In this digital age, sharing and editing videos can be challenging with format limitations and slow processing times. So, whether you’re a content creator, marketer, or video editor, converting, editing, and enhancing video files while maintaining high quality is essential. That’s where HitPaw Univd comes into play. This advanced AI video converter provides high-speed performance, an intuitive interface, and compatibility with numerous formats. Want to know more? Let’s explore the core features of HitPaw Univd for Mac and Windows, how to use it, and a few use cases. HitPaw What is HitPaw Univd? HitPaw Univd (previously HitPaw Video Converter) is a robust video converter, compressor, and editor that uses advanced AI technology to deliver exceptional results in just a few clicks. Designed for both novices and professionals, its primary goal is to provide a seamless and quick way to handle multimedia content without compromising quality. Known for its fast conversion speed, this is a worth-considering tool for YouTubers, filmmakers, or anyone dealing with multimedia files. Interface The interface of HitPaw Univd is designed with simplicity in mind. It is incredibly user-friendly, offering a drag-and-drop workflow that makes it easy for beginners. Also, there are no other complicated settings, just easy-to-understand tools, and options on the main screen. So, users without technical skills can also easily navigate the software’s features and get the job done. Formats and System Support One of the standout features of this video compressor and converter is its extensive support for different formats and operating systems. Whether you’re dealing with video, audio, images, or even documents, HitPaw Univd ensures seamless compatibility. SupportWindowsMacOnlineOperating SystemWindows 11/10/8/7 64-bitmacOS 10.13 and aboveAccessible via a browser, i.e., ChromeFormats1000+ formats, including MP4, MOV, MPG, MKV, DAT, TS, MP3, WMA, AIFF, WAV, FLAC, etc.20+ formats, including MP4, VOB, WEBM, ASF, MXF, OGV, MP3, WV, M4A, and OGG Top Features Here are some of the features of HitPaw Univd that make it appeal for multimedia conversion: 1. Ultrafast File Conversion: HitPaw Univd offers lightning-speed processing up to 120X faster than traditional converters. Whether you’re dealing with large video files or tight deadlines, it ensures instant conversions without compromising quality. 2. Versatile Media Formats Support: Its impressive compatibility with a wide range of audio, video, image, and document formats ensures smooth conversions of various file types, making it a secure choice for everyday conversion. 3. High-Quality Lossless Conversion: When changing file formats, this AI-powered software preserves original integrity with zero quality loss, making it valuable for creating high-quality videos for YouTube or preparing media for a professional project. Other AI Features HitPaw Univd is not just a video converter; its AI-powered features elevate it to the next level. Let’s dive into the details of each one: AI Video Enhancer This feature uses artificial intelligence to enhance video quality, providing clearer and sharper visuals without manual intervention. Whether you’re working with low-resolution footage, need to sharpen facial features, remove general noise, restore older content, or optimize new footage, this tool does the job efficiently. HitPaw Video Compressor The AI Video Compressor reduces the size of large video files to the highest quality without a watermark or size limit. Thus, it makes the videos easier to store, share, or upload on social platforms. It can simultaneously shrink multiple video’ sizes at a super-fast speed. AI Video Editor This tool helps users easily trim, cut, merge, crop, rotate, add a watermark, change video speed, and refine video footage. It supports various editing tasks, including transitions, effects, color correction, and stabilization, making it the perfect tool for both beginners and experienced editors. HitPaw Vocal Remover HitPaw Univd’s Vocal Remover separates vocals and background music from video or audio tracks without affecting the quality of the music. The AI analyses the track and intelligently filters out vocals, making it ideal for even novices to create karaoke tracks, remixes, or instrumental versions of songs. Audio Enhancer The Audio Enhancer by HitPaw Univd boosts audio quality by eliminating unwanted background noise and enhancing clarity. Whether you’re working with podcasts, voiceovers, or music tracks, this feature ensures your audio sounds professional by automatically adjusting volume levels, reducing distortion, and fine-tuning the sound. How to Convert Video Using HitPaw Univd Here is a step-by-step guide to converting videos using HitPaw Univd: Step 1. Add Video The first step is to download and complete the installation of this software. Now, launch it and open the “Converter” section. Click “Add Files”> “Add Video” to import the required video file. HitPaw Step 2. Choose the Output Format Next, expand the “Convert all to” drop-down menu and select the output format from different categories. Tap the pen to adjust the preferences and the quality. HitPaw Step 3. Start Conversion It’s time to enable the ultrafast conversion mode and choose the destination folder. Then, press the “Convert” button and wait until the conversion is done. You can check the “Converted” section for the output. That’s it! HitPaw User Feedback After learning about HitPaw Univd’s features and working in detail, let’s look at a selection of user feedback: Capterra: 4.8/5 I recently tested this video converter and am more than impressed with what I got. It is a widely usable tool, and I found no complications. Converting my videos, music, and images for any preferred format was a walk in the park. The quality of the converted files turned out to be excellent. Great customer supportJoshua R. (Capterra) Software Advice: 4.8/5 The selection of different devices is particularly ingenious if you don’t know very well which format is preferred for which device. This makes working with the program very easy, and you can better familiarise yourself with the problems of the different file formatsChristian (Software Advice) Pricing and Plans HitPaw Univd offers flexible pricing plans to suit different needs. A free trial with limited features is available, but here are the details of various pricing plans for the full version: PlansDurationWindows & MacDevicesIndividualsMonthly$19.951 DeviceYearly$39.95Perpetual$79.95TeamAnnual$119.955 Devices$259.9510 Devices$999.95100 DevicesBusinessAnnualContact Us FAQ 1. Is HitPaw Univd free? Yes, HitPaw Univd offers a free trial version with limited features. To unlock all functionalities, you need to purchase a subscription. 2. Can I use HitPaw Univd on Mac? Of course, HitPaw Univd for Mac offers the same features as the Windows version and can be installed easily on macOS devices. 3. Is HitPaw Univd worth it? HitPaw Univd is worth using for anyone who needs a fast, reliable, and user-friendly video converter. Its AI-powered features and extensive format support make it a top choice for everyone. Conclusion HitPaw Univd is an attractive video converter, compressor, and editor because of its 120X faster conversion speed, AI-powered tools, and compatibility with various formats. Whether you are using HitPaw Univd for Mac or Windows to handle multimedia content, this advanced software delivers performance and value for money. So, try it today and streamline your video editing workflow without sacrificing quality. Read...

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Welcome to The Full Nerd newsletter—your weekly dose of hardcore hardware talk from the enthusiasts at PCWorld. In it, we dive into the hottest topics from our YouTube show, plus interesting news from across the web. This week, we’re…clawing our way back to health. Attending the Nintendo Switch 2 launch at our local Nintendo Store felled both Adam and Will, delaying our usual Tuesday episode. But don’t worry: I still have plenty of juicy news bits to share with you below. Also our Micro Center tour videos are live! Plus, now that Adam and Will are feeling better, we’ll still have a stream—catch us on live on Friday morning (6/13). Want this newsletter to come directly to your inbox every Friday? Sign up on our website! In this episode of The Full Nerd… With the plague having temporarily overtaken Adam and Will, I don’t have a Full Nerd episode to tease—but there are two Micro Center videos to share. (And a third is on the way.) Adam was very excited to meet YouTuber mryeester in person. Trust me, I have so many pictures. Will Smith / Foundry When you visit the opening of a store you’ve wanted in your area for ages, what do you do? Explore all day, of course. We wandered the aisles, talked to the people in lines, and even bought some goodies for ourselves. (You may recognize a couple of the interviewees.) For an extra Easter egg, drop by our Discord server—Adam posted an extra clip that’s pinned in the #general channel. “Is this the year of Linux?” has been a running joke (but also serious consideration) on our show for a bit, and so Adam decided to take the question to the people. He tried to find Linux users at Micro Center—which was surprisingly (or not surprisingly? –Brad) more difficult than expected. The happy surprise? Running into a friend of the show who turned out to be a 20-year Linux veteran! (That surprised shout you hear in the background when he tells us his tenure? That was me, forgetting how hot the mics are.) As for the video that completes the trifecta, we quizzed people on the hardware they rolled up to buy—as well as what they’re rocking now. Unlike the operating system discussion, a lot more of PC building’s diversity showed its colors here. My favorite quote? The Mac user who said he’d eventually have the “religious discussion” with his kid about what hardware to choose for a build. Can’t wait for our next live show? Subscribe now to The Full Nerd YouTube channel, and activate notifications. We also answer viewer questions in real-time!  And if you need more hardware talk during the rest of the week, come join our Discord community—it’s full of cool, laid-back nerds. This week’s best nerd news Outside of the teeny one applied to my Raspberry Pi 4, I haven’t thought about thermal pads in years.Honeywell Sometimes, joy comes from delightful news. (For example, a RTX 5070 graphics card that houses a whole PC.) Other times, a non-zero amount of schadenfreude is the result. (I really dislike the overhyping of AI, and I like when that gets pointed out.)  This week, I got to experience both kinds of feelings. Perhaps you will, too. This modded RTX 5070 graphics card hides a full-blown mini PC within: Bored with your usual small-form factor PC builds? Boutique desktop builder CherryTree’s got something for you—a hollowed out 5070 that holds a whole PC. Including RGB lights. RTX 5090 stock may improve, then get worse: July 9 is when high tariffs on Chinese goods go back into effect—and so MSI and Gigabyte are rushing to get as many cards to U.S. shores before that happens. But after that stock runs out, no one’s certain what U.S. fiscal policy will be…so if you want this flagship card, you may want to jump quickly in the next couple of months. Do you know these 5 new PC cooling advancements?  I’ll admit, this rundown of 5 newer PC cooling technologies makes my standard air cooler seem like the equivalent of farming with a scythe. I can’t wait to see the pumpless water cooler in action. Researchers converted old phones into ‘tiny data centers,’ then used them to watch marine life: Reusing old tech in this novel way hits just right—I hate having devices lying around that I know could be still in service. Seems like automated monitoring is the best use case, so: Best peaceful animal livestreams, incoming? (I’d watch starfish scuttle around on an ocean floor. Or hedgehogs roll around. The world offers so many possibilities.) This new Alienware Lego kit is too “expensive”: The only way to acquire one of these Lego kit is to earn points through Alienware’s website and social media channels, but I will never earn 10,000 in a reasonable amount of time. Alienware, can’t I just throw money at this problem? Isn’t that why I have a job? This is so cool.ZealousidealWorry881/Reddit PCIe 6.0 products are finally on the way: Sure, the specifications for PCIe 7.0 got formally announced, but the real news is PCI 6.0 products will appear in 2025. Most likely, the first sightings will happen at the end of the year, but that’s still a welcome start. Forgot how nightmarish GPU boxes used to look? This book can fix that: Some things were meant to be left to be buried by the sands of time. I still have a GPU box from 2010 and let me tell you, it is tame compared to the horrors chronicled in this coffee table book. Is right now the worst timeline for being a PC gamer? This is a question we asked of Steve Burke of Gamers Nexus, and the answer was a grim “Yes.” Between hardware and game prices going up, PC gamers may be best off hunkering down with what they’ve already got, including your gigantic backlog of free Epic Games downloads. This 80s-inspired, retro-futurist PC battlestation is pretty dope: Just look at the pictures and you’ll understand why my colleague Michael Crider was reduced to expressing his longing in all caps. (Like him, I also look forward to the video detailing the build process.) ‘Get rekt, ChatGPT’: OK, no one actually said this, but if a nearly 50-year old Atari game could talk, that’s what I imagine it’d say to ChatGPT after the AI chatbot wiped out at basic chess. Even Advanced AI Suffers ‘Accuracy Collapse’ in the Face of Complex Problems: Yes, I’m dogpiling a bit on AI. (I may have a low tolerance for current models and their…quirks. I would use a stronger word, but my boss reads this newsletter.) If this technology is to truly help improve our lives, its shortcomings should be recognized and addressed—so I’m glad a major tech company is weighing in with realistic concerns about AI’s abilities. That’s all for this week—we should be back on our regular schedule next Tuesday. Catch you all then! -Alaina This newsletter is dedicated to the memory of Gordon Mah Ung, founder and host of The Full Nerd, and executive editor of hardware at PCWorld. Read...

At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros Dual 3K lenses provide simultaneous, detailed views from two angles On-device AI detects people, pets, noise, and even a crying baby without a subscription Supports local storage up to 256GB, along with flexible cloud storage options Cons No automatic motion tracking Fire detection is still in beta and is not a substitute for dedicated sensors Our Verdict The Imilab C30 Dual is feature-rich indoor camera that delivers wide coverage, sharp video, and smart alerts—without charging extra for the essentials. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Best Prices Today: Imilab C30 Dual Retailer Price $89.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket We’ve reached a point where most indoor security cameras offer the same basic mix of features—HD video, motion alerts, and cloud storage—wrapped in a similar-looking plastic shell. The Imilab C30 Dual sets itself apart with a different approach. It’s an indoor camera with a (literal) twist: two separate 3K (3072 × 1728 pixels) lenses that let you monitor two areas at once, in high detail, from a single device. One lens is fixed for wide-angle coverage, while the other pans and tilts to cover the entire room. But it’s not just about the hardware. The C30 Dual adds a layer of on-device artificial intelligence that can detect people, pets, loud noises, and even a crying baby—all without any requirement to pay for a cloud subscription. That’s still a rarity in this category, where advanced detection features are usually locked behind a paywall. And with support for Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, plus local storage up to 256GB, it offers a surprising amount of flexibility without asking for monthly payments. Design and features The Imilab C30 Dual’s most compelling feature is right there in the name. One lens provides a fixed wide-angle view, giving you a consistent overview of the room. The other is motorized to pan 355 degrees and tilts 60 degrees, and it offers up to 6x digital zoom, letting you zero in on specific spots when needed. You get two perspectives at once, with no blind spots and no need to toggle between angles. The C30 Dual’s PTZ camera can pan 355 degrees and tilt 60 degrees to follow subjects or zoom in on specific areas. Michael Ansaldo/Foundry Another feature you don’t often see at this price is a “virtual fence” that lets you draw activity zones within the camera’s view and receive alerts only when something crosses that boundary. Another setting, called Family Guard, sends a notification if no motion is detected during scheduled periods—useful if you’re keeping tabs on an elderly relative or latchkey kid. Fire detection–currently in beta, is an unusual feature that can send an alert if the camera sees flames or smoke, although you’d be wise to treat it as reinforcement to dedicated safety devices such as smoke detectors. The Imilab C30 Dual is easy to recommend, because this security camera delivers more than you’d expect for its price. You have two options for storing the camera’s recordings: You can provide your own microSD card—up to 256GB in capacity—for local storage (follow our advice for choosing the best microSD card for security cameras), or if you prefer the convenience of the cloud, you can use the Xiaomi Home app to sign up for a paid plan from Xiaomi (Imilab is part of the Xiaomi ecosystem). Two plans are available: Basic costs $4.99 per month and gives you 7 days of event video history and up to 50GB of storage, while the Pro plan bumps that to 30 days of rolling storage with unlimited space for $24.99 per month. A 90-day trial is available to test the service, but all core camera functions work fine without it. Setup and performance Getting the Imilab C30 Dual up and running is a simple process. The USB-C-powered camera can connect to either your 2.4- or 5GHz Wi-Fi networks, and it also supports Wi-Fi 6. This enables it to handle high-resolution streams without bogging down your network. You can place it on a tabletop or mount it to the ceiling using the included bracket, depending on your space and what angles you want to cover. Physical installation takes just a minutes. Once it’s powered on, setup continues in the Xiaomi Home app, which walks you through connecting the camera to your network. The Xiaomi Home app is clean and well-organized, with quick access to live feeds from both of the camera’s lenses and all its settings. From there, you can adjust motion-detection zones, review event clips, and receive alerts when something’s happening in the camera’s field of view. The Xiaomi/Mi Home app gives you quick quick access to live feeds from both lenses and all your camera settings. Michael Ansaldo/Foundry The camera performed well in my day-to-day testing. Both lenses deliver sharp, detailed video with minimal delay. The motorized lens moves smoothly and can be steered using the app’s pan and tilt controls to follow subjects as they move across the room. AI detection is generally accurate; people and pets were flagged correctly, and notifications arrived in real time without a flood of false alarms. The C30 Dual also performed well after dark. In low-light conditions, the it uses enhanced color night vision to capture full-color footage. When the room goes completely dark, it switches to infrared mode, using 10 built-in IR LEDs to deliver clear black-and-white video. That visual clarity is matched by solid audio performance. Two-way audio is clear enough to talk with someone at home or to get your pet’s attention when needed. The mic picks up sound well, and the speaker’s message gets across without distortion. The C30 Dual offers a couple of ways to protect your privacy. You can enable a built-in privacy mode to shut off the camera feed when you’re home. Imilab also says all video data is encrypted, which adds a layer of protection for anyone concerned about digital snooping. This review is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of he best home security cameras. Should you buy the Imilab C30 Dual? The Imilab C30 Dual isn’t just a novelty, it expands your coverage without the need for a second device. And it’s rare to find key features like local storage and smart detection without needing to pay for a subscription. For everyday indoor monitoring—kids, pets, or general peace of mind—it’s an easy recommendation. The C30 Dual delivers more than you’d expect at this price, without nickel-and-diming you to be useful. Read...

Steve and the other members of the Gamers Nexus team are a pretty knowledgeable bunch. They’re also unafraid to pull their punches when covering the PC industry, as demonstrated by some excellent investigations. So at Computex, Adam Patrick Murray asked Steve: Is right now the worst time ever to be a PC gamer? The answer is… yeah, pretty much. In Steve’s estimation it’s the worst time to buy and build a PC for gaming, at least in his multi-decade run of covering the industry. Between massive price increases enabled by Nvidia’s GPU dominance, pressure from the AI and datacenter industry, and general economic chaos from the Trump administration’s tariffs, it hasn’t been so expensive to buy high-end hardware for personal machines since the 90s. And it’s not as if this is happening in a vacuum. Games themselves are getting more expensive as publishers push prices up to $80 for new titles, and the old “you’ll own nothing and be happy” situation is in full effect, notably with software and services. You can’t escape it by fleeing to consoles, either. For the first time in a long time, they’ve gotten even more expensive years after launch. Steve’s advice if you’re feeling the pinch is to stick with what you’ve got. Unless you’re in desperate need of an upgrade — and as someone sitting on a GPU that’s nearly five years old, I’m not — you can just play new games on lower settings or maybe try to squeeze some more performance out of overclocking. There are other options like streaming, too, though that’s running into the service-over-ownership issue. It’s bad out there, and not likely to get better in the short term. This is fun stuff, huh? Maybe you should watch our in-depth coverage of scented thermal paste as a palate cleanser. For more coverage of Computex and the rest of the computer hardware industry, subscribe to PCWorld on YouTube, and watch our weekly podcast The Full Nerd. Read...

At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros It’s an ASTM-certified pool alarm (relevant standard: ASTM F2208 – 2019) Effective alerting Sirens are ear-piercing and impossible to ignore Cons Very expensive compared to general-purpose security cameras   Can’t record video on motion detection Subpar app experience Our Verdict The SwamCam system monitors your pool and sounds an alarm if someone is around your pool when they shouldn’t be—and that’s about it. You’ll find any number of more flexible alternatives that can achieve the same results for a lot less money, even if they’re not ASTM-certified pool alarms. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today With a name like SwamCam, you might already have an inkling of what this product is designed to do. If you guessed it’s designed to keep an eye on your swimming pool, congrats! That said, my expectation is that some of SwamCam’s functionality will surprise you—as will its price tag. At its simplest, SwamCam is a camera designed with pool safety—particularly children who might not be water-safe—squarely in mind. The oblong device is a basic 1080p (1920 x 1080 pixels) camera with a fisheye camera with a 160-degree field of view and standard LED night vision. You mount the camera on a wall, fence, or somewhere else (various hardware is included, along with a 20-foot power cord—a 50-foot cord is available at additional cost) and aim it directly at your swimming pool, where it keeps a watchful eye on goings-on. If a toddler wanders into my backyard while the SwamCam is armed, the 80dBA siren (91dBA at the extender) will let me know. The camera carries a weatherization rating of IP65, which our IP code guide tells us means it is impervious to dust ingress and that it can withstand water jets coming from any direction (short of a pressure washer). Also in the mix are two-way audio, an integrated alarm system, and a button that lets you quickly dial 911 should you spot something amiss. A security camera that doesn’t record on motion detection You’ll need a paid subscription to define motion-detection zones in the SwamCam app. Christopher Null/Foundry What the SwamCam does not do is record video automatically, and officially the company says it is not designed to be “a historical data security system.” The motion detection system in the device watches for human movement at a range of up to 35 feet away, and (if armed) sounds an alarm if it detects any. That alarm keeps sounding until the motion stops. The SwamCam mobile app sends you a push notification, at which point you can check out a live video feed, but, again, video is not recorded unless you manually initiate it (which in turn requires a subscription plan; I’ll get to that in a bit). A live video feed is available for viewing any time, whether the alarm is sounding or not. Performance The optional Wi-Fi repeater (included in the bundle reviewed here) has an even more powerful siren than the one on the SwamCam camera.Christopher Null/Foundry Over several weeks of testing, I found the device to be responsive, performing well at its primary task: detecting humans in and around the pool. I placed it alongside a standard Vivint security camera and didn’t see any real difference in the alert rates—or false positives, with occasional alerts popping up when a pool robot lumbered into view. Live video was quick to load in my testing, and the alarm sounded immediately—and sustainedly—when I had the system armed. The SwamCam app is a curiosity that merits its own analysis. The main page is very simple, offering only a Live View button and a separate button for arm/disarm actions. It really couldn’t be simpler, which is entirely the point of the device. Tapping the gear icon, however, takes you to an oddball settings page, which is arranged as a grid of haphazardly organized functions. Everything else you can do with the camera is located here, from setting motion sensitivity and your motion detection zone, an arming timer and scheduling system, a custom emergency call number (if you don’t want 911), and even the video playback system. It’s weird to dig around in a settings menu to find recorded videos, but I suppose it’s something you’ll get used to. It comes with some extras SwamCam isn’t just a single device but rather part of an ecosystem that is sold in numerous bundles and configurations, including bundles that contain multiple cameras, so you can get a look at your pool from different angles, along with various accessories you can add to the mix. (The app supports a maximum of three cameras and a total of 20 accessories.) The accessories include an indoor alarm (with or without an integrated Wi-Fi repeater) and a numeric keypad that can be used to arm and disarm the SwamCam alarm. The keypad can be used indoors or out, since it’s rated IP65 for protection from dust and liquid ingress. This keypad, another option that came with the SwamCam bundle reviewed here, can arm and disarm the system. It can be used indoors or out, thanks to an IP66 weatherization rating. Christopher Null/Foundry The accessories connect to the SwamCam via Zigbee. I tested the version with the included Wi-Fi repeater, and while it promises to work at a range of up to 100 feet (from the SwamCam camera), I was unable to get it to connect to the camera at a range of 40 feet, ostensibly due to interference between the two devices. The camera only works on 2.4GHz Wi-Fi networks. Once I moved the indoor alarm/repeater to just a few feet away from the camera (but still inside the house), I was able to get a strong, reliable signal. The interior alarm is extremely loud and ear-piercing (; a voiced alternative is also available. When it went off, I knew, even if I was on the other side of the house. The numeric keypad is simplistic in both design and function. The chunky device, powered by two AAA batteries, can arm and disarm the system after entering a PIN you create in the app. Tapping any digit on the keypad causes it to light up and indicate with a small LED whether the system is armed or disarmed. Most of the time, however, the lights are all off, so you can’t readily tell without tapping it whether the system is armed or not. The cost conundrum As a basic alarm system that can alert you if someone falls into the pool, SwamCam does what it promises, and I feel reasonably comfortable knowing that if a toddler wanders into my backyard while the SwamCam is armed, the siren on the camera (80dBA at 10 feet) and/or the Wi-Fi extender (91dBA at 10 feet) will fire off and let me know. The SwamCam system sends push notifications if anyone comes into range of its camera while the system is in its armed state. The app’s Settings page is rather haphazardly laid out.Christopher Null/Foundry On the other hand, I’m equally comfortable that my existing camera system—or any of a number of other more conventional security cameras—would do the same job. But they would also record video of the incident. That said, my other security cameras are not ASTM-certified pool alarms. The big catch is that all this stuff is very, very expensive. The SwamCam bundle I received, including one camera, the interior alarm (with Wi-Fi repeater), and the keypad costs a jaw-dropping $499. Standalone products are also pricey. A replacement camera is $299. The interior alarm is $149, or $129 without the repeater. The keypad is $99. Those kinds of prices boggle the mind given their limited feature set, and I don’t know of any DIY security system that would come anywhere close to costing that kind of cash. (For rough comparison, SimpliSafe’s “The Beacon” kit with base station, keypad, two outdoor cameras, and four sensors is currently $367.) And it bears repeating that those other systems can be set to record video on motion detection. The SwamCam will not. You might also be surprised to learn you’ll need to subscribe to SwamCam’s premium service if you want many of the system’s features; namely, the ability to record and share videos, to set custom detection zones, create more than one keypad code, and more. With a paid subscription, video is stored for 30 days on SwamCam’s cloud service. The SwamCam’s 1080p video resolution is adequate for seeing if someone is around your pool when they shouldn’t be; you won’t be using it to capture license plates, after all.Christopher Null/Foundry Clips can be a maximum of 10 minutes if you have one camera, or 5 minutes if you have two.) The service costs $4/month or $40/year. SwamCam suggests customers might want to subscribe only for the months of the year when their pool is in active use. A 30-day trial subscription is included with purchase. This review is part of TechHive’s iin-depth coverage of the best home security cameras I did encounter one problem with recorded video: While the manual recordings I made at the beginning of my testing were immediately playable, more recent recordings never became available for playback, showing a “Video failed to load, please try again later” error—even after more than a day had passed since they were ostensibly created. Should you buy a SwamCam? Listen: Pool safety is no joke, with some 4,000 people drowning each year according to the CDC, most of those in swimming pools. It’s also the leading cause of unintentional death for children ages 1 to 4. As a pool owner, I take safety seriously, including fencing and round-the-clock camera surveillance, and I recommend the same to other pool owners. But while SwamCam’s heart is in the right place—and there’s something to be said for its being an ASTM-certified pool alarm—its pricing simply is not. I just can’t get my head around any calculus that would convince me that a near-$500 purchase (plus subscription fees) is warranted for the very basic functionality the SwamCam offers—no matter how good a job it does. Read...

At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros Good build quality for the price Integrated kickstand minimizes thickness Bright display with respectable image quality 144Hz refresh rate provides good motion clarity Cons HDMI port is not full-sized HDR input is technically supported, but it’s not great Doesn’t support Adaptive Sync Our Verdict The Arzopa Z1FC is billed as a “portable gaming monitor,” but it’s actually a solid choice for anyone who needs an affordable portable display. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Best Prices Today: Arzopa Z1FC Retailer Price $169.99 View Deal $189.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket The Arzopa Z1FC is positioned as a budget portable gaming monitor, and it’s certainly decent in that role. But contrary to how it’s marketed, the monitor is arguably even better when tapped for general use and day-to-day productivity. Though not perfect, the Arzopa Z1FC is a versatile and competitively priced portable monitor with a bright, high-refresh display. Read on to learn more, then see our roundup of the best monitors for comparison. Arzopa Z1FC specs and features The Arzopa Z1FC is sold as a portable gaming monitor, but its specifications are a decent fit for a wide variety of tasks. It has an IPS LCD with 1080p resolution that includes multiple USB-C inputs, and supports HDR. One feature the monitor notably lacks is Adaptive Sync. Arguably, that means it’s best used as an office and productivity monitor, as Adaptive Sync is essential to smooth gameplay in many situations. Display size: 16.1-inch 16:9 aspect ratio Native resolution: 1920×1080 Panel type: IPS LCD Refresh rate: 144Hz Adaptive Sync: No HDR: Yes, HDR enabled Ports: 2x USB-C with DisplayPort and Power Delivery, 1x mini-HDMI 1.4 Audio: 2x 1-watt speakers Added features: Two-pocket carrying case Warranty: 1-year warranty Price: $199.99 MSRP, $169.99 on sale The Arzopa Z1FC’s price can range from mediocre (at $199.99 MSRP) to rather affordable (at its lowest sale price of $169.99). When on sale, the Z1FC’s pricing is competitive with the alternatives, though a few may be sold for less depending on the day. Shoppers should also know there are two versions of the Z1FC. I reviewed the version that has a carrying case (described below). It can also be purchased without the carrying case. The version without a carrying case seems like a better deal, as it can be purchased for as little as $96.99 and appears identical in images. I haven’t tested it, though, so the image quality results here only apply to the version with the case. Arzopa Z1FC design Given the price, you might expect design and build weaknesses from the Arzopa Z1FC, but that’s not true. The portable monitor has an aluminum rear panel attached to plastic bezels. Though it’s not remarkable, the overall aesthetic is attractive and similar to competitive portable monitors at higher price points. The monitor has a thin aluminum kickstand that does its job well, keeping the monitor stable on your desk. You can tip the monitor if you bump a corner, but it’s stable enough that it won’t fall over unless given a moderate push. Portrait orientation was similarly stable. The kickstand folds completely flush with the monitor’s back when not in use, which helps with portability. Matthew Smith / Foundry Speaking of which, the Z1FC’s portability is outstanding. The monitor weighs just 1.7 pounds and measures only three-tenths of an inch thick. It’s unlikely you’ll even notice the extra weight if you’re using a backpack meant for a 14- or 15-inch laptop and have the laptop stowed. As a bonus, Arzopa includes the best carrying case I’ve encountered with any portable monitor. It’s made from an attractive ribbed material and features two interior pockets, providing enough space for both the monitor and a laptop. The padding is too thin for long-distance travel, but fine if you need to carry the portable monitor to a meeting with a client or to your company’s office. Don’t get me wrong: it’s not going to challenge a high-quality bag from a recognized brand. But for a throw-in sold with a portable monitor, it’s great. Matthew Smith / Foundry Arzopa includes the best carrying case I’ve encountered with any portable monitor. Arzopa Z1FC connectivity A pair of USB-C ports with Power Delivery and DisplayPort serve as the primary video and power inputs for the Arzopa Z1FC. The monitor doesn’t ship with a USB-C power brick, so you’ll need to rely on power provided by the device that it’s connected to or bring your own. The Z1FC had no problem receiving adequate power and video from my Apple Mac Mini M4 and Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch, so the lack of brick shouldn’t be an issue unless you plan to use HDMI. HDMI can be a headache, though, as the Z1FC has a mini-HDMI port instead of a full-sized HDMI port. An HDMI to mini-HDMI cable is included, which is nice, but you might be in trouble if you lose or forget the cable while traveling. This type of HDMI input is much less common than a full-sized HDMI. All the Z1FC’s ports are found on the monitor’s left flank, which can be inconvenient if you plan to sit the monitor to the left of your display, as your cables will need to snake around the monitor. Arzopa Z1FC menus and features The Arzopa Z1FC’s menu system is basic but better than average for the category. It includes a dedicated button for opening the menu and selecting menu options. As basic as it sounds, it’s not found on some budget alternative monitors I’ve reviewed. When it’s omitted, users often need to long-press buttons to activate the on-screen menu. There’s more. The Z1FC includes settings for brightness, contrast, sharpness, color temperature, and RGB color adjustment. It also supports 4:3 video input. These, too, are basic features not always found on budget portable monitors. A pair of 1-watt speakers provide audio, but they’re as weak as their power output suggests. They’re okay for listening to a podcast in a pinch but otherwise serve no practical purpose. Arzopa Z1FC image quality The Arzopa Z1FC’s low price kept my expectations for its image quality in check. That turned out to be a good call, as the portable monitor’s SDR image quality is mediocre. However, the overall image quality is serviceable and remains competitive with more expensive portable monitors. Matthew Smith / Foundry Brightness is a highlight for the Arzopa Z1FC. While its brightness of 337 nits is technically mid-pack among the competitors referenced in the graph, I think that pushing past the 300 nits point is an important advantage. Monitors with less than 300 nits at maximum brightness can look dim in moderately lit to brightly lit rooms. That’s doubly important for a portable monitor, as you’re more likely to use it in areas where you don’t have control over the lighting. The monitor has an anti-glare finish, as well, which is effective at reducing glare from larger light sources, such as windows. Smaller light sources, such as lamps and overhead lights, can still be an issue.   Matthew Smith / Foundry Anti-glare finishes tend to reduce contrast, and the Arzopa is no exception. It produced a contrast ratio of 1170:1 at 50 percent of brightness (and similar figures at other brightness levels). That’s not awful but, as the graph shows, it’s a bit behind the pack. The lower contrast ratio isn’t obvious when using the Arzopa Z1FC in a bright room. In darker rooms, however, the dreaded “IPS glow” appears as a hazy gray sheen over dark scenes.  It’s caused by the backlight shining through the display even when it should appear black. All portable monitors without an OLED display panel suffer this problem, but with the Z1FC it’s more noticeable than most. The Innocn 15K1F is the only monitor on the graph with an OLED panel, which is why its contrast ratio runs away from the competition. Matthew Smith / Foundry The Arzopa Z1FC’s color performance is either mediocre or good, depending on your perspective. It doesn’t defeat most alternatives, and its coverage of the DCI-P3 and AdobeRGB are inadequate for serious content creation. On the other hand, it delivers color performance similar to more expensive competitors at a budget price. The Dell Pro 14 Plus, for example, is three times more expensive yet has no significant advantage in color gamut. Matthew Smith / Foundry It’s a similar story in color accuracy. The Arzopa Z1FC’s color accuracy is not that impressive, but it’s not bad, and it’s in line with the competition. Since it’s the least expensive option here, it’s easy to call that a win. In addition, this level of color accuracy is more than enough for casual gaming and office productivity, which is what the Z1FC is most likely to be used for. Sharpness isn’t bad, either. The monitor has a 16.1-inch panel with 1920×1080 resolution. That works out to be about 137 pixels per inch. For comparison, that’s better than a 27-inch 1440p monitor (about 110 ppi) and less than a 27-inch 4K monitor (about 160 ppi). Pixelation is sometimes visible around very small fonts and UI elements, but the display looks reasonably sharp when displaying videos, games, and Microsoft Word. Arzopa Z1FC HDR image quality The Arzopa Z1FC technically supports HDR but, like most portable monitors, it’s rather bad at it. Switching to HDR increased maximum brightness to about 360 nits, but the monitor’s contrast ratio didn’t improve. The color gamut is also an issue, as HDR content targets a wider color gamut than what this monitor can deliver. If great HDR is your priority, the Z1FC isn’t going to do the job. The same is true for all price-competitive portable monitors, however. Arzopa Z1FC motion performance Gamers will enjoy the Arzopa Z1FC’s improved refresh rate, though with a few caveats. Motion clarity is good, for the price. The monitor’s 144Hz refresh is noticeably crisper than a 60Hz portable monitor when viewing fast-moving objects or turning the camera in a 3D game. Blur is still obvious, though, and can make small objects or moving text difficult to read. Your opinion on the motion clarity will likely hinge on what you’ve tried before. Those coming from a 60Hz display will be impressed. If you’ve witnessed a 240Hz OLED (or better), however, you’ll be disappointed.The Z1FC unfortunately lacks Adaptive Sync, which is a serious mark against its gaming credentials. Its absence means you must accept distracting screen tearing (which is ugly) or cap game frame rates using in-game V-Sync settings (which may reduce motion clarity and smoothness, depending on the game’s frame rate). The Z1FC doesn’t support any form of Adaptive Sync used by current game consoles, either. Most price-competitive monitors also lack Adaptive Sync, but there are a few that provide it. Examples include the Aopen 16OG7QT and UPerfect 16. I’ve not tested those models, however, so I can’t say how their image quality compares to the Arzopa.   Despite the lack of Adaptive Sync, I think the Arzopa’s motion clarity is good for the price. Honestly, it’s a bit strange to me that many more expensive portable monitors, like the Viewsonic TD-1656 and Dell Pro 14 Plus, remain stuck on 60Hz. The Arzopa’s motion is clearly better than either of them. Should you buy the Arzopa Z1FC? The Arzopa Z1FC is a solid option if you want an inexpensive portable monitor that covers the basics and then some. It delivers a bright, attractive image and decent motion clarity alongside an attractive exterior design. The Z1FC is a particularly sensible buy when it’s on sale for $170 or less, as its image quality can rival alternatives priced north of $300. Read...

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It’s always a strange moment saying goodbye to a technology you’ve used forever, and I now find myself waving farewell to another one: the humble spinning-platter hard drive. Sure, I’ve been using SSDs for close to 15 years for my operating system and gaming drives, and SSDs are obviously superior for performance and durability. But for a very long time, cost and capacity have been against them and firmly in favor of traditional hard drives. I think it’s time to call it—I don’t need a hard drive in my main PC anymore, and neither do you. Here’s why you should make the switch. Why I stayed stuck on my HDD I first started building and working on PCs in the early ’00s, and back then hard drives were a must-have component. They were the only way to store data in a consumer PC—outside of crazy RAM drives—and I usually rocked a pair of them: a fast drive for the operating system and games, and another cheaper one for longer-term storage. Cut to a few years later when I started testing SSDs and the future was suddenly clear: HDDs for gaming were done. While I still have some friends I’ve yet to convince of this, the writing has been on the wall for a long, long, long time. SSDs outperform HDDs by a long shot. Replacing an internal drive with an SSD is one of the best upgrades you can make.Western Digital But even as lucky as I was—I’d been getting sent SSDs for testing—I still never used an SSD as my large backup storage drive option. I still only trusted hard drives with my precious family photos and expansive collections of (legally) ripped movies and TV shows. Because even though SSDs were faster, HDDs were more reliable for years-long storage. And that’s how it stayed for over a decade. I kept adding newer, faster SSDs to the point where I now have a hodge-podge collection of NVMe and SATA drives cluttering up my rig, with my Steam library stretched across 10+ TBs of super-fast SSD storage. All the while, in the background, I had my lone hard drive keeping charge of my important data. It too was replaced over time, but always remained an HDD. But in mid-2025, it’s time to hang up its hat. With a new 4TB SSD, I’ve ended the longest reign of any PC component type I’ve ever used. The cost of a large-capacity SSD SSDs are still more expensive than HDDs. Not as dramatically as they once were, but more expensive nonetheless. A 1TB hard drive will cost you around $35 while a 1TB NVMe SSD about $50. A 2TB HDD is around $65 while a 2TB NVMe SSD starts around $90. The 4TB Seagate BarraCuda HDD that I replaced is about $85 new today while you can get something like the 4TB Crucial P3 Plus NVMe SSD for $220 or the 4TB Samsung 990 EVO Plus NVMe SSD for $250. So, yeah, on a GB-for-GB level, the hard drive is far more cost effective. And when you get up into the really big capacities (think 20+ TBs), SSDs don’t even have comparable alternatives at this time. The Biwin Black Opal NV7400 released in 2024 and packs a lot of performance in capacities up to 4TB. Who’s ready for the future?Jon Martindale / Foundry But let’s be real here. How much did you spend on your last graphics card upgrade? How much on your gaming PC as a whole? Is the speed difference between an SSD and HDD really worth $150 or so? Because believe me, while you don’t need cutting-edge performance to store your family photos and video collections, you’ll definitely notice the day-to-day benefit of a (much) faster drive. SSDs aren’t just good at launching games quickly, but also at reading files without lag—no matter what file it is or how many you’re trying to read at once. Don’t sniff at the performance difference When you’re using a computer all day every day, every second matters. It all adds up, especially when it takes forever to launch apps, load files, and transfer data from drive to drive. Who has time to waste? I have tens of thousands of photos from over the years, and my Plex media library chugs I scroll through photos from years ago. It only takes a few seconds here and there, but when it happens every time I load a new page or every time a video buffers, it’s a real pain. Here’s what my Plex media library looks like with an HDD—it takes a while for the thumbnails to load. Not the case with an SSD.Jon Martindale / Foundry After switching over to an SSD, those waits are largely non-existent. It may hitch now and again on spectacularly large files, but the overall experience is smoother and feels more responsive. With an SSD, my library is working at my speed, not the other way around. The same goes for adding new files to the drive, too. Where once backing up my phone with a few thousand images took many minutes, now it’s more like a few seconds. That’s true for backing up in general, too. Where previously I was stuck to the glacial write speed of my hard drive, now I can move entire catalogs of old work documents and other important data over to a new drive near instantaneously. HDDs still last longer… probably Outside of the ever-shrinking cost disparity between hard drives and SSDs, there is one area where hard drives still hold an advantage. I’m talking longevity. Hard drives have been clearly shown to operate for years, or even decades, without data degradation. Backblaze’s annual drive stats paint a strong picture of most HDD models, that they can operate at high capacity for long periods of time without failing. SSDs don’t have the same pedigree, but they can still last a long time before needing to be replaced. The latest models have Terabytes Written (TBW) ratings in the hundreds or even thousands of terabytes, so they can be written to over and over again without fear of diminished drive performance or instability when reading/writing data. In reality, most of us aren’t going to use up that many write cycles. Andrey Matveev / Unsplash And it’s not like HDDs are immune from wear and tear. While conventional wisdom suggests that a hard drive can run for 5 to 10 years with light-to-moderate use, hard drive manufacturers typically only offer warranties of 2 to 3 years. Professional hard drives get about five years—and SSDs get about the same. For most consumers, 3 to 5 years is plenty. There’s one large caveat here, though. When it comes to archiving data, or storing data in a drive that’s powered off for a long time, then hard drives absolutely take the cake. Since SSDs store data electronically rather than magnetically, the data itself can degrade if the SSD isn’t powered on for a long time. Hard drives don’t suffer that issue. If you’re saving data offline in a drawer somewhere, then use a hard drive. Otherwise, you’ll benefit from using an SSD. I’m keeping my hard drive, by the way Main operating system drives? Replace them with SSDs. Secondary storage drives that see day-to-day activity? Make ’em SSDs. Media streaming drives for things like Plex? That’s right. SSDs! They just make the most sense in nearly all scenarios. But that doesn’t mean I’m tossing the HDD I replaced. It doesn’t have to go in the bin just because it’s ageing or slow. A hard drive is the better choice when you need extreme capacities or long-term offline storage, and the latter is what I’m going to use it for. The HDD is handy for a 3-2-1 backup strategy: 3 copies of your data on 2 different media, with 1 of those copies stored remotely off-site. The hard drive forms part of my long-term storage design. So you can live on a little longer, my old hard drive. You’ll be buried even further away from relevance and I hope to never call on you—but if I do, I know you’ll be there to save my butt. Further reading: Why everyone should have a NAS drive Read...