The Dell UltraSharp U3226Q is one of the best monitors for professional photographers, videographers, editors and creatives, period. This 32-inch beast features self-calibration that ensures superb color accuracy day in and out. With wide color coverage as well as an array of color modes, it doesn’t give you much to complain about. It also hosts more ports than you could ask for, and for casual gamers, there’s the 120Hz refresh rate and 0.03ms response time.

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.

Sony’s elite esports gaming monitor just got, well, even more elite. The Inzone M10S II succeeds (you guessed it) the original M10S — a monitor I know well. I attended the original M10S launch at Gamescom 2024, where I spoke with the Fnatic esports team, who were heavily involved in its design, and the Sony engineers who brought Fnatic’s requests to life.

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.

If you’re a professional photographer, content creator or editor, you need one of the best monitors to accurately edit your work. The BenQ Creative Pro PD2732U is an excellent choice, and it makes a strong first impression with its sleek, gun metal design and superb build quality. Its generous selection of ports and seriously impressive color coverage and accuracy make it an outstanding option for pros.

That said, the PD2732U isn’t quite perfect — but neither of its flaws are massive dealbreakers. Its panel isn’t the brightest in SDR or HDR modes, and the 60Hz refresh rate feels limiting if you’re working with high-framerate videos.

Should you still buy it? Read my full BenQ Creative Pro PD2732U review to find out.

BenQ Creative Pro PD2732U review: Specs

BenQ Creative Pro PD2732U review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? A Calman Verified 27-inch 4K monitor with lots of ports
• Who is it for? Professional photographers, creators and editors
• How much does it cost? The BenQ Creative Pro PD2732U is available for $699 / £649
• What do we like? The sleek design, photography-centric features, excellent color coverage and accuracy, and array of ports
• What don’t we like? The dim panel, and 60Hz refresh rate

BenQ Creative Pro PD2732U review: The ups

From its lovely design and wide array of ports, to its fantastic color coverage and accuracy, the BenQ Creative Pro PD2732U is a wonderful monitor for professionals.

Lovely design and build quality

The BenQ Creative Pro PD2732U is a looker. Unlike its siblings, like the BenQ PD3226G ($1,099) and the BenQ PD2730S ($1,199) which feature gray bezels and stands, the PD2732U sports a gun metal look that is just so pleasing to the eye. The part metal construction adds to the monitor’s visual appeal — and to its structural integrity, of course.

Thanks to that, the PD2732U feels like an extremely well-built monitor. Its IPS panel doesn’t feel overly plasticky or flimsy. Unlike the Alogic Edge 40-inch 5K Ultrawide ($1,499), the PD2732U’s hinges don’t feel flimsy either, and the panel doesn’t move easily, even when someone shakes your desk.

I also appreciate being able to lift the monitor easily and move it around, as it weighs 18.87lbs (with stand and base). It’s a little lighter than some other productivity-focused monitors I’ve tested, like the Dell Pro P3426WEV (21.96lbs, $749), and the BenQ MA270S (19.05lbs, $999).

The 27-inch screen size also means that you should be able to place another similarly-sized (or smaller) monitor next to it if you prefer a dual-monitor setup. The PD2732U measures 24.2 x 16.9-21.5 x 9.5 inches, and it didn’t take up too much space on my office desk. Overall, the PD2732U’s design, dimensions and build quality don’t give you much to complain about.

Plenty of ports

In addition to the stellar design and build, the BenQ Creative Pro PD2732U hosts a plethora of ports that ensure better cable management and give you plenty of room to hook up various peripherals and accessories. Around the back, you’ll find the power port (duh), an HDMI 2.0 port, a DisplayPort 1.4 port, and two Thunderbolt 4 ports with 90W of power delivery and daisy-chaining.

I used one of the Thunderbolt ports to connect my MacBook Air M2 to the monitor and charge my laptop at the same time. There’s Smart KVM, too, which enables you to use a single keyboard and mouse with two computers when both are hooked up to the monitor (even wirelessly) — great for those who regularly switch between macOS and Windows.

You also get a USB hub with three USB-A ports and one USB-C port. The Type-C port is an upstream one, while the Type-A ports are downstream ones (two with 7.5W PD and one with 4.5W PD). All ports have transfer speeds of up to 5Gbps. This level of connectivity is similar to what you’ll find on other BenQ monitors, like the MA270S and the PD2730S.

To help with cable management, BenQ happily includes a handy cable holder in the box. You can clip it around the PD2732U’s stand before attaching it to the base, and then bunch up your cables and run them through it. I find this very helpful, and it makes me wish all monitors came with one.

Photography-centric features

In the past when we’ve reviewed BenQ monitors, we’ve complained about the lack of a dedicated Adobe RGB mode on the likes of the PD2730S and the PD3226G. Not anymore! Alongside other photography-centric features that I’ll get into, the BenQ Creative Pro PD2732U features an Adobe RGB mode which makes the monitor actually useful for photographers who print. Because the Adobe RGB gamut covers a wider range of colors used by CMYK printers versus sRGB, having a dedicated mode is crucial for ensuring color accuracy when printing, so it’s great that the PD2732U doesn’t skimp on it.

The PD2732U carries a bunch of certifications, too. It’s Calman Verified, which means that it’s been tested by the popular brand that makes display calibration software (it’s what we use to test the best TVs). Calman Verification basically ascertains that Calman approves of the monitor’s AQColor technology.

It’s Pantone Validated and Pantone SkinTone Validated. The latter is the creative industry-standard color definition for printing, and the latter guarantees that the monitor is capable of showing accurate human skin tones. The PD2732U features Eye Care flicker-free technology, too, which eliminates invisible screen flashing at all brightness levels to prevent eye strain. Having stared at the monitor for up to eight hours a day for nearly a week, I can confirm that I did not feel any eye fatigue or get any headaches, so this is a wonderful display for those who spend long hours editing.

The PD2732U is a great monitor for creators who are MacBook users, too, as it features M-book Mode. This eliminates differences between macOS displays and the monitor, so colors on the PD2732U appear exactly as they do on my MacBook Air M2. You also get iDevice Color Sync for accurate previews of iPhone and iPad content, and iKeyboard Control which allows you to adjust the monitor’s brightness and volume directly from your laptop’s keyboard.

My favorite monitor accessory returns

When I unboxed the BenQ Creative Pro PD2732U, I was very happy to see my favorite monitor accessory make a return. The monitor comes with BenQ’s Hotkey Puck — this time in gun metal to match the display — and it’s a white circular remote with a scroll wheel and a few customizable buttons. It enables you to control the monitor without extending your arms and reaching for the buttons on the display itself.

The three customizable buttons can be remapped to gain quick access to color modes, input, app launch, and more. I love how the Hotkey Puck streamlines workflows, and it’s especially useful if you frequently switch between color spaces.

Wide color coverage and great accuracy

The BenQ Creative Pro PD2732U’s stellar design, connectivity options and useful Hotkey Puck would amount to nothing if the monitor didn’t boast excellent color coverage and accuracy… and it ticks both boxes. First of all, the PD2732U’s 4K IPS panel has a resolution of 3840 x 2160, and it’s beautiful to look at. Even before I conducted my lab tests, I could tell that the monitor was displaying lovely and accurate colors.

And then, my lab tests confirmed it. BenQ claims that the PD2732U covers 100% of the sRGB and 99% of the DCI P3 color spaces. My lab tests showed that it covers 100% and then some across both gamuts. As you can see from the table above, the PD2732U covers 147.1% of the sRGB space and 104.2% of the wider DCI P3 gamut.

The PD2732U outperforms the pricier BenQ PD2730S and the Alogic Edge 40-inch 5K Ultrawide in the sRGB space, and easily outperforms both in the DCI P3 space, as neither cover 100% of it. Even the very expensive Apple Studio Display ($1,499) can’t hold a candle to the PD2732U as its DCI P3 coverage is limited to just 80.8%.

In real-world use, when I was watching YouTube videos and editing images, I found the colors to be bright, vivid and detailed. There was plenty of detail to be found and enjoyed in the shadows, and highlights didn’t appear too sharp or peaking in 4K videos.

In addition to wide color coverage, the PD2732U color accuracy, measured as a Delta-E score, is outstanding, too. Delta-E is a numerical representation of how much two colors differ, and it gives you an idea of how close the color relayed on screen (i.e. the monitor) is to the color output from the source (i.e. the computer). You ideally want this score to be as close to zero as possible.

According to BenQ, the PD2732U should have a Delta-E score of less than or equal to 2 straight out of the box. In my testing, the monitor achieved a score of 0.11, upstaging the Apple Studio Display and the BenQ PD3226G (albeit narrowly). This essentially means that the monitor relays colors extremely accurately. After seeing that number, I was more confident when editing photos for various camera reviews and my photography Instagram page as I knew that the colors I was seeing were as accurate as they could be.

BenQ Creative Pro PD2732U review: The downs

The BenQ Creative Pro PD2732U isn’t perfect — it’s not the brightness monitor out there, and its refresh rate is limited to 60Hz only.

Not very bright

One of my biggest gripes with the BenQ Creative Pro PD2732U is that it isn’t a very bright display, and its poor SDR and HDR performance stick out like a sore thumb. In my lab testing, the PD2732U achieved a peak brightness of just 182.6 nits in SDR, and 184 nits in HDR (10% window size).

If you’re editing photos or videos, you shouldn’t have your monitor’s brightness turned all the way up anyway, but the extra brightness is nice to have when watching movies, playing games or browsing the internet, for instance. The PD2732U is, then, upstaged by other productivity-focused monitors, as you can see in the table below.

All of its siblings, like the MA270S, the PD3226G and the PD2730S, beat the PD2732U with ease when it comes to peak brightness. I will say, though, that all three monitors are pricier than the PD2732U — as are the Dell Pro P3426WEV and the Alogic Edge 40-inch 5K Ultrawide, which also outperform it.

There’s another reason why the PD2732U’s SDR performance, at least, is handicapped. Similar to the PD3226G, the PD2732U features BenQ’s Uniformity Technology which applies automatic uniformity compensation to keep the brightness at appropriate levels for editing, especially in sRGB and Display P3 modes. Basically, it’s a deliberate feature specifically designed for creators and editors. If you want a bright panel, I’d recommend any of the aforementioned monitors instead — though they will cost you more.

60Hz refresh rate only

The BenQ Creative Pro PD2732U is a productivity-first monitor so it’s not surprising that its refresh rate tops out at 60Hz only. It’s not meant for competitive gaming or esports, and you may want to consider one of the best gaming monitors, like the Alienware AW3426DW ($799), for those purposes.

For casual video viewing and most editing tasks, 60Hz should suffice, especially if you want the monitor’s extensive color coverage and accuracy. However, if you edit high-framerate footage (120fps or higher) and do rapid timeline scrubbing, 60Hz might not be enough. The BenQ PD3226G with its 144Hz refresh rate might suit your needs better, if that’s the case.

BenQ Creative Pro PD2732U review: Verdict

There’s a lot to love about the BenQ Creative Pro PD2732U, especially if you’re a professional photographer or editor. It’s ideal for those who care more about color accuracy and connectivity than outright brightness or a high refresh rate. Its stylish, sturdy design looks great on a desk, while the wealth of photography-centric features (including the handy Hotkey Puck) make it a practical choice for day-to-day work.

There are a couple of notable compromises, though. The low brightness holds it back for general entertainment, while 60Hz feels restrictive for high-framerate video editing. But if you’re buying a monitor primarily for photo and digital-to-print editing, the PD2732U shouldn’t give you much grief.

The Lenovo ThinkVision P27UL-40 is one seriously impressive monitor. Announced during IFA 2026, this is Lenovo’s first 27-inch 4K InkJet Printing OLED Thunderbolt docking monitor for productivity work. It can even synchronize with Lenovo laptops to create a more unified workspace.

I briefly went hands-on (or eyes-on) with the P27UL-40 during a Lenovo IFA event, and let me tell you, it was a sight to behold. The contrast provided by the OLED panel is excellent and helps make colors truly pop out.

I’m also a fan of the slender design, which includes a stand with a cutaway for your phone. This is exactly the kind of monitor I’d want for my own work setup.

Here are my early thoughts on the Lenovo ThinkVision P27UL-40 and why it could be great for those who want a work monitor that’s a cut above the rest.

Lenovo ThinkVision P27UL-40 hands-on: Specs

Lenovo ThinkVision P27UL-40 hands-on: Display

There’s a lot of fancy tech in the ThinkVision P27UL-40, but suffice it to say that it offers excellent image quality for whatever’s on the screen.

The photos you see throughout this article don’t do the 27-inch 4K OLED panel justice, as it looks far superior in person. I actually asked Lenovo to dim the lights around the monitor, and that allowed me to see just how bright and vibrant the panel can get.

Lenovo says it will cover 99% of the DCI-P3 and 100% sRGB color spaces, and targets 500 nits of HDR brightness.

You don’t often see 27-inch 4K OLED productivity monitors, since these kind of monitors are usually gaming devices. But as someone who uses monitors for both work and play, I appreciate that Lenovo brought some of its gaming monitor tech to the ThinkVision P27UL-40. Trust me when I say that your eyes won’t be disappointed.

Lenovo ThinkVision P27UL-40 hands-on: Design

The ThinkVision P27UL-40 might have a simple design at first glance, but it has some subtle features to help streamline your workspace and comfort.

The swivel connecting the monitor’s stand to the base makes it easy to twist the monitor left and right. Raising and lowering the monitor along the stand is also simple.

There’s a cutaway on the stand to tuck your cables through, which keeps your desk nice and tidy. Speaking of cutaways, there’s also another one right on the base for your phone, which is also very convenient.

Thanks to the built-in Thunderbolt hub, you can connect your laptop with a single cable to transmit video, data, and power simultaneously.

If the laptop is from Lenovo, you can synchronize brightness controls and even mirror the power button. I didn’t get to test this, but it sounds like it should streamline things for those with a Lenovo laptop.

Lenovo ThinkVision P27UL-40 hands-on: Outlook

I'll need some proper time with the Lenovo ThinkVision P27UL-40 before rendering a verdict, but based on my brief time, I think this could be a fantastic monitor for work, creative projects, and even gaming.

Our lab tests will also reveal if the monitor can hit those lofty color reproduction numbers that Lenovo detailed.

The Lenovo ThinkVision P27UL-40 launches in March 2027 with a price tag of $1,299. That's certainly a little steep, but given everything this monitor promises, it might be worth it. Stay tuned for more!

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So there I was — Nvidia giving me a full breakdown of what DLSS 5 is and how it works, alongside a chance to play NBA 2K27 on multiple systems to show how it’s evolved from the controversial AI slop filter that divided opinions in the office to something much more refined.

I thought things were heading in the right direction. But then, modders extracted the leaked DLSS 5 files from 2K27 and stuffed it into unsupported games. The online reaction was immediate and fracturing: half praising the added detail while the other half declared it the AI-filtered destroyer of frame rates.

Now that the embargo has lifted and I can (finally) talk about DLSS 5 (coming September 3 to NBA 2K27 first), as someone who spent time with the official integration, these mods are missing the point. Brute forcing a neural rendering file into a game without engine-level hooks is like judging a luxury car after hot-wiring it with missing spark plugs.

The big question: is DLSS 5 just an AI filter?

So the answer, technically, is no. But there’s a lot to it. When you think about AI filters, they slap a 2D post-processing effect over a completed image. As I quickly learnt when talking to the team behind DLSS 5, this is so much more.

This is a 3D-guided neural rendering pipeline — ingesting all that vital 3D geometry data, such as surface normals, semantics of lighting, motion vectors and scene depth, to work within the physical rules of the game engine rather than hallucinating.

And with all that information, it does something Nvidia calls real-time determinism. Think of it like the neural equivalent of when a bar is full — the rendering queue has a one-in/one-out policy.

Unlike offline video gen models that process chunks of video and take a guess at what it’ll look like (probabilistically), DLSS 5 processes every single frame in real-time to maintain stability between each one (deterministically).

This means that instead of seeing somebody’s face change with every scene change in AI-generated video, the neural rendering on offer here doesn’t just imagine something new out of nowhere.

What’s new since we saw DLSS 5?

When the next generation DLSS was announced earlier this year, the reaction across Tom’s Guide’s gaming Slack channel was swift and severe. The AI beautification of characters felt weird, and Digital Foundry’s test was combed over to see how much of the lighting and atmosphere had changed for the worse.

Of course, this was an extremely early build, and a lot has changed since then. Nvidia was quick to tell me they should’ve communicated DLSS 5 better at GTC, and Team Green is laying everything out about this new upscaler to us.

Put simply, Nvidia’s providing some very strong tools here, but ensuring artistic intent remains at the heart of how you work with them — rather than having them replace the artistry.

Performance reality check

If you were to look at the DLSS 5-injected modding over the weekend, it’d be fair to believe that frame rate takes a huge hit when doing this frame-by-frame neural rendering.

However, that’s not the experience I had across multiple tiers of systems playing the official DLSS 5 integration on NBA 2K27. Now, it’s worth noting that these demos I tried all had multi-frame generation turned on and ramped up too.

Frame counts were not turned on, so I can’t give you anything more numbers-wise than what Nvidia has given me here. But what I can confirm is gameplay felt silky smooth with no noticeable latency.

The RTX 5090 desktop rig was of course the star of the show, with frame rates so high that it completely saturated the refresh rate of the gaming monitor. And when played using GeForce Now, it looked like a flawless 120 FPS frame rate.

But the real star of the show to me is that RTX 5060 laptop. This goes to show the huge work Nvidia’s done to shrink DLSS 5 down and optimize it to run across the entire breadth of its GPUs, and the smoothness felt like it was around the 90-100 FPS mark in play.

How does it look?

Visuals-wise, in a game like this that is actively pursuing photorealistic quality in its graphics, DLSS 5 really sings. Whether its the massive improvement in facial textures and definition in hair, the deeper contrast in and more realistic lighting, and the upgrades made to the crowd watching too, everything comes together nicely here.

If this were to placed on a game that’s more artistically stylized, it would look weird (and you’re seeing that on some of the modded work). Nvidia themselves are clear in saying that developers can just choose not to use it if that is what developers are aiming for.

But in the case of NBA 2K27, the updates made to DLSS 5 since we last saw the super filtered looks from previous are really evident. The changes are more nuanced, and with the granular levels of control, they make a big positive difference to my eyes.

A specialized weapon

So let’s get down to brass tacks. DLSS 5 is built specifically to bridge the uncanny valley in photorealistic titles. It won’t make sense for cel-shared or heavily stylized indie games. But for sports sims, cinematic shooters and immersive open worlds, to my eyes and early impressions, this feels like a generational leap.

Of course, I want to test it more to be definitive about it, which is what I’ll absolutely do when it officially drops on September 3rd with NBA 2K27 across RTX 50-series systems and GeForce Now.

One thing is clear: this isn’t an AI filter — it’s the start of real-time neural rendering. I'm looking forward to seeing how it develops, and how the people will respond to it.

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From the start of the wireless networking era – even before it was called Wi-Fi – every new spec and generation of hardware was aimed at delivering faster speeds to do more things online at home. Not anymore, because Wi-Fi 8 (aka. 802.11bn) takes a different approach, putting an emphasis on range and reliability to be able to stay online longer with fewer interruptions.

While it seems like a step sideways with a top speed of 46 Gbps that’s equivalent to Wi-Fi 7, Wi-Fi 8 can do a lot to make home networking easier, more fulfilling and dependable. The new spec’s Ultra High Reliability (UHR) approach promotes better performance at long range, the ability to handle more data traffic and block interference. Spectral efficiency is the name of the game with Wi-Fi turning from squeezing more data into the air waves to making it easier to use and more reliable.

Buyer beware, as has been the case with every Wi-Fi generation, the router hardware precedes the general availability of client devices. At first, it can seem like a wireless tease, then, all of a sudden, there are new generation devices everywhere. In addition to the first Wi-Fi routers and mesh kits in the coming months, expect Wi-Fi 8, phones, computers and tablets in early-to-mid 2027. This will be followed by range extenders and USB upgrade kits late in the year.

Archer 8 Ultra and Deco 8 Ultra

I got a sneak peek at what will likely be the first commercial Wi-Fi 8 routers from TP-Link, the company’s Archer 8 Ultra high performance router and Deco 8 Ultra mesh set. They each have functional designs, sleek lines and can theoretically move 19- and 22 Gbps, respectively. Powered by either Qualcomm’s Fast Connect 8800 or Broadcom’s BCM6718 chips, this networking gear is top shelf and aimed at high-performance users with two 10 Gbps inputs and USB ports for connecting a storage device across a network.

The IEEE 802.11bn spec isn’t close to being finalized and I do expect changes before it’s formally approved sometime in 2028. That said, the lack of finality hasn’t stopped the world’s Wi-Fi chip manufacturers and router makers from developing products.

If the past is any indication, the new routers will need a firmware update or three to add late changing aspects of the final Wi-Fi 8 spec. Plus, many router makers plan to introduce new routers that hit the main features on introduction and add items to them throughout 2027. Unfortunately, none of the current generation of Wi-Fi 7 routers can be upgraded to Wi-Fi 8.

How the routers will act is coming into focus. The big change that Wi-Fi 8 brings is better use of the 2.4-, 5.0- and 6.0 GHz frequency bands on which the data rides. It goes beyond 4K Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM) and Multi-Link Operations (MLO) with what TP-Link calls its Stability Engine that will debut with the company’s Wi-Fi 8 hardware.

This can seem like an alphabet soup of engineering acronyms that starts with Unequal Modulation (UEQM) to make sure that each device can get to its full speed regardless of whether lower-speed clients are nearby. The New Modulation and Coding Scheme (MCS) takes this a step further by blocking interference that can lower throughput. Together, the techniques can improve throughput by 24% versus Wi-Fi 7, according to early tests.

Antennas by the dozen

Meanwhile, the routers have internal antennas galore. While the Archer 8 Ultra has no fewer than 18 antennas, the Deco 8 Ultra has a 5 transmit, 5 receive antenna arrangement. This can amount to a 1 to 3 dB increase in signal strength that can translate into greater throughput and range.

That’s just the start because the new antennas can help prevent frustrating disconnect and reconnect cycles that rob throughput. TP-Link’s engineers are going a step further by looking into pushing its antennas to the limit by making its transmission pattern adjustable. The feature would bias it horizontally (for a ranch house) or vertically (for a multi-story building).

Meanwhile, Wi-Fi 8’s Distributed Resource Units (DRU) and Enhanced Long Range (ELR) combine to increase coverage so that the signal can enliven Wi-Fi dead zones with data. These techniques allow clients at the periphery to stay online despite a weak signal. If these changes pan out, my Wi-Fi experience could be vastly improved, from not losing my connection when listening to the BBC World Service on my Wi-Fi Internet radio deep in the basement to working out on the patio on a sunny day.

A premium next-gen upgrade

TP-Link’s Archer 8 Ultra is going on sale in Germany and in the UK in October, where regulators have given the company the green light. This will be followed by U.S. sales in early 2027.

Premium and high performance in all aspects, look for a sub-$1,000 price tag for the Archer 8 Ultra. Though this will almost certainly drop as the year progresses. TP-Link then plans to introduce Pro and base product lines with lower prices during 2027.

Think of Wi-Fi 8 as making the house of cards that wireless networking has become a little sturdier and more permanent so that a sneeze won’t make it all collapse. Just as I got used to Wi-Fi 7, it’s time to turn to Wi-Fi 8 but I can’t wait to get my hands on the two TP-Link networking devices as well as the products of other companies to try them out in my lab and home.

I must admit to a hidden hope that Wi-Fi 8 enhanced reliability is enough to replace many of the Ethernet cables that run through my house, creating a wireless backbone for my entire home network.

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The new Samsung Odyssey G80HS delivers the most detailed picture quality of any gaming monitor I’ve ever reviewed. The 6K resolution, which is a first for gaming monitors according to Samsung, brings out minute details you normally wouldn’t see. Trust me when I say that words alone cannot properly convey how good this monitor makes games look. It’s a literal sight to behold.

You don’t just get spectacular image quality here; the G80HS also offers professional-grade performance for competitive gaming thanks to its up to 330Hz refresh rate and 1ms response time. Of course, the standard 165Hz refresh rate also makes the cinematic games it's intended for run buttery smooth.

While you’ll need a very powerful gaming rig to take full advantage of this monitor’s features, and the panel is IPS rather than OLED, there’s no denying that the Samsung Odyssey G80HS will make your eyes happy. It’s certainly expensive, but for what it offers, you’re more than getting your money’s worth. This is one of the best gaming monitors out there. Find out more in my full review.

Samsung Odyssey G8 (G80HS) review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? The Samsung Odyssey G8 (G80HS) is a 6K gaming monitor.
• Who is it for? It’s for folks who want the sharpest image quality possible from their gaming monitor.
• What does it cost? The Samsung Odyssey G8 (G80HS) retails for $1,599 but is currently $1,299 on Samsung’s website at time of writing.
• What do we like? We like the sharp and detailed image quality, super-fast performance, and utilitarian design.
• What don’t we like? We wish it had an OLED panel and cost a bit less.

Samsung Odyssey G8 (G80HS) review: Specs

Samsung Odyssey G8 (G80HS) review: The ups

The Samsung Odyssey G8 (G80HS) delivers a crisp 6K image and fast gaming performance in a sleek, eye-catching design.

Practical design

The G80HS has a sleek design that straddles the fence between gamer aesthetic and practicality. It’s not a head-turner like some of the larger Odyssey monitors I’ve reviewed, but I consider that a plus since your focus remains on whatever game you’re playing. And if you’re using this monitor at the office, it won’t completely look out of place… unless you enable the RGB lighting on the back.

That lighting surrounds the monitor mount. You can choose from six standard lighting effects, plus CoreSync, which syncs the lighting effect with whatever’s happening on the screen for added immersion. Granted, you can’t fully enjoy the RGB lighting since it’s on the back of the monitor, but the extra pizzazz is always fun.

Setting up this 32-inch monitor isn’t too much trouble as it weighs just shy of 17 pounds when attached to its stand. This also makes it easy to turn around when you want access to its back-side ports. So long as you’ve got it set up on a standard-sized gaming or office desk, it’ll be right at home and not take up much space.

Port-wise, you get the basics, including a DisplayPort, a pair of HDMI ports, three USB-A ports, a USB-C port, and a headphone jack. This monitor lacks speakers, so that headphone jack could be useful if you’re not already using one of the best gaming headsets connected to your PC. You’ll need to turn the monitor around, as it’s nearly impossible to connect and disconnect ports by touch alone.

The shaft has a cutaway you can tuck the cables through, keeping your desk tidy. Raising and lowering the monitor along the shaft requires little effort because it glides smoothly. The same is true for tilting or swiveling the monitor to your desired viewing angle—including a 90-degree rotation for portrait orientation.

Lastly, the wide, flat base not only keeps the Odyssey G80HS in place on your desk but also stays unobtrusive. Since it’s flat, you can easily keep your phone or accessories on it.

Sharp image quality

You might think that 6K resolution is gimmicky or unnecessary, but I assure you, the results are immediately apparent on the G80Hs. I’m not being hyperbolic when I say that this monitor delivers the sharpest image quality I’ve ever experienced. If you’ll excuse the cliché, it’s a sight to behold.

I tried Cyberpunk 2077 and Forza Horizon 6 because both support 6K resolution. As soon as I fired up the games, I could see extra details I hadn’t before, such as the heat rising from a tailpipe in Cyberpunk 2077 or cracked gravel in Forza Horizon 6. Background elements also have finer detail you wouldn’t normally see.

You can switch between 6K and 3K resolution. While the latter delivers half the resolution of the former, you’re still getting a crisp image. Each resolution has a different refresh rate, which I’ll cover in the next section. Suffice it to say that if you’re already used to playing PC games on a 1440p monitor, you’ll be more than happy with 3K resolution.

The Samsung Odyssey G8 (G80HS) delivered strong results in our lab tests. In its Original display setting, it produced slightly oversaturated hues in the sRGB color gamut and a perfect 100% in the more demanding DCI-P3 color space. Color reproduction isn’t as vivid as those of competitors like the Asus ROG Swift OLED and Alienware AW3426DW; its hues are more naturalistic and closer to real life.

HDR brightness is strong at 380 nits across 100% of the screen in Game Standard HDR mode. While Asus and Alienware’s monitors can get very bright on OLED panels, they can’t match the Odyssey G80HS’s vibrancy. Sure, it’s not an OLED monitor, but it can get much brighter because of that.

It has nine core display modes, including dedicated modes for genres like FPS, RTS, and Sports. The differences between the modes are minimal since they’re tuned for their respective genres, and there isn’t a radically different viewing experience between them.

Insane performance

Since this is a dual-mode monitor, you get two refresh rates: 165Hz at 6K resolution and 330Hz at 3 K resolution. The former is for cinematic games like Cyberpunk 2077 where you want the best possible image, while the latter is tailor-made for fast-paced competitive games like Call of Duty where higher refresh rates are crucial. Both have a low 1ms response time.

To test the Odyssey G80HS, I connected it to the HP Omen Max 45L, a monstrous gaming PC packing an AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D CPU, an Nvidia RTX 5080 (18GB), 64GB of RAM, and a 2TB SSD. You’ll need a similarly powerful PC to take advantage of Samsung’s monitor’s insane performance.

Whether it was at 165Hz or 330Hz, Cyberpunk 2077 ran buttery smooth. Sure, I wasn’t quite able to hit 165 frames per second to match the lower refresh rate, but the extra headroom let me enjoy the 65-70 fps I did get.

Doom: The Dark Ages is where I got to truly test what this monitor could do. With DLSS at 6x and Ultra Performance enabled, the game ran at a blistering 400 frames per second, even higher than the monitor’s top 330Hz refresh rate. Though I’m not a competitive gamer, I could still feel the difference in this twitchy game. Yes, there are gaming monitors with higher refresh rates, but Samsung’s is still no slouch.

Simple UI

You can bring up the menu by pressing the OSD joystick on the back. Reaching the OSD isn’t too difficult, as it's fairly low along the bottom of the monitor. The stick itself is relatively small but easy to move up and down or left and right.

The UI is about as no-frills as it gets. The blue lines on a black background are easy on the eyes and make everything easy to read. Navigating the menu with the joystick is seamless thanks to the responsive joystick and interface. While there are plenty of modes and settings to sift through, the layout makes it simple to find whatever you’re looking for.

Samsung Odyssey G8 (G80HS) review: The downs

While the Samsung Odyssey G8 (G80HS) certainly delivers on its promises, it has one potential drawback.

Pricey

Given that this is a 6K dual-mode gaming monitor, it’s no surprise it costs a pretty penny. Even at its current discounted price of $1,299, you’re still putting down a fair bit of cash. And that’s before factoring in the cost of the high-end gaming PC required to get the most out of this monitor.

If you just want an affordable gaming monitor with the basics, the $799 Alienware AW3426DW is the best bet. That said, you won’t get the rich picture quality of the Odyssey G80HS. If you want the very best image for gaming, Samsung’s monitor will be worth your money. But if you just want a high-end monitor at a lower price, other options are out there.

Samsung Odyssey G8 (G80HS) review: Verdict

Price aside, there’s no denying that the Samsung Odyssey G8 (G80HS) is an exceptional gaming monitor thanks to its superb 6K resolution. Trust me when I say that this is arguably the best viewing experience you can have on a non-OLED gaming monitor. And if that wasn’t enough, the dual-mode lets you switch to a higher refresh rate for competitive gaming.

If you’re willing to spend big for a superlative gaming experience, you owe it to yourself to check out the Samsung Odyssey G8 (G80HS). You won’t be disappointed.

The best curved monitors can make even the most mundane tasks feel immersive, and they result in less eye fatigue as the edges match the curve of your eyes. The Dell Pro P3426WEV is one of the finest ultrawide curved displays I’ve had the pleasure of testing. It sports a minimalist design that makes it fit for the office, and it comes with an integrated USB hub for cable management, and a built-in 5MP webcam for those who attend multiple calls a day.

Boasting good sRGB color coverage and accuracy, as well as a 100Hz refresh rate for gaming, the P3426WEV doesn’t give you much to complain about… unless you’re a professional colorist, as the monitor doesn’t have the best DCI P3 coverage. There’s no HDR support either.

For the complete breakdown, read my full Dell Pro P3426WEV review.

Dell Pro P3426WEV review: Specs

Dell Pro P3426WEV review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? A 3440 x 1440 curved monitor for productivity
• Who is it for? Office workers who want one large monitor instead of two
• How much does it cost? The Dell Pro P3426WEV is available for $749 / £505
• What do we like? The low-key design, sRGB color coverage and accuracy, integrated USB hub, and built-in webcam
• What don’t we like? No HDR support, and not the best for color grading

Dell Pro P3426WEV review: The ups

From its inconspicuous low-key design and handy built-in webcam, to its integrated USB hub and excellent sRGB color coverage and accuracy, the Dell Pro P3426WEV is a great productivity monitor.

Inconspicuous design, perfect for the office

If you want a monitor that’s designed for the office and doesn’t draw attention to itself, the Dell Pro P3426WEV is a great choice. Sporting an all-black screen with a silver stand, no garish RGB lighting, and minimalist branding, the P3426WEV fits right into the office space.

As the numbers in its name suggest, the P3426WEV is an ultrawide (and curved) 34-inch display — and it’s wide enough to negate the need for two separate monitors. You can also get a flat 22-inch, 24-inch, 27-inch or 43-inch version.

I tested the 34-inch model which measures 32.11 x 22.57 x 9.03 inches, including the stand. It weighs 21.96lbs when it’s fully assembled, so it’s a chonky boi, and it’s designed to stay put in one place. The P3426WEV has a 21:9 aspect ratio and in my testing, I found this to be more than plenty for navigating multiple windows and applications, and multi-tasking. I didn’t really miss having two separate monitors — which I used prior to testing the P3426WEV.

The P3426WEV is also perfect for those who spend up to eight hours, five days a week, staring at a screen — like me. The monitor is TÜV 4-star certified for eye comfort, so it reduces eye fatigue while you work. It features low blue light technology too, and Dell says that it “reduces harmful blue light emissions to ≤35% for enhanced eye comfort without sacrificing color.” Having used the monitor for more than a week, I can confirm that my eyes haven’t felt uncomfortable or tired.

Integrated USB hub

If, like me, you don’t like cables cluttering your desk, and you don’t want to bother with a dedicated USB hub, the Dell Pro P3426WEV is the answer to your woes. It functions as a single-cable docking station thanks to its integrated USB hub. There’s a plethora of ports for essentially all your peripherals — keyboards, mice, desktop speakers, headphones, you name it.

Naturally, you get a power port as well as HDMI 2.1 and DisplayPort 1.4 ports for hooking up your MacBook, Windows laptop, or consoles. Around the back, you’ll find two downstream USB-A ports, an upstream USB-B port, and an upstream USB-C DisplayPort Alt Mode ports — all of these pack 5Gbps transfer speeds.

If you’re wondering what DisplayPort Alt Mode means, I’ve got you covered. It means the monitor’s USB-C port can receive video signals using the DisplayPort protocol, offering higher data bandwidth, and the ability to daisy–chain multiple monitors from a single port. The P3426WEV’s rear USB-C port can help you cut down on cables and is also handy if you're routing graphics through a docking station via USB-C (you can still access the high resolutions and support refresh rates of DisplayPort). I used this USB-C port and the included cable to hook up my MacBook Air M2. It’s similar to the one you’ll find on the BenQ MA270S ($999).

And that’s not all. Located on the bottom edge, you’ll find a pop-out port housing. When you gently push it, it extends downward to reveal a USB-C port with 15W of power delivery, and a USB-A port. Both downstream ports feature 5Gbps speeds. There really is no dearth of ports or connectivity options on the P3426WEV.

Handy built-in webcam

Adding to the Dell Pro P3426WEV’s office-first design is its built-in webcam which sits right on top of the panel — something that those who take a lot of work calls will find useful. The webcam is fitted with a Sony Starvis 5MP f/3.4 sensor and features three different resolutions — 2K/30fps, FHD/60fps, and HD/60fps — which can be adjusted via the onboard menu.

It has an 81° field of view (FoV) which, in my testing, felt just enough to frame me properly while also including some of the background for added context. Additionally, it features an AI Auto Framing function and once the webcam has detected you, it zooms in and out (2x digital zoom) even if you’re moving within the FoV, ensuring that you’re the center of attention at all times. You’ll need to download Dell Display and Peripheral Manager to enable AI Auto Framing.

The photo above was captured using the P3426WEV’s webcam while the monitor was connected to my MacBook Air M2. The colors and my skin appear true to life, though the sunlight coming in from the windows behind me appears blown out. I was expecting this as the webcam has a very small sensor. The shot itself is backlit, and the webcam has done what it needed to: it has adjusted the exposure correctly and lit up my face.

I also tested the webcam’s AI Auto Framing capabilities. As you can see in the clip above, the webcam is a little slow to shift focus but when it finally does it, it frames me accurately.

When you aren’t using the webcam, you can use the lock slider on top to cover the lens. If you’re using a Windows laptop, you can also configure Windows Hello to work with the P3426WEV. Via Windows settings, you can set up the P3426WEV’s webcam to recognize your face and unlock when you sit down in front of it (Wake On Approach).

Excellent sRGB color coverage and accuracy

The Dell Pro P3426WEV’s integrated USB hub and built-in webcam wouldn’t account for much good if the monitor didn’t boast good color coverage and accuracy. After all, those are the most important aspects of any monitor. Fortunately, the P3426WEV doesn’t give you much to complain about when it comes to sRGB color coverage and accuracy.

I ran my usual lab tests and as you can see in the table above, the P3426WEV covers 122.8% of the sRGB color gamut. The P3426WEV upstages the Alogic Edge 40-inch 5K Ultrawide ($1,499) which costs a lot more than Dell’s offering. While the P3426WEV doesn’t score as highly as the BenQ MA270S and the BenQ PD3226G ($1,099), anything over 100% (or on the mark) is great, so the P3426WEV still goes above and beyond.

I watched a couple of 4K YouTube videos and was pleased with the colors I saw on the monitor. Reds didn’t appear oversaturated or neon, but just vivid enough to be eye-catching. Greens looked punchy while deep blues appeared clean and rich. As the P3426WEV is a work monitor, I primarily tested it by browsing the web and getting on with my daily tasks. In those activities, the color coverage gave me nothing to whine about.

I then tested color accuracy, represented by a Delta-E number. It’s a numerical representation of how much two colors differ, giving you an idea of how close the color relayed on screen (the monitor) is to the color output from the source (the computer). The closer the Delta-E number to zero, the better.

The P3426WEV boasts outstanding color accuracy, having achieved a 0.05 score in my lab tests. You can see how the monitor fares against its competitors in the table above. It outperforms the BenQ PD3226G (0.16) and the Alogic Edge 40-inch 5K Ultrawide (0.08). The 0.05 score means that the colors displayed on the P3426WEV are near-identical to the ones being sent to it by the laptop.

My lab tests went a long way in reassuring me that the colors I was seeing were as accurate as they could be, and this gave me a lot of confidence when editing photos for my photography Instagram account. In addition to that, the P3426WEV features 10-bit color depth, too, which means that it’s capable of displaying 1.07 billion individual hues. This makes the monitor good for creatives — although professional color graders may be left feeling shortchanged (more on that shortly).

Decent for gaming, too

If you like gaming casually between tasks, the Dell Pro P3426WEV should suffice. It’s got a 100Hz refresh rate so it offers smooth motion in RPGs and racing games. I tested the monitor by playing Cyberpunk 2077 and Forza Horizon 5, and across both titles I appreciated the visual experience offered by the P3426WEV. The 21:9 aspect ratio and wide field of view enabled me to see more of the game worlds, resulting in me feeling immersed in both titles.

Because you have so much screen real estate, you can also run different apps side-by-side. I had Slack running in a small space on the side of the display to ensure I didn’t miss any time sensitive messages from my colleagues while I tested the monitor for gaming.

If you want an ultrawide monitor specifically for gaming, the MSI MPG 341CQR QD-OLED X36 with its 360Hz refresh rate should be right up your alley. At $949, it costs a pretty penny but it isn’t that much more expensive than the P3426WEV. There’s also the LG UltraGear 45GR75DC with its 5120 x 1440 resolution and 32:9 aspect ratio, and it costs $899. Again, only a $100 price hike compared to the P3426WEV.

Dell Pro P3426WEV review: The downs

While the Dell Pro P3426WEV is great for most things, its SDR mode is dim and there’s no HDR support. Also, DCI P3 color coverage isn’t ideal for professional photo editing.

Dim SDR and no HDR

The Dell Pro P3426WEV doesn’t feature a high dynamic range or HDR mode. This means that it can’t display deeply dark shadows and ultra-bright highlights at the same time. Video games and movies mastered for HDR will not look the way the creators intended either.

While this isn’t a massive drawback for a productivity-focused monitor, it would have been nice to have it, especially given that some of the P3426WEV’s competitors do. The P3426WEV isn’t the brightest in its standard dynamic range (SDR) mode either. It achieved 284.8 nits in my lab tests, as you can see in the table above. The BenQ MA270S and the Alogic Edge 40-inch 5K Ultrawide are brighter at 387.4 and 417 nits respectively, and they both feature HDR modes, too.

In real world use, I didn’t have any problems viewing the P3426WEV’s screen under bright office lights and with the blinds behind me drawn. But when I opened the blinds and sunlight flooded the room, the monitor looked a little dim.

Not the best for professional color grading

While the Dell Pro P3426WEV’s sRGB color coverage is great and doesn’t give you much to complain about, the same can’t be said for its DCI P3 coverage. DCI P3 is a significantly larger color space compared to sRGB, and it’s heavily used in cinema, and professional color grading. Unfortunately, the P3426WEV falls just short of being perfect here.

In my lab tests, the P3426WEV covered just 87% of the DCI P3 color gamut. Essentially, the monitor dips its toes into wide-gamut territory but doesn’t deliver the deep, rich reds and greens required for color grading and professional video work.

The P3426WEV is outdone by its productivity-focused competitors, such as the BenQ MA270S and the BenQ PD3226G with their respective 158.7% and 104.1% coverage. Surprisingly, the much cheaper Lenovo L27I-4B ($109) covers slightly more of the DCI P3 than the P3426WEV.

For general office workers who mostly deal with documents, spreadsheets, charts and low-stakes graphics, these will still render sharply with natural colors. Even casual editors who post their photos primarily on Instagram and social media should face minimal impact. Professional video editors and colorists, though, may want to consider alternatives for precise color grading. I’d recommend the BenQ MA270S or the BenQ PD3226G. If you want a curved but capable monitor, you’ll need to splurge on the Alogic Edge 40-inch 5K Ultrawide.

Dell Pro P3426WEV review: Verdict

The Dell Pro P3426WEV is a superb ultrawide monitor, and anyone who spends eight hours a day in front of a screen will thoroughly appreciate it. Equipped with an integrated USB hub for great cable management, and a built-in 5MP webcam that records video in 2K at 30fps, the P3426WEV is an all-in-one solution for office goers. It boasts wide sRGB coverage and color accuracy, too. Oh, and there’s a 100Hz refresh rate for casual gamers.

But the P3426WEV isn’t perfect. There’s no HDR support and the monitor isn’t the brightest even in SDR. DCI P3 color coverage falls short of 100% too, which means the monitor isn’t the best for color grading and professional colorists.

If neither of those feel like dealbreakers to you, and you just want a curved monitor with plenty of screen real estate, then the P3426WEV shouldn’t give you any trouble.

The Alienware 39 5K2K OLED (AW3926QW) is Alienware’s finest gaming monitor yet. That’s saying a lot, given how fantastic its 34-inch QD-OLED monitors have been. But thanks to its enhanced OLED technology, fast performance, and sleek design, it’s hard to argue that it's one of the best gaming monitors you can buy.

The star of the show is the four-stack, three-subpixel RGB stripe tandem OLED panel, which is the first of its kind to hit the market. Thanks to that, you get higher brightness, richer colors, sharper text, and superb contrast. The crisp 5K resolution also ensures that everything looks absolutely stunning. And if that weren’t enough, you can also switch to 330Hz refresh mode for fast-paced competitive shooters.

Other than being a tad too big for some setups, the Alienware 39 5K2K OLED (AW3926QW) is about as perfect a gaming monitor as you can get. Find out why in my full review.

Alienware AW3926QW review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? The Alienware 39 5K2K OLED (AW3926QW) is a feature-rich gaming monitor.
• Who is it for? It’s for folks who want a gaming monitor with dual refresh rates to balance visual fidelity and performance.
• What does it cost? The AW3926DW costs $1,099.
• What do we like? We like the classy design, vivid OLED panel, fast and smooth gaming performance, and easy-to-use UI.
• What don’t we like? We don’t like that you need a relatively large desk to comfortably use this 39-inch monitor.

Alienware AW3926QW review: Specs

Alienware AW3926QW review: The ups

From its minimalist design, crisp visual quality, and smooth performance, there’s a lot to love about the Alienware AW3926QW.

Sleek design

The Alienware AW3926QW has a design reminiscent of the AW3426DW, but it’s larger, with a 39-inch panel instead of 34. I’m glad the design matches its smaller sibling, as it looks equally great in an office as it does in a gaming den.

The panel’s 1500R curvature conforms nicely to the curvature of your eyes and draws you into whatever game you’re playing. The 21:9 aspect ratio is similarly immersive for gaming and also gives you more desktop space for windows and apps for when you’re working.

Over on the back, you’ll find the Alienware logo, which is the main thing that tells you this is a gaming monitor — especially if you enable the AlienFX RGB lighting. The back isn’t flush, unlike on the AW3426DW, because it has a gap for the air vents. It also includes a VESA mount for one of the best monitor arms, if you prefer.

Like the AW3426DW, this monitor has a flat stand to keep it in place. Since its profile is relatively small, you’ll still have plenty of room on your desk for the best gaming keyboards and best gaming mouse.

The shaft has a cutaway for clean cable management. Lowering and raising the monitor along the shaft is seamless, as is tilting and swiveling it to your preferred viewing angle. And while the monitor weighs 22 pounds, I found it light enough to easily move around when I needed to access the ports on the back.

Speaking of ports, this monitor has a pair of HDMI 2.1 ports, a DisplayPort, two USB-A ports, two USB-C ports, and a USB-B port. There’s also an OSD (on-screen display) joystick underneath the ports for navigating the monitor’s display settings.

Vibrant display

There’s a lot of fancy technology under the hood of the AW3926QW, especially the four-stack, three-subpixel RGB stripe tandem OLED panel. Thanks to that and the 5K resolution, this monitor delivers a stunning picture quality.

Cyberpunk 2077 looks incredible on the AW3926QW. I drove around the city during the day and marveled at how the glass towers and the river gleamed in the sunlight. The neon signs and colorful holograms were vivid and sharp. You can also see more of your surroundings because this game supports 21:9 monitors.

There are two display modes here: 5K resolution and WFDH. Naturally, you get the best image from 5K (5120 x 2160), which is perfect for cinematic games like Cyberpunk 2077. WFHD (2560 x 1080) lowers the resolution but bumps the refresh rate to 330Hz. I’ll cover that shortly, but suffice it to say that 1080p resolution doesn’t look as sharp as 5K, but is still clear enough for the competitive gamers this mode is for.

The AW3926QW delivered strong results in our lab tests. In its standard display mode, the AW3425DW produces vivid colors (sRGB and DCI-P3) and solid color accuracy (Delta-E). These values are comparable to the Samsung Odyssey G8 G80HS in its Standard mode, though the Asus ROG Swift OLED produces more oversaturated hues.

HDR brightness is pretty strong for an OLED monitor. In dedicated HDR modes, the AW3926QW reaches around 500 nits at 10% of the display and about 300 nits across the entire screen. OLED gaming monitors are finally delivering brighter HDR, and I’m glad to see that the Alienware AW3926QW hasn’t missed the party.

There are 11 display modes available. This includes dedicated modes for game genres like FPS, RTS, Sports, and more. As with the AW3426DW, there’s a Creator Mode with better color accuracy for video and photo editors. Aside from that mode, the other options differ only slightly from one another, such as FPS being brighter and Sports being more colorful.

Smooth and fast performance

Whether you’re playing at 165Hz or 330Hz, everything runs smoothly on this monitor. Compatibility with Nvidia G-Sync and AMD FreeSync, along with the ultra-low 0.03ms response time, ensures that games run buttery smooth with no perceptible input lag. You’ll get much faster performance from the LG UltraGear 27GX790B-B, which can run at 540Hz and 720Hz, but unless you’re a professional gamer, you likely won’t notice a difference.

To test the AW3926QW, I connected it to the HP Omen Max 45L, a monstrous gaming PC packing an AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D CPU, an Nvidia RTX 5080 (18GB), 64GB of RAM, and a 2TB SSD. You’ll need a similarly powerful PC to take advantage of the monitor’s insane performance.

Whether it was at 165Hz or 330Hz, Cyberpunk 2077 ran buttery smooth. Sure, I wasn’t quite able to hit 165 frames per second to match the lower refresh rate, but the extra headroom let me enjoy the 65-70 fps I did get without any hiccups like screen tearing.

Simple UI

The Alienware AW3926QW uses the same interface as the AW3426DW. As before, the UI features a black-and-gray background with blue-and-white lettering. This is where you’ll find all the available display modes and other settings. There are many menus and submenus to sift through, but it’s easy enough to find whatever setting you need.

The OSD joystick, located just beneath the ports, is easy to find by touch. The stick itself is responsive and has the right balance of rigidity and looseness.

Alienware AW3926QW review: The downs

The Alienware AW3926QW is a nearly perfect gaming monitor for most folks, but it does have one drawback that might make it inconvenient to own for some.

A bit unwieldy

This likely won’t be a dealbreaker for most, but if you have a small workspace, you may not have enough room to comfortably fit this 39-inch monitor into your setup.

I’ve reviewed much larger gaming monitors, such as Samsung’s 49- and 57-inch Odyssey monitors. Alienware’s device is much smaller in comparison, but I still needed a relatively deep desk to use it comfortably. Thanks to the panel’s size and curvature, you’ll want to sit a good distance away.

Alienware AW3926QW review: Verdict

The Alienware AW3926QW delivers a phenomenal gaming experience thanks to its immersive, vivid, and sharp curved panel. The tech behind the display is so impressive that I fully expect competitors to ape what Alienware has done.

Even if there are monitors with higher resolutions and refresh rates, the AW3926DW beautifully balances visuals and performance. Sure, it’s a tad pricey, but it’s worth it for the features it offers. This is exactly the kind of gaming monitor I’d want to own. It’s that good!

Super high-resolution monitors usually force you to compromise on motion clarity. Compared to lower-resolution esports panels, it’s simply next-to-impossible to push the same insane 500Hz+ refresh rates. That was until Nvidia found a way around that.

Enter the 5K AOC Agon Pro AGP327KG — the first of its kind armed with Team Green’s G-Sync Pulsar. I saw this technology at CES 2026 in some competitive-tier gaming monitors, but now it's in something with staggeringly high pixel density; to me, this is a game changer.

G-Sync Pulsar explained

What is G-Sync Pulsar? Good question! You’ve already got variable refresh rate and extreme low motion blur on deck, so what else does it do? Well, a simple way to explain it would be that Nvidia’s regulating the pulse of the monitor itself — specifically the backlight.

To make an IPS monitor like this light up, you need a backlight strobing to illuminate the pixels. In normal screens, the whole backlight will strobe independently of what’s being shown on screen. That means that as the game moves, monitor backlight strobes may reveal pixels in mid-transition, which leads to the human eye perceiving blur.

G-Sync Pulsar brings variable-frequency strobing tied to the refresh rate, so the backlight strobe pulses in lock step with every game frame (also known as a scanout). That ensures a stable image with every pop of light, which gives you a crispier picture and the perception of higher motion clarity.

Previously, Pulsar was limited to smaller 27-inch 1440p panels, and in my time testing it, I was blown away by the tack-sharp definition of everything on screen. Slapping it on a 5K 144Hz monitor shows exactly what the tech can do when given the space to stretch its legs, and I’m floored by it.

The end result

Just like the smaller screens, there was a level of clarity that meant my eyes didn’t need to focus on specific subjects on-screen. It all jumped into focus in a significant way while playing Delta Force.

Whether it’s text clarity of the signs on the wall, the targets at a distance or the on-screen elements, the traditional blur I’d become used to just became all the more noticeable. So fair warning — this tech will turn you into a display snob hunting down the absolute peak of crispiness.

Some final extra nice bits

As for the Agon Pro itself, there are a few user-friendly things I wanted to shout out. First off, this is packed with I/O, including 2x HDMI, 1x DisplayPort, 1x USB Type-C, a USB-B upstream and 3x USB-A. This has all the connectivity needed to be your central hub for your setup.

Second, there’s ambient adaptive tech such as a built-in light sensor that can automatically adjust both brightness and color temperature based on your room’s ambient lighting — nice touch for eye care and accuracy (especially with the deep contrast ratio of that glossy screen)!

Finally, there’s customizing the screen itself. There’s a joystick to get around the OSD menu, which can feel clunky. But thanks to that Nvidia tie-in, you can change some of the key settings in the Nvidia app without needing to fall out with a clunky menu.

We’re waiting on confirmed pricing and an official launch date, and given the high resolution and Pulsar inside, we should brace our wallets. But lowkey, this is looking set to be a belter of a monitor for your high-fidelity gaming needs.

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When you enable full path tracing in a modern game, the lighting looks stunning — but the illusion is often broken by visual artifacts like smudged reflections, ghosting details, light trails that fade weirdly and dark corners that “boil” with digital noise.

Nvidia is attempting to eradicate those issues for good with DLSS 4.5 Ray Reconstruction, and I’ve spent a few days with this tech to see if the company’s new gaming AI model can finally clean up path tracing’s messy edges.

The truth of it is the same as I’ve felt about ray tracing and path tracing at large. If you stop to pixel-peep, the visual upgrade is undeniable. But if you’re expecting a massive paradigm shift in the middle of a frantic firefight, you need to temper your expectations.

Sorry for the reality check, and credit to Team Green for managing to make trash bags shinier and more reflective in Alan Wake 2, but this is definitely an iterative upgrade.

How to activate DLSS 4.5 Ray Reconstruction

Just like a lot of Nvidia’s gaming features, you’ve got to go into the overrides. Pop into the specific game that supports DLSS 4.5 Ray Reconstruction, open the DLSS overrides window, click the dropdown on Ray Reconstruction and select “Model F.”

At that point, you’re off to the races. The only game I noticed any weird glitching on with the override turned on is Portal RTX, which I’m sure will be ironed over with an update. But everything else worked without a hitch.

What is Ray Reconstruction?

Well, the demands of path tracing are starting to outstrip the raw hardware capabilities of consumer GPUs. Calculating the real physical light paths for millions of pixels every second is just too much to do.

Instead of painting every single pixel, the game flings a handful of dots of paint across the canvas — just enough to capture rough reflections, colors and shadows. The end result is a noisy, static-filled mess of dots. Something is needed to join the dots.

The old fix was a technique graphics cards used called “denoisers.” I can go into the specifics about these hand-tuned technologies, but think of it like taking a wet sponge and smudging those paint dots together. It does the job in filling the gaps, but fine details get blurred out and subtle lighting can flicker and “boil.”

So instead, Nvidia’s DLSS Ray Reconstruction hands that unfinished canvas to an AI network trained on supercomputers with millions of flawless images. Think of it like an expert art restorer with a photographic memory — looking at the scattered dots of light, recognizing the 3D geometry of the scene, and predicting how the light naturally behaves.

The end result (as you’ll see) is crispier puddle reflections, detailed textures without blurring or ghosting and shinier, less smudged light bounces. It takes this taxing work off the GPU, so it can focus on rendering the game, while AI pattern recognition does the heavy lifting of calculating the true light data.

The faster, smarter engine in DLSS 4.5

To understand what DLSS 4.5 Ray Reconstruction is actually doing, you have to look at the math. Nvidia has replaced its own on-board denoiser with a new 2nd generation transformer model. This AI brain processes 20% more parameters and delivers a massive 35% boost in compute capability.

That means this hypothetical art restorer is now able to more deeply analyze the space, and intelligently use game engine pixel sampling and motion data to improve the accuracy and stability of lighting — doing so millions of times a second.

And the best part? Nvidia claims this massive increase in AI compute comes with a negligible performance impact.

Testing that claim, my RTX 5080 setup saw no frame rate penalty whatsoever, and for lower-end hardware in Nvidia’s 50-series family (like the RTX 5060 Ti (16GB) and the RTX 5070 Ti-armed Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 that I’m testing), the frame drops are negligible (average drop of 2 FPS).

Of course, that should extend to the RTX 40 and 50 series GPUs. But if you are running an older RTX 20 or 30 series card with the older architecture, limitations mean you may see a more noticeable performance penalty.

The pixel-peeping test

So since this is one for those that just want to scrutinize the specifics of a frame, let’s dip into this with a few games on my RTX 5080 monster rig — putting DLSS 4 and DLSS 4.5’s Ray Reconstruction head-to-head. And I’m not going to lie, when you stop to take a beat and look around, the differences in still frames are striking.

In Cyberpunk 2077, the bright red glow from the “Livepunch Booze” neon sign washes over the floor in a softer, blurrier spread with DLSS 4. Enabling 4.5 shows off the tighter light bounce and higher-contrast, which casts sharper, concentrated red and cyan reflections on those polished floor panels.

Throw in much sharper, more cohesive specular highlights and a deeper contrast in darker areas without that fuzzy noise that plagued the older denoiser, and the tweaks are small, but significant.

Moving over to Pragmata, the moving neon makes DLSS 4.5 Ray Reconstruction much more noticeable. There’s a moving laser jumping puzzle that makes it so much more obvious — seeing the lasers just fizzle away on the older model vs immediately snapping away.

Finally, in Alan Wake 2, Nvidia showed me a demo of shinier trash bags. But if anything, they’re doing the tech a bit of a disservice. This has always been a showcase game for Team Green, and something as simple as walking around a safe room shows off small detail improvements that come together to make quite a difference.

Saga’s hair, coat and surrounding surfaces are much better defined with smoother, natural lighting bouncing off them. The grain of the wood paneling goes from slightly blurred to no blur whatsoever, lighting sources bounce more tightly off surfaces, and mirror reflections are a lot sharper.

My verdict

Full credit to Nvidia here — improving image fidelity by running an AI model with 20% more parameters without tanking frame rates on modern hardware is a genuine engineering triumph.

Of course, I say that specifically about the RTX 50-series gear I tested this on. Nvidia told me that it’s not expected to meaningfully impact performance on older GPUs. I can’t test that, but we’ll find out soon enough as some of my friends in the industry dish their thoughts.

But DLSS 4.5 Ray Reconstruction is an iterative polish. It cleans up the edge cases and makes your photo mode captures look absolutely spectacular. But during actual, fast-paced gameplay, the difference between DLSS 4 and DLSS 4.5 effectively blends into the background.

That being said, for the average gamer in motion, you’ll be hard pressed to notice the differences in the midst of gameplay. For the players, this is just a nice, quiet cleanup job. A small upgrade that will become more significant as we head into a world of path traced games.

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I’ve tested a few esports-tier gaming monitors over the past couple of years — all touting refresh rates comfortably in the hundreds of hertz and offering smoothness unlike anything I’ve seen before.

But all of them have been based on TN IPS panels that may be super fast, but don’t necessarily have the motion clarity to match. Enter the $1,099 Asus ROG Swift OLED PG259QWS ACE (baffling name, I know), the world’s fastest OLED esports monitor with a 720Hz refresh rate.

As it turns out, that shift to OLED is utterly groundbreaking for motion clarity, and it actually helped me play better at Counter-Strike… Crazy, I know, but let me explain.

Supercharged clarity

I know the main allure of OLED has always been the color and contrast ratio — that’s always been my thought process anyway. But by moving away from the flickering of IPS display technology and drastically upping OLED's pixel response time, it is almost like watching a picture move rather than a screen.

The PG259QWS features a staggeringly low 0.02ms response time, which preserves motion clarity as I’d never seen before. Even my fastest flick-shots didn’t make the game smear.

That is all thanks to this TrueBlack Glossy Tandem 1080p WOLED panel that solves the compromise between raw speed and visual fidelity. It delivers a flash flood of color with a 99.5% DCI-P3 color gamut and deep, inky blacks, plus a peak 1,700-nit brightness, while staying sharply detailed in every challenging situation.

Popping shots off at distance got a whole lot easier with the AWP without using the scope, thanks to this panel!

The cheat code — Position Sensor

Now, when it comes to playing competitively wherever you are, one of the biggest friction points isn’t just frame drops or picture smearing — it’s the ergonomics. When a player sits down at a tournament desk, whipping out a tape measure to recreate the exact millimeter-perfect monitor angle of a home setup is rather stressful.

But this is where Asus’ clever work comes in: the Position Sensor. Basically, using real-time monitoring, you can get a readout of the exact height, angle, and your distance to the screen. It’s one of those small features that’s incredibly critical to getting the best performance in-game.

A gamer’s verdict

For the casual player, 720Hz is absolute overkill. But for the top 1% of competitive players chasing motion perfection, Asus has just set a new gold standard.

For the rest of you, there are cheaper OLED options, including the ROG Strix OLED XG259QWPG for $699, which reduces the refresh rate and cuts the cost. But to this player’s eyes, I have to applaud Asus here — this is unlike anything I’ve ever seen before.

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Apple has just debuted the M6 chip in its brand new Mac mini, and it’s the world’s first commercially available 2-nanometer (2nm) chip. That means every transistor is roughly 40,000 times thinner than the average strand of hair, which means the Cupertino crew can pack many, many more transistors onto the chip die.

That means higher clock speeds and massive energy efficiency gains without the thermal penalties that normally come with it. But with that additional room for activities, Apple’s done something rather interesting here. I’ve combed through every tiny detail the company’s revealed about M6 to take a deep dive into the silicon.

And spoiler alert: up until now, I’ve been telling my friends and family with M1 systems to hold out over the past few years. But this is the year I’ll finally tell them to upgrade.

M6 chip specs comparison

The rise of the super core

In previous generations, Apple’s used a classic two-tier layout — performance cores for handling the heavy lifting and efficiency cores to tackle the day-to-day that doesn’t require breaking a sweat.

M6 does things differently by bringing on a 12-core CPU complex (up from 10 cores on M5) that is split across three tiers:

• 2 Super Cores: Engineered for the moments of maximum burst speed, Apple claims to have built the world’s fastest CPU core here.
• 4 performance cores: Same as before, these are there to tackle heavy, sustained multithreaded tasks like data analysis or music production.
• 6 efficiency cores: These are on-board for handling all the background macOS processes and general day-to-day multitasking with minimal wattage.

And the numbers (claimed by Apple) speak for themselves: up to 1.2x faster multithreaded performance over M5 and a staggering 2.4x leap over the base M1.

Doubling down on local AI

Remember when everybody bought an M4 Mac mini to run their OpenClaw? Apple remembers, and instead of a single NPU block, M6 is debuting a dual 16-core Neural Engine that can deliver up to 2x peak AI compute over previous generations.

Alongside this, the upgraded 12-core GPU is packed with dedicated Neural Accelerators inside each core for a 30% boost in peak AI GPU compute over M5 (and 8x over M1). Together, these ensure rapid prompt processing, and accelerated local LLMs and agentic tasks.

And another word on that graphics muscle, there’s 2nd generation Dynamic Caching, hardware ray tracing and a 50% increase in geometry rates. That’s a word soup, but the end result is going to be much faster graphics rendering — good news for gamers.

Feeding the 2nm beast

Any new chip is only as good as the memory feeding it, and for M6, Apple is raising the ceiling up to 32GB of unified memory in the Mac mini. That’s going to ensure bigger AI models or more sustained multitasking is possible.

But moreover, the bandwidth of that memory (how fast the chip can dip into there and take something) has reached 170 GB/s — a 10% uplift over M5 and a 2.5x surge compared to the original M1’s 68GB/s ceiling.

Put simply, it’s like giving your Mac mini a much bigger workbench to craft things without anything spilling onto the floor, as well as a massive high-speed multi-lane conveyor belt to rush raw materials to that bench.

The consumer verdict: who actually needs M6?

It’s a good question, and now more than ever, price matters. At the end of the day, the new Mac mini starts at $899 — a $100 uplift from the previous model. So who should jump on this train?

• Skip if you have M4 or M5: A 20% multithreaded bump and tighter AI execution are great, but not worth abandoning a machine purchased in the last 12-18 months.
• M3 falls into a nuanced middle ground: M6 may bring big gains, but the M3 still holds up by being the first to introduce a lot of what makes this new chip strong like the zippy neural engine or blazing single-core performance. Day-to-day tasks won’t feel night-and-day different, but if you demand sustained multithreaded horsepower (or you want to run local AI via that dual Neural Engine), the M6 provides the headroom you’ve been missing.
• A strong upgrade from M2: The jump from M2 to M6 spans four years of architectural pivots, a huge gap in hardware features (like hardware ray tracing a GPU neural accelerators) and those super cores. If you’re coding, using creative software or pumping local AI, the leap in single-core performance with those new Super Cores makes this feel like a new machine.
• The ultimate M1 & Intel upgrade: With 2.4x CPU performance, 8x AI GPU acceleration and 2.5x memory bandwidth, M6 represents the ideal leap for users still clinging onto original 2020 M1 Macs or legacy setups.

For anyone still nursing an M1 machine through its sixth year, the wait is officially over — the 2nm era is where you finally get off the fence.

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The PlayStation 27" Gaming Monitor bridges the worlds of console and PC gaming. While the PS5 is primarily used as a living room device, many prefer connecting Sony’s console to one of the best gaming monitors and playing at their desk. Now they can do so with a monitor designed specifically for the PS5 that’s also compatible with the best gaming PCs.

This 27-inch monitor covers the basics, including a 1440p IPS panel with a variable 240Hz refresh rate. The design is fairly nondescript, with a black-and-white theme that matches the PS5. It also includes unique features, such as Auto HDR tone-mapping that calibrates your PS5’s video settings and a convenient charging hook for your DualSense controller.

While the PlayStation 27-inch gaming monitor isn’t revolutionary, it delivers on its promise as an excellent desktop companion for your PS5. Sure, it doesn’t have 4K resolution or an OLED panel, but it still offers a fantastic gaming experience for only $349. If you’re looking for a monitor for both your PC and PS5, this monitor comes with my highest recommendation. Find out why in my full review.

PlayStation 27" Gaming Monitor review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? A 27-inch gaming monitor that’s specifically designed for the PS5 and PS5 Pro.
• Who is it for? For gamers who own a PS5 and/or a gaming PC and prefer playing at their desk.
• What does it cost? The PlayStation 27” Gaming Monitor is available now for $349 on PlayStation’s website and at Best Buy.
• What do we like? We like the sleek, minimalist design, bright and colorful display, fast performance, built-in charging hook, and Auto HDR tone mapping.
• What don’t we like? We don’t like that it tops out at 1440p and lacks an OLED panel.

PlayStation 27" Gaming Monitor review: Specs

PlayStation 27" gaming monitor review: The ups

The 27-inch PlayStation gaming monitor impresses thanks to its elegant design, vibrant picture quality, smooth performance, and PS5-centric features.

PS5-like design

The first thing you’ll notice is that this looks a lot like a PlayStation monitor, thanks to its black-and-white color scheme. The almost all-white back, featuring the iconic PlayStation logo, complements the black shaft, stand, bezels, and the port locations. It’s a classy design that looks just as good in an office as in a gaming den.

Gliding the monitor up and down the shaft is easy, as is tilting and swiveling it to your preferred viewing height and angle. The shaft is completely flat and takes up little space on your desk, leaving more room for peripherals. There’s also a VESA mount on the back to use it with one of the best monitor arms, if you prefer.

Port-wise, you get everything you need to connect to a PS5 and/or PC. This includes a pair of HDMI 2.1 ports, a single DisplayPort, two USB-A ports, a USB-C port, and a USB-B port. Since the monitor is so light, it’s easy to turn it around to access the ports. It’s nearly impossible to connect anything by touch alone if you’re facing the monitor.

My favorite design element is the charging hook for your controller. The hook swings down from the back of the monitor like a door handle and snaps into place when fully down or fully up. There’s just enough room on the hook’s end for your DualSense controller to rest comfortably while it charges. This is one of the smartest features I’ve seen on a monitor.

Vivid and sharp display

The 27-inch PlayStation gaming monitor has a 27-inch (2560 x 1440) IPS panel. Although it’s not an OLED screen, you still get excellent image quality because the monitor automatically calibrates your PS5 for the best HDR settings. The 16:9 aspect ratio is also ideal for PS5 games and many PC titles.

There are only four standard picture modes: Default, Cool, Warm, and sRGB — with each of these having corresponding HDR modes. Some can look brighter or more colorful, but you generally get the same image quality across the board.

I was blown away when I tested Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 on this monitor in the Default display setting. Because the colors aren’t oversaturated, in-game New York City looked incredibly lifelike and cinematic. Neon signs and energy bolts pop out nicely, while HDR provides strong contrast between dark and light elements. This is as good as it gets for a non-OLED panel.

The 27-inch PlayStation monitor did well on our lab test. Color reproduction (sRGB and DCI-P3) is excellent, while color accuracy (Delta-E) is just slightly lower than what I usually see from gaming monitors. In contrast, the $349 Alienware AW2726DM delivers much more vivid colors, but its HDR across 100% of the screen can’t match the PlayStation 27’s. The latter is certainly a benefit of lacking an OLED panel.

Smooth performance

The PlayStation 27-inch gaming monitor supports up to a 240Hz refresh rate, double the PS5’s maximum 120Hz. That means that whether you’re playing on a PS5 or PC, you’ll get a buttery-smooth gaming experience thanks to the high refresh rate and VRR support.

Spider-Man 2 on the PS5 Pro runs like a dream on this monitor. I didn’t experience a single instance of screen tearing or input lag. This is especially important in a game like this, where you’re swinging through Manhattan’s artificial canyons at breakneck speeds one moment, and dealing with mobs of enemies the next. No matter what’s happening on the screen, the monitor handles it beautifully.

Simple interface

The menu UI’s design is as clean and simple as the monitor itself. The interface features a transparent background with white lettering. Here, you can access the aforementioned picture modes, as well as settings for audio, inputs, profiles, and more.

The OSD (On-Screen Display) joystick on the back lets you navigate the menus easily. Located just above the power button, the white joystick blends well with the back of the monitor and offers the right balance of sturdiness and flexibility when you move it up and down and left and right.

PlayStation 27" Gaming Monitor review: The downs

While there’s a lot to like about this PlayStation monitor, it has a few minor drawbacks.

No OLED or 4K

The only two real negatives about the 27-inch PlayStation gaming monitor are that it doesn’t have an OLED panel and it tops out at 1440p. If you absolutely need an OLED monitor or 4K resolution, then this could be a major deterrent. However, if that doesn’t matter to you, you might not see these as negatives at all.

I’m mostly sharing this as an expectation check, because while it’s a bummer that the display isn’t OLED and the resolution is 1440p tops, I don’t consider these major deal-breakers. The overall image quality is phenomenal, and arguably better than what you’d get on some similarly-priced monitors.

As for price, the $349 price tag makes it extremely easy to forgive any shortcomings, especially when its upsides vastly outweigh the negatives.

PlayStation 27" gaming monitor review: Verdict

The PlayStation 27-inch gaming monitor is a worthwhile purchase for gamers who primarily play at their desk. Though it’s not the fanciest gaming monitor out there, it has everything you need for a great experience on PS5 and PC. And as I said before, it’s hard to knock this monitor because of its affordable $349 asking price.

If you absolutely need an OLED monitor, the $349 Alienware AW2726DM is a solid alternative. But if you want seamless integration with your PS5, plus a charging hook for your controller, the 27-inch PlayStation is an easy recommendation. It’s really that good!

Over the weekend, Amazon quietly raised prices for nearly all of the devices the company makes, including the Echo Dot, Kindle Paperwhite and Fire TV Stick HD. It's the latest in a series of price increases that have hit nearly every company. You can guess what's to blame.

Amazon's new prices vary in amount, with at least one device seeing a 60% increase; the company cited the ongoing RAM crisis and component inflation. First spotted by Fortune, some of the company's cheaper devices appear to be the most affected.

Here's what the new prices look like:

The Echo Dot saw the largest increase up 60% and $30, from $49 to $79, while the higher-tier Echo Show 11 is also getting a $30 hike from $219 to $249.

Additionally, the 16GB Kindle and Kindle Paperwhite saw hikes, going from $109 to $149 and $159 to $199, respectively. The Fire TV Stick HD only saw a $5 hike from $34 to $39 and the 4K Max rose from $59 to $84.

Surprisingly, the Amazon-owned Ring lineup of doorbells and security cameras didn't get more expensive.

An Amazon spokesperson told Tom's Guide, "After absorbing these increases for as long as we could, we recently adjusted pricing across our product lines." She noted that "significant" increases in memory and component costs led to the decision.

Still a cheaper option

In some cases, despite the price hikes, Amazon's devices might still be the cheaper option. Unfortunately, that's because everything else also got more expensive this year.

In July, Roku bumped prices on its streaming devices, with the Roku hitting $150 and the entry-level Roku Streaming Stick now at $40, up from $30.

Kindles might be more expensive than similar rival options like the Nook GlowLight 4, which comes with 32GB of memory for $149.

The Echo Dot, though, remains cheaper than the Google Home Speaker, which starts at $99, though the gap is only $20 now.

Amazon Devices: Outlook

At the moment, only the Fire tablets seem to be unaffected — in fact, they’re the only devices currently on sale, but this could be due largely to the fact that it’s back to school season.

For years, Amazon’s Echo smart home speakers have been the company’s trojan horse to get its voice assistant in homes across the world. Given that Alexa+ is available on virtually every Amazon Echo device, the company may have calculated that it’s saturated the market enough so that adoption of Alexa+ wouldn’t be affected by any potential loss in sales.

Still, the timing is curious, as the company also announced last week that Alexa+ would be available, free of charge, to its newest Fire TV devices. That means if you have a current-generation Amazon Fire TV Stick, the Fire TV Cube, or Amazon Ember smart TV, you can get the full version of Amazon’s AI-enabled assistant without needing a Prime account, or paying $19.99 per month.

Regardless of whether you want Alexa+, more than ever it’s worth waiting until Black Friday or Prime Day to purchase one of Amazon’s devices (sadly, the new sale price may be the old regular price). If you don’t want to wait that long, some third-party retailers are still offering the original price. For example, you can still find the Amazon Echo Dot for $49 at Target and Home Depot.

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Whether you’re leaving for the first time or heading back to college, packing tech for your dorm room is just as important as the essentials. With space at a premium, it makes sense to get devices that can do double duty. So, if you’re thinking about picking up a TV, I strongly recommend getting a monitor with USB-C connectivity and power delivery instead.

At home or in a shared apartment, one of the best TVs absolutely makes sense. But when you’re sharing a cramped dorm room with another person, you don’t have that luxury. While you could squeeze in a smaller 42-inch TV, you won’t have any desk space left for your books, laptop, and everything else.

You also won’t be able to wall mount a TV in a dorm, but a monitor gives you far more flexibility. Although you could use the included stand and let it sit on your desk, you can also pick up one of the best monitor arms. With a monitor arm, you free up valuable desk real estate and can easily reposition your display — angling it toward your bed for late-night streaming or toward your chair for studying.

These days, there are plenty of great budget monitors out there. Alternatively, you could pick up one of the best monitors with all the extra features — and if you choose wisely, it could easily last until you graduate. Either way, there’s one specific feature I always look for whenever I shop for a new monitor: USB-C connectivity.

Do it all with a single cable

The first and most important investment to make for your college career is one of the best laptops for students. While budget-friendly, many offer the same core features you’ll find on a far more expensive machine. Just make sure the laptop you pick up features a USB-C port that supports both DisplayPort Alt Mode (video output) and USB Power Delivery (charging). With that kind of laptop in hand, you can move on to choosing the right display.

The beauty of a USB-C monitor is that a single cable turns your laptop into a full desktop workstation. However, not every monitor with USB-C is built the same. Cheaper options often limit their ports to 15 watts of power, which is barely enough to trickle-charge a smartphone — let alone power a laptop while you're working.

That’s why you should look for a monitor that offers at least 65W of Power Delivery. That provides plenty of juice for 13- and 14-inch laptops like a MacBook Neo or Dell XPS 13, keeping your battery topped off so you can unplug and head straight to class. If you use a larger, power-hungry machine — like a 16-inch MacBook Pro — you’ll want to target a monitor with 90W to 100W PD. That ensures your laptop won't slowly drain its battery during heavy editing or gaming sessions while plugged into the display.

Laptops aren't the only devices that can benefit from a monitor with USB-C, either. Modern iPads, Android tablets, and flagship smartphones can also output video over USB-C straight to your display. But if you want to switch between multiple devices on one desk without constantly swapping cables, there’s another essential feature to look for.

Different devices, same peripherals

If you're just swapping between two laptops, you don't have much to worry about — you can always rely on their built-in keyboards and trackpads. But if you want to connect a phone, a tablet, a dedicated gaming rig, or even one of the best mini PCs, those built-in controls aren't an option.

That’s where a monitor with a built-in KVM switch comes in. KVM stands for "keyboard, video, and mouse," and it’s a hardware feature that lets you control multiple devices using a single one, in this case your monitor. If you’re writing an essay on your laptop and suddenly want to review photos from your phone or jump into a PC game on the big screen, a KVM switch lets you use the exact same keyboard and mouse across every device without missing a beat.

When shopping for a display with KVM functionality, look for a rear panel that includes a USB-C port, a USB-B port, and a few USB-A downstream ports. You plug your desktop peripherals — like a keyboard, mouse, or even a webcam — directly into the monitor's USB-A slots. When your laptop is connected via USB-C, the monitor automatically routes those peripherals to your laptop.

To connect a second device like a desktop or mini PC, you simply run an HDMI or DisplayPort cable for video, plus a USB-B-to-USB-A cable for data back to the monitor. Once plugged in, the display handles all the signal routing behind the scenes. You don't have to unplug a single wire; your peripherals seamlessly switch over to whatever device is actively displayed on screen. Sure, you could buy multi-device Bluetooth gear to switch between screens, but re-pairing connections manually gets tedious fast.

Higher watts and better cables

Now, I’d never recommend that you pick up the first monitor you find, even if it meets your current criteria. Since this is a display for college, you’ll likely use it for several years. That’s why it’s always a good idea to futureproof a few key features if you have the budget for it.

While you might start off your college career with a 13-inch MacBook Air or a Dell XPS 13, your workload could easily change by junior year to the point where you need a 16-inch MacBook Pro or a heavy-duty workstation. In that case, a display with lower Power Delivery output won't cut it anymore. If your budget allows, look for a monitor with 90W of Power Delivery or higher so you're covered no matter what laptop you upgrade to down the line.

Another easy trap to fall into is using the wrong cable to connect your laptop to your new monitor. If your display comes with a full-featured USB-C cable in the box, great. If it doesn't — or if you need a replacement — you need to specifically look for a cable rated for high-wattage charging that explicitly supports video pass-through out of the box. Most students won't need expensive Thunderbolt 5 cables, but since this single cord is carrying both high-resolution video and continuous power to your main machine, it pays to invest in a quality option.

A big TV might make your dorm room the hangout spot on your floor, but a reliable USB-C monitor with Power Delivery will keep your devices charged, streamline your desk setup, and give you maximum screen real estate without sacrificing a single inch of actual space.

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LG Display has announced a new "dream OLED" production method that is supposed to improve brightness, lifespan and efficiency.

LG has traditionally produced its OLED panels using a fine metal mask (FMM) process that evaporates OLED materials through tiny holes in metal plates. That method is costly and isn't flexible depending on the scale of the panel.

The new FLiPP method deposits RGB pixels without using the FMM plates. "Compared with panels produced using FMMs under identical conditions, FLiPP enables displays to increase brightness by 1.6 times, extend lifespan by 2.4 times, and reduce power consumption by 13%," the LG press release claims.

Ostensibly, removing the metal panel should also reduce weight, but that may not be significant enough to note.

LG's YouTube video explains it a bit more, comparing FMM to a staggered stencil art process while FliPP secures pixels in more precise positions.

Per LG, this new production method could be used to produce RGB OLED panels from as small as 1 inch all the way up to 100 inches.

"One of FLiPP’s greatest advantages is that it is free from panel size and resolution constraints. In theory, it can be used to produce displays ranging from 1 inch to 100 inches and can be applied not only to conventional panels but also to VR and AR displays, making it a virtually universal, 'ultimate technology'," the company said.

Initially, it appears LG will start with tablets and monitors, but as the video above notes, it could expand to everything from smartwatches to TVs. However, production won't really start until late 2027 at the earliest.

As far as we can tell, LG may be one of the first companies to potentially ditch metal masks at a commercial level, especially for TVs.

However, TCL may beat LG to the punch. Last year, TCL showed off its inkjet OLED printing method, and in July OLED-Info reported that the company is starting to enter mass production with a 27-inch 4K RGB display.

The difference is that right now, it's unclear if inkjet-printed OLED displays can be scaled up to larger TVs, but this is be worked on.

All in all, OLED monitors, TVs and more could get very interesting in the next couple of years.

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At $400, Asus resets the bar for high performance gaming routers with its ROG Strix GS-BE18000. Its appearance may be plain Jane but the GS-BE18000 could be the year’s stealth gaming router with everything needed to battle the world on your terms.

From top triband Wi-Fi 7 speeds to access to gaming accelerators to 8 networking ports, it separates itself from the rest of the best Wi-Fi 7 routers. Among the first to implement Automated Frequency Coordination (AFC), it features better speed, range and reliability than competitors.

It doesn’t matter if you’re a Leaguer or Minecrafter, the ROG Strix GS-BE18000 is not only small and modestly priced but has the power to blast your gaming into another dimension. Read on to see if this is the best gaming router for your battlestation.

Asus ROG STRIX GS-BE18000 review: Price and availability

With a list price of $450, it pays to shop around for the Asus ROG Strix GS-BE18000. It’s available at Best Buy for $400, making it an excellent bargain that can outperform and outplay routers selling for hundreds more. The slightly less powerful ROG Strix GS-BE12000 also sells for $350 at Walmart.

Asus ROG Strix GS-BE18000: Design

Considering all the Asus ROG Strix GS-BE18000 can do, it is amazing that it is roughly the size of a shoe box at 8.9 x 8.9 x 3.4 inches. That’s less than one quarter the size of the company’s ROG Rapture GT-BE19000AI router with its eight antennas pointing every which way.

Available only in black, the ROG Strix GS-BE18000 is anything but intimidating looking. In fact, its boxy appearance is high on the Meh scale and not what I expect when it comes to a fire-breathing gaming router.

Still, it’s what’s inside that counts, starting with Broadcom’s BCM6766 Wi-Fi chip, a 2.0GHz quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM and 256MB of flash storage for the device’s firmware and settings. It lacks the dedicated AI hardware that graces the GT-BE19000AI router, though this 8-stream router takes advantage of 320MHz data channels, Multi-Link Operations (MLO) and 4K Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM).

It’s among the first to tap into the higher transmission power available through 6GHz Automated Frequency Coordination (AFC) for faster data speeds, longer range and higher reliability. Using AFC is rare today and only works in the U.S., Canada, U.K. and Saudi Arabia. Look for the circle to widen over time.

Able to work on all three Wi-Fi 7 bands, the GS-BE18000 features 4X4 streaming for the 5.0 and 6.0GHz transmissions, while the 2.4 GHz band is limited to 2X2 action. It adds up to a throughput rating of 18.0 Gbps.

All the router’s networking ports can handle 2.5 Gbps wired traffic. In addition to the input WAN port, the GS-BE18000 has a generous seven downstream LAN connections. There’s also a Gen 1 USB 3.0 port for running a print server, making the contents of a data drive active across the LAN or using a mobile phone as a backup Internet feed when your broadband goes south.

In the back are buttons for using the Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) for quickie client connections and turning the router on or off. It can run as a Wi-Fi router, wired access point or a wireless node in an AiMesh network. Its excellent Quality of Service protocol is integrated into the gaming features for top access to data.

It may lack the GT-BE19000AI’s window to see its components inside, but the GS-BE18000 has the router’s key specs embossed on a raised strip. There’s no info screen although its LEDs light up the ROG logo in any of seven visual effects and choice of color. Its pattern doesn’t change when the router goes offline but the stack of four LEDs below has indicators for WAN, WiFi, LAN and Power.