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| PC World - 11 Jul (PC World)With the deals ending at midnight Pacific, this is killer Prime Day flash drive deals. Everyone needs a great USB flash drive, and Prime Day is an excellent time to grab one for cheap.
Why listen to my recommendations? I’ve been a journalist for 19 years, with 13 of those years focused on consumer technology. I love sifting through deals and spend every day hunting down the very best sales on the very best tech. With Prime Day, I’m exercising those muscles to help you find the best USB thumb drives worth your money. These hand-curated recommendations take price, reviews, and brand reputation into consideration.
Best Prime Day deals on 64GB to 256GB flash drives
Samsung Fit Plus, 128GB, USB 3.1 — $15 (35% off, was $23)
SanDisk Ultra, 128GB, USB 3.0 — $12 (23% off, was $15.49)
Samsung Type-C, 128GB, USB 3.2 — $18 (22% off, was $23)
Lexar JumpDrive Dual, 128GB, USB 3.2 — $15.29 (30% off, was $22)
PNY Turbo Attache 3, 256GB, USB 3.0 — $15 (25% off, was $20)
Samsung Bar Plus, 256GB, USB 3.1 — $22 (45% off, was $40)
Kingston DataTraveler Kyson, 256GB, USB 3.2 — $26.61 (11% off, was $30)
PNY Elite-X Fit, 256GB, USB 3.1 — $23 (12% off, was $26)
Kingston Ironkey Locker+ 50, 32GB, USB 3.2, Encrypted — $26.59 (37% off, was $42)
Kindston Ironkey Keypad 200, 128GB, USB-C, USB 3.2, Encrypted — $150 (29% off, was $210)
SanDisk Ultra Dual Drive, 256GB, USB-A/USB-C, USB 3.1 — $23 (15% off, was $27)
The best deal of the lot is for the Samsung Bar Plus, where you can get 256GB of storage space for just $22. This is a super-fast flash drive that can reach up to 400 MB/s transfer speeds, comes with a rugged metal casing, and is even waterproof and shockproof. If you want a more affordable option, the Amazon Basics for $11 is a decent cheapie.
Best Prime Day deals on 512GB to 2TB flash drives
SanDisk Ultra Flair, 512GB, USB 3.0 — $37 (21% off, was $47)
Samsung Fit Plus, 512GB, USB 3.2 — $60 (25% off, was $80)
PNY Pro Elite V3, 512GB, USB 3.2 — $54 (11% off, was $61)
SanDisk Ultra Fit, 512GB, USB 3.2 — $36.53 (20% off, was $50)
SanDisk Ultra Dual Drive Go, 1TB, USB 3.2, both USB-A and USB-C connections — $65 (41% off, was $110)
SanDisk Extreme Pro, 1TB, USB 3.2 — $90 (38% off, was $145)
SanDisk Extreme Pro Dual, 512GB, USB 3.2 — $50 (29% off, was $70)
Kindston Ironkey Vault Privacy 50, 512GB, USB 3.2, Encrypted — $170 (31% off, was $245)
A superb pick off this list is the Ultra Dual Drive Go from SanDisk. This is a flash drive with both USB-C and USB-A connectors, thus it’s a lot more versatile. It can reach up to 400 MB/s read speeds, too!
Other great Prime Day deals
These aren’t the only Prime Day deals being tracked by the PCWorld team. If you’re looking to supercharge your home setup with the juiciest tech sales, hit the links for the best expert-curated picks we’ve found.
Best Amazon Prime Day tech deals: Great sales chosen by experts
Best Prime Day PC computer deals: Gaming & mainstream desktops
Best Prime Day laptop deals: Gaming notebooks, 2-in-1s, and more
Best Prime Day deals on SSDs and storage
Best USB flash drive deals for Prime Day 2025
Best monitor deals for Prime Day 2025: OLED, home office, and more
Best Prime Day deals on Thunderbolt docks and USB-C hubs
Best Prime Day mini PC deals: Big savings on tiny computers
Best Prime Day deals on battery chargers and power banks
Best Prime Day 2025 deals on Chromebooks
Best Prime Day deals on office chairs and standing desks
USB flash drive deals FAQs
1.
What capacity do I need in a USB flash drive?
This is a question that you need to answer yourself because it really depends on what you plan to use it for. If you’re only moving work documents around, a small capacity like 64GB will be fine. If you want to use a flash drive for backing up photos, videos, games, and other big files, then you might want to go 512GB or larger.
2.
What features should I prioritize when choosing a USB flash drive?
First of all, our recommendation is to look at the flash drive’s transfer speeds. To ensure you get fast read/write speeds, you should get a USB 3.0 or above. USB 2.x drives are sorely outdated.
Then, you have to make sure the flash drive can survive living in your pocket, getting crushed by your laptop, falling through your fingers, and so on. Aluminum casings will offer better protection in such cases.
If the flash drive offers 128-bit AES encryption or better, your data will also have some extra protection in case you lose it, as the drive will be inaccessible and block out others from reading your data.
3.
How did we find the best USB flash drive Prime Day deals?
Finding great deals can be difficult because not all discounts are worth covering. When looking for good Prime Day deals, we compare the prices on Amazon with the regular retail price and check pricing history to see if there have been any changes lately and that the price drops are truly noteworthy. We also check product reviews to see if they’re reliable in the long run and live up to their promises. Read...Newslink ©2025 to PC World |  |
|  | | PC World - 11 Jul (PC World)The JEDEC Solid State Technology Association has announced the LPDDR6 memory standard, even as the memory market transitions from DDR4 to DDR5.
Last year, market analysts expected that the DDR5 memory standard for desktops and the LPDDR5 (low-power DDR5) memory standard for notebooks would be conflated, and that may be what has happened here. Officially, the new standard is known as the new JESD209-6 LPDDR6 standard, the organization said.
The standard operates “with a lower voltage and low power consumption capable VDD2 supply,” JEDEC said, without specifying more. (JEDEC charges $446 for the full specification.) LPDDR6 device density will vary, however, from 4 Gbits to 64 Gbits, it said.
JEDEC’s press release goes into more features of the specification, including that there are two sub-channels per die, with 12 signal lines. Tom’s Hardware, citing a 2024 Synopsys/JEDEC presentation issued before the specification was finalized, indicates that the LPDDR5 memory data rates could run from 10.667Gbps to 14.4Gbps, with bandwidth of 32GBps. Memory analysts TrendForce note that the current, slower LPDDR5X supports data rates from 6.7Gbps to 10.667Gbps — basically giving LPDDR6 another gear.
JEDEC’s announcement was supported by Micron, SK Hynix, and Samsung, among others — the world’s top memory makers. TrendForce has said it expects DDR6 memory to be announced later in 2025 and possibly require the use of LPCAMM2 modules, in a break from previous generations.
Meanwhile, as DDR4 memory production winds down, DDR4 memory prices are beginning to soar. It looks like a DDR5 transition is imminent, and even then memory makers would like to see the industry migrate to the more expensive DDR6 standard as quickly as possible. Read...Newslink ©2025 to PC World |  |
|  | | PC World - 11 Jul (PC World)If you’re a smart home user with Wemo smart devices in your household, there’s bad news: You’re gonna need some replacements soon.
Belkin, the tech manufacturer behind the Wemo brand, just announced that it’s ending support for the lion’s share of its smart home devices on January 31, 2026.
A Belkin support page ticks off more than two dozen Wemo smart devices that will go dark next year, everything from the Wemo Zigbee Bulb and Mini Smart Plug to the Wemo Coffee Maker and the Wemo CrockPot (the latter two products were launched back in 2014).
The few exceptions include a quartet of Wemo devices that run on Thread, which will still work via Apple’s HomeKit platform beyond the shutoff date. Those products are the Wemo Smart Light Switch 3-Way, the Stage Smart Scene Controller, the Smart Plug with Thread, and the Smart Video Doorbell Camera. (All of the preceding links will take you to our reviews of those products.) Belkin announced the news on its website and in emails to its customers; 9to5Google was first to report on the move.
Belkin also says that any of its other HomeKit-compatible devices will still be usable on the Apple Home app, provided you set them up on HomeKit prior to January 31, 2026.
But any other Wemo devices that depend on the Wemo Cloud Server will turn into paperweights, and Alexa and Google Assistant integrations will be deactivated, too. Belkin also advises deleting the Wemo app after the shutdown date, as it will no longer receive updates.
Belkin said it may offer “partial” refunds for any affected Wemo devices that are still under warranty on or after January 31, 2026, but you won’t be able to apply for a refund until after that date.
In a statement, Belkin said it “sincerely apologize[s] for the inconvenience” caused by the impending service shutdown:
“After careful consideration, we have made the difficult decision to end technical support for older Wemo products, effective January 31, 2026. After this date, several Wemo products will no longer be controllable through the Wemo app. Any features that rely on cloud connectivity, including remote access and voice assistant integrations, will no longer work.
Over the last decade, since Belkin first launched Wemo in 2011, we’ve been committed to providing consumers with innovative, simple-to-use accessories for a seamless smart home experience. However, as technology evolves, we must focus our resources on different parts of the Belkin business.”
Belkin’s Wemo brand has been a player in the smart home space for more than a decade, and it’s known primarily for its lighting controls: smart bulbs, smart switches, and smart plugs.
But following its 2018 acquisition by tech giant Foxconn, Belkin appeared to be inching away from the smart home market, with the Wemo brand releasing only a handful of products in recent years.
Belkin also raised eyebrows back in 2023 when it announced it was taking a “big step back” from Matter, the new standard that promises to unite the big smart home ecosystems.
This news story is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best smart lighting, best smart plugs, and best video doorbells. Read...Newslink ©2025 to PC World |  |
|  | | PC World - 11 Jul (PC World)Here’s a little tip I’ve discovered over the years: Deal events like Prime Day and Black Friday are the ideal time to splurge (and save big) on Samsung’s PC hardware.
Samsung is renowned for its high-performance PC gear — especially its monitors, SSDs, and portable drives. But the behemoth company utterly slashes prices during deal events, drastically lowering the buy-in costs for even its crown jewel items. If you desire one of Samsung’s luscious ultra-wide OLEDs or speed-demon Pro SSDs, then Prime Day is Prime Time to buy, and the deals extend down the stack to more practical hardware as well.
We’ve scoured the web to find the 12 best Samsung PC deals this Prime Day. Let’s dig in.
Can’t-miss Samsung monitor deals:
The big, badass 57-inch 4K mini-LED Odyssey Neo G9
This is the big, epic curved gaming monitor of your dreams. Samsung’s absolutely insane 57-inch 4K Quantum mini-LED display is now on sale for $700 off on Amazon with this Prime Day discount. It’s the world’s first Dual 4K monitor and it comes with AMD Freesync Premium Pro and a 240Hz refresh rate. A 30% sale on this behemoth means there is no better time than now to go big or go home.
Get the Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 for $700 off on Amazon
The still huge 49-inch Odyssey OLED G9
Sure, it isn’t quite as big as the Odyssey Neo, but the Odyssey OLED G9 is still a really freaking big curved gaming monitor. This version comes with an ultrawide 1440p Quantum Dot OLED display, 240Hz refresh rate, and AMD Freesync Premium Pro. It’s currently on sale for $700 off on Amazon for Prime Day—that’s a crazy 44% off the asking price for this premium display.
Get the Samsung Odyssey OLED G93SC for $700 off on Amazon
The 49-inch Odyssey OLED G9, but with smart features!
Okay, hear me out: how about the above Samsung Odyssey OLED G9 but with added smart features? If that sounds good then this is the gaming monitor for you. For $909 off, or a 50% discount, this is technically an even better deal for an upgraded model. You still get the fantastic 49-inch curved 1440p QD-OLED display with the addition of smart TV app support, a game bar, and voice assistance.
Get the Samsung Odyssey OLED G95SC for $909 off on Amazon
A killer deal on the 26-inch Odyssey OLED G6
Samsung’s stunning Odyssey OLED G6 marries 1440p QD-OLED goodness with a blistering-fast 240Hz refresh rate and support for AMD’s FreeSync Premium Pro technology. Amazon is currently offering it for an all-time low of $549 (or $250 off) this Prime Day, making it a tough deal for rival OLEDs to beat.
Get the Samsung Odyssey OLED G6 for $250 off on Amazon
Budget-friendly 32-inch Odyssey G5 QHD
Rounding out the Samsung monitor deals this Prime Day is the Odyssey G50D for $164 off, bringing the discounted total to $265. This budget-friendly display might be cheaper, but it doesn’t compromise much with image quality. Sporting a 32-inch 1440p panel, it also comes with a respectable 180Hz refresh rate and 178 degree viewing angle. It’s a budget gaming monitor deal that’s hard to pass up.
Get the Samsung Odyssey G50D for $164 off on Amazon
Can’t-miss Samsung SSD deals:
Samsung’s speed-demon 9100 Pro SSD
With the new Samsung Pro 9100, the high-speed SSD king is back, baby — and you can get a nice deal on this world-class drive during Prime Day. The 1TB model has a solid 25% off, bringing it down to $150, but smart money is on the 2TB version. A gigantic 37% discount plunges the 2TB Samsung 9100 Pro all the way down to $189. Spending the extra $40 for a full extra terabyte of the fastest storage in the land is a no-brainer.
You can grab the 4TB version for $385 — a sizeable 30% discount.
Samsung 990 EVO Plus 2TB
Samsung 990 EVO Plus
Jon L. Jacobi
Amazon is offering the Samsung 990 EVO Plus 2TB for $114 ($63 off) for Prime Day. In our review we loved this premium PCIe 5.0 drive thanks to its lightning fast transfer speeds and great everyday performance, but its price was the only thing holding us back from giving it perfect marks. But thanks to this Prime Day sale, you can snag this high-end SSD for the price of many budget drives.
Get the Samsung 990 EVO Plus 2TB for $63 off on Amazon
Samsung T9 Portable SSD
Samsung T9 portable 20Gbps SSD
Jon L. Jacobi
Portable SSDs are extremely useful and I can’t recommend them enough for just about everyone. And the Samsung T9 is one of the best. We gave this high-quality, luxurious-feeling external 20Gbps SSD high marks in our glowing review. Amazon now has it on sale for Prime Day at one of the lowest prices ever at $170 ($130 off) for the 2TB model. Other capacities are also on sale.
Get the Samsung T9 Portable SSD for $130 off on Amazon
Samsung T7 Portable SSD
For something more budget friendly, the Samsung T7 Portable 2TB SSD deal for $120 ($70 off) on Amazon is the ticket. With fast read and write speeds of up to 1,050Mbps, it isn’t quite as fast as the T9, but can still move large files to and from your computer in a flash. Plus, it only weighs a featherlight 2.5 ounces. The T7 makes for a dependable and—thanks to this deal—affordable everyday external SSD.
Get the Samsung T7 Portable SSD for $70 off on Amazon
Can’t-miss Samsung Flash Drive deals:
Samsung Fit Plus USB 128GB Flash Drive
The name of the game with the Samsung Fit Plus USB Flash Drive is compactness—it’s so small you’ll barely notice it sticking out of your laptop. Just because it’s tiny though doesn’t mean it sacrifices on performance. The Fit Plus boasts read speeds up to 400 Mbps with USB 3.1. Get it on sale this Prime Day for only $14.99, or 35% off on Amazon.
Get the Samsung Fit Plus USB Flash Drive for $14.99 on Amazon
Samsung Bar Plus USB 256GB Flash Drive
This is one of the best deals currently going for USB Flash drives this Prime Day. The Samsung Bar Plus is only $22 and it comes with 256GB of storage space and 400Mbps transfer speeds. The sleek outer casing is also waterproof and shockproof making it perfect for taking on-the-go whether that’s between home and work or out on an adventure.
Get the Samsung Bar Plus USB Flash Drive for $21.99 on Amazon
Can’t-miss Samsung laptop deals:
Samsung Galaxy Book4 (AI)
IDG / Chris Hoffman
This Snapdragon X Plus-powered PC comes with a beautiful 15.6-inch 1080p display, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB of onboard SSD storage. It’s currently on sale for $300 off on Amazon for Prime Day. In our review of a similar model, we couldn’t get enough of the long battery life and great build quality.
Get the Samsung Galaxy Book4 (AI) for $599.99 on Amazon
Samsung Galaxy Book5 360
Chris Hoffman / IDG
This excellent 2-in-1 Samsung Galaxy Book5 360 comes with a latest-gen Core Ultra 7 processor, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD. Plus, it sports a beautiful 16-inch 1920x1080p AMOLED display and impressive all-day battery life. It’s on sale for $300 off this Prime Day on Amazon.
Get the Samsung Galaxy Book5 360 for $1,049.99 on Amazon Read...Newslink ©2025 to PC World |  |
|  | | PC World - 10 Jul (PC World)At a glanceExpert`s Rating
Pros
Sturdy build and design
Glasses-free 3D effect is alluring
Solid audio quality, especially in games
Sharp, bright image in 2D content
160Hz refresh rate
Cons
Mediocre contrast ratio
Slim list of supported games
Not all supported games worked well
HDR not supported
Expensive
Our Verdict
Acer’s Predator SpatialLabs View 27 delivers convincing and enjoyable glasses-free 3D. But a limited list of compatible games, visual glitches, and a high MSRP make the monitor a novelty at best.
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The glasses-free 3D dream is nearly here. Just give it another year.
This, it seems, has been technology’s promise for at least two decades. I first saw glasses-free visual puzzles in my youth; then the Nintendo 3DS gave it a real shot at mainstream adoption; and a smattering of start-ups have since tried (and failed) to make it a thing in home theater.
Acer joined the glasses-free 3D crusade in 2022 with the debut of its Acer ConceptD 7 SpatialLabs laptops. It now has several options including the monitor on the table today: the Acer Predator SpatialLabs View 27 (PSV27-2). It’s a 27-inch 4K monitor with glasses-free 3D and a refresh rate of up to 160Hz. It’s certainly alluring at first glance, as it delivers the most realistic and engaging glasses-free 3D I’ve seen to date.
But the more I used it the more I found that, yet again, glasses-free 3D needs another year.
Read on to learn more, then see our roundup of the best gaming monitors for comparison.
Acer Predator SpatialLabs View 27 specs and features
At its core, the Acer Predator SpatialLabs View 27 is a decent 4K gaming monitor. It has a sharp, bright LCD display and a refresh rate of up to 160Hz. It also supports AMD FreeSync Premium, though it doesn’t support HDR.
Display size: 27-inch 16:9 aspect ratio
Native resolution: 3840×2160
Panel type: VA LCD
Refresh rate: Up to 160Hz
Adaptive sync: Yes, AMD FreeSync Premium
HDR: None
Ports: 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x DisplayPort 1.4, 1x USB Type-C upstream with DisplayPort, 2x USB-A downstream
Audio: 2x 5-watt speakers
Additional features: Glasses-free 3D via lenticular lens
Price: $1,999.99 MSRP
But, of course, the real headliner is the monitor’s glasses-free 3D. The feature is enabled with a lenticular lens and a camera system that adjusts the lens based on the position of the user’s eyes. It’s one of just two gaming monitors that currently offer the feature, the other being Samsung’s Odyssey 3D G90XF.
Acer Predator SpatialLabs View 27 design
The Acer Predator SpatialLabs View 27 makes an odd impression when unboxed. It’s bulky for a 27-inch display, with thick bezels on all sides of the display panel, a wide stand, and a thick housing on the rear that contains the ports and other critical hardware.
The result is a monitor that looks archaic. If you’d told me the SpatialLabs View 27 was released in 2015, I would’ve believed you. Samsung’s more elegant and futuristic Odyssey 3D G90XF also struggles with thickness, but it better emulates the look of Samsung’s other modern displays.
Matthew Smith / Foundry
It’s not all bad news, however. The SpatialLabs View 27’s thick design provides a durable feel. I doubt that translates to anything meaningful; all monitors are fragile. Still, it does help the monitor feel more premium in-hand.
As mentioned, the SpatialLabs View 27 has a wide stand. It’s not flat, either, so it takes up quite a bit of desk space. By contrast, the Samsung Odyssey 3D G90XF has a smaller, flat stand that keeps the space it occupies relatively usable. The stand has a good range of ergonomic adjustment with support for height, tilt, and swivel. The screen doesn’t rotate 90 degrees into portrait mode, but that’s fine, as the 3D effect wouldn’t work in that orientation.
Acer Predator SpatialLabs View 27 connectivity
The Acer Predator SpatialLabs View 27 has three video inputs; one HDMI 2.1, one DisplayPort 1.4, and one USB-C with DisplayPort. However, the SpatialLabs software requires a USB-A to USB-C connection to use the monitor’s glasses-free 3D feature. So, the USB-C video input may not be an option, depending on the devices you plan to connect.
The monitor also has two downstream USB-A ports and a 3.5mm audio jack. That’s an okay range of connectivity but nothing special for a monitor that retails at $1,999.99.
Acer Predator SpatialLabs View 27 menus and features
Much like the monitor’s overall design, the Acer Predator SpatialLabs View 27’s menu system feels outdated. It provides a joystick for menu navigation, but several buttons around the right flank offer quick access to specific options, like brightness.
The buttons are difficult to use because they’re not visible. The on-screen menu provides visual indicators to show where the buttons are located, but I still hit the incorrect button as often as not. The menu is also a bit small, in terms of font size and layout, which makes it hard to read.
However, the menu system provides a decent range of options. It includes a gamma adjustment that targets precise values. Color temperature is also adjustable, though it only provides vague labels (such as “warm”). The monitor’s RGB Gains and Bias are adjustable, too.
There are several gaming features, too. The monitor has a dark stabilizer, here called Advanced Black Boost, which can increase the brightness of dark scenes to make foes more visible. The monitor also has an on-screen crosshair, sniper mode, and ultra-low latency mode.
Acer Predator SpatialLabs View 27 Glasses-free 3D
Okay, let’s get to the meat of the review. The Acer Predator SpatialLabs View 27 hinges on the quality of the glasses-free 3D experience. So, is it any good?
Sometimes, yes. But mostly, no.
I’ll start with my most positive experience, which I found in Bethesda’s classic The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. This is a game I still fire up for at least 20 or 30 hours every year, so I was thrilled to see it in 3D. And, in large part, it looked stunning. The glasses-free 3D effect was remarkably convincing; the depth felt immersive, appropriate, and alluring. A quick test turned into a much longer session as I marveled at how the monitor gave me a new perspective on a classic game I already knew by heart.
Still, there were a few issues. The depth of text and certain visual effects, like fire, didn’t feel right. The start menu looked wrong, too. I think I could play the game for hours as it stands, but it still feels a bit hacky.
Unfortunately, Skyrim was the best of the games I tested.
Given that more than half of the games I tested had a noticeable issue, I can’t say with confidence that any of the games listed will prove enjoyable, or even playable.
Alan Wake: Remastered, another old favorite, looked promising at first. The game’s interface renders at an odd depth, but is often kept out of sight, so it’s livable. And the 3D effect was a superb match for the game’s dark, surreal setting. However, the experience was soured by a bug: the 3D depth information for gameplay just prior to a cutscene was retained in the cutscene, warping the image.
The other games I tried all had visual distractions and bugs to varying degrees. Borderlands 2 was mostly okay, but interface visuals were warped when they overlaid 3D objects, and a similar warping effect surrounded many characters. Problems like this were consistent across many games I tested.
I also encountered a few hard failures. Palworld is included on the list of supported games but, in my testing, the game completely freaked out, shooting jagged, incomplete triangles across the screen. No Man’s Sky, another officially supported game, didn’t render menus correctly, causing a double-image effect that was painful to look at.
Failures like these are painful given the short list of supported games. My experience leaves me doubtful of the game supports list. Does Baldur’s Gate 3 really work? What about The Witcher 3? Given that more than half of the games I tested had a noticeable issue, I can’t say with confidence that any of the games listed will prove enjoyable, or even playable.
It’s a bummer because, as my experience with Skyrim proved, the glasses-free 3D effect can be excellent. But my experience left me with the impression that implementing support is difficult, and that the certification process for supported games leaves a lot to be desired.
I have other nitpicks, too.
The 3D effect relies on a camera to adjust the position of the lenticular display’s two perspectives, creating the 3D effect. That means two people can’t view the 3D effect at once. The effect can fail if you’re too close or far from the display, or if you use the monitor in a dark room. Finally, the 3D effect softens the image and introduces a “screen door effect” that, while not too distracting, was noticeable.
Collectively, these issues underscore why glasses-free 3D always feels just around the corner. The technology works, and it’s impressive. But it has rough edges, and games must be updated to provide proper support.
It’s a catch-22. The game support is unlikely to improve unless glasses-free 3D is more popular, but glasses-free 3D won’t be popular unless more games support it.
Acer Predator SpatialLabs View 27 audio
Acer tries to match the immersive glasses-free 3D experience with improved audio. To achieve that, the monitor has a pair of five-watt speakers. They directly face the user and can function with Acer’s Immersive Audio software, which claims to improve the audio experience with “AI-driven precision.”
Matthew Smith / Foundry
I’m not so sure about the spatial audio feature, as I didn’t find the speaker’s sound staging convincing, and details of the feature are thin. Though apparently created in partnership with a company called Audioscenic, the monitor’s user manual doesn’t list the feature or provide recommendations for how to set it up. Acer provides software for the feature, but it failed to install on either PC I used with the monitor (my Windows desktop and an MSI Raider A18 laptop I had in for review).
While Acer’s Immersive Audio is a bust, the speakers are still decent. They pack good volume, decent stereo separation, and crisp sound even with the volume up. The monitor doesn’t have a built-in woofer, so bass-heavy content is thin, but the speakers are better than the vast majority of PC monitor audio and fine for situations where you just don’t feel like using a headset.
Acer Predator SpatialLabs View 27 SDR image quality
Glasses-free 3D aside, the Acer Predator SpatialLabs View 27 delivers image quality on par with a mid-range LCD gaming monitor. It performs well enough in SDR but suffers in contrast. Because of that, the monitor falls well behind OLED competitors in conventional 2D viewing.
Matthew Smith / Foundry
The SpatialLabs View 27 delivers a strong maximum brightness of 523 nits in SDR. As the graph shows, that’s an excellent level of brightness and exceeds most monitors sold today. The monitor will remain usable even in bright rooms.
However, the monitor’s brightness performance is hampered by the display’s glossy finish. It’s almost mirror-like, with clear and crisp reflections. Because of that, I can only recommend using the monitor in a room where you have excellent control over lighting throughout the day.
Matthew Smith / Foundry
Contrast is a traditional weak point for LCD displays, and the SpatialLabs View 27 is no exception. I measured a maximum contrast of 1080:1 at 50 percent of the monitor’s total brightness which, as the graph shows, isn’t a great result. And that result was consistent across other brightness settings.
The low contrast ratio is due to elevated black levels. Dark scenes show a distinct “glow” that makes the image look dull, flat, and unrealistic.
To the monitor’s credit, my real-world impression of the contrast was not as bad as the test results indicated. I expect that’s thanks to the monitor’s brightness and extremely glossy finish, which helps bright, colorful scenes pop. But if you like to play games with a darker color palette, like Diablo IV, the monitor’s limited contrast will be obvious.
Matthew Smith / Foundry
The SpatialLabs View 27 puts in a decent show when it comes to color performance. It has a color gamut that spans 100 percent of sRGB, 92 percent of DCI-P3, and 86 percent of AdobeRGB. Those are solid results, and the monitor looks vibrant when displaying bright, colorful games.
However, it’s not difficult to find monitors with a much wider color gamut. LCD monitors with Quantum Dots can display a wider range of colors. So can OLED monitors, whether they have Quantum Dots or not.
Matthew Smith / Foundry
It’s a similar story in color accuracy. The SpatialLabs View 27 has a low color error and looks realistic in most situations, but suffers some inaccuracy, most noticeably in cyan and grayscale hues. Most people are unlikely to notice it but, at this price, buyers can choose from displays with top-notch color accuracy performance.
The SpatialLabs View 27 posts okay scores in gamma and color temperature. It hit a gamma curve of 2.3, which is slightly off the target of 2.2, and indicates content can look a tad darker than it should. The color temperature came in at 6600K, again slightly off the target of 6500K, which means the image can appear too cool. Both deviations are minor.
Sharpness is a perk, as the SpatialLabs PSV27-2 provides a 27-inch panel with 4K (3840×2160) resolution. That works out to be about 163 pixels per inch. By comparison, a 27-inch 1440p monitor has about 110 pixels per inch. Games look tack-sharp and small fonts look smooth.
One important note: While the monitor supports 4K resolution, the resolution is cut to 1920×2160 when glasses-free 3D is in use. That’s because the monitor in fact displays two slightly offset versions of the same scene, creating the 3D effect. The reduction in sharpness is noticeable, though, in my opinion, a reasonable trade-off.
The Acer Predator SpatialLabs PSV27-2’s overall SDR image quality is decent. It has a bright, sharp panel that looks good when displaying colorful content. It’s not as saturated as an OLED monitor, however, and struggles with a limited contrast ratio that leads to a dull, washed-out image. The monitor’s overall SDR image quality in 2D content is roughly on par with a $400 gaming monitor, which means you’re paying a lot for glasses-free 3D.
Acer Predator SpatialLabs PSV27-2 HDR image quality
The Acer Predator SpatialLabs PSV27-2 doesn’t support HDR. Virtually all monitors in the same price bracket have HDR support, so its absence is a problem. Samsung’s Odyssey 3D G90XF, which is Acer’s closest competitor, includes HDR support.
Acer Predator SpatialLabs PSV27-2 motion performance
I was pleased to see the Acer Predator SpatialLabs View 27 has a refresh rate of up to 160Hz as well as AMD FreeSync Premium support. The enhanced refresh rate and adaptive sync compatibility allow for a smooth, stutter-free gaming experience. Acer’s refresh rate basically ties Samsung’s Odyssey 3D G90XF, which can hit 165Hz.
With that said, refresh rates of 240Hz to 500Hz are common among high-end gaming monitors priced between $1,000 and $2,000. On top of that, the SpatialLabs View 27 quotes a modest pixel-to-pixel response time of 5 milliseconds. By contrast, modern OLED monitors have pixel response times down to 0.03 milliseconds. Lower response times translate to less motion blur.
Once again, the problem isn’t that the SpatialLabs View 27 performs poorly in conventional 2D content. Instead, the problem is that it can’t hold a candle to similarly priced monitors that lack glasses-free 3D.
Should you buy the Acer Predator SpatialLabs PSV27-2?
The Acer Predator SpatialLabs View 27 is a valiant attempt to bring glasses-free 3D to PC gamers. Unfortunately, it misses the mark.
It’s not that the 3D effect doesn’t work. It does, and it looks great. While I expect different people will have different experiences, I found the effect convincing and enjoyable.
Support for the technology is spotty, however. The list of supported games is slim and, to make matters worse, several of the games that list support were unplayable due to obvious bugs. Others were playable but had noticeable bugs.
And the monitor’s glasses-free 3D doesn’t come cheap. The monitor retails at an MSRP of $1,999.99. However, outside of 3D content, its image quality is roughly equal to a $400 4K gaming monitor. That means you’re paying $1,600 to enjoy glasses-free 3D.
Shoppers considering a glasses-free 3D monitor can compare the SpatialLabs View 27 to the Samsung Odyssey 3D G90XF. PCWorld has yet to fully review Samsung’s alternative monitor, but we did go hands-on with it. The G90XF benefits from a more attractive design and HDR support (though, as far as I’m aware, HDR isn’t compatible with glasses-free 3D).
At this point, though, I think glasses-free 3D doesn’t make sense for most PC gamers. The core technology is intriguing, but game support is slim, and image quality outside of games that support glasses-free 3D is well behind other high-end gaming monitors. Read...Newslink ©2025 to PC World |  |
|  | | PC World - 10 Jul (PC World)Amazon’s annual Prime Day event of the year is in full swing, and unlike previous years, we’re going to have a four-day sale extravaganza in 2025 — so you have more time to snag the best discounts.
Here at PCWorld, we’e dug through thousands of Prime Day deals over at Amazon to find the very best ones. Our tech experts have been testing PC hardware and gadgets for decades and know what’s worth buying and what should get a pass. You’ll need to be a Prime member to seize advantage of the sales though! Here’s how to get Amazon Prime for free if you need it.
We’re updating often, so make sure to check back frequently to see what deals we found.
Best Prime Day deals on mainstream laptops and Chromebooks
Apple 2025 MacBook Air, M4 chip/13.6-inch 2560×1664 display/16GB RAM/256GB SSD, $849 ($150 off at Amazon)
Microsoft Surface Laptop (2024), Snapdragon X Elite processor/13.8-inch ?2304×1536 display/16GB RAM/512GB SSD, $993.79 ($406.20 off at Amazon)
Asus Vivobook S 14, AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 processor/14-inch 3840×2160 OLED display/24GB RAM/512GB SSD, $1,057.99 ($142 off at Amazon)
Lenovo IdeaPad 3i Chromebook, Intel Celeron N4500/8GB RAM/64GB SSD, 15.6-inch 1080p display, $192.88 (33% off at Amazon)
Lenovo IP5 (Refurbished) Chromebook, Core i3-1215U/8GB RAM/128GB SSD, 16-inch 2560×1600 display, $268.99 (49% off at Target)
Samsung Galaxy Book5 360, Intel Core Ultra 7 processor/16-inch 1920×1080 AMOLED display/16GB RAM/512GB SSD, $1049.99 ($300 off at Amazon)
HP Envy, Intel Core Ultra 7 155H processor/17.3-inch 1920×1080 display/64GB RAM/2TB SSD, $1,329 ($360 off at Amazon)
Acer Chromebook Plus 514, Core i3-N305/8GB RAM/128GB SSD, 14-inch 1080p display, $329.99 (18% off at Amazon)
HP 2-in-1 Chromebook, Intel Core i3/8GB RAM/256 UFS, 14-inch 1920×1080 display, $479 (24% off at Best Buy)
Best Prime Day deals on gaming laptops
MSI Thin 15, Intel Core i5-13420H processor/RTX 4060 graphics/15.6-inch 1920×1080 display/16GB RAM/512GB SSD, $782 ($67 off at Amazon)
Acer Nitro 17, AMD Ryzen 5 8645HS processor/RTX 4050 graphics/17.3-inch 1920×1080 display/16GB RAM/512GB SSD, $979.99 ($220 off at Amazon)
Asus ROG Strix G16, Intel Core i9-14900HX processor/RTX 4060 graphics/16-inch 2560×1600 display/16GB RAM/1TB SSD, $1,359.99 ($340 off at Amazon)
Lenovo Legion 16, Intel Core i9-14900HX processor/RTX 4070 graphics/16-inch 2560×1600 display/64GB RAM/2TB SSD, $1,999 ($239.74 off at Amazon)
Best Prime Day deals on gaming and mainstream desktops
Skytech Azure, Ryzen 5 7600X/RTX 5070/16GB RAM/1TB SSD, $1,749.99 (17% off on Amazon)
MSI Aegis Z2, Ryzen 7 7700/RTX 4060/16GB RAM/1TB SSD, $1,254.33 (10% off on Amazon)
Alienware Aurora, Core Ultra 7 265F/RTX 5070 Ti/32GB/1TB SSD, $1,899.99 (17% off on Dell)
Dell 24 AiO, Core 5 120U/16GB RAM/512GB SSD/24-inch 1080p touch display, $849.99 (24% off on Dell)
iMac M4, M4/16GB RAM/512GB SSD/24-inch 5K display, $1,541.88 (9% off on Amazon)
Best Prime Day deals on mini PCs
Kamrui E3B – AMD Ryzen 5 7430U, 16GB DDR4 RAM, 512GB SSD, triple display support – $224.09 (36% off, was $350)
Acemagician Kron K1 – AMD Ryzen 5 7430U, 16GB DDR4 RAM, 512GB SSD, triple display support – $236.55 (26% off, was $319)
Bosgame P4 Light – AMD Ryzen 7 5700U, 32GB DDR4 RAM, 1TB SSD, triple display support – $285 (29% off, was $400)
GMKTec M2 Pro – Intel Core i7 1195G7, 32GB DDR4 RAM, 1TB SSD, triple display support – $420 (34% off, was $640)
Acemagician K1 – AMD Ryzen 7 5700U, 16GB DDR4 RAM, 512GB SSD, triple display support – $249 (38% off, was $399)
Peladn WO7, AMD Ryzen 7 7735U, 32GB DDR5 RAM, 1TB SSD, quadruple display – $352 (20% off, was $440)
Beelink S12 – Intel Alder Lake N100, 16GB DDR4 RAM, 500GB SSD, dual display support – $169 (23% off, was $219)
Geekom IT13 – Intel Core i9 13900HK, 32GB DDR4 RAM, 1TB SSD, quad display support – $599 (14% off, was $699)
Best Prime Day deals on monitors
Samsung Odyssey OLED G93SC 49-inch, 5120x1440p, 240Hz OLED gaming monitor — $900 (700 off at Amazon)
Samsung Odysey OLED G95SC 49-inch, 5120x1440p, 240Hz OLED gaming monitor — $891.04 ($909 off at Amazon)
Alienware 27-inch 1440p 360Hz OLED gaming monitor — $599.99 ($300 off at Dell)
Acer 27-inch 1080p IPS 120Hz monitor — $99.99 ($50 off at Best Buy)
Dell 27-inch 1440p IPS monitor — $179.99 ($40 off at Dell)
Samsung 34-inch 1440p ultrawide monitor — $219.99 ($110 off at Amazon)
MSI 49-inch ultrawide 144Hz OLED gaming monitor — $749.99 ($350 off at Amazon)
LG 27-inch, IPS 1440p, 240Hz gaming monitor — $284.05 ($215.94 off at Amazon)
Alienware 32-inch 4K 240Hz OLED gaming monitor — $849.99 ($350 off at Dell)
MNN 15-inch portable USB-C monitor — $59.97 ($30 off at Amazon)
KYY 15.6 1080p portable monitor — $69.98 (46% off at Amazon)
Best Prime Day deals on SSDs and USB flash drives
Teamgroup T-Force Vulcan Z, 1TB 2.5-inch SATA SSD – $48 (26% off)
WD Black SN770M, 2TB Gen 4 SSD (Steam Deck compatible) – $150 (40% off)
Samsung T7, 2TB USB 3.2 Gen 2 portable SSD – $120 (40% off)
Samsung Bar Plus, 256GB flash drive, USB 3.1 — $22 (45% off, was $40)
SanDisk Ultra Dual Drive Go, 1TB, USB 3.2, both USB-A and USB-C connections — $65 (41% off, was $110)
Samsung Fit Plus, 128GB, USB 3.1 — $15 (35% off, was $23)
SanDisk Ultra Flair, 512GB, USB 3.0 — $37 (21% off, was $47)
Best Prime Day deals on USB-C hubs and Thunderbolt docks
StarTech USB4/Thunderbolt 4 Docking Station, 98W charging, $248.36 (25% off at Amazon)
Ugreen Revodok Max 208 8-in-1 Thunderbolt 4 Dock, 85W charging, $159.99 (36% off at Amazon)
Microsoft Surface Thunderbolt 4 Dock, 96W charging, $199.99 (33% off at Amazon)
Anker 13-in-1 USB-C Docking Station, 85W charging, $139.99 (30% off at Amazon)
Anker 5-in-1 USB-C Docking hub, $18.99 (24% off at Amazon)
Ugreen Revodok Pro 6-in-1 USB-C hub, $13.29 (34% off at Amazon)
Baseus 9-in-1 Laptop Docking Station USB-C hub, $37.98 (38% off at Amazon)
Anker Prime TB5 Docking Station, 14-in-1, 140W charging, $339.99 (15% off at Amazon)
Plugable 10-in-1 Dual HDMI docking station, $79.95 (38% off at Amazon)
Best Prime Day deals on chargers and power banks
Baseus Picogo Power Bank, 10,000 mAh/1 xUSB-A/2x USB-C/PD 45W Fast charging technology, $19.75 (51% off on Amazon)
Baseus Laptop Power Bank, 20,000 mAh/1x USB-A/3x USB-C, $62.99 (37% off on Amazon)
UGREEN Laptop Power Bank, 25,000 mAh/1x USB-A/2x USB-C, $79.98 (38% off on Amazon)
Ugreen Nexode charger, 65W power/3x USB-C/ 1x USB-A, $23.99 (44% off on Amazon)
Anker Nano II charger, 65W power/2x USB-C/1x USB-A, $25.99 (35% off on Amazon)
Blavor Solar Charger Power Bank, 10,000 mAh/2x USB-C/1x USB-A, $22.79 (43% off on Amazon)
Best Prime Day deals on office chairs and standing desks
Staples Cartwright Task Chair, Black – $50 (58% off at Staples)
Staples Hyken Mesh Task Chair, Black – $120 (60% off at Staples)
HON Crio High Back Task Chair, Black – $207.51 (15% off)
Flexispot 48×24 sit-stand desk, Black – $100 (41% off)
Huanuo 48?x24? Adjustable electric standing desk, Black – $104.98 (34% off)
Fezibo 42×24 Adjustable electric standing desk, Rustic brown – $80 (33% off)
Comhoma 48×24 Adjustable electric standing desk with monitor stand, White – $189 (30% off)
ErGear 48?x24? Adjustable electric standing desk, Black – $99.98 (17% off)
Best Prime Day deals on security cameras and video doorbells
Aqara Camera Protect Kit Y100, AC-powered, integrated home security hub, 1440p resolution: $99.99 (39% off at Amazon)
Ring Indoor Cam (2nd Gen) 2-pack, AC-powered, 1080p resolution: $59.98 (40% off at Amazon)
Tapo C120 Indoor/Outdoor Wi-Fi Security Cam, AC powered, 2K resolution: $23.73 (41% off at Amazon)
Reolink Argus PT Ultra with solar panel, battery-powered, 4K resolution: $97.99 (30% off at Amazon)
Roku Indoor Camera (2-pack), AC-powered, 1080p resolution: $29.99 (45% off at Amazon)
Tapo C230 Indoor Pan/Tilt Security Camera , AC-powered, 3K resolution: $29.99 (25% off at Amazon)
Arlo Essential Security Camera, indoor/outdoor, 2K resolution: $47.99 (53% off at Amazon)
Blink Outdoor 4 bundled with Blink Sync Module XR: $89.99 (50% off at Amazon)
Blink Video Doorbell (2nd Gen) with Sync Module, battery-powered, 1440 x 1440 resolution $29.99 (57% off at Amazon)
Ring Battery Doorbell Plus, wired or battery power, 1536 x 1536 resolution: $79.99 (47% off at Amazon)
Other great Prime Day tech deals
Amazon brands
Kindle Scribe, 16GB — $260 (35% off at Amazon)
Kindle Paperwhite, 16GB — $125 (22% off at Amazon)
Amazon Kindle Kids, 16GB — $95 (27% off at Amazon)
Echo Spot smart speaker — $45 (44% off at Amazon)
Amazon Smart Plug — $13 (48% off at Amazon)
Amazon Fire Max 11 tablet, 64GB — $140 (39% off at Amazon)
Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K — $25 (50% off at Amazon)
Amazon Fire HD 10 — $70 (50% off at Amazon)
Apple
Apple iPad Mini A17 Pro, 256GB — $479 (20% off at Amazon)
Apple AirPods 4, no ANC — $89 (31% off at Amazon)
Apple AirPods Pro 2 — $149 (40% off at Amazon)
Apple Watch Series 10 — $279 (30% off at Amazon)
Apple Watch SE 2nd gen — $169 (32% off at Amazon)
Samsung
Samsung Galaxy Watch 7, 40mm — $160 (47% off at Amazon
Samsung Galaxy Ring — $300 (25% off at Amazon)
Samsung Galaxy SmartTag2 — $15.50 (48% off at Amazon)
Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro AI — $166.24 (34% off at Amazon)
SAmsung Pro Plus microSD memory card + adapter, 1TB — $90 (25% off at Amazon
Cameras
DJI OSmo Action 4 action camera, 4K, 120fps — $209 (30% off at Amazon)
Vantrue N5 4 channel dash cam, 360-degree, 2.7K+1080p front rear inside – $265 (34% off at Amazon)
70mai 2.7K dash cam front and rear A500S – $75 (32% off at Amazon)
Insta360 X4 action camera, 8K, 135 min battery life, waterproof – $349 (30% off at Amazon)
Smart Home
Petlibro automatic cat feeder with 1080p cam – $90.09 (44% off at Amazon)
SwitchBot S10 robot vacuum and mop – $360 (70% off at Amazon)
Eureka J15 Ultra — $490 (30% off at Amazon)
Yeedi M12 Pro+ robot vacuum and mop — $380 (53% off at Amazon)
Dyson V15 Detect Plus — $570 (24% off at Amazon)
Audio & TV
Treblab Z2 headphones, ANC, 35H battery – $69.97 (46% off at Amazon)
Beats Solo 4 — $97.99 (51% off at Amazon)
JBL Clip 5 — $59.95 (25% off at Amazon)
Soundcore Boom 2 speaker — $90 (36% off at Amazon)
LG OLED Evo AI C3, 65-inch — $1,197 (10% off at Amazon)
Roku Ultra 4K streaming device — $69 (31% off at Amazon)
Gadgets
Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 portable power station — $399 (50% off at Amazon)
Segway Ninebot E2 Plus II electric scooter — $400 (33% off at Amazon)
Other Prime Day deal roundups
These aren’t the only Prime Day deals being tracked by the PCWorld team. If you’re looking to supercharge your home setup with the juiciest tech sales, hit the links for only the best expert-curated picks we’ve found.
Best Amazon Prime Day tech deals: Great sales chosen by experts
Best Prime Day PC computer deals: Gaming & mainstream desktops
Best Prime Day laptop deals: Gaming notebooks, 2-in-1s, and more
Best Prime Day deals on SSDs and storage
Best USB flash drive deals for Prime Day 2025
Best monitor deals for Prime Day 2025: OLED, home office, and more
Best Prime Day deals on Thunderbolt docks and USB-C hubs
Best Prime Day mini PC deals: Big savings on tiny computers
Best Prime Day deals on battery chargers and power banks
Best Prime Day 2025 deals on Chromebooks
Best Prime Day deals on office chairs and standing desks
Amazon Prime Day deals FAQ
1.
Do I need to be a Prime member to get Amazon’s Prime Day deals?
Yes, as the name suggests, this this an event dedicated to Amazon Prime subscribers. While there will still be many deals that come with no strings attached, the vast majority will have the Prime stamp.
Amazon’s Prime Day is, to an extent, a great way for Amazon to make its Prime subscription service even more enticing. It start with a 30-day free trial and continues with a $14.99 per month or $139 per year fee. Subscribers don’t just get access to amazing deals and faster shipping, but also access to Prime Video, Grubhub+, Amazon Music and Amazon Photos, and more.
2.
When does Prime Day 2025 start and end?
For the first time ever, this year’s Prime Day event will last for four days. It will kick off on July 8 at midnight PDT and will run until midnight on July 11. That’s a total of 96 hours of deals!
3.
How can I tell whether a Prime Day deal is worth it?
If you need to figure this out for yourself, the best way to figure out whether a deal is worth getting is to check the price history. There are several sites that help with that, including Camel Camel Camel or Keepa. But if you want to be certain something’s a good deal and a product worth buying, you’re better off with getting recommendations from our experts, so make sure to check back here at PCWorld. We’re tracking all the best Prime Day PC tech deals, category by category. Read...Newslink ©2025 to PC World |  |
|  | | - 10 Jul ()The combination of Donald Trump’s gutting of Joe Biden’s subsidies for green technologies and his tariffs are gifting China victory in a race it already leads. Read...Newslink ©2025 to |  |
|  | | PC World - 10 Jul (PC World)Like many smart home manufacturers, Ikea took its time warning up to Matter, the new standard that aims to unite the big smart home ecosystems.
When it introduced its new Dirigera smart hub back in 2022, Ikea promised that it would support Matter within a matter of months. Months did indeed pass, then more months. More than a year later, Ikea confirmed what was already obvious: it was delaying the Dirgera’s Matter update, as the company needed “more development time to secure good functionality.”
Then several more months passed, until Ikea finally released the Dirigera’s Matter update into beta testing—and even then, the Dirigera’s Matter support only went as far as bridging Ikea’s smart products into existing Matter networks.
But in recent weeks, there were hints that Ikea was finally getting serious about Matter. While Ikea’s Matter support was initially limited to Matter-over-Wi-Fi, a few leaked products suggested that Ikea might embrace Thread, the low-power, mesh-networking wireless protocol that underpins the Matter standard.
Then, late last week, the other shoe dropped: Ikea released an update for the Dirigera that turned the hub not just into a full-on Matter controller, but also a Thread border router, capable of discovering and taking charge of Thread-enabled Matter devices as well as connecting them to the internet.
Now Ikea says it’s all-in with Matter, promising to unveil a whopping 20 new Matter devices in January 2026.
“Until now, smart home technology hasn’t been easy enough to use for most people — or affordable enough for many to consider,” said David Granath, Range Manager at IKEA of Sweden, in a press release. “Bringing Matter to our products means we are taking a big step in the right direction, offering compatibility across brands, and lowering the threshold for people to get started.”
Ikea is pretty much betting the farm on Matter as far as its smart-home ambitions are concerned, and that represents a massive vote of confidence for Matter.
The Matter standard could certainly use a shot in the arm. First launched in late 2022 after a few delays, Matter arrived with the promise of making the big smart home ecosystems—Alexa, Apple Home, Google Home, and Samsung SmartThings—play nice with each other.
But Matter faced headwinds from the get-go, including uneven support from smart home manufacturers, a messy onboarding process for consumers, and the fact that many key smart home categories hadn’t been added to the Matter specification yet. Even now, security cameras still aren’t part of the Matter standard (although I’m told that may change soon).
The Matter working group has since released several updates to the specification that have addressed the biggest pain points: a broader range of smart-home categories, an enhanced multi-admin process that connected Matter devices to multiple smart home platforms automatically, better energy efficiency for battery-powered Matter products, and so on.
Those are positive developments, but Ikea’s full-throated support for Matter gives the standard even more momentum—and with any luck, more smart-home product manufacturers will follow suit. Read...Newslink ©2025 to PC World |  |
|  | | PC World - 10 Jul (PC World)Modern power banks have long provided enough power to reliably charge not only smartphones but also laptops. But not every model is suitable for laptop charging. To make sure you don’t spend money on the wrong power bank, we’ll show you what really matters when it comes to charging your laptop.
We also present the best power banks that will keep your laptop fully charged when you’re on the move.
Charging a laptop with a power bank: Important requirements
A simple model power bank for smartphones is usually not enough to charge a laptop. This is because while smartphones can typically manage with 5 to 15 watts of charging power, most laptops require significantly more—often at least 45 to 65 watts, and even more for powerful devices. Conventional smartphone power banks simply do not deliver this power, meaning that the charging process either doesn’t even start or is extremely slow and inefficient. Therefore, pay attention to the following points when shopping for the right power bank:
USB Power Delivery (USB-PD): Only power banks with USB-PD provide the necessary voltage and power for notebooks.
Sufficient capacity: For a full charge or several hours of operation, you should opt for a power bank with at least 20,000 milliampere hours (mAh). Devices with 25,000 mAh or more offer additional buffering.
USB-C connection: Modern laptops are best charged via USB-C. Your power bank should therefore offer a corresponding USB-C output.
Power stability: A high-quality power bank constantly delivers the required power—this protects both your laptop and the power bank itself.
Alternative option: There are also power banks with an integrated AC output (socket). This allows you to connect your regular laptop power supply. However, these devices are significantly larger and heavier.
What are the laptop requirements for charging with a power bank?
Not every laptop can simply be charged via USB-C. Check the following points:
USB-C charging function: Only if your laptop has USB-C with charging function can you connect it directly to a power bank. Many current Ultrabooks and business laptops offer this.
Power supply requirements: Look at the specifications of your original power supply unit. Example: 19 volts / 3 amps = 57 watts. Your power bank should deliver at least this much power.
Devices without USB-C: If your laptop does not support USB-C, you will need a power bank with AC output or a power bank that offers specific adapters for your laptop connection. Such models are rarer and usually more expensive.
The best power banks for charging laptops
Anker Laptop Powerbank
Amazon
The Anker laptop power bank offers three USB-C ports with up to 100 watts of power each. Even power-hungry devices such as a MacBook Pro 16 can be quickly and reliably supplied with energy.
The power bank provides a total of 165 watts of maximum total power. A notebook with a charging requirement of 45 to 65 watts can thus be charged several times or supported in operation for hours. The estimated charging time is around two hours when using a 100 watt power supply unit.
Two integrated USB-C cables offer great convenience: an extendable model with a length of up to 27-inches and a 12-inch cable that also serves as a carrying strap. In addition to the three USB-C ports, there is also a USB-A port allowing up to four devices can be charged at the same time.
A smart display shows the charge status, current power and remaining runtime. The integrated ActiveShield 2.0 technology continuously monitors the temperature and protects connected devices.
With a weight of 1.3 lbs, the power bank remains portable despite its high performance and, with 90 watt hours, complies with current hand luggage regulations for air travel.
User reviews praise the high charging speed, the well thought-out features and the quality of workmanship. The relatively heavy weight is occasionally criticized though—a consequence of the high-performance technology used.
Get the Anker Powerbank for $119.99 on Amazon
UGREEN Nexode Laptop Powerbank
Amazon
The UGREEN Nexode is currently one of the most versatile power banks for laptops and mobile devices. It delivers up to 140 watts via the USB-C port—enough to bring even a MacBook Pro 14? up to 50 per cent in around 30 minutes.
With two USB-C and one USB-A ports, up to three devices can be powered simultaneously. Even when used in parallel, the main port retains sufficient power for fast charging. The power bank supports pass-through charging (simultaneous charging of connected devices and the power bank itself) and recharges itself during operation with up to 65 watts which are particularly useful features.
According to the manufacturer, the 25,000 mAh capacity is sufficient for around 1.3 full MacBook Pro 14? charges, 3 charges of a Galaxy S23 Ultra or 5.5 iPhone 15 charges. This makes the battery ideal for travelling and intensive working days without access to a power socket. With 90 watt hours, it is also airplane-compatible and can be transported in hand luggage.
A digital LED display provides detailed information on the current charge status. The housing has a high-quality finish and, according to customers, is robust enough for mobile use. However, at 1.1 lbs, the power bank is noticeably heavy, which should be kept in mind when travelling frequently.
In practice, the performance, charging speed, and flexibility are impressive. The combination of high output power and fast self-charging is particularly beneficial.
Get the UGREEN Nexode Powerbank for $99.99 on Amazon
INIU Laptop Power Bank
Amazon
The INIU Laptop Power Bank offers up to 100 watts of output power and is therefore suitable for charging the latest laptops, tablets, smartphones and mobile games consoles such as the Steam Deck or Nintendo Switch 2.
The USB-C connection functions as an IN/OUT port. This means that not only can the laptop be charged quickly, but the power bank itself can also be charged efficiently. With a 65-watt charger, it is fully charged in around two hours. Alternatively, charging takes around three hours at 45 watts and around six hours at 18 watts.
Two USB-C outputs allow several devices to be charged at the same time. The power bank therefore covers a broad spectrum: from MacBook Pros and tablets to the latest smartphones and gaming devices. Particularly noteworthy is the full-speed support for the Steam Deck, which means that you can enjoy even longer gaming sessions on the go without charging interruptions.
With a capacity of 27,000 mAh, multiple device charges are possible. At the same time, the power bank fulfils the flight regulations for hand luggage (maximum 100 watt hours) and can therefore be carried on flights without any problems.
The weight of 1.05 lbs ensures a good balance between performance and mobility. Included with the power bank is a USB-C to USB-C cable, a travel case and a user manual. In tests and customer reviews, the power bank is described as reliable, high-quality, and powerful.
Charging speed, versatility, and the good price-performance ratio are particularly praised. Although weight is a common issue: Unproblematic for stationary use or in a rucksack, but considered noticeable for daily transport in smaller bags.
Get the INIU Laptop Power Bank for $71.99 on Amazon
Baseus Laptop Powerbank
Amazon
The Baseus laptop power bank delivers up to 100 watts of output power via two USB-C ports. A MacBook Pro, Dell XPS, or Microsoft Surface can be charged just as quickly as the latest iPhones or Android models.
A 65-watt charger (not included) allows the power bank itself to be fully charged in around one to two hours. During operation, an integrated LED status light provides information about the charging status and the remaining charging time; an orange flash symbol indicates active fast charging.
In addition to the two USB-C ports, two USB-A fast charging ports are available, allowing up to four devices to be charged simultaneously. A special low-current mode can be activated for charging small devices with low power consumption (e.g. Bluetooth headphones).
The power bank supports common fast charging protocols such as PD 3.0, QC 4.0, SCP and FCP. An internal BPS? chip (Baseus Power Split) intelligently controls the charging power and protects connected devices from overheating, short circuits and deep discharging.
With a capacity of 20,000 mAh, the power bank is sufficient to fully charge an iPhone 16 Pro around four times and a MacBook Pro 14-inch almost once, according to the manufacturer. It’s also suitable for air travel as the power bank fulfils the requirements for transport in hand luggage.
With a thickness of just 0.6 inches, the housing is comparatively slim and therefore weighs just under a pound. Customer reviews praise the charging speed, reliability, and workmanship.
Get the Baseus laptop powerbank for $99.99 on Amazon
How to calculate which power bank you need
To find out which power bank is suitable for your laptop, you need two values from your original charger:
Voltage (volts)
Amperage (amps)
Example: 19 volts x 3 amps = 57 watts ? You therefore need at least a 60-watt power bank.
Tip: If in doubt, choose a power bank with slightly more power. This will ensure that you have enough power even during intensive use (e.g. during video conferences).
How long will the laptop last with a power bank?
That depends on two factors:
Capacity of the power bank (milliamp hours (mAh) / watt hours): The larger the capacity, the longer you can run or charge your laptop.
Power consumption of your laptop (watts): A business Ultrabook usually consumes 30 to 50 watts, a gaming laptop 70 watts and more.
Example calculation: A power bank with 25,000 mAh provides around 2 hours of additional runtime with a consumption of 45 watts—depending on how efficient the charging process is. When switched off or in standby mode, the laptop naturally charges much faster and more efficiently.
Important tips for safe and effective charging
Use high-quality USB-C cables that support USB-PD.
Monitor the temperature: Neither the power bank nor the laptop should get hot.
If possible, charge your laptop with a battery level between 20-80 percent—this protects the battery.
Use a power bank with overvoltage and overcurrent protection. Read...Newslink ©2025 to PC World |  |
|  | | PC World - 9 Jul (PC World)ChatGPT is rapidly changing the world. The process is already happening, and it’s only going to accelerate as the technology improves, as more people gain access to it, and as more learn how to use it.
What’s shocking is just how many tasks ChatGPT is already capable of managing for you. While the naysayers may still look down their noses at the potential of AI assistants, I’ve been using it to handle all kinds of menial tasks for me. Here are my favorite examples.
Further reading: This tiny ChatGPT feature helps me tackle my days more productively
Write your emails for you
Dave Parrack / Foundry
We’ve all been faced with the tricky task of writing an email—whether personal or professional—but not knowing quite how to word it. ChatGPT can do the heavy lifting for you, penning the (hopefully) perfect email based on whatever information you feed it.
Let’s assume the email you need to write is of a professional nature, and wording it poorly could negatively affect your career. By directing ChatGPT to write the email with a particular structure, content, and tone of voice, you can give yourself a huge head start.
A winning tip for this is to never accept ChatGPT’s first attempt. Always read through it and look for areas of improvement, then request tweaks to ensure you get the best possible email. You can (and should) also rewrite the email in your own voice. Learn more about how ChatGPT coached my colleague to write better emails.
Generate itineraries and schedules
Dave Parrack / Foundry
If you’re going on a trip but you’re the type of person who hates planning trips, then you should utilize ChatGPT’s ability to generate trip itineraries. The results can be customized to the nth degree depending on how much detail and instruction you’re willing to provide.
As someone who likes to get away at least once a year but also wants to make the most of every trip, leaning on ChatGPT for an itinerary is essential for me. I’ll provide the location and the kinds of things I want to see and do, then let it handle the rest. Instead of spending days researching everything myself, ChatGPT does 80 percent of it for me.
As with all of these tasks, you don’t need to accept ChatGPT’s first effort. Use different prompts to force the AI chatbot to shape the itinerary closer to what you want. You’d be surprised at how many cool ideas you’ll encounter this way—simply nix the ones you don’t like.
Break down difficult concepts
Dave Parrack / Foundry
One of the best tasks to assign to ChatGPT is the explanation of difficult concepts. Ask ChatGPT to explain any concept you can think of and it will deliver more often than not. You can tailor the level of explanation you need, and even have it include visual elements.
Let’s say, for example, that a higher-up at work regularly lectures everyone about the importance of networking. But maybe they never go into detail about what they mean, just constantly pushing the why without explaining the what. Well, just ask ChatGPT to explain networking!
Okay, most of us know what “networking” is and the concept isn’t very hard to grasp. But you can do this with anything. Ask ChatGPT to explain augmented reality, multi-threaded processing, blockchain, large language models, what have you. It will provide you with a clear and simple breakdown, maybe even with analogies and images.
Analyze and make tough decisions
Dave Parrack / Foundry
We all face tough decisions every so often. The next time you find yourself wrestling with a particularly tough one—and you just can’t decide one way or the other—try asking ChatGPT for guidance and advice.
It may sound strange to trust any kind of decision to artificial intelligence, let alone an important one that has you stumped, but doing so actually makes a lot of sense. While human judgment can be clouded by emotions, AI can set that aside and prioritize logic.
It should go without saying: you don’t have to accept ChatGPT’s answers. Use the AI to weigh the pros and cons, to help you understand what’s most important to you, and to suggest a direction. Who knows? If you find yourself not liking the answer given, that in itself might clarify what you actually want—and the right answer for you. This is the kind of stuff ChatGPT can do to improve your life.
Plan complex projects and strategies
Dave Parrack / Foundry
Most jobs come with some level of project planning and management. Even I, as a freelance writer, need to plan tasks to get projects completed on time. And that’s where ChatGPT can prove invaluable, breaking projects up into smaller, more manageable parts.
ChatGPT needs to know the nature of the project, the end goal, any constraints you may have, and what you have done so far. With that information, it can then break the project up with a step-by-step plan, and break it down further into phases (if required).
If ChatGPT doesn’t initially split your project up in a way that suits you, try again. Change up the prompts and make the AI chatbot tune in to exactly what you’re looking for. It takes a bit of back and forth, but it can shorten your planning time from hours to mere minutes.
Compile research notes
Dave Parrack / Foundry
If you need to research a given topic of interest, ChatGPT can save you the hassle of compiling that research. For example, ahead of a trip to Croatia, I wanted to know more about the Croatian War of Independence, so I asked ChatGPT to provide me with a brief summary of the conflict with bullet points to help me understand how it happened.
After absorbing all that information, I asked ChatGPT to add a timeline of the major events, further helping me to understand how the conflict played out. ChatGPT then offered to provide me with battle maps and/or summaries, plus profiles of the main players.
You can go even deeper with ChatGPT’s Deep Research feature, which is now available to free users, up to 5 Deep Research tasks per month. With Deep Research, ChatGPT conducts multi-step research to generate comprehensive reports (with citations!) based on large amounts of information across the internet. A Deep Research task can take up to 30 minutes to complete, but it’ll save you hours or even days.
Summarize articles, meetings, and more
Dave Parrack / Foundry
There are only so many hours in the day, yet so many new articles published on the web day in and day out. When you come across extra-long reads, it can be helpful to run them through ChatGPT for a quick summary. Then, if the summary is lacking in any way, you can go back and plow through the article proper.
As an example, I ran one of my own PCWorld articles (where I compared Bluesky and Threads as alternatives to X) through ChatGPT, which provided a brief summary of my points and broke down the best X alternative based on my reasons given. Interestingly, it also pulled elements from other articles. (Hmph.) If you don’t want that, you can tell ChatGPT to limit its summary to the contents of the link.
This is a great trick to use for other long-form, text-heavy content that you just don’t have the time to crunch through. Think transcripts for interviews, lectures, videos, and Zoom meetings. The only caveat is to never share private details with ChatGPT, like company-specific data that’s protected by NDAs and the like.
Create Q&A flashcards for learning
Dave Parrack / Foundry
Flashcards can be extremely useful for drilling a lot of information into your brain, such as when studying for an exam, onboarding in a new role, prepping for an interview, etc. And with ChatGPT, you no longer have to painstakingly create those flashcards yourself. All you have to do is tell the AI the details of what you’re studying.
You can specify the format (such as Q&A or multiple choice), as well as various other elements. You can also choose to keep things broad or target specific sub-topics or concepts you want to focus on. You can even upload your own notes for ChatGPT to reference. You can also use Google’s NotebookLM app in a similar way.
Provide interview practice
Dave Parrack / Foundry
Whether you’re a first-time jobseeker or have plenty of experience under your belt, it’s always a good idea to practice for your interviews when making career moves. Years ago, you might’ve had to ask a friend or family member to act as your mock interviewer. These days, ChatGPT can do it for you—and do it more effectively.
Inform ChatGPT of the job title, industry, and level of position you’re interviewing for, what kind of interview it’ll be (e.g., screener, technical assessment, group/panel, one-on-one with CEO), and anything else you want it to take into consideration. ChatGPT will then conduct a mock interview with you, providing feedback along the way.
When I tried this out myself, I was shocked by how capable ChatGPT can be at pretending to be a human in this context. And the feedback it provides for each answer you give is invaluable for knocking off your rough edges and improving your chances of success when you’re interviewed by a real hiring manager.
Further reading: No, don’t threaten ChatGPT for better results. Try this instead Read...Newslink ©2025 to PC World |  |
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