The USB-C port on today’s laptops can connect to accessories, transmit power to your PC, and even support an extra display. The only problem? Not every USB-C port will necessarily support data, power, or an additional display. Microsoft is trying to change that by enforcing new standards for PC vendors. In a blog post, the company revealed that many users have been encountering USB-C inconsistency issues in laptops built with USB4, the latest version of the interface.  “Windows Diagnostics Data shows that 27% of PCs with USB4 have encountered a limited functionality notification, meaning that a customer plugged a USB-C device in, but a feature (alternate mode) that device needs was not implemented on the PC and Windows notified the user,” wrote Ugan Sivagnanenthirarajah, a technical product manager at Microsoft. That’s a problem, especially if the consumer expects that a USB-C port will support everything, including charging, data, and displays. Sivagnanenthirarajah mentions a case where the user plugged in an external display into a laptop’s USB-C port only to wonder why it didn’t work. “PC manufacturers can implement ports that look identical but differ wildly in functionality,” he added. “One may charge your laptop and run a 4K display; another might only deliver USB 2.0 data speeds. The USB specification allows this, and without clear enforcement, the consumer experiences frustration, guesswork, and endless troubleshooting.”  Recommended by Our EditorsIn response, Microsoft is implementing a “minimum bar for USB-C port capabilities on PCs,” that’ll require them to support data, power charging, and a display through each connection. The company will enforce the requirement through Microsoft’s “Windows Hardware Compatibility Program,” which PC vendors can use to certify that their products have been designed to run the Windows OS. (Credit: Microsoft)The goal is to turn optional features into mandatory ones, and “ensure a consistent level of performance you can count on,” Sivagnanenthirarajah said. “Your favorite USB 1, USB 2, and USB 3 peripherals, chargers, and displays will work exactly as advertised on any USB-C port on your WHCP-certified Windows 11 device,” he added.  Specifically, a USB-C port must offer USB Power Delivery charging and DisplayPort Alt-Mode. That said, the requirements permit each USB-C ports to differ in their data transfer speeds and display resolution support. In addition, Microsoft is enforcing a requirement for laptops that advertise USB4 40Gbps or 80Gbps ports. The same laptops “must “sustain full speed 40Gbps links on all USB-C ports,” the company says. The ports also need to offer full Thunderbolt 3 compatibility, support for up to two 4K monitors at 60Hz and feature “PCI Express tunnelling that allows external GPUs and NVMe enclosures to work seamlessly.”Still, the Windows Hardware Compatibility Program is both voluntary and not widely known among consumers. So it's unclear if PC vendors will commit to the requirements. Still, Microsoft’s blog post notes: “PC manufacturers are on track to achieve WHCP compliance across most systems in the coming years.”

In brief: Valve has moved forward with its long-teased plan to bring SteamOS to more devices beyond the Steam Deck. The stable build adds support for systems from Lenovo, Asus, and others, offering a more stable Windows alternative for handheld gaming PCs. It also introduces new features and bug fixes. Now available for installation, SteamOS 3.7.8 introduces official support for the Lenovo Legion Go S and improves compatibility with other handheld gaming PCs, including the Asus ROG Ally. The release could dramatically alter the user experience on these devices. SteamOS's gamepad-friendly interface is better suited to small screens than Windows 11, giving the Steam Deck a notable edge over more powerful portable PCs. Recent updates to the Linux-based system have gradually revealed Valve's broader release plans, with the latest patch opening it up for public testing. The operating system now uses a newer Arch Linux base, the Linux kernel has been upgraded to version 6.11, and desktop mode runs on Plasma 6.2.5. Early adopters should download a SteamOS recovery image and follow Valve's setup instructions. Valve optimized 3.7.8 specifically for handheld devices, but it currently supports only PCs with AMD hardware and an NVMe SSD. The system requirements likely cover devices built on similar AMD APUs, including the Ryzen 8840U, Ryzen AI HX 370, Ryzen Z1, and Ryzen Z2. Valve provides specific installation instructions for the original Lenovo Legion Go and the ROG Ally. However, the latest build should theoretically support handhelds such as the GPD Win, Ayaneo 3, and Zotac Zone. The Intel-powered MSI Claw remains the only unsupported portable PC, and whether Valve plans to add Intel support is still unclear. Adventurous testers will likely explore whether "AMD hardware" extends to desktops or other Ryzen-based form factors. It remains unclear if SteamOS supports Radeon dedicated GPUs and alternative wireless chips. The update has a useful new feature that lets users set a battery charge limit, with Valve recommending an 80 percent cap to extend battery life on frequently docked devices. It is functionally similar to the optional 90 percent cap Nintendo recently introduced for the upcoming Switch 2. SteamOS 3.7.8 also adds frame rate limits for internal and external VRR displays, while Bluetooth controllers can now wake the original LCD Steam Deck from sleep. As the first version 3.7 build to reach the stable channel, numerous features have also exited beta. Lenovo plans to launch the Legion Go S with SteamOS pre-installed in the coming weeks, offering it at a significantly lower price than the Windows 11 version. // Related Stories

steam machines are back SteamOS 3.7 brings Valve’s gaming OS to other handhelds and generic AMD PCs Focus is currently on AMD-based PCs with hardware similar to the Steam Deck. Andrew Cunningham – May 23, 2025 11:28 am | 29 Credit: Valve Credit: Valve Story text Size Small Standard Large Width * Standard Wide Links Standard Orange * Subscribers only   Learn more Valve is releasing version 3.7 of SteamOS to the general public, and among the routine updates and changes is a big one: This is the SteamOS release that finally adds official support for some kinds of PC hardware other than Valve's own Steam Deck. Valve mentions certain specific handhelds as having either "official" or "improved support," including the Asus ROG Ally, the Lenovo Legion Go, and the Lenovo Legion Go S. It also includes directions for configuring the original Legion Go and ROG Ally for SteamOS installation. But Valve says that only the Steam Deck and Legion Go S have fully baked SteamOS support. The release claims to run on "other AMD powered handhelds" more broadly, implying that most third-party handheld PCs with Ryzen Z1 or Z2-series processors ought to support at least some basic functionality. Other all-AMD desktops and laptops have a decent shot at being supported, too. It was previously possible to get a SteamOS-like experience on third-party hardware using a community-maintained distribution like Bazzite, but at least some hardware will now be able to get SteamOS right from the source. This update comes just a couple of weeks after Valve announced a new "SteamOS Compatible" label for games that would be displayed separately from Steam Deck compatibility information. AMD-only, for now If you want there to be a chance that your desktop or laptop will work with SteamOS, it will have to be all-AMD on the inside. Credit: Andrew Cunningham To try SteamOS on your hardware, Valve's two hard-and-fast requirements are "AMD hardware" and an NVMe SSD. The hardware requirement likely refers to, collectively, the CPU, GPU, and chipset, and possibly also the RZ-series Wi-Fi and Bluetooth modules that are often paired with AMD systems. You'll also need to disable Secure Boot on your PC. This is normally enabled by default since it's an installation requirement for Windows 11, so you'll want to refer to your manufacturer's documentation to figure out how to turn it off. Valve's instructions will walk you through downloading a SteamOS recovery image and copying it to a USB drive using either the Rufus tool (on Windows) or Balena Etcher (the preferred macOS and Linux utility). After turning Secure Boot off, you should be able to boot from the USB drive and install SteamOS as you would on a regular Steam Deck. Note that there's no simple, officially supported way to dual-boot SteamOS and Windows; if you decide to turn your handheld, laptop, or desktop into a new Steam Machine, the only way to make it back into a Windows PC is to re-enable Secure Boot and install a fresh copy from another USB drive. The SteamOS 3.7 update (officially, version 3.7.8) also includes a bunch of other updates to the underlying software: version 6.11 of the Linux kernel (up from version 6.5 in SteamOS 3.6), "a newer Arch Linux base," version 6.2.5 of the Plasma interface in desktop mode, new Mesa graphics drivers, and various other tweaks and bug fixes. A second act for SteamOS The original version of SteamOS was designed to be widely compatible with all kinds of PC hardware and was available both from major PC manufacturers and as a standalone OS that you could (and which we did) install on custom, self-built PCs. But these computers and that version of SteamOS mostly flopped, at least in part because they only ran a small subset of games that natively supported Linux. The current version of SteamOS launched with more modest aims as the first-party operating system for a single piece of hardware. But by focusing on the game compatibility problem first and leading the way with category-defining hardware, Valve has actually built a much stronger foundation for the current version of SteamOS than it did for the original. That doesn't make SteamOS a drop-in replacement for Windows—without strong support for Intel or Nvidia hardware, it's not a great candidate for the majority of gaming PCs, or even Intel-powered gaming handhelds like the MSI Claw A1M. And Windows is set up to be a multi-purpose general-use operating system in ways that SteamOS isn't; Valve still says that, despite the presence of desktop mode, "users should not consider SteamOS as a replacement for their desktop operating system." But for certain kinds of systems that are primarily used as gaming PCs, SteamOS is a real contender. Andrew Cunningham Senior Technology Reporter Andrew Cunningham Senior Technology Reporter Andrew is a Senior Technology Reporter at Ars Technica, with a focus on consumer tech including computer hardware and in-depth reviews of operating systems like Windows and macOS. Andrew lives in Philadelphia and co-hosts a weekly book podcast called Overdue. 29 Comments

Valve's SteamOS 3.7.8 update brings official support for AMD-powered handhelds like Lenovo's Legion Go and Asus' ROG Ally, along with a new "Steam OS Compatible" library tab and key bug fixes. Other features include a battery charge limit, updated graphics drivers, and a shift to Plasma 6.2.5. Polygon reports: Valve outlines two requirements for the third-party devices not explicitly named in the update to run SteamOS on the handheld: they must be AMD-powered and have an NVMe SSD. Specific instructions for installing the operating system have been updated and listed here. Before this huge update, players had to use an alternative like Bazzite to achieve a similar SteamOS experience on their devices. The new update also piggybacks off of Valve expanding the Steam Deck Verified categorization system to "any device running SteamOS that's not a Steam Deck" in mid-May. To make matters sweeter, a SteamOS-powered version of the Lenovo Legion Go S is scheduled to release on May 25. You can learn more about SteamOS 3.7.8 here. Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Micron's consumer-division, Crucial, has launched its fastest Gen5 SSD to date, the T710, powered by the SMI2508 controller & up to 14.9 GB/s speeds. Crucial Goes With Silicon Motion's SM2508 Controller To Power The T710, Its Fastest Gen5 SSD To Date Press Release: At Computex 2025, Micron Technology expanded its leadership in consumer storage by unveiling its latest high-performance SSDs, the Crucial T710 PCIe Gen5 NVMe SSD and the Crucial X10 Portable SSD. Forged from years of dedicated research and development, these next-gen SSDs redefine performance standards across the board by pushing the limits of speed, capacity, and durability, powering your world at full speed. Crucial T710: Blazing-fast Gen5 speed for gaming and AI Leveraging cutting-edge NVMe technology and Micron’s G9 NAND, the Crucial T710 delivers unmatched Gen5 performance for pro-level gaming, creative applications, and data-intensive tasks like AI. Boasting our best Gen5 speeds to date, it features up to: 14,900 megabytes per second (MB/s) sequential read speeds 13,800 MB/s sequential write speeds 2.2 million random read speeds 2.3 million random write speeds The T710 delivers up to 67% more IOPs per watt than previous-generation Gen5 drives, running faster and cooler and making it ideal for PCs, laptops, and workstations. The optional integrated heatsink ensures the T710 stays cool under pressure, and capacity options of up to 4TB mean users have the storage space they need for their most demanding projects. The increasing demands of AI applications require robust hardware for optimal performance. With its dramatically increased energy efficiency and decreased latency, the Crucial T710 is perfect for enabling real-time local data processing on AI PCs, with the speed to load a large language model from SSD to memory in under one second. 2 of 9 Crucial X10: Fast and tough portable storage to expand your digital life Crucial’s latest portable drive, the X10, delivers read speeds of up to 2,100 MB/s, twice as fast as its predecessor. The X10 is designed for users who need a fast, reliable, and durable solution to back up and store their most important photos, games, movies, documents, and more. With 4TB, 6TB, and 8TB versions available, the Crucial X10 allows users to store massive amounts of data, including up to 500,000 4K photos, 114 games, or 2.6 million MP3 files. With its sleek, matte-blue design, the X10 is perfect for content creators, gamers, photography hobbyists, and mainstream consumers who require high-speed data transfer and ample storage capacity. Its durable design is IP65 dust- and water-resistant and drop-resistant up to 9.8 feet, making it a vault for your data — secure, portable, and always ready. The T710 uses Silicon Motion’s SM2508 controller, while the X10 uses the SM2322 controller. Availability: The Crucial X10 is now available for purchase through e-tailers, retailers, and global channel partners, while the T710 will be available starting in July 2025. Deal of the Day

Valve’s huge new SteamOS update is finally here, and with it arrives support for the Steam Deck’s rivals, Lenovo’s Legion Go and Asus’ ROG Ally series. SteamOS update 3.7.8 improves support for these third-party devices and other AMD-powered handhelds, fixes a previous bug that prevented some apps from installing on the Legion Go S, while a “Steam OS Compatible” library tab has also been added to the handheld device. Valve made enhancements to the SteamOS recovery image, repairing the Steam operating system on the Steam Deck and the Legion Go S. Valve outlines two requirements for the third-party devices not explicitly named in the update to run SteamOS on the handheld: they must be AMD-powered and have an NVMe SSD. Specific instructions for installing the operating system have been updated and listed here. Before this huge update, players had to use an alternative like Bazzite to achieve a similar SteamOS experience on their devices. The new update also piggybacks off of Valve expanding the Steam Deck Verified categorization system to “any device running SteamOS that’s not a Steam Deck” in mid-May. To make matters sweeter, a SteamOS-powered version of the Lenovo Legion Go S is scheduled to release on May 25. Elsewhere in the update, the Steam Deck was shown a tremendous amount of love with adding a new battery-saving option called battery charge limit. Players can locate the setting under the power submenu in the Deck’s settings. Much like a Nintendo Switch 2 feature, the setting allows users to set a charge limit for the Steam Deck. Patch notes recommended that users set the limit to 80% to prolong the system’s battery life. The new Steam OS update also improved the Steam Deck’s Linux base, enhanced the system’s Mesa graphics driver, updated the desktop feature to Plasma 6.2.5 — a step up from 5.27.10 — and tons of other minor bug fixes. You can find the full SteamOS 3.7.8 update here.

Acer Swift Neo was launched in India on Friday. The laptop is powered by an Intel Core Ultra 5 CPU with Intel Arc Graphics, paired with up to 32GB of RAM. It has support for Copilot and Intel AI Boost, which is claimed to improve the performance of on-device AI-powered experiences. The latest Swift Neo comes with a diamond-cut touchpad, fingerprint reader and a backlit keyboard with a dedicated Copilot key. It is claimed to have a hinge that can be opened and closed with a single hand. Acer Swift Neo Price in India, AvailabilityAcer Swift Neo price in India is set at Rs. 61,990 and is currently available for purchase via Flipkart, the company's website, and via retail stores. The laptop is offered in a Rose Gold colourway. Acer Swift Neo Specifications, FeaturesThe Acer Swift Neo sports a 14-inch WUXGA (1,920×1,200 pixels) OLED display with 92 percent NTSC and 100 percent coverage of the sRGB colour gamut. The laptop is powered by an Intel Core Ultra 5 CPU with Intel Arc Graphics, paired with up to 32GB of LPDDR5 RAM and up to 1TB NVMe PCIe Gen 4 SSD storage. It runs on 64-bit Windows 11 Home out-of-the-box.Acer equips the Swift Neo laptop with a 1080p full-HD webcam. It supports Copilot and Intel AI Boost, which are claimed to enhance AI-backed features, including AI apps for video calling and on-device AI processing for improved privacy and efficiency. These features can help users manage multiple tasks simultaneously or perform high-resolution video editing seamlessly.The company says that the Acer Swift Neo can last for up to eight and a half hours on a single charge. The Flipkart listing reveals that the laptop carries a 55Wh battery with 65W charging support. Connectivity options include Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2, HDMI and dual USB Type-C ports.  For security, it comes with Secured-Core PC protection at the hardware level and a fingerprint sensor for biometric authentication. The slim, aluminium chassis of the laptop weighs 1.2kg. It measures 315×240×14.9 mm in size.Affiliate links may be automatically generated - see our ethics statement for details. KEY SPECSNEWSDisplay size 14.00-inchDisplay resolution 1920x1200 pixelsTouchscreen NoProcessor Intel Core Ultra 5RAM 32GBOS Windows 11 HomeSSD 1TBGraphics Intel ArcWeight 1.20 kgMore Acer Laptops For the latest tech news and reviews, follow Gadgets 360 on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News. For the latest videos on gadgets and tech, subscribe to our YouTube channel. If you want to know everything about top influencers, follow our in-house Who'sThat360 on Instagram and YouTube. Sucharita Ganguly Sucharita is a writer with Gadgets 360 and is mostly found playing with her cat in her free time. She has previously worked at breaking news desks across organizations. Powered by coffee, The Beatles, Bowie, and her newfound love for BTS, she aims to work towards contributing to a better media environment for women and queer folk. More

Memorial Day weekend isn’t just for barbecues and beach trips — it’s also a chance to score some of the best tech deals you’ll find all season. And despite the fact the holiday isn’t until Monday, May 26th, multiple retailers are already offering steep discounts on some of our favorite gadgets, from big-ticket items to everyday essentials.RelatedBelow, we’ve rounded up a few highlights, from LG’s C4 OLED and the Sonos Move 2 to the Garmin Forerunner 265, all of which are down to their best price to date. We’ve also included practical (and affordable) finds like video doorbells and Bluetooth trackers, so you can keep your valuables safe while you’re off on summer adventures. Our miscellaneous section is full of surprises, from discounted laptops and tablets, to affordable trinkets that’ll make life a little better. Whether you’re shopping for yourself or hunting for a last-minute graduation gift, there’s a little something for everyone, so let’s dive in.In this articleSpeaker dealsSonos Move 2$336$44925% off$336With double the battery life of its predecessor and better-sounding stereo audio, the Sonos Move 2’s improvements don’t stop there. It supports line-in audio, can stream Bluetooth audio to other Sonos speakers, and more.The second-gen Sonos Roam is available for an all-time low of $134 ($45 off) from Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart, and Sonos. Unlike its predecessor, the portable speaker is ready to use right out of the box and features a dedicated button for Bluetooth pairing. It isn’t as powerful as the Move 2 — and it doesn’t offer line-in support — but it still sounds great and integrates well with the rest of the Sonos ecosystem, which makes it relatively easy to switch music between the company’s speakers.Anker’s tiny Soundcore Select 4 Go is matching its all-time low of $19.99 at Amazon, down from $49.99. Along with IPX67 waterproofing, the Bluetooth speaker offers up to 20 hours of battery life and can be paired with a second Select 4 Go for stereo sound.Sony SRS-XB100$38$6037% off$38Sony’s adorable SRS-XB100 speaker offers USB-C charging, a built-in strap, and great sound for the price, rendering it a terrific travel speaker or home office companion. Read our review.The Beats Pill is on sale for around $99.95 ($50 off) at Amazon, Best Buy, and Target, which is $2 shy of its best price to date. The portable speaker offers noticeably improved sound over the previous model, along with support for lossless audio via USB-C. It also offers twice as much battery life, adds IP67 water and dust resistance, and includes native Find My support on both Android and iOS. Read our review.You can buy the JBL Clip 5 at Amazon, Best Buy, and Target for around $49.95 ($30 off), which nearly matches its best price to date. The Bluetooth speaker offers a built-in carabiner so you can easily attach it to, say, a backpack, along with IP67 water resistance. The Clip 5 also offers Auracast support, so you can pair it with compatible JBL speakers for a stereo sound.Bose SoundLink Max$299$39925% off$299Bose’s SoundLink Max improves on the smaller flex with true stereo sound — and very powerful sound at that. It’s got a removable handle for easy transport, and there’s an aux input for playing audio when you want to listen at a higher quality than what Bluetooth can deliver.$299 at Amazon$299 at Best BuyAirPods Max (USB-C)$480$54913% off$480The revised AirPods Max are much like the original model from 2020, but now with new color options and a USB-C port instead of Lightning.If Sony’s new $449 WH-1000XM6 headphones are out of your budget, Sony’s WH-1000XM5 are on sale starting at $298 (about $100 off) at Amazon and Best Buy, which is one of their better prices to date. While they don’t fold down for easy storage, they still deliver top-tier noise cancellation, sound quality, and comfort. The new model does offer some improvements, but the upgrades aren’t significant, making the XM5 a good option at this price. Read our review.Right now, you can pick up Bose’s QuietComfort Headphones from Amazon, Best Buy, and Bose for $229 ($120 off), which is one of their best prices to date. They’re foldable and exceptionally comfortable — much like their predecessor, the Bose QC 45 — and they retain lengthy battery life. However, the newer headphones sport adjustable noise cancellation and custom modes, though they lack support for higher-quality Bluetooth codecs and the immersive audio mode found on the QC Ultra Headphones.The Beats Studio Pro are available at Amazon in white starting at $169.99 ($170 off) or for $30 more at Best Buy and Target. The comfortable headphones offer improved noise cancellation and sound over their predecessor, with support for lossless playback over USB-C. They also work well with both iOS and Android devices, providing native support for each platform’s fast pairing and FindMy features. Read our review.Samsung Galaxy Buds FE$65$10035% off$65Samsung’s Galaxy Buds FE offer very good sound and noise cancellation for the money. They also feature a return of the wing tip design from the older Galaxy Buds Plus, the fit of which some may prefer. Read our review.Sony WH-CH520$38$6037% off$38The Sony WH-CH520 offer a lot for very little. The on-ear Bluetooth headphones provide 50 hours of battery life and support hands-free voice assistants, including Google Assistant and Siri. They also offer multipoint Bluetooth support and can tap into Google’s Find My Device network.Does a gaming headset count as headphones? SteelSeries’ Arctis Pro Nova Wireless for the PlayStation, Switch, mobile, and PC platforms is steeply discounted at Amazon, costing $226.71 (normally $349.99). We adore this model, having called it “close to the be-all, end-all gaming headset” in our 2022 review. Despite being a couple of years old, it’s still worth a buy, especially at this price.TV and streaming device dealsLG C4 OLED TV$797$150047% off$797The LG C4 is a 4K OLED TV that’s great for gaming, with a max 144Hz refresh rate and support for Nvidia G-Sync and AMD FreeSync variable refresh rate tech. It has a brighter panel and overall better picture quality than its predecessor.The latest Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max is on sale at Amazon, Best Buy, and Target for $39.99 ($20 off), which is $7 shy of its best price to date. The 4K streaming device is faster than the previous model, with double the storage and support for Wi-Fi 6E. When not in use, it can also act as an Echo Show display of sorts, so you can use it to see reminders, check the weather, and view other useful widgets. You can also have it display famous artwork or your own custom AI-generated images.You can also buy the latest Amazon Fire TV Cube at Amazon, Best Buy, and The Home Depot for $99.99 ($40 off), which is just $10 shy of its all-time low. The third-gen Cube functions as both a traditional Echo speaker and a Fire TV streaming device with support for Wi-Fi 6E, Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, and HDR. The 4K device also integrates well with Amazon Alexa for extensive hands-free voice control.You can buy the standalone Amazon Fire TV Remote for $27.99 ($7 off) at Amazon, which is $3 shy of its all-time low. The remote offers a pair of programmable buttons and backlighting, along with a useful remote finder feature that lets you quickly find it using your voice or by pressing a button in the app.Hisense U65QF TV (2025)$530$80034% off$530The Hisense U65QF TV boasts a 144Hz QLED display with full-array local dimming. It also comes with Google’s TV software built in, along with Dolby Atmos support.Smart home dealsRing Battery Doorbell Plus$100$15033% off$100This wireless Ring doorbell has great video quality, head-to-toe view, and speedy response times for a battery doorbell. It works with Amazon Alexa and can send alerts for people and packages with a Ring Home subscription.The Blink Mini 2 has returned to its all-time low of $19.99 ($10 off) at Amazon, Best Buy, and Target. If you want to use the 1080p wired camera outside, you can also grab it with the weather-resistant power adapter for $29.98 ($20 off) at Amazon. The camera offers improved image and audio over the prior model, along with a wider 143-degree field of view and USB-C. It also retains useful features like two-way audio and motion alerts in an easy-to-mount design.Mill is selling its Mill Food Recycler for $874, down from $999. That’s not quite on par with its all-time low of $799, but it’s still a small way to save on the high-tech trash can, which can transform kitchen scraps into a compost-like material for your garden overnight. It helps keep your kitchen from smelling bad, cuts down on food waste, and reduces the trash you generate. Read our review.iRobot Roomba Combo 10 Max and Autowash Dock$779$139944% off$779Through 5/24 at midnight, Verge readers can get a big discounts on this model by using the code VERGE620 at checkout. Read more about this model in our in-depth coverage.$779 at WellbotsThe Meross Outdoor Smart Plug is on sale for $20.99 ($10 off) at Amazon, which is just a few cents shy of its lowest price to date. The IP44-rated waterproof plug features a pair of independently controlled AC outlets and support for Apple Home, Alexa, Google Assistant, and Samsung SmartThings, allowing you to schedule and control your outdoor gadgets with just your voice.SwitchBot Smart Switch Button Pusher$21$3030% off$21If you’ve ever wished you had a robot that could push a button for you, that’s precisely what the SwitchBot Bot does. It’s simple, smart, and works on anything with a button. Stick it on the device you want to turn on or off, and you’re set.$21 at Amazon (with on-page coupon) $24 at SwitchBot (with code LMTM20)You can currently buy Coway’s Airmega AP-1512HH Mighty from Amazon and Coway for $169.99, down from $229.99, which is one of the better prices we’ve seen in recent months. The small HEPA air purifier features a four-stage filtration system that’s ideal for smaller rooms, and it automatically powers down after 30 minutes once it detects the air is clean.The weatherproof Blink Outdoor 4 is 50 percent off at Amazon, Best Buy, and Target, where you can pick it up for $49.99 for a limited time. The 1080p security camera includes upgrades like person detection, improved image quality, and a wider field of view than prior models, all while retaining support for motion detection, night vision, and two-way audio. It can also last up to two years on a pair of AA batteries.Amazon is selling a single Eero Pro 7, which can cover up to 2,000 square feet, for $549.99 ($150 off); you can also grab a pair for $799.99 ($150 off) or three units for $949.99 ($150 off). The dual-band mesh router supports the latest Wi-Fi 7 standard, offering speeds up to 3.9Gbps. Each unit also includes two 5Gbps ethernet ports and can function as a smart home hub with Matter support, a Zigbee radio, and a Thread border router.Blink Video Doorbell with Sync Module 2$35$7050% off$35Blink’s Video Doorbell is the best if you’re looking a budget-friendly buzzer that offers motion-activated recording and alerts, night vision, two-way audio, and up to two years of battery life.The Shark AI Ultra is on sale at Amazon for $349.99 ($249.99), which is about $55 shy of its all-time low. The robot vacuum navigates your home using lidar and uses Matrix Clean navigation to clean in a grid pattern for a more thorough and precise clean. It also comes with a self-cleaning brush roll, which is useful for cleaning up pet hair, along with a bagless, self-emptying base that can hold up to 60 days’ worth of debris.The second-gen Ring Indoor Cam is available at Amazon and Best Buy for $34.99 ($25 off), which is $5 shy of its best price to date. The wired camera features a physical privacy cover that lets you block the camera and microphone, while its redesigned mount lets you easily adjust the camera’s angle. It also retains a number of features from its predecessor, including 1080p resolution, color night vision, and two-way audio.Smartwatch and wearable dealsGarmin Forerunner 265 (42mm)$350$45022% off$350Garmin’s midrange Forerunner watch adds a new OLED display, a week’s worth of battery life, and dual-frequency GPS for better accuracy. Read our review.Garmin’s 41mm Venu 3S is on sale at an all-time low of $349.99 ($100 off) at Amazon and REI. The Venu 3S is our favorite Garmin smartwatch, one that combines contactless payments and other smart features with a broad swath of health tools, including period tracking, abnormal heart rate alerts, and fall detection. It features a microphone and speaker for taking calls, too, though you’ll need your phone to take advantage of said feature since the 3S lacks built-in cellular connectivity. Read our review.The 49mm Apple Watch Ultra 2 is on sale for $739 ($60 off) at Amazon and Best Buy, which is one of the better prices we’ve seen this year. The rugged wearable offers the brightest display of any Apple wearable, along with the longest battery life. It also packs Apple’s S9 SiP and second-gen ultra wideband chips, allowing you to take advantage of Apple’s handy double tap feature. Read our review.Google Pixel Watch 2 (41mm, Wi-Fi)$150$25040% off$150The Pixel Watch 2 lasts a reliable 24 hours on a single charge with the always-on display enabled. It offers the same Qualcomm processor as the newer Pixel Watch 3, along with a multipath health sensor, Wear OS 5 compatibility, and a host of welcome safety features. Read our review.Best Buy is selling the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 in the 40mm / Wi-Fi configuration starting at $219.99 ($80 off) with an extra Samsung band. The latest Samsung wearable is faster than its predecessor and can track your location even more accurately courtesy of its new dual-frequency GPS. It also sports a host of new features, like FDA-cleared sleep apnea detection and irregular heart rate notifications. Read our review.Garmin Fenix 8$800$100020% off$800The Garmin Fenix 8 adds smart features like the ability to take calls on the wrist, and an on-board voice assistant.Outdoor and travel dealsGarmin inReach Mini 2$300$40025% off$300Garmin’s palm-size inReach Mini 2 satellite communicator provides off-the-grid contact with subscription plans starting at $14.95 a month.The LifeStraw Peak Series Straw — which can filter bacteria, parasites, and microplastics from water — is on sale at Amazon and REI starting at $17.58 ($7 off), one of its best prices to date. You can use the handy outdoor gadget to drink directly from streams or rivers, yet the convenient design also allows you to attach it to bottles or connect it to gravity hose systems. The Peak Series model also features a more durable design and faster flow rate than earlier models, which is a boon for anyone in the backcountry.You can buy the Epicka Universal Travel Adapter starting at $19.54 at Amazon. The all-in-one adapter sports a single USB-C port and four USB-A ports, so you can power up a wide range of gadgets in more than 200 countries, including the UK, Japan, Australia, Italy, and more.Best Buy is selling the Starlink Mini for $499.99 ($200 off). The DC-powered Mini comes with a built-in Wi-Fi 5 router that’s integrated directly into the portable satellite dish. It delivers speeds over 100Mbps and takes just minutes to set up, offering quick and easy internet access while on the go (with a qualifying internet plan starting at $50 a month). Read our review.Tile Mate$20$2520% off$20The latest Tile Mate helps you keep track of your personal belongings from up to 350 feet away, which is 100 feet wider than its predecessor’s range. It’s also platform-agnostic, and can send SOS alerts if you pay for the $14.99 monthly Life360 Gold subscription.You can buy the AeroPress Original for around $31.95 ($8 off) at Amazon, Walmart, and Target right now. The 3-in-1 coffee maker is one of our favorite coffee gadgets, as it easily brews 10 ounces of regular coffee or multiple espresso-style shots in about a minute. It’s also easy to clean and comes with accessories like a scoop, stirrer, and paper macro filters, so brewing up a cup of coffee on the go is even easier.The Thermacell E90 Mosquito Repeller is available for $42.49 (about $7 off) at Amazon. The rechargeable device repels bugs within a 20-foot radius for up to nine hours at a time using its built-in battery. It also comes with a nine-hour cartridge, though 40-hour refills are also available.BioLite FirePit Plus$300$40025% off$300BioLite’s portable FirePit Plus cuts back on unwanted smoke, functions either as a charcoal or wood-fueled grill, and fans the flames via a large battery pack and built-in fan.Other miscellaneous dealsDell’s 16 Plus Windows laptop that released earlier this year is seeing steep discounts when you buy directly through Dell itself. We’re particularly impressed with the discount on the model that has a 2,560 x 1,600 resolution screen (instead of FHD+ in the base configuration), 16GB of RAM, Intel’s Core Ultra 7 256V processor, and 1TB of NVMe storage for $799.99 (normally $1,149.99).2024 iPad Mini$399$49920% off$399The seventh-gen iPad Mini comes with Apple’s A17 Pro chip and support for Apple Intelligence. It’s also compatible with the Apple Pencil Pro and offers faster Wi-Fi and USB-C speeds. Read our review.Amazon’s latest Fire Max 11 tablet is on sale for $174.99 ($50 off) at Amazon and Best Buy. The slate is the most powerful and capable in Amazon’s current lineup of budget-friendly Fire tablets. It sports a bright 11-inch display and support for optional accessories like a keyboard and stylus, though it’s still better suited for entertainment than real work. Read our review.You can buy an Anker 341 USB-C Hub for $25 ($14 off) at Amazon, which is just $2 shy of its best price to date (Anker is also matching the price when you use promo code WS7DV2R8BLKO). The 7-in-1 hub packs a variety of ports into a compact, travel-friendly design, including two USB-A 3.0 ports, a USB-C data port, a USB-C power port with up to 100W passthrough charging, and both SD and microSD card slots.Belkin’s older MagSafe 2-in-1 Wireless Charging Stand is down to $73.99 ($17 off) at Amazon, which is one of the lowest prices we’ve seen. It delivers up to 15W of power to MagSafe-compatible iPhones, with a pad that can also charge a pair of AirPods or a second Qi-enabled device, all while propping up your phone at a convenient viewing angle.Glocusent book light$20$229% off$20Glocuscent’s book light hangs around your neck to illuminate whatever you’re reading, while offering adjustable brightness and warmth settings.$20 at Amazon (with on-page coupon)You can pick up PowerA’s Enhanced Wireless Controller starting at $35.62 ($25 off) at Amazon, which is $3 shy of its best price to date. A number of designs are on sale, too, ranging from an Animal Crossing-inspired option to Mario-themed ones. Overall, the colorful gamepad is a good budget model for the Nintendo Switch, complete with support for Bluetooth, remappable buttons, and motion controls.Anker’s 610 Magnetic Phone Grip is on sale for $12.79 (about $3 off) at Amazon. The sturdy donut-shaped ring attaches securely to MagSafe-compatible iPhones while also doubling as a kickstand.Hoto 3.6V Screwdriver Tool Set$70$11036% off$70Hoto’s tool set is an exercise in practical minimalism. The handy starter kit includes a variety of starter tools aimed at small- to medium-sized jobs, including pliers, a claw hammer, a self-locking tape measure, and — of course — Hoto’s classic LED-lit electric screwdriver.$70 at Amazon$80 at HotoIf the mere prospect of summer already has you sweating, Jisulife’s adorable handheld fan is on sale at Amazon in an assortment of colors starting at $14.39 (about $4 off), matching its all-time low. Jisulife’s bag-friendly option is a pretty no-frills affair, though it does pack a built-in stand and can charge via USB-C; it also doubles as a 4,800mAh battery pack, as if its base functionality and the adorable bear ears weren’t enough.The Slice Auto-Retractable Box Cutter is on sale for $14.60 (about $5 off) at Amazon, which is its best price so far this year. The ceramic blade automatically retracts, making it a safe tool for opening packages around the house or office.Update, May 23rd: Checked prices and added the iRobot Combo 10 Max, the Dell 16 Plus laptop, the Bose SoundLink Max, and the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless.See More:

Choose wisely! The correct answer, the explanation, and an intriguing story await. Correct Answer: AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT Here's the story behind it The PlayStation 5 is powered by a custom AMD GPU based on the RDNA 2 architecture. In terms of performance, it is roughly equivalent to the AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT. This custom GPU features 36 compute units operating at variable frequencies of up to 2.23 GHz, delivering approximately 10.28 teraflops of graphical processing power. While these specs place it in the same general performance tier as the RX 6700 XT, direct comparisons can vary due to the PS5's highly optimized and integrated hardware design, which allows developers to extract more consistent real-world performance than a similarly specced PC GPU might achieve. In the PC realm, the Radeon RX 6700 XT competed against Nvidia's GeForce RTX 3060 Ti and performs slightly below the RTX 4060 Ti in terms of raw rasterization power. However, these comparisons can depend on the specific game and workload, especially when considering features like ray tracing and DLSS, where Nvidia GPUs tend to handle differently than AMD's offerings. Complementing the GPU, the PS5 also includes a custom AMD Zen 2-based CPU. This processor has 8 cores and 16 threads, running at up to 3.5 GHz with variable frequency. The Zen 2 architecture (used in the AMD Ryzen 3000 desktop PC CPU series, for example) was a significant leap in performance and efficiency compared to previous generations. The PlayStation 5 is equipped with 16 GB of GDDR6 memory, shared between the CPU and GPU in a unified memory architecture. This configuration provides high bandwidth (up to 448 GB/s) and low latency, facilitating rapid data access and efficient resource sharing. This unified approach helps game developers streamline asset streaming and memory management, contributing to smoother performance and faster load times, especially when paired with the console's fast NVMe SSD.