Category: Technology

TL;DR: Get Ashampoo WinOptimizer Pro 29 for $19.99 (MSRP $50) to clean and optimize a Windows PC, or Ashampoo 3D CAD Professional 14 for $39.99 (MSRP $300) for architectural planning, 3D modeling, and BIM-compatible exports.

Two very different Windows jobs are getting significantly cheaper lifetime software options. Ashampoo WinOptimizer Pro 29 is $19.99 (MSRP $50), while Ashampoo 3D CAD Professional 14 is $39.99 (MSRP $300), and both come with lifetime licenses.

For everyday PC maintenance, WinOptimizer Pro 29 combines 30 optimization modules into a single program. Its One Click Optimizer runs the Drive Cleaner, Internet Cleaner, and Registry Optimizer together, while the Privacy Traces Cleaner targets sensitive browsing and system data. There’s also a Crash Analyzer for diagnosing errors and a Tuning Assistant for adjusting Windows settings.

The $39.99 option is considerably more specialized. Ashampoo 3D CAD Professional 14 is designed for residential, commercial, and public construction planning. It supports detailed floor plans and 3D building models, plus an electrical planning assistant for placing outlets, switches, and lights.

The CAD software also includes numerical tools for precise measurements, more than 250 object groups, scanned floor-plan tracing, and scaled PDF output.

Both are Windows-only lifetime purchases. The decision simply comes down to the job:

• Ashampoo WinOptimizer Pro 29 for $19.99 (MSRP $50) for deeper PC maintenance.

• Ashampoo 3D CAD Professional 14 for $39.99 (MSRP $300) for professional 3D architectural planning.

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An advertiser paid for editorial consideration of this deal. Our experts vetted the deal based on our independent expertise. Because we determined that the deal will save you money, we covered it.

Shelling out cash for a new cellphone is always a little stressful. You’re dropping hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars on a wafer-thin piece of sensitive technology that’s going to get jostled around in your pocket every single day. No matter what high-tech alloys and ultra-durable glass Apple, Samsung, and the other manufacturers use, they’re not indestructible. That’s why only fools take their phones out without a case. Right now, leading casemaker Casetify is giving PCMag readers a special deal: buy one case, use coupon code IMPACT2026, and get 15% off your second.

Casetify Phone Cases

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A well-built phone case is a lot more than a plastic sleeve that protects it from bumps and bruises. Casetify has developed a rigorous process for building and testing its products, with scratch-resistant finishes, MIL-STD durability for drops up to 4.9 feet, built-in side sockets to attach straps or charms, and full compatibility with both MagSafe accessories and standard Qi wireless chargers. Raised bezels around the screen and camera lenses help insulate those especially fragile areas from impacts. Each model is precisely measured to give you seamless access to volume and camera buttons, as well as the charging port.

In addition, a case lets you customize the visual appeal of your phone beyond a few color choices. That’s another area where Casetify really shines, partnering with artists from around the world to produce hundreds of prints and styles. No matter what your aesthetic, you’ll be able to find something that matches it, from edgy abstract patterns and fine art licensed from the Louvre, to popular licensed characters from Marvel, Star Wars, and other franchises. Each case is made to order and ships quickly, meaning your precious new phone won’t be unprotected for long. The company has been in business since 2011, meeting each new phone release with a wave of protective equipment that keeps them safe.

Because phone makers love to tweak their devices in between generations, Casetify builds each new model from the ground up, using every tool at its disposal to match the shape and size, add as little weight as possible, and maximize protection. It also offers a range of optional accessories to complement your case, including screen protectors, straps, and more.

Here’s how the deal works: pick up one case at full price (very reasonable, with even the most expensive models coming in below $70), and get an additional one for 15% off when you enter coupon code IMPACT2026 at checkout. Whether you just want a little visual variety for your own phone or are getting a second case as a gift for a friend, the deal’s good to go.

Some exclusions apply. 15% discount does not apply to Co-lab, Sales, Ripple, and Could cases, as well as cases for the new iPhone 18.

About Our Expert

K. Thor Jensen

Contributing Writer

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K. Thor Jensen is a writer and cartoonist living in the Pacific Northwest. He has contributed to dozens of prestigious outlets, including PCMag, Tested, Clickhole, and Newsweek. His second graphic novel, Cloud Stories, was released in 2017.

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Smart glasses can be pretty expensive, but there are some budget ones out there that are still of exceptional quality. The Viture Pro 2 XR/AR glasses are the prime example of this. They come with one crucial feature that stands out among the competition: vision correction. This alone helps out others who might be visually impaired, offering something that other smart glasses can’t. They’re now on sale for $298, which is down from their original $379 price. That’s $80 in savings!

As of September 21, the Viture Pro 2 XR/AR smart glasses are on sale for 21% off. According to CamelCamelCamel, this is the lowest price they’ve been in the past month. So now is the best time to grab a pair if you missed out!

Viture Pro 2 XR/AR Smart Glasses

146-inch display, 120Hz refresh rate, 1080p resolution

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The Viture Pro 2 smart glasses use UltraClarity 3.0 optics to ensure that text, subtitles, and details look clear at every corner of the lens rather than just only the center. Whether you’re looking at documents or playing video games, the image fills up the entire lens and keeps you immersed. They have built-in myopia adjustment dials in both lens, letting you turn them independently. This way, nearsighted users can use the smart glasses without using prescriptions inserts or contacts. On the XR front, these glasses project a 146-inch screen at 120Hz and 1080p resolution, making them perfect for gaming or streaming wherever you go.

Additionally, they’re SGS A+ Eye Care Certified, meaning that the smart glasses will reduce blue light visual fatigue, allowing you to use them for longer. The frame itself is comfortable too. It’s 20% lighter than the predecessor, with a 39% thinner hinge for a more sunglasses-like look. Included in the box are seven different nose-pad sizes so that you can find the perfect fit for you.

Our expert Will Greenwald awarded them an “Outstanding” rating. In our in-depth review, he said, “The $299 Viture Pro 2 takes the crown for budget-friendly smart glasses by matching the class-leading brightness of pricier rivals while adding built-in vision correction at no extra cost.”

Be sure to check out our other Smart Glasses coverage and Amazon deals.

More Smart Glasses Deals at Best Buy

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TL;DR: This like-new 2021 Apple iPad 9th Gen has 256GB of storage, an A13 Bionic chip, and a 10.2-inch Retina display for $209.99 (MSRP $479).

A tablet doesn’t need the latest hardware to handle everyday work, streaming, browsing, and video calls. This Grade A refurbished 2021 Apple iPad 9th Gen with 256GB of storage is only $209.99 (MSRP $479).

The A13 Bionic chip provides responsive performance for everyday apps, web browsing, and multitasking. And 256GB of built-in storage is another practical advantage. There’s room for apps, documents, photos, videos, and other content without starting with a smaller storage configuration.

For calls, the 12MP Ultra Wide front camera supports Center Stage, which automatically helps keep you in frame. Touch ID provides quick, secure unlocking, and stereo speakers handle audio for calls, music, and shows.

This model connects to the internet via Wi-Fi and offers all-day battery life.

It’s also Grade A refurbished, meaning it arrives in near-mint condition with very minimal to zero scuffing on the case.

Pick up this like-new iPad for just $209.99 (MSRP $479).

Apple iPad (2021)

9th Gen 256GB Wi-Fi Only Space Gray (Refurbished

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You probably weren’t going to buy a PC with a 4GB RX 9050 graphics card, but new test numbers from Hardware Unboxed and Toasty Bros should make sure of it. The GPU is over 25% slower than the 8GB version across a range of games at 1080p Medium/High; in many games, it barely breaks 60fps at 1080p Low.

We first heard that AMD was bringing back the aging 4GB GPUs in July, and initial performance tests were rough. Although we didn’t expect much, it’s always important to wait for well-produced third-party benchmarks with reproducible results. Unfortunately, now that we have them, it’s clear just how poor this new card’s performance is.

Hardware Unboxed pulled the 9050 4GB from a weak CyberPowerPC build and paired it with an AMD Ryzen 9800X3D and some GSkill Trident Z5 6000 memory. But even with that overpowered CPU/memory configuration, the card fell flat on its face.

In Forza Horizon 6, the 9050 only managed an average of 88fps at 1080p Medium. The 8GB version achieved an average of 129fps, while the Intel Arc B570 managed 116fps. In Resident Evil Requiem at 1080p Low, it just managed 64fps average, while the 8GB version achieved a much smoother 88fps.

In Lego Batman, however, the 9050 4GB achieved 123fps at Medium quality, which is very playable. But the 8GB version is up to 175fps average, showing what a huge disparity just an extra few gigabytes of VRAM can create, even at these lower settings and resolutions.

The Toasty Bros YouTube channel found much the same. Although not as comprehensive, their tests showed poor performance with the 9050 in the pre-built gaming system they purchased. In Forza Horizon 6, the game becomes very choppy outside the lowest settings, with a flashy warning for Low Video Memory and serious stutters to single-digit FPS at times.

The one caveat they gave was that this still represents an upgrade over the AMD RX 6500 XT, but that’s a four-year-old card that was super-entry-level at the time and now sells for less than $100 second-hand. Anything released now should top that.

The 9500 4GB does, but it’s still hard to stomach that this card came as part of a near-$900 pre-built gaming PC in 2026. Spending that much should get you something that can play at 1080p high. You might be able to do that with this card in some older games, with upscaling doing some heavy lifting, but it doesn’t appear to be up to the task for anything else.

About Our Expert

Jon Martindale

Contributor

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Jon Martindale is a tech journalist from the UK, with 20 years of experience covering all manner of PC components and associated gadgets. He’s written for a range of publications, including ExtremeTech, Digital Trends, Forbes, U.S. News & World Report, and Lifewire, among others. When not writing, he’s a big board gamer and reader, with a particular habit of speed-reading through long manga sagas. 

Jon covers the latest PC components, as well as how-to guides on everything from how to take a screenshot to how to set up your cryptocurrency wallet. He particularly enjoys the battles between the top tech giants in CPUs and GPUs, and tries his best not to take sides.

Jon’s gaming PC is built around the iconic 7950X3D CPU, with a 7900XTX backing it up. That’s all the power he needs to play lightweight indie and casual games, as well as more demanding sim titles like Kerbal Space Program. He uses a pair of Jabra Active 8 earbuds and a SteelSeries Arctis Pro wireless headset, and types all day on a Logitech G915 mechanical keyboard.

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TL;DR: Microsoft Visual Studio Professional 2026 is currently $29.97 (MSRP $499.99) through September 20, giving developers lifetime access to a full-featured IDE at a fraction of the usual price.

Visual Studio Professional 2026 is a 64-bit development environment built for projects across .NET, C++, Blazor, and .NET MAUI, including cross-platform mobile and desktop apps. It’s currently available at a major discount for $29.97 until the end of today, September 20, at 11:59 p.m. PT, down from its $499.99 MSRP.

IntelliCode-powered AI analyzes code context to deliver ranked completion suggestions and assist with refactoring, reducing bugs and boilerplate along the way. CodeLens surfaces commit history, test status, and code references directly in the editor without requiring a context switch.

Live Share enables real-time collaborative editing and debugging without requiring teammates to clone repos or configure matching environments. The IDE also integrates natively with Azure, GitHub, and DevOps workflows, and supports hot reload across .NET and C++ projects so code changes apply instantly during runtime.

This is a single-user lifetime license redeemable on one supported device. The code must be redeemed within 30 days of purchase.

Get Microsoft Visual Studio Professional 2026 on sale for $29.97 (MSRP $499.99) through September 20.

Microsoft Visual Studio Professional 2026

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Pointing a laser pen at the sky might seem harmless, but it can be extremely dangerous: distracting and even blinding pilots. Since 2010 laser strikes have plagued US aircraft, with experts chalking up the problem to easily available cheap laser pens, and people either not knowing or not caring about the risks it entails. Though thankfully these types of incidents haven’t caused any crashes, the FAA says pilots have reported 328 injuries since it started tracking the number in 2010. 

But the good news is that laser strikes against aircraft are down again this year, for the third time running, falling 24 percent year-on-year to 4,470 through July 2026 according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

This represents a huge decrease compared to 2023’s all-time high of 13,304. The FAA chalked up the recent improvements to its ongoing outreach and training with local, state, and federal law enforcement. California recorded the most incidents overall with 614, while Texas recorded 445. Per capita Hawaii was the worst impacted state, with 5.09 incidents per 100,000 people, followed by New Mexico and Colorado.

The FAA reminds the public about the dangers of holiday laser-light displays ahead of the upcoming holiday season.

“The concentrated laser beams reach much farther than homeowners may realize and have the potential of distracting or temporarily blinding pilots,” read the announcement.

Pointing lasers at an aircraft is a serious federal crime. The FAA imposes fines of up to $11,000 for a single violation and up to $30,800 for multiple violations. Meanwhile, what it calls severe violations can result in up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, alongside additional state and local penalties.

The FAA encourages people to report all incidents to [email protected], or local law enforcement, with your name, contact information, and the date, time, location, and description of the incident.

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I’m a reporter covering weekend news. Before joining PCMag in 2024, I picked up bylines in BBC News, The Guardian, The Times of London, The Daily Beast, Vice, Slate, Fast Company, The Evening Standard, The i, TechRadar, and Decrypt Media.

I’ve been a PC gamer since you had to install games from multiple CD-ROMs by hand. As a reporter, I’m passionate about the intersection of tech and human lives. I’ve covered everything from crypto scandals to the art world, as well as conspiracy theories, UK politics, and Russia and foreign affairs.

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A proper gaming headset can go a long way. Not only will it keep you immersed in your games, but can provide you with vital audio cues that can give you the edge against your opponent in tournaments. The field is rather competitive, so having solid audio is the least a gaming headset can have, but when paired with a good deal, you’ll definitely want to hop on. The Logitech Astro A50 gaming headset is on sale for $239, which is down from its original $299.99 price tag. That’s $61 in savings!

As of September 18, the Logitech Astro A50 gaming headset is on sale for 20% off. According to CamelCamelCamel, this is the lowest price it’s been at for several months. So if you missed out the first time, you don’t want to miss it again.

Logitech G Astro A50 Gaming Headset

40mm diameter, 7-core DSP, 24-hour battery life

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This Astro A50 headset connects with all major platforms, including PlayStation, PC, Nintendo Switch/Switch 2, and Xbox. This way, you won’t have to compromise on where you play your games! You can even tap between three of them at once via the on-ear control for easy convenience. It has 40mm diameter with live edge technology, which helps separate location and timing so that you can pinpoint where your opponents are in a game, allowing you to cinch a win. On the communications side, it has a 48 kHz boom mic that makes your voice clear and booming so that your teammates can hear you.

When playing single-player games, the headset uses seven-core DSP, creating powerful audio that transfers between your systems so you don’t lose that immersive headspace. You can also tailor your listening experience through the Advanced G Hub and G App Control, with settings like EQ, noise-gate, and stream output mixing. The battery lasts up to 24 hours, and there’s a magnetic base included so that the headset is always powered up and ready to go.

Our expert Will Greenwald awarded it an “Excellent” rating. In our in-depth review, he said, “The latest Astro Gaming A50 wireless gaming headset feels and sounds excellent, but it’s a pricey option in an increasingly competitive field.”

• More Gaming Headset Deals on Best Buy

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The week is for working, and the weekend is for shopping. I don’t make the rules! If you’ve been grinding away at your 9-to-5 to make the cash you need to buy the tech of your dreams, I’m here to help. Every Friday, I comb through all the major retailers as well as the PCMag deals page to spotlight the five deepest discounts on well-reviewed items. We’re talking major price drops on products from brands like Beats, JBL, and LG with Editors’ Choice awards and stellar reviews. Read on and save.

LG 65-Inch OLED Smart TV Deal

LG 65-Inch OLED evo AI 4K C6 Smart TV

65-inch screen, 4K, Dolby Atmos, Dolby Vision, HDR10, WebOS

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Shopping for a new TV this football season? Even if you’re not into sports, this big, beautiful LG screen is one of the best deals of the week, with Amazon delivering a steep 41% price cut. The LG C6 delivers on every possible aspect for a modern-day TV, earning an Editors’ Choice award in our review thanks to its pristine picture quality, improved brightness, and strong streaming features. PCMag expert Will Greenwald declared that it was “the best midrange OLED TV out this year.” LG’s WebOS software comes with all the major streamers preinstalled and supports local streaming through Apple AirPlay, Google Cast, and Miracast/WiDi. It also includes a hands-free voice assistant for Google Hub and Matter devices. Finally, it’s awesome for gaming as well, with a refresh rate of up to 165 hertz and support for AMD FreeSync Premium and Nvidia G-Sync.

Beats Studio Buds Headphones Deal

Beats Studio Buds Headphones

Bluetooth, active noise cancellation, 8 hours battery life

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Looking for a new pair of headphones that deliver solid audio quality at a nice price? Woot has a massive discount on the Beats Studio Buds, a capable and comfortable set of earbuds that sound good in any situation, especially if you’re a fan of deep bass. You can read our full review for all the details, but they check off all of the boxes we expect, including capable active noise cancellation, one-touch pairing with Android and iOS devices, and effective on-ear controls. Apple fans also get spatial audio compatibility and Find My Device. The built-in multi-mic array also delivers good sound reproduction for phone calls. For this price, you’ll be hard-pressed to find better earbuds, but it’s Woot, so they could vanish at any time.

Ring Battery Doorbell 2K and Indoor Cam Plus Deal

Ring Battery Doorbell 2K and Indoor Cam Plus

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Here’s an easy way to get a smart security system up and running at a sweet sticker price. Amazon’s Ring devices are easy to set up and offer a robust set of features. This deal gets you both a versatile video doorbell and a pocket-sized camera that you can position to cover just about any interior area. In our review of the Ring Battery Doorbell, we were impressed by how simple installation was, noting that its wide field of view gave us head-to-toe images of visitors and packages, and support for Alexa and IFTTT smart systems made larger integrations a breeze. Note that to unlock certain advanced features and store videos in the cloud, you’ll need a Ring subscription, but you’re saving enough here to cover a year of it.

JBL Bar 1300X Soundbar Deal

JBL Bar 1300X Soundbar

11.1.4-channel stereo, HDMI, Optical

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$1,079.95
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Looking for home theater audio that matches your new TV’s visual sizzle? The JBL Bar 1300X is a potent system that packs a ton of presence into just a few small components. We gave this one an Editors’ Choice award, impressed by its rich, accurate spatial audio with multiple height channels, potent subwoofer-driven bass, and wireless rear satellites that can be removed from the main unit and positioned around the room for even more engrossing surround sound. Connectivity is also impressive, with wired HDMI eARC and optical audio joining Bluetooth 5.0 and Wi-Fi 6 with Alexa Multi-Room Music (MRM), Apple AirPlay, and Google Cast. You can read our full review for all the details, but our only real sticking point was the list price, so a serious 36% discount at Amazon handles that.

Gigabyte A16 Gaming Laptop Deal

Gigabyte A16 Gaming Laptop

16-inch 1920×1200 display, Intel Core i7-13620H CPU, GeForce RTX 5060 GPU, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD

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Walmart has some surprising deals on laptops right now, so if you’re interested in getting into PC gaming but don’t want to spend your retirement savings, this Gigabyte machine is well worth your time at a little over a thousand bucks. Just from pure component costs, you’re already getting your money’s worth, with a peppy 13th-generation Intel Core i7 processor more than capable of running whatever you throw at it, along with a full 1TB SSD. Graphics-wise, you can read our review of the Blackwell-series RXT 5060 to learn more about how well it performs, but to summarize, it’s one of the best GPUs on the market for 1080p and light 1440p gaming. Throw in a good-looking screen, a backlit keyboard, and plenty of ports, and you have a real contender.

Want to save even more? Our deals page has hundreds of outrageous offers.

About Our Expert

K. Thor Jensen

Contributing Writer

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Experience

K. Thor Jensen is a writer and cartoonist living in the Pacific Northwest. He has contributed to dozens of prestigious outlets, including PCMag, Tested, Clickhole, and Newsweek. His second graphic novel, Cloud Stories, was released in 2017.

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TL;DR: Receive lifetime access to Argo Books Accounting Software Premium for $59.99 (MSRP $399), with receipt scanning, smart financial-data imports, invoicing, inventory management, reporting, and predictive cash flow forecasting.

Photograph a receipt, and Argo Books Accounting Software Premium can extract the vendor, date, total, and individual line items automatically. It’s now on sale for $59.99 for lifetime access (MSRP $399).

For small businesses that have outgrown manual spreadsheets, that’s a straightforward way to cut down on bookkeeping data entry.

Existing records can come along, too. Argo Books imports CSV, Excel, PDF, and downloaded bank statement files, automatically organizing the information and learning your preferences as you use it. Importantly, you don’t need to provide your bank login.

The software also handles income and expense tracking, invoicing and online payments, customer and supplier records, inventory, purchase orders, returns, rental management, and Canadian payroll, including T4S. Predictive analytics provide revenue and cash flow forecasts, while reports and an analytics dashboard help you review business performance.

Argo Books is built for Windows and Linux.

Get Argo Books Premium for just $59.99 for lifetime access (MSRP $399).

Argo Books Accounting Software Premium Plan

Lifetime Subscription

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