Internet Newslinks - Page: 4
| PC World - 15 May (PC World)Do you need a laptop on the cheap, and aren’t particularly married to Windows? Then a Chromebook is the way to get the best bang for your buck. While the OS is still heavily dependent upon the web — it’s built around a browser, after all — that’s gonna cover most people 90 percent of the time. Today Best Buy is selling a variety of new Chromebooks for as little as $149.
Nine models are on sale at the moment. If you need one for as little scratch as possible, then the Asus Chromebook CM14 should be your first port of call. This 14-inch model is powered by a MediaTek Arm processor with just 4GB of memory, so it might chug a bit if you throw dozens of tabs at it. But with a 1080p screen and a power-sipping setup, it should let you browse for the better part of a day at least. And at $149 flat, a full 50 percent off the sticker price, it’s an undeniable bargain.
If you’re looking for something a little more flexible, then the Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 3 deserves a look. This is actually an 11-inch tablet, with a built-in kickstand cover and fold-down keyboard, making it a Surface-style convertible on the cheap. It’s also far more flexible than an Android tablet at the same price thanks to Chrome’s more powerful web browsing. It’s $100 off at the moment, down to $279.
But if I had to pick one of the lot, I’d go with the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2. It’s more than half off the sticker price, down to $329 from $700, and it’s easily the best-looking laptop of the bunch with its hot rod red finish. You’re also getting some more beefy specs with an Intel Core i3 processor and 8GB of RAM. That should be able to handle pretty much everything you can throw at it, including some games on its 13.3-inch touchscreen with a dual hinge.
Check out Best Buy`s Chromebook sale
Chromebooks Read...Newslink ©2024 to PC World | |
| | | PC World - 15 May (PC World)Ransomware has gone corporate. These attacks, which hold files and PCs hostage until there’s a payout, may seem savage but behind the scenes, it’s civilized. The hackers have days that look a lot like any paper pusher’s — bosses to report to, tickets to track. And accordingly, the major organizations behind this kind of malware have refocused their attention. It’s not individuals they’re primarily focused on.
You and I just don’t have enough money for them. However, for a multitude of mom-and-pop scammers, we do.
That point became clear during the 2024 RSA Conference in San Francisco, where members of Microsoft’s security teams spoke with the press on cybersecurity topics, including the most current threats to everyday people. While you could still get caught up in a ransomware campaign, the main targets nowadays are companies big enough to pay multimillions but too small to have robust IT security teams.
Instead, Sherrod DeGrippo, director of threat intelligence strategy at Microsoft, says you should watch most for seemingly innocuous tricks that play on your emotions: romance schemes, influencer scams, banking hoaxes, and other such deviousness.
Romance scams, for example, involve gaining someone’s trust and affection, and then using the relationship to start asking for money.
Influencer scams twist people’s legitimate desire to earn a living into fronting money for opportunities that never pan out — and potentially expose the victims to identity theft if tax identification numbers and other personal details are shared.
Scams can appear in all forms, and across many types of digital devices.
Scams can appear in all forms, and across many types of digital devices.Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
Scams can appear in all forms, and across many types of digital devices.Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
Banking scams prey on the fear of losing something important. Similar scams might focus instead on more immaterial losses, like your reputation. (Scams about keeping your secrets or your child out of trouble run in this same vein.)
Many of these scams aren’t new — even those that seem to be are just riffs on long-standing attacks, like the influencer ruses. And they’re still prevalent, rather than having gone away.
So what can you do? Stay alert, for starters. Besides these timeless scams, be on the lookout for seasonal ones, too. Microsoft says it anticipates a rise in scams related to the Olympics and elections as those events draw closer, and you can count on recurring periods like tax season in the U.S. to spawn fresh rounds of scam attempts. Vet your email and messages carefully, and if something feels urgent, get an outside opinion before acting on the situation.
(This piece of advice should be particularly familiar to us chronic overthinkers. Except you finally get to make productive use of your mistrust of everything.)
affordable Independent antivirus software
AVG Internet Security
Read our review
You should also keep your antivirus software up to date. So long as you’re not actively trying to click on bad links, run dodgy apps, or browse sites of dubious origin, it should keep you safe from malware looking to con you, as well as ransomware and other threats. (Remember, just because you’re not a target, doesn’t mean you can’t get caught up in a malware campaign as collateral damage.)
Between these two approaches, you should be able to get through all the dangers online relatively unscathed.
Antivirus, Security Software and Services Read...Newslink ©2024 to PC World | |
| | | PC World - 15 May (PC World)At a glanceExpert`s Rating
ProsClean, uncluttered interfaceExcellent antivirus protectionWell-priced for its feature setConsFull scans affect PC performance when using Microsoft Office appsNo included password managerOur VerdictAvast One expands upon the company’s free security suite, with upgraded defenses against online threats and additional features. You don’t get just excellent antivirus protection, but tools to safeguard your identity and privacy (including a VPN with unlimited bandwidth), as well as tune up your PC. While it lacks a password manager and parental controls, if you’re all set on those fronts, this app’s polish is hard to beat.
You could let Windows protect your PC — it does already shield against online threats. But independent antivirus software like Avast One is better at catching viruses and malware, and wins on user friendliness, too.
Avast actually has two lines of paid products, both powered by the same antivirus engine. They have similarly clean interfaces, too. But the Avast One line focuses on identity and privacy concerns, making it arguably the better choice for most people. Life is largely conducted online these days, and staying safe is more than just thwarting malware and exploits. Phishing schemes and personal information leaked in data breaches can weaken your security, too.
Avast One lets you stay on top of these issues, which are currently unavoidable in modern life, and does so with polish.
Further reading: See our roundup of the best antivirus software for Windows to learn about competing products.
What does Avast One include?
Avast One enhances the already wide protection against online threats available in the free Essentials plan — it both upgrades existing defenses and adds new ones to the set, too.
The fundamentals include the company’s top-notch antivirus and firewall, which block malware, ransomware, malicious websites and downloads, and network intrusions. The suite also monitors for vulnerable networks, compromised applications, attempts at unauthorized access to the saved passwords in your browser, and appearances of your data on the dark web. And you get PC utilities, too: a system optimizer and software updater.
PCWorld
PCWorld
PCWorld
Upgrading to Avast One unlocks safeguards against dangers like webcam takeovers; webmail messages containing malware and phishing attempts; shady apps hunting for sensitive data (like social security numbers) on your PC; and malicious redirects for websites you visit (aka DNS hijacking).
You get strengthened identity and privacy protections as well. For starters, dark web monitoring becomes continuous in the background. The VPN puts no restrictions on bandwidth or server usage, too, and online trackers get blocked. Avast One even ties these latter two features together in a “Private Mode” setting for your default browser’s incognito tabs. When enabled, a secure VPN connection and tracking prevention will automatically kick in whenever you start an incognito session.
As for PC utilities, you get three extras: a disk cleaner, driver updater, and duplicate file finder.
Avast One does not include a password manager or parental controls. You’ll have to look elsewhere for these services, as Avast doesn’t offer them at all.
How much does Avast One cost?
If you buy a license directly from Avast, you get a discounted rate for the first year, then the standard price afterward. Plans purchased through Avast come with a 30-day money-back guarantee and are automatically enrolled in auto-renewal.
Individual plan (5 devices)
$51 for the first year
$110 per year thereafter
Family plan (30 devices)
$70 for the first year
$150 per year thereafter
For more savings on Avast One plans, you can take advantage of a special offer for PCWorld readers, which drops the cost of the first year to $33 for 5 devices and $53 for 30 devices. You can also check out our article on discounted antivirus software that explains how to get deals through online stores like Newegg.
If you use our link, PCWorld readers get a special rate for Avast One plans on the Avast website.
If you use our link, PCWorld readers get a special rate for Avast One plans on the Avast website.PCWorld
If you use our link, PCWorld readers get a special rate for Avast One plans on the Avast website.PCWorld
PCWorld
You can install Avast One on PC, Android, macOS, and iOS devices. The Avast One Family plan also includes a Family Sharing feature — it allows you to invite other users with separate accounts to share in that bigger device limit.
Relative to Avast’s Premium Security plan, which has a similar number of features, you’ll pay less for Avast One in the first year (relative to the number of devices you have). However, Avast One is more expensive in subsequent years, when the cost rises to the full list price.
Key features of Avast One
Installation and user interface
After downloading Avast One from your online account dashboard and installing, you’ll see a screen asking to start a scan of your PC. You can choose to do so (which is recommended), or skip to access the app.
Avast One’s interface is light-themed, with a mix of cream, tan, and orange accents for its color theme. A simple navigation bar lives on the left side of the screen, giving quick access to the dashboard, features, notifications, and settings. The tabs aren’t labeled as clearly as in competing software — Account is where you’ll find settings and other app-related info, for example. But you can get oriented quickly, thanks to good descriptions within each section of the software.
The Avast One dashboard view.
The Avast One dashboard view.PCWorld
The Avast One dashboard view.PCWorld
PCWorld
Opening the app will show the Home screen, which is a dashboard that lets you run a scan, turn on the VPN, or run one of several utilities. You have just two options for scanning here, a smart scan and a deep scan. For others, you must head to the Scan Center within the Explore tab, which houses all Avast One features. There you’ll find options for Targeted Scan and Boot-Time Scan in addition to the smart and deep scan defaults. You can also create a custom scan. But unlike Avast’s Premium Security suite, Avast One’s scan settings are more limited. In fact, this difference is how the two products diverge — Avast One focuses on a simpler experience geared toward life online, while Premium Security prioritizes greater control over security on your PC.
Some users may not like the list format of the Explore tab. Though it groups the different settings by type (Device Protection, Online Privacy, Smooth Performance), those who like to see everything on a screen at once may find it frustrating to have to scroll. But each entry is labeled clearly and described well.
Surprisingly, Avast One’s attempt to upsell its more premium plans is a fairly discreet button at the top of the window, next to the minimize and exit buttons. It’s far more subtle than the approach taken by Avast’s sister company, AVG.
Virus, malware, and threat protection
Real-time protection
Avast One keeps continuous watch for real-time threats, both online and on your PC. When you browse the web, the software scans pages for malware and watches for attempts to redirect you to fake sites. The traffic going to and from your PC also get screened for suspicious activity, as do attempts to access passwords saved to your browser. If you choose to give Avast access to your webmail account (like Gmail), it will also monitor your email for phishing scams and malware.
On your PC, Avast One scans files you add or open, checks downloaded email in Microsoft Outlook or Mozilla Thunderbird for malicious attachments, and limits access to folders often target by ransomware (and any others you add to the list). It also allows only approved apps to use your webcam.
Avast One includes continuous dark web monitoring—an upgrade from the free plan, which only lets you manually check for your info in known breaches.
Avast One includes continuous dark web monitoring—an upgrade from the free plan, which only lets you manually check for your info in known breaches.PCWorld
Avast One includes continuous dark web monitoring—an upgrade from the free plan, which only lets you manually check for your info in known breaches.PCWorld
PCWorld
Avast One also tracks data breaches to see if any of your email addresses (up to five) have appeared in them. You’ll get notified whenever a match is found. Changing your password on that service or site — and any others where you might have also used it or a close variant — will be up to you to perform yourself, though. (Which is when a password manager comes in handy.)
Scheduled and manual scans
Unlike other antivirus software makers, Avast does not set up a default scheduled scan in a freshly installed app — and so Avast One lacks this feature out of the box (so to speak), too. It’s an odd move, since scheduled scans keep up the security of a PC with minimal user effort needed.
To get your PC on a regular scan schedule, you can click the Automated Smart Scan scheduling button in the Scan Center’s Scan Now tab. A smart scan checks for malware, vulnerabilities in your browser and apps, and other issues, in order to keep your PC clean overall.
Alternatively, you can create your own custom scan, which lets you pick from Deep Scan, Targeted Scan, or Quick Scan as your template. Deep scans dig thoroughly through your PC, while targeted scans examine specific files or folders. Quick scans look at commonly targeted and critical areas of your system. You can then further tweak a handful of advanced settings.
Avast One’s custom scan creation screen.
Avast One’s custom scan creation screen.PCWorld
Avast One’s custom scan creation screen.PCWorld
PCWorld
For both smart scan and custom scan scheduling, your options are to run the scan just once, daily, weekly, or monthly. Of the options, I recommend scheduling a quick scan or custom scan — they require no user input to complete. Smart scans ask for your input on findings for each portion of the scan before moving to the next piece.
If you prefer to manually run a scan, your options are Smart Scan, Deep Scan, Targeted Scan, Boot-Time Scan (which searches for any threats before Windows starts), and any of your custom scans. Unlike Avast’s Premium Security suite, you can only adjust your custom scan’s settings.
Firewall
Avast One’s firewall handles all traffic coming and going from your PC, completely replacing Windows own default protection. For most people, it will feel like an upgrade — the interface makes monitoring and controlling app access feel easy, rather than scary. You can clearly see which Windows programs and services are currently online and which have asked for access, as well as immediately block any suspicious items on the list.(Windows may have come a long way with its security suite, but dig into its firewall settings, and you’ll see a mix of interfaces from different eras—and most of them are not friendly to a non-technical audience.)
The default settings are adequate for most people, though Avast One doesn’t allow much customization. You can add new apps, block apps or devices, and change three settings (two of which are related to notifications). But that covers the basics sufficiently.
Ransomware Shield
A common protection against ransomware, which encrypts files so that the attacker can extort money from victims, is to limit software access to folders often targeted by such malware. Untrusted apps can’t change or delete files in those locations. So even if you accidentally install ransomware on your system, you get an extra layer of defense.
By default, Avast One protects select Windows folders from ransomware by limiting app access to them and certain file types within.
By default, Avast One protects select Windows folders from ransomware by limiting app access to them and certain file types within.
PCWorld
By default, Avast One protects select Windows folders from ransomware by limiting app access to them and certain file types within.
PCWorld
PCWorld
By default, Avast One monitors specific file types within your Documents, Pictures, Desktop, Videos, and Music folders, including documents, pictures, and videos. You can manually add more folders and file types (using file extensions like .tiff or .pdf) to the protected list. Well-known apps (e.g. Microsoft Word or Adobe Photoshop) automatically get access, but not any others.
For a stronger defense, you can change the settings to let only approved apps through, as well as wholesale protect all files within protected folders. But be aware these tighter restrictions can require intervention on your part to ensure apps like games still function normally.
Of course, for the best protection, you should still independently keep at least one current, offline copy of your files — like on an external drive you only connect to your PC when performing the backup. Your PC could fall to ransomware, but your data won’t be lost to you.
In addition to excellent malware protection, Avast One provides tools that simplify safeguarding your privacy and keeping your PC in tip-top shape
Additional features
Browser extensions
Avast One automatically screens and blocks malicious websites, but the optional Avast Online Security & Privacy extension can help you avoid clicking on bad links to begin with. Search results in Google and Bing get visual badges that indicate if a site is safe or not. They can be easy to miss at first, though, since the icons are smaller and more subtle.
The extension will also block trackers, several ad networks, and cookie permissions. In fact, it automatically requests only necessary cookies from sites. If you’re tired of pop-ups asking you for your cookie preferences, you’ll like the last feature. Having to manually install the extension becomes worth the effort.
Network Inspector
Avast One’s Network Inspector tool can be a good way to get verification that you’ve indeed done the basics to secure your home network.
Avast One’s Network Inspector tool can be a good way to get verification that you’ve indeed done the basics to secure your home network.PCWorld
Avast One’s Network Inspector tool can be a good way to get verification that you’ve indeed done the basics to secure your home network.PCWorld
PCWorld
Hopping onto a new network can expose you to vulnerabilities — an issue that Avast tries to solve with its Network Inspector feature. You run the scanner to look for potential threats lurking on the network you’re connected to, like DNS hijacking or a weak password on a router, or a vulnerable device.
This tool has limited utility, especially for public networks. To protect yourself on such connections, the answer is simple: Use the included VPN to maintain your security and privacy. For a private network that you trust (like the one you have at home), it can help you verify your router is configured with at least basic safeguards in place.
You can adjust the settings for automatic scanning and if devices are checked for weak passwords. You can also check to your connection history to see what networks you’ve recently used.
PC utilities (Disk Cleaner, Driver Updater, and Duplicate File Finder)
Avast One unlocks three additional utilities to help keep your PC running efficiently: Disk Cleaner, Driver Updater, and Duplicate File Finder.
Disk Cleaner and Driver Updater simplify tasks you can perform yourself in Windows. Disk Cleaner lets you dump temporary files, downloads, items in the Recycle Bin, broken shortcuts, and broken registry keys to free space on your PC. Driver Updater scans your PC for outdated drivers and handles updating any that are out of date.
Both have clean interfaces that are explained with clear, simple language, which is an improvement over poking around in Windows to do the same work. Disk Cleaner also lets you see exactly which temporary files are on the chopping block, and unselect specific categories to keep them around.
Avast One’s Disk Cleanup utility helps you purge temporary files from your PC — but its easy-to-use interface is a double-edged sword.
Avast One’s Disk Cleanup utility helps you purge temporary files from your PC — but its easy-to-use interface is a double-edged sword. PCWorld
Avast One’s Disk Cleanup utility helps you purge temporary files from your PC — but its easy-to-use interface is a double-edged sword. PCWorld
PCWorld
There’s just one downside to these two tools — how easy it is to use them. Disk Cleaner makes deleting elements from registry too quick and simple. Fiddling with your Windows registry can cause problems, so you should always understand what you’re changing; yet with Disk Cleaner, you can wipe parts of your registry without having to know where to dig and why. Similarly, updating a driver without knowing its source can also lead to later issues, though usually not as bad as a botched registry.
Happily, Duplicate File Finder gives no reason for concern. It performed surprisingly well in my light testing — the utility could tell the difference between files that were created separately but functionally the same, and actual copies with different names. Video files created as part of my Handbrake benchmarks are the same for real-world purposes, but the tool didn’t flag them. It did catch files I copied but renamed.
Sensitive Data Shield
Many people store files containing sensitive information on their computer, such as banking details, social security numbers, paycheck info, and even passwords — and that practice can become a liability if your computer is compromised.
(Side note: Storing passwords in a document on your PC is very insecure. Use a password manager with a database stored on your computer instead — it will encrypt the data and greatly strengthen your security.)
Avast tries to shield your PC from this threat with its Sensitive Data Shield feature. It scans your PC for documents for common types of private information, then restricts access to the list of the files found. Malicious apps won’t be able to discover and extract that data. You can manually flag additional files for protection, as well as allow or block specific apps.
The feature has limited effectiveness, though. The scanner doesn’t always catch every file with sensitive info — and it only looks for .pdf, .doc, .docx, .xls, and .xlsx files. You can’t manually add files of other types, either.
VPN
Accessing Avast One’s VPN is most easily done through the main dashboard, where you can instantly flip on a connection to the preselected server. You can also tap the tile to jump to the VPN Secure Connection screen, which lets you adjust a handful of settings.
Avast One gives more granular control over automatic connection of the VPN when compared to some rivals.
Avast One gives more granular control over automatic connection of the VPN when compared to some rivals.
PCWorld
Avast One gives more granular control over automatic connection of the VPN when compared to some rivals.
PCWorld
PCWorld
If you choose the latter option, you can turn the VPN on and off, select a specific server, and change the connection settings. The VPN can be configured to automatically activate in certain scenarios, like when on an untrusted network (e.g., public Wi-Fi), a banking website, streaming, or shopping. It also supports peer-to-peer connections.
Additionally, you can toggle whether Avast sends autoconnection notifications, kills all internet traffic if the VPN accidentally disconnects while active, and allows your PC to see local devices (like printers) when the VPN is on. The first two features are enabled by default, while the latter is disabled.
Avast offers servers in 37 countries, which span Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Turkey, UK, Ukraine, and the USA. You can choose a specific city for five countries (Australia, Canada, Germany, Spain, UK, and the USA).
Customer support
If you have questions about Avast One, you can use Avast’s support website or help forums to find answers. Customer service is also available by phone, email, or chat. The support website is the best place to start with for basic questions — there’s even a helpful user guide if you want to get properly acquainted with the software.
Updates and maintenance
Avast One automatically updates its virus definitions and the app itself in the background by default — you don’t have to check on it. However, you can change these settings so that you only get notified when updates are available, or go for complete manual control (not advisable). You can also manually check for updates in the app settings (Account > Settings > General).
Performance
Avast’s antivirus engine generally performs well in tests conducted by leading security research institutions. It detected 100 percent of the threats in AV-Test’s zero-day attack and malware evaluation for January and February 2024 (the most current as of this article’s publishing). All 15,362 samples for recently discovered and widespread malware and 278 samples for zero-day attacks were blocked.
AV-Comparatives / PCWorld
AV-Comparatives / PCWorld
AV-Comparatives / PCWorld
In AV-Comparatives’ real-world protection test for February and March 2024, Avast also blocked 100 percent of the 246 test cases, with just 5 false positives. Its engine should notice and catch malicious web links, exploits (like drive-by downloads), and URLs that direct you to malware.
Avast also performed almost as well in AV-Comparatives’ March 2024 malware protection test, with a strong 99.95 percent online protection and 98.8 percent online detection rate. Its offline detection rate was just a bit lower than the top performers, coming in at 95.6 percent—though that’s still notably higher than the actual low performers of the group. (Quick Heal sits at the bottom with a 44.6 percent offline detection rate.) It also had ten false positives, which was on the moderately lower side.
For more sophisticated, targeted threats, Avast still has room to improve. It caught 11 of the 15 test cases in AV-Comparatives’ November 2023 Advanced Threat Protection Test, which involves threats like fileless attacks and malicious scripts. However, Avast caught test cases that higher performing rivals missed, suggesting that antivirus vendors are all still strengthening their protection in this area.
AV-Comparatives / PCWorld
AV-Comparatives / PCWorld
AV-Comparatives / PCWorld
In daily use, expect Avast to have minimal impact on system resources during most typical tasks, especially when left idle in the background. When I ran PCMark 10’s Extended benchmark, which simulates web browsing, video chatting, gaming, and image and document editing in free, open-source apps, the scores remained the same as before installing Avast One. The software also had little effect on our Handbrake encoding test, which transforms a large, uncompressed video file into a smaller, compressed version. When running a deep scan continuously in the background, performance dipped by about 10 percent for both benchmarks — a modest amount compared to competitors.
The one exception to this behavior is when working on Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint documents. Avast was aggressive during in its scans when I ran UL Procyon’s Office Productivity benchmark, which focuses on Microsoft Office use. When Avast One was idle in the background, scores dropped by about 11 percent when idle. They fell by 25 percent when a deep scan was run continuously.
In the real world, these results suggest heavy Microsoft Office users on slower PCs should be strategic about the timing of scans. A full system scan scheduled for off-hours (like when you’re asleep) won’t interfere with getting work done. During active hours, you could see some performance effects when in Office apps, but not as notably.
Should you buy Avast One?
Avast One provides strong, broad defense against online threats, with features that make an upgrade from the free version (or Microsoft Defender) worthwhile. In addition to excellent malware protection, it provides tools that simplify safeguarding your privacy and keeping your PC in tip-top shape — and the interface for managing everything is clean and simple, to boot. This security suite does lack a password manager and parental controls, but if you’re set on those fronts, this app’s polish is hard to beat.
Editor’s note: Because online services are often iterative, gaining new features and performance improvements over time, this review is subject to change in order to accurately reflect the current state of the service. We’ve most recently updated it to include up-to-date protection result details.
Antivirus, Security Software and Services Read...Newslink ©2024 to PC World | |
| | | PC World - 14 May (PC World)Laptop sticker prices don’t really matter. Yes, obviously the price you pay for a laptop matters, but a laptop’s “manufacturer-suggested retail price” (MSRP) isn’t something you should focus on when picking your next laptop.
If you’re buying a laptop, you’ll get the most value from focusing on sales. Let’s say you have $1200 to spend on a gaming laptop. The best gaming laptop for your dollar might not be a $1200 laptop at all — it might be a $1600 laptop that’s currently $500 off.
In fact, the best value may be snatching up last year’s laptop on a clearance sale. Laptop hardware isn’t advancing very quickly year over year. A laptop from last year might be roughly as good as one from this year — and half off, too.
Further reading: Today’s best laptop deals: Save big on work, school, home use, and gaming
Why manufacturer-set laptop prices don’t really matter
Michael Crider/Foundry
Michael Crider/Foundry
Michael Crider/Foundry
We review a lot of great laptops here at PCWorld. Often, I find myself wanting to write something like “This laptop is a tad expensive, but if you can find it at a good price, it’s an excellent piece of hardware.”
This happens frequently with gaming laptops, but it applies to all laptops. When reviewing a laptop, I must evaluate its manufacturer-set retail price against other similarly priced laptops. I may give a laptop a thumbs up for being a good value compared to the competition at its manufacturer-set price.
As I do it, I often cast an eye at PCWorld’s laptop deals page and notice that the best deal is a laptop with similar hardware that’s on sale for hundreds of dollars off. It’s not fair to say a particular laptop isn’t a good value just because a competing laptop happens to be on sale at the moment I’m writing the review, but it happens frequently.
If you’re buying a laptop, you’ll get the best value by shopping the sales. Don’t buy a laptop just because it’s on sale — look at the reviews for a laptop that’s on sale so you’re sure you’ll be happy with it. But you’ll find the best value by starting with the sales.
Laptops are constantly going on big sales
The ThinkPad X1 Carbon is a nice high-end laptop. Lenovo has sold last year’s model for $1000 off.
The ThinkPad X1 Carbon is a nice high-end laptop. Lenovo has sold last year’s model for $1000 off.Chris Hoffman/IDG
The ThinkPad X1 Carbon is a nice high-end laptop. Lenovo has sold last year’s model for $1000 off.Chris Hoffman/IDG
Chris Hoffman/IDG
Laptop sales are common — and frequent. You don’t have to wait for the big Black Friday or back-to-school sales events. (Although, if you are shopping for a laptop around those events, you may want to wait for them — you’ll find more laptops than usual on sale when big events like those arrive.)
But even if you’re looking for a new laptop this week, there’s a good chance you’ll find lots of great options on sale right now. Manufacturers are constantly putting laptops on sale to stand out in the market and to free up space for new models.
And these sales can be huge. Gaming laptops frequently go on sale for $500 or more off. Laptops from last year that often offer very similar performance to this year’s laptops may be on sale for 50 percent off on clearance events.
For example, Lenovo’s ThinkPad X1 Carbon is a great laptop with excellent build quality and an awesome keyboard. But at over $2000, it’s rather pricy. As I write this, Lenovo has the previous-generation ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 model for $1007 off. At $1391, it’s a serious value if you’re looking for a high-end, rugged, ultraportable business laptop.
That sale may be expired when you’re reading this, but there may be another amazing laptop we like for $1000 off right now. Check out our favorite laptop deals (where our ThinkPad X1 Carbon example came from!) to learn more.
Even just-released laptops might already be on sale
HP Omen Transcend 14
Read our review
In fact, some laptops seem to be almost permanently available at a discount on certain manufacturers’ websites. A laptop may launch with an official $1400 MSRP but be available at a “promotional” price of $1200 on the laptop manufacturer’s online store — complete with the $1400 proudly crossed out and a “$200 off” sale tag.
If your budget is $1200, there’s no sense writing off that laptop just because it technically has a $1400 MSRP. It might almost always sell for $1200!
Laptops may even already be on big sales close to their release dates. When I reviewed the HP Omen Transcend 14 laptop around its launch date earlier this year, it was already on sale for $300 off. Maybe you thought $1499 was too much for that laptop. But there’s no sense focusing on that retail price: Even if you have bought one around launch, you could have spent $1199. If you’re keeping an eye on sales, you may not even have to wait for a newly released laptop to be available at a discount.
Last year’s laptop models on clearance sales are an amazing deal
Here’s another fact that PC manufacturers often don’t trumpet: This year’s laptop model and last year’s laptop model are often extremely similar. This year’s version might be a little bit faster — maybe.
That’s because PC hardware isn’t advancing by leaps and bounds each year.
our favorite gaming laptop under $1000 uses parts from 2023
Asus TUF Gaming A16 Advantage Edition
Read our review
Take CPUs, for example. Intel launched Meteor Lake Core Ultra CPUs in late 2023. They’re more focused on efficiency, battery life, and AI. They perform similarly to last year’s 13th-generation Raptor Lake CPUs. Many laptops that aren’t focused on battery life — like gaming laptops — are actually using 14th-generation Core HX chips that perform very similarly to the 13th-generation hardware.
The one advantage you get with a Core Ultra-powered CPU is the neural processing unit (NPU) for accelerating AI PC tasks, but how much that actually matters is unclear — we’ll have to see what Microsoft announces and delivers later this year. Right now, it doesn’t add much.
Let’s talk about graphics hardware: The latest gaming laptops with Nvidia GPUs have Nvidia GeForce RTX 40-series GPUs (the GeForce RTX 4050, 4060, 4070, 4080, and 4090.) Those are state-of-the-art graphics processors in early 2024-era gaming laptops. 2023-era gaming laptops have the exact same GPUs — the 40-series mobile GPUs came out in early 2023 and Nvidia hasn’t announced anything new.
In other words, if you’re buying a gaming laptop, a gaming laptop that came out in early 2023 might have almost the same hardware as a gaming laptop that launched in early 2024 — a very similar CPU and the same selection of GPUs. If you can find a very similar gaming laptop from last year at a big discount compared to this year’s model, why wouldn’t you buy it instead?
Of course, it’s worth focusing on other things as well — the laptop’s display, keyboard, storage, and other factors. That’s why you should check reviews before buying a laptop. But a laptop from last year might even have a nicer display than a laptop from this year. Don’t dismiss it just because it’s technically a year older.
How to find the best laptop sales
Anyron Copeman / Foundry
Anyron Copeman / Foundry
Anyron Copeman / Foundry
PCWorld’s list of laptop deals is the perfect place to find excellent laptop sales. We’re scouring the web for deals every weekday and sharing the ones we think are the best.
Our page isn’t just updated frequently — we also only list laptops we like and recommend, complete with a description of what we like about each laptop. Whether you’re looking to spend a few hundred bucks on an inexpensive laptop for web browsing, you want a sleek ultraportable, or you’re trying to get the most gaming performance for your dollar, it’s the perfect place to start your laptop shopping.
Of course, you don’t have to start with our deals page. But if you go elsewhere, be sure to do some research — we’re only trying to recommend the best deals on laptops we think are worth buying. Other sites — especially online stores — may push sales on laptops that are not all that great.
As I write this, our laptop deals page has a high-end ThinkPad ultraportable at $1007 off, gaming laptops for as much as $700 off, and a capable lightweight laptop for $600 off. It also has inexpensive laptops for everyday tasks at nearly $200 off, bringing them to around the $249 mark.
Who knows which laptops will be on sale by the time you read this? Check out PCWorld’s list of the best laptop deals to see what’s available right now.
Want more PC advice? Subscribe to my free Windows Intelligence newsletter to get all the latest tips, tricks, and news sent straight to your email inbox.
Laptops Read...Newslink ©2024 to PC World | |
| | | - 14 May ()Firstmac customers are being warned they may need to replace their identity documents after copies of them were stolen by a ransomware gang. Read...Newslink ©2024 to | |
| | | CNet News - 14 May (CNet News)You might be able to tap into that glorious 5G service on your mobile device, but getting it at your house is not so simple. Let`s unravel the mystery. Read...Newslink ©2024 to CNet News | |
| | | PC World - 14 May (PC World)OpenAI is bringing a new AI model, GPT-4o, to ChatGPT, the company said Monday. The idea is to bring “GPT-4”-class chat to the OpenAI app, and for free to all OpenAI users.
OpenAI will accompany the launch of the GPT-4o model with a new Mac app that will showcase the capabilities of the new model, which can now “see” the world around it. A Windows app will debut later on. The GPT-4o model can now “see,” as well, via vision capabilities that include desktop screenshots as well as the ability to upload video and screenshots from a mobile app — again, just an iPhone app for now.
Perhaps the most intriguing thing about the new ChatGPT app with GPT-4o, however, is that the model now seems far more human in both tone and intonation. For one thing, the model is “real time,” which means that you don’t have to wait for it to complete its statement before you can jump in and cut it off. The speech synthesis can even harmonize its voices, as well as provide what we could consider to be “normal” conversational interactions, translations, and more. Normal conversations will now have GPT-4 levels of sophistication across the board.
Consider this GPT-4o demonstration, which now incorporates teenager-level sarcasm on demand, below. Consider this a demonstration, however: GPT-4o’s new audio and video capabilities are coming in the future, OpenAI said. (You can still “talk” to ChatGPT via the mic app on the Web version of ChatGPT.)
Source: YouTube/OpenAI
Free users will be able to use the new GPT-4o model with their ChatGPT account, but there will be a rate limit. The GPT-4o model supports Web browsing, memory (so that the model will understand the context of what you’re asking, in terms of earlier conversations), and the GPT Store.
“There will be a limit on the number of messages that free users can send with GPT-4o depending on usage and demand,” OpenAI said. “When the limit is reached, ChatGPT will automatically switch to GPT-3.5 so users can continue their conversations.”
For more of the demonstrations surrounding GPT-4o, I’d recommend that you watch the demonstration portion of the announcement livestream, below.
OpenAI execs positioned the new announcement as bringing GPT-4 to users for free, and that’s true in terms of what OpenAI offers. Microsoft, however, offers GPT-4 capabilities within Windows’s Copilot AI, including the ability to toggle GPT-4 on inside the mobile app.
Google, not to be outdone, also showed off its own vision capabilities within Gemini.
One more day until #GoogleIO! We’re feeling ??. See you tomorrow for the latest news about AI, Search and more. pic.twitter.com/QiS1G8GBf9— Google (@Google) May 13, 2024
Google’s own developer conference, Google I/O, starts Tuesday.
Personal Software Read...Newslink ©2024 to PC World | |
| | | CNet News - 14 May (CNet News)Learn all about shared hosting and how it works to determine if it`s the right web hosting solution for your website. Read...Newslink ©2024 to CNet News | |
| | | PC World - 13 May (PC World)You don’t have to spend a lot of money for online security tools. In fact, you don’t have to spend a single cent to stay secure. There are a lot of great security tools that we recommend — features built into Windows, trustworthy free downloads, and protection practices that won’t cost you anything at all.
We do recommend a variety of premium antivirus software, password managers, VPN services, and Windows backup tools. But you don’t need any paid offerings to stay safe online — you can get all the security you need for free.
Protect your PC with a free antivirus
Antivirus software is an essential security tool on any PC. Even if you’re careful, applications you trust could have security flaws that open your PC to attack. Malware could get onto your PC due to a flaw in your web browser or even a developer’s account falling prey to criminals on a platform like Steam.
If you’re using a modern Windows PC running Windows 10 or Windows 11, good news: You already have an antivirus program installed, even if you’ve never thought about it. It’s called Microsoft Defender and is part of the Windows Security suite of software. It works well as baseline protection, but it’s not particularly feature-packed. Still, it’s nice that it doesn’t try to upsell you to a paid antivirus tool.
Chris Hoffman/IDG
Chris Hoffman/IDG
Chris Hoffman/IDG
Want to try a different antivirus? We can recommend quite a few other high-quality free antivirus programs, including Avast Free Antivirus. Paid antivirus suites pack in additional features — they may bundle their own password manager, VPN, and even backup tools — but free antivirus programs will scan your PC for malware in the background and keep it safe.
You don’t have to pay for capable antivirus software. That’s an antivirus myth.
Store your passwords in a free password manager
We often recommend premium password managers that cost money, and those paid password managers often have more polished interfaces. But you can get a free, high-quality, secure password manager so you can generate, store, and access all your passwords on all your devices.
Our top choice for a free password manager is Bitwarden. It’s not just free — it’s open-source. You get browser extensions for all popular browsers, apps for everything from Windows PCs and Android phones to Linux systems and iPhones, cloud syncing, sharing with one other person, and two-step authentication to protect your passwords — all for free.
the best free password manager
Bitwarden
Read our review
Best Prices Today:
Free at Bitwarden
Bitwarden’s Premium plan adds some nice-to-have features like file attachments, emergency access to your account, and security reports — but they’re not essential, and they’re just $10 a year if you decide you want them in the future.
There are other options, too. KeePassXC is free, open-source, and a very traditional experience. It stores your password database locally on your own device so there’s no cloud syncing. It’s not what we’d recommend to most people, but some people will prefer this type of thing.
Also, web browsers now often have solid password managers built in — and they’re free. For example, Google Chrome has a capable password manager that doesn’t require installing any extra software. If it feels right to you, you shouldn’t feel bad about using your web browser’s password manager.
Use a free two-factor authentication app
Two-factor authentication, also known as two-step authentication, is an important tool for keeping your accounts safe — even if you use a password manager. If an attacker gets your password somehow, they still won’t be able to sign in with your two-factor authentication code.
Paid password managers often have built-in code generators as a convenience feature. But you don’t need that kind of feature built into your password manager of choice.
To generate app-based 2FA codes, you can use an app like Google Authenticator, which is our favorite 2FA authentication app. It’s completely free and available for both Android phones and iPhones. Just use it when setting up two-factor authentication with your accounts.
Activate free ransomware protection on your PC
Ransomware is one of the most dangerous threats out there. While you can get expensive tools that promise ransomware protection, you can also turn on the ransomware protection built into Windows.
get windows 11 pro for cheap
Windows 11 Pro
This feature may be a little annoying to use. You’ll have to go out of your way to allow apps access to locations like your Documents folder when they need it. That’s the tradeoff you make if you want to control which apps have access to these sensitive locations.
Of course, your antivirus already protects against known ransomware — but antivirus software isn’t perfect.
Back up your files with free tools
Backups are a critical part of any online security strategy. They won’t just protect you if ransomware locks up your files or malware takes over your PC and you have to wipe it — they’ll protect your important data if you lose your laptop or your PC stops working for whatever reason.
While there’s a lot of paid backup software we like — and cloud backup tools that automatically back up to a remote server — there are lots of good free backup tools, too.
the best free backup software
Softland FBackup 9
Read our review
Best Prices Today:
Free at Softland
We recommend Fbackup 9 as our favorite free backup tool here at PCWorld, and you can also use the File History feature built into Windows 10 and Windows 11. You’ll just need a location to back up to — an external hard drive, for example, or a network share on a network attached storage (NAS) device.
If you’re looking to get some peace of mind from cloud backups, you can also use the OneDrive storage Microsoft provides for free — you get 5GB of storage for free with every Microsoft account. Additionally, if you pay for a Microsoft 365 subscription, you get a whopping 1TB of storage you can store files in.
Chris Hoffman/IDG
Chris Hoffman/IDG
Chris Hoffman/IDG
Keep an eye out for phishing and other scams
People always say that “the best things in life are free.” Likewise, the best ways to beat phishing and other scams are also free.
Yes, you can pay for security suites that provide phishing protection, attempting to warn you when you visit scam websites and see phishing emails. But you already have a lot of these protections: Your web browser has built-in protection against phishing websites, for example, and the email service you use attempts to file away all the phishing emails you can into your spam folder so you never see them.
Be sure to watch out for scams and avoid clicking links in suspicious emails. If your boss contacts you via text and asks for a pile of gift cards on the company card, be suspicious! Don’t provide sensitive personal details to anything that isn’t trustworthy.
A password manager can help you avoid phishing sites, too: If you always use a password manager to enter your online banking password, for example, you’ll know something is up if you somehow end up on a phishing website impersonating your bank’s website. Your password manager won’t auto-fill those details on an imposter website.
Pick the right free VPN (if you need a VPN)
VPNs aren’t the ultimate, one-step solution to online security — despite some of the marketing you may see online. Still, they can provide some extra privacy and are useful in certain situations. For example, public Wi-Fi isn’t as dangerous as it once was, but you may still want a VPN for public Wi-Fi networks that you don’t fully trust.
the best free vpn we`ve tested
Windscribe Pro
Read our review
Free VPNs are easy to find, but you shouldn’t trust most of them. Free VPNs have drawbacks. Many free VPNs may sell your data or do other sketchy things to pay the bills. Even the best free VPNs may not provide enough bandwidth to stream another country’s Netflix library, for example. Or, they may limit you to a certain amount of data each month. Still, they should be great for using public Wi-Fi in a pinch.
We’ve got a list of free VPNs PCWorld trusts. You don’t have to pay to use a decent VPN, but be sure to pick a trustworthy one.
All the most important security tools are free
The complete package of useful security tools we recommend above are all available for a grand total of zero dollars and zero cents.
Of course, you can spend money on security software if you like! The premium applications we recommend often have extra features, sleeker interfaces, and other goodies. But you can get a complete layer of online protection without shelling out a single cent.
Antivirus, Security Software and Services, VPN Read...Newslink ©2024 to PC World | |
| | | BBCWorld - 13 May (BBCWorld)The Scottish singer has spoken of her experience of online abuse as part of a new BBC campaign. Read...Newslink ©2024 to BBCWorld | |
| | |
|
|
| Top Stories |
RUGBY
Former Chiefs and Bay of Plenty first-five Glen Jackson will be the next head coach of the Fijian Drua Super Rugby side More...
|
BUSINESS
Hopes a new boss will bring fresh energy to the struggling Warehouse Group More...
|
|
| Today's News |
| News Search |
|
|