IT General

Microsoft has changed its earlier decision about supporting Microsoft 365 apps on Windows 10. Originally, security updates for apps like Outlook, Teams, OneDrive, Word, and Excel were supposed to stop on October 14, 2025. Now, these updates will continue on Windows 10 for a few more years.

Even if you've never fallen victim to a tech support scam, you've likely been targeted. Have you ever gotten a pop-up, or a cascading series of pop-ups that crowd your entire screen, warning you that your device has been compromised and urging you to call tech support ASAP? If the unlucky victims who fall for these tricks give the scammers access to their computer, the perpetrators can plant malware, steal personal information, or even wipe out victims' bank accounts.

Now, Google wants to use AI to stop these scams in real time for Google Chrome users.

"Chrome has always worked with Google Safe Browsing to help keep you safe online. Now, with this week's launch of Chrome 137, Chrome will offer an additional layer of protection using the on-device Gemini Nano large language model," Google said in a blog post. "This new feature will leverage the LLM to generate signals that will be used by Safe Browsing in order to deliver higher confidence verdicts about potentially dangerous sites like tech support scams."

SEE ALSO: 6 popular scams and the warning signs for each

According to Google's blog post, research shows that LLMs are particularly capable of detecting, understanding, and fighting tech support scams — before you even have to face them. By using LLMs on-device, Google doesn’t have to wait for users to report the scams and can instead "see threats when users see them."

"We’ve found that the average malicious site exists for less than 10 minutes, so on-device protection allows us to detect and block attacks that haven't been crawled before," the Google blog post reads. "The on-device approach also empowers us to see threats the way users see them."

Basically, Chrome will evaluate pages using Gemini Nano LLM to see if the page has "triggers that are characteristic of tech support scams" like, for instance, "the use of the keyboard lock API." Then, Chrome sends information about the page to Safe Browsing, which will determine if the page is a scam or not. If it is a scam, Chrome will show a warning.

Cybercriminals are getting more and more creative every day, thanks in part to new AI tools. Now, tech companies are using their own AI systems to combat the onslaught of scams.

Have a story to share about a scam or security breach that impacted you? Tell us about it. Email submissions@mashable.com with the subject line "Safety Net" or use this form. Someone from Mashable will get in touch.

You may balk at the concept of paying for a dating app, but others certainly don't: Daters spent $3 billion on apps in 2020, up 15 percent from the previous year. These days, singles aren't afraid to fork out cash for additional features on these apps, which were the most common way couples met each other for years before COVID.

The dating app Bumble, in particular, is one of the most popular with 42 million monthly active users in 2020, according to a spokesperson. Bumble is famous for only allowing women to message men first in the case of heterosexual matches. Here's how it works: Once a couple matches, the woman has 24 hours to message first. Then, the man has another 24 hours to message back. If one or both of these messages isn't sent, the match "expires," or disappears. (In cases with nonbinary people, they can message first).

SEE ALSO: Daters have a 'reality gap' about gender equality, Bumble says

Both Bumble and Tinder (which, by comparison, had 75 million monthly active users in 2020) utilize "hot or not"-esque swiping, but only Bumble has this restriction on who gets to message first — as well as more filters to choose from, like your astrological sign and whether you drink. The app's subscription, Premium, offers additional tools, like being able to undo a swipe and seeing who's already liked you.

But with so many dating app options out there, is Bumble Premium worth it? The app gave me a two-month trial to see. I found that Premium wasn't worth it for me due to its cost, but its features — like the ones above — could tip the scales for you.

What is Bumble Boost and Bumble Premium?

While not advertised as such, Boost is like a lower pay tier to Premium. Here are the price breakdowns for both according to in-app numbers:

Bumble Boost:

• 1 week at $8.99

• 1 month at $16.99

• 3 months at 33.99

• 6 months at $54.99

Bumble Premium:

• 1 week at $19.99

• 1 month at $39.99

• 3 months at $79.99

• Six months at $119.99

• Lifetime for $199.99

With Bumble Boost, users can reverse a left swipe with Backtrack and extend time on matches for another day. Boost members also receive unlimited swipes; one Spotlight per week (which puts your profile at the top of the swiping "stack"); and five SuperSwipes a week (lets another user know beforehand that you want to match).

Featured Video For You How Tinder and other dating apps use algorithms to find your match — Horny on Main

Premium members have all those features, plus unlimited Advanced Filters (whereas other users can only use two at a time); the ability to rematch with expired matches; Travel Mode (swipe anywhere you want to); the Beeline to see everyone who's already liked you; and Incognito Mode, which hides your profile and only appears for those you swiped right on. As of publication, Incognito Mode is only available on the Bumble app, not the browser version.

Bumble Premium is pricier than other dating app subscriptions. For comparison, a week's worth of Bumble Premium, $19.99, is worth a month of Tinder Platinum. Hinge, meanwhile, is in the middle at $29.99 per month.

Is Bumble Premium worth it?

This question depends on how much you like and use Bumble — and how much you plan on using its paid-only features.

As I mentioned in my Tinder Platinum review, the ability to reverse swipes (called Backtrack on Bumble) is a game-changer. Sometimes — especially if you're a longtime app user, like I was — you swipe with abandon and may end up saying "no" to someone too fast. Backtrack eliminates left-swipe regrets; it's probably the premium feature I used most often.

Premium also gives some leeway to the rigid 24-hour rule, which is one reason why Bumble wasn't my favorite app in the first place. Some days I was busy and just didn't open it, and I'm sure that's true for some of my matches as well. The ability to extend a match was pretty useful, but keep in mind you only get an additional 24 hours.

This question depends on how much you like and use Bumble — and how much you plan on using its paid-only features.

Another valuable feature was Incognito Mode. As I live in New York City, there's an abundance of users on the app, and many aren't my type. Going incognito allowed me to be seen by only my hopeful matches. I enjoyed this increase in privacy.

These three additions (Backtrack, time extension, and Incognito Mode) are the best of the bunch, in my opinion. If you see yourself taking advantage of them, Bumble Premium may be for you.

I was ambivalent, however, about some of the other features, including Advanced Filters. Here are some filters Bumble offers:

Advanced Filters on Bumble. Credit: Screenshot: Bumble

In some cases, filters make sense. If you only want to date someone who shares your faith, for example, a religion filter makes searching for a partner easier.

In other cases, though, I question whether filters are helpful — like Zodiac sign. Are you really not going to date someone because they're a Gemini? Even an astrologer told Vice filtering out people by sign is a bad idea.

Further, when using a filter you're also cycling out people who didn't fill out that certain trait. When I filtered by whether someone smokes, for instance, that eliminated everyone who didn't share their preference. That could leave out people who are similar to you, but didn't write-in their choice because they wanted to keep it private, or they just didn't think to put it on their profile.

I didn't use Travel Mode at all, but if you're a frequent flier, I'm sure it'll be helpful.

SEE ALSO: How Tinder and other dating apps use algorithms to find your match — Horny on Main

Finally, the Beeline piqued my interest as I could see who already liked me, but after a couple weeks of not finding many matches there, I stopped checking it.

Should I buy Bumble Premium?

If you're already an active Bumble user and enjoy the app's unique features — such as women and nonbinary folks messaging first — and it's within your means, then try Premium out. The cost is comparable to Tinder Platinum, so if you use Tinder more often you may want to check out its subscription first. It's $10 more a month than Hinge's subscription Hinge+, but $10 less a month than Hinge X.

Keep in mind that Bumble Boost is an option, and it does come with Backtrack and match extensions. Should you want Incognito Mode or other features exclusive to Premium, however, you're going to have to pay up.

Like Tinder Platinum, I didn't experience much of a difference in quality or quantity of matches with Bumble Premium. While match extension is a boon, there were still days when I didn't check my phone as much or simply wasn't active on the app, and as a result, matches disappeared. If you're not diligent, that'll happen even with Premium.

Opens in a new window Credit: Bumble Bumble Premium Learn More

Over the weekend, President Donald Trump fired the head of the U.S. Copyright Office, Register of Copyrights Shira Perlmutter, less than a day after the office rushed out a sure-to-be-controversial report on artificial intelligence.

The report found that AI companies training their models on copyrighted materials may not be protected by the fair use legal doctrine. The report's findings are advisory, but they could be influential in upcoming court cases on the subject. Not only that, but on Thursday, May 8, President Trump fired the Librarian of Congress, Dr. Carla Hayden, who oversaw the U.S. Copyright Office. In firing Dr. Hayden, The White House cited the Library's DEI initiatives.

However, the timing of the firings and the unusual circumstances surrounding the publication of the AI report has alarmed some copyright lawyers. Cornell H. Winston, the President of the American Association of Law Libraries, issued a statement to AALL members on Monday saying he was "deeply concerned" by the firings of Perlmutter and Dr. Hayden, though this letter did not mention the AI report specifically.

President Trump has pledged to take a business-friendly approach to artificial intelligence, and he issued two executive orders in April to promote the United States' leadership in the AI industry.

The Copyright Office's report is bad news for the AI industry

The U.S. Copyright Office has been working on a consequential three-part report about copyright law and artificial intelligence, with big implications for AI companies. At present, many legal aspects of artificial intelligence and copyright law are unsettled, with high-stakes court cases involving OpenAI and Meta currently working their way through the courts. 

The third and final report, "Copyright and Artificial Intelligence Part 3: Generative AI Training," dealt with precisely the type of fair use arguments at stake in some of these cases. Specifically, the report examines whether training AI models on copyrighted material such as books, movies, news articles, and images is a violation of copyright law, or whether it’s protected under the fair use doctrine. (Disclosure: Ziff Davis, Mashable’s parent company, filed a lawsuit in April against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.)

Rather than waiting to release a final version of the report and promoting its release, the office instead quietly released a “pre-publication version” of the report on Friday.

SEE ALSO: U.S. Copyright Office has registered 1,000+ works enhanced by AI

The preliminary version casts doubt on the viability of the fair use defense, potentially hobbling companies like Meta and OpenAI in the courtroom. Part 3 of the report also says that artists may suffer financial harm from AI-generated material that mimics the style of their work, as well as lost licensing opportunities if AI companies can train their models on copyrighted works without compensating the creators.

A concerning sequence of events The Librarian of Congress, Dr. Carla Hayden, over the library's DEI initiatives. Credit: Shannon Finney/Getty Images

On Thursday, the Librarian of Congress was fired; on Friday, the U.S. Copyright Office released a pre-publication Part 3 of its report; and on Saturday, the leader of the Copyright Office gets sacked.

When the report was unexpectedly published late Friday, copyright lawyer and Associate Professor of Law Blake E. Reid with the University of Colorado Law School posited on Bluesky if a purge of copyright staff might be imminent.

Reid wrote, "the 'Pre-Publication' status is very strange and conspicuously timed relative to the firing of the Librarian of Congress. I continue to wonder (speculatively!) if a purge at the Copyright Office is incoming and they felt the need to rush this out."

Hours later, the White House fired Perlmutter.

In a statement provided to Mashable, a spokesperson with the U.S. Copyright Office provided only this brief comment: “On Saturday afternoon, May 10, 2025, the White House sent an email to Shira Perlmutter saying your position as the Register of Copyrights and Director at the U.S. Copyright Office is terminated effective immediately.’”

The office provided “no further comment at this time” to our questions about the timing of the report’s release. We reached out to the White House for comment on the report's release and Perlmutter and Dr. Hayden's firings, and we'll update this article if we receive a reply.

Reid described the artificial intelligence report as a "straight-ticket loss for the AI companies" on Bluesky. And in a phone interview with Mashable, Reid said it was strange the report was published so soon after the high-profile firing of the Librarian of Congress.

"It’s hard for me to come up with a sequence of events there that doesn’t involve the administration trying to do something about AI," Reid said. "I still don’t think we know what that something is…but I just saw that as being the Occam’s Razor explanation, especially with the register being fired the next day."

"The AI companies were hoping for the Office to kind of come around and throw them some lifelines in the litigation they could use to support their position," Reid said. Instead, the report concluded, "there are definitely some things that are beyond the bounds of what we’ve recognized as fair use. You know, the sort of language and sort of specific theories they used to back it up did not strike me as helpful, and are probably pretty unhelpful, to the AI companies if the report were to get picked up by a court."

Not a big surprise that the US Copyright Office has come out with a report about generative AI training data claims casting doubt on the fair use defenses of commercial developers. Endorses new theory of market harm.

— Pamela Samuelson (@pamelasamuelson.bsky.social) May 10, 2025 at 9:22 AM

Though some copyright lawyers are concerned, suspicious timing doesn't necessarily prove the events are directly related. The pre-publication version of Part 3 of the report is available to read online at the U.S. Copyright Office website.

Huge news, The Office fans: Peacock's highly anticipated spin-off of the beloved workplace comedy officially has a name and release date. Get ready to obsess over The Paper, premiering this September.

SEE ALSO: 'The Office' spinoff: Everything you need to know

Created by The Office showrunner Greg Daniels and Michael Koman (Nathan for You), The Paper trades Scranton, Pennsylvania for Toledo, Ohio, where the same documentary crew who followed Dunder Mifflin's employees has set their sights on a new subject: a struggling local newspaper. Its publisher (Domhnall Gleeson, About Time), lacks the budget for full-time reporters, so he turns to untrained volunteers in a last-ditch effort to revive the paper.

During NBCUniversal's May 12 upfront presentation, Peacock released the first image from the series, pictured above.

The image shows Gleeson standing on a desk, attempting to rally the newsroom — which includes a familiar face to any lovers of The Office out there. That's right, The Paper will feature the return of a beloved character from The Office, and it's none other than Oscar Martinez (Oscar Nuñez).

Nuñez announced his return alongside co-stars Gleeson and Sabrina Impacciatore (The White Lotus) at the upfront presentation. He shared that after The Office, he told Daniels he could see Oscar moving to a bigger city.

“Greg heard me and moved Oscar to Toledo, Ohio, which has three times the population of Scranton, so it’s nice to be heard," Nuñez joked.

In addition to Gleeson, Nuñez, and Impacciatore, The Paper stars Chelsea Frei, Melvin Gregg, Gbemisola Ikumelo, Alex Edelman, Ramona Young and Tim Key.

TL;DR: Online safety for the whole family is easy with this lifetime AdGuard Family Plan, now just A$25 (reg. A$266) with code FAMPLAN through 1 June.

Opens in a new window Credit: AdGuard AdGuard Family Plan: Lifetime Subscription AU$25
AU$266 Save AU$241 with code FAMPLAN Get Deal

The internet isn’t just cluttered with ads; there are also trackers and other hidden threats. AdGuard keeps you safe online by blocking intrusive ads, stopping trackers, and safeguarding your privacy across all your devices.

Right now, you can grab lifetime protection for the whole crew with the AdGuard Family Plan. Cover up to nine devices for only A$25 (reg. A$266) with code FAMPLAN now through 1 June.

Enjoy a safer and smoother browsing experience

The internet should be fun, not frustrating. AdGuard tackles the most annoying parts of online life, like pop-ups, autoplay videos, and banner ads, so that you can enjoy your time browsing, streaming, and scrolling again.

Aside from blocking ads, AdGuard also protects your privacy. Your information will stay safe from trackers and activity analyzers, and you'll be shielded from malware and phishing websites that you or your family members could fall victim to. 

Moms and dads will love AdGuard's parental control feature, which keeps your kids safe from inappropriate content online.

This Family Plan lets you protect up to nine devices with AdGuard, so you can make sure everyone's devices stay safe. And it works with Android and iOS operating systems alike, so it can be used on tablets, smartphones, and laptops.

Secure your own AdGuard Family Plan for life for just A$25 with code FAMPLAN now through 1 June. 

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Big Tech, Wall Street, small businesses, and consumers threatened by Trump's tariffs can now breathe a sigh of relief…at least for the time being.

In the early morning hours on Monday, President Donald Trump's Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced that the U.S. and China had come to a temporary trade agreement while meeting in Geneva over the weekend.

Most notably, this temporary deal will see both countries slash their tariffs for a period of 90-days while negotiations continue.

According to the announced deal, the U.S. will lower Trump's reciprocal tariffs on goods coming in from China from 145 percent to 30 percent. China will also lower its tariff on U.S. exports to the country from 125 percent to 10 percent. Each side has basically knocked their tariffs down by 115 percent.

The stock market surged on Monday morning based on this news. Tech stocks were especially on the move after the temporary trade deal announcement. Tesla and Amazon rose by more than 7 percent in the early hours. Apple stock also saw a 6 percent rise, followed by Meta and Nvidia stock at 5 percent. Electronics retailer Best Buy saw its stock surge by 10 percent as well.

The original 145 percent reciprocal tariffs levied on China by Trump sent the stock market in a tailspin during a 4-day stretch in early April and created supply chain issues for tech companies looking to avoid paying the new reciprocal tariff for as long as possible – before inevitably passing on the additional costs to consumers.

Trump's 145 percent tariff looked to be especially devastating for businesses in the electronics and technology space as many of those products are manufactured in China. Just earlier this month, for example, the security camera company Wyze shared that it had just paid $255,000 in tariffs for a $167,000 purchase due to Trump's trade war with China.

While the 30 percent tariff is a huge drop from 145 percent, it should be noted that it's still higher than the flat 10 percent tariff from before Trump took office. And, of course, this is only a temporary, 90-day agreement between the U.S. and China. If negotiations fail going forward, businesses and consumers might be looking at more tariff woes in the months ahead.

SAVE UP TO 50%: Williams Sonoma's Spring Cookware Event ends today, May 12. Get up to 50% off Le Creuset, Staub, All-Clad & more, plus free shipping.

If you were looking for an excuse to peruse Williams Sonoma, I found it: today is the last day to shop the Williams Sonoma Spring Cookware Event.

Right now, you can get up to 50% off select cookware items, including Staub and the oh-so-coveted Le Creuset. If you've been eyeing a Dutch oven or hoping to perfect your baking skills with some new accessories, now's the time to invest. (You can also get up to 75% off select clearance items.)

Check out our favorite deals from the sale below.

Best deal overall Opens in a new window Credit: Le Creuset Le Creuset Signature Enameled Cast Iron Oval Dutch Oven (8-quart) $299.95 at Williams Sonoma
$475 Save $175.05 Get Deal Why we like it

It’s so hard to pick just one standout deal, but if we had to, it’d be the Le Creuset Signature Enameled Cast Iron Oval Dutch Oven (8-quart). Regularly, it’s $475, but right now you can get it for just $299.95 — that’s a savings of $175.05.

You can cook just about anything in a Dutch oven, from braised meats to homemade bread, and with an eight-quart capacity, this one is big enough to feed a crowd.

It’s available in multiple colors, including cerise, flame, sea salt, and shallot, so you can pick one that matches your kitchen aesthetic. It’s also dishwasher-safe, and can stand temperatures of up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit.

Here’s a shortlist of more deals you definitely shouldn’t miss:

• Get up to 20% off nonstick cookware

• Get up to 50% off Staub

• Get up to 40% off Le Creuset

• Get up to 40% off All-Clad

• Get up to 20% off Williams Sonoma

SAVE $60.01: The Jackery Explorer 100 Plus portable power station is on sale at Amazon for just $88.99, down from the list price of $149. That's a 40% discount and the lowest price we've ever seen at Amazon.

Opens in a new window Credit: Jackery Jackery Explorer 100 Plus portable power station $88.99 at Amazon
$149 Save $60.01 Get Deal

Summer travel kicks off in just a few weeks. While you're packing all your gadgets, consider how you'll keep them charged up while you're on the road. If you're not looking to play roulette with battery power this summer, there's a great deal in store at Amazon on a super portable power station.

As of May 12, the Jackery Explorer 100 Plus portable power station is on sale for just $88.99, marked down from the usual price of $149. That's a 40% discount, or a savings of $60.01. It also happens to be the lowest price we've ever spotted at Amazon.

Weighing just a bit over two pounds, the Jackery Explorer 100 Plus portable power station offers super versatile recharging abilities, and it fits in the palm of your hand. The mini portable power station includes a long-lasting LFP battery with a 99 Wh capacity and extra quiet operation. The weight and size of the Jackery Explorer 100 Plus makes it perfect for wandering. Take it along on a multi-day hike, keep it in the passenger seat during road trips, or use it to power up your mobile office.

SEE ALSO: Jackery's monster power station is over $500 off right now

You'll be able to charge up to three devices at the same time thanks to the two USB-C ports and one USB-A. The Jackery Explorer 100 Plus will let you recharge your iPhone 14 almost 8 times, AirPods Pro 66 times, or a MacBook Air 1.4 times. Recharging the Jackery portable power station with AC power takes just under two hours, but you'll get to 70% power in just one hour.

Be sure to never lose power while on the road by snagging the Jackery Explorer 100 Plus while it's on sale for just $88.99. Get super convenient portable power for the lowest price we've seen.

SAVE $520: As of May 12, the Asus ROG Zephyrus G16 Gaming Laptop (Intel Core Ultra 9, 16GB RAM, 1TB RAM, Nvidia RTX 4070 GPU) is currently on sale at Best Buy for $1,479.99, down from $1,999.99. Get it now and save $520, or 26%.

Opens in a new window Credit: Asus Asus ROG Zephyrus G16 Gaming Laptop (Intel Core Ultra 9, 16GB RAM, 1TB RAM, Nvidia RTX 4070 GPU) $1,479.99 at Best Buy
$1,999.99 Save $520 Get Deal

If you're looking for an absolute champion among gaming laptops, the G16 is your beast. This Asus is the upper tier sister model of one of our top gaming laptops, the G14.

As of May 12, the Asus ROG Zephyrus G16 Gaming Laptop (Intel Core Ultra 9, 16GB RAM, 1TB RAM, Nvidia RTX 4070 GPU) is currently on sale at Best Buy for $1,479.99, down from $1,999.99. Get it now and save $520, or 26%.

SEE ALSO: Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2024): The MacBook Pro of gaming laptops

All of the G16's components are heavy hitting. It's got an Nvidia RTX 4070 GPU that rides with its Intel Core Ultra 9 CPU. 16GB of RAM keeps it chugging along briskly.

The G16's OLED screen speeds along at a zippy 240Hz refresh rate. It has 2560 x 1600p resolution, providing exceptional detail. And 1TB SSD ensures that you've got all the space needed for a library of games, digital 3D renders, or a whole server.

Whether you're looking to savor a playthrough of Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered with graphics set to maximum, or blast your way through Fortnite with some real edge, the G16 is a true joyride of a gaming laptop.

The rumored all-screen iPhone could soon be a reality, but not that soon.

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, known for breaking tech product news, wrote in his newsletter that Apple is planning a "mostly glass, curved iPhone" as part of a larger "product blitz" in 2027.

The idea of a totally glass phone does sound cool and futuristic. And it could be a welcome change of pace to have an iPhone that doesn't look suspiciously like the previous model. The Verge pointed out that over the years, Apple has pursued patents in which glass forms a continuous loop around the phone. That would effectively remove the titanium edges that break up the already near-continuous glass structure of iPhones.

Recently, rumors of an all-screen iPhone have ramped up. A similar report surfaced this month from The Information, stating that the iPhone 20 would have an edge-to-edge display, with no dynamic island, notch, or cutout for a front-facing camera. This shift would mark a major change for Apple's flagship product, just as it hit its 20th anniversary.

SEE ALSO: The 20th anniversary iPhone model could have an 'all-screen' design

An all-screen display could be just one of many upcoming changes to the iPhone. We've also seen rumors of foldable and super-thin iPhones. All these reports suggest your iPhone could look totally different in the years to come.

Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University have unveiled something delightfully geeky: LegoGPT, an AI model that builds Lego structures straight from text prompts.

The study, published last Thursday, explains the mechanics in depth. Armed with a massive dataset of Lego builds constructed by the team with captions, the researchers trained a model similar to ChatGPT — but instead of guessing the next word, it predicts the next brick.

[1/2] We've released the code for LegoGPT. Our autoregressive model generates physically stable and buildable designs from text prompts by integrating physics laws and assembly constraints into LLM training and inference. Code: github.com/AvaLovelace1... Website: avalovelace1.github.io/LegoGPT/

[image or embed]

— Jun-Yan Zhu (@junyanz.bsky.social) May 9, 2025 at 10:06 PM

It’s not the first foray into autonomous Lego construction, but the researchers say LegoGPT stands out by generating step-by-step blueprints designed to keep your builds structurally sound. The team’s research, available on GitHub, details how the AI was trained on a dataset of more than 47,000 Lego structures, featuring 28,000 distinct 3D components.

According to the researchers, designs generated by LegoGPT were physically stable 98 percent of the time.

There’s a hefty dose of math and physics behind it all — more than I can personally vouch for — but according to the paper, LegoGPT sticks to the laws of physics, so the results aren’t especially wild. Most of the team’s sample builds were practical pieces: couches, chairs, tables, and similar home designs.

The tool is available for free on GitHub for anyone who wants to explore or experiment.

SAVE 25% OR MORE: Through May 26, Hotels.com is running a Summer Getaway Sale for members. Save 25% or more on select hotels and get 50% more rewards on all properties. Not a member? It's free to join.

Opens in a new window Credit: Hotels.com Hotels.com Summer Getaway Sale Save 25% or more on select hotels Shop Now

Before you book your next vacation, head over to Hotels.com to save some money.

Hotels.com is running a Summer Getaway Sale where members can save 25% or more on select hotels, plus get 50% more rewards on all properties. You'll have to book your trip by May 26 and travel by Sept. 30, and blackout periods may apply. Otherwise, the terms are pretty minimal. Deals are only available to Hotels.com and One Key members, but fortunately, it's easy and free to join.

Whether you're headed to the beach for a relaxing stay or exploring a new city, the Summer Getaway Sale includes hotel deals in tons of locations across the globe. Book a stay at the adults-only Live Aqua Punta Cana resort and save 32%, head to the Virgin Hotels Las Vegas by Hilton and save 36%, or enjoy the sights and sounds of Tokyo at the ICI Hotel Asakusabashi and save 55%.

Better yet, instead of earning $14 in OneKeyCash rewards for a weeklong stay, you'll earn over $21 during the sale. OneKeyCash is basically like cash back that can be redeemed on future purchases at Hotels.com, Expedia, and Vrbo. A dollar in OneKeyCash is equal to $1 to use on eligible hotels, car rentals, flights, and more.

Fill up your summer schedule with trips to your dream locations and spend at least 25% less during the Hotels.com sale. Just be sure to book before May 26.

LOWEST PRICES OF THE SEASON: Kohl's is offering its "lowest prices of the season" now through May 18. Plus, for every $50 you spend, you'll earn $10 in Kohl's Cash. Shop the deals now.

Kohl’s Lowest Prices of the Season Sale deals: Best robot vacuum deal iRobot Roomba Vac Essential Robot Vacuum (Q013420) $122.49 (save $122.50) Get Deal Best portable speaker deal JBL Flip 6 Portable Waterproof Speaker $99.99 (save $30) Get Deal Best tablet deal Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Pro Tablet (32GB) $84.99 (save $55) Get Deal

Kohl’s may not be the first place that comes to mind when you’re shopping for tech or even home goods, but sometimes, the retailer’s got some pretty decent sales going on.

Today, May 12, kicks off Kohl’s Lowest Prices of the Season Sale. During this event, you’ll find prices that Kohl’s says are their lowest since their current shopping season began back on April 7. You can shop these deals on home goods, apparel, shoes, accessories, and more through May 18.

SEE ALSO: All the best kitchen gadgets we’ve tested and loved

And, for every $50 you spend, you’ll get $10 in Kohl’s Cash to use later in the month. Plus, if you're a Kohl’s credit card member, you can earn up to 7.5% in rewards.

Here are the best deals we spotted during Kohl’s Lowest Prices of the Season Sale:

Best robot vacuum deal Opens in a new window Credit: iRobot iRobot Roomba Vac Essential Robot Vacuum (Q013420) $122.49 at Kohl's
$244.99 Save $122.50 Get Deal Why we like it

This roundup wouldn’t be complete without a robot vacuum, so let’s start with the iRobot Roomba Vac Essential Robot Vacuum (Q013420).

Right now, you can get this little vac for $122.49, down from $244.99. You’ll also get $20 Kohl’s cash and 5% rewards with your Kohl’s card. This is the cheapest you’ll be able to find this particular Roomba model right now. (We cross-checked prices at other retailers, including the iRobot site.)

The iRobot Roomba Vac Essential Robot Vacuum (Q013420) has a 120-minute runtime, three power levels, and spot cleaning to target messes. You’ll need a 2.4 GHz network for setup and operation, and it doesn’t come with a self-empty base, but still, this is a good option for anyone who wants to try out a robot vacuum without spending a ton of money.

Best portable speaker deal Opens in a new window Credit: JBL JBL Flip 6 Portable Waterproof Speaker $99.99 at Kohl's
$129.99 Save $30.00 Get Deal Why we like it

The JBL Flip 6 Portable Waterproof Speaker is $99.99 at Kohl’s right now. This isn’t a shockingly-low price; we found it’s the same price at Amazon and other retailers. The only difference is that when you buy it at Kohl’s, you’ll get the $20 Kohl’s cash bonus and 7.5% rewards with your Kohl’s card.

The JBL Flip 6 has a two-way speaker system, an IP67 waterproof rating, and 12 hours of battery life on a full charge. The racetrack-shaped driver, separate tweeter, and dual pumping bass radiators are designed to deliver great sound, no matter where you are. And, if you’d like to amp things up a bit, you can pair it with other JBL speakers using the PartyBoost feature.

Best tablet deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Pro Tablet (32GB) $84.99 at Kohl's
$139.99 Save $55.00 Get Deal Why we like it

The best tablet deal we could find is on the Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Pro Tablet (32GB). Yes, it’s a kid’s tablet, but it’s well-reviewed (my nephew has one, and he’s obsessed) and still worth considering, especially since it’s on sale for $84.99. You’ll also get $10 Kohl’s cash with this purchase and 7.5% rewards when you use your Kohl’s card.

The Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Pro Tablet comes with six months of Amazon Kids+, which gives kids access to thousands of ad-free games, books, videos, and more. (When the trial period is up, your subscription will auto-renew for $5.99 per month until you cancel it.) You’ll also get a two-year “worry-free guarantee” — if it breaks, return it, and Amazon will replace it for free.

It has an 8-inch HD display, 32GB of storage, and up to 13 hours of battery life, making it a solid choice for road trips and plane rides. The tablet also has easy-to-use parental controls, so you can filter content, set time limits, and more.

SAVE $100: As of May 12, you can grab the Dyson Supersonic for $329.99 on Dyson's website, giving you a 23% discount on the $429.99 hair dryer.

Opens in a new window Credit: Dyson Dyson Supersonic $329.99 at Dyson
$429.99 Save $100 Get Deal

As someone who has tested the Dyson Supersonic and its many dupes, there's one recommendation I consistently make to anyone interested in buying it: wait for a sale.

As of May 12, there's no need to wait. Dyson marked down the Supersonic to $329.99, shaving $100 off its full price. Whether it be Dyson, Amazon, Best Buy, or Sephora, this hair dryer doesn't really get price cuts that take it below the $100 off mark. What that means is that based on historical pricing, you're not likely to get a better deal by waiting for Memorial Day, Prime Day, or any other big savings event.

SEE ALSO: All the best Dyson beauty dupes we've tested

At $329.99, the Supersonic is still a pricey hair dryer, relatively speaking. While I do recommend at least looking at a few cheaper options before pulling the trigger, it is undeniably one of the best on the market. The design is relatively compact, but still provides incredibly powerful air speed that doesn't rely on ultra-high heats, getting your hair dry without completely sacrificing its health. The controls are intuitively placed on the back of the nozzle, so the chances that you'll accidentally switch your settings are minimal.

The five attachments also give you some styling flexibility (though I do think you'd be hard-pressed to find the person who gets regular use out of all five). Along with the attachments, you'll also receive a carrying case for storage.

Convoluted, jargon-laden hardware specifications (specs) can make laptop shopping difficult for those of us who aren't especially tech-savvy. But as Mashable's resident laptop expert, I know that being able to decipher them is essential to pinpointing PCs that fit your needs and identifying when deals are actually worthwhile. So, a basic working knowledge is valuable.

Below, I walk through common specs for today's Apple MacBook and Windows laptop components in plain language, and dole out some recommendations for different types of users. (For a deeper dive into specs for Chromebooks, which are cloud-based laptops that run on Google's ChromeOS, read our dedicated "Chromebooks versus laptops" guide.) Spoiler alert: The RAM in question is not a horned sheep, the chiclets are not edible, and the nits you'll encounter don't have the potential to hatch your scalp.

Processor Credit: Intel

The central processing unit (or CPU) is a chip inside a laptop's motherboard that's responsible for executing all tasks and commands. It's often referred to as the machine's brain or control center.

Modern MacBooks run on Apple's custom-made M-series chips. In Windows laptops, you'll find CPUs made by Intel, AMD, and Qualcomm (i.e., its Snapdragon line). Qualcomm processors are based on a different kind of Windows architecture than Intel and AMD chips, and as such, they don't work with some games and certain specialty apps.

SEE ALSO: The best laptops for 2025, tested by our experts

I don't typically recommend buying a laptop with a processor that's more than two generations removed unless your needs are basic, or if you care more about saving money than future-proofing. (Older laptops tend to be way cheaper and easier to find on sale than newer ones.) It's really easy to tell the age of a MacBook's CPU: The bigger the number in its M-something processor name, the newer and faster it is. Intel and AMD's naming schema is a bit more complex — the former has a CPU generation guide on its website — but put simply, they follow the same "higher model number equals newer/better" logic.

Shoppers can pick from three different Qualcomm chips in Windows laptops as of mid-2025: the Snapdragon X, Snapdragon X Plus, and Snapdragon X Elite. I've listed them in order from least to most powerful, but the low-end Snapdragon X chip is the company's latest release.

Graphics processor

The graphics processing unit (or GPU) is a specialized chip that's responsible for rendering the visuals on a laptop's screen.

There are two different species of GPUs out there. One is an integrated GPU, which is built into the laptop's CPU and shares its memory with it. They're cheaper than the alternative, but they're also not powerful enough for serious gaming or multimedia editing. Integrated GPUs have the same manufacturer as their CPU (Intel goes with Intel, Qualcomm with Qualcomm, etc.).

The other type of GPU you'll come across is a dedicated GPU, aka discrete GPU, which is a standalone graphics card that has its own memory. They offer more power for intensive tasks but consume a lot more of it: Laptops with dedicated GPUs (e.g., gaming laptops) tend to have lousy battery lives. They also cost a premium. Among dedicated GPUs, the biggest names are Nvidia's GeForce RTX series and AMD's Radeon RX series. GeForce RTX GPUs can be paired with CPUs from any manufacturer, but Radeon RX GPUs only come with AMD CPUs.

SEE ALSO: The best gaming laptops of 2025

In comparing dedicated GPUs between different laptops, I usually advise prospective buyers to go up to two generations back if they want a good deal or if they mainly play casual and indie games. If you're someone who keeps up with the latest Triple-A games (and you've got cash to burn), a current-gen GPU is worth the investment. When it comes to decoding GPU model numbers, higher numbers still indicate brawn and brand-newness.

Memory Credit: HUIZENG HU / Moment via Getty Images

A laptop's random-access memory (RAM) is where it temporarily stashes the data its CPU needs for any active applications. The more RAM a machine has, the more tasks its system can handle simultaneously.

Sixteen gigabytes of RAM has become the industry standard as of late, even among MacBooks, and that's going to be a great starting point for most people. You can bump that up to the next configuration tier (usually 32GB) or higher if you do a lot of demanding gaming or content creation. Those with basic workloads can get away with 8GB of memory — "basic" meaning sending emails, writing documents, watching YouTube, and maybe playing Minecraft — but don't go any lower than that.

As mentioned, dedicated GPUs have ready access to their own little stockpile of RAM called VRAM, or video random-access memory, for handling graphics data. The more visually intricate Triple-A games you play, the more VRAM you'll want.

Storage

A laptop's storage is the space where it keeps long-term data — your documents, downloads, photos, videos, and audio files.

You'll run into a few different types of storage at different pricing levels. SSD (Solid-State Drive) storage is used in mid-range and premium laptops, while UFS (Universal Flash Storage) and eMMC (embedded MultiMediaCard) flash storage are common in budget PCs. They go in that exact order from fastest to slowest data transfer speeds.

SEE ALSO: Chromebook vs. laptop: What are the differences?

Casual users can get by with 256GB of storage, the standard starting configuration for most laptops, but you'll want to upgrade to at least 512GB for a daily driver, especially if you do any sort of regular gaming or creative work. Keep in mind that the laptop's operating system takes up a chunk of its storage space, so you won't get to utilize the full advertised capacity.

Display Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

A laptop's display (or screen) is the panel on which it produces text and visuals. It's the focal point of the device's lid, the thin slab attached to its base (or chassis) with hinges. It also serves as your main way of interacting with the laptop's software, so it's crucial that it's relatively nice and apt for your needs. Consider the following display specs:

Screen size

Laptop screens range in size from 11 to 18 inches, and like TV screens, they're measured diagonally from corner to corner. Stick with the lower end of that range (11 to 13 inches) if you frequently work on the go and prioritize portability. Stay in the middle (14 to 15 inches) if you want a machine that has more power and screen real estate for multitasking, but is still relatively easy to tote around. Go for the upper end (16 to 18 inches) if you'll mainly be using your laptop for gaming or multimedia work, and you're OK with it staying parked in one spot most of the time.

Screen type

Delving into laptop display technologies gets convoluted and acronym-heavy fast, so I've done my best to compile a brief, no-nonsense rundown of the two-ish types you'll encounter most often. Touchscreens come in both varieties, for what it's worth.

LCD screens are the standard among low-end to mid-range laptops. They look fine and don't suck up a ton of power. There are two notable LCD subtypes, one being IPS displays, which have better, more realistic colors from wider viewing angles compared to regular LCD displays. The other is mini-LED displays, which are brighter and have better contrast. They're newer and pricier.

SEE ALSO: When to buy a laptop, whether you need the latest specs or a great deal

The other main type of laptop screen out there is the thin OLED display, which features rich colors with deep blacks and stark contrast. They can be decently energy-efficient if their picture isn't constantly super bright or white. (The main trade-off is a proclivity for burn-in.) They used to be reserved for high-end laptops, but nowadays they're available on models at a variety of price points.

Resolution

A laptop screen's resolution refers to its dimensions in pixels. (Pixels are teeny little light-emitting dots that make up the screen's picture.) The higher the resolution, the sharper the picture is going to be. Full HD (or 1920 x 1080 pixels) is a good baseline for general-purpose usage and even some gaming, but feel free to go up from there if there's some wiggle room in your budget, or if your workflow necessitates it. Gamers and creatives who like detailed visuals should look into QHD (2560 x 1440) or 4K UHD (3840 x 2160) options.

Resolution is directly tied to another minor display spec called aspect ratio, which is basically just a width to height comparison. A wider 16:9 aspect ratio has traditionally been the go-to, but 16:10 and 3:2 aspect ratios with more vertical space are getting more popular. They're considered better for general productivity versus entertainment.

Refresh rate

A laptop screen's refresh rate (measured in hertz) refers to the number of times it updates its picture per second. The higher the refresh rate, the smoother motion looks. General-purpose laptops typically have 60Hz displays, while fancier gaming laptops range from 120Hz to 240Hz so action-packed titles look clean. There are some gaming laptops out there that go all the way up to 480Hz, but that's way overkill.

Brightness

The brightness of a laptop's screen (that is, the amount of light it produces) is measured in nits. The more nits, the brighter the screen and the easier it is to see its picture in direct sunlight.

Laptop displays generally range from 250 nits on budget models to 600 nits on premium PCs, with some elite content creation laptops capable of cranking up to 1,000 nits and beyond. I wouldn't go any lower than 300 nits, but I also don't think it's necessary to buy the brightest screen possible: There's a good chance you'll hardly use it at its maximum setting because it'll strain your eyes. It'll also zap the laptop's battery life. (For reference, I can work all day with my 500-nit MacBook Pro set to about 75 percent brightness.)

Webcam Credit: Molly Flores / Mashable

A laptop's webcam is the front-facing camera built into its display. It's located in the top bezel (screen border), or in the case of MacBooks, in a small notch that juts down into the screen. Some webcams come with physical privacy shutters that you can slide open or closed with a finger.

Laptop webcams aren't as lousy as they used to be: While some gaming PCs still have 720p webcams, manufacturers have mostly (finally) moved on to 1080p as the standard resolution, and many newer models boast 5MP, 9MP, or 12MP options. That said, most of them are still pretty lousy compared to smartphones' front-facing cameras, no matter the resolution. If you care deeply about video call quality, I'd just resolve to buy an external webcam.

Keyboard Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

Laptops have "island-style" keyboards with low-profile, spaced-out keys. They're also frequently called "chiclet" keyboards (as in Chiclets, the square-shaped gum candies). Some include numeric keypads, or numpads, next to their QWERTY setups, but they feel rarer nowadays, with most keyboards opting for just the top row of numbers.

Most modern laptops have backlit keyboards; snazzy gaming laptops' keyboards sport colorful "RGB" backlighting. They also typically have fingerprint readers built into one of their keys for security purposes. Windows laptops from 2024 on have dedicated Copilot keys — Copilot being Microsoft's AI assistant.

Touchpad or trackpad

A laptop's touchpad or trackpad is the touch-sensitive rectangle below the keyboard that allows you to control its cursor without needing a separate mouse. It can be made of plastic (on cheap laptops) or glass (on nicer laptops).

Touchpads on MacBooks and Windows laptops support gestures — e.g., pinching your fingers on the surface to zoom. Some higher-end models have haptic touchpads that produce subtle vibrations when certain actions are performed.

Connectivity Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

Every laptop has a selection of ports on the side of its chassis — or in the case of some gaming laptops, the rear portion below its hinges — which let the user connect different accessories and peripherals. Think external monitors, keyboards, and wired headphones.

Common ports on today's laptops include USB-C ports, Thunderbolt 4 ports, 3.5mm audio jacks, and a charging port. Some models still tack on a USB-A port, but those are being phased out. (Such older ports are referred to as legacy ports.) Laptops geared toward multimedia editing come equipped with HDMI ports and SD/microSD card slots.

Battery life

A laptop's battery life is a measure of how long it lasts on a single full charge. This can vary greatly depending on the specs of its other components, their settings, and the tasks the machine runs throughout the battery cycle. Manufacturers typically list laptops' battery lives as potentials — "up to 18 hours," for example — and in my experience, they rarely hit their advertised maximum in practice.

Weight

Laptops keep getting thinner and lighter as time goes on, which is stellar if you value portability and sleekness. (Models under three pounds are deemed lightweight.) However, gamers and creative professionals shouldn't shy away from heavier options. In the laptop world, heft is associated with power.

Final thoughts: What's the best laptop for you?

If you live near a major tech retailer like Best Buy or Costco, consider paying them a visit to see some laptops in person. You'll be able to check out different brands' keyboards, touchpads, displays, webcams, and overall build quality — maybe not for the purpose of actually buying one of the models on display, but just to figure out your preferences for certain components so you can hone a pool of contenders.

Of course, you won't be able to get a real feel for a laptop's internal specs until you take it home and start using it. That's why we put myriad laptops through an exhaustive real-world testing process involving performance and battery life benchmarks (which we combine with design and value judgements to produce final ratings). We want to give our readers the knowledge to make smarter buying decisions from the jump.

For the latest takeaways from our testing, check out Mashable's guides to the best laptops we've tried, including breakouts for the best MacBooks, Windows laptops, gaming laptops, and cheap laptops. At the time of writing, we think the 15-inch Apple MacBook Air (M4) is the best MacBook for most people. Among Windows laptops, the 13.8-inch Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 is our top pick. And for gamers, the Alienware m16 R2 is the best option we've tested to date.

Apple MacBook Air, 15-inch (M4, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD) $1,049 at Amazon
$1,199 Save $150 Shop Now Microsoft Surface Laptop 7, 13.8-inch (Snapdragon X Elite, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $1,199.99 at Amazon
$1,399.99 Save $200 Shop Now Alienware m16 R2 (Intel Core Ultra 7 155H, Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) $1,549.99 at Best Buy
$1,899.99 Save $350 Shop Now

SAVE UP TO 51%: As of May 12, save up to 51% on Beats earbuds and headphones. Get the Beats Studio Pros for $169.95 — that's 51% off for $180.04 in savings.

Best Beats Deals Best Beats deal Beats Studio Pro $169.95 (Save $180.04) Get Deal Best budget headphones Beats Solo 4 $99.95 (Save $100) Get Deal Best earbud deals Beats Studio Buds+ $99.95 (Save $70) Get Deal Best workout earbud deal Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 $199.95 (Save $50) Get Deal

We're used to seeing discounts across entire brands during big shopping events like Prime Day or Black Friday, but sometimes, on a random Monday in May, a brand will surprise you with a bunch of savings. As of May 12, that brand is Beats, and through Amazon you can score a pair of headphones or earbuds for up to 51% off.

Right now, you can find huge discounts on Beats earbuds and headphones — and this is a deal for Android and iPhone fans alike to enjoy. For iPhone users, you'll enjoy the same easy connectivity as AirPods with Beats, but unlike AirPods, Beats are also compatible with Android devices.

Here are all the best Beats deals we found at Amazon this week.

Best Beats deal overall Opens in a new window Credit: Beats Beats Studio Pro $169.95 at Amazon
$349.99 Save $180.04 Get Deal Why we like it

Beats Studio Pro headphones are the elite model from the brand. They're wireless and feature active noise cancellation and lossless audio. With up to 40 hours of battery life, you can work all week before needing a charge. We happen to know from experience that these headphones work great for taking phone calls on the go, dulling background noise so the person on the line can hear you clearly. Plus, every color is on sale right now, including the trendy shades from the Beats and Kim Kardashian collab.

You can take over half off the Beats Studio Pro headphones at Amazon. The headphones are down to $169.95, saving you $180.04. But don't fear: if the Beats Studio Pros aren't your speed, you can explore all the current savings on Beats now.

More Beats deals

• Beats Solo 4 — $99.95 $199.95 (save $100)

• Beats Studio Buds+ — $99.95 $169.95 (save $70)

• Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 — $199.95 $249.95 (save $50)

SAVE $10: From May 12 to June 8, Amazon Prime members using the Grubhub+ account included with their Prime membership can score $10 off any order of $20 or more with the code GOLD10.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Prime Grubhub+ deal Save $10 off an order of $20 or more with code GOLD10 Get Deal

We are officially entering the season where some nights, it's simply too hot to turn on the stove. Luckily, for the next month, folks with an Amazon Prime account have a backup plan.

From May 12 to June 8, Prime members who have an active Grubhub+ subscription can save $10 off one order of $20 or more with the code GOLD10. The deal comes as a part of the Gold Days of Grubhub+ sale, which also brings savings from select restaurants and stores, every week through June 8.

SEE ALSO: Summer TV preview: All the TV shows you need to know, and where to stream them

All you need to grab this deal is an active Grubhub+ membership through Amazon, so as long as you're a current member, or activate it between now and June 8, you will be able to use the coupon code. If you have a Prime membership but haven't yet signed up for a Grubhub+ membership, you can activate your account through Amazon for free. As of last year, as long as you have your Prime membership, you have a Grubhub+ membership, granting you $0 delivery fees, lower service fees, and exclusive discounts (like this one).

If you haven't yet signed up for an Amazon Prime membership, you can either sign up with a 30-day free trial as a new member, or re-up your subscription for $14.99 per month or $139 per year as a returning subscriber.

Buying a new TV is intimidating. Look for one online and you’ll get bombarded with acronyms and numbers. Visit a store and you’ll come face-to-face with a wall of images that are more confusing than helpful. But we all know that once it’s in our living rooms, we’ll spend thousands of hours relying on that screen to transport us to The White Lotus, make sure we’re caught up on Oscar-worthy films, show us all the NFL action, and even serve as a hub for learning basically anything via YouTube. 

Since we spend so much time with our TVs, it’s worth doing a bit of research to make sure you’re buying the right TV for your preferences, including budget, made by a trustworthy brand. But instead of opening 57 browser tabs to Google all of the TV jargon, we’ve checked in with home entertainment expert Will Greenwald, a Lead Analyst at PCMag, which Mashable's publisher, Ziff Davis, also owns.

SEE ALSO: The best time to buy a TV: A guide to the times of year that you'll find the best TV deals

Following Greenwald’s expertise (he and the PCMag team use high-end equipment to test each TV) and Mashable’s experience, we’ve narrowed down the best TV brands to a list that’s easy to digest. Below, we’ll explain which TV brands excel where and mention a few top picks from each brand to help narrow down your endless options.

Best OLED brand: LG

LG makes some of the best OLED TVs on the market today. They offer superior image contrast and close to perfect black levels, and they tend to be great when viewed from an off-angle. The LG lineup of sizes and prices is also noteworthy, allowing shoppers to spend less than $1,000.

Best LG OLED TV LG Evo G5 OLED 4K TV (65-inch) $3,396.99 at Amazon
Shop Now Why we like it

Without wasting any time, Greenwald wrote to Mashable, “The LG Evo G5 is the best OLED TV I've seen yet,” which is truly impressive since he’s tested more than 170 TVs with highly specialized equipment. “If you can afford it, the stunning LG Evo G5 is simply one of the most gorgeous TVs you can buy,” Greenwald explained in his review.

The LG Evo G5 knocks it out of the park in terms of brightness, with super accurate colors. The “G” is LG’s Gallery series, which comes with a slim design meant to be hung on the wall, sitting nearly flush. The modern edge-to-edge screen comes with hardly any bezel.

In terms of gaming, the LG Evo G5 has a 144Hz refresh rate that can reach up to 165Hz with variable refresh rate (VRR). Greenwald’s testing shows input lag of 4.8 milliseconds, which is well below the 10-millisecond threshold considered to be acceptable for gaming. In simpler terms, that’s less than one frame of latency per second.

Size options

The LG Evo G5 comes in 55, 65, 77, 83, and 97 inches. 

Another pick worth considering LG C4 OLED 4K TV (65-inch) $1,496.99 at Walmart
$2,699 Save $1,202.01 Shop Now Why we like it

If you’re looking for an LG TV that’s less expensive than the Evo G5, the C4 is a standout model. Mashable’s sister publication, CNET (also published by Ziff Davis), considers the LG C4, which debuted in 2024, to be an excellent OLED TV. This model is brighter than its C3 predecessor and comes with a 144Hz refresh rate. CNET’s review said, “The LG C4 combines superb picture quality with a price that's not incredibly unreasonable, making it a top dog among its competitors.”

The size range here leans smaller, with the option of 42- and 48-inch versions, which are smaller than the LG Evo G5 goes (the smallest G5 is 55 inches). Of course, smaller means a more affordable price, and the 42- and 48-inch LG C4 come in at under $1,000.

Size options

The LG C4 comes in 42, 48, 55, 65, 77, and 83 inches.

The best TV deals to shop this week

• Roku Ultra 4K Ultimate Streaming Player (2024 Release) — $79.99 (List Price $99.99)

• Amazon Fire TV 4-Series (43 inches, 2024) — $269.99 (List Price $329.99)

• 55-inch Sony Bravia 3 4K LED Smart Google TV (2024 Model) — $578.00 (List Price $699.99)

• LG 65-inch Class UR9000 Series 4K Smart TV — $496.99 (List Price $629.99)

• Hisense 85-Inch Class U8 Series Mini-LED ULED 4K UHD Google Smart TV — $1,697.96 (List Price $1999.96)

Best budget brands: Hisense and TCL

You don’t need to spend several thousand dollars to get a great TV. Budget-friendly options come with plenty of features packed into a high-quality screen, and many options cost less than $1,000. In terms of brands, Greenwald says Hisense and TCL lead the way as the best options that offer affordable prices without skimping on quality. Here are a few picks Greenwald recommends after extensive testing.

Best Hisense Hisense U8N QLED 4K TV (65-inch) $947.99 at Amazon
$1,499.99 Save $552 Shop Now Why we like it

The 4K QLED Hisense U8N comes with features and a display that feels like it should cost much more. “Hisense once again hits it out of the park with a premium TV that rivals much more expensive competitors,” mentioned Greenwald in his PCMag review, while listing it as a “fantastic value.”

In Greenwald’s testing, the U8N was shockingly impressive, hitting 920 nits in HDR Theater mode and then achieving 2,755 nits when testing with an 18 percent white field. For comparison, the Samsung QN90D (which costs more than double the U8N’s price) only gets to 1,253 nits with an 18 percent white field. Greenwald also mentioned that off-angle viewing of the U8N is pretty perfect with no desaturation.

Best TCL TCL QM8 4N QLED TV (65-inch) $897.96 at Amazon
Shop Now Why we like it

On Mashable’s list of the best 65+ inch TVs, the TCL QM8 earns the top spot. Finding the balance between affordable price and great image quality, we consider the TCL QM8 to be an excellent option for most people. Greenwald’s testing showed incredible brightness levels thanks to the 4K QLED with HDR content in Dolby Vision. Greenwald also mentioned “very good color performance, and loads of useful features,” which add to the attractively affordable price. “It beats rival Hisense models in peak brightness, so it's the TV to get if you simply want the highest light output.”

Gaming stats are also impressive, with a 120Hz native refresh rate that can reach up to 144Hz with VRR support from AMD FreeSync Premium Pro. Input lag is also impressive, measuring just 6.4 milliseconds in Game Mode, according to Greenwald’s testing, which makes it slightly quicker than the Hisense U8N. 

The TCL QM8's size options are also impressive, ranging from 65 to a massive 115 inches.

Size options

The TCL QM8 comes in 65, 75, 85, 98, and 115 inches.

Best brand for unique features: Samsung

Samsung earns the top spot as the best TV manufacturer with unique feature offerings. The brand has several impressive models that wow in terms of performance, plus it's one of the only manufacturers to release 8K TVs (but you don’t need one). Samsung’s The Frame lineup is also noteworthy. 

Best Samsung for displaying art Samsung The Frame QLED 4K TV (65-inch) $1,297.99 at Amazon
$1,997.99 Save $700 Shop Now Samsung The Frame Pro QLED 4K TV (65-inch) $2,197.99 at Amazon
Shop Now Why we like it

Without a doubt, Samsung’s family of The Frame models is what you want if you like the idea of your TV also serving as a digital picture frame. When you’re not watching TV, The Frame can go into Art Mode, giving you access to the library of graphics or giving you the option to display your own photos. Customizing The Frame’s functions is also possible, so the TV (including Art Mode) can power off when it detects no one is in the room. Greenwald also mentions that many libraries and museums offer free high-resolution images of paintings that you can add to The Frame’s library to display in your home.

The overall look of The Frame is meant to be similar to a hanging piece of art, sitting nearly flush with the wall, and the matte finish cuts down on glare while also adding to the overall art aesthetic. Greenwald explained in his review, “You can even set the ambient art mode to display a matte frame around the picture to further improve the illusion. With the backlight set to a moderate level, the effect is striking and stealthy enough that guests could mistake what appears on screen for a framed painting at first glance.” Thanks to these features, he’s ranked it as his top pick for a digital picture frame. 

Sadly, Greenwald doesn’t feel that The Frame’s performance as a TV justifies the price. He noted, “For watching videos, the TV's performance is more in line with very good budget models.”

The Frame Pro is an updated version of the original offering, and the nearly wireless design is a cool upgrade. It still needs a power cord, but everything else, like HDMI ports, is stored in a Wireless One Connect Box. Samsung also upgraded to a Neo QLED 4K display with The Frame Pro. But again, Greenwald thinks more affordable options, specifically the Hisense U8N, offer a better value unless you find the Art Mode features worth the cost.

Size options

Samsung The Frame comes in 43, 50, 55, 65, 75, and 85 inches.

Samsung The Frame Pro comes in 65, 75, and 85 inches.

Best Samsung OLED Samsung S95D OLED 4K TV (65 inch) $2,297.99 at Amazon
$2,797.99 Save $500 Shop Now Why we like it

The Samsung S95D is a great option, performing well in terms of contrast, variety of features, and gaming specs. Greenwald said it has “fantastic contrast and color that OLED TVs typically offer, along with light output that rivals many high-end LED models.” The S95D earned a PCMag Editors’ Choice award thanks to its specs, including almost undetectable input lag. But the real appeal of the Samsung S95D is the picture quality with perfect black levels and detailed shadows, as seen by Greenwald’s testing results.

The included Eco Remote has solar recharging capabilities, which feels like a modern and thoughtful touch on Samsung’s part. Plus, it comes with Samsung’s One Connect Box, which is always welcomed since it moves all connection ports to an external component, allowing for a slimmer design.

Size options

The Samsung S95D comes in 55, 65, and 77 inches.

A Samsung OLED to keep an eye on Samsung S95F OLED 4K TV (65 inch) $3,297.99 at Amazon
Shop Now Why we like it

The 4K OLED Samsung S95F impressed Greenwald when he tested a pre-production version, being the brand’s brightest OLED yet, dethroning its predecessor, the Samsung S95D. The built-in speakers on almost all TVs aren’t worth using (you should probably upgrade to a soundbar), but Greenwald was actually impressed with the advanced speaker system on the Samsung S95F. The 120Hz refresh rate, AMD FreeSync Premium Pro, and acceptable input lag also make the S95F a nice gaming TV option.

Size options

The Samsung S95F comes in 55, 65, and 77 inches.

SAVE $200: As of May 12, the Microsoft Surface 7 (Snapdragon X Plus, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD) is on sale at Best Buy for $799.99, down from $999.99. Take advantage of this deal to save $200, or 20%.

Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft Microsoft Surface 7 (Snapdragon X Plus, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD) $799.99 at Best Buy
$999.99 Save $200 Get Deal

If you've been tracking Microsoft Surface laptops, you may have noticed that the base model is harder to come by. Microsoft might not be carrying the base model of its newest generation of Surfaces on its website anymore, but you can still find them.

Right now, Best Buy is running a sale on the newest Microsoft Surface 7 base laptop, making the already sub-$1000 laptop even cheaper. Get the Microsoft Surface 7 (Snapdragon X Plus, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD) for $799.99, down from $999.99, and save $200. That's 20% off.

SEE ALSO: Microsoft reveals 2 compact Surface devices starting well under $1,000

We loved the new Microsoft Surface 7 line. With interesting AI features packed throughout, it makes versatility its business. It also packs an all-day battery that will appeal to the productivity-minded.

The base model of the Surface comes with 16GB of RAM, outfitting its 10 core, Snapdragon X Plus processor. The processor features an integrated GPU. While it won't trounce computers with dedicated GPUs, it should handle basic games without trouble.

A gorgeous, 2304 x 1536 resolution screen ensures art displays in rich detail, and speedily too, with a refresh rate of 120Hz. If you're looking for a capable laptop, this is a solid pick for the price.