Back in 2022, The Browser Company released an innovative web browser called Arc that prioritized ease-of-use and user experience over all things. The simplified interface and feature set was good for niche users, but didn’t offer enough pizzazz for advanced users. Now, the makers of Arc have unveiled the first taste of their next product, which happens to be yet another web browser — except this one is an AI-powered “smart browser” called Dia. It’s no secret that the world is moving towards an AI-driven future. “What we believe specifically is that AI will not exist as an app or a button, but AI will be a whole new environment built on top of a browser,” said The Browser Company’s CEO Josh Miller in a recruitment video on YouTube: In the video, the company shows off several prototype features in Dia. First, an interactive insertion marker that can directly AI-generate text based on the user’s instructions — much like an AI chatbot that’s always active in the cursor rather than in a dedicated tab. Dia will also be able to automatically surf and perform tasks for the user based on instructions entered in the address bar. For example, Dia will be able to find a specific document based on a typed description, then send it via the user’s preferred email platform. Another feature the company is working on will allow Dia to perform more complex tasks, such as adding different items to a shopping cart on Amazon or emailing personalized information to different employees. Dia will be based on Chromium, but will use the Arc Development Kit (ADK), which is allegedly much faster for developing new features. The Browser Company says Dia is expected to release in early 2025. Further reading: Secure web browsers that aren’t Chrome or Edge Read...

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At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros Generous selection of ports Long battery life Good performance Cons Bad trackpad The Intel version is faster Arm PCs still have compatibility drawbacks Dim display Our Verdict The Acer Swift 14 AI offers solid all-around performance with the latest Snapdragon silicon and a generous selection of ports, but the trackpad is poor and Copilot+ features are still MIA. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today The Acer Swift 14 AI looks like an unimposing laptop that could easily be mistaken for any number of machines in Acer’s lineup. It has a secret inside, though. The Swift 14 AI is Acer’s first Arm-based notebook, running on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite processor. Laptops have changed a lot in the last few years as Arm-based chips have finally gotten powerful enough to run Windows. The Acer Swift 14 AI might not be the best representative of that change, though. The Acer Swift 14 AI is slim and efficient, running for ages before it needs to recharge. It also has a pretty generous selection of ports for a thin-and-light laptop. However, the trackpad is below average, and there’s entirely too much bloatware. There are also issues that aren’t Acer’s fault—emulated apps don’t always work right and some hardware won’t play nice with Arm PCs. For the right price, the Acer Swift 14 AI can be a fine entrée to the world of Copilot+ PCs, but that price is not the MSRP. Further reading: Best laptops 2024: Premium, budget, gaming, 2-in-1s, and more Acer Swift 14 AI: Specs and features You won’t have to make any difficult choices when purchasing the Acer Swift 14 AI. There are only two variants of the machine, one with a touchscreen and the other without. Both display options are the same 2560×1600 IPS. The touch version (which I have been testing) is $1,099.99, and the non-touch version is $1,049.99. The specifications are identical, so there’s no reason not to get the touch version for an extra $50. Inside, the Acer Swift 14 AI sports a Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite (X1E-78-100), a 12-core Arm processor that we’ve seen in laptops like Dell XPS 13 (9345). The capable Oryon CPU cores are backed up by an integrated Adreno GPU—similarly capable but not ideal for gaming on Windows. The machine comes with 16GB of RAM and 1TB of SSD storage, which is sufficient in 2024 but not class-leading. CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite (X1E-78-100) Memory: 16GB LPDDR5X Graphics: Qualcomm Adreno Display: 14.5-inch 2560×1600 IPS, 120Hz, 300 nits Storage: 1TB PCIe Gen 4 NVMe SSD Webcam: QHD IR Webcam (2560×1440) Connectivity: 2x USB-C (USB4, 40Gbps), 2x USB-A (USB 3.2), 3.5mm audio jack Networking: Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4 Battery capacity: 75 Wh, 65W USB-C charging Dimensions: 12.7 x 9 x 0.66-0.72 inches Weight: 3.2 pounds MSRP as tested: $1,099.99 Acer Swift 14 AI: Design and build quality IDG / Ryan Whitwam Acer’s first Arm laptop is a nice-looking piece of hardware, with a sleek aluminum chassis that is only 0.72 inches at its thickest point. The metal frame feels sturdy in all the right places, like around the keyboard and trackpad, but I did notice some visible flexing around the vents. The trackpad itself also has issues, which I’ll get to below. The Acer Swift 14 AI is slim and efficient, running for ages before it needs to recharge. The body should stand up to daily wear and tear alright, but it wouldn’t take much to leave a dent if you’re negligent when tossing it into your bag. It’s not overweight at 3.2 pounds, but I’d like to see a laptop this size at three pounds or less. While the Acer Swift 14 AI sports a touchscreen, it’s not a convertible machine. It’s a standard laptop form factor with a reasonably sized 14.5-inch display. The bezels around the screen are slim, but not as compact as some similarly priced machines. The top bezel is a bit hefty, but it leaves room for the excellent webcam. The webcam above the display is better than most, featuring a 1440p resolution that can really show off the AI-enhanced Studio Effects, one of the few Copilot+ features you can access right now. The camera also has IR for Windows Hello biometric unlock. The hinge is smooth and opens smoothly with one hand. However, the display is also prone to sagging if you move the laptop around while it’s open—it could stand to be a little stiffer, even if it’s harder to open. You might notice the cluster of dots in the corner of the trackpad. This is Acer’s new AI indicator. The idea is that it’ll light up whenever your PC accesses AI features. Since most of Microsoft’s Copilot+ features are still in development, you’ll rarely see it illuminated. It might be an interesting quirk when there are AI features to use, but it could also be annoying. Luckily, you can disable the LED illumination in the settings. Both of the machine’s USB-C ports are on the left edge. You can charge the laptop with either one, and you won’t be hurting for ports when you do. There’s a USB-A port next to the C ports, and there’s another USB-A on the opposite side. There’s also a 3.5mm jack on that side. That’s an embarrassment of ports for 2024. I also appreciate that Acer included a USB-C to HDMI adapter with the computer. Acer Swift 14 AI: Display and speakers IDG / Ryan Whitwam The 14.5-inch display is a great size, splitting the difference between sometimes-too-compact 13-inchers and less portable 15 or 16-inch machines. The 2560×1600 resolution results in crisp visuals, and the 120Hz refresh rate ensures smooth animations. The colors and brightness consistency are also excellent for an LCD panel. Touch response is quick as well. The peak brightness, however, isn’t very good. The screen maxes out at 300 nits, which is 100 nits lower than many other laptops in this price range. You won’t notice the deficit in dimmer indoor settings, but this screen can be hard to read outdoors or in a brightly lit office. The glossy finish doesn’t help, either. Acer says this laptop has advanced audio tuning courtesy of DTS. Even the best tuning is limited by the hardware, though. The speakers are tucked under the left and right edges, which is common for laptops of all prices. They get loud enough to be heard over a noisy room, but there’s very little bass even after tweaking the sound profile in the included DTS app. The mids also get distorted past about 50 percent volume. It gets the job done, but this machine won’t set a new standard for laptop audio. Acer Swift 14 AI: Keyboard and trackpad IDG / Ryan Whitwam The keyboard takes advantage of the available real estate to keep most of the keys close to their standard sizes. The up and down arrows share a single key unit, though, and the power button is crammed in next to backspace, which is one of the worst places you could put it. Acer is not alone in making that decision, though. HP also loves that easy to hit power button. The keys feel better than most Acer laptops I’ve used. There’s a nice tactile bump and reasonable travel. The bottom isn’t too mushy, but you can see and feel the deck flexing if you’re a heavy typist. The trackpad is a different story. It’s a good size, and the glass surface is smooth to the touch. The illuminated AI icon is an unnecessary addition, but it’s easy to ignore. The problem is structural—the trackpad has substantial droop toward the front. When pressing to click, I can see the trackpad pulling away from the case unevenly, which makes it feel cheap and flimsy. And even when it’s not being touched, the pad on my review unit sits higher on one side than the other. Acer says the trackpad on this machine is within the normal manufacturing variance it expects. So unfortunately, the trackpad might be a deal breaker for some. If I bought a laptop with this trackpad, I’d probably consider returning it. Acer Swift 14 AI: Performance The stumbling block for Windows on Arm has long been applications—if they’re not built for the Arm64 architecture, Windows has to emulate them. Emulation was terrible on older versions of Windows, but Windows 11 does a reasonably good job. Simple applications work fine, but I’ve encountered issues with a handful of x86 programs, particularly installing them. You might also run into trouble with peripherals. Drivers have to be created for the Arm platform, so esoteric or vintage hardware probably won’t work.  In day-to-day usage, the Acer Swift 14 AI can handle all your basic computing tasks. When using Arm apps, the machine is indistinguishable from the average Intel or AMD-powered notebook. Emulated apps might be a little slower but not enough to notice most of the time. Games, however, will not run well on the Swift 14. The Snapdragon chip does at least ensure your laptop will wake up quickly. Some Windows laptops can languish in the twilight between sleep and awake for a strangely long time, but this Arm-based PC is ready to go almost immediately. IDG / Ryan Whitwam Cinebench is a CPU-focused test that shows how a PC handles heavy but brief multi-core workloads. More CPU cores grant higher scores in Cinebench, and cooling doesn’t matter very much. The Swift 14 AI runs on the Snapdragon X Elite X1E-78-100, which is not the highest-specced version of the chip. It’s definitely the one we’ve seen the most often, though. Its 10 CPU cores push it well past the Snapdragon X Plus-powered Dell Inspiron 14. The Acer machine is only a few points behind the Dell XPS 13, which runs the slightly more powerful X1E-80-100 version of the chip. IDG / Ryan Whitwam Our preferred ARM gaming test is 3DMark Time Spy, a graphical benchmark that focuses on GPU performance. This result illustrates the problem with gaming on Snapdragon PCs. These chips can limp along in emulated games, but the integrated graphics in AMD and Intel chips are several times faster. You can get away with simple 2D games on the Snapdragon X Elite, but you’ll have to wait for native Arm games before we can truly take advantage of the Adreno GPU. Acer Swift 14 AI: Battery life Laptops today emphasize battery life like never before, with some models running a whole day without recharging. Arm computers are noted battery life champs, but the latest Intel and AMD chips are catching up. In some low-power configurations, x86 machines can even run a bit longer than Arm ones. IDG / Ryan Whitwam Our battery rundown test consists of running a 4K video at 250 nits on a loop until the laptop dies. The Acer Swift 14 AI manages one of the higher scores we’ve seen in this test at 1,050 minutes (about 17 and a half hours). You should not have any range anxiety while using this computer, and it charges reliably with any USB-PD charger and USB-C cable, to a maximum of 65W. While the battery life is fine, it is interesting to see the Intel version of this machine actually lasts a bit longer. The gap is small, about an hour, but that’s still an impressive showing for Intel. Acer Swift 14 AI: Conclusion The Acer Swift 14 AI makes a good first impression with its solid aluminum frame and ample connectivity options, but it doesn’t quite make the sale. Acer’s trackpad feels cheap and even looks a bit off-kilter. The display, while very sharp and fast, is also a bit on the dim side, and the super-reflective glass will make it even harder to use in a bright environment. It’s hard to judge the value of Copilot+ certification because almost none of those features are available. What limited AI there is at launch is heralded by the illuminated trackpad. This is an unnecessary gimmick, which you can turn off. In general, Acer goes a bit too far with preloaded software, too. Possibly the best thing I can say about the Acer Swift 14 AI is that you can easily forget this is an Arm PC. Most x86 apps work just fine in emulation, and more Arm-optimized apps are finally becoming available. Games are off the table, but the laptop starts up quick and stays quick for the long haul. Even with its drawbacks, the Acer Swift 14 AI could be worth picking up as your first foray into the Copilot+ world. However, you should wait for a sale. The MSRP of $1,099 is a bit steep for what you get. If you can find it for closer to $900 this holiday season, it could be a good value. Read...

I’m late to the RPG Baldur’s Gate 3. I held out for over a year before purchasing it despite the fact that the game surpasses any released in the franchise so far with its excellent graphics, unprecedented freedom to explore, and ability to interact with the environment. What finally got me in then? Admittedly, it’s the one thing I absolutely can’t resist in a top-rated RPG — the fact that it now has mods! That change in a game as detailed and intuitive as BG3 is sheer gold for me, making every cent paid for it an irresistible value proposition. It has also got me thinking: Why can’t all RPGs have mods? Mods undeniably spice up games It’s not like BG3 needed anything extra to make it a great game. No, it’s obviously one of the best turn-based RPG’s available today with its enchanting high-fantasy open world that reacts to you as a player and allows you to have your own unique experience. It’s more that the mods — everything from character changes to new weapons and objects and new game mechanics — allow me to squeeze even more value from this classic game thereby multiplying the fun 100x. Whereas before the game was well worth $60, the value I will reap from this game over time will pay for itself many, many times over. To be sure, now that BG3 has mods, the game will not only be different each time I play it, it won’t even be close to the experience I’ve had before — which leads me to an important point: I now have the agency to personalize it as I wish, just as I can personalize myriad other aspects of my life, from the topping on my vanilla ice-cream to the color of my cellphone case. I can now play solo as a lone wolf by increasing the rate at which I earn XP, or as any exciting creature from the Dungeons and Dragons world by accessing dozens of other races. I can choose to give my character a funky new beard, new spells, or endless objects so as to never be without what I need on my journey, and that’s just for starters. Who knows what other tantalizing mods are in the works down the track…Additional quests? Bring it on! Baldur’s Gate 3 now has a ton of mods that help to further enrich the gameplay. Larian Studios In essence BG3 has been reassigned from occupying a frustrating category of RPGs where I quickly run out of content and lose interest, to being on my list of most important games — the games that can keep me engaged for decades, indefinitely even. In this category some of my favorite games of all time reside — titles like The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and Portal 2, which together have more than 200,000 downloadable mods. It’s thanks to mods that these games have stood the test of time. They’ve weathered a changing games industry characterized by new, more powerful hardware and better graphics, the release of countless new RPGs, and more importantly, they’ve kept their original communities alive — something that games without mods often struggle to do. More reasons to get modding Despite the replayability aspect mods bring, there are plenty of other reasons RPGs should have mods. For the detail-conscious among us that like to nitpick every spelling mistake, grammatical error, or abnormal pixel, mods are a great opportunity to fix these things — especially when official updates fail to do so. Bethesda’s Skyrim is proof of this. Some of the best Skyrim fixes have had big, positive impacts on gameplay, like the AIM FIX mod that made archery and magic spells more accurately go where the player intended. Skyrim owes a lot of its timeless longevity to thousands of mods that have kept players coming back for more.Dominic Bayley / IDG Others, although less critical to gameplay, like the Skyrim mod that fixed the illumination to the right side of a Khajiit’s tail, may seem funny, but they too work to keep discussion alive and keep players interested and engrossed in the game, which is entirely the point. Yep, it’s almost never mentioned, but mods are a goldmine for keeping community together. I have friends I made way back in the fledgling days of 2011 when Skyrim first released that are still contributing regularly on forums today, which is so heartening. An added benefit of games with mods is that they often spawn whole new games. Indeed, favorites like Garry’s Mod and DOTA owe their very existence to modding. These are games we never would have seen if not for budding games developers wanting to cut their teeth in development by modifying games they love. The arguments against modding Having just sung the praises of mods, there are arguments doing the rounds against them. Mods unfairly change competitive multiplayer games, open opportunities for cheating, or spoil the developer’s intended experience, some naysayers say. I don’t wholly disagree with those points — mods can have the potential to do those things — but they can also be managed to avoid those problems. Mods are easy to make and quick to apply and remove, and they are entirely optional, which makes them so relevant to RPGs especially. As a genre, RPGs have always been about giving players a choice — and you certainly have choice with mods, as opposed to game updates or patches that can prevent you playing the game if you don’t download them. Indeed, if you don’t like a mod, you can always choose not to use it, in the same way you can choose to eat ice cream without sprinkles. Me? The more toppings I can get for my vanilla, the better! Read...

One of the key benefits of a laptop is its everyday practicality. For road warriors, a laptop lets you take on the world wherever you are; for others, tethering your laptop to your desktop can be a great way to enhance your productivity or even your gaming experience. But what if you mainly use your laptop at home, it’s pretty much always connected to an external monitor, and you don’t really need the laptop screen? In that case, running your laptop in clamshell mode (i.e., with the screen closed) is a fantastic option. You’ll get to enjoy the larger display of a monitor and have better ergonomics to boot. A large external monitor can make a significant difference over a laptop display.Thiago Trevisan / IDG In this article, I’ll explain how to properly run your laptop while closed, the bevy of extra benefits that make it worth doing, plus a few caveats and best practices to keep in mind for best results. What you’ll need to run a closed laptop As it turns out, you’re going to need a few extra accessories in order to properly run your laptop with its screen closed. After all, when it’s closed, you lose access to its built-in keyboard, trackpad, and display, so you’ll have to forego all of them for external replacements. You’ll need a separate keyboard and mouse with your external monitor because you won’t be able to use your laptop’s keyboard while it’s closed.Thiago Trevisan / IDG Yes, you’re going to need a separate keyboard (wired or wireless) and a mouse (wired or wireless). They’ll connect to your laptop either via USB cables, Wi-Fi dongles, or Bluetooth pairing. If you don’t have any extras sitting around, check out our recommendations for the best wireless keyboards, best mechanical keyboards, best gaming keyboards, best wireless mice, and best gaming mice. You’re also going to need an external monitor, which will connect via HDMI cable, DisplayPort cable, or USB-C/Thunderbolt cable depending on your laptop model and specs. You’ll need a monitor that’s compatible with whatever connection you end up using. HDMI is the most widely available — and often preferred — option for laptops with monitors. Don’t have a monitor for your laptop? Check out our recommendations for the best home office monitors, best USB-C monitors, best 4K monitors, and best gaming monitors. If you plan to work on the go a lot, you might also want to consider our picks for the best portable monitors. Thunderbolt docks can provide display and USB ports if your laptop supports them.Thiago Trevisan / IDG If you have a Thunderbolt-enabled laptop, a Thunderbolt dock can be a great way to set up and run a desktop-like environment. Since laptops typically have less input/output connectivity options, a Thunderbolt dock can add back in a host of USB ports and other niceties. (Check out the best Thunderbolt docks according to our experts.) Not all laptops have Thunderbolt, though. If you find that your laptop is lacking in connectivity, you still have another option: a USB-C dock or hub, which does the exact same thing — turns one port into many different ports — just with less power and speed. (Grab one of the best USB-C hubs according to our experts.) Thiago Trevisan / IDG Lastly, just because your laptop is closed doesn’t mean it’s invisible. It’s still going to take up space on your desk, so you’re probably going to want a laptop stand or holder. Not only will it keep your workspace tidy, but it’ll also raise your laptop, improve airflow, and mitigate heat. Related: Are laptop cooling pads worth it? How to keep your laptop running while closed in Windows So you want your laptop to stay awake and running even when you close the lid, but it keeps going to sleep? You’re going to have to make a quick change in Windows’ settings — but don’t worry because it’s easy. Open the Start menu and search for Control Panel, then launch it. In Control Panel, click on Hardware and Sound, then click on Power Options. Then, look to the left side for a link called “Choose what closing the lid does” and click it. You’ll find what you need in the Windows Control Panel.Thiago Trevisan / IDG Here you’ll find tunings for what the power button, sleep button, and lid closing action do on your laptop, and you can choose separate actions depending on whether your laptop is plugged in or on battery. For “When I close the lid,” change both settings to Do nothing, then click Save changes. You’re done! Your laptop will now avoid going to sleep whenever it’s closed, allowing you to use it freely with an external monitor. It’ll stay this way until you come back and change the settings. Caveats and best practices to be aware of Once you have your laptop operating with its lid closed, and once you have your peripherals and monitors and accessories set up, it’s pretty much smooth sailing from there on. However, there are a few things you should probably keep in mind. When using your laptop with its screen closed, it’s a good idea to keep the power adapter plugged in to avoid unnecessary battery drain.Thiago Trevisan / IDG First, it’s a good idea — at least in this particular case — to keep your laptop’s AC power adapter plugged in while using an external monitor. It’s going to draw more power, so your laptop’s battery life is definitely going to be affected (to various degrees, of course). Related: Is it bad to leave a laptop always plugged in? Second, some high-powered gaming laptops — like the Razer Blade 16 — are designed to expel airflow from the top of the keyboard area. That means congestion or even blockage when the lid is closed, in which case you might not want to run it that way due to increased thermals. (Really only a concern with long, strenuous gaming sessions.) But if your laptop exhausts air out of the bottom, sides, or back, you should be fine. Thiago Trevisan / IDG Lastly, I want to reiterate the importance of having a laptop stand or cooling pad when running your laptop with its lid closed. Not only will it help free up desk space, but it’ll also help keep your laptop thermally in check, especially when gaming or doing intensive work tasks. Further reading: How to use a laptop with multiple monitors Read...