If you’re an avid reader, an Amazon Kindle just makes sense. You can carry hundreds of books with you everywhere you go, and you don’t have to break your back doing it. The thing is, the Kindle doesn’t go on sale very often, which is why this rare discount is so exciting. Right now, you can get the Kindle for just $85 on Amazon, down from its usual $100. It might not be the best price we’ve seen, but you won’t find it cheaper outside of the holiday season. This latest version of the Amazon Kindle is one of the best e-readers on the market. The 300PPI resolution makes reading any book a pleasure with its sharp text and vivid images. The glare-free paper-like screen is great under any lighting conditions, too. And when you’re going to read in the dark, you can use the adjustable front light for greater comfort on the eyes. The beauty of the Kindle is that you can enjoy your stories without any distractions from pinging messages, social media notifications, or email alerts. Simply get lost in a world of your choosing and forget that reality is a dumpster fire most days. If you’ve been eyeing a Kindle, this is a great time to get one. Grab the Kindle for just $85 on Amazon and start reading like a boss. The Amazon Kindle is rarely discounted like thisBuy now on Amazon

In 2023, Microsoft announced that the Mail, Calendar, and People apps on Windows were officially coming to an end and would be replaced by Outlook for Windows. Those apps are still available on the Microsoft Store, but only until December 31, 2024. From then on, we’ll only have Outlook for Windows — and up until now, that’s been a sore point for many users who have criticized the newer app’s lack of many features from the older apps. But it seems as if Microsoft has listened and taken the criticism to heart. According to Windows Latest, you can expect to see around 30 new features added to the Outlook app later this year. The new features will include support for PST files, better control over email retention lengths, and the ability to pin important folders to the top of the app. If you’re interested in AI assistance, Copilot will be able to help you rewrite portions of your email before sending it off. A complete list of all upcoming changes to Outlook for Windows can be found on the official Microsoft 365 site.

Most computers and storage drives still use the common SATA or PCIe 3.0 interfaces to sling your bits of data around, but if you’re lucky enough to own a relatively modern PC, you might be able to upgrade to a solid-state drive (SSD) built on the insanely fast PCIe 4.0 protocol. We’ve tested several PCIe 4.0 SSDs and the best one to cross our labs thus far is the Solidgm P44 Pro in a field of tough contenders thanks to ferociously fast speeds only rivaled by next-gen PCIe 5.0 SSDs. Read on to learn more, including what to look for in PCIe 4.0 SSD. Why you should trust us: We’re not called PCWorld for nothing. Our reviewers have been testing PC hardware for decades. Our storage evaluations are exhaustive, testing the limits of every product — from performance benchmarks to the practicalities of regular use. As PC users ourselves, we know what makes a killer product stand out. Only the best SSDs make this list. For more about our testing process, scroll to the bottom of this article. Updated August 26, 2024 to add the WD Blue SN5000 as our new pick for best budget PCIe 4.0 SSD. See our summary below to learn more about this great everyday performer that offers excellent value at up to 4TB. If you’re looking to maximize your SSD’s speed (and who isn’t?), check out these 6 simple tweaks and tips to ensure you aren’t leaving any performance on the table. Solidigm P44 Pro SSD – Best PCIe 4.0 SSD Pros Fastest PCIe 4.0 SSD to date DRAM facilitates excellent random performance Synergy low-level Windows driver improves random performance further Cons Inconsistent pricing on web Price When Reviewed: 512GB: $79.99 I 1TB: $129.99 I 2TB: $219..99 Best Prices Today: $113.40 at AmazonNot Available at Adorama The Solidigm P44 Pro is without a doubt the fastest PCIe 4.0 drive we have ever tested. In fact, it finished within the top five fastest drives in our tests, and was only beaten by three next-gen PCIe 5.0 drives. Plus, by installing the Solidigm Windows driver you can further improve random performance in small read/writes making it even faster during everyday use. Not only is the Solidigm P44 Pro performance top-notch, but it also has a very reasonable price so long as you shop at the right place—we found that pricing varies widely online from retailer to retailer. This is not only the best PCIe 4.0 drive on the market, but also one of the best SSDs period. And despite stiff competition from a crowded field of other excellent PCIe 4.0 drives it holds its own at the top. Read our full Solidigm P44 Pro review WD Black SN850X – Best PCIe 4.0 SSD runner-up Pros Excellent performance Decently affordable given its speed Available up to 4TB Optional heatsink for 1/2TB models Cons Pricey per gigabyte Somewhat parsimonious TBW ratings Price When Reviewed: $159 for 1TB I $289 for 2TB I $699 for 4TB Best Prices Today: $66.99 at Walmart$89.99 at Adorama$89.99 at Amazon The WD Black SN850X is a screaming-fast drive and ranks right up next to the FireCuda 530 near the top in terms of speed. The reason the WD Black SN850X edges out that drive as our pick for best PCIe 4.0 runner-up is that it offers better value for the money—not only does it give you the same great speed as the FireCuda, but it does so at a lower price per GB. Also, in terms of overall performance, the SN850X stands out with its excellent real-world transfer rates and outstanding random write performance. In the crowded field of great PCIe 4.0 SSDs, the WD Black SN850X holds its own despite stiff competition. Read our full WD Black SN850X review WD SN5000 NVMe SSD – Best budget PCIe 4.0 SSD Pros Good everyday performance Very affordable Fastest NVMe SSD of any ilk we’ve tested writing 450GB Cons Top performance requires HMB support Price When Reviewed: 500GB: $80 I 1TB: $90 I 2TB: $150 I 4TB: $290 Best Prices Today: $69.99 at WD With PCIe 5.0 drives coming to market, we’re finally starting to see companies offering budget PCIe 4.0 NVMe drives at compelling prices. Our previous pick, the WD Blue SN580 NVMe SSD, has just been supplanted by WD’s Blue SN5000. At just $75 for a 1TB model at the time of writing, and with speedy transfers, you won’t likely find a better value PCIe 4.0 drive. In our testing, this drive proved to be among the fastest Host Memory Buffer (HMB) SSDs we’ve tested. And unlike the SN580 before it, the SN5000 didn’t falter at the 450GB transfer test, but instead tied the record among all SSDs. Read our full WD SN5000 NVMe SSD review Crucial P310 (2230) – Best PCIe 4.0 SSD for Steam Deck Pros Fastest 2230 SSD we’ve tested Available with up to 2TB of capacity Cons Low TBW endurance rating Price When Reviewed: 1TB: $115 I 2TB: $215 Best Prices Today: $114.99 at Crucial If you need a 2230 NVMe SSD for your Steam Deck or other size-constrained device, look no further than the Crucial P310. This is the fastest 2230 SSD we’ve tested, and by a rather large margin. It bested our previous favorite 2230 drive — the WD Black SN770M — in every benchmark save for the 450GB transfer, where it lost steam at the 85 percent mark after running out of secondary cache. But large transfers are rare for most users. The P310 is a little more pricey than the SN770M, too, but not by much more than $10 for both the 1TB and 2TB offerings. If optimum speed is what you’re after, and you don’t foresee regularly moving large amounts of data, the P310 is the ticket. Read our full Crucial P310 NVMe SSD (2230) review Seagate Game Drive – Best PCIe 4.0 SSD for PS5 Pros Very good overall performance Excellent 4K performance Low-profile heatsink Twice the TBW rating of the competition Cons A bit pricey No 4TB model Price When Reviewed: 1TB: $100 I 2TB: $150 Best Prices Today: $121.48 at Amazon$134 at Walmart Electronics$134.99 at Best Buy The Seagate Game Drive is a PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD that was made specifically for next-gen consoles—the PS5 in particular. And it doesn’t disappoint. It features DRAM for primary caching duties, which is a bit unique and almost essential for Sony’s console system. The PS5 doesn’t support HMB, so a drive such as this with DRAM cache is the optimal choice. The drive comes in 1TB and 2TB models, meaning you’ll have plenty of space to store all of your games should you need it. While the Seagate Game Drive is optimized for a PS5, it’s no slouch as a regular SSD either. In our speed tests it did remarkably well, earning the spot as the second-fastest PCIe 4.0 SSD with random ops that we’ve ever tested. Seagate also provides a generous five-year warranty with the drive and it has an astounding 1,275TBW rating—more than double the industry norm. PS5 owners simply can’t go wrong with the Seagate Game Drive. Read our full Seagate Game Drive PS5 NVMe SSD review Corsair MP600 Micro 2242 SSD – Best 2242 form factor SSD Pros Direct fit for Lenovo 2242 M.2 slots Good performance Priced affordably Cons Too long for 2230 slots Price When Reviewed: 1TB: $99.99 Best Prices Today: $94.99 at Corsair The Corsair MP600 Micro fills the niche of devices that can accommodate an SSD that’s larger than the 2230 form factor used by game consoles, but not as large as the standard 2280 modules that are most often found for PCs. We’re talking about the 2242 form factor — meaning 22mm wide by 42mm long. Lenovo set off this trend with its Legion Go and Thinkpad portables. And owners of those devices should be pleased to know there are some respectable options for storage upgrades — the best of which is the Corsair MP600 Micro. This isn’t the fastest PCIe 4.0 drive we’ve tested, but among the class of truncated drives we’ve tested, it turned out very competitive performance. Currently, you’ll only find the MP600 Micro in 1TB capacity. For shoppers who want more space, see the Crucial P310 above, which is a 2230 drive in up to 2TB — which will require an adapter. Read our full Corsair MP600 Micro 2242 SSD review What to look for in an SSD There are a few things to look out for, but most importantly you’ll want to focus on capacity, price, and warranty length. Three-year warranties are standard, but some nicer models are guaranteed for up to five years. And unlike the olden days of SSDs, modern drives won’t wear out with normal consumer usage, as Tech Report tested and proved years ago with a grueling endurance test. Another crucial thing to watch out for is the technology used to connect the SSD to your PC. For more details and buying advice you can read our in-depth guide on which type of SSD you should buy. SATA: This refers to both the connection type and the transfer protocol, which is used to connect most 2.5-inch and 3.5-inch hard drives and SSDs to your PC. SATA III speeds can hit roughly 600MBps, and most—but not all—modern drives max it out. (More on that in the next section.) PCIe: This interface taps into four of your computer’s PCIe lanes to blow away SATA speeds, to the tune of nearly 4GBps over PCIe gen 3. Those sort of face-melting speeds pair nicely with supercharged NVMe drives. Both the PCIe lanes in your motherboard and the M.2 slot in your motherboard can be wired to support the PCIe interface, and you can buy adapters that allow you to slot “gumstick” M.2 drives into a PCIe lane. PCIe 4.0 drives are significantly faster, but require an AMD Ryzen 3000-series or Intel Core 11th-gen (or newer) processor, along with a compatible PCIe 4.0 motherboard. NVMe: Non-Volatile Memory Express technology takes advantage of PCIe’s bountiful bandwidth to create blisteringly fast SSDs that blow SATA-based drives out of the water. Check out PCWorld’s “Everything you need to know about NVMe” for a nitty-gritty deep-dive. M.2: This is where things get tricky. Many people assume M.2 drives all use NVMe technology and PCIe speeds, but that’s not true. M.2 is just a form factor. Sure, most M.2 SSDs use NVMe, but some still stick to SATA. Do your homework. Many modern Ultrabooks rely on M.2 for storage. U.2 and mSATA: You may also stumble across mSATA and U.2 SSDs, but both motherboard support and product availability are rare for those formats. Some older Ultrabooks included mSATA before M.2 became popular, and drives are still available if you need them. Speed matters, of course, but as we said most modern SSDs saturate the SATA III interface. Not all of them, though. How we test SSDs We test SSDs using a variety of synthetic benchmarks (such as CrystalDiskMark 6’s various tests) and real-world tests, including 48GB transfers that showcase how a drive performs during common tasks, and also a demanding 450GB transfer test that pushes an SSD’s cache performance to the limit. The PCIe 4.0 testing was done on an MSI MEG X570 motherboard socketing an AMD Ryzen 7 3700X 8-core CPU, using the same Kingston DRAM, cards, and software. All testing is performed on an empty, or nearly empty drive. Note: performance will decrease as the drive fills up. To learn more about our testing methodology see PCWorld’s article on how we test internal SSDs.

Okay, I gotta be honest: I’m having a really hard time resisting the urge to buy this thing. I’ve been waiting for Samsung to make its double-4K ultrawide in OLED, but this 49-incher by MSI is on sale for just $870 on Amazon and it’s seriously too good to pass up. That’s almost the same price we’ve been seeing for 34-inch ultrawide OLEDs. The MSI MPG 491CQP (rolls off the tongue, huh?) is pretty much the same monitor we’ve seen from other vendors with 49-inch super-mega-ultrawide OLED panels, like Samsung, LG, Asus, and Gigabyte. It has a 5120×1440 resolution, which essentially makes it two 27-inch 1440p screens smooshed together on one huge curved panel. It’s not the fastest display in the world with its 144Hz refresh rate, but that’s still a lot of frames to push at full resolution even for a beefy gaming desktop. With its 0.03ms response time, it’s equipped and ready for some competitive esports, too. This monitor has a few extras that aren’t always available, even from more expensive brands. Notably it supports USB-C video with up to 90 watts of Power Delivery, making this monitor a fantastic companion for a gaming laptop. You get a DisplayPort 1.4 port and two HDMI 2.1 ports, plus a couple of USB-A ports for accessories. I actually like that it doesn’t include any dinky speakers or RGB on the rear. It does support standard 100x100mm VESA mounts for monitor arms, though you’ll probably need a deluxe version to handle the extra weight of this large display. And for peace of mind, MSI includes a three-year warranty on the OLED panel covering burn-in issues. This is a steep discount off the original $1,100 retail price. It previously had an on-page coupon for an additional $40 off, but that seems to have expired. Amazon is marking this as a “limited time deal,” so if you’ve decided you’re ready to buy, I’d get your order in quickly. Get this 49-inch OLED ultrawide monitor for an insane priceBuy now on Amazon If you miss it on Amazon, you can also check Best Buy, Newegg, and Walmart for the same model on sale for just $10 more.

The Year of the Linux Desktop has become something of a sad meme in recent years, but the truth is that Linux as an alternative to Windows and macOS has never been more popular — both in terms of total users and relative market share of operating systems. A recent analysis shows dips in Windows, macOS, and ChromeOS while Linux steadily climbs upward. See for yourself in StatCounter’s regular update on desktop market share with numbers for July 2024. Note: Here, “desktop” includes laptops, all-in-ones, mini devices like the Raspberry Pi that are using a Linux-derived OS, etc. Basically anything that runs a conventional windowed operating system. Also, StatCounter separates ChromeOS as its own platform, even though it’s technically based on the Linux kernel. Linux has been on a slow-but-steady rise for years, but as of July, it’s at 4.44 percent of the worldwide desktop market. If it keeps this pace up, it could break through five percent in early 2025. As Tom’s Hardware notes, there’s a small but definite bump in Linux users since the Steam Deck became a breakout hit for the gaming market in 2022. The Steam Deck isn’t up front about its Linux roots, but Valve does use Linux as a base for its SteamOS software, the same as it did for the original console-style Steam Machines. Windows remains the de facto standard for PC gaming, but SteamOS is gaining users at a rapid pace according to Valve’s own surveys — and Valve isn’t resting on its laurels, either. Recent interviews and release notes indicate that the company is working on builds of SteamOS for other gaming handhelds, specifically the Asus ROG Ally. It’s also worth pointing out that more conventional desktop and laptop users aren’t exactly thrilled with Windows as of late. Microsoft’s increasing push to get Windows 10 users onto Windows 11, plus more and more intrusive advertising, plus bloating the OS with “AI” features, plus pokes to upgrade to subscription services isn’t winning any fans. And that’s not to mention all the users around the world using mobile platforms as their primary means of accessing the internet, or the “touchscreen generation” who are growing up without any interest in conventional PCs at all. It’s easy to see why Linux is becoming a bigger part of the discussion as the relative prevalence of PCs declines for consumers, even while the total number of users continues to increase.

Earlier this summer, I decided to splurge on a Logitech MX Keys keyboard for myself — and let me tell you, there’s no going back once you’ve tried one of these. It’s seriously a game-changer. Right now, the Logitech MX Keys Mini is on sale for $80 on Amazon, down from its usual $100. This price drop matches the best price it’s ever been, making it a fantastic deal to jump on. Note that this is the MX Keys Mini, which is smaller and more compact than the MX Keys I have. But other than the missing extra keys, the MX Keys Mini is identical in pretty much every other way. The Logitech MX Keys Mini is designed for people who spend hours upon hours in front of a computer, typing away for work or fun. The keys have a low profile, they’re fairly silent, and they’re comfortably tactile. The keyboard’s build is sturdy and high quality. The keycaps are shaped to fit your fingertips, providing an ergonomic typing experience that’s better for you during those long-hour sessions spent clacking away. It’s wireless with a rechargeable battery that recharges using a USB-C cable. On a full charge, it lasts about two weeks or so (depending on how much you use it, of course). The MX Keys Mini keyboard can pair with up to three devices, and you can quickly swap between them with the tap of a button. Not just Windows devices, this keyboard is compatible with MacBooks, iPhones, iPads, Android gadgets, and more. The keyboard also has loads of extra smart buttons, allowing you to do things like voice-to-text, microphone muting and unmuting, and even emoji input. The keys have smart backlighting, which toggle on and off as your hands approach and adjust to ambient brightness. Don’t miss out on this awesome deal for a fantastic low-profile keyboard that’s both sleek and functional — get the Logitech MX Keys Mini for just $80 at Amazon while you still can. The Logitech MX Keys Mini is at its best-ever priceBuy now on Amazon

At a glanceExpert's Rating ProsHigh quality in the right lightGood control for Windows and MacExtra effects with GeForceConsDoubtful with wrong lightNo microphoneNo control for Windows on ArmOur VerdictThe Facecam Neo, the latest offering from Elgato, is designed to make professional streaming as easy as possible. Price When Reviewed$99.99 Best Prices Today: Elgato Facecam Neo Retailer Price $99.99 View Deal Elgato $99.99 View Deal $99.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Whether you’re streaming a work call or a popular video game, you’re going to need a webcam that makes you look good. The Facecam Neo, the latest offering from Elgato, is designed to make professional streaming as easy as possible. The Elgato Facecam Neo is sold as either as a standalone product or in a kit that includes other gadgets such as a microphone, a light panel, and so on. As a standalone product, it costs $99.99. For that price, you get a sturdy little camera that can be angled vertically and swiveled sideways. It’s a nice camera, but it definitely has its limitations, which we’ll dive into below. Further reading: Best webcams 2024: Top picks and expert buying advice Elgato Facecam Neo: Easy to hook onto your screen You get a bracket to hook the webcam onto a screen and it sits firmly. It can also be used to stand it on a table, slightly elevated. Otherwise, you can also attach it to a stand of your choice, there are standard threads for it at the bottom. The screen mount comes separately and you can screw the camera to any tripod instead. The screen mount comes separately and you can screw the camera to any tripod instead.Mattias Inghe The screen mount comes separately and you can screw the camera to any tripod instead.Mattias Inghe Mattias Inghe The camera has a USB-C cable attached, so that’s the only way to connect it to a computer unless you buy your own adapter for USB-A. Elgato doesn’t specify whether it’s a USB 2.0 or 3.0. However, according to the stated system requirements, a USB 2.0 port on the computer should be sufficient and there shouldn’t be any compromise on image quality. The camera delivers 1920×1080 pixels at 60 Hz at best, with a signal that does not seem to contain too much compression. I don’t see any otherwise typical jpeg artefacts in video recorded with it, just some banding in tinted areas. Whether it can do that with a USB 2.0 connection I don’t know, I didn’t actually have a port to plug it into and test. But most Type C ports today are USB 3 model, so it shouldn’t be a problem. The Facecam Neo has no built-in microphone. For audio, you’ll need to connect to an external microphone or use a headset. Cooling grille with self-draught on the back. Cooling grille with self-draught on the back.Mattias Inghe Cooling grille with self-draught on the back.Mattias Inghe Mattias Inghe Elgato Facecam Neo: Looks good, but only in the right light The image quality is good thanks to a CMOS sensor and large aperture, autofocus, and optics with a 26 millimeter focal length that gives it a 77 degree angle of view. In 60 Hz image mode, the response is instantaneous and the image is completely free of blur and the image shows crisp details. It can be really good with the right lighting, with studio light, or incident daylight, but the image can also be annoyingly dark. I get harsh contrast and excessive color saturation when testing with just indoor lighting late at night in my home office. Skin tones become mottled and shades are unflatteringly emphasized. I don’t usually like the beauty filters found in many smartphone cameras, but here I actually started longing for something similar. Or at least better automatic light compensation. Other webcams are better this. The camera can deliver the right image, but the only thing that works with plug and play auto is the excellent white balance. To get a handle on excessive mottling and harsh contrast, I need to go into Camera Hub. To get a handle on excessive mottling and harsh contrast, I need to go into Camera Hub.Mattias Inghe To get a handle on excessive mottling and harsh contrast, I need to go into Camera Hub.Mattias Inghe Mattias Inghe Elgato Facecam Neo: Competent software works best with GeForce Let’s talk about the Camera Hub program real quick. It gives you control over digital zoom and crop with face tracking, contrast, light level, sharpening filters, saturation, and color temperature control as well as various HDR, noise reduction, and anti-flicker options. If you want to have good control over your image, this program is a must. It’s not as difficult as it may seem, though. I needed to adjust the light and contrast sliders to add more natural-looking skin colors to my face. With more light in a room, the quality increases dramatically. Camera Hub also includes AI-supported image effects in collaboration with Nvidia Broadcast, if you have a compatible graphics card for it. It can provide unmasking for green screen effect or blurred background and there are a bunch of presets for backgrounds. You also get an eye contact effect, which is very effective. However, these only work if you have an Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 or better. Five minutes with the image sliders and GeForce effects and it looks better. The effect that fakes eye contact is one of the better ones I’ve tried. Five minutes with the image sliders and GeForce effects and it looks better. The effect that fakes eye contact is one of the better ones I’ve tried.Mattias Inghe Five minutes with the image sliders and GeForce effects and it looks better. The effect that fakes eye contact is one of the better ones I’ve tried.Mattias Inghe Mattias Inghe Elgato Facecam Neo: Needs more support Elgato specifies Windows 10, Mac OS 13, iPad OS 17, or later as system requirements for the camera. For Windows computers, the specifications require an Intel and AMD processor. However, it complies with the UVC standard and should work with other systems such as Chromebooks and new Windows computers with Snapdragon processors. I tried it on a Snapdragon X laptop and can confirm that plug and play installation works there, too. What limits compatibility is that Elgato doesn’t have Camera Hub for systems other than Windows and macOS. Trying to install the existing Windows version on a new Snapdragon X laptop will not work. The way around this is running the Camera Hub on a computer that supports it. Just plug the camera in, save locally to the camera’s built-in flash memory, and then plug it into your Snapdragon laptop. Let’s hope they fix the Arm-compatible Windows version of Camera Hub (and their other applications) soon. It would be a shame if Elgato gets left behind on that point. If you don’t have it, you’ll have to rely on better lighting and manual greenscreen. Neatly placed on a desktop screen. Neatly placed on a desktop screen.Mattias Inghe Neatly placed on a desktop screen.Mattias Inghe Mattias Inghe Elgato Facecam Neo: Conclusion I do wonder if the Facecam Neo is worth the investment. There are plenty of other Arm-compatible webcams out there that come with built-in microphones. If you’re willing to get the kit that includes a small microphone and a light panel, it might be a good fit. However, as standalone camera for the video meeting, it’s questionable. Elgato Facecam Neo: Specifications Product Name: Elgato Facecam NeoTested: August 2024
Manufacturer: Elgato
Interface: Usb 2.0 Type C
Resolution: Up to 1080p
Frame Rate: Up to 60 Hz. 1080p/60Hz
Microphone: No
System requirements: Windows 10, MacOS 12 or later, USB-C 2.0
Features: Autofocus, Auto HDR, tripod mount, monitor mount, Camera Hub (for Windows and MacOS)
Price: Rating: 3.5 out of 5

AMD’s hotly anticipated Ryzen 9000 desktop processors launched earlier this month, and well, the gaming performance improvements seen by independent reviewers weren’t as hot as expected – or as hot as AMD attested to in early marketing statements. So what happened? It’s been a long, winding road as reviewers and AMD alike hunted down answers. Last night, AMD released a community post pointing the finger at a confluence of various issues: A difference in the Windows mode used for testing, VBS security settings, how rival Intel systems were configured, and – as ever – the specific games benchmarked. Phew. Today, David McAfee (who leads AMD’s client channel segment) joined us for a special edition of The Full Nerd to untangle the mess and explain exactly what happened. As you read the blog post (and listen to David’s chat), it becomes clear: A big part of this stems from how AMD tested versus how reviewers tested, and not just the games chosen. Here’s a tidbit from AMD’s post: “The ‘Zen 5’ architecture incorporates a wider branch prediction capacity than prior ‘Zen’ generations. Our automated test methodology was run in ‘Admin’ mode which produced results that reflect branch prediction code optimizations not present in the version of Windows reviewers used to test Ryzen 9000 Series. We have a further update on accessing this performance for users below.” PC users will be able to tap into those performance improvements when Windows 11’s annual feature update, dubbed “24H2” for now, starts to roll out later this year – its branch prediction optimizations mimic the Super Admin changes AMD tested with. (The always-excellent Wendell of Level1Techs already has a nice and nerdy analysis video about the patch, which is available to Windows 11 Insider preview testers.) Update: Hardware Unboxed tested the Ryzen 7 9700X across 40 games with Windows 11 24H2 preview installed and found truly massive gaming gains — an average of 10 percent over the performance of the current Windows build, with several games running 20 percent faster and a handful hitting blistering 30 percent performance improvements. It’s a truly wild, jaw-dropping performance improvement for an operating system upgrade. Read more about it here. But nobody should be using Super Admin mode to run games, and McAfee stressed that in the interview. Why does AMD do so, and why were the differences so pronounced this generation? It’s all about AMD’s established, automated testing framework, which runs in Super Admin mode and is necessary to be able to tests products at scale across multiple hardware configurations. It created a blind spot, McAfee said. “Historically, when our automation framework was built, the difference between performance in Super Admin mode and what you’d consider user mode when testing was negligible – there was very little difference there. That has changed over time, and quite honestly, it was a change we were blind to. When we collected this data, we didn’t see that difference because for several generations we were using that same framework to collect data through out automation suite. So clearly an oversight on our part, clearly something where we were a bit disconnected from how reviewers were testing these applications and how users were playing games on their systems. And that’s been corrected in the way that we collect data for our products going forward.” The change that AMD was blind to is part of what bit its initial marketing numbers for Ryzen 9000. “What we tested for Computex was running current shipping build of Windows, 23H2, but it was run in the Super Admin mode that bypasses a number of the security layers in Windows and gets closer to the bare metal performance. It’s a case of an oversight of how much a performance delta there was in those two operating modes.” Willis Lai/Foundry Willis Lai/Foundry Willis Lai/Foundry McAfee – and AMD’s community post – also touches on how game selection and even game scene selection can influence benchmark results, a fact alluded to by Hardware Unboxed’s continued excellent coverage of this saga. Whether you use a built-in benchmark or manually run through in-game scenes for testing matters, as McAfee elaborated. “Even within an individual game, the balance of the system where portions of a game which lean heavier on the CPU versus lean heavier on the GPU result in massive differences in relative performance between product A and product B. I think you can look at many games where you can look at significant differences between the two products, and move to another scene where you effectively get clarity between the two.” You can hear McAfee talk much more about how AMD chose its Ryzen 9000 gaming benchmarks, including how the company was surprised by some reviewer tests this generation, around the 30 minute mark of the interview. It’s a fascinating listen – you can tell there’s clear thought and intent going into the process, and it’s simply not a case of “benchmark games that show us in the best light,” as some community members have been implying across the web. Willis Lai / Foundry Willis Lai / Foundry Willis Lai / Foundry One final bit to touch on before I encourage you to go watch the full, genuinely insightful interview. Towards the end, my cohost Gordon Mah Ung asks simply: “Is AMD blaming reviewers here? Did hardware reviewers screw this up?” “Not at all,” McAfee said. “At the end of the day, there were a series of decisions that AMD made, that differed from how reviewers were testing, that led to different conclusions,” McAfee said. “This is not saying that reviewers did anything wrong, or that there’s anything in the process of how these reviews were done that was incorrect. We were as puzzled by some of the results that reviewers were seeing as the Ryzen fans are out there in the world, and that’s really what led us to this sort of multi-layered conclusion that there’s a number of factors going on here that created that separation. This is no shade whatsoever on reviewers and how they tested, this is completely on things that we didn’t really understand as a part of the way that we tested and configured our products, and how that differed from both reviewer game suites moving in a slightly different direction, as well as how they tested the product versus how we did. It’s not a criticism of reviewers or how they test, simply significant differences in setup and configuration that got us from point A to point B and I think we understand that now.” And you’ll also understand how a series of molehills turned into a mountain once you watch our full AMD Ryzen interview with David McAfee. This recap is just the tip of the iceberg – check out the entire talk for many more interesting details, such as why AMD configured Intel test systems the way they did, how Windows 11’s VBS feature affects all this, whether Windows 10 users will also get branch prediction optimizations, why AMD didn’t delay Ryzen 9000’s launch given this confusion (it makes sense!), core parking, and a whole lot more. Don’t expect Ryzen 9000 chips to suddenly leap forward in gaming performance even under the best case scenarios — as McAfee said, independent reviewers did everything right here, and our numbers are out — but it’s good to understand where such a big disconnect stemmed from. This also serves as another reminder to take all vendor-supplied numbers with a big punch of Donnie Brasco-style salt. Be sure to subscribe to our new, dedicated Full Nerd channel on YouTube for special interviews and nerdy PC podcasts like this week-in and week-out. We’ve split the podcast off from the main PCWorld channel so click that button if you don’t want to miss out! Editor’s note: This article originally published on August 22, but was updated August 26 to include results from Hardware Unboxed’s Windows 11 24H2 testing.

With the end of Windows 10 support right around the corner, Microsoft clearly sees this as an opportunity to play around with the operating system’s appearance — and push its other products. In particular, the Redmond-based company has started experimenting with advertisements that aren’t just promoting Windows 11 anymore, but also several other features and products. Get Windows 11 Pro for cheap Windows 11 Pro Price When Reviewed: 199.99 Best Prices Today: $59 at PCWorld Store – Win 11 Pro Upgrade Only | $79.99 at PCWorld Software Store These experiments are hidden within a Windows 10 beta version for now (specifically Insider Build 19045.4842), but one X/Twitter user was able to uncover some of what’s going on. New Start menu, new advertising In this beta version of Window 10, we’re treated to a slightly different Start menu with a new design approach. On the one hand, Microsoft is trying to make it more convenient to use; on the other, Microsoft wants to make more space for advertisements. The new Start menu brings the account view to the forefront, at the top left below the list menu, in order to promote Microsoft 365. The account view itself looks the same as before, but now has a banner to purchase a Microsoft 365 license if you currently don’t have one: New Start menu experiment in Windows 10 Beta/RP (19045.4842) – different positions for the account icon in the navigation pane, as well as some subtle visual changes to the pane. https://t.co/wbrJmevAjd pic.twitter.com/vcdJLyyzZt— phantomofearth 🌳 (@phantomofearth) August 23, 2024 It’s not unlike Windows 11’s ads Obviously, Microsoft wants to promote its own products and services, and it makes sense to do so within their own operating system. For example, we saw a similar tactic taken with OneDrive ads. More recently, Microsoft began pushing Microsoft 365 in Windows 11 using a near-identical method: ads in the Start menu. This change was annoying for many, but at least it could be disabled. Will these Start menu ads make their way to the regular, non-beta version of Windows 10? That’s yet unclear. Given that Microsoft is apparently trying to hide the test, it seems as if they’re afraid of criticism — but that has never really stopped them from pushing ads. Quite the opposite! Further reading: How to eradicate Windows 11’s ads with a free tool

It’s rare to find notable deals on gaming laptops outside of big sales events, but here’s one for you: a $250 discount on a Acer Nitro V laptop with an Intel Core i7 processor and RTX 4060 GPU. This rocket of a laptop is $850 at Best Buy right now, down from its MSRP of $1,100. That’s ludicrously cheap for a gaming laptop with an RTX 4060 inside! This deal is perfect for gamers or anyone who’s looking for a powerhouse machine that can get work done. The powerful processor coupled with 16GB of RAM ensures snappy performance and smooth multitasking. The cherry on top for this model is, of course, the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 graphics card, which offers top gaming performance that looks great on the 15.6-inch IPS display with its 1920×1080 resolution and fast refresh rate of 144Hz. It’s all rounded out by the 512GB SSD, which should be fast and spacious enough for your game library, work files, and personal photos. Don’t miss this chance to upgrade your gaming rig. This Acer Nitro V laptop is a steal for $850 at Best Buy, and we don’t know how much longer this deal is going to stick around. The Acer Nitro V is a solid, reliable gaming laptopBuy now at Best Buy

The launch of the Ryzen 9000 series was highly anticipated but arrived with a bit of a thud, at least amongst PC gamers. Initial reviews weren’t seeing much of an improvement over the previous-gen CPUs, and they fell far short of AMD’s in-house promotional benchmarks. AMD told us that this was due to a difference in testing environments and that we’d see the same performance gains after an upcoming Windows 11 update. That update, 24H2, is now in the Windows Insider preview build pipeline — you can install it today. Noted YouTube channel Hardware Unboxed did just that, testing the new Ryzen 7 9700X and the equivalent Ryzen 7 7700X from 2022, and comparing the results against the older Windows build. Long story short: The gaming performance gains are massive using the Windows 24H2 build, for both Ryzen chips. Hardware Unboxed recorded performance improvements that averaged around 10 percent across a testing suite of 40+ games on Ryzen 9000, with several games topping 20 percent and extreme outliers running around 30 percent faster. While some optimized titles didn’t get that huge bump — Counter-Strike 2 gained just 2 percent, for example — the performance improvement seems to be pretty consistent. Here’s the full video, with 9700X and 7700X benchmarks on Windows 11 23H2 and the latest 24H2 Insider Preview for a whole bunch of games: AMD’s reasoning for the discrepancy in its initial performance claims and what the first reviews saw is a bit of a self-own. The company says that its testing used a Super Admin mode that had greater access to functions that benefited AMD’s Zen 5 chip architecture with wider branch prediction. Normal users shouldn’t be operating Windows in this way (not even if they want those frames). But the Windows 11 24H2 update should give compatible hardware like the Ryzen 9000 series system-level access to those performance improvements, while keeping users safe. Ten percent improvement in gaming delivers results much more in line with what most consumers were expecting, and far more justifiable as an upgrade — though note that the Windows 11 24H2 gaming boost also applies to the last-gen Ryzen 7 7700X in HUB’s testing. Gamers in particular are looking forward to the X3D variants of these chips, which include extra cache specifically to enhance gaming capabilities. For more info on AMD’s initial testing woes and how the upcoming Windows changes will straighten them out, check out PCWorld’s interview with AMD’s David McAfee from last week.

Connecting to a VPN server hides your traffic by rerouting it through an encrypted tunnel. Your ISP and other outside parties are no longer able to see your online activity—but the one who owns the tunnel still can. All of your data is then solely handled by a VPN provider and that’s why trusting the service to not keep any logs of your activity is imperative. Almost every major VPN provider today will claim to have a “no-logs” policy. But what does that mean exactly, and why is it critical when choosing a VPN service? I’ll break it all down, discuss why it matters, and how to feel safer with your online privacy while using a VPN. If you’re looking for a VPN that you can trust, all of my picks for best VPN services have been thoroughly vetted via independent no-logs audits, so you can rest assured your data will be in safe hands. What is a no-logs policy? A VPN’s “no-logs” policy means the service does not collect—or log—any traffic that passes through its servers, such as private data including browsing history, home IP address, cookies, and files downloaded. This policy represents a VPN’s stance on data retention and commits the company to comprehensive, across-the-board user privacy measures. The issue with no-logs claims is that it’s impossible for a user to verify that their data isn’t being collected from the outside. That’s why many top VPNs go the extra step of hiring external auditors to substantiate these claims. The very best no-logs VPNs provide as much transparency as possible, not only clearly laying out their data collection practices, but also regularly undergoing independent audits. Of course, VPNs do need to collect some user data to make sure the service is properly maintained and running optimally. If the VPN imposes a device limit, it will need to log connection activity. To make sure that servers are not overloaded, a VPN will need to track data usage.  The key here is to make sure that all of these logs are anonymous and/or temporary. A VPN should only store your connection activity for the time you’re online and no longer. Data usage should be taken in aggregate across all users rather than user-by-user in order to fully anonymize each individual’s traffic. All of these practices should be clearly laid out in a VPN provider’s privacy policy and verified via independent audits. Why does no-logs matter with a VPN? If you’re using a VPN it means that you are trying to gain some privacy and anonymity in one way or another. Even if you only use a VPN to get around geo-blocking restrictions with streaming services, you are still looking to hide your true identity and connection location.  Since privacy is the whole point of a VPN, it should go without saying that the VPN shouldn’t act in any way to compromise that privacy. This is where a no-logs policy comes in. It is the cornerstone of a VPN’s commitment to keeping your activity private and anonymous while connected. Casual VPN users might not be too worried about a VPN recording your traffic, but for political dissidents, journalists, lawyers, and people under oppressive regimes, it’s a huge concern. Without sounding too hyperbolic, for those in high-risk situations, a VPN’s trustworthiness can be a matter of life or death. Even in the worst-case event where a government were to seize control of a VPN’s servers, if the service is abiding by a no-logs policy there would be nothing for the authorities to find. This was the case in 2017 for ExpressVPN when Turkish authorities seized one of its servers while investigating a high-profile assassination. ExpressVPN’s no-logs policy was ultimately vindicated as authorities were left empty-handed. I’m not at all saying that VPNs should be used to hide criminal activity, but they should stay true to the policies they promise. How to check what data your VPN collects IPVanish provides a good example of what a clear and transparent privacy policy should look like. IPVanish provides a good example of what a clear and transparent privacy policy should look like. IPVanish IPVanish provides a good example of what a clear and transparent privacy policy should look like. IPVanish IPVanish If you’re looking to use a VPN to keep you safe online, especially when the stakes are high, then you want a service with a clear and transparent privacy policy as well as a proven no-logs track record.  For users who demand the utmost privacy from a VPN, it’s imperative that you meticulously read through the company’s privacy policy before using the service. Sometimes it can be a bit tricky to find these privacy policies through the provider’s website. Your best bet is to do a Google search for “(VPN’s name) + privacy policy” then choose the link directing you to the company’s website. Some privacy policies can be extremely detailed and full of legal boilerplate. It might be a slog to get through, I know, but it’s worth it to find out what data is being collected. As a rule of thumb, if a company does not clearly and transparently describe the data that it does and does not collect, then you should avoid that service.  Also, be sure that the policy states how long the VPN keeps collected data. This may include connection logs and overall data usage. All of this should be either anonymized or stored for a short time only. If your VPN uses RAM-only servers your data is likely to be safer as anything collected is deleted when the servers restart. Lastly, while a company may have a transparent privacy policy, you’ll have to take them at their word unless they can show proof of independent audits. Third-party audits of a VPN service are one of the best (and only) ways a no-logs policy can be verified. Personally, I do not use a VPN unless it has gone through at least an audit in the last year or two. Ideally, a service will go through regular, yearly or twice-a-year audits.

You know how you have to restart your computer after installing a Windows update? And sometimes you even have to reboot several times in a row for everything to apply properly? It’s been the routine for decades now, basically for as long as Windows updates have been around. We hate it because it interrupts our workflows and forces us to start over, often at the most inconvenient times (even if you tell Windows to only schedule at certain times). Well, good news! Microsoft also wants to put a stop to this annoyance, and the change might be coming sooner than you expect. Hotpatching comes to Windows 11? As reported by Windows Latest, Microsoft accidentally published a support page on “Hotpatch for Windows,” referring to a feature that may or may not be coming in Windows 11 24H2, the next major Windows update that’s slated for later this year. Get Windows 11 Pro for cheap Windows 11 Pro Price When Reviewed: 199.99 Best Prices Today: $59 at PCWorld Store – Win 11 Pro Upgrade Only | $79.99 at PCWorld Software Store Whereas a regular software patch is any update that fixes issues or implements new features, a hotpatch is a specific type of patch that can be applied without requiring a restart. For Windows, this would mean being able to update the operating system without the usual reboots involved, making it possible to update in the background without interrupting workflows. X/Twitter user @phantomofearth first discovered the Microsoft support page on hotpatching and shared it via tweet: It's gone. RIP https://t.co/MNX9PDXWKg— phantomofearth 🌳 (@phantomofearth) August 23, 2024 The page was quickly taken down, however, and currently leads to a “Sorry, page not found” error page. You can see an archived version of the page, which was captured by archive.org. (Note that the page doesn’t actually have any details about hotpatching apart from its title.) When are hotpatches coming? Hotpatching for Windows first reared its head as a realized idea back in February 2024, when it appeared as an experimental feature in a Windows 11 Insider Preview Build. With this support page accidentally going live, it’s reasonable to speculate that Windows 11 could possibly get hotpatching this year as part of the major Windows 11 24H2 update to come — at least for x86 versions. Arm versions of Windows may not get it for a while longer. That said, when it does come, hotpatching will only be available for the operating system’s monthly security updates. Patches involving the addition of new features will still need reboots, and certain emergency patches (e.g., for zero-day exploits) may still require restarts. Microsoft has plenty of experience with hotpatching, as the Redmond-based company already uses it for Windows servers and Xbox. We don’t know how hotpatching will work exactly, but you’ll likely have to reboot from time to time despite it. Perhaps every few months. Further reading: Major Windows 11 update is removing these features

Once upon a time, “reinstalling Windows” was an often recommended remedy for all sorts of computer problems. Windows 95 and XP were notorious for becoming less stable over time, with “crap in the machine” in the form of settings left in the Registry, traces of uninstalled programs that had not been properly removed, and other things that lurked. Indeed, many people chose to reinstall from time to time even if the computer showed no symptoms, as part of regular maintenance. get windows 11 pro for cheap Windows 11 Pro Price When Reviewed: 199.99 Best Prices Today: $59 at PCWorld Store – Win 11 Pro Upgrade Only | $79.99 at PCWorld Software Store Windows 10 and 11 are much better at keeping order and cleaning up automatically. Today, frequent reinstallations are not something we at PCWorld or any other experts recommend. But sometimes it can still be appropriate. Maybe you want to make the move from Windows 10 to 11 and prefer to start over with a fresh system instead of upgrading. Maybe you have so much junk in your system that it will simply be easier to reinstall the OS and only install the programs you really need than to sit and remove everything you don’t need by hand. Whatever the reason, this is your guide to a safe and secure computer reset. Before you start Don’t start a reset without first making sure you know you can recover your computer, and more importantly your files, if something goes wrong. Samsung Samsung Samsung 1. Back up No matter how you go about reinstalling Windows, it’s a good idea to review your backups and make sure you don’t have any files on your computer that you don’t have at least one copy of elsewhere. See our roundups of the best backup software and best cloud backup services for recommendations. If you have an external hard drive you can spare that is at least as big as your computer’s internal disc (C:), you can create a clone of it in addition to your regular backups. A clone backup means that you mirror all the contents of the internal disc to the external one, and if something goes wrong, you can restore the same way in the other direction to get your computer back to the way it was before, including all installed programs. Choose a backup program, such as our favorite one, R-Drive Image that will do this. Foundry Foundry Foundry 2. Remember what you have installed today It’s also a good idea to create an inventory of what programs you have installed on your computer, and any extensions and plugins to these. The most common example of the latter is browser plugins, and it is sufficient to take a picture or write down the list of installed extensions in the browser(s) you use. For installed applications, you can use Settings or Control Panel to get a list of all installed applications. You can then use the same list after reinstalling to see which are included in Windows and which are missing. You can then find and install the missing programs you actually want to keep and ignore the rest. 3. Check your software licences If you own any expensive software whose license only allows installation on a certain number of computers, it might be a good idea to deactivate the licence on your computer before you reset it. Otherwise, the old installation will continue to count as one of your authorized installations. This was a bigger problem in the past. Today Adobe and others have features that can automatically move licenses to a new computer or system after reinstallation. But if you have a feeling that a program you’ve bought might get lost, it’s worth checking before you go any further. 4. Windows license key Speaking of licenses, it’s also a good idea to check that you have the Windows license key to activate your computer after reinstallation. Depending on how you acquired the system and have activated it, this may work slightly differently. Foundry Foundry Foundry Open Settings > System > Activation and click on Activation Status. If it says that Windows has been activated with a digital license linked to your Microsoft account, you don’t need to do anything special. As long as you don’t make any hardware changes, the system should activate automatically when you log in to the same Microsoft account after the reinstallation. It may also say that the system is activated with a digital license, but without mentioning anything about your Microsoft account. In this case, you should choose to add an account, otherwise Microsoft may not be able to find the digital license after reinstallation or if you make changes to the hardware. By linking the license to your account, you can activate the system using the activation troubleshooter. However, if it says that the system has been activated with a license key, open Powershell/Terminal and type the following command: wmic path softwareLicensingService get OA3xOriginalProductKey If a key is displayed, you can write it down. If no key is displayed, it is probably because Windows was included when you bought the computer and the key is embedded in the hardware. This means that the same version of Windows should be activated automatically after reinstallation. 5. Synchronize settings Microsoft Microsoft Microsoft If you use a Microsoft account, you can now synchronize many system settings, both between multiple computers and as a kind of settings backup when you reinstall your system. Go to Settings > Accounts > Windows Backup. Here you can activate two features: Remember my apps: The system will offer to automatically install the so-called modern Windows apps you had installed via the Microsoft store. Does not apply to regular programs that are installed with a custom installer. Remember my settings: This saves settings such as Wi-Fi, assistive technology, personalization, and language. In short, most things. When you log in to your account after the reinstallation, the system will read the synced settings and set everything up again. Zapping everything or just the system? How total do you want your reboot to be? That question determines which type of reinstallation you should choose. There are two basic methods of reinstalling, and for each method there are a few different options that affect the outcome. From Settings or through your computer’s recovery environment, you can reinstall Windows over the current installation, and either keep or delete files in the user folder. This will remove installed programs, except those that came with the computer. Creating installation media on a USB stick gives you a few more options, including the ability to reinstall the system and keep both your files and any installed programs. The table below shows the different options. Type of reinstallationOptions for reinstallationWhat happens to programmesFiles in your home folderFiles in other folders and on other discsIn settingsFixing problems with Windows UpdateAll programs and settings are preservedPreservedPreservedIn Settings or via the recovery environmentKeep my filesProgrammes that did not come with the computer are deletedPreservedPreservedIn Settings or via the recovery environmentDelete everythingDeletes programs that did not come with the computerDeletedDeletedWith installation mediaKeep everything (default)All programs and settings are preservedRetainPreservedWith installation mediaKeep personal dataAll programmes are deletedRetainedRetainedWith installation mediaDo not retain anythingAll programmes are deletedDeletedDeletedClean install with installation mediaReformats C: or all disks and partitions. All files and programs are deleted. Caution: Warning! Keep in mind that if you choose to reformat the entire computer with installation media, disks other than C: will also be deleted. Method 1: Via settings The easiest way if the computer still boots is to restore Windows via Settings > System > Recovery. Here you have three options. If you think something is wrong with Windows itself but are not looking to clean up in other ways, you can start by trying Fixing problems with Windows Update. It will download and reinstall all system files without affecting installed programs, settings or your files. If you want to start from scratch instead, select Reset this PC. You will then be given another choice, to keep or delete your own files. Whichever you choose, installed programs will disappear and all settings will be reset. This is a good choice if you want to remove all the old junk that has accumulated over the years, but still want to keep the files in your home folder. You can also access this feature from the Windows recovery environment. Foundry Foundry Foundry With all three options, the system takes care of the rest. The computer will reboot a few times during the process, just like with some system updates. Once that’s done, you’ll have to go through the Windows Welcome Wizard, sign in to your Microsoft account again, and so on. Then you can just start installing programs you really need. You’ll also have to redo some system settings, but if you made sure to synchronize settings (see above), most of them will be restored. Method 2: With installation media These are actually two different methods, but they both start the same way: with a USB stick that turns into installation media. You can create the installation media on any Windows computer, not necessarily the computer you are reinstalling the system on. You need a USB stick of at least 8GB, which will be reformatted (i.e. all files will be deleted), and the Media Creation Tool which you can download here. When you run the program, you will have to choose the edition and language of Windows. After that, select the correct USB drive and click on it. The program will first download Windows and then create the installation media. If the computer boots properly, you can start the reinstallation by running setup.exe on the USB stick via Explorer. The program will chew for a while. Then click past user agreements and other things until you get to a dialog where you can choose what you want to keep. Select the Keep personal files and apps to upgrade in place. The options Keep only personal files and Nothing work as via Reset this computer in Settings (see above). Boot your computer from the USB stick If you have a major problem and Windows doesn’t start up as usual, you can boot your computer from the installation media and reinstall the system from there. Unfortunately, the Windows installer is not very good at handling more than one hard drive or SSD in the computer, so if you have discs other than C: it is a good idea to physically disconnect them. This avoids potential errors and means you don’t risk deleting something you don’t want to delete. You can reconnect the discs once Windows is installed and the computer boots properly. Boot your computer from the USB stick by plugging it in, starting your computer and pressing the button that opens the boot menu. Foundry Foundry Foundry Once it has booted, select the language and keyboard, click next, and then Install now and the installer will start. Fill in the product key or proceed without, and select the correct edition of Windows in the next step. Accept the user agreement and you will be presented with two options: Upgrade or Custom. Upgrade works just like Keep personal files and apps and Fix problems with Windows Update above, and only works if Windows Update can install the system on top of the existing one. All files and installed applications will remain, but the reinstallation may not do any good. Custom can either reinstall Windows and move all your old files to a new folder on C: called Windows.old, or reformat (delete) C: and install a completely new system without any other files on the disc. To keep the old files, select the Windows partition from the list of available partitions and move on without doing anything more. To start from scratch, delete all partitions from your computer’s boot disc, where the current Windows resides. If you have more than one hard drive or SSD in your computer and haven’t unplugged them as I recommend above, you need to be careful here, as you can easily accidentally delete the other disks. Look for a partition that is named something with Windows and is of type Primary. Note the drive number. My Windows partition is on Drive 1. Select each partition on that drive in turn and click Delete. When the whole drive is just Unallocated space you can select it and click Next. The installer will then format the drive appropriately and begin the installation of Windows. Once everything is ready, just sign in to your Microsoft account and let the settings sync if you chose to. Then you can move your files back from the backup and install the programs you need.

If you’re looking to score a fast laptop at a killer price, you’ve come to the right place. Whether you’re on the hunt for a blazing fast gaming rig, an affordable laptop under $500, or an everyday Chromebook, we’ve assembled a list of the best laptop deals available right now, using our finely honed editorial judgement (and thousands of hours of testing experience) to only recommend truly compelling deals on worthwhile notebooks. We’ve separated the recommendations below by best laptop deals under $500, best home use laptop deals, best gaming laptop deals, and best premium laptop deals, to make it easier to find a notebook that fits your budget and needs. For more options, check out PCWorld’s roundup of the best laptops available right now. Best laptop deals (at a glance) Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3, $359 ($140 off at B&H) Lenovo Flex 3, $328.99 ($150.01 off at Best Buy) Samsung Galaxy Book4, $549.99 ($350 off at Samsung) HP Envy x360, $569.99 ($379.01 off at Adorama) HP Victus, $599 ($380 off at Walmart) HP Dragonfly Pro One, $698.99 ($700.01 off at Adorama) LG Gram 14, $899.99 ($200 off at Adorama) Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge, $999.99 ($350 off at Samsung) Origin EON17-X v2, $2,490 ($623 off at Origin)  Best laptop deals under $500 Lenovo Lenovo Lenovo Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3: $359 ($140 off at B&H) If you fancy yourself a casual user (aka someone that likes to browse the web or social media), the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 is the laptop for you. It comes equipped with an Intel Core i3-1315U CPU, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of SSD storage–that’s plenty of oomph for everyday tasks. The 15.6-inch 1920×1080 IPS display is nice, too. It should be clear enough for daily activities like spreadsheet work or watching a YouTube video. It also has a decent port selection with one USB-C and two USB-A. Not bad for a sub-$300 laptop! View Deal Lenovo Lenovo Lenovo Lenovo Flex 3: $328.99 ($150.01 off at Best Buy) Sometimes all you need is an affordable laptop for browsing social media and composing e-mail exchanges. If you’re in the market for such a laptop, the Lenovo Flex 3 is definitely worth considering. It’s powered by a Pentium Silver N6000 processor, which is suitable for day-to-day browsing and streaming Disney+, but not much else. It’s not the fastest processor we’ve ever seen here at PCWorld, but you’ve also got to temper your expectations, as this laptop is specifically designed with basic tasks in mind. However, according to Best Buy reviews, the 1080p touchscreen display is pretty darn crisp, making this machine an excellent value. View Deal Best for home use Samsung Samsung Samsung Samsung Galaxy Book4: $549.99 ($350 off at Samsung) The Samsung Galaxy Book4 is a well-rounded laptop and a great option for most people. It comes loaded with an Intel Core 7 CPU, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB of SSD storage — zippy enough for work, school assignments, surfing the web, watching YouTube, and more. The Galaxy Book4 also has a number of positive reviews on Samsung’s website. Buyers claim this laptop runs fast and the huge display makes “entertainment and gaming a lot of fun.” View Deal HP HP HP HP Envy x360: $569.99 ($379.01 off at Adorama) The HP Envy x360 is powerful, lightweight, and versatile. The 2-in-1 form factor means you can fold the screen back and use the laptop like a tablet, and it comes equipped with a good amount of RAM (16GB) and storage (512GB SSD). The 1080p display is quite large at 15.6-inches and is touch-enabled, which is perfect for habitual notetakers and doodlers. The keyboard is also full-sized and has backlighting–this is great for when you’re using the laptop in low light environments. View Deal Best gaming laptop deals HP HP HP HP Victus: $599 ($380 off at Walmart) The HP Victus contains powerful hardware for the price. It’s outfitted with an Nvidia GeFOrce RTX 4050 graphics card and an AMD Ryzen 5 CPU, so it should have no problem running most modern games. The 15.6-inch 1080p display also has a 144Hz refresh rate and AMD FreeSync Premium technology built-in, so gameplay should be fluid. The 8GB of RAM is pretty light for a gaming laptop, but you can always upgrade later on if need be. If you’re looking for more details regarding this laptop, be sure to check out PCWorld’s comprehensive write-up. View Deal Origin Origin Origin Origin EON17-X v2: $2,490 ($623 off at Origin)  If you’re after the ultimate gaming experience, the Origin EON17-X v2 is the one to get because it’s armed to the teeth with top-tier hardware. Thanks to its Intel Core i9-14900HX CPU and Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 GPU, this laptop will run anything you throw at it. The 17.3-inch 1440p display is ginormous, which really helps to up the immersion factor. And the 240Hz refresh rate is wildly fast, too, which is ideal for fast, action-intensive games like first-person shooters. View Deal Best premium laptop deals HP HP HP HP Dragonfly Pro One: $698.99 ($700.01 off at Adorama) The HP Dragonfly Pro One is a good laptop if you’re a serial multitasker. This baby is packing an AMD Ryzen 7 7736U CPU as well as 16GB of memory and 512GB of SSD storage, so it should be capable of handling a bunch of open tabs and more demanding applications. The 14-inch touch display has a resolution of 1920×1200 and a maximum brightness of 400 nits, which means the picture should be sharp and vibrant. The Ceramic White colorway is also just plain gorgeous and a welcome departure from the grey rectangles we’ve grown accustomed to seeing. View Deal LG LG LG LG Gram 14: $899.99 ($200 off at Adorama) The LG Gram laptops are renowned for their featherlight form factors and the one that’s on sale today is no different in that regard. Weighing just a mere 2.47 pounds, it’s so light it may very well float up into the clouds. It’s also packing decent specs, a large battery, and a vibrant screen with a taller aspect ratio. Let’s get into it. This laptop should have no problem with day-to-day tasks and office work thanks to its Intel Core Ultra 5 CPU, 8GB of RAM, and 512GB of SSD storage. The 14-inch IPS screen has a resolution of 1920×1200 with a 99 percent DCI-P3 color gamut and an aspect ratio of 16:10. Colors should look rich and the taller aspect ratio makes scrolling through documents a heck of a lot easier. Additional features include a 72 watt-hour battery (impressive given how thin this laptop is), Dolby Atmos sound, and a full size backlit keyboard. View Deal Samsung Samsung Samsung Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge: $999.99 ($350 off at Samsung) The Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge offers a lightweight form factor, a beautiful touchscreen display, and a super power-efficient Snapdragon X Elite processor. When PCWorld reviewed a slightly different configuration of this laptop, we were floored by the 21+ hour battery life. We expect this model that’s on sale to have similar battery life results, which is why I feel it’s a fantastic option for anyone who travels often. The Galaxy Book4 Edge also weighs just 2.62 pounds, which is perfect for those who travel often. Other cool features include a 14-inch AMOLED touchscreen display with a 120Hz refresh rate, 512GB of SSD storage, and two USB 4.0 ports. View Deal FAQ 1. How much RAM will I need in my laptop? You’ll want at least 8GB, though 16GB is preferable, especially if you play games. Don’t buy laptops with under 4GB of RAM or 128GB of SSD storage—though on a Chromebook or a budget Windows machine, this configuration is acceptable. Check out our article on how much RAM does a laptop need for more in-depth info. 2. What’s the difference between a Chromebook and a Windows laptop? The one big difference between a Chromebook and a Windows laptop is the operating system. Chromebooks run ChromeOS and Windows run, well, Microsoft Windows. Chromebooks make good everyday machines because they’re designed for browsing the web, checking e-mail, and so on. They use less resources and are generally more affordable than the Windows variety. They also don’t need antivirus protection. A Windows laptop is a lot more versatile in what it can do, and not just in terms of running local programs. You can really pump a Windows laptop up with a ton of RAM, storage, and so on. 3. When should I look for a laptop deal? You’ll likely find the best laptop deals during Prime Day (mid-July), Black Friday (November 29th), and back-to-school season (June-August). Sure, you’ll find good laptop deals throughout the year, but if you really want to save big, we’d recommend scoping out your favorite online retailers during those times. 4. Which retailers offer the best deals? You can find all kinds of deals across a wide range of online retailers such as Newegg, Walmart, Best Buy, Amazon, and so on. However, we’d recommend checking out deals from laptop manufacturers like Lenovo, HP, and Dell. You’ll usually find many different configurations on sale and the discounts can be pretty darn steep. For more options, check out PCWorld’s roundup of the best laptops available right now.

Most PC gamers know that a laptop with a discrete GPU from AMD or (most likely) Nvidia is a must-have for playing modern PC games on a portable machine. Yet, despite that, many people find themselves forced to accept an integrated graphics processor (IGP) bundled as part of an Intel, AMD, or Qualcomm Snapdragon processor. GPUs are expensive, tend to run hot, and require a lot of juice, and these problems can make a laptop with a GPU undesirable or unaffordable. So, if you want to game on a laptop with integrated graphics, which should type you buy? To find out we tested five laptops toe-to-toe in eight benchmarks, six of which are popular real-world games you’ve heard of and might even play eagerly. The results show why you need to choose an IGP carefully: it can mean the difference between playing your favorite PC game at a smooth, fluid 60 FPS, or suffering through an unplayable sideshow. The laptops we tested, and how we tested them We tested five laptops, all with different integrated graphics solutions. They include: Microsoft Surface Laptop 13 7th-gen with Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite and Qualcomm Adreno integrated graphics Dell Inspiron 14 Plus with Intel Core Series 7 155H and Intel Arc integrated graphics (with eight Intel Xe cores) Acer Swift Edge 16 with AMD Ryzen 7 8840U and AMD Radeon 780M integrated graphics (RDNA 3, 12 compute units) Asus Zenbook S 16 with AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 and AMD Radeon 880M integrated graphics (RDNA 3.5, 12 compute units) Asus ProArt P16 with AMD Ryzen AI 9 370HX and AMD Radeon 890M integrated graphics (RDNA 3.5, 16 compute units) We selected these laptops because we feel they are popular, mainstream models representative of common configurations. With that said, it’s important to note performance can vary between laptops with the same IGP, depending on the particulars of how a laptop is configured by its manufacturer. Our laptop reviews can provide insight into how laptops other than those tested here perform.  All tests we conducted on external power with the default performance profile and fan mode.  The Asus ProArt P16 also has an Nvidia discrete GPU. It was disabled for our tests.  Finally, keep in mind that very few games available on Windows have an Arm version available, including the games we used for testing. Because of this, the Qualcomm chip (which uses the Arm instruction set) ran games developed for x86 processors through Microsoft’s PRISM emulation. The only exception to this is 3DMark Night Raid, which does offer an Arm-native version. PC game developers currently make little effort to develop games for Windows on Arm, and this is unlikely to change until Steam, GOG, and The Epic Games Store add support for Arm-native PC games. The games  We tested integrated laptops with two synthetic benchmarks from popular benchmarking tool 3DMark alongside a roster of popular PC games. The games were selected to represent a variety of genres that stress a laptop in different ways. We also wanted to test games you’re likely to play, so we stuck to games that are currently popular on Steam. 3DMark Time Spy and Night Raid 3DMark Night Raid and Time Spy are wonderful synthetic benchmarks from UL Solutions. Night Raid is a less demanding benchmark, but notable because it has an Arm native version available on Windows. Time Spy is a more demanding benchmark, though several times removed from the most demanding benchmarks available in 3DMark, and does not have an Arm native version. IDG / Matthew Smith IDG / Matthew Smith IDG / Matthew Smith These results immediately suggest we’ve got a close competition on our hands. The 3DMark Time Spy results are a near thing, and the Night Raid results are even more competitive. On the whole, though, it’s a fight between Intel Arc and AMD Radeon 890M for the top slot. While Arc was quickest in Time Spy, the Radeon 890M took a substantial win in Night Raid. I also want to call out the Qualcomm Adreno’s Night Raid score of 26,553, which is the second-best result from this pack. That indicates Adreno can deliver competitive performance when running an Arm native app. Unfortunately, this is the only Arm native test we ran. Adreno of course performs more poorly under emulation, as shown by the Adreno’s score of just 1,909 in Time Spy. Sid Meier’s Civilization VI Civilization VI is an older game, but it remains extremely popular. It’s also a good fit for integrated graphics, as the game’s visuals don’t overtax integrated GPUs and don’t demand a lot of video memory. IDG / Matthew Smith IDG / Matthew Smith IDG / Matthew Smith Because of that, every integrated GPU except for Qualcomm’s Adreno was able to exceed 60 frames per second, and most were able to deliver that level of performance consistently.  AMD’s Radeon integrated graphics sprint away from Intel Arc, however. The Radeon 780M’s lead over Intel Arc is small, but the newer Radeon 880M springs ahead to a result just shy of 90 frames per second. AMD’s top-of-the-line Radeon 890M is quicker still and manages to exceed an average of 120 frames per second. These improvements are meaningful. They could allow smoother gameplay on high-refresh displays or, alternatively, provide headroom to turn up a few detail settings. DOTA 2 Valve’s DOTA 2 definitely fits in the ranks of “biggest games no one seems to talk about any more,” but make no mistake: it’s still massive, with hundreds of thousands of simultaneous players every day. It’s also light on hardware, which perhaps contributes to its ongoing popularity. IDG / Matthew Smith IDG / Matthew Smith IDG / Matthew Smith AMD Radeon and Intel Arc deliver even performance here. While the Radeon 880M and 890M score a win over Intel Arc, it’s not a major victory. And that win is somewhat counterbalanced by AMD Radeon 780M falling behind Arc. Importantly, all of these options prove capable of playing the game well in excess of 60 frames per second. Qualcomm Adreno unfortunately falls behind once again. DOTA 2 is playable, which is impressive given the game is running through emulation, but it’s roughly half as quick as the AMD Radeon and Intel Arc options.  Final Fantasy XIV Square Enix’s popular MMORPG Final Fantasy XIV received a graphics update in a patch related to the new expansion, Dawntrail. The update doesn’t drastically increase its hardware requirements, but it’s significant enough to once again make Final Fantasy XIV a challenge to run on integrated graphics at the High (Laptop) setting. IDG / Matthew Smith IDG / Matthew Smith IDG / Matthew Smith The field is surprisingly even here. The AMD Radeon 890M, 880M, and Intel Arc solutions all deliver playable performance, although the minimum framerates dip into the mid-20s. In my opinion, players looking to dive into the more difficult content, like raids, would want to change to the Low detail preset for smoother gameplay. AMD’s Radeon 780M falls a bit behind, however. Qualcomm Adreno is behind the pack, but this is in some ways a good result. Again, the game is running under emulation here, and despite the almost painfully low minimum framerate I would call it “barely playable.” However, Adreno is noticeably behind the competition, and I wouldn’t recommend it for this game. Total War: Warhammer III Total War: Warhammer III is a grand strategy game like Civilization VI, but it’s newer and rather demanding on laptop hardware even with graphics detail kept to the Low preset. The game proves too much for some integrated graphics solutions. IDG / Matthew Smith IDG / Matthew Smith IDG / Matthew Smith The Qualcomm Adreno and AMD Radeon 780M fail to deliver a playable experience in this game, as both deliver roughly 24 frames per second. I suppose that might be tolerable in a strategy title like Warhammer III, but the choppiness is pronounced. Intel Arc was only marginally better; though it hit 30 frames per second on average, the minimum framerate was a disappointing 19 frames per second.
However, the AMD Radeon 880M and 890M solutions score wins, as both exceed 30 frames per second on average and deliver an adequate minimum framerate. It’s not the best experience, to be sure, but it’ll do.  The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition is an interesting title. Though over 10 years old, the game’s beautiful visuals can still challenge integrated graphics at 1080p and the game’s High detail preset (Ultra is still generally too much for IGPs).  IDG / Matthew Smith IDG / Matthew Smith IDG / Matthew Smith This game is a win for Intel Arc, which manages to slightly defeat even the AMD Radeon 890M. It’s also a big loss for Qualcomm Adreno, which suffers from rather serious framerate drops. The same is true of the AMD Radeon 780M, at least in the Acer Swift Edge 16, though the issue is less severe.  Cyberpunk 2077 Cyberpunk 2077 is now several years old, but it remains among the most demanding games for modern PCs and, despite a rocky launch, has enjoyed a resurgence in popularity thanks to numerous patches and a successful expansion.  IDG / Matthew Smith IDG / Matthew Smith IDG / Matthew Smith This game does us a favor and delivers a nice, readable graph. Qualcomm’s Adreno is obviously at the rear of the pack, as the game’s average of nearly 21 frames per second is nowhere near playable. Intel Arc and AMD Radeon 780M trade blows north of 30 frames per second, but Arc takes the win between them. AMD’s Radeon 880M roars in and provides a major improvement over the 780M. While the latter is just sorta-kinda playable with these settings, the 880M requires no caveats. AMD’s Radeon 890M, meanwhile, blows away the pack with an excellent average in excess of 60 frames per second. That’s not just playable. It’s truly enjoyable. And it’s the 890M’s most significant performance victory among all the benchmarks and games tested.  Conclusion: AMD and Intel fight toe-to-toe while Qualcomm struggles under emulation The results present a few takeaways anyone shopping for a laptop with integrated graphics should know before making a purchase. It’s clear that AMD’s Radeon 890M is the victor, as it delivers a significant performance increase over the Radeon 880M and the best Intel Arc solutions. In some games, such as Cyberpunk 2077 and Civilization VI, the performance increase was large enough to deliver a boost to fluidity that’s immediately noticeable outside of a benchmark. It’s just a shame the Radeon 890M is only found in the AMD Ryzen AI 9 370HX and AMD Ryzen AI 9 375HX. I expect many laptops with these chips will also have a more performant discrete GPU, which makes the IGP’s performance less relevant. With that said, the Ryzen AI 9 370HX and 375HX could become popular options for mini-desktops. The less powerful, but more common, AMD Radeon 880M is another great solution, but Intel Arc is nearly as good. AMD and Intel fought to an exact tie in these tests: each won four out of the eight tests we ran. If you’re looking for a tie-breaker, I would point out that two of Arc’s four wins were in 3DMark synthetic tests, which arguably hold a bit less weight than real-world game tests. Shoppers should also keep in mind that not all versions of Intel Arc are the same, and some less powerful Intel Core Ultra processors have fewer cores or lower graphics core clock speeds. However, Intel strikes back with availability, at least for now: the Radeon 880M is available only on AMD’s Ryzen AI 9 365 in a handful of machines, while Intel Arc graphics is available in hundreds of mid-range laptops. It’s clear Qualcomm’s Adreno is in a tough spot, as nearly all Windows games lack an Arm native version and must run under emulation, which saps performance. Adreno has a lot of potential, and I’m actually a bit surprised by how well it does in some games. Performance in Final Fantasy XIV and Total War: Warhammer III, for example, was not that far off the AMD Radeon 780M. But whatever the reasons, the reality is Adreno can’t match AMD Radeon and Intel Arc in real-world scenarios. That won’t change until PC game developers decide to support Windows on Arm. On the whole, integrated graphics performance is in a good spot in 2024. A capable IGP, like the AMD Radeon 880M or Intel Arc with eight Xe cores, can play many modern games at 1080p resolution, 30 to 60 frames per second, and low to high detail. Even games like Cyberpunk are playable (if not fluid) thanks to upscaling technologies like AMD’s FSR and Intel’s XeSS.  There’s still reason to be wary, however. Some IGPs available in modern laptops, including older generations of AMD Radeon integrated graphics and Qualcomm’s Adreno, are unlikely to provide a good experience. Fortunately, the most recent AMD Radeon and Intel Arc IGPs aren’t difficult to find and available at affordable prices: the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus with Intel Arc is just $1,000 with 32GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD, and Asus’ Vivobook S delivers the Radeon 880M for $1,200 alongside 24GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD.

College can be extremely expensive — not just with tuition and dorm costs, but with materials, books, software, and more. You might think you have to spend lots of cash on apps to get you through your degree. But, really, you don’t have to spend any money at all! (Except in rare situations where you need a very specific software for class, in which case your college should ideally provide you with a license for it.) Here’s a truly useful collection of free apps that are must-haves for students like you, allowing you to outfit your college laptop with the essential tools to get your work done and do more. Related: Choosing the right laptop for your college major Bitwarden for safer passwords Chris Hoffman / IDG Chris Hoffman / IDG Chris Hoffman / IDG A password manager is one of several essential cybersecurity tools for college students. You’ll probably accumulate lots of different logins for various school accounts and resources, right? Well, a password manager not only keeps all of those logins in one place, but also conveniently fills out login forms on your behalf. You’ll never have to remember your passwords again, which means you can freely use long, strong passwords that are unique to each account for maximum online security with close to zero effort. Bitwarden is our favorite free password manager. It’s open-source and can sync between your devices, so you can access all your passwords with convenient auto-fill whether you’re on your laptop, your phone, or any other device. All of its important features are truly free. Further reading: The best free password managers ProtonVPN for network privacy Chris Hoffman / IDG Chris Hoffman / IDG Chris Hoffman / IDG A VPN can be really useful when you’re on a college network. Whether your access to a certain site is blocked or your internet speeds are throttled for certain activities, a VPN can help you get around many restrictions and limitations imposed upon you. Furthermore, VPNs are important for data privacy and security, especially if you’re frequently on the go and constantly using public Wi-Fi networks with your laptop or phone (e.g., at coffee shops). While most trustworthy VPNs cost money, there are some excellent free options if you don’t need all the bells and whistles. ProtonVPN is our favorite free VPN because it’s from the same privacy-focused company that created the famous ProtonMail email service. Further reading: The best free VPNs that don’t suck Microsoft OneNote for taking notes Chris Hoffman / IDG Chris Hoffman / IDG Chris Hoffman / IDG Did you know one of the best note-taking apps is already installed on your PC? It’s called Microsoft OneNote and it’s excellent for students. Whether you want to type notes, insert images, write with a stylus, or even record audio during a lecture, OneNote can do it all. OneNote is extremely flexible, so it’s as powerful as you want it to be. It’s also cross-platform, so you’re leaving yourself open to options by choosing it. If you later switch to a MacBook or Chromebook, you’ll still have full access and functionality. It also works well on iPads and other tablets, in case you like to review notes on such devices. Further reading: The best note-taking apps for college students Microsoft Office for assignments Chris Hoffman / IDG Chris Hoffman / IDG Chris Hoffman / IDG Microsoft’s full-blown Microsoft Office suite with Word, Excel, and PowerPoint normally costs money, but many colleges provide it to students free or charge as part of an agreement with Microsoft. Check with your college acquiring a free educational license for Office. You can also head to Microsoft’s Office 365 Education website and plug in your school email address to see if you get it for free that way. Even if you can’t get Office for free, you can still use Word and other Office apps for free in a web browser or subscribe for $3 per month with a student discount. Microsoft To Do for task management Microsoft Microsoft Microsoft A task management app is essential for keeping track of due dates and staying on top of deadlines. If you’re deep into Google apps, you may want to use Google Tasks which is built into Gmail and Google Calendar. Otherwise, I recommend Microsoft To Do. This 100% free to-do app comes included with Windows, and it’s also available on Android and iPhone devices. It’s a powerful, easy-to-use tool that’s packed with features, including collaboration. (You can create a shared task list with a roommate or project partner!) Grammarly or Microsoft Editor for writing assistance and suggestions Chris Hoffman / IDG Chris Hoffman / IDG Chris Hoffman / IDG Many students use writing assistants to polish up their essays, and Grammarly is the premier writing assistant. It’s available both as a browser extension and a Windows app, with the Windows app conveniently integrating with other apps like Microsoft Word. Anyone can use Grammarly Free to get instant access to basic grammar checking and suggestions, but Grammarly Premium with AI writing suggestions costs extra. Some schools offer Grammarly Premium for free to students, but not all of them do. You can also use the Microsoft Editor browser extension, which is completely free and provides similar writing suggestions in your browser. iCloud for Windows to sync your iPhone and Apple services to PC Apple Apple Apple If you’re an iPhone user, I highly recommend installing Apple’s iCloud for Windows app. It provides several integrations with the Apple services you’re probably using on your phone. With it, you can see your iCloud Photos in the Windows Photos app, browse your iCloud Drive files in File Explorer, access your bookmarks in your web browser, and get access to your iCloud Keychain passwords. Quick Share and Phone Link to sync your Android phone to PC Chris Hoffman / IDG Chris Hoffman / IDG Chris Hoffman / IDG If you’re an Android phone user, check out the Google Quick Share app. It integrates your Windows PC with the Quick Share functionality on Android phones so you can wirelessly send files back and forth between PC and phone. It works with Samsung Galaxy, Google Pixel, and more. Microsoft’s Phone Link feature, which is included with Windows, is also very useful if you have an Android phone. You can send text messages, take calls, manage notifications, and view/download photos from your phone’s camera roll, all from your PC. (It kind of works with iPhones too, but it works best with Android phones.) DaVinci Resolve for video editing Blackmagic Design Blackmagic Design Blackmagic Design When it comes to video editing, your mind likely goes right to professional software like Adobe Premiere Pro and Final Cut Pro. Those may cost a pretty penny, but there’s an excellent alternative that’s just as good (mostly) and completely free: DaVinci Resolve. DaVinci Resolve is an extremely capable, industry-standard video editing and post-processing tool that’s actually used by professionals. It might actually be overboard if you’re just looking to edit a few clips, although I know some hobbyists who prefer it anyway. If you’re interested in video editing or post-production work and you’re on a tight budget, you owe it to yourself to try DaVinci Resolve. Adobe Photoshop Express for simple photo editing Chris Hoffman / IDG Chris Hoffman / IDG Chris Hoffman / IDG The Photos app built into Windows is a surprisingly capable tool for performing basic photo edits. But Adobe’s free Photoshop Express app is another great tool for quick photo touchups. With Photoshop Express, you can crop images, apply effects and filters, fix red-eye issues, and touch-up blemishes. This free photo-editing tool is meant to be simple and quick, so keep your expectations in check. For more powerful photo editing, you’ll have to look elsewhere. Adobe Photoshop isn’t free for students, but Adobe does offer a student discount on its Creative Cloud plans. Spotify for music streaming Spotify Spotify Spotify While Spotify has competition, it’s still the music streaming service. It has a high-quality Windows app (not just a web player) that integrates nicely with your PC. Unlike some of its competitors, Spotify offers free music streaming to everyone — you just need to listen to some ads. If those ads are a problem, you can get a student discount with the Spotify Premium for Students plan, which is $5.99 per month and comes with Hulu. (The bundled Hulu account does have ads, but the Spotify Premium account you get doesn’t have ads.) VLC for all-in-one video playback VLC VLC VLC Windows has a capable built-in video player these days, and there’s a good chance you don’t even need it because you’re probably doing most of your watching on YouTube, Netflix, and the like. But if you do find yourself viewing a lot of video files — especially videos in many different formats — then I have to recommend VLC. It’s been the go-to video player for decades. It’s the Swiss Army knife of media players that can play anything you throw at it. WizTree for freeing up drive space WizTree WizTree WizTree While Windows provides some built-in tools for clearing up space on your computer’s storage, one of the best ways to find out what’s using up all your space is to use WizTree, a free disk space analyzing tool that shows you — visually — how your space is used up. WizTree is the fastest way to analyze your disk space usage on Windows. With a quick scan, you can see exactly which files and folders are clogging up your drives, so you know exactly what you need to free up for the most impact right away. Perhaps you need to uninstall a particularly massive video game? Or maybe you have big media files lying around from a project? WizTree makes it easy to spot it all at a glance. VMware Workstation for virtual machines Christoph Hoffmann Christoph Hoffmann Christoph Hoffmann You may or may not need virtual machine software depending on your college major, but if you’re studying Computer Science or another along those lines, you might benefit from using virtual machines. Virtual machine software lets you install an operating system within your current operating system, essentially running an isolated instance of that OS within its own sandbox environment. This is a great way to install a full Linux system without giving up Windows, for example. (Or use the Windows Subsystem for Linux feature to run Linux apps on Windows.) VMware Workstation was, until very recently, a paid app. Broadcom now offers it free for personal use. It will likely be your best bet if you’re looking for a virtual machine application. Further reading: How to set up virtual machines with VMware Microsoft PowerToys for various useful tools and features Chris Hoffman / IDG Chris Hoffman / IDG Chris Hoffman / IDG Microsoft PowerToys is a collection of useful power-user tools that you probably didn’t know you needed. It’s packed with nifty utilities that can make your life easier, and they all come bundled together in one convenient (and free) package that’s easy to install. With PowerToys, you can do things like remapping keys on your keyboard (so they function as other keys), bulk rename lots of files at once, get a color-picking tool that gives you the color code for anything on your screen, and so many other useful things. And there you have it! A full assortment of free apps that’ll make your life as a college student that much more productive and enjoyable. For more software recommendations, check out our roundup of useful free apps that are already installed on your Windows PC.

Whether you’re looking for a productivity desktop, a gaming PC powerhouse, or a stylish all-in-one Windows machine, we’ve got you covered. The team at PCWorld sort through all of the daily computer sales and put together a curated list of the best deals available. But not all deals are really deals, so we only choose those offered by reputable companies and that include great hardware to ensure you get the best value for your money. We’ve also included some helpful answers to common questions about buying a computer at the bottom of this article. If you’re considering a laptop instead, be sure to check out our best laptop deals, updated daily. Note: Tech deals come and go quickly, so it’s possible some of these computer discounts will have expired before this article’s next update. Best gaming desktop computer deals HP Omen 25L, Core i5-14400F/RTX 4060/32GB RAM/1TB SSD, $1,049.99 (19% off on BestBuy) Skytech Chronos, Ryzen 5 5600X, RTX 4060/16GB RAM/1TB SSD, $899.99 (16% off on Walmart) iBuyPower TraceMesh, Ryzen 7/RTX 4060/16GB RAM/1TB SSD, $944.99 (27% off on Adorama) Alienware Aurora R16, Core i7-14700F/RTX 4070 Super/32GB RAM/2TB SSD, $1,799.99 (19% off on Dell) Legion Tower 7i, Core i9-14900KF/RTX 4080 Super/32GB RAM/1TB SSD, $2,384.99 (24% off on Lenovo) Acer Predator Orion, Core i7-13700F/RTX 4070/16GB RAM/1TB SSD, $1,299.99 (23% off on Newegg) ABS Eurus Aqua, Core i9-14900KF/RTX 4090/32GB RAM/2TB SSD, $2,999.99 (25% off on Newegg) My top picks: The HP Omen 25L deal for $250 off on BestBuy makes for an excellent score whether you’re a student or anyone serious about gaming. Features such as the Core i5-14400F CPU and RTX 4060 allows it to punch above its weight in the budget tier and 32GB of RAM should help you breeze through those productivity tasks. If you’re looking for something that’s even more budget friendly, look no further than the Skytech Chronos for $150 off also on BestBuy. Sporting a Ryzen 5 5600X CPU and RTX 4060 GPU you’ll get solid budget gaming performance for a price that won’t break the bank. Best mainstream desktop computer deals IdeaCentre Tower, Core i5-14400/8GB RAM/256GB SSD, $564.99 (16% off on Lenovo) IdeaCentre Mini, Core i5-13500H/8GB RAM/512G GB SSD, $549.99 (15% off on Lenovo) Inspiron Desktop, Core i7-13700/RTX 3050/16GB RAM/1TB SSD, $949.99 (25% off on Dell) Apple Mac Mini 2023, M2 Pro/16GB RAM/512GB SSD, $1,149.99 (12% off on Amazon with coupon) My top picks: Lenovo machines are known for their design and reliability and the IdeaCentre line of desktops is no exception. Right now, Lenovo is offering the IdeaCentre Tower for $115 off and the IdeaCentre Mini for $100 off on its website. Both would make fine home office computer or general browsing machines, but if I had to pick I’d save myself the desktop space and go with the Mini. If you’re more of a Mac fan, then there is a rare deal on an M2 Mac Mini for $150 off with a coupon on Amazon. The M2 Pro is still a solid CPU and considering, if rumors are true, the M4 Mac Mini isn’t set to be released until later this year, it’s the perfect time to buy the older version at a discount — you’ll still get a great mini desktop without the exorbitant price of a new-gen Apple product. Best all-in-one computer deals All-in-one desktop computers combine a PC’s hardware with a modern display to make a desktop computer that has both form and function. Since everything is built together, you can save precious desktop space with an all-in-one. They make capable work computers and they can also be excellent home computers with the wide range of features appealing to the whole family. Inspiron AiO 24, Core 5-120U/16GB RAM/512GB SSD/24-inch 1080p touch display, $899.99 (10% off on Dell) Yoga AiO 9i, Core i9-13900H/16GB RAM/1TB SSD/31.5-inch 4K display, $1,424.99 (24% off on Lenovo) Asus Zen AiO 24, Ryzen 7 5825U/16GB RAM/512GB SSD/24-inch 1080p touch display, $779.99 (32% off on Amazon) iMac M3 2023, M3/8GB RAM/256GB SSD/24-inch 5K display, $1,149.00 (12% off on Amazon) My top picks: Touchscreen fans look no further than the HP AiO 24 deal for $150 on Dell. Strong budget performance features plus a handy 24-inch 1080p touch display make this a standout all-in-one deal. Alternatively, Lenovo is offering its big beautiful Yoga AiO 9i for $455 off on its website. The company’s flagship all-in-one packs a gorgeous 31.5-inch 4K display and its powered by a robust Core i9-13900H. Plus, you’ll get the quality and reliability of a Lenovo machine. Computer deals FAQ 1. What are good websites to find computer deals? There are a ton of sites that sell computers, and scouring through all of them would take you a lot of time—that’s why we do it for you here and highlight the best deals we find. However, to save you some time and frustration, you need to be smart about where you look at any given time of the year. If you’re looking for a new computer during the holidays or around popular sale periods such as Black Friday or back-to-school, then you are likely to find great deals directly through first party vendor websites. These include the retail storefronts of popular computer manufacturers such as HP, Dell, and Lenovo. However, if you are looking in between sales periods, it’s generally a good idea to search through large third-party retailers such as Amazon, Adorama, Walmart, BestBuy, and Newegg. Oftentimes these websites will offer limited Deals of the Day type sales in hopes of getting rid of excess stock. On the upside, you can score still-decent PCs at a steep discount. 2. When’s the best time to shop for a PC computer? Typically you’ll want to time your PC computer shopping around a prominent sales period. The biggest sales periods are Black Friday/Cyber Monday in late November and Amazon Prime Day in early-to-mid July. The best sales often occur leading up to and during these two events and they are great times to snag a new PC computer for cheap. Other holiday shopping periods such as the New Year sales in January, President’s Day sales in April, and the back-to-school sales event in August are also good times to find discounts on computers. 3. What type of desktop should I get? You’ll see a ton of options when searching for a desktop computer, but they all mainly fit into four main categories: productivity tower PCs, gaming PCs, mini PCS, and all-in-ones (AiO). Which you should end up buying is entirely dependent upon what your needs are and what you want to do with your computer. If you are looking for something that will work in a home office or family room, then a productivity PC or AiO with a solid CPU and lots of RAM and storage is probably the way to go. If gaming is your main concern, a gaming PC can offer a lot more bang for your buck than a laptop and you should focus on getting the best GPU possible. Or if you just want something that can fit anywhere and provide basic computing then a mini PC is a good bet. 4. What CPU and GPU should I get? When looking at your new computer’s CPU, get at least an Intel Core i5 or AMD Ryzen 5, both of which will provide plenty of processing power for everyday computing tasks. If you don’t intend to do any PC gaming, then feel free to save some money by going with integrated graphics. However, if you are looking to get your game on, we recommend at least an Nvidia GeForce 3060 or AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT, as these are the least expensive discrete graphics cards that can handle ray tracing well. If you aren’t interested in those cutting-edge lighting effects, however, the RTX 3050 and Radeon RX 6600 also provide good 1080p gaming performance at even lower prices. 5. How much memory and storage does my PC need? As for RAM, we think its best to shoot for 16GB at the minimum for productivity and gaming, but for family computers and internet browsing, 8GB should suffice. Storage size is dependent upon your personal needs, but it is generally a good idea to opt for an SSD over an standard HDD as they are much faster and don’t significantly affect the price of a desktop. Before deciding, it’s best to consider what your intended use of the computer will be. Are you just doing work or web browsing? Then something like 512GB will be plenty. If you want to load up a lot of large files such as games or content creation projects, then you’ll need at least 1 or 2TB or storage. However, just remember that even if your computer doesn’t have enough storage built-in you can always upgrade your SSD or go with an external drive to increase your available storage options. 6. Is it a good idea to buy a refurbished computer? Refurbished computers are used machines that have been repaired, upgraded, and cleaned for the purpose of reselling. They’re usually open-box returns, overstock, or models with minor cosmetic damage (scratches, scuffs, etc). Refurbished computers can be a bargain hunter’s dream as they’re likely still in good (or great) condition and you can save a lot of money. That being said, refurbished computers can have their downsides as well. In addition to cosmetic blemishes, some of the internal components might be a little older or outdated and they might not be in peak condition due to previous usage. If you do consider buying a refurbished computer I recommend looking at eBay as they offer a one-year warranty. You can also check out manufacturer’s retail storefronts like Dell’s Outlet Store and Apple’s Refurbished Store—just be sure to look at the terms of warranty offered before purchasing.

How hot is your PC’s graphics card temperature? During normal operations, your GPU temperature shouldn’t matter much—your graphics card should simply drive monitors and play games without overheating and shutting down. But if you have an older PC, a case with poor airflow, or if you tinker around with graphics card overclocking or undervolting, being able to monitor your GPU temperature is vital—especially when the summer heat is scorching indoors and out. There’s a reason that “may your temperatures be low” is a common saying among PC enthusiasts. The good news? Checking your PC’s graphics card temperature is dead simple, especially now that Windows includes a native way to keep tabs on temps after decades of neglect. All sorts of free GPU monitoring tools are also available, and many of them can help you check your PC’s CPU temperature, too. Let’s dig in.  How to check your graphics card temperature You can now find your discrete GPU’s temperature in the Windows 10 Task Manager. You can now find your discrete GPU’s temperature in the Windows 10 Task Manager. You can now find your discrete GPU’s temperature in the Windows 10 Task Manager. Microsoft finally answered our prayers with the Windows 10 May 2020 Update, adding a GPU temperature monitoring tool in the Task Manager. Sure, it took 24 years, but it’s here now, in both Windows 10 and 11!  get windows 11 pro for cheap Windows 11 Pro Price When Reviewed: 199.99 Best Prices Today: $59 at PCWorld Store – Win 11 Pro Upgrade Only | $79.99 at PCWorld Software Store To see how hot your graphics card is running, open the Task Manager by pressing Ctrl + Shift + Esc, by pressing Crtl + Alt + Delete and selecting Task Manager, or by right-clicking on the Windows Start menu icon and selecting Task Manager. Once you’re in, simply head to the Performance tab and look for your current GPU temperature listed in the GPU section, as shown in the image above.  It’s a bare-bones feature, showing only the current temperature rather than tracking it over time. It can also be annoying to keep Task Manager open while you’re gaming or fine-tuning an overclock. While we’re very glad to see the option finally included in Windows itself, third-party tools offer more robust GPU temperature options. Read on for alternatives if you need more oomph. Other GPU temperature monitoring tools AMD’s Radeon RX 6900 XT. AMD’s Radeon RX 6900 XT. AMD’s Radeon RX 6900 XT. If you’re running an AMD Radeon graphics card with an up-to-date version of the Radeon Settings app, keeping tabs on your graphics card temperature is simple. AMD’s Radeon Overlay provides handy-dandy tools to tweak your game’s visual settings when you summon it. It also includes a Performance Monitoring tool that displays your GPU temperature and other crucial information while you’re playing games. To activate the tool, summon the Radeon Overlay by pressing Alt + R and select which performance aspects you’d like to keep tabs on in the Overlay’s Performance Monitoring section. Once it’s set up, you can bring up the Performance Monitoring tool alone by pressing Crtl + Shift + 0. What if you’re not actively playing a game? You can still check your Radeon GPU’s temperature by wading into the Wattman overclocking tool in Radeon Settings. Right-click on the Windows desktop, select Radeon Settings, and then head to Gaming > Global Settings > Global Wattman. After promising not to blow up your graphics card if you apply a wild overclock with the tool, you’ll gain access to Wattman, which tracks GPU temperature and other key statistics in graph form. Done! The Radeon Overlay’s performance monitoring tool tracks GPU temperature by default. The Radeon Overlay’s performance monitoring tool tracks GPU temperature by default. The Radeon Overlay’s performance monitoring tool tracks GPU temperature by default. But what if you aren’t packing Radeon hardware? Nvidia’s GeForce graphics comprise a whopping 75 percent of all GPUs in gaming PCs, according to the Steam hardware survey. After years of ignoring performance overlays, Nvidia’s GeForce Experience software now includes those metrics, including the crucial GPU temperature, though it involves jumping through a few more hoops for now. To enable it, make sure you have GeForce Experience installed. Once it is, open it up, then click the cog icon next to your name to open the Settings. Turn on the “In-game overlay” option. A screenshot showing how to enable GeForce Experience’s performance overlay. A screenshot showing how to enable GeForce Experience’s performance overlay. A screenshot showing how to enable GeForce Experience’s performance overlay. Click the Settings button, and in the overlay that appears, select HUD Layout > Performance > Advanced, and select where you’d like the overlay to appear on-screen. You’ll see the overlay appear in the chosen place with several metrics visible, including your GPU temperature. Press Alt + R to summon or dismiss GFE’s performance overlay at will once you’ve got it set up.  Many graphics card makers also offer specialized software that enable GPU overclocking. These tools usually include persistent on-screen display (OSD) options that show your graphics card’s most critical measurements, similar to AMD’s Radeon Overlay. Tons are available, but we tend to recommend MSI’s Afterburner tool for its versatility. This long-popular utility works with both Nvidia GeForce and AMD Radeon graphics cards, and provides several additional features gamers will welcome. Mentioned in this article GeForce RTX 4070 Read our review Price When Reviewed: $599 Best Prices Today: $549.99 at Best Buy | $599.99 at AntOnline You’ll need to dive into the settings options of each of those programs to activate and fine-tune their OSD performance monitoring tools, which prove very helpful indeed when you’re trying to dial in an aggressive overclock. As with AMD and Nvidia’s tools, you can also open Afterburner and Precision X1 outside of games to check your graphics card’s temperature outside of games. What if you’re not a gamer or don’t care about checking your GPU temperature in-game? Then you’ll want to install hardware monitoring software that taps into your system’s temperature sensors. HWInfo is our go-to monitoring program, because it provides a snapshot of virtually every aspect of your PC (click the Sensors icon to see temps), but SpeedFan and Open Hardware Monitor are solid options, too. Open Hardware Monitor also supports Linux.  HWInfo’s sensor info includes GPU temperatures and a lot more. A whole lot more. HWInfo’s sensor info includes GPU temperatures and a lot more. A whole lot more. HWInfo’s sensor info includes GPU temperatures and a lot more. A whole lot more. If the sparse, information-dense look of those enthusiast-focused apps don’t work for you, NZXT’s superb CAM software performs the same task, even if you don’t have any NZXT hardware in your PC. It offers a clean, straightforward aesthetic and a handy mobile app for remote monitoring, but you’ll need to create an account to use CAM. What’s a good GPU temperature? So now you know what tools can help you monitor your graphics card temperature, but numbers on a screen mean nothing without context. How hot should your graphics card run? There’s no easy answer; it varies from GPU to GPU. Google is your friend. Most modern chips can run at temperatures in the mid-90 degrees Celsius, though, and you’ll often see them hit those temperatures in gaming laptops. In desktops, however, a graphics card running at 90-plus degrees is screaming for help. In single-GPU systems with decent airflow, your graphics card temperatures shouldn’t wander above the 80-degree range unless you’re using a model with a single blower-style cooler, or an exceptionally powerful GPU. Custom graphics cards with multiple fans often hover in the 60s and 70s, even under full load, and water-cooled GPUs can run even cooler. Some graphics cards, like this iteration of the Radeon Vega 64, include integrated closed-loop liquid coolers for even cooler temperatures. Some graphics cards, like this iteration of the Radeon Vega 64, include integrated closed-loop liquid coolers for even cooler temperatures. Some graphics cards, like this iteration of the Radeon Vega 64, include integrated closed-loop liquid coolers for even cooler temperatures. If your graphics card was released in the last five years and runs hotter than 90 degrees Celsius, or you’ve observed a steep incline in your GPU temperature over several weeks or months of monitoring it, consider taking steps to help cool it down. How to lower your graphics card temperature If your graphics card temperature runs hot, there’s not much you can do to improve it aside from paying for hardware upgrades. But before you invest more money into lowering your GPU temperature, make sure that you really need to. Again: Graphics chips are designed to handle hot temperatures. If your PC isn’t shutting down in the middle of intense gaming or video editing sessions, you probably don’t have much to worry about. First, double-check your system’s wiring to make sure the GPU is getting good airflow from your fans. Assuming your PC isn’t a rat’s nest of cables, you’ll likely need to consider adding more fans to your case to improve airflow. Every PC should have at least intake and outtake fans for optimal performance, and that goes doubly so for gaming PCs. You can find basic case fans for under $20 on Newegg, or swankier models with features like RGB lighting and mag-lev suspension for much more if you want to get fancy. Our guide to setting up your PC’s fans for maximum system cooling can help if you need it. Your hot graphics card could cool down in a more spacious case. Your hot graphics card could cool down in a more spacious case. Your hot graphics card could cool down in a more spacious case. Small form factor systems can deliver a big punch these days, but the constrained space can send hardware temperatures skyrocketing. If you have a particularly small case, and your graphics card keeps overheating and shutting down, consider upgrading to a more spacious model. Even larger cases can strangle airflow if they’re poorly designed, however. Our guide to picking the perfect PC case can help. Finally, sometimes the thermal paste between the GPU and the heatsink can become dry and lose its effectiveness, most commonly in graphics cards that are many years old. And sometimes, graphics cards ship with poor thermal paste application, though it’s very rare. You could try to replace it if all else fails, though the process is highly technical, varies card-by-card, and voids the hell out of your warranty. Our guide to making your old graphics card run like new is several years old, but the basic technique still applies to today’s GPUs.

Paint.net is a kind of a budget version of Photoshop, but we don’t want to talk down this sophisticated and free image editing program. The developer dotPDN provides versatile and flexible software that makes semi-professional image editing child’s play. The program has been continuously developed over the past few years and is now available with impressive features. The only drawback of the freeware is that anyone who has never worked with it before can easily overlook the most ingenious tools and extras. We dedicate ourselves to the image doctor and present the five best functions of Paint.net in this article. You can download Paint.net for free here. The program is also available from the Microsoft Store, but costs $9.99. The current Paint.net has the following requirements: Windows 11or Windows 10 (version 1809 or newer)or Windows Server 2019 or Windows Server 2022 64-bit CPU (Intel/AMD x64 or ARM64) Optional: drawing tablet with support for Windows Ink Further reading: Is Adobe Photoshop worth it? 5 pros, 5 cons, and 5 alternatives Improve images instantly via auto mode Foundry Foundry Foundry Even without getting lost in the depths of functions and complex tools, Paint.net allows you to spruce up images in a flash. A powerful auto mode is available for this purpose, which optimizes contrast, saturation, and brightness. In the image above you can see what the function achieves on its own. The left-hand image section has been optimized and the right-hand section is the original. The optimization makes details stand out better and colors look more realistic. You can find the automatic adjustment in the Corrections menu under Automatic or with the key combination Ctrl+Shift+L. Adjust luminosity and brightness precisely with Curves Foundry Foundry Foundry In some pictures, you’ll notice areas that are too bright or too dark creep in again and again. Because only parts of a photo are affected, you don’t want to use the slider for brightness or contrast to help, as this always changes the image as a whole. Paint.net offers a solution to this problem. You’ll find the very practical Curves in the Corrections menu. We can also get there by pressing Ctrl+Shift+M. These curves can be used to adjust the luminosity or brightness of individual color channels specifically only in light or only in dark image areas. So, if you want to brighten up an image section that is too dark, you don’t have to make the whole image brighter and risk ruining the correctly photographed image sections. In the Curves window, you can adjust the dark image sections by adjusting the straight lines at the bottom left and make corrections to the light image sections at the top right. Any anchor points can be set with a mouse click, which can also be removed again with the right mouse button. We can use this function to adjust images discreetly or change them profoundly and spice them up artistically. To adjust the luminosity of individual RGB color channels, simply switch to RGB under Transfer Assignment. Using layers Foundry Foundry Foundry Layers can be used to change image content in impressive ways or create completely new image compositions. Paint.net provides this function in the layer window. Such image layers can be swapped, copied, or faded in and out. You can also use transparency effects to merge layers, change color tones, and much more. If you do not see the layer window, tap F7 once in Paint.net. Below the layers window you will find a number of useful functions. There we can add any new and initially empty layers using the plus symbol. To fill such layers with color or with an image, you first have to click on them. You can then use Ctrl+V to paste copied or cut content directly. Editing with tools is also easy. You can, for example, color layers completely with the bucket tool and then use the transparency effect to cast a shadow on another layer. Changes are only visible in the topmost of all displayed layers. However, you can also drag individual layers up or down in the hierarchy and show or hide them. To do this, we can simply tick or untick the box next to the name of the respective layer in the layer window. You can also adjust the transparency of individual layers using the tool icon in the layer window. There, the opacity can be set in 256 levels for each layer. Use effects to enhance images or turn them upside down artistically Foundry Foundry Foundry We’ve all been there. In the heat of the moment, you hold your camera or smartphone at an angle and what should be a beautiful subject ends up looking crooked in the picture. Instead of having to go through the tedious process of editing the photo and then cutting away the empty areas around the edges of the image, Paint.net takes all the effort out of the equation. To do this, select the Photo field in the top menu bar under Effects and then Straighten. If Paint.net does not straighten the image by itself, we can help in the small work window (either with numerical values or by dragging with the mouse in the circular window). The function automatically zooms past the empty spaces that inevitably occur when rotating, but you will also lose sections at the edge of the image just like when manually straightening. You will find other useful functions under Effects / Photos. There you can, for example, remove red eyes, create an appealing image focus using a vignette, or conceal skin blemishes (soften portrait). Save time with hotkeys Foundry Foundry Foundry Paint.net provides practical hotkeys for many functions. Instead of having to click around in the same menus and tool windows again and again, we can complete many tasks in no time at all. The best key combinations include: Key(s)FunctionHold the space bar and left-click, move the mouseMove workspaceScroll with mouse wheelMove workspace up and downShift + scroll with mouse wheelMove workspace left and rightCtrl + CCopy the selected areaCtrl + XCut out the selected areaCtrl + VPaste the copied/cut areaCtrl + D or EnterCancel selection / deselectionCtrl + Scroll with mouse wheelZoomCtrl + BCentre imageF5Show/hide tool windowF6Show/hide work stepsF7Show/hide layer windowF8Show/hide colour windowCtrl + NCreate new imageCtrl + OOpen / select new fileCtrl + SSave imageCtrl + Shift + SSave image asCtrl + PPrint imageCtrl + ZUndo work stepCtrl + YRestore work stepRemove selectionDelete selection