A local AI for your own documents can be really useful: Your own chatbot reads all important documents once and then provides the right answers to questions such as: `What is the excess for my car insurance?` or `Does my supplementary dental insurance also cover inlays?` If you are a fan of board games, you can hand over all the game instructions to the AI and ask the chatbot questions such as: `Where can I place tiles in Qwirkle?` We have tested how well this works on typical home PCs. See also: 4 free AI chatbots you can run directly on your PC Requirements To be able to query your own documents with a completely local artificial intelligence, you essentially need three things: a local AI model, a database containing your documents, and a chatbot. These three elements are provided by AI tools such as Anything LLM and Msty. Both programs are free of charge. Install the tools on a PC with at least 8GB of RAM and a CPU that is as up-to-date as possible. There should be 5GB or more free space on the SSD. Ideally, you should have a powerful graphics card from Nvidia or AMD. This overview of compatible models can help you. By installing Anything LLM or Msty, you get a chatbot on your computer. After installation, the tools load an AI language model, the Large Language Model (LLM), into the program. Which AI model runs in the chatbot depends on the performance of your PC. Operating the chatbot is not difficult if you know the basics. Only the extensive setting options of the tools require expert knowledge. But even with the standard settings, the chat tools are easy to use. In addition to the AI model and the chatbot, Anything LLM and Msty also offer the embedding model, which reads in your document and prepares it in a local database so that the language model can access it. More is better: Small AI models are hardly any good There are AI language models that also run on weak hardware. For the local AI, weak means a PC with only 8GB RAM and a CPU that is already a few years old and does not have a good Nvidia or AMD graphics card. AI models that still run on such PCs usually have 2 to 3 billion parameters (2B or 3B) and have been simplified by quantization. This reduces memory requirements and computing power, but also worsens the results. Examples of such variants are Gemma 2 2B or Llama 3.2 3B. Although these language models are comparatively small, they provide surprisingly good answers to a large number of questions or generate usable texts according to your specifications — completely locally and in an acceptable amount of time. If you have a good graphics card from Nvidia or AMD, you will get a much faster KIChatbot. This applies to the embedding process and the waiting time for a response. In addition, more sophisticated AI models can usually be used. IDG However, when it comes to the local language model taking your documents into account, these small models deliver results that are somewhere between “unusable” and “just acceptable.” How good or bad the answers are depends on many factors, including the type of documents. In our initial tests with local AI and local documents, the results were initially so poor that we suspected something had gone wrong with the embedding of the documents. Further reading: Beyond Copilot: 13 helpful AI tools for PC users Only when we used a model with 7 billion parameters did the responses improve, and when we used the online model ChatGPT 4o on a trial basis, we were able to see how good the responses can be. So it wasn’t the embedding. In fact, the biggest lever for local AI and own documents is the AI model. And the bigger it is, i.e. the more parameters it has, the better. The other levers such as the embedding model or the chatbot (Anything LLM or Msty) and the vector database play a much, much smaller role. Embedding & retrieval augmented generation Cloud provider Ionos explains how retrieval augmented generation (RAG) works here. This is the method by which an AI language model takes your local document into account in its responses. Ionos itself offers AI chatbots for its own documents. However, this usually runs entirely in the cloud.Ionos Your own data is connected to the AI using a method called embedding and retrieval augmented generation (RAG). For tools such as Anything LLM and Msty, it works like this: Your local documents are analyzed using an embedding model. This model breaks down the content of the documents into its meaning and stores it in the form of vectors. Instead of a document, the embedding model can also process information from a database or other knowledge sources. However, the result is always a vector database that contains the essence of your documents or other sources. The form of the vector database enables the AI language model to find objects in it. This process is fundamentally different from a word search and a word index. The latter stores the position of an important word in a document. A vector database for RAG, on the other hand, stores which statements are contained in a text. This means: The question: `What is on page 15 of my car insurance document?` does not usually work with RAG. This is because the information “page 15” is usually not contained in the vector database. In most cases, such a question causes the AI model to hallucinate. Since it does not know the answer, it invents something. Creating the vector database, i.e. embedding your own documents, is the first step. The information retrieval is the second step and is referred to as RAG. In retrieval augmented generation, the user asks the chatbot a question. This question is converted into a vector representation and compared with the data in the vector database of the user’s own documents (retrieve). The results from the vector database are now transferred to the chatbot’s AI model together with the original question (augment). The AI model now generates an answer (generate), which is made up of the information from the AI model and the information from the user’s vector database. Comparison: Anything LLM or Msty? We have tested the two chatbots Anything LLM and Msty. Both programs are similar. However, they differ significantly in the speed with which they embed local documents, i.e. make them available to the AI. This process is generally time-consuming. Anything LLM took 10 to 15 minutes to embed a PDF file with around 150 pages in the test. Msty, on the other hand, often took three to four times as long. We tested both tools with their preset AI models for embedding. For Msty this is “Mixed Bread Embed Large,” for Anything LLM it’s “All Mini LM L6 v2.” Although Msty requires considerably more time for embedding, it may be worth choosing this tool. It offers good user guidance and provides exact source information when citing. We recommend Msty for fast computers. Further reading: Does your next laptop really need to be an AI PC? If you don’t have this, you should first try Anything LLM and check whether you can achieve satisfactory results with this chatbot. The decisive factor is the AI language model in the chatbot anyway. And both tools offer the same range of AI language models. By the way: Both Anything LLM and Msty allow you to select alternative embedding models. In some cases, however, the configuration becomes more complicated. You can also select online embedding models, for example from Open AI. You don’t have to worry about accidentally selecting an online embedding model. This is because you need an API key to be able to use it. Anything LLM: Simple and fast Install the Anything LLM chatbot. Microsoft Defender Smartscreen may display a warning that the installation file is not secure. You can ignore this by clicking on “Run anyway.” After installation, select an AI language model in Anything LLM. We recommend Gemma 2 2B to start with. You can replace the selected model with a different one at any time later (see “Change AI language model” below). Now create an area in the configuration wizard or later by clicking on “New workspace” in which you can import your own documents. Give the workspace a name of your choice and then click on “Save.” The new workspace now appears in the left bar of Anything LLM. Click on the icon to the left of the cogwheel symbol to import your document for the AI. In the new window, click on “Click to upload or drag & drop” and select your documents. After a few seconds, they will appear in the list above the button. Click on your document again and select “Move to Workspace,” which will move the documents to the right. A final click on “Save and Embed” starts the embedding process, which may take some time depending on the size of the documents and the speed of your PC. Tip: Don’t try to read the last 30 years of PCWorld as a PDF right away. Start with a simple text document and see how long it takes your PC. This way you can quickly assess whether a more extensive scan is worthwhile. Once the process is complete, close the window and ask the chatbot your first question. In order for the chatbot to take your documents into account, you must select the workspace you have created on the left and then enter your question in the main window at the bottom under “Send a message.” Change the AI language model: If you would like to select a different language model in Anything LLM, click on the key symbol (“Open Settings”) at the bottom left and then on “LLM.” Under “LLM provider,” select one of the suggested AI models. The new models from Deepseek are also offered. Clicking on “Import model from Ollama or Hugging Face” gives you access to almost all current, free AI models. Downloading one of the models can take some time, as they are several GB in size and the download server does not always deliver quickly. If you would like to use an online AI model, select it from the drop-down menu below “LLM provider.” Tips for using Anything: Some Anything LLM menus are a little tricky. Changes to the settings usually have to be confirmed by clicking on “Save.” However, the button for this quickly disappears from view on longer configuration pages. This is the case, for example, when changing the AI models under “Open Settings > LLM.” Anyone who forgets to click the button will probably be surprised that the settings are not applied. It is therefore important to look out for a “Save” button every time you change the configuration. In addition, the user interface in Anything LLM can be at least partially switched to another language under “Open settings > Customize > Display Language.” We also switched on the ChatGPT 4o online language model as a test, with perfect results for questions about our supplementary dental insurance contract and other documents. IDG Msty: Versatile chatbot for fast hardware The Msty chatbot is somewhat more flexible than Anything LLM in terms of its possible uses. It can also be used as a local AI chatbot without integrating its own files. With Msty, several AI models can be loaded and used simultaneously. Installation and configuration are similar to Anything LLM. With the Msty chatbot, it is easy to select a local AI language model. The compatibility of each model with the PC’s hardware is also displayed. Values below 75 percent are usually questionable.IDG What Anything LLM calls “Workspace” is called “Knowledge Stack” in Msty and is configured under the menu item of the same name at the bottom left. Once you have created a new knowledge stack and selected your own documents, you start the embedding process via “Compose.” It may take some time for this to be completed. Back in the main window of Msty, enter your question in the input field below. In order for the chatbot to take your local documents into account, you must click on the knowledge stack symbol below the input field and place a tick in front of the desired knowledge stack. Solving problems with incorrect or missing answers If the answers to your documents are not satisfactory, we recommend that you first select a more powerful AI model. For example, if you started with Gemma 2 2B with 2 billion parameters, try Gemma 2 9B. Or load Llama 3.1 with 8 billion parameters. If this does not bring sufficient improvement or your PC takes too long to respond, you can consider switching to an online language model. This would not see your local files or the vector database of your local files. However, it will receive the parts of your vector database that are relevant to the given question. With Anything LLM, you make the change separately for each workspace. To do this, click on the cogwheel icon for a workspace and select the provider “Open AI” under “Chat settings > Workspace LLM provider” to be able to use a model from ChatGPT. You will need to enter a paid API key from Open AI. This costs 12 dollars. The number of responses you receive depends on the language model used. You can find an overview at openai.com/api/pricing. If it is not possible to switch to an online language model for data protection reasons, the troubleshooting guide from Anything LLM can help. On the one hand, it explains the basic possibilities of embedding and RAG and, on the other, shows the small configuration wheels that you can turn to get better answers. Read...

Data is omnipresent. It’s stored on different devices — traditionally on a desktop PC, but now perhaps even more importantly on a mobile device such as a smartphone or tablet. Even though data and system backups are often automated via the cloud, especially on mobile devices, you often feel more comfortable if you still have a tangible medium in your hand on which to store your digital treasures. What’s more, sometimes you just want to move data from A to B quickly and easily. Or simply be available offline. Or move it directly to a storage medium to free up internal hard drive space. Further reading: The best external drives There is portable storage for all purposes. But there is no one solution for all applications. This guide summarizes the most important advantages and disadvantages of external SSDs, HDDs, and USB sticks to make it easier for you to decide on the best portable drive. External SATA SSD: All-round storage for everyday use Internal SSDs with a SATA connection are now outdated and less common. However, they remain justifiably popular as external drives. The reason: With a bandwidth of 6 Gbit/s, SATA delivers a theoretical transfer speed of up to 560 MB/s read and 530 MB/s write. These values exceed the transfer rates of the widely used external interface USB 3.2 Gen1 (formerly USB 3.0), which is up to 500 MB/s, at least in theory. This makes external drives in 2.5-inch format still a competitive storage solution for everyday PC use. A SATA SSD that is no longer required can easily be reused as an external drive in an external housing. Installation is uncomplicated. In addition to USB-A, Type-C is also gaining ground as a PC connection. IDG Advantages: In principle, the SATA drives in the external housings also have the advantages of all flash storage devices. They can read and write very quickly, especially with many small files. And this pays off in everyday use. Low latency and short access times to small blocks of data randomly distributed on the drive are what count here. That’s why extensive programs can be started quickly from an external 2.5-inch hard drive or large photo collections can be opened without delay. In addition to the speed, external SATA drives also benefit from the silent operation of the flash memory — as is generally the case with flash, only stationary parts are used. In contrast to HDDs, SSDs are insensitive to shocks. Depending on the housing design, external SSDs can even withstand drops from a height of several feet without damage. And there is another advantage of SATA SSDs that is worth mentioning: If you have removed the drive from the computer for a capacity upgrade, you can continue to use it as an external SSD without any problems. All you need is an external housing in which to install the used drive. Inexpensive models in 2.5-inch format are available from around $10 — for example from Delock, Ugreen or Verbatim. Further reading: Best external SSDs for gaming At this price, the enclosures usually come with a USB 3.0 interface. If the enclosure is to be equipped with a USB Type-C port, prices start at around $20 — which is also not too high a hurdle. Disadvantages: The SATA connection is on the decline for SSDs. At the same time, the interface is no longer being developed further. Higher transfer speeds are therefore not to be expected with SATA. As a result, the choice of models is decreasing. An external SSD in 2.5-inch size, such as the Lexar SL200 model, costs around $90 with a capacity of 512GB and is therefore a manageable investment. At higher capacities you will not usually find details of the flash type used. For this capacity, assume QLC (Quadruple Level Cell) flash modules, which store four bits per cell. They are intended for high capacities when maximum write speed is not important. An example of an external 8TB SSD can be found in the Samsung Portable SSD T5 Evo. At $525, it’s not exactly a bargain. The price is put into perspective, because at around 7 cents per GB, it achieves a very fair result. At 8TB, the Samsung Portable SSD T5 offers the maximum capacity of mobile SSDs with internal SATA technology. It comes into question when a lot of storage space is the top priority.IDG Most mobile 2.5-inch SSDs have a capacity of 1 or 2TB. TLC (Triple Level Cell) flash memory can also be used here. It stores three bits per cell. These mobile storage devices are priced at around $70 for 1TB and $130 for 2TB. This results in prices per GB of between 6.5 and 7 cents. External NVMe SSD: Lots of mobility and high speed Ultra-mobile SSDs now make up the majority of external SSDs. The housings contain an NVMe drive that was originally intended for the M.2 slot. These SSDs have a card shape — mostly 22 millimeters wide and 80 millimeters long. This is why you will also find them labelled 2280 if you are looking for an internal drive. Further reading: Is USB or Thunderbolt better for portable SSDs? The key differences, explained Advantages: Thanks to their compactness, many external NVMe SSDs are only slightly larger than a USB stick. This means they are very light and can fit into any bag. This is ideal if you need an external SSD for travelling. External NVMe SSDs use USB-C as a connector throughout. It is twist-proof and therefore cannot be plugged into the port the wrong way round. The majority of models use USB 3.2 Gen2 as the standard with a transfer speed of 10Gbit per second. Sequentially, data rates of around 1,000MB/s can be achieved for both reading and writing. This makes them approximately twice as fast as external SATA SSDs. pcworld`s favorite 10GBps external SSD Crucial X9 Pro Read our review Best Prices Today: $89.63 at Amazon The increase in speed is noticeable with every copying process. Regardless of whether you are writing and reading many small or very large files, the work is done quickly. This is why external NVMe SSDs are recommended both for quick file copies in between and for extensive weekly backups. As a rule, you can use external NVMe SSDs across all devices. This is because most of them are formatted in the exFAT file system. It can be used with Windows and Mac OS as well as with the Android and iOS mobile phone operating systems. Some external NVMe SSDs are even explicitly designed for use with mobile devices. They are designed to relieve the internal memory or make extensive media content available at any time. For example, you can take high-resolution photos and videos with your mobile phone camera and store them directly on the external data storage device. In this way, they can also be easily transferred to PCs and laptops. One example is the Lexar ES4 Portable SSD model, where the external SSD can be attached to the back of the smartphone using a magnet. This means it doesn’t get in the way during use. As with the external SSDs with SATA technology, the maximum possible capacity is 8TB. You no longer have to pay a high surcharge for the smaller and faster mobile drive. An 8TB model such as the Sandisk Extreme Portable SSD costs around $600. As with the 2.5-inch variants, the price per GB is 7 cents. External NVMe SSDs are available with different capacities. They usually start at 500GB, for which an average of $80 is currently due. This results in a comparatively high 16 cents per GB. Most models are available with 1 and 2TB capacity. In the cheapest case, you pay around $70 (1TB) or $110 (2TB) or between 7 and 6 cents. The latter applies to the 2TB version, which is the best value for money. NVMe SSDs with cutting-edge USB interfaces such as the Adata SE920 with USB4 must ensure good heat dissipation if data transfers are not to be throttled due to the heat. This comes at the expense of compactness.IDG You usually have to pay a little more for extras such as rubber coating, drop protection, or protection against moisture. Additional programs such as those for assigning a password or for SSD maintenance, on the other hand, are usually included free of charge. They are either included directly on the drive or can be downloaded from the manufacturer’s website. Disadvantages: NVMe SSDs are often so small that they can easily get lost. Small cut-outs on the housings are designed to prevent this, as they can be attached to something else — such as a bag. As only Type-C is provided as a connection, you need an adapter or adapter cable to connect to USB-A interfaces. The accessories are usually, but not always, included in the box. The speed advantage is lost when connected to older USB interfaces. Data transfer drops to the level of the connected type A interface. With USB 3.0 (USB 3.2 Gen1) to around 500MB/s, with USB 2.0 even to a maximum of only 50MB/s. Some external NVMe SSDs, such as the Sandisk Extreme Portable SSD, are available in many different capacities. Additional data protection is provided by rubber coating and insulation against moisture. IDG Speaking of USB: External NVMe SSDs are available in many USB standards. These now include USB 3.2 Gen2x2 with 20Gbit/s, USB4 with 40Gbit/s, USB4.2 with 80Gbit/s, and Thunderbolt as TB 3 and TB 4 with 40Gbit/s and TB 5 with 80Gbit/s. The variety often leads to confusion, as you need to know about the standardizations to avoid making the wrong purchase. The faster the data transfer, the more heat is generated. This is why the fast NVMe SSDs can get very hot. In the worst case, this harbors the risk of data loss. Enclosures with ventilation slots and even built-in mini fans are designed to counteract this. However, they come at the expense of compactness and are reflected in higher prices. A cutting-edge USB4 model — for example from the Adata SE920 series — costs a good 10 cents per GB for the 1TB version. PCWorld`s favorite usb4 external ssd Adata SE920 USB4 SSD Read our review Best Prices Today: $159.99 at Amazon USB stick: Perfect for short-term storage activities The most mobile form of external storage is the USB stick. It can even be the size of a thumbnail and still offer space for lots of data. USB sticks differ in terms of capacity and interfaces. Basically, it must be clear: The flash components used in USB sticks are not of the highest quality. Advantages: USB sticks are at the top in terms of mobility. They are designed from the outset to transport data stored on them from one computer to another. The emphasis is on transport, not on long-term storage of data. There are model variants of USB sticks that have two different USB interfaces — in addition to USB-A, there is also the twist-proof type C connector. With dual sticks, you save on extra adapter solutions.IDG With sticks, you can find models that are equipped with both USB A and C interfaces. This saves you adapter solutions if you often need to exchange data between older and newer computers. You can find these USB sticks under terms such as “dual drive” or “dual stick,” such as the Verbatim Dual Quick Stick models, which are available in capacities from 128GB to 1TB. Disadvantages: The cheaper the USB flash drives on offer, the more skepticism is required. Even with a stick with a type C connection, the data transfer speed can drop to an outdated USB 2.0 level. In many cases, there is no precise information on the packaging. If you need a fast stick, look out for information such as USB 3.2 Gen2 or data transfer speeds of up to 1,000MB/s. Cheap sticks from brand manufacturers cost around 7 cents per GB. If an offer is significantly lower, caution is advised. It may be a counterfeit. In this case, the specified capacity is usually incorrect. In addition, the quality of the flash modules or the controller chip may be poor. It’s likely the modules will soon fail and the stick will quickly become unusable. The size of a USB stick can have an impact on data security. Very small USB sticks usually have poorer heat dissipation than larger versions. In addition, mini housings are often less robust. They are less resistant to frequent plugging and unplugging than larger sticks. External HDDs: Still used for backups and archiving Even though the competition from SSDs is putting pressure on HDDs, magnetic hard drives remain useful as mass storage devices in external enclosures and NAS systems. Both 2.5 and 3.5 inch HDD designs can be installed inside. SATA III is always used as the internal connection. External HDDs in 3.5-inch format are capacity wonders with 24TB to even 26TB. At the same time, the price per GB is unbeatably favorable. However, these storage devices are not designed to be taken away, but for stationary use.IDG Advantages: External HDDs are capacity monsters. Currently, the maximum storage capacity of mobile 3.5-inch HDDs is 28TB. Such storage monsters are primarily intended for professional use — such as Seagate Expansion Desktop drives. At a price of less than $400, you can see what incredible value a high-capacity external HDD be can be. In most cases, this will be sufficient for home use. Prices per GB of around 2 cents are not unusual here — for example, the Seagate Expansion 8TB desktop hard drive for $150. An external drive with a 2.5-inch magnetic hard drive usually has a maximum capacity of 5TB. You can get a 4TB drive for less than $110 — for example from Toshiba’s Canvio Basic series. This results in extremely favorable prices of around 3 cents per GB. Further reading: How to turn any SSD into a DIY external drive Both external HDD variants are perfect if you want to create regular backups where reliability is more important than the fastest mode of operation. pcworld`s favorite external hdd for backup Seagate Expansion Desktop Read our review Best Prices Today: $119.99 at Seagate | $149.99 at Amazon NAS HDDs are a special form here: They are designed for continuous operation in network storage. Thanks to customized firmware, they tolerate many simultaneous accesses from several client PCs better than desktop hard drives. They also react less sensitively to vibrations — this is important because they are often used in a raid network with several hard drives. NAS are special forms of external storage. They make data available to several clients in the network. As they need to be constantly accessible, they require HDDs that are designed for continuous operation. IDG Disadvantages: Due to their design with disks and mechanical components such as read/write heads, HDDs generally tolerate shocks and drops much worse than SSDs. As external drives, they are also relatively heavy. This is why only the 2.5-inch variants are actually suitable for carrying around. An external HDD in 3.5-inch format also requires an external power supply unit to ensure that the power supply works — this alone speaks against mobile use. Not every NAS hard drive can be used in network storage. Before you decide on a specific model, you need to check the compatibility lists of the respective NAS device manufacturer. To do this, search the website for your exact NAS product designation and also check the desired capacity. Even in this respect, not all NAS hard drives pass the compatibility tests. Read...

Could retro-computing (as opposed to just retro-gaming) be about to make a comeback? Read...

One of the stranger effects of the Trump administration’s trade war with China has been to cause a noticeable uptick in the PC market as businesses and consumers rush to buy new computers before the full effects hit. Now might also be a good time to buy a new graphics card—for a relative value of “good”—as the US government has once again pushed back the 25 percent tariff on PC parts. This one is a bit confusing, as technically it has nothing to do with Trump’s newly-imposed import taxes on Chinese goods, which currently sit at 30 percent. Instead it’s a further delay of an existing planned tariff that dates back to 2018, imposed by the original Trump administration in his first term before Biden but later suspended in 2019. The 25 percent tariff on China-produced graphics cards, motherboards, solid-state storage, and other components that use printed circuit boards (PCBs) has been pushed back again and again since then, most recently to June 1st of this year. The Office of the US Trade Representative once again suspended the implementation of the original import tax, pushing it back to September 1st of 2025, as reported by Tom’s Hardware. That should stabilize US prices on many computer components coming in from China, at least for the time being. The Trump administration has a tentative agreement with the Chinese government for the 30 percent rate on most goods, currently set to expire in August, and down from an unprecedented 145 percent rate that peaked amid a flurry of chaotic updates. The uncertainty of prices for goods and raw materials had a chilling effect on US businesses, many of which are still wary. Presumably this latest delay on the long-overdue 25 percent increase is meant to give negotiators time to set up a more permanent status quo on import taxes, and their effects on consumer prices. The US federal government showed sensitivity to the portions of the market most likely to be immediately visible to consumers, carving out exceptions to the import taxes on finished goods like computers and smartphones, which could have increased prices by triple digits. This latest pushback on the additional 25 percent increase in tariff on PCBs seems in line with that thinking. Even so, we’re seeing a noticeable rise in prices for newly announced laptops and other electronics, like the most recent entries in the Microsoft Surface line. With these particular tariffs delayed again and again across three different US presidential administrations, it seems unlikely that they’ll actually go into effect in September. But as with everything else in the current US economy, nailing down any particular predictions might be unwise. Read...

The network equipment that you connect your computer to is, of course, also made up of computers—and they’re more complex than you might think. In fact, they’re sophisticated enough to run their own custom software… and that means they can be hacked and commandeered to do some shady things. According to a new report, approximately 9,000 Asus-branded network routers were turned into a botnet. Security vendor GreyNoise discovered the botnet, which they say comes from “a well-resourced and highly capable adversary” (i.e., a team from, or financed by, a nation-state level actor). Routers are infected using a command injection flaw, which then enables SSH access on a custom port for remote control. Hackers brute-force logins and bypass authentication with two different techniques. According to BleepingComputer, the affected Asus routers include popular models like the RT-AC3100, RT-AC3200, and RT-AX55. The routers compromised by this attack stay infected even after a reboot or a firmware update, thanks to configurations stored in non-volatile memory. So if you get infected, you’ll have to perform a complete factory reset of your hardware and reconfigure it manually. You can tell if you’re compromised by detecting activity from at least four specific IP addresses and access through the TCP/53282 port… though now that these addresses and port are known, the hackers might shift things around. Fortunately, it’s possible to protect yourself if you have a vulnerable router that hasn’t yet been infected. You can update your Asus router to the latest firmware from or after May 27th, 2025. Again, if your router is already compromised, then updating your router firmware WILL NOT STOP THE HACKERS on its own! You’ve got to completely factory reset your router and reconfigure it. Read...

At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros Compact and well-built Good office performance All Copilot Plus features available Good battery life Cons Narrow screen to work on No HDR support No charger included Our Verdict The new little Surface Pro straddles the line between a portable tablet and a compact Windows laptop (with an optional keyboard). Like the old, underpowered Surface Go—but actually good! I wish it had an OLED screen with HDR, but otherwise it exceeds expectations. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Microsoft once pushed tablets as the future of Windows, but the world didn’t bite. Now the company mostly plays it safe with traditional laptops and mouse-friendly interfaces, and yet it keeps making Surface devices. The latest is the Microsoft Surface Pro, more often called the Surface Pro 12 or Surface Pro 2025. This compact tablet runs on a Snapdragon X Plus chip and is built for casual browsing and office work. It’s not high-end, but it delivers a solid, fanless experience Windows tablets have long struggled to provide. And with Qualcomm’s Hexagon NPU, it’s got impressively snappy AI, too. Mattias Inghe Microsoft Surface Pro: Quiet and comfortably cool So it’s completely silent cooling, and I don’t even think it ever gets annoyingly hot to hold the tablet. A little disturbingly lukewarm, but nothing unpleasant. It throttles with graphics performance when I run 3D graphics for long periods, but honestly, who buys a Surface to play games? The price is $799 for a base model with 256GB of SSD storage or you can spend a little extra ($899) on the configuration with 512GB of SSD storage. You also get 16GB of RAM, just enough for all your regular office work, media streaming, basic photo editing, and communication. Most of the multitasking I try goes smoothly. I’m in a Teams video meeting with the editorial team, Googling information in a browser (this is a Bing household–sorry!), have articles in progress open in Word, and am syncing up a large video file for online sharing. All at the same time, without one interfering with the other. Connection with both Wi-Fi 7 and Wi-Fi 6 is also stable and fast, which of course helps. There is no 5G or LTE version of this tablet. Then you have to go up in size and price. Mattias Inghe Microsoft Surface Pro: Sharp display, but limited space What becomes an obstacle to productive multitasking is rather the small screen area—12 inches isn’t much. Even though it’s high resolution, having many windows and tabs active quickly becomes cluttered. You’ll have to adopt a more traditional tablet mentality and have one or two visible on the screen at the same time and have the others hidden but active behind. The screen has a semi-high brightness IPS panel, 2196×1464 pixel resolution, and a 60 or 90 Hz frame rate. You’ll have to set it up manually; dynamic frequency is not supported. It’s not full pro quality on the screen, as the gamut only goes up a little bit above sRGB level, but pre-calibration from Microsoft means that color accuracy within the sRGB scale is high. That and relatively high black and contrast and wide viewing angles enhance the quality experience. It makes watching films entertaining, even if there is no HDR support. A solid set of speakers with a detailed and rich sound for music, speech, and films also helps. At least as long as I don’t turn the volume up to the ceiling, which is when it gets the loudest. The webcam above the screen provides an acceptable 1080p image without noise and with even, neutral colors. Pale contrast and almost-but-not-quite blurred detail drag down the impression. There’s no need to be embarrassed in the video meeting, especially thanks to good microphones and AI-backed noise filters, but there could be more punch in the image. Surface and the accessories you might need, except a charger then.Mattias Inghe On the back sits a simple 10-megapixel camera that takes decent pictures in daylight, but don’t expect miracles. Especially its jumpy autofocus can cause problems for both filming and things like AR applications. Microsoft Surface Pro: Compact design with minimal drawbacks With a 12-inch screen and 3:2 aspect ratio, the tablet is noticeably compact and short in width. Its pleasantly rounded corners and edges make Surface Pro excellently grip-friendly with its matte aluminum back that is said to be made from 100 percent recycled aluminum. The foldable back support is sturdy. Setting up the Surface Pro as a small digital photo frame or film screen is very practical. But it’s essentially a Windows computer. So you’ll need a keyboard and mouse controller. And if you want to make full use of the touchscreen, you’ll need a pen. All neatly organized.Mattias Inghe You can buy the matching Slim Pen separately or in a bundle with the keyboard for a total of $249.99. It’s built for the Surface Pro with a slot on the back where the pen can snap on with a magnet and charge. Everything plugs in and works right away. I don’t have to fuss with manual pairing or calibration. The precision is excellent from the start. The quality of the keyboard is also uncompromising. It doesn’t even feel like the keys are crammed together, despite its short width. Microsoft Surface Pro: Just two USB ports, nothing more If you prefer to connect your own mouse and keyboard and perhaps a larger screen, all that is possible with a suitable USB-C dock. The disc’s two ports support everything you need to plug in a USB-C dock and charge the battery with it. Chargers are not included. Microsoft doesn’t reveal how big the battery is, but battery life is good, from three to 10 hours of active use with the screen brightness cranked all the way up, and up to 21 hours of frugal use. If I’m working with generative AI, either Microsoft’s own features in the Copilot Plus suite or third-party software, or challenging the graphics card with a lot of 3D rendering, I end up on the lower end of that scale. Mattias Inghe If I’m just surfing the web, checking email, and running simple Excel calculations, the Surface Pro handles it much better and that’s what most people do with their computers anyway. For those tasks, it’s as capable as any small, ultralight laptop. It may not be quite as fast, but it’s definitely fast enough. With the right accessories, you get a compact, competent laptop that also doubles as a touchscreen tablet with pen support. It’s perfect for streaming movies on the couch. Is it enough to revive the Windows tablet concept? Maybe. Maybe not. But for fans of the form factor, it’s a great device. Specifications Product name: Surface Pro 2025Tested: May 2025Manufacturer: Microsoft Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus, 8 Oryon 3.4 GHzNPU: Hexagon, 45 topsGraphics: Intel Arc 130VMemory: 16 GB lpddr5xStorage: 256 GB / 512 GB SSDMonitors: 12 inch glossy IPS, 2196×1464 pixels, 90 Hz, approx 400 cd/m2Webcam: 10 megapixel rear, 1080p webcam with IR frontConnections: 2 x USB-C 3 Gen 2 with DisplayPort, keyboard dockingWireless: Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4Operating system: Windows 11 HomeOther: Optional keyboard, pen, and chargerSound level: FanlessBattery: 1 hr 45 min (high load, full brightness, 90 Hz) to approx. 19 hr (low load, low brightness, 60 Hz)Size: 27.4 x 19 x 0.78 cmWeight: 686 grams Rating: 4 out of 5 Performance Cinebench 2024, multi-core CPU: 550 pointsCinebench 2024, single core CPU: 107 pointsGeekbench 6, multi-core CPU: 11,241 pointsGeekbench 6, single core CPU: 2,403 pointsGeekbench 6, gpu: 13,834 pointsDisk, read: Up to 3,870.85 MB/sDisk, write: Up to 3,413.79 MB/s Read...

Researcher IDC has unexpectedly concluded that the current administration’s see-sawing tariff plan is going to actually help the PC market grow in 2025. IDC said Wednesday that it now expects that the PC market will grow 4.1 percent over 2024, reaching 274 million units shipped this year. However, the PC market is also expected to contract in 2026, and the PC market should begin declining in the second half of 2025, the firm said. Market watchers have expected the transition between Windows 10 and 11 to help boost the market. Microsoft has said on numerous occasions that Windows 10 will end support this October, with some exceptions for paid extended support options. However, that shift has been expected to help spur the sales of new hardware. Oddly, IDC barely mentioned the Windows 10 transition, pointing out instead that PC makers hurriedly shipped new hardware in advance of the tariffs, which have ranged from between 10 and over 100 percent, depending upon the month and where the product originated. “The 90 day pause and tariffs exemption applied to personal computers, combined with a definite level of uncertainty on what will happen after the 90 day pause, is motivating PC manufacturers to seize the moment and ship larger than anticipated volumes in the U.S.,” said Jean Philippe Bouchard, a research vice-president with IDC’s Worldwide PC Trackers, in a statement. “However, expectations of worsening macroeconomic conditions around the world and in the U.S. characterized by upward pressures on prices and degrading consumer sentiment, will impact the PC market in the second half of 2025. Nonetheless, IDC expects commercial demand for PCs to be healthy in 2025 as the Windows 11 migration continues steadily.” In Europe, the PC market is expected to follow more traditional trend lines, growing in the second half of the year as businesses convert their installed PCs to new hardware based upon Windows 11, IDC said. IDC’s forecast for U.S. PC unit shipments throughout 2025. Read...

NordVPN and Proton VPN are two of the very best VPNs on the market. So, to help you decide which is the best online privacy tool for you, I’m putting them head-to-head. In comparing the two services, I’ll look at the most important aspects of a great VPN including speed, cost, privacy and security, and streaming.  While NordVPN is faster and packs in more features, Proton VPN optimizes privacy and comes with a larger server network. It’s a close call, but for most people I’d recommend NordVPN. It’s our pick for best VPN overall thanks to its unmatched feature set, lightning-fast speeds, and exceptional streaming support. Both Nord and Proton are top-notch services, but be sure to check out our picks for the best VPNs for even more great options. NordVPNProton VPNServer network7,000+ servers, 118 country locations11,000+, 117 country locationsSimultaneous connections1010Average speeds75% of base download, 81% of base upload65% of base download, 72% of base uploadProtocolsWireGuard (NordLynx), NordWhisper, OpenVPN, IKEv2/IPsecWireGuard, Stealth, OpenVPN, IKEv2/IPsecAvailable platformsWindows, MacOS, Android, iOS, iPadOS, Fire TV, Apple TV, Linux, browsers, routersWindows, MacOS, Android, iOS, iPadOS, Fire TV, Apple TV, Linux, browsers, routersBusiness locationPanamaSwitzerlandCost$13.99 per month, $71.88 for the first year, or $107.73 for the first two years$9.99 per month, $59.88 for the first year, or $107.76 for the first two years Speed: NordVPN In my testing, NordVPN and Proton VPN scored highly in both download and upload speeds. NordVPN has the fastest speeds of any VPN I’ve ever tested while Proton VPN ranks sixth overall. The latest round of testing showed that NordVPN resulted in an average of 75 percent of the base download speeds and an outstanding 81 percent of the base upload speeds. Proton VPN came in a little slower at 65 percent of the base download speed and 72 percent of the base upload speeds.  While NordVPN is the clear winner, the margins are actually quite close, despite how they might seem. Whichever you choose you can expect to smoothly handle bandwidth-heavy tasks, such as gaming and 4K streaming. It’s worth mentioning, however, that Proton VPN’s free version is the runaway leader in terms of speeds among all free VPNs. The speeds on all free servers were the same as Proton’s premium servers. Cost: Proton VPN NordVPN offers four subscription tiers: Basic, Plus, Complete, and Prime. To make an equal comparison for services provided I’ll focus on just NordVPN’s Plus plan which runs $13.99 monthly, $71.88 for the first year, or $105.36 for the first two years. ProtonVPN on the other hand offers three tiers: Free, Plus, and Unlimited. For the purposes of this comparison, I’ll focus on ProtonVPN’s Plus plan which is the most similar to NordVPN’s Plus plan. Proton’s Plus tier is offered for $9.99 per month, or you can opt for a one-year subscription at $59.88, or the two-year plan for $71.76. Best VPN Overall NordVPN Read our review Best Prices Today: $3.39 at NordVPN (Monthly) In both the short term and long term Proton VPN is the cheaper option for similar, but not identical, feature sets. NordVPN does offer a few extra features that Proton does not in this mid-tier including MeshNet file sharing and a secure link-checker tool. But all in all, Proton VPN is the better value and comes in cheaper for pretty much identical features. Another plus in this category for Proton VPN is its free tier. For absolutely no cost you get a one-device connection limit and access to five servers located all across the world. There are no ads and no speed or data restrictions either. It is not only a perfect way to try out Proton VPN, but may be a good option as your daily VPN as well. Privacy and security: Tie NordVPN and Proton VPN both offer stellar security tools. Beyond just allowing you to browse the web privately, both of these services have expanded to offer a full suite of security add-ons to provide a safer online experience. In terms of total features offered, NordVPN barely edges out Proton VPN. Both VPNs offer multihop connections, split tunneling, ad- and tracker-blocking, Onion over VPN, a kill switch, and stealth protocols. But NordVPN adds to this with its Meshnet file sharing feature and a robust Threat Protection tool with malware and virus protection, plus a dark web monitoring service. That being said, one could argue that Proton VPN offers slightly better privacy. This is in part due to its commendable transparency across all apps which are all open source and Proton’s Secure Core feature that routes traffic through privacy-friendly countries for enhanced anonymity. best free VPN ProtonVPN Read our review Best Prices Today: $9.99 at Proton VPN Both services have strict no-logs policies that have undergone multiple independent audits and both are located in privacy-friendly locations—NordVPN is based in Panama, while Proton VPN is based in Switzerland. While users can enjoy more comprehensive security features with NordVPN, they will likely find that Proton VPN offers slightly better privacy. Therefore, I’m calling it a tie between the two for privacy and security. Streaming: NordVPN Proton VPN is a fine service for unblocking streaming content, but it simply can’t match NordVPN—in fact, nothing can. We chose NordVPN as the best VPN for streaming for a reason. No other service can match its unblocking capabilities across all servers or work as consistently with as many streaming sites. It’s worth noting that both VPNs do offer stealth protocols, Nord’s NordWhisper and Proton’s Stealth protocols, that are built to more successfully evade detection by third parties. This may help if you find that a streaming service is actively blocking your VPN connection. Additionally, both services offer wide device support not only for your computers and smartphones, but also for smart TVs and streaming devices as well. Still, while streaming compatibility can be a fickle thing, NordVPN has never let me down in all of the years of use and testing when unblocking all of the major sites such as Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, Disney+, or ESPN—that’s more than I can say for any other VPN. The streaming win goes to NordVPN. Bottom line Ultimately, if you want speed, guaranteed streaming unblocking, and comprehensive security then go with NordVPN. The service has been well established as an industry leader for more than a decade now and will give you reliable, high-quality privacy protections  If you want a service that is more affordable, with absolute transparency then Proton VPN is more than worthwhile. Proton VPN also has the advantage of offering a free tier which makes it the perfect entry point to try out a VPN without spending any of your hard-earned cash. These two VPNs are neck-and-neck and either would be an excellent choice no matter what you want to do online. I gave both NordVPN and Proton VPN 4.5 out of 5 stars in their respective reviews and both earned Editors’ Choice awards thanks to their impressive offerings and value. All things considered though, NordVPN is my pick for the best VPN overall and whenever someone asks me for a VPN recommendation it’s the one I turn to first. Related content What is a VPN & how does it work? Are free VPNs any good? Which VPN protocol should you use? It makes a big difference ExpressVPN vs. NordVPN: Clash of the heavyweight titans Read...

Earlier this year, I impulse-bought a tiny, inexpensive desktop PC for research purposes. I didn’t expect it to change my entire computing setup. But here I am now, using the $300 Beelink SER5 Mini PC as my daily workhorse, powering an ultrawide 1440p 100Hz monitor and smoothly handling any productivity task I’ve thrown at it. This little computer has been so delightful to use that I’ve relegated my full-sized desktop tower PC to the basement television, where it’s now serving exclusively as a gaming rig. Consider this a lesson on technological overkill. Outside of some specialized use cases, the required compute power for getting things done might be a lot less than you think. Further reading: 5 reasons to get a mini PC instead of a laptop Sizing up the mini PC Beelink sells an array of miniature computers, but the one I bought currently costs $284 with the following specs: AMD Ryzen 5 5825U processor 16GB of RAM (DDR4) 512GB of storage (M.2 NVMe) Windows 11 Pro Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2 Front ports: Two USB-A 3.2, one USB-C, 3.5mm audio Rear ports: One USB-A 3.0, one USB-A 2.0, two HDMI 2.0, gigabit ethernet Jared Newman / Foundry Spec-wise, this is roughly on par with laptops in the $500 to $700 price range, except of course you’ll have to supply your own mouse, keyboard, and screen. The 5×5-inch frame is small enough to pick up with one hand, and it comes with VESA brackets for mounting the computer to the back of a monitor or television. Further reading: The best monitors we’ve tested The Beelink SER5 also hides a neat feature on its underside: Removing the bottom plate reveals a slot for a 2.5-inch storage drive. I bought a 1TB solid state drive to store all my OneDrive files locally, and the PC recognized it without issue. (The device’s RAM and M.2 storage drive are upgradeable as well.) There’s room for a 2.5-inch SSD in the bottom cover.Jared Newman / Foundry How it fares Going in, my plan was to briefly play around with the SER5’s default Windows 11 Pro installation before going back to my regular desktop for work. Even if I didn’t use the mini PC regularly, I figured it’d be useful for experimenting with other operating systems such as Linux or Chrome OS Flex. In the end, the transition to daily work was so seamless that I never went back to my old computer at all. As a tech journalist, my work typically involves writing in Obsidian, chatting in Slack with colleagues (and my newsletter readers), juggling a few dozen browser tabs in Brave, and attending video calls in Zoom or Google Meet. The Beelink SER5 handled all those tasks without ever noticeably slowing down, and it’s much quieter than the full-sized desktop I’d been using before. I threw some more ambitious tasks at the mini PC as well, such as digitizing some old VHS tapes, recording streaming video sources via PlayOn Home, and running a Plex media server. Even with Plex’s commercial detection and PlayOn’s recording engine running in the background, I continued to work without any noticeable performance setbacks. And while integrated Radeon graphics are no match for a dedicated graphics card, the Beelink SER5 has fared well as a low-end gaming device. Yakuza Kiwami runs at a smooth 60 frames per second on high settings at 1080p, and both Fortnite and the post-apocalyptic cat simulator Stray are playable at 1080p with framerates closer to 30 frames per second. I’ve also used it to play less-demanding games such as the Quake II remaster and The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, while leaning on Nvidia’s GeForce Now for more intensive fare. All this led to a realization that my hulking desktop PC was just wasting space while also being excessively loud and energy-intensive, and after a couple weeks I moved it out of my office for good. I gave it a factory reset, configured it exclusively for gaming in the basement, and now only turn it on as needed. Lesson learned Jared Newman / Foundry When shopping for computers, it’s always tempting to buy for every potential use case, both real and perceived, now and in the future. The $300 Beelink SER5 is a reminder that we’ve reached a point of diminishing returns for most computing use cases. Despite having just a mid-range processor (one designed for laptops, at that), I was never wanting for more power or wishing I’d splurged on a pricier computer. But mostly, I’m just happy to have a quieter office and a better place for the gaming PC that once occupied it. This story first appeared in Advisorator, Jared’s weekly tech advice newsletter. Sign up to learn new tech tricks every Tuesday. Read...

As of yesterday, Microsoft has begun rolling out a new update to Windows 11 Insiders on the Dev and Canary Channels. This update brings new AI features to Notepad, Paint, and the Snipping Tool. Notepad now has the ability to write text from scratch using generative AI, which is meant to aid you by quickly producing drafts based on your prompts and instructions. To use AI text generation, simply right-click anywhere in the document and select Write. Type in your instructions, then either click Keep Text or Discard on the results. You’ll need a Microsoft account and AI credits to use Write in Notepad. Meanwhile, Paint now has a new AI-generated sticker feature as well as an AI-assisted smart selection tool for isolating and editing elements in an image, and Snipping Tool has a new AI-powered “perfect screenshot” feature for capturing your screen without the need to crop or resize afterwards. Paint’s new AI features only work on Copilot+ PCs while Snipping Tool’s features work on all computers. All of this builds on Microsoft’s strategy to bring more AI experiences to Notepad, Paint, and other Windows apps. Read...