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Latest by M. Smith

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Touch review corner closeup

Which laptop has the best battery life of them all?

Whether it's a gaming laptop, or an Ultrabook, your notebook is useless if it don't has any juice. Here are the laptops that last the longest on a charge.
Wired v wireless ethernet cables

Wi-Fi vs. Ethernet: Has wireless killed wired?

Wi-Fi routers have become a home appliance. Does that mean Ethernet's time has passed, or are there still reasons to deal with wires?
HP Envy 23xt Beats Special Edition review front screen

HP ENVY 23xt Beats Special Edition review

The HP Envy Beats all-in-one PC wears a bold design, and supplements it with speakers that will rock your house.
Quiet Computer how to computer fans

How to make your PC quieter

Is your computer's fan noise driving you mad? Does your graphics card bellow like an ogre? We get it. Here's how to make your PC quieter.
computer components build your own pc

Should you build your next PC?

Building your own computer can help you learn about PCs, get exactly what you want, and sometimes even save money. But it can also be an impractical, expensive nightmare for the wrong person. Here's how to find out which side you fall on.
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Want to overclock your notebook CPU? Intel will let you by the end of the year

Intel plans to introduce an unlocked "K" series mobile chip, the first mobile CPU ever produced by the company to explicitly enable overclocking.
intel and micron announce 3d xpoint an entirely new type of pc memory wafer close up

3D XPoint memory is up to 1,000 times quicker than current solid state drives

Intel and Micron have announced an all-new memory technology called 3D XPoint. It promises performance up to 1,000 greater than current solid state drives.
Intel Frost Canyon NUC

Intel Frost Canyon NUC (NUC 10i7FNHAA) review: Big win for creators

Intel's new Frost Canyon NUC (NUC 10i7FNHAA) pairs a 10th-gen Core i7 processor with a tiny PC puck design. The result is an excellent mini-PC for creators.
Moto G Power display

Motorola Moto G Power review: Heavyweight battery life

Motorola's Moto G Power packs a massive 5,000mAh battery despite its meager $250 price tag, but that massive battery makes the phone heavy and awkward to use.
Lenovo Yoga 910 review

Lenovo Yoga 910 review

The 2-in-1 market is big this holiday season, but laptops that are also tablets haven’t always proven the best choice. Lenovo’s new Yoga 910 takes a different tactic. Rather than try to be all things to all people, it focuses on power users first.
LG 32UD99-W review full

What PC hardware do you need for 4K games and movies?

4K games look great, but what exactly is necessary to power 4K games? We break down all of the hardware you need to play games and watch movies at 4K.
Phil Spencer on stage

Microsoft just low-key announced the first true ‘Netflix for games’

Some cloud gaming services have been hyped as Netflix for games but failed to deliver. Microsoft is different, and will bundle xCloud with Game Pass Ultimate.
Halo: Infinite

Halo: Infinite isn’t a stunner, but it’s exactly what the Xbox Series X needs

The gameplay reveal of Halo: Infinite isn't a stunner, but its old-school gameplay is sure to lure in Halo purists and shooter fans craving a 4K/60 fps game.
dell ultrasharp 49 review inch monitor u4919dw 30008 feat

Dell Ultrasharp 49 review

Samsung’s ultrawide CHG90 opened the door for massive monitors last year, and now Dell is stepping through that door with its own gigantic screen. Dell’s Ultrasharp 49 looks similar to the Samsung at a glance, but it’s for a different audience. Our Ultrasharp 49 review breaks down the differences.
Microsoft Surface Hub 2

Microsoft reveals details of Surface Hub 2S, coming in June at $8,999

Microsoft's Surface Hub 2 isn't far from release but what will it actually be like? The first iteration, the Surface Hub 2S, will be a major upgrade in terms of software and hardware. But its sequel, the 2X, could be even more so, with the ability to connect several displays together for even more space.
lg 34wk95u w ultrawide monitor review feat

LG 34WK95U-W ultrawide monitor review

Want a 34-inch ultrawide? You have many options from Samsung, Dell, and HP. All of them are good. The LG 34WK95U-W beats them all, but there’s a big catch. Our LG 34WK95U-W examples the image quality of this top-tier monitor to help you decide if it’s worth the price.
google chromebook pixel front

Google Chromebook Pixel Review

The Chromebook Pixel is Google’s first stab at a physical product that doesn’t rely on value to justify its existence. From the jaw-dropping 2560 x 1700 display to the Core i5 processor, no corners have been cut. But can Chrome OS really support a system that starts at $1,300?

Acer C7 Chromebook Review

We recently reviewed Samsung’s $250 AMD Series 3 Chromebook. But Samsung has a lot of competition now that Acer’s $200 Intel Celeron C7 Chromebook is in the mix.
Lenovo Yoga 11e Chromebook

Lenovo Yoga 11e Chromebook review

The Yoga 11e has an excellent keyboard, and a fine display. These traits make it a surprisingly solid notebook.
iPhone SE 2020 Product Red

iPhone SE review: Everything you need at lightning speed

Apple's iPhone SE (2020) isn't the best iPhone, but it's enough for most people. Our in-depth review examines performance, camera quality, design, and more.
should you buy a ryzen laptop lenovothinkpade495 2

I bought a Ryzen laptop, and I liked it

Considering a laptop with AMD's Ryzen processor? Though not as popular as Intel's Core chips, the AMD alternative is worth a look. It offers performance and portability similar to Intel, often at a much lower price. An AMD laptop can be a good choice if you're on a budget.
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The Core i7-6700K restores faith in Intel processor overclocking

Intel’s new Core i7-6700K is a new chip, and it’s unlocked so enthusiasts can increase its clock speed. The result is a processor that’s easy to overclock.
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Intel Core i7-6700K (Skylake) review

Intel’s newest architecture, Skylake, is launching first as a pair of high-end desktop quads that specifically target enthusiasts. That they’ll provide strong performance is guaranteed, but are they quick enough to make upgrading worthwhile?
AMD A10 7870K review chip macro

AMD A10-7870K processor review

Intel’s processors are extremely quick, but they still pack lackluster integrated graphics. AMD’s A10-7870K quad-core tries to exploit that weakness with a capable, built-in Radeon GPU, but can it really handle modern games?
origin teases powerful customizable omega living room pc steambox 3 frontoffset 2

Origin Omega home theater desktop review

Gaming PCs that target the living room have attempted a resurgence in recent years, but UI issues and limited performance have eliminated many contenders. Can Origin’s high-horsepower Omega change the game?
dell inspiron 13 7000 special edition 2 in 1 review inspirion in1 2015 hero1

Dell Inspiron 13 7000 SE 2-in-1 review

Dell’s new Inspiron 7000 13 SE is a strong laptop on paper, but faces fundamental challenges that plague all 2-in-1 laptops. Can it overcome them, or does it remain a poor substitute for a real tablet?
AMD Radeon Fury X

AMD Radeon R9 Fury X review

AMD’s new video card, the Fury X, is more than a refresh. It uses a new form of video RAM, High Bandwidth Memory, that promises a massive leap in performance-per-watt. But is it enough to catch up with Nvidia’s intimidating GTX 980 Ti?
5 percent americans lack broadband laptop quad core processor feat

Dual core? That’s so 2005! Your next laptop should have a quad

Many buy a cheap laptop with a dual-core chip believing they'll enjoy better portability, but a quad's superior performance is often the better choice.
gaming laptops have come a long time but desktops still reign supreme asus rog g501jw ds71 hero

Asus ROG G501 review

The Asus G501 is a slim gaming notebook that goes toe-to-toe with the Razer Blade and Acer Aspire V15 Nitro Black Edition, but can a system this thin really play modern games at high detail?
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Microsoft Surface 3 review

Microsoft’s entry-level Surface has always played second fiddle to the supercharged Surface Pro, but the new Surface 3 runs full-blown Windows 8.1 just like its Pro sibling. Does that make it almost as capable, or does its budget hardware hold it back?
Samsung's ATIV Book 9

Why don’t laptops with Intel’s Core M processors run longer? We tested to find out

Intel's Core M promises efficiency beyond the standard Core line. Yet in reviews, notebooks with Core M inside don't necessarily offer record-breaking battery life. Why?

Three years of laptop battery life explored

You might think your three year old laptop is still modern, fast, and portable. But can it really compare to the endurance of modern, portable PC?
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Hands on: Project Spartan browser

Microsoft’s replacement for Internet Explorer is now available, but it Spartan isn’t as lean, mean and ready to fight as its name suggests.
Lenovo ThinkPad T450S in hand

Lenovo ThinkPad T450s review

While most notebooks fight to be the thinnest on the shelf, Lenovo’s stalwart ThinkPad T450s takes a more traditional approach. The result is a sturdy work laptop that may lure you away from newer, shinier rivals – if you can afford to pay up.