At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros Included stand supports landscape and portrait mode Easy wireless setup with modest input lag Decent bundled speakers Cons Moderate brightness Very limited color performance Battery life is limited at higher brightness levels Our Verdict The ViewSonic VG1656N offers a simple, reliable wireless connection, but disappointing color performance holds it back. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Portable monitors are a dime a dozen (almost literally, if you buy them on sale). But what if you want a portable monitor that’s also wireless? That’s exactly what the ViewSonic VG1656N offers at an affordable price. Unfortunately, ViewSonic sacrifices the monitor’s image quality to make it happen. ViewSonic VG1656N specs and features The ViewSonic VG1656N’s basic specifications are identical to dozens of competitors. It has a 16-inch IPS display panel with a 16:10 aspect ratio, 1,920 x 1,200 resolution, and a 60Hz refresh rate. None of these specifications are remarkable on their own, and the VG1656N’s nearly $300 MSRP would be hard to justify without its unique features. ? Display size: 16-inch 16:10 widescreen? Native resolution: 1920×1200? Panel type: IPS? Refresh rate: 60Hz? Adaptive sync: None? HDR: None? Ports: 2x USB-C 3.2 with DisplayPort Alternate Mode and 60 watts Power Delivery-in? VESA mount: None? Speakers: 2x 2-watt speakers? Wireless display: Yes? Price: $299.99 MSRP Wireless connectivity is what sets the VG1656N apart. Though not uncommon, wireless portable monitors tend to be expensive, with many models sold above $300. That makes the VG1656N relatively affordable. Further reading: See our roundup of the best portable monitors to learn about competing products. ViewSonic VG1656N design Unboxing and setting up the ViewSonic VG1656N was a bit confusing, due to the fabric-covered magnetic stand that attaches to the portable monitor. I was able to set it up without consulting the manual, but it took me a few minutes to puzzle out the right orientation. It’s a good thing I didn’t need a manual, because my review unit didn’t have one in the box. The bundled stand is decent. It looks flimsy but proved remarkably stable—it takes significant force to knock it over. The stand can be folded to support several tilt angles and is stable once in place. The detachable stand also helps ViewSonic keep the VG1656N’s weight and bulk to a minimum: The display panel weighs 1.8 pounds and measures only 0.38 inches thick. The stand supports both landscape and portrait orientation. That’s a big perk, as portrait orientation is often a better use of a portable monitor’s real estate, and the VG1656N’s 16-inch display panel is the perfect size for portrait-mode placement next to a 27-inch monitor. Matthew Smith / Foundry The VG1656N is a wireless display with a built-in battery, so it can connect to a PC or Mac without any wires. This is made possible with a bundled Wi-Fi dongle. The monitor and dongle pair automatically, and I had no trouble with interference or mixed connections. The dongle connects to your PC over USB-C. It’s large—about twice the size of most USB flash drives—so it’ll be a tight squeeze if your computer’s USB-C ports are close together. You’ll also want to keep track of the dongle, since it’s required for a wireless connection. ViewSonic VG1656N connectivity The ViewSonic VG1656N’s wireless connectivity is clearly its headline feature. As mentioned, the monitor connects wirelessly to a USB-C dongle that you’ll need to plug into your PC. There’s no setup required; so long as the input mode is set to Wi-Fi, the VG1656N will automatically search for and connect to the bundled dongle (though a pairing mode is included if you need to pair with a different dongle). Matthew Smith / Foundry The monitor’s wireless connectivity is fine, but it’s no miracle. Wireless displays tend to suffer noticeable input lag, and the VG1656N is no exception, though it’s not too bad. Slow-motion recording at 240 frames per second showed input lag of around 100 to 200 milliseconds. I couldn’t visually notice a delay in real-time, but the monitor felt a little sluggish. Even so, most people looking for a wireless monitor will find the lag acceptable, and I suspect less critical owners won’t notice it. Wired connectivity is still available, through two USB-C ports. Both support DisplayPort Alternate Mode and USB Power Delivery, so either can be used for video input or to power the monitor. There’s one port on each flank, making the monitor easier to use with short USB-C cords. The VG1656N’s 16-inch display panel is the perfect size for portrait-mode placement next to a 27-inch monitor. ViewSonic VG1656N features There’s not much to talk about when it comes to the VG1656N’s menu system. Controlled by the power and volume rocker, it offers just a few image quality adjustments: brightness, contrast, and four preset image quality modes. Matthew Smith / Foundry The 2-watt speakers are decent, with good volume and clarity. However, there’s no bass, so games, movies, and music sound thin, though they’re acceptable in a pinch. The monitor’s built-in battery claims up to 3.5 hours of battery life. This varies widely with brightness settings—at full brightness, I saw it drain in about 1.5 hours. The battery can only power the monitor and can’t be used as an external battery for other devices. Viewsonic VG1656N SDR image quality The Viewsonic VG1656N isn’t a portable monitor that’s marketed on image quality. A look at the company’s official web page shows little information about image quality aside from resolution. Instead, the VG1656N is marketed mostly for its wireless connectivity and support for both landscape and portrait mode. A quick note: I tested the monitor’s image quality when it was connected to power and again on battery power. It appeared to operate identically in both situations. Matthew Smith / Foundry First up is brightness. This is an area where portable monitors tend to post mediocre results, and the Viewsonic VG1656N is no exception. It achieved a maximum brightness of 251 nits, which is similar to most competitors. This level of brightness is fine for use in a room with a few shaded windows but can look a bit dim if sunlit windows are nearby. Matthew Smith / Foundry The VG1656N’s contrast also falls in line with the alternatives, such as the Asus ZenScreen MB16HG. A contrast ratio of 1260:1 is fine for a standard portable monitor. However, as the Viewsonic VX1655-4K-OLED makes plain, OLED portable monitors can provide a richer, more immersive image. Matthew Smith / Foundry Color performance is where the VG1656N runs into trouble. The monitor displayed only 64 percent of sRGB and 49 percent of DCI-P3. Most portable monitors can display a far wider range of colors covering up to 100 percent of sRGB and 74 to 81 percent of DCI-P3. The Viewsonic VX1655-4K-OLED once again takes things to another level, hitting 100 percent of both sRGB and DCI-P3. Put simply: The VG1656N’s range of colors is relatively narrow, which means colors can look dull and muted. It’s fine for office productivity and web browsing but not great for entertainment or content creation. Matthew Smith / Foundry The VG1656N’s color gamut disqualifies it for use by photographers, videographers, artists, and other content creators, so it’s no surprise to see that it also falls short in color accuracy. The monitor’s accuracy is still okay, but it’s nowhere near the best portable monitors on the market. The color was most obvious in cyan and green, and I felt each shifted slightly, but noticeably, towards yellow. While the VG1656N’s color accuracy wasn’t the best, it did well enough in gamma and color temperature tests. The monitor hit a gamma curve of 2.3, which is just a tad off our target of 2.2 and means the image looks very slightly darker than it should. The color temperature was spot-on our target of 6500K, so the image doesn’t look warmer or cooler than preferred. Sharpness is solid, too. 1920×1200 isn’t remarkable, but it works out to about 142 pixels per inch, which is much better than a 27-inch 1440p monitor’s pixel density of about 109 pixels per inch. Overall, the VG1656N’s image quality is a weakness. It’s fine for writing in Word, surfing the web, and sending emails, but otherwise won’t stand out. Content creators like photographers, videographers, and digital artists will need to give the VG1656N a pass. ViewSonic VG1656N HDR image quality The ViewSonic VG1656N doesn’t support HDR. That’s good, as any attempt to support HDR would fail. A wireless monitor with built-in battery has little hope of competent HDR. That’s because HDR requires high brightness, and higher brightness means higher power draw, something that doesn’t go well with a wireless display designed to function on battery power. ViewSonic VG1656N motion performance Much like HDR, motion performance isn’t a priority for the VG1656N. It sticks to a 60Hz refresh rate and quotes a high gray-to-gray pixel response time of 9.5 milliseconds. Motion blur is obvious when playing fast-paced games or even when scrolling a window across the monitor. Is the ViewSonic VG1656N worth it? The ViewSonic VG1656N is a reasonable choice for shoppers prioritizing wireless functionality over image quality. Its wireless setup is easy and reliable, and input lag is modest enough for productivity. Battery life is limited but usable. However, its subpar image quality and narrow color gamut hold it back. Still, if you just want a wireless portable monitor and aren’t too worried about image quality, the VG1656N makes sense. Read...

The pair starred alongside fashion and entertainment royalty for the awards gala in London. Read...

Is there anyone in the world who doesn’t want (or need) some extra storage space? Digital, that is. Because this 256GB Samsung Fit Plus flash drive deal for $18.69 at Amazon feels rather irresistible to us. That’s a cool 25% discount from its MSRP. Cyber Monday feels like the perfect time to stock up on all the cool tech you’ve been waiting to get all year. Frankly, at this price, this Samsung thumb drive falls into the impulse buy category. After all, who wouldn’t need an extra 256GB of storage space for all those pics and videos from your vacation, files for work, music collection, games, and so on? With speeds of up to 400MB/s, you’ll be moving files around in a flash. The flash drive comes with a USB-A connector, which means it’s compatible across a wide range of devices, from laptops to PCs to your car’s entertainment system and your gaming console. Considering this thumb drive is really about the size of your thumb, it’s going to fit super well anywhere without annoying you. The Samsung Fit Plus was built to keep your data protected, so it’s shockproof and waterproof, and it can survive extreme temperatures and even X-ray machines. So hurry up and take advantage of this Cyber Monday deal and get yourself this Samsung Fit Plus for less than $19 right away! That`s a super affordable 256GB thumb driveBuy now at Amazon Read...

At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros Extremely crisp 5K panel Great color performance Includes USB-C with 96 watts Power Delivery Lots of menu options and image customization Cons Contrast ratio is fine, but not great Only 60Hz; motion performance suffers HDR performance doesn’t stand out Our Verdict The Asus ProArt Display 5K PA27JCV delivers excellent image quality and an ultra-crisp 5K image (with 218 pixels per inch) for about $800. It’s hard to beat on value and an easy recommendation to anyone who wants a 5K monitor. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today 5K monitors aren’t new, but they haven’t proven especially popular (in the Windows world, at least). Price is one big reason, as most 5K monitors available in the past have sold for $1,000 or more. The Asus ProArt Display 5K PA27JCV, which carries an MSRP of $799.99, changes the equation. And, despite its low price, this isn’t some cut-down 5K monitor built to fit a price but instead a thoroughly modern monitor that beats the pants off its predecessors. Asus ProArt Display 5K PA27JCV specs and features The star of the show here is obviously the 5K panel, which offers a “proper” 5K resolution of 5120×2880. This is much higher than 5K ultrawides, which have a lower resolution of 5,120 x 2,160. Asus is also packing an IPS Black panel capable of better contrast than typical for the category (though still far short of OLED). Display size: 27-inch 16:9 widescreen Native resolution: 5120×2880 Panel type: IPS Black Refresh rate: 60Hz Adaptive sync: VESA MediaSync HDR: Yes, HDR 10, VESA DisplayHDR 500 certified Ports: 1x USB-C with DisplayPort Alternate Mode and 96 watts of Power Delivery, DisplayPort 1.4, HDMI 2.1, 3x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 downstream, 1x USB-C 3.2 Gen 1 downstream VESA mount: 100x100mm Speakers: 2x 2-watt speakers Price: $799.99 MSRP The monitor’s MSRP of $800 is affordable for a 5K monitor, yet Asus doesn’t hold back on features. The monitor supports VESA MediaSync, HDR10, and USB-C with DisplayPort and USB Power Delivery. While it does miss a few features, like Thunderbolt, it’s certainly the most feature-packed 5K monitor available below $1,000. Further reading: See our roundup of the best monitors to learn about competing products. Asus ProArt Display 5K PA27JCV Design The look of the ProArt Display 5K PA27JCV isn’t exciting, but that’s not to say it’s bad. Asus has solidified the language of its ProArt monitors in recent years, opting for a simple but attractive black-and-silver design with a faux-heatsink look on the rear panel. The ProArt monitors are different enough to feel distinct but will still blend in with your home office. Matthew Smith / Foundry Looks aside, the ProArt Display 5K PA27JCV is functional but simple. It has an ergonomically adjustable stand that adjusts for height, tilt, swivel, and can pivot 90 degrees into landscape mode. The stand is sturdy, moderately sized, and flat, so it doesn’t take up much space. A hole in the stand neck provides cable management and is large enough to accommodate the power cable and several video inputs. While the default stand is good, a 100x100mm VESA mount is available for connecting a third-party monitor stand or arm. While the ProArt Display 5K does miss a few features, like Thunderbolt, it’s certainly the most feature-packed 5K monitor available below $1,000. Asus ProArt Display 5K PA27JCV connectivity and menus The Asus ProArt Display 5K PA27JCV has one HDMI 2.1, one DisplayPort 1.4, and one USB-C with DisplayPort Alternate Mode, for a total of three video inputs. That’s fine, though many similarly priced monitors will up the video input count to four. Connecting via the USB-C port will also provide access to 96 watts of USB Power Delivery. That’s enough to power and charge most mid-range Windows laptops that lack discrete graphics, as well as all modern Apple MacBook computers. Additional downstream USB-C connectivity includes three USB-A ports and one USB-C port, plus a 3.5mm headphone jack. That’s a good range of USB connectivity — though, once again, the monitor isn’t a leader. Dell’s Ultrasharp U2724DE is a direct competitor with far more connectivity. But that comes with a significant trade-off: The Dell only supports 1440p resolution. I might’ve liked to see Asus squeeze in even better connectivity, such as Ethernet or Thunderbolt. To be fair, this monitor is already a great value, so I understand why these features didn’t make the cut. Still, some competitors offer them, and shoppers looking for the best connectivity might be swayed towards a display like the upcoming BenQ PD2730S, which has Thunderbolt 4. The Asus ProArt Display 5K PA27JCV has both an ambient light sensor, which is common for this category, and a backlight sensor, which isn’t. The ambient light sensor can automatically adjust the display’s brightness as the light in a room varies, which is helpful for keeping display brightness where you need it throughout the day. The backlight sensor, meanwhile, is meant to monitor and adjust brightness when the display is turned on (backlights tend to be a bit dimmer than their maximum until they “warm up”), though I had a hard time noticing that feature with my naked eye. A KVM switch is included, too, with an automatic switch feature based on the active display input. That’s helpful if you plan to have two computers connected to the display and want to seamlessly use a single wired keyboard and mouse with each. Matthew Smith / Foundry The ProArt Display 5K, like other Asus ProArt monitors, has a long list of image quality adjustments and preset color gamut modes. You can adjust color, color temperature, and gamma, or select from sRGB, Adobe RGB, DCI-P3, Rec.2020, DICOM, or Rec.709 modes. Competitors like the BenQ photography line offer similar adjustment, but Dell Ultrasharp monitors usually have a narrower list of options (Dell really wants creators to opt for the more expensive, less common PremierColor line). A pair of built-in speakers round out the ProArt Display 5K’s features set, but they’re weak and only useful for providing basic Windows system sounds or listening to less dynamic audio content, such as a podcast. This, however, is typical for the category. Most monitors that target professionals assume users will use their own, high-quality headphones or external speakers. Asus ProArt Display 5K PA27JCV SDR image quality The first 5K monitors available for Windows, like the Dell Ultrasharp U2715K and LG Ultrafine, delivered high resolutions but had low-contrast IPS display panels. That was fine at the time, but modern monitors have improved in that area. Thankfully, the Asus ProArt Display 5K PA27JCV provides a modern IPS Black level. Though certainly not as immersive as an OLED gaming monitor, the IPS Black panel delivers respectable contrast and excellent color performance. Matthew Smith / Foundry The ProArt Display 5K PA27JCV packed a real punch in brightness with a maximum SDR brightness of 578 nits. That’s extremely high even among this field, which generally does rather well in brightness testing. It’s hard to imagine a scenario where the ProArt Display 5K would appear dim. If anything, the monitor is arguably a bit too bright for its intended use. I found I had to use the monitor at a very low brightness setting (below 20) for it to be appropriate for my room, which has a couple windows facing away from the sun. Still, I’d rather it have the brightness than not, as it makes the monitor more versatile. Matthew Smith / Foundry I measured a contrast ratio of 1610:1 with the ProArt Display 5K at half its maximum brightness. The quality of this result depends on your perspective. It’s much better than conventional creator monitors, like the BenQ SW272U and Asus ProArt PA278CFRV. However, the ProArt Display 5K’s contrast is not as high as some other monitors with IPS Black panels, such as the Dell U2724DE. Still, this is a good result for the category, and the boost in contrast will be noticeable if you’re upgrading from an older productivity monitor with a contrast ratio around 1000:1 (or less). Matthew Smith / Foundry The ProArt Display 5K provided a great default color gamut that covered 100 percent of sRGB and DCI-P3 as well as 91 percent of AdobeRGB. While PCWorld has tested some monitors with a wider AdobeRGB gamut, the ProArt’s result are generally excellent and should be enticing for most content creators. The monitor can display an extremely wide range of colors. It’s also a native 10-bit panel, which will please picky creators. Matthew Smith / Foundry Next up is color accuracy, where the PA27JCV provides a modest result.  This, however, is still a fine number for a monitor in this price bracket (or any bracket, really) and similar to other mid- to high-end content creation and productivity monitors. The monitor’s image accuracy is helped along by good gamma and color temperature results of 2.2 and 6600K, which is close to our targets of 2.2 and 6500K. The monitor’s multiple gamma and color temperature modes allows adjustments to target different settings, if desired.   Sharpness is a major strength and, for some people, will be the obvious reason to buy the monitor. The 5120×2880 resolution on a 27-inch 5K amounts to a pixel density of 218 pixels per inch (ppi), which is close to the highest possible pixel density on a modern computer monitor. The only monitors that reach higher are 6K and 8K display. Shoppers should also keep in mind that the ProArt Display 5K’s pixel density is much higher than 5K ultrawides, like the LG Ultrafine 34WK95U-W. A 34-inch 5K ultrawide has a pixel density of only 163 ppi, so it’s nowhere near as sharp. A 40-inch 5K ultrawide, like the Dell U4025QW, has just a pixel density of 139 ppi, which is less than a 27-inch 4K display. This is an important detail to note, as it’s otherwise easy to assume all 5K displays are the same. They’re not, and the ProArt Display 5K is much sharper than some others sold with 5K branding. The ProArt Display 5K includes a matte panel coat that Asus calls LuxPixel. It’s meant to provide a paper-like screen effect, like BenQ’s monitors with a Fine Coated Panel. Subjectively, I feel that BenQ’s coating is a bit more “paper like,” but LuxPixel remains effective at reducing glare. Overall, the Asus ProArt Display 5K provides excellent image quality across the board. It scores well by every metric and does especially well in brightness and color gamut performance. It’s important to note that the ProArt Display 5K is price-competitive with some OLED monitors, like the Alienware AW2725DF, and those will deliver a deeper, more immersive image with far superior contrast. However, OLED monitors stick to 1440p resolution in a 27-inch size, and the difference in sharpness is obvious. The ProArt Display 5K is not the best display for playing games or watching Netflix but, when it comes to productivity, it’s hard to beat. Asus ProArt Display 5K PA27JCV HDR image quality The Asus ProArt Display 5K PA27JCV supports HDR10 and is VESA DisplayHDR 500 certified. That’s a step higher than the more basic VESA DisplayHDR 400 certification found on many similarly priced monitors, but it’s still not great. Contrast is the real issue. The Asus ProArt Display 5K can get bright in HDR, sustaining well over 500 nits fullscreen. However, the monitor lacks a dynamic or per-pixel lighting technology (like Mini-LED or OLED), so an increase in brightness also increases the brightness of dark areas of the display. That results in a flat, washed-out look. Asus makes a small effort to combat that with a dynamic backlight feature, but the edge-lit lighting zones on the monitor are massive. Because of that, any scene that displays a small, bright object on an otherwise dark scene will lead to obvious, distracting halos and pillars of light as different segments of the backlight turn on and off. It’s distracting, and I recommend turning it off. It could be worse, but it’s not good, and I don’t recommend relying on the monitor’s HDR for games or entertainment. Still, it might be passable if you need a way to quickly preview HDR video and can’t afford a second, better HDR display for that purpose. Asus ProArt Display 5K PA27JCV motion performance The Asus ProArt Display 5K PA27JCV isn’t meant for gaming and entertainment, so it’s no shock to see the monitor stick to a 60Hz refresh rate. It also claims a modest gray-to-gray pixel response time of five milliseconds. What does that mean? Put simply, motion performance is mediocre, at best. Don’t get me wrong: It’s fine for most situations, including games that don’t have a lot of fast action. However, viewers with a critical eye for motion blur will absolutely notice it. It’s not all bad news, though. The ProArt Display 5K supports Adaptive Sync through VESA MediaSync, a standard focused on variable refresh rates in a tight range of 48Hz to 60Hz. Though that narrows the feature’s use in games, it’s helpful if you can use V-Sync or a frame limiter that can keep a game running at or near 60 FPS (or anywhere between 48 and 60 FPS, really). MediaSync is also designed for smooth playback of 24 FPS video, which is handy if you want to use the ProArt Display 5K to edit for film or TV. Should you buy the Asus ProArt Display 5K PA27JCV? The Asus ProArt Display 5K PA27JCV sets the new bar that all 5K monitors must clear. It’s not the best high-resolution display on the market (that honor goes to more extreme displays, like the Apple Pro Display XDR), but it delivers a gorgeous 5K image and long list of features at a reasonable price. Any new 5K monitor looking to compete needs to make sure that it’s at least as good as, or less expensive than, the ProArt Display 5K. Read...

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As soon as VR headsets started going mainstream, people were wondering if you could use them to replace conventional monitors for an immersive Windows experience. And yes, you can — there are already several ways to do that right now. But starting in December, Meta’s Quest 3 and Quest 3S headsets will get official support to stream Windows 11, direct from Microsoft. The capability was announced in a post-Ignite news roundup and shown off in a short video, below: Microsoft’s mockup of the integration between Windows and Quest headsets is impressive. The demo user puts on the headset and almost instantly has access to three virtual monitors floating in space via augmented reality, all wireless and apparently seamless. Alternatively, you can put everything on one giant screen right in front of you. Both use a familiar VR control panel that floats beneath the virtual displays. The whole thing is reminiscent of Apple’s Vision Pro “yes, you can use this thing for work” videos. Again, this core capability is not new. Accessing PC content via a standalone VR headset like the Quest is a pretty common thing, though it obviously requires a little more work than on a headset that directly connects to your PC, such as the Valve Index. But at the moment, you still need a bit of third-party software running between them. (Virtual Desktop is a popular option.) Microsoft baking this capability right into Windows indicates a step closer between the platforms, and it’s a somewhat surprising move from a company that seemed to be stepping back from VR and AR with the close of its HoloLens development. This isn’t just a gimmick, either. Microsoft’s news post says you’ll be able to use the feature with a Windows 365 Cloud PC. So, with a little help from a wireless keyboard and mouse, a Quest headset could essentially be your only PC… if your primary desktop lives in the cloud. Even as someone who’s very bullish on VR for entertainment, I still can’t see myself working for eight hours with a headset on. (If the headset battery could even last eight hours. It can’t.) But combine this apparently instant and seamless connection with less bulky hardware, like, say, video glasses from Xreal or RayNeo, and suddenly you have an option for a massively powerful augmented reality setup that can easily travel in a space smaller than a laptop, as seen in the Spacetop design. Assuming that you have a high-speed, always-on connection to a remote machine, of course… and now we’re talking about a lot of different hardware, software, and infrastructure working seamlessly together. Okay, maybe it’s a little farther away than I thought. You’ll be able to try out this native AR workstation feature on Windows 11 with a Quest 3 or Quest 3S headset starting next month, when it goes into “public preview.” Read...

TL;DR: Get three months of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate (and stack up to 15 months!) for nonstop gaming on Xbox and PC for $36.49 (reg. $50). If you’re ready to dive into a massive library of over 500 games, this 3-month Xbox Game Pass Ultimate code is your golden ticket, on sale for $36.49. And here’s the kicker: you’re not limited to just three months. By stacking up to five codes, you can enjoy 15 months of gaming goodness, all in one go. That’s over a year of access to hundreds of popular titles, from AAA games to hidden indie gems, on both Xbox consoles and PC. Game Pass Ultimate isn’t just about games, either. You’ll get perks like online multiplayer, so you can battle or team up with friends, and exclusive member discounts on games and add-ons. Whether you’re new to Game Pass or a current subscriber looking to extend your playtime, these codes work for everyone. Just make sure to redeem them within seven days of purchase so you don’t miss out. Stock up now and get ready for endless entertainment without ads, limits, or interruptions. Consider this three-month Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Membership for $36.49 as an amazing gift to yourself, or to that gamer friend who’s hard to shop for.    Xbox Game Pass Ultimate: 3-Month Membership – Stackable & Global – (Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Windows – Digital Code) – Final Sale – $36.49 See Deal StackSocial prices subject to change. Read...

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A team of young music and visual artists are creating spaces in the capital city for people to get goofy and dance. Read...

The future is coming, and that means making sure you’re well-versed in AI usage for when it matters. And while there are all kinds of AI tools now, the most prominent one remains AI chatbots like ChatGPT. When I take a step back and look at my own AI chatbot use, that’s what I’m predominantly doing with it: educating myself. Sure, I’m learning new skills and finding answers to questions when my kids stump me, but ultimately what I’m doing when I play around with the likes of ChatGPT Plus and Copilot Pro is learning how to use AI, period. And now that these AI chatbots have come out with premium subscription plans with even more advanced features, I wouldn’t blame you if you’re confused about why they have paid plans, what the benefits are, and whether they’re worth paying for. Like it or not, AI is the future The latest AI chatbots are impressive feats of engineering and software development that build on decades of work in artificial intelligence, machine learning, and neural networks. But it’s still a bit of frontier. Many are still figuring out what they can do and how best to use them, and many others still dismiss AI as a passing fad to ignore. While I don’t think we’ve yet reached the point where everyone needs to know how to use AI for day-to-day stuff, it feels like that time is fast approaching. Being able to work with AI is going to be a necessary skill, akin to general computer use and not being an ass to your colleagues. But can you get by on the free versions of ChatGPT, Copilot, and the rest? Or should you pony up for a premium plan? Well, that depends! Free AI chatbots are good enough for most If you haven’t found yourself dabbling with AI yet, whether at work or at home, and you don’t feel much pressure from colleagues or friends or family to do so, then you’re probably fine just using the free versions if and when you get around to it. ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, Google Gemini, Apple Intelligence — they all offer free access with adequate capabilities, able to do all the basics you’d need to get your feet wet with generative AI chatbots. They can answer questions, generate draft text, create images from scratch, and ultimately help you familiarize yourself with using them. And over time, it’s possible — even expected — that advanced features that are currently premium-only will eventually be made free. Things like custom GPTs and Advanced Voice will become commonplace while other, newer features are introduced to paid subscribers. One major component of these AI chatbots is that you can communicate with them using natural language, so once you get the hang of how to give them the information they need to give you the response you want, it doesn’t matter whether you’re typing it or saying it. You don’t really need Advanced Voice — it just feels cooler and more futuristic. Of course, not all premium AI chatbot features are merely for aesthetics, convenience, or early access. There are some real reasons to pay up. Keep reading for aspects you might think are worth paying for. Related: Practical use cases for ChatGPT When are premium AI chatbots worth it? One interesting thing about AI chatbots like ChatGPT is that they can support different GPT models and even run custom GPT models. In essence, you can switch out the “brain” for another one, changing how it interprets your input to give you different output. Consistent access to the latest and greatest GPT models is worth paying for if you end up using AI chatbots a lot. The free versions are great for getting your feet wet, but they tend to run on older GPT models; as a premium subscriber, you can basically pay for better results — and in this case, better means more accurate, more reliable, and more useful due to improvements made to the underlying language model. For example, the latest GPT model offers much better coding capabilities compared to earlier ones, so it’s going to be more helpful if you’re trying to learn how to code with the aid of an AI chatbot. Similarly, an older GPT model might have outdated information or lack access to the latest developments, which could lead to wrong or misleading answers. If accuracy and guidance are important to you, then you might seriously want to consider paying for the latest GPT models. Moreover, some AI chatbots even let you create custom GPT models that are specifically tailored towards certain needs and tasks. For example, one custom GPT might be designed to teach the rules to board games, whereas another custom GPT might be configured to talk and behave like a condescending pirate. (You know, for funsies.) Access to custom GPTs is usually limited to paid subscribers, though. I might need a custom GPT to pretend to be the MU-TH-UR computer system from Alien, but do you? And if so, are you willing to pay for it?Jon Martindale / IDG Personally, I’m more of a stan for ChatGPT Plus, but there’s no denying that it isn’t as good as Copilot Pro when it comes to app integration, particularly with Microsoft 365 apps. If you’re a big Word, Excel, or Outlook user, you should really look into Copilot Pro’s capabilities and weigh whether you’d benefit from from it. Related: ChatGPT Plus vs. Copilot Pro, compared AI integration within specific apps won’t always be the way it is right now, but there’s no doubt in my mind that it’ll continue to improve, expand, and take over. You’ll be able to benefit from this shift sooner and over the long run if you take steps now to learn AI and become well-versed so you can more easily adopt newer advancements in the future. Another thing is that whether you’re using ChatGPT, Copilot, Claude, Gemini, or any other AI chatbot, premium plans typically remove (or at least increase) limits and grant priority access during peak usage times. That means you have assurance that you can use the tools of your choice whenever you want and that it’ll be consistent every time. On the other hand, if you stick with the free versions of these AI chatbots, you could get bumped for a premium user when the service is congested, or you might only be able to request a handful of prompts per day that aren’t enough to finish the task(s) you’re working on. Premium AI chatbots can be worth paying for, but only for some I don’t want to be “that guy” who says things like: “It’s only $20! You spend more on that on X, Y, Z…” Because I know that $20 is a lot, and who wants to shell out so much cash every month? Spending that much on an AI chatbot might be unjustifiable for you, especially if all you’re doing is having a bit of fun and familiarizing yourself with it. On the other hand, if you have money to burn, you could think about these novel premium features as “entertainment” and justify it as the cost of having fun with cutting-edge tech. But if there’s one group for whom premium AI chatbots are seriously worth it, it’s people who can make money with it. If you’re a creative, ChatGPT can help you brainstorm, write, edit, and think outside the box. If you’re an office worker, Copilot can drastically boost your productivity so you get more done in less time. If you’re a tech influencer, first-hand experience with AI is how you get the knowledge and expertise to do what you do. If you’re a job seeker, these AI chatbots can help you perfect your résumés and land better roles that pay more. In all of these cases, you’re likely going to cross whatever limits exist in their respective free plans, and you’re likely going to benefit from their advanced features that let you do more. For me, premium AI chatbot access pays for itself and then some, so it’s a no-brainer; if you can pay $20 per month and earn more out the other side, then that’s a sound investment. Plus, you can cancel as soon as you don’t need it. For now, premium AI chatbots don’t offer enough revolutionary features to be worthwhile for everyone. That’s on the developers, who still need to figure out what sorts of transformative features are needed to reach broader mainstream appeal. Until then, the free tier will likely remain more than good enough for most. Related: The truth of how people actually use AI chatbots Read...