In response, the company is looking to produce routers in the US. TP-Link announced Monday (Oct. 19) that it had signed a letter of intent with the Spokane-based Key Tronic. Pending legislative approval, TP-Link says that the partnership could see new routers produced at a factory in Mississippi as soon as next year.

You could see TP-Link's Wi-Fi 8 routers sooner than expected.

“This LOI with Key Tronic demonstrates our firm commitment to expanding domestic advanced manufacturing, and establishing America as our base for delivering secure, reliable connectivity solutions to households and businesses around the world,” said Jeffrey Chao, Chief Executive Officer of TP-Link Systems Inc., in a press release.

Unfortunately, that may not guarantee that TP-Link can sell its American-made routers in the United States.

How we got here

TP-Link and foreign-made routers have been facing a potential ban since at least December 2024, when The Wall Street Journal reported that the ban was coming in the next calendar year.

Like the protracted and resolved TikTok ban, the concern from US officials was about links between the Shenzhen-based TP-Link and the Chinese government. At the time, unnamed officials claimed that Chinese laws could require TP-Link to comply with Chinese intelligence agency requests, which would potentially use TP-Link routers to push malicious software updates to US-based devices.

The FCC's ban became official on March 23 of this year. Routers that were approved before March 23 could still be sold by retailers who had stock. Software updates were approved through 2027, but anything after that would have to be approved or exempted.

"TP-Link supports efforts to strengthen security standards and is actively pursuing Conditional Approval for new products and advancing plans for U.S.-based manufacturing," TP-Link said in a message to customers.

Components and a vague restrictions

While the routers could be produced in the United States, that doesn't mean all or even some of the components will be sourced in country.

"Many [components] are just not available from a domestic source, and this is not a TP-Link issue," Steve Kovsky, TP-Link's corporate affairs officer, told PC Mag.

Kovsky also said that the FCC's guidelines aren't totally clear. The FCC and the current administration treat production as "any major stage of the process through which the device is made, including manufacturing, assembly, design, and development.” How much that actually means for TP-Link is unclear: is it 25% or 15% of production in the US?

In the meantime, the company has applied for temporary exemptions from the FCC that have already been given to many rival router makers, including Netgear, Asus, and Amazon. TP-Link has not received this waiver.

What's next?

For now, as mentioned above, if a retailer has TP-Link routers in stock you can still purchase them and they will be software supported for at least the next year.

If the partnership is approved and TP-Link is able to quickly ramp up manufacturing, we could see the company's first Wi-Fi 8 routers hit store shelves fairly soon. The question is if reshoring production to the US will raise prices.

Right now, the latest TP-Link Archer router is up for pre-order in Canada with a giant $999 CAD price tag (about $705 USD). Products made in the US tend to carry a premium price, and as Steve Kovsky told PC Mag, " It can mean higher quality, but it can also mean higher price points.”

As with every other piece of tech that's become astronomically more expensive in the last two years, don't expect a router that will be nice to your wallet.

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For months, the tech industry (myself included) hyped up this Arm-based Grace CPU and Blackwell RTX GPU combo as the ultimate "MacBook Pro killer." Reviewers (also like me) have spent the past seven days squinting at Geekbench scores to see if Nvidia finally dethroned Apple's M-series silicon.

Let me save you some time: it didn't.

But judging RTX Spark purely by its single-core CPU speeds is like judging a Ferrari by its cup holders. And after a week of stress-testing the Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra with Spark — running every synthetic and real-world test we can throw at it — it's clear that this is so much more.

Those numbers tell a very different, far more complicated story. Let me explain.

Where to buy RTX Spark laptops

• MS Surface Laptop Ultra: $2,599 @ MS Store
• HP OmniBook X AI 14: $2,999 @ HP
• HP OmniBook Ultra AI 16 OLED: $3,199 @ Best Buy
• Lenovo Pro 9n: $2,999 @ Lenovo
• Lenovo Yoga 9n 2-in-1: $2,999 @ Lenovo
• MSI Prestige N16 Flip AI+ OLED 2-in-1: preorder for $3,299 @ MSI
• Dell XPS 16: $3,799 @ Best Buy
• Asus ProArt P14: $6,499 @ Asus
• Asus ProArt P16: $4,499 @ Asus

CPU reality check: Apple is still king, but other Windows laptops don't stand a chance

So let's start with the first benchmark everybody goes to. If you were hoping Nvidia's Arm-based Grace CPU was going to embarrass the M5 Pro, you need to adjust your expectations.

Given how long it took to make this, it's fair to say this was the main bit I felt nervous about. In short, not terrible, but underwhelming.

That being said, this was one of the first chances I had to test Nvidia's claims of getting the same performance on and off the charger.

Now I know there's a difference maker in here — Windows power settings. Putting it to best efficiency will probably starve the chip of power to match it. With that in mind, I've just done the test in both this mode and best performance to see what I get.

Certainly a surprise to see it gain a few points when unplugged, but this falls within the window of variability in the test results I've been getting. So the answer is a resounding "yes," provided you slap on best performance.

To dig deeper into that multi-core performance, I went to Handbrake. One of the tests we run across all systems is transcoding a copy of Tears of Steel from 4K down to 1080p. This is a solid real-world test of video encoding and real-world multi-core processing.

As you can see, it clearly leads the way in Windows laptops (Intel caught napping there), but Apple silicon reigns as champ.

The GPU flex: Comparable to an RTX 5070 laptop

Gaming is where Nvidia gets its lick back against the competition. It has a massive Blackwell RTX GPU in it, after all, and when you look at the 3DMark numbers, it matches up to something you’d see in an RTX 5070 gaming laptop — even when tasked with x86 emulation in some of these tests.

And to check it's not just the CPU getting that same performance on and off the charger...

Once again, same performance on and off the battery. This is consistent with what Nvidia's been telling us, and it's one of the features gatekept by Apple MacBooks that is now in the hands of Windows users!

Now, let's get into the games.

Forza Horizon 6

Forza Horizon 6 is one of my favorite racing games of the past decade, so it only makes sense I start here. Let's max it without DLSS tech and see what we get.

Bear in mind this is a stress test of epic proportions, but you can see how it struggles. That 1% low is a good indicator of the consistency of the frame rate, which is highly volatile here.

Interestingly, as I tried this push to Extreme + RT settings, I noticed some rubberbanding in the gameplay — probably down to the CPU having to work overtime translating the x86 code of the game while also sending the instructions to the GPU.

You can see that as Frametime spikes can be seen anywhere from 60ms up to 140ms. The game feels sluggish.

But now let's hone it. Thinking about this like an RTX 5070 laptop, I'll drop it down to Ultra + RT (same resolution) and stick with DLSS 4.5 set to auto with dynamic frame generation.

Immediately, this feels so much better to play! There are still some latency spikes here and there, but none that are hardly noticeable.

Also interesting to note, the temperatures on the GPU dropped too by one degree (71 C in the first run, and 70C in the second).

And the cherry on top — here's performance on battery.

Yep, same performance on and off the charger here!

Cyberpunk 2077

Listen up, choombas! It wouldn't be an Nvidia laptop test if we didn't touch on Cyberpunk 2077. For context on this one, I'm gonna compare it against gaming laptops with different GPUs, so you can see where it lands.

And if you're curious, I got 38.9 FPS when unplugged (basically 39).

Black Myth: Wukong

Is this a safe space? ...I'm really not a fan of Black Myth: Wukong.

OK, I get it! I can appreciate the craft of it, and I get why people love it. I've just never got on with it. That being said, I did benchmarks for this too.

...you spotting a pattern? This maxed-out RTX Spark is lining up pretty much neck-and-neck with the RTX 5070, while also running cooler and more efficiently. Nifty!

Gears of War: E-Day

This came out recently, and I saw it being played at the Surface Laptop Ultra event in San Francisco, so of course I had to push it further here.

This is running at 2180x1453 Ultra settings with DLSS 4.5 Dynamic and RTX Mega Geometry turned on.

Some observations here — this is clearly a scalable engine on PC that can run fast here. But there were some micro-stutters when I pushed it to the bleeding edge.

That being said, the average frame time and response to controller inputs meant this all felt smooth with virtually zero latency.

Creative apps is where RTX Spark starts to shine

There are several ways to test creative performance, so I'll dive into them one by one. PugetBench is a good way of seeing how a laptop will fare in your standard creative prosumer workload across Photoshop and Premiere Pro. Here's how RTX Spark fared in my testing.

The finely-tuned cores of the M5 Pro take the win here, but RTX Spark does take a leap ahead of its Windows competition in creator performance.

Let's get to Cinebench

Unfortunately, there isn't any GPU testing available here yet (the OptiX driver for the chip isn't there), so this is a straight CPU comparison.

These numbers put it ahead of Intel, AMD, and Qualcomm's latest flagships, but Apple M5 Pro (again) comes out on top. It's the best of the Windows bunch.

AI performance is where RTX Spark takes the lead

To put some numbers to Nvidia's advantage here, I ran it through UL Procyon AI benchmarks.

This isn't a test that has been normally run on other laptops in the Tom's Guide lab, so I've had to ask around my friends/fellow nerds for insights on this.

In their experience, RTX Spark seems to be surpassing the M5 Pro's AI prowess, exceeding the capabilities of AMD Ryzen AI Max+ and blowing past Intel Core Ultra X9. Once I can do these tests myself, I'll do a follow-up.

Also, for what it's worth, here's the comparison to my RTX 5060 Ti 16GB desktop GPU.

A reduction is always expected between the raw wattage of desktop parts and a laptop chip, but the Spark does get impressively close.

Battery life is a mixed bag

So what about stamina? Nvidia promised all-day battery life, and technically that’s true. But it doesn’t come close to the efficiency king of Apple’s MacBook Pro.

When it comes to gaming or running local AI at full pelt, this falls in line with what you’d expect from an RTX gaming laptop (our gaming test result got one hour and thirty-eight minutes) — give or take about 20-30 minutes depending on how much power the internals soak up.

Meanwhile, if you're expecting that same all-day battery life claim to extend to gaming, that's not the case. You do indeed get more stamina than your average gaming laptop, but not by much.

Who should buy RTX Spark, and who should buy a gaming laptop?

That battery equivalency does raise another question — who is RTX Spark for?

Because for all intents and purposes, an RTX 50-series gaming laptop could do a lot of this workload, whether it’s gaming, creative work, or some of the local AI stuff. And depending on how efficient that gaming laptop can run, you could get a similar battery life.

The real differentiator comes in that unified memory. With there being two pools of memory between the RAM and the GPU’s VRAM in a gaming laptop, it’s not as efficient as having one giant tub of it that can be divided depending on job priority.

That means on RTX Spark, you can run vastly larger local AI models, and larger projects in the likes of Blender than you could elsewhere. This is definitely for the prosumer market.

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• Forget RTX Spark: The Surface Laptop Ultra’s magnetic USB-C charger is a game-changer that makes Apple’s MagSafe look obsolete
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…ok are all the speeds and feeds people gone? Good, because while I’m over there doing the math, and everyone else on the internet combs over the numbers, data doesn’t explain what it actually feels like to use a machine with a locally hosted AI brain.

You have to unlearn years of cloud-tethered habits (like relying on a browser-based chatbot tab) and start treating your operating system like an overly eager digital intern. And over the past few days, I found this out and quite frankly, it’s a bit of a breakthrough.

So, before you dive into the frame rates, here is a diary of my first week ditching the M5 MacBook Pro, and living exclusively on an Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra with RTX Spark (and 128GB of unified memory).

Day 1: The Sims 4 disaster (and a lesson in patience)

I returned from the Surface Laptop Ultra event in San Francisco pretty late, but I didn’t feel tired. I was caught up in the excitement of tearing this machine out of the box and seeing what it could do.

And my first test? Nothing to do with productivity. Instead, I installed Hermes agent with Qwen 3.8 Flash Next to play The Sims 4 — build a house and get a job.

Now with that out the way, this first test did not instill me with immediate confidence in Nvidia’s vision of a local agentic future. The AI fumbled around, got lost in the house building menu, and when I got it to the point of having a home roughly three hours later, it managed to start a kitchen fire.

Throughout that time, my prompts to the agent grew more frustrated, and it repeatedly made the same mistakes — forgetting that the graph of co-ordinates keeps moving with the character in the center of the screen and going round in circles.

But watching it stumble taught me a crucial lesson in reinforcement learning. No, not that reinforcement learning that's the complex phase of training an AI model that researchers work hard on. This is more in the human, psychological sense — rewarding good behavior and correcting bad behavior in real-time.

I had another go in the morning with a calmer head, continued to tell it when it was doing the right thing, encouraging it to keep going and we made it to the first gym.

You see, interacting with a local agent isn’t like querying a search engine or talking to a cloud frontier model; it’s exactly like playing two-player Portal 2 with my eight-year-old nephew. You can’t get frustrated when he jumps into the water and dies for the 5th time. You have to give him the carrot, not the stick — guide with positive reinforcement and structured boundaries.

Once that clicked in my mind and my behavior changed, learning how to actually “parent” the agent immediately skyrocketed the output quality. And that’s when I truly got to work.

Day 2: The butler arrives

By the next day, I booted up the Hermes agent and built a set of custom skills. I hooked it directly to my personal Google Workspace API, and for my Tom’s Guide account (Future locks down API access pretty tightly), I set up a script allowing it to physically operate my browser.

I named it Jeeves, and every morning, I just write “check-emails” and it gets to work across both accounts — reading my inboxes, deleting anything unnecessary (like marketing emails or phishing scams), drafts surprisingly human responses to those that are important, and generates a prioritized to-do list for my workday based on emails and Slack.

Now I know what you’re thinking. Isn’t this possible on other machines? Yes. Hermes is an agentic machine that works across Macs and other Windows PCs too (including AMD machines and we all know how they feel about the RTX Spark hype).

But Nvidia’s GPU is the key advantage here, and it comes down to CUDA (which stands for Compute Unified Device Architecture). Basically, it's a technology that unlocked the power of the GPU for other purposes (like AI in this instance).

It’s the reason why Team Green is the biggest picks and shovels company in the cloud AI gold rush (or bubble…however you see it), and an overwhelming majority of open-source models used for local AI (including the Qwen model I’ve been using) are built, trained and initially optimized specifically for Nvidia’s CUDA platform.

There’s a noticeable speed advantage in AI between RTX Spark systems and trying Hermes Agent on my MacBook Pro. On top of that, you're seeing Spark lead substantially against Ryzen AI Max+ 395 (I haven't had access to test 495 PRO).

I’m getting into the weeds here, the difference maker here comes down to my awful work-life balance. I usually sleep with a laptop next to me (...awful, I know), and when the alarm goes off at 8am, I’m right back on my MacBook checking emails and figuring out what to do that day.

Now, I can just throw my agent at it, go make breakfast and coffee and chill out talking to my wife before the day begins at 9am. It’s these small but significant time saves that I feel are the most important.

Day 3: Embracing the creator chaos

Mid-week, I dove into content creation. This is kind of the RTX Spark’s bread and butter, because while the Arm-based Grace CPU has noticeably slower single-core speeds compared to the current heavyweight champions over at Apple, its multicore performance is a runaway freight train.

Throw in that massive Blackwell GPU, and I was having a ball blasting through a project on an open-source creative suite.

Then, I tackled ComfyUI. At first glance, the node-mapping interface is a chaotic, terrifying mess of digital spaghetti. But after a day of tinkering and reading guides, the logic clicks. My first challenge: ask my wife to send me a quick sketch. She doodled a picture of Medusa, which I fed into the local UI.

Within 20 seconds, the RTX Spark chewed through the local rendering and spat out a 90s-style cartoon image of her drawing. Then going a little over the top, I went further with an image-to-video pipeline and made a Saturday morning cartoon-style scene of Medusa turning a man into stone.

The speed differentials of this are massive, and one of the jewels in the RTX Spark's crown — roughly 2-3 seconds faster per image generation in my UL Procyon testing against AMD Ryzen AI Max+, and the MacBook Pro trails too.

I’m no fan of AI slop, but credit where credit’s due. Doing this with a cloud AI model would have cost a premium subscription, and without the finite controls of ComfyUI, it would have taken a lot longer to get the results just right.

Day 4: Mutating code and webcam magic

I’ve got distracted enough by AI. Now it’s time to do the thing that I love — gaming. And being honest, playing on RTX Spark is generally excellent. Turns out the fix to gaming on Arm systems is to just throw a massive GPU at it.

007 First Light runs at 1440p with everything turned up to Ultra, DLSS 4.5 and Dynamic Frame Generation maxes out the refresh rate on this laptop screen, DLSS 5 on NBA 2K27 is still as photorealistic (and divisive, looking at my comments) as ever, and shooters that require low latency rapid reactions run smoothly on here (complete with anti-cheat support).

But there are still some gremlins in the system. Red Dead Redemption 2 hit a brick wall by throwing an incompatibility error and refusing to run.

After speaking to Nvidia, I got a guide to make it run on DirectX 12 rather than Vulkan, which didn’t work through the physical steps given to me. So rather than search Reddit for an answer, I simply asked the Hermes agent to make it work.

The local AI dug into the file director, literally rewrote the offending configuration code to bypass the Arm translation block, and the game booted up. Having your laptop dynamically rewrite the game code to fix its own compatibility issues feels like pure sci-fi.

I also had meetings to go to, so I fired up the new version of Nvidia Broadcast, which is basically DLSS for webcams. This 1080p 30 FPS shooter can embrace that GPU prowess to upscale to 4K60 with a studio light — cleaning up the muddy laptop camera feed in real-time. My team really noticed the difference!

Day 5: The MacBook Pro reckoning

By the end of my first week, I had to face the reality of the silicon and hardware encasing it.

Going into this, everyone — Microsoft (with that $1,000 trade-in offer), tech journalists, and myself included — came in thinking the RTX Spark could be the ultimate MacBook Pro killer. The truth? It’s not.

In my standard browser run-down test, the battery died right around the 10-hour mark. That’s solid for a Windows machine and does fit Nvidia’s claims of all-day battery life, but it isn’t touching Apple’s endurance. Furthermore, Apple’s M5 Pro and Max chips easily outstrip the CPU speeds of this system.

But I realized that comparing it to a MacBook Pro misses the point entirely. The RTX Spark isn’t trying to be a better Mac; it is a different species of computer that has arrived early.

It is a statement of intent from Nvidia about where computing is going — trading raw benchmarking crowns on the stats that we currently see as important for the ability to carry a self-rewriting, fully autonomous, CUDA-accelerated digital brain in your backpack.

It requires a new set of behaviors, but once you let local AI take the wheel in some areas, it makes you believe the future of computing is entirely local (and without a subscription fee).

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• I didn’t believe an Nvidia RTX Spark laptop would have the same performance both on and off the charger — so I put it to the test
• Forget RTX Spark: The Surface Laptop Ultra’s magnetic USB-C charger is a game-changer that makes Apple’s MagSafe look obsolete
• I just tested Windows 11 26H2 — here’s how to update now and why Microsoft finally fixed the two worst things about Windows 11

In this article I've picked out nine of the best deals on gaming monitors currently available from online giant Best Buy. There's a range of manufacturers here, including ASUS, Samsung and LG.

I've picked out some smaller, entry level screens that come in at just over $100. Then we move to several great mid-priced displays that are packed with features. Finally, we've got a selection of wide screens that typically cost more than $2000, now with some huge savings. Check them out and see how you can upgrade your gaming setup today.

They aren’t just selling a new chip; they’re trying to prove that their garden of software features makes the jump to Arm completely worth it.

And on top of that, I currently have the Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra with RTX Spark sitting on my desk (actually typing this story on it right now). Now, before I lock myself in my lab for the review, I want to know exactly what you want to see this thing do.

Here is the cheat sheet of the craziest software witchcraft Nvidia just announced. Read it over, drop your most chaotic testing requests in the Q&A box just below, and I will push this hardware to the absolute limit.

Reminder: We’re a friendly bunch, and this community is a safe space for anyone who wants to learn about RTX Spark. Please treat everyone (including me) with respect and avoid any nasty language.

AI without the computer science degree

Running a Large Language Model (LLM) on your PC used to require opening terrifying command-line terminals and pretending you knew how to code (I’m guilty of that one with my D in Computer Science). That friction is well on its way to being killed, and Nvidia is taking another big step forward.

• Hugging Face Llama Windows: Available today is a free, idiot-proof Windows app that lets you download and run local AI models with a standard graphical interface.
• Nvidia PAIR: Now out of beta, this free, open-source tool can essentially turn your home into its own AI data center — allowing PCs and MacBooks to share AI compute across a local network. Basically, if your prompt needs more horsepower, it can find some from your desktop in the other room.
• Getting agent-ready: New skills are coming online so your AI agents in Hermes, OpenClaw, and Perplexity can use Nvidia’s apps (Broadcast, RTX Remix, etc.).

Also, Nvidia Broadcast is getting a big upgrade with RTX video super resolution and frame generation—both for webcam and offline file processing.

The “Nemotron” Intern

On October 15th, Nvidia is dropping the Nemotron 3.5 Bolt 74B A9B model. That’s a whole lot of words, but this is basically an improved key to agentic AI.

This is a “mixture of experts” AI agent built specifically to fit inside 24GB of memory on the RTX Spark — running constantly in the background, writing code, doing research, and monitoring apps autonomously.

Skyrim NPCs that actually talk back

That Nemotron model style has a different use too — making game NPCs have personalities. Nvidia’s built a smaller, ultra-responsive model called Nemotron 3.5 Bolt E4B (again, more alphabet spaghetti), but on October 23rd, you’ll see what this can do in SkyrimNET.

Basically, this is an AI NPC mod for Elder Scrolls V, where instead of clicking through pre-written dialogue trees, you can literally talk into your microphone, and NPCs will generate dynamic, context-aware conversations and reactions on the fly.

I can’t wait to gaslight Nazeem with this…

DLSS 5 just found another gear (and a new cheat code)

Nvidia’s DLSS 5 has split opinions in NBA 2K27 (I see you in the comments). In my mind, this 3D-guided neural rendering model works well in photorealistic games — but maybe leave it off in more artistic ones.

But on October 16th, it’s set to get a speed boost with a more efficient model that Team Green claims will push frame rates up by an additional 1.4x over what I tested. Oh, and for the millennial-coded individuals out there, Hogwarts Legacy is getting the DLSS 5 treatment in November.

Over to you: Build my benchmark hitlist

Nvidia is making massive promises about Arm-based gaming, offline AI agents that don’t charge you a cloud tax, and real-time AI video game characters. AMD claims this whole platform will falter under the weight of Windows emulation.

I have the hardware. I have the games. I have the local AI models. Let’s see what this thing can do together.

Now, while I can do plenty of testing and report on my findings soon, some of this won’t be available for a little while. So this will be an ongoing thing as models and updates become available.

More from Tom's Guide

• I didn’t believe an Nvidia RTX Spark laptop would have the same performance both on and off the charger — so I put it to the test
• Forget RTX Spark: The Surface Laptop Ultra’s magnetic USB-C charger is a game-changer that makes Apple’s MagSafe look obsolete
• AMD just flaunted its own 192GB monster chip to spoil Nvidia’s RTX Spark party — Ryzen AI Max+ Pro 495 should worry Apple, too

If you ask AMD, however, Nvidia didn’t invent a new category. Instead, it validated one Team Red has been selling for over a year. Speaking directly after the RTX Spark reveal, Mike Nordquist, CVP of Client Product Marketing, didn’t hold back with me.

Between calls to celebrate industry competition and pointed critiques of Nvidia’s hardware architecture, Nordquist laid out a sharp, pragmatic case for why AMD believes its second-generation Ryzen AI Max 400 series (codename Gorgon Point Halo) leaves Nvidia’s new darling in the dust.

Editor's note: This interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.

'Nvidia is just getting started'

While Nvidia embraces the unified-memory laptop, AMD was quick to point out that it kicked off this exact architecture with Strix Halo back in early 2025.

“The exciting part is just the category development. We introduced a similar product in early 2025, so having more people come in and validate that, and you see Microsoft beefing up, I think that’s good overall. Competition is good overall,” Nordquist commented.

“We’re in our second generation that we just announced in the last month, which brings 50% more capacity [than RTX Spark]. So you can get higher capability [AI] models than maybe what you saw today.”

This cuts straight to the core of one thing AMD does have an advantage over Nvidia on — core memory. RTX Spark caps out at 128GB of unified memory, but AMD’s Gorgon Halo pushes that ceiling to 192GB. As Nordquist says himself, that gives you “bigger models up to 300 billion parameters,” which ensures a “higher quality.”

The elephant in the keynote: why did nobody say “Arm”?

Quick explainer to kick this off. AMD and Intel CPUs are built on an x86 architecture — the architecture that’s been used by Windows PCs for over 30 years. It has its down sides, but the main strength here is its the default native standard. It’s been around for ages and chips are built for it.

Nvidia’s RTX Spark and Snapdragon X Elite use an Arm architecture. Arm’s not new, but comparatively, it’s the new kid on the block which does introduce some power efficiency gains.

However, it’s main issue is emulating these apps built for x86 into Arm. There’s a performance penalty there, as it needs to translate the code as you use the app at the same time.

This is probably the sharpest jab from Nordquist. Not about raw AI performance or memory bandwidth, but the glaring omission in Nvidia and Microsoft’s keynote. Across the entire launch, the word “Arm” was practically scrubbed from the script.

“Everything just runs native [on AMD], and I still don’t know what that experience is going to be, how great the CPU is going to be,” Nordquist pondered. “We feel really good that everything just runs out of the box with out product. And I think those questions remain [with RTX Spark].”

When pressed on whether Windows on Arm is finally staging an unstoppable coup against traditional x86 computing, Nordquist dismissed the supposed architectural superiority of Arm outright.

“I don’t think there’s anything magic about going to Arm — that it’s going to be lower power or some other attribute out there. I don’t think we’ve ever believed that, and I don’t think Intel probably believes that as well,” Nordquist responded.

“I didn’t hear Arm mentioned once. It was interesting in their keynote that neither Nvidia nor Microsoft talked about it.

Thirty years of laptop DNA vs a GPU giant’s first clamshell

Nvidia might dominate AI data centers and even make the dedicated GPUs for gaming laptops. But when it comes to the messy, compromise-heavy reality of consumer laptops — thermal throttling, battery curves, sleep states and legacy software — Nordquist hammered how that building a standalone laptop platform is a different beast.

“They’re new to the laptop market in general. We’ve been doing it for 30 years-plus in this space, so I think we know how to run Windows,” Nordquist added.

“There’s no emulation; the games are just going to run natively. You’re buying into something that’s going to work, and not having to worry about whether something’s going to break. You’re just kind of covered with what we have.”

The silicon war moves to the bench

Nordquist’s retort lands with some weight because it exposes Arm’s hurdles and the challenge Nvidia has:

• The compatibility tax: Microsoft has worked hard on its Windows Prism Emulation layer for translating x86 apps to Arm, but running that translation still risks edge-case performance hits. Conversely, AMD’’s x86 architecture guarantees zero translation overhead for hefty software and native PC gaming.
• The memory ceiling: Nvidia’s 128GB unified cap is undeniably impressive, but AMD’s 192GB ceiling gives local AI 50% more breathing room for more concurrent agents.
• The category reality: Nvidia’s joined a party AMD rocked up to a year ago. The company has already spent 12 months taking consumer feedback and refining the second-generation silicon.

But ultimately, the time for talk is over. Nvidia brought serious star power, but AMD isn’t blinking. Now it’s time for real-world benchmarking to see whether Nvidia’s Arm silicon can actually match AMD’s battle-tested x86 brute force.

More from Tom's Guide

• I didn’t believe an Nvidia RTX Spark laptop would have the same performance both on and off the charger — so I put it to the test
• AMD just flaunted its own 192GB monster chip to spoil Nvidia’s RTX Spark party — Ryzen AI Max+ Pro 495 should worry Apple, too
• I just tested Windows 11 26H2 — here’s how to update now and why Microsoft finally fixed the two worst things about Windows 11

As the headline gives away, I’m talking about getting the same performance both on and off the charger. The snail’s pace I’d get on a Windows laptop whenever it's disconnected has become a commonplace gripe of mine — so much so that I was suspicious of whether Nvidia had actually cracked it.

Well, turns out the company proved me wrong royally with some key examples over the months, showing just how efficient this is with that battery to deliver the same speeds no matter where you are.

The accident

Probably the most surprising view of this potential is in Blender. For those out of the know, this is a seriously intensive app for 3D animation and digital art — it demands a lot of your CPU and GPU in remapping pixels every time you move an image.

During IFA 2026, I saw a Blender demo that was supposed to show the app with and without DLSS activated on two identical Surface Laptop Ultras. Instead, it revealed the raw stamina of an RTX Spark system because one was left unplugged.

Speaking to Nvidia, the demo had been turned on/setup at 9 am, and I attended it at around 2:30 pm. After 5.5 hours, the 10% battery warning had only started showing.

Even on something super power-efficient like a MacBook Pro, you’d be lucky to get 4-5 hours out of it. So you can imagine how blown away I was in this situation.

On top of that, I saw Unreal Engine 5's biggest sample map running on the MSI Prestige Flip N16 without any stuttering off the charger.

No more gaming frustration

And since this is Nvidia, we have to talk about gaming. You already know the key gameplay specs here — DLSS 4.5 supported through the sheer heft of all those Blackwell GPU cores and the horsepower to run 1440p games at buttery-smooth frame rates.

Nowhere was this more obvious than with the Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra. That magnetic USB-C port may have stolen my heart, but at the same time, I got to see Gears of War: E-Day (a game that's being translated to work with the silicon) run at exactly the same frame rate.

That standard gaming laptop frustration of watching your FPS dip is a thing of the past here. No more massive cut in performance!

What does this mean for battery life?

But let’s get real here. What is the battery life in reality? All of this sounds great, but there isn’t anything concrete beyond a claim of “all-day battery life.”

Throw in the fact that this is an Arm chip and that emulation isn’t necessarily the most power-efficient way to run apps, and this is something I’m very keen to test.

More from Tom's Guide

• NVIDIA RTX Spark laptop preorders are live: here's where to buy them
• AMD just flaunted its own 192GB monster chip to spoil Nvidia’s RTX Spark party — Ryzen AI Max+ Pro 495 should worry Apple, too
• I tried Microsoft’s new haptic Surface Mouse — and standard mice now feel completely broken

The Nvidia RTX Spark-powered Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra has been revealed and promises to be the company’s most powerful computer ever. Given that, expect this new machine to command a steep price when fully configured.

Getting right to it, the 15-inch Surface Laptop Ultra starts at $2,599, while the higher-end dev box model costs $5,999. Pre-orders begin today, with machines from Microsoft and its partners launching on October 16. The Surface Laptop Ultra packs a 15-inch mini-LED, an RTX Spark processor, and 24GB of RAM.

Microsoft says the Surface Laptop Ultra is the world's first laptop to feature a breakaway USB-C port. While that might technically be true, this is basically Microsoft’s answer to the MacBook’s MagSafe port, which also magnetically snaps onto the laptop. Along with that, the Surface Laptop Ultra will have a streamlined design.

Naturally, there was a lot of discussion about running AI agents locally on the RTX Spark platform. We saw some demos where agents found tax records scattered on one’s PC and put them all together in a single zip file. Another demo showed an agent finding photo files and reorganizing them, even renaming said files.

Keep scrolling to watch a video of the event, along with the posts we made while it was happening live.

Watch the Microsoft Surface event

LIVE updates

Is this classic counter programming to plant a flag before Nvidia? Yes. But beneath the rush lies a piece of hardware with specifications so absurd they demand attention. Packing 16 desktop-class “Zen 5” cores and up to 192GB of unified memory, AMD’s built a brute-force x86 weapon designed to kill cloud AI subscription fees, take on Team Green and even make Apple a little nervous too.

The 192GB cheat code

To understand why AMD is sweating, look at what Nvidia is trying to pull off with RTX Spark. The team is aiming to make local AI agents accessible by pairing Arm-based compute cores with Blackwell graphics (a similar amount of cores that you find in the company’s desktop RTX 50-series GPUs) and unified system memory.

Apple, of course, wrote this playbook years ago with Apple Silicon in the MacBook Pro — proving that fusing a CPU and GPU around a giant pool of memory is the ultimate setup for intense tasks and heavy local models. And while Apple built the sandbox that Nvidia’s trying to take over, AMD just decided to dump a truckload of concrete into it.

If you want to run massive AI models locally on traditional laptops, the amount of memory means you simply cannot. Team Red’s Ryzen AI Max+ breaks that bottleneck through sheer volume to its digital brain:

• A 192GB shared reservoir: The CPU and GPU can share an enormous 192GB of memory running at a blistering 8.5 billion data transfers per second.
• The 160GB slider: I played with this on the Asus ProArt GoPro Edition with the AI Max+ 395. Using a feature called Variable Graphics Memory (VGM), users can carve out up to 160GB of that memory directly for graphics processing.
• The scale: This gives a single laptop more usable video memory (VRAM) than four desktop RTX 4090 cards strapped together. Not only is this huge for gaming (trust me, I tested it), but it allows for gargantuan 100+ billion-paramenter AI models to run entirely on-device and offline.

And that offline bit is critical in my mind. While I’m always going to take a look at the sheer amount of memory being gobbled up and think “oh, so that’s why RAMageddon’s a thing,” I am a believer that local AI is the future over cloud models like ChatGPT or Gemini.

Now, there are real-world examples to prove that.

Firing the cloud provider

Tech enthusiasts are tired of hearing “AI” attached to every bit of basic spreadsheet math, so AMD’s brought in Emmy-winning production studio LightSail VR to show off the economic reality of local agents.

This is the VR studio that recently caught a Sabrina Carpenter concert, and they deal with ultra-heavy 16K, 90 FPS stereoscopic 3D video for Hollywood. With client feedback pouring in across multiple projects, it was becoming overwhelming for the small team.

Option one of using cloud models like OpenAI or Anthropic to coordinate this is impossible for two reasons:

• Strict Hollywood NDAs: Confidential scripts, clips or project schedules cannot leave the four walls of their studio.
• The cloud meter: Running autonomous agents that constantly re-index documents and shift production timelines would burn thousands of dollars a month in cloud AI token costs.

So instead, LightSail VR build an in-house “production coordinator” agent on an AMD Ryzen AI Max desktop with unified memory — living directly inside the team’s personal Slack. It’s able to update schedules, rewrite spreadsheets and alert the team autonomously when an edit timeline shifts.

And the payoff has been huge, with the studio able to manage six to nine concurrent productions with the personal effort required for just two, with zero data leaving the building and zero cloud AI token invoices.

What does that mean for me?

But of course, you’re (probably) not producing 16K stereoscopic video for a Hollywood studio. Why should you care about a 192GB laptop processor? Simply put, the tech industry is currently trying to trap you in an endless web of AI subscription fees.

Right now, using a generative AI agent to organize your life or draft your emails comes with a hefty monthly premium fee. By building a laptop chip with massive unified memory, AMD is effectively stuffing that cloud server into a backpack.

That translates into two massive consumer victories:

• The death of the subscription tax: Buy the hardware once. After that, your autonomous digital intern can reorganize that messy hard drive, draft emails and analyze massive spreadsheets 24/7 without costing you a single cent in cloud AI costs.
• Absolute privacy: You no longer have to upload your tax returns, confidential work documents or personal schedules to a server in California just to get AI assistance. These gargantuan models can fit directly into the AI Max’s memory pool, so they run completely locally and offline.

It’s not just about raw horsepower; it’s a hardware escape hatch from the looming cloud subscription era.

The x86 moat against Arm

And that brings us to the core battlefield between AMD and Nvidia (and Apple to an extent).

RTX Spark leans into Arm architecture. Arm chips deliver exceptional power efficiency — as Apple has proved for years — but running traditional Windows applications on Arm requires translation layers.

And while Microsoft’s Prism emulation has improved massively (like Microsoft's engineer told me), translation layers still introduce power inefficiencies, occasional driver quirks and incompatibilities with legacy hardware.

In my experience with AMD, the team spent a significant chunk of its time exploiting that vulnerability and repeatedly mentioning “Native x86” alongside there being “no emulation layer” for Windows and Linux.

By sticking to the standard PC architecture of the past three decades, AMD avoids that trap entirely. Specialized software can run natively at full clip, older peripherals work out of the box, and when the work finishes, the integrated RDNA 3.5 graphics engine can natively fire up PC games without any chance of an emulator hiccuping mid-frame.

AMD’s scramble to share all of this two days before Nvidia takes the stage with Microsoft shows just how intense the pressure has become. Team Red is anxious that RTX Spark will set the narrative for what high-end AI laptops are supposed to look like.

But by using native x86 architecture and an audacious amount of money, AMD has ensured that when Nvidia steps into the spotlight, it won’t be walking into an empty room.

More from Tom's Guide

• I tested the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2026) like I was a student — its gaming, creator and AI performance is huge, but it comes at a cost
• I just tested Windows 11 26H2 — here’s how to update now and why Microsoft finally fixed the two worst things about Windows 11
• I tested Microsoft’s fanless Snapdragon X2 Plus Surface Pro and Laptop: The MacBook Air should be terrified

Some excellent deals right now include the Samsung 24 (S30GD) for just $79, the lowest price in 30 days. The LG 24U411A-B is another great sub-$100 monitor at $84. If you want a gaming monitor, my beloved Alienware AW3425DW is now $699, while the new 6K Samsung G80HS is currently $300 off.

Since monitors are largely immune to RAMageddon, finding deals is thankfully not a Herculean feat, so I expect even more deals as we get closer to October Prime Day. I’ll keep this page updated, so keep it locked here for the latest and greatest. Now, here are 7 Prime Day monitor deals worth your money!

Quick Links

• shop all October Prime Day deals
• Samsung 24" (S30GD): was $129 now $79 @ Amazon
• LG 24U411A-B: was $99 now $83 @ Amazon
• Samsung S3 (S39GD): was $232 now $169 @ Amazon
• Samsung ViewFinity S50GC: was $329 now $209 @ Amazon
• Dell 27 Plus 4K Monitor: was $299 now $268 @ Amazon
• Alienware 34 QD-OLED (AW3425DW): was $799 now $699 @ Amazon
• Samsung 32" Odyssey G8 (G80HS): was $1,599 now $1,299 @ Amazon

Prime Day Monitor Deals

If you’re looking for a sneak peek at what the upcoming Wi-Fi 8 spec looks like and can do for your home network, you can do no better than Asus’s new ROG Rapture GT-BN98 Pro.

A high-performance gaming router, the ROG Rapture GT-BN98 Pro is the first, but certainly not the last, Wi-Fi 8 router. A welcome update that focuses on reliability and range, Wi-Fi 8 also can extend the router’s reach and provide a serious mid-range throughput boost to just about any home network. Unfortunately, it will remain an expensive tease until Wi-Fi 8 client hardware appears sometime next year and the spec’s full promise is within reach.

Still, the ROG Rapture GT-BN98 Pro excelled with Wi-Fi 7 clients, giving a taste of its potential to not only speed up the data flow but provide a window on the next generation of wireless networking. Read the review to see if this is the best gaming router for your home network and whether or not its $900 price tag is worth the extra range, throughput and reliability.

Asus ROG Rapture GT-BN98 Pro: Design

Top shelf all the way, the Asus ROG Rapture GT-BN98 Pro is the first Wi-Fi 8 router to hit the market. Based on the draft IEEE 802.11bn spec, it has “conditional approval” from the FCC for sales in the U.S. to enable next-generation performance and reliability. An amalgam of old and new, the ROG Rapture GT-BN98 Pro builds off the ROG Rapture GT-BE98 Pro and Asus will soon have a mesh networking set based on an existing ZenWiFi design.

There’s a major caveat, though: We’ll have to wait for Wi-Fi 8 client hardware to show up for phones, notebooks, tablets and USB upgrade kits. Give it six months before we see the true potential of Wi-Fi 8.

In the here and now, the quad-band GT-BN98 Pro pushes performance by transmitting 4X4 data across each band, starting with 2.4 GHz (for 1.376 Gbps), 5.0 GHz (5.674 Gbps) and two 6 GHz bands (23.058 Gbps). It adds up to a theoretical top speed of over 30 Gbps, making it one of the most powerful networking devices available.

To get there, the router uses all the tricks of Wi-Fi 7 – including 4K Quadrature Amplitude modulation, ultra-wide 320MHz data channels, and Multi-Link Operations – and adds several new Wi-Fi 8 ones – like a more efficient modulation and coding scheme, unequal modulation as well as enhanced distributed channel access. In other words, Wi-Fi 8 can fill in some of the gaps left by Wi-Fi 7.

Under the skin, Broadcom’s BCM 6718 Wi-Fi chips leverages the draft spec with a 2.6 GHz quad-core processor as well as 2GB of DDR4 RAM and 256MB of flash storage to hold its firmware and settings. Expect several updates as the spec is finalized and new features are added.

It’s ready to go with a braided Cat 7 jumper cable, an external power supply and Republic of Gamers stickers. The black and silver GT-BN98 Pro looks impressive and intimidating, just what a gamer wants. On top of a see-through window to show some of the router’s internals and the longitude and latitude of the company’s Taipei headquarters, the backlit ROG logo has seven lighting effects, although none are performance oriented.

The GT-BN98 Pro’s eight antennas can be swiveled and rotated but not easily removed. It’s big at 13.8 x 13.8 x 2.7 inches plus an extra 6.1 inches for the antennas when pointed straight up. Turn it over and the router looks more like a mechanical spider.

Its input and output ports are among the best available for multi-gig home networking. One of the two 10Gbps WAN input ports can be used as a high-speed downstream networking link, and both can be set for gaming priority. There are also four 2.5Gbps ports, one of which can be used for input or output data flow as well as a 1 Gbps downstream networking port.

The router’s old but reliable USB 2.0 spec (480 Mbps) is augmented by a high-speed USB 3.2 Gen 1 port (10 Gbps) link. They can connect a drive across the LAN or as an Internet backup with a mobile phone during a broadband blackout.

During extensive use, it peaked at a warm 102.6 degrees Fahrenheit thanks to its massive heat sink that’s visible on top; there are four others under the skin to help cool the unit without resorting to a fan. In addition to LEDs for Power, WAN, LAN and action on each band, the router can run as a traditional router, mesh node, access point, repeater and media bridge.

The ROG Rapture GT-BN98 Pro puts an emphasis on gaming with access to GTNet’s AI-based gamer’s network, although it lacks a world ping map to show areas where connection speeds lag. The adaptive QoE (aka quality of experience), real-time traffic monitor and traffic analyzer help balance the flow.

It includes online protection for children, a capable firewall and can block ads, trackers and dangerous sites but lacks client level scanning software. One more thing, it can run as a Virtual Private Network (VPN) server or client using any of seven popular protocols. The service is included along with a year of NordVPN protection.

The ROG Rapture GT-BN98 Pro’s three year warranty and a lifetime of support outclasses Netgear’s 1-year warranty and 90 days of support. Online, the manual appears basic but its extensive links to setup, security and performance make it a must read.

Asus ROG Rapture GT-BN98 Pro: Performance

Based on three weeks of real-world use and throughput testing with Keysight’s IxChariot networking benchmark and a Wi-Fi 7-based HP Envy X360 notebook, the ROG Rapture GT-BN98 Pro provides a sneak peek at Wi-Fi 8’s capabilities. Set to simulate 10 data hungry users, the ROG Rapture GT-BN98 Pro moved 2.407 Gbps over Wi-Fi with the two devices next to each other, just below the company’s GT-BE19000Ai at 2.867 Gbps.

Using 15 feet of Cat 7 cable, the router delivered 4.492 Gbps. This blasts past the GT-BE19000AI’s 3.519 Gbps with nearly a gigabit per second more data.

At a more reasonable 15-feet, the ROG Rapture GT-BN98 Pro delivered 2.300 Gbps of real-world Wi-Fi throughput. Between the TP-Link Archer GE650 at 2.019 Gbps and the GT-BE19000Ai’s 2.580 Gbps it’s plenty for 8K videos and high-performance gaming.

The router’s 950.6 Mbps of throughput at 50 feet was a shade off the GT-BE19000Ai’s 1.006 Gbps pace but nearly double the 552.5 Mbps of bandwidth offered by the TP-Link Archer GE650. At 75 feet, the router showed the potential of Wi-Fi 8 to fill a house with data at 799.7 Mbps, four times the Nighthawk RS700S at 187.6 Mbps and 50 percent higher than the ROG Rapture GT-BE19000Ai’s 528.3 Mbps.

The router’s 135-foot range makes it perfect for filling large homes with data, and at 90 feet, it led the pack at 63.4Mbps compared to the GT-BE19000Ai’s 49.1 Mbps.

As far as sending data across a 20-foot room and through a wall, the GT-BN98 Pro excelled at 2.122 Gbps of throughput. That’s more than double the Archer GE650’s 954.9 Mbps.

Still, it left a couple of dead zones in the basement of my 3,500 square foot home, making me anxious to see what the first Wi-Fi 8 mesh sets are capable of. The router didn’t choke on anything and was good for everything from work emails and video calls to some gaming and streaming ultra-high resolution videos.

Its 28-watt peak power use and lack of idle mode add up to an annual power budget of $43, if it runs 24/7 and you pay the national average of 17.5 cents per kilowatt hour of electricity. That’s $20 more than the Archer GE650’s power estimate.

Asus ROG Rapture GT-BN98 Pro: Setup

Setting up as a ROG Rapture GT-BN98 Pro wireless network started with loading Asus’s Router app on my Samsung Galaxy S25 phone. I picked the router from a photo page, snapped the QR code underneath and added log in data.

In a little less than six minutes, I was done.

Asus ROG Rapture GT-BN98 Pro: Configuration

The app’s Home screen has the current lighting effect and the host’s IP address. There’re links to who’s connected.

Its other four tabs include Devices (for online connections), Insight page (remotely operating the router and using Asus’s AiProtection) and Family (parental controls based on several broad age groups). Its Settings section allows redoing the setup and using it as a VPN server or client.

Based on Asus’s WRT6.0 interface, the browser-based connection looked great and its options mirror those of the app.

Asus ROG Rapture GT-BN98 Pro: Gaming

The GT-BN98 Pro has lots of gaming potential, starting with an excellent Traffic Analyzer that can track bytes over each wireless band. The QoE section allows tuning for a variety of uses, including online gaming.

I love the GTNet’s server acceleration network but spent more time with the app’s Ping and Packet Loss data – essential optimization steps before gaming.

Asus ROG Rapture GT-BN98 Pro: Verdict

Being first counts for a lot in the Wi-Fi world and Asus leads the pack with its ROG Rapture GT-BN98 Pro, the first, but certainly not the last, Wi-Fi 8 router. Based on the draft spec, Wi-Fi 8 routers can make Wi-Fi 7 even better. That said, the Asus ROG Rapture GT-BN98 Pro delivers an excellent all-around home router with an emphasis on gaming. Able to send data over the 2.4, 5.0 and a pair of 6GHz portals it offers class-leading range and mid-range throughput.

It’s premature to crown a Wi-Fi 8 king, and the entirety of the spec’s abilities will become evident sometime next year when Wi-Fi 8’s details are finally ratified and client hardware comes out. At that point, Wi-Fi 8’s reliability, extended range and mid-range throughput will truly be put to the test.

I personally can’t wait. In the meantime, the ROG Rapture GT-BN98 Pro is the leader for a field that I expect to get crowded very quickly.

At $1,599 for the standard Studio Display and $3,299 for the Studio Display XDR though, neither of these premium monitors comes cheap. Then when you factor in useful add-ons from Apple like glare-free, nano-texture glass or a tilt-and-height-adjustable stand, you’re looking at a very serious investment.

This is why at Tom’s Guide, we’ve been testing out different Studio Display alternatives. From the BenQ MA270S to the MSI Pro Max 271UPXW12G, there’s a growing number of creative and professional monitors that give you a similar experience at a fraction of the price. However, while these two options are more affordable, they have the same 27-inch display size as Apple’s Studio Display.

While 27 inches is the sweet spot for many, once you go up to a 32-inch monitor, it’s hard to go back. That’s why I’ve spent the past month trying out the Innocn CB32U1. Not only is it larger, but it also sports a faster 160Hz refresh rate along with dual HDMI 2.1 ports, which makes it a more work-friendly option than one of the best gaming monitors.

Here’s what it’s been like using this budget-friendly Studio Display alternative as my daily driver — and why I might not be going back to my Apple monitor anytime soon.

Part art, part gaming monitor

This is the third Innocn monitor I’ve checked out and one thing that continues to impress me is the sheer amount of cables and accessories in the box. If there’s a port on the monitor, you get a cable for it so you don’t have to scrounge through your box of cables while trying to set up your new display. One surprising addition with the CB32U1 was a USB hub with a USB-C connector on one end and a USB-A one on the other, but more on that in a bit.

When it comes to ports, there’s a nice selection of them around back. You get two HDMI 2.1 connections, DisplayPort 1.4, USB-C with 90W of power delivery, and a power port.

While the previous two Innocn monitors I tested used a standard PC power plug, this one uses a barrel connector and an external power brick. Normally, this would be a downside, but here it works because instead of being tucked on the underside of the display, all of this monitor's ports are located flat on the back — just like on Apple’s Studio Display.

With its clean white look with silver trim, you wouldn't think you’re dealing with a display capable of handling high refresh rate gaming just as well as photo or video editing.

Given I often prefer using one of the best monitor arms with my desk setups, I always look for standard VESA mounting options when shopping for a new display. While the CB32U1 uses a quick-release mount for its included stand, Innocn does include a VESA adapter plate right in the box if you want to go that route.

Speaking of the stand, it has a metal base and metal post which makes it feel quite sturdy on your desk. There isn’t a cable cutout on the post, but to be honest, I kind of prefer it that way. With a cutout, you're forced into routing cables a specific way, but here, I was able to cleanly strap all my cables behind the post without any of them peeking out from the front.

With the Innocn CB32U1 unboxed and set up, it was time to start putting the display through its paces.

MacBook-ready but built for more

As I usually do when trying out a new monitor, the first thing I did was connect my 16-inch MacBook Pro M5 to the CB32U1. I was immediately impressed with the display’s color reproduction and just how close it was to my MacBook’s screen — even without switching to its dedicated Mac Mode. With 90W of Power Delivery over USB-C, I was able to use and charge the laptop with a single cable too.

From there, I decided to build a full desk setup around the CB32U1, utilizing the rest of its ports to connect one of the best mini PCs and my Nintendo Switch 2. With its ports flat on the back instead of tucked on the underside, I didn’t have to worry about cables poking out underneath the display, which made cable management an absolute breeze. However, I was curious about that included USB hub I mentioned earlier, so I decided to set it up too.

Even though the CB32U1 doesn’t have a built-in KVM switch like the 5K2K Innocn ultrawide I previously tried out, this USB hub does a great job of making up for it. You plug the primary end into the USB-C port on the back of the monitor and plug the upstream USB-A end into your computer. Once that's done, you get three extra USB ports and a 3.5mm audio jack you can use with a pair of the best computer speakers.

Although a built-in KVM switch would have let me switch seamlessly between devices while using the same peripherals, this USB hub — and the way that I installed it — did let me hotswap computers on a whim. For instance, I first used the CB32U1 with the Minisforum G1 Pro as I wanted to put its gaming capabilities to the test but then I ended up swapping that PC out for Apple’s new Mac mini M6 while working on my review. Thanks to having the 2.4 GHz USB dongles for my mechanical keyboard and trackball mouse installed behind the monitor, I didn’t have to unplug or pair anything. Instead, I just used a USB-A to USB-C adapter on the back of the new Mac mini and voila, I was instantly typing away on Apple’s upgraded Mac desktop.

Editing photos and doing other creative work on the CB32U1 was an absolute joy. While it wasn’t quite as impressive as back when I reviewed the Studio Display XDR, its IPS panel was clear, sharp and most importantly, glare-free. Even though it’s not as advanced as Apple’s etched nano-texture glass, the matte anti-glare coating Innocn used on this display definitely does the trick.

As for gaming on the CB32U1, that was a surprisingly good experience as well. Even though it doesn’t have a 240Hz or 360Hz refresh rate like you often see on high-end gaming monitors, this display has a 144Hz one out of the box, though you can overclock that all the way up to 160Hz. This is more than enough for non-competitive players and it also has AMD FreeSync on board for tear-free variable refresh rate (VRR) gaming.

One thing that stands out here too is the inclusion of not one but two HDMI 2.1 ports. While most PC players chasing maximum frame rates and performance go with DisplayPort, to play above 60Hz on either the PS5 or Xbox Series X, you need HDMI 2.1.

I could easily see someone using the CB32U1 for work during the day and then having a console next to it to get in a play session at night. You really do get the best of both worlds here for a lot less than you’d typically spend on a professional monitor from brands like MSI or BenQ and of course, Apple.

Not quite an all-in-one display

Now what do you lose out on when going with a more affordable Studio Display alternative like the Innocn CB32U1? For starters, you don’t get an integrated webcam and will need to bring your own. At the same time, unlike with the previous two Innocn monitors I tried out, this one doesn’t have built-in speakers. Now I know monitor speakers leave a lot to be desired, but I still like having them as they can be quite useful in a pinch.

With this desk setup, I went with the BlueAnt Soundblade for audio as this under-monitor soundbar helped me free up valuable desk space. However, it also gave me a place to put Flipper’s BUSY Bar – yes, the same Flipper behind the Flipper Zero — which I’m currently testing out. I initially went without one of the best webcams as I mainly used the CB32U1 for more focused work sessions and some gaming at night. However, I eventually put Logitech’s MX Brio webcam on top of my monitor light bar to join a few meetings out here in my game room.

Adding a pair of speakers — or a soundbar in my case — and a webcam to the CB32U1 is still a whole lot cheaper than what you’d pay for the base model of the Studio Display. While this monitor doesn’t have the same first-party integrations you get with Apple’s premium display, you do get a lot more flexibility when it comes to how you want to set it up. While I would have preferred having a built-in power supply over an external power brick, it’s still better than the hardwired power cable on the Studio Display. Likewise, you’re not just limited to Thunderbolt and can plug whatever you want into this monitor, from your Mac to your consoles to your gaming PC.

At $549, the CB32U1 is on the expensive side when compared to your standard 32-inch monitor. However, this is a professional monitor for creatives that need a wider and more accurate range of color profiles. You also get high-refresh rate gaming built-in as a nice extra.

Having used the Innocn CB32U1 for a month now, I haven’t once felt the need to swap it out for my Studio Display or my gaming monitor. If you’re looking for a monitor that’s suitable for both work and play and want one in white without spending a fortune, it could earn a spot on your desk too.

More from Tom's Guide

• I ditched my dual-monitor setup for a single 40-inch ultrawide and two screens aren’t better than one
• I tried this futuristic monitor light bar and now my desk lights itself every time I sit down
• I spent a week with dual Apple Studio Displays and realized I’ve been lying to myself about glossy screens for years

Each year the company celebrates Elegoo Day — actually a multi-day event that involves the Make It Real Challenge (which invites creators to turn 2D ideas into 3D models for the chance to win Elegoo coupons worth up to $300); a $1 million Creator Fund (where creators contributing models to Elegoo's Nexprint can earn up to $100 per model); and savings — some big, big savings.

So if you've been looking to pick up a 3D printer, now is a great time to buy. In this article I've picked out nine of my favorite deals from the sale, which runs until September 29. You can choose from FDM and resin models, and there are a couple of bundles available, too.

Beyond lossless sound enhancements, ambient ANC, and enhanced voice clarity, this chip is all about multimodal AI with camera support, alongside support for agentic AI.

The big specs (to me)

So let me get straight into it, as there are some wins here. Packed into a 30% smaller footprint with 40% lower power consumption, this is bringing intelligence to premium earbuds, camera buds, audio glasses, headphones, AI wearables and more.

It starts with aptX lossless audio support, new AI enhanced ANC that adapts to your ambient surroundings, a new AI-turbocharged microphone pickup algorithm to improve voice pick-up.

This means an EQ that can change slightly around where you are, alongside local models that can let important sounds through the ANC wall (like sirens).

And for the cherry on top, there’s now integrated micro-power WiFi 6E — a world first for a headphone chip that means you could connect to cloud audio directly from the device.

The AI pivot

But let’s get into the big thing of Sound Elite Gen 2: that new local intelligence built right in. Qualcomm’s packed this with up to 2x greater AI capability than its predecessor, ready to fuel the next generation of on-camera equipped form factors (translation: all the AirPods with cameras built in for Siri vision).

Plus with that direct-to-cloud connectivity, it can support a breadth of AI services both locally and on-cloud. This will take earbuds beyond your standard voice assistant into something a little more agentic thanks to that built-in NPU and an ecosystem of apps and agents built specifically for the chip.

Do you actually want camera buds in the age of pervert glasses?

This is the big question here. My tech nerd take is of course that this is a solid silicon upgrade for upcoming devices. But we’ve come to realize a lot more about the privacy issues that come with AI smart glasses or always-on recorders.

So now that we’re seeing these kinds of devices in a whole new light — a light where we’re much more aware of how much of our lives are being used to train AI models, and the rise in covert recording — is this a case of bad timing? Would you want to buy a pair of camera buds?

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• I spent 30 minutes with the iPhone Duo — 3 things you just don’t get from the pictures
• Snap’s CEO told me he hates getting AI-drafted texts from his wife — so what’s the plan to fight brain fry with Specs?

One thing is clear, the company are keen to tell you these chips will “power the agentic AI age,” which is all fair and good (and a real advantage for this over the A20 Pro in Apple’s iPhone 18 Pro). But there are a few other places where Snapdragon-armed phones will get the advantage.

Let me explain.

Clock speeds off the charts

So it all starts with re-engineered Oryon CPU cores — the brains of the operation. And if you’re a speeds and feeds kind of person, the main thing to note here is this is the world’s first 5GHz mobile CPU. Those Prime Cores on 8 Elite Gen 6 are sure to tear through even the most intensive of tasks.

Now, this is of course before any real benchmarking has happened. Apple has always been up to some serious witchcraft and wizardry when it comes to this wicked single core speeds. But that symphony of Prime Cores will surely introduce some bonkers multicore speeds and give Snapdragon the edge over A20 Pro.

Bringing DLSS to smartphones

There’s a 12% power improvement and new AI-dedicated GPU cores on-board here. Beyond all your usual accelerated local AI numbers, one of the big things that comes with this is Adreno Neural Fusion — AI super resolution and frame generation for games.

Time will tell on how many games will support this tech looking ahead. But with a 40% improvement in power and performance in key titles like Naraka Bladepoint and Honkai Starrail, as well as integration into game engines for future ease of support, this could be significant for bringing more AAA titles.

My Sensing Hub is tingling

Built onto the chip is what Qualcomm’s calling the Sensing Hub. For local AI to be at its most effective, it needs a chance to be ready to listen at all times, support suitably sized models to understand all your personal context, and zippier speeds with greater efficiency.

This is the thing that ties that agentic AI loop through the CPU, GPU and NPU, as ambient voice is captured, and with low latency, responses are received entirely on-device. A20 Pro is absolutely capable of this, but 8 Elite Gen 6 is taking it a step further with a dedicated neural chip alongside the bigger NPU.

Camera ceiling lifted

And last but certainly no means least, we get into the camera resolution. Any slab with an 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 inside it has an advanced Spectra Image Signal Processing unit (ISP) that is capable of handling 8K 60 FPS video recording — or 4K 240 FPS slow motion.

Now, bear in mind that I said “resolution” and not “quality.” The iPhones will always have a spectacular camera system, but if extra sharpness matters to your captures, 8 Elite Extreme phones will be capable of it.

The similarities

But the more things change, the more they stay the same. For every difference I can point to here, there are other ways these two SOCs are pretty similar, such as AI accelerated GPU cores, a combo of performance and efficiency, and a secure enclave built directly onto the chip.

There are some differences across these tiny dies with transistors thinner than the average human hair, but what they unlock seem to be similar enough: boosting NPU and memory throughput for a local AI future, turbocharging the GPU and further squeezing that power efficiency,

Look forward to tests from me soon enough!

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But if you own a 3D printer (I used the Bambu Lab A1 Combo to print these products), there are some golf-related accessories you can print that are actually useful. I tried tons of different 3D prints for golf, and there are three in particular that stand out as being useful, especially for practicing in the simulator or on the range.

And best of all, they're readily available without any custom 3D design knowledge required, so even if you're a complete beginner to the world of 3D printing, you can send these designs to your printer and take part in the fun.

Now, I'm not saying there are huge cost savings with these, since a 3D printer costs more than you'd spend on these particular accessories. But if you 3D print a bunch of other stuff and add these to the rotation, you will take a little weight off your wallet.

Plus, there's the satisfaction of knowing you made something for yourself that you'll actually use.

Golf Ball Dispenser Pro

For me, the Golf Ball Dispenser Pro is the ultimate 3D-printed golf accessory. It gives you much of the same functionality as driving ranges with auto-tee capabilities, but at home (or at a cheaper range that doesn't offer it). While it's a slightly more complicated print, it does print everything you need to use the dispenser (except a golf ball, which is used as a weight).

I highly recommend printing the funnel so it can hold a few extra balls, since it means you don't have to fill it as often and you can keep your practice flowing without stopping (there's an even larger ball garage that has come out since I printed mine, but I haven't tried it, so I can't speak to how well it works). Between the funnel and the actual dispenser, you can step up your practice game in a big way without spending much money.

Weighted Tee Base for Golf Simulator

When you're practicing in the simulator or range, your tees fly all over the place. That's where this Weighted Tee Base for Golf Simulator comes in. Products like the K2 Golf tee holder do a similar job, but they're pricey. If you own a 3D printer, some sand (or something heavy you can fit inside it) and a rubber-band tether, you can print this weighted tee base and save a lot of cash.

I definitely enjoy not having to chase my simulator tees all around the room with every tee shot. When practicing driver, this lets you get more shots off in less time, which will help you improve faster. After all, good practice is all about efficiency, and this simple 3D print gives you that.

Golf Tee Elevator

Maybe I'm just being weird, but I'm very particular about the height of my golf tee. At the same time, I'm terrible about using the same type of tee all the time. I usually use whatever I pull out of my bag, which makes lining up the exact height a pain.

When I saw the Golf Tee Elevator on MakerWorld, I found the solution. No matter what kind of tee I grab (or find on the ground near the tee box), I can slot it into this and set it in the ground at the perfect height.

Does it really make a difference in the quality of my tee shots? Probably not, but the consistency gives me one less thing to think about, and any distraction you can get rid of on the course is a good thing.

Golf and 3D printing, together at last

MakerWorld has tons of other 3D-printed golf accessories, such as tees, a grip training aid, alignment stick holders, and more. However, the three listed here are the ones that have really been game-changers for me personally. But don't be afraid to expand out and try other fun golf prints. You never know what's best for you until you try.

And what do you have to lose besides some filament and a couple of hours of print time?

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But it felt overpriced, unpolished and struggled to hit the performance metrics PC games need in 2026. Then, I started using it…and using it some more…and after weeks of relentless software updates, I have to admit that maybe I rushed to judgement.

I stand by the score for most of you reading this: console players can get better living room bang for their buck elsewhere (for now) and for PC players, the component math isn’t really mathing.

But for those in that small group like me who just want our massive Steam backlogs on the big screen without the headache of using Windows from the couch, this is where the Steam Machine turns from good to great.

This started as a test of the Lexar PLAY microSDXC card, and as you can see by my sprawling thoughts, has evolved into something more. Let me explain.

FSR 4.1 is a game changer

The proof is in the pudding, and Forza Horizon 6 was the first place where I really felt that proof. Recently, Valve updated the Steam Machine to support AMD’s FSR 4.1 resolution scaling and frame generation tech (otherwise known as FSR Redstone).

Now, it’s worth noting that Horizon 6 is a game that has FSR 4.1 options natively supported in its in-game menus. For others, like The Last of Us Part II, you will have to go into the game properties, and turn the compatibility layer to Proton Experimental. A small file downloads and you should be off to the races.

Even if the in-game settings says “FSR 3.1” of some sort, you’re getting FSR 4 — something that I saw when flipping over to Naughty Dog’s epic. The number changes are minor, but the real difference maker here is frame pacing and image quality.

Forza Horizon 6 had a real stuttering problem when I first played it on the Steam Machine, with driving gameplay feeling like it was on the framerate equivalent of an elastic band stretching and contracting.

Now with FSR 4, not only is ghosting drastically reduced, the 1% lows are much stronger for a massive improvement in consistency. The same can be said of The Last of Us too, as the surface textures don’t fizzle anymore and the frame pacing stability is much better.

Throw in all the UI updates (like making resolution settings much clearer), stability improvements and support for USB wheels and pedals, and this is all coming together nicely! Not in a way that makes the price feel more worthwhile, but we’re heading in the right direction.

The remaining friction (and the hack)

While the software and frame rates have evolved, that price remains a massive hurdle — to the point that the base model is the only tier that makes sense. However, that limited internal drive will fill up fast after downloading just a couple of modern games.

So the fix? The smartest move is buying the base model and pairing it with a microSDXC memory card like the Lexar PLAY I’ve been using.

It’s cheaper to get a 1TB card than upgrading the internal storage, and while the read/write rates are slower than the internal storage, the speeds are fast enough to handle games without any stuttering.

There is a longer load time, but nothing too agonizing.

The comeback kid?

So, is the Steam Machine suddenly a five-star masterpiece? Let’s not get carried away. The sticker shock is still very real, and for anyone wanting to roll up their sleeves and build their own compact living room machine, the dollar-to-performance ratio doesn’t add up.

But the integration of FSR 4 has transformed a choppy, frustrating experience into a genuinely viable console competitor. The Steam Machine proves that hardware specs on a spreadsheet are only half the story, and Valve is putting in the grueling software work to right the ship.

Plus, you can save a little bit of cash on that premium storage tax by slapping a high-speed Lexar PLAY 1TB microSD card into the base model. The math doesn’t really math as badly as before.

It might not be the undisputed king of the living room just yet, but it’s absolutely a console comeback kid worth rooting for.

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As per Opensignal's latest report, NBN Co's Accelerate Great initiative vastly improved Australia's internet speeds, thanks to free wholesale speed boosts and the arrival of a new 2Gbps speed tier. For all their positives, however, the report found that many Australians aren’t receiving the full benefit of the vastly improved speeds due to their router, with many homes and businesses neglecting their Wi-Fi radio-wave-emitting tech.

Specifically, the data reveals that 64% of readings across the six major retail service providers (RSPs) came from older Wi-Fi generation routers — i.e. Wi-Fi 3, 4, or 5 — which may not deliver the full speed of the new tiers over Wi-Fi. More than 70% of readings for both Telstra and Vocus came from Wi-Fi 5 routers or older, whereas 55% of relative newcomer Superloop's readings came from Wi-Fi 6 routers or newer.

When it comes to top-end download speeds, the proof is in the pudding. Across all RSPs, customers on Wi-Fi 6 routers or newer sit around 500Mbps at the 90th percentile of download speeds. Comparatively, those with Wi-Fi 5 routers or lower reach between 129Mbps and 287.7Mbps — which is substantially slower.

If your Wi-Fi router is considerably older than your current plan — i.e. you've upgraded your FTTP or HFC connection to a much faster plan without replacing it — and your Wi-Fi is still slow, it may be time to upgrade to a new router. Wi-Fi dropouts can also be caused by poor placement, interference, firmware, your device or an NBN/RSP fault, so it’s worth checking out NBN Co’s Wi-Fi router guide if you’re unsure.

Newer Wi-Fi generations don't just mean new devices. Each generation brings about improvements in speed, latency, capacity or efficiency — or a combination of all four — although a newer generation doesn't automatically mean better range. Deciding what Wi-Fi generation you need depends on a few factors, but it largely relies on your preferred speed tier and your bandwidth requirements, depending on how many internet-connected devices are in your home.

Currently, Wi-Fi 6 routers or higher are a good starting point for NBN 500 plans or faster. But the Wi-Fi generation alone doesn't tell you which internet plan a router can handle: figures such as AX1800, AX3000 or BE11000 are maximum Wi-Fi speed ratings, not supported NBN plan speeds. The newest generation is Wi-Fi 7, which can deliver multi-gigabit wireless speeds with compatible devices, but if you are looking at NBN 2000, be aware that the router's WAN and LAN ports need to be 2.5Gbps or faster.

If you're considering an NBN 500 plan, I'd recommend a router with Wi-Fi 6 connectivity and enough range that you don't need to be right next to it to consistently achieve top speeds. For NBN 750 and NBN 1000 plans, there's a nice sweet spot where you could easily get by on a good Wi-Fi 6 router, but you could also consider Wi-Fi 6E or a Wi-Fi 7 model with a 6GHz band if your devices support it. In a larger home, coverage and router placement — or a mesh system — may matter more than the rated speed.

The highest residential NBN wholesale speed tier available is 2,000Mbps, which is still mighty fast — and well beyond what Wi-Fi 5 can normally deliver day to day. If you have an eligible FTTP or HFC connection and want a 2Gbps plan to achieve its full potential, you'll need a router rated to handle 2Gbps internet service with at least a 2.5GbE WAN port. Wi-Fi 7 is the better option if you're buying new and want multi-gigabit wireless speeds, but a suitable Wi-Fi 6E router can work too. For the most reliable way to exceed 1Gbps on one device, you'll also want a 2.5GbE LAN port and a compatible wired device.

Here's a quick bullet-point summary of the above recommendations:

• NBN 500: Wi-Fi 6 or higher, with at least a 1GbE WAN port
• NBN 750: Wi-Fi 6 or higher, with at least a 1GbE WAN port
• NBN 1000: Wi-Fi 6 or higher, with at least a 1GbE WAN port; 2.5GbE is useful for future-proofing
• NBN 2000: Wi-Fi 7 recommended (a suitable Wi-Fi 6E router can work), plus support for 2Gbps internet service and at least a 2.5GbE WAN port

Best new router deals

If you're ready to shop for a new router, I've gathered some top-rated options below. From Wi-Fi 6 to Wi-Fi 7, I've spotted some stellar deals on new routers and mesh systems on Amazon, from brands like TP-Link, Netgear and eero.

As a router reviewer, I've been using the Amazon eero 7 router and the weatherproof eero Outdoor 7 mesh extender for a few months now, and they were super easy to set up using the companion app. I've used a trusty TP-Link Archer router at home for a while too, and it was just as easy to plug and play. If you're keen to see what the best Wi-Fi 6 or Wi-Fi 7 routers we've tested at Tom's Guide are, you can check out our respective guides.

Just remember that Wi-Fi generation alone doesn't tell the whole story: the Wi-Fi 7 TP-Link Archer BE220 only has Gigabit Ethernet ports, so it isn’t good for NBN 2000, while the Netgear Nighthawk RS100 has a 2.5GbE WAN port but Gigabit LAN ports, so it is less suited for wired setups. The Wi-Fi 6 Archer AX12 is also limited to Gigabit Ethernet so it can connect to an NBN 2000 service but can't fully use it. The eero 7 has two 2.5GbE ports and is the best match for NBN 2000, although Amazon rates its wireless speeds at up to 1.8Gbps, so no single Wi-Fi device will get the full 2Gbps.

Is there anything wrong with it? Not particularly. Its 4K panel is neither the brightest nor the dullest in its weight class, and the price tag may make your eye twitch. Neither of these are outright dealbreakers, though. If you’re a professional looking for a monitor that doesn’t skimp on features, this is the one.

For the complete breakdown, read my full Dell UltraSharp U3226Q review.

Dell UltraSharp U3226Q review: Specs

Dell UltraSharp U3226Q review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? A 32-inch QD-OLED monitor with a 4K UHD resolution
• Who is it for? For professional photographers, editors, creatives and everyone in between
• How much does it cost? It ain’t cheap — the Dell UltraSharp U3226Q costs $2,499 / £2,404
• What do we like? The built-in colorimeter, outstanding color coverage and accuracy, 120Hz refresh rate, and the wide array of ports
• What don’t we like? The eye-watering price tag

Dell UltraSharp U3226Q review: The ups

The question isn’t, “What can the Dell UltraSharp U3226Q do?” It’s what it can’t do. Excellent color coverage and accuracy, a built-in colorimeter, plenty of color modes and ports, 120Hz refresh rate, 0.03ms response time. It’s got it all.

Pro features for the pros

There’s no doubt that the Dell UltraSharp U3226Q is a pro monitor meant for pros, and one quick glance at its specs sheet tells you as much. Alongside outstanding color coverage and accuracy (more on that shortly), the U3226Q features seven color factory-calibrated modes as well as six customizable ones. The seven modes include DCI-P3, Display P3, sRGB, BT.709, BT.2020, and Adobe RGB (with D50 and D65 white points). These make the U3226Q excellent for digital as well as print editing.

The U3226Q is a self-calibrating monitor, which means that it features a built-in colorimeter that automatically tests and adjusts the display’s color accuracy. You can choose between Express and Comprehensive self-calibration via the U3226Q’s menu. Once you’ve selected it, the U3226Q will calibrate itself to maintain its outstanding performance day in and out. This is very handy for professional editors, and it’s something that isn’t even offered by expensive monitors, like the Apple Studio Display XDR ($3,299).

Other key features for those who plan on staring at the screen for up to eight hours a day include a TÜV 4-star certification for enhanced eye comfort, and low blue light technology which reduces harmful blue light emissions to ≤35%. The 4K UHD panel features an anti-glare coating, too, which ensures clear visuals and consistent colors in any lighting conditions. Having used the monitor for a week, I can confirm that my eyes didn’t feel fatigued at all.

Dell also includes a monitor hood in the box which you can magnetically snap on to the U3226Q’s bezels. It helps minimize glare from overhead lighting, negates visual distractions, and helps improve color accuracy. All in all, the U3226Q is a fantastic package and really doesn’t give you much to complain about.

Outstanding color coverage and accuracy

Now we’re on to the meat of this review. How’s the Dell UltraSharp U3226Q’s color coverage and accuracy? Outstanding, in one word. The U3226Q’s 4K QD-OLED panel has a resolution of 3840 x 2160, and it’s gorgeous to look at. It features 10-bit color depth which means it’s capable of displaying 1.07 billion individual hues.

Dell says that the U3226Q “delivers vibrant visuals and true-to-life colors,” and my lab tests confirmed it. I’ve lab-tested plenty of monitors, and the U3226Q boasts the best color coverage and accuracy. As you can see from the table above, it covers 188.8% of the sRGB space and 133.7% of the wider DCI P3 gamut. It upstages the Apple Studio Display XDR (which doesn’t even cover 100% of the DCI P3 color space), and all of BenQ’s monitors on the list.

Color accuracy is phenomenal, too. The U3226Q achieved a Delta-E score of 0.08 in my lab test. Delta E is a numerical representation of how much two colors differ, and it tells you how close the color relayed on the monitor is to the output from the source or laptop. You ideally want the score to be as close to zero as possible. 0.08 is, then, excellent, as it ascertains that the colors the U3226Q is displaying are extremely accurate. Again, Dell’s offering trumps the pricier Apple Studio Display XDR. The only monitor that beats it is the Dell Pro P3426WEV ($749) with its 0.05 score — but the difference is negligible.

In real-world use, I’ve loved using the U3226Q for work, watching 4K YouTube videos, and playing games. Colors appear bright and vivid. Blues and greens are deep; reds are rich; and blacks are inky and deep. Highlights don’t appear too sharp in 4K videos either, making for an enjoyable and immersive watching experience. I used the monitor to edit some photos for my photography Instagram account, too, and knowing that the colors were as accurate as they could be helped me color-grade confidently.

Ports galore!

Dell hasn’t skimped on the UltraSharp U3226Q’s ports, and you get everything you could ask for and more. Most of the ports are located on the back. There’s obviously a power port and located next to it are two HDMI 2.1, one DisplayPort 1.4, and two Thunderbolt 4 ports. One of the Thunderbolts is an upstream, DisplayPort Alt Mode port with 140W of power delivery, while the other is a downstream, daisy-chaining port with 15W of power delivery.

Just like on the Dell Pro P3426WEV, the DisplayPort Alt Mode enables the USB-C port to receive video signals using the DisplayPort protocol. It offers higher data bandwidth, and allows you to daisy-chain multiple monitors from a single port, too. Not only does this help you cut down on cables (who doesn’t love a bit of effective cable management?), it’s also handy if you’re routing graphics through a docking station via USB-C as you can continue accessing DisplayPort’s high resolutions and refresh rates.

In addition to that, two USB-A downstream ports with 10Gbps speeds are also located on the back, as well as an RJ45 Ethernet one. Similar to the P3426WEV, the U3226Q features a pop-out port housing on the monitor’s bottom edge. Pushing it reveals a panel with a downstream USB-A and two USB-C ports (27W power delivery), each with 10Gbps speeds.

Similar to the BenQ Creative Pro PD2732U ($799), the U3226Q packs Smart KVM, too, which enables you to use a single keyboard and mouse with two computers when they’re hooked up to the monitor. It’s great for those who work across multiple computers.

For the casual gamers, too

Though the Dell UltraSharp U3226Q is a monitor for professionals, it’s a competent gaming machine, too. It packs a 120Hz refresh rate and a 0.03ms response time, which is more than sufficient for most casual gamers.

Motion isn’t as silky smooth as on monitors with extremely high refresh rates, like the MSI MPG 341CQR QD-OLED X36 (360Hz, $949) and the MSI MAG 272QP QD-OLED X50 (500Hz, $749), but it’s still excellent. I didn’t notice any choppiness while playing Forza Horizon 5 and Counter-Strike 2, and I was comfortably running 100-115fps in the latter. Thanks to the 0.03ms response time — same as on the MSI X36 — I didn’t experience any motion blur or noticeable ghosting either.

Dell UltraSharp U3226Q review: The downs

The Dell UltraSharp U3226Q doesn’t have many flaws. It’s expensive, and the 4K panel’s brightness is neither the best nor the worst.

Middle-of-the-road brightness

The Dell UltraSharp U3226Q is neither the brightest nor the dimmest monitor — it does well against some competitors while not performing that formidably against others. In my lab tests, the U3226Q achieved a peak brightness of 295.4 nits in SDR and 425 nits in HDR (10% window size).

When it comes to both SDR and HDR results, the U3226Q upstages the BenQ PD2732U, the Dell Pro P3426WEV, the BenQ PD2730S ($1,199) and the BenQ PD3226G ($1,099), as you can see in the table below. The P3426WEV doesn’t even support HDR, giving the U3226Q a leg-up.

However, the BenQ MA270S ($999), the Apple Studio Display ($1,499) and the Apple Studio Display XDR outperform the U3226Q when it comes to Standard Dynamic Range. It isn’t surprising that the Apple Studio Display XDR does this (as it’s more expensive) but it’s disappointing that the U3226Q doesn’t get as bright as the MA270S, which is half the U3226Q’s price.

I don’t think this is necessarily a dealbreaker as you shouldn’t have your brightness turned all the way up anyway when editing photos, and this is a professional studio monitor after all. In real-world use, I had no problem using this monitor and clearly seeing what was on screen under bright studio lights. Of course, if you want a monitor with a brighter panel, I can’t recommend the MA270S enough.

Ridonculous price

As you’ve seen so far, the Dell UltraSharp U3226Q is not your average monitor, and it packs pro features that make it suitable for professionals… and it’s got a price tag to match. The U3226Q doesn’t come cheap. It has a retail price of $2,499 at B&H Photo / £2,404 at Dell U.K., making it one of the most expensive monitors I’ve tested so far.

This makes the U3226Q more expensive than some of the other productivity- and photography-focused monitors I’ve tested, like the BenQ MA270S ($999), the BenQ PD2732U ($799), the Dell Pro P3426WEV ($749) and the Alogic Edge 40-inch 5K Ultrawide ($1,499). The U3226Q is slightly cheaper than the Apple Studio Display XDR ($3,499), though, if that’s any consolation.

Dell UltraSharp U3226Q review: Verdict

For professional photographers, colorists and editors, the Dell UltraSharp U3226Q checks nearly every box. Stupendous color accuracy and coverage, self-calibration, a stunning QD-OLED display, and more ports than you could ask for make it a winner. For casual gamers, there’s a 120Hz refresh rate and response time of 0.03ms, too, so what more could you want?

You’re paying a premium for all the pro features, though, and the U3226Q costs $2,500. While it’s a lot, I think the U3226Q does plenty to justify it. The built-in colorimeter for self-calibration ensures color accuracy over time, thereby increasing the monitor’s lifespan. At the end of the day, the U3226Q is the monitor for professionals, and it’s the display I’d personally buy.

The new model shares the same core objectives as its predecessor: to provide professional esports gamers, or those aspiring to be one, with everything they need. As such, the core formula remains largely unchanged: blazing refresh and response rates; an array of features tailored entirely to esports; all combined with Sony’s premium design.

This time, refresh rates have been boosted in QHD and FHD modes; there’s a new anti-glare coating and a brightness boost, at least on paper. So, is this the best gaming monitor for elite players? Find out in my full Sony Inzone M10S II review.

Sony Inzone M10S II review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? An elite esports gaming monitor
• Who is it for? Pro esports gamers, or those aspiring to be
• What does it cost? $1,099 / £1,199
• What do we like? Be-all, end-all gaming performance and features; premium and thoughtful design
• What don’t we like? Not the brightest compared to other OLED monitors; USB-A and -B ports only

Sony Inzone M10S II review: Specs

Sony Inzone M10S II review: The ups

The M10S II has one job: to be the ultimate gaming monitor for esports players. With its impressive specs and an extensive array of performance and quality-of-life features, it succeeds. And as a Sony product, it boasts premium looks and a high-quality build.

Ultra-fast performance

The M10S II packs so many gaming features that I’ll have to break them up. First, I’ll cover the hardware side of things. And that refresh rate! With 540Hz in QHD mode and up to 720Hz when dropping to 720p (HD), this monitor is absolutely rapid, relaying enemy movement as accurately as possible, with no motion blur or lag.

With an ultra low response time of 0.02ms gtg (gray to gray, which means how fast the pixels can change color), plus Sony’s Motion Blur Reduction, ghosting is effectively removed. There’s also G-Sync to remove tearing, especially in situations with rapidly changing frame rates. All this means the enemy you’re shooting at is more likely to be exactly where you’re seeing it, and you aren’t shooting its ghost trail or some other artefact.

I’m not an esports pro, of course, but playing Counter-Strike 2 at 600fps was a smooth experience — though not particularly enjoyable at 720p. Our TG testing rig couldn’t hit the maximum 720fps, even with Counter-Strike set to low and running at 720p, but topping out at 600fps was still pretty cool. At 1440p with Counter-Strike on high settings, our testing rig still hit around 400fps.

The original M10S looks like a tortoise in comparison, topping out at only 480Hz and a mere 0.03ms response time. Our favorite high-refresh-rate monitor (up to now), the MSI MAG 272QP QD-OLED X50 ($749), manages just 500Hz.

Plethora of gaming features

The M10S II also offers a comprehensive array of gaming features designed to suit elite gamers — like the Fnatic team. There’s a 24.5-inch tournament crop for competition practice, and two FPS modes, FPS Pro (which simulates an LCD) and FPS Pro+, which adjust contrast ratios to make enemy detection easier, especially in dimly lit game scenarios. I especially enjoyed using FPS Pro when playing Hell Let Loose, particularly on darker nighttime maps, as it lifted the blacks a little to help me spot enemies hiding in bushes.

Those aren’t the only game modes, though, as there’s a specific MOBA/RTS mode, as well as a general game mode for casual play.

There’s also an on-screen crosshair with a variety of crosshair types to choose from. I found this really handy in Counter-Strike 2, where many guns have no ADS mode and the in-game crosshair expands and contracts with movement and movement penalties. It was also super useful in Hell Let Loose, as it allowed me to more accurately fire from the hip and score reflex kills on enemies popping up from bushes or around corners, which I might otherwise have missed.

On that note, there’s also a black equalizer mode to brighten shadows without affecting lighter areas of the screen. This is handy if you’re already in a game-specific mode and only want to boost shadows, or if affecting highlights would hamper your performance.

Plus some useful QoL features

I also appreciate some of the quality-of-life (QoL) features found in the M10S range. The M10S II, like its predecessor, is designed with setup flexibility as a key consideration, and plenty of attention has been paid to the details.

In particular, there’s the stand. The M10S II features the same cantilevered stand as its predecessor. I actually spoke to the engineer who designed this stand at the original M10S press briefing — the stand was his passion project because he was trying to solve an issue he had with monitors. The cantilever channels all the weight into the center for perfect balance, allowing Sony to keep the base small.

The M10S II is therefore much easier to position than many other monitors. The M10S II replaced my Lenovo Legion R27qe Gen 2 (£199, U.K. only), with its enormous tripod stand — with the Sony, my desk felt so much more spacious and open, and for once I had room for other products I was testing. The base is also extremely thin, deliberately designed so you can slide your keyboard over it and keep your desk tidy when not in use. The arm swivels, so you can adjust the monitor's rotation without having to pick up and move the whole assembly. And there's a neat cable tidy to, well, keep your cables tidy!

I’m also a big fan of the anti-glare coating on the screen. I work with a window behind me in the office, along with overhead lighting. I was able to game and work on the M10S II for hours without eye strain or headaches.

Accurate color rendition

While the M10S II isn’t a production monitor, it’s still important that the panel reproduces color accurately. Thankfully, the M10S II does! As you can see in our lab test results below, the M10S II achieved a Delta-E score of 0.26. This score measures how closely the on-screen color matches the color sent to the display by the computer, and the lower the better.

A 0.26 Delta-E isn’t as good as some of the other gaming monitors we’ve tested, such as the Alienware AW2525HM, MSI MAG 272 QP, or MSI MPG 341CQR QD-OLED X36. But it’s still fairly respectable, and it means the colors you’re seeing on screen are rendered accurately.

The M10S II also covers both the sRGB and DCI-P3 color gamuts. What does that mean? Games are mastered in sRGB for SDR and in DCI-P3 for HDR, so the M10S II can reproduce every unique color in every game you play.

Now, an ultra-wide gamut can cause oversaturation in those spaces, resulting in an unnatural, neon effect. So, more technically isn’t always better. But while colors appear very bold and vivid on the M10S II, they didn’t feel overdone. And besides, there are sRGB and Cinema (for DCI-P3) color modes if you want to ensure strict accuracy to those gamuts.

Sony’s typically premium design

Unsurprisingly, as this is a Sony product, the M10S II is built extremely well. The monitor looks and feels premium, with high-quality materials used throughout.

The rear of the display is finished in textured metal rather than plastic. The stand and base are also made from metal and feel extremely sturdy. It simply feels built to last, and there’s a three-year warranty to back it up anyway.

Arguably good value

This might sound a little odd given that the M10S II costs $1,099 / £1,199, but I’d argue it’s fairly good value. It’s not uncommon for gaming monitors to push well beyond the $1,000 mark. The Lenovo Legion Pro 34WD-10 OLED, for example, launched at $1,099. The Samsung Odyssey OLED G9, meanwhile, launched at $1,799.

I know: those are ultrawides, and their prices have dropped since launch. But what I mean here is that the M10S II isn’t priced beyond the pale. And yet it offers superb performance for elite gamers. If you’re one of those people, the M10S II could make strong financial and competitive sense.

Sony Inzone M10S II review: The downs

The Inzone M10S II doesn’t have many faults. However, it’s not the brightest OLED we’ve lab tested, and the USB ports on the underside are pretty dated.

Not the brightest

We don’t like to rely on manufacturer claims, which are often best-case scenarios and can be a tad (to say the least) unrealistic. As such, as part of our lab testing process, we also measure peak SDR and HDR brightness.

As you can see in the test results, the M10S II isn’t as bright as other OLED gaming panels we’ve tested and is well below the (rather ambitious) 1,500-nit peak brightness claimed by Sony.

Still, when you think about it, this monitor’s primary purpose is to be used in a dark room. And besides, figures alone don’t always tell the full story, and I certainly wouldn’t let our measured peak brightness put you off buying this monitor. I’ve had no issues using it in bright environments, largely thanks to the anti-glare coating. And I never struggled with darker in-game scenarios, thanks to the different color modes and black point equalizer.

Dated USB ports

My only other gripe with the M10S II is that it uses fairly dated ports, at least when it comes to USB (with HDMI 2.1 and DisplayPort 2.1, the video ports are just fine). There are two USB-A downstream ports and a USB-B upstream port. These are outdated, and it would’ve been nice to see at least a USB-C port or two.

Again, it’s important to remember use cases here. I’m not going to complain about the lack of a Thunderbolt port or KVM controller on a monitor that isn’t designed for productivity, but come on, it’s 2026… how can Sony fit a Type-B but not a single Type-C?

Sony Inzone M10S II review: Verdict

If you want the fastest and most feature-packed gaming monitor around, especially if you’re an elite competitive player or aspiring pro, I wholeheartedly recommend the Sony Inzone M10S II.

Its flaws are very few and fairly minor. What’s more, it not only delivers blazing-fast hardware performance but also a huge roster of genuinely useful gaming tools and thoughtful quality-of-life features! Then there’s Sony’s usual build quality and a fairly reasonable price tag, all things considered. I’m genuinely rather sad to be giving it back to Sony!

MSI has updated its Roamii BE Lite mesh platform for peak performance with the Roamii BE Pro by employing the 6GHz transmission band and many of Wi-Fi 7’s best tricks to speed the flow of data. Its nanocarbon coated heat fins keep the units from overheating while the BE Pro ups the mesh hardware’s top speed and network security stance. The mesh set comes with the bonus of well-designed wall brackets for easy mounting.

Unfortunately, you can only get Romai BE Pro units, like Noah’s ark, two at a time. But, at half the price of other tri-band Wi-Fi 7 mesh gear, the Roamii BE Pro is a cheap thrill that has the power to turn a home into a Wi-Fi palace.

My MSI Roami BE Pro review will help you decide if this is the best mesh Wi-Fi system for your home along with one of the best Wi-Fi 7 routers for those who haven’t upgraded to the latest wireless standard yet.

MSI Roamii BE Pro review: Pricing and availability

Following on the heels of the inexpensive dual-band Roamii BE Lite, MSI’s tri-band Roamii BE Pro stays true to its predecessor’s value-oriented roots but isn’t available on its own or in a three-pack. MSI sells $280 Roamii BE Pro two-packs versus the Roamii BE Lite’s $200. A single Netgear Orbi 770 node sells for $300.

The Roamii BE Pro pair is rated to cover 6,000 square feet, about equal with the Orbi 770 pair’s 5,500 square feet.

MSI Roamii BE Pro review: Design

In the spirit of creative destruction, MSI has rewritten its Wi-Fi rulebook with its economical Roamii BE Pro mesh kit. At half what competitors’ charge for mesh units, the Roamii BE Pro outdoes the BE Lite’s “meh” performance with higher data speeds, extra range and handy wall brackets.

At 9.9 x 4.7 x 4.3 inches, the white triangular Roamii BE Pro towers are slightly taller than the BE Lite units but smaller than the bulbous Orbi 770 oval devices. The big “7” inscribed on its side describes its Wi-Fi rating and MSI provides matching plastic wall brackets that make the units seem to float in space.

For most, the Roamii BE Pro will be well connected with a 2.5 Gbps input and three 2.5 Gbps downstream wired networking connections. The well-networked among us might miss an additional port, though. Still, the Roamii BE Pro’s USB Type A port can make the contents of a storage device available across a network; the Orbi 770 can’t do this. Neither the BE Pro nor Orbi 770 can provide internet backup service with a mobile phone during a broadband blackout, something several Asus routers do.

There’s a small LED that glows white up front when online, but flashes if there’s a connection problem and turns orange when offline. The LEDs underneath can show any of 10 flashy patterns but offer nothing to indicate performance. Thankfully, it can be turned off.

Based on Qualcomm’s IPQ5322 Wi-Fi 7 platform, the system’s 1.5GHz quadcore processor can connect 200 devices – overkill for the typical digital household. Its six internal antennas produce a spherical transmission pattern to connect over the 2.4, 5.0- and 6GHz bands for a theoretical throughput of 10.975 Gbps, just about matching the Orbi 770’s potential.

The mesh devices have 320MHz data channels, 4K Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM) and Multi-Link Operations (MLO) but Automated Frequency Control (AFC) for maximizing its 6GHz transmission strength. Its optimized passive cooling uses ultra-efficient black nanocarbon-coated heat sinks that pull heat away from its components. The top vent hit a peak temperature of 108 degrees Fahrenheit during testing.

The Roamii BE Pro can protect as a Virtual Private Network server. Plus, MSI’s FortiSecu online defenses use Trend Micro software, for everything from parental control software to defenses against recent exploits. Unlike competitors, there are no subscription fees for updates.

Its three-year warranty beats mesh sets at double its price and MSI promises personalized technical support for the product’s life, not just 90-days. The support site includes new firmware and MSI’s 76-page manual to help with the VPN server.

MSI Roamii BE Pro review: Performance

A big step up from the MSI Roamii BE Lite, the BE Pro pair still couldn’t fill my 3,500 square foot home with Wi-Fi. Likely a third (and obligatory fourth) unit would have helped. Based on results from Keysight’s IxChariot networking benchmark set to mimic 10 data-hungry users and an HP Envy X360 test machine, the Roamii BE Pro was surprisingly powerful.

With 15 feet of Cat 7 cabling connecting the router and test system, the benchmark reading of 3.711 Gbps makes it perfect for those with multi-gig data plans. It was short of the TP-Link Archer GE800 at 4.449 Gbps of wired throughput, however. Its 2.299 Gbps close-up Wi-Fi test result was just as impressive and 20% ahead of the more expensive Orbi 770’s 1.920 Gbps.

At the real-world wireless distance of 15 feet, the Roamii BE Pro delivered 1.885 Gbps, nearly double the BE Lite’s 970.3 Mbps but equivalent to the eero Pro 7 at 1.905 Gbps. Bottom line: it should satisfy a data-hungry connected family.

Its 815.2 Mbps of throughput at 50 feet was among the best in class and only outdone by the eero Pro 7’s 994.4 Mbps. At 75 feet, the Roamii BE Pro moved 197.9 Mbps, putting it roughly level with the Orbi 770’s 199.2 Mbps but behind the eero Pro 7’s 234.7 Mbps.

At the terminal distance of 90 feet, it registered 66.3 Mbps, leading the field, including mesh kits costing twice as much. It performed well on our wall penetration test where the signal is sent across a 25-foot room and through a wall. The Roamii BE Pro moved 1.280 Mbps, just off the Orbi 770’s 1.318 Gbps.

With a range of 110 feet, it is a mesh set that should fill a modest sized home with fast data and linked well with its mesh node set up a floor above the host router. With the test system 40 feet away, the network moved 642.0 Mbps, handily beating the Orbi 770’s 404.4 Mbps.

Over two weeks of daily use, the Roamii BE Pro doled out data for 4K video, gaming, heavy downloads and everyday emails. Along the way, the router and node used 9.4 and 8.6 watts, translating into an annual electricity bill of $27.60 if they’re left on 24/7 and you pay the national average electricity of 17.5 cents per kilowatt hour. It’s spot on with the eero Pro 7’s $27.90 under the same conditions.

MSI Roamii BE Pro review: Setup

Out of the box, the Roamii BE Pro units are identical. I picked one as the host router and the other as the network’s node and set them up using MSI’s Router 2.0 app with my Samsung Galaxy S25 phone; there are versions for both iOS and Android. Alternatively, I could have set it up using “msirouter.login” and a browser.

After snapping the QR code underneath, I added my network name, admin password and answered two challenge questions. I was in, added the node upstairs and ran a firmware update. I was done in 15 minutes.

Roamii BE Pro review: Configuration

Like the installation, monitoring and configuration changes can be done through the app or the device’s browser interface. The app’s Dashboard screen shows how many Roamii devices are online, up- and download speeds and offers a WiFi Share QR code for a trusted friend or if you rent out a property.

Below are tabs for Security and Parental while Advanced includes LED Management for selecting the lighting effect or turning it off. There’s no brightness control, though.

The Roamii BE Pro’s similar browser-based dashboard has IP details, number of clients and processor usage gauge. Its traffic analyzer is great for viewing the data flow.

MSI Roamii BE Pro review: Verdict

MSI’s Roamii BE Pro takes a big networking step forward with a sharp design aesthetic and its ability to efficiently move data around a small to midsized house. Its security is thorough and the Roamii BE Pro’s 2.5 Gbps networking connections should satisfy most digital families, although a fourth port would have been appreciated.

With performance that led the pack at times, it lacks Automated Frequency Control to push this further. The Roamii BE Pro’s stratospheric throughput is all the more amazing considering its down-to-earth price. At $280 for two Roamii BE Pro devices, it’s not a bad idea to get an extra two-pack and have nodes to fill in dead zones. Afterall, it’s cheap enough.