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The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 (2025) is back for another year, and it’s about time I got to play with one.
One of my favorite laptops of last year has been updated for 2025, and these are my initial thoughts.
Alotof laptops have graced my desk in the last few years, and most quietly fade into obscurity as I move on to newer and more interesting machines. There have been a few machines that carved out a place in my brain, though, and the successor to one such laptop is finally here.
WhenI reviewed the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 (2024), I boldly proclaimed it the “best 14-inchgaming laptopever,” and I stood by that.ASUShas now updated the Zephyrus G14 for 2025 with newAMDandNVIDIAhardware, and made an interesting decision along the way.
I’ve been waiting for months, and Ifinallyhave the brand-new ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 (2025) on my desk — but can it hold on to its crown? After all,I recently reviewed the redesigned Razer Blade 14 (2025), and I praised that laptop on almost every front.
Ahead of my full, in-depth review, here are my initial thoughts on the brand-new Zephyrus G14, one of my most anticipated laptops of the year.
The new Zephyrus G14 shares a lot with its predecessor, but now comes in two colors.
ASUS redesigned the Zephyrus G14 in 2024, and as I noted in my original review, the company prioritized a better balance between performance and portability. I wholeheartedly agreed with that decision.
In 2025, ASUS is unsurprisingly keeping to the same design, which I loved last year and still love 12 months later. However, ASUS has taken a unique two-pronged approach to the Zephyrus G14 this year.
There are actually two versions of the new Zephyrus G14, depending on what’s important to you.
ASUS updated the Zephyrus G14 with the latestAMD Ryzen AIandNVIDIA GeForceRTX 50-series hardware, which improves performance, efficiency, andAIsmarts in one fell swoop. In fact, the new Zephyrus G14 is a full-blownCopilot+ PCand benefits from all the latest and greatestAI PCfeatures.
That’s just for the higher-end configurations, though, which come with their own trade-off. There’s a second version of the Zephyrus G14, too, which rocks the same overall design, features, and 2.8K/120Hz OLED display… but it’s not quite the same laptop.
ASUS didn’t need to overhaul this design, and I’m glad it didn’t.
However, the new Zephyrus G14 is noticeably thicker… At least with most configurations.
You can see the new thermal hood design, which uses thicker fans for superior cooling versus last year.
If you want the true “2025” upgrade for the Zephyrus G14, you also have to accept a thicker laptop. ASUS adopted a similar thermal hood design asRazerwith the new Blade 14/16 laptops, but went the opposite direction — instead of making the Zephyrus G14 thinner, ASUS added support for more powerful (and therefore hotter) discrete GPUs.
Last year’s Zephyrus G14 was around 16mm in thickness, and the new 2025 model is around 2mm thicker in some places — but it can handle up to anNVIDIA GeForceRTX 5080 (which is a little crazy for a 14-inch laptop).
If you want the exact design as last year, you can still do that! The entry-level Zephyrus G14 isnota Copilot+ PC, though, relying on the uncommonAMDRyzen 9 270 and up to a GeForce RTX 5070 GPU. It’s absolutely less powerful and a little less future-proofed, but some will prefer the sleeker design.
It’s a unique approach, but now there’s a Zephyrus G14 for both sides.
A large box with a smaller box inside… This is pretty much identical to last year.(
The lack of plastic and annoyingly “artistic” packaging designs makes the Zephyrus G14 nice to open, though.
I love that you can get the Zephyrus G14 in the “Eclipse Grey” that was exclusive to the G16 last year.
It’s still a really good looking laptop, but I did immediately notice the added bulk.
Unboxing the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 (2025) is a nearly identical experience to last year, in that you’ll be greeted with your typical, large ROG box with a much smaller box inside of it (and a third box just for the proprietary 200W charger).
There’s still a distinct lack of plastic and few weird obstructions to getting to the laptop, though, so I’ve no complaints. I will note, however, that I immediately questioned if ASUS had made the Zephyrus G14 thicker — even after not handling last year’s version for around six months.
My instincts were correct, as the new Zephyrus G14 is noticeably chunkier to help cool the more intense GPU options. Whether ASUS made the right decision here will have to wait until my full review.
How does the Zephyrus G14 compare to the Razer Blade 14?
I can’t hold on to the Razer Blade 14, but I still got some comparisons.
Razer caught up with ASUS in thinness with the new Blade 14… just for ASUS to voluntarily add on a couple milimeters.
Both laptops still basically rock the same ports, just laid out slightly differently.
You can see the similarities between ASUS’ and Razer’s thermal solutions — but ASUS went big where Razer went slim.
WhenI discussed whether the average person should consider buying the ultra-premium Razer Blade 14 (2025), one of my most prominent counterpoints was the existence of the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14.
After all, the Zephyrus G14 is a direct competitor for the Blade 14, but consistently undercuts Razer’s offering in pricing while only (at first glance) compromising on sheer build quality.
The ROG Zephyrus G14 still has the edge in pricing over the Blade 14, but I’ll need more time to decide if ASUS’ approach is superior.
Now that I’ve had some time with both 2025 iterations, how does the latest ROG Zephyrus G14 compare to the redesigned Blade 14? It’s mostly the same story, but with an interesting twist.
Razer caught up with ASUS in terms of slimness and weight with its latest Blade 14, and it’s an impressive (but much more expensive) laptop. On the other hand, ASUS made a thicker (but still lighter) laptop that now offers a higher performance ceiling.
I’ll admit that Razer’s build quality is still superior, but whether you prefer portability or power, the Zephyrus G14 still has the edge in pricing. I’ll need to spend a lot more time with the latest Zephyrus G14 to ascertain if it’s still a viable, more affordable alternative to Razer’s 14-inch flagship, though.
Should I buy the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 (2025)?
I already have a great feeling about the new Zephyrus G14.
On one hand, most of what I loved about 2024’s ROG Zephyrus G14 has carried over into this year’s version. On the other hand, you can interpret the lack of change as stagnation, and pair that with the uncertainty surrounding the shift in design principles.
After a few hours with the brand-new Zephyrus G14, I’m feeling very positive overall, but I also feel that slight apprehension around ASUS attempting to shove GPUs typically exclusive to 16/18-inch laptops into a 14-inch chassis. The new Zephyrus G14 is thicker and heavier, and whether that actually translates to better performance is a question dependent on my continued testing.
A full, in-depth review of the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 (2025) will be coming in the next few weeks, but in the meantime, I have been loving what I’ve experienced so far. If you don’t mind the loss of AI features and would rather stick to what worked so well last year,the entry-level ROG Zephyrus G14 (2025) is available for$1,799.99 at Best Buy.
I’m willing to take the bet on the thicker, smarter, and more powerful Zephyrus G14, though,with my review configuration running for$2,499.99 at Best Buyor$2,499.99 at ASUS. If you’re unsure, just wait for my complete thoughts in the coming weeks.
The Galaxy Z Flip 7 arguably gets its biggest upgrades in years, with the changes making this flip-style phone even more versatile. Highlights include robust cameras features, helpful multimodal AI functionality, and support for Samsung DeX.
Pros
+Bigger Flex Window display
+Now supports Samsung DeX
+Price remains the same
+Multimodal AI thanks to Flex Mode
Cons
-Cameras are essentially unchanged
For years I’ve always tried to convince myself to pick Samsung’s Z Flip phones as one of my daily drivers, but they’ve always come up short. This time, however, that could change thanks to the huge upgrades that theGalaxy Z Flip 7is getting.
Samsung’s foldable flip phone receives a big makeover complete with larger inner and outer screens, more Galaxy AI features, bigger battery, and — for the first time ever in the series —Samsung DeXsupport. Everyone knows this is theone request I’ve been asking, so it took seven generations of the Flip for Samsung to finally add it.
What’s better is that the Galaxy Z Flip 7 remains at the same $1,099 starting price as last year’sGalaxy Z Flip 6, while also undercutting the $1,299Motorola Razr Ultra (2025), currently thebest foldable phoneyou can buy.
But Samsung’s not just introducing just one flip-style phone. The Galaxy Z Flip 7 is joined by the cheaperGalaxy Z Flip 7 FE.
I honestly think that the Z Flip 7 is as close to perfect when it comes to flip-style phones. I’ve spent some hands-on time with Sammy’s new flip phones, and there’s a lot that could get you excited for this year’s batch.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 hands-on review: Price and availability
Unlike the Galaxy Z Fold 7, which sees a U.S. price hike, I’m really happy Samsung’s keeping the price of the Z Flip 7 at $1,099. At this price, I would argue that Samsung’s phone has a clear advantage over the pricier Razr Ultra (2025) — just as long as the new phone’s processing and battery performances don’t disappoint. The $1,099 price comes with 256GB of storage and it’s available in four colors (Blue Shadow, Coralred, Jetblack, and Mint).
Meanwhile, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE has a lower $899 starting price, but it comes with 128GB of storage and your choice of either white or black. I’m not sure how I feel about this, especially given how the cheaper FE has a lot of similarities with last year’s Z Flip 6. Plus, it’s nowhere as competitively priced as theMotorola Razr (2025)at $699.
I was hoping for more of a price gap between the Z Flip 7 and Z Flip 7 FE because $200 just isn’t enough. Regardless, both phones are available for pre-order starting today (July 9) — with full availability starting on July 25.
Almost instantly I’m drawn to the larger 4.1-inch Flex Window on the outside of the Z Flip 7. It’s bigger for sure than the Z Flip 6’s 3.4-inch panel, but I like how the screen goes all the way to the edges this time around and wraps around the cameras — plus it helps that there’s an ever so tiny bezel around it. This size increase definitely makes it much more usable than before, which I’ll explain more when talking about the phone’s software.
Although it’s not as noticeable, the Z Flip 7 technically grows in size and is a smidge wider than the Z Flip 6. Another minuscule difference is how the corners are less rounded than before, but apart from these changes, the new model looks just like last year’s Flip.
Samsung says that its new Amor FlexHinge is much more durable, but it’s hard to say for sure if that’s true. Yes, I find its snapping action much more responsive than the hinge on the Z Flip 7 FE, but the crease where the main display folds in half is still noticeable.
One area where Samsung is doing a better job than anyone else is supplying the Z Flip 7 with a wealth of accessories, including newFlipSuit casesthat not only protect the phone, but also add custom wallpapers when they’re installed. Most of them are static wallpapers, but there’s one that I saw that’s dynamic and made it feel like I was playing a pinball machine with the Flex Window.
As for the Z Flip 7 FE’s design, it looks and feels a lot like the Z Flip 6 — down to the notch design with its Flex Window. It feels solidly constructed, but the hinge seems to be stiffer than what I’d like. On top of that, you only have black and white colors to choose from.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 hands-on review: Display
Just as before, the 4.1-inch Flex Window on the Galaxy Z Flip 7 can be customized to include a bunch of different widgets. However, it’s still annoying that this panel doesn’t run full apps natively like the cover display on the Razr line. This means you’ll still have to download the Good Lock app. It’s one inconvenience that’s worth pursuing because many apps in Android 16 are customized to fit better on different screens.
The Z Flip 7’s 6.9-inch inner display looks just as gorgeous as ever, complete with wide viewing angles, punch looking colors, and plenty of detail. At just the right angle, however, I can still make out the crease running through the phone, which isn’t terrible especially compared to notebook style foldables.
Due to the Z Flip 7’s narrower design than your standard slate, it does cause videos to have black bars to the left and right in landscape — which can expand to fill out the entire screen with a pinch gesture. So far, I have no complaints about the display, but I’m hoping it turns out to be brighter.
The Z Flip 7 FE essentially has the same display as the Z Flip 6, right down to the sizes. As noted above, the Flex Window still has the same notch cutout as before, but it still gets the same level of utility that lets me take selfies using the rear cameras. The 6.7-inch main display looks just as good as the one on the Z Flip 7, complete with the same saturated color tones and viewing angles.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 hands-on review: Cameras
On paper, it doesn’t look like Samsung has upgraded the cameras — so it appears to be the same 50MP main and 12MP ultrawide combination. Even if the sensors are unchanged, I’m optimistic that the performance will be improved thanks to Samsung’s updated ProVisual Engine and support for 10-bit HDR video. Likewise, Samsung claims optical-like quality with 2x zoom with the main camera.
The Z Flip 7 could be the ultimate camera phone for content creators thanks in large part to how I can lean on the Flex Window to shoot videos of myself with the superior rear cameras instead of the 10MP selfie cam on the main display. Camera enthusiasts will love the rich modes and manual controls this camera phone offers, including portrait video and pro video, that make it a lot more versatile when I can activate a preview with the Flex Window while using the main screen.
Among the new camera tricks included this year is Auto Zoom with the Flex Cam, which lets the camera automatically pick the best cameras to ensure everyone in the shot is in frame. I tested it out by placing the phone on a table with the Flex Cam pointing upward while I moved around. Not only did Auto Zoom track me, but it also will switch between the main and ultrawide cameras to fit everyone.
Curiously, the Z Flip 7 FE packs a similar 50MP main and 12MP ultrawide, along with a 10MP selfie camera. Functionally, it has the same useful features as the Z Flip 7, but obviously you’re working with a smaller outer screen — which isn’t a deal breaker.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 hands-on review: Performance
Ever since the first model, Samsung has leaned onQualcomm’s chips to power its Z Flip line. That changes this year because for the first time ever in the series, Samsung’s using its in-house Exynos chips instead. That means anExynos 2500and 2400 for the Z Flip 7 and Z Flip 7 FE, respectively.
I’m not sure how this could impact performance one either phone, but it’s something to pay attention to given the class-leading performance of the Snapdragon 8 Elite that won’t feature in the latest Flips. So far, though, the Flip 7 feels snappy running different tasks — but that could change once I actually use it.
I have the same sentiments about theExynos 2400 that’s powering the FE, which is actually made using a 4nm process instead of the 3nm one with the Exynos 2500.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 hands-on review: Battery life and charging
With its larger size, the Z Flip 7 gets a larger 4,300 mAh battery — up from the Z Flip 6’s 4,000 mAh power pack. Now, what’s going to be critical will be the power efficiency features offered by the Exynos 2500.
I’m confident that the larger capacity alone is enough to propel the new model’s battery life over last year’s Z Flip 6, but the Galaxy Z Flip 7 is going to need a lot to break past the Motorola Razr Ultra’s mark of 15 hours and 42 minutes in our battery benchmark test. The Z Flip 6 came in well under at 11 hours and 1 minute running the same test.
It doesn’t appear like Samsung has changed the charging speeds for the Z Flip 7, so it’s still stuck on the same 25W wired charging speed as before. Samsung hasn’t disclosed the wireless charging speed, but I suspect it’s the same 15W speed featured on the Z Flip 6.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 hands-on review: Software and AI
The biggest selling point with most flagships these days centers around the amount of AI features they come with — and the Galaxy Z Flip 7 is no exception. For starters, the new model gains the same newGalaxy AI featuresthat were introduced by theGalaxy S25line earlier this year. They consist of theNow Brief,Now Bar,cross app actions, and my favorite, multimodal AI.
Fundamentally, I can run Gemini Live and let it access my Galaxy Z Flip 7 camera to see what I’m seeing and proceed to ask it questions. But since this is a flip-style phone, it’s a lot like having Samantha — the AI chatbot in the2013 film “Her”— that Joaquin Phoenix carries around in his shirt pocket to interact with the real world. I really dig this level of interaction with Gemini, especially when it can be helpful for a number of things.
I didn’t get to spend a whole lot of time with the new One UI 8 interface that’s running on top of Android 16 on the Z Flip 7, but it carries a lot of the staple features that I’m used to seeing with Samsung’s phones. For example, it’s really big on multi-tasking with features like split screen.
More importantly, the Z Flip 7 is finally getting the one feature I’ve been asking for years — Samsung DeX. This opens up a whole new experience that the series has never seen before, so I’m eager to see what changes, if any, Samsung makes with this version.
In my even shorter time with the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE, the software appears mostly identical to the Flip 7. One UI 8 looks and feels identical, including new additions like the Now Brief, the same widgets for the Flew Window display, and the various Flex Modes to capture content with the cameras. The only thing it’s missing is Samsung DeX support.
More time is needed to get a good idea of how the software works, but from what I’ve seen so far, it’s shaping out to be a rich experience that caters to productivity, entertainment, and content creation.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 hands-on review: Outlook
Considering how there’s been stiff competition with foldable phones the last couple of years, it’s nice to see that Samsung has finally responded in a big way with the Galaxy Z Flip 7. By choosing to keep the new model’s price unchanged, while adding bigger upgrades that I feel are the most substantial to date, Samsung has a strong chance at convincing people to adopt a foldable.
I’m particularly stoked about Samsung DeX and its multimodal AI, but I’m still a little apprehensive about the chipset switch to Exynos silicon. Depending on how our testing goes, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 has the potential of pulling ahead of the Motorola Razr Ultra (2025) — and I think it’s the better foldable against the Galaxy Z Fold 7.
As much as I’m happy for Samsung to bring to market a lower cost Flip, I’m really torn about where the FE model is supposed to fit in the lineup. Samsung certainly will have a harder time convincing people to choose the FE over the standard Flip 7, but it’s even more confusing that the new low-cost model doesn’t offer any additional incentives to differentiate it against the Flip 6.
Apple has just released the iOS 26 developer beta 3 update
This adjusts the Liquid Glass design to make it less transparent
It’s not the first time Apple has tweaked Liquid Glass in iOS 26
WhenAppleunveilediOS 26at itsWWDC 2025 eventin June, the thing on everyone’s lips was theLiquid Glass redesign. This has brought glassy effects to Apple’s operating systems and has divided opinion in a big way, but the latest iOS 26 beta looks to have dialed it back significantly – and I’m glad to see it.
Compared to previous betas, iOS 26 beta 3 has added a little more opacity to interface elements, reducing their transparency in the process. Toolbars and buttons are now a bit more solid, making it harder to see what lies beneath them.
That addresses one of the key criticisms of Liquid Glass so far: that it’s too difficult to read top-level elements when text or images are visible beneath them. By adding more opacity, Apple has gone some way to putting that right.
This is not the first time Apple has tweaked Liquid Glass. In iOS 26 beta 2, the companyreduced the translucencyof buttons and boxes in the Control Center, which were especially difficult to read in previous releases. There will no doubt be further adjustments before iOS 26 launches fully in the fall.
Liquid Glass in the Apple Music app. The updated version in iOS 26 beta 3 is on the right.
Liquid Glass in the Apple Books app. The updated version in iOS 26 beta 3 is on the right.
I’m a fan of Liquid Glass, but I prefer it inmacOS Tahoethan in iOS 26, simply because the larger screens you get on a Mac versus an iPhone mean there are fewer overlapping elements, That enables macOS to avoid some of the worst legibility issues that plague iOS 26.
Despite iOS 26 beta 3 making things a little more readable, not everyone is a fan of the change. For example, writing on X, Apple punditSam Kohlwrote that “iOS 26 beta 3 completely nerfs Liquid Glass,” adding that “it looks so much cheaper now and feels like Apple is backtracking on their original vision.”
With plenty of time until the full release of iOS 26, we can expect Apple to make more changes as the year progresses. Hopefully, that will give it time to get Liquid Glass right – or at least make it a little more legible.
The keyboard is one of the most important devices of your computer, allowing you to give commands for the different operations you want to perform. Most keyboards these days come with 104 alphanumeric keys as a de facto standard, one of which is the Fn key. While the function of most of the other keys, like the Esc and Print Scrn keys, is self-explanatory, the same can’t be said about the Fn key. It will be hard for someone who is new to the computer world to figure out what exactly the Fn key on the keyboard does.
Similar to Shift, Ctrl, and Alt on Windows and Command on Mac, the Fn is a modifier key, meaning it is used in combination with other keys to change their usual function. The Fn key is also known as the function key, and on Windows and most Mac keyboards, you’ll find it located in the bottom-left corner of your keyboard. However, on some large-size Mac keyboards that feature a numeric pad, you’ll find the Fn key in the middle, next to the Home and End keys. Also, on newer MacBooks and Apple keyboards, the Fn icon has been replaced by the Globe icon instead of the Fn key, but don’t worry, they both are the same thing.
Interestingly, the Fn key performs different functions on both Windows and Mac. If you are someone switching from Windows to Mac or vice versa, it might take some time to get used to the Fn key functionality on the OS you’re using. So, let’s check out how the Fn key behavior differs on Windows and Mac.
How does the Fn key behavior differ between Mac and Windows?
On both Windows and Mac, the Fn key is usually used in combination with the F keys. On Windows, when you press the Fn key along with the F1-F12 keys, your computer will perform the hardware functions that are usually embedded on these keys. For instance, you will find the volume up icon embedded on the F8 key, meaning pressing the Fn and F8 keys together will increase your system volume. However, if you press the F1-F12 keys alone, i.e., without the Fn key, then they’ll perform their standard functions. For instance, pressing the F5 key refreshes the webpage.
The Fn key functionality is completely opposite on Mac. You don’t need to press the F1-F12 keys along with the Fn key to perform the hardware functions. For instance, if you want to increase volume on a Mac, then you simply need to hit the F12 key, not Fn+F12. However, there are certain apps that have their own separate function associated with the F1-F12 keys. To ensure you don’t end up using the hardware function of the F1-F12 keys when you actually want to use their functions for a particular app, you need to follow these steps:
Open System Settings and choose Keyboard.
Click Keyboard Shortcuts and then Function Keys.
Enable the “Use F1, F2, etc. keys as standard function keys” toggle.
Now, using the F1-F12 keys alone will perform the function that these keys have associated with the app you’re using. If you want to use the hardware function of these keys, you will have to use them along with the Fn key. That means you’ll now have to press Fn+F12 to increase the volume.
How to change what action does the Fn key perform when used independently?
Although the Fn key is a modifier key, meaning it is usually used in combination with other keys on your keyboard, you can also use it separately to perform a certain function. However, this option is only available for Mac users. On Windows, you can’t use the Fn key separately to perform any action. That said, to customize the Fn key behavior settings on Mac, follow these steps:
Open System Settings on your Mac and choose Keyboard from the left sidebar.
Click the drop-down icon next to the Press Fn key to option and select the action you want the Fn key to perform when pressed separately.
You can choose between changing the input source, showing emojis & symbols, or starting the dictation. Similar to Windows, if you don’t want the Fn key to perform any action when used independently, you can choose the Do Nothing option from the drop-down menu.
The best Chromebooks for students, businesses, and everyone else based on our testing and reviews.
The best Chromebooks in 2025 are far more capable laptops than the basic machines that debuted in June of 2011. They started as simple, cheap laptops focusing on security and ease of use, but many have become some of thebest laptopsto buy. Competitively priced compared to thebest Windows laptopsandbest MacBooks, it’s now easy to find a Chromebook with an elegant, thin, and lightweight design and features like OLED displays.
Chromebooks boast a simple, user-friendly interface that integrates with the Google ecosystem, making them a solid choice for many people. Google announced the Chromebook Plus line in October 2023, which offers increased CPU performance from more powerfulIntelchips from Intel’s 13th Generation up through the Intel Core 100 series.
They also include several of Google’sAIfeatures, as well as the new Gemini AI assistant. Chromebook Plus devices receive additional features and access to the Advanced version of Gemini.
Whether you’re looking for a budget-friendly Chromebook, a powerful Plus Series model, or even a Chromebook for gaming, we’ve got you covered. Keep reading to find the best Chromebook for you.
+Solid performance +All-day battery life +Very thin and very light +Bright, big, AMOLED screen
Reasons to avoid
-Still a bit on the pricey side for a Chromebook -Thin and light but quite wide
TheSamsung GalaxyChromebook Plus is a premium Chromebook Plus built with Google’s Gemini AI in mind. With an Intel Core 3 100U 14th gen processor, Intel integrated graphics, 8GB of memory, 256GB of SSD storage, and a 15.6-inch FHD AMOLED display, the Galaxy Chromebook Plus has plenty to recommend. Aria writes in our review, “While Samsung’s Galaxy Chromebook Plus isn’t the first premium Chromebook, it’s probably the best.”
While not the most powerful Chromebook ever, the Galaxy Book still has enough computing power to get the most out of theChromeOSsuite and Google Gemini AI. The Intel Core 3 100U CPU on the Galaxy Book can get more raw CPU power than mostChromeapps will ever need.
The gorgeous 15.6-inch AMOLED display is another high point for the Galaxy Chromebook. Measuring 108.5% on the DCI-P3 color gamut, the Galaxy Chromebook has a nicer display than some premiumWindowslaptops. With 377 nits of average peak brightness, you don’t have to worry about screen glare on the glossy AMOLED panel, either.
The Galaxy Chromebook Plus also offers full-day battery life, lasting 11 hours and 12 minutes on ourweb surfing battery test.
While $699 is a bit pricey for a Chromebook, the Galaxy Chromebook Plus earns its premium rating thanks to an unbeatable combination of performance, battery life, display quality, and portability.
Why is it our best pick overall?
TheSamsung Galaxy Chromebook Plusis a premium Chromebook with a solid combination of power, battery efficiency, and it comes with a large AMOLED display.
Buy it if
✔️You need a Chromebook that can last for more than a full day of work or school:The Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus lasted for 11 hours and 30 minutes on our battery test, making it the longest-lasting Chromebook on this list. So if you need a Chromebook that can last a full day on a single charge, this is the one to choose.
✔️You want to get the best Google AI experience possible:The Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus is the first Chromebook to featureGoogle’s new keyboard layout with the Quick Insertbutton. Whileall Chromebooks can use the Quick Insert feature, only the Galaxy Chromebook has a dedicated button.
Don’t buy it if
✖️You need a budget Chromebook:While the Galaxy Chromebook Plus retails for $649, which is far from the most expensive on this list if you need to stay within a small budget, there are definitely better bargains to make.
✖️You need a super portable Chromebook:The Galaxy Chromebook Plus is very light and very thin, but it can be a struggle to fit this 15.6-inch laptop into every bag. The Lenovo Chromebook Duet 11 Gen 9 may be the better choice if portability is your biggest concern.
The Acer Chromebook Spin 312 is a stand-out example ofhow much Chromebooks have improvedin the last several years. From its design and portability to over 10 hours of battery life, it might be hard to believe this one costs just $450 — but it does, making this device one of the most well-rounded, budget-friendly Chromebooks for students.
With a silver colorway, a black keyboard, and a lightweight chassis, it also resembles a Windows laptop, but with a far better trackpad compared to most. It’s the smoothest I’ve ever felt on a budget laptop. Its keyboard quality is slightly reminiscent of yesteryear’s Chromebooks, with a clicky-squishy feel that highlights the thinness of the plastic keycaps. “It’s a bit like gently pressing into Jello,” as I wrote in my review, but it’s not the worst keyboard I’ve ever tried.
The IPS display produces vivid and clear images, likely due to its Corning Gorilla Glass coating, despite the low color gamut coverage batterymap’stests revealed. However, you’ll definitely need to watch horror movies in the dark (as they are meant to be watched). The coating makes the IPS display more reflective than average, and the Spin 312’s max display brightness of 277 nits isn’t always enough to prevent bright ambient lighting from completely washing out dimly lit scenes.
For students who like or want to experiment with ChromeOS, its ample 128GB of storage space is enough to run Linux and then some. However, this laptop comes with only 8GB of RAM. That’s fine for a light workload (a dozen or fewer open browser tabs and one or two applications), but a minimum of 16GB is ideal for any laptop, especially if you are a heavy multitasker.
Why is it our best pick for students?
TheAcer Chromebook Spin 312offers a better display, trackpad, and battery life than most Chromebooks — some budget Windows laptops, too — for under $500 in an awesomely portable form factor.
Buy it if
✔️You need a simple laptop for simple tasks.If your studies solely consist of reading and writing (and saving everything in the cloud), there’s no reason to spend more money on a laptop whether or not you’re on a budget.
✔️You prefer writing instead of typing notes.As long as you have a compatible stylus, this 2-in-1 touchscreen Chromebook can be both your laptop and notebook.
Don’t buy it if
✖️You need a larger screen.If you’re concerned about your eyesight or regularly use the magnifying tool, this Chromebook’s 12.2-inch display might not serve you well in the long-run.
✖️The majority of your classwork is writing essays.This Chromebook’s plastic keys feel thinner and feel softer to press compared to competing devices.
+Solid battery life +High-quality 5MP front-facing camera and 8MP rear camera +Affordable price-point +Ultra-light chassis +Good performance for the price +Slick stylus and gesture controls
Reasons to avoid
-Mushy keyboard on the attached folio -Having 4GB memory does limit some applications
TheLenovoChromebook Duet 11 Gen 9 offers high portability, solid battery life, slick stylus controls, an ultralight chassis, high-quality 5MP and 8MP cameras, and dependable performance all at an incredibly affordable price point. The Chromebook Duet 11 features a MediaTek Kompanio 838 processor, 4GB of memory, 128GB of SSD storage, and a 10.9-inch WUXGA (1920 x 1200) IPS touchscreen display.
“Chromebooks haven’t ever been my favorite laptops or tablets, as I’m exactly the type of person who needs the full application support of a Windows or macOS system. However, theLenovoChromebook Duet 11 Gen 9 may have changed my mind,” Aria wrote in her review.
Because it features a lower-spec, Aria processor, the Chromebook Duet lags behind other Chromebooks on CPU performance. However, it’s a well-optimized machine that can keep up with multiple Chrome apps running at once.
The Chromebook Duet 11 Gen 9 does have a quality display, covering 83% of the DCI-P3 color gamut. And the panel is bright, measuring 402 nits of average peak brightness.
The Duet 11 is a small tablet Chromebook, which makes its battery life even more impressive. The Duet 11 lasted 9 hours and 48 minutes on our web surfing battery test.
Because of its affordable $359 starting price and solid touchscreen controls, the Chromebook Duet 11 Gen 9 is a fantastic option if you need a tablet for your kids. It offers enough performance to run multiple applications and has the battery life to keep up with a busy schedule of school and playtime.
Why is it our best pick for kids?
TheLenovo Chromebook Duet 11 Gen 9is a light, affordable Chromebook with enough power and battery life to make it the ideal companion for keeping your kids entertained wherever they go.
Buy it if
✔️You want a light, affordable ChromeOS tablet:With the Folio case included in the base $359 price and solid performance, the Chromebook Duet 11 Gen 9 is a great option for kids.
✔️You need a tablet that can do more than just stream video:While Amazon’s Fire Tablets make great options for kids’ entertainment systems, sometimes they just don’t have enough power. But the MediaTek Kompanio 838 processor in the Duet 11 has more than enough juice for almost everything.
Don’t buy it if
✖️You need to multitask like a professional:While plenty of users can get away with just 4GB of memory on a ChromeOS tablet, if you’re going to be using this for work you may run into some bottlenecks due to the low RAM allowance.
✖️You need a high-quality keyboard:While the included folio case is thin and light, the attached keyboard is mushy and soft, making for an unsatisfying typing experience. If you’ll spend most of your time with a Chromebook typing, we recommend the Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 714 instead.
-Occasionally laggy touchpad -Battery life could be better
The Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 714 is one of the more powerful Chromebooks on this list, featuring an Intel Core Ultra 5 115U processor, 8GB of memory, a 256GB SSD, and a 14-inch WUXGA (1,920 x 1,200) IPS display. However, the true star of this laptop is the keyboard, with a satisfying and smooth typing experience.
Aria noted in our review, “The Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 714 keyboard is very satisfying to type on, but it has its quirks… The typing experience on the Spin 714 is smooth and comfortable. On theMonkeytypetyping test, I scored 92 wpm with 97 percent accuracy, higher than my desktop average of 84 wpm and 94.35 accuracy.”
The Intel Core Ultra 5 115U processor on the Spin 714 offers strong performance, making the Spin 714 one of the most powerful Chromebooks. The 14-inch IPS display is also on the nicer side, measuring 78.7% for DCI-P3 color gamut coverage with an average peak brightness of 355 nits.
The Spin 714 is no slouch for longevity either, offering all-day battery life. The Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 714 lasted 9 hours and 30 minutes on ourweb surfing battery test.
Combined with the slick display and satisfying keyboard, the Spin 714 is nearly the whole package.
Why is it our best keyboard pick?
TheAcer Chromebook Plus Spin 714is an AI-powered Chromebook with solid performance and a bright, colorful display. But the typing experience on the Spin 714 is what truly blew us away.
Buy it if
✔️You want one of the most powerful Chromebooks for better AI performance.To get the most out of Google’s One AI plan, the Spin 714 has a powerful Intel Core Ultra 5 processor under the hood and won’t slow you down while using Gemini for text or image generation.
✔️You need a Chromebook with a great keyboard.Not all Chromebooks have good keyboards. Many have soft, mushy key activations that just feel bad under your fingers. But the Chromebook Plus Spin 714 has a crisp, satisfying key feel.
Don’t buy it if
✖️You need to stay under a tight budget.While Chromebooks are generally cheaper than Windows or Mac laptops, the Chromebook Plus series can get a little pricey. When not on sale, the Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 714 starts at $749, which can be pricey for a Chromebook.
✖️You want a Chromebook designed for gaming.While it is part of the Chromebook Plus platform, the Spin 714 isn’t optimized for Cloud gaming and suffers in comparison to the Acer Chromebook 516 GE, which was built with Nvidia GeForce Now in mind.
Best for gaming
5. Acer Chromebook 516 GE
Best Chromebook for gaming (seriously)
Specifications
CPU:Intel Core i5-1240P
GPU:Intel Iris Xe integrated graphics
RAM:8GB
Storage:256GB
Display:16-inch (2560 x 1600) 120Hz IPS
Size:14 x 9.8 x 0.84 inches
Weight:3.8 pounds
Reasons to buy
+Smooth 120Hz display +Fast performance +Decent 1080p webcam +Great value for price
Reasons to avoid
-Tinny audio -Mushy keyboard -So-so battery life -No touchscreen is awkward for Play Store games
Gamers might scoff at Chromebooks, but for cloud gaming services like GeForce Now, the Acer Chromebook 516 GE can offer decent gaming performance and gaming style at a much lower price than your average gaming laptop.
The Acer Chromebook 516 GE features a powerful Intel Core i5-1240P processor, Intel Iris Xe graphics, 8GB of RAM, a 256GB SSD, and a 16-inch 120Hz WQXGA (2560 x 1600) IPS display. So it can handle gaming and schoolwork without blowing your budget.
With an Intel Core i5 12th gen processor, the Chromebook 516 GE offers plenty of powerful performance to handle your day-to-day needs. Even with 8GB of RAM, “You shouldn’t find yourself dealing with any frustrating slowdowns — even if you drown it in tabs,” as Aria wrote in our review. But if you can afford to upgrade to the 16GB model, we recommend it.
The Chromebook 516 GE’s 16-inch display is a solid choice, and measures 75.8% of the DCI-P3 color gamut, which is better than some Chromebooks on this list. It also hits a respectable 346 nits of average peak brightness to cut through glare so you don’t need to worry about missing a shot in your next FPS match due to screen glare.
The one drawback to this gaming Chromebook is its battery life, as the Chromebook 516 GE lasted just 7 hours and 40 minutes on ourbattery test.
While you can technically use cloud gaming services on any laptop or Chromebook, the Acer Chromebook 516 GE offers a 120Hz display for those who pay for the most expensive GeForce Now membership tier. So, it remains our best choice for gaming on a Chromebook.
Why is it our best pick for gamers?
TheAcer Chromebook 516 GEremains the only Chromebook dedicated to gaming enthusiasts, with RGB lighting on the keyboard and a sleek black Gaming laptop-style chassis with additional ports. If you want to game on any Chromebook, this is your best bet.
Buy it if
✔️You want the best gaming experience on a Chromebook.The Acer Chromebook 516 GE comes with more ports than you’ll usually see on a Chromebook, so you can attach all of your gaming accessories and also opt for a hard-wired Ethernet connection so your game stream doesn’t drop due to Wi-Fi shenanigans. You can run Nvidia GeForce Now on any Chromebook, but the 516 GE has all the additional bells and whistles to make it the best choice for gaming.
✔️You want a gaming laptop, but can’t afford the steep price tag.While a dedicated gaming laptop with a discrete GPU will always have better gaming performance than a Chromebook streaming Nvidia GeForce Now, you can get a close approximation with the Acer Chromebook 516 GE without spending gaming-laptop money.
Don’t buy it if
✖️You need battery life that will last for a full, intense day.If you need a Chromebook with more than 7 and a half hours of battery life for pulling an all-nighter, the Chromebook 516 GE is not the ideal option. The Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus offers a better balance of performance, battery life, and CPU power.
✖️You want to play games from the Google Play Store.the Acer Chromebook 516 GE doesn’t have a touchscreen, so playing games from the Google Play Store can be difficult. This is particularly true of games that don’t have gamepad support.
How to choose the best Chromebook for you
Finding the perfect Chromebook isn’t a one-size-fits-all situation. Students, businesses, and schools all have different needs.
Students
For students who rely heavily on Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides, prioritizing a Chromebook with a long-lasting battery and a comfortable keyboard is crucial.
If you’re a student who wants a gaming laptop that can also function as a great laptop for class (without spending a ton of money) there Chromebooks specfically designed for gaming in the cloud.
Professionals or businesses
Professionals or businesses seeking Chromebooks for their employees should focus on models with strong performance and features that make managing them easier, ensuring a smooth workflow.
Security is also important — Enterprise-edition Chromebooks have extra IT deployment features like real-time threat and data protection, endpoint security, and support integration with 3rd-party software like CrowdStrike.
Schools
If you’re a school looking to equip students with Chromebooks, durability, affordability, and features that support a dynamic classroom environment should be top priorities.
You won’t have to buy a bunch of expensive, business-focused Chromebooks to get the security you need, either. Education Chromebooks also support many of the same security features as business Chromebooks (via Google Workspace for Education), and won’t display ads in core services like Drive, Classroom and Gmail.
FAQs
Q: Who are Chromebooks for?
A: Overall, the best way to tell if someone will enjoy owning a Chromebook is if you know they already spend most of their time in the Chrome browser. Those users will take to the notebook naturally.
If you’re buying this Chromebook for someone else, you should take a few moments to consider how they’re going to use the device. Chromebooks are especially good for younger students, as they are easy to use and are fairly secure. It’s also quite easy toupdate your Chromebookmanually, assuming you don’t want to enable automatic updates.
Q: How well does a Chromebook perform?
A: Chromebooks are lightweight devices, meaning it doesn’t take a lot of CPU performance to run ChromeOS. So, Chromebooks often feature lower-spec processors. Many perform better at lower specs than low-budget Windows laptops, too.
They also generally have less storage space, since many ChromeOS applications run in the cloud. This means more free space for your laptop and speedier performance.
If you don’t need the full Windows or macOS experience to run all your favorite applications, there’s no reason not to opt for a Chromebook.
Q: How are Chromebooks for offline use?
A: Chromebooks are designed to rely heavily on the Internet, which means that many apps simply won’t work if you’re out of Wi-Fi range. But there are more than 200 Chrome apps that can work without internet connectivity, including Gmail, Google Drive, and tons ofAndroidapps like PlayerFM and Here WeGo.
Q: Can I use Android apps?
A: Yes! Most modern Chromebooks now have access to the Play Store. (If you’re unsure if your Chromebook supports Android apps,check out this list.)
However, there are some caveats: many Android apps run via an emulator and may or may not run well. Also, not all apps are optimized for a larger screen (they were built for mobile-first), so you might encounter some scaling issues, especially with mobile games. (Check out our guide to thebest Chromebook gamesfor specific gaming app recommendations.)
There are often formatting issues when importing third-party documents into Drive, too. Fortunately, Google Drive allows you to save documents in Microsoft formats, so you’ll still be able to share files with non-Chromebook users through Microsoft Word or other programs — though it may be best to stick with the Office Android apps or Office Online if you’re bringing a lot of files over to your Chromebook.
Q: Do Chromebooks have good battery life?
A: Chromebooks are known for their impressive battery life. Our in-houseweb surfing battery test shows that most Chromebooks can last an average of 10 hours on a single charge. This means you can comfortably power through a workday or school day without hunting for an outlet. This makes Chromebooks a great choice for those long stretches in class or meetings.
Q: Are Chromebooks secure?
A: Chromebooks are a great fit for businesses and institutions prioritizing security because their design makes them more resistant to malware, offering built-in protection for employees and students. Some Chromebooks go the extra mile with biometric authentication features like fingerprint scanners, adding another layer of security for sensitive data.
For businesses, the added security and IT deployment features of Chrome Enterprise can make Chromebooks a solid choice for kitting out an office. While enhanced features do require a subscription,Chrome Enterprise is available for free,which can make it a good solution for small businesses.
Q: Can you game on a Chromebook?
A: Chromebooks have access to Steam and can stream games from services like Nvidia GeForce Now. ChromeOS also works with some Android apps, but not every Android game will be available on a Chromebook. But for a game streaming device, Chromebooks work well as an affordable gaming option.
If you want to game without signing up for a streaming service, you may be better off with agaming handheldor adedicated gaming laptop.
Q: Are Chromebooks durable?
A: Similar to business notebooks made to survive drops and other minor disasters, Chromebooks are built to withstand falls, scrapes, and similar punishment.
We put the durability of top Chromebooks to the test by dropping 11 different models from heights of 2.5 feet and 4 feet, then scoring them on a scale of 0 to 10 based on how much damage was sustained. You can read ourfull report here.
White Moonlight model will be “precisely built, perfectly presented”
(Image credit: Lenovo)
White Moonlight ThinkPad set to launch in China on July 11, according to intriguing teasers
Lenovo campaign draws quality parallels with watches and violins
Specs and pricing remain a mystery for now, but it’s likely buyers will pay a premium
Lenovois preparing to launch its first all-white ThinkPad laptop, breaking with the brand’s long-established tradition of matte black business machines.
The new model, teased onWeibounder the name “White Moonlight,” is set to be unveiled in China on July 11.
The teasers, featuring a watch and a violin, hint (I would say) at legacy design and mechanical accuracy. Lenovo is clearly suggesting that the craftsmanship and level of detail in its White Moonlight ThinkPads are on par with those two finely crafted objects.
Lenovo mentions 0.1mm tolerances and 0.1-degree precision in the teasers, positioning the laptop as both technically refined and aesthetically distinctive.
Full specifications are still under wraps for now, but it’s likely the white ThinkPad will mirror other recent 2025 models.
That suggests support forIntel’s Core Ultra 200 series processors, including vPro and Evo platform options.AMDvariants featuring Ryzen AI PRO 300 Series chips are also a possibility.
This shift in color is rare for the ThinkPad line, which has mostly avoided lighter finishes aside from a few silver editions.
While some longtime fans, myself included, may miss the traditional red TrackPoint that traditionally anchors the ThinkPad identity, the launch appears to signal a shift in the company’s approach to design.
Lenovo’s teaser posters speak of “thousands of refinements,” “unique craftsmanship,” and a device that’s “precisely built, perfectly presented.”
The marketing is clearly designed to evoke feelings typically associated with quality heirloom-items rather than laptops. Wording like “±1 second error over a thousand years” and “±1.0μm assembly deviation” blur the line between engineering metaphor and laptop specs.
It remains to be seen whether the final product will offer a full departure from standard ThinkPad designs or simply wrap a familiar build in white. It will also be interesting to see whether Lenovo charges a premium for its fresh coat of moonlight.
Either way, it will be worth watching to see exactly what Lenovo unveils in the coming days.
When it comes to wanting laser-fast movement in online shooter games where every second means life or death, your keyboard truly matters. Throughout the years, keyboards have continued to improve their feel and functionality for competitive gaming — and one of those innovations is optical keyboard switches. Optical keyboard switches boast faster response times by using a light beam and a sensor to trigger a keystroke instead of waiting for full physical contact, making them quite beneficial for competitive gamers.
Like a regular mechanical key, optical switches still utilize physical moving parts to function — pressing on the key cap pushes a spring that resets a switch to its original position. However, optical keyboard switches receive and transmit inputs via light, utilizing an infrared beam to enable instant keystroke recognition. This ensures quicker inputs with zero delay compared to mechanical keyboards with metal components, enhancing gamers’ response times.
A lot of online games rely on fast reactions to get ahead, whether a fighting game player needs to instantly counter an incoming attack or an FPS player hopes to strike down an enemy with a headshot right when they peek around the corner. This has made optical keyboard switches very beneficial for competitive gamers. By using light instead of a mechanical switch, the amount of pressure needed to actuate the key is reduced, meaning the key does not need to travel as far to register the input. Also, the metal contact bounce in a traditional mechanical switch can introduce a debounce delay, resulting in a few milliseconds of latency before the signal reaches the PC.
Some gamers are skeptical whether optical keyboard switches truly deliver faster inputs. It can be difficult to notice the difference since it’s so minimal, and player skill is still required to make the most of that split second. However, every peripheral can add up to make a difference when it comes to competitive gaming performance.
Due to the unique way optical switch keyboards receive and transmit inputs, these keyboards are more durable and long-lasting compared to keyboards with mechanical switches. Some optical switch keyboards boast over 100 million keystrokes. The reason optical switches last longer is that there’s less contact every time a gamer presses a key, reducing wear and improving reliability. Because the keys don’t have metal contact points that can degrade over time, these keyboards can also feel smoother and have more consistent keystrokes longer than a mechanical alternative.
The downside of optical switch keyboards is a lack of options. Due to various socket types, not every keyboard is compatible, and optical switches are limited to certain models. With the technology being relatively new, you’ll have fewer manufacturers to choose from and a lack of style options. Mechanical keyboards are much more popular at this time, with plenty of brands to choose from (although some are better than others). Two well-known optical switch keyboard companies are A4tech and Adomax.
The retro Fujifilm X half digital compact is a love letter to film photography, and a breath of fresh air. If you forget the specs, it’ll win you over with its unique half frame analog-inspired features which include twin vertical displays, Film Simulations and a Film Roll mode. Fujifilm has evidently had fun designing this camera – and you’ll have fun too when you start creating with it. I’ve been playing with the camera for well over a month, and the word playing has never felt so apt – I’m still smiling. Sure, the X half is pricey, but if it keeps calling to you, then it’s good value.
Every now and then, a refreshingly unique camera hits the market, and theFujifilmX half retro compact is one of those few examples.
It’s a niche, digital alternative to half-frame film cameras such as thePentax 17, and for most people is the better choice of the two.
Fujifilm has really let loose in designing the X half, and it’s a love letter to film photography, specifically half frame. It offers quirky features such as a touch-sensitive film canister window-like screen, plus aFilm Roll mode which is so charming that I dedicated a whole article to it. Each idea, weird as they might seem for digital, actually make perfect sense in the spirit of film.
There’s no other digital camera that comes as close to the film camera experience as the X half, and the beauty is that you can take or leave many of these features because it’s digital, nor are you hobbled by the ongoing costs that come with using an actual film camera.
On a technical level, the X half is pretty basic. The vertical-format 1-inch sensor records JPEG-only photos up to 18MP, while video is limited to vertical Full HD. Its fixed 32mm (equivalent) lens with f/2.8-11 variable aperture is only moderately sharp, too.
To mark the X half down for such reasons, however, misses the point – this camera is all about the fun, in all the right ways. Those perceived limitations such as JPEG only are rightly there, in the spirit of film – the Film Simulation you choose is locked in once you press the shutter.
The X half is a tidily packaged retro model too. Its robust plastic body tips the scales at just 8.5oz / 240g, plus its fixed 32mm f/2.8 lens is tiny, meaning you can slip the camera into a pocket. Battery life is particularly good, too.
I love the unique design touches – that touch-sensitive LCD which emulates a film canister window, and a lever that mimics the film wind lever for diptych composites and to move onto the next frame in the Film Roll mode.
Picture quality is actually pretty decent, but after a month using the X half, I’m less focused on outright quality – this is a different kind of camera.
I’ve read many comments bemoaning the price of what is a toy-like X half, and to an extent I see the point. However, I see value in products that I will actually use, and after a month with the X half, the novelty hasn’t worn off.
Fujifilm designers with a soft spot for analog have clearly let loose with the X half, and it’s simply in a world of its own.
The X half was announced on May 21 and available globally from June 12 2025
It cost costs $849/ £699 / AU$1,349 and is available in three colorways: silver, charcoal and black
There’s a (free) dedicated Fujifilm X half app on iOS and Android stores
Fujifilm launched the X half globally on June 12 for $849 / £699 / AU$1,349, which for most people counts it out as an impulse purchase – if it was about 30% cheaper I think the X half would fly off the shelves.
The price feels high, but an alternative such as the Pentax 17 film camera costs $499 / £449, and that camera doesn’t have all the digital components that the X half does.
There are three colors to choose from: silver, charcoal and black. I think the silver version is most in keeping with the spirit of the X half, but I can also envisage it being produced in additional colors down the line if it sells well, which I expect to be the case.
There were no dedicated accessories at launch. I’d like to see optional accessories such as a half-leather case, which could look the part.
Alongside the camera, Fujifilm announced a dedicated app for the X half for iOS and Android devices, which can be used to upload images from the camera, and through which you load photos taken using the Film Roll mode. It’s a really fun app.
Weighs just 8.5oz / 240g with battery and SD card inserted
The X half is unmistakably a Fujifilm camera, while packing unique features and sharing certain similarities with the Pentax 17.
It might be plastic, but the X half is a well-built and lightweight retro compact, packing a tiny fixed lens with a 32mm-equivalent focal length and mechanical aperture, which can be manually adjusted between its f/2.8 to f/11 settings using a handy lever.
There’s an on-off switch on the top of the camera. When set to on, a lever – which is designed to mimic a film-wind lever – juts out from the camera for easy access. This lever is used to activate the diptych feature, which we’ll get into shortly, plus move onto your next frame in the charming Film Roll mode.
The shutter button is set within an exposure compensation dial, and I must say that all of these controls ooze a reassuring quality, with a suitably stubborn resistance.
Also on the top is a coldshoe for mounting accessories, but it’s not a hotshoe, so that means no accessories such as a flash gun.
The top plate of the X half, with its film wind lever folded away.
In the absence of optional flash accessories, a low-powered LED flash sits above the lens to provide some fill light that’s particularly handy for indoor close-ups. The flash can be turned on and off using a switch on the X half’s left side, while on the other side is a USB-C port for charging the camera.
Battery life is a healthy 880 shots, with the X half utilizing the WP126S battery that’s been a long time staple in the Fujifilm X series range, used by cameras like theX100VI.
On the back there’s a small and basic look through optical viewfinder at the top-left, which comes in handy particularly for the Film Roll mode – more on this shortly.
There are no control buttons or dials on the camera’s rear, just a photo / video switch and a playback mode. Instead, the action happens through the twin touch displays – and this is where things get really interesting.
The rear of the X half, with its twin touch displays and optical viewfinder.
First up, I adore the new touch-sensitive LCD which (by default) mimics the film canister window present in many film cameras.
A swipe up or down on this display scrolls through the various Film Simulation modes, with a stripped back selection of 13 looks. It can also be used to adjust certain camera settings, depending on which part of the menu you’re navigating.
Then there’s another unique touch LCD: a vertical display for live view and the X half’s four menus, each of which is accessed via a swipe from one of the four sides.
One menu accesses basic camera settings such as exposure mode, another the Film Simulations and picture effects – Fujifilm has added several new film photography-inspired effects, including light leak.
With a picture effect active or when in another menu, that second LCD displays the picture effects or camera settings instead of Film Simulations, effectively making it a secondary navigation tool.
Another menu on the main LCD accesses a new Film Roll mode, which is a fabulous concept. Select your ‘film roll’ – if you’re not already familiar with them, Fujifilm Film Simulation color modes mimic the look of actual Fujifilm film stock – and the number of shots you’d like in the film, and start shooting.
Once the Film Roll mode is active, the display is inactive, so your only compositional tool is the optical viewfinder. Given the lens is moderately wide, you can point in the direction of your subject without relying on the viewfinder for composition.
In the Film Roll mode, you’re also locked into the selected Film Simulation and settings such as ISO. And with no raw format available, once you’ve picked your look, you’ve made your bed. It’s such a fun idea which pays homage to film photography.
Design score: 4/5
Fujifilm X half: Performance
18MP JPEG-only vertical photos, Full HD vertical video
13 Film Simulations and new picture effects
Face-detection autofocus
If you take photography seriously, a word of advice – don’t write the Fujifilm X half off on the basis of its image-making qualities, which on the face of it are pretty basic.
For one, JPEG-only photos and no raw? That’s a bold move by Fujifilm, but I get it. After all, the X half is supposed to be like a film camera, and since when could you work from uncompressed raw data to make drastic color and exposure adjustments to film? Locking in the look at the point of capture is in the spirit of film.
The X half’s video-making skills are also fairly stripped back, maxing out at Full HD resolution, but once again I don’t mind that.
Those vertical photos and videos are recorded using a vertical 1-inch sensor. It’s a 20MP 2:3 aspect sensor, but output is 3:4, which means the maximum photo resolution is 18MP.
Just taking the 3:4 portion of the 2:3 sensor also means the lens, which would be a 28mm-equivalent focal length, is actually more like 32mm – that’s a suitable perspective for everyday photography.
For close-ups, that 1-inch sensor and maximum f/2.8 aperture lens can capture nice blurry backgrounds, especially when you’re pushing nearer the minimum 0.1m focus distance.
Fujifilm’s Film Simulations number 20 in all, but the X half includes a stripped-back selection of 13 of the supposedly most popular looks.
It also gets some new picture effects, so in addition to the gimmicky mirror and toy-camera effects you have aptly analog-inspired options like light leak.
Fujifilm’s tagline in the X half marketing is, ‘Half the size, twice the story’. This refers to the half-frame format of the pictures and the diptych-making feature for photos and videos.
The diptych feature is activated using the ‘film-wind’ lever, and composites two 3:4 images side by side, just as a half-frame film camera does onto a roll of 35mm film (it works for video, too).
However, they’re not strictly half-sized; the resolution of each photo is preserved, meaning a diptych composite is doubled in width, from the 3648 x 4864 pixels of each photo to a 7296 x 4864 pixel composite with a 3:2 aspect – that’s the same aspect as a frame of 35mm film.
There’s a modest selection of autofocus modes. As far as I could tell, focus is locked to the central portion of the frame; however, there’s face-detection autofocus too, which is active anywhere in the frame.
I must also touch on theFilm Roll modewhich is guaranteed to charm photographers with a soft spot for analog photography. You select the film simulation you want and the number of frames in the film roll; 36, 54 or 72.
Once the roll starts, you’re locked into the film simulation – just as if you were using a roll of film – and the rear display switches from live view to a frame count instead.
After each shot, you ‘crank’ the lever on the rear to move onto the next frame – the camera won’t take the next shot until you do this. Like liveview, image playback isn’t available mid-roll.
Once the ‘roll’ is done, you upload the shots wirelessly to the Fujifilm X half app, which is where you’ll see your photos for the first time. The app reimagines the photo lab in such a fun way, ‘developing’ the roll and then displaying it as a contact sheet – as someone who learned photograph in the darkroom, this feature has won me over.
If you approach the X half as a fun camera for casual snaps with some creative looks to try out, and as a convenient digital reimagining of analog photography, then you’ll be wholly satisfied.
Performance score: 3.5 / 5
Fujifilm X half: testing scorecard
Fujifilm X half
Attributes
Notes
Rating
Price
Given the fun factor, the X half feels pretty expensive. But if it gets you out shooting, then it’s decent value.
3.5/5
Design
Packed with charming features, the X half’s retro plastic body is truly pocketable and eye catching
4/5
Performance
Not one for outright quality or high speed performance, the X half is a different kind of camera that reimagines the analog photography experience beautifully.
3.5/5
Should I buy the Fujifilm X half?
Buy it if…
You have a soft spot for film photography The X half is clearly made be film camera fans, and wonderfully reimagines the format in digital form.
You simply want a bit of photography fun Forget the specs, the X half is a cute, retro bundle of fun.
You’d like a truly compact camera The X half is so small, even with its fixed lens, that’ll easily slip into your pocket.
Don’t buy it if…
You’re a stickler for image quality Shooting 18MP JPEG-only photos and Full HD video with a vertical 1-inch sensor, the X half’s image quality is pretty basic.
You’re on the look out for a ‘regular’ compact The X half is essentially in a category of its own and clearly geared to film photography fans.
PowerShell 2.0 gets pulled from the latest Windows 11 Insider build
Versions 5.1 and 7.x are the best replacements
No word on removal from Windows Server
Microsofthas confirmed PowerShell 2.0 is officially being removed from Windows, starting with the latestWindows 11Insider builds – Build 27891 (Canary Channel).
The news comes eight years after PowerShell 2.0 was deprecated in 2017 due to dependency-related delays (for example older SQL Server versions), but Microsoft retained backwards compatibility to ease the transition.
It’s not to say that PowerShell has gone entirely – instead, users will be directed to version 5.1 (which comes preinstalled on most modern Windows editions) or 7.x (which offer cross-platform support).
PowerShell 2.0 finally steps aside for newer versions
As a reminder of how long PowerShell 2.0 has been around, it originally shipped withWindows 7, Vista and XP, as well as Server 2003 and 2008. Although it’s set to be removed with the latest version of Windows 11, Microsoft has not shared any plans to remove it from Windows Server as yet.
“More information will be shared in the coming months on the removal of Windows PowerShell 2.0 in an upcoming update for Windows 11,” Windows Insider Program Lead Amanda Langowski and Principal Product Manager Brandon LeBland wrote in ablog post.
The removal of PowerShell 2.0 is the biggest update coming in upcoming versions of Windows 11, but Build 27891 also includes fixes to the ‘Reset this PC’ option, taskbar acrylic rendering, non-English characters (like Vietnamese and Arabic) and other bugs, including Windows Update getting stuck at 2% on some devices.
Redmond also acknowledged some issues with the update, including a Windows Hello pin and biometrics glitch on Copilot+ PCs and rendering issues for remote desktops on ARM64 machines.
In the meantime, users wanting a more reliable OS can exit the Canary Channel by installing a fresh copy of Windows 11.
The equipment that powers adventure in the digital world is potent, complex, and constantly evolving. The video game may have started its journey as a simple traveling ball game in titles like “Tennis for Two” and “Pong,” but the experience has evolved incessantly in the years since. Modern gaming machines require high powered graphics processing units, or GPUs. Two of the most prominent GPU brands are Nvidia and AMD, but numerous other major graphics card brands also exist. Then there’s the used GPU market to consider, as well.
Modern gamers have the pick of the litter when it comes to finding the perfect GPU to augment their gaming experience. You might need a laptop GPU or one to slot into your custom tower PC, but the hunt remains largely consistent either way. Those looking for new gear to upgrade their system will frequently start with the key metrics available from the market’s current options, but it can sometimes be difficult to determine when this search needs to start. Obviously, if your PC starts failing at a heightened rate, a change in the hardware is likely required. But barring a major catastrophe in your setup, what kinds of signs should prompt the beginnings of a search for new gear? When it comes to your graphics card, these five indicators can be a solid guide that tells you a change may be required.
Your PC can’t maintain consistently high frame rates
Whether you’re a competitive gamer or a casual player who relishes in the experience of high-end equipment, there’s no getting around the demand for games running at a smooth, consistent frame rate. Simpler games don’t typically have much trouble in keeping FPS figures at 60 or higher, perhaps even extending into the triple digits. But the most GPU-intensive titles can bog down your system and cause this part of the experience to lag behind. A monitor with a high refresh rate delivers a seamless gaming experience when it’s well cared for, but a lackluster frame rate can tank your gameplay and introduce plenty of frustration into the picture. In highly contentious multiplayer efforts, it can be the difference maker between buttery smooth operations that allow you to gain the upper hand and a clunky gameplay mechanic that slows you down and leaves you vulnerable.
Many high quality graphics cards don’t have much trouble in handling the intense workloads required to produce 60 FPS gameplay or better at a consistent rate. But the longer you use the same card the slower it will become in working through these processes. Similarly, the longer you use the card the older it gets and the farther behind it ultimately becomes when compared to the newest technology and game demands. If you’re seeing a slow down in your gameplay, looking for a new GPU may be a requirement to keep current.
Monitoring GPU usage against CPU utilization identifies performance hangups
One of the first ports of call you should attend to if you see your computer slowing down while you adventure through an RPG or mow down enemies in a shoot ’em up universe is your system monitoring tools. Monitoring the workload of your hardware as you boot up a game and play it will help you get a clearer sense of what is going on with your system.
In many cases, either your CPU or GPU units will be running at or near full capacity, but this doesn’t mean a 90% usage rate is necessarily a bad thing. Some heavy-duty games demand that your hardware works overtime to accommodate the stunning visuals and complex processing behind the scenes. With that being said, if you’re GPU is working overtime while the CPU exhibits far less intensive demands at the same time as your game struggles to load or your refresh rate dips, you can be fairly certain of the culprit. Under these circumstances, the problem is most likely a graphics card that’s no longer up to the task of handling the processing demands placed upon it. The trouble might be in booting up new title that requires extreme processing power, but the underlying issue remains and will only get worse as time continues to march forward.
Ray tracing isn’t available in your current setup
In 2018, ray tracing became next big thing in the gaming world. This computational process focuses on rendering light sources in the image in a more natural manner. Lamps, sunlight, and even screens that you might encounter while in the world of your chosen video game emit light that needs to be dealt with in the creation of an on-screen image. Rendering these light sources has frequently been a point of contention in the past, but ray tracing has revolutionized that process and made in game lighting far more realistic. The result has been nothing short of transformative for the process of immersing yourself in the simulated world of the video game.
This complex process is fairly new, and naturally requires a huge amount of processing power to accomplish. Not all graphics cards can accommodate ray tracing, especially those with a few years under their belts. Contemporary cards feature dedicated cores that only handle ray tracing elements. Others have enough processing power to accomplish the task but may require computational sacrifices elsewhere in order to enable this function. Ray tracing is only going to become increasingly more prominent in games released today and into the future. If your graphics card can’t accommodate this process, it may be time to make a switch in order to upgrade your setup.
Your current GPU is over three years old
Each new wave of technological advancement both in game design and graphics card capability leaves existing hardware increasingly further behind. With each passing year, not only is your graphics card piling up the workload it has accomplished and degrading its physical components in the process, but it’s also one year further removed from the cutting edge. Most major GPU brands release a new iteration of their products every two years, on average. For most gamers there won’t be any need to replace your hardware with each new release, but after a second new offering hits the market between what is current and your existing setup, you may want to start looking into replacement opportunities.
Conventional wisdom suggests your GPU will remain viable for up to five years. It should continue performing without failure for as many as eight to 10, but most gamers won’t want to endure the performance sacrifices that come from being this out of date. With two new releases, your GPU will be four years old if you bought a brand new unit when it first came out. Four years is a long time in the technological life cycle game design and computational power. Over this time, your graphics card will likely see an increasing workload to keep up with modern demands as they evolve, and it may even fall out of the spectrum of recommended solutions to handle the computational requirements of modern games.
Your graphics card is frequently overheating
One final signal that you’re looking at an aging graphics card is a physical one. If your hardware is starting to overheat as you use it, you may be looking at a GPU that is no longer viable for the usage load you expect from it. Problems in the physical infrastructure of the component may be to blame, or you may be working with a card that is rapidly falling out of contention as a viable solution to handle the demands of the titles you frequently play.
It’s worth noting that you may also be looking at an issue with the cooling system rather than the processing power of the card itself. If your computer isn’t venting properly or the fans within the tower aren’t delivering enough cooling power because of some other issue that may be going on, addressing these concerns might resolve the (different) underlying problem. However, if you’ve explored alternative explanations for the heat issue within your system and have come up empty, it’s likely that your graphics card is due for a replacement.
The new Zephyrus G14 shares a lot with its predecessor, but now comes in two colors.
However, the new Zephyrus G14 is noticeably thicker… At least with most configurations.
