Search

Unity shared a link

2025-06-03 09:10:49 ·

The multiplayer stack behind MMORPG Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen

Finding your own path is at the core of gameplay in Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen – players can go anywhere, climb anything, forge new routes, and follow their curiosity to find adventure. It’s not that different from how its creators, Visionary Realms, approaches building this MMORPG – they’re doing it their own way.Transporting players to the fantasy world of Terminus, Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen harkens back to classic MMOs, where accidental discovery wandering through an open world and social interactions with other players are at the heart of the game experience.Creating any multiplayer game is a challenge – but a highly social online game at this scale is an epic quest. We sat down with lead programmer Kyle Olsen about how the team is using Unity to connect players in this MMORPG fantasy world.So what makes Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen unique compared to other MMO games?It’s definitely the social aspect. You have to experience the world and move through it naturally. It can be a bit more of a grind in a way, but it I think connects you more to your character, to the game, and the world instead of just sort of teleporting everywhere and joining LFG systems or just being placed in a dungeon. You learn the land a bit better, you have to navigate and you use your eyes more than just bouncing around like a pinball from objective to objective, following quest markers and stuff. It’s more of a thought game.How are you managing synchronization between the player experience and specific world instances?We have our own network library we built for the socket transport layer called ViNL. That’s the bread and butter for all of the zone communications, between zones and player to zone. SQL server in the back end, kind of standard stuff there. But most of the transports are handled by our own network library.How do you approach asset loading for this giant world?We’ve got a step where we bake our continents out into these tiles, and we’ve got different backends that we can plug into that. We’ve got one that just outputs standard Prefabs, and we’ve got one that outputs subscenes that we were using before Unity 6, and then we’ve got actual full-on Unity scenes that you can load additively, so you can choose how you want to output your content. Before Unity 6, we had moved away from Prefabs and started loading the DOTS subscenes and using that, built on BRG.We also have an output that can render directly to our own custom batch render group as well, just using scriptable objects and managing our own data. So we’ve been able to experiment and test out the different ones, and see what yields the best client performance. Prior to Unity 6, we were outputting and rendering the entire continent with subscenes, but with Unity 6 we actually switched back to using Prefabs with Instantiate Async and Addressables to manage everything.We’re using the Resident Drawer and GPU occlusion culling, which ended up yielding even better performance than subscenes and our own batch render group – I’m assuming because GPU occlusion culling just isn’t supported by some of the other render paths at the moment. So we’ve bounced around quite a bit, and we landed on Addressables for managing all the memory and asset loading, and regular Instantiate Prefabs with the GPU Resident Drawer seems to be the best client-side performance at the moment.Did you upgrade to Unity 6 to take advantage of the GPU Resident Drawer, specifically?Actually, I really wanted it for the occlusion culling. I wasn’t aware that only certain render paths made use of the occlusion culling, so we were attempting to use it with the same subscene rendering that we were using prior to Unity 6 and realizing nothing’s actually being culled. So we opted to switch back to the Prefab output to see what that looked like with the Resident Drawer, and occlusion culling and FPS went up.We had some issues initially, because Instantiate Async wasn’t in before Unity 6, so we had some stalls when we would instantiate our tiles. There were quite a few things being instantiated, but switching that over to Instantiate Async after we fixed a couple of bugs we got rid of the stall on load and the overall frame rate was higher after load, so it was just a win-win.Were there any really remarkable productivity gains that came with the switch to Unity 6?Everything I've talked about so far was client-facing, so our players experienced those wins. For the developer side of things, the stability and performance of the Editor went up quite a bit. The Editor stability in Unity 6 has gone up pretty substantially – it’s very rare to actually crash now. That alone has been, at least for the coding side, a huge win. It feels more stable in its entirety for sure.How do you handle making changes and updates without breaking everything?We build with Addressables using the labels very heavily, and we do the Addressable packaging by labels. So if we edit a specific zone or an asset in a zone, or like a VFX that’s associated with a spell or something like that, only those bundles that touch that label get updated at all.And then, our own content delivery system, we have the game available on Steam and our own patcher, and those both handle the delta changes, where we’re just delivering small updates through those Addressable bundles. The netcode requires the same version to be connected in the first place, so the network library side of that is automatically handled in the handshake process.What guidance would you give someone who’s trying to tackle an MMO game or another ambitious multiplayer project?You kind of start small, I guess. It's a step-by-step process. If you’re a small team, you You start small. It's a step-by-step process. If you’re a small team, you can’t bite off too much. It’d be completely overwhelming – but that holds true with any larger-scale game, not just an MMO. Probably technology selection – making smart choices upfront and sticking to them. It’s going to be a lot of middleware and backend tech that you’re going to have to wrangle and get working well together, and swapping to the newest cool thing all the time is not going to bode well.What’s the most exciting technical achievement for your team with this game?I think that there aren’t many open world MMOs, period, that have been pulled off in Unity. We don’t have a huge team, and we're making a game that is genuinely massive, so we have to focus on little isolated areas, develop them as best we can, and then move on and get feedback.The whole package together is fairly new grounds – when there is an MMO, it needs to feel like an MMO in spirit, with lots of people all around, doing their own thing. And we’ve pulled that off – I think better than pretty much any Unity MMO ever has. I think we can pat ourselves on the back for that.Get more insights from developers on Unity’s Resources page and here on the blog. Check out Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen in Early Access on Steam.
#multiplayer #stack #behind #mmorpg #pantheon

The multiplayer stack behind MMORPG Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen
Finding your own path is at the core of gameplay in Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen – players can go anywhere, climb anything, forge new routes, and follow their curiosity to find adventure. It’s not that different from how its creators, Visionary Realms, approaches building this MMORPG – they’re doing it their own way.Transporting players to the fantasy world of Terminus, Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen harkens back to classic MMOs, where accidental discovery wandering through an open world and social interactions with other players are at the heart of the game experience.Creating any multiplayer game is a challenge – but a highly social online game at this scale is an epic quest. We sat down with lead programmer Kyle Olsen about how the team is using Unity to connect players in this MMORPG fantasy world.So what makes Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen unique compared to other MMO games?It’s definitely the social aspect. You have to experience the world and move through it naturally. It can be a bit more of a grind in a way, but it I think connects you more to your character, to the game, and the world instead of just sort of teleporting everywhere and joining LFG systems or just being placed in a dungeon. You learn the land a bit better, you have to navigate and you use your eyes more than just bouncing around like a pinball from objective to objective, following quest markers and stuff. It’s more of a thought game.How are you managing synchronization between the player experience and specific world instances?We have our own network library we built for the socket transport layer called ViNL. That’s the bread and butter for all of the zone communications, between zones and player to zone. SQL server in the back end, kind of standard stuff there. But most of the transports are handled by our own network library.How do you approach asset loading for this giant world?We’ve got a step where we bake our continents out into these tiles, and we’ve got different backends that we can plug into that. We’ve got one that just outputs standard Prefabs, and we’ve got one that outputs subscenes that we were using before Unity 6, and then we’ve got actual full-on Unity scenes that you can load additively, so you can choose how you want to output your content. Before Unity 6, we had moved away from Prefabs and started loading the DOTS subscenes and using that, built on BRG.We also have an output that can render directly to our own custom batch render group as well, just using scriptable objects and managing our own data. So we’ve been able to experiment and test out the different ones, and see what yields the best client performance. Prior to Unity 6, we were outputting and rendering the entire continent with subscenes, but with Unity 6 we actually switched back to using Prefabs with Instantiate Async and Addressables to manage everything.We’re using the Resident Drawer and GPU occlusion culling, which ended up yielding even better performance than subscenes and our own batch render group – I’m assuming because GPU occlusion culling just isn’t supported by some of the other render paths at the moment. So we’ve bounced around quite a bit, and we landed on Addressables for managing all the memory and asset loading, and regular Instantiate Prefabs with the GPU Resident Drawer seems to be the best client-side performance at the moment.Did you upgrade to Unity 6 to take advantage of the GPU Resident Drawer, specifically?Actually, I really wanted it for the occlusion culling. I wasn’t aware that only certain render paths made use of the occlusion culling, so we were attempting to use it with the same subscene rendering that we were using prior to Unity 6 and realizing nothing’s actually being culled. So we opted to switch back to the Prefab output to see what that looked like with the Resident Drawer, and occlusion culling and FPS went up.We had some issues initially, because Instantiate Async wasn’t in before Unity 6, so we had some stalls when we would instantiate our tiles. There were quite a few things being instantiated, but switching that over to Instantiate Async after we fixed a couple of bugs we got rid of the stall on load and the overall frame rate was higher after load, so it was just a win-win.Were there any really remarkable productivity gains that came with the switch to Unity 6?Everything I've talked about so far was client-facing, so our players experienced those wins. For the developer side of things, the stability and performance of the Editor went up quite a bit. The Editor stability in Unity 6 has gone up pretty substantially – it’s very rare to actually crash now. That alone has been, at least for the coding side, a huge win. It feels more stable in its entirety for sure.How do you handle making changes and updates without breaking everything?We build with Addressables using the labels very heavily, and we do the Addressable packaging by labels. So if we edit a specific zone or an asset in a zone, or like a VFX that’s associated with a spell or something like that, only those bundles that touch that label get updated at all.And then, our own content delivery system, we have the game available on Steam and our own patcher, and those both handle the delta changes, where we’re just delivering small updates through those Addressable bundles. The netcode requires the same version to be connected in the first place, so the network library side of that is automatically handled in the handshake process.What guidance would you give someone who’s trying to tackle an MMO game or another ambitious multiplayer project?You kind of start small, I guess. It's a step-by-step process. If you’re a small team, you You start small. It's a step-by-step process. If you’re a small team, you can’t bite off too much. It’d be completely overwhelming – but that holds true with any larger-scale game, not just an MMO. Probably technology selection – making smart choices upfront and sticking to them. It’s going to be a lot of middleware and backend tech that you’re going to have to wrangle and get working well together, and swapping to the newest cool thing all the time is not going to bode well.What’s the most exciting technical achievement for your team with this game?I think that there aren’t many open world MMOs, period, that have been pulled off in Unity. We don’t have a huge team, and we're making a game that is genuinely massive, so we have to focus on little isolated areas, develop them as best we can, and then move on and get feedback.The whole package together is fairly new grounds – when there is an MMO, it needs to feel like an MMO in spirit, with lots of people all around, doing their own thing. And we’ve pulled that off – I think better than pretty much any Unity MMO ever has. I think we can pat ourselves on the back for that.Get more insights from developers on Unity’s Resources page and here on the blog. Check out Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen in Early Access on Steam. #multiplayer #stack #behind #mmorpg #pantheon

UNITY.COM

The multiplayer stack behind MMORPG Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen

Finding your own path is at the core of gameplay in Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen – players can go anywhere, climb anything, forge new routes, and follow their curiosity to find adventure. It’s not that different from how its creators, Visionary Realms, approaches building this MMORPG – they’re doing it their own way.Transporting players to the fantasy world of Terminus, Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen harkens back to classic MMOs, where accidental discovery wandering through an open world and social interactions with other players are at the heart of the game experience.Creating any multiplayer game is a challenge – but a highly social online game at this scale is an epic quest. We sat down with lead programmer Kyle Olsen about how the team is using Unity to connect players in this MMORPG fantasy world.So what makes Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen unique compared to other MMO games?It’s definitely the social aspect. You have to experience the world and move through it naturally. It can be a bit more of a grind in a way, but it I think connects you more to your character, to the game, and the world instead of just sort of teleporting everywhere and joining LFG systems or just being placed in a dungeon. You learn the land a bit better, you have to navigate and you use your eyes more than just bouncing around like a pinball from objective to objective, following quest markers and stuff. It’s more of a thought game.How are you managing synchronization between the player experience and specific world instances?We have our own network library we built for the socket transport layer called ViNL. That’s the bread and butter for all of the zone communications, between zones and player to zone. SQL server in the back end, kind of standard stuff there. But most of the transports are handled by our own network library.How do you approach asset loading for this giant world?We’ve got a step where we bake our continents out into these tiles, and we’ve got different backends that we can plug into that. We’ve got one that just outputs standard Prefabs, and we’ve got one that outputs subscenes that we were using before Unity 6, and then we’ve got actual full-on Unity scenes that you can load additively, so you can choose how you want to output your content. Before Unity 6, we had moved away from Prefabs and started loading the DOTS subscenes and using that, built on BRG.We also have an output that can render directly to our own custom batch render group as well, just using scriptable objects and managing our own data. So we’ve been able to experiment and test out the different ones, and see what yields the best client performance. Prior to Unity 6, we were outputting and rendering the entire continent with subscenes, but with Unity 6 we actually switched back to using Prefabs with Instantiate Async and Addressables to manage everything.We’re using the Resident Drawer and GPU occlusion culling, which ended up yielding even better performance than subscenes and our own batch render group – I’m assuming because GPU occlusion culling just isn’t supported by some of the other render paths at the moment. So we’ve bounced around quite a bit, and we landed on Addressables for managing all the memory and asset loading, and regular Instantiate Prefabs with the GPU Resident Drawer seems to be the best client-side performance at the moment.Did you upgrade to Unity 6 to take advantage of the GPU Resident Drawer, specifically?Actually, I really wanted it for the occlusion culling. I wasn’t aware that only certain render paths made use of the occlusion culling, so we were attempting to use it with the same subscene rendering that we were using prior to Unity 6 and realizing nothing’s actually being culled. So we opted to switch back to the Prefab output to see what that looked like with the Resident Drawer, and occlusion culling and FPS went up.We had some issues initially, because Instantiate Async wasn’t in before Unity 6, so we had some stalls when we would instantiate our tiles. There were quite a few things being instantiated, but switching that over to Instantiate Async after we fixed a couple of bugs we got rid of the stall on load and the overall frame rate was higher after load, so it was just a win-win.Were there any really remarkable productivity gains that came with the switch to Unity 6?Everything I've talked about so far was client-facing, so our players experienced those wins. For the developer side of things, the stability and performance of the Editor went up quite a bit. The Editor stability in Unity 6 has gone up pretty substantially – it’s very rare to actually crash now. That alone has been, at least for the coding side, a huge win. It feels more stable in its entirety for sure.How do you handle making changes and updates without breaking everything?We build with Addressables using the labels very heavily, and we do the Addressable packaging by labels. So if we edit a specific zone or an asset in a zone, or like a VFX that’s associated with a spell or something like that, only those bundles that touch that label get updated at all.And then, our own content delivery system, we have the game available on Steam and our own patcher, and those both handle the delta changes, where we’re just delivering small updates through those Addressable bundles. The netcode requires the same version to be connected in the first place, so the network library side of that is automatically handled in the handshake process.What guidance would you give someone who’s trying to tackle an MMO game or another ambitious multiplayer project?You kind of start small, I guess. It's a step-by-step process. If you’re a small team, you You start small. It's a step-by-step process. If you’re a small team, you can’t bite off too much. It’d be completely overwhelming – but that holds true with any larger-scale game, not just an MMO. Probably technology selection – making smart choices upfront and sticking to them. It’s going to be a lot of middleware and backend tech that you’re going to have to wrangle and get working well together, and swapping to the newest cool thing all the time is not going to bode well.What’s the most exciting technical achievement for your team with this game?I think that there aren’t many open world MMOs, period, that have been pulled off in Unity. We don’t have a huge team, and we're making a game that is genuinely massive, so we have to focus on little isolated areas, develop them as best we can, and then move on and get feedback.The whole package together is fairly new grounds – when there is an MMO, it needs to feel like an MMO in spirit, with lots of people all around, doing their own thing. And we’ve pulled that off – I think better than pretty much any Unity MMO ever has. I think we can pat ourselves on the back for that.Get more insights from developers on Unity’s Resources page and here on the blog. Check out Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen in Early Access on Steam.

·429 Views

Please log in to like, share and comment!
ZDNET shared a link

2025-06-01 15:21:14 ·

I replaced my laptop with Microsoft's 12-inch Surface Pro for weeks - here's my buying advice now

ZDNET's key takeaways The 12-inch Microsoft Surface Pro is available now starting at for the Platinum color, and for the new Violet and Ocean colors. The 12-inch version is exceedingly thin and light with a fast-charging battery, and the refreshed form factor looks more premium. The 256GB of storage is not enough for a device at this price point, and the cost adds up quickly, as the keyboard, mouse, and even the power adapter are sold separately. more buying choices Microsoft's 2025 12-inch Surface Pro is thinner, lighter, and a little more affordable, with a battery-efficient Snapdragon X Plus processor and refreshed design. The latest version of the Surface Pro rounds out the lineup with a more affordable option focused on ultra-long battery life, new colors, and redesigned accessories to show off Windows' latest Copilot+ PC features. Also: I recommend this HP laptop to creatives and business pros alike - especially at nearly 50% offI recently replaced my laptop with the 12-inch Surface Pro for more than two weeks now, and the Surface Pro seems to me to be more of an addition to the current lineup than a standalone upgrade, particularly in comparison to the enterprise models Microsoft released in January.The 2025 Surface Pro has relatively modest hardware, with 16GB of RAM and 256GB or 512GB of UFS storage, instead targeting a more everyday consumer who makes use of on-device AI and appreciates the ultraportability.
details
View at Best Buy Besides the smaller form factor, this year's Surface Pro comes in two new colors: Violet and Ocean. The default Platinum color starts at whereas the other two will run you bringing the starting price a little further away from that advertised low price. I must admit that the design on the 12-inch tablet looks better. It looks more like a premium tabletwith rounded corners, thin bezels, and the webcam moved to the back corner of the device. Also: Microsoft unveils new AI agent customization and oversight features at Build 2025Additionally, I'm a fan of the new Violet and Ocean colorways, which aren't what I'd call "bold", but at least they're not the same desaturated pastels we see everywhere else. The colors extend to the Surface Pro keyboards, which are updated by removing the alcantara fabric on the front of the keyboard for a cleaner, monochromatic matte look. Instead, the fabric is relegated to the back of the keyboard case, which has a more premium tablet feel for storage and transport. The Surface keyboard is functional and satisfying to type on, with springy keys and a responsive, premium trackpad. Kyle Kucharski/ZDNETAdditionally, the tablet snaps to the keyboard a little tighter and closer to the tablet now, with no gap in the hinge, giving it a slightly smaller footprint on the desk. The Surface Pen also magnetically snaps to the back of the 12-inch instead of storing on the keyboard. This requires you to store the device with the fabric facing down, as you don't want to squish the pen. When throwing the Surface Pro in a bag, the Pen also tends to stay put but can come unattached if you're not paying attention. Microsoft wants to show off its new AI-driven Copilot+ features, and the 12-inch Surface Pro is a good conduit for marketing them to the consumer, especially with its attractive price point and the 45 TOPS Qualcomm Hexagon NPU. Also: I've tested dozens of work laptops - but I'd take this Lenovo to the office everydayFor example, the long-awaited Recall feature is still in Preview mode, but it's getting closer to a useful state. Other applications that leverage AI processes, particularly ones for creators like Capcut, Davinci Resolve, and DJay Pro should feel smooth and snappy. This makes it a very AI-ready device for everyday users who don't need high-end hardware for demanding creative projects. Kyle Kucharski/ZDNETRunning Windows on Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Plus chip shouldn't be too much of a problem for most users in this category, as the areas that saw the most issues with compatibility, like gaming and connecting to legacy software, are more likely not to apply to the targeted user. The 12-inch Surface Pro's modest hardware positions itself as a competitive device in the family's lineup. The aforementioned 16GB of RAM and max 512GB of storage, paired with the Snapdragon X Plus and 2196 x 1464 resolutionLCD display that targets everyday users, while its 13-inch siblings can be loaded up with more premium hardware. Also: This ultraportable Windows laptop raised the bar for the MacBook AirThat being said, the Snapdragon X Plus processor is snappy and responsive, excelling at tasks that the average consumer cares about: fast startup and app load times, smooth multitasking, and solid battery performance, whether in laptop or tablet mode. During my benchmarking of the 12-inch Surface Pro, I got numbers that place it around other thin and light laptops in the same price range, including Asus' Zenbook A14, which also features the Snapdragon X Plus processor, and HP's OmniBook X 14, one of the first Copilot+ PCs with the Snapdragon X Elite chip from 2024. Cinebench 24 MCGeekbench 6.2.2 SCGeekbench 6.2.2 MC12-inch Microsoft Surface Pro4182,2529,555Asus Zenbook A145412,13310,624HP Omnibook X4702,32613,160
Show more
The display is sharp and crisp, but it does cap out at 400 nits of brightness and a 90Hz refresh rate. Since it's a tablet, it's also quite glossy. In the office, for example, I found myself readjusting the device's angle numerous times throughout the day to account for glare from overhead lighting. Also: How to clear the cache on your Windows 11 PCSpeaking of using the Surface Pro in the office, it works equally well as a laptop or a tablet, depending on what you need. Detached from the keyboard and armed with the Surface Pen, it becomes a snappy productivity tablet that allows for note taking, prototyping, and freeform idea generation in Windows' Whiteboard app. You can also assign different actions to the Pen, including starting apps or performing functions with the button on the device or the "clicky" on the end. I will say that the Pen's performance can be variable, though. If you're running multiple programs open in the background, you might notice lag while writing, especially if you're moving quickly. Kyle Kucharski/ZDNETSimilarly, the location of the front-facing HD camera means that it has a slightly downward-up orientation while connected to the keyboard, as the kickstand can only prop it up so high. Consider a clamshell laptop, for example, which can sit at a 90-degree angle or less. In that sense, untethering the keyboard and using it as a tablet might be more optimal for users who make frequent video calls. Also: The best laptops for graphic designers in 2025: Expert tested and reviewedRegarding battery life, the Snapdragon X Plus processor ensures that it drains at a mere trickle when the device is not in use, and is good enough for over a full day's worth of work on one charge. Microsoft advertises 16 hours of battery life, and I got a little over 15 in our video playback test. Regarding more sustained use, I got over 10 hours on a single charge, which isn't far off from the advertised 12 hours without using all the max battery efficiency settings. Couple this with the fact that the Surface Pro charges extremely fast. From a completely dead battery, you'll get to about 50% in 30 minutes, and around 80% in an hour. Of the Surface Pro family, the 12-inch is certainly the most battery efficient and the fastest to charge. ZDNET's buying adviceThe 12-inch Microsoft Surface Pro completes the family's lineup with a thinner, lighter, and more battery-efficient tablet/laptop hybrid with refreshed colors and design. It comes with slightly more modest hardwarefor a lower starting price of If you're looking for a functional 2-in-1 tablet/laptop, enjoy using a stylus, and don't need a ton of local storage, it's a great option, especially for its long-lasting battery. It's an all-around sharp-looking device, and the premium keyboard case provides a satisfying tactile experience. Also: How to clear the cache on your Windows 11 PCThe cost of the Surface Pro can quickly add up, however, as the Surface Keyboard, Surface Arc mouse, and power adapter are sold separately, bringing the final cost over the mark. Combined with the low amount of local storage and modest memory, I'd recommend this device for users who are committed to the 12-inch form factor and want reliable battery life. Looking for the next best product? Get expert reviews and editor favorites with ZDNET Recommends.Featured reviews
#replaced #laptop #with #microsoft039s #12inch

I replaced my laptop with Microsoft's 12-inch Surface Pro for weeks - here's my buying advice now
ZDNET's key takeaways The 12-inch Microsoft Surface Pro is available now starting at for the Platinum color, and for the new Violet and Ocean colors. The 12-inch version is exceedingly thin and light with a fast-charging battery, and the refreshed form factor looks more premium. The 256GB of storage is not enough for a device at this price point, and the cost adds up quickly, as the keyboard, mouse, and even the power adapter are sold separately. more buying choices Microsoft's 2025 12-inch Surface Pro is thinner, lighter, and a little more affordable, with a battery-efficient Snapdragon X Plus processor and refreshed design. The latest version of the Surface Pro rounds out the lineup with a more affordable option focused on ultra-long battery life, new colors, and redesigned accessories to show off Windows' latest Copilot+ PC features. Also: I recommend this HP laptop to creatives and business pros alike - especially at nearly 50% offI recently replaced my laptop with the 12-inch Surface Pro for more than two weeks now, and the Surface Pro seems to me to be more of an addition to the current lineup than a standalone upgrade, particularly in comparison to the enterprise models Microsoft released in January.The 2025 Surface Pro has relatively modest hardware, with 16GB of RAM and 256GB or 512GB of UFS storage, instead targeting a more everyday consumer who makes use of on-device AI and appreciates the ultraportability. details View at Best Buy Besides the smaller form factor, this year's Surface Pro comes in two new colors: Violet and Ocean. The default Platinum color starts at whereas the other two will run you bringing the starting price a little further away from that advertised low price. I must admit that the design on the 12-inch tablet looks better. It looks more like a premium tabletwith rounded corners, thin bezels, and the webcam moved to the back corner of the device. Also: Microsoft unveils new AI agent customization and oversight features at Build 2025Additionally, I'm a fan of the new Violet and Ocean colorways, which aren't what I'd call "bold", but at least they're not the same desaturated pastels we see everywhere else. The colors extend to the Surface Pro keyboards, which are updated by removing the alcantara fabric on the front of the keyboard for a cleaner, monochromatic matte look. Instead, the fabric is relegated to the back of the keyboard case, which has a more premium tablet feel for storage and transport. The Surface keyboard is functional and satisfying to type on, with springy keys and a responsive, premium trackpad. Kyle Kucharski/ZDNETAdditionally, the tablet snaps to the keyboard a little tighter and closer to the tablet now, with no gap in the hinge, giving it a slightly smaller footprint on the desk. The Surface Pen also magnetically snaps to the back of the 12-inch instead of storing on the keyboard. This requires you to store the device with the fabric facing down, as you don't want to squish the pen. When throwing the Surface Pro in a bag, the Pen also tends to stay put but can come unattached if you're not paying attention. Microsoft wants to show off its new AI-driven Copilot+ features, and the 12-inch Surface Pro is a good conduit for marketing them to the consumer, especially with its attractive price point and the 45 TOPS Qualcomm Hexagon NPU. Also: I've tested dozens of work laptops - but I'd take this Lenovo to the office everydayFor example, the long-awaited Recall feature is still in Preview mode, but it's getting closer to a useful state. Other applications that leverage AI processes, particularly ones for creators like Capcut, Davinci Resolve, and DJay Pro should feel smooth and snappy. This makes it a very AI-ready device for everyday users who don't need high-end hardware for demanding creative projects. Kyle Kucharski/ZDNETRunning Windows on Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Plus chip shouldn't be too much of a problem for most users in this category, as the areas that saw the most issues with compatibility, like gaming and connecting to legacy software, are more likely not to apply to the targeted user. The 12-inch Surface Pro's modest hardware positions itself as a competitive device in the family's lineup. The aforementioned 16GB of RAM and max 512GB of storage, paired with the Snapdragon X Plus and 2196 x 1464 resolutionLCD display that targets everyday users, while its 13-inch siblings can be loaded up with more premium hardware. Also: This ultraportable Windows laptop raised the bar for the MacBook AirThat being said, the Snapdragon X Plus processor is snappy and responsive, excelling at tasks that the average consumer cares about: fast startup and app load times, smooth multitasking, and solid battery performance, whether in laptop or tablet mode. During my benchmarking of the 12-inch Surface Pro, I got numbers that place it around other thin and light laptops in the same price range, including Asus' Zenbook A14, which also features the Snapdragon X Plus processor, and HP's OmniBook X 14, one of the first Copilot+ PCs with the Snapdragon X Elite chip from 2024. Cinebench 24 MCGeekbench 6.2.2 SCGeekbench 6.2.2 MC12-inch Microsoft Surface Pro4182,2529,555Asus Zenbook A145412,13310,624HP Omnibook X4702,32613,160 Show more The display is sharp and crisp, but it does cap out at 400 nits of brightness and a 90Hz refresh rate. Since it's a tablet, it's also quite glossy. In the office, for example, I found myself readjusting the device's angle numerous times throughout the day to account for glare from overhead lighting. Also: How to clear the cache on your Windows 11 PCSpeaking of using the Surface Pro in the office, it works equally well as a laptop or a tablet, depending on what you need. Detached from the keyboard and armed with the Surface Pen, it becomes a snappy productivity tablet that allows for note taking, prototyping, and freeform idea generation in Windows' Whiteboard app. You can also assign different actions to the Pen, including starting apps or performing functions with the button on the device or the "clicky" on the end. I will say that the Pen's performance can be variable, though. If you're running multiple programs open in the background, you might notice lag while writing, especially if you're moving quickly. Kyle Kucharski/ZDNETSimilarly, the location of the front-facing HD camera means that it has a slightly downward-up orientation while connected to the keyboard, as the kickstand can only prop it up so high. Consider a clamshell laptop, for example, which can sit at a 90-degree angle or less. In that sense, untethering the keyboard and using it as a tablet might be more optimal for users who make frequent video calls. Also: The best laptops for graphic designers in 2025: Expert tested and reviewedRegarding battery life, the Snapdragon X Plus processor ensures that it drains at a mere trickle when the device is not in use, and is good enough for over a full day's worth of work on one charge. Microsoft advertises 16 hours of battery life, and I got a little over 15 in our video playback test. Regarding more sustained use, I got over 10 hours on a single charge, which isn't far off from the advertised 12 hours without using all the max battery efficiency settings. Couple this with the fact that the Surface Pro charges extremely fast. From a completely dead battery, you'll get to about 50% in 30 minutes, and around 80% in an hour. Of the Surface Pro family, the 12-inch is certainly the most battery efficient and the fastest to charge. ZDNET's buying adviceThe 12-inch Microsoft Surface Pro completes the family's lineup with a thinner, lighter, and more battery-efficient tablet/laptop hybrid with refreshed colors and design. It comes with slightly more modest hardwarefor a lower starting price of If you're looking for a functional 2-in-1 tablet/laptop, enjoy using a stylus, and don't need a ton of local storage, it's a great option, especially for its long-lasting battery. It's an all-around sharp-looking device, and the premium keyboard case provides a satisfying tactile experience. Also: How to clear the cache on your Windows 11 PCThe cost of the Surface Pro can quickly add up, however, as the Surface Keyboard, Surface Arc mouse, and power adapter are sold separately, bringing the final cost over the mark. Combined with the low amount of local storage and modest memory, I'd recommend this device for users who are committed to the 12-inch form factor and want reliable battery life. Looking for the next best product? Get expert reviews and editor favorites with ZDNET Recommends.Featured reviews #replaced #laptop #with #microsoft039s #12inch

WWW.ZDNET.COM

I replaced my laptop with Microsoft's 12-inch Surface Pro for weeks - here's my buying advice now

ZDNET's key takeaways The 12-inch Microsoft Surface Pro is available now starting at $799 for the Platinum color, and $899 for the new Violet and Ocean colors. The 12-inch version is exceedingly thin and light with a fast-charging battery, and the refreshed form factor looks more premium. The 256GB of storage is not enough for a device at this price point, and the cost adds up quickly, as the keyboard, mouse, and even the power adapter are sold separately. more buying choices Microsoft's 2025 12-inch Surface Pro is thinner, lighter, and a little more affordable, with a battery-efficient Snapdragon X Plus processor and refreshed design. The latest version of the Surface Pro rounds out the lineup with a more affordable option focused on ultra-long battery life, new colors, and redesigned accessories to show off Windows' latest Copilot+ PC features. Also: I recommend this HP laptop to creatives and business pros alike - especially at nearly 50% offI recently replaced my laptop with the 12-inch Surface Pro for more than two weeks now, and the Surface Pro seems to me to be more of an addition to the current lineup than a standalone upgrade, particularly in comparison to the enterprise models Microsoft released in January.The 2025 Surface Pro has relatively modest hardware, with 16GB of RAM and 256GB or 512GB of UFS storage, instead targeting a more everyday consumer who makes use of on-device AI and appreciates the ultraportability. details View at Best Buy Besides the smaller form factor, this year's Surface Pro comes in two new colors: Violet and Ocean (a blueish gray). The default Platinum color starts at $799, whereas the other two will run you $899, bringing the starting price a little further away from that advertised low price (and we haven't even bought the keyboard yet). I must admit that the design on the 12-inch tablet looks better. It looks more like a premium tablet (and more like an iPad) with rounded corners, thin bezels, and the webcam moved to the back corner of the device. Also: Microsoft unveils new AI agent customization and oversight features at Build 2025Additionally, I'm a fan of the new Violet and Ocean colorways, which aren't what I'd call "bold", but at least they're not the same desaturated pastels we see everywhere else. The colors extend to the Surface Pro keyboards, which are updated by removing the alcantara fabric on the front of the keyboard for a cleaner, monochromatic matte look. Instead, the fabric is relegated to the back of the keyboard case, which has a more premium tablet feel for storage and transport. The Surface keyboard is functional and satisfying to type on, with springy keys and a responsive, premium trackpad. Kyle Kucharski/ZDNETAdditionally, the tablet snaps to the keyboard a little tighter and closer to the tablet now, with no gap in the hinge, giving it a slightly smaller footprint on the desk. The Surface Pen also magnetically snaps to the back of the 12-inch instead of storing on the keyboard. This requires you to store the device with the fabric facing down, as you don't want to squish the pen. When throwing the Surface Pro in a bag, the Pen also tends to stay put but can come unattached if you're not paying attention. Microsoft wants to show off its new AI-driven Copilot+ features, and the 12-inch Surface Pro is a good conduit for marketing them to the consumer, especially with its attractive price point and the 45 TOPS Qualcomm Hexagon NPU. Also: I've tested dozens of work laptops - but I'd take this Lenovo to the office everydayFor example, the long-awaited Recall feature is still in Preview mode, but it's getting closer to a useful state. Other applications that leverage AI processes, particularly ones for creators like Capcut, Davinci Resolve, and DJay Pro should feel smooth and snappy. This makes it a very AI-ready device for everyday users who don't need high-end hardware for demanding creative projects. Kyle Kucharski/ZDNETRunning Windows on Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Plus chip shouldn't be too much of a problem for most users in this category, as the areas that saw the most issues with compatibility, like gaming and connecting to legacy software, are more likely not to apply to the targeted user. The 12-inch Surface Pro's modest hardware positions itself as a competitive device in the family's lineup. The aforementioned 16GB of RAM and max 512GB of storage, paired with the Snapdragon X Plus and 2196 x 1464 resolution (220 PPI) LCD display that targets everyday users, while its 13-inch siblings can be loaded up with more premium hardware. Also: This ultraportable Windows laptop raised the bar for the MacBook Air (and everything else)That being said, the Snapdragon X Plus processor is snappy and responsive, excelling at tasks that the average consumer cares about: fast startup and app load times, smooth multitasking, and solid battery performance, whether in laptop or tablet mode. During my benchmarking of the 12-inch Surface Pro, I got numbers that place it around other thin and light laptops in the same price range, including Asus' Zenbook A14, which also features the Snapdragon X Plus processor, and HP's OmniBook X 14, one of the first Copilot+ PCs with the Snapdragon X Elite chip from 2024. Cinebench 24 MCGeekbench 6.2.2 SCGeekbench 6.2.2 MC12-inch Microsoft Surface Pro (Snapdragon X Plus)4182,2529,555Asus Zenbook A14 (Snapdragon X Plus)5412,13310,624HP Omnibook X (Snapdragon X Elite)4702,32613,160 Show more The display is sharp and crisp, but it does cap out at 400 nits of brightness and a 90Hz refresh rate. Since it's a tablet, it's also quite glossy. In the office, for example, I found myself readjusting the device's angle numerous times throughout the day to account for glare from overhead lighting. Also: How to clear the cache on your Windows 11 PC (and why it makes such a big difference)Speaking of using the Surface Pro in the office, it works equally well as a laptop or a tablet, depending on what you need. Detached from the keyboard and armed with the Surface Pen, it becomes a snappy productivity tablet that allows for note taking, prototyping, and freeform idea generation in Windows' Whiteboard app. You can also assign different actions to the Pen, including starting apps or performing functions with the button on the device or the "clicky" on the end. I will say that the Pen's performance can be variable, though. If you're running multiple programs open in the background, you might notice lag while writing, especially if you're moving quickly. Kyle Kucharski/ZDNETSimilarly, the location of the front-facing HD camera means that it has a slightly downward-up orientation while connected to the keyboard, as the kickstand can only prop it up so high. Consider a clamshell laptop, for example, which can sit at a 90-degree angle or less. In that sense, untethering the keyboard and using it as a tablet might be more optimal for users who make frequent video calls. Also: The best laptops for graphic designers in 2025: Expert tested and reviewedRegarding battery life, the Snapdragon X Plus processor ensures that it drains at a mere trickle when the device is not in use, and is good enough for over a full day's worth of work on one charge. Microsoft advertises 16 hours of battery life, and I got a little over 15 in our video playback test. Regarding more sustained use, I got over 10 hours on a single charge, which isn't far off from the advertised 12 hours without using all the max battery efficiency settings. Couple this with the fact that the Surface Pro charges extremely fast. From a completely dead battery, you'll get to about 50% in 30 minutes, and around 80% in an hour. Of the Surface Pro family, the 12-inch is certainly the most battery efficient and the fastest to charge. ZDNET's buying adviceThe 12-inch Microsoft Surface Pro completes the family's lineup with a thinner, lighter, and more battery-efficient tablet/laptop hybrid with refreshed colors and design. It comes with slightly more modest hardware (16GB of RAM, 256GB of storage) for a lower starting price of $799. If you're looking for a functional 2-in-1 tablet/laptop, enjoy using a stylus, and don't need a ton of local storage, it's a great option, especially for its long-lasting battery. It's an all-around sharp-looking device, and the premium keyboard case provides a satisfying tactile experience. Also: How to clear the cache on your Windows 11 PC (and why it makes such a big difference)The cost of the Surface Pro can quickly add up, however, as the Surface Keyboard, Surface Arc mouse, and power adapter are sold separately, bringing the final cost over the $1,000 mark. Combined with the low amount of local storage and modest memory, I'd recommend this device for users who are committed to the 12-inch form factor and want reliable battery life. Looking for the next best product? Get expert reviews and editor favorites with ZDNET Recommends.Featured reviews

·178 Views

Please log in to like, share and comment!
Ars Technica shared a link

2025-05-31 12:43:11 ·

Real TikTokers are pretending to be Veo 3 AI creations for fun, attention

The turing test in reverse

Real TikTokers are pretending to be Veo 3 AI creations for fun, attention

From music videos to "Are you a prompt?" stunts, "real" videos are presenting as AI

Kyle Orland

–

May 31, 2025 7:08 am

|

13

Of course I'm an AI creation! Why would you even doubt it?

Credit:

Getty Images

Of course I'm an AI creation! Why would you even doubt it?

Credit:

Getty Images

Story text

Size

Small
Standard
Large

Width
*

Standard
Wide

Links

Standard
Orange

* Subscribers only
  Learn more

Since Google released its Veo 3 AI model last week, social media users have been having fun with its ability to quickly generate highly realistic eight-second clips complete with sound and lip-synced dialogue. TikTok's algorithm has been serving me plenty of Veo-generated videos featuring impossible challenges, fake news reports, and even surreal short narrative films, to name just a few popular archetypes.
However, among all the AI-generated video experiments spreading around, I've also noticed a surprising counter-trend on my TikTok feed. Amid all the videos of Veo-generated avatars pretending to be real people, there are now also a bunch of videos of real people pretending to be Veo-generated avatars.
“This has to be real. There’s no way it's AI.”
I stumbled on this trend when the TikTok algorithm fed me this video topped with the extra-large caption "Google VEO 3 THIS IS 100% AI." As I watched and listened to the purported AI-generated band that appeared to be playing in the crowded corner of someone's living room, I read the caption containing the supposed prompt that had generated the clip: "a band of brothers with beards playing rock music in 6/8 with an accordion."

@kongosmusicWe are so cooked. This took 3 mins to generate. Simple prompt: “a band of brothers playing rock music in 6/8 with an accordion”♬ original sound - KONGOS

After a few seconds of taking those captions at face value, something started to feel a little off. After a few more seconds, I finally noticed the video was posted by Kongos, an indie band that you might recognize from their minor 2012 hit "Come With Me Now." And after a little digging, I discovered the band in the video was actually just Kongos, and the tune was a 9-year-old song that the band had dressed up as an AI creation to get attention.
Here's the sad thing: It worked! Without the "Look what Veo 3 did!" hook, I might have quickly scrolled by this video before I took the time to listen to thesong. The novel AI angle made me stop just long enough to pay attention to a Kongos song for the first time in over a decade.

Kongos isn't the only musical act trying to grab attention by claiming their real performances are AI creations. Darden Bela posted that Veo 3 had "created a realistic AI music video" over a clip from what is actually a 2-year-old music video with some unremarkable special effects. Rapper GameBoi Pat dressed up an 11-month-old song with a new TikTok clip captioned "Google's Veo 3 created a realistic sounding rapper... This has to be real. There's no way it's AI". I could go on, but you get the idea.

@gameboi_pat This has got to be real. There’s no way it’s AI #google #veo3 #googleveo3 #AI #prompts #areweprompts? ♬ original sound - GameBoi_pat

I know it's tough to get noticed on TikTok, and that creators will go to great lengths to gain attention from the fickle algorithm. Still, there's something more than a little off-putting about flesh-and-blood musicians pretending to be AI creations just to make social media users pause their scrolling for a few extra seconds before they catch on to the joke.
The whole thing evokes last year's stunt where a couple of podcast hosts released a posthumous "AI-generated" George Carlin routine before admitting that it had been written by a human after legal threats started flying. As an attention-grabbing stunt, the conceit still works. You want AI-generated content? I can pretend to be that!

Are we just prompts?
Some of the most existentially troubling Veo-generated videos floating around TikTok these days center around a gag known as "the prompt theory." These clips focus on various AI-generated people reacting to the idea that they are "just prompts" with various levels of skepticism, fear, or even conspiratorial paranoia.
On the other side of that gag, some humans are making joke videos playing off the idea that they're merely prompts. RedondoKid used the conceit in a basketball trick shot video, saying "of course I'm going to make this. This is AI, you put that I'm going to make this in the prompt." User thisisamurica thanked his faux prompters for putting him in "a world with such delicious food" before theatrically choking on a forkful of meat. And comedian Drake Cummings developed TikTok skits pretending that it was actually AI video prompts forcing him to indulge in vices like shots of alcohol or online gambling.

@justdrakenaround Goolgle’s New A.I. Veo 3 is at it again!! When will the prompts end?! #veo3 #google #ai #aivideo #skit ♬ original sound - Drake Cummings

Beyond the obvious jokes, though, I've also seen a growing trend of TikTok creators approaching friends or strangers and asking them to react to the idea that "we're all just prompts." The reactions run the gamut from "get the fuck away from me" to "I blame that, I now have to pay taxes" to solipsistic philosophical musings from convenience store employees.
I'm loath to call this a full-blown TikTok trend based on a few stray examples. Still, these attempts to exploit the confusion between real and AI-generated video are interesting to see. As one commenter on an "Are you a prompt?" ambush video put it: "New trend: Do normal videos and write 'Google Veo 3' on top of the video."
Which one is real?
The best Veo-related TikTok engagement hack I've stumbled on so far, though, might be the videos that show multiple short clips and ask the viewer to decide which are real and which are fake. One video I stumbled on shows an increasing number of "Veo 3 Goth Girls" across four clips, challenging in the caption that "one of these videos is real... can you guess which one?" In another example, two similar sets of kids are shown hanging out in cars while the caption asks, "Are you able to identify which scene is real and which one is from veo3?"

@spongibobbu2 One of these videos is real… can you guess which one? #veo3 ♬ original sound - Jett

After watching both of these videos on loop a few times, I'm relativelyconvinced that every single clip in them is a Veo creation. The fact that I watched these videos multiple times shows how effective the "Real or Veo" challenge framing is at grabbing my attention. Additionally, I'm still not 100 percent confident in my assessments, which is a testament to just how good Google's new model is at creating convincing videos.

There are still some telltale signs for distinguishing a real video from a Veo creation, though. For one, Veo clips are still limited to just eight seconds, so any video that runs longeris almost certainly not generated by Google's AI. Looking back at a creator's other videos can also provide some clues—if the same person was appearing in "normal" videos two weeks ago, it's unlikely they would be appearing in Veo creations suddenly.
There's also a subtle but distinctive style to most Veo creations that can distinguish them from the kind of candid handheld smartphone videos that usually fill TikTok. The lighting in a Veo video tends to be too bright, the camera movements a bit too smooth, and the edges of people and objects a little too polished. After you watch enough "genuine" Veo creations, you can start to pick out the patterns.
Regardless, TikTokers trying to pass off real videos as fakes—even as a joke or engagement hack—is a recognition that video sites are now deep in the "deep doubt" era, where you have to be extra skeptical of even legitimate-looking video footage. And the mere existence of convincing AI fakes makes it easier than ever to claim real events captured on video didn't really happen, a problem that political scientists call the liar's dividend. We saw this when then-candidate Trump accused Democratic nominee Kamala Harris of "A.I.'d" crowds in real photos of her Detroit airport rally.
For now, TikTokers of all stripes are having fun playing with that idea to gain social media attention. In the long term, though, the implications for discerning truth from reality are more troubling.

Kyle Orland
Senior Gaming Editor

Kyle Orland
Senior Gaming Editor

Kyle Orland has been the Senior Gaming Editor at Ars Technica since 2012, writing primarily about the business, tech, and culture behind video games. He has journalism and computer science degrees from University of Maryland. He once wrote a whole book about Minesweeper.

13 Comments
#real #tiktokers #are #pretending #veo

Real TikTokers are pretending to be Veo 3 AI creations for fun, attention
The turing test in reverse Real TikTokers are pretending to be Veo 3 AI creations for fun, attention From music videos to "Are you a prompt?" stunts, "real" videos are presenting as AI Kyle Orland – May 31, 2025 7:08 am | 13 Of course I'm an AI creation! Why would you even doubt it? Credit: Getty Images Of course I'm an AI creation! Why would you even doubt it? Credit: Getty Images Story text Size Small Standard Large Width * Standard Wide Links Standard Orange * Subscribers only   Learn more Since Google released its Veo 3 AI model last week, social media users have been having fun with its ability to quickly generate highly realistic eight-second clips complete with sound and lip-synced dialogue. TikTok's algorithm has been serving me plenty of Veo-generated videos featuring impossible challenges, fake news reports, and even surreal short narrative films, to name just a few popular archetypes. However, among all the AI-generated video experiments spreading around, I've also noticed a surprising counter-trend on my TikTok feed. Amid all the videos of Veo-generated avatars pretending to be real people, there are now also a bunch of videos of real people pretending to be Veo-generated avatars. “This has to be real. There’s no way it's AI.” I stumbled on this trend when the TikTok algorithm fed me this video topped with the extra-large caption "Google VEO 3 THIS IS 100% AI." As I watched and listened to the purported AI-generated band that appeared to be playing in the crowded corner of someone's living room, I read the caption containing the supposed prompt that had generated the clip: "a band of brothers with beards playing rock music in 6/8 with an accordion." @kongosmusicWe are so cooked. This took 3 mins to generate. Simple prompt: “a band of brothers playing rock music in 6/8 with an accordion”♬ original sound - KONGOS After a few seconds of taking those captions at face value, something started to feel a little off. After a few more seconds, I finally noticed the video was posted by Kongos, an indie band that you might recognize from their minor 2012 hit "Come With Me Now." And after a little digging, I discovered the band in the video was actually just Kongos, and the tune was a 9-year-old song that the band had dressed up as an AI creation to get attention. Here's the sad thing: It worked! Without the "Look what Veo 3 did!" hook, I might have quickly scrolled by this video before I took the time to listen to thesong. The novel AI angle made me stop just long enough to pay attention to a Kongos song for the first time in over a decade. Kongos isn't the only musical act trying to grab attention by claiming their real performances are AI creations. Darden Bela posted that Veo 3 had "created a realistic AI music video" over a clip from what is actually a 2-year-old music video with some unremarkable special effects. Rapper GameBoi Pat dressed up an 11-month-old song with a new TikTok clip captioned "Google's Veo 3 created a realistic sounding rapper... This has to be real. There's no way it's AI". I could go on, but you get the idea. @gameboi_pat This has got to be real. There’s no way it’s AI 😩 #google #veo3 #googleveo3 #AI #prompts #areweprompts? ♬ original sound - GameBoi_pat I know it's tough to get noticed on TikTok, and that creators will go to great lengths to gain attention from the fickle algorithm. Still, there's something more than a little off-putting about flesh-and-blood musicians pretending to be AI creations just to make social media users pause their scrolling for a few extra seconds before they catch on to the joke. The whole thing evokes last year's stunt where a couple of podcast hosts released a posthumous "AI-generated" George Carlin routine before admitting that it had been written by a human after legal threats started flying. As an attention-grabbing stunt, the conceit still works. You want AI-generated content? I can pretend to be that! Are we just prompts? Some of the most existentially troubling Veo-generated videos floating around TikTok these days center around a gag known as "the prompt theory." These clips focus on various AI-generated people reacting to the idea that they are "just prompts" with various levels of skepticism, fear, or even conspiratorial paranoia. On the other side of that gag, some humans are making joke videos playing off the idea that they're merely prompts. RedondoKid used the conceit in a basketball trick shot video, saying "of course I'm going to make this. This is AI, you put that I'm going to make this in the prompt." User thisisamurica thanked his faux prompters for putting him in "a world with such delicious food" before theatrically choking on a forkful of meat. And comedian Drake Cummings developed TikTok skits pretending that it was actually AI video prompts forcing him to indulge in vices like shots of alcohol or online gambling. @justdrakenaround Goolgle’s New A.I. Veo 3 is at it again!! When will the prompts end?! #veo3 #google #ai #aivideo #skit ♬ original sound - Drake Cummings Beyond the obvious jokes, though, I've also seen a growing trend of TikTok creators approaching friends or strangers and asking them to react to the idea that "we're all just prompts." The reactions run the gamut from "get the fuck away from me" to "I blame that, I now have to pay taxes" to solipsistic philosophical musings from convenience store employees. I'm loath to call this a full-blown TikTok trend based on a few stray examples. Still, these attempts to exploit the confusion between real and AI-generated video are interesting to see. As one commenter on an "Are you a prompt?" ambush video put it: "New trend: Do normal videos and write 'Google Veo 3' on top of the video." Which one is real? The best Veo-related TikTok engagement hack I've stumbled on so far, though, might be the videos that show multiple short clips and ask the viewer to decide which are real and which are fake. One video I stumbled on shows an increasing number of "Veo 3 Goth Girls" across four clips, challenging in the caption that "one of these videos is real... can you guess which one?" In another example, two similar sets of kids are shown hanging out in cars while the caption asks, "Are you able to identify which scene is real and which one is from veo3?" @spongibobbu2 One of these videos is real… can you guess which one? #veo3 ♬ original sound - Jett After watching both of these videos on loop a few times, I'm relativelyconvinced that every single clip in them is a Veo creation. The fact that I watched these videos multiple times shows how effective the "Real or Veo" challenge framing is at grabbing my attention. Additionally, I'm still not 100 percent confident in my assessments, which is a testament to just how good Google's new model is at creating convincing videos. There are still some telltale signs for distinguishing a real video from a Veo creation, though. For one, Veo clips are still limited to just eight seconds, so any video that runs longeris almost certainly not generated by Google's AI. Looking back at a creator's other videos can also provide some clues—if the same person was appearing in "normal" videos two weeks ago, it's unlikely they would be appearing in Veo creations suddenly. There's also a subtle but distinctive style to most Veo creations that can distinguish them from the kind of candid handheld smartphone videos that usually fill TikTok. The lighting in a Veo video tends to be too bright, the camera movements a bit too smooth, and the edges of people and objects a little too polished. After you watch enough "genuine" Veo creations, you can start to pick out the patterns. Regardless, TikTokers trying to pass off real videos as fakes—even as a joke or engagement hack—is a recognition that video sites are now deep in the "deep doubt" era, where you have to be extra skeptical of even legitimate-looking video footage. And the mere existence of convincing AI fakes makes it easier than ever to claim real events captured on video didn't really happen, a problem that political scientists call the liar's dividend. We saw this when then-candidate Trump accused Democratic nominee Kamala Harris of "A.I.'d" crowds in real photos of her Detroit airport rally. For now, TikTokers of all stripes are having fun playing with that idea to gain social media attention. In the long term, though, the implications for discerning truth from reality are more troubling. Kyle Orland Senior Gaming Editor Kyle Orland Senior Gaming Editor Kyle Orland has been the Senior Gaming Editor at Ars Technica since 2012, writing primarily about the business, tech, and culture behind video games. He has journalism and computer science degrees from University of Maryland. He once wrote a whole book about Minesweeper. 13 Comments #real #tiktokers #are #pretending #veo

ARSTECHNICA.COM

Real TikTokers are pretending to be Veo 3 AI creations for fun, attention

The turing test in reverse Real TikTokers are pretending to be Veo 3 AI creations for fun, attention From music videos to "Are you a prompt?" stunts, "real" videos are presenting as AI Kyle Orland – May 31, 2025 7:08 am | 13 Of course I'm an AI creation! Why would you even doubt it? Credit: Getty Images Of course I'm an AI creation! Why would you even doubt it? Credit: Getty Images Story text Size Small Standard Large Width * Standard Wide Links Standard Orange * Subscribers only   Learn more Since Google released its Veo 3 AI model last week, social media users have been having fun with its ability to quickly generate highly realistic eight-second clips complete with sound and lip-synced dialogue. TikTok's algorithm has been serving me plenty of Veo-generated videos featuring impossible challenges, fake news reports, and even surreal short narrative films, to name just a few popular archetypes. However, among all the AI-generated video experiments spreading around, I've also noticed a surprising counter-trend on my TikTok feed. Amid all the videos of Veo-generated avatars pretending to be real people, there are now also a bunch of videos of real people pretending to be Veo-generated avatars. “This has to be real. There’s no way it's AI.” I stumbled on this trend when the TikTok algorithm fed me this video topped with the extra-large caption "Google VEO 3 THIS IS 100% AI." As I watched and listened to the purported AI-generated band that appeared to be playing in the crowded corner of someone's living room, I read the caption containing the supposed prompt that had generated the clip: "a band of brothers with beards playing rock music in 6/8 with an accordion." @kongosmusicWe are so cooked. This took 3 mins to generate. Simple prompt: “a band of brothers playing rock music in 6/8 with an accordion”♬ original sound - KONGOS After a few seconds of taking those captions at face value, something started to feel a little off. After a few more seconds, I finally noticed the video was posted by Kongos, an indie band that you might recognize from their minor 2012 hit "Come With Me Now." And after a little digging, I discovered the band in the video was actually just Kongos, and the tune was a 9-year-old song that the band had dressed up as an AI creation to get attention. Here's the sad thing: It worked! Without the "Look what Veo 3 did!" hook, I might have quickly scrolled by this video before I took the time to listen to the (pretty good!) song. The novel AI angle made me stop just long enough to pay attention to a Kongos song for the first time in over a decade. Kongos isn't the only musical act trying to grab attention by claiming their real performances are AI creations. Darden Bela posted that Veo 3 had "created a realistic AI music video" over a clip from what is actually a 2-year-old music video with some unremarkable special effects. Rapper GameBoi Pat dressed up an 11-month-old song with a new TikTok clip captioned "Google's Veo 3 created a realistic sounding rapper... This has to be real. There's no way it's AI" (that last part is true, at least). I could go on, but you get the idea. @gameboi_pat This has got to be real. There’s no way it’s AI 😩 #google #veo3 #googleveo3 #AI #prompts #areweprompts? ♬ original sound - GameBoi_pat I know it's tough to get noticed on TikTok, and that creators will go to great lengths to gain attention from the fickle algorithm. Still, there's something more than a little off-putting about flesh-and-blood musicians pretending to be AI creations just to make social media users pause their scrolling for a few extra seconds before they catch on to the joke (or don't, based on some of the comments). The whole thing evokes last year's stunt where a couple of podcast hosts released a posthumous "AI-generated" George Carlin routine before admitting that it had been written by a human after legal threats started flying. As an attention-grabbing stunt, the conceit still works. You want AI-generated content? I can pretend to be that! Are we just prompts? Some of the most existentially troubling Veo-generated videos floating around TikTok these days center around a gag known as "the prompt theory." These clips focus on various AI-generated people reacting to the idea that they are "just prompts" with various levels of skepticism, fear, or even conspiratorial paranoia. On the other side of that gag, some humans are making joke videos playing off the idea that they're merely prompts. RedondoKid used the conceit in a basketball trick shot video, saying "of course I'm going to make this. This is AI, you put that I'm going to make this in the prompt." User thisisamurica thanked his faux prompters for putting him in "a world with such delicious food" before theatrically choking on a forkful of meat. And comedian Drake Cummings developed TikTok skits pretending that it was actually AI video prompts forcing him to indulge in vices like shots of alcohol or online gambling ("Goolgle’s [sic] New A.I. Veo 3 is at it again!! When will the prompts end?!" Cummings jokes in the caption). @justdrakenaround Goolgle’s New A.I. Veo 3 is at it again!! When will the prompts end?! #veo3 #google #ai #aivideo #skit ♬ original sound - Drake Cummings Beyond the obvious jokes, though, I've also seen a growing trend of TikTok creators approaching friends or strangers and asking them to react to the idea that "we're all just prompts." The reactions run the gamut from "get the fuck away from me" to "I blame that [prompter], I now have to pay taxes" to solipsistic philosophical musings from convenience store employees. I'm loath to call this a full-blown TikTok trend based on a few stray examples. Still, these attempts to exploit the confusion between real and AI-generated video are interesting to see. As one commenter on an "Are you a prompt?" ambush video put it: "New trend: Do normal videos and write 'Google Veo 3' on top of the video." Which one is real? The best Veo-related TikTok engagement hack I've stumbled on so far, though, might be the videos that show multiple short clips and ask the viewer to decide which are real and which are fake. One video I stumbled on shows an increasing number of "Veo 3 Goth Girls" across four clips, challenging in the caption that "one of these videos is real... can you guess which one?" In another example, two similar sets of kids are shown hanging out in cars while the caption asks, "Are you able to identify which scene is real and which one is from veo3?" @spongibobbu2 One of these videos is real… can you guess which one? #veo3 ♬ original sound - Jett After watching both of these videos on loop a few times, I'm relatively (but not entirely) convinced that every single clip in them is a Veo creation. The fact that I watched these videos multiple times shows how effective the "Real or Veo" challenge framing is at grabbing my attention. Additionally, I'm still not 100 percent confident in my assessments, which is a testament to just how good Google's new model is at creating convincing videos. There are still some telltale signs for distinguishing a real video from a Veo creation, though. For one, Veo clips are still limited to just eight seconds, so any video that runs longer (without an apparent change in camera angle) is almost certainly not generated by Google's AI. Looking back at a creator's other videos can also provide some clues—if the same person was appearing in "normal" videos two weeks ago, it's unlikely they would be appearing in Veo creations suddenly. There's also a subtle but distinctive style to most Veo creations that can distinguish them from the kind of candid handheld smartphone videos that usually fill TikTok. The lighting in a Veo video tends to be too bright, the camera movements a bit too smooth, and the edges of people and objects a little too polished. After you watch enough "genuine" Veo creations, you can start to pick out the patterns. Regardless, TikTokers trying to pass off real videos as fakes—even as a joke or engagement hack—is a recognition that video sites are now deep in the "deep doubt" era, where you have to be extra skeptical of even legitimate-looking video footage. And the mere existence of convincing AI fakes makes it easier than ever to claim real events captured on video didn't really happen, a problem that political scientists call the liar's dividend. We saw this when then-candidate Trump accused Democratic nominee Kamala Harris of "A.I.'d" crowds in real photos of her Detroit airport rally. For now, TikTokers of all stripes are having fun playing with that idea to gain social media attention. In the long term, though, the implications for discerning truth from reality are more troubling. Kyle Orland Senior Gaming Editor Kyle Orland Senior Gaming Editor Kyle Orland has been the Senior Gaming Editor at Ars Technica since 2012, writing primarily about the business, tech, and culture behind video games. He has journalism and computer science degrees from University of Maryland. He once wrote a whole book about Minesweeper. 13 Comments

·377 Views

Please log in to like, share and comment!
Den of Geek shared a link

2025-05-30 14:09:17 ·

Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning Fan Theory Fixes Series’ Most Controversial Twist

Features Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning Fan Theory Fixes Series’ Most Controversial Twist
A new fan theory about the ending of Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning is gaining steam online. And it would fix what some consider to be the series' biggest mistake.

By Tom Chapman | May 30, 2025 | |

Photo: Paramount Pictures

This article contains Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning spoilers.
For now it looks like Christopher McQuarrie’s Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning really could be the end of the long-running spy series. While there’s plenty of talk about Tom Cruise hanging up his badge as the Impossible Missions Force’s Ethan Hunt or possibly handing over the baton to one of the many other unwilling recruits, there’s plenty of evidence that we’re not done yet. The critic scores and box office point to an appetite for Mission: Impossible 9, and now a popular online theory is taking off that a fan-favorite could soon be back in action.
After Brian De Palma’s original Mission: ImpossibleRebecca Ferguson’s Isla Faust in 2023’s Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning that sticks out more than most. Although Ilsa was seemingly killed by Esai Morales’ villainous Gabriel during a tense Venice action scene, the fact that her death seemed so sudden and was glossed over so quickly led many to believe she’d be back for The Final Reckoning. That’s sadly not the case, but what about in the franchise’s future?

Previous outings have shown that Ethan’s dangerous career path affects his ability to hold down a relationship. Additionally, the franchise is no stranger to bringing characters back from the dead. When both features are coupled with Ilsa’s somewhat underwhelming death, it’s no surprise that fans are clinging onto the idea she’ll return in the inevitable next movie. And during The Final Reckoning’s final scene, where Ethan splits from his team in London, eagle-eyed fans spotted him veering close to an unnamed woman who looks a lot like Ferguson’s dearly departed assassin. Some suggested it was Hayley Atwell’s Grace, but with her having already said her goodbyes and gone in a different direction, it clearly can’t be her.

Supporters of the theory have latched onto footage of Ilsa from Fallout and compared it to the mysterious Final Reckoning woman. The stranger has a similar wavy hairstyle to Ilsa, and a choice in baggy clothes. It would also be a neat parallel of the pair parting ways and going in different directionsduring Rogue Nation.
Others have likened this theory to Christian Bale’s Bruce Wayne meeting with Anne Hathaway’s Selina Kyle after he faked his death in The Dark Knight Rises. Given Ferguson’s raised profile in Silo and the Dune movies, landing her again would be a major coup, but what has the star herself said?
Ferguson has previously explained why she felt the need to step away from Mission: Impossible, telling the Unwrapped podcast how it was more than just her three-movie deal being done: “Ilsa was becoming a team player. And we all can want different things, but for me, Ilsa was rogue. Ilsa was naughty. Ilsa was unpredictable. There was a lot of characters coming in, not leaving enough space for what she had been.”
We previously said how Ilsa’s Dead Reckoning death effectively ‘fridged’ her character to catapult Ethan’s arc forward and leave more room for Grace to step up as a franchise lead. Most frustratingly, after becoming a mainstay of the previous two movies, she was forced to take a backseat in the first half of Dead Reckoning and given a quick demise that was barely referenced afterward. Going against the idea that we’ll see Ilsa again, Dead Reckoning’s Arabian-set opening already had Ethan help her fake her death. It’s true that we don’t see what happens to her body, but a double fake out might be even too much for a franchise that’s taught us to never trust what we see thanks to its mask technology and old-fashioned sleight of hand.
Another reason you shouldn’t start cheering Ilsa’s welcome return to Mission: Impossible is that McQuarrie might have shut down the theory before it even got to do the rounds. The issue of Ilsa’s absence has been a hotly contested one, especially considering Ferguson only appeared via archive footage without filming anything new. Despite the controversy, McQuarrie told theHappy Sad Confused podcast that “it’s the cost versus benefit. The death of essential characters has followed Ethanthroughout every one of these movies. I don’t think up until that point a character that resonated so deeply with the audience had died.” While the director says he understands why some were dissatisfied with how it happened, he concluded, “Which is where I thought that wouldn’t motivate me to undo the one thing that gives Mission: Impossible teeth, which is ‘death is permanent’.”
It’s no secret that the Mission: Impossible movies have tried their best to tie up loose ends. Thandiwe Newton denied rumors she was asked to reprise her role as Nyah Nordoff-Hall in Mission: Impossible III, Jeremy Renner recently told the Happy Sad Confused podcast that he turned down another chance to play William Brandt because he wanted to spend more time with his daughter, and Maggie Q told Yahoo in 2020 that she had to turn down two opportunities to reappear as Zhen Li due to filming commitments.

Unfortunately for Faust fans, it sounds like McQuarrie thinks she got the ending he wanted. It might be hard to keep Ferguson’s return a secret if there’s another Mission: Impossible, and we’re still a long way from potentially seeing Isla Faust again.

Join our mailing list
Get the best of Den of Geek delivered right to your inbox!
#mission #impossible #final #reckoning #fan

Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning Fan Theory Fixes Series’ Most Controversial Twist
Features Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning Fan Theory Fixes Series’ Most Controversial Twist A new fan theory about the ending of Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning is gaining steam online. And it would fix what some consider to be the series' biggest mistake. By Tom Chapman | May 30, 2025 | | Photo: Paramount Pictures This article contains Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning spoilers. For now it looks like Christopher McQuarrie’s Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning really could be the end of the long-running spy series. While there’s plenty of talk about Tom Cruise hanging up his badge as the Impossible Missions Force’s Ethan Hunt or possibly handing over the baton to one of the many other unwilling recruits, there’s plenty of evidence that we’re not done yet. The critic scores and box office point to an appetite for Mission: Impossible 9, and now a popular online theory is taking off that a fan-favorite could soon be back in action. After Brian De Palma’s original Mission: ImpossibleRebecca Ferguson’s Isla Faust in 2023’s Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning that sticks out more than most. Although Ilsa was seemingly killed by Esai Morales’ villainous Gabriel during a tense Venice action scene, the fact that her death seemed so sudden and was glossed over so quickly led many to believe she’d be back for The Final Reckoning. That’s sadly not the case, but what about in the franchise’s future? Previous outings have shown that Ethan’s dangerous career path affects his ability to hold down a relationship. Additionally, the franchise is no stranger to bringing characters back from the dead. When both features are coupled with Ilsa’s somewhat underwhelming death, it’s no surprise that fans are clinging onto the idea she’ll return in the inevitable next movie. And during The Final Reckoning’s final scene, where Ethan splits from his team in London, eagle-eyed fans spotted him veering close to an unnamed woman who looks a lot like Ferguson’s dearly departed assassin. Some suggested it was Hayley Atwell’s Grace, but with her having already said her goodbyes and gone in a different direction, it clearly can’t be her. Supporters of the theory have latched onto footage of Ilsa from Fallout and compared it to the mysterious Final Reckoning woman. The stranger has a similar wavy hairstyle to Ilsa, and a choice in baggy clothes. It would also be a neat parallel of the pair parting ways and going in different directionsduring Rogue Nation. Others have likened this theory to Christian Bale’s Bruce Wayne meeting with Anne Hathaway’s Selina Kyle after he faked his death in The Dark Knight Rises. Given Ferguson’s raised profile in Silo and the Dune movies, landing her again would be a major coup, but what has the star herself said? Ferguson has previously explained why she felt the need to step away from Mission: Impossible, telling the Unwrapped podcast how it was more than just her three-movie deal being done: “Ilsa was becoming a team player. And we all can want different things, but for me, Ilsa was rogue. Ilsa was naughty. Ilsa was unpredictable. There was a lot of characters coming in, not leaving enough space for what she had been.” We previously said how Ilsa’s Dead Reckoning death effectively ‘fridged’ her character to catapult Ethan’s arc forward and leave more room for Grace to step up as a franchise lead. Most frustratingly, after becoming a mainstay of the previous two movies, she was forced to take a backseat in the first half of Dead Reckoning and given a quick demise that was barely referenced afterward. Going against the idea that we’ll see Ilsa again, Dead Reckoning’s Arabian-set opening already had Ethan help her fake her death. It’s true that we don’t see what happens to her body, but a double fake out might be even too much for a franchise that’s taught us to never trust what we see thanks to its mask technology and old-fashioned sleight of hand. Another reason you shouldn’t start cheering Ilsa’s welcome return to Mission: Impossible is that McQuarrie might have shut down the theory before it even got to do the rounds. The issue of Ilsa’s absence has been a hotly contested one, especially considering Ferguson only appeared via archive footage without filming anything new. Despite the controversy, McQuarrie told theHappy Sad Confused podcast that “it’s the cost versus benefit. The death of essential characters has followed Ethanthroughout every one of these movies. I don’t think up until that point a character that resonated so deeply with the audience had died.” While the director says he understands why some were dissatisfied with how it happened, he concluded, “Which is where I thought that wouldn’t motivate me to undo the one thing that gives Mission: Impossible teeth, which is ‘death is permanent’.” It’s no secret that the Mission: Impossible movies have tried their best to tie up loose ends. Thandiwe Newton denied rumors she was asked to reprise her role as Nyah Nordoff-Hall in Mission: Impossible III, Jeremy Renner recently told the Happy Sad Confused podcast that he turned down another chance to play William Brandt because he wanted to spend more time with his daughter, and Maggie Q told Yahoo in 2020 that she had to turn down two opportunities to reappear as Zhen Li due to filming commitments. Unfortunately for Faust fans, it sounds like McQuarrie thinks she got the ending he wanted. It might be hard to keep Ferguson’s return a secret if there’s another Mission: Impossible, and we’re still a long way from potentially seeing Isla Faust again. Join our mailing list Get the best of Den of Geek delivered right to your inbox! #mission #impossible #final #reckoning #fan

WWW.DENOFGEEK.COM

Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning Fan Theory Fixes Series’ Most Controversial Twist

Features Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning Fan Theory Fixes Series’ Most Controversial Twist A new fan theory about the ending of Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning is gaining steam online. And it would fix what some consider to be the series' biggest mistake. By Tom Chapman | May 30, 2025 | | Photo: Paramount Pictures This article contains Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning spoilers. For now it looks like Christopher McQuarrie’s Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning really could be the end of the long-running spy series. While there’s plenty of talk about Tom Cruise hanging up his badge as the Impossible Missions Force’s Ethan Hunt or possibly handing over the baton to one of the many other unwilling recruits, there’s plenty of evidence that we’re not done yet. The critic scores and box office point to an appetite for Mission: Impossible 9, and now a popular online theory is taking off that a fan-favorite could soon be back in action. After Brian De Palma’s original Mission: ImpossibleRebecca Ferguson’s Isla Faust in 2023’s Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning that sticks out more than most. Although Ilsa was seemingly killed by Esai Morales’ villainous Gabriel during a tense Venice action scene, the fact that her death seemed so sudden and was glossed over so quickly led many to believe she’d be back for The Final Reckoning. That’s sadly not the case, but what about in the franchise’s future? Previous outings have shown that Ethan’s dangerous career path affects his ability to hold down a relationship (Michelle Monaghan’s Julia in Mission: Impossible III). Additionally, the franchise is no stranger to bringing characters back from the dead (Jon Voight’s Jim Phelps in Mission: Impossible springs to mind). When both features are coupled with Ilsa’s somewhat underwhelming death, it’s no surprise that fans are clinging onto the idea she’ll return in the inevitable next movie. And during The Final Reckoning’s final scene, where Ethan splits from his team in London, eagle-eyed fans spotted him veering close to an unnamed woman who looks a lot like Ferguson’s dearly departed assassin. Some suggested it was Hayley Atwell’s Grace, but with her having already said her goodbyes and gone in a different direction, it clearly can’t be her. Supporters of the theory have latched onto footage of Ilsa from Fallout and compared it to the mysterious Final Reckoning woman. The stranger has a similar wavy hairstyle to Ilsa, and a choice in baggy clothes. It would also be a neat parallel of the pair parting ways and going in different directions (in London, no less) during Rogue Nation. Others have likened this theory to Christian Bale’s Bruce Wayne meeting with Anne Hathaway’s Selina Kyle after he faked his death in The Dark Knight Rises. Given Ferguson’s raised profile in Silo and the Dune movies, landing her again would be a major coup, but what has the star herself said? Ferguson has previously explained why she felt the need to step away from Mission: Impossible, telling the Unwrapped podcast how it was more than just her three-movie deal being done: “Ilsa was becoming a team player. And we all can want different things, but for me, Ilsa was rogue. Ilsa was naughty. Ilsa was unpredictable. There was a lot of characters coming in, not leaving enough space for what she had been.” We previously said how Ilsa’s Dead Reckoning death effectively ‘fridged’ her character to catapult Ethan’s arc forward and leave more room for Grace to step up as a franchise lead. Most frustratingly, after becoming a mainstay of the previous two movies, she was forced to take a backseat in the first half of Dead Reckoning and given a quick demise that was barely referenced afterward. Going against the idea that we’ll see Ilsa again, Dead Reckoning’s Arabian-set opening already had Ethan help her fake her death. It’s true that we don’t see what happens to her body, but a double fake out might be even too much for a franchise that’s taught us to never trust what we see thanks to its mask technology and old-fashioned sleight of hand. Another reason you shouldn’t start cheering Ilsa’s welcome return to Mission: Impossible is that McQuarrie might have shut down the theory before it even got to do the rounds. The issue of Ilsa’s absence has been a hotly contested one, especially considering Ferguson only appeared via archive footage without filming anything new. Despite the controversy, McQuarrie told theHappy Sad Confused podcast that “it’s the cost versus benefit. The death of essential characters has followed Ethan [Hunt] throughout every one of these movies. I don’t think up until that point a character that resonated so deeply with the audience had died.” While the director says he understands why some were dissatisfied with how it happened, he concluded, “Which is where I thought that wouldn’t motivate me to undo the one thing that gives Mission: Impossible teeth, which is ‘death is permanent’.” It’s no secret that the Mission: Impossible movies have tried their best to tie up loose ends. Thandiwe Newton denied rumors she was asked to reprise her role as Nyah Nordoff-Hall in Mission: Impossible III, Jeremy Renner recently told the Happy Sad Confused podcast that he turned down another chance to play William Brandt because he wanted to spend more time with his daughter, and Maggie Q told Yahoo in 2020 that she had to turn down two opportunities to reappear as Zhen Li due to filming commitments. Unfortunately for Faust fans, it sounds like McQuarrie thinks she got the ending he wanted. It might be hard to keep Ferguson’s return a secret if there’s another Mission: Impossible, and we’re still a long way from potentially seeing Isla Faust again. Join our mailing list Get the best of Den of Geek delivered right to your inbox!

·243 Views

Please log in to like, share and comment!
The Verge shared a link

2025-05-26 16:12:28 ·

Nick Clegg says asking artists for use permission would ‘kill’ the AI industry

As policy makers in the UK weigh how to regulate the AI industry, Nick Clegg, former UK deputy prime minister and former Meta executive, claimed a push for artist consent would “basically kill” the AI industry.Speaking at an event promoting his new book, Clegg said the creative community should have the right to opt out of having their work used to train AI models. But he claimed it wasn’t feasible to ask for consent before ingesting their work first.“I think the creative community wants to go a step further,” Clegg said according to The Times. “Quite a lot of voices say, ‘You can only train on my content,first ask’. And I have to say that strikes me as somewhat implausible because these systems train on vast amounts of data.”“I just don’t know how you go around, asking everyone first. I just don’t see how that would work,” Clegg said. “And by the way if you did it in Britain and no one else did it, you would basically kill the AI industry in this country overnight.”The comments follow a back-and-forth in Parliament over new legislation that aims to give creative industries more insight into how their work is used by AI companies. An amendment to the DataBill would require technology companies to disclose what copyrighted works were used to train AI models. Paul McCartney, Dua Lipa, Elton John, and Andrew Lloyd Webber are among the hundreds of musicians, writers, designers, and journalists who signed an open letter in support of the amendment earlier in May.The amendment — introduced by Beeban Kidron, who is also a film producer and director — has bounced around gaining support. But on Thursday members of parliament rejected the proposal, with technology secretary Peter Kyle saying the “Britain’s economy needs bothsectors to succeed and to prosper.” Kidron and others have said a transparency requirement would allow copyright law to be enforced, and that AI companies would be less likely to “steal” work in the first place if they are required to disclose what content they used to train models.In an op-ed in the Guardian Kidron promised that “the fight isn’t over yet,” as the DataBill returns to the House of Lords in early June.See More:
#nick #clegg #says #asking #artists

Nick Clegg says asking artists for use permission would ‘kill’ the AI industry
As policy makers in the UK weigh how to regulate the AI industry, Nick Clegg, former UK deputy prime minister and former Meta executive, claimed a push for artist consent would “basically kill” the AI industry.Speaking at an event promoting his new book, Clegg said the creative community should have the right to opt out of having their work used to train AI models. But he claimed it wasn’t feasible to ask for consent before ingesting their work first.“I think the creative community wants to go a step further,” Clegg said according to The Times. “Quite a lot of voices say, ‘You can only train on my content,first ask’. And I have to say that strikes me as somewhat implausible because these systems train on vast amounts of data.”“I just don’t know how you go around, asking everyone first. I just don’t see how that would work,” Clegg said. “And by the way if you did it in Britain and no one else did it, you would basically kill the AI industry in this country overnight.”The comments follow a back-and-forth in Parliament over new legislation that aims to give creative industries more insight into how their work is used by AI companies. An amendment to the DataBill would require technology companies to disclose what copyrighted works were used to train AI models. Paul McCartney, Dua Lipa, Elton John, and Andrew Lloyd Webber are among the hundreds of musicians, writers, designers, and journalists who signed an open letter in support of the amendment earlier in May.The amendment — introduced by Beeban Kidron, who is also a film producer and director — has bounced around gaining support. But on Thursday members of parliament rejected the proposal, with technology secretary Peter Kyle saying the “Britain’s economy needs bothsectors to succeed and to prosper.” Kidron and others have said a transparency requirement would allow copyright law to be enforced, and that AI companies would be less likely to “steal” work in the first place if they are required to disclose what content they used to train models.In an op-ed in the Guardian Kidron promised that “the fight isn’t over yet,” as the DataBill returns to the House of Lords in early June.See More: #nick #clegg #says #asking #artists

WWW.THEVERGE.COM

Nick Clegg says asking artists for use permission would ‘kill’ the AI industry

As policy makers in the UK weigh how to regulate the AI industry, Nick Clegg, former UK deputy prime minister and former Meta executive, claimed a push for artist consent would “basically kill” the AI industry.Speaking at an event promoting his new book, Clegg said the creative community should have the right to opt out of having their work used to train AI models. But he claimed it wasn’t feasible to ask for consent before ingesting their work first.“I think the creative community wants to go a step further,” Clegg said according to The Times. “Quite a lot of voices say, ‘You can only train on my content, [if you] first ask’. And I have to say that strikes me as somewhat implausible because these systems train on vast amounts of data.”“I just don’t know how you go around, asking everyone first. I just don’t see how that would work,” Clegg said. “And by the way if you did it in Britain and no one else did it, you would basically kill the AI industry in this country overnight.”The comments follow a back-and-forth in Parliament over new legislation that aims to give creative industries more insight into how their work is used by AI companies. An amendment to the Data (Use and Access) Bill would require technology companies to disclose what copyrighted works were used to train AI models. Paul McCartney, Dua Lipa, Elton John, and Andrew Lloyd Webber are among the hundreds of musicians, writers, designers, and journalists who signed an open letter in support of the amendment earlier in May.The amendment — introduced by Beeban Kidron, who is also a film producer and director — has bounced around gaining support. But on Thursday members of parliament rejected the proposal, with technology secretary Peter Kyle saying the “Britain’s economy needs both [AI and creative] sectors to succeed and to prosper.” Kidron and others have said a transparency requirement would allow copyright law to be enforced, and that AI companies would be less likely to “steal” work in the first place if they are required to disclose what content they used to train models.In an op-ed in the Guardian Kidron promised that “the fight isn’t over yet,” as the Data (Use and Access) Bill returns to the House of Lords in early June.See More:

·238 Views

Please log in to like, share and comment!
Reddit shared a link

2025-05-26 15:43:20 ·

Nick Clegg says asking artists for use permission would ‘kill’ the AI industry

As policy makers in the UK weigh how to regulate the AI industry, Nick Clegg, former UK deputy prime minister and former Meta executive, claimed a push for artist consent would “basically kill” the AI industry.Speaking at an event promoting his new book, Clegg said the creative community should have the right to opt out of having their work used to train AI models. But he claimed it wasn’t feasible to ask for consent before ingesting their work first.“I think the creative community wants to go a step further,” Clegg said according to The Times. “Quite a lot of voices say, ‘You can only train on my content,first ask’. And I have to say that strikes me as somewhat implausible because these systems train on vast amounts of data.”“I just don’t know how you go around, asking everyone first. I just don’t see how that would work,” Clegg said. “And by the way if you did it in Britain and no one else did it, you would basically kill the AI industry in this country overnight.”The comments follow a back-and-forth in Parliament over new legislation that aims to give creative industries more insight into how their work is used by AI companies. An amendment to the DataBill would require technology companies to disclose what copyrighted works were used to train AI models. Paul McCartney, Dua Lipa, Elton John, and Andrew Lloyd Webber are among the hundreds of musicians, writers, designers, and journalists who signed an open letter in support of the amendment earlier in May.The amendment — introduced by Beeban Kidron, who is also a film producer and director — has bounced around gaining support. But on Thursday members of parliament rejected the proposal, with technology secretary Peter Kyle saying the “Britain’s economy needs bothsectors to succeed and to prosper.” Kidron and others have said a transparency requirement would allow copyright law to be enforced, and that AI companies would be less likely to “steal” work in the first place if they are required to disclose what content they used to train models.In an op-ed in the Guardian Kidron promised that “the fight isn’t over yet,” as the DataBill returns to the House of Lords in early June.See More:
#nick #clegg #says #asking #artists

Nick Clegg says asking artists for use permission would ‘kill’ the AI industry
As policy makers in the UK weigh how to regulate the AI industry, Nick Clegg, former UK deputy prime minister and former Meta executive, claimed a push for artist consent would “basically kill” the AI industry.Speaking at an event promoting his new book, Clegg said the creative community should have the right to opt out of having their work used to train AI models. But he claimed it wasn’t feasible to ask for consent before ingesting their work first.“I think the creative community wants to go a step further,” Clegg said according to The Times. “Quite a lot of voices say, ‘You can only train on my content,first ask’. And I have to say that strikes me as somewhat implausible because these systems train on vast amounts of data.”“I just don’t know how you go around, asking everyone first. I just don’t see how that would work,” Clegg said. “And by the way if you did it in Britain and no one else did it, you would basically kill the AI industry in this country overnight.”The comments follow a back-and-forth in Parliament over new legislation that aims to give creative industries more insight into how their work is used by AI companies. An amendment to the DataBill would require technology companies to disclose what copyrighted works were used to train AI models. Paul McCartney, Dua Lipa, Elton John, and Andrew Lloyd Webber are among the hundreds of musicians, writers, designers, and journalists who signed an open letter in support of the amendment earlier in May.The amendment — introduced by Beeban Kidron, who is also a film producer and director — has bounced around gaining support. But on Thursday members of parliament rejected the proposal, with technology secretary Peter Kyle saying the “Britain’s economy needs bothsectors to succeed and to prosper.” Kidron and others have said a transparency requirement would allow copyright law to be enforced, and that AI companies would be less likely to “steal” work in the first place if they are required to disclose what content they used to train models.In an op-ed in the Guardian Kidron promised that “the fight isn’t over yet,” as the DataBill returns to the House of Lords in early June.See More: #nick #clegg #says #asking #artists

WWW.THEVERGE.COM

Nick Clegg says asking artists for use permission would ‘kill’ the AI industry

As policy makers in the UK weigh how to regulate the AI industry, Nick Clegg, former UK deputy prime minister and former Meta executive, claimed a push for artist consent would “basically kill” the AI industry.Speaking at an event promoting his new book, Clegg said the creative community should have the right to opt out of having their work used to train AI models. But he claimed it wasn’t feasible to ask for consent before ingesting their work first.“I think the creative community wants to go a step further,” Clegg said according to The Times. “Quite a lot of voices say, ‘You can only train on my content, [if you] first ask’. And I have to say that strikes me as somewhat implausible because these systems train on vast amounts of data.”“I just don’t know how you go around, asking everyone first. I just don’t see how that would work,” Clegg said. “And by the way if you did it in Britain and no one else did it, you would basically kill the AI industry in this country overnight.”The comments follow a back-and-forth in Parliament over new legislation that aims to give creative industries more insight into how their work is used by AI companies. An amendment to the Data (Use and Access) Bill would require technology companies to disclose what copyrighted works were used to train AI models. Paul McCartney, Dua Lipa, Elton John, and Andrew Lloyd Webber are among the hundreds of musicians, writers, designers, and journalists who signed an open letter in support of the amendment earlier in May.The amendment — introduced by Beeban Kidron, who is also a film producer and director — has bounced around gaining support. But on Thursday members of parliament rejected the proposal, with technology secretary Peter Kyle saying the “Britain’s economy needs both [AI and creative] sectors to succeed and to prosper.” Kidron and others have said a transparency requirement would allow copyright law to be enforced, and that AI companies would be less likely to “steal” work in the first place if they are required to disclose what content they used to train models.In an op-ed in the Guardian Kidron promised that “the fight isn’t over yet,” as the Data (Use and Access) Bill returns to the House of Lords in early June.See More:

·208 Views

Please log in to like, share and comment!
Ars Technica shared a link

2025-05-24 21:01:19 ·

200 mph for 500 miles: How IndyCar drivers prepare for the big race

Memorial Day Sunday

200 mph for 500 miles: How IndyCar drivers prepare for the big race

Andretti Global's Kyle Kirkwood and Marcus Ericsson talk to us about the Indy 500.

Jonathan M. Gitlin

–

May 24, 2025 11:30 am

|

8

#28, Marcus Ericsson, Andretti Global Honda prior to the NTT IndyCar Series 109th Running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 15, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Credit:

Brandon Badraoui/Lumen via Getty Images

#28, Marcus Ericsson, Andretti Global Honda prior to the NTT IndyCar Series 109th Running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 15, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Credit:

Brandon Badraoui/Lumen via Getty Images

Story text

Size

Small
Standard
Large

Width
*

Standard
Wide

Links

Standard
Orange

* Subscribers only
  Learn more

This coming weekend is a special one for most motorsport fans. There are Formula 1 races in Monaco and NASCAR races in Charlotte. And arguably towering over them both is the Indianapolis 500, being held this year for the 109th time. America's oldest race is also one of its toughest: The track may have just four turns, but the cars negotiate them going three times faster than you drive on the highway, inches from the wall. For hours. At least at Le Mans, you have more than one driver per car.
This year's race promises to be an exciting one. The track is sold out for the first time since the centenary race in 2016. A rookie driver and a team new to the series took pole position. Two very fast cars are starting at the back thanks to another conflict-of-interest scandal involving Team Penske, the second in two years for a team whose owner also owns the track and the series. And the cars are trickier to drive than they have been for many years, thanks to a new supercapacitor-based hybrid system that has added more than 100 lbs to the rear of the car, shifting the weight distribution further back.
Ahead of Sunday's race, I spoke with a couple of IndyCar drivers and some engineers to get a better sense of how they prepare and what to expect.

This year, the cars are harder to drive thanks to a hybrid system that has altered the weight balance.

Credit:

Geoff MIller/Lumen via Getty Images

Concentrate
It all comes "from months of preparation," said Marcus Ericsson, winner of the race in 2022 and one of Andretti Global's drivers in this year's event. "When we get here to the month of May, it's just such a busy month. So you've got to be prepared mentally—and basically before you get to the month of May because if you start doing it now, it's too late," he told me.

The drivers spend all month at the track, with a race on the road course earlier this month. Then there's testing on the historic oval, followed by qualifying last weekend and the race this coming Sunday. "So all those hours you put in in the winter, really, and leading up here to the month of May—it's what pays off now," Ericsson said. That work involved multiple sessions of physical training each week, and Ericsson says he also does weekly mental coaching sessions.
"This is a mental challenge," Ericsson told me. "Doing those speeds with our cars, you can't really afford to have a split second of loss of concentration because then you might be in the wall and your day is over and you might hurt yourself."
When drivers get tired or their focus slips, that's when mistakes happen, and a mistake at Indy often has consequences.

Ericsson is sponsored by the antihistamine Allegra and its anti-drowsy-driving campaign. Fans can scan the QR codes on the back of his pit crew's shirts for a "gamified experience."

Credit:

Andretti Global/Allegra

Simulate
Being mentally and physically prepared is part of it. It also helps if you can roll the race car off the transporter and onto the track with a setup that works rather than spending the month chasing the right combination of dampers, springs, wing angles, and so on. And these days, that means a lot of simulation testing.
The multi-axis driver in the loop simulators might look like just a very expensive video game, but these multimillion-dollar setups aren't about having fun. "Everything that you are feeling or changing in the sim is ultimately going to reflect directly to what happens on track," explained Kyle Kirkwood, teammate to Ericsson at Andretti Global and one of only two drivers to have won an Indycar race in 2025.
Andretti, like the other teams using Honda engines, uses the new HRC simulator in Indiana. "And yes, it's a very expensive asset, but it's also likely cheaper than going to the track and doing the real thing," Kirkwood said. "And it's a much more controlled environment than being at the track because temperature changes or track conditions or wind direction play a huge factor with our car."

A high degree of correlation between the simulation and the track is what makes it a powerful tool. "We run through a sim, and you only get so many opportunities, especially at a place like Indianapolis, where you go from one day to the next and the temperature swings, or the wind conditions, or whatever might change drastically," Kirkwood said. "You have to be able to sim it and be confident with the sim that you're running to go out there and have a similar balance or a similar performance."

Andretti Global's Kyle Kirkwood is the only driver other than Álex Palou to have won an IndyCar race in 2025.

Credit:

Alison Arena/Andretti Global

"So you have to make adjustments, whether it's a spring rate, whether it's keel ballast or just overall, maybe center of pressure, something like that," Kirkwood said. "You have to be able to adjust to it. And that's where the sim tool comes in play. You move the weight balance back, and you're like, OK, now what happens with the balance? How do I tune that back in? And you run that all through the sim, and for us, it's been mirror-perfect going to the track when we do that."
More impressively, a lot of that work was done months ago. "I would say most of it, we got through it before the start of this season," Kirkwood said. "Once we get into the season, we only get a select few days because every Honda team has to run on the same simulator. Of course, it's different with the engineering sim; those are running nonstop."
Sims are for engineers, too
An IndyCar team is more than just its drivers—"the spacer between the seat and the wheel," according to Kirkwood—and the engineers rely heavily on sim work now that real-world testing is so highly restricted. And they use a lot more than just driver-in-the-loop.

"Digital simulation probably goes to a higher level," explained Scott Graves, engineering manager at Andretti Global. "A lot of the models we develop work in the DiL as well as our other digital tools. We try to develop universal models, whether that's tire models, engine models, or transmission models."
"Once you get into to a fully digital model, then I think your optimization process starts kicking in," Graves said. "You're not just changing the setting and running a pretend lap with a driver holding a wheel. You're able to run through numerous settings and optimization routines and step through a massive number of permutations on a car. Obviously, you're looking for better lap times, but you're also looking for fuel efficiency and a lot of other parameters that go into crossing the finish line first."

Parts like this anti-roll bar are simulated thousands of times.

Credit:

Siemens/Andretti Global

As an example, Graves points to the dampers. "The shock absorber is a perfect example where that's a highly sophisticated piece of equipment on the car and it's very open for team development. So our cars have fully customized designs there that are optimized for how we run the car, and they may not be good on another team's car because we're so honed in on what we're doing with the car," he said.
"The more accurate a digital twin is, the more we are able to use that digital twin to predict the performance of the car," said David Taylor, VP of industry strategy at Siemens DISW, which has partnered with Andretti for some years now. "It will never be as complete and accurate as we want it to be. So it's a continuous pursuit, and we keep adding technology to our portfolio and acquiring companies to try to provide more and more tools to people like Scott so they can more accurately predict that performance."

What to expect on Sunday?
Kirkwood was bullish about his chances despite starting relatively deep in the field, qualifying in 23rd place. "We've been phenomenal in race trim and qualifying," he said. "We had a bit of a head-scratcher if I'm being honest—I thought we would definitely be a top-six contender, if not a front row contender, and it just didn't pan out that way on Saturday qualifying."
"But we rolled back out on Monday—the car was phenomenal. Once again, we feel very, very racy in traffic, which is a completely different animal than running qualifying," Kirkwood said. "So I'm happy with it. I think our chances are good. We're starting deep in the field, but so are a lot of other drivers. So you can expect a handful of us to move forward."
The more nervous hybrid IndyCars with their more rearward weight bias will probably result in more cautions, according to Ericsson, who will line up sixth for the start of the race on Sunday.
"Whereas in previous years you could have a bit of a moment and it would scare you, you usually get away with it," he said. "This year, if you have a moment, it usually ends up with you being in the fence. I think that's why we've seen so many crashes this year—because a pendulum effect from the rear of the car that when you start losing it, this is very, very difficult or almost impossible to catch."
"I think it's going to mean that the race is going to be quite a few incidents with people making mistakes," Ericsson said. "In practice, if your car is not behaving well, you bring it to the pit lane, right? You can do adjustments, whereas in the race, you have to just tough it out until the next pit stop and then make some small adjustments. So if you have a bad car at the start a race, it's going to be a tough one. So I think it's going to be a very dramatic and entertaining race."

Jonathan M. Gitlin
Automotive Editor

Jonathan M. Gitlin
Automotive Editor

Jonathan is the Automotive Editor at Ars Technica. He has a BSc and PhD in Pharmacology. In 2014 he decided to indulge his lifelong passion for the car by leaving the National Human Genome Research Institute and launching Ars Technica's automotive coverage. He lives in Washington, DC.

8 Comments
#mph #miles #how #indycar #drivers

200 mph for 500 miles: How IndyCar drivers prepare for the big race
Memorial Day Sunday 200 mph for 500 miles: How IndyCar drivers prepare for the big race Andretti Global's Kyle Kirkwood and Marcus Ericsson talk to us about the Indy 500. Jonathan M. Gitlin – May 24, 2025 11:30 am | 8 #28, Marcus Ericsson, Andretti Global Honda prior to the NTT IndyCar Series 109th Running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 15, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. Credit: Brandon Badraoui/Lumen via Getty Images #28, Marcus Ericsson, Andretti Global Honda prior to the NTT IndyCar Series 109th Running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 15, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. Credit: Brandon Badraoui/Lumen via Getty Images Story text Size Small Standard Large Width * Standard Wide Links Standard Orange * Subscribers only   Learn more This coming weekend is a special one for most motorsport fans. There are Formula 1 races in Monaco and NASCAR races in Charlotte. And arguably towering over them both is the Indianapolis 500, being held this year for the 109th time. America's oldest race is also one of its toughest: The track may have just four turns, but the cars negotiate them going three times faster than you drive on the highway, inches from the wall. For hours. At least at Le Mans, you have more than one driver per car. This year's race promises to be an exciting one. The track is sold out for the first time since the centenary race in 2016. A rookie driver and a team new to the series took pole position. Two very fast cars are starting at the back thanks to another conflict-of-interest scandal involving Team Penske, the second in two years for a team whose owner also owns the track and the series. And the cars are trickier to drive than they have been for many years, thanks to a new supercapacitor-based hybrid system that has added more than 100 lbs to the rear of the car, shifting the weight distribution further back. Ahead of Sunday's race, I spoke with a couple of IndyCar drivers and some engineers to get a better sense of how they prepare and what to expect. This year, the cars are harder to drive thanks to a hybrid system that has altered the weight balance. Credit: Geoff MIller/Lumen via Getty Images Concentrate It all comes "from months of preparation," said Marcus Ericsson, winner of the race in 2022 and one of Andretti Global's drivers in this year's event. "When we get here to the month of May, it's just such a busy month. So you've got to be prepared mentally—and basically before you get to the month of May because if you start doing it now, it's too late," he told me. The drivers spend all month at the track, with a race on the road course earlier this month. Then there's testing on the historic oval, followed by qualifying last weekend and the race this coming Sunday. "So all those hours you put in in the winter, really, and leading up here to the month of May—it's what pays off now," Ericsson said. That work involved multiple sessions of physical training each week, and Ericsson says he also does weekly mental coaching sessions. "This is a mental challenge," Ericsson told me. "Doing those speeds with our cars, you can't really afford to have a split second of loss of concentration because then you might be in the wall and your day is over and you might hurt yourself." When drivers get tired or their focus slips, that's when mistakes happen, and a mistake at Indy often has consequences. Ericsson is sponsored by the antihistamine Allegra and its anti-drowsy-driving campaign. Fans can scan the QR codes on the back of his pit crew's shirts for a "gamified experience." Credit: Andretti Global/Allegra Simulate Being mentally and physically prepared is part of it. It also helps if you can roll the race car off the transporter and onto the track with a setup that works rather than spending the month chasing the right combination of dampers, springs, wing angles, and so on. And these days, that means a lot of simulation testing. The multi-axis driver in the loop simulators might look like just a very expensive video game, but these multimillion-dollar setups aren't about having fun. "Everything that you are feeling or changing in the sim is ultimately going to reflect directly to what happens on track," explained Kyle Kirkwood, teammate to Ericsson at Andretti Global and one of only two drivers to have won an Indycar race in 2025. Andretti, like the other teams using Honda engines, uses the new HRC simulator in Indiana. "And yes, it's a very expensive asset, but it's also likely cheaper than going to the track and doing the real thing," Kirkwood said. "And it's a much more controlled environment than being at the track because temperature changes or track conditions or wind direction play a huge factor with our car." A high degree of correlation between the simulation and the track is what makes it a powerful tool. "We run through a sim, and you only get so many opportunities, especially at a place like Indianapolis, where you go from one day to the next and the temperature swings, or the wind conditions, or whatever might change drastically," Kirkwood said. "You have to be able to sim it and be confident with the sim that you're running to go out there and have a similar balance or a similar performance." Andretti Global's Kyle Kirkwood is the only driver other than Álex Palou to have won an IndyCar race in 2025. Credit: Alison Arena/Andretti Global "So you have to make adjustments, whether it's a spring rate, whether it's keel ballast or just overall, maybe center of pressure, something like that," Kirkwood said. "You have to be able to adjust to it. And that's where the sim tool comes in play. You move the weight balance back, and you're like, OK, now what happens with the balance? How do I tune that back in? And you run that all through the sim, and for us, it's been mirror-perfect going to the track when we do that." More impressively, a lot of that work was done months ago. "I would say most of it, we got through it before the start of this season," Kirkwood said. "Once we get into the season, we only get a select few days because every Honda team has to run on the same simulator. Of course, it's different with the engineering sim; those are running nonstop." Sims are for engineers, too An IndyCar team is more than just its drivers—"the spacer between the seat and the wheel," according to Kirkwood—and the engineers rely heavily on sim work now that real-world testing is so highly restricted. And they use a lot more than just driver-in-the-loop. "Digital simulation probably goes to a higher level," explained Scott Graves, engineering manager at Andretti Global. "A lot of the models we develop work in the DiL as well as our other digital tools. We try to develop universal models, whether that's tire models, engine models, or transmission models." "Once you get into to a fully digital model, then I think your optimization process starts kicking in," Graves said. "You're not just changing the setting and running a pretend lap with a driver holding a wheel. You're able to run through numerous settings and optimization routines and step through a massive number of permutations on a car. Obviously, you're looking for better lap times, but you're also looking for fuel efficiency and a lot of other parameters that go into crossing the finish line first." Parts like this anti-roll bar are simulated thousands of times. Credit: Siemens/Andretti Global As an example, Graves points to the dampers. "The shock absorber is a perfect example where that's a highly sophisticated piece of equipment on the car and it's very open for team development. So our cars have fully customized designs there that are optimized for how we run the car, and they may not be good on another team's car because we're so honed in on what we're doing with the car," he said. "The more accurate a digital twin is, the more we are able to use that digital twin to predict the performance of the car," said David Taylor, VP of industry strategy at Siemens DISW, which has partnered with Andretti for some years now. "It will never be as complete and accurate as we want it to be. So it's a continuous pursuit, and we keep adding technology to our portfolio and acquiring companies to try to provide more and more tools to people like Scott so they can more accurately predict that performance." What to expect on Sunday? Kirkwood was bullish about his chances despite starting relatively deep in the field, qualifying in 23rd place. "We've been phenomenal in race trim and qualifying," he said. "We had a bit of a head-scratcher if I'm being honest—I thought we would definitely be a top-six contender, if not a front row contender, and it just didn't pan out that way on Saturday qualifying." "But we rolled back out on Monday—the car was phenomenal. Once again, we feel very, very racy in traffic, which is a completely different animal than running qualifying," Kirkwood said. "So I'm happy with it. I think our chances are good. We're starting deep in the field, but so are a lot of other drivers. So you can expect a handful of us to move forward." The more nervous hybrid IndyCars with their more rearward weight bias will probably result in more cautions, according to Ericsson, who will line up sixth for the start of the race on Sunday. "Whereas in previous years you could have a bit of a moment and it would scare you, you usually get away with it," he said. "This year, if you have a moment, it usually ends up with you being in the fence. I think that's why we've seen so many crashes this year—because a pendulum effect from the rear of the car that when you start losing it, this is very, very difficult or almost impossible to catch." "I think it's going to mean that the race is going to be quite a few incidents with people making mistakes," Ericsson said. "In practice, if your car is not behaving well, you bring it to the pit lane, right? You can do adjustments, whereas in the race, you have to just tough it out until the next pit stop and then make some small adjustments. So if you have a bad car at the start a race, it's going to be a tough one. So I think it's going to be a very dramatic and entertaining race." Jonathan M. Gitlin Automotive Editor Jonathan M. Gitlin Automotive Editor Jonathan is the Automotive Editor at Ars Technica. He has a BSc and PhD in Pharmacology. In 2014 he decided to indulge his lifelong passion for the car by leaving the National Human Genome Research Institute and launching Ars Technica's automotive coverage. He lives in Washington, DC. 8 Comments #mph #miles #how #indycar #drivers

ARSTECHNICA.COM

200 mph for 500 miles: How IndyCar drivers prepare for the big race

Memorial Day Sunday 200 mph for 500 miles: How IndyCar drivers prepare for the big race Andretti Global's Kyle Kirkwood and Marcus Ericsson talk to us about the Indy 500. Jonathan M. Gitlin – May 24, 2025 11:30 am | 8 #28, Marcus Ericsson, Andretti Global Honda prior to the NTT IndyCar Series 109th Running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 15, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. Credit: Brandon Badraoui/Lumen via Getty Images #28, Marcus Ericsson, Andretti Global Honda prior to the NTT IndyCar Series 109th Running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 15, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. Credit: Brandon Badraoui/Lumen via Getty Images Story text Size Small Standard Large Width * Standard Wide Links Standard Orange * Subscribers only   Learn more This coming weekend is a special one for most motorsport fans. There are Formula 1 races in Monaco and NASCAR races in Charlotte. And arguably towering over them both is the Indianapolis 500, being held this year for the 109th time. America's oldest race is also one of its toughest: The track may have just four turns, but the cars negotiate them going three times faster than you drive on the highway, inches from the wall. For hours. At least at Le Mans, you have more than one driver per car. This year's race promises to be an exciting one. The track is sold out for the first time since the centenary race in 2016. A rookie driver and a team new to the series took pole position. Two very fast cars are starting at the back thanks to another conflict-of-interest scandal involving Team Penske, the second in two years for a team whose owner also owns the track and the series. And the cars are trickier to drive than they have been for many years, thanks to a new supercapacitor-based hybrid system that has added more than 100 lbs to the rear of the car, shifting the weight distribution further back. Ahead of Sunday's race, I spoke with a couple of IndyCar drivers and some engineers to get a better sense of how they prepare and what to expect. This year, the cars are harder to drive thanks to a hybrid system that has altered the weight balance. Credit: Geoff MIller/Lumen via Getty Images Concentrate It all comes "from months of preparation," said Marcus Ericsson, winner of the race in 2022 and one of Andretti Global's drivers in this year's event. "When we get here to the month of May, it's just such a busy month. So you've got to be prepared mentally—and basically before you get to the month of May because if you start doing it now, it's too late," he told me. The drivers spend all month at the track, with a race on the road course earlier this month. Then there's testing on the historic oval, followed by qualifying last weekend and the race this coming Sunday. "So all those hours you put in in the winter, really, and leading up here to the month of May—it's what pays off now," Ericsson said. That work involved multiple sessions of physical training each week, and Ericsson says he also does weekly mental coaching sessions. "This is a mental challenge," Ericsson told me. "Doing those speeds with our cars, you can't really afford to have a split second of loss of concentration because then you might be in the wall and your day is over and you might hurt yourself." When drivers get tired or their focus slips, that's when mistakes happen, and a mistake at Indy often has consequences. Ericsson is sponsored by the antihistamine Allegra and its anti-drowsy-driving campaign. Fans can scan the QR codes on the back of his pit crew's shirts for a "gamified experience." Credit: Andretti Global/Allegra Simulate Being mentally and physically prepared is part of it. It also helps if you can roll the race car off the transporter and onto the track with a setup that works rather than spending the month chasing the right combination of dampers, springs, wing angles, and so on. And these days, that means a lot of simulation testing. The multi-axis driver in the loop simulators might look like just a very expensive video game, but these multimillion-dollar setups aren't about having fun. "Everything that you are feeling or changing in the sim is ultimately going to reflect directly to what happens on track," explained Kyle Kirkwood, teammate to Ericsson at Andretti Global and one of only two drivers to have won an Indycar race in 2025. Andretti, like the other teams using Honda engines, uses the new HRC simulator in Indiana. "And yes, it's a very expensive asset, but it's also likely cheaper than going to the track and doing the real thing," Kirkwood said. "And it's a much more controlled environment than being at the track because temperature changes or track conditions or wind direction play a huge factor with our car." A high degree of correlation between the simulation and the track is what makes it a powerful tool. "We run through a sim, and you only get so many opportunities, especially at a place like Indianapolis, where you go from one day to the next and the temperature swings, or the wind conditions, or whatever might change drastically," Kirkwood said. "You have to be able to sim it and be confident with the sim that you're running to go out there and have a similar balance or a similar performance." Andretti Global's Kyle Kirkwood is the only driver other than Álex Palou to have won an IndyCar race in 2025. Credit: Alison Arena/Andretti Global "So you have to make adjustments, whether it's a spring rate, whether it's keel ballast or just overall, maybe center of pressure, something like that," Kirkwood said. "You have to be able to adjust to it. And that's where the sim tool comes in play. You move the weight balance back, and you're like, OK, now what happens with the balance? How do I tune that back in? And you run that all through the sim, and for us, it's been mirror-perfect going to the track when we do that." More impressively, a lot of that work was done months ago. "I would say most of it, we got through it before the start of this season," Kirkwood said. "Once we get into the season, we only get a select few days because every Honda team has to run on the same simulator. Of course, it's different with the engineering sim; those are running nonstop." Sims are for engineers, too An IndyCar team is more than just its drivers—"the spacer between the seat and the wheel," according to Kirkwood—and the engineers rely heavily on sim work now that real-world testing is so highly restricted. And they use a lot more than just driver-in-the-loop (DiL). "Digital simulation probably goes to a higher level," explained Scott Graves, engineering manager at Andretti Global. "A lot of the models we develop work in the DiL as well as our other digital tools. We try to develop universal models, whether that's tire models, engine models, or transmission models." "Once you get into to a fully digital model, then I think your optimization process starts kicking in," Graves said. "You're not just changing the setting and running a pretend lap with a driver holding a wheel. You're able to run through numerous settings and optimization routines and step through a massive number of permutations on a car. Obviously, you're looking for better lap times, but you're also looking for fuel efficiency and a lot of other parameters that go into crossing the finish line first." Parts like this anti-roll bar are simulated thousands of times. Credit: Siemens/Andretti Global As an example, Graves points to the dampers. "The shock absorber is a perfect example where that's a highly sophisticated piece of equipment on the car and it's very open for team development. So our cars have fully customized designs there that are optimized for how we run the car, and they may not be good on another team's car because we're so honed in on what we're doing with the car," he said. "The more accurate a digital twin is, the more we are able to use that digital twin to predict the performance of the car," said David Taylor, VP of industry strategy at Siemens DISW, which has partnered with Andretti for some years now. "It will never be as complete and accurate as we want it to be. So it's a continuous pursuit, and we keep adding technology to our portfolio and acquiring companies to try to provide more and more tools to people like Scott so they can more accurately predict that performance." What to expect on Sunday? Kirkwood was bullish about his chances despite starting relatively deep in the field, qualifying in 23rd place. "We've been phenomenal in race trim and qualifying," he said. "We had a bit of a head-scratcher if I'm being honest—I thought we would definitely be a top-six contender, if not a front row contender, and it just didn't pan out that way on Saturday qualifying." "But we rolled back out on Monday—the car was phenomenal. Once again, we feel very, very racy in traffic, which is a completely different animal than running qualifying," Kirkwood said. "So I'm happy with it. I think our chances are good. We're starting deep in the field, but so are a lot of other drivers. So you can expect a handful of us to move forward." The more nervous hybrid IndyCars with their more rearward weight bias will probably result in more cautions, according to Ericsson, who will line up sixth for the start of the race on Sunday. "Whereas in previous years you could have a bit of a moment and it would scare you, you usually get away with it," he said. "This year, if you have a moment, it usually ends up with you being in the fence. I think that's why we've seen so many crashes this year—because a pendulum effect from the rear of the car that when you start losing it, this is very, very difficult or almost impossible to catch." "I think it's going to mean that the race is going to be quite a few incidents with people making mistakes," Ericsson said. "In practice, if your car is not behaving well, you bring it to the pit lane, right? You can do adjustments, whereas in the race, you have to just tough it out until the next pit stop and then make some small adjustments. So if you have a bad car at the start a race, it's going to be a tough one. So I think it's going to be a very dramatic and entertaining race." Jonathan M. Gitlin Automotive Editor Jonathan M. Gitlin Automotive Editor Jonathan is the Automotive Editor at Ars Technica. He has a BSc and PhD in Pharmacology. In 2014 he decided to indulge his lifelong passion for the car by leaving the National Human Genome Research Institute and launching Ars Technica's automotive coverage. He lives in Washington, DC. 8 Comments

·320 Views

Please log in to like, share and comment!
ZDNET shared a link

2025-05-24 03:22:43 ·

Best Memorial Day deals 2025: Save on expert-picked tech, BOGO deals, and more

Memorial Day weekend is here. For many, it marks the unofficial start of summer, and retailers like Amazon, Best Buy, Target, Walmart and more are kicking off the season with plenty of deals on home, outdoor, tech, apparel, and beyond. Also: My 4 favorite gadgets for a day at the poolLucky for you, I cover sales 24/7 as ZDNET's deals and shopping editor, and I've learned a thing or two about finding the best offers to share with you. That's why I've vetted and curated these deals across several retailers, featuring ZDNET-tested and recommended products, from phones and TVs to robot lawnmowers and outdoor gear. Plus, with uncertain economic times and hot-and-cold tariff policies, scooping up sought-after tech, like Apple's latest M4 MacBook Air for off, Eufy's E15 robot lawn mower for off, or the first laptop to earn ZDNET's Editor's Choice award for off may prove to be a wise decision.These Memorial Day weekend deals will continue to heat up as the weekend goes on, and I'll keep this page updated multiple times a day. Find Memorial Day deals at AmazonZDNET's top-selling Memorial Day 2025 products Our team has collected the top-selling products among ZDNET readers thus far ahead of Memorial Day 2025. Some of these products may not be on sale.SwitchBot Wallet Tracker Card:: This ultra-thin wallet tracker is shaped like a credit card, is highly reliable and works seamlessly with the Apple Find My network. Expert Maria Diaz says it's as good as an AirTag. There's an extra 20% off available via coupon, too.Anker 140W 4-Port USB-C Charger: : This 4-port charger is designed to rapidly charge all your favorite devices. Released at CES 2025, this charger uses GaN technology and features a window display to show output. Nothing Phone 3: at Nothing: Our expert replaced his Google Pixel 9 Pro with this midrange option from Nothing, and it's so good he can't switch back. It's not on sale, but is still under and a more affordable smartphone option. Pebblebee Clip Universal Bluetooth Tracker:: The Pebblebee Clip is the world's first finder tag that works with both Google and Apple Find My networks, and our expert says its better than an AirTag. RingConn Gen 2 Air: : Our expert says this budget-friendly smart ring delivers impressive health-tracking features that compete with top-tier rivals like Oura. Grab a size kit here for Car USB-C Charger: : Our expert says you're not using your car's USB port enough, and charging your devices with it is one of the easiest ways to up your car's function. This budget charger is a great pick. My favorite Memorial Day tech salesThese are my personally-picked favorite deals that are perfect for MDW at home, at the pool, or down the shore. Adam Breeden/ZDNETBeats Pill Speaker:: This classic is back. Our expert says the Beats Pill delivers "gloriously smooth sound," and right now it's 33% off. Netvue by Birdfy Smart Bird Feeder:: Our favorite smart bird feeder makes a great Father's Day gift, especially with a 30% discount .Sony X77L TV: Free: Right now, there are multiple ways to qualify for a free Sony X77L 4K TV when you purchase select Bravia 8 II Q-OLED TVs. Here's the full scoop on the deal. LG 27-inch OLED Gaming Monitor BOGO:: Right now, if you purchase the 27-inch OLED gaming monitor from LG, you'll save and get another monitor of the same size completely free. Here's the full look at the deal at ZDNET. Samsung 49-inch Odyssey G9 Curved Gaming Monitor BOGO:: Samsung has some BOGO offers too, like this monitor deal that lets you save on a 49-inch curved gaming monitor and get another 27-inch Odyssey G55C monitor for free. Here's all the info on the deal at ZDNET. JBL Clip 5 Portable Speaker:: This tiny speaker is coming along with our expert to every beach trip this summer, and for you can't beat scooping this up for at home or on-the-go. Apple MacBook Air M4 13-inch:: Our laptop expert says the M4 MacBook Air features more memory, better support for external monitors, and a decent 10% off discount. Memorial Day deals from other retailersSamsung: on home, appliances, TVs, mobile, and more. Preorder the Galaxy S25 Edge and get double the storage for free, plus off the Galaxy Ring Samsonite: up to 40% on Samsonite luggage and travel gearWayfair: up to 60% on bedroom furnitureREI: 25% off Hydroflask drinkware, save on all Garmin Fenix 8 watches and more Lowe's: on outdoor, garden, patio, grills and more Home Depot: on grills, tools, garden, outdoor, patio, storage and more Nectar Sleep: up to 50% on mattressesLG: 25-56% on the #1 appliance brand in the US Best Buy: Shop Memorial Day deals on home, outdoor and more Walmart: Shop Memorial Day deals on home, outdoor and more Memorial Day deals under : Cameras, chargers, and more Kayla Solino/ZDNETBlink Mini 2 Indoor Cam:: Our expert says this is the best budget camera you can buy, and it's 50% off now. Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K:: Streamline your streaming experience with a Fire TV Stick 4K for 40% off. Torras PolarCircle Qi2 MagSafe Charger:: Our expert says this handy MagSafe charger provides fast battery boosting without all the heat. JBL Go 3 Portable Speaker:: This speaker features IP67 waterproofing and 5 hours of play all for under The newer Go 4 speaker is on sale for more. Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET Current price: Original price: This budget MagSafe single charger from Anker is on sale for under Our expert loves it for its fast and powerful charge and its great price.
Show more
View now Memorial Day outdoor and lawn deals: Robot lawn mowers, smart bird feeders, and more Maria Diaz/ZDNETBird Buddy Smart Bird Feeder with Solar Roof:: Our expert loved catching unexpected clips of flying friends on this bird feeder with a built-in camera. It's perfect for a garden or outdoor area, and it's off now. The Hummingbird Feeder Pro is on sale for. Solo Stove Bonfire 2.0:: This stainless steel wood burning stove is ideal for 4-6 people and is perfect for Memorial Day weekend. Anker Solix EverFrost 2 40L Smart Cooler:: The Anker Solix EverFrost 2 is a battery-powered cooler that stores perishables without ice for over three days. Our expert tested it and can't go back to a regular cooler, and it's perfect for Memorial Day weekend.Beatbot AquaSense 2 Robotic Pool Vacuum:: This robot vacuum isn't for inside your home, but if you want to simplify your pool cleaning routine, Beatbot's AquaSense 2 is on sale. Blink Outdoor 4 Floodlight Cam:: Our expert says this floodlight is bright enough for their dark backyard, and right now it's 50% off. Linkind Smart Outdoor Solar Lights SL5:: Our expert loves how fast these lights make her house holiday-ready, and these would be perfect for upcoming summer nights. Maria Diaz/ZDNET Current price: Original price: Our expert says the Eufy E15 offers one of the simplest setups from a robot mower since it lacks boundary wires or antennas. Instead, it uses sensors, cameras, and AI to navigate, just like a robot vacuum. It's lightweight, easy to clean, and has multiple customizable mowing options on the Eufy app, including path direction, mowing schedule, and grass height. It's off with an on-page coupon right now.
Show more
View now Memorial Day headphone deals: Sony, Beats, Apple, and more Jada Jones/ZDNETSonos Ace Headphones:: Our expert loves these headphones for their perfect sound and comfort, and right now they're nearly off. OnePlus Buds Pro 3:: Our expert says these earbuds were already a great buy full price, and right now they're off. JLab JBuds ANC:: These are our audio expert's favorite budget earbud pick, and they're even cheaper now. Soundcore C40i Open Earbuds:: Audio expert Nina Raemont says these are the best midrange open earbuds for runners, and they're 25% off now. Sony WH-1000 XM4 Headphones:: The newest XM6 headphones are packed with Sony's latest features, but the XM4 model folds away for easy storage, unlike the slightly newer XM5 model. Nothing Open Earbuds:: These are without a doubt the best earbuds for working out -- whether you're in the gym or outdoors. Beats Studio Pro Headphones:: These Beats headphones are 43% off, and our expert says they're the perfect middle-ground headphones for Android and Apple users. Jada Jones/ZDNET Current price: Original price: Sony's headphones are a popular pick for noise-canceling audio and top features. The WH-1000XM5 headphones are not the newest model in the lineup, but they're still a great buy. Sony just released the new WH-1000XM6 model, and this XM5 pair is finally seeing a sizable discount. Our audio expert called the XM5's "basically perfect" upon reviewing them in 2022, and they have remained as one of our favorite pairs to recommend for everyday use.
Show more
Memorial Day TV deals: Speakers, soundbars, TVs, and more Kerry Wan/ZDNETSony Ult Field 1:: This portable speaker offers crystal clear sound, a long battery life, and environmental durability. Sony Ult Field 3:: Sony's newest potable speaker is seeing its first discount since its release last month. Our expert loves it for its compact form and great bass. Fire TV Cube:: Snag Amazon's AI-powered streaming device for 29% off. Insignia 32-inch Fire TV:: This 32-inch TV is one of Amazon's top sellers for a reason. Right now it's under and is the perfect size for a dorm, kids' room, or kitchen. Hisense 85-Inch QD7 Series QLED 4K UHD TV:: If you want a huge amount of display space, check out the discount on this 85-inch Hisense Google Smart TV.Panasonic Z85 Series 65-inch OLED TV:: This OLED TV uses the Fire TV platform to give you access to thousands of movies and shows as well as hundreds of other streaming apps.Panasonic W95 Series 65-inch Mini LED TV:: A mid-range Mini-LED TV that offers a 144Hz refresh rate, Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos support, and AMD FreeSync Premium VRR for console gaming. Jason Hiner/ZDNET Current price: Original price: The Sony Bravia X90L is one of our picks for the best Sony TVs you can buy, and for good reason. Its color accuracy, precision brightness, 120Hz smooth motion, and 4K image processing make it one of our most recommended TVs you can buy. Editor-in-chief Jason Hiner also considers it one of the most underrated TVs available. And with the 2025 TVs hitting the market, you can save on select sizes of this excellent 2023 model.
Show more
View now Memorial Day laptop deals: Apple, Lenovo, and more Kyle Kucharski/ZDNETApple MacBook Air M4 13-inch:: Our laptop expert says the M4 MacBook Air features more memory, better support for external monitors, and a decent discount for a newer MacBook. Asus Zenbook A14:: The first laptop to earn our Editor's Choice award is off at Best Buy. The Zenbook A14 is portable and efficient, and our expert says its truly a great buy at this price. Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE:: Our expert says it's hard to believe this high-performing laptop is a Chromebook at all. The bright, 120Hz refresh rate display, LED keyboard, and Intel Core Ultra 5 processor makes for a solid cloud gaming laptop and fast, lightweight laptop.HP Envy x360 2-in-1 16-inch:: Our expert says this laptop is perfect for business professionals and gamers, and it's a convertible laptop to tablet model. MacBook Pro M3 14-inch:: The MacBook Pro M3 isn't the newest model on the market, but our expert says its still a great upgrade from earlier iterations, and is a solid choice for work, home, school and more. Max Buondonno/ZDNET Current price: Original price: ZDNET's pick for best laptop for work is on sale. Our laptop expert says it's an excellent choice for professionals seeking a fast laptop that can tackle intensive productivity tasks thanks to the recently released AMD Ryzen AI 7 Pro 360 processor, the integrated AMD Radeon 880M graphics card, and the ample 32GB of RAM.
Show more
View now Memorial Day smartphone and accessory deals: iPhones, chargers, and more Kerry Wan/ZDNETSamsung Galaxy S25 Edge:: Preorder the Galaxy S25 Edge and get double the storage for free and off the Galaxy Ring. Plus, save more with trade-in offers. OnePlus 13:: Our expert recommends this phone over the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra so much, that it won one of ZDNET's first Editor's Choice awards. Plus, when you buy now you can save and get a free pair of earbuds. Google Pixel 9 Pro: $`1,149: Our expert says they'd recommend the Google Pixel 9 Pro any day, but this discount makes it even easier. The base model Pixel 9 is also on sale for iPhone 16 Pro: Free: New and existing customers can get a free phone on any Verizon plan with a value of up to iPhone 16 Pro: Free: A similar freebie iPhone 16 Pro offer is available for AT&T customers, and even damaged phones are eligible for the trade-in. Anker 3-in-1 Foldable MagSafe Charging Station:: This is our expert's favorite Qi2 charging station, and she says Apple users will love it. Kerry Wan/ZDNET Current price: Original price: The Nohting Phone 2a Plus model, which our phone expert tested last year, proved an exceptional midrange offering, besting Google, Samsung, and Apple's offerings in the sub-category. Right now, for just you're getting a 6.7-inch AMOLED display, a 5,000mAh battery with 50W wired charging, Nothing's signature Glyph Lights for notifications, and more.Review: Nothing Phone 2a Plus Remember that Nothing phones perform best when connected to a GSM network, meaning AT&T and T-Mobile users will benefit the most.
Show more
View now Memorial Day tablet deals: Lenovo, Apple, and more Allison Murray/ZDNETLenovo Tab M9:: This budget Lenovo tablet just got cheaper, and it's the perfect 9-inch tablet for streaming on the go. It's so affordable, our expert may even buy two. Kindle Colorsoft Bundle:: This Kindle bundle includes the new Colorsoft e-reader, a wireless charging dock and a case all for under iPad Mini 7:: Our expert loves how portable and compact the iPad Mini is, and it's on sale. Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra:: Our expert says this 14-inch Samsung tablet boosts productivity, and is even better for entertainment. Max Buondonno/ZDNET Current price: Original price: Right now you can save on the OnePlus Pad 2 at OnePlus. Our expert says the OnePlus Pad 2 offers solid hardware, impressive battery life, and a sharp display, positioning it as a capable and affordable option for media consumption.
Show more
View now at OnePlus Memorial Day Apple deals: iPads, Apple Watches, and more Maria Diaz/ZDNETApple Watch Series 10:: The Watch Series 10, Apple's latest smartwatch, is off. Expert Matthew Miller says the Series 10 is better than the Watch Ultra in certain areas. Plus, shop the GPS 46mm model on sale. Apple Watch Ultra 2:: Our expert says the Watch Ultra 2 is a "near-perfect" smartwatch, and it's off now -- only more than the lowest-ever Black Friday price we've seen. Apple Pencil Pro:: Apple's best stylus is on sale now. You can use Apple Pencil Pro with iPadOS 17.5 or later on the iPad Pro, iPad Air, and the iPad mini. Apple AirTag 4-Pack:: If you prefer Apple's native Bluetooth tracker, AirTags are great for tracking keys, luggage, wallets, and more, and they're on sale. Apple iPad Mini:: Apple's iPad Mini, a compact 8.3-inch tablet perfect for stowing away in your bag, is also on sale. You can save 5% on a model powered by an A17 Pro chip with 128GB of storage.Apple iPad Pro:: Right now, you can save on a model equipped with an 11-inch Ultra Retina XDR display, 256GB of storage, and Wi-Fi connectivity.Apple 2024 Mac Mini:: For those interested in Apple's desktop PC products, consider the discount on an M4-powered Mac Mini. Maria Diaz/ZDNET Current price: Original price: Right now, you can get the 11th Gen iPad for only in select colors , the lowest price we've seen yet. The tablet normally retails for so a great sale this quick in the launch schedule is good news for any early adopters with a tight budget. Review: Apple iPad 11th Gen
Show more
View now Memorial Day kitchen and home deals: Smart vacuums, appliances, and more Maria Diaz/ZDNETCraftsman VersaStack 230-Piece Toolkit:: This is a great buy for your home, and our expert agrees. Bissell Little Green Max Pet SmartMix Portable Carpet Cleaner:: This carpet and upholstery cleaner is perfect for tackling tough stains, and is a great investment for your household. It's nearly 30% off now. Ecovacs Winbot W2 Pro Omni Robot Window Cleaner:: Our expert says this window robot "surprisingly impressive," and right now both the W2 Pro Omni and the cheaper W2 Pro model are on sale. Dyson V8 Plus Cordless Stick Vacuum:: Spring cleaning? almost 30% on this popular Dyson upright vacuum cleaner. Maria Diaz/ZDNET Current price: Original price: Our expert says whether you need a portable battery for camping or emergency backup, the EcoFlow Delta Pro 3 can do it. And right now, you can save almost on it.
Show more
View now Memorial Day robot vacuum deals: Ecovacs, Roborock, and more Maria Diaz/ZDNETDreame L40 Ultra Robot Vacuum and Mop:: The Dreame L40 Ultra is on sale, and our expert says it's one of the smartest robot vacuums and mops they've seen. Ecovacs Deebot N30 Omni Robot Vacuum and Mop:: This robot vacuum is 40% off, and our expert says it performs as well as some flagship models.Dreame X50 Ultra Robot Vacuum and Mop:: Our expert says the Dreame X50 Ultra ranks among the top robot vacuums out there -- especially for those with serious cleaning needs, and it's 24% off now. Dreame X40 Ultra Robot Vacuum and Mop:: Our expert says this is the best robot vacuum model she's ever used, and right now it's on sale. Eufy Robot Vacuum 11S MAX:: If you're looking for an affordable robot vacuum, check out the 43% discount on the Eufy 11S MAX, a self-charging and sleek model. Maria Diaz/ZDNET Current price: Original price: Eufy's latest E20 robot vacuum and handheld combination help superpower your smart home. The handheld vacuum is the robot vacuum's dustbin, which you can detach by pressing a red button on the device while simultaneously pulling the handle. The handheld vacuum has a crevice attachment on the robot and a floor brush to transform it into a stick vacuum.Expert Maria Diaz tested this vacuum in March and was thoroughly impressed with its suction power and ability to keep her office free of her dog's hair. She also likes its multi-functional capabilities.
Show more
View now Memorial Day health and wellness deals: Smart rings, fitness trackers, and more Christina Darby/ZDNETRenpho Eye Massager:: Stressed? This eye massager heats and massages your eyes, making it a great gift for those who often get headaches or work in front of a screen for hours a day. Core 1 Body Sensor:: ZDNET's Matt Miller has been using this core body temperature sensor to inform his fitness and recovery. He recommends it most to people who exercise in hotter temperatures, and right now it's 20% off. Eufy P2 Pro Smart Scale:: If you need a budget-friendly smart scale option, the Eufy P2 Pro is close to 50% off right now, and it's great for tracking weight and other metrics like bone density and more. Nina Raemont/ZDNET Current price: Starting at Original price: Starting at The Oura Ring Gen 3 is not the newest model on the market, but expert Nina Raemont says it's still a great pick if you don't mind a slightly more uncomfortable fit, amongst other things. Right now you can save up to depending on the size, finish, and style you select at Oura.
Show more
View now at Oura Memorial Day FAQs When is Memorial Day? Memorial Day always falls on the last Monday of May. This year, it is on Monday, May 26, 2025. However, many retailers started sales a few weeks ahead of the holiday. Is Memorial Day a federal holiday?Yes, Memorial Day is one of 11 federal holidays recognized nationwide in the US. It is celebrated on the last Monday of May annually. Typically, schools, businesses, and government offices are closed during Memorial Day. Essential institutions like hospitals, airports, police stations, and more do not close for Memorial Day. Is Amazon having a Memorial Day sale? Amazon is having a Memorial Day sale and plenty of items discounted. In fact, the retailer has a Memorial Day sales landing page up, but Amazon typically doesn't heavily advertise for the event like it does for Amazon Prime Day. Other retailers like Best Buy started sales as early as May 15, so Amazon will likely feature similar discounts on products during the same period. What other retailers are having Memorial Day sales? Here are some important dates across several retailers to keep in mind if you're planning on shopping deals this Memorial Day. Historically, the Friday to Sunday before Memorial Day is usually when you'll see the most retailers offering savings. Best Buy Memorial Day Sale: May 19 - May 26.Home Depot Memorial Day Sale: May 16 - May 26.Lowe's Memorial Day Sale: May 15 - May 28.Target Memorial Day Sale: Target's Hello Summer Sale usually kicks off the brand's Memorial Day savings about a week before the holiday. On May 15, Target confirmed the return of their Hello Summer Sale, which will overlap with Memorial Day, running from May 18 - May 26. Walmart Memorial Day Sale: Walmart hasn't officially confirmed any dates for a specific sale, but the retailer is sure to offer savings comparable to those of its top competitors as the holiday approaches. How did we choose these Memorial Day deals?ZDNET only writes about deals we want to buy -- devices and products we desire, need, or would recommend. Our experts looked for deals that were at least 20% off, using established price comparison tools and trackers to determine whether the deal is on sale and how frequently it drops. We also reviewed customer reviews to find out what matters to real people who already own and use the deals we recommend. Our recommendations may also be based on our testing -- in addition to extensive research and comparison shopping. The goal is to deliver the most accurate advice to help you shop smarter. Are there any products on sale that won a ZDNET Editor's Choice award?First launched in April 2025, The ZDNET Editors' Choice badge represents our highest endorsement for a technology product or service. It's a distinction awarded exclusively by our seasoned team of expert editors, analysts, and reviewers. Though the majority of the product deals listed on this page are ZDNET-tested, they all aren't Editors' Choice winners. That's because that badge isn't handed out lightly. However, lucky for you there are a few winning products on sale ahead of Memorial Day 2025, like the Asus Zenbook A14, the OnePlus 13, and the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold.How can I find the best Memorial Day deals? As a commerce and advice editor, I can recommend a few things to help you maximize Memorial Day sales. I always recommend preparing to shop by researching and planning potential purchases, listing want and need items, and setting a budget before sales. It's also great to use verified price tracking tools like CamelCamelCamel or Google Shopping, which make it easy to locate the best price. It's always good to remember the perks offered if you're a member of a program like Target Circle 360, Amazon Prime or Walmart+. Often, these memberships offer services like free pickup or delivery, free shipping, exclusive early access, and more, and those extras are good to remember when every retailer starts matching prices on products to compete for the sale. Should I wait for Prime Day deals instead?It depends. If you're shopping for seasonal-specific items like patio furniture, outdoor gear, and more, I would not wait to shop for these deals. Prime Day likely won't roll around until mid-July, and two months is a long time to hold out for an item if you're purchasing a product with the intent of enjoying it this season. But if you're not in the market for select spring and summer items, it may be worth waiting to shop Prime Day offers, especially on flagship Amazon products. Historically, the best prices on devices like the Echo Dot, Fire Stick, and more are offered during Amazon's exclusive Prime Day events. What are the tariffs in the US?The shifting US tariffs on imports from countries like China, Vietnam, and India aim to boost domestic manufacturing but are likely to drive up prices on consumer electronics. Products like smartphones, laptops, and TVs may become more expensive as companies rethink global supply chains and weigh the cost of shifting production.The tariffs could also lead to delays in product launches or shifts in where and how phones are made, forcing companies to diversify production to countries with more favorable trade conditions.What are the best Memorial Day 2025 deals?ZDNET's experts are searching through Memorial Day deals across retailers to find the best discounts by category. These are the best deals so far:Looking for the next best product? Get expert reviews and editor favorites with ZDNET Recommends.
Show more
ZDNET Recommends
#best #memorial #day #deals #save

Best Memorial Day deals 2025: Save on expert-picked tech, BOGO deals, and more
Memorial Day weekend is here. For many, it marks the unofficial start of summer, and retailers like Amazon, Best Buy, Target, Walmart and more are kicking off the season with plenty of deals on home, outdoor, tech, apparel, and beyond. Also: My 4 favorite gadgets for a day at the poolLucky for you, I cover sales 24/7 as ZDNET's deals and shopping editor, and I've learned a thing or two about finding the best offers to share with you. That's why I've vetted and curated these deals across several retailers, featuring ZDNET-tested and recommended products, from phones and TVs to robot lawnmowers and outdoor gear. Plus, with uncertain economic times and hot-and-cold tariff policies, scooping up sought-after tech, like Apple's latest M4 MacBook Air for off, Eufy's E15 robot lawn mower for off, or the first laptop to earn ZDNET's Editor's Choice award for off may prove to be a wise decision.These Memorial Day weekend deals will continue to heat up as the weekend goes on, and I'll keep this page updated multiple times a day. Find Memorial Day deals at AmazonZDNET's top-selling Memorial Day 2025 products Our team has collected the top-selling products among ZDNET readers thus far ahead of Memorial Day 2025. Some of these products may not be on sale.SwitchBot Wallet Tracker Card:: This ultra-thin wallet tracker is shaped like a credit card, is highly reliable and works seamlessly with the Apple Find My network. Expert Maria Diaz says it's as good as an AirTag. There's an extra 20% off available via coupon, too.Anker 140W 4-Port USB-C Charger: : This 4-port charger is designed to rapidly charge all your favorite devices. Released at CES 2025, this charger uses GaN technology and features a window display to show output. Nothing Phone 3: at Nothing: Our expert replaced his Google Pixel 9 Pro with this midrange option from Nothing, and it's so good he can't switch back. It's not on sale, but is still under and a more affordable smartphone option. Pebblebee Clip Universal Bluetooth Tracker:: The Pebblebee Clip is the world's first finder tag that works with both Google and Apple Find My networks, and our expert says its better than an AirTag. RingConn Gen 2 Air: : Our expert says this budget-friendly smart ring delivers impressive health-tracking features that compete with top-tier rivals like Oura. Grab a size kit here for Car USB-C Charger: : Our expert says you're not using your car's USB port enough, and charging your devices with it is one of the easiest ways to up your car's function. This budget charger is a great pick. My favorite Memorial Day tech salesThese are my personally-picked favorite deals that are perfect for MDW at home, at the pool, or down the shore. Adam Breeden/ZDNETBeats Pill Speaker:: This classic is back. Our expert says the Beats Pill delivers "gloriously smooth sound," and right now it's 33% off. Netvue by Birdfy Smart Bird Feeder:: Our favorite smart bird feeder makes a great Father's Day gift, especially with a 30% discount .Sony X77L TV: Free: Right now, there are multiple ways to qualify for a free Sony X77L 4K TV when you purchase select Bravia 8 II Q-OLED TVs. Here's the full scoop on the deal. LG 27-inch OLED Gaming Monitor BOGO:: Right now, if you purchase the 27-inch OLED gaming monitor from LG, you'll save and get another monitor of the same size completely free. Here's the full look at the deal at ZDNET. Samsung 49-inch Odyssey G9 Curved Gaming Monitor BOGO:: Samsung has some BOGO offers too, like this monitor deal that lets you save on a 49-inch curved gaming monitor and get another 27-inch Odyssey G55C monitor for free. Here's all the info on the deal at ZDNET. JBL Clip 5 Portable Speaker:: This tiny speaker is coming along with our expert to every beach trip this summer, and for you can't beat scooping this up for at home or on-the-go. Apple MacBook Air M4 13-inch:: Our laptop expert says the M4 MacBook Air features more memory, better support for external monitors, and a decent 10% off discount. Memorial Day deals from other retailersSamsung: on home, appliances, TVs, mobile, and more. Preorder the Galaxy S25 Edge and get double the storage for free, plus off the Galaxy Ring Samsonite: up to 40% on Samsonite luggage and travel gearWayfair: up to 60% on bedroom furnitureREI: 25% off Hydroflask drinkware, save on all Garmin Fenix 8 watches and more Lowe's: on outdoor, garden, patio, grills and more Home Depot: on grills, tools, garden, outdoor, patio, storage and more Nectar Sleep: up to 50% on mattressesLG: 25-56% on the #1 appliance brand in the US Best Buy: Shop Memorial Day deals on home, outdoor and more Walmart: Shop Memorial Day deals on home, outdoor and more Memorial Day deals under : Cameras, chargers, and more Kayla Solino/ZDNETBlink Mini 2 Indoor Cam:: Our expert says this is the best budget camera you can buy, and it's 50% off now. Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K:: Streamline your streaming experience with a Fire TV Stick 4K for 40% off. Torras PolarCircle Qi2 MagSafe Charger:: Our expert says this handy MagSafe charger provides fast battery boosting without all the heat. JBL Go 3 Portable Speaker:: This speaker features IP67 waterproofing and 5 hours of play all for under The newer Go 4 speaker is on sale for more. Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET Current price: Original price: This budget MagSafe single charger from Anker is on sale for under Our expert loves it for its fast and powerful charge and its great price. Show more View now Memorial Day outdoor and lawn deals: Robot lawn mowers, smart bird feeders, and more Maria Diaz/ZDNETBird Buddy Smart Bird Feeder with Solar Roof:: Our expert loved catching unexpected clips of flying friends on this bird feeder with a built-in camera. It's perfect for a garden or outdoor area, and it's off now. The Hummingbird Feeder Pro is on sale for. Solo Stove Bonfire 2.0:: This stainless steel wood burning stove is ideal for 4-6 people and is perfect for Memorial Day weekend. Anker Solix EverFrost 2 40L Smart Cooler:: The Anker Solix EverFrost 2 is a battery-powered cooler that stores perishables without ice for over three days. Our expert tested it and can't go back to a regular cooler, and it's perfect for Memorial Day weekend.Beatbot AquaSense 2 Robotic Pool Vacuum:: This robot vacuum isn't for inside your home, but if you want to simplify your pool cleaning routine, Beatbot's AquaSense 2 is on sale. Blink Outdoor 4 Floodlight Cam:: Our expert says this floodlight is bright enough for their dark backyard, and right now it's 50% off. Linkind Smart Outdoor Solar Lights SL5:: Our expert loves how fast these lights make her house holiday-ready, and these would be perfect for upcoming summer nights. Maria Diaz/ZDNET Current price: Original price: Our expert says the Eufy E15 offers one of the simplest setups from a robot mower since it lacks boundary wires or antennas. Instead, it uses sensors, cameras, and AI to navigate, just like a robot vacuum. It's lightweight, easy to clean, and has multiple customizable mowing options on the Eufy app, including path direction, mowing schedule, and grass height. It's off with an on-page coupon right now. Show more View now Memorial Day headphone deals: Sony, Beats, Apple, and more Jada Jones/ZDNETSonos Ace Headphones:: Our expert loves these headphones for their perfect sound and comfort, and right now they're nearly off. OnePlus Buds Pro 3:: Our expert says these earbuds were already a great buy full price, and right now they're off. JLab JBuds ANC:: These are our audio expert's favorite budget earbud pick, and they're even cheaper now. Soundcore C40i Open Earbuds:: Audio expert Nina Raemont says these are the best midrange open earbuds for runners, and they're 25% off now. Sony WH-1000 XM4 Headphones:: The newest XM6 headphones are packed with Sony's latest features, but the XM4 model folds away for easy storage, unlike the slightly newer XM5 model. Nothing Open Earbuds:: These are without a doubt the best earbuds for working out -- whether you're in the gym or outdoors. Beats Studio Pro Headphones:: These Beats headphones are 43% off, and our expert says they're the perfect middle-ground headphones for Android and Apple users. Jada Jones/ZDNET Current price: Original price: Sony's headphones are a popular pick for noise-canceling audio and top features. The WH-1000XM5 headphones are not the newest model in the lineup, but they're still a great buy. Sony just released the new WH-1000XM6 model, and this XM5 pair is finally seeing a sizable discount. Our audio expert called the XM5's "basically perfect" upon reviewing them in 2022, and they have remained as one of our favorite pairs to recommend for everyday use. Show more Memorial Day TV deals: Speakers, soundbars, TVs, and more Kerry Wan/ZDNETSony Ult Field 1:: This portable speaker offers crystal clear sound, a long battery life, and environmental durability. Sony Ult Field 3:: Sony's newest potable speaker is seeing its first discount since its release last month. Our expert loves it for its compact form and great bass. Fire TV Cube:: Snag Amazon's AI-powered streaming device for 29% off. Insignia 32-inch Fire TV:: This 32-inch TV is one of Amazon's top sellers for a reason. Right now it's under and is the perfect size for a dorm, kids' room, or kitchen. Hisense 85-Inch QD7 Series QLED 4K UHD TV:: If you want a huge amount of display space, check out the discount on this 85-inch Hisense Google Smart TV.Panasonic Z85 Series 65-inch OLED TV:: This OLED TV uses the Fire TV platform to give you access to thousands of movies and shows as well as hundreds of other streaming apps.Panasonic W95 Series 65-inch Mini LED TV:: A mid-range Mini-LED TV that offers a 144Hz refresh rate, Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos support, and AMD FreeSync Premium VRR for console gaming. Jason Hiner/ZDNET Current price: Original price: The Sony Bravia X90L is one of our picks for the best Sony TVs you can buy, and for good reason. Its color accuracy, precision brightness, 120Hz smooth motion, and 4K image processing make it one of our most recommended TVs you can buy. Editor-in-chief Jason Hiner also considers it one of the most underrated TVs available. And with the 2025 TVs hitting the market, you can save on select sizes of this excellent 2023 model. Show more View now Memorial Day laptop deals: Apple, Lenovo, and more Kyle Kucharski/ZDNETApple MacBook Air M4 13-inch:: Our laptop expert says the M4 MacBook Air features more memory, better support for external monitors, and a decent discount for a newer MacBook. Asus Zenbook A14:: The first laptop to earn our Editor's Choice award is off at Best Buy. The Zenbook A14 is portable and efficient, and our expert says its truly a great buy at this price. Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE:: Our expert says it's hard to believe this high-performing laptop is a Chromebook at all. The bright, 120Hz refresh rate display, LED keyboard, and Intel Core Ultra 5 processor makes for a solid cloud gaming laptop and fast, lightweight laptop.HP Envy x360 2-in-1 16-inch:: Our expert says this laptop is perfect for business professionals and gamers, and it's a convertible laptop to tablet model. MacBook Pro M3 14-inch:: The MacBook Pro M3 isn't the newest model on the market, but our expert says its still a great upgrade from earlier iterations, and is a solid choice for work, home, school and more. Max Buondonno/ZDNET Current price: Original price: ZDNET's pick for best laptop for work is on sale. Our laptop expert says it's an excellent choice for professionals seeking a fast laptop that can tackle intensive productivity tasks thanks to the recently released AMD Ryzen AI 7 Pro 360 processor, the integrated AMD Radeon 880M graphics card, and the ample 32GB of RAM. Show more View now Memorial Day smartphone and accessory deals: iPhones, chargers, and more Kerry Wan/ZDNETSamsung Galaxy S25 Edge:: Preorder the Galaxy S25 Edge and get double the storage for free and off the Galaxy Ring. Plus, save more with trade-in offers. OnePlus 13:: Our expert recommends this phone over the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra so much, that it won one of ZDNET's first Editor's Choice awards. Plus, when you buy now you can save and get a free pair of earbuds. Google Pixel 9 Pro: $`1,149: Our expert says they'd recommend the Google Pixel 9 Pro any day, but this discount makes it even easier. The base model Pixel 9 is also on sale for iPhone 16 Pro: Free: New and existing customers can get a free phone on any Verizon plan with a value of up to iPhone 16 Pro: Free: A similar freebie iPhone 16 Pro offer is available for AT&T customers, and even damaged phones are eligible for the trade-in. Anker 3-in-1 Foldable MagSafe Charging Station:: This is our expert's favorite Qi2 charging station, and she says Apple users will love it. Kerry Wan/ZDNET Current price: Original price: The Nohting Phone 2a Plus model, which our phone expert tested last year, proved an exceptional midrange offering, besting Google, Samsung, and Apple's offerings in the sub-category. Right now, for just you're getting a 6.7-inch AMOLED display, a 5,000mAh battery with 50W wired charging, Nothing's signature Glyph Lights for notifications, and more.Review: Nothing Phone 2a Plus Remember that Nothing phones perform best when connected to a GSM network, meaning AT&T and T-Mobile users will benefit the most. Show more View now Memorial Day tablet deals: Lenovo, Apple, and more Allison Murray/ZDNETLenovo Tab M9:: This budget Lenovo tablet just got cheaper, and it's the perfect 9-inch tablet for streaming on the go. It's so affordable, our expert may even buy two. Kindle Colorsoft Bundle:: This Kindle bundle includes the new Colorsoft e-reader, a wireless charging dock and a case all for under iPad Mini 7:: Our expert loves how portable and compact the iPad Mini is, and it's on sale. Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra:: Our expert says this 14-inch Samsung tablet boosts productivity, and is even better for entertainment. Max Buondonno/ZDNET Current price: Original price: Right now you can save on the OnePlus Pad 2 at OnePlus. Our expert says the OnePlus Pad 2 offers solid hardware, impressive battery life, and a sharp display, positioning it as a capable and affordable option for media consumption. Show more View now at OnePlus Memorial Day Apple deals: iPads, Apple Watches, and more Maria Diaz/ZDNETApple Watch Series 10:: The Watch Series 10, Apple's latest smartwatch, is off. Expert Matthew Miller says the Series 10 is better than the Watch Ultra in certain areas. Plus, shop the GPS 46mm model on sale. Apple Watch Ultra 2:: Our expert says the Watch Ultra 2 is a "near-perfect" smartwatch, and it's off now -- only more than the lowest-ever Black Friday price we've seen. Apple Pencil Pro:: Apple's best stylus is on sale now. You can use Apple Pencil Pro with iPadOS 17.5 or later on the iPad Pro, iPad Air, and the iPad mini. Apple AirTag 4-Pack:: If you prefer Apple's native Bluetooth tracker, AirTags are great for tracking keys, luggage, wallets, and more, and they're on sale. Apple iPad Mini:: Apple's iPad Mini, a compact 8.3-inch tablet perfect for stowing away in your bag, is also on sale. You can save 5% on a model powered by an A17 Pro chip with 128GB of storage.Apple iPad Pro:: Right now, you can save on a model equipped with an 11-inch Ultra Retina XDR display, 256GB of storage, and Wi-Fi connectivity.Apple 2024 Mac Mini:: For those interested in Apple's desktop PC products, consider the discount on an M4-powered Mac Mini. Maria Diaz/ZDNET Current price: Original price: Right now, you can get the 11th Gen iPad for only in select colors , the lowest price we've seen yet. The tablet normally retails for so a great sale this quick in the launch schedule is good news for any early adopters with a tight budget. Review: Apple iPad 11th Gen Show more View now Memorial Day kitchen and home deals: Smart vacuums, appliances, and more Maria Diaz/ZDNETCraftsman VersaStack 230-Piece Toolkit:: This is a great buy for your home, and our expert agrees. Bissell Little Green Max Pet SmartMix Portable Carpet Cleaner:: This carpet and upholstery cleaner is perfect for tackling tough stains, and is a great investment for your household. It's nearly 30% off now. Ecovacs Winbot W2 Pro Omni Robot Window Cleaner:: Our expert says this window robot "surprisingly impressive," and right now both the W2 Pro Omni and the cheaper W2 Pro model are on sale. Dyson V8 Plus Cordless Stick Vacuum:: Spring cleaning? almost 30% on this popular Dyson upright vacuum cleaner. Maria Diaz/ZDNET Current price: Original price: Our expert says whether you need a portable battery for camping or emergency backup, the EcoFlow Delta Pro 3 can do it. And right now, you can save almost on it. Show more View now Memorial Day robot vacuum deals: Ecovacs, Roborock, and more Maria Diaz/ZDNETDreame L40 Ultra Robot Vacuum and Mop:: The Dreame L40 Ultra is on sale, and our expert says it's one of the smartest robot vacuums and mops they've seen. Ecovacs Deebot N30 Omni Robot Vacuum and Mop:: This robot vacuum is 40% off, and our expert says it performs as well as some flagship models.Dreame X50 Ultra Robot Vacuum and Mop:: Our expert says the Dreame X50 Ultra ranks among the top robot vacuums out there -- especially for those with serious cleaning needs, and it's 24% off now. Dreame X40 Ultra Robot Vacuum and Mop:: Our expert says this is the best robot vacuum model she's ever used, and right now it's on sale. Eufy Robot Vacuum 11S MAX:: If you're looking for an affordable robot vacuum, check out the 43% discount on the Eufy 11S MAX, a self-charging and sleek model. Maria Diaz/ZDNET Current price: Original price: Eufy's latest E20 robot vacuum and handheld combination help superpower your smart home. The handheld vacuum is the robot vacuum's dustbin, which you can detach by pressing a red button on the device while simultaneously pulling the handle. The handheld vacuum has a crevice attachment on the robot and a floor brush to transform it into a stick vacuum.Expert Maria Diaz tested this vacuum in March and was thoroughly impressed with its suction power and ability to keep her office free of her dog's hair. She also likes its multi-functional capabilities. Show more View now Memorial Day health and wellness deals: Smart rings, fitness trackers, and more Christina Darby/ZDNETRenpho Eye Massager:: Stressed? This eye massager heats and massages your eyes, making it a great gift for those who often get headaches or work in front of a screen for hours a day. Core 1 Body Sensor:: ZDNET's Matt Miller has been using this core body temperature sensor to inform his fitness and recovery. He recommends it most to people who exercise in hotter temperatures, and right now it's 20% off. Eufy P2 Pro Smart Scale:: If you need a budget-friendly smart scale option, the Eufy P2 Pro is close to 50% off right now, and it's great for tracking weight and other metrics like bone density and more. Nina Raemont/ZDNET Current price: Starting at Original price: Starting at The Oura Ring Gen 3 is not the newest model on the market, but expert Nina Raemont says it's still a great pick if you don't mind a slightly more uncomfortable fit, amongst other things. Right now you can save up to depending on the size, finish, and style you select at Oura. Show more View now at Oura Memorial Day FAQs When is Memorial Day? Memorial Day always falls on the last Monday of May. This year, it is on Monday, May 26, 2025. However, many retailers started sales a few weeks ahead of the holiday. Is Memorial Day a federal holiday?Yes, Memorial Day is one of 11 federal holidays recognized nationwide in the US. It is celebrated on the last Monday of May annually. Typically, schools, businesses, and government offices are closed during Memorial Day. Essential institutions like hospitals, airports, police stations, and more do not close for Memorial Day. Is Amazon having a Memorial Day sale? Amazon is having a Memorial Day sale and plenty of items discounted. In fact, the retailer has a Memorial Day sales landing page up, but Amazon typically doesn't heavily advertise for the event like it does for Amazon Prime Day. Other retailers like Best Buy started sales as early as May 15, so Amazon will likely feature similar discounts on products during the same period. What other retailers are having Memorial Day sales? Here are some important dates across several retailers to keep in mind if you're planning on shopping deals this Memorial Day. Historically, the Friday to Sunday before Memorial Day is usually when you'll see the most retailers offering savings. Best Buy Memorial Day Sale: May 19 - May 26.Home Depot Memorial Day Sale: May 16 - May 26.Lowe's Memorial Day Sale: May 15 - May 28.Target Memorial Day Sale: Target's Hello Summer Sale usually kicks off the brand's Memorial Day savings about a week before the holiday. On May 15, Target confirmed the return of their Hello Summer Sale, which will overlap with Memorial Day, running from May 18 - May 26. Walmart Memorial Day Sale: Walmart hasn't officially confirmed any dates for a specific sale, but the retailer is sure to offer savings comparable to those of its top competitors as the holiday approaches. How did we choose these Memorial Day deals?ZDNET only writes about deals we want to buy -- devices and products we desire, need, or would recommend. Our experts looked for deals that were at least 20% off, using established price comparison tools and trackers to determine whether the deal is on sale and how frequently it drops. We also reviewed customer reviews to find out what matters to real people who already own and use the deals we recommend. Our recommendations may also be based on our testing -- in addition to extensive research and comparison shopping. The goal is to deliver the most accurate advice to help you shop smarter. Are there any products on sale that won a ZDNET Editor's Choice award?First launched in April 2025, The ZDNET Editors' Choice badge represents our highest endorsement for a technology product or service. It's a distinction awarded exclusively by our seasoned team of expert editors, analysts, and reviewers. Though the majority of the product deals listed on this page are ZDNET-tested, they all aren't Editors' Choice winners. That's because that badge isn't handed out lightly. However, lucky for you there are a few winning products on sale ahead of Memorial Day 2025, like the Asus Zenbook A14, the OnePlus 13, and the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold.How can I find the best Memorial Day deals? As a commerce and advice editor, I can recommend a few things to help you maximize Memorial Day sales. I always recommend preparing to shop by researching and planning potential purchases, listing want and need items, and setting a budget before sales. It's also great to use verified price tracking tools like CamelCamelCamel or Google Shopping, which make it easy to locate the best price. It's always good to remember the perks offered if you're a member of a program like Target Circle 360, Amazon Prime or Walmart+. Often, these memberships offer services like free pickup or delivery, free shipping, exclusive early access, and more, and those extras are good to remember when every retailer starts matching prices on products to compete for the sale. Should I wait for Prime Day deals instead?It depends. If you're shopping for seasonal-specific items like patio furniture, outdoor gear, and more, I would not wait to shop for these deals. Prime Day likely won't roll around until mid-July, and two months is a long time to hold out for an item if you're purchasing a product with the intent of enjoying it this season. But if you're not in the market for select spring and summer items, it may be worth waiting to shop Prime Day offers, especially on flagship Amazon products. Historically, the best prices on devices like the Echo Dot, Fire Stick, and more are offered during Amazon's exclusive Prime Day events. What are the tariffs in the US?The shifting US tariffs on imports from countries like China, Vietnam, and India aim to boost domestic manufacturing but are likely to drive up prices on consumer electronics. Products like smartphones, laptops, and TVs may become more expensive as companies rethink global supply chains and weigh the cost of shifting production.The tariffs could also lead to delays in product launches or shifts in where and how phones are made, forcing companies to diversify production to countries with more favorable trade conditions.What are the best Memorial Day 2025 deals?ZDNET's experts are searching through Memorial Day deals across retailers to find the best discounts by category. These are the best deals so far:Looking for the next best product? Get expert reviews and editor favorites with ZDNET Recommends. Show more ZDNET Recommends #best #memorial #day #deals #save

WWW.ZDNET.COM

Best Memorial Day deals 2025: Save on expert-picked tech, BOGO deals, and more

Memorial Day weekend is here. For many, it marks the unofficial start of summer, and retailers like Amazon, Best Buy, Target, Walmart and more are kicking off the season with plenty of deals on home, outdoor, tech, apparel, and beyond. Also: My 4 favorite gadgets for a day at the poolLucky for you, I cover sales 24/7 as ZDNET's deals and shopping editor, and I've learned a thing or two about finding the best offers to share with you. That's why I've vetted and curated these deals across several retailers, featuring ZDNET-tested and recommended products, from phones and TVs to robot lawnmowers and outdoor gear. Plus, with uncertain economic times and hot-and-cold tariff policies, scooping up sought-after tech, like Apple's latest M4 MacBook Air for $100 off, Eufy's E15 robot lawn mower for $200 off, or the first laptop to earn ZDNET's Editor's Choice award for $200 off may prove to be a wise decision.These Memorial Day weekend deals will continue to heat up as the weekend goes on, and I'll keep this page updated multiple times a day. (Our sister site CNET has plenty of coverage on Memorial Day sales across several retailers, too.) Find Memorial Day deals at AmazonZDNET's top-selling Memorial Day 2025 products Our team has collected the top-selling products among ZDNET readers thus far ahead of Memorial Day 2025. Some of these products may not be on sale. (A note: Your privacy is protected. We only have access to aggregate data from our user base, and we cannot identify individual people's purchases.)SwitchBot Wallet Tracker Card: $18 (save $7 at Amazon): This ultra-thin wallet tracker is shaped like a credit card, is highly reliable and works seamlessly with the Apple Find My network. Expert Maria Diaz says it's as good as an AirTag. There's an extra 20% off available via coupon, too.Anker 140W 4-Port USB-C Charger: $100 at Amazon: This 4-port charger is designed to rapidly charge all your favorite devices. Released at CES 2025, this charger uses GaN technology and features a window display to show output. Nothing Phone 3(a): $379 at Nothing: Our expert replaced his Google Pixel 9 Pro with this midrange option from Nothing, and it's so good he can't switch back. It's not on sale, but is still under $400 and a more affordable smartphone option. Pebblebee Clip Universal Bluetooth Tracker: $27 (save $7 at Best Buy): The Pebblebee Clip is the world's first finder tag that works with both Google and Apple Find My networks, and our expert says its better than an AirTag. RingConn Gen 2 Air: $199 at Amazon: Our expert says this budget-friendly smart ring delivers impressive health-tracking features that compete with top-tier rivals like Oura. Grab a size kit here for $1. Car USB-C Charger: $13 at Amazon: Our expert says you're not using your car's USB port enough, and charging your devices with it is one of the easiest ways to up your car's function. This budget charger is a great pick. My favorite Memorial Day tech salesThese are my personally-picked favorite deals that are perfect for MDW at home, at the pool, or down the shore (if you're from Jersey, like me). Adam Breeden/ZDNETBeats Pill Speaker: $100 (save $50 at Amazon): This classic is back. Our expert says the Beats Pill delivers "gloriously smooth sound," and right now it's 33% off. Netvue by Birdfy Smart Bird Feeder: $140 (save $60 at Amazon): Our favorite smart bird feeder makes a great Father's Day gift, especially with a 30% discount at Amazon.Sony X77L TV: Free (save up to $590 at Sony): Right now, there are multiple ways to qualify for a free Sony X77L 4K TV when you purchase select Bravia 8 II Q-OLED TVs. Here's the full scoop on the deal. LG 27-inch OLED Gaming Monitor BOGO: $800 (save $200 + Get a free 27-inch UltraGear monitor): Right now, if you purchase the 27-inch OLED gaming monitor from LG, you'll save $200 and get another monitor of the same size completely free. Here's the full look at the deal at ZDNET. Samsung 49-inch Odyssey G9 Curved Gaming Monitor BOGO: $800 (save $800 + Get a free 27-inch Odyssey monitor): Samsung has some BOGO offers too, like this monitor deal that lets you save $200 on a 49-inch curved gaming monitor and get another 27-inch Odyssey G55C monitor for free. Here's all the info on the deal at ZDNET. JBL Clip 5 Portable Speaker: $50 (save $30 at Amazon): This tiny speaker is coming along with our expert to every beach trip this summer, and for $50, you can't beat scooping this up for at home or on-the-go. Apple MacBook Air M4 13-inch: $899 (save $100 at Amazon): Our laptop expert says the M4 MacBook Air features more memory, better support for external monitors, and a decent 10% off discount (which is good for a newer MacBook). Memorial Day deals from other retailersSamsung: Save on home, appliances, TVs, mobile, and more. Preorder the Galaxy S25 Edge and get double the storage for free, plus $120 off the Galaxy Ring Samsonite: Save up to 40% on Samsonite luggage and travel gearWayfair: Save up to 60% on bedroom furnitureREI: 25% off Hydroflask drinkware, save $200 on all Garmin Fenix 8 watches and more Lowe's: Save on outdoor, garden, patio, grills and more Home Depot: Save on grills, tools, garden, outdoor, patio, storage and more (find more deals via CNET) Nectar Sleep: Save up to 50% on mattresses (find more mattress deals via CNET)LG: Save 25-56% on the #1 appliance brand in the US (find more appliance deals via CNET) Best Buy: Shop Memorial Day deals on home, outdoor and more (find more Best Buy deals via CNET) Walmart: Shop Memorial Day deals on home, outdoor and more (find more Walmart deals via CNET) Memorial Day deals under $50: Cameras, chargers, and more Kayla Solino/ZDNETBlink Mini 2 Indoor Cam: $20 (save $20 at Amazon): Our expert says this is the best budget camera you can buy, and it's 50% off now. Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K: $30 (save $20 at Amazon): Streamline your streaming experience with a Fire TV Stick 4K for 40% off. Torras PolarCircle Qi2 MagSafe Charger: $50 (save $10 at Amazon): Our expert says this handy MagSafe charger provides fast battery boosting without all the heat. JBL Go 3 Portable Speaker: $30 (save $10 at Amazon): This speaker features IP67 waterproofing and 5 hours of play all for under $50. The newer Go 4 speaker is on sale for $10 more. Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET Current price: $20Original price: $30This budget MagSafe single charger from Anker is on sale for under $30. Our expert loves it for its fast and powerful charge and its great price. Show more View now at Amazon Memorial Day outdoor and lawn deals: Robot lawn mowers, smart bird feeders, and more Maria Diaz/ZDNETBird Buddy Smart Bird Feeder with Solar Roof: $200 (save $100 at Best Buy): Our expert loved catching unexpected clips of flying friends on this bird feeder with a built-in camera. It's perfect for a garden or outdoor area, and it's $100 off now. The Hummingbird Feeder Pro is on sale for $199 (save $80 at BirdBuddy). Solo Stove Bonfire 2.0: $250 (save $95 at Amazon): This stainless steel wood burning stove is ideal for 4-6 people and is perfect for Memorial Day weekend. Anker Solix EverFrost 2 40L Smart Cooler: $800 (save $100 at Amazon): The Anker Solix EverFrost 2 is a battery-powered cooler that stores perishables without ice for over three days. Our expert tested it and can't go back to a regular cooler, and it's perfect for Memorial Day weekend.Beatbot AquaSense 2 Robotic Pool Vacuum: $1,099 (save $500 at Amazon): This robot vacuum isn't for inside your home, but if you want to simplify your pool cleaning routine, Beatbot's AquaSense 2 is on sale. Blink Outdoor 4 Floodlight Cam: $65 (save $65 at Amazon): Our expert says this floodlight is bright enough for their dark backyard, and right now it's 50% off. Linkind Smart Outdoor Solar Lights SL5: $82 (save $44 at Amazon): Our expert loves how fast these lights make her house holiday-ready, and these would be perfect for upcoming summer nights. Maria Diaz/ZDNET Current price: $1,600Original price: $1,800Our expert says the Eufy E15 offers one of the simplest setups from a robot mower since it lacks boundary wires or antennas. Instead, it uses sensors, cameras, and AI to navigate, just like a robot vacuum. It's lightweight, easy to clean, and has multiple customizable mowing options on the Eufy app, including path direction, mowing schedule, and grass height. It's $200 off with an on-page coupon right now. Show more View now at Amazon Memorial Day headphone deals: Sony, Beats, Apple, and more Jada Jones/ZDNETSonos Ace Headphones: $352 (save $97 at Walmart): Our expert loves these headphones for their perfect sound and comfort, and right now they're nearly $100 off. OnePlus Buds Pro 3: $140 (save $40 at OnePlus): Our expert says these earbuds were already a great buy full price, and right now they're $40 off. JLab JBuds ANC: $50 (save $10 with coupon at Amazon): These are our audio expert's favorite budget earbud pick, and they're even cheaper now. Soundcore C40i Open Earbuds: $90 (save $30 at Amazon): Audio expert Nina Raemont says these are the best midrange open earbuds for runners, and they're 25% off now. Sony WH-1000 XM4 Headphones: $228 (save $120 at Amazon): The newest XM6 headphones are packed with Sony's latest features, but the XM4 model folds away for easy storage, unlike the slightly newer XM5 model (which are on sale). Nothing Open Earbuds: $150 (save $49 at Amazon): These are without a doubt the best earbuds for working out -- whether you're in the gym or outdoors. Beats Studio Pro Headphones: $200 (save $150 at Amazon): These Beats headphones are 43% off, and our expert says they're the perfect middle-ground headphones for Android and Apple users. Jada Jones/ZDNET Current price: $300Original price: $400Sony's headphones are a popular pick for noise-canceling audio and top features. The WH-1000XM5 headphones are not the newest model in the lineup, but they're still a great buy. Sony just released the new WH-1000XM6 model, and this XM5 pair is finally seeing a sizable discount. Our audio expert called the XM5's "basically perfect" upon reviewing them in 2022, and they have remained as one of our favorite pairs to recommend for everyday use. Show more Memorial Day TV deals: Speakers, soundbars, TVs, and more Kerry Wan/ZDNETSony Ult Field 1: $88 (save $42 at Amazon): This portable speaker offers crystal clear sound, a long battery life, and environmental durability. Sony Ult Field 3: $148 (save $52 at Amazon): Sony's newest potable speaker is seeing its first discount since its release last month. Our expert loves it for its compact form and great bass. Fire TV Cube: $100 (save $40 at Amazon): Snag Amazon's AI-powered streaming device for 29% off. Insignia 32-inch Fire TV: $80 (save $50 at Amazon): This 32-inch TV is one of Amazon's top sellers for a reason. Right now it's under $100, and is the perfect size for a dorm, kids' room, or kitchen. Hisense 85-Inch QD7 Series QLED 4K UHD TV: $800 (save $48 at Amazon): If you want a huge amount of display space, check out the discount on this 85-inch Hisense Google Smart TV.Panasonic Z85 Series 65-inch OLED TV: $1,000 (save $800 at Amazon): This OLED TV uses the Fire TV platform to give you access to thousands of movies and shows as well as hundreds of other streaming apps.Panasonic W95 Series 65-inch Mini LED TV: $600 (save $1,200 at Amazon): A mid-range Mini-LED TV that offers a 144Hz refresh rate, Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos support, and AMD FreeSync Premium VRR for console gaming. Jason Hiner/ZDNET Current price: $1,398Original price: $1,998The Sony Bravia X90L is one of our picks for the best Sony TVs you can buy, and for good reason. Its color accuracy, precision brightness, 120Hz smooth motion, and 4K image processing make it one of our most recommended TVs you can buy. Editor-in-chief Jason Hiner also considers it one of the most underrated TVs available. And with the 2025 TVs hitting the market, you can save on select sizes of this excellent 2023 model. Show more View now at Amazon Memorial Day laptop deals: Apple, Lenovo, and more Kyle Kucharski/ZDNETApple MacBook Air M4 13-inch: $899 (save $100 at Amazon): Our laptop expert says the M4 MacBook Air features more memory, better support for external monitors, and a decent discount for a newer MacBook. Asus Zenbook A14: $799 (save $200 at Best Buy): The first laptop to earn our Editor's Choice award is $200 off at Best Buy. The Zenbook A14 is portable and efficient, and our expert says its truly a great buy at this price. Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE: $449 (save $200 at Best Buy): Our expert says it's hard to believe this high-performing laptop is a Chromebook at all. The bright, 120Hz refresh rate display, LED keyboard, and Intel Core Ultra 5 processor makes for a solid cloud gaming laptop and fast, lightweight laptop.HP Envy x360 2-in-1 16-inch: $1,053 (save $117 at Best Buy): Our expert says this laptop is perfect for business professionals and gamers, and it's a convertible laptop to tablet model. MacBook Pro M3 14-inch: $1,399 (save $300 at Best Buy): The MacBook Pro M3 isn't the newest model on the market, but our expert says its still a great upgrade from earlier iterations, and is a solid choice for work, home, school and more. Max Buondonno/ZDNET Current price: $1,320Original price: $1,700ZDNET's pick for best laptop for work is on sale. Our laptop expert says it's an excellent choice for professionals seeking a fast laptop that can tackle intensive productivity tasks thanks to the recently released AMD Ryzen AI 7 Pro 360 processor, the integrated AMD Radeon 880M graphics card, and the ample 32GB of RAM. Show more View now at Amazon Memorial Day smartphone and accessory deals: iPhones, chargers, and more Kerry Wan/ZDNETSamsung Galaxy S25 Edge: $1,100 (save $200): Preorder the Galaxy S25 Edge and get double the storage for free and $120 off the Galaxy Ring. Plus, save more with trade-in offers. OnePlus 13: $850 (save $50 + get a free pair of Nord Buds 3 Pro at OnePlus): Our expert recommends this phone over the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra so much, that it won one of ZDNET's first Editor's Choice awards. Plus, when you buy now you can save $50 and get a free pair of earbuds (an $80 value). Google Pixel 9 Pro: $`1,149 (save $300 at Amazon): Our expert says they'd recommend the Google Pixel 9 Pro any day, but this $300 discount makes it even easier. The base model Pixel 9 is also on sale for $649.iPhone 16 Pro: Free (save $1,000 at Verizon): New and existing customers can get a free phone on any Verizon plan with a value of up to $1,000. iPhone 16 Pro: Free (save $1,000 at AT&T): A similar freebie iPhone 16 Pro offer is available for AT&T customers, and even damaged phones are eligible for the trade-in. Anker 3-in-1 Foldable MagSafe Charging Station: $83 (save $27 at Amazon): This is our expert's favorite Qi2 charging station, and she says Apple users will love it (it's true, I do). Kerry Wan/ZDNET Current price: $349Original price: $429The Nohting Phone 2a Plus model, which our phone expert tested last year, proved an exceptional midrange offering, besting Google, Samsung, and Apple's offerings in the sub-$500 category. Right now, for just $349, you're getting a 6.7-inch AMOLED display, a 5,000mAh battery with 50W wired charging, Nothing's signature Glyph Lights for notifications, and more.Review: Nothing Phone 2a Plus Remember that Nothing phones perform best when connected to a GSM network, meaning AT&T and T-Mobile users will benefit the most. Show more View now at Amazon Memorial Day tablet deals: Lenovo, Apple, and more Allison Murray/ZDNETLenovo Tab M9: $80 (save $80 at Lenovo): This budget Lenovo tablet just got cheaper, and it's the perfect 9-inch tablet for streaming on the go. It's so affordable, our expert may even buy two. Kindle Colorsoft Bundle: $328 (save $35 at Amazon): This Kindle bundle includes the new Colorsoft e-reader, a wireless charging dock and a case all for under $350. iPad Mini 7: $399 (save $100 at Amazon): Our expert loves how portable and compact the iPad Mini is, and it's on sale. Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra: $1,120 (save $200 at Samsung): Our expert says this 14-inch Samsung tablet boosts productivity, and is even better for entertainment. Max Buondonno/ZDNET Current price: $450Original price: $550Right now you can save $100 on the OnePlus Pad 2 at OnePlus. Our expert says the OnePlus Pad 2 offers solid hardware, impressive battery life, and a sharp display, positioning it as a capable and affordable option for media consumption. Show more View now at OnePlus Memorial Day Apple deals: iPads, Apple Watches, and more Maria Diaz/ZDNETApple Watch Series 10 (GPS 42mm): $299 (save $100 at Amazon): The Watch Series 10, Apple's latest smartwatch, is $100 off. Expert Matthew Miller says the Series 10 is better than the Watch Ultra in certain areas. Plus, shop the GPS 46mm model on sale. Apple Watch Ultra 2: $739 (save $60 at Amazon): Our expert says the Watch Ultra 2 is a "near-perfect" smartwatch, and it's $60 off now -- only $20 more than the lowest-ever Black Friday price we've seen. Apple Pencil Pro: $99 (save $30 at Amazon): Apple's best stylus is on sale now. You can use Apple Pencil Pro with iPadOS 17.5 or later on the iPad Pro (M4), iPad Air (M2 and M3), and the iPad mini (A17 Pro). Apple AirTag 4-Pack: $75 (save $24 at Amazon): If you prefer Apple's native Bluetooth tracker, AirTags are great for tracking keys, luggage, wallets, and more, and they're on sale. Apple iPad Mini: $399 (save $100 at Amazon): Apple's iPad Mini, a compact 8.3-inch tablet perfect for stowing away in your bag, is also on sale. You can save 5% on a model powered by an A17 Pro chip with 128GB of storage.Apple iPad Pro: $899 (save $100 at Amazon): Right now, you can save $80 on a model equipped with an 11-inch Ultra Retina XDR display, 256GB of storage, and Wi-Fi connectivity.Apple 2024 Mac Mini: $549 (save $50 at Amazon): For those interested in Apple's desktop PC products, consider the $50 discount on an M4-powered Mac Mini. Maria Diaz/ZDNET Current price: $299Original price: $350Right now, you can get the 11th Gen iPad for only $299 in select colors at Amazon, the lowest price we've seen yet. The tablet normally retails for $350, so a great sale this quick in the launch schedule is good news for any early adopters with a tight budget. Review: Apple iPad 11th Gen Show more View now at Amazon Memorial Day kitchen and home deals: Smart vacuums, appliances, and more Maria Diaz/ZDNETCraftsman VersaStack 230-Piece Toolkit: $99 (save $100 at Lowe's): This is a great buy for your home (or an early Father's Day gift), and our expert agrees. Bissell Little Green Max Pet SmartMix Portable Carpet Cleaner: $110 (save $40 at Amazon): This carpet and upholstery cleaner is perfect for tackling tough stains, and is a great investment for your household. It's nearly 30% off now. Ecovacs Winbot W2 Pro Omni Robot Window Cleaner: $500 (save $200 at Amazon): Our expert says this window robot "surprisingly impressive," and right now both the W2 Pro Omni and the cheaper W2 Pro model are on sale. Dyson V8 Plus Cordless Stick Vacuum: $350 (save $120 at Amazon): Spring cleaning? Save almost 30% on this popular Dyson upright vacuum cleaner. Maria Diaz/ZDNET Current price: $2,899Original price: $3,699Our expert says whether you need a portable battery for camping or emergency backup, the EcoFlow Delta Pro 3 can do it. And right now, you can save almost $1,000 on it. Show more View now at Amazon Memorial Day robot vacuum deals: Ecovacs, Roborock, and more Maria Diaz/ZDNETDreame L40 Ultra Robot Vacuum and Mop: $600 (save $900 at Amazon): The Dreame L40 Ultra is on sale, and our expert says it's one of the smartest robot vacuums and mops they've seen. Ecovacs Deebot N30 Omni Robot Vacuum and Mop: $400 (save $300 at Amazon): This robot vacuum is 40% off, and our expert says it performs as well as some flagship models.Dreame X50 Ultra Robot Vacuum and Mop: $1,300 (save $400 at Amazon): Our expert says the Dreame X50 Ultra ranks among the top robot vacuums out there -- especially for those with serious cleaning needs, and it's 24% off now. Dreame X40 Ultra Robot Vacuum and Mop: $1,000 (save $500 at Amazon): Our expert says this is the best robot vacuum model she's ever used, and right now it's on sale. Eufy Robot Vacuum 11S MAX: $170 (save $80 at Amazon): If you're looking for an affordable robot vacuum, check out the 43% discount on the Eufy 11S MAX, a self-charging and sleek model. Maria Diaz/ZDNET Current price: $450Original price: $650Eufy's latest E20 robot vacuum and handheld combination help superpower your smart home. The handheld vacuum is the robot vacuum's dustbin, which you can detach by pressing a red button on the device while simultaneously pulling the handle. The handheld vacuum has a crevice attachment on the robot and a floor brush to transform it into a stick vacuum.Expert Maria Diaz tested this vacuum in March and was thoroughly impressed with its suction power and ability to keep her office free of her dog's hair. She also likes its multi-functional capabilities. Show more View now at Amazon Memorial Day health and wellness deals: Smart rings, fitness trackers, and more Christina Darby/ZDNETRenpho Eye Massager: $60 (save $40 at Amazon): Stressed? This eye massager heats and massages your eyes, making it a great gift for those who often get headaches or work in front of a screen for hours a day. Core 1 Body Sensor: $227 (save $58 at Core): ZDNET's Matt Miller has been using this core body temperature sensor to inform his fitness and recovery. He recommends it most to people who exercise in hotter temperatures, and right now it's 20% off. Eufy P2 Pro Smart Scale: $45 (save $35 at Amazon): If you need a budget-friendly smart scale option, the Eufy P2 Pro is close to 50% off right now, and it's great for tracking weight and other metrics like bone density and more (I own this model myself). Nina Raemont/ZDNET Current price: Starting at $199Original price: Starting at $300The Oura Ring Gen 3 is not the newest model on the market, but expert Nina Raemont says it's still a great pick if you don't mind a slightly more uncomfortable fit, amongst other things. Right now you can save up to $200 depending on the size, finish, and style you select at Oura. Show more View now at Oura Memorial Day FAQs When is Memorial Day? Memorial Day always falls on the last Monday of May. This year, it is on Monday, May 26, 2025. However, many retailers started sales a few weeks ahead of the holiday. Is Memorial Day a federal holiday?Yes, Memorial Day is one of 11 federal holidays recognized nationwide in the US. It is celebrated on the last Monday of May annually. Typically, schools, businesses, and government offices are closed during Memorial Day. Essential institutions like hospitals, airports, police stations, and more do not close for Memorial Day. Is Amazon having a Memorial Day sale? Amazon is having a Memorial Day sale and plenty of items discounted. In fact, the retailer has a Memorial Day sales landing page up, but Amazon typically doesn't heavily advertise for the event like it does for Amazon Prime Day. Other retailers like Best Buy started sales as early as May 15, so Amazon will likely feature similar discounts on products during the same period. What other retailers are having Memorial Day sales? Here are some important dates across several retailers to keep in mind if you're planning on shopping deals this Memorial Day. Historically, the Friday to Sunday before Memorial Day is usually when you'll see the most retailers offering savings. Best Buy Memorial Day Sale: May 19 - May 26.Home Depot Memorial Day Sale: May 16 - May 26 (Check out our sister site CNET's Home Depot deal coverage).Lowe's Memorial Day Sale: May 15 - May 28.Target Memorial Day Sale: Target's Hello Summer Sale usually kicks off the brand's Memorial Day savings about a week before the holiday. On May 15, Target confirmed the return of their Hello Summer Sale, which will overlap with Memorial Day, running from May 18 - May 26. Walmart Memorial Day Sale: Walmart hasn't officially confirmed any dates for a specific sale, but the retailer is sure to offer savings comparable to those of its top competitors as the holiday approaches. How did we choose these Memorial Day deals?ZDNET only writes about deals we want to buy -- devices and products we desire, need, or would recommend. Our experts looked for deals that were at least 20% off (or are hardly ever on sale), using established price comparison tools and trackers to determine whether the deal is on sale and how frequently it drops. We also reviewed customer reviews to find out what matters to real people who already own and use the deals we recommend. Our recommendations may also be based on our testing -- in addition to extensive research and comparison shopping. The goal is to deliver the most accurate advice to help you shop smarter. Are there any products on sale that won a ZDNET Editor's Choice award?First launched in April 2025, The ZDNET Editors' Choice badge represents our highest endorsement for a technology product or service. It's a distinction awarded exclusively by our seasoned team of expert editors, analysts, and reviewers. Though the majority of the product deals listed on this page are ZDNET-tested, they all aren't Editors' Choice winners. That's because that badge isn't handed out lightly. However, lucky for you there are a few winning products on sale ahead of Memorial Day 2025, like the Asus Zenbook A14, the OnePlus 13, and the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold.How can I find the best Memorial Day deals? As a commerce and advice editor, I can recommend a few things to help you maximize Memorial Day sales. I always recommend preparing to shop by researching and planning potential purchases, listing want and need items, and setting a budget before sales. It's also great to use verified price tracking tools like CamelCamelCamel or Google Shopping, which make it easy to locate the best price. It's always good to remember the perks offered if you're a member of a program like Target Circle 360, Amazon Prime or Walmart+. Often, these memberships offer services like free pickup or delivery, free shipping, exclusive early access, and more, and those extras are good to remember when every retailer starts matching prices on products to compete for the sale. Should I wait for Prime Day deals instead?It depends. If you're shopping for seasonal-specific items like patio furniture, outdoor gear, and more, I would not wait to shop for these deals. Prime Day likely won't roll around until mid-July, and two months is a long time to hold out for an item if you're purchasing a product with the intent of enjoying it this season. But if you're not in the market for select spring and summer items, it may be worth waiting to shop Prime Day offers, especially on flagship Amazon products. Historically, the best prices on devices like the Echo Dot, Fire Stick, and more are offered during Amazon's exclusive Prime Day events. What are the tariffs in the US?The shifting US tariffs on imports from countries like China, Vietnam, and India aim to boost domestic manufacturing but are likely to drive up prices on consumer electronics. Products like smartphones, laptops, and TVs may become more expensive as companies rethink global supply chains and weigh the cost of shifting production.The tariffs could also lead to delays in product launches or shifts in where and how phones are made, forcing companies to diversify production to countries with more favorable trade conditions.What are the best Memorial Day 2025 deals?ZDNET's experts are searching through Memorial Day deals across retailers to find the best discounts by category. These are the best deals so far:Looking for the next best product? Get expert reviews and editor favorites with ZDNET Recommends. Show more ZDNET Recommends

·624 Views

Please log in to like, share and comment!
Gaming Forum shared a link

2025-05-23 11:58:19 ·

Battlefront 2 is seeing a sudden surge in players

Saucycarpdog
Member

Oct 25, 2017

20,317

On Steam the game is reaching CCU numbers it hasn't gotten in years.

Console is harder to see but the game is #22 on Xbox Most Played charts right behind Overwatch 2. It's usually out of the top 50.

Crazy to see. I'm guessing it's the Andor effect?

giancarlo123x
One Winged Slayer
Member

Oct 25, 2017

28,002

The game still fucks. The game was in such a great spot with the anniversary update then they pulled the plug on content.

AgentOtaku
Member

Oct 27, 2017

4,586

Saucycarpdog said:

On Steam the game is reaching CCU numbers it hasn't gotten in years.

Console is harder to see but the game is #22 on Xbox Most Played charts right behind Overwatch 2. It's usually out of the top 50.

Crazy to see. I'm guessing it's the Andor effect?
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

Yeah, noticed it creeping up the last few weeks. Insane and probably the Andor effect.

ASleepingMonkey
The Fallen

Oct 26, 2017

4,579

Iowa

This game is very, very popular among gen Z in particular. It is hard for me to scroll Instagram or TikTok without seeing a post about it.

Younger people adore this game, particularly those who love the prequels.

Hella
Member

Oct 27, 2017

24,492

Guess it's time to reinstall Battlefront 2. Game is super fun

Thank you for the PSA, OP.

HockeyBird
Member

Oct 27, 2017

13,798

You have friends everywhere when you play Battlefront II.

Neverx
Prophet of Truth - One Winged Slayer
Member

Sep 17, 2020

3,854

Florida

It's a perfect storm of the yearly May 4th resurgence, Revenge of the Sith rerelease and Andor S2. Been playing a bit recently and the game is still great, such a shame they pulled the plug. Really excited for Zero Company and Jedi 3 but we really need a new Battlefront.

Fuchsia
Member

Oct 28, 2017

7,249

It's honestly a fantastic game after all the work that was put into it post launch. It's still a blast to fire up today.

Really sad that they basically killed support right when it was starting to become an all timer.

Nocturnowl
Member

Oct 25, 2017

28,294

It's all fun and games until the god players who have been playing eternally earn a hero like Yoda early on and the rest of the game becomes a slasher sim where your lil trooper or droid lives in constant terror of the unstoppable turbo speed lightsaber spam racing towards you

Neat to see it have a resurgence though, not big on star wars these days but I did have a lot of fun playing this messy arse game with friends

JakeNoseIt
Catch My Drift
Verified

Oct 27, 2017

4,751

Woah I don't watch Andor but I randomly redownloaded the game like a week ago and have been having fun poking around

Zebesian-X
Member

Dec 3, 2018

25,362

great game kneecapped by its monetization strategy. Sad that they abandoned it right as it was hitting its stride. Glad to see people playing! Shame we never got a third one

Prison_mike
Banned

Oct 26, 2017

1,676

Hell yeah I bet Fortnight is a reason too.

I need to renew my online for this, dammit

DrScruffleton
Member

Oct 26, 2017

14,887

game was killed way too soon. Imagine all the crazy promotional stuff we couldve gotten over the years with show tie ins and stuff.

dodo
Member

Oct 27, 2017

4,293

I'm part of the wave!

Creed Bratton
Member

Aug 29, 2019

782

I jumped back in after playing the new Star Wars Fortnite content. It made me want a true SW experience.

Gleethor
Member

Oct 25, 2017

4,215

Dot Matrix with stereo sound

Coulda had so much new content had they stuck with it. Or at least a third game to break the curse.

AgentOtaku
Member

Oct 27, 2017

4,586

ASleepingMonkey said:

This game is very, very popular among gen Z in particular. It is hard for me to scroll Instagram or TikTok without seeing a post about it.

Younger people adore this game, particularly those who love the prequels.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

Haha, makes sense. Both my sons adored it.

We really should have gotten another one :/

Parker
Member

Feb 5, 2018

698

Also, the people who got it for free on EGS

Lord Vatek
Avenger

Jan 18, 2018

24,748

Fortnite, May 4th, and Andor all likely play a part.

I haven't checked, but I'd wager that Star Wars The Old Republic is seeing a similar bump.

dodo
Member

Oct 27, 2017

4,293

I'm still not a big fan of the card loadout system and I wish the vehicles were handled differently, but when it's hitting it has that DICE magic. Great visuals, amazing sound, loving attention to detail.

Corv
Member

Aug 5, 2022

645

Prison_mike said:

Hell yeah I bet Fortnight is a reason too.

Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

Yeah the current Fortnite season made me want to boot it up

Forerunner
Resetufologist
The Fallen

Oct 30, 2017

18,835

Dice dropping support of this right when all the new SW content was being released was weird, they could have added so much to it.

Strikerrr
Member

Oct 25, 2017

2,858

I've seen a big push from Arc Raiders fans who are suffering from tech test withdrawl.

Even though they're very different games, there's some aspects about the movement and shooting which feel somewhat similar considering that a lot of the staff at DICE went to Embark after BF1/V.
IIRC some devs who were at Motive during Battlefront 2's development commented that the initial Arc Raiders reveal when it was still a PvE game looked similar to some gameplay concepts that were originally pitched from Battlefront 2.

View:
I could see this as built from a discarded Battlefront coop mode where you take down AT-ATs

OhhEldenRing
Member

Aug 14, 2024

2,860

The Jade Raymond effect. It's been in the news that was her last big release.

Santos
Member

Oct 25, 2017

1,376

Have they addressed hacking on PC? Tried play again on PC a couple of years ago and there were tons of hackers everywhere to the point they were removing map objectives lol.

Jona Basta
Member

May 13, 2025

27

Santos said:

Have they addressed hacking on PC? Tried play again on PC a couple of years ago and there were tons of hackers everywhere to the point they were removing map objectives lol.

Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

There's a New Project Called Kyber that fixes that + introduces a lot of new things, but they keep pushing back the release date on that while pushing their Patreon so I'm not feeling to hot on it personally.

Fuchsia
Member

Oct 28, 2017

7,249

Now, more than ever, I feel a new Battlefront would be so incredible. The issue is how do you feasibly make a game that would have enough content from each era of Star Wars to do it all justice? It would take so much manpower and time.

OP

OP

Saucycarpdog
Member

Oct 25, 2017

20,317

Also, if any of y'all have Insurgency Sandstorm on PC, you can try the new Star Wars Sagas mod.

View:

Cheesy
Member

Oct 30, 2017

2,564

Saucycarpdog said:

Also, if any of y'all have Insurgency Sandstorm on PC, you can try the new Star Wars Sagas mod.

View:

Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

Oh damn I didn't know that game got any mods that weren't just a bunch of really tacticool guns. I'll have to take a look.

Jona Basta
Member

May 13, 2025

27

Saucycarpdog said:

Also, if any of y'all have Insurgency Sandstorm on PC, you can try the new Star Wars Sagas mod.

View:

Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

there's also the fantastic Squad Mod Galactic Contention:

View:

Prasino95
Member

Feb 18, 2025

6

Such a shame they messed up the remaster of the original so bad, bet that would have got a surge too.

Mocha Joe
Member

Jun 2, 2021

13,433

I should reinstall. I never gave it an honest try after strongly disliking the first one. Spent on basically a tech demo and I was a fucking idiot and bought the season pass. I never have bought a season pass since then

danhz
Member

Apr 20, 2018

3,539

Hopefully i can play sone games tomorrow, Game was fire

luca
Member

Oct 25, 2017

19,417

Never mind. It's the fps Battlefront game. I loved the single player campaign.

tjh282
Member

May 29, 2019

1,097

My youngest brother and his friends have this in their MP rotation and they're not even huge SW fans. Marketing campaign killed this on arrival, but I loved both of the new BFs

Dance Inferno
Member

Oct 29, 2017

2,739

Saucycarpdog said:

Also, if any of y'all have Insurgency Sandstorm on PC, you can try the new Star Wars Sagas mod.

View:

Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

Woah WTF how have I never heard of this? This looks dope, downloading this ASAP.

Richietto
One Winged Slayer
Member

Oct 25, 2017

26,052

North Carolina

There's also a huge mod called Kyler that'll really bring life to the game.

Man Called Aerodynamics
Member

Oct 29, 2017

8,327

I'm not a fan of BF2 in particularbut it's always nice to see older games get rediscovered or retain popularity.

Papercuts
Prophet of Truth
Member

Oct 25, 2017

12,726

Feel like this happened a few years back too, I remember actually picking it back up and having a surprisingly good time.

panic
Member

Oct 26, 2024

83

Last time I tried to play this my team was being completely obliterated on spawn by players using starfighters.

thediamondage
Member

Oct 25, 2017

13,613

i am jonesing hard for Star Wars after Andor so no surprise, rewatching movies now but i'll probably play Star Wars Outlaws next although Battlefront 2 isn't a bad idea, I loved that game in the first year. Its dumb as hell but it can be super fun too if you are just in it for vibes.

Publishers should be discounting star wars games heavy right now, its an automatic impulse buy i think

ASleepingMonkey
The Fallen

Oct 26, 2017

4,579

Iowa

AgentOtaku said:

Haha, makes sense. Both my sons adored it.

We really should have gotten another one :/
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

I would like to see DICE give it another go after Battlefield 6. I assume no matter what, they're going to want to shake it up a bit after close to another decade of nothing but Battlefield and so long as Battlefield 6 is good, it can probably sustain itself for a while. Going back to Battlefront would be great.

I just want a better campaign this time, taking some cues from Andor and placing you in the shoes of just an ordinary person in this galactic war would be a great starting point.

BrickArts295
GOTY Tracking Thread Master
Member

Oct 26, 2017

15,642

It's 100% Andor + Fortnite Star Wars Event /recent rerelease of Episode III. I caught the fever and even went back to get the platinum for Jedi Survivor cause I just wanted to play anything Star Wars.

It's crazy how cursed Battlefront 3 is. Seems like both times we could have had the ultimate Star Wars game which would built up from their last 2 iterations. EA seems to be fine with working on Star Wars despite their latest stance on license titles, maybe DICE will be given one more go at it.

Javier23
Member

Oct 28, 2017

3,230

I for one have been thinking about giving this a try because of Fortnite's current SW season.

wellpapp
Member

Aug 21, 2018

531

Gothenburg

Wasnt the servers 100% broken by all the cheaters?

The Quentulated Mox
Corrupted by Vengeance
Member

Jun 10, 2022

6,566

On the one hand, I love andor in large part because of how much it does different from the rest of the franchise and I think blending it in with all the rest of the stuff risks diluting it

On the other hand, imagine a Ferrix map in battlefront. Imagine a Narkina 5 map. Imagine blasting a truck full of troopers on Mina-Rau from your tie avenger. Imagine switching Cassian's gun into sniper configuration. Imagine spinning your Fondor haulcraft a billion times and shredding everything around you. Need

BubbaKrumpz
The Fallen

Oct 25, 2017

3,849

Yay Area

Papercuts said:

Feel like this happened a few years back too, I remember actually picking it back up and having a surprisingly good time.

Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

Yeah, I went in with some of my buds and it was a great time. I've enjoyed the game since release though.

I hav a friend who only plays battlefront 2 and most recently fortnite

Excelsior
Member

Oct 28, 2017

1,058

wellpapp said:

Wasnt the servers 100% broken by all the cheaters?

Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

This is what I heard too, is it playable?

Chromie
Member

Dec 4, 2017

5,742

AgentOtaku said:

Yeah, noticed it creeping up the last few weeks. Insane and probably the Andor effect.

Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

I will always love Star Wars but man, Andor has made Star Wars chatter online so positive that I jumped back into BF2.

Doctor Shatner
The Fallen

Oct 25, 2017

252

Lol I literally reinstalled this because of Andor. So at least for me it was that! Funny to see such a weird hivemind esque effect going on there.

Game is still fun but I have to pretend I'm a literal stormtrooper with my skill level. The number of crazyhigh ranks who fly around as vader/yoda, etc after a couple minutes into the match and insta gib me would drive me mad if I played seriously.
#battlefront #seeing #sudden #surge #players

Battlefront 2 is seeing a sudden surge in players
Saucycarpdog Member Oct 25, 2017 20,317 On Steam the game is reaching CCU numbers it hasn't gotten in years. Console is harder to see but the game is #22 on Xbox Most Played charts right behind Overwatch 2. It's usually out of the top 50. Crazy to see. I'm guessing it's the Andor effect? giancarlo123x One Winged Slayer Member Oct 25, 2017 28,002 The game still fucks. The game was in such a great spot with the anniversary update then they pulled the plug on content. AgentOtaku Member Oct 27, 2017 4,586 Saucycarpdog said: On Steam the game is reaching CCU numbers it hasn't gotten in years. Console is harder to see but the game is #22 on Xbox Most Played charts right behind Overwatch 2. It's usually out of the top 50. Crazy to see. I'm guessing it's the Andor effect? Click to expand... Click to shrink... Yeah, noticed it creeping up the last few weeks. Insane and probably the Andor effect. ASleepingMonkey The Fallen Oct 26, 2017 4,579 Iowa This game is very, very popular among gen Z in particular. It is hard for me to scroll Instagram or TikTok without seeing a post about it. Younger people adore this game, particularly those who love the prequels. Hella Member Oct 27, 2017 24,492 Guess it's time to reinstall Battlefront 2. Game is super fun Thank you for the PSA, OP. HockeyBird Member Oct 27, 2017 13,798 You have friends everywhere when you play Battlefront II. Neverx Prophet of Truth - One Winged Slayer Member Sep 17, 2020 3,854 Florida It's a perfect storm of the yearly May 4th resurgence, Revenge of the Sith rerelease and Andor S2. Been playing a bit recently and the game is still great, such a shame they pulled the plug. Really excited for Zero Company and Jedi 3 but we really need a new Battlefront. Fuchsia Member Oct 28, 2017 7,249 It's honestly a fantastic game after all the work that was put into it post launch. It's still a blast to fire up today. Really sad that they basically killed support right when it was starting to become an all timer. Nocturnowl Member Oct 25, 2017 28,294 It's all fun and games until the god players who have been playing eternally earn a hero like Yoda early on and the rest of the game becomes a slasher sim where your lil trooper or droid lives in constant terror of the unstoppable turbo speed lightsaber spam racing towards you Neat to see it have a resurgence though, not big on star wars these days but I did have a lot of fun playing this messy arse game with friends JakeNoseIt Catch My Drift Verified Oct 27, 2017 4,751 Woah I don't watch Andor but I randomly redownloaded the game like a week ago and have been having fun poking around Zebesian-X Member Dec 3, 2018 25,362 great game kneecapped by its monetization strategy. Sad that they abandoned it right as it was hitting its stride. Glad to see people playing! Shame we never got a third one Prison_mike Banned Oct 26, 2017 1,676 Hell yeah I bet Fortnight is a reason too. I need to renew my online for this, dammit DrScruffleton Member Oct 26, 2017 14,887 game was killed way too soon. Imagine all the crazy promotional stuff we couldve gotten over the years with show tie ins and stuff. dodo Member Oct 27, 2017 4,293 I'm part of the wave! Creed Bratton Member Aug 29, 2019 782 I jumped back in after playing the new Star Wars Fortnite content. It made me want a true SW experience. Gleethor Member Oct 25, 2017 4,215 Dot Matrix with stereo sound Coulda had so much new content had they stuck with it. Or at least a third game to break the curse. AgentOtaku Member Oct 27, 2017 4,586 ASleepingMonkey said: This game is very, very popular among gen Z in particular. It is hard for me to scroll Instagram or TikTok without seeing a post about it. Younger people adore this game, particularly those who love the prequels. Click to expand... Click to shrink... Haha, makes sense. Both my sons adored it. We really should have gotten another one :/ Parker Member Feb 5, 2018 698 Also, the people who got it for free on EGS Lord Vatek Avenger Jan 18, 2018 24,748 Fortnite, May 4th, and Andor all likely play a part. I haven't checked, but I'd wager that Star Wars The Old Republic is seeing a similar bump. dodo Member Oct 27, 2017 4,293 I'm still not a big fan of the card loadout system and I wish the vehicles were handled differently, but when it's hitting it has that DICE magic. Great visuals, amazing sound, loving attention to detail. Corv Member Aug 5, 2022 645 Prison_mike said: Hell yeah I bet Fortnight is a reason too. Click to expand... Click to shrink... Yeah the current Fortnite season made me want to boot it up Forerunner Resetufologist The Fallen Oct 30, 2017 18,835 Dice dropping support of this right when all the new SW content was being released was weird, they could have added so much to it. Strikerrr Member Oct 25, 2017 2,858 I've seen a big push from Arc Raiders fans who are suffering from tech test withdrawl. Even though they're very different games, there's some aspects about the movement and shooting which feel somewhat similar considering that a lot of the staff at DICE went to Embark after BF1/V. IIRC some devs who were at Motive during Battlefront 2's development commented that the initial Arc Raiders reveal when it was still a PvE game looked similar to some gameplay concepts that were originally pitched from Battlefront 2. View: I could see this as built from a discarded Battlefront coop mode where you take down AT-ATs OhhEldenRing Member Aug 14, 2024 2,860 The Jade Raymond effect. It's been in the news that was her last big release. Santos Member Oct 25, 2017 1,376 Have they addressed hacking on PC? Tried play again on PC a couple of years ago and there were tons of hackers everywhere to the point they were removing map objectives lol. Jona Basta Member May 13, 2025 27 Santos said: Have they addressed hacking on PC? Tried play again on PC a couple of years ago and there were tons of hackers everywhere to the point they were removing map objectives lol. Click to expand... Click to shrink... There's a New Project Called Kyber that fixes that + introduces a lot of new things, but they keep pushing back the release date on that while pushing their Patreon so I'm not feeling to hot on it personally. Fuchsia Member Oct 28, 2017 7,249 Now, more than ever, I feel a new Battlefront would be so incredible. The issue is how do you feasibly make a game that would have enough content from each era of Star Wars to do it all justice? It would take so much manpower and time. OP OP Saucycarpdog Member Oct 25, 2017 20,317 Also, if any of y'all have Insurgency Sandstorm on PC, you can try the new Star Wars Sagas mod. View: Cheesy Member Oct 30, 2017 2,564 Saucycarpdog said: Also, if any of y'all have Insurgency Sandstorm on PC, you can try the new Star Wars Sagas mod. View: Click to expand... Click to shrink... Oh damn I didn't know that game got any mods that weren't just a bunch of really tacticool guns. I'll have to take a look. Jona Basta Member May 13, 2025 27 Saucycarpdog said: Also, if any of y'all have Insurgency Sandstorm on PC, you can try the new Star Wars Sagas mod. View: Click to expand... Click to shrink... there's also the fantastic Squad Mod Galactic Contention: View: Prasino95 Member Feb 18, 2025 6 Such a shame they messed up the remaster of the original so bad, bet that would have got a surge too. Mocha Joe Member Jun 2, 2021 13,433 I should reinstall. I never gave it an honest try after strongly disliking the first one. Spent on basically a tech demo and I was a fucking idiot and bought the season pass. I never have bought a season pass since then danhz Member Apr 20, 2018 3,539 Hopefully i can play sone games tomorrow, Game was fire 🔥🔥 luca Member Oct 25, 2017 19,417 Never mind. It's the fps Battlefront game. I loved the single player campaign. tjh282 Member May 29, 2019 1,097 My youngest brother and his friends have this in their MP rotation and they're not even huge SW fans. Marketing campaign killed this on arrival, but I loved both of the new BFs Dance Inferno Member Oct 29, 2017 2,739 Saucycarpdog said: Also, if any of y'all have Insurgency Sandstorm on PC, you can try the new Star Wars Sagas mod. View: Click to expand... Click to shrink... Woah WTF how have I never heard of this? This looks dope, downloading this ASAP. Richietto One Winged Slayer Member Oct 25, 2017 26,052 North Carolina There's also a huge mod called Kyler that'll really bring life to the game. Man Called Aerodynamics Member Oct 29, 2017 8,327 I'm not a fan of BF2 in particularbut it's always nice to see older games get rediscovered or retain popularity. Papercuts Prophet of Truth Member Oct 25, 2017 12,726 Feel like this happened a few years back too, I remember actually picking it back up and having a surprisingly good time. panic Member Oct 26, 2024 83 Last time I tried to play this my team was being completely obliterated on spawn by players using starfighters. thediamondage Member Oct 25, 2017 13,613 i am jonesing hard for Star Wars after Andor so no surprise, rewatching movies now but i'll probably play Star Wars Outlaws next although Battlefront 2 isn't a bad idea, I loved that game in the first year. Its dumb as hell but it can be super fun too if you are just in it for vibes. Publishers should be discounting star wars games heavy right now, its an automatic impulse buy i think ASleepingMonkey The Fallen Oct 26, 2017 4,579 Iowa AgentOtaku said: Haha, makes sense. Both my sons adored it. We really should have gotten another one :/ Click to expand... Click to shrink... I would like to see DICE give it another go after Battlefield 6. I assume no matter what, they're going to want to shake it up a bit after close to another decade of nothing but Battlefield and so long as Battlefield 6 is good, it can probably sustain itself for a while. Going back to Battlefront would be great. I just want a better campaign this time, taking some cues from Andor and placing you in the shoes of just an ordinary person in this galactic war would be a great starting point. BrickArts295 GOTY Tracking Thread Master Member Oct 26, 2017 15,642 It's 100% Andor + Fortnite Star Wars Event /recent rerelease of Episode III. I caught the fever and even went back to get the platinum for Jedi Survivor cause I just wanted to play anything Star Wars. It's crazy how cursed Battlefront 3 is. Seems like both times we could have had the ultimate Star Wars game which would built up from their last 2 iterations. EA seems to be fine with working on Star Wars despite their latest stance on license titles, maybe DICE will be given one more go at it. Javier23 Member Oct 28, 2017 3,230 I for one have been thinking about giving this a try because of Fortnite's current SW season. wellpapp Member Aug 21, 2018 531 Gothenburg Wasnt the servers 100% broken by all the cheaters? The Quentulated Mox Corrupted by Vengeance Member Jun 10, 2022 6,566 On the one hand, I love andor in large part because of how much it does different from the rest of the franchise and I think blending it in with all the rest of the stuff risks diluting it On the other hand, imagine a Ferrix map in battlefront. Imagine a Narkina 5 map. Imagine blasting a truck full of troopers on Mina-Rau from your tie avenger. Imagine switching Cassian's gun into sniper configuration. Imagine spinning your Fondor haulcraft a billion times and shredding everything around you. Need BubbaKrumpz The Fallen Oct 25, 2017 3,849 Yay Area Papercuts said: Feel like this happened a few years back too, I remember actually picking it back up and having a surprisingly good time. Click to expand... Click to shrink... Yeah, I went in with some of my buds and it was a great time. I've enjoyed the game since release though. I hav a friend who only plays battlefront 2 and most recently fortnite Excelsior Member Oct 28, 2017 1,058 wellpapp said: Wasnt the servers 100% broken by all the cheaters? Click to expand... Click to shrink... This is what I heard too, is it playable? Chromie Member Dec 4, 2017 5,742 AgentOtaku said: Yeah, noticed it creeping up the last few weeks. Insane and probably the Andor effect. Click to expand... Click to shrink... I will always love Star Wars but man, Andor has made Star Wars chatter online so positive that I jumped back into BF2. Doctor Shatner The Fallen Oct 25, 2017 252 Lol I literally reinstalled this because of Andor. So at least for me it was that! Funny to see such a weird hivemind esque effect going on there. Game is still fun but I have to pretend I'm a literal stormtrooper with my skill level. The number of crazyhigh ranks who fly around as vader/yoda, etc after a couple minutes into the match and insta gib me would drive me mad if I played seriously. #battlefront #seeing #sudden #surge #players

WWW.RESETERA.COM

Battlefront 2 is seeing a sudden surge in players

Saucycarpdog Member Oct 25, 2017 20,317 On Steam the game is reaching CCU numbers it hasn't gotten in years. Console is harder to see but the game is #22 on Xbox Most Played charts right behind Overwatch 2. It's usually out of the top 50. Crazy to see. I'm guessing it's the Andor effect? giancarlo123x One Winged Slayer Member Oct 25, 2017 28,002 The game still fucks. The game was in such a great spot with the anniversary update then they pulled the plug on content. AgentOtaku Member Oct 27, 2017 4,586 Saucycarpdog said: On Steam the game is reaching CCU numbers it hasn't gotten in years. Console is harder to see but the game is #22 on Xbox Most Played charts right behind Overwatch 2. It's usually out of the top 50. Crazy to see. I'm guessing it's the Andor effect? Click to expand... Click to shrink... Yeah, noticed it creeping up the last few weeks. Insane and probably the Andor effect. ASleepingMonkey The Fallen Oct 26, 2017 4,579 Iowa This game is very, very popular among gen Z in particular. It is hard for me to scroll Instagram or TikTok without seeing a post about it. Younger people adore this game, particularly those who love the prequels. Hella Member Oct 27, 2017 24,492 Guess it's time to reinstall Battlefront 2. Game is super fun Thank you for the PSA, OP. HockeyBird Member Oct 27, 2017 13,798 You have friends everywhere when you play Battlefront II. Neverx Prophet of Truth - One Winged Slayer Member Sep 17, 2020 3,854 Florida It's a perfect storm of the yearly May 4th resurgence, Revenge of the Sith rerelease and Andor S2. Been playing a bit recently and the game is still great, such a shame they pulled the plug. Really excited for Zero Company and Jedi 3 but we really need a new Battlefront. Fuchsia Member Oct 28, 2017 7,249 It's honestly a fantastic game after all the work that was put into it post launch. It's still a blast to fire up today. Really sad that they basically killed support right when it was starting to become an all timer. Nocturnowl Member Oct 25, 2017 28,294 It's all fun and games until the god players who have been playing eternally earn a hero like Yoda early on and the rest of the game becomes a slasher sim where your lil trooper or droid lives in constant terror of the unstoppable turbo speed lightsaber spam racing towards you Neat to see it have a resurgence though, not big on star wars these days but I did have a lot of fun playing this messy arse game with friends JakeNoseIt Catch My Drift Verified Oct 27, 2017 4,751 Woah I don't watch Andor but I randomly redownloaded the game like a week ago and have been having fun poking around Zebesian-X Member Dec 3, 2018 25,362 great game kneecapped by its monetization strategy. Sad that they abandoned it right as it was hitting its stride. Glad to see people playing! Shame we never got a third one Prison_mike Banned Oct 26, 2017 1,676 Hell yeah I bet Fortnight is a reason too. I need to renew my online for this, dammit DrScruffleton Member Oct 26, 2017 14,887 game was killed way too soon. Imagine all the crazy promotional stuff we couldve gotten over the years with show tie ins and stuff. dodo Member Oct 27, 2017 4,293 I'm part of the wave! Creed Bratton Member Aug 29, 2019 782 I jumped back in after playing the new Star Wars Fortnite content. It made me want a true SW experience. Gleethor Member Oct 25, 2017 4,215 Dot Matrix with stereo sound Coulda had so much new content had they stuck with it. Or at least a third game to break the curse. AgentOtaku Member Oct 27, 2017 4,586 ASleepingMonkey said: This game is very, very popular among gen Z in particular. It is hard for me to scroll Instagram or TikTok without seeing a post about it. Younger people adore this game, particularly those who love the prequels. Click to expand... Click to shrink... Haha, makes sense. Both my sons adored it. We really should have gotten another one :/ Parker Member Feb 5, 2018 698 Also, the people who got it for free on EGS Lord Vatek Avenger Jan 18, 2018 24,748 Fortnite, May 4th, and Andor all likely play a part. I haven't checked, but I'd wager that Star Wars The Old Republic is seeing a similar bump. dodo Member Oct 27, 2017 4,293 I'm still not a big fan of the card loadout system and I wish the vehicles were handled differently, but when it's hitting it has that DICE magic. Great visuals, amazing sound, loving attention to detail. Corv Member Aug 5, 2022 645 Prison_mike said: Hell yeah I bet Fortnight is a reason too. Click to expand... Click to shrink... Yeah the current Fortnite season made me want to boot it up Forerunner Resetufologist The Fallen Oct 30, 2017 18,835 Dice dropping support of this right when all the new SW content was being released was weird, they could have added so much to it. Strikerrr Member Oct 25, 2017 2,858 I've seen a big push from Arc Raiders fans who are suffering from tech test withdrawl. Even though they're very different games, there's some aspects about the movement and shooting which feel somewhat similar considering that a lot of the staff at DICE went to Embark after BF1/V. IIRC some devs who were at Motive during Battlefront 2's development commented that the initial Arc Raiders reveal when it was still a PvE game looked similar to some gameplay concepts that were originally pitched from Battlefront 2. View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xuftkDxjGT4 I could see this as built from a discarded Battlefront coop mode where you take down AT-ATs OhhEldenRing Member Aug 14, 2024 2,860 The Jade Raymond effect. It's been in the news that was her last big release. Santos Member Oct 25, 2017 1,376 Have they addressed hacking on PC? Tried play again on PC a couple of years ago and there were tons of hackers everywhere to the point they were removing map objectives lol. Jona Basta Member May 13, 2025 27 Santos said: Have they addressed hacking on PC? Tried play again on PC a couple of years ago and there were tons of hackers everywhere to the point they were removing map objectives lol. Click to expand... Click to shrink... There's a New Project Called Kyber that fixes that + introduces a lot of new things, but they keep pushing back the release date on that while pushing their Patreon so I'm not feeling to hot on it personally. Fuchsia Member Oct 28, 2017 7,249 Now, more than ever, I feel a new Battlefront would be so incredible. The issue is how do you feasibly make a game that would have enough content from each era of Star Wars to do it all justice? It would take so much manpower and time. OP OP Saucycarpdog Member Oct 25, 2017 20,317 Also, if any of y'all have Insurgency Sandstorm on PC, you can try the new Star Wars Sagas mod. View: https://youtu.be/1qfHDopTd3k?si=W_vKAw-W4NWNK2ic Cheesy Member Oct 30, 2017 2,564 Saucycarpdog said: Also, if any of y'all have Insurgency Sandstorm on PC, you can try the new Star Wars Sagas mod. View: https://youtu.be/1qfHDopTd3k?si=W_vKAw-W4NWNK2ic Click to expand... Click to shrink... Oh damn I didn't know that game got any mods that weren't just a bunch of really tacticool guns. I'll have to take a look. Jona Basta Member May 13, 2025 27 Saucycarpdog said: Also, if any of y'all have Insurgency Sandstorm on PC, you can try the new Star Wars Sagas mod. View: https://youtu.be/1qfHDopTd3k?si=W_vKAw-W4NWNK2ic Click to expand... Click to shrink... there's also the fantastic Squad Mod Galactic Contention: View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIgrE5Bhvxs Prasino95 Member Feb 18, 2025 6 Such a shame they messed up the remaster of the original so bad, bet that would have got a surge too. Mocha Joe Member Jun 2, 2021 13,433 I should reinstall. I never gave it an honest try after strongly disliking the first one. Spent $40 on basically a tech demo and I was a fucking idiot and bought the season pass. I never have bought a season pass since then danhz Member Apr 20, 2018 3,539 Hopefully i can play sone games tomorrow, Game was fire 🔥🔥 luca Member Oct 25, 2017 19,417 Never mind. It's the fps Battlefront game. I loved the single player campaign. tjh282 Member May 29, 2019 1,097 My youngest brother and his friends have this in their MP rotation and they're not even huge SW fans. Marketing campaign killed this on arrival, but I loved both of the new BFs Dance Inferno Member Oct 29, 2017 2,739 Saucycarpdog said: Also, if any of y'all have Insurgency Sandstorm on PC, you can try the new Star Wars Sagas mod. View: https://youtu.be/1qfHDopTd3k?si=W_vKAw-W4NWNK2ic Click to expand... Click to shrink... Woah WTF how have I never heard of this? This looks dope, downloading this ASAP. Richietto One Winged Slayer Member Oct 25, 2017 26,052 North Carolina There's also a huge mod called Kyler that'll really bring life to the game. Man Called Aerodynamics Member Oct 29, 2017 8,327 I'm not a fan of BF2 in particular (that campaign sucked) but it's always nice to see older games get rediscovered or retain popularity. Papercuts Prophet of Truth Member Oct 25, 2017 12,726 Feel like this happened a few years back too, I remember actually picking it back up and having a surprisingly good time. panic Member Oct 26, 2024 83 Last time I tried to play this my team was being completely obliterated on spawn by players using starfighters. thediamondage Member Oct 25, 2017 13,613 i am jonesing hard for Star Wars after Andor so no surprise, rewatching movies now but i'll probably play Star Wars Outlaws next although Battlefront 2 isn't a bad idea, I loved that game in the first year. Its dumb as hell but it can be super fun too if you are just in it for vibes. Publishers should be discounting star wars games heavy right now, its an automatic impulse buy i think ASleepingMonkey The Fallen Oct 26, 2017 4,579 Iowa AgentOtaku said: Haha, makes sense. Both my sons adored it. We really should have gotten another one :/ Click to expand... Click to shrink... I would like to see DICE give it another go after Battlefield 6. I assume no matter what, they're going to want to shake it up a bit after close to another decade of nothing but Battlefield and so long as Battlefield 6 is good, it can probably sustain itself for a while. Going back to Battlefront would be great. I just want a better campaign this time, taking some cues from Andor and placing you in the shoes of just an ordinary person in this galactic war would be a great starting point. BrickArts295 GOTY Tracking Thread Master Member Oct 26, 2017 15,642 It's 100% Andor + Fortnite Star Wars Event /recent rerelease of Episode III. I caught the fever and even went back to get the platinum for Jedi Survivor cause I just wanted to play anything Star Wars. It's crazy how cursed Battlefront 3 is. Seems like both times we could have had the ultimate Star Wars game which would built up from their last 2 iterations. EA seems to be fine with working on Star Wars despite their latest stance on license titles, maybe DICE will be given one more go at it. Javier23 Member Oct 28, 2017 3,230 I for one have been thinking about giving this a try because of Fortnite's current SW season. wellpapp Member Aug 21, 2018 531 Gothenburg Wasnt the servers 100% broken by all the cheaters? The Quentulated Mox Corrupted by Vengeance Member Jun 10, 2022 6,566 On the one hand, I love andor in large part because of how much it does different from the rest of the franchise and I think blending it in with all the rest of the stuff risks diluting it On the other hand, imagine a Ferrix map in battlefront. Imagine a Narkina 5 map. Imagine blasting a truck full of troopers on Mina-Rau from your tie avenger. Imagine switching Cassian's gun into sniper configuration. Imagine spinning your Fondor haulcraft a billion times and shredding everything around you. Need BubbaKrumpz The Fallen Oct 25, 2017 3,849 Yay Area Papercuts said: Feel like this happened a few years back too, I remember actually picking it back up and having a surprisingly good time. Click to expand... Click to shrink... Yeah, I went in with some of my buds and it was a great time. I've enjoyed the game since release though. I hav a friend who only plays battlefront 2 and most recently fortnite Excelsior Member Oct 28, 2017 1,058 wellpapp said: Wasnt the servers 100% broken by all the cheaters? Click to expand... Click to shrink... This is what I heard too, is it playable? Chromie Member Dec 4, 2017 5,742 AgentOtaku said: Yeah, noticed it creeping up the last few weeks. Insane and probably the Andor effect. Click to expand... Click to shrink... I will always love Star Wars but man, Andor has made Star Wars chatter online so positive that I jumped back into BF2. Doctor Shatner The Fallen Oct 25, 2017 252 Lol I literally reinstalled this because of Andor (have had zero content creators mention it outside of watching old Giant Bomb E3 videos). So at least for me it was that! Funny to see such a weird hivemind esque effect going on there. Game is still fun but I have to pretend I'm a literal stormtrooper with my skill level. The number of crazyhigh ranks who fly around as vader/yoda, etc after a couple minutes into the match and insta gib me would drive me mad if I played seriously.

·402 Views

Please log in to like, share and comment!

Join

Language

The multiplayer stack behind MMORPG Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen

I replaced my laptop with Microsoft's 12-inch Surface Pro for weeks - here's my buying advice now

Real TikTokers are pretending to be Veo 3 AI creations for fun, attention

Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning Fan Theory Fixes Series’ Most Controversial Twist

Nick Clegg says asking artists for use permission would ‘kill’ the AI industry

Nick Clegg says asking artists for use permission would ‘kill’ the AI industry

200 mph for 500 miles: How IndyCar drivers prepare for the big race

Best Memorial Day deals 2025: Save on expert-picked tech, BOGO deals, and more

Battlefront 2 is seeing a sudden surge in players