Submitted by WA Contents JSWD extends 1960s town hall with interlocking structures and perforated façade in Germany Germany Architecture News - Jun 12, 2025 - 04:18   html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd" Cologne-based architecture firm JSWD has extended a 1960s town hall with interlocking structures and perforated brick façade in Brühl, Germany.Called Brühl City Hall and Library, the 5,200-square-metre project includes a new construction of the library and refurbishment of the old City Hall.New entrance at the pedestrian zone. Image © Taufik KenanJSWD won the first prize in a competition to built this project in 2017. The competition's goals were to design a proposal for the nearby Janshof Square and to propose an addition to the current town hall. An expansion constructed in the 1960s had to be replaced as part of the renovation.Staggered gables of the new library with partially perforated brickwork. Image © Christa LachenmaierConnecting the new structure to the historic town hall and then refurbishing it in accordance with heritage regulations presented a unique task. The end product is an easily accessible, energy-efficient town hall that satisfies the most recent regulations. It is made to allow for flexible use and to connect different building functions to create synergies.Aerial photo with Brühl Castle in the backygroundAerial photo with Brühl Castle in the backyground. Image © Franco Casaccia / JSWDAbove the civil registry offices (Bürgeramt and Standesamt) are the municipal authorities' offices. The new building has the municipal library on all floors, including a children's library in the basement that leads to a reading courtyard. The town hall is easy to find thanks to its clear signage. The pedestrian area and the now mostly car-free Janshof are also accessible from the new foyer. From here, the roads of tourists and pedestrians that enter the old structure through Markt meet.Aerial view: staggered gables of the new library in the middle of the town. Image © Schmitz.Reichard GmbHThe new structure in Brühl's old city center experiments with the concept of various urban areas and proportions. The front structure creates a cubature that is both distinctive and typical of the area by referencing the shape of the historic town hall. The brickwork is somewhat perforated to filter light entering the underneath windows, and the three interlocking structures are placed with their gables facing the nearby street. The new building's cubic impression is reinforced by the use of the same light-colored bricks for the roof and facade.Historical council chamber. Image © Christa LachenmaierThe project's goal is to be as sustainable as feasible. For instance, the company made every effort to preserve the old building's structure. Children's library at the reading courtyard. Image © Christa LachenmaierA combined heat and power plant provides both heat and energy. Concrete component activation ensures reduced energy consumption in addition to triple-glazed windows, abundant natural light, and exterior solar protection.Staircase in the listed city hall. Image © Franco Casaccia / JSWDLibrary room on the top floor. Image © Franco Casaccia / JSWDLarge dormer of the library. Image © Franco Casaccia / JSWDReading area in the dormer window. Image © Franco Casaccia / JSWDConnection of the new library to the listed town hall. Image © Taufik KenanThe listed city hall of Brühl, restored by JSWD. Image © Franco Casaccia / JSWDImage © Franco Casaccia / JSWDView of the inner courtyard of the library. Image © Franco Casaccia / JSWDLibrary dormers and staggered gables with partially perforated brickwork. Image © Franco Casaccia / JSWDSite planBasement floor planGround floor planFirst floor planSecond floor planThird floor planDetail drawingFaçade detailProject factsProject name: Brühl City Hall and LibraryProgram: New construction of the Library and Refurbishment of the old City HallLocation: Steinweg 1, 50321 Brühl, GermanyClient: City of BrühlArchitecture: JSWD, 1st prize competition 2017Completion: 2023Structural design: Kempen Krause Ingenieure AachenBuilding service engineering: DEERNSLibrary and interior planning: UKW Innenarchitekten, KrefeldLandscape: RMPSL, BonnSite: 4,800m2GFA: 5,200m2The top image in the article: New library of Brühl, Entrance from the Janshof. Image © Taufik Kenan. All drawings © JSWD.> via JSWD

When Russian troops invaded Ukraine on 24 February 2022, Russia’s datacentre sector was one of the fastest-growing segments of the country’s IT industry, with annual growth rates in the region of 10-12%. However, with the conflict resulting in the imposition of Western sanctions against Russia and an outflow of US-based tech companies from the country, including Apple and Microsoft, optimism about the sector’s potential for further growth soon disappeared. In early March 2025, it was reported that Google had disconnected from traffic exchange points and datacentres in Russia, leading to concerns about how this could negatively affect the speed of access to some Google services for Russian users. Initially, there was hope that domestic technology and datacentre providers might be able to plug the gaps left by the exodus of the US tech giants, but it seems they could not keep up with the hosting demands of Russia’s increasingly digital economy. Oleg Kim, director of the hardware systems department at Russian IT company Axoft, says the departure of foreign cloud providers and equipment manufacturers has led to a serious shortage of compute capacity in Russia. This is because the situation resulted in a sharp, initial increase in demand for domestic datacentres, but Russian providers simply did not have time to expand their capacities on the required scale, continues Kim. According to the estimates of Key Point, one of Russia’s largest datacentre networks, meeting Russia’s demand for datacentres will require facilities with a total capacity of 30,000 racks to be built each year over the next five years. On top of this, it has also become more costly to build datacentres in Russia. Estimates suggest that prior to 2022, the cost of a datacentre rack totalled 100,000 rubles ($1,200), but now exceeds 150,000 rubles. And analysts at Forbes Russia expect these figures will continue to grow, due to rising logistics costs and the impact the war is having on the availability of skilled labour in the construction sector. The impact of these challenges is being keenly felt by users, with several of the country’s large banks experiencing serious problems when finding suitable locations for their datacentres. Sberbank is among the firms affected, with its chairperson, German Gref, speaking out previously about how the bank is in need of a datacentre with at least 200MW of capacity, but would ideally need 300-400MW to address its compute requirements. Stanislav Bliznyuk, chairperson of T-Bank, says trying to build even two 50MW datacentres to meet its needs is proving problematic. “Finding locations where such capacity and adequate tariffs are available is a difficult task,” he said. Read more about datacentre developments North Lincolnshire Council has received a planning permission application for another large-scale datacentre development, in support of its bid to become an AI Growth Zone A proposal to build one of the biggest datacentres in Europe has been submitted to Hertsmere Borough Council, and already has the support of the technology secretary and local councillors. The UK government has unveiled its 50-point AI action plan, which commits to building sovereign artificial intelligence capabilities and accelerating AI datacentre developments – but questions remain about the viability of the plans. Despite this, T-Bank is establishing its own network of data processing centres – the first of which should open in early 2027, he confirmed in November 2024. Kirill Solyev, head of the engineering infrastructure department of the Softline Group of Companies, who specialise in IT, says many large Russian companies are resorting to building their own datacentres – because compute capacity is in such short supply. The situation is, however, complicated by the lack of suitable locations for datacentres in the largest cities of Russia – Moscow and St Petersburg. “For example, to build a datacentre with a capacity of 60MW, finding a suitable site can take up to three years,” says Solyev. “In Moscow, according to preliminary estimates, there are about 50MW of free capacity left, which is equivalent to 2-4 large commercial datacentres. “The capacity deficit only in the southern part of the Moscow region is predicted at 564MW by 2030, and up to 3.15GW by 2042.” As a result, datacentre operators and investors are now looking for suitable locations outside of Moscow and St Petersburg, and seeking to co-locate new datacentres in close proximity to renewable energy sources. And this will be important as demand for datacentre capacity in Russia is expected to increase, as it is in most of the rest of the world, due to the growing use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools and services. The energy-intensive nature of AI workloads will put further pressure on operators that are already struggling to meet the compute capacity demands of their customers. Speaking at the recent Ural Forum on cyber security in finance, Alexander Kraynov, director of AI technology development at Yandex, says solving the energy consumption issue of AI datacentres will not be easy. “The world is running out of electricity, including for AI, while the same situation is observed in Russia,” he said. “In order to ensure a stable energy supply of a newly built large datacentre, we will need up to one year.” According to a recent report of the Russian Vedomosti business paper, as of April 2024, Russian datacentres have used about 2.6GW, which is equivalent to about 1% of the installed capacity of the Unified Energy System of Russia. Accommodating AI workloads will also mean operators will need to purchase additional equipment, including expensive accelerators based on graphic processing units and higher-performing data storage systems. The implementation of these plans and the viability of these purchases is likely to be seriously complicated by the current sanctions regime against Russia. That said, Russia’s prime minister, Mikhail Mishustin, claims this part of the datacentre supply equation is being partially solved by an uptick in the domestic production of datacentre kit. According to the Mishustin, more than half of the server equipment and industrial storage and information processing systems needed for datacentres are already being produced in Russia – and these figures will continue to grow. The government also plans to provide additional financial support to the industry, as – to date – building datacentres in Russia has been prevented by relatively long payback periods, of up to 10 years in some cases, of such projects. One of the possible support measures on offer could include the subsidisation of at least part of the interest rates on loans to datacentre developers and operators. At the same time, though, the government’s actions in other areas have made it harder for operators to build new facilities. For example, in March 2025, the Russian government significantly tightened the existing norms for the establishment of new datacentres in the form of new rules for the design of data processing centres, which came into force after the approval by the Russian Ministry of Construction. According to Nikita Tsaplin, CEO of Russian hosting provider RUVDS, the rules led to additional bureaucracy in the sector (due to the positioning of datacentres as typical construction objects). And, according to his predictions, that situation can extend the construction cycle of a datacentre from around five years to seven years. The government’s intervention here was to prevent the installation of servers in residential areas, such as garages, but it looks set to complicate an already complex situation – prompting questions about whether Russia’s datacentre market will ever reach its full potential.

Stone PC Case, Cooler Master GPU, DIY Case from Scratch, and Metal FansJune 4, 2025Last Updated: 2025-06-04Cooler Master is doing some really interesting stuff with its new casesThe HighlightsCooler Master’s upcoming MF600, MF500, and MF400 reconfigurable frame cases are assembled from columns and cornersThe company also showed off interesting stone facade case front panelsCooler Master is working on a “GPU” with AsusTable of ContentsAutoTOC Grab a GN Tear-Down Toolkit to support our AD-FREE reviews and IN-DEPTH testing while also getting a high-quality, highly portable 10-piece toolkit that was custom designed for use with video cards for repasting and water block installation. Includes a portable roll bag, hook hangers for pegboards, a storage compartment, and instructional GPU disassembly cards.IntroWe visited Cooler Master’s booth at Computex 2025 where the company showed off several new cases. Arguably the most interesting one is a modular case. It comes with, we believe, 8 corners and 12 columns.Editor's note: This was originally published on May 20, 2025 as a video. This content has been adapted to written format for this article and is unchanged from the original publication.CreditsHostSteve BurkeCamera, Video EditingMike GaglioneVitalii MakhnovetsWriting, Web EditingJimmy ThangCooler Master MF CasesThe case comes with a front panel that has a dust filter in it. With it all assembled, it looks like the cases in the image above. The cases are the MF series, with the largest one being the MF600, which we assume translates to “Motherf***ing 600.” There’s also the MF500 and the smaller MF400. Initially, Cooler Master is basically going to be selling pre-configured models. Eventually, the company wants to allow people to customize the case on their site and have it assembled and shipped from around the City of Industry. It’s pretty cool as it’s a fully modular approach.The side panels are secured to the case via magnets, which is actually a nice touch. Internally, the MF600 we saw came with 3x140mm fans on the front and 1x120mm fan on the back. The motherboard tray is pretty standard for the most part. Exceptions include a rail system that provides numerous holes for screws to go in, which allows Cooler Master to reconfigure things. Inside the case towards the back, there’s also a rail system, which forms bits and pieces of the motherboard tray that allow for more customizability. Cooler Master has been kind of on-and-off in the DIY space over the years where they’ve had some really big wins and some really big losses. They were also kind of absent for a while, but these MF cases represent a better showing from what we’ve seen in a while from the company. According to Cooler Master, a pre-configured MF600 is supposed to cost $200. We expect to test and review the case. The MF500 is supposed to go for $165 and includes 2x200mm fans in the front and 1x120mm fan in the back. The smallest MF case, the MF600, which is a very large micro ATX box, is going for $150. In terms of fans, it has 2x120mm ones at the bottom coupled with a 1x120mm fan in the rear.  Cooler Master also showed off different panel types they’re experimenting with. One of them included a facade-style stone. One of the pre-built MF cases we looked at had stuff flipped around in an inverted layout. One of the benefits of its rail system allows the case to have a bar that screws in which can support the GPU. Looking into this system, you can see that the PSU is at the bottom next to a bottom intake fan. Updated Cosmos Visit our Patreon page to contribute a few dollars toward this website's operation (or consider a direct donation or buying something from our GN Store!) Additionally, when you purchase through links to retailers on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission.Cooler Master’s updated Cosmos has the NVIDIA-like DGX style front. We also saw a variant of the Cosmos with thermal baffles in it. We have some criticisms of its execution, but overall, it’s an interesting idea.  The way the baffles are designed, Cooler Master is trying to bring air straight in through its channels. There’s a channel for the CPU that exposes the fin stack and Cooler Master's V8 CPU cooler. It conveys an idea similar to an engine cover. The GPU has a separate baffle beneath the CPU one. The company is trying to isolate air flow. In theory, this should work well and we would love this idea applied to more affordable cases, like the MF series, especially since they’re already kind of configurable. Looking at the back, fans can be mounted on the rear, which can help pull air out. We also saw another variant of the Cosmos case running liquid cooling with a distro block. It was coupled with 4x180mm fans and a “720” radiator, which pulled air into the case. Unfortunately, the air is blowing straight into the wall of a motherboard tray, but Cooler Master says the plan is to pull the air up and out of the case with additional 180mm fans on the top and to move the PSU towards the bottom of the case. Looking closer at the front of the special edition of the Cosmos cases, we can see the NVIDIA DGX shroud, which Cooler Master manufactures. It’s essentially like a sponge-like mesh. The special edition of the Cosmos doesn’t have a price yet, but the non-special edition variant is supposed to be around $400, which is before any potential tariffs. Cooler Master CoolersCooler Master showed off some CPU air coolers that had some 3D heat pipes, which had more heat pipes protruding from the center. The company also showed off its V8 cooler and a full-metal fan. The fan’s blades and frame are both aluminum.  Cooler Master Elite Series CasesCooler Master does some really cool sh*t but has a branding problem. For instance, the company’s “Elite” series cases, shown in the image above, are actually budget cases. From left to right, we believe they are called the Elite 482 ($50), Elite 600 ($65), Elite 490 Wood ($50), Elite 691 Wood ($60), Elite 693 ($60), Elite 692 ($70), Elite 302 ($40), and Elite 502 ($60). Our advice to Cooler Master here is for them to unf*ck these names.Most of the Elite series cases don’t come with fans with the exception of the Elite 302 and Elite 502, which come with 3 ARGB fans. MF360Next up are Cooler Master’s MF360 cases, which conveys that you can see inside the case from all sides. While it’s going to have some thermal challenges, to give the company credit, it’s actually really good looking. The MF360 is a showcase fish-tank style PC that you can see through from both sides. Inside the case, we saw a distro block and tubes routed through on both sides.Cooling XThe case in the image above, which goes by "Cooling X,” and uses the company’s new MF frame system. If you look at the corner, you can see the individual columns. At Computex, we saw it as a pre-built system.The top of the case has a magnetically attached panel, which just pulls right off. The panel itself provides really good porosity and the material is pretty nice. Removing the top panel exposes 2 offset fans. The back fan tries to pull in air with the front fan trying to exhaust air out of the top, which is why they’re offset. That’s kind of cool to see.  Cooler Master FansCooler Master showed off all-aluminum fans, which include the blades and frame. The MF120 XT is a 120mm model, is supposed to be $35, and the company says it goes up to 4,000 RPM. The fan’s RPM can also be button-controlled via an external remote and it uses a dual-ball-bearing solution. Cooler Master’s mixed fans, which use plastic blades coupled with an aluminum frame, come with fluid dynamic bearings (FDBs). The clearance between the fan blade tip and the frame is important as the smaller that clearance is, the better performance you get. The major downside is that as the fan ages, it can start to clip the interior of the frame. Having it too close can also negatively impact yields. The solution to this is LCP, which is incredibly expensive, or metal, because it doesn’t deform, but that’s also expensive. Right now, Cooler Master says it’s about a .8mm distance, which is pretty good. The company is targeting 0.6mm by the time the fan launches. Cooler Master Video Card Shroud Grab a GN15 Large Anti-Static Modmat to celebrate our 15th Anniversary and for a high-quality PC building work surface. The Modmat features useful PC building diagrams and is anti-static conductive. Purchases directly fund our work! (or consider a direct donation or a Patreon contribution!)Cooler Master also showed off some video cards, which is not something the company is typically involved with. Cooler Master created a GPU shroud with adjustable slats that can accommodate 15-30mm fans. This solution is geared towards pre-built PCs and isn’t planned to be sold separately.Examining one of the fans, we saw a standard 25mm-thick fan, which Cooler Master’s GPU shroud solution can adjust to via different notch options.Cooler Master is also using a vapor chamber, which is supported by 8x8mm heat pipes running through the shroud and a gigantic fin stack. In total, it weighs almost 7 pounds (3.2 kilograms).Cooler Master claims that, in terms of cooling, it performs similar to the 4-fan Astral solution at lower noise levels, but we don’t have those numbers. With 4,000 RPM fans running on a 600-watt heat load, Cooler Master claims a 5090 will run at about 49 degrees C or so for the GPU.

Pros Excellent cooling performanceBrilliantly designed front fan bracketsBeautiful lighting effects in tested Ambience Pro RGB versionElaborate, web-accessible software controls for lighting, fans Cons Only minimal dust filtrationHigh price for our Ambience Pro test model Fractal Design Meshify 3 Specs 120mm or 140mm Fan Positions 6 120mm to 200mm Fans Included 3 Dimensions (HWD) 20.1 by 9.1 by 17.2 inches Fan Controller Included? Front Panel Ports HD Audio Front Panel Ports USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A (2) Front Panel Ports USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C Included Fan Lighting Color Addressable RGB Internal 2.5-Inch Bays 6 Internal 3.5-Inch Bays 2 Internal Chassis Lighting Color None Maximum CPU Cooler Height 173 Maximum GPU Length 349 Motherboard Form Factors Supported ATX Motherboard Form Factors Supported MicroATX Motherboard Form Factors Supported Mini-ITX PCI Expansion Slot Positions 7 Power Supply Form Factor Supported ATX Power Supply Maximum Length 180 Power Supply Mounting Location Bottom Side Window(s)? Yes (Tempered Glass) Weight 20.2 All Specs Fractal Design boosts its latest Meshify PC case with a trio of 140mm ARGB fans behind its now-iconic “crumpled mesh” front face. Starting at a mid-market $139.99 for its base model, the Meshify 3 also comes in upgraded versions with nifty extras that creep up the price. These include items like ARGB fan trim, ARGB side panel lighting, an ARGB strip surrounding the face panel, and even an ARGB controller that connects to the web. Taken together, all that can bump the price as high as the $219.99 MSRP for the deluxe, spectacular Ambience Pro RGB version of the case we tested. Whatever the feature mix you opt for, the case’s robust cooling performance shines. At the high end of the range, though, factor in the case’s biggest shortfall—its lack of inlet-air dust filtration—given what competitors deliver in $200-plus cases. Our current ATX tower favorite, the NZXT H7 Flow, isn't much better equipped with filters and isn't as striking as the Ambience Pro case in all its lit glory, but it costs much less.Design: A Crumpled ClassicPC-case feature trends have changed a bit in the eight years that Fractal Design has been putting its signature crumpled-mesh faces on classic mid-tower cases. (The aesthetic crumpling is easier to see in photos of the shinier black finish, such as the Meshify 2 we reviewed in 2021.) This latest version adds an air deflector at the front of the power supply shroud to force a bit more airflow past your hot graphics card. This Ambience Pro RGB variant’s feature set, as noted, has a USB-based ARGB controller, as well as lighting around the front face, along the bottom of the left side panel’s window, and on the three fans. Buyers willing to forgo most of the lit-up bling can get the basic “RGB” version with just the fan lighting for $159.99, and those willing to give up even that helping of ARGB can get the base “TG” version for $139.99. Our sample was in white; all three models are also available in black, and buyers who yearn for further simplification will find an additional “Solid” variant sold exclusively in black, with a painted steel panel on the left side in place of the window.Fractal Design has merged the headphone and microphone jacks of previous versions into a single four-pole connector on the Meshify 3. This connector functions as a normal headphone jack when one is plugged in; the extra pole serves the monaural microphone of a combined headset plug. Fractal also ditched the reset button of previous cases, but kept the twin USB 3 Type-A and a single Type-C port. And, this time around, the lighted power-on indicator ring that surrounds the power button is ARGB.(Credit: Thomas Soderstrom)Though the mesh that covers the face and top panel could potentially filter out some inbound dust, the only part of the Meshify 3 that’s explicitly designed as a dust trap is under the power supply’s air inlet. Sliding out from the case’s side, it’s partially disguised as a portion of the rear case foot.(Credit: Thomas Soderstrom)The Meshify 3’s back panel features a pattern of vent slots spaced to allow a fan to be screwed directly into the slots. Also back here are surface-mounted PCI Express expansion-card slots with replaceable covers, a plastic screw-tab cover with a built-in push tab at the bottom to ease its removal, and a removable power supply bracket that’s secured with two large knurled screws. Power supply insertion is through the case’s rear panel; the design lacks the space to slide in the power supply from the side.(Credit: Thomas Soderstrom)Both side panels are secured at the top with snaps, and Fractal Design added a pair of tabs to make that task a little easier. Those tabs also have screw holes, enabling you to further secure your side panels against accidental removal.A nylon pull tab at the center of the top panel’s back edge serves a similar function. To release that panel and lift it off, you must first slide it back a quarter inch or so.(Credit: Thomas Soderstrom)The front ARGB fans have 140mm frames, but there’s too little space behind them to mount a 420mm-format radiator vertically. That’s because radiator end caps tend to extend the total size by around 40mm (give or take 6mm).(Credit: Thomas Soderstrom)On the other hand, those really motivated to place a radiator behind the front panel’s fans will find that a 360mm-format unit will work, but only by removing the 140mm fans and flipping the fan-mount brackets over. (They are visible in the image below.) Fractal Design’s brilliance shines through with these very basic sheet-metal brackets that flip to support either 120mm or 140mm fans without hindering airflow.(Credit: Thomas Soderstrom)The top panel is fully removable to ease radiator installation and removal, but it does not benefit from the front panel’s design wizardry. While its straight-edged brackets will cover a portion of the fan’s blades when fans are mounted directly on them, its 330mm-plus of length is sufficient to support every 280mm-format radiator we can think of.Also, notice the removable cable shroud running up and down the case near the front. It is adjustable to fit motherboards up to 10.9 inches deep. That is less than the 13-inch max depth of Extended ATX, but it’s still sufficient to fit the slightly oversized enthusiast-class motherboard models that sometimes still get called EATX.(Credit: Thomas Soderstrom)The lower front fan’s air deflector is removable and sits far enough above the case’s floor to be used in conjunction with a pair of 2.5-inch drive bays hidden beneath it. (We don’t even want to think about how we’d manage the cables in that configuration, however.)We removed the cable shroud for a clearer shot of this area. Keen observers might note the mounting slot for its lower edge at the top of the photo.(Credit: Thomas Soderstrom)Two drive trays, three push-in cable clips, and the ARGB controller are all found behind the motherboard tray. The card bracket’s removable covers and the removable power supply bracket are shown in the image below detached and in front of the case, and the photo also shows the gap beneath the removable front fan duct into which some builders may want to install a pair of 2.5-inch drives.Recommended by Our Editors(Credit: Thomas Soderstrom)More drive storage is visible here on the back of the motherboard tray. Configured from the factory to hold two 3.5-inch drives, these brackets on the back of the motherboard tray can be repositioned to hold four 2.5-inch drives instead.(Credit: Thomas Soderstrom)Held in place by a hook-and-loop Velcro-style strap, the included ARGB controller has USB and PWM input on the top, proprietary combination connectors on the side, and an old-fashioned SATA power connector on its bottom to power it up.(Credit: Thomas Soderstrom)Note that Fractal designed special outer shells on the proprietary ARGB/PWM combo connectors. This design is to prevent them from being mistakenly connected to anything USB Type-C, from which they appear to borrow their form. As with several others, this photo again shows the 10mm gap between the bottom panel’s 2.5-inch drive mounts and the underside of the front fan’s air guide.(Credit: Thomas Soderstrom)As for the controller box itself, here’s a shot of the connectors that we couldn’t see in the ARGB controller’s previous photos, including the SATA power inlet.(Credit: Thomas Soderstrom)Of the two output cables we did see, one is for the case's chain of fans, and the other is for this version of the case’s “Ambience Pro” lighting. Four telescoping contact pins allow the front panel’s portion to separate easily from the rest of that latter cable without an awkward tether.(Credit: Thomas Soderstrom)Building With the Fractal Design Meshify 3: Perfect Parts PacksFractal's accessory kits are hard to top in terms of neatness and clear labeling. Start with the screws: The Meshify 3 includes 24 M3 mounting screws, nine #6-32 screws to attach the motherboard to case standoffs, four #6-32 screws with hex/Phillips combo heads for power supply installation, and eight #6-32 shoulder screws for mounting 3.5-inch drives on damping grommets. (Credit: Thomas Soderstrom)You also get eight damping grommets, four cable ties, and an extra motherboard standoff. (But no extra screw for it! Such is life.) Our case being the Ambience Pro RGB version, it also includes a breakout cable that goes from the case’s proprietary ARGB/PWM connector to a standard ARGB strip and a standard PWM fan, along with an extension cable for the proprietary connector.Connecting the case to our motherboard are a power-button lead, an HD Audio header cable for the headset combo jack, a 19-pin USB 3.x for the Type-A ports, and a Gen 2x2 Type-E internal cable for the single Type-C external port. The case’s RGB controller also connects to one our motherboard’s USB 2.0 breakout headers and one of its PWM fan headers.(Credit: Thomas Soderstrom)The white version of the Meshify 3 includes chrome hardware, but since our standard Asus ATX test motherboard is black, I flexed my design chops and used black screws to attach it. I can also divulge that I initially forgot to reinstall the cable shroud, which required me later in the build to remove the graphics card, install the shroud, and reinstall the card. Oops!(Credit: Thomas Soderstrom)The RGB controller uses a web interface to select its various lighting and fan modes, rather than forcing users to install software, and it stores those settings on the controller rather than leaving components in the OS. You can dictate a "startup" lighting effect separately from the regular run of lighting that the case cycles through. Using it allowed us to switch from the case’s soft blue default to something a little more, shall we say, festive.(Credit: Thomas Soderstrom)(Credit: Thomas Soderstrom)(Credit: Thomas Soderstrom)(Credit: Thomas Soderstrom)The light controller’s “Sunset” mode looked like a softer variation of our CPU cooler’s Rainbow mode in this test. Nice.(Credit: Thomas Soderstrom)Testing the Fractal Design Meshify 3: Cool It, ManToday’s build leverages the ATX hardware from our most recent case evaluation platform, including its full-sized Cooler Master GX III Gold 850W power supply and mid-size Corsair iCue H100i RGB Pro XT CPU cooler.Apparently, that little scoop that pushes air upward from the lower of the three front fans does have some positive effect on overall case temperature. Our CPU, motherboard (voltage-regulator), and GPU numbers all show slightly lower temperatures than its five most closely-matched recently reviewed rivals. (These include the Corsair Frame 4000D, the SilverStone Fara 514X, and the MSI Velox 300R.)And just in case you thought that Fractal Design might have gotten its high score by overspeeding its fans a bit…it didn’t. Fan noise is tied for second place in this test group, behind the Super Flower Zillion Direct.The biggest nit we can pick is that some of the Meshify 3’s airflow enhancement might be due to its lack of flow-restricting dust filters.

Pros Supports multiple big radiatorsExcellent dust filtrationSpace for open-loop cooling components Cons Not fully EATX-compliantMidpack thermal performance in our tests MSI MPG Velox 300R Airflow PZ Specs 120mm or 140mm Fan Positions 10 120mm to 200mm Fans Included 3 Dimensions (HWD) 20.6 by 9.3 by 19.5 inches Fan Controller Included? Front Panel Ports HD Audio Front Panel Ports USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A (2) Front Panel Ports USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C Included Fan Lighting Color Addressable RGB Internal 2.5-Inch Bays 5 Internal 3.5-Inch Bays 2 Internal Chassis Lighting Color None Maximum CPU Cooler Height 165 Maximum GPU Length 400 Motherboard Form Factors Supported ATX Motherboard Form Factors Supported MicroATX Motherboard Form Factors Supported Mini-ITX PCI Expansion Slot Positions 7 Power Supply Form Factor Supported ATX Power Supply Maximum Length 260 Power Supply Mounting Location Bottom Side Window(s)? Yes (Tempered Glass) Weight 23.5 All Specs MSI has built a formidable reputation over the past four decades, beginning with motherboards and working its way through servers and graphics cards before finally becoming a premier laptop manufacturer. Its name is synonymous with shopping for PC components, but its PC cases usually come to mind only when we think of its prebuilt desktop machines. Built from sturdy materials and loaded with popular features, its $149.99 MPG Velox 300R Airflow PZ is designed to leave a more lasting impression. Supporting MSI’s reverse-connector Project Zero motherboards and smartly designed for accommodating a substantive build that’s air- or liquid-cooled, the Velox is a worthy rival to Asus’ TUF Gaming cable-hiding case. PC builders weighing a Project Zero build to minimize visible cabling should shortlist this chassis, though the selection of reverse-connector-compatible PC cases is growing fast.Design: Packing in the Features for Project ZeroWith a sturdy steel structure making up most of its 23.5 pounds of heft, the MPG Velox 300R Airflow PZ is as weighty as its name is long. (We’ll call it“Velox 300R” from here on out.) Its numerous strengths include dust filters that cover every air inlet, giant 160mm ARGB intake fans connected to a factory-installed controller/hub, and even a logo-emblazoned low-restriction faceplate that will probably help make any dust that collects on the filter behind it slightly less noticeable as the PC waits for its next cleaning. A light tint on the 4mm-thick tempered glass side panel makes the black 120mm exhaust fan harder to spot against the case’s black interior. Mounted on four snaps and three guide pins, the faceplate easily pulls away to access the front panel’s plastic-framed nylon-sheet dust filter. Secured with three magnets on each side, the filter pulls easily away from the fans for cleaning.(Credit: Thomas Soderstrom)Though “front-panel” ports and buttons often end up on the top panel of modern cases, the Velox 300R’s placement is somewhat unusual in that it’s a bit farther away from the actual front of the case than on most cases. Lined up along its right edge are a power button with a power-indicator LED window, an LED mode button, a headset (headphone/microphone) combo jack, two USB 3.2 Type-A ports, and a Gen 2x2 Type-C port. Unfortunately, there’s no reset button or drive-activity light.(Credit: Thomas Soderstrom)The rear panel features the only Velox 300R vents that aren’t covered in dust filters, though that’s okay; these should probably be viewed as exhaust vents that flow filtered air from those big front-panel fans. We also see the ATX standard’s seven expansion slots, a 120mm exhaust fan screwed onto slots that allow a little vertical adjustment, a power supply mount with two sets of holes to allow inverted mounting, and two vertical vent sections running up the forward and rear portions of the right side panel.The expansion-slot panel is inset, which simplifies graphics card installation. (In short: There's no interference between the card bracket and the clearance area above the screws, as there sometimes is with cheaper cases with non-inset panels.) (Credit: Thomas Soderstrom)A long dust filter that covers most of the bottom panel slides out the back of the case from beneath the power supply bay.(Credit: Thomas Soderstrom)The top panel and two long side panel vents are each covered internally with a perforated metal filter sheet, each of which uses magnetic tape around its periphery to stick to the steel panel.(Credit: Thomas Soderstrom)The Velox 300R’s top panel is designed to hold a 360mm-format radiator up to 420mm long. (The radiator will have around 57mm of clearance above the motherboard’s top edge.) The Velox 300R’s top panel also includes a second set of mounting slots to enable three 140mm fans to be placed there instead.From this angle, we can also see that the power supply cover has two 120mm fan mounts, that an adjustable card brace is attached slightly forward of the power supply cover, and that a removable multi-purpose bracket is factory-mounted to the 120mm fan location at the front of the case’s bottom panel. The bracket is drilled to hold a single 3.5-inch or 2.5-inch drive, as well as a variety of open-loop liquid-cooling pump/reservoir combos.(Credit: Thomas Soderstrom)Like the multifunction bracket that sits in front of it, the outer three-quarters of the power supply cover is removable. That fact eased the installation and removal of modular cables on our power supply.(Credit: Thomas Soderstrom)The Velox 300R’s motherboard tray includes several extra pass-through holes designed to fit the connector locations of MSI’s Project Zero motherboards, but they are not excluded, in any way we can see, from otherwise supporting its largest competitor’s rear-facing-connector design, Asus BTF. A side mount that can hold up to three 120mm fans and/or 360mm-format radiators up to 440mm long is offset an inch behind the motherboard tray, so that a fan up to 38mm thick could fit behind an EATX motherboard if we add the length of the standoffs to that thickness. We wouldn’t call the Velox an EATX case, because it has no mechanical support to hold 13-inch-long boards, but some slightly bigger-than-ATX boards will fit without requiring such supports.(Credit: Thomas Soderstrom)Behind the Velox 300R’s motherboard tray are its ARGB controller/fan hub and two drive trays. (Note that we also pulled the face panel off for our open case photos.) The controller’s hub supports four PWM fans and four ARGB devices.(Credit: Thomas Soderstrom)Removing the plastic plugs above and below the front-face 160mm factory ARGB fans allows us to see that the fan rails running up and down the face are also removable. Had we also removed the factory-fitted 160mm fans themselves, we could have used the extra mounting holes you can see to move the brackets inward to 140mm or 120mm fan spacing. The 480mm of space (height) behind that mount exceeds the length of any 420mm-format radiator we’ve seen, so you could put a really big radiator up front if you so desire. That said, you'll probably want to keep these oversized fans if you are air cooling; they have a nifty design, with an offset circle of blades inside a larger circle(Credit: Thomas Soderstrom)The drive trays include one dual-2.5-inch tray without 3.5-inch provisions and one with 3.5-inch provisions. Installing a 3.5-inch drive fitted with vibration-damping grommets precludes the use of any 2.5-inch drives in the second tray.Recommended by Our Editors(Credit: Thomas Soderstrom)Building With the MSI Velox 300RLet's dig into the accessory kit. The Velox 300R includes an installation guide and a case sticker, four combo-head power supply screws, a Phillips-to-hex-adapter socket for installing standoffs, two spare standoffs, and lots of additional screws. These include 21 standard M3 screws, eight M3 and four #6-32 shoulder screws (for installing drives onto the grommet-filled drive tray), and 12 extra-long #6-32 screws (for installing 120mm fans to the top of the power supply cover). You also get a bag of six replacement snaps for the ball-snap side-panel attachments, and two hook-and-loop and six zip-style cable ties.(Credit: Thomas Soderstrom)Case cables include a 19-pin USB 3.2 Gen 1 for the Type-A ports, a Type-E Gen 2x2 for the Type-C port, and an F_PANEL combo cable with breakout pins for a reset button that the case itself lacks. The ARGB controller/fan hub accepts PWM and ARGB control signals from the motherboard and is powered by a SATA-style power cable from your PSU.(Credit: Thomas Soderstrom)Our standard ATX motherboard fit the Velox 300R perfectly, and its card brace slid up to meet the edge of our test graphics card’s fan bracket nicely.(Credit: Thomas Soderstrom)The ARGB controller defaults to obeying the motherboard’s signal whenever its ARGB input is connected to the motherboard, but those who won’t be using motherboard control can also scroll through the controller’s inbuilt patterns via its mode button or even disable lighting entirely simply by holding the button for a few seconds.Here’s how the Velox looked all fleshed out with our standard test parts...(Credit: Thomas Soderstrom)MSI also sent along one of its motherboards, based on the Z790 chipset, so we could show this PZ (Project Zero) case built with its cable concealment fully deployed. This photo shows how all the cable headers that would have been pointing outward on a traditional motherboard point backward on this model.(Credit: Thomas Soderstrom)We’ll have to push some of those ARGB fan controller/hub cables aside to reach the ARGB and ATX12V headers of the Z790 Project Zero motherboard.(Credit: Thomas Soderstrom)We’ll also have to stuff away a little more cable length since most of our cables are no longer required to reach around to the front of the board.(Credit: Thomas Soderstrom)Though the displaced power and data cabling cleaned up the show side of our build nicely, we still have our graphics card’s supplemental power cable (12VHPWR) and our AIO CPU cooler’s tubes to contend with. Still, mighty clean and almost "Zero."(Credit: Thomas Soderstrom)And though the Z790 Project Zero motherboard has far less lighting than the board from our standardized kit, some would argue that it still looks better thanks to the reduced cable clutter.(Credit: Thomas Soderstrom)Testing the MSI Velox 300R: Twice-Benchmarked, Once With Project ZeroHere’s a list of the internal components from both of the above-photographed builds, along with the settings we used for our tests.The Velox 300R’s thermal performance is exactly mid-pack when using our standard test kit, and swapping in the rear-connector motherboard only resulted in a faster-warming voltage regulator (likely due to the lower mass of its heat sink). Its temperature control falls behind its most direct competitor, the Asus TUF Gaming GT302 ARGB, in both configurations.The reason the Velox 300R’s cooling performance fell behind the Lian Li Lancool 207 and GT302 ARGB appears fairly obvious when observing our noise charts: It’s quieter than both those cases.Both companies were aware that they could get better thermal results simply by spinning their fans a little harder, but MSI appears to have favored a quieter approach. Be aware that simply enabling the automatic fan profiles for your motherboard could potentially put all three of these cases into a tie with regard to both temperature and noise.

May 30, 2025Ravie LakshmananCryptocurrency / Cybercrime The U.S. Department of Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has levied sanctions against a Philippines-based company named Funnull Technology Inc. and its administrator Liu Lizhi for providing infrastructure to conduct romance baiting scams that led to massive cryptocurrency losses. The Treasury accused the Taguig-headquartered company of enabling thousands of websites involved in virtual currency investment scams that caused Americans to lose billions of dollars annually. "Funnull has directly facilitated several of these schemes, resulting in over $200 million in U.S. victim-reported losses," the agency said in a press release. The average loss is estimated to be over $150,000 per individual. Funnull, also called Fang Neng CDN (funnull[.]io, funnull[.]com, funnull[.]app, and funnull[.]buzz), was first attracted the attention of the cybersecurity community in June 2024 after it was implicated in the supply chain attack of widely-used Polyfill[.]io JavaScript library. Last year, an analysis by Silent Push revealed that the infrastructure associated with Funnull has been used to promote investment scams, fake trading applications, and suspect gambling networks. The infrastructure has been codenamed Triad Nexus. Then earlier this February, the cybersecurity company attributed Funnull to a practice dubbed infrastructure laundering wherein the company rented IP addresses from mainstream hosting providers such as Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Microsoft Azure to host criminal websites. Highlighting this aspect, the Treasury said Funnull enables virtual currency investment scams by acquiring IP addresses in bulk from major cloud services companies across the world and selling them to cybercriminals to host scam platforms and other malicious web content. "Funnull generates domain names for websites on its purchased IP addresses using domain generation algorithms (DGAs) – programs that generate large numbers of similar but unique names for websites – and provides web design templates to cybercriminals," the agency pointed out. "These services not only make it easier for cybercriminals to impersonate trusted brands when creating scam websites but also allow them to quickly change to different domain names and IP addresses when legitimate providers attempt to take the websites down." The Treasury also accused Funnull of purchasing Polyfill[.]io with the intent to redirect visitors of legitimate websites to scam websites and online gambling sites, some of which it said are linked to Chinese criminal money laundering operations. Furthermore, the department alleged that its administrator Liu, a Chinese national, was in possession of spreadsheets and other documents that contained information about the company's employees, their performance, and their work progress. The tasks assigned to them included assigning domain names to criminal actors for virtual currency investment fraud, phishing scams, and online gambling sites. In a standalone flash alert, the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) said it identified 548 unique Funnull Canonical Names (CNAME) linked to over 332,000 unique domains since January 2025. "Between October 2023 and April 2025, multiple patterns of IP address activity were observed from several domains using Funnull infrastructure," the FBI said. "During this time frame, hundreds of domains using Funnull infrastructure simultaneously migrated from one IP address to another either on the same exact day or within the same timeframe." Found this article interesting? Follow us on Twitter  and LinkedIn to read more exclusive content we post. SHARE    

300 homes have already been built at Bishop’s Stortford siteA £200m plan by Network Rail to turn an area around Bishop’s Stortford station in Hertfordshire into new homes and commercial space has been approved by the local council. Under the plans, more than 700 homes will be built at the former Goods Yard  The network operator has teamed up with Kier’s property arm to turn the area around the Goods Yard into more than 400 homes. Called Solum Regeneration, the pair have already built more than 300 homes a multi-storey car park after East Herts district council gave the original scheme the green light in 2018. The latest proposals, designed by Pollard Thomas Edwards, follow a masterplan that was endorsed by the council three years ago. The scheme  includes 423 homes, improved pedestrian links from the station to the town centre and upgrades to the station forecourt.  Solum Regeneration is a joint venture between Network Rail and Kier Property which has been set up to bring private investment into the rail network by generating funds from the development of under-used railway land.

When I first heard Samsung was bringing back the Edge name as a new super-thin member of the S25 family, all I could think was: Why? Honestly, I thought phone makers had gotten over their hunger for thinness nearly a decade ago. The quest to shave millimeters off devices resulted in worse battery life, extra heat and more limited features. So what gives? On a certain level, just like fashion, older trends can over time become fresh and stylish again. Additionally, after phones made the transition to 5G — which required extra power, more complex modems and larger antennas — modern components have started shrinking again, essentially paving the way for the return of slimmer handsets. But then it hit me. While thinness may be the most striking thing about the Galaxy S25 Edge, that's not enough to justify the creation of a whole new device. Instead, I believe this phone is a part of a larger mission by Samsung to make the middle child of its flagship mobile lineup a more appealing member of the family. And when viewed in that light, I actually think it's largely a success. Design Now don't get me wrong, despite my gripes about how thinner phones are less practical, the S25 Edge is beautifully designed. At just 5.8mm thick (0.23 inches), it feels impossibly sleek. What might be even more impressive is that Samsung hasn't sacrificed durability to get here either. Just like the S25 Ultra, the Edge features a titanium frame, an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance and an even stronger Gorilla Glass Ceramic 2 panel covering its display. The one difference is that the Edge's screen has a glossy finish instead of matte like on the Ultra because — and I kid you not — Samsung says an anti-reflective coating would have increased its thickness. Kudos to sticking to a strict design philosophy, because in terms of sheer feel and aesthetics, S25 Edge is undeniably enchanting. Sam Rutherford for Engadget However, while the S25 Edge shares some characteristics with the Ultra, like its frame and main camera, at least when it comes to its overall size, it's really more of a refreshed take on the S25+. It has the same 6.7-inch OLED panel with a 120Hz refresh rate that's just as vibrant and wonderfully colorful as before. Although it does weigh a bit less at 163 grams or 5.75 ounces versus the S25+ (190g or 6.7 oz). Performance Like the rest of the S25 family, the Edge is powered by a Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy chip with 12GB of RAM and either 256GB or 512GB of storage. Despite the compact dimensions, Samsung still found room to squeeze a vapor chamber inside to prevent throttling and overheating. So even when pushed, the back of the phone rarely got more than lukewarm while delivering strong performance as I was gaming, multitasking or doing pretty much anything else you can think of. Cameras Sam Rutherford for Engadget The other major departure from the S25+'s basic template is that the Edge features the 200MP main sensor from the Ultra, along with a 12MP ultra-wide cam. But there's no dedicated zoom. Now at first, I was a bit upset because I think any phone this expensive should have a telephoto lens. That said, the massive amount of pixels the Edge's primary sensor can capture means you have quite a bit of freedom to crop in without degrading image quality. You just need to remember to tell the camera to shoot in full 200MP mode instead of the standard 12MP setting. One other small change is that Edge features a slightly wider-angle 12MP selfie cam than the S25+ and Ultra, which allows you to fit more people in group shots, but that's really the main difference. In general use, the S25 Edge takes great pics. Colors are rich and details are crisp, though you still get Samsung's slightly oversaturated hues and warmer tones. The same goes for low-light shots. For this review, instead of comparing it to a Pixel or iPhone, I pitted the Edge against the Motorola Razr Ultra. I feel like both are attempting to woo people who want a sleek and stylish device, but they are doing it in very different ways. What immediately jumped out is that foldable phones (at least the Razr) still lag behind more traditional glass bricks, even ones as thin as the Edge. In nearly every shot, Samsung's handset produced brighter, sharper and better-exposed images than Motorola's. So if you're the kind of person who wants a compact phone without needing to sacrifice image quality, the S25 Edge is a stronger pick. Battery life The biggest trade-off when making a phone this skinny is having less room for its battery. As such, the S25 Edge has the smallest power pack in the family at 3,900 mAh, which is 100mAh less than what’s in a base S25. This led to a time of just 25 hours and 59 minutes on our local video rundown test. That's not terrible, but it is three and a half hours less than what we got from the S25 Ultra (29:27) and two hours worse than a standard S25. For those who care a lot about longevity, you have been warned. Sam Rutherford for Engadget Thankfully, the S25 Edge still has support for wireless charging at an acceptable 15 watts, though its wired speeds are just average at 25 watts. However, as the phone is merely "Qi2 ready," anyone who wants to use compatible magnetic wireless accessories will need to buy a case or an adhesive mount with a built-in magnet, because there isn't one inside the phone itself. Wrap-up The S25 Edge is a divisive phone. I still don't fully grasp the desire to make modern phones thinner than they already are. Particularly if you're like most folks and you throw the thing in a case as soon as you get it (even when accounting for Samsung's new super slim option). Shaving off an extra 1.5mm over the standard S25 doesn't really make a tangible difference in how you use it, unless you consider the phone's reduced battery life a good thing. Sam Rutherford for Engadget But as an alternative to the humdrum S25+, suddenly things get a lot more interesting. Samsung's previous middle child costs significantly more than a base S25, but it doesn't have the fancy features like a super high-res main camera or a titanium frame like you get on the S25 Ultra. Really, the S25+'s most attractive feature is a nicely-sized 6.7-inch screen. Now here's where the Galaxy S25 Edge comes in. It has all of those things alongside a super thin and wonderfully crafted chassis for the same $1,100 starting price as the S25+. Yes, Samsung sacrificed some battery capacity and the phone's dedicated zoom to get here, but those aren't straight-up dealbreakers. That's because with the Edge, the new in-between member of Samsung's flagship mobile family is more than just skinny — it has a stylish identity that can stand on its own.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/samsung-galaxy-s25-edge-review-more-than-just-super-thin-180042172.html?src=rss

In Brief Posted: 7:40 AM PDT · May 22, 2025 Image Credits:JASON REDMOND/AFP / Getty Images OpenAI teams up with Cisco, Oracle to build UAE data center As rumored, OpenAI is expanding its ambitious Stargate data center project to the Middle East. On Thursday, the company announced Stargate UAE, which will bring a 1GW data center cluster to Abu Dhabi. OpenAI expects 200MW will go live in 2026, developed with partners including G42, Oracle, Nvidia, Cisco, and SoftBank. In a blog post, OpenAI claims that Stargate UAE has the potential to provide AI infrastructure and compute capacity within a 2,000-mile radius. “This is […] the first partnership under OpenAI for Countries⁠, our new global initiative to help interested governments build sovereign AI capability in coordination with the U.S. government,” writes OpenAI. “Under the partnership, the UAE will become the first country in the world to enable ChatGPT nationwide — giving people across the country the ability to access OpenAI’s technology.” The unveiling of Stargate UAE comes the same week as billionaire Elon Musk said his AI company, xAI, would build the world’s first “gigawatt” AI training cluster. Topics

A malware infection can have serious consequences like spam advertising, personal data theft, or the loss of important files. Effective malware removal can help prevent these worst-case scenarios by identifying and isolating threats like adware, spyware, and ransomware before they take down your system. Thankfully, default operating system (OS) and system protection against cyberthreats is improving all the time. This doesn't mean you shouldn't consider downloading a trustworthy, secure malware removal app for keeping your PC and other devices clean. We have found the best software solutions available in 2025.What is the best malware removal software right now?I tested the best malware removal software to find the tools that detect threats like potentially unwanted programs (PUPs) and ransomware on your device and remove them before they wreak havoc. Also: Best VPS hosting service 2025My top recommendation is Bitdefender Antivirus Plus, which scans your device in real-time and on-demand. It can then identify and disinfect or quarantine files and applications deemed malicious or compromised by malware. Plans start at $25 per year. You could also check out Malwarebytes, another of my favorites, which has solid threat protection capabilities.  Read on to explore my top picks for the best malware removal software solutions in the market today. Sort by All The best malware removal software of 2025 Show less View now at Bitdefender Bitdefender is well-known in the antivirus space and a solid choice for malware removal on Windows and macOS. Why we like it: Antivirus Plus detects all kinds of malware including ransomware that could compromise your files and backups. It will either disinfect or quarantine compromised items. You can turn on real-time protection and/or run manual scans of your system, high-risk locations, or specific files. Review: Bitdefender Total SecurityIn addition to malware removal, Bitdefender offers anti-phishing protection, an anti-tracker for maintaining your privacy as you browse, and a VPN. However, you're limited to 200MB of traffic daily unless you upgrade to a Premium or Ultimate plan. Note that Antivirus Plus for Windows has a handful of additional features like Wi-Fi security assessments, a file shredder, and performance settings that add value for Windows users.Who it's for: Bitdefender is a great one-size-fits-all malware removal solution with excellent security features and should suit the majority of home users. It also scores well on independent lab tests for Windows and Mac operating systems. Bitdefender Antivirus Plus -- branded as Antivirus for Mac -- is the basic paid tier priced at $25 for one device or $30 for three devices, due to its frequent discounts.Who should look elsewhere: Bitdefender does have free versions available for Windows and macOS that offer basic antivirus scanning, but they are more limited in scope. If you want a free solution, explore my other recommendations. Bitdefender Antivirus Plus features: On-access and on-demand scanning | Live customer support | Anti-phishing and anti-tracking features  Pros Real-time and manual scans Ransomware protection Thorough malware detection and removal Cons Windows version has more features than macOS Limited VPN on cheaper plans Bitdefender is well-known in the antivirus space and a solid choice for malware removal on Windows and macOS. Why we like it: Antivirus Plus detects all kinds of malware including ransomware that could compromise your files and backups. It will either disinfect or quarantine compromised items. You can turn on real-time protection and/or run manual scans of your system, high-risk locations, or specific files. Review: Bitdefender Total SecurityIn addition to malware removal, Bitdefender offers anti-phishing protection, an anti-tracker for maintaining your privacy as you browse, and a VPN. However, you're limited to 200MB of traffic daily unless you upgrade to a Premium or Ultimate plan. Note that Antivirus Plus for Windows has a handful of additional features like Wi-Fi security assessments, a file shredder, and performance settings that add value for Windows users.Who it's for: Bitdefender is a great one-size-fits-all malware removal solution with excellent security features and should suit the majority of home users. It also scores well on independent lab tests for Windows and Mac operating systems. Bitdefender Antivirus Plus -- branded as Antivirus for Mac -- is the basic paid tier priced at $25 for one device or $30 for three devices, due to its frequent discounts.Who should look elsewhere: Bitdefender does have free versions available for Windows and macOS that offer basic antivirus scanning, but they are more limited in scope. If you want a free solution, explore my other recommendations. Bitdefender Antivirus Plus features: On-access and on-demand scanning | Live customer support | Anti-phishing and anti-tracking features  Read More Show Expert Take Show less Show less View now at Malwarebytes Malwarebytes protects your system from threats like Trojans, botnets, adware, spyware, crypto-miners, and potentially unwanted programs and modifications (PUPs and PUMs). Why we like it: Malwarebytes protects against ransomware, exploits, brute force attacks, and tampering on Windows. On macOS, it blocks apps from developers suspected of releasing malware. Review: MalwarebytesUsers on both systems can add the Browser Guard extension to Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge to detect and block malware, third-party ads and trackers, and scams on the web. If you upgrade to the Plus plan for $45 annually, you also get a built-in VPN. Who it's for: Anyone who wants protection for both operating systems and mobile. The app is available for Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS, and quarantines any threats it detects that need reviewing, deleting, or restoring. Malwarebytes' free tier allows manual scans, while its paid plans can run scheduled scans alongside real-time protection that detects and blocks threats.Malwarebytes offers a 14-day trial of Plus, after which you can downgrade to the free tier. Its paid plans are on the pricey side relative to the features offered, but the app is easy to use and performs well. Malwarebytes' free plan with on-demand scanning can also be a backup to other built-in or third-party antivirus tools. Who should look elsewhere: This is a useful set-and-forget antivirus. If you want more control over protection and advanced features, you may want to explore my other recommendations. Also: Best remote access software 2025Malwarebytes features: On-access, scheduled, and on-demand screening | Browser Guard extension | VPN (on Plus and Ultimate plans | Multi-platform  Pros Easy-to-navigate interface Solid free version Thorough malware detection and removal Cons No ransomware or exploit protection on MacOS Malwarebytes protects your system from threats like Trojans, botnets, adware, spyware, crypto-miners, and potentially unwanted programs and modifications (PUPs and PUMs). Why we like it: Malwarebytes protects against ransomware, exploits, brute force attacks, and tampering on Windows. On macOS, it blocks apps from developers suspected of releasing malware. Review: MalwarebytesUsers on both systems can add the Browser Guard extension to Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge to detect and block malware, third-party ads and trackers, and scams on the web. If you upgrade to the Plus plan for $45 annually, you also get a built-in VPN. Who it's for: Anyone who wants protection for both operating systems and mobile. The app is available for Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS, and quarantines any threats it detects that need reviewing, deleting, or restoring. Malwarebytes' free tier allows manual scans, while its paid plans can run scheduled scans alongside real-time protection that detects and blocks threats.Malwarebytes offers a 14-day trial of Plus, after which you can downgrade to the free tier. Its paid plans are on the pricey side relative to the features offered, but the app is easy to use and performs well. Malwarebytes' free plan with on-demand scanning can also be a backup to other built-in or third-party antivirus tools. Who should look elsewhere: This is a useful set-and-forget antivirus. If you want more control over protection and advanced features, you may want to explore my other recommendations. Also: Best remote access software 2025Malwarebytes features: On-access, scheduled, and on-demand screening | Browser Guard extension | VPN (on Plus and Ultimate plans | Multi-platform  Read More Show Expert Take Show less Show less View now at Avast Avast is well-known in the security industry, making it one of the top antivirus programs available to consumers. Why we like it: Avast One Essential is a free malware scanning and removal product available for Windows and macOS that comes with a whole suite of features to keep your system clear of threats. It also scores highly on independent lab tests. Also: The best password manager for families: Expert tested and reviewedAvast One scans your files on access for malware and offers options for scheduled and on-demand scans. The app quarantines any detected threats for further action. You also get a firewall, ransomware protection, network vulnerability reports, web traffic scans, and a VPN. It's limited to 5GB of traffic per week. Who it's for: If you're looking for a free malware removal solution, this is for you. But beware: Avast often attempts to upsell you within the app. Otherwise it's an excellent choice for comprehensive protection at no cost.  Who should look elsewhere: It's an excellent app, despite the free version's limits. Still, you could also look at Avast's premium subscriptions for additional protection, starting from $3 month. Avast One Essential features: On-access, scheduled, and on-demand scanning | Multi-platform | VPN (limited)  Pros Clean, user-friendly app Comprehensive features at no cost Firewall, network scanner, and ransomware protection Cons Strong upsell efforts in app Avast is well-known in the security industry, making it one of the top antivirus programs available to consumers. Why we like it: Avast One Essential is a free malware scanning and removal product available for Windows and macOS that comes with a whole suite of features to keep your system clear of threats. It also scores highly on independent lab tests. Also: The best password manager for families: Expert tested and reviewedAvast One scans your files on access for malware and offers options for scheduled and on-demand scans. The app quarantines any detected threats for further action. You also get a firewall, ransomware protection, network vulnerability reports, web traffic scans, and a VPN. It's limited to 5GB of traffic per week. Who it's for: If you're looking for a free malware removal solution, this is for you. But beware: Avast often attempts to upsell you within the app. Otherwise it's an excellent choice for comprehensive protection at no cost.  Who should look elsewhere: It's an excellent app, despite the free version's limits. Still, you could also look at Avast's premium subscriptions for additional protection, starting from $3 month. Avast One Essential features: On-access, scheduled, and on-demand scanning | Multi-platform | VPN (limited)  Read More Show Expert Take Show less Show less View now at ESET ESET is another digital security provider that scores well on independent antivirus tests.Why we like it: Its Home Security software can detect threats and clean them from Windows and macOS systems. You get real-time and on-demand scanning with various customization options. In addition, ESET will identify and quarantine viruses, ransomware, spyware, and other malware threats. Also: The best free VPNs: Expert testedWho it's for: Anyone who wants in-depth, high-quality antivirus scans first, and other features second. ESET doesn't have a fully free anti-malware program beyond its 30-day trial period. It does offer a free on-demand scanner for Windows that detects and removes malware. While there is no real-time protection, it can back up other security tools on your system. The Essential package costs $48 per year and includes a firewall, anti-spam protection, and other advanced privacy and security features. ESET NOD32 Antivirus is cheaper at $40 per year but only includes basic antivirus for Windows. The ESET Ultimate costs a hefty $144 per year, but it's the only tier with a VPN and browser privacy features. Who should look elsewhere: Anyone using other anti-malware tools. I tested ESET Home Security Essentials, packaged as ESET Cyber Security on macOS and ESET Internet Security on Windows. I found that it's not the most intuitive to install or use, especially with its more granular settings, and it doesn't play nicely with other anti-malware systems. If you want an option that is easier to operate, consider an entry-level solution. ESET Home Security Essential features: On-access and on-demand scanning | Multi-platform | Live customer support Pros Comprehensive malware protection and removal Advanced firewall and network security features Cons Not the most user-friendly Pricey ESET is another digital security provider that scores well on independent antivirus tests.Why we like it: Its Home Security software can detect threats and clean them from Windows and macOS systems. You get real-time and on-demand scanning with various customization options. In addition, ESET will identify and quarantine viruses, ransomware, spyware, and other malware threats. Also: The best free VPNs: Expert testedWho it's for: Anyone who wants in-depth, high-quality antivirus scans first, and other features second. ESET doesn't have a fully free anti-malware program beyond its 30-day trial period. It does offer a free on-demand scanner for Windows that detects and removes malware. While there is no real-time protection, it can back up other security tools on your system. The Essential package costs $48 per year and includes a firewall, anti-spam protection, and other advanced privacy and security features. ESET NOD32 Antivirus is cheaper at $40 per year but only includes basic antivirus for Windows. The ESET Ultimate costs a hefty $144 per year, but it's the only tier with a VPN and browser privacy features. Who should look elsewhere: Anyone using other anti-malware tools. I tested ESET Home Security Essentials, packaged as ESET Cyber Security on macOS and ESET Internet Security on Windows. I found that it's not the most intuitive to install or use, especially with its more granular settings, and it doesn't play nicely with other anti-malware systems. If you want an option that is easier to operate, consider an entry-level solution. ESET Home Security Essential features: On-access and on-demand scanning | Multi-platform | Live customer support Read More Show Expert Take Show less Show less View now at Emsisoft I recommend the Emsisoft Emergency Kit for people wanting a fast, easy-to-use, free malware cleanup tool. Why we like it: The app's user-friendly design makes it abundantly clear where to conduct an on-demand scan. The main Overview tab consists of four sections, and the option at the far left lets you perform either a Quick Scan, a more in-depth Malware Scan, or a Custom Scan.Also: How to encrypt any email in Outlook, Gmail, and other popular servicesWhatever you select, Emsisoft will immediately scan your computer's files for malicious software and quarantine suspicious files. This process can take a while depending on how much is saved on your machine. In my experience, the longest scan took almost 20 minutes, but rest assured, the app is going through every nook and cranny. Who it's for: Anyone who wants a rapid scanning tool, especially a portable one. I like that Emsisoft's Emergency Kit doesn't require installation on your device. You could, for example, run it on a USB drive and receive the same experience. Who should look elsewhere: Emsisoft's software doesn't offer other forms of protection such as a firewall. It's simply a scanning tool, and a good one at that, but if you want additional layers of security, look elsewhere. Also: Best business password managersEmsisoft Emergency Kit features: On-demand scanning | Works from a USB | Compatible with Windows  Pros Portable software User-friendly app Great cleanup tool Cons Windows only Offers no other protection I recommend the Emsisoft Emergency Kit for people wanting a fast, easy-to-use, free malware cleanup tool. Why we like it: The app's user-friendly design makes it abundantly clear where to conduct an on-demand scan. The main Overview tab consists of four sections, and the option at the far left lets you perform either a Quick Scan, a more in-depth Malware Scan, or a Custom Scan.Also: How to encrypt any email in Outlook, Gmail, and other popular servicesWhatever you select, Emsisoft will immediately scan your computer's files for malicious software and quarantine suspicious files. This process can take a while depending on how much is saved on your machine. In my experience, the longest scan took almost 20 minutes, but rest assured, the app is going through every nook and cranny. Who it's for: Anyone who wants a rapid scanning tool, especially a portable one. I like that Emsisoft's Emergency Kit doesn't require installation on your device. You could, for example, run it on a USB drive and receive the same experience. Who should look elsewhere: Emsisoft's software doesn't offer other forms of protection such as a firewall. It's simply a scanning tool, and a good one at that, but if you want additional layers of security, look elsewhere. Also: Best business password managersEmsisoft Emergency Kit features: On-demand scanning | Works from a USB | Compatible with Windows  Read More Show Expert Take Show less What is the best malware removal software? Bitdefender Antivirus Plus is our pick for the best overall malware removal software because it provides comprehensive and reliable protection against threats across platforms at a reasonable price. The other four malware removal options on this list also offer excellent protection with various features worth considering. Best malware removal softwareOn-access scansMulti-platformFree tier Notable featuresBitdefender Antivirus Plus✓✓✓Anti-phishing and anti-tracking, live supportMalwarebytes✓✓✓Ransomware protection (Windows), Browser GuardAvast One Essential✓✓✓Firewall, network scanner, ransomware protectionESET Home Security Essential✓✓xFirewall, anti-spam protectionEmsisoft Emergency Kitxx✓Portable, works from a USB Show more Which malware removal software is right for you? Choose this malware removal software…If you want…Bitdefender Antivirus PlusAll-around antivirus protection that effectively detects and removes malware. Bitdefender Antivirus provides real-time protection and fliexlble scanning options. MalwarebytesEffective, user-friendly malware detection and removal. Malwarebytes also provides a range of protective services, including browser protection and a VPN.Avast One EssentialComprehensive protection and malware removal at no cost. The free tier is limited, but it will certainly help you handle malware detection and removal tasks.ESET Home Security EssentialA robust, highly customizable anti-malware program. While it's not the best option for beginners, if you are tech savvy, this software could be the best option for you. Emsisoft Emergency KitA basic scanner that can double as a backup to your other Windows antivirus/anti-malware tools. It's portable, too, which can be handy in sticky situations.  Show more Factors to consider when choosing malware removal software When selecting the best malware removal for you, I recommend comparing the following factors: Scan types: Some malware removal tools will automatically scan items on your device for malware each time they are downloaded, opened, or executed. This is known as on-access scanning. Others will scan only on demand or manually. If you want real-time protection that you don't have to think about, consider a tool with on-access scans. Price: You don't necessarily need to pay for malware removal. Free tools like Avast One Essential and secondary scanners from Emsisoft and Malwarebytes do a solid job detecting and quarantining threats. However, a paid program may provide more features or customization options. Additional features: If you're just looking for malware removal, a more straightforward program or secondary scanner may be all you need. However, some software has extra features to protect your device such as firewalls or VPNs.  Show more How we test malware removal To select the best malware removal tools, we identified programs from reputable security companies. We then looked at independent test results and went hands-on to compare features, performance, and user experience. We conducted most of our testing on MacOS Sequoia 15.1.1 except for Emsisoft, which we ran on Windows 11. Note: The Windows version of most malware removal programs has additional features that are unavailable on MacOS.  Show more FAQs on malware removal software How does malware removal work? Once anti-malware software has detected a threat, it attempts to stop that threat from wreaking further havoc on your system. In some cases, it can disinfect files and delete malware. In others, the software will quarantine the files until users assess and manually remove the threat.  Show more What is the difference between antivirus and anti-malware? Antivirus and anti-malware are two names for the same thing. Traditionally, antivirus software protects against known security threats, but as threats evolve, so do the programs that fight them. Most current antivirus software stands up to more sophisticated malware like spyware, rootkits, and ransomware. In addition, cloud-based programs can be frequently updated as threats emerge. Malware removal is part of anti-malware, and paid antivirus, along with some free plans, typically offers on-access or real-time protection. Alternatively, you can use an on-demand scanner that will detect and clean up any threats that are present.  Show more Do I have to pay for malware removal? Major operating systems have built-in protection against malware. Windows Defender, for example, does a fine job of catching and removing threats, especially if you follow security best practices on your device. A handful of third-party antivirus alternatives with malware removal are also available for free. You can upgrade to a premium paid tier if you need or want additional features like a firewall or VPN.  Show more Are there any alternative malware removal software options to consider?Many antivirus solutions on the market can detect and remove malware. If the options listed above don't fit your needs, you can try these others below  Latest updates In ZDNET's latest update, we performed substantial copy and layout changes. Show more Further ZDNET Tech Coverage Smartphones Smartwatches Tablets Laptops TVs Other Tech Resources ZDNET Recommends