At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros Roku’s remote also controls TV volume and power Smooth performance for the price Portable design that draws power from the USB port on most TVs Cons Weak long-range Wi-Fi performance App launches are a bit slower than pricier Roku models Home screen feels increasingly cluttered Our Verdict The Roku Streaming Stick (2025) is a cheap way to bring Roku’s smarts to any TV, but you’ll need to accept some trade-offs. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Best Prices Today: Roku Streaming Stick (2025) Retailer Price $19 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Of all the streaming devices Roku offers, the 2025 edition of the Roku Streaming Stick is—apologies in advance—the Rokuiest. The company prides itself on offering a smooth streaming experience on cheap hardware, and the Roku Streaming Stick (HD) is its least expensive model at $30. It addresses the biggest problems with Roku’s previous low-end offering, the Roku Express, by adding TV and voice controls to its remote and using a more portable design that you can plug directly into a TV’s HDMI port. Roku hasn’t sold an HD streaming dongle like this since 2018, and it’s nice to have one back in the lineup. While the $40 Roku Streaming Stick Plus gets you 4K HDR video support and slightly better performance—and there are other options from Roku’s rivals worth considering in this price range—the $30 Streaming Stick works if you don’t pay for 4K streaming services or just want something cheap to travel with. The latest Roku Streaming Stick’s remote is a big upgrade over the one that came with the old Roku Express, because it can control the TV’s volume and power. What you get with the cheapest Roku stick Jared Newman / Foundry The Roku Streaming Stick is roughly the size of a large finger and is identifiable by its purple printed-on Roku logo, versus the embossed black logo on the Streaming Stick Plus. It has an HDMI connector at one end that plugs directly into the television, and Roku will still send you a free HDMI extender if the dongle doesn’t fit behind your TV. The Roku Streaming Stick also needs a source of power; however, it notably does not come with a power adapter that you’d plug into an AC outlet. All you get is a five-foot USB-A to USB-C cable, which you’re supposed to plug into the USB port on your TV. The dongle drew sufficient power from every TV I tested it with, but you might need a USB-A power adapter for really old TVs that don’t have USB power ports. The remote is a big upgrade over the old Roku Express remote because it can control the TV’s volume and power directly. Combined with HDMI-CEC for input-switching, you might not need to use your TV remote at all. Roku’s remote also supports voice control, so you can search for apps, launch content, and dictate login details instead of pecking on each app’s on-screen keyboard. Unlike the old Roku Express remote, the Roku Streaming Stick has TV volume, power, and voice control buttons.Jared Newman / Foundry On the downside, the Roku Streaming Stick doesn’t accept IR input, like the old Express, so you can’t program a basic universal remote to control it. Roku’s remote also can’t directly control soundbars and A/V receivers over infrared, so you’ll need a separate remote if your sound system lacks HDMI-CEC support. The $100 Roku Ultra is now the only option that works with programmable IR remotes. Roku Streaming Stick performance and Wi-Fi reception Streaming dongles have advanced to the point that performance isn’t an issue even on the cheapest devices. The Roku Streaming Stick scrolls smoothly through most menus, and you’ll seldom need to wait long for an app to load. Still, performance is a step down from pricier models. In side-by-side testing, app load times were occasionally a few seconds slower than the Roku Streaming Stick Plus and the Roku Streaming Stick 4K, and it needed more time to fill in program information while scrolling quickly through the channel guide in Pluto TV. With Netflix, the higher-end Sticks were better at picking up where I’d left off after switching to another app, while the Roku Streaming Stick had to completely reload Netflix when switching back. The Roku Streaming Stick’s Wi-Fi performance is also worse than other models. It uses an outdated Wi-Fi 4 connection (Wi-Fi 4 was first standardized way back in 2009). Certified Wi-Fi routers are backward compatible, so this won’t be a problem if you set it up in a spot with solid reception, but Roku’s device can falter at long range. In the same office as my Eero 6 Pro (a Wi-Fi 6 mesh router), for instance, the Streaming Stick maintained a solid 100Mbps connection, and on my back deck, about 30 feet from a wireless Eero satellite, it maintained speeds around 50Mbps, which is still plenty for streaming. But when I moved the Roku Streaming Stick to the opposite corner of my backyard, it displayed a weak signal warning and averaged less than 10Mbps in speed tests. The Roku Streaming Stick Plus, which uses a Wi-Fi 5 connection, maintained speeds around 20Mbps in the same location. The Roku Streaming Stick 4K, which has a separate Wi-Fi 5 adapter built into its power cord, achieved speeds of around 100Mbps. The Streaming Stick showed this error at the far edge of my property, where pricier models did not.Jared Newman / Foundry Roku says you can use wired ethernet adapters with these devices. but when I tried connecting the Roku Streaming Stick to a couple of USB-C hubs with ethernet ports, the connection didn’t work. Only Roku’s Ultra models have hardwired ethernet ports built in. Roku’s software: Still simple, but getting worse Jared Newman / Foundry Using a Roku device in 2025 means coming to grips with changes to its interface, not all for the better. It used to work like this: The main Home section presented a straightforward grid of apps, and if you needed help deciding what to watch, Roku offered recommendations through its additional sidebar menus, such as “What to Watch” and “Featured Free.” Roku is now stuffing more of those recommendations into the Home section. There’s a set of “Top Picks for You” tiles above the app grid, a series of genre-based menu links underneath, and a separate set of links for Home, Food, and Sports beneath that. The increasingly cluttered Home section might require scrolling just to see your apps.Jared Newman / Foundry I don’t fault Roku for following the lead of other streaming platforms, whose home-screen recommendations can be helpful, but Roku’s approach feels like the worst of both worlds. Between the new content tiles and the huge banner ad on the right-hand side of the screen, the Home section just feels cluttered and cramped, and its sidebar menu options have also multiplied with sections like Sports and Daily Trivia. (Some of these options appear on the Home screen as well, which is redundant.) The one thing I’d like to see on Roku’s Home screen is the “Continue Watching” row, which links to your most recently viewed TV episodes, movies, and live channels. It’s a great feature, but connecting you to what you’re already watching doesn’t help Roku make money on promotions; so, naturally, it’s relegated to the “What to Watch” menu, where you’re unlikely to ever use it. Roku’s “What to Watch” menu is a better home screen than the actual Home section now.Jared Newman / Foundry The upside is that you can still simplify Roku’s menu system with some settings tweaks, and Roku’s software is still fairly simple to use as a whole. Your full app list is never far away, the layout is easy to understand, and the search function works well. Roku’s software also comes with some neat features, such as Apple AirPlay support, private headphone listening via Roku’s mobile app, and a “Photo Streams” feature that lets you set up personal photos as your screensaver. It’s just too bad you must wade through more promotional clutter to enjoy it all. Roku Streaming Stick vs. the rest If we’re strictly comparing the Roku Streaming Stick to Roku’s other streamers, the $40 Streaming Stick Plus offers 4K HDR video support, occasionally faster app launches, and slightly better Wi-Fi connectivity. The $50 Streaming Stick 4K includes Dolby Vision HDR support and much better Wi-Fi at long range from your router. The $100 Roku Ultra improves performance slightly further while adding hardwired ethernet support, a USB port for local media, and a more feature-packed remote (which you can also buy separately to use with other Roku models). Beyond the Roku ecosystem, Walmart’s Onn streamers are compelling alternatives, including the $20 Onn Streaming Box with 4K HDR support. The Google TV software is more complex, but it’s also better at organizing content than Roku, and you get more features for your money. Amazon’s Fire TV Stick HD is in the same price league at $35, but its interface is much more chaotic. Where does that leave the Roku Streaming Stick? It’s a solid option if you like Roku’s software and just want an inexpensive way to add it to any TV, but keep the alternatives in mind if you want better performance, longer Wi-Fi range, or a fresher approach to navigating your streaming services. At a glance: The Roku Streaming Stick (2025) is a cheap way to bring Roku’s smarts to any TV, if you’re willing to make some trade-offs. Further reading: This review in part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best media streaming devices. Read...

At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros Sharp image with reasonably accurate gamma and color temperature USB-C with 60 watts power delivery and power pass-through Good menu system with joystick control Cons Thicker and heavier than some alternatives Modest contrast and color performance Weak speakers Our Verdict The Viewsonic VA1655 has USB-C power with 60 watts of power delivery and supports power pass-through for charging a connected laptop, but it’s thicker than the alternatives, and its image quality doesn’t beat more affordable peers. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Best Prices Today: Viewsonic VA1655 Retailer Price Check Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Best Prices Today: Check today’s prices Searching for a portable monitor on Amazon can overwhelm you with a torrent of choices from brands you’ve never heard of. That might lead you towards a brand that’s a bit more familiar—like Viewsonic, a brand that’s been in the business for decades. There are advantages to playing it safe with a better-known brand, like superior USB-C connectivity and an easy-to-use menu system, but the VA1655’s image quality doesn’t stand out from the crowd. Viewsonic VA1655 (15.6-inch) specs and features The Viewsonic VA1655’s specifications are identical to dozens of other inexpensive portable monitors. It has a 15.6-inch 1080p IPS-LCD display with a refresh rate of 60Hz. Display size: 15.6-inch 16:9 aspect ratio Native resolution: 1920×1080 Panel type: IPS LCD Refresh rate: 60Hz Adaptive Sync: None HDR: No Ports: 1x Mini-HDMI 1.4, 2x USB-C, 3.5mm audio-out Audio: 2x speakers Additional features: Carrying case, built-in stand Price: $109.99 MSRP The portable monitor’s connectivity is provided by one mini-HDMI port, as well as two USB-C ports. Notably, the USB-C ports both support 60 watts of power delivery, so they can charge and provide video input to the monitor. The monitor also ships with a carrying case. Read on to learn more, then see our roundup of the best portable monitors for comparison. Viewsonic VA1655 design The Viewsonic VA1655’s design is unusual for a budget portable monitor. It doesn’t use a detachable kickstand carrying case but instead integrates the kickstand into the monitor itself. On the plus side, this means the stand will always be with you. The stand also provides a good range of tilt adjustment with up to roughly 45 degrees of tilt; far better than competitors like the Innoview Portable Monitor, which relies on a kickstand case. On the downside, the built-in kickstand increases the monitor’s thickness to 0.7 inches and its weight to 1.5 pounds. It’s noticeably thicker and heavier than most competitors that use a kickstand case. Portability aside, the Viewsonic VA1655’s design reveals its budget price. The exterior is constructed from black plastics that look cheap and feel a bit hollow, and the monitor allows some flex when it’s handled. This is par for the course with budget portable monitors, though, and the VA1655’s thickness means it feels more durable than most. Because the portable monitor doesn’t have a carrying case with kickstand, it instead ships with a padded sleeve to provide some protection when the monitor is stored. The sleeve works well enough but, like the monitor itself, feels rather cheap. Matthew Smith / Foundry Viewsonic VA1655 connectivity The USB-C ports both support up to 60 watts of power delivery. That’s more than enough to power the monitor, so you don’t need any additional external power source for it. ViewSonic doesn’t ship the monitor with a USB power brick, though, so you’ll need to buy one separately or use one that you have on hand. The USB-C ports support power pass-through, which means you can connect a USB-C power brick to the portable monitor and then connect the portable monitor to a laptop via USB-C. This will charge the laptop. Power pass-through is a handy feature that budget portable monitors don’t often include. Unfortunately, the monitor has a mini-HDMI instead of full-sized HDMI. That’s a small disappointment because mini-HDMI is much less common, so adapters and cables that support it are more difficult to find. However, a suitable cable is included in the box. The USB-C ports support power pass-through — a handy feature that budget portable monitors don’t often include. Viewsonic VA1655 menus, features, and audio The VA1655’s menu system is much easier to navigate than most portable monitors thanks to a joystick control tucked around the right-hand side of the display. Most budget portable monitors bundle menu controls into the volume buttons, which is awkward. The monitor also provides a decent range of image quality settings, including precise gamma presets and custom color modes for RGB calibration. The monitor’s modest image quality sets a limit on how useful these features can be, but it’s another area where the VA1655 beats most competitors. Matthew Smith / Foundry Speakers are included, but they’re rated at less than a watt of power each. Their maximum volume is low and bass-heavy tracks will immediately cause distortion. They’re fine for listening to system notification sounds, but not much else. Viewsonic VA1655 SDR image quality Priced at roughly $110, the Viewsonic VA1655 is firmly in the budget portable monitor category. With that said, it’s also a long way from the least expensive portable monitor available, as 15.6-inch 1080p alternatives can be found for as little as $60. The VA1655’s higher price unfortunately doesn’t buy you a significant improvement in image quality. Matthew Smith / Foundry The Viewsonic VA1655 reached a maximum SDR brightness of 239 nits. That’s fine for most home use, but it’s a long way from the brightest in this category, and it won’t always be enough to keep the display usable while traveling. The VA1655 also has a semi-gloss display finish. While it partially dampens reflections, a bright light source opposite the display will easily overwhelm the panel. Matthew Smith / Foundry Contrast isn’t a perk of the VA1655, though it’s typical for a budget portable monitor. Its maximum contrast ratio of 1110:1 is mid-pack when the VA1655 is placed against similar rivals, like the Arzopa Z1FC and Innoview Portable Monitor. When compared to OLED alternatives, however, the VA1655 is in far worse shape. OLED portable monitors are more expensive, to be fair, with budget options starting around $200. Still, it’s worth knowing what an extra $100 will get you. Matthew Smith / Foundry The VA1655 struggles with color performance. It handles just 67 percent of the sRGB gamut, as well as 50 percent of DCI-P3 and 51 percent of AdobeRGB. That’s similar to other budget portable monitors, but it’s much less than more expensive monitors. The VA1655’s limited color gamut won’t be an issue for most web browsing or working in Microsoft Office, but it will prove a problem if you want to edit photos or videos. Matthew Smith / Foundry Viewsonic’s budget monitor is better in color accuracy, but still mid-pack. The monitor’s color accuracy is solid on average and better than the Innoview Portable Monitor. However, it still suffers significant variations in some hues, including cyan and red. These appear muted, with vibrant reds sliding to orange and blues looking faded or pastel. The VA1655 is better in color temperature and gamma tests. It has a default gamma curve that roughly tracks the target value of 2.2 and a default color temperature of 6700K, which is just a tad cooler than the target of 6500K. The color temperature variance will be noticeable to critical viewers, but it doesn’t immediately stand out. Sharpness is a perk for the VA1655. 1920×1080 resolution across a 15.6-inch panel works out to about 140 pixels per inch. That’s much sharper than a 27-inch 1440p monitor, though not quite as sharp as a 27-inch 4K display. In any case, the image is clear and crisp. Viewing angles are decent, too. The VA1655 is easy to view in both the horizontal and vertical planes, though brightness is reduced and color fades if, for example, you stand up and view the monitor from above. However, the VA1655 helps to address even that, as its wide range of adjustment makes it possible to view the display from many angles. The Viewsonic VA1655’s overall SDR image quality is passable for basic day-to-day productivity. It’s sharp and provides reasonable, though not precise, color accuracy. However, the VA1655’s brightness is towards the low end even for a budget monitor, which might be a problem if you plan to travel with the display. Viewsonic VA1655 HDR image quality and motion performance The Viewsonic VA1655 doesn’t support HDR. That might seem disappointing, but budget portable monitors that claim HDR support are, without exception, full of baloney. In this sense, the lack of HDR is a perk. Viewsonic isn’t trying to pull one over on customers. Motion performance is modest. The monitor has a 60Hz refresh rate, quotes a gray-to-gray pixel response time of 7 milliseconds, and doesn’t support Adaptive Sync. That means 3D games will look blurry in motion, at least when compared to a gaming monitor with a 144Hz refresh rate (or better). A 60Hz refresh rate is typical at this price, though. Gamers will need to stretch their budget for a portable monitor like the Arzopa Z1FC, which has a 144Hz refresh rate (though even it still lacks Adaptive Sync). Should you buy the Viewsonic VA1655? The Viewsonic VA1655 is a passable entry in the highly competitive portable monitor area. It has a few advantages over most budget alternatives like a built-in kickstand, USB-C charging with power pass-through, and a superior menu system. However, those advantages are countered by the VA1655’s bulky design. The monitor’s image quality is modest, too, and matched by less expensive peers. Read...

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At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros High-end CPU performance Bright and beautiful display Great gaming experience Very competitive price Cons You can get better gaming performance with a faster GPU (of course) Some hot air blows out the sides Our Verdict The Alienware 16X Aurora has a high-end CPU, a fast GPU, and a beautiful display. You’d have a hard time finding comparable hardware at this price. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Best Prices Today: Alienware 16X Aurora Retailer Price $2,149 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Best Prices Today: Check today’s prices The Alienware 16X Aurora is a 16-inch gaming laptop with a screaming-fast Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX CPU, an Nvidia RTX 5070 GPU, and a bright, beautiful, and smooth display. A $1,999 is a good price for these specs. With the Aurora 16X, Alienware is delivering real value. Alienware isn’t just a high-end premium brand anymore. Alienware 16X Aurora: Specs The Alienware 16X Aurora is a 16-inch gaming laptop with an Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX CPU. This is a high-end laptop gaming CPU based on Intel’s Arrow Lake architecture, although Intel brands it an Intel Core (Series 2) — just like Lunar Lake and some Meteor Lake chips. Our $1,999 review unit had an Nvidia RTX 5070 GPU, although Alienware also offers this machine with RTX 5060 graphics. It had 32 GB of DDR5 RAM, but Dell offers this machine with up to 64 GB of RAM. Dell offers other configurations of this laptop starting at $1,549. Model number: AC16251 CPU: Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX Memory: 32 GB DDR5 RAM Graphics/GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 NPU: Intel AI Boost Display: 16-inch 2560×1600 IPS display with 240Hz refresh rate Storage: 1 TB PCIe Gen4 SSD Webcam: 1080p camera Connectivity: 2x USB Type-C (one Thunderbolt 4, one USB 3.2 Gen 2), 2x USB Type-A (USB 3.2 Gen 1), 1x HDMI 2.1 out, 1x Ethernet (RJ-45), 1x combo audio jack, 1x power in Networking: Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4 Biometrics: IR camera for Windows Hello Battery capacity: 96 Watt-hours Dimensions: 14.05 x 10.45 x 0.92 inches Weight: 5.86 pounds MSRP: $1,999 as tested Aside from a reflective Alienware head on the lid, this laptop is all business and looks like it could be a workstation laptop. It doesn’t have extreme ‘gamer’ aesthetics. Alienware 16X Aurora: Design and build quality IDG / Chris Hoffman The Alienware 16X Aurora, with its “Interstellar Indigo” color scheme, looks deceptively like a black laptop from some angles, but the dark-blue-to-violet shades are visible at the right angles. Aside from a reflective Alienware head on the lid, this laptop is all business and looks like it could be a workstation laptop. It doesn’t have extreme “gamer” aesthetics. The 16X Aurora has an anodized aluminum lid and bottom cover, giving it a more premium feel — Alienware’s more budget-focused Alienware 16 Aurora just has the anodized aluminum lid. However, it’s not all aluminum — the area around the keyboard is matte plastic. Still, it feels good and looks good. It does pick up fingerprints more than I’d like, as you’ll see in some of the photos — that’s the main issue. The laptop is solid and the hinge action is great — it’s easy to open with one hand. Alienware 16X Aurora: Keyboard and trackpad IDG / Chris Hoffman The Alienware 16X Aurora has a full-size keyboard complete with a number pad. With 1.4mm of key travel, it feels good. It doesn’t have the wow factor of the snappy mechanical keyboard you’ll find in a high-end Alienware 16 Area-51 or the surprisingly hefty feeling keyboard with the higher actuation force you’ll get in a Razer Blade, but it works well. This laptop has a customizable backlighting, but it’s one zone: You can choose a single color to apply to your entire keyboard. The Alienware 16X Aurora includes a trackpad with a plastic surface. It’s fine — it’s a little on the small side and a glass trackpad would be nicer, but this works well. Alienware 16X Aurora: Display and speakers IDG / Chris Hoffman The Alienware 16X Aurora has a 16-inch 2560×1600 resolution IPS display with a 240Hz refresh rate and up to 500 nits of brightness. It’s a solid display with advanced features like Nvidia G-Sync for variable refresh rates. That high refresh rate makes the experience “buttery smooth” in games and on the desktop, and the high brightness combined with excellent color reproduction delivers a much better display experience than the lower-end Alienware 16 Aurora’s display. You’re getting a noticeably better display for your money here. While I’m often wowed by the vivid colors on OLED displays, this display delivers a beautiful picture. A high-end IPS display can look incredible, too, and this panel proves it. This isn’t a touch-screen display, so it doesn’t need the glossy coating touchscreen laptops tend to have. The matte display and its anti-glare coating combined with a high brightness means this laptop’s display does an unusually good job of minimizing reflections and glare.   I test every laptop’s speakers by playing Steely Dan’s Aja and Daft Punk’s Get Lucky. The Alienware 16X Aurora delivered decent sound quality, with a brighter, more detailed sound in Aja — the instrument separation was crisper than on the less expensive Alienware 16 Aurora I reviewed at the same time. Get Lucky had a fun sound. But, as always, it could use more bass — laptop speakers lack bass in general, and the better the rest of the speaker setup is, the more the lack of bass stands out to me from an audio quality standpoint. Alienware 16X Aurora: Webcam, microphone, biometrics The Alienware 16X Aurora has a 1080p webcam, and it’s significantly better than the 720p webcam found in the lower-end Alienware 16 Aurora. The image quality and color reproduction beat that lower-end hardware. For a gaming laptop, though, this is fine. Also, because there’s an NPU in this machine, you get access to Windows Studio Effects for fixing eye contact, blurring your background, and more. The dual-array microphone setup in this laptop sounds decent, but it isn’t up to the audio quality standard I’ve heard in business laptops where video conferencing is a major concern. The Alienware 16X Aurora features an IR camera for Windows Hello, so you can sign into Windows with your face. It works well. Alienware 16X Aurora: Connectivity IDG / Chris Hoffman The Alienware 16X has a good number of ports, and the only thing you might miss is an SD card reader. On the left, this machine has a USB Type-A port, Ethernet jack, and combo audio jack. On the back, there’s a second USB Type-A port, two USB Type-C ports (one of them is also a Thunderbolt 4 port), HDMI 2.1 out, and power-in port. You could nitpick — sure, it would be nice if both USB Type-C ports were Thunderbolt 4 ports — but this is a good setup. I always love to see ports — especially the power connection — on the back of the gaming laptop so peripherals get out of the way. Alienware includes Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 hardware in this machine, which is also good to see. The Wi-Fi worked well. Alienware 16X Aurora: Performance The Alienware 16X Aurora’s cooling system kept the system cool and the fans stayed at a reasonable volume level. Playing the latest big games like Clair Obscure: Expedition 33 and Doom: The Dark Ages, the keyboard stayed a little warm, but not too hot, and most of the hot air was propelled out of the back of the machine. Some hot air does come out of the sides of the laptop — not a lot, but ideally it would all be pumped out of the back and away from your mouse hand. With a high-end Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX CPU and Nvidia RTX 5070 graphics, this machine delivered excellent performance in those games — and the display delivered beautiful image quality, too. As always, though, we ran the Alienware 16X Aurora 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 overall score of 8,794, the Alienware 16X delivered incredible performance — edging out even the more expensive Alienware 16 Area-51 in this benchmark. It’s within the margin of error, but the high-end Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX CPU here is doing work. IDG / Chris Hoffman Next, we run Cinebench R20. This is a heavily multithreaded benchmark that focuses on overall CPU performance. It’s a quick benchmark, so cooling under extended workloads isn’t a factor. But, since it’s heavily multithreaded, CPUs with more cores have a huge advantage. With a multithreaded score of 13,872 in this benchmark, we once again saw just how impressive this machine’s CPU is. 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 Alienware 16X Aurora completed the encode in 477 seconds on average. That’s just under eight minutes. On this benchmark, the higher-end Alienware 16 Area-51 beat the 16X Aurora, despite both machines having the same CPU. I’d bet that’s thanks to the higher-end cooling setup on the more expensive Alienware laptop. IDG / Chris Hoffman Next, we run a graphical benchmark. We run 3Dmark Time Spy, a graphical benchmark that focuses on GPU performance, on all the machines we review. With a 3Dmark Time Spy score of 13,342, the Alienware 16X Aurora’s Nvidia RTX 5070 graphics came in in the middle of the pack — a good ways ahead of the Alienware 16 Aurora with its RTX 5060 graphics but far behind Nvidia RTX 5080-powered machines. After that, we run the benchmarks built into some games. First, we use the benchmark in Shadow of the Tomb Raider to test all the gaming laptops we review. It’s an older game, but it’s a great way to compare GPU performance across different PCs. IDG / Chris Hoffman With an average FPS of 183, the Alienware 16X Aurora delivered excellent performance. You likely won’t get better performance without going up to a laptop with an RTX 5080 or 5090. Finally, we run the benchmark in Metro Exodus. This is a more demanding game, and we set the benchmark to 1080p resolution at the Extreme detail setting. IDG / Chris Hoffman With an average FPS of 53 in this high-end Metro Exodus benchmark, the Alienware 16X Aurora offered good performance even at these brutal graphical settings. Of course, it once again comes in behind laptops with higher-end GPUs. Overall, the Alienware 16 Aurora delivers incredible CPU performance thanks to its high-end CPU, but gaming laptops tend to be more GPU-constrained. You might be better off with a gaming laptop with a slower CPU and Nvidia RTX 5080 graphics, if you can find that as an option. The GPU is the bottleneck here — which is fine, but it’s not as high-end as the CPU. Alienware 16X Aurora: Battery life The Alienware 16X Aurora has a massive 96 Watt-hour battery, which is about as large as they’re allowed to get before the Transportation Security Administration won’t allow them on airplanes in the U.S. Many 16-inch gaming laptops include smaller batteries. While the hardware is power-hungry, that battery ensures you can squeeze more runtime out of your laptop when you’re away from an outlet. IDG / Chris Hoffman To benchmark the battery life, we play a 4K copy of Tears of Steel on repeat on Windows 11 with airplane mode activated and the keyboard backlight turned off 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 Alienware 16X Aurora lasted 407 minutes in this benchmark — that’s just under seven hours. In the real world, you’ll get a few hours away from an outlet. That’s fine for a gaming laptop — you’ll need to plug in for good gaming performance, anyway — but this isn’t the ideal machine if you want a gaming laptop that can also deliver long battery life away from an outlet. Alienware 16X Aurora: Conclusion The Alienware 16X Aurora is an impressive machine. At $1,999 for an Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX CPU, an RTX 5070, and a display of this caliber, it’s serious value compared to what you’d pay for competing laptops with similar hardware — at retail price, it undercuts many similar laptops by a few hundred bucks. It’s a great experience, but some people might want a faster GPU for better gaming performance, an OLED panel, or a higher-end all-metal build quality. You’ll pay extra for touches like that, though. This is a mid-range laptop that delivers value and doesn’t feel like a budget machine. That’s very impressive coming from a brand like Alienware that’s historically been more high-end, especially with prices climbing all around. Read...

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Home security cameras are easy to install, easy to use, and incredibly affordable these days. They let you keep tabs on your home–inside and out–from wherever you have internet access. They can respond to motion, creating a visual record of everything that’s happened within their field of view, and high-end models can distinguish between people, pets, and even cars.  The latest security cams require minimal installation and offer flexible setups and a range of security features—so many features, in fact, that it can be difficult to decide what you need and which model you should buy. Should you get an outdoor camera with a space-illuminating floodlight and a weatherized shell, an indoor cam with AI-powered pet detection and a motorized lens that patrols the room, or something in between?   We’ve tested dozes of the top home security cameras available in real-world conditions, and we’ve distilled a list of the very best models. Whether you’re looking to check on your kids and pets, or need a full-service sentinel with humans watching for intruders in real time, we’ll help find the right security camera for your needs.  Best home security camera reviews Arlo Pro 5S 2K – Best home security camera overall Pros 2K video resolution B&W and color night vision Automatic zoom and tracking Cons Subscription required for best features Requires hub to record video locally No Apple HomeKit support Best Prices Today: Retailer Price $119.99 View Deal $119.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Who should buy the Arlo Pro 5S 2K? Easy to set up yet packed with cutting-edge features, the Arlo Pro 5S 2K is the best choice for a battery-powered 2K security camera that can track moving subjects, see in the dark, and connect to speedy 5GHz Wi-Fi networks–everything you need to keep an eye on your homestead. It’s also compatible with Alexa and Google Home, meaning you can view lives feeds on a smart display or set the camera to trigger home automations when it detects motion. Arlo Pro 5S 2K: Further considerations The Arlo Pro 5S 2K keeps the Arlo Pro series near the top of the market with such high-end features as dual-band Wi-Fi support, a low-power mode (which extends battery life by 30 percent by taking snapshots of detected activity instead of full video clips), and Arlo SecureLink technology, which provides a more secure connection to protect your data while further optimizing battery life. Just be sure to factor in the cost of an Arlo Secure subscription to get the most utility from this camera. Read our full Arlo Pro 5S 2K (model number VMC4060P) review Nest Cam (battery, 2021) – Best security camera for Google Nest smart homes Pros Offers the easiest setup in the industry Can be installed indoors or out Can operate on AC or battery power Cons Anemic night vision Proprietary and too-short power cable Subscription required to get full value Best Prices Today: Retailer Price $150 View Deal Google Nest $179.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Who should buy the Nest Cam (battery, 2021)? Nest has long offered some of our favorite security cameras, and the Nest Cam (battery), redesigned in 2021, is a versatile offering packed with great features. Naturally, Google Home users will get the most out the battery-powered Nest Cam, while Alexa and Apple HomeKit users should steer clear. The camera is supremely easy to set up, and it delivers fabulous performance under any lighting condition. Also, it can be deployed indoors or out. Finally, you’ll appreciate having three hours of event history stored on the device since you won’t have to pay for a subscription unless you want more history. Nest Cam (battery, 2021): Further considerations While the Nest Cam (battery) does boast on-device person, pet, and vehicle detection, a Nest Aware subscription is required to review recorded video events beyond the last few hours. Note: Google also offers the equally excellent indoor-only Nest Cam (indoor, wired), which requires plug-in power (there’s no battery option), for $99.95. Read our full Nest Cam (Battery) review Ring Stickup Cam Pro – Best indoor/outdoor home security camera for Ring/Alexa smart homes Pros Excellent performance, indoors and out Radar-based motion detection Fantastic night vision, with the option of color Cons You can have Bird’s Eye View or Pre-Roll, but not both Not fully compatible with Google Home or Apple HomeKit 1080p resolution Best Prices Today: Retailer Price $89.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Who should buy the Ring Stickup Cam Pro? This indoor/outdoor camera is a no-brainer for any Ring customer looking to expand their home security coverage. Also, this camera has very strong night vision, with a color night vision option you might find you don’t even need. Yes, the Ring Stick Up Cam Pro is limited to 1080p resolution, but enabling HDR delivers gorgeous color-saturated images. Ring Stickup Cam Pro: Further considerations If you need just a single camera and can get by without so many advanced features, you’ll find a bevy of less-expensive options. The also-excellent Ring Spotlight Cam Pro has a very similar set of features, but its onboard spotlight boosts its price a little higher. Read our full Ring Stick Up Cam Pro review Eufy Security Indoor Cam (model C220) – Best value in indoor pan/tilt security cameras Pros Excellent image quality Onboard AI detection and tracking Budget price Cons Requires continuous electrical power No Homekit support Best Prices Today: Retailer Price Check Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Who should buy the Eufy Security Indoor Cam (model C220)? This product is a great starting point for anyone looking to protect their home with home security cameras. Unless you’re firmly in Apple’s HomeKit ecosystem–or you already have a lot of another brand of home security camera–the Eufy Security Indoor Cam (model C220) should be on your short list. Eufy Security Indoor Cam (model C220): Further considerations Cameras that have as many features and specifications comparable to the Eufy Security Indoor Cam (model C220) tend to cost a whole lot more than this budget-priced device does. It’s uncommon to get 2K resolution, onboard storage (albeit via a microSD card with a maximum capacity of 128GB that you must provide), and a pan/tilt motor for $35. It doesn’t support color night vision, either, but you can solve that shortcoming with a smart speaker and a smart bulb or smart light switch. This camera is a great value. Read our full Eufy Security Indoor Cam (model C220) review Eufy SoloCam S340 – Best outdoor pan/tilt security camera Pros Dual lenses deliver excellent image quality Subscription service is truly optional Included solar panel Cons Eufy’s app can’t flip the camera’s feed Battery must be charged while inside the camera Provided USB-C charging cable is only 10 feet long Best Prices Today: Retailer Price $199.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Who should buy the Eufy SoloCam S340? Anyone who needs to surveil large areas of property should consider this camera. That goes double for folks who hate the ongoing cost of a subscription to store your video recordings. Eufy has one if you want it, but it’s truly optional. The camera has 8GB of onboard storage, or you can spend another $150–plus the cost of a hard drive or SSD–and pick up the Eufy HomeBase 3, a NAS-like network storage device that can accommodate up to 16GB of encrypted storage. Eufy SoloCam S340: Further considerations If you’re looking for an outdoor surveillance camera that can operate without depending on AC power, the high-grade Eufy SoloCam S340 sports two high-resolution lenses: one is a 2K (2304 x 1296 pixels) telephoto, and the other is a 3K (2880 x 1620 pixels) wide-angle. And since it comes with a solar panel, you never need to worry about plugging it into a charger. A built-in motor enables the camera to pan a full 360 degrees and tilt over a 70-degree arc, and it will track the movement of anyone in its field of view. You can also program set up to four way points, so it will patrol a broad swath of your property. Read our full Eufy Security SoloCam S340 review Wyze Cam v4 – Best budget indoor security camera Pros Carries over the best features of its predecessor Crystal-clear image quality 24/7 recording to local microSD storage Cons Dependent on hardwired power Subscription required to unlock all its best features Best Prices Today: Retailer Price Check Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Who should buy the Wyze Cam v4? This is a great option for security shoppers on a budget. Wyze Labs continues to build outstanding home security cameras that deliver a whole lot of bang for the buck. Even following the expiration of Wyze Labs’ introductory offer, the $36 Wyze Cam v4 remains one of the best values in indoor/outdoor home security cameras. Highlights include crisp, lively video quality, along with a smart sound detection feature can alert you to noises like a baby’s cry or a cat’s meow. Wyze Cam v4: Further considerations While this model doesn’t move the needle on video resolution compared to the Wyze Cam v3 Pro it replaces, you will get a faster Wi-Fi adapter (Wi-Fi 6), a microSD card slot that can host cards with twice as much capacity, and an even easier onboarding process. You’ll also want to sign up for a subscription plan to unlock all of its best features, but those are affordable, too, starting at $2.99 per month for a single camera. Read our full Wyze Cam v4 review Blink Mini 2 – Best budget-priced indoor security camera runner-up Pros Can be deployed indoors or out Extremely compact size Great video quality Cons Subscription required to unlock all features Local storage requires separate purchase No audio detection Best Prices Today: Retailer Price $39.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Who should buy the Blink Mini 2? Devoted Mini users and newcomers alike should find plenty to love with the Blink Mini 2. This camera is small enough to fit in the palm of your hand. It’s also visually discrete and easy to install anywhere there’s access to AC power–but you’ll need to purchase a weatherized power supply if you’re deploying outdoors. Blink Mini 2: Further considerations Amazon’s Blink Mini 2 brings more utility to the original Blink Mini with the addition of a weatherized enclosure, an LED spotlight for color night vision, person detection, and a wider field of view. Read our full Blink Mini 2 review Eufy Floodlight Camera E340 – Best security cam/floodlight combo Pros Dual cameras with pan/tilt motor LED panels produce up to 2,000 lumens Dual-band Wi-Fi 6 adapter Cons Eufy doesn’t offer a strong home alarm system Local storage limited to 128GB So-so industrial design Best Prices Today: Retailer Price $219 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Who should buy the Eufy Floodlight Camera E340? If you’re looking for a camera that can monitor a wide expanse of your property coupled with flexible floodlights to illuminate it, the Eufy Floodlight Camera E340 is the product to buy. This camera can distinguish between people, pets, and vehicles, and you can set it to track the movement of any combination of those things. This camera will also cost less over its useful life because you don’t have to pay for a subscription to view your video history. Eufy Floodlight Camera E340: Further consideration We’re growing increasingly fond of Eufy’s twin-lensed, pan/tilt security cameras. In this configuration, you’ll also get twin LED panels that produce a combined 2,000 lumens of brightness. For those times when you just want to enjoy an evening on the deck and don’t want it to look like a prison yard, those panels can be dimmed. The 3K wide-angle and 2K telephoto lenses capture crisp detail, and the pan/tilt motor they’re mounted to will cover every inch of your yard, panning 360 degrees and tilting over a 120-degree arc. Add up to a 128GB microSD card and you won’t need to worry about paying for a cloud storage subscription. Need more storage than that? Drop up to a 16GB hard drive or SSD in the Eufy HomeBase 3, park it on your network, and you can store your recordings that way. Read our full Eufy Floodlight Cam E340 review Ring Floodlight Cam Pro – Best security cam/floodlight combo runner-up Pros Unbeatable playback interface Birds-eye view of motion detection Affordable subscription plan Cons No local storage Must be electrically hardwired So-so design Best Prices Today: Retailer Price $249.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Who should buy the Ring Floodlight Cam Pro? It’s expensive at $250, but anyone deep into the Ring home security or Ring smart lighting ecosystems should give the Ring Floodlight Cam Pro serious consideration. Just be prepared to connect this cam to hardwired power, and a Ring Protect plan–while not strictly mandatory–is essential for reviewing recorded video events. Ring Floodlight Cam Pro: Further considerations It doesn’t take much time using the Floodlight Cam Wired Pro to realize how incredibly powerful it is, starting with some of its impressive motion-detection features. The 3D Motion Detection with Bird’s Eye View feature is a game-changer. In addition to a great security camera, you also get dual floodlights that can illuminate your outdoor space with 2,000 lumens of brightness. Read our full Ring Floodlight Cam Wired Pro review Blink Wired Floodlight Camera – Best budget-priced security camera/floodlight combo Pros Ultra-powerful spotlight Easy hardware installation Super affordable Cons Subscription required for video storage and person detection Limited flexibility when it comes to aiming its camera and floodlights Industrial design trails Nest and Ring Best Prices Today: Retailer Price $99.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Who should buy the Blink Wired Floodlight Camera? Need to have eyes on the outdoors while sticking to a strict budget? The Blink Wired Floodlight Camera is among the most affordably priced floodlight cams on the market, and it’s both easy to install and casts impressively bright light for the price. Blink Wired Floodlight Camera: Further considerations Blink’s floodlight cam offers run-of-the-mill video resolution, but extremely bright outdoor lighting and an amazingly affordable price tag. You’ll need a subscription to record video to get the most value from it, but those plans are affordable. Read our full Blink Wired Floodlight Cam review Safemo Set P1 – Best solar-powered security camera kit Pros Solar powered Excellent 4K image quality No cloud subscription required Cons Time-consuming installation No HomeKit support Currently no Android app Best Prices Today: Retailer Price $199.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Who should buy the Safemo Set P1? Thanks to its solar panels, the Safemo Set P1 can run almost indefinitely on solar power, making it ideal for those who want to install cameras in locations where wired power isn’t an option. Also, budget-minded shoppers will love that the Set P1 doesn’t require a cloud subscription for object detection. Safemo Set P1: Further considerations Boasting advanced features, ease of use, and expandability, the Safemo Set P1 is a great option of anyone looking for a reliable security camera system. While the initial setup may require some patience, once installed, the cameras deliver high-quality video with timely, accurate alerts. Read our full Safemo Set P1 review Baseus S1 Pro – Best solar-powered security camera kit runner-up Pros Solar panels track the sun Dual-lens cameras Base station includes 16GB of storage Cons Expensive You can’t buy single cameras Can’t be integrated into a broader system Best Prices Today: Retailer Price $299.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Who should buy the Baseus S1 Pro? The S1 Pro’s rotating solar panels and crisp 3K video make it a solid choice for those who want hassle-free home security without monthly fees. The upfront cost is steep, but the bundle includes two dual-lens cameras with solar panels, and a base station with 16GB of storage that can be expanded to 16TB. Baseus S1 Pro: Further considerations If you consider subscriptions for cloud storage to be anathema, and you want a security camera that delivers very high resolution with batteries that never need tending, the Baseus S1 Pro bundle’s dual lenses with up to 3K resolution and a base station with local storage could be just what you’re looking for. But if you think you might want more than two cameras, you should hold off until Baseus offers the cameras in singles without the base station. Read our full Baseus S1 Pro review Other notable security cameras we’ve tested The Baseus N1 security camera system lets you start with two cameras and a base station and add indoor or outdoor cameras as you need, but its digital zoom feature introduced significant visual distortion; the Deep Sentinel DS2 security camera system is a significant investment, but it offers proactive threat deterrence you can’t get from many other DIY security camera, including live agents who monitor the camera feed in real time; the indoor pan/tilt Eufy Indoor Cam S350 is outfitted with both wide-angle and telephoto lenses to deliver different views of the same scene simultaneously; the pan-and-tilt Noorio T110 provides a raft of security features and makes them easy to operate with a smartly designed app; the Reolink Argus 4 Pro’s dual lenses deliver an ultra-wide 180-degree field of view without suffering from fish-eye distortion; the Ring Pan-Tilt Indoor Cam is an inexpensive but modestly appointed option for those in the Ring ecosystem; the Swann MaxRanger4K Solar Security System uses the 900MHz frequency band to communicate with the included hub, enabling a range of up to 2,000 feet; the SwitchBot Pan/Tilt Cam Plus 3K left us unimpressed; and the upgraded Wyze Cam Floodlight v2 now offers better resolution, stronger lights, and a lower price tag. How we test home security cameras Our security camera guides are based on testing by freelance and staff contributors with decades of combined experience. Our meticulous evaluation process takes place in real homes and begins the moment we unbox a camera.  We begin by timing the installation process as outlined in the camera’s user manual, noting any difficulties or special tools required. For indoor cameras, we evaluate their size, shape, and color options to evaluate how seamlessly they fit into various interior styles. For outdoor models, we note the camera’s material quality and IP (Ingress Protection) rating, which indicates resistance to dust and water. We then test video performance, audio quality, and motion sensitivity, while also considering the app interface, storage options, connectivity, smart home compatibility, and privacy issues. To learn more, read our article about how we test home security cameras at TechHive. Why you should trust us TechHive’s editors and contributors have been testing home security cameras for many years, and we regularly evaluate the latest hardware, along with their accompanying mobile apps. We’ve checked out wired security cameras, battery-power cameras, outdoor cams, floodlight cams, pan-and-tilt cams, and more. You can trust us to guide you to the right home security camera for your needs. Who curated this article? Michael Ansaldo is veteran consumer and business technology journalist. He’s been a contributor to TechHive since 2013, covering robot vacuums, home security cameras, and other smart devices. He previously served as PCWorld’s Small Business Editor, and his tech coverage has appeared in Wired, Macworld, Mac|Life, Mobile Magazine, Enterprise.Nxt, Executive Travel, and other publications. How to choose the best home security camera Most home security cameras perform the same basic functions—they detect an event, record the event, and send you an alert—but they don’t all perform them the same way. And some cameras have special features that go beyond those basics. Here are some common features you’ll encounter while shopping and why they’re important. #id688259bc28d44 .jw-wrapper::before { content: `` !important; } Alerts  Home security cameras push notifications to your smartphone when they detect events. Without watching the live feed all day, this is the only way to keep tabs on your home in relative real time. Depending on the camera, it may send text alerts when it detects motion, sound, a face (known or unrecognized), or all three. Some can send alerts to multiple people, usually anyone else in the household using that product’s app; others will send emails in addition to text messages as a failsafe in the event you can’t access your mobile device. Battery backup Power outages happen, and clever burglars cut electricity before breaking into your home. When that happens, your camera goes dark and, if there’s a crime taking place, you lose all forensic evidence. For this reason, some cameras can also run for a short time on battery power. It’s a feature worth looking for. There are also some models that run on battery power full time; you can either swap batteries as they’re depleted, or plug the camera into an AC outlet and recharge its battery that way. Environmental monitoring This is the feature that sets all-in-one home monitors apart from strictly security cameras. Though the home “vitals” that these units track vary by model—we’ve seen everything from motion to luminosity included in home health profiles—three tend to be ubiquitous: Temperature monitors for spikes and dips in indoor temperature and alerts when it falls outside a range you define. Humidity tracks relative humidity inside your home. Humidity outside optimal levels—usually defined as between 30 and 50 percent—can contribute to problems such as static electricity, sinus irritation, and mold growth. Air quality tracks pollutants ranging from cooking odors to carbon monoxide. However, most monitors don’t identify the pollutant in their alerts, merely warning that the air quality is “abnormal.” Because of that, this feature should not be considered a substitute for potentially life-saving devices like smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. HomeKit Secure Video support This is a subset of Apple’s smart-home initiative, and while you don’t necessarily need to be an avowed Apple user to benefit from HomeKit Secure Video’s privacy-enhancing features, you will need to sign up for an Apple iCloud account and have a HomePod, a HomePod mini, or an Apple TV 4K. Where other types of security cameras send video to the cloud (often unencrypted), security cameras that support HomeKit Secure Video send thier video streams to one of those devices on your local network first. That device will process the video, performing tasks such as facial recognition and what have you, and then encrypting it before uploading it to your iCloud account. You can read more about HomeKit Secure Video on our sister site, Macworld. Integrated spotlight Like all cameras, home security cameras need adequate ambient light to capture clear images. While that is easy to come by during daylight hours, it’s in shorter supply as the sun goes down, often making it necessary to supplement with artificial ambient light. This can easily be accomplished with light fixtures inside your home and floodlights outdoors, but many cameras include an integrated spotlight that offers a few advantages. Because the spotlight is built into the camera, it directly lights the scene the camera is viewing, enabling the clearest possible image capture. And integrated spotlights can be configured to be triggered by motion detection, so they only switch on when a possible intruder is in view, eliminating the need to keep your home or yard lit up all night. As a bonus, being suddenly caught in the white hot glare of a spotlight is often enough to scare an intruder away. Local storage Some cameras include memory-card slots in lieu of, or in addition to, cloud storage, so you can store video right on the device. It’s an attractive feature as it can eliminate the cost of monthly storage fees. The downside (if there isn’t a cloud backup) is that if crooks steal your camera, they take your forensic evidence with it. Motion detection Assuming you’re monitoring your home when it’s empty, motion detection is one of the most desirable features in a security camera. Built-in sensors pick up movement within the camera’s field of view and trigger video recording. You’ll find an in-depth explanation of how motion detection works in this article. Because these sensors can be sensitive to any movement—even a shift in lighting or leaves blowing outside a window—it’s important the camera system also offer the ability to narrow the range of detection, adjust the sensor’s sensitivity, or otherwise customize this feature to cut down on false alerts. More and more security cameras now offer AI-powered motion detection that can identify people, pets, packages, and vehicles, allowing you to filter out such innocuous motion events as tree branches swaying in the wind or insects crawling across the camera lens. Such “advanced” motion-sensing functionality is often tied to a paid subscription plan, however. Night vision Most break-ins occur after dark, so this feature is nearly as important as motion detection. Technically, most home security cameras support infrared LED illumination, versus true night vision based on image intensification or thermal vision. Be that as it may, most cameras will switch to night vision automatically in low-light conditions, while others allow you to customize when and how it should be activated. Increasingly, cameras are equipped with full-color night vision, which enables video footage to capture important information that IR night vision can’t such as the color of an intruder’s clothing or vehicle. These cameras use hypersensitive light sensors, such as Starlight image sensors, which can reproduce color images in dimly lit environments, some as low as 0.0005 Lux (for reference, 0 Lux indicates no ambient lighting). To increase battery efficiency, some models include both black-and-white and color night vision, defaulting to black-and-white in low light and switching to color only when motion is detected. Pan/Tilt/Swivel Most security cameras can be manually tilted and swiveled to focus on a certain viewing area, but this is a purely set-it-and-forget it feature. A true pan/tilt camera is equipped with a motor so that you can move its lens—or even follow a moving object if you’re watching a live feed—using its app or browser-based app. Some cameras can even track a person moving within their field of view. Resolution No amount of security video will help you if it’s blurry, jittery, or otherwise distorted. Look for a camera that offers the highest possible resolution. There was a time when 720p (often referred to as “high definition” or HD) resolution was the standard, but most newer cameras now support 1080p (often referred to as “full HD”). Some models provide even higher resoution (2K or 4K), but keep in mind that higher-res cameras use more internet and Wi-Fi bandwidth as well as battery life (where applicable). Many cameras also offer a software zoom feature (which is not the same thing as having a physical zoom lens). Scheduling Scheduling features allow you to tell the camera to turn on and off, detect motion, and/or send alerts at specified times. This is useful when you, say, only want to be notified when your kids get home from school or just want to monitor your home when you’re away. It also reduces the amount of false alerts. Cameras that support geofencing can do this based on the location of your smartphone, activating themselves when you leave home and turning themselves off to enhance privacy while you’re home. Smart device integration If you have a home full of smart devices, consider looking for a security camera or an all-in-one home monitor that includes a Z-Wave, Zigbee, or—eventually a Thread—radio that can connect them. Support for an automation service like IFTTT is also useful. This allows the camera or monitor to react to various scenarios, such as taking a picture when your Nest Protect detects smoke, or telling your Philips Hue smart bulb to turn on when unexpected sounds are detected. Two-way audio While the idea of a security camera implies eyes-on monitoring, the ability to also hear what’s going on gives you a more complete picture of what’s happening on the home front when you’re away. It can also alert you to something occurring out of the camera’s field of vision. This feature can also allow you to speak through the camera, a great tool for remotely commanding an unruly pet or startling an intruder in the act. On some very low-end models, you might need to plug in a powered speaker for this feature to work. Viewing angle The camera’s field of view determines how much it can see. As you’re probably monitoring a single room, you want a wide viewing angle. Most current cameras fall in the 130-degree range. These wide angles can sometimes cause image distortion at the edges in the form of a fisheye effect, particularly when used in smaller rooms, but it’s not like you’re going to use a security to capture snapshots for your photo album. Frequently asked questions about home security cameras 1. What is the best security camera to buy for a home? Easy to set up yet packed with cutting-edge features, the Arlo Pro 5S 2K is the best security camera for most people. This battery-powered 2K security camera can track moving subjects, see in the dark, and connect to speedy 5GHz Wi-Fi networks–everything you need to keep an eye on your homestead. It’s also compatible with Alexa and Google Home, meaning you can view lives feeds on a smart display or set the camera to trigger home automations when it detects motion. 2. What is the best cheap security camera for a home? The $36 Wyze Cam v4 remains one of the best values in indoor/outdoor home security cameras. It offers crisp, lively video quality, along with a smart sound detection feature can alert you to noises like a baby’s cry or a cat’s meow. 3. What is the best home security camera without a subscription? Among its many other virtues, the Eufy Floodlight Camera E340 supports local storage. Add up to a 128GB microSD card and you won’t need to worry about paying for a cloud storage subscription. For even more storage, drop up to a 16GB hard drive or SSD in the Eufy HomeBase 3 and put it on your network. 4. What is cloud video storage, and how much does it cost? Many manufacturers offer cloud storage plans with their cameras. With one of these, your recorded video is sent to a remote server and stored for a predetermined time—usually anywhere from 24 hours to several weeks—and then deleted to make space for new videos. Though sometimes free, these cloud plans usually require a monthly subscription, but are worth it both for their convenience and if you want a surveillance record during a vacation or other extended time away from home. For more, check out our comparison of all the major security camera subscription plans. 5. Can security cameras recognize faces? A few newer cameras are experimenting with facial recognition. This feature could more accurately be called “facial identification,” as in practice it’s much better at distinguishing a face from, say, a lamp, than it is at actually distinguishing between one person’s face and another’s. If you opt for a camera with this feature, know that it typically learns faces through increasing exposure to them, so be prepared to spend a lot of time in front of the lens. 6. Can you access a security camera over the web? Many cameras can be accessed through a web portal. This is useful for times when you don’t have access to your mobile device or a wireless connection. The web app should closely mirror its mobile counterpart, so you don’t need to learn a whole new set of controls. 7. What’s the wireless range of a security camera? One of the benefits wireless cameras offer is the ability to move them around your home. Ideally, your home security camera should be able to maintain a Wi-Fi connection no matter how far you move it from your router, even in a large home. Some cameras come with an ethernet port as well, so you have the option of hardwiring it to your local network. A camera that supports power-over-ethernet (PoE) eliminates the need for an AC adapter and relies on just one cable (but your router or switch will also need to support PoE. Another alternative would be to use a PoE injector.) If you’re deploying a security camera beyond the range of your Wi-Fi network, models that connect instead to the same LTE network that your smartphone relies on are a good option, but they’re generally more expensive and you’ll need to pay your cellular provider for a data plan.  8. Are security cameras vulnerable to hackers?  There have been plenty of headlines about hackers compromising home cameras, baby monitors, and other Wi-Fi devices to spy on people, so be sure to check what steps has each manufacturer taken to eliminate this problem. Look for a camera that supports up-to-date wireless security protocols, such as WPA2, and make sure it encrypts internet transmission of your user name, your password, and the live feeds. Even better, opt for a security camera that supports end-to-end encryption, which ensures no third parties will be able to see your videos. Several security camera manufacturers, such as Ring, support end-to-end encryption. Never install a security camera (or a router or any other device on your home network) without changing its default user ID and password, and be sure to employ two-factor authentication if available. 9. Can you access your securty camera using a smartphone? Most of today’s home security camera’s are accessed primarily through a smartphone/tablet app. In addition to offering you a reliable way to view the camera’s live feed, it should offer plenty of options for customizing the way the camera performs. The ability to customize notifications, adjust motion and sound detection sensitivity, and set detection areas are some of the key features to look for. The app should also be intuitive and easy to master. Related content Best video doorbells Best DIY home security systems Best smart locks Best smart home systems Latest smart home security reviews Smart home security how-tos Smart home security news Read...

At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros Fast 20Gbps performance over USB 3.2×2 Built like a tank IP68 rated against dust and water intrusion Cons Not USB4 Our Verdict If I were roughing it in the wilder regions of the planet, the Asus TUF Gaming A2 ruggedized storage is what I’d take with me. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Best Prices Today: Asus TUF Gaming A2 Retailer Price Check Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Best Prices Today: Check today’s prices While there are a lot of vendors shipping ready-to-play, pre-populated external SSDs, they tend to be either super-fast and super-expensive, or super-cheap and suitable only for light-duty data transfer. Drive-less enclosures such as the IP-rated Asus TUF Gaming A2 reviewed here, while not exactly cheap, allow you to leverage faster SSD technology at a more affordable price point. Read on to learn more, then see our roundup of the best external drives for comparison. What are the TUF Gaming A2 features? I’m used to hex screws, they’re all over my guitar hardware. But I certainly wasn’t expecting them on an external drive enclosure. Then again, given the TUF moniker, I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised. It stands to reason that thieves are less likely to have a hex wrench like the one Asus includes on hand than a screwdriver. That is, if the thief wanted to remove the drive from the very attractive enclosure anyway. More likely, the hex is just for aesthetics. The Asus TUF Gaming A2 with the backplate off but no drive installed. As to its very attractive, black, ribbed silicone-wrapped enclosure — the A2 measures approximately 4.5-inches long, by 2.25-inches wide, and just over 0.5-inches thick. It’s on the hefty side at roughly 5.5 ounces. Personally, I love the solid weight in the hand as well as the nice grip offered by its silicone-ized upper and side surfaces. If I were going to take any portable drive to a barroom brawl, this would be it. Okay, wrong weapon, but you get my drift. All this TUF-ness culminates with an IP68 rating, which means dust and sand won’t enter, and if you drop it in 3 feet of water — no big deal. This primer on Ingress Protection ratings will tell you more. Personally, I love the solid weight in the hand as well as the nice grip offered by its silicone-ized upper and side surfaces. How much is the Asus TUF Gaming A2? The A2 is available on Amazon for $54 at the time of this writing, discounted from $60. You can certainly grab 20Gbps enclosures for less. A lot less, actually. But they won’t offer anywhere near the build quality of the A2. The large logo is actually on the flip side of the A2. Note the hex bolts securing the SSD cover. If you’re planning to work cross-platform, you might also consider a USB4 enclosure such as the UGreen CM642, which will be faster (much) on Macs. 20Gbps USB 3.2×2 slows to 10Gbps on most Macs and many Windows PC Thunderbolt ports. How fast is the TUF Gaming A2? The TUF A2 turned in an excellent USB 3.2×2 performance. Far better than average — though full disclosure, I populated it with the mighty Samsung 9100 Pro. Most external drives, such as the competing Crucial X10 and Addlink P21 in the charts will use less competent SSDs. This shows up more dramatically in the long transfer tests than in the synthetic benchmarks. Note that I’ve recently started testing transfers with Xcopy along with Windows Explorer. For some reason, Microsoft has optimized Xcopy for NVMe and not Explorer. Go figure. Read the How we test section at the bottom of this review for more info on testing. CrystalDiskMark 8 had very nice things to say about the A2’s sequential transfer potential. CrystalDiskMark 8 had very nice things to say about the A2’s sequential transfer potential. The A2 was head and shoulders above the X10 in terms of random performance; then again, so was the Addlink P21 in most cases. But victory belongs to the A2. Again, partially due to the fantastic Samsung 9100 Pro inside. The A2 was head and shoulders above the X10 in terms of random performance; then again, so was the Addlink P21 in most cases. But victory belongs to the A2. Again, partially due to the fantastic Samsung 9100 Pro inside. It was in our real-world transfers where the A2 really began to shine, cutting almost two minutes off of the aggregate (Xcopy and Explorer) copy times. There’s no doubt that the Samsung 9100 Pro contributed mightily to the 450GB write result. Both the X10 and P21 ran out of gas — aka, secondary cache — where the 4TB 9100 never did. Fair? Not really. So sue me. These results show what the A2 is capable of, but again, the competition wasn’t on the same level in terms of the SSD component inside. This simply shows what you can get if you spend a bit more. Note that while I used the Samsung 9100 Pro for testing, it is, in fact, overkill. There’s no way any external 20Gbps enclosure can utilize all its speed. Any DRAM-enabled NVMe SSD, PCIe 3.0 or later with modern TLC NAND will perform similarly. Should you buy the TUF Gaming A2? If you want 20Gbps USB storage that will easily stand up the rigors of travel, and even off-road excursions, it doesn’t get better than the A2. I’m quite enamored of it and it will stay in the backpack as long as Asus allows. How we test Drive tests currently utilize Windows 11 24H2, 64-bit running off of a PCIe 4.0 Samsung 990 Pro in an Asus Z890-Creator WiFi (PCIe 4.0/5.0) motherboard. The CPU is a Core Ultra i5 225 feeding/fed by two Kingston Fury 32GB DDR5 4800MHz modules (64GB of memory total). Both 20Gbps USB and Thunderbolt 5 are integrated and Intel CPU/GPU graphics are used. SSDs involved in the test are mounted in a HighPoint 7604A 16x PCIe 5.0 adapter card. We run the CrystalDiskMark 8, AS SSD 2, and ATTO 4 synthetic benchmarks to find the storage device’s potential performance, then a series of 48GB and 450GB transfers tests using Windows Explorer drag and drop to show what you’ll see under Window, as well as the far faster Xcopy to show what’s possible. The 48GB transfer tests utilize an USFMount RAM disk taking up 58GB of the 64GB of total memory. The 450GB file is transferred from an SSD on the HighPoint card. Each test is performed on a newly NTFS-formatted and TRIM’d drive so the results are optimal. Note that in normal use, as a drive fills up, performance may decrease due to less NAND for secondary caching, as well as other factors. This can be less of a factor with the current crop of SSDs with far faster late-generation NAND. Caveat: The performance numbers shown apply only to the drive we were shipped and to the capacity tested. SSD performance can and will vary by capacity due to more or fewer chips to shotgun reads/writes across and the amount of NAND available for secondary caching. Vendors also occasionally swap components. If you ever notice a large discrepancy between the performance you experience and that which we report, by all means, let us know. Read...

At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros Good design with enjoyable keyboard Sharp 15.6-inch 1080p display Decent speakers Extremely inexpensive Cons Small touchpad Slow dual-core processor 4GB RAM often holds it back Short battery life for a Chromebook Our Verdict The Asus Chromebook CX15 offers just the basics—and nothing more—for under $200.    Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Best Prices Today: Asus Chromebook CX15 Retailer Price $269.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Best Prices Today: Check today’s prices Want to buy a laptop for less than $200? If so, you’re in for a rough time. Laptops sold in the extreme budget category often struggle with slow performance, bad displays, and questionable build quality. Asus Chromebook CX15 doesn’t avoid the first problem (performance), but it does dodge the others. That makes it a fair choice if you want a just-the-basics laptop for the price of dinner, drinks, and a movie. Asus Chromebook CX15: Specs and features The Asus Chromebook CX15’s specifications are as basic as you’ll find in any new laptop. It has a dual-core Intel Celeron processor paired with just 4GB of RAM and 128GB of eMMC storage. The display is 1080p, at least. Model number: CX1505CKA CPU: Intel Celeron N4500 (2 cores, 1.1GHz up to 2.8GHz) Memory: 4GB LPDDR5X Graphics/GPU: Intel Integrated NPU: None Display: 15.6-inch 1080p LCD Storage: 128GB eMMC Webcam: 720p with privacy shutter Connectivity: 1x USB-C 3.2 with DisplayPort and Power Delivery, 1x USB-A 3.2, 1x HDMI 1.4, 1x 3.5mm combo audio Networking: Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.4 Biometrics: None Battery capacity: 42 watt-hours Dimensions: 14.5 x 9.14 x 0.79 inches Weight: 3.51 pounds Operating System: ChromeOS Price: $159.00 MSRP The basic specifications come with a low price attached. The Asus Chromebook CX15 I reviewed retailed for just $159. That’s MSRP, not a limited-time sale. It’s possible (even, I’d say, likely) that the laptop will be less expensive in the future. Consider the Chromebook CX15 the minimum viable laptop. It’s not great at anything, but it can handle the basics at an extremely low price. Asus Chromebook CX15: Design and build quality IDG / Matthew Smith I unboxed the Asus Chromebook CX15 expecting the worst. $160 isn’t much for a laptop, and many models in this category suffer terrible build quality. Fortunately, the Chromebook CX15 defies that trend. Don’t get me wrong: it still feels inexpensive. The laptop is constructed from simple plastics that lack a distinctive texture and feel hollow. On the upside, though, the laptop is surprisingly solid overall. The display hardly flexes when opened and the lower chassis feels rigid when held from a corner. It’s not bad to look at, either. The silver exterior and interior provide a simple, minimalist look that’s inoffensive and fits in nicely with most home décor. You could easily spend $500 on a laptop and end up with a machine that looks no more attractive than this humble $160 Chromebook. There are functional benefits to the design, as well. The laptop weighs just 3.51 pounds and measures about eight-tenths an inch thick. While plenty of thinner and lighter 15-inch laptops are available, from the MacBook Air 15 to the LG Gram lineup, they tend to be much more expensive. Asus Chromebook CX15: Keyboard, trackpad IDG / Matthew Smith I was again surprised by the Asus Chromebook CX15’s keyboard. It provides good key travel, reasonable tactile feel, and some audible feedback with each keystroke. The plastics used for the keycaps do feel hollow, which cheapens the experience, but it’s not terrible. I happily wrote most of this review on the keyboard. A numpad is included, as well. The numpad keys are slightly undersized, however, so it can prove a cramped experience. A keyboard backlight is not included. That’s always disappointing, but it’s expected at this price point. The touchpad, on the other hand, hints at the Chromebook CX15’s extreme budget price. It measures about four inches wide and three inches deep, which makes it the smallest touchpad I’ve tried on any 15-inch (or larger) laptop in 2025. Multi-touch gestures are responsive but can be difficult to execute inside the touchpad’s limited area. Asus Chromebook CX15: Display, audio IDG / Matthew Smith The Asus Chromebook CX15 has a 15.6-inch display with full HD (1920×1080) resolution. That’s not a headline feature in 2025, but it’s not guaranteed at this price point. A quick glance at Amazon reveals plenty of Chromebooks with an inferior display resolution of 1366×768. A laptop with a 1366×768 display is not worth buying in 2025, no matter the price, so I’m glad Asus avoided that mistake. The CX15’s 1080p resolution, paired with a matte display coat, helps the laptop provide a crisp, clear image in most situations. It’s not a bright display, so don’t expect to use it outdoors or near a fully sunlit window, but it’s fine for most indoors use. Color performance is where the display reminds you of the laptop’s low price. The display has a dull, flat look with muted colors. Intense reds tend to look orange; intense greens tend to look pastel. It’s tolerable but not the best option for streaming Netflix or playing a game over Amazon Luna or GeForce Now. Viewing angles are limited, too. Brightness and color shifts noticeably when viewing slightly off-axis in all directions. Vertical viewing angles are particularly tight with only a few degrees of tilt separating an image that looks fine and one that’s nearly unusable. The Chromebook CX15’s speakers continue the trend of beating the expectations set by the laptop’s price. They provide good volume and decent clarity in less complex content, like video calls or podcasts. Music quickly overwhelms them, particularly at maximum volume, but the speakers are workable for casual use. Asus Chromebook CX15: Webcam, microphone, biometrics The Asus Chromebook CX15’s webcam and microphone, on the other hand, aren’t great even for an inexpensive laptop. The laptop has a muddy, grainy 720p webcam and a mediocre dual-array microphone that picks up passable but slightly soft audio. A physical privacy shutter is included to cover the camera when it’s not in use. Biometric login isn’t available on Chromebook CX15. That’s hardly a surprise given the price. Most laptops sold below $500 don’t include facial recognition or a fingerprint reader. Asus Chromebook CX15: Connectivity You’ll charge the Asus Chromebook CX15 with the laptop’s sole USB-C port. It also supports DisplayPort, so it can be used to connect with an external display. An HDMI-out port is also available, though, which makes it easy to connect the Chromebook to a TV, projector, or older monitors. A single USB-A port and a 3.5mm combo audio jack round out the options. This is a modest selection of ports even for budget Chromebooks. Many alternatives, like the Lenovo Ideapad 3 and Acer Chromebook 315, offer an extra USB-A port. Some also have a microSD card reader. HDMI-out is often omitted, though, especially on Chromebooks that have USB-C with DisplayPort, so it’s good to see it included here. Asus Chromebook CX15: Performance At this point you might be scratching your head about the Asus Chromebook CX15’s $160 price tag. It’s not an amazing laptop but it provides a slim design, enjoyable keyboard, and 1080p display. So, why is it so affordable? Because it’s slow. CrXPRT 2: 82 Speedometer 2.0: 101 Basemark Web 3.0: 506 Kraken: 1298.4 Jetstream: 111.289 The benchmark results don’t look great. The Asus Chromebook Plus CX34 is much quicker with scores that often doubled the Chromebook CX15’s results. Even the Lenovo Chromebook Duet, which has a MediaTek Kompanio 838, often got the better of the Chromebook CX15. Overall, the Chromebook CX15 is the slowest ChromeOS machine PC World has reviewed in several years (though also, to be fair, the least expensive). The Intel Celeron N4500 processor is partly to blame. It’s a dual-core chip with a base clock of 1.1GHz and a maximum boost clock of 2.8GHz. That’s not much, and it shows. However, I think the laptop’s RAM is where it really drags. 4GB of memory is incredibly slim for any modern laptop, even a Chromebook, and quickly becomes a problem. The laptop’s performance is acceptable with a couple browser tabs open but, as the tab count grows to a half-dozen or more, it starts to slow. Opening too many tabs can cause the laptop to completely freeze up for several seconds, and it remains sluggish until some tabs are closed. Performance is likely to be the deal breaker—or the reason to buy—depending on what you need. People who just want to browse the web with a few tabs open, watch YouTube, and send emails will find the Chromebook CX15’s performance passable, if not amazing. But if you want to multitask, the laptop’s 4GB of RAM will hold you back. Even if your “multitasking” consists of nothing more than two web apps open side-by-side in the Chrome browser. Asus Chromebook CX15: Battery life and portability Asus ships the Chromebook CX15 with a small 42 watt-hour battery–that’s not very big. By comparison, most 15-inch Windows laptops have a 60 to 80 watt-hour battery. I recorded 10 hours and 57 minutes in the CrXPRT 2 battery test. That’s considerably less than the Asus Chromebook CX34, which topped 13 hours, or the Asus Chromebook Spin 314, which endured 14 hours. While the Chromebook CX15’s battery life isn’t great, it still provides a full workday of solid use. I also noticed that the laptop’s real-world battery life held up, enduring five hours of light use (mostly web browsing) with 51 percent of the battery remaining. As mentioned earlier, the Chromebook CX15 is slim and light for a 15-inch budget laptop. It also ships with a small USB-C power brick that delivers just 45 watts. That means the CX15 can be adequately powered by a wide variety of USB-C power bricks. Asus Chromebook CX15: Conclusion The Asus Chromebook CX15 is a $160 laptop that provides the essentials without any glaring flaws that would make it unappealing. It’s not fast enough to handle anything beyond casual web browsing and doesn’t last as long on battery as more expensive Chromebooks. But it still offers a crisp 1080p display, slim design, and a decent keyboard. Consider the Chromebook CX15 the minimum viable laptop. It’s not great at anything, but it can handle the basics at an extremely low price. Read...

Some back-to-school purchases are no-brainers, like a new laptop or Chromebook. But other helpful products aren’t always as obvious. They can seem purely optional—stuff to buy when you have money to burn. But don’t discount tech gadgets and accessories, especially if you’re often zigzagging across a college campus. Add in part-time work and the demands of a social life, and the right gear can help you keep your sanity. Here are 14 affordable gadgets I wish I had in school — it would’ve made life a lot easier! Laptop stand Lululook A laptop stand both frees up desk space and improves the ergonomics of your setup. You want your laptop screen at a height that prevents hunching or bad posture, especially if you often have long study and homework sessions. It also makes a dual-screen setup with a separate monitor less awkward. Fortunately, laptop stands aren’t expensive, and you can even pick up an ultra compact one that travels well. Take it from an old person—take care of your body now, or it’ll punish you for mistreatment later. Get the Tonmom Foldable and Portable Laptop Stand, $10 Bluetooth keyboard Michael Crider/IDG A small room can feel even more cramped with lots of cable clutter. A Bluetooth or wireless keyboard with multi-device support will streamline your desk setup, lets you switch quickly between a PC, tablet, and phone—and also allows you to take it on the road with you for better ergonomics and comfort. A good lightweight option like the Keychron K3 or Logitech MX Keys Mini travels well. If you’re not on the go often, a heftier mechanical keyboard will feel better during gaming and long typing sessions. Noise-canceling headphones Jonathan Takiff/Foundry A pair of noise-canceling headphones can be worth their weight in gold, as they’ll drown out distractions while you study (or when you need a break from loud roommates). Over-the-ear cans have the best battery life—top models like the Bose QuietComfort Ultra and Sony WH-1000XM5 get between 20 to 30 hours runtime—making them ideal for long playback sessions and situations where you can’t charge as often. Even models that cost half as much, like Anker’s Soundcore Space Q45, will run as long and still sound good. Meanwhile, ANC earbuds travel extremely well, tucking easily into a pocket for shorter trips out of the house. And you have no end of choices, with the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (the most affordable ANC option listed here), Sony WF-1000XM5, and Apple AirPods Pro just a few excellent options at the top end. Portable monitor Arzopa If you’re often away from your dorm or apartment, a good travel setup for your PC will make the hours spent on it more comfortable. In addition to a laptop stand and a lightweight wireless keyboard, a portable monitor‘s extra screen real estate lets you easily juggle different tabs or windows. And the good news is that they don’t cost much nowadays—one of the most popular models is just $100, and can sometimes be found on sale for less. For an even slicker setup, consider picking up a good portable stand for the monitor, too. Tablet Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry A tablet can fill many roles—like as a second screen for your PC, a digital notepad for keeping up with class lectures, or a comfortable way to read textbooks. It’s a great complement to a PC, especially if you have a desktop computer. The Apple iPad is a perennial favorite for such multitasking, as is Samsung’s rival Galaxy Tab S line, but you can also opt for an Android E-Ink tablet for less eye-strain if you primarily use it for reading. Computer speakers Creative / Amazon You can do much better than a portable Bluetooth speaker or a laptop’s built-in speakers. Good dedicated computer speakers won’t introduce audio latency when watching videos, or distort at moderate volume. They don’t take much room on a desk either. Our top pick for budget speakers runs just $25 and has a tiny footprint, for example. (You can see all your options in our round up of the best affordable computer speakers.) Bluetooth tracker Apple Losing track of your keys or other vital items is a pain—and all too easy to do if you’re often out and about. You can avoid this fate by attaching a Bluetooth tracker like an Apple AirTag or Tile Mate to your high-priority gear. It avoids a lot of headache when you’re too stressed to precisely recall your movements. External hard drive Tech Advisor Cloud storage is common these days, but having a local backup can save your bacon—even as antiquated as the tech may seem. Should you accidentally delete a file unknowingly from your PC, in the cloud, or both, if they sync with one another, you’ll still have a copy of the data. While you can use a cloud service specifically meant for backups, an external hard drive is cheaper over time and readily accessible, even when your internet’s out. Even a smaller 5TB drive is worth the investment. Power bank Lexon Being away from an electrical outlet for long periods is a guarantee while in college. Having even a small, pocketable power bank (like this teeny 5000mAh model) can help keep your phone alive all day. Pick one and you’ll be amply covered whenever you’re on the go. Printer Mark Pickavance A printer may seem like a relic, but you’ll still have to print documents occasionally. Sure, you can use a campus computer room, but they’re not always open at all hours—and some schools charge per page. A portable unit won’t take much space and allows you to print whenever you want. Even if you get the cheapest printer available, you usually can tuck it away in a drawer or in your closet. HDMI switcher Fosmon / Amazon An HDMI switcher quickly solves two problems when connecting multiple devices to a single TV or monitor. For starters, you’re no longer limited by the number of built-in ports. It also eliminates the tediousness of pressing multiple buttons on your remote to change devices. Everything routes through the switcher, which takes just one port on your display and usually auto-switches between active devices. A 3-port HDMI switcher is usually sufficient, but you can step up to a 5-port model for more gear. Ergonomic mouse and/or keyboard Kensington / Amazon Repetitive stress injuries suck. If you’re on your PC all the time, ergonomic peripherals can ward off suffering down the road. A simple wireless vertical mouse starts as low as $30, with alternatives like the Logitech Lift available for those with smaller hands. The trick is to take breaks regularly and, if you can afford to, swap the type of mouse you use every so often. Same goes for your keyboard—even a basic split keyboard model should keep your hands and wrists in a more natural position. Phone stand Michael Soledad / Unsplash A dedicated spot for everything helps cut down on clutter when living in cramped quarters. Getting things off the surface of your desk can greatly reduce visual noise, too. A phone stand helps with both these goals, while also letting you easily see incoming notifications at a glance. If you get a stand that also doubles as a charger, you can keep the battery topped up too. e-Reader Alaina Yee / Foundry Bookworms will want to bring a collection of favorite reads to the dorms, but physical copies can become a royal pain when ot’s time to move at the end of the year. The easier option: Investing in an e-reader, like a Kindle or Kobo. Your eyes will still get a break from LCD screens, and your room won’t get as cluttered. Will it feel as good as having paper in your hands? No, but being able to store hundreds of books in a slim, pocketable device is a decent trade-off. Plus, if you sign up for your local library’s Libby service, you can gorge on the written word for free. Further reading: 10 life-changing laptop accessories for college students Read...