The best laptops you can buy
If you’re looking to buy a laptop right now, the answer is Dell’s XPS 13. It’s light, portable, powerful, beautiful, and reasonably affordable — making it the best laptop available now. We recommend it not only over every other Windows notebook, but also Apple’s MacBook line and Google’s Chromebooks.
Still, if you insist, we have picked out the best MacBook for MacOS die-hards, the best Chromebook for those who desire an affordable laptop with a super-light OS, and the best laptop if you’ve $600 or less to spend. We’ve also selected the best 15-inch laptop — though it, perhaps unsurprisingly, is the Dell XPS 15.
Our pick
Dell XPS 13
Why should you buy this: It’s portable, fast, attractive, and reasonably priced.
Our Score
The best
Dell XPS 13 (Kaby Lake)
Portable, powerful, and beautiful, nothing offers the same value as Dell’s flagship XPS 13.
$1,119.95 from Newegg
$1,119.95 from Amazon
Who’s it for: Everyone except gamers.
How much will it cost: $800 to $1,600
Why we picked the Dell XPS 13
Dell’s XPS 13 blends a metallic exterior with carbon-fiber interior. It’s a look that’s premium, yet inviting. The XPS 13 is the kind of cool new toy that you’ll be itching to show everyone willing to look.
The super-thin InfinityEdge bezel is another highlight. Most laptops have a half-inch to an inch of plastic surrounding the display on all sides. The XPS 13 has less than a quarter of an inch. That’s as functional as it is beautiful, as it makes the system smaller and lighter.
Does that make the XPS 13 too small? Nope. The touchpad is as large as the competition and the keyboard is a breeze to use. The system even squeezes in a large battery, which means most models can last a full day before needing a charge (the top-shelf Core i7 model with a 3,200 x 1,800 panel is borderline, though it can manage eight hours if you’re easy on it).
There is just one oddity you should know about — the web cam. The bezels are so thin there’s no room for it, so it’s below the display, rather than above. That makes for an awkward angle. Most people won’t care, but it will bug you if you video conference while traveling.
Cutting edge 7th-generation Kaby Lake Core i3, i5, and i7 processors are available along with a selection of solid state hard drives and up to 16GB of RAM. The Core i7 models don’t have the Core i7-6500U found in most expensive ultrabooks, but instead opts for the 7th-generation Core i7-7500U, which boasts quicker integrated graphics and a higher maximum clock speed.
But the XPS 13 doesn’t earn the “best laptop” title because of its premium configuration. The laptop starts at just $800, and can be handsomely equipped for $1,000. These entry-level versions don’t have the fastest available hardware, but they retain the same design, features, and battery life as the most expensive. Nothing else offers the same overall value, and many competitors feel hopelessly out of date when placed next to Dell’s flagship.
Before buying, be sure to read our XPS 13 buying guide.
Our full Dell XPS 13 review
The best Mac
MacBook Pro 13-inch (without Touch Bar)
Why should you buy this: You need MacOS and Windows just won’t cut it.
The best Mac
Apple MacBook Pro 13-inch (without Touch Bar)
Apple’s notebook will appeal to commuters, Apple adherents, and anyone who despises the finicky touchpads on Windows PCs.
$1,499.00 from Apple
Who’s it for: Anyone who doesn’t mind paying the “Apple Tax.”
How much will it cost: $1,400
Why we picked the MacBook Pro 13-inch (without Touch Bar)
Most people are looking at a Mac for one of two reasons. Either you’re a fan of MacOS, or you’re attracted to Apple’s brand and want to buy one based on the company’s reputation.
If you’re in the first group, and Windows just won’t cut it, then nothing we say will sway you. In that case, we recommend you purchase the MacBook Pro 13 without Touch Bar. Why not one of the more expensive models with the highly-anticipated OLED Touch Bar where the function keys used to reside? In our opinion, the Touch Bar just doesn’t add enough functionality, certainly not enough to justify a $200 addition to an already high price tag.
The latest MacBook Pro models all feature 7th-generation Intel Core processors, just like most of the other offerings on this list, so you do get quite a bit of bang for your buck. But they’re still a little more expensive than they need to be, and if you’re on the fence about MacOS you might want to give Windows 10 a chance — and save yourself a little cash while you’re at it.
Aside from build quality and industrial design, Apple does justify its high prices with one important feature — service. The company tends to cover defective hardware that others might refuse to service, and you can take your Mac to any Apple Store if you need help. Given the MacBook Pro’s robust build, and reputation for longevity, it’s a nice safety net to have — especially when your Mac gets old and you end up losing your warranty paperwork.
Our full Macbook Pro 13-inch review (with Touch Bar)
The best Chromebook
Acer Chromebook 15
Why should you buy this: You want a nice, barebones laptop for less.
Our Score
The best Chromebook
Acer Chromebook 15
Looking for a cheap laptop to use as a second PC? You can’t go wrong with the Acer.
$299.99 from Amazon
Who’s it for: Students, people who need only basic functionality, anyone who wants a cheap laptop to use as a second PC.
How much will it cost: $200 to $300
Why we picked the Acer Chromebook 15
Chromebooks — laptops that run Google’s Chrome OS — have become a popular budget laptop over the last few years, and we quite like them at Digital Trends. The Acer Chromebook 15 is a great example of their strengths. It has a 1080p display, fast Intel processor, and plenty of memory, all starting at $300 when the product first came out. No Windows notebook priced at $300 comes close. And today you can get it for less even than that.
If you’re looking for a budget laptop, Chromebooks are a good choice. But these systems rarely sell for north of $500, with the obvious exception of Google’s Chromebook Pixel, which is too niche for us to recommend. The price brings limitations, of course. You won’t find a Chromebook with a quad-core processor, a fast solid state drive, or an optional discrete GPU.
Even if Chromebooks were equipped to compete with the best laptops, the operating system would hold them back. Chrome OS, which is designed around Google’s Chrome Web browser, is wonderfully simple and intuitive, but it can’t run “normal” software. It only runs extensions and Web apps. So while you can access Word Online, for example, you could never install Word.
This, of course, means you’re reliant on Wi-Fi access, which isn’t a problem in most situations but becomes a very big problem if the Internet cuts out. Google has upgraded Chrome OS over time to combat this. Now, you can download your Gmail inbox and Google Drive content for offline access, and apps have offline modes for use away from Wi-Fi.
Our full Acer Chromebook 15 review
The best 2-in-1 laptop
Surface Pro
Why should you buy this: You want a great laptop and a good tablet.
Product Card: The Surface Pro is a 2-in-1 without compromises, combining stellar performance with a flexible, premium-built chassis.
Our Score
The best 2-in-1 laptop
Microsoft Surface Pro (2017)
The Surface Pro is a 2-in-1 without compromises, combining stellar performance with a flexible, premium-built chassis.
$999.00 from Microsoft
$799.00 from Amazon.com
Who’s it for: Anyone who needs versatility on top of performance.
How much will this cost: Starts at $800
Why we picked the Surface Pro
2-in-1 laptops are still something of an acquired taste, but if you’re not sure about laptops-as-tablets, the Surface Pro might change your mind. First and foremost, it’s a stylish, lightweight, and powerful tablet that pulls double duty as a laptop.
If you’re not sure about the Surface Pro as a laptop replacement, just think of it as a laptop with a detachable keyboard. Seriously, this thing can do anything you need a laptop to do and more. With a full version of Windows 10 and a super-light form factor, the Surface Pro is just as capable for a workday at the office as it is for laying on the couch watching cat videos.
Coming in at just .33 inches thick, and weighting 1.73 pounds, it’s easily the most portable laptop on this list. Toss it in a bag and you’d never notice the extra weight.
The form factor is even more impressive when you consider the kind of power it packs. There are a few different configurations with different price points, starting at $800 for students, and topping out at $2,700, but each one has a 7th-generation Kaby Lake processor under the hood — our review unit was one of these top-spec machines.
That extra performance really shows. Not only did it perform spectacularly well in our benchmarks, it turned out excellent performance as an everyday workhorse. It’s quick, snappy, and versatile, everything you could want out of an ultra-portable laptop — plus it’s a tablet when you need it to be.
Our full Surface Pro review
The best budget laptop
Asus Zenbook UX330UA
Bill Roberson/Digital Trends
Why should you buy this: You want an affordable PC that’s also a joy to use.
Our Score
The best budget laptop
Asus Zenbook UX330UA-AH54
The Zenbook starts at $700 and has fantastic specs — far better than what you’ll find from other competitors.
$699.00 from Amazon
Who’s it for: Everyone except gamers, other power users.
How much will it cost: $600 to $800
Why we picked the Asus Zenbook UX330UA
The Dell XPS 13 starts at $800. We don’t think that’s a lot for a laptop, but the world obviously disagrees; the average selling price of new laptops has hovered around $600 for years.
One option is to watch out for a sale. You shouldn’t have to wait long. Refurbished models have sold for as little as $470, and new systems sometimes dip near the $600 mark. Keep an eye out for coupons on Dell’s site and for sales at major retailers including not just the usual suspects but also the Microsoft Store, which carries a selection of the best Windows laptops.
If that doesn’t work, then we suggest the Asus Zenbook UX330UA, another ultrabook we’ve awarded an Editor’s Choice. The Zenbook isn’t as powerful as the Dell XPS 13, and doesn’t emulate the Dell’s strikingly thin bezels. But otherwise, it’s an incredible machine.
And its value can’t be beat. The base model, which is routinely priced at $700 on Amazon, has a 7th-generation Intel Core i5 processor, eight gigabytes of RAM, and a 256GB solid state drive. That’s twice the memory and storage of the $800 Dell XPS 13 — and far better than what you’ll find in other competitors. We’re not sure how Asus makes money off it.
Our full Asus Zenbook UX330 review
The best large display
Dell XPS 15
Why should you buy this: You want a sleek PC, but also need excellent performance.
Our Score
The best large display
Dell XPS 15
Beyond great a quick CPU and powerful graphics card, the Dell XPS 15 can be kitted out stellar 4K display.
$979.99 from Dell
Who’s it for: Power users, and those who want a big, beautiful display
How much will this cost: $1,000 to $1,650
Why we picked the Dell XPS 15
Okay, the XPS 13 is great, but maybe you want a larger display. You’re not alone. Sales figures have continually shown 15-inch systems beating their smaller rivals. We think this is partially because good, small laptops aren’t cheap — but some people just want a bigger display. There’s nothing wrong with that.
Fortunately, Dell also has the XPS 15. It’s great for all the same reasons the XPS 13 is great and, because it’s larger, can be optioned with the fastest hardware available today including a quad-core 7th-generation Intel Core i7 processor, Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 graphics, and a 4K display. It’s easily the best all-around 15-inch laptop on the market today.
The XPS 15 starts at $1,000, though, which is a steep sum. Is there anything more affordable?
There is, but nothing stands out as the clear winner. Acer’s Aspire E15 is affordable and powerful, but not attractive. Asus’ X555UB-NH51 looks and feels more luxurious, but is priced higher without a performance bump. Dell’s Inspiron 15 Gaming is a powerful do-it-all entry that can even serve as a budget gaming laptop, but its display is disappointing. Acer’s Chromebook 15 can’t be beat in value, but you have to be alright living with Chrome OS.
Yes, that’s a lot of options. Picking a budget 15-inch is a tough choice, but if you’re tired of looking and just want a name, go with the Acer Aspire E15 (make sure you buy one with a 1080p display). It’s ugly, but it’ll do the job well enough at an extremely low price.
Our full Dell XPS 15 review
Should you buy now, or wait?
Intel has recently announced its new 7th-generation processors. If possible, it’s a good idea to wait until you see an update to the 7th-gen hardware before buying the particular model you have your eye on.
But it’s not critical. The new generation isn’t that much quicker than the previous version, and the battery life gain in 7th-gen is minimal. If you can buy a 6th-generation model at a slight discount, or you have reason to believe the 7th-gen update won’t come soon, go ahead and make a purchase.
AMD also has new hardware available. While we don’t generally recommend AMD over Intel in laptops, the company’s APUs can make sense in some affordable systems. Keep and eye out for the new chips, which are detailed in this post.
How we test
You’ve read our laptop reviews. You’ve read our conclusions. And now you’re wondering how we came to them.
Good question. Reviews often lack context, which is evident in the wildly different scores some laptops receive from different publications. Conflicting opinions can actually make buying a laptop more difficult if the review’s criteria isn’t made clear.
Allow us to lift the veil. Here we’ll explain the benchmarks we use for objective testing and the perspective from which we approach subjective topics. We don’t expect everyone to agree with our opinions, but we hope that sharing our process will leave you better equipped to decide what laptop best fits your needs.
How can you tell how affluent an area is? Penny does it from space
Why it matters to you
You shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but this new machine learning algorithm knows how to make an assessment or two.
It’s not just the Great Wall of China or the Great Pyramids of Giza that you can see from space — thanks to artificial intelligence and Penny, we can now discern things that seem … imperceptible, too.
While you may not be able to tell how much money the denizens of a neighborhood simply by walking through it, you may be able to do so by flying over said neighborhood — that is, if you’re flying in a satellite. It’s all thanks to a new venture from satellite mapping company DigitalGlobe, who partnered with San Francisco design studio Stamen Design in order to create a machine learning-powered mapping tool that combines income data and satellite imagery to estimate the average income of neighborhoods.
The program is called Penny, and it takes into consideration the shapes, colors, and lines that comprise a satellite image, explains Fast Company. Then, by comparing this analysis to analogous Census data, the program examines images for observable patterns between urban features and income levels. From there, Penny “learns” what affluence looks like from above, and its algorithm can predict what income level it’s looking at.
So what are the telltale signs that Penny has identified thus far? According to the project’s website, “Different types of objects and shapes seem to be highly correlated with different income levels. For example, lower income areas tend to have baseball diamonds, parking lots, and large similarly shaped buildings (such as housing projects).”
Conversely, in higher income areas, satellite imagery shows greener spaces, tall buildings, and single family homes featuring backyards. In between the two are the middle-income areas, in which a smaller number of single family homes can be observed, alongside apartment buildings.
Perhaps one of the coolest features of Penny is that it allows you to manipulate various areas to add elements, thereby determining how the addition of the Empire State Building in an otherwise low-income area would affect the predictions as a whole. “Every feature that you add affects Penny’s predictions differently. The same feature will have a different effect depending on where it’s placed,” the team explained.
Already, Penny has proven itself to be quite accurate — if you examine the New York area, Penny is 86 percent sure that the Financial District is a high-income area and 99 percent sure that Harlem is a low-income neighborhood. So start hovering, you may be surprised by what you learn.
Arm your PC against the global NotPetya ransomware attack with these easy tips
Why it matters to you
Although the NotPetya ransomware appears to target organizations, that doesn’t mean it won’t attack mainstream PCs. Here’s how you can prepare.
On June 26, 2017, a new type of ransomware called NotPetya began attacking computing systems across the globe. It originally targeted major systems in the Ukraine including banks, postal services, airports, power companies, and more. But it quickly spread outside its targeted zone, expanding across 64 countries including Brazil, Germany, Russia, and even the United States. We take a look at what this NotPetya ransomware is, what systems are affected, and how you can stand guard against this specific attack.
What is the NotPetya ransomware?
NotPetya (or Petwrap) is based on an older version of the Petya ransomware, which was originally designed to hold files and devices hostage in turn for Bitcoin payment. However, despite NotPetya’s attempt to collect money in its fast-moving global attack, it doesn’t appear to be strictly out for money. Instead, NotPetya is encrypting the filesystems of machines to damage companies. The ransomware aspect is apparently just a cover.
What makes NotPetya dangerous is that underneath the ransomware-based front is an exploit called EternalBlue, allegedly designed by the United States National Security Administration (aka the NSA). It targets a specific, vulnerable network protocol called Server Message Block (version 1) used for sharing printers, files, and serial ports between networked Windows-based PCs. Thus, the vulnerability allows remote attackers to send and execute malicious code on a target computer. The Shadow Brokers hacker group leaked EternalBlue in April of 2017.
The NotPetya ransomware also includes a “worm” component. Typically, victims fall prey to ransomware by downloading and executing malware disguised as a legitimate file attached in an email. In turn, the malware encrypts specific files and posts a popup window on the screen, demanding payment in Bitcoins to unlock those files.
However, the Petya ransomware that surfaced in early 2016 took that attack a step further by encrypting the PC’s entire hard drive or solid state drive by infecting the master boot record, thus overwriting the program that begins the Windows boot sequence. This resulted in an encryption of the table used to keep track of all local files (NTFS), preventing Windows from locating anything stored locally.
Despite its ability to encrypt an entire disk, Petya was only capable of infecting a single target PC. However, as seen with the recent WannaCry outbreak, ransomware now has the capability to move from PC to PC on a local network without any user intervention. The new NotPetya ransomware is capable of the same lateral network infestation, unlike the original Petya version.
According to Microsoft, one of NotPetya’s attack vectors is its ability to steal credentials or re-use an active session.
“Because users frequently log in using accounts with local admin privileges and have active sessions opens across multiple machines, stolen credentials are likely to provide the same level of access the user has on other machines,” the company reports. “Once the ransomware has valid credentials, it scans the local network to establish valid connections.”
The NotPetya ransomware can also use file-shares to multiply itself across the local network, and infest machines that are not patched against the EternalBlue vulnerability. Microsoft even mentions EternalRomance, another exploit used against the Server Message Block protocol supposedly conjured up by the NSA.
“This is a great example of two malware components coming together to generate more pernicious and resilient malware,” said Ivanti Chief Information Security Officer Phil Richards.
On top of NotPetya’s fast, widespread attack, there exists another problem: payment. The ransomware provides a popup window demanding victims to pay $300 in Bitcoins using a specific Bitcoin address, Bitcoin wallet ID, and personal installation number. Victims send this information to a provided email address that responds with an unlock key. That email address was quickly shut down once German parent email provider Posteo discovered its evil intent.
“We became aware that ransomware blackmailers are currently using a Posteo address as a means of contact. Our anti-abuse team checked this immediately – and blocked the account straight away,” the company said. “We do not tolerate the misuse of our platform: The immediate blocking of misused email accounts is the necessary approach by providers in such cases.”
That means any attempt to pay would never get through, even if payment were the goal of the malware.
Finally, Microsoft indicates that the attack originated with Ukrainian company M.E.Doc, the developer behind the MEDoc tax accounting software. Microsoft doesn’t appear to be pointing fingers, but instead stated that it has proof that “a few active infections of the ransomware initially started from the legitimate MEDoc updater process.” This type of infection, notes Microsoft, is a growing trend.
What systems are at risk?
For now, the NotPetya ransomware seems to be focused on attacking Windows-based PCs in organizations. For example, the entire radiation monitoring system located in the Chernobyl nuclear power plant was knocked offline in the attack. Here in the United States, the attack hit the entire Heritage Valley Health System, affecting all facilities that rely on the network, including the Beaver and Sewickley hospitals in Pennsylvania. The Kiev Boryspil Airport in the Ukraine suffered flight schedule delays, and its website was knocked offline due to the attack.
Unfortunately, there’s no information pointing to the exact versions of Windows the NotPetya ransomware is targeting. Microsoft’s security report doesn’t list specific Windows releases, although to be safe, customers should assume that all commercial and mainstream releases of Windows spanning Windows XP to Windows 10 fall within the attack window. After all, even WannaCry targeted machines with Windows XP installed.
Frighteningly accurate ‘mind reading’ AI reads brain scans to guess what you’re thinking
Why it matters to you
Neural network gives us a better understanding of the inner workings of the brain.
From medical applications like helping dermatologists diagnose skin cancer to teaching robots to get a better grip on the world around them, deep learning neural networks can carry out some pretty impressive tasks. Could mind reading be among them?
The folks at Carnegie Mellon University certainly think so — and they’ve got the research to back up their theories. What CMU scientists have been working on is a system that can apparently read complex thoughts based on brain scans, possibly even interpreting complete sentences.
This involved gathering data from a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) machine, and then using AI machine learning algorithms to pinpoint — and sometimes reverse-engineer — the building blocks the brain uses to construct complex thoughts.
“One of the big advances of the human brain was the ability to combine individual concepts into complex thoughts, to think not just of ‘bananas,’ but ‘I like to eat bananas in evening with my friends,’” said psychology professor Marcel Just, the lead author of the study, in a press release. “We have finally developed a way to see thoughts of that complexity in the fMRI signal. The discovery of this correspondence between thoughts and brain activation patterns tells us what the thoughts are built of.”
In the CMU study, the team was able to demonstrate different brain activations being triggered according to 240 complex events, ranging from individuals and settings to types of social interaction or physical actions. Using the smart algorithm, the team could discern what was being thought about at any given time — and even the order of a particular sentence. After training the algorithm on 239 of the 240 sentences and their corresponding brain scans, the researchers were able to predict the final sentence based only on the brain data. It was able to do this with an impressive 87 percent accuracy, as well as doing the opposite: being given sentence information and then outputting an accurate image of how the brain would be activated during that sentence.
We’re guessing this doesn’t bode well for our eventual face-off with Skynet!
A paper describing the work, titled “Predicting the Brain Activation Pattern Associated With the Propositional Content of a Sentence,” is published in the new issue of the journal Human Brain Mapping.
Frighteningly accurate ‘mind reading’ AI reads brain scans to guess what you’re thinking
Why it matters to you
Neural network gives us a better understanding of the inner workings of the brain.
From medical applications like helping dermatologists diagnose skin cancer to teaching robots to get a better grip on the world around them, deep learning neural networks can carry out some pretty impressive tasks. Could mind reading be among them?
The folks at Carnegie Mellon University certainly think so — and they’ve got the research to back up their theories. What CMU scientists have been working on is a system that can apparently read complex thoughts based on brain scans, possibly even interpreting complete sentences.
This involved gathering data from a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) machine, and then using AI machine learning algorithms to pinpoint — and sometimes reverse-engineer — the building blocks the brain uses to construct complex thoughts.
“One of the big advances of the human brain was the ability to combine individual concepts into complex thoughts, to think not just of ‘bananas,’ but ‘I like to eat bananas in evening with my friends,’” said psychology professor Marcel Just, the lead author of the study, in a press release. “We have finally developed a way to see thoughts of that complexity in the fMRI signal. The discovery of this correspondence between thoughts and brain activation patterns tells us what the thoughts are built of.”
In the CMU study, the team was able to demonstrate different brain activations being triggered according to 240 complex events, ranging from individuals and settings to types of social interaction or physical actions. Using the smart algorithm, the team could discern what was being thought about at any given time — and even the order of a particular sentence. After training the algorithm on 239 of the 240 sentences and their corresponding brain scans, the researchers were able to predict the final sentence based only on the brain data. It was able to do this with an impressive 87 percent accuracy, as well as doing the opposite: being given sentence information and then outputting an accurate image of how the brain would be activated during that sentence.
We’re guessing this doesn’t bode well for our eventual face-off with Skynet!
A paper describing the work, titled “Predicting the Brain Activation Pattern Associated With the Propositional Content of a Sentence,” is published in the new issue of the journal Human Brain Mapping.
Microsoft celebrates its ultimate game discount blowout with a new sweepstakes
Why it matters to you
If you’re wallet isn’t empty yet, it will be once Microsoft’s Ultimate Game Sale kicks off later this week.
Now that E3 2017 is behind us and the awards are dished out, the summer season is upon us, and that means huge discounts and not enough money in our wallets to scoop up everything we want. The discount bonanza started with the E3-specific sales from Sony and Nintendo followed by the likes of Good Old Games, GameFly, and the current Steam Summer Sale. Now we have to deal with Microsoft’s upcoming Ultimate Game Sale, and our wallets are hating us already.
Starting Friday and concluding July 10, Microsoft is slashing the prices of games, gaming hardware, and accessories sold through the Windows Store, Xbox Store, and Microsoft Store. Microsoft promises savings of up to 50 percent on the Xbox and Windows 10 platforms although the company is not coughing up any early numbers. If we are lucky, Microsoft will hack the prices of its Xbox Play Anywhere cross-play library too.
Until Microsoft updates its blog on Friday with its entire list of discounts, Xbox and Windows 10 gamers will have to suffice with the company’s new Ultimate Game Face Sweepstakes providing gamers with a chance to win one of two Ultimate Prize Packages. The promotion has already begun and ends at 11:59 p.m. (PT) on July 10.
To enter, participants must share their Ultimate Game Face via Twitter, Instagram, or both. All images must include the #UltimateGameFace hashtag along with the hashtag for the gamer’s target grand prize: #PCSweepstakes2017 or #XboxSweepstakes2017.
But don’t brush off Microsoft’s new sweepstakes just yet. You might want to get your serious game face on after checking out what Microsoft is cramming into its two prize packs:
Ultimate Xbox Gaming Prize Pack
Ultimate PC Gaming Prize Pack
Custom Designed Xbox One S
Alienware Aurora R6 Gaming Desktop
Custom Designed Xbox Elite Controller
Alienware 25” Gaming Monitor
$1,000 Xbox Gift Card
Alienware Pro Gaming Keyboard
Samsung 55” Class Q7F QLED 4K TV
Alienware Elite Gaming Mouse
Seagate Game Drive for Xbox (4TB)
$1,000 Windows Store Gift Card
HyperX CloudX Pro Gaming Headset
HyperX Cloud II Headset
YETI Hopper Two 20 Cooler
YETI Hopper Two 20 Cooler
Oakley Kitchen Sink Backpack
Oakley Kitchen Sink Backpack
“All elements must be included to be eligible,” the rules state. “The account settings for this message must be set to “unprotected” or “public” to be eligible. For doing this, you will receive one Sweepstakes entry into the prize package you tagged in your post. There is a limit of one (1) entry per person PER platform, for an overall maximum of two (2) entries — one on Twitter and one on Instagram.”
As for Microsoft’s upcoming Ultimate Game Sale, some of the games flashed in its promotional trailer include Gear of War 4, Halo Wars 2, Dead Rising 4, Forza Horizon 3, Recore, Rise of the Tomb Raider, Resident Evil 7: Biohazard, Fallout Shelter (in-game items), Roblox (in-game items), Guardians of the Galaxy, and more.
Best Cases for the OnePlus 5 (So Far …)
Keep your OnePlus 5 protected with a case!
After months of hype, the OnePlus 5 is finally here! Whether you’re waiting for your new phone to arrive in the mail or you’ve got it in your hand, we’re sure you’re marveling at it’s gorgeous, all-metal design.
If you’re hoping to keep your OnePlus 5 in immaculate condition, your best bet is a quality case. At launch, OnePlus itself actually offers the best cases available, but we’ve rounded up a few cheaper options from Amazon. We’ll be sure to keep this list updated as more cases become available
OnePlus protective cases
Assuming you bought your phone through the OnePlus website, you would have seen some of what it has to offer for OnePlus 5. As expected, you can buy some pretty cool style swap covers, which are essentially shell cases designed by OnePlus which are available in Sandstone, Ebony Wood, Carbon Fiber, and Rosewood finishes.
The are super slim cases that add little bulk to your phone, offering just enough around back to level off the camera bump. The wood cases are backed with a layer of Kevlar, the Karbon is all Kevlar, and the Sandstone case is made of reliable PC plastic. They come in at $20 for Sandstone, and $25 for the wood varieties.
Check out the OnePlus accessories page to find some cases that are bundled with earbuds, screen protectors, and more.
See at OnePlus
Otterbox Case
OnePlus is also offering an Otterbox case through their website. If you know your phone needs a bit of added protection from yourself, the rugged two-piece design here will fit the bill. And at $30, it won’t break the bank too badly.
It actually got a pretty unique construction from other Otterbox cases I’ve seen, with stylish cutouts on the PC shell around the bottom. This look really shines with the red and black color option, with the black TPU cutting through the red shell for a nice effect. For a slim yet rugged case from a trusted brand, you can’t go wrong with this Otterbox case for the OnePlus 5.
See at OnePlus
Orzly FlexiCase
If you’re looking for a simple case to keep your OnePlus 5 protected, Orzly has got you covered. Their FlexiCase is made from flexible TPU material and is available in clear and black.
It’s a really simple design, with the clear case offering that “barely there” look and feel. There are precise cutouts around the dual camera and flash setup, the alert slider, and the USB-C charging ports, while the power and volume buttons are covered but accessible. It’s a great option if you’re looking for a cheap, basic case for under $10.
See at Amazon
Mangix Ultra Slim case
Spigen hasn’t come out with anything yet for the OnePlus 5, but that hasn’t stopped other brands from knocking off their Rugged Armor case design. This isn’t a bad thing since there’s a lot to love about the design here.
Made of lightweight TPU, this case is flexible with interesting carbon fiber pattern near the top and bottom on the back, which is a nice accent. Speaking of accents, there’s a cutout on the back for no other purpose other than to show off the OnePlus logo. Available in your choice of four colors, this is a great choice for under $10.
See at Amazon
We want to hear from you!
What case are you rocking? Let us know in the comments below!
OnePlus 5
- Complete OnePlus 5 review
- OnePlus 5 specs
- Which OnePlus 5 model should you buy?
- Camera comparison: OnePlus 5 vs. Galaxy S8
- The latest OnePlus 5 news
- Join the discussion in the forums
OnePlus
Token Ring is a smart ring that works as a wallet and keychain
There’s a new ring available that can unlock and authenticate a range of things, including your computer.
It’s called Token Ring, and it’s from a company called Token. The fingerprint-sensing ring is NFC- and Bluetooth-compatible, meaning it can also work as a payment device or a ticket. While not all these features are available at launch, and some of them do rely on additional hardware, the ring itself could potentially be used in a number of use cases. It’s like a one-stop shop gadget.
It’s available in six sizes, has a battery that could last up to six weeks and charges through inductive charging, and can be customised with different gesture controls. Token has built up partnerships, including Microsoft, MasterCard, and Visa, so that the ring can unlock your Windows 10 PC and do payments through a companion iOS/Android app that supports Visa and MasterCard.
- Microsoft Modern Keyboard is a sleek slab with a fingerprint sensor
- Microsoft Office is now available in the Windows Store for the first time
- Microsoft Surface Pro (2017) review: Every bit the pro
Token
In terms of being a ticket, it works where contactless ticketing is a available, including London’s transit system. As for unlocking your car, Token will sell a car plug as well as a connected deadbolt for houses that will respond to the ring and thus allow you to access your car or harm. Your car will need to have a start button, however, and you need to send Token a fob so it can design you a car lock.
In other words, it’s not exactly smooth sailing. Token Ring has a lot of complicated workarounds in order to for you tap into its full potential, but the concept is certainly interesting. If you think so too, you can pre-order it now for $249 (about £192). If you want the deadbolt and car plug, you’re looking at $399 total. Token said you should expect shipments to begin in December.
Google now lets anyone sign up to try experimental Area 120 products
Google has an incubator that develops interesting products, like the new Uptime app, but now it’s allowing anyone to test those efforts.
Called Area 120, the in-house unit not only developed Uptime but also Advr, an experimental project for advertising in VR. Area 120 began in 2016 as a way for Google to attract talent that likes to think outside the box. It then gives them the opportunity to test new ideas that could eventually become official Google products, or at the very least be integrated into existing products.
The unit’s name even references Google’s rule of allowing employees to work on passion projects during 20 per cent of their work time. Anyway, Area 120 has finally now launched a central website, which anyone can go visit. Not only that, but you can sign up for early access to future Area 120 experiments, projects, apps – whatever they’re willing to open up for public feedback.
- Google Home review: A better voice assistant than Amazon Echo?
- Google just launched a new 180-degree VR format, plus cameras for it
- We’ve reached peak fidget spinner, thanks to Google
Here’s how Area 120 described itself:
“We’re an experimental program within Google to help small teams rapidly build new products in an entrepreneurial environment. We’re where Googlers spend 100 per cent of their time on 20 per cent projects. We build, launch, and iterate on dozens of novel ideas that might otherwise not be explored. Most of these experiments will fail. But our teams succeed when we test the limits and learn something new.”
So, to join Area 120’s Early Access program, you just need to submit your email, preferred mobile OS, agree to its terms, and that’s it. If nothing else, this is a good indication that more Area 120 products are on the way.
You won’t escape Google ads in VR
Sorry, folks, donning a virtual reality headset won’t offer a refuge from internet advertising. Google’s Area 120 incubator is experimenting with online ad formats designed with VR in mind. It’s a lot trickier than slapping a banner on a website, as you might have already guessed. The team says it’s trying to create ads that feel at home in VR and are relatively flexible, but are also “non-intrusive” and genuinely useful if you’re interested. Area 120’s first concept appears to hit that mark.
The initial concept packages the ad into a cube that unfolds into an ad (in this case, a YouTube video promoting an app) when you tap on the cube or stare at it for a few seconds. Close the video and a download button briefly appears before shrinking back into the box. It’s a simple concept, but it gets the point across without feeling out of place or risking an accidental launch.
Area 120 is currently testing the ad format on Google’s own Cardboard and Daydream VR experiences as well as Samsung’s Gear VR, and it’s encouraging VR developers to sign up for an early access program to get a head start.
It’s hard not to wince at the thought of headset-based sales pitches, but this could be important to the future of VR. Many mobile app creators depend on ads for a living, and this format would let them offer VR titles without either charging you for access or having to figure out their own ad solution. While this won’t necessarily raise the quality of VR apps (it’s easy to see this enabling a lot of fluff), it could at least give you more than a handful of choices.
Via: 9to5Google
Source: Google Developers Blog
AIVAnet 