People who rely on Alexa to use basic home features like lights and other appliances experienced issues during the widespread internet outage on Monday night. Read...

If you’re in the market for a Thunderbolt docking station and you’re biding your time until Black Friday, know this: smart shoppers can save by buying a slightly older Thunderbolt 4 or USB4 dock instead. Buying tech always comes with a choice, as prices of new technology climb higher. You can either buy the latest and greatest and insulate yourself from change for a few years or buy used and save a few bucks. For 2025 and 2026 docking stations, the latter choice appears to be the right one. Docking stations have been in a transitional period for the last few years. Thunderbolt 3 / USB3 and Thunderbolt 4 / USB4 are almost identical in terms of their bandwidth, which is still one of the defining features of a docking station. In the real world, the 40Gbps bandwidth both standards offer are enough to connect 4K displays running 60Hz. Thunderbolt 5 was the next big thing, with 80Gbps (and in certain scenarios, 120Gbps) available for those 4K displays to run at 144Hz, which is good enough for gaming. Here’s the key point that you need to know: Intel’s current laptop platform, the Core Ultra Series 2 (Lunar Lake) as well as Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite chips, only support USB4 and Thunderbolt 4. (Thunderbolt 4 and USB4 are also functionally identical; in this case, Intel won’t certify a non-Intel chip as a “Thunderbolt” product, so USB4 is the generic equivalent.) And, somewhat shockingly, the next-generation of 2026 laptop platforms, the Intel Core Ultra Series 3 (Panther Lake) and the Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 Elite, don’t include integrated Thunderbolt 5 support, either. No integrated Thunderbolt 5 chip support means very little Thunderbolt 5 laptop support, which means very little reason to buy a Thunderbolt 5 docking station. Sound familiar? It should. I was expecting Thunderbolt 5 to make a decent showing at CES 2025. Nope. Intel Intel does sell a discrete Thunderbolt 5 chip that costs extra, and because of this you’ll see Thunderbolt 5 ports appear on expensive gaming laptops like the Razer Blade 18. But they’re not really necessary. The Blade 18 includes a stellar 4K+ display that actually exceeds Thunderbolt 5’s capabilities (3840×2400, 240Hz). Why would you want to use an external display when the laptop’s built-in display is even better? Not all gaming laptops include the same quality of display, but the argument generally holds true: gaming laptops with Thunderbolt 5 ports generally offer superior hardware right now. A Thunderbolt 5 dock isn’t cheap, either. Thunderbolt 5 docking station manufacturers tend to charge roughly $100 more for one. Plugable’s TBT-UDT3 Thunderbolt 5 dock is reasonably priced at $300 — it is! — but our top pick for the best Thunderbolt docking station, the Kensington Thunderbolt 4 Dual 4K Dock (SD5780T, is $185 at press time. Yes, there are some things to consider. One, AMD hasn’t announced its next-gen laptop platform for 2026, and the 120Gbps version of USB (USB4 V2) could certainly make an appearance. Two, docks like the Sonnetech Echo 13, a Thunderbolt 5 dock with an integrated SSD, provide almost-but-not-quite internal-SSD speeds for external storage. An issue with any gaming PC is simply the available storage, and being able to connect an external SSD with gaming-capable speeds is an enormous plus. Thunderbolt 5 docks like Sonnet’s deliver. Three, Thunderbolt 5 supports external GPUs, and we might see a forthcoming notebook designed with a Thunderbolt 5 port to connect to an external GPU dock like the Razer Core X V2. Business during the day, gaming after hours: that’s part of the promise of Thunderbolt 5. But times are not easy, and the ongoing economy and tariff wars mean people are going to want to save money during Black Friday and other holiday sales. If you agree, don’t plan on spending big on a Thunderbolt 5 dock. PCWorld plans to monitor e-tailers for any ongoing sales of Thunderbolt and USB4 docks for laptops, and we’ll be prioritizing Thunderbolt 4 and its cost-effective competition, DisplayLink. You should, too. Read...

TechHive Editors Choice At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros Extremely maneuverable Great features Cool modular concept Stable and easy to use app Cons The price tag Our Verdict The Yarbo Core is not a cheap appliance, but it is a very capable and powerful garden robot you can use for several outdoor tasks. Its snow blower attachment works great, and both Yarbo’s hardware and its software are very impressive. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Best Prices Today: Yarbo core med snöslunga Retailer Price $4,999 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Best Prices Today: Check today’s prices Yarbo’s modular yard robot was a hit at the CES show in Las Vegas in January 2025, but I must say I was skeptical of the concept. Once I had the opportunity to test the new machine with its snow blower attachment, one of the many accessories you can attach to this track-propelled robot, I changed my tune. The Yarbo kit arrived in three large boxes and installing the machine is a project. It is absolutely not difficult thanks to the clear instruction manual. You get all the tools you need and each them, including the Allen wrenches, are labeled. Great! It’s a bit of work before you’re ready to start using the Yarbo.Mikael Lindkvist Specifications Manufacturer: Yarbo Equipment: Yarbo Core, snow blower module, battery, docking station, accessories) Weight: 134 pounds (61kg) (Yarbo Core, less snow blower) Battery: 36V, 38.4 mAh Working temperature range: -11.2 degrees Fahrenheit to 113 F (-24 to 45 C) Weatherization: IPX4 (i.e., not tested for dust ingress, protected from water sprayed from any direction) Towing capacity: Control it with a smartphone or Yarbo’s handheld remote After a couple of hours, the RTK antenna is in place on the facade of the house, the base station is nailed down and the machine is ready to start testing. On my first trip to Västerbotten, a province in northeastern Sweden, I didn’t have time to do much more than assemble the kit and manually drive the snow blower around. You can choose to control it with your mobile phone or with an included handheld remote that looks like it belongs to a game console. The idea is, of course, that you schedule the snow removal to save time, in addition to saving your back. Mikael Lindkvist Controlling it via your mobile phone is really easy, as Yarbo’s app is exemplary. But there is a lot to keep track of besides navigating the machine. You can set the power level of the snow blower motor itself in several steps as well as how deep it should dig and the angle at which it should eject the removed snow. That’s not so good if you’re throwing ice and maybe some gravel at your car or the front of your house. The snow blower is powerful, right up there with the better battery-powered snow blowers I’ve tried, so it has no problem tossing snow (and ice chunks) 7- to 8 meters (7.6- to 8.7 yards). Mikael Lindkvist I had more time to really test what the Yarbo was capable of on my second trip. Now, the best thing would of course have been to set up the machine at the beginning of the winter, not when half a meter (1.6 feet) of snow had thawed and then froze again. In terms of the snow on the ground, conditions were simply not optimal. Studded tracks are a must in winter The first thing I did, which I didn’t manage to do in the first part of the test, was to switch to studded tracks. Without them, the Yarbo Core just slides over icy surfaces. This is a fairly simple project, however, and the robot got around much better with them on. It was incredible to see how it maneuvered icy high edges. Mikael Lindkvist The Yarbo Core charges either while standing on its charging pad, or via an included AC charger. The included 36V battery charges fully in about 3 hours, but when its cold outside, it needs to warm up for 20- to 30 minutes before you can start charging its battery. A full charge lasts up to 4 hours according to the specifications. The robot cleared large areas in that amount of time, so the operating time with the snow blower should not be a problem unless you have huge areas to handle. On paper, Yarbo should be able to handle up to 125,000 square meters (149,499 square yards); but of course, it depends on the job. The area I worked was only 700- to 800 square meters (837- to 957 square yards) in the form of a large driveway and a stretch of road. During the two test periods, the robot had no problems with navigation, needing a little help to get onto its charging pad only once . The app is user-friendly and clear.Mikael Lindkvist It’s very easy to plan your automated snow removal using the Yarbo app. If you’ve ever set up a boundary wire-free robot lawn mower, you’ll be familiar with the concept. You drive the machine around the edges of the area you’re mapping, during which you can mark no-go zones. It’s also important that you indicate indicate which direction the snow should be pushed. This is easiest to do after you’ve created your initial map. You can then schedule when you want the snow blower to run. You can also customize it to clear snow only after snow events. Mikael Lindkvist There are also some other smart features, including Smart Vision, which lets you look out through the robot’s onboard cameras while the robot is working. Another important feature is that the machine will recognize obstacles, including people. As soon as I walked near the snow blower, it would say “human detected” and pause until I was at a safe distance–around 4- to 5 meters (13- to 16 feet)–from the robot. This robot can pull a trailer, too It is of course difficult to judge the reliability of a machine like this in a few days of testing, but my first impression is that this is a really high-quality machine with stable software. You probably wouldn’t buy a Yarbo Core just for its winter utility (Yarbo offers a scraper bar ($59) and a snow plow blade ($159) as optional add-ons). Once you have the Core, you can choose between two sizes of lawn mower modules and a string-trimmer module for cutting grass in the spring and summer, and there’s a leaf blower module for clearing leaves in the fall. The contents of the test package.DataNova I imagine this robot will do a great job of mowing lawns, at least it won’t have any problems getting around. You can also tow up to 500 pounds with its trailer hitch installed, and opting for Yarbo’s $149 Back Brace Mount boosts that capacity to 3,500 pounds (with a 200-pound tongue weight). Finally, if you live on a large parcel of land, you can program it to patrol as a robotic security guard. The Yarbo Core and its snow blower attachment are crazy expensive, but this is definitely one of the coolest products I’ve tried. This article originally appeared on our sister publication M3 and was translated and localized from Swedish. Don’t miss TechHive’s top picks in robot lawn mowers. Read...

Well, well, well… if it isn’t the best gaming laptop deal we’ve seen in a while. The Asus TUF Gaming F16 is a powerhouse 16-inch machine that’s normally $1,539.99, but Best Buy currently has it for just $1,249.99. That’s a smooth $290 discount that puts it on par (price-wise) with far lesser laptops, except you’ll love the specs in this one. First off, the Asus TUF Gaming F16 has a gorgeous 16-inch IPS display with accurate colors that look great whether you’re gaming or streaming Netflix. The 1920×1200 resolution is crisp and roomy while the speedy 165Hz refresh rate is smooth for high-frame-rate games. It isn’t the brightest with 300 nits, but that’s more than enough indoors. The crowning glory of this machine is the Nvidia RTX 5060 GPU, which is worth every penny as a budget-friendly access point for Nvidia’s DLSS 4 features including multi-frame generation. Combined with the powerful Intel Core i7-14650HX processor and the chunky 32GB of fast DDR5 RAM, you’ll be gaming like a king and handling everything else (e.g., Windows 11, Chrome, YouTube, Office) without choking. Cap it off with a PCIe Gen 4 SSD with 1TB of capacity plus a surprising number of ports (1x HDMI 2.1, 2x USB-C, 3x USB-A 3.2, Ethernet, and 3.5mm audio) and you have a versatile device that’s able to do anything and everything you need of it. It’ll last you years, for sure. Snatch this Asus TUF Gaming F16 laptop for $1,249.99 at Best Buy before this deal runs out—it’s absolutely worth jumping on. Get this stellar Asus RTX 5060 gaming laptop for $290 offBuy now from Best Buy Read...

Your IP address is a lot like your home address on the internet. A lot of information can be gleaned from it. Information like your location, your ISP, and even what you like to do online. It’s no wonder you might like to keep that address secret at times, just as you protect your home address and don’t advertise it to everyone you know. The internet is more regulated now You might think you have total freedom on the internet, but that’s not the case. Even in the USA, there are restrictions that come into play. The classic example is how some states have started to restrict access to adult websites. Arizona, for example, is just the latest state to implement age verification laws on sites such as Pornhub. Then there are some countries where censorship by the governments is the norm, where personal freedoms aren’t as readily available. While travelling you could unwittingly break those laws by logging into websites that are banned, and all with your identifying IP address being recorded. It’s a worrying thought. How changing your IP address can help When you change your IP address, you’re telling websites that you’re visiting from another place. If the websites you’re visiting are censored in the location you’re logging on from, a different IP address can fool those sites into thinking you’re in a different location and therefore can bypass the geographical censorship. The second benefit is that changing your IP address helps conceal your identity. It masks your identity from advertisers, tracking companies, and anyone else trying to create a profile on you. That can stop you from being data mined. Third, changing your IP address protects you from targeted attacks. Without your real IP address, hackers cannot target their attacks specifically at your connection. You’re a lot safer than if you were using your real IP address. Pexels: Stefan Coders VPNs are the answer The easiest way to change your IP address is with a VPN, or virtual private network. A VPN not only changes your IP address, but it does so safely while encrypting your internet traffic. Once you’ve subscribed to a VPN your internet traffic is sent to the websites you visit via a secure server in a location of your choice. You take the IP address of that server instead of your own. VPNs also protect you when you’re connected to public Wi-Fi, stop your ISP from throttling your internet speed, and enable you to stream content outside of your region or country of origin — all via the same mechanism, by giving you a new IP address. So, there’s a real practical benefit. The thing is, though, not all VPNs are made equal. VPNs have different features, operate at different speeds, and have different policies regarding the data they keep track of. On that last note, the thing to look out for is a no-logs policy. This outlines a VPN’s agreement not to keep a record of your online activities, your browsing history, or your connection logs. To find a good VPN that has a no-logs policy it’s best to read reviews online. PCWorld’s own recommendations of the best VPNs are based on comprehensive reviews, so be sure to check them out and compare features if you’re in the market for a VPN. Related content Why you need to pack a VPN for your next vacation Best VPN services: 8 top picks for every VPN need 14 VPN terms and features everyone should know 6 common VPN myths everyone falls for—and why they’re wrong Read...

Microsoft has introduced a new device category with Copilot+. Only laptops with a dedicated Neural Processing Unit (NPU), at least 16 GB of RAM and a fast NVMe SSD fulfil the minimum requirements. Intel is addressing these requirements with the Core Ultra series, which combines classic CPU cores with GPU acceleration and a hardwired NPU. This unit alone achieves 40 to 47 trillion computing operations per second – a device is only officially certified as a Copilot+ PC once it reaches this performance level. Put simply, if you want to use AI functions locally, you need a very fast computer with a chip specially optimized for AI. Core Ultra processors with local AI acceleration For modern AI applications, it is no longer just the clock rate that is decisive, but the internal distribution of tasks between the computing units. The Intel Core Ultra 7 268V has eight CPU cores and an integrated Intel Arc GPU. The set-up is complemented by the NPU, which is specially designed for inference-based AI tasks. This allows text analyses, translations, video filters, image generation or language modelling to be carried out directly on the chip – without any detours via the cloud. The Intel NPU cannot be configured separately; its activity is controlled via Windows components. Functions such as Recall, Cocreator or Windows Studio Effects access it automatically; there is no provision for manual assignment. Intel Copilot functions between benefit and control The central innovation in Copilot is not the graphical user interface, but the shifting of AI processing to the device. The Recall feature continuously creates screenshots of all activities. These can be searched through later using a text search. The feature works locally, stores content in encrypted form and can be deactivated for specific applications. However, users have no insight into the data model used. Chris Hoffman / Foundry The Live Captions function covers a special use case. It transcribes any audio signals in real time, regardless of whether they originate from a video, a video call or a locally played file. The Intel NPU takes over the continuous speech-to-text mapping at system level. The output takes place as an overlay directly above the respective window or as a separate bar at the bottom of the screen. Unlike conventional subtitles, Live Captions is speech-agnostic, automatically recognizing speech input and converting it into readable text on-the-fly. No internet connection is required. Translations can also be activated so that English-language content, for example, is automatically subtitled in German. If the NPU performance is sufficient, the delay remains minimal. The function can be used system-wide, which creates real added value, especially for people with impaired hearing or in noisy environments. Program-specific activation is not necessary. As soon as Live Captions are activated, the system analyses all sound sources. However, use is limited to the visible transcript. There is no storage or analysis beyond the current session. Chris Hoffman / IDG Local image synthesis with Paint Cocreator The Cocreator function integrated in Paint makes it possible to create images from simple text input within a few seconds. This requires a Copilot-certified device with an active NPU. The underlying diffusion model runs locally and utilizes both the main memory and the dedicated NPU for image generation. In contrast to cloud services, the entire process remains on the device. A short text-based prompt is sufficient to receive several image suggestions in low to medium resolution, which can then be edited directly in Paint. Users can influence the style, color scheme and complexity of the motif – but only within the specified limits. The model itself remains a black box; external models cannot be integrated. Without an NPU, Cocreator is hidden or refuses to start due to insufficient system resources. Mark Hachman / IDG In addition to pure computing power, Intel Core Ultra notebooks have specialized technologies to optimize the use of AI in mobile operation. The so-called Dynamic Tuning Technology analyses temperature, usage behavior and energy profile in real time and automatically adjusts the distribution of loads to the CPU, GPU and NPU. This is complemented by the Intelligent Display, which controls screen brightness, contrast and refresh rate in a context-sensitive manner, an aspect that can bring tangible benefits in terms of battery life in battery mode. This technology also proves useful for longer video conferences or remote working scenarios, as it relieves the thermal management and optimizes visibility at the same time. The NPU also benefits from the fact that the reduced GPU load creates more thermal headroom for inference tasks. Inference-based processes refer to tasks in which an AI makes decisions or delivers results based on an already trained model. In other words, the actual learning, i.e. the training, has already been completed. During inference, this knowledge is used to process new input. One example would be the automatic subtitling of videos using live captions. The AI has previously been trained with huge language data sets. During inference, it recognizes what someone is saying in real time, converts speech into text and displays it directly on the screen. To do this, it does not reuse the entire training material, but instead uses compact, optimized models. Crucially, inference processes can be executed locally on the device, provided a dedicated accelerator such as an NPU is available. This means that data remains on the notebook and AI reactions are almost instantaneous. Energy efficiency and system behavior under load One advantage of the Intel architecture is the thermal separation of the computing units. CPU, GPU and NPU do not compete directly for power reserves. The NPU only handles inference-based processes. This significantly reduces power consumption when AI features are active. Tests with the Core Ultra 9 285K show up to 25 per cent better efficiency compared to the Core i9 14900K. The battery life benefits noticeably from this shift. Systems such as the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition achieve up to 22 hours of video playback without any loss of performance in AI processes. The decisive factor here is the continuous support by BIOS and Windows. Without the latest UEFI update, the NPU is often underpowered. In addition to the Lenovo Yoga Slim, other manufacturers already offer devices that are explicitly suitable for local AI applications under Windows 11. The Acer Swift Go 14 relies on the Intel Core Ultra 7 155H, combined with an NPU that delivers over 40 trillion operations per second. Thomas Joos It is worth taking a look at the specific device basis, as not every laptop advertised as a “Copilot” fulfils the same requirements. Notebooks with Intel Evo certification and Core Ultra 200V processors undergo a validation program that is tailored to real-life usage scenarios. Not only high performance and long battery life are required, but also fast reactivation, smooth multi-monitor connection via Thunderbolt 4 and consistent behavior when using several applications at the same time. For Copilot, this means that functions such as Recall, Live Captions and Cocreator run without any loss of performance, even when switching between mains and battery operation. Evo-certified devices such as the Acer Swift Go or the Surface models from the business segment are thus exemplary for this new class of hybrid AI PCs, which combine everyday usability and technical sophistication. YouTube / Microsoft Intel divides the Core Ultra Series 2 into several model lines that have a direct impact on the field of application of mobile systems. The V models serve as a reference for slim premium devices and impress with their high efficiency and strong NPU performance. H models are aimed at classic high-end notebooks for productive applications with medium mobility requirements. U models are optimized for lightweight, ultra-mobile systems with reduced energy requirements and AI functions. HX models represent the upper performance spectrum with up to 24 physical cores and are primarily intended for workstations, gaming laptops and professional creative environments. V and H models are particularly suitable for everyday use in AI-supported Windows applications, as they offer a good balance between battery life, thermal budget and inference performance of the NPU. What Intel NPUs can do and what is not visible The practical use of the NPU is tied to the respective features in Windows. Independent programming or execution of user-defined models is not possible with on-board resources. Intel does provide developers with APIs, but in everyday life these paths are not accessible to users without programming knowledge. The visibility of NPU utilization is limited to indicators in the task manager or via third-party tools. For power users, it remains unclear which processes are running on which unit and when. Control remains in the hands of the operating system. A separation of CPU and NPU responsibilities can at best be indirectly tracked via utilization profiles. Thomas Joos Intel offers additional functions for corporate use with the vPro platform based on the Core Ultra series. In addition to the integration of security-relevant features such as hardware-based identity verification, the NPU can also be used directly by security software to analyze threats locally and detect behavioral anomalies at an early stage. In addition, vPro Device Discovery supports detailed queries on installed components, energy profiles and configuration states. In combination with Copilot functions, this creates devices that offer a high degree of transparency and control for both IT administrators and users in regulated industries – without direct access to the underlying models. Bottom line With an Intel Core Ultra 200V series device, you gain access to a clearly defined group of AI functions. These run locally, do not require an internet connection and benefit directly from the NPU. However, control over computing execution remains limited: Windows automatically determines which unit becomes active, while the setting options only allow rudimentary intervention. For productive use, this primarily means a gain in efficiency – but not deeper system control. The new device class is therefore more of a platform than a toolbox. Those looking for precise AI customizations will quickly reach their limits. On the other hand, those who rely on stable, locally executed features will find a convincing hardware basis in the Intel-based Copilot devices. Read...

At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros Design looks and feels premium Great performance Beautiful OLED screen Speakers are excellent Cons Keyboard and touchpad abandon tactile feedback Limited ports (no USB Type-A or HDMI) Middle-of-the-road battery life Expensive Our Verdict The Dell 16 Premium is a premium take on a bad idea. The hardware is powerful, the design is beautiful, and it feels excellent. But the keyboard and trackpad are not pleasant to use. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Best Prices Today: Dell 16 Premium Retailer Price Check Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Best Prices Today: Check today’s prices The Dell 16 Premium is both impressive and deeply frustrating. Dell has created a high-quality 16-inch laptop that looks and feels great. It has powerful internals — an Intel Arrow Lake CPU and Nvidia GPU — and an excellent OLED screen. This is a laptop built by people who really cared. But the core design here was a mistake and good craftsmanship can’t save it. For $3,199, you’re getting a keyboard and trackpad experience that looks flashy in photos but feels obnoxious to use. You’re getting high-end internals without common ports (like USB Type-A and HDMI) that people would want in high-end work-focused laptops. And, if minimalism is your priority, the 16-inch size, 4.65-pound weight, and limited battery life here means this machine isn’t ideal for portability. This is one of the strangest laptops I’ve ever reviewed. Dell tried so hard to make something special and different that it made the day-to-day laptop experience worse. The Dell 16 Premium is a beautiful and expensive hybrid that doesn’t serve any audience particularly well. But it’s so incredibly polished. This is the highest-quality misfire I’ve ever reviewed. This is the highest-quality misfire I’ve ever reviewed. Dell 16 Premium: Specs The Dell 16 Premium is available in a few different configurations starting at $1,999. These configurations all have Intel Arrow Lake CPUs with discrete Nvidia graphics. We reviewed the $3,199 model, which came with an Intel Core Ultra 7 255H CPU, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 graphics, and 32GB of RAM. This high-end model packs a beautiful 4K OLED display with a variable refresh rate up to 120Hz and a touch screen. Because this is an Intel Arrow Lake CPU, it doesn’t have an NPU fast enough to run Microsoft’s Copilot+ PC features. Dell says this machine has an “AI-enabled Intel processor” on its web page, but the “premium” experience here doesn’t get you access to Windows 11’s latest AI features. Intel’s “Series 2” CPU naming remains baffling to me. Model: Dell 16 Premium (DA16250) CPU: Intel Core Ultra 7 255H Memory: 32GB LPDDR5X 8400MT/s RAM Graphics/GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070, Intel Arc 140T NPU: Intel AI Boost Display: 16.3-inch 3840×2400 OLED touchscreen with variable refresh rate up to 120Hz Storage: 1TB PCIe NVMe SSD Webcam: 1080p webcam Connectivity: 3x Thunderbolt 4 (USB Type-C), 1x combo audio jack, 1x microSDXC card reader Networking: Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4 Biometrics: IR camera and fingerprint reader for Windows Hello Battery capacity: 99.5 Watt-hours Dimensions: 14.10 x 9.40 x 0.75 inches Weight: 4.65 pounds MSRP: $3,199 as tested Dell 16 Premium: Design and build quality Foundry / Chris Hoffman The Dell 16 Premium looks beautiful. Our review model’s “Platinum” color scheme is the spitting image of a high-quality silver laptop. It’s a little large and heavy (this is a 4.65-pound 16-inch laptop) so this isn’t a thin-and-light style machine. The chassis is made of aluminum, and the metal and weight gives it a nice heft. The hinge action feels great, too. When you open it and turn it on for the first time, there’s a bit of a “wow” moment — at least there was for me. I review a lot of laptops, and this machine looks distinct. It’s a clean, minimalist design: a membrane keyboard framed by speakers on each side, and that’s it. (Aside from the obligatory sticker Intel forces PC manufacturers to stick onto their laptops.) When you turn it on, the function keys light up and it looks premium. The palm rest is one piece of gorilla glass, and it feels smooth to touch and to drag your finger over the trackpad. On this OLED model, the display looks especially vivid and beautiful. This is a laptop designed to look distinctly good in photos and to feel premium when you touch it in a store. And it delivers. Dell 16 Premium: Keyboard and trackpad Foundry / Chris Hoffman Once you start using the laptop, things go downhill fast. The keyboard and trackpad are the worst things here. The keyboard is large, has nice backlighting, and has a unique look. It’s also not mushy. That’s about all I can say in its favor. This keyboard only has 1.0mm of key travel, and I feel that low travel with every keypress I make. That’s the kind of extremely low key travel you see on thin-and-light laptops optimized for maximum thinness. It’s not the kind of key travel you see a 4.65-pound machine with a discrete GPU. This means the typing experience just doesn’t feel great. More obviously, the capacitive function row buttons completely lack tactile feedback. They light up and show different functions when you hold down the Fn key on the keyboard, which is a cool-looking trick. But, without any tactile feedback, you have to look down at the key you’re pressing, tap it, and wait to see if the computer noticed your tap. It feels bad. If PC manufacturers want to do this, they should try to integrate some kind of haptic feedback, a confirmation you pressed the button. That would make this feel a bit better. The trackpad is also a surreal experience. There is a trackpad at the center of the palm rest in the usual position you’d find one. However, its edges are completely invisible. Without a visual or tactile outline, you must guess where the edge is. This makes mousing around with your finger annoying, and it also causes problems when using multi-finger gestures. On the plus side, it is a haptic trackpad, so that’s nice. The Dell 16 Premium loses the plot here. It would be better if Dell had used a standard keyboard and trackpad setup. They’ve invested a lot of resources in providing an experience that feels worse to use. And, with the lack of tactile feedback, I don’t think it’s something I would adapt and get used to — even if I bought this machine and used it as my daily driver. Dell 16 Premium: Display and speakers Foundry / Chris Hoffman The Dell 16 Premium model Dell loaned us for this review had a 16.3-inch 4K OLED display with a variable refresh rate up to 120Hz. It looked vivid and beautiful — like the rest of this machine, it’s a looker. The main problem with the display is its fairly low brightness for an OLED. It maxes out at 400 nits, and while that’s reasonable enough, many laptops with OLEDs tend to deliver more brightness. I felt like I wanted to keep the brightness cranked up to maximum most of the time, even when using the laptop in a fairly dark room. Combined with the glossy display (a mainstay for OLED panels), this machine isn’t ideal for use outdoors in challenging lighting conditions. However, it did do pretty well on a cloudy New England day in the fall, as you can see in some of my photos. The Dell 16 Premium boasts a quad speaker setup, and it sounds great for a laptop. There’s plenty of volume. To test laptop speakers, I always fire up Spotify and play Steely Dan’s Aja and Daft Punk’s Get Lucky. The speakers did a surprisingly good job with the crisp instrument separation in Aja, and there was enough bass to deliver a fun sound in Get Lucky. These are unusually good laptop speakers. Dell 16 Premium: Webcam, microphone, biometrics Foundry / Chris Hoffman The Dell 16 Premium’s 1080p webcam captures a clear, sharp picture, and it looked better than average, even in challenging and dim lighting conditions. I was impressed with the quality of the image. In keeping with the spirit of minimalism, the Dell 16 Premium doesn’t offer a physical shutter or switch to block the webcam. That’s a shame. The microphone picks up clear audio with good noise cancellation, and I’d be happy to use it in video meetings, although I’ll stick with a studio mic for my podcast appearances. The Dell 16 Premium has both facial recognition hardware and a fingerprint reader. You can sign in with your face or touch your finger to the fingerprint reader built into the power button at the top-right corner of the laptop’s keyboard. Both worked well, giving you multiple ways to sign into your PC with Windows Hello. Dell 16 Premium: Connectivity Foundry / Chris Hoffman The Dell 16 Premium cuts way back on ports compared to the average 16-inch $3,199 laptop with a discrete GPU. It provides three Thunderbolt 4 (USB Type-C) ports — two on the left, and one on the right. It charges via one of these ports, too. Then, you get a combo audio jack and a microSDXC card reader slot on the right. That’s it. Dell has optimized this machine for a svelte, tapered look, as if a premium laptop means one with fewer ports. That may fly when we’re talking about thin-and-light minimalist laptops, but I don’t think this makes sense for a 16-inch laptop that’s over 4.5 pounds with discrete graphics. The audience for this type of laptop will want extra ports — USB Type-A, HDMI, and maybe even Ethernet. You’ll probably want to pair this machine with a dongle or dock. The Dell 16 Premium does have both Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4. It’s nice to see support for the latest wireless standards. Dell 16 Premium: Performance The Dell 16 Premium model we reviewed had an Intel Core Ultra 7 255H CPU (Arrow Lake), Nvidia RTX 5070 graphics, 32GB of LPDDR5X RAM running at 8400 MT/s, and a 1 TB PCIe SSD. With specifications like that, it’s no surprise it ran well. These specs are closer to a gaming laptop than the average productivity machine. The fans stay quiet and there isn’t much heat on the keyboard, even when running demanding tasks. Dell says this laptop has a vapor chamber cooling system, and that’s the kind of high-end touch that does make the hardware feel premium. We ran the Dell 16 Premium through our standard benchmarks to see how it performs. Foundry / Chris Hoffman First, we run PCMark 10 to get an idea of overall system performance. With an overall PCMark score of 8,204, the Dell 16 Premium delivered excellent performance. It’s closer to what you’d expect to see from a gaming laptop, and that’s no surprise given the high-end hardware and cooling system in this machine. Foundry / Chris Hoffman Next, we run Cinebench R20. This is a heavily multithreaded benchmark that focuses on overall CPU performance. It’s a quick benchmark, so cooling under extended workloads isn’t a factor. But, since it’s heavily multithreaded, CPUs with more cores have a huge advantage. With an overall Cinebench R20 score of 9,137, the 16-core Intel Core Ultra 7 255H CPU in the Dell 16 Premium delivered great performance — far exceeding the eight core Intel Lunar Lake CPUs in some other 16-inch laptops. Those slower CPUs are the only Intel CPUs that offer an NPU fast enough for Copilot+ PC AI features. With Intel, you have to compromise one way or another. This machine was neck-and-neck with an AMD-powered system that does deliver an NPU that hits Microsoft’s minimum standards, however. Laptop buyers should seriously consider whether they want to buy $3,199 machines that aren’t compatible with the latest features in Windows. An AMD chip could have delivered the best of both worlds. Foundry / Chris Hoffman We also run an encode with Handbrake. This is another heavily multithreaded benchmark, but it runs over an extended period. This demands the laptop’s cooling kick in, and many laptops will throttle and slow down under load. The Dell 16 Premium completed the encode process in 699 seconds — that’s just over eleven and a half minutes. It’s a great result that shows this machine’s cooling works well. You’d have to go up to an Intel Core Ultra 9 CPU with more cores for noticeably better performance. Foundry / Chris Hoffman Next, we run a graphical benchmark. This isn’t a gaming laptop, but it does have a dedicated Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 GPU. We run 3DMark Time Spy, a graphical benchmark that focuses on GPU performance. With a 3DMark Time Spy score of 11,016, the Dell 16 Premium was a little behind the Alienware 16X Aurora, which coincidentally has the same model of GPU. But the GPU’s name isn’t the only thing that matters. The Alienware 16X Aurora is a gaming laptop that runs the GPU with more power. The Dell 16 Premium runs its RTX 5070 GPU at 65W TGP, while the Alienware 16X Aurora runs its GPU at 115W TGP. So, despite the Nvidia graphics in this PC, you aren’t necessarily getting graphics horsepower on par with a gaming laptop. Overall, the Dell 16 Premium delivered excellent performance. Unless you plan on upgrading to a Core Ultra 9 CPU or switching to a beefier gaming laptop, you’re not going to do noticeably better. Dell 16 Premium: Battery life The Dell 16 Premium has a huge 99.5 Watt-hour battery. That goes right up to the line — the U.S. Transportation Security Administration won’t allow a battery onto an airplane if it’s over 100 Watt hours in size. Foundry / Chris Hoffman To benchmark the battery life, we play a 4K copy of Tears of Steel on repeat on Windows 11 with airplane mode enabled until the laptop suspends itself. We set the screen to 250 nits of brightness for our battery benchmarks. This is a best-case scenario for any laptop since local video playback is so efficient, and real battery life in day-to-day use is always going to be less than this. The Dell 16 Premium lasted 844 minutes on average, which is about 14 hours. That’s reasonable. But, in the real world, that doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll make it through an eight hour workday, especially not if you’re running the demanding software this machine feels like it was built for. The Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro 360, with its slower Intel Lunar Lake processor, lasted over 23 hours in our benchmarks. If you’re eyeing this machine for its sleekness and minimalism, a machine like that Galaxy Book may be more up your alley. Dell 16 Premium: Conclusion The Dell 16 Premium is an excellent, well-built machine with serious care and craftsmanship put into it. It’s also a confused hybrid that feels designed by committee. By trying to marry high-end hardware with a svelte laptop experience, Dell has created a compromised experience. But the biggest problem is the keyboard and trackpad. The lack of tactile feedback and the very low 1.0mm of key travel means this laptop isn’t great to type on for long periods of time. At $3,199, that just feels unacceptable. For what it’s worth, a Dell representative noted this particular configuration has already been on sale for as much as $400 off the retail price. The PC market is all about sales, and prices are hard to pin down. Still, I feel a little bad knocking this laptop. The Dell 16 Premium is built on a vision that doesn’t really make sense. But, after the idea stage, everyone involved knocked it out of the park and did an incredible job of bringing that vision to life. Read...

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I don’t know how your tech drawers look, but mine are filled with wires I’ll likely never use again because technology has advanced quite a bit. Thankfully, USB-C seems to be here to stay since there is no wrong way to plug these things in. It’s not just smartphones, tablets, and laptops that use these, however, but also a long list of gadgets. We’ve scoured the market for hidden gems: 13 gadgets that will make you think “Wow, I didn’t know I needed that, but it will make my life so much easier!” Let’s dive in and see what cool devices you’ll be able to use your type-C cables and ports with. Unihand rechargeable hand warmers Unihand As the weather is getting colder, you sometimes wish you could warm up your hands a bit faster. Well, these $18 hand warmers are rechargeable and perfectly ready to keep your fingers toasty for up to 20 hours on a single charge. These gadgets feature a temperature sensor chip that helps you pick one of three temps for precise control. There are plenty of colors to choose from, too. Wowstick 1F+ mini electric screwdriver Wowstick If you often have to fiddle around with your computer or other gadgets, this Wowstick mini electric screwdriver may be just what you need. This pen-shaped screwdriver features three LED lights so it’s easier to see what you’re working on and rotates 200 times per minute so you can finish the job faster. The screwdriver has a stylish base so you can hold it on your desk, and a whole collection of 56 aluminum alloy bits. The screwdriver can be charged via USB-C and it can last for hours. This super fun electric screwdriver usually goes for $41. Anker Nano Power Bank Anker One thing you need to have in you bag/pocket/backpack is a power bank because you never really know when your phone will fail you and cry for a recharge. Well, the Anker Nano power bank is tiny enough to fit just about anywhere. It comes with a foldable USB-C connector and a port on the side so you can charge two devices at once if you need to. The 5,000mAh capacity is just about enough for a full phone recharge, so it will be great in a pinch. It’s also only $30, but we’ve seen it as low as $16. Endoscope camera with light Ennovor Although it’s not something you’ll use every day, this Ennover endoscope camera can definitely come in handy. You just plug it in your phone, install and app, and see everything your camera does. Our team swears by it, using it for finding whatever they dropped behind the desk, while working on the car, or looking for pipe leaks. Since it has an IP67 rating, you can even plop it in your aquarium. The camera comes with a 16.4ft semi-rigid cable and several accessories, including a hook, magnet, and a mirror. You can get this one for $17 right now. Blukar flashlight Blukar I don’t care who you are—you need a flashlight. The smaller, the better, because you get to shove it into any pocket. This model from Blukar comes with a built-in 1800mAh battery that you’ll recharge with one of those many type-C cables you have in that tech drawer we were talking about. It can work for up to 16 hours on a single charge, which is pretty decent. There are four different lightning modes to cycle through, including one that will help you signal for help. Plus, one of these is less than $8, so no excuse to pass on this one. Heat It insect bite healer Anyone plagued by mosquitoes in the summer will be particularly pleased with this ingenious gadget. This tiny device, which can be easily connected to your smartphone via USB-C, can significantly reduce the itching of bites and stings with targeted heat. You simply charge the small Heat It bite healer via the app and then hold it on the bite. The heat then does the rest, breaking down the proteins in the mosquito bite that cause the area to swell, itch, and hurt. A true must-have for summer, and it costs only $20 when on sale. A tiny air pump Also perfect for summer is this small air pump from Cycplus, which fits in any bag while on the go. Not only can it inflate a bicycle tire in two minutes at the touch of a button, but it’s also USB-charged. According to the manufacturer, it’s suitable for mountain bikes, road bikes, motorcycles, and even cars! In addition to being an air pump, this practical gadget can also be used as a flashlight or power bank for on-the-go use — all things that come in very handy on a bike ride. And at just $57 (although we’ve seen it for as low as $35) it’s highly recommended if you need quick help with a flat tire. USB-C mini fan These little fans are also pretty ingenious; you can easily carry them in your pocket in the summer and quickly use them whenever you need them. Anyone who’s ever sat on a crowded subway train in 30-degree heat and wished for at least a little fresh air will love this gadget. The mini fan, which costs just $20, has a USB-C port and can be easily powered by power banks, computers, laptops, or USB chargers. There are even smaller and cheaper fans available that can be connected directly to your phone, costing under $10 each. But these also provide less powerful airflow, so we recommend the standalone version. Reading light with a book clamp Anyone who enjoys reading a lot, sometimes late into the night, will appreciate this little gadget: a reading lamp that you can simply clip onto your book. It may not be groundbreaking, but with a total of three color temperatures and five different light modes, you can individually adjust how much light you need for reading. The Gritin reading lamp costs just $8 on Amazon and features a 1200 mAh battery that lasts up to 80 hours depending on usage. Afterward, you can easily recharge it via USB. You can swivel the neck of the lamp back and forth as desired, and there’s even a small charging indicator. What more could you want? External DVD Drive Amicool If your laptop is like mine and lacks a DVD drive, then this little gadget will come in handy for you. This Amicool external DVD drive uses a USB-C (or USB-A) to connect to your laptop and give yout he optical drive you sometimes need. It can read and burn DVDs and CDs with ease, allowing you to install software, copy files, back up data, play games, and so on. You won’t even need to install drives as this thing is plug and play. While this thing’s usually $29, you can often get it for around $20, which is an absolute bargain. Samsung flash drive Samsung The vast majority of flash drives have a USB-A connector, but this one from Samsung has a Type-C connector. With transfer speeds of up to 400MB/s, you’ll move files around in no time. The beauty of this thumb drive is that you can even pop it in your smartphone to record 4K vids directly on it. The Samsung Type-C flash drive comes in multiple storage options, starting at 64GB and up to 512GB and they start at $14. The 256GB version, for instance, is $27 at the time of writing. Type-C microSD card reader Ugreen Most laptops nowadays don’t come with a card reader anymore (I know mine doesn’t), so finding other ways to get data off those little buggers is a must. Whether you need to pull data off your dashcam’s card or if it’s from your camera, this tiny Ugreen USB-C microSD reader will work just fine. This reader is tiny enough that you should probably put it on a keychain of some kind. If you’d rather a slightly more versatile version, Ugreen has a model that also works with SD cards and features both USB-C and USB-A connectors. Any of these will cost you less than $10, so they’re worthwhile investments. USB-C to HDMI adapter Anker If your laptop has a USB-C port but you haven’t updated your monitor in ages, your display won’t feature a Type-C port. This Anker adapter fixes this problem for you, enabling you to connect the regular HDMI cable you plug in your monitor with this gadget. The adapter supports resolutions of up to 4K at 60Hz, which is pretty awesome. This is also a nifty way to connect your phone or tablet to your monitor or TV. This thing’s $20, but we’ve seen it as low as $12. Editor’s note: This article was originally published on May 16, but was updated to include additional devices. Read...

At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros Pans 360 degrees and tilts 180 degrees Smooth, accurate motion tracking Clear 2K video, with a spotlight for color night vision Cons Must stay plugged in—there’s no battery option Many smart features require a paid subscription No local video storage (it’s not compatible with Arlo’s SmartHubs) Our Verdict The Arlo Essential Pan Tilt Security Camera offers wide, intelligent coverage and strong everyday performance at a budget price, making it a great fit for users who don’t need a fully wireless setup. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Best Prices Today: Arlo Essential Pan Tilt Security Camera (model VMC3083-100NAS) Retailer Price $39.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Best Prices Today: Check today’s prices Arlo’s Essential line has always been about giving users the features that matter most without charging premium-camera prices. The new Essential Pan Tilt Security Camera adds movement to the mix. It can spin a full 360 degrees and tilt 180, giving you wall-to-wall visibility in a single device. Like the rest of Arlo’s new generation, it runs on Arlo Intelligence and ties into the Arlo Secure app for AI-powered alerts, privacy controls, and quick access to live video. Available with HD ($49.99) or (2K) resolutions ($59.99 and reviewed here), the camera targets budget-conscious buyers who still want broad coverage and real-time control. Design and features The Essential Pan Tilt Security Camera is compact, light, and cleanly styled. It plugs into power rather than running on a battery, which keeps the body small enough to be discreet when mounted to a wall, fence, or eaves (it can be installed indoors or out). Michael Ansaldo/Foundry The camera is mounted to a pan/tilt motor that can cover entire yard from one position. Once it detects motion, it automatically tracks the moving person or object. You get two-way audio with noise cancellation for back-and-forth talk, night vision for after-dark monitoring, and a built-in siren you can trigger manually or automatically. When you want privacy, a quick tap in the app disables both video and audio recording. The Arlo Pan Tilt security cam delivers smooth, nearly silent movement and quick response to motion. The camera has a dual-band Wi-Fi adapter that automatically locks onto the stronger of your 2.4- or 5GHz network signals for smoother streaming. Because it’s continuously powered through the included 16-foot cable and adapter, you need never worry about downtime for charging a battery. The camera works with Arlo Secure and Arlo Intelligence to deliver AI-powered alerts for people, vehicles, animals, and packages, animated preview notifications, and event captions that make alerts easier to interpret. On the downside, you won’t get any of that if you don’t sign up for a subscription. Arlo’s Plus plan runs $7.99 a month when billed annually for a single camera, or $17.99 for unlimited cameras; month-to-month pricing bumps that to $9.99 and $19.99. The Premium tier, about $24.99 a month when billed annually, adds 24/7 professional monitoring and emergency response; plus, cellular and battery backup when used with compatible Arlo hardware. This plan would really be of interest only if you also have a complete Arlo home security system. Arlo includes a 30-day free trial of Arlo Secure with the purchase of the camera. Setup and performance To set up the camera, just plug it in, add the device in the Arlo Secure app, and follow the on-screen prompts. The app handles Wi-Fi onboarding, firmware updates, and even evaluates your wireless signal strength automatically. The last step will be important when determining where to mount the camera. The necessary hardware is provided and the app includes a helpful installation guide. The Essential Pan Tilt Security Camera comes with hardware to mount it to a wall, fence or eave, but it needs access to a power outlet (it comes with a 16-foot power cable).Michael Ansaldo/Foundry Once it’s up and running, the Pan Tilt delivers smooth, nearly silent movement and quick response to motion. When someone moves through its field view, the camera tracks them smoothly, without stuttering or swinging past the action. In manual mode, the camera responds almost instantly to swipe commands in the Arlo app, with little lag between your input and its movement. I found the custom positions feature especially useful for high-traffic areas like the driveway and back gate. You just steer the camera using the on-screen joystick, then save that angle as a waypoint. From there, jumping between views takes a single tap—much faster than panning manually each time. The 2K stream is crisp, colors look natural, and detail holds up even when zoomed in. With the spotlight enabled, color night vision motion-activates in low light to capture details like the color of car paint or clothing. The camera defaults to black-and-white IR night vision in complete darkness. Dual-band Wi-Fi also helps here, keeping the video feed stable even when the network is busy. The Arlo Secure app provides intuitive controls for arming the camera and managing its security features. Michael Ansaldo/Foundry The AI reliably distinguishes between people, pets, and passing cars. In my testing, alerts came through within seconds of motion, and the system did a good job filtering out harmless movement like wind fluttering the pop-up canopy in my yard. Each alert includes an AI-generated event caption that spells out what the camera saw, such as “Person detected at home.” These make scanning alerts much faster, even if the captions themselves are fairly plain. The camera does not have any facial recognition features, however, so you won’t be alerted beyond the generic “person detected.” Recorded events are easy to review in the Feed tab, which lays everything out in a clean, scrollable timeline. You can tap a clip to watch, scrub through motion events, or view animated previews if you’re on a Secure plan. Arlo keeps its security controls refreshingly straightforward. You can choose Arm Away, Arm Home, or Standby depending on how much coverage you want, or use automations to schedule these automatically—arming when you leave, and disarming at bedtime, for example. Once you’ve dialed in your routine, the camera quietly does its job without constant tinkering. Should you buy the Arlo Essential Pan Tilt Security Camera? At $59.99 for the 2K model, the Arlo Essential Pan Tilt Security Camera is a good value. Few budget cameras can provide broad coverage, track movement automatically, and plug into a mature ecosystem like Arlo Secure. It’s a solid pick for anyone who wants reliable, around-the-clock protection without paying Pro-series prices. There are obviously tradeoffs, however. The plug-in design limits where you can mount it, there’s no facial recognition features, and most of its smarter detection and emergency-response features sit behind pricey subscription tiers. Even so, for homeowners or renters who just want a simple, capable camera to watch over a porch, garage, or side yard, this one fits the bill. This review is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best home security cameras. Read...