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

Best gaming laptops that I personally recommend after years of testing and thousands of hours of play
By Alex Wawro last updated
Our best gaming laptops list includes great budget options as well as huge, premium powerhouses. These are the best of the best, based on hours of testing and hands-on reviews.

'This is going to be a challenging year': Framework just raised the price of its desktops by up to $460 due to RAM crisis, and it will go higher
By Tony Polanco published
Due to the ongoing RAM crisis, Framework is now forced to raise the price of its desktops by up to $460. Here's everything you need to know.

HP just slashed $500 off this RTX 5070 Ti gaming laptop — don’t miss out!
By Tony Polanco published
Save $500 right now thanks to this HP Omen Max 16 deal. Here's why you should consider getting this excellent mid-range gaming laptop.

I tried a racing controller with a steering wheel stuck to it — and it’s pretty awesome
By Tony Polanco published
GameSir's new racing controller is unlike anything I've ever seen

The 11 best laptops of CES 2026
By Tony Polanco last updated
CES 2026 had no shortage of laptop announcements. Here are some of the best notebooks the Tom's Guide team got a chance to try out during the event.

I just saw the most extreme RTX 5090 GPU at CES — and it definitely won’t fit inside my PC
By Tony Polanco published
Unveiled during CES 2026, the RTX 5090 32GB Lighting Z features an 8-inch GPU display, power output beyond 1000W, and a full copper, full-cover cold plate. It's one of the most extreme GPUs ever.

I checked out the MSI Meg X gaming monitor — and I need it right now
By Tony Polanco published
The MSI Meg X gaming monitor sports a slew of AI assistive features, but it's tandem QD-OLED panel might be the true star of the show.

Razer’s Project AVA might change my mind about AI companions — here’s why
By Tony Polanco published
Razer's Project AVA is a 3D AI companion that can help you manage your daily life and help you do better in video games. Here's our hands-on look.

I went hands-on with HyperX’s first leverless controller — here’s why it could be a hit
By Tony Polanco published
The HyperX Clutch Tachi is the first leverless controller to utilize TMR sensors for added precision. Here are our hands-on impressions.

I just went hands-on with Lenovo’s Auto Twist laptop — and I’m unsure if it’s gimmicky or awesome
By Tony Polanco published
The Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 7 Auto Twist, with its display that can track your movements, is one of the most unique laptops we saw at CES 2026. Here are our initial impressions.

I just went hands-on with the lightest 17-inch RTX laptop — this could be a game-changer
By Tony Polanco published
The LG Gram Pro 17 is the lightest RTX laptop, and it could be perfect for both work and play. Here are our hands-on impressions of LG's new laptop.

The new Alienware 16 Area-51 has the one thing I wanted — here’s my hands-on preview
By Tony Polanco published
Not yet ratedThe Alienware 16 Area-51 (2026) might not be a vast refresh over its predecessor, but the inclusion of an OLED panel could make an already stellar laptop even better.

I checked out the new Acer Swift Go 16 at CES — and this is one seriously promising laptop
By Tony Polanco published
Not yet ratedThe new Acer Swift Go 16 AI is an ultraportable laptop that could potentially deliver serious performance and battery life thanks to its Panther Lake CPU.

I test gaming handhelds for a living — and this is what I expect in 2026
By Tony Polanco published
2025 was a substantial year for gaming handhelds, and 2026 should be almost as groundbreaking. Here are some developments we expect to see next year.

I’m a fighting game fan — and this arcade stick was my favorite purchase of the year
By Tony Polanco published
Out of all the peripherals I purchased in 2025, this arcade stick was my favorite. Here's why.

I review MacBooks for a living — and these are the biggest developments I expect in 2026
By Tony Polanco published
2026 could be a huge year for MacBooks

15 best Steam Deck games to play first — here's my top picks
By Tony Polanco last updated
If you just got a Steam Deck and don't know which games to play first, we're here to help you pick the best ones for your new handheld.

I test gaming handhelds for a living — and this was my favorite of 2025
By Tony Polanco published
In 2025, several notable gaming handhelds were released, but only one ran on SteamOS. Here's why the Legion Go S with SteamOS is my favorite handheld of 2025.

Apple’s M-series chip 5 years later: How ditching Intel revolutionized computing — and what’s next
By Tony Polanco published
Apple’s M1 chip changed everything. Here's the inside scoop on how it all came together.

I review gaming laptops for a living — and this is my favorite of 2025
By Tony Polanco published
2025 was a big year for RTX 50 gaming laptops, and the Alienware 16 Area-51 stood out above the rest. Here's why it was my favorite gaming laptop of 2025.

LG Display announces world's first 240Hz 'RGB stripe' OLED panel — here's why it's a big deal
By Tony Polanco published
Ahead of CES 2026, LG announces the world's first 27-inch 240Hz 4K OLED monitor featuring an RGB stripe structure. Here's how that's important.

We tested hundreds of gadgets in 2025 — these are the 5 best of the year
By Alex Wawro published
Here at Tom's Guide we reviewed an awful lot of laptops, tablets, printers and more in 2025, and we wanted to recommend these 5 as our favorite gadgets of the year.

Act fast! This RTX 5070 gaming laptop is $300 off for a limited time!
By Tony Polanco published
If you're looking for a great mid-range gaming laptop, the Acer Nitro V 16S is currently on sale for $300 off at B&H Photo for a limited time.

RAM price crisis LIVE — all the latest updates on price surges, global memory shortage, expert advice and more
By Darragh Murphy last updated
Here's everything you need to know about the ongoing RAM price crisis, along with the latest updates and our expert advice on current prices on phones, tablets, laptops and more.
Here at Tom’s Guide our expert editors are committed to bringing you the best news, reviews and guides to help you stay informed and ahead of the curve!


