Many modern monitors come with built-in USB hubs. These hubs don’t just provide extra ports, they can transfer data at high speed and supply devices with power. These are often USB 3.0 or even USB 3.2 Gen1/Gen2 ports, offering transfer rates of up to five or 10 Gbps, which is ideal for fast external SSDs or high-quality peripherals. Nevertheless, these ports are often left unused, even though they can significantly improve both the technical and ergonomic setup. By using the monitor as a central USB hub, you can shorten cable runs, organize devices efficiently, and increase accessibility. High-quality mice, mechanical keyboards, or graphics tablets benefit from this, as short, direct connections often provide more stable data transfers and lower latency. The USB ports on the back of the monitor—here on a Dell model—add practical connection options directly from the monitor to the workstation. You can often also use them to charge devices such as your notebook.Dell Webcams can also be integrated in this way: connecting the camera to the monitor avoids long cables and prevents strain on the cable when the display is moved. The ports are ideal for storage media such as USB sticks, SD card readers, or external SSDs because they can be accessed directly without having to bend down to the PC case. Gamers and streamers can quickly connect controllers, microphones, audio interfaces, or capture cards, as these devices do not usually need to be permanently connected to the system. The USB hub also provides a solution for power-hungry gadgets such as LED light strips, USB fans, charging pads for wireless mice, or headset docks. It’s worth checking the monitor’s technical data to ensure the port provides sufficient power. For example, 1.5 amps at five volts. Some monitor USB ports also support fast charging protocols such as BC 1.2 (Battery Charging), which can be used to quickly charge smartphones or tablets. The USB ports on the monitor are also practical as an extension of hard-to-reach connections, for example, if the computer is mounted under the table or cable ducts make direct access difficult. If you utilize these options strategically, you can transform the inconspicuous sockets on the display into powerful, flexible interfaces that increase both working comfort and the technical efficiency of the entire system. Read...

Microsoft has announced that companies and organizations will have to pay more for the Office productivity suite from July 1, 2026. Exactly how much the price increase will be depends on the variant, but according to CNBC, it is an increase of up to 33 percent. “Over the past year, we’ve released more than 1,100 features in Microsoft 365, Security, Copilot, and Sharepoint. The new features have added value to the packages,” writes Microsoft 365 manager Nicole Herskowitz in a blog post on the company’s website. In other words, the increase is justified by the new features, not least Microsoft’s heavily touted AI tool Copilot. The last time Microsoft raised prices for its business-focused Office packages was in 2022. Microsoft substantially hiked the price of Microsoft 365 consumer plans early in 2025, citing the addition of AI features as justification, shortly after Google did the same for its G-Suite plans. Read...

Anytime you buy new Ikea furniture, you end up cursing all the tools you have to use. Honestly, if you had this Skil Twist rechargeable screwdriver on hand, your life would be so much easier. It’s only $22.78 at Amazon right now, a 24 percent discount you’ll love. We have a USB-C rechargeable screwdriver at home, and let me tell you — putting together all that Ikea furniture we got a few weeks ago was soooo much simpler. This one from Skil is, quite frankly, a lot cooler than the model I have at home because it has a pivoting head that locks into three positions, so it’s easier to use at weird angles. It even has an integrated LED light to illuminate your work area, which is ideal if you can’t exactly shine a light where you’re working. The screwdriver includes a USB-C charging cable and a two-piece bit set, so it’s ready to go right out of the box. Its internal battery ensures you always have a reliable tool for quick fixes. And when it’s out of power, it’s uber easy to recharge. Add this Skil Twist rechargeable screwdriver to your cart for just $22.78 and make your life easier. Buy now at Amazon Read...

Linux creator Linus Torvalds has unexpectedly come to Microsoft’s defense regarding the jokes about the Windows operating system’s infamous blue screen of death. The whole thing was first noticed by IT’s Foss. In a new video with Youtuber Linus Tech Tips, he explained that many crashes are unlikely to be due to software errors. “I’m convinced that all the jokes about how unstable Windows is and about blue screens – I guess it’s not even a blue screen anymore – are largely not about software bugs. In fact, a large percentage of them are due to unreliable hardware,” said Linus Torvalds in the video. Torvalds also claimed that it’s important to have ECC memory in a computer, as it makes it fundamentally more reliable, and that the lack of ECC can lead to serious memory problems. Torvalds also mentioned that gamers who overclock would be accepting an additional degree of unreliability. The birth of Linux Linus Torvalds first drew attention to his work on a new operating system in a newsgroup post on July 3, 1991. He then announced that he was indeed working on a free operating system in the comp.os.minix newsgroup on August 25/26, 1991. On September 17, 1991 (almost 33 years ago), the shell for Torvalds’ new operating system was functional – and the shell remains an indispensable component of every Linux system, alongside the kernel itself. Torvalds then released the source code, which is still freely available to anyone interested. The first version number was 0.01. Read...

If you’re going to upgrade your home office this holiday season, you might as well get a powerful mini PC to do the job. The Bosgame P6 mini is now only $430 after its price dipped 19% at Amazon. This thing’s quite powerful and absolutely ready for all the tasks you need to complete. The Bosgame P6 is built around an AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX processor, delivering high-level performance for everything from demanding work tasks to light gaming and silly online rabbitholes that take up dozens of browser tabs. It comes equipped with an ample 32GB of DDR5 RAM and a 1TB SSD, but you can always upgrade to 8TB storage if you want to. This mini PC integrates an AMD Radeon 680M GPU, which delivers enough oomph to be able to play esports games. It’s pretty cool that you can use this mini PC to multitask just fine since it supports up to three 4K displays via the HDMI, DP, and USB-C ports. At $430, this Bosgame P6 is an absolute beast of a mini PC that can handle everything you need without breaking the bank, so make sure to order one before the deal expires. Buy now at Amazon Read...

In recent years, Minisforum has developed from an insider tip to a firm name in the mini PC market. The manufacturer has become renowned for its compact systems with high computing power, innovative cooling, and sophisticated designs. With the new AI X1 Pro, Minisforum wants to prove this claim – as a powerful all-round PC with integrated AI acceleration, which is not only intended for professionals and developers, but also for smart home enthusiasts and creatives. The following review shows whether the manufacturer lives up to its own claim. At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros Outstanding CPU performance sufficient for the most demanding workstation and multitasking tasks Excellent and future-proof connectivity with dual 2.5G LAN, Wi-Fi 7, two USB4 ports and OCuLink Superior upgradeability thanks to replaceable RAM and three M.2 slots Powerful NPU allows for advanced, local AI applications Sophisticated design with integrated power supply unit and fingerprint reader Sustainable product packaging without plastic Cons Graphics performance is somewhat slowed down by the slower DDR5 RAM compared to models with soldered LPDDR5X memory Our Verdict The Minisforum AI X1 Pro is more than just a mini PC; it’s the perfect machine for technology enthusiasts who don’t want to compromise on performance, expandability, and connectivity. If you’re looking for a compact but extremely powerful and future-proof foundation for complex automation, local AI, and media server tasks, you’ll find that the AI X1 Pro is one of the most powerful mini PCs on the market today. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Best Prices Today: Minisforum AI X1 Pro Retailer Price $1,087 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Best Prices Today: Check today’s prices Minisforum AI X1 Pro: Specs CPU: AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370, 12 cores / 24 threads, max. frequency 5.1 GHz AI performance (NPU): up to 80 TOPS Graphics: AMD Radeon 890M Memory: 64 GB, 2 × DDR5-SO-DIMM 5600 MHz Internal storage: 1 × M.2 2280 NVMe PCIe Gen4 x4 SSD, pre-installed Kingston OM8TAP41024K1 1TB Connectivity: 2 × 2.5 Gbit/s LAN ports (RJ45), Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4 Front connections: 2 × USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-A, 1 × USB 4 (Alt PD Out 15 Watt, data rate up to 40 GB/s, 3.5 mm combo socket, co-pilot button, 2 × digital microphones (DMIC) Rear connections: 1 × USB2.0 Type-A, 1 × OCuLink (PCIe 4.0 ×4), 1 × USB4 (Alt PD-In 65-100 watts & PD Out 15 watts, 1 × DisplayPort 2.0, 1× HDMI 2.1 FRL, Kensington lock OS: Windows 11 Pro Dimensions: 195 × 195 × 47.5 mm (W × D × H), 1.5kg The Minisforum AI X1 Pro delivers an impressive overall package and soundly demonstrates how much performance can be packed into a mini PC today Minisforum AI X1 Pro: Design At first glance, the appearance of the AI X1 Pro with its silver-colored housing and black accents is subtly reminiscent of a Mac Mini, but this impression quickly fades when you look at the details. Minisforum takes a much more functional approach. When comparing the housings of the Minisforum AI X1 Pro and the Geekom IT15, fundamentally different design philosophies in the mini PC segment become clear. Whilst both devices focus on compactness, they pursue different goals, which is reflected in their dimensions and structure. Christoph Hoffmann With its dimensions of 195 × 195 × 47.5 millimetres, the Minisforum AI X1 Pro is a good deal larger than many of its competitors (IT15: 117 × 112 × 49.2 millimetres). Its square footprint is almost twice as large as that of the Geekom IT15. However, this larger volume is a deliberate design decision that brings two decisive advantages: Firstly, it enables the installation of an integrated power supply unit. Finally, the unsightly external brick that causes cable clutter in many mini PCs is no longer necessary. The result is a tidy and professional look. On the other hand, the larger interior offers space for more powerful cooling and superior expandability with three M.2 slots. Weighing in at 1.5kg, the AI X1 Pro is also significantly heavier due to its robust metal chassis and internal components. Despite its immense performance and internal power supply unit, the device remains compact, even if it’s slightly larger than some of its direct competitors. On the front, there are also modern conveniences such as a fingerprint reader for secure and fast login and a dedicated Co-pilot button that emphasizes the focus on AI functions. Christoph Hoffmann With a bracket, the AI X1 Pro can be placed upright or attached to the back of a monitor or even to a wall with the VESA mount. Minisforum AI X1 Pro: Features The true strength of the AI X1 Pro is revealed when you take a look at its inner values and connectivity. Minisforum has created equipment that redefines the term mini PC and makes it a real desktop alternative. The centerpiece is the ability to upgrade—a feature that has become rare in this class. At the heart of the Minisforum AI X1 Pro is the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370, one of the first desktop APUs based on the Zen 5 architecture. In addition to 12 CPU cores and the powerful Radeon 890M graphics, the chip comes with a dedicated NPU that delivers up to 50 TOPS of AI performance—perfect for local language models, image analysis or Co-pilot functions without cloud dependency. Instead of relying on soldered memory, the AI X1 Pro offers two SODIMM slots for up to 128GB DDR5-5600 RAM. This gives enthusiasts the freedom to customize the system to their needs—be it for memory-hungry virtual machines running Home Assistant and other services, or for complex data processing. Our test device has 64 GB of RAM, although variants with 32 and 96GB RAM are also available. Another highlight is the mass storage: three M.2 slots for fast NVMe SSDs are available. This makes it possible to realize a huge and fast storage solution, ideal for an extensive media collection. A Kingston OM8TAP41024K1 with 1TB capacity is installed in the test device. The model with 96GB RAM comes with a 2TB NVMe SSD. The variety of connections is simply outstanding and sets the AI X1 Pro apart from the competition. In addition to two USB4 ports, which enable high data rates and the connection of external GPUs, there is also a dedicated OCuLink port. This offers an even faster connection to external graphics cards and turns the mini PC into an expandable gaming or workstation platform. Christoph Hoffmann Two 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet ports ensure a stable and fast network connection, while Wi-Fi 7 makes wireless communication future-proof. The package is rounded off with HDMI 2.1, DisplayPort 2.0, and an integrated SD card reader The Minisforum AI X1 Pro offers exceptional flexibility when connecting monitors and can operate up to four displays simultaneously. It owes this capability to a combination of modern, dedicated, and multifunctional video outputs: HDMI 2.1, DisplayPort 2.0 and two USB4 ports. This makes the AI X1 Pro a powerful centre for demanding multitasking environments, whether in the office, for creative work or as a control centre in the smart home. Minisforum AI X1 Pro: Operating system The Minisforum AI X1 Pro is installed and activated with Windows 11 25H2 during the initial setup and with an active internet connection. The setup runs smoothly and drivers and firmware are automatically up to date. Copilot integration including NPU support is active and works seamlessly. This eliminates the need for the usual retrofitting of updates or AI packages—the mini PC is immediately ready for all new Windows AI features, from local text recognition and image understanding to automated workflows. Christoph Hoffmann We do not go into detail about Windows 11 25H2 itself in the test—however, it’s clear in many places that the Minisforum AI X1 Pro fully supports the system’s new AI functions. Copilot , Recall, and local model acceleration are active and access the NPU of the Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 directly. As a result, AI-based tasks such as text recognition, image analysis, or voice assistance run noticeably faster and without cloud dependency—a clear indication that hardware and software are optimally harmonized here. Minisforum AI X1 Pro: Performance The Minisforum AI X1 Pro with the new AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 is positioned well above the previous generation of mini PCs in terms of performance and competes directly with powerful ultrabooks and compact workstations in many scenarios. We used the PCMark 10 benchmark test to determine the desktop computing performance. This software gives us realistic values by running everyday tasks one after the other. The PCMark 10 total score of 7,809 points is in a range that only systems with high-end mobile processors such as the Intel Core Ultra 9 185H or the Apple M3 Pro have achieved to date. The “Essentials” (11,353 points) and “Productivity” (10,594 points) categories in particular show that everyday office, communication and multitasking applications are handled with absolute ease. The “Digital Content Creation” category with 10,746 points also demonstrates strong performance in photo and video editing—an indicator of an excellently harmonized CPU and GPU balance. Christoph Hoffmann The CPU profile from 3DMark shows excellent scaling across all thread levels: With 8,292 points at full load and 1,161 points in the single-thread test, the HX 370 is on a par with Intel’s Core Ultra 9 288V and only just behind the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HS, although the chip relies on a more energy-efficient Zen 5 architecture. This means: high multi-core performance with excellent efficiency—a decisive criterion for continuous operation in compact housings. Christoph Hoffmann The system achieved 3,528 points in 3DMark Time Spy, with the integrated Radeon 890M scoring an impressive 3,152 graphics points. This GPU based on RDNA-3 is around 40 percent higher than the Radeon 780M and thus brings usable gaming performance to a mini PC without a dedicated graphics card. The Intel Core U9-285H installed in the Geekom IT15 however delivers a TimeSpy result of 4,244 points. Christoph Hoffmann Games such as Cyberpunk 2077, Fortnite or Forza Horizon 5 run smoothly in 1080p at medium to high settings with the AMD CPU. The more recent synthetic tests such as Steel Nomad Light (3,023 points, 22 FPS) and Solar Bay (14,762 points) also confirm the high efficiency for CPU graphics in DirectX 12 and ray tracing scenarios. Christoph Hoffmann The Geekbench AI Pro score of 7,007 points (quantised) illustrates the strength of the integrated NPU, which is based on the XDNA-2 architecture. This makes the HX 370 one of the few chips that can run AI workloads locally at desktop level—ideal for applications such as image analysis, transcription, or local language modeling. In comparison, the values of the Geekom IT15 with Intel Core U9-285H: 8,005 in the Quantised Score. Christoph Hoffmann Finally, the performance of the SSD is also impressive: The installed 1 TB Kingston NVMe drive achieves 6,132 MB/s read and 5,259 MB/s write in the Crystal Disk Mark, which further accelerates the system response time. Here, the X1 Pro is roughly on a par with the Geekom A9 Max with its Lexar SSD and 6,242 and 5,423 MB/s respectively. Christoph Hoffmann Is the Minisforum AI X1 Pro worth it? Overall, the Minisforum AI X1 Pro delivers an impressive overall package and soundly demonstrates how much performance can be packed into a mini PC today. With the Ryzen AI 9 HX 370, the powerful Radeon 890M and the integrated NPU, it combines desktop power, energy efficiency and AI capability in a compact housing. Three NVMe slots, dual 2.5 GbE, OCuLink and USB4 make it extremely versatile—whether for home office, smart home, or gaming. The workmanship and features are clearly above the class average. Only the price and the lack of 10 GbE spoil the picture slightly. Overall: a powerful, future-proof mini PC for power users. Read...

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I did not have “Micron kills its consumer business” on my 2025 bingo card. The company announced the shuttering of its Crucial brand on Wednesday morning in unexpectedly simple, transparent language. The short version: Micron is concentrating on their business customers, where the demand has “surged” for memory and storage—thanks to data centers and their scaling up for AI. (Translation: ‘We can make way more money through enterprise customers, so we will.’) As noted in this same post, this decision ends 29 years of the Crucial brand. I can’t say I’m completely shocked. But I am surprised by what this move partially implies. Namely, enterprise’s hunger for memory and storage lasting for years and years. Welcome to The Full Nerd newsletter—your weekly dose of hardware talk from the enthusiasts at PCWorld. Missed the surprising topics on our YouTube show or latest news from across the web? You’re in the right place.  Want this newsletter to come directly to your inbox? Sign up on our website!  Am I nervous for consumers? Not just yet. But I am wondering if the somber estimate of RAM shortages lasting beyond this decade ends up proving true. I’m also wondering which other companies will back off consumer sales. And maybe more importantly, how such decisions will affect the development cycles and cost of new products. I don’t mean only RAM kits and SSD drives, though I could see any company producing memory or storage modules abandoning direct-to-consumer efforts. No, I mean anything that contains them, too—like graphics cards. For example, rumor has it that Nvidia may start expecting board partners to source their own memory. Individually, those smaller companies have less power to negotiate. That could then influence the pricing and quantities they get, which in turn would result in higher costs for consumers…and likely slower releases and fewer options, too. Similarly, I could see prebuilt PCs become less bleeding edge with their specs, either staying stagnant or even regressing. Sounds bad, right? So why am I not nervous? Let’s say consumers are faced with higher prices and sluggish innovation. Let’s assume too that everyday folk will push off tech upgrades for longer stretches. The market will have to adapt—and I am curious what that would look like. Chromebooks and GeForce Now have expanded what’s possible for people with low budgets or limited hardware. But I don’t want that approach to PCs to become the default.Matt Smith/Foundry To make up for lagging consumer hardware performance, does the shift to cloud computing accelerate faster? Or will software innovations make up for older, less performant consumer PCs and phones? Companies want everyone on a subscription model, but no one can afford all that exist.  I want the second scenario as our future, if we have to endure a hardware apocalypse. How can we make that happen? Consumers can vote with their dollars, and we must as things become bleaker. Local computing needs to remain a fundamental part of consumer technology. Chromebooks and GeForce Now are fantastic options, but the concepts they rely on—always online, fully dependent on remotely administered servers—cannot handle everyone’s needs. Plus, with online security devolving into a bigger and bigger dumpster fire, local computing is a defense against privacy and data leaks. When PCs first became mainstream, a basic model cost $1,500 to $2,500. Since then, consumer demand fueled the accessibility and openness of the PC—it’s a core reason for why I’m here writing these words and why you’re reading them. I don’t want to watch that die. So I’m choosing to believe we consumers can (and must) stave off such a regression. In this episode of The Full Nerd  In this episode of The Full Nerd, Adam Patrick Murray, Alaina Yee, and Will Smith dig into my annual list of the best DIY gaming PCs buildable with Black Friday deals, plus our predictions for CES 2026. As gloomy as we sound, it was a fun discussion—I enjoy sifting through all the deals and then jigsaw-puzzling them into build lists. Really cool to have crossed the 10-year mark with this tradition! As for CES, we have decided not to play a drinking game based on how often “AI” is mentioned in keynotes and press releases. We’re too old to weather the guaranteed massive hangover. I lived my best streamer-beanie life during this episode. (Gordon’s takes on life were so hilarious.)Willis Lai / Foundry Missed our live show? Subscribe now to The Full Nerd Network YouTube channel, and activate notifications. We also answer viewer questions in real-time! Don’t miss out on our NEW shows too—you can catch episodes of Dual Boot Diaries and The Full Nerd: Extra Edition now! And if you need more hardware talk during the rest of the week, come join our Discord community—it’s full of cool, laid-back nerds.  This week’s packed nerd news I came back from our holiday weekend feeling as if I hadn’t heard much news. But plenty still happened behind the noise of AI and its affect on hardware, even if it wasn’t particularly cheery. So on theme with Thanksgiving, I’m grateful to all the wonderfully crazy weirdos who do things like play Minecraft on a receipt printer—I find it great for morale as a hardware enthusiast. And a lover of doing dumb, harmless things for entertainment. That drive is pretty tiny.Mark Hachman / Foundry Long live emoticons: I’m in the minority of folks who still use emoticons, rather than emoji, for conversations. Reading up on emoticon history (as cataloged by former PCWorld contributor Benj Edwards) put a real smile on my face. It was simpler times then. Though humans were still very human. Am I old now? No, it’s the children who are wrong: I identified strongly with this rant from my colleague Mark Hachman, about the physical size of modern external SSDs. (I have too many things to track these days…) So…Year of Linux for real? According to the Zorin OS developers, the latest release of their distro hit an all-time high of 1 million downloads in just five weeks. Steve benchmarked a bunch of Linux games, btw: Our friend Steve Burke & team over at Gamers Nexus dove deep into Linux gaming performance. If you’ve been curious about how a switch off Windows would go, definitely check out this video. Microsoft’s new ugly holiday sweaters are kind of… cute? Except that Zune one. Burn it with fire. Also, it’s a no for me on the Copilot logo mixed in with ’90s nostalgia. And the Xbox one is okay only if you’re a huge brand fanatic. …Okay, yeah, let’s just skip all of these. An expensive slice of Pi: Sadly, RAM pricing affects our favorite budget single-board computer, too. Oh no: I don’t want Google Gemini on my phone. I also rely heavily on Google Assistant to set reminders for me. If this goes beyond just Android Auto, March 2026 may be the month where everyone finds out just how truly bad I am at keeping track of things on my own. ð?? Yep, that’s Minecraft on a receipt printout.smilly (YouTube) / Tom’s Hardware Playing Minecraft on a receipt printer is a thing? Well, it was for a YouTuber who decided to give a go. Very entertaining concept. Almost as good as playing games with bananas or pomegranates. Friends laughed at my living room PC. But who’s laughing now? I mean, really no one, because Netflix killing casting support is just a crappy bit of news. But I do feel vindicated about the little buddy attached to my TV. My kind of ethical hacking: Organizers at Kawaiicon in New Zealand built a system to monitor CO2 levels in the air, as a proxy for viral infection risk. Pretty dang neat bit of hacking. (It’s a hacker conference though, so I guess the digital kind went wild and free, for science and fun.) (Yes, a hacker con, not an anime con.) (No, I did not expect that either.) On the topic of privacy: Proton just released an Excel alternative for its users. In combination with its Word alternative (Proton Docs), it’s now a possible viable alternative to Google’s free webapps. Time to roll up my sleeves and give it a spin, for the sake of reporting. Japan invents ‘human washing machine’: But fails to consider what will not get washed if a human sits in a recliner the whole time while being (gently) hosed down. (Ew.) I expected more from the land that gave us high-tech bidets. Uh oh. Cherry is having big financial problems: To stay afloat, parts of their business will be sold—and production of their well-known switches will shift from Germany to China and Slovakia. Feels like the Cherry we knew will not be the one that survives. RAM is so expensive, Samsung won’t even sell it to Samsung: My colleague Mike Crider has a way with headlines—and this one’s so good I had to include it here, even though everyone’s saturated with memory-related news. It is quite the sign of the times.  I have a dilemma: As mentioned on the show, I have an insufficient quantity of holiday sweaters for our December episodes. Should go with a classy holiday sweater to round out my collection? Or should I lean even harder into the ugly holiday sweater theme? Decisions, decisions. Catch you all next week! ~Alaina This newsletter is dedicated to the memory of Gordon Mah Ung, founder and host of The Full Nerd, and executive editor of hardware at PCWorld. Read...