So you’ve got your college student hooked up with a laptop and a backpack. They’re all set to take on the world, right? Well, yeah, but they’re going to need a few accessories to really make the best of that dorm space. Hunching over a laptop screen for hours of studying isn’t exactly ideal.  Fortunately, we’ve got everything they’ll need to make the most of their setup in a one-stop shop. Kit them out with some or all of these extras, and they’ll be a studying, class-taking, test-passing machine. Or possibly just play a lot of League of Legends. Don’t judge, college is stressful.  I’ve ranked this list starting with what I consider the most essential additions to a standard laptop. If you’re on a budget, go for the top items first.  USB-C Monitor: Dell S2722DC  Dell I think the number one thing you should equip your student with to maximize their productivity with a laptop is a monitor. Not only is it far bigger than their portable screen, the laptop becomes a secondary monitor when connected, giving them a serious boost in real estate and window management.  Dell makes super-reliable monitors at great prices, and this model has everything you could want. With a 27-inch display and a boosted 2560×1440 resolution, it’s bigger and sharper than a standard budget screen, and the IPS panel is color-accurate enough for photo or video editing and other media work. And with a USB-C connection, students can connect and charge their laptop with a single cable.  Dell 27-inch USB-C monitor$245 on Dell Mouse: Logitech Marathon M720  Logitech Your student is probably used to using a laptop touchpad, but for maximum productivity they really need a separate mouse. And this Logitech model is one of my favorites: big enough to be comfy for extended use, small enough to travel easily, and multiple years of battery life from a single AA. It’s also a fantastic deal at just forty bucks, and compatible with multiple machines at once thanks to a quick-switch button. For a student who’s constantly on the go, it’s the whole package.  Logitech travel mouse$45 on Amazon Keyboard: Nuphy Air V2 Michael Crider/Foundry As a keyboard nut, I’m usually prepared to recommend a huge, clacky keyboard for long typing sessions. But there’s a pretty good chance that your student will have to share a living space with someone in a dorm or an apartment…and that being the case, something a bit more unobtrusive is ideal.  So I’d say go with a Nuphy Air V2. This low-profile board has plenty of padding for quieter typing, and it’s easy to slip into a bag for longer sessions on the go. Once again multi-device pairing comes in handy, and you can go with the Air 60 for maximum portability or the Air 96 if your student does a lot of data entry.  Nuphy Air V2 low-profile mechanical keyboard$150 on Amazon Noise-canceling headphones: Sony WH-CH720N Sony So you’ve picked a keyboard that won’t annoy your student’s roommate. What if said roommate isn’t so conscientious? This set of noise-canceling headphones from Sony should take care of that, and its Bluetooth connection will work with their phone for mobile music sessions, too. With an integrated mic that’s better than the usual headphone pack-in, it’ll be great for the occasional remote class.  Sony WH-CH720N noise-cancelling headphones$98 on Amazon USB-C dock: Anker 555 Anker Being able to pick up their stuff and head to class with a minimum of fuss is a big deal for a student — I would have killed for a USB-C laptop when I was in college, constantly unplugging a charger, monitor cable, and USB hub. Thankfully you can do it all with one cable now, and this Anker hub can handle it on the cheap.  With USB-C power, video-out, Ethernet for a reliable and fast wired internet connection, and multiple card readers, everything your student needs to connect to is just one cable away. It can handle up to 100 watts from a laptop charger without issue.  Anker 555 USB-C hub$50 on Amazon Monitor Arm: Monoprice Single Monitor Adjustable Gas Spring Desk Mount Matt Smith/Foundry Odds are pretty good that your student won’t have a massive desk to work with, so space will be at a premium. There’s no better tool to free up space than a monitor arm, raising the screen to a more ergonomic position at the same time. This Monoprice model is a fantastic deal, and it can clamp onto the back of most desks, so there’s no drilling required. The all-metal construction with two swivel points and a gas spring should last well beyond graduation.  Monoprice Single Monitor Adjustable Gas Spring Desk Mount$85 on Amazon Laptop stand: Metal Laptop Riser Gogoonike If your student needs even more space for books and other school materials, consider adding on this laptop stand to the setup. With plenty of lift and clearance it’ll make it easy to set up and break down, and that’ll put the laptop screen even with the monitor and make plenty of room for a mouse and keyboard.  Metal laptop riser stand$17 on Amazon Monitor lamp: Melifo Monitor Light Bar Melifo Dorm lighting isn’t always great, and we’ve already covered the space crunch. You can address both of those problems with this LED work lamp that sits right on top of your student’s monitor. With adjustable lighting temperature it’ll cut down on eye strain, and you can power it right from one of the monitor’s standard USB-A ports. It even has a handy wireless controller. I use this model on my own desk, and highly recommend it.  Melifo Monitor Light Bar$40 on Amazon USB drive: SanDisk 512GB Ultra Dual Drive Luxe USB-C SanDisk Your student will probably be transferring most of their files wirelessly, but sometimes you can’t beat good old sneakernet. This 512GB SanDisk USB drive is massive, able to hold just about anything a student could throw at it (including high-definition video) at a super-fast speed. And with both USB-A and USB-C connections in the same tiny, metal housing, they’ll never be hunting for an adapter cable even for a phone or tablet.  SanDisk 512GB Ultra Dual Drive Luxe USB-C$41 on Amazon Desk Mat: Topographic Contour gaming mat  Siski For the finishing touch on this student setup, add a nice, big desk mat. It’s a mouse pad that doubles as a food tray, because you know they’ll be snacking at the same time. I’ve bought this exact model for myself and I like it a lot, but you can find literally hundreds of different designs all over Amazon at low prices.  Topographic Contour gaming mat $16 on Amazon Read...

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China has been the manufacturing juggernaut of the world for decades, thanks to low labor costs and a lot of business-friendly moves from the government. But now that the U.S. is apparently on a very personal crusade to disrupt this status quo, businesses are starting to look elsewhere. Asus recently confirmed that it’s moving PC and motherboard production elsewhere…but not to the U.S. According to a representative speaking to investors on an earnings call, over 90 percent of PCs and motherboards destined for the U.S. market are now being manufactured outside of China, primarily in Thailand, Vietnam, and Indonesia. The translation provided by PCMag does not explicitly call out U.S. president Trump’s deep and constantly shifting import taxes as a cause. After a wild escalation of tariffs earlier this year capped at 145 percent, the current tax rate for goods and materials shipped from China to the US sits at 30 percent. Most other countries have a 10 percent tariff, with higher taxes set for certain countries and industries. Trump has often wildly swung back and forth on tariffs and other economic policies, most recently threatening a 100 percent tax on all imported chips with exceptions for companies that are investing in U.S. manufacturing. Asus, notably, would not qualify for this exception, though the chips contained in its products might, as they’re provided by companies like Intel, AMD, and TSMC. Motherboard manufacturing, which relies on hundreds of individual components for each board, is an especially unlikely candidate for shifting to U.S.-based manufacturing. Aside from the higher costs of labor and real estate, the simple logistics of creating these devices are so concentrated on Asia that it would be all but impossible to move to any western nation on a large scale. Manufacturing in China is still so lucrative, even without devices sold in the U.S., that its domestic business is unlikely to be imperiled by one country massively taxing imports. U.S. and international businesses that rely on China for manufacturing have been scrambling to adapt to Trump’s tariffs for most of 2025. The increased costs have driven prices up, especially on finished goods. Nintendo, notably, made a shocking increase in the price of the original Switch console, now almost 10 years old, to adapt to market trends. Asus laptops announced at CES reached the market with price tags notably higher than previously indicated, though they’ve also gone on sale shortly thereafter. The most visible upcoming product from Asus is probably the ROG Xbox Ally handheld, made in partnership with Microsoft (which also had to raise prices on years-old Xbox hardware). European prices have allegedly leaked at €599 and €899 for the standard and upgraded X variant, but despite an expected announcement later this month, there is no price information available so far. Read...

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At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros Rollable OLED is reliable Extra screen space just a keypress away Solid Lunar Lake performance Cons Expensive (naturally) Battery life takes a hit A portable monitor may be more practical Few ports Our Verdict The world’s first laptop unrolls extra screen real estate from below the keyboard at the push of a button. It works well, and the tradeoffs are all worth it if you want a rollable display. If the sticker price doesn’t phase you, you’ll love it. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Best Prices Today: Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 6 Rollable Retailer Price Check Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Best Prices Today: Check today’s prices The Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 6 Rollable is a 14-inch laptop that unrolls into a tall 16.7-inch display when you press a button on the keyboard. Lenovo proudly proclaims this is the world’s first rollable laptop. You have a bunch of extra screen real estate built into your laptop, and you can access it at the press of a button. I’m shocked how cool this is: Lenovo has taken the kind of product you’d see as a tech demo at CES and turned it into a real, solidly engineered laptop that anyone can buy. Yes, it’s expensive, but the fact that you can get this kind of one-of-a-kind experience at a few thousand bucks is just awesome. Lenovo has been delivering lots of wild laptop concepts, like the dual-display Yoga Book 9i. Given the price, these laptops aren’t for most people. But if you like the idea, they’re the only real game in town. Lenovo should be applauded for delivering these concepts as real, buyable products. Machines like these demonstrate why PCs are awesome. Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 6 Rollable: Specs The Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 6 Rollable is available in one single configuration. This laptop includes an Intel Core Ultra 7 258V CPU — that’s a Lunar Lake CPU, which means it has excellent battery efficiency and impressive integrated graphics performance alongside an NPU powerful enough for Microsoft’s Copilot+ PC features. However, Lunar Lake only has eight cores — four performance cores and four low-power efficient cores — so CPU-heavy multithreaded workflows will lag compared to other CPU architectures. Alongside that, Lenovo includes a generous 32GB of RAM and 1TB of SSD storage. Model number: Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 6 Rollable CPU: Intel Core Ultra 7 258V Memory: 32GB LPDDR5X Graphics/GPU: Intel Arc 140V NPU: Intel AI Boost (48 TOPS) Display: 14-inch 2000×1600 OLED display that unrolls into a 16.7-inch 2000×2350 display, 120Hz refresh rate Storage: 1TB PCIe Gen4 SSD Webcam: 1440p camera Connectivity: 2x Thunderbolt 4 (USB Type-C), 1x combo audio jack Networking: Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4 Biometrics: Fingerprint reader and IR camera for facial recognition Battery capacity: 66 Watt-hours Dimensions: 11.95 x 9.08 x 0.75 inches Weight: 3.72 pounds MSRP: $3,299 as tested Lenovo has taken the kind of product you’d see as a tech demo at CES and turned it into a real, solidly engineered laptop that anyone can buy. Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 6 Rollable: Design and build quality IDG / Chris Hoffman The Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 6 Rollable has great build quality, actually! This does not feel like the world’s first rollable laptop — it feels like a polished second or third generation version of the concept. At a glance, the Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 6 looks like a silver Lenovo ThinkBook laptop that’s just a bit bulkier than normal. It has a serious-looking hinge, which looks like the kind of hinge you’d see on a 2-in-1 machine. Aside from the slight extra bulk — it’s only a bit thicker than normal, and at 3.72 pounds, it’s not even that much heavier than a normal laptop — this could pass for a standard Lenovo laptop — until you see the screen. Rather than the screen ending in a bezel, the screen continues past a seam down into the laptop, under the keyboard. To unroll the laptop, you just have to ensure it’s at the right angle — 90 degrees works, or a bit further back — and then press the key to the right of F12. A motor kicks into action and unrolls the screen, making the laptop taller as the rollable OLED display unrolls from underneath the keyboard. To roll it back up, you’ll press the key again. (If your screen isn’t at a good angle for rolling, the key won’t do anything.) The motor and hinge feel incredibly reliable. Time will be the real test, but this feels solid. In fact, it feels more reliable than my foldable Galaxy Phone, as I’m folding that with my hands using various degrees of pressure, while this machine has a motor that unrolls and rolls it nicely. Lenovo includes its own software that handles resolution switching when the screen rolls and unrolls, as well as a “ThinkBook Workspace” pane designed to live at the bottom area of the screen when it’s unrolled. Workspace works fine, but I preferred to stick with my usual Windows software. Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 6 Rollable: Keyboard and trackpad IDG / Chris Hoffman The Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 6 Rollable has a fine keyboard. Lenovo tends to be good at keyboards, and this feels on the shallow side compared to other Lenovo keyboards I’ve used. A slightly shallow keyboard is no surprise: This machine, after all, has a display that rolls up and fits under the keyboard. It’s not mushy, but it is a tad rubbery and doesn’t feel as “snappy” as I’d like. This isn’t even a criticism — of course a rollable laptop won’t have the most keyboard travel. If you like the idea of a rollable laptop, you shouldn’t let the keyboard stop you. If you’re wondering whether other high-end Lenovo laptops like the ThinkPad X1 Carbon have snappier keyboards, though: Yes, yes they do. This machine has a touchpad that’s a good size. It’s a haptic trackpad, too — that means you can customize the action and use the whole touchpad surface to click down. Combined with the size, it’s a great touchpad with smooth action. However, the surface feels a little rubbery, and a glass touchpad always feels a little smoother under the finger to me. These really aren’t criticisms — I’m just relaying what the experience of using the laptop is like. The keyboard and trackpad work well, and you’ll be pleased with them if the rollable display is your main draw here. Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 6 Rollable: Display and speakers IDG / Chris Hoffman The Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 6 Rollable’s display is its star feature. It’s a rollable OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and up to 400 nits of brightness. When rolled up, it’s a 14-inch display with a 2000×1600 resolution. When unrolled, it’s a tall 16.7-inch display with a 2000×2350 resolution. If you’ve used a foldable phone, you’ll be familiar with the “crease” in the middle of the display, where it folds. Since it’s a rollable, it doesn’t have a single crease, but it does have some crease-look visual artifacts where it folds. They’re very well hidden — you have to look at it from just the right angle in just the right lighting to see anything that looks unusual. The screen looks good, but make no mistake: The rollability is its main feature. I’ve seen laptops with high-end OLED displays that are brighter with more vivid colors. But, for a rollable display with such an unusual size and resolution, this is an impressive showing. This is not a touch-screen display, however. If you’re looking for a touch screen, this is not the machine for you. This machine’s Harman Kardon speakers sound unusually great. I test every laptop I review by playing Steely Dan’s Aja and Daft Punk’s Get Lucky. They had plenty of volume, and the audio quality was crisp with decent instrument separation in Aja. The sound was balanced enough in Get Lucky that, even without a ton of bass, the sound sounded great — nothing tinny and enough bass to be fun. We’re grading on a scale since these are laptop speakers, of course — but these are unusually good. Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 6 Rollable: Webcam, microphone, biometrics The Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 6 Rollable has a 1440p 5MP webcam that offers a clear image without visual noise even in lighting conditions that weren’t the most ideal. Lenovo didn’t cut any corners here, and this is the kind of webcam that will make you look professional in online meetings. Also, since this machine meets Microsoft’s Copilot+ PC requirements, it has access to Windows Studio Effects for real-time webcam effects like fake eye contact and background blur. And it has a privacy shutter switch, too. The dual-array microphone setup sounds excellent, and it picked up my voice in high quality. The ThinkBook line of PCs is marketed for business users, and Lenovo has delivered hardware that works very well for online meetings. This machine offers both a fingerprint scanner and an IR camera, so you can sign into your PC and authenticate with Windows Hello using whichever you prefer. The fingerprint reader is part of the power button on the right side of the laptop. Both worked well. Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 6 Rollable: Connectivity IDG / Chris Hoffman The Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 6 Rollable skimps on the ports. On the left side, you’ve got a combo audio jack for headphones and a microphone and two Thunderbolt 4 (USB Type-C) ports. That’s it. This machine charges via USB-C, so one of those ports on the left will be used by the power cable while it’s charging. In general, it would be nice to have more ports or at least a Thunderbolt 4 port on both sides. However, this machine includes a rollable display and a motor while not being much thicker than the average laptop, so obviously there wasn’t as much room for ports — it makes sense. Still, bear in mind that you may need a dock or a dongle. It’s a little funny — this machine promises easy access to more screen real estate so you won’t have to bring a portable monitor with you. But it has fewer ports — so, depending on how many peripherals you need, you may find yourself bringing a dongle or dock with you instead. Thanks to Lunar Lake, this machine supports both Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4. I had no problems with wireless connectivity. Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 6 Rollable: Performance The Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 6 Rollable has an Intel Lunar Lake chip — specifically, the Intel Core Ultra 7 258V. Lunar Lake has always delivered snappy performance in desktop productivity apps, and it does the same in this machine. As always, though we ran the Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 6 Rollable through our standard benchmarks to see how it performs. IDG / Chris Hoffman First, we run PCMark 10 to get an idea of overall system performance. With an average overall PCMark 10 score of 7,703, Lenovo’s rollable laptop delivers solid Lunar Lake-powered performance. IDG / Chris Hoffman Next, we run Cinebench R20. This is a heavily multithreaded benchmark that focuses on overall CPU performance. Since it’s heavily multithreaded, CPUs with more cores have a huge advantage. With an average Cinebench R20 multi-threaded score of 4,060, the Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Rollable delivered performance in line with other Lunar Lake-powered laptops. They just don’t have as many cores as other chips, including Intel’s previous-generation Meteor Lake chips and AMD’s Ryzen AI 9 series. IDG / Chris Hoffman We also run an encode with Handbrake. This is another heavily multithreaded benchmark, but it runs over an extended period. This demands the laptop’s cooling kick in, and many laptops will throttle and slow down under load. The Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 6 Rollable took an average of 1,599 seconds to complete the encode process — that’s over 26 and a half minutes. It was a bit slower than even other Lunar Lake-powered machines, which suggests that the thermal profile of this machine is impacted by the additional display and motor mechanism — in other words, it can’t cool itself as well as some other Lunar Lake-powered machines and throttles more under load. That’s no surprise. IDG / Chris Hoffman Next, we run a graphical benchmark. This isn’t a gaming laptop, but it’s still good to check how the GPU performs. We run 3Dmark Time Spy, a graphical benchmark that focuses on GPU performance. With a 3Dmark Time Spy score of 4,483, Lenovo’s rollable laptop offered great integrated graphics performance, only falling short to laptops with discrete graphics. That’s a great score. Overall, Lenovo’s ThinkBook Plus delivered the results we’d hope to see: Good Lunar Lake performance that only struggles with heavily multi-threaded workloads. The slightly slower Handbrake result isn’t an issue — if you plan on doing heavily multi-threaded CPU-hungry workloads, a machine like this one isn’t the one for you. It’s a portable productivity machine with a lot of extra display. Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 6 Rollable: Battery life The Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 6 Rollable has a 66 Watt-hour battery, which is a decent size but not the largest. It’s battery life fell short of other Lunar Lake machines. Displays tend to be a big contributor to power usage, this suggests that the large rollable OLED display is unusually power hungry compared to the average laptop’s display. IDG / Chris Hoffman To benchmark the battery life, we play a 4K copy of Tears of Steel on Windows 11 with airplane mode enabled until the laptop suspends itself. We set the screen to 250 nits of brightness for our battery benchmarks. This is a best-case scenario for any laptop since local video playback is so efficient, and real battery life in day-to-day use is always going to be less than this. The Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 6 Rollable lasted for an average of 761 minutes — that’s over 12 and a half hours. That number sounds good, but it’s hours shorter compared to other Lunar Lake-powered systems. (For example, the Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro hit nearly 24 hours in our benchmark — but it’s not a rollable laptop.) You’ll have to plug this machine in a bit more often than the average Lunar Lake laptop. But, if you love this laptop, you’ll make it work. Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 6 Rollable: Conclusion The Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 6 is incredible. The rollable display and motor action feel incredibly solid, and I was never worried about them. You get a display that gives you a lot of extra screen real estate at the press of a button, and it all rolls up on the keyboard when you want portability. This is why PCs are awesome — because machines like this can exist for the people who want them. If you want a rollable laptop, this one delivers. Is this the right machine for the average laptop buyer? Of course not — the $3,300 price is both impressive for bleeding-edge first-of-its-kind product and above the average laptop buyer’s price range. Even if you do want to spend this much, you’ll have to consider the trade-offs — like less battery life compared to other Lunar Lake systems — and decide what you value. But it’s an awesome machine, and it works as well as I’d hoped. If this is a little too rich for your blood, though, consider a portable monitor. It doesn’t feel like a sci-fi product the way a rollable laptop does and you’ll have to carry two things, but it’s a much less expensive way to have extra screen real estate on the go. Read...

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With vacation season upon us, it’s time to figure out what to pack for your trip. Limited tech time is great in theory, but you still need a few things to make your life easier, whether it’s gear for the car, accessories that help you connect to your entertainment, or gadgets for backing up all your pics. Here at PCWorld we’re always testing the latest gadgets to sort the good from the don’t-bother. In the process, we’ve come across a lot of tech gear that’s built for travel. Here we’ve curated a list of the gear that we believe is worthy of any packing list and sure to help prepare you for anything you may encounter on the road—or in the sky. Happy travels! Manage electrical needs with a voltage converter BESTEK Universal Travel Adapter 220V to 110V Bestek, Mapambo When you’re traveling from the U.S. to Europe, for instance, you don’t just need a different type of plug for your chargers and gadgets, but also a voltage converter because Europe runs on different settings. The Bestek Universal Travel Adapter will convert 220V outlets to U.S.-standard 110V, thus ensuring that your devices don’t burn out. It’s not only affordable, but it has three AC outlets and four USB ports. Plus, the product comes with a couple of extra plug adapters. If a more compact version is all you need, then the Mapambo converter will work just fine with one AC plug, two type-C, and two type-A ports. The Baseus Enercore CG11 is also a fantastic pick, as it’s suitable for use anywhere in the world, with slide-out plugs for the USA, EU, and UK. There are also two ports — one USB-C and one USB-A — as well as a USB-C retractable cable. Buy the BESTEK Universal Travel Adapter at Amazon Buy the Mapambo 220V to 110V Voltage Converter at Amazon Buy the Baseus Enercore CG11 Take control of tangled cords Rolling Square inCharge 6 Portable Keychain Charger Cable Rolling Square If you’re like most travelers, you bring multiple electronics to make the most of your experience—we’re talking camera, phone, laptop, headphones, etc. But along with all of these items, you’ll need to carry all of their charging cables. That can take up space and lead to a tangled web of cords in your bag if you’re not careful. With the Rolling Square inCharge 6 Portable Charger Cable on Amazon, you have the option of USB-C or USB-A inputs and Micro USB or USB-C outputs all in a cable that is small enough for your keychain. Buy the Rolling Square Portable Charger Cable at Amazon Or get a retractable cable Baseus USB-C Retractable Cable Baseus If you’d rather have a simpler cable, then this one from Baseus will do the trick. The retractable design ensures it’s going to be safe in your luggage, preventing any type of tangling issues and considerably lowering the chances of your cable breaking. You can get this one in two length versions—3.3ft and 6.6ft— and you can pay as little as $10 on the shorter one if it’s on sale. Buy the Baseus retractable USB-C cable at Amazon Keep your devices charged with a portable power bank Anker GaN Prime Power Bank 2-in-1 10,000mAh portable power bank with wall charger Anker Traveling is always fun, but ending up with a depleted phone battery in an unknown place can be terrifying. This Anker Prime power bank takes up two roles in one. On one hand, it can plug into a wall outlet and give you the recharge you need while you’re at your hotel, for instance, but it can also act as a power bank when you’re out and about exploring. 10,000mAh is enough to charge your phone twice over (or close to that). There are three ports on this Anker hybrid charger, two of which are type-C that can reach 65W charging. It’s available for $110, but you can often find it closer to $70 when on sale. Buy the Anker GaN Prime Power Bank 2-in-1 Charger at Amazon Make that hotel outlet actually useful Anker Prime 6-in-1 charging station Anker One of the main issues we all have when traveling is that it’s tough to find multiple outlets in your hotel room. You’ll get one by the bedside table and another that’s taken up by the TV. Well, this compact power strip from Anker makes good use of that outlet and turns it into six. You get two AC outlets, two USB-A and two USB-C ports and a maximum output of 140W via those type-C ports. That’s just about perfect for laptops, smartphones and whatever else you have on you. The cool part is that the power strip is flat and the power cord detaches, so it’s ideal for your tight-packed luggage. Buy the Anker Prime 6-in-1 power strip at Amazon Never lose your valuables again Apple AirTag, Tile Pro, Samsung SmartThings, Tile Slim Apple, Tile, Samsung We’ve all been there. You arrive at your destination and you’re waiting for your checked bag to show up on the carousel, but it never does. Baggage handling is at it again. With a Bluetooth tracker you can easily keep tabs on where your bag is and maybe even help TSA locate it, should it be lost. There are quite a few Bluetooth trackers on the market that you can get. Apple users should look into the AirTag, while Android users can choose Samsung’s SmartTag2. Anyone can go for the Tile Pro. If you’re more worried about your wallet, Tile’s Slim tracker will fit inside it neatly. These are all around $30 a piece, but you can quite often get them for less or in bundles, thus lowering the price even more. If you want an AirTag alternative, the Ugreen FineTrack is a fraction of the price and often on sale. Buy the Apple AirTag at Amazon Buy the Ugreen FineTrack Buy the Samsung Galaxy SmartTag2 at Amazon Buy the Tile Pro at Amazon Buy the TIle Slim at Amazon Enjoy an in-flight movie without annoying headphone cables Twelve South AirFly Pro or Ugreen Airplane Bluetooth Transmitter Receiver Ugreen, Twelve South Twelve South’s AirFly Pro Bluetooth wireless audio transmitter for $54.99 on Amazon (although it’s frequently on sale) allows you to turn any audio jack into a wireless Bluetooth transmitter. Simply plug in the device to the headphone jack on the back of the airplane seat and connect your wireless headphones. Then sit back and relax while you enjoy the in-flight entertainment on your sweet noise-canceling headphones. Alternatively, you can also go for the more affordable Ugreen Airplane Bluetooth Transmitter Receiver, which is $36.99 but often drops below $30. Either will allow you to connect up to two earbuds or headphones. Buy the Twelve South AirFly Pro at Amazon Buy the Ugreen Airplane Bluetooth Transmitter Receiver at Amazon Drown out noise with noise-canceling earbuds AirPods Pro (2nd Generation) or Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 Apple, Bose Flying on an airplane is loud. Engines roar, babies cry, passengers snore. That’s why you need noise-canceling headphones, which have become essential tools in making your flight as easy as possible. And because you’re traveling and bag space is a premium, your headphones need to be small. Not just for iPhone users, but for anyone who needs good headphones, the AirPods Pro 2 for $225.00 on Amazon continue to be the best choice due to their convenient size and noise-canceling capability. If you’re an Android user, you may want to look into the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2, which deliver something our buddies at TechAdvisor have called “astonishing noise cancellation” on top of superb sound quality and a secure fit. Get the AirPods Pro (2nd Generation) at Amazon Buy the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 at Amazon Or get some noise-canceling headphones Sony WH-1000XM5 or Apple AirPods Max Apple, Sony If earbuds aren’t for you, then perhaps a pair of proper headphones will do the trick. The Sony WH-1000XM5 are easily some of the best noise-canceling headphones out there (as our friends at TechAdvisor attested with a 5-star review), delivering phenomenal audio and a comfortable build. Apple fans may want to look into the AirPods Max that are also known for what our friends at MacWorld call “industry leading active noise canceling”. Buy the Sony WH-1000XM5 at Amazon Buy the Apple AirPods Max at Amazon Capture and print your favorite memories Fuji Instax Mini 12 instant camera Fujifilm Sure, you could bring a giant SLR camera with multiple lenses and an extra special carry-on bag to store everything. Or for those who aren’t professionals, you can opt for a small, retro instant camera such as the Fuji Instax Mini 12 for $143.95 on Amazon. Just like an old-school Polaroid, you can take a picture and instantly print it out to capture the moment. Just be aware that you’ll need to purchase and carry the film separately. Buy the Fujifilm Instax Mini 12 at Amazon Keep your wires from getting crossed Bellroy Tech Kit Bellroy Bellroy is known for making great tech cases and kits, and the Bellroy Tech Kit for $59 on Amazon is our favorite. This well-designed, travel-friendly bag allows you to keep all of your cables and small peripherals stored and organized with ease. The folio style means that you can open the entire kit out flat for easy access to everything stored inside. Plus, the fabric is waterproof so you shouldn’t have to worry about a little liquid spilling on your precious gear. Buy the Bellroy Tech Kit at Amazon Game in-route to your destination Steam Deck, Switch OLED, or Backbone One Backbone, Nintendo, Valve The Steam Deck for $399 on the Steam store is a great handheld gaming system that allows you to play your favorite PC games on the go. It wasn’t so long ago that the Steam Deck was sold out everywhere and people were clamoring to get one. Thankfully, Valve has increased its supply and it’s easier than ever to get your hands on this excellent gaming portable. Play games from your Steam library on the go or load up on new titles for your next vacation. Gaming makes those long-haul flights a breeze. If you’d rather go for a different platform, the Switch OLED is an absolutely fantastic gaming console. And yes, we know the Switch 2 is en route, but good luck getting your hands on one of those anytime soon. If you’d rather just play on your phone, but have an upgraded experience, the Backbone One will mold to your phone, whether that’s an Android or iPhone model, and will help you play anything you want, including titles in your Xbox, PlayStation, or Steam libraries. Buy the Steam Deck at Steam Store Buy the Nintedo Switch OLED at Amazon Buy the Backbone One at Amazon Keep your hands and wrists happy while typing Logitech MX Keys Mini Logitech Laptop keyboards are cramped and can lead to some serious wrist pain if you type on them for long enough. Save yourself the carpal tunnel and grab a wireless keyboard like the Logitech MX Keys Mini. This compact keyboard is not only easy to travel with, but offers convenient features such as a semi-customizable layout, multi-device switching, and more. And the most important part is that it offers a great typing experience with comfortable and quiet keys that won’t bother your fellow travelers. The MX Keys Mini is currently $99.99 on Amazon. Buy the Logitech MX Keys Mini at Amazon Carry a library everywhere you go Kindle Paperwhite Amazon Books are a great thing to have around on vacation, but they’re heavy and they take up precious space in your luggage. Instead opt for an e-reader like the Kindle Paperwhite for $159.99 on Amazon and bring an entire library worth of books in this lightweight tablet. Plus the Paperwhite version comes with an anti-glare screen and adjustable brightness settings, making it perfect for a bright beach or dark airplane. Not sure which Kindle to buy? Check out our handy Kindle buying guide to help you make the right choice. Buy the Kindle Paperwhite at Amazon Grab a mobile hotspot to stay in range of Wi-Fi range Solis Lite 4G LTE WiFi Mobile Hotspot Solis Those who travel a lot know that Wi-Fi is essential. From being able to work online while on the road or just looking up restaurant recommendations in another country, it’s an invaluable tool to get the most out of your travel experience. There are quite a few services nowadays offering pocket Wi-Fi for travelers, but Solis is one of the best with reliable global coverage across 135 countries. Plus, it has flexible plans depending upon your needs. You’ll need to purchase the Solis Lite Mobile Hotspot for $159.99 on Amazon before registering for a Wi-Fi plan, but it’s only a one-time fee and you can then use it on all of your future trips. Buy the Solis Lite Mobile Hotspot at Amazon Safe surfing NordVPN  Pexels: Stefan Coders If you’re going to travel anywhere, connecting to shady Wi-Fi networks, you absolutely need to have a VPN on your device. We’ve tested what feels like a million of them and recommend you go for NordVPN, which we found to be the best overall. There are tons of configuration options if you want to deep-dive, but you can also just take the easy route and press a single button every time. It even comes with a built-in antivirus and password manager, so you have a three 3-in-1 solution. Get NordVPN Never worry about safe tap water again Philips Water GoZero self-cleaning water bottle Philips No matter if you’re traveling to a new city or going camping, making sure that you have access to clean and potable water is a necessity. The Philips Water GoZero bottles bring in some smart technology to ensure the water is safe to drink. Available for $73.89 at Amazon (or lower when on sale), the bottle uses UV technology to eliminate up to 99.999 percent of bacteria and 99.9 percent of viruses in just a few minutes. Even when empty, the cap can disinfect your bottle and remove odors. Made out of stainless steel and double-walled, the bottle won’t just purify your water, it will also keep your drinks hot for up to 12 hours or cold for 24 hours. Buy the Philips Water GoZero water bottle at Amazon Mount your smartphone on anything Universal in-flight airplane phone holder mount Perilogics This Universal in-flight airplane phone holder mount for $13.97 on Amazon allows you to easily clip your phone onto an airplane seat for hands-free convenience. Maybe you loaded up that latest season of your favorite show or have a game to occupy that long-haul flight. Either way, holding your phone with a craned neck for hours and hours is bound to give you a strain. Just hook this bad boy up to the back of the seat in front of you on the airplane then sit back, relax, and enjoy. Buy the Universal in flight phone holder at Amazon Travel with an ultraportable laptop Asus ZenBook S 14 Thomas Rau If you’re going to get a super-light laptop, the Zenbook S 14 is a fantastic pick because it weighs just 2.65 pounds, which makes sit lighter than the 13-inch MacBook Air. We gave this one a 4.5-star rating and our Editors’ Choice award, appreciating the fantastic battery life and lovely large OLED screen. Plus, the laptop has an Ultra 7 processor, 32GB RAM, and a 1TB SSD. You can also check out our other best ultraportables or our best laptop roundup for even more options. Buy the Asus ZenBook S 14 at Best Buy Or opt for a 2-in-1 for even more versatility HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14 IDG / Josh Hendrickson If you want a more versatile laptop, then a 2-in-1 model will do, like our very favorite HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14. The 360-degree hinge will make it easy for you to turn this laptop into a tablet and into a Netflix-watching tent in a blink. The 14-inch 2880×1800 OLED touch display is absolutely gorgeous and the 500 nits make it perfect to use everywhere you go. Buy the HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14 at Amazon Increase your screen real-estate with a travel monitor Azorpa A1 Gamut Matt Smith Sometimes you just need a second monitor, even when you’re traveling. The extra screen really helps productivity for business travelers and it makes for a great way to play your portable games on a larger screen while on the road. We really like the Azorpa A1 Gamut which delivers good image quality for an extremely budget friendly price—the A1 Gamut is usually about $70 on Amazon. It also comes with useful connectivity options and a solid build quality that will stand up to the rigors of travel.  Buy the Arzopa A1 at Amazon Grab some extra storage Crucial X9 Pro IDG If you plan on taking about a million pictures and videos and you want to have a safe way to back them up without relying on random hotel Wi-Fi, then you can also grab a portable SSD. The Crucial X9 Pro is the best external SSD for most folks because it’s not only affordable but also super fast. We gave the X9 Pro a near-perfect score and our Editors’ Choice award, utterly impressed with the 10Gbps performance and the small form factor. Buy the Crucial X9 Pro at Amazon Back up your pics Ugreen USB-C Ugreen This absolutely tiny USB-C card reader is the perfect way to back up some of those pics you took on vacation without relying on hotel Wi-Fi or your limited data. If your phone doesn’t have a microSD card, a card combined with this tiny reader makes a great external storage option. Or, if you’re using a camera with a microSD card, you can back up the pics to your laptop to free up space. It doesn’t hurt that it’s super affordable. Buy the Ugreen USB-C microSD at Amazon Stream content in your hotel room Amazon Fire TV Stick HD Amazon If you’re going to travel, you may as well keep up with your shows. The Amazon Fire TV Stick HD makes it super easy to bring all your favorite shows with you anywhere you go. You’ll just need to pop this thing in the TV, connect it to the hotel’s Wi-Fi (or the hotspot you set up), and just have fun. It’s also super affordable, available for $35 (although it’s frequently on sale for $20 or less). Buy now at Amazon Upgrade your car’s entertainment system Carlinkit 5.0 Carlinkit If your car’s entertainment system still requires you plug in your phone, then we have a nifty solution for you. This Carlinkit 5.0 dongle plugs into your car and allows you to wirelessly connect to it whenever you get in your car. In this way, you’re saving time and it’s so much more convenient. The Carlinkit 5.0 works with both CarPlay and Android Auto, so it doesn’t matter what type of phone you use. Buy the Carlinkit Android Auto & Carplay adapter at Amazon Read...

If you’ve been dreaming about upgrading to a 1440p ultrawide monitor but haven’t yet because you like money in your wallet, then today’s a great day for you. Right now, this Koorui 34-inch 1440p ultrawide monitor is only $265.99, down from its listed $499.99 price and close to the lowest price we’ve ever seen for it. At 34 inches, it’s fairly large but not so large that you’ll be straining your neck and eyes to see all of it. Coupled with the crystal-clear 3440×1440 resolution, you’ll have plenty of screen real estate for all your apps and documents without ever feeling cramped or limited. And with the 165Hz refresh rate and curved display, you’ll enjoy a fully immersive experience while playing your favorite 3D games. 1440p ultrawides rarely come this cheap, so this is a great chance to jump on one. Okay, here’s the thing about this monitor: Koorui as a brand may not be close to Samsung, Acer, or Asus in terms of reputation, but according to the Walmart listing for the same model (only slightly more expensive), it comes with a 3-year warranty. Not bad if you’re worried about how well this display will hold up. Honestly, at this price it’s hard to say no. If you’re itching for a high-res ultrawide for dirt cheap, grab the Koorui 34E6UC monitor for only $266 while this limited-time deal is still around. It won’t last! Get this 34-inch 1440p ultrawide gaming monitor for super cheapBuy now at Amazon Read...