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NewsNet Issue 777
September 3, 2019
Kimberley A. Isbell Appointed Deputy Director of Policy and International Affairs
Register of Copyrights Karyn A. Temple has appointed Kimberley A. Isbell as deputy director of policy and international affairs at the United States Copyright Office. Her appointment is effective September 1, 2019.
In her position, Isbell will assist the Associate Register of Copyrights and Director of Policy and International Affairs with critical policy functions of the Office, including domestic and international policy analyses, legislative support, and trade negotiations. The Office of Policy and International Affairs represents the U.S. Copyright Office at meetings of government officials concerned with the international aspects of copyright protection and enforcement and provides regular support to Congress and its committees.
âKim has served the Office since 2015 by providing expert counsel on a broad array of policy and international issues, including as co-lead of the Officeâs recent policy study on moral rights protections in the United States,â said Temple. âShe will continue to be a valuable asset to the Office in her new role.â
Since joining the Copyright Office in 2015, Isbell has served as senior counsel for policy and international affairs. Before joining the Office, Isbell worked as in-house counsel to a medical society and as an associate in private practice focusing on trademark and copyright protection and enforcement at area law firms. Isbell also spent time as a fellow at the Berkman Center for Internet and Society of Harvard University, where she worked on issues of law and policy affecting new media startups.
Isbell is a graduate of Harvard Law School where she was editor-in-chief of the Harvard Law Record. She received her undergraduate degree with honors in social and behavioral science at Johns Hopkins University.
NewsNet Issue 776
July 29, 2019
U.S. Copyright Office Opens Chief of Operations Search
The U.S. Copyright Office announces the search for a chief of operations. The chief of operations is a principal advisor to the Register of Copyrights on all aspects of operations and planning and is responsible for coordinating and directing certain operational activities of the Copyright Office, including human resources and administrative services.
This position is key to implementing the U.S. Copyright Office Strategic Plan, 2019â2023 and coordinates strategic planning for all components of the Copyright Office. With the Register of Copyrights, the chief of operations establishes short- and long-term goals for each office, consistent with the vision of the Register, as well as goals that cross the organization, developing a plan and methods to achieve those goals. Â
Applications are due September 9. For more information and to apply for the position, visit the posting on USAJOBS. For more information about the U.S. Copyright Office, visit copyright.gov.
NewsNet Issue 775
July 15, 2019
Copyright Office Announces Fourth Modernization Webinar
The Copyright Office will host its fourth public modernization webinar on Thursday, July 25, 2019, at noon eastern time.
The Office has received a number of questions on modernization and will use this webinar to highlight some of them to help explain the functions of the Enterprise Copyright System (ECS), future available data, and more. After the presentations, the panelists will answer additional questions submitted by the attendees.
Participants must register for this Copyright Office webinar. The Copyright Office launched its modernization webinar series on January 31, 2019. View past webinars and presentation slides on copyright.gov. The Office will continue to hold additional webinars every other month during modernization to keep the public informed about and involved in the modernization process. Future webinar dates and topics will be announced through NewsNet.
NewsNet Issue 774
July 11, 2019
Create an Adventure with Copyright
The U.S. Copyright Office is hosting the Copyright Matters event âCreate an Adventure with Copyrightâ on Wednesday, July 31, at 10:00 a.m. eastern time, in the historic Coolidge Auditorium of the Library of Congress in the Jefferson Building in Washington, DC.
While copyright might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think about taking an adventure, copyright and adventure actually go hand in hand. Have you seen a photograph of a beautiful location and then gone on your own adventure there? Or have you written a song about an incredible place you have visited? The event will celebrate the role copyright plays in inspiring adventure and how adventure promotes copyright, with a focus on the impact copyright has on photographs, travel books, music, TV shows, and movies.
Featured speakers include Jeanne M. Fink, vice president and senior associate general counsel, National Geographic Society; John Hessler, author and curator of the Kislak Collection of the Archaeology of the Early Americas, Library of Congress; Andrea Sachs, travel reporter, The Washington Post; and Shodekeh, professional beatboxer, hip-hop vocal percussionist, breath artist.
The event will also be livestreamed.
Please visit the Copyright Office website to register for the event and to stay up-to-date about this program and speakers. Request ADA accommodations five business days in advance at (202) 707-6362 or at ada@loc.gov.
NewsNet Issue 773
July 5, 2019
Copyright Office Issues Final Rule Designating Mechanical Licensing Collective and Digital Licensee Coordinator Under the Music Modernization Act
The U.S. Copyright Office has designated entities to serve as the mechanical licensing collective (MLC) and the digital licensee coordinator (DLC) under the Orrin G. HatchâBob Goodlatte Music Modernization Act (MMA).
The MMA directs the Register of Copyrights to designate a nonprofit entity operated by copyright owners as the MLC, which will administer the statuteâs new blanket compulsory licensing system for digital music providers beginning on January 1, 2021. Among other duties, the MLC will be responsible for receiving usage reports from digital music providers, collecting and distributing royalties, and administering a process by which copyright owners can claim ownership of musical works (and shares of such works). The MMA also authorizes the Register to designate an entity as the DLC, which will represent digital music services in the administration of the license.
To make these selections, the Office conducted an extensive public inquiry in which it solicited proposals from entities seeking to be designated as the MLC or DLC, as well as comments from interested members of the public. In response, the Office received over 600 comments from stakeholders throughout the music industry, including numerous copyright owners who provided endorsements for one or more of the entities seeking designation.
Based on this record and the statutory selection criteria, the Register has designated Mechanical Licensing Collective, Inc. as the MLC, and Digital Licensee Coordinator, Inc. as the DLC. The Office looks forward to working with these entities and other stakeholders as the MMA implementation process continues.
Additional information about the designation proceeding is available here.
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NewsNet Issue 772
June 25, 2019
U.S. Copyright Office Releases Pay.gov Form For SA3 Cable Systems to Pay the Sports Surcharge
On December 6, 2018, the Copyright Royalty Board issued a final rule, effective January 1, 2019, that requires affected cable systems to pay a separate per-program royalty (the Sports Surcharge) in addition to the requisite royalties under the section 111 license. The Sports Surcharge applies only to certain Form SA3 filers for the secondary transmission of live, non-network broadcasts of sports events on a distant television station carried by the cable system that would have been subject to blackout under the Federal Communication Commissionâs sports exclusivity rule (FCC Sports Blackout Rule) prior to its repeal in 2014.
The Copyright Office has released a Sports Surcharge Addendum (Form SS), accessed through Pay.gov, for cable systems required to pay the Sports Surcharge. To access the Sports Surcharge Addendum, click here. To access instructions on filing the Sports Surcharge Addendum, click here.
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NewsNet Issue 771
June 21, 2019
U.S. Copyright Office Revises Proposed Rulemaking on Recordation and Group Registration Fees
As part of its ongoing fee study, the Office is releasing a revised fee schedule regarding additional proposed changes for document recordation and two newly proposed group registration options. As explained in the notice, the Office proposes to adjust the fees for document recordation from a formula based solely on the number of recorded titles to a formula based on the number of works and alternate titles and registration numbers to which a document pertains to better distribute costs among remitters based on the size of their filing. The supplemental notice also announces the Officeâs intention to issue fees for its newly proposed group registration options for short online literary works and for works contained on an album of music.
This supplemental notice follows a round of public comment in response to an overall fee schedule proposed in May 2018. While the Office is not currently seeking additional comment on those fees announced in May 2018, the Officeâs careful consideration of those comments will be reflected in its forthcoming study submitted to Congress pursuant to 17 USC 701(b), as well as any eventual adjustment instituted to the fee schedule.
The Office welcomes public comment on these additional proposed changes regarding document recordation and the new group options before the Officeâs full fee schedule is submitted to Congress.
The supplemental notice and instructions on how to submit a comment are available here. Written comments must be received no later than July 22, 2019, at 11:59 p.m. eastern time.
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NewsNet Issue 770
May 31, 2019
Copyright Office Announces Open Application Period for Ringer Fellowships
The United States Copyright Office is now accepting applications for the Barbara A. Ringer Copyright Honors Program. This fellowship, which runs eighteen- to twenty-four months, was created for attorneys in the initial stages of their careers who demonstrate exceptional ability and interest in copyright law. Ringer Fellows work closely with senior attorneys and others in the Office of the General Counsel, the Office of Policy and International Affairs, the Office of the Register, and the Office of Registration Policy and Practice on a range of copyright-related law and policy matters. Ringer Fellows serve as full-time federal employees for the term of their fellowships and are eligible for salary and benefits as permitted under federal law.
Additional details about the Ringer Fellowship, including the application process, can be found on the Barbara A. Ringer Copyright Honors Program website. Applications will be accepted through September 30, 2019.
NewsNet Issue 769
May 20, 2019
Copyright Office Institutes New Group Registration Procedure for Works on an Album
The U.S. Copyright Office is proposing to create a new group registration option for musical works, sound recordings, and certain other works contained on an album. Â The proposed rule will expand the registration options currently available to register multiple musical works or sound recordings under one application by adding an option to be known as âGroup Registration for Works on an Album of Musicâ or âGRAM.â In particular, this proposed group registration option will permit the registration of multiple musical works and/or sound recordings distributed together using a single electronic application, regardless whether such distribution occurs via physical or digital media. Â The Office proposes these changes to encourage broader participation in the registration system by reducing registration burdens on applicants, and seeks public comments on this proposed rulemaking. Â
The notice of proposed rulemaking and instructions on how to submit a comment are available here. Written comments in response to the notice of proposed rulemaking published on May 20, 2019 must be received no later than 11:59 p.m. eastern time on July 19, 2019.
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NewsNet Issue 768
May 17, 2019
Copyright Office Announces Third Modernization Webinar
The Copyright Office will host its third public modernization webinar on May 30, 2019, at noon eastern time. This webinar will focus on how data management will be applied in relation to copyright data and modernization.
As the Copyright Office modernizes, weâre taking a close look at how we handle our data. The better we manage data, the more effective weâll be in making decisions. One of our most important goals is to offer quick and easy access to accurate copyright information. Good data management helps make that possible. Suman Shukla, who serves as the Copyright Officeâs Data Management section head, will discuss standards for collecting, storing, and analyzing data to better serve the public.
Participants must register for this Copyright Office webinar. The Copyright Office launched its modernization webinar series on January 31, 2019. View past webinars and presentation slides on copyright.gov. The Office will continue to hold additional webinars every other month during modernization to keep the public informed about and involved in the modernization process. Future webinar dates and topics will be announced through NewsNet.
NewsNet Issue 767
May 10, 2019
U.S. Copyright Office Extends Comment Period for Proposed Updates to the Compendium of U.S. Copyright Office Practices, Third Edition
On March 15, 2019, the U.S. Copyright Office released a revised draft of the Compendium of U.S. Copyright Office Practices, Third Edition, for public comment. To ensure that members of the public have sufficient time to review and provide comments on the revisions, the Office is extending the comment submission deadline until the end of the month. Written comments must be received no later than May 31, 2019, at 11:59 p.m. eastern time. This extension will be published in the Federal Register early next week.
Instructions on how to submit a comment are available here.
NewsNet Issue 766
May 10, 2019
Library of Congress Publishes Results of an Independent Audit of the Fiscal Year 2018 Fiduciary Financial Statements
Earlier this year, the Library of Congress contracted with an independent public accounting firm, Cotton & Company LLP, to conduct an audit of the financial statements prepared for the fiduciary assets administered by the Copyright Office's Licensing Division. The purpose of this independent audit was to provide an opinion on the fairness of the statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and to report on internal control over financial reporting and compliance with applicable laws and regulations.
The audit found:
For more about the results of this audit, read the recently published report, Statutory Licensing Fiduciary Assets Financial Statements and Independent Auditors' Report.
NewsNet Issue 765
April 24, 2019
Maria Strong Appointed Director of Policy and International Affairs
Register of Copyrights Karyn A. Temple announced that Maria Strong will serve as Associate Register of Copyrights and Director of Policy and International Affairs at the United States Copyright Office, effective April 23, 2019. Strong has served as deputy director of policy and international affairs for the Copyright Office since January 2015.
"Maria has been a valued part of the leadership team for many years," said Temple. "The Office has often benefitted from her wise counsel, stewardship, and well-known expertise in copyright law. She will continue to be an important asset to the Office in her new position."
In her position, Strong will assist the Register with critical policy functions of the Office, including domestic and international policy analyses, legislative support, and trade negotiations. She directs the Office of Policy and International Affairs, which represents the U.S. Copyright Office at meetings of government officials concerned with the international aspects of copyright protection and enforcement, and provides regular support to Congress and its committees.
Upon joining the Copyright Office in 2010, Strong served as senior counsel for policy and international affairs and also served as acting general counsel from April to July 2013. Before joining the Office, she spent nineteen years in private practice in Washington, DC, where she represented clients in the media, technology, and entertainment sectors and provided analyses and advocacy on global and domestic issues involving copyright law, enforcement, trade policy, and e-commerce. She began her legal career as a staff attorney at the Federal Communications Commission.
Strong earned her JD from George Washington University Law School, her MA in communications management from the University of Southern Californiaâs Annenberg School of Communications, and her BA in communication studies from UCLA.
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NewsNet Issue 764
April 23, 2019
Copyright Office Adopts Final Rule Regarding Registration of Architectural Works
The U.S. Copyright Office has issued a final rule regarding registration of architectural works, adopting in full a proposed rule following a period of public comment. This rule provides that, other than exceptional cases, applicants must submit their claims using the online Standard Application. The rule also encourages applicants to upload digital copies of their works through the electronic registration system, rather than submitting physical copies, and clarifies what aspects of the architectural plan must be visually perceptible from the deposit copies. Finally, the rule clarifies that applicants must provide a date of construction for a building only if the work was embodied in unpublished plans or drawings on or before December 1, 1990 and if the building was constructed before January 1, 2003. More information can be found here.
NewsNet Issue 763
April 23, 2019
Copyright Office Releases Moral Rights Report
The U.S. Copyright Office today released its report, Authors, Attribution, and Integrity: Examining Moral Rights in the United States. The report details the findings of the Office's extensive review of the U.S. framework for moral rights. Moral rights refer to certain noneconomic rights that are considered personal to an authorachief among these being the right of an author to be credited as the author of his or her work (the right of attribution) and the right to prevent prejudicial distortions of the work (the right of integrity).
The Copyright Office concludes that the U.S. moral rights framework (which includes a variety of federal and state laws) continues to provide important protections, despite there being some room for improvement. The Office does suggest some areas where preferred interpretations of judicial decisions and even legislative considerations could improve the landscape of protection for authors. Possible legislative changes for consideration include amendments of the Visual Artists Rights Act (VARA), the Lanham Act, and a possible new provision in Title 17 expanding recourse for removal or alteration of copyright management information. In addition, the Office has identified issues for Congress to consider should it contemplate developing a federal right of publicity.
Karyn A. Temple, Register of Copyrights, stated, âThe United States has long provided moral rights through a patchwork that includes copyright and other federal laws, state laws such as unfair competition, and robust private ordering. Our exhaustive study of the current landscape of moral rights in the United States finds that this approach continues to provide important protections for authors in the digital age, but that there are areas that Congress may wish to enhance under the U.S. moral rights framework. This report provides a roadmap for doing so.â
The full report, along with public comments and information on a symposium held on this subject, is available on the Copyright Officeâs website at https://www.copyright.gov/policy/moralrights/.
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NewsNet Issue 762
April 11, 2019
Electronic Copyright Office (eCO) System Users Must Update Their Passwords Every Sixty Days
Beginning April 14, 2019, users of the Electronic Copyright Office (eCO) system will need to reset their passwords every sixty days.
Users who attempt to login with a password that has already expired will be taken directly to a screen to reset it. Users who have a password within a few days of expiring will be prompted to reset the password after logging into eCO.
eCO users will receive notification in advance of the date by which the password must be changed. If no action is taken to change the password, users will receive an email about the password expiration. For more information, contact CSDTech@copyright.gov.
NewsNet Issue 761
April 9, 2019
U.S. Copyright Office Issues Final Rule Regarding the Noncommercial Use Exception to Unauthorized Uses of Pre-1972 Sound Recordings
Pursuant to the Classics Protection and Access Act, title II of the Orrin G. HatchâBob Goodlatte Music Modernization Act (âMMAâ), the Copyright Office has issued a final rule regarding the noncommercial use exception to unauthorized uses of sound recordings fixed before February 15, 1972 (âPre-1972 Sound Recordingsâ), effective May 9, 2019.
In connection with the establishment of federal remedies for unauthorized uses of Pre-1972 Sound Recordings, Congress established an exception for certain noncommercial uses of Pre-1972 Sound Recordings that are not being commercially exploited. To qualify for this exemption, a user must file a notice of noncommercial use after conducting a good faith, reasonable search, and the rights owner of the sound recording must not object to the use within 90 days of the notice being indexed in the Copyright Officeâs public record.
After soliciting public comments through a notice of inquiry and a notice of proposed rulemaking, the Office has issued a final rule identifying the specific steps that a user should take to demonstrate she has made a good faith, reasonable search. The proposed rule also details the filing requirements for the user to submit a notice of noncommercial use and for a rights owner to submit a notice objecting to such use.
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NewsNet Issue 760
April 5, 2019
Copyright Office Launches Strategic Plan 2019â2023
The U.S. Copyright Office released today its strategic plan that sets priorities of the Office for the next five years. The plan describes how the Office will streamline and improve the efficiency of services while actively participating in discussions, both national and international, on ways to further transform the Office to better meet the needs of a modern digital society.
Six focus areas, Information Technology Modernization, Optimizing Business Processes, Organizational Change Management, Education and Engagement, Impartial Expertise on Copyright Law and Policy, and Measuring Success, set the themes for goals that fulfill the Officeâs mission. The themes reflected in the United States Copyright Office 2019â2023 Strategic Plan, also align with the Library of Congressâs strategy framework: Expand Access, Enhance Services, Optimize Resources and Measure Impact. âThese are exciting times at the Copyright Office,â said Karyn A. Temple, Register of Copyrights. âThe Office looks forward to the challenge and the opportunity of remaking itself for the twenty-first century.â
The Office has committed itself to adopting quantifiable, measurable goals and benchmarks to improve transparency regarding the pace and progress of Office modernization. Throughout this process, the Office will seek continued engagement with stakeholders through a multiplatform communications plan that focuses on reaching people where they are and through the means by which they prefer to communicate. The Strategic Plan is available here.
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NewsNet Issue 759
April 1, 2019
Celebrate World IP Day 2019 with the Copyright Office
The U.S. Copyright Office will celebrate World Intellectual Property Day with a special event on Thursday, April 25, 2019, at 2:00 p.m. eastern time in the historic Coolidge Auditorium in the Jefferson Building in Washington, DC. This yearâs theme, as announced by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), is âReach for Gold: IP and Sports.â
The Copyright Officeâs program will explore the unique and sometimes surprising relationship between sports and copyright. We will look at different points at which sports and copyright intersect, including how people watch games from home, the various ways athletes work with copyright to develop merchandise and more, and the burgeoning world of esports.
Featured speakers include Derrick Heggans, founder and CEO of Global Sports and Entertainment Business Academy (GSB Academy); Delara Derakshani, counsel, tech policy, Entertainment Software Association; and Robert Garrett, senior counsel, Arnold & Porter.
This event will also be livestreamed.
We will continue our celebration of World IP Day Saturday, April 27, at 10:30 a.m. with a special copyright-focused Story Time at the Young Readers Center at the Library of Congress. WeE1/4ll use song, stories, and activities to introduce copyright concepts and highlight the power of taking ideas and making them into creative works. This event is great for families with children from 5 to 10 years old.
World Intellectual Property Day, observed on April 26th since 2000, marks the date in 1970 when the WIPO Convention came into force. The anniversary of this occasion is observed as a way of promoting and increasing general understanding of intellectual property. This program is part of the Copyright Matters lecture series and is free and open to the public. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
Please visit the Copyright Office World IP Day website to register for the events and to stay up-to-date about these programs and speakers. Request ADA accommodations five business days in advance at (202) 707-6362 or ada@loc.gov.
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NewsNet Issue 758
March 27, 2019
Karyn A. Temple Is Named Register of Copyrights
Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden announced that she has appointed Karyn A. Temple as Register of Copyrights and director of the U.S. Copyright Office, effective today, March 27, 2019. Temple has been Acting Register of Copyrights since October 21, 2016.
âI am pleased to announce that Karyn Temple will serve as the 13th United States Register of Copyrights,â Hayden said. âKaryn has done a superb job as Acting Register for the last two and half years, leveraging her skills as both a copyright lawyer and accomplished manager to provide excellent leadership for the Copyright Office.â Of the thirteen Registers of Copyright in U.S. history.
âIt is an extremely exciting time for copyright law and the U.S. Copyright Office, with historic revisions to the music licensing system to address the digital age, updates to our regulatory practices, and modernization of the Office's technology and business processes all happening now,â said Temple. âI am honored to have the opportunity to continue working with the entire copyright community, Members of Congress, and the general public as we move forward to meet the challenges of the modern age.â
Prior to her appointment as Acting Register, Temple had served since 2013 as Associate Register of Copyrights and director of policy and international affairs for the U.S. Copyright Office. In that role, she oversaw the officeâs domestic and international policy analyses, legislative support, and international negotiations.
Before joining the Copyright Office in 2011, Temple served as senior counsel to the deputy attorney general of the United States, where she helped formulate U.S. Department of Justice policy on legal issues and helped manage the Department of Justiceâs Task Force on Intellectual Property. She also spent several years in private practice as vice president, litigation and legal affairs for the Recording Industry Association of America and at the law firm Williams & Connolly, LLP.
Temple began her legal career as a trial attorney for the U.S. Department of Justiceâs Civil Division through its Honors Program and also served as a law clerk to the Hon. Nathaniel R. Jones of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. She received her JD from Columbia University School of Law, where she was a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar and a senior editor of the Columbia Law Review. Temple received her BA from the University of Michigan.
NewsNet Issue 757
March 22, 2019
U.S. Copyright Office Issues Final Rule Updating Section 115 Compulsory License Regulations
This rule is generally directed at the present transition period before a blanket license is offered by a mechanical licensing collective and does not include regulatory updates that may be required in connection with the future offering of that blanket license; such updates will be the subject of future rulemakings.
In addition to adopting the interim rule as final, the rule makes further technical changes to the Officeâs statement of account regulations to update cross-references to other section 115-related regulations that were recently amended by the Copyright Royalty Judges.
More information is available here.
NewsNet Issue 756
March 22, 2019
U.S. Copyright Office Issues Final Rule Regarding Schedules of Pre-1972 Sound Recordings and Notices of Contact Information for Transmitting Entities
Pursuant to the Classics Protection and Access Act, title II of the Orrin G. HatchâBob Goodlatte Music Modernization Act (âMMAâ), the Copyright Office has issued a final rule, effective April 22, 2019, regarding sound recordings fixed before February 15, 1972.
After soliciting public comments through an interim rule with request for comments, and as required by the MMA, the final rule provides a mechanism for rights owners to file schedules listing their pre-1972 sound recordings with the Office, for individuals to request timely notification of when such filings are indexed into the Officeâs public records, and for the submission of contact information by entities publicly performing pre-1972 sound recordings by means of digital audio transmission as of October 11, 2018.
NewsNet Issue 755
March 18, 2019
Copyright Office Announces Second Modernization Webinar
The Copyright Office will host its second public modernization webinar on March 28, 2019, at noon eastern time. This webinar will focus on the development of user-centered design principals, such as evaluating how people use and experience online services, to better inform development of future interfaces.
Panelists will discuss the importance of testing with internal and external audiences. These tests are part of an overall effort to shape designs for a reimagined registration system. Webinar presenters will share some conceptual designs and features being considered for system development. To participate in this webinar, register here.
The Copyright Office launched its modernization webinar series on January 31, 2019. The Copyright Office will continue to hold additional webinars every other month during modernization to keep the public informed about and involved in the modernization process. Future webinar dates and topics will be announced through NewsNet.
NewsNet Issue 754
March 15, 2019
Group Registration Procedure for Unpublished Works Takes Effect Today
Starting today, the Group Registration for Unpublished Works (GRUW) option replaces the Unpublished Collections registration procedure. Applicants may no longer submit claims for unpublished collections on the Standard Application or a paper application. Applicants must use the new GRUW Online Application and must submit electronic deposits for each of the works included in the claim.
The new procedure benefits authors of unpublished works by creating a detailed public record of their registration that will identify by title all the works covered by their claim. Additionally, every work included in a GRUW application will be separately examined by the Copyright Officeâs registration staff.
A GRUW application may include up to ten works.1Â The works may be individual works, joint works, or derivative works. All the works in the application must have the same author or co-authors and be of the same type. Additionally, all authors must be named as copyright claimants.
Databases, collective works, compilations, and websites are not eligible for this type of registration.
Regulations governing GRUW are found at section 202.4(c) of Title 37 of the Code of Federal Regulations. Supplementary registrations will be available. An applicant should contact the Office of Registration Policy and Practice for instructions on filing a supplementary registration.
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Bioshock, the action-horror staple that blended RPG elements, solid gunplay, and Randian-inspired horror, is an undisputed gaming classic. Bioshock Infinite took it one step further, adding amazing swashbuckling movement mechanics, incredible supporting characters, and a reality-warping story that pulled no narrative punches. Also, Bioshock 2 was a video game. Following up its impressive Borderlands 3 freebie, the Epic Games Store is giving away the PC version of all three Bioshock games this week.
PC gamers can grab Bioshock: The Collection, a bundle of 2007âs Bioshock, 2010âs Bioshock 2, and 2013âs Bioshock Infinite, on the Epic Games Store. Like other Epic freebies, you can keep the games forever once theyâre claimed with your Epic account. While this giveaway isnât as timely or generous as other Epic weekly free games â the most recent title is almost a decade old â itâs definitely worth grabbing if youâve somehow missed some of the best-regarded shooters of the last twenty years.
The original Bioshock sees the protagonist descend into the underwater art deco city of Rapture, a would-be utopia based on extreme objectivist philosophy of the gameâs mid-1900s setting. (The cityâs founder, Andrew Ryan, is a not-so-subtle stand-in for Ayn Rand.) Rapture isnât the paradise it once was: shambling, barely-human âsplicersâ roam the halls, water seeps in through decaying bulkheads, and massive monsters in antique diving suits protect disturbing little girls. Itâs up to you to use your wits, gunslinging, and the powers of the otherworldly substance ADAM to discover the mysteries of Rapture and escape this fallen promised land.
Bioshock 2 is the black sheep of the series, as its return to the Rapture setting and lack of innovation failed to distinguish it from its progenitor. While Bioshock 2 improves in several gameplay areas and keeps the tight production of the original, its story â focused on the iconic Big Daddy and Little Sister enemies of the first game â isnât anywhere near as compelling. Re-using some of the same interactive story mechanics means that as a gaming experience, Bioshock 2 feels a lot like deja vu.
Bioshock Infinite picks up on the themes of the original, but sets them in the sky. Technically a prequel to the original game, the player finds their way into the idyllic flying city of Columbia, where the enigmatic leader Comstock has used steampunk technology to secede from the United States and create his own society based on the worship of himself and the Founding Fathers. Itâs there youâll find Elizabeth, a young woman with a mysterious past who can open tears in the fabric of space and time. (And incidentally, one of the best non-player characters in video game history.) Navigate floating islands with incredible rail-grinding combat, make your way through an incipient revolution, and find out how Elizabeth â and you â fit into the fabric of Columbiaâs creation and literal downfall.
Bioshock: The Collection is a free download from now until June 2nd at 11 a.m. US Eastern time. In addition to the main games, it includes all of the gamesâ single-player DLC, some of which was extremely well-received. Donât forget, Epicâs âMegaâ game sale is still going on as well.
Whether youâre buying a new laptop for school or trying to find a high-end gaming laptop, itâs possible to find good laptop deals no matter the season. Weâre scouring the web daily to find the laptop deals you donât want to miss.
Mind you, not all advertised laptop deals are actually deals, so weâve only included the ones we consider actual bargainsâand weâve explained why. Weâll add new laptop deals as we see them daily and remove any expired sales. Right now, weâre seeing strong discounts on gaming laptops, Microsoft Surface devices, and more. If youâre looking for Chromebooks weâve got those deals in here too!
Weâve provided a handy list of laptop-specific shopping tips at the end of this post, and immediately below are the deals themselves.
Acer
From: Acer.com
Was: $1,479.99
Now: $949.99 ($530 off)
There are some pretty good gaming laptop deals out there, but we want to highlight this particular one, as itâs packing an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 for under $1,000. The Predator has a 15.6-inch 1080p display and an Intel âTiger Lakeâ Core i7-11800H with eight cores, sixteen threads, and a boost to 4.6GHz. Acer loaded the laptop with 16GB of RAM, which is excellent for a gaming laptop. Onboard storage is a little light at 512GB, but itâs not too bad. As for the 3060, you can expect no compromises gaming with this GPU. That means you should have no trouble hitting 60 frames-per-second at 1080p on ultra graphics settings with most games. Itâs also got an RGB backlit keyboard and itâs running Windows 11 Home.
See the Acer Predator Triton 300 at Acer.com
Dell
From: Dell.com
Was: $599.99
Now: $399.99 ($200 off)
The Dell Insppiron 15 3000 is a great productivity laptop. It has a 15.6-inch 1080p display and the processor is a Core i5-1135G7, which has four cores, eight threads, and a boost to 4.2GHz. RAM is 8GB and onboard storage is 256GB. This is a solid laptop for students, as itâs designed for everyday use. Regarding productivity applications, this laptop will serve you well, but we wouldnât want to put an e-sports grade Excel file on it.
See the Dell Inspiron 15 3000 at Dell.com
Asus
From: Staples
Was: $569.99
Now: $369.99 ($200 off)
The Asus VivoBook K712 a nice everyday laptop for a student. It has a 17.3-inch 1080p display and the processor is the Core i3-1115G4 with two cores, four threads, and a boost to 4.1GHz. It has 8GB of RAM, which is a nice amount for productivity tasks. Onboard storage is 512GB. Thatâs way better than the usual 256GB weâre seeing around the $300 to $400 levelâthough you usually get a better processor or more RAM as a trade-off. This laptop also features Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0, USB-C, HDMI, a microSD card reader, and two USB 2.0 ports.
See the Asus VivoBook K712 at Staples
HP
From: HP.com
Was: $1,549.99
Now: $1,259.99 ($290 off with coupon code 10GAMER2022)
The HP Omen 16 is a solid gaming laptop. It has a 16.1-inch, 1080p display with a maximum boost to 144Hz. The processor is AMDâs Ryzen 7 5800H, which has eight cores, 16 threads, and a boost to 4.4GHz. For RAM, you get 16GB and onboard storage is 512GB. For the GPU, youâre getting Nvidiaâs GeForce RTX 3070. This GPU is good for 1080p gaming. You should have no trouble blowing past 60 frames-per-second on most AAA games with the graphics settings maxed out.
Overall, this is a lot of gaming power for a nice price and a slightly larger screen than usual. Just donât forget that coupon code to get the deal.
See the HP Omen 16-c0035nr at HP.com
Gigabyte
From: Antonline.com
Was: $2,399
Now: $1,899 ($500 off)
Looking for a killer deal on a gaming laptop with an RTX 3080? Today is your lucky day. The Aorus 15Pâs Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 GPU should have no trouble crunching through games on ultra graphics settings. The 15.6-inch 1080p display has a maximum refresh rate of 300Hz. Thatâs way past the 144Hz and 240Hz screens we usually see. The CPU is the Intel âTiger Lakeâ Core i7-11800H, which has 8 cores, 16 threads, and a maximum boost to 4.6GHz. To bump up the responsiveness, Gigabyte loaded it with a whopping 32GB of RAM and storage is 1TB.
See the Gigabyte Aorus 15P YD at Antonline.com
Dell
From: Best Buy
Was: $799.99
Now: $599.99 ($200 off)
The Dell Inspiron 7000 doesnât have much in the way of storage, but it does have a good processor and touchscreen. It features a 14-inch 1080p display and 8GB of RAM, which is enough for productivity tasks. The processor is an AMD Ryzen 5 5500U. This CPU has six cores, twelve threads, and a boost to 4GHz. As for the storage, you only get 256GB, so this isnât what youâd want for full-time use. If you need something to take on business trips or you do a lot of work in the cloud, then this is worth a look.
See the Dell Inspiron 7000 at Best Buy
Acer
From: Best Buy
Was: $499
Now: $229 ($270 off)
Android apps on Chromebooks are helpful, but thereâs no question that using a mobile app with a trackpad can be a little odd. With this deal, you wonât have to worry about that. The Acer Chromebook Spin 514 features a 14-inch 1080p touchscreen. Powering it is AMDâs Ryzen 3 3250C, which has two cores, four threads, and a boost to 3.5GHz. It also has 4GB of RAM and 64GB of onboard storage.
This is a very useful device at a great price, and Googleâs auto updates are guaranteed for this device until June 2029.
See the Acer Chromebook Spin 514 at Best Buy
MSI
From: Microsoft (via eBay)
Was: $1,099.99
Now: $627.99 ($472 off)
This laptop is quite a bargain, but weâre not sure how long itâll last. This version of the MSI Katana features a 15.6-inch 1080p display with a maximum refresh rate of 144Hz. It has a Core i5-11400H with six cores, twelve threads, and a boost to 4.5GHz. The GPU is the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050. That means you can play 1080p games at high and sometimes down to medium with the occasional game at ultra. For RAM, you have 8GB, which is the bare minimum you need for gaming. Onboard storage is a 512GB SSD. Itâs running Windows 10, but it should be just fine for Windows 11 when the time comes.
See the MSI Katana GF66 at eBay
MSI
From: Best Buy
Was: $1,199.99
Now: $899.99 ($300 off)
Most of the other laptops with a 3050 Ti in this round-up are $750 to $800. However, the MSI Sword has the added advantage of a higher-end processor. Namely, the Intel Core i7-11800H, which has eight cores, sixteen threads, and a boost to 4.6GHz. The display is 15.6-inch at 1080p resolution with a maximum refresh rate of 144Hz. This allows for smoother visual experiences, which leads us to the GPU.
The Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 Ti is good for 1080p gaming, but itâs not perfect. There will be times when youâll need to bring the graphics down to high or medium to exceed 60 frames-per-second. However, itâll be worth it for the added visuals.
For RAM, the MSI Sword is packing 8GB. Thatâs a little low, so you may want to check on whether the RAM is upgradeable. 8GB is just fine, but 16GB hits the sweet spot between usability and overkill. For storage, you get a 512GB NVMe SSD. Thatâs enough for a few games and you can always look into external storage if necessary. Last but not least, this PC is running Windows 10 but itâs Windows 11 ready.
See the MSI Sword at Best Buy
Gateway
From: Walmart
Was: $499
Now: $399 ($100 off)
The Gateway GWTN141 would make an excellent productivity machine. Itâs a 14.1-inch laptop with 1080p resolution and the processor is the Intel âTiger Lakeâ Core i5-1135G7 with four cores, eight threads, and a boost to 4.2Ghz. The CPU is also loaded with Iris Xe Graphics. The laptop has 16GB of RAM and 512GB of onboard storage. It also has a fingerprint scanner, and itâs running Windows 10 Home (itâs Windows 11-ready).
See the Gateway GWTN141 at Walmart
Acer
From: Walmart
Was: $799.99
Now: $599 ($200.99 off)
The Acer Swift 3 would be an excellent laptop for work or study. Itâs part of the Evo platform, so itâs light enough for travel. The displayâs resolution is 2256-by-1504 and the processor is an Intel âTiger Lakeâ Core i5-1135G7, which has four cores, eight threads, and a boost to 4.2GHz. It also has 8GB of RAM and 512GB of NVMe onboard storage. Thereâs a fingerprint reader for biometric login, Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1 access, and the keyboard has backlighting.
See the Acer Swift 3 at Walmart
HP
From: Best Buy
Was: $599
Now: $299 ($300 off)
The HP Chromebook x2 11 features a lightweight form factor and all-day battery life. It also has a fingerprint reader, a detachable keyboard and kickstand, and a rechargeable pen. As for performance, this Chrome OS tablet is capable of handling general use tasks such as web surfing and writing papers. The 11-inch touch-enabled display has a resolution is 2160-by-1440. You can expect a rather vibrant picture.
This Chromebook uses the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c processor. Itâs running ChromeOS, but you can still download apps from the Play Store. However, Linux is running the ARM version. This may restrict which apps you can use, but finding the major applications or a usable alternative shouldnât be a problem. Last but not least, itâs packing 8GB of RAM and 64GB of onboard storage.
See the HP Chromebook x2 at Best Buy
Dell
From: Dell.com
Was: $1,284.98
Now: $799.99 ($484.99 off)
The gaming laptop deals just keep on rolling in.
The Dell G15 has a Ryzen 7 5800H and a Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 Ti GPU. The Zen 3 CPU has eight cores, sixteen threads, and a boost to 4.4GHz. The 3050 Ti, on the other hand, is a solid option for 1080p gaming. The display is 15.6 inches with a maximum refresh rate of 120Hz. To hit that height, however, youâll likely need to tone down the graphics from ultra in some games. This laptop is also packing 8GB of RAM. To get the price quoted above, make sure you select the 512GB of storage option.
See the Dell G15 at Dell.com
Lenovo
From: Office Depot
Was: $629.99
Now: $309.99 ($320 off)
If youâre in the market for an affordable Windows laptop, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3i is a good option. The CPU is a Core i3-1115G4, which has two cores, four threads and a boost to 4.1GHz. Itâs packing 8GB and storage is a 1TB hard drive. Yes we said hard drive, not NVMe storage. Thatâs one of the trade-offs with this laptop. You get a lot of storage, sure, but itâs the old school kind.
This laptop is zippy enough for lighter tasks like web browsing and email, but itâs not a powerhouse. So, if you need a productivity machine, then this laptop is well worth considering.
See the Lenovo IdeaPad 3i at Office Depot
Acer
From: Walmart
Was: $499.99
Now: $399 ($100.99 off)
If youâre looking for a solid travel laptop, the Acer Aspire 5 would be a good fit. It has a 14-inch 1080p display and the processor is an Intel âTiger Lakeâ Core i5-1135G7 with four cores, eight threads, and a boost to 4.2GHz. This laptop is packing 8GB of RAM to keep things snappy and 256GB of NVMe storage. Thatâs not a ton, but for travel itâs fine. The CPU is very good for office applications or regular web browsing and video streaming. The laptop also has Wi-Fi 6 and Windows 11 Home. The deal only applies to the Safari Gold version.
See the Acer Aspire 5 at Walmart
Gateway
From: Walmart
Was: $499
Now: $399 ($100 off)
The Gateway Ultra Slim Notebook features a 15.6-inch 1080p display and an AMD Ryzen 7 3700U with four cores, eight threads, and a boost to 4GHz. It also has 8GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. This is a nice well-rounded laptop with a good amount of storage thatâll easily help you get some work down whether you need something for travel or school.
See the Gateway Ultra Slim Notebook at Walmart
Gateway
From: Walmart
Was: $1,169
Now: $699 ($470 off)
The Gateway Creator Notebook is a serviceable 15.6-inch 1080p gaming clamshell. It features an Intel âTiger Lakeâ Core i5-11400H, which has six cores, twelve threads and a 4.5GHz boost clock. The GPU is the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050. It also has 16GB of onboard RAM and a 512GB SSD.
Thereâs a few extras you get with this rig like a Windows Hello-ready IR camera, THX Spatial Audio, and a free month of Xbox Game Pass for PC. Itâs a pretty good deal all around, so donât miss out.
See the Gateway Creator Notebook at Walmart
Asus
From: Walmart
Was: $749
Now: $599 ($150 off)
If youâre into creative work, the Asus Vivobook Pro 14 is a fantastic option. This laptop has a 14-inch 2880-by-1800 OLED display with a 16:10 aspect ratio. OLED screens are great, so you can expect a sharper image. The Vivobook is also packing a Core i5-1330H, a Tiger Lake CPU with four cores, eight threads, and a boost to 4.4GHz. Thereâs even 8GB of RAM, which is a good amount for some video editing. Onboard storage is a 256GB NVMe SSD, and youâre getting Thunderbolt 4, Wi-Fi 6, and Bluetooth 5.0.
This is a nice laptop with a very good display, but for storage youâll likely have to rely mostly on the cloud. Speaking of which, you also get a free, three month subscription to Adobe Creative Cloud as part of the package.
See the Asus Vivobook Pro 14 K3400 at Walmart
Lenovo
From: Micro Center
Was: $949.99
Now: $499.99 ($450 off)
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7 has a 14-inch 1080p IPS display with an Intel âTiger Lakeâ Core i5-1135G7 driving it. The CPU has four cores, eight threads, and a boost to 4.2GHz. It also has 8GB of RAM and a 512GB hard drive.
This is a solid laptop for getting some work done. It doesnât have a special GPU, but you might be able to get some casual gaming out of this with the onboard Iris Xe graphics. Itâs a great laptop for general use and you canât really beat the price, either.
See the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7 at Micro Center
Lenovo
From: Micro Center
Was: $999.99
Now: $749.99 ($250 off)
Micro Center is famous for its awesome deals that are pick-up only, but this particular laptop is actually shipping. The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming laptop has a Ryzen 7 5800H CPU, which is a Zen 3 processor with eight cores, sixteen threads, and a maximum boost to 4.4GHz. It has 16GB of RAM and 512GB of onboard storage. The GPU is an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050, which is a dependable enough 1080p card. You should be able to play most games on high graphics, perhaps dipping down to medium on particularly demanding games. The display is 15.6 inches with 1080p resolution and a maximum refresh rate of 120Hz. It also has Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0.
See the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming at Micro Center
HP
From: Staples
Was: $599.99
Now: $409.99 ($190 off)
Getting a solid workhorse computer with a good amount of storage for under $500 isnât easy these days, but the HP 17 laptop is one of those rare finds. It includes a quad-core, eight-thread Intel âTiger Lakeâ Core i3-1125G4 CPU with a maximum boost to 3.7GHz. Itâs also packing 8GB of RAM, which is a good amount for productivity tasks.
As for storage, this HP has 512GB, which is rare for a sub-$500 computer. Itâs also rocking a 17.3-inch display at 1080p. The laptop is running Windows 11 Home, so you donât have to worry about upgrading this one.
See the HP 17-cn0273st at Staples
Gateway
From: Walmart
Was: $449.99
Now: $249 ($200.99 off)
Bargain basement laptops are a beautiful thing, especially if you need a laptop that performs well while and can survive getting banged around a bit during your travels. This affordable Gateway at Walmart features a Ryzen 3 3250U processor, which has two cores, four threads and a max boost to 3.5GHz. Itâs also rocking 128GB of onboard storage, 4GB of RAM, and a 15.6-inch 1080p display. This laptop ships with Windows 10 S, which can only run apps found in the digital Microsoft store, but you can go to full Windows 10 via a one-way free upgrade.
See the Gateway 15.6-inch Ultra Slim at Walmart
Mark Hachman/IDG
From: Walmart
Was: $929.99
Now: $599 ($330.99 off)
If youâre looking for a well designed Windows tablet, thereâs no beating Microsoftâs Surface line and this Walmartâs sale offers an excellent bargain. This version of the Surface Pro 7+ comes with a Core i3 processor, 128GB of onboard storage, 8GB of RAM, and a black Type Cover. We reviewed the Surface Pro 7+ in early 2021, giving it 4.5 out of 5 stars and an Editorsâ Choice Award. We called it âthe most potent upgrade Microsoftâs Surface Pro line has offered in years.â
See the Surface Pro 7+ at Walmart
HP
From: Walmart
Was: $679
Now: $499 ($180 off)
This HP laptop has a lot going for it. The CPU is an Intel âTiger Lakeâ Core i5-1135G7 with four cores, eight threads and a boost to 4.2GHz. The processor is packing Iris Xe graphics, which will provide surprising performance for an integrated GPU. It also has 8GB of RAM, a 512GB NVMe SSD, and a 1080p display. If need a new laptop to kick off 2022, then this is a nice choice.
See the HP 17-by4061nr at Walmart
Asus
From: Walmart
Was: $279
Now: $219 ($60 off)
This deal puts us in an odd position. Weâre not huge fans of laptops with just 128GB of onboard storage (especially this oneâs onboard eMMC storage) and generally donât recommend Windows PCs running Celeron processors. For a price around $200, however, weâre willing to overlook these shortcomings but with some big caveats.
First, youâll get exactly what you pay for with this clamshell, but that just might be a good thing given the price. Itâs running Windows 10 Home in S Mode and we would not recommend upgrading this laptop to regular Windows 10. Instead, use this laptop like a Chromebook, so focus on using it for web apps like Google Docs or Office Online. Then, if you absolutely need a desktop program download, run whatever you need from the selection in the Windows Store. We wouldnât try editing a photo on this since it has just 4GB of RAM and deathly slow flash storage. Still, the Intel Celeron N4020 will get the job done for basic uses and a 15.6-inch 1080p display offers a bigger display than what youâd get from a Chromebook around the same price.
See the Asus L510 at Walmart
If youâve shopped online before for laptop deals youâre probably aware that thereâs a vast range of laptop configurations available.
A good place to start is with the processor. Buy laptops with Intel 10-series Core chips or higher, such as the Core i5-10510U, or the Core i7-11800H (for even more details see our Intel 10th-gen mobile CPU buying guide); or go with an AMD Ryzen processor (but not an AMD Athlon or A-series chip). Avoid laptops with Pentium or Celeron processors unless itâs a Chromebook (running Chrome OS). Youâre going to need to pay attention with gaming laptops, too, as some GPUs, like the RTX 3050 Ti, donât offer much boost over their RTX 2xxx-series cousins, and Nvidia has dropped the Max-Q designation on certain low-power options. Our laptop CPU and GPU cheat sheet can help you shop smart.
Display resolution is a gotcha. If you see a laptop labeled as âHDâ resolution that means 1366-by-768 and often isnât worth your time for a laptop under 13 inches unless the deal is absolutely standout. What you want is âFull HDâ or âFHD,â which means 1080p.
Donât buy laptops with under 4GB of RAM or 128GB of SSD storageâthough on a Chromebook, this configuration is acceptable. We have more explanation in our laptops versus Chromebooks buying guide, as well as in our primer on how to buy a budget laptop without getting screwed. Also watch out for eMMC storage, which is something we donât recommend for a Windows laptop but works fine for a Chromebook.
Reviews can be helpful. Even if you canât find a review of a specific configuration, try related models. Theyâll often give you a good idea of the build quality and performance. Also buy from brands you trust. Amazonâs daily laptop deals right now are full of brands weâve never tested or talked to (Broage, Teclast, DaySky, Jumper) and itâs just a good idea to be wary.
Most older laptops will run Windows 10, and thatâs fineâthereâs no rush to upgrade. Windows 10 in S Mode, though annoying, can be switched out of easily if you find it on a budget laptop. If you want to buy a Windows 10 PC with the intent of upgrading it to Windows 11, we recommend you start here with a list of older laptops that are Windows 11-eligible.
Updated on May 27 with additional deals, and to remove expired deals.
Are you looking for a new gaming laptop to play all of your favorite triple-A titles on? If so, weâve put together a list of our best picks. From no-compromises hardware to displays with high refresh rates, these laptops can do what many desktops PCs can do. The best part is that weâve put every single one of these laptops through a series of stress tests, so weâve got the numbers to back up our findings. Whether youâre looking for the best 17-inch gaming laptop or the most portable machine, weâve got you covered. Read on to learn more.
[The best laptops: Premium laptops, budget laptops, 2-in-1s, and more]
Need some serious gaming power? The Razer Blade 17 (2022) will certainly deliver. Thanks to the Intel 12th-gen i7 CPU and a GeForce RTX 3080 Ti GPU, this laptop is a top performer. In addition to excellent graphics performance, it also has a stunning 240Hz panel and a diverse selection of ports. That said, this top-tier configuration costs thousands of dollars. If youâre willing to shell out the big bucks for the best of the best, then the Blade 17 is a phenomenal option. If youâre on a more strict budget, check out the Asus VivoBook Pro 15 OLED blurb below. Itâs our best budget gaming laptop pick.
The Asus VivoBook Pro 15 OLED offers reliable gaming performance at a reasonable price. According to our reviewer, this laptop is a great option for âgaming, streaming, and day-to-day productivity.â When the laptop ran the Shadow of the Tomb Raider benchmark, the AMD Ryzen 7 5800H CPU and the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 (4GB GDDR6) GPU worked in tandem to hit 60 frames-per-second at 1080p on High graphics. The OLED panel is also delightful and battery life is shockingly good. There are a couple of caveats, though.
The design is a little boring and the port selection is not the best. Youâll also need to drop down to Medium or High graphics when playing modern AAA games on the RTX 3050. Caveats aside if youâre looking for reliable graphics performance on a lovely OLED panel, the VivoBook Pro 15 is where the partyâs at. If you donât mind trading in those beautiful OLED visuals for a bit more graphics firepower, you should take a look at the Acer Swift X below.
The ROG Zephyrus G14 is both lightweight and powerful. It weighs just a little over three pounds, which makes it a capable traveling laptop. Between the AMD Ryzen 9 6900HS processor and AMD Radeon RX6800S GPU, you can expect strong performance as well. The only weakness is the keyboard, which our tester describes as âmeh.â It feels a little mushy and the backlighting is rather unimpressive. That said, if youâre in the market for a portable laptop that delivers zippy performance, the Zephyrus G14 is a great pick.
From solid performance to a decent display, the HP Victus 16 is a well rounded option for most people. The large, 16-inch screen has a 1080p resolution and a high refresh rate of 144Hz. The keyboard is really comfortable, too. In our review, the tester was âhappy to use the keyboard on a long-term basis.â HP even squeezed in a number pad, which is perfect for gamers. Although this laptop has a lot to offer, it isnât the sexiest-looking laptop in the world. But if you can live with the plain design, the Victus 16 is a good choice.
Donât judge a laptop by its chassis. The Swift X may not look all that threatening at first glance, but under the hood youâll find some seriously powerful components. This ultraportable is packing an AMD Ryzen 7 5800U processor, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 Ti GPU, and 512GB of PCIe NVMe SSD storage. In our review, the Swift managed â48 frames per second at the Highest presetâ when running Shadow of the Tomb Raider at 1080p. There are a few downsides, though. The fans get loud under heavy loads and the keyboard runs a little warm. But if you can live with those shortcomings and youâre looking for strong CPU and GPU performance, the Swift X will definitely deliver.
Gigabyteâs Aorus 17G gaming laptop, with its high-end parts and sharp-angled design, looks like it should be loud but itâs not. Itâs amazingly quiet, actually. Weâve heard ultraportable laptops produce more noise under a load than the Aorus 17G does while gaming.
It may spoil your fun a bit to know that Gigabyte achieved this feat by taking the RTX 3080 mobile GPU down a notch in performance. If youâre after the ultimate gaming machine, youâll invest in a good pair of gaming headphones and put up with a shrieking hair dryer shaped like a laptop. But if you wished gaming laptops werenât so loud, the Aorus 17G grants your wish with a modest tradeoff.
If youâve ever wanted to game on a tablet, then youâre in luck. The Asus ROG Flow Z13 is a folio-style gaming machine, which is one of the most bizarre sentences Iâll ever type. You can expect strong GPU and CPU performance in a tiny package. The tablet itself weighs about 2.61 lbs, which is pretty darn lightweight for something you can reliably game on. The 1200p IPS display produces sharp, vibrant images as well. That said, itâs very expensive and the detachable keyboard isnât great for gaming. If youâve got a big budget and can plug into an external keyboard, then the Flow Z13 is well worth it.
The PCWorld team puts each and every Windows laptop through a series of benchmarks that test GPU and CPU performance, battery life, and so on. The idea is to push the laptop to its limits and then compare it against others weâve tested. Below, youâll find a breakdown of each test and the reasons why we run them.
When you buy a gaming laptop, one of the most important decisions youâll need to make regards the screen. After all, what you get on day one is what youâre stuck with until you junk the device. You could run an external monitor but then, whatâs the point of a laptop?
The size of the screen dictates the size of the laptop itself, and thus weight. You canât, for example, get a 17-inch gaming laptop thatâs four pounds (although MSIâs excellent GS75 gets awfully damned close at five), so think long and hard about whether youâre willing to take the weight penalty in exchange for the screen real estate.
If the laptop is going to be your only gaming machine, having a 17-inch screen might be ideal. We should also add that a 17.3-inch screen is easier on weaker eyes than a 15.5-inch screen. This is very much a matter of personal preference.
The buzzword today is â4K.â That high resolution delivers sharper photo viewing and more space for video editing, but that doesnât mean itâs for everyone. Anything not using the panelâs native resolution of 3840Ă2180, such as games running at lower-than-4K resolution, wonât look quite as sharp unless you exponentially increase the graphics power of the laptop.
If youâre running at 1920Ă1080 resolution because your GPU canât hit 60 fps at 4K, that feature is moot. For many gamers, 1920Ă1080 (1080p) or 2560Ă1440 (1440p) is more optimal.
The panel technology is also a key feature. IPS (in-plane switching) generally produces much greater color accuracy and superior off-axis viewing, but tends to lag in response times, which can lead to blurring. TN (twisted nematic) panels can offer far higher refresh rates and usually better response times than IPS, but can look washed out or just blah.
A middle-ground technology thatâs appearing more often is VA (vertical alignment). VA is sometimes alternately referred to as âwide viewing angleâ technology. (Many assume this to spec to be IPS, but itâs not). In our experience, weâve found VA panels to run the gamut from being worthy competitors to IPS to being worse than the better TN panels.
If you value your privacy, then a VPN is a must-have. But choosing one thatâs as effective as it is economical can be a challenge. So weâre offering two-year subscriptions to the highly-rated Atlas VPN and discounting it to just $39 so that virtually anyone can afford it.
Atlas VPN has been featured in Forbes, The Washington Post, and CNBC. And it has received near impeccable ratings from users on Google Play and the App Store too. So why is it so revered? Well, simply put, itâs effective at protecting your anonymity online and practically eliminates the threat posed by hackers and identity thieves. And it does this at a bargain price, so it offers a lot of bang for your buck.
With a two-year subscription, youâll not only enjoy top-notch protection but be able to block ads and malware infections too. Youâll get access to Atlas VPNâs data breach monitoring system, you can use it on a wide range of devices, and it doesnât slow your connection as some other VPNs do. You can even stream movies, which isnât something that you can do with some other options at this price point. Grab a two-year subscription to Atlas VPN today for just $39.99 (reg. $263).Â
Atlas VPN: 2-Yr Subscription â $39
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Prices subject to change.
Thereâs nothing quite as relaxing as piecing together a jigsaw puzzle. And there are few things as exhilarating as winning money. Wish you could combine both into one activity? With The 2 Million Dollar Puzzle, you can.
The 2 Million Dollar Puzzle is your opportunity to win one of two prizes worth one million dollars. Simply purchase a puzzle, assemble it to reveal a special QR code, and then scan it with your phone. Youâll then instantly find out how much you win. And since every puzzle is a winner, youâll definitely walk away with a prize.
Prize amounts range from as little as one dollar and go all the way up to a million bucks. And, out of all the puzzles printed, two have that all-important one-million-dollar valuation, so you have twice the chance at winning the jackpot. Note that puzzles can only be shipped within the US and you have to be at least 18 years of age to claim a prize.
To get your copy of The 2 Million Dollar Puzzle, simply go to this link and purchase one for $30. Or, if you want more chances to win, buy multiples at a discounted price. Two puzzles, for instance, are just $56, three puzzles are $80, or you can purchase four for $100.Â
The 2 Million Dollar Puzzle â $30
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Prices subject to change.
In a world full of action RPGs, first-person shooters, and other twitchy, fast-paced games, Microsoft Flight Simulator is somewhat unique. Itâs a slow-paced sim thatâs as much about the journey as the goal. But the free Top Gun: Maverick DLC adds something in between: a genuinely fun ridge-hopping challenge that youâll be tempted to replay a few times.
First off, while I havenât seen the new Top Gun movie, there are what feel to be a couple of spoilers. The first, a relatively minor one, shows up when you roll your F/A-18E/F Super Hornet through an especially sharp turn or climb, pushing G-forces up above 9 Gs or so. Itâs then when your pilot starts gasping for breath, leading me to believe that a movie plot point just might be that Tom Cruiseâs character isnât as up to the physical demands of flying military aircraft as he once was.
The other potential spoiler is unavoidable: a challenge to fly a particular experimental aircraft that feels very much like a mission Maverick would be asked to fly in the movie. I have no idea if this true, but I avoid showing it to you here out of caution.
In my mind, the latter mission isnât the selling point of the new Flight Simulator expansion, anyway. Thatâs the five low-altitude ridge-hopping challenges that youâll fly behind the stick of the FA-18A Super Hornet. Set in various American locales from Alaska to Nevada, the challenge is simple: Get from the start to the finish as fast as you can, flying as low as you can.
Note that while Top Gun: Maverick is a free expansion for Flight Simulator, youâll need to either sign up for Microsoftâs Xbox Game Pass (which gives you the game âfreeâ with its subscription) or buy Flight Simulator itself for $59.99.
Mark Hachman / IDG
The way the game scores you is by splitting the journey into 10 sections, then taking your average altitude and adding it to a time multiplier. Flying as low as you can is the order of the day, but take too long and your points wonât be as high as a more direct route. Throttle controls seemed to be inoperative, so you wonât be able to kill speed as you crest a ridge, dropping down and then hitting the afterburners.
Nevertheless, the whole challenge is strangely compelling. There are absolutely no checkpoints or rings or flags to try to hit, unlike a game like Forza Horizon. The challenge is navigating the terrain: Do you break off into a canyon to the left to zoom as low as you can go? Hop the ridge? Decisions are always being made on the fly, based upon your knowledge of the terrain and what you can see ahead. Choosing the optimal route is as important as actually flying it.
The challenge is complicated, too, by a âghost fighter,â which chooses its own route. Youâre not judged on whether you beat the ghostâs score, but at the conclusion you can see its route, its time, and its score on the various segments. Did that ghost pick the best route, or can you do better? Making those decisions, then trying to thread the needle as you fly through islands and rocky peaks is what makes the expansion fun. If you crash, youâre put back in the air immediately, a little higher and a little further back than where you met the earth.
When you complete the challenge, youâre assigned a grade: crash once and youâll likely receive a âCâ; fly aggressively and youâll receive a âBâ or better. Thereâs a global leaderboard thatâs also filling up fast. Unfortunately, there are no Xbox Achievements for the expansion, yet. The other training exercises (such as takeoff and landing) are also assigned grades. Did we mention that thereâs a carrier landing, too?
Mark Hachman / IDG
One note: Given the enormous size of the Flight Simulator game, Iâd recommend flying using Microsoftâs Xbox cloud gaming, either in the Xbox app on the PC or else via the cloud gaming option in Xbox. Weirdly, I still had to âdownloadâ the expansion to my cloud Xbox, which fortunately just took a minute or two. The cloud gaming graphics wonât be quite as sharp as a powerful PC or even an Xbox, but the game is slow-paced enough that latency shouldnât be an issue.
Top Gun: Maverick certainly wonât put as many demands on your time as, say, Elden Ring, but itâs absolutely worth spending a couple of hours in it. And when the electronic guitar of the original Top Gun theme kicks in, itâs like returning to the 1980s for an hour or two.
Thereâs a lot of crossover between advanced TVs and monitors these days since theyâre often based on more or less the same display technologies. Plenty of gamers with expendable cash have repurposed high-end TVs as desktop monitors, but LG wants to make it official with its newest OLED design. The 48GQ900 is a 48-inch monster designed for PC gaming first, so it gets LGâs designated gaming moniker, UltraGear.Â
In terms of pure specs, the 48-inch screen is similar to LGâs 2022 OLED TV lineup, but notably adds a 0.1ms latency to handle the most intense twitch-heavy combat. The 4K resolution and 120Hz refresh rate are pretty standard, but the display explicitly supports both Nvidia G-Sync and AMD FreeSync Premium out of the box, something most TVs canât boast. It also includes dual 20-watt speakers (which is still on the weak side even for a desktop) and HDR10 support.Â
As far as connections go, you get three HDMI 2.1 ports, which should easily handle the 4K/120 image needs, plus a DisplayPort and two USB 3.0 ports for accessories. Unlike standard TVs, the headphone jack supports both input and output for a handy connection to a gaming headset. To top it all off, the 48GQ900 gets a customized remote control âspecifically designed for enhanced gaming convenience.â What does that mean? Hell if we know!Â
Notably missing from LGâs press release is any mention of a smart TV system. Thatâs especially telling since LG never misses a chance to hype up its proprietary WebOS platform (inherited from Palm, may it rest in peace). Streaming app-focused interfaces are pretty standard for televisions, but just get in the way if all you want to do is access whateverâs actually plugged into your TV. That might be a reason for PC gaming die-hards to consider the UltraGear 48GQ900 over conventional televisions.Â
LG didnât announce prices for the 48GQ900 or its other upcoming gaming monitors, a pair of 32-inch Nano-IPS screens at 4K and 1440p. All of them will be available in Japan âstarting this month.â Theyâll be coming to North America, Europe, and Asia sometime later.Â
With Thunderbolt ports becoming more common in laptops, a Thunderbolt dock can be a critical accessory. Think of the Thunderbolt dock as a more powerful, high-speed alternative to a USB-C hub, adding I/O expansion to your laptop in the form of extra ports for mice, keyboards, external drives, SD cards, and, most importantly, displays. It can even charge your laptop and smartphone!
Simply put, laptops are slimming down. And in the quest for a âcleanerâ look, many laptop makers are forgoing the legacy ports (particularly in the premium models), leaving those duties to external devices.
The biggest difference between Thunderbolt docks and USB-C hubs are price and bandwidth. USB-C hubs or dongles are far cheaper, but they offer far less bandwidth. That primarily matters where display connectivity is concerned, but can also affect the number and type of external hard drives, SSDs, and other peripherals that your PC can connect to. While a USB-C hub can support a single 4K display, often at an eye-wearying 30Hz refresh rate, Thunderbolt docks can support up to two 4K displays at a comfortable 60Hz. You can also use Thunderbolt 3 to enable an external GPU for your PC. (Thereâs nothing stopping you from using a USB-C hub with a Thunderbolt dock, either.)
If your laptop includes a Thunderbolt port, chances are it supports the Thunderbolt 3 or Thunderbolt 4 standard, both of which provide 40Gbps. Intel helped launch the updated Thunderbolt 4 specification in July 2020 as part of its 11th-gen âTiger Lakeâ Core laptops, and the specification has become more popular on productivity laptops. The bandwidth of Thunderbolt 4 is enough to drive high-resolution displays and shuttle data back and forth between peripherals without causing your display to flicker or your video stream to stutter.
Whatâs the difference between Thunderbolt 3, Thunderbolt 4, and USB4? The simple answer is that theyâre all extremely similar. The longer answer, explaining the differences, may be found within our Thunderbolt buying guide below our recommendations. If you want to learn more about the benefits of a Thunderbolt dock, what to look for when buying one, or how to know whether your laptop will support one, you can find that in our buying guide, too.
We define a Thunderbolt dock as one that supplies the ports you need for legacy devices, like USB-A and HDMI. We define a Thunderbolt hub as Thunderbolt-in, Thunderbolt-out. The latter is useful if youâre among the small number of those who own dedicated Thunderbolt displays. (If you donât have one, thatâs fineâjust buy a Thunderbolt dock instead.)
We lead off with our picks for best budget docks, which typically boast a compact form factor and just two display outputs. Theyâre usually bus-powered, meaning theyâll require an external charger for power and to power any connected phones.
Most of the âfull-featuredâ Thunderbolt docks ship with the sort of sizeable power bricks normally associated with gaming laptops. Unlike our budget options, these docks are truly desk-bound. Expect the 40Gbps bandwidth common to all Thunderbolt 3 docks to be shared among a surfeit of ports, including multiple USB-A ports, a USB-C port or two, SD card slots, and more. Audio jacks are common, and you may even find an external Thunderbolt 3 port as well for daisy-chaining additional devices. All of those ports take up space, so a model that can be positioned on its edge or vertically is better for cramped work surfaces.
About the only knock against IOgearâs GTD737 is its use of two DisplayPort 1.2 ports on the rear of the dock, which serve as the only dedicated display outputs. (We suspect HDMI is more popular.) In our testing, an HDMI-to-DisplayPort adapter didnât work, either, which means that youâll have to own a display with this port connection.
Otherwise, this dock is excellent, providing almost all the features youâll want at an affordable price: a 10Gbps USB-A port on the front for 7.5W smartphone charging; on the rear, two 5Gbps USB-A ports for legacy mice and keyboards and two 10Gbps USB-C ports for further expansion. Thereâs also a gigabit ethernet port and a headphone jack. The 2.3-foot Thunderbolt 3 cable supplies 60W for your laptop via the associated 135W power brick.
The performance was a little less than we expected, dropping 1 percent of the frames in our 4K YouTube testâa bit of jitter that was noticeable, though not annoying. The dock warmed under load, but never got hot. On one occasion, one of the USB-C ports didnât recognize our test SSD, but powering the dock off and on solved the problem.
If the DisplayPort issue isnât a concern and you donât mind a power brick, this IOgear dock is an very good budget choice.
Although itâs listed as a travel dock, the IOgear GTD300 serves as a very good regular work companion. The Thunderbolt 3 dock is bus-powered, however, which means youâll want your laptop to be plugged in for best results, though the hub itself doesnât require its own charger.
IOgearâs plastic dock measures just 2.2 x 0.91 x 4.06 inches, and is among the smallest weâve tested, so it neatly fits into a backpack for travel. On its underside, a green plastic shell conceals a nook to store the dockâs short, 5-inch cord when not in use.Â
Ports are minimal: one HDMI 2.0 port, one DisplayPort 1.2 port, one 5Gbps USB-A port, and gigabit ethernet port. If youâre okay using the USB port for a mouse or keyboard, rather than for high-speed external storage, the GTD300 will suit you fine. (Of course, weâd have preferred a 10Gbps port, at least.) The slight lack of I/O flexibility knocks this down a notch.
Some of Amazonâs customer reviews are slightly confusing: In our experience the ethernet port worked as expected, as did the USB-A port. Perhaps because of the small form factor, the GTD300 gets noticeably hot, but not uncomfortably so in our opinion.Â
Plugableâs TBT3-UDZ is simply one of the best Thunderbolt 3 docks weâve tested, though itâs also one of the most expensive, too. With a boatload of ports, including options for using DisplayPort or HDMI for both displays, the TBT3-UDZ offers flexibility and then some. Thereâs even a sturdy stand to mount it vertically on your desk.
On the front, the TBT3-UDZ includes a 10Gbps USB-C and a 10Gbps USB-A (USB 3.1) port, microSD and SD card slots, plus a headphone jack. On the rear, five USB-A (USB 3.0 ports) and gigabit ethernet complement a pair of DisplayPort 1.4 ports and HDMI 2.0 ports. (Itâs all based on Intelâs Titan Ridge chipset.) A 29-inch 40Gbps Thunderbolt 3 cable connects the dock to your laptop, and is capable of delivering 96W of power over a 2.6-foot Thunderbolt 3 cable. Naturally, this is a powered dock, with a hefty 170W (!) charger.
Performance was excellent, driving both 4K displays at 60Hz, and transferring our test file at close to peak speeds while simultaneously playing back two 4K/60Hz videos on both displays over ethernet. The attractive gun-metal chassis never warmed uncomfortably, though itâs a whopping 4.1 poundsâprobably heavier than the laptops itâs driving. The extra weight, plus the chassis stand, keeps the TBT3-UDZ rock-solid while in its vertical, space-saving orientation. It measures about 8 inches long/high by 3.75 inches wide, and an inch thick.
A two-year warranty covering limited parts and labor is included.
Plugableâs TBT3-UDC3 is a smaller, less-expensive version of the TBT3-UDZ, with less I/O flexibility but more focus. The dock includes a pair of USB-A 5Gbps ports on the front for a mouse and keyboard, and then a second USB-A (10Gbps) port on the back. A pair of two 10Gbps USB-C ports sit alongside it for further expansion. Thereâs gigabit ethernet, too. Smartly, Plugable includes one HDMI 2.0 port and a DisplayPort 1.4 port for display connections, plus an HDMI-to-DisplayPort dongle in the box in case you own two HDMI displays.
A 2.6-foot Thunderbolt 3 cable supplies 96W of power to a laptop, which is excellent.
Performance was on par with the TBT-UDC3, with very little heat emitted from the dock. On one occasion the dock stopped working, but resumed working a second time when we plugged it in a week or so later. This seems like an otherwise excellent dock, but weâve slightly lowered the rating because of this. Plugable includes a two-year warranty in case you receive a bad unit.
Belkinâs Thunderbolt 3 Dock Core arrived in bare-bones packaging, and the product is equally unadorned: Itâs a smartly designed âpoweredâ Thunderbolt 3 travel dock.
At a nearly square 5.2 x 6.5 x 1.5 inches, the Thunderbolt Dock Core black doesnât take up much room, and the included 8-inch Thunderbolt 3 cord provides ample length for flexibility. Ports are adequately spaced out around the flat, black plastic cube, with HDMI 2.0 and DisplayPort 1.4 ports providing a stable 4K/60Hz experience to both of my 4K displays. Thereâs gigabit ethernet and a 3.5mm audio jack, but good luck telling the USB 3.1 and USB 2.0 Type A ports apartâtheyâre not labeled.
Save for the irritating lack of labels on the USB-A ports, the Dock Core worked as expected, with solid performance. The plastic shell never warmed to worrisome levels.
Thereâs one catch: The additional USB-C port on the Dock is a vanilla USB-C port that needs to be connected to a 60W charger to power the dockâwhich isnât supplied. Thatâs fine if your laptop charges with a USB-C charger; if it doesnât, youâll need to buy one. That means extra expense and something else to carry. Otherwise, the lack of a charger certainly saves space while on the go.
HP sells two versions of this Thunderbolt dock: the 4J0A2AA (this model) and the 4J0G4AA, which we havenât tested. The difference is that the 4J0G4AA includes a âcombo cableâ that supplies up to 280W of power via the combination of a Thunderbolt 4 cable plus a barrel charger, for HP workstations. The 4J0A2AA supplies up to 100W to the host laptop via the Thunderbolt cableâstill among the highest weâve seen. Even then, there were no thermal issues at all.
This squat little plastic cube feels a lot more solid than its rated 1.68lb would indicate, and sprouts ports to all sides: a 10Gbps USB-C port capable of 15W charging on the front, a 5Gbps USB-A port on either side plus two more on the back, all capable of 7.5W out. The back also houses two DisplayPort 1.4 ports, an HDMI 2.0 port, and a USB-C 3.2 Gen 1 port designed for video. We only tested this dock with two 4K/60 external displays, but itâs capable of driving three 4K/60 displays provided you have a DisplayPort 1.4-capable laptop with Display Stream Compression, or DSC.
Thereâs also an ethernet port capable of 2.5Gbps as well as another Thunderbolt 4 port outlet. The ports are crammed together with barely enough space for DisplayPort cables or USB keys, but a couple of the outside ports are slightly skewed outwards to provide more room, a nice touch.
This business-oriented dock includes vPro support and the power button/LED can be used to turn itself on and off âbut only when connected to supported HP notebooks. The throughput is excellent, meeting expectations on all of the ports. The front USB-C port delivered 15W of power, as the HPâs manual says it shouldâalthough, weirdly, the dock lost connection with the displays for a few seconds when a smartphone was connected. We expect a firmware upgrade could solve these issues, and we donât consider them dealbreakers because of the charging capabilities of the other ports. When notified of our findings, HP reps said they couldnât reproduce our results.
We really liked the build of the SD5700T, but the price is a little daunting given the strong competition.
Do you need to buy a Thunderbolt 4 dock over a Thunderbolt 3 dock? No, not really. As we explain in our buyerâs guide below, the capabilities of both are largely identical. But this is the best Thunderbolt 4 dock weâve seen, if the spec matters to you.
The Kensington SD5700T Thunderbolt 4 Docking Station has one upstream Thunderbolt 4/USB4 port to connect to your computer, and three downstream Thunderbolt 4/USB4 ports to connect other devices, including external displays. In addition, the dock supplies three USB-A ports (10Gbps, charging at 4.5W) and a single USB-A port (480Mbps) that can charge at 7.5W. In addition, the SD5700T provides gigabit ethernet, a UHS-II SD card reader, and a 3.5mm audio jack. The dock is powered by a quite powerful 180W power supply, among the highest weâve tested. This should provide plenty of power (90W) for connected devices.
We also love the lights that show power and connectivity status, plus the On/Off button that will relieve strain on your connected laptopâs battery.
The Mac world tends to emphasize Thunderbolt-connected displays far more than the Windows world, so this might be a niche product for most of you. But this thing is tiny (4.75 x 2.88 x 0.5in.) even if, unfortunately, the associated power brick isnât. It will send 15W of power via the Thunderbolt/USB-C connections to charge smartphones, and 60W to the host PC.
We lack Thunderbolt-connected displays among our test bed, so we canât fully test this. But the box does include a USB-C to HDMI adapter, so you can certainly connect one display natively out of the box, then attach a USB-C hub to connect another. Thereâs a standalone 10Gbps USB-A port, as well. Sure, connecting a second device sounds like a hassleâbut for Plugableâs price $180 or so, you might end up trading saving some cash for a bit of extra clutter.
Again, we couldnât test this dock to its full capabilities. But in terms of charging power and throughput, it lived up to its specifications. The hub did get a bit warm, but its metal construction dissipates heat effectively.
The Apex Thunderbolt 4 Dock features one 40Gbps upstream TB4 port (that connects to the computer with the included Thunderbolt 4 cable) and one 40Gbps downstream TB4 port for other devices, such as a fast SSD storage drive. The upstream Thunderbolt port can supply up to 90W of power to your laptop, while the downstream port can charge other devices at 15W.
Ankerâs inclusion of two HDMI ports means you donât need any adapters to connect displays, provided you own two with HDMI connections. In total, the dock supports the two Thunderbolt 4 ports, two USB-A ports (10Gbps, 4.5W of power), another two USB-A ports (480Mbps, 4.5W), and a USB-C port (10Gbps, 20W) alongside gigabit ethernet, a UHS-II SD card reader, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. The dock is powered, with a 120W power supply.
An extra plus is a power button on the front so that your laptop isnât receiving a potential charge when itâs not needed, and can keep the dockâs temperature down at night.
We think the Anker Apex as well as the Plugable TBT3-UDC both make excellent alternatives to our overall pick.
CalDigitâs Thunderbolt Station 3 Plus is one of the most popular Thunderbolt 3 docks available, and itâs easy to see why: a space-saving vertical orientation, 87W charging, gobs of available ports, and even niceties like a S/PDIF optical connection and an external Thunderbolt jack for daisy-chaining devices.
The TS3 Plus measures 5.15 x 3.87 x 1.57 inches, and weighs 1.04 pounds. Though it lacks a supporting stand, it rested easily in a vertical position. CalDigit includes small rubber feet for positioning the aluminum dock in an horizontal orientation.
Port selection includes: two Thunderbolt 3 ports (one from the laptop, and one for an external connection), and a single DisplayPort 1.2 port. Thatâs ideal for a single 4K display, but awkward for two. The TS3 Plus includes one full-sized SD (SD 4.0 UHS-II) card reader, the S/PDIF port, gigabit ethernet, and two 3.5mm audio jacksâone in, one out. Five USB Type A ports are also included (all 5Gbps USB 3.1 Gen 1) and two USB-C ports (one 5Gbps port, and one 10Gbps port).
To enable two 4K/60 displays, youâll need a second USB-C dongle running off either the Thunderbolt or USB-C dockâor a forward-looking display with a built-in Thunderbolt/USB-C connector. These are still rare in the Windows world.
Daisy-chaining the Thunderbolt port to enable a second monitor worked fine, though the connection dropped momentarily on both displays when playing back video on both displays and transferring files. Otherwise, high-bandwidth video playback went completely smoothly. The external audio jack also didnât work initially, but did on a subsequent retry. CalDigitâs TS3 Plus barely warmed under load.
If youâre on the fence about whether a Thunderbolt dock is right for you, knowing the answers to the following questions could help you.
The short answer: Look at the laptopâs published specifications to be sure. A Thunderbolt port may look indistinguishable from a USB-C port, since they both use the same physical USB-C connection. Put another way, all Thunderbolt ports are USB-C, but not all USB-C ports are Thunderbolt-equipped.
Thunderbolt ports are supposed to have a small lightning-bolt icon to identify them. But some laptop makers use a similar lightning-bolt icon to indicate that a USB-C port can be used for charging your phone, and not for Thunderbolt. Laptop makers sometimes donât want to clutter the clean lines of their products by adding additional logos, it seems.Â
Adding to the confusion, you may also see USB-C hubs marketed as âThunderbolt compatible.â Thatâs true. You can plug a Thunderbolt dock into a non-Thunderbolt, generic USB-C port. But it will be limited by the available bandwidth that the port provides, so itâs somewhat deceptive in that regard.Â
Most USB-C ports are built on the second-generation USB 3.1 data-transfer standard, which transfers data at 10Gbps. Most Thunderbolt 3 ports, the most common standard, transfer data at up to 40Gbps. Thunderbolt 4 differs slightly in that it supports a theoretical maximum of 32Gbps where data transfers are concerned, specifically for external storage devices.
There are somewhat rare exceptions: A new USB 3.2 Gen 2Ă2 spec can pair two 10Gbps channels together, creating an aggregate 20Gbps hub. And while the vast majority of Thunderbolt 3-equipped laptops are designed with four PCIe lanes for a total of 40Gbps, some laptops only ship with two PCIe lanes for a total of 20Gbps. (A Dell support page, for example, details its four-lane and two-lane laptops.) Essentially, a 20Gbps connection should be enough for a single 4K monitor running at 60Hz, with a bit of extra bandwidth for other data transfers among connected peripherals.
The short answer: Not that much, and we consider Thunderbolt 3 docks and Thunderbolt 4 docks to be functionally equivalent for most users. The longer answer, which weâll describe below, is that there are differences, and parsing the nuances can be confusing. Think of Thunderbolt 4 as the more restrictive version of Thunderbolt 3, with little room for any gotchas.
Essentially, Thunderbolt 3 and Thunderbolt 4 allow up to 40Gbps maximum bandwidth, enough for two 4K/60 displays. âUp toâ is the key phrase: Thunderbolt 3 is only required to support a 10Gbps connection, allowing for a single external 4K display (a 16 Gbps PCIe connection, paired with USB3.2). Most manufacturers go beyond this, however, and our recommended docks support the full specification (and two 4K displays) unless noted. Thunderbolt 3 also supports a slower (16Gbps) PCIe connection for connecting to external storage. Unless youâre editing video or using an external GPU, this probably wonât matter.
Thunderbolt 4 doesnât allow for any leewayâyouâre getting a full-fledged 40Gbps connection (32 Gbps PCIe + USB 3.2), no questions asked. For external storage, Thunderbolt 4 supports 32 Gbps of data transfer â again, this really only matters for video, external GPU connections, or possibly games. Thunderbolt 4 supports âwake on sleepâ from an external keyboard or mouse, which allows you to tap your external keyboard or wiggle your mouse to wake your PC up, which is handy. Thunderbolt 4 allows for longer cables and more Thunderbolt ports on laptops, too.
USB4 is essentially a subset of Thunderbolt 4, mainly designed as an an I/O specification. USB4 can only support one display, and manufacturers can choose whether it supports a 20Gbps connection or a 40Gbps connection, according to Thunderbolt dock designer Plugable. As a subset of Thunderbolt 4, a USB4 device will run just fine plugged into a Thunderbolt 4 port. But a Thunderbolt 4 device may not work as expected when plugged into what is specifically a USB4 port. Donât worry about this too much, as itâs rare to see a USB4 hub. Instead, most hubs and docks are marketed as Thunderbolt 4, while most devices (like an external SSD) are designed around USB4.
Note that Thunderbolt 3 and 4 require at least 15W to power devices plugged into the Thunderbolt port, such as a bus-powered hard drive. USB4 requires just half that.
Device maker Anker has a nice summary of all of the technical features associated with Thunderbolt 3, Thunderbolt 4, and USB4, if you really want to get into the fine distinctions.
Virtually every Thunderbolt device will ship with its own cable. Weâd recommend that you use Thunderbolt 3 cables with Thunderbolt 3 products, and Thunderbolt 4 cables with Thunderbolt 4 products.
Ports, cables, peripherals: Those are the three major considerations when buying a Thunderbolt dock.Â
Weâre beginning to see the Thunderbolt dock market break down into a few different ways. First, thereâs the budget versus full-featured docks weâve highlighted above. But you also may see something similar to the USB hubs of old, too: Devices that take Thunderbolt in and then provide several USB-C (including Thunderbolt) ports out. There are a small number of displays with Thunderbolt inputs, which can be plugged directly into these hubs. Do you have an existing cheap USB-C dongle? You can certainly plug that in into a Thunderbolt dock and add even more I/O functionality.
Basically, consider what youâll want to plug into the dock as a guide for buying one. We prefer devices with ports built in (such as HDMI, USB-A, and so on) as the USB-C device ecosystem is still in its infancy. But ask yourself some questions. Do you want a basic Thunderbolt dock, with just a pair of HDMI ports for connecting two displays? Does an SD card slot matter? How many USB Type A peripherals do you plan to attach? Do you want to use the Thunderbolt cable to charge your laptop, too?
Cables can be an unexpectedly important consideration, too. Virtually every dock ships with a Thunderbolt cable. But consider the displays you own (typically HDMI or DisplayPort) and consider whether the dock will accommodate them.
Check your laptopâs power supply. Does it plug into your laptop via USB-C? If so, a Thunderbolt dock will likely power it. Youâll need to understand how the dock supplies power, though. Check your laptopâs charger to learn how much power it supplies, and how much the dock will need to supply to replace it. If your laptop or devices arenât receiving enough power, you may see a warning pop up.
A âbus-poweredâ dock wonât come with an external charger in the package, saving some cost, space, and power concerns. A dock with âpower deliveryâ will supply its own power and charge your laptop and/or a phone via your laptopâs existing USB-C charger. (Chances are that it wonât offer the quick-charging capabilities premium smartphones offer, though.) The more power your dock supplies, the greater the ability to charge your laptop and any bus-powered devices. This is a gotcha most people donât think about, so if you plan to connect several bus-powered hard drives or SSDs, buy a dock with a hefty power supply. (USB keys, on the other hand, require tiny amounts of power. Donât worry about these.)
Thereâs one more consideration: the length of the Thunderbolt cable between your laptop and the dock itself. You may have noticed or heard about USB-C ports wearing out on smartphones; a loose or wobbly connector on Thunderbolt docks can cause monitors to unexpectedly flicker or lose connection. Consider how much tension will be put on a cable. A Thunderbolt dock thatâs dangling from a Thunderbolt port will stress the physical connector. You donât want that!
If youâre a Mac user who has stumbled across this article, welcome. But please be aware that early Apple MacBook Pros powered by Intel silicon supported up to two 4K displays. The first MacBook Pros powered by the Apple M1 chip only support a single 4K display. Many Mac users have recently left negative reviews on Thunderbolt docks on shopping sites because of this. Buy a PC!
Weâre working from the premise that youâre buying a Thunderbolt dock for its unique ability to connect to two 4K monitors at 60Hz. Lower resolutions should be much easier to run successfully. Our first test simply connected each dock to a pair of 4K/60Hz displays, each of which could accept DisplayPort and HDMI cabling, and made sure there were no visual artifacts at 60Hz resolution.
Second, we checked to see whether the available ports delivered the bandwidth weâd expect, connecting them to an external SSD and transferring a collection of test files over the Thunderbolt cable and port. We also used AJAâs System Test tool to double-check our numbers and test whether read and write speeds were consistent.Â
Finally, we spot-checked the available power draw of the hubs and ports with a USB power meter, as well as simply connecting them to bus-powered devices to see if they could deliver enough power to allow them to operate. Here, we discovered that one of our testing laptops didnât supply enough power running on battery to power a bus-powered Thunderbolt dock, so we enlisted a second, different laptop as a backup.
This story was updated on May 30 with new information and product recommendations. Some of our recommendations are based on Thunderbolt dock reviews produced by our sister site, TechAdvisor.co.uk, and authored by Simon Jary.
Looking for a good gaming mouse that wonât break the bank? Today, youâre in luck. The Logitech G502 Hero is currently $39 at Amazon. Itâs actually our favorite gaming mouse here at PCWorld.
In our review of the G502 Hero, we gave it 4.5 out of 5 stars and an Editorsâ Choice Award. âIf youâre looking for a new gaming mouse, or maybe your first gaming mouse? The G502 Hero is a top-tier option,â we said. Itâs also our top pick as the best general purpose gaming mouse.
The G502 Hero has 11 programmable buttons with mechanical switch tensioning and a HERO 25K sensor. The sensor allows the mouse to hit an astounding 25,600 DPI. Thatâs way past the usual 16,000 DPI we see with most gaming mice. It also has RGB lighting, adjustable weights to get the feel just right, and onboard memory for up to five profiles.
This mouse is an excellent value, as most high-end gaming mice cost upwards of $75.
[Todayâs deal: Logitech G502 Hero for $39 at Amazon.]
Chrome may be the most used browser, but it isnât necessarily the best one out there. Alternatives exist that could better meet your needs.
One such option is Firefox. Itâs a rare browser not based on Chromium, the project that powers Chrome, unlike other rivals like Edge or Opera. Itâs also backed by a team with a long, storied history in browser development and a deep interest in online privacy. As a result, using Firefox can boost your PCâs performance, better protect you on the web, and also make life more convenient, too. Youâll find it offers built-in features that donât exist in Chrome or otherwise require third-party add-ons.Â
Just like weâve recently done with Vivaldi, the enthusiastâs browser, weâve highlighted the top 8 reasons to quit Chrome and make the switch to Firefox. Letâs dig in.
PCWorld
Many websites have videos and other media that automatically play when you load the page. But not all automatically mute the audio, despite near-universal hatred for having sudden noise blaring in the background. Autoplay video can eat bandwidth unnecessarily when youâre on a connection with limited data.
In Chrome, if you want to block sites that go hard with autoplay, you need to find and install a third-party extension. Firefox, on the other hand, keeps tabs in hand by default. Out of the box, audio is muted, and for YouTube, autoplay for both audio and video are blocked. And blocking autoplay video across the web by default is a easy, fast change in Firefoxâs settings.
A fresh installation of Firefox automatically blocks trackers that can make browsing feel slow. The more scripts that must load as part of a website, the more youâll feel them. Even if theyâre running invisibly in the background, theyâre still there. Keep them from running and your web surfing should feel much snappier.
Firefox also stops cryptominers from accessing your device, aka cryptojackingâitâs when a website allows malicious code to use your computer to mine for cryptocurrency. Indirectly, this protective feature helps with browsing speed too. If your system resources get tied up by a cryptominer accessing your device, your PC will feel sluggish, including when youâre browsing online.
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Chrome has a reputation for hogging system resourcesânamely RAM, but sometimes it also hits your CPU harder than expected, too. Google has taken steps to curtail these problems, but Firefox hasnât had the same issues with regular memory leaks. It also generally goes light on system resources. Even when you begin piling on tabs and windows, browsing sessions donât slow down.
That said, Firefox can occasionally suffer from memory bloat as well, if you like to leave many tabs open for days. But you can quickly fix that problem by using Firefoxâs Task Manager to nuke and then bring back a tab gone amok. Or, if you have the browser set to remember your browsing history, closing the app entirely and reopening it. (Your tabs should be automatically restored.) You donât need to reboot your whole system.
Tired of annoying ads while browsing online with your smartphone? Android users are in luck. Just like on desktop, you can install browser extensions in the mobile version of Firefox. While youâre limited to 17 add-ons to choose from, they cover the major bases for improving web surfing and security. Youâll find recognizable options like uBlock Origin (ad-blocking), NoScript (control over JavaScript), HTTPS Everywhere (forces secure website connections where available), and more. Installing even just an ad-blocker makes for a smoother experienceâno more accidental tapping on pop-ups, ads, or sponsored links you definitely didnât want to visit.
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Part of Chromeâs appeal is the seamless nature of Googleâs ecosystemâaccessing your bookmarks and syncing open tabs across devices is simple. But that feature doesnât need to be a reason to stay with Chrome. Firefox also allows you to browse the web with ease across devices, too.Â
Itâs as platform agnostic as Chrome, so you can bounce between Windows, Linux, Mac, Android, and iOS with no issues. Create a Firefox Sync account, and your browsing history, bookmarks, tabs, saved passwords, and more will follow you to whichever devices you log into. Youâll also be able to use additional privacy and security-oriented services like Firefox Relay (email masking) and Firefox Monitor (data breach monitoring) from the same single account.
Beyond automatically keeping third-party cookies and trackers from gathering data about your browsing habits, Firefox also blocks fingerprinting, a more insidious method of monitoring people across the web. A digital fingerprint collates information about your PCâs hardware, software (like your operating system and browser), add-ons, preferences, and sometimes more like themes and customizations. The tracking of a fingerprint can take place over months or even longer, meaning whoever looks at the data can form a clear picture of your private life and habits. Think of it as a more invasive form of someone stalking you via public Instagram and other social media accountsâbut instead, theyâre learning information you havenât chosen to share publicly. Maybe not even with your closest friends and family.
Firefox also allows users to enable DNS-over-HTTPS (DoH). Normally when you enter a URL (e.g., https://www.pcworld.com) into your address bar and hit enter, the lookup of the IP address that the domain name resolves to is done over plain text. Meaning, anyone on your network can see what sites youâre accessing. But if you force the process to happen over an encrypted server, you thwart any such attempts at nosiness.
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Sometimes you just want to read the article on a website, not wade through pop-ups, video embeds, advertisements, and whatever else the site owner slaps on the page to keep the lights on (ahem). Having all the extras on the page can really slow down your ability to scroll through.
You can reduce the visual distractions with extensions that strip away ads, block scripts, and more, but Firefox gives you a one-click option to do away with clutter on a page: Reader Mode. Click on an icon in the address bar and you get a clean, pared down view that shows just the text in a large, legible font and the images that go with the story. You can zip through the text so much faster.
In fairness, Chrome has offered a reader mode before, but the development team canât seem to make up its mind whether or not to keep it. Some builds of Chrome let you enable it, others donât. After Mozilla implemented this feature in Firefox years ago, itâs been here to stay.
Ask current Firefox users why they switched, and youâll often hear âItâs not Chrome.â
What makes Chrome so bad, you ask? The big issue for most is having all of your data locked to a company that makes its money through advertising. (Recall the saying that if a service is free, youâre the product.) Thatâs a large privacy concern.
But beyond that, itâs harder for the community to vet the security of Chrome, too. Despite being built on an open-source project (Chromium), the official Chrome browser mixes in Googleâs proprietary spin on that code and keeps the final results under wraps. Users canât examine for themselves how things are constructed. Many people donât think about this as an issue, but knowing how something is made can tell you a lot more about its weaknessesâand any other elements that might not sit well with you. With Firefox, thatâs not an issue.
The Eero Pro 6E three-pack is an excellent mesh system that continues to be reliable and easy to use. It may not keep up with the big dogs in throughput, but itâs still capable and offers better value overall than the prestige mesh systems offered by other companies.
This yearâs Computer Electronic Show (CES) came and went, leaving behind a flurry of exciting announcements about the latest Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 6 network gear. Mesh systems like Netgearâs powerful-yet-too-expensive Orbi 6E system and TP-Linkâs XE200 were announced as a throughput arms race continues to blossom, yet there was no announcement from Eero. This makes senseâafter all, didnât the company just release the Eero Pro 6 and Eero 6 routers? Yet here we are, with Eero having announced its next update to its mesh routers all at once on March 23. This included the Eero Pro 6E and the Eero 6+.Â
The now established social-media craze is Wordle, the simple word game where you have six guesses to match the gameâs five-letter solution. Five green squares means youâve succeeded, and can rack up likes on Twitter and Facebook. But there are at least three simple ways to cheat at Wordleâincluding a way to discover Wordleâs word in advance for the next days or weeks â unless the new owner of Wordle ,The New York Times, changes the Wordle answers. We have Wordle spoilers! Use our Table of Contents to jump right to the Wordle answers for today as well as upcoming Wordle puzzles.
Update on May 9: The New York Times changed a programmed answer, âFETUS,â from Game 324. This accidentally coincided with the leak of the proposed reversal of Roe v. Wade, the original court ruling which preserved abortion rights. âThis is entirely unintentional and a coincidence â todayâs original answer was loaded into Wordle last year,â the Times wrote.
This story shows how you can predict the upcoming Wordle answers by looking at the siteâs code. But the Times hinted that it may start funneling answers to players from another source, which would eliminate the primary method to cheat at Wordle. âWe want to emphasize that this is a very unusual circumstance,â the paper wrote. âWhen we acquired Wordle in January, it had been built for a relatively small group of users. Weâre now busy revamping Wordleâs technology so that everyone always receives the same word. We are committed to ensuring that tens of millions of people have a gratifying and consistent experience, every day.â
BoingBoing has also noticed that the future Wordle solutions have now diverged from the original Wordle site code, with some âruderâ answers removed. But you can still find the answers in the site code.
We have new Wordle spoilers, below, updated on May 25, as well as a couple of Wordle alternatives, below. And yes, you can argue that theyâre getting harder, as there are a few more instances of duplicated letters in the Wordle solutions. Thereâs some upcoming Wordle puzzles that look especially devilish!
Want some Wordle alternatives? You can always try Octordle, a devilishly hard twist where you play four words at once, and with very few guesses. Or, if youâre feeling a bit NSFW, you can always give Lewdle a shot, which uses some, um, alternative words.
Weâre not trying to ruin Wordle, which has become a fun activity for millions. But we couldnât really ignore a Wordle hack that is literally right under your nose. And if you want to one-up a friend who is constantly bragging about their Wordle prowess, wellâŚ.Itâs really no different than the Pokemon Go maps of a few years ago, is it?
Letâs start with Wordle 213, whose solution stumped Twitter. Many people discovered that the first three letters were P-R-OâŚand then absolutely failed to guess the last two letters, X and Y. Naturally, Wordlers probably considered more common words like âproudâ and âprowlâ first. But what words would make sense?
Mark Hachman / IDG
Enter WordHippo, a nifty little tool that allows you to select words with different characteristics. The link leads to âfive-letter words beginning with PRO,â but the page includes an advanced word search of varying length, with a selection of letters that you decide, and in varying configurations. As you start ruling out letters, the site can give you a smaller and smaller pool of potential words to guess from. Using WordHippo isnât necessarily a Wordle âcheat,â per se, but itâs close.
Youâve had a bad day. You just want a quick Wordle win to make you feel good and to receive a few virtual pats on your back.
Mark Hachman / IDG
If you happen to win Wordle, great. But if you lose, Wordle will print the solution at the top of your screen. Simply open Wordle in Google Chromeâs Incognito Mode or the Microsoft Edge InPrivate mode, complete the puzzle (or not) and note the winning word. Then close the Incognito / InPrivate mode and play Wordle in your browser, with all of your cookies enabled. Youâll win Wordle, preserve your winning streak, and gain the approval of your friends.
The final way of cheating at Wordle is much more insidious. Are you ready for the twist? All of the Wordle answers are already in Wordle.
Josh Wardle, who designed Wordle, clearly didnât want to spend every day re-uploading a new puzzle, so he simply placed all of the solutions within the puzzleâs code. Since the Wordle puzzles refresh once per day, that means there are potential answers for a long, long time.
Specifically, the Wordle answers can be found within the Javascript that accompanies the Wordle site. (We didnât discover this trick ourselves, but were tipped off to its existence by a source who wishes to remain anonymous.) Want to know the Wordle answers for tomorrow, the next week, or for the next few months or years? Hereâs how to do it.
First, use Google Chrome to open the Wordle website. Using the Chrome âellipsis menuâ in the upper right, scroll down to More tools>Developer tools. The site contains a few Javascript files, though you can eliminate the Google tag manager and the index.
Instead, open the file underneath the index, which on the page I loaded was main.bd4cb59c.js. Yes, youâll see a ton of code, much of which isnât worth poking through. The solutions, however, are hidden in an array file, in plaintext. You can use Chromeâs âpretty printâ feature, which should appear in a button at the top of the page. Otherwise, you can simply copy the entire text block into a text editor, or just something like Word.
There are a number of GitHub pages that have tried to calculate the methods of determining the next entry in the Wordle word list, like this one. But it seems that the Wordle site has already calculated the list of Wordle solutions for the next few monthsâbecause theyâre right there in the source code. The easiest way to find that list is to simply look for the words that were the most recent solution. (Weâve tracked this for a day or two before publishing and it seems like the pattern has been consistent.) Simply do a Ctrl+F search for the most recent solution, then go to the next word in the list. Thatâs it!
Spoilers ahead. If this pattern holds true, then here are the Wordle solutions for the next week. Remember, a new Wordle game goes live at midnight based on your time zone, so Wordle games may already be live in other regions of the world. Changing your PCâs clock to a day or two in advance doesnât seem to make a differenceâin other words, you canât play a new round of Wordle early.
Monday, May 25: VOUCH (Wordle #340)
Tuesday, May 26: ASSET (Wordle #341)
Wednesday, May 27: TIARA (Wordle #342)
Thursday, May 28: CREPT (Wordle #343)
Friday, May 29: BAYOU (Wordle #344)
Saturday, May 30: ATOLL (Wordle #345)
Sunday, May 31: MANOR (Wordle #346)
Of course not. Thereâs nothing preventing you from walking a golf course with a ball in your pocket, dropping it in the hole, and claiming a hole-in-one on every hole. If you want to play the game honestly, you can. If you donât, you donât. All this does is invalidate the online braggadocio about whoâs better at Wordle. And letâs face it: All the developer (and now the New York Times would have to do is to randomize the solution every day to make this Wordle hack untenable.
In other words, just like a friendly game of cards, you can still play Wordle with friends, or to challenge yourself. Just be suspicious of anyone who finds the solution a little too easily. And as David Letterman says: Remember, no wagering!
This story was updated on May 25 to add some additional upcoming Wordle answers to the Wordle puzzles.
Just the name alone should give you goosebumps: Microsoft has a free Top Gun: Maverick expansion for Flight Simulator, and itâs available now.
Microsoft released a trailer of the new expansion on Wednesday, which starts kicking in the 80âs nostalgia as soon as the opening bars of the original Top Gun theme begin to play. (Unfortunately, Microsoft hasnât licensed Kenny Logginsâ âDanger Zoneâ for the trailer,â but Spotify is just a click or two away.)
Microsoft doesnât say anything about what you can or canât do as far as the expansion is concerned, but we can assume the plane youâll fly is an F-18 Super Hornet, based upon what we know about the movie itself. (Sorry, we canât confirm whether or not the plane in the trailer is an F-18 or not.) What we can say is that thereâs an aircraft carrier that it appears that you can land and take off fromâŚand at the very end, is that a shot in a Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird from space?
Remember, Flight Simulator is part of Microsoftâs killer Xbox Game Pass subscription, which can be picked up for cheap if you follow our advice. The new expansion is available for all of the platforms that Flight Simulator runs on, though, including the PC, Xbox, and Steam. Remember, Flight Simulatorâs file siz is huuuuuuuuge, which is why thatâs its fantastic that itâs also available to play via Xbox cloud streaming.
Unfortunately, it doesnât appear that youâll be able to engage other pilots with air-to-air missiles or guns. And that, naturally, suggests another question: Does Microsoft have a military combat simulator in the works? It certainly has all the pieces in place, including one of the legendary combat aircraft of the U.S. military.
Weâve embedded the trailer below.
Any PC builder knows that internal wiring can be a hassle. Between power supply rails, SATA cables, cooling fans, and any number of other parts, you might spend just as much time organizing your cables and wires as you do actually assembling all your parts. Gigabyte has a solution to that in its Aorus Project Stealth PC: a system that puts each and every wire in the build on the back side of the case. This makes the main area optimized for airflow â not to mention drop-dead gorgeous and utterly clean. Gigabyte partnered with boutique system builder Maingear to make this radical reimagining of the ATX standard a reality.
Gordon Ung got his lucky hands on this design over on the PCWorld YouTube channel. In the video you can see Gigabyteâs meticulous design work: every single motherboard connection, plus power rails for the GPU and case fans, has been carefully routed to the rear of the motherboard and out of sight. Even the CMOS battery is mounted in the rear.
And thatâs a cool trick, but the really impressive bit is that thereâs no proprietary technology at play here. The case mounting board has extra room in the cutouts, but it still mounts a standard ATX motherboard. The connections on the Project Stealth motherboard itself are just carefully placed so that the power and data connections are soldered through to the rear instead of the front. Someone with a soldering board and a steady hand could do more or less the same thing.
With every small connection on the rear and carefully labeled, wiring is a snap, and the results speak for themselves. Could we see this kind of ultra-clean design on consumer motherboards and cases in the future? We can but hope. Wallace Santos, CEO of Maingear, and Kevin Shieh, Product Marketing Manager at Gigabyte, recently joined our Full Nerd podcast to discuss how Project Stealth came to be, and their ambitions for the initiativeâincluding a desire to see other PC hardware makers like Asus and MSI support the new design. You can see that interview in its entirety below:
For more geeky deep dives into the newest and coolest PC hardware, be sure to subscribe to the PCWorld YouTube channel.
Microsoft has finally brought one of the better features of Windows into Windows 11: Windows Spotlight, which splashes Microsoftâs rather blah new operating system with some warmth and charm.
Itâs worth dropping any pretense of objectivity for this. Iâm a fan of nature photography, and Microsoft is too. Think about how a photo of a pastoral California hillside became the iconic âBlissâ backdrop of Windows XP, for example. Microsoft has quietly amassed an enormous collection of professional photography, making them available as Windows 10 themes â one great way to personalize your Windows 10 PC. Essentially, these themes allow you to pick and choose from tons of photos of a given subject: beach scenes, cats, or astrophotography.
Microsoft uses these photos to add some color and context to other properties that it owns. Bing.com, for example, tends to show off photos of buildings and cities that are both visually impressive and have some history thatâs worth exploring. Previously, youâve been able to automatically load some of these images as desktop wallpapers via the downloadable Bing Wallpaper app. Youâve probably noticed that your Windows lock screen now shows a representative photograph, too.
Now, thereâs a new way of adding a little color to your desktop: Windows Spotlight, which was added as part of a cumulative Windows 11 update, KB5014019. Windows Spotlight rotates your desktop background on a daily basis, placing one of Microsoftâs nature scenes behind your desktop icons. (Itâs off by default, so nothing will change if you already have a preferred wallpaper.)
Unlike other fresh features we typically cover, this isnât part of the Windows Insider preview program. Itâs available to all Windows 11 users. Since itâs an optional Windows 11 update, youâll need to visit the Windows Update page in your Settings menu to download and install it. But donât worry â it will be part of Windows 11 in a few weeks as part of the usual âPatch Tuesdayâ update in June.
To turn on Windows Spotlight, youâll need to go to Settings > Personalization > Background and toggle the dropdown menu to âWindows spotlight.â Your wallpaper should then shift to the background of the day.
Mark Hachman / IDG
Unlike an ordinary Theme pack, you wonât have the option of changing the background every hour or every minute. You also donât have the option of flipping through desktop backgrounds to find one you like â yet, anyway. Itâs possible this option may be added in the future.
Weâve criticized Windows 11 for moving away from the warmer environment of Windows 10 to the more productivity-focused Windows 11 UI. This new update certainly brings back a little of the character of Windows 10, and itâs a step forward for the operating system.
People sometimes look at me like Iâm crazy when I say I have four browsers installed on my PCsâand that I use them all.
Using more than one browser at a time isnât entirely unusual, though. Iâm not alone in segmenting the types of tabs that I open in each program. Iâve seen other people online who say they sandbox their social media accounts in Edge, work email and services in Firefox, and personal stuff in Chrome (for example). While not perfect, this system allows you to keep everything organized, lets you stay logged into alternate accounts, and reduces the info that sites with mandatory third-party cookies can capture.
Maybe youâve been wanting this kind of tidy, privacy-friendly setup too, but just donât want to learn a new browser. Or your taskbar has precious little real estate. Iâve got great news for you: With the Firefox Multi-Account Containers add-on, you can achieve the same effect in just one browser.
Created by Mozilla, this lesser-known extension lets you create containers for tabs. Each one maintains its own set of cookies. So you can log into the same website with a different account in each containerâand also open links from one tab in an entirely different container to keep a tight leash on the reach of third-party cookies.Â
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Once you get going with container tabs, navigating them is simple and fast, thanks to keyboard shortcuts. To find a particular tab, hit CTRL + . to open the menu, then use your arrow keys to select what youâre looking for. To open a new tab in a particular container, press CTRL + SHIFT + [1-9]. For example, CTRL + SHIFT + 1 might open your Social Media containerâthe numbers will correspond with the settings in extensionâs options. You can set them in any order you like, but youâre limited to a maximum of nine such shortcuts.
Color-coding also helps distinguish containers apart from one another and normal tabs. This visual cue is a godsendâa bright stripe in one of eight preset hues appears at the top of each container tab, and you can choose the color for each container. And should your tabs become jumbled, a menu option allows you to immediately group container tabs together for an orderly look.
Thatâs not all, though. Two advanced features give you the ability to route a containerâs traffic through Mozillaâs VPN service (a separate, paid subscription) and set custom proxy settings. Once you adapt to how this extension works, it can be a powerful toolâwhich makes its occasional glitch (e.g., changing a containerâs color doesnât always stick) much more forgivable. Try it out!
Minister says PM in ayellow card territorya after Sue Grayas Partygate report as more MPs hand in letters of no confidence
Anger among Tory backbenchers is spreading amid fallout from the Sue Gray report, with one minister warning Boris Johnson is in ayellow card territorya.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4as Any Questions, the Treasury minister John Glen said he had had a avery frank and very honesta meeting with Johnson to express his and his constituentsa misgivings.
Continue reading...Russiaas defence ministry says town of Lyman is now under full control of its forces, after days of fighting
Russian forces are now in full control of the town of Lyman in eastern Ukraine, the Russian defence ministry has claimed.
Yesterday, Ukraine reported Russia had captured most of Lyman but that its forces were blocking an advance to Sloviansk, a city a half-hour drive further southwest.
Continue reading...Speaking at the gun lobbyas convention, the former US president repeated his call to arm teachers
Donald Trump has said the recent US school shooting is a reason to arm law-abiding citizens, not disarm them.
The former US president was a guest speaker at the National Rifle Association (NRA), which held its annual convention in Houston on Friday.
Continue reading...Nadine Dorries launches explanation of governmentas online safety bill in form of a 41-second clip
It was, perhaps, more straight out of The Thick of It than Compton, but Nadine Dorries seemed undeterred.
In a move that has elicited a somewhat mixed reaction, the culture secretary launched an explanation of the governmentas online safety bill in the form of a 41-second rap on TikTok.
Continue reading...Vincente Gomes is a cousin and former colleague of Emanuel Gomes, who died after going into work with a fever
A government cleaner has described how he and his colleagues feel powerless to refuse difficult situations such as clearing up after parties, amid alleged maltreatment and low pay.
Sue Grayas report on the Partygate scandal disclosed that government cleaners and security guards were subjected to a alack of respect and poor treatmenta while officials drank excessively, spilled wine on the walls and partied into the small hours.
Continue reading...Higher education leaders say ministers think departments are full of aMarxistsa, as top universities fail accreditation process
Leaders in higher education said this week they believed the government was trying to push universities out of teacher training for political reasons because ministers thought their education departments were ahotbeds of leftwing intellectualisma and full of aMarxistsa.
Under changes announced last summer, all initial teacher training providers in England must be re-accredited by the Department for Education to continue educating teachers from 2024. However, two-thirds of providers, including some top universities, were told this month that they had failed the first round of the new accreditation process. The DfE said last week that just 80 providers, out of 216 who are understood to have applied, had made the cut.
Continue reading...Pandemic preparedness chief Sylvie Briand says aunusuala spread of virus can be easily contained with the right measures
The World Health Organization has warned that 200 monkeypox cases found in recent weeks outside countries where the virus usually circulates could be just the beginning.
aWe donat know if we are just seeing the peak of the iceberg [or] if there are many more cases that are undetected in communities,a Sylvie Briand, WHOas epidemic and pandemic preparedness and prevention chief, acknowledged on Friday in a briefing to countries.
Continue reading...Fusako Shigenobu, who served 20 years for French embassy siege, believed to have masterminded deadly Tel Aviv attack
The founder of one of the most feared terrorist organisations of the 1970s has walked free from a Japanese prison after completing a 20-year sentence for the siege of the French embassy in the Netherlands.
Once described as athe empress of terrora, Fusako Shigenobu founded the Japanese Red Army, a radical leftist group that carried out armed attacks worldwide in support of the Palestinian cause.
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