Right now, big deals on splashy products dominate the headlines—supercharged PCs (and components), fancy TVs, expensive vacuum cleaners. But you can save money on less dramatic items during Amazon Prime Day, too. Cables, lighting, desk accessories, chargers—these everyday products sound boring, but life sucks when you don’t have them on hand. When the discounts are this good, it’s a smart time to replace, restock, or finally bite the bullet. Here are my 11 favorites of the bunch. A gas monitor arm to save desk space ($36) Credit: Huanuo I always recommend a monitor arm as a desk accessory. And not just any kind, either—specifically, a gas monitor arm. It’s one of the best upgrades for a setup, especially if you share the space with others. Adjustments to height and tilt are very smooth, and it frees up a ton of tabletop space. This fan-favorite Huanuo model is at one of its lower prices right now, just $36. (I still boggle at how cheap that is compared to what I paid for my mount.) This version supports 13- to 32-inch monitors, VESA 75×75 and 100×100 mount brackets, and up to 19.8 lbs in weight. Get a gas monitor arm for $36View deal High-wattage USB-C cables ($9+) Credit: Anker Older USB-C cables can’t always support laptop charging, especially for more powerful models with higher wattages. So for most people, picking up a couple of 100W cables (like this Anker two-pack of 6-footers for $9) will ensure all your devices charge at max speed. This particular deal is for nicer, nylon braided cords too, with the option of red or white cables if you pay an extra buck. Have a super energy-hungry laptop? Grab this two-pack of 6-foot 240W Anker USB-C cables for just $10. Get two 100W USB-C cables for $9View Deal A compact, multi-device charger ($22) UGREEN / Amazon A single, small charger can juice up all your devices—and for many people with a 45W laptop, phone, and tablet (or portable gaming console), this $22 UGREEN 65W 4-port GaN charger can take on that job adequately. Need to funnel more energy to your gear? Consider this $46 Anker Prime 100W 3-port model instead, which still can provide 65W of charging off the primary USB-C port when you have a second device (e.g., phone) plugged into a secondary port. Get a 65W GaN charger for $22View Deal A 14TB external hard drive for backups ($180) Credit: WD You shouldn’t compromise on backing up your PC. Syncing your files to a Microsoft, Google, or Apple account isn’t enough—you can accidentally delete files on both your computer and in the cloud, for example. An easy way to keep copies of your files is on a separate local drive—and one with a lot of storage, like this 14TB Western Digital external desktop hard drive, is perfect for the job. You get plenty of room for all your files and multiple versions of backups. Get a 14TB external desktop hard drive for $180View Deal A portable light for use around the house ($22) Credit: Letour Our editorial director Jon Phillips swears by these $22 Letour LED Tubes as a cheaper alternative to a lantern. He grabs one for all kinds of dark corners—under the hood of a car, a dark closet, or even whatever room he’s in during a power blackout. You recharge them via a USB cable, and they hold a charge for long stretches. (He says he only charges them twice a year!) Get a rechargable LED tube light for $22View Deal A five-pack of future-proof Ethernet cables ($24) Credit: Amazon Prefer a wired connection for your devices? Your current Ethernet cables could be limiting your speed. Such a discovery prompted my colleague Mark Hachman to upgrade his outdated setup with Cat5 cables to the latest Cat8 spec. Cat5 maxes out at 100Mbps, lower than many common internet plans. If you’re in his same boat, jumping to Cat8 with this five-pack of cables costs just $24 and will future-proof you for years—currently, plans from Comcast, AT&T, and other ISPs still lag behind Cat8’s max of 40Gbps. Your own home hardware hasn’t caught up yet either, as most PCs still top out at 1Gbps or 2.5Gbps right now. One nice touch about this particular set of Cat8 Ethernet cables? They’re color-coded, so you can easily tell apart devices plugged into your router or network switch. Get a five-pack of Cat8 Ethernet cables for $24View Deal A power bank for your devices while away from home ($28) INIU / Amazon Whether embarking on fall travel or just heading to and from your usual haunts, a power bank will keep your phone running all day. For $28, you can pick up this popular 20,000 mAh model from INIU. It’s compact, making it easier to slip into a pocket while on the go. And its included charging cable doubles as a carrying strap! Get a 20K mAh power bank for $28View Deal A chair with good ergonomics ($130) Credit: Staples Staples is having its own sale right now to rival Amazon—and the discounts have dropped its popular Hyken office chair down to just $130 (56 percent off!). A favorite of both Reddit and PCWorld’s own staff members, this ergo-friendly chair is now close to its all-time low price. (Looking for alternative office chair options? Check out our roundup of the best Prime Day office chair and standing desk deals.) Get an ergo-friendly office chair for $130View Deal A docking station for your laptop ($170) The front and back views of the dock. (Credit: UGREEN) At home, your laptop can be so much more—just as with a desktop PC, you can have a full setup with multiple monitors, a dedicated microphone and video camera, USB accessories, and more. A hub or docking station lets you easily connect and disconnect your laptop from all the extras you’d plug in—and currently one of the better deals is Ugreen’s Revodok Max 208 8-in-1 Thunderbolt 4 Dock, priced at $170. The only small caveat about this model is that it’s more of a hub than a dock, so you’ll need an adapter for USB-C to HDMI (or to DisplayPort) for the video signal. But they’re not too expensive: the uni USB-C to HDMI cable is just $13 right now. Get a mighty docking station for $170View Deal A powered USB hub with all the ports ($23) TP-Link / Amazon Docking station too rich for your blood? Or you only need more ports for your PC and nothing else? (Few things about computers are as annoying as not having anywhere to plug in a needed peripheral or accessory.) This $23 powered 7-port USB 3.0 hub from TP-Link will help that problem. It offers a ton of ports—seven of them with speeds up to 5Gbps. It also comes with two additional ports that can charge attached devices at 5V/2.4A. Looking for more ports, faster data speeds, and USB-C? Anker’s $41 11-in-1 USB hub will equip you with 2x USB-C 5Gbps power delivery ports, 3x USB-A 5Gbps ports, and 3x USB 10Gbps ports (1x USB-A, 2x USB-C). It also comes with a 100W USB-C PD-in port and SD card reader. Get a USB hub with lots of ports for $23View Deal An enclosure for your old spare drives ($16) UGREEN / Amazon I have older PCs lying around, which means I also have older spare Gen 3 M.2 SSDs lying around. (Also 2.5? drives, but that’s a story for another day.) Instead of buying new dedicated backup drives, I’m instead turning these extra parts into external SSDs with a fairly cheap upgrade. This $16 UGREEN USB-C SSD enclosure isn’t on steep discount compared to its cost other times of year, but the deal is enough to motivate me to finally buy. I like that this model accommodates different M.2 lengths, including the less typical 2242 and 2260, which means it’ll stay versatile as I play musical drives down the line. And it’s toolless, a feature I expect but don’t always get. Repurpose your older internal M.2 SSDs with this tool-free enclosureView Deal Read...

Right now, big deals on splashy products dominate the headlines—supercharged PCs (and components), fancy TVs, expensive vacuum cleaners. But you can save money on less dramatic items during Amazon Prime Day, too. Cables, lighting, desk accessories, chargers—these everyday products sound boring, but life sucks when you don’t have them on hand. When the discounts are this good, it’s a smart time to replace, restock, or finally bite the bullet. Here are my 10 favorites of the bunch. A gas monitor arm to save desk space ($36) Credit: Huanuo I always recommend a monitor arm as a desk accessory. And not just any kind, either—specifically, a gas monitor arm. It’s one of the best upgrades for a setup, especially if you share the space with others. Adjustments to height and tilt are very smooth, and it frees up a ton of tabletop space. This fan-favorite Huanuo model is at one of its lower prices right now, just $36. (I still boggle at how cheap that is compared to what I paid for my mount.) This version supports 13- to 32-inch monitors, VESA 75×75 and 100×100 mount brackets, and up to 19.8 lbs in weight. Get a gas monitor arm for $36View deal High-wattage USB-C cables ($9+) Credit: Anker Older USB-C cables can’t always support laptop charging, especially for more powerful models with higher wattages. So for most people, picking up a couple of 100W cables (like this Anker two-pack of 6-footers for $9) will ensure all your devices charge at max speed. This particular deal is for nicer, nylon braided cords too, with the option of red or white cables if you pay an extra buck. Have a super energy-hungry laptop? Grab this two-pack of 6-foot 240W Anker USB-C cables for just $10. Get two 100W USB-C cables for $9View Deal A compact, multi-device charger ($22) UGREEN / Amazon A single, small charger can juice up all your devices—and for many people with a 45W laptop, phone, and tablet (or portable gaming console), this $22 UGREEN 65W 4-port GaN charger can take on that job adequately. Need to funnel more energy to your gear? Consider this $46 Anker Prime 100W 3-port model instead, which still can provide 65W of charging off the primary USB-C port when you have a second device (e.g., phone) plugged into a secondary port. Get a 65W GaN charger for $22View Deal A 14TB external hard drive for backups ($180) Credit: WD You shouldn’t compromise on backing up your PC. Syncing your files to a Microsoft, Google, or Apple account isn’t enough—you can accidentally delete files on both your computer and in the cloud, for example. An easy way to keep copies of your files is on a separate local drive—and one with a lot of storage, like this 14TB Western Digital external desktop hard drive, is perfect for the job. You get plenty of room for all your files and multiple versions of backups. Get a 14TB external desktop hard drive for $180View Deal A portable light for use around the house ($22) Credit: Letour Our editorial director Jon Phillips swears by these $22 Letour LED Tubes as a cheaper alternative to a lantern. He grabs one for all kinds of dark corners—under the hood of a car, a dark closet, or even whatever room he’s in during a power blackout. You recharge them via a USB cable, and they hold a charge for long stretches. (He says he only charges them twice a year!) Get a rechargable LED tube light for $22View Deal A five-pack of future-proof Ethernet cables ($24) Credit: Amazon Prefer a wired connection for your devices? Your current Ethernet cables could be limiting your speed. Such a discovery prompted my colleague Mark Hachman to upgrade his outdated setup with Cat5 cables to the latest Cat8 spec. Cat5 maxes out at 100Mbps, lower than many common internet plans. If you’re in his same boat, jumping to Cat8 with this five-pack of cables costs just $24 and will future-proof you for years—currently, plans from Comcast, AT&T, and other ISPs still lag behind Cat8’s max of 40Gbps. Your own home hardware hasn’t caught up yet either, as most PCs still top out at 1Gbps or 2.5Gbps right now. One nice touch about this particular set of Cat8 Ethernet cables? They’re color-coded, so you can easily tell apart devices plugged into your router or network switch. Get a five-pack of Cat8 Ethernet cables for $24View Deal A power bank for your devices while away from home ($28) INIU / Amazon Whether embarking on fall travel or just heading to and from your usual haunts, a power bank will keep your phone running all day. For $28, you can pick up this popular 20,000 mAh model from INIU. It’s compact, making it easier to slip into a pocket while on the go. And its included charging cable doubles as a carrying strap! Get a 20K mAh power bank for $28View Deal A chair with good ergonomics ($130) Credit: Staples Staples is having its own sale right now to rival Amazon—and the discounts have dropped its popular Hyken office chair down to just $130 (56 percent off!). A favorite of both Reddit and PCWorld’s own staff members, this ergo-friendly chair is now close to its all-time low price. (Looking for alternative office chair options? Check out our roundup of the best Prime Day office chair and standing desk deals.) Get an ergo-friendly office chair for $130View Deal A docking station for your laptop ($170) The front and back views of the dock. (Credit: UGREEN) At home, your laptop can be so much more—just as with a desktop PC, you can have a full setup with multiple monitors, a dedicated microphone and video camera, USB accessories, and more. A hub or docking station lets you easily connect and disconnect your laptop from all the extras you’d plug in—and currently one of the better deals is Ugreen’s Revodok Max 208 8-in-1 Thunderbolt 4 Dock, priced at $170. The only small caveat about this model is that it’s more of a hub than a dock, so you’ll need an adapter for USB-C to HDMI (or to DisplayPort) for the video signal. But they’re not too expensive: the uni USB-C to HDMI cable is just $13 right now. Get a mighty docking station for $170View Deal A powered USB hub with all the ports ($23) TP-Link / Amazon Docking station too rich for your blood? Or you only need more ports for your PC and nothing else? (Few things about computers are as annoying as not having anywhere to plug in a needed peripheral or accessory.) This $23 powered 7-port USB 3.0 hub from TP-Link will help that problem. It offers a ton of ports—seven of them with speeds up to 5Gbps. It also comes with two additional ports that can charge attached devices at 5V/2.4A. Looking for more ports, faster data speeds, and USB-C? Anker’s $41 11-in-1 USB hub will equip you with 2x USB-C 5Gbps power delivery ports, 3x USB-A 5Gbps ports, and 3x USB 10Gbps ports (1x USB-A, 2x USB-C). It also comes with a 100W USB-C PD-in port and SD card reader. Get a USB hub with lots of ports for $23View Deal Read...

The second Amazon Prime Day is officially here! From October 7-8, you’ll find some of the best laptop discounts of the year. (Check out all Prime Day deals here.) Just remember, you’ll need a Prime membership to access those scrumptious deals: here’s how to get it for free. If you’re not sure where to start, don’t worry. I’ve got you covered with a curated list of the best laptop deals in the leadup to October Prime Day. Why should you care about what I’ve got to say? Fair question. I oversee all laptop and Chromebook review coverage at PCWorld. I also maintain our best laptop deals roundup daily, along with our best laptops of 2025 roundup weekly. That means I’m checking laptop deals online every single day, so I’m well attuned to the landscape and can spot true gems from the duds. Best October Prime Day deals on budget laptops HP 14 Laptop, Intel Celeron N4020 processor/14-inch 1366×768 display/4GB RAM/64GB storage, $171.95 ($58.04 off at Amazon) Acer Aspire, AMD Ryzen 3 7330U processor/15.6-inch 1920×1080 display/16GB RAM/256GB SSD, $359.99 ($40 off at Amazon) Dell Inspiron 15 3535, 8GB RAM, AMD Ryzen 5 7520U processor, 512GB SSD, 15.6-inch 1920×1080 display, $391 ($58.99 off at Amazon) The Dell Inspiron 15 3535 really punches above its price point. The Ryzen 5 chip gives it a real edge over other budget laptops in its class, and the 8GB of RAM plus 512GB of SSD storage keep things snappy for daily use. The 1080p display is also sharp and roomy enough for work or streaming, making this a surprisingly capable option under $400. Best October Prime Day deals on mid-range laptops Dell Inspiron 5441, Snapdragon X Plus processor/14-inch 1920×1200 display/16GB RAM/512GB SSD, $614 ($185.99 off at Amazon) Samsung Galaxy Book4, Intel Core 7 150U processor/15.6-inch 1920×1080 display/16GB RAM/512GB SSD, $650 ($49.99 off at Amazon) Apple 2025 MacBook Air, M4 chip/13.6-inch 2560×1664 display/16GB RAM/256GB SSD, $799 ($200off at Amazon) HP OmniBook X Flip, AMD Ryzen AI 5 340 processor/16-inch 1920×1200 display/16GB RAM/1TB SSD, $799.99 ($200 off at Amazon) If you want a laptop that feels way nicer than what you’re paying, the HP OmniBook X Flip on Amazon is the one to grab. It’s $799.99 right now (down $200), and you’re getting a big 16-inch 1200p screen, a snappy new Ryzen AI 5 chip, plus 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage. Translation: You’re getting plenty of power and you don’t have to worry about running out of space. Since it’s a 2-in-1, you can flip it around for tablet mode too, which is just a bonus at this price. Best October Prime Day deals on premium laptops Microsoft Surface Laptop (2024), Snapdragon X Plus processor/13.8-inch 2304×1536 display/16GB RAM/512GB SSD, $949.99 ($250 off at Amazon) Apple MacBook Air, M4 chip/13.6-inch 2560×1664 display/16GB RAM/512GB SSD, $999 ($200 off at Amazon) Dell 14 Plus, Intel Core Ultra 9 288V processor/14-inch 2560×1600 display/32GB RAM/1TB SSD, $1,150.33 ($249.66 off at Amazon) HP OmniBook 7, Intel Core Ultra 7 258V processor/17.3-inch 1920×1080 display/32GB RAM/1TB SSD, $1,149.99 ($140 off at Amazon) The Dell 14 Plus is a total powerhouse because it’s pretty loaded as far as hardware goes. Pop the lid and you’ll find 32GB of RAM and a fast Core Ultra 9 chip. Plus, the 2560×1600 screen is pretty darn crisp. It’s honestly more power than most people need, but that’s kind of the point–it won’t feel slow anytime soon. Sure, it’s pricier, but if you want something that’ll hold up for years, it’s a smart buy. Best October Prime Day deals on gaming laptops HP Victus, AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS processor/RTX 2050 graphics/15.6-inch 1920×1080 display/8GB RAM/512GB SSD, $549 ($61 off at Amazon) Lenovo LOQ 15IRX10, Intel Core i5-13450HX processor/RTX 5050 graphics/15.6-inch 1920×1080 display/16GB RAM/1TB SSD, $979 ($120 off at Amazon) Asus ROG Strix G16 (2025), Intel Core i7-14650HX processor/RTX 5060 graphics/16-inch 1920×1200 display/16GB RAM/1TB SSD, $1,399.99 ($100 off at Amazon) Lenovo Legion 5i, Intel Core i7-14700HX processor/RTX 5060 graphics/15.1-inch 2560×1600 display/32GB RAM/2TB SSD, $1,555 ($444 off at Amazon) The Lenovo LOQ 15IRX10 is a fantastic pick for a couple of reasons. First, it falls under the $1,000 mark, which is perfect for budget-conscious gamers. Second, the hardware is pretty darn good! 1080p gaming will be nice and smooth thanks to the Intel Core i5-13450HX processor and the RTX 5050 graphics card. It’s also packing a full 1TB SSD, so you shouldn’t run out of precious space the second you start downloading a couple of big games. Other great Prime Day deals These aren’t the only October Prime Day deals being tracked by the PCWorld team. If you’re looking to supercharge your home setup with the juiciest tech sales, hit the links for only the best expert-curated picks we’ve found. Best Amazon October Prime Day tech deals: Great sales chosen by experts Best October Prime Day laptop deals: Gaming notebooks, 2-in-1s, and more Best October Prime Day deals on SSDs and storage Best USB flash drive deals for October Prime Day Best monitor deals for October Prime Day: OLED, home office, and more Best October Prime Day deals on Thunderbolt docks and USB-C hubs Best October Prime Day mini PC deals: Big savings on tiny computers Best October Prime Day deals on battery chargers and power banks Best October Prime Day deals on Chromebooks Best October Prime Day deals on office chairs and standing desks Best October Prime Day PC computer deals FAQ 1. What kind of laptop should I get? Good question! Always on the go? A 2-in-1 is handy, you can flip it into tablet mode for notes. Gaming? Look for good graphics and a high-refresh screen. Just want something for emails and browsing? Budget Windows laptops work fine. 2. How can I tell whether a laptop is a good October Prime Day deal? I rely on a free tool called CamelCamelCamel (yes, that’s really the name). It tracks Amazon price history, so you can tell if that “deal” is actually the real thing. Just make an account, copy the ASIN number from the product page (it starts with “B”), and you’ll get a graph showing how the price has gone up or down. It’s a super easy way to see if you’re getting the lowest price. 3. Do laptop brands matter? Not as much as you might think. Most big names like Dell, Acer, HP, Lenovo make good machines. You might have a personal preference, though. 4. How much memory do I need? I usually tell people to shoot for at least 8GB of RAM. Anything less and your laptop’s going to feel sluggish. If you can spring for 16GB, you’ll definitely notice things running smoother, especially if you’re the type that keeps 20 tabs open at once (no judgement here, I’m just as bad). And if you’re doing heavier stuff like video editing, big spreadsheets, or creative work, 32GB+ is the way to go. 5. Is now a good time to buy? Yes! October Prime Day usually has some of the lowest prices of the year. Tariffs aren’t really a factor right now, but stuff can change. If you’ve been thinking about a laptop, now’s a good time to jump. Read...

For those of us looking to upgrade our PCs, time isn’t on our side. Over the course of the year, prices have gone up on components, including SSDs…and reports say they’re set to rise further. (I miss the golden months of 2023, for sure.) So if you’ve been itching to jump on an SSD deal, now’s your last chance to check out big discounts—Amazon’s October Prime Day sales end on Wednesday, October 8 at 11:59pm. But as always, these counters to higher component prices can sell out before then. If you see something you like, grab it ASAP. Want to know the best drives out there? Have a look at our top picks for the best SSDs of 2025 and the best external drives of 2025. Looking for even more deals, including limited-time ones? Check out all of our Amazon October Prime Day coverage. Best October Prime Day 2025 deals on internal SSDs 2.5-inch SATA SSDs Team Group T-Force Vulcan Z, 1TB SATA – $48 (21% off at Newegg, w/ coupon FTAE325) WD Blue SA510, 4TB SATA – $220 (21% off) SATA SSD pricing has been hit the hardest by current market forces, in part due to the greater popularity of NVMe SSDs. But if all you’re seeking is an upgrade to an old PC’s hard disk drive, you’ve got options. M.2 NVMe SSDs Gen 4 WD Blue SN5100, 1TB Gen 4 – $68 (18% off) Crucial P310, 2TB Gen 4 – $105 (16% off) Nextorage NEM-PAB2TB/N, 2TB Gen 4 – $125 (50% off on Newegg) Samsung 990 Pro, 2TB Gen 4 – $134 (33% off) WD_BLACK SN770M, 2TB Gen 4 [Steam Deck compatible] – $139 (15% off) Nextorage NEM-PAC, 4TB Gen 4 – $230 (23% off on Newegg) Samsung 990 Pro w/ heatsink, 4TB Gen 4 – $259 (32% off) Gen 5 SK Hynix Platinum P51, 1TB Gen 5 – $110 (29% off) Samsung Pro 9100, 2TB Gen 5 – $170 (43% off) Samsung Pro 9100, 4TB Gen 5 – $350 (36% off) Samsung Pro 9100, 8TB Gen 5 – $750 (25% off) WD_BLACK SN8100, 1TB Gen 5 – $130 (37% off) WD_BLACK SN8100, 2TB Gen 5 – $190 (40% off) SSD prices have been rising gradually—so while the best prices now don’t match historical all-time lows, you can still find good prices on well-regarded drives. The 2TB Samsung 990 Pro is a particularly nice find, with superb performance and a discounted price just $10 more than its all-time low. Best October Prime Day 2025 deals on external storage Samsung T9, 1TB, USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 portable SSD – $95 (32% off) Crucial X9 Pro, 1TB USB 3.2 Gen 2 portable SSD – $75 (26% off) SK Hynix Tube T31, 2TB USB 3.2 Gen 2 slim portable SSD – $119 (26% off) SK Hynix Beetle X31, 2TB USB 3.2 Gen 2 portable SSD – $119 (18% off) Samsung T7, 2TB USB 3.2 Gen 2 portable SSD – $130 (31% off) Samsung T9, 2TB, USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 portable SSD – $160 (33% off) External storage sales are a surprising bright spot for discounts during October Prime Day. Samsung’s speedy T9 models in 1TB and 2TB capacities are down to all-time lows, as is the similarly zippy Crucial X9 Pro. Other great October Prime Day deals These aren’t the only October Prime Day deals being tracked by the PCWorld team. If you’re looking to supercharge your home setup with the juiciest tech sales, hit the links for only the best expert-curated picks we’ve found. Best Amazon October Prime Day tech deals: Great sales chosen by experts Best October Prime Day laptop deals: Gaming notebooks, 2-in-1s, and more Best USB flash drive deals for October Prime Day Best monitor deals for October Prime Day: OLED, home office, and more Best October Prime Day deals on Thunderbolt docks and USB-C hubs Best October Prime Day mini PC deals: Big savings on tiny computers Best October Prime Day deals on battery chargers and power banks Best October Prime Day deals on Chromebooks Best October Prime Day deals on office chairs and standing desks Best October Prime Day PC computer deals SSD and storage deals FAQ 1. Why aren’t SSDs as cheap as they once were? The balance between demand and supply has shifted. Most recently, data centers have begun buying up SSDs, shrinking the number of drives available to consumers. But while you can’t expect to see the incredible prices of 2023, deal periods like Prime Day help counteract cost increases. 2. Do brands matter for SSDs and storage? Yes, but only to a point. Major manufacturers are generally reliable—think Samsung, Crucial, Western Digital (aka WD), SK Hynix, Corsair, Kingston, and even newer players like TeamGroup and Solidigm. Outside of that, you may be playing a bit fast and loose with your data’s longevity. However, everyone has that one horror story about a hard-disk drive that failed, and why they’ll never use, say, WD or Crucial again. That’s less commonly a manufacturing error, and more so a matter of luck. No drive is guaranteed to meet its life expectancy, which is why you should perform regular backups. 3. Is an SSD better than a HDD? SSDs are faster and take less room in a PC than a hard-disk drive (HDD), which gives them a strong edge. If you only have one storage drive in your PC, it should ideally be an SSD so you get faster boot times and quicker access to your files. A HDD as your primary drive will feel much slower. But HDDs still have their advantages. First, they’re much cheaper. The going price of a 2TB HDD is about the same as the sale price for a 1TB SSD. You also can get them in higher capacities than SSDs. If you work with huge files, you can pick up an 18TB or 20TB HDD (and as mentioned, since HDD cost less, you’ll spend as much or even less as a 4TB SSD). If you need secondary storage and you don’t need it to be fast, HDDs are a fantastic option. 4. How do I know if an SSD deal is good? Here’s the guideline we use for picking deals: First, it should be for an SSD that performs well (or in select cases, performs well for its MSRP), and is a reasonable price when not on sale. The discount should also be significant for that particular model. Ex: For SSDs that almost never go on sale, a reduction of $5 to $10 is already hefty. For others, that might be closer to $20 to $30. 5. Have tariffs affected SSD and storage prices? Tariffs have caused small increases on computer components, but SSD pricing has been more affected by data centers. Demand has grown enough that supply available to consumers have shrunk, driving up prices. That said, tariffs could begin to affect SSDs and storage more notably after the holidays, which is when retailers’ pre-tariff stockpiles of goods is expected to run out—which means any new stock imported into the U.S. will be taxed at higher rates. Read...

Amazon’s October Prime Big Deal Days 2025 sales event is here and there are tons of great deals on desktop PCs available. This year’s event runs October 7-8 and includes solid discounts on everything from gaming PCs to all-in-ones to traditional mainstream desktop computers. You’ll need to be a Prime member to take advantage of Amazon’s steep discounts. If you aren’t a member already, check out our guide for how to get Amazon Prime for free. I’ve been tracking and writing about the best computer deals year-round for a long time now, and at PCWorld I’ve used this knowledge to curate a list of the best available computer deals across the internet specifically for this October Prime Day. Other retailers have jumped in on the action, and some of the best desktop PC deals can even be found outside of Amazon, so I’ve included those deals too. Best October Prime Day deals on gaming desktop computers Skytech Storm, Ryzen 7 5700/RTX 5060 Ti/16GB RAM/1TB SSD, $949.99 (16% off on Amazon) Alienware Aurora, Core Ultra 7 265F/RTX 5070/32GB RAM/1TB SSD, $1,549.99 (24% off on Amazon) LXZ Gaming PC, Ryzen 7 8700F/RX 7650 GRE/32GB RAM/1TB SSD, $899.99 (10% off on Amazon) Skytech Azure, Ryzen 7 5700/RTX 5060/32GB RAM/1TB SSD, $999.99 (12% off on Amazon) MSI Aegis, Core Ultra 9 285/RTX 5070 Ti/32GB RAM/2TB SSD, $2,399.99 (17% off on Amazon) Alienware Aurora, Core Ultra 9 285K/RTX 5080/32GB RAM/2TB SSD, $2,699.99 (16% off on Dell) Omen 35L, Ryzen 5 8500G/RTX 5060/16GB RAM/512GB SSD, $1,064.99 (21% off on HP) My top picks: The Skytech Storm for $180 off on Amazon is the budget deal of the week so far. With a Ryzen 7 5700 CPU and RTX 5060 Ti it’ll deliver solid frame rates at 1080p for modern games and the inclusion of 1TB of onboard storage means you’ll have plenty of space to load it up with your game library. Another killer deal right now is the Alienware Aurora for $295 off on Amazon. Not only does it come with the latest gen Core Ultra 7 265F CPU, but also sports an RTX 5070. For this price it’s hard to go wrong and those in the market for a strong midrange gaming PC should look no further. Best October Prime Day deals on mini-PCs GMKtec M7, Ryzen 7 6850H/32GB RAM/512GB SSD, $369.99 (24% off on Amazon) Apple Mac Mini 2024, M4/16GB RAM/256GB SSD, $499.00 (17% off on Amazon) AceMagician K1 Mini PC, Ryzen 7 5700U/16GB RAM/512GB SSD, $279.00 (30% off on Amazon) AceMagic Vista Mini N1, Alder Lake-N N97/16GB RAM/512GB SSD, $169.00 (35% off on Amazon) Beelink EQR5, Ryzen 5 5650U/32GB RAM/1TB SSD, $279.00 (28% off on Amazon) Beelink SER5 MAX, Ryzen 7 6800H/32GB RAM/500GB SSD, $319.00 (20% off on Amazon) My top picks: Amazon is offering the GMKtec M7 mini-PC for $120 off. This mini-PC not only rocks a Ryzen 7 Pro 6850H CPU and a whopping 32GB of RAM, but comes with excellent connectivity features to boot. It’s a great mini-PC and at this discount the value can’t be beat. If you’re more of a Mac fan, then this rare deal on the latest M4 Mac Mini for $100 off on Amazon is for you. The latest 2024 Mac Mini is a seriously good option for those looking to get great mini-PC performance for the price. The M4 chip has outstanding processing power and this model also comes with a good amount of RAM and onboard storage. Note: If you’re looking for even more great deals on mini-PCs be sure to check out our full roundup spotlighting the very best Prime Day mini-PC deals. Best October Prime Day deals on all-in-one & mainstream computers All-in-one desktop computers combine a PC’s hardware with a modern display to make a desktop computer that has both form and function. Since everything is built together, you can save precious desktop space with an all-in-one. They make capable work computers and they can also be excellent home computers with the wide range of features appealing to the whole family. Lenovo 24 AiO, Intel N100/32GB RAM/1TB SSD/24-inch 1080p display, $559.99 (30% off on Amazon) HP OmniStudio X AiO, Core Ultra 5 226V/16GB RAM/512GB SSD/31.5-inch 4K display, $1,179.99 (28% off on HP) Dell 27 AiO, Core 5 120U/16GB RAM/512GB SSD/27-inch 1080p display, $879.99 (13% off on Dell) iMac M4, M4/16GB RAM/512GB SSD/24-inch 5K display, $1,522.36 (10% off on Amazon) My top picks: Amazon is offering a great deal of $240 off on the Lenovo 24 AiO. This budget-friendly all-in-one has way more RAM and onboard storage than most other models at this price. It’s a killer value for a trustworthy and dependable Lenovo PC. Alternatively, the HP OmniStudio X AiO for $470 off on HP’s website is a worthy splurge. Rocking a stunning 4K display and good performance features, this flagship all-in-one from HP will upgrade any desk space—you just might want to invest in some external storage as this only comes with 256GB. Other great October Prime Day deals These aren’t the only Prime Day deals being tracked by the PCWorld team. If you’re looking to supercharge your home setup with more killer tech sales, hit the links below for the more of the best expert-curated picks we’ve found. Best Amazon October Prime Day tech deals: Great sales chosen by experts Best October Prime Day laptop deals: Gaming notebooks, 2-in-1s, and more Best October Prime Day deals on SSDs and storage Best USB flash drive deals for October Prime Day Best monitor deals for October Prime Day: OLED, home office, and more Best October Prime Day deals on Thunderbolt docks and USB-C hubs Best October Prime Day mini PC deals: Big savings on tiny computers Best October Prime Day deals on battery chargers and power banks Best October Prime Day deals on Chromebooks Best October Prime Day deals on office chairs and standing desks FAQ 1. What type of desktop computer should I get? You’ll see a ton of options when searching for a desktop computer, but they all mainly fit into four main categories: gaming PCs, mainstream PCs (towers or mini PCs), and all-in-ones (AiO). Which you should end up buying is entirely dependent upon what your needs are and what you want to do with your computer. If you’re looking for something that will work in a home office or family room, then a mainstream PC or AiO with a solid CPU and a decent amount of RAM and storage is probably the way to go. If gaming is your main concern, a gaming desktop PC can offer a lot more bang for your buck than a laptop and you should prioritize getting the best GPU possible. 2. How much processing power will I need in a desktop computer? If you’re after CPU power, look for processors with higher numerical labels. Intel processors are available in the newer Core Ultra 3, 5, 7, or 9, and the older Core i3, i5, i7, and i9. AMD processors are available in the Ryzen 5000, 7000, 8000, and 9000 versions. Generally speaking, the higher the number, the more powerful the CPU for both manufacturers. If you don’t need a ton of power, Intel Core Ultra 5 or Core i5 processors are your best bet, as they offer good performance at a decent price. You can get along just fine with a Core Ultra 3 or Core i3 for basic office and web browsing. A Core Ultra 7 or Core i7 is more suited to gaming and more intense work than everyday tasks. Also, if gaming is your main concern, you may want to consider opting for the older Core i-processors as the newer Core Ultra processors are optimized for AI performance rather than gaming. As for AMD options, the Ryzen 5000 chips rival Intel’s Core i5 as solid all-arounders. If you need more power, the Ryzen 7000 or 8000 chips are well suited for content creation like video editing. Finally, if you’re dealing with 4K video or want peak gaming performance, spring for a Ryzen 9000. 3. What GPU should I get for a desktop computer? If you don’t intend to do any gaming on your computer, then feel free to save some money by going with integrated graphics. However, if you are looking to get your game on, then we recommend at least an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 or RTX 5060 (or the equivalent Radeon RX 9060) as these are the least expensive discrete graphics cards that can handle 1080p gaming on High graphics settings in most games. For 1440p gaming you’ll typically want to aim for an RTX 4070/5070 (or Radeon RX 9070/XT), and for 4K gaming you’ll need to shell out for at least an RTX 4080/5080 or upgrade to the RTX 4090/5090 Thankfully, the latest-gen GPUs have dropped significantly in price in pre-built systems so opt for those if you have the money and want a performance boost. But if you’re on a tight budget, then opting for a rig with a previous-generation card can allow you to save some money while still providing decent graphics quality. 4. How much memory do I need in a desktop computer? As for RAM, nowadays I think it’s best to shoot for 16GB at the minimum for all systems. If you’re on a budget or just need a basic browsing machine then 8GB may suffice but you’ll likely notice a performance drop if you tend to have multiple applications or browser tabs open. Those looking to do heavy content creation such as video editing should aim for at least 32GB or go for 64GB for 4K editing. 5. What is a good amount of storage for a desktop computer? Storage size is dependent upon your personal needs, but it is generally a good idea to opt for an SSD over a standard HDD as they are much faster and don’t significantly affect the price of a desktop. Before deciding, it’s best to consider what your intended use of the computer will be. Are you just storing documents or doing web browsing? Then something like 512GB will be plenty. If you want to load up a lot of large files such as games or content creation projects, then you’ll need at least 1TB to 2TB of storage. However, just remember that even if your computer doesn’t have enough storage built-in you can always upgrade your SSD or go with an external drive to increase your available storage options. 6. Is now a good time to buy a desktop computer? While the prospect of tariff-induced price increases may seem daunting to consumers, right now is actually a pretty good time to buy a new PC. Component prices have generally stabilized in the face of tariffs—with the exception of high-end GPU models—and CPU prices overall generally remain affordable. If you’re waiting for upcoming releases, you shouldn’t hold your breath. Don’t get caught in the cycle of waiting for the next new thing as something new is always around the corner. Waiting for a new product launch is only beneficial if it’s imminent and there are no good deals available right now. Fortunately, events such as October Prime Day offer buyers an excellent time to buy the latest components and PC builds at a discount. Read...

Amazon’s October Prime Day 2025 Chromebook deals are now officially live. In this article we’ve curated the best Chromebook deals for what Amazon also refers to as Prime Big Deal Days, but we’ve also examined deals from Best Buy, Walmart and other retailers through Oct. 7 and Oct. 8. We already test and recommend the best Chromebooks, so we know what makes a great device. Over the past few years, I’ve compiled lists of the top Chromebook deals for Prime Day, Black Friday, and more. I’m seeing some surprisingly decent deals for Prime Day on recent hardware, though it appears that the premium Chromebook Plus models are where inflation is hitting hardest. To compile PCWorld’s list of Chromebook deals for October Prime Day deals, I looked at the specifications, the price, the manufacturer, and any reviews we’ve published on a specific Chromebook.  Want more? Check out all the best early October Prime Day deals on PCWorld’s landing page here. Best early October Prime Day Chromebook deals at Amazon Lenovo IdeaPad 3i Chromebook, Intel Celeron N4500/8GB RAM/64GB eMMC, 15.6-inch 1920×1080 display, $175.00 (7% off at Amazon) Lenovo 15.6-inch Chromebook, Intel N4120/4GB RAM/128GB storage (64GB eMMC+64GB SD), 15.6-inch 1920×1080 display, $168.80 (66% off at Amazon) Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 Chromebook, MediaTek Kompanio 520 processor/4GB RAM/64GB SSD, 14-inch 1920×1080 display, $178.00 (19% off at Amazon) Lenovo Chromebook 14-inch, MediaTek Kompanio 520/4GB RAM/192GB storage (64GB eMMC + 128GB SD), 14-inch 1920×1080 display, $203.15 (38% off at Amazon) Lenovo Chromebook 14-inch, MediaTek Kompanio 520/4GB RAM/320GB storage (64GB eMMC/256GB SD), 14-inch 1920×1080 display, $220.15 (26% off at Amazon) Acer Chromebook Plus 514, Intel Core i3-N305 processor/8GB RAM/128GB SSD, 14-inch 1920×1080 display, $359.99 (10% off at Amazon) Asus ExpertBook CX54 Chromebook Plus, Intel Core Ultra 5 processor/8GB RAM/128GB SSD, 14-inch 2560×1600 display, $599.99 (14% off at Amazon) Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Go, Intel Celeron N4500/4GB RAM/64 GB storage/14-inch 1366×768 display, $189.99 (37% off at Amazon) The Lenovo IdeaPad 3i Chromebook is a lousy deal (7 percent off the typical price, and a bit higher than the $150 it hit during the holiday 2024 season) but it’s simply a terrific price for a no-compromise Chromebook. The only weak spot? Slightly slower eMMC storage, but I doubt you’ll notice. This is the one to buy right now, as long as that price holds. And yes, right now Lenovo is winning the October Prime Day sales at Amazon. I’m not a huge fan of 4GB Chromebooks, but the IdeaPad 3i is one of the few alternatives until you get into the Chromebook Plus devices further down the deals list. I don’t love these deals on paper, but basically every Lenovo (save for the 3i) plus the Samsung Chrombook Go are at their lowest prices of the year. I also like Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 Chromebook is a solid, cheap pick at $178. It’s got a 14-inch 1080p screen and it can handle everyday stuff like browsing the web or doing homework without any trouble. Not fancy, but it gets the job done without costing much with a solid keyboard. Acer’s Chromebook Plus 514 and the Asus ExpertBook gets you into the Chromebook Plus category, which offers 12 months of Google AI Pro for free. Best early October Prime Day Chromebook deals beyond Amazon Acer Chromebook Plus 516, Intel Core i3-1315U/8GB RAM/128GB SSD, 16-inch 1920×1200 display, $299.00 (38% off at Best Buy) Asus CX15 Chromebook, Intel Celeron N4500 processor/4GB RAM/128GB eMMC storage, 15.6-inch 1920×1080 display, $139.00 (37% off at Walmart) Acer Chromebook 315, Intel Celeron N4500/4GB RAM/64GB eMMC/15.6-inch 1920x1080p display, $139.00 (54% off at Best Buy) HP 15.6-inch Chromebook, Intel N200/8GB RAM/64GB eMMC, 15.6-inch 1366×768 display, $199.00 (54% off at Best Buy) Lenovo Duet 11 Chromebook, MediaTek Kompanio 838 processor/4GB RAM/128GB eMMC storage, 11-inch 1920×1200 touchscreen display, $249 (38% off at Best Buy) Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3, MediaTek Kompanio 520/4GB RAM/64GB eMMC, 14-inch 1920x1080p display, $218.00 (45% off at Best Buy) The Acer Chromebook Plus 516 at the top of the list is the best all-around deal. That’s an excellent price for a no-compromise Chromebook, and with Google’s Ai subscription on top of it. You’ll have no regrets. The Asus CX15 Chromebook and Acer Chromebook 315 falls in the ultra-cheap category at just $139, but it still delivers a lot for the price. You’re getting a spacious 15.6-inch 1080p display plus 64GB to 128GB GB of storage, which is more than enough for day-to-day browsing and streaming. It’s the kind of Chromebook that makes sense if you want a big screen without emptying your wallet, and the deep discounts makes both an easy pick. HP’s Chromebook at Best Buy only offers a 768p resolution, which is going to look a little grainy on its 15-inch screen. There is no external display connection, either. I’d use the return policy here; the 8GB of RAM helps make this a good deal, which is why it’s here. But if it’s just too hard on your eyes, return it. Otherwise, it’s a solid deal. I’d prefer the Lenovo Duet 11 over the Slim 3 at Best Buy on specs alone, but the Duet is a detachable tablet, too. The Slim 3 might be a better choice, but it’s a bit less powerful. Other great early October Prime Day deals These aren’t the only Prime Day deals being tracked by the PCWorld team. If you’re looking to supercharge your home setup with the juiciest tech sales, hit the links for only the best expert-curated picks we’ve found. Best Amazon October Prime Day tech deals: Great sales chosen by experts Best October Prime Day laptop deals: Gaming notebooks, 2-in-1s, and more Best October Prime Day deals on SSDs and storage Best USB flash drive deals for October Prime Day Best monitor deals for October Prime Day: OLED, home office, and more Best October Prime Day deals on Thunderbolt docks and USB-C hubs Best October Prime Day mini PC deals: Big savings on tiny computers Best October Prime Day deals on battery chargers and power banks Best October Prime Day deals on Chromebooks Best October Prime Day deals on office chairs and standing desks Best October Prime Day PC computer deals FAQ 1. How much should I pay for a Chromebook during October Prime Day? Expect to pay roughly $130 to $250 for most Chromebooks, depending on the configuration. The cheapest options can dip into the $130–$170 range, while more premium Plus models typically cost $250 and up. We’ve used this guidance for the past few years, and even with inflation, it still holds true. The only note we’d ask is that the Plus models have a much higher price than a few years ago. 2. What’s a good Chromebook to buy during October Prime Day sales? There are two ways of shopping during Amazon’s October Prime Day. The first is to go down our list of recommended Chromebooks until you find a price you like. Our real-time pricing services should reflect real-time discounts, but occasionally “lightning” or instant sales may slip through. The other way is to shop using our recommended deals above. Typically, I look for at least a large 1080p display unless it’s an absolute budget model. (Anything higher than 1080p is a bonus.) I also really prefer a Chromebook with at least 8GB of RAM, for keeping many tabs open and running programs. The third priority is actually the processor, and it’s a bit of a challenge to explain which is the “right” chip to buy. A recent Intel Celeron, AMD Ryzen, or Arm chip from Qualcomm or Mediatek is a good choice. 3. How does PCWorld decide what a good Chromebook deal is? Generally, Chromebooks tend to fall into three categories: ultracheap models at about $100 to $200, which can offer solid discounts but can hide gotchas like a subpar screen; the typical midrange price of between $250 and $400; and premium Chromebooks at $500 or more.  Those prices can sometimes blur together, of course. I basically compare the price with the specifications. As I said above, I’m looking for a Chromebook with 8GB of RAM and at least a 1080p screen, along with a “good” processor. (I typically make a list of processors, mental or otherwise, with the relative performance of each one and how old they are.) I then start selecting candidates for good deals. Are they one of our recommended Chromebooks? They then go to the top of the list. At this point, I start checking for how long the support window is. Chromebooks are supported for ten years after their ship date, but most of these deals use Chromebooks which have been on the market for at least a few years. No one wants a Chromebook which won’t receive upgrades next year. I also almost always recommend a “new” Chromebook, rather than one which has been refreshed or “renewed” by Amazon. 4. Will tariffs affect October Prime Day Chromebook deals? Yes and no. Remember, tariffs only take effect when the product enters the United States, so it’s very likely that a bargain Chromebook has been available on the market and even sat on a U.S. store shelf for a few years. Chromebooks are very price-dependent. 5. Are the best October Prime Day Chromebook deals only at Amazon? Amazon would like to think so! But we check other sites as well, just to make sure. You’ll find those Chromebook deals from sites other than Amazon listed above, too. 6. Does a Chromebook’s brand matter? Interestingly, Chromebooks are one of the few tech categories whose products are almost all made by big “name” brands. We might prefer a Chromebook made by one company over another, but generally Chromebooks are manufactured by companies like Acer, Asus, HP, Lenovo, Samsung and more — all big, reputable brands. Read...

This year’s October Prime Day event starts today, October 7th, and will end at midnight Pacific, October 8th — a two-day event rather than a four-day sale like we had in July. Still, we’re already seeing some killer deals on everything tech, including flash drives. After all, everyone needs a great USB flash drive, and October Prime Day is an excellent time to grab one for cheap. Why listen to my recommendations? I’ve been a journalist for 19 years, with 13 of those years focused on consumer technology. I love sifting through deals and spend every day hunting down the very best sales on the very best tech. With October Prime Day, I’m exercising those muscles to help you find the best USB thumb drives worth your money. These hand-curated recommendations take price, reviews, and brand reputation into consideration. Best October Prime Day deals on 64GB to 256GB flash drives Kindston Ironkey Vault Privacy 50, 256GB, USB 3.2, Encrypted — $90 (42% off, was $155) SanDisk Ultra Luxe, 256GB, USB 3.2 — $21 (12% off, was $24) Lexar JumpDrive Dual, 128GB, USB 3.2 — $13.88 (37% off, was $22) The best deal of the lot is for the Kingston Ironkey Vault Privacy 50, where you can get 256GB of storage space for 42% off. The thing that makes this flash drive stand out is the fact that it can secure your data like no other. Plus, it comes with a rugged metal casing. Best October Prime Day deals on 512GB to 2TB flash drives PNY Pro Elite V3, 512GB, USB 3.2 — $45 (17% off, was $61) SanDisk Extreme Pro Dual, 512GB, USB 3.2 — $58 (28% off, was $80) A superb pick from this list is the Ultra Flair from SanDisk. This is a flash drive with a USB-A connector, 128-bit AES encryption, and up to 150MB/s transfer speeds for a quick job on moving files around. Other great October Prime Day deals These aren’t the only October Prime Day deals being tracked by the PCWorld team. If you’re looking to supercharge your home setup with the juiciest tech sales, hit the links for the best expert-curated picks we’ve found. Best Amazon October Prime Day tech deals: Great sales chosen by experts Best October Prime Day laptop deals: Gaming notebooks, 2-in-1s, and more Best October Prime Day deals on SSDs and storage Best monitor deals for October Prime Day: OLED, home office, and more Best October Prime Day deals on Thunderbolt docks and USB-C hubs Best October Prime Day mini PC deals: Big savings on tiny computers Best October Prime Day deals on battery chargers and power banks Best October Prime Day deals on Chromebooks Best October Prime Day deals on office chairs and standing desks Best October Prime Day PC computer deals USB flash drive deals FAQs 1. What capacity do I need in a USB flash drive? This is a question that you need to answer yourself because it really depends on what you plan to use it for. If you’re only moving work documents around, a small capacity like 64GB will be fine. If you want to use a flash drive for backing up photos, videos, games, and other big files, then you might want to go 512GB or larger. 2. What features should I prioritize when choosing a USB flash drive? First of all, our recommendation is to look at the flash drive’s transfer speeds. To ensure you get fast read/write speeds, you should get a USB 3.0 or above. USB 2.x drives are sorely outdated. Then, you have to make sure the flash drive can survive living in your pocket, getting crushed by your laptop, falling through your fingers, and so on. Aluminum casings will offer better protection in such cases. If the flash drive offers 128-bit AES encryption or better, your data will also have some extra protection in case you lose it, as the drive will be inaccessible and block out others from reading your data. 3. How did we find the best USB flash drive October Prime Day deals? Finding great deals can be difficult because not all discounts are worth covering. When looking for good October Prime Day deals, we compare the prices on Amazon with the regular retail price and check pricing history to see if there have been any changes lately and that the price drops are truly noteworthy. We also check product reviews to see if they’re reliable in the long run and live up to their promises. Read...

TL;DR: Get Microsoft Office and Windows 11 Pro for life for $45. Between the end of Windows 10 on October 14 and frequent price hikes for Microsoft 365, PC users have been asked to pay quite a lot just to use their computers. However, right now you can actually get Microsoft Office and Windows 11 Pro for life, and it’s only $44.97 (reg. $418.99). This is a two-part bundle. The first half is a lifetime license for Microsoft Office Pro 2021 for Windows. That comes with Word Excel PowerPoint Outlook Teams (free version) OneNote Publisher Access Part two is Windows 11 Pro. It’s an improved operating system that is cleaner, faster, and more secure. The new interface makes multitasking easier with features like snap layouts and virtual desktops. Security upgrades like BitLocker encryption and advanced login protections help keep data safe. And Microsoft Copilot means you have a built-in AI assistant that can answer questions, generate images, or write new content. This deal ends soon. Until October 19 at 11:59 p.m. PT, you can get Microsoft Office and Windows 11 Pro for life for $44.97. No coupon needed. The Ultimate Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows: Lifetime License + Windows 11 Pro BundleSee Deal StackSocial prices subject to change. Read...

BBC News goes inside the lab powering computers with `mini brains` grown from human cells. Read...

Yesterday, Microsoft released the weird 25H2 update for Windows 11, officially moving its operating system to its next major upgrade. According to Windows Latest, the rollout is taking place despite Microsoft being aware of four known bugs in this version of Windows 11. Among other things, there may be difficulties with playing video files that use DRM protection as well as sharing files via Windows SMB v1. Furthermore, the Media Creation Tool can’t be used on Arm-based computers, and there are also problems installing updates via the Windows Update Standalone Installer (WUSA). So even though Windows 11 25H2 is now technically available to everyone on eligible PCs, you may want to hold off on installing the 25H2 upgrade if you don’t want to experience these bugs. Read...