The right gadget on your desk can make all the difference for the task at hand, and I think I’ve finally found a smart display that’s more helpful than distracting.

Sure, my monitor and computer will always be the main fixtures on my desk, but the smaller accessories I swap in and out of my setup can make a real difference in my day-to-day routine.

For instance, I added a Google Nest Hub Max underneath my ultrawide monitor a few years ago. While it was great for getting answers to quick questions, controlling my smart home, and checking feeds from my security cameras, having videos, music, and media just a voice command away made it easy to drift off task.

Although I eventually swapped out that smart display for a portable monitor to gain extra screen real estate, part of me still missed having a dedicated clock right on my desk. What I didn’t expect, though, was to find a simple desk clock with the smarts of a display and a built-in Pomodoro timer.

To top it off, the Busy Bar I’ve had on my desk for the past few months comes from Flipper — the same company behind the iconic Flipper Zero pentesting tool. Here’s everything you need to know about this unique gadget that works just as well on your desk as it does mounted on your monitor.

A more playful smart display

At 6.64 x 2.17 x 1.61 inches, Flipper’s new Busy Bar won’t take up much space on your desk at all. Just like the Flipper Zero, it comes in white with orange accenting, which I found to be just playful enough without being overly distracting.

In the box, you get the Busy Bar alongside a color-matched braided USB-C cable. While the device can run on its battery for around eight hours — or up to two weeks on standby — I found it easiest to leave it plugged into a USB power adapter underneath my desk. (If you use a Mac, you can also connect it directly to your computer, but more on that later.)

The front of the device features a bright, pixelated dot-matrix display, but the real star of the show sits right on top: tactile physical controls for adjusting settings and running your timers. There’s a selector switch on the left to toggle between different modes, a giant Start/Pause bar in the middle, and a rotary knob on the right to add time or scroll through menus.

Coming from touchscreen devices like the Nest Hub Max and Echo Show 5, these physical controls offered a refreshing change of pace. I particularly like that the main Start/Pause bar uses the same mechanical switch mechanism you'd find in a mechanical keyboard. While the switches and dials aren’t totally silent, the quiet click they produce is soft enough for an office environment while making the whole experience of using the device genuinely fun.

On the bottom of the Busy Bar, there’s a USB-C port for charging or connecting it to your computer, right alongside two fold-out feet that let you mount it on top of your monitor like a webcam. Before trying that out, though, I wanted to see how it performed sitting directly on my desk.

Hacking your workday, not the world

Unlike the Flipper Zero — which has gotten a bit of a bad rap as a "hacking tool" — the Busy Bar is designed to help you hack your workday. Others can clearly see its large pixelated display and know not to bother you when it’s flipped to Busy. Alternatively, you can switch it to "Custom," which by default displays a "Keep Out" message complete with animated yellow warning tape.

Given that I work from home and don’t sit in a crowded office, my favorite thing about the Busy Bar so far has been its built-in Pomodoro timer. When you switch to Busy mode, the timer defaults to a 20-minute focus period followed by a five-minute rest break. The device’s built-in 0.8W speaker emits a clean chime to let you know when your interval is up, leading into a second work period with another short break in between.

What I like about this hardware-first approach is that I don’t have to pull out my phone — which usually ends up distracting me with notifications when I'm supposed to be focused. Plus, physically slamming down on the Start/Pause bar between work and rest intervals is surprisingly satisfying. Using the Busy Bar throughout my workday has genuinely helped me stay on task, especially when plowing through administrative work that would normally leave me bored out of my mind.

It isn’t just a glorified Pomodoro timer, though. Like other smart displays, it also features built-in apps. My favorite is the standard clock, which shows the current time and date. While that was essentially the only first-party app available for most of my testing period, a recent firmware update added a dedicated Weather app that includes a clock interface.

I initially tested the Busy Bar out in my game room sitting on top of my BlueAnt Soundblade soundbar, where it fit into my setup seamlessly. Eventually, I moved it into my office underneath my desk shelf where I’ve been using it ever since. At just over two inches tall, you can tuck it almost anywhere. However, mounting it on top of my monitor is what truly sold me on it as a companion gadget for a busy workspace.

Even better on your monitor

With the feet pulled out, the Busy Bar perches easily on top of a monitor, just like one of the best webcams or a monitor lightbar. If your desk sits in an open workspace rather than facing a wall, people walking by can instantly see whether you’re available or wrapped up in focus time.

My favorite feature, though, is how it handles virtual meetings. When connected to my Mac with Flipper’s macOS app running, the display automatically flips to "On Call" the instant I join a meeting. Once the video call ends, it seamlessly drops back to your clock or timer.

How do you know what the Busy Bar is showing everyone else while it's resting on top of your screen? Flipper thought of that, too.

Unlike the 6.35-inch RGB LED pixel matrix on the front, the back of the Busy Bar features a secondary 1.54-inch monochrome OLED display. It mirrors whatever is showing on the main screen so you always know what people looking at your monitor are seeing. Flipper also used the extra space on either side of the back panel to include helpful quick-start guides — computer connection instructions on the left, and companion app info complete with a QR code on the right.

At the moment, Flipper hasn’t released its Windows companion app yet, though the website notes it's "Coming soon." That wasn't a dealbreaker for me since I regularly jump between operating systems when testing gear, so I downloaded the macOS app on my Mac mini M6 to get started. Just like the mobile app, the desktop software makes tweaking settings and digging into menus much easier, even if it’s a bit less tactile than using the physical dial and knob.

To get that automatic "On Call" status working when you drop into a meeting, you do need the desktop app running with the Busy Bar tethered to your computer over USB. In practice, it worked reliably, and having quick control right from the macOS Menu Bar made making adjustments effortless.

While I didn’t get a chance to test this feature out with my family at home — the school year is in full swing, after all — I could easily see it being a lifesaver during summer break when the kids are home. Plus, because you can also wall-mount the Busy Bar, it feels like a natural fit for podcasters, streamers, or anyone else who needs a clear "do not disturb" indicator while recording.

Distraction-free doesn't come cheap

With most consumer electronics seeing price hikes lately due to the ongoing effects of RAMaggedon, I was still a bit surprised when I saw the Busy Bar’s price tag. At $249, it costs more than both the Echo Show 8 and the Google Nest Hub Max. Fortunately, the Busy Bar has been available for 20% off for the past month or so, and I hope its discounted $200 price becomes permanent.

Even at $200, you’re paying quite a bit for a device with deliberately fewer features — though that’s kind of the point, right? In Flipper’s defense, the Busy Bar is as customizable and hackable (in the best way) as the Flipper Zero.

For instance, you can integrate it with the rest of your smart home devices to turn on lights, lock your door, or pause your music the second you switch your status to "Busy". It’s a remarkably developer-friendly device too, and there’s already a growing collection of custom-made apps for it. Flipper even released a 1:1 model of the Busy Bar so you can 3D print your own custom mounts and accessories.

While its software ecosystem is still in its early stages, I’ve really enjoyed the simplicity of having the Busy Bar on my desk. It’s a great digital clock, a solid Pomodoro timer, and an ambient focus tool that lets me keep an eye on my day without getting bogged down by endless notifications.

Given how open Flipper has made the platform from the outset, the sky is truly the limit. Here’s hoping Busy Bars end up on more people’s desks and that the tinkering community has as much fun with this device as they did with the Flipper Zero — I know I have.

More from Tom's Guide

• I’ve been testing this budget Apple Studio Display alternative and it’s actually better for work and gaming
• Should you get the new Apple HomeView? 5 reasons to buy and 2 to skip
• I finally found a tablet with a paper-like display that’s perfect for productivity without the distractions

Well, it's official: there are two new kids on the block. The new MacBook Pro M6 and the MacBook Pro with an OLED touchscreen are finally here. If you've been waiting to upgrade, or are looking to pick up your first-ever MacBook, now's the time to do it. Pre-orders are live, and we've even found a trick to help you save up to $1,400 on the OLED model.

As someone who owns a MacBook and uses one for work, and coincidentally tests the latest and greatest peripherals, I know that your setup isn't complete until you buy the right accessories. I couldn't get on with my work without my trusty mouse, keyboard, monitor, and other gadgets.

Whether you're after a new mechanical keyboard or even a touch-sensitive one whose keycaps double as a trackpad, a pair of earbuds, or need a USB-C dock for more connectivity, I've got you covered. I've rounded up what I believe are the best accessories (and gadgets) to make the most of your new MacBook Pro M6 or OLED.

New MacBook Pro pre-orders

Monitor

Keyboard

Mouse

Dock

Stand

Earbuds

Sleeve

More from Tom's Guide

• MacBook Pro OLED preorders are live: use this trick to save up to $1,400
• MacBook Pro OLED vs MacBook Pro M6: Which laptop should you buy?
• I just went hands on with the touchscreen MacBook Pro OLED — and it's jaw-dropping

Apple has just announced the MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display, and not only have we already gone hands-on with it (spoiler alert: it's jaw-dropping), we've already tested the chip inside.

You see, it packs the M5 Pro and the M5 Max — two chips we've already benchmarked extensively in the mini-LED MacBook Pros. This is good news for buyers: You don't have to go in without knowing what you're getting.

Of course, there are some differences that may change results here. For example, this is a significantly lighter laptop with an OLED display — two variables (battery capacity and screen) that may change a couple things here. But we already get a good insight from these numbers.

Here's what kind of performance we expect to see from the new MacBook Pro and how we expect it to stack up when faced with some of the best laptops.

What's inside the OLED MacBook Pro?

As expected, Apple decided to skip the M6 Pro and M6 Max for this round of MacBooks. Instead, the focus is solely on other upgrades, while the chips remain the same. We did, however, get the MacBook Pro M6 a day before Apple's event, but that one doesn't have the PROLED screen that these new models do.

According to Mark Gurman, Apple isn't developing the M6 Pro and the M6 Max, and while the base M6 is faster in single-core tasks, it can't match the M5 Pro and the M5 Max in multi-core or graphics performance.

Apple M5 Pro and M5 Max: Performance

The M5 Pro and the M5 Max have been around since March 2026, which has given us plenty of time to test them thoroughly. While there might be some subtle differences in performance that are unrelated to the two processors, we expect raw numbers to be similar to what we've already seen in our MacBook Pro M5 benchmarks.

Apple did say that the new MacBook Pros have a completely redesigned thermal system, so that could let the M5 Pro and the M5 Max stretch their legs and still maintain that same performance even in a significantly lighter chassis.

To see how they stack up, we pulled our Geekbench 6 results. These benchmarks measure single-core and multi-core performance. There's also our Handbrake test, which times how long a laptop takes to transcode a 4K video to 1080p.

Let's have a look at the base M5 (which you won't find in the new OLED MacBook Pros, but it's a good starting point to compare to), the M5 Pro, the M5 Max, and even the M4 Pro and the M6 to give a well-rounded overview.

The first thing that jumps out: Single-core scores are nearly identical across the entire M5 family, so this is what we can expect from the new OLED MacBook Pros, too. It's unlikely to feel snappier in such tasks than a base M5 model.

The real gap lies in multi-core, and it's huge. Just look at the numbers: The M5 Pro and M5 Max both land close to 30,000, which is about 25% ahead of the M4 Pro, roughly in line with the up to 30% Apple promised when it launched these chips back in March.

As a reminder, both the M5 Pro and the M5 Max feature the same 18-core CPU. The extra money buys you extra GPU cores and more memory.

The M6 in the Mac mini and the new 14-inch MacBook Pro tops the single-core benchmarks, but it trails both the M5 Pro/Max chips by a wide margin in multi-core.

To summarize: The MacBook Pros released in March were absolute powerhouses. We expect the same of the OLED models.

Apple M5 Pro and M5 Max: Graphics and AI

CPU comparisons are pretty tight between the two chips, but in graphics, we'll find a definite leader. The M5 Max sports up to twice as many GPU cores, and yes, that does lead to huge performance gains.

We also ran a different set of tests to check out Nvidia's RTX Spark, so this is how the M5 Pro stacks up here:

Both chips beat every Windows laptop in our first table on graphics, which bodes well for the new OLED MacBook Pros. However, Nvidia's new RTX Spark is a different story.

In our more recent testing, it outscored the M5 Pro in both 3DMark Steel Nomad and Solar Bay Extreme. Given the scores and the massively ramped-up GPU performance on the M5 Max, chances are that Apple would win in such a match-up, too.

AI is more nuanced. The M5 Pro scored almost exactly the same as the base M5 in Geekbench AI, and Qualcomm's Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme leads the pack.

Apple M5 Pro and M5 Max: Battery life

MacBooks are known for their outstanding battery life, so it won't surprise you to hear that in our testing, the LCD models from earlier this year did a great job.

Our 16-inch M5 Pro lasted 21 hours and 25 minutes in our web-surfing test at 150 nits of brightness. That's more than double what Nvidia's RTX Spark and Qualcomm's Snapdragon X2 Elite managed.

The powerful, yet more demanding M5 Max lasted just under 18 hours.

While we can predict the performance of the OLED MacBook Pros with a certain degree of accuracy, the battery life is harder to call. Apple rates the new models at up to 24 hours, which is the same as the mini-LED 16-inch MacBook Pro, and that's despite the lighter chassis. OLED panels use less power on dark content but more on bright, white screens, so we'll need to test it ourselves to see how that 24-hour claim holds up in real life.

Apple OLED MacBook Pro: Outlook

With performance numbers such as these, we fully expect the new PROLED XDR MacBook Pros to be next-level in the best way possible.

As they're equipped with chips we're already familiar with, raw performance numbers should stay roughly the same as before.

With that said, the new OLED models are also pricier. The maxed-out 16-inch model actually goes up to $14,549, but all the new models cost $400 more across the board for the screen upgrade alone.

But you're not paying for more firepower—you're paying for the tandem OLED panel and a couple more goodies, such as a touchscreen and the lack of a display notch. If you're only interested in how capable your laptop is, stick to the LCD versions, as you're getting the exact same chips.

More from Tom's Guide

• The ultimate MacBook hierarchy: M6 vs M5 vs M4 vs M3 vs M2 vs M1 tested and ranked
• MacBook Pro M5 benchmarks are in — here's how it compares to M4, Windows laptops and more based on our testing
• M6 iMac vs M4 iMac: Is Apple’s latest all-in-one actually worth the upgrade?

The Amazon Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition (2026) brings some subtle but welcome updates for the company’s color e-reader. Like the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition, this model comes with 32GB of storage and a slimmer design with an aluminum back. It’s not a major departure from its predecessor, but it feels more like a premium device, with a price to match.

The main reason you’d want this Kindle is its color display. If you read a lot of comics, books with pictures, or just want to see book covers in color, this e-reader delivers. Though the resolution drops to 150ppi in color and the display isn’t as bright as a black-and-white Kindle, having a color display balances that loss.

Most of what I said in my Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition (2026) review applies here, as the main difference between the two devices is that one has a color display while the other doesn’t. Unfortunately, one of the biggest negatives I had with the Paperwhite is more pronounced here: the steeper asking price. At $319, it’s certainly a harder recommendation.

But if you’re willing to pay for this high-end color Kindle, the Amazon Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition (2026) won’t disappoint. Find out why in my full review!

Amazon Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition (2026) review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? The Amazon Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition (2026) is a premium version of the regular color e-reader, featuring an aluminum back casing and 32GB of storage.
• Who is it for? For Kindle users who want a higher-end version of the Colorsoft or anyone who wants a color e-reader.
• What does it cost? The Amazon Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition (2026) costs $319 on Amazon. It has 32GB of storage and no ad support. The standard Kindle Colorsoft costs $289 on Amazon.
• What do we like? We like the color display, aluminum housing, long battery life, and seamless integration with the Kindle ecosystem.
• What don’t we like? We don’t like the higher asking price, proprietary wireless charging, and that color images have half the resolution of black and white.

Amazon Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition (2026) review: Specs

Amazon Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition (2026) review: The ups

The Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition offers meaningful upgrades, including a more vivid display, a lighter build, and a sturdy aluminum chassis.

Rich color display

The display on the new Kindle Colorsoft is roughly the same as the previous model, except Amazon used a new reverse-stack display construction to make the screen-to-bezel transition more seamless. Other than that, this is still a 7-inch color digital ink display that’s flush with the bezels.

Now that I’ve had two years of experience with the previous Colorsoft, I know black-and-white content won’t look as bright or as defined as it does on the Paperwhite. It’s certainly a trade-off, since the layer that produces color makes the screen darker overall. I tend to read novels with the Kindle’s front lights off (while I sit near a lamp or other light source), but with the Colorsoft, I turn the device’s lights on for better clarity. It’s not a deal breaker and doesn’t negatively affect my opinion of this reader, but it’s something you should know.

As before, the Colorsoft does an admirable job with color pages. In fact, colors are slightly more vibrant than on the previous model. Sure, the display doesn’t get anywhere as bright as an iPad mini, but the Colorsoft offers a more paper-like look, which is naturally a bit washed out in comparison. It’s a small concession, since seeing the covers of the books in my collection is not only cool, but also makes them easier to identify by color.

For color, you can choose between Standard and Vivid in the settings. Standard gives you the full range of colors, while Vivid makes the colors pop more. I still prefer Standard because it balances colors well and lets more detail show. Vivid is okay, but image quality isn’t always uniform.

Black-and-white pages appear at full 300ppi resolution, while color pages are at 150ppi. The drop in resolution is noticeable but not egregious. When reading comics, text is plenty readable, and I have no trouble seeing fine details in the drawings. Zooming in helps you see more detail in smaller drawings, and it doesn’t greatly degrade an image’s quality. I still prefer reading comics on a 13-inch iPad Pro or the 12-inch Alexa Tablet 12 Pro, but reading them on the Colorsoft isn’t terrible.

Lovely design

The Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition is a truly elegant e-reader thanks to its soft curves and overall minimal design. My review unit came in Fig, which also enhances the device’s sleek aesthetic. Beyond looks, it’s also quite practical.

At 6.9 x 5.0 x 0.3 inches and 8.1 oz, the Colorsoft Signature Edition can easily fit into most backpacks and pockets. I traveled to and from work with it and almost always forgot it was there. The aluminum back housing makes this e-reader a tad heavier than the regular Colorsoft, but I found the extra weight negligible.

One huge change is the repositioned power button, which moves from the bottom of the device to the right-hand side. That’s a feature I loved about the Kindle Scribe, so I’m glad that all Kindles now have it. Now, it’s almost impossible to accidentally shut off a Kindle while you’re reading it, unless you’re holding it unusually.

Amazon has done a fantastic job with these aluminum Kindles, as they feel more premium while still retaining the classic Kindle design. Sure, this makes Kindles cost more, but I just love how the aluminum e-readers feel in hand.

Enduring battery life

Kindles are known for their weeks-long battery life, and the Colorsoft Signature Edition is no exception. Amazon claims that its color e-reader can last up to 8 weeks on a single charge. I haven’t used this Colorsoft for nearly that long, but during my two weeks of use, I’ve yet to charge it.

I read about an hour a day with adaptive brightness on and color set to Standard. In two weeks, the battery dropped from 95% to 68%. Doing some napkin math, I can likely get another month or so of use before I have to recharge at that rate. Needless to say, this is one long-lasting e-reader!

Kindle ecosystem

The Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition has the same simple UI as its siblings, so if you’re familiar with the interface, you’ll feel at home.

You’ll see all the books you’re currently reading or have recently read on the Home page, with a list of recommended books right beneath that. You'll also see curated recommendations from Kindle Unlimited when you scroll further down. Everything refreshes quickly, so it’s easy to click a recommended book and read its description or sample pages to see if you’re interested.

From the drop-down menu, you can toggle options like airplane mode, Bluetooth, and Dark Mode. More options appear when you’re reading a book, such as font, theme, chapter selection, and more. The robust settings let you really curate your reading experience.

Kindle Store and Goodreads integration are another highlight for me, especially the latter since I enjoy updating my reading status and sharing it with friends who are also on Goodreads. I’m not ashamed to admit that this level of integration is why I find it difficult to move to another e-reader ecosystem, since I’ve been using Kindles for the better part of 10 years. This level of integration is key to truly getting the best Kindle experience.

Amazon Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition (2026) review: The downs

The Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition is great, but it's hindered by two major things.

Steep asking price

Let’s not mince words: the new Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition isn’t cheap. This was also true about the last model, which started at $279. But now, with component prices climbing every day, you’ll have to pay more for Amazon’s color Kindle.

The Signature Edition of the Kindle Colorsoft costs a hefty $319. That’s a $40 price bump from the previous model, which is pretty significant. The same is true for the standard $289 Colorsoft, which is also $40 more expensive. So no matter which Colorsoft (or Kindle) you buy now, you’ll have to pay more than before.

Proprietary charging

The previous Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition supported Qi charging, a great feature that gave you more versatility when you needed to charge the device. Unfortunately, this feature is no longer available.

If you want to wirelessly charge the Colorsoft Signature Edition, you’ll need to do so with the Amazon Charging Stand, which costs 59. When placed on this stand, the Kindle charges via the pogo pins on its bottom back side. It’s a neat way to charge the e-reader, but it would have been better if Qi charging were still supported.

Like I said in my Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition review, you won’t have to charge the device very often, so Qi charging isn’t necessarily a necessity — nor is the proprietary wireless charger. Still, I wish we didn’t have to trade Qi charging for a wireless charging stand.

Amazon Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition (2026) review: Verdict

The Amazon Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition (2026) might be pricey, but it delivers an enjoyable reading experience thanks to its sharp color digital ink display, lovely design, and integration with the Kindle Store and Goodreads. Though I still prefer the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition for its clearer and sharper black-and-white display, the Colorsoft is still darn impressive.

If a color display and a premium design aren’t as important as affordability, then the basic Kindle is a great choice starting at $149. If you want a larger display than that basic reader, then the $199 Kindle Paperwhite is another great pick. Of course, if you do want a color Kindle, the standard Kindle Colorsoft with 16GB of storage and ad support isn’t too bad.

Costs aside, if you liked what I had to say about the Amazon Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition and don’t mind paying a premium, then I won’t deter you, as it really is a lovely e-reader. Right now, it’s arguably the best of its kind. And given Amazon’s penchant for discounting Kindles during sales events, you can likely get it for a few dollars off. If that happens, then don’t hesitate to get a Colorsoft. You won’t be disappointed.

An ongoing security investigation by Socket's John Tuckner (via Bleeping Computer) has discovered a search-hijacking campaign that involves 319 Chrome extensions with a combined 13.4 million downloads. The malicious extensions redirect search queries through tracking servers to generate advertising revenue from Bing and Yahoo.

It's more than double from Tuckner's April report that found "only" 57 Chrome extensions and 6 million downloads.

According to Tuckner, the malicious extensions are usually found on websites advertising tools that are labeled as "PDF converter", "AI search", or "safe search".

"These extensions were created by a handful of organized operators all working from the same idea: quietly take over the browser's default search engine, route every query through a suspicious proxy server, and collect partner referral payments from Yahoo or Bing under a syndication partner ID," Tuckner wrote.

The extensions apparently aren't found on the official Chrome Web Store either. Rather, they're unlisted and are only really found through the shady advertising.

How the extensions work

Apparently, the extensions use Chrome's built-in 'chrome_settings_override' setting that lets them replace your default search provider.

What this means is that your searches are captured as they pass through the operator's server. After that the redirect could be sent through a site with malware attached, though currently, per Tuckner they're mostly routing to Yahoo and Bing and to falsely claim advertising revenue.

"The search referral revenue is a profitable watering hole while the proxy operator can wait for data to accumulate and targets to surface before redirecting to malicious search results or landing pages for phishing or other malicious downloads," Tuckner said.

As of this writing, the report says that most of the extensions have been removed the Chrome Web Store when the report was published, however, new ones are constantly being added.

"Ultimately, Google can benefit from more advertisements being run and more extensions being listed in the marketplace so there may not be an urgent reason to police this activity too broadly."

How to stay safe

Even if Google isn't policing this specific type of extension, malicious add-ons do slip through to the Chrome Web Store from time to time. When it comes to extensions, you need to be extra careful when downloading and adding them to your browser.

Normally, we would recommend you stick to well-known extensions from trusted brands. However, sometimes a lone developer creates one that does exactly what you need.

There are several recommendations we have to help you be a bit safer. Check the ratings and reviews of the extensions but also dig into the developer to see if they're legit.

Look, even good extensions can go bad, so you want to make sure that your Windows PC is protected with the best antivirus software and that you’re using the best Mac antivirus software on your Apple computer. That way, if an extension is spreading malware or other viruses, they’ll be detected and stopped before they can do any damage.

If you're constantly trying different extensions, you should consider one of the best identity theft protection services. They can help get your identity back if it's stolen or recover lost funds due to scams and cyberattacks.

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• These are the 3 best budget laptops we've tested for value that don't feel cheap
• Your personal information is everywhere online — 5 ways to start removing it from the internet
• Chrome could soon let you ask Google about anything on your screen — even outside the browser

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman recently declared that the RAM sitting inside your computer is a “terrible” allocation of scarce resources, arguing that the world’s memory belongs in data centers. If you want to know exactly how much that mindset is costing you, just look at the apocalyptic state of the PC hardware market.

On April 1st, I predicted a market correction would cause RAM prices to drop by August. Now it’s October, it’s clear that I was spectacularly wrong, and the irony of publishing that on April Fools’ Day is not lost on me.

You can see that in the gargantuan asking prices for the MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display, how Nvidia’s RTX 5080 is now peaking at over $2,000, and how a 32GB kit of DDR5 is now at $500 rather than the $400 it was when I wrote previously.

We are currently in the middle of a brutal quadruple threat: relentless AI-driven demand, historically low inventory, geopolitical tariffs and foundries shifting advanced wafer capacity away from consumer memory into enterprise servers.

If you are shopping for a PC right now, you are effectively paying a “cloud tax” on your local hardware. But before you remortgage the house and snag something, the tech landscape is violently shifting.

Altman wants all the silicon, but the AI bubble is showing serious signs of bursting — and relief might actually be on the horizon.

‘Scarce resources’

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman recently went on the Cheeky Pint podcast and gave an interview that practically shattered my BS detector. Speaking to John Collison, Altman claimed that memory sitting in computers is a poor use of it, arguing that local inference only utilizes that memory about 5% of the time.

According to Altman, that DRAM belongs in data centers running flat out, making local AI a “terrible” allocation of scarce resources.

Let me just unpack that audacity. The guy whose company is arguably responsible for setting off the global memory shortage — locking up massive amounts of the world’s DRAM supply for hyperscaler cloud servers — is now telling you that owning memory inside your own laptop is inefficient?

He isn’t wrong about the scarcity, but he is wrong about the allocation. It’s like the CEO of Chili’s telling you that supermarkets and cooking at home is a terrible allocation of food.

As we’ve seen with the rise of RTX Spark laptops amongst others packing a ton of unified memory, and the meteoric rise in tools like Hermes Agent and Open Claw, consumers want local AI because it offers privacy, zero rate limits, and independence from cloud subscriptions.

And some people may use their memory 5% of the time. But that’s free market capitalism. If there’s demand, it’s not up to you to decide what people do with it.

The canary in the coal mine

The first AI company is out the starting gate. Anthropic’s new IPO filing is old news from a few days ago, but the more I read it, the more I see a $2 trillion gold rush wrapped in a sci-fi horror warning.

On the surface, Anthropic is printing money, pulling in $16.3 billion in revenue in just the first half of 2026. But the cost to keep that cloud infrastructure running is a financial black hole. Anthropic spent nearly $9 billion on AI infrastructure in just six months, contributing to a huge $80.7 billion net loss. And that’s before you look at the firm, non-cancelable $800 billion spend on compute over the next 10 years.

Worse than the infrastructure burn rate are the existential threats Anthropic has disclosed. To protect themselves from lawsuits, the company warned that their AI models could actively sabotage code, manipulate information and act in ways that resemble blackmail.

They literally warned the federal government that using AI to speed up their own research could cause the models to outpace human safety guardrails.

The silver lining

OpenAI and Anthropic (and the others) want all the memory in their data centers, but financial markets across the globe are starting to reject the limitless spending required to keep those servers running.

The AI bubble is beginning to burst, and in China, it already has. The mainland’s STAR50 index collapsed by 40%, wiping out roughly $480 billion in market value as AI leaders like MiniMax plummeted.

And now, the contagion has hit American shores. The S&P 500 took quite a violent nosedive, heavily dragged down by the exact tech giants that have been hoarding the world’s silicon.

Wall Street is finally waking up to the reality that building massive AI models requires burning unimaginable amounts of cash, and the consumer profits simply aren’t materializing fast enough to justify the burn rate.

But it’s not just Wall Street — it’s the corporate customers themselves. A growing wave of clients are pulling back their AI spend, as the bills have spiraled completely out of control.

• Microsoft scaled back AI coding licenses in favor of its own local stuff.
• Amazon reportedly had a “tokenmaxxing” leaderboard to encourage AI usage, only to shut it down weeks later and impose tighter usage caps because of little-to-no real productivity gains.
• Uber went through its entire $3.4 billion AI budget within four months due to the use of agentic coding tools.
• Klarna walked back its “AI-first” customer service after customer satisfaction dropped.
• Walmart implemented hard per-employee AI token rationing after errors were made and costs spiked.

Furthermore, a lot of enterprises cite privacy as the single biggest barrier to adopting cloud AI. They’ve been doing what I’ve been encouraging you to do for a while: ditch the data center and build your own local AI moat.

What does this mean for you?

So let’s entertain these trends continuing. If the AI hyper-scaler bubble is truly bursting, the fallout for consumer PC hardware is going to be massive. But the end of RAMageddon is not guaranteed to be a smooth landing.

Depending on how major silicon foundries react to dropping enterprise budgets and consumer backlash, we are looking at two very different scenarios for your next build. And I want to be as clear as possible here (so to not hang myself on a bet like last time).

So is the AI bubble bursting?

The short answer is yes, but there’s nuance.

The blank-check era of AI hyperscaling is officially over. Between the bleeding S&P 500, major enterprises boycotting cloud APIs, and Anthropic’s IPO exposing the apocalyptic infrastructure costs required to keep these data centers running (data centers that local governments are pushing back on), the market is starting to correct itself.

But whether that bubble bursting actually saves your wallet is a completely different story.

The tech industry desperately needed a financial shock to stop the hoarding of silicon, and we are watching the start of that shock happen today. If your current rig can survive just a little bit longer, you may see some benefit from holding the line.

The AI gold rush is ending, and the fallout is about to completely reset the PC hardware market. Whether it's for better or worse, nobody knows.

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• Apple is entering its ‘Why Not?’ era — and your wallet is the ultimate beta tester
• ‘Babe, wake up, the internet is collapsing’: Two massive flaws just broke the web, and the data of billions is in the crossfire
• I benchmarked Nvidia's RTX Spark: Apple wins the CPU war, but Nvidia's GPU just broke my testing charts

Oh. My. Goodness. This thing is large. The LG UltraGear 52G930B is a massive 52-inch gaming monitor that makes you feel like you’re the main character in your favorite games. With its 5K2K resolution, excellent color coverage and accuracy, and strong SDR performance, it delivers beautiful visuals. Thanks to its 240Hz refresh rate and 1ms response time, the 52G930B doesn’t give you much to complain about.

But it does have a couple of shortcomings. While its VA LCD panel is detailed, it doesn’t deliver the inky blacks I’ve come to love on OLED panels. It’s also very expensive, priced at nearly $2,000. Oh, and you should forgo getting it if you’re short on space.

Could this still be the best curved monitor for you? Read my full LG UltraGear 52G930B review to find out.

LG UltraGear 52G930B review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? A 52-inch 5K2K curved gaming monitor with a 240Hz refresh rate and 1ms response time
• Who is it for? Gamers who want the ultimate immersive experience… and have a lot of space
• How much does it cost? $1,697 / £1,599
• What do we like? The massive 52-inch panel, good SDR brightness, strong color coverage and accuracy, and gaming performance
• What don’t we like? The non-OLED panel and premium price point

LG UltraGear 52G930B review: Specs

LG UltraGear 52G930B review: The ups

There’s a lot to love about the LG UltraGear 52G930B: excellent color coverage and accuracy, strong SDR performance, and a massive 52-inch panel for immersive gaming. Throw in a 240Hz refresh rate and 1ms response time and you’ve got yourself a winner.

So much screen real estate

As the numbers in its name suggest, the LG UltraGear 52G930B is a 52-inch mammoth — it’s only a touch smaller than my 55-inch TV! You’re getting a lot of real estate here. The 52G930B is a curved monitor with a massive VA LCD panel that has a 5120 x 2160 (5K2K) resolution.

At the time of writing, it’s the world’s largest 5K2K 240Hz gaming monitor — and it’s definitely the biggest monitor I’ve ever tested. I think of other curved monitors, like the MSI MPG 341CQR QD-OLED X36 ($949) and the Dell Pro P3426WEV ($749), and all of a sudden, they feel really small.

Naturally, the 52G930B isn’t designed for small spaces, as it measures 46.3 x 28.1 x 13.8 inches (with stand). It also weighs a lot, at 37.03lbs, so you might struggle to pick it up all by yourself. I’ll whine about that in “The Downs” section below.

Back to the good things for now. Thanks to its large panel, the 52G930B delivers a truly immersive gaming and viewing experience. The 1000R curve pulls the screen’s outer edges towards you, bringing the panel into your natural field of view.

Even though I had to move my head slightly to see, say, mission objectives in Cyberpunk 2077, it never became annoying or, more importantly, fatiguing. The 52G930B, then, feels very manageable, and anytime I used it, I felt enveloped in the colors and visuals.

Just the right number of ports

The LG UltraGear 52G930B is a well-endowed monitor, packing enough ports for nearly all of your needs. They’re all located on the back and LG happily includes a plastic clip-on cover if you want to hide them or protect them from dust.

These include a power port (of course), two HDMI 2.1, one DisplayPort 2.1, two USB-A ports for hooking up peripherals, and a 3.5mm jack for plugging in headsets or a mic. This level of connectivity is par for the course for gaming monitors, and is similar to what you’ll find on the MSI MPG 341CQR QD-OLED X36 and the Alienware AW3926DW ($1,099).

You also get a USB-C DisplayPort Alt Mode upstream port with 90W of power delivery. What “DisplayPort Alt Mode” essentially means is that it enables the USB-C port to receive video signals using the DisplayPort protocol.

You get higher data bandwidth, and you can even daisy-chain multiple monitors from a single port — handy for cable management as well as routing graphics through a docking station via USB-C as you can continue accessing DisplayPort’s high resolutions and refresh rates. I’ve seen this on the Dell UltraSharp U3226Q ($2,499) before but not on a gaming monitor.

A bright panel

When I used the OSD (On-Screen Display) on the LG UltraGear 52G930B to push its brightness to the max, I flinched because of just how bright the monitor got — and my lab testing all but confirmed what my eyes were seeing.

As you can see in the table above, the 52G930B reached a peak brightness of 415 nits in SDR mode, outclassing nearly all of its competitors. The MSI MPG 341CQR QD-OLED X36 (280.2 nits), the Alienware AW3926DW (243 nits) and the Lenovo Legion Pro 34WD-10 OLED ($1,199, 266 nits) all pale in comparison. These are OLED panels, though, and they don’t get nearly as bright as non-OLED ones.

The 52G930B is upstaged by the Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 ($2,499) and its 619 nits in SDR, but the monitor also costs a lot more than LG’s offering. I’d advise against using any of these monitors with their brightness turned all the way up anyway, so there isn’t much in it.

Frustratingly, though, the 52G930B struggles in its HDR mode, achieving only 252 nits on 10% of the display. Many of its chief rivals — barring the Lenovo Legion Pro 34WD-10 OLED — perform better in this area, if that is of concern to you.

Commendable gaming performance

Let’s talk about the main event now. The LG UltraGear 52G930B is, first and foremost, a gaming monitor — and it’s a beast. Its native 5K2K resolution is beautiful in every sense of the word, though you’ll need a high-end graphics card, like RTX 4090, to drive it.

Packing a 240Hz refresh rate, the 52G930B ensures you don’t experience any choppiness during fast-paced games. The smooth, blur-free performance is outstanding, really. It also features a 1ms response time to negate motion blur and ghosting. Some OLED monitors, like the MSI MPG 341CQR QD-OLED X36 and the Alienware AW3926DW, feature low 0.03ms response times (on account of featuring OLED panels), but the 52G930B should be fast enough for most casual gamers.

That all sounds great on paper, and it’s even better in real-world use. I played Cyberpunk 2077, Forza Horizon 5 and Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core Reunion, and was highly impressed with the 52G930B’s performance. The 240Hz refresh rate resulted in a buttery smooth experience across all three games, and as promised by the 1ms response time, I didn’t experience any ghosting.

The visuals are stunning, too. Even though FFVII: Crisis Core Reunion doesn’t natively support an ultrawide resolution, the 16:9 aspect ratio it occupied on the mahoosive 52-inch panel still looked incredible. The black bars didn’t really deter from the viewing experience. Watching cutscenes in FFVII: Crisis Core Reunion and Cyberpunk 2077 felt like watching a movie.

The 52G930B’s visual performance is further bolstered by outstanding color coverage. In my lab tests, the monitor covered 161.3% of the sRGB color space and 114.2% of the wider DCI P3 gamut. This is similar to what you get with the MSI MPG 341CQR QD-OLED X36.

100% coverage is what we’re always looking for, so the 52G930B goes above and beyond. Colors on the 52G930B appear bold but balanced. Blues and reds look rich while greens appear vivid. Blacks are dark but they aren’t as inky as you’d expect on an OLED panel. There’s no oversaturation either, which you sometimes get with monitors that cover nearly 200% of the color gamuts.

Strong color accuracy, too

In addition to outstanding color coverage, the LG UltraGear 52G930B boasts strong color accuracy, too. Color accuracy is represented by Delta-E, a numerical representation of how much two colors differ, and how close the color relayed on screen (i.e. the monitor) is to the color output from the source (i.e. the computer). You want this score to be as close to zero as possible, as that means the colors are extremely accurate.

My lab tests showed that the 52G930B has a Delta-E score of 0.06, which is excellent. The monitor trumps most of its competitors, as you can see from the table above. I can confirm that the colors on the monitor appeared exactly how they looked on my testing laptop.

This gave me confidence to edit photos for my Instagram photography account. This is a gaming monitor, though, and I’d recommend a monitor like the Dell UltraSharp U3226Q if you want productivity-specific features.

LG UltraGear 52G930B review: The downs

There are two things that may deter you from buying the LG UltraGear 52G930B: it doesn’t feature an OLED panel, and it’s quite expensive. Oh, and it isn’t designed for small spaces either.

Not for small spaces

“Man, I really need to start working out more.” Nothing has humbled me more than when I was dragging the LG UltraGear 52G930B’s box across the floor. What I’m about to say isn’t a dealbreaker, but a pre-purchase consideration, especially if you’re short on space.

In its box, the 52G930B is gigantic. Take it out (or at least struggle to) and you realize just how mahoosive and heavy this thing is. If you live on your own, you might want to ask a friend to pop over and help you assemble it.

As I mentioned before, with the stand attached, the 52G930B weighs a whopping 37.03 pounds or 16.8 kilograms. That sounds like a lot on paper and you’re right: it’s a lot. Don’t try lifting it on your own lest you actively want to pull your back.

Of course, when LG offered me the 52G930B for review, the “52” in the name should have been a dead giveaway about the weight and size — but even so, I was stumped, as was our studio photographer. My 55-inch TCL C6K television is lighter than the 52G930B monitor, weighing 24.9 pounds which feels featherlight in comparison. Good lord, this thing is a lot.

Not OLED

Even though the LG UltraGear 52G930B boasts powerful performance and gorgeous colors, it features a VA (Vertical Alignment) LCD panel and not an OLED one. OLED panels deliver superior picture quality, infinite contrast, and instant response times, while VA LCD ones prioritize higher sustained brightness and zero risk of screen burn-in.

This might be a dealbreaker for some users, especially given how much the 52G930B costs. If you inky blacks and a response time that’s faster than the 52G930B’s 1ms speed, I’d recommend the MSI MPG 341CQR QD-OLED X36, the Alienware AW3926DW, or the Lenovo Legion Pro 34WD-10 OLED instead.

Expensive

Given that the LG UltraGear 52G930B doesn’t feature an OLED panel (or the strongest HDR performance), it feels a little overpriced. It has a retail price of $1,697 at Amazon U.S. / £1,599 at Currys U.K., so it’s priced similarly to the Samsung Odyssey OLED G9 ($1,799). That’s a lot of dough for a VA LCD monitor.

As I mentioned earlier, you’d be better off with the likes of the MSI MPG 341CQR QD-OLED X36 ($949) or the Alienware AW3926DW ($1,099) instead — though you won’t get as much screen real estate as the 52G930B. The good news is that the 52G930B is at least cheaper than the Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 ($2,499) and the Dell UltraSharp U3226Q ($2,499), even though they don’t pack OLED panels either.

LG UltraGear 52G930B review: Verdict

Though it’s heavy and unwieldy, the LG UltraGear 52G930B massive 52-inch curved panel with its 1000R curvature puts you right in the heat of the action. A 5K2K resolution along with outstanding color coverage and accuracy, as well as strong SDR performance, delivers gorgeous visuals. You also get a 240Hz refresh rate and 1ms response time for buttery smooth gaming performance.

But you should only get the 52G930B if you have a large desk as it takes up a lot of space, and it’s quite heavy for the average person (or me, at least) to lift on their own. It doesn’t feature an OLED panel either, which many cheaper monitors do. Speaking of, it isn’t for the budget-conscious buyer as it retails for $1,700.

If none of those things bother you, then the 52G930B could be great for you. It isn’t perfect, but my goodness, it’s the most immersed I’ve felt when playing games like Cyberpunk 2077.

Whether you're worried about your smaller child accidentally clicking through the wrong apps, or maybe an older child that’s a little too curious for their own good, you should know how to secure their new tablet.

Here’s how to establish a safe space for your child to use your device.

Setting up an Amazon Fire Kids Tablet

One of the simplest tablets to set up for your kids is the Amazon Fire Kids Tablet. I’ve used it for my own kid for many years, and while it does have its frustrating quirks, it does get the job done. Bear in mind this is effectively just a Fire Tablet with a colorful case, so it does include an adult profile that is necessary to set up to manage the device.

After you’ve created your profile, you’ll create an Amazon Kids Profile. It’ll guide you through a list of settings that you can customize to your child’s needs and send them on their way. In order to monitor and adjust settings on the tablet, go to the Amazon Parent Dashboard (you can do this remotely). From here you can adjust settings like time limits on apps, content filters, and even add content from an adult library. For example, I had to manually add HBO so I could put on Sesame Street.

If you do need to lock the device down for any reason, you can hit Pause or Lock Device on the Amazon Parent Dashboard. You can set a duration or set it indefinitely until the device is unlocked by you.

Setting up an Android tablet

For an Android tablet, the first thing you’ll want to do is set up Google Family Link either through a web browser or the app itself on your own device (Android or iOS). From there you can create your child’s account, which includes creating an email address for them (weird, I know). Then when you’re actually setting up the tablet, you can sign in using your child’s email address. It’ll prompt you to sign into your own account afterward.

If your child is on the younger side (under 9), you can put them on Google Kids Space, which is tailored with content-restricted apps, books, and YouTube Kids videos. You’ll still have access to parental controls with this app.

If Google Kids Space is not for your child, or it’s unavailable for your device, you’ll be able to manage the general kids experience in Google Family Link. Here you can control app approvals and limits, set screen time limits and even set a scheduled bedtime. You can also manage how Google Chrome is used and which sites your child can visit.

Locking the device down is as simple as clicking Lock now in the Family Link app. You can use Downtime to run this on a schedule, and you can also use it to grant bonus time.

Setting up an iPad

You can go to your iPad settings, select Family Sharing, Add Member, and create a child account. From there, follow the prompts until the account is created, and set a unique screen time password so your child can’t override the settings.

You can configure parental controls from your Apple device or the iPad itself. Navigate back to Family Sharing, click on your child’s name, and then select Screen Time. From here you can adjust content restrictions on apps and websites, even limiting accessible websites to one or two trusted sources. You’ll be able to set time limits and schedules for apps as well, and can also lock them into a single app with Guided Access in the Accessibility settings. Make sure to adjust the Communication settings as well to manage who they can contact.

To lock the device, you can access the parental controls remotely and turn on Downtime — this can be immediate or set on a schedule.

Bottom line

It’s not terribly difficult to set up a new tablet for your kids, although I know from experience that it’s not always seamless. Make sure you look over the parental controls thoroughly. It has less to do with lack of trust and more to do with safeguarding. It’s all too easy for kids to get access to something that they’re not supposed to.

I’d also be careful with YouTube Kids — I have seen some brainrot videos on there, including AI slop, that aren’t good for child development because they’re either overstimulating or not educational. I highly recommend content from established educators like Ms. Rachel. For general entertainment, you can find Blue’s Clues going strong on there, but it’s also worth downloading the PBS Kids app itself for some consistent safe content.

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• Smart TVs collect a surprising amount of your data — here’s how to stop them
• How to find out if your data is on the dark web — and how to remove it
• 10 simple security settings you should change on your phone and PC right now

The new MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display has been a long time coming. And while it’s generating a lot of buzz, there’s also a lot of skepticism around Apple’s first touchscreen laptop. And understandably so.

Apple has famously dissed the very idea of touch laptops on multiple occasions over the years. But now the company believes the time is right. I’ve spent several hours playing with the new MacBook Pro and learning about the technology inside this $2,899 laptop, so I wanted to share 10 things I’ve learned to help go beyond the hype.

1. This tandem OLED display has next-level contrast at 10 million to 1

The best Windows laptops with tandem OLED displays tend to have a contrast ratio of 1 million to 1. The new MacBook Pro ups the ante with a 10 million to 1 ratio. But what does that mean to you?

The result is a panel that offers images with perfect black levels but without losing details in the shadows. Other OLED laptops look cloudy by comparison, especially off angle.

2. The touch silicon is built directly into the display — there’s no digitizer layer

Most touchscreen laptops have a separate and distinct digitizer layer that’s required to support touch input. But Apple found a way to integrate the touch silicon directly into its tandem OLED display.

The result is that the touch experience feels super fluid without any lag based on my hands-on time. And just as important, Apple says that this implementation makes the MacBook Pro’s OLED panel more efficient. So we expect the new MacBook Pro to last longer on a charge without the typical touch screen power penalty we’ve seen.

3. Apple used a TFT oxide layer, which is a first

Apple says that it's the first to use a TFT oxide layer in its tandem OLED display, which has a few benefits.

It's designed to offer greater pixel density versus other displays and to be more efficient, because the transistors virtually don’t leak any current when holding an image. Plus, the screen can drop to low refresh rates without flickering.

4. The new MacBook Pro has a different hinge

Apple redesigned the hinge for the MacBook Pro PROLED XDR because they knew that people were going to reach out and touch the display. They purposely designed the hinge to be more resilient to taps, so that it doesn’t wobble as much as other MacBooks.

Apple also added better video stabilization for the front camera so you can feel comfortable tapping even while you’re on a Zoom call.

5. There are a lot of apps being optimized for touch

While it’s clear Apple is playing catch up to Windows laptops when it comes to touch interaction, I was impressed with the wave of touch-friendly apps I’ve seen so far in various demos.

For example, in Logic Pro you can add piano chords to the track you’re working on with a touch keyboard or add bass hits with just a touch. And in apps like ZBruch, you can read out and manipulate 3D renders with your fingers.

6. The glowing Apple logo doesn’t use the display as a backlight

The last MacBook with a glowing logo on the back was the MacBook Air a decade ago, but Apple is bringing it back with the MacBook Pro PROLED XDR. But because the tandem OLED is a self-emitting display, there’s no traditional backlight.

So Apple had to squeeze a dedicated backlight into the new MacBook Pro to make the logo shine. In a nice touch, the logo itself dims and brightens as you raise and lower the screen brightness.

7. 2,000 nits beats every other OLED laptop

The new MacBook Pro is rated for 2,000 nits of peak brightness, which is 25% brighter than the brightest Windows OLED laptops, which typically max out at 1,600 nits.

Just as impressive, that 2,000 nits applies to both HDR content and SDR video, when typically the peak brightness number is reserved for HDR.

8. There’s no Apple Pencil support (on purpose)

As cool as it is to finally have a touchscreen MacBook Pro, I think it would have been nice for it to support the Apple Pencil too. This would have been great for finer edits, sketching and manipulating content.

However, Apple intentionally did not include Apple Pencil support for the MacBook Pro, and that’s because it doesn’t want to muddy the waters between MacBooks and iPads.

9. The 3-pound weight is nearly MacBook Air light

One of the things that impresses me most about the new 14-inch MacBook Pro is how light it feels. It weighs just 3 pounds, which is not far off from the 13.6-inch MacBook Air (2.7 pounds).

Apple says it redesigned this laptop from the ground up to pull out a significant amount of weight without making compromises in terms of performance, which we’ll put to the test.

10. There’s a Dynamic Island but no Face ID

The new MacBook Pro replaces the notch with a Dynamic Island at the top of the display, which supports Live Activities. For example, if you start playing music and then start doing other things, you can tap the Dynamic Island and bring up the playback controls.

However, this area doesn’t house Face ID tech, which would have been nice. You need to use the Touch ID in the power button to unlock your laptop. It works fine but doesn’t feel as futuristic as the rest of the laptop.

More from Tom's Guide

• Apple is entering its ‘Why Not?’ era — and your wallet is the ultimate beta tester
• The ultimate MacBook hierarchy: M6 vs M5 vs M4 vs M3 vs M2 vs M1 tested and ranked
• MacBook Pro OLED preorders are live: use this trick to save up to $1,400

After a long wait, Apple revealed the MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display, the first MacBook to feature a touchscreen. Powered by the M5 Pro or the M5 Max chip, these MacBooks are surely going to rank among the best laptops in no time.

Meanwhile, M1-based MacBooks are slowly slipping into irrelevance. The chip is now six years old. With each passing year, the upgrades get bigger and bigger, and now, Apple finally pulled out the big guns: it's not just raw performance you're getting. You're getting a whole different device.

Should M1 Pro MacBook Pro owners finally pull the trigger and upgrade? And are these OLED MacBooks really the best option? Let's find out.

How does the Apple M1 compare to newer chips?

The spec gap between the generations is now big enough that M1 owners should start thinking about upgrades. While the M5 Pro and the M5 Max are in a league of their own, even the base M6 offers a sizable upgrade over the M1.

Memory size grows exponentially, ranging from 32GB to 128GB compared to the M1's max of 64GB. Throw in a huge speed boost in memory bandwidth and it becomes a buffet of fast tranfers.

That extra memory matters more than ever, since running AI models locally eats RAM for breakfast. Even if you don't dabble in AI, 16GB RAM is pretty restrictive in 2026 (and beyond).

How much faster are the new Macs than the M1?

We've learned the specs, so let's put them into some perspective. Over the years, we've tested every single generation of MacBook, so we've amassed quite the database of benchmarks.

While the M6, found in the latest Mac mini, is technically the newest generation of Apple chips, the M5 Pro and the M5 Max are still the fastest in the more intense multi-tasking workloads, and they're the chips you'll find inside the new PROLEDs.

The scores speak for themselves. The base M6 already more than doubles the performance offered by the M1, and the M5 Pro and the M5 Max take it to another level. While the three chips are similar in single-core, the Pro and the Max pull far ahead in multi-core operations. The M5 Pro and the M5 Max score over 20,000 points more than the base M1.

You'll also see a comparison to the MacBook Neo, which doesn't even run on one of Apple's M chips—it uses the A18 Pro. The MacBook Neo, which we rank as the best budget laptop, actually beats the base M1 in both single-core and multi-core benchmarks.

Apart from the $699 MacBook Neo, every new model on this list doubles the performance of the M1, and that's at minimum, not at most.

Battery life: How long do the new MacBooks last?

M1 MacBooks were once the uncontested battery champions, but that was true when they first hit the market.

Now, years later, Apple has continued to perfect its proprietary chip technology with every generation, and that translates to more than performance gains: you also get better battery life.

In our web surfing test, the newer MacBook Pros last up to seven hours longer than their M1 equivalents, with the 16-inch M5 Pro reaching 21 hours and 25 minutes. We expect similar numbers from the OLED MacBook Pros once they're fully out (Apple claims 24 hours). But even if there's a slight drop in battery life, they should still outlast most of the M1 lineup.

If you're still on an M1 MacBook, remember that there's another catch: Apple's MacBook batteries are designed to keep up to 80% of their original capacity after 1,000 full charge cycles, so a five- or six-year-old M1 is likely lasting less today than it did at the beginning. Food for thought.

What your M1 MacBook still does well

As you can see, the numbers are decidedly not in M1's favor, but don't let it get to you. Many people still use M1 MacBooks with great success, so while the new OLED MacBooks are tempting, don't forget that your M1 laptop still makes sense.

Apple is still fully supporting M1 MacBooks, which have been updated to run macOS 27 Golden Gate. Apple's new Siri AI works on M1 too, so you're not locked out of the latest software by sticking to an older MacBook. These laptops are still good enough to handle browsing, video calls, and streaming, and the M1 Pro is still capable for its age.

The cracks start to show when you look closer. Some of macOS 27's newer AI features, like the custom Siri voice and improved dictation, need an M3 chip or later with at least 12GB of memory, so M1 is out. And if you have a base MacBook Air M1 with 8GB RAM, you've probably already felt it struggle during multitasking.

Is it time to upgrade from your M1? Upgrade options from $699 to $3,000+

When you're still using the M1, most MacBooks are an upgrade. Let's look at some options.

So, what should you choose? Obviously, the new OLED MacBooks are the most impressive option, but they're also really pricey, with pricing starting at $2,899 for the 14-inch model.

Pick based on your needs. If you mostly browse, stream, and do some light office work, the $699 MacBook Neo is the cheapest way out, as it's about 50% faster than the M1 Air in single-core tasks. Even after the price hike, it's fairly affordable.

For most M1 Air owners, the M5 MacBook Air is the safer bet. It starts at $1,299 after Apple's June price hike, but it doubles the M1 Air's multi-core performance and starts with 16GB of RAM.

The new OLED MacBook Pro finally marks a time when even M1 Pro and M1 Max owners should consider upgrading. The price point is steep, but with huge performance gains, a touchscreen, and a new OLED panel, you're getting a lot in return.

For most M1 owners, the time to upgrade has finally come, especially if you’re on a base M1 MacBook Air. If you're not happy with your old MacBook, there are plenty of options available to replace it.

More from Tom's Guide

• I analyzed Apple’s new 2nm M6 chip — here is why M1 holdouts finally need to upgrade
• The ultimate MacBook hierarchy: M6 vs M5 vs M4 vs M3 vs M2 vs M1 tested and ranked
• We benchmarked the MacBook Neo vs budget Windows laptops — here’s the truth

Apple has just announced two new flagship laptops: the MacBook Pro OLED and the MacBook Pro M6. The former is the company’s first touchscreen OLED MacBook, while the latter updates last year’s MacBook Pro M5. Both should be fantastic laptops for pro users, but which one should you buy?

We haven't tested either of these new MacBooks yet, but based on what we know, they shouldn’t have trouble landing on our best MacBooks page.

To that end, here’s everything you need to know about the MacBook Pro OLED and MacBook Pro M6 to help you decide which one is right for you. Also, be sure to read our hands-on with the MacBook Pro OLED from the Apple "Pro and Tell" event!

MacBook Pro OLED vs MacBook Pro M6: Specs

MacBook Pro OLED vs MacBook Pro M6: Price

There’s no denying that both new MacBook models cost a pretty penny. That said, one is definitely more affordable than the other (relatively speaking).

The 14-inch MacBook Pro OLED with the M5 Pro chip, 24GB of RAM, and 1TB of storage starts at $2,899, while the 16-inch model with the same specs starts at $3,399. If you want a laptop with the M5 Max chip, the 14-inch model starts at $4,499, while the 16-inch model is $4,799.

Then we have the 14-inch MacBook Pro, which starts at $1,999 and packs an M6 chip with a 12-core CPU and 12-core GPU, 16GB of RAM, and 1TB of storage. You can add up to 32GB of RAM and 4TB of storage, though that’ll substantially bring up the price.

MacBook Pro OLED vs MacBook Pro M6: Display

The biggest difference between these two MacBooks is their respective displays. The MacBook Pro OLED is the first MacBook with a touchscreen OLED panel, while the MacBook Pro M6 keeps the mini-LED screen of current MacBooks. Depending on what you want or need, this could be the main determining factor in which MacBook you’d buy.

According to Apple, the MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display “offers a visual experience unlike any other." That’s no doubt because of the tandem OLED panel, which promises true per-pixel blacks and zero blooming around UI elements.

Apple claims this display can deliver peak SDR and HDR brightness of 2000 nits, which is absolutely eye-scorching. Apple says the tandem OLED technology keeps brightness and grayscale uniform across the entire display. The company also says it precisely calibrates each display for consistency.

On top of that—and I mean that literally—the notch cutout at the top of the panel has been replaced by the Dynamic Island you’ve seen on the best iPhones. This brings Live Activities to the MacBook for the first time.

Lastly, the MacBook Pro OLED has a touchscreen. Apple says it crafted touch input specifically for the Mac, with a touch sensor built directly into the display panel, not layered on top. Our own Mark Spoonauer went hands-on with the MacBook Pro OLED and said that the touchscreen support feels “pretty smooth” as he navigated between apps or used his finger to draw. However, it doesn’t support the Apple Pencil.

Apple didn’t update the MacBook Pro M6's Liquid Retina XDR display, so we already have a good idea of what it can do based on our testing and experience with previous models. Specifically, it has a 14.2-inch Mini-LED display running at 120Hz ProMotion, with a notch cutout at the top and no Dynamic Island-like functionality.

Since the display is the same, our benchmarks for the MacBook Pro M5 should be virtually identical on the new model. That means you’ll get excellent color representation (sRGB and DCI-P3) and color accuracy (Delta E). Even without an OLED, the M6 MacBook Pro’s mini-LED panel should be stunning.

MacBook Pro OLED vs MacBook Pro M6: Design

MacBook Pros have featured the same design since late 2021, but the new MacBook Pro OLED finally ends that streak. While the new design might not be radically different, the changes introduced should make for a laptop that’s easier to travel with.

Because OLED panels don’t require the same backlight array, the MacBook Pro OLED is thinner and lighter than current MacBook Pros. The 14-inch model weighs half a pound less at 3 pounds, while the 16-inch model is just a tad over four pounds. With slimmer borders, the 16-inch display grows to 16.3 inches, while the 14-inch display stays at a more portable 14.2 inches.

Port-wise, the MacBook Pro packs three Thunderbolt 5 ports, an HDMI port, an SDXC card slot, MagSafe, and a headphone jack. It supports up to three external displays with M5 Pro and up to four with M5 Max. It also supports Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6. The M6 MacBook Pro has the same port selection, though the USB-C ports are Thunderbolt 4 instead of Thunderbolt 5.

Last but certainly not least, the MacBook Pro OLED resurrects the classic glowing Apple logo on the lid. We haven’t seen this design feature for over eight years, so it’s a nice callback for long-time Apple fans.

MacBook Pro OLED vs MacBook Pro M6: Performance

One of the more intriguing things about the MacBook Pro OLED is that it utilizes the M5 Pro and M5 Max chips found in the existing MacBook Pro models. But while the 14-inch MacBook Pro packs the new M6 chip that first debuted in the new Mac mini M6, the “older” M5 Pro/Max processors are actually more powerful.

We haven't tested the new MacBook Pros yet, but based on our testing of MacBook Pros with M5 Pro and M5 Max, along with benchmarks of the M6 Mac mini, we have a sense of what to expect in terms of performance. Just keep in mind that differences will exist because the chips power different hardware.

Pro and Max versions of M-series chips are always the most powerful in the line, even outperforming the entry-level version of newer chips. Because of that, we expect that the MacBook Pro OLED will be noticeably more powerful than the MacBook Pro M6.

MacBook Pro OLED vs MacBook Pro M6: Outlook

With both new MacBooks launching on November 6, we won’t have to wait long to see what they can truly do. That said, based on what we know so far, it’s not too hard to decide which notebook to buy.

If you’ve been waiting for a MacBook Pro with an OLED screen and touchscreen support, consider the MacBook Pro OLED. Just keep its sticker price in mind, as it’s currently the most expensive MacBook available.

Conversely, if touchscreen support and OLED aren’t as important, then you won’t go wrong with the M6 MacBook Pro. This is especially true if you want to save nearly $1,000 off the starting price. And while an OLED touchscreen is certainly enticing, the MacBook Pro M6's Mini-LED panel won’t disappoint.

More from Tom's Guide

• Apple event LIVE: Touchscreen MacBook Pro OLED announced, iPad mini OLED and more
• Apple just announced a new iPad mini with an OLED panel and IP67 resistance
• Apple unveils new iMac with M6 — here are all the upgrades

It's one thing for Apple to say the new MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR has the best display on any laptop, and it's another for it to put its money where it's mouth is. During a briefing and demo the company showed us how the new MacBook Pro stacks up to a premium Windows laptop with a tandem OLED display in the Yoga Pro 9i Aura Edition, which retails for $3,399 and is currently on sale for $2,699.

Apple put this machine up against the new 16-inch MacBook Pro with PROLED, which starts at $3,399. And the difference between these laptops was night and day. I was not able to take photos or videos, but I can tell you what I saw.

A great image from any angle

It took about 2 seconds to realize that the tandem OLED display on the Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i is inferior to the PROLED XDR panel on the new MacBook Pro. And that's because the off-angle viewing is way better on Apple's laptop.

When viewing the same photo of a person in a tunnel head on, the two laptops were almost equal, but as soon as I moved to the side the MacBook Pro's image retained its quality while the colors shifted on the Lenovo. There was some definite yellowing.

Way better contrast

Additionally, the contrast from the MacBook Pro with PROLED is a lot higher. We're talking 10 million to 1 versus 1 million to 1. The visual difference?

When looking at a photo of a skyline, the Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i's image was brighter, but the sky was more washed out, and it was missing the perfect blacks from the new MacBook Pro. The city lights were also fuzzier and less distinct.

The brightest tandem OLED (with less glare)

The new MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR really showed off when Apple turned up the lights in the room. The Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i really struggled with presenting a clear image, and I could see myself in the screen.

Impressively, this was the new MacBook Pro without the nano texture display. There was some glare through Apple's laptop, but it was minimal.

The touch wobble test

Last but not least, Apple showed off the hinge on the MacBook Pro with PROLED, which was designed to have more resistance versus other laptops. As the rep reached out and touched the display with the camera app running, there was less bounce.

By comparison, when touching the Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i's screen, the screen wobbled a lot to the point that the camera view looked like we were experiencing an earthquake.

Outlook

The MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR looks like it could live up to Apple's claim of being the best laptop display ever, but we won't know for sure until we get it into our lab and run our wide range of tests, including brightness, color reproduction and color accuracy.

But based on the is admittedly handpicked demo by Apple of the new MacBook Pro versus a comparably priced tandem OLED Windows competitor — and my 25+ years of reviewing laptops — this new screen is legit.

More from Tom's Guide

• MacBook Pro OLED preorders are live: use this trick to save up to $1,400
• MacBook Pro M6 vs MacBook Pro M5: Biggest upgrades you need to know
• The ultimate MacBook hierarchy: M6 vs M5 vs M4 vs M3 vs M2 vs M1 tested and ranked

The new iPad mini 8 has a chip on its shoulder. It's almost like it's saying to the iPhone Duo, "Anything you can do, I can do better."

The iPad mini 8 (from $699) has a bigger display than the Duo (8.5 vs 7.6 inches); it supports the latest Apple Pencil Pro (that magnetically attaches to the side); and you get the same A20 Pro chip for serious power.

Of course, the iPad mini 8 doesn't fold, but I played with it for about 30 minutes and I think it makes a serious case for carrying a separate phone and small tablet. It could easily make our best tablet list, but we still have to do our full round of testing. Here are my first impressions.

iPad mini 8: Bigger OLED display, thinner design

The iPad mini 8 makes an awesome first impression with its OLED display, which is a first for the iPad mini.

This panel is 8.5 inches, larger than the 8.3-inch panel on the previous iPad mini 7. You also get 24% smaller bezels, so the iPad mini 8 gives you more real estate without ballooning the design.

In fact, at 5.4mm and and 255 grams, the iPad mini 8 is thinner and lighter than the iPad mini 7 (6.3 mm, 293 grams). That's pretty impressive given the new iPad has a larger display.

The iPad mini is also IP67 rated against water and dust.

A better display than iPhone Duo?

The iPad mini 8's 8.5-inch display isn't just bigger than the iPhone Duo's 7.6-inch panel. It looks more colorful in person, and it offered better black levels side by side when watching a trailer for 'Ted Lasso.'

However, the iPhone Duo's main display gets brighter at up to 3,000 nits compared to 1,200 for the iPad mini.

The iPad minis I played around with had a nano-texture finish, but that costs a pretty penny. You need to get a 256GB or 512GB model, so you'll need to pay at least $899.

A20 Pro power, and what you can do with it

The iPad mini 8 packs the same A20 Pro chip as the iPhone 18 Pro series and iPhone Duo, and it packs a pretty big punch.

When playing Petit Planet, this tablet offered smooth and detailed graphics as I panned around a large world.

Working in Pixelmator Pro, I could apply complex edits with ease using either touch or Apple Pencil. And in the Shapr3D app, I manipulated a complex 3D model of a skateboard and added different colors to the parts on the fly. There was no lag.

Front camera where it's supposed to be

Apple has done the right thing by moving the 12MP Center Stage camera to the long side of the device, making it easier to hold video calls in landscape mode. This is especially welcome because the Smart Folio accessory props up the device in this mode.

I didn't get a chance to check out the improved sound yet. The iPad mini has what's called an Acoustic Display. The woofers are paired through the display to give you more bass, and there's custom tweeters hidden between the glass and aluminum enclosure. The result should be boomier bass and clearer highs.

The back camera is a 12MP wide lens, so you get only a single shooter. There's no ultrawide like you have on the iPhone Duo. But the images I captured in the hands-on area with the iPad mini 8 were reasonably crisp.

is the iPad mini worth $100 more?

Yes, the iPad mini 8 is $100 more than the iPad mini 7, but I think the upgrades are worth it. You get a bigger and better OLED display and faster performance in a thinner and lighter design.

As for the iPad mini vs iPhone Duo comparisons, the new iPad mini starts at $699 and when you add an iPhone 18 Pro Max that brings you to $2,000. That's the same price as an iPhone Duo.

So it's really up to you if you want to carry one device or two for this sort of versatility. I prefer the iPad mini's bigger and richer display and support for the latest Apple Pencil — and the fact that you can dock it to the device. But the iPhone Duo is still a great choice if you want to fit a mini tablet in your pocket.

More from Tom's Guide

• How to pre-order iPad mini 8: Here's how to secure Apple's new mini tablet
• iPad mini 8 vs iPad mini 7: What's new, and is it worth buying?
• Cancel your iPhone Duo pre-order: Here's why I think the iPad mini 8 and iPhone 18 Pro combo is cheaper and better

I'll be honest. I'm not a fan of the name. "MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display" is a mouthful. But this laptop, starting at $2,899, definitely made my jaw drop.

Apple has created a truly stunning screen with this laptop, and I know because I've already compared it against one of the best Windows laptops with a tandem OLED display. It's colorful, super bright and looks great even off-axis.

But the biggest news for many is that this is the first MacBook with a touchscreen, and Apple showed off several apps that are ready for your finger. Here's what it's like to use and my pros and cons so far.

All about that panel

The first thing I noticed about the new MacBook Pro was the colorful tandem OLED display. At 2,000 nits, this screen is so bright we had to turn down our camera to record it. The colors really pop off the display. The screen offers a 120Hz refresh rate and a 10 million to 1 contrast ratio, which Apple says is industry leading — and I believe it.

Most Windows laptops with tandem OLED screens max out at 1 million to 1. The result is that the new MacBook offers perfect blacks without sacrificing details in the shadows.

MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display: Specs

Finally notchless

The second thing that hit me is that the notch is gone, replaced by a smaller Dynamic Island. When playing music, for example, the music player will shrink in a little window at the top of the display, and you bring it back with a tap.

And that brings me to perhaps the biggest upgrade overall, as it's a first for MacBooks: touch.

A MacBook you can reach out and touch

I found the touchscreen support to be pretty smooth as I navigated between apps. I could draw using my finger with ease, though there's no Apple Pencil support to speak of.

As you would expect, pinch-to-zoom works well, and I could easily drag and drop video clips in a timeline. I also played a virtual keyboard (complete with chords) and interacted with a 3D model by spinning it around.

We'll have to see how well touch works with third-party apps, but Apple already promises support for Notion, Canva, Zoom, Microsoft Office, Adobe Lightroom and more.

Pro power without the extra weight

All of this is wrapped up in a design that's only 3 pounds, which is less than the MacBook Pro with M6 at 3.4 pounds. I could easily see myself carrying this as my everyday laptop — if I had the budget.

Another design highlight is that Apple has brought back the glowing Apple logo, so everyone will know from across the room that you have the touchscreen Mac.

A true mobile studio

Powering the MacBook Pro with PROLED is the M5 Pro and M5 Max chip, which should offer swift performance for creative pros and coders.

And this new MacBook Pro will hopefully sound as good as it looks, thanks to a new woofer design with 50% more bass.

The port selection is robust, with three Thunderbolt 5 ports, HDMI, SDXC card, MagSafe and a headphone jack. And you get both Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6 support.

An unmatched display

Starting at $2,899 for the 14-inch version and $3,399 for the 16-inch, this is one pricey laptop. But if you want the very best display quality it could be worth the premium. Anyone who works with photos and video on a daily basis I think will love this panel.

I would say the touch interface is more of a bonus, and I'd like to see Apple offer it across the lineup just to give people more options.

More from Tom's Guide

• Apple event LIVE: Touchscreen MacBook Pro OLED announced, iPad mini OLED and more
• Apple just announced a new iPad mini with an OLED panel and IP67 resistance
• Apple unveils new iMac with M6 — here are all the upgrades

Apple has capped off its week of "Pro and tell" announcements by unveiling the long-awaited touchscreen MacBook Pro OLED. In what could be the biggest update to MacBook Pro lineup since its inception twenty years ago, we now have a tandem OLED display on Apple's premium laptop for the first time.

In addition, Apple has dropped the notch in favor of an all-new Dynamic Island similar to what we're used to on the best iPhones. And guess what, the illuminated Apple logo on the lid is back!

Tom's Guide is in attendance at Apple's "Pro and tell" showcase in LA today, and we'll bring you our full reaction and hands-on with the new MacBook Pro OLED imminently. In the meantime, check out our live blog right here.

Specs

Price and release date

We’ll get the bad news out of the way first, the MacBook Pro OLED is set to start at $2,899 for the base-level 14-inch spec with the M5 Pro and rise to $3,399 for the 16-inch model.

If you want to go for the M5 Max spec, the starting price for the 14-inch version will set you back $4,499 while the 16-inch model is $4,799.

Pre-orders begin today, Wednesday, October 28, with shipping (and in-store availability) due to start on November 6.

That’s a serious chunk of change compared to the $1,999 starting price of the M6 MacBook Pro announced yesterday. It’s the highest starting price of any MacBook Pro model, surpassing the $2,799 price of the 17-inch model Apple revealed in 2006.

PROLED XDR Display with touch

Here’s why you’re going to be paying a premium for this laptop — it’s the step-up in display quality that we’ve been hoping for for years. Apple has named this device the MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display and claims the laptop "offers a visual experience unlike any other."

We're talking about a tandem OLED panel that will outshine and outclass the mini-LED Liquid Retina XDR panel on the regular MacBook Pro. Users will get true per-pixel blacks and zero blooming around UI elements on this display.

Apple can push this display to peak HDR brightness of 2000 nits and for anyone who uses a MacBook Pro for visual creative work, this is going to be a game-changer.

"PROLED XDR is the world’s best laptop display, delivering true-to-life color and unparalleled brightness and contrast," Apple's press release explains.

"The PROLED XDR display offers tandem OLED technology unlike any other, with deep innovations in its layers that keep brightness and grayscale uniform across the entire display, while minimizing internal reflections common in traditional OLED designs.

"It’s all backed by advanced algorithms in the display engine that precisely control each pixel in real time, plus a meticulous manufacturing process and precise calibration of every panel for consistency from display to display."

In addition, the notch cutout that Apple introduced in 2021 has been replaced with a true Dynamic Island, just like you’ll find on the iPhone. This will bring Live Activities to the MacBook for the first time.

And finally, despite what Steve Jobs may have said, the MacBook now has touch input for the first time.

Apple says it's crafted touch input specifically for the Mac, with a touch sensor built directly into the display panel — not layered on top of it.

"Everyday tasks are simple and intuitive, allowing users to scroll through a webpage with a natural swipe; pinch to zoom in on a photo; drag and drop slides from one presentation to another; and double-tap a window to fill the screen, or flick to tile it into place," Apple wrote.

Design

Apple has made a few notable changes to the traditional design of the MacBook Pro, as a result of the new display. Because OLED panels don’t require the same backlight array, the company has been able to make the chassis thinner and lighter than its non-OLED counterparts.

With slimmer display borders, the 16-inch display now grows to 16.3 inches, while the 14-inch display delivers a more portable 14.2-inch design. What's more, this iteration of MacBook Pro is lighter, with the 14-inch weighing half a pound less at three pounds. The 16-inch version tips the scales at just four pounds.

Rumors before the event were that Apple has redesigned and stiffened the hinge to avoid the dreaded wobble when you reach up and touch the screen. It's something we'll be testing for in our hands-on.

The new MacBook Pro includes three Thunderbolt 5 ports, HDMI, an SDXC card slot, MagSafe, and a headphone jack. In addition to the PROLED XDR display, it supports up to three external displays with M5 Pro and up to four with M5 Max. Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6 are on board, as you'd expect.

Oh, and probably the most talked-about update to the design — the Apple logo glows. It feels like 2008 all over again!

macOS 27 Golden Gate

Apple has taken a leaf from the iPhone Duo book and made some subtle changes to macOS to optimise it for touchscreen input. The company says its own apps are optimized for the new MacBook Pro, and many existing apps work with Touch right away, because macOS automatically translates touches into clicks.

We don't know exactly how it's been implemented yet, but I hope we get context-aware touch scaling that means when you reach out to touch the display, target hitboxes will dynamically expand while context menus appear enlarged around your fingers.

Interactions familiar from iOS and iPadOS should be included, such as pull-to-refresh across native apps, multi-touch zooming, pinch-to-navigate in Safari, and direct scrubbing across timelines in creative suites like Final Cut Pro and Logic.

Of course, the MacBook Pro OLED’s full Force Touch trackpad continues to serve as the primary input, but having the option to interact directly with the screen is long overdue.

"Graphic designers can now use the entire display as their canvas, no longer constrained by the area of the trackpad when drawing; musicians can play software instruments right onscreen; and app developers can test how Touch performs in their iOS and iPadOS apps directly on the MacBook Pro display," Apple said.

Performance and power

The MacBook Pro OLED will ship with the M5 Pro / M5 Max chipset rather than the newer M6 processor in the non-OLED MacBook Pro. That may seem counter-intuitive but it’s a question of use cases. The M6 is more performant for single-core speeds but the Pro / Max delivers faster data transfer and better multitasking.

The MacBook Pro OLED is now configurable with up to 128GB of unified memory and now up to 16TB of storage.

Outlook

MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display is almost certain to prove a huge hit, despite those wallet-trembling price points.

The combination of an OLED touchscreen display on a MacBook for the first time, not to mention a slimmer and lighter profile as well as the ability to cram even more memory and storage into the chassis are what a lot of Apple users have been asking for. It still keeps the 12MP Center Stage camera tucked inside that Dynamic Island, though.

We’ll be getting hands-on with it as soon as possible and, following that, we’ll be putting the MacBook Pro OLED through our usual battery of lab tests when we get one in for review. Stay tuned to Tom’s Guide to find out just how good this ultra-premium MacBook Pro really is and whether or not it’s been worth the wait

After debuting at Made by Google earlier this year, Xreal's wired XR smart glasses are finally launching today, October. 28. The glasses are a partnership between Google, Qualcomm and Xreal powered by Google's Android XR platform and Qualcomm's Snapdragon Reality Elite chipset.

The new glasses are only launching in the United States, Canada, Japan and South Korea. Xreal says that the Aura glasses are expected to ship in mid-November.

Nicely, for a limited time, you can order the new glasses for $1,099, for the 256GB version with 12GB of RAM. That's $200 less than the announced normal price of $1,299. The 16GB/512GB configuration is on sale for $1,299.

“This is a defining moment for XR. We built AURA for people who want the power of spatial computing without being removed from the world around them," Xreal co-founder and CEO Chi Xu said in a press release.

Xreal Aura features

Compared to other display glasses like the Xreal One Pro Plus, the Aura is built for spatial computing, similar to the recently announced Meta VR Glasses. And with the launch sale, they're cheaper than Meta glasses, which aren't launching until spring 2027.

Xreal's glasses weigh under 95 grams, largely because the chips and battery are in a separate compute puck. The puck enables gesture controls but can also be used as a trackpad for navigation.

The lenses feature Sony micro-OLED prisms capable of a 70-degree field of view and 1200p resolution at 120Hz.

We've gone hands-on with the Xreal Aura a couple of times and found them pretty impressive. A personal favorite is the Aura's ability to connect directly to the Nintendo Switch over USB-C, something no other smart glasses can do without separate accessories or docks.

Accessories

As part of the launch announcement, Xreal revealed two new accessories we haven't seen before.

The ecosystem includes an Xreal game controller designed in collaboration with GameSir. The controller has a dedicated Gemini key so you can quickly access AI assistance if you want.

There's also a wireless portable keyboard for those who want to use the Aura for work and multi-window productivity setups.

Xreal did not announce prices or release dates for the accessories. We asked for more information here and will update if the company responds.

Price and availability

Both versions of the Xreal Aura are available for pre-order now with a ship date of mid-November. Xreal is offering them for $200 off their normal price through December 2026.

The 12GB/256GB version is $1,099. The 16GB/512GB is on sale for $1,299.

You can order it via the Xreal.com/aura store or at BestBuy.com. Expanded retail store availability will come to select Google Store locations in the US and Japan next year.

Tom's Guide will have a full review of the Xreal Aura when it launches in November, so keep us in your tabs to find out how it feels to use the Aura glasses.

More from Tom's Guide

• I tried Ray-Ban Meta's camera-free AI glasses — 5 unexpected uses that surprised me
• Xreal One Pro Plus vs. Viture Beast Round 2: Can a refresh even the stakes?
• I tested the RayNeo GT as a replacement to every screen I own — it's a mixed bag

The new Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition ($249) might be pricey, but it’s one of the best Kindles right now. Like the new basic Kindle (2026) I also reviewed, this model adds several upgrades that improve the reading experience.

This e-reader is lighter and thinner than before, making it easier to carry and hold for longer reading sessions. Amazon moved the power button from the bottom of the device to the right-hand side, virtually eliminating accidental shutdowns. The aluminum rear housing also gives the device a more premium feel. There are also connectors on the back for Amazon’s new wireless charging dock.

While the design has been overhauled, the display remains largely unchanged. The panel is still 7 inches with a 300ppi resolution. As a result, black-and-white pages and images look sharp and well-defined. In addition, the ambient light sensor automatically adjusts the front light, while the accelerometer rotates the screen when you change orientation.

The Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition might not be revolutionary, but it offers enough meaningful upgrades that make it worth considering — especially if you own a Kindle released before 2021. Read on to see if the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition is the right e-reader for you.

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition (2026) review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? The Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition is a higher-end version of the Kindle Paperwhite, featuring more storage, and aluminum design, and wireless charging.
• Who is it for? For folks who want an e-reader that feels more like a smartphone and that supports wireless charging.
• What does it cost? The Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition costs $249 on Amazon. This model comes with 32GB of storage and with no ad support.
• What do we like? We like the thinner design, sharp 7-inch display, aluminum back, epic battery life, and the Kindle ecosystem.
• What don’t we like? We don't like the higher asking price and that wireless charging requires a $59 charging dock.

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition (2026) review: Specs

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition (2026) review: The ups

The new Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition impresses thanks to its sleek design, brilliant display, long-lasting battery life, and seamless integration with the Kindle ecosystem.

Svelte design

The Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition doesn’t radically reinvent a Kindle’s design, but the subtle upgrades make for a sleeker e-reader that’s also great to hold. In short: Amazon took what worked and made it better.

My favorite new design aspect is the aluminum back since it makes this Kindle Paperwhite feel like holding a smartphone. The soft, rounded edges are also quite elegant. At 6.9 x 5.0 x 0.3 inches, it’s small enough to slip into your backpack or even a jeans back pocket. The aluminum adds some weight to the Paperwhite, but the even weight distribution helps mitigate that.

Having the power button on the right-hand side instead of at the bottom is a huge game-changer, especially if you always accidentally shut off older Kindles. The button itself is pretty unintrusive and doesn’t diminish the device’s svelte design. I’m glad this is now a standard feature of all current Kindles.

Sharp display

Like the previous model, the new Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition has a 7-inch display with 300ppi resolution. The screen is still flush with the bezels, but Amazon has employed a new reverse stack display construction to make the transition from screen to bezel even more seamless.

Black-and-white text looks phenomenal, with everything having the paper-like quality I’ve come to expect from Kindles. Even with the front lights off (in a well-lit room), text is always extremely legible, even if you opt for a smaller font size. If you do enable the Kindle’s lights, you can have it automatically adjust to the ambient lighting, and even enable warm light. The latter two features are especially useful for reading at night.

The Kindle Paperwhite is also great for reading black-and-white comics. This is especially true for manga, as the Paperwhite is about an inch smaller than a tankōbon book. I still prefer reading comics on an iPad Pro M5 or the Alexa Tablet 12 Pro, but the Paperwhite does a good job of handling them in a pinch.

The display generally does a decent job of diffusing glare, but you’ll still get some, depending on where you’re reading. Sure, you don’t get the same kind of glare as on a glossy display, but you’ll see some here if the lighting conditions are especially harsh. All that is to say that the display isn’t anti-glare as advertised, but it does a fine job of minimizing glare overall.

Epic battery life

As with every Kindle, expect weeks' worth of battery life from the Paperwhite Signature Edition. Though I haven’t had the e-reader long enough to test whether or not Amazon’s claimed 12 weeks of battery life are true, I’ve yet to charge it during my past two weeks of use.

During my time, I read around an hour a day with adaptive brightness on. From 95% battery where I began, the Paperwhite is at 70% battery after two weeks. At this rate, I should get another five and a half weeks before I need to recharge, which is fantastic.

Considering how Amazon’s testing involves reading for 30 minutes a day with the backlight at 13, the company’s 12-hour claim isn’t that far off. All that’s to say that the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition will last you for weeks and weeks.

Kindle ecosystem

One of the main reasons that I and many others love Kindles is because of the user-friendliness. Not only is the device itself easy to use, but its connections to the Kindle Store and Goodreads provide a fuller experience. Not much has changed on that end, which isn’t a bad thing whatsoever.

The Home page shows all your active reads along with recent purchases. Right beneath this, a "Top Picks For You" row highlights recommendations based on your personal reading history. Similar curated recommendations populate the Kindle Unlimited and subsequent sections as you scroll down. Overall, these tailored suggestions are pretty accurate.

The drop-down menu serves as your primary control center for toggling options like airplane mode, Bluetooth, sync, brightness, and dark mode, as well as accessing the full settings screen. While this menu lets you check device info and wireless options, it remains relatively basic compared to what you would find on the best phones.

There are more options when you’re reading a book, such as changing the font size, font type, line spacing, and more. Beyond those, you can skip to specific chapters, highlight words or sections, get dictionary definitions, and more. I’m a big fan of the dictionary feature, which comes in clutch when reading old books that might have words I’m unfamiliar with.

Integration with the Kindle Store and Goodreads makes it a cinch to purchase books and update your reading status (respectively). I get a lot of use from the latter, since I’m obsessed with keeping track of the books I’m reading. I know some folks don’t care for Goodreads, but I think it’s great for my needs.

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition (2026) review: The downs

While the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition has a lot to offer, it has some drawbacks that keep it from being perfect.

Proprietary wireless charging

The Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition supports wireless charging, but with a catch. Whereas the previous model supported Qi charging, this Kindle now has pogo pin charging designed to work exclusively with the new Amazon Charging Stand. If you want this peripheral, you’ll have to pay $59.

While you can still just charge the Kindle via its USB-C port, it’s a bummer that we can’t use Qi charging like we could before. Yes, the Amazon Charging Stand is an elegant way to charge your Kindle. But considering the price point and how you’ll rarely need to charge the Paperwhite, it’s hard to justify the need for it.

Higher asking price

In fairness, the Signature Edition Kindles were always the pricier Kindles. But now that all Kindles are more expensive than their previous models, the cost is even higher.

Whereas the previous Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition started at $189, the new model costs $249. Sure, you get 32GB of RAM, no ads, and an aluminum chassis, but that $60 price hike still stings!

Thankfully, you will likely be able to get this Kindle at a lower price during one of Amazon’s Prime Day events or Black Friday.

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition (2026) review: Verdict

The Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition (2026) might come at a higher price, but it’s arguably the best iteration of Amazon’s flagship e-reader thanks to its smart upgrades. After using it for the better part of two weeks, it’ll be hard for me to go back to the previous model. It just feels so good to hold and read on for hours on end.

You won’t be disappointed with the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition (2026), but if you want to spend less, the standard Kindle Paperwhite costs a more affordable $199. And if you’re okay with a smaller device, the new basic Kindle is a fantastic e-reader that starts at $149.

That said, if you can afford it, you won’t go wrong with the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition. It's really that good.

It's been a big week for Macs, with Apple announcing the new MacBook Pro M6, iMac M6 and, more than likely, the very first touchscreen MacBook Pro. But this definitely isn't the end of Apple's computing ambitions, and word is that early 2027 could see the launch of two new MacBooks, including the MacBook Neo 2.

This news comes courtesy of Mark Gurman at Bloomberg, who claims that Apple is working on new versions of both the MacBook Neo and MacBook Air. These two machines are expected to arrive in the first half of next year, but sadly Gurman doesn't divulge any additional details about either of them.

Gurman refers to the updated machines as "refreshed," which I understand to mean very little in the way of meaningful design changes. My assumption is backed up by rumors that a major OLED redesign is coming at some point in 2028.

That'll be disappointing for some, considering we've had the same Air design for the past few years. But we should still expect the usual slew of upgrades, including an M6 chip and all the associated performance and battery upgrades that new hardware offers.

The MacBook Neo is likely to get similarly iterative upgrades. Considering how cheap the laptop was at launch, and the fact that Apple has had to raise the price due to skyrocketing RAM costs, it seems unlikely we'll see any major changes made to the Neo. Meaning all those cost-saving design choices are likely to stick around for a little while longer.

Gurman has previously claimed that the second generation will feature the A19 Pro chip, an increased 12GB of RAM and a bunch of new color options. It's unclear whether 12GB will be the standard amount of memory, or if it will be an optional upgrade for those willing to pay more — like Touch ID on the current Neo model.

Considering the skyrocketing price of RAM, and the fact the MacBook Neo has already suffered a value-reducing price hike, my money is on the latter.

As for when we might see these new machines, a smart bet would be March 2027 — or some time around then. Both the MacBook Neo and MacBook Air M5 were released in March of this year, and it makes sense that Apple would follow that same release pattern for their successors. Especially since spring is generally a pretty quiet month for Apple.

We'll have to wait and see how this all pans out, and what future rumors have to say about both machines.

More from Tom's Guide

• Apple responds to iPhone Duo cracked inner screens — what to do if your phone is affected
• M6 iMac vs M4 iMac: Is Apple’s latest all-in-one actually worth the upgrade?
• First iPhone 18e specs leak point towards a disappointing upgrade for Apple's next low-cost iPhone

Data breaches have become commonplace in our current era of privacy invasions, and having our data exposed on the dark web is a serious possibility. Your information being blasted is scary no matter where it is, but if you’re not someone browsing the dark web, how would you know if your information got leaked? Ideally, companies will alert you if there’s been a breach, but that’s not always the case, especially if the company doesn’t even know it’s been hacked.

If you have any reason to believe that your sensitive data has been leaked, you should know how to find out what it is and how to deal with it.

Finding your data on the dark web

Don’t start surfing the dark web yourself. The last thing you need is to infect your system with malware that’ll expose more of your data to malicious actors. There are a couple services you can use that’ll scan for your data across marketplaces and forums.

Both Aura and Experian are trusted services that offer a free dark web scan. If they find nothing, you’re likely free and clear. However, if something pops up, you should act immediately.

Can you remove data from the dark web?

No, unfortunately there’s no way to delete your data from the dark web, and I wouldn’t trust any service that claims to do so. What you need to do now is identify the exposed data and defuse the threat.

One of the most common data breaches involve emails and passwords. Obviously, you need to change your passwords, but you also should activate two-factor authentication (2FA) or multifactor authentication (MFA) on all your accounts. Yes, all of them, not just the affected ones. Using unique passwords for every account is also important so you can isolate threats — this can be made more convenient with a password manager.

If your banking or credit card credentials got leaked, you need to contact your financial institutions and place freezes or fraud alerts on your accounts. If your social security number got leaked, you’ll need to freeze your credit. Go to Equifax Credit, Experian Credit, and TransUnion Credit to do that. While the service is free and you can lift the freeze whenever you want, you should keep it frozen and only temporarily lift it when you need to apply for new credit.

Still, once all your information is out in the open, someone can use that data to impersonate you. Potential victims of identity theft should file a report with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) on IdentityTheft.gov. While it’s unlikely to be able to change your Social security number, it can be done in extreme cases.

Bottom line

Again, once your data has been exposed, there’s no removing it from the dark web. And it’s possible that another breach of your data could find itself there, so you might want to use a continuous dark web monitoring service. Experian is one of the free ones, although it does have paid tiers.

As far as prevention goes, there’s not much you can do to stop your data from being leaked into the wild, but there are steps you should take to reduce the potential damage to your life, namely maintaining unique passwords for your accounts and activating 2FA or MFA.

The most important takeaway here is not to dawdle. Take the measures to protect yourself and monitor your accounts going forward. You could be exposed to something as simple as spam emails, which you should be able to suss out, but there are worse things than spam.

More from Tom's Guide

• Smart TVs collect a surprising amount of your data — here’s how to stop them
• 10 simple security settings you should change on your phone and PC right now
• Does antivirus software still slow down your PC in 2026? We tested the top security software to find out