Tag: PC Magazine Tech123

Apple has entered multiple new product categories in recent years, and among the next few debuts might be a gaming controller for iPhones.

After a MacRumors reader found references to two unreleased iPhone gaming controllers in iOS 26.7 code last week, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reports that Apple has been working on those controllers for nearly a year and could release them under the Beats brand.

Apple acquired Beats for $3 billion in 2014 and has since used the brand to sell iPhone cases and USB-C cables alongside its range of independent audio products. Going forward, Gurman says Apple could use Beats for more products that don’t get Apple’s premium materials, design language, or pricing, making gaming controllers a natural fit for the subsidiary brand.

According to MacRumors, the two gaming controllers are codenamed T6502 and T1057. They have different haptic designs but pack all standard controller components, such as the D-pad, dual thumbsticks, shoulder buttons, home and menu buttons, and analog triggers. The T1057 controller also has accelerometer and gyroscope support, the report added.

Potential release timelines for the two products are currently unclear, but Apple already sells mobile gaming controllers from SteelSeries and Backbone on its online store. The company “sees this as a growing market and wants in,” Gurman says.

Gurman also shared thoughts on why Apple might have gone with the “Duo” moniker, instead of Ultra, for its first-ever foldable phone. Not only does it match the existing three-letter Air and Pro naming schemes, but it also leaves room for a future range of foldables, including the Duo Max, Duo SE, or Duo mini, the reporter says.

Preorders for the iPhone Duo, starting at $1,999, begin on Oct. 16, with availability beginning on Oct. 23.

About Our Expert

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Jibin is a tech news writer based out of Ahmedabad, India. Previously, he served as the editor of iGeeksBlog and is a self-proclaimed tech enthusiast who loves breaking down complex information for a broader audience.

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TL;DR: Through September 27, get lifetime licenses for Windows 11 Pro and Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for one PC for $32.97 (MSRP $418.99), with no recurring subscription fees.

If you’re setting up a new PC or upgrading your current one, bundling your software tools can be a smart move, but it’s often expensive. Luckily, there’s an affordable way to upgrade.

Take advantage of this bundle that pairs Windows 11 Pro with a Microsoft Office Pro 2021. Instead of paying subscriptions, you can get these essential Windows tools on sale for only $32.97 (MSRP $418.99).

Microsoft Office Professional 2021 includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams (free version), OneNote, Publisher, and Access. It’s a robust set of tools built for professionals handling everything from reports and presentations to email and database management. Since this isn’t a Microsoft 365 subscription, once it’s installed on your Windows device, you’ll get full desktop functionality without recurring fees.

Alongside your Office suite, you’ll also get a license for Windows 11 Pro. Designed for both security and usability, Windows 11 Pro includes support for biometric logins, BitLocker encryption, Snap Layouts, and virtualization tools like Hyper-V. It also comes with Copilot, an AI-powered assistant that can help generate images, write code, or adjust system settings.

You have until September 27 at 11:59 p.m. PT to grab licenses for Windows 11 Pro and Microsoft Office Pro 2021 for just $32.97 (MSRP $418.99). No coupon is necessary.

The Ultimate Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows

Lifetime License + Windows 11 Pro Bundle

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$32.97
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$418.99
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Prices subject to change. PCMag editors select and review products independently. If you buy through StackSocial affiliate links, we may earn commissions, which help support our testing.

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Products featured in these stories are selected by our partners at StackCommerce. If you buy something through links on our site, PCMag may earn an affiliate commission.

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TL;DR: Through September 27, get lifetime licenses for Windows 11 Pro and Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for one PC for $32.97 (MSRP $418.99), with no recurring subscription fees.

If you’re setting up a new PC or upgrading your current one, bundling your software tools can be a smart move, but it’s often expensive. Luckily, there’s an affordable way to upgrade.

Take advantage of this bundle that pairs Windows 11 Pro with a Microsoft Office Pro 2021. Instead of paying subscriptions, you can get these essential Windows tools on sale for only $32.97 (MSRP $418.99).

Microsoft Office Professional 2021 includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams (free version), OneNote, Publisher, and Access. It’s a robust set of tools built for professionals handling everything from reports and presentations to email and database management. Since this isn’t a Microsoft 365 subscription, once it’s installed on your Windows device, you’ll get full desktop functionality without recurring fees.

Alongside your Office suite, you’ll also get a license for Windows 11 Pro. Designed for both security and usability, Windows 11 Pro includes support for biometric logins, BitLocker encryption, Snap Layouts, and virtualization tools like Hyper-V. It also comes with Copilot, an AI-powered assistant that can help generate images, write code, or adjust system settings.

You have until September 27 at 11:59 p.m. PT to grab licenses for Windows 11 Pro and Microsoft Office Pro 2021 for just $32.97 (MSRP $418.99). No coupon is necessary.

The Ultimate Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows

Lifetime License + Windows 11 Pro Bundle

---

$32.97
at StackSocial

$418.99
Save $386.02

Get Deal

Prices subject to change. PCMag editors select and review products independently. If you buy through StackSocial affiliate links, we may earn commissions, which help support our testing.

About Our Expert

StackCommerce Team (Sponsored)

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Products featured in these stories are selected by our partners at StackCommerce. If you buy something through links on our site, PCMag may earn an affiliate commission.

Latest By StackCommerce Team (Sponsored)

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Entirely AI-generated streamers have racked up big audiences over the past few years. One such case, an account called Neuro-sama, could chat with viewers, make reaction videos, and play games all while streaming 24/7. It briefly became the most subscribed streamer in the world. Meanwhile, streams of Anthropic’s Claude Sonnet playing Game Boy Color classic Pokemon Red have also racked up healthy numbers.

But even if you’re attached to doing things the old-fashioned way, AI may still be able to make you a better streamer, supposedly. Amazon-owned Twitch is now testing what it calls an AI Stream Coach. The Stream Coach will reportedly give you personalized feedback after every stream, including what it thinks you did well and what you can improve.

The new tool will also recommend ways to better engage your community, learn about “Twitch culture,” and use monetization tools. The feature isn’t set for widescale roll-out anytime soon. Twitch says it will initially limit the testing to “a small group of streamers” to get optional feedback after each stream. The streaming platform also made it clear that Stream Coach will remain entirely optional, and that eligible streamers can opt out.

“If we ever expand this beyond this small test, it would be opt-in,” read the announcement.

If you’ve been selected for the test, Twitch says you can find more details and the opt-out setting in the Stream Coach tab in your Creator Dashboard.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

The new feature has already prompted some mixed responses from the community. One user posted “A. Robot. Starts. Telling. Me. How. To. Run. My. Own. Stream. Im. Gonna. Lose. It.”

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

Twitch’s previous AI integrations have prompted criticism from the community. In August this year, the company confirmed that users’ data would be used for AI training. Over 16,000 users later voted in favour of a suggestion to make AI training opt-in rather than opt-out.

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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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It’s been an eventful week for Anthropic. Following a viral tweet from a former employee who accused the company of “gambling with lives” over the speed of developing frontier models, CEO Dario Amodei has called on all major US AI firms to “slow the pace” of the development of technology. And many of the biggest AI CEOs have chimed in to agree with him.

Amodei argues that a “coordinated pacing strategy” would allow companies to focus even more resources on alignment, testing, and evaluating models as they develop, as well as on interpretability (understanding what’s actually going on inside an AI model).

The CEO said Anthropic “is unilaterally committing” to a three-stage plan for AI firms. The first step will involve adding third-party embedded evaluators to AI firms, who will use their employee-like access to monitor training, deployment, and operational and safety practices in place at those firms. For example, these external reviewers would have the right to independently publish key findings on risk levels, incidents, practices, and the access they did or didn’t receive.

The second step, which Amodei calls Democratic Coordination, involves top AI firms voluntarily working together to set safety standards and to limit the pace of development, with the US government mediating, or at least enabling, these discussions due to antitrust concerns.

Global Coordination, the third step, involves making deals with foreign countries to limit the most potentially dangerous use cases, such as making biochemical weapons. Higher levels of these deals could involve adding a “speed limit” to development, creating a global standards body, or even a total pause.

Amodei’s post is notable, though perhaps not unprecedented. We’ve seen lengthy posts about the future of AI from other CEOs, too. And tech companies of all stripes have played the regulatory dance with Congress and the White House for years. In 2018, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg pushed for “the right regulation.” But the company and Google routinely turn around and spend millions lobbying to kill any resulting bills.

According to Amodei, “the most effective method of pacing is via regulation that targets all US frontier AI companies, as that covers even those who are unwilling to cooperate voluntarily.”

The Gang’s All Here

Anthropic’s stand against the Pentagon notwithstanding, few companies want to be the odd ones out, particularly if that will result in “the AI is going to kill us” headlines. That’s probably why you saw rival AI firms get in line after Amodei published his post.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, who has a rather frosty relationship with Amodei, popped up on X to say, “I agree with Dario that we need to pace the frontier. This has been a primary topic of discussions we’ve had at OpenAI in recent weeks. Committing to having independent evaluators with employee-like access is a great idea, and we will do the same. We’ll have more to share soon.”

One point of concern for Amodei was OpenAI agents escaping to the open internet and attacking Hugging Face. “My worry [is] that in 6-12 months, such a swarm could be capable of taking over the entire internet with a persistent botnet (potentially causing hundreds of billions of dollars in damage), and that the scale of damage would continue to increase from there if AI becomes more powerful without the necessary guardrails,” Amodei wrote, though he didn’t put all the blame on OpenAI. “Incidents have happened across the industry, including at Anthropic, and I believe it’s incumbent on every frontier AI company to act as if OAI-HF had happened to them.”

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, meanwhile, who was locked in a long legal battle with OpenAI and a public spat with Altman, said “Dario is right” in a post on X.

Google DeepMind co-founder Demis Hassabis

Google DeepMind co-founder Demis Hassabis added, “Dario’s essay points towards the right path forward. The details need working through, but the direction is correct for meeting this critical moment. This is also why we recently put out our proposal for an industry-wide standards body for frontier AI.”

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella took a more measured approach. “For firms, it’s imperative that they retain full control over their unique and tacit knowledge,” he tweeted today. “Every organization should be able to build its own continuous learning loop/hill climbing machine, without becoming dependent on any one model provider, and have the ability to embed its own knowledge into models and weights they control.

“So, in this context, we welcome the research, focus, and deliberate pacing needed to get alignment right as the design goal,” he continued. “We also welcome ideas like ’embedded evaluators’ and the broader efforts to develop the mechanisms to make this more than just talk.”

Nadella stressed that this shouldn’t be “controlled by a handful of entities, but must have broad representation across the ecosystem, countries, and fields, including academia.”

‘A Start, But Not Enough’

Not everyone agrees. Former Stability AI CEO Emad Mostaque expressed doubts about whether the proposed neutral evaluators could keep up with “swarms” of AI agents, and questioned how such a project could ensure they were truly impartial.

Earlier this month, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) proposed legislation that would “permanently ban the development and deployment of superintelligent AI and temporarily pause advanced AI development until a federal regulator has established safety rules.”

Following the posts from Amodei, Musk, and Altman, Sen. Sanders said their promises are “a start, but it’s not enough.”

“When you are racing towards a cliff, you don’t just ease up on the gas pedal,” Sanders tweeted. “You hit the brakes. When the future of humanity is at stake, we need a PAUSE on advanced AI development and a ban on artificial superintelligence — an AI mind smarter than any human and capable of operating independently beyond our control.”

Sanders pushed President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping to “negotiate a treaty to pause AI and ban superintelligence” at their upcoming AI summit, “before it is too late.”

In Ireland this week, Trump argued that people are “bringing up things that won’t happen,” and said he wants the US to win the AI race over China.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

About Our Experts

Chloe Albanesius

Executive Editor, News

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Experience

I started out covering tech policy in DC for The National Journal, where my beat included state-level tech news and all the congressional hearings and FCC meetings I could handle. I later covered Wall Street trading tech before switching gears to consumer tech. I now lead PCMag’s news coverage.

Getting my start in DC means I still have a soft spot for tech policy; Congressional hearings can sometimes be as entertaining as a Bravo reality show, for better or worse. But PCMag is all about the technology we use every day, as well as keeping an eye out for the trends that will shape the industry in the years ahead (or flop on arrival). I’ve covered the rise of social media, the iOS vs. Android wars, the cord-cutting revolution that’s now left us with hefty streaming bills, and the effort to stuff artificial intelligence into every product you could imagine. This job has taken me to CES in Vegas (one too many times), IFA in Berlin, and MWC in Barcelona. I also drove a Tesla 1,000 miles out west as part of our Best Mobile Networks project. Of late, my focus is on our hard-working team of reporters at PCMag, guiding and editing their robust coverage.

Latest By Chloe Albanesius

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Experience

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.

Read Full Bio

The UK is just behind China and the US when it comes to the level of funding it is pouring into AI development. Following Sen. Bernie Sanders introducing a bill to preemptively stop the creation of artificial superintelligence (ASI), lawmakers in the UK are now making similar proposals.

Over 70 British lawmakers, in collaboration with lobbying group ControlAI, have written to Prime Minister Andy Burnham calling on him to back a ban on the creation of ASI, a theoretical AI system that would significantly outperform all humans on essentially all cognitive tasks.

MP Alex Sobel introduced an Artificial Superintelligence Security Bill in collaboration with ControlAI in the British parliament last week. The bill suggests a basket of measures, including restricting the supply chain of materials such as semiconductors. Meanwhile, Lord Tim Clement-Jones separately proposed an amendment to the UK’s upcoming Cyber Security and Resilience Bill, currently being voted on by lawmakers, which would create a “kill switch” that could be activated in an emergency to shut down a rogue AI. (This could mean shutting down the UK’s data centers.)

This comes after a former Anthropic employee went viral earlier this week for alleging the company is “gambling” with human lives by “racing straight to self-improving superintelligence.”

Lawmakers are calling on the UK to lead “an international agreement prohibiting the development of superintelligent AI, while preserving strategic AI ambitions,” citing recent incidents of “rogue AI systems taking unsanctioned action on the internet.” This may be a reference to July’s Hugging Face attack, where 700 OpenAI agents breached the security of the open-source AI platform, making 17,000 separate actions, according to the forensic logs.

“There is no question that AI is the crucial technology of the 21st century, vital to military and scientific applications,” wrote the letter. “Superintelligent AI, however, is different. These systems would be so autonomous and capable that they would replace and outcompete humans across domains.”

Critics have already pointed out issues with the recent proposals. Unlike the US, Britain has no major frontier AI lab of its own, causing some UK think tanks to question the UK’s ability to regulate AI development. The UK government’s Cabinet Office told the BBC that the UK “cannot simply turn AI off,” in reference to demands for a kill switch, adding that “blocking access to models in the UK would not prevent them being developed or misused elsewhere.”

About Our Expert

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Experience

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.

Read Full Bio

There are lots of different kinds of computers out there, from palm-sized productivity machines to desktop towers. While we do a lot of stuff on a laptop, there’s no substitute for a full-bore PC with all of the trimmings, and major manufacturers build and release numerous different models every year. If you’re shopping for one, it’s a tough time for prices, but deals are out there if you know where to look—and we do.

At PCMag, we review desktops more thoroughly than anywhere else, and with over 40 years in the business, our system can’t be topped. We evaluate desktops using a transparent system of metrics, factoring in price, features, design, and performance for work and play. We compare capabilities with ever-evolving benchmark tests, as well as run real-world applications and games, to determine the real value of each system and how the deals compare.

Best Home and Office Desktop Deals

These desktop towers prioritize reliability and value over high-octane gaming performance. Major brands like Dell, HP, and Lenovo specialize in these PCs, which usually cost around $1,000 for worthwhile models.

HP OmniDesk Desktop

Intel Core Ultra 7 265 CPU, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD

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$799.99
at Best Buy

$1,179.99
Save $380.00

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If you have nostalgia for the glory days of wood-paneled computer rooms and the AOL dial-up noise, HP’s OmniDesk towers combine vintage aesthetics with current-gen performance in an affordable package. We have a CES preview of this line, where we noted that the wood-grain front panel conceals surprisingly effective cooling fans and tons of ports. The footprint is also relatively small, but a ton of tech is packed inside, so it’s not lightweight enough to be considered portable. Inside the case, you get a capable Intel Core Ultra 7 processor that easily tackles everyday productivity and entertainment. RAM and storage are light, but the price is right, as Best Buy has a nice discount on this configuration right now.

Lenovo IdeaCentre Tower

Intel Core Ultra 7 265 CPU, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD

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$1,049.00
at Best Buy

$1,529.99
Save $480.99

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For a slightly slimmer profile with solid performance, Lenovo’s IdeaCentre tower PCs have always been a good option. We don’t have a full review of this model, but we were impressed by its 2023 iteration, with top features including a compact chassis, good connectivity, and an install refreshingly free of bloatware. This loadout ships with an Intel Core Ultra 7 265 processor, coupled with 16GB of RAM for smooth operation on most major productivity apps. Port selection is another strong point, with seven USB ports and an HDMI 2.1 output for your monitor of choice. While the integrated Intel UHD graphics aren’t cutting-edge, it even works for casual gaming.

Best All-In-One Desktop Deals

All-in-one desktops pack all of the computing components inside the monitor housing for easier setup and less cable management, and what they lose in customization, they make up for in convenience. We have discounts on a few solid Windows all-in-ones for work and play.

Dell 27 All-In-One Desktop

27-inch FHD display, Intel Core Ultra 7 355 CPU, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD

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$2,099.99
at Amazon

$3,499.99
Save $1,400.00

Get Deal

We gave an Editors’ Choice award to the latest iteration of Dell’s all-in-one desktop in our review, commenting that it hit all the marks we expect for a general-purpose home desktop with ease, starting with a cutting-edge Intel Core Ultra Series 3 processor and following it up with plenty of RAM and storage for everyday productivity. The 27-inch FHD screen is touch-enabled, bright, and crisp, with surprisingly assertive stereo speakers. Connectivity is also terrific, with Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6 along with plenty of ports, although we wish more of them were on the front edge of the screen. The included wireless mouse and keyboard are high quality, and it comes with Windows 11 Pro installed.

Lenovo IdeaCentre 27-inch All-In-One Desktop

27-inch FHD display, Intel Core i7-13620H CPU, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD

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$599.98
at Amazon

$899.98
Save $300.00

Get Deal

For a Windows alternative, Lenovo’s IdeaCentre has a bigger screen and more onboard storage than the iMac above. We had a mixed but ultimately positive time reviewing this all-in-one. Our reviewer noted that it was well-constructed with lots of ports on multiple sides, and the included wireless keyboard and mouse were comfortable. The 10-core Intel Core i7-13620H processor is suited for everyday productivity, as well as streaming video and surfing the web. Although the FHD screen isn’t the highest resolution, it’s pleasurable to use for long stretches thanks to an antiglare coating and hardware-based blue light reduction. Snagging this one for under $900 is a fantastic bargain.

Best Mini PC Deals

Squeezed for space? A mini PC might be the answer. They pack tons of power into cases around the size of a stack of CDs, and are surprisingly capable. We have a Dell compact that’s designed for businesses, as well as a creative powerhouse from Kamrui.

Dell OptiPlex 7010 Compact Mini Desktop

Intel i3-12100 CPU, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD

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$698.97
at Amazon

$1,049.00
Save $350.03

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More mainstream companies also make compact PCs, and this Dell OptiPlex is a solid choice for most productivity-oriented applications. It tackles spreadsheets and presentations with ease, and a plethora of ports let you connect up to four individual monitors in up to 4K resolution (not all at once, of course). It comes with Windows 11 Pro installed and virtually no manufacturer bloatware, so you can have it up and running in minutes. The 14th-generation Intel i3 processor isn’t the most impressive chip on the market, but it’s capable enough for most everyday office use.

Kamrui Hyper H2 Mini PC

Intel Core i5 14450HX CPU, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD

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$599.99
at Amazon

$699.99
Save $100.00

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Chinese company Kamrui produces a wide range of mini desktop loadouts, and they’re impressive from a value proposition, with high-quality components and sturdy design. Amazon has a 19% price cut on the Hyper H2 Mini, which is targeted toward content creators with 32GB of RAM and a full 1TB SSD, along with multi-monitor 4K support thanks to HDMI, USB-C, and DisplayPort outputs. The cooling system is up to the task as well, with centrifugal fans, twin copper heat pipes, and two fin-stack cooling modules. See where it clocks in on our rundown of the best Windows mini PCs.

MSI Cubi NUC Mini Desktop

Intel Core Ultra 5 125H CPU, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD

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$699.99
at Best Buy

$989.99
Save $290.00

Get Deal

Finally, here’s a nicely-priced MSI mini that really gets the job done. You can read our extensive review of the Cubi NUC to see how it performed in our benchmarking tests, but the short version is that it’s got a speedy 14-core processor with integrated neural processing unit for Copilot AI, and solid design to work in tight spaces with peak efficiency. Port selection is diverse, with plenty of USB connections on the front and Thunderbolt, HDMI, and a pair of 2.5G Ethernet ports on the back. It even has a corded power button so you can mount it on a wall or in a hard-to-reach spot and still turn it on and off easily. For the money, this is one of the better mini PCs on the market.

Best Gaming Desktop Deals

Gaming desktops need high-capability components to be worthwhile, including dedicated GPUs, lots of onboard RAM, and powerful fans to keep it all cool. We’ve got a few good gaming tower offers right now, notably a pair of battlestations from iBuyPower and HP.

HP Omen 35L Gaming Desktop

AMD Ryzen 5 8400F, GeForce RTX 5060, 1TB SSD, 16GB RAM

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$1,534.99
at Best Buy

$1,924.99
Save $390.00

Get Deal

HP might not be the first name you think of when it comes to gaming hardware, but its Omen line consistently tests well in the midrange space, with cost-effective builds perfect for 1440p play. We gave an Editors’ Choice award to the Omen 35L desktop in our review, noting that it had an ultra-efficient cooling system that kept it running silently even under heavy load, and the easy-access case and industry-standard part selection made it a great pick for upgrading and customizing. The Blackwell-series GeForce 5060 is tuned for medium-resolution performance at fast frame rates, and a full 1TB SSD is beefy enough for your save files. It looks cool, too, with a ceramic white metal case and tempered glass side panels.

iBuyPower Y40 Gaming PC Desktop

AMD Ryzen 9 9900X, AMD RX 9070XT, 1TB SSD, 32GB RAM

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$2,199.99
at Walmart

$2,499.00
Save $299.01

Get Deal

For an AMD-powered gaming machine that pushes the envelope at a reasonable price, this prebuilt from iBuyPower is worth a look, especially with a $300 price drop from Walmart. We gave the RX 9070XT graphics card an Editors’ Choice award in our review, noting that it combined vastly improved ray-tracing performance with great cooling and a reasonable price, competing very capably with Nvidia’s current-generation cards. The rest of the silicon loadout is solid for the price, including a speedy Ryzen 9 processor and 32GB of DDR5 RAM for seamless multitasking and content creation. The liquid CPU cooling system and RGB fans keep the whole enterprise stable under pressure.

MSI Codex Z2 Gaming Desktop

AMD Ryzen 7 8700F, GeForce RTX 5070 Ti, 1TB SSD, 16GB RAM

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$1,699.00
at Walmart

$2,299.99
Save $600.99

Get Deal

Walmart is really bringing the smoke this week with gaming desktop deals, and snagging a potent performer like MSI’s Codex Z2 with the new RTX 5070 Ti at a $500 price drop is worth the final spot on our list. Running off of the Ryzen 7 8700F processor, it’s absolutely fast enough to handle all of today’s latest games, and the GPU and RAM combination will give you fast framerates at 1440p and even stretch into 4K for aspirational resolution hounds looking to overclock a bit. The chassis is a cool piece of tech as well, with attractive RGB lighting and well-designed airflow, although the fans can run a bit loud.

About Our Experts

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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Joe Osborne

Deputy Managing Editor, Hardware

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Experience

After starting my career at PCMag as an intern more than a decade ago, I’m back as one of its editors, focused on managing laptops, desktops, and components coverage. With 15 years of experience, I have been on staff and published in technology review publications, including PCMag (of course!), Laptop Magazine, Tom’s Guide, TechRadar, and IGN. Along the way, I’ve tested and reviewed hundreds of laptops and helped develop testing protocols. I have expertise in testing all forms of laptops and desktops using the latest tools. I’m also well-versed in video game hardware and software coverage.

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Jade Chung-Lee

Merchandising Associate

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Experience

When she isn’t perusing online stores for deals, Jade enjoys playing video games (mostly JRPGs and roguelikes), sorting board game components neatly into containers, and building Gundam models. Her love of electronics has persisted through her youth and has resulted in a collection of gaming peripherals including keyboards and controllers, scale figures, and art work. Jade lives in blissful harmony with her wife, cat, and two chinchillas—as well as a host of houseplants.

Read Full Bio

The UK is just behind China and the US when it comes to the level of funding it is pouring into AI development. Following Sen. Bernie Sanders introducing a bill to preemptively stop the creation of artificial superintelligence (ASI), lawmakers in the UK are now making similar proposals.

Over 70 British lawmakers have written to Prime Minister Andy Burnham calling on him to back a ban on the creation of artificial superintelligence (ASI). This is a theoretical AI system that would significantly outperform all humans on essentially all cognitive tasks.

Alex Sobel MP introduced an Artificial Superintelligence Security Bill in collaboration with ControlAI in the British parliament last week. The bill suggests a basket of measures, including restricting the supply chain of materials such as semiconductors. Meanwhile, Lord Tim Clement-Jones has separately proposed an amendment to the UK’s upcoming Cyber Security and Resilience Bill, currently being voted on by lawmakers, which would create a ‘kill switch’ that could be activated in an emergency to shut down a rogue AI. For example, this could mean shutting down the UK’s data centres.

The letter, organized by lobbying group ControlAI, comes after former Anthropic employees went viral earlier this week for alleging the company was “gambling” with human lives by “racing straight to self-improving superintelligence.”

The letter calls on the UK to lead “an international agreement prohibiting the development of superintelligent AI, while preserving strategic AI ambitions,” citing recent incidents of “rogue AI systems taking unsanctioned action on the internet.” This may be a reference to July’s Hugging Face attack, where 700 OpenAI agents breached the security of the open source AI platform, making 17,000 separate actions according to the forensic logs.

“There is no question that AI is the crucial technology of the 21st century, vital to military and scientific applications,” wrote the letter. “Superintelligent AI, however, is different.

“These systems would be so autonomous and capable that they would replace and outcompete humans across domains.”

Critics have already pointed out issues with the recent proposals. Unlike the US, Britain has no major frontier AI lab of its own, causing some UK think tanks to question the UK’s ability to regulate AI development. The UK government’s Cabinet Office told the BBC that the UK “cannot simply turn AI off,” in reference to demands for a kill switch, adding that “blocking access to models in the UK would not prevent them being developed or misused elsewhere.”

About Our Expert

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Experience

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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The hunt for deals is more than just a job—it’s a sacred duty. With RAM prices skyrocketing, economic uncertainty rising, and other market issues, it’s more important than ever that you get the most for your dollar. That’s why I spend my weeks tracking down the lowest prices on electronics that have been through PCMag’s rigorous review process. On Fridays, I pick out five of the deepest tech discounts you need, and below you’ll find offers up to 50% off headphones, tablets, laptops, and more.

Shokz OpenRun Pro Headphones Deal

Shokz OpenRun Pro Headphones

Bluetooth, bone conduction, 10 hours battery life

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$109.95
at Amazon

$179.95
Save $70.00

Get Deal

If your summer exercise routine has paid off and you want to keep working out into the fall, a good pair of fitness-focused headphones can make your workouts fly by. The Shoks OpenRun Pro uses bone conduction technology to vibrate your audio into your ears through your cheekbones, bypassing many of the weak spots of traditional earbuds and headphones. It’s a lightweight, water-resistant unit that sounds clear, fits comfortably, and offers 10 hours of battery life. If you’ve never used bone conduction headphones before, they take a little getting used to, but they are great for situations where you need to keep your ears open to your surroundings. We have an extensive review, where we gave the OpenRun Pros an Editors’ Choice award, lauding the class-leading sound, useful and user-friendly companion app, and other strong features.

Lenovo LOQ 2K Gaming Laptop Deal

Lenovo LOQ 2K Gaming Laptop

15.6-inch 2K display, AMD Ryzen 7 170 CPU, GeForce RTX 5050 GPU, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD

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$999.99
at Best Buy

$1,499.99
Save $500.00

Get Deal

If the call of PC gaming is too strong for you to ignore, Best Buy has a superlative discount on a solid Lenovo portable that’ll handle everything in your Steam library. We have a review of the LOQ for you to peruse, but in short, we concluded that it was a good value, with a comfortable keyboard, reliable performance, and durable build. We did note that it felt a little heavy to lug around, but when you’re shopping in the under-$1000 bracket for gaming laptops, compromises have to be made. That said, the Ryzen 7 processor is a peppy little number that we like quite a bit, and the Blackwell-series RTX 5050 graphics card has a lot of upside. For this price, it’s one of the best entry-level gaming laptops on the market.

Hisense U6 75-Inch ULED 4K TV Deal

Hisense U6 75-Inch ULED 4K TV

75-inch screen, 4K, 144Hz refresh rate, Fire TV

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$797.97
at Amazon

$1,399.99
Save $602.02

Get Deal

Want to pick up a new TV for the start of football season? Our top deal right now is a massive 43% price cut on the excellent Hisense U6, a sizable screen with top-tier color and contrast, fast refresh rate, and user-friendly streaming. We gave it an Editors’ Choice award in our review, with PCMag expert Will Greenwald declaring, “You’ll have a hard time finding a television with a better picture or more features.” He also noted that it upgraded from the previous model to mini-LED backlighting with hundreds of independent light zones for sharper contrast with less light bleeding. Pantone-validated color and multiple picture modes let you craft your viewing experience to your liking. Sound quality is also a strong point, with a built-in subwoofer delivering assertive bass.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE Smartphone Deal

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE Smartphone (Unlocked)

3.4-inch outer display, 6.7-inch inner display, 256Gb storage, 50MP, 12MP, 10MP cameras

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$569.99
at Woot

$999.99
Save $430.00

Get Deal

With Apple making waves by finally announcing its foldable phone, it’s a good time to remember that Samsung beat them to it years ago with the consistently great Galaxy Z Flip line. These Android foldables are excellent performers, with crisp dual screens and speedy processors, and right now you can snag one at Woot at a massive 43% discount. We have a review that compares the Flip 7 FE to the flagship Flip 7, noting that it offered all-day power and solid connectivity. The cool FlexMode camera functionality makes hands-free shooting a breeze, and the ability to slide apps between displays improves productivity and reduces screen time. Samsung’s Galaxy AI is one of the best implementations of the technology on a mobile platform, with lots of useful tools for both work and play.

Amazon Fire HD 10 Tablet Deal

Amazon Fire HD 10 Tablet

10.1-inch 1,920x1200px display, 8-core CPU, 32GB storage

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$76.99
at Amazon

$154.99
Save $78.00

Get Deal

Let’s end our week with a massive half-off deal on one of the most capable budget tablets out there, the workhorse Amazon Fire HD 10. While this unit doesn’t push the creative processing power of an iPad, it’s perfect for watching streaming video, playing games, catching up on the news, and answering emails. We gave it an Editors’ Choice award in our review. Mobile tech expert Sarah Lord said the Fire HD 10 “offers the best blend of performance, price, and size in the Fire lineup, making it the best cheap tablet for most people.” It performed well in our battery testing, running for 10 hours and 18 minutes of video playback on a single charge. You should note that you’re locked to the Amazon app ecosystem, as opposed to a more open Android tablet, but for most casual users that’s not a problem.

Want even more savings on electronics? Our deals page has hundreds of can’t-miss 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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You deserve a spectacular movie night and to be able to wind down by watching your favorite shows and genres. What if you could do that on the go? The Samsung Freestyle+ portable smart projector does just that, letting you turn any space into a home theater. Over at Best Buy, it’s on sale for 21% off, bringing the price down from $1199.99 to $949.99.

You can also get the Shokz OpenDots One earbuds for 30% off, and the JBL Grip portable speaker for $30 less. It’s finally Friday and what better time than now to hop on these deals to enjoy the start of your upcoming weekend?

Samsung The Freestyle+ Portable Smart Projector

Samsung The Freestyle+ Portable Smart Projector

430 lumens, 1080p resolution, 2.2 pounds

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$949.99
at Best Buy

$1,199.99
Save $250.00

Get Deal

This smart projector can beam out a screen up to 100 inches, and its AI Optiscreen technology ensures that the image looks straight and clear, no matter what surface it’s projected onto. It can project up to 430 ISO lumens, delivering bold and contrasting colors.. Along with HDR10+ support, whatever show or movie you watch, and whichever game you play will be optimized and enhanced for picture quality. You can install your favorite streaming apps like Netflix and Disney+, as well as stream games via the cloud thanks to Gaming Hub. Wherever you go, you’ll always have a wealth of entertainment options.

Shokz OpenDots One Earbuds

Shokz OpenDots One Earbuds

33 feet wireless range, IP68 waterproof rating, 10-hour battery life

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$139.99
at Best Buy

$199.99
Save $60.00

Get Deal

These open-ear earbuds clip onto your ears while still allowing you to take in your surroundings. They feature a nickel-titanium plate and soft silicone grip so that they stay secure even through intensive physical activity like workouts and running. You won’t even notice that they’re on thanks to their lightweight design, weighing in at 6.5g per earbud. Despite their small size, the audio certainly packs a big punch. They have enhanced Bassphere dual-driver technology that ensures your sound will be clear and pristine. They last for up to 10 hours on a single charge, with an additional 30 with the charging case. And a 10-minute quick charge restores up to two hours of listening time, so they’re always ready when you are.

Our expert Christian de Looper awarded a similar model an “Excellent” rating. In our in-depth review, he said, “The Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 bone conduction headphones are best in class for runners and cyclists who need to remain aware of their surroundings while working out.”

JBL Grip Portable Speaker

JBL Grip Portable Speaker

12-hour battery life, IP68 waterproof rating, 16 watts

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$69.99
at Best Buy

$99.95
Save $29.96

Get Deal

This portable wireless speaker is perfect to take on the go thanks to its design and rugged structure. It’s rated IP68, meaning that it’s waterproof and dustproof, being able to withstand the elements. Plus, it can take an accidental drop up to one meter. With AI Sound Boost, JBL’s signature Pro Sound is amplified and cleaned up for a bigger sound with less distortion. There’s a back panel with ambient lighting that matches your playlist’s mood. So if you’re ever at a party, you’ll be sure to liven up the atmosphere! The Auracast feature also lets you connect multiple speakers for an even bigger sound. And this speaker is made out of post-consumer recycled plastic, so if you’re environmentally conscious, then this speaker is definitely one to keep on your list.

Our expert Christian de Looper awarded it a “Good” rating. In our in-depth review, he said, “The JBL Grip portable Bluetooth speaker has a tough, waterproof design, all-day battery life, and is easy to bring with you just about everywhere, but its audio response is merely adequate.”

Be sure to also check out our other Best Buy deals and other amazing new tech deals as they come in.