Articles by Matt Safford

Lenovo’s been at the forefront of convertible laptop designs since its first Yoga laptop shipped in 2012. But here ahead of IFA in Berlin, its latest Auto Twist AI PC concept attempts to take things into sci-fi territory, with a motorized “Dual Degree of Freedom” hinge that can track your movements to make sure you always have “optimum display visibility.”(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)Of course, this means your webcam will also keep you in frame for meetings, presentations, or video calls with friends and family. That could be convenient for those who don’t like to sit or stand in one place for calls, and it’s certainly striking to see a laptop screen follow you around the room. But it’s also hard not to be reminded of 2018’s Facebook Portal, which similarly had a screen and camera that followed users around the room.(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)There is also no denying that the screen wobbles noticeably as it moves, despite a Lenovo representative telling me the company had done a lot of work to reduce it. Still, it’s impressive that the company was able to fit motors into the base of the screen without giving it a huge bump. There is a slight bulge on the bottom, but it’s barely noticeable — especially when the screen is moving on its own. Of course, the Auto Twist AI PC concept is a full-blown laptop, and its motorized hinge can do a few other interesting things. At Lenovo’s event, saw the laptop responding to voice commands, like “tablet mode,” “laptop mode,” and “close laptop.” At one point, the screen did get stuck trying to convert to tablet mode, with the lid seeming to get stuck up against the keys. But after a quick reorientation and re-launching of the software, I didn’t see any other issues in terms of movement. The lid is designed to automatically close itself when you step away from the laptop.(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)Hopefully that last bit will be adjustable in terms of time and sensitivity. No one wants their laptop to close when they turn away for a few seconds to talk to a colleague. And if you’re working from home, you probably don’t want to have to open your laptop back up every time you get up to get a drink or a snack. If you’re the slouching type, the Twist AI PC is also ready to nag you about it. Lenovo says the laptop has “wellness enhancements” designed to promote ergonomic computing and reduce strain. Honestly, most of us could use some help there. But I’m not sure I want my laptop automatically reminding me how tired I am by adjusting the screen angle when I’m hunched over at the end of the day (fine, also sometimes at the beginning of the day), or sending me notifications to sit up straight because the camera can tell that I’m slouching. This is, of course, a concept laptop. So you probably don’t need to worry about your next company-issued ThinkBook sending TPS reports to your corporate overlords about your bad posture or how many times you paced across the meeting room during your last presentation about quarterly financials. But some of these features may eventually filter down to buyable devices. I don’t hate the idea of a laptop that can open and close on its own – so long as the motors and mechanism are robust enough that I don’t have to worry about them breaking. The Auto Twist AI PC did look a bit fragile, but it’s still a concept. I’m sure if Lenovo ever releases a device like this with a motorized hinge, it will iron a few more kinks out before its launch date. Get Tom’s Hardware’s best news and in-depth reviews, straight to your inbox. […]

After we wrote last week about DeepCool’s sanctioned cooling products being sold on Amazon under the Shaking Tank name (with lightly blurred DeepCool logos), it became clear that the Amazon seller was also hawking products from competing companies, most notably Cooler Master, as pointed out by YouTuber Greg Salazar, who broke the story originally.Dug a bit deeper and found several instances of Amazon storefronts blurring brand logos and selling products under the “Shaking Tank” name. This doesn’t appear to be Deepcool-specific, and is likely a reseller’s way of circumventing sanctions in order to offload banned inventory. pic.twitter.com/YJOdj0E14JAugust 23, 2024With that revelation, it was already pretty clear that DeepCool (sanctioned in June for selling products to two Russian companies supporting the war against Ukraine) was not directly involved in the rebranding of its products, or trying to get around U.S. sanctions to sell a few of its coolers here.But as the company is already dealing with major fallout over the above sanctions, a representative reached out to us to clarify that it was not involved in the Saking Tank shenanigans on Amazon, and it has since taken direct action with the seller to make sure its products are no longer offered.”It was not a DeepCool official action at all,” a company representative wrote via email. “We have taken immediate action to investigate through our distribution channel and found it was one of our Chinese distributors who has been selling DeepCool products with blurred logo and brand name changed.”The DeepCool representative states that the distributor violated their contract, is being penalized, and has been ordered to remove the company’s products from its overseas sales platform. As of this writing, it appears that there are no longer any renamed DeepCool products available on the seller’s page. The blurred-out Cooler Master products seem to have been removed as well, though there are still several clearly labeled products from Cooler Master, Coolleo, and Juishark available via the Shaking Tank page on Amazon.As DeepCool’s representative points out, the presence of the above products on the Shaking Tank seller page “also proves… that there’s no way we renamed ourselves to merchandise competitors’ products.”This makes sense both from a logical and a business standpoint. It’s unlikely that the small amount of profit the company could make from selling a few coolers from a third-party Amazon seller would be worth further fallout in the U.S.-aligned countries where its products are still available, or jeopardizing its presumed long-term hopes to re-enter the U.S. market. Get Tom’s Hardware’s best news and in-depth reviews, straight to your inbox. […]

The line between the best external SSDs and the best flash drives continues to blur. Not long ago, SK hynix impressed us by putting an actual SSD inside of a flash-drive-like housing, making the Tube T31 the fastest “flash drive” we’ve tested to date. Now Adata has effectively done the same thing with its SC750 drive, which is nearly as fast in our testing as the Tube T31 and about half the size. The SC750 also sports a retractable USB-C port in place of the SK hynix drive’s USB-A port under an easy-to-lose cap. And while we tested the 1TB model of the Adata drive, a 2TB version should be available sometime in September according to a company representative, making Adata’s drive more spacious than the SK hynix Tube T31, which still tops out at 1TB.Adata SC750 SpecsSwipe to scroll horizontallyProduct512GB1TB2TBPricing$69.99$84.99$142.99Interface / ProtocolUSB-A 3.2 Gen2USB-A 3.2 Gen2USB-A 3.2 Gen2Sequential ReadUp to 1,050 MB/sUp to 1,050 MB/sUp to 1,050 MB/sSequential WriteUp to 1,000 MB/sUp to 1,000 MB/sUp to 1,000 MB/sDimensions2.09 x 1.08 x 0.47 inches
(53mm x 27.5mm x 11.89mm)Row 4 – Cell 2 Row 4 – Cell 3 11.15 grams11.15 grams11.15 gramsRow 5 – Cell 3 Warranty5 years5 years5 yearsExternal Design The Adata SC750 sports the same distinctive wide, flat shape that the company has been using for years, which we saw most recently with the SD810 – except the SC750 is much smaller.Image […]

 If I had to pick two trends that have dominated the PC building realm in recent years, it would be RGB lighting and ever-increasing prices. That’s what makes Lian Li’s A3-mATX case so refreshing; it sports no lights (nor even a glass side panel to show them off, though you can buy one separately), and it starts as low as $69 – or $84 if you want wood accents up front.Considering its compact dimensions (12.05 x 7.64 x 17.05 inches), it’s impressive that the A3-mATX supports up to Micro-ATX motherboards, ATX power supplies, 360 mm radiators, and four-slot graphics cards. Granted, you might have a hard time fitting all of those options into the case at once, along with fans and three supported storage drives. But our build with a compact ATX PSU, a large Gigabyte RX 7700 XT graphics card, and a 360 mm AIO had room for those parts and more. We first saw the case earlier this year, but the company showed off an A3-mATX-WD variant, with wood slats on the front and some ventilation in between the slats at Computex. The standard model with a plastic non-vented front has a $69.99 MSRP, while the WD model adds some wood, front ventilation, and a dust filter for $84.99.Given the price, this is an excellent budget option for those looking to assemble a compact build with high-end parts. It certainly has a shot at landing a spot on our list of best PC cases. However, because the chassis is so versatile and compact, it may not be the best choice for novice builders. The case is also largely made up of thin steel and plastic, although Lian Li does manage to make it look much nicer than it feels.We’ll put the A3-mATX through its paces in a build below to see if it’s the right option for your next compact rig. But first, here are the specs, direct from Lian Li.Specifications of the Lian Li A3-mATXSwipe to scroll horizontallyTypeSFF Mini-ITX(-WD)Motherboard
SupportMini-ITX, Micro ATXDimensions (HxWxD)12.05 x 7.64 x 17.44 inches (HWD)Max GPU Length16.34 inchesCPU Cooler Height6.5 inchesExternal BaysXInternal Bays3x 2.5-inch or 2x 2.5, 1x 3.5-inchExpansion Slots4Front I/OTwo USB 3.0 Type-A (5Gbps), One USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type C (10Gbps), mic and headphone jacksRow 9 – Cell 0 Row 9 – Cell 1 Front Side Fans3x 120mmRear FansNoneTop FansNoneBottom FansNoneRow 14 – Cell 0 Row 14 – Cell 1 Warranty1 year A3-mATX or A3-mATX-WD?The two  A3-mATX models are the same, save for the front panel. The standard version has a plastic front with no ventilation, while the WD version adds wood slats, some ventilation between those slats, and a removable magnetic dust filter behind the panel.Image […]

After years of aggressive styling and RGB everything, peripheral and component companies seem to be settling on wood accents as the retro-inspired style of the moment. And as a gamer of a certain age, I couldn’t be happier about it. The success of Fractal’s North case seems to have kick-started the trend, and now Keychron is here with a keyboard that matches its mid-century looks quite nicely. But the Keychron K2 HE Special Edition is much more than a (very) pretty keyboard. Its compact 75-percent layout and double-shot OSA keycaps hide Gateron Double-Rail magnetic switches, which let you customize their actuation points in 0.1mm increments and assign multiple actions to a single key, based on travel depth. For gamers who love fine-tuning features, these magnetic (also known as Hall Effect) switches are excellent. And despite being linear, they’re pre-lubed and designed for stability, helping Keychron’s K2 HE feel as premium and pleasing as it looks.Keychron will launch its K2 HE models on Kickstarter first at a $5 discount starting today. Or you can wait for full production and pick one up from Keychron directly beginning in October, starting at $130.Design of the Keychron K2 HEKeychron sent us the Special Edition of the K2 HE in white, but the company will offer up multiple variants. The Special Edition versions will be offered in black or white ($135 via Kickstarter or $140 in October), with rounded OSA keycaps that aren’t shine-through (limiting the RGB lighting that can escape between the keys), with metal top and bottom frame pieces, and solid-wood sides.(Image credit: Keychron)It’s a specific look that isn’t for everyone, but I think this is the prettiest keyboard I’ve ever tested. Even if I’m a little afraid of what the white keycaps might look like after several months of daily use. Personally, I’d probably opt for the black model.For those who don’t dig the wood look and prefer brighter RGB lighting, the K2 HE Standard Edition ($125 via Kickstarter or $130 starting in October) features shine-through keycaps with an OEM profile, and keeps the metal frame that helps add to the premium feel. That said, the core of the keyboard’s chassis is plastic. With the wooden side panels removed from our Special Edition review unit, the top and bottom metal rails slide right off, revealing a keyboard that looks quite similar to a white version of the much cheaper Keychron K2.Then again, I’m sure the plastic main body improves wireless signals for the 2.4GHz and Bluetooth connection modes. Wired connectivity is of course also supported. And the company includes a decent braided cable in the box, along with a hex wrench for taking off the wood side panels and a small screwdriver for getting access to the interior of the keyboard.There are also extra keycaps for Windows or Mac, a keycap / switch puller, and an extender for the RF dongle included. I primarily used the keyboard with the dongle plugged into one of the top ports of my PC case (as well as occasionally over Bluetooth with my laptop) and never had any issues with connectivity.Image […]

After years of aggressive styling and RGB everything, peripheral and component companies seem to be settling on wood accents as the retro-inspired style of the moment. And as a gamer of a certain age, I couldn’t be happier about it. The success of Fractal’s North case seems to have kick-started the trend, and now Keychron is here with a keyboard that matches its mid-century looks quite nicely. But the Keychron K2 HE Special Edition is much more than a (very) pretty keyboard. Its compact 75-percent layout and double-shot OSA keycaps hide Gateron Double-Rail magnetic switches, which let you customize their actuation points in 0.1mm increments and assign multiple actions to a single key, based on travel depth. For gamers who love fine-tuning features, these magnetic (also known as Hall Effect) switches are excellent. And despite being linear, they’re pre-lubed and designed for stability, helping Keychron’s K2 HE feel as premium and pleasing as it looks.Keychron will launch its K2 HE models on Kickstarter first at a $5 discount starting today. Or you can wait for full production and pick one up from Keychron directly beginning in October, starting at $130.Design of the Keychron K2 HEKeychron sent us the Special Edition of the K2 HE in white, but the company will offer up multiple variants. The Special Edition versions will be offered in black or white ($135 via Kickstarter or $140 in October), with rounded OSA keycaps that aren’t shine-through (limiting the RGB lighting that can escape between the keys), with metal top and bottom frame pieces, and solid-wood sides.(Image credit: Keychron)It’s a specific look that isn’t for everyone, but I think this is the prettiest keyboard I’ve ever tested. Even if I’m a little afraid of what the white keycaps might look like after several months of daily use. Personally, I’d probably opt for the black model.For those who don’t dig the wood look and prefer brighter RGB lighting, the K2 HE Standard Edition ($125 via Kickstarter or $130 starting in October) features shine-through keycaps with an OEM profile, and keeps the metal frame that helps add to the premium feel. That said, the core of the keyboard’s chassis is plastic. With the wooden side panels removed from our Special Edition review unit, the top and bottom metal rails slide right off, revealing a keyboard that looks quite similar to a white version of the much cheaper Keychron K2.Then again, I’m sure the plastic main body improves wireless signals for the 2.4GHz and Bluetooth connection modes. Wired connectivity is of course also supported. And the company includes a decent braided cable in the box, along with a hex wrench for taking off the wood side panels and a small screwdriver for getting access to the interior of the keyboard.There are also extra keycaps for Windows or Mac, a keycap / switch puller, and an extender for the RF dongle included. I primarily used the keyboard with the dongle plugged into one of the top ports of my PC case (as well as occasionally over Bluetooth with my laptop) and never had any issues with connectivity.Image […]

After years of aggressive styling and RGB everything, peripheral and component companies seem to be settling on wood accents as the retro-inspired style of the moment. And as a gamer of a certain age, I couldn’t be happier about it. The success of Fractal’s North case seems to have kick-started the trend, and now Keychron is here with a keyboard that matches its mid-century looks quite nicely. But the Keychron K2 HE Special Edition is much more than a (very) pretty keyboard. Its compact 75-percent layout and double-shot OSA keycaps hide Gateron Double-Rail magnetic switches, which let you customize their actuation points in 0.1mm increments and assign multiple actions to a single key, based on travel depth. For gamers who love fine-tuning features, these magnetic (also known as Hall Effect) switches are excellent. And despite being linear, they’re pre-lubed and designed for stability, helping Keychron’s K2 HE feel as premium and pleasing as it looks.Keychron will launch its K2 HE models on Kickstarter first at a $5 discount starting today. Or you can wait for full production and pick one up from Keychron directly beginning in October, starting at $130.Design of the Keychron K2 HEKeychron sent us the Special Edition of the K2 HE in white, but the company will offer up multiple variants. The Special Edition versions will be offered in black or white ($135 via Kickstarter or $140 in October), with rounded OSA keycaps that aren’t shine-through (limiting the RGB lighting that can escape between the keys), with metal top and bottom frame pieces, and solid-wood sides.(Image credit: Keychron)It’s a specific look that isn’t for everyone, but I think this is the prettiest keyboard I’ve ever tested. Even if I’m a little afraid of what the white keycaps might look like after several months of daily use. Personally, I’d probably opt for the black model.For those who don’t dig the wood look and prefer brighter RGB lighting, the K2 HE Standard Edition ($125 via Kickstarter or $130 starting in October) features shine-through keycaps with an OEM profile, and keeps the metal frame that helps add to the premium feel. That said, the core of the keyboard’s chassis is plastic. With the wooden side panels removed from our Special Edition review unit, the top and bottom metal rails slide right off, revealing a keyboard that looks quite similar to a white version of the much cheaper Keychron K2.Then again, I’m sure the plastic main body improves wireless signals for the 2.4GHz and Bluetooth connection modes. Wired connectivity is of course also supported. And the company includes a decent braided cable in the box, along with a hex wrench for taking off the wood side panels and a small screwdriver for getting access to the interior of the keyboard.There are also extra keycaps for Windows or Mac, a keycap / switch puller, and an extender for the RF dongle included. I primarily used the keyboard with the dongle plugged into one of the top ports of my PC case (as well as occasionally over Bluetooth with my laptop) and never had any issues with connectivity.Image […]

As much as we love high-priced tech like graphics cards, monitors, or the latest handheld PC, most of us can’t spend several hundred dollars on a gadget gift or purchase. But that doesn’t mean you can’t substantially improve your tech life while spending a comparatively small amount of money.I own most of the affordable tech gifts in this list below, nearly all of which can be had for less than $50. I can honestly say that most of these products have made my nerdy world a little nicer in their own ways. If you’re looking for an affordable gift for that techie friend or family member (or just something to get yourself) one of these under $50 options might be just what you’re after.For many of these deals, you’ll need to click on coupons or add promo codes on the listing, so be sure to look for those to ensure you get the best price. My favorite sub-$50 deals:HOTO Wireless Screwdriver: now $35, was $70Baseus 67W Charging Station: now $43, was $78Lenovo Go Qi Charging Mouse: now $38, was $60Baseus 67W Charging Station(Image credit: Baseus)With my laptop and several other devices charging over USB-C PD, I like to have a USB-C charger in multiple rooms, as well as a compact charger for when I travel. This 67W Charging Station from Baseus accomplishes both. On my desk, it can charge all my devices, with a promised 67W via any of the three USB-C ports, or 67W total shared from the three Type-C and single Type-A port. And it also provides a handy power outlet behind the USB ports.And when I need to travel, the USB section unplugs from the base, giving you a tiny (2.5 inches long) GaN charger to keep your devices juiced up on the go. This is one of those rare two-in-one devices that doesn’t seem to have any downsides. Well, there is one, but it’s not a huge deal, at least for me. The power prongs on the charger don’t fold in to the charger when it’s away from its base. But since I keep my charger and cables in a small bag when I travel, that’s not really an issue.Just be sure to select the 30% off coupon and use the code COMBO67W to get the discounted price.Lenovo Go Qi Charging Wireless Mouse(Image credit: Lenovo)I have wireless charging pads at my desk and three other places around my apartment for keeping my phone and watch juiced up, and I take one with me when I travel. So when I saw Lenovo had a Go Wireless Multi-Device Mouse that charges wirelessly using the Qi standard, I was intrigued. And now that I’ve owned one for over a year, it’s my go-to travel rodent.There’s not much remarkable about this compact mouse in terms of its design. It houses a USB-C dongle under its magnetic top, and it also works over Bluetooth for pairing it with up to three devices. Lenovo claims 2-3 months of use if you use it a couple of hours a day, which is probably fairly accurate. I’ve never been able to tell because once a week or so, I just drop it on the Qi charging stand on my desk and it’s fully charged whenever I pick it up again. Plugging things in is so 2019. However, it does have a USB-C port in the front if you want to pry off the rubber door and charge it the old-school way.Add recessed power and USB ports to your desk for just $20
 (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)OK, this one’s only for the DIY-inclined, because it involves cutting a hole in your desk (or anywhere else you might want some flush-mount power ports, like a nightstand). Jgstkcity’s recessed power strip lets you drop a couple of AC outlets and two USB charging ports (one 30W USB-C) anywhere you need them – again, once you’ve cut a hole for it.While it’s always smart to be wary of no-name power strips, I’ve owned the older non-PD version of this strip for over two years and it’s been functioning just fine. I  have it installed in the narrow stand I built right behind my couch. It’s a super-convenient place for power outlets, especially when friends or family stop by. I just warn people not to put drinks there. Thankfully the coffee table is even more convenient for that and it’s right in front of the couch.  Powerowl’s rechargeable batteries are good and surprisingly cheap (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)When I first started using rechargeable batteries with my Walkman in the early 90s, they were kind of awful (but still better than spending all my money feeding my music addiction). They couldn’t hold a charge and didn’t last nearly as long as name-brand disposable batteries. But here in the 2020s, rechargeables are surprisingly good.Panasonic’s Eneloops arguably ushered in the rechargeable AA and AAA renaissance, but PowerOwl’s batteries are a lot more affordable and I haven’t had a single one fail in over three years of using them in my various remotes, smart door locks, and other devices.HyperX Wrist Rest(Image credit: HyperX)For anyone who spends their days (and / or nights) in front of a keyboard, a good wrist rest is key for both short-term comfort and long-term limb health. Multiple Tom’s Hardware staffers swear by HyperX’s gel / memory foam wrist rests. Seriously, it makes typing feel a lot more like settling into a comfy recliner.And with the rise in popularity of compact keyboards, it’s nice to see the company now offers a Mini version. At about 9 inches long, this model is a good fit for small keyboards, but a 14-inch Tenkeyless option is also available for $5 more.HOTO NEX O1 PRO 3.6V Screwdriver Set(Image credit: Hoto)I build a lot of PCs and also do a fair bit of home improvement work around my apartment. So a cordless screwdriver is a nice thing to have. I also own a much slimmer Wowstick, but have found HOTO’s NEX O1 Pro to be handier thanks to its extra (and variable) torque. It’s great for loosening those factory-installed screws on PC cases that just don’t want to let go, and also good for assembling small pieces of furniture.The HOTO won’t replace my DeWalt impact driver or drill for bigger, tougher jobs, but I can confirm it’s ruggedly constructed. While helping relatives move into a new condo recently, I used it for a full day and dropped it off a six-foot ladder at least three times while installing shelves and curtain rods. It still looks and functions like it did when it was new.The Hoto screwdriver is powerful enough for most common household tasks, easy to charge over USB-C, and even looks good on my workbench. I just wish it came with and stored more than 12 bits. JLab JBuds ANC 3 Bluetooth Earbuds(Image credit: JLab)We usually leave coverage of things like Bluetooth earbuds to our colleagues at Tom’s Guide. But after losing my primary pair earlier this year while traveling in Scotland, I picked up the third generation of JLab’s ANC earbuds, and have been pleasantly surprised by just how good they are — especially at their current sale price of $42.Don’t get me wrong, my Samsung Buds 2 Pro sound better and have better noise canceling, but the Samsungs sold for more than four times as much until recently. The JLab buds deliver decent noise cancelling and solid noise cancelling, both of which I definitely appreciated on my flight home and then a much longer flight to Taiwan not long after.If you don’t want to spend more and don’t need the best performance, these are great budget earbuds, and even though I’ve since replaced my Samsungs for another (refurbished) pair, I often find myself reaching for these JLabs when walking out the door. I find the slim vertical charging case slips nicely in my pocket.For me, the only real downside is they charge over a short attached USB-C cable. I’ve also read reviews that say they aren’t great for making calls, but I try to avoid talking to while people on the go as much as possible, anyway.TP-Link AX1800 WiFi 6 USB Adapter(Image credit: TP-Link)Have you upgraded your router to Wi-Fi 6, but your desktop or laptop doesn’t have the requisite hardware to take advantage of your newer network tech? TP-Link’s AX1800 WiFi 6 USB Adapter is here to solve that problem for you. It’s quite large by USB Wi-Fi dongle standards, but I’ve found it works quite well with the Wi-Fi 6 router that I have running downstairs from my office. And it instantly fixed an issue I was having with very poor reception from the SFF PC I built in the Fractal Terra case.TP-Link WiFi 6E Intel AX210 AXE5400 PCIe WiFi Card(Image credit: TP-Link)If you have a desktop with a spare PCIe slot and want to upgrade to the newer Wi-Fi 6E standard, TP-Link’s Archer TXE75E add-in card has you covered and is currently on sale for a penny under $50. I’ve been using the non-E (Wi-Fi 6 model) of this card (which is also on sale for $37) for four years in my primary living-room PC and it’s worked flawlessly.This model uses an Intel AZ210 Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 card, under a heatsink and supported by a serious antenna. For more about why you might (or might not) want to opt for the 6E version of this card over the cheaper, older Wi-Fi 6 model, see our explainer about the differences between the two standards. Of course, Wi-Fi 7 is the newest standard, but routers that support those features are still very expensive, and devices that support it are also scarce. So you’re unlikely to regret getting an “older” Wi-Fi 6 card anytime soon, especially at these reduced prices.APC Desk Mount Power Station PE6U4(Image credit: APC)If you’re a tech person, you always want more power sockets and USB ports within easy reach. And that’s exactly what APC’s Desk Mount Power Station provides. Designed to be clamped on the edge of a desk or on top of a cubicle wall, it puts six power sockets and four USB charging ports right on your desk. No more bending over or reaching around things to get the sweet, sweet power your device needs. Oh, and it’s also a 1,080-Joule-rated surge protector, so your devices get some added protection as well. I wouldn’t trust all my expensive devices to such a small surge protector but hey, it’s better than nothing.   Anker Power Strip Surge Protector (2100J)(Image credit: Anker)What’s exciting to say about a surge protector? If it’s old and defective, it could help burn your house down. And even if it isn’t, it’s recommended you replace them every 5 or so years because the parts that actually do the protecting can become less effective over the years. So there’s a good chance you’re due for a new one. I own three of these Anker Power Strip Surge Protectors (2100J) and they all have worked flawlessly. Aside from the usual things like 10 three-prong outlets and a handy switch, Anker also includes USB-A and USB-C power outlets, each rated to 12W. I wish these came with more than an 18-month warranty, but I’ve always had good luck with Anker’s customer service, which makes me feel a bit better on that front.Orico USB 3.0 Clamp Hub(Image credit: Orico)Much like the APC power station above, this is a four-port USB hub that’s designed to clamp onto your desk and give you extra convenient connectivity. Orico’s device is more about data than power though, delivering USB 3.0 speeds, which is good enough for most modern devices. It comes in black or silver and has a nice sturdy metal frame. Just note that its clamp section is pretty shallow and its adjustable screw can only open between 10 and 32 mm, so it won’t fit on all desks.If you are willing to spend a few dollars more, there’s a newer model with a single USB-C port along with USB-A for $29.8Bitdo SN30 Pro Wireless Bluetooth Controller(Image credit: 8bitdo)What’s not to love about an SNES-inspired wireless gaming controller that’s compatible with Windows, Mac, Android and the Nintendo Switch? Not much, but I own the original Pro model and not one of these newer models with translucent plastic shells. That’s peak late-90s nostalgia and I really don’t want to love it as much as I do.As you might expect given this controller’s small size and many more buttons than the SNES controller it was based on, its Rumble motors aren’t the strongest, and the layout can feel kind of cramped for some modern games. But for any kind of retro game and especially platformers (I’m looking at you, Super Mario Bros. Wonder), this is my go-to controller.Hamurubi Large Felt Desk Pad(Image credit: Dawntrees)Few things can freshen up your desk space with less effort and cost than a good desk pad. It also helps that putting down a new desk pad means you actually have to clean up your desk. The one I’m using at my main home desk is getting a little funky, so I ordered this felt model from Dawntrees earlier this year.It comes in a large 40 x 16 size that was perfect for covering up a gauge in my desk that happened while wall-mounting the OLED TV I use as a monitor. But it also comes in a somewhat smaller 35.5 x 15 model for a few dollars less. I particularly like that it’s felt rather than leather, and that it has anti-slip silicone dots on the bottom to keep it in place. At $16-$19 and available in two shades of gray, if you like the look and feel of felt, it should be a comfy and attractive addition to your desk.Clean up the cables under your desk with a tray(Image credit: Delamu)Sometimes, the best gifts are passive-aggressive. If all you want for the holidays is for someone in your home or office to get their cables off the floor, some cheap cable management trays will do the job. This two-pack comes with tape, though heavier loads will ultimately require some screws.Besides the trays, this key also comes with some cable ties and a few cable clips you can place along the bottom or sides of your desk. One of these has been holding up the PC cable clutter in my living room since May. But I had to screw it into my desk because it’s holding one of the above Anker power strips, plus the external power brick from my TV/Monitor. […]

HP has been busy in recent months, paring down its PC sub-brands to just Omni (consumer), Omen (gaming), Elite, and Pro (business), and launching new laptops based around Qualcomm’s Arm-based Snapdragon X Elite platform. In keeping with the new naming scheme, the HP OmniBook X we’re looking at here is a high-end consumer laptop for $1,199.Can this Arm-based OmniBook X knock one of the x86 devices off of our Premium Laptops page? We’ll have to benchmark it and try out its AI-focused features to find out. But (spoiler alert) its 16-hour battery life result in our testing is certainly impressive – if not quite the next-level longevity that Qualcomm was promising in the lead-up to the launch of its latest Windows on Arm platform.Arm Software and App SupportPrevious efforts to get Windows software, which is typically written for x86 (Intel and AMD) architectures, running on Arm chips have been hit or miss at best, with many popular apps and programs running in emulation (making them slower while also consuming more battery life), and many other programs refusing to run at all. For an operating system like Windows where people have grown to expect software to mostly just work, that’s a pretty big problem. But with the launch of the Snapdragon X Elite and the Microsoft Copilot+ push, things are very different this time around, with many mainstream apps and programs getting native Arm versions. Personally, nearly everything I attempted to run on the OmniBook X just worked as I would have expected from a typical Intel or AMD laptop, with the exception of HWinfo, which we typically use for testing. One of my favorite games at the moment, Dome Keeper, was playable (running in emulation, not that the average user would know that) but choppy in scenes with fast motion. This is a pixel art game that’s generally not very demanding, so I was a bit surprised that the game felt sluggish. Of course, HP isn’t marketing the OmniBook as a gaming laptop, and I do expect gaming performance to get better as Qualcomm releases additional driver updates. But at least for the foreseeable future, you should expect some programs (and games in particular) to exhibit unpredictable performance – and for some software to occasionally just not work. If that’s not something you want to deal with, especially considering the high price of the OmniBook and other Snapdragon X Elite devices, you may want to stick with an Intel or AMD laptop for this cycle and see what Windows on Arm looks like in a year or two.Design of the HP OmniBook X(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)The OmniBook X is a new design from HP, but it clearly takes cues from the company’s previous high-end Dragonfly laptops, with its simple but refined rounded and tapered edges, above-average keyboard feel, and high-resolution (5MP) webcam with a physical privacy shutter.The design basics (and the physical laptop itself) all feel solid, and the chassis is svelte at 0.57 inches thick. But at 2.97 pounds, it’s not the lightest 14-incher around. Lenovo’s X1 Carbon is 2.42 pounds, and my personal AMD-powered Asus Zenbook 14 OLED weighs 2.82 pounds. So while the OmniBook X feels solid and dense, there are lighter ultraportable options out there.(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)HP delivers a decent selection of ports for an ultraportable laptop, with a 5Gbps USB-A port (under a drop-jaw hinge) on the right edge, alongside a 3.5mm audio jack.(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)The left edge houses two USB-C ports, one 40Gbps (USB4), and one 10GBps. It would be nice if both ports offered the same bandwidth, but both at least support power delivery, so you don’t have to worry about which one you use to charge.(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)In its marketing materials, HP calls out the laptop’s redesigned hinge for its “optimal thermal ventilation.” But those who prefer a full 180 degrees will find the hinge sub-optimal, as the screen only tilts back as far as can be seen in the image above. The company has done some smart and visually interesting things with the keyboard, adding screen capture, calculator, and a customizable button to the function row, alongside a pale blue power button. But we’ll discuss the keyboard and touchpad in more detail shortly. Overall, while it does give off MacBook Air vibes in silver (it’s also available in white), HP’s latest laptop feels like something I’d be comfortable and confident in using as my daily (portable) computing device – even if the commuter in me does wish it were about a half-pound lighter.HP OmniBook X SpecsSwipe to scroll horizontallyCPU12-Core Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite X1E-78-100GraphicsIntegrated AdrenoMemory16 GB LPDDR5xStorage1TB SSDDisplay14-inch, 2240 x 1400, TouchNetworkingWi-Fi 6E AX211, BluetoothPorts1x USB-C (40Gbps), 1x USB-C (10Gbps), 1x USB Type-A 3.2 Gen 1 (5Gbps), 3.5 mm headphone jackCamera5MP, IR, physical shutter switchBattery59 WHrPower Adapter65 WOperating SystemWindows 11 HomeDimensions (WxDxH)12.32 x 8.8 x 0.57 inches / 312.9 x 223.5 x 14.4mmWeight2.97 pounds (1.35 kg)Price (as configured)$1,199Today’s best HP OmniBook X 14 AI PC dealsShow More DealsProductivity Performance on the HP OmniBook XWe tested the HP OmniBook X against the Surface Laptop 13, also a Snapdragon X-based portable, along with the 13-inch M3 MacBook Air. And to see how these laptops compare to a recent Intel-based portable, we tossed in Asus’ Zenbook 14 OLED, outfitted with a Core Ultra 7 155H CPU and a higher-resolution 2880 x 1800 display.Image […]

After years of capacity stagnation at 5TB, Western Digital recently upped its top-capacity portable hard drives to 6TB. Today we’re testing the 6TB My Passport specifically, though the gaming-focused WD Black and the more basic Essential line will also be getting the same capacity bump. The capacity jump comes with an increase in z-height, with the 6TB model being 0.81 inches thick to the 5TB’s 0.75 inches. So it’s likely that the company simply added an extra platter over the 5TB model we looked at back in 2020. And given the thickness of the internal drive, it’s unlikely these 2.5-inch drives will land in applications other than external storage. But how does the 6TB My Passport perform, and how does it stack up in a world of faster, more durable, high-capacity external SSDs? We’ll have to test the drive to find out, but one thing’s for certain: You aren’t going to find one of the best external SSDs with even 4TB of capacity for close to the WD My Passport 6TB’s $180 asking price.Western Digital My Passport SpecsSwipe to scroll horizontallyProduct1TB 2TB, 4TB, 5TB, 6TBPricing$66(1TB), $85(2TB), $116 (4TB), $127 (5TB), $179.99 (6TB)Interface / ProtocolUSB 3.2 Gen 1 (5Gbps)Included cableUSB Type-C to Micro-BDimensions4.22 x 2.95Weight0.27-0.46 poundsWarranty3 yearsToday’s best Western Digital My Passport Ultra 6TB dealsDesign and Accessories for the WD My Passport (6TB)As you can see from the specs table above, the thickness of WD’s My Passport drives increases at every capacity pump — starting at 0.44 inches for 1TB, and nearly doubling that (0.81 inches) for the 6TB model. The drives come with a plastic shell that’s gray on the bottom, but with a top lid that’s available in white, red, blue, or black (the model we were shipped). The color options are nice, but the fact that those colors are only a part of the top lid (making the blue and red models look particularly odd) shows just how much WD has cut costs with these drives.(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)Another way the company cuts costs is with the connector and cable. The cable is a convenient 18-inch length and has USB-A on one end but USB Micro-B on the other. Yes, USB Micro-B: the two-pronged 5Gbps connector that I would have expected on a drive in, say, 2014 — not in 2024.To be fair to WD, you can buy a version of this drive with a USB-C cable on the drive side, but it costs $5 more and only comes in gray. It seems strange that the company is bothering to make two versions of its portable hard drives with two different connectors at all, especially when the more mainstream / lower-priced version uses a cable type that’s more than a decade old and was never very popular outside of external storage drives anyway.(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)Overall, the 6TB WD drive feels a bit chunky and hefty (it weighs nearly half a pound) for an external hard drive, and it’s positively massive compared to most modern external SSDs. Crucial’s X9 and X10 drives are about 1/6th the size, though they do top out at 4TB. Samsung’s T5 Evo SSD is about half the size and houses up to 8TB of storage. But the Samsung drive is in another price league (at around $600) — as is SanDisk’s recently released Desk Drive, which is bigger than all three of those drives combined, but requires external power and is meant, as its name implies, to remain semi-permanently on your desk.Security and SoftwareWD ships its My Passport drives with a utility for both PC and Mac that integrates a few different programs for drive maintenance, security, and backups. Oddly, the Windows installer that shipped on our review unit would not install on one PC, hanging at 18%. The front-end installed on a second PC, but when I clicked on the individual apps, the install button would briefly turn into what looked like a loading bar — and after several seconds, the install button would just reappear, not allowing me to install WD’s programs (though I did eventually get one of the three to install using this method).I hope this isn’t a widespread issue with the company’s software installer. But the programs can be grabbed individually here, and I had no issues installing and running them when downloading them individually (rather than through the company’s installer front-end). WD Security is what you’ll use to set up and manage the drive’s 256-bit AES hardware encryption / password. It’s very straightforward since it doesn’t do a whole lot. On the backup front for Windows users, there’s Acronis True Image, a venerable program for backing up and cloning drives. You can use it to make full system backups or to back up specific folders. The software also includes other tools, for tasks such as drive cleaning and making rescue media.(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)Lastly, WD Drive Utilities lets you test the drive for failure issues, set how soon the drive sleeps when not in use, and even turn off the tiny activity LED. You can also format and name the drive from this app, with options for NTFS and exFAT. These features are of course built into Windows, but for those not so familiar with Microsoft’s OS (or unwilling to search through menus), it’s an easy-to-find, easy-to-use alternative to the Disk Management window.(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)Comparison ProductsWe don’t regularly review portable hard drives. In fact, the last model we tested was the 5TB WD My Passport drive over four years ago. And while we’ll occasionally reference the results of that drive, our storage testbed has changed multiple times since 2020, so we won’t be charting that drive in or test results below. Instead, we’ll be comparing the 6TB WD My Passport to Samsung’s T5 Evo, an 8TB portable SSD that, while roomy, is quite slow for a solid-state drive. Also on our charts will be one of the best flash drives we’ve tested, Kingston’s DataTraveler Max (1TB); as well as Samsung’s mainstream T7 Shield (2TB); and our current pick for a fast 20Gbps external SSD, Crucial’s X10 Pro. Obviously, as a hard drive, the My Passport is going to trail the SSDs in most (if not all) of our tests. But keep in mind that, at around $180, the 6TB hard drive is priced less than even a 2TB Samsung T7 Shield — and the 8TB Samsung T5 Evo usually sells for close to $600. So if you need a lot of capacity and not a lot of speed, a portable hard drive can still be a compelling value.Trace Testing – PCMark 10 Storage BenchmarkPCMark 10 is a trace-based benchmark that uses a wide-ranging set of real-world traces from popular applications and everyday tasks to measure the performance of storage devices.(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)WD’s My Passport takes the last-place spot here — again, as we’d expect for a hard drive. But it’s actually not far off from the T5 Evo SSD results on this test, both in its score and bandwidth.Transfer Rates – DiskBenchWe use the DiskBench storage benchmarking tool to test real-world file transfer performance with a custom 50GB dataset. We copy 4,617 files (images, videos, and software ISO files) to a folder on the test drive (write). Then, after leaving the system idle for five minutes, we run the same test in reverse, moving the test folder to a different location on our PCIe 4.0 testing drive.(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)Again, the WD drive lands in last place, behind even the “slow’ Samsung T5 SSD. Having said that, the drive’s 109 MB/s read speed does match what we saw on the 5TB version of this drive back in 2020. The nearly 96 MB/s write speed is also faster than the 85 MB/s we saw on the 5TB drive in 2020, but that test was performed using different files (and a smaller test size of 25GB), so the two aren’t strictly comparable.Synthetic Testing CrystalDiskMarkCrystalDiskMark (CDM) is a free and easy-to-run storage benchmarking tool that SSD companies commonly use to assign product performance specifications. It gives us insight into how each device handles different file sizes. We run this test at its default settings.(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)In this synthetic test, the WD drive was a bit faster than our previous real-world scenario. But 123 MB/s reads and 114 MB/s writes are still more than three times slower than the slowest SSD we’ve tested lately, Samsung’s T5 Evo.(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)When it comes to IOPS, the SSDs are in another league, again as we’d expect.Sustained Write PerformanceA drive’s rated write specifications are only a piece of the performance picture. Most external SSDs (just like their internal counterparts) implement a write cache — or a fast area of flash, programmed to perform like faster SLC — that absorbs incoming data. Sustained write speeds often suffer tremendously when the workload saturates the cache and slips into the “native” TLC or QLC flash. We use Iometer to hammer the SSD (or hard drive, in this case) with sequential writes for 15 minutes to measure its sustained performance.(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)The pale blue line of the WD My Passport drive may be way down at the bottom, but, outside of a few random dips, its performance was steady in our testing, with the drive writing predominantly between 107 and 120 MB/s. While, like its predecessor, the drive is almost certainly an SMR (Shingled Magnetic Recording) drive (which overlaps data tracks to increase density) its write performance was consistent across our 15-minute test and beyond. We let our test run for a full 30 mins, and while we did notice more instances of writes falling just below 100 MB/s in the last 10 minutes or so, write speed averaged 112.5 MB/s for the full 30-minute test.Conclusion(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)For many enthusiasts and those who need faster speed and more durability than spinning platters can offer, hard drives can almost feel like retro tech these days. I personally stated that I’d never buy a hard drive again back in 2018 (and I haven’t since then). But while SSD capacities have risen (and will soon rise even more), the cost of SSDs has also increased dramatically in the last year.So for those who need lots of space but not a lot of speed for media libraries, backups, or on-the-go project files, a high-capacity portable hard drive can still be a compelling alternative – especially when you can get a 6TB drive for about $180, when most 4TB portable SSDs have climbed back up close to $300. WD’s updated My Passport drive (as well as other external hard drive lines from WD) offers the highest capacity of any available portable hard drive, as well as built-in hardware-based security, at a reasonable price (especially compared to SSDs). I just wish the company would ditch the clunky, dated Micro-B USB interface. And just like with SSDs, you’ll pay extra for the highest possible capacity. As of this writing, the 6TB model sells for $180, while the 5TB model sells for $127. So if you don’t need that last terabyte, you can save yourself fifty bucks by opting for a slightly smaller capacity. […]