Early Black Friday deals on Thunderbolt docks have begun, and I’m on the hunt for the best docking station sales for the 2024 holidays. It’s worth noting that Black Friday 2024 may be the last chance to buy a discounted dock for a while. In 2025, America’s new president has promised tariffs that could reach 60 percent on Chinese goods, and a number of smaller dock manufacturers are headquartered in China. (Larger ones, however, have moved outside the country.) I’m compiling the best early Black Friday deals on Thunderbolt docks at major retailers like Amazon, Best Buy, and elsewhere. I’ve listed each Thunderbolt dock deal below, followed by an explanation of why I picked them. (For more details, scroll down to the FAQ at the end that explains what to look for in a Thunderbolt dock and how much you should pay.) Best early Black Friday Thunderbolt dock deals HP Thunderbolt Dock G2, Thunderbolt 3, 100W charging, now $70.52 (26% off at Amazon) Targus USB-C Docking Station, DisplayLink, 65W charging, now $103.99 (58% off at Amazon) OWC Thunderbolt Go Dock, Thunderbolt 4, 90W charging, now $249.99 (17% off at Amazon with Prime) Belkin Thunderbolt 3 Dock Plus, Thunderbolt 3, 60W charging, now $109.97 (63% off at Amazon) Belkin Thunderbolt 3 Dock Core, Thunderbolt 3, 60W charging (unpowered), now $69.99 (65% off at Walmart) Kensington SD2500T, Thunderbolt 3, 60W charging, now $68.75 (31% off at Amazon) CalDigit TS4 Thunderbolt 4 Dock, Thunderbolt 4, 98W charging, now $379.99 (16% off at Amazon) Microsoft Surface Thunderbolt 4 Dock, Thunderbolt 4, 96W charging, now $199.99 (33% off at Amazon) Lenovo Thunderbolt 3 Dock Gen 2, Thunderbolt 3, 135W charging, now $171.99 (46% off at Amazon) If you’ve been following our lists of deals, some of these are familiar: they’re solid docks that keep going on sale. And some of the discounts are somewhat deceptive. Last year, the Belkin Thunderbolt 3 Dock Core (a perfectly good travel dock, per my review) was being sold for $100 on a “50 percent discount.” This year, it’s being sold for $69.99 at Walmart, and that’s the new “regular price” after going on sale for that much on Prime Day. Still, it’s a steal! Ditto for the Kensington SD2500T, which was $131 last year but now $68.75 at Amazon. I think the HP Thunderbolt Dock G2 still represents excellent value for the money, and it’s my favorite deal right now. I personally reviewed the HP G4 and it was excellent. Here, the G2 swaps HDMI ports for DisplayPort ports, so if you only have HDMI connections on your displays, you’ll have to buy some $15 DisplayPort-to-HDMI cables. Otherwise, it’s a compact and effective dock for your desk. I also reviewed the OWC Thunderbolt Go Dock, which is $50 off right now with Prime. The company just launched a Thunderbolt 5 dock, but I’m not recommending the Thunderbolt 5 experience quite yet. The CalDigit TS4 works for both Macs and Windows PCs. (Our friends at Macworld loved it per their review.) This CalDigit dock is also a good choice if you’re looking for a more full-featured dock. That’s also the reason I’ve included the Surface Dock, which has a good reputation even if I haven’t reviewed it. Ditto for the Lenovo Dock Gen 2. The Targus USB-C Docking Station is the only exception to the Thunderbolt category, as it uses the DisplayLink protocol, which I’ve found exceedingly stable for office use but not for games. We’ve also reviewed quite a few Thunderbolt docking stations in our list of the best Thunderbolt docks. FAQ 1. When is Black Friday? Officially, this year’s Black Friday takes place on Friday, Nov. 29, 2024. Cyber Monday is the following Monday, or Dec. 2, 2024. 2. When do early Black Friday deals on Thunderbolt docks begin? Early Black Friday sales have already begun at several retailers, though sales should ramp up as Black Friday nears. Retailers haven’t been shy about using early sales to unload inventory before the Black Friday craziness begins. 3. What should you pay for a Black Friday deal on a Thunderbolt dock? Premium Thunderbolt docks usually retail for about $220 to $270 or so, depending upon the features. I usually hope for $200 or less. In 2024, you benefit from one key trend: Thunderbolt 3 and Thunderbolt 4 are roughly the same in terms of throughput and features, but retailers hate keeping old hardware on the shelves. It’s likely that you’ll still see substantial sales on older Thunderbolt 3 hardware, with lesser discounts applied to Thunderbolt 4 options. I’m already seeing evidence of that. The Plugable TBT3-UDZ, which has been one of my favorite Thunderbolt 3 docks for years, is being discontinued in favor of the TBT4-UDZ, the Thunderbolt 4 version. With Thunderbolt 3 hardware on its way out — and very similar to Thunderbolt 4 in what it can do — you should expect additional discounts on older TB3 hardware. 4. I have a USB-C port on my laptop. How do I know what to use with it? Consult your laptop’s manual. A Thunderbolt port may be labeled with a small lightning-bolt logo, but that icon can sometimes be used to signal that the port can be used for charging, too. If nothing else, a USB-C dongle/hub will always work with a USB-C port. 5. I still don’t understand the difference between USB-C and Thunderbolt. How does it all work? USB ports have been around for years. USB-C (the oval-shaped port) replaced USB-A (the rectangular port) because USB-C was more versatile, with higher speeds and a reversible port connector. USB-C ports can be rated for either 5Gbps or 10Gbps, just like a normal USB-A port. But some USB-C ports connect to a Thunderbolt chip inside your laptop, and this allows the port to run at a higher 40Gbps speed. Physically, the connector looks exactly the same. It’s just what it can do that’s different. Thunderbolt 5 is slowly entering the market, but with only one or two docks and a tiny number of laptops right now. You won’t see any sales on Thunderbolt 5 docks during the 2024 holiday season. 6. What’s the difference between a USB-C hub and a Thunderbolt dock? Speed and features. A USB-C hub connects to a single 4K (or 1080p) display and provides a mix of ports: USB-A, SD card slots, and so on. You can usually plug your laptop’s USB-C power cable (if it uses one) right into it. A Thunderbolt dock supplies even more bandwidth for more ports. There are two key differences: It has enough bandwidth to drive a pair of 4K displays, and many docks come with their own power supply that can charge your laptop as well as your phone. All that occurs via the Thunderbolt cable that connects your laptop to the dock. 7. My laptop has USB4, not Thunderbolt. Can I use a Thunderbolt dock? Yes and no. Thunderbolt 3, Thunderbolt 4, and USB4 all run at 40Gbps across the same connector. USB4 is identical to Thunderbolt 4. But if your laptop runs USB4, it won’t “understand” Thunderbolt 3 protocols. USB4 laptops, which are still rare, have AMD Ryzen chips inside. 8. Is Thunderbolt 4 better than Thunderbolt 3? Physically, they use the same USB-C cable. Functionally, they’re almost the same, and run at the same 40Gbps throughput. Thunderbolt 4 was released almost as a patch to Thunderbolt 3, ensuring that everything worked properly. If your laptop has Thunderbolt, you should be able to buy either a Thunderbolt 3 or Thunderbolt 4 dock without any problems. Since Thunderbolt 3 is being phased out, you’ll probably find more discounts on the older Thunderbolt 3 hardware. (For all the gory details, see my roundup of the best Thunderbolt docks.) 9. I own a desktop PC. Do I need a Thunderbolt dock? Possibly. Historically, the back of a desktop has been chock-full of I/O ports, especially DIY models that you build yourself. Desktops usually have extra room for internal SSDs, SD cards, and so on. However, if your desktop lacks these things, and if it includes an external Thunderbolt port, you can always add these additional components externally via Thunderbolt. 10. Some of these docks have bad reviews on shopping sites. What gives? Read the user reviews closely. While Macs adopted Thunderbolt first, some of the Apple M1 silicon couldn’t keep up with Intel Thunderbolt controllers used by Windows PCs, and the Apple macOS experience suffered as a result. If a Windows user complains, pay attention; otherwise, you can dismiss them. Read...

Open AI is reportedly preparing the launch of a new AI agent, codenamed ‘Operator’, which can perform tasks for users, such as writing code or booking travel. According to sources familiar with the project, the tool is planned to be released in January as a research version and via the company’s API for developers. The launch is part of a larger trend in the AI industry towards developing agents, AI tools that can perform multi-step tasks with minimal supervision, Bloomberg reports. Competitor Anthropic has recently launched a similar agent that can handle real-time tasks on the user’s computer. Microsoft, which also supports Open AI, has recently launched AI tools to automate tasks like sending emails and managing documents. Even Google is working on an AI agent, according to data from The Information. According to three Bloomberg sources, Open AI is working on several research projects related to agents. The most fully developed is a tool that can perform tasks directly in the browser. Open AI CEO Sam Altman has previously described that “the big breakthrough” in AI will be the development of agents. Read...

At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros Great value Flexible form factor Surprisingly good keyboard Amazing battery life Cons Needs more RAM Android apps don’t run well Vertical kickstand reduces horizontal options Our Verdict The 2024 edition of the Chromebook Duet doubles down on its hybrid form factor and budget price. Lenovo has refined this design very well, and it remains a great choice if you want a cheap, reliable Chromebook that fits in small spaces and can do some light tablet duty. Just keep an eye on your tabs. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Best Prices Today: Lenovo Chromebook Duet (2024) Retailer Price $319.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Google representatives tell me that the Lenovo Chromebook Duet series is the best-selling Chromebook ever, and I believe them. With a low price, a Surface-style form factor, and a bit of an iPad look when all the extras are stripped off, it’s an appealing package, especially if you’re more comfortable with a touchscreen than with a mouse. The new version of the Chromebook Duet is an improvement in almost every way. The new revision to the model is an improvement in almost every way. While it still doesn’t handle heavy desktop-style tasks or Android apps very adroitly, it’s an excellent budget device if you want a little more flexibility than a standard laptop. Further reading: Best Chromebooks 2024: Best overall, best battery life, and more Lenovo Chromebook Duet: Physical Design  The newest ” Gen 9? model looks extremely familiar to the first two models but with more refinement. It’s still a tablet first, at least in a purely physical sense, with a little more of a focus on conventional web browsing thanks to ChromeOS. And while I appreciate the included stylus, its value proposition isn’t quite as good as it used to be, especially if you want the 8GB memory upgrade. And trust me, you want that upgrade.  Michael Crider/Foundry The Duet is an 11-inch tablet and bare of all its accouterments, you might confuse it for a standard iPad at first glance. But a little handling time quickly puts that notion to rest. It’s horizontally aligned, with a wider 19:10 LCD screen and a webcam poking out from the side with a handy physical shutter. You’ll also notice two different USB-C ports, one on the left side if you’re using it in laptop mode, and one on the top. An extra port for accessories and charging, but what’s with that weirdo placement?  Michael Crider/Foundry It makes sense when you notice the updated magnetic kickstand. This design dispenses with the fabric, allows a hole for the magnetically-charging stylus, and crucially, has a bit of a kink to it. The slanted angle allows the Duet to stand up in either horizontal or vertical mode, and either way those USB-C ports are not obstructed. It’s a thoughtful touch, though I have to point out that accommodating two different modes here means there’s only one angle for the tablet to stand up in either one. I’d prefer the flexibility of multiple angles in horizontal mode since that’s the way I used it by far. Lenovo Chromebook Duet: Chromebook first, tablet second ChromeOS has made big improvements in its touch interface, but this is still a “Chromebook” and not a tablet, at least according to the branding. So most of my time with the Duet was spent using it laptop-style with the kickstand and combined keyboard, touchpad, and screen cover attached. And I was surprised at how comfortable this was. One of the few low points of the original design was that the keyboard was a bit cramped and didn’t have a lot of give to the keys. Lenovo seems to have addressed this with a new design. It still sits flat as a pancake, but the keys have increased travel distance and the layout keeps all the alphanumeric keys at full size despite the squished layout. That makes typing for extended periods surprisingly natural. It’s not as good as a high-quality keyboard with a full-sized layout, and it’s a far cry from Lenovo’s best-in-class ThinkPad keyboards. But considering the restrictions of both the form factor and the price, it’s pretty darn good. Michael Crider/Foundry Ditto for the touchpad, which is plastic instead of glass, but is more than serviceable for scootin’ your cursor across a tablet screen. The screen is also fine, if not outstanding. The 1920×1200 resolution is a lot wider than a standard tablet and a little taller than most laptops, which is a good compromise. It’s an IPS-LCD panel with good color accuracy and plenty of brightness. Again, nothing here is going to blow you away versus a more expensive device, but it’s all acceptably in the pretty-good zone for a gadget that starts at $360.  Here are the specs, though keep in mind that since this tablet is running Arm-based hardware, it’s not an apples-to-oranges comparison to most x86-based Chromebooks. Model number: 83HH0000US CPU: MediaTek Kompanio 838 Memory: 4/8GB Graphics: ARM Mali-G57 MC3 Display: 10.95? IPS-LCD, 1920×1200, 60Hz Storage: 64/128GB SSD Webcam: 5MP (8MP rear camera) Connectivity: 2 USB-C, proprietary keyboard, 3.5mm audio jack Battery capacity: 68Wh Dimensions: 255.3 x 166.84 x 7.69mm (with keyboard and stand, approximately 17mm) Weight: 1.21 pounds, 2.09 pounds with keyboard and stand MSRP: $359.99/$399.99 Lenovo Chromebook Duet: Mobile guts, mobile limitations For that price, you get a MediaTek processor (Arm, but that’s okay, ChromeOS don’t judge) with four primary cores and four efficiency cores, a spartan 64GB of storage, and just 4GB of RAM. The upgraded model, which Google sent me as the review unit, boosts those last two to 8GB and 128GB, respectively. For that upgrade, you’re charged the princely sum of $399.99. That’s more than you’d pay for a base-model iPad, but well below that same iPad with a keyboard and stylus.   The mobile hardware also gives this gadget mobile-style battery life, including a solid workday of runtime and standby that I was never able to exhaust even when the tablet spent days in my bag. In this area, it shines above most Chromebooks that compete with conventional laptops. It’s a trade-off for raw, number-crunching power, sure, but considering the audience this device is shooting for and the requirements it brings, it seems like a good one to me.  Michael Crider/Foundry Other hardware includes a 5MP front-facing camera and a single 8MP rear-facing shooter, which I imagine was thrown in with the Arm-based chipset, and which I can’t imagine many people using too often. The webcam isn’t great, especially since the default “laptop” angle has it pointing right up my nose. It’s sharp but washes out easily and doesn’t handle low levels of light well. The rear camera is a little better, but again, I doubt you’ll be using that one regularly.  The tablet has a proprietary magnetic connection for the keyboard and a headphone jack, the latter of which was notably absent in the original design. The magnets connecting the keyboard and affixing it to the screen when closed are nice and sturdy, far less likely to move around — they clung to a coffee shop’s metal exterior table when I went on a walk. I don’t think that was intentional, but it’s reassuring nonetheless. I could wish for a MicroSD card slot to augment the low storage, but beggars can’t be choosers. And yes, a $400 Chromebook that doubles as a tablet qualifies as a beggar in this context.  Michael Crider/Foundry The Duet is surprisingly capable as a laptop, or as close to a laptop as something using the Surface form factor gets. The “good enough” display and keyboard combo lets you use it for hours without too much trouble, and any issues you might have with a smaller-than-usual display can be alleviated with a quick pinch gesture in Chrome or one of the apps that are pretending they aren’t just Chrome with another icon. But you’ll have to be mindful of how many you’re using. When you load up Chrome with more than six or seven tabs, especially with something particularly heavy like Gmail (or the WordPress interface I’m typing in right now), it tends to chug a bit. It’s not surprising — even with a RAM upgrade, this hardware wasn’t designed to be used by a tab addict. But this is somewhat mitigated by the fact that the small size of the tablet means using a dozen tabs or apps at once isn’t practical anyway.  Michael Crider/Foundry The Duet is pointedly not a Chromebook Plus model, so you don’t get access to the full gamut of Google’s AI features. It gets a lot less power than, say, the equally recent Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus. Testing via PCWorld’s gamut of Chromebook benchmarks, it’s less than half as powerful…which seems okay, since It’s approximately half the price, and aiming for a very different use case. CrXPRT 2: 107 Speedometer 2.0: 75.6 Basemark Web 3.0: 502.99 Kraken: 1164.15 Jetstream: 108.516 I’m not exactly crying into my beer over that one. But on the flip side, the form factor does encourage you to use ChromeOS in the other direction: as a kinda-sorta Android tablet.  Lenovo Chromebook Duet: As a tablet And frankly, it’s not a great one. Compared to, say, one of Samsung’s Galaxy laptops, it feels slow and clumsy, even if it’s technically far more capable with its full-power browser. Android apps from the Play Store chug, even simple things like Google’s own Keep Notes program, and that goes double if you try to run them side-by-side with Chrome browser windows or other Android apps. Games do okay, as long as you temper your expectations. The recently released Balatro was nice and snappy, but the far more visually complex Hearthstone tended to stutter and skip, even on its lowest setting for visual fidelity.  Lenovo Chromebook Duet, left, with iPad Air and Galaxy Z Fold 6.Michael Crider/Foundry And while the screen is fine for video — albeit at a somewhat unambitious HD resolution — the stereo speakers are a let-down. They’re plenty loud for a tablet or even a small laptop, but tinny and lacking in bass. Imagine a budget phone at about double the volume. It’s fine if you’re just listening to someone talk, but enjoying music or a movie’s audio demands a good set of headphones. Oh and by the way, this model has a headphone jack, something pointedly missing from the older designs. So if you’re looking for an Android tablet first and a Chromebook second, the Galaxy Tab or Pixel Tablet will serve you better, even if you have to spend a little extra on a keyboard and kickstand (should you want one). The Chromebook Duet works great as a handheld web browser, as Google’s done a lot of work to make ChromeOS’s touchscreen interface far more approachable. But if you prefer mobile apps as your means of interaction, it’s not the way to go. That’s especially true if you consider Samsung’s surprisingly flexible DeX system, which approaches this convergence form factor from the other direction.  Lenovo Chromebook Duet: Another budget hit This might sound like a lot of low points, and a lot of compromises. But considering this is a crossover device and a budget device, they’re basically all both understandable and forgivable. The changes that Lenovo has made are all improvements over the original and already very popular design, with the arguable exception of the double-mode kickstand. If Google and Lenovo have sold more of this design than any other Chromebook, I expect them to sell a lot more.  Go for the upgraded RAM, you’ll absolutely want it. Go for the upgraded RAM, you’ll want it, and the extra storage for Android apps is handy even if they don’t run great. Beyond that, make sure you keep your tabs under control and don’t demand too many extra fills or too much camera prowess. Everything else about the Duet is excellent, especially the value — and it doesn’t hurt that it’s already gone on sale a couple of times. Read...

If you’re always working on the go, you might feel like your laptop productivity could benefit from having an extra screen. But who wants to lug around a cumbersome monitor all the time? That’s where portable monitors come into play — and if you need one, today’s your lucky day! Right now, you can grab this Arzopa portable monitor for just $126 on Amazon, down from its usual $170. (That price is with a Prime membership, but if you don’t have Prime, you can still score this deal just by signing up for a free 30-day Prime trial.) The Arzopa Z1RC is a 16-inch travel-friendly monitor with a gorgeous 2560×1600 resolution, also known as 2.5K. That means crisper text and images than your typical 1080p monitor, and this one’s IPS panel also means vivid colors and near-perfect color accuracy. This ultra-slim display can be used either horizontally or vertically, depending on what you need on a specific occasion, and the adjustable built-in kickstand makes it easy to get just the right viewing angle. The Arzopa monitor is not only slim (with a thickness of just 0.36 inches), but it’s also very lightweight (weighing just 1.46 pounds). It’s extremely easy to slip into your bag next to your laptop whenever you leave home, and it won’t weigh you down at all. This monitor is super simple to use thanks to its wide compatibility. It has a USB-C port, a USB-C with data transmission port, and a Mini HDMI port. Don’t just use it with your laptop — you can just as easily use it with your phone, tablet, or even your Nintendo Switch! Go ahead and order yourself one of these Arzopa portable monitors for just $126 on Amazon while you still can. It’s the kind of accessory that you never thought you needed, but you’ll wonder why you waited so long to get one. It’s that useful. Snag a travel-friendly monitor for your laptop and SwitchBuy now on Amazon Read...

Travel disruptions from Nelson meant Lindsay McKenzie was unable to get to the capital in time. Read...

The funeral procession will travel across Porirua with police maintaining a presence to deter unlawful activity. Read...

At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros Enjoyable keyboard Lots of wired, wireless connectivity Well-rounded CPU and integrated GPU performance Lengthy battery life Cons Boring design  Touchpad could be bigger IPS display can’t match OLED competition Multi-core CPU performance can lag competitors Our Verdict The Acer Swift 14 AI isn’t exciting, but it packs well-rounded performance, good battery life, and a nice buffet of connectivity at a reasonable price. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today The Acer Swift 14 gets a slight rebrand for the fall of 2024—it’s now the Acer Swift 14 AI. Like its predecessor, the new model is a thin-and-light Windows laptop that tries to deliver good performance at a mid-range price. Though it suffers a few flaws, like a mediocre display, it delivers on that promise.  Further reading: Best laptops 2024: Premium, budget, gaming, 2-in-1s, and more Acer Swift 14 AI: Specs and features The star of the Swift 14 AI’s spec sheet is undoubtedly Intel’s Core Ultra 7 258V, which is part of Intel’s new Core Series 2 lineup. It sits high in the product stacks and, in this incarnation, comes paired with 32GB of LPDDR5x. Model number: SF14-51T-75AF CPU: Intel Core Ultra 7 258V Memory: 32GB LPDDR5x Graphics/GPU: Intel Arc 140V integrated graphics NPU: Intel AI Boost (47 TOPs) Display: 14-inch 16:10 1,920 x 1,200 IPS touchscreen Storage: 1TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 solid state storage Webcam: 1440p 30fps camera with physical privacy shutter and IR camera for Windows Hello login Connectivity: 2x Thunderbolt 4 / USB-C, 2x USB-A, 1x HDMI-out, 1x 3.5mm combo audio jack Networking: Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4 Biometrics: Fingerprint reader, facial recognition  Battery capacity: 63 watt-hours Dimensions: 12.3 x 8.71 x 0.63 inches Weight: 2.95 pounds MSRP: $1,299.99 MSRP  However, a few other specifications leap out. The laptop has an IPS touchscreen instead of an OLED display. Though obviously helpful for touch input, this decision hints that display quality will be a weakness. As an apology, the laptop packs a ton of future-proof connectivity including two Thunderbolt 4 / USB-C ports and Wi-Fi 7.  The Acer Swift 14 AI is a competent laptop that makes good use of Intel’s Core Ultra 7 258V to deliver strong performance and battery life at a mid-range price. Acer Swift 14 AI: Design and build quality IDG / Matthew Smith Acer’s Swift laptops tend to strike an unassuming profile on a desk, and the Swift 14 AI is no exception. When closed, the laptop is marked only by a small holographic Acer logo and an odd symbol in the upper-left corner, which appears to be part of Acer’s new AI branding. Otherwise, the Acer Swift 14 AI could easily be mistaken for any number of mid-range Windows laptops released in the past few years. What the laptop lacks in flair, it makes up for in rigidity. Opening the laptop causes minimal flex in the display lid, and the lower chassis feels solid when picked up from a corner. This laptop doesn’t have a unibody design, and some flex can be found if you press firmly in the center of the keyboard. However, the same is true of many competing Windows laptops. The Swift 14 AI is rather thin and light, as it measures roughly 0.6 inches thick and weighs just under 3 pounds. While neither number is record-setting, the Acer Swift 14 AI feels noticeably lighter than competitors like the Dell Inspiron 14 and HP Omnibook Ultra 14. The Asus Zenbook S 14 has Acer beat, however; the Asus is under 0.5 inches thick and weighs less than 2.5 pounds. Acer Swift 14 AI: Keyboard, trackpad IDG / Matthew Smith The Acer Swift 14 AI’s keyboard, like the rest of the laptop’s design, doesn’t make much of an impression. It has a conventional layout with color-coordinated, island-style keys. As is usually true of laptops that take this approach, the color of the keys doesn’t precisely match the surrounding laptop, which cheapens the look. But when it comes time to bang out an e-mail (or novel), the keyboard proves up to the task. Key travel is acceptable, and each key activates with a definitive snap. It’s not a leader, but it does the job. Keyboard backlighting is standard, as well, which is typical at this price point. The touchpad is less impressive. Though responsive, it only measures about five inches wide and three inches deep. That’s (at best) mediocre for a laptop in 2024, and the smaller touchpad’s modest size is noticeable when the Swift 14 AI is compared to alternatives like the Asus Zenbook S 14 or Apple’s MacBooks.  Acer Swift 14 AI: Display, audio IDG / Matthew Smith Display quality is a weakness of the Acer Swift 14 AI. It has a 14-inch screen with a modest resolution of 1920 x 1200, using an IPS panel instead of a newer, more impressive OLED or mini-LED option. The absence of these higher-end technologies is somewhat surprising, as Acer often includes them in other models, and it’s not great news for image quality. The display looks fine in productivity apps like Word and Excel. However, when it comes to gaming or watching movies, the lack of contrast and color vibrancy is noticeable compared to an OLED display. Acer doesn’t market this laptop as an entertainment machine, but shoppers should be aware that if you want the best visual experience for games or movies, this might not be the right choice. On the plus side, the display is a touchscreen, which can be handy if you’d rather not use the touchpad. The display hinge also rotates 180 degrees, allowing the screen to lie flat on a surface. Together, these features make the laptop easier to use in cramped spaces or in unusual positions, like when reclined on a couch or crammed into an airplane’s economy class. The Acer’s modest display performance is echoed in its audio quality. The built-in speakers sound clear at lower volumes but become muddied and harsh as the volume increases. They’re adequate for listening to a podcast or attending a video call, but they’re not ideal for music, movies, or games. Acer Swift 14 AI: Webcam, microphone, biometrics The Acer Swift 14 AI has a decent webcam with a maximum resolution of 1440p (though, by default, the camera app still records at 1080p). The image is sharp for a webcam but can’t avoid classic webcam issues, like difficulty dealing with low-light situations that can lead to a grainy or over-exposed look. Still, it’s perfectly fine for Zoom calls. The same can be said of the microphone array, which picks up clear audio at acceptable volume. Acer ships the Swift 14 AI with a software utility to control features like portrait blur and microphone noise cancellation. It feels a bit redundant, though, since Windows already provides controls for these features. A physical privacy shutter is included to block the webcam when it’s not in use. The laptop has both a fingerprint reader and an IR camera and allows biometric login via Windows Hello with either (or both). That’s notable. While many laptops have one or the other, it’s less common to see both. Personally, I prefer Windows Hello facial recognition, but the fingerprint reader can be the better choice if you like to keep the webcam’s privacy shutter active.  Acer Swift 14 AI: Connectivity IDG / Matthew Smith Acer provides a good range of connectivity with the Swift 14 AI. It includes two Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports, both of which support DisplayPort video output and power delivery for charging the laptop. These are joined by two USB-A ports, an HDMI output, and a 3.5mm combo audio jack. This selection makes it easy to connect both modern USB-C devices and older USB-A peripherals. The only physical port that’s missing is Ethernet, but this is typical for most thin and light competitors. Wireless connectivity is also solid, as the laptop supports both Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4—the latest versions of each standard. While most routers and wireless devices have yet to adopt these standards (which limits their immediate impact), they help future-proof the laptop’s wireless connectivity. Acer Swift 14 AI: Performance This review covers the Acer Swift 14 AI with Intel Core Ultra 7 258V. However, Acer also sells the Swift 14 AI with the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite. They’re not identical:  the Qualcomm-powered model has a better 1600p 120Hz touchscreen and larger battery, though half as much RAM. Still, they look extremely similar and sell at a similar price (the Intel model has an MSRP of $1,299.99, while the Qualcomm model is $1,199.99).  IDG / Matthew Smith There is just one wrench in the works: Qualcomm’s hardware doesn’t play nice with every benchmark in our test suite, and PCMark 10 is among them. Personally, I’ve found that Qualcomm’s app support—both in terms of new native apps, and those that run through emulation—is excellent. But gaps remain, and the uncertainty that brings can be off-putting. Placing that aside, the Acer Swift 14 AI with Intel’s Core Ultra 7 258V had a good showing. It beat many recently tested laptops with an overall score of 7,173. HP’s OmniBook Ultra 14, an especially strong performer with AMD’s Ryzen AI 9 HX 375, is the only comparable system that leaves the Swift 14 AI in the dust. IDG / Matthew Smith Cinebench R23 is a heavily multithreaded, short duration CPU benchmark, and it seems to deliver a clear result. AMD rules, and Intel drools. Well…to be fair, the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 is an especially strong incarnation of AMD’s new chips, and the HP OmniBook Ultra 14 is about $350 more than the Ace Swift 14 AI. Still, it’s a bit surprising to see the AMD-powered machine leap so far head.  Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite brings up the rear, but it also runs under emulation in this test. In Cinebench 2024, which has an Arm-native version more friendly to Qualcomm, the Snapdragon X Elite is generally at least as quick as Intel’s Core Ultra Series 2 silicon.  IDG / Matthew Smith Handbrake is a longer duration, heavily multithreaded CPU benchmark that involves a real-world transcode of a feature film.  Here, the Acer Swift 14 AI avoids the thermal throttling situation that holds back laptops like the Asus Zenbook S 14 (which, remember, is about a half-inch thick, and has less space to accommodate its cooling system). But the Acer again falls way behind the AMD-powered HP OmniBook Ultra 14. IDG / Matthew Smith The Acer Swift 14 AI has Intel’s Arc 140V graphics. Though it promised gains over the prior incarnation of Intel Arc, the results we’ve recorded so far have told a mixed story: the Intel Zenbook S 14 did post big gains, but the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition did not. Fortunately for Intel, the Acer Swift 14 AI leans towards the “big gains” side of the story. It delivered an impressive 3Dmark Fire Strike result of 4,446, then went on to an even stronger score of 36,591 in 3Dmark’s Night Raid benchmark. The Swift 14 AI defeats all similarly tested laptop, and sometimes by a wide margin. And here’s something else to consider: the Acer Swift 14 AI’s result of 4,446 in Fire Strike defeats the Lenovo Slim 7 Pro X with RTX 3050 that we reviewed in August of 2022. IGP performance is clearly on the rise and can now compete with entry-level discrete GPUs sold a couple years ago.    Overall, the Acer Swift 14 AI with Intel Core Ultra 258V is a well-rounded performer. Multicore performance is its weakest point, and it ends up falling behind competitors in heavily multithreaded CPU tests. However, the Core Ultra 258V packs a rather good integrated GPU and is helped along by 32GB of speedy memory. This leads the laptop to score well in 3DMark and PCMark 10. Acer Swift 14 AI: Battery life The Acer Swift 14 AI ships with a 63 watt-hour battery. That’s reasonably large but not unusual in the category; the Acer Zenbook S 14, Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition, and HP OmniBook Ultra 14 all have larger batteries.  IDG / Matthew Smith Despite that, the Acer Swift 14 AI proved itself an able travel companion. It provided almost 19 hours of battery life in our standard battery test, which loops a 4K file of the short film Tears of Steel.  That’s as good or better than competitors like the HP OmniBook Ultra 14 and Lenovo Yoga Slim 7 Aura Edition. The Asus Zenbook S 14 is the only comparable laptop that lasts much longer, as it tops 20 hours of endurance. Acer Swift 14 AI: Conclusion The Acer Swift 14 AI is a competent laptop that makes good use of Intel’s Core Ultra 7 258V to deliver strong performance and battery life at a mid-range price. It’s not the most attractive laptop, and shoppers who care about entertainment (whether that’s streaming Netflix or playing Fortnite) will be turned off by the mediocre display. Still, the Swift 14 AI is a good choice for home office work, travel, and less demanding content creation workflows. Read...

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Making the switch from the office to working from home has become the new normal, but some users might feel like their setup is not as well-appointed or productive as at the office. It’s time to change that. With the proper equipment and gear, you can turn your boring-old home setup into a workstation powerhouse — ensuring you’ll never need to return to the office again. At PCWorld, we’ve had to adjust to remote work just like the rest of the world. Our staff has spent countless hours testing and reviewing hardware, which means we’ve been lucky enough to find the best gear and accessories available. Below you’ll find our favorite work-from-home essentials. Look sharp during Zoom meetings: Logitech C920e Business Webcam Logitech Working from home means you’ll have video meetings. Lots of them. And those low-quality webcams that ship with most laptops won’t show your brightest side. So opt for a new webcam with high-quality resolution such as the Logitech C920e Business Webcam. It captures 1080p HD resolutions, a 78-degree field of view, and comes with great perks such as autofocus and light correction. Get the Logitech C920e Business Webcam for $69.00 at Amazon Bring stability and comfort with a laptop stand: Lamicall Adjustable Laptop Stand Lamicall A good laptop stand will do wonders for your comfort and health. Not only can a stand keep you in a good ergonomic position, but it will keep your laptop safe and secure on your desk. Plus, a stand makes using a mouse and keyboard with your laptop a lot easier. You don’t need to drop a ton of money on anything expensive, either. A solid lightweight aluminum stand such as the well-liked Lamicall Adjustable Laptop stand will do just fine. It’ll support almost any laptop, from 10 inches up to 17.3 inches. It allows you to adjust both tilt and height and comes with ventilation holes to help dissipate heat from your laptop. Get the Lamicall Adjustable Laptop Stand for $35.99 at Amazon Store your important files for easy on-the-go access: Crucial X9 Pro SSD IDG Sure you might work at home, but you might need something to transport your work files for those occasional trips into the office or just a quick and convenient way to take your data on the go. External drives are a great way to store and back up your files, and their ever-decreasing size means you can now conveniently transport mass amounts of storage anywhere you go. The Crucial X9 Pro SSD is small enough to fit in your pocket, but capable enough to be your main external drive. It’s also one of the most affordable SSDs on the market and comes with up to 4TB of storage capacity. Plus, the 10Gbps transfer speeds are lightning fast for an external drive. It also comes with USB-C connectivity and includes a Type-C-to-Type-A adapter cable so you’ll have no issue connecting it to whichever computer you’re connecting to. Get the Crucial X9 Pro 1TB USB SSD for $84.99 on amazon Block out background noise to help you focus: Wyze Noise-Cancelling Headphones Wyze Labs While products from the likes of Bose and Sony are great, they are also incredibly expensive. Enter Wyze Labs. The company has created a good pair of over-ear noise-cancelling headphones for a surprisingly affordable price. While the audio quality might not be able to compete with the more expensive brands, the noise-cancelling is still top-notch. If you’re looking to block out background noise at your home office or while working in a busy café, these headphones will do the trick just fine. Get the Wyze Noise-Cancelling Headphones for $53.99 at Amazon Get every answer with a smart display: Google Nest Hub Google Marrying Google’s ever-helpful voice assistant to a 7-inch touchscreen, the Nest Hub smart display is much more than a device to control your music playlist or play ambient white noise (though both use cases can make working from home more pleasant). You can also use the Nest Hub to run fact-checks (“When did Musk become the CEO of Twitter?”); get direct spellings of words that elude spellcheck; verify the dates of important trade shows and other events; set workday alarms and reminders; and pretty much search everything on Google hands-free, receiving both audio and video results on a separate, independent display. Once you start exploring the work-from-home benefits of a smart display, you’ll never stop. Get the Google Nest Hub Smart Display for $99.99 at BestBuy Protect your devices with a surge protector: TP-Link Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Power Strip TP-Link Many people take for granted the vulnerability of their electronic devices to power spikes. Unfortunately, after your equipment gets fried is the worst time to realize your mistake. By purchasing a surge protector, you’re only paying a little amount of money to help ensure the safety of your much more expensive electronics. The TP-Link Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Power Strip goes above and beyond a normal everyday surge protector by offering six outlets that can all be controlled and scheduled individually with a mobile app or voice commands, and three USB charging ports. The scheduling system is robust and allows for ultimate flexibility in choosing when to power your devices on and off automatically for any kind of routine or travel need. Get the TP-Link Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Power Strip at Amazon for $44.99 Create a full-on workstation: Belkin Thunderbolt 3 Dock Core Docking Station Belkin Your ultraportable laptop may be perfect for commuting to and from the office, but when you’re working from home you want a dedicated workstation with the ability to connect all of your peripherals. A Thunderbolt dock will help you expand your laptop’s capabilities and allow you to connect to a larger monitor and a full-sized keyboard. You’ll increase your productivity and your body will thank you for the ergonomic upgrade. We’ve tested a ton of Thunderbolt docks and the Belkin Thunderbolt 3 Dock Core is our favorite budget-friendly option. It gives you the reliable Thunderbolt 3 standard, HDMI and a DisplayPort 1.4 ports, all in a package that is easy to travel with and won’t take up much room on your desk. Get the Belkin Thunderbolt 3 Dock Core for $69.99 at Walmart Or opt for a less expensive USB-C hub: UGREEN Revodok USB-C Hub Hiearcool If you don’t want to drop the cash on a Thunderbolt dock, you should at least consider getting a USB-C hub. Modern laptops tend to lack all of the ports you need to connect peripherals and that’s where a USB-C hub comes in. They are cheap and they allow you to significantly expand your port options. We recommend the UGREEN Revodok USB-C Hub as it gives you a variety of USB-A as well as USB-C ports and microSD and HDMI slots, all for under $20. Get the UGREEN Revodok USB-C Hub for $15.99 at Amazon Don’t skimp on your screen: Dell Ultrasharp U2724DE Matt Smith Working from home is all about productivity, and one of the best pieces of hardware to boost productivity is a great monitor. The Dell Ultrasharp U2724DE is an extremely versatile monitor with a sharp IPS Black panel and enhanced 120Hz refresh rate. It sports excellent image quality, a wide color gamut, and outstanding connectivity options. There are a ton of great monitors out there, but the Dell Ultrasharp U2724DE has an excellent mix of features for anyone who has wants a premium experience without the premium price. Get the Dell Ultrasharp U2724DE for $489.99 at Dell Upgrade that new screen’s ergonomics: Ergotron LX Premium Monitor Arm Matt Smith/Foundry A good monitor arm is one of the best upgrades you can make to your home office setup. It’ll open up way more options to move and position your display around your desk and it frees up precious desktop space as well. The Ergotron LX Premium Monitor Arm is our favorite monitor arm for a reason. It’s sturdy, practical, and can pair with almost any monitor around. The LX Premium is designated as an “entry-level” model, but it comes with specs that you’d expect from something much more expensive. It can support monitors up to 25 pounds and comes with 75 degrees of tilt, plus 360 degrees of rotation and pan. Get the Ergotron LX Premium Monitor Arm for $209.00 at amazon Consider ergonomics: Logitech Lift & Keychron Q8 keyboard Foundry If you’re working from home all day, you need to be comfortable and a standard mouse and keyboard just won’t cut it. Focusing on ergonomics, the Logitech Lift mouse and Keychron Q8 keyboard were built to help keep your hands and wrists in a more comfortable and less injury-prone position. Michael Crider/IDG The Lift mouse can be purchased for either left or right hands and comes in a variety of colors. It’s also wireless, which helps you minimize desktop clutter. The Keychron Q8 keyboard is a bit pricey, but gives you the satisfying feel and dependability of a mechanical keyboard while the curved design allows your wrists to rest in a more natural and comfortable position while typing. Get the Logitech Lift Mouse for $69.99 at Amazon Get the Keychron Q8 Keyboard for $199.00 at Keychron Go wireless: Logitech MK540 Advanced Wireless Keyboard and Mouse Combo If you don’t want to spend big on a mouse and keyboard, you can find a more affordable alternative in the Logitech MK540 Advanced Wireless Keyboard and Mouse combo. Coming in at an affordable $50, the keyboard is surprisingly snappy and has a pleasant tactile experience without too much noise. The mouse provides smooth and reliable use and has a few programmable gestures you can set for your convenience. Both are wireless, so you can do away with all of those annoying cables cluttering your desktop. Get the Logitech MK540 Wireless Keyboard and Mouse for $49.95 at Amazon Backup software is a must: iDrive Online Cloud Backup Many people neglect to consider backup when working from home, but if your IT department isn’t covering you and your data, it’s something that needs to be addressed. Luckily there are relatively inexpensive services such as iDrive Online Cloud Backup that make it simple to do. iDrive is comprehensive and versatile and allows you to set up and use the backup service without any fuss. It’s a one-stop shop to help keep your valuable data safe and secure. Get iDrive for $79.50 at iDrive So is a robust PDF editor: Adobe Acrobat Pro DC PDFs are a staple of any modern digital workplace, but they aren’t always the easiest to edit. There are a ton of great PDF editors out there, but Adobe Acrobat Pro DC has been, and continues to be, the reigning champ. There is no other software that combines the same features for creating, editing, reviewing, and securing your PDF documents. Plus, the subscription-based format means that you’ll always have access to the latest version and won’t need to continually buy new software every year. Get Adobe Acrobat Pro DC for $19.99 per month at Adobe Ease eye-strain: BenQ ScreenBar BenQ ScreenBar BenQ To save space on your desk and reduce eye-strain there is no better option than a screenbar — a USB-powered desk lamp that attaches to the top of your monitor. When BenQ debuted its ScreenBar it had us wondering why no one had thought of this extremely practical solution before. It’ll save you desk space and keep you from going cross-eyed from squinting through the reflections on your monitor all day. Admittedly, it’s a bit pricey, but your eyes will thank you in the long run. Get the BenQ ScreenBar for $109.00 at Amazon The conventional desk lamp option: IKEA Forså If you don’t want to shell out the money for a screenbar or it just isn’t your style, then the tried-and-true desk lamp can be a great alternative. At just over $30, the IKEA Forså provides form and function to help keep your desk looking chic and well lit.  It comes with excellent adjustability, a cool old-school chrome design, and a straightforward on/off switch to keep things dead-simple. Get the Ikea Forså Desk Lamp for $34.99 at IKEA Keep upright: Jarvis Bamboo Standing desk When working from home you have a tendency to stay seated for long periods of time even more so than working in an office. And no matter how comfy that fancy ergonomic office chair is, sitting in it all day isn’t ideal. The best way to keep your body happy while working at a desk is to switch to an electric height-adjustable standing desk.  The Jarvis Bamboo Standing desk not only looks nice with its clean bamboo top, but it’s practical too. It comes with an impressive height adjustment range, solid stability (even when maxed out), a great warranty, and decent customization options — it ticks all the boxes for things you want in the perfect standing desk. Get the Jarvis Bamboo Standing Desk for $744 at HermanMiller Set the mood: Lutron Diva Smart Dimmer Michael Brown/Foundry A smart light switch isn’t an obvious necessity, until you have one. Being able to control the lighting system in your home office via voice controls, motion detection, or your smartphone is a simple luxury that can pay dividends — both in your mood and in your energy bill. The Lutron Diva Smart Dimmer is built to work with the Lutron Caséta ecosystem, but it also provides broad compatibility with different smart products and systems such as Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and many others. It also has a minimalist design that doesn’t draw attention to itself. Get the Lutron Diva Smart Dimmer for $69.95 at Home Depot Stay warm: Vornado VH200 Heater In those cold months of winter you need a way to keep warm and comfortable while you work at home. A space heater such as the Vornado VH200 Heater is a great way to keep your energy bill down while still warming a specific area. The Vornado is small enough that it won’t take up too much room in your office, but powerful enough that it can heat an entire room by itself. It’s also extremely quiet, meaning you can focus on your work without being distracted by an overly noisy fan. Get the Vornado VH200 Heater for $68.00 at Walmart Say no to cables: Anker 633 Magnetic Wireless Charging Stand Anker A clean desktop can help you stay productive and focused while working at home. One of the best ways to reduce your cord clutter is to switch to a wireless phone charger. It’s also one of the most convenient and hassle-free ways to charge your mobile devices. Right now there’s no better wireless charger than the Anker 633 Magnetic Wireless Charging stand. This 10,000mAh battery provides some of the fastest Android charging we’ve ever tested, it has a clean, minimalist look, and the magnetic stand keeps your phone securely upright, making checking notifications a breeze. Get the Anker 633 Magnetic Wireless Charging Stand for $54.99 at Amazon Get some computer speakers: Creative Pebble Creative A full, booming 7.1 surround-sound speaker setup might be great for watching movies and playing games, but for work you don’t need anything nearly as fancy. If you’re working at home you just want something that will produce clear audio during meetings or while listening to some background LoFi beats to help keep you focused. Save yourself some money and go with the Creative Pebble speakers, which for only $40 produce deep and rich audio that you would expect from something two or three times the price. Plus they don’t take up much space and look really good on a desktop. Get the Creative Pebble Speakers for $34.84 at Amazon Do-it-all productivity: Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 Lenovo You need a laptop while working at home and there are none more suited to the task than the Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6. It sports great performance thanks to its Snapdragon X Elite X1E-78-100 CPU, Qualcomm Adreno integrated graphics, and 32GB of RAM. It will not only easily tackle any word processing and spreadsheet work you throw at it, but it can also handle web-browsing while you’re on your “lunch break.” It has a 1920×1200 display with a glare-blocking matte finish, which is ideal for viewing in any environment, and a comfortable keyboard for marathon typing or coding sessions. Get the Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 for $1,181.40 at Lenovo Back to basics: Lenovo Flex 5i Chromebook Plus IDG / Ashley Biancuzzo If you want something a little more portable (or affordable) than a full-fledged productivity machine like the Lenovo ThinkPad, then look no further than the Lenovo Flex 5i—we’re big fans of Lenovo laptops here, can you tell? This Chromebook has fast performance and a versatile 2-in-1 form factor. Meaning you can either use it as a regular laptop or flip the screen around and use it like a tablet. It’s also portable enough to take to the coffee shop when you need a change of scenery. So long as you don’t require Windows while working, the Flex 5i is a great everyday option. Get the Lenovo Flex 5i Chromebook Plus for $499.00 at BestBuy Read...