Skip to main content

Latest by M. Smith

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga (4th Gen) hands-on review

Lenovo never made an all-aluminum ThinkPad. Until now, that is. At CES 2019, the company introduced the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga with a CNC-milled aluminum chassis. It’s a big change, yet it ultimately does little to help or hinder the 2-in-1.
Samsung Portable SSD T1 side

Samsung Portable SSD T1 review

Looking for a portable drive that can transfer tens of gigabytes in just a few minutes? Samsung's super-quick T1 is what you want, and it's small enough to fit in your pocket.
iosafe rugged portable review casing gallery

ioSafe Rugged Portable Review

The ioSafe Rugged Portable hard drive makes good on its claims of durability with a near-indestructible chassis that laughed off everything we could throw at it.
Logitech MX Master

Logitech MX Master wireless mouse review

Logitech’s MX series has always been the cream of the crop among mice, and now there’s a new entry; the MX Master. Can this $100 mouse justify its luxurious price, or are users better off sticking with an affordable alternative?

ioSafe Solo G3 Review

The ioSafe Solo G3 hard drive offers extreme capacities and extreme protection from heat and water, in case your data ever faces the worst.
AMD Ryzen 7 1800X review

AMD Ryzen 7 1800X review

After months of anticipation, AMD has released its first three Ryzen processors. Can the company’s fresh look at architecture beat Intel, or is the underdog forced to continue nipping at the giant’s heels?

Sony Vaio Duo 11 Review

There are many visions of what the next generation of computers will look like. These ideas, currently known as convertibles or hybrids, attempt to blend the portability of tablets with the power of PCs. The Duo 11 is Sony’s attempt, but, like the Surface Pro, it was doomed before it left the drawing board.
dont be so cheap five reasons you should spend more on your next laptop feat

Less is actually less: 5 reasons you should spend more on your next laptop

Low-cost laptops may look tempting, but the sacrifices you make to get there will often come back to bite you in the years ahead. Here's why spending more matters.

Intel’s LGA CPU sockets explained

When building or upgrading your computer, knowing what CPU socket you have is very important. Here's everything you need to know about Intel's LGA CPU sockets.
microsoft accidentally installs windows 10 on some systems review desktop experience

Eight months after release, Windows 10 is still the best desktop operating system

Windows 10 is Microsoft’s chance to redeem itself after the failure of Windows 8 and its touch-centric interface. Has the company pulled it off?
Nvidia GTX 950 hero

NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950 review

Despite a long history of success in the $200 price range, Nvidia has had trouble tackling AMD in the entry-level market. Does the new GTX 950 flip the script, or does the green team neglect the budget buyer?
monoprice uhd select series review 4k monitor feat

Monoprice Select Series 4K monitor review

Monoprice, the company best known for affordable cables, now has a 4K monitor. It follows a familiar strategy of budget-friendly pricing, but can it deliver a decent picture for just $400?
dell xps 13 9300 2020 features price photos release date 01

Dell XPS 13 vs. MacBook Pro 13

Dell overhauled the XPS 13 laptop with a new display, 10th-gen Intel CPUs, and more. Will that give it an edge over Apple's 13-inch MacBook Pro? We find out.
Logitech Combo Touch

Logitech Combo Touch review: The default choice

The iPad is now a laptop -- sorta, kinda, with the right keyboard case. Logitech's Combo Touch might be a third-party accessory, but it beats Apple's options.
amd radeon vega frontier edition competitive with nvidia geforce titan xp frontier3

AMD’s Radeon Vega Frontier Edition is now available for pre-order

AMD has announced the Radeon Vega Frontier Edition, the first video card based on its highly anticipated Vega architecture.
Samsung S27D590 full angle

Samsung S27D590P review

Samsung's 27-inch S27D590P monitor provides excellent image quality at a low price, but how does it compare to the competition?
acer conceptd 7 ezel pro 2 in 1 ces 2020 features price photos video release date

Acer ConceptD 7 Ezel Pro hands-on review: A crazy 2-in-1 that’s total overkill

Acer's ConceptD 7 Ezel Pro combines the versatility of a 2-in-1 with the serious productivity features and absurdly quick hardware that creators crave. This rare combo delivers a truly unique laptop that's complete overkill in all the right ways. Read our Acer ConceptD 7 Ezel Pro hands-on review for more.
AOC A2472PW4T review front 3

AOC mySmart A2472PW4T review

AOC's 24-inch all-in-one sells for less than $400 on Amazon. Can a low price make up for the use of Android over Windows?
Reliefband VR

Hands on: Reliefband VR

The Reliefband is a wearable that claims to cure motion sickness, including that caused by a virtual reality headset. But is the cure based on real science, or is it a virtual fraud?
Asus UX305

Asus Zenbook UX305CA review

The Zenbook UX305 is the latest cutting-edge ultrabook from Asus. It reinforces the brand’s affordable appeal, but can it defeat heavyweights like the Dell XPS 13 and Samsung ATIV Book 9?
Toshiba Satellite Radius P55W front angle

Toshiba Satellite Radius P55W review

Compromise? The Toshiba Satellite Radius P55W will have none of that. However, the approach here results in mediocrity, instead of excellence.
Origin PC Big O

Origin PC Big O hands-on review: A PC and PS4 sitting in a tree

Origin PC's Big O is a gaming PC that also packs a PlayStation 4 or Xbox One console (your choice) making it a rare all-in-one solution for gaming across multiple platforms. You'd think that means a massive desktop, but you'd be wrong. Our Big O hands-on review takes a first look.
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Touch review corner closeup

Which laptop has the best battery life of them all?

Whether it's a gaming laptop, or an Ultrabook, your notebook is useless if it don't has any juice. Here are the laptops that last the longest on a charge.
Wired v wireless ethernet cables

Wi-Fi vs. Ethernet: Has wireless killed wired?

Wi-Fi routers have become a home appliance. Does that mean Ethernet's time has passed, or are there still reasons to deal with wires?
HP Envy 23xt Beats Special Edition review front screen

HP ENVY 23xt Beats Special Edition review

The HP Envy Beats all-in-one PC wears a bold design, and supplements it with speakers that will rock your house.
Quiet Computer how to computer fans

How to make your PC quieter

Is your computer's fan noise driving you mad? Does your graphics card bellow like an ogre? We get it. Here's how to make your PC quieter.
computer components build your own pc

Should you build your next PC?

Building your own computer can help you learn about PCs, get exactly what you want, and sometimes even save money. But it can also be an impractical, expensive nightmare for the wrong person. Here's how to find out which side you fall on.
1110249 autosave v1 intel i7 6700k review 8

Want to overclock your notebook CPU? Intel will let you by the end of the year

Intel plans to introduce an unlocked "K" series mobile chip, the first mobile CPU ever produced by the company to explicitly enable overclocking.
intel and micron announce 3d xpoint an entirely new type of pc memory wafer close up

3D XPoint memory is up to 1,000 times quicker than current solid state drives

Intel and Micron have announced an all-new memory technology called 3D XPoint. It promises performance up to 1,000 greater than current solid state drives.
Intel Frost Canyon NUC

Intel Frost Canyon NUC (NUC 10i7FNHAA) review: Big win for creators

Intel's new Frost Canyon NUC (NUC 10i7FNHAA) pairs a 10th-gen Core i7 processor with a tiny PC puck design. The result is an excellent mini-PC for creators.
Moto G Power display

Motorola Moto G Power review: Heavyweight battery life

Motorola's Moto G Power packs a massive 5,000mAh battery despite its meager $250 price tag, but that massive battery makes the phone heavy and awkward to use.
Lenovo Yoga 910 review

Lenovo Yoga 910 review

The 2-in-1 market is big this holiday season, but laptops that are also tablets haven’t always proven the best choice. Lenovo’s new Yoga 910 takes a different tactic. Rather than try to be all things to all people, it focuses on power users first.
LG 32UD99-W review full

What PC hardware do you need for 4K games and movies?

4K games look great, but what exactly is necessary to power 4K games? We break down all of the hardware you need to play games and watch movies at 4K.
Phil Spencer on stage

Microsoft just low-key announced the first true ‘Netflix for games’

Some cloud gaming services have been hyped as Netflix for games but failed to deliver. Microsoft is different, and will bundle xCloud with Game Pass Ultimate.
Halo: Infinite

Halo: Infinite isn’t a stunner, but it’s exactly what the Xbox Series X needs

The gameplay reveal of Halo: Infinite isn't a stunner, but its old-school gameplay is sure to lure in Halo purists and shooter fans craving a 4K/60 fps game.
dell ultrasharp 49 review inch monitor u4919dw 30008 feat

Dell Ultrasharp 49 review

Samsung’s ultrawide CHG90 opened the door for massive monitors last year, and now Dell is stepping through that door with its own gigantic screen. Dell’s Ultrasharp 49 looks similar to the Samsung at a glance, but it’s for a different audience. Our Ultrasharp 49 review breaks down the differences.
Microsoft Surface Hub 2

Microsoft reveals details of Surface Hub 2S, coming in June at $8,999

Microsoft's Surface Hub 2 isn't far from release but what will it actually be like? The first iteration, the Surface Hub 2S, will be a major upgrade in terms of software and hardware. But its sequel, the 2X, could be even more so, with the ability to connect several displays together for even more space.
lg 34wk95u w ultrawide monitor review feat

LG 34WK95U-W ultrawide monitor review

Want a 34-inch ultrawide? You have many options from Samsung, Dell, and HP. All of them are good. The LG 34WK95U-W beats them all, but there’s a big catch. Our LG 34WK95U-W examples the image quality of this top-tier monitor to help you decide if it’s worth the price.