CATEGORIES

Samsung Galaxy Buds2: Good ANC for the Price

Since introducing the Galaxy Buds in 2019, Samsung has iterated on the formula with the Galaxy Buds Live and the Galaxy Buds Pro. The company now has an official successor, the aptly named Galaxy Buds2. The biggest change here is the addition of active noise cancellation (ANC), and it’s quite good for the price ($149.99). The earphones also deliver a powerful, notably bass-forward sound with enough brightness to keep things balanced.

HP Laptop 14-dq2020nr: A Limited Budget Laptop

You probably know that HP’s Pavilion brand is for consumer PCs priced and positioned below its upscale Envy and Spectre lines. But Pavilion is only the second-lowest rung on HP’s notebook-PC ladder. Its budget laptops have no brand at all, just a generic family name: “HP Laptop.”

AMD Ryzen 5 5600G: A Superb Value-Focused Option

As a six-core, 12-thread processor with great integrated graphics, the AMD Ryzen 5 5600G is the CPU that 2021 has been waiting for. A strong successor to older, budget-friendly, gaming-focused CPUs such as the AMD Ryzen 5 3400G, it puts up some of the fastest game frame rates to date from an integrated graphics processor (IGP). Cheaper than the IGP-less Ryzen 5 5600X ($299) and layered in with the highly capable Radeon RX Vega 7 graphics engine, the AMD Ryzen 5 5600G is a serious threat to Intel’s competing Intel Core i5-11600K on CPU grunt and really puts the hammer down once you factor in its gaming results and Radeon Software compatibility. Whether you’re an esports hopeful aiming to get a gaming PC built for cheap or just want a solid IGP-equipped processor to drive low-lift daily computing, the Ryzen 5 5600G is a stellar 7nm AMD desktop processor. With yet another Editors’ Choice award win, AMD’s going to need a bigger trophy case.

Bitdefender Premium VPN: Affordable, Clean Design

A VPN protects your privacy by routing your traffic through an encrypted connection to a remote server, blinding your ISP to your activities and making you harder to track online.

Hands on With macOS Monterey: Improvements Abound

WHAT'S NEW NOW/APPLE

Chegg: Unique Online Learning

Chegg is an online learning service and app that offers students help in a few ways.

How to Manage Your Google Privacy Settings

A privacy policy is meant to be a contract between you and a company—big tech companies in particular—that ensures these companies are keeping your data safe. One company that has an enormous amount of your data, from email and photos to videos to documents, is Google.

WILL THE BATTLE FOR CPU SUPREMACY PUSH THE RIVALS TOGETHER?

For years, neither company has been able to claim absolute victory. But as Amazon, Apple, Google, and other tech giants design and manufacture their own processors, will AMD and Intel circle their wagons?

Fitbit Luxe: Sleek and Stylish

Do you like the idea of a fitness tracker, but you haven’t found one that suits your sense of style? The Fitbit Luxe might be right up your alley.

Sennheiser CX True Wireless: High-Quality Audio

Many of the true wireless earphones we test these days are built with noise cancelation or exercise in mind.

Mushkin Gamma: High-Performance SSD

In recent years, computer memory producer Mushkin has made a name for itself in the market for low-priced internal SSDs, but with its Gamma drive, the company has tried a change in tack—and largely pulls it off.

Durabook S14I: Tough Semi-Rugged Laptop

Buyers of rugged laptops, sturdy systems designed to be bolted to first responders’ dashboards or dropped onto rocky ground, make a distinction between “semi-rugged” and “fully rugged” notebooks— machines rated to survive a fall of three feet versus six feet, say, or pouring rain versus a high-pressure hose.

Valve Index VR Kit: Most Impressive VR Headset Yet

At $999 for the full headset, controllers, and base stations package, the Valve Index is an expensive PC-tethered virtual-reality (VR) system.

Amazon Echo Show 8 (2nd Gen): Just the Right Balance

Reviews/Consumer Electronics

Hisense 350-Sq. Ft. Window Air Conditioner (AW0821CW1W): Smart AC

REVIEWS/ CONSUMER ELECTRONICS

Apple iMac 24-Inch: Best Mac Desktop for Everyday Computing

REVIEWS/HARDWARE

Can Cryptocurrency Replace the US Dollar?

Even though its value is no longer pinned to great stacks of gold in Fort Knox, the US dollar is a stable and trusted currency worldwide.

IS WIKIPEDIA THE MOST RELIABLE SOURCE ON THE INTERNET?

Wikipedia is a fascinating corner of the web—a font of knowledge that leads to unexpected places. But as any teacher or professor will tell you, it’s not a primary source. Use it as a jumping-off point, but scroll to the bottom and seek out original sources for the “truth.”

Alienware m15 Ryzen Edition R5: An Appealing Midrange Laptop

REVIEWS/HARDWARE

Google Pixel Buds A-Series: For Google Assistant Power Users

REVIEWS/CONSUMER ELECTRONICS

Exclusive: OnePlus CEO Reveals Nord N200 Phone Details

OnePlus will raise the bar for budget phones with 5G and a 90Hz display for under $250 in the US, the company revealed exclusively to PCMag in mid-June.

THE FASTEST ISPs OF 2021

The work-from-home era has truly arrived. Fast broadband internet that keeps you productive as well as entertained is paramount. No matter where you live in the country, we’ve pinpointed the ISP that can meet your need for speed.

Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Founders Edition: A Muscled-Up Middle Child

REVIEWS/HARDWARE

What Is Amazon Sidewalk, and How Do You Disable It?

Wouldn’t it be great if your new devices automatically connected to your network and were ready to go in seconds, no fiddling with logins or security codes? And they worked for an entire neighborhood or community?

Tips to Help You Master Google Meet

Video-calling apps have seen plenty of use since the COVID-19 pandemic began, as so many of us are spending more time at home.

Razer Blade 15 Advanced Edition (2021): Portable, Powerful, and Slick

The Razer Blade 15, a perennial favorite among gaming laptops for its premium metal chassis and slick, slim design, has reached new heights this year.

SILICON, USA: THE COMPANIES THAT BUILD TECHNOLOGY IN AMERICA

Samsung

SILICON, USA: TECHNOLOGY MADE IN AMERICA

Ever tried to buy a computer made entirely of US parts and assembled here? You can’t. But here are 46 companies making high-quality tech products in the United States.

Shark IQ Robot Self-Empty XL R101AE: True Hands-Free Robot Vacuum

The point of using a robot vacuum is to cut down on your housework, but most of these devices need to be emptied and cleaned often, adding at least one more chore to your list.

Razer Orochi V2 Wireless Gaming Mouse: Game on the Go

Pocket mice are typically associated with productivity, given their portable, lightweight designs that let you work in an airport, coffee shop, or office.