In a few months, Windows 10 will take its final bow. That means folks will have to start paying for security updates, which has many people thinking about buying a new computer. One alternative to Windows 11 computers are Chromebooks, a laptop that exclusively runs Google’s Chrome OS operating system. There are many advantages to switching to a Chromebook. Not only are they largely virus-free, but they’re also very affordable. Google also has a new Welcome Back feature that summarizes your recent activity, formatting it as an easy-to-follow visual overview. What is a Chromebook? When the first Chromebooks were released just over a decade ago, these inexpensive, extremely stripped-down models were limited to services that could be run via a web browser. Since then, Chromebooks have grown and today’s models can even run Android apps. In other words, a Chromebook is similar to a smartphone or tablet and there are rumors that Google will start replacing Chrome OS with Android in its Chromebooks in the future. What’s new? A new version of the Chromebook was recently released with a focus on working more efficiently. Google is also investing heavily in AI (artificial intelligence) and has launched a new concept called Chromebook Plus. In addition to the company’s AI service Gemini, there’s also AI support in many other tools. For example, you can delete objects in your photos in the Photos app or get live subtitles for digital meetings and YouTube videos. Just like on the Windows side, we can also expect many more AI innovations in the near future. Other news Foundry Chromebooks now have a new smart feature called Welcome Back. When you switch on your computer, you’ll see a visual overview of what you were working on last time and get suggestions on what you can do. If you want, you can also connect your mobile phone or tablet to this feature. There’s also a new Focus mode to help you work more productively and a feature called Insert Easily, which allows you to paste links, emojis, image files, and much more. Insert Easily opens if you press the Launcher or Google Key together with the letter f or with the special Insert Key. How do I get started? Foundry When you switch on a new Chromebook, you’ll be taken through a getting started wizard where you’ll choose your language, agree to terms of service, connect to the internet, and more. You’ll also be able to make a variety of settings to personalize your Chromebook. You can change these afterwards via Settings. Do I need to log in? Chromebook relies on you being logged in and to get the most out of the system, you should use the same account as on your mobile and tablet. However, to protect your privacy, there’s nothing stopping you from creating a new Google Account so that your Chromebook isn’t linked to your other activities. When you set up a Chromebook, you can also use a guest login and you can choose to add more people to give each user their own identity. Connecting At the end of the installation, you will be given the option to install the same apps on your computer as you already do on your mobile/tablet. You can also pair your computer and mobile phone. This allows you to unlock your computer with your phone, for example, but this is completely optional. How do I install apps? Foundry Just like on a mobile phone or tablet, you get apps through the Google Play Store. To access it, click on the Play Store icon at the bottom of the screen. Tap Apps in the left-hand menu to display the categories or select Search if you know its name. Where are my files? Foundry Although a Chromebook is built around cloud services, you can store files on your own computer. You can access them via the built-in File Manager. This tool is the Chromebook equivalent of Windows Explorer. Files displays both documents stored on your computer and in Google’s Drive cloud service. Tap the Files icon at the bottom of the screen to open. How does AI work? Foundry In modern Chromebooks, Google’s AI service Gemini is built in and can be accessed via the icon at the bottom of the screen. Select Chat with Gemini and you can ask questions and give commands in the box at the bottom. The first time, you will have to accept the terms of use and make some settings. Read...

In a few months, Windows 10 will take its final bow. That means folks will have to start paying for security updates, which has many people thinking about buying a new computer. One alternative to Windows 11 computers are Chromebooks, a laptop that exclusively runs Google’s Chrome OS operating system. There are many advantages to switching to a Chromebook. Not only are they largely virus-free, but they’re also very affordable. Google also has a new Welcome Back feature that summarizes your recent activity, formatting it as an easy-to-follow visual overview. Further reading: Best Chromebooks 2025: Best overall, best battery life, and more What is a Chromebook? When the first Chromebooks were released just over a decade ago, these inexpensive, extremely stripped-down models were limited to services that could be run via a web browser. Since then, Chromebooks have grown and today’s models can even run Android apps. In other words, a Chromebook is similar to a smartphone or tablet and there are rumors that Google will start replacing Chrome OS with Android in its Chromebooks in the future. What’s new? A new version of the Chromebook was recently released with a focus on working more efficiently. Google is also investing heavily in AI (artificial intelligence) and has launched a new concept called Chromebook Plus. In addition to the company’s AI service Gemini, there’s also AI support in many other tools. For example, you can delete objects in your photos in the Photos app or get live subtitles for digital meetings and YouTube videos. Just like on the Windows side, we can also expect many more AI innovations in the near future. Other news Foundry Chromebooks now have a new smart feature called Welcome Back. When you switch on your computer, you’ll see a visual overview of what you were working on last time and get suggestions on what you can do. If you want, you can also connect your mobile phone or tablet to this feature. There’s also a new Focus mode to help you work more productively and a feature called Insert Easily, which allows you to paste links, emojis, image files, and much more. Insert Easily opens if you press the Launcher or Google Key together with the letter f or with the special Insert Key. How do I get started? Foundry When you switch on a new Chromebook, you’ll be taken through a getting started wizard where you’ll choose your language, agree to terms of service, connect to the internet, and more. You’ll also be able to make a variety of settings to personalize your Chromebook. You can change these afterwards via Settings. Do I need to log in? Chromebook relies on you being logged in and to get the most out of the system, you should use the same account as on your mobile and tablet. However, to protect your privacy, there’s nothing stopping you from creating a new Google Account so that your Chromebook isn’t linked to your other activities. When you set up a Chromebook, you can also use a guest login and you can choose to add more people to give each user their own identity. Connecting At the end of the installation, you will be given the option to install the same apps on your computer as you already do on your mobile/tablet. You can also pair your computer and mobile phone. This allows you to unlock your computer with your phone, for example, but this is completely optional. How do I install apps? Foundry Just like on a mobile phone or tablet, you get apps through the Google Play Store. To access it, click on the Play Store icon at the bottom of the screen. Tap Apps in the left-hand menu to display the categories or select Search if you know its name. Where are my files? Foundry Although a Chromebook is built around cloud services, you can store files on your own computer. You can access them via the built-in File Manager. This tool is the Chromebook equivalent of Windows Explorer. Files displays both documents stored on your computer and in Google’s Drive cloud service. Tap the Files icon at the bottom of the screen to open. How does AI work? Foundry In modern Chromebooks, Google’s AI service Gemini is built in and can be accessed via the icon at the bottom of the screen. Select Chat with Gemini and you can ask questions and give commands in the box at the bottom. The first time, you will have to accept the terms of use and make some settings. Read...

TL;DR: This week only, you can get Microsoft Office and Windows 11 Pro on sale for $54.97 (normally a $438 value). If your PC feels slower than usual, you’re probably eyeing the latest models. But do you really need a brand-new device, or is it just outdated software slowing you down? With this bundle, you can give your PC a performance boost, updated security, and new Office apps for only $55. Computers still running on Windows 10 are not only outdated, but they’ll no longer receive security updates or support from Microsoft later this year. Upgrading to Windows 11 Pro means you get the latest, most advanced operating system to date—a new user interface, productivity tools, and an AI-powered assistant, Windows Copilot. You’ll also get BitLocker device encryption to secure your hard drive in case of device theft or loss. After upgrading your OS, you can download eight Microsoft Office apps for lifelong use: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, OneNote, Publisher, and Access. If you have an older version of Office, 2021 brings both a classic yet updated version for day-to-day tasks and larger projects. Don’t miss out on this PC upgrade bundle: $54.97 this week only (reg. $438). No coupon is needed to get this discount.   The Ultimate Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows: Lifetime License + Windows 11 Pro Bundle – $54.97 See Deal StackSocial prices subject to change. Read...

TL;DR: The Kinhank X2 is a retro console with over 70,000 games built-in, and it can even play movies. Pick one up for only $99.99.  Modern gaming consoles cost hundreds, and new games aren’t exactly cheap. If you want a more affordable way to play games you already know you’ll enjoy, check out the Kinhank Super Retro Console X2. This old-school console uses emulators to play its built-in library of over 70,000 games, and it’s on sale for $99.99 (reg. $159).  This console has its own library. You don’t even have to download anything. Titles include classics like Space Invaders and Sonic the Hedgehog along with many modern games like Dark Souls and Counter-Strike. It’s a huge mix of games spanning the generations. You don’t even have to buy a controller. Two are included.  Games are fun, but that’s not all this console can do. It also runs off the Android operating system, so you can download streaming apps. Can your Nintendo Switch play Netflix?  The X2 can connect to TVs, projectors, computers, or even laptops, but there aren’t many left in stock.  During this sale, it’s only $99.99 to get the Kinhank Super Console X2.    Kinhank Super Console X2 Pro Retro Gaming Emulator & Streaming Console – $99.99 See Deal StackSocial prices subject to change. Read...

TL;DR: The PC Transfer Kit gives you three tools to migrate computers, backup your data, and protect your privacy. It’s only $34.99, too.  Switching to a new PC doesn’t have to be annoying. Neither does protecting your data. The PC Transfer Kit gives you three tools to make migrating to a new computer or protecting the one you have a whole lot easier.   PCmover Professional handles the heavy lifting when moving to a new computer. It transfers all your files, settings, and even installed programs, so you don’t have to waste time manually downloading apps or searching for license keys. Just set it up, and it does the rest. DiskImage is your safety net. It creates a full backup of your system. If your computer crashes or gets hit with malware, you can restore everything—including your settings—onto a new device, even if the hardware is different. SafeErase makes sure your private data stays private. Simply deleting files isn’t always enough, but this tool permanently wipes sensitive information, whether it’s individual files or your entire hard drive. It’s perfect if you’re selling an old PC or just want extra security.  It’s only $34.99 to get the PC Transfer Kit with PCmover Pro, DiskImage, and SafeErase.    PC Transfer Kit Bundle feat. PCmover Professional, DiskImage, and SafeErase – $34.99 See Deal StackSocial prices subject to change. Read...

At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros Sleek, sturdy design Sharp OLED screen Pleasantly tactile keyboard Good battery life Cons AI features still lacking Some keyboard keys too cramped Too many pre-loaded apps Our Verdict The Acer Swift 16 AI is a capable machine with a big, beautiful screen, but its AI chops are still unproven. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Acer is all in with AI computers, having now released half a dozen machines with the AI oomph to qualify for Microsoft’s in-development Copilot designation. The largest of them so far is the Acer Swift 16 AI, which sports a lovely 16-inch OLED screen and the latest Intel Lunar Lake CPU. This laptop is thin and light with a gorgeous display and ample connectivity options. The keyboard and trackpad are solid, notwithstanding the rather unnecessary LED AI indicator. However, there are faster computers out there for the same price, and the AI features could be more robust. It’s good for the MSRP but even better if you can find it on sale. Further reading: Best laptops 2025: Premium, budget, gaming, 2-in-1s, and more Acer Swift 16 AI: Specs and features Acer has used several different chipsets for its AI PCs, and some machines have multiple options across the various SKUs. The Acer Swift 16 AI, however, plays it straight with an Intel Lunar Lake CPU, paired with 16GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD. There are no other versions of the machine, which is available at Best Buy, but it does have an expansive OLED screen, which is a big step up from the IPS displays on Acer’s cheaper AI PCs. CPU: Intel Core Ultra 7 256V Memory: 16GB LPDDR5X Graphics: Intel Arc 140V Display: 16-inch 2880×1800 OLED Storage: 1TB PCIe Gen 4 SSD Webcam: 1440p IR Webcam Connectivity: 2x USB-C (Thunderbolt 4, 40Gbps), 2x USB-A (5Gbps), 3.5mm audio jack, HDMI 2.1 Networking: Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4 Battery capacity: 70Whr, 65W charging Dimensions: 14.02 (W) x 9.92 (D) x 0.58-0.69 (H) inches Weight: 3.37 lbs (1.53 kg) MSRP as tested: $1,199.99 The Acer Swift 16 AI is a competent laptop for all your general computing and productivity needs. Acer Swift 16 AI: Design and build quality IDG / Ryan Whitwam Given the large footprint, I was surprised how thin and light the Acer Swift 16 AI is. It’s always a balancing act with larger laptops, but Acer threaded the needle fairly well here. The machine is barely half an inch thick, and the entire chassis is aluminum. However, the metal body isn’t very thick. There are places like around the fan grilles where you can see the frame flexing a bit too much, but the build quality is noticeably improved versus the smaller Acer Swift 14 AI. When closed, the Acer Swift 16 AI looks elegant in an industrial way. The flat black lid is free of branding, save for a small acer logo and the AI “dots” badge in opposite corners. The edge of the machine is flat where the ports are, but it tapers along the rest of the body, making it easy to pick up this sizeable laptop. It’s not too hard to wrestle into a bag, though, weighing in at 3.37 pounds. That’s a bit less than the average 16-inch laptop. The hinge on this machine feels appropriate for its $1,200 price point. The laptop stays closed securely, but it only takes one hand to open the screen, which swings smoothly into place. There’s a small lip around the camera that helps open the laptop, too. The rear edge of the display frame has feet that boost the rear of the laptop a few millimeters, giving it a slight incline that makes typing more comfortable. The camera lacks a privacy shutter, which I’d like to see at this price. The 1440p webcam supports Windows Hello biometric login, and the video quality is good but not better than the 1080p cameras on most laptops. The Acer Swift 16 AI has a good selection of ports, including two USB-C ports with Thunderbolt 4, as well as two legacy USB-A ports. There’s also a full-sized HDMI port and a headphone jack. I don’t love that both USB-C ports are on the left side, meaning the charging cable has to be on that side. The right side has just one USB-A and the headphone jack. Acer Swift 16 AI: Display and speakers IDG / Ryan Whitwam The Acer Swift 16 AI looks great, but it’s not quite the showstopper it could be. The 2880×1800 resolution is very sharp at normal viewing distances, and the touch response is fast and precise. It also supports an optional 120Hz refresh rate if you want smoother animations at the expense of battery life. As an OLED, the colors are gorgeous if slightly unrealistic. You can also enable HDR content on this display, but it might not pop quite like you expect. The brightness tops out at 340 nits, which is a bit on the low side for HDR. It is, however, a good bit brighter than the LCDs and IPS screens you normally see at this price. The brightness is good enough for use in all indoor settings, but the highly reflective screen makes outdoor use questionable. The speakers are on the underside near the front, a common location for speakers on notebooks. They sound good at low and mid volume levels, but there’s distortion and very little bass when you crank it up. They’re very average for a laptop in 2025 in spite of the DTS audio certification. Acer Swift 16 AI: Keyboard and trackpad IDG / Ryan Whitwam The quality of Acer laptop keyboards varies hugely across its product line. In the case of the Acer Swift 16 AI the typing experience is overall very good. The keys are stable, quiet, and quite tactile. The power button is in the far upper right corner, and despite the lack of any visual identification, it’s also a fingerprint sensor. It’s very accurate but sluggish like all Windows Hello biometrics. Most of the important keys are a good size, but I don’t care for having the up and down arrows crammed into a single key unit. There is a full number pad on this machine, but it’s quite squished. These keys are only about 75 percent as wide as the alphas, which makes it hard to rely on muscle memory to enter numbers on the pad. It’s still better to have it than not, given the ample surface area of this laptop. The trackpad doesn’t take full advantage of all that room. It’s a bit on the small side, though it is sturdy and accurate. The overall feel of the trackpad, as well as the click mechanism, are a big step up from the Arm-based Acer Swift 14 AI, which felt quite off to me. The trackpad has the same light-up AI logo in the corner as the company’s other AI-branded laptops. It blinks when you access AI features. It’s totally unnecessary, but you can turn it off in the Acer settings. Acer Swift 16 AI: Performance Acer loads its PCs with more software than most PC vendors—that has the potential to be good, but it’s mostly bad. There’s the McAfee suite, a few settings apps, a photo editor, a collection of third-party games, and several custom AI tools. It will take a bit to clear away the bloatware, but even Acer’s software won’t get much use. On one hand, I applaud Acer for actually bundling AI tools on its AI laptops. On the other, they don’t work very well. Apps like Acer Assist and VisionArt load an AI model locally to provide a chatbot and background generation, respectively. The model is about 5GB gigabytes in size, so it’ll leave you with very little free memory on this 16GB system. The model output is also extremely slow, and I wasn’t impressed with the chatbot’s capabilities or the lack of options in the wallpaper app. It’s also odd that these tools don’t use the Lunar Lake chip’s NPU—all the AI work is done on the GPU. Acer says it is planning to improve the on-device models soon, which will include support for running them on the NPU. The general system performance with the Core Ultra 7 is good. While Intel’s latest chips aren’t ideal for heavily multithreaded applications, the GPU is among the best you’ll see short of a dedicated chip. Thermal performance is also good, but Acer’s default power state is a bit slower than competing machines. When in high-performance mode, the laptop does get noticeably louder. It’s whisper-quiet in Normal mode. To give you a better idea of how the laptop performs, here are our standard benchmark tests. IDG / Ryan Whitwam PCMark 10 is designed to test a machine across a variety of metrics like web browsing, video chat, and photo editing. The Acer Swift 16 AI easily bests Meteor Lake chips here, but its default performance tuning makes it slightly slower than other Lunar Lake-based machines with a score of 6,539. The latest AMD Ryzen chips are also running ahead in this system benchmark. IDG / Ryan Whitwam Cinebench is a CPU-focused test that shows how a PC handles heavy but brief multi-core workloads. More CPU cores grant higher scores in Cinebench and cooling doesn’t matter very much. With Intel’s move away from hyperthreading, the Core Ultra 7 doesn’t do as well in this test, bringing up the rear with even the Meteor Lake TravelMate P4 ahead. However, switching to the Acer performance mode boosts the score to about 10,000, which is more in line with competing laptops. IDG / Ryan Whitwam The Handbrake test is similar to Cinebench in that it shows how a computer handles multithreaded tasks, but this is a longer-duration test where thermals matter more. While we don’t have any concerns with the laptop’s thermal performance, the eight-core/eight-thread design keeps this machine near the bottom of the heap. Switching to performance mode does shave a few hundred seconds off the encode, but AMD’s AI 300 parts run away with this one. IDG / Ryan Whitwam Our main gaming test is 3DMark Time Spy, a graphical benchmark that focuses on GPU performance. This isn’t a gaming computer, but Intel’s latest iGPUs are quite good. Here, the Acer Swift 16 AI is near the top at 3,988, besting even the Ryzen AI 9 with its Radeon GPU. The Acer Swift 16 AI is fast enough to play simple modern games or titles that are a few years old at lower settings. Acer Swift 16 AI: Battery life The Acer Swift 16 AI sports a 70Wh battery, which is average for a laptop of this size. It charges over USB-PD via either of the USB-C ports, with a peak speed of 65W. That’s standard for productivity laptops these days. The machine comes with a clunky charger, but we tested more compact third-party options, all of which charged the Acer Swift 16 AI just as well. IDG / Ryan Whitwam The Acer Swift 16 AI will last you an entire work day and then some. To quantify that, we ran our standard battery rundown test, which consists of playing a 4K video on a loop at set brightness until the machine dies. The Acer Swift 16 AI lasted 1,053 minutes (about 17.5 hours), which is very competitive. The display was in the default 60Hz mode for this test—switching to 120Hz will reduce battery life. Acer Swift 16 AI: Conclusion Like its smaller incarnation, the Acer Swift 16 AI is a competent laptop for all your general computing and productivity needs. Acer is trying as hard as any OEM to justify the AI hype with features like Acer Assist. However, even all this effort does not guarantee a good AI experience. Microsoft’s Copilot+ features are still barely there in Windows 11. Beyond all the marketing, the Acer Swift 16 AI is fast enough for almost everyone with a Core Ultra 7, but I wish Acer made this laptop in a Core Ultra 9 variant. Even then, the machine’s multithreaded performance would be lacking. If you’re going to be editing video, an AMD-based machine is your best bet right now. While this laptop shares a lot with the 14-inch Acer AI PC, it looks nicer. The step up to an OLED screen, with its vibrant colors and deep blacks, is appreciated as well. The keyboard is a delight to use, and it’s nice to see a full number pad, even if the keys are a bit cramped. The $1,200 MSRP feels slightly high for what you get, particularly when machines like the HP Omnibook Ultra regularly sell for around the same price. The Acer Swift 16 AI has dropped below $900 on sale, which is a steal. If you happen to catch it on sale for a few hundred off, this is a great purchase. Read...

There are always risks when you use the internet, so it’s of utmost importance to take all the proper precautions and make sure your devices are protected, whether your phone, laptop, or otherwise. If you don’t have a reputable security solution yet, here’s an offer you can’t afford to pass by: right now, you can get 15 months of Norton 360 Deluxe on three devices for just $20. That’s a massive 73 percent discount, and you can get it on the PCWorld Store. Norton 360 Deluxe is our overall top pick among all security suites, with our security expert giving it four stars in our review. She mentions strong antivirus performance and widespread protection against online threats as its best features. Plus, it’s pretty simple and straightforward. “Of Norton’s offerings, the Norton 360 Deluxe plan hits an ideal sweet spot of wide protection and affordable pricing.” What do you get for $20? You get a 15-month subscription and full protection for three of your devices. Since Norton works on Android and iOS devices, Mac and Windows computers, you’re well-covered. Norton 360 Deluxe packs all-around protection against malware, dark web monitoring, cloud backup for essential files, parental controls, access to VPN services, a password manager, and more. This is a limited-time deal that ends today, so don’t delay — it’s just $20 for 15 months of Norton 360 Deluxe! Better safe than sorry when it comes to identity theft, malware infections, and dark web leaks. Get 15 months of Norton 360 Deluxe for a whopping 73% offBuy now at PCWorld Store Read...

Invented back in 1971, the floppy disk is remembered as one of the most iconic and reliable disk storage solutions. Specifically, it was the 3.5-inch floppy that became a literal icon, one we still use today on buttons meant for saving data (even as Gen Zers scratch their heads over it). Today, the 3.5-inch floppy disk is out of production, but you might have a few in your possession. Can you still use them on modern PCs? Surprisingly, yes! Windows 11 can handle them without too much pain. Here’s what you need to know. Why use a floppy disk? The 3.5-inch floppy disk dominated the disk storage medium for more than a decade, and hundreds of millions of disks were produced. Many of them are still sitting in attics and closets, forgotten to time — and if you ever stumble upon such a cache, it’s fun to take a trip down memory lane. Hosein Zanbori / Unsplash Old floppy disks are also useful for retro PC enthusiasts. It’s possible to upgrade most retro PCs to bypass the need for floppies, but until you make that upgrade, a 3.5-inch floppy remains the best option for transferring data with an ancient machine. Floppies may also be the only way to enjoy retro PC games from back in the day. Buying a 3.5-inch floppy drive today Windows 11 computers don’t come with floppy drives, so if you want to use floppy disks on a modern PC, you’ll need to buy a floppy drive. Fortunately, you can shop online right now and buy a USB-compatible 3.5-inch floppy drive for relatively cheap. Chuanganzhuo Want my recommendation? Here’s the floppy drive I use, which only costs $19 as of this writing. Most USB-compatible 3.5-inch floppy drives are similar, but a few things stand out about this one: It has a drive activity LED. It has reasonably sized cushioned feet. It has a 2-foot USB cord. (Others tend to be shorter.) It has a USB-A-to-USB-C adapter instead of the strange and annoying USB-A/USB-C combo cord that some floppy drives now have. These aren’t exactly headline features, but when you’re choosing between a couple dozen drives that are similarly priced and appear to be identical, it’s the little details that matter. Important note: While Windows 11 does support this particular USB-compatible 3.5-inch floppy drive, it’s only true for x86 and x64 systems. Windows for Arm doesn’t have a floppy driver and modern versions of MacOS also lack a floppy driver. Unfortunately, if you have either kind of system, then a floppy drive isn’t an option for you. Setting up the 3.5-inch floppy drive The 3.5-inch floppy drive you receive will be a plug-and-play device, so it should “just work.” But a few common problems might trip you up. These days, all new USB-compatible 3.5-inch floppy drives rely on USB for power. The label on mine, for example, asks for 5 volts at 500 milliamps (5V/500mA). Any USB port should do it (since the minimum specification requires it), but if you’re using a dodgy USB hub or have a bad port on an older computer, the drive may not work due to lack of power. Matt Smith / Foundry Once plugged in, you’ll need to search a bit to find the drive. It won’t pop up like a typical USB flash drive would, and the drive probably won’t appear in the list of drives in File Explorer. To find it, open File Explorer and navigate to This PC. (Make sure to fully open This PC in the main view of File Explorer by clicking the This PC icon in the sidebar.) Matt Smith / Foundry Still not seeing the A: floppy drive? Open the Settings app, then navigate to Bluetooth & devices in the side panel. Scroll down and click on Devices, then scroll down again to More devices and printer settings. This will open the old-school Devices & Printers view where, hopefully, you’ll see the floppy drive listed under Other Devices. Joel Lee / Foundry Once it’s all set up and working, the USB floppy drive will basically perform like a slow USB flash drive. You can drag-and-drop files into and out of the drive (assuming you have a floppy disk in it). And if you need to create a disk image (which is required for some software installs), you can use a disk-imaging tool like WinImage. Buying 3.5-inch floppy disks today Suppose you want to transfer data from your current PC to an older PC that only has a floppy drive. Not only do you need the USB-compatible 3.5-inch floppy drive for your current PC, but you’ll also need to buy some blank floppies to make that data transfer. Your first (and best) option is to check out any local vintage electronics stores and/or recyclers in your area. These stores typically have used 3.5-inch floppy disks for sale, and you can expect to pay around $0.25 per disk. No more than $0.50 each, else you’re being ripped off. Fredy Jacob / Unsplash If your local store won’t give you a fair deal, or if you don’t have any such local stores in your area, you can check out floppydisk.com. They sell 50-packs of recycled 3.5-inch floppy disks for $20 each or 10-packs of brand-new 3.5-inch floppy disks for $13 each. Alternatively, you can get a 10-pack of new disks on Amazon for $19. If you’re buying, I recommend getting at least several dozen disks because you’re going to need more than you think. Most programs will span at least a few disks, and some larger programs can require more than a dozen on their own. You’ll also need replacements for disks that fail. (The last floppy disk was produced in 2011, so most in circulation are over 20 years old. Expect high failure rates.) Troubleshooting 3.5-inch floppy disks It’s actually pretty amazing that I can pop a disk from the 1980s into a Windows 11 PC sold this year and reasonably expect to read its data. Yet while it’s usually smooth sailing, it isn’t always. You may run into a few common problems when using floppy disks today. Matt Smith / Foundry For example, you might not be able to write to the disk even though the drive is working properly. Check the read-write tab — a small square tab on the edge of the disk opposite the side you insert into the floppy drive — and make sure it isn’t set to read-only mode. (When the tab is “open,” the floppy disk is in read-only mode.) File system formats could also cause problems. Windows 11 can read FAT all the way back to FAT12, so most FAT-formatted floppy disks should work. Older Mac disks can be read with a program called MacDisk. I don’t think any Windows software can read disks formatted for an Amiga, but Amiga Forever lists several workarounds. Upgrading an old PC from floppy disks I hope this guide helps you read and write to floppy disks on your Windows 11 machine. But even if it does, floppy disks are sadly dying off. If you still use an older PC that relies on floppy disks for data transfers, you should consider adopting a modern alternative when you can. An IDE-to-SD-card adapter or SATA-to-SD-card adapter is a good place to start. They’re inexpensive and easy to install. Just plug-and-play into your old PC’s IDE or SATA slot to be able to read SD cards. You can even install an operating system directly on the SD card, bypassing the need for an older (unreliable) mechanical hard disk drive. Alternatively, you can pick up a USB-to-floppy-drive emulator. These are sized to fit within an older PC’s floppy drive bay and physically replace the floppy drive. Once installed, you basically gain a USB port on your PC case and you can plug in USB drives per usual. Any of these options are more reliable than floppy drives, so if you have an older PC and don’t want to be stuck with floppy disks forever, then make the upgrade sooner than later. That said, I won’t fault you if you put it off — it’s always fun to hear that floppy drive whirr away. Further reading: Cheap or free ways to make an old PC run faster Read...

The country`s biggest institutions are working on an emerging risk to the security of digital assets and critical infrastructure. Read...

At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros Attractive and approachable design Good connectivity including USB-C with 90 watts Power Delivery Google TV is easy to use and supports many entertainment apps Bright, crisp image Cons Low contrast ratio and modest color performance Bundled speakers are weak HDR doesn’t function in Windows Our Verdict The Asus ZenScreen Smart Monitor MS27UC doesn’t deliver the best image quality, but it’s a good jack-of-all-trades for shoppers who need smart TV features in a small display. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Best Prices Today: Asus ZenScreen Smart Monitor MS27UC Retailer Price Asus $399.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Smart monitors (monitors that run a smart TV OS, like Google TV or Tizen) quietly became a trend in 2024 thanks to new releases from Samsung and LG, among others. Most of these monitors are larger, however, and target higher price points. The Asus ZenScreen Smart Monitor MS27UC is a smaller, more affordable alternative that will appeal to people who care more about a smart monitor’s features than its image quality.   Asus ZenScreen Smart Monitor MS27UC specs & features At its core, the Asus ZenScreen Smart Monitor MS27UC is a run-of-the-mill 27-inch 4K monitor. It has a 27-inch IPS display with a native resolution of 3840×2160. While the display panel supports HDR, its specifications are otherwise mundane. It has a 60Hz refresh rate, lacks VESA DisplayHDR certification, and lacks adapative sync. Display size: 27-inch 16:9 widescreen Native resolution: 3840×2160 Panel type: In-Plane Switching Refresh rate: 60Hz Adaptive sync: None HDR: Yes, HDR 10 Ports: 1x USB-C with DisplayPort and up to 90 watts of USB Power Delivery, 1x DisplayPort 1.4, 1x HDMI 2.0, 2x USB-A 2.0 downstream, 1x 3.5mm audio out VESA mount: 100x100mm Speakers: 2x 5-watt speakers Wireless connectivity: Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2 Operating system: Google TV Remote control: Included, with two AAA batteries Price: $399.99 MSRP While the display panel is basic, Asus packs the monitor with many useful features. It ships with a remote and batteries used to control the Google TV operating system. It also has Wi-Fi (a must for the smart TV OS to work), USB-C with 90 watts of Power Delivery, and a pair of 5-watt speakers. Asus lists an MSRP of $399.99, but it appears to frequently go on sale for $369.99. Further reading: See our roundup of the best monitors to learn about competing products. Asus ZenScreen Smart Monitor MS27UC design The Asus ZenScreen Smart Monitor MS27UC is among the more affordable smart monitors available right now, but you wouldn’t know that by looking at it. On the contrary, it provides a clean, premium aesthetic that should look excellent in any office or living room. From the front, the MS27UC has slim bezels on the top and sides, while the bottom is covered by an attractive grayish-white fabric that blends well with most rooms and lends the monitor an approachable, friendly feel. The fabric covering sweeps around the back of the monitor, where it joins silver plastics that look (but don’t feel) like metal. A remote comes bundled with the Asus MS27UC.Matthew Smith / Foundry The rear of the monitor also boasts a small shelf for rear storage, and Asus provides several peripherals (including the remote bundled with the TV) designed to perch there. While I rarely remembered to use it, this feature could be useful if you like a tidy setup. The monitor has a compact but effective L-shaped stand with a flat base. It takes up very little space on a desk and its compact form factor means the monitor can perch on even smaller surfaces, like a nightstand or cabinet (important if you plan to use it like a small television). The stand’s ergonomic adjustment is limited, however. It only adjusts for tilt and height and its range of height adjustment is a tad more limited than typical at 100mm of total travel.A typical 100x100mm VESA mount is available for attaching the monitor to a third-party stand or mount. The ports are rear-facing instead of downward-facing. While I generally prefer this, as it makes connecting devices a breeze, it could prove tricky if you want to wall-mount the monitor. Fabric accents give the Asus ZenScreen Smart MS27UC a premium feel.Matthew Smith / Foundry Asus ZenScreen Smart Monitor MS27UC connectivity The Asus ZenScreen Smart Monitor MS27UC has a good range of connectivity. Video inputs include USB-C with DisplayPort Alternate Mode, DisplayPort, and HDMI, for a total of three video inputs. While I would’ve preferred to see a second HDMI, this arrangement is probably fine for most owners. The USB-C port with DisplayPort Alternate Mode can also supply up to 90 watts of Power Delivery, which makes it useful for connecting and charging a laptop, tablet, or even a smartphone. While this is most useful in a home office, it could also be handy if you want play games on a connected laptop, smartphone, or handheld gaming device. Two USB-A 2.0 downstream ports and a 3.5mm audio-out jack round out the options. A USB-C downstream port would’ve been nice, but the MS27UC’s overall connectivity is good value for money. Asus ZenScreen Smart Monitor MS27UC Smart TV features Asus ships the ZenScreen Smart Monitor MS27UC with Google TV, an Android-based operating system users might already be familiar with, as it’s commonly used by TVs from Sony, TCL, and Hisense, among others. Because it’s a smart monitor with an operating system, the MS27UC requires a bit of setup before it’s ready to use. You’ll need to connect to Wi-Fi, log in to a Google account, and complete a few optional personalization steps. I found this process a bit slower than on competing smart monitors due to several setup load screens that took a minute or two to complete. Still, I had the monitor ready to use in under 10 minutes. Once set up, I found the Google TV operating system familiar and easy to navigate. It really is Google TV, so apps you’d expect to work with a larger television running Google TV will work here. This includes streaming apps like YouTube (of course), Netflix, Amazon Prime, and so on. If you’d like, you can use the MS27UC like a 27-inch smart television without a device connected to a video input. The monitor also supports wireless video connections through standards like Miracast and Chromecast, meaning it’s possible to wirelessly stream video from select phones, tablets, and computers. Note, however, that the MS27UC lacks a TV tuner and won’t be able to connect to a coaxial cable source. This is also true of competitive smart monitors, however. The remote control is large, comfortable, and provides good access to video connections and display options. I found the menu system easier to navigate than those on the Samsung and LG smart monitors I tested the last year. And I had no trouble connecting a PC over HDMI, DisplayPort, and USB-C. The menu system is ever-so-slightly sluggish at times, but it’s minor and I expect many users won’t notice. However, the menu options are a bit confusing when using the display as a monitor. By default, the monitor switches to PC Mode (and this was used for most of our testing). This mode locks out some adjustments, such as color temperature. HDR also did not function in PC Mode. I also tried using Asus DisplayWidget, a Windows app that can control the settings of most Asus monitors and found it didn’t work with the MS27UC. A pair of 5-watt speakers wrap up the monitor’s smart TV features. They’re okay, but 5 watts isn’t a ton of power, and the monitor lacks a subwoofer to deliver low-end kick. As a result, the monitor’s sound comes across as tinny and thin. The speakers are passable for casual viewing, but owners planning a Netflix binge will want a better sound system.    The image won’t blow your socks off, but it’s bright, sharp, and easy to view in a variety of viewing conditions and with a wide range of content. Asus ZenScreen Smart Monitor MS27UC SDR image quality The Asus ZenScreen Smart Monitor MS27UC has many features but, when it comes to image quality, there’s not a lot to talk about. Aside from a native resolution of 3840×2160, the monitor’s display is a rather basic IPS panel with a 60Hz refresh rate. That shows through in testing. Matthew Smith / Foundry First up, however, is a bit of good news. The MS27UC hits a maximum SDR brightness of 467 nits, which is extremely high for any monitor. An SDR brightness this high isn’t necessary for use in a typical home office, but it makes sense in a smart monitor that might replace a television. I expect the MS27UC will be used in brightly lit rooms, including living rooms and kitchens, where it’s an alternative to a budget smart television. The display’s brightness should keep it comfortable to view in most situations. Matthew Smith / Foundry On the flip side, however, the MS27UC achieved a modest measured contrast ratio of 850:1. That’s not great for a monitor in 2025, and it lands the MS27UC towards the low end of what’s typical. To be fair, most similarly priced monitors with an IPS panel deliver a similar contrast ratio. But those with a VA panel, like the AOC 27G15, achieve a much better contrast ratio that leads to a richer, more immersive image. Matthew Smith / Foundry I was a bit disappointed by the MS27UC’s color gamut, as it achieved just 99 percent of sRGB and 81 percent of DCI-P3. As the graph shows, that’s behind other monitors that are similarly priced, though it should be noted that LG’s smart monitor is listed at $600. Matthew Smith / Foundry Color accuracy is a win for the MS27UC. Although it doesn’t beat the field, all the monitors listed here perform well for the price and ultimately deliver color accuracy capable of a realistic and convincing image. Even users with a discerning eye for color are unlikely to see flaws. The MS27US also did well in gamma, as it achieved the ideal gamma curve value of 2.2. That indicates the image appears around as luminous as it should, which is key to preserving detail in shadows and highlights. Color temperature, on the other hand, was unusually high with a value of 8000K. That means the image appears cool and sterile. This can be a matter of personal taste, and the monitor provides options to change the color temperature through both preset color temperature modes and color calibration features, so users can change the color temperature to a warmer look. Still, a default color temperature this high (in PC Mode, which is flipped on by default when using the monitor with a PC) is a bit odd. Sharpness is a big perk and strength. A resolution of 3840×2160 across a 27-inch panel works out to about 163 pixels per inch and results in a tack-sharp look. The sharpness is equally excellent when viewing YouTube as when navigating an Excel spreadsheet in 8-point font. Look, I’ll be honest: The Asus Zenscreen Smart Monitor MS27UC’s image quality is just okay. But that doesn’t mean shoppers should write it off. A display like this is often built to be functional more than it is attractive, and that is as true for the monitor’s image quality as its features. The image won’t blow your socks off, but it’s bright, sharp, and easy to view in a variety of viewing conditions and with a wide range of content. Asus ZenScreen Smart Monitor MS27UC HDR image quality The Asus ZenScreen Smart Monitor MS27UC supports HDR10, but I wouldn’t recommend buying it for HDR content. The monitor’s maximum brightness is excellent for SDR but insufficient to do HDR justice. It also lacks the color gamut and contrast required to help HDR content stand out from SDR. That’s not to say HDR looks bad. On the contrary, a high-quality 4K HDR clip can look great. This, however, is mostly thanks to the monitor’s sharpness, and HDR’s advantage over high-quality 4K SDR content is rather slim. I also found HDR didn’t work when using the monitor with a PC. Windows didn’t detect the monitor as HDR compatible, and HDR did not appear to engage automatically with compatible content. HDR only flipped on when I viewed streaming apps, like Netflix, through the Google TV interface. While none of this is positive for the MS27UC, it’s important to remember the price. Asus sells this monitor for less than $400. It’s hard to find a good HDR monitor for less than $400, so these flaws are excusable. Shoppers should expect to pay more for good HDR. Asus ZenScreen Smart Monitor MS27UC motion performance The Asus ZenScreen Smart Monitor MS27UC doesn’t include features that might improve its motion performance. It has a 60Hz refresh rate and lacks adaptive sync for smooth frame pacing. That’s not to say it’s terrible. The IPS display panel’s pixel response times are reasonable and its motion clarity is typical for a 60Hz monitor. Ghosting and blur is noticeable on the MS27UC, but tolerable outside of competitive esports games, and no worse than other mid-range monitors. Shopper who aren’t picky about motion clarity will think it looks fine. Still, with 120Hz and 240Hz gaming monitors widely available at lower prices, it’s obvious the MS27UC is not a good choice for shoppers who care about motion performance. Should you buy the Asus ZenScreen Smart Monitor MS27UC? The Asus ZenScreen Smart Monitor MS27UC is a great pick for shoppers who want an affordable smart monitor that’s easy to use, can handle a wide variety of streaming apps, and looks attractive. Though it’s not a bad choice for a home office, the MS27UC is best in a studio apartment, kitchen, guest room, and any other space where a small, versatile display might be needed. The MS27UC is less appealing when used solely or mostly as a PC monitor, as its image quality and motion performance can’t match similarly priced PC gaming monitors that lack smart TV features. Read...