Tony is a computing writer at Tom’s Guide covering laptops, tablets, Windows, and iOS. During his off-hours, Tony enjoys reading comic books, playing video games, reading speculative fiction novels, and spending too much time on X/Twitter. His non-nerdy pursuits involve attending Hard Rock/Heavy Metal concerts and going to NYC bars with friends and colleagues. His work has appeared in publications such as Laptop Mag, PC Mag, and various independent gaming sites.
Latest articles by Tony Polanco

Reddit was down — live updates on the quick outage
By Tony Polanco last updated
Some Reddit users reported issues with the site, but it appears to be back to normal.

Whoa! This RTX 5070 gaming laptop with 32GB of RAM is $450 off right now
By Tony Polanco published
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 AI is a fantastic gaming laptop that can punch above its weight. And right now, it's on sale for $450 off at B&H Photo.

Crimson Desert is an overwhelming RPG experience — but it’s undeniably ambitious
By Tony Polanco published
Crimson Desert is an ambitious single-player open-world action-adventure packed with visceral combat, insane vertical exploration, and tons of game mechanics.

I ditched the MacBook Air for a MacBook Neo for 48 hours — and I'm shocked
By Tony Polanco published
I used the MacBook Neo as my main computer for 48 hours. Here's what I like and don't like about Apple's budget-friendly laptop.

MacBook Neo Chrome tab test: How many tabs can 8GB RAM actually handle?
By Tony Polanco published
Many are wondering if the MacBook Neo's 8GB of RAM cap is enough for modern workloads. To that end, we ran a Chrome stress test to see what the Neo can handle.

Testing the MacBook Neo: Can an iPhone chip really run Cyberpunk 2077?
By Tony Polanco last updated
Given the MacBook Neo's 8GB RAM cap, some have wondered if it can handle modern video games. We tested two demanding titles to find out!

We just tested the MacBook Neo vs MacBook Air M5 — which laptop should you buy?
By Tony Polanco published
The MacBook Neo and MacBook Air M5 are here, and we've tested both. We detail the differences between these laptops to help you decide which one to get.

We benchmarked the MacBook Neo vs budget Windows laptops — here's the truth
By Tony Polanco published
The MacBook Neo is a fantastic value at $599, but how does it stack up against similarly priced Windows laptops? Here's what our lab tests have to say.

Apple's $599 MacBook Neo can actually play Cyberpunk 2077, new tests show
By Tony Polanco last updated
In his recent video, YouTuber Andrew Tsai tested 10 games on the MacBook Neo to see if Apple's budget laptop is a competent gaming device.

Apple M5 vs. Intel Panther Lake vs. Snapdragon X2 — which chip wins?
By Tony Polanco published
We benchmarked every Apple M5 series MacBook, and the competition should be scared. Here's how Apple silicon stacks up to Intel, AMD, and Qualcomm's processors.

'I am completely blown away by it,' Ex-Windows Chief calls MacBook Neo ‘paradigm-shifting'
By Tony Polanco published
On X, former Windows president Steven Sinofsky discussed how the MacBook Neo validates his vision for Arm.

MacBook Neo has 'shocked' PC makers who aim to fight back — but saying the Neo is 'just a tablet' is missing the point
By Tony Polanco published
The $599 MacBook Neo is great for consumers, but it's now causing Apple's PC competitors to rethink their plans. Here's what an Asus exec has to say.

MacBook Neo battery life tested — I can't believe the results
By Tony Polanco published
We just tested the MacBook Neo, and were stunned by its battery life. Here's how it stacks against rival laptops and M-series MacBook Air models.

Nvidia just revealed 3 big upgrades to its GeForce Now cloud gaming service — here's what's new
By Tony Polanco published
Nvidia just announced a slew of updates coming to GeForce Now. Here's what you can expect in the coming months.

You asked us live about the MacBook Neo, MacBook Air M5 and the MacBook Pro M5 Pro – read all the questions and answers here
By Tony Polanco, Mark Spoonauer published
We just reviewed Apple's new MacBook Neo, MacBook Air M5 and MacBook Pro with M5 Pro. Any questions to help you decide which one to buy? We can answer them!

I just tested the MacBook Pro 16-inch M5 Pro — and its stellar performance and epic battery life blew me away
By Tony Polanco published
The MacBook Pro 16-inch M5 Pro isn’t revolutionary, but its M5 Pro-driven performance, epic battery life, and sleek design make it a fantastic premium laptop.

The best iPad 2026 — every model tested and rated
By Tony Polanco, Darragh Murphy last updated
From the big, beautiful iPad Pro to the svelte iPad Air, these are the best iPads you can buy right now, based on our hands-on testing and reviews.

I just tested the MacBook Air M5 and it’s almost perfect — but there's one catch
By Tony Polanco published
The new MacBook Air M5 offers strong M5 performance and better wireless tech. Though it’s a modest spec bump, it’s an overall great laptop for most.

MacBook Neo vs. MacBook Air M2: What’s the best bang for your buck?
By Tony Polanco published
The $599 MacBook Neo is very affordable, but should you get a refurbished MacBook Air M2 instead? We break down all the key features to help you decide.

Gaming PCs could become unaffordable by 2028 — and Nvidia's 'fantastic' AI boom is pricing us out
By Tony Polanco published
Rising RAM prices are killing budget PC gaming. A new report predicts entry-level rigs at $2,000+ by 2028, potentially pushing gamers to consoles or cloud.

MacBook Neo vs MacBook Air M5: Which Apple laptop is right for you?
By Tony Polanco published
The MacBook Neo and MacBook Air M5 have just been announced, but which laptop is right for you? We detail the key differences to help you decide.

MacBook Neo vs. iPad 11: Should you buy Apple's new laptop or mid-range tablet?
By Tony Polanco published
MacBook Neo vs. iPad 11: Which $599 Apple device is the better value? We break down the biggest differences to help you decide which budget device to buy.

Apple's $599 MacBook Neo — what are the trade-offs?
By Tony Polanco published
The MacBook Neo is enticing thanks to its $599 starting price. However, you'll have to live with various compromises. Here are some of this laptop's trade-offs.
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