally on your PC. When you do search, however, Norton promises that you’ll be able to “peek” at a search result to get an AI-powered summary—and yes, it appears to be a list of links, rather than Norton’s own take on Google’s AI Mode. The Magic Bar will also enable you to perform AI-powered writing tasks, such as drafting an email, directly from it. There’s another tweak that Norton is making, although I can’t tell how it’s going to work out: tables browsing. “No more tab chaos—Neo organizes everything, so you don’t have to,” Norton promises. Rather than remove tabs entirely from the AI, Neo will just use AI to auto-group them, according to a related FAQ. Opera One’s Tabs Islands already does this, as does Microsoft Edge, using the “Tab groups” feature. And yes, there’s an integrated ad blocker, which more and more browsers are integrating natively. Norton says that it will not sell your browsing data, leaving room to use “minimal, anonymized data” itself; it also will block “intrusive ads” and trackers by default. Norton does explicitly say that it will not use your data to train AI. Norton doesn’t explicitly say that it’s built on Chromium, the open-source underpinnings of Chrome and Edge, though you can use Chrome plugins, Norton says. Most browsers are free, though Norton waffles a bit in this regard as well. “Yes, Neo is free to download and use with an invitation code for Alpha testing,” Norton says. “We may introduce optional premium features later, but the core experience will always remain accessible.” Although most users still use either Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge, there’s a small collection of third-party browsers, including Brave, Opera, Vivaldi, and more, that promise to do more than the mainstream browsers do. Soon, you can add Neo to the list.

PC gaming is getting crazy expensive, at least if you want the latest and greatest hardware. So why not take local hardware out of the equation? I’ve been bullish on cloud game streaming alternatives like Xbox Game Pass and Nvidia GeForce Now as ways to play the newest high-end games at a discount. Today, Nvidia is offering its streaming service with a big discount for a six-month membership. Specifically, Nvidia is offering the “Performance” tier (ad-free 1440p game streaming with a ray tracing-capable RTX card) for $30 for six months. Thirty bucks for the whole six months, working out to effectively $5 a month. That’s a 40 percent discount. Not bad at all. The free tier is still, well, free, with 1080p streams, 1-hour time limits, and lots of queueing. The “Ultimate” tier, with 4K streams at up to 240Hz, still costs a hefty $100 for six months. That’s after some recent price hikes. I think it’s a good move. Thirty bucks is less than half the price of a new game, and it offers access to better graphics at 1440p than my aging RTX 3070 can put out. It’s especially good if you already have a huge collection of Steam games—or perhaps dozens of Epic Game Store freebies you still haven’t touched—and you’d like to make a dent in your backlog. GeForce Now doesn’t work with every single PC game, but it hits enough of both the popular classics and the newcomers (like this week’s Blades of Fire and Onimusha 2) that it’s a great option. I also like GeForce Now for travelling. It was a surreal Christmas experience to load it up on my phone, connect a USB monitor, and play Fortnite and Baldur’s Gate III with a mouse and keyboard from my grandmother’s dining room table. Nvidia says the Summer Sale deal is available for a “limited time,” but exactly when it expires isn’t spelled out. If you’re interested, best grab a subscription while you can.

Sonos is one of the better audio brands out there, but we rarely see significant deals on their products. That’s why today is a special day. Right now, the Sonos Roam 2 portable Bluetooth speaker just got its largest discount to date, bringing it down to $134 (25% off). This kind of discount is notable for just about any Bluetooth speaker, but particularly noteworthy for Sonos speakers. The Roam 2 is gorgeous with its sleek design and elegant build, while being compact and lightweight so it can join you outdoors with ease. It’s perfect whether you’re spending a day by the pool, at the beach, or in your backyard. It’s not just durable, but also comes with an IP67 waterproof and dustproof rating so it can survive your adventures in inclement weather. When we reviewed the original Sonos Roam, we gave it a 4.5-star rating and loved how small and lightweight it was along with the awesome features it brought to the table. The fact that it worked with Alexa was the cherry on top, allowing it to be used as a smart speaker. The newer Roam 2 has the same audio quality but better design and battery life, with a single charge able to keep the party going for up to 10 hours—a decent amount of time considering the speaker’s tiny size. With this being the best price we’ve ever seen for the Sonos Roam 2, there’s never been a better time to get one. Snag it now on Amazon for just $134 to level up your parties and adventures! Or check out some of our other favorite smart speakers for smart homes. Buy now at Amazon

Security researchers from Domain Tools warn that there are hundreds of Chrome extensions stealing data and running malware on the sly, reports BleepingComputer. Many of the malicious extensions are riding the coattails of well-known brands such as Fortinet, YouTube, Deepseek AI, and Calendly, increasing the risk of users installing them and getting into trouble. Google has reportedly removed most of the targeted extensions from the Chrome Web Store, but some still remain at the time of writing. We saw something similar happen last month when a cybersecurity researcher at Secure Annex found numerous malicious Chrome extensions being spread via ads and scam sites. It’s yet another example of why you need to vet your browser extensions carefully. To be on the safe side, you should always check out all available reviews before downloading any extensions to your browser, and always double-check that you’re downloading the official one. If you think you’ve been hit, see our article on how to remove malicious Chrome extensions.

Samsung wants you to have a lot of fun this weekend. Memorial Day means lots and lots of sales—but here’s one that you won’t forget any time soon. Right now, Samsung has slashed hundreds off its 49-inch Odyssey G9 monitors and you’ll get an extra 27-inch Odyssey G5 for free if you buy one. That’s an incredible deal, if you ask me. The Samsung Odyssey OLED G95SD is one of those massive ultrawide 49-inchers, complete with a 5120×1440 resolution, 240Hz refresh rate, and 0.03ms response time. The OLED panel elevates it to next-level greatness for ultra-vivid colors and deep blacks. Normally available for $2,199.98, right now you can get it for $1,899.99 (14% off). If that one’s too expensive but you still want an enormous 49-inch OLED ultrawide with 5120×1440 resolution, then jump on the Samsung Odyssey OLED G91SD. This one has a slower-but-still-fast 144Hz refresh rate, and it has the same 0.03ms response time. It’s normally available for $1,599.98, but you can get it now for $1,299.99 (19% off). And then there’s the Samsung Odyssey G95C, another huge 49-inch curved ultrawide monitor with that same luxurious 5120×1440 resolution along with a 240Hz refresh rate and 1ms response time. This one’s notably cheaper because it doesn’t have an OLED panel. Normally available for $1,599.98, right now you can get this super-large display with a gigantic discount for just $799.99 (50% off). Buy any of the above on-sale 49-inch Odyssey G9 gaming monitors and Samsung will throw in a 27-inch Odyssey G55C for free. This one has a more standard size but an excellent resolution of 2560×1440, a refresh rate of 165Hz, and a response time of 1ms. It’s a $299.99 value, which is pretty insane to give away in BOGO style like this. If you’ve been looking to upgrade your home PC setup, this is an incredible opportunity. With an ultrawide 49-incher and a 27-inch supplementary display, you’ll have the battlestation of your dreams for a crazy price. Don’t miss this chance! Buy now from Samsung Buy now from Samsung Buy now from Samsung

1. The right kind of back support You will hear the term “adjustable lumbar support” used a lot with gaming chairs, but what does that actually mean? To decode the term, it means ideally you want a chair that has a lot of mid-to-lower support in the back rest. The back rest should also be adjustable (both vertically and horizontally) to support the curve and depth of your spine, rather than being just a generic fit. Proper lumbar support is important because it prevents the ligaments in your spine from lengthening and causing a condition known as creep, which can lead to bad back pain. Back rests can be mesh, or upholstered. I recommend the upholstered kind, which is far more comfortable for long gaming stints. Also consider the kind of stability the frame will give you. Aluminum frames are preferable to plastic ones that can sometimes wobble and lead to fatigue as your body is forced to find its center. Chairs also come with different weight-bearing capacities (typically between 264 lbs. and 397 lbs.), and their heights differ too, so be sure to find one that supports your weight and is tall enough so that you can rest your head easily on the headrest. Your gaming chair should be tall enough that you can easily fit your head on the headrest. Razer 2. Padding that feels comfortable Gaming chairs come with different kinds of padding. You’ll find chairs with soft, cushiony padding and others with firmer cold-cure foam. You can also find gaming chairs that combine support and soft padding to offer the best of both worlds, like the Secretlab Titan Evo NanoGen Edition. The experts will tell you that the firmer kind is better for your posture because it offers more support, but my advice is to go with one that has both; you want a cold-cure foam that’s supportive but you want it to still be soft enough that it won’t cause body aches if you’ve been in it a while. As a general rule, a gaming chair with a padding density of between 50 kg/m³ and 70 kg/m³ will provide a mix of support and comfort. If you can’t find this information in the product specifications, be sure to contact the company and ask for it. 3. Covering materials: What do you need? Another thing to consider is the type of material in the chair, how it feels and how breathable it is. Mesh fabric is the most breathable and effective at keeping you from getting too hot and sweaty, but it can be a little scratchy on your skin at times. If you live in a warmer climate, however — say, Florida or Arizona — cool mesh could be a real asset on hot days. Leather or leatherette covering material is less breathable and can cause heat buildup and excess sweat, but inversely it feels very luxurious. It can also be warm and cozy when the temperature drops — so if you know your house is always cold, it should provide a nice boost to your comfort levels. The CoolerMaster Caliber X2 is a good example of a gaming chair with material that can stave off overheating. It has a dense foam body but breathable PU leather material on top. Some gaming chairs go a step further actively cooling players via their inbuilt fans. The Thermaltake’s X Comfort Air is just such a chair to consider if you think even a cool mesh or breathable PU leather won’t be enough for you. Thermaltake’s X Comfort Air gaming chair.  Thermaltake Some chairs come with extra features like RGB lighting, speakers, Bluetooth functionality, and control panels that provide a little extra functionality. You can expect to pay a premium price for these features. When choosing a gaming chair with speakers you should read reviews that say the speakers have a high-fidelity audio with good-quality sound through the mids, bass, and treble tones. A minimum of 5.1 channels in the speakers will give you a surround sound experience that will be really immersive in your gaming. Bluetooth functionality is a great addition that allows you to hook up other devices to your chair’s speakers, like your phone, or your TV’s stereo system – so that you can listen to music or watch a movie. You just want to make sure Bluetooth connects easily to other devices. When looking for RGB be sure to choose a chair with accents in the positions you want them. They can be just about anywhere – in the headrest, armrests, and even the wheels. Programmability is also critical if you intend on syncing your gaming chair’s RGB with your other RGB gear. 5. Ergonomically sculpted seat The way the chair’s seat is sculpted can be important in determining how comfortable you will ultimately find it. Two features I look for in a seat are contoured side wings and gently sloping edges – like you’ll find in the Razer Iskur V2 X. The former guides your body to the middle of the seat so that it encounters a larger contact area, which in turn provides a lower, more uniform pressure distribution. That prevents pressure from building up in any one point and causing soreness. Sloping edges, on the other hand, allow you to assume different postures and still feel the kind of comfort you’d expect from a very expensive chair. Razer 6. A decent degree of recline After tense rounds of Counterstrike: Go, I’ll often just lay back in my chair and relax before I need to refocus again. For this, I need a gaming chair that has a decent reline that will easily hold my weight and that won’t go all jerky when I need to come back up to vertical. Gaming chairs have either partial or full reclines. For me, I like a full recline, so an angle of between 160 to 165 degrees, which allows me to get almost horizontal with my legs well off the ground but still feel in control. If the chair has a headrest, all the better for my comfort too. I hope that gives you a few pointers about selecting the right kind of gaming chair. There’s still a lot more to know, so be sure to read a few reviews before you buy.

TL;DR: You can get a Microsoft Office lifetime license on sale for $25 through June 1 (reg. $229). Why are you paying a subscription for Microsoft 365 if you only use Word and Excel? The subscription-based apps may be fancy, but if you aren’t taking full advantage of them, you’re basically paying $10 a month for, well, nothing. You should grab the lifetime version of Microsoft Office instead. This way, you can pay $25 only once instead of $10 every month. While there are a few differences, the most important part is that you’ll get your favorite apps, like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, Publisher, and Access, for life. While Microsoft 365 gives you cloud storage and mobile app access, are you really using those features? We’ve found that only advanced users do, and everyone else is overpaying. And, if you want to work offline, you’re probably running into issues. This version gives you easy offline access, even if you can only access them from your PC. Download Microsoft Office for Windows while it’s on sale for $25 (reg. $229). No coupon needed, but this sale ends on June 1 at 11:59 p.m. PT. Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2019 for WindowsSee Deal StackSocial prices subject to change.

At a glanceExpert's Rating Pros Sharp 2K video with color night vision Built-in solar panel with battery backup Local storage, with a cloud-storage option Cons No support for Alexa or Apple HomeKit App feels unfinished and lacks polish Solar charging may struggle in low-light locations Our Verdict A solid pick for basic home security with no monthly fees—just be prepared for a stripped-down app experience and limited smart home compatibility. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Outdoor security cameras used to be a hassle, with wires to run, batteries to swap, recordings to pay for, and more. The Night Owl Solar-Powered Battery Camera ($99.99) is part of a growing wave of products that promise to simplify all that. This camera is fully wireless, powered by the sun, and it doesn’t lock you into paying for a subscription to store recordings in the cloud. That makes it appealing to anyone who wants to boost their home security without taking on another bill or a weekend-long installation project. Design and features The Night Owl Solar-Powered Battery Camera has the clean, utilitarian look you’d expect from a modern outdoor security cam. It’s a compact white unit with an integrated solar panel on top and a ball-and-socket mount that lets you aim it where you need. The plastic housing feels solid enough to handle the elements, though it doesn’t have the heft of more premium models. Night Owl didn’t provide an IP code to rate its protection from the elements, but like most cameras in this price range, it’s best installed under an eave or overhang for protection. You can link the camera to your home Wi-Fi network, or you can establish a point-to-point wireless connection to a Night Owl hub, which comes with a 64GB microSD card and the option to host a hard drive. The camera records in 2K resolution (2560 x 1440 pixels), which gives you a sharp image with enough detail to make out faces and license plates, assuming decent lighting and a clear line of sight. It’s a step up from the 1080p footage you get with many entry-level cameras. The solar panel is the main draw here. It keeps the internal batteries topped off with regular sun exposure, cutting down on the need to dismount the camera for recharging manually if it’s frequently in the shade or after long runs of cloudy days. The camera has two spotlights to brighten up the scene after dark or in shady areas.Night Owl Like most smart cams, this one includes two-way audio, so you can talk to delivery people or warn someone of your property. There’s also a built-in siren you can trigger from the app to scare off intruders. The camera uses motion detection to alert you to activity, and it can distinguish between people and vehicles. That helps cut down on false alarms from wind-blown branches or passing pets. It also has color night vision, using its spotlight to brighten up the scene after dark. When there’s not enough light, it falls back to black-and-white infrared. There are two connectivity options: You can link the camera to your home Wi-Fi network, or you can establish a point-to-point wireless connection to a Night Owl hub, which comes with a 64GB microSD card and has the option to host a hard drive for additional storage. The second option adds a layer of security by keeping your footage off the public internet, and that might be appealing for folks already invested in the Night Owl ecosystem. Two rechargeable batteries fit into a compartment on the underside of the camera, accessed by removing a small panel. Michael Ansaldo/Foundry Storage options are equally flexible. You can save footage locally to a microSD card on the camera itself, to that Night Owl hub, or you can opt into a cloud-storage plan. Night Owl offers two tiers: $3.99/month for 15GB of 30-day storage on individual devices, or $9.99/month for 50GB of 30-day storage when using a Security Hub. The fact that cloud storage is optional—not required—is a plus, especially for users who prefer to keep costs down or avoid uploading footage to the internet. Everything runs through the Night Owl Protect app, which gives you a live view, event history, and control over motion settings and notifications. It’s available for iOS and Android, and while it’s not as polished as some competitors, it covers the basics well enough. Setup and performance Installing the Night Owl Solar-Powered Battery Camera is fairly straightforward. The camera comes with mounting hardware and a ball-joint bracket that lets you adjust the angle once it’s in place. The biggest decision is placement. You’ll want a spot with decent sunlight to keep the solar panel doing its thing, and within range of your Wi-Fi network or Night Owl hub. Setup is done through the Night Owl Protect app and takes just a few minutes. The Night Owl Protect app provide the live view, event history, and control over motion settings and notifications. Michael Ansaldo/Foundry The camera comes with a pair of rechargeable lithium ion 18650 batteries and a USB-C charging cable. To install them, you’ll need to unscrew a small panel on the bottom of the camera. Once the batteries are in place, they’ll be kept charged by the solar panel, but you can also recharge them manually using the included cable. The charging port is tucked behind a rubber tab next to the microSD card slot. The cable is about 5 feet long, so if you don’t have and outdoor plug within its reach, you’ll need to take the camera down recharge it. Should the batteries ever fail you recharge, you can buy a replacement set for $24.99. The app gets the job done, but it could use some polish. Navigation isn’t as intuitive as it is with apps from bigger brands like Ring or Arlo, and the interface feels a bit dated. That said, once you learn your way around, it’s functional. You can view live video, review recorded clips, tweak motion sensitivity, and speak through the camera—all the basics are covered. Motion alerts come through quickly, and the camera generally does a good job recognizing people and vehicles while ignoring other types of movement. During testing, notifications arrived within a few seconds of motion being detected, with few false alarms. Audio quality is excellent. Voices come through clearly, and there’s a canned warning you can trigger—“Smile, you’re being recorded”—if you’d rather not interact with an interloper directly. The camera can be manually recharged via the included USB-C cable; the charging port sits beside the microSD slot under a rubber tab. Michael Ansaldo/Foundry Video quality is solid for a 2K camera in this price range. Daytime footage is clear and crisp, with accurate color. Nighttime performance depends on ambient lighting. With the spotlight on, you’ll get decent color detail; without it, infrared kicks in and delivers a usable black-and-white image. Battery life depends heavily on placement. In full sun, the solar panel does a good job maintaining the charge, even with a few motion events per day. In shaded areas or during cloudy weeks, the battery might drain faster than it charges, requiring occasional manual recharging. It’s not a set-it-and-forget-it experience in all cases, but it comes close with the right placement. The camera integrates well with the Night Owl ecosystem and also supports Google Home, so you can view footage on compatible smart displays. However, it doesn’t work with Alexa or Apple HomeKit, and broader smart home automation is limited. Should you buy the Night Owl Solar-Powered Battery Camera? If you’re looking for a simple, self-contained security solution that doesn’t nickel-and-dime you with monthly fees, the Night Owl Solar-Powered Battery Camera makes a strong case. It’s especially well-suited for budget-conscious users who want decent video quality, reliable motion alerts, and basic smart features without getting tangled in cords or locked into a subscription. This review is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best home security cameras. That said, it’s not for everyone. If you live in a region with limited sunlight or need full integration with smart home platforms like Alexa or Apple Home, you’ll hit some walls. And the app, while functional, feels a step behind more polished platforms from bigger brands. Still, for what it is—a no-subscription-required, solar-powered security cam that plays nicely with Night Owl’s wired storage systems—it delivers solid value. If that’s what you’re after, this camera’s worth a look.

I freakin’ love bone conduction headphones, which keep my ears open so I stay alert to traffic while I’m walking, or bears while I’m kayaking, or far more frequently, fellow shoppers when I’m stomping around the grocery store. Today Shokz’ newest, most advanced design, the OpenRun Pro 2, is $60 off at Best Buy. That brings the final price down to $119.99. This blue-and-gray colorway is actually a Best Buy exclusive, but lacks any kind of branding (aside from, well, Shokz), so I don’t feel weird wearing it. I’ve been using the OpenRun Pro 2 for the better part of a year. I love the clearer mids and deeper bass than my previous, cheaper pair, and unlike some other bone conduction headphones, these recharge via USB-C so you don’t need to pack a separate cable. They’ll pair with multiple Bluetooth devices at once, just like all modern headphones. They also last a lot longer than some previous designs at 12 hours, and combined with a sleek, lightweight body and some water resistance, they’re great for workouts. I’ve dunked mine in Lake Wallenpaupack and the Delaware River (not exactly intentionally, ahem), and they’ve survived to tell me more audiobook tales. Best Buy is selling this exclusive color both on its own site and via its eBay account. I’d hop on it quickly, these headphones are popular, and this discounted blue-and-gray set might not last long. View Deal

Torrenting, or P2P (peer-to-peer) file sharing, is a convenient way to download large files quickly. But it isn’t without its risks. Not only is there the risk of accidentally downloading a malicious file or malware, but there’s a privacy risk as well — your ISP can see all your online activity and they usually don’t take too kindly to torrenting. That’s why it’s imperative that you use a VPN while doing any torrenting or P2P file sharing. A VPN can keep your connection private and encrypt your data so that unwanted prying eyes — cybercriminals, overbearing ISPs, or nosy government watchdogs — can’t monitor your online activity. If you’re interested in using a VPN for something other than just torrenting you can check out my list of best VPNs for even more great options. NordVPN – Best VPN for torrenting overall Pros Tons of privacy and security features Outstanding speeds Included antivirus and password manager Cons Expensive Price When Reviewed: Dès 3,49 €/mois Best Prices Today: Retailer Price NordVPN €3.49 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Who should use NordVPN? NordVPN is the perfect VPN for torrenting due to its fantastic security features, multi-hop connections, and independently verified no-logs policy. Plus, it comes with a built-in ad- and tracker-blocker as well as malware protection and a link checker — you know, for any of those dubious Linux torrenting sites you might run into. NordVPN also proved to be the fastest VPN on the market in my testing, so those large P2P files should download in no-time. It truly has everything you could want to make your torrenting faster, easier, and most importantly, safer. Even power users will find plenty of customizable options to get the most out of their experience. NordVPN: Further considerations NordVPN comes with broad device support and Windows and Android apps are easy to use. It also comes with handy features such as access to the TOR network over VPN, multi-hop connections, Meshnet file sharing network, and Nord’s latest password manager and link-checker safety tool. Additionally, NordVPN offers an extensive server network with locations all over the world. A monthly subscription might be a bit expensive, but if you opt for longer-term plans the price becomes a lot cheaper. Read our full NordVPN pour Mac review ExpressVPN – Best VPN for torrenting runner-up Pros Excellent speeds Well-designed interface Great security and privacy practices Cons More expensive than other VPNs Light on extra security features Price When Reviewed: Dès 7,94 €/mois Best Prices Today: Retailer Price ExpressVPN €7.94 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Who should use ExpressVPN? ExpressVPN is a true all-arounder and a great option for everyone. I give it the runner-up spot here as NordVPN comes with a few more security features than ExpressVPN — when it comes to torrenting, the more security the better. However, ExpressVPN is still an excellent VPN choice for torrenting as it makes all of the right privacy promises and its speeds are very good. Also, ExpressVPN is officially based in the British Virgin Islands, meaning it isn’t subject to any domestic or international data sharing requirements. You can feel confident your ISP or other interested parties won’t uncover your P2P activity. ExpressVPN: Further considerations ExpressVPN also has a lot of other great qualities that make it worth your while, such as wide device support, smart DNS, and reliable unblocking capabilities. The service has even begun branching out to adopt a more holistic approach to security, adding ad- and tracker-blocking and, most recently, a password manager to the service, as well. It’s not the cheapest VPN out there, but you do get excellent value for your money, and the service is regularly bringing in third-party auditors to validate its privacy credentials. Read our full ExpressVPN review Proton VPN – Best free VPN for torrenting Pros Unrivaled free plan Great privacy tools Reliable and transparent no-logs policy Cons Premium plan is expensive Some minor unblocking issues Best Prices Today: Retailer Price Proton VPN $9.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Who should use Proton VPN? Simply put, anyone who wants to torrent should use a VPN and anyone who doesn’t want to pay for a VPN should use ProtonVPN. It’s free and has no data limits. I call that a win-win. At no cost, you’ll get a one-device connection with no data or time limits. I repeat, no data or time limits. That’s absolutely unheard of from a major VPN provider and it means you can safely torrent to your heart’s content without worrying about your file sizes. Sure, the free version of ProtonVPN comes with access to only five servers, but when you’re torrenting, the server location shouldn’t matter anyways. Proton VPN: Further considerations ProtonVPN also has some of the fastest speeds around, both upstream and down, which is helpful when you want to spread the Open Office love as quickly as possible. The Swiss-based service has excellent privacy promises, and it has a bunch of servers in a friggin’ bunker too — looking at you, torrenting preppers. The monthly price for the premium version does come in at the expensive side though, so I would recommend trying out the free version first before you upgrade. Read our full ProtonVPN review Mullvad – Best for privacy Pros Good speeds Inexpensive monthly plan Unrivaled anonymity Cons Struggles with unblocking streaming services Smaller server network Lacks some extra features Who should use Mullvad? Mullvad is ultimately for the privacy-conscious user. Those who really demand ultimate anonymity when torrenting, or just using a VPN in general, will find that Mullvad takes active measures to ensure they never know who you are — meaning no other observer will know who you are either. All Mullvad servers are also capable of P2P transfers so you can just pick your favorite server and start torrenting. The Sweden-based company appreciates your business, but it’s not interested in finding out who you are. It goes well beyond the standards of most other VPN companies when it comes to protecting your anonymity. Instead of using an email and password combo, Mullvad randomly generates an account number that functions as your username and password. And you can even decide to mail in cash as a subscription payment if you don’t want your credit card on file. Mullvad: Further considerations While Mullvad focuses on privacy, it’s no slouch in other departments. It ranks in the top 10 for speeds, and comes with a convenient split-tunneling feature too. Plus, the service has a very inexpensive monthly subscription fee so it can be a great budget option as well. Read our full Mullvad review Private Internet Access – Best for customization Pros Multiple independently verified no-log audits Unlimited simultaneous device connections Vast server network Cons App is a little clunky Speeds are fairly pedestrian Best Prices Today: Retailer Price Private Internet Access $11.95 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Who should use Private Internet Access? PIA is best suited for those who like to tinker with their software. It provides so many customizable features that it can come across as a bit overwhelming to the uninitiated and those just looking for a set-it and forget-it option. But power users will find a plethora of tweakable options and settings to keep them happy through all of their torrenting endeavors. All servers are capable of P2P file transfers, and features like port forwarding mean your torrenting will be faster and more reliable. Private Internet Access: Further considerations Private Internet Access (PIA) is one of the most popular VPN providers and has seemingly been around forever. PIA not only comes with an insane amount of servers, but also great features such as multi-hop, an app-based kill switch, and split-tunneling. PIA also has a great record of transparency, regularly undergoing independent no-logs audits. It does lack some speed in comparison to other top picks here, but that shouldn’t translate to too much of a hit while torrenting. Read our full Private Internet Access review Other VPNs we liked While we believe that the above VPNs for torrenting are currently the most worthy of your hard-earned money, there are a few other noteworthy services that deserve attention: PrivadoVPN is a strong overall service, but the free version of the VPN really stands out and is second only to Proton VPN. Windscribe Pro offers great security, with both a Windows client and browser extension that work in tandem to block ads and its free version is a good option for everyday activities. Hide.me is a well-rounded service that ticks almost every box and the fantastic array of configurable settings make it a power-user’s dream. U.S.-based IPVanish nails all of the basics: good speeds, a large server network, and privacy promises backed up with independent audits. TunnelBear is an undeniably charming VPN that is extremely easy to use, and doesn’t overwhelm with too many features or country options, which makes it ideal for VPN novices or those who aren’t the most tech-savvy. I’m continuously evaluating new VPNs and reevaluating services I’ve already tested on a regular basis to find the best for torrenting, so be sure to come back for more recommendations and to see what else we’ve put through their P2P paces. Can I get a better VPN deal? Here at PCWorld, we are regularly hunting down the best VPN deals to help you get the most bang for your buck. VPN services are frequently running deals throughout the year, so you should have a few chances to snag your favorite torrenting VPN on a steep discount if you can time it right. While the prices for all VPNs on this list are updated daily, they do not account for special deals or offers. It’s best to keep checking our deals article to see what new limited-time discounts are on offer each week. Additionally, sales events such as Amazon Prime Day in mid-July and Black Friday at the end of November provide excellent opportunities to find even cheaper VPN deals. How we test VPNs We judge VPNs on a variety of criteria including server network, connection speeds, privacy protections, ease-of-use, additional features, and cost. For a more detailed guide on our evaluation process, check out PCWorld’s comprehensive guide on how we test VPN services. Speed tests are kept as simple as possible. We average the connections between different global locations for any given VPN and then compare them to our baseline internet speed to get a good picture of the overall connection speeds. We thoroughly research and analyze the privacy policies and histories of each VPN and note any outstanding discrepancies or data collection issues. Experience and ease-of-use are subjective, but we try our best to give an accurate representation of how it feels to work with the VPN. And finally, we compare the value of the service based upon its price and additional features to the industry average to help you gain an accurate picture of what you’ll get for your money. Why you should trust PCWorld for VPN reviews and buying advice Here at PCWorld we’ve been testing computer hardware, software, and services since the 1980s. As reviewers and users of PC hardware and software, we put every product through its paces using rigorous benchmarking and hands-on evaluation. We’d never recommend something we wouldn’t want for ourselves. Who curated this article? Sam Singleton is PCWorld’s VPN beat reporter and jack of all trades. When he’s not on the hunt for the best computer deals he’s covering VPNs, productivity software, laptops, and a wide gamut of consumer-grade hardware and software. How to choose the best VPN for torrenting One of the first things you should look for when shopping around for a VPN is the number of servers and locations. It’s difficult to judge any VPN by just one feature, but a semi-reliable way to tell if a VPN is even worth your time is to look at the server network. Anything with 1,000 or more servers and 30 or more country locations will do. Speed The next thing to consider is a VPN’s speed. This may be tricky to do since you aren’t likely to be able to test connection speeds without paying to use the service. Reading reviews online will give you a general estimate. Look for reviews, like ours, that give you a relative average of connection speeds rather than direct Mbps speed comparisons, for a more accurate picture. Privacy You’ll also want to read up on a VPN’s privacy protections. Does it have a no-logs policy? Has it undergone any independent audits of its servers? Where is the VPN company located? All of these will give you an idea of whether or not a VPN is transparent with its data collection policies and if it’s subject to government data sharing requirements. Price As with all subscription services, you’ll want to review the price of a VPN service. Do you want a monthly or yearly subscription? Some top VPNs might be pricey month-to-month, but actually become quite affordable with long-term plans. P2P In regards to torrenting, you absolutely want a VPN service provider that allows P2P file sharing on their network. Preferably P2P is allowed on all servers, but even some of the best VPNs only allow it on designated servers—check these P2P-optimized server locations first to make sure they are in convenient locations close to you to ensure the best speeds. Additional features Other factors you’ll want to take into consideration are the overall ease-of-use, user experience, and any additional features. Some of these features, such as split-tunneling and kill switches, can be extremely useful for certain purposes and might sway your subscription decision one way or the other. FAQ 1. What is the best VPN for torrenting? NordVPN is our pick for the best VPN for torrenting. Not only do all of its servers work with P2P, but it has the fastest speeds of any VPN on the market and a huge server network. There is currently no other VPN on the market that provides as much privacy and security for the value as NordVPN and that’s why it’s our top pick. 2. What is the best free VPN for torrenting? Proton VPN is our pick for best free VPN for torrenting. With the free version, you’ll get all of the same privacy and security benefits of the premium version, plus no monthly data limits and good speeds.  The only major drawback is that you’ll be limited to a few servers, but that won’t really matter for torrenting anyways. 3. What is a VPN? VPNs create a secure tunnel between your PC and the internet. When you connect to a VPN your web traffic is routed through the chosen VPN server to make it appear as though you’re browsing from that server’s location, and not from your actual location. The VPN app will also encrypt your data so that any third parties such as your ISP can’t see your specific online activities. A VPN can be a great response to a variety of concerns, such as online privacy, anonymity, greater security on public Wi-Fi, and, of course, spoofing locations. 4. Is torrenting through a VPN safe? Safety while torrenting comes down to two things: anonymity and protection from malware or other malicious files.  As far as anonymity goes, yes, you will be protected from any snooping outsiders or your own ISP’s restrictions on file torrenting by using a VPN. If you know and trust the the service you’re using, torrenting with a VPN should be completely safe from prying eyes. In regards to protection from malware and other malicious files, no. A VPN on its own will not protect you from accidentally downloading malicious files from P2P networks or torrent sites. For this, it is highly recommended that you use an antivirus program to help keep you safe. 5. Are VPNs legal to use? Yes, in most countries, including the United States, using a VPN is perfectly legal. Even though some websites might try to block VPN connections, they are still okay to use. Please note, while using a VPN is legal, some of the activities done while using a VPN might be illegal. Activities such as downloading pirated copyrighted content or accessing dark web markets are both illegal with or without a VPN. 6. Can you be tracked with a VPN? While VPNs certainly offer you better privacy and security, they don’t make you completely anonymous nor keep you from being tracked entirely. A VPN will keep your ISP from seeing your traffic, but there are a mind-boggling number of ways that other companies or sites track you across the internet. For example, when you sign into a website, your identity is still revealed to that website, VPN or not. Or when you log into your Gmail account while using a VPN, Google can now collect personalized cookies based on your browsing. 7. Yes, but with a caveat. When using your normal home internet connection, your ISP can see everything you’re doing online. By using a VPN, all of your traffic will be rerouted through the VPN’s private servers, meaning your ISP won’t be able to snoop on your activity while connected.  The VPN creates a private tunnel for your traffic and encrypts all of your data running through that tunnel. This makes it unreadable to outside entities and so adds an extra layer of security, especially while downloading torrent files. This will mask the contents of your downloads from your ISP, but will not hide the fact that you’re downloading something nor the size of the download. Still, a VPN is one of the best ways to keep your online activities private and hidden from outside parties.

Intel or AMD? It’s a big choice for PC gamers, but if you want a handheld, only one company will let you choose. With the new Claw A8, MSI is the only major vendor that’s offering handheld gaming PCs with guts from the blue and red teams. At Computex, Adam Patrick Murray cornered MSI Product Management Director Cliff Chun to talk about it. Though the body is more angular, the newer version of the Claw is broadly similar to the existing Claw 8 AI+, with the same 8-inch, 120Hz screen, same basic layout, same battery. It has a new motherboard and cooling setup, of course, due to using the brand new AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme mobile chip. But if anything that makes the new version just more similar to existing handhelds that have popped up since the Steam Deck. Chun says that MSI is focusing on giving players maximum battery life, while keeping most games at a 60 frames-per-second level. That battery life is an estimated two hours, which isn’t exactly amazing when compared to laptops running on similar hardware…but laptops have bigger batteries and aren’t 100 percent focused on gaming. The speakers have been moved up a bit, but aren’t blocked by your hands when held, according to MSI. MSI will still sell both the Claw 8 AI+ and the original 7-inch model, all based on Intel and all running Windows, when the A8 releases later this year. We don’t have pricing information at the moment, and Chun is mum on any developments for a handheld running SteamOS, like the upcoming Lenovo Legion Go S. For more on the latest PC gaming handhelds, be sure to subscribe to PCWorld on YouTube, and tune in to our weekly podcast The Full Nerd.

It’s not often you can score a decent laptop at a budget-tier price, but this Asus Vivobook fits the bill. While it normally goes for $700, right now you can get the Asus Vivobook 15 at B&H for a mere $550. This isn’t some stripped-down device that can barely load Windows. It’s sporting good specs, a lightweight build, and an above-average display. We’re talking an Intel Core i7-1355U processor, 16GB of RAM, 1TB of SSD, rounded out with a 15.6-inch 1080p IPS display for gorgeous visuals and color accuracy. Does it have a dedicated graphics card? No, but it does have Intel Iris Xe integrated graphics for light gaming. Honestly, you can’t expect a good discrete graphics card at this price. Weighing just 3.75 pounds, it’s pretty portable. And while we do wish the 42-watt-hour battery was bigger, it should be good enough for several hours of work on a full charge. Other features include an HDMI 1.4 port, three USB-A and one USB-C, a 3.5mm headset jack, a backlit keyboard, and a 720p built-in webcam with privacy shutter. If you’ve been looking for a decently configured laptop that’s affordable, this Asus Vivobook 15 is right for the price at B&H. Buy now at B&H

As a long-time Windows geek, I’ve always loved and relied on keyboard shortcuts. They’re incredible! Like a collection of secret handshakes that can quickly perform useful tasks and dramatically speed up whatever you’re doing on your computer. And yes, keyboard shortcuts are rather secret. Windows doesn’t provide a coach that guides you through the hundreds of keyboard shortcuts you might find handy. They’re just… there. In the background. So, you usually have to seek them out or find out about them the old-fashioned way: by talking with other PC geeks and reading helpful articles like this one. Let me show you the greatest and most practical keyboard shortcuts I actually use all the time. 1. Launch File Explorer If you’re like me, you use File Explorer a lot. With a keyboard shortcut, it’s always close at hand — simply press Windows key + E to launch a new File Explorer window whenever you need one. Related: Useful File Explorer tips to keep under your belt 2. Go straight to Task Manager You probably know the basic Ctrl + Alt + Delete keyboard shortcut, but if you’re using it to open Task Manager, there’s actually a better way: instead, use the Ctrl + Shift + Esc keyboard shortcut. Related: How to access the old Task Manager in Windows 11 3. Open the Settings app Want to change a setting in the operating system? You usually have to do it through the Settings app. Instead of searching the Start menu, there’s actually a keyboard shortcut you can use: Windows key + I. Then, you can search directly in the Settings app for what you need. 4. Dig through clipboard history Chris Hoffman / IDG Did you know that every time you copy an image or text to the clipboard, Windows keeps a running history of it all? The usual Ctrl + V keyboard shortcut only pastes the last thing you copied — but if you want to paste something you copied much earlier, you can! All you have to do is pull up the clipboard history with the Windows key + V keyboard shortcut. (If you’ve never opened it before, you’ll be prompted for permission to activate the feature.) What’s nice about the clipboard history is that you can even pin certain copied items to the panel, making them quick to find in the future. 5. Insert emojis anywhere Chris Hoffman / IDG Love ’em or hate ’em, emojis have become part of modern communication — and Microsoft knows this, which is why Windows makes it easy to input emojis in nearly any application. All you have to do is press the Windows key + Period or Windows key + Semicolon keyboard shortcuts. Then, use the search field to find the emoji you want (or just scroll through to browse). 6. Type with your voice Chris Hoffman / IDG Windows lets you input text with your voice in nearly any application. To pull up the voice typing interface, just press Windows key + H. You’ll see a floating window (on Windows 11) or a bar (on Windows 10). This feature is called Voice Typing. You can use the settings menu in the window/bar to activate features like automatic punctuation. (By default, you’ll have to speak words like “period” while you dictate text.) Related: I wrote this article using Windows voice typing When Microsoft got rid of the Start menu in Windows 8, they at least had the courtesy to throw a bone to power users: a hidden “power user menu” with quick access to various system settings. And even though Windows 10 brought back the Start menu — which persists into Windows 11 — the power user menu never went away. To open it, press Windows key + X (or right-click the Start button). 8. Lock your computer To protect your computer from unauthorized access — especially in an environment like an office or campus — you should lock your computer whenever you step away. To quickly lock your PC, simply press the Windows key + L keyboard shortcut. 9. Control sound settings Chris Hoffman / IDG If you have multiple sound output devices (e.g., speakers, headphones, wireless earbuds) or multiple sound input devices (e.g., laptop microphone, headset, external microphone), you probably switch between them a lot. Well, you don’t have to dig deep into the Settings app to change between them. You can actually just press the Ctrl + Windows key + V keyboard shortcut to pull up the sound settings menu. It’s also a shortcut to adjusting system volume and per-app volume (using the sliders) and a quick way to pop into the Sound section of the Settings app (by clicking More volume settings). This feature is new to Windows 11, so isn’t available on Windows 10. 10. Snap windows The Snap feature is an essential window management tool for multitasking on Windows 11. You can easily “snap” app windows to edges of the screen using your keyboard. For starters, use Windows key + Left arrow and Windows key + Right arrow to snap the currently focused window to either the left half or right half of the screen. Similarly, use Windows key + Alt + Up arrow and Windows key + Alt + Down arrow to snap windows to the top half or bottom half of the screen, respectively. You can also use shortcuts to move windows to quadrants of the screen. For example, after snapping a window to the left half (using the above keyboard shortcut), keep holding the Windows key and tap the Up arrow to snap it to the top-left quadrant. 11. Activate Snap Layouts Chris Hoffman / IDG As if Snapping itself wasn’t useful enough, Windows 11 also has an additional Snap Layouts feature that makes it easier to snap windows into various configurations. To activate Snap Layouts, use the Windows key + Z keyboard shortcut. You’ll get a pop-up with numbered options — simply press the associated number key to choose that window layout. You can also see Snap Layouts by hovering your mouse pointer over the Maximize button of a window. Or, drag any window to the center-top edge of the screen to see Snap Layout options. 12. Toggle between windowed and full-screen modes in PC games Many PC games offer both windowed and full-screen modes. If you want to switch between them, it can be quite a hassle to navigate to the game’s settings menu, especially if you do it often. Here’s a faster way to switch between windowed and full-screen modes in many PC games: just press Alt + Enter. This doesn’t work in every game, but it does work in many of them. It’s the first thing I try whenever I want to switch between full-screen and windowed modes. 13. Jump between virtual desktops Windows 11 has a feature called Task View that lets you create “virtual desktops” that you can switch between. A virtual desktop is like a separate instance of “the” desktop, and each virtual desktop can hold its own set of running app windows. There are several keyboard shortcuts for the Task View experience, such as Windows key + Tab, which makes it easy to create new virtual desktops, delete existing ones, and jump between them. But once you’ve created a few virtual desktops, an even easier way to switch between them is to use the Windows key + Ctrl + Left arrow and Windows key + Ctrl + Right arrow keyboard shortcuts. 14. Move windows between monitors Do you have a sprawling workstation setup with multiple monitors? You can move windows from one screen to the next by pressing Windows key + Shift + Left arrow (to move the currently focused window to the left display) or Windows key + Shift + Right arrow (to move the currently focused window to the right display). On Windows 11, File Explorer has changed a lot from what it was before, particularly with a streamlined context menu. But some options are only found in that classic, old-school context menu. Rather than first opening the context menu and then selecting Show more options (or even hacking your registry with a workaround), you can actually just use a keyboard shortcut to quickly open the old context menu right away: hold down the Shift key while right-clicking in File Explorer to see the classic context menu. This feature is new to Windows 11, so isn’t available on Windows 10. 16. Edit text faster The Ctrl key is one of my favorite underutilized tricks when it comes to fast text editing. In short, holding down Ctrl makes most keys act on entire words rather than individual characters. For example, Backspace deletes the previous character, but Ctrl + Backspace deletes the previous word. Another example, Left and Right arrows move the cursor by one character, but Ctrl + Left arrow and Ctrl + Right arrow moves the cursor from word to word. And it works with the Shift key, too. By holding Shift, you can highlight text as the cursor moves — so, if you want to quickly highlight multiple words in a row, just hold Ctrl + Shift and then tap the Left and Right arrows. (Try holding Shift with the Home and End keys to highlight entire lines of text with just a few keystrokes!) 17. Reopen a closed browser tab All the modern web browsers — including Chrome, Firefox, Opera, and Edge — let you quickly reopen tabs that you’ve closed. It’s easy to remember, too: if the Ctrl + T keyboard shortcut creates a new tab, the Ctrl + Shift + T keyboard shortcut reopens the last closed tab. 18. Alt + Tab in reverse Alt + Tab is one of the most iconic Windows keyboard shortcuts. But, if you have a lot of open windows to cycle through, it may make more sense to cycle in reverse sometimes. In that case, just press Shift + Alt + Tab to go backwards through the list of open windows. And that’s not all: while the Alt + Tab dialog is open, you can also use the arrow keys to instantly jump to the selected thumbnail’s window. 19. Rename files quickly Want to quickly rename a file? With a file selected in File Explorer, just press F2, type the name, and press Enter. I like to navigate between files using the arrow keys, then use the F2 key to quickly rename them. Or better yet: after pressing F2 and typing a file name, press the Tab key (instead of the Enter key) to immediately start renaming the next file in the folder. 20. Save a screenshot as a file Chris Hoffman / IDG The built-in Windows screenshot tools have gotten better, but sometimes you want to skip the tools and immediately save as an image file. To save a screenshot to disk without all the intermediate steps, press Windows key + Print Screen. Your screen will flash as Windows saves the screenshot. After that, you’ll find the screenshot in the Screenshots folder inside your user account’s Pictures folder. Related: How to take smarter screenshots in Windows More Windows productivity tips Honestly, as useful as these keyboard shortcuts are, they’re only scratching the surface of what’s buried in Windows. I’m always hunting down useful tips and features to share with the readers of my free Windows Intelligence newsletter! Be sure to check out this unusually hidden shortcut that works in the Task Manager, too. It blew my mind last year. Even for a grizzled PC geek like myself, there’s always more to discover in Windows.

TL;DR: Windows 11 Pro is down to $14.97 through June 1, its lowest price to date (reg. $199). Most PC gamers obsess over graphics cards, RAM, and frame rates… but the operating system? It’s usually an afterthought, and that might be a mistake. Whether you’re on Windows 10 or Windows 11 Home, upgrading to Windows 11 Pro may be the difference between an ordinary and an extraordinary gaming experience. Windows 11 Pro introduces DirectX 12 Ultimate, delivering higher frame rates, improved ray tracing, and lower latency for a smoother gaming experience. If you want faster load times and better graphics, this is your chance to optimize your rig. Plus, with AutoHDR and DirectStorage, Windows 11 Pro ensures snappier gameplay and richer visuals. On the AI side, Windows Copilot, powered by OpenAI, acts as your built-in assistant, helping with everything from system settings to generating text and images on demand. Need help writing an email? Want to summarize a web page? Copilot has you covered. This upgrade also includes enterprise-level security features like BitLocker encryption, secure boot, and enhanced malware protection to keep your data safe. More Pro Features Snap Layouts & Virtual Desktops for better multitasking TPM 2.0 & Secure Boot for enhanced protection Remote Desktop Access to control your PC from anywhere Hyper-V & Windows Sandbox for virtual machine testing Seamless Microsoft Teams Integration for better collaboration Upgrade your PC gaming with a Windows 11 Pro key for $14.97 through June 1 at 11:59 p.m. PT. No coupon is needed to get this price. Microsoft Windows 11 ProSee Deal StackSocial prices subject to change.