Early Black Friday deals on Chromebooks have begun at Amazon, Best Buy, and other retailers. I’m on the hunt for the best Chromebook sales, and I’ve already found some worth snatching up. Black Friday 2024 could be weird. America’s new president is promising 60 percent tariffs on goods coming from China next year, which will raise prices across all kinds of categories, including electronics. Should that happen, snapping up a Chromebook deal now would be prudent. I’ve listed the best Chromebook deals that I can find, followed by an explanation of why I think you should buy them. I’ve been tracking Chromebook deals during Black Friday for the past several years, so I have a good idea of what to buy and how much you should pay. (If you’d like more information, I recommend reading the FAQ at the bottom below this list of early Black Friday Chromebook deals.) Best early Black Friday budget Chromebook deals Acer Chromebook 315 (Celeron N4500/4GB RAM/64GB SSD, 15.6-inch 1080p display), now $139.00 (22% off at Walmart) Asus Chromebook CM1402 (Kompanio 520/4GB RAM/64GB SSD, 14-inch 1080p display), now $129.00 (57% off at Best Buy) Asus Chromebook CX1 (Celeron N4500/4GB RAM/128GB SSD, 14-inch 1080p display), now $159.00 (31% off at Walmart) Samsung Chromebook 4 (Celeron N4000/4GB RAM/64GB SSD, 15.6-inch 1080p display), now $209.00 (35% off at Amazon) Lenovo 14-inch Chromebook (Kompanio 520/4GB RAM/64GB SSD, 14-inch 1080p display), now $206.99 (31% off at Amazon) Asus Chromebook CM14 (Kompanio 520/4GB RAM/64GB SSD, 14-inch 768p display), now $166.00 (41% off at Amazon) Asus Chromebook C424 (Celeron N4020/4GB RAM/128GB SSD, 14-inch 1080p display), now $196.00 (22% off at Amazon) Lenovo Ideapad Slim 3 (2023) (Kompanio 520/4GB RAM/64GB SSD, 14-inch 1080p display), now $203.85 (8% off at Amazon) Budget Chromebooks are all about the tradeoffs. In this case, there aren’t any deals with 8GB of RAM, which is what I’d prefer. Among these, the Acer Chromebook 315 gives you the most for your money, including a nice big display and a relatively modern processor. The Celeron N4500 is faster in single-threaded tasks than the Arm-based Kompanio with battery life. The Acer 315, Asus CM1402, and the Asus CX1 are all good, thrifty choices. Samsung Chromebooks tend to be a bit overpriced, but they also tend to have lovely displays, which is why I’ve included the Chromebook 4 and placed it pretty highly. Personally, I also like Lenovo’s keyboards, and a lot of Chromebooks end up skimping on their keyboards. I’m just not a fan of Asus keyboards, for example. The last three entrants in this current list of deals, including the Asus CM14 and Asus C424, have weaknesses. What’s wonderful is that we’re still seeing cost-effective budget Chromebooks with 1080p screens… but the CM14 has a lower-resolution 768p screen that you won’t be as happy with it as you would with alternatives, and the C424 has one of the slower Celeron processors available. As for the Lenovo Ideapad Slim 3? It’s a modern Chromebook, as the “2023” indicates, but it’s just a little bit more expensive than the others. Best early Black Friday mid-range Chromebook deals Acer Chromebook Plus 515 (Refurbished) (Core i3-1215U/8GB RAM/128GB SSD, 15.6-inch 1080p display), now $199.99 (47% off at Walmart) Acer Chromebook Plus 515 (Core i3-1215U/8GB RAM/128GB SSD, 15.6-inch 1080p display), now $299.00 (25% off at Best Buy) Lenovo Flex 3 (Pentium Silver N6000/8GB RAM/64GB eMMC, 15.6-inch 1080p display), now $328.99 (31% off at Best Buy) HP 2-in-1 Chromebook (Core i3-N305/8GB RAM/256GB SSD, 14-inch 1080p display), now $399.00 (37% off at Best Buy) Asus Chromebook Plus CX5601 (Core i3-1215U/8GB RAM/128GB SSD, 16-inch 1920×1200 display), now $479.00 (20% off at Best Buy) Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 714 (Core i5-1335U/8GB RAM/256GB SSD, 14-inch 1920×1200 display), now $529.99 (24% off at Best Buy) I almost never include refurbished Chromebooks in deal recommendations, but this one’s an exception. Why? Because the Acer Chromebook Plus 515 is the same exact Chromebook as one of the better deals on the list, just refurbished — and $100 cheaper. For a Chromebook, that’s big! A Chromebook Plus with that hardware for $199.99 is a very, very sweet deal. Just pay attention to the return policy in case something snuck past quality control. The one thing I’m a bit suspicious of, however, is the fact that Intel’s 12th- and 13th-gen Core chips sucked down a decent amount of power. The Pentium Silver and Core i3-N305 inside the Lenovo Flex 3 and HP 2-in-1 will absolutely have longer battery life, though markedly less performance. If you expect your Chromebook to be plugged into the wall most of the time, however, you can opt for other Chromebooks instead. I quite like the Asus Chromebook Plus CX5601 and Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 714, as well. These Chromebook Plus laptops offer higher performance for higher prices, with add-ons like Thunderbolt ports. These are honestly great machines, but just not as budget-friendly as some of the other choices. If you’ve decided that a Chromebook isn’t for you and you’d prefer a laptop instead, check out our Black Friday laptop deals and our Black Friday deals shopping page. FAQ 1. When is Black Friday? Officially, this year’s Black Friday takes place on Friday, Nov. 29, 2024. Cyber Monday is the following Monday, or Dec. 2, 2024. 2. When do Black Friday Chromebook deals begin? Early Black Friday sales have already begun at several retailers, though sales should ramp up as Black Friday nears. Retailers haven’t been shy about adding early sales to unload inventory before the Black Friday craziness begins. Note that early Black Friday sales can sometimes include a “sneaky season,” where retailers add sales, then raise prices, and then discount again for Black Friday. 3. What should you pay for a Black Friday Chromebook deal? I’m actually surprised that there’s as many early Chromebook deals as there have been for 2024. Good deals, too! Last year, there simply weren’t as many deals before Black Friday proper. I’d expect budget Chromebook deal prices to drop below $100 for Black Friday on a model or two, but $129 or $139 for an early Black Friday deal is surprisingly impressive. I usually like mid-range Chromebooks to be about $250 or so, but we’ll see what we end up with. Early mid-range Chromebook prices aren’t bad right now. In general, I’d expect the type of Chromebooks we recommend (see below for more detail on that) to be priced below $350 in the weeks leading up to Black Friday. Prices should drop a bit more as Black Friday approaches. In general, we put our top picks at the top of our lists. I absolutely factor price into my picks, but I’m looking for value: the best bang for your buck. I feel like I’ve really benefited from a good deal when I get the most for my money, and that’s what I want to help you get, too. 4. What features should I look for in a Black Friday Chromebook? We still prioritize three things when looking for a Chromebook deal: memory, the display (size and resolution), and the CPU. Retailers are still trying to unload Chromebooks with 4GB of RAM, 768p screens, and ancient processors. Ignore those, for the most part. Some can be justified as budget Chromebook options, but I really feel that you deserve a Chromebook with at least 8GB of RAM, a 1080p screen or better (with screen sizes above 13 inches, if possible), and a relatively modern CPU. I don’t put a lot of weight on the CPU, if only because a Chromebook doesn’t need a lot of horsepower behind it. A 1080p screen offers a comfortable laptop-like viewing experience. Be aware that “HD” does not mean 1080p! It basically means 768p, which is going to be a bit hard on your eyes. “Full HD” or “FHD” equates to 1080p. Our recommended CPUs include Intel Celerons, Intel Pentiums, Intel Core chips, AMD Ryzen processors, and Arm chips from MediaTek or Qualcomm. All of those have their pros and cons, though the performance differences probably won’t matter as much as additional memory. More memory (that is, 8GB rather than 4GB of RAM) allows for more browser tabs and a smoother browser experience. Onboard storage really doesn’t matter all that much, though an SSD of at least 32GB is preferable for storing apps, documents, screenshots, and the like. If you’re familiar with our lengthy laptops versus Chromebooks explainer, you know that one of the potential gotchas is buying a Chromebook whose support window expires soon. Google now supports new Chromebooks for up to 10 years, so this is less of a concern. 5. Which Chromebook does PCWorld rate highest? Our editors regularly review Chromebooks, so make sure to check our rankings of the best Chromebooks of 2024. We recommend a wide range of price points, and the article offers a great primer on Chromebook shopping. What’s more, some of our top picks will likely go on sale before or during Black Friday. Read...

When power users get a new PC, sometimes they like to start fresh — so they pull the pro gamer move of re-installing Windows with a fresh ISO image direct from Microsoft that has no pack-in bloatware and no unnecessarily elaborate “driver management programs” from the manufacturer. That wasn’t an option for the more specialized build of Windows 11 on the new Snapdragon laptops… until now. Thanks to the Arm64-based hardware, which is different from the usual x86 and x64 guts you’re used to in most laptops and desktops, the build of Windows 11 on these new laptops is unique. It took a few months, but Microsoft has finally published a disk image (or ISO file) for these devices. You can now download it directly from Microsoft’s website to set up a direct reinstallation or create a bootable flash drive for another device. It’s just like the existing installation media tool. This is an exciting option for a very particular slice of the Windows userbase. Of course, that same slice is likely to be unimpressed by even a “clean” installation, as Microsoft’s pack-in software and integrated advertising has only gotten more and more intrusive over the last few years, to say nothing of the huge push for Copilot AI “features.” And assuming you want new updates for your fancy new laptop, it’s likely to get more bloated as time goes on. Keep in mind that using this method for a fresh install might create a few hiccups. That Snapdragon X system-on-a-chip has a lot fewer hardware variables than older designs, but it’s so new that you might not get every piece you need from Windows Update. Be prepared for the possibility of needing either an Ethernet connection or using ye olde sneakernet to load up drivers manually from another machine, and maybe a bit of Googling to find every file you need for that. It’s okay. If you clicked on this article, odds are pretty good that you know what you’re doing, or at least have the ability to find out. I believe in you. Read...

Raspberry Pi has just released another affordable accessory for its single-board computer lineup — an Official Raspberry Pi USB 3 Hub that only costs $12. The official Raspberry Pi USB 3 Hub features four USB-A 3.0 ports, which are backwards compatible with USB 2.0, plus an extra USB-C port that can power the hub if required. The new hub is compatible with all Raspberry Pi models and connects via a USB-A 3.0 connector on an integrated 8cm cable. It’s also small enough to fit in your pocket. Raspberry Pi boards come with a number of USB ports already, but some users have demanded more connectivity. With the new USB hub you can go to town by connecting up to four extra devices – everything from cameras and sensors to IoT devices if you wish. The hub’s USB-A 3.0 ports run at a speed of 5 Gbit/s (gigabits per second), which is the same speed you can expect from any USB-A 3.0 port on a PC desktop or laptop, so uploading and downloading your files should be very quick. Meanwhile, the optional USB-C socket will allow you to hook up an external 5V 3A power supply (sold separately) in case the power from the USB isn’t sufficient to power all of your peripherals – for example, if you connect a smartphone that starts charging. The hub comes after recent accessorizing by the company, which has resulted in the release of SD card, SSD storage, and AI HAT products. The growing list of accessories is music to the ears of Pi enthusiasts who benefit from extra functionality and more Raspberry Pi projects to work on. In a statement on its website Raspberry Pi said nonofficial USB hubs that work well and are affordable are extremely hard to come by, with many being “unreliable,” “ugly,” or requiring you to “spend a lot of money,” hence the decision to release an official version. “The resulting product works perfectly with all models of Raspberry Pi computer, and it bears our logo because we’re proud of it: we believe it’s the best USB 3.0 hub on the market today,” it said. Read...

Microsoft has been rolling out a steady stream of new features in various beta versions of Windows 11, but now there will be a slight pause on them. Namely, the company has announced that it will not be rolling out any new update to the beta version of the operating system in December. The reason for this is simply that Microsoft is slowing down during the festive season. Windows 11 updates with new features will continue to be rolled out at the same old pace when employees return to work after the New Year. However, Microsoft has not paused the release of all updates to Windows 11, the operating system will still receive new security updates in December. This break is a perfect time to discover some of the lesser-known features and perks of Windows 11! Check out some of our tip roundups below: 10 overlooked Windows 11 features you need to try 9 must-know details about Windows 11’s big 2024 update 20 insanely useful Windows 11 keyboard shortcuts I use every day 15 obscure Windows 11 tricks for PC power users get windows 11 pro for cheap Windows 11 Pro Read...

It might be early, but Black Friday desktop PC deals have begun. Some retailers have already launched early deals on everything from home office computers to gaming PCs to all-in-ones. What’s more, many retailers are offering price protection so you can make your purchase now and rest assured you’ll end up with the best price. We’re already seeing great discounts on gaming PCs and all-in-ones from Best Buy, Dell, HP, Newegg, and more. We’ll continue to track down and highlight the best PC computer deals leading up to and during Black Friday 2024, so check back later if you don’t spot one you like yet. Best early Black Friday gaming desktop PC deals Skytech Chronos, Core i5-12400F/RTX 4060/16GB RAM/1TB SSD, $899.99 (14% off on Amazon) Alienware Aurora R16, Core i7-14700F/RTX 4070/32GB RAM/1TB SSD, $1,399.99 (30% off on Dell) Alienware Aurora R16, Core i9-14900KF/RTX 4090/32GB RAM/2TB SSD, $2,999.99 (19% off on Dell) Thermaltake LCGS Quartz i460 R4, Core i5-13400F/RTX 4060/16GB RAM/1TB SSD, $849.99 (6% off on Amazon) ViprTech Overlord, Ryzen 5 5600X/RTX 4070/32GB RAM/1TB SSD, $1,199.99 (14% off on Walmart) iBuyPower Y40, Ryzen 7 7700/RTX 4070/16GB RAM/1TB SSD, $1,439.00 (10% off on Walmart) Acer Predator Orion 3000, Core i7-13700F/RTX 4070/16GB RAM/1TB SSD, $1,199.99 (29% off on Newegg) The Skytech Chronos that’s $150 off on Amazon is a solid early Black Friday deal for a budget gaming PC. With a Core i5-12400F CPU and RTX 4060 GPU, you’ll get excellent frame rates while gaming at 1080p with the latest AAA games. But then there’s also Dell, who kicked off Black Friday with a pair of excellent deals on its Alienware Aurora R16 gaming desktop models. The first is a strong mid-range build for $600 off and the second is a higher-end build that’s $700 off. Both deals offer very affordable prices for their respective specs, but if I had the cash, the tricked-out build with a Core i9-14900KF CPU and RTX 4090 GPU would be hard to pass up. Best early Black Friday mainstream desktop PC deals Lenovo IdeaCentre Mini, Core i5-13500H/8GB RAM/512GB SSD, $509.99 (21% off on Lenovo) HP Slim Desktop, Core i5-14400/16GB RAM/512GB SSD, $499.99 (28% off on HP) Dell Inspiron Desktop, Core i7-14700/16GB RAM/1TB SSD, $849.99 (23% off on Dell) Apple Mac Mini M2 2023, M2/8GB RAM/256GB SSD, $469.00 (22% off on Amazon) Lenovo is offering the IdeaCentre Mini for $140 off on its website during its early Black Friday sale. This mini PC, with an impressively small footprint and great productivity features, is a must-have if desktop space is in short supply and you don’t want to sacrifice performance. Mac fans need not miss out either, as there’s a rare deal on the M2 Mac Mini for $130 off on Amazon. The M2 is still a solid CPU, and considering that the M4 Mac Mini was just announced, it’s the perfect time to buy the older version at a discount. You’re still getting a capable mini desktop, but without the exorbitant price of a new-gen Apple product. Best early Black Friday all-in-one computer deals Dell Inspiron 24 AiO, Ryzen 5 7530U/16GB RAM/1TB SSD/24-inch 1080p touch display, $799.99 (20% off on Dell) Lenovo Yoga AiO 9i, Core i9-13900H/RTX 4050/32GB RAM/1TB SSD/31.5-inch 4K display, $1,999.99 (13% off on Lenovo) Asus Zen AiO 24, Ryzen 7 5825U/16GB RAM/512GB SSD/24-inch 1080p touch display, $789.00 (31% off on Amazon) Apple iMac M3 2023, M3/8GB RAM/512GB SSD/24-inch 5K Retina display, $1,399.00 (18% off on Amazon) I really like the Dell Inspiron 24 AiO deal for $200 off on Dell’s website. It might not look like the most mind-blowing AiO, but don’t let that fool you. Good performance features and a handy touch display make this a standout all-in-one Black Friday sale. Alternatively, the striking Lenovo Yoga AiO 9i is discounted by $300 on Lenovo’s website. This flagship all-in-one PC is outfitted with a dazzling 31.5-inch 4K display and powered by a robust Intel Core i9-13900H CPU. Plus, in case you want to do some moderate gaming, they even throw in a Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 GPU as well. That’s a solid price for a powerful AiO config, and it’s definitely worth jumping on. FAQ 1. When is Black Friday? Black Friday 2024 falls on Friday, Nov 29. However, many retailers have already started to offer great discounts on desktop computers. Keep your eyes tuned to PCWorld for the best desktop PC deal alerts. We’ll be covering discounts now through November and on to Cyber Monday, Dec 2. 2. What should I look for in a Black Friday computer deal? When looking to get a new computer, make sure to get at least an Intel Core i5 or AMD Ryzen 5. Either will provide plenty of processing power for everyday computing tasks. If you don’t intend to do any PC gaming, then feel free to save some money with integrated graphics. But if you are looking to get your game on, we recommend a minimum of an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 or AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT, as these are the least expensive discrete graphics cards that can handle ray tracing well. If you want the latest and greatest, opt for one of Nvidia’s newer GPUs (RTX 4060, 4070, 4080, or 4090). These are more expensive, but they give you top-of-the-line performance, especially the RTX 4080 and 4090 cards. As for RAM, shoot for a minimum of 16GB for gaming and ideally 32GB for content creation (e.g., video editing and rendering tasks). But for general-purpose web browsing and office tasks, 8GB of RAM should suffice. Storage size depends on your personal needs, but it’s generally good to opt for an SSD over a standard HDD as they’re much faster and don’t significantly affect the price of a desktop PC. A good starting place for most desktop PCs is 512GB of SSD storage, but if you have large files to store (such as videos or games), then you should go for at least 1TB of capacity. Additionally, if you intend to go for an all-in-one with an integrated display, look for a screen with a minimum resolution of 1080p. 3. What are good websites to find Black Friday computer deals? There are tons of sites that sell computers on Black Friday, but scouring through all of them would take you a lot of time. That’s why we do it for you here and highlight the best deals we find. Even so, you need to be smart about where you look at any given time of the year. During holiday shopping times like Black Friday, your best bet is to check first-party vendor websites. These include the retail storefronts of popular computer manufacturers such as HP, Dell, and Lenovo. However, if you can’t find anything you like there, then you can expand your search to reputable third-party retailers such as Amazon, Adorama, Walmart, Best Buy, and Newegg. Oftentimes these websites offer limited “Deal of the Day” or “Flash Deal” type sales in hopes of getting rid of excess stock. On the upside, you can score still-decent PCs at a steep discount if you time it right. Read...

It might seem early, but VPN deals have already begun for Black Friday — and these early deals from VPN providers look to be among the best ever. What’s more, you can make your purchase now and rest assured you’re getting the best price. Most VPN services start their discounts early and run the same deals through the entirety of the holiday season. We’re already seeing some great discounts on our Editors’ Choice picks, including ExpressVPN, NordVPN, Surfshark, and more. We’ll continue to track down and highlight the best VPN deals on offer leading up to and during Black Friday 2024. Best early Black Friday VPN deals ExpressVPN, $4.99 per month for 24 months + 6 free months (61% off at ExpressVPN) Surfshark VPN, $2.49 per month for 24 months + 4 free months (86% off at Surfshark) NordVPN, $4.49 per month for 24 months + 3 free months (70% off at NordVPN) Private Internet Access, $2.03 per month for 36 months + 3 free months (83% off at PIA) Proton VPN, $2.99 per month for 12 months (70% off at ProtonVPN) PrivadoVPN, $1.99 per month for 24 months + 3 free months (82% off at Privado VPN) IPVanish VPN, $2.19 per month for 24 months (83% off at IPVanish) Our Editors’ Choice and top overall VPN pick, ExpressVPN is offering a great deal on its long-term 2-year plan for $4.99 per month (61 percent off). The real kicker, though, is the extremely generous six extra months thrown in for new subscribers. That means not only are you getting the best VPN on the market at a steep discount, but you’ll also enjoy the service for an additional half of a year without paying an extra cent. Surfshark is another of our top picks here at PCWorld, and this one’s on sale for just $2.49 per month for two years (86 percent off). They also provide an additional four extra months for free when you sign up. Alternatively, you could opt for the NordVPN deal that’s currently $4.49 per month for two years (70 percent off). Both services come with a stacked line-up of privacy and security features. Personally, I think the Surfshark deal is a bit better — it comes with fewer features and the speeds are just a tad slower, but the price can’t be beat. FAQ 1. When is Black Friday? This year, Black Friday falls on Friday, Nov 29. However, many services have already started offering great discounts on VPNs. Keep your eyes tuned to PCWorld for the best VPN deal alerts. We’ll be covering discounts now through November and on to Cyber Monday, Dec 2. 2. What is a VPN? A VPN creates a secure tunnel between your PC and the internet. You connect to a VPN server, which can be located in the United States or a foreign country (like France or Japan). Your web traffic then goes through that server to make it appear as though you’re browsing from that server’s location and not from your actual location. When you’re using a VPN, it’s difficult for others to snoop on your web-browsing activity. Only you, the VPN service, and the website you’re visiting will know what you’re up to.  A VPN can be a great solution to a variety of concerns, such as online privacy, anonymity, greater security on public Wi-Fi, and, of course, spoofing locations. 3. What should I look for in a Black Friday VPN deal? There are a few things you should keep in mind when shopping for a good VPN deal. The first thing to consider is, of course, your budget. How much are you willing to spend each month? How much can you afford to drop on a longer-term plan with an upfront payment? You’ll also need to determine how long you intend to use the VPN. Do you just need it for a short trip? A few months? Or forever? The very best VPN deals are generally on longer-term plans for 2 or 3 years. After you decide on your budget and how long you’ll use the VPN, next you can start comparing features. Look at the number of servers and locations for each VPN. A good starting point is to look for services that have at least 1,000 servers and 30 or more country locations. The next thing to consider is VPN speed. This may be tricky to do since you aren’t likely to be able to test connection speeds without first paying to use the service. Reading reviews online will give you a general estimate. Look for reviews, like ours, that give you a relative average of connection speeds rather than direct Mbps speed comparisons for a more accurate picture. Finally, compare each VPN’s privacy protections. Does it have a no-logs policy? Has it undergone any independent audits of its servers? Where is the VPN company located? All of these are critical and you’ll want to go with a VPN that has clear and transparent data collection policies. Read...

At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros Great value Flexible form factor Surprisingly good keyboard Amazing battery life Cons Needs more RAM Android apps don’t run well Vertical kickstand reduces horizontal options Our Verdict The 2024 edition of the Chromebook Duet doubles down on its hybrid form factor and budget price. Lenovo has refined this design very well, and it remains a great choice if you want a cheap, reliable Chromebook that fits in small spaces and can do some light tablet duty. Just keep an eye on your tabs. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Best Prices Today: Lenovo Chromebook Duet (2024) Retailer Price $319.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Google representatives tell me that the Lenovo Chromebook Duet series is the best-selling Chromebook ever, and I believe them. With a low price, a Surface-style form factor, and a bit of an iPad look when all the extras are stripped off, it’s an appealing package, especially if you’re more comfortable with a touchscreen than with a mouse. The new version of the Chromebook Duet is an improvement in almost every way. The new revision to the model is an improvement in almost every way. While it still doesn’t handle heavy desktop-style tasks or Android apps very adroitly, it’s an excellent budget device if you want a little more flexibility than a standard laptop. Further reading: Best Chromebooks 2024: Best overall, best battery life, and more Lenovo Chromebook Duet: Physical Design  The newest ” Gen 9? model looks extremely familiar to the first two models but with more refinement. It’s still a tablet first, at least in a purely physical sense, with a little more of a focus on conventional web browsing thanks to ChromeOS. And while I appreciate the included stylus, its value proposition isn’t quite as good as it used to be, especially if you want the 8GB memory upgrade. And trust me, you want that upgrade.  Michael Crider/Foundry The Duet is an 11-inch tablet and bare of all its accouterments, you might confuse it for a standard iPad at first glance. But a little handling time quickly puts that notion to rest. It’s horizontally aligned, with a wider 19:10 LCD screen and a webcam poking out from the side with a handy physical shutter. You’ll also notice two different USB-C ports, one on the left side if you’re using it in laptop mode, and one on the top. An extra port for accessories and charging, but what’s with that weirdo placement?  Michael Crider/Foundry It makes sense when you notice the updated magnetic kickstand. This design dispenses with the fabric, allows a hole for the magnetically-charging stylus, and crucially, has a bit of a kink to it. The slanted angle allows the Duet to stand up in either horizontal or vertical mode, and either way those USB-C ports are not obstructed. It’s a thoughtful touch, though I have to point out that accommodating two different modes here means there’s only one angle for the tablet to stand up in either one. I’d prefer the flexibility of multiple angles in horizontal mode since that’s the way I used it by far. Lenovo Chromebook Duet: Chromebook first, tablet second ChromeOS has made big improvements in its touch interface, but this is still a “Chromebook” and not a tablet, at least according to the branding. So most of my time with the Duet was spent using it laptop-style with the kickstand and combined keyboard, touchpad, and screen cover attached. And I was surprised at how comfortable this was. One of the few low points of the original design was that the keyboard was a bit cramped and didn’t have a lot of give to the keys. Lenovo seems to have addressed this with a new design. It still sits flat as a pancake, but the keys have increased travel distance and the layout keeps all the alphanumeric keys at full size despite the squished layout. That makes typing for extended periods surprisingly natural. It’s not as good as a high-quality keyboard with a full-sized layout, and it’s a far cry from Lenovo’s best-in-class ThinkPad keyboards. But considering the restrictions of both the form factor and the price, it’s pretty darn good. Michael Crider/Foundry Ditto for the touchpad, which is plastic instead of glass, but is more than serviceable for scootin’ your cursor across a tablet screen. The screen is also fine, if not outstanding. The 1920×1200 resolution is a lot wider than a standard tablet and a little taller than most laptops, which is a good compromise. It’s an IPS-LCD panel with good color accuracy and plenty of brightness. Again, nothing here is going to blow you away versus a more expensive device, but it’s all acceptably in the pretty-good zone for a gadget that starts at $360.  Here are the specs, though keep in mind that since this tablet is running Arm-based hardware, it’s not an apples-to-oranges comparison to most x86-based Chromebooks. Model number: 83HH0000US CPU: MediaTek Kompanio 838 Memory: 4/8GB Graphics: ARM Mali-G57 MC3 Display: 10.95? IPS-LCD, 1920×1200, 60Hz Storage: 64/128GB SSD Webcam: 5MP (8MP rear camera) Connectivity: 2 USB-C, proprietary keyboard, 3.5mm audio jack Battery capacity: 68Wh Dimensions: 255.3 x 166.84 x 7.69mm (with keyboard and stand, approximately 17mm) Weight: 1.21 pounds, 2.09 pounds with keyboard and stand MSRP: $359.99/$399.99 Lenovo Chromebook Duet: Mobile guts, mobile limitations For that price, you get a MediaTek processor (Arm, but that’s okay, ChromeOS don’t judge) with four primary cores and four efficiency cores, a spartan 64GB of storage, and just 4GB of RAM. The upgraded model, which Google sent me as the review unit, boosts those last two to 8GB and 128GB, respectively. For that upgrade, you’re charged the princely sum of $399.99. That’s more than you’d pay for a base-model iPad, but well below that same iPad with a keyboard and stylus.   The mobile hardware also gives this gadget mobile-style battery life, including a solid workday of runtime and standby that I was never able to exhaust even when the tablet spent days in my bag. In this area, it shines above most Chromebooks that compete with conventional laptops. It’s a trade-off for raw, number-crunching power, sure, but considering the audience this device is shooting for and the requirements it brings, it seems like a good one to me.  Michael Crider/Foundry Other hardware includes a 5MP front-facing camera and a single 8MP rear-facing shooter, which I imagine was thrown in with the Arm-based chipset, and which I can’t imagine many people using too often. The webcam isn’t great, especially since the default “laptop” angle has it pointing right up my nose. It’s sharp but washes out easily and doesn’t handle low levels of light well. The rear camera is a little better, but again, I doubt you’ll be using that one regularly.  The tablet has a proprietary magnetic connection for the keyboard and a headphone jack, the latter of which was notably absent in the original design. The magnets connecting the keyboard and affixing it to the screen when closed are nice and sturdy, far less likely to move around — they clung to a coffee shop’s metal exterior table when I went on a walk. I don’t think that was intentional, but it’s reassuring nonetheless. I could wish for a MicroSD card slot to augment the low storage, but beggars can’t be choosers. And yes, a $400 Chromebook that doubles as a tablet qualifies as a beggar in this context.  Michael Crider/Foundry The Duet is surprisingly capable as a laptop, or as close to a laptop as something using the Surface form factor gets. The “good enough” display and keyboard combo lets you use it for hours without too much trouble, and any issues you might have with a smaller-than-usual display can be alleviated with a quick pinch gesture in Chrome or one of the apps that are pretending they aren’t just Chrome with another icon. But you’ll have to be mindful of how many you’re using. When you load up Chrome with more than six or seven tabs, especially with something particularly heavy like Gmail (or the WordPress interface I’m typing in right now), it tends to chug a bit. It’s not surprising — even with a RAM upgrade, this hardware wasn’t designed to be used by a tab addict. But this is somewhat mitigated by the fact that the small size of the tablet means using a dozen tabs or apps at once isn’t practical anyway.  Michael Crider/Foundry The Duet is pointedly not a Chromebook Plus model, so you don’t get access to the full gamut of Google’s AI features. It gets a lot less power than, say, the equally recent Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus. Testing via PCWorld’s gamut of Chromebook benchmarks, it’s less than half as powerful…which seems okay, since It’s approximately half the price, and aiming for a very different use case. CrXPRT 2: 107 Speedometer 2.0: 75.6 Basemark Web 3.0: 502.99 Kraken: 1164.15 Jetstream: 108.516 I’m not exactly crying into my beer over that one. But on the flip side, the form factor does encourage you to use ChromeOS in the other direction: as a kinda-sorta Android tablet.  Lenovo Chromebook Duet: As a tablet And frankly, it’s not a great one. Compared to, say, one of Samsung’s Galaxy laptops, it feels slow and clumsy, even if it’s technically far more capable with its full-power browser. Android apps from the Play Store chug, even simple things like Google’s own Keep Notes program, and that goes double if you try to run them side-by-side with Chrome browser windows or other Android apps. Games do okay, as long as you temper your expectations. The recently released Balatro was nice and snappy, but the far more visually complex Hearthstone tended to stutter and skip, even on its lowest setting for visual fidelity.  Lenovo Chromebook Duet, left, with iPad Air and Galaxy Z Fold 6.Michael Crider/Foundry And while the screen is fine for video — albeit at a somewhat unambitious HD resolution — the stereo speakers are a let-down. They’re plenty loud for a tablet or even a small laptop, but tinny and lacking in bass. Imagine a budget phone at about double the volume. It’s fine if you’re just listening to someone talk, but enjoying music or a movie’s audio demands a good set of headphones. Oh and by the way, this model has a headphone jack, something pointedly missing from the older designs. So if you’re looking for an Android tablet first and a Chromebook second, the Galaxy Tab or Pixel Tablet will serve you better, even if you have to spend a little extra on a keyboard and kickstand (should you want one). The Chromebook Duet works great as a handheld web browser, as Google’s done a lot of work to make ChromeOS’s touchscreen interface far more approachable. But if you prefer mobile apps as your means of interaction, it’s not the way to go. That’s especially true if you consider Samsung’s surprisingly flexible DeX system, which approaches this convergence form factor from the other direction.  Lenovo Chromebook Duet: Another budget hit This might sound like a lot of low points, and a lot of compromises. But considering this is a crossover device and a budget device, they’re basically all both understandable and forgivable. The changes that Lenovo has made are all improvements over the original and already very popular design, with the arguable exception of the double-mode kickstand. If Google and Lenovo have sold more of this design than any other Chromebook, I expect them to sell a lot more.  Go for the upgraded RAM, you’ll absolutely want it. Go for the upgraded RAM, you’ll want it, and the extra storage for Android apps is handy even if they don’t run great. Beyond that, make sure you keep your tabs under control and don’t demand too many extra fills or too much camera prowess. Everything else about the Duet is excellent, especially the value — and it doesn’t hurt that it’s already gone on sale a couple of times. Read...

Datadobi has unveiled StorageMAP 7.1, enhancing its data management platform with improved scalability, performance, and useful features like HDI Archive Appliance Bypass. Read...

Good Old Games (GOG.com) has launched what it calls the GOG Preservation Program, allowing you to keep playing “up to date” PC games even when the developers have stopped supporting them. GOG has placed 100 games in the program, including hits like the original Diablo and the Hellfire expansion, the first three Resident Evil games, Wing Commander III, Ultima VII, the original Fallout, and many more. They’re labeled as “Good Old Games” on GOG’s store page. GOG is attempting to solve what will inevitably become a growing problem: As more and more games are lost to history, developers and the PC industry move on. Code incompatibilities prevent older games from being used with the latest operating systems, and the small, niche market of fans face the specter of those games fading away entirely. GOG’s Preservation Program won’t add new features, but the company is trying to ensure the games at least run. “The GOG Preservation Program ensures classic games remain playable on modern systems, even after their developers stopped supporting them,” the company said Wednesday. “By maintaining these iconic titles, GOG helps you protect and relive the memories that shaped you, DRM-free and with dedicated tech support.” GOG’s Preservation Program basically formalizes efforts the company has been making for several years. For example, the page for Wing Commander III notes that the company “fixed an issue” with the German-language version as far back as 2016. It added cloud saves in 2019, and verified that the game would work with Windows 10 and Windows 11 as of today, November 13. GOG also adjusted the DOSBox emulator configuration to ensure that the game would run at enhanced performance on modern systems. It made similar changes to SimCity 2000, another game in the program. Other games that have been ported to the PC, such as Resident Evil, appear to have more detailed tweaks to ensure that the original console experience is preserved on the PC. GOG isn’t saying if its preservation efforts will stop here, or if it will continue supporting more and more games in the future. Even so, committing to the games we grew up with and loved is worth applause. Read...

As Black Friday draws closer, we’re seeing more and more stunning discounts for cool tech, and that includes this gaming-capable Acemagician AMR5 mini PC for just $289 on Amazon. That’s a big drop from its original $499 price tag. (The only catch here is that this price is for Prime members, but if you don’t have Prime, you can still snag this deal by signing up for a free 30-day Prime trial.) This tiny PC features a powerful AMD Ryzen 7 5700U processor that’s coupled with 16GB of DDR4 RAM, so you’ll have no issue running demanding apps and games. And if you want more power, you can later pop up the magnetic side cover and upgrade to 64GB of RAM. The Acemagician AMR5 also comes with a 512GB M.2 NVMe SSD, which should be enough speed and space for most of your files, apps, and games. If not, you can use the same accessible magnetic cover to add a second drive. Each drive can be up to 2TB, for a total of 4TB. And if you’re going to be using this mini PC as a workflow powerhouse, you can optimize your productivity with three 4K@60Hz displays, one through HDMI 2.0, one through full-feature USB-C, and one through DisplayPort. Other ports include four USB-A 3.0, full-size Gigabit Ethernet, and an audio in/out jack. Simply put, this thing is a beast. You can’t find a laptop or desktop PC with specs like this anywhere near this price. Act fast and grab this Acemagician AMR5 mini PC for just $289 while you can! Score this powerful gaming mini PC for 42% offBuy now on Amazon Read...