TechHive Editors Choice At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros Renders the remote control easier and more comfortable to grip Protects your remote control from drops Can accommodate a tracking tag to locate a lost remote control Cons Costs about half as much as a new remote (when not on sale) Adds bulk to the remote control Won’t prevent the remote’s buttons from wearing out with use Our Verdict This ingenious silicone sleeve will protect your streaming device’s remote control while making it easier to use and to locate when the remote gets lost in the house. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Best Prices Today: GripStand (for Apple Siri Remote 2nd & 3rd Generation) Retailer Price $19.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket I came this close to laughing off the PR pitch for 73&Sunny’s GripStand remote control cases. Who needs a case for their streaming device’s remote control? It turns out that everyone needs one–and not just to shield the remote from damage when it inevitably falls onto the floor. Made from a rubbery silicone, the sleeve wraps your remote in a tight embrace, with cutouts for its buttons and ports: USB-C, Lightning, headphone jack, microphone, volume controls, and so on, depending on the model. The manufacturer makes them for the Amazon Fire TV Alexa Voice Remote Pro (2022 model), the Apple TV Siri remote (second and third generations), the Roku Express remote, and the Roku Voice Remote. I received four samples in a variety of colors, but this review is primarily based on my experience with the Apple TV Siri remote. GripStand cases are available in various colors for the Amazon Fire TV Alexa Voice Remote Pro (2022 model), Apple TV Siri remote (2nd and 3rd generations) (left), Roku Voice Remote, and the Roku Express remote. Michael Brown/Foundry The silicone material makes the remotes supremely easy to grip, but a lanyard and a strip of vertical ridges in the middle of the backside of the sleeve makes this even easier. The extra-thick back and sides of the sleeves cushion the remote and should protect it from a drop from just about any height onto just about any surface. Finally, the bottom of the sleeve flares out, allowing the remote to stand up vertically. But the design also provides a second function: It can harbor a Tile Tracker or an Apple AirTag. The bulged bottom and the grippy sleeve already make it difficult for the remote control to get lost in the couch cushions; but should that happen anyway—or if the remote wanders off through some other means—putting a Bluetooth tracker inside it will make it a snap to find. This last feature is less valuable for the Alexa and Roku Voice remotes, which already have their own remote finder features, but the Apple and Tile trackers might offer better range. The bulged bottom of the GripStand Remote Case lets you stand the remote up on its bottom, but you can also put a Bluetooth tracker in that cavity.Michael Brown/Foundry GripStands are available in both wild and tame colors, depending on the model. The Siri Remote version I reviewed has the most options: Lime Glow, Sky Glow, Ultra Black, Army Green, Slate Ocean, and Fiery Red. The Glow colors, as you’ve probably guessed, glow in the dark. The two versions of the Roku remote GripStand are available in the same colors as the Siri Remote model, except for Fiery Red. The Alexa Voice Remote Pro version of the GripStand has the fewest color options, just Coral (pink), Green, or Yellow. Should you buy a GripStand Remote Case? Prices, which are generally about half the cost of buying a new remote, are the one reservation I have about recommending the GripStand. And, for whatever reason, the Siri Remote version costs more than the rest of the collection: $24.99 compared to $19.99 for the Amazon and Roku versions. At the time of this writing, however, the Apple remote was on sale for $19.99, the Roku Express model was slashed to $9.99, and the Roku Voice Remote was discounted to $14.99. Those sale prices make the GripStand a better value, but it’s a great product even at full price. It will make your streaming remote easier to hold and use, and it should eliminate the annoyance of sitting down to watch some TV entertainment only to realize you can’t find the remote. Read...

The Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i is powerful, fast, and has a gorgeous 16-inch OLED touchscreen that’ll knock your socks off—and right now, it’s only $1,149 at B&H. That’s a massive $550 discount! There are so many great features to enjoy with this Lenovo laptop that make it a powerhouse device for work, leisure, and gaming. The IdeaPad Pro 5i features a 16-core Intel Core Ultra 9 185H processor and a massive 32GB of LPDDR5X RAM. Those are fantastic specs for anyone who needs a laptop for tasks that require a lot of power, including video editing, 3D rendering, and data analysis, to name a few. This IdeaPad Pro 5i also comes with an RTX 4050 graphics card, making it possible to game on decently high settings. This isn’t the newest or the best graphics card currently available, but it’s well-priced for the performance you get, especially in tandem with all the other stuff packed into this laptop. The large 16-inch OLED touch display is vivid and deep, perfect for both productivity and entertainment. Between the fast CPU, lots of memory, discrete GPU, and gorgeous OLED screen, you’re getting quite the deal at this price. And it’s all rounded out by a sizable 1TB M.2 SSD. That’s large enough to hold all your apps, games, and files, not to mention the speedy load times. Don’t delay! Laptops are about to get way more expensive due to Trump’s trade war, so snag the Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i for $1,149 at B&H and take advantage of this $550 discount while you can. Save $550 on Lenovo`s powerhouse OLED laptop todayBuy now from B&H Read...

It’s never easy to decide what to pack for a trip. Whether you’re packing light for some quick business or heading out on the next big family vacation, it’s important to bring the right tech. Here at PCWorld we’re continually testing the latest gadgets to sort the good from the bad. This means we’ve had the opportunity to find the best tech gear and accessories built for travel. From voltage converters to noise-cancelling headphones, we’ve curated a list of the very best tech gear to optimize your next travel experience. The items below are worthy of any packing list and will help you prepare for anything you may encounter on the road—or in the sky. Manage electrical needs with a voltage converter BESTEK Universal Travel Adapter 220V to 110V Bestek, Mapambo When you’re traveling from the U.S. to Europe, for instance, you don’t just need a different type of plug for your chargers and gadgets, but also a voltage converter because Europe runs on different settings. The Bestek Universal Travel Adapter will convert 220V outlets to U.S.-standard 110V, thus ensuring that your devices don’t burn out. It’s not only affordable, but it has three AC outlets and four USB ports. Plus, the product comes with a couple of extra plug adapters. If a more compact version is all you need, then the Mapambo converter will work just fine with one AC plug, two type-C, and two type-A ports. Buy the BESTEK Universal Travel Adapter at Amazon Buy the Mapambo 220V to 110V Voltage Converter at Amazon Take control of tangled cords Rolling Square inCharge 6 Portable Keychain Charger Cable Rolling Square If you’re like most travelers, you bring multiple electronics to make the most of your experience—we’re talking camera, phone, laptop, headphones, etc. But along with all of these items, you’ll need to carry all of their charging cables. That can take up space and lead to a tangled web of cords in your bag if you’re not careful. With the Rolling Square inCharge 6 Portable Charger Cable on Amazon, you have the option of USB-C or USB-A inputs and Micro USB or USB-C outputs all in a cable that is small enough for your keychain. Buy the Rolling Square Portable Charger Cable at Amazon Keep your devices charged with a portable power bank Anker GaN Prime Power Bank 2-in-1 10,000mAh portable power bank with wall charger Anker Traveling is always fun, but ending up with a depleted phone battery in an unknown place can be terrifying. This Anker Prime power bank takes up two roles in one. On one hand, it can plug into a wall outlet and give you the recharge you need while you’re at your hotel, for instance, but it can also act as a power bank when you’re out and about exploring. 10,000mAh is enough to charge your phone twice over (or close to that). There are three ports on this Anker hybrid charger, two of which are type-C that can reach 65W charging. It’s available for $110, but you can often find it closer to $70 when on sale. Buy the Anker GaN Prime Power Bank 2-in-1 Charger at Amazon Never lose your valuables again Apple AirTag, Tile Pro, Samsung SmartThings, Tile Slim Apple, Tile, Samsung We’ve all been there. You arrive at your destination and you’re waiting for your checked bag to show up on the carousel, but it never does. Baggage handling is at it again. With a Bluetooth tracker you can easily keep tabs on where your bag is and maybe even help TSA locate it, should it be lost. There are quite a few Bluetooth trackers on the market that you can get. Apple users should look into the AirTag, while Android users can choose Samsung’s SmartTag2. Anyone can go for the Tile Pro. If you’re more worried about your wallet, Tile’s Slim tracker will neatly fit in there. These are all around $30 a piece, but you can quite often get them for less or in bundles, thus lowering the price even more. Buy the Apple AirTag at Amazon Buy the Samsung Galaxy SmartTag2 at Amazon Buy the Tile Pro at Amazon Buy the TIle Slim at Amazon Enjoy an in-flight movie without annoying headphone cables Twelve South AirFly Pro or Ugreen Airplane Bluetooth Transmitter Receiver Ugreen, Twelve South Twelve South’s AirFly Pro Bluetooth wireless audio transmitter for $54.99 on Amazon (although it’s frequently on sale) allows you to turn any audio jack into a wireless Bluetooth transmitter. Simply plug in the device to the headphone jack on the back of the airplane seat and connect your wireless headphones. Then sit back and relax while you enjoy the in-flight entertainment on your sweet noise-canceling headphones. Alternatively, you can also go for the more affordable Ugreen Airplane Bluetooth Transmitter Receiver, which is $36.99 but often drops below $30. Either will allow you to connect up to two earbuds or headphones. Buy the Twelve South AirFly Pro at Amazon Buy the Ugreen Airplane Bluetooth Transmitter Receiver at Amazon Drown out noise with noise-canceling earbuds AirPods Pro (2nd Generation) or Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 Apple, Bose Flying on an airplane is loud. Engines roar, babies cry, passengers snore. That’s why you need noise-canceling headphones, which have become essential tools in making your flight as easy as possible. And because you’re traveling and bag space is a premium, your headphones need to be small. Not just for iPhone users, but for anyone who needs good headphones, the AirPods Pro 2 for $225.00 on Amazon continue to be the best choice due to their convenient size and noise-canceling capability. If you’re an Android user, you may want to look into the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2, which deliver something our buddies at TechAdvisor have called “astonishing noise cancellation” on top of superb sound quality and a secure fit. Get the AirPods Pro (2nd Generation) at Amazon Buy the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 at Amazon Or get some noise-canceling headphones Sony WH-1000XM5 or Apple AirPods Max Apple, Sony If earbuds aren’t for you, then perhaps a pair of proper headphones will do the trick. The Sony WH-1000XM5 are easily some of the best noise-canceling headphones out there (as our friends at TechAdvisor attested with a 5-star review), delivering phenomenal audio and a comfortable build. Apple fans may want to look into the AirPods Max that are also known for what our friends at MacWorld call “industry leading active noise cancelling”. Buy the Sony WH-1000XM5 at Amazon Buy the Apple AirPods Max at Amazon Capture and print your favorite memories Fuji Instax Mini 12 instant camera Fujifilm Sure, you could bring a giant SLR camera with multiple lenses and an extra special carry-on bag to store everything. Or for those who aren’t professionals, you can opt for a small, retro instant camera such as the Fuji Instax Mini 12 for $143.95 on Amazon. Just like an old-school Polaroid, you can take a picture and instantly print it out to capture the moment. Just be aware that you’ll need to purchase and carry the film separately. Buy the Fujifilm Instax Mini 12 at Amazon Keep your wires from getting crossed Bellroy Tech Kit Bellroy Bellroy is known for making great tech cases and kits, and the Bellroy Tech Kit for $59.00 on Amazon is our favorite. This well designed, travel-friendly bag allows you to keep all of your cables and small peripherals stored and organized with ease. The folio style means that you can open the entire kit out flat for easy access to everything stored inside. Plus, the fabric is waterproof so you shouldn’t have to worry about a little liquid spilling on your precious gear. Buy the Bellroy Tech Kit at Amazon Game in-route to your destination Steam Deck, Switch OLED, or Backbone One Backbone, Nintendo, Valve The Steam Deck for $399 on the Steam store is a great handheld gaming system that allows you to play your favorite PC games on the go. It wasn’t so long ago that the Steam Deck was sold out everywhere and people were clamoring to get one. Thankfully, Valve has increased its supply and it’s easier than ever to get your hands on this excellent gaming portable. Play games from your Steam library on the go or load up on new titles for your next vacation. Gaming makes those long-haul flights a breeze. If you’d rather go for a different platform, the Switch OLED is an absolutely fantastic gaming console. And yes, we know the Switch 2 is en route, but good luck getting your hands on one of those anytime soon. If you’d really just play on your phone, but have an upgraded experience, the Backbone One will mold to your phone, whether that’s an Android or iPhone model, and will help you play anything you want, including titles in your Xbox, PlayStation, or Steam libraries. Buy the Steam Deck at Steam Store Buy the Nintedo Switch OLED at Amazon Buy the Backbone One at Amazon Keep your hands and wrists happy while typing Logitech MX Keys Mini Logitech Laptop keyboards are cramped and can lead to some serious wrist pain if you type on them for long enough. Save yourself the carpal tunnel and grab a wireless keyboard like the Logitech MX Keys Mini. This compact keyboard is not only easy to travel with, but offers convenient features such as a semi-customizable layout, multi-device switching, and more. And the most important part is that it offers a great typing experience with comfortable and quiet keys that won’t bother your fellow travelers. The MX Keys Mini is currently $99.99 on Amazon. Buy the Logitech MX Keys Mini at Amazon Carry a library everywhere you go Kindle Paperwhite Amazon Books are a great thing to have around on vacation, but they’re heavy and they take up precious space in your luggage. Instead opt for an e-reader like the Kindle Paperwhite for $159.99 on Amazon and bring an entire library worth of books in this lightweight tablet. Plus the Paperwhite version comes with an anti-glare screen and adjustable brightness settings making it perfect for a bright beach or dark airplane. Not sure which Kindle to buy? Check out our handy Kindle buying guide to help you make the right choice. Buy the Kindle Paperwhite at Amazon Grab a mobile hotspot to stay in range of Wi-Fi range Solis Lite 4G LTE WiFi Mobile Hotspot Solis Those who travel a lot know that Wi-Fi is essential. From being able to work online while on the road or just looking up restaurant recommendations in another country, it’s an invaluable tool to get the most out of your travel experience. There are quite a few services nowadays offering pocket Wi-Fi for travelers, but Solis is one of the best with reliable global coverage across 135 countries. Plus, it has flexible plans depending upon your needs. You’ll need to purchase the Solis Lite Mobile Hotspot for $159.99 on Amazon before registering for a Wi-Fi plan, but it’s only a one-time fee and you can then use it on all of your future trips. Buy the Solis Lite Mobile Hotspot at Amazon Never worry about safe tap water again Philips Water GoZero self-cleaning water bottle Philips No matter if you’re traveling to a new city or going camping, making sure that you have access to clean and potable water is a necessity. The Philips Water GoZero bottles bring in some smart technology to ensure the water is safe to drink. Available for $73.89 at Amazon (or lower when on sale), the bottle uses UV technology to eliminate up to 99.999 percent of bacteria and 99.9 percent of viruses in just a few minutes. Even when empty, the cap can disinfect your bottle and remove odors. Made out of stainless steel and double-walled, the bottle won’t just purify your water, it will also keep your drinks hot for up to 12 hours or cold for 24 hours. Buy the Philips Water GoZero water bottle at Amazon Mount your smartphone on anything Universal in-flight airplane phone holder mount Perilogics This Universal in-flight airplane phone holder mount for $13.97 on Amazon allows you to easily clip your phone onto an airplane seat for hands-free convenience. Maybe you loaded up that latest season of your favorite show or have a game to occupy that long-haul flight. Either way, holding your phone with a craned neck for hours and hours is bound to give you a strain. Just hook this bad boy up to the back of the seat in front of you on the airplane then sit back, relax, and enjoy. Buy the Universal in flight phone holder at Amazon Travel with an ultraportable laptop Asus ZenBook S 14 Thomas Rau If you’re going to get a super-light laptop, the Zenbook S 14 is a fantastic pick because it weighs just 2.65 pounds, which make sit lighter than the 13-inch MacBook Air. We gave this one a 4.5-star rating and our Editors’ Choice award, appreciating the fantastic battery life and lovely large OLED screen. Plus, the laptop has an Ultra 7 processor, 32GB RAM, and a 1TB SSD. You can also check out our other best ultraportables or our best laptop roundup for even more options. Buy the Asus ZenBook S 14 at Best Buy Or opt for a 2-in-1 for even more versatility HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14 IDG / Josh Hendrickson If you want a more versatile laptop, then a 2-in-1 model will do like our very favorite HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14. The 360-degree hinge will make it easy for you to turn this laptop into a tablet and into a Netflix-watching tent in a blink. The 14-inch 2880×1800 OLED touch display is absolutely gorgeous and the 500 nits make it perfect to use everywhere you go. Buy the HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14 at Amazon Increase your screen real-estate with a travel monitor Azorpa A1 Gamut Matt Smith Sometimes you just need a second monitor, even when you’re traveling. The extra screen really helps productivity for business travelers and it makes for a great way to play your portable games on a larger screen while on the road. We really like the Azorpa A1 Gamut which delivers good image quality for an extremely budget friendly price—the A1 Gamut is usually about $70 on Amazon. It also comes with useful connectivity options and a solid build quality that will stand up the rigors of travel.  Buy the Arzopa A1 at Amazon Grab some extra storage Crucial X9 Pro IDG If you plan on taking about a million pictures and videos and you want to have a safe way to back them up without relying on random hotel Wi-Fi, then you can also grab a portable SSD. The Crucial X9 Pro is the best external SSD for most folks because it’s not only affordable but also super fast. We gave the X9 Pro a near-perfect score and our Editors’ Choice award, utterly impressed with the 10Gbps performance and the small form factor. Buy the Crucial X9 Pro at Amazon Stream content in your hotel room Amazon Fire TV Stick HD Amazon If you’re going to travel, you may as well keep up with your shows. The Amazon Fire TV Stick HD makes it super easy to bring all your favorite shows with you anywhere you go. You’ll just need to pop this thing in the TV, connect it to the hotel’s Wi-Fi (or the hotspot you set up), and just have fun. It’s also super affordable, available for $35 (although it’s frequently on sale for $20 or less). Buy now at Amazon Read...

The NHL postseason begins Saturday, April 19. Games will air on ESPN, ESPN2, ABC, TNT, TBS, and truTV, with TNT set to broadcast the Stanley Cup Final. Luckily, there are plenty of streaming options for puck heads to catch all the coverage. Here’s a look at the best streaming services for watching the Stanley Cup playoffs so you don’t miss a single goal, hit, or heart-stopping overtime. Over the air The Televes Bexia is a rigid antenna that can be mounted to a wall or  set on a window sill or piece of furniture.Martyn Williams/Foundry ABC is scheduled to broadcast both the Eastern and Western Conference Quarterfinals. You can watch them for free with an over-the-air TV antenna that’s capable of pulling in your local ABC broadcast affiliate. You’ll find our top antenna picks here. Sling TV Pros Lower base price than most other live TV services Easy-to-navigate app and grid guide Video quality settings help avoid data caps and buffering Cons DVR storage is frustrating to manage 60-frames-per-second channel support is limited Multiple base packages and add-ons can cause confusion Best Prices Today: $60.99 at Sling TV (Orange + Blue) Sling TV offers ESPN, ESPN2, TNT, TBS and ABC, and you can get them together with the Sling Orange package for $46 a month. Currently, you can get 50 percent off your first month. Read our full Sling TV review DirecTV Stream Pros Familiar remote for cable converts Great grid guide and fuss-free cloud DVR Smooth video and surround sound support Cons Optional streaming box doesn’t support Amazon Prime or Hulu More latency and less reliability than cable Best Prices Today: $101.98 at DirecTV Stream DirectTV Stream also offers ESPN, ESPN2, TNT, and TBS, and you can get them all in its Entertainment package for $84.99 a month. You might also be able to get ABC, but availability varies by package and location. You can enter your Zip code on the DirecTV Stream website to see if ABC is available in your area. Read our full DirecTV Stream review Hulu + Live TV Pros Excellent value for Disney bundle subscribers Expansive on-demand catalog Recommendations and staff picks make the app fun to explore Cons Live TV can be inefficient to navigate Hard to figure out which programs allow ad skipping Can’t watch on TV devices while traveling Best Prices Today: $82.99 at Hulu.com Hulu’s live TV streaming service is available as a single, flat-fee package that includes more than 95 live and on-demand channels—including ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, TNT, and TBS. You get them all, in addition to Hulu’s original content, its streaming library, and Disney+ for $82.99 a month. Read our full Hulu + Live TV review YouTube TV Pros Simple interface makes live TV easy to navigate Unlimited DVR allows for a huge on-demand library (with skippable ads) Broad selection of local, news, sports, and entertainment channels Cons Can’t delete recordings or mark them as watched on TV devices One-off recordings only work for live sporting events Menu doesn’t clearly separate DVR and on-demand video (with unskippable ads) Best Prices Today: $82.99 at YouTube TV YouTube TV also offers a flat-fee package of more than 100 channels that includes ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, TNT and TBS. Subscriptions are $82.99 per month, but the service is currently offering the first two months for just $59.99 per month. Read our full YouTube TV review Read...

If there’s one thing laptops have too few of, it’s ports. Thankfully, that’s easily fixable with a USB-C hub like this Anker 5-in-1 model that’s only $25 on Amazon right now, or 29% off its MSRP. This Anker USB-C hub will turn one of your laptop’s USB-C ports into five connections: one HDMI, two 5Gbps USB-A, one 5Gbps USB-C, and one USB-C with 100W of power delivery. That’s a solid assortment of connections to transform your single laptop into a full-blown workstation with an external monitor, peripherals, and pass-through charging. The HDMI port on this hub supports up to 4K resolution at 30Hz, so while it isn’t exactly suitable for gamers or high-frame-rate video editing, it’s perfect for office work, everyday web browsing, and entertainment like streaming YouTube, Netflix, or Twitch. The hub itself is sleek and slim, making it pretty darn portable. You can toss it straight into a bag with your laptop, flash drives, and what not. You won’t have to worry about a thing. If you’re tired of your laptop’s limited ports, you need a hub pronto—and it’s hard to do better than this one for the price. Grab this 5-in-1 Anker USB-C hub for just $25! This 5-port USB-C hub with 4K HDMI is a solid get for $25Buy now at Amazon Read...

He has 20 days to appeal the decision. Read...

A high-quality monitor is something every office setup needs. Think about how many hours you spend in front your computer, staring into a display that acts as the window into your work, leisure, and entertainment. A good monitor is worth it—and you don’t even have to pay much for one. Right now, you can score Alienware’s 27-inch 1440p gaming monitor for just $219 on Amazon, a whopping 41% off its usual $370 price. The Alienware AW2724DM is a sizably large monitor with a 27-inch diagonal and a crisp resolution of 2560×1440. That’s the “sweet spot” among PC gamers these days, and this one has a 165Hz refresh rate (or up to 180Hz overclocked) that’ll look great with those higher frame rates. Response time is 1ms. The IPS panel delivers truly accurate colors, but the monitor also comes with VESA Display HDR 600 certification for high-contrast visuals and cinema-grade color coverage, and plus ComfortView Plus for built-in blue light reduction that doesn’t affect color accuracy. It’s a perfect middle-of-the-road gaming monitor that’s affordable yet powerful enough for all but the most hardcore of gamers. Grab the Alienware AW2724DM for $200 while you can! Save 41% on this Alienware 1440p 180Hz gaming monitorBuy now at Amazon Read...

What’s the best computing solution for home offices these days? A mini PC! They’re way more space-efficient than traditional desktop PCs and way more affordable than equivalent laptops. Take, for instance, this Kamrui E3B mini PC that’s plenty decent for only $249 on Amazon with Prime. (Snag a free Prime trial to score this exclusive deal price.) The Kamrui E3B packs an AMD Ryzen 5 7430U processor, 16GB of DDR4 RAM, and a 512GB M.2 SSD—a configuration that’s powerful enough to handle daily activities, work tasks, and simple entertainment like streaming Netflix. It has enough memory to support Windows 11 without stuttering or choking, which is surprising for the price. In other words, it offers a solid price-performance ratio for a casual home PC. But you can always upgrade it later, with up to 64GB of RAM (across two SO-DIMM slots) and 2TB of storage. Those upgrades won’t cost you much, so there’s tons of potential packed into this budget device. And productivity isn’t an issue with the Kamrui E3B because you can hook up to three 4K@60Hz monitors between the full-sized HDMI 2.0, DisplayPort 1.4, and USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 video ports. You also get an additional two USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 and four USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 ports for external drives and peripherals, plus a 3.5mm audio jack, a Gigabit Ethernet connection, and both Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2. Don’t miss out on this special Prime-only deal that slashes this already-affordable mini PC down to extra-cheap levels. Snag a free Prime trial and score this Kamrui E3B mini PC for just $249 while you can! Save 29% on this triple 4K mini PC for home productivityBuy now at Amazon Read...

Council gives details of contract with Trafalgar Entertainment, who have installed seats already. Read...

At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros Class-leading 5K2K resolution Strong SDR image quality Solid HDR brightness Incredibly immersive 45-inch ultrawide panel Cons Design isn’t bad, but not up to the price tag Limited USB connectivity Curved display will be too extreme for some Our Verdict The LG Ultragear 45GX950A-B’s high price and extreme curve will turn off some, but it’s hard to argue with its sharpness and HDR performance. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today The LG Ultragear 45GX950A-B is a big deal. Literally. Measuring 45 inches diagonally across a 21:9 aspect ratio, the 45GX950A-B’s total display surface area is about 15 percent greater than a 49-inch super-ultrawide, like the Philips Envia 8000. The 45GX950A-B isn’t quite as wide, but it’s a lot taller. On top of that, the Ultragear 45GX950A-B is the first 45-inch OLED ultrawide to offer a display resolution of 5120×2160. Earlier 45-inch OLED ultrawides, like the Corsair Xeneon Flex, had 3440×1440 resolution. The LG’s MSRP of $1,999.99 means it’s not an impulse buy, but it’s a great choice if image quality and HDR performance are your top priorities.  LG Ultragear 45GX950A-B specs and features The 45GX950A-B’s biggest advantage is its 5K2K (5120×2160) resolution. That’s higher than what’s typically available from ultrawide and super-ultrawide monitors of this size. Here’s an important note: the 45GX950A-B does not flex. LG announced the monitor at CES alongside the 45GX990A, another 45-inch 5K2K ultrawide that will be able to flex between curved and flat panel modes. The 45GX950A-B, reviewed here, doesn’t offer that feature. Display size: 45-inch 21:9 aspect ratio Native resolution: 5120×2160 Panel type: 10-bit WOLED Refresh rate: “Dual Mode” 165Hz at 5K2K, 330Hz at 2560×1080 Adaptive sync: Yes, AMD FreeSync Premium Pro and Nvidia G-Sync Compatible HDR: VESA DisplayHDR 400 True Black Certified Ports: 1x USB-C with DisplayPort and 90 watts of Power Delivery, 2x HDMI 2.1, 1x DisplayPort 2.1, 3.5mm audio jack (4-pole with DTS support) Audio: Built-in speakers Warranty: 2-year warranty Price: $1,999.99 MSRP Size and resolution aside, the 45GX950A-B delivers a ton of features. It offers USB-C with Power Delivery, supports both AMD FreeSync and Nvidia G-Sync, bundles built-in speakers, and includes a “dual mode” feature for refresh rates up to 330Hz. But it’ll cost you. The monitor has a sky-high MSRP of $1,999.99. That’s two to three times higher than a more mundane 34-inch OLED ultrawide. It’s also quite a bit more than a 49-inch super-ultrawide like the Samsung Odyssey OLED G9, which often retails near $1,000. LG Ultragear 45GX950A-B design I’ll be honest: The LG Ultragear 45GX950A-B didn’t make the best impression out of the box. It’s broadly like other LG monitors, with a charcoal look that’s both aggressive and reserved. The design is attractive and inoffensive. Even so, I can’t help but remember competitors like the Samsung Odyssey G9 OLED and Philips Envia 8000. Those 49-inch super-ultrawide monitors look and feel more luxurious. The 45GX950A-B’s $2,000 price tag is a big premium over other monitors, and I think LG could do more to make the monitor look and feel special. Functionally, though, the LG is solid. It ships with a compact stand that, despite its relatively small size and flat base, kept the monitor stable. It also adjusts for height, tilt, and swivel, and offers compatibility with 100x100mm VESA mounts. This is notable. Some monitors in this size category, like the Corsair Xeneon Flex, have stands that are both too large and less functional. Matthew Smith / Foundry Speaking of size, the 45GX950A-B is big. Really big. It measures a tad more than 41 inches wide and almost 18 inches tall. It’s two inches taller than a typical 32-inch widescreen monitor and almost as wide as two 27-inch widescreen monitors placed side-by-side. It’s also a curved display with an aggressive 800R curve, which means the edges of the display sit about 6 inches closer to you than the center. None of this is a problem—on the contrary, it’s kind of the whole point—but it’s important to measure your desk before you buy this monitor. The aggressive curve also points to the monitor’s intention. Nothing will stop you from editing photos or writing a novel on the 45GX950A-B, but that’s not the focus, and the curve can make day-to-day tasks feel a bit…off. That’s especially true if you’re trying to edit video, images, or photos. LG Ultragear 45GX950A-B connectivity LG offers four video inputs on the Ultragear 45GX950A-B. It has two HDMI 2.1 ports, one DisplayPort 2.1, and a USB-C port with DisplayPort and up to 90 watts of Power Delivery. Downstream USB-A is limited to just two ports. That’s okay, since it’s enough to support a wired keyboard and mouse, but it’s not a lot. The monitor also lacks KVM switch functionality and there’s no downstream USB-C. When it comes to audio, the monitor has a 4-pole 3.5mm audio jack with support for DTS:X HP audio. It’s a niche feature but one that gamers with a high-end headset may appreciate. I didn’t have a DTS compatible headset to test it with, however. LG Ultragear 45GX950A-B menus and features The Ultragear 45GX950A-B’s menus and features can be accessed with a joystick centered behind the monitor’s lower bezel. LG’s menu system is easy to navigate and text is crisper than some competitors. The monitor also works with LG’s OnScreen Control, a software utility that lets you adjust monitor settings within Windows. Whichever you use, the Ultragear 45GX950A-B offers a good range of image quality controls. These include gamma and color temperature adjustments, six-axis color calibration, several brightness modes, and brightness control across both SDR and HDR. The gamma and color temperature adjustments target vague labels rather than numerical values, however (i.e. “Warm” instead of “6500K”). LG provides the usual range of gaming features, including an on-screen crosshair, timer and frame rate counters, and a dark equalizer that can elevate brightness of dark areas of the screen (to reveal foes). Matthew Smith / Foundry These are paired with a range of picture-in-picture and picture-by-picture modes. While these modes are common to ultrawide monitors, the 45GX950A-B’s gigantic display means they’re especially useful. If you’re feeling wild, you could use this monitor as an alternative to two 27-inch monitors placed side-by-side. The LG 45GX950A-B includes a decent set of built-in speakers. That they exist at all is noteworthy, as many ultrawides don’t include them. Better still, they provide a decent audio experience at low to medium volumes with some bass and good clarity. They become distorted at higher volumes, though, so most owners will still want headphones or external speakers for immersive audio in games and movies. The 45GX950A-B beats its OLED rivals on both sharpness while retaining all their other perks, which makes it the new top choice for immersive HDR gaming. LG Ultragear 45GX950A-B SDR image quality The LG Ultragear 45GX950A-B has an LG WOLED panel with a resolution of 5120×2160. This panel is a bit special. It’s currently unique to the 45GX950A-B and gives the LG an edge in sharpness that no current 45-inch ultrawide can match. The WOLED panel also scores high marks across the board, though it does lag QD-OLED in color performance.  Matthew Smith / Foundry LG gets off to a good start in brightness, as the 45GX950A-B delivered up to 280 nits. That’s not spectacular when compared to high-end IPS-LCD monitors, which can exceed 400 nits. But sat next to other OLED monitors, the 45GX950A-B ekes out a win. Also, the monitor chooses a semi-gloss rather than glossy finish, which makes the most of the brightness. On the other hand, I found the monitor’s intense curve could amplify light sources directly behind me. Because of that, I don’t recommend using the monitor in a setup where a lamp or window sits behind you. Matthew Smith / Foundry As expected, the 45GX950A-B provides an effectively infinite contrast ratio. That’s thanks to its perfect black level performance, which dips down to zero nits when a scene calls for it. It leads to better detail in dark scenes and a great sense of depth to the image. All modern OLED monitors achieve this, however. The LG’s contrast, while outstanding, isn’t an advantage. Matthew Smith / Foundry Color gamut is a minor and unsurprising weakness for the 45GX950A-B. LG’s WOLED panels are a step behind Samsung’s QD-OLED in this area, so monitors that have QD-OLED (like the Odyssey OLED G8 and Philips Envia 8000) can display more colors overall. This can give QD-OLED competitors a more vibrant and saturated look, though the difference is often hard to notice outside a direct side-by-side comparison. Matthew Smith / Foundry The LG 45GX950A-B produced mediocre results in color accuracy with slightly higher-than-average color error across the board. I would like to see a color error under 2 from this monitor. Despite that, the monitor’s general color performance is good enough to provide an eye-catching, vivid image. I was pleased by the 45GX950A-B’s gamma and color temperature performance. It hit a gamma curve of 2.2, right on target, and a color temperature of 6600K at 50 percent brightness, which is just barely off the target of 6500K. The 45GX950A-B provides multiple gamma and color temperature modes, so you can adjust them if needed. Sharpness is among the LG’s best traits. The 45GX950A-B’s 5120×2160 resolution works out to about 125 pixels per inch (ppi). By comparison, the older 45-inch Corsair Xeneon Flex packed only 78 ppi. That’s a 60 percent improvement, which is extremely noticeable. Fonts look far more crisp and high-resolution games have a tack-sharp look. The 45GX950A-B is also sharper than a 42-inch 4K television, which offers 104 pixels per inch. Overall, the LG Ultragear 45GX950A-B has great SDR image quality. Competitors with a QD-OLED panel, like the Samsung Odyssey OLED G8 and Philips Envia 8000, can provide a slightly more vivid and saturated image. That might give you pause if you plan to use the 45GX950A-B for content creation, but then again, that’s not really the monitor’s purpose. The 45GX950A-B is really built for movies and games, and delivers superior image quality when used for that purpose. LG Ultragear 45GX950A-B HDR image quality The LG Ultragear 45GX950A-B does well in HDR with a peak HDR brightness of 798 nits in a 10 percent window. As the graph shows, that’s a high result for an OLED monitor and equivalent to many recent OLED alternatives, which were themselves hitting new high watermarks in HDR brightness. Matthew Smith / Foundry The 45GX950A-B’s high HDR brightness has two main benefits. First, HDR highlights (like a lightning strike or explosion) leap from the screen. Second, HDR images show detail in bright areas that might otherwise be shown as a sheer, white image. I was particularly impressed by the monitor’s performance in the “Into the Storm” scene from Mad Max: Fury Road. The intensity of the action was boosted by both the monitor’s good HDR brightness and its sheer size. However, like other OLED monitors, the 45GX950A-B’s maximum brightness falls drastically as larger portions of the screen are lit. So, while an explosion in a dark alley looks brilliant, a snowy landscape on a sunlit day won’t look all that bright. Fortunately for OLED, the first case is more common than the second. As you might notice from my photos, the 45GX950A-B is a bit too large to fit well on my desk. But if I only cared about watching HDR video or playing immersive HDR games, I’d be willing to put up with that. The 45GX950A-B looks fantastic in HDR. LG Ultragear 45GX950A-B motion performance The LG Ultragear 45GX950A-B is a “dual mode” display that can vary its resolution and refresh rate. It provides a refresh rate of up to 165Hz at 5120×2160 resolution, or up to 330Hz at 2560×1080 resolution. Also, like other OLED monitors, the 45GX950A-B quotes a gray-to-gray pixel response time of 0.03 milliseconds, which is extremely low. As a result, the 45GX950A-B can deliver good motion clarity. Fast-moving objects show little motion blur and scrolling text is usually easy to read. Clarity is noticeably improved at 330Hz over 165Hz, but clarity at 165Hz remains excellent. Of course, gamers can buy monitors that provide even better motion clarity. 4K OLED monitors with a refresh rate up to 240Hz are readily available, as are 1440p OLED monitors with a refresh rate up to 360Hz. The very best OLED monitors for motion clarity can reach up to 480Hz. As you might expect, these will look crisper than the 45GX950A-B at 5K2K resolution. Whether that matters depends on the games you play. Highly competitive MOBA and FPS fans may prefer a widescreen OLED with a higher refresh rate. On the other hand, hardcore simulation, MMORPG, and strategy fans will see more benefit from the 45GX950A-B’s size and increased resolution than they would from better motion clarity. Adaptive Sync is supported by the 45GX950A-B, and it officially supports both AMD FreeSync and Nvidia G-Sync. Most modern monitors that support Adaptive Sync work with both AMD and Nvidia cards, but it’s still good to see. Should you buy the LG Ultragear 45GX950A-B? The LG Ultragear 45GX950A-B is a fantastic, though somewhat niche, ultrawide monitor. It delivers all of OLED’s usual benefits alongside 5K2K resolution that provides a sharper image than competitor 45-inch ultrawide and 49-inch super-ultrawide monitors. The 45GX950A-B also scores high marks in HDR. On the other hand, the 45GX950A-B’s extreme curve and high price mean the monitor’s appeal is limited to gamers who plan to use the monitor exclusively for entertainment. If that sounds like you, go for it. The 45GX950A-B beats its OLED rivals on both sharpness while retaining all their other perks, which makes it the new top choice for immersive HDR gaming. Read...